#winter dawn zine

[leawesomesloth]

☀️ On every winter evening, the Sun shares a dance with the Snow ❄️

Here’s my piece for @fengqingzine! Finally in all its glory!! Thank you mods once again for this opportunity! Learnt a lot and had a lot of fun!! 💙💛

#fengqing #mu qing #feng xin #天官赐福 #tgcf #fanart #art farts #tian guan ci fu #winter spirit mq #sun spirit fx #winter sun au #they can only meet when the sun touches the snow at sunset #make every moment count #☀️❄️ #from dusk till dawn #fengqing zine

[octofaewrites]

Octofae’s Fic List™️

All of my works can be find here:

I write for a variety of fandoms, so here we go - fandoms include: Bleach, Pokémon, Winx Club, and a few others!

Bleach - IchiRuki

Series

Masaki Lives! AU

Bleach, but Masaki was the parent who lived instead of Isshin.

The Noodle Saga

Crack Series involving Ichigo pining away for Rukia while Renji is trying to protect his captain’s dignity. (He is terrible at it.)

The Mystery of the Rukongai Crater

Paranormal Investigators, but make it Hallmark!AU

Conversations with the Future In-Laws

Hypothetical scenarios where Ichigo & Rukia talk to their future in-laws.

IchiRuki Month

Collection of works for IchiRuki Month

IchiRuki Week

Collection of works for IchiRuki Week

Stand Alone Stories

Performance Review

Three Casual Acquaintances™️ start a podcast as they try to solve the mystery of the sudden death of a neighbor in their swanky apartment complex.

Operation Christmas Play

Ichigo is trying to be romantic and Urahara has the connections.

Bleach - Others

Ready, Set, Caw….?

Renji/Orihime - jokefic written for a friend! Two dingdongs try to make cookies and a random crow keeps trolling them.

Through space and time, my love belongs to you (Chapter 1)

GrimmIchiRuki - Rukia is getting married to Grimmjow and Ichigo is sad because he’s hopelessly in love with them both - his life is surely over… or is it?

This story is a multi-author, round-robin project for GIR weekend!

Other Writers: kleinegirl87, AiTsuki97, Mako_After_Dark, AriadneKurosaki

Pokémon -

Pokémon: Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

Merry Mishaps

Dawn, Lucas and Berry decided to exchange presents. Their starters do a bad job of being helpful.

No pairings - Written for the Pokémon Winter Wonderland Zine 2023

Pokémon: Legends Arceus / Diamond/Pearl/Platinum - VoloKari

Series

Somewhere over the Sea

The Pirate AU that no one needed or asked for.

Conversations at the Company Water Cooler

Idiot coworkers in a situationship and too dumb to admit they’re dating.

Sweet Like Honey

Friends with Benefits™️ who are benefiting across Hisui.

As the World Falls Down

Angsty Soulmate AU, where I don’t let them be together.

Volokari Week

Collection of stories I did for Volokari Week 2023

Stand Alone Stories

Déjà Vu - I’ve just been in this Place Before

I want to be cool and do a reimagining of PL:A; I’m just not cool.

Time Won’t Fly (Dead Dove - MIND THE TAGS)

Akari not in a good place.

Doll (Dead Dove - MIND THE TAGS)

Akari is not having a good time. Set in BumbleTee’s Cop AU

When My World Shakes, I Feel Alive

Sweet conversation between Dawn/Volo after getting her drunk idiot roommates to bed.

Shopping is Serious Business

Crackfic. Volo’s real punishment for trying to subjugate Arceus is having to go shopping with his daughter and her equally high maintenance friend.

Pokémon: Scarlet & Violet - Arviana

Safe & Sound

Juliana is tired from her near death experiences and meeting ghosts and gets a much needed Arven-hug.

Sucker.

Arven can’t tell Ogerpon no.

Treasure

Arven reflects on how his family is his treasure

Paradise is Nothing but a Smile

Arviana Picnic Date!

And, maybe it was ego swinging

The AU where Turo pulled his head out of his ass and was a parent to Arven.

Home is Where the Heart Is

Juliana made it back from Blueberry Academy and is beyond glad to be reunited with Arven

Pokémon: Scarlet & Violet - Draymine

I created a Discord Server for Drayton x Carmine which also features Arviana and Kieran x Lacey - Other ships are welcome! It can be joined HERE - (18+ Please!)

Series

You are in Love

An on-going series featuring snapshots through Drayton and Carmine’s relationship.

Stand Alone Stories

Well, this is a choice

Jokefic - Kieran sees that Crispin has awful dragon claws for feet and Drayton and Carmine’s alone time keeps getting interrupted.

#herbamysticashipping #mintteashipping #arviana #drayton x carmine #Draymine #volokari #ichiruki #bleach #pokémon #pokémon scarlet and violet #pokémon legends arceus #archive of our own #fanfic #pokemon fanfiction #bleach fanfiction #pokemon games

[melisusthewee]

Summary: There are two games played at the Winter Palace: one of murder and deceit among the nobles, and another between Cassandra Pentaghast and Inquisitor Trevelyan who is determined to charm and dance with her.

Pairing: Cassandra Pentaghast/Male Trevelyan

Characters: Cassandra Pentaghast; Quinn Trevelyan; with brief appearances by Blackwall and Duke Gaspard

Rating: G

Word Count: 2,656

Notes: My piece for the @loveacrossthedaszine ! The zine version (if you have not yet downloaded yourself a copy) comes with really lovely spot art. But here it is now forever enshrined on AO3! It was a really great honour to be a part of this project and to get to share these silly sweet blorbos with everyone. And if you're feeling a bit spicy, this can very much be treated as the direct prequel to my first Cassmancing smut fic Impetus.

DAFF Tag List: @warpedlegacy @rakshadow @rosella-writes @effelants @bluewren @breninarthur @ar-lath-ma-cully @dreadfutures @ir0n-angel @inquisimer @crackinglamb @theluckywizard @nirikeehan @oxygenforthewicked @exalted-dawn-drabbles @blarrghe @agentkatie @delicatefade

#dragon age #dragon age inquisition #cassandra pentaghast #inquisitor trevelyan #quinn trevelyan #melis writes stuff #oc: quinn trevelyan

[ffxvficrec]

by blue like winter (bleucommelhiver) There is envy and rage in his heart when Somnus strikes down his brother — sword impaled through chest, through flesh and crack of bones until the throne room’s marble floor and his brother’s body becomes one. There is envy and rage and Somnus can feel it coursing through his veins, an ebrious thrum of power fueled by the thrill of battle and righteous fear, but why, then, does his hands tremble so in the quiet brilliance of dawn? A story of the first Kings of Lucis, both true and false, and the first Oracle to commune with the Gods. Words: 2302, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Final Fantasy XV Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: Gen Characters: Somnus Lucis Caelum , Aera Mirus Fleuret , Ardyn Izunia Relationships: Aera Mirus Fleuret & Somnus Lucis Caelum Additional Tags: Cosmogony (Final Fantasy XV) , Worldbuilding , Prophecy , Pre-Canon , Soft Somnus , or as soft as he can possibly be , Fabula Nova Crystallis Mythos (Final Fantasy) , sprinkled in because why the hell not , Written for , Cosmogony Zine (Final Fantasy XV)

#final fantasy xv #ffxv #ffxv fic rec #final fantasy xv fic rec

[aquatigermice]

Re: New Years Goals: 2023

Progress: As Jan 26 2023

Need to Finish:

Stucky war/recovery story.  Part 1 Words: 8184

Joe\Mimi story that been working on since 2001 Word count NA 41pgs written double sided 

Blue       Words:1710

Circus      Words: 1391

Horse 2   Words: 1616

Tsum     Words: 1400

Rain2    Words: 612

Crowley 1,2,3    Words: 2000

Sbt abo        Words: 7221  

Goat Steve      Words:1743

Ruq      Words: 2461

A/B moon       Words: 4447  

Adoc      Words: 5291

Mamb 2022       Words:2386

Baby clone     Words: 1795

Alpine       Words: 679

Cas      Words: 1804

Chris baby       Words: 9421

Ralsbeck     Words: 761

Aot p2    Words: 4212

Freakin done son!!!:

Bond ballet      Words: 21228

Gif     Words: 40733

Beast      Words:14581

Pooches 3     Words: 14156

Pooches 2      Words: 12482

Pooches 1      Words: 14256

stucky war pt2     Words: 39852

soulmark      Words: 3352

ao      Words: 6940

wolf     Words: 4064

lib      Words: 12535

Ride 2      Words: 2177

Posted!!!:

Since we didn't do an update in 2021 or 2022 I am doing that now.

2021:

When Your Isosceles Triangle Turns Out To Be Equilateral aka val 1   Words: 2845

Coming Home aka 7 pbge   Words: 7996

The Long Hours to Dawn. aka Fix 2  Words: 4258

Got to See a Man About a Haircut aka Fix 3  Words: 1645

Thunder Off the Rocks  aka fix it 4 thor  Words: 3430

A Matter of Pride aka lion king    Words: 5877

The Woes of the Ice Planet Saga: Part 2  aka Wotips   Words: 4780

Baby, What Can You Do With Those Arms? aka Hog1   Words: 4141

We Are So Much More Than What You Can See. aka hog 2   Words: 7504

What Would You Do For Your Love? The End aka runt 3   Words: 5,221

Anthony Stark and the Monsters of the Deep aka ray steve Words: 6597

The End   Words: 7,254

A Warrior's Love and A Wizard's Path aka wizard tribe   Words: 28563

Point Me Home aka time     Words: 6828

Only in My Dreams Am I Happy  aka mate   Words: 6562

Where There is Light, the Darkness Follows aka soldier    Words: 2919

Under Your Lights aka Gus    Words: 5031

Summer's Moon and Winter's Sun aka Sbtl/ Supernatural        Words: 14297

The Cold Isn't All That Bad aka hitlikehammer    Words: 7502

Why Did the Falcon Climb the Tree? nest 2    Words: 1594

2022:

Beauty With Brains a Dangerous Combination aka loki.     Words: 7529

A Place of Our Own aka viz wand     Words: 12907

Reading a Shadow aka Shadow       Words: 7554

On the Edge of Time and Space aka sheRa     Words: 29075

Goose games     Words:1849

A Prince's Winter Wonderland Challenge aka Goldilocks      Words:14563

The Assessing and Acquisition of Assets  aka team16     Words: 24671

Reclaiming Our Place in the World aka team47     Words: 32408

America's Ass  aka Ass      Words: 4581

The Bond Between Caretaker and Animal aka Breed 2    Words: 11522

Calendar Pets aka Calendar      Words: 8915

Not All Fires Are Bad aka Fire dog      Words: 10010

I Volunteer!!!!  aka volunteer          Words: 20562

Read It In A Fic Once aka fan fic    Words: 8955

2023:

Devotion aka breed 3  Words: 2940

Ideas:

• solar system

• Angels, demons, and humans

• God Thor

• Gkotm (really excited to start this one)

• Other ideas in the handy dandy notebook. Combining some ideas

Charities stories:

• Destiel handprint 

• Stucky Nemo

• Plums this one in the works. Already posting :)

• White wolf

• Dragon 

• Goose 

Charities art:

• Godzilla

•

Other stuff:

• I want to support at least 2 charities. 

• Co-write a story

• Post 12 story. 

• Be in a 4 fan event 

• Make a zine :)

Most important must do no ifs and or buts:

1. Stop starting stories until I finish some more: Have 20 starts. Lots of notes. not doing better Lol 

2. Finish typing pooches: 3/4 done

3. Finish Stucky war/recovery story pt 

4. Start part twos to stories: (Rain, horse (started), pooches 4, fix it 5, fanfic 2) 

5. Comment more on the stories I read Even if it is great read or good story:   :) doing this well..

6. Keep page for Tsums going: Still on Instagram 

7. Be in an auction: did in 2021

8. Clear out old stories: working on

9. Talk to more authors: Have joined four new discords :)

10. Edit all posted works: done

11. Do a whole year event: in progress

[lesamiszine]

☆ — ZINE PREVIEW! —  ☆

;

Next up on our previews is Tessa who has drawn the sweetest winter piece for the modern section of our zine featuring all of Les Amis!

➤ Tessa’s full piece featuring the Amis in winter will be available in the “A World About to Dawn” charity-zine now ready to purchase on BigCartel and Etsy! Pre-orders are open until October 26th so don’t miss out your chance!

——–

BigCartel Link (Worldwide)

Etsy Store (FOR EU/UK ONLY)

#Les Miserables #les mis #les miserables zine #les amis de l'abc #les amis zine #les amis #fandom zine #musical zine #charity zine #enjoltaire #enjolras #grantaire #Marius Pontmercy #Bahorel #Feuilly #jehan prouvaire #jolllly #Lesgles #cosette #gavroche

[peaamlipoetrydoctor]

Stepping through my post-doc archive: Jan 2022

So January was when I decided I should probably keep track of the things I'd been working on, which, according to my wee bibliography-of-me is as follows for 2021 into Jan 2022 -

Aamli, P. (2021a). Working through climate grief: A poetic inquiry (unpublished doctoral dissertation). Hult Ashridge Executive Education. Also available under “supervised theses” at: https://www.drstevemarshall.com/writing

Aamli, P. (2021b). Lockdown [Poem]. Allegro Poetry Magazine, 26(March). https://www.allegropoetry.org/p/issue-26-march-2021.html

Aamli, P. (2021c, April 08). I come from [Poem]. Dissonance Magazine, (NaPoWriMo series). https://www.dissonancemagazine.co.uk/zine/i-come-from

Aamli, P. (2021d, April 25). Rage is the thing with wings [Poem]. NaPoWriMo (Day25, co-featured poem). Retrieved on April 25, 2021 from https://www.napowrimo.net/day-twenty-five-7/

Aamli, P. (2021e, May 31). Small talk [Poem]. Shot Glass Journal (online literary poetry magazine, focusing on short verse), 34 (May issue).

Aamli, P. (2021f, July). The midnight hush [Poem / finalist]. Twelve ‘o clock poetry competition: Anthology. Wingless Dreamer.

Aamli, P. (2021g). Spring equinox in Leeds [Poem]. Allegro (online literary poetry magazine), 27 (September).

Aamli, P. (2021h, August 31). Dawn boat [Haiku]. South Wales Evening Post: Haiku of the day (Jim Young, Ed.).

Aamli, P. (2021i). The postman’s park [Poem]. In Between The Lines 2021: An anthology of creative writing. City Lit.

Aamli, P. (2021j, October 08). Sunset [Poem] Paddler Press, 2 (“Roots & wings”). https://paddlerpress.ca/issues-trip-log/

Aamli, P. (2021k, October 08). Before lockdown, I used to walk to work [Poem /nominated for a Pushcart Prize, 2021] Paddler Press, 2 (“Roots & wings”). https://paddlerpress.ca/issues-trip-log/

Aamli, P. (2021l, October 08).  VE fly-by as London unwinds out of lockdown[Poem] Paddler Press, 2 (“Roots & wings”). https://paddlerpress.ca/issues-trip-log/

Aamli, P. (2021m, October). Hope in mid-winter [Poem]. Decembré poetry competition: Anthology. Wingless Dreamer.

Aamli, P. (2021n, November). To my executors [Poem / finalist]. In M. Malamud, Ed., The art of death: Literary taxidermy competition 2021, p. 29. First Regulus Press.

Aamli, P. (2021o, November 28). Standing alone in the rain [Poem]. In The water episode (season 3, episode 10): Poetry on the theme of lakes, rain, the sea. Blue Door to the Cosmos. https://audioboom.com/posts/7987450-the-water-episode-poetry-on-the-theme-of-lakes-rain-the-sea-soft-spoken-poetry-to-hel

Aamli, P. (2021p, December 08). If nothing we do matters [Advent blog series, day 8]. EpicHR. https://epichr.co.uk/2021/12/08/adventblogs-if-nothing-we-do-matters/

Aamli, P. (2022a, January 01). Consider the foxglove [Poem]. The Tiger Moth Review 7, p. 63-64. https://www.thetigermothreview.com/issue-7

Aamli, P. (2022b, January 27). It does not say RSVP on the Statue of Liberty [Poem]. Freezeray Poetry, issue 21. http://www.freezeraypoetry.com/paula-aamli.html

And of all these pieces, I've decided to re-include Consider the Foxglove, which was published in Jan 2021 by Tiger Moth Review (with some small tweaks to make it easier to read) and subsequently included in my pamphlet, A Lockdown London Life...

CONSIDER THE FOXGLOVE

A Golden Shovel

My initial excitement at working there is

gone, obliterated by compromises. A

harsh critic of my life might define

this discomfort as envy, a failure to fine-

sse my way past the point that deline-

ates deciders from decided-abouts. Between

these two realms is a vast chasm and I a-

gree, younger me longed to live in clover

with the higher-ups. Now I understand,

even my own middling life looks like a

fantasy. Random chance was my friend.

Today, in mid-life, in central London, I stand

staring at the plants in our garden. There's

a foxglove exploding with purple bells, so a-

live. All week I have watched it unfurl its fine-

ery, slowly stretching from the leafine-

ss of its broad base, up towards the blue line

of the sky. In the brief beat between

glory and decay is this plant's reality.

Its whole point of being is to be, and

this is what I envy. Whilst I pretend

to be at peace, I have lost faith in the grand

unfurling of purpose through history. You-

th wants so much, strives so much and never

believes in age, death or failing. You know

that's how youth is supposed to be, still

certain of a place in the unfolding story. You-

th's future is a promise we should not breach

but our youth see an end approaching. The-

y know we will have to teach ourselves to stop

choking the ocean and uprooting the trees. If

the old story of repentance was ever true, it

is surely true today. Is there a way to was-

h our carbon sins away? That would be worth

the cost of conversion. Can we change the

course we have been setting? An up-hill

path, steepening the more we resist the climb.

I am encouraged by the rising clamour. There's

“boardroom chit-chat” about nature, perhaps a

sign of hope, whatever the motivation. Fine

if capitalism "saves the planet", if we confine

the level of pay-off flowing to the rich? Holine-

ss has always been a negotiation between

need and expectation. And still the foxglove

continues to unfurl, to make its brief stand,

stretching vainly to connect earth and sky. A

yearly ritual in which Nature happily waste

s energy from the sun on this brief burst of

life-becoming-compost. And tell me, at your

own end, will you account so well for your time?

[chococustard]

preview for @todofamzine​ A Winter Dawn!

i also did some stuff for the Glimpse sketchbook /o/ proceeds from it will go to Colors of Change✨

take a look if you're interested!! ❄️ 🔥

#todoroki rei #todoroki shouto #todoroki natsuo #todoroki fuyumi #todoroki touya #todofam zine #preview #winter dawn zine

[ayanah4129]

Dear Little Falling Star

The following is the result of a writer who strives to bring more DaBaeDrama into this world, but can’t choose between angst and a weird sense of humour. 

On the gravestone of his previous life, Dabi finds a letter from his newly released mother. He is unable to ignore the words of a broken woman, glued together with nothing but hope. The consequence: Dabi's life and (even worse) unapproachable-villain-image are at risk. Though the question remains: What would break his mother in more pieces? Losing hope of ever finding her long-lost son, or actually finding him and the truth of what he has become.

For those who haven’t lost interest yet, here is the link to the whole thing:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/27141871

Hope whoever ends up reading this somewhat enjoys it ♥

#winter dawn zine #dabi #bnha #todoroki #fanfic #touya todoroki #mha #villains #league of villains #dabae #ohf***Idrewthestitchingonhiscoatwrong

[draphrawrites]

🔥❄️ A preview of my piece for @todofamzine!! ❄️🔥I got to collab with @nuovanestra on a Natsuo and Dabi accidental adventure fic 😂 (In which secrets are revealed in unconventional ways 👀 ) 

Be sure to check out the zine at https://winterdawnzine.bigcartel.com! 

🔥❄️Preorders open until Oct 31st! ❄️🔥

#winter dawn zine #zines #dabi #todoroki touya #todoroki natsuo #natsuo #fanfic #my fic

[amidststars]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Todoroki Fuyumi & Todoroki Natsuo & Todoroki Shouto & Todoroki Touya Characters: Todoroki Fuyumi, Todoroki Natsuo, Todoroki Touya, Dabi (My Hero Academia), Todoroki Shouto, Todoroki Rei Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Humor, Family Feels, Dabi is Todoroki Touya Summary:

Fuyumi wants to commemorate their mother finally coming home from the hospital by taking the first Todoroki family picture in over ten years.

Too bad her brothers are degenerates prepared to make that as difficult as possible.

Note: Written for @todofamzine as part of the fic contest for A Winter Dawn Zine. Please check it out here and consider supporting all the people who have put so much hard work into this project!

#bnha #fanfic #my writing #winter dawn zine

[lesbian-peanut-writer]

This makes for a pretty amazing early birthday present. Arrived yesterday and I'm absolutely in love with it all. An amazing job to everyone at @todofamzine and those who helped to bring this awesome piece together 😍

#not a request #todofamzine #winter dawn #todoroki family #zines #awesome work #congrats all #I'm so in love with it #cant wait for future collaborations #lesbian peanut writer

[ttalwins]

Preview of my piece for @todofamzine Preorders are open and we’re pretty close to unlocking a stretch goal 👀 

#dabi #zine preview #preview #bnha #mha #anime #zine #winter dawn #manga #art #illustration #todoroki

[heroes-in-the-dark]

I’m always excited to write for the Todoroki family! Here’s a little preview of the fic I wrote for @todofamzine in which the Todoroki siblings all get together for a hike. What’s a little banter between family? 

Preorders are open now, so if you want to read this and see all the amazing art, writing, and merch for A Winter Dawn, consider checking it out now!

https://winterdawnzine.bigcartel.com/

#a winter dawn #bnha zine #boku no hero academia #bnha #todoroki family #fuyumi todoroki #dabi #shouto todoroki #natsuo todoroki #todofamzine #zine preview

[lycomorpha]

Eivor's Herbarium: P1 - the great oak of Ravensthorpe

Eivor's Herbarium: P1 - the great oak of Ravensthorpe

Page writing reads:

"At the heart of Ravensthorpe lies a giant. An ancient oak, larger than the Ynling Tree and perhaps even older. Who knows how many winters it has seen? It is cloaked in ivy, lichen, and moss. Its acorns feed the pigs, and it gives a home to many of Randvi's most beloved moths.

[Leaf with a scribble-like leaf mine] - Perhaps this is a message from one of Randvi's winged friends?

[Pressed ivy and lichens] - Many small plants and fungi as well as tiny creatures live on, in, and under our great landmark oak."

This is the next page in one of my ACV video game botany projects. You can see the front page here.

I wanted to start this herbarium where Eivor starts from in England; the core of Ravensthorpe. It's also a good place to start because I have oaks nearby that I can press the leaves from. Many of the moths I see IRL and that I'm drawing in Randvi's Moths of Ravensthorpe feed on oak too. You can see some ancient oaks I met on a trip in Epping Forest here for comparison.

To tie the start of Eivor's plant collection back to the home they left to come to England, I looked in Norway for an oak. In-game the mythical Yngling Tree is handily depicted as an oak! The lore we're given reads:

"Tale of the Yngling Tree

Here is where Gudrod the Hunter-King slew the great troll Blodkneyfa. From the monster's head grew a tree. Good health and long life are its fruit. It will thrive while the house of Yngling stands."

The Ynlings are a part-real part-mythical line of kings from whom King Harald was supposedly descended. Gudrod is apparently likely to be mythical, the only evidence of him existing in saga. Mythical or not, it's a link back to the oak trees of Eivor's homeland.

It's hard to say what kind of oak the Ravensthorpe giant is - pedunculate or sessile oaks are what I'd expect to see in that area of the UK, but close-up there is less detail in the plants of ACV compared to eg Horizon Zero Dawn. I'm going with pedunculate/English oak (Quercus robur) just because its what I have available nearby to press, and also the same species as most of the really ancient, giant oaks I meet. The lichens and ivy I pressed for this project also grow on oaks in the cemetery and arboretum near where I live.

Some of the most beautiful moths here in the UK also feed on oak - including the merveille du jour, green silver lines, and oak lantern. So there will be two posts on the oak moths that visit Randvi's lamp when she's working late into the night. Thinking of making that project into a zine maybe!

#Eivor's herbarium #Eivors herbarium #video game botany #VideoGameBotany #AC Valhalla #ACValhalla #Assassin's Creed #assassins creed valhalla #assassinscreedvalhalla #eivor #eivor varinsdottir #eivor varinsdóttir #eivor wolfkissed #botany #plants #pressed leaves #trees #oak #oak tree #moths

[tragidean]

the road less traveled [2.8k] (ao3) Written for Endings: A Destiel Fix-It Zine!

In the shadow of Mount San Jacinto and under the cover of dawn, Castiel wakes to winter’s pleasant chill flooding through the window. Stirring, he looks over the soft curve of Dean’s shoulder where he faces the window, at the moon hovering high and rising out of sight. He strokes down the soft plane of Dean’s chest before resting his hand over his stomach, where Dean breathes, long and deep.

For a long few minutes, nothing moves. The palms outside sit still, the semis traveling up State Route 111 don’t backfire, and no guests scream or blast their music. The world stands still, consisting of only Dean’s body in his arms and the sheets pulled over their shoulders.

For all of the desert’s hot afternoons and warmer evenings, nights are something to be treasured, especially in the cooler months, where the air is more bearable. Dean sleeps easier as the temperatures fall, content to let someone hold him, to rest in layers rather than stripping down just to cool off. As the years pass, Castiel has begun to acclimate to human temperatures. Spring and fall are his favorite, but only in other parts of the country, where it actually rains and the sun doesn’t bake the earth.

How they ended up in Palm Springs is a mystery to everyone but themselves.

Dean has a different story every morning when a guest asks just how four out-of-towners settled down in one of the most inhospitable cities in the country. Sometimes, he’ll say their car broke down and they never left. Other times, he’ll say they loved to golf and wanted to stay close to their country club. The reality is something much simpler. One day, Dean woke up and packed a bag with all of his things, and told Sam and Castiel to do the same.

It took a month, but they found a home, a place Castiel never thought Dean would settle down in. Now, Sam and Eileen live in the room next door. Dean sleeps soundly in the owner’s suite, and Castiel nuzzles his nape, chasing the scent of smoke clinging to the ends of his hair. Such a human smell, from the bonfire they held to celebrate the new year. He never showered after, just fell into bed, and Castiel climbed in with him, desperate to feel warm flesh against his own.

Looking at Dean last night, Castiel couldn't help but marvel at him, his muscles gone soft and his hair graying at his temples. Their hunting days ended the day Dean signed the lease. The most they do now is strip used linens from beds and clean the pool, and sit at the front desk waiting for tourists to step in the door. Dean has never looked happier in his life, and every day, Castiel cherishes his smile and kisses him every chance he gets, because this, this is something neither of them thought they would ever have.

Castiel, especially.

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