#Emma & Sam both started hallucinating shit

[juniperhillpatient]

I like how there’s a few moments in atla scream au that are just me looking the audience in the eye like btw this is where I’m going with this it’s very scream of me to break the 4th wall like that

[profoundnet]

Header by @cryptomoon and is available on merch from her redbubble store. You can use all those fancy emojis (and more!) on our Discord server!

The Masterpost is open for all creations by ProfoundBond members which are posted in their entirety during that month.

MEMBER CONTRIBUTIONS FOR OCTOBER 2019!

Featuring works from @saywhatjessie, @mittensmorgul, ArielAquariel, @doespeterparkerisgay, @banshee1013, @andimeantittosting, Erratus, @cool-fallen-angel, @malallory, @castielslostwings, @nickelkeep, @bringmefleshandbringmewine, @sarasaurussex, iCeDreams, @emiliaoagi, @leafzelindor and @rauko-is-a-free-elf!

Masterpost below the cut.

JessJesstheBest - @saywhatjessie​ - JessJesstheBest

On The Line (T, 23k)

“Well, can I scam you?” Dean’s spoon was frozen, forgotten, halfway between his bowl and his mouth. “Did you just ask if you could scam me?” “Yes.” The guy said, cool as anything. “Can I scam you?”

Or the one where Cas is a scam caller and Dean just keeps intercepting his calls.

Tags: Alternate Universe, Human AU, Scam Caller au

mittensmorgul - @mittensmorgul​ - MittenWraith

Lifetime Piling Up (E, 59k)

Cas is having a bad day. He burned his bagel, missed his ride to work and had to run to the hospital in the pouring rain, and then witnessed his attending accidentally kill a patient during a routine surgery. Now he might be on the hook for his boss’s mistake, but was it really a mistake, or is he the next target of Dr. Nick Morningstar’s sick mind games?

Dean is also having a bad day. His brother nearly set his kitchen on fire, he’s training a new apprentice in his tattoo shop, and then he gets a mysterious call that Sam needs a ride to the hospital after a freak accident in the pouring rain left him with an injured shoulder. A chance encounter at the hospital leads Dean and Cas to each other after a decade of coincidences and premonitions, and suddenly their worst day might become the foundation for all of their best. A story of choice and destiny, and the power of found family, foretold through uncanny tattoos.

Tags: AU-modern setting, tattoo artist!Dean, surgeon!Cas, angst and fluff and smut

ArielAquariel - ArielAquariel

Quoth the Raven (G, 6k)

Dean Winchester didn’t believe in the occult. Werewolves were a myth, Nessie was a hallucination, and bigfoot was just a large hairy man who enjoyed strolling naked through the woods. He thought that crystals were a load of shit, and a smudge stick would do nothing but make your house smell like burnt sage. He didn’t believe in God, let alone ghosts. Finally, and he was 100% sure on this one, he didn’t believe in witches. Or Wicca. Or whatever they wanted to call it. His point? Everything could be explained. That is, everything but the dark-haired man walking through campus with a spellbook and a raven for a familiar…

Tags: Misunderstandings, Fluff, Pining Dean Winchester, Pining Castiel (Supernatural), Alternate Universe - College/University, Meet-Cute, Animal Lover Castiel (Supernatural)

vicktick - @doespeterparkerisgay​ - vicktick

two bros, arguing about who would top cause they're not gay (but they are) (T, 3.5k)

“No, I’m telling you, I would be the top if we were gay together.”

Oh, Twitter was going to love this: ‘my brother and his “best friend” are currently arguing about who would top if they were “gay together”. i was pretty sure they already were gay together.’

Tags: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, First Kiss, Love Confessions, Sam is a Little Shit, Supportive John Winchester

banshee1013 - @banshee1013​ - Banshee1013

Suptober Art/Fic (NSFW)

Art and accompanying ficlets to answer Suptober 2019 prompts.

Tags: Fluff, Angst, Depression, Temporary Character Death, Nightmare, Crossover/Fandom Fusion

andimeantittosting - @andimeantittosting​ - andimeantittosting

I Will Hang My Head Low (M, 22.5k)

Dean Winchester gave up hunting when his brother became the prophesied Boy King of Hell. Now he ekes out a meager living, chopping wood for a nearby village, until one snowy night, he follows what appears to be a falling star, and encounters an injured angel. Afterwards, he tries to put the strange night from his mind.

When he meets Castiel, a mysterious man with healing powers, they form an instant connection, and the more Dean learns of Castiel's powers—to heal, to protect, to purify—the more he begins to hope that Sam can be saved. But as they prepare to save Sam, Castiel grows sick, and then sicker still. Too late, Dean learns how much Castiel is willing to sacrifice for him.

Inspired by the Decemberists' Crane Wife and the Japanese myth on which it is based.

Tags: Temporary Major Character Death, Fairytale/Folktale AU, Sick Castiel, Grief/Mourning, Castiel's Wings, Angst With a Happy Ending

Tentacletober Fills (E, 7k)

A collection of short fills for Tentacletober prompts.

Tags: Tentacles, Consentacles, Oviposition

Erratus - Erratus

A Concerned Brother (T, 2k)

When Sam walks in on Dean and Castiel, he left worried if Castiel understands enough about human relationships.

Tags: Coming out, established relationship, canon verse, mentions of sex but no sex, Sam is concerned for Cas

Watching Over You (T, 4k)

Castiel has always been watching over Dean, keeping him alive. Even if Dean doesn't know it, he's been there.

Tags: Suicidal thoughts/attempt, pre-canon, pre-slash, Cas with different vessels, sad and hurt Dean

cool-fallen-angel - @cool-fallen-angel​

Halloween Costumes (NSFW)

I drew this piece for Winchester-reload's 2019 suptoberart challenge, day 31: Halloween

Tags: Halloween, halloween costumes, lingerie, angel costume, playboy costume, blushy Cas, suptoberart, sexy boyfriends

malallory - @malallory​

DeanCas "Funeral Bell" graphic (SFW)

Graphic created for the All Ships Creations Challenge under the theme "spooky"

Tags: 15x03

castielslostwings - @castielslostwings​ - Castielslostwings

Wants and Needs (M, 6.5k)

From a prompt in the Destiel Port FB Group! "Asexual Incubus!Cas and Demisexual Vamp!Dean"

Asexual!Incubus!Cas who has to have sex to feed to stay alive and has always resented it, until he meets Demi!vampire!Dean and discovers that being fed on... actually turns him on, and makes feeding not feel miserable for the first time ever. Imagine Ace!incubus!Cas starving for a long time because he can't stomach the thought of having sex, and then here comes Demi!vamp!Dean feeding on Cas, giving him gratification he thought can only be gained from having sex.

And, you know, they live happily ever after.

Tags: Asexual Castiel, Incubus Castiel, Vampire Dean, Demisexual/Demiromantic Dean, Hungry Castiel, Depressed Castiel, Biting/Blood Drinking, Lonely Castiel, Intimacy, Sweet Dean Winchester.

The Luck You Got (E, 90k)

Castiel and Dean grew up together. Both from broke, broken homes, falling in love was easy - until Dean’s father whisked him away. Years later, Cas is still living the struggle, selling his body to keep a roof over his siblings' heads and using drugs to get by. When Dean returns as a fully grown adult (and a paramedic at that) with his kid-brother-turned-lawyer in tow, Castiel can’t help feeling as if they’re picking up exactly where they left off. Falling swiftly in love all over again but used to only having himself to rely on, he struggles to let Dean in. When Gabriel gets arrested and takes a major source of the family’s income down with him, Castiel struggles to cope and leans on drugs and prostitution instead of Dean. Determined not to lose him for a second time, Dean fights to drag Castiel back from the claws of addiction and the brink of death, no matter what it takes. With help from friends, family, and Dean, Castiel finds himself working towards something for the first time ever, determined to choose life, love, and something more than what the city has always told him is all he has to offer.

Tags: Getting Back Together, Childhood Sweethearts, Neighbors, Poverty, Drug Addiction & Recovery, Sex Worker Castiel, Firefighter/Paramedic Dean, Angst & Fluff & Smut, Happy Ending, Romance.

nickelkeep - @nickelkeep - nickelkeep

‘Cause My Monsters Are Real (T, 8k)

"It's great," Garth responding, grabbing a chair and sliding it over. "Bess is in her glory, and the little one is doing awesome. I love her so much." He smiled a toothy grin that didn't quite meet his eyes. "I'm not here about me, though. I debated coming at all, cause I know how sacred our Fridays are, but I figured you'd want to be prepared."

Sam leaned around Rowena, his arm draped over her shoulder, "What do you mean he'd want to be prepared?"

"You too, Sam. This affects both of you. It literally just happened." Garth hung his head like a kicked puppy. "So, I was back in today, filling out my paperwork to start back up on Monday. And I overheard it."

"Spit it out, Wolfman." Dean leaned his chair back on two legs, foot resting on the table.

"Magda's getting her own room. Emma's getting a new person in the room. They're splitting you two up." Garth looked pathetically at Dean. "You're getting a new partner."

Dean instinctively kicked out, sending him backward and onto the floor. "Ow. What?"

Tags: AU - Creatures & Monsters, Shapeshifter Dean, Fallen Angel Castiel, Human/Monster Society, Kid Fic (kind of), There is Only One Under the Bed

And These Monsters Can Fight (E, 6.5k)

"You think I want to keep her here against her wishes?" Bobby shook his head vehemently. "She'd be one hell of a creature if she were one, but she should go back to the human world. There's a problem that you didn't think of."

"What's that?" Dean spat.

"Dean," Sam softly interjected. "The angels may not want or need Claire anymore because she can no longer be an angelic host, but she is still tied to a source of grace." They all looked at the Fallen.

"I can protect myself!" Claire spoke up. "What do you think I had to do when Castiel couldn't come to me thanks to the stupid rules you all have in place!?"

"Can you protect yourself from three or four or five angels?" Bobby stared at her. "I'll give you one or two, you're a spitfire. But they want him. They're not going to take it light and risk losing a couple when they need all hands on board."

"So what? You want to keep her here?" Dean asked.

Tags: AU - Creatures & Monsters, Story Continuation, Shapeshifter Dean, Fallen Angel Castiel, Human/Monster Society, There is only one under the bed.

Carry Me Home (E, 7k)

"You weren't a scout." Cas opened the laptop and pulled up YouTube. In the search bar, he typed in stopping a squeaking door. He moved the cursor over the first video; from a channel called Impala Repairs. "This looks right." He clicked on the link and grabbed his coffee.

Hey there, and welcome to another quick how-to video with Impala Repairs! I'm your host, D.W., and in today's episode, I'm going to show you the best way to stop a door's hinges from squeaking.

Gabe reached over and pushed up on Cas' chin. "Cassie? You alive over there?"

Cas nodded.

"You need a global reboot?"

Cas pulled his eyes off the screen and shot his brother a look that could kill. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"That means," Gabe reached over and took Cas' coffee, "that you were A, so infatuated with Old Green Eyes on the screen there, you almost dumped your coffee on yourself, and B, you have no idea how to fix the door."

Tags: AU - Modern Setting, Handyman Dean, Professor Castiel, Sneaky Brothers, Conspiring Sam and Gabriel, Strangers to Lovers, Crush at First Sight

Like a Burning Flame (E, 8.5k)

"No, no, no." Dean shot up from under his pile of Ikea cardboard. "There's no fire here. The smoke alarm is disabled, we're seasoning our ovens."

The firefighter removed his helmet and mask, taking Dean's breath away as though he had actually inhaled smoke. "Seasoning Ovens?" He cocked his eyebrow, his bright blue eyes shining in confusion. "And that requires smoke billowing out of the back of your building?"

Dean's mouth failed to move, entranced as he was with the gorgeous man in a firefighter's uniform in front of him. Charlie shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Call your guys off so nothing is destroyed by water, and we'll show you." She turned the firefighter back to the entrance and waited 'til he was outside before smacking Dean. "Rush your blood back to your head, will you?"

Tags: AU - Coffee Shops and Firefighters, Baker Dean, Firefighter Castiel, Strangers to Lovers, Uniform Kink, Panty Kink, Semi-Public Sex, Dom/Sub Undertones, Bad BDSM Etiquette

For the Last Time (E, 37k) - co-created with @little-crazy-misha-minion

It's been three years since Dean's had any kind of vacation. Until now. Sam and Eileen gift him a cruise as a thank you for all the things he's done for Sam, for them, for the whole family. A week away at sea seems like an ideal vacation. Still, when your name is Dean Winchester, and nothing in your life has ever gone your way, it looks like a disaster waiting to happen. Can a new friend help him turn his luck around and help him navigate the rough waters?

Tags: AU - Cruises, Closeted Bi Dean Winchester, Gay Castiel, LGBTQ Themes, Angst with a Happy Ending, NonCon Kissing (not Destiel), Anxiety/PTSD, Song Fic, Clubbing, DCBB2019

To Confess (E, 8.5k)

"So get this... We've got couples missing at a couples retreat the next state over."

"Which lovely lady you going with?" Dean uncrossed his arms and smacked Cas' hand away from the tablet so he could scroll through the article.

"Can't find one. Charlie's still not back. Jody's taking Donna on a hunt."

Cas looked up. "Well, there was a lesbian couple that went missing. You can choose a male partner."

"I was hoping you'd say that, Cas." Sam shot a look at Dean before smiling at Cas. "Will you do me the honor of being my fake husband for a case?"

"Excuse me?" Dean shot a look at Sam.

"Well, I'm not asking you, Dean." Sam shook his head. "That's... Yeah, no."

Dean crossed his arms over his chest again. "Why are you and Cas going? Cas is my best friend. He and I can pull it off better than you two can."

Tags: Canonverse, Case Fic, Idiots in Love, Fake Relationship, Breaking Up & Making up, Pray for Sam, Sam Winchester ships Destiel, Angst and Porn, Happy Ending

It’s About To Be Legendary (G, 1.5k)

"I don't want to kill a human!" Luna hissed, her whisper carrying softly so only her boyfriend could hear her. "If you mess up, you'll bring down hunters upon the pack." She whimpered. "You could bring the Winchesters upon us." Apollo stood up and turned around, his shoulders squaring out as he attempted to intimidate Luna into following his lead. "First of all, I'm not going going to fuck up, Lu. Have a little faith in your boyfriend. Second, the Winchesters are a myth. An urban legend. Something our parents tell us to make sure we follow Pack Law."

Tags: AU - Everyone Lives, Hunters and Hunting, Halloween Fic, Urban Legends

prolixdreams - @bringmefleshandbringmewine - prolixdreams

And The World Kept Turning (G, 4k)

It’s getting harder and harder to die.

Cigarettes disappeared off the market forty years past.

Proper alcohol, the poisonous kind, was banned almost immediately once a safer synthetic got a foothold in the market.

Every pill and patch is equipped with tiny computers to detect blood levels of a chemical and only release their payload when the concentration dips below a pre-set threshold, making overdose nearly impossible with anything obtained legally.

Even sweeteners are tightly regulated and highly taxed.

And now, January 17th, 2089, Castiel’s tablet feeds him another headline that promises longer, safer lives for all:

HUMAN-DRIVEN CARS FINALLY OFF ROADS FOR GOOD

Tags: Major Character Death (Implied/Referenced), Future Fic, Castiel drives the Impala

Sarasaurussex - @sarasaurussex - sarasaurussex

Sarasaurussex's Inktober, Suptober, and Profound Inktober Masterlist (NSFW, contains multishipping)

This is all of my Supernatual art for Inktober, Suptober, and Profound Inktober. Mostly Destiel, but contains non-Destiel ships (Sabriel and Sastiel).

Dress For Success (E, 2k)

Written for the Supernatural Kink Bingo on tumblr. My prompt was 'clothing sharing'. Art commissioned by Purgatory-Jar!

Tags: Clothing Sharing Kink, Humor, Smut

Wherever I May Roam (E, 11.5k, contains multishipping)

Summary: Sam and Dean get sent to another TV Land that's slightly different than the last. In this version, Jensen and Misha are dating. Written for Supernatural Kink Bingo on tumblr. My prompt was 'roleplay'.

Tags: Destiel, Cockles, Dean x Misha, Dub-Con due to Identity Issues, Idiots to Lovers, First Time, Arguing, Fluff, Smut

iCeDreams - iCeDreams

Chasing Polaris (E, 52k) - co-created with Takai13sama

Dean Winchester feels closed-in with his life at the behemoth, Mary’s Ark. His father has set him up with an arranged marriage and is refusing to budge on Dean’s suggestions to improve the steam engines. So... he does the most obvious thing surly young men do: he runs away.

While leaving the steam capital, he inadvertently meets Emmanuel, a man with secrets of his own, intriguing Dean enough to offer him a ride to a common destination.

It’s a serendipitous encounter, a trip across the country, and a chance to find where they need to be.

Tags: Steampunk, Arranged Marriage, Road Trip, Running Away

EmiliaOagi - @emiliaoagi - EmiliaOagi

It’s How You Use It (M, 2.5k)

One night Castiel discovers Supernatural fanfiction. Then Dean walks in. Some very meta crack with a smidgen of smut. Based on a prompt from the Profound Bond Discord.

Tags: Smut, Humor, Meta, Crack

Goose!Dean Crack Post 1 (SFW)

Art inspired by Untitled Goose Game and a Discord prompt: goose!Dean playing a prank on a poor unsuspecting Sam.

Goose!Dean Crack Post 2 (SFW)

Goose!Dean really wants that burger. Cas disagrees.

LeafZelindor - @leafzelindor - 

Ink/Suptober collection (SFW)

Just the short collection of the destiel pics I did during Inktober/suptober.

Art for Crayons and Candybars (SFW)

Artwork done for the DCBB fic Crayons and Candybars, written by I. Franco

rauko-is-a-free-elf - @rauko-is-a-free-elf - FeaRauko

Ocean’s Brawl (M, 55k)

In a time of oppression, the Winchester brothers and their family of misfit pirates sail the seas attacking slave traders and offering the liberated passage to safe-havens, or–if they choose it–a home on the Impala as part of Team Free Will.

Dean meets Castiel, a Naval Captain with orders to enlist him and his band of honorable sea rovers as privateers. Dean refuses, but they end up working together when Castiel offers his vessel as transport for some rescued slaves. Castiel, in turn, travels with Dean as collateral to ensure there is no foul play.

Along the way, Castiel witnesses the horrors of slavery and begins to doubt his cause, even fighting alongside Dean against a French vessel–Castiel’s own people. Castiel comes to admire this wild crew and their kind hearts…perhaps falling for one man in particular.

Tags: pirate!Dean, naval officer!Cas, enemies to lovers, team free will, openly bi!Dean, demisexual!Cas, swashbuckling, battles, shanties

Rapunzel, Rapunzel (SFW)

Art for @diminuel‘s fic, Rapunzel, Rapunzel

Tags: Rapunzel!au, fairy tale!au, prince!Dean, witch!Cas

Bisexualdemondean - outfit (SFW)

Art created for bisexualdemondean in response to the question: "What if I just wanted to look sluttier?"

Tags: demon!dean art, bisexualdemondean art

Autumn - Eileen (SFW)

Art for Day 1 of winchester-reload's suptoberart challenge

Tags: Eileen Leahy

"Good Thing I'm Yours, Then" (SFW)

Art for winchester-reaload's suptober challenge: Day 3 - Royalty Inspired by @casbeanwrites‘ fic Kiss Me Where I Lay Down

Tags: servant!Dean, prince!cas, fic art

"Kids These Days" - Art for Clarity (SFW)

Destiel art for @aloha-cowgirl‘s fic Clarity

[john-cardoza]

Reality is Shattering

After a musical apocalypse Paul would like to think he can handle anything life throws at him, but this is weird and slightly terrifying. Because, when you pull a pin on a grenade you are supposed to die. Right? You aren't supposed to be sent back in time, or to a different dimension, or put in a really weird dream. None of those things should happen, but at least one of them definitely is. Read on Ao3.

I don’t like musicals!

When Paul pulls the pin the world explodes. Sure it’s a grenade and that’s exactly what is supposed to happen, but something about it is weird. Instead of the burning and the pain he was expecting to feel, he’s just numb and it feels like the different aspects of reality are shattering and coming back together. The only thing he can think of is Emma. As long as Emma survives none of this matters. He’ll die and Emma will live and everything will be worth it.

The world is absorbed in a cloud of light. He can’t see the infected anymore, no Charlotte, no Bill, and no Greenpeace lady. He’s flying backwards, and just when he thinks he will land and break every bone in his body, he blacks out.

-------

Paul wakes up with a gasp. He can’t move, something is tangled around his legs, restricting his movement. His eyes open, expecting to see some kind of alien mothership, but instead it’s a bedroom. Wait no. It’s his bedroom.

His sheets are wrapped around his legs and the sun is coming through the window, just like it always is. He can hear cars and the sounds of people going about their normal days, which is unsettling. His alarm goes off at six o'clock on the dot, like usual and Paul reluctantly gets out of bed.

His suit is hanging in his closet, looking just like it always does. Except it’s on the left instead of the right. He has bagels in the fridge, though the cream cheese is expired, and when he makes it to the parking lot his gas tank is halfway full. The desk person in the apartment building says hello to him, undramatically and not trying to kill him, and when someone with headphones passes him while singing he can safely say that they are very out of tune.

Paul would almost believe that the last two days was a dream, if it weren’t for the spots of blood he found on one of his dress shirts from when Emma tried to kiss him.

Emma.

Paul doesn’t dare go to beanie’s. He even drives the extra block to make sure he won’t even pass by the front window. As much as he wants to see Emma, the idea of it terrifies him. Something is definitely wrong and he doesn’t want to drag Emma into it, maybe this was all a huge hallucination his brain had created after he blew himself up. Maybe he was actually infected, but his brain was going to be stuck in a day dream while his body did the aliens bidding. Maybe his body was out there right now, singing and dancing, and trying to kill the one girl he actually liked.

Maybe he should stop thinking about it.

When Paul walks into the office, he braces himself for the disaster that he ran from two days ago.

“Paul where is your statistical analysis?” Mr. Davidson comes out of nowhere and Paul think he might have a heart attack. “It was supposed to be on my desk yesterday”

Paul waits for the shoe to drop and for Mr. Davidson to burst into song again, but instead he just looks more and more angry the longer Paul stays silent. Paul gets the hint and realizes that he should probably cover if he doesn’t want to be fired .“Oh– yes. Yes! I have them. I’ll get them to you. Right now. Goodbye” Paul ducks into the closest elevator and the door closes on Mr. Davidson.

What the fuck is going on.

Paul doesn’t realize there’s someone else in the elevator until they speak.

“Hey Paul. I hear you didn’t get your reports in. Why is your work ethic so bad? Maybe you should try my style: just turn stuff in on time” Ted leans against the elevator railing and his hair falls in his face in that really douchebag way it always does.

All of the love Paul held for Ted is gone. (Not that there was very much) “Oh hi Ted”

“Buddy I had a wild weekend” Ted continues “I went over to Charlotte’s house and I won’t tell you exactly what we did, but I’m sure you can guess” Ted raises his eyebrows suggestively and shakes his hips.

Paul was too busy trying not to puke from that horrible image that it takes him a second to process “Wait what?!!” Charlotte he mentioned Charlotte. And he isn’t badly covering it up “Charlotte?”

“Duh,” Ted rolls his eyes “She’s good– if you know what I mean”

“But Charlotte is married” Paul slowly connects the dots “Sam, the asshole”

“Dude she’s been divorced for months” Ted looks at Paul like he’s an idiot “We’ve been fucking for twice that”

So things are different. The elevator door opens and Paul makes an escape without even looking at the floor number. He needs to be done with that conversation. Immediately.

Luckily Paul is on the right floor. He beelines for his desk and buries his face in his hands. What the fuck.

Everything is the same as it was. Except it’s not. Paul’s brain hurts from trying to figure it out. Is he in an alternate dimension? His inner nerd is excited about that theory. Or is it just a weird possessed hallucination. Did he time travel? That one doesn’t make any sense, he’s in almost the past, but it’s different than it was the first time. Maybe it’s because he blew up the meteor? It might’ve reset things, but not perfectly. Can that happen?

“Hey Paul, you okay?” Bill’s voice comes out of nowhere. God Bill. His best friend who he watched get shot in the head.

Paul jumps to his feet and hugs Bill tightly. He’d been so focused on Emma and Ted and Charlotte that he completely forget about Bill. “I’m great”

Bill seems confused about why Paul is hugging him, but he isn’t opposed. He hesitantly pats Paul on the back “Uh, Okay?”

Paul kind of feels like he’s going to burst into tears, but he doesn’t. Instead he composes himself and pulls away, like it’s normal for him to casually hug Bill. “How’s Alice?” Even if he sometimes seems uninterested in Bill’s social life, after everything he witnessed during the semi-apocalypse he needs to know. (Also he always liked Alice. It sucked when the alien possesing her body tried to kill him.

Bill’s face lights up “Actually it’s great!” Bill sits in his desk chair and rolls over to Paul’s desk “See she was supposed to go home two days ago on the bus, but she got off to go see Deb” Paul notices that when Bill says his daughter’s girlfriends name it is with less anger than usual. “So last night was talking to Alice after Deb left, and we were fighting, but then– get this Paul! She told me that she wants to live with me instead of her mother! Ha! So we talk to her mother and she objects, obviously. Because I’m a supposed Bad influence” Bill looks hurt and Paul is reminded of how much he hates Bill’s ex-wife “But Alice starts talking about legal stuff– apparently she’s been researching. And because she’s seventeen it’s her choice. So her mom agrees as long as Alice visits once a week. So now I have my daughter back!”

Paul waits a second to see if Bill is done before talking “That’s great Bill”

“I know!” Bill smiled. He leaned forward “Also she loved Mamma Mia!”

Paul froze a bit at the mention of a musical, but it didn’t seem to do anything. Part of him was still expecting this to be some bullshit prank. Like the aliens wanted to punish him because he Defied them thrice or some shit. “I’m glad”

“I’m sorry you missed it–” Paul tuned out Bill’s voice. He did not need to know the exact plot of Mamma mia, no matter what Bill said. While he was zoning out he suddenly remembered his talk with Mr. Davidson. “So then the mom’s friends all started singing–”

“Shit! My weekly report” Paul cut Bill off mid sentence.

“I did it for you remember?” Bill passed Paul the papers “Because you were sick yesterday”

He was sick? That’s weird Paul has never missed a day of work from sickness (It doesn’t count if your boss sends you home because they don’t want you to get everyone else sick). Paul took the weekly report and scanned a couple of pages. “Thanks Bill”

“It’s no problem” Bill took the report back and dropped it on Melissa’s desk where she would hopefully give it to Mr. Davidson.

“Oh hello Paul, Bill” Charlotte walked slowly and put a cup of coffee on her desk “I didn’t know you were here”

Charlotte was wearing her cat sweater, the one she died in. Shake it off Paul. He needed to stop thinking about his friends and the ways they died “Hi Charlotte” He looked Charlotte up and down, she looked the same as she had, though her hands weren’t shaking as much as usual and she looked happier. Was being with Ted that much better than Sam? Or was there something different that he didn’t know about that was putting her in a better mood. “How are you?”

“I’m fantastic” Charlotte took a drink from her cup and Paul realized that it was actually the herbal tea that everyone avoided in favor of coffee. “Ted took me on the nicest date last night–”

“Charlotte you’re ruining my image” Ted complained he leaned down to kiss her on the cheek and smiled at her in a very-not-Ted way.

“Sorry sweetheart” Charlotte kissed Ted quickly before going back to her tea.

Paul felt his eyes bug out in shock. What the fuck.

“I’m going to go get some coffee” Paul stood up abruptly. This was too weird. “At the nice normal Starbucks”

Charlotte frowned “I just made a new pot in the–”

“Nope” Paul looked around and grabbed his wallet “I have a… a gift card! Yeah, I’ll be back”

Paul didn’t wait for his friends confirmation, he just left.

------

Paul let the muscle memory take him to the coffee shop while he thought about what had happened. He must be in a hallucination. That was the only logical explanation. The real question was whether he hit his head when the blast went off, or if it was alien induced. Maybe both? Paul was regretting the fact that he never read science fiction books, maybe that would’ve given him a better idea of what was going on.

Paul opened the door to the shop and didn’t realize anything was wrong until the bell above the door went off. Instead of the small beep that happened when you walk into Starbucks, he heard the tell tale wind chime of Beanie’s. Before he could turn around and run he met eyes with the girl at the counter; Zoey if he remembered correctly. He would look like an ass if he left now.

At least Emma wasn’t at the counter. Wait was that a bad thing? What if Emma just didn’t exist in this world? Is that good or bad?

Out of curiosity he turned around to see how he ended up at Beanie’s instead of Starbucks. He realized that he had walked to the right place, but in this world or hallucination Beanie’s was right by his work and the Starbucks was visible about a block away. Paul hated this.

He tapped his fingers against his wallet while he waited in line. It would be fine, he wouldn’t even need to talk to Emma, he could be in and out before her break was over. To his horror right as he got to the counter Emma walked out of the back and took Zoey’s place.

“Paul!” Emma looked surprised “You’re late”

Paul was technically early, but enough things were already out of whack. Why would his normal coffee time be the same. “Yeah, just a black coffee”

“I don’t even get a hello?” Emma asked “You bailed on me yesterday”

“I bailed on what?” According to Bill he had been sick, but he was at least 93% sure he had actually been running from the fucking alien apocalypse.

“I had the closing shift” Emma stared at him like he was supposed to know what that meant.

“Oh yeah, the closing shift” Paul nodded in a way that he hoped was convincing “My bad”

Emma looked unconvinced “Are you okay? You always came hang out while I lock down the store and clean tables. I missed you”

“I was sick” Paul covered, that’s what Bill told him so it must be somewhat right? His heart might’ve fluttered at the fact that Emma knew him here and that he regularly spent time with her, but it was offset by the other fifteen negative emotions he was feeling at the same time.

“Why didn’t you text me?” Emma plucked his wallet out of his hand where he had been holding it in front of himself absently. “Cash or credit?”

“Cash” Paul couldn’t lie to Emma. He needed to tell her what was going on. Maybe she would know what to do. “I need to talk to you”

Emma took a five dollar bill out of Paul’s wallet and returned the proper amount of change. “We can talk tonight, I’m closing again”

“Can it be sooner?” Paul was going to explode if this went on any longer. He also did not want to go back to work.

“Emma hurry the fuck up” Emma’s boss called from the espresso machine “You’re holding up the line”

“Yes Nora” Emma rolled her eyes “You need to go, I’ll see you after work?”

“Of course” Paul took the coffee from her and left the store. That was a failure on every count. And now he had to go back to work and talk to his friends who weren’t like his friends and why was his life such a disaster.

------

After four hours of keeping his head down at work and ignoring how weird everything felt, he was ready to leave. Or actually he was ready to jump out a window, but leaving was a nice alternate. He didn’t actually know when Emma is supposed to get off work, so he just heads down to Beanie’s as soon as he can leave. Luckily the shop is empty and Emma has most of the lights turned off. He hesitantly knocks on the door and lets him in before re-locking the door

“So what did you want to talk about?” Emma asked. She was wiping down the counter so Paul pulled one of the chairs over to sit on.

“I think I’m either in a different dimension or my current life is all an elaborate illusion that the aliens who killed me came up with” Paul explained in a rush.

Emma turned around slowly “What?”

“I know you probably think that I’m crazy or high or something equally weird, but there was this musical apocalypse and I died, but now I’m back in the world where it never happened and everything is just slightly different so I’m freaking out!” Paul didn’t know what he would do if Emma didn’t believe him.

“I–” Something in Emma’s expression changed “Musical apocalypse?”

“Yes!” Paul needed her to believe him “Everyone who got infected just started singing and dancing like they were in a musical! There was actually a song here– except it wasn’t because in my world Beanie’s is in the Starbucks building– but it was your boss and Zoey and you were doing a tip song but they knew more so they just kept going, and they put blue shit in the coffee!”

Emma stopped wiping the counter and jumped up to sit on top of it. “I believe you”

“And then– Wait what?” Paul had been ready to launch into another description, but he stopped “Why?”

“I’ve been having these dreams…” Emma trailed off “I thought it was nothing, just a dream. But that; what you just described, was in my dream”

“Oh,” Now Paul was really confused “What else do you remember”

“You” Emma blushed a little “We almost kissed”

“Yeah,” Paul would regret not kissing Emma for the rest of his (Probably short) life. “So now I’m here and I’m kind of freaking out”

“You said little things are different?” Emma asked to clarify, when Paul nodded she continued “So what is different? Maybe that has something to do with this”

Paul started listing everything he had noticed throughout the day. He didn’t notice a pattern until he got to the end of the list “Wait everything is better” So far all of the weird changes had been good things that he wanted to happen. Bill got his daughter back, Charlotte was happy, and Emma was working closer to his office. Also now that he looked back on it, the coffee at Beanie’s was significantly better.

“Okay I have an idea” Emma hopped off the counter and threw her rag behind the counter “I have this professor–”

“Hidgens turned out to be evil” Paul interrupted. As much as he liked Hidgens, there was no way he would forgive him for trying to get Emma killed. Oh, and Ted.

“Hidgens?” Emma looked confused “Who the fuck is Hidgens?”

“Noted” Paul nodded. Just another thing to add to the list “Proceed”

“So anyway. She’s super into voodoo stuff. She claims I was like, an astronaut or something, in a past life? Anyway, maybe she can guess what’s going on” Emma rolled her apron into a ball and tucked it under the counter. “Professor Hill”

“That sounds like a long shot” Paul said hesitantly “But I have no better ideas”

------

Paul should’ve known that Hill would be weird. Why were Emma’s professors always weird? She was majoring in fucking botany. Shouldn’t the professors be plain, normal plant people? Hill looked like she was straight out of a scooby doo cartoon with hair that a cat probably slept in and an outfit that looked like she got lost in a fabric store from the seventies. To Paul’s horror she pulled them into her basement which had a crystal ball and four too many skulls to be average.

“Emma you brought a friend” Hill moved much closer than Paul wanted and looked him in the eye “Or maybe more than a friend?”

“Paul is having a problem Professor” Emma seemed right at home in the horror basement. She sat on the loveseat across the table and took the cup of tea Hill offered her.

“Big problem” Paul stood nervously in front of the loveseat. He was unsure if Emma wanted him that close. Emma rolled her eyes and pulled him down to sit next to her and leaned against his shoulder. Paul waved away the offer of tea and Hill examined him over her octagonal glasses. (Also what company made fucking octagonal glasses?)

“You aren’t from here” Hill sat dramatically in her chair and pulled the crystal ball closer.

“So I am in a different dimension?” Paul missed Hidgens and his extensive bar.

“Maybe so” Hill said unhelpfully (Which seemed to be a common theme) “Here can mean any number of things”

Emma nodded as though that made sense. “We want to know what happened to Paul”

HIll leaned across the table and examined Paul “Hmm”

“Emma I think we should go” Paul leaned back. He no longer cares what’s going on, as long as he never has to see this woman ever again.

“It’s amazing what dreams can bring” Hill nodded at Emma.

“What?” Emma grabbed Paul’s hand nervously. “My dreams?”

“The dreams will give it away” Hill repeated. She pushed away the crystal ball, even though she had barely used it. “That is all I can see” Hill pushed them out of her… house? Basement? Apartment? Cave?

“I never want to see that woman ever again” Paul said once the door closed. He was starting to miss the apocalypse, at least he knew that was real.

“I wish she’d been more helpful”

“At least she didn’t try to kill us” Emma laughed and Paul suddenly realized they were still holding hands. It was nice.

“Do you want to come over to my place?” Emma asked when they got in the car “You probably shouldn’t be alone”

“Sure” Paul was pretty sure he would be fine alone, it wasn’t like someone was trying to murder him. But it was sweet that Emma was worried.

------

They got back to Emma’s with little difficulty. Everything was so much easier when aliens weren’t trying to infect you and take over the world. Paul wondered what Bill was doing, a part of him, was still hoping that this was actually real. Everyone was way happier and Paul wouldn’t mind staying here forever.

“So we don’t actually know each other in your memories?” Emma asked casually.

“When I exploded we had only actually known each other for about three days” Paul didn’t think pining after Emma for a month counts.

“I must’ve really liked you” Emma reasoned. “And I never actually kissed you”

“The one time we tried you spit up blood on my face”

“I think we can do better than that” Emma grabbed Paul’s shirt to pull him in and kissed him right as the world started to dissolve.

-------

Emma came to consciousness slowly, holding on to the dream for as long as possible. Sadly enough the dream faded and Emma finally woke up. Paul’s untucked shirt she was holding became the sheets on the uniform hospital bed had been sleeping in for weeks now. The apartment she loved, though the real Paul had never set foot in it, became the dark and empty room. It was amazing the things her dreams came up with. Anything to make her believe that she didn’t lose her chance with the one guy she actually liked.

Throughout the last week Emma’s head had given her so many foolish fantasies. Fantasies where everyone was actually happy, and the friends she’d only had for a day and a half lived long enough for her to get to know them.

“Kelly get up! You’re leaving today” Emma jumped at Colonel Schaffer’s voice. The Colonel was annoying, but Emma was at least looking forward to leaving and hopefully moving on.