#Well maybe it'll be a good thing if it blows up and kills me then

[justsomecouscous]

if i put foil in the air fryer will it blow up and kill me?

[idyllcy]

don't miss me

word count: 9.4k

warnings: smut, nsfw

summary: it's you. It's been you, and it'll be you.

"uWAHHHHH!!" You sob, slamming your head into your hands.

"You have got to stop confessing to people who don't like you." Dick grumbles, sliding you the box of tissues on the table. "He's made it pretty clear that he has no interest."

"I'm bound to get to him at some point." You sit up, blowing your nose. "Come on."

"He's the school's hotshot."

"And you're captain of the varsity football team," You cough. "If I can tutor you and become friends with you, then the captain of the baseball team should be no big deal."

It's a strange place to find himself in. Dick had gone to you for help in one of his classes in exchange for enough money to fund your four years of college, and in exchange, you had taught him everything he needed for his classes. He went from risking the chance to stay on the team to having the best grade out of all of his teammates. He's thankful for you, he supposes, and he's the school's most wanted boy. He has more than enough of a fan club behind him.

He wonders why he was put in a public school instead of the private ones his brothers were put into. It wasn't as if Bruce lacked the money to put him into one.

"ANYWAY!" You toss the tissue into the trash behind you, stand up, and throw your fists in the air. "I will continue to confess!"

"Why not just go out with me?"

You pout at him, batting your lashes. "And potentially end up on a good chunk of the school's hit list? No thank you, Richard."

"Dick. Come on, it's not that bad."

You shrug, going back to the papers in your binder. "I'm not into you."

"We spend so much time together. We're bound to end up together, you know?"

"If you pull a psychology term on me I will punt you."

"You don't have the strength for that."

"I'll kill myself to change the trajectory of your life forever."

"That'd be very flattering for you to do."

"Ew."

But in the small classroom walls that confine the two of you, there's not much for the two of you to argue over. It's just a tutor-tutee relationship. There's nothing more. You don't understand why you rant out all of your frustrations to him when he has nothing to do with them, but you suppose it's not that much. Maybe it was silly to think that he would care. He probably doesn't. Dick was never your friend by choice, after all. It would be foolish to believe that he could care about you at all.

"I like you!" You yell from the bleachers, blowing a kiss, the rest of the school screaming along. The baseball captain shoots down your confession with a flick of his hand, and you pout.

It's fun to waste your youth pining over someone who doesn't love you back. It's not as if it mattered either. You would all scramble once you finished high school. Graduation was just around the corner. It didn't matter if he didn't like you back. It was so much funnier when they didn't.

You hear a chorus of screaming behind you, causing you to glance, just for a moment, at the reason for the screams.

"Oh, look who showed up." You smile. "Miss me already? Our session isn't until Wednesday."

"Don't flatter yourself." Dick's hands guide you to sit back down, standing next to you. "I came to scout out my competition."

"I thought you were still in that friends with benefits thing with Kori." You raise a brow at him.

"Broke it a while back." He hums. "How do you find this interesting?"

"I don't." You hum. "I'm here because he's here." You point at the baseball captain. "Obviously."

Dick clicks his tongue disdainfully. "I come all the way for you and you tell me that you're here for him?"

"I was here first, Dick." You wave happily as the captain stares at you. "I've been here."

"Well, I've come now. Let's get you home."

"I want to watch him finish his game."

"Why him and not me?"

You tilt your head at him. "No reason. I just think the baseball captain's hotter."

"Hotter than me?"

"Yes. Hotter than you."

"Did he reject you?"

"He waved down my kiss."

"I wouldn't do that to you."

"Yeah, but I don't want you."

It's funny. Dick hears all about how you got rejected again in the most delusional way possible, from the way of "oh he breathes the same air as me so surely he's in love with me" to something more mellow like "yeah I got rejected again lol". But that was something he got used to, he supposes. The empty classroom that the two of you always sat in but never got yelled at for was a staple in his life, especially when more than half of the time he was showing up to class with bruises all over his body. Maybe fighting crime at night wasn't something he should promise to do so often. Bruce would let him focus on school if he asked. Maybe.

"You look like shit as always," You click your tongue, raising a brow at the sight of Robin coughing up blood on your balcony.

"Sorry, pretty girl," He chuckles. "Bumped into someone awful today, as you can see. Care to lend me a hand?"

"The joker? The riddler? I don't even know who you fight anymore." You haul him onto the couch, pulling the curtains behind you. "How deep is it?"

"A little wrapping will do the trick." He mumbles. "Sorry for the problem."

"You're here more than I can count on one finger." You sigh. "I'm used to it. Where's Batman?"

"He went back."

"And left you alone?"

"Yes." Robin hisses as you press the alcohol to his wound. "I'm sorry, again."

"It doesn't matter. I was up, anyway." You pause. "How long have you been fighting crime again?"

"I don't know."

"Mm." Silence. "You should rebrand soon. I heard there are two Robins now."

"I'm close." He chuckles, lifting his shirt so you can wrap the bandage around his waist. "What do you think about Nightwing?"

You grumble. "Superman said something about that the other day in his interview. I stayed up all night drawing what I think his suit would look like."

"Can I see it?"

"If you want."

"You're graduating, right? Where are you going after?"

"New York City." You mumble. "Haven't told anyone yet, but I got into my dream school. I'm set."

"Really?"

"Yeah." You mumble. "I'm moving over summer, so don't crash here anymore unless you want to give my parents a heart attack, alright?"

"I'll miss you."

"That's cute. I can't imagine the number of people who would die to hear that from Robin from Teen Titans himself."

"I will."

You stare up at him. Maybe it was strange. It had been three years since Robin would crash land onto your balcony in the city and beg you for first aid. It had been two years since Dick Grayson had asked you for help in math, and even shorter than the time you had started designing suits for him to look at. Maybe that's why you had grown used to the way he would rest his chin on your shoulder and stare through the lazy sketches you had of what you thought he should change his outfit into. He likes the way you picture Nightwing. He's like some disco guy in the first draft and much more chill in the second.

"Can I take the pages?" He mumbles. "Please? I want it."

"So you can steal my design?"

"No. I like the disco suit you drew."

"That was a first draft." You groan.

"I can start with it."

"It's too flashy! It doesn't fit the whole Batman aesthetic!"

"Doesn't matter." He grins. "It looks like my current Robin one but in blue."

You raise a brow at him incredulously.

"I'll buy these off of you."

"With your legal account?"

"I'll send you money each month anonymously like a patent. Wait. I can't see you anymore."

"Yeah." You exhale. "You can take it, though. I can't let anyone know I've been drawing Robin's clothes. I would get targeted by too many villains."

"That's true." Robin pauses. "Has anyone seen it?"

"No."

"Can I take all of them?"

"How are you going to get all of them to Batman?"

"I'll figure out a way." He grins. "I am Robin, after all."

"Well, then, Robin," You rustle the papers, dropping them in his open hands. "I hope you keep all of them."

"I'll pin them in my room's wall."

"That's just creepy."

"Maybe to you."

Dick never expected you to let him in three years ago, in his defense. He expected you to cower in fear like the rest of people or even just slide him a first aid kit. He was not expecting you to drag him into your room and start disinfecting his wound. He learned so much more about who you were through his interactions with you as Robin than he did as Dick. All he hears from you during the day is how you got rejected by the captain of the baseball team again. He wonders if he should just woo you as Robin instead. You seem to like his separate identity more.

"You forgot the number in front of the integral."

"No way." He grumbles.

"Yeah." You point. "Minor mistakes. It'll be fixed with some practice. I'm sure."

"When are we stopping this?"

"Eager to get me out of your hair already? After senior finals, of course."

"Are you going to keep confessing to captain until then?"

"Why?"

"I'm suggesting you give me a chance, of course." Dick stares at you.

"There you go again with that," You yawn. "Are you sure it's not because I'm your type? Scratch that. I don't even think I'm your type."

"And if you were?"

"That would be very interesting considering your dating history." You grimace.

Dick grumbles in response. He didn't have something for that one.

It's ironic to think that someone else in the school would die to date the man in front of you. You wonder why you don't like him sometimes. You're sure he's someone straight out of a movie, a guy who everyone would want to be with at least once in their life. He almost reminds you of the other football boys on his team. Maybe this was a movie. The jock ends up with his tutor. Some sort of cliché love story that you would never touch, ever again.

Robin crash lands on your balcony again before you can think more of it.

"Sorry!"

"What brings you here today? Ivy?"

"Yeah! How'd you know?" He sits up, a grin on his face.

"You smell like herbs all over you." You grimace.

"Woah, sharp nose." Robin mumbles. "Can you ramble about your high school to me?"

"Oh. You wanna hear about how I have a crush on the captain of the football team? The guy I tutor?"

"yOU WHAT? I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU LIKED THE BASEBALL GUY." Robin gasps, jaw dropped in shock.

"I changed my mind." You hum, fishing out the disinfectant from the first aid kit. "I won't admit it to his face, of course, but I think he's kind of fine. That man is infuratingly attractive. Who gave him his bone structure? He looks like a greek statue or something. I want him carnally."

"Are you going to ask him out?"

"And do long distance in this day and age?" You laugh. "No. I'm going to keep pretending that I like the baseball captain until the end of graduation. I'd like to be remembered as a fool. Besides, I don't think Dick actually likes me that way. I heard something about him and Kori in the halls and I don't want to be part of that. I heard he slept with a good chunk of the girls sports team captains too. I don't know. I'd prefer not to know. All I know is that I don't want to be part of that mess."

Robin peels his shirt up, pouting. "I thought you said confessing was the best form of closure."

"Not when dating your crush is going to get half of the school on your back. I've lived without being in the spotlight for long enough. I plan on doing that after school." You press the gauze to his wound, causing him to hiss. "You good?"

"Hurts."

"I'm sure it does." You deadpan.

"Why not tell him?"

"You seem very invested in my love life with this dude."

"I'm bored. I keep getting beat up these days, so I have to listen to something to get it off my mind." Robin pouts as you wrap the bandage around his waist.

"Did you gain more muscle?"

"Does it look that way?"

"A little." You raise a brow.

"I work out more in my free time."

"You know, maybe I like the stupid football guy because he reminds me of you too much."

"You like me?"

"I thought you were a good detective."

"I am."

"And you didn't know?"

"I didn't want to point it out." He mumbles. "Maybe you'd get uncomfortable."

"Alright." You yawn, closing the first aid kit. "This is one of the last times you're crashing. ever."

"Why?"

"I go on vacation in a couple weeks and I'm going to start packing for moving. You aren't going to be able to see me in a long time."

"Can I get a goodbye kiss?" He pouts.

"You're a nightmare, Robin," You help him stand up, pressing your lips to his cheek. "I hope I see you as Nightwing one day."

"I can promise you that."

You wonder some days if you should just tell Dick that you have a crush on him. You call him his government for shits and giggles, and you barely pay enough attention to what he does in tutoring these days. Maybe you were just destined to be stuck with someone like him. Yet, even as graduation approaches, you find there's no use sticking close to those ideas. You'll never see him again. It's pointless to admit your crush now.

"So? What's your answer?"

"I'm still in love with the baseball guy," You sigh blissfully, eyes far away. "He's so... dreamy."

"The only difference between the two of us is that I have better grades." Dick raises his brow.

"Richard." You yawn. "I could fix him."

"You absolutely could not."

"You're right. I could not." You laugh. "Isn't it fun being delusional? I think it's great."

"It is absolutely not."

"Maybe to you, Richard." You yawn. "I find it quite amusing to daydream about myself with a person who would never look at me twice."

"If you ask me." He clicks his tongue. "I'd say he thinks about you a lot more now."

"Oh, really?" You tilt your head. "I still don't find myself believing that fact."

"It's hard to think about it." He grimaces. "He asked me for your number the other day."

"Did you give it to him?"

"You said to ask first. I forgot to ask."

"Are you sure you forgot?"

"I didn't give it to him on purpose." He grins.

"Sly, sly, boy." You chuckle. "Oh, right. I forgot to give you the worksheets."

"I was hoping you wouldn't notice."

"Too bad." You rummage through your bag, handing him a stack of papers. "I'll see you after school."

"You expect me to do this during practice?"

"You're off-season. You barely train." You stand up, dusting off your hands. "Have fun."

Dick glances at the papers. "Wait-"

The door clicks behind you, and Dick sits there, staring at the stack of papers.

Dick lets his curiosity get the best of him, flipping through the pages, reading through your sketches and messy notes. It's neat, uncrumpled, to the point. The drawings are messy, but each part of his suit as Robin has been noted down. His weapons have been detailed, and he wonders if you had been doing more than just checking out his gadgets whenever he crashed your apartment. Maybe you were carefully calculating everything just as you had with his math homework. Perhaps he would get separated from you years later and never see you again.

He finds himself at your final period of the day, knocking on the door.

"Come in."

"Ah, Mrs. Baker," He smiles. "My tutor left this during lunch, so I came to hand it back to her."

You stare at Dick, getting out of your seat to take the papers from him with the actual packet in your other hand. "My apologies. I will see you after school."

A girl in the class faints while the others scream.

You sit back in your seat, staring at the note he left in your stack.

There was no point in caring for things that would inevitably pass.

So, neither of you mention anything ever again. The tutoring goes on as normal, the confessions do as well. There's something consistently hanging in the air between the two of you that neither addresses. The elephant in the room is neither seen nor discussed. The stories of your youth no longer matter to you, and you graduate top of the class, valedictorian, going to the school of your choice. It didn't matter that you had just stopped pining after the baseball captain one day. No one would know why. Maybe. Except Dick.

Dick learns to move on with life, slowly. You sit in the back of his mind when he's bored while on patrol, staring down at the city, wondering if you had ever considered him to even be an option. But he finds no space in thinking about you. He had his own job. The two of you had grown up, maybe you before him. The two of you were just. High school friends. Maybe not even friends. He thinks about your signature in his yearbook often. Maybe he would find you one day. It would come slower. Maybe.

But he leaves your mind as quickly as he had been there, left behind with Gotham when you had stepped foot into your dream school. You find your success in life as easily as you had executed whatever plan it had been in high school. You're quickly where you want to be in life, top of the city, sipping margaritas with your friends when you grow bored. It's something that someone has dreamed of, and it's something that you have considered. Maybe you would consider staying where you are longer had it not been for the obscenely high crime rate lately.

"I heard Jessica got mugged the other weekend." One of your friends sighs. "Are you feeling better?"

"I am." Jessica mumbles. "Oh, but there was this super hot hero who saved me! I tried asking for his name, but he never told me. Black suit, blue bird thing on his chest. He was so... dreamy!"

"Jessica, darling," Another woman chimes in. "I'm sure you've gone delusional. New York City does not have people saving them. Our crime rate is just a nightmare in itself."

"Was it Nightwing? You know, the... superhero?" You furrow your brows. "I think that's what he is."

"Is that his name?!" She gushes. "He's sooo romantic!"

"Jessica, aren't you engaged?"

"Awh, it's not as if I'd ever get a chance with him."

You chuckle. "Did he look good?"

"So good. God. His black hair? I thought I was going to lose my mind."

"Darling," A woman reaches their hand for yours. "How do you know about Nightwing?"

"I read Gotham Daily for fun." You smile. "It's good to keep up with what's been going on in my home city."

"Right! Then surely you know Nightwing?"

"Know is a little bit of an overstatement." You grimace. "I don't know him personally. I know about him."

"Oh, well." Jessica chuckles. "I'm sure you'll get to know him so much more soon."

"What."

"He asked if I knew anyone by your name, so I told him your add-"

"You gave my house address to a random man who saved you?!" You yell. "That's stupid!"

"He was asking for you!"

"Why?"

"I don't know." Jessica holds back a laugh. "I told him your studio address."

"At least it wasn't my house address," You mumble. "But I'm holed up in that hellhole when I get bored, so I suppose it's the equivalent of giving him my house address."

"He's got real defined muscles-"

"Okay, Jessica, I think that's enough for the night. I'll call your fiancé for you."

"Ugh. He's so fine."

"We get it, darling."

You help her into her fiancé's car, watching as the two of them drive away. The other ladies all head off, and you stand there in the night. It's not half as cold as you're expecting it to be, but you suppose being alone at night is a little lonely. You purse your lips, clicking on your phone to call an Uber to your studio. You didn't feel like staying home. Maybe sketching your frustrations out in the studio would do something better.

"Alone at night, sweetheart?"

You turn to face the voice.

"...Nightwing?"

He's in the second design.

"Miss me?"

"I don't know, actually." You mumble. "I was just feeling a little betrayed that Jessica just gave you my address like that."

"I checked it out. It's a nice little studio. Are you still up to big things?"

You shrug. "I bet you read the magazines about me."

"I do." He chuckles. "I have your sketches pinned on my walls still, even when I moved." He leans in, breath tickling your ear. "Shall I take you home?"

"To the studio, if you will."

"Hold on tight." He wraps an arm around your waist, launching the grappling hook. "I don't remember if you've ever flown with me."

"I have not." You cling onto him, grimacing. "Please do not drop me. You aren't Spiderman."

"Should I be offended that you're comparing me to a fictional superhero?"

"I'm going to die if you do."

"We're here." He lands on the rooftop.

"Why the sudden move?"

"Am I not allowed to follow my favorite designer to the ends of the earth?"

"Yeah. It's a little creepy, honestly." You scrunch your nose. "Did something go wrong with your suit?"

"No." He mumbles. "Maybe. I don't know."

You raise a brow at him.

"Nothing went wrong. I just missed you."

"Missed me or having a place to patch up that wasn't Batman?"

"Both." He mumbles. "Can I see your designs?"

"So you can steal them?"

"Not fair. You're the one who let me steal them." Nightwing pouts. "I still have them on my wall, if you want to visit my place."

"That's a little too early." You imitate his pout, leaning back, his arm still around your waist. "Don't you think?"

"For someone who's caught you naked when you were in high school, I don't think so." He hums, hand leaving your waist. "Will you show me around?"

"Since you asked so nicely."

It's strange to see him again after so many years. You were sure that Robin — Nightwing — would come to forget you at some point. You had heard more stories about how he had been such a great protector of the city at dark alongside Batman, so you suppose that inevitably he probably had found someone on the way. You heard he had a thing with Batgirl at some point. You wonder why he didn't stay with her. The newspapers were just as shocked as you were when they found out they broke up.

"I heard you had a thing for redheads." You hum, opening the door on the rooftop. "You know. With the whole dating thing on the magazines."

"I suppose I am weak to them." He follows you down the stairs, pausing when you fish out a key and open the door. "Jealou-"

You cut him off. "Welcome to my studio."

"Are those superhero suits?"

"I was trying to figure out what fabrics would work to avoid acid burns." You shrug. "Old habits. I was thinking of visiting Gotham a little later and I was worried I'd get caught up in another attack."

"You'll be fine. Robin is surprisingly competent."

"Are you guys like one big family or something?"

"No." You catch the way he pauses in inhaling. "Nope."

"Sure." You yawn. "I'm crashing. Please be gone by morning."

"Aw, you don't want to see me?"

"I can't tailor anything for you. Go to bed."

"Superheros don't sleep."

"You're human. Night." You close the door to the bed in the studio, and Nightwing looks around at the papers scattered on the floor. New York could survive a day without him.

You wake up the next morning to Nightwing still in your studio, staring at the sketches on the floor.

"Did you end up giving this one to Kid Flash?"

"There's no use. He's dead." You yawn, opening your laptop.

"Didn't need to remind me like that."

"Nightwing. Don't you have a home to go to?"

"I'm exhausted, true." He yawns. "You're contagious."

"Whatever helps you sleep." You grumble. "Stupid emails. Go home."

"And if I want to stay?"

"I'll peel your mask off." You sigh. "Now go."

"Can I crash some other time?"

"If you can find my apartment."

"Shall I bet on it, sweetheart?"

You tilt your head at him, raising a brow. "Be my guest."

Sometime between where you are now and where you had left Dick, he had caught up. Maybe it had been a chase he was doing unconsciously. Maybe he missed the way you would patch him up in your apartment at night no matter how late he found himself in your room. Maybe he missed the way you would take him out for dinner if he did well on a test. Maybe he just missed you. He finds himself staring at you in the grocery store, lips parted in mild surprise. He wasn't expecting to run into you here. He thought you'd stay holed up in your studio for the day.

"...Richard?"

"Dick." He corrects.

"It is you!" You mumble. "What are you doing in New York? I thought you were working for law enforcement at Gotham."

"Change of plans, change of place." It wasn't exactly a lie. He needed to leave that place. He doesn't know why he picked your city of all places, though. "You?"

"I've been here."

"I suppose." he hums. "Is it nice here?"

"Safer than Gotham." You laugh dryly. "I can't believe Nightwing left that place."

"Why?"

You turn to stare at him. "I figured he'd want to stay close to Batman."

"The first always wants to leave and explore." Dick smiles.

"A psychology fact or just something small?"

"An observation not proven by experiments." He hums. "Why are you here?"

"Low on oat milk." You mumble, reaching for the fridge door.

"You're really living that New York City life, huh?"

"Maybe."

"Do you miss Gotham?"

"Never." You pause. "I only miss it because someone used to crash my place."

"Someone?"

"Secret." You smile at him. "Have fun in New York."

"If you don't mind." He mumbles. "Can we exchange numbers again?"

"I never changed my old one."

It never struck Dick that maybe you would keep your old number. You had no reason to keep it, after all. Yet, as he clicks open a conversation that he hadn't touched in years but still kept, he wonders if the two of you had just stopped in time. Maybe he had just chosen you from the start. It wasn't as if his high school life was conventional. The popularity at school meant nothing to him in retrospect.

So, he finds himself staring at the ice cream aisle for a little too long, staring at your favorite flavor an uncomfortable amount of time. Maybe it would be his housewarming gift for you as someone crashing into your room. He should go home soon, he supposes. The sun was setting quickly, and he had to do nightly patrol.

He wonders if he'll just crash into your apartment out of instinct.

So, after a quick clean-up and call to the police, he finds himself landing on a random balcony. He could be wrong. He was sure this could just be some complete stranger's balcony, but it could also be right. He had a feeling that you were inside, as he always did. He finds a strange sense of deja vu, especially as Nightwing. He wanted to pay you a visit on the first day in your super-suit, but you had taped the notice that you were already gone.

"I'm surprised you actually found this place." You tilt your head at him as you open the door. "Come in."

"Weird sense of deja vu, no?"

"Almost." You yawn, noticing a bag in his hand. "What's that?"

"Housewarming."

"I don't recall telling you my favorite ice cream flavor, ever."

"Lucky guess."

"Sure, hero." You hum. "I'm too tired to be a good host, so do what you want."

"Could you wrap me up? That's all I want."

"You're hurt?"

"It's not easy out on these streets."

"Better be no cuts."

"Just a handful of bruises."

"I'll get the ice." You sigh. "Why do you always come at the most unconventional times of day."

"Maybe I just like you when you're half drunk on sleep depravity, pretty girl."

"I'm going to punch you." You grumble, activating the ice pack from your first aid kid, and throwing it at him. Nightwing fails to notice the way your ears burn from the nickname.

"Is it just one bedroom?"

"Did you think I lived in a penthouse?"

"Kind of."

"I live alone. There's no need." You blink. "Knock yourself out. I'll be in bed."

"Sweetheart."

"Yes?"

"Have you ever considered me to be a man?"

"As in jump me? No." You hum. "I have security cameras in all four corners of the room. If you did, I would have the evidence to prove you as some creepy guy in my house."

"Even if I'm Nightwing?"

"Even if you're Nightwing."

Dick watches as you completely fall asleep in your bed, ignoring the way that he gets up to sit by you, staring at your sleeping form. You were always too vulnerable with the wrong people, maybe. You had handed him all of your designs in a heartbeat, spilling out everything that had ever plagued your mind in a breath. He rests his chin on the plush of your mattress, breathing matching yours, staring at you. He wonders if this was what he had moved to New York for. Crashing your room at the unholy hours of the night and catching up with you. It's a foolish dream of his. You could never love him back at himself, so he resorts to crashing your apartment and asking for patching up as Nightwing instead.

"Pretty girl." He mumbles, sitting up, pressing a kiss to a lock of your hair. "Missed you."

You wake up to Nightwing gone, the balcony door closed, thankfully, and a splitting headache. You wonder if your all-nighters have finally caught up with you. Maybe they have. You're caught between wondering if you should text a friend to bring food for you or just ordering off of some overpriced delivery app in the most overpriced city in the country. You decide against both, falling asleep in your bed covers as your fever rages on. How exhausting.

You wake up to the sound of your doorbell, tugging yourself out of bed, taking your gun with you.

"Who is it?"

"It's me."

You open the door to your apartment, squinting at the man.

"Come back another time. I feel like shit right now." You grumble, reaching to close the door on Dick.

"If you're sick, shouldn't you need someone to take care of you?"

"My secretary can."

"You have a secretary?"

You sniff. "Yeah."

"I heard she's on break from the twitter updates account. Let me in. I promise I won't burn your kitchen down." Dick mumbles.

You frown. "And you're not going to jump me?"

"No."

"Promise?"

"Yes."

"Well, if you do." You mumble, showing him the gun in your other hand. "I have this bad boy."

"You have a gun?"

"You never know who's going to break in." You grumble, opening the door to let him in.

"Do you have groceries?"

"I was at the store yesterday. Make do with what I have. Or something." You blink, pulling the blanket further over yourself. "I feel like I've been struck in half by an axe."

"Go rest up." Dick places a hand on your forehead, resting his forehead on yours. "You're burning."

"I think I know that much." You shuffle back to your bed, laying flat on it.

"Do you have Advil?"

"Tylenol's in the cabinet. Might be expired. I've had it forever."

"It's not." He mumbles, getting a glass of water for you as well. "Come on."

You sit up, swallowing the pills with the water, head still spinning. "Thermometer's in the same cabinet."

Dick presses the infrared thermometer to your head, staring at your temperature. "You're awfully hot."

"Thanks." You grumble. "You haven't said that since high school."

"What do you usually do when sick?"

"I haven't been sick since I moved out." You blink slowly, lying back down. "Don't trash the place."

"I won't."

You pass out.

It's ironic. Dick was in your apartment less than twelve hours ago as Nightwing, and now he was in your apartment cooking you soup that he doesn't remember ever learning the recipe of. He missed this. He missed you. Maybe that was why all those women had looked at him at some point in their relationship and told him that he liked someone else. How pitiful of him. To love someone yet date someone else.

But you recover just as quick. Almost as if you were waiting for him to just enter your apartment and take care of you. It was as if your body just needed him once. You don't know. You wake up to Dick sprawled on your couch and your body all dehydrated. There's a bowl of soup next to you that's still warm, and you start eating it as you take your own temperature. It's day. You don't know if it's the same day or you slept through an entire day, but the sun is out, and you feel a little better.

"Do you want help?" Dick opens one of his eyes to stare at you, and you blink at him.

"I'll be fine. Thank you for staying overnight."

"Of course." He hums.

Nightwing crashes two nights later, tumbling down your fire escape. You clutch the gun in your hand and stare at the balcony.

"Just me, sweetheart."

"What a crash landing." You mumble, opening the window to let him in. "What is it this time? We really shouldn't have that many supervillains here."

"Less, that's true." Nightwing hums. "But I still got a good beating." He laughs.

"You're going to be permanently bruised at this rate." You haul him through the window, sighing. "What do you want this time? More bandages? Gauze? A trip to the ER? My soul?"

"Nope. Just checking to see how my favorite girl is doing."

"Now that's just creepy."

"That is not!"

"Oh, no it definitely is." You sigh.

"Are you feeling better?"

You tilt your head as Nightwing pulls his suit up to show you the bruise. "I had a splitting fever yesterday. I'm better now."

"That's good. You didn't answer when I knocked yesterday."

"So you guessed I was sick?"

"Greatest detective in Gotham, remember?"

"Yeah, but this is New York." You mumble, breaking another ice pack to press to his bruise. "I'm sure there's someone better than you."

"Really?"

"I'm sure of it."

Nightwing swings by your apartment every other night. You don't understand how he has the time for that, but you don't question it or anything else. Too many questions lead to too many thoughts. You try not to think of much when you're hanging out with him every other night.

"At this point, I'm going to become nocturnal." You grumble, hanging off the edge of the couch.

"Just for me?"

You raise a brow. "No."

"Are you still designing?"

"Here's a new sketch." You hand him a random paper from the ones all over the ground, and he stares at it.

"A new design for me?"

"No. Just an alternate outfit."

"Can't you get it sewn up for me?"

"I don't like you that much." You grumble.

Nightwing rests his chin on your shoulder huffing.

Somewhere between the crashing apartments and movie nights, you found yourself tangled in Nightwing's limbs, closer to him than you could have imagined in the past. You wonder if any traces of Robin are there, the bruises and scars littered all over his body. You wonder if he had ever liked you. In the empty nights that you had spent with Robin, you found yourself enamored by him. It was foolish for you to ever develop those feelings, so you wonder if Nightwing can read it off of you. He probably can.

"I can't make it in two days." Nightwing mumbles, adjusting the blanket draped over the two of you.

"Mm," You mumble. "Why not?"

Nightwing goes silent, staring at the screen. "Breach of privacy, don't you think, sweetheart?"

"So now I'm not allowed to hear about what you're doing in your free time?"

"Hero's secret." He rests his hand on your shin, tracing mindless circles on your skin. "You'll forgive me, right? Sweetheart?"

You grumble, looking to the side.

"I'm not going to be patroling that day, anyway."

"Oh, yeah." You mumble. "I'm not home that day either. I'm supposed to help Dick move into his new apartment."

"Cheating on me, pretty girl?"

"I was two timing you guys in high school, sure." You pause. "Speaking of Dick. I don't remember ever giving him my home address. How did he even find me?"

Nightwing taps your shin twice. "You sure you didn't text it to him?"

"I swear I didn't-" You pause when you see a conversation with Dick, sending him your full address. "Strange. I don't remember."

"Are you showing early signs of memory loss?"

"Don't be a dick," You pout. "Maybe I texted him while half delirious."

"I have to go, sweetheart," He mumbles, brushing your hair back and pressing a kiss to the corner of your eye. "The city calls."

"I was thinking about it," You tuck your legs back to your chest, staring at him as he clasps everything back onto his outfit. "We should really stop doing that."

"Doing what?"

"Whatever it is we are doing." You mumble. "The whole... situationship thing."

"Do you not want me anymore?"

"I'd prefer to actually find someone." You adjust the blanket on yourself, clicking to lower the tv volume. "That's not right. I can't date a superhero. I think that's more normal. I don't even know who you are."

Nightwing opens his mouth, closing it when he remembers he can't argue with you on it.

"Does that mean I can't crash anymore?"

"No." You huff. "No more cuddling."

"And if I ask you out?"

"No point." You grumble. "I'd be dating a superhero and not a human."

"I thought you said I was human?"

You pause. "But I don't know who you are. You could be some creepy forty year old for all I know."

"'Kay, now that's just rude, sweetheart. I am not forty."

"Yeah, yeah," You grumble. "Ask me out in your civilian form if you really want me that bad."

"Is that a deal?"

"As long as it isn't out of nowhere."

Nightwing disappears into the city, and you glance at the movie still playing in the background.

Dick thanks you for the help with moving apartments. You wonder how he managed to end up as your neighbor, but as he kicks the remaining boxes into the complex, you don't really complain. You could be sitting in your room drawing something insane for Nightwing right now. Maybe it was a healthy break from the guy you've been falling in love with. You wonder why he didn't just stop seeing you once he found out you liked him.

"You look like you're thinking hard."

"That's definitely not something you know how to do?"

"Ey. I'm not stupid. Remember? I was salutatorian." Dick raises a brow, opening one of the boxes.

"I forgot." You pause. "Wasn't your brother suspended?"

"Yeah. He was quite a handful."

"He was funny," You hum, opening another box. "I found him really amusing."

"Makes you think hard about family dynamics."

"Really does." You hand him decorations to go around the apartment from the floor, and you pause when you see a binder. "What's this?"

"Oh, you weren't supposed to see that." He takes it from your hands, holding it behind himself. "You were not supposed to see that."

You glance at the paper flutter out of the binder, and you reach for it, pausing at the familiarity.

"Did you... where did you get this?"

"I found it at a thrift store." He smiles.

"Thrift stores don't sell old sketches by people drawn during high school for superheros." You deadpan.

"An antique store?"

"Spit it out, Richard." You furrow your brows, pulling your lip up. "Are you Nightwing or did you rob him? I doubt both of them, so your explanation better be convincing."

"I like you."

"what."

"Let's go out."

"Where is this coming from?" You shake your head in confusion.

"Um. Two nights ago?"

You pause. "I didn't see-"

You blink at Dick tuck the paper back into the binder, placing it on the kitchen counter.

"YOU'RE ACTUALLY FUCKING NI-"

"I'd prefer if you kept that revelation to yourself. These walls aren't soundproof."

You gawk at him. "I was wrapping you up every single fucking night at Gotham?"

"Yes?"

You sit there, hands lax, hanging from the box, questioning every single thing you had ever told him up to this point.

"YOU LISTENED TO ME TALK ABOUT HOW INFURIATINGLY HOT I FOUND YOU IN HIGH SCHOOL?!"

"...yes."

You slam your head into your hands, head spinning from the impact and realization. You told Nightwing you found him hot. You told Dick, who had crashed into your room almost every day at Gotham, all about how you thought he was attractive, but there was no point in telling him. You kissed him on the cheek in high school. The more you think about it, the more you question your presence in the room and the more you want to dig a hole and die in it. You were such an embarassment.

"I think I'm going to dig a hole and bury myself." You look up from your hands.

"Please don't do that." Dick mumbles, stepping next to you. "Do you hate me that much? You said you-"

"Yeah." You purse your lips. "Yes. But this is very out of the blue and I need a couple days to process all of this information."

"Your break ends in a couple of days."

"UGH!" You cry, dragging your hands down your face. "I would say yes but oh my god. This is embarassing. So embarassing."

"Yes."

You blink slowly.

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"It's a yes." You answer in a heartbeat. "Please give me a couple days to come to terms with it, though."

"Anything." He mumbles, kissing your forehead.

Dating Dick Grayson is an experience. He's quiet, slow, and he takes his time with you. You find yourself in his apartment more and more despite the ever-sinking knowledge that he's Nightwing. You forget sometimes — only for him to crash through his balcony and roll into your arms. It's worrying now that you're actually dating him. There's a fear that he'd go missing like his brother and maybe even die. The idea that he was returning to the police force wasn't any more comforting.

"Why here?" You mumble, peeling the suit off of his body. "We can go back to Gotham if you really want."

"Why would you move back to Gotham with me?"

"I've been working online for the past year." You sigh. "I never knew when you'd come crash landing into the house during night so I sold my studio. I'm always worried you'll go missing on me one day."

"You're willing to move back with me?"

You heave, picking the mask off of his face.

"Really?"

"Your family is there." You whisper, almost scared as though your voice would give out on you. "Mine is too."

"You'll go back with me?" He holds onto your forearms, eyes sparkling.

"Yeah."

You don't know what prompts you to tell him that at the dead of the night only a month into dating him, but it just felt right. It was strange to believe that you had been so willing to move so quickly despite dating him for such a short time. You weren't even sure if you would be able to last past the three-month mark. Maybe it was a mistake of some sort. To move with Dick so quickly. You don't know how you're supposed to decide so fast.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Dick grabs your wrist, causing you to stop with the wrapping. "You've wrapped four more layers than you usually do."

"Do you think we'll last past the three month mark?" You whisper, almost as if you were asking the wind and not him.

"Yeah." Dick hums, helping you rip the bandage. "It'll be fine."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." He smiles. "I haven't lied to you before, love."

"Yeah?"

"Mhm." He kisses you gently, body warmth grounding you. "I promise."

You tuck the rest of the bandages back into the first aid kit, and Dick pulls you into his lap, peppering kisses over your face and neck. It causes you to giggle, smile erupting on your face as butterflies had when you had fallen for him the first time. The worries melt away as Dick runs his hand up and down your back soothingly. You were lucky. The wait was worth it, you think. He was an angel.

"Let me know when to stop," He mumbles against your lips before going back to making out with you, kisses light on your skin.

You squirm in his lap, his hands holding your hips down, giving you just enough space so that you don't bruise. His tongue slips into your mouth at some point, your eyes going half-lidded, welcoming him with fervor. Dick's hands trace circles on your hip, hands snuck underneath your shirt to tug at your bra, unclasping it with his free hand, lips never leaving yours. Your hands reach down for his shirt, tugging at the fabric, fiddling with the fabric. Dick smiles against your lips, pulling away.

A strand of saliva breaks from your lips as he does. "Struggling, pretty girl?"

"Yeah." You huff, watching as Dick pulls it over his head.

"Pretty baby," He laughs. "Feel better?"

"Yeah," You mumble, leaning down to bite his clavicle. You suck on it gently as Dick traces a hand past your shorts down to your clit, drawing lazy circles on your clit, humming lowly, vibrations traveling straight to your core.

"Pretty girl..." He sighs as you let go of his collar with a pop, sliding a finger from your clit into your cunt, sighing slowly as he slides his finger in further, earning a whimper from your lips. "Feel good?"

"Mhm." You gasp. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry you feel that way, pretty girl." He whispers against your skin. "Want me to help you out?"

"Yes, please," You mumble. "Please, Dick."

"Anything for you, sweetheart." His hands speed up, thumb trying to brush circles on your clit as his index finger curls inside of you. You wonder if he's teasing or if he really doesn't remember where your g spot is — You choke on your own thought as he finds it. "There it is."

Your fingers reach for his chest, nails digging into his pecs as he continues curling his finger, adding another one inside of you. He hisses quietly as your nails dig deep enough to draw blood, a trail of red following the scratch as he continues with his fingers inside of you.

"Pretty girl, on the back please."

"Sorry," You move your hands to his back, yelping as he starts again. You clench on his fingers as he curls them once more, your orgasm ripping through your skin; the sweat wraps your body in a thin sheen of white, reflecting the dim lighting of the apartment. You curl into him, your whole body shaking from the orgasm, lips parted in a silent cry. You blink to try and catch your breath, coughing.

"Sweetheart?"

"I get why you've had so many exes now." You mumble.

"I like you the best." He mumbles, pressing a kiss to the corner of your eye.

"I bet you say that to all of them."

"Only to my favorites." He hums. "Just you."

You look at him doubtfully.

"I promise."

You close your eyes, head ringing. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

You move to get rid of your shorts as Dick slides his boxers off, straddling him and sinking down slowly. You stay there to adjust, and wait, mind wandering slowly as Dick starts bouncing you. You keep your voice to yourself, only small whimpers and light gasps slipping past your lips. Your eyes cloud over as your brain goes on autopilot. Dick notices quickly, stopping altogether when you don't seem to respond.

"Babe?"

You stare at him.

"What's wrong?"

"I'll be fine." You smile.

You count with fingers in your mind, from one hand to the next, then back to the original hand, changing so that one counts the fives and the other counts the other single digits, and then the tens and the single digits. You don't know why you're counting them, but it seems like a lot or too little — too little yet too much. Your mind spins gently, slowly, almost as if the thoughts were like murky water, pulling you down slowly, waiting for a moment to drown you wholeheartedly.

"Babe." Dick tries again, calloused fingers brushing over your hip. "Talk to me."

"I thought you were the one who sucked at communication." You blink back slowly, not registering your words. "You know?"

"I usually do, but I learn."

"I suppose you do." You stare at him. "I'm scared."

"Of us?"

"Yeah." You whisper. "It's in the back of my mind constantly. What if you return dead one day like you did to Barbara so many years ago?"

"I wasn't dead-"

"You were shot in the head." You whimper. "You." You go quiet, resting your head in the crook of his neck, closing your eyes. "I've done nothing with you."

"Pretty girl-"

"Your life as Nightwing was in Barb's hands." You start. "The two of you have done so much together. The news went insane when they found out you were engaged to her and set to marry her. I was so ready to see the news of a marriage, and then it seemed that you had just broken the engagement out of nowhere — and then I find out that you moved out of Blüdhaven and disappeared from the very city you poured your whole heart into and find you out here on the streets of New york? What — what kind of madness did I read in the morning newspaper, you, you left the city you fell in love with for the streets of New York?? Do you know how — how preposterous you sounded when you said that? It was as if I had been told that Batman was actually Bruce Wayne or something, it was so—"

"Babe." Dick whispers. "Babe."

"... insane of you to just do something — yeah?" You mumble. "Sorry. We're having sex and I'm—"

"I find it endearing," He laughs, resuming the circles on your hip. "But I'm with you now. Not with Babs." He smiles. "You. I moved here to New York after becoming Blüdhaven's billionaire savior because of you. I didn't move anywhere for any of my exes, right?"

You avoid his gaze, swallowing out of guilt.

"Don't feel bad for doubting me." He smiles. "I understand why."

"I guess that makes two trust issues havers in this relationship." You frown playfully.

"Well," He hums, standing up, switching positions to place you underneath him. "If you don't mind."

"God. I think I should get fucked silly. I hate my brain."

"Then what'll happen to all of my outfits?"

"Just find someone else." You grumble, kicking your legs over him. "I'm sure you can handle it."

"Really?" He thrusts into you sharply, causing you to gasp. "Really."

"Dick Grayson, just get on with it." You grumble.

You wonder sometimes where he had all the energy to patrol, work, and fuck you, but you suppose stamina training might've been part of the curriculum with Batman. Your nails dig into his shoulders as he pounds into you, mess of slick and cum following Dick's cock as he slides in and out of you, the sound of skin slapping skin filling the room. Dick pants into your ears, head spinning, drunk on the lust as he continues, fingers flying to your clit frantically, desperate to get you off. You're drunk off the same lust, hands moving to pull his lips to yours, mouth open and drool all over you two's chins.

It's messy.

You gasp and curl as you get closer, heels digging into the back of his thigh to try and have him deeper, his name slipping past your lips like a mantra, your mind melting into mush over him. Dick mumbles under his breath, marveling at how pretty you look with drool slipping down your chin and clouded eyes. You're gorgeous when you're reduced to a mess that can only gasp his name and pull at his hair. Crying lightly, you whimper about how you were close, spurring Dick to move impossibly faster. You cum with a clench of your walls and a cry caught in your throat, and Dick joins you, hips stuttering as he spills into you with a whimper.

Dick pulls out and collapses on top of you, a soft 'oof' slipping past your lips as he does.

"So... Gotham?"

"Give me two business days to recover from you."

"Yes babe."

The flight to the Wayne Manor is a little strange to you. You keep your apartment, and Dick ends his lease. You're told you get to fly back and forth whenever necessary, and you wonder if staying at the Wayne Manor and publicly getting involved with Dick was a great idea. Yet, you don't really care. You like sketching suit designs for the family in the Batcave. You also like going through the mess of Batman's closet and looking through every single design he has ever sported. Some of them were atrocious.

You turn to stare at the person enterring the Batcave.

"Pretty girl."

"Hey." You hum, leaning back to look at Dick.

"Drawing again?"

"I got bored and ended up here looking for inspiration."

"I figured." He sits next to you on the ground. "What are you drawing?"

"I was redrawing your original outfit as Nightwing," You smile. "The disco suit that you said reminded you of your parents."

"Does it look better now?"

"Slightly?" You raise a brow at the drawing. "There could be improvements."

"Like?"

"It's too flashy," You giggle. "I like my latter design better."

"What about the red one you hid in the back of the papers?"

"Oh, god, I'm embarassed about that one." You mumble. "But you did look good in it. Didn't it help you pull? I'm sure a good chunk of people were staring at your ass."

"You bet they were." He hums. "Didn't you like staring at me in it too?"

"Yeah. Your cape as Robin got in the way too often." You deadpan. "It had to be out there."

"It looked better out."

"Definitely."

"Do you want anything to eat or drink? Alfred's upstairs preparing dinner."

"Just call me when he's ready."

You sigh as Dick presses a kiss to your cheek.

"Sweetheart?"

"Yeah?"

"Love you."

"Love you too."

[dandylovesturtles]

This is 2AL Propaganda

I bring you propaganda for the @rottmntpeepawpolls advocating for 2 Arms Left Leo by @intotheelliwoods in the form of another fanfic drabble! Please go check out their comic series, it is extremely good. And vote for 2AL Leo in the poll tomorrow!!

(Also Ell I'm sorry if I get f!Leo and p!Donnie's relationship wrong I TRIED

ALSO I PROMISE THIS ISN'T ANGST

also also this is set still somewhat early in his recovery time OK NOTES OVER)

...

"I can feel you lurking."

Leonardo looks up from his phone and locks eyes with Donnie, currently peeking through the crack in the curtain to his train car. He disappears from view and a moment later waltzes his way inside like he hadn't just been hiding.

"I have a question for you," he announces.

Leo sits up and drops his legs over the edge of the bed. "Shoot."

Donnie hesitates. He looks anxious, and Leo tenses in anticipation.

"It's about your timeline."

Leo's heart drops.

He'd known this would come eventually, but he'd been hoping it would be later rather than sooner. Of course they would want to know eventually, though. What happened to them. How things in his time had... ended.

He just isn't prepared for it. He isn't sure if Donnie is prepared for it, either. He's still so young. Should he really be hearing this now? What kind of damage does that cause on a young mind?

His mouth is draw when he says, "What's your question?" He scrambles to prepare answer, some way to put it off, or maybe to soften the blow, or-

"Did you still have the Lair Games in the future?"

-gape at Donnie like a fish because what?

"What?"

"Did you still have the Lair Games in the future?" Donnie repeats, a little louder as though that were the issue here.

"...We were a little busy with the whole alien apocalypse situation."

"Scoff." Donnie waves a hand. "As if a little apocalypse could stop this family from being competitive."

He has him there. Leo can't help but snort in amusement. "You're right. But it was less formal and more like... bragging about how many Krang hounds we could kill."

"Ah, I see... Well, we're lacking in those, so... goodbye."

He turns on his heel to leave.

"Hey, wait wait wait! Why the sudden interest?"

Donnie turns back around. He still looks anxious, but now Leo realizes it's more embarrassed than upset like he initially thought.

"Well, as you know, I am the current champion of the Lair Games."

"Heh, as if you'd let me forget."

"And I'm very eager to defend my title! And especially after his-slash-your nefarious tricks last time, I'm ready to grind Nardo to dust." He rubs his palms together with an unhinged glee, and Leo winces internally. Yikes. "But..." and there he stops, "Leo seems... reluctant to participate. We did not design the events with... one of us missing a limb in mind."

Ah, right. Hard to do a Handstand Hillbomb with only one arm. Even if they put things off until Leo's port and prosthetic were ready, he probably still wouldn't be experienced enough with it to do anything too taxing.

Leo could already imagine his younger counterpart had waved it off with a smile and a, "You guys have fun," and, "I'll be cheering for you." He would swing by his room later to check on him; for now he had another kid to deal with.

"So that's why you came to me?"

"I was hoping you might have some ideas for alternative events."

"Hmmm... I might be able to think of some." He grins. "On one condition."

Donnie looks wary. "What?"

"I get to play, too."

"What, so you can twist both my ankles this time!?" Donnie shakes his head. "Oh no. One of you is enough."

"Come on! It'll be fun."

"Doubt! And besides, the bylaws state that we can't add anyone to the competition."

"Ah-ah." He waves a finger. "The bylaws state that the competition is between Raphael, Michelangelo, Donatello, and..." He trails off, putting a hand on his plastron with a smirk.

Donnie's eyebrows are furrowed so hard they're at risk of smudging. "...You have out loopholed me, sir."

"Don't worry, I'll give you guys-"

"Do not."

"-a handicap."

"Groan! Why didn't I send Mikey to do this instead?"

"'Cause you love me." Leo gets up from the bed, walks over and catches Donnie in an affectionate headlock before he can flee. "Alright. Let's get brainstorming!"

[coraniaid]

5, 13, and 15 for btvs for the fandom ask game

#5 … the scene from it that lives in my head rent free.

Too many to choose from, really. Without thinking about it too much, I guess my top ten (in no particular order) is something like:

Buffy finding out that she's going to die fighting the Master in Prophecy Girl: "They say how he's going to kill me? Do you think it'll hurt? [...] Giles, I'm sixteen years old. I don't want to die." [Season 1 has its growing pains, but SMG's acting was incredible right from the start and this scene is no exception]

Buffy's confrontation with Ford in the Sunset Club at the end of Lie To Me ["you don't have a good choice but you have a choice" is the most memorable and most often quoted line, but the whole scene is really good and I think my rewatch last year cemented my belief that this is the period where the show really consistently starts to find its feet]

Buffy blowing up the Judge with a rocket launcher in Innocence (complete with the Judge's puzzled "what's that do?") [there's a reason this scene made it into the opening credits of Season 3]

The final scene of Becoming Part 2 (or really the multiple scenes in the few minutes after Buffy has just sent Angel to hell and leaves town while Full Of Grace plays in the background) [still one of the most effective season finales I've ever watched and, for my money, the best musical montage in the show's entire run (with apologies to the many Goodbye To You fans)]

The scene in Revelations where Gwendolyn Post visits Faith in her motel room and we really start to see how desperate Faith is for any hint of positive attention from an adult in her life [maybe not as obvious an example as some of the others on this list, but I've been thinking about this scene a lot this year]

The Amends porch scene ("Looked like that party thing was going to be a drag ... I didn't really have anything ... you know.") [yes, Faith, we all know]

Graduation Day Part 2's hospital dream sequence ("is this your mind or mine?" "Beats me"), complete with Buffy waking up, finding Faith still unconscious and gently kissing her on the forehead [the fact Whedon insisted this scene is entirely non-romantic while claiming that Buffy's relationship with Riley next season is an example of a 'healthy and happy' and 'normal' romance explains, I think, a good third of everything wrong with Buffy as a show (the other two thirds is mostly the racism)]

Faith-as-Buffy whaling on Buffy-as-Faith in the church in Who Are You? while Faith-as-Buffy screams abuse at herself through tears ("do you think I'm afraid of you? you're nothing ... disgusting ... murderous bitch ... you're nothing") [it's not subtle, but then Buffy isn't an especially subtle show]

The opening few minutes of The Body, up to Buffy's shocked reaction after she hears herself tell Giles that "...we're not supposed to move the body" [I genuinely still cannot bring myself to rewatch this; it's one of the most upsetting things I can remember seeing in a work of fiction]

Buffy clawing her way out of her own grave in Bargaining [in general I have kind of mixed feelings about Season 6 but this moment and in fact this whole two-parter is really well done]

#13 … which canon or popular fanon relationship I can't stand or feel 'meh' about and why.

I don't think I'm brave enough to answer this question in any detail.

Uh. There are a number of popular canon and fanon relationships in the show that I do not especially care about and try my best not to talk about to avoid getting into unnecessarily tedious arguments. Let's just leave it at that.

#15 … which character I would choose for the chopping block if I knew the writers wanted to kill someone.

Hank Summers.

OK, that's kind of a glib answer.

The truth is I don't think there are really any remotely sympathetic characters whose deaths would improve the show. I don't think any of the Core Four should have died. Obviously I don't think Dawn should have died. I don't think Robin or Kennedy or any more of the former Potentials should have died. And annoying as Andrew Wells often is (and interpreting 'sympathetic' rather generously) I think his story works better if he survives.

If Oz had died on leaving the show it would have made the writers' double standard around what happens when a woman breaks up with one of the Core Four as opposed to what happens when a man breaks up with one of them a bit less pronounced, I guess. But I don't think Oz's death in and of itself would improve the story; if anything I would have preferred Oz to come back to the show at some point and return to being a regular (and have to relate to the gang in a way beyond being Willow's boyfriend).

(There's a persistent rumour -- one that I don't believe -- that says that 'originally' Oz was going to die in Passion instead of Jenny Calendar. But, quite separately from my thoughts about Jenny's death, I don't think that would have worked thematically or really made any sense.)

And who does that leave? Olivia shouldn't have died [but she should have been on the show more]. Ethan shouldn't have died [but we should have seen him at least once more after A New Man]. Amy shouldn't have died [but she should have been written very differently when she came back to the show]. Harmony already dies once and I don't think the show would treat her second death any better. Drusilla just kind of vanishes after Crush (barring flashbacks), but I wouldn't have wanted her to die if she came back. Who else? Percy? Parker? Graham? I don't believe anyone cares about any of these characters (and obviously Parker at least is, uh, not sympathetic).

So, back to where I started.

I don't think Hank Summers' death would affect the story much, if at all [I genuinely don't know if Buffy and Dawn would ever even find out] and I don't think anybody who watches the show could possibly mourn him, but I'd certainly find it satisfying in a purely vindictive kind of way. So, yeah, let's go with that.

[imonthemoonitsmadeofcheese]

Rain, Wind, Fire

Link to Ao3 if you prefer to read it there

"It is loud."

"Ain't it? I like the rain. Great weather for sneakin' up on someone. Can't hear nothin' all around and the visibility is garbage. If you wanna kill someone, this is what you want. Perfect weather for a hit."

"It is also perfect weather for a hit on you."

"Awww... You thinkin' about hitting on me, Moondust? That's flattering."

"Ugh."

The tall prairie grasses outside the ruined building were being pressed flat by the force of the wind. The rain was moving near-sideways. The Drifter and Eris Morn stood just inside a crumbling archway which, in the past, probably had doors, but was now just open to the outside. Both were very wet but grateful to be out of the rain.

"How long do we think it will last?"

"Well, I'd get my ghost to pull up a weather report, except the storm's mangling the signal. Same reason we ain't transmatting out of here right now. Me? I can come back from a mangled transmat incident. But uh... you can't."

"Hmmm.. "

"My best guess is probably a few hours. Can't sustain something like this for long. It'll blow itself out."

"Are Summer storms here always this violent?"

"Out here? Yeah. This whole area is just flat for days in all directions. Makes for some fantastic amounts of wind and when the storms happen they do not screw around. Should be a hell of a show though."

"Hmmm..."

"Don't 'hmmm' at me. You're the one that wanted to come here."

"Because of the lay line anomalies Mara and Ikora asked me to investigate."

"Look, if it gets bad, can't we just use one of your Hive portals to go into the Ascendant plane and wait it out there?"

Eris frowned. "You were not paying attention during the mission briefing."

"Course not. It's your mission. I'm just along for the ride. I don't work for Ikora. That's your department."

Eris took a deep breath and let out a long, frustrated sigh.

"We were sent to perceive the lay line activity from this side because of all the interference on the Ascendant side."

"Huh. Maybe they got storms there too."

Eris turned toward him, cocking her head and staring at him intently with her three Hive-green eyes.

"What?" he asked, awkwardly.

"That hypothesis is... not without merit."

He looked over at her in the dim light, confused. "Does that mean you think it's a good idea or you think it's stupid?"

She stared back at him. "Yes."

"Ha!"

"But, then, are these... weather phenomena... connected?"

"Dunno 'bout the Ascendant side of things but this side has been like this every Summer for a while."

"How long is a while?"

"As long as I can remember... so... at least uh... five centuries? Memory's a bit fuzzy beyond that and I don't necessarily know where the hell I was at any given point in time but... at least that long."

"You were here five centuries ago?"

"Somewhere around here... and uh...give or take a few hundred years, yeah. I been all over."

"Hmmm..."

Lightning split the sky and illuminated their shelter briefly, revealing Eris' small smile.

"Ooo this is gonna be a big one."

Chain lightning rippled along the undersides of the clouds, skittering across the sky from one side of the horizon to the other, once more illuminating their faces. Eris' smile had grown.

"What's that smile for? Good memory?"

"Yes." She said the word quietly. Her voice was warm.

"Wanna share with the rest of the class?"

"A different time. A different storm. Ikora would fly and I would cling to her. She would lift us both. I would charge myself with Arc energy and..."

"Hold up. You and Ikora made yourselves into human lightning rods?"

"No. A lightning rod is fixed to a point that touches the ground. We remained in the sky."

"Damn! You were both nuts!"

"It was a very long time ago, before the Great Hunt, before Ikora changed herself, before the Hellmouth. We had not been Risen long. Our existence was different then, simpler. And... yes... I suppose... we were both a bit... nuts."

"No kidding. How many times did you die from that?"

"Not as often as we should have. But, being struck repeatedly, gathering the storm, letting it crackle over and through us... it was... invigorating."

"Invigorating. And people say I do weird and dangerous shit."

"You do. Recently, quite a lot of it in conjunction with me."

"I mean, yeah. Ain't no one else I'd rather do weird dangerous shit with."

"Hmmm... What is the purpose of this structure? It cannot have been living quarters."

"Church would be my guess. It's made of stone. The old-old churches are often made outta stone. It's why they last."

"What did they worship, I wonder?"

"Probably one of the old gods. Hopefully no one gets mad at us bringin' a new god in here. Ha!"

"I am a god no longer and was not worshiped by humanity."

"Not with that attitude."

"Tsch."

"I wonder if we can find enough stuff to make a fire." The Drifter began to peer into the rest of the building.

"Probably not from within. Anything organic will have long since crumbled to dust."

"There's a tree over there." He pointed outside. "Stay in here and I'll go get it."

.

.

.

"Whooeee!" The Drifter, sopping wet, smoldering, smelling of burnt hair and ozone, dragged a small tree trunk partially into the crumbling building through the doorway, dropped it on the stone floor and leaned against one of the walls, breathing heavily. "That was what we call... electrifying!"

Eris crouched next to him as he slid down the wall. She touched her fingertips to his temple and regarded him carefully. "I had hoped you would escape unscathed."

"Yeah well... I got scathed... and it didn't even kill me! That is one hell of a storm, though."

Eris used her thumb to wipe away a small trickle of blood coming out of his nose. "Using Arc energy to redirect the lightning strike was clever," she said as she continued examining him, concern on her face.

"Thank you," he smiled up at her sheepishly. "Just a bit singed is all."

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Mostly. Teeth hurt and everything's real blurry. Wasn't sure I'd be able to hear ya once I got back but my ears are recovering and..." He gestured proudly. "I got us a tree!"

"So you did." Eris stood and began pulling off smaller twigs, making a pile while the Drifter pulled off first one boot and then the other, emptying the water from them onto the stone floor.

"You'd think it'd be done raining by now," he said. "Still comin' down wicked hard. Where'd all that water come from anyway?"

"The sky."

"I can see that. I mean where'd it come from before it got to the sky?"

"The ocean, most likely. That is generally how weather happens. Besides, it is probably highly beneficial for the ecosystem."

"Any more beneficial and we're gonna flood. Plains is pancake flat. This much water don't got nowhere to go."

"Thankfully the base of this structure is somewhat elevated."

"Yup. Might even have a basement if we're lucky. Summer storms are wild times."

Eris stepped back from a sizable pile of twigs, expertly stacked. "May I have a light?"

"Yeah." The Drifter blinked a few times to clear his vision before snapping his fingers. A mote of solar fire flew from his hand to land in the pile Eris had created. He concentrated on it for a few moments to make sure it caught.

"If it has a basement," Eris continued as she began to add more twigs, "it is undoubtedly flooded. Basements without maintenance for centuries will not be water-tight."

"Good point. But if the sky turns green, it don't matter if it's flooded. We go swimmin' if we have to."

She looked up from the fire, her three eyes narrowing slightly. "Why?"

"Ever hear of a thing called a tornado?"

"Yes. Is that a concern here?"

"Yup. Summertime ain't all sunshine and beach parties, Moondust. Nature is violent and scary."

"Hmmm... I appreciate it. Outside of geomagnetic anomalies and solar storms there really is no weather on the Moon."

There was a loud crack accompanied by flickering brilliant white light. The ground shuddered. Rocks tumbled down farther behind them where the roof had partially caved in at the back.

"Yup. That hit the building."

"I'm glad we were able to find a building."

"I'm glad we got a fire now," he said, scooching closer to the flames. "This is downright nice, Moondust. You're good at this."

"I am accustomed to existing away from civilization. Unfortunately, I have not located any food and you, I am certain, are going to be hungry."

"Oh, I'm always hungry."

He wriggled his eyebrows up at her.

Eris sighed and he could have sworn her eyes rolled a little bit behind the cloth which obscured them from view. Her obvious irritation brought a delighted smile to his face.

"I brought food though," he added. "Let's see what we got!" The Drifter began rummaging in a backpack.

"Of course you would bring food."

"We been doing this enough now, I know better than to go on one of your mystical scavenger hunts without emergency rations. Alright, alright, alright. We got..."

He waved his hands over a bare section of stone as though it were a table and he was performing a magic show. He shook a tea towel, seemingly pulled from the air, and held it in front of his knees like a curtain before pulling it back with a flourish to reveal each item as he announced it.

"...jerky... Drifter's very own home-made granola bars... and..." Another flourish. "...dried fruit."

Eris smirked from across the fire and gave him some half-hearted silent applause.

He bowed dramatically from his knees, scooped up all the items into the towel, and placed them between them both near the fire.

"What kind of jerky?" Eris asked as she added more wood to the flames.

"Uh... not sure... I made it months ago... I don't remember... could be rabbit, could be deer, could be Hive..."

Eris heaved a deep sigh.

"Give me a piece." She held out her hand.

"Of the jerky?"

"Yes."

He handed her a palm-sized section of dried meat. She nibbled on a corner of it and sat thoughtfully chewing for a few moments.

"It is not Hive."

"And you're telling this from... the flavour?"

She fixed him in an intense but expressionless gaze. "Yes."

"Hehehehehe." The delight was plain on his face. "Oh, I like you. I like you so much."

"I am aware."

The thunder outside grumbled far less intensely than before.

"It seems to be moving past us at least," Eris said as she continued to eat the jerky.

"Ya know, some people might consider this romantic."

"And the Hive consider murder to be an act of love. What some people think is hardly relevant. There will always be someone, somewhere, who thinks something idiotic."

"Ok, but just the two of us caught in a storm, the rain bangin' down on the ruins, nice warm fire, half a tree, the thunder an' lightnin' ragin' outside, staring into each other's eyes across the flames. It's pretty romantic, don't ya think?"

"No. I do not."

"What? Ain't you never wanted to be kissed in the rain?"

"I have been kissed in the rain. It was not exciting."

"Well..." His eyes glittered. "Maybe it's because you weren't bein' kissed by me."

"Highly doubtful." She ate the last of the jerky and lifted up a granola bar in two fingers, examining it with suspicion. The firelight caused flitting shadows to dance across her face.

One of the tree-branches in the fire split and sent embers floating up to the ceiling as the rain sliced sideways outside.

"I ain't never kissed anyone in the rain," the Drifter said quietly, staring out of the arched stone doorway.

"How is that even possible? You are ancient."

"I am, but I ain't never been in the rain with someone I wanted to, who was... also willing to let me."

The rain changed direction. There was a pause, as though the sky itself had taken a breath, and then the rain resumed. It was no longer moving sideways and was simply falling straight down. The sky periodically illuminated the wide horizon with lightning and the thunder still rumbled as though huge invisible bison were stampeding across the plains, but the violence of the storm was clearly dying down to simple heavy downpour.

Eris sighed deeply. "We only just got dry."

The Drifter shrugged. "Ok," he said, his voice soft.

Eris sighed again even more deeply, and stood. She held out her hand to him.

The Drifter's face split into one of his classic overly-wide and toothy grins as he reached up and took her hand, letting her pull him to his feet.

"You are insufferable."

"You love it," the Drifter whispered into the cloth next to Eris' ear before stepping back and pulling her out into the storm.

Be sure to check out the rest of the zine! It's full of art and writing from multiple people, including several pieces written by me!

[layce2015]

Supernatural (Dean Winchester x Female!Reader)

Sin City

Masterlist

Bobby was working on the Colt, while Dean and I were melting metal into bullets when Sam walks in. "Hey." He said and we look up at him. "Hey, what's up?" Dean asked him. "Might've found some omens in Ohio. Dry lightning, barometric-pressure drop." Sam replied. "Well, that's thrilling." I mutter, sarcastically.

"Plus, some guy blows his head off in a church and another goes postal in a hobby shop before the cops take him out. Might be demonic omens." Sam said. "Or it could just be a suicide and a psycho scrapbooker." Dean said to him. "Yeah, but it's our best lead since Lincoln." Sam said.

"Where in Ohio?" I asked him. "Elizabethville. It's a half-dead factory town in the rust belt." Sam said and Dean sighs. "There's got to be a demon or two in South Beach." He said and I roll my eyes at but I smile. "Sorry, Hef. Maybe next time." I said as I pat his shoulder and Sam chuckles.

"How's it going, Bobby?" Sam asked him. "Slow." Bobby said. "Eh, I tell you, it's a little sad seeing the Colt like that." Dean said to him. "Well, the only thing it's good for now is figuring out what makes it tick." Bobby said.

"So what makes it tick?" Sam asked and Bobby looks up at him, not amused. Sam holds his hands up in amusement. "So, if we want to go check out these omens in Ohio…" I said as I rise up from my chair then I turn to Bobby and said, teasingly and with a straight-face. "...you think you can have that thing ready by this afternoon?"

The boys chuckle while Bobby stares at me, incredulously. "Well, it won't kill demons by then, but I can promise you it'll kill you." Bobby replied and I smile at him. "All right, come on, we're wasting the daylight, boys." I said to them and Dean starts to get up.

"See you, Bobby." Sam said and we start to leave. "Hey!" Bobby shouts and we turn to him. "You three run into anything — anything — you call me." He said and we nod and head out.

"There's not much left for the insurance company. It was a suicide - I saw it myself." Father Gil said to us as the boys and I, now dressed in suits, walk along side of him as we enter the church. "Well, this shouldn't take long, then." Dean said and Gil sighs then points towards the balcony.

"That's where Andy did it. It's the first time I'd seen him in weeks. He used to come every Sunday." He said. "When did he stop?" Sam asked him. "Probably about...two months ago? Right around the time everything else started to change." Gil replied.

"Change how?" I asked, curiously. "Oh, let's just say this used to be a town...you could be proud of. People...cared about each other. Andy sang in the choir, and then one day, he just...wasn't Andy anymore. It was like he was..." Gil said as he started to struggle for words.

"Possessed?" Sam and I asked in unison. "You could say that. Gambled away his money, cheated on his wife, destroyed his business. Yes, like a switch had flipped." Gil said. "Father, did you know the man who killed those folks in the hobby shop?" Sam asked him.

"Sure, Tony Perkins." Gil replied. "Tony Perkins." I said , nodding. "Good man." Gil said. "Would you say that his personality suddenly changed one day, too?" I asked him and he looks over at me, slightly shocked. "I never thought about it that way, but...yes. about the same time as Andy — about two months ago." He said.

"Well, thank you, Father. Appreciate your time." Dean said and we begin to walk away then Sam begins to speak in an undertone. "Two months ago, we open up the devil's gate, all of a sudden this town turns into Margaritaville? It's no coincidence." Sam said and Dean and I nod.

We make it to the hotel and enter our room, Dean chuckles then elbows me and nods at the mirrors on the ceiling. I scoff and shake my head when the door across the hall opens.

"Richie." Dean said as he looks over and the other guy looks up. "I don't believe it." Dean said as Richie smiles. "Hey, Dean...Winchester, right?" He said. "Yeah." Dean said when a tall scantily dressed girl appears from Richie’s room.

"This is my sister, uh, Cheryl." He said. "Hey." She said and the boys and I stare at her. "Cheryl." Dean said as Richie hands Cheryl some money. "There." He said to her and she leaves. "Well, you know...stepsister." Richie said, shrugging, and Dean shakes his head, slightly.

"Come on in." Dean said and Richie comes into the room. "This is my brother, Sam." Dean said as he gestures towards Sam. "And this is my girlfriend, (y/n)." Dean said and Richie nods. "Hey. How you doing?" He asked. "Not too bad." Sam said as I nod at him.

"How do you two know each other?" I asked, gesture towards Dean and Richie "Sam was in school and you, I think, were with your dad." Dean said. "It was that succubus, in Canarsie right?" Richie said to Dean. "Yeah, yeah." Dean said. "Oh, man. You should have seen the rack on this broad. Freakin' tragedy when I had to gank her." Richie said. "Whoa, whoa. Wait. Who killed her? If I remember, your ass was toast until I showed up." Dean said and Richie chuckles.

"Oh, I forgot what a comedian this guy was." He said. "Richie, Richie, know what? I told you then and I'll tell you again — you're not cut out for this job. You're gonna get yourself killed." Dean said and Richie's phone rings.

"Talk to me." He said into his phone then he turns to Dean. "FYI, Winchester — words hurt." He said and I chuckle as Richie goes back to his phone. "Yeah? No, it's not a good time, babe. Later." He said while Dean gives a look towards us. Then Richie hangs up.

"So you find anything in this town, anyway?" Dean asked him. "Ah, no. I got nothing. Oh, wait a minute. You mean as in demons and whatnot?" Richie said. "Yeah." Dean said. "No, I got nothing." Richie said. "Typical. What about your sister back there?" Dean asked. "Oh, honestly? She definitely had the devil in her, but she wasn't no demon, you know what I'm saying?" Richie said and Dean gives him a look of disapproval.

"Right. Seriously. Church guy, hobby-shop guy — they were lunch meat by the time I got there. Hey maybe they were possessed, but I can't prove it." Richie said. "Yeah, that's where we are, too." I said. "You know, let's just say that demons are possessing people in this town. You know, raising hell—" Sam said. "Yeah, but why would a demon blow his brains out?" Dean asked. "Well, for fun? You know he wrecks one body, moves to another. You know, like taking a stolen car for a joyride." Richie said.

"Anybody else left in the town that fits the profile — you know, nice guy turned douche, still breathing?" I asked. "There's Trotter." Richie said. "Who's that?" Sam asked. "Well, he used to be head of the Rotary Club. And then people say he turned bastard all of a sudden? Brought in the gambling, the hookers. ...Ah, he practically owns this whole town." Richie said.

"Know where we could find him?" Sam asked him. "Oh, he'll be at his bar in a few hours." Richie said to us.

Later, the boys and I pull up in the Impala. The town in buzzing, it looks like Mardi Gras — people wandering around with cocktails, sexy girls, and lots of action. "I thought you said this was some boarded-up factory town." Dean said to Sam as he looks around. "It is. At least, it's supposed to be." Sam said.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's do some research." Dean said and I punch his arm. "Ow!" He said and I raise an eyebrow. "I was kidding!" He said and I raise an eyebrow at him. "Mmmhmm. I'm sure. Just to remind you, I know my way around guns and knives." I said. "Careful, princess, jealous doesn't look good on you." He said and I give a playful glare at him. 

He smirks at me then he leans down and kissed my cheek as we head into the bar.

We thread our way through the crowded bar. People were drinking and dancing and seem to be having a good time. Up ahead, we see Richie as he brushes past a woman and approaches us. He's wearing a somewhat shiny orange short-sleeved shirt halfway unbuttoned to reveal a white t-shirt underneath.

"Oh, Richie. Look at you." Dean said. "Hey." He said as he and Dean shake hands. "Bringing satin back." I remarked and Richie looks down at his outfit. "Oh, you like this? Try Thai silk — Canal Street. You'd have to pay $300 for threads like these, easy. Cost to me — fuggedaboutit." Richie said.

"How much is forget about it?" Sam asked. "Ah, forget about it." Richie said, waving his hand, then he points out an older man. "That's Trotter over there. He sits there all night. Can't touch him." He said.

"So, what do we do now?" I asked. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm gonna do a little investigating with that bartender." Dean said and I turn my head to him. "Like hell you are!" I said and he chuckles. "Besides, me and her, we got a little...somethin'-somethin' lined up for later." Richie said to Dean. "Yeah, right." Dean scoffs.

"Stings, don't it? All right. I got to hit the head, release the hostages. Be back in a few." Richie said and Sam laughs at Richie's general cheesiness as he walks away.

"No way he gets a girl like that. I mean, look at her. You could fit that ass on a nickel." Dean said. "You think so?" A voice asked and we turned and see Father Gil sitting nearby. "Oh." Dean laughs. "Busted." I muttered to him. "Sorry, Padre." Dean said to Gil.

"Knew you three would find your way here. They all do." Gil said. "No offense, but what are you doing here, Father?" I asked him. "Like it or not, you go where your flock is." Gil said as the bartender pours him a drink.

"Plus, the clergy drinks for free." She said. "True, and a certain bartender owes me a confession." Gil said to her. "Not in this lifetime, Father." She said, smiling. "I better see your butt on Sunday." He said then he looks at Dean as he leaves the seat. "Nickel or no nickel." He said and he leaves.

"What can I get you three?" She asked. "What's your speciality?" Dean asked her. "I make a mean hurricane." The bartender said. "I guess we'll see about that." Dean said and she walks away and my jaw clenches at this.

"You drink hurricanes?" Sam asked. "I do now." Dean said. "Do you still want your fingers?" I asked him and he smirks at me. "You know, I'm starting to like this jealous side of you. It's kinda hot." He said and I glare at him.

"Hey." Sam said as he hits our arm and points towards two men ar a pool table nearby. One guy raises his gun and shoots the second guy point-blank in the forehead. The crowd erupts in chaos and the shooter aims the gun at his own head.

Dean runs and tackles him to the ground. Sam and I make our way over to them and Sam surreptitiously splashes holy water on him. But the man seems really surprised and outraged by being splashed with water, but doesn't sizzle.

"What are you doing?!" He asked, annoyed, and the boys and I share a look then the man mutters to himself. "He slept with my wife. That bastard slept with my wife!" He said.

"Somebody call 911!" Sam shouts and the bartender runs off.

We were standing in the bar as the cop arrested the shooter and take him away. Then one of the officers comes up to us. "You three ready for your mug shots?" He asked us and the boys and I look at him, nervously, and the cop hastens to reassure us. "The photographer's gonna be here in a few, and...take your picture for the local paper." He said.

"Be an honor, Officer. What a thrill!" Dean said, relieved but also was giving a fake enthusiasm. The officer nods and walks away then I turn to the boys. "Yep, time to go." I said. "Wait a second. Wait a second." Dean said and we look over at him.

"What?" Sam and I asked him. "Where's Richie?" He asked and we shrugged. We looked around the bar as we leave but didn't find Richie so then we head out.

Later, at a different bar, Dean was sitting at a table, a large burger in front of him. His phone was up on his ear but he hangs it up and looks at it, speculatively.

"You do realize there's red meat within striking distance, right?" I said to Dean as Sam returns with some beers for us. "How many times I got to tell Richie, he's gonna get himself in trouble?" Dean grumbles. "Dean, you're assuming he's missing. I mean, maybe he just bailed." Sam said as he sits down.

"He's a moron. I mean, he's a sweet moron, but he's not a coward. He wouldn't just bail. I got to go find him." Dean said. "I'll come with you." I said. "All right. Meanwhile I think I'm gonna trail this Trotter guy." Sam said. "Yeah?" Dean asked.

"Yeah. I don't know. Something about the way he looked at me last night. Maybe there is something going on here." Sam said. "Or maybe he likes you." I remarked and Dean snorts with laughter. "Ha ha, very funny." Sam said as he gets up and leaves.

Dean was able to track Richie's phone which lead us to a large house. We searched the house and found Richie's dead body in the basement, which looked like a place where a ritual could happen. I gasped while Dean stood there and stared at Richie's body. "Damn it." He mutters as he goes over to Richie. "Dean, I'm so sorry." I said and he shakes his head.

"Sam!" Dean shouts, annoyed, into his phone sometime later. We finished giving Richie a hunter funeral and decided to go back to the bar to hunt down that bartender. Dean and I came up with a plan to get her attention towards Dean and she would bring him back to her place down into the basement. That's where Dean would trap her as we drew a devil's trap under the rug in the basement.

Dean went to call Sam but it seems that Sam had to get off of the phone, quickly, as he hung up on Dean. "Sam okay?" I asked him. "Yeah, uh, he said he'd be back here in 20 minutes, so meet up with him and if I'm not back, come find me...or not, I don't care which way." Dean said. "Okay." I said, rolling my eyes. "Good." He said.

"Just remember that whatever I say, I don't mean it." I said as he looks me over. "I know." He said and we share a quick kiss before he heads into the bar.

I stand outside of the door as I watch him sit at the bar and order a drink. He gets the drink from the bartender then another woman, in scantily clothing, comes up to him and gives him a seductive smile and talks to him.

I felt a lump in my throat and anger in my chest as I take a deep breath and storm into the bar. "Are you freaking kidding me?!" I shout as I go over to Dean, who looks up at me in shocked. "Honey, it's not what you think!" He said and I stnad in front of him and fold my arms.

"Oh really?! That's what you said about that bitch from the other night!" I shouted and Dean gives a look of shock and a bit of fright. "You know what? Forget it! Just...just.." I stammered as I try to summon some tears to make it look real. I immediately started to think about my dad and his last moments and this brought tears to my eyes.

Then I glared up at Dean and said. "Screw you! Never talk to me again!" Then I turned and left the bar as Dean calls out to me but I continued to walk out. "Baby, please!" Dean said and he goes to grab my arm. I turn to him and slap him across the face, yank my arm out of his hand then I walk out and away from the door as I wipe the tears from my eyes and composed myself.

I hope that was convincing enough for the bartender to talk to Dean. He'll charm her and then she'll feel pity for him and take him home. Normal girls would hate this plan but I trust Dean enough that nothing will happen, he hasn't given me a reason to not trust him...as a boyfriend that is.

Eventually, I saw Dean and the bartender walk out of the bar together and I stepped to the side of the bar so they wouldn't see me. Dean looks over his shoulder and sees me and I give him a nod then he gives me a wink before he turns back ahead and walk with the woman.

After walking around a bit, I make my way back to the bar and see Sam coming out of the building. "(Y/n)!" Sam said as he comes over to me. "I thought you'd be with Dean?" He asked. "We found out that that bartender is a demon and she had killed Richie. Dean said he'd take care of it but it's been awhile and I'm getting worried. I meant to meet up with you sooner but...I lost track of time." I said and Sam nods.

"I know where to go." He said and he grabs my arm and we head out.

We make it to the house and knocked on the front door. The door swings open and we look at it but decided to go through it anyway. "Dean?" Sam calls out. "Dean?" I said as we check out the place.

I step forward and hear a weird noise under my feet. I look down and see I had stepped on little pink piggy slippers. I shake my head and kicked them aside then we look at a picture of the bartender with a guy, and a cross necklace hanging on top of it.

Sam sees something behind it and reaches around it them pulls his fingers back which were covered in yellow powder. "Sulfur." Sam mutters and I nod.

"Bobby, It's (y/n). We got a big problem. Sam and I found some sulfur, and now we can't find Dean. Call me as soon as you get this." I said into my phone as Sam talks to the barman once we make it back to the bar.

I hang up and look over at Sam, who was annoyed. "So what did he say?" I asked. "Nothing." Sam replied and I sighed then looked over to see Father Gil sitting at a booth. Sam and I exchange a look then approach him.

"Father." Sam said and he looks up at us. "Yes?" He said. "Um...can we, can we talk to you for a sec?" Sam asked and he nods and we take a seat across from him. "So, the, the bartender the other night, Casey. You know her pretty well?" Sam asked Gil, who nods. "Since she was in pigtails." He replied.

"Well, um, she and my brother, they, uh...they...left tonight. Together." Sam said. "Ah. Well...not that I approve, but they are consenting adults." Gil said. "Right." Sam and I said. "I, I'm sorry. You said brother. I thought the three of you were insurance investigators?" Gil asked. "Right, right. Well, well we are. Um, it's like, it's like a family business, you know? And (y/n) here, is an old family friend." Sam said. "Ah." Gil said.

"Anyways, so, we went to Casey's apartment, and they weren't there. Sam and I just have this feeling that they...that they might be in trouble." I said. "What kind of trouble?" Gil asked. "Just...trouble. Dean has a, how you say, a magnet for trouble." I said and Gil looks us over.

"Look, please, Father, we need your help. Is there anything you could tell me about Casey — anyplace she'd go, maybe...?" Sam asked. "Yes, there is a place. Let me get my jacket." Gil said as he gets up. "No, wait, wait, wait, Father. (Y/n) and I can do this by ourself." Sam said. "Son, if Casey's really in trouble, then there's nothing to talk about." Gil said as he stands and puts on his coat.

"Shall we go?" He asked as he has his back to us and straightens his coat. "Yeah." Sam said and we leave the bar.

"So, insurance investigating. You enjoy the work?" Gil asked us. "Yeah." I replied as Gil drives hs. "Yeah, yeah, I...like being able to help people." Sam said. "Ever think about doing anything else?" Gil asked. "Like what?" Sam and I asked in unison. "Mmm, anything. You two seem like pretty smart kids. Somehow I see both of you out in front of the pack. You could do some great things." He said.

"I don't know. I like doing what I'm doing, I guess." Sam said. "Yeah, same here." I said and Gil nods. "Well, it's your life." He said. "And you said that, uh...Dean?" He said to me and I nod. "You said Dean is a magnet for trouble?" He asked and I nod. "Yeah, if he isn't causing it, it'll follow him." I said and Gil chuckles.

We pull up in front of Casey's home, then we get out of the car and start walking towards the home. "Dean?!" Sam calls out but no reply. "Dean!" I shouted and we come upon the front door. "Dean!" Sam and I shout as he pounds door.

"Check that way." Gil said and Sam and I walk off in the other direction around the house. "(Y/n)! Sam!" Dean's voice calls out. "Dean?" Sam and I called out. "Guys, down here! The basement caved in!" Dean shouted as we come up to a grate and see him.

"Dean. Hey, hold on, okay? We're coming. All three of us." I said. "Three of us?" Dean said, confused. "We're here with the Father." Sam replied and Dean turns to look behind him then looked back at us.

"Guys, be careful." Dean said, warningly. Sam and I turn around and see Gil with black eyes. I gasped just as a shot is fired just past Gil's head, destroying a small statute.

He whips around and we see Bobby holding the Colt. Gil then uses his powers to fling him aside then throws Sam into the windscreen of the Impala. I start to run at him but then he flings me back and I hit something hard and I blackout.

I groan as I start to come back to to see Bobby over me. "You alright, girlie?" He asked me as I sit up. "Yeah, just peachy." I said then I noticed Sam wasn't around. "Where's Sam?" I asked. "He just ran inside the house." Bobby said and I get up and make my way into the house.

I just make it towards the basement when I heard a gunshot. I come up next to Sam to see Gil was shot, lightning emits from and circles him as he twitches and dies. Sam then points the Colt at Casey.

"Sam, wait!" Dean shouts but Sam shoots her, and the bodies of Casey and Father Gil, no longer possessed, lie dead on the devil’s trap. My eyes widen at this as Dean stares at his brother as he slowly lowers the Colt, and the bodies bleed out.

"Well, what do you think, Bobby?" I asked him as he, Dean and I walk along the busy sidewalk the next morning. "About what we did here, you think it made a difference?" I asked. "Two less demons to worry about. That's not nothing." Bobby said.

"Yeah, but Trotter's still alive." Dean pointed out. "Humans ain't our job." Bobby said. "Yeah, but you think anything's really gonna change? I mean maybe these people do just want to really destroy themselves. Maybe it is...a losing battle." Dean said to Bobby.

"Is that you or the demon girl talking?" I asked Dean. "Ohhhh, it's me. Demon is dead, and so is that girl it was possessing." He said and Bobby sighs. "Well, had to be done. Sam was saving your life." Bobby said. "Yeah, but you didn't see it, Bobby. It was cold." Dean replied. "Yeah, I'd have to admit that it was pretty cold-blooded of him doing that." I said and Bobby looks at us before Dean stops walking.

"Guys, You think...think something's wrong with my brother?" He asked and Bobby and I look over at him. "I mean, honestly, I was worried about you, (y/n), cause the Yellow-eyed demon said that when you came back from...wherever...it might not have been you." Dean said as he looks up at me and I frown, slightly, at this.

"But now I'm wondering...should I be worried about Sam?" He asked and there was a brief pause before Bobby spoke. "No. I'm sure Sam's okay." He said. "Yeah. Yeah, me too." Dean said then he looks over at me and smirks before he takes my hand and we continue our walk.

@rach5ive @kitsun369 @itzabbyxx @cevans-winchester

[deadprompts]

𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚆𝙰𝙻𝙺𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙳𝙴𝙰𝙳 𝚂𝙴𝙰𝚂𝙾𝙽 𝟷 𝙿𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙿𝚃𝚂.

content warning applies. change any pronouns / wording if necessary.

there's us and the dead.

this is what takes us down.

the tragedy of their loss cannot be overstated.

i'm gonna get shit-faced drunk again

you should've seen the look on his face when i punched out his front teeth.

you're still a dumbass.

nice moves there, clint eastwood.

i think tomorrow i'm gonna blow my brains out.

y'all be more polite to a man with a gun!

zero tolerance for walkers.

that's the biggest lie there is.

we're safe here.

it's not a toy.

i know how the safety works.

keep drinking, little man.

do not enter the city.

bright side, it'll be the fall that kills us.

you may think you do but you don't.

living underground doesn't help; not knowing if it's day or night.

wish i could have done it a month ago.

friend, you need glasses.

there's good news?

it was worth every minute of it just to see that prick spit his teeth out on the ground.

i finally got the scrubbers in the east sector shut down to save power.

there were dozens of 'em.

eww. that's nasty.

maybe we got a second chance.

help me now, show me the way.

i didn't behave, i know.

screw you, man.

sometimes they fall short.

you take that stupid hat and go back to "on golden pond."

you the new sheriff come riding in to clean up the town?

cozy in there?

the only reason i got away was 'cause the dead were too busy eating my family.

i don't even know why i'm talking to you.

that's my boy.

this is our extinction event.

how far do you think i can chuck this, huh?

things are different now.

if you see anything, holler. i'll come running.

go on, tell me what to do.

hey kid, what'd you do before all this?

what are the odds, huh?

i know what i want to say.

i see a chance to make a new start.

i remember my dream now.

i ain't begged you before, i ain't gonna start begging now.

i know i'm being punished.

it wasn't my intention.

i can't let a man die of thirst.

i wanna see how red your face can get.

the world ended, didn't you get the memo?

we survive this by pulling together, not apart.

anybody that gets in the way of that is gonna lose.

it scares the fish.

thought i'd get to drive at least for a few more days.

i'll give you a moment to think about that.

i'm sorry this happened to you.

i'm old enough.

it belongs to the dead now.

maybe we'll get to steal another one someday.

nobody is gonna hurt you, okay?

they came out of nowhere.

saves me the embarrassment.

that's the bad news.

can i learn to shoot?

you pull the trigger, you have to mean it.

not many people get that.

bites kill you.

just...feeling very...off.

words can be meager things.

what he would or wouldn't do doesn't interest me.

what do you say to that?

guess the world changed.

the fever burns you out, but then after a while... you come back.

hell yes you're gonna learn.

you heard me, bitch.

the weak get taken.

there's no clinical progress to report.

still not sleeping well, can't seem to keep regular hours.

we gotta do it carefully, teach you to respect the weapon.

we are surviving here.

too bad i never studied engineering.

yeah, whatever, yee haw.

they might not seem like much one at a time, but in a group all riled up and hungry, man you watch your ass.

one thing i do know, don't you get bit.

we don't kill the living.

no crying in the boat.

i bet there isn't a single son of a bitch still listening out there, is there?

that's no way for anything to die, let alone a human being.

you don't know what it's like out there.

you're surrounded by walkers.

we don't have to be afraid anymore.

who voted you king boss?

we left him like an animal caught in a trap.

the line is pretty clear.

admit it, you only came back to atlanta for the hat.

i can see you make a habit of missing the point.

it's only a matter of time.

is this real?

there's us and the dead.

you got a problem?

there's too many of those things.

i never told them what i really thought.

i ain't so worried about some dumb dead bastard.

i'm a glass half full kinda guy.

it's the same as it ever was.

who the hell are you, man?!

[atlasscrumpit]

Avengers x Reader

"Is this really a good idea, Cap?" Tony grumbled sitting across the table from Steve.

"I know Bucky isn't your favourite person and...killed your parents. But, that was the winter soldier, not Bucky. I'm the only thing he has left, this will be the best place for him to heal." Steve said as Tony groaned and rubbed his face.

"I'm just worried about Y/N." Tony muttered.

"We'll just do our best to keep them seperated and try to explain it to Y/N." Steve replied as Tony sighed and nodded.

"Friday, could you get Y/N down here?" Tony asked.

They waited a few minutes and you came down stairs, with your teddy hugged to your chest like usual.

You were Tony's daughter but he didn't know about you until you were thirteen when your mother killed herself and he was the only one to care for you.

The only problem was you had a pretty bad accident when you were a child, leaving your mind basically at age four.

You sat beside Tony, muttering to yourself about some kind of story you'd just come up with.

"We have someone else joining us, to live here and eventually be apart of our team." Tony said as you looked at him and nodded.

"Now, they're a bit different. This person went through a lot and sometimes they can lose control." He said as you played with your bear.

"Like Bruce?" You asked as Tony smiled and nodded.

"Yeah like Bruce... But, this person can be even more dangerous. So, whenever he's around someone else has to be with you, okay?" He explained as you nodded again.

"Will he want to be friends?" You asked still playing with your bear.

Steve chuckled at your innocence.

"I'm sure he would love a friend, Y/N. You just need to be a bit careful around him, okay?" Steve said as you smiled a little and nodded.

"Okay, Steve."

--

The day came around when Bucky was moving in.

Tony made sure you were in your room and would meet under calmer circumstances.

Bucky came in and hugged his old friend.

"What's in your hand?" Tony asked as Bucky showed him a teddy bear that looked like him.

"Apparently they make bears or me... I tracked it down for Y/N. I thought maybe it'll help her get used to be and my metal arm." He said as Tony smiled and slowly took the bear.

"Well, that's very kind of you, Buck. I'm sure Y/N will love it, you can meet her later. I thought we'd just ease into it." Tony explained as Bucky smiled.

"That's a great idea."

--

Tony came into your room with the bear Bucky had brought.

Tony saw you on the ground drawing like usual.

"Hey, kid. I've got a surprise for you." He said kneeling down to give you the bear.

You slowly took it with a 'thank you' making Tony smile.

"Bucky got it for you, it's a teddy bear of him." He said as you ran your hand along the soft metal arm on the bear.

"Does Bucky have a grey arm too?" You asked making your father chuckle.

"Well, he has a metal arm. It's silver and made of vibrainium." He said as you looked at him with wide eyes.

"A metal arm? Woah." You muttered as Tony chuckled.

"Do you think you're up to meeting him?" He asked as you smiled and nodded.

"Yeah."

Tony lead you down stairs where Bucky was waiting with Steve.

You sat across from him and smiled nervously.

"Thank you for the bear." You whispered as he smiled.

"That's okay, Y/N." He responded as you stood up and slowly approached him.

"Can I touch your metal arm?" You asked looking away nervously as he chuckled.

"Of course you can." He replied, holding his metal hand out for you.

You slowly reached up and touched it cautiously.

"It's so cold... It's so cool." You muttered in amazement making Bucky chuckle.

Tony sat there and watched as you talked to Bucky and asked him questions.

Steve sat beside Tony and smiled.

"Went better than we thought." Steve said making him chuckle.

"Well, the teddy bear definitely soften the blow."

[plasmaandsandstorms]

Sunday, 11.03.2281 - 6:17PM

(The audio log begins with a quiet sigh, followed by the pop of a cork and the sound of gulping before, at last, Lydia speaks.)

So...it was a trap, based on my Pip-boy's chronometer I've been at the Sierra Madre for...five days. In that short time I slept maybe once, the rest I spent juiced up on adrenaline and jamming stimpacks into my arm every half hour. Some crazed asshole, father Elijah of the 'brotherhood of steel' slapped an explosive collar on my neck and forced me help with his idiotic heist to rob the casino. He'd even put together a little crew, a Nightkin, which is apparently a type of 'Super Mutant' spawned from something called 'FEV,' which indicates to me that I was correct in considering them to have once been human. Anyway, he had split personality disorder, the obedient 'Dog' and the controlling 'God' were the splits. Thankfully, by the end of things, I was able to help them realize their similarities. Dog and God are no more, something new is there...he doesn't recognize me but had a feeling that I'm trustworthy.

There was Dean Domino, as well, he's some old singer from before the War. Real piece of work, he was trying to do the same heist as that old bastard during the Pre-War age. Blackmailed some poor actress named Vera Keyes into getting with a guy named Sinclair, makin him fall in love with her and so on and so forth. Stupid...petty bullshit. Anyway, I did what I could...he survived so here's hoping he figures his shit out and lets go of the past. Ugh, that fucking phrase, 'Let Go' I have heard it more times than I care to at this point. It seemed to be the whole goddamn theme of this little excursion, if it had a theme. Hm, interesting way of thinking about it. Anyway, the last member of our little team was a woman named Christine. She was mute when we met, Domino had locked her inside an Auto-doc, just one of many things that make me wonder if I shouldn't have just blown his brains out. Anyway, I got...kinda attached to her but she stayed at the Casino after everything went down. Elijah is dead, with the others' help I was able to take down the turrets and kill him...he never even got to see the inside of the Vault he'd been so desperate to get to. The despair on his face as the last of his life drained out of him will be a memory I hold dear for a while yet. The vault was impressive though, full of useless gold bars and pre-war money...tons of gear too. Nothing I needed, I'd found all I wanted in the villa around the Casino. Including this snazzy little stealth suit, it's pretty solid stuff for being light armor so I'll definitely be keeping it. That and Elijah's Gauss rifle...and his robes. I took everything off of him before making a run for it out of the casino, the area the vault was in was blowing up and I just barely made it out. Thankfully, once I did, the explosive collar deactivated and I tossed it into the fountain as I ran through the gates. Turns out the place I got snatched from? It's some old Brother Hood of Steel bunker, that's what the symbols on the walls are. So, it'll be my secluded little home now. There's a radio too, used to broadcast the sierra madre's call, but now? Now it's just Christine's voice, which is Vera's voice now, speaking to me a last goodbye. Maybe I'll go back one day to be with her, but for now? For now, I am going to sleep good and hard in the comfortable bed Elijah left me...inside this secure bunker that he no longer needs. He couldn't let go. But I could. Oh, and one more thing...he and Christine mentioned a place called the Big Empty...and another courier who had a score to settle. I think it's the same one Mr. Nash mentioned, the one who gave up the job so I could have it. I wonder what the story is there...but I get the feeling I'll find out. (The audio log ends with a long yawn from Lydia, then silence.)

[sansxfuckyou]

Hallucinogen

Summary: It's just Uzomi, and The Mastermind, just Uzomi, The Mastermind, and a plate of three pills.

Warnings: drugs, ao3 port has full tags

Authors Note: and then the creator of Kenikari (@sobredunia) doodled a very, very gay picture of Uzomi and The Mastermind. And as all things in life go, the fic writer decided to get a little bit silly with it because fuck it we crackship. Really the only enemies to lovers ever in my head, every other enemies to lovers can leave. anyways! if ya'll enjoyed maybe consider dropping a reblog or checking out the Ao3 port to leave a comment or kudos!

"Before you are three pills," The Mastermind began, Uzomi nodded.

"One kills me, one doesn't, and the third also kills me?" Uzomi asked, and The Mastermind laughed.

"How dull, how cliche," She spoke with a saccharine grin on her face, "All of these are hallucinogenics of varying intensity, and around us is a ring of spikes and other hazards- pick wrong and you very well may trip so badly you convince yourself that they're something completely different."

Uzomi nodded, "Wouldn't you rather be in person for this?"

"Are you insane?" There's a bluntness to her voice as she speaks, "Hell no, I'll just watch."

"Okay, and you'll watch the entire time?" Uzomi asked, her caution unprecedented.

The Mastermind nodded, "Obviously, I'm trying to have fun."

"Cool," Uzomi said quietly as she reached for the pill in the middle, they were all the same, all exactly the same.

Next she reached for the cup of water, placing the pill on her tongue before washing it down. She ground her feet firmly against the floor and rested her arms at the side of the chair.

"How long does it take for the drugs to kick in?" She asked, glancing up to the green screen, she got a shrug.

"Around the same for each strength," The Mastermind explained as her screen swiveled around Uzomi, "Hey you aren't deathly allergic to anything right?"

Uzomi shook her head, "No."

"Good cause I want you to die the fun way, not the boring way," The Mastermind said, watching with predatory intent as Uzomis pupils started to blow open, "Are they working?"

Uzomi nodded, "I think? It's a bit fuzzy everywhere."

"Good, good," The Mastermind said, practically purred, "And the spikes, how are the spikes looking?"

Uzomi glanced over, "Like spikes, maybe a bit sparkly."

"God damnit you chose the good one!" Her exclamation startled the mechanic just a bit, "So now I have to monitor you the entire time, just in case you decide to actually hop in the spikes."

"How long will it last?" Uzomi asked, staring intently at the screen in front of her, the two shades of green slipped into each other just a bit.

The Mastermind paused, "An hour."

"Cool," Uzomi began, "You ever read about mechanics?"

"Enlighten me, it'll make killing you easier," The Mastermind said, lowering down her screen a bit more to meet Uzomi at eye level.

-/-/-/-

"And that, is how you build an engine," Uzomi finished with, everything sorta swirled around her, a soft twist of reality.

The Mastermind only stared in shock, "You just talked about engines for forty five minutes."

Uzomi gave a laugh, "That was only the tip of the iceberg, wanna learn more darling?"

And then The Mastermind freezes because her prisoner just called her 'darling' with a straight face. What the hell did she put in those drugs anyways? Nothing that would cause that, "What did you just call me?"

"Darling, of course," Uzomi answered with calmly as she splay her arms to the side of the table she lay on, "Since you just sat and listened to me ramble about mechanics for nearly an hour, it's awfully sweet of you."

"I was only doing it in case you decided to walk into the spikes," The Mastermind countered with and Uzomi laughed.

"Really? Cause you looked awfully smitten the entire time I was talking," Uzomi said, she rolled over to rest on her stomach, propping her head in her hands, watching The Masterminds reaction with intent.

"I was not, those hallucinogenics are hitting you a bit harder than you let on," The Mastermind said, desperately grasping for an excuse to use because she was just a little bit smitten with Uzomis ramble. How could she not be? The mechanic was just giving her more information to kill people with, and she was doing it with that beautiful dazed expression on her face at that.

Uzomi rolled her eyes, pupils barely starting to shrink, "Sure they are darling."

A heat rose to burn The Masterminds face, "Shut up."

"Cute," Uzomi said bluntly, "How long till I'm free to go?" She kicked her feet back and forth as she spoke. It wouldn't be out of the picture for her to be blowing bright pink bubble gum and twirling a phone cord between her fingers with her current stance.

The Mastermind briefly glanced elsewhere for a clock, "Ten minutes."

"Cool," Uzomi got out "Wanna learn about spark plugs?"

"Absolutely," The Mastermind answered with before she could stop herself.

[stardancerchronicles]

Journal of Xivz, fate of the Altitude pack.

---Entry_1--- Location: Silus 3-X Date: 23/5/10 Status: CRITICAL It's been fourteen years, at least by this planet's standards, since the pack wiped eachother out. No small feat, that. From what I can glean, they had been together since the beginning. But even the bonds of pack may yet be broken, through isolation and madness. Through being left with no comms, no estimate on return, and no way off this damnable planet that wasn't Nexus-locked. Take all that and lay it on heavy over the span of four months, and you can undo what was done over the course of 226 collective years. Alcoholism claimed Nuriel, the brightest among them and the first to see their plight for what it was: hopeless. She succumbed to alcohol poisoning, locked in her room and never to be discovered. Jiiv and Losk had killed everyone else, convinced that the oracle cult was somehow behind all of this, and that there were traitors in their midst. Jiiv soon succumbed to his injuries, as nobody knew just how brutal Ungail, my mother, could be. Not until she lost her mind that is. As for Losk, it's a damn good thing he never found out about his nephew. Not until it was too late for him, of course. That leaves me here. Us, here. Somehow keeping my sanity more than if any of them were still around. Or maybe I just never had any to begin with. Being raised by Nexus programs around the perfectly preserved corpses of my kin could probably do something like that. At least the simulations say I have a "high likelihood of severe psychiatric dysfunction". I couldn't tell you what that means in laymen's terms. Probably not important. Well if anyone ever reads this, they'll now know what happened to poor little Xivz, and their pack of lunatics... I'm going to take a long, cold nap until the storm blows over in 3 1/2 months. Damn this planet to oblivion.

---Entry_2--- Location: Silus 3-X Date: 17/9/10 Status: CRITICAL Storm is over, at least for this short time being. Miteru, ever the diligent one even in death. He's been sure that my hunting efforts have had plenty of traps that are more effective at catching Avali than roulon herds. In fact I'm currently taking the downtime that my nanites will need to restructure my leg to write this entry. Not a chance in hel that I'd be taking the time to otherwise. This is the kind of cold that will draw you in and make you part of it, if you let it. Miteru learned that the hard way. Sometimes I still visit them, along with the rest of them back at their "permanent" camp. What secrets did they take with them to the grave? What regrets? What passions fueled them to such a tragic end? I suppose I'll never know. At the very least, Father passed on the postmortem wisdom that's as old as time. It goes a little something like: "Don't get forced out of an airlock by your fanatical ex-friend into a polar super-cyclone". Words to live by, the poet he was. Just wish he'd stop causing me such grievous injury on hunting trips…

---Entry_3--- Location: Silus 3-X Date: 21/9/10 Status: CRITICAL Yeah yeah I know, so soon im back? Well maybe im getting fond of you, but don't let it get to your head. Oh Ungail, see me now, playing coy with a data logger? As if the voices weren't enough. But no matter. The simulations say it'd be healthy to keep a journal, and so keep a journal I shall. Intuit is telling me that it'll help keep me sane, and by extension, alive. Alive. I wonder what it'd be like sometimes, to not have to keep myself alive. To no longer fight, and hunt, and chase, and claw for just a few more days simply, surviving. It must be a good life, to be able to run simulations all day. To play games with your packmates, grow up, get into trouble with them. I've heard of the wildest things on what little bits of the Nexus that are downloaded onto the data-pads and implants of the others. Honestly, still wish I hadn't gotten as curious as to... Extract. the implants of some of them. Especially Losk. He was, fucked up to a deeper extent than I think any of them realized, even in his final moments. But what's done is done, and I'm not keen to look at his face again after what I've had to do to it. But while Emote told me not to, Grit urged me onwards. And sometimes, you just have to make a judgement call. And given all the things I've learned of… Sometimes I wonder if it was the right call, to learn about the outside world. Because I wouldn't be asking the question of "what if I didn't have to fight" if I didn't know there was any other option. Thinking too hard on this is making my heart hurt. I'm going to take a nap and stop journaling for a bit.

---Entry_4--- Location: Silus 3-X Date: 8/5/14 Status: CRITICAL Well, it's been a long time hasn't it? Looking back, I can understand why I took such a long break. That kind of deep thought is something that everybody except Emote tells me not to do. I suppose I should clarify what the hell I'm talking about, huh? Well, Let's meet the cast of my brain! Or however that show went. The simulations say that I've developed voices for many of the emotions i feel, but I say that's a lie. They developed voices whether I wanted them to or not. Like my own demented pack members, except the only thing they do is keep me alive, instead of get drunk and kill each other. In any case, We have: Intuit: Helps me with the logical stuff. He's my right hand… voice. Surv: Good at seeing better ways through things that keep me more or less alive. Quite reliable, good advice. Grit: As the name implies, they get me to make tough choices, especially ones that I don't want to make. Tough love, I think they've called it. Emote: Weakest voice. Often in conflict with the others, yet, I still need them. I can't let them make me weak too, but I cannot become numb to them. And, that's about it for now. There are no other thoughts with voices, well, not yet. I don't think I could handle many more. As it stands, I keep my own conversations quite well enough as is thank you. But it is nice to let them sort it out amongst themselves and, speak as myself, to… well, nobody. There's nobody here and, if Intuit is to be believed, nobody will be. But still, its nice and free of the usual deliberation that plagues my mind. I think this one has gone considerably better than the last. I'll be back soon. Don't you go anywhere aye?

---Entry_5--- Location: Silus 3-X Date: 10/5/14 Status: CRITICAL

I HATE STUPID THING WHY EVEN SAY CRITICAL??? IM FINE. RIGHT HERE!!!. I CAN'T BE BOTHERED, WITH YOU AND YOUR, YOUR GAMES RIGHT NOW, MACHINE. I'LL GO THE WAY OF NURIEL IF YOU

OH, ITS ON? I, IT HAD A TALK TO TEXT FEATURE THIS WHOLE, TIME AND AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW OF COURSE I FIND OUT ABOUT THIS WHILE DRUNK ON WHATEVER SHE LEFT BEHIND UGH, THIS STUFF TASTES LIKE DEATH. WHY DID I EVEN TRY IT??? ITS HORRID. I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING HERE. WHY I'M EVEN ALIVE AND THE VOICES WONT STOP AND THE VOICES THEY WONT SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT

---Entry_6--- Location: Silus 3-X Date: 11/5/14 Status: CRITICAL I apologize for that. My simulation says I should reframe my embarrassment into a haiku. I don't know what the significance of the syllables is, or why this will help, or why Emote is agreeing with the others on this for once, but I'll try. I got super drunk I did not have a good time Won't do that again Somehow, that feels a little bit better now.

---Entry_7--- Location: Silus 3-X Date: 2/11/14 Status: CRITICAL I have some big news to share with you. Significant enough to write down, instead of just talking to the voices about it. WE FINALLY GOT A TRANSPONDER PING!

Now, its not a rescue vessel, it's not even recognizably Avali tech, so don't get too excited now. But the signal is very much drawing closer to this forsaken planetary system, so if its coming out to ancestors-know where for ancestors-know why? Then it's probably a planetary surveyor, and it's probably going to survey mine. And you BET that I'm gonna be there when it comes down, I am NOT spending the rest of my life on this planet. I'll be there if its the last thing I do. I truthfully don't know how much longer I'll be able to survive here. Not for lack of food, the Roulon are making good on that. But if I have to listen to the voices in my head arguing amongst themselves one more time, why I think i might start losing my sanity! At least they're all in agreeance that we have to be there for that ship.

As for what to do if we encounter anybody else on it… Well, then they don't agree as much anymore…

---Entry_8--- Location: Silus 3-X Date: 7/1/15 Status: CRITICAL Sure enough, my predictions were correct. They've touched down on Silus 6-X, and are now on bearing for 5-X, after inevitably finding 6-X to be an uninhabitable helhole. Just like the rest of them. Just like this one. Oh ancestors, I hope that they don't give up before they get here. Maybe I can throw together some kind of distress beacon if I need to, but what if they will leave, or attack me if they knew I were here? or simply don't have the supplies to onboard me? No, it's safer to let them come here of their own volition. Safer for me, at the very least. Even if it is a drone. My life has been pretty much consumed by paying attention to this.

The voices theorize about it. about the outside world as well. It's, overwhelming. And I don't think about it too much, or the simulations say I could have an… Incident, on par with Entry_5. I do not want that. I do miss being able to think about the littler things though. Such as fixing up my hunting armor, or meticulously agonizing over the chimes that I'd fantasized about dressing up with, but never got around to. But, the possibilities opening up is worth it, so worth it. We can worry about the littler things once the bigger picture is open to us.

---Entry_9--- Location: Silus X System Time: 16/7/15 Status: CRITICAL Sooooo, a... a lot has happened. And I haven't fully processed it, so: The ship arrived onto this planet. And I met it there, obviously. I even wore my chimes, against the judgement of… Everybody other than Emote. But I still kept them in their muffling pouches on the approach. The ship was indeed manned. It's, strange. To meet other living, thinking beings. It's like how the simulations were, but… more real. I mean they were SIGNIFICANTLY more psychotic than the simulations were...

Aren't we all at this point though? They brought me on board, of course. But, they are also space pirates. So, I guess that I'm a bonafide space pirate now! It certainly beats being alone. But it also means that I'm stuck with a bunch of lunatics who kill and steal for a living, alone, with zero social skills, and very little trust. So I'll have to prove myself. The simulations say that I'm very unlikely to get through this without blood on my hands. But they also say that, If I play my cards right, at least it wont be my blood. Intuit agrees. Intuit also says that I should be very, veeery close with a very specific one. A tall "protogen", looks like hes been torn apart and put back together physically, almost more than I have been mentally. How fitting that I should imprint onto a robot, when I was raised by them.

[danganronpa-ship-tourney]

Sorry if this comes off as pushing the ship, but I'd like to argue some points for Oumeno, if for no other reason then maybe it'll come to use for the propaganda stuff. Again, sorry for this mini-essay.

First obviously is the confession in chapter 5 and Himiko's reaction, the thing is that whole exchange is also referencing a pre-trial 2 dialogue where Tenko accuses Kokichi of teasing Himiko cause he likes her and instead of playing into that Kokichi tries to sweep that under the rug, suggesting Tenko might've been closer to the truth. At the very least it points to Kokichi as having written that line rather than being improv from Kaito. Thematically I feel like its very fitting that Kokichi would make a genuine post-mortem confession. Either way Himiko's reaction is unmistakable, which considering the circumstances (at the moment Kokichi is believed to be the mastermind that orchestrated the killing game, the successor to Junko Enoshima and Kaito's killer) makes it seem very likely that at the very least she had crush on him.

Back in chapter 3 it was Kokichi that stopped Himiko from closing herself off, both in and post trial Kokichi made sure she actually confronted and processed through all the difficult emotions rather than bottling them up and sink further into depression.

Additionally something I don't see many bring up, but Himiko's love hotel is about her ideal being someone she both assumes is sinister and considers her foolish for falling for. If she does have a crush on Kokichi (which I think is very likely) this could be almost seen as direct parallel, Kokichi being generally considered as someone dangerous and unreliable and Himiko considering herself foolish for falling for him.

The two have several thematic and character similarities, notably both of them have a unique mix of both acting mature and childish. They both have penchants for theatrics, they tend to like a lot of the same gifts and enjoy several of the same activities in salmon mode. Kokichi shows clear interest in Himiko's magic tricks and notably never actually demeans her talent, in fact he is one of the few characters who compliments her on her skills. Also notably unlike other characters most of Kokichi's teases towards Himiko are physical appearance, some of them being very obviously blatantly wrong and well we know how much of a liar he is. Meanwhile Himiko shows a particular interest in blowing off his pants and in chapter 5 getting particularly focused on Kokichi being "butt naked." Himiko also couple of times seems to focus more on Kokichi's wording, she gets swayed onto his side several times in the dining hall scenes and most clearly after Kokichi mentioned canned tuna you can find her mumbling that all of a sudden she wants some tuna if you check on her afterwards. Also in the closing arguments for chapter 3 Himiko is lightly blushing while looking at Kokichi lockpicking, and yes I double checked she isn't shown blushing in any other panel in any other closing argument, only in the specific panel where she's staring at Kokichi lockpicking.

Again apologies for this mini-essay, I really like Oumeno and trust me when I say I could go longer but I feel like I've already put in too much for what was supposed to be just a few points in favour for Oumeno, kind of overdid it, sorry.

Oh yeah there's a lot to like about oumeno, im glad other people have a lot of fun with the ship, theres a lot to like but it just...kinda bounced right off me, it happens sometimes. That's just how it be, these are all very good points

[limeade-l3sbian]

Hey. I don’t know if you remember me, but a few weeks ago I sent an anon to you where I was basically lamenting feeling worthless or something of that similar tone. That I was going to die of obesity and I saw no out of the end where someone would have to look at my dead body in disgust.

You came with some nice and encouraging words.(thanks for that btw again)

Today I was out for the first time in a long time. I was visiting the psychiatry department in my city, and had a scheduled taxi to collect me when I had to go home. When I got into the car and for 95% of the car ride, the taxi chauffeur was nice. He and I was talking about video games. Both coincidentally had an interest. It was a decently friendly time filler convo. However when the conversation naturally came to a halt, silence followed and he suddenly said, while I could see out of my peripheral view him looking me up and down with a smirk, “did you ever do sports? it certainly doesn’t seem like it”. It was such a blow to the stomach. I know men are gross and value women solely for our appearances, I know men are callous and most often incapable of being empathetic, but after such an otherwise nice convo, the knowledge that he had most likely been thinking “wow what a fat piece of shit she is” the whole time was so heartbreaking. I barely go out, I keep to myself, I’m not very confrontational, i was polite the whole drive. And yet, that’s what he said to me in the end.

This is why I feel hopeless. I always always be my body and I will always o my be offered respect by the vast majority of the world if i’m skinny and pretty.

Good to see you again, anon! 💜

I think maybe two weeks ago, I had a man swerve to the curb to drive along side me. I had my music in and was walking with my arizonas, so didn't respond since I was clearly occupied. But he kept following, leaning out. I glanced at one point to make sure he wasn't trying to be helpful but could hear what he was saying through my headphones. Including him cursing at me before finally driving off in his clown car.

Whether they're flirting, insulting, "negging", or just really talking in general, it's important to understand that men's words mean literally nothing. I can't describe to you how little they matter. How much are you thinking they mean? Well it's less than that and so on. Very often, I believe men have a word quota that they feel they must fulfill, and so terrorize the women around them with meaningless strings of sentences regarding what they prefer and how they feel about certain things. More often than not, unasked.

Men also don't cut their dogs' balls off as not to "emasculate" them. Is that a collection of people you want to listen to? These same people have convinced you that not being thin and not being pretty is a death sentence when it's not. I've been chubby my whole life and still had meaningful, loving relationships. You're absolutely right. You will always be in your body. You cannot change that. So you might as well start getting comfortable in there and figure out if you want the couch more to the left or more to the right because that's your home. Your headquarters where you can head back after a long day and plan your next scheme to _______ (whatever your schemes may be, we've all got em lol).

You can't keep gauging your worth on the opinions of others, babes. ESPECIALLY MEN, COME ON BESTIE. Doing that just about killed me, literally. I'm not saying it'll be overnight, but that dam of self doubt and disgust will break. You're gonna be staring at the wall and come to that crossroad, bc the way things are isn't sustainable.

Am I going to sink and let the void swallow and define me? Or pull back and say "fuck it" and tell the next male who can fix his lips to say some shit like that to me that he can go fuck himself?

Easier said than done, but trust me, I got there and you can too. 💜

[the-firebird69]

Didn't want you as President we don't want you near it you don't have the votes you don't have the people and we're going to make sure you don't it's not going to be kind of really that tough they're running out there first and you're getting annihilated and we see how they're doing it and their real numbers now it was really 3% and it was mostly you idiots and it's going to happen tonight here and then you're going to be small and we won't have to put it with you pushing us around as it is you're getting smaller but off Island it'll be practically non-existent it was about 12% and became about 11.5% and then 3% left but before that it was split with you having about 4.5% and I had the remainder which is about 7.5% of the less off Island and 3% we're hit roughly in the eastern hemisphere now it's up someone says to 4.5% and out of that you are about 2.3%, that's leaving you 2.2% and the West has not even gone into the fight yet. Overall we're doing very badly we can't take this kind of a hit and it's devastating blows I don't have to pull off the island and it ruins it and I heard your islands are under attack you had 4.3% last week and we verified it and you're down to 3.5% yesterday and last night you were attacked and you're at 3% well I'm at about 12%. We want you to back off us. And we need you to and stop pushing us around and don't insist to be president nobody wants you to he doesn't want to we hate you you're stupid

Bja

I do recommend you shut up bja and what he says is I keep having them say stuff and I keep getting killed I guess that's my prerogative it's true though it's really stupid but it happens. These numbers are there and they're real and tonight will probably get cut down to a small number on the island too a little bit all I can say is it's making me cringe and I have to keep on trying to get into office

Trump

It's really awful you you are so goddamn dumb it's not all about the presidency but you think it is for some reason and we have to find out why and our friend says maybe it's a presidential pardon and he wants to be the good guy and people fall for that one I've had it it's this idiot Trump

Bja

It is one of the major reasons yes and we want them gone because of it he's a fool. He also thinks he can kidnap him as president and that he's been saying things about him and he has him say stuff and the guy gets killed and his people get ruined the biggest portion is he thinks he has the AI and he wants our son to go to the West Coast because he has covered from there and it does have a whole bunch of stuff around the locations where he was in Orange county and where he was in Torrance and other places it's really not enough to make a difference of any kind but he keeps on saying he's taking over everything and it's angry and frustrating.

Thor Freya

Olympus

[its-lovelyhappycollection]

Celebrating 54 years of Scooby Doo!

54 years ago was the premiere of Scooby Doo Where Are You? And ever since then, we've had a wonderful journey following our favourite great dane and his adventures across the globe, solving mysteries and putting bad guys in jail.

To celebrate, let's share our favorite top 5 Scooby Doo movies and our favorite Scooby Doo series.

I'll start

5. Scooby-Doo Frankencreepy.

Boy, this was a good movie, it opens with a few scenes from Scooby Doo Where Are You? And the gang remising about their pervious victories then the bigger mystery is introduced. The opening sequence is also really interesting as instead of having a song, it has really intense and mysterious music as well as voice overs of the gang and their past villains, showing that this movie will be slightly diffrent and even giving us a hint for the end.

Then finding out that the people behind the mystery were a really some of their old villains was intresting. I really hope they do something like this again because Lilia said "everyone you've ever unmasked wants revenge!"

If they do this plot again, it'll be funny if the villain was like :you don't remember me? I was the one who did so and so" and the gang is like "sorry, we've done this so many times that it kinda blurrs together"

It was also really funny how Cuthbert Crawley basically pulled off a superman when he was pretending to be Velma family's lawyer.

4. Scooby-Doo Monster of Mexico

This movie always gives me the chills, they really did a good job with the chubracabra, making it look really scary despite knowing the ending.

It was also intresting as the mastermind behind the whole plot was never introduced until the unmasking, besides the occasional signs, we never saw the person in the film, and that made it really intresting and mind blowing.

3. Scoo-Doo Stage Fright

This is a good movie, good soundtrack, good story, good characters. It was just awesome!

The best part though it was it was not 1 person behind the mask, but several people, at least 6 (I think), and how they each had their own separate motive to being the phantom, leaving the gang unsure of who the phantom really was. Except maybe Dick, he was always nervous around shaggy and Scooby.

It was also interesting to see Fred and Daphne kiss, but leaving them unsure of where to go next, how they don't know if the other person like likes them or if was just heat of the moment. And them uncomfortable of talking because they don't want to ruin the friendship and make things awkward.

2. Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island

Boy, this movie is good, not only did it regnite the Scooby franchise, but also it contained real supernatural monsters, from real zombies to werecats. That was a really good diffrence than some cheesy mask, plus the zombies look really creepy. 

Also the fact that the gang split up due to being bored with guys behind the mask for some real estate scheme or getting a billion dollars, seeing that it orignally started because Simione and lelia wanted revenge on Morgan Moonscar for killing their friends and family to doing it just so that they could keep on living.

and how the zombies were scaring them off just to save them from the same fate before they could finally rest in peace

Honerable mentions:

Scooy-Doo Pirates Ahoy!

Scooby-Doo and pirates, need I say anymore? 

Scooby-Doo Camp Scare

While I personally don’t like camping myself (you try spending every birthday up until grade 6 getting bitten by mosquittios) but camp scare is a really good movie, how a small traditional camp is struggling to get more campers compared to the larger camp filled to the brim with modern equipment. And how they’re trying to scare everyone out of camp before blowing up the dam, and seeing Sccoby drive never gets old

Scooby-Doo meets Batman Brave and Bold

Batman is one of my favourite DC superheroes and its funny seeing Batman trying to figure the gang out, “Scooby, go left!”

“Reft, Rot it!” *turns right* “he doesn’t know directions, does he?” “well, duh! He’s a dog!” 

* after scooby and shaggy trick some villains with their classic roleplay* “there’s no way that should have worked” “just roll with it”

But honestly. seeing the gang work with the World’s greatest detective was awesome to watch

1. Scooby-Doo WrestleMania Mystery

I don’t know much about wrestling, but the fact that the actual wrestlers came and voice acted their characters was pretty cool, even if I didn’t know any of them. 

Just like most Scooby mysteries, there was very little clue as to who was behind the ScareBear attacks, making the reveal really shocking (as always).

But yeah, overall good storyline, good motive and the fact that Shaggy and Scooby have been waiting for the perfect oppertunity to get the gang to do something they want with pictures of them being bait, but my favourite line really takes the cake.

“you mean you didn’t pack any luggage?!“

“what’s the big deal? We all wear the same exact clothes everyday!” 

Plus the cameo from the YJ girls and the fact they were able make a sequel to this film is amazing!

Alright, those are my favourite Scooby-Doo movies, and my favourite Scoby-Doo tv show is:

Scooby-Doo Mystery Incorporated. This will always be my favourite Scooby-Doo Tv series. I got up early every Saturday/Sunday just to watch it. 

Right from the beginning it was hinted that there was a bigger mystery with the locket Daphne found and the mayor reacting to it, showing that he’s hiding something. And the end of the episode when Mr. E says how they never should've brought the locket back up and it ending with "the real mystery has just begun"

Then with Ricky Owens and Cassidy Williams living in Crystal Cove without the mayor knowing, the subtle clues or hints in some episodes that eventually link to the big reveal (the dog dies, Alice may, etc) and more importantly the gang going through their own personal problems that caused tensions to rise up and the gang to briefly split apart. them getting back together, their bond stronger than before and how power, money and treasure truly corrupts people until you don't even know who they are anymore. the og MI is a perfect example of this, each one of them slowly lost themselves to Nibru and it eventually led to their downfall (except angel, she’s the only one who didn't deserve to die), just like their predecessors. 

It was quite creepy and scary in a few episodes, making enjoyble not just for kids, but anyone!

But it also showed the gangs complicated relationships with their parents, showing that not all tv parents are great. Both of Velma’s and Fred’s parent/s (yes, the mayor is technically Fred’s dad, while he did steal him, he still raised him to be a great man) were both obsessed with getting more tourists to get to crystal cove, Daphene’s parents had high expectations of her that she felt like she couldn’t live up to and Shaggy’s parents were...more or less alright. the only thing I really remember about them is sending Shaggy to Military camp.

Plus, the gang didn’t travel from town to town, they stayed in their hometown of Crystal Cove and went to High School, and found out that most of the people behind the mask were part of the town, that’s also what made it intresting. We got to see more character development from the gang, from Fred realising his feelings for Daphene, to a sassy Velma to Daphene not being the damsel in distress, and Shaggy and Scooby more or less stay the same, but they do get more confident in themselves.

Then with it ending with them destroying the entity and everything gets rewritten as the perfect paradise. Fred obviously growing up with his birth parents, Daphene no longer having the high expectations of her parents and them approving of her and Fred’s relationship, Velma seeming won bunch of science awards with Hotdog water and Shaggy apparently being a talent chef. Not to mention a few important reoccurring getting a happy ending, such as the sherriff and Mayor Nettles getting married and having kids, Fred's adoptive dad being a high school coach and having a happy life.

Then it ending with the gang leaving crystal cove to go and solve mysteries, linking in to several Movies (as in the sword and scoob, they seem to hail from cystal cove) 

Plus, it also had a few costumes of the gang’s previous mysteries, Charlie the Haunted Robot, Space Cook and so much more. 

and it was supposed to have a third season, but it got cancelled

So yeah, this series will always stand out to me, espically since Be Cool Scooby-Doo aired after this was finished, and the art style in that is SO ugly!

OK, so i’m done, now comment or repost with your Scooby-Doo favourites! 

[aspenmissing]

𝚂𝚒𝚗 𝙲𝚒𝚝𝚢 (𝙿𝚝 𝟷)

Bobby is working on the Colt, while Dean and Y/N melt metal into bullets. Bobby looks at a magnifying glass at the Colt and looks at a diagram of a part.

"Hey," Sam says, walking in.

"Hey, what's up?" Y/N asks, looking up to her younger brother, Dean shortly following.

"Might've found some omens in Ohio. Dry lightning, barometric-pressure drop."

"Well, that's thrilling," Dean says. Sam walks closer.

"Plus, some guy blows his head off in a church, and another goes postal in a hobby shop before the cops take him out."

"Even more thrilling," Y/N says.

"Might be some demonic omens."

"Or it could just be a suicide and a psycho scrapbooker."

"Yeah, but it's our best lead since Lincoln."

"Where is Ohio?" Y/N asks.

"Elizabethville," he replies. "It's a half-dead factory town in the rust belt."

"There's got to be a demon or two in South Beach," Dean says.

"Sorry. Maybe next time," Sam says, smiling. "How's it going, Bobby?"

"Slow."

"Eh, I tell you, it's a little sad seeing the Colt like that," Dean says.

"Well, the only thing it's good for now is figuring out what makes it tick."

"So, what makes it tick?" Sam asks. Bobby looks up, not amused. Sam holds his hands up in amusement. Dean rises.

"So, if we want to go check out these omens in Ohio..." Y/N says teasingly, straight-faced, "...you think you can have that thing ready by this afternoon?" Sam and Dean chuckle. Bobby stares at her incredulously.

"Well, it won't kill demons by then," Bobby pauses. "But I can promise you it'll kill you."

"Love having these talks with you," Y/N says as she rises.

"All right, come on, we're wasting the daylight," Dean says, smiling as he rises.

"See you, Bobby," Sam says. The three start to leave.

"Hey! You three run into anything - anything - you call me." They nod and head out.

==

The three arrive at a church and they are all dressed in formal attire, talking with a priest.

"There's not much left for the insurance company. It was a suicide - I saw it myself," he explains.

"Well, this shouldn't take long, then," Dean says. The priest sighs and looks up toward the balcony above the doors.

"That's where Andy did it. It's the first time I'd seen him in weeks. He used to come every Sunday."

"When did he stop?" Sam asks.

"Probably about... two months ago? Right around the time everything else started to change."

"Change how?" Y/N asks.

"Oh, let's just say this used to be a town you could be proud of. People cared about each other. Andy sang in the choir, and then one day, he just... wasn't Andy anymore. It was like he was..."

"Possessed?" Sam suggests.

"You could say that. Gambled away his money, cheated on his wife, destroyed his business. Yes, like a switch had flipped."

"Father, did you know that man who killed those folks in the hobby shop?" Y/N asks.

"Sure, Tony Perkins."

"Tony Perkins."

"Would you say that his personality suddenly changed one day, too?"

"I never thought about it that way, but... yes, about the same time as Andy - about two months ago," the father says.

"Well, thank you, Father. Appreciate your time," Sam, Dean, and Y/N start to leave.

"Two months ago, we open up the devil's gate, all of a sudden this town turns into Margaritaville?" Sam says. "It's no coincidence."

==

Sam, Dean, and Y/N enter their hotel room, Dean chuckling at the mirrors on the ceiling, when the doors across the hall open.

"Richie," Y/N says, and the other guys look up.

"I don't believe it," Dean says as the twins share a look.

"Hey, Dean," Richie points at Dean then to Y/N, "Y/N Winchester, right?" Richie smirks at her.

"In the flesh." Y/N says, nodding her head.

"Yeah," Dean says, and the twins walk closer until a tall blond scantily dressed girl walks out of Richie's room.

"This is my sister, uh, Cheryl."

"Hey," she says.

"Cheryl," Dean says. Richie hands her some money.

"There," she takes the money and walks away. Richie looks back at the three, "Well, you know... stepsister."

"Gross, Richie," Y/N mutters.

"Come on in," Dean says, and Richie walks in. "This is our baby brother, Sam." The two shake hands.

"Hey. How you doing?" Richie asks.

"Not too bad. How do you two know this guy?" Sam asks, looking between Y/N and Dean.

"Well, you were in school," Dean says.

"It was that succubus, in Canarsie, right?"

"Yeah, yeah," Y/N says.

"Oh, man. You should have seen the rack on this broad. Freakin' tragedy when I had to gank her."

"Whoa, whoa. Wait," Dean says. "Who killed her? If I remember, your ass was toast until me and Y/N showed up."

"Oh, I forgot what a comedian this guy was."

“Richie, Richie, you know what?" Y/N starts as Richie's phone starts to ring. "We told you then, and I'll tell you again - you're not cut out for this job. You're gonna get yourself killed." Richie pulls out his phone.

"Talk to me," Richie looks to Y/N. "FYI, Winchester - words hurt," he goes back to the caller, "Yeah?" He pauses, "No, it's not a good time, babe. Later." He hangs up and sits down on the couch.

"So, you find anything in this town, anyway?" Y/N asks.

"Ah, no. I got nothing," Richie says, smirking. "Oh, wait a minute. You mean as in demons and whatnot?"

"Yeah," she says, nodding.

"No, I got nothing."

"Typical," Y/N says, rolling her eyes.

"What about your sister back there?" Dean asks.

"Oh, honestly? She definitely had the devil in her, but she wasn't no demon, you know what I'm saying?" Richie says but looks at Dean and Y/N's reaction. "Right. Seriously," Richie stands up. "Church guy, hobby-shop guy - they were lunch meat by the time I got there. Hey, maybe they were possessed, but I can't prove it."

"Yeah, that's where we are, too. You know, let's just say that demons are possessing people in this town," Sam says. "You know, raising hell-"

“Yeah, but why would a demon blow his brains out?" Y/N asks.

"Well, for fun? You know he wrecks one body, moves to another. You know, like taking a stolen car for a joyride," Richie says.

"Anybody else left in the town that fits the profile - you know, nice guy turned douche, still breathing?" Dean says.

"There's Trotter."

"Who's that?"

"Well, he used to be head of the Rotary Club. And then people say he turned bastard all of a sudden? Brought in the gambling, the hookers. ... Ah, he practically owns this whole town."

"Know where we could find him?"

"Oh, he'll be at his bar in a few hours."

==

Sam, Dean, and Y/N pull up in the Impala through the town, the streets buzzing with life and it looks like a Mardi Gras celebration - people wandering around with cocktails, sexy girls, half-naked men, lots of action.

"I thought you said this was some boarded-up factory town," Y/N says, looking around at the action.

"It is. At least, it's supposed to be," Sam says.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's do some research," Dean says.

He looks excited to follow a bunch of attractive women. From a car, a woman in a miniskirt watches him, then gestures for him to come. Dean approaches the car and looks at her, smiling; Sam and Y/N come to fetch Dean and smile embarrassedly at the woman as they pull Dean away. They enter Trotter's bar and thread their way through the crowded bar. Dean is at ease, moving through the crowd. Y/N is trailing behind him, nodding her head to the beat of the music. Sam is getting bumped into and seems to feel a little awkward and overstimulated. Richie brushes past a woman and approaches the three. He's wearing a somewhat shiny orange short-sleeved shirt halfway to reveal a white t-shirt underneath.

"Oh, Richie. Look at you," Dean says.

"Hey," Dean and Richie shake hands.

"Bringing satin back," Y/N says, and she hugs Richie.

"Oh, you like this? Try Thai silk - Canal Street," Richie says. "You'd have to pay $300 for threads like these, easy. Cost to me - fuhgeddaboudit."

"How much is 'forget about it'?" Sam asks.

"Ah, forgot about it," Richie points to an elderly guy. "That's Trotter over there. He sits there all night. Can't touch him."

"So, what do we do now?"

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm gonna do a little investigating with that bartender," Dean says, nodding his head to the woman.

"Easy. Me and her, we got a little...somethin' - somethin' lined up for later," Richie snorts.

"Yeah, right," Y/N says.

"Don't be jealous, sweet cheeks. You and I can try if you want," Richie says, winking at her. Y/N raises her eyebrow at him before laughing and punching his shoulder.

"Haven't changed."

"All right. I got to hit the head, release the hostages," Sam laughs. "Be back in a few," Richie says before walking away.

"No way he gets a girl like that. I mean, look at her. You could fit that ass on a nickel," Dean says.

"You think so?" A voice says. The three look to see Father Gil, sitting at the bar with a drink in hand.

"Oh," Dean laughs. "Sorry, Padre."

"Knew you three would find your way here. They all do."

"No offense, but what are you doing here, Father?" Sam asks.

"Like it or not, you go where your flock is," The bartender pours him a drink.

"Plus, the clergy drinks for free," she says.

"True, and a certain bartender owes me a confession."

"Not in this lifetime, Father," They both took a drink.

"I better see your butt on Sunday," She smirks before Father Gil gets up and turns to the three, mostly Dean. "Nickel or no nickel." They smirk before the father leaves, and they turn their attention to the bartender.

"I like him," Y/N says.

"We all do," The bartender says with a smirk. "What can I get you guys?"

"What's your specialty?" Dean asks.

"I know someone who makes a mean hurricane," she says.

"I guess we'll see about that," Y/N says. The bartender smiles before she turns to a male bartender.

"Corey," The woman says. The male turns to her, humming in response. She walks away, and Sam looks to Dean and Y/N, smirking.

"You drink hurricanes?" He asks.

"I do now," Dean says, smiling.

"They're the best," Y/N says. Corey then walks over to the three, setting their drinks down.

"On the house," he says, giving Y/N a wink, which she returns with a smile.

"Really?" Sam asks, smirking.

"Yep," Corey says, looking to Y/N with a warm smile. Y/N smiles before she takes a sip before he then walks away to serve other people. Y/N then turns to her brothers, seeing them staring at her.

"Dude, you’re the best sister," Dean says. "You can get us free drinks."

"I mean, what can I say. I'm just amazing." Minutes later, Sam spots a man holding a gun.

"Hey," He says, hitting Y/N and Dean on the shoulder and gesturing them towards the man with the gun.

The man then raises his gun and shoots another man, point black in the forehead. The crowd erupts in chaos. Trotter and his Hench guy stand up. The man with the gun then aims the gun at his own head until Y/N tackles him to the ground. Sam and Dean surreptitiously splash holy water on him; however, the man seems really surprised and outraged by being splashed with water but doesn't sizzle.

"What are you doing?!" He shouts. "He slept with my wife. That bastard slept with my wife!"

"Somebody call 911!" Sam shouts. The female bartender picks up the phone to call while Sam then exchanges a look with Trotter.

==

Later, the man who had the gun was cuffed and lead away. The siblings were sat at the bar, watching him being lead away.

"Too many cops here. I saw we roll" Sam says.

"Just be cool" Dean says.

"Poor jerk. Only thing possessing him was a sixer of Pabst" Y/N says.

"So, what's the deal, then?" Sam asks "People in this town getting possessed or not?"

"I don't know. Maybe it is just what is it - town full of scumbags"

"Yeah. Maybe" A police officer walks over to the three.

"You three ready for your mug shots?" He asks. Sam, Y/N and Dean look nervous and the cop hastens to reassure them "The photographer's gonna be here in a few, and ... take your picture for the local paper" Dean looks relieved.

"Be an honour, Officer. What a thrill!" Dean says.

"Yep, time to go" Sam says rising.

"Wait a second" Y/N says "Wait a second"

"What?" The brothers say in unison.

"Where's Richie?"