#dean my creative bean

[shadyteacup]

i have somehow lost 24.3 hours in the past 2 days to a game called House Flipper

i dont,, remember when i started playing,,,

an entire days worth of time has just. disappeared from me???

but anyway you can get pets in this game so heres my dog that i didnt get to name, my goat Lil Bleater, and my rat Playdoh

😭😭😭 I feel u lol.. I had uninstalled Instagram to focus on my studies but then I got addicted to YouTube shorts?? And had somehow spent more hours on that than I ever did on ig💀

By far, Lil Bleater is my favourite name 😭 I’m going to use that everywhere 🐐

[historyhermann]

Metal Family Review

In recent years, there has been an increase in indie animations, including on platforms such as YouTube. One of those series is the musical-themed Russian mature animation series, Metal Family.

Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs, my History Hermann WordPress blog on Jan. 19, 2023, and Wayback Machine. This was the eighth article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on January 8, 2022.

The action-adventure and drama series focuses on a Russian family of metal fans, each with their own personalities: there are Victoria and Glam, two metalheads in love with one another, and they have two children, Heavy and Dee. It follows the creative ways that the family deals with problems every day and manifests various tropes. Dee is 15 years old and Heavy is 13. Victoria is 37 and Glam is 39-40.

The series has a number of interesting small details that sets it apart from other animation series. For example, the opening of each episode begins with the character, or characters, hanging up their key, with the way each character hangs up their key a specific reflection of their personalities. There are also various pop culture references throughout the series to bands such as Metallica, System of a Down, Black Sabbath, Bon Jovi, and Led Zeppelin. Unlike some other series, this show takes place in a blurred world, without any specific location.

Metal Family does not shy away from mature topics. Victoria often drinks and smokes, while her husband, Glam, does not. She even gambles. The last part of the first season focuses on Glam Shvagenbagen’s troubled childhood going to a music conservatory. He meets a friend named Ches/ Chive who introduced him to Twisted Sister, heavy metal music, and gives him his current nickname. He leaves home for good after living with his abusive father, Gustav. Leaving his past behind, he chooses to be part of the “rabble” as his father puts it. He finds a family for himself in music and in the companionship of Victoria.

The show plays with the idea of a “strong man” defending a “weak” woman. In this series, Glam is diminutive but nasty in a polite way while Victoria is buff and brash. She is not afraid to throw a person out of a window or punch a hole through a wall, if warranted. Glam is more calculating and can solve problems by using his mind. Victoria likes to smash things apart – as she does in an escape room in an episode. She is a little like Princess Bean in Disenchantment, an alcoholic, and Harley Quinn in the series of the same name, who carries around a baseball bat which she uses to protect herself, those she cares about, and fight for what she believes is right.

The series is produced by a small team and is created by Alina Kovaleva. Xydownik co-directed the series with Kovaleva. Both work as series animators. According to the fandom site for the series, Koveleva works on the series full-time, using Adobe Animate CC. It took over two years to create the show’s first season. Alexey Khrapov worked in the show’s sound department. Alexey Vasilevsky composed original music, apart from the show’s other music. Karin Karimova worked as a violinist, Daniyl Yakovenko as a music consultant, and Luis Rojas as a guitar soloist.

The Russian voice actors have been consistent. Blin voices Glam and Dee. Roman Volkov voices Gustav and Xydownik voices Heavy. Kovaleva voiced a Youtube Instructor in a 2021 episode as well as Victoria. Xydownik also voices Ches in two episodes, along with characters like Rowd and the Conservatory Dean. Flynn The VA voices Drusilla. There’s also a background character named Celestie, and therapist Dr. Hans.

The English dub introduced new voice actors, including Elliot Cancel as Chive / Ches, Randolph Castellanos as Dee, Lydia Shvagenbagen, and Richard Armstrong, Hoctor as Gustav, London Hartman as Heavy, Kylie Ann as Mary Shvagenbagen, Ry Harte as Glam, and Chiari Queen as Victoria. Hoctor also voices biker gang member Bug, Ann voices Anna, a cynical radical feminist.

The series first aired on September 13, 2018, released in Russian, with English subtitles added after its release, ending its run in 2020. The pilot episode was also a music video sung by Avantasia, is entitled “The Story ain’t Over.” Since February 2021, an English dub of the episodes has been released on a separate YouTube channel, with a hilarious 3-minute trailer for the release of the English dub. Through 2021, the 10-episode first season aired on YouTube and the second season began in late December 2021. Oksana Gunchenko helped translate and adapt the episodes of the series.

The series has been positively received by fans, with over 140 fan fics on Archive of Our Own, garnering hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube, and has high rankings on IMDB. Hundreds of thousands more follow a fan site for the show on the Russian language social media platform, VK. This is impressive for a series with relatively new voice actors, with this series as their first big roles, and even for animators. A few are involved in other indie animated projects, like Kylie Ann as an animator on Legends of Myiorda, an anime/cartoon series. Some previously worked on Russian language productions.

Updates about the series are shared on Xydownik’s Russian-language YouTube channel, the Instagram account of Kovaleva, a channel on Telegram, and Kovaleva’s VK account. Like Helluva Boss, Heavy, one of the show’s characters, has an official Instagram account, posting candid photos from his life. This encourages people to be more deeply invested in the show. There’s even an official store to buy merchandise and items related to the show.

The voice acting and animation of Metal Family were intriguing. The story kept me watching the episodes and I say this as as a person who likes listening to metalheads like Caleb Hyles and the band Twisted Sister. The characters were complex enough and were not stereotypes which made me excited about what is going to come next. In the end, I’d highly recommend this series, especially for those who like badass characters, music, and compelling stories.

Metal Family is available on YouTube.

© 2022-2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

[stephspurs]

A Family Affair | Euro 2020 Football Fanfiction

Life is beautiful and life is cruel. This is a window into the souls of the victorious and the vanquished. In a way, football did come home during the summer of 2021. Follow along Amelia’s journey, navigating the football world as a tactical analyst for the Italian football team, with a brother and father part of the three lions. Will Amelia leave Italy and come back to England? Will she leave the Serie A for the Prem? Will she set aside the bianconeri stripes for new colours, leaving behind friendship for love? Maybe she can have both...

Wow - the response i received in a little under 24 hours since i posted the first taste of part 1 has truly bowled me over! I wasn't expecting that reaction & tbh i would have been happy if 2 people wanted to read this story hahaha! So, i've been writing in the background & the first few parts have already been proofed and are ready to go. HOWEVER! I am open to your suggestions so please please let me know what you think and how you want to see Amelia's story play out. As far as i'm concerned, this fic is as much yours as it is mine! So please enjoy this first part, in its entirety, and let me know your thoughts! Love always,

Steph xx

UPDATE as of 31/07: I've made some additional editing changes due to some feedback about the confusion between ben white (her brother) and ben chilwell (not her brother LOL). Nothing has been added to the story, just the addition of either surname has been added where i think it could be more straightforward - for future readers!

Part 1 | prima parte

warnings; none - maybe a bit of angst? (what sibling rivalry doesn't have a bit of angst)

word count; 1978 words

writing tools; third person until dashed line, first person thereafter.

next update; Sunday 25/07 5pm AEST. Updates will be twice weekly at this stage. Probably Wednesday’s and Sundays from next week!!

link to fic masterlist here

The world of football, no matter how big it may seem, is as tight as a close-knit family. Whether its management staff, senior players, scouts, academy players, business developers, medical team, groundskeeper - everyone knows someone who knows someone else involved in the sport. For Amelia White, it was a family affair.

Having grown up with her father as a senior tactical analyst for many different clubs throughout his career, and an older brother currently playing for Brighton in the Premier League, there was no opportunity for her to escape the fanaticism of the sport. It was what her household lived and breathed, football. Most would think that, with her brother being as successful as he is now, her childhood was shadowed by her brother's success but that's not the case. She capitalised on her ability to think both logically and creatively, and absorbed all of the information her father could give her as if she was a sponge, to establish a name of her own in the sport and advance her career in the sport. At the age of 21 she upped and left the comforts of her home in West London, accepted a position at Juventus within their graduate program & worked her way up the ranks to be their youngest tactical analyst by the age of 24.

So far in her career, the support of her mother, father & brother were unmatched by any. They were all so proud of her for making her own name, proving herself and succeeding in one of the most competitive football leagues in the world. She was smart, tactful, both meticulous and ruthless in her approach to her career and the success of her players. Because after all, they were her players. She worked day in and day out, studying them and their opponents, drafting performance plans and set pieces for every possible outcome of the play, so that they could perform at their best. They had her trust and faith, and she had theirs. This is probably what her family was most proud of, and wished her every success, until she was appointed as a tactical analyst for the Italian National Team for the upcoming Euro 2020 tournament. Which happened to be the same tournament that her brother had received his call up to the Three Lions. Which was the current level at which her father was a senior tactical analyst for the English National Team. The Euro 2020 Tournament was about to be a real family affair...

10 July 2021

It had been 2 months since she last had any contact with her family. 3 months ago, Amelia signed a contract with the Federcalcio, the governing body of football in Italy, to become the Azzurri’s tactical analyst for the foreseeable European Football Championship. In turn, her silky signature at the bottom of the agreement, also constituted a digital and physical contact ban with members of her family that were also involved with the tournament...her father and her brother.

At the time of the contract, and against her better judgement, Amelia hadn’t told her family of her opportunity. She knew her father would be proud, but her brother would be bitter. Her mother was switzerland, completely neutral and rooting for both of her children - but that's not how football works. No matter your role you have a job to do, and you do everything you can to make sure it is your team that lifts the trophy at the end of the tournament. So, on May 23rd her family congratulated her for another successful season at Juventus, and unbeknownst to them, said goodbye for the next 2 months. Until the day before the final match of the tournament, Italy v. England.

Her heart dropped when England won their semi final match against Denmark. She wanted nothing more than for her brother to be happy and for her father to succeed, but she didn’t want to have to go up against them in the final. Ultimately, she knew they were good, but she also knew that she could hold her own and compete with the best. Having a close relationship with her brother, up until this period, meant that she often paid attention to the premier league. This was a major benefit to her as she had already started analysing the azzurri’s opponents. It was her job to know what foot Raheem Sterling preferred to pass with, what direction Declan Rice preferred to take the ball up the field, what direction of receiving the ball did Harry Maguire struggle the most with. So that's how she spent the three days between matches, solidifying her knowledge of her opponents & predicting the plays her dad would be instructing the English team to complete, to attempt to outperform the Italians. However nothing would prepare her for the knock on her suite door, or for what was on the other side…

_____________________________________________________________

“Ciao Amelia, vieni con me per favore. abbiamo organizzato una visita supervisionata con tuo fratello prima della finale di domani sera. sorpresa!” (hi amelia, come with me please. we have arranged a supervised visit with your brother prior to the final tomorrow night. surprise!). I stood there in shock staring at one of my players & closest friends, Federico Bernardeschi. I was a person who didn't enjoy spontaneity, who thrived off of preparation and organisation. I needed the opportunity to overthink every situation so that I could prepare for every possible outcome. This was not my idea of a good time. Of course I missed my brother, but I know just how volatile he can be. Nevertheless, I grabbed my jacket and shoved my sneakers on before following Fede down the hall and into a blacked out van that was waiting to take me to St. George’s Park for my family reunion.

Upon arriving, and after a stern pep talk from Fede (who was my appointed supervisor for the visit - not sure I would say he was the most responsible choice but he did talk some sense into me) I walked into the main entrance and saw my father leaning against the reception desk waiting for me.

“Papa!!” I called as I walked over to him, ready to smother him with my love and affection. My father, Dean White, and I had as good of a relationship as possible, being that he was always heavily involved with my brother Ben’s footballing career as well as his own. I think when I came along, my father didn't know how to be a girl dad, so he took my mothers advice and just involved me like he would Ben. I was glad that I would be seeing him first, and he would be taking me to see my no-doubt pissed off brother.

“Dad, this is Fede, one of my players”

“Ciao Dean, it’s very nice to meet you but i am also her bodyguard for this evening” Fede introduced himself to my father and they exchanged pleasantries. I had a look around the foyer of the facility until I heard my name brought up in conversation.

“Amelia, come on. The boys are just over here. I don’t think you have long before heading back to your camp” My dad called to me. Boys? As in...more than just my brother?

“Hahaha that's funny dad, just show me to his room and we can have our screaming match there. Should only be about 20 or so minutes”

“Ben’s not in his room, we have a recreation room for the players and staff to lounge about and relax in. Pretty sure he’ll be in there. Come on, you’ve never been scared of your brother before. Why start now?” Before I knew it, Dad was leading us through some doors and into a large common area with bean bags, pool tables and couches - all occupied by current first team members of the English National Football team.

“Dean mate, don’t normally see you down here after 7pm. Oh look at that, someone let the trash in.” A loud mouthed player, that I used to adore as if he was my own brother, calls out as he notices us enter the room. And just like that, I shake off my nerves, stand in front of my taller & more argumentative bodyguard, relax my shoulders and stare into the eyes of Kyle Walker - daring him to challenge me and push me further.

“Relax Kyle, Benjamin White - your sister is here to see you.” Dad cut Kyle off. I didn’t need him to defend me against Kyle’s harsh comments, I could defend myself.

“Wow, I thought hell would freeze over before I got the opportunity to speak to you. Of course, I didn't realise hell would look quite like seeing you in that shade of blue.” My brother, Ben, spoke bitterly at me as he approached me from the other side of the room. This, coupled with Walker’s exclamation earlier, got the attention of the majority of the players scattered about.

“Ben, if you let me explain in private I'm sure you will be able to understand why things had to be this way” I tried to reason with him. Letting go of my always-defensive guard and pleading with my big brother to open his mind to see my side of the story.

“As if I would even talk to you right now, the night before the final, you’re probably here to try and get some insider information. Boys make sure you don’t say anything to her, she’s as sly as they come” Ben’s words were as sharp as a knife - but I knew what I had to say would cut him deeper.

“Ok that's enough! You are ridiculous! What did you expect me to do? Not take the job because you’re my brother? This is my career we are talking about here” I challenged him. “If you think for one second i stopped supporting you then you must be even more stupid than i thought. Of course this isn't the ideal situation, I'm proud of you for reaching a final but I'm just as proud of myself for doing the same thing.” I got progressively closer to my brother, who stood there with his hands beside himself, unable to get a word in.

“I came tonight to wish you good luck, to tell you I loved you, to give you a hug and tell you to stay safe and play smart. Whilst I still wish all of this for you, I now want you to know that I want you to play your best so I can be better than you. I can show you exactly how good at my job I am. I want you to know that no matter what way you play the ball, I'll be right there waiting for you. I am prepared for this, I hope you are too - so that it will feel that much more sweet when we beat you” I sneered at my older brother, who at this point, is quite visibly feeling a mixture of shock and embarrassment.

I take a step back, let out a breath and shake the tension from my shoulders. Breaking eye contact with my brother, I look briefly - yet confidently - at the other players in the room and take a step back. I turned to my dad, who was looking at me solemnly, as though he wasn’t happy with my outburst but understood it came from a place of frustration with my sibling. Walking up, giving him a kiss on the cheek and wishing him luck, I turned to look at Fede and began to walk to the door. This interaction with my brother, although supposed to be a nice moment shared between siblings, has only gone and motivated me to be at my best tomorrow, to prepare my players to go to war and to come out the other side victorious.

Part 2 | seconda parte

[renaerys]

Prompt 50. But Berserk & Boomer😔👉👈💕

50. “I thought you left.”

We’re calling this one Unfortunately, She Impressed Him. This is a pair of characters I love with all my heart in any flavor of relationship and can’t wait to write more of in my ongoing multi-chapter fic Trinity House over on AO3.

This fic is part of a prompt challenge that is now closed to new requests, but you can read all the completed submissions here. Reminder that the challenge is to make everything SFW, so we’re getting creative here.

xxx

Boomer was halfway across the deserted lobby of Faust Keating Rogers, LLP when he realized he’d forgotten his keys at his desk. He groaned aloud because it was 8 p.m. and no one was around to hear him because they had all gone home to their families hours ago like normal people. Boomer didn’t have two to three kids and a house in the suburbs, though, and neither did his boss. The three hour lull reserved for dinner, baths, and bedtimes before the evening work-from-home grind offered him no alternative but to power through. He fully planned to grab take out on his way home and enjoy an episode of whatever was on HBOMax before getting back to the tedious work of reviewing the draft prospectus statement his boss had sent him to proof by tomorrow morning.

Except, his keys were forty floors up and he now had to risk running into her again when he’d managed to slip away so neatly. He’d even removed his tie on the elevator ride down, and now he rubbed his exposed neck, flushed with anxiety over what might happen if she saw him and asked him to stick around to finish the work here.

“Nice going, dumbass,” he lamented as he stepped onto the elevator and hit the button for the fortieth floor.

It wasn’t that Boomer disliked his job. In fact, he didn’t mind it at all. It was better than slinging drinks or waiting tables. He had health insurance, a steady paycheck, and a resumé that could proudly display the name of one of the most elite accounting firms in the country. He could pivot his career if he wanted to, as Brick would say. Boomer wasn’t thinking about his next job right now, though. Right now, he was thinking about this one and how his boss was a hard-ass and a workaholic even if she was brilliant, and how there was a one hundred percent chance she would detect him coming back to his desk (which was annoyingly set up right in front of her office so that he could answer her calls, manage her meetings, and deal with whoever passed close enough to her event horizon to get suckered into the latest heinous audit in need of staffing).

There were his traitorous keys sitting on the desk next to the framed picture of his brothers. He glared at them, as if they were a forgotten household item that had developed a supernatural grudge like in those old Japanese folktales he liked to read online. He half expected them to jingle and alert his boss to his presence, just to spite him.

They didn’t, and he slipped them into his pocket as quietly as could be. He released the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding and took a beat. It was quiet. Most of the offices were dark, save for a few poor souls in the large conference room stuck on the ongoing year-end audit for one of the firm’s most important clients: Unicorn, Inc. His boss’s office was also lit up behind her closed door, but she hadn’t called out to him like she would during the day when he got back from his lunch break hoping for a few minutes to catch up on emails in peace before she dumped more work on him.

This, of course, was odd. The small legion of assistants who had come before Boomer were notorious for their short-term employment working this specific desk. The work was demanding and so was the boss, but there was something else that set her apart from other senior associates in the International Tax Services division, something that seemed to intimidate away any support the higher ups sent her way. Denise a couple desks down had warned Boomer not to bring too many personal effects to the office; chances were he wasn’t going to last long. Boomer had smiled thinly and thanked Denise for her advice, and brought the picture of his brothers in the next morning because he had his pride and Brick told him it was healthy to indulge that once in a while. Brick would certainly know.

So here he was, uncertain. Anxiety over having to sit here for another two hours finishing work and having tepid Doordash delivered pulled him toward the elevator and escape, while that annoying, rare pride demanded he check on his boss and make sure she knew he was here to support her, lest she get the idea that he needed to be fired.

The longer he stood there, indecisive, the greater his curiosity grew. What was she doing in there? It was quiet, even when he strained his Super hearing. He could hear Dean Matheson pouring whiskey a few offices down (that guy had a drinking problem and everyone knew they only kept him around because he had the Unicorn, Inc. account), Adebayo Hansou on a conference call with Dubai that was escalating to profanity, Shelly Kim with her head down and typing away at an Excel spreadsheet like a pro. Their assistants were long gone for the night, but here was Boomer, loitering and indecisive and what is she doing in there not yelling at me when she definitely knows I’m here?

He couldn’t take it anymore. He knocked on the closed door—rap, rap, rap—and called out softly, “Berserk?”

A beat, then: “Come in.”

Finding his boss in upward facing dog while still in her pencil skirt was not a sight Boomer was prepared for. Berserk had her eyes closed as she stretched at a near ninety degree angle and listened to music on her Airpods. Boomer had never seen her with her heels off and her mane of red hair thrown together in a messy bun; it was so casual that it was almost obscene.

“You’re staring.”

Fuck, he was staring and now she was looking right at him down her nose, even though she was the one on the floor. He stood up straighter, unable to help himself when she took that tone that reminded him so much of Brick’s when he was about to criticize, but he didn’t avert his gaze. “Sorry.”

She breathed in deeply through her nose and hoisted herself up into downward dog position. “Why are you here?”

Forgot my keys seemed like a really lame excuse that she’d probably laugh at him for, but he also was not in the habit of making shit up on the spot if he hoped to make people believe him. “I forgot my keys.” He took them from his pocket to show her, as if she might not know what keys are, as a concept.

“Smart locks.” Berserk exhaled and slowly walked her hands back on the yoga mat until she reached her feet and began to swing slowly left and right.

Huh? he almost said like an idiot, until he caught himself. “Don’t think my landlord would approve of me installing that.” Also, those things were like $200 a pop, which was not worth the occasional inconvenience and shame of forgetting his keys and then catching his boss doing yoga in her office after hours.

Berserk made some noncommittal sound like whatever, peasant and slowly uncurled upward one vertebra at a time. Boomer realized he was back to staring again, literally lingering in her door watching her and trying to equate this subdued, casual version of Berserk with the terse, no-nonsense businesswoman he was used to dealing with on a daily basis.

When she finally achieved her full height, she popped her neck. The hair that was too short for her bun fell in around her narrow face in a stylish, athleisure sort of way. The top buttons on her blouse were undone. She wore a small, golden necklace he’d never noticed before because he wasn’t in the habit of checking out his boss. “I thought you left.”

The accusatory nature of her words were totally at odds with her flat tone, only the barest hint of curiosity dangling there at the end, like she expected him to respond.

Oh, she expected him to respond.

Boomer took another step into her office because he was full of poor judgment today. “I forgot my keys.”

At which point he showed her his keys again and also had a mild stroke, because what the fuck are you doing, mate?

Berserk smiled. “Yeah, I got that part.”

Was she laughing at him? He had never heard her laugh before, unless it was at Dean Matheson, that comb-over in denial who, in addition to being a high functioning alcoholic, also had a reputation for throwing associates under the bus when a client wasn’t happy.

Boomer smiled back, because that was what he did when people smiled at him, and ‘people’ now included Berserk, apparently.

“Well, since you’re here,” she said as she padded around to her desk.

Crap, there was the work he was afraid of soliciting from her by remaining in the building. He debated an excuse to give her: picking up dry cleaning? Plausible, but transparent. Meeting up with his brothers? No, she’d probably make him stay all night for the chance to ruin Brick’s plans.

“Thai or Mexican?”

Boomer stared dumbly. He was becoming quite good at that (10,000 hours and you can become an expert at anything, they say). “Huh?”

The yoga must have put Berserk in an exceedingly gracious mood, because she actually repeated her question without getting that look on her face like she was picturing him getting trampled by stampeding monsters. “Thai or Mexican? I don’t have a preference.”

Oh.

Oh.

Boomer’s stomach picked that time to snarl at him—8 p.m. and still no dinner, the fiend.

Berserk snorted in laughter and fanned herself with her phone. “Jesus. Mexican it is.”

Which was how Boomer found himself on the small sofa tucked in the corner of Berserk’s office, shoes off and belt loosened, with enough tacos, tamales, and rice and beans to feed a small family. He even had a beer from the mini fridge Berserk kept under her desk.

She hadn’t stayed late to work. Well, she had, but only because she didn’t have a reason to go home.

“I just hate getting home to a dark apartment sometimes,” she said in between bites of food. She had her legs tucked up under her on the sofa close enough to brush Boomer’s thigh if he reached to grab the salsa.

“I thought you lived with your sister?”

“Brute got her own place a few months ago. The arrangement was only temporary while she was in between jobs.”

It was weird knowing so little about a person whose whole family had been in Boomer’s inner orbit since childhood. As far as he knew, Berserk wasn’t close to any of her cousins, not even Blossom. Boomer himself had never been more eager to leave a room than when Brat walked into it. Only Butch, Brute, and Buttercup had ever found common ground among each other once the sworn rivalries and blood feuds of their youth gave way to teenage rebellion against their respective overlord fathers and then the slog of adulthood that was inescapable even for a bunch of Supers flying high on Chemical X.

The fact that Boomer had gotten this job surprised him more than anyone. After drifting from restaurant jobs to office temp placements over the last six years, he’d never thought he would dust off his economics degree and land a temp-to-permanent position that seemed way above his qualifications. And he never thought it would be working for a woman he’d most definitely electrocuted in battle at least a dozen times before puberty.

“What?”

Boomer blinked. He’d been staring again, Jesus Christ. “Sorry, I was just thinking… I didn't know that. I’ve been working here for five months and I don’t actually know much about you at all.”

“Hm.”

Her magenta eyes were wine-dark against the murky sky beyond the window forty stories up. Boomer did avert his gaze this time to reach for the salsa, but he didn’t use it.

“I don’t even know why you invited me to stay for dinner in the office if we’re not going to do any work.”

“Why did you stay?”

“For the free food.”

Berserk grinned—the third time she had smiled at him tonight (or ever). He needed to stop counting; he’d be disappointed when it stopped happening tomorrow.

“Don’t get used to it. Much as I appreciate the company now and again, there’s no need for both of us to be stuck here while Matheson’s breathing down the associates’ necks. Can’t have him poaching you out from under me.”

“Well, I don’t work for him; I work for you.”

“It’s sweet how you don’t understand office politics.” She ate a lone slice of avocado with a fork. “He landed Unicorn back when they were early stage, and back when he was still putting in the work to earn his reputation. But since they IPO’d three years ago and make up twenty percent of our revenue now, he’s just another big name coasting by on associate work. You know he regularly schedules client calls and just doesn’t bother to show up? He forgets half the time, and the other half he’s busy playing golf or buying a yacht or whatever the fuck rich, white Boomers do.”

“Well, as a Boomer myself, I can say I’ve spent exactly zero hours buying yachts.”

She chuckled. Fourth time. “Oh, really.”

“Never even thought of yachts. As far as I’m concerned, they’re not even real.”

“Thanks for your expert opinion.”

“Any time.” Boomer turned his body to face her and draped his arm over the back of the sofa. With only the soft light from the floor lamp in the corner, he imagined himself adrift in the darkness, the sky scraper lights nearby stars. It was a lonely thought, one made romantic in the knowledge that she was here too, and he wasn’t actually alone.

“Matheson almost did poach you, you know.”

“What do you mean?” Boomer couldn’t recall exchanging more than a few words with the man.

“When we were filling support positions. Someone recognized you from the news a few years back, when the Cyclops Monster attacked the marina district and you and your brothers took it out. Matheson got it in his head that you’d be able to work at Super speed and help lower his billables.”

“Wow. Maybe you should’ve let him. What do you think the net savings would be in yacht units of measurement?”

Berserk rolled her eyes, but she was smiling again. “I claimed you before he could get the paperwork in.”

Boomer hyper-focused on that word: claimed. He also pointedly ignored it entirely, much in the same way he ignored the new count of five smiles tonight. “Showed him your bending powers, did you?”

Berserk’s Corona bottle turned frosty under her hand in a totally unnecessary, big dick energy display of said powers, and she took another sip. “No. Sharon from HR likes me. And I promised her I wouldn’t fire you after three months like your predecessors.”

Flattered was not how Boomer would describe the feeling of being claimed by Berserk and eluding Matheson’s vampiric clutches. But he was a bit tickled all the same. This was the woman Butch had once described as essentially Brick, if he were constipated all the time.

And then he realized what she was doing. “Hey, you’re sharing things about yourself.”

She clinked her bottle to his, and Boomer shivered at the frosty chill she transferred on contact. “Aw, you figured it out all by yourself.”

“Ha ha.”

She didn’t quite smile, but she did look kind of serene then, content even, as she lay back against the arm of the sofa and yawned. Her gold necklace—just a simple disk with an engraving Boomer could not make out—reflected the lamp light when she moved. It rested just beneath her collarbone, which had suddenly become the single-most interesting part of Berserk, and oh no, was he interested—

“You’re staring again.”

Son of a bitch.

“Sorry,” he said automatically. “I didn’t mean to.”

Hard no. He was not allowed to be any percent attracted to Berserk. First, she was his boss, and there was a cliché here that, while subverted on the gender role spectrum, was still very risky for both of them. Second, she was Berserk, a fellow Super, cousin to his best friend Bubbles and a shrewd, stiletto bitch in Brick’s estimation, which sounded bad. Not that she was bad, or even evil, unless you counted helping rich corporations accurately report their taxes while taking advantage of the many egregious loopholes in the Internal Revenue Code. Which, okay, point taken, but he also worked here and anyway, people should not be deemed good or evil so much as their choices ought to be—

“Are you thinking about fucking me?”

You shrewd, stiletto bitch!

She was smiling again, and Boomer pathetically logged that as the sixth time, although he wasn’t sure he should count it given the overt malice behind it.

Unfortunately, Boomer was, as had been previously established, very bad at making shit up on the fly. So he miserably said, “Yeah.”

“Hm.”

She sipped her beer slowly, and of course he watched. If it was out in the open, as fleeting a bout of insanity as it may have been, at least he could wallow in it without worrying about appearances.

It was the yoga. That fucking upward facing dog, Jesus Christ.

It was more than that too. Over the last few months, he had worked closely with her, watched her navigate the cutthroat halls full of piranhas like Matheson and other account managers, getting herself work on the best clients while managing her juniors with efficiency and professionalism. She was excellent and sharp, and she demanded excellency and sharpness in kind. After years of going it alone or temping for bosses who didn’t care enough even to learn his name, much less provide him with guidance and mentorship, it was an unspeakable relief to work under someone who knew how to rally the troops. Someone who knew how to lead, how to motivate, and how to reward loyalty with loyalty in return. It didn’t hurt that she looked amazing in her daily stilettos, either.

Unfortunately, she impressed him.

“I have some work to get done tonight.” Berserk stood up and smoothed her skirt.

Boomer scrambled to his feet. “Of course! Um.” He began closing food containers and repackaging them in the bags they’d come in, because he was panicking. “I’ll get rid of the trash. Do you want the leftovers in the fridge?”

“You take them. Otherwise my office will smell like a burrito for a week.”

“Okay.” Numbly, Boomer finished packing everything up, while Berserk made her way back to her desk and logged into her computer to check her emails.

Boomer lingered at the door. “I’ll have the prospectus back to you later tonight.”

“Thanks.”

Wow, way to go, stud.

He turned to leave, but her voice stopped him.

“Boomer?”

“Yeah?”

“Friday is good.”

He stared back at her in expert mode. “Huh?”

Berserk poked her head around the side of her large, external monitor. She was smiling again. Lucky number seven. “For fucking.”

“Okay,” Boomer said.

Okay?!

She pulled back behind her monitor. “I was going to get a cat, but you’ll do much better.”

Because she didn’t like going home to a dark, empty apartment alone. With no one to fuck.

“That was a joke.”

“Yeah, I got that,” he croaked.

Friday is for fucking, he thought, which was delightful alliteration and also completely insane and one hundred percent something he was getting more on board with by the nanosecond.

“See you tomorrow,” she said.

Boomer clutched the leftover Mexican food in his fist. “Okay. Goodnight.”

It took him the time to fly home and put the food away in his small fridge to realize that he had a sort-of date with Berserk lined up for two days from now.

He Y-posed at the window and whooped, “Hell yes!!”

Loud pounding in the floor followed by old Mrs. Cruikshank’s muffled Keep it down! couldn’t bring down his mood.

Boomer leaped onto his threadbare, living room sofa with his work laptop and took to the prospectus with alacrity. He’d send over superior work product and make Berserk’s job just that much easier tomorrow morning.

xxx

If you enjoy my writing, check out more of my fics on AO3, link in my profile. I’m currently updating Trinity House (which has a lot more Berserk and Boomer content, btw!) and The Alchemy of Us. Thanks for reading!

[hopelesslyfallenninlove]

Never Thought It Would Be You ~ A Cordelia Goode x Fem! Reader Part 4

I am quick to go to bed after that encounter with Cordelia and making food for those kids. The next morning I do the same routine; make breakfast, go clean the greenhouse, water the plants, then go inside have a cup of coffee while listening to what ever one of the girls want to talk about. Today was a holiday so we didn’t have any classes, which I’m relieved about because I’m sure I would not be able to stand one of Cordelias classes after what had happen. It’s about 9am and I just finished cleaning the kitchen, when I decide to try and see if there was a forget spell. I can’t handle Cordelia knowing the truth but I don’t think I’m powerful enough to do a spell. I finally find one and just as I find it Cordelia is behind me and says “Y/N why are you looking at forgetting spells? You not going to try to do that tome are you?” She asks with such a sad smile on her face, Cordelia reaches and grabs the book from my hands.

“Miss. Goode....... I was just reading about it I wasn’t going to do anything with it. Why would I do that to my supreme?” I say trying to think of an excuse, but also trying to get out of here as fast as possible.

“Y/n, I know you’re lying. What happened yesterday is embarrassing but also means so much and we should talk about it. Sweet girl we need to talk about it. I...-“ just as Cordelia was about to reach for my cheek the door swings open and in walks an excited Zoe, we both look over to her.

“The neighbors are have fireworks later today, y/n we should have a little cookout in the grill. We need stuff from the store though right?” Zoe asks me and starts to drag me out already mowing the answer before I can say anything.

“Yes we do need stuff, we need hamburgers, brats, hotdogs, stuff to make potato salad some beans maybe. Would you like to go to the store with me?” I ask hoping she agrees so I don’t have to walk back with the bags myself .

“Yes as long as I can get my favorite candy?” Zoe says with a pouty look, knowing I can’t resist it.

“Yes of course, let’s go.” I say with a slight chuckle. With that we walk to the store and start grabbing all the supplies. While walking around you can’t help but thank all the gods for sending Zoe in to take you away from such an uncomfortable situation. Once everything is bought you both head home.

“So...... what was up with you and Cordelia? You looked really uncomfortable and just like you wanted to leave?” Zoe asks with concern, hope she didn’t overstep the boundary.

“Oh.... if I tell you you can’t tell anyone.” You say really wanting so,some to talk to and hoping Zoe will be the one.

“Of course y/n, whatever it is will stay between us and only us.” Zoe says with an encouraging smile and a slight squeeze to the shoulder.

“Okay, ..... last night Miss.Goode woke me up.... however before she did I was having a certain dream, if you know what I mean, and I was apparently saying her name while I was sleeping and making noises.” I look over at Zoe to gage her reaction and Zoe just nodded encouraging me to continue. “So I wanted to make her forget about that because it’s embarrassing and she is not supposed to know that I have a huge freaking crush on her, but now she does and I can’t even do the spell. I don’t know what I’m going to do, I can’t even be in the same room as her without wishing the earth would just swallow me up.” Zoe reaches up and wipes a tear away I didn’t even know I had.

“Y/n, just talk to her. She might like you back you never know and yes this is not how you wanted her to know but it is. Don’t run from the talk and just express your thoughts and feelings.” Zoe has a bright smile like she knows something I don’t and by the time that is said we are home and heading to the kitchen. “Do you need any help?”

“No I’m good, and thank you I really appreciate it.” I give Zoe a smile and start working on the potato salad.

“Anytime y/n, I’m always here for you.” Zoe walks away and I’m left to my thoughts and making the food alone. Time has flown by and before you know it it’s already 5pm and time to cook the burgers and such. I go out side and light the grill, and start cooking. Misty comes out and we are talking about certian plants with healing qualities, Malory soon joins us and her and Misty walk to the green house to look at the plants. I finish up with the food and call the neighbors over and everyone that the food is ready. I have a burger and some potato salad, hopefully everyone will like it I haven’t grilled for anyone yet which is surprising.

The time is now 8pm dark enough for fireworks, (start listening to the song now/if you want to) we all set blankets up and watch as the first ones go off with big booms. I start to think about Cordelia and how I don’t know if I can take the heartbreak with this one, I think she might be it. I was nothing without her and now I’m whole. Before I knew Cordelia I was always alone, I always felt like something was missing like I was broken. I was just a ship waiting to crash, and now I have a family I have a purpose and I’m content here. If Cordelia tells me she doesn’t want me her anymore because of the confession, I think I will wilt away, I’m just a half without her. When it’s just me and Cordelia before all the confusing things recently I felt like we were fireworks, I felt like I had finally found my purpose. She puts the melody in my heart, she makes me feel safe and is home. Those beautiful eyes her golden hair, she’s the one my soulmate. As I’m deep in my thoughts I don’t even notice Cordelia coming up to me and sitting right next to me. “Hey y/n can we talk please?” Cordelia asks with hope and was looks like she scared in her eyes.

“Yeah I think we should, let’s go in the kitchen.” I get up and help her up, we walk in the kitchen and I can tell Cordelia is really nervous she’s picking at her fingers. “It’s okay Cordelia, whatever happens I’ll still be here.” I give her my best smile. “Cordelia I need to just say it, you are the one I think is for me. I really like you, hell I’m in love with you, when I met you I had nothing, no family, no home, no hope. Since I met you I gained all of those things, I never thought I’d have any of those. I was broken, never believed anyone could put my pieces back and give me something to look forward to and to always have somewhere to go. When I’m with you my whole world feel brighter, feels whole, I feel like I could quite literally do anything. I never ever thought in a million years that I’d have a soulmate and let alone I never thought it would be you. Oh how I’m so very happy it Is you and not someone else, I can’t see my life with anyone else but you. You are so beautiful in and out, you have a heart of gold Cordelia Goode and that heart deserves to be looked at and cared for, now weather you have feelings for me or not I will still be here taking care if that heart and you. I will always be here Cordelia Goode.” I dint know at which point I started crying but I somehow am. I look at Cordelia waiting for her to say something and when she doesn’t I lose hope of her liking me back, but that is okay I meant it when I said I’ll still be here.

“It’s about damn time you said that love, I was beginning to think this was all in my head. I knew 1yr and 3months of you being here that you my dear are my soulmate. The only one for me, I’m in love with you y/n.” With that being said Cordelia grabs me with both hands and kisses me like I will disappear tomorrow, as soon as our lips touch there is a firework that goes off and it is in the shape of a heart.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Let me know what you think. I know I kept going from 1st person to 2nd person that is something I will be working on. If anyone has a suggestion please let me know or if you have a print in mind. Also if want any more parts to this series let me know. The next one will be about Billie Dean Howard. Anyways thank you for reading, I wasn’t sure anyone would read these or even like them. I mainly use this as a creative outlet, anyways thank you again and have a goodnight/day :)

[stargazetheseries]

OPEN CASTING CALL FOR STARGAZE: “THE PILOT” EPISODE & TRAILER VISIT: https://stargazetheseries.com/casting-call/ FOR DETAILS OR READ BELOW: A Borken Creative Production Sept 27, 2021 STARGAZE is a queer campy sci-fi adventure short-form adventure series intended for OTT. Executive Producers: Jill Golick, Carrie Cutforth Director: Regan Latimer Writer: Carrie Cutforth Union: ACTRA TORONTO (NEW MEDIA) Shoot: The pilot will begin shooting for 5 to 6 days between October 25-Nov 17th, 2021 Location: Toronto STORYLINE: A disparate group of rookie oddballs join an elite squad commissioned to save the Queerverse (from itself) only to discover the STARGAZE program is a sham make-work initiative to keep the crew from rocking the boat by sending them out on a fool’s quest (led by two elder queer chaperones who despise each other). Think: A 2SLGBTQIA+ The Facts Of Life meets The Breakfast Club in space! *BIPOC STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY **MUST BE 18+ TO SUBMIT EVEN IF CHARACTER IS LISTED AS YOUNGER THE STARTGAZE RECRUITS: SAF RON (she/her): Character is 20, cisgender woman, lesbian, open to all ethnicities; some physical comedy required. LEAD. Mad as hell and not going to take it anymore, Saf joins STARGAZE with high expectations. If the adults won’t save the day, she will… and finally get the credit she deserves! But can this lone wolf learn to connect with others, stop being a control freak, relax her unreasonably high expectations of others (and herself), and step into the leadership role for which she is destined? First, she’ll have to stop seeing anyone getting in her way as a mustache-twirling villain, learn to see her crewmates’ value, accept help, and open herself up vulnerably. Gets apoplectic when mad; Has a knack for creating very convoluted protest chants that no one can follow. WHIT SPRINKLES (he/him): Character is 19, cisgender man, gay, open to all ethnicities. Must be able to walk elegantly in high heels. LEAD. A social media influencer famous for his snarky and bitter ’reads,’ charismatic Whit has developed a parasocial relationship with his stans. Living life performing in the spotlight from a very young age, Whit has no idea who he really is, what his real interests are, or his beliefs outside of what his analytics tell him: “My fans are gonna love this!” Only joining STARGAZE under pressure from his stans, his inability to forge true intimate connections is exacerbated by his relationship with his mother/manager Mumsy Sprinkles, a talentless hack/narcissistic stage mother living her dreams through her kid. If Whit was a meme he would be: ‘Bitch, I dun give a fuck!’ But he does, indeed, give a fuck. ESSA T. HATCH (they/them): Character is 18, non-binary or agender, asexual, demiromantic, neurodivergent, open to all ethnicities. LEAD. Adorkable Essa is an introvert who doesn’t really ‘get’ people. The explorer among the crew with an engineering mind and a love of mapping places and spaces, they know every nook and cranny of the ship and are usually the first to forge ahead (i.e. wander off) on every expedition. Essa mostly wants to be left alone to their own devices because they actually prefer their own company (neurotypicals can be so exhausting!). This normally wouldn’t be such a problem except Essa was pressured to join STARGAZE to make friends and widen their social net out of parental concern (‘We won’t be around forever, Essa!’). Loves to knit, make Venn diagrams of relationships; speaks in emojis when emotionally drained. LEW D’SHUS (he/him): Character is 21, transgender man or transmasculine, pansexual, open to all ethnicities. LEAD. When babelicious Lew looks at you with his rapt attention and dreamy eyes, you feel like the only person in the ‘verse until his short attention span snaps away and he forgets you’re there. “Good vibes, only!” Lew will gladly give you your Tarot card reading, but not before taking the negative cards out first. With his strict ‘the universe is love, we are love,’ mantra, Lew never wants anyone to feel bad even when they are deadass wrong! His philosophy of

appeasement can cause conflict amongst the crew and his inability to take sides in crucial moments will often put them in danger. No, we cannot just hug everything out, Lew! CHRYSTRAH SNU (she/her): Character is 17 (must be 18+ to apply), cis-gender woman, identifies as ‘queer’ but just figuring it all out. LEAD. Chrystrah is a fresh-off-the-belt queer who has arrived with big expectations: ‘I’m here, I’m queer! Direct me to my spot on the rainbow carpet!’ The trauma of her homophobic upbringing has left Chrystrah without any real sense of self; her identity loosely held together like a fragile cracked egg. Any criticism, no matter how gentle, feels like an attack, causing Chrystrah to act abrasive, territorial, and defensive. She is always overcompensating in big bombastic ways because she feels so inadequate for not knowing the right words, behaviours, and codes. She is jealous of Saf (some might say obsessed) who does seem to get it all right. Fiercely loyal, Chrystrah is the first to run headlong into danger to save someone. She has a steep learning curve ahead. THE ELDER QUEER CHAPERONES: BAE TORGA (she/her): Character is late 30’s-early 40’s, cisgender woman, bisexual, bipolar, open to all ethnicities. PRINCIPAL. A war hero (or war criminal depending on who you ask), Bae sees STARGAZE as an opportunity to redeem herself in the eyes of former mentor and friend Oracle Cain. She is someone who struggles with self-loathing and self-doubt even though she’s spent her adulthood righting her past wrongs and reining in her bipolar disorder, which contributed to her past rash and reckless mistakes. Possessing a tough, gruff demeanor, Bae is outwardly sardonic but really a bleeding heart who holds back out of fear that any demonstration of affection and empathy will be seen as a commitment. ORACLE CAIN (she/her): Character is middle-aged or older, transgender woman, ambulatory wheelchair user or wheelchair user, open to all ethnicities. *Note, as this is sci-fi, younger than middle age may apply. PRINCIPAL. A founding figure of the Queerverse, Oracle has done her service, done her duty, and now she’s done. She wants a peaceful existence to guard her limited energy and manage her physical pain. Instead, she’s pulled out of retirement to command a ship full of bickering youths. She also has to contend with spoiled brat and former colleague Bae reminding her of the past that Oracle is trying hard to forget. But duty is duty and it’s not like complaining ever got her anywhere. Talking to Oracle can feel like playing a chess game where the aloof commander is always five steps ahead: you never quite know where you stand with her. ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS ELP WHIPP (they/them or xe/xem): Character is middle-aged or older, gender-fluid, open to all ethnicities. Leader of the coalition of non-profit planets (each with its own conflicting Gay Agenda) that rule the Queerverse, Elp Whipp is a career bureaucrat/bean-counter who often gets caught in the trappings of their own political web — meaning much of nothing ever gets accomplished and progress is never made. Elp will appear throughout the series in that ‘Dean of the school’ role, occasionally showing up to demand overdue reports, warn the crew that their funding is at risk, and generally throw a wrench in the works. CARDIGAN JACK (she/her): Character is 30s, cis-woman, lesbian, open to all ethnicities. Cardigan Jack is a ‘pussy-hat’ wearing neo-liberalist feminist with a pirate vibe. She is the ‘Live, Laugh, Love’ of TERFs, and Saf Ron’s nemesis. TO SUBMIT: Borken Creative is committed to diverse and inclusive casting. For every role, please submit qualified performers without regard to disability, race, age, colour, sexual orientation or gender identity, or any other basis prohibited by law, unless otherwise specifically indicated, subject to legitimate casting directives. DEADLINE: Oct 8, 2021 EMAIL: casting@stargazetheseries.com. SUBJECT LINE: Character(s) Role, Performer’s First and Last Name, pronouns. BODY OF EMAIL: Please provide contact info including phone number.

Please confirm you are 18 or over in the body of email if applying for a Stargaze recruit character. Submit headshot and resume as attachments to casting@stargazetheseries.com. Resume should be in a scannable text file format (such as .doc, .pdf, .txt). First round selects will be invited to submit either a video clip audition or zoom audition invite. Only successful candidates will be contacted.

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[queen-of-deans-booty]

The Best Part About Being Human

Characters: Castiel x Angel!Reader

Word Count: 3.2k

Warnings: smut, unprotected sex, fluff, skinny dipping, brief oral fem recieving

Request by anon: Can you write a fluffy Cas x Reader where she is his best friend and they are both in love with each other. He is the careful and overthinking angel she is the girl who just wants to live in the moment. One night they go skinny dipping.

Summary: You’ve lived with humans for centuries, and you can’t ever think about going back to Heaven. When Castiel shows up, you have to show him how good it feels to be human.

Squares Filled: childhood friends @castielspnbingo​ // fools rush where angels fear to tread @as-the-saying-goes-bingo​ // castiel for my frist card of heavenandhellbingo // kissed to be quiet @spnfluffbingo​ // new years resolution @spngenrebingo​ // “whatever you lack in talent, you make up for in confidence.” @spnquotebingo​ // non-canonical relationship for @trope-bingo

Author’s Note: This is unbeta’d and all mistakes are mine. If you have any requests, please send them in!

Heaven has always been a “one-track mind” and a “black and white” kind of way. There is a set of rules every angel is supposed to follow, and if you don’t, then you’re cast out. Most habitable planets have and follow the same kind of rules, and they become so boring to live by. It’s fine for the first couple millennium, but then it gets kind of boring and predictable.

God entrusted his angels to serve Heaven and to follow those strict rules. Heaven always comes first, and it didn’t matter if you had other priorities in your life. You went where the archangels sent you, you did what they asked of you, and you did it without complain.

There has to be something more out there, something that challenged its people and didn’t tell them what to do and where to go. There had to be someplace in the entire universe that held creative imagination to a high standard. For a while, you never found it. You searched high and low for it, but you always came up empty. It made you question whether or not such a  thing existed until you found Earth.

Such a small planet in some tiny solar system lying in a galaxy that is barely out of its diapers. Such a tiny and insignificant planet, and they defy all the rules. Upon first discovering them, your heart soared at the thought of being able to creatively express yourself--to be who you are instead of being who someone else tells you to be. Heaven is exactly that--you don’t get to be who you are. They program you into being perfect soldiers, but that’s not who you want to be.

You want to be able to talk with your peers without the fear of being judged by them, you want to be able to do something without your four older brothers reigning hell down on you for disobeying your father, and you want to be able to find love and joy and humor and sadness and grief--something you can’t ever find in Heaven. Everyone’s Heavens are perfect little sanctuaries that protect them from the horrors of their own lives. You won’t find what you’re looking for in there--and you’ve gotten in trouble for popping into people’s Heavens before.

Humans have a silly way of doing things, but what makes them so unique is that they are imperfect. Everyone in Heaven is perfect--no scars to tell people where they’ve been and what they’ve been doing. Humans are flawed to the T, but that’s what makes them so special to be around. They cherish life because it ends. They find value in happiness because of sadness and fear. They crave thrills and adventure because their bodies are built to withstand so much, yet, they don’t know that. Human souls are so valuable and pure, it’s amazing what each person does with them.

Humans have come a long way since they were first created, but they still have such a long way to go. They won’t ever be perfect, but that’s why you love them so much. It’s also the main reason why you left Heaven to hide on Earth to be with the humans. You pretended for centuries to be like one of them--talk, act, love--just so you can feel like you belong to something.

There are bad ones that filter through every once in a while, but you’d rather be here than on Heaven a million times over. There is just something so powerful and heartwarming about being surrounded by imperfect beings. It really makes you question what God has been doing, and what kind of plan he has for the angels. Even now you can see angels are heavily flawed because the system is flawed.

There is a flawed system down on Earth regarding the demons and monsters that Eve unleashed onto the world. They are the diseased little insects that have been infecting the world from the very start, but you try and do your part to make it a better place without outing yourself to the rest of your friends and family. The only one you want to know you’re down here is Castiel.

He’s the only person you absolutely love out of your entire friends and family from up there.

He’s a good soldier, and you fought beside him in many battles, but he’s also the only one who gets and understands you. He’s seen the flaws up in Heaven, but you’re the only one who had the balls to leave and do something about it. He stayed, and you wish to your father he would come down here and find you.

You’ve prayed to him before in hopes he would change his mind and come down here, but you hadn’t heard anything from him in a while. He’s your best friend who you love with all your heart, and he’s not down here experiencing this with you. You’ve been everywhere on this Earth three times, and it would all be better if he were by your side. You’ve hunted with hunters from all over the world in fighting their monsters, and the ones you actually like are the Winchesters.

They know you exist and how you’re trying to hide from Heaven, so they kept your secret all these years. Then Dean died, and that’s when Castiel finally made his appearance. He’s the one who saved Dean from hell and learned you were here from Sam. Sam knew how much you missed him, so he spilled the beans just a little bit.

While the Winchesters traveled around the United States, you stayed in one place: New York City. While most people would say it’s a dump and has dirty people and things, you think of it as a place where creativity flies high. You don’t think you ever met a group of more independent people than in New York City. You used your angelic powers to get yourself a penthouse suite in the Big Apple just so you could watch the humans live their life all around you.

And now Castiel is here, and you couldn’t be happier about it.

“Castiel!” you rejoice and hug him tightly.

“Y/N, we’ve been looking everywhere for you. Michael wants you back.”

“Michael can sit on his ass and wait. I cloaked myself. I didn’t want to be found, that’s why I prayed to you al the time in hopes you’d join me down here.”

You’re sitting inside a cafe in one of the corners, just watching as humans ordered, talked, and laughed with themselves and other people.

“Why Earth?”

“That seems to be the question that everyone asks these days. Why Earth? Humans are so messy and imperfect and animals. We’re so much above them that they don’t even have any kind of value or worth.”

“Exactly,” he nods.

“But that’s exactly why they’re so special. How old are we, Castiel? Megaannum, that’s how old. We’re millions of years old, and we still have millions more to go. They see the value in life because it ends. For some, it lasts 70 years and others, 100. But it ends, and that’s why they cherish it. They’re reckless and rash and impulsive, but they’re the best judge of characters. I’ve learned that living down here for a few centuries. I’m not human, but it’s not such a bad thing to learn to be it.”

“You sound like God,” he sighs.

“Yes, I do. The only difference between me and Him is that I actually lived among them instead of creating them. He may have created their structure, but they evolved from it and made it better. This is a new year, and I want to try new things. I want you to stay with me here, Castiel. I want to be human with you.”

“We’re not human.”

“No, but we can act like them. How about I make you a deal. You come camping with me for a whole week, and if you decide to stay with me, then that’s great. However, if you decide to go back home, then I won’t blame you. All I ask is that if you do, don’t tell them where I am. They’ll make me come home, and I already found a new one. I’ll still aid and help if and when Heaven needs me, but it’s not right now.”

“What’s camping?” he asks in confusion.

“Oh, Castiel, you’re going to love it! It’s where humans go into the woods and bring camping gear and tents and sleeping bags and non-perishable food while being in touch with nature!” you gush.

“Like animals.”

“You can be so stoic sometimes. Let me take you camping. It’s, like, the most human thing I’ve seen. Well, apart from eating and sleeping and showering. It’ll be so much fun!”

“Can’t wait,” he sighs.

His words express excitement, yet his tone expresses the complete opposite. Just he wait because this is going to be the best camping trip ever.

“You’ve been hanging with the Winchesters, I can tell. It’s why I brought this fancy-ass tent. You don’t need sleeping bags for this because there are air mattresses inside of it. They’re pretty sturdy actually. Great for sleeping.”

“We don’t sleep.”

“Exactly,” you smirk.

You’ve always had a crush on your fellow angel, but you never did anything about it. There are a lot of angels in Heaven making relationships with one another. It’s the most human thing you’ve seen them do. You’ve always hoped you and Castiel would be together one day, but then you left and you hadn’t seen him since. Maybe you can start something with him down here, and he would want to stay.

“What are we supposed to do now?” he asks.

“Now we set up the fire. It’s going to get dark soon. It’s my fault for leaving so late. I try not to use my powers down here. I’ve figured out how to live without them.”

“I could never,��� he mutters, but you choose not to comment on it.

Castiel stands there as still as can be while you try to get the fire going. You want to be human, but you haven’t figured out how to everything they can do. Like building a fire, for instance. It’s a lot harder than it looks. Castiel can see you struggling, and he just snickers at your attempts to get a flame going.

“Whatever you lack in talent, you make up for in confidence.”

“Shut the hell up,” you laugh and give in with your powers.

You start a fire instantly despite not needing the warmth. It’s mostly to sit around and watch the fire embers bounce off Castiel’s face. You’ve never seen him in this kind of light, and you can only imagine what color blue his eyes would be against the red of the flames.

“We can start doing things tomorrow, but you need different clothes. It’s hard to do anything with a trench coat and suit on. Let me help you,” you state and walk over to him.

Your hands slide up his coat so you can push it off his shoulders. He watches the emotion in your eyes as you do so, so you know he sees just how much you want him.

“I can manage on my own.”

“You’re still so stiff. Let me help you with that. There’s a reason why I picked this spot. You want to know why?” you ask and step back from him.

“Why?”

“Because there is a lake, and I really love swimming. Care to join me?”

“Isn’t is tradition to wear a swimsuit when doing things like this?” he asks as you lift your shirt over your head.

If it’s possible, he gets stiffer at the sight of you in just a bra and shorts. Not just his body, but his cock as well. Jimmy Novak’s cravings must be getting through somehow.

“It is, but there’s also your birthday suit,” you smirk and finish undressing before his very eyes. “Care to join me?”

“I’d like that,” he says in a much lower voice than normal.

You turn with your back to him as you walk into the lake by your campsite. Castiel doesn’t really know what he’s doing, but he knows he wants to do it with you. The crush you have on him is exactly the kind of crush he has on you. He’s had it ever since you two were children. He never thought relations between angels were allowed until most recently. If he’s going to do anything with anyone, then he’d rather do it with you.

As soon as he’s naked, he walks into the lake to be by your side. While you don’t have sexual cravings as your angel grace prevents it, your vessel’s cravings do shine through. Castiel is a lean and sexy man, and she definitely likes what she sees.

“Do you like the way the water feels on your skin?” you ask as you swim closer to him.

“It’s nice, yes.”

“You’re still tense. Would you like me to help you relax? I’ve picked up a few tricks along the way,” you chuckle.

“What would you do that could help me? Don’t you get nervous or anxious in situations like these? Like you don’t know what you’re--”

You cut him off with a kiss to the lips. He’s shocked, to say the least, but he doesn’t not like it. His vessel is popping up through the cracks in more ways than one, and he’s not sure if she should roll with this or end it.

“Don’t think, feel,” you whisper and wrap your legs around his waist.

His cock springs to attention the more your hands and lips are on his body, but he knows exactly what to do. He’s been to Earth before, and he’s observed this kind of activity before. He’s never participated it in personally, but he knows what to do and where to put it.

“This is new,” he mutters lowly.

“Do you like it?”

“I do.”

“Then let me do more of it,” you grin.

Your lips move from his down to his neck to find that one spot that would have made his vessel soar with pleasure. The water sloshes around you two, but you don’t pay any attention to it. Instead, you’re focused on the thing that’s poking at your center. You’ve come to learn a lot about your body and what it can do and handle. Right now, you can handle a lot more than this.

“I’m not sure what to do now,” he pants.

“You do, Castiel. Take me back to the tent and have your way with me. You’ll know what to do,” you encourage.

You attach your lips to his just as his hands grip your body tighter. He begins the trek back to the tent without ever letting you go. You two drip water everywhere, but you can’t seem to care right now. He lays you down on one of the sturdy air mattresses before detaching his lips from yours.

“I’ve seen many people do this,” he mutters as he kisses down your neck and chest.

“And now you’re doing it yourself,” you moan when he takes a nipple into his mouth.

The noises you make and the way your body arches fuels him to go down further. It’s like the more skin he exposes to himself, the more he knows what to do. He’s not listening to the angel side of him, but the human side of him. Every angel has one, and the longer an angel spends away from Heaven and other angels, the more it pops out.

“Your body is exquisite,” he praises as he descends down your body.

“I can say the same thing about your mouth,” you chuckle-moan.

By the time he reaches your pussy, he knows exactly what to do. He licks one broad stripe up your center, and his vessel goes crazy with the need to be inside you. Castiel’s tongue is warm and wet, but there is time for that later on. Right now, all you want is to feel him inside you. You’ve waited a long time for this moment, and you’re not going to waste another second of it.

He kisses up your body and locks his lips with yours as he grabs the base of his throbbing cock in his hand. He rubs the tip over your lips a few times just to spread your juices around. Humans say this part hurts, but he knows you’ll be able to take the pain. He slides himself in inch by inch until he bottoms out, holding your hands in his by your head.

“Shit, Castiel, you feel so good inside me,” you moan.

“Who knew you could be this tight,” he chuckles.

He gains a surge of confidence that allows him to pull out and slam right back in. Your back arches the moment of impact, and your mouth forms a perfect ‘o’. No noise comes out of it because your body is just in complete shock at what he’s done. He can see how much pleasure he’s giving you, so he does it again, making sure to hit that one spot guaranteed to make you scream.

“Fuck!” you cry.

He doesn’t waste any more time and pistons in and out of you. Out of all the humans you’ve been with, Castiel is the one to come out on top. Nothing is better than angel sex because it can withstand a whole lot more than human sex. Castiel’s hips snap to yours aggressively, and he grips your hips to hold you in place. If he’s going to do this, he may as well do it right knowing you can take a lot.

“Play with my clit, Castiel. I’ll come easier with that,” you guide one of his hands to the bundle of nerves at your center.

“Like this?” he asks and pinches the bundle.

“Yes!” you squeak and moan louder.

He pinches and rolls your clit a few times as he thrusts go harder and deeper in you. Both stimulations are enough to cause the coil inside of you to get tighter and tighter. It’s going to snap soon, and you express it through your words.

“Feel that tightness in me, Castiel? I’m going to come if you keep that up,” you moan.

“Then come,” he simply puts.

Your body comes on command, coating his cock with everything you got. He didn’t know it himself, but he was also close. Feeling your release all over him caused him to shoot his load into you. He never knew sex could be this fun, otherwise, he would have done it a long time ago.

“That’s the best sex I’ve had in a long time,” you laugh.

Castiel pulls out of you and watches as the mixture of yours and his releases drizzle down your thighs. He lays next to you and looks at you as if you are his world.

“You’ve had sex before?”

“Castiel, it’s the best part about being human.”

“I’d like to learn more,” he says seriously.

“You know, I am going to wipe all that tension out of your body until you’re just like me,” you grin and bounce back rather quickly.

“Y/N, no one can be like you.”

“I take that as a compliment because Castiel, there is so much more for you to learn,” you grin.

Wanna get tagged? Add yourself to this document! If your tag doesn’t work, find out why! Follow my library blog @queenofdeansbooty-writes​ where I reblog all my stories, so you can follow that if you can’t be tagged!

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[becauseofthebowties]

Still not enough creators love here!!!

Once you receive this, pick 5 favorite creations you made and tell us something about them! What inspired you, maybe? Or how long did it take you to make it? How was the process? Anything!

Your mind is creative and beautiful ❤️

Pass it on to your fav content makers, let’s share some love and respect!

Ooohhh thank you for this, anon ♥

I’d say these are my 5 fave creations:

1) my destiel wedding edit, this was so much fun to make, for dean it was easy because i knew i was going to use clips from “season 7 time for a wedding”, but for cas it took me some time to find the right clips of him in his suit without the trenchcoat and with the right tie haha but i’m very happy with how it turned out, and i was so happy so many people liked it as well :)

2) my dean birthday gifset, i made this at the last minute before his birthday and i just wanted to celebrate it with gifs of him being a happy little bean ♥ (and since this was last minute i just went with the moments i had at the top of my head, hence the fact that most of these are from later seasons)

3) this gifset of jackles’ microexpressions from 15x18, i was rewatching the confession for the millionth time and overanalyzing each frame and these microexpressions absolutely destroyed me every time, and i hadn’t seen any gifs of it on tumblr so that was actually what made me decide to start making gifs again (i hadn’t made any since 2015 and never for spn before)

4) this dean gifset from frontierland, i randomly rewatched this episode and i’ve always loved this line and the cute dumbass face he makes afterwards, and i like the coloring i used for this (also it reminds me of the clicky noise amv)

5) this gifset of dean’s prayer from 15x09, i rewatched this episode for the reason that i am a dumb bitch who apparently likes to suffer, and was having a breakdown over jackles’ acting and microexpressions (imo this scene is some of the best acting he’s ever done on the show) so i decided to gif this, and i had fun coloring purgatory and i like how it turned out

[cl0wnapologist]

lets get personal (but im answering now 4 funsies)

i wanted to make a question tag but feral and this is what i came up with. tag ur friends, tag ur enemies, but most importantly give me a kiss at ur earliest convenience.

1. say hi! :D (name/age/pronouns)

molly and 20 and she/her but i do not care if i am referred to w they/them pronouns either. i identify v strongly w femininity and also feel like a woman but also gender is not real and was invented by gender companies to sell more gender (and limiting something so complex to a binary scale is silly)!

2. what’s your venus sign? <3

pisces </3 absolutely disgusting the way i gobble up a mere whiff of romance

3. would you rather people perceive you as the person you present to the world or your true self? are they the same?

person i present as i guess bc if i wanted to be seen as my true self then they would be the same :) but! i think they are merging more and more everyday.  

4. what do you prioritize in your relationships—how well someone treats you or how much you like them?

i think how well someone treats me. i like most people! so ive tried to prioritize healthy and loving relationships more recently.

5. what’s the most embarrassing fanfic you’ve ever read?

during a manic episode a couple months ago i logged on here very briefly for the first time in years and it happened to be when the supernatural finale came out. i have never seen a single episode, scene, or even a clip of supernatural and know nothing about it. but a famous 100k word spn fanfic came on my dash and i read the whole thing. whole time had no idea what actor played dean and what actor played castiel. still dont know which one goes to which. thats not my business.

6. would you rather be fluent in every language or a master of every instrument? if you could only pick one of each what would it be?

language! but one of each would be french and piano :^)

7. share some of your favorite characters!

mr. darcy, grendel, pompey the clown and isabella from measure for measure, hinata from haikyuu!!, ash from banana fish, tamaki from ouran, lisa from my cousin vinny, any lesbian

8. what’s a niche interest/subject you could write a 12-page essay on?

food politics! origin of certain dishes and how every dish is a product of class, either being creative with very little or flaunting an excess of. even the method used to make different things have different meanings!

9. what are you missing the most right now?

my friends :) !

10. hottest non-human animated character? (ex. zootopia fox, ryuk from death note, aunt fanny from robots)

raven from teen titans and robin hood

11. share some of your old urls/handles/usernames (i’m looking at u, 1D insta with 70 followers from 2013)

this used to be shampainmarina which was cute; before it was marinas-supermodels-legs which was less cute and pretentiously niche of me.  oneband1dreamoned when i was 11

12. what’s a favorite physical feature of yourself? what are some favorite physical features of your friends/loved ones?

i like my eye color bc its the same as my mommy’s. jills u have the prettiest smile and freckles <3 and alyssa u have the most striking eyes :o

13. what’s a favorite personality trait of yours? of your friends/loved ones?

i like my sense of humor and being kind ! jill i think u r vey adventurous and creative and alyssa u r very dedicated and passionate ab a lot of stuff. all of my friends r funny and kind too those r staples

14. describe a recent time someone made you feel loved/valued

my mom giving me a hug and  telling me that things will be ok when i was upset a few days ago, and making soup w me the next day :)

15. what’s the most embarrassing character you’ve been attracted to?

maybe jimmy neutron mom? or teapot from beauty and the beast idk slim pickings for 6 y/o me

16. gayest thing you’ve done recently? (complimentary)

made frog cakes w fellow queers @the-bean-god @veganmilf

17. gayest thing you’ve done recently? (derogatory)

listened to man or a muppet in the dark in an empty bathtub about an hour ago 

18. what are your comfort movies/shows/books/foods?

movie is a tie between ponyo, coraline, and baz luhrmann’s 1996 romeo and juliet; show is haikyuu! and 2003 teen titans; book is grendel; food is miso soup and honey tea

19. last 5 things you looked up in your youtube search bar/history?

red swan attack on titan opening (i listened to it 30+ times yesterday @ jill its so good), guren no yumiya opening, sasageyo attack on titan (had to compare w the ones u txted me yesterday lmao), jim carey grinch monologue, titanic sinks in real time

20. should we kiss rn? :*

:o yes. even tho i made this. pemdas effect and im actually kissing all my friends rn

[narukoibito]

charity work bonus snippet

@the-hinny-shipper

Oh my gosh I love this. Probably not, but is there like a part 2 or something? I know that's meant to be the end, but I need to know what happens next.

Thank you so much for the kind words to charity work, my Muggle AU where Ginny is a famous football player who helps Harry teepee and egg his ex’s house! ♥️

I am actually working on a part 2. Harry and Ginny of this world just couldn’t stop chattering in my head, and there’s about 2.5k words thus far. I know what’s going to happen - I just need to write, edit, and pull the trigger and post it... 

But in the meantime, I am sharing a funny little subplot that I wasn’t sure was ever going to see the light of day. It’s a bit of a prequel that I started but then dropped because it didn’t add much to the story...but today I thought, eh, why not share since we can all use some laughs now more than ever. It’s unbetaed, and I’m still iffy on it, but I hope you this will tide you over until I get part 2 posted.

(Also tagging the lovely @isidar-mithrim​ and @blattgefluester​ in case you are interested since you were both so amazingly kind toward charity work!)

Summary: This wasn’t what Seamus had in mind when he suggested Ginny do more charity work.

*

The Prophet landing on the table with a loud thud.

“What’s this?”

“This, Ginny, is the result of your spectacular interview with Miss Rita Skeeter.”

Ginny lifted her chin, pushing the paper away from her and returning to shoveling her porridge down. “So it’s the usual rubbish.”

Seamus pursed his lips, annoyed that once again she wasn’t taking this seriously. “Rubbish it may be, but rubbish that sells.”

She arched an eyebrow at him. “So are you here as my publicist or as a friend?”

“Can’t I be both?” He grinned.

She prodded the offensive article with distaste. “What do they say this time?”

“Well, Miss Skeeter took it upon herself to approach all your exes for an ‘expose.’”

“I like to kick a ball for a living. I don’t understand the obsession with my love life.”

“The all-star player who went pro at your age with your looks?” Seamus winked. Ginny rolled her eyes.

“Don’t let Dean catch you doing that.”

“He knows I’m a hopeless flirt,” he dismissed cheerfully.

She made a strangled, irritated noise. 

“Look, it’s not too bad.” He unfurling the paper with a wince. The headliner, Wonder Girl Weasley Not So Wonderful Girlfriend?, paired with an unflattering photo of Ginny shoving a camera away from her face flashed back at her. “She found some, er, old classmates to go on the record.”

Ginny’s expression darkened. “Record about what?”

“You remember when you stopped people from bullying Luna? And Neville? And when Dean and I got together? Well, somehow Skeeter got in touch with Parkinson, Zabini, Smith... Skeeter may or may not insinuate that you’re…aggressive. Have a bit of a temper.” 

Ginny grabbed the paper and began reading loudly, “Since the early days of her youth, Ginevra Molly Weasley, better known as Ginny, the Wonder Girl Weasley, has been bewitching men to do her bidding. We here at The Prophet have long extolled the many virtues of Miss Weasley, but I, your fearless investigator of truth, uncovered a disturbing pattern in how Miss Weasley wraps men around her little finger. What others thought was wit and charm, I have uncovered may actually be the result of a threatening temper. I dare to ask, should we be concerned with Miss Weasley’s trail of broken hearts and perhaps other broken body parts?”

He bit his tongue as Ginny read the part where Rita expounded on Ginny’s "commoner” country-side upbringing” surrounded by her “rowdy” brothers as the source of her “violent streak.” 

“I only punched Parkinson once, and that was when she poured punch on Luna!” Ginny scrunched up the newspaper and flung it angrily into the bin. “She goes on about some weird sorcery I have with men.” 

“Look, I’ve already called Parvati about getting you on some morning shows, but maybe this time we can agree on some talking points, hmm? And maybe have you do some charity work, show your gentle, caring side. Get some positive press coverage.”

She continued to fume, muttering under her breath, “Skeeter gives witches a bad name.”

“It’ll all pass, Ginny,” Seamus smiled at her sympathetically. “Come back later tonight. Dean’s making roast, and we’ll talk about how to set the narrative straight.”

He sent her on her way, hoping that practice would relieve some of the rage.

*

Seamus’s head emerged from the oven, his face flushed scarlet. “Ginny, you can’t just go meet random fans and help them commit a crime!”

Even after all these years, she never ceased to amaze them. But this - randomly taking an Instagram follower’s request to egg and teepee a house? This was one of Ginny’s more...creative ideas.

“That’s right,” Dean agreed, taking the roast and plating it. “For all you know he could wank to your posters.”

“Well then you’d know he has good taste,” she said, dripping her finger into the cooling gravy.

“Ginny,” they sighed together in exasperation and pushing her away from the kitchen counter. 

“What happened between this morning and now?” 

“You’re always saying I should do more charity,” she said pointedly.

“You know that’s not what I meant,” Seamus wagged a finger at her. She folded her arms across her chest, staring them down (which was quite the accomplishment, considering how much taller they were). 

“We can’t let you do this.”

“When has anyone ever let me do anything?” Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

Seamus and Dean shared a long look, no doubt both of them remembering that one time she broke into the headmaster’s office to steal back the replica toy sword Ron was stupid enough wear to school as part of his knight costume for Halloween.

“Look,” Dean said carefully, leading her into the dining room as Seamus followed, plates of food laden in his arms. “We know you’re more than capable to taking care of yourself.”

“Damn straight,” she said, but she let him gently nudge her into her seat. 

“But as your friends — ”

“One of whom would like to stay gainfully employed,” Seamus cut in, playing the food on the table.

“—and who would absolutely be murdered by your brothers if they ever found out, we want to make sure you’re…thinking straight.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“Oh, we know,” Seamus said, deadpan. “But I really don’t need another article supporting this theory that you’re aggressive. If you beat the bloke up and the press catches wind of it…”

“I’m going. I put this idea into his head. And look at him,” she said, holding up a picture of H-P-Lightening, smiling sheepishly into the camera.

They examined the photo skeptically as Ginny tucked into dinner. Maybe while they were distracted, she could nick an extra bit of roast.

“He’s cute,” Seamus pointed out.

Ginny rolled her eyes. “Not the point.” 

"Doesn’t hurt,” Dean said.

“He and I share a similar goal: to serve some much-needed justice in the world. And since I can’t go about egging Michael’s house without it ending up on the Sunday papers, I can at least help someone else.”

“His hair is an absolute disaster, but it somehow works on him,” Seamus continued, ignoring her.

“Those green eyes,” Dean said appreciatively.

“Plays football too,” Seamus said, clicking through to some videos. “He’s fit.”

Now they were both giving Ginny a look with entirely new context.

“It’s not like that,” she said breezily.

“Maybe she’s hoping he wanks to her poster,” Seamus snickered, not believing her for a second.

“He could wind up in trouble if he doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

“And you’re an expert?” Dean asked.

“I’m a Weasley.” She smiled wickedly, and they laughed. “Besides, who am I to ignore a gentleman in distress?”

“Okay, fine, if we can’t stop you —”

She snorted.

“—then we’re coming with you.”

“What?”

“We’ll watch from a safe distance,” Seamus assured her, Dean nodding along. “Just to make sure you don’t end up in the papers.”

“We will help you hide the body,” Dean said.

Ginny looked from one to the other. They were grinning at her, half eager and half earnestly. She didn’t need them to come. She was more than capable of taking care of herself. But, suppose this turned out to be something she wasn’t expecting…

“Fine, but —” she added quickly when they started to wiggle their eyebrows at one another “—the moment, and I mean the very moment I give you the signal, you better make yourself scarce.”

Dean and Seamus beamed across the table. “Whatever you want, luv!”

*

“You can’t stay if you’re going to be this obvious.” Ginny growled.

“Obvious? We’re perfectly inconspicuous,” Seamus bristled.

“You brought binoculars,” she said dryly, placed her hands on her hips. “And a bat."

“Told you she wouldn’t like that,” Dean said.

“I won’t use the bat. It’s just in case we need to scare him off.”

Ginny and Dean gave him a look.

“What? This person could be tricking us!”

When Ginny’s glare made his back hair stick on end, Seamus relented.

“Fine, we’ll cross the street,” Seamus said, taking Dean by the arm. When they turned around, Ginny was still scowling, whipping out her phone and texting them furiously.

You are going to have to HIDE.

There’s nothing strange about us being here! Seamus typed back.

You’re two random, loitering blokes, ready to stalk or bean someone. If you’re going to stay, you’re going to hide. Ginny over at them critically. Behind those bushes.

“Ugh,” Seamus groaned, crouching down and behind the bushes with his boyfriend dutifully following. He swatted at a twig that was unpleasantly digging into the side of his bum.

Happy? he texted her back.

Delirious. Remember. You both better leave when I give the signal. Or else.

A shudder went down his spine, knowing very well what Ginny was capable of.

“This isn’t what I imagined our cozy Friday evening being.”

“You don’t really mind,” Dean said, smiling knowingly.

Seamus huffed and peered into the binoculars rather than reply. Yes, he was worried about this blowing up in his face (things often did), but he couldn’t deny he was a bit curious. He had never seen Ginny look that way at a photo before.

“You just want a front row seat,” Dean teased.

“Shut — oh, I think that’s him!”

They watched with anticipation as a lanky, bespectacled bloke with tousled black hair ascended the train station steps. He seemed to be deeply brooding as Ginny approached him. Through the binoculars, Seamus watched as this fellow, Harry something-or-other, looked up, eyes wide, and nearly tripped over the last step.

“They seem to be hitting it off,” Dean said as Ginny and Harry laughed before she handed him a hoodie.

They began walking, and Seamus scrambled to follow. “Come on.”

He kept an eye out for anyone else who might be around, but there didn’t seem to be anyone who recognized or followed Ginny.

“I think we can leave the bat.” Dean chuckled, swiping the binoculars for a closer look himself.

They trailed the other couple from across the street, doing the best they could to be inconspicuous. Ginny and this bloke looked good together. He looked oddly charming with his wild hair and glasses, but it was really the way he looked at Ginny at set Seamus at ease. They kept talking, laughing, smiling at one another. Seamus hadn’t seen her laugh so much since…he couldn’t even remember.

Was that — was Ginny Weasley blushing?

After several minutes, Seamus and Dean stopped and looked at each other.

Ginny had completely forgotten about them. 

“Do you think if we leave now, we can still catch the last half of the game?”

“Yeah,” Seamus said, taking Dean’s hand as they headed home.

Maybe their Friday evening plans could be salvaged after all.

[minorkeepsakes]

Here’s part one of my little xmas fic! The Holiday Special Dean deserves. <3

---

Fresh snow covered the prairie landscape, fell slowly onto ploughed cornfields, fence posts, the chilly heads of little brown sparrows and  twinkled in the golden sunlight of late afternoon . It was December 24th, and Jody Mills was bundled up in her big pick-up truck, driving along one of the bumpiest, least looked-after dirt roads in Kansas. In the passenger seat was a still frozen eight pound turkey and a green bean casserole. Jody hated green bean casserole, but it was just about the only vegetable Dean Winchester consumed over the holidays, so she made it. Every year.  

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir flickered in and out of frequency on the radio, as the nearest NPR station receded further behind her, and the wooded driveway leading up to the bunker finally appeared. This year, something was different; planted at the edge of the road was a shiny black mailbox with a little red flag, decorated with green pine boughs and velvety red ribbon. What that meant for all of them, but especially the boys, made Jody's heart swell up like an apple pan dowdy and she struggled to rein in her emotions as she turned up the drive.  

“Awe, jeez. Get a grip, woman,” she muttered, swiping that one inevitable tear off her cheek.

--

The antique shop had finally appeared on the roadside, just after Kaya diplomatically suggested that Claire may have imagined seeing it the last time she made the drive from Omaha to Lebanon. But here it sat. It was further outside of Lincoln than Claire remembered—nearly at the state line— but it looked just the same, a big red barn with Pennsylvania Dutch hexes painted along the exterior, like little pagan doilies, and rusty old milk cans the size of fire hydrants serving as barricades in the make-shift parking lot. The open sign dangled on the handle of an old hand plow near the door, despite the fact that it was Christmas eve and most small businesses were probably closed up already, and Claire couldn't help feeling that it was meant to be.

She parked the old Subaru and they made a dash for the entrance hand in hand, strong Nebraska winds stinging their cheeks and blowing light, dusty snow across their path.

--

Over the course of the morning, the bunker had quietly filled with the sweet scent of  mulled cider, which sat brewing in an ambitiously large cooking pot on a stove in the kitchen. Dean had spent breakfast tossing various spices and seasoning into the potent concoction— orange peel, cloves, cinnamon, vanilla beans—and taste-testing it while nursing his coffee and gnawing on strips of smokey, crisp bacon.

By early afternoon, Sam had hidden himself away somewhere, no doubt struggling to wrap his presents  in some presentable way. Somehow his technique hadn't improved much since he was 8 years old. Dean, in the meantime, had moved onto decorating the tree, which they'd only chopped down and dragged into the library the night before last, and had spent most of the day yesterday rigging up a hand-made tree stand to hold it upright. The tree was a wild white pine with long prickly needles and sap that had stuck to Dean's fingers like honey and he held them to his nose and breathed in the scent from time to time until it had finally washed away completely with a hot shower at the end of the day.

Now, Dean only needed to add the last of the decorations, which was no small feat considering the tree was so tall that it meant climbing a ladder to reach the highest branches. They'd found some vintage decorations in storage, tinsel, little straw animals and delicately frosted bulbs that had been carefully wrapped in tissue paper. But they'd needed more, and Dean had taken it upon himself to make them himself, explaining to Sam that this was what retired people did, wasn't it? Puttered. Dean was great at puttering. More specifically, welding and soldering little birds and bells with sheets of metal the Men of Letters had stored up for making specialized weapons. With their hunting days finally behind them, Dean had decided it was time for some creative repurposing.

--

It was as he hung the last decoration, a finely crafted and stately brass star for the top of the tree, when Jody texted him and Sam to meet her outside. Sam emerged swiftly from the bowls of the bunker, and they shoved their boots on and climbed the stairs together. It was snowing again, and colder than either of them had expected. Jody stood beside her truck, rosy-cheeked with her deerstalker cap and fluffy green parka, and smiled at them as they appeared before her.

“What, no coats?” she admonished quickly, a big bag of gifts in one hand and a casserole dish cradled to her chest with the other. “Well ya better hurry it up then. Turkey's riding shotgun and my overnight bag is in the back.”

Sam headed for the cab and Dean went for the turkey, which was the size of a Galapagos tortoise and covered in tin foil. “This is quite the beast, Jody. Damn. What is this, an 18 pounder?”

Jody winked, and blew some powdery snow off her nose. “Merry Christmas. Try not to eat it all in one sitting.”

tbc!

[specialagentrin]

a forever continuous list why WE love dean

aka : my sunflower and one of my main reasons for bothering to exist

[So, Dean, guess who was able to snatch almost everyone in your discord server and tumblr friend list? It just, it hurt’s me whenever you think low of yourself, and then this idea just, popped up in my head. @misha-moose-dean-burger-lover @3dg310rdsupreme and @dying-by-fangirling helped - along w/ your discord server. Love you. Anyone can gladly add on, anytime.]

Reasons: 

You're the definition of perfection.

Because you somehow manage to find time for everyone.

You always listen when we need to vent or talk about problems.

You always manage to make us feel loved and cared about.

You always make sure we are okay.

You brought us all together. I wouldn't know any of these people if you hadn't introduced them to me.

You bright up the entire internet with one message.

You always make sure we are looking after ourselves.

You make us all feel beautiful whenever we share selfies or talk to you.

If ever we go missing randomly, you make sure we are okay.

You always pay attention when someone is excited about something.

You make me feel loved and like someone cares about what happens to me.

You are so brave and dedicated and have already managed so much more than I ever could.

You are so talented.

You somehow manage to make every single one of us feel loved, without even seeming to notice how amazing you are.

You are so patient when people don't understand something, and always make sure they are happy.

You have a skill of making anyone who speaks to you want to be your friend.

You are always so supportive. If any of us share anything, you are there telling us how amazing it is.

You've taught me so much.

I haven't even known you a year and I would both die and kill for you, you're just that amazing.

You deserve the world and you don't even realise it.

I didn't know you were going to end up my friend when I first commented on your fic, but I am so glad a million times over that I did, because you have literally changed my life for the better.

You always have a nice thing to say to anyone who needs it.

You love with all your heart, and you love everyone!

You are just the purest boi!!!!!!!!

Honestly I want to hug you so much…….. unfortunately I can't. But just know I WANT TO.

You think so lowly of yourself and yet think so highly of all the rest of us! Even though you are the most amazing!!!

We can all just talk to you about anything - including nonsense - and you just join in instead of saying how crazy it sounds.

You’re strong and resilient, you’ve been through things I can’t even imagine and you still have the biggest heart 

Wonderful singer and beautiful voice

You are funny and adorable and it makes me smile just when you talk.

You’re incredibly creative and an amazing writer! 

You’re smart and knowledgeable about a variety of topics, AND you’re patient and understanding when you explain them to us. 

Talking to you lights up my entire day and I can’t imagine a day without talking to you now

All you have to do is say hi and instantly I perk up and am happy to see you.

You are one of the most loving and caring people that I know.  You literally worry about everyone and always want the best for us. 

You are a beautiful person, I feel loved and cared for with you and you make us all feel the same way! 

You say it’s annoying but you think of us throughout the day and tell us.  What it really does is make us all feel special to know we are that important to you.

You sometimes look like a miniature adorable version of jack kline.

You’ll stand up for what you believe in 

You won’t hesitate to stand up for others 

Your smile is so bright.

Have I mentioned your writing? It’s literally better than half of those crappy adults out there! And it evokes so much emotion in me. 

Whenever your happy, I become so fucking happy in return 

Honestly you could light up a whole city 

Your smile makes the lights of Albuquerque seem dim. Your heart makes the Eiffel Tower seem tiny. 

You were the first to understand my complete crack ships (Percy Jackson/Peter Parker, anyone?) and not laugh. 

You loved me. And that’s all I could ever ask for. Your unconditional love and support. (Am I crying while writing this? Psh, no, I’m just allergic to feelings…)

You wouldn’t hesitate to put others instead of yourself first 

When someone is hurting, you wouldn’t stop until they feel better. 

You are an amazing writer and I still plan on reading all of the books you end up publishing

You care for everyone. I mean everyone. You sap :)

Your voice is stunning 

The fact that whenever your happy, you show off your body proudly - that just makes me so happy

Whenever I’m having a horrible day, you fill my life up with endless light. You make me want to be a better person. And I love you. 

I love it when we bounce ideas off each other, and then we both start running with it

You were so patient when I told you that I was coming back, but didn’t

You were one of the reasons that I did come back and start speaking again

You’re one of the best writers that I’ve ever seen 

Being your friend is one of the best things in my life

Whenever I see you typing, I get this big grin on my face

You are always patient with me

Your voice. Your voice. Need I say more?

You’re a star!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You say the most beautiful and heartwarming things that I’ve ever heard

Nothing ever makes me happier than listening to your ideas

You’re so creative and lovable, I want to hug you so bad!!!!!!!!

I love you

You make everything feel better, even when something really hurts

Beautiful, amazing, show-stopping

Nothing ever really feels bad when you’re around

I never laughed harder when we were messaging

When we first started messaging each other, and you just pulled up with this sunny personality and I honestly thought He’s going to be my best friend

You’re literally sunshine

You’ve given me the best memories that I’ve ever seen

You’re a dork, and I love you all the more for it :)

Everything that you’ve been through just made you a kinder, sweeter, and nicer person

Nothing’s better than just sitting down and actually talking with you

You’re beautiful

I’m always smiling when I think about you

You’re the best person

You always try to tell the truth, in the nicest way, which is awesome

You’re awesome

You always tagged me for stories that you’d written, despite the fact that I didn’t do anything except give you an idea

You’re always willing to help every single one of your friends

You have, honestly, been one of the best people I’ve ever talked to

We all love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 💓💖💗💘💙💚💛💜💝🤍🤎🧡🎔♥♡❣❤

The world wouldn’t be the same without you

you’ve got the biggest heart

You taught me how to use discord and were my first ever rp and are always so patient and kind about everything.

You leave the most heartwarming comments, and that really lights up my day!

Your writing. Oh Gosh, your writing, Bean!! Somehow you write the exact things we're all feeling -- but then you put it into words and do it amazingly!!

When you're around, I never feel lonely. That's literally the warmest vibe a person could have, and you exude them endlessly!

You make it easier for your friends to love themselves <3

You have a really wonderful blog!! 

You always have the sweetest things to add to your friends' posts, cause you're frigging amazeballs like that. 

I get so happy whenever I see that I’ve gotten a message from you. 

The memories I’m making and the memories that we’ll make in the future, I’ll treasure for the rest of eternity. 

Words haven’t even been invented yet to tell you how much everyone here loves you.

I just, you always manage to make me cry because you're always telling me that you love me??? And it’s like, thank you for telling me to exist???  

What would we do without you here?

YOUR DORKY SMILE W/ BRACES IS ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE AND YOU CAN’T SAY OTHERWISE

You're beautiful.

You’re the best internet friend I’ve ever had—you’re always there, whether it’s to chat about fandom stuff, or to cheer me on, or to just be there through hard times. Thank you for being the best friend I could ask for. ❤️

I adore your writing—you paint such beautiful pictures with your words. I love the way you sing—your voice is breathtaking. You’re so talented, and you’re going to go so far with those talents! 

You’re such a considerate friend, and you don’t give up on people no matter what.

You are resilient, no matter what, you subsist

Dean, you go above and beyond for your friends, and it’s truly amazing.

You're always so welcoming to new people! I've always been super shy but you made me feel welcome straight away. You're a wonderful person to talk to and you're always willing to help your friends. I look up to you!

Dean, you are one of the most important things in my life and one of the best things to happen to it,i can’t imagine a world without the light you shine into it.

You’re awesome and I’m happy for you with T and all the amazing things to become the guy you want to be!

My heart, for irene’s sake - do you know how happy you manage to make me? How I literally freak out when I see your name typing? How euphoric i get when you call me bug or love? You just - I’m so happy to have you.

You make me actually feel unique and cared about, talking about me to others which is not something I'm used to. Even though I don't rp with you, you're still my precious Dean-o and I love you with all my butt, cause it's bigger than my actual heart. <3

Your awesome also your a fantastic bootylicious piece of ass -winks- nice personality to UwU 

UwU Love ya Dean I appreciate you so fucking much you have no idea. Like do you have any idea how many people can put up with my bullshit and personality? Not many and you're awesome anyway possible. If we ever meet in real life I'm gonna take a picture of us together and say I took a picture with an angel. (btw its Lucas love ya very much Dean)

DO YOU WANNA HAVE A BROMANCE? I've got some broses and some daffodudes with your name on it! UwU Also 0w< Luv ya your awesome ill give ya cuddles if we ever see each other in real life! I'll even throw in one of my very special no bugging a person or trying to piss em off rule for ya. Only two have ever been made and you'll be the third! OwO 

UwU Also thank you for being there for me! I enjoy talking to you even though I'm barely on it's a nice thing! To know I have great friends who dont judge me and you're one of the many who are nice to me! OwO So i want to say thank you and that i appreciate you very much no matter what you do! Also if you ever need to talk my doors always open or well chats always open for you no matter the hours! But if I'm asleep I’ll have to respond later cause I'm a deep sleeper! TwT

[misha-moose-dean-burger-lover]

🎉 and 🌈 for a bitty bean Dean? don't have to if you don't want but it'd be cool?? also,,,,wOAH. o.O 3333 is like,,,,,,a lot!! congrats!!

oh, @quicksilver-ships, of course, i want to!! and awwhh, thank you! i agree - it’s way too much, and i often wonder why. bet it’s all the very lots of time i spend on here ;D. here goes ~

🎉 BLOG RATE

handle/blog title: awesomesies | nOICE | t-that’s actually genius | G O A L S !! | i love your brain????? | PETER PARKER

icon/header: babie!! | SO PRETTY | *heart-eyes* | i’ve been staring at this for the last hour | added10yearstomylifespan | ANTHONY JANTHONY CROWLEY

theme/bg: lovely! | extremely aesthetic | *chef’s kiss* | that’s my favorite color!!!!! | this makes me very happy | AMY SANTIAGO

posts: not my thing but live your best life | fantastic!! | *cri* yOuR bRaIn |  *stares at you in wonder while you rock the blogging game* | i’ve been scrolling for 72 hours | SAM WINCHESTER

following? no but i love you | am now!! | try and stop me :) | YOU’RE A BEANFELLOW, SILLY | f o r e v e r

compliments: dear dean (aliter: bean) you’re a wonder. an awesome, awesome blogger - with the loveliest mutuals, wonderful reblogs, and of course, your writings! you’re very talented, and definitely very regular (helloo, prideshots) and are able to make the characters emote in a sense which is both in character, and exactly what the reader’s trying to feel. also, you’re very, very good to me. love you lots ~ <3

*

🌈 RANDOM TIDBITS

vibes: admit it, you’re cool | wOnDeRFul,,pure,,,,,go you | my kind of person <3 | so creative!!!!! | uwu, i’d like to keep them | EEEEEEEE

time of day: dawn | morning | afternoon | evening | night | is-it-late-or-is-it-early quarantine special

hogwarts house: slytherin | hufflepuff | gryffindor | ravenclaw

genre: fantasy | drama | coming of age | history | psychological thriller | r o m c o m

supernatural seasons i associate you with: 1 - 3 | 4 - 5 | 6 - 8 | 9 - 12 | 13 - 15

thoughts on interaction: now it begins | i see you around a lot, and am hunting for a chance to message | may we ~ uh ~ talk more? | imissthewayweusedtobe  | you’re on every seventh post of my blog | b e a n f r e n

compliments: ~ and we’re back to my favorite part! i could go on for ages. fren, you’re caring, and kind, and you don’t always think this, but trust me, you’re a good friend! i feel like people can be themselves around you (i know i can (ps. sorry for all the weird, all the time)) and that’s because you’re yourself around us too, and that’s such a refreshing, and inspiring thing. you’re passionate about things, you’re always looking to grow, you’re a good listener and you’re cute. as in, often when we’re fingertips-deep in conversation, i’ll awwhh out loud at something you say. and, of course, also as in, you’re gorgeous. hope you have a wonderful day, because you really deserve it, :3

[mediawhorefics]

9 & 12 for the soft asks thing because self care is important :) ❤️

9. what calms you down?

putting a little bit of orange essential oil in my diffuser and lying down while my room starts smelling like Calm. 

solo dance parties in the dark!! just.... putting on one of my pop/happy playlists and FLAILING like an idiot. no witnesses. no thoughts. 

reading fics. i mean reading in general but def reading fics. 

taking long walks

12. how are you?

a bit stressed re: nanowrimo tbh! it’s going well i think, i’m on track but its a very chaotic first draft that needs a LOT of work so if i start thinking about that i go a little insane. 

i’m also really anxious re: the holidays. they’ve announced we’re allowed to gather up to 10 people between dec. 23-27 and i def. def. don’t want anyone in my house (it's too small to properly distance) and i don’t want to go to anyone else’s and i’m scared i’m gonna get shit from my mother about it. but like.... fuck you i have severe anxiety and meeting up with people leads me to weeks of anxiety and panic attacks so. we haven’t talked about our plans at all. i’m like... can we just.... have a household xmas and call it a day tbh ? except im not actually saying that. anyways im trying not to stress but we’re still quarantined and the numbers are climbing??? ugh. 

also i’m having a full-on nervous breakdown on my main re: dean winchester so it’s fun of 2011!me to come out to play at the end of the year like this........... 

on the plus side, i’m reading really cool literary analysis of vincent van gogh’s letters so that’s nice. 

so yeah, mostly okay because i feel very creatively fulfilled between the novel & the embroidery (which im still doing!) but still an anxious little bean as usual :) 

soft asks

[incarnateirony]

What the hell is happening with Jensen at that Gold panel?? And just in general, am I imagining that Misha and Jensen seem to be talking more (or more open) about DeanCas (and their relationship)?

Jared has been too. All three of them have even chosen to veer conversation towards Destiel at various panels. Misha most people are used to it from, but talking about Jared “nah”ing Samstiel and Jensen picking it up and running with Dean’s taste; or Jensen calling their fight a domestic dispute, after Misha had called it a trial separation, or Jared breaking out influence jokes, and Jensen addressing ep 9 yet again about where Dean  “has problems with this relationship” and what have you -- the simple fact is:

Like

We’re there?

I’ve... been saying this for a while now, like we’re there. You know half my posts talk about people running for ridiculous goalposts someone convinced them after.

I generally don’t advise following actor commentary. They don’t have creative control and generally only know a few episodes ahead. But this year is different because they all know the ending now. So while still take it with caution, observing dialogue shifts is worth keeping an eye on. Somehow every con this year has basically been a repeat of honcon in this way. 

And also wrt actors: I’ve always pointed out one stupid goalpost people wanted was it being openly discussed before they consider it canon. PR and ads are leaning into it, panels are leaning into it, even big media reporting sites are leaning into it, and the show is where it simply is, with people calling it what it is?

So I’m just going to watch this circus of a fandom find their various weird paths around what we see going on in front of us and enjoy this last year. They’re definitely trying to get everybody clowning for 15.9 with as many mentions as there are, and that unto itself is pretty wild.

The level of preference-based ridiculousness as opposed to delivered canon as intended -- that “all interpretations are equal” mindset -- has also manifest more freshly with a new ship war and I think you know what all it’s about, but like it, and like it will continue to be, it is what it is and I really hope good beans don’t let themselves get bitter right now in a year we’re fed so well.

[cactusspatz]

On the seventh day of Recsmas (belated), my reccer gave to me:

Seven warring pranksters

Six zingy banters

Five P W Ps!

Four first meetings

Three great puns

Two OT3s

And a classic of fake dating!

Who doesn’t love a good prank war? When friends and siblings and people who know each other well clash in a creative and annoying but not mean way, it’s always a guaranteed good time.

(MCU) this has been a public service announcement by nokomis - the first part doesn’t have any pranks, but Peter spilling the beans to the Avengers about Captain America’s high school PSAs kicks off Steve’s trolling instincts, and the ensuing prank war is EPIC.

(Star Wars) A Big Deal in the Resistance by igrockspock - in which Finn accidentally gets into a prank war after joining the Resistance. So adorable, with a side of culture shock and Finn/Poe.

(Calvin & Hobbes) Pranks by sinquepida - in which Calvin thrives in the prank culture of MIT. Super cute look at an older Calvin at college, with Hobbes and Susie appearing as well.

(Supernatural) It's Got Bells On by lyra_wing - Wee!chester prank wars are CANON, thank the fanfic gods, and this one features The Nair Incident, among many other delights. (warning for a minor transphobic moment from Dean that I’d totally forgotten about until after I was almost done with this recset. It’s mild and period-typical but I didn’t want anyone else to stumble onto it unwarned.)

(Supernatural) That’s Why A Duck by dotfic - more Winchester prank wars, this time featuring John Winchester in addition to the boys.

(Supernatural) Bragging Rights by the_ninth_bow - yet ANOTHER prank war (god, I how I loved this fandom, what a joy it could be), in which they take some downtime from stopping the apocalypse to teach Castiel what practical jokes are. *hearteyes*

(Man From UNCLE) For Every Action by @xparrot - in which Napoleon and Illya get in a completely petty and escalating prank war for absolutely no reason at all (*cough*foreplay*cough*), and it is DELIGHTFUL.

Don’t forget to leave praise for the authors, and more importantly, let me know if you have any favorite pranking fics! (I wants them, precioussss)