#gabe i will die for you i hope the people will agree

[youcouldmakealife]

LBTE: Jared (122-124)

In which Jared and Bryce think they can interact in public without Gabe figuring out they're married, and Chaz Rossi would like to die.

If you want to follow along, the series page is here.

122. Subterfuge

Jared goes to dinner at Gabe and Stephen’s, and it’s nice. Well, nice might not be the right word — Gabe is totally right about the similarities between Jared and Stephen, and if he makes people feel as nervous that he’s judging them fiercely as he feels nervous that Stephen’s judging him fiercely, he is officially sorry.

Those poor Canucks rookies.

Not sorry enough to stop — he doesn’t even think he’s capable of that —

Those poor, poor Canucks rookies.

It’s nice. Would be even nicer if it was the kind of thing him and Bryce could do together, but he knows Bryce isn’t ready for it, and honestly he’s just happy Bryce is willing to meet Gabe at all, even if it’s not as Jared’s husband.

Like, one, progress, but also: hahaha you guys think you can pull this off.

Wins are hard enough to come by for the Oilers without the salt in the wound of a former player getting the game-winner and the insurance goal.

I would like everyone to enjoy the thought of an absolutely incensed Deslauriers during that game.

Neither of the goals against the Oilers were milestones, technically, but Gabe fished the first puck out of the net anyway, got their trainer Dillon to write ‘1st career goal against the Oilers’ on it

Gabe’s such a good A, truly. Would have done that for any of his guys.

If he isn’t careful he’s going to be grinning wide enough to split his face, and that would probably tip Gabe off.

They STILL think they can pull this off.

“My friend Chaz,” Jared says. “He was my linemate on the Hitmen. And um. Chaz’s teammate Bryce is going to be joining in a bit.”

“Nice to meet you,” Gabe says, and when all the introduction pleasantries are over Chaz gives Jared a completely disgusted look.

The way Jared low-key made it sound like Chaz went ‘hey, is it cool if my friend Bryce comes too?’. Chaz is beside himself. Why did he agree to this. (He did it for the lolz. But now that the day has arrived, he is not, in fact, loling)

They talk Juniors for a bit, Gabe telling them about his time with the Knights. He roomed with the captain of the Panthers, which is kind of crazy.

Hi Jake! And love Jared still low-key fanboying players.

“Hey,” Bryce says when he gets to the table, posture almost as awkward as it is when he’s got a mic in his face. “Jared. Long time no see.”

“Yeah,” Jared says. “Um. Nice to see you again.”

Chaz wants to die.

Dinner’s awkward. Well, he doesn’t think dinner’s actually awkward from Gabe’s perspective, at least he hopes not? But it’s honestly all Jared can do not to text Bryce under the table to meet him in the bathroom so he can just hug him, not even do anything else

The only thing more uncomfortable than third-wheeling a couple eye-fucking is a couple eye-desperately-clinging-to-one-another-for-dear-life-ing.

The only thing holding Chaz together right now is the group chat. Also the fact Gabe CLEARLY has figured it out so every extra moment of this is a shared suffering, as he now has a fourth wheel.

Jared would make a good spy, he thinks.

Oh my god, Jared.

“So,” Jared says, trying to think of something to say that isn’t ‘finish your beer, Gabe’. “Chaz. Known him for years.”

He is squirming in his seat he wants to leave so badly, and he is very red, and his fake casual voice is extremely stilted. Gabe is feeling deeply fond of him right now.

Gabe takes a sip of beer. It isn’t a big enough sip, in Jared’s opinion.

SQUIRMING. And Gabe’s been with Stephen long enough that he might just be taking his time because it’s hilarious.

“You know you can just tell me you’re married, though.”

“I did?” Jared says.

“I mean to Bryce,” Gabe says.

He’s still Gabe, though, so he doesn’t torture him with it too long.

“You’re both wearing wedding rings,” Gabe says. “Like, matching ones.”

“All wedding rings pretty much look the same,” Jared says.

Gabe raises an eyebrow at him.

“And I know he’s from Vancouver, because that always comes up when we play the Flames,” Gabe says. “And I know that you’re living with your mother-in-law right now.”

“That could be a coincidence?” Jared says weakly.

“Also you haven’t stopped looking at each other all night,” Gabe says. “And not glances or anything, that was full on—”

There is deductive reasoning happening here, but even if Gabe hadn’t noticed any of the other things, the eye pining would have done it. It was not subtle.

What’s he going to say? ‘No, he’s not my husband, I actually spent all dinner eye-fucking a dude who isn’t my husband’? That’s objectively much worse than eye-fucking your own husband, which Jared is morally and legally entitled to do.

It is Jared’s RIGHT and his DUTY.

“Um,” Jared tries, but he’s mostly blank. He’s not great at making excuses at the best of times, and definitely not when he’s been called out and has no proper defence on hand. He would, in fact, make a terrible spy.

I do appreciate that after Jared makes objectively absurd statements he’s often the first to acknowledge that they are, in fact, absurd statements. (Sometimes because they’re only occurring in his head, because fuck knows all his friends would burst out laughing if Jared made the mistake of saying ‘I think I’d make a good spy’ out loud)

“Totally get that,” Gabe says. “I’ve uh. I’ve heard some stuff about him—”

Great. Terrific. Jared’s very favourite topic.

“Before you say anything, he was like — all of that was before we got together,” Jared says. “And he was young and — the shit the media says about him—”

Gabe puts his hands up. Which means they’re off his beer, but Jared thinks he’s been given permission to book it, so that’s okay. “I didn’t mean it accusingly. You know your relationship better than anyone else.”

Couple fun things here — including Jared’s continued hawk eye on Gabe’s drinking speed — but yeah, Jared misinterprets Gabe a LOT at the beginning because Gabe is almost TOO nice, and Jared reads into things that aren’t actually meant any way other than Gabe said it? And here’s another incidence of it — if Jared had let Gabe finish his message it was assuring Jared ‘I vaguely read some shit but I don’t put stock in rumours and media and Bryce has a clean slate with me’. Basically.

“Hey Jared?” Gabe asks.

“Yeah?” Jared says.

“Nice,” Gabe says.

Look man this guy is common-law married to Stephen Petersen and longtime-liney married to Dmitry Kurmazov, he has to have a little bit of troll in him.

Gabe shoos him off, and it’s kind of embarrassing, the speed Jared leaves that restaurant.

Gabe describes this as, and I quote, ‘speed-walking like a snowbird in Florida on a grimly determined constitutional’

(If anyone’s unfamiliar with the term: snowbirds are people, generally retirees, from northern climes, especially Canada (especially ESPECIALLY Quebec) and sometimes the Northeastern US, who spend their winters in warmer climates. They fly south for the winter, like migratory birds. Florida is a particularly popular destination for snowbirds.)

A constitutional is walking (to aid one’s constitution). It’s dated as fuck anywhere outside like, Victorian fiction. I love Gabe.

123. Quiet Night In

Jared is vaguely out of breath when he reaches his apartment, which might say something bad about his cardiovascular fitness. Or, more realistically, it says something embarrassing about the speed he made it home, considering he’s fit enough to handle second line minutes in a damn hockey game.

Snow birded the whole way home, but I think the anticipation have something to do with the shortness of breath.

He takes a moment in front of the door, partly trying to find his key — he’s got way too many on his keychain now — but also so he doesn’t barge in looking like a complete idiot, not that he thinks Bryce would mind, or like, even notice.

Jared has finally accepted how rosy Bryce’s glasses are when it comes to him.

“You’re home early,” Bryce says, and glances at Chaz, in a way Jared can totally see is a ‘Jared’s home, get the hell out of our apartment so we can hug and then fuck’ look, though Chaz appears not to notice.

Chaz notices. Chaz is ignoring it, because it is rude to give that look to your guest.

“He sort of figured out we’re married,” Jared says. “Something about the matching wedding rings and you being from Richmond and the fact we wouldn’t stop staring at each other the whole time.”

There was pining. There was yearning.

“He said he won’t tell anyone,” Jared says. He’ll save the addition of ‘and complimented me on my impeccable taste in men’ for when Chaz is gone. Which should be soon.

“Okay,” Bryce says, and glances over at Chaz again.

The looks they’re both giving Chaz right now almost make dinner subtle in comparison.

“Out of my house,” Jared says. “Now.”

“I’m literally putting my shoes on right now,” Chaz says. “What more do you want from me?”

“Put them on in the hall,” Jared says.

Jared is actually the worst.

“I missed this bed,” Jared says.

“You have the same one at my mom’s,” Bryce says.

“It’s not the same,” Jared says.

“Because I’m not in it?” Bryce says.

Well, also because this one just seems to know Jared’s body, but —

“Yeah,” Jared says. “Pretty much.”

Good use of your brain-to-mouth filter, Jared, you should do it more often.

“Gabe,” Bryce says.

“Oh,” Jared says, suddenly wide awake thanks to the rush of absolute mortification that runs through his body. Bryce was a great distraction from it, but he suspects that conversation is going to occasionally leap at him right when he’s falling asleep for like, the rest of his life.

Jared is so lucky it was Gabe that happened with, and not literally any other person, who would torture him with it for life, as is their right and their duty.

“No,” Jared says.

“But,” Bryce says.

“Wait your turn,” Jared says, doing his best to ignore Bryce looking sadly at him through the glass.

“But I missed you,” Bryce says plaintively.

Tragic. Heartbreaking. About to break Jared’s fragile anti-shower sex agenda.

124. Hospitality

“May the best team win tonight, hey?” his dad says. Erin’s in a Canucks jersey — Jared’s genuinely surprised she isn’t wearing his old Oilers one to troll both him and everyone in the arena, mom must have threatened her or something — but his dad isn’t, is wearing one from Jared’s Hitmen era.

Jared eyes him and his very Calgarian jersey. “That sounds mature of you,” he says.

Jared is correct about his sister, and his suspicions about his father are also correct, because they’re a bunch of gremlins.

“Dad’s very mature now, Jared,” Erin says. “He’s grown up a lot since you went to Vancouver.”

I love Erin.

“You want the Flames to win tonight, don’t you?” Jared guesses.

“You’re a lock!” his dad says. “The Canucks are making the postseason no matter what! The Flames need this game!”

“Don,” his mom says.

“I’m just saying that one team needs this game more than the other team does,” his dad mutters.

“You want Bryce to beat me tonight,” Jared says. “Like — just to be clear, you want Bryce to beat me? You want your only son to lose this game to Bryce Marcus. Bryce Marcus.”

“Fuck off,” his dad mutters.

“Don!” his mom says.

Jared can’t stop grinning. “I’m really proud of you, dad,” he says.

Simultaneously character growth and character regression because Don Matheson, everyone.

They look all — familial, Jared guesses? Like Elaine’s officially part of the family now, like there’s a Marcus-Matheson tribe. She’s probably going out with them before the game, sticking around after Jared flies out, staying in his and Bryce’s guest room, her and Bryce going to his parents’ place for dinner, eating his dad’s food while all the Mathesons pretend to be nice people for the length of her visit.

At a certain point is it still pretending, or do the Mathesons become nice people when Elaine’s around?

It’s weird how that makes Jared happier than it does like, left out? But good, he guesses. Like, he’ll probably end up sulking about not getting to stick around and eat his dad’s cooking and watch his family pretend they aren’t evil so that they don’t scare Elaine away, but the fact that they’re doing it even when Jared isn’t there, that they want to hang out is — nice. Nice in the same way seeing pictures of Bryce and Chaz and Ash hanging out together makes Jared feel — grateful it’s happening even if he can’t be there.

Jared feels selfless happiness for others and is confused by it.

They’re all chirping him, but Julius’ text is straight up mean. Jared sends back a mean one of his own, and in response Julius gets even meaner. It’s making Jared feel a little better.

Look at Julius knowing exactly what Jared needs.

miss you already Bryce texts, just after Jared replies to a text from Julius saying he hopes the Canucks make it to the Conference Finals. Which sounds nice, but Jared totally knows he means ‘and so do the Flames so you have to play against your husband, bitch’.

It means exactly that. Though Jared added the ‘bitch’ himself.

Soft, Jared replies, but can’t help but add a You too, because he’s also soft, he guesses. But only for Bryce. Julius is getting another mean text.

The duality of Jared.

“Kind of surprised you didn’t figure it out sooner,” Stephen says. “It was all over hockey news when it happened.”

“I was pretty much just following the Flames and playing my own game back then,” Jared says. “Also I was like, twelve?”

This was the meanest thing Jared could say and he wasn’t even trying.

“You’re a baby,” Stephen says.

“Hey,” Jared says.

“An infant,” Stephen says. “Maybe a toddler.”

“I am not a toddler,” Jared says.

“Kindergarten at most,” Stephen says.

Look how fast Jared’s growing!

“Twenty-one,” Stephen mutters. “Jesus christ.”

“Does it help that Bryce is twenty-four?” Jared asks.

“Does it—” Stephen says. “He’s twenty-four? You met — you were a baby.”

Jared is suddenly aware that it does not help that Bryce is twenty-four.

You would think at some point Jared would learn this, but you would be wrong.

“Do I need to call your mother?” Stephen asks.

“Stephen,” Gabe says.

“I’m calling your mother,” Stephen says. “What’s her number.”

As much as Gabe and Stephen never want Jared to meet their parents? Jared is suddenly just as intent that Stephen never meets his father. He feels like it wouldn’t go well for him.

“Stephen,” Gabe says. “Stop, he looks petrified.”

“I know,” Stephen says. “It’s hilarious.”

Jared can only DREAM of becoming Stephen Petersen one day.

[emilylawsons]

Hi friend! Adding another one for the kiss prompt list: “in case we don’t make it back” kiss for Tess/Joel please? 🤲🏼❤

Okay, I am terrible for letting this prompt sit here for months—literal months. (Also I’m still thinking about the ask you sent me this morning, but rest assured I saw it.)

Anyway, I got inspired and decided to give this a go and hopefully make you smile.

Hope you’re having a great weekend, and I hope you enjoy this. ❤️

-x-x-x-

The attack is unlike anything they’ve ever seen on Jackson. A group of raiders manage to take out an entire patrol and nearly make it past the gates. An entire section of wall needs to be reinforced, and most of the raiders manage to escape.

Tommy and a few other scouts manage to track them to a camp several miles away. They will attack again, and they have the ammo and man power to succeed if they aren’t snuffed out sooner.

The situation is delicate, but can lead to a haul of resources if they’re smart.

Joel rises at dawn the morning they plan to strike, leaving Tess asleep in their bed. Ellie stayed the night at Dina’s, so there’s no danger in her intervening. They’d both tried to talk him out of joining the attack.

But this is for them. This is for their safety, for their wellbeing.

Quietly, Joel dresses and gathers his gear, praying his wife doesn’t wake. He’d hidden his bag in the back of their downstairs closet while Tess was on duty in the gardens yesterday. It doesn’t take much for him to dig it back out.

However, as he hauls the strap of the backpack over his shoulder and clicks the closet door shut, he hears someone clear their throat and turns to find Tess.

Fully dressed. Her own backpack hanging on her shoulders.

“You goin’ somewhere?” he asks.

Her arms are folded across her chest, and she has that disapproving, judgmental furrow in her brow.

“I was gonna ask you the same thing,” she counters.

“Got a last minute patrol.”

She groans. “Dammit, Joel. We agreed on this. You said you weren’t gonna fuck around with this one.”

“We’re in danger, Tess!” he growls. “Ellie is in danger. We’re about to lose our livelihoods, and you think I’m just gonna sit around?”

“I wish you would.”

Blood boiling, he steps into her space. “You really wanna go back?” he asks her. “You really wanna go back to not knowing if we’re gonna wake up the next day? Not knowing where our next meal is comin’ from?”

“Of course not—”

“Then I’m doing this.”

He turns around to leave, but she grabs his wrist, yanking him back. “I know you’re doing this,” she tells him. “I know I can’t stop you. But you know what I can do?”

“What?”

She grasps the straps of her bag. “I’m going with you.”

“Like hell.”

He tries to push past her, but she stops him with a hand on his chest. “You think you can stop me anymore than I can stop you?”

“Look, Tess, just please—”

“No!” she bellows. “Hell no. You and I both know we’re the only people each other trusts to protect us. If we’re doing this, we’re doing it together. Like it’s always been.”

Her eyes pierce his, challenging him to fight her. There’s no way she’s going to budge on this, and she’ll get herself killed to prove a goddamn point.

“Fuck.” He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Fine then.”

“That’s what I thought.”

Grunting, he trudges out the door, muttering, “We’re gonna be late.”

By the time they arrive at the stables, everyone is already loaded up and ready. Tommy gives him some shit about running behind but can’t say much when he’s stopping to say his goodbyes to Maria and Gabe.

Outside, he and Tess lead their horses and get them saddled. He helps her strap on her gear, patting the horse as he watches her adjust the stirrups. Watches her holster her pistol and strap her rifle to her back.

It strikes him how calm she is, as though they’re not about to face a group of well-armed bandits out for everything they’ve got. As thought they’re not both likely to die today.

It’s why he loves her.

She appears to be having trouble when she moves on to fixing the bridle, so he steps in.

“Here, let me—”

“I can do it.” She bats him away, and he doesn’t fight her.

He does, however, place his hands on her shoulders. Maybe she doesn’t need his help, but he needs to touch her; needs to feel her whole and solid before they embark on this potential suicide mission.

While he believes their luck has served them this long, it strikes him that today could be the day it runs out. And if this is all they’ve got left, he just needs to remember this. Remember her.

She finishes tbe bridle and melts into his touch. “What, Joel?”

With their two horses shielding them from the rest of the group, he spins her around, sweeping her up into his arms. And with everything in him, he crushes his lips to hers, savoring the taste of her until they’re both breathless.

“What was that for?” she asks when the finally separate.

His palm rests on her cheek, and he feels his heart clench when she tilts her head to press her lips to it.

He shakes his head. “Just needed it.”

She brushes her lips, softly this time, against his before mounting her horse. He follows her lead, trotting his own horse in stride with hers.

Maybe he’ll die today. Maybe he won’t. But whatever happens, she’s next to him. More than twenty years in, she’s still here. Still his.

As they pass Dina’s place, he thinks of Ellie, probably still sound asleep. Blissfully unaware of what they’re doing and strong enough to make it without them if they don’t come back.

And if they do make it back, they’re both his to hold. To protect.

That, he decides, is enough.

[wildissylupus]

Any jack headcannons in these trying times?

Oooo this is a new one! Alright let's see what I have;

Back during the Overwatch days and even now Jack only drinks coffee if he absolutely needs to, even then there's like, half a cup of sugar in it.

Though he tends to isolate himself now-a-days, he absolutely hates feeling isolated, but due to his shitty communication skills no one really knows that (except for Ana, Gabe, Cass and Lena).

Idk if this is confirmed but I like to think Jack joined the SEP program much later then Reyes, because I think he'd be one of the soldiers to initially think that the Crisis was only going to last a few months at most. Though that doesn't mean he wasn't one of the first people offered to join the SEP program. I just think that he both didn't think it was necessary and he just didn't want to, only agreeing after the old Omniums went back online.

The stuff they used in SEP was extremely harsh on Jack, though he kept a positive demeanour about everything he honestly thought he was going to die several times.

In the last years of Overwatch and after Ana's death both Cassidy and Vivian insisted on being present in any meetings that he had with Gabe, which he initially thought was strange (especially for Cass cause he hated meeting like that) until he realised how much he and Reyes were fighting. Then he just felt guilty that Cassidy and Viv thought they needed to be mediators for them both.

Jack never really understood why Gabe and Ana were so close and so proud of Cassidy until he met Lena.

Jack and Cassidy got closer after Rialto but their bond really cemented after Ana's death, Cassidy usually making sure Jack ate and Jack making sure Cassidy slept. I also think that during the final years of Overwatch Jack saw a lot of Ana in Cassidy.

Jack saw Mina Liao as a little sister figure.

He can't handle sad parts in movies, especially romance and found family centric movies. I also choose to believe he's very reactive when watching stuff, like says shit like "oh that bitch!" "no don't do that!" "Just talk to each other PLEASE-"

Anyway I hope you enjoy these headcannons! First time I've actually had to think and list the ones I have for Jack!

[orgablorga]

Hey! Mama of a very creative 11 year old girl! She wanted me to put her characters online in hopes of inspiring an artist or two! I told her to not hold her breath, but we both agree it's worth asking! Even if no one bites, she'd love some questions!

Welcome to New Hades, a chaotic, crime-ridden city of crime families and fire. Godhood is impossible, but becoming a New Hades Legend is a close second. Here are a few.

Freddy No Nose: A sadist through and through, this skeletal robot is a veritable terminator with weapon augmentations all over his body, hidden...and glaringly obvious. Tactics be damned! This guy wants to scare and hurt people. A rare breed of sadist, this skull-faced bot with eyes burning red will even sacrifice money if it means he can shed blood or oil. His bomber jacket is fire tho B)

Viole/n/t: The youngest Legend of New Hades at 17, Violet Mendes is a small, frail girl with white hair caused by a rare genetic disease that does give her electric powers, but makes them slowly consume her. She is currently housed in a high security prison for numerous computer crimes. Some call her Robin Hood, given her habits of hacking rich folks dry and giving poor people a very pleasant surprise.

Scales: Some people are just born unlucky. Hans Bank is one of them. What do you get when you combine gigantism, super strength, a bioweapon that causes the skin to become scaly, hard, and sharp teeth to grow? You get one of the top paid fighters in the Erebus Crime Family. It's said that they haven't even bothered to come up with a plan for "when" he's beaten.

Whisper: Age: Unknown. Race: Unknown. Gender: Unknown. What is known about this hooded figure that introduces themself with a metal wire to your throat? Seeing them and dying are about identical. 151,300 people die every day, a surprising amount to the same shadow of a person. (Note: The word "person" is our best guess, their species is also debatable.)

Ronnie Sharp: Money can't buy happiness. You know what it can buy? Everything else. There's a price tag on all creation, it's all pocket change to this man-shark beast of a mafia don. A skinny, short, diseased runt of his brothers, Ronnie is a spiteful, wretched, fervid demon of a shark. But it hardly matters when anyone who calls him out on this is quickly shown how cheap their life is.

Pearly White: Years ago, Mayor Zeus Chandler fiddled with a little underground super soldier experiment. He had his scientists put together a serum that makes psychotic, devoid of empathy, astonishingly clever super soldiers with strength and a healing factor to boot. But as it turns out, kidnapping homeless people and torturing them into psychopathy, then giving them superpowers is a bit of a lousy idea. The pale skin and red lips caused by the serum is what gave The Clowns their name, and if you've met one, you've met them all. Pearly is just their leader.

Harold Finley: Ah, a classic if ever I've seen one. You know those RoboCop street punks? The unrealistically mean ones? Yea, them. Those guys would run screaming if they met Johnny. What does he look like? Good question! Ask the people who've seen him. I'll take you to the cemetery. Hope you're a necromancer.

Nyx: Reading file...pros: passion, literally magic charisma, encyclopedic knowledge of explosives. cons: passion, literally magic charisma, encyclopedic knowledge of explosives. Is this leather-clad, half-shaved, blindfolded lunatic your friend? That's a coinflip if ever I've seen one. Yes, even for her. Heads? Best buds, she'll never let you down. Tails? The Devil shivers.

Simon Shady: The Ministry of Shadows seldom sends out one of their own killers, but when they do, Simon is another word for death. This man is literally made of magical shadows, complete with a noir detective getup. He always kills his target within 7 days of them hearing his name. Each, day, the target loses something they love. More than once, he hasn't even had to finish the job himself.

Gabe Golden. A bear. A literal bipedal bear. In a suit, with golden hands. Actual solid gold hands. Number 1 boxer, huge crime boss. An actual bear with golden hands in a suit. :P

[or-something-better]

October 25, 2022

Weird Behind the Scene’s conversation during RP tonight

Gabe (GOD)

For tonight’s RP

Ellen

Oooo.. its getting fancy

Gabe (GOD)

Charlie, Ruby, Ellen?

Ruby

Yep

Ellen

Yes

Gabe (GOD)

Okie dokie

Charlie

Yes?? Gabe (GOD)

There’s no time to tell you about everything that’s going on here We’re being watched

Charlie

By who?? looking around

Gabe (GOD)

Death

Ellen

And why would he be watching us?

Ruby

Always pissing off the right people I see.

Gabe (GOD)

Yeah it’s a personality flaw I guess, but I have a plan and I need your help. Ruby?

Ruby

sigh I'm in

Gabe (GOD)

Do you remember the time Sam and Dean trapped death with the spell?

Charlie

looking nervous I’m your wingman, you know I have to be in….

Ruby

I'll need a quick refresher, but it won't take long

Ellen

Alright Gabe. What do you need feeling a little off about this

Gabe (GOD)

Ok I need you to get that spell going. Charlie, I have to kill the entire team Everyone

Ellen

shocked

Charlie

eyes going wide

Gabe (GOD)

I don’t have a choice. Death kidnapped donna and the kids

Ruby

Got it

Gabe (GOD)

It’s you guys or them but I think I can fix it

Ellen

listening

Charlie

sighs I hope so… or else it’s been nice knowing you….

Ruby

I take a quick break and come back to mass murder

Gabe (GOD)

I wasn’t given a choice Ruby

Ellen

Everyone?? Alright. You'll bring em back?

Ruby

Hmmmm, that sounds familiar

Gabe (GOD)

I’m going to kill you first, but I’m going to wait until death appears, and bring you all back at once. That’s where you come in Ellen

Ellen

letting a breath out Ok

Charlie

gulps you got it….

Gabe (GOD)

Hand me those weapons will you ?

Ellen

hands the bag over watching in silence

Gabe (GOD)

every weapon in the bag starts to glow as my eyes and hands glow turning them into hand of god weapons. As they die I need you to put these weapons on their chest so they are ready to use immediately understood?

Ellen

Got it

Gabe (GOD)

Ruby, you’ll be last so you have time to set the spell and start it as he appears trapping him .

Ellen

putting the bag back on my back

Gabe (GOD)

Charlie any ideas on how to kill him?

Ruby

You got it

Gabe (GOD)

We don’t have the scythe

Ruby

Do you have a location on it?

Gabe (GOD)

No, it’s out of anything I can feel right now meaning if he has it it’s between worlds like this place

Ruby

You do know I need to find the fulgurite as well

Charlie

What else can kill a horseman? Besides the scythe…

 Gabe (GOD)

Hopefully the team can help you Nothing I can think of according to dad maybe, MAYBE hand of god weapons Ellen

Or even get that close to him If you think this is gonna work. Let's do it. looking to Charlie and Ruby

Charlie

Well you’d be the only one that can do that… and it’s likely our best shot…. But you’re god…. Can you make another scythe?

Gabe (GOD)

That’s, dad didn’t make that it’s always been his

Ruby

Where was it last seen?

Gabe (GOD)

We have one shot at this guys or we’re ALL dead Dean lost it to him in Chicago

Charlie

Well hand of god it is…. Let’s hope this works. If not, at least I won’t be here to see the aftermath….

Gabe (GOD)

Ok let’s get you guys back …..

Ellen

shoots a look at Charlie Gabe (GOD)

I like this we may use it again

Ellen

Mee too!! Lol..

Charlie

  Agreed

Ruby

Want me to go gather the items needed for the spell?

Gabe (GOD)

Yes please with the others

Ruby

And where should I post it?

Gabe (GOD)

Back in hunting grounds

Ruby

Do I bind Death as soon as he enters?

[narcolini]

when the crows come home, 4

part one / part two / part three & ao3 link

angel reyes x gn!reader, part 4 of ?, 4588 words

a/n: screams. finally get to bring in some angel pov and some spanish AND some OCs. im chomping the bit - also theres translations at the end (thankyou @yourlocalspacewitxch​ love u)!

taglist: @drabbles-mc @cositapreciosa @ashlingiswriting

Angel didn’t mean to fall asleep here. He really didn’t mean to fall asleep here. 

He was talking, no, you were talking, he was listening, for most of the night. Until you weren’t. Until you were asleep. Well, who knows which person went first, it doesn’t matter, really. He doesn’t remember. All that matters, is that he fell asleep in your bed, still dressed, and that was never the plan. He was gonna leave, back out the window and onto his bike before it got too early to be pointless. So much for that. Instead, he fell asleep like he was already home, with your TV flickering over him instead of his own. 

It’s still on now. He’s still in his kutte too, and he fucking hates sleeping in his kutte. Shit feels like sleeping on a saddle, rigid and hot, so hot, once he starts sweating under it. 

God, he hopes you haven’t noticed the sweating. First time you’ve shared a bed and he’s damp under his shirt, behind his neck, across his fucking brow.

He stares at the ceiling above your room. You haven’t moved yet, besides the lift of your shoulders and the push of your breath over him. You don’t know that he’s awake and thinking himself into something like a nightmare.

Didn’t mean to cross that boundary, right, Angel? To fall asleep with you against him, face on his chest, patches probably leaving imprints on your cheek. Santo Padre pushed into the skin in that same blocky font. Way too fucking soon for that, yeah? Why not seal the deal and go have breakfast with the parents, too? 

So much for taking it as it comes, for letting you figure your own shit out, before stuffing himself into the middle of it all. If he’d known this would happen, he’d have rode off last night when you didn’t answer on the first dial tone. 

Fuck. He didn’t mean to leave his bike out in the open all night, either. 

He’s out of the bed faster than he should be, considering you’re sleeping still, but the bike’s there when he looks through the window and the relief of that quickly overshadows any guilt he has about waking you. Thank God, you live in a neighbourhood full of pensioners. No-ones even looked twice at his bike. The helmet’s still swinging from the handlebars. 

‘Angel?’ 

You’re disorientated, obviously. He’s just thrown you onto the mattress like you’re an extension of the sheets. 

‘Hey.’ He wipes his palms against his jeans and turns back to the bed. ‘I just.’ He stops. It must look like he’s trying to escape through the window, caught in the act before he can even touch the frame. ‘You good?’ he asks, hoping he looks relaxed, or as normal as someone can be in this situation. 

You nod and make a noise that’s almost readable as a yes.

That job shit really got to you. This is the longest you’ve gone without telling him something about himself, or cracking a joke that makes him so annoyed, but so glad you’re back. He misses it like you’ve gone mute.  

‘Sorry,’ he explains, though you aren’t awake enough to care, ‘I thought someone might’ve stolen my bike. Forgot your neighbours are, like, five hundred years old.’

You’re propped on your elbows, squinting at him like the sunlight’s blinding you. Your hair’s flattened on one side, your lips are dry from breathing through your mouth—yeah, that’s something he’ll use later—and honestly, you look like you haven’t been awake, or human, in a year at least. But he wants to get back in, he realises. He wants to apologise again, lie down, and put your goofy sleep-struck face back onto his chest like he’d never moved at all.

And that is a very fucking loco thing to be thinking on a Thursday morning. Looking at you, biche.

He puts his hands in his pockets and keeps his feet firmly in the same spot on the carpet. ‘Guess we fell asleep,’ he says, because that’s better than suggesting he stays and wastes the day with you.

‘Fuck,’ you mutter, before rubbing your eyes with your fingers. ‘What time is it?’

His phone’s on your bed still, under your stomach—he can see the edge of it beneath your t-shirt. When he points it out, silently, you oblige, taking it and clicking it once to read the time. 

For a second, his gut tightens, because he know’s you’re seeing it again, the photo Potter sent him. But you know about that now, to an extent. He forces a breath until his lungs deflate. The kid’s not a secret anymore. You don’t even react when you see him shining back at you. 

Annoyingly, it doesn’t feel like a relief yet. There’s still things he hasn’t told you, things that could make you react worse than ‘I have a baby’ did—though, that, you took better than he ever imagined. Freakishly well, really. It’d be weird as fuck if he wasn’t so used to you and your calculated responses. A lot has changed since you went away, but you weren’t a liar then, and you aren’t now. As far as he knows, anyway.  

‘Well, house is empty,’ you say afterwards, words still nudging into each other with sleep. ‘You're good to use the door.’ 

Like that’s what he’s worrying about. He hadn’t even got to thinking about your parents yet.

‘Alright.’ He nods, taking the phone when you hold it out for him.

Should he leave? Is that what that was? Just a polite way of saying, get out please, we made it fucking awkward, right? 

He half expects you to say it out loud, but you don’t. 

Instead, you fold back into the bed, arms collapsing under you, head pushing into the pillow he’d been using. There’s no reason for you to get up, he guesses, but that doesn’t stop him from feeling conflicted about it. He almost wants to drag you up and make you come with him, but Bish would have something to say about that. Fuck, all of them would have something to say about that. Even EZ would find some smart-ass comment to make.

‘You gonna be okay today?’ he asks, watching your face, your eyes closed already.

You murmur a yeah. Lying, clearly. 

He’s never seen someone actually look depressed while they’re falling asleep before, but you’re managing it. He can see you waiting for the bed to swallow you whole. Something about the way your shoulders are sitting, all tucked into yourself. 

He cant help himself; he has to say, ‘Text me when you’re up, alright?’ like he’s got you under 24-hour supervision. Like he has some right to know. 

Your answer is another hum, followed by, ‘Go do your job, Angel. M’not a kid.’

You aren’t. You’ve dealt with worse, without him, plenty of times before. He’s gotta remember that. He shouldn’t need prompting. 

‘Sure, biche,’ he replies, but you’re already asleep, lips parted slightly.

__________

Letting himself out is easier than he expects it to be. Though, really, why would it be hard? House looks the same as it did when he was there to eat pizza and watch WrestleMania on the box TV in your living room. God, that was a lifetime ago now. You taped it for him, when you remembered, and he’d come round to watch it, sitting inches from the screen. Highlight of his week, every week.

That’s one thing that has changed actually, it’s a flat-screen now. Your parents have welcomed more of the 21st century into their home than Pops ever has. He’d still use the black and white set if he could. He didn’t change it ’til him and EZ pitched in for a new one. 

The front door locks as he shuts it behind him, which he’s glad of. Least you won’t get robbed while you sleep the day away. Then, he’s back into reality, down the steps from your porch and over to his bike like nothing has happened. No sleepover, no boundaries crossed. Just back to the grind, same as every day. Feels good. Feels right. He takes a breath big enough to fill his lungs before swinging his leg over.

It’s border work this time, fucking baby seats, of all things. Like he wants to spend his day carting those about, knowing he’ll never need to buy one himself. 

He sighs, back curving as he slouches into the seat. 

Gotta stop thinking like that, man. Won’t make him come home any quicker. 

‘Yo.’ He’s called EZ before even touching his helmet, or the keys in the pocket of his jeans. His brother’s groan cracks into his ear in place of a hello. ‘I wake you up?’ Angel asks, fighting the urge to hang up again. The one time he’s up before noon and every other person he talks to is dead-set on being sleeping beauty.

‘Yeah, actually.’ EZ groans again, then clears his throat until he sounds lively. ‘Thought we weren’t meeting til twelve?’

‘Sooner we start, sooner we get it over with.’ He was already thinking about the beer waiting for him afterwards. Ice cold, condensation up its neck. ‘You gonna be ready when I pull up?’

‘Fuck, no.’ EZ laughs. ‘I gotta shower and eat something first, bro. Gonna be a long fucking day.’

Wrong answer, but it’s too early to argue with him. ‘Alright,’ Angel sighs, ‘I’ll stop by Pops before I come to you.’ He pulls the keys from his pocket and turns the ignition, hoping EZ can hear it through the phone. Hurry up, it says, don’t keep me waiting, hermano. ‘Someone should probably check on him, anyway. Make sure he’s eating and shit.’ 

‘You nearby?’ 

Angel snorts; imagines himself saying, Yeah, I’m near by. Wanna hear a crazy story, bro? Guess where I slept last night.

But that’s another thing it’s way too early for, so instead he says, ‘You’re supposed to be showering, fool.’ Then he pins the phone to his shoulder and reaches for his helmet. ‘You got an hour, no más. Entiendes, carnal?’

‘Alright, relax,’ EZ complains. ‘Man, I like it way better when you’re the one oversleeping.’ 

Yeah, me the fuck too.

                                                          *

Heroin-stuffed baby seats. Ironic even to Angel and he barely knows what the word fucking means. Made to save kids in a car crash and they’re filling them with dope, sending them right past border control with someone playing sweet little Mommy behind the wheel. 

So dumb, but it always works. World’s funny like that. 

‘That all we’re moving?’ he asks, shining the torch over EZ. 

They’re by the tunnel’s exit still, EZ stuffing the load into the cushioning of the car seats they’d brought. Thank fuck, they got to avoid the dirty job this time, left that part to Gilly and Coco instead. He hates going through the tunnel. Shit always sticks to his hair: cobwebs, dirt. He’s the only one tall enough to brush the fucking top of it. 

‘That’s all there is,’ Gilly answers from behind.

Well, fuck.

‘Shit’s not gonna last long out there,’ he says, though it’s obvious, but someone’s gotta say it.

EZ looks up at them. ‘Neither are we if it stays like this,’ he says.

And that’s even more fucking obvious. 

‘Will you hurry up?’ Coco whines, clinging from the ladder still. He’s poking out the hole in the ground like a prairie dog. A prairie dog in his abuelita’s wig. ‘I’m fucking itchy man, this shit is clinging to me like fucking asbestos or some shit.’

EZ ducks his head again, shoving the final package into the seat.

‘It’d be quicker if you helped, asshole,’ Angel says, earning him a, fuck off, go do your part, in return.

Yeah, don’t have to tell him twice. He can’t wait to get out of this shit-hole and back into the open air.

‘Have you noticed Coco’s got cranky lately?’ EZ asks, once it’s just them again, a car seat in each set of arms. 

‘That’s what he’s always like,’ Angel answers, eyes rolling. ‘I used to live with him, remember?’

Used to make breakfast around him like he was cohabiting with a viper. So bite-y until he’d had his breakfast, or a smoke.

‘Probably forgot his morning coffee or some shit,’ he adds, though he can tell by EZ’s expression that he already doesn’t agree with him. He’s got that line between his brows like Angel’s said something stupid again. His favourite fucking expression lately. 

Angel looks away before it can piss him off. 

‘Pops didn’t get out of bed,’ he says after a minute. ‘House is a fucking mess, too. Dirty dishes everywhere.’

When he went, Pop didn’t even return his hello. Didn’t even lift his head to look at him, standing in the doorway. Somehow, it felt worse than arguing does. He’d rather that, Pops telling him how much of a constant disappointment he is, than whatever this is. Silence stings in a way he can’t shake off.

EZ sighs beside him, switching the seat to rest on his opposite arm. ‘What’re we gonna do, man?’

Angel shrugs. ‘Fucking no idea. I’m not good at fixing people, bro. That’s your job.’

‘Since when?’

‘Um,’ he shoots EZ a look, ‘since forever?’ 

Since Angel went to Chino, before he’d even turned twenty-one, since he ruined his relationship with Pop and fucked up every good thing he had going for him. Since he scared you away, right out of Santo Padre. 

‘You’re good with people, Ezekiel. Pops will listen to you eventually.’

‘Fucking hope so.’ He tuts. ‘I hate seeing him like this.’

You get used to it, Angel wants to say. That’s how it was every fucking day when EZ was in Stockton. But he knows what the answer will be. You went away too, you know. We had to deal with the same shit, Angel. Mum as well. 

So, he says nothing, and he sets his eyes on the car of the poor woman who’s gonna take this shit through the border. 

                                                         *

Finally, finally, he gets his God damn beer. He feels like kissing it, but he takes a sip instead. Fucking beautiful. He lets the rest of them fall into conversation, along the bar to the right of him—he took the end seat for a reason—and enjoys the quiet he’s pretending he has. Lets himself think, properly, for the first time today. 

Until he’s interrupted, that is.  

‘You depressed, homeboy?’ Coco laughs, looking down the line, past Gilly and EZ, to target him. ‘Looks like you’re gonna cry or some shit.’

‘I’m thinking. Jesus.’ Can’t have a minute to himself without a fucking interrogation. He rubs a palm over his face, then sets it on his beer again afterwards, rings clinking against the glass. ‘Was thinking if I knew of any jobs going,’ he explains, reluctantly. ‘Got a friend that needs some work.’

Gilly shrugs. ‘Always need more mules going over the border.’

‘Fuck no. Not that shit.’ The idea of it almost pisses him off. No, it does piss him off. The thought of you sitting there, drug-filled baby seats behind you. He’d rather be the one taking that risk. Him and his ‘arrest me’ looking self. So, no, not that. He takes a swig of his beer to wash the sour from his mouth. ‘Something above board,’ he says, ‘legal. Something normal people do.’

EZ laughs. ‘Do we know any normal people?’

‘Ha-ha.’ God, he’s hard to talk to sometimes. So quick, it’s annoying. ‘It’s for…’ He stops himself. Things shared at midnight, in the quiet of bedrooms, don’t usually come with a free pass to tell other people. ‘Don’t worry about it,’ he finishes, head shaking. ‘I’ll think of something.’

Then, right on cue, you message him. He knows, because his phone vibrates against his chest, jumping alive from the inside pocket of his kutte, and no-one else texts him lately. Besides EZ, and that fool’s sitting shoulder to shoulder with him.

Thanks for last night, the text reads, and, yes, I just woke up.

He smiles. Then sniffs and rubs a hand over his mouth to wipe it away again. No problem, he types back. You feel better?

He does, anyway, miles better, in fact. About the baby, about the two of you. About being useful to someone who isn’t paying him to be. 

So much, you reply. Ready to take on the world.

Shit, watch out Santo Padre. He hopes you laugh at that, lame as it is. Hopes you snort in that way you do. The typing bubble pops up again as he takes another drink. 

You staying out of trouble? you ask. 

The answer comes easily. Hell yeah, good as gold, biche.

He didn’t mean for it to be a lie, Gilly and Coco just have really, really bad timing. The moment he hits send, and looks up from your conversation, is the exact same moment that Gilly punches Coco, sending him right into the back of a uniformed soldier. Right into a group of them, even, flattening Coco and the one nearest onto the pool table behind.

Who knows what they were arguing about, who knows who was in the right, or how it went from beer-side talk, to a physical fucking fight—between men who are supposed to be brothers, he might add. Angel doesn’t know, or care, that’s for sure. What he does know, however, is that when a soldier throws a punch at one of his own, yeah, that’s when it becomes everybody’s problem.

EZ turns to him, as he reaches the same conclusion Angel has. ‘Shall we?’ he asks.

Angel swallows the last of his beer. ‘I think we fucking shall.’

And, fuck it, he’ll bring the bar stool too. 

                                                         *

He was getting his ass beat. Not this time, not now, but then, fucking years ago, in Chino. In the fuck-up that took his stay from twelve months to eighteen. It was a fight that lasted all of three fucking minutes and it got his sentence extended, without debate. Could have been worse, of course. Could’ve ended up dead in the yard for running his mouth, again. He hadn’t worked out how to survive in there yet, didn’t know when to joke and when to keep his mouth shut. How to make friends and who to avoid all together. Couldn’t get it right, at all, until Gabe had taught him how. 

That was the first time he’d spoken to him. Gabriel ‘Gabe’ Trujillo.

He’d got to Angel before the COs did, pulled the brawl apart like he was shucking corn. Pulled Angel right from under the guy, Boney—yeah, dumb name, that’s why it started, Angel just had to tell him that—and set them away from each other like children. Got involved before it got too bad, while Angel was still able to stand.

‘Pinshe mocoso cagadero, ‘tás tratando de que te maten?’ he barked, all up in Angel’s face.

He stood in front of him, voice hard like he’d been fighting himself, not watching it happen, and waited for an answer. Like Angel could give him one, like he could even focus on the guy. There was two of him, he remembers, their heads going in and out of each other in the blur. 

‘What?’ Angel parroted. ‘What?’ 

He was bleeding from his brow, dripping red over his eyes. His own head was spinning from the hits he’d taken. He couldn’t understand English, let alone Spanish, but that’s all Gabe ever used with him.

He didn’t look at Boney either, didn’t even address him. Just stood between the two of them, his back to the other man, chiding Angel like a kid.

‘Pues, quieres morir,’ he said, ‘es eso?’

No, Angel tried to tell him, who the fuck are you? No, he doesn’t want to die. 

But before his mouth could catch up, the COs had arrived, and then Angel was against the fence, wrists pulled together behind his back, Boney slammed into place beside him. Somehow, that was the worst part. That shit hurt the most.

__________

Once he was let out of the Hole, Gabe had found him again. He sat down across from him, at the table Angel had been occupying, and put a pill in front of his food tray.

Angel stared at it. His face was still too bruised and swollen to bother with pulling any sort of expression in return. 

‘Aspirin,’ Gabe explained. ‘I get it on a doctor’s note. Migraines.’

Migraines? Angel looked from the pill, to Gabe, to the CO standing in the corner of the room.

‘Figured your head’s hurting more than mine right now.’

‘What?’ Angel asked, looking back to him. 

He still didn’t know the guy. He was shorter than Angel, but older. Forty vs twenty. Thicker too, working muscle with a noticeable belly, and a beard that touched his chest when he talked. 

‘Quieres que lo repita?’ He scoffed, and kept his voice hushed as he continued. ‘Tómalo antes de que vean, plebito.’

His head was pounding, so he took it. And he gagged, of course, because he’s always been fucking bad at taking pills. It sat on his tongue, refusing to go down, until Gabe sighed and passed him the drink from his tray. Like he couldn’t even do that himself.

‘Thanks,’ Angel managed, sounding ungrateful. He didn’t recognise what a lifeline it was, what it meant in the grand scheme of things. Now, Angel would go back in time and tell himself to pull it together. Gabe is giving you more than a fucking painkiller, fool.

‘Mira. Kid.’ He switched to English, thinking Angel didn’t know it well enough to keep up. ‘I’m tired of seeing you get your ass beat. They’re gonna extend your sentence for that one, y’know? Other guy’s lip was split, needed stitches.’

Angel scoffed, like that was his fault. Boney threw the first punch. ‘That’s not—’

Gabe put his palm up. ‘They don’t give a shit. Damage is done, everyone pays for it.’

That’s when Angel noticed the tattoos across Gabe’s knuckles: MAYANS MC. He remembers thinking it was goofy, branding himself like that. Then, here he is now, having covered more of his skin than Gabe has, with the very same name. You don’t get it, until you’re in it. 

‘I can’t sit and watch you ruin your life, okay?’ Gabe said. ‘Too many kids go that way.’

His brother, Angel found out. He told him that later. Apparently, he had Angel’s attitude and stubbornness, made the same mistakes over and over without learning from them. Angel didn’t know at the time, but Gabe had been keeping an eye on him since the beginning, hoping that eventually he’d wise up. The shit with Boney was his limit. Like seeing a ghost, he said. Hermanito. 

‘So, what?’ Angel asked, disbelieving. He’d never had a guy in his corner before then. ‘You gonna make me part of your crew or something?’

‘Pendejo…’ Gabe muttered. ‘You ever think before you speak?’

‘No, not really,’ he replied and, somehow, that chipped a smile across Gabe’s husky features. Sealed the deal for him. 

‘Gabriel,’ he said, putting a hand out for Angel to shake, ‘Gabe, if you’re not my mother.’

He took his palm. ‘Angel.’

Gabe laughed at that, really fucking laughed, and Angel smirked back like he was in on it. 

‘Angelito,’ he said, once he’d wound down again, ‘ah, qué chistoso. You stick with me, you might even start enjoying yourself, kid.’

Yeah, not quite. But, he’d kept him straight after then, and when he got out before Angel did, he sent him mail and called and—fuck, Angel really should ring him soon. It’s been too long. 

You’d like Gabe, really. He’s your sort of person, doesn’t talk until he has something to say. Doesn’t lie either, just gives you whatever he thinks is right, as long as it’ll serve a purpose. If he wasn’t in Oakland, Angel would introduce you to him before anyone else, before anyone in Santo Padre leathers at all. Hell, he’d take you to fucking dinner at his house. Gabe’s approval almost means more to him than Pop’s does. 

But that’ll never happen. You won’t even get close. 

                                                         *

Bishop is in a bad fucking mood. Obviously, news of the fight at the bar hadn’t gone down well and they’d been scolded for it, in front of the whole damn club. Never gets any easier. He never gets any leeway either, no matter how high he goes. Angel’s made it to secretary now and still, when you’ve fucked up, you’ve fucked up. Bish has no problem reminding him, or anyone, of that. 

But, he gets it. He gets it. Scrapping with military men in public does nothing for the club’s rep, but, man, shit happens sometimes. Bishop would’ve acted the same damn way if he was there.

Angel’s outside now, smoking on the clubhouse steps like the cigarette might drag all the shitty feelings out of him, pull it right up from his stomach, into his lungs, off into the fucking air with the smoke. It isn’t working yet. Maybe on the next drag.

‘Hey,’ Bish appears behind him, halfway out the door, ‘I’ve changed my mind. I want bodies tonight.’

Angel nods.

‘Be back here at midnight.’ He holds his gaze. ‘No more fucking about, Angel.’

‘Yeah, got it.’ Loud and clear. ‘Midnight,’ he agrees and then el presidente disappears again.

Fucking attitude. 

Sometimes, he misses Oakland. He even misses Marcus, of all people. The guy had the leash so tight, Angel never got in trouble in the first place, never got scolded for things, because he never stepped out of line. He didn’t know he could miss that until recently.

Marcus you wouldn’t like, he thinks, or maybe you would. He can’t tell. Maybe you’d like him for what he’d done, him and Gabe both. They’d moulded Angel into something worthwhile, after all. Someone worth coming back to.

A whining engine catches his attention, Chucky’s dumb little vespa pulling into the lot in front of him. There’s a box balanced on the back of it, tied down with a fraying bit of string. Knowing Chucky, it’s something edible, in way too big of a quantity, that absolutely nobody has asked for. Donuts, or some shit. He’s always playing housewife when he has actual yard work to be doing. 

Ah, now, that’s an idea.

‘Hey, Chuck?’ He finishes his cigarette, snuffing it beneath his boot before taking the steps onto the gravel. ‘You got a minute?’

Chucky beams, nodding quickly as he kicks the stand down. The unclipped straps of his helmet bounce by his chin. ‘For you, Angel? Always, brother.’

He smiles back and tries to make it look genuine. Chucky has a real talented way of making things sound fucking weird.

‘You ever feel like you need an extra pair of hands around here?’ He winces as soon as he asks it, Chuck’s wooden fingers already up and wiggling between them. ‘Sorry, you know,’ he sighs, ‘you get what I’m saying.’

‘Sure,’ Chucky agrees, nodding again. 

It’s a twitch, it must be. His nerves are rattling out through his skull. 

Angel carries on despite it. ‘We got room to take on someone else?’

‘I think so,’ Chucky replies. ‘Who d’you have in mind?’

------

part five >>>>

‘Pinshe mocoso cagadero, ‘tás tratando de que te maten?’ = Fucking little shithead/kid/brat, are you trying to get yourself killed?

'Pues, quieres morir, es eso?’ = Well, you want to die, is that it?

‘Quieres que lo repita? Tómalo antes de que vean, plebito.’ = You want me to repeat it? Take it before they see, dumbo.

qué chistoso = how amusing/silly

[fallinallincurls]

Die A Happy Man

september 1st is nate’s day so a fic was due!! happy birthday to one of my favorite hockeys ever. this whole idea actually sparked from the tags in a post that @sorryjustafangirl​ put up! and now, here it is all finished in a little adorable blurb. die a happy man by thomas rhett screams nate to me so that was also used as inspo for this concept.

hope you enjoy!! feedback is always appreciated! xx

word count: 940

~~~~~

“Gabe, look.” EJ elbows his best friend who is standing next to him on the back deck. It doesn’t matter that Gabe is currently in another conversation, EJ needs his attention before the moment passes. 

“What?” He asks, turning around to face Erik but confused as to what the interruption is for. Without another word, EJ tilts his head towards the dock just across the large yard. Most of the team and their families are occupying the green grass for the team barbecue that Nate graciously hosted at his lake house to celebrate the team’s Stanley Cup win.

But there’s only two people on the dock. You and Nate. No one seems to notice the two of you besides Erik and Gabe, of course, and the scene that’s unfolding is a shock to say the least. 

“Holy shit.” Gabe mumbles, the biggest grin blossoming across his face. “Is that Nate? Like our Nate? Dancing in a public space? I don’t believe it.”

“Somehow, it is our Nathan. You know that must mean he’s totally in love with her. He never does that, ever.” EJ chuckles, a teasing tone evident in his words, but Gabe knows it’s the truth. Over the many years the three men have been teammates, it’s been obvious that it takes a very special person to get Nate out of his shell.

And up until now, they’ve never seen him dance with a girl before let alone in front of everyone.

“He must be.” Gabe agrees without hesitation.

The conversation doesn’t go any further because the longtime friends get roped into a game of cornhole against the rookies and neither you or Nate are aware of what his teammates just discussed. 

Instead, your giggles are mixing with Nate’s sweet chuckles as you dance around the dock together. When you posed the simple question of “will you dance with me?” when the Thomas Rhett song came on, you didn’t think Nate would say yes. In almost the full year that you’ve been dating, you haven’t seen him do anything remotely close to dancing so you figured him agreeing to do so in a backyard that’s full of everyone he knows would be a long shot.

You were wrong.

After an eager nod from him as a response and kicking your shoes off, Nate pulled you onto the dock and wasted no time wrapping his arms around your waist. You’re still pressed close against his body, both of you swaying together to the music without a care in the world. Occasionally, Nate will spin you outwards only for you to twirl back into his arms or he surprises you with perfect dips that make you shriek in happy surprise.

The moment couldn’t have been more perfect. 

Nothing but happiness and love flowed between the two of you. In your boyfriend’s arms, everything else fades away. But you swear there has never been anything better than right now, dancing under the warm summer sun with the man who makes you the happiest. Nate’s soft smile warms your heart and he doesn’t hesitate to kiss you almost every other second while you keep dancing. Seeing the joy on his face and how relaxed he is because of the Cup win and being here with you is something you are incredibly grateful for.

And because you’re both entirely lost in each other, the knowing looks and excited whispers coming from Nate’s teammates and families in the yard go unnoticed. EJ’s smirking, trying to plan out how to ambush his friend with the big question that includes the L word. But everyone else watches on in either awe or disbelief.

“You know,” Nate speaks up for the first time since the song started, his beautiful blue eyes full of adoration as he looks at you. His voice interrupts your thoughts, but neither of your movements falter. He kisses you one, two, three times before continuing. “If I never win another cup or get to travel the world or play for as long as I possibly can in the NHL, I’d still would be the happiest man alive.”

“Why’s that, bubs?” You ask, heart melting at his sweet confession. Your fingers tangle in the short hair at back of his neck and he hums in contentment.

“Because I have you and your love. That’s all I ever need.”

“You can’t mean that. Never winning another cup? Not playing as long as you can? Those are your lifelong dreams.” You argue, brows furrowed at your boyfriend’s confession even as your heart soars with each passing second.

“Yeah, maybe. They were my lifelong dreams. Until I met you. If I never get any of those things and still have you, I’m the happiest man alive. I would die a happy man.” 

You can’t stop the swell of adoration in your chest at his words. Nothing you can say will properly show how much he means to you so instead, you pull him in for a tender kiss. Nate responds within a split second, hands keeping you close and kissing you back like nothing else in the world matters. 

Because right now, it doesn’t.

The Cup surrounded by his teammates on his deck isn’t a thought. How warm his skin is underneath the summer sun doesn’t even register. And certainly, the hoots and hollers from EJ aren’t heard as Nate depends the kiss. 

This is what he’s always wanted. And now that you’re here, he won’t ever let you go. Because if everything else fails and life doesn’t turn out the way it should, he has your love and that alone means his life is complete.

taglist: @tonyspep @miracleonice87 @princessphilly @starshine-hockey-girl @rosesvioletshardy @sorryjustafangirl @laurenairay @hockeyunits @stroopwaffle8 @musiclove-12 @ilyasorokinn @jostystyles @broadstflyers @breezymichelle99 @comphyjost @ya-pucking-nerd @beauvibaby @chokedwithaseaview @sourjoonie​ @idontgiveaflyinggrayson69​ @itrocksmysocks​ @typical-simplelove​ @boqvistsbabe​ @happer08​ @antoineroussel​ @twpkstiles @suitandtys​ @equallyshaw​ @eightmakar​ @kailyn-writes​ 

[elffees]

why Jane vs. Kenny made sense and why ANF is important (or the continuity between seasons)

ya know as much as i heavily agree on the “Luke vs. Kenny wouldve been more fulfilling rather than Jane vs. Kenny” thing (trust me Luke was my favorite S2 character) Jane vs. Kenny did have its purpose, especially when looking at Clementine’s arc through S2, ANF, and TFS.

im not gonna talk too much abt S2 bc the game couldnt make up its mind on what it wanted its main theme to be so it changed overtime. but still, by the end of Episode 5, Jane vs. Kenny makes sense in its own way.

while a Luke vs. Kenny confrontation would represent Clementine having to choose between the deep ties of the past vs the hope of a new future, Jane vs. Kenny represents something else. while S2 notoriously having nonstop and controversial deaths bothers me as much as the next person, i think its also supposed to represent Clementine’s spiral. Kenny’s downfall is focused on a lot, but Clementine experiences her own just as much.

in S2 so many people die around her and the point of the Jane vs. Kenny fight at the end is not supposed to be a duel between two vastly different sides, but instead a messy situation of having to choose who’s the lesser of two evils (btw no im not saying the characters are actually evil). Jane vs. Kenny is supposed to feel awful and unfair. Clem has been dealt a shitty hand in a shitty world and has had nothing but a shitty time. S2 is a very dark experience for her, there is no happy ending because there’s not supposed to be.

➱ how this flows into A New Frontier

this fits into the overarching narrative because Clem’s journey in S3 is basically the opposite of S2. seeing the Garcias go through their struggles, but still miraculously come out on top and safer than they ever were before changes a lot for Clementine. like, regardless of what you choose, at least one other Garcia besides Javier survives the EP 5 “who do you go after” choice. Javi does not end alone.

the Garcias have a rough time, Clementine witnesses their trauma first hand. throughout the season, her emo self is constantly trying to convince Javier that happiness doesn’t exist. and i mean, after the griminess she went through in S2 and then having AJ taken away from her pre-ANF, can you really blame her? ffs the girl even gets her first period and has cramps! cramps!! in the apocalypse!!! what a fucking cherry on top. from big situations to small, nothing has been going right for her in a very long time.

but for the most part Javier and the Garcias remain optimistic. they are very aware that the odds arent in their favor but they keep going regardless. and Clementine tries frequently to get away from them. shes not trying to walk away because they believe in happy endings, but because she just doesnt want to be with people again, not after theyve burned her so many times before. but circumstances keep reconnecting her with this family whether she wants to be with them or not. not to get mystical, but its like the entire world kept forcing Clementine back with these people because this was smthg she needed to see. and see, she does.

the more time she spends with the Garcias, the more happiness actually seems possible. she learns that AJ is alive and well! despite Gabe’s possible endings she gets her first crush! both Javi and Kate help her out with her period! an entire community is saved and continues to thrive in the end! and Clem learns that people arent inherently bad or doomed for misery. people are just people, theyre not something you have to avoid and run from, and tragedy and loneliness are not guaranteed.

Javier may lose loved ones, but he can also become the leader of an entire community! and even if he doesnt, they as a whole still made Richmond better. they rooted out the weeds that made it dangerous and harmful, and helped turned it into a better place in the end. and Clementine sees this. she sees it all, she sees the journey of the Garcias and it helps her realize that maybe, just like them, she can make a fresh start and find her own happiness too. and what could be a better first step than searching for the little boy she thought she lost.

➱ how this flows into The Final Season

this connects to S4 because already at the beginning of the season, Clementine values life and love much more now. regardless of how you choose for them to get into the office in EP1, Clementine always hesitates to kill the walker couple. and thats just the first instance, overall Clementine is a much brighter and open person than she was before. she’s found her happiness, AJ, and it shows. shes not as bitter and full of resentment as she was in S3, but shes also not naive. shes found the balance that works for her: firm but not cold, kind but not ignorant. finding this balance in herself is what allows her to be the new leader the Ericson kids need.

her journey from the miserable experience of S2 to the renewed hope of S3 has all led her to this moment, of becoming a leader in her own right. and damn it is so good to see and is so deserved.

i know people thought Clementine’s lack of death was kinda bullshit, and because TWDG is supposed to be choice based, i do agree that the situation with her leg was written really really weird. but at the same time, this is Clementine’s first real happy ending. S1′s finale was a nightmare. S2′s was a dreary no-win scenario. S3′s was the growing possibility of a bright future. while S4′s ending is finally nothing but peace. she might lose a love interest or AJ might lose a best friend, but they still have each other and Clementine is now the leader of a place she truly feels she belongs.

after all the pain and grief and hurt, she has finally found home.

[blueflyingturtleontheway]

For the WIP game! Tell us more about the "Gabe leaves the guard" one 👀

Hehe I knew it'd get your attention.

To be fair, this story has started as part of the "angry Gabalena fic" and only later evolved. In this first story instead of doing what he did, Gabe was supposed to drop this absolutely bomb:

"As long as my oath holds me under your command I will fulfill your orders, but I will do it simply because of the love I feel for this kingdom and its people. For you, your highness, my heart will be forever lost."

But luckily I realized that it's much too overdramatic and terribly out of character XD So this moment was changed but I still really wanted to use this plot, so it became kinda it's own story, or maybe part of the guapoverse?

So my next idea was very similar, Elena does something Gabe absolutely can't agree with and knowing he can't act against her as her general he leaves the guard. Maybe Elena is also furious at him so she lets him (maybe they do this publicly and it's either obvious they now hate each other and everyone is scared and worried, or it's extremely sad and they both regret it but it's too late to back down now). Then Gabe becomes some kind of vigilante/leader of some resistance group and also fights for whatever cause they were fighting for, but in a way Elena doesn't approve. This story is the most unpolished and lacks many, many specifics, I only know that Elena would probably do something Gabe would deem too risky or endanger herself, or maybe it would be about magic. I also can't imagine what Gabe would be doing as a vigilante or the whole conflict/war/enemy they'd fight in general.

The last idea was that after a big battle where some people have actually died, Gabe is overwhelmed by the reality of it all and feels extremely guilty because he feels that his decisions have caused people's death. Some time after that, after the peace is secured and he just can't live with this feeling any longer, he goes to Elena and resigns straight of the bat. She tries to reason with him but he's adamant and wants to completely leave. Elena is shocked and obviously doesn't want to let him, but eventually agrees to decommission (is this the word?) him. Gabe is devasted and depressed and Naomi and Mateo see him leaving Elena's office almost running out crying, so everyone is extremely worried for him because they don't know how big of a toll it took on him. Then there would be some sad scene with Gabe cleaning his room, saying goodbye to Rico and Fuego (since Fuego is a guard horse and not Gabe's private one, so he can't take him.) This version is also quite rough and unless I really connect it with guapoverse I'll probably tone it down a little and not make anyone die, but I have to say I'd like to see the Amigos trying to live without Gabe and/or eventually finding him and comforting him and helping him deal with his guilt and everything. It does seem like something extremely difficult to write though, so we'll see.

So yeah, this is all for this wip, I don't have much more started but I hope you enjoy these ideas. Thank you for this ask!

WiP list

[lunaekalenda]

Hey stawty bae [insert smirk face from TikTok]

Can we get some head canons for Levi Erwin hange and Miche with a S/O who’s basically Henry stickman (so basically they’re extremely talented yet clumsy but when they get a hold onto the situation they have the most serious face you will ever see and is always seeming to do the impossible for example they’ve stuffed themselves into a bag and tied a knot while being inside of the bag. Another time they were surrounded by guns and they were all shooting at them but their s/o dodged all of them and even caught a bullet in the air and launched it to the other side with their hand with a strong force, knocking a gun out of someone else’s hand. You can add these if you want their reactions to it would be kinda funny. They always seem to have gadget gabe technology which is extremely advanced. Of course they would have to be from outside the walls since someone having all of this in the walls would be impossible. They are very aggressive and gruesome when they fight and they never seem to speak just nods and weird animal noises but when they do speak their voice is very deep and attractive. Of course this is just how I see Henry stickman and all of this may make me seem like a huge nerd so you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.)

hi!! don’t worry, i’ll try my best to write what you asked for!! sorry sorry sorry if i took long to write this, but i had to made some research :) i don't know if i did what you've asked for, but i hope it is near to what you wanted!

❁ shingeki characters!

❁ levi, erwin, hange, miche.

levi:

- his face is totally unexpressive, but he lets out a “the fuck?” when he sees how you managed to make a tie from inside a bag.

- when he asked you why did you do that, you just mane a noise for yourself while searching between all your gadgets.

- you easily found a little granade with steam that you could use to blind your enemies, and you talked to levi using low voice.

- "throw me there"

- "you're gonna die if i do that, you know?"

-  you made a noise again, and he clicked his tongue before doing what you told him to.

- he used all his strength, but you hit the floor totally secure, without a scratch.

- he was even more surprised, but his face was unexpressive.

- “whatever.”

- actually it was effective, but he’s not the one admitting it.

- “yesterday you tripped over your own foot and today you can drop bombs while doing somersaults”

erwin:

- he was worried at first, he likes to be bossy so maybe you were going to do whatever you wanted without hearing his plans.

- but you executed what he told in perfection.

- “maybe you’re our new ace”

- you nodded a couple times and then talked with a voice so hoarse it seemed like you hadn't spoken in years

- and maybe you didn’t

- “of course, erwin, i’ll do my best”

- you hit the table with your hips and hit your foot against the chair trying to get out of his office.

- “i hope they are not this clumsy on fights”

hange:

- they kinda like your silence

- for them silence = an invitation to talk

- so basically when they’re around you while you’re fixing your gadgets, they are talking nonstop.

- they are really curious about your gadgets.

- “whats this for? it looks like a huge cannon, could I throw you like a bullet man with him?”

- actually it was to throw people, so you nod a couple times.

- “AMAZING, how could i live without one of these? should we try with levi?”

- you just made a noise and they started to go looking for Levi

- “LEVIIIIII, you have to try this!!!”

- “oi, four eyes, i’m not going to enter a cannon and let you send me to the outer space.”

miche:

- mike kinda agrees with you in the way you work

- he also doesn’t need that huge quantity of words to be effective

- he smells the enemies from kilometers

- actually you two get along really well, since your methods are similar.

- the rest of the squad is surprised seeing you two don’t need words to understand the other, just looking at the other you know what to do.

- specially control lover levi, he’s absolutely amazed.

- or scared, he’s not sure.

- in anyway, you showed miche how to use some of your gadgets, and he showed you tricks to develop your olfactory sense.

- you’re a good team, actually.

- not gonna lie, miche found the one to be couple team with.

[punprincess321]

I think we agree McCree has some lines towards his female teammates that’d earn him a shove.

To widowmaker-  Don't like shooting a lady. But for you, I'll make an exception. (this is when McCree manages to kill widowmaker ingame)

To Pharah-  Just remember Pharah, we ain't playing with toy guns anymore (She responds positively saying she’s better with a real gun)

and not to mention his condescending attitude to Ashe.

With the cowboy persona he’s built up It’s easy to see this as him being sexist. Understandable but we also need to put these lines into perspective with his story, morals and connections to these characters, let’s start with Pharah’s as it’s the easiest to decipher.

Jesse was 17 when he was brought to Overwatch, Fareeha was 13 and was a frequent visitor of the overwatch bases her mother was stationed at, it’s likely that she met Jesse at one of the bases during his preparation to be officially drafted as an agent and from the brother/sister dynamic they’ve presented at times in the present time of the game, it’s safe to say they got close when they were young. Since Fareeha idolized her mother at this point she most likely wanted to learn to shoot, Jesse had a bit of responsibility in his teenage mind and either bought toy guns himself or Fareeha already had some and he just taught her to shoot with them.

When Fareeha became older she began to learn how to use the real thing as evident by this spray below, depicting her as a young adult at a shooting range. (I’m unsure if the combo of this spray and McCree shooting next to her is an actual canon event so im going to assume he wasn’t shooting with her)

Jesse was being taught by Ana so Fareeha most likely had to teach herself and with Jesse now a full blown agent, he was too busy to see Fareeha and she probably stopped coming to visit her mother when she was refused a spot as an overwatch agent. Jesse saying that they’re not using toy guns anymore is probably a callback to the fun they had running through the halls of the base shooting rubber and foam darts at anyone they came across and he wants to make sure that his new “sister” is ready, Pharah’s reassurance is just her telling Jesse he’s going to see what’s she’s learnt.

Now let’s look at what he says to Widowmaker; Amelie’s husband Gerard was a good friend of the overwatch team, McCree had the chance to know him as he was Gabe’s ward and most likely had to stand by at meetings that Gabe had with Gerard so the two having met was inevitable. Jesse had respect for Gerard and helped get vengeance for him in Venice when he was hurt, but while he had respect for Gerard, Jesse probably doesn’t hate Widowmaker for that reason so what other reason would he have to dehumanize her and see her as someone who deserves to die?

Gabe and Ana. Widowmaker had managed to wound Ana and it made her go into hiding, Jesse lost someone he respected and looked up to, and then she began working with Reaper, Gabriel, Jesse’s teacher and father figure, the person who saved his life. Widowmaker became someone Jesse saw as an enabler of Gabe’s spiral into the darkside. To him this woman destroyed his family, the people he relied on, she killed and corrupted his mentors. Yes Jesse’s comment is sexist but it isn’t about her gender, it’s about her actions and what she did to him, he doesn’t know Amelie was brainwashed, he sees her as a traitor just as much as Gabe.

And now for Ashe. The BFF, the supposed old flame, the OG sister.

Ashe and Jesse were literally thick as thieves, they were extremely close and there seemed to be lingering attraction at times since in the Deadlock novel Ashe had made Jesse blush at one point, Ashe was the first person Jesse supposedly cared about and she cared about him.

When Jesse got arrested, he was rehabilitated, he saw the benefit of being a helpful person rather than harmful and changed his tune completely. From what I can assume and how they talked in Reunion, Jesse did return to deadlock gorge at one point, most likely to talk Ashe out of her illegal business, tell her she doesn’t have to be a criminal. This obviously led to them falling out and Jesse having to run away to avoid being killed, having only small run-ins with her and the gang which always ended up with Ashe losing her cool and starting a fight. Jesse gave up on trying to get Ashe to see reason and the friend he used to know was now just a spoiled brat who was upset she wasn’t getting her way, causing him to lose any romantic attraction he had towards her if him blushing in the novel was any hint of him feeling anything toward her. 

Jesse does still care about Ashe, while Ashe threatens and demeans him, Jesse does make offers for them to just make peace and asks how BOB is doing, he wants things to be civil between them at the very least. Jesse does make jabs at Ashe but they’ve all been at how she’s a spoiled brat since it’s her way or no one’s way, he also teases her about how she clearly misses him and it’s probably him wanting her to admit it, hoping it would be an opening for him to help her get out of crime and they could be friends again.

I wanted to address this because I feel like some people would hear these voice lines and immediately blow things out of proportion, the backstory of these characters and who they knew and know now all play into the people they are. McCree is connected to these women and the way he talks to them can stem from his past with them, the love and respect for the people he knew, his morality or current feelings toward them. McCree has shown respect to so many female characters that it’s hard to see him as sexist at all.

[magicrowiswritingstuff]

“Not so good News” - Gabriel x pregnant!reader (3/3)

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 (you’re here)

Summary: Part 3 of “Not so good News”! Read the first part HERE. After you had received the news of your pregnancy you feel rather conflicted. On one hand you want this child to live but on the other hand this also means you will die giving birth. Your only option is to enjoy the time you have left with the people you love, forcing your dark thoughts to the back of your head. (F/N) means friend’s name.

Warning: dark thoughts/themes, suggestive themes, heavy angst, swear words, death, child birth (not a warning but maybe someone is squeamish)

Category: angst and fluff, even more angst

Words: about 9.000

Note 1: So, the mini-series is finished. I hope you will enjoy/enjoyed the last part. This series was a pain in the ass to write... so much research and asking relatives if it’s accurate. Though, it probably isn’t because it is fanfiction after all. Note 2: I have another Gabriel story linked in my masterlist, that one is more fluffy (And another short series in the works but pst). And I will definitely write more about/with him because I love him, all right?! I love hand hate him at the same time.

_________________________________  

"Not so good News" - Gabriel x pregnant!reader

Pregnancy week 20: The pregnancy was now at its halfway point which also meant that you probably had only twenty more weeks to live. What it also meant was twenty more weeks of pregnancy symptoms and to be honest you were sick of it. Sometimes even literally. You had been so dizzy lately you even blacked out during research. Sam and Dean weren't happy, thinking that you had over worked yourself and Gabriel immediately teleported you to your room after you had woken up again. So now you were on bed rest, or rather jail time. You laid on your back with your arms crossed before you and a pouty look on your face. "This sucks." You wanted to do more than laying around all day however there wasn't really much to do in the bunker especially on your own. You stood up from your bed and walked towards a shelve on the right side. Somewhere underneath all the stuff you had there had to be the thing you were looking for. "Aha!" you grabbed it and left the room, searching for the boys. You found them still sitting in the library, looking for their next hunt but the moment you stepped in all eyes were on you. "(Y/N), what are you doing up?" Gabriel asked with one eyebrow raised in question. You let the box you were holding fall onto the table. "No longer wasting my time" you declared and sat down, opening the box and arranging its content. "I want to spend time with you all and by that I'm not thinking about researching with you." You looked up at the four guys who slowly turned to you and the game you were setting up.

"So, we are playing monopoly now!"

"Only if I get to be the car" Dean said and immediately snatched it for himself. Sam rolled his eyes at him and took the dog. "How do you play?" Castiel asked confused, grabbing the shoe because it was closest to him. You threw him a small smile. "I'll show you." You then turned to Gabriel, offering him to choose his playing piece but he shook his head. "I always play with my own token" he said and snapped his fingers. In front of him appeared a small figurine of himself. You glanced at him with your lips pressed into a thin line to hold back a giggle. "Really?" you questioned as a short breath of laughter escaped your mouth. The archangel shrugged his shoulders. "Want one, too?" he asked, his fingers ready. You shook your head. "No, it's alright. I'll just take the cat." After you had set everything up and explained the rules to Castiel the game began. However, unsurprisingly Cas was still the first person to go bankrupt. Sam soon followed, selling his last green street to Dean. He mumbled something under his breath before throwing the dog back into the box. So now it was only you, Dean and Gabe. "You owe me 600, Dean" you said, pointing on the last light blue street where Dean had his car parked in front of the hotel you had recently built there. "What? How?! You only have shit streets" he complained and gave you the money reluctantly. You chuckled. "Yes, but I got a lot of shit streets." Dean only huffed which made you laugh. You had to throw dice next and landed on the police man. With a theatrical sigh you put your cat in jail, throwing the dice to Gabe. He grinned at you before rolling them. He landed on the middle orange street. Now you were the one grinning at him: "That makes 550." "You have one good street, only one hotel and maybe two to three houses on a street. How are you making so much money?" Gabriel asked after giving you the game money. You shrugged your shoulders. "I have three complete streets: brown and light blue at the beginning on which always someone ends up on. And in the beginning it doesn't feel like much money but it stacks up. And the orange one is often overlooked because the red one has higher prices but people always end up somewhere in that corner, too. Dean rolled his eyes, taking the dice. "Also, you two only have one complete street which lowers the change of getting much money because I bought one dark blue and one yellow one to stop you" you added and leaned back against your chair. "How about a little trade then" Gabriel suggested. "I want the dark blue street you stole from me and I can give you 350 and a get out of jail free-card." "Why would I want that?" you questioned with one raised eyebrow. "I still get money in jail but I don't lose anything for three turns. It's a win-win for me, I'm staying here." The archangel huffed. "Alright, 400 bucks and a train station. Last offer." You shook your head, staying stoic. Turning towards Dean you nodded at him, signaling that you were finished and that he could roll the dice. He got a nine, landing on the same orange street like Gabe did before him. You grinned evilly at him. "550, Dean." "I don't have enough money in cash I need to sell houses first" he explained, giving you six of his green houses from his pink street (you were playing as the bank too). You exchanged them for 300 which you kept and waited for the remaining 250. "Dean, I noticed you are short with money" you said after you had rolled the dice, still stuck in jail. "How about a little trait?" Gabriel shock his head at Dean, whispering "She's too powerful already, don't" which only made you grin. "I want the yellow street you have" you pointed at the card before offering your hand to Dean. "And in exchange I will give you your 550 bucks back." Gabriel continued to shake his head but Dean grabbed your hand, agreeing to the deal. You then turned to the archangel. "Gabe, you want your blue street, right? And I want the last yellow one you have" you said, your eyes sparkling mischievously. "I will give you the blue one if I get the yellow one and 350 bucks." He reluctantly agreed. And so the game went on. Cas and Sam stayed, watching it all go down quietly as Dean lost his last street to you after having to sell his pink one to Gabe completely as well as his train stations. It was a pretty equal distribution of streets, however after about a half hour later you ended up winning. Grinning you put the cards back into their box. "Your strategy really just is to buy all the shit streets at the very beginning and slowly watching as we lose all our money to them?" Dean questioned. You nodded. "Yep, and a few other moves helped me win, too but I won't tell you more than that." All things considered you had a lot of fun and the others did too. "Now you will finally get rid of me again" you said while standing up, smiling at them playfully. "I'll go back to bed. I'm exhausted and my legs are killing me." With that you turned around and walked back to your room in silence. Or at least you had planned to do that, however you heard footsteps following you. Looking over your shoulder you saw Gabriel running after you. You stopped with a grin, waiting for him. When he caught up he didn't say anything so you continued your way back with him by your side. "Thanks for letting me win" you said and shoved his side. "I did not do such a thing" he declared swollen, grinning down at you which made you laugh. "I know but you could have tricked us all anyway for you to win but you didn't do it." "I retired from my trickster days, sugar" the archangel reminded you. "Yes, but we both know that you would never stop messing with us" you said. Throwing him a side glance you smiled at him. "I'm amazed that you didn't play a prank at Dean for a while now." Gabriel chuckled and wrapped one arm around you. "Don't let yourself be fooled, (Y/N)." You grinned and then wrapped your arm around him too, pressing your head against his shoulder. "Thank you" you whispered so faintly you worried he wouldn't catch it. "For what?" he asked with a chuckle. You only shrugged. "I don’t know. I guess for everything." ____________________ Pregnancy week 22: In the last two weeks nothing much changed or happened. Your belly continued to grow and pregnancy symptoms were still haunting you. Your legs cramped so much now you didn't really want to move out of bed. So, you didn't. You stayed in bed all day. "At first you desperately wanted to do something you even overworked yourself into blacking out and now you are lying in bed all day" Gabriel chuckled beside you, nuzzling his nose against your neck. You huffed and turned your head so you could look at him. "Firstly, you're not pregnant so shut up" you sassed back at him but stayed silent after that, turning on your side again so your back faced the archangel. You felt Gabriel squirm behind you. "Secondly?" "Nothing, that is all there was" you said which earned you a hearty laugh from him. "You're adorable" he said and wrapped his arms around you. Now you were the one to squirm, trying to get out of his grip. "Am not!" you proclaimed. "I'm an angry pregnant lady, fear me." You succeeded in freeing yourself and were now sitting on your knees before Gabriel. "I'm trembling underneath your gaze, spear me" he managed to get out between his laughter. With a pouty look you threw a pillow in his face. "You're making fun of me!" you pointed out accusingly. "I would never" he declared with one hand pressed against his chest in shock as he sat up as well. "I don't believe you" you said and crossed your arms before your chest while desperately trying to suppressed your grin. "Oh, furious pregnant lady, how can I prove myself?" Gabriel asked and slowly crawled closer to you. You had to let yourself fall back against the cushions with the archangel now leaning over you. "Hmm" you hummed and pretended to think about it while Gabriel's face slowly got closer to your neck. You shuddered, feeling his breath dance over the sensitive skin. "Helping me with my crampy legs would be a start" you whispered. Without hesitation the archangel set up and shifted his focus to your cramped legs and feet. He slowly massaged from your feet upwards. By now your eyes were already closed and soft hums left your lips now and then. You just enjoyed the feeling of the pain slowly washing away. Or at least you did until Gabe's hands wandered up to the inner side of your thighs. One of your eyes snapped open, glaring at the archangel. "What are you doing?" you questioned with a low voice. "Shh" he breathed and crawled back over you. Instinctively you wrapped your arms around his neck but continued to eye him suspiciously. "Let me spoil you." "You don't need to" you said while Gabriel had already started to pepper your face with kisses. "Oh, but I want to" he kissed the top of your nose which made you giggle. He continued to place kisses on your face before slowly wandering down towards your neck. Occasionally a hum or sigh left your lips as you let yourself relax under his caresses. "What do you want to do?" he suddenly asked. You opened your eyes that had been closed until now and saw him hovering over you again. "What?" you questioned. "What's on your bucket list?" Now you understood. You let your arms fall from his shoulders as you thought about it, letting your eyes wander around the ceiling. "I-" you looked at the archangel. "I don't know." "Really? There is nothing you can think of" Gabriel asked with one raised eyebrow. You shook your head. "I just never thought about it before... And I guess you had finished yours long before you even met me" you said, suddenly feeling very embarrassed. But to your surprise the archangel shook his head. "I achieved my last one only a few years ago." "And what would that have been?" you asked. Gabe's gaze flickered from your eyes to your lips before moving back up. A small smile adorned his face as he spoke up again: "Falling in love." Immediately you felt your face heat up. "You're just saying that to make me feel better" you said, trying to cover your face with your hands but Gabriel pushed them down and shrugged his shoulders. "What about when you were a kid?" he continued to ask. "What did you wish for then?" "Expect a real pink unicorn and ice-cream for every meal?" you laughed before losing yourself in your thoughts again. "I guess ... getting married someday." You felt Gabriel stiffen up above you, making you tense up, too. Shaking your hands in front of your chest as far as possible you backtracked immediately. "Not that we have to. It's just a silly kids thing, you know. Back then we had plenty of games about our future or talked about family and marriage. It was just normal, expected. Ahh! Not that I expect it from you. I don't want you to propose or anything. I-" you noticed that you were rambling so you forced yourself to stop and took a deep breath." I shouldn't have said that." Now you really did cover your face with your hands, wishing to disappear. Though you never talked with Gabe about marriage or anything like that you always knew it would be a tricky subject. With him being practically immortal and marriage always or often associated with religion. You just guessed he didn't want to since he had always tried to distance himself from God and heaven and all that. And since he was an angel, an archangel ... you could promise him to spend your remaining life with him. He couldn't. And now was definitely not the time to marry since you would die in less than twenty weeks anyway. "I'm sorry" you said without really knowing why. Maybe you just wanted to break the silence that seemed to lay heavily in the air. "Don't be" the archangel said, caressing your check with one hand. "But I knew it would be a tricky subject to you." "How so?" "Well" you dragged on and slowly uncovered your face. "I just guessed and by your reaction..." You didn't continue speaking as Gabriel sat up on his knees. Lifting yourself up on your elbows you eyed him confused. Was the subject so repulsing to him? "You mean because I stiffened up?" You nodded. Gabriel let out one breathy laugh. "I was just surprised and shocked because I-" he snapped his fingers and opened his hand revealing a ring. "-actually wanted to give you this." You straightened up completely shocked. Your eyes darting from his face to his outstretched palm. "Wha-" "They aren't wedding rings. More like a promise ring, really" he explained as you slowly reached out to take the ring from him. He was right, it didn't look like the typical engagement or wedding ring. It was a silver ring, shaped into a feather that would curl around your finger. "For what?" you asked and looked up, the ring still uselessly lying in your palm. Gabriel raised his right hand, revealing a silver ring on his finger that hadn’t been there before. This one had the typical form of a ring, however the feather was engraved into it. "To promise that I will always love you." You felt tears in your eyes as you jumped forward, tackling the archangel in a hug. "You always make me cry" you complained but honestly it probably was because of the hormones. You stifled your sobs in his shirt as you pressed yourself flat against him, so you even felt his laughter vibrate through his chest as he wrapped his arms around you, too. "Can I?" he asked after a while and pushed you from him. He took the ring back from you and offered his other hand for yours to put inside. You didn't hesitate to do so but felt your face heat up again as he looked at you with love filled eyes. He slipped the ring onto your finger, gave you one last, long look before letting go of your hand. You looked at the delicate feather wrapped around your ring finger. "Thank you" you said with tears still clinging to your face but a big smile on your lips. You wrapped your arms around him again, burying your face into his chest ____________________ Pregnancy week 23: You had thought hard about what to put on your bucket list ever since Gabriel brought it up. However, it was pretty hard to find things you were able to do because of your condition (pregnant) and your situation (kind of trapped in the bunker). One thing you couldn't get out of your mind though was to see the northern lights far away from any other light source, no cities or other people. You couldn't shake it off even if it meant leaving the bunker. Your second idea was maybe rather cliché and not so impossible: having a family dinner without anything to worry about and no arguments to destroy the mood. "Hey, Gabe?" you asked while entering the library. The archangel immediately looked up from whatever he was doing, beaming at you. "What's the matter?" You sat down on the chair opposite to him. "I was thinking about what you said" you started. "What exactly? I talk a lot" he questioned, resting his head on one palm. You snorted in agreement. "About what I wanted to do, about my bucket list" you reminded him. "And I came up with two things." "Only two? If I knew you were so easy to please I-" you cut him off by throwing a crumpled up piece of paper at his face. "I wanted to ask if you had any ideas or further inspirations for things to achieve in the bunker" you paused. "Okay, I have only one thing for my list because for the first one I would have to leave." "What would that be?" Gabriel asked, putting his head in his other palm while closing the book he was looking at. "I always wanted to see the northern lights far away from civilization" you confessed and looked to the side, pushing one stray strand of hair back. "And my second point was having a family dinner." "With your parents?" Gabriel asked which made you flinch. Maybe you should have expected that since you had never talked with him about your life before becoming a hunter. Still, hearing the word stung a lot. "I never told you why I became a hunter, right?" Gabriel nodded confused and you took a deep breath. "My parents died when I was maybe 14" you explained, not meeting his eyes. "They were killed by a werewolf and I only survived because a hunter rushed in. He shot the werewolf and took me in. He taught me everything he knew but I was still traumatized, refused to leave the house after sunset. Still ... he was like a father to me. And then when I just turned 19 he was possessed by a demon after his tattoo was burned from his skin. The demon inside him stabbed him in the heart before I was able to exorcize him" you finished and wiped away the tears that had found their way over your cheeks. Suddenly you felt a hand on your shoulder, making you flinch again. Looking up you saw Gabriel standing beside you. You hadn't noticed that he had stood up. "I'm fine" you said, not believing even yourself. The archangel didn't say anything, just let his hand rest on your shoulder, sending you comfort through his touch. "Anyway, why did I tell you that again?" you shook your head, trying to rid yourself from the sad memories. "Ah, right. So, when I say family who I mean by that are Dean, Sam, Cas and you, Gabe." You looked up at him with the tiniest smiles on your lips as the archangel wiped away the last tear from your check. "The only problem with a family dinner is that I think it will escalate like always. Especially since I know that Dean is still looking for another way, a way to safe me in secret. Even though I forbid it" you only mumbled the last part. Gabriel grinned and bopped your nose. "Don't you worry your pretty little head, sugar" Gabriel said. "It's late, you should go to bed." You stood up, nodding and wrapping your arms around the archangel still craving his touch. He returned the hug. "I will be with you shortly I need to finish this first." You nodded once more, hugged him for a few moments more before letting go. "Good night" you said and stretched yourself on your tiptoes to give him a quick kiss on the lips before vanishing into your room. You had fallen asleep immediately. "(Y/N)!" you squirmed under your blanket, not ready to wake up just yet. You felt something, or someone next to you and a hand on your shoulder slowly shaking you awake but still you didn't really budge. "Let me sleep" you complained and covered your head with the warm blanket. "Next time, sugar. Now you need to wake up." You opened your eyes, pulling the blanket down and let them wander from Gabe's in shadow casted form to your clock standing on your bedside table. "It's not even three in the morning, what the hell" you grumbled. "A pregnant lady needs her sleep." Suddenly you were pulled out of the comfort of your bed and instead stood on wobbly legs in your room. "What are you doing?" you questioned, holding onto Gabriel's hands. "You wanted to see something, sugar." Confused you freed one of your hands and rubbed your eyes. "My brain's too tired to function, Gabe. Can't it wait till, I don't know, when the sun is shining?" you begged and suppressed a yawn. You could vaguely see the archangel shake his head in the darkness of your room. "Believe me, it will be worth it" he promised. You closed your eyes and rubbed the bridge of your nose. "I really hope you're right." And suddenly when you opened your eyes again you weren't in your room anymore. Confused you looked around. You were standing in the middle of a snowy landscape. Immediately you thought you would be cold but when you looked down at you, you saw that you were wearing a big coat, dark ski pants and a fluffy hat instead of your pajama. "What the hell" you whispered and turned around to look at Gabriel who -even though he didn't really needed it- matched his outfit to yours. He stood behind you with a huge grin. "Look up, sugar" he said and so you did. You hold your breath as you looked at the clear night sky with thousands of twinkling stars. But they weren't catching your attention, no. What had captured your imagination were the northern lights shining above your head. Magnificent colors danced above you, fading from green to blue to purplish pink. And even though your neck already started to hurt from constantly looking up you didn't care, too fascinated by the alluring dance. It looked like you had dipped your head into another world, another universe full of beautiful, vivid colors that were swaying and changing, illuminating the world around you. "It's amazing" you breathed when you felt the archangel take a step closer to you and turned around to meet Gabe's gaze again. "Thank you." Out of instinct you twirled the ring he had gave you before you looked up at the sky again, losing yourself in the endless colors swirling through the carpet of stars on this cold September night in who knows which country you were right now. "Dean and Sam will kill you if they figure out you let me leave the bunker" you stated with your eyes still glued to the aurora lights. "Not if you don't tell them" Gabriel noted. You turned around, wanted to say something but when you opened your mouth to speak only a shallow breath escaped out of it as you wrapped your arms around your stomach. Twisting your face into a frown you leaned forward. "(Y/N)?!" Gabriel asked panicked and walked in front of you. He put his hands on your shoulders to straighten you up again. "Are you alright? Are you in pain? What's going on?" For a few more seconds you didn't answer, stared at the ground with your arms still tightly wrapped around yourself. You felt it again and it was then you realized what this was. You let out a pained laugh. "Yes, everything's fine" you reassured the worried archangel with a small smile. Grabbing one of his hands which were still resting on your shoulder you directed it to your still growing bump. You had to wait a few moments with your hand on top of his before you felt it again. Gabriel flinched and you still saw worry in his eyes but when he looked up from your stomach and searched for your gaze, he slowly relaxed when he saw the softness in your eyes. "Are these...?" "Her first kicks? Yes." In the next couple of seconds you saw every emotion washing over his face. Happiness, relief, love, peace, joy but also worry, fear and panic. But it wasn't the type of panic that shook to your core, making your tense up and freeze. No, it was that type of panic a soon to be Dad had when realizing he would have to care for a small helpless baby soon. It was the first time you saw this fatherly panic on his face ever since the beginning, ever since the big news of you being pregnant. "She's quite strong. Knocked the air right out of me" you huffed while intervening your free hand with his other hand. "Archangel genes" Gabriel laughed. "Yes" you breathed, leaning into his touch with a smile. You two stayed like that for many moments more, enjoying each other's presence underneath the fantastical sky. You twirled the ring on your finger again. You felt the happiest ever since all this had started. This was probably the happiest day you had in a long time. ____________________ Pregnancy week 30: You felt like you had eaten a bowling ball or something like that. Your belly was extremely round and weighted a total of proud 25 pounds more of which the baby accounted for about 3 pounds. It was late October so you had about 2 and a half more months to life. You calculated with the help of your friend (F/N) that the baby would be due around the second week of January. Having these thoughts were scary. Normally the dated day of birth was something the parents craved, finally being able to hold their baby in their hands. But you, you were resenting it, you feared it. You thought you had left these thoughts behind but they haunted you even more now that the day got closer and closer. The last few months were hard, being pregnant in summer were hard but luckily the bunker could be regulated so you never really felt to hot. But now you were freezing even though the heater operates at full stretch so you just wrapped yourself into blankets all the time just like now. You were sitting on the sofa in the library again, the cup of tea you had been drinking was already empty. You sighed, feeling lonely. The guys had left a few days ago for a hunt which had required all of them so you were left behind for possible research again. You wanted nothing more than to cuddle with your favorite archangel right now and it seemed like he had heard your silent wish. You heard the unmistakably flutter of wings behind you and turned your head to look at him. "Gabe? What are you doing here? Is the hunt already finished?" you asked, looking around in search for the others but nobody was there. "No, it's just me" he declared. "And what are you doing here then?" "I just wanted to spend some time with my two beautiful girls" Gabriel said and sat down beside you. You snorted because of his cheesy comment but put your head on his shoulder anyway, nuzzling into his side still wrapped in your blanket as he laid one hand on your stomach waiting for a kick. Your little, heavy light bulb grew very active ever since you saw the northern lights but she seemed to like to kick around at night and sleep during the day. "I don't want to ruin the mood" you said after a long time of silence in which your thoughts continued to suffocated you. "...but I'm afraid, Gabe." You didn't move or look up just pressed yourself flat against him. "I just... wish I could hold her before I.." you didn't finish but you knew Gabriel understood what you meant. "I'm sorry, sugar" he said nuzzling his face in your hair and kissing the very top of your head. "You don't have to be, Gabriel, it's not your fault. And I wanted to have the baby so I just have to come to terms with the consequences of that decision" you explained. "Give me some of the credit, too, sweetcheeks" he cupped your face with one hand, directing your gaze at him as his face hovered inches above yours. "I worked very hard on that baby." You tried to bite back the laugh bubbling in your throat as you pushed his face away from you. "Gabe!" you screeched embarrassed even though he was the only one in the bunker. Giggling you shook your head. "Nice to see you didn't change since the pregnancy started." "I'll never change, you know that, sugar." You shook your head in disapproval. "That's not true, you did change" you noted. "You stopped your playboy days and stayed by my side." "Ah, well. You're just so interesting. How could I not stay a little longer to figure all the ways out to make you come undone" he said and wiggled his eyebrows as you slapped his shoulder with a gloomy look in your eyes. "I take that back, still one hundred percent the same archangel that I met years ago." Crossing your arms before your chest you held your head high as you ignored his laughter. "Oh, come on, honeybun" Gabriel laughed. "Don't ignore me." You huffed, giving him the cold shoulder while desperately trying to suppress your own laughter. "Stop ignoring me, (Y/N) or I will have to take drastic measures" he playfully growled and if you had turned around to look at him you probably would have seen the desire bubbling in his eyes. "You now I can't resist when you play hard to get." Finally, you turned around to meet his fiery gaze. "Oh, really?" you asked innocently. "I never noticed." Your faces were now only inches away from each other, his breath hot on your lips as he tried to hold back. It was nice seeing you still had this effect on him. You loved to watch him try to suppress it, to not give in and still losing to it every time: his desire for you. "You know, we are alone right now" you said with a grin as your eyes darted between Gabe's and his lips. "Oh, I know" Gabriel growled as his gaze fixated on your mouth. "And I intend to relish every second of it." ____________________ Pregnancy week 34: Only about six more weeks to live. It felt like a countdown. You tried to enjoy and appreciate every day and every second you had left, spent a lot of time with Gabriel, Dean, Sam or Cas. However, you couldn't prevent or deny that you were getting more distant. You didn't do it intentionally, or at least you thought so. Okay, maybe you tried to make everything easier for you and the guys. You would leave them, there was no going around that even though you knew Dean hadn't abandoned the plan of finding another solution, a way of saving you. It was just written in his genes apparently. But he hadn't brought anything up and you knew it was hopeless. The only thing you could think of was making a deal with a demon. Your life for someone else's but you wouldn't allow anyone to sacrifice themselves for you. And you weren't even sure if a demon could grant this wish, if they had more power than a half angel child. The last few weeks you had mayor back pains because your stomach had grown so much. Every sleeping position was uncomfortable, sitting was unbearable. Your bump was so big now you couldn't even put on shoes on your own. You felt more useless and moody, too but you weren't sure if it was because of the hormones or because you knew it would happen soon, it would end soon. You put one hand on your stomach, feeling the little light bulb (it became an agreed nickname for the baby between you and Gabe) move around. You noticed that she liked to lie on the right side more than on the left, leaving a little elevation there. Smiling you caressed your unborn baby. You just wished you had more time. ____________________ Pregnancy week 38: It was the fore last week but on a brighter spirit it was also Christmas. You haven't really celebrated Christmas ever since you were a child, ever since your parents were still alive. Of course, when you teamed up with Sam and Dean you exchanged gifts you had bought the day before but it was never a huge deal. You never really cared about the presents anyway. So, you expected that wouldn't change even if it was your last ever Christmas. You had stayed in bed all day, trying to find some rest after your baby girl had kept you awake almost all night. Was that why every mom awaited the birth so desperately? To finally sleep again and be free from all those pregnancy symptoms? A heavy sigh left your lips as you opened your eyes to look at the clock. It was about four pm and if you didn't stand up soon you wouldn't find sleep this night, too. With a groan you rolled out of bed and rubbed your eyes. Maybe hanging out with the guys would lift your spirit. Thinking about them ... you haven't seen them all day. Furrowing your eyebrows, you wondered what they were possibly doing. Had they found another hunt? Were they researching something? Stretching your back you slowly began your way to the library in search for anyone. "Guys?" you asked as you turned around the corner, still rubbing your sleepy eyes. "What were you doing all da-" you froze as you laid eyes on the library. The room was fully decorated with Christmas lights and even a small Christmas tree was standing in one corner, decked out with balls and lights. "What the hell" you mumbled and stepped into the room, your eyes glued to Sam and Dean who were putting the last decorations on the tables. "Oh, fuck" Dean said after noticing you. "Ehm, surprise?" You chuckled. "Well, yeah. I am surprised. Why are you decorating the library." "We thought we should celebrate Christmas this time" Sam explained, leaving out the obvious reason why. You nodded. "I appreciate it but I hope you didn't get me any presents because I was unable to buy anything for you." The two brothers shook their heads. "Nope, no gifts. Only decorations and something festive to eat" Dean declared. "It's gonna be burgers, right?" you questioned and crossed your arms before your chest. The slight blush on Dean's cheeks told you enough. "Good, because I'm starving and would kill for a burger right now." "Did I hear someone say burger?" You looked at the big entrance, seeing Gabe with bags in his hands. "Because I just so happen to have some." Laughing you sat down on one of the chairs, awaiting the festive meal. The three guys sat down too and Cas joined you soon after even though he didn't eat anything. At first you just looked around the room, eyes filled with childish wonder. You had missed the warm lights, the smell of Christmas that came just because of the atmosphere around you. You quickly lost yourself in conversation. Chatting about anything and everything. After a long time, you didn't worry, didn't fear the next day, the next week. You lived and just enjoyed the moment. The warmth that surrounded you, the smiles on their faces and the sound of laughter. This is what you always wanted. And you realized that your bucket list was finished, your last wish: having a peaceful family dinner. ____________________ Pregnancy week 39: Only about one week left. However, you weren't thinking about that just yet because today was New Year's Eve. Sam and Dean had bought some fireworks they wanted to set of which was why you were sitting outside of the bunker, wrapped in a blanket in Gabriel's arms. The Winchesters had oh so nicely agreed to let you come outside too. "How much time do we have left?" Dean asked, already hurrying with setting up all the fireworks in bottles on the street. You freed one arm from Gabriel's hug and looked at your phone. "Two minutes." "Shit, gotta hurry" Dean cursed. You laughed at him as he tried to work faster, ordering Cas to help him. "One thirty... One fifteen... One minute" you continued to count down. "Shut up." Giggling you put your phone away again after seeing Sam grabbing his to start the thirty second countdown in a few. Nuzzling back into Gabriel's side you glanced up at him only to see that his gaze had already been on you. "Hey" you mumbled with a smile. "Hey to you, too" he quietly laughed as he pushed back a strand of hair from your face. Immediately you lost yourself in his warm eyes, the cold night air long forgotten. His face was already so close to yours that you felt his breath on your lips. "Thirty" you heard Sam said. You had to wait thirty seconds until you could finally kiss him? You huffed a breath in annoyance as your hands found their place on Gabe's chest. "Impatient?" Gabriel grinned. You glared at him. "As if you weren't." "Twenty." "Oh, I can live without a kiss" the archangel stated with a smirk. You raised one eyebrow at him before grinning evilly. "Oh, is that so?" You put your hands away from his chest and turned your head forward again, looking at Dean who was armed with one windproof lighter in each hand. You couldn't suppress your laughter when you saw his silly stance. He seemed ready to tackle the fireworks to the ground. You hadn't seen him act this childish in a long time. You felt Gabriel squirm beside you which only made you grin even more. "Ten." "(Y/N)" the archangel growled lowly. "Nine." You glanced at him from the corner of your eyes. "Eight." "I thought you said-" you turned around to meet his eyes completely. "Seven." "-you could live without a kiss from me?" you challenged him. "Six." He huffed. "Five." Stretching up you were the one to tease him with your hot breath on his mouth. "Four." "Well" Gabriel started and placed his arms to either of your sides, caging you in. "Three." You felt his body heat springing over to you as his eyes darted to your lips still stretched into a smile. "Two." "Not now" he finally said. "One!" He grabbed your face in his hands and closed the gap between you two just as Sam shouted "Zero!". Melting into the kiss you pressed your hands against his chest again and closed your eyes. However, the grin on your lips stayed as you responded the kiss. Silently moaning as Gabriel's hand wandered down your sides, leaving a tingling sensation behind, you stretched upward, pressing into him. This kiss was the sweetest you had ever shared with the archangel. Soft, gentle, slow. There was no intention behind it, no raw desire but love. So, you let yourself relax in his arms as the fireworks took of behind you, buzzing through the night sky. "Who was impatient now?" you asked after breaking the kiss, your lips still only barely apart. "Not my fault, I just can't resist you." "You're so cheesy when you want" you laughed and closed the gap between you again in another soft kiss that quickly grew more passionate and daring. You wrapped your arms around his neck, stroking through his hair and slightly tugging at their ends. He groaned against your lips and let his hands wander too. They quickly found their place only barely above your bum as he pressed you against him as far as possible with your baby bump. You felt warm and safe, like being encased in fluffy clouds and soft blankets, like if he had wrapped his wings around that you were unable to see. You parted with a gasp, sucking in breaths of air with a laugh as you looked up the archangel. "I love when you laugh and your eyes crinkle up" Gabriel whispered which only made laugh again and then smiling like a fool. "Are you growing soft on me" you teased. "I am always soft for you" he said without missing a beat. You felt your face heat up but forced yourself to not break the eye contact. "I love you" you mumbled with half lidded eyes. Gabriel chuckled, hugging you close. "I love you, too, sugar." You stayed outside for a while longer, talking with each other while looking up at the stars. But at about 1 am it was too cold to stay outside any longer so everyone slowly packed their drinks and the empty bottles for the fireworks and began their way back into the bunker. You let out a sigh as you heaved yourself up with Gabriel's help, smiling appreciatingly up at him and tried to find your balance. Just as you were standing safely on your legs and took one step forward you felt it. Bending forward you pressed one hand against your stomach and blindly searched for Gabriel to steady yourself with the other one. "(Y/N), is everything alright?" he asked, grabbing your outstretched arm. You growled in response, biting your lip, almost drawing blood. "Ju-just a contraction. Probably just Braxton Hicks contractions" you muttered under your breath and straightened up again after you were sure it was done. "Are you sure?" You nodded, letting go of Gabriel and taking one step forward only for your knees to give in. You yelped in shock but luckily Gabriel caught you before you could hit the ground. Another groan of pain left your lips as you let yourself be kept upright by the archangel just as another wave of pain hit you. Your lips parted, sharply sucking in the cold winter air, as you tried to get the words out. "Or ma-maybe they're real contractions" you stammered. You slumped back down, only kept up by Gabriel's arms while your vision got fuzzy and pain shot through you up from your stomach. You heard him yell for Sam, Dean and Cas who had already gone inside but you didn't really register it. It was absurd. Everything seemed so unreal to you and in the same time frighteningly real, too. Was this ... it? "Gabe" you said not even really knowing why as a nauseous feeling washed over you. Clinging onto him you blinked a few times, trying to make out his face. "I-I need your help." He heaved you into his arms without another word, hurrying inside as fast as possible. "What's the matter?" Sam asked, looking up from his seat in the library. You only cried out in pain, curling into Gabe's chest. "She's having contractions" Gabriel said and walked past the three men in the direction of your room. They hastily stood up and ran after him, frantically shouting all the time. "Real ones? The real deal?" Dean asked worried. "Yes!" you yelled with tears in your eyes as a wave of heat crashed over your body. Gabriel kicked your door open and then laid you down on your bed. Panicking you looked up at the ceiling. This wasn't how it was supposed to go, it was too early and your friend wasn't even in town yet. They had promised to come by to help with the birth giving process. You had no clue what to do and the guys had non either. They were panicking too, asking and shouting about what was supposed to happen. "Gabe... Gabriel" you forced over your lips, looking to your side, searching for his eyes. He immediately had his attention on you with his eyebrows furrowed and teary eyes. "Call (F/N)." He nodded, not hesitating and grabbed your phone. "(Y/N)? What's up?" their voice rang through the speaker only seconds later but you were unable to answer as another painful contraction hit you. This was happening way to fast. Was this the angel side of your baby? Wasn’t there supposed to be a pause between the contractions? How were you supposed to breath through all this pain? "Here's Gabriel" the archangel managed to get out. "(Y/N) just got into labor." "What?! (Y/N)!" your friend yelled as a wave of shock also washed over them. "Hey" Gabriel said to get their attention. "We... she needs your help now. You have to tell us what to do." If you hadn't been in labor you would have been amazed by Gabe's calm voice. But one look at his face told you that it was only a facade, that he was more panicked than any of the other guys inside the room. "Okay, okay. At first ... tell me how far apart the contractions are" your friend requested after a few deep breaths to calm themselves down. Gabriel looked back at you and when your eyes met you felt the next one hit you. "There is no time between them or at least … there’s always pain. They are coming very fast. I-" you were able to groan when the pain washed away for a few seconds. "I think it's because of the angel genes. They're very strong and painful." "Alright, no time to lose then" your friend mumbled probably more to themselves. "You have to lay on your back, put a pillow behind your neck so it's more comfortable for you and you have to get rid of the pants." You looked at Gabe again, signaling him that you needed help with that. He nodded, putting the phone on your bedside table and helped you out of your pants. It was weird being exposed like that but to be fair you didn't really have much time to think about that as another wave of pain crushed over you, pressing your lungs down. "Someone has to check on the status of the baby" (F/N) said and maybe not very surprisingly Cas volunteered to do so. He seemed to have calmed down a bit while Sam and Dean were still pacing around. "Hoist your legs up so you can build up more strength and when the next contraction hits you have to press. And don’t forget to breathe!" You followed their instructions without question. "(Y/N)?" they asked after a few seconds. You answered with a half yelp that somewhat resembled a "Yes?". "I wish I was here to help you, I'm sorry." "No, don't be. I wanted you to enjoy New Year's Eve, too. Life is just unpredictable" you managed to say but after that everything became fuzzy again. This wasn't normal right? No, it wasn't. You were dying. This was the end. The realization hit you suddenly and almost knocked the air out of your lungs. You would die today. You whimpered, unable to form any words as you once again blindly reached out for Gabriel. A hand found yours and you immediately felt that it was his palm squeezing yours reassuringly. Your vision cleared only slightly and when you made out the archangel's face you saw the tears he had forced back all those weeks, the tears he had never let himself cry. "Can you see something already?" Was that Dean speaking? You couldn’t really tell but you knew that the one to answer should be Cas. "Yes, I can see some of the head." "Is she still breathing." "Yes! Now stop worrying her even more!" That had to be Gabe as his hand began to squeeze you harder. "You're doing great" the words echoed in your mind again and again and again. Was that Gabriel? You felt the tears wet your cheeks. You loved him so much. You didn't want this. You wanted more time. Why weren't you given more time? Why did this happen to you? Were you doomed from the very beginning? You couldn’t breath, the pain was too much, your whole body just stiffened up. "(Y/N)." Was this some sort of punishment? The contractions seemed to get even more frequent and even though you were supposed to press you felt your strength leave your body quickly. But this baby had to live, you wanted your baby girl to live. Squeezing the hand in yours tightly you focused every last drip of strength into pushing your baby out. "Out." "She's out." Your baby was out. You were still breathing. Was that screaming? "Gabe" you gasped as the room began to spin. You were so exhausted. All your energy seemed to have been sucked out of you. And that was when you noticed your vision getting out of focus once more but this time it seemed different ... final. A wave of panic crashed over you. No, no, no, no! You didn't want to go. You wanted to reach out to Gabe, opened your mouth. Say something! Another wave of pain tore through you, left you breathless. What was happening? Tears were streaming out of your eyes but you were able to detect one face looking down at you. Worried, honey colored eyes. Gabe! No, you- just say something! Say you love him! Your thoughts screamed at you to say anything... but you were unable to. You had no energy left. Everything turned to darkness.

____________________

"(Y/N)!" you squirmed under your blanket, not ready to wake up just yet. You felt something, or someone next to you and a hand on your shoulder slowly shaking you away but still you didn't really budge.

"Let me sleep" you complained and covered your head with the warm blanket. "Next time, sugar. Now you need to wake up."

You opened your eyes, pulling the blanket down and let them wander to Gabe's in shadow casted Form. Frowning you slowly sat up. This felt strangely familiar, like you were just experiencing a déjà-vu.

You sighed and followed Gabriel's instructions as he hoisted you up.

"Believe me, it will be worth it" he promised. You closed your eyes and rubbed the bridge of your nose. "I really hope you're right."

The next time you opened your eyes you stood in a snow covered landscape. "What-"

"Look up, sugar" he said and so you did. The sight left you breathless. Vivid colors were moving above you in a strange, hypnotic dance. Greens and blues and bright pinks. You were speechless. These were the northern lights.

"It's amazing" you whispered and pushed done strand of hair back. "Thank you."

This was all so familiar. Did you live through this before? You frowned, about to ask Gabriel when you felt a dull pain rush through your stomach. Gasping you leaned forward, wrapping your arms around yourself. This was strange.

"(Y/N)?!" Gabriel asked panicked and walked in front of you. He put his hands on your shoulders to straighten you up again. "Are you alright? Are you in pain? What's going on?" Yes, indeed. What was going on? What was this pain? The thoughts of a possible déjà-vu vanished in an instance as your mind just accepted everything.

For a few more seconds you didn't answer him and instead stared at the ground with your arms still tightly wrapped around yourself. You felt it again and it was then you realized what this was. You let out a pained laugh.

"Yes, everything's fine" you reassured the worried archangel with a small smile. Grabbing one of his hands which were still resting on your shoulder you directed it to your still growing bump. You had to wait a few moments with your hand on top of his before you felt it again. Gabriel flinched and you still saw worry in his eyes but when he looked up from your stomach and searched for your gaze, he slowly relaxed when he saw the softness in your eyes.

"Are these...?"

"Her first kicks? Yes."

In the next couple of seconds you saw every emotion washing over his face. Happiness, relief, love, peace, joy but also worry, fear and panic. But it wasn't the type of panic that shook to your core, making your tense up and freeze. No, it was that type of panic a soon to be Dad had when realizing he would have to care for a small helpless baby soon. It was the first time you saw this fatherly panic on his face every since the beginning, ever since the big news of you being pregnant.

"She's quite strong. Knocked the air right out of me" you huffed while intervening your free hand with his other hand.

"Archangel genes" Gabriel laughed.

"Yes" you breathed, leaning into his touch with a smile. You two stayed like that for many moments more, enjoying each other's presence underneath the fantastical sky.

It indeed was your happiest day.

            The End. ____________________

[thechembow]

To the woman who assaulted me at Ace Hardware today,

Jan. 15, 2021

I am your neighbor in Frazier Park. I love this mountain and feel so blessed to live here. You must enjoy its beauty as much as I do, because it is unsurpassed. The woods and wildlife give me solace. I have also always had good experiences among the humans of the mountain, shopping locally, where we all know each other and everyone is friendly. I like supporting our community and keeping everyone working and happy. I’ve never had a bad time shopping in Frazier Park, so it was somewhat of a shock to meet you this way today.

My husband and I were picking up some bird seed at Ace Hardware. If you live in Frazier Park and not in Pine Mountain Club, it’s still legal to feed the birds! We love our feathered friends. They have also been giving me nice brass shavings from their key machine which I use to make orgonite, an energy device which promotes rainfall, clears air pollution, and makes living with EMF safer. My husband, Gabe, and I have been making and gifting orgonite for almost seven years now, and we have covered all of California and much of the US west to end the drought. You might be interested to know that we have put orgonite all over this mountain too. It sure has been snowing more and more every year since we got here and the forests are alive with new baby trees, far outnumbering the trees that die of old age. There were awesome wildflower blooms out in the Antelope Valley and Gorman these past few years. It might also comfort you to know that there are Earth pipes along San Andreas Fault here and at the top of Mt. Pinos, healing the damage that was done here by your ancestors, who stole the land from the Chumash Indians and clear-cut the forests. This will help prevent earthquakes. We have gifted somewhere around 200 orgonite pieces to these mountains, from the Grapevine to the Central Coast. I wrote a book about it too. Our life and most of our resources have gone into planetary healing.

Now that you know a little more about me, I would like to know more about you. I wasn’t covering my face today like you were because I am not a member of your religion. We should be tolerant of other peoples’ beliefs. I am tolerant of your choice to hide your face from your Creator, although I don’t agree with it. I would never hit you and insult you for wearing a mask or for any other reason. What told you that I was to be deplored because of my exposed nose and mouth? When you called me a “f-ing b-tch” and punched me in the ribs, it didn’t hurt physically because you’re old and weak. But I was wondering if it was your mom or dad who taught you to do that? Did you learn it in school or in church? I’ve never been cursed at and hit by an old woman before.

I put on the mask in order not to offend you, although I didn’t have to. You continued to yell, and you were very close to me when you yelled that I would infect you. If I’m so disgusting and disease-ridden, it would be a good idea to stand a few feet away from me when you insult me. I think about 6 feet should do it. It’s also not a good idea to punch a sick person because you could get my germs on your hand. How come you disappeared out the back door when I called out, “She assaulted me!” If you’re right, you should stick around.

Incidentally, soon after we met, I tried to run into the grocery store to grab some garlic. Like at the hardware store, the employees there never get on my case for my need to breathe and show the face God gave me. I got verbally assaulted there by a customer again, which wasn’t as bad as being hit and verbally assaulted at the same time. But the woman there was much younger than you, so you may want to give her some pointers on how to really hurt your neighbor. She said, “You’re killing my family.” She also blamed me for her sick dog. It was more likely a combination of pinworms, Ascaris, a variety of liver and intestinal flukes, some tapeworms, solvents and heavy metals that killed them, along with the ventilators they pop peoples’ lungs with if they come into the hospital with a cold. I’m reading a fascinating book right now called The Cure for All Diseases by Dr. Hulda Clark. It explains all of these diseases you think are infectious and how to cure them. You need to zap your parasites and stop sharing your worms! Stop putting filth in your mouth and reinfecting yourself, says Dr. Clark. Germs are not jumping around in the air. You can learn to heal anything that’s wrong with you with this book.

In your case, you’re definitely watching too much news. I would venture to guess you’re also taking an assortment of pharmaceutical drugs which are masking symptoms of your own worms and the bacteria and viruses they carry. You probably use a smart phone. Lots of old people who don’t even understand the technology do. I wish you would be more like my grandma, who never hit a lady in the store nor uttered an obscenity. She never would have used a smart phone either. She was beautiful, strong, dignified, spoke several languages, loved fine art, cooked great meals and enjoyed life. It’s sad what a shriveled lump of fear you’re become. My grandma survived the very oppression you are doling out today by a miracle of God. Goodness knows, her life was in danger every moment for being Jewish and from Germany at the wrong time. Now I also feel like I’m in danger. If you’ll physically assault a stranger for having a different belief, then what if someone stronger or armed would do it? This is not something I want to find out. Fortunately I have a relationship with God who protects me and am saved by Messiah Yeshua. He reconciled me back to God who forgave my sin of falling into pagan culture like you have. Your world is a fantasy land, but it’s really more like a nightmare, and it is dying like you have died.

There were a few people in the store after you fled the scene who showed me sympathy. But I now know how bad things have gotten. You showed me that today. You made me feel physically sick, not just emotionally distressed, with a little help from your insane ally at the grocery store. Just last week I could go into most places in Frazier Park with my face showing. It seems your time is running out and your world is spiraling out of control. For now, I would rather not argue with you. I will cover my face in your presence and you won’t know I don’t worship your god. It gives me more inspiration to become more self-reliant and less dependent on the businesses of your world. I hate the mask with a passion. I hate what it represents and how you look in it. I think it’s very sad that you love your pathetic false god and believe this absolutely ridiculous narrative to the point that you would assault another woman. C0VID is a mental illness!

Well that’s all for now. I hope to hear from you soon. Maybe you will realize it was wrong to hit me and curse at me and I’ll forgive you. Then we can be friends and have a kosher barbeque when the weather warms up. I’m not holding my breath, no pun intended.

Your neighbor,

Sharon Daphna

[lycorogue]

Some Passing Thoughts on the New Miraculous Episodes

Finally got around to watching the fansubs of the Shanghai special and “Truth” (I’m still waiting for the other episodes to come out before watching Furious Fu).

Miraculous World: Shanghai – The Legend of Ladydragon

I have to say, I might change my mind later if the Prodigious proves to be more crucial to the overall lore of the series, but right now? Yeah. This special is a major skip for me. 

I did not connect with Fei the way I fell in love with Jess and Aeon. I am so pissed at the set-up the writers came up with to GET Marinette to Shanghai; her reasoning is the most selfish thing we have ever seen her do and it is such an injustice to her character. Plus, it is like neither Ladybug nor Chat Noir learned anything from the New York trip as they both show up in Shanghai kind of spur of the moment (i.e. didn’t tell the other they were leaving Paris). In fact, Marinette - again, going back to my hatred for the setup to get her to China - didn’t even CONSIDER the fact that Paris would be left unprotected; that Ladybug would be MIA. Granted, it was stated that Hawk Moth was surprisingly inactive, but shouldn’t that put her on hyper-alert; waiting for the other shoe to drop and Hawky to release something big that he was building up to? Instead she just lowers her guard and doesn’t even consider her superhero duties when planning on following Adrien. 

Another annoying thing is that the writers didn’t seem to learn anything from backlash against the episode “Kung Fu.” They just once again have Adrien be the one offering to teach Marinette Mandarin; not her mother (whose Chinese name Marinette never even knew), nor her great-uncle. Another writers flub was in the battle against Roi Argent. Ladybug questions Mei Shi’s suggestion that revenge does not equal justice (if that was translated properly), and... I’m pretty sure Marinette already showcased in previous episodes such as “Silencer” that she very much knows that revenge doesn’t equal justice??? She’s the one who corrected Chat Noir that Silencer coercing Bob Roth to admit he stole from Kitty Section and Marinette isn’t justice; it’s revenge. So???? HUH? NOW she magically feels like Fei’s revenge on Cash is justice for what he did to her? 

If all of that wasn’t bad enough, the pacing of this special was in complete overdrive as well. You didn’t have any of those emotional moments - both heart breaking and fluff-bombs - that you had in the NY special. The focus was largely on Fei, and I didn’t even really like her. She didn’t have the heart and the fully-fleshed characterization that Jess or Aeon had.

I’m also confused about Gabriel spending the past 15 years planning this whole thing. HOW!? WHY!? This is before Adrien was even born, or VEEERY shortly after if we skipped over his 15th birthday in the series. This was LOOOOOOONG before Emilie’s illness, which is presumably why Gabriel started using the butterfly miraculous in the first place (as showcased by Gabe in Origins asking Nooroo to remind him how the powers even work before using them for the first time in a corrupted state on Adrien’s first day of public school). So, if getting the Great Power of the Prodigious was something he was planning on doing literally all of Adrien’s life, why present it as “I found something that can finally give me an edge against Ladybug and Chat Noir”? I mean, what was his original endgame going to be? He couldn��t have possibly known that he’d be in dire need for the cat and ladybug jewels but struggled to take them from two teenage superheroes. It’s like the writers are trying to set him up as some mastermind akin to David Xanatos from Disney’s Gargoyles, but they are failing miserably. The whole Hawk Moth plot just doesn’t make sense to me.

Honestly? The only things that made this special worth it for me were: 1) Finding out a bit more about Sabine and her family (I love that she probably picked the name Sabine because it sounded like the pronunciation of her Chinese name) 2) Seeing Gorilla be his action figure nerd self a bit more (and the action figures of Uncanny Valley and Eagle) 3) Mei Shi in Renling (?) form, who was hella adorable! I need him as a plushie STAT 4) Adrien being the precious bean that he is. Just every moment he’s on screen was adorable (complete with him STILL having the picture of Marinette that was sent to him in “Evillustrator” saved to his baton and using that to try to find her) 5) Seeing the world through the eyes of a kwami for the first time and learning a touch more non-crucial lore 6) Mei Shi in statue form reminding me of the Dragon costume on The Masked Singer.

(I know, seeing them side-by-side now, they really aren’t that similar after all, but it’s been about a year since Dragon was on The Masked Singer, and he’s still what I kept thinking of as I watched Mei Shi on screen)

While I obsessively watched the New York special at least a dozen times, I’m really only seeing myself re-watch this special once more when it’s in English, and maybe whenever I do a full-series binge (which is super rare that I take the time for that).

Not impressed. Sorry.

Truth

“Truth”, on the other hand? Hhhhhnnnnnngggg. My heart! It breaks! Poor Marinette. Poor poor Luka. I mean, silver linings at the end there, but also BIG OOF. (Also, why wasn’t Adrien around at all whenever Truth made people confess that Marinette’s secret was her love for Adrien? xDDD)

I’m also a bit confused about the Adrien pictures. She had them taken down pretty much since “Troublemaker”, and yet her walls are once more papered with Adrien’s likeness now that Marinette is trying to get over him and date Luka? How does THAT make any sense outside of the writers going “we need an awkward phone call between Marinette and Luka. Oh! I know! A picture of her Adrien-covered bedroom walls is accidentally sent to Luka!” >3> Also.... what is UP with Luka’s animation again!? The kid was so pale it’s like they forgot to add any color to his model in this episode. WHY CAN’T THEY JUST ANIMATE MY PRECIOUS SON LOOKING HANDSOME EVER!? FIRST NO EYELASHES, AND NOW NO SKIN TONE!? WHYYYYYYYYY!? Personally, I prefer “Silencer” to “Truth” both in overall story and in Luka’s akumatized form design. Also, side note, did anyone else notice that Ladybug was hit by Luka’s attack and couldn’t speak for most of the battle both times? And that she needed Chat Noir to help her set up her Lucky Charm both times? And that Luka’s drive both times was to get to the truth?

I did still enjoy this episode very much. It showcases the new stresses Marinette has to face (totally unfair; I agree. However, it’s a standard trope in most teenage superhero stories such as Teen Titans and Spider-Man, so I was expecting it). It showcases how hard it is for her to figure out a balance between life and superheroing (again, re: standard teen-superhero trope). The fans get confirmation on a fantheory that’s been circling pretty much since Luka was introduced (ESPECIALLY after the episode “Desperada”). The Ladynoir shippers are well fed, and it’s great to see LB and CN praise each other - including Ladybug’s love of Chat Noir’s humor. 

I hope this isn’t the end of us seeing Luka in the show (that would break my heart even more) and it feels lame to build up the Lukanette “love rival” arc only for it to die off before it really goes anywhere. There was so much story potential there where Marinette could grow to learn what it truly means to be in love, and not just idolize and romanticize someone you’re infatuated with. Instead, all she learned is that she is alone aside from Chat Noir, and I feel like that’s SUUUUPER railroading the Ladynoir ship. And, frankly, I’d much prefer to see the Ladynoir side grow naturally, as it has been, instead of forcing Marinette’s hand because Chat Noir is the only one she can be MOSTLY honest with (secret identities notwithstanding).

It’s been a long hiatus. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to dodge fandom salt, but still get a larger dose than I intended to have in my fandom diet, so maybe my views are a bit tainted from that. However, this special and season premiere feel a bit like the writers are stumbling. I don’t know if the pandemic somehow affected their writing flow, or if they feel pressured by the fans to tell the series’ story a certain way and are scrambling to do so, or if they are rushing to an ending instead of taking their time and letting it naturally unfold as they had with the first few seasons. But, regardless of their reason, I hope they re-find themselves; the ones who told great stories in seasons 1 and 2 and (poor writing for Marinette notwithstanding) really good stories in season 3. I hope they can step up their game for the remainder of season 4. 

It’s been a long break, and we all deserve something good to feed us. We don’t need another GoT or HIMYM final season. Especially when this isn’t even supposed to BE the final season of the series.

Guess it’s time to wait for “Lies” to come out, and hope for the best.

[hockeyboysiguess]

untitled | m. rantanen (fic preview)

a/n: i’ve been talking about this fic a lot, so here’s a little 1.6K. it’s very much not done. it doesn’t even have a title yet, but i hope you all like mikko and jo as much as i do! i ended up writing with an oc so i could write this how i envisioned. let me know what you think!!

Jo tugged at her sweater, pulling at the sleeves, at the slightly too tight bottom band, at the neckline, really any part that was touching her skin. It was itchy beyond belief, but she was pretty sure that she was about to take home the non-existent prize of ugliest Christmas sweater at the party tonight. Jo had been out with Helena for dinner, so she threw the sweater on in the car on the way over to Gabe’s and was regretting never having tried it on before this moment. But, the look on Mikko’s face when he saw just how ugly the sweater was would be worth her temporary discomfort.

She punched in the gate code at Gabe’s and made her way up the driveway, smiling the whole way, something Jo had been doing a lot more of lately than she usually did. She told herself it was the hometown air, mile high and clearer than any other city. She told herself it was the fresh snow falling regularly now, deep into December. She told herself it was Christmas and a lot of people were happier around Christmas. Jo’s happiness wasn’t temporary though. It was a shift, slow and steady, a constant pressure forcing her out of the mindset she settled in years ago, the one where she always needed to be pleasing other people to be happy, the one where she needed everyone’s approval to find her own joy. She knew the clearer air, the snow, and the holidays weren’t the pressure. The pressure was a tall, somehow clumsy Finn who wanted nothing more than to see Jo smile every single day.

He didn’t try to make her happy with jokes and gimmicks and other things that were essentially bandaids to Jo’s heaviness. He didn’t try to pull a funny face while jumping just high enough for Jo to see from the other side of the walls she has built to protect herself, the ones she thought were too high for anyone to climb. Mikko wasn’t climbing them, knowing full and well that him getting over them wouldn’t truly help Jo. It would make her just okay for a little while longer, make the way she lived a little more bearable, until it destroyed them both. Mikko was taking the walls apart, brick by brick, his patience and his steadiness guiding the way. He never got frustrated when some of the bricks went back up in the middle of the night while he slept. He got up the next morning all the same and went back to work, taking the walls apart piece by piece, at whatever pace Jo would accept. Mikko hadn’t given up in four months, and he wasn’t planning on it, not until all the walls were gone and the bricks were destroyed, crumbled back into dust, and Jo could see herself the way he saw her the few times he managed to make a hole in the wall and actually see her behind all her defenses.

Jo opened the door into Andre Burakovsky. It was an accident and he shouldn’t have been standing directly in front of the front door and he wasn’t hurt in the slightest, but Jo felt bad about it all the same.

“I’m dumb, it’s my fault,” he assured her. His mouth dropped open when he saw her sweater as Jo hung up her jacket in the front closet. “That’s the best thing I’ve ever seen and I wish we had a contest because you’d so win.”

“I would so win,” Jo agreed, fussing with her curls to get them reasonably back into place

“There should be a contest. Maybe you can bully Gabe into getting some sort of prize anyway because you deserve it, ” Andre told her, his signature wide smile on his face. “He’s in the family room last I saw him by the way, since I know you’re looking for him.”

Jo blushed at Andre’s words. He had caught her eyes tracking over the party that was in full swing, looking for the guy who had technically invited her, but she probably could’ve shown up anyway without his invite. She ducked out on Andre, blush still deepening with him laughing in the background, and made her way through the living room and kitchen into Gabe’s family room. She was old news by now, a days old newspaper no one wanted to read anymore, and it was Jo’s favorite thing about the Colorado Avalanche. She was Mikko’s friend Jo. Full stop. No additions necessary.

“Jojo!”

Jo heard Mikko before she saw him. She technically felt him before she saw him either as two heavy, muscled, ugly sweater covered arms wrapped around her stomach and lifted her off the ground, making her squeal.. He was laughing as soon as her feet left the ground. Jo’s hands gripped one of Mikko’s forearms around her waist to steady herself as Mikko rocked slowly side to side, weight shifting from foot to foot, with Jo in the air in his arms.

“Mikko!” Jo shouted through her laughter. “Put me down!”

“You’re so easy to pick up though, and now you can actually see the party,” Mikko pointed out unhelpfully.

He set her down anyway, knowing that when Josephine Evans made up her mind, such as wanting to be put down, she was a woman who would figure out how to get her way, Mikko’s shins be damned if that’s what it took. Mikko had a game to play the day after today and wasn’t excited about doing it with shins bruised by Jo’s boots.

“This sweater,” Mikko breathed out as Jo turned to face him. He was in disbelief as he looked at it, “Jo, this is the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life.”

“Are you proud?”

Jo spun slowly on her heels, letting Mikko take in the absolute monstrosity she had bought to wear just for this. Mikko was in disbelief, written plainly all over his face, as he observed the sweater in all its terrible glory. Jo had more than delivered when he texted her and said it was an ugly Christmas party. Mikko loved the sweater, a true ugly beauty, but he thought the best part was that Jo put her hair in those little half space buns, the rest of her hair in curls falling down her back. He thought she was the cutest person he’d ever seen and he only knew one way to deal with it in a healthy way Jo would actually appreciate.

Appreciate might have been the wrong word.

Mikko reached out with two large hands and gave her little half buns a squeeze while saying, “Your antlers are cute.”

“Mikko, I swear to god, one day you’re going to die and it’s because I kill you,” Jo informed him with a tone so casual you would think she had just ordered a breakfast sandwich.

“And what a way to go,” Mikko just laughed in response. “Mel made spiked eggnog. You interested?”

Mikko knew Jo was interested before he had even asked, which is why it didn’t surprise him in the slightest that she took off for the kitchen, dragging him by his hand to get to the eggnog. Mikko had released when he stepped into Jo’s apartment on November 3rd, almost two months ago now, just how much Jo loved Christmas, because it had already been decorated that day he walked in. She had offered no explanation for the decorations being up so early other than that it was her apartment, she could do what she damn well pleased, and if Mikko didn’t like it, he could damn well leave. He stayed. Mikko always stayed when Jo was involved.

“Those are some pours there, Jo,” Mikko told her as he eyed the cups Jo was already filling for them from the pot. “Trying to get me drunk?”

“You’re a growing boy,” Jo countered, shoving a full cup into Mikko’s waiting hand. “Drink your milk and maybe you’ll grow big and strong.”

Mikko couldn’t help but laugh. He might make Jo laugh a lot and Mikko laughed a lot in general, but no one made him laugh more than Jo. Even on his worst days, even on Jo’s worst days for that matter, she could always pry a full bellied laugh out of him. It wasn’t even prying. Mikko would willingly give it over to her even when all she offered him was a shitty joke in exchange. It wasn’t lost on Mikko why that was. It wasn’t lost on anyone in the room, or really anyone who had ever spent four minutes in the same room as Mikko and Jo. Mikko looked at Jo differently from other people. Debate what you want about loving someone or being in love with someone, Mikko knew Jo didn’t want him to be in love with her and he respected her wishes more than how he wished she felt, but Mikko Rantanen loved Josephine Evans and it had taken only a few months for it to happen. Mikko realized it the other day on the plane coming back from a road trip. All he wanted was for the plane to get to altitude so he could turn on his phone and text Jo about something funny that had happened since his phone had been in airplane mode. All he wanted to do was get home and see her. All he wanted was her. And that’s not how you feel about people you don’t love.

[queen-scribbles]

Lisa Shepard vs Batarians

Behold, a meta about Lisa I’ve long wanted to write, inspired by this post about Torfan(got kinda long for just a reblog) and motivation provided by @fourthage‘s Mass Effect giveaway. (I’m much better about finishing things when I can give it a deadline, lol)

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Lisa is my Colonist/Ruthless Infiltrator Shep, and let me tell you, that background combo made her really interesting to play(through the first two games, at least; my computer crashed before I had a chance to import her to ME3, rip) bc she has this big, glaring problem with batarians. The tl;dr is Mindoir was deeply traumatizing and no batarian ever did enough to counter the extremely negative image she has of their race as a result. (apologies for slight stream-of-consciousness rambling, I tried to rein it in, but I think I was only partially successful >.>)

So we start, obviously, on Mindoir. Lisa’s the oldest of four with three younger brothers; Justin, Finn, and Connor, and had two best friends; Javier and Laura. Life was routine and uneventful and the only thing she cared about the larger galaxy was getting to explore it with Javi and Laura after they all graduated.

And then the batarian raid happened. Lisa didn’t see her parents die, but she did see friends die in the initial attack, as well as Laura’s dad. She had to watch Finn and his best friend(Talitha) get dragged to a shuttle. She, Javi, and Laura hid in a storage shed with their remaining younger siblings(one of Laura’s sisters was gone, too) in hopes of keeping them safe. They spent the next three days in there. They were found by a few batarian patrols, somehow managed to kill them all with bare hands and makeshift weapons(or stolen, Lisa got a pistol off one she killed), even as their own numbers got picked down, younger sibling by younger sibling, and then Laura, and then Javi, until.Lisa was the last one left, memory etched with hearing her best friends and younger brothers, brothers she’d promised her parents she’d look out for, die very terrible deaths. 

She was found by a couple soldiers from the rescuing Alliance patrol, and actually attacked them when they first came in the storage shed. They had to calm her down, and one went so far as to pull off his helmet so she could see they were human and weren’t going to hurt her. He introduced himself as Gabe and guided her out of her personal hell, both literally and figuratively. After everything she’d witnessed and heard and knew had happened to the colony, to her home, at the hands of the batarians, Lisa didn’t feel the least bit guilty for being glad the Alliance killed every last one of the slaving bastard scum they found. She’d lost everyone in the world she cared about to those monsters, she had every right to be glad they paid for it.

The soldier, Gabe, stuck with her until she’d made it back to Earth and escorted her to the foster home that had agreed to take her in. checked up on her a few times, offered to let her live with him and his roommates(another man and a woman, all three of them soldiers) if she wanted to. She took him up on that, and by the end of the third or fourth month, he was big brother and best friend rolled into one. Being on Earth meant she didn’t really have much(if any) direct interaction with batarians, but she was still working through her trauma and every time she heard them mentioned in news reports it was batarian pirates attacking a civilian vessel or batarian slavers raiding another colony--human, turian, whatever, all it did was reinforce her hostile view of them as a race.

She joined the Alliance military when she turned eighteen, feeling it was the best way to act out her gratitude of them saving her. She still missed her family and friends, of course, but she was healing and adjusting and while batarians still get her hackles up, she wouldn’t go out of her way to cause trouble with them. Largely because that would reflect badly on the Alliance, and she doesn’t want that. She proves to be an excellent soldier, tech genius, and near-unparalleled sniper, which is what gets her the rec for N-school(courtesy of Captain Anderson, who was Gabe’s CO. Gabe introduced them the day she enlisted). She excels in N-school(she’s always been the sort to thrive on challenge) and is clearly going to graduate with flying colors, so she and Gabe work it out--he’s coming for the ceremony, they each manage to get leave for the following week, they’re gonna spend time catching up and celebrating and just get to see each other face to face for the first time in... over a year. 

And then, the week before graduation, Gabe is killed rescuing a diplomat’s kid from, you guessed it, batarian pirates(he’s one of only three KIA on that mission, which doesn’t make it sting any less)..That is when they cross the point of no return in her eyes. Two separate groups of batarians are responsible for the deaths of her family twice over. Clearly this was not a “few bad individuals” thing; this is a failing of them as a people(A people who have enslaving others enshrined as part of their culture to the point of calling it discrimination when they’re not allowed to practice it). 

She is a driven, pragmatic, determined individual who wants to represent humanity and the Alliance well and so works just fine alongside every other race in Council space. She’s always willing to help, also always willing to make the hard calls to get a job done bc she learned early that people die. You can’t save everyone every time. You still try your damnedest to do it, but sometimes you can’t. And sometimes people die as a result of your decisions and you have to be able to live with that. She can. 

And then TORFAN. Well, first Elysium, and then Torfan. By this point, she’s N4, risen to Commander, and absolutely willing to push her squad however hard it takes to accomplish their goal. (In any circumstances, these just happen to hit a tad closer to home than usual) The fight through Torfan’s tunnels to the pirate base is brutal, and there are several times her men point out maybe they should turn back. But she pushes on bc their mission is to take out this group of pirates. In her mind, batarians are already a threat, given their culture of slaving, piracy, and utter disregard for life and others in general. If they get away with attempting a full-scale attack like they did on a world like Elysium, they’ll be exponentially more dangerous. So there have to be repercussions and they have to be swift and they have to be brutal and unflinching and if she’s the one who doles that out so be it. 

It costs her 3/4 of her squad, but they do it. They fight the pirates to the point of surrender and then Lisa shoots them anyway. Her mission was to eliminate the enemy, and she’s A) worried the batarians are surrendering as a show, with no intention of actually being prisoners, and B) convinced even if they did surrender, the Hedgemony would demand their return as “political prisoners” or something, with good odds they’d be released after just enough time this  “incident” will have faded from people’s memory, and she doesn’t want to risk either. So the dozen-odd surrendering batarians still.die. And while she didn’t take pleasure or satisfaction in doing it, she doesn’t regret it either. Her thought process is somewhere along the lines of “These are sadistic, murdering, slaving scumbags, who have the audacity to ask for the mercy they would never in a million years show their victims. The galaxy is better off without them.”) She doesn’t care it gets her labelled “The Butcher of Torfan” and that people look askance at her when they know her record. She got the job done, the galaxy is just that much safer, and she’s not going to lose any sleep over batarians.

She makes N7 and gets the Spectre nomination bc she pushes herself just as hard as anyone under her command, always gets the job done, and--aside from batarians--has no issue working with other races. When it comes to anyone else; turians, asari, hanar, whoever, she’s all too happy to follow Kaidan’s “jerks and saint, just like us” philosophy and judge them on an individual basis, but--and I’ve actually had her say this in fic--”If you ever find a saintly batarian, let me know and I’ll pin a medal on their chest my-damn-self”. Between what’s known of batarians as a race and culture and her own first or second hand experience, there is nothing redeeming about them in her eyes. (And it’s a very good thing she didn’t run into any during that... week after the Talitha encounter in ME1, bc she probably would have ripped them to shreds with just her bare hands and her omnitool after hearing what that poor girl went through.) She’s not going to go out of her way to gleefully/vindictively slaughter them, but she’s not feeling too charitable or sympathetic toward them, either. If I may make a cross-franchise reference, Lisa’s feeling on batarians are very similar to how Fenris feels about mages in DA2, only unlike him, she hasn’t gotten any examples they’re not all Like That(TM).

As of the end of ME2, she has not seen any evidence to counter her view of batarians, so it’s a view she’s gonna go into ME3 holding(whenever I get around to completely redoing her game), and I don’t see her changing it much at this point. It’s a flaw, and it’s one that’s going to persist probably her entire life, but it made playing her so much fun. (especially since my two previous Shepards were 98% Paragon ANGELS who are best described as bleeding hearts. xD)