#hes gotta pay for law school somehow!

[verawhisk]

my favourite adult model is an otaku?!

[nomatterwhatnomatterwhere]

What a ( Not so) Strange World XI

Prev

I was not very satisfied with how the previous chapter turned out, I am a little more satisfied with this one, although everything can always be improved.

( @jessiegerl )

Despite everything that had happened to you, you kept asking yourself how each situation you found yourself in was always worse than the last.

Seriously. What had you done wrong to deserve this treatment from life?

True, since you had first found yourself in the Shaftlands your life had taken a turn for the better: you had been adopted by a strict noblewoman with an - evil - talking cat, you were being taught by said noblewoman, by a fallen queen who was a potions master, by a fae who had earned the nickname 'Lady of All Evils', by a queen with an easy guillotine. You had discovered you had mixed magic. And that was in your 'world where you belong'.

In the 'other' world, you not only had legal guardians - a potions teacher who was also a successful stylist in his spare time and a history of magic teacher who had taught you how to talk to animals - who had taught you that you were not the idiot you had been made out to be. You had somehow acquired some lovely stepsisters and above all you had made friends.

Okay, your life had definitely improved.

But throwing yourself into a school of students with dubious principles, little respect for rules and akin to chaos seemed too high a price to pay.

You wanted to keep your neurons still firing and maybe keep your ulcer from bursting from stress.

Was that so much to ask?

But let's go in order. Or at least let's try.

You had finished preparing the tarts when Cater - who either had a sixth sense he hadn't told you about or had placed cameras everywhere - showed up to see the result of your hard work and then post it on Magicam.

In fact, helped by his presence, you took the opportunity to take a photo of him taking the picture and the little mess that remained

"What, NOW you decide to show up?" indeed Ace had a point, if Cater cared so much to taste a piece of cake he might as well come and help out first.

"I just came to see how hard my little newbs were working" he had said it in that pouty voice - while resting his chin on your head - that you found it hard to resent him.

He was TOO cute!

( And he knew it well)

"Someone's gotta be the official tester' you looked at him slightly askew, he didn't like sweets after all.

It wasn't until Trey used his Unique Magic that you understood why Cay showed up.

Knowing that you had eaten a chestnut tart and could taste the berries was definitely an unforgettable feeling.

No one pointed out how you were the only one who hadn't enunciated what their favourite dish was, but Yuu noticed, and that, to them, was just more proof of how you knew the older boys.

Yet you hadn't told them…It wasn't as if you had to, but to Yuu it seemed like you had taken their situation to heart, and sure, it might have been pity, but according to them there was something else behind it. Maybe you didn't want to talk about it?

(Maybe they would have asked you anyway?)

"That's gotta be a hit when Trey's having tea with the ladies" Cay had given you his 'playful wink' - which you thought was his hit when he was having tea with the ladies - and you'd missed the turn of Trey's eyes.

"That's way better than Riddle's stupid collar magic !"

"Oh, that's a whole other league. His signature spell is a weapon." you nodded in understanding, Riddle's magic was a really interesting tool, "Mine's just childish prestidigitation" this made you frown.

Being able to overwrite something was in itself magic that could not be called Childish Prestidigitation.

There were magical laws, and Trey's magic could bypass them.

And for him it was "Childish Prestidigitation".

( Among other things in front of someone who couldn't do magic, then).

When Trey said it was too late to deliver the tarts to Riddle, you were pretty sure a very unhappy expression had risen on your face.

If you weren't sure, however, there was Ace to point it out with that little voice of his that was only meant to annoy you.

"Nee, can I crash with you again? It doesn't sound like I'll be allowed back in my room tonight"

You raised an eyebrow in Trey's direction.

"It isn't right to keep mocking them, Ace" Holy Deuce.

Yes, Deuce was definitely your favourite Problem Child ™.

(Especially when Grim demanded payment - in cans of tuna - as if that was the important thing)

"What?! Guess I'm sleeping outside then"

"Sounds good to me. Maybe you can find some sleeping bags around."

Despite your sour mood, Trey proposed to Deuce to join Ace's sleepover so he could babysit his house mate.

( You and Yuu had no say in the matter?!)

Seriously, Yuu was too nice for your taste, and this would get them into trouble sooner or later.

Morning came following a night spent playing cards until the two unsolicited tenants - no come on, Deuce could stay - and the weasel had fallen asleep in the dorm lounge.

You and Yuu, on the other hand, had managed to 'settle' what little you could before going to your rooms to sleep.

(You had had the constant feeling that Yuu wanted to ask you something, but every time they seemed to make up their minds they made a guilty expression and retraced their steps).

Cater had come to pick you up to take you to the Unbirthday Party and at that very moment you felt a shiver down your spine, but as soon as you tried to talk to Cay about it he just put a finger to your lips and gave you his usual wink.

That was the great thing about Cay, one way or another he could always figure out what was on your mind and calm you down - or make you more anxious at times, but we don't talk about that.

"And you should probably hurry, because after the trouble yesterday, we're a little short handed."

One bad thing about Cater, however, was that he tended to minimise - his - problems. As if by not making them known he could solve them sooner, or perhaps he believed he had more control over them that way.

After the mini scare that was seeing Cay's Unique Magic in action, the ginger once again forced the group to paint the roses red.

Honestly, by the time someone invented roses that changed colour on their own, it would always be too late.

(You had the unhealthy idea of asking Cater if he could talk to Riddle about the plight of the little hedgehogs, but it didn't seem the time or the place, so you avoided it).

The tea garden where the Unbirthday Party was to be held was really fabulous. You were sure Queenie would have loved it - your other tutors a little less so, too confusing and almost frivolous - there was a kind of organised disorder.

In your world you had never managed to attend an Unbirthday Party. Queenie had explained to you that this was a 'fake' tradition: a way of making the punishment of time more pleasant for the Mad Hatter.

( Not that it concerned her much: the clique of stopped time, as she called them, were disorganised in everything they did, they had no sense of taste. According to her, you wouldn't have missed anything. )

Despite what Queenie said, however, you had always found the idea interesting. Not least because who chooses to celebrate 364 days a year with tea and biscuits. It's a peculiar choice, even for someone completely out of their mind.

As Riddle observed the organisation, you might have noticed some students getting irritated as their Housewarden spoke.

Yuu too seemed to have noticed, in fact you exchanged a slightly worried look, while the Problem Child didn't seem to notice anything.

Noticing all the anxiety emanating from the student body, you couldn't help but get into that horrifying vortex of thoughts that whispered to you that something would soon go wrong.

After Cater changed your clothes into something more presentable for the occasion - "Cay, do you think I can keep the dress, even after this is all over?"- you approached the rest of the tables.

There were several round tables, arranged in turn in a semicircle, so as to face the table where Riddle and Trey sat and at which Cater also sat later.

At their table there were still some empty seats, but out of sheer etiquette, you decided to avoid risking a bad impression or worse, breaking any rules.

(Maybe the Unbirthday Party had its own set of rules).

You and the others took a seat at the table closest to Riddle's - whom you greeted with a nod and a smile as soon as you met his gaze - so that, as soon as Cay had signalled Ace, it wouldn't be too difficult for the boy to approach the HouseWarden - and avoid unknowingly causing any trouble.

Not like that was possible anyway - big tired sigh.

When Ace approached Riddle, as helpful as possible, ready to apologise and you were convinced nothing could go wrong… well, everything did go wrong.

( It was becoming a constant, and a rather annoying one at that).

As soon as Riddle heard that it was a Chestnut Tart, your first instinct was to bang your head on the table and maybe play dead.

You were very tempted to put that instinct into action, but resisted, only to find out that you were actually right: Chestnut tarts were forbidden at Unbirthday Parties, but Trey hadn't quite got round to memorising all 810 rules.

( Understandable, anyway)

Only at that exact moment you felt tremendous guilt.

You knew all 810 rules, but you had decided, albeit in good faith, to keep quiet. If you had expressed your doubts maybe you wouldn't have had to face an angry Riddle

( He didn't look like a child playing grown-up now. No. He looked more like Frau Grimilde than Queenie, as far as you were concerned, not that you would have gone and told Riddle about it. Not at this juncture at least)

Riddle's outburst of wrath was all it took for Ace to throw all his goodwill in the bin - and set fire to the bin, you would have added.

That was also the first time you had seen Trey and especially Cater so serious and worried.

It worried you too.

No matter how much Trey and Cater tried to appease Riddle, he wouldn't hear of it - now, perhaps, he looked a bit Queenie when someone ate his tarts.

You didn't know if Yuu hadn't weighed their words, or was simply instinctive, the fact was that calling Riddle 'foolish' was not a good idea at all.

And Ace had seized on that not at all good idea and turned it into a bad one, taking Deuce with him while he was at it.

"Guys, please. Don't be instinctive."

You understood them. And you were also agreeing with them, but arguing with Riddle at that moment wasn't smart at all. On the contrary. It would only have angered the Housewarden more and made it even more difficult to clarify.

The Problem Child and Yuu seemed to have gone off on a tangent, ready to fight the tyrant that was their Housewarden. And again, you could understand them.

But this was neither the place nor the way.

"They meant no offence, Riddle. They were hurt by their-"

But Riddle wasn't the only stubborn one present, so trying to converse with them was as pointless as trying to clarify with Riddle.

Shaking your head you approached Trey, ready to ask if there was a way to get Riddle and the other first years away before the situation got even worse, but you had been far too slow

"OFF WITH YOUR HEADS !"

As if the situation wasn't already bad, Riddle ordered Trey and Cater to remove your group, which the two of them - albeit unwillingly, you could see - agreed to do, thus triggering even more annoyance from Ace.

You swore on whoever was the deity of this world - was it the seven? Swear on them then - that brat had to learn to control himself, because then he'd get on the wrong side.

Great.

Really great.

Omake

Vilderschön answered your story

[ Pic ] ' That's the bts of @CayCay pretty pictures '

Looks like you have a lot of free time, Potato.

I hope you didn't binge. Too many sweets are bad for your skin. I know Rook invited you to a tea party in our Dorm. Would next week be OK?

[booksandchainmail]

Pale 7.7

“I’ve only been in… I’d guess six or seven really serious, dangerous situations, since I awoke this spring,” Avery told Laila.

I'm reminded of things I've seen from Worm, can't remember if canon or from fanfic, about the ridiculously high combat and death rates in Brockton Bay

“But I’m going to use a tortured sports metaphor here…”

of course you are :)

“I like how you started talking about sports as a thing in general and immediately went to ‘ice’.  It’s obvious what your favorite sport is.”

I enjoy that Verona dunks on Avery for being a jock as much as I do

“Says the girl who barely pays attention in ninth grade gym, or eighth grade gym, or seventh grade gym,” Lucy cut in.

oh big mood. Though actually I stopped having to pay any attention after eighth grade, since my high school was illegally not enforcing state PE requirements

“Gotta use these moments,” Avery told Laila. “I think that’s the difference between top practitioners and lesser ones."

going to be honest, this would not be reassuring

I’d even say it’s a good thing for mankind. Even if the deals are unfair, it’s a chance for those who had none. None at all. For most, the station of life was a crushing, unavoidable pressure. Born a peasant schlub, die a peasant schlub. No time or chance to do anything else. The deals gave a way.

Somehow I doubt the school or practitioners would tell it this way

“They get their payment or pretty much nothing,” Lucy said.

is there a way for them to pay off the brownies? I'm not sure what they would offer though

"Knife throwing?  Did an Oni teach you one or two tricks and you made that your entire plan?” “No,” Reese said, defensive. “…four tricks.”

only four tricks, and they get weaker every time he uses them, and he'll have trouble with standard practices...

But that’s good to bring up, Reese, boy.

honestly, Toadswallow seems like a good teacher. I had assumed his work involved more demonstrations of what goblins get up to, but this is a good lecture, and Liberty clearly adores and respects him.

Goblins are random but you’ve got a nice matching collection?  Must be meant to be, so you better get on board, little nuggets.  Then the more they believe it…” “The more it actually happens?” Avery asked.

Love that magic in the Otherverse works on the principle of "If you build it they will come" (they being magic)

“You’re smart, you’re good, you’re strong. We’ll get you squared away. But for right now I want to hear from these others you’re working with."

please remember your supporting cast.

But yeah, I think they're so used to working either just the three of them, or calling in allies as support and council but not as part of the decision-making process, that they're mostly ignoring the other students

The brownies are going after the headmaster and they’ll be coming back our way. While they’re doing that, they’re not cooking. Kids are going hungry.

probably not helping planning meals that Shellie said she'd order in while disguised as Durocher, and I'm assuming has not followed up on that

Lucy was nodding, seemingly satisfied that Avery had laid down the law.  It felt good.  Avery just wished she hadn’t needed the go-ahead to do it, this time.

small steps. Also, I think Lucy is quicker to step in than most people, which is making this harder

“Laila Throop.  Large-scale curses.  I can’t use them on the staff or students, really.  Bristow would expel me and my parents would- it wouldn’t be good.”

hmmm. That doesn't sound great

“I guess I like a bad situation to feel under control.  John’s like that.  Reliable.” “Would you take him as a familiar?”

Lucy was also thinking about this earlier, that having John as a familiar would insulate her from having to take on a more direct combat role herself. I think it could be neat! He seems really dedicated to keeping them all safe, and I think he'd appreciate the sense of purpose Lucy brings.

“I can’t do it anyway, until you guys have made your choices for the big three.  It unbalances things.”

but yeah :( Just for narrative reasons, I don't see this happening

“If he takes over as Carmine, pretty much everyone seems to think he won’t hold that spot for long. Maybe, um, if you take him as familiar, it rules him out for that?” “If it does, you two are going to need to decide fast,” Lucy answered.

oh interesting. I like that Lucy would clearly choose John as a familiar if it would keep him safe. I wonder if that would be the case for other Others of Kennet? Would one or another of the girls offer to make them a familiar? Because apart from Alpeana, I don't really think so.

Other option is that it wouldn't keep him from being chosen, in which case I'm curious to see what would happen from having one of the judges of the region as a familiar.

“Set up the right sort of duel with the right terms… you can take next to anything you want as a prize.” “Including someone’s implement?”

that would explain what the Musser's are doing, though I'm assuming you need a particular setup/diagram/ritual to make it work, otherwise everyone would be doing this. I wonder if it works in reverse? Like if Reid tried to get Lucy's earring in a duel, but she won, would she get his nine implements? Or maybe only one would be at stake.

“Feels less like he’s been that knowledgeable about stuff all along and we’ve ignored it, and more like he’s been keeping a lot up his sleeve.” “Seeing more of this world like we are, I’m feeling like it’s a necessary thing for survival,” Lucy said.

probably a lot safer for a goblin to be just a bit smarter and more knowledgeable than standard around new practitioners, rather than let them see how experienced he actually is

Bending down was starting to make her arm and upper chest hurt, where Shellie’s whip had slashed her across the collarbone. It felt like she was pulling at it.

just realized Avery has not been thinking/noticing her injury at all this chapter before now. Not sure if it's just a minor hurt or conservation of detail, or if this is something closer to how Verona's chapters often skip over her emotions.

one tall and stylishly dressed in a way Avery sorta wished she could emulate

I think she's talking about Musser here, went back and checked the description from a few chapters back, and he's described as looking like a hollywood agent, blazer+tshirt combo. I can see that for her, sort of casual dressy masc?

My way?  It does work.  It does give us the organization and means of stopping what needs to be stopped, and building what needs to be built.

incredibly ominous coming from a guy like Bristow

you’re an equivalent to barbarians, at the same time I’m trying to bring civilization to the practice

... I would love to see a mundane AU where Bristow gets fired from his teaching job after being canceled on twitter after a clip of him talking like this goes viral

Laila ran for a gap between the brownies.  A pretty obvious trap.

I'm assuming this is what Kevin did

She used what she’d picked up in Zoomtown to slip between them, used her shoes for boosts of speed when she was confident she wouldn’t hurl herself into a tree trunk or branch.

a) I like the Zoomtown benefits, they're coming in handy b) still keeping an eye out for the moment those shoes fail, and worried about how much Avery is relying on them

Avery didn’t go.  She looked back, watching as Tashlit laid a hand on Laila, then pulled it away.  There was no glow, there was no healing. Tashlit shook her head.

oh. oh fuck. I didn't expect anyone to actually die, not this early, not in such a mundane way.

[terrifickid]

Nah nah

I 💯 would but

I get a premonition right when I see this guy that I'll train at his dojo in tel Aviv when I'm 33.

Years later I'm 34 and training there and think, oh well so much for that premonition - he says, 'start your dojo' - I'm like, huh? Ya maybe bro.

I get back and check my ID I turned 33 when I was there.

Before that, I get a premonition from an FB ad. A school, I get a premonition before to go to journey to center in Switzerland - I'm like, never again no way. Sure enough, when I get back home I enroll and the 2 schools taught me the same thing - the very thing I natural did and we can look back now and know it panned.

I noticed this signature way before in my life's events - they were encrypted, signed in causal reality that nobody could control.

Surely it's a prank tho - except the very psalm 91:1 that gets shown to me in my breakdown at a 1-off Bible study is the very same thing - oh and years later it's talking ascension right there. And what happened when I did the thing?

And now, I'm getting the model from zuster denecamp on invitation from the same tel Aviv guy and hit river of deceit and unlock the schizophrenia cause by a mirrored person who's also TK? Cause of the 'bird of prey' early bird premonition from the dojo website which went Christian?!

Ok well, I fly to Maui and lo and behold there's a Christian jujutsu church? We check out that model as well who ever heard of such a thing? That's US code compliant you better believe it.

Ain't no way that's a prank because I already did the noodling on hypnosis which is impossible - I wasn't hypnotized to confabulate premonitions. It's encrypted signed authenticated message from command.

Or schizophrenia, but permiacare told me off the bat spiritual isn't regarded that way - of course it's relevant.

And why? What other choice would I have for SSI the team consensus action? 97 dollar flight to center Pacific with flights to any continent, visa free year round weather. Access to sea and away from brewing civil war. Perfect tactical position. Booked.

It's too improbable, how did I live, this series of events. Thing after thing. It's design.

So we're talking 7 times 11, we're talking dragon. If I don't let go of these resentments somehow I'll mortify.

And again, cut it anyway you like what's indisputable is HI is the only American state with the proper weather at the base case outcome of what I see now and saw the as the only possible future which is starve on the street and get jailed.

Well so what.

So we're already packed and the fitness and diet team I picked up in Colombia came thru. I've got 12 years urban stealth camp experience, equipment - it's now a $10 poncho and a train to LA.

I've been programming quant for 8 years? It's not impossible - I'm 20/20 - it's all been a breakdown of the execution systems. Ok. Small price to pay for unparalleled speed and power.

UpWork was destined to fail and any economic issues only compound. My condition precluded me from any other alternative and the law enforces the status quo.

Why I gotta fight non-stop with everyone? That's not written nowhere. And the very same scenario got me back my will to live - I'm making it up?

Only shot I got. We hit Maui and train up in the mountains shugendo style. Study jujutsu and volunteer. I'll see what contacts I can drum up and assess the terrain and social disposition for long-term entrenchment position.

Bonus is, it's a perfect base to ship animals to, out of disaster areas across the Pacific theater.

It's a dragon or I'm a fool.

Point being is what sense is to be made of this? Is my so-called innate nature or heartfeltness just a brain tumor? Seems like. What am I turning down a promotion to build a baseball field?

We're at a complete impasse,

it's Kobayashi maru and it always was.

We died at 24, followed the inner light for 20 years, battled across the world and when I woke up an purple energy vortex appeared in my new minds eye. I've traversed that tunnel for months, recouped all losses and now I've got a ticket to Maui and a plan.

[handelplayssims]

Welcome back from a holiday break everyone! So we rolled up the Delgato household last time. And I was a bit antsy about it. Mostly for one reason alone.

The Delgato family moved out of their family home and also Justin is dead. Now they live in an apartment in San Myshuno with...two cats and two dogs. Ho boy! Alongside a teenage Pierce and a child Evie. Incidentally, this was the first household I played that had a toddler in it and I decided to let Evie naturally age up. Which...I found really boring once she got all of her skills. -shrugs- Anyway, first order of business, like with Gunther, is moving out of this apartment and into a new home!

We have a budget of 66,798. I pop on back into Manage Worlds and browse the homes available. This is made much more difficult than it could be because I decided that with the rental lots, you have to pay double the amount in order to move into the home. (Even in your simulation game, BnB!) So I’m left with two choices. A much more constrained but nicer looking home, or one that offers 3 bedrooms but isn’t quite the best looker around. Both of which are located in which I consider to be family-friendly suburb type places. I go with the sensible option and go for the three bedroom home…

...only to discover that we somehow had more money than expected!? Huh!? I guess using an expensive apartment as a measuring stick wasn’t a good one. Now I need to update my things for purchasing apartments first before I do this. With my housing spreedsheet updated, we now have two more much nicer and fitting options for the Delgato household to move into. One in Newcrest and one in Henford-on-Bagley. ...one day I will show more love for Henford but Supriya actually knows someone who lives in Newcrest. That’s the deciding factor in moving over there! Off to Tranquil Crescent!

After a bit more remodeling of rooms, and setting up stuff for pets, we’re all nice and situated and oh look, it’s a school/work day. I have Supriya in the Law career, which also has work-from-home options, so, let’s work from home! First thing’s first is sending Supriya over to a law class. Off to Britchester we go! And...it was instantly fulfilled. Hmph. Might as well send her over to a research machine and do a little bit more. Research a bit, perhaps contribute some knowledge for money.

Next things next is to go home and write up an opinion. But firstly!

We have a sick dog and that can not stand. TO THE VET! Brindelton Bay comes with a veterinary clinic already all set up for you, especially good because pets do get sick every now and then and you’ll need a spot to take care of them. Supriya’s premade description does imply she wants to become a vet herself and I would indluge in that, especially since my one vet owner vanished off the face of the Sims world...buuuuuut we need money to purchase this vet. And first things first on that list is moving back into Brindleton Bay.

Vet visits themselves are not too bad. Just gotta get in, get out, pay 750 for the best treatment for our good boy. Blue’s a very good one. And then we go and take a nap because Supriya is exhausted. The kids also return from school, also in need of naps and food. And so we shall!

And just as Supriya wakes up, we got the Welcome Wagon in town! AKA, all the nearby neighbors come on over to say hello and give you a welcome fruitcake. We got an angry eldery lady and an evil, non-commital astronaut. Lovely. I’m just going to go on over to work on my opinion piece. And manage everyone’s needs. First day in a new household is always a rough one, after all.

Nothing much happened after that. Evie played in the trash, which I found quite funny and Pierce relaxed with another dog named LAZERTAG! ...listen, he was a stray and I saw that name and I was like, I had to adopt him. And thus did everyone retire for the evening. Soooo…

Neighborhood Watch!

Beatrice Gibson in the Gibson household has died. Beatrice tried to make cereal but it burst into flames.

Wooow. Master Crafter undone by a simple bowl of cereal. Wooow.

[lost-immortality]

Cage fighter Underfell Paps to go with his brother

The set:

[hmspogue]

Outer Banks season 2 Official Trailer shot-by-shot rundown

A comprehensive post where I scream about analyze the entire trailer frame by frame for clues, theories, and plot. Just my own opinions and general tin foil-hatting

These are screenshots from Netflix’s trailer for Outer Banks season 2. I do not claim or own any of these.

note: this post is tagged as a long post if you wish to avoid having to scroll until your thumbs break.

“My old man used to tell me, ‘it’s best to never say you’ve hit rock bottom’.”

(Putting all of these shots together since they’re scenes we already know but-) Holy shit, okay let’s just....start off like this I guess, damn.

“'Trust me’, he said...”

Kiara looking back and forth between the boys like this really just feeds the headcanon I have that her form of grief this season is going to be her trying to hold it together for their sakes (and eventually just snapping).

JJ just looks fucking furious someone give these kids a hug? I already know this scene is going to ruin me.

“You can always go...”

JJ back working at the hotel. He looks literally so angry again in this scene I could see him self destructing at work and losing his job? (Please do not be isolating yourself you beautiful son of a bitch even though I know you’re going to).

Pope in the Twinkie (costuming wise they all are in warmer looking clothes for some of the shots, so just confirming it’s a little bit into the school year when this all takes place).

“Lower”

Big John was real big into pep talks, I see. (seriously can you imagine Big John having this conversation with like 8 year old John B after he fucking dropped his ice cream cone or some shit I shouldn’t be laughing).

I’m just-

These poor kids, I wanna know how the police all the way down in the Bahama’s knew about them?

Their calves....

“RUN!”

Are going to be so fucking jacked by the end of this season I stg.

Fuck you.

“The gold from the Royal Merchant....it’s here.”

For a while, I had thought that maybe they didn’t even make it to the Bahama’s at the front of the season and ended there (because everyone had been filming in there). But I guess they’re going to be making two trips.

If I were a bird from this POV I’d shit right on that house no questions asked.

oooooh ho hokay. Just so we’re clear. Ward Cameron not only get away with murder and about two dozen other felonies, but-

“Half a billion.”

HE STILL FINDS THE GOLD IN THE CRAIN HOUSE AND GETS TO KEEP IT?

Not the polo with the snap back, I just know this man has a playlist called Sad Boi Hours that is just Juice WRLD’s top 5 songs on Spotify and he tells his friends they wouldn’t know the underground artists he listens to.

Sh, you have lost screaming privileges. Go inside and take a nap maybe.

“John B, we are fugitives in a foreign country.”

So, previously, I was talking about how I was confused how they would still be trying to find him is everyone thought he was dead, but here the wanted poster clearly says “presumed lost at sea”. I think that will be interesting to see how the Pogues all interpret that. 

Especially because they already had a memorial for John B and everything, I wonder if there will be any part of the Pogues holding out hope that they both could still be out there OUCH.

I’m going to circle back to this, but it looks like John B and Sarah are going to get separated for a little while in this man hunt, I could see my idiot himbo son trying to sacrifice himself so Sarah can get away but in reality just....stranding her.

“Promise me you won’t do anything stupid?”

Oh, sweetie....

“Well, Sarah Cameron, I do stupid things all the time without realizing it.”

The volume of his self awareness is astronomical. sir, that is your whole character summed up in your own words.

GOD, IT’S ME AGAIN. PLEASE LET THEM LEAN INTO COMPLETE HIMBO JOHN B THIS SEASON I’LL DO ANYTHING-

nyyooooOOOOOOOOOOOOM-

“Hold on!”

The complete abject terror I would feel having John Booker Routledge driving get-away and then saying the words “Hold on” while reaching fro the gear shift? The english language fails me. 

Sarah, bestie, I’m so sorry.

I just wanna know-

what the plan or objective was in this situation. What was the reason for being this dramatic.

Rest in piss, bozo <3

“Ward’s still out there...”

Okay, same conversation they were having as before. I wonder what makes them decide they need to get back to the OBX for this tho.

“I can clear my name. This can all be over in one shot.”

It looks like Topper watching this but way more concerningly, correct me if I’m wrong but this 100% looks like....John B gets caught. And the DEATH PENALTY?! He did have a mug shot for the fliers in s1 and the one above but he was never brought in? Plus he just looks super dirty and dishevled in this one so I-

Jail break anyone?

I also still want to know if they’re going to go with a Topper redemption arc this season. like, does he know more than he should just from being around Rafe and his big fat mouth? Is he going to help out the Pogues even if it’s just for Sarah?

This shot just suddenly made me really sad. The thought of this all started because Big John left one last thing for his son to find, his literal life’s work. And when it all started, it was just a fun adventure John B and his best friends were going on together and having fun with. Then it all got dragged to absolute shit and turned into what it did, including the remaining 3 Pogues thinking that this treasure hunt took their two best friends away from them. And it’s nothing like Big John intended it to be.

Why my eyes wet?

Now we’re edging into what I was talking about earlier with John B and Sarah getting separated.

“If you think there is anything I wouldn’t do...”

Once again, John B is no where to be found. Also, just in case y’all didn’t already know or forgot Ward is an actual psychopath.

I believe this one of the new character, played by Jontavious Johnson (Stubbs). Based on the voice over it lowkey sounds like they’re implying Ward maybe hired Stubbs and Cleo to find and bring Sarah back. My theory would be I bet they do go to retrieve her, but she somehow convinces them that it would be more beneficial for them in the end to be on the Pogue’s side instead.

Miss Girl you gotta be keeping your head on a SWIVEL. Especially when you’re a FUGITIVE of the LAW-

“...you haven’t been paying attention.”

My guy, who are you clarifying this for?

It’s what you deserve for monologuing.

in all seriousness, the idea of them coming to face to face with Ward in Nassau after thinking they finally escaped him is genuinely terrifying.

“SARAH!”

It kind of looks like they’re either hiding their faces or covering their noses? I don’t know maybe it was from some tactic to get away from Ward.

What did I literally jsut say about yelling privileges, you unhinged mother fucker?

“I’m calling the shots now. I’m driving.”

The following progression of scenes made me actually snort-

“I can’t drive stick.”

PLEASE THE FINGER GUNS LAUNCHED ME INTO ORBIT I LOVE THEM, YOUR HONOR.

Alright, so now it looks like we’re in Charleston. This is the same scene with Heyward’s truck that got leaked from BTS (read: JJ and Kie shoulder touch).

One of the main things that stuck out to me in the following scenes which, you will see, is it lowkey looks like Pope is kind of heading up this part of the operation, or even going in alone? The following clips are just very Pope focused. 

I don’t know what it means, it’s just an observation.

“John B was not the only one that Ward double-crossed.”

LIMBRY-

Bro, we have been hearing about this woman for literal months and I just have....so many questions? 

Who the hell is she? How is she connected to Ward? Why is she in South Carolina instead of the OBX? How do the Pogues even learn about her and how to track her down? How is she meant to “help” them? GAH I JUST WANNA KNOOOW. I already know I don’t trust her though and no I will not be offering up supporting evidence.

Sir, that is my son please unhand him.

“I think you know what I want.”

.......no? But feel....free to explain yourself?

The print on the paper is the same one that’s on the ceiling tiles in the following scene. Obviously, with a key on it that most likely goes to the place a few shots from now.

Hell yeah, son, let’s get SLEUTHING.

“The treasure belongs to the Pogues.”

DAMN STRAIGHT.

Bestie’s I’m not going to lie, I stared at this frame for a solid 10 minuets and I have no idea what it says on there I’m sorry. Someone in the comments is welcome to enlighten us.

“We gotta find it first.”

I can’t tell if that’s just dirt or if he hurt his head? But he look GOOD right now for one thing. For another, same outfit as the one in the Twinkie from the beginning of the trailer.

Look at her. LooK AT HER! LOOK! AT! HER! I MISSED HER SO MUCH even in that damn smiley face top that continues to haunt my waking hours she is in it so much and it stresses me out for literally no good reason I’m sorry-

I could literally cry right now and I think that speaks volumes to how little we actually see him genuinely happy. Have I mentioned how much I love that red hat?

Also, probably not that important, but this is not from the same scene as the shots of Pope and Kiara were. This is from the next one-

“Woogity-woogity?”

“Give me some woogity, baby!”

Yeah, this pushed me over the fucking edge, the way that they’re actually happy and laughing? The fact that they kept woogity-woogity and made it A Thing? Yes.

I am, however, going to be intentionally ignoring what appears to be the very intentional stagingof having such an obvious space between where Kiara and Pope are sitting adn where JJ sits, even including the level they’re sitting on because I don’t have the emotional capacity to face those implications right now. Thank you for your time.

Yes yeeeeEEEEEESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!

GIVE ME ALL OF THE SCENES OF THEM ACTUALLY GETTING TO BE TEENAGERS AND JUST BREATHE AND LAUGH AND HAVE A GOOD TIME AND NOT BE RUNNING FOR THEIR FUCKING LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!

before Rafe comes in and literally starts shooting because they can’t breathe for more than 7 seconds but we’ll....get to that.

They refer to Sarah as a Pogue this season or I burn Netflix to the ground. Your move, Jonas.

50 bucks says John B is driving the Twinkie again for the first time since being back.

I deadass think the Pogues JUST got Sarah and John B back and they’re just having the time of their life. Kie was in her smiley face outfit when Pope was in this one a few clips ago, and I still hold to the belief that that one still they released of JJ and Kie hopping over a fence is the Pogue reunion so-

Ward? I have no idea what he’s looking at behind the wall paper and I’ll be so honest I don’t care my eyes are only seeing Pogue content right now.

“This is a map of the whole island.”

This fit, when will John B learn how to operate buttons, stay tuned for season 5. Also my previous theory of this being their reunion outfits and stuff because Pope is in the back in the same jacket as before.

The plot thickens and so has JJ’s hair, Rudy drop the shampoo brand.

Please, dear God, tell me they’re back in the sex church. For @jiaaraa sake.

Kiara, your Madison is showing.

Okay, I really did try but all I can make out is Something to the tomb begin something something.

You’re welcome.

I am no expert but I do not believe boats operate on land.

John B looks like he is in the same outfit here that is in his mug shot we saw on the TV screen so I have a sneaking suspicion this is where he gets caught. 

“John B is back-”

Once again with the damn sexual tension that’s always between Barry and Rafe in every scene they do are we about to kiss right now?

“-it’s him or me.”

First of all, no.

Second of all, I’m just....so very confused about this time line this season. It kind of looks like Ward and Rafe follow and find Sarah and John B in Nassau (unless those scenes by the truck were actually back in the OBX). So did they....go to Nassau, then just come right back when they did? I’m just confused.

Put that thing back where it came from or so help me.

Literally when will you stop at this point I am begging you. 

This looks like the same scene the Pogues were, ya know, literally just having a good time at so fuck me, I guess.

Yeah, no, it’s going to be a no from me, I’m just going to pretend like I’m not seeing this and moving on.

I have simply no idea what is going on here or who that is on the bike but maybe JJ? Maybe Luke even? I think that’s JJ’s bike. 

The sewer scene. The SEWER SCENE-

For months sicne that tiktok leaked this damn scene has been genuinely all I could think about. So (obviously) it seems like they’re sending Kie down into the sewer to go do seomthing and things go horribly, horribly wrong. 

If you haven’t seen the tiktok, essentially all it was was JJ and Pope screaming and trying to lift up the man hole cover while Kie is begging for them to hurry from inside. I’m cheating a little bit as this isn’t a shot from the trailer but this picture was posted and it’s from the same scene.

I’ll just....leave this here. Back to the trailer shots.

Nice. Also, same shirt as mugshot.

Hey, um, what? 

Kiara’s car, she’s driving, I can’t tell who’s in the back seat or the front.

Holy God what is going on and how can I as an audience member put a stop to it?

So, same scene as we will see and was in the teaser but, for some reason, they’re all jumping off of a giant ass boat into the little life raft where it looks like JJ gets hurt later but don’t you worry we’re getting to that.

JJ AND KIARA WITH THE POGUE HANDSHAKE JJ AND KIARA WITH THE POGUE HANDSHAKE THEY BOTH LOOK SO DAMN GOOD AND THEIR LITTLE SMILES SPARE ME-

Cleo 🥵

I’m so excited to see her arc and what it brings this season you guys have no idea.

Please for the love of God be about to get Ward Cameron’s ass like he deserves literally punt him into jail right from Tanny Hill.

Sarah at My Druther’s with what looks like a bloody bandage on her side? Same outfit she’s wearing when they’re running from the police on the beach and she has the bandage there too so. Interesting. 

Topper hugging who I’m pretty sure is Sarah, being a general douche because he’s clearly looking at John B like 😏 

Clips like these serve to remind me just how many of my worldly posessions I would gladly give up to be able to punch Topper Thorton in the throat one time. 

I think this is Cleo jumping off the boat with Pope after John B and Sarah. 

Absolutely busting a lung at Pope’s form in this one.

John B and Sarah waiting in the life raft, still Cleo and Pope coming after them. The obvious next question is where are JJ and Kiara. The scene I’m sure you all have been waiting for is coming up and clearly takes place in the life raft as well.

So, I really think JJ and Kie get left for last, something horrible happens as they’re trying to jump (my head instantly goes to JJ maybe like pushing Kie out of the way and getting hit on the head instead or even just some accident). 

And, oh my GOD a scene of him falling off the boat after it happens and Kiara diving in after him immediately, having to desperatly try to stop him from sinkingand get to the life raft holy shit-

Girl CATCH HIM?????

Because why wouldn’t this be Rafe’s fault. Part of me wonders if this isn’t related to JJ being hurt.

I am going to try and unpack this as calmly as possible because behind my computer screen I am vibrating at a frequency that could shatter glass but respectfully.

WHAT IN THE FUCK IS TIAUEWFHLAILA

Okay, so scene wise, JJ’s hit his head somehow (probably while he was jumping with Kiara) it looks like and now they’re back on the raft. 

In my opinion, this is either:

A) JJ is in really, really bad condition after getting hurt in the jump and they’re not sure he’s going to make it. So this is a “Please stay with me, stay awake, please don’t die” hug OR

B) They very narrowly just avoided a deadly situation (my first thought is JJ hits his head while jumping, passes out in the water, maybe almost drowns but Kie and the others get him onto the life raft in time) and this is more of a “Oh my God, you’re okay, you’re safe now, we’re okay” hug. 

I honestly lean more to the second one based on the little bit of Sarah’s face we saw in the background. To me, it almost looked like she was smiling thru tears, which, fits way more with the second option than the first. 

Anyways. Moving on before I burst a lung again.

(also, before anyone comes at me, no, I’m not happy JJ is hurt, obviously.  

(Once again, arrest outfits). You can still see the bandage but it looks like Sarah’s limping now too so...good Lord give the girl a break maybe?

Everything in this trailer just went to shit so fast I think I have whip lash, can we go back to the Pogues hanging out and being happy now pkease I liked those scenes.

“I get it. You guys are scared.”

“No.”

She’s cute but, uh, hello sewer scene outfits. Seems like them planning to do whatever the hell they were going to do in the sewers but the boys are starting to get cold feet as maybe they should but hind sight is 20/20 I suppose.

“It’s kind of cute.”

“I’m not scared.”

“You should’ve just led with that.”

I will never be able to express how much I adore Pogue banter and general dumbassery and I have a feeling this season will not be lacking in either department

I high key don’t think these two are actually going to be there for this scene to go down but I’ll let it slide this time because-

They do be kinda cute.

It both feels like I’ve been waiting for this damn show for 3 years and also like I just watched season 1 last month explain that to me. 

Either way holy shit. I missed this dumb show and these dumb kids so much it physcially hurts and WE GET THEM BACK IN T-MINUS 16 DAYS.

Also. Where The Hell Is Wheezie Cameron And When Will She Have The Rights She Deserves.

[luci-in-trenchcoats]

Hollow Pass (Part 1)

Summary: When the reader has to spend a day in the mines for work, she’s less than thrilled. When the miner showing her around for the day, Dean Winchester, is an ass, she’s even less thrilled. But an accident will change all of that and if they want a chance of getting out of the mess they’re in, they’ll need to put their lives in each others hands, literally...

Pairing: Miner!Dean x reader

Word Count: 4,100ish

Warnings: language, injury, frightening/claustrophobic/near death situations

A/N: Please enjoy the first of this 2 parter!

_______

You sighed as you stood in the trailer of the manager’s office, a jumpsuit and a pair of boots sat in a chair. Your boss, bless his heart, thought it was always a good idea for corporate positions to experience a day in the mines to truly understand the product and what the little guy went through on a day to day basis. The argument that you were not really corporate, not even close, seemed to go over his head.

“Y/N, you gonna change? I need my office back,” said the manager through the door. You pulled it open and pouted. “I don’t want you going down in the mines anymore than you do but if you want to make corporate, you gotta do what the CEO says.”

“Dad I don’t even want to work there. I like my simple office job.”

“Then why have you been in all those development programs at work?” he asked. You shrugged and he sighed. “Cause you can’t say no.”

“Do I have to?” you asked, looking back at the overalls.

“Do you want to quit?” he asked.

“I don’t want to lose a good paycheck. But I don’t want a corporate job either,” you said. 

“Then you’re shit outta luck,” he said. “I’m gonna put you with the Winchester boy. He’s on safety checks in our most secure mines.”

“You mean the ones that never have problems.”

“Funny how that all coincidentally happened today of all days,” he said with a smile.

“Thanks dad.”

“I don’t want you going anywhere near explosives. You’ll be safe doing the checks with Dean for the day.”

“Hi, I’m Y/N,” you said twenty minutes later. The man in overalls and a hard hat rolled his eyes.

“I’m ten minutes late because of you which means I’m gonna get docked those ten minutes of pay so thank you little miss corporate.”

“I’m your boss’ daughter, jackass.”

“Still ain’t my boss,” he said. You huffed and headed over towards the mine entrance when he grabbed the back of your overalls. “No, dummy. You have zero safety gear so unless you want to die, you’re coming with me.”

“Asshole.”

“Dean Winchester at your service,” he said, dragging you over with him to some lockers. He punched a card and went to the storage racks, seemingly grabbing a few items and putting them on. He picked the hard hat off your head and grabbed one with a light and a wire attached to it, clipping it on your belt. He put something over your shoulder you put your arm through like a sling and clipped a mask onto the back of your belt, a flashlight and a small hand pickaxe going through your other loops. “Turn this lamp on anytime you’re in the mine and never, ever, take off your hat. If I yell at you or you smell something funny, get that mask on. Flashlight and the axe are backup for emergencies.”

He put a radio in your pocket and looked you over.

“Oh and for the love of God, do not wander off. I don’t care if you see a bug or break a nail or gotta piss.”

“What do you do if you have to…” you said.

“Normally you piss against some rock like a man but special manager’s daughter we’ll walk you back out here, take our slow ass time, make me go longer than my shift and because I was late today, I don’t get overtime.”

“That sounds kinda illegal.”

“The contracts for this company are a fucking nightmare,” he said, walking out of storage.

“Why work here then?” you asked as he went to an area and grabbed a clipboard. He took two water bottles and clipped them on each of your belts before whistling for you to follow after.

“Well somebody had to pay for his baby brother to go to law school and it wasn’t going to be my drunk of a father now was it,” said Dean, stopping and writing something down. 

“So you didn’t grow up with mining in your family?” you asked.

“No. I’m not some redneck hillbilly like you imagine either,” he said. He flipped on his light and turned yours on when you got to the mine entrance. “Crouch.”

“Huh?”

“We ain’t riding the cart which is missing, dumbass. Crouch down so you can fit in the tunnel,” he said. You swallowed and had to bend down some, following Dean closely. “Ain’t claustrophobic are ya cause now’s the time to tell me.”

“No,” you said. “Jerk.”

“Ah, see? We’re getting along already.”

You walked for five or so minutes before the ground sloped down further and an entrance to the right opened up. Dean straightened up and you did the same, stretching out as he grabbed the back of your jumpsuit.

“Dude, would you stop doing that?” you said.

“Would you stay in my line of sight?”

“That’s harassment. You can’t touch me without my permission,” you said, crossing your arms. He blinked a few times and rolled his eyes quite possibly the most dramatically you’d ever seen in your life.

“This? This is not an office building. Every single time you step in here you run the risk of dying and you have zero clue on how to stay safe down here. I hate it when you people with your big offices and penny pinching bullshit come down here and complain about every goddamn little thing. If you want out, get out of the fucking mining business.”

“You’re an irritable person,” you said. He grumbled and tugged you along with him until you brushed him off. You followed him down a hallway and another, Dean checking things off on his clipboard as he went. “Are you gonna explain any of this stuff?”

“What do you think?” he said. He whistled and you followed him down a few more hallways when he stopped a gauge looking contraption. He checked a few different numbers and valves on it as you spun around. 

“I guess it is kinda cool. That somehow you guys know how to block up rocks and leave all these cracks and know how to make it so it doesn’t all come crashing down.”

“Cracks?” he asked as he squatted down and read off a meter.

“Yeah like that big one,” you said, pointing at the wall across the way. He turned around and looked at it for barely a second before he grabbed your arm. 

“Move. Now,” he said. He pulled out his radio and pressed down the button. “We have a grade five crack in Lodge Six West. Do not blow. I repeat do not-”

The ground rumbled and you heard a splintering noise, Dean pushing you back into the hallway you’d been in. He jumped on top of you and covered your body with his, all the lights going out, a loud thundering of falling rocks happening close by. It seemed to go on and on before it finally stilled, the hallway pitch black.

“You alright?” he asked.

“I think so,” you said, coughing when you felt dust in the air.

“Don’t move,” he said. He lifted his head and there was some light, Dean looking around before climbing off of you and staring at a new wall of rock. He looked at the hallway you’d been in, clicking on his flashlight and you saw where the rock dropped off about a hundred feet away. “Well. Shit.”

“What just happened?”

“The rock was unstable and they already set off the charges and it shook the mountain so now there’s a giant hole over there and our exit is blocked.”

“What’s that way?” you asked, nodding down the only unobstructed hallway.

“Further down into the mine before you hit the decommissioned area.”

“Is there a way out,” you asked, Dean patting his side.

“Fuck. My radio is under all that,” he said. He took out yours and handed it to him, Dean nodding before he turned it on. “Main do you copy, over?”

There was silence on the other end and Dean hit the button again.

“Main this is Winchester in Lodge Six West with…what’s your name?” he asked.

“Y/N Y/L/N.”

“Y/N Y/L/N, manager’s kid. Copy, over.”

“Winchester this is Main. We got lots of calls coming in from ground crews about a shaking.”

“Lodge Six West Hall K is a giant crater of death and Hall H is buried, right up to the entrance of junction HJ.”

“Injuries?”

“We’re okay,” said Dean.

“Give me a second.”

Dean took a deep breath and coughed. He tapped your mask on your belt and you put it on, the air a bit easier to breath. 

“Winchester this is Melvin.”

“She’s okay, boss. Just a little shook up. Saved our asses from winding up in the ground even if she doesn’t know it yet,” he said. He held out the radio and you pulled down the mask. 

“Dad I’m fine, really. We both are. It’s just kinda dark and smelly is all.”

“I know. Put your mask on sweetie until you can get to some cleaner air,” he said. You put it back on, Dean, getting to his feet. He pulled you up and looked back at your blocked path. 

“Any other collapses?” asked Dean.

“None reported so far. Everyone should be out of the mine’s or on their way. Alarm is blasting.” You looked back at Dean, his eyes shutting.

“Melvin we can’t hear it. At all.”

“Rodney’s out checking where our side of the collapse starts. We’ll get you out,” he said, someone panting in the background.

“Hall B, Mel,” he said. Dean turned away from you and sighed. No one said anything for a long time until Dean finally raised his head.

“We got two 16 ounces bottles of water. If she rations it, she’s got a shot,” said Dean quietly.

“No, she doesn’t,” said your dad, his voice softer than you’d ever heard it. “How long does your radio have?”

“Mine got crushed. Hers was on a quarter charge. I’d guess maybe an hour or two tops,” he said.

“Should we call your brother?”

“He’s hiking in Glacier Park this week. No cell service,” said Dean quietly. “Just tell him to check my bottom desk drawer. There’s something for him there.”

“I can do that,” he said. “Is there anyone...parents-”

“All due respect sir, I’d rather you talk to your daughter,” he said. Dean held out the radio to you and you picked it up, Dean skirting around the corner to the one unblocked hallway.

“Dean?” you asked, following over there. He was leaned against the wall and looked over his shoulder at you. “What’s going on?”

“They can’t dig us out in time.”

“What do you mean-”

“Talk to your dad. You’re wasting time. That battery won’t last forever,” he said. He turned back and you walked back around the corner, sitting down against the wall.

“Hi dad,” you said.

“Hey,” he said, his voice shaky. You closed your eyes and took a deep breath. “Mom’s on her way down to talk, okay? She’ll be here in ten minutes.”

“I so quit this job,” you said, wiping off your eyes with the back of your hand. He laughed and you threw your head back. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything. I’m gonna stay on the line as long as I can, okay?”

“Okay. Okay.”

Two Hours Later

The battery in the radio had died about fifteen minutes ago. There was no sound aside from your sniffling and Dean’s down the hall. You got up eventually and went into the hall, sitting down beside him. You handed him the radio and he clipped it back on his belt.

“You okay?” you asked, voice hoarse.

“You try listening to someone say goodbye to their parents and not bawl,” he said. He wiped off his face and took a deep breath. “Air’s better now at least.”

“What do we do now?”

“Now,” he said, clipping his water bottle onto your belt. “You sit there and try not to exert a lot of energy and that water will last you a few days.”

“We both heard my father. They can’t drill or dig or do anything fast enough. It’d take weeks. I’m not sitting here next to your dead ass so take your damn water back,” you said, shoving it back in his chest. He didn’t speak but put it on his belt, pulling his knees into his chest. “Why were you so mean to me before? You gave up time on the phone for me. I don’t think you’re what you pretend to be.”

“I’m a dead man walking and that’s a fact.”

“Technically you’re sitting.”

He smiled and rested his face in his knees. He sat up and reached over behind you, hitting off your headlight.

“We need to conserve power as long as possible,” he said.

“Will our lights go out before we dehydrate to death?” you asked.

“Yes,” he said. “This is what it’ll be like.”

He flipped off his lamp and you swore you’d never experienced a darkness so deep. You felt his hand graze yours before holding it and you swallowed.

“Kinda less scary knowing you can turn it back on again,” he said.

“You didn’t answer my question. Why such a brute?”

“You do this job long enough and most people think you’re a dumb sack of shit with nothing in his head. You’re dead weight, odds are you’ll die down here or get into some kind of accident and have to go on disability the rest of your life. You corporate people are always so stuck up, like I’m not even good enough to be the dirt on your shoes. I didn’t give you a chance because odds were you were like all the rest of them. You’re the only reason we didn’t die in that hole, very painfully.”

“Wouldn’t we have-”

“No. It’s not a simple hole we would have fell in. Falling rocks, crushing and hitting, landing on you, ones you hit yourself. Might not kill you immediately. You’d feel it.”

“Dying of thirst is better?”

“I’d say so. Still get to keep this handsome face, or what’ll be left of it,” he said. He flipped his light back on and you scooted closer. “I think you’re very attractive.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m gonna die in like three or four days. Life has no consequences now and I happen to find you very attractive and you seem like a smart, sweet woman that put her parents a little at ease during the worst moment of their lives.”

“Who’s your brother?” you asked. “No consequences after all.”

“He’s a lawyer...and my best friend.”

“You said you did this job for him.”

“Student debt is a bitch. I try to help him out and the overtime helps make dents in it,” he said. “Our parents had debt out their asses. It caused so many problems for us. I wanted him safe, never have to worry about the next meal on the plate or the roof over his head or having to wear my hand me downs ever again. At least he’ll get my life insurance policy. That should help.”

“I have been busting my ass since I was a college freshman in that office to move up the chain for a job I didn’t even want. I completely lost nearly all of my twenties to work. All so I could die in here.”

“Well I know this doesn't sound good but I’m glad I didn’t die all super painful. Or that I’ll be alone,” he said. You smiled and nodded, Dean returning it. “Got any bucket list shit we can pull off down here?”

“We could make out,” you said. “Never knew anyone could make that jumpsuit look good.”

“Why the fuck not,” he chuckled. He leaned in close and your helmets bonked, Dean pulling his off and yours, quickly cupping your face. 

His lips were gentler than you thought, the two of you stopping when your lips were pressed together. You rested your forehead against his and broke off only an inch.

“Not as much fun at the moment as it sounded,” you breathed out.

“Pretty good last kiss though,” he said. You put your helmets back on and you grabbed his hand again. 

“Don’t let go down here. Please.”

He reached to his belt and undid a little pouch, pulling out a small tether of rope. He clipped one end onto him and the other to you.

“For when the lights go out,” he said.

“How long do we got?”

“About a day, maybe a little more,” he said. You sighed and turned your head, staring down the rest of the hall. “It’s decommissioned, Y/N. It’s a death trap.”

“Is there a way out?” you asked.

“Maybe. Maybe they never find us though,” he said. You stared at him and he nodded, hitting your headlamp back on. “Enough of the pity party. Let’s go get out of here or die trying.”

He stood and held out a hand, hoisting you to your feet. 

“So. What’s our best option?” you asked.

“It’s alright for a bit until we get to the decommissioned section. When we get there, that’s when it gets dangerous. Technically it’s dangerous now considering the blast but we’re okay for a bit,” he said. 

“Let’s go then,” you said. He nodded and you followed him down the hall, walking side by side. 

“Alright so the decommissioned section is called Hollow Pass. Beyond that is Upper Seven. If we can get to Upper Seven, we can get out the old entrance I’m pretty sure. Never been in there but hopefully it’s not a maze over there.”

“So Hollow Pass is the hard part.”

“Yeah.”

“Why was it decommissioned?”

“Unstable ground. Holes, pockets of air, rotted support beams, wood planks.”

“So it’s a death trap.”

“Yup,” he said. “We’re probably gonna die down there.”

“What do you think our odds are?”

“Well it’s been out of order for over fifty years, we have no map, I have no real idea where exactly to go...I give us 1% odds.”

“Beats are 0% odds here.”

“Good way to think about it considering we’re going to most likely die.” He stopped walking and took a deep breath. “If I fall or whatever, follow the widest hall possible and keep away from wood and cracks as best as possible. Ration your water and eventually you’ll find your way out.”

“If you fall I’m definitely not gonna make it.”

“Well at least try. You can tell my brother how devastatingly brave I was that way.”

“You just spent the past hour crying.”

“So did you,” he said. You bumped his shoulder and he returned it but it was playful and soft. You walked together quietly for a moment until Dean rounded a corner and took a deep breath.

There were a few planks across a hallway, Dean kicking them down, frowning when they broke pretty easily.

“There’s gonna be rot.”

“Lovely.”

“We don’t have to go,” he said. “You don’t have to. There’s a chance-“

“There’s no chance Dean. Not if we stay up there. If you don’t want to go, I will. Maybe I can get help back in-“

“We’re doing this together or you’re staying. I can go and you-“

“We both go,” you said. 

“I go first. You step where I step and if I tell you to do anything, you do it.”

“Dean. We already established that you’re not a hardass. You can lead the way but you know, nicely.”

“Alright, alright,” he said. He gave more slack in the rope attached to the two of you and took a deep breath. “Let’s go.”

He was calm for a few minutes until you were turning down a hallway, Dean suddenly stopping in front of you.

“What is it?” you asked.

“Look,” he said. You poked your head around him, swallowing at the rotted wood on the ground, holes worn into the planking. “Y/N that’s not good. Rot means there’s water and water means erosion and erosion means big shafts hundreds of feet straight down under those wood planks.”

“How much of it is wood?” you asked. You both looked ahead and sighed, the whole hall flooring covered in wood. “Shit.”

“Y/N. This is too dangerous. I’ve worked in mines since I was 18 and it’s way too dangerous.”

“Dean. I don’t want to die. If we don’t do anything, we’re dead in three days, maybe less.”

“Maybe they come up the decommissioned mine and get us,” he said. 

“Dean. The mountain collapsed from what my dad said. They are not coming in here, risking even more lives, in this mine. It might even have collapsed on the other side on the way out. We don’t know. All we do know is we stay and we’re dead or we go and we’re maybe dead.”

“You still won’t let me go on ahead on my own to try to get some help?”

“You’re not leaving me alone,” you said. You stepped ahead and he yanked on the rope, pulling you back. “Dean. Stop.”

“I go first,” he said. You held up your hands and he swallowed, Dean stepping past you, carefully putting his weight down on each plank. “Follow. Every footstep exactly where mine go.”

You followed after, the only sounds your breathing and the occasional board creaking. Dean put a foot down and stopped moving forward when you heard snapping. 

“Go back. Slowly.”

You stepped a foot backwards, putting weight on it and your foot going straight through. Dean grabbed your arm as you pulled your foot up, a few sticks falling into a deep dark pit. 

“What do we do,” you breathed out.

“Well we’re over rock that fell away so there’s a big hole beneath us if the rotted wood is anything to go by,” he said. You heard the slight waiver in his voice and sighed. “We make a choice. Forwards or backwards.”

“Back looks bad. Plus we already probably broke the supports.”

“I think solid ground is in front. But I have to jump for it,” he said. You looked past him and shook your head. 

“Dean, it's way too far. I can try to walk over there if you let out the rope. I get to solid ground and then you walk and if you fall, I got you with the rope.”

“Sweetheart, there’s no way.”

“You’re too heavy and we can’t stay here,” you said. You slipped past him and he tried to grab you but you went quickly. “Dean let out the rope. Now.”

“Fuck. We’re gonna die.”

“No we’re not,” you said, walking quickly, planks creaking but you sighed when you had solid rock under your feet again. “Alright. Just go where I did and fast.”

He took a deep breath and walked a few steps, a loud groaning of the wood making him move faster.

You hit the ground the second you saw him go down, the wood breaking away. Dean shouted and you dug your heels into the dirt. 

“Y/N!” he said, falling straight down into a hole and out of view.

_____

A/N: Read Part 2 here!

[y0itsbri]

5 times Ian and Mickey eat ice-cream/popsicles together - shameless summer series 🍨🍦🥄

inspo from @ianandmickeygallavich's summer prompt list

moments from s2 - post-finale

words: 1.4k

the first time ian and mickey ate ice cream together was at the kash & grab. they had just finished helping lip stock up his ice cream truck with goods from the store. mickey focused on tuning out linda's obsessive ranting.

"you ever get anything from the ice cream truck when you were little?" ian asked out of nowhere, after a lull of silence had passed over them.

"the truck never ran in our neighborhood, numbnuts."

ian paused, considering, "oh, i guess maybe fiona took us to the parks sometimes. maybe that's where it was."

"probably." a pause.

"what would you get?"

"a joint."

"no, no, like from a legit truck!" ian rolled his eyes "i always got the bomb pops. carl always got the spongebob. he liked ripping the face apart."

"'course you would get the bomb pop, army."

"doesn't answer my question, mickey."

mickey flipped him off. "how about those little chocolate cones? those bitches always looked good."

ian smirked his dumbass smirk that mickey couldn't look at for too long without his cheeks heating up.

"what?" he asked, adverting his gaze.

ian headed towards the freezer. yeah, mickey could go for another round. he followed him until he saw that ian had stopped in front of the open door for a moment before turning around with two chocolate covered ice cream cones in hand. he handed one to mickey, cold fingers meeting hot for a brief second.

"i'll have to take it out of your pay check, of course," ian teased.

mickey simply glared his way, but softened when he realized the tone. "yeah? well i'd ring ya neck for even considering it, but it's hot as balls so i'm saving my breath."

"sureeee you are." ian smiled again.

it was quiet in the store except for their obnoxious slurping as the ice cream melted faster than they could lick it.

---

ian's been having a difficult time adjusting to his new med change. he was tired all the time, his usual go-getter motivation put on hold.

fiona usually only bought popsicles at the beginning of the summer. it wasn't the beginning of summer. it was almost fall. so no one knew how bomb pops were stocked in the freezer.

mickey knew.

carl wretched open the freezer, shaking the popsicle box upside down, the remaining three falling out. he took one for himself, passed one to a zombie-like version of ian sitting at the kitchen counter, and tossed another to mickey, who was reading a magazine at the kitchen table.

mickey furrowed his eyebrows. "i didn't ask."

"yeah, but you wanted one." carl shrugged and leaned against the fridge for a moment.

"thanks, kid." mickey mumbled after maybe somewhat of an awkward length of time. carl took that as a dismissal as he bounded up the stairs.

ian had been quiet, not even muttering a thanks. he managed to unwrap it, but not much else.

"'s your favorite, man," mickey nodded towards the bomb pop sitting idle in his hands.

ian half nodded and gave a sorry excuse for a fake smile. his popsicle dripped.

mickey frowned. patient, he got up from the table and sat next to ian, wiping the melted popsicle with his jacket sleeve.

they sat there quietly, eating their popsicles together, tongues cold and red.

mickey was trying.

---

ian and mickey had been in the car for hours now, heading further south with every passing minute. conversations fell anywhere from their past, their present, and their future. ian tried to keep his focus on their present.

"didn't you say there was some ice cream around here we gotta try?" ian wondered, memory flickering with something mickey had said a few hours ago.

"paletas de crema," mickey enunciated in a put-on spanish accent. he smirked. "yeah, man, we'll make a pit stop for it pretty soon. damon said it was to die for."

"wonder if damon's got himself arrested yet?" ian mused.

"nah, fuck him."

they stopped at some ma & pa shop down in texas near the border. somehow, mickey had a family discount.

mickey ordered pineapple, claiming to be a slut for piña coladas. he ordered a strawberry for ian, claiming to know what ian would like. he wasn't wrong. they switched ice creams for a couple licks and ian definitely preferred his strawberry.

mickey got a little on his chin and ian wiped it off without thinking, they both paused and stiffened for a moment, before acting like that didn't just happen. the uncharted territory scaring them both a bit.

---

"what's your favorite ice cream flavor?" franny asked, kicking her feet absentmindedly in the backseat of the new gallagher-milkovich van.

"really, kid? ya had a whole day of school you could be tellin' me about, but you wanna know about ice cream?" mickey argued with the six year old.

"mhmm," she nodded before staring out the window again.

"chocolate ice cream's my fav. what's yours?"

"strawberry!"

"'course it would be, strawberry shortcake. should we go get some, just the two of us?" mickey asked, pulling out of the school lot.

franny chanted for ice cream until the physical cups (not cones) were handed to them through the drive through. she frowned when she saw a third cup. there were only two people in the car, right? and this ice cream was green.

"what's that?" she asked incredulously.

"ice cream?"

"but it's green, uncle mickey!"

"'s pistachio. it's your uncle ian's favorite."

"we gotta wait for him before we eat ours then!"

mickey snuck a spoonful of his chocolate ice cream when fran wasn't looking.

mickey may have also broken several traffic laws to get them home before their ice cream could melt.

as soon as they were parked in the street, franny bolted towards the house, pink and green ice cream in hand.

"uncle ian, uncle ian! look!"

mickey slammed the car door behind him and picked up franny's backpack from the back seat. he glanced up to see franny nearly tackling his giant of a husband. he looked so enthusiastic about everything franny was telling him before he directed her inside.

mickey made his way over to ian's side, tossing franny's backpack at his feet with a thud before giving him a quick smooch.

"mmm," ian hummed. he smacked his lips together. a pause. "chocolate?" he asked, picking up the backpack.

"what about it?" mickey's eyebrows raised, somewhere between a threat and a tease.

"fran told me you were waiting for me."

"told ya i'm not good with rules," mickey smirked at him before following franny inside.

they all ate at the dining table while franny told both of them about her drama-filled day at first grade.

---

it was a hot ass summer and the AC in their apartment was on the fritz. they thought that moving to the west side would guarantee working utilities at all times, but apparently they were wrong because it was sweltering inside their bedroom.

ian couldn't help but lay on the bed and groan. he was shirtless, hair still a bit wet from his most recent shower, and he was utterly uncomfortable.

mickey had left to go to the corner store in a fucking jacket like a crazy person. so ian closed his eyes and waited it out.

he opened his eyes again to the sound of a wrapper being ripped open. mickey sauntered over to the bed, tossing his jacket in the corner. ian was distracted by just how good mickey's arms looked today that it took him a moment to realize what was in his hands.

a cold, cold popsicle in all its glory.

ian reached for it, but mickey moved it out of reach, instead dramatically teasing ian when he licked it.

ian didn't know if the heat or his taunting husband would be the death of him.

it looked like mickey finally had his share of fun fucking with ian. he brought the popsicle close to ian's mouth, hovering above his awaiting tongue. at the last second mickey dipped the popsicle below his mouth, messily dragging it down his chin, neck, chest. ian shivered at the chill, and then again as the sticky trail was covered with mickey's tongue, still cold from the popsicle.

ian would have to shower again, but he couldn't care less.

[atlafan]

Juvenile and Family Law, is it something that a kid dreams of practicing? No, not really. Is that where the big bucks are if you’re not interested in taxes and wills? Yes, it is. College is expensive, and so is law school; gotta pay it off somehow. It takes a while to build your clientele, a lot of it is word of mouth. You work your way up, and slowly but surely, build a good reputation for yourself. And if you’re lucky, you’ll make partner.

Harry Styles is good at his job, and is on the brink of making partner at his firm. Gallagher, Hilson & Associates Family Law is a great place to work. Isaiah Gallagher and Maria Hilson are two incredible lawyers, and the other associates Harry works with aren’t too bad either. He doesn’t always love working nearly sixty hours a week, and some of the cases he handles have caused him to see the bottom of one too many bottles, but other than that, he’s happy.

Family Law means working all kinds of cases. Custody, spousal support, paternity, and divorce. All of those cases are messy, rarely are they clean cut. Harry happens to specialize in divorce, which in turn can lead to all of the other things listed above. What’s worse is that a lot of his clients will often flirt with him, so he’s started to wear a fake wedding band to ward off any and all inappropriate behavior. It doesn’t happen every time, but it was often enough that he decided to find a way to just avoid the unwanted attention.

Due to how many hours he works a week, Harry’s social life is a little lackluster. By the time he gets home work, all he wants to do is kick his shoes off, plop down on the couch with some greasy Chinese food, and catch up on some television. He lives in a nice enough building in the city. His apartment has one bedroom, and one and half baths. On Friday nights, he’ll go out with some of the other associates for a drink, so he gets a bitof social time in. He’s not lonely, he actually quite enjoys the quiet and solitude. He’s got a cat, Gerry, short for Geraldine that he takes care of. He has what he needs, and he’s perfectly content.

Whenever he dates, people always want to talk about his work. The last thing Harry wants to talk about after a long day at work, is more work. So, he sticks to meaningless hookups, and his own hand, when he needs that type of release.

He doesn’t have too much to complain about. He’s thirty, and massively successful. Some of his friends still live at home while working retail jobs, not that he’s judging. He was twenty-six when he moved out, and he’s grateful his parents let him stay rent free so he could save up for his own place. He doesn’t like to compare himself to others, but it makes him feel good to know he’s all set. He works hard, yes, but it’s all worth it.

//

With how quiet his personal life is, it’s hard to imagine Harry being a shark in the courtroom, but he is. He’s a master in the art of persuasion and rhetoric. Having been a communication major in his undergrad career, and all. He knows how to read a room, and how to read people. The jury is just an audience waiting to watch a live performance. His theater minor also comes in handy here. Being a lawyer is an act, a role he plays. He knows how to play the part when it’s in a large courtroom, or when it’s just a small meeting in a conference room to divide up assets. It’s not always easy, but he makes it look that way. Harry typically wins most of his cases, and when it’s something small, he’s usually able to get his client the majority of what they asked for. Every customer leaves happy.

These skills can’t all be taught and learned. Some people are born with natural talent, skills they learn to hone in on and perfect. It’s a craft that Harry has worked on for years. Again, he’s only thirty, but because he has such precision and talent, it makes him the hot commodity. The office is constantly getting calls for him. It’s why they want him to become the next partner. Having his name on the plaque as you enter would surely put people at ease. Isaiah and Maria saw potential in Harry from the beginning, and they feel lucky that he’s one of their associates.

There other very qualified associates as well, like Niall – who specializes in custody cases – he’s well on his way up. There’s Candice – who specializes in prenuptial agreements – she got into the lawyer game a little later in life, but she’s as sharp as a whip, and shouldn’t be underestimated. And lastly, there’s Byron – who specializes in paternity cases – he thinks he’s going to be the next partner because he’s a bit full of himself.

Harry and Niall are the closest in age, so they hang out more often. They both really like baseball, and will go to a game or two during the season. Candice is the surrogate mother figure. She has no children of her own, she’s the fun aunt to her nieces and nephews, but she feels oddly maternal towards Harry and Niall. The boys often call her “Ma”, instead of her actual name, and she loves it. She looks out for them, and there when they need someone to listen. She’s fifty-seven, and enjoys baking in her free time. She often brings the boys homemade muffins on Monday mornings, and they adore her for it.

Byron…well…Byron is a forty-year-old womanizer who totally clashes with Harry. Does Harry have one-night stands? Yes. Does he ever lie to his partners? No. Byron enjoys playing the game in all facets, and Harry never takes part in it. Needless to say, Harry hates when he has to partner with him on a case, and avoids it when he can.

Isaiah and Maria each have their own executive assistant, or para: Michele and Kyla. They’re both in their late twenties, and rocking it. Harry only interacts with them over email. He, Candice, Niall, and Byron all share the same administrator: Ronnie. Ronnie is twenty-six, friendly, and organized. She doesn’t have time to help everyone on their briefs, but that’s what interns are for, and there’s an abundance of them circling throughout the office.

Harry has a nice office. Plenty of natural light from the windows, he has a desk riser so he can stand up periodically, and he even has his own mini fridge. (He’s often paranoid about people taking his Bubbly, so he just brought in his own fridge.) He’s got a decent enough view of the city; he likes it best at night when the twinkling lights come through. It reminds him of how lucky he is to be where he is in life. He knows he’s more fortunate than others, so he tries to be grateful. He gives back when he’s able, donate to different scholarship funds and whatnot.

Harry is a good man.

//

On a particularly cloudy morning, Ronnie lets Harry know his 10AM consult has arrived. He didn’t know much about his new potential client, but he was always willing to hear someone out. He stands up from his desk, and waits for the woman to enter.

In walks a young woman wearing an expensive, red pantsuit, black heels, and a dark red lipstick. She gives a soft smile to Ronnie before she closes the door. Harry walks over to her, extending his hand.

“Hi, I’m Harry.”

“Mira.” She shakes his hand.

“Please, have a seat.” He gestures to the two seats on the other side of his desk and they both sit. “What brings you to my office today?”

“I heard you’re a pretty good divorce lawyer, and I need a divorce.”

“Is your spouse aware that you’re seeking counsel?”

“No.” She shakes her head and swallows. “I…I’d be putting myself in danger if he knew I wanted to leave him.”

“What kind of danger? If he’s physically abusive, then you need to- “

“He doesn’t put his hands on me like that. It’s…I don’t love him, and I never have. I was essentially…I was sold to him; it was an arranged marriage. I thought maybe I could learn to like him, to love him, but it’s been three years, and I can’t stand him. I need legal help.”

“What do you mean you were sold to him? Were you a child bride? Were you sex trafficked?”

“No.” She chews on her bottom lip. “He made a deal with my father. Thomas got me in exchange for…something. I can’t get into what exactly with you just yet.”

“Does he think you’re happy?”

“Yes.” She nods. “Well, for the most part. I do my thing, and he does his. His job keeps him pretty busy, and I often pretend to be asleep when he gets home. He doesn’t satisfy my needs, so to speak, and I’ve given up on trying. I want to be freed from him.” She pulls out a packet of paper from her purse, and gives it to Harry. “That’s a copy of the contract he and my father signed when they made the deal. I’m not great with legal jargon. I thought maybe if you decide to take me on you could look that over and tell me if there’s any way, I can get out of this.”

“Are you over eighteen?”

“Yes, well over.”

“And were you over eighteen when you were married?”

“Yes.”

“Then how could your father barter you?”

“Where I come from…it can just be like that. The goods we get in exchange for my hand outweighed my happiness.”

“I’m so sorry.” Harry frowns. “My services aren’t exactly cheap.”

“I wouldn’t expect them to be. I can pay top dollar, if that’s what you require. I have money of my own.”

“Alright.” Harry sets the packet of papers onto his desk. “I’ll take a look at that soon, and give you a call.”

“Does that mean you’re taking me on?”

“I hate to see such a nice person be so unhappy.” Harry frowns. “I got into this business to help people, so I’ll help you, Mira.”

“Oh, thank you so much.” She smiles. “There are going to be some things in that contract that may shock you, so please don’t hesitate to call me directly with your questions.” She takes out a business card from her purse. “There’s all of my contact information. If anyone other than myself contacts you regarding all of this, don’t say a word.”

“Don’t worry, I’m good at keeping things confidential.”

“I heard you’re a very trustworthy attorney.” She nods, and stands to her feet. Harry does the same. “Thank you for taking the time to listen.” She extends her hand, and he takes it to shake.

“Of course, it’s what I’m here for.” He smiles and opens the door. He watches her leave, maybe for a little too long.

[DARK SIDED, COMING TO PATREON ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2ND @ 8AM EST] [Ask]

[seijorhi]

Meet the Parents

Not including the original anon (who was asking about Ushijima & Tendou) no less than four of you asked for a meet the parents scenario for each of the soulmate AU’s so...

TW implied dub/non-con

(Atsumu & Osamu’s will be posted tomorrow whoops 👉👈)

Outrunning Fate - Ushijima & Tendou

It begins with a phone call.��Ushijima’s in your kitchen, fixing up the leftovers from the night before and Tendou has you trapped on the couch, long, gangly arms wrapped tight around your waist as he presses sloppy, open mouth kisses to your neck. He doesn’t stop when the phone rings - though you don’t miss the way his eyes narrow or the huff of disapproval that escapes him. He doesn’t like it when your attention wanders.

“Oh, hi dad.” You try to shove Tendou off of you without much success, glaring at him when he laughs and presses closer. “Um, now’s not a good time, can I call you back later?”

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise when Ushijima broaches the subject the next day. “We should meet your parents.”

You almost choke on your own spit. 

“Why?”

It’s Tendou who answers, his grin just a little too wide. “We gotta meet the in-laws at some point!”

A shiver ripples down your spine at the suggestion. They absolutely do not.

“Um, we’re actually not all that close.” A lie. “There’s not really much point. They live a few hours away.” Twenty minutes, actually. “And besides, t-they don’t approve of me having...” you trail off, glancing pointedly at the twins marks on your skin. 

Olive eyes bore into yours for a long, tense moment before they soften just a fraction, and he shrugs. “Okay.”

He tilts your face up into a kiss, and you allow yourself to breathe the tiniest sigh of relief. 

You don’t want them anywhere near your family, especially not when you’re planning to run. 

But it’s hard. Your parents are already worried about you pulling away. You haven’t told them about an of this, you don’t want them involved, but they’re nothing if not persistent. So you promise that you’ll come visit - carefully choosing a day that you know both Tendou and Ushijima will be busy. Skipping a few classes is the least of your troubles. 

You should have learned by now that nothing is that easy where your soulmates are concerned. 

“Babe?” 

You’re sitting on the edge of your bed, waiting for them both to leave when Tendou emerges from the bathroom - your bathroom - shirt unbuttoned, holding out two ties in his hands. 

“Which one do you think’ll go better with my suit - the blue or the red one? I wanna make a good first impression with your dad.” 

And just like that, your hopes of being able to sneak away comes crumbling down around you. 

There’s no use fighting it, not now. 

It’s Ushijima who notices that your hands are shaking as he helps you out of the car he’s parked out front of your parents’ house. He pauses, eyebrows knitting together, his broad thumb brushing against the back of your hand in slow, reassuring strokes. “Tendou will behave, there is no need to worry.”

There’s a subtle quirking of his lips, and you think he might be trying to make a joke, but you can’t focus on that when you feel like you’re going to be sick. The man in question appears at your other side, hooking an arm around your shoulder and dragging you in for a kiss.

“Best behaviour, pinky promise!” he winks, as if he hadn’t spent the better part of the ride over musing about fucking you in you childhood bedroom. 

You would honestly rather shove a needles into your eyes than go though with this, but the front door of your old house is already opening, your mother rushing down the driveway. What else can you do but smile and play along as she throws her arms around you in a tight hug?

They are merciless in front of your parents, or at least Tendou is. From introducing himself to your mother as one of your ‘soon to be husbands’ to whispering all of his perverted little fantasies into your ear whenever their backs are turned. You physically have to clamp down on his wrist when he tries to slide his hand up your skirt while you sit down at the table for lunch. Even then, it takes a low growl from your other soulmate before he truly relents. 

And while your parents gush over Ushijima (a professional volleyball player!) he holds your hand in his, squeezing just a little too tight whenever your smile slips. Neither of them have mentioned the fact that you’d lied to them, and judging from the slow burning heat in Ushijima’s eyes when he glances your way, you can only assume that that punishment is still to come.

You hate having them there. It’s your home, something good and wholesome and safe that their very presence corrupts. You hate listening to your mother coo over how good the three of you look together, the respectful nod your father gives when the conversation inevitably shifts to sports. You hate listening to them tell the story of how you met, warping it to make it sound cute - consensual - but the nail in the coffin is your parents chuckling when Ushijima brings up how stubborn you were initially. 

You quickly excuse yourself to the bathroom, muffling your sobs in one of the big fluffy towels. 

You hate them, you think as you stare into the mirror, wiping the silvery tear tracks from your face, trying to erase all signs of your impromptu breakdown. 

You hate them for making you play along, but you can’t hide in the bathroom forever.

“Oh, sweetheart,” your mother murmurs, cupping your face in her hands as she catches you on your way out. You must be a better actor than you thought, because of instead of the panicked frown you expect as she studies your face, she just smiles warmly at you. “I’m so happy for you. All that worrying, trying to squash it all down and pretend that they didn’t exist... and you finally found them. Honey, you’ve done well for yourself. I can see how much they adore you!”

She glances over to your soulmates chatting with your father, and you follow her gaze, heart sinking. “Yeah,” you manage to reply, offering her a weak smile in return. 

If only she knew.

Like Nobody Else - Oikawa & Iwaizumi

What was the point in setting boundaries you knew would be broken?

After staying behind to watch them practice that first day, you swore that you wouldn’t go back. It didn’t matter that the volleyball club all knew, it didn’t matter that that meant that soon enough the whole school would know - you wouldn’t go back there with them. They could drag you off to go sit with them and their friends at lunch times, ambush you on your way to classes, but you wouldn’t let them fuck you in the locker rooms before hand, and you weren’t going to sit in those stands and pretend that you cared while they ran through endless training drills.

Yet when you shouldered your bag after the final bell the very next day, you only manage to make it a few steps down the hallway before strong hands are yanking it away from you.

“Wrong way, cutie,” Oikawa beams innocently, while Iwaizumi merely lifts a brow when you open your mouth to object. He’s holding your bag, and you have a sneaking suspicion that he won’t give it back until you agree to follow them. 

“Oh my god, he’s carrying her bag for her, they’re literally so sweet!” you hear one girl gush to her friend as the three of you breeze past, and Oikawa reaches across to intertwine his larger hand with yours. 

“Aren’t we just?” he asks you with a charming grin. 

Iwaizumi scoffs, “You’re not carrying jack shit, asshole.”

“Rude, Iwa!”

You don’t say a word. What’s the point?

It doesn’t come as a surprise when they make you stay back with them, long after the rest of the team has gone left. They’re not as rough this time, but your legs still feel like jelly by the time they’re both finished with you. Oikawa still wipes away your tears while Iwa helps you to your feet, pressing a gentle kiss against the crown of your head that makes everything worse.

They walk you home, both taking turns to kiss you goodbye on your doorstep, and you can only thank your lucky stars that your parents are both out so you don’t have to try and explain.

It becomes a routine during the week - on the days that they train you stay back with them and they dutifully escort you home, and on Monday’s when they don’t have practice, you’re either dragged with Oikawa to Lil tykes or forced to join Iwaizumi with whatever he planned on doing. Usually studying, though sometimes he’ll drag Makki and Mattsun (and on occasion, Mad Dog) out to train with him regardless. 

Your weeks belong to them, you’ve resigned yourself to that - but your weekends are yours. 

Or so you’d let yourself believe.

You ignore the text messages that flood your phone one Saturday morning, only for a persistent knocking at your front door to shatter the calm of your weekend only a few hours later. Your better instincts would tell you to ignore it, because you know (or have a good enough idea at least) exactly who’s behind it, but the fear that trickles down your spine urges you forward anyway. They tell you they love you, but you know better than to believe that that means they won’t ever hurt you - that they haven’t already hurt you.

“Hey, cutie. Mind if we come in?”

You don’t know why Oikawa bothers asking, because you barely have time to open your mouth to answer before he’s ducking under your outstretched arm and waltzing inside, Iwaizumi right on his heels.

“You weren’t answering your phone, so we figured we’d come and check up on our pretty girl, right Iwa? We were worried.” 

The latter grunts in acknowledgement, studying at you with narrowed eyes - an expression that makes your stomach flip uncomfortably.

“O-oh, my um, my parents aren’t home...”

The words slip out before you can stop them, and your heart skips a beat as your soulmates share a look, the grin on Oikawa’s face widening. “We’ll be on our best behaviour, we promise.”

But somehow ending up squished between them on the couch in your living room, watching some movie you’re barely paying attention to wasn’t quite what you expected. Sure, Oikawa’s mouthing greedily at your neck, and you haven’t missed the way Iwa’s hand has been slowly creeping up your shirt for the past ten minutes, but considering what you know they’re capable of - you’ll take it.

Yet you can’t force yourself to relax, not with the heat of their bodies pressed so close. You shift in your seat, your hand accidentally grazing against something hard and as you freeze in panic, Iwa stiffens, his breath catching with an audible hiss.

But it’s Oikawa, eyes hooded and wanting, who tilts your chin up to meet his gaze, “Baaaaby-”

You don’t get to hear the rest of that sentence, because at that moment your front door swings open once more, only this time it’s your parents.

There’s a quiet ‘fuck’ growled in your ear as the three of you scramble to right yourselves, your heart beating a mile a minute, feeling very much like a kid caught with your hand in the cookie jar.

Never mind that you didn’t want this - never asked for it.

It’s your mother, mid-way through a conversation with your dad, who steps into the living room first, stilling at the sight that awaits her. Your eyes are wide, hands are clenched into fists in your lap as she stares at you for a painfully long moment, “Sweetheart,” she begins slowly, her voice sounding a little strained, “why are there two strange boys in the house?”

And for one single, shining second, you wonder whether it would be worth the trouble you’d land yourself in if you told her that they’d come over with the intention of hooking up with you - it wasn’t exactly a lie. Oh, your parents would be fuming, but at least you’d be safe in the knowledge that they’d never, ever let either of your soulmates anywhere near the house again. Maybe they might even insist on you changing schools altogether! But before you can actually entertain the thought, Iwa’s reaching across to subtly grab your hand, squeezing it tightly with a warning look. Don’t you dare.

Oikawa, as always, chooses that moment to step in and take control. “Ah, please forgive the rude intrusion, Mrs L/N. I’m Oikawa Tooru, and this is Iwaizumi Hajime, I’m assuming your lovely daughter has mentioned us?”

If you weren’t distinctly aware you’d pay dearly for it later, you might have snorted at that. Your mother frowns, folding her arms across her chest and quirking an eyebrow, but it’s your father, glaring outright at the two interlopers, who replies. “She has not.”

A shiver ripples down your spine at the chilling look Oikawa shoots you out of the corner of his eye. “Huh, I guess our little cutie’s still a bit shy. Well, never mind that. We’re her soulmates, and...”

It doesn’t even matter what the rest of his sentence is. Your parents hear the words ‘soulmates’, look at the two handsome, charming young men either side of you and all but melt. Suddenly it’s warm smiles and welcoming hugs. Your parents are delighted, and all it’s all too easy for both Iwa and Oikawa to slip into the roles they’re expected to play.

They spend almost an hour chatting with the two, and it hurts more than you care to admit when you look up into your mother’s beaming face and she gives you a wink. This is all she’s ever wanted for you - two handsome, strong boys to take care of her little girl. You can’t break her heart with the truth, you can only sit there quietly as they gush over you, pretend that it doesn’t make your skin crawl when Oikawa looks at you with those soft, adoring eyes and tells your dad that from the moment you spoke to him, they both knew they loved you.

‘Why won’t you two just leave me the hell alone?!’

Eventually your parents leave the three of you alone, letting you go back to your movie, and only then can you let that facade slip.

“Well that went better than expected,” Iwaizumi states, dragging you back down to settle on the couch with him, Oikawa plopping down on your other side and pulling you close.

He hums in agreement, a glint of something mischievous dancing in his eyes as he traces a single finger up your side. “Of course it went well. What’s not to love?”

[raibebe]

Of love and law

Genre: Fluff  Words: 1k Prompt: lawyer Jaehyun x Simmi - lawyer reader A/N: Dedicated to @sly-merlin​ happy birthday sweetie ❤ Also please check out the moodboard @ncteaxhoe made for this as well!

I know nothing about law and court apart from different soaps

“Ready to get your ass handed to you, Jung?” You asked as you stepped next to the lawyer, still busy buttoning up your gown.  “You wish,” he snorted, looking you up and down once with that infuriating raised eyebrow of his that you had seen one too many times. It screamed cockiness, “What makes you think someone like you even stands a chance against me and my client?”  “Because I actually have evidence for my claims unlike you who only has money on your side.”  “Let me tell you a thing about the world outside of your little perfect bubble, sweetheart,” Jaehyun grinned, leaning down to whisper in your ear, “Money always wins.” And with another infuriating wink, he simply walked off to greet his clients dressed in equally pressed suits as him. 

Oh how much you despised Jung Jaehyun. He wasn’t even a bad lawyer and that was exactly the problem with him. You and him had graduated at the same time, both on top of your class. But ever since then you found yourself on opposite sides in the courtroom.  He had gone and taken a position in his fathers prestigious law firm, defending balding business men while you had pledged to fight for the right side, taking cases of smaller size and helping people who usually wouldn’t have the money to go to court. Which coincidentally found you in the same court room with your former classmate more and more often. 

Still positively fuming, you headed back over to your own clients, a elderly couple living in the apartment complex Jaehyun’s client owned and wanted gone to rebuild some luxury apartments to make even more money.  “Don’t worry, we got this,” you told them, trying to give them a reassuring smile.  “You seemed very close with that gentleman,” the lady smiled.  “Mister Jung and I went to law school together, but I am better than him.”  “I have no doubt in that,” she smiled and patted your hand. 

Once the staff member had called you into the court room, you took a deep breath and entered the dark room after Jaehyun and his client, leading yours to their seats. As you organized all the material you wanted to present, you felt yourself slip into your role perfectly, your mind becoming incredibly focused on the task at hand. and not even the stupidly smug grin on Jung Jaehyun’s face as he buttoned up his gown could change that. If anything it made you more determined to wipe it off of his also stupidly handsome face. 

After both Jaehyun and you had held your final speeches, he obviously a loot more shaken than you were, the judges asked for a couple of minutes of silence to discuss.  “We got it,” you smiled towards the elderly couple and the look on their faces alone, the look of hope, was almost enough to make all your struggles over the last weeks worth it. The little cherry on top was how you could clearly see that Jung Jaehyun was nervous, his fingers playing with his golden pen that was probably worth more than your entire bag including the contents. 

“The court has reached a decision,” the judge suddenly called, demanding all attention, “The eviction is unlawful. And I will present why and the consequences in the following statement.” 

“Thank you so much,” the old man thanked you for what must have been the fifth time after you had left the court room.  “It’s fine really,” you smiled, “It was a pleasure working for you,” you reassured the man.  “Come on, honey. The handsome lawyer looks like he wants to have a word with her,” the elderly lady tugged her husband along after saying her goodbyes and letting you know how grateful she was for your work. 

Turning around, you indeed saw Jaehyun still waiting in the hallway while his client, spinning his (of course) golden iPhone of the newest model around.  “What is it Jung?” You asked, crossing your arms over your chest, “Not used to not getting what you want? Sulking now?”  “You wish, shorty,” he snorted and pocketed his phone before walking over to you, “But you were good in there. I underestimated you.”  “Thank you. I’d say it back but I really flustered you,” you giggled, “I didn’t think I’d see the day that would happen but it was a pleasure.”  “Don’t be too happy about it. It won’t happen again,” he gritted out.  “I wouldn’t bet on it,” you grinned, poking him square in his stupidly toned chest, “We’ll meet again, Jaehyun.” 

“Oh it’s Jaehyun now? Not Jung?” He grinned, falling into step with you towards the exit of the big building.  “Don’t think too much about it, we don’t want your head exploding,” you mused.  “You doing anything to celebrate?”  “You don’t know too much about my world, do you Jung?” You shook your head, “After the case, is just before the next one. I gotta pay for my meals somehow”  At that Jaehyun kept quiet for a while, studying your face as if he couldn’t believe what you had just said.  “Don’t you want to celebrate your win over the Jung Jaehyun?” He asked in the end, his lips quipped into a smile.  “Oh I will, Jung. Tonight with me, myself and a reruns of shitty dramas.”  “That won’t do it.”  “Excuse me?”  “Dinner. I’ll take you out. Wear something nice.” 

“You’re a strange man, Jung Jaehyun,” you giggled as he all but jumped down the steps in front of the building.  “If I celebrate with you, it might lessen the sting of the loss,” he shrugged his shoulders.  “That makes no sense, Jung. Pick me up at seven, sharp.”  “Yes, ma’am,” he winked before turning around to walk over to his ridiculously expensive looking car. 

[alecmagnuslwb]

Giving Home a Heartbeat - @doubleredweek Day 7

Read on AO3

Jason’s pretty sure that somewhere underneath all these boxes is the house they bought, he’s just not quite sure where.

“Jay Jay, Daddy stopped picking up boxes and sat down, so I’m picking up the slack!” Lian shouts over the distinct scraping sound of cardboard. Jason turns and there she is walking backwards her tiny hands pulling a box along that’s practically the same size as her not even breaking a sweat. Sometimes Jason thinks they really need to ask Jade about any superhuman abilities she might be hiding that could have been passed down.

Jason shakes his head and walks over to her lifting the box and sitting it over with the rest of the living room Jenga stack of cardboard boxes that is their life.

“Good work princess,” Jason says ruffling her hair as she sidles up next to him looking at all the boxes with a much more gleeful look on her face than the one he’s sporting.

“I am not slacking,” Roy shouts with a struggling groan. Jason turns back to the door watching as Roy takes a step through with three heavy boxes precariously stacked on top of one another in his arms blockading Roy’s body almost entirely from view. Jason rushes over to his side taking the highest one revealing Roy’s head his messy hair dripping with sweat and poking out wildly from underneath his backwards cap.

“These are the last ones and I just didn’t want to make numerous trips,” he grunts shifting the boxes in his arms. “Dick and Babs are taking the truck back and sweetly said they will not be coming back to help us unpack.” Jason rolls his eyes eight siblings, one younger than them aunt, two pseudo sisters-in-laws, a literal space traveling brother-in-law, three parental figures and one grandfatherly figure between the two of them and not one of them stuck around long enough to put all these boxes through the front door.

“We don’t know exactly how you want everything set up,” Connor had justified as he and Kyle started floating up into the sky and away as soon as the truck was full as if Jason, Roy and especially Lian wouldn’t happily boss them around with instructions of where to place things.

Stephanie, Tim and Damian even had the audacity to eat half the moving day pizza on their own, pick up one box together and then disappear. Teamwork Steph had called it before high fiving Roy and running after her boyfriend. Chaotic bisexuals Roy had sighed as they sped away on her motorcycle Damian already long gone slipping off like a silent shadow in the mid-day.

At least Roy and Jason hadn’t had to pay for the pizza they got one shared slice of, after twenty minutes of arguing about who should pay Oliver and Bruce had settled on splitting. Though knowing Bruce Jason would bet he added on a bigger tip when Ollie’s back was turned just to spite him.

“Do you think the Aqua Family treat each other this way?” Jason says watching as Lian tosses a small box up on the still covered in plastic couch and starts tearing at the tape.

“I bet they swim across the seven seas and happily move their family’s underwater décor without complaint,” Roy says as he slips behind Jason resting his chin on Jason’s shoulder. Together they survey the room with the knowledge that every other room in the house looks much the same, a labyrinth of boxes. It’s gonna take them weeks to unpack all the stuff from the workshop alone.

“I know we don’t know her as well as my dad and Bruce, but do you think if we put in a call to Zatanna she’d just,” Roy says flicking his hands around Jason’s waist in a pale comparison to the intricate patterns Jason’s seen her do in battle. “Ya know, poof and we’re unpacked.”

“I don’t think that’s gonna happen,” Jason sighs. Lian has fully opened the box now pulling out item after item that definitely all belong in the kitchen not on their living room couch.

Roy faux cries burying his face in Jason’s neck sadly. Jason reaches up a hand only slightly condescendingly patting at Roy’s head.

“Alright, we gotta start somewhere. Lian’s room is the priority, you and I have slept on far more uncomfortable things than a plastic wrapped couch,” he says, they’ve already got a start in there anyways thanks to Alfred the only member of their families who’s not an ingrate setting up her pink and green matching bed, bookshelf, desk and wall shelves without even being asked. Jason survey’s the room eyes falling over to the kitchen. “I’d say we shoot for finishing the kitchen tonight too, but we can always just order takeout again.”

“More pizza!” Lian squeals in delight twirling a bundle of measuring cups around and around in one hand.

“No, we’ll get something else,” Roy says and Lian’s face drops just a little. “Something with lots of vegetables, like Thai maybe.” She perks back up at that.

“As long as I don’t have to eat peas,” she grumbles trading the measuring cups out for a ladle she taps delightedly on the boxes flap.

“Fine, no peas,” Jason says slipping away from Roy and grabbing the box Lian has been playing around with as she shouts triumphantly about the lack of peas in her future. He tosses the things she’s taken out of the box back in and slides it onto the kitchen counter to deal with later.

“Go to your room and start unpacking the boxes labeled books first okay,” Roy says lifting her up from the couch her legs sticking to the plastic as he does and settling her feet on the ground. “Put some on the lower shelves, but don’t try to reach the high shelves without Jay or I’s help okay?”

Lian nods furiously skittering off clapping her hands in joy, her light up Scooby Doo shoes going wild with every step.

“Promise, Daddy!” she shouts as she hightails it up the stairs and turns the corner sharply. A light thud earns their attention as soon as she disappears from sight followed by silence.

“Lian?” Jason shouts after her already braced to rush the stairs if she doesn’t respond instantly. Roy does the same.

“I’m okay, I just kicked a box over!” she shouts back and they both breathe a sigh of relief. “And it knocked over two more!” she says with utter delight causing them both to chuckle.

“If we want to get this house done before she’s out of high school, we’re gonna need to send her for an archery range day with grandpa tomorrow,” Roy says walking over to Jason. He hops up onto the kitchen island kicking his feet out back and forth.

“And maybe an ice cream day with aunt Emiko the day after that, just in case,” Jason adds on as he settles himself between Roy’s dangling legs his back to Roy’s front. Roy wraps his arms back around him, placing his chin back where it had been in the living room.

They both gaze out across the rooms, across their home, across what it will be in a few days’ time. Jason never thought he’d call Star City home, hell he never thought he’d get out of the Narrows, but here he is a homeowner with a man he fully intends to keep for the rest of his life and a little girl he considers his daughter.

“It’s gonna look great when it’s all set up,” Roy says nuzzling his face softly to Jason’s temple. “The perfect mix of superhero chic and parents of a five-year-old who only occasionally cleans up after herself.”

“An interior designers dream,” Jason chuckles leaning back further into Roy’s arms.

“Jade’s gonna hate it,” Roy laughs.

“Oh god, I’ll fly Alfred out to help me clean just to be sure it’s spotless when the time comes. When does she get back from South America?”

“The fourteenth, she’s taking Lian for the week, remember?” Roy says pressing a quick kiss to Jason’s jaw. The fourteenth, that’s plenty of time to make it look it’s best to at least cut her sly judgements in half.

They’re quiet for a while comfortably listening to the rustling sound of Lian tearing tape off of boxes above them. She’s probably gonna be wrapped in it by the time they get up here.

“We own a house,” Jason says breaking the comfortable quiet still stunned by the fact they’ve made it here. Six years ago he walked away from Roy, the worst mistake he’s ever made, and somehow impossibly when he came crawling back Roy welcomed him with open arms and now they’re here. It feels almost too good to be true.

Roy nods and Jason can feel his smile against his neck.

“Your stuck with me now Jaybird,” he chuckles and Jason pulls Roy’s arms around him tighter, happily stuck. They bask in each other’s arms a little longer when the sound of tape gets louder and more prominent followed by a giggle and comical ‘oops’ from Lian.

“We better go help her before she mummifies herself in packing tape,” Roy chuckles slipping out from behind Jason and making his way to the stairs taking them two at a time. Jason hangs back for a moment just looking one last time at the space in front of him, looking at their home before following the sounds of tape being unwrapped from clothes and the laughter of the two most important people in his world.

[viltrumitesuperboy]

Luck (Peter Parker x Male Villain Reader)

my line breaks wont FUCKING WORK TUMBLR IS TRASH

Luck is a superpower, you can disagree (respectfully) in my asks. I don’t know how to write “villain” villains, especially for the reader, so you’ll notice that I tend to give the villains a motivation for their actions. They’re typically redeemable.

Requested by: anon since requests are open and i like your writing, id thought id request something. perhaps you can do a spidey x villian reader where the reader and peter are dating but dont know about the others alter ego? 

Word count: 2265

"Peter, where's the black pepper?"

"Top shelf!"

You opened the cabinet looking up at the black pepper just barely out of your reach. Even on your toes, your fingers barely brushed the wooden shelf. Turning quickly to check if Peter was still in his room, you extended your arm just a bit and managed to pluck the little container off of the shelf.

"Are you almost done with lunch? You know we have to go to the city today," Peter said, walking into the kitchen.

He was just pulling his sweater down when you turned to look at him, a smile on both your faces.

"Yeah, just salt and pepper for taste. You know how spices work, right?" you joked.

He laughed and hugged your middle from behind, pulling away to grab the plates from under you and bringing them to the table. He started eating right away, his plate always just a little more filled than yours.

"Even now I'm always surprised because I already eat a lot. I don't know where all of that goes," you commented, gesturing to his body.

"My ass," he mumbled through a bite.

You laughed around your own food as he shrugged. Once you both finished, you did your normal elevator vs. staircase race. You had the staircase this time, and you were alone. So if he didn't see you somehow hop down entire flights of stairs without any injury, all was well. You tried to lean against the wall like you had been waiting for him forever, and laughed when he blew a raspberry in your direction.

"Come on, we gotta catch the train," he urged.

He pulled you along until you got outside, both of you walking side by side to the station. The train ride always felt shorter with him, and he got off a stop or two earlier than you did every time. Even with your own extracurricular activities, you wondered if you would ever get to know what he did. You brushed it from your mind. If he knew what you got up to, he'd be upset. He was a huge supporter of the Avengers and similar "hero" figures, and even worked with and for them. You had to engage in crime just to get by. As you entered the building, you looked at the Avengers Tower a few blocks down. You turned away.

---

The sooner you got into your suit, the sooner you could join your companions in robbing the next bank. You knew whoever made the plans would get the most money, so you always planned things before anyone else could think of them. Without it, you wouldn't even be able to pay for groceries. Everyone else had a job, but you were younger and still in school, which made it much more difficult for you and they all understood. Despite the luck you knew you had, life was the one thing that could bring it down.

Just as you all left with bags, you stopped instantly at the sight of Spider-Man leaning against the wall awkwardly, much like you had done earlier that day. You almost laughed, but you had to leave with the money so you kept a straight face.

"So, uh... you guys ever think about the law? It's pretty cool sometimes," he said with an obviously faked confidence.

You pushed the bags towards your team and ushered them to move, swiftly moving towards Spider-Man. He darted to the side as you kicked toward him.

"Missed m- Oof!"

As he tried jumping for the ceiling, you grabbed the back of his suit and yanked him down, thanks to your luck. It left him winded for a few seconds.

"Sorry, dude. Just let me off this once," you said unapologetically.

He groaned as you ran back towards your team, two of them grabbing you into the moving van. The doors shut and you watched Spider-Man through the darkened window, just barely catching a glimpse of your vehicle as it sped away.

"Well, that was fast. Maybe you're right about your luck being a power," one of them snickered.

You hit her with a grumble, turning down to check your phone. A text from Peter said he needed snuggles, and you smiled a bit as you pulled your mask off.

"Is it that kid you're dating again?" she asked, pulling her own off.

"Yeah, drop me off in the area. Leave the money in the usual place and I'll come grab it," you said, beginning to pack your things.

"You got it."

"Thanks."

As you left the van, you waved at them, giving some of them a fist bump as you passed and hopped out of the van.

"I'll figure out our next location."

They waved back and you turned as the van doors shut. You went into the dark alley nearby to change, then walked the few blocks to Peter's apartment. Aunt May greeted you with a hug and a smile, then gestured you Peter who was curled up in a blanket in front of the TV, looking like he stayed up all night despite it only being nine at night.

"What's up?" you asked, sitting next to him and putting your arms around him.

"I feel like garbage and my body hurts," he mumbled into your shoulder.

"Exercising? Did you... fall down the stairs? Stand up after too many hours of playing video games?"

He snorted and pulled away for a bit, wrapping you in the blanket as well. You both laid down, and you took extra care to wrap your arms around his shoulders when he seemed to wince at the movement of his back.

"What exercise did you do?"

"No, I just... I decided to go to the playground with Ned cause there were no more kids there and my internship was done, so I was fooling around and climbing things but I fell on my back."

"Be a bit more careful next time?"

"Okay."

Aunt May was always nice enough to leave you food knowing when you didn't eat. You smiled at her as Peter moved closer to you when you pulled away to eat, and you both laughed fondly at his clingy behaviour. You left a few hours after that to get your money and go home.

---

After another afternoon of your antics, you had decided to run around on the rooftops for a bit. On one of the higher ones, you climbed the ladder quietly to find someone pacing on the edge. You almost reached out to tell them to step away when you realised who it was: Spider-Man himself.

"How does he always get away? And he beats me so quickly? It's like he has really good luck. That's so weird. That's not even a superpower, I think. Oh no, what if it is?!"

He paused as there was a response from his phone, and he sighed as if stressed as he yanked off his mask. You quickly covered your mouth in shock. How careless could any identity-hiding person be to pull their mask off when anyone in a building could look up and see him? At least your face was kind of covered. It was just your hood on and that lame mask that just covered the area around your eyes, but it was enough. His face was covered by his phone, but the messy brown hair made you a little sick when it reminded you of your boyfriend. You were only here because of your luck and your criminal actions. He was probably at his internship being a good, upstanding citizen.

"No, that can't be right. I'll check with Mr. Stark. He'll know."

"Hey."

He screeched and yelled a quick bye into his phone, making the horrible mistake of just shoving it in his pocket as he turned to look at you. Without his mask on.

"Put your mask on," you said, knowing it sounded a bit strangled, but you passed it off as just climbing over the small concrete wall that bordered the top of the building. "You should be more careful, you know?"

"You-you're that guy! I keep running into you! Who are you?"

"Well, that's the question everyone wants to know, huh?"

You walked over to him and plopped down next to him as he sat, his hands playing with his phone that was now back out. Peter did that when he was nervous, playing with anything in his hands. Once it was a book and he somehow managed to throw it and leave a small crack in the ceiling when someone scared him from behind.

"Tell me your secrets. What's got you so stressed about me?"

"What are your powers?" he blurted out.

How Peter of him to just ask right away.

"I'm lucky. Just not lucky in the rest of my life. I don't have enough money to pay rent and sometimes it's not even enough to buy groceries. I have to depend on other people and I don't want to do that. So I'm doing the best with what I can."

"Well, M- uh, Tony Stark has all kinds of internships and charities and stuff. I mean, I work with him so I would know. He could help! And he's always willing to help a superpowered person!"

"Spidey, things aren't that easy. I'm a criminal for a living and things like that don't just slide with most of the population. You tell them why you did it and you'll get consequences. My luck is the only thing keeping my team and myself safe."

"You could try! He doesn't judge and he's still friends with Captain America, who's currently a war criminal. Someone who's a thief isn't a huge problem to him."

"I don't take charity," you stated clearly.

"I mean it! He could really help," he replied.

"Peter!"

He paused entirely. Without the sounds of the cars below and the people speaking, it would have been completely silent.

"How... how..."

You pulled off your mask and your hood, giving him a sympathetic smile.

"I don't... take charity. Especially not from my boyfriend. I'll let you feed me once in a while, but that's the most I'll take. I can't do that to you, and I can't do that to your mentor who has definitely figured out my powers and knows who I am."

He was silent as you put the mask in his hand and stood up.

"You can text me whenever you want."

You left him behind on the roof.

Peter texted you the next morning, telling you to meet him at Stark Tower. You instantly knew that he had talked to Tony Stark about it, and both of them would search the entire world for you if you didn't go. Of course, that left you with the only choice of doing what he said. Peter was waiting for you in the lobby right in front of the building's security.

"Hey! Um, just follow me," Peter said quietly, his voice dying out as he turned to walk.

After an awkwardly silent trip in one of the elevators, he brought you to a large laboratory where sparks flew from the corner of the room.

"Mr. Stark! I brought my boyfriend for you to meet," Peter shouted over the noise.

Tony Stark himself sat up from his work to look at the both of you, his goggles now on his head.

"Tell me about yourself," he said, starting to walk towards you.

"You already know enough about me, don't you?" you replied.

He gave you a calculating look as he turned to a desk and pulled up a hologram. It contained information about you and your powers, but mostly your financial assets.

"I don't normally keep tabs on petty thieves, but when I found out how much you were annoying Peter, I had to find out," he said. "Kind of weird to be fighting your boyfriend every other night, huh?"

Peter looked away, his eyes instantly going to your arm. You knew he was fighting a blush, but you were busy hiding your own embarrassment. Tony started to push Peter out of the room, and he grumbled but left regardless.

"I saw his recording from his suit. I know you don't take charity, but I would do anything for Peter. All he wants is to know that you're safe from anyone who could be a threat to him or the people he cares about. How can you be safe if you can't even pay your bills?" Tony lectured. "The least you can do is stay here for a bit until you have enough money to stay at your own place. He already worries about being Spider-Man. He doesn't need to worry about you having nowhere to stay."

You stood for a moment, looking between him and the hologram.

"Fine. But for Peter. And the second I get a well-paying job I'm out of here."

"Well, you could always work here. We have great benefits."

"And work for Tony Stark? No way."

He barked out a laugh and opened the door again, Peter rushing in to grab your hand.

"What did you say?!"

"I said yes. Quit worrying," you laughed, kissing him quickly.

Tony tapped on a few things on the screen before turning to look at you both.

"Your stuff is being moved here within the next one or two days, and I let your landlord know. He's actually kind of cool. Oh, and after we move your stuff here, can we test your powers?" Tony rambled.

"No."

"Great, we'll start tomorrow."

[dickspeightjrs]

Money and Misunderstandings (au / 4k words / lawyer!cas / kindergarten teacher!dean)

Prompt 10 from my ‘30 Destiel Prompts’ for @destielfactory

ao3 link

Dean pulled at his tie again. He could swear they were designed originally as a way to torture people to death.

Sam turned to see his brother fiddling with the knot. “Dude, stop it. The party has barely started, you can’t take your tie off yet.” He slapped Dean’s hand away. 

Dean grumbled. “Fine. I’ll keep it on. But I ain’t gonna act like I’m happy about it.” 

Sam just rolled his eyes in response.

It was looks like the bitch-face Sam was giving him that made Dean almost regret being proud as hell of his kid brother. 

Sam had just graduated from law school and managed to get an internship at the extremely prestigious Novak & Sons. Dean knew that the company must be a big deal because it had recently been splashed across the news. 

Apparently, the super old guy who owned the law firm had bitten the dust and left the whole thing to one of his sons. Dean couldn’t see the big deal about it all but Sam had been glued to the news the week that it all went down. 

Regardless, Sam was now an intern (though an unpaid one so Dean still helped him out with rent and bills), which meant he got invited to swanky parties thrown by the firm any time they sealed a major deal with another supposedly big deal client. 

Sam might be able to fit in with these snooty bastards, but Dean couldn’t. This wasn’t even a damn party. Just a bunch of rich people standing around chortling at each other and having conversations about the newest yacht they’d bought. 

Dean was interrupted in his grumblings by a guy walking up to him and Sam. 

“Winchester, isn’t it?” The guy asked Sam, obnoxiously. 

Dean bristled. This guy didn’t even know Sam’s name. Douchebag. 

“Yes, sir, it’s Sam.” Sam stuck out his hand for the man to shake. The man accepted, giving it a sharp shake. 

Then he turned his hard gaze to Dean. 

“And who is this?” The man said with a subtle sneer. 

“Oh, this is my brother, Dean Winchester. Dean, this is my boss, Michael Novak.” Sam introduced them. 

Ah! The ultimate douchebag. 

Neither man offered a hand to shake. They’d sussed each other already. 

“And what is it you do Dean?” Because you certainly don’t belong here. 

“I’m a kindergarten teacher.” Dean said, proudly 

Michael’s face soured further (if that was even possible). 

“Don’t they say that teaching kindergarten is like glorified babysitting?” Michael chortled. 

Dean’s eyes narrowed. This guy was already skating on thin fucking ice. And that ice just cracked. 

“Listen here, asshole.” Dean pointed a finger at the suited bastard. He could see Sam cringe and look at the floor next to him. But nothing would stop him now. “My kids are awesome. I’m teaching them to be even more awesome adults when they’re older. I just hope none of them turn into jumped up douchebags like you.”

“Dean!” Sam despaired. 

“Sorry, Sam.” Dean mumbled. But he wasn’t sorry. Not really. He was only sorry that he’d embarrassed his brother. He would never apologise for defending his choice of career. 

Dean chanced a glance at Michael. If the dude was a cartoon, he’d probably have steam coming out of his ears right about now. 

“I’m going to the bar.” Dean murmured, leaving Sam to apologise on his brother’s behalf. 

Dean hoped there wouldn’t be consequences for Sam after his outburst. He just hated it when people looked down on other people for their jobs. Basic respect for others was something he prioritises with his kindergarteners. It was a shame that some adults couldn’t seem to grasp the concept. 

He walked through the crowd of guests like a storm cloud towards the bar. 

Luckily, it seemed most of the attendees were relying on the waiters for their drink orders meaning the bar was empty save for the bartender. Dean slumped onto one of the stools. 

“What’re you after, Brother?” The guy asked as he made his way over to Dean. 

“Whatever isn’t that fancy shit everyone else sees to be having.” 

The bartender, Benny his name tag read, laughed a deep, rich laugh. “I feel that. How’s a good, smooth whiskey sound?”

“Finally, someone talking my language.” Dean smiled. 

Benny passed him over a tumbler of gorgeous brown liquid. 

Dean lifted it in silent cheers and downed it in one go, sucking his lips at the sharp burn it sent down his throat. “Another one where that came from, dude.” Dean slid the glass across the bar top back towards Benny. 

“You sure, Brother?” Benny questioned. 

“Sure as shit. I gotta get through this night somehow.” Dean mumbled. 

“It can’t be that bad, can it?” A voice that wasn’t Benny’s (or Sam’s for that matter) appeared from Dean’s right. 

Dean turned his head to find a dude around his age looking back at him with distinctive blue eyes. 

The guy had on a suit and tie much like that other people in the room. But, the tie was loosened and curled backwards towards the end. His top button was undone and his trenchcoat that blanketed the whole outfit seemed as though it was barely hanging on to his shoulders. 

How come this guy could come dressed like that but Dean couldn't loosen the tie that had been strangling him for two hours already. (The dude looked like he’d just had seven minutes in heaven with someone in the cleaning cupboard for god’s sake!)

Dean was snapped out of his judgement of the guy in front of him by Benny placing a fresh glass of whiskey on the counter. The bartenders gave him a wink and looked slyly over to the trenchcoat guy still standing, leaning against the bar. 

What was Benny trying to say? 

Dean didn’t have long to think it over as the bartender moved away to collect dirty glasses at the other end of the bar, leaving Dean and the trenchcoat guy alone. 

“So,” Trenchcoat Guy continued, perching himself on the seat next to Dean, “what are you doing here if this evening is so torturous to you?” The words were said, not with bitter condescension like Michael might have asked, but, it seemed, with genuine interest. 

Alright, Dean could play ball. Plus, this guy was hot. Dean would be thinking of a flirtatious answer if he wasn’t conscious of embarrassing Sam again by hitting on someone who is probably one of his co-workers.

“I’m here with my brother, Sam.” Dean explained. “He’s just started as an intern here. Wouldn’t kill the bastards to pay him though, he works harder than any kid I know.” 

Dean winced. He has gotta stop insulting the people Sam works with or for. 

“And I take it, this isn’t your usual environment to socialise in?” Trenchcoat Guy enquired. 

Dean huffed a laugh. “You could say that. Turns out I don’t so much enjoy being looked down on for my job, no matter how much I might love my brother.” 

Trenchcoat Guy frowned. “What happened?”

“Some dude called Michael made a dick comment about me being a kindergarten teacher. Told him exactly what I thought about his opinion and embarrassed my brother in the process. So I sought refuge at the bar.” 

Blue eyes darkened. “That’s appalling! I’m sorry that happened.” Trenchcoat Guy placed an earnest but comforting hand on Dean’s. “Being a teacher is incredibly admirable. You’re helping to shape and guide future members of society.” He assured. “There’s nothing more noble than that. Definitely not a lawyer who seems to see the money before the client.” 

Where had this guy come from? He seemed a little weird and dorky but also genuine and caring. 

Dean shrugged off the compliment. Just because he wasn’t okay with people disrespecting his job, didn’t mean he was comfortable being showered with praise and kind words. 

Instead, Dean flagged down Benny and asked for a beer, looking to Trenchcoat Guy to silently ask if he’d like one too. Trenchcoat Guy nodded. 

The two men kept eye contact as they took the first sips of their beers. Dean’s eyes fell to the way the guy’s lips shaped around the lip of the bottle. He flicked his eyes up again to find the guy had seen the movement. He knew exactly what he was doing to Dean, if the way he slowly licked lingering droplets of beer from his bottom lip was anything to go by. 

Any other day, any other time and Dean would have jumped at the chance to, well, jump this guy. But, he wouldn't do that to Sam. 

Instead, he cursed the fates for sending him this awesome guy at exactly the wrong time. Taking another sip of his beer, he moved to get up from his seat. He’d better go find Sam and check he hadn’t ruined his brother’s position in the company. 

He was about to open his mouth to bid the beautiful stranger goodbye when the guy’s eyes left Dean’s and locked onto something over Dean’s shoulder. The blood seemed to drain from his face. Frantic blue eyes snapped back to Dean’s.

“Kiss me.”

“What?” Dean asked, confused at the turn this had taken. He could feel his resolve slipping. Sam’s reputation be damned. 

The guy didn’t answer. 

Suddenly, his hand was on Dean’s cheek and he was placing a deep kiss on Dean’s lips. 

Dean had no idea what was going on but his night had improved dramatically in the last three seconds so he definitely wasn’t going to complain. He placed a hand on the guy’s waist, pulling him in closer to his own body. 

After a few heated moments, the guy pulled away. Though Dean kept the hand on his waist so he couldn’t move far. He wasn’t letting him go any time soon, that was for sure. 

“I’m sorry.” Trenchcoat Guy panted, chest rising to gulp down air that he’d been deprived of. “My assbutt of an ex was coming towards us.” He tried to step back out of Dean’s embrace. 

But Dean held his grip firm. 

“No need to apologise, dude.” Dean assured. 

Looking into the guy’s eyes, feeling his moving chest against his own, Dean could feel his will power slipping. 

Screw it. 

Dean pressed his forehead against the other man’s. “Stop me if you don’t want this.” He whispered before he placed his lips over the other man’s.

The kiss was deepened instantly. By who Dean wasn’t sure but at this point, he really didn’t care. 

Dean allowed himself to be manhandled against the bar, never breaking the passionate connection he had with this wonderful stranger. 

As if the guy could read his mind he softened the kiss to whisper briefly against Dean’s lips. “I’m Castiel, by the way.”

Dean’s brain was so preoccupied that he could barely stutter out his own name in return. 

“Hmm.” Castiel hummed against Dean’s lips. “I don’t want to be presumptuous, Dean. But I’d very much like it if you took me home. Right now.” 

They broke apart and Dean looked into Castiel’s eyes. The calm blue from before had been replaced with seductive black. 

Yep. This was definitely happening. 

“Let’s go.” Dean grabbed Castiel’s hand to drag him towards the exit. 

But Castiel stopped him. 

“What about your brother?”

Shit. Trust his downstairs brain to throw logic out the window and forget about his brother. 

But he dreaded seeing the look of disappointment on Sam’s face when he told him where he was going. And who with. 

“Don’t worry, Brother.” Benny’s voice spoke up from the bar. “I’ll find him and let know you’ve gone home.” 

Dean shot Benny a grateful look. “Thanks, man.” He tried not to weirded out that Benny had seen what had just gone down. 

He once again grabbed Castiel’s hand and tugged him towards the nearest exit. 

Once outside, Dean hailed a taxi. He would have loved to have shown Castiel his beautiful 67 Impala but he’d had a couple of drinks and there was no way he was going to risk driving home. Plus, even without the drinks, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep his hands to himself long enough to get back to his. 

As soon as they made it through Dean’s front door, he sobered slightly. As respectful and understanding as Castiel had been earlier, he was clearly used to the finer things in life if he was at the firm party. Dean and Sam’s apartment was a far cry from that. 

“It’s not much…” Dean explained. 

Castiel turned from where he’d been doing a quick scan of the main room to lock eyes with Dean. “The only thing I’m concerned with right now is where your bed is.”

Dean could only point towards the corridor leading to his room. 

Castiel gave Dean a dark look and pulled him along by his tie. Maybe ties weren’t so bad after all. 

*  *  *

The next morning, Dean awoke to the feel of bare skin against his own. 

The body on top of his shifted and he could feel a rumble travel up through it. 

“Good morning, Dean.” Castiel hummed. 

“Mornin’, Sunshine.” Dean sighed, nuzzling into Castiel’s dark hair and placing a kiss against his temple. 

Dean was about to suggest breakfast when he sensed the stomping moose steps of Sam coming down the corridor outside his room. 

“I don’t care if you’re hungover, I’m shouting at-” Sam stormed into the room. But he was cut off by the sight in front of him.

Dean cringed. Benny obviously hadn’t told Sam everything when they’d left last night. 

“Oh my god! Mr Novak!” Sam snapped himself back to reality. 

Dean turned to look at Castiel. Mr Novak? Was Castiel one of the stuck up sons of bitches sitting on a heck ton of money and not giving any of it to hard working interns like Sam? 

“Hello, Samuel.” Castiel greeted, lifting himself to sit against the headboard. “You can call me Castiel. I feel as though we’ve moved past the normal professional relationship now.” 

“Okay, Castiel.” Sam was clearly still in shock. “I’m just going to leave now.” He cleared his throat awkwardly and then ducked out of the room, closing the door softly behind him. 

Dean turned again to Castiel. “Okay, what just happened?” He asked, completely confused as hell. 

Castiel placed a hand on Dean’s. “I’ll explain everything but I think you need to go and make sure your brother is okay.” 

Dean was unsure. He didn’t want to just leave Castiel in his bed alone. 

“Go, Dean. I’ll wait here for you.” Castiel said, sensing Dean’s apprehension. 

“Okay.” Dean submitted, quickly pecking Castiel on the lips before getting up from the bed, throwing on some boxers and leaving the room. 

It wasn't until he was closing the bedroom door behind him that Dean realised he’d just kissed Castiel goodbye like they were boyfriends or something. 

Way to go, Dean. Scare the dude off before anything had properly started. 

Anyway, one problem at a time, he thought as he rounded the corner to find Sam pacing the length of the living room. 

“So…” Dean began, awkwardly. 

“I can’t believe you, Dean.” Sam said, angrily. “Did you not think of my career at all? Of all the people to go home with at that party, you went home with my boss?” 

Hang on..

“Boss?” Dean asked, “I thought that Michael dude was your boss?!” Dean said, confused as hell. 

Sam ran his hands through his hair in a frustrated manner. “I’m an intern, Dean. Practically everyone in the damn company is my boss. And Castiel? He’s the boss.”

Dean paled. “What?”

Sam sighed. “He runs the whole damn thing! Didn’t you see the news a couple months ago? His dad died and left the whole firm solely to Castiel. It created a big stink because his brothers, including Michael Novak, didn’t get a look in. They’ve been contesting the will for months now.”

Dean slumped onto the couch. He couldn’t believe it. Castiel had lied to him? Well, maybe not lied, just didn’t tell the whole truth. 

Sam saw Dean's mood suddenly turn and frowned. “You really didn’t know?” 

Dean silently shook his head. 

“I’m sure he has his reasons for not saying anything.” Sam tried to reassure his brother. 

Dean waved it off. “Don’t worry about it.” He said. “Yeah, I really like the guy, but once he realises who he shacked up with, he’s not gonna hang around.” He shrugged, accepting the situation for what it was. 

There was no way someone like Castiel, with that amount of wealth and riches, would be interested when he understood that Dean was a grown man who still lived with his little because they couldn’t afford much else right now. 

“Why don’t you let him decide that for himself?” Sam asked, pulling Dean from his negative thoughts. “All I know is, I’ve only met Castiel a handful of times but he’s only one of the Novak brothers that has ever tried to even learn my name.” 

Dean was torn. This was such a big thing for Castiel to neglect to mention. 

“Man, I don’t know. This only started because he was hiding from an ex at the party.” Dean explained. “And now I say it out loud, it sounds like a lie. God, I’m so stupid.” He dropped his head into his hands. 

“Damnit, Dean!” Don’t you ever watch anything on TV other than Doctor Sexy?” 

Huh? Dean shot his brother a confused squint. 

Sam shook his head in exasperation. “Even before their dad dying and the inheritance fiasco, the Novak brothers have always been sort of minor celebrities - comes with the money I guess.” Sam explained. “All I know is that he did have what the media called a ‘messy break up’ with a guy who worked for the company. And he was definitely at the party last night.” 

Dean sighed. He didn’t know what to think. 

“Look, Dean. You clearly like this guy already. He’s literally in your room waiting for you. Go talk to him.” 

Dean nodded and stood up, taking a determined breath. 

Sam gave him a supportive pat on the back. 

Just before he left the room, Dean turned back to his brother. “Are we good?”

Sam smiled. “Yeah, man, we’re good.”

Dean nodded and left. 

When he re-entered his room, Castiel was still sitting in Dean’s bed, picking at a thread in the covers. He looked up at the sound of the door clicking shut. 

“How did it go?” Castiel asked, patting the space next to himself, silently asking Dean to join him again. 

Dean sat on the bed, but he didn’t get back under the covers next to Castiel. He still wasn’t sure what to do. “It’s okay. We smoothed everything out.” Dean nodded. “Found out some stuff about you though.”

Castiel nodded in understanding. 

“Why didn’t you tell me you were the boss? My brother’s boss?!” Dean asked, pleading for an explanation. 

“I wanted to come up to you. I’d already seen you from across the room earlier and when I finally gathered the courage to come up to you, you were complaining about my party and clearly had no idea who I was.” Castiel explained. 

Dean flushed. “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t be sorry, Dean.” Castiel reached over to take Dean’s hand in both of his. “It was refreshing. With everything that has been going on recently, it was nice to have a break from that. And then my ex-boyfriend was coming towards us. And, well, you know the rest…” Castiel trailed off. 

“The douchebag who everyone seems to know about except me.” Dean added. “He sounds like a son of a bitch.” 

Castiel hummed in agreement. “That’s an understatement.” He muttered. “I found out Bart was sleeping with someone else a few months ago and I ended it immediately.” Castiel paused at Dean’s whispered ‘bastard’. “However, when my father died, he tried crawling back. He was probably after my new wealth and position in the company. I, of course, rejected him. But, Bart is the kind of person who doesn’t take no for an answer.” 

Dean scowled. He may have only just found out the diner details, but he wouldn’t hesitate to punch that dick in the face if he ever saw him. 

Taking in Castiel’s downtrodden look, Dean sighed. “I understand all of that Cas. But you heard me last night. You run the show and you seem like a decent guy but how can you have hard working interns like Sam and not pay them a cent? While you sit on a literal throne of money?” 

Dean looked down at his lap. He wasn’t sure he was going to like whatever Castiel had to say. 

“Dean,” Castiel lifted Dean’s chin to make the man look at him, “I completely agree with everything you said. That’s one of the reasons my father left everything to me.” Castiel explained. “He knew I had new ideas for the company. He knew it was only a matter of time before he had to hand it over to his sons. So he left it all to me on the sole condition that I go ahead with the changes that I wanted to implement.” 

Dean let out a breath and smiled. Okay, this sounded good. “What, uh, kinda stuff are you changing?” 

“Firstly, we’re going to be taking on a lot more pro bono cases. We are sitting on a throne of money, as you say,” Dean blushed, “and it’s time we actually did something good with it.” 

Dean nodded. Now Castiel mentioned it, he remembered Sam saying something about that when he’d first joined Novak & Sons.

“And,” Castiel continued, “though it hasn’t been announced to the public or even the employees themselves, interns will be getting a competitive rate of pay. You’re right. They do work hard for us and they deserve to be properly credited for it.” 

Dean certainly hadn’t expected that. He’d expected Cas to say that it was out of his hands, or just simply that’s how things worked there. 

“Now, can you please say something? I’m worried I’ve ruined this before it could even begin.” Castiel asked, shyly.

Dean smiled softly. “As long as you don’t mind slumming it with someone like me, I only have one more question.” Castiel nodded. 

“Can I kiss you?”

Dean would give anything to never see that smile leave Cas’ face. 

Instead of answering, Castiel pulled Dean towards him by the shoulder. The smile didn’t leave his face as Dean pressed a long, sweet kiss to his lips. 

“I hope you’re ready,” Castiel said later after they’d parted for breath, “making out with the boss last night would have made quite a spectacle.” 

Dean made a noise of indifference just as Sam shouted from the living room. “Woah, dude! You’re on the news making out with Castiel!” 

“Told you.” Castiel said, triumphantly. 

Dean just laughed and pulled Castiel back in for another deep kiss. 

*  *  * 

They still had a few issues to iron out before they embarked on a relationship, but in the end those issues seemed like small bumps in the road and it was a smooth ride after that. 

Despite his brother’s relationship with the boss, Sam was treated no differently to anyone else. It was important to Castiel to make it clear that any achievements Sam had were entirely down to Sam himself and he had not been handed anything under family privileges. 

And Sam’s hard work paid off. Within a few years, Novak & Sons had another major overhaul and became Winchester & Novak. (Castiel’s brothers had had something to say about, but as he’d been doing for years until that point, he just ignored them.)

Though, it was only a few months after the changes that Dean asked Castiel how pissed off his brothers would be if it was changed again to Winchester & Winchester. Castiel had just laughed and let Dean place the ring on his finger. 

(Turns out, his brothers were extremely pissed off. Oh well.) 

-

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it Daria! It ended up being longer than I expected but I’m quite happy with how it turned out.

If you liked what you saw, REBLOG! and consider reserving a prompt from my ‘30 Destiel Prompts’ challenge, or just send me your own prompt you’d like me to fill!

-

TAGS: @eccentriccas @starrynightdeancas @credentiast @imbiowaresbitch @starclaire @cockleslovesdestiel @bend-me-shape-me @destielfactory @dea-stiel @wendeano @wingsandimpalas @aggressivedean @flowersforcas @chill-legilimens @pancakesofthelord @saltnhalo @caslikescoffeeandfreckles @assbuttboyfriends @jhoomwrites @breathingdestiel @simplymisha @thekingslover @aelysianmuse @2musiclover2

(let me know if you’d like to be added/removed from the tag list, we don’t have to be mutuals!)

[percywinchester27]

A lot like ‘Us’ (Part-8)

Word count: 4.8K

Pairing: Sam X Reader AU

Warnings: fluff, feels, cute stuff ;)

Series Summary: Y/N Y/L/N is eager and honestly, still in awe that she managed to get herself an acceptance from Stanford Law School. On the face of it, her life seems as put together, mysterious and independent as one might hope for. On the insides, she carries the burden of past that haunts her till date. Seemingly, she’d left it all behind; that is until she sets foot in the class of the Law School’s youngest, most promising professor.

A/N: Aha! Here it is! The part a lot of you have been waiting for ;)

The story employs two different timelines. The present timeline for the story takes place in 2014. Please let me know what you guys think :)

Beta: @deanssweetheart23​​​​​ I love you, Athina <3

A lot like ‘Us’ masterlist

“Someone had an interesting night,” Meg commented salaciously as you entered the apartment, eyeing the grey coat you were clutching tightly against your body.

Why she was up at two-thirty in the morning was a question you had stopped asking. It was how things were. She camped out in the living room most nights.

It had been a long night consisting of overthinking and multiple efforts to not break-down in the middle of a library. Now, your head was hurting from it. 

“That looks expensive,” she whistled, eager for your reply.

She did not get one. 

Tonight, you did not have the strength to explain anything. 

“Meg,” you said heavily. “Is it okay if I sleep on the couch, tonight? I- I don’t think I can fall asleep by myself.” 

“Sure.” She got up to make space for you, dragging her books with her on the carpet.

You removed your shoes and fell onto the sofa, rolling on one side and hugging your knees.

The coat had mostly stopped smelling like him, except for those faint traces and you clung to those forcefully.

Meg had a habit of reading out loud when she was memorising text. You had once challenged her to read without moving her lips and she had failed miserably at it. Kevin still made it a point to bring it up every now and then to tease. 

Her lulling voice, soft in the background was very comforting to you as you closed your eyes. Tomorrow would bring more questions than answers, you knew that. For now, you didn’t want to think about any of it.

********************************

27th August 2008

There was a certain trepidation as you stood on the porch of his house, hand raised towards the bell. What were you even doing? So Sam and you had been out for a couple more dates, that didn’t obligate him to spend every other day with you. So what if Ellen wasn’t home and Jo had a date. You could be by yourself for one evening, right? Restlessness shouldn’t be a motivator to land you in front of Sam’s house at seven in the evening. 

No, it was extremely impolite to barge into someone’s house without calling first. You fisted your raised, about to put it down, when the door opened. Dean Winchester stood on the other side, in his classic leather jacket, hands closed around the keys of his beloved car.

“Y/N!” He looked surprised at your unexpected appearance. Not that you blamed him.

You waved awkwardly. “I made muffins- remember, I promised I’d get you some on the day of the picnic?- and some apple pie. I was feeling keyed up and I thought I’d pay Sam a visit. I’m so sorry for showing up without notice, I know it’s not- “

“Y/N,” Dean cut you off. “Why’re you saying sorry? C’mon in!” He stepped aside to let you in, then grinned at you. “You had me at pie.”

The hallway was comfortably lit and paneled in dark wood, without any of those nonsense peony wallpapers that were a fad.”

“Aren’t you coming in as well?”

Dean shook his head. “I got a date with your cousin.”

Right. How stupid of you. You knew Jo was going out for a date… obviously it wouldn’t be by herself. 

“Sam’s in the living room, straight and left,” he said. “He can have all the muffins, but don’t let him touch that pie.” He winked at you before leaving.

You stared at the closed door, then at the basket in your hand. How had you managed to get yourself alone with Sam Winchester? There was still time for you to turn around and make a run for it, but the butterflies in your stomach kept pulling you towards the living room.

Sam was sitting cross legged on the sofa, bare feet, in a grey t-shirt and old jeans. Books were splayed around him, a laptop balanced on his right knee, eyes intently focused on the screen. From where you stood, you could only see his side profile and boy did he look handsome. The opportunity was too good to let go. You walked around quietly, placing the basket lightly on the floor and softly treaded to the back of the sofa. Slowly, you placed your hand on his eyes from behind. Sam jumped, the laptop almost crashing to the floor. His hand shot out reflexively to catch it, the other coming to rest over yours. 

“I’d recognise your hand anywhere,” he said.

“Dang it!”

He took hold of your wrist and pulled you around to the front, then tugged so you fell into his lap, the laptop lightly toppling on the sofa next to him.

“And to what do I owe the pleasure?” He whispered, one hand going around your waist, the other weaving into your cascading hair. You caught hold of his shoulders and dipped down to press your lips against his. The kiss was hot, passionate, as well as tender. Wherever his skin touched yours, the nerves were set on fire. Soon, you were gasping for breath. 

“The pleasure-” you breathed out, breaking the kiss, “- is all mine.”

Sam pecked the side of your face again, lips wet still. 

“I was literally just thinking about you,” he said, eyes staring at you in wonderment. “What’re you? A mind reader or something?”

You slid down slightly, so you were more comfortably seated in his lap. “Not a mind reader. I just missed you. I think I interrupted something important.”

He glanced at the ignored laptop. “Nevermind that. I was at wits end anyway.”

Normally, you would have jumped out of his lap. It felt so intimate to be sitting like this. However, Sam was snuggled so close to you, and so obviously unwilling to let go of you, that you didn’t make a move.

“What’re you up to?” You looked up at him.

“Remember when I told you I had to fly to New York, a few weeks back?”

“Yeah.”

“It was for an interview at this bigshot firm.”

You sat up. “Really? That’s great! How did it go?”

He frowned. “It went well enough. I heard from them yesterday. They are interested in hiring me as a junior associate.”

“But?” You could sense it was coming from the way his forehead furrowed.

“But, I don’t understand why they would wait for me to clear the bar and then join them. It’ll be a couple of months at least. It would have been easier to just reject me. I went for the interview because a senior from college set it up for me. I didn’t expect anything to come out of it.”

It was hard to believe that after everything he had achieved in life, he still had such self doubts. You attempting to tell him how exceptional he was would seem patronising, so you didn’t.

“Tell me something.” You snuggled closer and Sam automatically adjusted himself so accommodate you comfortably. “Do you want to work at this place?”

He looked at you and hesitated just for a second. In that moment you saw through him. It wasn’t the bar that was worrying him. He didn’t think that he couldn’t clear it. It wasn’t self doubt that was holding him back. It was reluctance. 

“It would be a good thing for my career.”

You decided not to push him on it.

“Then that’s that.” Reluctantly, you got up from his lap and straightened the laptop. “I have something for you.”

Sam perked right up.

You pulled out the muffins from the basket and handed him one, eagerly waiting for his response.

Sam moaned after the first bite. “These are delicious!”

Your gran was amazing at this, and you had taken up baking in your spare time now. It relaxed you to be around that aroma.

“Where’s the kitchen? I can put this in and leave, so you can continue with studying.”

Sam looked horrified. “No, no, don’t leave. Please!”

His eyes were wide, eyebrows just a little scrunched and lips almost moulded in a pout. The expression held some surprising power. It could crumble hearts.

You narrowed your eyes. “Are you… are you giving me puppy dog eyes?”

“Is it working?” He countered, a hint of teasing in his voice.

Like a frigging charm. You didn’t tell him that.

“Fine. I’ll stay, but you still gotta study, okay?”

Sam batted his eyelashes and you burst out laughing. “Now you’re just overdoing it. I’m just gonna put these in!” 

You wandered in the direction which he had pointed towards, wondering about how somehow that tall and built like a runway model could pull such an innocent expression. You put the pie in the fridge and the muffins in a box over the oven. The kitchen like the rest of the house was cozy and comfortable. 

On your way out you paid more attention to the rest of the room. At the far end there was a grand piano and behind it, a bookshelf in the same wood that panelled the hallway. You gravitated towards it. The piano looked polished, the keys slightly yellowed as if it was well played. The bookshelf was full of a crazy collection of books, from Kurt Vonnegut to Plato. Running your fingers over the spines, they stopped over a title. You pulled the book out.

“Sam?” You asked hopefully, returning to the sofa. “Can I borrow this book, please? My copy is still at Gran’s place and it’s my favourite. I swear I’ll treat it well.”

He flicked your wrist over to see which book it was, then shook his head indulgently. “Should have figured. Of course you can borrow it.”

“Thanks,” you smiled, flicking through the pages of the copy of To kill a mockingbird. “I was thirteen, I think, the first time I read it. Fell in love with Atticus.”

“I don’t think there’s a better fictional lawyer,” Sam mused. “It’s hard to live up to him.”

“Mhmm.”

Sam suddenly got up. “Where are my manners? Can I get you something? Coffee?” 

You took hold of his hand and dragged him down again. “I’m having trouble sleeping lately. Caffeine won’t help.”

His brow furrowed, however, he didn’t press you for a reason.

“How about I read to you from the NY Civil Code. That is interesting enough to put you to sleep for at least a week straight.”

You laughed. “It does look plenty interesting. You mind if I take a look at your notes?”

Sam spread his arms. “Knock yourself out.”

It was like being a child in a candy store, as you flipped through his books and notes. The text was complicated and the legal language seemed bafflingly difficult. There were bundles of notes in Sam’s thin, pointy handwriting. They looked very systematic even though you didn’t understand much. 

“It’s the basics of types of legal actions,” Sam supplied. “Difference between a plaint, suit, petition and a litigation.”

“What is it? What’s the difference?” 

Sam eyed you with some amusement. “You really want to know?”

“Mhmm.” This was something you had always wanted to talk about, but never had anyone to talk to. Of course you wanted to know more.

Sam flipped the pages of his book, till he found the one he was looking for.

“Alright,” he said, eyes bright with interest. “The easiest and most basic of all is a litigation. It simply means the process of taking any legal action. So, everything else, your suits, petitions, plaints and complaints, invariably everything falls under a broadly classified litigation. Now, a petition is a litigation filed to seek remedy in respect of any infringement of a constitutional right of the individual. The one who files it is the petitioner and the one it is filed against is the respondent. You with me so far?”

You nodded quickly.

Sam smiled. “Next one- and this is the one that’s going to make me money- is a suit or a lawsuit. The affected person files a suit in order to seek justice in respect of any civil right or claim they are entitled to. Here, the person who files the suit is referred to as the plaintiff and the persons against whom it has been filed is the defendant or the defendants, depending on the number of parties,” he cleared with a tilt of his neck.

Sam went on to tell you about the general magnitude of impact that both of them had once filed.

“So, a petition can be filed only against a government body, right? Because… only they can harm your constitutional right, cause they’re the ones who execute it.”

Sam narrowed his eyes. “You’re kinda right. Petitions; specifically writ petitions are filed against public bodies, yeah. And suits against private parties. You’re really quick, aren’t you? I’m impressed.”

You bit your lip. “It’s not like that, you’re just a really good teacher.”

“Am I now?” 

The way he said it and the way he was looking at you, reminded you once more that you were alone in the house with him. 

“You should consider teaching,” you said, wiggling your hands in your lap. “You’d make an awesome professor.” God help the poor students who would have to concentrate on his words while looking at him. You surely would never be able to manage that.

Looking up, you saw that Sam blushing furiously. 

He was so bad at taking compliments! It made you fall deeper in love with him.

You jerked back at that thought. Love? Did you love Sam Winchester?

He cleared his throat. “Anyway, There’s also Public Interest Litigations…”

The words were lost on you now, as you reeled in the realisation. Was this how it felt to be in love? To have those butterflies constantly assault your stomach, to have your breath taken away from you each time he so much as even looked at you? As intense as it all felt, it wasn’t a bad feeling. Not at all.

“... so no one really cares about them in the Supreme Court.”

“Uhh… yeah.”

“You’re sleepy, aren’t you?” Sam asked dubiously. “I did bore you with all the legal talk.”

“No… no,” you denied, but at the same time you yawned. 

Sam laughed. “That’s alright. You can just lie down here and rest.”

You tried to protest but Sam cut you off. “When Dean comes back, I can drive you home.”

You were sleepy, sure. but it wasn’t because the subject was boring. It was because of how relaxed you felt around him. 

Finally, you gave in, leaning into the sofa. Sam adjusted himself so that your head rested in his lap. 

“Earlier when you asked about NY, I wasn’t being completely honest with you,” Sam said after a while. “I’m not sure about this job, Y/N. I thought it was what I wanted, but that was before.”

“What do you mean?”

His hand came to rest on your head, his fingers absently carding through your hair. 

“I thought a good job would make me happy. Coming back to Lawrence… It was like a wake-up call. It made me realise that the job would mean moving away from Dean for good. I mean with the way things are going with Jo, I’ll have to get my own place sooner or later anyway.”

You giggled. They did seem nauseatingly in love. It was all very cute.

“... then there’s you.” Sam’s voice was barely above a whisper. “I don’t want to lose what we have. I know you’ll be moving to a University soon, but you’ll return to Lawrence for your vacations, to your family, and I don’t want to lose out on that.”

You caught hold of his hand that was in your hair and brought it to your lips, kissing his palm. You noted with shyness that goosebumps erupted on his skin on the back of his hand..

“Sam, do you think I’ll want to visit Jo and aunt El, and not want to see you? I’ve been so winded all day today- because I hadn’t seen you for two days- that I had to barge into your house. We can make this work. Don’t you trust me?”

“Of course, I trust you. It sure is a novel feeling. I’ve never had the reason to trust anyone because I wasn’t afraid to lose them. I feel like I’ve opened myself up to you in pieces and now I can’t put them all back.”

Strange. He was rendering words to the exact emotion of your heart.

“It’s settled then. You prepare for the bar and who knows I just might land a college on the east coast. Maybe we’ll be closer than we think.”

He sighed wistfully. “Maybe.”

You let go of his hand. After lingering for a few seconds over your lips, then your cheek, his fingers went back to your hair.

It was a lovely feeling, the scrapping of his knuckles against the base of your hair.

“Read to me?”

“Civil procedure?” He chuckled.

“Sure,” you smiled snuggling against his side. When he started reading, it wasn’t the civil code.

“Chapter one,” Sam read. “When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow. When it healed, and Jem’s fears of never being able to play football were assuaged, he was seldom self-conscious about his injury....” 

You smiled to yourself, listening to your favourite book being read out loud. Sam’s voice was deep, husky, and you closed your eyes, taking in the words till they lost their meaning, and only his voice remained, soft and comforting.

“Who plays the piano?” You remembered asking sleepily. 

“I do,” he replied, after a pause, then went back to reading.

You were long removed from consciousness and the voices must have been part of your dream, or just part of your imagination.

“At least carry her upstairs,” Dean was saying.

“No, she might wake up,” Sam said. “I’ll just get my pillow and sleep on the floor here. Will you let Jo know that she’ll be staying over?”

“Sure.”

It could have been seconds later or maybe hours; you felt a soft pressure against your temple, and a whispered prayer. “I love you.”

********************************

Your alarm woke you up at seven am sharp. Meg was nowhere to be seen in the living room and the door to her room was closed. However, a soft blanket- one that you didn’t recognise- was pulled over your body. You were touched by the gesture.

It might have been a dreamless sleep, but having spent the night on the sofa had sure taken a toll on your back, the stiff clothes leaving imprints on your body. You looked down at the coat you were still wearing. What were you going to do with it?

You were definitely more level headed now about what had happened last night; were able to look at it more objectively without your emotions wrecking you apart. This had to have happened just when you had somewhat accepted the fact that Sam didn’t care for you. It hurt; it hurt each time he averted his gaze from you, but you had learned to live with it, live around it. 

Now you didn’t know how to live with even an ounce of affection he showed you. How pathetic was that? You had gone back and forth with yourself last night over whether you were mistaken about whose coat it could be. Each time you found yourself arriving at the same conclusion. It was definitely Sam. The color, the scent, it was all him.

The next question that arose was what to do with the coat. You couldn’t keep it after making sure that you had almost nothing left from that life. Hell, you’d never be able to concentrate on anything except the coat if it stayed with you. You couldn’t throw it away. Even the thought caused you pain. That left you with only one option- returning it to Sam, which was a whole new matter… and raised so many mind boggling questions of its own.

How were you going to return it? How were you going to bring yourself up to look him in the eye and talk to him after everything that had happened? And even if you managed to do all those things, what if he outright refused to acknowledge that the coat was his? You didn’t think you could live through that. To guess his harshness was one thing, but to be proven of it by facing him was another.

He had steadfastly refused to look at you all this while, and so far it had worked out for you. What if he looked at you with such hatred that it erased every memory of his loving eyes. Could you live through that?

You put your head in your hands, feeling a hollow in your stomach. One thing was clear to you, the coat had to go, and it had to go today.

It was with a subdued but determined face that you took a seat in Sam’s lecture. As was the norm, he ignored you completely. When the lecture ended you hurriedly got up, clutching your satchel to your chest. It was bulging full.

“Y/N,” Madison called. “The next lecture is cancelled, where are you going?”

“I… er… I had some work,” you said. It was good enough for Madison, but not so much for the girls behind her, particularly Rebecca.

“You’re coming for the party, right?” Rebecca asked, too sweetly. “You know, Maddy’s birthday party.”

Shit. It had completely slipped your mind that the party was this weekend. You had promised Madison you’d go. The idea didn’t appeal to you one bit, though. You’d rather just hang out with the apartment gang, especially since you weren’t working this weekend.

“Of course she’s coming,” Madison said confidently. “Aren’t you, Y/N?”

“Yeah.” No way you could get out of it without hurting Madison. She had been nothing but kind to you. You had to pay it back somehow.

Madison gave you a charming smile. “We’ll have so much fun.”

You doubted that to the highest degree, but now was not the time to dwell over that. You waved and left the room quickly, before anyone could ask you where you were headed. 

With a trepidation that made you feel like you were existing outside your body, you walked towards where you knew Sam’s office was. You could feel your every heartbeat individually as if it was being hammered onto your ribcage. Something was painfully lodged in your throat. It hurt to swallow. At every step you wanted to turn around and run away. Too soon you were in front of his glazed glass door. In silver etched letters, it read:

Prof. Samuel Winchester, J.D.

You knocked on the glass panel. Three quick raps. The ball of nervousness in your stomach made you want to throw up, but you held still.

“Come in,” came his voice from inside.

 With shaking fingers, you pushed the door and stepped inside. The door closed behind you. Sam was writing something, a hand held up apologetically, asking for a moment. With a flourish, he finished the sentence and looked up with expectant eyes. It lasted for a split second before they widened in shock. The exact expression from your first day at Stanford, the same one that had haunted you ever since. Pure shock.

What would you even call him? Professor Winchester? Sam? You weren’t sure if you still had that right on him.

He stood up, the chair scraping across the linoleum behind him. The sounds echoed even in the small room. The distance of a few feet felt like miles to conquer.

Mutely you pulled out the coat from your bag. It was unwashed and wrinkled. You walked up to his desk and offered it to him, eyes trained on the table. 

“Thanks,” you murmured.

For a horrified moment you thought he wouldn’t take it, but then he reached for it, gripping the fabric tightly and you let go, still looking down. 

You wanted to say something, anything because this silence, his silence was agonising. No words came to you, though. There was too much to be said, and no sentence seemed enough. 

His desk was organised; books neatly stacked on one side, papers arranged along a single edge. Two frames stood on his desk with their backs to you, and you wondered if someone you recognised was in one of those frames, if they were the same ones that he used to keep on his bedside. A smiling picture of him and Dean. The pang returned at the thought of Dean, and everything that you had left behind.

Slowly, you turned your back to the desk and the man standing behind it, certain that he wanted nothing to do with you. The coat had been a lapse of judgement, a moment of pity for someone he used to know, but didn’t care for anymore. He was just a very kind person. That was all it had been. All your upheaval since, had been for nothing.

You grabbed the handle and twisted it.

“Y/N.”

You would have cried. You would have let go of that handle, slid to the ground and broken down in that moment. 

For years you had beaten yourself down to accept that this would never happen. You would never hear Sam speak your name ever again. Now, it was happening. What was more? there was no anger in his voice, no hint of disgust. 

You dropped your hand and turned, his voice, your name still reverberating in your ears.

Sam looked as taken aback by his words as you. As if they had left his lips without his conscious consent. His eyes were clear, brow slightly furrowed. There was no harshness in his expression and none of that sharpness or hate.

He bowed his head a bit, like he was acknowledging some kind of defeat. Then, he spoke, voice as comforting as the warmth of your favourite rug on a stormy evening. “How are you?”

Like I haven’t truly breathed before this moment. Like the last six years without you, were a special torture created just for me. Like the very sight of you is a miracle and you saying my name a talisman against every misery I’ve ever lived. Like I haven’t been okay up until this very moment.

All the words that couldn’t be said. 

You merely shrugged, blinking rapidly to keep the tears from showing.

Sam dipped his chin and gave you a look that seemed to stare right into your soul, the side of his lips curving into a sad smile. 

Impossible. 

“H-how are you?” You whispered through a thick throat.

He shrugged, too, the smile still in place. It broke your heart to see a look of such profound sadness on his face.

You took a subconscious step ahead, wanting to run to him and throw your arms around him. What’s the worst that could happen? He would push you back? It still wouldn’t hurt as much as not being able to feel him right now.

You took a deep breath, almost taking a step-

The door to the office opened and you jumped, almost crashing into the stand. 

Professor Mills looked at you in surprise, then at Sam.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were busy,” she said.

Sam shook his head, as if clearing his thoughts; still said dazedly, “No, it’s nothing like that.”

“I was just leaving,” you mumbled, catching your breath.

She looked at you curiously. “You’re from the first year, right?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re the one who wrote the paper on semantics in legal writing. Y/L/N, was it?”

“Yes, Y/N Y/L/N.”

“She’s the one we were talking about, remember?” She asked Sam. “The one whose style reminded me of you.”

Sam nodded curtly, the tips of his ears turning red.

“That was a good paper,” she said. “Very impressive.”

“Thank you, professor,” you replied. “I’ll get going then.”

 You gave Sam a nod, “Professor.” And hurried out of the room as fast as you could. The hot air outside cleared your head and you stumbled into one of cement seating in the spill out space outside the offices. Had you really been about to throw yourself at Sam?

Most of you wanted to pass out from the intensity of that interaction, but a small part of you wondered if it really would have been that awful if you had actually followed your insane instinct and done it anyway. You sat there till your breathing returned to normal and you could feel your legs again. 

You took the first steps towards home.

Y/N. 

How are you?

He had called out to you and looked at you with the absolute certainty that only came from knowing the depth of someone’s soul. He didn’t hate you. As you walked, you felt lighter than you had in years, like the weight of the world had been lifted off of your shoulders. You could pick your feet up and they wouldn’t touch the ground again. It felt like being set free.  

*******************************

A/N 2: So at least the ‘not talking’ and ignoring is out of the way ;) Once you start, it is difficult to stop talking, I suppose. Especially when there are clearly still feelings involved ;)

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who commented and reblogged. I love you guys!

PLEASE let me know what you think of this story?

If you want be tagged, you can send me an ask or add yourself to the taglist here.

Or here’s my side blog @percywinchester27-writes. You can give that blog a follow and turn the notifications on to know about updates.

ALLU taglist:

@feelmyroarrrr​  @gabavaldman​  @im-a-light-child​  @cosicas-cuquis​  @bllyjianne​  @hoboal87​  @i-is-for-inspiring​  @daughterleftbehind​  @wackiekebab​  @mylovelydame21​   @dancing-the-hellfire-rumba​  @superbadassnatural​  @bellastellaluna​  @babypink224221​  @badlittlehabit99​  @anathewierdo​  @sams-bubblegum-bitch​  @damn-it-now-im-obsessed  @fandomoverdose666​  @superstarmarvel​  @atc74​  @aiofheavenandhell​  @rebel-author-chick​  @death-unbecomes-you​  @cookiechipdough​  @kbl1313​  @linki-locks11​  @miss-nerd95​  @sunflowers-n-rocknroll​