#i LOVE jr's tiny little revelations that come up that seem so small but are breakthroughs considering his condition

[duker42]

💜The Promise of Love💜 Chapter 20

Erwin x Reader x Levi: Part 20 of 20

*****WARNING*****SLIGHT NSFW

**3 Months Later**

Levi groans as Y/N continues to torment him. Arm thrown over his eyes, he lays back unable to resist bucking his hips up slightly as her hand slowly moves on his shaft. He feels her tongue move across the tip as she tightens her hand around him causing delicious agony.

“Y/N, please.....” His voice is hoarse and broken. His full focus is on the woman kneeling over him, needing her to end his suffering.

“Oh, but you so enjoy it when you’re doing it to me.” She had shown him no mercy. She had edged him all night. If she would just let him cum, he swore he would never deny her another orgasm again. But then again.....probably not. She always looked so delicious writhing under his touch.

“I need you.” His broken plea was her weakness. The hard and self assured Captain was gone, leaving just the man behind. Relenting, she began to kiss up his stomach as she straddled him. Rubbing his cock along the dripping folds of her pussy made him moan loudly. Slipping him inside, she slowly sank onto him until she sat on his groin, fully impaled by him.

His hands moved to her hips as she began to move. Fingertips digging into the soft flesh, she responded to his subtle demands and quickened her pace. Her figure was still a bit more rounded than it was before the baby, not that Levi minded in the slightest. He loved feeling the soft contrast of her body against his. Moving a hand up to gently rub one of her breasts, he reveled in the sounds that come from her as he toyed with the milk engorged mounds.

Taking control, he flipped her onto her back while staying imbedding inside her. Her arms slid around his back as he pulled her legs around his waist. Bracing himself on his arms, he watches her as he begins to thrust. Her face contorts in pleasure as he moves inside her, pushing her closer to release. Changing the angle, he feels her walls begin to tighten around him signaling her oncoming orgasm.

Pressing hot kisses to her neck, he pulls back just in time to watch her shatter. The feel of her body clamping down on him combined with her sexy voice calling out his name and the look of pure pleasure on her face, causes him to find his own release. Gasping out her name, he tucks his head into her shoulder and pushes deep into her, shooting his thick milky-white release into her tight heat.

They stayed locked together for long moments, Y/N lovingly stroking his back as he caught his breath. Reaching over he grabs the wet washcloth they had prudently kept next to the bed for clean up. Sliding off of her, he wipes them both down before tossing the cloth into the dirty linen basket. Gathering her in his arms, he rolls on his back and idly runs his fingers up and down her naked back.

Y/N loved moments like these best. Feeling his slow, steady heartbeat beneath his chest, she idly traced a small scar on his upper shoulder. She loved the feel of the smooth ivory skin under her fingers. Watching the muscles ripple as she explored, she marveled at the differences between the two men she had made love with.

Tall and broad, Erwin had dominated a room with the sheer size of him. Levi was closer in height to her, but no less powerful. Sleek and wiry, he commanded respect from the cold expression he wore to the predatory way he moved. The elder man had been big and bulky, but Levi was hard and compact. Y/N found that she liked the sheer strength he exuded, especially in bed.

Y/N snuggled deeper into Levi’s side. Tomorrow was the first mission past the newly reclaimed Wall Maria. They had high hopes of scouting the terrain that seemed Titan free. The goal was to see if they could reach the sea that Armin continuously talked about. She was excited to be back in the saddle and in her ODM gear again. Despite Levi and Hanji’s reservations, she had insisted on being a part of this expedition. A wet nurse had been found for Erwin or EJ, for Erwin Jr. as the squad liked to call the growing cherub.

She thought of the last time she had been like this, with the father of the child that lay sleeping in the next room. The night before her life changed forever.

She never believed in what ifs. She just thanked the Gods that she was lucky enough to love again. To be with someone who wasn’t jealous of the ghost in their past or the baby that wasn’t biologically his. Fate had an interesting way of dealing the cards. She slipped off to sleep wrapped protectively in Levi’s strong embrace.

~~~~~

Blue for as far as the eye could see. The sunlight reflected off the water, almost blinding in it’s intensity. Y/N could see the differing shades in the water, indicating the depth of the water beyond the shoreline. Waves pushed up onto the sand, splashing Mikasa as she tried to keep her boots dry.

Y/N grinned as she watched Sasha, Jean and Connie frolic in the water. When Jean put the salty water in his eyes, she looked back to see Levi roll his eyes as he warily watched the group. Beckoning him to come join her, she pouted when he shook his head and turned to watch Hanji.

Her toes were digging into the soft wet sand as the wind teased through her hair. The air itself was salty as it moved around her. She closed her eyes and felt the sun warm her body, relaxing her. A shuffle in the sand was heard behind her as she felt Levi’s presence behind her.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Her voice spoke of the peace she felt in that moment.

“It’s okay.” His terse response didn’t bother her, she knew what he really meant. His arms slid around her waist as he rested his chin on her shoulder, looking out at the water.

He had finally stripped his ODM gear off, assured that for a brief moment at least, all was calm.

“I think we could spread out a blanket on the sand and sleep, don’t you?” Her voice was excited, eager for the idea.

“We’ll burn.”

“Huh...guess your right.” The disappointment in her voice made him chuckle.

He was nervous. Nothing in his mannerism would indicate it, but Levi was about to sweat bullets. The time had finally come. He had made a promise to himself that if they reached the sea he would present Y/N with the little box burning a hole through his pocket. He knew that she loved him, but the idea of asking a woman, even her to marry him was a frightening endeavor. Pushing away any niggling doubts, he turned her around, and covered her mouth with his own, shocking her at the blatant display in front of their comrades.

He turned back towards the sea, looking out over the water as he awkwardly thrust a small box into her hand. He refused to meet her questioning gaze, and she looked down as she opened the velvet box. Inside, a delicate ring sat in the cushion. A thin band of gold with tiny diamonds set in a beautiful pattern. Her eyes widened in surprise as her eyes flew to his profile.

“Y/N, I love you. I have been happier with you than I have ever been in my entire shitty life and I don’t want to waste time. You and EJ are my family. Marry me?” Levi’s eyes flickered over to her hesitantly, as if afraid of her response. When he caught her stunned expression, he turned to face her.

His grey eyes bored into her, intense in his love for her. Tears gathered in hers as she realized what he was asking. Vaguely aware of the others beginning to gather around them, she only had eyes for the raven hair man before her. Their relationship flashed through her mind, the good and the bad. There was only one answer she could possibly give.

“YES! Levi, yes!”

He gave a relieved smile and pulled her close, kissing her deeply. The cheers of the Scouts surrounded them as they continued to meld their mouths together. Finally releasing each other, Levi took the box and slipped the ring on her hand and kissed it. The kids began to hug Y/N and pat Levi’s back awkwardly as congratulations were given to the couple.

After finally having enough of the squad, Levi pushed past them, pulling Y/N along with him. Walking along the shore, she wondered how he was going to feel about his boots getting wet. She looked down and laughed when she realized Levi was barefoot. She snorted a bit when he leveled an unhappy glower at her.

“This shit’s supposed to be romantic, not make you laugh like an idiot.” He grumbled. “Walk barefoot in the sand with her, she says. It’ll be romantic, she says. Fucking Hanji.”

Rolling her eyes, she pushes playfully against him, encouraged when he throws his arm around her, squeezing her tightly against his side.

“It is romantic, and I love it.” Y/N sighs, content in the moment with her now fiancé . “I am so very grateful you made that promise to Erwin, Levi.”

“Me too, Y/N. It was a promise of love”

They stood together as the waves rolled gently against the shoreline. The future was theirs, and they would face it united. That was their new promise of love to each other.

MasterList for The Promise of Love

@fandom-rpblog

@guijh103

@super-peace-fangirl

[rosemaidenvixen]

You are my Sunshine

Chapter 15: Fifteen Part 1

Ao3

Jim stood in front of the bathroom mirror, gaze fixed on his reflection. 

It was just a little after six in the morning, the square of sky outside the bathroom window was inky dark, but steadily brightening. Barbara was asleep in bed and Jim had already finished his nightly chores and made their lunches for the next day. All he had left to do was wait until sunrise so he could get dressed.

Jim leaned in over the sink, taking an inventory of sorts of his nocturnal features. 

Changing every sunrise and sunset had been part of his life for as long as Jim could remember. He wasn’t in the habit of closely examining himself at night, normally his metamorphosis was nothing more than an event he planned his routine around.

But today was not a normal day.

Jim tilted closer to the mirror, until his flat, hooked nose was practically touching the glass; he was taller like this, by at least a foot. 

It was Thursday morning, his first week of freshman year in highschool. An ordinary day in most ways except for one.

Today was his fifteenth birthday.

Jim reached up and pinched his cheek, tracking his movements in the glass. He had azure flesh like a granite statue, even after ten years that still seemed the most bizarre alteration.

Jim didn’t like his birthday, he hadn’t for a very long time. Almost everyone he knew was aware of that.

But what they didn’t know was that there was one day Jim hated even more than his birthday.

Jim slid his hand underneath his jaw; sharp tusks jutted out past his lower lip, built for crunching through bone and metal. His fingers slid further back along his mandible into the thick, coarse hair that spread down his neck and back, even starting to line his face in places. 

A day just over a month after the date of his birth, a day for which the tenth anniversary was rapidly coming up. 

The day he took a bath that changed everything.

The day he transformed for the first time.

His hand traveled up around his pointy ears through the forest of hair on his scalp. Last but not least were the robust, back swept horns the color of ivory. Jim ran his fingers from the base of one horn to the tip, he was pretty sure they were still growing.

Ambient light was seeping into the bathroom at a rapid pace, at any moment the first true rays of sunshine would appear outside.

Jim’s reflection blinked, round blue eyes disappeared and reappeared. Those were the same; in spite of everything. His mom had told him that was how she recognized him on the first night when she found him in the woods. Jim had the same eyes, day or night.

For all the good that did him.

Jim could tally up the changes, visible or otherwise, but it never made any difference.

Almost ten years and he still didn’t know what he was, only that he changed into it every sundown, rain or shine.

And then, from outside the tiny bathroom window, the sun came up.

Jim’s otherworldly appearance melted away, the transition was so smooth he could barely feel it.

In the time it took to breathe in and out it was all over.

And then Jim was staring at himself in the mirror; lanky, pasty skin, longish black hair, and no horns or fangs to speak of. The real him, the genuine Jim Lake Jr, standing in the bathroom at six thirty in the morning wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants that were practically falling off. 

Jim stood perfectly still, managing to be mystified by the complete transformation even after living with it for years.

He was normal now, he could go outside and go to school and mingle with people, no one being the wiser.

Until sunset, when he would grow and turn blue and sprout fangs and horns and have to stay safely tucked indoors, and the whole thing started all over again.

And again.

And again. 

And again. 

His life wasn’t always ruled by the movement of the sun, Jim knew that. He had a vague memory of walking down the night time streets of Los Angeles, hand in hand with each of his parents.

But all that had gone off the rails when he was five. 

Despite his best efforts to think back on that night, on what had happened to him, the memory was hazy, distorted by time and his own childish abilities of recollection. But no matter how faded and blurry the memory itself was, the terror of it remained sharp and crisp as always.

Splashing around in the tub.

Dropping the dark, grainy sphere into the water.

Being swallowed by darkness.

Waking up in a world that wasn’t right.

Mom coming to find him, bursting through the trees and scooping him up, he had been small enough that she could still do that. 

Seeing her cry for the first time.

The miracle that happened at sunrise.

The nightmare that came back once the sun went down again.

Jim didn’t think he would forget any of that even if he tried.

He hesitated at the mirror for a few more seconds before heading to his room to get dressed.

Ten years. 

Ten years of hiding in his house and keeping secrets from everyone he knew. Ten years spent terrified that someone would find out the truth.

What the next ten be like?

Almost robotically, Jim finished getting dressed and gathered up the lunches for him and Toby.

His mom had worked the graveyard shift last night, which meant that she wouldn’t be awake until nine or ten, so Jim was all on his own this morning.

Seeing no reason to wait any longer, he put on his backpack and went into the garage, grabbing his bike and heading into the driveway to wait for Toby.

Due to the fact that he was awake at an hour most other teenagers would consider obscenely early, Jim had to wait nearly fifteen minutes before Toby finally pulled up on his bike

“Morning Jim, you ready for day four of our conquest of high school?”

Jim flashed him a smile that he hoped was convincingly cheery “You’d better believe it,”

As they peddled down the street in tandem, Toby excitedly described to Jim his master plan to woo every girl in school. Despite the fact that he’d never actually had a full conversation with any of them.

Jim rolled his eyes as Toby rattled off three rules of love hunting that he had no doubt made up himself.

Of course that was what Toby was worried about, it wasn’t like he was dealing with any real problems. 

Jim had to bite back a snarl. Toby got to enjoy his blissfully normal life just one house over from where Jim was on nightly house arrest; and he didn’t even appreciate how good he had it.

The sudden amount of sheer hostility he felt caught Jim off guard, causing him to wobble on his bike, nearly losing his balance. He quickly corrected himself before he could fall and hurried to catch up with Toby.

Jim brated himself while continuing to peddle in the direction of the school, keenly aware of Toby just ahead of him. It wasn’t fair of him to be mad at Toby. Toby had been Jim’s best friend for nearly an entire decade. Despite all the weirdness caused by his nightly transformation that he knew Toby noticed. Would any other kids his age put up with Jim’s quirky routine without asking questions? No. Toby was the greatest friend Jim had ever had. He didn’t deserve Jim’s spite.

They pulled to a stop shortly after passing the large Arcadia Oaks High School sign.; hauling their bikes up to the racks out front.

Jim squinted at the steadily rising sun while locking his bike into the rack.

Ten years.

In a month and a half it would be ten whole years of everything. All the questions, the discoveries, the fear and horror.

Jim still couldn’t quite believe it.

Locks in place, Jim and Toby went inside the building and headed to their lockers, which luckily enough, were practically next to each other.

He thought back on all the nights he practically had to run home to beat the sunset. All the excuses and evasions he had to give Toby. All the close calls.

Of course now that he was in high school, it wouldn’t be any easier. 

At least when he was little there hadn’t been much that he could do outside the house without his mom. Now there would be dances and after school activities Jim would have to dodge, no doubt Toby would start asking him to sneak out so they could go to parties. And then once he graduated….

The locker door slipped from Jim’s hand as the realization hit him like a freight train.

It’s wasn’t going to stop.

Not today. Not when he graduated. Not ever.

This was never going to get any better.  

A chill slowly spread out from his chest as the cold, hard truth sunk in.

This was going to be his entire life.

Jim was so out of it that he almost noticed his textbooks slipping from his grip too late. Yelping, he quickly grabbed the sliding books, barely managing to keep them from falling to the floor.

“You ok there Jimbo?”

“Oh-- uh-- yeah I’m good,”

Toby looked skeptical “You sure? Cuz I know your birthday always--”

“Yep,” Jim forced a grin “I’m fine,”

Toby didn’t look convinced, but mercifully he dropped the subject.

Jim allowed himself a small sigh of relief at Toby’s lack of prodding, but his bleak revelation still lingered.

They went in to their first class, algebra with Ms. Janeth, and took their seats.

Jim tried to compose himself.

But figuring out the truth had opened up a dam.

He was never going to go to homecoming or prom.

He was never going to live in the dorms or even go to college. 

After high school his life was over.

It would be nothing but closed blinds and the same four walls until the day he died.

Jim dropped his pencil as a horrifying vision struck him. 

Jim Lake Junior, age seventy, blue skin, horns and all. Living alone in the house he grew up in, never leaving Arcadia. His mom had passed away, he had lost contact with Toby a long time ago. 

Jim; isolated and alone.

For the rest of his life.

Jim struggled to slow down his breathing, piercingly aware of Ms. Janeth lecturing in front of him and an entire classroom of teenagers.

He had to keep it together, couldn’t break down. Not here. Not now.

Jim dug his fingers into the sides of his desk, trying to stifle the burning in his eyes. He just had to last until lunch, then he could find somewhere to lose it. 

The unisex bathroom near the principal’s office. It was just a single room with a door that locked so Jim wouldn’t be interrupted. 

During lunch Jim could go in there, cry his eyes out, scream into a wad of paper towels, and get this all out of his system. That should last him for the rest of the day.

Jim tried to go through the breathing exercises his mom had taught him, but the ugly truth kpet surging to the forefront of his mind.

He was stuck like this for the rest of his life, it was never going to get better or easier, and one day Toby and his mom would be gone and he would be completely alone. 

Jim bit his cheek to stifle to sound of a sob coming up.

He couldn’t do this. Jim was going to burst into tears in the middle of algebra where everyone could see him.

His fingertips had turned white from the force they were gripping the desk with. He was starting to shake all over, he had to blink every few seconds to keep the tears from spilling out.

Jim needed to pull himself together, now.

He summoned up the happiest thoughts he could think of; owning and riding his own vespa, Toby beaming in delight at his latest cooking creation, getting a tight hug from mom….

The guilt he felt every time he lied to Toby, seeing Mom working herself to the bone to take care of him, cleaning the house from top to bottom just to distract himself from the endless hours of solitude every night, spending decades of his life this way….

One of Jim’s tears escaped and stained one of the problems on his worksheet.

This wasn’t working, Jim was one small spark away from an explosion

Time for plan B. If Jim couldn’t make himself happy, then he would have to make himself sad about something else.

And there was only one memory that was potent enough to do that.

His dad.

Jim hadn’t cared about that deadbeat for a long time, but the memories of him still hurt.

Jim forced his frantic breathing to slow down while he dredged up half faded memories from ten years ago today.

Watching his dad come down the stairs, a suitcase in each hand, ignoring Jim’s questions about where he was going. 

Seeing him get in there car and drive away without saying a single word, only sparing Jim an indifferent glance. 

Standing at the edge of the driveway watching the car fade into the distance. 

Wondering what it was he did to make his dad stop loving him.

That did the trick, he knew by now that if his dad was enough of a jerk to ditch them, then he and his mom were probably a lot better off without him, but recalling exactly how much it hurt to watch him leave distracted Jim from the hard truth that had chosen this morning to sink in.

It seemed to take forever for first period to end, seesawing between panic and decade old heartbreak the entire time, but at long last Ms. Janeth dismissed them.

Jim let out a shaky breath. One period down, three to go. He could do this. 

Restraining himself from running, Jim hurried to his locker, desperate to avoid a conversation with Toby. It would be ten times harder to hide the rising tide of hysteria from him.

He spun open his locker and grabbed his books in record time. Just when Jim was feeling sure that he could make it to his next class incident free, the absolute worst possible thing happened. 

A hand shot out and slammed his locker shut, a smirking face framed by blonde hair entered his field of vision "I don’t remember saying you could use this hallway today buttsnack,”

Jim had to bite his lip to keep from screaming. Today of all days, Psycho Steve just had to make an appearance. 

Hastily, Jim turned and tried to escape down the other side of the hall only to have Logan and Seamus step out in front of him and cut off any escape.

Normally he could deal with Steve throwing his weight around, but not now, not today.

Jim struggled to speak without letting the raging storm of grief and fury inside him color his words.

“I...I’ve got to get to class, so I can’t really do this right now--”

“Oh so you want to throw down later? How does you and me on the football field after school sound?”

Jim dug his fingers into his textbooks so hard he could feel the sharp cover cutting off circulation. Was Steve really that dumb or had he just wanted to pick a fight from the start?

“No I--”

“No backing out Lake," Steve smirked down at him "We're going to settle this once and for all,”

Even though he was two seconds away from a complete meltdown and Steve would no doubt wipe the floor with him, part of Jim, the stupid, stubborn, angry part, wanted to take Steve up on his offer, just to wipe the smug grin off his face.

It wasn't enough for guys like Steve to have it better than everyone else. They had to rub it in their faces. 

Jim glared up at Steve’s oh-so self satisfied grin. 

Arrogant prick.

Steve had it great; buff, perfect blonde hair, a spot on the basketball team, plenty of cronies to always back him up. 

His free hand tightened into a fist.

Steve didn’t turn into a monster when the sun went down, he didn’t spend half his life indoors so men in black from the government wouldn’t lock him up on a secret base somewhere, didn’t have to eat raw meat and metal so he wouldn’t starve. Stupid, perfect Steve had it so great, living his nights without fear, no doubt surrounded by tons of friends, actually having a future past graduation--

The unexpected wave of emotion made his eyes sting.

Focus. 

Take deep breaths. 

Now more than ever Jim needed to keep his cool.

If Jim started to cry in front of Steve of all people he couldn’t imagine how bad it would be.

“So what will it be Lake?”

Just when Jim had forced back his emotions enough to give a coherent reply, Toby chose that moment to show up.

“Hey, what's going on?”

Steve scowled at Toby "Mind your own business, buttsnack!"

Toby's gaze turned frosty.

Jim threw a desperate look at his friend, silently begging him to not make the situation worse.

“We’re not afraid of you Steve,” Toby followed this bold statement up with a quick wink at Jim, clearly having misinterpreted his expression.

Steve snarled “That settles it, we’re doing this,”

“No, no we’re not doing anything,” 

His birthday, Toby, Steve, everything, Jim couldn’t keep himself together for much longer. 

A hint of a whine had started to bleed into his tone; he needed to get out of here now. 

Motions jerky with nerves, Jim darted past Logan and Seamus and managed to make it a ways down the hallway, only to have Steve rush ahead and block him. 

Steve was a good deal taller than him, something he used to his full advantage while looming over Jim “No wimping out Lake. You and me, football field, midnight. Be there,”

Steve’s words hit him like a fist to the gut. It didn’t matter whether Jim was willing to fight Steve or not, he couldn’t meet him at midnight if he wanted to. 

He couldn’t go to homecoming.

He couldn’t go to a play or a sports game.

He couldn’t sneak out to go the end of the year bonfire.

Jim felt whatever tenuous control he had over his emotions slip.

Who was he kidding, his life was over already.

Toby and Steve were exchanging more heated words but it almost didn’t sound real. Dim and indistinct, like they were both underwater.

Jim was never going to go to college or even move out of Arcadia, never hold down a real job, never date or get married, never have a family of his own. 

Sooner or later, everyone he cared about would leave him and Jim would be alone.

Forever.

The world around him shifted back into focus “Alright Lake, are you in or out?”

A sob bubbled up in the back of Jim’s throat. 

The hallway was thick with other students by now, all of them could just step outside and live their lives without fear. He was surrounded by people that had no idea what he struggled with every day and never would.

He was lightheaded, his knees were weak. 

Jim felt almost like a puzzle piece that had been forced into the wrong spot. Trying so desperately to fit in, but clearly not belonging.

“You going to say anything buttsnack?” Steve sneered.

“Jim can totally take you on,” Toby said, supportive and enthusiastic as always “Right Jim?”

It didn’t matter what he tried or what he did. Jim was never going to have all the mundane, wonderful things that everyone else took for granted.

Jim sank to the ground, stirring up surprised murmurs and gasps from everyone in the crowded hallway.

He’d could pretend and maintain the illusion until he was blue in the face, but that wouldn’t change the fact that Jim was never going to have anything more than half a life.

Toby approached him, clearly concerned “You ok Jim?”

Unable to hold it in any longer, a sob forced its way out of his mouth.

He was doomed, he had been doomed ever since that awful night nearly ten years ago. It just took him that long to realize it.

Tears started to dribble down his cheeks, flushed with shame. He knew this was coming, why couldn’t he hold it together for just a little longer? Why did he have to go to pieces here, now, where everyone could see?

Crying in front of the whole student body was a surefire way to doom his high school career before it even started, but then again what did it even matter?

His life was already in tatters, had been for a long time, what was one more thing gone wrong?

More sobs come along with the tears, spilling out harder and faster.

Normal was a pipe dream, something other people got to have and Jim could only pretend at. His life would be ruled by his transformation until the day he died.

Losing any restraint he had left, Jim started sobbing with abandon, regardless Steve, Toby, and the growing crowd around him.

Through bleary unfocused eyes, he saw his tears start to drip onto the linoleum floor.

Despite all the other teens surrounding him, Jim had never felt more alone in his life.

[shirtlesssammy]

Clap Your Hands if You Believe: 6x09 Recap

Then:

Souless!Sam sure looks soulful when he’s telling Dean he doesn’t care about him.

Now:

***X-FILES ALERT***

Before this recapping nerd was a Supernatural fan, I was (and still am) an X-phile. I’m pretty sure I stuck out the early seasons of Supernatural just because I knew Kim Manners worked on the show. This episode doesn’t usually ping my top 5, but it’s special.

It’s as special as the night the cold open couple was having before the boyfriend, Patrick, disappeared in a cornfield.

Literally cue knock-off X-Files theme.

Sam and Dean head to Elwood, Indiana and interview townsfolk, including Wayne Whitaker, Jr. (played by Robert Picardo. Ignore the famous character actor in the corner. Move along.) about the strange abductions. Wayne is decidedly Team UFO, the local cop doesn’t believe anything supernatural is amiss, and one nice lady believes it’s fairies! Dean is diplomatic and thanks the woman, and Sam calls her out on the ridiculousness of her stance. This episode was Peak Souless!Sam. GOLD EVERYWHERE.

Dean tries giving Sam a lesson in Souls 101, but Sam really needs to sign up for the PhD course. Sam asks if he’s just supposed to fake it? Dean, the master in this, affirms, “Yes, fake ‘til you make it.” (Here’s to Dean not needing to fake it in season 13.) And to help him out, Dean will be his Jiminy Cricket.

The boys head off to interview Patrick’s father. He’s less than accommodating to their questions, insists his son was “taken”, and tries to kick the brothers out of his clock making workshop.

His son has been missing for weeks; he’s not coming back. Dean leaves his number for the man to call them with any information. Once he’s alone, the clockmaker looks to the side --at nothing-- and asks, “Is that alright?”

The brothers split up. Sam stays to watch the watchmaker, and Dean heads to check out the crop circles. Once at the crop circle, Dean gets a call from Sam. It seems Mr. Clockmaker is just drinking his night away at the local diner. Sam wants to talk to him, and before Dean can really talk him out of doing anything, the Impala shuts off and Dean sees a glowing light from the sky. “UFO! UFO!” Sam calmly tells Dean to stop yelling. Lol. “CLOSE ENCOUNTER! CLOSE ENCOUNTER!” While Dean is screaming about empathy, Sam orders another beer. The light finally catches up to Dean, and even with all weapons drawn, Dean disappears into the bright light.

With his call cut short, Sam enjoys his beer and male gazing at the waitress. He does eventually make it to the cornfield to find his brother’s dropped cell phone.

He then finds a small enclave of UFO believers, and starts to ask questions. He finds Wayne Whitaker and asks how to “get them.”

Sparrow, another UFO enthusiast approaches their conversation, and hears Sam admit that his brother was abducted.

Sparrow: Your brother was abducted?

Sam: Yeah.

Sparrow: Oh my God.

Sam: It’s fine. I mean, I’ve had time to adjust.

Sparrow: Did it happen when you were kids?

Sam: No, like, half an hour ago.

Oh, Souless!Sam, never change. He tells Wayne that he sucks, and walks off. Sparrow follows, offering her help, and a flirty smile.

Back at the cornfield, Dean reappears screaming, with knife and gun still fully engaged. Cut to him making it back to the motel room to find Shirtless!Souless!Sammy in bed with Sparrow.

Sparrow makes her exit, but not before asking Dean about his abduction. “They were grabby, incandescent douchebags. Goodnight.” Sam senses Dean’s anger. Dean was barely gone an hour, and Sam ends up in bed with “Patchouli”? Sam corrects Dean: He’s actually been gone most of the night. And that fits with a lot of UFO lore. Sam insists that Dean tells him what happened. Dean is disgusted with his own story but admits that there was a bright, white light, and there were beings pulling him towards a table. “A probing table!” “God, don’t say that out loud!” Dean had a close encounter, and won. He’s gonna take a shower now.

The next day, Sam and Dean break down the existence of aliens.

Well, Dean does while Sam checks out the bar’s waitress. (And check out that shot: The El Sol sign is there. I get it, the title of this episode reveals it’s not aliens, but I do love the story the set design tells every week.) And this whole scene where Sam questions the correct actions of someone who just lost their brother to an abduction ---and Dean’s insistent, “Yes, you sit in the dark and feel the loss!” Sam’s final exam essay: “So you’re saying having a soul equals suffering.” (And Dean’s notes on that essay: “I’m saying it’s the only game in town.”) Bwaahh. This whole scene sums up Dean Winchester so well.

As the boys leave the cafe to research UFO lore, Dean sees a strange man staring at him through the window. Sam doesn’t see him.

Sam does research in the library, Dean does research in the motel.

For Nostalgic Science:

I know these are just mock-ups for the show, but just doing a random search on the X-Files revealed that Angelfire is still out there! Angelfire! Ah, those were the days. My X-files webpage was on Geocities, and with much relief alas, the Wayback Machine didn’t crawl it back in 1998.

Sam tells Dean that there’s a lot of lore in the library but he’ll be heading back to the motel soon. Dean continues his research, while fittingly listening to “Space Oddity”. The lights flicker off and Dean mutters, “Not again.” The door flies open to reveal a glowing orb of gold. Dean tries going for his gun, but the creature stops him, and close up Dean gets a good (“Nipples?”) look, before it takes a nice swing at Dean. In the ensuing fight, the music crescendos, and Dean nukes the little monster.

Once Sam gets back Dean triumphantly shows him his kill...only Sam can't see anything in the truly disgusting microwave. “You don't see the...EEUCH? It's right there?” Sam doesn’t see all the “Blech.” The next person who stays there is going to be eating some disgusting burritos, man.

Dean tells Sam that he nuked a little, glowing, hot naked lady with nipples and everything. Sam asks if the little lady had wings and when Dean admits he's bang on the money, Sam tells Dean that a fringe theory could fit their case. The abductions aren't from aliens – they're from fairies instead.

The Winchesters head to Marion, the crazy fairy lady's home where she sets out tea in fine china and explains the many different types of fairies. The fairy dimension is another reality and only those who have been to Fairy can see fairies on earth.

The woman says the fairies only take first born sons. Her theory? They're taken to Avalon to service King Oberon. Dean looks sobered by this revelation and asks Marion how they can “forcefully interact” with fairies. Fairies love fresh cream, hate iron and silver, and spilled sugar or salt compels them to count each grain.

Dean and Sam spot the watchmaker loading up his car with cream and follow him back to his shop where he unloads the cream, then takes off again. They split up, Sam tailing the watchmaker while Dean scopes out his shop. Dean breaks into the back and finds a shop filled with noise from...tiny toiling hands. The workroom is full of tiny workers wielding torches, using drills, and otherwise kicking some ass on the clockmaking front.

Dean leaves the store and frantically calls Sam. The shop's “freakin' full of Keeblers” and now Dean suspects that Brennan the watchmaker made a deal with a bunch of fairies. Sam approaches Brennan in the bar and compliments his watchmaking.

“Hell, if I didn't know better, I'd say you have a bunch of elves working for you.” Brennan looks up guiltily and Sam goes in for the kill, asking how he could stomach the loss of his first born son for a bunch of watches.

Back on the street, Dean spots the man in the red hat who follows him down the street, ominously...

Back at the bar, Brennan confesses to Sam that he'd desperately summoned fairies a few months ago. He ended up with a leprechaun who promised him wild success as long as they had a place to rest and enjoy “the fruit and fat of the land.” It turns out that their price was the first born. Brennan wanted to undo it, but his spell book is locked in a safe in his shop - and it’s guarded by fairies.

Cut back to Dean who's still being stalked by the man in the red hat.

Dean hides around a corner and jumps out on a man who is NOT the red hat guy. While the man’s (who has dwarfism) horrified young daughter looks on, Dean wrestles him to the ground, shouting all the while about fairies... When Sam runs up Dean is getting arrested. “You fight those fairies,” Dean yells, about 90% on the way to a total breakdown.

In the jail, the police chief interrogates Dean. Just what kind of hate crime is this? “If this gentleman were a full-sized homosexual, would that be okay with you?” Dean protests that he doesn't hate any size person – or anyone who's homosexual. Well, as it happens the man he attacked is the District Attorney for the county. Whoops…

Dean paces his cell while Sam and Brennan sneak back into his workshop. They creep to the safe, the workers all drunk on cream, and Brennan pulls out his spellbook. He begins an incantation to send the fairies back to their realm until he's suddenly stabbed through the heart. It's the great Robert Picardo! ...uh, I mean, it's the leprechaun and UFO enthusiast, Wayne.

Sam summarizes Wayne’s M.O. Fairies make a deal and settle in to stay, abducting first borns merrily. All the while, Wayne's in town stirring up UFO nuts as a cover for fairy activity. Wayne chuckles at Sam's accusations. True, true, all of them. And he's here to stay. Furthermore, Dean's marked as belonging to the fairy realm, and Sam can't actually see him if he doesn’t allow it. Wayne disappears. Neener neener neener. (Listen, do I want a follow-up episode with fairies dealing with Dean being marked for the fairy realm? Yes, yes I do.)

When Wayne reappears he tells Sam that he's “missing a certain piece right in the center.” The human soul is something that the energy-obsessed fairies can sense. They can't sense that with Sam. Wayne tells him that he could fish his soul out of hell for a price.

“There no frickin' way a leprechaun can do what angels can’t,” Sam scoffs. Au contraire, Wayne protests. Angel mojo is no match for “real magic” born from fairy. Sam doesn't bite at the deal and shoots Wayne. His iron buckshot has little effect and Wayne poofs out.

In jail Dean looks up, sensing a disturbance in the Force. He looks around to see the man in the red hat smiling at him from his prison cot. The red cap (for that's what he is) starts beating the shit out of Dean while Sam tangles in a fight with Wayne. Sam's not doing so great but has a brainstorm. He pulls out a salt bullet and pours salt all over the floor.

Wayne snarls and settles down to count the salt, giving Sam the chance to finish the spell. All the fairies, including Wayne and the red cap, disappear.

Later, on a back country road Sam and Dean share a beer. The “tiniest D.A.” has dropped the charges, letting Dean go free. Dean wonders if what the leprechaun said was true – if he could save Sam's soul.

Dean asks why Sam turned down Wayne's offer to get his soul back and Sam insists that deals are always bad. Dean asks if Sam still wants his soul back. “Sure, yeah, whatever,” is essentially Sam's response. The camera lingers on his brooding expression...

(By the way, I feel like I see this photo used as an iconic Sam/Dean/Impala image? But it's actually Dean and Soulless!Sam and that's...kinda sad actually.)

Close Encounters of the Quotes Kind:

There's something out in the corn.

Okay, if you want to add glitter to that glue you’re sniffing, that’s fine, but don’t dump your whackadoo all over us.

Third kind already? You better run, man. I think the fourth kind is a butt thing.

You just gave her the silent 'how you doin'?'

You're the one who pizza rolled Tinker Bell.

It's like Sedona, Arizona crap in here.

Fight the fairies!

Got a way of getting in back doors.

[blaineandsamevanderson]

Title:  Once in A Lifetime Chapter 24

By: @blaineandsamevanderson (SageK on ff.net, kaitlia777 on LJ and AO3)

Graphics and Assistant Brain Stormer: @lauraperfectinsanity

Pairing: Blaine/Sam

Rating: PG

Summary:  Late Spring, 2014 Sam auditions for a role in a TV show and Blaine comes along for moral support…and that’s just the beginning of their adventure!

Authors Note: I don’t know anything about the casting process for a TV show or what the process might be before filming.  This is all fiction.  I also don’t have any affiliation with Glee, Agents of Shield or any of the men and women who are involved with making the show.  Again, this is a work of fiction!

Authors Note #2: This is AU for Glee Season 5, pretty Episode 100 and anything after isn’t applicable to this.  Also, the plot for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was thought of before I saw CA:TWS, but was easily adapted…but let’s just say AOS is AU as of Turn, Turn, Turn.

Authors Note #3: We named Blaine’s Mom Anna before we knew Glee had named her Pam and hired and actress to play her…so we’re gonna stick with our name and FC!

Authors Note #4: This isn’t really a fic for fans of Kurt and Rachel.  They’re the antagonists in this fic and are way over the top (in keeping with Glee’s tradition of being OTT).

Authors Note #5: Now back to the regular path of Once in a Lifetime

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Filming the season finale of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. had been bittersweet. True, the idea that they had been in LA for nearly a full year was amazing, but it also meant that they were done filming their first season. They were no longer going to be the new kids....

Of course, that was made less traumatic by the fact that their contracted been renewed and they were going to be regulars next year.  Kitty had taken them out to celebrate when she told the news. It was during that dinner when she had told them she was moving out to LA as well. They'd suspected she would, but until that night it had not been confirmed. Sugar was delighted to offer a spare room at her beach house and Kitty took her up on it.

Two weeks into their summer hiatus from the making the trek back to New York City. Artie had one of his student films accepted into a small festival and they wanted to be there to support him. The movie itself had been pretty good. Sure, Sam had been confused by a few things, but Blaine's whispered explanations helped with that. Artie was over the moon and it even won an award at the festival, which was awesome.

The night after Artie's film screening, Kurt and Rachel hosted a dinner at their loft.  Initially, they only invited a few people, but as word spread to the assorted members of New Directions present to support Artie, the party grew in size.

It was great to see everyone again and Sam thought it was really nice of Kurt and Rachel to throw the party. They were both acting very sweet and he figured they must've realized they had been kind of out of line when they had come to LA. This, he figured, was their way of apologizing and Sam was okay with that, cuz people make mistakes and if they had learned from it, well, then all was forgiven.

To absolutely no one's surprise, Jake, Marley, Ryder and Unique all chose to attend college in the same general part of California.  Even Kitty was taking part-time classes at UCLA, though she was also considering taking on new clients.

“You guys must be thrilled about having your contracts renewed," Marley said Sam with a grin.  "Your fans online are going nuts."

"Yeah and that douche bag Turk seems to finally shut up," Ryder added.  "That dude was seriously cracked."

Kurt was setting out a new tray of... Sam actually didn't know what the appetizers were, but he thought he could see suction cups like you'd see on the tentacles of an octopus, so he was gonna pass on that. Overhearing their conversation, Kurt offered, "You shouldn't be so judgmental. Just because a person has a different opinion does not mean they are...cracked, as you put it."

"The guy was a nasty, deluded troll with a creepy obsession who must've finally realized he was universally hated," Jake snorted.  "I'm gonna judge the fuck out of him."

"I think he was just strong in his convictions," Kurt said, his voice getting high in that way it did when his temper flared.  "Perhaps the rabid fan base bullied him to the point where he retreated out of fear."

"Seemed to me he enjoyed the fights he got into and was always far more aggressive than anyone he argued with," Quinn said. "I remember reading his posts and think he was a classic bully pretending to be the victim type, taking out his own feelings of inadequacy on others."

"I am not bully and I'm certainly not inadequate!" Kurt more or less shrieked and happy chatter in the room faded. "How dare you come into my house and belittle me like that? I demand an apology!"

In the heavy silence, Sam looked at Blaine, hoping he'd misunderstood, but from the look of betrayal on Blaine's face, he clearly hadn't.

In a tone laced with ice, Quinn said, "Kurt... I was talking about Turk McKinley. Is there some reason you took that to heart?"

"Well, I'm feeling kind of stupid for not figuring that one out," Mike murmured as Kurt sputtered denials, but it was too late.

Sam wrapped an arm around Blaine, who leaned into his side.  "I can't even say I'm shocked really," Blaine sighed, shaking his head.  "Just hurt and disappointed."

A flush colored Kurt's face.  "You're hurt and disappointed?!  What about me? I need...."

"You need to shut the hell up," Santana snarled, inserting herself between Kurt and Blaine. "None of us need to hear your weak and moronic justifications for your awfulness.  In fact, I don't think the boys need to be subjected to you at all right now. Party's moving people. Across the hall."

Sam was more than happy with the change of venue, though he was pretty sure they were all little shaken for the rest of the night.

How could Kurt do that?

It took a few hours with the baby goats at the Central Park petting zoo the next day for Blaine's smile to fully return and that made Sam even madder than finding out that the troll been Kurt initially.

No one got to steal Blaine's smile, not when Sam was around!

**

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After Kurt's revelation in New York, it was especially sweet to return home to LA. A little TLC from their pets had them both in high spirits by the time July and the San Diego Comic Con rolled around.  It was no less thrilling than the first time, though they had a bit more experience getting used to the idea of having fans as well as being fans.

Once again, Artie flew out to join them, though this year he had plans in addition to geeking out.  Earlier in the year he'd begun a blog for posting his short films and other little videos and he wanted to film Blaine and Sam walking around Comic Con interacting with fans.

Only the fans wouldn't know was them, as they'd be in the costume of another masked or cowled hero.

Blaine thought it was a darn cool idea and after a little finagling by Kitty, a deal was worked out for Artie to produce and film segments with financial backing from Marvel TV and they would air on both Artie and Marvel's websites.

A win win situation.

On the first day of the con, they had no panels to participate in, so that seemed like a good time to start. The costumes they got to wear were amazing.

"You know, I love you and your Hulkling uniform, but...," Blaine said, staring at a red, white and blue clad Sam.  "I think I need a kiss from Captain Samerica!"

That made Sam grin and set down his prop shield.  "You make a pretty darn awesome Iron Blaine yourself," he replied, bending down for a kiss.

Artie rolled his eyes good-naturedly.  "Just don't do that out on the convention floor... At least not until we finished the segments and you've done the big reveal.  Then you can totally throw the Stony fans a bone."

"Probably not the only bones being thrown," Sugar teased, making Kitty snicker.

"C'mon boys, helmet and cowl on!  Let's go talk to the fans!"

**

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The interview surprises went over even better than expected. Everyone was delighted and they took so many pictures with excited fans. Kids in particular were a riot and Blaine adored a picture of Sam holding a little girl dressed as The Winter Soldier in one arm.

At the end of the day, Blaine took off his mask for the last time and Sam pulled him in for a kiss. In most photos, there wasn't a great angle on their faces, so it did look like Captain America was smooching Iron Man in the middle of the San Diego Comic Con!

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The next day, during the Marvel panel, the other actors teased playfully.

"Well, you had to go unspoiled big romantic surprise from the next Avengers movie!" Robert Downey Jr. joked, causing the crowd to go nuts.  Five minutes later, when some order was restored, he quirked a brow at Chris Evans.  "They really want to see us kiss."

“And the ones that don't want to see me and Chris make out," Sebastian Stan replied, making everyone scream again.

Joss had to step in then to wrangle the crowd.  "Now, now, I know we all like to speculate about Cap's love life, but we can't spoil everything.  I do have a few things about the new movie I can say though...."

He talked for some time, quite masterfully giving away very little. It was really impressive Blaine thought, eager to hear about the movie himself.

"... And toward the end of the film, were introducing a character from the comics who will play a role in the Marvel movie/TV/Netflix universe... America Chavez!"

Everyone cheered and Sam's hand tightened around Blaine's.

"All you Young Avengers fans know her and cince of bringing America in, of course Billy and Teddy will be there," Joss said turning to them with a smile.  "We kind of figured you two would like this surprise."

Like was putting in a little mildly.

Tiny guest roles are not, they were going to be a part of the next Avengers movie!

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