#you know how normal i feel about gabe?

[running-with-kn1ves]

Late Mornings

A/N: Just a short little thang I felt like writing. The idea of writing a smut w/ these two is very tempting 🧐🧐

Incubus x Gender neutral reader x Succubus

Summary: Just a normal morning with your secret succubus/incubus roommates, nothing odd here at all

“Hey, have you been going into my room lately?”

You looked down into your cup of warm tea, sticking your thumb in to feel the temperature. 

Your female roommate scoffed, cutting herself off with a laugh.

“What? No. What kind of question is that, why would I go into your room?”

“Well,” You chest squeezes, your heart feeling like it was about to squish and explode. “I-- Every morning, my door is open. I never leave my door open; not when I’m not home, anyway. I’ve been paying attention to it more, and it’s no coincidence--”

“What are we talkin’ about fellas?” A raspy voice says from behind, startling you. 

Your hand shakes, mug slightly tipping to leave tea on the white tablecloth. Shit, this was your grandma’s.

Your female roommate, currently still cooking with her back turned to you, let out a groan of disgust.

“Didn’t know the beast woke up before noon.” She chides. 

Warm hands fall onto your shoulders, holding them still as if to keep you from getting up. 

“You’re up, Gabriel?” You try to turn around to face him, but find that the male is already next to you, his warmth radiating off of him, part of it likely still remaining in the sheets he just tangled himself out of. 

“You too?” He frowns, unattractive lines forming on his pedicured face. “I don’t sleep that late most of the time, you know. I have to get up for work by 10-- usually.”

“Yeah, when you don’t have a ‘guest’.” Your female roommate counters. 

“Ugh shuddup Liz, as if you’re not the same. Besides, you know I gave that up a while ago.” 

For some reason, Gabriel looked toward you while saying this, you in return giving him a confused look. 

He massaged your shoulders, leaning all of his weight onto you as he nearly fell asleep again, yawning and closing his eyes. 

“You believe me right, sunshine? Haven’t heard anything in these thin walls lately huh?”

You cringe at how he shoves his nose against the crook of your neck, inhaling your smell so obviously it nearly makes you shudder from embarrassment. You would’ve shoved him off if Liz had turned around, witnessing it. But she still was turned cooking, making breakfast for you. She made enough for all three of you to eat, but you knew you’d be the only one with a plate when she was done. 

“C’mon Gabe you’re suffocating me,” You pat his hand, hoping he’d stop himself from reaching over the chair to hold you. But he didn’t, instead giving you a awkward hug from behind as he rocked you back and forth. 

“Blegh, don’t call me that; you know I hate it. Just gives me more of a reason to hang on…” He says, noting the way you shimmy in his grip, trying to make him let go. 

Liz turns with a pan in her hand, dumping the eggs and bacon in it onto your plate, pulling Gabriels ear with her free hand. 

“Let go.” She says, with a little more harshness than you would’ve expected. 

“Mind your manners, you never learned how to share.” She glares daggers at him, flicking his nose as he backs off. 

You’re too busy pulling at your neck, a wave of nausea and sleepiness coming over you, as if Gabriel’s exhaustion rubbed off. 

“So mean, bitch..” He mumbles, stretching his arms as he goes to sit next to you. “Well, atleast I feel energized for the day.” 

His face has a newfound freshness, dark circles less ingrained as he looks around the room. 

Gabriel scooted his chair over noisily, sitting nearly beside you now despite your chair being at the short end of the table. 

You let out a small sigh of exasperation, feeling what seemed like bruises on your shoulders and neck. Had he really pressed that hard?

“Stop messing with it, you’ll make it worse.” He said, bringing your hand down as you felt a strange indent in your skin.

“Make what worse?” You questioned. Could he see something on you that you couldn’t? Well, you hadn’t looked in a mirror since you woke up. 

“What are your plans for the day?” Liz interrupted, holding a mug with one hand as she sat across from gabriel, moving her chair with her other hand. You always admired the grace she seemed to have when doing things, her balance and lack of clumsiness making her appear so capable. If it were you, you probably would’ve gotten the chair stuck on the rug, dropping the mug in the process. 

Her chair was close, but not nearly as close as Gabriel’s. You watched her pour her coffee as you began to pick up your fork. Gabe held onto your other hand, petting it with his thumb as he grabbed a clean mug from across the table. 

Trying to pull your hand away, you found that Gabriel’s came with it, holding on as if he was an extension of you. 

“Gabe.” Liz barked, watching the scene unfold. Gabriel was mid-sip as he let go in an offended manner, throwing up his free hand and rolling his eyes from behind the mug. 

She scoffed, muttering under her breath about his childness as she turned her attention to you. 

“So, your plans for today, Bee?” Liz repeated.

You perked up at the nickname, having not heard it for quite a while. You much preferred it over Gabriel’s overly sweet ones-- It wasn’t even about him trying too hard, he was just naturally that sappy to a tasteless degree. 

You looked up like a deer in headlights, not expecting the attention your roommates were giving now, since they were previously so occupied with one another. But they both awaited your answer, watching you shovel bits of cheesy eggs and overdone bacon into your mouth. You took a scalding sip of your tea, some of it dripping down to your chin as you tried to hurry to answer. 

“You’re almost as bad as Gabriel,” Liz sneered, though with less conviction than she gave to the aforementioned male. “Take your time, don’t rush.” 

She pulled a napkin from the holder, grabbing your chin like a mother would to her child. Though, you didn’t feel the napkin grace your face, instead her thumb was wiping away whatever remnants you left on your unwashed skin. 

Satisfied, Liz licked her thumb clean, drying it on the napkin she pulled. 

“So...?”

You cleared your throat, licking your lips under the hungry gazes of your roomates. 

“Uh, I really hadn’t planned much, since its been my first day off since--” 

“You should stay home with us; what do ya know, I have today off too.” Gabriel interrupts. 

You look towards him, a cheeky grin covering his face as he pushes his socked foot against yours, hip nearly touching your own. 

All of a sudden Gabriel yelped out, his knee hitting the table as Liz shot him a glare that you swore could paralyze. You hoped to never be on the receiving end of her wrath. 

“While I don’t usually agree with the dimwit,” Liz commented, turning her attention back to you as her hard expression softened. “I think it could be nice to have a roomies day-- Just relaxing, watching movies, indulging in some needs… You know, just simple things.” 

Gabriel nursed his foot, holding it as he nodded with a frown. 

“I could do your hair.. Liz could take you shopping…” Gabe’s excitement had turned to slight pouting. 

You thought about it for a moment. Why not? You had hardly spent much time with the two, even though they always seemed to be around, sucking up your energy and time like vampires. You swore it was a mistake to have two extroverts as your roommates. 

There seemed to be something off about them too; something they wouldn’t say. But you didn’t mind-- especially since they had quit some of their more tedious habits like bringing nightly “friends” home, since you came along. You didn’t know how much longer you could handle the embarrassment of hearing their every move, every sound. Thankfully, you didn’t have to have much of a discussion about it, their one-night stands decreasing by the second week of your move-in. 

“Awe please say yes,” Gabriel pouted, reaching for your hand as he bunched his own against the tablecloth, attention pulled back to you. “We hardly get your-- well, any time with you. C’mon, won’t you do it for us?” 

Liz would’ve reprimanded him if it weren’t for the way your frown turned slightly upward. You took his hand, giving a dramatic sigh and roll of your eyes. 

“Does that mean yes?” Liz questioned. 

“I guess so. As long as we aren’t going extreme-- I don’t need a whole wardrobe change, OR a new hairstyle.” 

You looked at Gabriel with your eyebrows raised. 

“I’ll do the best I can to restrain myself.” He cackles, rubbing his hands mischeviously. 

“Ah, I’m excited,” Liz says with a grin, pushing her foot towards yours. “I can’t remember the last time I got to go out with a… friend.” She gave you a smile that seemed out of place. 

You smiled back, slightly forced as her cold foot ran up and down your leg, stroking above your pajama pants as she gleamed at you. 

“Well we gotta get ready-- first, its my turn. I need to get you dressed and right for the day-- before missy here takes you for a shopping trip that counts more as an excursion.” Gabriel pushed out of his seat, leaving his full cup there as you took another bite of food. 

“Don’t keep me waiting,” He pushed your head towards his face, giving a longing kiss to your cheek as you chewed. “I know where to find youuu.” He sing-songed, pressing a finger to your nose as he pecked the same area once more. He skipped back to his room, humming as he and Liz refused to break eye contact. 

Was it normal for roommates to be so affectionate? You weren’t sure, but the rent was too cheap and they were too nice for you to say no to his advances. 

“He’s right, its already eleven.” Liz commented, her busty body already dressed in normal day clothes that showed off the right parts; You had to admit, you were a little jealous of how well she knew how to dress for her body type.

Liz grabbed her mug with her fingertips, pushing your hair back and giving a gentle peck to your forehead. 

“Don’t let him do too much, you’ll regret it.” Liz warned. She laughed a little as she walked away, your chewing stopping as you wondered what you had gotten yourself into. 

You quickly finished your food, feeling another wave of sickly nausea pressing into your sinuses as your head went heavy. You were going to need much more than your normal amount of strength to survive those two today.

[jazeswhbhaven]

Could I request where the kings+ Lucifer (and maybe the seraphims too?) have an s/o who is just like deeply in love with them? Their s/o just can't describe it in words, they can't fully show it in actions no matter how tight their hug is to the kings, but it's always seen in their eyes that they do in fact love the kings.

Everytime their s/o is talking to someone or some devil, they're just there. They do listen, but they don't smile. If they do, it's just a polite, little smile, but that's it. BUT, when it comes to them, suddenly their s/o's smile widens and their cheeks turn into this slight rosy pink color and their eyes especially shows how happy they are. Their s/o's eyes when they smile, they have this smile where their eyes smiles along with their lips (I think it's called eye smile, I'm not so sure).

Sometimes they even get caught where there's someone talking and their s/o is just paying attention to them and to their features. Their s/o just looks at them with heart eyes at this point 😭

So sorry if this request doesn't make much sense!!

Awh sounds like their s/o is their number one fan <3 (thank you for your patience!!) Let's start with the seraphim, because hopefully in a perfect AU, they'd actually care about their s/o's. Michael: Normally, he doesn't care about anyone or anything in Heaven other than God, but since he's left...he's been anxious and stand-offish. But when he goes to Earth to visit his s/o he's calm, he doesn't even cry as much. He loves to see the look on their face when he enters the room, how happy they look, how their eyes light up and their arms reach out toward him. "I've been waiting for you" is their normal greeting. He loves it more than he's willing to admit. He's a bit possessive of those faces that they make, so he doesn't want to share them, they all belong to him. They're happy to see him, to love him. All that's what he'll take.

Gabriel: No one is above God, not even himself. But there is one person who he cares to see often. Their devotion to living as close to Godly as they can, and how they wish for God's return for his sake. Gabe is unfamiliar with how much his s/o pines for him. He tries his best to acknowledge their admiration, the way that they smile, laugh, and always mention him even to others with such a dazed expression it's clear that they're obsessed. Even though it's a learning curve for this one-track-minded angel, he wants his s/o to keep showing this amount of energy toward him, that way maybe together his and their love can bring back God.

Raphael: Surprisingly, you'd think that this angel would be disgusted by having an s/o but somewhere along the way, his mind changed. He visits them often, he's pining just as much as they are. He doesn't show it when he's in Heaven, still off-putting, a pain in the ass to be around. But with his s/o? They're melting into each other, he wants them to make those faces when he arrives, the same way, each time. In intimacy, he wants to see their blushing face, the way they say his name, everything fuels him more and more. "So this is what it's like to be loved..."

Now for our demon bois!!! <3 <3

Satan: There's nothing he loves more than his s/o only having certain reactions and emotions toward him. He encourages this each time and makes it worse by teasing them lightly, saying how much he loves it when they make that 'face' or how they blush when they see him. "Do I work you up that much?" And he know he does. When he sees his s/o being uninterested when talking with other devils he feels a sense of pride and an ego boost.

Mammon: He drinks up this behavior from his s/o so much he's always overfilled with joy himself when he sees them. His favorite thing is when his s/o is casually speaking to one of his nobles and he just happens to pass by and they immediately stop talking and rush to him to hug him and say they miss him and hurry and finish his work. Every time that happens, he finds a way to finish up everything or just scoops up his s/o and takes them with him and they're amazed by everything he does.

Beelzebub: If you thought Amon was the biggest Beel simp, make way for his s/o. They may not have little trinkets or posters of him, but they have him. The real deal! Sometimes, they'll even put themselves into situations so he appears, always saying "I just wanted to see you, I miss you." Beel loves this about them, and to the point where he starts staying behind in Avisos more often. And when he's not there, no one is free from his s/o blabbing about him all the time. In fact, Amon hangs around them pretty much all the time to hear more stories about Beel and what his s/o likes about him.

Leviathan: Oh, he loves the fuck out of his s/o because all they do is talk about him. No one is Hades is free from his s/o's rambles. They run errands for him, and could be held up in the store in hours explaining why they chose a pair of socks for Levi. They stitch his name in them too when they get home, they stare at him quite often and blush when he catches them staring. He used to stare at them blankly, but now he smirks and walks away, knowing they're still staring at him in awe as he does.

Lucifer: This kind of love is foreign to him, and he doesn't think much of it when his s/o dotes on him like they do. They're always wrapping up his bloodied wings, or making sure his fangs and horn are tip-top in shape. They often bring Morax and Marbas around to check up on his other areas of health out of worry when he's just fine. He doesn't feel lonely anymore with his s/o's presence, even when they're not in the same room, he can hear them speaking about how much they love him and are lucky to be his. Almost makes him want to cry...almost.

[love-superache]

Waiting Room

Pairing: (Platonic but you can view how you like, but it's better platonic because there is a mention of Annabeth) Percy Jackson x Clearsighted! Mortal! GN! Reader.

Summary: Percy goes to therapy (🥳🥳), in the waiting room he meets someone a bit...different from the normal mortals.

Warnings: Swearing. And that's just it I guess? Ohh I almost forgot it has a mention of Gabe. (🤢)

Notes: Okay I don't know how hospitals and medical services work really well in other countries. But in mine this is how private hospitals work in Portugal. So this is just how I know. 😭😭😭 And hope you all like it! (And my Clarisse work was on fire, really happy!)

1.

Percy gets out of the car with Paul driving and Sally sitting on his side.

"Do you need for us to enter with you honey?" Sally asks smiling.

"Nah, it's okay mom." He kisses her cheek and waves at Paul.

"See you at home." Paul nods and waves back, Sally looks at him until he passes the door of the hospital entrance.

She relaxes as he does so.

"You need to relax." Paul says as he starts driving, after he tells her that he turns on the radio.

Sally nods. "You're right." She says and holds his hand that isn't in the steering wheel.

2.

Percy enters and goes to the balcony.

He waits for the register to even look at him, she is making gum balls and looking at a magazine, after he coughs to get her attention she looks at him, her ball gum going to her red lipstick lips in suprise.

"Hello there." Percy says as she looks at him. "I have a session with Doctor Brenner." She looks at her computer, he hears the sound of the offline 'Dino Game', but he hopes he is becoming deaf instead of that.

He coughs again.

"Oh yeah, I'm sorry." She makes a forced smile with full teeth, wich has some of the red lipstick she is using. He makes a mental note to not say anything about it.

"So here it is." She talks to herself in the computer and points at the customer service password machine.

He goes and takes one: 'A458'.

'I hope that is good.' He thinks. She coughs at him to get his attention. He suddently feels the pressure to yell to all the people that she has lipstick in her teeth, but he doesn't.

"Yes?" He tries to make a smile.

"Doctor Brenner has a lot of people today, so the wait may be longer than the normal." She says now really playing the 'Dino Game' as he can see trough the reflection in her eyes.

"Thank you." He says, not very thankfull.

He goes sit in the waiting room, looking at the sides. The girl was right it is kind of full today, and isn't just because of the therapy sessions.

He goes sit at the place who has less people, a person reading a book, a mom who looks tired of life with two kids (he can tell that they are twins), and and emo kid in the corner who looks like could pull his phone out of his pocket and the people in there would think it is an AK-47. He sits beside the person reading the book. He waits for his time and looks at the TV who says the customers password. He sees that it is in the Q457 and W231. He has no idea if that is good, but it doesn't look like it, because he is A and it is in Q and W now?

"They are random." He hears the person next to him say. He looks at you as you look at him too.

"...What?" He asks suprised.

"The numbers...you were looking at them right?" You ask.

"Yeah I was." He makes a embarassed smile. "I was just suprised that you knew."

You shrugh your shoulders, now closing the book putting the marker in it.

"You were looking at the TV like an idiot." You smirk. "It was likely to knew." He smirks back.

"Very funny." Percy says mockingly.

"Thank you." You say and continue. "So what brings you here? I never seen you here before. Not that matter of course."

Percy thinks of it for a minute but he decides to tell. "Therapist." He says and looks at you.

"Doctor Brenner right?" You ask smiling.

"How did you know?" He asks again suprised.

"Wow, for you I must look like a wizard or something like that." You chuckle and tell him."I'm going to the therapist too."

"Oh." Percy says.

"Oh." You say mockingly but smiling.

"Soooo..is Doctor Brenner good or..?" Percy asks.

"He is." You say. "5 stars, I recommend." Percy chuckles with that.

"So sorry to ask. If you don't feel okay to answer I understand. Since we met now and whatever." You say. "But is there a specific reason you need a therapist?"

'Lots of them.' He thinks.

"Nope. Just a shitty ex-stepfather." He says and you nod.

'Hey, I'm not lying at least.' He thinks again.

"I see." You say and sigh.

"You seem disapointed." He says.

"It's not that." You pause for a moment. "It's just that...my reason to be here is kind of...rare."

Percy nods. "Can you tell me what it is?" You nod. "Yes, it's only fair...you answered my question." You pause again and sigh.

"I see things that other people can't." You tell.

Percy thinks for a moment. "So...you're schizophrenic?" He asks and as he sees you become tense he adds.

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to be rude."

"I understand." You say and make a small smile to him. "And no I'm not schizophrenic...I don't know what I suffer with." You add and he can see your hand tremble. "They are there for me, and not for others, I don't know why." You say.

"Did you already made the tests to see what you have...?" Percy tells carefully.

"Yes...and nothing, it looks like it's rare, I don't hear voices, nothing! Just see strange things." You say looking at your lap as another man enters our section of the waiting room and sits besides the emo kid, the man looks at the kid and almost jumps in suprise as the kid takes a book from his bag, after that he goes sit across one of the twins.

Percy and you almost die in laughter but after some seconds it finishes and you say again.

"Doctor Brenner says that maybe it's because of stress. But I don't know." You sigh and Percy looks at you sadly.

"Well, what strange things you see?" He asks.

"Okay, it is really strange so don't alarmed." You sigh.

"I won't. Can't you see that we are at the hospital?" You two chuckle again.

"Okay.." You sigh again. "Flying horses, with wings... And giants with one eye and sometimes...I see people with swords and strange weapons." You look at him carefully.

"Wow." He says, he didn't expect to meet a clearsighted mortal right now, but here you are. He thought of his mom and Rachel and how they must have suffered when they didn't know of the godly world..like you.

"Wow." You repeat, this time not mocking. "I feel like I'm crazy, more than the emo kid." The emo kid looks at you and you wave nervous, and mutter a sorry.

'If Nico was here.' Percy thinks and chuckles to himself.

"Well, it might sound suprising but I know some people with the same condition as you..." He smiles.

"Really?!" You smile with full teeth. "OMG, I could kiss you right now!" You look at your hands still smiling.

"No thank you, I have a girlfriend." He smirks.

"Shut up and give me they're contact." You smile at him.

"Ouch, but okay." He gives you his mom and Rachel contact, writing on a paper. "Wow, one of your friend name is Red? Kind of cool."

He tries not to laugh. "Noo, it's Rachel Elizabeth Dare: R.E.D."

You nod. "That makes more sense."

And then Percy remembers something. "I don't know your name."

"Neither do I know yours." You smirk.

"Okay then. I'm Percy." He smiles at you.

"Hello, Percy. I'm Y/N." You shake his hand and smile aswell.

"Can I ask you something?" You tell.

Percy nods. "Well is Percy a nickname or your real name, because the only Percy I can think of is Percy Weasley form Harry Potter." You chuckle.

"It's a nickname, but it's what everyone calls me." He tells you.

"Why? Is your name that bad." You ask.

"I don't know, tell me you that." He pauses for a moment and tries not to laugh, he take your hand again and shakes it. "Hello Y/N. I'm Perseus."

You look at him suprised. "Percy it is then." You laugh at his face and then the TV makes a sound and shows 'A458: room 23.' Percy smirks and gets up.

"How the hell is yours first than mine." You hiss.

"No idea." Percy shrughs his shoulders. "But it's not like you are going to need it again." He points at the paper with the numbers and you smile.

"Right..." You get up and hug him. "Thanks again." You sit again and open your book.

He smiles to you one last time and goes to his designed room.

3.

After you're own session you go out of the hospital and wait for your parent at the entrance, while you are waiting you see a car pass by you. Percy is in there with an older woman and man, maybe his mom and another stepfather that isn't shitty? You shrugh and look at what he has in hand. A sword.

You look at him and he looks at you

trought the window, he looks at you with a smirk and you look back angry.

The car goes away and you yell at it.

"Fuck you." You sound angry but you have a smirk in your face.

[gilverrwrites]

Heyy I was wondering if you could do a friends to lovers with Gabriel if you do write for him (if not just ignore this haha) I don’t really have any specific requests other than the friends to lovers haha :)

Aware Of Your Stare

AN: I do, I do! Hope this is the kinda thing you had in mind 💛

Pairing: Gabriel/GN!Reader

Words: 2K

Content: Friends to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, kissing, petnames, (mild) arguing, but mainly fluff.

Please remember: Your feelings are valid.

Ko-Fi || Masterlist || Request Info

You’re woken by the feel of something soft tickling the tip of your nose. You lean away and glare up through half-lidded eyes at the perpetrator. Gabriel, who is lounging beside you in nothing but his vest and boxers. Angels typically don't sleep, so they often find themselves trying to kill time. When there isn't an imminent threat or apocalypse on the horizon anyway.

Castiel patrols the bunker like a guard dog, watching its residents (mainly Dean) sleep. Michael lets Adam sleep to give him that sense of human normality. You weren’t really sure how that worked, but you assumed he found some kind of respite in it.

Gabe, however, despite being able to go anywhere and conjure anything with anyone, liked to set up shop for the night in your room, where he would binge-watch TV and get pastry crumbs all over your comforter.

“Quit it.” You mutter before shutting your eyes again and nuzzling back into your pillow.

“You quit is.” He responds, following your nose with his finger. “You’re too loud. Nick is trying to cheer up Jess after she broke up with her boyfriend at the holiday party, and you’re snoring right over it.”

“Ugh.” You reach up to bat his hand away, and he briefly retreats. With your eyes closed, you don’t realise he’s simply relocating his attack before it’s too late.

You kick and flail at him desperately, crying out for him to stop, but it’s no use, damn his archangel strength. You’re at his mercy until he lets you go. When he eventually subsides, you shove him away, and he plays along, rolling back to his side of the bed. “You’re the worst.”

“Nah, you love me really, sugar.” He replies, opening his arms wide and grinning at you.

You feign a glare before following his lead and crawling into his arms. With the snap of his fingers, he rewinds the TV, and you slowly fall back asleep under the gentle feel of him stroking your back.

“Hey, I don’t care what or who you do in the privacy of your own room, but could you keep it down? A man needs his sleep.”

You blink at Dean over your morning coffee. The caffeine must not have kicked in yet because there is no way he just said what he said. “What?”

“Don’t make me say it.” He shrugs at you, exasperated, as he pours his own coffee.

“Say what?” You push, irritated by the implication.

“You and Gabriel. You know….”

“No! I don’t know!” You stand from the breakfast table, too charged to sit still but too engaged to leave. “Nothing is going on between me and Gabriel. We’re just friends.”

The expression on Dean's face shows that he doesn’t believe a word out of your mouth. “The way you two look at each other. Nah, there’s nothing “friendly” about it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” You rack your brain, trying to recall how you look at him and how he looks at you, but fail to find anything not ‘friendly’ about it. Sure, he was handsome, fun, and easy to be around, but that doesn’t mean anything. “How do we—I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The sound of wings fluttering makes you jump. Gabriel now sits opposite your spot at the table, and you can’t help but look at him now to examine his honey-tinted hazel eyes; they were beautiful. But they weren’t looking at you differently than you’d expect. Shit, were you looking at him funny? Like you wanted him?

Your skin tingled with embarrassment, and you forced yourself to sit back down and look away from him.

“Friends?” Dean wiggles his brows at you as he swiftly exits. Dropping a spanner in your brain's inner workings and exiting stage left. Asshole.

“What was that about?” Gabriel asks as he leans over to take your coffee. He sips, scrunches his lips, and proceeds to add an unholy amount of sugar. Old habits die hard. When you spend too long contemplating he nudges at you. “Hey, what’s up, hon?”

Hon. You’d never batted an eyelid at that or any other pet name he’d given you since becoming friends. So why was it making you feel funny now?

“Nothing.” You assure him as you stand once again and begin heading to the door. “I gotta go, I’ve got… stuff to do.”

“You want some company?” He swings around on the bench, ready to follow.

“No! No, thank you.” You shake your head as you leave without another word.

You didn’t see him again for a while, having taken off to hunt a pack of werewolves a few states over. You couldn’t deny that Dean had shaken something inside you. The fact that your instinctive response was to protest so adamantly was your first clue. The distance had given you time to clear your head. Enjoying someone’s presence and appearance didn’t mean you had to pursue anything more. He is your friend, and that’s all you need. You weren’t going to mess with the balance.

That’s what you told yourself as you entered your room to find Gabe inside. He’d clearly been making use of the space while you were gone. The trashcan was overflowing with empty candy wrappers, the bed was unmade, and a puddle of something fruity smelling seeped out from under your bedside table. One would think he didn’t have the power to clean all that up in a second. You might have complained, had you not also noticed that your laundry basket was empty, and your desk had been organised precisely the way you liked it. Priorities.

“You’re back!” He smiled as he crossed the room and engulfed you in a hug. He smelled warm and inviting, like mocha and malted sugar. Had he always smelled so good? You wondered as you melted into him. So engulfed, you almost missed the subtle way he sniffed in your own scent. You couldn’t help but hope he liked it. You’re not sure how long you stayed like that before Gabriel broke the silence. “Come on, get ready. The circus is in town.”

“The circus? Really?” You groaned as he released you. “I’m tired, I just want to chill.”

“You can chill later. We'll have a good time, I promise.”

“Why do you even want to go?” You ask as you dump your travel bag on the floor and dramatically collapse onto your bed. Trying to emphasise your tiredness.

“Why don’t you?” Gabriel approaches, standing over you and looking down at you sternly.

“Ummm, the crowds,” you lift your arm into the air, lining your hand up with his face as you count the reasons with your fingers: “the loud noises, the clowns…”

“I’ve seen your dating history.” Gabe bats your hand down before pointing an accusatory finger at you. “You love clowns.”

Usually, you would have laughed. That was a classic comeback, but he would almost certainly take your laughter as a victory, so you force a straight face and push back any creeping notions that maybe he was jealous of your exes.

“How long have you been on earth?” You ask him, readying your next argument. He shrugs, and you can sense his amused interest in where you’re going with this. “You could go to any circus, anytime, anywhere. Who gives a shit about some two-bit, washed-up roadside circus?”

You wonder briefly if you might subconsciously be comparing yourself to the circus. He’s an angel, after all, an archangel. Of all the beings on earth, why does he choose to spend so much time with you? Again, you shut down the thought process before it gets away from you.

Gabriel is looking down at you, brows furrowed. Instead of answering your question, he crosses his arms and asks, “Jeez honey, what bit you in the ass?”

“A werewolf.” You reply deadpan.

“Seriously?” He tilts his head, and you notice how his eyes wander down your body. He can’t see your ass from his position, but you’re pretty sure he’s trying. The thought makes you feel flushed.

“No.” Playfully, you kick your leg at him until he gives way, allowing you space to stand and face him. “Okay, fine, but you’re paying.”

As you watch the trapeze artists flying across the tent, you admit to yourself that you were, in fact, having a good time. The acts were good, the clowns weren’t that scary, and the atmosphere was lively. Everything smelt like popcorn, and the stands weren’t as sticky as you’d feared.

You glance over at Gabriel, who is on his third cotton candy cone (you are totally not jealous of his metabolism). You could never confess to having a good time; he’d never let it go. Besides, if the smug side-eye he's giving you is any indication, he already knew.

“Want some?” He offers you the cotton candy, and you can’t stop from grinning as you lean over. Your fingers brush against his as you steady the cone to take a piece, and your cheeks start to warm up. 

The candy is sweet on your tongue, and you let your smile grow to show your approval. Gabe laughs in response. You begin to shift back to your seat, but you’re stopped by the feel of his warm hand on your lower back, tenderly holding you close to him as he quietly speaks. “You have got to stop looking at me like that.”

Your eyes widen, and you must look like a deer in the headlights because he’s laughing again. Laughing at you, is he teasing you.

“Looking at you like what?” Your voice is quiet, nothing like it had been when Dean accused you of the same thing. 

“Like…” He tilts his head back briefly, searching for the correct words. “Like you want me, in the biblical sense.”

If your eyes weren’t about to pop out before, they were now.

“Tell me I’m wrong.” He continues, now tilting his head forward until his face is almost pressed to yours. He’s been this close before, closer, in fact, so why was your breath hitching now? “Tell me to stop, and we’ll forget this ever happened.”

Maybe you should have slowed to think about it, although your answer likely would have been the same. You answer quickly, instinctively. “Don’t stop.”

Clowns and acrobats forgotten, you initiate the kiss before you talk yourself out of it. His lips are soft and sickeningly sweet, his stubble itches at your skin, but you immediately want more.

Sensing your neediness, Gabriel pulls your body closer and deepens the kiss. You’re about to open your mouth, to try for more access, but the sound of someone deliberately coughing distracts you both.

Your heads turn simultaneously to see a rather unimpressed mother glaring at you, and you both laugh in response.

“Wanna get out of here?” He quirks his head to the exit, and you nod. He holds your hand and follows close behind as you lead the way, down the stalls, outside the tent. As soon as you’re free from prying eyes he flies you back home. The perks of having an angel best friend, a boyfriend, a lover, a something who still has their wings. It only takes a second, but it still gives you a brief stint of motion sickness. When you’re steady on your feet again, you look over to Gabriel, suddenly feeling shy and unsure how to proceed.

He’s smiling at you, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. It’s a smile entirely for your benefit. “If you’ve changed your mind, we don’t have to do anything.”

“No. No, I haven’t.” You assure him, reaching out and gently holding onto his upper arm as you step closer until you’re chest to chest. “I want this. I guess I just didn’t realise until... very recently.”

“Yeah.” The cheery glint in his eye returns. “I want you too.”

You initiate the kiss again, enjoying the now familiar sugariness of his mouth. This time he deepens the kiss without disruption, then your tongue brushes against his for the first time he lets out an involuntary moan that makes your brain go fuzzy. 

When you pull away to breathe, you watch his expression. Clearly aware of your stare, he darts his eyes over to the bed, then back at you, and gives his brows a suggestive wiggle. “Shall we?”

[thelightsandtheroses]

eight: don't let this darkness fool you

Your Hand In Mine | Joel Miller x female reader.

Chapter summary: after the reappearance of the junction, you try and find a way back to some form of normal Chapter warnings: Reader is a single parent to a teenager, mentions of breakups, discussions of cults/religious movements and violence within these, threat of a gun, tension, lightly implied panic attack/anxiety, 18+ blog mdni, Notes: Chapter title is from Call Your Mom by Noah Kahan (and the song that I personally credit with helping me through a rough patch last year) Thanks for all of your patience with this chapter - my life irl has been hectic but I'm good! Word Count: 3.9k

Previous | Series | Next

You can’t even remember how you got home, but you’re in kitchen and somewhere in Jackson right now Sean is talking to your son, trying to explain it all to him and Beau and Joel are … they’ll have killed Ethan by now.

The loss of power, of agency in your own past’s return to Jackson makes you feel sick. You should be the one talking to Gabe, it should be your final blow to Ethan. This is your mess, this is your life, not theirs. Having others involved feels intrinsically wrong and yet, you’re grateful to have them to share this burden. So grateful.

Maria makes you tea in your kitchen without speaking. She’s told you that you can stay, that’s something. You wonder if she’ll ever truly trust you again though.

You open your mouth but you can’t find the words, you don’t know where to start. You selfishly don’t want to talk about it. You feel tired in your bones, in every single part of your body. It’s a weight pulling you down.

What if Jackson is at risk though?

“Will they come after him here?” Maria finally asks.

“I don’t know,” you reply.

“And you don’t recognise anyone here?”

“I’ve been out of that group for almost seventeen years, Maria, I - I don’t think I would know if they were here. Hell, you could be one of them for all I know.” You laugh bitterly and take a sip of your tea. “I don’t know how much he would have told them, he’s secretive. They could be … I don’t know.”

“Okay.”

Maria pauses. If this was a film then this would be the moment where you confess everything, where you bare your soul over tea and cry together. Maria would hug you and tell you everything would be okay, or perhaps say it’s too much, that she was wrong, you do need to leave.

You just have to say something. There are so many conversations you owe people now, Maria included, but in the immediate aftermath you don’t have any words.

Eventually it’s just you in the kitchen with a cold cup of tea and silence as your companion.

You’re alter when Gabriel comes home with Sean and you inwardly count your blessings that he even returned. You wondered if he would.

The silence is protracted and stilted in the kitchen around the three of you. You’re not sure what to expect: anger, upset, hurt, a combination of everything?

Sean has taken his hand of Gabe’s shoulder, has moved to leaning against a counter exactly halfway between you and your son who loiters in the doorway, illuminated by the hallway light.

“We should talk, Gabriel,” you say finally, rising from your chair and placing your cold tea mug down.

“Yeah, I reckon so.” You wonder when he grew up, when he changed from a little boy - your little boy - who believed in myths and legends to the almost man before you. Gabriel folds his arms and looks at the ground. “Was he really -”

“We’re your -” We’re your family you want to say, it’s us and it doesn’t matter about Ethan. He’s irrelevant.

It’s not what he’s asking though and it’s not what you owe him. You are all too aware that one wrong word will send him running like a skittish animal, that every syllable matters right now.

“Yes.”

“I look like him,” he says quietly. “When I looked at him, I could see … I could see it.”

“You look like you,” you say gently, “You’re you and only you, you’re not me and you’re not him.”

Gabriel swallows. “Did - am I-”

“No,” you reply vehemently before he can even finish the sentence.

“So, you don’t regret me?”

You pause, taken aback that your son would ask you this. “You saved my life, Gabriel, I would never regret you. Never.”

“How did I save you?” your son asks, curiosity flashing across his face.

“I knew I was pregnant and I didn’t want that life for you, that’s what gave me the courage to talk to Sean, to find a way out, for something better.” You think maybe with everything that’s happened today, the fact that leaving led to a difficult journey where you gave birth in a bombed-out warehouse and then a more than decade long misadventure in the Kansas QZ can be glossed over. You’re in Jackson, you’re here, right?

“That’s … I didn’t know that.”

“You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, Gabe.”

“But if you had a time machine, if you could erase being with him”

“Then there wouldn’t be you and that’s not a decision I want to erase, that’s not a life I want. Would I have wanted you, just you, in a different world without infected or any of that? Sure, but I’d still want it to be you and without all this around us - maybe you wouldn’t be you and that’s not okay with me. I’m rambling, aren’t I?”

“I - I don’t know what to make of all this. Sean told me … he told me some of it, a lot of it I think, but he said I’d need to talk to you and I want to. I do. I’m just …” Your son looks exhausted, eyes red from crying, his posture more crumpled than you’ve seen it before. “I didn’t know what it was like, I didn’t know why or what or … it’s a lot to take in. There are years, years that you’ve told me different things and it’s all muddled in my head. I’m angry about that, really angry, but I - we can get through it, right? I want us to be honest now, please?”

“Yes. We can talk about it whenever you’re ready,” you say, “I’ll do my best to tell you what I can, Gabe, is that okay? I’m sorry, I’m sorry for all of this.”

He nods.

“I don’t think I can talk about it all any more tonight,” he admits and you exhale slowly. “There’s too much for one night.”

“Today’s been a lot, it’s been … I can’t even imagine how you feel, but I love you so much. Sean and Beau love you and none of that has changed, could ever change in fact. I’m sorry I kept this from you, I wanted to protect you. I never thought something like this, like today would happen.”

“Sean said you all thought this group - you thought that they were around here recently.” Gabriel pauses, “Is that why you broke up with Joel?”

“We needed to be able to prepare, to run if needed. I need you safe.” It’s easier to just stick with that to admit than that being so close to Joel, to this kind and solid man had been too overwhelming throughout it all. That losing him was a suitable sacrifice if you could bargain your family’s safety. That the pain was the appropriate punishment.

“You liked him though,” Gabe says, “you haven’t been like that with a guy for a while. I mean … he’s okay, you were good together or whatever.” From Gabe, this is the highest endorsement any man you have ever dated has received.

“I thought you were at the age where the idea of your parents dating repulsed you?”

“Oh, I am and this conversation is something that’ll I never admit it. I just, I do want you to be happy.”

“You too.” You move closer, wrapping him into a close hug. “You too, kiddo. I was so scared,” you whisper, “I was so scared I’d lost you.”

Relief floods through you, you haven’t lost him, you haven’t.

Maybe there’s a way through this.

Maybe there is a way to stay.

You’re avoiding Joel. You’re avoiding as much of the town as you can actually. In the wake of the Junction’s reappearance to your life, you bunker down in your home like a hurricane is still to come.

It’s been over a week now and your creativity in avoiding the town surely deserves recognition. You’re immune to Gabe’s frowns now, to the whispered conversations between Beau and Sean.

You can’t face it yet.

This isn’t permanent. You know you should speak to Maria and Tommy, to offer some sort of guidance on how to tell if the cult is entrenched in Jackson, rotting your home away from the inside, but Sean seems to be handling that for you now. Everyone around you is treating like a wounded animal, afraid of you either self-destructing or lashing out.

You’re not sure what you’re supposed to do now, you’re not sure what comes next.

The bench calls to you.

You find yourself walking there without thought. You need peace, you need to be in a place where the buzzing in your mind can quieten down and where you can avoid prying eyes that mean well. If Sean looks at you one more time with those giant sympathetic eyes of his, you might scream.

You didn’t expect the bench would be occupied.

“It’s okay,” Joel says as soon as he sees you, “I can go if you want to be alone.”

“No, no,” you say quietly, “I want you to stay, Joel.”

You did that to him.

Guilt courses through your body and you look away from his careful gaze immediately.

It’s quiet at this time of night. So quiet. Even the wind is still tonight and while this serene silence would usually bring you peace, tonight is different. You can feel the weight of all the words you should say, and can’t say, and want to say in your stomach.

You sit down next to him, not meeting his gaze and instead remaining transfixed to the night sky ahead.

“I’m sorry you had to do this,” you finally say, pointing at his hand, “does it - does it hurt?” It’s not the question Joel expected, or even you for that matter.

“Hey,” Joel carefully reaches to touch your arm and then hesitantly withdraws, clasping his hands in his lap instead. “It’s not on you.”

“You can’t mean that,” you protest, “if I had said something to Maria, if I had stopped him before-”

“You can’t do this to yourself,” Joel says firmly, “Trust me, you did - you made the best choices you could then, right? Not just for you, but for your kid and that’s got to be enough. It has to be.” There’s something desperate in his expression, something you can’t understand because his reaction feels too vehement, too firm for the occasion. “You did what you did for your kid and I can’t argue with that, no one can.“

“But I could have changed things. We might still be in danger because of me.”

“We can’t live like that, can’t punish ourselves for things we’d never have known. None of us can. Not now, and certainly not before. It won’t help you. Trust me.” Joel exhales. “I spent years agonising over decisions, over every single move I made the night that - that Sarah - I went through everything I did, what I should have done. If I’d just bought the damn cake, if I hadn’t picked up Tommy, if I hadn’t worked a double. Maybe I could have made a different turning, or I coulda said something else to the soldier and then it would be different. I spent years on that.” Joel exhales. “I tore myself up every way I could over it.”

“It was an accident. It was a tragedy,” you say, “it wasn’t joining a damned cult, or dragging your best friend into it too.”

“And how’d you have known that then?”

“I know, I know all this. Logically it makes sense but it just can’t - I can’t make it fit in my head.” You sigh. “I have blood on my hands.”

Joel looks at his own hands before he speaks, “I don’t think anyone who’s alive now doesn’t.”

“You and Beau shouldn’t have had to -”

“I don’t want a man like that near Ellie, near my town, near the people I lo - care about,” Joel says simply. “Beau was of a similar view.”

“What - no, I - is it wrong I don’t want to know?”

Joel looks at you seriously and shakes his head. “Not at all, not at all.”

“Still, I’m sorry you got dragged into this. I mean, we’re not - not anymore. You shouldn’t have been obligated or anything.”

“Beau let something slip earlier,” Joel says carefully, “That you’ve suspected that group was nearby for weeks.”

“I know, I should have told Maria.”

“Right about the time you told we couldn’t - well, you remember what you said.”

You feel your cheeks heating up. Joel’s a smart enough man, if Gabe had worked it out, of course Joel would have.

You want to say it was because of the Junction, that you still want him. That you haven’t stopped thinking about him since then. Only it’s not entirely true, is it?

You’ve spent weeks in fight or flight, your only thought has been survival. Now people are telling you the worst is over, that you can start to heal again but you don’t know that. Even if it’s true, your body doesn’t know, it certainly can’t feel yet.

You feel on edge, nervous and unsure.

You want to jump onto Joel right now, feel his embrace and touch once more as you pretend the last weeks were just a bad dream. You also don’t want him near you, you’re scared it’s you, that you made Ethan’s worst side come out. He wasn’t a cult leader when you met him after all.

You want Joel, but you’re not sure if you’re ready to jump back in yet. You can’t go from planning an emergency exit, to confronting the man you thought was dead, and then straight back into some sort of mythical romance just like that. Joel might have slayed Ethan, but unlike a fairytale, there are marks on you that won’t immediately heal.

“I am not going pressure you into anything, I just want to say that if - oh hell, I don’t even know what I’m saying.” Joel swallows.

“You can just blame it on being moondrunk.”

“Moondrunk?” Joel asks with a chuckle.

“Yeah, look at that view. Moondrunk.”

“Moondrunk,” he repeats gently. “I mean it though, I- I’m terrible at this, but when you’re ready, if you’re ready …”

“Thanks, Joel.” You wring your hands together. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now.”

“Live?”

“That simple, huh?”

He smiles wryly, “That simple.”

“So, you’re back at the bench, huh? Haven’t seen you here in a while,” you comment, keen to change the subject.

“I thought you were there first, figured it should be yours. But I - tonight I needed to come here, clear my head. I didn’t know if you’d be here.”

“Are you okay I am?”

“Yeah, yeah, of course.”

You shut your eyes for a moment. For a second you allow yourself to pretend it’s weeks ago, that you and Joel are still together, the Junction a distant memory. For a moment you thought this would be your life now.

Can it still be?

Joel’s still here, he’s patient and kind and good. “When I’m ready,” you begin softly, “when I’m ready, you’ll know.”

You don’t open your eyes but you swear you can feel Joel’s smile. “Okay, that’s okay with me,” he says.

The two of you stay there until sunrise.

It’s the library that finally makes you leave your home. Sean lets slip that it’s been closed since you started your retreat from the town and it pulls at your heart. There are people who rely on the library - it’s an escape for them, or a chance to learn. It feels wrong to keep the place closed, another failing.

The library, like the bench, is a sanctuary for you. Only, unlike the bench it’s for the whole town. It’s a safe and comforting place. You’ve built something there.

“You should go back,” Gabe says one night as he picks at his dinner.

“I should?”

“To the library.”

“Oh.”

“You loved it there and it - it’s your place,” he says simply, “I think you should open it again.” It’s a truly polite way to challenge your new hermit state. You notice Sean and Beau raising eyebrows at each other from the table.

“I- I will.”

“When?”

You raise an eyebrow at your son. “When I’m ready.”

“I think it would be good for you,” he says.

“I will listen to that, Gabe, okay? I just -”

Sean says your name softly and the way everyone in this house suddenly infuriates you. You don’t want their kid gloves or quiet observation, the continued sense that you’re staying inside too long, that you’re becoming someone that they don’t recognise. It’s overwhelming.

“I’ll open it tomorrow,” you say, desperate to make them change the subject, to see that you are okay.

Beau looks over at you with surprise in his eyes. “You don’t have to. I’m sure that Maria can get someone to cover -”

“They’ll shelve things wrong, Beau, we all know that. I’ll - I’ve got this,” you say as decisively as you can muster, before stabbing a potato with your fork. You’re fine, you can do this.

For Gabe, you can do this.

The following morning, you find yourself nervously standing in the empty library. It smells fustier; the tension hangs in the air as you notice the books you were partway through shelving before you left it for the last time.

You curl your arms tightly around yourself and open your thermos of tea with shaking hands. It’s been too long hiding away, you’ve built up nightmares in your head of the Junction running into the library, or Jackson residents turning against you.

No one even glanced at you as you walked to the library this morning.

There’s no one here though. Perhaps word hasn’t got out that you’ve reopened the library yet, or perhaps Maria has told people to give you space when you eventually emerged from your hiding places. You appreciate it and throw yourself into rearranging a display, in picking out books for the school class who usually come by on Fridays.

“Hi,” a voice says from behind you.

You spin around to see Ellie standing ahead of you. Her hands are shoved into her jeans pockets awkwardly and she looks nervous as she meets your eyes.

“Ellie,” you say gently.

“Joel said I should give you space.”

“Did he now?”

“So did Maria in fairness.”

“Right. Of course they did.”

“Do you need space?” she asks as you pull yourself to standing from the floor you were kneeling on.

“Not from you, Ellie.”

“Good, because it’s been a while, man. How much space can you need?”

“You sound like Gabe.”

“Can’t all be wrong, huh?”

“Absolutely, so did you finish that space book?”

“Mmhmm and I’m going to be honest that I may have swapped it for another book while you were out.”

“The library was locked, Ellie.”

“There was a window and I got Ca- a friend to give me a booster. Joel and I had to do it a lot in um, when we were travelling.”

“So you learnt your break in skills from Joel?” You ask, fighting the smile on your face as you make a show of crossing your arms.

“Technically, I was breaking into places with my friend Riley … well, one time anyway. ” Ellie shrugs. “At least I owned up, right?”

“Sure. I feel you’ve pretty much exhausted our collection of books on space though. We could move you on to fiction though - sci-fi, lots of space.”

“That could work.” Ellie purses her lips together, clearly battling against saying something. You wonder what she really came here to say; is she angry that Joel got involved, that you endangered her and the town? Does she want you to leave?

You wouldn’t blame her.

“I’m sorry about what happened with that guy,” Ellie says.

“I should apologise to you, Ellie, you got caught in the middle and you shouldn’t have. None of you should have.”

“It’s not your - it’s nothing, honest,” Ellie says and her sincerity somehow makes you feel worse.

“I appreciate that, Ellie, thank you.”

“I wanted to talk to you, because - because before we came to Jackson, there were these people we came across.”

Your blood runs cold. What does Ellie mean? Did she and Joel come across the Junction, or something worse? Why would she say this? You look at the young girl and wonder what her and Joel’s story really is, the chemical burn, the vehemence at you not being involved that. What happened to Ellie?

“Ellie, you don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to.”

“I want to tell you. Do you not want me to?”

“No, it’s fine, I just don’t want you to feel obligated to share something you may not want to.”

“Noted. I’m good though. So this group, they were these … I don’t know, cannibals? but this guy, he was like religious, or so he said and it was -”

“I’m sorry, you ran into a cannibal cult?” you ask incredulously.

“Kinda.”

“Fuck, Ellie.”

“I mean, it wasn’t a cult centred around cannibalism, that was more incidental.”

“Oh, well, that makes all the difference.”

“Right? Anyway, we got away. I - I got away. Joel was hurt before and so I was on my own and I know he feels bad about that.”

“Elie”, you whisper quietly.

“For a long time, I tried to figure out why this guy, Da- he was so … respected and so …. I don’t know. He was dangerous but quiet about it. I always thought the threat would be like a clicker or bloater, something visible. You look at it and you know that’s bad; you know what you’re up against. Plus on our way here I saw so much. Hunters, well at least they don’t hide it. This guy did. I - I almost bought it.”

“I’m sorry, Ellie.”

“It’s fine. It was almost a year ago now. It’s the past.” Ellie pauses and looks up at you. “I just wanted to tell you that.”

“I appreciate that, Ellie.” You take a deep breath. “For what it’s worth, the understanding the guy thing? It’s not like it starts off dangerous, it’s just normal at first, maybe a little different but within respectability. It … appeals to you, this sense of belonging, I suppose.”

“Belonging?”

“I’d never felt like I fitted in anywhere and then the world ended. My parents were …. all I had left was Sean and I didn’t want him to think I was clingy and end up with no-one. So there was this group and it seemed normal. It was normal at first. It was a slow change and then really fast and I don’t want to, I’m not sure if I should - you’re a kid, Ellie.”

“I’m-”

“A great and cool one, and one who’s seen a hell of a lot and is very brave, but you’re Joel’s kid, Ellie.”

“He’s not my - ” Ellie breaks off. “Yeah, yeah, you’re right.”

You scan through the pile of books you were shelving and pass one to Ellie. “Try this one next, I think you’ll love it.”

“Thanks,” Ellie says, saying your name kindly, “I’ll read it next.”

“Well, let me know what you think. I’ll be here.”

Ellie smiles. “Good, I’d hate to have keep breaking in to steal books.”

Tag List

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[peachhcs]

being oblivious | the wonder years

hughes!sister x will smith au (samy + will)

the guys find out will knows samy & demand to meet her!

word count: 1.9k

i’m writing this as if they were 16 so that’s why the dialogue might be kind of silly, but anyways. i imagine them being very fan girly about meeting samy & also excited so here’s their origin story :) p.s. i’d love any prompts or ideas for little blurbs or imagines for them so if you have any send them my way :)

au masterlist

the boys agreed to a slow and lazy sunday with the first day of ntdp practice tomorrow and no one wanted to be too bent out of shape. drew and aram's voices were the only ones filling the living room as they argued over mario kart together while everyone else just tuned them out. will was splayed across one of the chairs mindlessly scrolling through his phone when someone nudged his leg.

the blonde's gaze found ryan's whose eyes were wide with disbelief. "what?" will mumbled as ryan flipped his phone so his friend could see what made him look so surprised.

his screen was a photo of will and samy hughes standing next to one another at the beach with wide smiles. not understanding ryan's shock, will raised his eyebrow in confusion.

"you know samy hughes?" ryan finally got out. his words caught the attention of the rest of the guys sitting around them. their heads spun in will and ryan's direction, waiting for a response.

"uh..yeah? you guys didn't know that?" will wondered, gazing at everyone else.

"no? how do you know her? do you know luke, jack, and quinn too?" ryan continued, excitement now in his voice.

"we're family friends. we grew up together. i grew up skating with her brothers," will had to laugh. he for sure thought it was common knowledge that their families were close and spent every summer together since they were babies.

"you're lying," ryan countered, disbelief on all of his features.

"no, i'm not. you see the picture. that's obviously me," the blonde chuckled while the rest of the guys started crowding around to see the other pictures ryan had dug up from mrs. smith's facebook account.

"why on earth would you keep this information from us?" aram muttered.

"i didn't know you guys didn't know. i dunno. it's not that big of a deal," will shrugged some, falling back into his chair.

"not a big deal? are you serious? you're family friends with some of the best hockey players in this country," ryan exasperated.

this was quite amusing to will. sure, he knew how popular the hughes family was, but it never really mattered to him and he never really thought about it until now. he's always just hung out with them every summer and that was so normal for will that he didn't realize it was a big deal to other people.

"wait, ann arbor is like..thirty minutes from here. do you think we'll ever run into samy?" drew exclaimed after the realization. a few of the other guy's faces lit up too and they all looked to will for an answer.

"uh..i don't know? maybe?" the boy shrugged. he didn't really know what samy did during the school year besides go to school and play soccer.

"wait. do you think we can meet her because you know her?" ryan's head popped back up.

"erm..i don't know. maybe?" will mumbled.

"what do you mean maybe?" gabe raised his eyebrow and suddenly will felt like some teacher with kids surrounding him waiting for answers like the guys were surrounding him with wide eyes at the idea of meeting samy hughes.

"i mean..we're close, but not that close. she hung around with grace a lot, so i don't really know how she'd feel about a bunch of guys wanting to hang out with her," will shrugged again.

"dude, you know samy hughes and grew up with her and you're telling us she doesn't wanna hang out with you?" aram deadpanned.

the blonde rolled his eyes and huffed out a sigh, “okay, i’ll ask, chill out.” the guys grinned, pumping their fists at the idea of meeting samy.

will immediately got a response after sending a brief text samy’s way. she was very much up to the idea and agreed to talk to her mom about letting them drive down to ann arbor for the day. after some more final arrangements, will, gabe, ryan, drew, and aram were all stuffed into a car together driving the 30 minutes to samy’s house.

the entire car was filled with excitement and chatter as they discussed samy and her brothers. will just kept to himself, still thinking how amusing all of this was and how much these guys were simping over samy.

they rolled into the driveway and will spun around in the driver’s seat, “just don’t be too weird, okay? don’t make her uncomfortable.”

“roger that, smitty,” ryan teased making everyone snicker but will. the five boys clamored out of the car and followed their friend up to the front porch, letting will do the honors of knocking.

some footsteps could be heard until the front door swung open and a very smiley samy stood before the five boys. all of them but will suddenly became shy under the girl’s bright smile. “will!” the girl exclaimed and immediately pulled the blonde into a tight hug.

“hey hughesy,” will chuckled as he squeezed her back. the two embracing missed the looks that came from will’s friends as they watched the interaction unfold.

“come on in. jeez, i can’t believe you’re gonna be in michigan for the next two years with me,” samy continued talking as she led everyone into the foyer.

“i bet you wish it was grace instead,” the blonde teased making samy roll her eyes. “whatever. it’s so cool to meet some of you guys. i guess you already know who i am,” the brunette chuckled as she turned her attention to will’s friends who still stood silently and awkwardly behind them.

“it’s nice to meet you. i’m ryan, that’s gabe, drew, and aram. we kind of begged smitty to meet you,” ryan spoke up, sticking his hand out. samy giggled as she happily shook ryan’s hand.

“wow, i’ve never had fans before. it’s always been my brothers,” the girl smiled.

“don’t let the ten year old girls hear you say that,” will mumbled. samy flushed before ignoring his comment.

“is that will?” a new voice came into the mix. the boys looked up and saw mrs. hughes walking towards them with a large smile on her face. the older woman tugged her arms around will’s frame, squeezing the boy tightly much like samy did.

“hey mama el, it’s good to see you again. thanks for letting us come over,” will chuckled.

“of course, anytime. you know you’re always welcome here now that you live 30 minutes away. i know i’ll be expecting a lot of visits from you. all of you, actually. our home is your home. my boys have all been through the dev program, so we know what it’s like,” ellen smiled towards the other guys.

“i’m sure that’s the only reason why they came over is to see quinn, jack, and luke’s baby photos,” samy giggled in a teasing tone. some of their faces flushed in response.

“come on, i’ll show you guys around,” the girl started further into the house leaving the boys no other option but to follow her.

after the extensive grand tour of the hughes family home, the six sat around the deck enjoying the remaining bits of summer weather. “what are you guys most excited about for the dev program?” samy wondered, trying to get to know everyone else some more.

“probably just getting to hang with these guys all the time. we’ve all gotten pretty close already,” aram chuckled as he reached over to tussle up drew’s hair. the other boy squirmed away, quickly fixing his hair.

“new people, new place, new coaches. lots of things to start learning,” ryan added in.

“is it weird being away from home? my brothers never had to go far since we already lived here when they all did it,” samy wondered and most of the guys nodded.

“for sure, but it’ll be a good experience, you know?” ryan said and samy nodded.

“well, at least you guys have one more friendly face around here. you’re all welcome to come to my soccer games this season too,” the girl quickly beamed.

“right, i forgot you switched sides,” drew said.

“if you guys ever play with her, you better hope she’s on your team,” will cut in making samy flush and the other guys chuckled.

“uh oh, she better than you at soccer?” gabe snickered, pushing at will’s shoulder.

“she’s better at me in everything,” will nodded.

“remember that time i scored 3 goals on you and luke on the ice? ugh, i still think about that day and how you two had to pay me each $10,” samy laughed.

“don’t remind me. you cheated anyway,” the blonde crossed his arms, eyeing the girl beside him.

“i did not! you guys were just mad a girl was better than you at your own sport,” samy quickly defended herself.

“whatever. we’ll get our redemption this year,” will huffed. the girl just rolled her eyes and the two once again missed the looks from everyone else.

the entire time they’d been there it was nonstop flirting from both samy and will. they expected the two to be close, but they didn’t expect the amount of teasing and very painfully obvious to everyone but them flirting. will’s cheeks reddened anytime samy poked fun at him and they saw the way samy’s gaze lingered on the blonde when he wasn’t paying attention anymore.

no one said anything until they were back in plymouth that night. all of them kept glancing at the blonde, wondering if he’d say anything, but nothing came from him as he stretched out on the couch and started scrolling through his phone.

ryan eyes bounced from gabe’s to aram’s and then to drew’s. will didn’t realize the silence until he noticed the guys lingering by the entryway occasionally glancing at him.

“what?” the boy laughed, confused by their behavior.

“you and samy are a lot closer than you led on,” ryan started causally as he leaned down on the couch.

“i guess. she’s like a sister,” the blonde chuckled, clearly not understanding the deeper implication trying to be made. the family zone. it definitely did not look like a sibling relationship to the guys.

“a sister? you flirt with her like she isn’t,” aram finally got to the point, a teasing, shit-eating grin on his lips as he took one of the chairs.

“flirt with her? what the hell are you on about?” will grew confused.

“dude, be so serious right now. there’s no way you don’t see it,” ryan laughed.

“see what?” now will was getting frustrated with the laughter coming from his friends.

“you guys were literally flirting with one another the entire time, it was disgusting. there’s no way you haven’t had feelings for her or some shit,” aram cut in again.

“for samy? no way. we’re friends. we always have been. i could never see her like that,” the idea even made will shudder. all he had ever seen her as was another sister to get annoyed at and bother him whenever he was doing something.

“mhm,” gabe mumbled.

“jesus, you guys are so annoying. i kind of regret bringing you along,” the blonde rolled his eyes, refocusing his attention on his phone.

“you say that, but i give it a year at the most and then you’ll realize what we’ve been saying was right all along,” ryan snickered with another annoying grin. the other guys nodded in agreement.

the only thing will could do was ignore their comments because none of them were true. him and samy were like brother and sister. there were no feelings nor would there ever be.

[familyagrestefanblog]

I find it... kinda irritating how saying that Hero Gabriel is still a failure of a father even if he's not a bad person is apparently somewhat of a hot take.

It is irrelevant at what extreme end of the moral spectrum Gabriel is - sadistic villain or heroic saint - fact still remains that you wouldn't notice either with Monarque or Hesperia that they are fathers at all, while simultaneously both Adriens are clearly depicted as teenagers who basically have to re-settle themselves into their lives after they were emotionally orphaned in every sense that matters.

It is irrelevant that Alt Gabriel is a hero, not a bad person or that he wasn't outright abusive like our Gabriel, nothing will change the fact that Griffe Noire Adrien's path to healing goes the same route as our Adrien's.

And that is AWAY from his father, not WITH him.

Griffe Noire at the end was roughly were our Adrien started off at the beginning of the show, just this time with a better path ahead Ladynoir wise since they know their identities.

He changed for the better when our Adrien gave him the self-acceptance, understanding and sympathy he didn't receive from Alt Gabriel or anyone else for the matter.

Helped him overcome the grief of loosing their mother and accepting that the self-harming behavior he's acting on (or both of them) is not something she would want for them.

There are 2 reasons why Alt Adrien couldn't get over his mother's death, and that's 1) because unlike our Adrien, Alt Adrien didn't try finding new happiness in friendship, and 2) because he too couldn't count on his remaining parent (Gabriel) which made him feel his mother's loss even worse.

Alt Gabriel could be the greatest hero of all time and he still would be a fucked up father because he was so busy being a saint that he apparently barely was a father. When alt Gabe cries in the sewer one would think he'd bring up his child as one of his main motivations, but no, he doesn't.

Because Hesperia is just as little characterized as a FATHER as Monarque.

That aspect of Gabriel didn't change.

Hesperia didn't even fucking know that his son is Griffe Noire either, how attentive to you think this man IS??

Alt Adrien goes on the same path as our Adrien and that's away from being emotionally dependent on his father - the way a 14 year old should normally ALLOWED TO BE bc thats NATURAL and how it's supposed to be - to make friends, but most importantly he sure as hell went on being emotionally dependend on HIS Maribug the way our Adrien was/is

Especially the last picture is extremely telling (and one would think our Marinette would finally start paying attention bc Griffe Noire's change right in front of her eyes is literally all she would need to help her fully understand HER Chat Noir's behavior and how that came to be. But apparently we can't ever have Marinette pick up on the most obvious stuff about Chat Noir's problems).

Unlike Toxinelle who is waving goodbye while holding Griffe's hand, HE is not acknowledging our dimension anymore even when he's the last one to enter the portal by a good bit, bc he's so fixated on his Maribug as his whole world bc just like our Adrien he's literally emotionally an orphan and needs an anchor like everyone else.

Good chance that Toxinelle thinks they're just normally holding hands and she's merely going in first, but no, he is letting her lead him out. He doesn't care whats behind or ahead of him, he's just seeing her.

Alt Gabriel is an awful father and you can tell because Alt Adrien literally has to re-settle in life similar to an orphan while his father is still alive and living in the same damn house!

THAT'S what decides if Alt Gabriel is an awful father, NOT him running around as a charming hero. The quality of parenthood is NOT measured by how "good of a person" the parent is, it's measured by the child's fucking well-being

And I don't know if you noticed it by now, but this is the same logic as our Gabriel being hailed a hero after his death. The special already elaborates on this new angle of Gabriel suddenly being a "hero" while he very clearly was a monstrous failure of a father (and person).

So what side are YOU gonna be on here?

Are you going to victim blame Adrien by just declaring Gabriel Agreste a great, blameless and loving father now because that's what you're being told at face-value while the narrative conveniently plays the case in Gabriel's favors by removing all of them from the dimension they are actually from so his faults are being mostly covered up, and Adrien's looks worse without its proper context of their home-dimension and father-son dynamic

Or are you going to fucking LOOK at the child this amazing hero is emotionally abandoning on a daily in way too many ways and ask yourself if that's the result of a competent and attentive parent?

[doylldonmagar]

So I saw @hermesmyplatonicbeloved 's post and had some thoughts. I agree and disagree. I am a percabeth fan but I also know that some of it is screwy, and if you are familiar with my blog, you know this. I think RR screwed up and wrote out a LOT of trauma, I think he really should have dealt with that better. I think it's not good that he wrote trauma and mental issues and abuse into the foundation of many characters and then has ignored it when it became convenient for the plot.

I would love to see specific quotes and books for these because some of them I have no memory of and would like to revisit them.

I'm gonna talk my way through all of this so I'm gonna text break here

The first point is Percy scaring her to tears. I can only imagine in Tartarus? Like when they're both in their worst state? I don't know. I agree they should have talked about it, but I think they should have talked about all of HoH, which brings me back to saying: Rick really failed at dealing with trauma and processing and long term effects. Honestly, being scared *of* him, yeah I agree that's bad, but is that the situation? If she's scared by his power, then I'm not sure of where I stand on this, I don't know anyone with demigod powers, but I don't think I'd be scared simply because I know someone is capable of hurting me. Plenty of people are capable of hurting me. Like I don't know, what situation is this?

"Percy has been suicidal the whole time annabeth has known him, in BoO Percy attempts suicide and annabeth said nothing, noticed nothing" I'd really like a page or quote because i remember him being suicidal but never attempting. (Im rereading what i wrote, is this maybe referring to percy deciding it would be better if he drowned when hes with Jason? If so, I thought the book said annabeth wasn't told that he wanted to give up) But really my bigger issue with this statement is the fact that it's not necessarily a bad relationship just because a person doesn't realize someone is suicidal, or if their suicidal thoughts are fluctuating. If he's been suicidal the entire time she's known him, how should she know? And why is it the girlfriend's job to stop him from suicide? Like yeah she should care, but that's not her responsibility. No one should feel responsible for a significant other's suicide unless they encouraged the SO to do it.

The judo flip, I agree, annabeth should have been more sensitive to Percy's past and again, I blame Rick for conveniently forgetting that an abused kid is not going to laugh or even take well to being thrown on the ground. This also reminds me of a post I made a while back, because I was so frustrated by media portrayals of women getting upset (usually worried) about another character and shaking them or hitting them or using some form of violence, and that's portrayed as acceptable and normal and as a sign of love. I'm not a fan of that.

"Annabeth likes to keep percy on his toes" this point, I want specific quotes, cause I'd like to go over it again. I agree this is funky. Percy says he feels more comfortable with annabeth and feels like he can talk to her blah blah, but yeah, I think I remember him saying she makes him anxious and that's a problem for me. Like genuinely, to anyone who reads this: if your SO makes you feel uncomfortable, anxious, nervous, or unsafe, please reevaluate your relationship and be safe. That's not good. And back to percabeth, I'm really not sure why RR would say that.

Bringing up abusive stepfather. If annabeth didn't already know about Gabe...I don't know, that says to me that percy was too traumatized to talk about it, in which case, why can annabeth see it in his actions, his comments, his reactions? I don't know that either. But I do know that having met my fair share of traumatized kids, it's not at all uncommon for them to share trauma as a joke and for multiple kids to laugh it off, not to mention suicidal jokes or jokes about their own abuse. Now I want to be clear, I'm not saying that's healthy, I think that's bad, but I also think it's common. And if annabeth doesn't realize what he's really talking about, or is caught up in her own experience, or is uncomfortable, laughing is not an uncommon response. And I don't think that makes their relationship toxic. (And I'm saying it again: I think Rick wrote that so that people could say oh poor percy and feel strongly about how horrible the situation is, but he didn't want to get into the trauma, so by annabeth laughing it off, he can move on with the scene but include little details that show how bad tartarus is)

I don't remember any comments about poseiden, but I agree her interactions with Tyson are problematic. I have zero explanation or excuse, I really don't know what rick was thinking with that, unless it was maybe a way to signify how all halfbloods feel about monsters? (Now that I've said that, that kinda makes sense, if percy sees a monster who was his human friend, but everyone else just sees a monster who is just like the other monsters who have killed their siblings. But still. Annabeth saying he was gross was uncalled for, Rick could have said she was scared or concerned this was a trick or something, but disgust?)

I agree about Percy's unresolved trauma manifesting as fear of annabeth. I already commented on the judo flip, see comments above.

Percy absolutely has horrible self asteem. I'm not sure that's annabeths problem. Yeah she should support him in every way she can, but it's not her responsibility or anyone else's to make him feel better about himself. She should want to, and she should be positive and encouraging, but I don't think Percy's lack of growth is her problem or necessarily a sign of a toxic relationship. It can be, but I'm not certain it is in this case. I think, as I'm sure you know if you've read this much, Rick doesn't know how to write characters who are further along in their trauma- processing, healing, discussing- rick fails to deal with anything besides a currently traumatized kid and a unresolved but out of the directly abusive situation. (This is where I'd like to note, the whole seaweed brain thing, not funny to me, not cute. I'm not a fan because I do think that encourages negative self image. I am aware that that could be link to annabeths childhood, but again, I would expect her to be hyperaware of this sort of emotional abuse. And I blame Rick. Why does she never have her actual abuse mentioned?)

I don't recall annabeth pushing percy to choose between them. I would have said she had doubts about him still wanting to go to CA and he said that he regretted not being there for Estelle but didn't want to be without annabeth (which is kinda cute, kinda codependent to me, and I agree, codependency is not cute)

I would argue the last point "Percy has no interest in going to New Rome or University" is clearly false. In SoN (2nd book of HOO) Percy discovers there are full families living in New Rome, and how it's safe there, and he says multiple times that he wants that, how he remembers he had a girlfriend named annabeth and he wants her to be there and wants to be able to settle down *there*. And in ChaliceotG he's torn, because he does want to stay in New York for his mom and sister, but he really wants to be with annabeth and he loves new Rome. He says multiple times how he wants to go to New Rome. Its true, if the only reason he wants to go is for annabeth, that's a bit funky. But new Rome is the safest place for demigods, and he's been in wars for years, of course he wants that. And wanting to be out of school- okay? New Rome isn't just about the university, not to mention the New Rome university is focused on kids with dyslexia and adhd, obviously. So it will be tailored to him, his struggles are understood, accepted, and aided. Who wouldn't see the appeal in that?

And finally, I agree, that if a character or couple is going to have broad reach, they should be healthy. That's a problem i have with Colleen hoover and all her toxic relationships that have a large audience and are so loved by that audience. And back to this, I hate that the pjo hoo couples are so focused on in the books because fans always pay attention to the couples, but the focus amplifies them, and I think having a relationship be the main focus of a kids/teen/ya book sets up horrible mindsets, and idolizes relationships and all in all is not good for kids. Percabeth or not, healthy or not, I don't think the emphasis on relationships is good.

I might link some of my other posts that I mentioned or that address similar issues in the reblogs

[bbrissonn]

𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 - 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡

☆⋆｡°‧★ in which dahlia and will can't stop talking to each other

☆⋆｡°‧★ will smith x dahlia monroe

☆⋆｡°‧★ wc: 2k

☆⋆｡°‧★ au masterlist

when dahlia got back to her dorm room, she stared down at the new contact in her phone for probably ten minutes wondering if she should text the blond boy or not. she wanted to, she really did, but she just did not what to say. she choose to just wait for the boy to text first, after all he was the one with her number written on his hand.

dahlia went on with her night, doing her skincare routine as she listen to her music, trying her hardest not to constantly look at her phone to see if he had texted. 'his phone his dead' she kept reminding herself when the only message she got was from violette wishing her a good night.

it wasn't until she girl was about to go to sleep that the boy messaged her. it was just a simple hey :) yet the girl found herself kicking her feet slightly as his notification popped up. if violette were here right now, she would probably die of laughter at the smile plastered on her best friend's face.

dahlia

hi (:

will

thanks again for helping me

dahlia

no worries

honestly it was a little

embarrassing watching you

spin around in circles

i had to do something

will

wow

im wounded lia

dahlia

you get hit by grown men

and your ok

but a little teasing

and your hurt??

you're softer than i

thought smith

will

oh so yk my last name

wonder how that it

dahlia

oh-

good night.

will

good night :)

it was safe to say that the girl fell asleep with a wide grin as her mind played her encounter with the boy over and over again.

✧˖°˖☆˖°˖✧

the next day, dahlia found herself sitting in the same exact spot for the third time now. violette was next to her again, but this time her boyfriend was with them. dahlia did not know him very well, but she knew he was treating her best friend perfectly and that's all the mattered to her.

"something weird is going." violette mumbled to her boyfriend, alex, as she watched her best friend share a small wave with the blond freshmen.

the two had spent pretty much the whole day texting one another, beginning with will texting her good morning. the two got to know each other, their favourite colours, favourite movies, music taste, favourite meal, all the question that could be asked were asked. granted, will looked up his question online, but the effort was all that mattered.

dahlia had never been so attached to her phone before, always having it open as she waited for the boy's next message. even on his way to the rink, he was still texting her, and same for her, making her almost bump into a boy twice her height. that was also something that violette quickly noticed.

as for will, his attachment to his own phone did not go unnoticed by his friends either. when gabe had woken up that morning, his best friend was already awake, smiling down at his phone, which he pretty much spent the whole day doing. it also was noticed by his teammates in the locker room.

will was normally always locked in the second he got into the rink, barely ever looking at his phone. but today, he could not go more than a feet away from it, feeling the need to always check if dahlia had answered him.

"you guys all saw what i saw right?" gabe asked his fellow freshman as they all stood in front of the bench. the warmup was ending in less than two minutes and will had decided to make his way back to the locker room. of course, as he made his way down the tunnel, a wide smile was stuck on his face as he passed dahlia.

"he's so whipped." ryan laughed as they all started making their way down the tunnel as well. they all could not help but look at will's mystery girl, who was typing away on her phone with a smile that mirrored will's.

unsurprisingly to any of them, when they arrived in the locker room, the blond freshman was also silling down at his phone. the boys all exchanged smirks before going to their stall and finishing their pregame rituals.

"jeez man, you know it won't run away from you." jamie chuckled as he sat down in his stall next to the freshman. everyone had noticed how dependent of his phone the boy had been, and they were all waiting for someone to bring it up for them to really dig into the poor blond boy.

"huh?" will asked, looking up from his phone and over to his teammate. by then, pretty much everyone in the locker was looking at him, making will a little self-conscious. "what?"

"your phone. nothing's gonna happen to you if you don't touch it for more than a minute." jack said from the other side of the boy. some of the guys around the room chuckled slightly, making will blush a little, he did not think they had realized how much he was using it.

"who're you texting anyways?"

"uhm, n-no one." will stuttered, mentally cursing to himself for how he was acting.

"you sure it's not mystery girl?" ryan teased from across the room with a smirk on his face. his words made the whole team erupt in ooh's, while will's face became a dark red shade.

"there's no mystery girl."

"sure there isn't, buddy. we all saw that little smile you gave her." drew added. will had never wanted to disappear as much as right now.

"hey, who's phone number is on you hand?" jamie said, grabbing a hold of the boy's hand. somehow, will's face became even darker than before as more laughs echoed in the room.

"no one's!"

"is this no one the same no one that you're texting."

"maybe." will admitted. he figured his friends were not going to let this go any time soon, or that they would end up finding out the truth anyways, so what was the point of lying. "but it's none of your business, so just drop it."

will's words came out harsher than he had intended. he was never one to react like this, and all the boys knew that, meaning they stopped bothering him about it.

none of them brought it up on the bench when he would sometimes look back at the girl and send her a soft grin. or when their eyes would connect for a long time whenever will made his way back to the bench. but, just because they did not bring it up to him, it did not mean they did not bring it between themselves.

gabe and ryan pretty much spent the whole gossiping like a bunch of teenage girls, giggling whenever they would noticed their interaction. they knew will heard everything they were saying and laughing about, but the boy did not care. they were leaving him alone about it and that's all that mattered.

unfortunately, the game did noy go their way, losing 3-4 to denver, but will had scored two goals, so dahlia did not really care about the score. just as her, and the other two were about to exit the forum, her phone dinged, making her stop in her tracks.

will

did you leave yet?

dahlia

no

why?

will

wanna see you

dahlia

uhm idk

wasn't on my schedule

will

its almost ten

what could you possibly

have to do thats more fun

than seeing me

dahlia

im a busy gal

you'd be surprised

where do i go?

will

come near the locker rooms

you'll see me

dahlia

this is my third time

being here you think

i know where that it

"you guys go one, i have to meet someone." dahlia said to her friend. a smirk grew on violette's face as the pieces clicked in her head.

"smith?"

"maybe."

"you coming home tonight?"

"yes." dahlia said sternly to alex, making the boy frown slightly before the couple said their goodbyes and made their way out of the forum. the next second, will was calling her.

"hi." the girl spoke, a shy smile on her face as she moved to the side so people could make their way out.

"hey. you really don't know where to go?" the boy chuckled making the girl scoff a bit.

"no, i don't." the girl sassed, making while chuckle a little more.

"meet me at your seat." he said, and before the girl could say anything, he hung up. it took a couple of seconds for her brain to understand what had just happened.

eventually she snapped back and started making her way back to her seat. there was pretty much no one left in the area, only one or two janitors that had started cleaning. as she approached her section, she could see a boy leaning against the wall right besides the entry to the stands. he was holding his phone in his hand, texting his friends not to wait for him.

"hey." he said with a wide grin, slipping his phone into his pocket when he noticed the girl. he pushed himself off the wall and took a couple of steps to meet her in the middle.

"hi." the girl giggled, her nervousness taking over. when the two teens were standing in front of each other, they stared at each with wide matching smiles. will was the first to move, wrapping his arms around her waist bringing her close to him.

the girl was a little shocked at his boldness, but she liked it. it took her a couple of seconds before relaxing into his arms and wrapping her own around his neck. her head was resting in the crock of the boy's neck, his cologne filling her nose.

"thank you for coming."

"you played great." the girl whispered back, making the boy scoff a bit. "you did, will. last time i checked you're the only one with two goals."

"we lost."

"so? it's one game, there's a like i don't how many more left. i had a lot of fun watching you." the girl said, trying to cheer him up. the two now had their foreheads resting against the other's, their words barely being loud enough for them to hear. will's eyes were closed as one of dahlia's hand came up to his face, cupping his cheek and rubbing the skin on his cheekbone.

"it's just... hard." the boy sighed.

"i get it, sorta, i think? when i try a new baking recipe and it turns out horrible, i get mad. especially when i do everything right, and it just doesn't work." the girl explained, making the boy open his eyes.

"you bake?"

"helps me calm down. the best part is getting to eat though." she said, a soft smile on her face as the two locked eyes.

"teach me one day?" will asked, and the girl was quick to shake her head yes. "good." he added before leaning in a pressing a small peck to her cheek. the girl blushed, her eyes avoiding his as she bit back a smile.

"food?" the girl asked, trying her hardest to change the subject, while still avoiding his gaze.

"you pick."

soon, the two young adults found themselves sitting in a pizza place not too far from campus. the two spent the night laughing and getting to know each other even more.

the night ended with will walking dahlia back to her dorm, his hand holding onto hers. once the two arrived at her dorm room near midnight, dahlia turned around to hug the boy goodbye.

"thank you for cheering me up."

"you're too pretty to be sad." the girl answered boldly, her head laying against his chest as they hugged. when the two pulled away, dahlia pressed a kiss right besides his lips, grinning afterwards.

"'night, will."

"good night, lia."

[milogreer]

so uhh this is gonna be scatterbrained. but i'm gonna ramble about milo and (what little info we have on) colm. sorry in advance if it doesn’t make sense i just had to exorcise this demon 🫡

i believe "camping with your alpha boyfriend (2021)" is the earliest mention of colm in an audio. obviously we don't actually know milo's side of things because it's told from david's POV, but we still get the mental image of little thirteen year old milo sitting shotgun in his dad's pickup as they drive to their camping spot. gabe's goofing around in the truck bed to make david and asher laugh, and colm joins in the fun by swerving the truck to mess with gabe. very basic dad thing to do, my dad's done the exact same thing to me and my siblings. it feels familiar and silly, and david frames it as a good memory, so it feels like a good memory. which is important to the point of this post

in "celebrating the new house (2022)," we get a little more colm lore:

My dad was forever blowing any cash he made on fucking bets and gambling and shit, chasing some fucking high. My mom was the only reason we didn’t end up out on the fucking street. He didn’t pull his head out of his ass and get some help until after I’d already moved out. So I never got to have that feeling of being in a house that was actually ours, ya know?

already this is a stark contrast to what we've previously heard of colm (i don't think there's any real mention of him between sept 2021 and dec 2022?) and it kinda makes me look at that old memory in a different light, especially with regards to david saying marie was "nagging [colm's] ear off about being irresponsible and a bad example." like. ykwim? like i'm just thinking about that interaction and wondering how far along those problems were at the time, if they were present at all. was this a normal, fun family outing? or would milo have rather been in the truck bed with david, asher, and gabe?

(and the fact that it wasn't until after milo moved out that colm tried getting any help?? i could make a whole other post speculating about milo struggling with wanting to move out of that environment ASAP vs not wanting to leave marie on her own to deal with colm)

so then i'm re-listening to "your werewolf boyfriend is worried about you" and having a visceral reaction to (re-)learning that colm was also an alcoholic:

But what he chose to do with that frustration and that feeling of powerlessness was not his job’s fault, those were his choices. He’s the one who decided to lose himself in booze and gambling and never being home. Never being there for the people he said he loved but apparently couldn’t stand to be around.

the last sentence especially is just an absolute heartbreaker because milo's, what, thirty now? and he's been dealing with this since he was a kid. clearly he's not on great terms with colm. the only times he ever talks about him is when he's shit talking the department. that is a crazy weight for someone to carry their whole life. i don't have experience with the gambling side but i do have an alcoholic family member who i used to be really close to as a kid but grew up to intensely resent as a result of his actions, so it hits a little close to home to see that reflected in milo

but i digress. umm. i bring up the camping story to highlight the most recent mention of colm from milo and how there were good times and sometimes maybe it hurts to remember them when the person involved devastated you as you grew up because they weren't what you thought they were. and how these things follow you through life and impact how you approach certain things. milo has to live with the fact that the same system that royally fucked colm is potentially going to do the same thing to the love of his life; i never drink more than one shot or half a beer, if i drink at all, and i don't like being around drunk people. even though we don't hear about colm very often, his influence is still there whenever milo has to deal with the department in any way

anyway i guess TLDR; imagine living the majority of your thirty years of life feeling like your dad couldn't stand to be around you because he was too busy drinking himself stupid and gambling away every penny he had as a way to deal with the strain that his job put on him. imagine having to witness your mom struggle constantly to keep you cared for. imagine the few good childhood memories you have with your dad being overshadowed by thinking he didn't love you or your mom enough to change. imagine watching the department run your soulmate into the dirt physically and mentally the same way it did your father and wanting to be supportive of them but also being so worried for them. it's a really interesting situation for him to be in and i enjoy it but it hurts me. the end

[bedsyandco]

Lost Time ☆ G. Perreault

note: friends to lovers (is this...all i write? yes😭) with Gabe. Oblivious Gabe...and reader? abrupt ending! sorry baes

requested: yes

wc: 1.1k

You were sitting in the dining hall next to Gabe, pressed into his side, his hand on your thigh drawing patterns absentmindedly. The guys were bickering back and forth but he wasn’t really paying attention, he was too focused on you. He fights a smile when you steal another grape off his tray, trying to be sneaky. 

"Oh before I have to leave…" you say turning your body even more in Gabe's direction and putting your hand on his thigh and scrolling through your phone.

He bites his lip and takes a deep breath, trying to stop the fluttering feeling in his stomach as you show him two pictures of different colours.

“Okay, this one or this one?” you ask, swapping between the two photos. 

“I like that one more, it’s the school’s colours.” Gabe says referring to the picture of the maroon nail polish. 

“I like that one too. I gotta go or I’m gonna be late, but I’ll see you tonight?” you ask, dropping a kiss to Gabe’s cheek as you leave, bidding goodbye to the rest of the guys at the table. 

“Dude, when are you gonna ask her out?” Ryan asks 

“Never, we’re not like that.” Gabe answers

“Really? Cause I’m pretty sure everyone thinks you guys are dating.” Will says and Gabe shoots him a look that says traitor. 

“No they don’t” Gabe argues

“Uh yes they do. I thought you guys were a couple for the first few months after we met. And why do you think no one makes a move on her?…because they think she’s taken.” Cutter says 

Gabe hadn’t really thought about the fact that guys hadn’t really approached you. He can’t deny that he felt a sense of satisfaction that people thought you were his. But there was also a sense of disappointment and longing, because it wasn’t true no matter what other people wanted to believe. 

“I don’t care what other people think, we’re not together.” Gabe replies

“But you wanna be, right?” Ryan asks and Gabe sighs. He really didn’t want to talk about this. 

“It doesn’t matter, she doesn’t feel the same way.” Gabe says, a tone of finality in his voice. 

“You’re kidding right? When I assumed you guys were together, most of the time it was because of things that she did. I mean, just five minutes ago she was practically sitting in your lap, looking at you with heart eyes and kissing you goodbye…If those aren’t signs that she feels the same way, I don’t know what is.” Cutter says and when Gabe doesn’t respond the guys thankfully move on to another topic of conversation.

-

When Gabe goes over to your place that night, he’s still thinking about the conversation he had earlier that day. Were you giving him signals? Maybe he should just ask you? But what if you weren’t sending him signals and you didn’t feel the same. Gabe doesn’t want to risk losing you if you don’t. 

When he enters your apartment, he’s immediately met with the smell of popcorn and the sight of you cuddled up on the couch, wearing his hoodie, popcorn sitting on the little table at your side. He chuckles a little at the sight. The popcorn bowl was bigger than your head. You always make too much, so Gabe had taken over popcorn duties for the last few movie nights but he was running a bit late tonight and you were impatient so you went ahead and did it. 

When Gabe takes a seat next to you on the couch, you immediately cuddle into his side, where you stay for the rest of the movie. Gabe didn’t really pay attention to the movie at all, his mind still thinking about whether or not he should ask you how you felt. He was pulled out of his thoughts when you turned to him abruptly while the credits rolled on the screen.

“I forgot to show you my nails! Do you wanna see them?” you ask and Gabe smiles while nodding, finding your excitement adorable.

You hold out your hands and he takes them both, holding them gently and inspecting your nails. He was expecting the slightly longer than normal maroon covered nails, what he wasn’t expecting were the little golden 34’s on each ring finger. 

“Do you like them?” you ask a little hesitant.

“I love them,” he says, kissing both hands and you smile.

Signals. Surely these were signs that you had feelings for him…right? Gabe couldn’t go on any longer not knowing. He was going to drive himself insane. He just needed to ask you and accept whatever the fallout was of doing so. 

He takes a deep breath and holds on tighter to both your hands, for support. “I need to ask you something.”

“Anything,” you answer

“I like you, as more than a friend. And I’m sorry if this is gonna mess things up between us but I can’t go on any longer wondering if you feel the same. I just need to know so that I can either try to move on or…” Gabe says, unable to even speak the words into existence if there were no chance of them being true.

“Gabe of course I like you…I’ve been doing everything I possibly could to make it clear that I like you…short of kissing you or just telling you,” you say 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Gabe asks 

“Because I was scared. Terrified really. That you wouldn’t reciprocate my feelings and our friendship wouldn’t be the same afterwards. I thought you knew. I was actually starting to think that maybe you just didn’t have feelings for me.” you say a little sadly.

“No, not at all! I do have feelings for you. A lot of feelings. I can’t believe we could’ve been together all this time…” Gabe says, a little frustrated with himself that if he had taken this risk sooner, you could’ve gotten together months ago.

“Don’t think like that. I love that we both cherish our relationship so much that we didn’t wanna do anything to risk it. We’re just gonna have to make up for lost time.” you say and Gabe smiles a little, loving that you always seem to see the good in every situation.

You shriek when he stands up and throws you over his shoulder. 

“What are you doing?” you ask laughter bubbling out of you.

“I’m making up for lost time,” Gabe says walking towards your bedroom.

If things were gonna go like he hopes, you’ll have the rest of your lives to make up for lost time.

[goldielia]

what if (all i need is you)?

a part of: call it what you want au

will’s in the locker room after practice when he thinks about it for the first time. they’re talking about cutter, how he’ll probably be signed after the championship game. where all the other boys will go, that they think they’ll be signed by the end of the next season or the one after that.

ally breezes through the hallway by the open door (they promise her to not keep it open while anyone is indecent and usually it’s closed until after they’ve been showered and are shirtless at most) and it spikes a thought. one he hadn’t even considered, used to being a couple steps ahead on the ice but keeping his mind in the present off of it.

he’ll leave boston. for san jose. probably before his college time would be over if he simply got his degree. he’s a fourth overall pick, there’s people waiting to see him on the ice for the sharks, people that would rather him score for their nhl team then have him finish college.

but leaving boston would mean leaving home. leaving ally. he doesn’t know if he simply pushed that thought to the back of his mind or if it hadn’t crossed his mind at all. the worst thing about it is that he doesn’t know when. maybe they had meetings about it, have decided to give him a call after the championship game if he wins, that they won’t if he doesn’t. or they still might, win or lose.

maybe he’ll be back in boston, snuggled up in their corner of the library with ally. maybe he’ll be in minnesota still, barely back in the hotel room after a devastating loss or raging celebrations. he has to look up the time zones, actually, maybe that wouldn’t even be possible. his mind is going there regardless, though.

in fact, his thoughts are running a mile an hour. what if-questions are kind of always on his mind, inevitable with hockey really. what if i’d realized his play a second earlier? what if i passed to my right instead of my left? what if i shot a fraction of a millisecond earlier, would the goalie still have saved it?

what if ally leaves him when he has to go to san jose? what if she dumps him the second he tells her? what if she doesn’t, tortures both of them with long distance for a few weeks before she breaks up with him over text? what if she agrees to it, loves him over miles and time zones and then falls in love with some other blond, blue-eyed hockey player in boston and forgets about will?

the what-ifs torture him, constantly and for days. he can’t quite bear talking to anyone about them, feeling stupid one second and like they’ll confirm his fears right after. gabe and ryan try to get through to him multiple times, cutter tries to talk to him as well. even eamon starts an attempt of a conversation. he blows all of them off.

the only person he might want to talk to is the one who doesn’t pressure him. there were multiple instances over the months they’ve been together when will got into his own head, about hockey, about school, pretty much anything. ally doesn’t urge him to talk, doesn’t try to solve problems for him unless he comes to her with them. she takes care of him, quietly, and just like she normally would, and waits him out until he’s ready to talk.

she’s making sure he eats, hydrates, secures his sleep by scratching his back or caressing his skin or burying her hand in his curls. massaging the sore spots after games and applying balms on bruises, kissing him when he plays well and holding him when he doesn’t and she knows he beats himself up for it.

ally just knows he wants to talk to her when she settles into his passenger seat one monday, somehow she feels it in her bones. his right hand may find its place on her thigh, like it always does, but he’s tapping his fingers down on it like he does when he’s nervous. it only stops when she slips her own hand into his, entangles their fingers and slowly drags her thumb over his knuckles.

after she presses a soft peck to his lips and another to his cheek she keeps her eyes trained on their hands, painting shapes and letters onto his skin and playing with the bracelets on his wrist. it’s become a habit, a thing, if you will. love letters and secret messages traced into skin, trails of conversations and silent reassurances traded wordlessly and blindly.

she uses just this to hopefully make will feel less anxious as they’re in the car, tells him i love yous and little hearts through her touch until they’re at his chosen destination. he parks the car at the rink on campus and she goes with him without protest, lets him lead her center ice and follows him when he lays down on it.

they stay there unmoving except for ally slipping her hand back into wills, breath leaving their mouths in small clouds as they’re staring up to the ceiling. ally’s glad to have chosen a hoodie when she left the house in the morning, thinks she might be able to better fight off the cold for as long as will needs. he squeezes her hand once before he starts speaking, a shaky breath before his voice sounds through the empty rink.

“i was drafted to san jose.” ally briefly closed her eyes, having feared this talk would come at some point. after taking a deep breath she squeezes wills hand, silently telling him to continue. “i don’t know when they’ll want me to sign with them but, like- i guess i just want you to know i won’t say no to them. if they do want me.” her green eyes shoot open, head turning to her left to find wills face. “what?” she sounds breathless, scrambling to sit up and turn his head towards her with the hand that’s not in his.

“you think i’d want you to stay here? instead of playing in the nhl?” before will can even nod or talk or do anything, really, she continues. “will, i wouldn’t hold you back. not from achieving your dreams.” her voice breaks slightly somewhere between hold and back and his body acts before his brain catches up when he sits up and wraps her up into his free arm. “that’s not what i’m saying, gorgeous.” he whispers, lips brushing her ear. “i just-, i might, probably, not be around for graduation. or maybe a year before that.”

ally pulls back slightly, leaning her forehead on his and squeezing his hand once more. “i know.” will keeps quiet for a second, the only thing there is to hear is their synchronised breathing. ally thinks they must be a poetic picture, really. center ice in an empty rink, barely enough lights on to find the way to the ice and back. two teenagers all tangled up, foreheads touching, a hand intertwined and wrapped up in the other, breathing in sync and thoughts racing.

“i just need to know how this- how we’ll work. if you’d be up to trying long distance or like, what your plans are.” will continues, his words somewhere between a whisper and a breath. “hey” she murmures gently. “ever thought about what happens if all i need is you?” his eyes shoot open in surprise, clearly having waited for rejection, to be let down gently.

“san jose has a school for criminology, they have a pretty good grad school program for criminal psychology.” she smiles softly at the way his eyes widen. “plus, i only have two more years here” her warm hand squeezes his once more before she breathes deeply, hiding her face into his shoulder after a moment, not only to mask her expression but also the tears forming in her eyes. after she feels a kiss pressed into her hair she lifts her head again.

“i thought you were going to tell me you had to break up with me because they signed you and you didn’t want me to hold you back” her voice is shaky like he’s never heard it and her words make him pull her into his arms fully, fingers detangling and wrapping around her waist instead. with her face pressed into the crook of his neck, he nuzzles his nose into her hair and kisses the top of her head before speaking hoarsely.

“i thought you were going to break up with me because you didn’t want to do long distance” he’s concerned when her shoulders start shaking, thinks she has to be crying but after a second he realizes she’s in fact giggling into his skin. will hesitates for a few more breaths before he, too, can’t hold back the laugh building in his chest, breathing all his anxieties out with it. “i love you, you know” she mumbles into his lips when she’s lifted her head before pressing a lingering kiss to them. “i do know, you looked up schools in san jose for me” he grins.

[uselessnbee]

what i wish people would also explore more when it comes to Percy is the other side of his feelings about his mom about family and his childhood but this fandom is too afraid to paint Sally even in the slightest bad light (even if it's not bad just acknowledging her flaws because she's a human being and not perfect) that no one will touch on that subject. like yes Sally is the best mom but she also isn't and that's the thing! She isn't perfect! but she tried her best but her best still got Percy hurt and it isn't her fault at all but that's the tragedy of it. i want Percy's feelings about this explored. how he grew up with a loving mom but an abusive step father. how his step father would humiliate him and call him stupid but then his mom soothed him and told him he's not the things Gabe calls him. how Gabe would hurt him and Sally would be there to make him happy and loved but at the same time she stayed with him. i want Percy's feelings explored about how he knows his mother loves him but her absence still hurt him. she would work so much to have money to raise him she did that for him but at the same time it meant Percy was left alone or with Gabe. Sally gave up so much for him, she sent him away to protect him but at the same time he was sent away from his mom. she's the only parent he has because his father is absent and Gabe is not actually a parental figure at all but she's also often absent in his life too and that must have left him with such mixed feelings because it's not all black and white! Sally's love protected him but also hurt him. Percy loves his mom so so so much but there's also this deep-seated bitterness and hurt and anger he never let himself feel and then the guilt for having those feelings because his mom loves him he knows that and she gave up so much for him and she married a monster that abused her to protect him, he knows that but it doesn't make it hurt any less. the mess his emotions are because he knows his mom suffered for him and did it from her love for him but he still desperately wishes she never married that monster that he wouldn't have to have the childhood he had with him that he wouldn't have to live with the trauma he was left with. this all is exactly what makes their relationship so fascinating and also heartbreaking.

or the idea of Percy having weird mixed feelings after Estelle is born because that's his little sister and he loves her with his whole heart and would do anything for her and wants only the best for her but there's also this little jealous monster deep down that wonders why she gets to have a loving mom and a loving dad and a happy normal life but he never got that. why does she deserve it but not him? why couldn't he have that too? doesn't he deserve that too? he was just a child too so why why why??? and then the guilt of feeling that way too it makes me want to scream. emotions are fucking messy and they can be really ugly and they can make you hate yourself and there's no way Percy's feelings aren't a mess when it comes to this and i want to see it explored so badly!

and with Sally too! her feelings about Percy because she did so much and tried her best but sometimes unfortunately your best isn't good enough and it still got her beloved son hurt and she hates it and feels so guilty but she just has to live with that but she can't help to wish it was different. that their lives would be different. better. normal. she can't help but to wish she didn't have to do the things she's done, didn't have to suffer so much just to protect her child. can't help to wish she didn't have to worry so much, didn't have to be so scared about Percy, didn't have to be terrified that one day he won't come back home to her, that she won't be able to hold her son anymore because he will be gone, she just wishes he didn't have to suffer so much, she just wishes and wishes and wishes

and i just wish people weren't so afraid to explore this because it's so heartwrenching and yes if you want something do it yourself but unfortunately i cannot write nor am i able to handle this topic in a way it deserves so i am left only with rambling about it on here thank you

[artist-issues]

On the Percy Jackson series, now that the season has concluded, do you have any thoughts on it, whether standalone or as an adaptation, about what worked and didn't work in it? I ask partly because I want to analyse it as its own thing but I can't stop getting hung up on the changes and I'm not completely sure why.

Of all things, Gabe is the big one for me. They turned him from a repulsive abuser to a pathetic manchild who lacks the power dynamic of his book counterpart and was so consistently treated as comic relief that I actually pitied him. The fact that he shares the fate of his book counterpart actually kind of angers me and it's hard for me to look past that. It left a mean-spirited taste in my mouth.

I don’t think I’ve talked enough about what did work, and I do think there’s a place for talking about that, so I’m glad you asked!

I think Walker Scobell could play a really excellent Percy Jackson. And I think Leah Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri are both very endearing in their roles.

I’m not going to throw shade on 14 year-old actors and actresses. There’s no shade to throw. Acting is vulnerability combined with introspection and understanding. No teenager is going to have the same level of vulnerability, understanding, and introspection, expressed with the same skill, as we’re used to seeing in adults, period. And the show doesn’t do them any favors by giving them very adult lines and very adult-behaving characters to play.

Which segues nicely into—the character’s “arcs” are completely different in the show, but they feel more like…”alternate universe” characters than “out-of-character-rewrites.” For the most part.

I already touched on how Grover is a completely different Grover in the TV show. His fear is both too serious and not extreme enough. He’s not comedic. Instead, he is a voice of reason, and he does have a maturity the other two don’t have. He’s written to talk to the other adults differently than Percy and Annabeth are—more like equals, less like teen-vs-adults. You can easily believe that Grover is a 24 year-old in a kid’s body during those scenes, like the ones with Ares.

But there’s a reason he’s not like that in the Percy Jackson books; he’s comedic, and he’s Percy’s best friend. Percy’s only 12 when they meet; it’s weird for a 12 year-old to be best friends with a 24 year-old—who BEHAVES like a 35 year-old, with all the gravity, and maturity, etc. But if the 24 year-old is a magical creature who, for his species, is still pretty young, and has a comedically immature personality, then the chemistry works much better. Anyway. Not my point.

My point is, Grover might not be Grover, but you can still see trace elements of Grover in him. Like how you can see echoes of Spider-Man in Spider-Gwen’s story. It’s an alternate-universe, not a do-over.

Grover still wants to be a seeker.

Grover still feels guilty about not taking better care of Thalia.

Grover still gets the most outraged and cares the most deeply about nature and crimes against nature.

Grover is still a peace-lover at heart, so he’s the most gentle in relational interactions.

‘That kind of stuff is still there. It’s just re-contextualized and…made less fun. That’s all. More serious. More grit.

Same thing with Annabeth:

Annabeth still wants to prove she’s the best of the best.

Annabeth’s still given up on her normal family and is most comfortable in life-or-death strategizing.

Annabeth’s still smart, but specifically wise enough to notice Percy’s heart of gold while everyone else is busy being afraid of or disappointed in him.

Same thing with Percy:

Percy still has the stubborn rebelliousness we all know and love.

Percy’s still a guy who goes with his gut first and foremost.

Percy’s still willing to sacrifice the future for the present, if the present means saving the people he loves.

Percy still makes wise-cracks at wildly inappropriate times.

And I think some of the show is really well written. Some of it. Two parts in particular stand out. The first is when Annabeth and Percy have the post-killing Medusa conversation, and they have that, “she tried to get me to betray you. What did you say? I killed her sister. What did you say? I cut off her head.” exchange. That’s great. The point of that conversation is “you can trust me because no matter how I might be tempted, this is the line I won’t cross.” But they don’t come out and say that. They have the characters say it without saying it, if that makes sense.

The second bit of good writing that comes into my brain was Luke’s conversation with Percy about being small and scary. It was such a good way to introduce the important concept of why gods need demigods/why gods fear demigods, while also lore-dropping things like “Annabeth is afraid of spiders” and “this fantasy world does have rules.” And on top of those boxes getting checked, you can also see the conversation from Luke’s point of view—he’s bitter about being thought of as a small thing to the gods, but now he’s starting to embrace the scariness part.

So some moments are good, writing-wise. Especially if you tilt your head and say “this is an alternate universe.” I just think they’re not always the right moments for Percy Jackson.

[thirsty-lakedream]

Third Roomate

I arrive after a long day of classes and this is the first thing I see when I walk into the apartment.

I’m not too surprised. It’s quite normal to see my roommate sitting on the couch and watching one of his shows. What I did not expect is how he looked.

“Hey, Matt…”

The guy glances over but says nothing, instead turning his attention back to the tv. Instead of his normal sci-fi shit he instead is watching a baseball match.

“Matt, yo I’m talking to you.” I try to block the screen with my body but he simply leans over, pointing the remote to the screen.

“In a sec man, I’m trying to watch the game.” I roll my eyes. I doubt he actually knows what’s going on about, just trying to play into his new look. “And stop calling me Matt, you know my name.”

I roll my eyes, “God you are obsessed. You know, when I agreed to buy ‘Gabriel’ with you I thought I’d at least get a turn every so often…”

“Oh come on.” The muscles blonde stood up, towering nearly a foot above me. If I didn’t know any better, I’d feel a bit intimidated. “I’m just having some fun with our new toy before you take him for the rest of the night!”

“Is this fun? Your sitting all alone pretending to be some dumb jock interested in sports. Tell me Gabe, did ‘Matt’ even go to class today?”

He shifted slightly trying to hide away, but with his big frame it was difficult to. “Not exactly… But don’t worry, l attended for him.”

“Dude! Are you serious?” Turning away from the guy, I barged into my roommate’s room, where I found him exactly where I thought I would. He stood in the center wearing a full-body haptic suit and VR headset strapped onto his head. He faced the wall, seemingly staring at nothing. The equipment was rigged to his PC, with the screen showing all sorts of familiar diagnostics and body mapping windows.

“You’ve seriously been using Gabriel all day? Even when you know I called using him tonight! Now his batteries are gonna be dead before I can even use him.” You grab him by the shoulder trying to shake him back to reality.

Matt didn’t turn to me but responded to my accusation “Relax bro. He’s been on the charger since he got home so you don’t have to worry! Look!” From behind me Gabriel walked up, standing attentively.

Both Matt and Gabriel spoke in at the same time in unison. “See? Look I’m Gabriel and I’m ready to go out with my frat bros all night!” Matt performed a mocking jig and Gabriel mimicked the exact movement. He then touched his finger to the temple of his virtual reality goggles and in an instant Gabriel halted all movement.

You see, Gabriel isn’t a real person, he never was actually. He’s what’s known as a techno-puppet. Like how in a video game you can use a controller to manipulate your avatar. It works the same way but instead you control this hyper realistic doll. It wasn’t hard to see why Matt took such a liking to living as him. We spent the last month building this entire life, even forging papers to make him an ‘official’ student in our college. We have people thinking he’s our third roomate, but in reality he’s just a toy for us to experience an exciting college life.

I waited for a moment as he took off the VR equipment and handed it to me. Hiding away into my own room, I excitedly put on the gear. Sitting myself down comfortably on my bed, felt around the headset until I found the power button. Pressing it, the technology in the haptic and goggles whittled to life. After a brief loading time, my vision awoke and I found myself once again standing in Matt’s room. My roomate grinned trying to hide his envy as I was now in control of Gabriel. Maybe ill give him a taste of his own medicine for hogging the beautiful body by taking him for the entire weekend. I know Matt is harboring a secret crush on our puppet so teasing him around the apartment can be a warmup to get into my new persona

[wazzappp]

I drew. a lot for this. Also heads up for non RE mutuals this is going to be. confusing for you. I'm going to do my best to annotate and provide context but you are in for a wild ride.

Anyway long ass lore post for how Lisa and Robbie go from fighting to working together in this AU.

In the RE8 cannon all of the Dimitrescu daughters are made at the same time but for the sake of ✨the situations✨ I am going to change that. Lisa lived the longest as a human before being assimilated into the mold with a Cadou (infecting extension of the Megamycite). Technically her 'sisters' are older than her, as they were assimilated a while ago. Lisa has been a member of house Dimitrescu for about 2 years now. This puts her in this. Weird middle child zone. She wants to make her 'family' proud but she's also aware that what makes them proud isn't really the most achievable thing in the world (expecially with Bela to contend with. Older sibling overachiever to the maximum). She's got a certain degree of distance from them and sometimes wonders if she wasn't better off before all of this. Her memories are fuzzy but still there for the most part. She cant remember faces or names but she remembers feelings and situations. She doesen't remember families being like this (she wants OUT).

Chasing prey brought in is fairly standard for her. It's some of the only entertainment she gets. So when she catches Robbie exploring around the castle she has no idea that he's special in any way. He's just some new guy she gets to mess with before eating and DAMN he's FUN. If she didn't know any better she could almost think that he has experience being chased around (he does. he very much so does. all of RE7's worth). What she ALSO doesn't know is that Mother Miranda (big bad. Different from Lady Dimitrescu, who she refers to as 'mother') is planning on using Gabe (who is replacing baby Rose in this) to try and resurrect her dead kid with a 'perfect vessel' and this requires. uh. disassembly (in the base RE8 gameplay the reason Ethan goes to each house is because uhhhhhhhh his infant daughter has been dismembered and stored in jars and he needs to collect them so he can put her back together.... yeah). Robbie intervenes before this can get going and is instead going house to house because if he wants to get out of this stupid fuckass villiage he needs to collect the key components to unlock the gate keeping him in here (i need him to have a reason. to kill everyone. its important to me ok).

When Lisa finds out this random, but fun guy, she's been chasing who she thought was JUST SOME NORMAL GUY killed one of her sisters she mentally goes 'Oh. OH. THERES A CHANCE FOR ME TO GET OUT OF HERE'. That in conjunction with discovering Mother Miranda is planning on FULLY DISMEMBERING A CHILD she uh. Makes some decisions.

What you have to understand about her plans of matricide is that neither Lady Dimitrescu or her sisters can actually really fully die. Sure, their bodies are gone, but their consciousness is stored in the hive mind and they can reform later after gathering their strength. If she has to put her kinda shitty found family in time out for the sake of getting herself out of here + keeping her newly revived conscience clean she's absolutely going to do it.

(fuckin. backgrounds. dialogue. fuck. why can things not just take place inside of the void. DUKE MY BELOVED WE LOVE AND RESPECT DUKE IN THIS HOUSE HES A REAL ONE fuck now I got it in my head that he keeps trying to play matchmaker for them and i need to. go draw that because its too funny not to.)

Lisas plan involves this lab I had her mention in the comic above. It's where Robbie needs to go to synthesize more poison for the dagger of deaths flowers, and SUPPOSEDLY where a medicine that might allow her to go outside again might be (enemies of Lisas type become SIGNIFICANTLY weaker in the cold. She could try to bundle up but its still really not a good idea). She would love to go there herself, but it's in an area of the castle thats exposed to the cold of the outdoors.

The Two of them make a fairly decent team and Lisa finds herself having a LOT more fun hunting with someone else than she does on her own. They balance each other out pretty well; Robbie works primarily with guns so he can watch Lisas back while she's up close wrecking any grunts they run into. It's also pretty helpful having someone who can turn into a swarm of flies for puzzle solving purposes.

After all this Robbies trust for her increases SIGNIFICANTLY. He's still not really sure about her, but she's moved out of the 'active threat' classification into the 'kinda helpful' zone.

Lisa's plan has three ways it could go:

They all fail miserably and get sent to mental and physical time out in the megamycite.

They win and get to go free but either the medicine isn't there or it doesen't work. In which case she's just planning on getting as many coats as possible and Try-or-Die-ing it.

The medicine is there and she actually gets to roam free

Luckily for her, the medicine IS there, it DOES work, and Robbies sense of honor / noticing her usefulness (its hard to wage a one man war on an entire community of mutants ok you cant blame him for appreciating having some ACTUAL HELP for once) all align for the best possible scenario.

The cold does still affect her; her healing isn't as quick as it usually is and her increased strength / speed is a bit reduced, but she can go!! outside!!

She decided to stick with Robbie in getting out of the village as a whole. She doesen't really know what the world outside is like but anything has to be better than here (plus if she stays here she's probably getting shoved into the Megamycite by Mother Miranda PERMENANTLY and that just. wont do).

Also yes Lisa being with Robbie for the rest of his adventures means that she is there for Heisenbergs 'proposal'. She uh. Does not like that much.

this all made. more sense in my head I hope it at least makes a little sense out loud.