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spneveryseason · 2 years

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The Unspecial

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Ao3 link

Someone’s screaming.

Sam blinks, turns to see who, before the hands grabbing onto his shirt tug him sharply aside. “Sam!” Dean barks, and the sound of his voice breaks the spell. “We have to go. Now.”

Sam tugs away, whirls around to the others. Ava’s on the ground, Andy crouched next to her. “Move.” He says, swooping down to grab Ava’s arm, Andy lifting from the other side. They lever her up between them, uneven, and amble towards the exit. He sees everyone book it ahead of them, and feels Dean pull up to his side.

Sam’s heart is pounding in his chest and reverberating in his head, the sounds and smells and sights of everything cramming themselves into his brain and vying for his attention. He barely feels Ava’s arm over his shoulder, Dean’s hand on his arm, tugging, stumbling to the car.

They’re not gonna make it.

They’re a few steps away from the car when the light grows brighter and brighter, and Sam knows it’s gonna envelop them. He clutches onto Ava harder, feels Dean’s hand tighten around his own arm, closes his eyes-

He comes down to earth with an ooomph, almost losing his grip on Ava, legs trembling. The sudden quiet is shocking, and he thinks for a second that he’s died.

When he looks around, and his eyes adjust to the lack of blinding light, he finds himself in Bobby’s living room. Everyone else is there too (he goes through and does a head count out of habit), all seemingly just as confused and shell-shocked as him.

He makes the first move, leading Ava towards the closest chair. “Is everyone okay?” He croaks out, setting her down gently.

There’s a short, shocked pause before Lily lets out a swallowed gasp. “Fine,” She chokes out, sinking onto an overstuffed chair.

Jake picks a seat across from her, putting his head in his hands. “What just happened?” He asks, voice muffled. “Did…did we just…lose?”

Sam breathe in, then out. Once. Twice.

Dean speaks now. “Yeah,” He says, his voice so full of rage that everyone looks at him. “They tricked us. They fucking lied to us. All of them. The fucking angels too.” He slams a fist into the wall, the sudden movement making everyone jump. “They fucking lied to us!”

At this, the door slams open and Bobby storms in, hatless, pyjama clad and gun out. “How in the hell are y’all here?” He asks, pointing the gun at them. “You’re in Maryland!”

Sam raises his hands. “We don’t know, Bobby,” He says quietly. “We just…we just kind of showed up here.”

“You were saved.”

They all leap back, Andy flinching so heavily he almost trips over his own feet. Cas stands there, unruffledly ruffled as always. “You were saved, as was the plan.”

Before Sam can do anything, Dean lunges, punching Cas in the face. There’s a sharp crack, Dean clutching at his hand, Cas’ face barely moving. “You bastard,” Dean yells, not seemingly to register his injured hand. “You lied! I trusted you and you lied.”

“It was the plan,” Cas says. Sam would swear that he sees a flicker in his eyes. “It was divine intention. You were meant to-”

“We were meant to release Lucifer?” Dean yells. Bobby drops his gun. “Why would you want that? Why the hell would you do that to the world? You had a chance to stop us, and you didn’t! We trusted you!”

Cas blinks. “I-” He says, and Sam can’t believe he’s seeing this, seeing an angel stumble. “It was-”

“Get out!” Dean screams, “Get the fuck out. We don’t need this, we don’t need your fucking explanations. Get the fuck out!”

Cas disappears in the next exhale, and Dean bows his head, breathing heavily.

“Lucifer is what?” Bobby asks, breaking the silence.

“Goddamn it!” Dean explodes, ignoring Bobby entirely. “We were played! The angels, the demons, everyone…they played us! They fucking played us!”

“Well,” Andy says, voice flat. “Even if that was the case. We fell for it. We’re the idiots who went for it.”

Sam’s head snaps to Andy. His face is slowly reddening, mouth thinning, eyes firey.

“I listened to you,” Andy continues, looking directly at Sam. “I…I supported you. You said doing all this, it would…it would save us. But. Look at us. Look at Ava. Look at the world. We…we destroyed it. Because of you.”

A suffocating silence descends upon on the room. Even Dean has stopped breathing heavily. Sam feels like his heart is going to beat out of his chest, because, oh god. He’s right. Andy’s right.

Andy shakes his head. “I’m leaving,” He says, turning to Ava. “I’m taking her to Missouri. And then…and then I’m going home. Don’t contact me. Don’t talk to me.”

He grabs Ava’s arm, levering her up into a standing position. However, she pulls away, staring blankly at her hands.

“I think it’s gone,” She says, without explanation.

“Okay,” Andy says, a note of softness entering his voice. “Okay, we can talk to Missouri about that. Let’s go.”

He beckons her over and she follows him out the door. Sam flinches as it slams shut.

“Now,” Bobby says, face pale. “Can somebody tell me what the fuck is happening?”

It’s a blur after that.

How Sam manages to get back in the passenger seat of the Impala, he has no idea. All he knows is one second he was blinking up at Bobby in his living room, and the next he was staring at the passing street lights in the car, a silent Dean next to him.

He turns his head, and sees Dean dart a sideways look at him. “Where’re we goin’?”

Dean shifts. “I…I just picked a direction. West. I don’t know. Better weather.”

Sam snorts. “Yeah,” He says, turning back to the window. “It is.”

It starts to rain, droplets running down the window. Dean slows down, navigating through the decreasing visibility. “Hey,” Dean says, to the back of Sam’s head. “Look. It’s not…it’s not all on you, okay? I fucked up too. We all did. And, anyway, we were trusting angels, man. How were we to know that they’d want to release Lucifer?”

“You knew,” Sam says, still not turning around. “You were suspicious.”

He hears Dean sigh. “Yeah, for five seconds! Come on, man. Angels. Nobody can blame you—can blame us—for trusting them.”

His eyes continue to trace the water dripping down the glass. “Andy did. Does.”

“Andy’s hurt,” Dean counters, a hint of anger in his voice. “And confused. He’s still processing what happened. Hell, I’m still processing what happened. Give him some time, he’ll come around.”

Sam finally finds it in himself to turn his head. “What’re we gonna do?” He whispers, so quietly that he isn’t sure Dean hears him at first. “How…how do we fix this?”

Dean’s jaw ticks. He stays silent.

They drive six hours straight before it becomes too much. Dean drags them into a motel and conks out the second his head hits the pillow.

Sam doesn’t sleep, he doesn’t move. He just stays there, eyes open, looking at the ceiling.

He doesn’t know how much time has passed before he hears his phone buzz next to him. Automatically, he reaches out a squints at the name on the screen: Jake.

He quietly hauls himself out of the room, slipping out the motel door and into the warm summer air. “Hello?” He whispers, hoping he can be heard. “Jake?”

“Sam,” Jake replies, voice heavy. “Where are you?”

Sam looks around. “Uh,” He says. “I don’t know. About…eight hours west? I think?”

There’s a silence on the other end of the line. “Okay,” Jake says. “Okay then. What do you want, demons or ghosts?”

Sam blinks. “Sorry?”

“What do you want,” Jake repeats, voice tinny. “Demons or ghosts? Two cases pinged on my radar. One looks like ghosts, the other looks like demons. Which one are you taking?”

Sam’s heart sinks. “Jake…”

“No,” Jake responds. “Look. I know things are fucked up right now. But things are still out there and we still have work to do. So. Demons or ghosts?”

“But,” Sam leans back on the doorframe. “Lucifer…”

“I know,” Jake responds. “We need to fix that. I’ve started looking, and you can too when you, you know. Come back. But for now, you can do this. We can at least save someone.”

Sam feels a wetness build in his eyes. “I think I hurt more people than I help,” He says.

Jake goes silent again. “You know,” He says. “We fucked up. You fucked up. Fine. You have a choice. Are you gonna lie back and let it consume you? Or are you gonna stand up and try to make it right?”

Sam’s breath hitches. “I know,” He says. “I have to fix my mess. I know.”

“It’s not, though,” Jake says. “It’s not your mess. It’s ours. We acted together. It’s on all of us. We rely on you, sure, but the decisions we made was always together. So. We’re gonna fix this together too.”

Sam reached up, rubs his eyes, reaches deep down for anything left. “Thank you,” He says. “For everything. I promise I won’t let you down.”

“I know,” Jake says, then pauses. “I’ve been keeping up with everyone else, by the way. They’re all with you. Andy’s still hurt and upset, but he’s processing. He’ll come around.”

Sam draws in a breath. “Dean said that too.”

“Dammit,” Jake says. “Well, don’t tell him that we agreed on something. Anyway, doesn’t make it less true. I can tell you this: Andy’s not back home. He’s with Ava and Missouri still. I think they’re helping him heal too.”

“He needs it,” Sam says. “He’s done more for us than anyone.”

“Isn’t that something?” Jake says, chucking. “Lily’s still here, with Bobby and me. She’s drawing away again, though. I’m gonna need your help on this one.”

Sam nods to himself. “Yeah. Yeah, I know.”

“Okay,” Jake says. “Okay. I’m glad. But you haven’t answered the question yet.”

“Which is?”

Sam heard the grin in Jake’s voice. “Demons or ghosts?”

Sam sighs, a smile curling the side of his mouth. “Demons,” He says.

They exchange goodbyes and as he hangs up and heads back in to finally get some sleep, he feels the stirrings of hope in his chest again.

And then, weeks later, Sam wakes up to Jess’ face smiling at him and he should’ve known, he really should, that hope isn’t something he has the luxury of feeling.

Lucifer vanishes, and Sam isn’t in his body anymore.

Not physically, he doesn’t think, but he’s…floating, unfocused, because if he’s in his body it means he’s himself, and if he’s himself it means he isn’t because he’s Lucifer’s, so…he’s separating from his body as much as he can.

A door opening almost makes him jump out of his skin, but it’s just Dean, stumbling back in through the door smelling like a bar. “Hey, Sammy,” Dean says, shutting the door. He doesn’t sound drunk, somehow. “Still awake, huh? So it turns out that driving back means I couldn’t actually drink that m-” He stops in his tracks, swallowing the rest of his sentence. “Sammy?”

Sam doesn’t know what his face looks like, but it must be bad because Dean leaps towards him, sitting next to him. “Sammy? What happened?”

Sam opens his mouth. Nothing comes out.

Dean takes a shuddering breath. “Sam?”

Sam opens his mouth again, and this time a broken laugh emerges. “Dean,” He says in a breathless chuckle. “You’re not gonna believe this. You are not gonna believe who just came by.”

Dean looks straight up scared now. “What?”

“Lucifer,” Sam’s laughter raises to a fever pitch. “And guess what? You’re not gonna believe this. Apparently, I’m his vessel. Yeah. He’s back and he’s gonna wear me. He’s gonna make me say yes and he’s gonna be me.”

Dean just stares at him. “You-what?”

Sam’s chest is starting to hurt now. “Yeah,” He says, gasping. “Yeah! So I guess I am destroying the world, huh?” Like, physically.”

“No-” Dean begins, but Sam cuts him off.

“You know,” He says, a ringing in his ears. His laughter peters out. “There’s a solution to this. It’s looking at us right in the face.”

“Sam,” Dean begins, before Sam interrupts him again.

He stands up. “It’s easy,” He says, making his way to the door. “He said it wouldn’t work, but we can call his bluff. If we just deal with this,” He kneels down to the duffle bags near the door. “Then the world doesn’t have to be destroyed!” He unzips the bag reaching in, “it’s simple, really-”

Suddenly, a hand is on his wrist, wrenching him away from the bag. The gun he had grabbed clatters to the floor. “What are you doing?” Dean yells, pulling him back. “What’re you-”

His eyes fall to the gun, and he turns pale. “You…” He says, dragging Sam back, away from the gun. “You idiot. What the fuck do you think you’re doing, huh?”

“What we should do,” Sam argues, trying to pull back. “And you know it.”

“You-” Words seem to fail Dean, and his iron grip on Sam’s wrist tightens. “No. You won’t do it. It’s stupid and it won’t work. I won’t let you.”

“You won’t let me?” Sam laughs again. It still hurts. “I’m saving the world, Dean. Saving people, hunting things, remember? That’s what I’m doing. Let me go.” Save Sam or kill him floats between them like secret

Dean’s grip only tightens further. “Look,” He says, forced calm taking over his voice. “You’re having some kind of…breakdown, or something, so I don’t know how much you’re processing or thinking right now, but, Sammy? Dying is not gonna fix anything. Also,” He pauses, swallows. “Saving people and hunting things doesn’t come before you. Never has, never will.”

Sam’s eyes fill up. “It should,” He says.

Dean pulls him into a hug. “I don’t care,” He says into his shoulder. “We’ll find a solution. I promise. But I need you here to do that, okay? So do the others. Can you promise me back?”

The tears escape, drip onto Dean’s shoulder. “I promise,” Sam says into Dean’s leather jacket.

As it turns out, it’s not that simple.

This is proven by the panicked phone call Sam gets, minutes after lifting his head off Dean’s shoulder. He turns a head towards the buzzing, squinting blearily at the name in his phone screen. “Lily,” He informs Dean, trying to pull himself together.

He picks up the phone. “Hello?” He says, breathing deeply. “You okay?”

He hears crying on the other end. “No,” Lily gasps. “I’m not. God, Sam. I’m not. I…I’m…”

Sam shouts up. “Lily?” He says, gesturing to Dean we have to leave now. “What happened?”

“I told you,” She says, sobbing harder. “I’m poison. I kill. I…Lucifer came by to see me. He says…he says I’m his vessel.”

Sam stops midway to the door. “What?” he says, heart pounding.

“He said,” Lily repeats, but bright blue eyes now fill his vision and he’s suddenly almost toe-to-toe with Castiel.

“We need to talk,” Castiel says, and the world dissolves around them.

Sam is gone before he has time to gasp.

He drops his phone, hearing it clatter on the floor. Across from him, Lily puts down her own phone, tears dripping from her eyes. “What-” She says, “How did you…can you touch me without dying?”

“No,” Castiel says shortly. “Your power is the forceful expulsion of souls from bodies. Even angels cannot escape that. I merely held onto a piece of clothing. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”

Castiel vanishes, the. winks back into existence a second later, clutching onto Jake.

“Hey!” Jake protests, before Castiel disappears again. He’s holding his phone. “What the hell-”

“We don’t know,” Dean‘s voice rings out behind him. “He just…transported us here.”

Sam looks around. They’re in a large, ornate, room, all huge tables and chandeliers and green wallpaper. He suddenly feels severely underdressed in his t shirt and sweatpants. He sits at one of the tables, Dean sliding in to the seat next to him, Lily going to the opposite end. “Looks like Castiel is collecting us,” He says, before a small poof alerts them to his return.

Now, Castiel clutches onto Andy in one hand, and Ava in another. “Now that we’re all here,” He says, over Ava’s yelp of surprise. “We need to talk.”

Sam glances at Andy, who’s refusing to look at him. “We’re here,” He says shortly. “Talk.”

Castiel inclines his head, waiting for Andy and Ava to take seats as well. He moves to the front of the room, then turns to face them. “I’ve thought hard about this,” He says. “And I’ve come to the only conclusion that I can, because it’s the truth. And the truth is this: what the angels are doing is wrong. What I did…what I did is wrong. It always has been.”

Dean isn’t moved. “Why should we believe you?” He asks. “How are we supposed to trust that this isn’t another trick?”

“You can’t,” Castiel says. “I understand that. However, just so you understand how serious I am: I have Fallen.”

There’s a short silence. “What’s that mean?” Lily says. “Fallen how?”

“I have Fallen from Heaven,” Castiel says, a heaviness to his tone. “I am now on my own, cast down from the other Angels. I could not, in good conscience, remain there with the current plan in motion. Especially not with the role that I played in making it happen.”

Sam nods. “What’s the plan?” He asks. “What’s their goal here?”

“You must understand,” Castiel says. “That what is happening now was not what was supposed to happen. What was meant to happen was Azazel was meant to find and identify all appropriate families that were of a similar bloodline, and would produce children with powers that could function as vessels. He was supposed to make you fight amongst yourselves, with the winner being targeted as the next vessel of Lucifer, and their older relative of the same bloodline functioning in the role of Michael. We were then supposed to push you into accepting said roles.”

“Michael?” Dean asks.

“Yes,” Castiel says. “That would have been you, had Sam won,” Dean’s eyes widen. “However, none of you did. You never fought. In fact, you banded together and killed Azazel. Heaven’s plans completely fell apart after that, and we had to, well…make do.”

“Made do how?” Jake leans back in his chair, arms crossed.

“It depends,” Castiel responds. “Lucifer, when informed that his vessel was not ready as intended, visited them all-” Here, he glances at them, one-by-one. “To prime the pump, I suppose. Test them out. It’s assumed he’ll choose one of you. Michael seems to be waiting to take his cue from Lucifer. He isn’t as interested in the actual vessel, he seems more concerned about the battle that’s to follow.”

Jake nods. Lily raises a hand. “Um, so what do we do now? Can we…can we stop it?”

Castiel sighs. “Well,” He says. “We have one chance, really. None of us can go up against the might of Heaven. However, someone can. My Father.”

Sam feels a headache coming on. “You don’t mean-”

“God,” Castiel confirms, nodding. “He…I refuse to believe He endorsed this. He’s out there somewhere. If I…if I can find him, then maybe…”

“This feels blasphemous,” Jake says, looking around. “Is it just me? Man, my mom would kill me if she heard all this. I’m not really religious, still, but…”

Sam shakes his head. “If anyone can help, God will,” He says.

Castiel cants his head, looks at him. “You’re still a believer, after all this?” He asks.

Sam shrugs, uncomfortable. “Gotta be,” He replies.

“Interesting,” Castiel says. “In the meantime, dark forces are rising, and rising fast. We’ll need to work on quelling them. And,” he nods to them. “It might be worth looking into the power of the Four Horsemen. Their rings have certain properties that may be useful.”

Sam nods. “Anything else?” he says, ramping down on the overwhelming feeling rising in his chest.

“Yes,” Castiel says, looking right at Dean. “I will need your help in my mission. Your amulet.”

Dean’s hand comes up, covers the amulet. “Why?”

“It’s a rare and powerful artifact,” Castiel says, stalking closer. “It burns hot in God’s presence. It would be extremely useful to me.”

No way, Sam thinks, staring. No way..

Dean doesn’t let go. “No.”

“Dean,” Sam starts. “Come on-”

“No,” Dean repeats, more forcefully this time. “I still don’t trust you, and especially not with this. You’re gonna have to do this by yourself. Sorry.”

Castiel’s brow furrows. “It’s our only chance at-”

“Sure,” Dean says. “And this is gonna, what? Act as a God smoke detector? You have to actually detect him first though, so it doesn’t seem like a necessary item. And again, I don’t trust you. So, no. You’re not getting it.”

Sam tries again. “Dean…”

“Nope,” Dean says. “Stop asking, Sammy. I won’t do it.”

Castiel blows a frustrated breath. “Fine,” He says. “I know I have much to atone for, but you should know that this task would’ve been much easier with your help. No matter. Focus on the horsemen and the hunting for now, and I’ll keep you updated where I can. Use Bobby Singer and Missouri Molesely as resources for this. Can I rely on you?”

As one, the eyes of the room turn to Sam, expectant. Dean flashes him a proud smile. “Yes,” Sam says, slightly shaken by the attention. “You can rely on us. Keep us posted when you can.”

Castiel gives a short nod. “Now, he says, gesturing to Jake. “I know you’re having trouble reintegrating because you are presumed dead abroad. I can take you there now, make you look injured, so that you can be delivered home to your family.”

Jake shoots up. “Whoa, wait. I’ll be able to see my family again? Yes, absolutely. I’m in.”

Sam smiles. Jake’s been apart from his family for years, presumed dead. He knows how much that’s been hurting him.

Jake looks at them, eyes shiny. “See you on the other side,” He says before vanishing.

Cas returns, looking distinctly worse for the wear. “Hey, Castiel,” Sam says, eyeing him with concern. “Maybe you should just…transport us all together to the same location. Less energy for you.”

Castiel looks at him, eyes bloodshot. “Perhaps you’re right,” he says, beckoning them over. “Hold onto each other.”

They cluster awkwardly around Castiel, clutching each other. Dean’s grip is tight on his arm, Ava’s on his elbow. Lily light touches Castiel’s clothed shoulder. Andy doesn’t go near him, but doesn’t put up a fuss either. “Let’s go,” He hears before the world dissolves.

They decide to break out into groups.

Well, Sam decides to break out into groups. The rest, somehow, still want to follow his lead. Even Dean, who tells him not to get too cocky, that this doesn’t mean he’s ceding ground on the big brother front.

They call Bobby, while Ava and Andy make their way back to Missouri. “We’ll figure it out,” Ava tells him, brimming with a newfound confidence. “We’ll have a group call after.”

Sam nods his thanks, then peers more closely at her. “I’m glad you feel better,” He says.

She smiles back. “It’s out my system now,” She says. “I feel like I can do anything.”

Their goodbyes complete, Sam steps back, watching them drive away. Lily stands to the side, always far, but close enough to hear them.

“Hey,” He tells her. “We’ll link you up with Jake when he’s back stateside, okay? I don’t how long it’ll take, so you can hang out with us til then.”

Lily wavers. “I should go back to Bobby,” She says. “He’ll be missing Jake by now. He’s gotten used to the help.”

Dean chuckles. “Good idea, you could help feed over info this way too.”

“Hey,” Sam says, before Lily can walk back to her car. “You’re doing great. Thanks for all your help.”

She smiles wide. “Thanks,” She says. “I’m happy I can help, wherever I can.” And with a wave, she walks off.

Dean sidles up to him. “So. You know this means we’re family, right?”

Sam smiles. “Weren’t we already?”

“Not you and me,” Dean says. “Us and them. I mean like, biologically. Cas said they looked for people from a similar bloodline, right?”

“Yeah,” Sam says, thoughtfully. “It’s probably super far back, but yeah. You’re right.”

Dean shakes his head. “Never thought we’d have this many people around, you know?”

Sam looks to the departing cars in the distance. “Me neither.”

5 months later

These days, Bobby’s house is a bustling location. With the constant movement in and out, and its use as a home base for stopping the Apocalypse, the place is barely recognizable as the quiet, unobtrusive place that it used to be.

Not today, though. Despite being a full house, the rustling wind was the only sound echoing through the building.

“What does that mean?” Lily asks from her spot in the corner, finally breaking the silence. “What do we have to do?”

Dean glances at Sam. “When I spoke to Death,”He said. “He gave me his ring voluntarily.”

Murmurs echo around the room. “What did he want?” Jake asks wearily.

“He gave me the spell to activate the rings,” Dean says, and they all risk a glance at the four rings on the table in front of them. “And he said…he gave me an ultimatum for them.”

“What was it?” Ava says tightly.

Dean glances at Sam again. “He wants one of you to say yes,” He says on an exhale. “He says that the only way for Lucifer and Michael to go down is for their vessels to drag them to the Cage with them.”

There’s a sudden flurry of talk. “No way,” Andy says hotly. “No. We promised, we said we weren’t gonna go there-”

“We may have no other choice,” Cas says, leaning against the wall near the bookcase. “I have yet to find God. I will keep searching until the last moment, but we need to assume I will not find him on time. Had I had the amulet then perhaps…”

“Okay smart guy,” Dean interrupts. “It wouldn’t have helped and you know it. But, he’s right. This is our play. This is how we win, whether we want to or not.”

“Dean’s right,” Sam says. “And…and we’ve talked it over and…and we’re gonna do it. Dean and I. We’re gonna say yes.”

The cries of protest erupt quickly. “No way,” Andy says again, eyes fiery. “We can’t lose you guys! There’s no way.”

“It’s the only way,” Sam says. “We…we brought you guys in this. It’s our duty to make sure that you’re protected from the consequences. Also, me saying yes would guarantee that none of your relatives are forced into saying yes by Michael. This way, there are two willing participants.”

“Sam,” Lily says, desperate. “We need you around. Both of you. You…nobody else does what you do. So many people rely on you, us and practically everyone else in the country. How…how are we gonna continue without you?”

Sam makes to reach out, but Lily flinches back. “We’re just two people,” He says. “You guys…you guys are the future. I’m relying on you to carry on.”

He hears a choking sound, and turns to see Andy. “I’m sorry,” He says, eyes wet. “I’m sorry, Sam.”

Sam tries to give him a smile. “Take care of everyone for me, okay?”

Andy gives a jerky nod.

“This is bullshit!” Jake says, standing up abruptly. “Sam, we need you. You know damn well that we…we need you here. You keep us together.”

“I really don’t,” Sam says. “This thing? All of us together? That was…that was beyond fate,” Cas nods in acknowledgement. “That was free will. That was…a choice we all made to say no to what we were led to do. And I’m asking you to make that choice again. We’re saying no to date our own way. I need you guys to do that too.”

Jake gives a shuddering breath, sits down.

Sam looks at them, at the ragtag team that’s become his family. “I’m so proud of you guys,” He says.

Dean puts a hand on his shoulder. Bobby, seated in the corner, wheels towards them.

“I’m proud of you boys too,” Bobby chokes out, and it takes everything Sam has to stay strong.

They meet at Stull cemetery.

Sam calls it dramatic irony. Dean calls it some fucked up shit. Regardless, they stand there, all of them, shoulder-to-shoulder and somber.

It doesn’t take long for Lucifer to appear, creating over the hill, his latest vessel rotting off as he walks. “About time,” He says as he approaches them. “So, who am I getting?”

Sam steps forward, teeth gritted. “Me.”

Lucifer’s eyes sparkle. “You know,” He says. “I hate to show favoritism, but that’s the outcome I was hoping for.”

Sam does his best to ignore him.

“You’re an asshole,” Dean says in his stead, and Lucifer chuckles.

“Yeah, you’re a perfect fit for my brother,” He peers over the rusted gate. “Speak of the devil. Here he comes now.”

Another figure approaches, moving robotically. It’s a young woman, keys still in hand. She must have been approached fairly recently. “Let us begin,” She says, coming to a stop next to Lucifer.

“Nice welcome,” Lucifer says, looking straight at Sam. “But he’s right. Let’s get the party started, shall we?”

Sam nods, looks at the group. “Good luck, guys,” He says. “No matter what, I’m proud of you.”

Andy runs towards him, throwing his arms around him. Sam hugs him back, then feels Jake and Ava join in the hug too. He feels something at his arm, looks over Andy’s shoulder, and sees Lily, holding onto his sleeve with sad eyes. He mouths “love you,” to her before pulling back.

The group rushes Dean, while Sam bends down to hug Bobby, then catches Cas. “You’re a good man,” Sam tells him, pulling him into a hug too. “Take care of them, please.”

“I am not a man,” Cas says into his jacket. “But I take your point. And I will.”

He steps back, giving Cas a watery smile. “You are a righteouss man,” Cas tells him. “I am proud to have known you.”

Sam steps back to Dean, who’s pulling away from Ava. She whispers something in his ear as he steps back.

He nods, then turns to Sam and pulls him into a hug. “Here we go,” Dean says. “I’m with you til the end, okay? Just you and me.” Sam feels something press into his palm and looks down: the amulet.

Sam nods, clutching hard to it. He steps back, overwhelmed by the gesture. “You and me,” He repeats.

“That was lovely,” Lucifer says, wiping away a pretend tear. “A real moment. So, can we get to the main event?”

Dean steps forward. “Me first,” He says, looking directly at Michael. “Yes.”

The women looks up, and a bright light surrounds the graveyard. Sam looks away, eyes screwed shut, despair clouding his mind.

The light recedes and he looks up. The women is on the ground, unmoving, and Dean-

Dean is standing there, back straight, shoulders back. A soldier’s pose. “Your turn,” He says, and ice drips down Sam’s spine. The wrongness of the sound disturbs him to his core.

For a moment, he can’t wait for it to be over. He looks to a Lucifer, makes to open his mouth-

Before he can do anything, he feels something shove at his side. He stumbles back, trying and failing to stay upright, collapsing into the dirt. He scrambles to the front, looks up to see Jake: face solemn and determined.

“Now!” Jake says, looking over his shoulder.

Sam stumbles to his feet, sees Ava approach Lucifer, posture straight and angry.

“Yes,” Ava says, and Sam’s world explodes around him.

“Well,” Ava-Lucifer says, lifting a hand to his eyes and curling it into a fist. “That was unexpected, huh? This got me, I gotta admit. This got me.”

Sam lurches forward, tries to get to Ava, but Jake grabs his arm. “You can’t,” He says, eyes tight. “Trust me.”

Lucifer throws his head back into an echoing laugh. “What?” He says, “You think this’ll do something? You think Sammy here will be able to stop anything? Yeah, right.”

Sam raises a hand to Jake’s chest. “How?” He says, betrayal bitter in his mouth. “How could you do this?”

Jake gives him a pained look, leans closely. “Pray,” He murmurs, tapping on the amulet held loosely in Sam’s hand.

“Nice try,” Lucifer says, looking at them. “I can see inside her head, you know. And he,” He points at a bored looking Michael (Dean). “Can see inside his head. So your little ring plan? It’s not gonna work.”

Jake looks up. “Now!” He yells, looking up at the sky.

Cas materializes, holding a…Molotov cocktail?

Sam makes to move towards Dean (Michael), and Jake holds onto his shoulder. “Pray,” He reminds him, then rushes back to Lily and Andy, who have tossed down the rings and began to chant.

Sam, lightheaded, stumbles his way towards Dean. “Dean,” He says, reaching out.

They both hear a scream before seeing Lucifer (Ava) vanish in a flash of fire.

Something flickers in Dean’s eyes. “How dare you,” He says, voice echoing across the graveyard. “How dare you prevent the inevitable? To stand in the way of God’s will?”

He snaps his fingers, and Cas disappears in a mist of red.

He zeros in on Sam, who feels a pain in his head before flying back into the air. He hits the ground, then feels a twitch in his chest before coughing out a spray of blood.

“Dean,” Sam gurgles. “It’s me. I’m here. Please.”

He feels something else prickle over his skin, and a blinding pain fills his body. He screams.

He clutches at the amulet, having enough of the presence of mind to pray. Please, he thinks, pouring everything he can into it. He feels the little tingle in his head, the one that activates when he access his powers. Please. Please. Please.

The pain disappears.

Sam gasps, sitting up. The earth is rumbling, wind whipping around the air, a huge hole in the ground.

Michael is looking at him, and his eyes…

Dean. That’s Dean.

“Sammy,” Dean says, stretching out his hand. He cups Sam’s face. “It’s okay. It’ll be okay.”

Sam grabs Dean’s wrist, beyond words. He clutches the amulet, pouring everything into it.

Dean shakes him off, stalking towards the hole, where Ava is rematerializing. “You know,” Lucifer says, swirling, coalescing into a physical form. “You won’t be able to fight him off for long, you-” He pauses, turning to Andy.

Sam turns to him too, sees him with an arm out, brows furrowed.

Lucifer lets out another laugh. “Really?” He says, amused. “You really think that’s gonna do anything?”

Jake lifts up a hand, then Lily. Sam, shaking, lifts up his own arm, pointing the amulet directly at them.

Ava’s voice chokes up. “Wha-” He says, stepping back. “What are you doing? What-”

Before he can continue, Dean grabs his jacket and, with a glance at Sam, pulls them both over the edge of the hole. It lets out a roar, slowly reversing course and closing.

Before Sam can let out the scream of despair building in his head, he feels Lily break formation and rush towards the falling figures.

“No!” Jake yells, reaching out to her, just missing the sleeve of her jacket.

With a yell of her own, Lily grabs onto Dean and Ava’s hands, pulling them away from the pit in the ground just before it closes fully.

Sam’s heart beats staccato in his chest, as he reaches Lily, who is kneeling over the fallen figures, breathing hard.

He crashes to his knees besides them. “What,” He says, reaching for Dean. “Are they-”

Dean’s eyes fly open with a gasp. He shoots up. “What the hell?” He says, clutching at his head. “I…how the fuck am I still alive? And..Michael’s gone? What?”

“I’d like to know that too,” Andy says from Ava’s side, who is also sitting up and blinking in confusion.

Lily blushes. “I, uh-” She swallows. “Cas told me…he said that I release the souls of the people I touch. Including angels. Which is why people die. So I…I thought if I touched them then maybe…”

“Then maybe the angels would get released,” Jake breathes out. “And the human souls would stay behind. Oh my god. Lily. You did it. You saved them.”

Lily smiles tremulously. “I…I did,” She says.

Jake’s legs give out from underneath him, and he falls to join the rest of them on the ground. “We did it,” He says, rubbing his face. “We won.”

They sit there in silence, until…

“What the fuck?” Sam explodes, sitting up. “What the fuck just happened? What did you guys do?”

They all look at each other. “Castiel came and saw us,” Jake says slowly. “Before we left today. He told us that…that you were a true believer. And if we have you the amulet, and you prayed in a moment of danger, God would help us. But it had to be true, desperate prayer. So you couldn’t know.”

“And since you had to pray,” Lily continues. “You couldn’t take Lucifer’s spot. We told Dean to give you the amulet and Ava to say yes but didn’t tell them why so that they wouldn’t see the information in their minds.”

“So that’s what that was,” Dean says, and Sam turns to glare at him.

“Why didn’t you tell me,” He demands, eye prickling. “You made me think…you…”

Dean just smiles at him. “Well, look at what you did!” He says giddily. “You fuckin’…psyched the the fuckin’ Devil, Sammy. What the hell?”

Sam looks down at his hands. They’re shaking. “I’m glad you’re back,” He croaks.

Dean laughs. “Hell,” He says. “I am too.”

“They’re all gone,” Ava says, staring at where the hole was. “Michael. Lucifer. Cas..”

“Cas,” Sam repeats, clutching at the amulet. He turns it over in his fingers.

There’s a small fluttering of wind, and Sam sees the familiar tan trench coated figure standing in front of him.

They all jump. “Cas!” Sam says, stumbling towards him. “You’re…how? How are you alive? You-”

His hand burns. Hissing, he looks down and-

The amulet is glowing.

They all stare, then as one turn back to look at Cas. “Cas,” Dean says, weary, expectant. “Are you…are you God now?”

Cas gives them a knowing look and a smile. “Keep the amulet,” He says, looking up. “Live well. I have work to do.”

And then he’s gone, leaving the rest of them blinking in confusion.

Sam turns to look at them. The team that stopped the Apocalypse. His friends. His family. “Let’s go home,” He tells them, reaching out to lift Dean to his feet. “Let’s rest.”

Dean grabs his hand, levers himself up. “We’re stopping at Radio Shed on our way back,” He says, dusting himself off. “I’m feeling the need for a movie night.”

My 26th birthday celebration day 2: the special children OR favorites (character, season, arc)

#anases26 #spn #supernatural #sam winchester #castiel #dean Winchester #writing #spn fic #ava wilson #andy gallagher #speaks #jake Talley #lily baker #Bobby singer

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quietwingsinthesky · 1 year

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v v short fic because i need to work on my goshdang assignments, but. puppy pile fic?

#spn #special children union au #fanfiction #writing #sam winchester #dean winchester #andy gallagher #jake talley #max miller #lily baker #ava wilson #that's right. everyone is here. endgoal of this au is cuddle piles.

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nataliekabra · 2 years

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the number of times ive come across a sapphic book with the perfect blurb and premise

"dark academia retelling of macbeth with a close knit group of morally grey disabled main characters who all happen to be gay set at a boarding school"

"found family of queer theatre kids put on a school production of les mis and the hopeless sapphic stage manager is convinced she's cursed by the theatre lords and tries desperately not to fall for the lead in the play"

"lesbian writer goes on a mission to track down her favourite lesbian author who made her feel seen as a queer teen in love with her best friend in the 50s and explore her identity and connection to said author over generations in a love letter to lesbian pulp fiction"

"bi girl goes on a trip to a youth group camp in mexico and explores her sexuality in an informative, sex-positive book for queer teens"

"oblivious awkward bi girl pen pals bond over punk music in the 70s"

"sapphic high school sweethearts explore a long distance relationship when they go to college, where the genderqueer protagonist finally finds their trans found family and feels seen"

and then i find out it's by robin talley:')

#anti robin talley #i just. try to avoid her now but it's so hard #why is she always so close to getting it right but then spins off centre #and even with her books that dont make me uncomfortable #like melody mcintyre or as i descended #theyre so boring they have the best premise ever and im so excited for them and i just cant #so i dont want to get my hopes up anymore #and thats not even getting started on the. weird ass eyebrow raising shit shes written #and that shes also written a historical book about a black girl falling in love with her racist bully like this is actually the premise #*they both need to get over their prjudices of each other* apparently i will never understand how that book is so popular #i hate this we need an author who writes these books (not the racist white saviourist one the others) who actually. does it well #it would literally mean everything to me the number of times ive picked up one of her books not seeing its by her #im so sure itll be a new fav and then. ugh #lesbian #sapphic #sapphic books #queer lit #its the way she feels so entitled to writing other peoples experiences and completely botches them up? among other things #robin talley #as i descended #the love curse of melody mcintyre #pulp #our own private universe #music from another world #wlw #wlw books #bisexual

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steddiealltheway · 8 months

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When Robin first catches Steve and Eddie making out in the Scoops Ahoy break room, all she does is go to her whiteboard, write “dick” under “you suck” before she erases all the talley marks and draws one.

#steddie #eddie munson #steve harrington #stranger things #robin buckley

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thana-topsy · 10 months

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The Neloth Post Nobody Asked For but now I'm making it everyone's problem

I guess I'll start out by saying: all of this pertains to my very specific version of Neloth who can be found alive and well (for now) in my fic series "Legends Never Die". It's a big wide fandom, I do not claim to be an authority on Anything, and I think everyone's little pocket universes and OC-ification of NPCs are all equally valid. These are just some of the ways I write and characterize him. So if you have any Neloth headcannons of your own, please sound off!

The Basics:

I estimate this old crusty bastard is in his 700s, or thereabouts, probably on the later end. He stopped counting at a certain point and can't be arsed to keep a talley. There are more important things that occupy his brainspace. He maintains his spry and youthful visage [cough] through his rigorous magical practices, (and his not-so-subtle interest in necromancy and discovering the secrets to immortality).

He was exiled decided to retire from the Telvanni Council a good fifty or sixty years before the eruption of Red Mountain, retreating to Solstheim to continue his experiments in seclusion. Due to severing his mainland ties and House loyalties, his power and influence are significantly weakened, though he continues to expand his studies and has a relatively well-functioning settlement of workers, as well as his current apprentice, Talvas Fathryon, under his tutelage.

And of course, the question on everyone's mind: do he fuck? In terms of his sexuality, he's finicky and if I had to slap a label on him, he's definitely in the realm of Aro-Ace, but on the gray side of things (pun intended???). Here, have an Ace Neloth Pride Flag because why not:

Personal Interests, Likes, and Dislikes:

The list of dislikes could probably rival the "color of the sky" post, so let's try to condense that into the main point: he dislikes inefficiency. The definition of what he finds "inefficient" can and does vary greatly, even in his own work. I would say one of his driving motivators is IncreasE Efficiency, above all else.

His likes are few and far between. As it stands, I could probably list three off-hand. He likes well-made tea (preferably dark, bitter, and stimulating), he likes an organized bookshelf, and he likes Teldryn Sero (who is also dark, bitter, and.... stimulating).

Morality:

Huh? What's that? Never heard of it.

I kid (kind of). Neloth has a complicated psychology. I characterize him to have underdeveloped empathy, but he is not entirely devoid of it. I suppose I'll let him explain it, (from chapter 5 of "Breathing Water"):

“I do…” Neloth began, [...] “I do… feel.” He twisted the stiff bedroll between his fingers. “I do.” [...] “It’s just…” He didn’t know where he was going with this, but the words were clawing their way out of him like some kind of sick, emaciated animal emerging from a cave. “I don’t think I… feel… correctly.” He exhaled sharply, letting his head roll from side to side, neck popping. “I’ve always been this way. It’s not just the result of graying morals from a prolonged life. I’ve always had this,” he gestured to his chest with trembling fingers, “hole. Like something’s missing.” He pulled the bedroll tighter around him, curling in on himself. A small laugh. “It’s been useful, if I’m honest.”

He does try, at a certain point, to understand this side of himself a little bit better. Though, honey, he's got a big storm coming.

Anyways, that's my Neloth post for now, maybe I'll add more another time. :) Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

#topsy rambles #neloth #master neloth #skyrim fanart #skyrim fanfiction #skyrim headcanon #tesblr #dunmer #elder scrolls #skyrim #morrowind #tes v skyrim

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jasontoddsguns · 1 year

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Another thing is that I don't think people realize Batman's feelings towards killing is "Where do I draw the line?"

Okay, so we have several mass murders/serial killers--most people won't argue they deserve death. But you've got someone who's killed hundreds and another who's killed under a dozen: both are mass murderers/serial killers, though. Do they both deserve to die? Yes? No?

Maybe you said yes, and fine, maybe I can concede that. But what about this: an individual that murdered a six-year-old and two infants. Do they deserve to die? Yes? No? You're probably thinking they're an adult, but what if I tell you the individual was eight? Does your answer change? The crime certainly didn't.

Here's another dilemma: a woman, supposedly drunk, microwaves her 28-day-old for two minutes. Do they deserve death?

There's a lot of stories going around the internet of sober women who didn't have access to abortion: they drowned, buried, or left the unwanted babies somewhere; yet I haven't seen anyone condemn them.

A microwave kills in 30 seconds; drowning kills in 20-30 seconds, plus however long they can hold their breath; there have been cases of newborns surviving days after being buried; a newborn can survive 24-48 hours unattended, assuming something else doesn't get them first. Isn't a microwave more humane? Do you condemn those other women now?

Alright, alright, last one. Two individuals cook a nineteen-month-old to death in an oven. Do they deserve death, too? Oh, wait, sorry, I forgot to mention the two individuals were three-year-olds. Is your answer still the same?

I hope you found some of these challenging, because here is my final question: where do you draw the line between who does and doesn't deserve to die?

Sources: Amarjeet Sada, China Arnold, Paris Talley, J'Zyra Thompson

I’m not getting into a moral debate online. Not because I don’t want to, but because I refuse to write that much.

#inbox #anon #asks #death pentalty should only be used for the most severe cases.#or smth like that #idk #tw: death #tw: child abuse

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xris05 · 7 days

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Writing thingy because I felt like it

The night was still. No leaves rustled, and no trees swayed. No bird chittered, or dared sing. The city too, though alive and bright with fluorescent gaudy light, pushing back at the umbra that enveloped the countryside that strode and encircled this pocket of civilization like a python slavering over its next meal, was equally utterly silent and still.

A wind-that-was-not-there rustled the fine curtains, pulled them apart through the open mortar and brass of the window, and spilled inside, and once more the wind pretended to be a man. A tall, wire-thin, specimen. Hairy, with a full rough scratchy beard, tangled knots consuming his mane and thin, peering- yet almost gentle - eyes, the colour of the sea at night. Adorned in his fineries, a finely spun shirt, and crisp matte-grey trousers, held by a plain leather belt, but for the scratches along it, in the shape of talleys. Whilst the Wind was shifting and untameable, the conventions of word makes it easier for one to know this stranger as Callahan.

The man-that-was-wind took a moment to glance around the decor of this particularly lavish home, for one could not say that he wasn’t an appreciator of the finer aspects of living. This room was lavish and large. Fine dark wood floors provided the firmament on which he stood and the smell of ancient and dusty tomes forgotten for centuries, if not longer. Callahan inhales, smelling the parchment on the older texts, and the smell of confused fear on the butchered sheep whose skin became a method of preserving the Was fills his lungs.

Callahan smiles wistfully.

The sound of candle-light flickering, and hair-rising sensation of being watched, and the chill of the room through the now open window leads him deeper into the study, past this row of shelves, and onto the fine red carpet, which guides him deeper into the maze of history, geography, mathematics, the sciences, the real and the fictional.

The sound of a great clock ringing echoes in the air, nearly jolts the Wind, its deep ringing vibrato chimes bringing a sudden and stark life to these untrod halls. For all his years, long and tired, the sudden presence of noise where their rule of order was silence never failed to shock and startle him, a dreg of humanity in something that fundamentally was not.

Shock did not arrest his progress for longer than a moment, before his paradoxically silent yet heavy and sure footfalls stalked a path through the maze of paper and ink, oft pausing as he took minutes at a time to appreciate the fine covers which adorn some of the collection. He smiles, pearly white teeth gleaming in the light of lanterns, especially, at the classics, finding something terribly privately amusing about them all.

One of his pale fingers runs down the spine of a particularly ancient tome, before pulling it out of its coffin of hardwood and turning to look at the cover. Plain unadorned leather with simple faux-gold lettering at the front “Ἰλιάς” was the name of the book, and thick was its body, stuffed with loose papers and letters, scrawled in a tongue Callahan had mostly forgotten.

He pushed it back into its place, quietly as he could manage, and he continued on.

Finally, they reached the back, or perhaps the heart, of this labyrinth and what else to find at its heart than the library's fierce and ruthless protector.

“Adair” Callahan’s melody of a voice cuts through the air, the din of the candle flickering under its unnatural reverberation- which echoed as if the man stood in a wide and snaking valley - “What a wonderful surprise to see you here!” there was something saccharine to his tone, that same private amusement still dominating the tone of the man.

The addressee of his comment snaps his book shut, the sound single, stark and sure. Morgan lets the book rest on the fine desk behind him- the cluttered valleys of free space snaking between plateau’s of books and the towering mountains of half-drunk cups of long since frigid tea.

Adair was a man in stark contrast to Callahan. Shorter, a tension to his frame like a viper prepared to lash at the slightest provocation. Dark hair cut shortly and neatly into place, equally as well-groomed as the rest of the man who wore a fine suit, albeit unbuttoned and revealing the white shirt below . An almost aristocratic bearing brought a regalness to even the open hostility he felt towards the man opposite, his singular eye quickly scanning Callahan with a deriding disdain, gold and purple mixing into the curious almost ringed singular focus that the ocular organ possessed.

“Why have you come to vex me again, Callahan” was Adair’s curt response, his accent nearly implacable except for the slightest tinge of his Scottish origins.

“Why, I’m hurt” Callahan holds a pale hand to his heart, rolling his head back in mock anguish “Can a friend not visit a friend? Old acquaintances not make themselves reacquainted?”

“Not when said acquaintances parted on the terms we last did. I do strictly recall telling you that I would not hesitate to strike you down should we ever face one another again.” his gloved hand pulled a desk drawer opened and retrieved a single blade, long and slender, pointed with a blackened metal that even now brought flashes of half-lingering pain to the long gashes that marked the torso of Callahan, and for but a moment his placid peace gave way to an expression like the rolling storm, thunderous and furious, ready to call thunder and hellish licks of the skies own flame to burn this wretched place-

But just for a moment. “Oh, that’s all behind us now, isn’t it? It was such a very long time ago, and really holding a grudge for so long is just… sad, don’t you think?” he pauses delighting in the quiet fury on Adair’s face “Oh, and don’t play the vicious fool Adair. You wouldn’t dare risk your precious books by starting a brawl here.”

That, more than anything yet, disarmed the man, who lowered the blade with a muttered curse, placing it behind him on the desk, where it made no sound even as it clattered against the wood.

“Was that so hard?” Callahan cooed “Really, you always, always make this so difficult-”

“Get out with it” Adair simply grunted back “You’re here for something, and quite frankly I would appreciate it if you didn’t waste more of our time on your theatrics.”

“All the worlds a stage, Adair, let me have some fun” a laugh, like chiming bells from the Wind “Also, you shouldn’t waste both of our time by pretending you’re not perfectly aware why I’m here. Why we’re all here.”

“I didn't do it. I told them all that quite clearly in my letters and writing” a hint of anger overrides the disdain as Adair leans back in his leather throne, eye now narrowed “I don’t know who did-”

“And isn’t that ironic?” Callahan interrupted, voice dripping with smug amusement, to which only a venomous look was answered in reply.

“- but I can assure you, and the others, that I am no more pleased by it than any of you.” he finished.

“Shocking really, you’ve never known mercy and sympathy for those who’ve wronged you before. Why start now?” his gaze fell solely onto his counterpart's empty socket.

“Because I understand when something is a bad idea.” another curt reply. Enough to leave a brief pocket of silence, before Adair began to speak again “I understand when a decision will leave me in a position, backed in a corner and without many options. It’s exceedingly obvious to me that I have been framed for this heinous violation of the Sacrosanct because someone wanted me out of the picture, wanted me to stop and give up, to cease my searching.”

“Oh here we go again” Callahn sighed, before Adair bulldozed onwards, speaking louder and over him.

“They are scared of me, Callahan! They are terrified of my work, of what I know! They want me silenced, and they are not afraid to do whatever it takes to make sure that my work remains incomplete and my duty unfulfilled! And whilst I do not know yet who it is, rest assured I will-”

“For the sake of all things good just stop talking and let me-”

“I WILL FIND THEM!” Adair finally shouted, with enough fury, primal and ancient as the lights in the room flickered like a heart-beat, and the sound lingered, bouncing in the maze of books before finally silence came again. The moment seemed to stretch out beyond the seconds that encompassed it. Hundreds of words left unsaid and actions untaken. Callahan had backed away, shock plainly written on his face, as foreign to him as wroth was to his opposite.

“...and when they do, they’ll remember that what exists without my knowledge, exists without my consent” Adair finally finished.

“...quoting the Judge when you stand accused of murder doesn’t seem the wisest” Callahan quietly replied, the joke unamused and more for the sake of filling the poignant and acrid silence than anything truly comedic.

“Just go, Callahan. Tell them all that I just need more time.” Adair lifted his head from his hands, and saw nothing, but the rustle of curtains, and an open window.

The night was long, and it had only just begun

#creative writing #writing #long reads #probably boring #fiction #I <3 weird words #no one should read this nonsense #idk #vague

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heatcaged · 11 months

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i am unfortunately writing a fic about jake talley’s sister bringing him back life its bewitched me

#except in my head they have a muslim mother #and they are fraternal twins #spn #my writing.txt

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raayllum · 1 year

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Writing this one down before I forget why I put this in my drafts again: as anyone who follows me at this point knows, I am accordingly obsessed with rune placement for this goddamn cube. Now, it’s not always meaningful (and some of the ways it could be in certain scenes, we just don’t know yet because it hasn’t swung back around either way). However, I always thought the Sky rune here specifically was interesting.

The Sky rune has had some attention drawn to it previously (is indeed the first rune we ever see illuminated in the cube at the end of 1x04, Callum stares at it sadly in 2x01 because no magic, it glows when he’s connecting to the arcanum in 2x09, etc) and we know its placement on the cube in general is important, as Sky and Star are opposites on the cube, just as Callum and Aaravos are narratively and thematically opposed to each other. S4 hammers this in even further. Freedom vs a pre-determined destiny. Free will vs control and brainwashing. Breaking the cycle vs perpetuating the cycle.

And here, we see some conflicting symbolism. Callum starts off looking at the Earth rune because well, we learn (or have quite a bit confirmed) about Aaravos in Book Four. It seems to be a rune-season symbolic placement, which is similar to when the Earth and Ocean rune (with Star) are on display earlier in this episode quite prominently, and how Earth and Ocean are highlighted when Callum learns in 2x06 that this is called the Key of Aaravos and (according to Harrow) once belonged to the archmage, too.

So Earth is there because seasons and Rex Igneous knowing the location of the prison. Sky cannot correspond to a season in the same way, as it’s already passed. Perhaps it’s there because that was when the secret of Aaravos started to unfold, and that’s the big Mystery of well, the Mystery of Aaravos. (Maybe foreshadowing Callum learning how Aaravos can use all the different magics, even, since we know arcana are like “the secret of the primal” according to Lujanne.)

But Sky isn’t particularly associated with mysteries; that’s always been more Moon or Star leaning. If Callum was looking primarily at the Star arcanum in this scene, I wouldn’t be surprised at all. But despite this whole scene being about Aaravos, Callum never looks at the Star rune once. He looks at Earth and Sky. And Sky, and Callum by extension, are heavily associated with Freedom. “You are free” (2x08) / “My breath for freedom” (1x01). Which is the thing that Aaravos wants more than anything.

Me, dragging out my whiteboard for “Put another talley in the column for ‘Callum helps free Aaravos inadvertently or through coercion’ theory” because this is... just More of the same in regards to how Freedom is being tethered to the bulk of the main cast (Callum, Rayla, Claudia, and Aaravos) going into S5.

#s4 #4x04 #the key of aaravos #arc 2 #foreshadowing #if there is longing on the mirror of my heart #tdp #the dragon prince #analysis series #analysis #mini meta #it's about the Rune Placement

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gloriaregalirp · 7 days

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Welcome to Gloria Regali

On this Tumblr, you will find all of the information regarding the discord rp server Gloria Regali : Wizards of Glory, a roleplay based on the universe of Harry Potter.

DISCLAIMER : We completely despise the author of the Harry Potter books, and do not claim to support her at all. That is probably the main reason why we take great liberties regarding the universe, adding our touch to it or totally reinventing some parts. Remember that writing a story that touched billions of children does not allow you to be a total c!nt.

In 2024, you drop your luggage on the pavement of Hogsmeade's train station. Teacher, student, or anything else you want to be, you are now in England, struggling like everybody else with your life and your career. But a threat hangs over Great Britain: the muggles are no longer naive, and they seem ready to reignite the fires.

The Ministry of Magic can no longer contain the rumors that the magical world is hanging by a thread, and it is now time for them to take up arms. For this, what could be better than to draw from the new generation of wizards to forge their weapons of war? Under the pretext of wanting to give more education, Minister Arthur Talley extends the years of study at Hogwarts by five years. A year later, he declared that he wanted to recruit an elite of wizards through competitive events and thus form the ranks of the English magical power.

THE GLORY IS COMMING SOON... Join the temporary server in the source link.

#discord rp server #discord rp #roleplay #english discord rp #discord roleplay #hogwarts rp #roleplay in construction #work in progress

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shallowstories · 15 days

Text

Looking for a proofreader for this next long one!

Not active yet, but here's what it looks like so far. The synopses and stuff need work, and I plan on reading two writing books before really gritting down and hyperfocusing, so I'll probably be doing this late spring and early summer!

EDIT: AJ might proof for me hallelujah and oh lord I cannot fuck this up ////

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For your crimes against the most high

Multi POV: Drafted 6/13 chapters

"For you have made your worthless knowledge known to human consorts, and through this comes much evil on the earth: for you have taught them war mongering, domination, and murder."

Synopsis: When Sam and Dean offer themselves up to save the world, Chuck plays it cool, vetoing the idea of a Winchester Bowl. But when Dean mentions Castiel, Chuck flies into a rage, insisting that Cas was nothing more than a divine catfishing scheme.

Sam strikes back, charging that Chuck’s full of shit, and that his focus on familial sacrifice is the source of his God-powers. Chuck's answer? A forty-day flood.

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Timeline: Supernatural post-15x18, mid 15x19 fic

Focus: Canon-typical misuse of world religions, Fantastical retelling of The Book of Enoch, References to child sacrifice, The root of Castiel's miraculous resurrections, Polytheism, Angels as lesser deities, Wherein praying to angels is a sin, Hunters are conceived as sacred executioners, Accidental angelolatry, Michael moves like the war lord he is, Lucifer and Nephilim back story, The Great Flood and its Consequences, The Princes of Hell and the Shedim, Azazel tries to use Jack to open the portal to the Shedim, Primordial eve, jealous gods, Chuck tries to convince you that angels are all just Him in Disguise and the Winchesters are his puppetted holy honey traps

Characters: Dean/Castiel, Dean & Sam, Sam & Dean & Cas & Jack, Michael, Michael/Adam if you squint, Lucifer, Chuck Shurley, Azazel and the Special Children, Historical Nephilim

Content warning: Major character death (Castiel), gratuitous references to Deliverance, and mishmashing of world religions without much care to accuracy. Eventual happy ending.

Updates are somewhat irregular but am persistently writing this one, I promise!

Proofread by (TBD).

❤️

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Ch 01: If he even existed (~4000 words, ~16 minutes) - Sam POV Ramping up his existential torture, Chuck insists that Cas was nothing more than sexy self-insert. During the face-off, Sam wonders if Chuck’s focus on familial sacrifice is more than an obsession but where he gets his power.

Ch 02: At sea (~6000 words, ~24 minutes) - Sam POV Team Free Will 3.0 flees to higher ground, and the weight of grief hangs heavy. Michael is bothered by Chuck's sudden disinterest in the idea of the Winchesters killing one another.

Ch 03: Wish you were h- (~6000 words, ~24 minutes) - Dean POV Things will never be like they were with Jack, but for a moment, Dean gets to pretend. (Jack shares photos from one of his and Castiel's ghost cases, where they apparently got up-close-and-personal with wingsuit base jumping.)

Ch 04: Make war to me (~7000 words, ~28 minutes) - Dean POV Processing Chuck's taunts, Dean has a vivid dream of Cas. He emerges with a renewed faith in the future.

Ch 05: You have fixed nothing (~6200 words, ~25 minutes) - Jack POV Morale tanks. Jack's mood takes a turn for the worse. Michael returns bearing gifts.

The rest are still more heavily in work, and might change, but here's what it's lookin' like so you can see if it's something you might wanna proofread:

(GRAPHIC STILL IN WORK, the bloody spearing of two fish) Ch 06: Someone special (~8000 words, ~32 minutes) - Michael tries his best to stabilize Jack's energy issues. On a supply run, Dean and Jack run afoul of the special children, and Azazel reveals he's been waiting for this to happen all along.

Tentative list of updates:

Ch 07: Psychic boy blues - Sam POV - TBD - When the door breaks down, the last person Sam expects to see is Jake Talley.

Ch 08: Careful, bridge may ice - Dean POV - TBD - And the worst part of it all is that Lucifer told Michael this would happen. Long ago.

Ch 09: The wilderness we call home - Sam POV - TBD

Ch 10: Bring on the Nephilim - Jack POV - TBD

Ch 11: Declarations of war - Dean or Cas POV? - TBD

Ch 12: Against my better judgment - Cas or Sam or Jack POV? - TBD

Ch 13: It ain't much (working title) - Dean POV - TBD

#anyone has time over summer to help me with this fic let me knoooow #proofreading #beta reader #that's my queue #i'm scheduling this for tomorrow because it's in fact after midnight

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jovenshires · 25 days

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🦚 for the queer ask game!

🦚 - Are there any queer books/shows/etc. that you would suggest?

oh my god YEAH absolutely. i used to be a queer media connoisseur (im no longer a romance girlie when i consume media bc i write so much of it but i still have love for the genre). i'll do one rec for each category up here but ill put some more under the cut!!

book: aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe. it's my favorite book i've gotta put it out there. literally changed my life when i was like 16 i love it so much

show: there's so many popular ones that i feel like if you're gay you've already seen them by now, so im gonna throw a curveball and go with crazy ex-girlfriend. they talk a LOT about lgbtq+ identities and explore dynamics with different couples, and if you love musicals, you absolutely must go watch it rn i fear

movie: moonlight. oh my god if you haven't seen moonlight go watch moonlight it's so so incredible 10/10. a drama that follows a black gay man from childhood to adulthood, explores the themes of masculinity, family, and friendship as well as romantic love. it's just an incredible movie it deserves all the hype tbh

music: once again there's so many popular queer musicians nowadays that i Do Not HAVE to rec (you know the ones they go hard), so im gonna rec chrissy chlapecka!! she just makes such incredible, sugary-sweet pop music about such amazing fucked up shit i love her

send me some gay asks!

okie doke as promised here's some more recs from yours truly bc i really, really love media and have a collection to rec atp NDNKFNKND ill try to order them by genre from least to most obscure LMAO

BE WARNED: i do read some graphic stuff - im an adult and my media taste reflects that. before you read anything i rec, look it up for trigger warnings!! i don't want anybody to be hurt by something i recommend. <3

books:

of course like. simon vs the homosapien agenda by becky albertalli is out there. this is one of those classics i was talking about KDNKFNFK it's very ya-gay-romance-romcom you can eat up ya know. the movie's also not too bad (people think it's 'cringey' nowadays but that was HUGE for me when i was like 19 and had my first girlfriend). anyway it's feel-good fluff if you like that kind of thing!!

red white and royal blue is obviously another classic and one i can't rec enough. i love the way its written, i love the characters, i love the plot. like it's everything, if you're into the romcom vibe this is a great one to check out. (and as a bonus this one also has a movie and it Slaps)

it's not like it's a secret by misa sigura is a pretty solid wlw coming-of-age novel that i highly rec if you're into the rom-com type book. it's also got some EXCELLENT poc representation!!

bloom by kevin panetta is a graphic novel and i love it. so so so much. truly i think i read this in a day and i am NOT a huge graphic novel reader. feel-good romcom, poc rep, body diversity, AND pretty pictures. what is there not to love. everyone should read bloom tbh

lies we tell ourselves by robin talley is Probably my favorite wlw book ever. it's historical fiction and it is Everything to me. and im actually a known historical fiction hater so take it from me - its Good.

carry on by rainbow rowell is i think a classic at this point and i love it. so so so much. you ever identify with a character a little too hard. yeah thats me and this book. i gave my best friend a copy for her graduation. it is an Excellent take on 'remember all the heroes you wanted to be gay when you were a kid. imagine if they were.' it's my beloved

a hero at the end of the world by erin claiborne is another great one in the same vein, with a punchy, dry humor twist. basically if you were a harry potter kid but you hate jkr. you'll love this one and carry on KSNDKDNFK

nimona by nd stevenson is another graphic novel!! it's another fantasy, so if that's your cup of tea, i highly recommend it. it's got an amazing queer love story, a genderfluid protag, and most importantly, found family. literally everything. (it also has a movie but i haven't seen it yet

the raven cycle by maggie stiefvater is HUGEEEE i love that series it reshaped me. it's. mystery/supernatural i would say? it has multiple of my fave queer characters of all time and honestly. everyone there is a little gay. one of my absolute faves <3

we are the ants by shaun david hutchinson is a sci-fi horror adventure story and this one. it stuck with me. the main character hit me so hard and his internal struggle is so SO interesting. if you're into this kind of shit. give it a shot!

every day by david levithan is not one of MY all-time faves, but i can still say it's super interesting and has great rep!! it has a genderfluid/agender main character (depending on how you look at it). i will say i think there are multiple books in the series (?) but i stopped at one bc. it made me too sad anyway. <3

the perks of being a wallflower by stephen chbosky is not queer bc it's explicitly about a queer character or a queer love story, BUT. it still has one of my favorite lgbt characters of all time. patrick you will always be famous to me. as a bisexual girl in a catholic high school, saw a Lot of myself in patrick. (i do also have a special place in my heart for the movie bc it was my depression movie as a teen but patrick is played by ezra miller so be warned)

one of us is lying by karen mcmanus is another one that's not just. About a Gay Couple BUT it is one of my fave books (a murder mystery retelling of the breakfast club) and it has a gay main character!! his struggle with his sexuality is something he really struggles with and he has a boyfriend and i adore him.

shows:

i mean obviously like. heartstopper is incredible. like i said im not super into the romcom/young adult genre anymore but that show is just so beautiful and amazing and really healed my inner gay teen. it has a really diverse cast and representation for all kinds. i really recommend it!!!

everything sucks was gone before its time, but it is SUCH an amazing show. it has one of my fave on-screen wlw couples of all time. it's a feel-good, coming of age classic and i miss it deeply. (what did you just say??? 'katie rewatch it' oh my god you're onto something)

now if yall know me. glee is absolutely gonna be on this list. is it good? technically no. is it one of the greatest pieces of satire ever created? up until season three yes. i realized i was gay via santana lopez. THE gay character of all time. and all the love in my heart for all the other lgbt characters (kurt hummel you will always be famous to me......) some of it's a little dated (don't get me STARTED on unique) but it does genuinely have some great lgbt rep and if you watch it with a grain of salt it's a great comedy

julie and the phantoms made by kenny ortega (of THE high school musical and descendants fame) and it has a gay character i love!! (actually technically it has a few <3)

i'm a huge consumer of kids' media (i think phineas and ferb is a literal masterpiece and im not even kidding) so if you're like me and enjoy the disney/kid show beat i cannot rec andi mack enough. it's dramatic it's campy it's fun it's silly it's got a FANTASTIC gay character and a gay couple i deeply adore and not to mention!! so much representation!! it's like junior fosters tbh

we're gonna get into a little pocket here of like. normal romance but slightly niche - animes! sasaki to miyano is like my top lgbt anime rec. it is so, SO good. just absolute feel-good romcom goodness pls give it a shot

depending on interpretation, ouran high school host club arguably has a nonbinary character, some bi/gay characters, and a trans character! now. it IS hella dated do not get me wrong. BUT for the time? incredibly progressive and a wonderful watch. just brace yourself for some out of pocket shit

stars align has one of my favorite lgbt characters EVER, a nonbinary icon <3 and it's like. a PLOT. truly so rare to see something like that done on tv, let alone in anime. this is a sports anime - soft tennis my beloved - but it has So Much More To It than that.

another gay sports anime is run with the wind, a recent fave of mine. and i don't mean gay in the way that most sports animes are kinda gay. i mean he literally says 'im in love with this guy.' it's an amazing watch if you like that kinda thing!!

if you want an aroace genderfluid protag. the disastrous life of saiki k is up there as one of my fave animes ever AND saiki (the main character) is my fave protag of all time. this silly lil show is supernatural (ish?) and comedy all wrapped into one fantastic show i highly recommend!!

segueing back into live action shows, buffy the vampire slayer is an AMAZING, iconic, female-led supernatural dramedy with some early and, for its time, incredible lesbian rep.

yellowjackets because i LOVE unhinged lesbians. i didn't even know there was gay people in this - i started watching because i love horror and girls' soccer DLNKFNFLN and it's amazing!! if you like tragic gay women i HIGHLY endorse yellowjackets.

in the flesh. look. here's my pitch for itf. do you love being sad. do you love catharsis. do you love zombies. you will LOVE in the flesh. please. i miss it so bad i've seen this show 4 times (and you're right i should also watch this one again!!!) and i never tire of it.

sense8 is a sci-fi show and IT IS EVERYTHING TO ME. truly the diversity is unparalleled. so many lgbt characters of so many different identities. polyamory, trans people, a neuro-link that's destroying peoples' lives. it literally has everything.

the get down is not just an lgbt show, BUT it has an incredible lgbt character/storyline that i adore. a musical show, a historical fiction piece (which means a lot coming from me), and almost every character is a poc. pls give it a shot it's everything

bodies is another one that isn't just about lgbt+ rep BUT. it's incredibly diverse, examining people facing discrimination throughout history (you've got a gay mc, a jewish mc, a muslim mc, AND a disabled mc) and it just has such amazing plot lines and representation. it's a murder mystery/sci-fi double whammy, so give it a shot if you're interested!!

movies:

alex strangelove is a good, underrated, coming of age classic. it follows a guy who struggles with his sexuality. very teen rom-com-dramedy core!!

i adored boy meets girl when i watched it. a very romcom-y movie about a trans woman from a small town dreaming of getting out....... friends to lovers.......... i adore it

happiest season is a christmas movie and it's very sweet. its been panned (there are some just criticisms on the plot tbf) BUT i do think it's really cute

to wong fu thanks for everything julie newmar is just. so so good. it's an underrated classic imo. three drag queens go on road trip, end up in a small town, and change it for the better. it's literally so amazing it's just feel good found family PLEASE give this one a shot

the birdcage is another classic i so genuinely enjoy. who doesn't want robin williams and nathan lane as their gay dads. at the end of the day it's all about found family, love, and old gay men.

handsome devil is a foreign film - irish to be exact! - and i love it so much. once again as a catholic school kid.......... yeah. YEAH. anyway go watch the og gay nicholas galitzine movie LKNDKFNKNLFNKLF

pride is a historical piece and an excellent movie. it's got its ups and downs but god it's just an overall good movie. another irish film, coincidentally!

the way he looks is also a foreign film, this time in spanish, BUTTTTT it's one of my faves i love it so much. it's very feel-good, sweet, romcom so if you feel like you could be into that - give it a shot!!

rent, if you're into musicals, has some of my fave musical characters ever. angel dumott schunard you will ALWAYS be the love of my life. it is deeply sad but. other than that. i live in denial.

the prom is a much more light-hearted and silly lgbt musical. people shat on that movie but i think it's SWEET and cute and has some bangers!!

i mean like. we can joke ab how hyped it is all we want but brokeback mountain is basically required gay watching. it is EXACTLY as amazing as everyone says it is. the chemistry..... oh my god we could never make that movie again it was like catching lightning in a bottle.

bodies, bodies, bodies is a fun and campy lgbt horror if you're into that kind of thing!! the ending was a bit not my fave but otherwise it's an incredible cast and got some great silly scares

on the topic of gay horror, jennifer's body is gay and again, exactly as good as everyone hypes it up to be. you want gay women who are terrible to each other? oh boy do i have the movie for you

and i promise ill wrap on gay horror with it chapters 1 & 2. reddie will unfortunately always be famous.

everything, everywhere, all at once is not Just a gay movie BUT. it has an incredible gay character and it factors so interestingly into the mother/daughter relationship. i love that movie i will always talk about it

music (these are all just people i personally listen to but there are SO many more. im not gonna expand on these ones too much just go check em out you'll get it):

lil nas x

troye sivan

kim petras

kesha

tegan and sara

brandi carlile

hayley kiyoko

rina sawayama

peach prc

renee rapp

adam lambert

scene queen

willow

halsey

clairo

cavetown

janelle monae

#ask #asks #anon #anonymous

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