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Mary

@xz9n

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Anonymous asked:

Hi! I don't know if you write this kind of story, but how do you think the boys would react to seeing their usually strong girlfriend crying in secret?

The Cracking Wall

Dean Winchester

The sound of rain was pounding against the bunker's roof. You sat in the corner of the old storage room, sunk in a faint darkness, trying to muffle your quickened breathing and wipe away your tears before anyone noticed. It had been a long, painful day for everyone, and you didn't want to add to Dean's own pain by worrying him.

Suddenly, a thin line of light spilled through the half open door. Heavy boots stepped onto the concrete floor, then stopped.

Dean cleared his throat with a forced casualness, pretending he hadn't noticed you crying, since he knew how much you hated appearing weak in front of anyone, even him, even after all this time together. But his green eyes were brimming with worry.

"You know... I thought I heard ghosts messing around with the boxes, but turns out it's just a stubborn girl sitting in the dark."

You didn't answer him, tried to turn your face away, but he walked over calmly and sat on the wooden crate right beside you. He pulled his hand out of his pocket and rested his warm, large palm on the top of your head, and you didn't try to pull away, before he took off his heavy leather jacket and draped it over your shoulders when he noticed the cold of the storage room and how little you had on.

"Dean... I'm fine, just..." (a lump caught in your throat, cutting you off.)

"Don't you dare lie to me." He said it in a low, warm tone, then pulled you by the shoulder firmly to hold you against his chest. "Not to me. Understand? I'm here for you... always here for you."

You buried your face in his shirt, feeling his hand combing through your hair calmly, while he whispered near your ear with a faint smile

"Now... cry as much as you need to... and after that, we're going out... and getting the biggest slice of pie in the city. Deal?"

Sam Winchester

You sat in the bunker's main library, leaning against one of the wide tables. You'd thought Sam was buried deep in his research inside, so you'd retreated to that quiet corner to finally give in to the tears you'd been holding back.

You heard the soft sound of a heavy book closing. Sam lifted his head from among the papers, and the moment his eyes landed on you and took in your wet features, all traces of focus vanished from his face, replaced by a deep sorrow.

He got up from his seat with measured steps, and knelt down in front of your chair, right at eye level with you.

"Hey... look at me." He said it in his low, soothing voice.

You hesitated to lift your eyes, but he gently reached out and took your trembling hands between his warm palms, running his thumb over the back of your hand.

"Sam, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"Don't you ever apologize." He cut you off with a look full of understanding and empathy. "God... I should have checked on you, and instead I went and buried myself in some stupid case instead of checking on my girlfriend."

You said, exhausted, "Sam, don't..."

He wiped a tear off your cheek with his finger, and added with an open, warm smile

"If you want to cry, cry, and if you want to talk, I'm all ears... but please don't hide like this from me."

You hugged him tightly.

Castiel

You stood at the bunker's outer balcony late at night, the air cold, tears falling silently down your cheeks. You thought you were completely alone in your solitude.

Suddenly, with no sound but a faint flutter in the air, Castiel appeared beside you.

He stood for a few seconds studying your wet face, his head tilted, looking tense, clearly not knowing how to comfort the person he loved when they were in pain.

"You're crying... and your breathing rate is irregular." He said it with total seriousness, before his eyes flashed with sharp concern. "Is someone hurting you? Is it because there's no cake, the kind you like?"

You smiled despite yourself, through your tears, at his awkward way of speaking. "No, Cas... I'm just... tired. Feelings get heavy sometimes."

Cas took a step closer, and for the first time, he didn't hesitate. He raised his heavy hand, very slowly, and placed it on your back, patting you in a way that was endearing and painfully stiff.

"Humans have fragile souls, but incredibly brave ones... and you're the bravest one I've known." He said in his deep voice, full of sincerity. "I can't heal emotional pain with a touch of my fingers the way I can with wounds... but I can stay here. No danger will come near you while I'm beside you."

You smiled through your tears, and since he still looked worried and unsure, he added, almost desperately, as if trying to find something to make you happy

"Should I go find you that cake?"

And you laughed.

Anonymous asked:

I know exactly which episode you're talking about!! I laughed a lot, and besides Dean getting super shy, he was very offended

I can understand the appeal of Crowley/Bobby; they're basically an elderly divorced couple

Initially didn't like Destiel very much (there's no specific reason) but I started to love it after episode 18 of season 8

My favorite character is Castiel, and besides loving reading x reader series with him, I also love Megstiel, Sastiel, Destiel (the most recent one), among others

Regarding your content on AO3, I don't think there's a problem with abandoning it, and you shouldn't feel guilty! You're a busy person, you work and study, unfortunately sometimes your day gets full, but the important thing is that you enjoy creating and bringing such incredible characters to life (⁠ ⁠◜⁠‿⁠◝⁠ ⁠)⁠♡

And some additional information (a good writer deserves praise), I love your readers, they have so much personality and I love how you write about them. Not only the reader, I love how she manages to characterize the characters so faithfully

Good morning btw and sorry for the long text, I got a little carried away (⁠´⁠ε⁠`⁠ ⁠)

Yeah, honestly, seeing him get so flustered and offended at the same time left me staring at my screen in complete shock. 😂 It honestly felt like I was seeing Dean for the first time. That scene completely shattered the image I'd always had of him.

Even though I'd already watched the show and knew all about the Destiel discourse, I never really understood what all the fuss was about. I always saw Dean as straight. Just like you, though, around season 8 I finally started to see what everyone meant. That's when I started thinking, "Yeah... I can definitely see him as bisexual."

I also love Meg, and I've read a lot of Megstiel fics. Personally, I think Castiel just fits with almost anyone. 😭

And thank you so much for your kind words. You're genuinely so sweet, and you have no idea how much your comment meant to me. All I've ever wanted was to stay true to the characters without erasing the reader's own personality, so hearing that I managed to do that really made me happy.

And honestly, it's the opposite for me. I always enjoy reading your comments, so don't ever worry. I hope you have a wonderful day ! ❤️

Anonymous asked:

If your Supernatural requests are still open, I'd like something about Gabriel.

My Idea is basically a reader (can be either female or gender-neutral) who is ridiculously hot-headed and always stressed whose "guardian angel" is our dear and sweet Gabriel..

Yes, I like the silly cliche of angry woman x goofy boyfriend.

Bonus points if she is tall and muscular.

By the way, as an extra comment, I read your The Boys fanfic and genuinely loved it. I'm not even part of the fandom, but I want to follow more of this story.

My guardian angel

Note:Hi! First of all, I'm really sorry for taking so long. I had actually finished writing the entire story, but the next day I realized it hadn't been saved as a draft. I was pretty discouraged and needed some time before I could bring myself to write it all over again.I really hope you enjoy it. Also, there's a bit of sexual content near the end of the story. If you're not comfortable with that, feel free to skip that part... And lastly, English isn't my first language, so I apologize in advance for any mistakes.

Dust was flying through the air of the abandoned warehouse, thick enough to make breathing feel like swallowing sand. You brushed the sweat soaked strands of hair off your face, and let out a sharp breath born of exhausted patience, while bracing your strong, muscular hand against one of the rickety wooden tables.

In front of you lay a massive book, its pages thick and yellowed, its heavy leather cover sitting there like a corpse.

Your phone rang, you grabbed it and hit the speaker button immediately without lifting your eyes off the strange symbols.

"Bobby? Save me, this warehouse is full of filth and I've been standing in front of this damn book for an hour. Are you sure it's got a banishing spell for this thing?"

Bobby's rough, tired voice came through, mixed with the rustle of papers. "Yeah, girl, that book's got everything. Any Transylvanian or grayscript page should do the trick to banish demons at this level, just make sure you read the symbol clearly and don't—"

"Okay, that's all I need, thanks Bobby!"

"Wait! I didn't tell you the page num—"

You hung up on him without waiting for the rest. You didn't have time for chit chat, you were bleeding lightly from your arm, and your patience had run out completely. You wiped your forehead with the back of your hand, and rushed toward the book impatiently. You flipped through the pages aggressively until you stopped on a random page decorated with a strange golden symbol surrounded by Greek script.

"Whatever... let this shit be over."

You muttered in a sharp, serious voice, and read the words written under the symbol out loud, your eyes darting quickly between the lines.

Suddenly, the ground shook beneath your feet! The symbol lit up with a blinding golden light for a second,

then...

something heavy crashed onto the hard floor with a muffled scream and an explicit curse.

You stepped back, and in a split second, you pulled the heavy knife from your belt, brandishing it immediately at the newcomer, the muscles in your arms fully tensed, your eyes blazing with anger.

On the ground lay a man... he was half naked, wearing pants not fully buttoned, his shirt hanging open off his shoulders, and on his lips, smudged remnants of lipstick.

The man sat up quickly, holding his head, cursing. "Shit! Shit and damn it! Where...?"

Then he turned to see the crumbling ceiling, the open page, and that huge, furious woman standing over him aiming a sharp knife straight at his forehead.

His eyes widened in shock, then his expression instantly shifted into a mocking, childish irritation, and he snapped

"Well that's rude! Absolutely rude!"

You narrowed your eyes and glared at him with a determined anger born of frustration.

"Who the hell are you really? And how did you get in here? Are you the demon I'm trying to banish? I swear I'll take your head off before you can blink!"

Gabriel quickly adjusted his shirt as he stood up, wiping the corner of his lips with exaggerated calm, but he took a cautious step back when he noticed your height and your strong build, which made the knife in your hand look like a toy.

"Me? A demon? One more insult like that and I'll carry you whole and toss you into the ocean!" he said, raising his hand playfully, then continued. "First off, I'm not a demon, muscle woman. Second, don't you see I was... quite busy with someone before you so rudely yanked me out of a hotel room?"

"I'm what?" You took a step forward, your gaze shooting sparks. "I cast a banishing spell! How the hell did I end up summoning some idiot straight out of a bathroom or a hotel room?"

Gabriel glanced at the book, then tilted his head and burst out laughing loudly. "A banishing spell? Oh sweetheart... you opened the direct summoning page for an archangel! You didn't banish anyone, you interrupted my night out!"

You blinked several times, but your expression didn't soften. "An archangel? Looking like this?"

Gabriel straightened his posture, fixing his collar with fake dignity. "I'm Gabriel. And what an ungrateful girl you are! People kneel and beg for years just to hear a whisper from me, and you're waving a knife in my face and screaming like I stole your meal!"

"Because you're wasting my time!" you shouted, out of patience, and slammed a dry punch into the wooden table beside you, making it shake instantly. "I've got a damn monster lurking outside, and I don't have time for angel riddles or their little whims!"

Gabriel looked at the table that had nearly cracked, then shot a quick glance at your flushed, angry face, your eyes full of frustration... there wasn't a shred of fear of an angel in you, not a shred of greed either, just overwhelming anger and a genuine desire to protect the place and finish the job.

He felt a strange pang in his chest. Curiosity.

How could an ordinary human, with a sharp tongue and muscles that intimidated men, manage to read his summoning spell? And how did she dare summon him in the first place without burning up?

Gabriel let out a sigh and wiped his hand over his face. "Alright, hot temper... since you've ruined my night, and since I can't just leave you to get yourself killed by this limited cleverness of yours..."

He snapped his fingers.

At that exact moment, the knife in your hand glowed with a faint golden light for one second before returning to normal, and some of the words in the book shifted, becoming a real, perfectly correct spell.

You looked at the knife, then at him in astonishment. "What did you do?"

Gabriel winked at you, a mocking smile spreading across his lips. "Fixed your little typo for you. The spell's ready, and that knife can now slice that creature clean in half without you getting dirty."

"I... didn't ask for your help!" you said with pride, gritting your teeth.

"I know, and that's what makes it fun!" he said, stepping back. "Next time you're reading a book... use your glasses, angry girl!"

"Wait, you—"

But before you could finish your curse, Gabriel had vanished completely.

You stood alone in the warehouse, breathing fast, the knife in your hand shaking with tension. You cursed under your breath, but you grabbed the spell and headed out immediately to finish the fight.

And somewhere up in the sky, Gabriel stood on the edge of a building, holding a piece of candy that had suddenly appeared in his hand, looking down at the warehouse with a suspicious smile.

"A hot tempered woman, misreading books, and summoning an archangel just to threaten him with an ordinary knife?" He ate the candy and said in a tone full of curiosity. "This story needs a follow up."

Three weeks had passed since the warehouse incident, and the curses you'd hurled at Gabriel were still ringing in his ears every time he remembered your face flushed with anger.

He was supposed to go back to his normal life, hiding among the noise of humans and their appetites, far from the wars of heaven and the demons. But something about you, that strength that nearly burst the veins in your hands, and that blind pride, kept pulling him in like a magnet.

And so... he watched you.

He stood on a crumbling rooftop, leaning against the edge, his hazel eyes following what was happening in the dark alley below.

You were locked in a brutal fight against three vampires.

You moved with your intimidating height and build like a wall, you slammed a punch into a wall and cracked it, then hauled one of them by the collar and smashed his head into the ground hard enough to make the sound echo through the alley. But you were exhausted, blood ran from two deep cuts on your arm, and your heavy breathing showed in the cold air.

Gabriel muttered from above, sucking on a straw. "God... this woman doesn't fight, she grinds! But she's going to bleed out before she finishes the third one if she keeps this up."

Below, your silver knife snapped under a sudden blow, its handle flying off into the darkness.

"Fuck! Damn this cheap wood!" you shouted with pure fury, and tried to back away to leave the vampire, but he was already lunging for your exposed neck.

Gabriel snapped his fingers with annoyance. "Oh, please... not her neck."

In a split second, right as the vampire threw himself at you, his foot caught on a piece of brick that "suddenly appeared," hadn't been there a second before. He fell face first, right at your feet!

You didn't think twice, you raised your heavy boot and stomped on his head with everything you had, then finished him off with the broken knife you'd picked up.

You stood there, breathing fast, wiping the blood mixed with sweat off your forehead, and your eyes drifted down to a large rock.

You bent down and looked at it in disbelief. "How the hell did this get here?... Maybe I just didn't notice it."

Gabriel tilted his head, smiling mockingly from above. "Yeah, genius, you just didn't notice a rock the size of your own head."

The next day, you stood beside your beat up old car on the shoulder of the highway in the middle of the night. A demon family's pursuit truck was closing in from behind, its high beams blinding.

You were pounding the steering wheel with your furious fist. "Start, you damn piece of junk! Start now!"

A few meters away, Gabriel stood leaning against a tree, wearing sunglasses at midnight, eating a piece of cotton candy.

He watched the engine smoking, watched the truck closing in.

"If she dies now, I won't have anything left to entertain myself with..." he muttered to himself.

He snapped his fingers again.

Suddenly, the oncoming truck's lights cut out, its engine shook with an odd smoothness before all four of its tires flew into the air like fireworks, sending it swerving off and crashing into the ravine beside the road, without touching your car by even an inch!

At the same moment, your car's engine roared to life instantly, running with a smooth quiet purr you hadn't heard from it in years.

You blinked, glancing at the side mirror then at the engine. "What is this demonic luck today? Did someone pray for me or something?"

You slammed the wheel out of impatience and hit the gas, grinning hard. "Whoever you are... thanks, whoever you are."

Gabriel smiled a small, hidden smile, wiped the sugar off his hand, and said in a low voice. "No need to thank me, you can return the favor by cutting back on the cursing from now on."

Later that same night, you walked into a small, abandoned shop to bandage your wounds.

You sat on the cold concrete floor, your back against the wall. The muscles of your lips trembled with pain as you tried to dab what little disinfectant you had left onto the open wound on your side. You didn't complain, didn't cry, didn't ask anyone for help. You gritted through it, biting down on a piece of cloth so you wouldn't make a sound.

Gabriel was with the Winchesters when he heard your muffled groan through the distance, so he cut off mid sentence and vanished from in front of them to appear in a hidden corner and see what was wrong with you... just to freeze time and touch your forehead, trying to understand how you'd ended up in this state, already angry about it.

His irritated expression gradually shifted into something else... something warm, mixed with deep respect. He saw how you'd thrown yourself, hours earlier, in front of a small child possessed by an evil spirit, how you'd taken a hit to your ribs so that the danger wouldn't touch anyone but you.

He said to himself with rare seriousness. "Putting your life on the line for strangers who don't even know your name...? You really are insane."

Then he set time moving again.

He waited until your eyes fell shut for a few seconds from sheer exhaustion.

In the blink of an eye, he descended beside you slowly, without his wings making a single sound. His light, angelic hand reached out and set down on the small table beside you, a full bottle of medical disinfectant, fresh gauze rolls, and a hot sandwich with a can of cold soda.

And when your eyes suddenly snapped open at the smell of the food, you found no one there.

You looked around with anger and suspicion, pulling your knife out immediately. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

Only silence answered you.

Your eyes fell on the food and the clean supplies. Your brows knitted, and you touched the sandwich slowly to find it still warm.

You muttered in a low voice, trying to hide how moved you were behind your usual dry tone. "Who's this idiot that feeds you and disappears? Do I have a guardian shadow now or something?"

Right behind the wall, Gabriel stood there, hands in his pockets, a very warm smile spreading across his face.

He said in a light, mocking tone, whispering to the air. "A guardian shadow? No, sweetheart... a full powered angel, reduced to being your personal grocery bag carrier."

Then his smile widened as he felt that strange warmth in his chest, watching you smile and eat.

Three weeks had passed since the warehouse incident, and the curses you'd hurled at Gabriel were still ringing in his ears every time he remembered your face flushed with anger.

He was supposed to go back to his normal life, hiding among the noise of humans and their appetites, far from the wars of heaven and the demons. But something about you, that strength that nearly burst the veins in your hands, and that blind pride, kept pulling him in like a magnet.

And so... he watched you.

He stood on a crumbling rooftop, leaning against the edge, his hazel eyes following what was happening in the dark alley below.

You were locked in a brutal fight against three vampires.

You moved with your intimidating height and build like a wall, you slammed a punch into a wall and cracked it, then hauled one of them by the collar and smashed his head into the ground hard enough to make the sound echo through the alley. But you were exhausted, blood ran from two deep cuts on your arm, and your heavy breathing showed in the cold air.

Gabriel muttered from above, sucking on a straw. "God... this woman doesn't fight, she grinds! But she's going to bleed out before she finishes the third one if she keeps this up."

Below, your silver knife snapped under a sudden blow, its handle flying off into the darkness.

"Fuck! Damn this cheap wood!" you shouted with pure fury, and tried to back away to leave the vampire, but he was already lunging for your exposed neck.

Gabriel snapped his fingers with annoyance. "Oh, please... not her neck."

In a split second, right as the vampire threw himself at you, his foot caught on a piece of brick that "suddenly appeared," hadn't been there a second before. He fell face first, right at your feet!

You didn't think twice, you raised your heavy boot and stomped on his head with everything you had, then finished him off with the broken knife you'd picked up.

You stood there, breathing fast, wiping the blood mixed with sweat off your forehead, and your eyes drifted down to a large rock.

You bent down and looked at it in disbelief. "How the hell did this get here?... Maybe I just didn't notice it."

Gabriel tilted his head, smiling mockingly from above. "Yeah, genius, you just didn't notice a rock the size of your own head."

The next day, you stood beside your beat up old car on the shoulder of the highway in the middle of the night. A demon family's pursuit truck was closing in from behind, its high beams blinding.

You were pounding the steering wheel with your furious fist. "Start, you damn piece of junk! Start now!"

A few meters away, Gabriel stood leaning against a tree, wearing sunglasses at midnight, eating a piece of cotton candy.

He watched the engine smoking, watched the truck closing in.

"If she dies now, I won't have anything left to entertain myself with..." he muttered to himself.

He snapped his fingers again.

Suddenly, the oncoming truck's lights cut out, its engine shook with an odd smoothness before all four of its tires flew into the air like fireworks, sending it swerving off and crashing into the ravine beside the road, without touching your car by even an inch!

At the same moment, your car's engine roared to life instantly, running with a smooth quiet purr you hadn't heard from it in years.

You blinked, glancing at the side mirror then at the engine. "What is this demonic luck today? Did someone pray for me or something?"

You slammed the wheel out of impatience and hit the gas, grinning hard. "Whoever you are... thanks, whoever you are."

Gabriel smiled a small, hidden smile, wiped the sugar off his hand, and said in a low voice. "No need to thank me, you can return the favor by cutting back on the cursing from now on."

Later that same night, you walked into a small, abandoned shop to bandage your wounds.

You sat on the cold concrete floor, your back against the wall. The muscles of your lips trembled with pain as you tried to dab what little disinfectant you had left onto the open wound on your side. You didn't complain, didn't cry, didn't ask anyone for help. You gritted through it, biting down on a piece of cloth so you wouldn't make a sound.

Gabriel was with the Winchesters when he heard your muffled groan through the distance, so he cut off mid sentence and vanished from in front of them to appear in a hidden corner and see what was wrong with you... just to freeze time and touch your forehead, trying to understand how you'd ended up in this state, already angry about it.

His irritated expression gradually shifted into something else... something warm, mixed with deep respect. He saw how you'd thrown yourself, hours earlier, in front of a small child possessed by an evil spirit, how you'd taken a hit to your ribs so that the danger wouldn't touch anyone but you.

He said to himself with rare seriousness. "Putting your life on the line for strangers who don't even know your name...? You really are insane."

Then he set time moving again.

He waited until your eyes fell shut for a few seconds from sheer exhaustion.

In the blink of an eye, he descended beside you slowly, without his wings making a single sound. His light, angelic hand reached out and set down on the small table beside you, a full bottle of medical disinfectant, fresh gauze rolls, and a hot sandwich with a can of cold soda.

And when your eyes suddenly snapped open at the smell of the food, you found no one there.

You looked around with anger and suspicion, pulling your knife out immediately. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

Only silence answered you.

Your eyes fell on the food and the clean supplies. Your brows knitted, and you touched the sandwich slowly to find it still warm.

You muttered in a low voice, trying to hide how moved you were behind your usual dry tone. "Who's this idiot that feeds you and disappears? Do I have a guardian shadow now or something?"

Right behind the wall, Gabriel stood there, hands in his pockets, a very warm smile spreading across his face.

He said in a light, mocking tone, whispering to the air. "A guardian shadow? No, sweetheart... a full powered angel, reduced to being your personal grocery bag carrier."

Then his smile widened as he felt that strange warmth in his chest, watching you smile and eat.

The thunderstorm was pounding away outside while you were inside the warehouse.

You settled onto your rough knees over the cracked concrete floor, your exhausted breath coming out like smoke in the bitter cold. Blood dripped from your left eyebrow, covering your eyelid, and in your hand was a knife you didn't know had managed to cut down demons, and you'd been grateful for it, but not now.

In front of you stood a high ranking demon, smiling at you in a way that made your skin crawl.

"I think this is the end..."

You lifted your head with a defiant motion, wiped the blood off your face with the back of your dirt smeared hand, and said in a tense tone full of defiance. "I'm still breathing, you bastard." You stood up. You lunged at him with your knife.

But this time, the fight wasn't even. With one touch of the demon's fiery hand, your knife flew through the air and shattered into fragments against the wall. Then he struck your chest with his heavy palm, sending you flying several meters to crash into some crumbling iron beams.

You fell to the ground, coughing sharply, feeling a sharp pain in your ribs. You tried to get up, but your exhausted body betrayed you for the first time.

The demon walked toward you with slow, savoring steps, raising his blade to finish you off directly. "See you in hell..."

In that exact moment, when you realized death was just an inch away from you, all you did was close your eyes and clench your teeth in overwhelming anger because you were going to fall right here.

But instead...

A massive burst of blinding white light struck through the entire warehouse!

The ground shook like an earthquake, and a deafening thunderous roar rang out. The light was so bright it looked as though morning had arrived for a single instant!

The demon let out a terrifying scream of pain, stumbling back, trying to vanish, but sigils appeared right where he stood. "Th... this... no! Impossible!" Then he lifted his eyes, and it was Gabriel.

You opened your eyes very slowly, to see him.

Standing between you and the demon... a man.

But he looked different here.

The man turned slowly and raised his hand. He snapped his fingers coldly.

In that instant, the demon burst into flames from the inside completely, light tore through his eyes, and he died.

Silence fell over the place...

You stared in absolute disbelief at the man's back, his hand resting casually in his pocket.

He turned toward you slowly.

It was him... with that same mocking smile, those same hazel eyes forever laced with sarcasm, but there was no trace of lipstick or disheveled appearance now, you wouldn't admit that his image had been stuck in your head, that you'd been thinking about him in secret...

"You..." you muttered in a low voice, a tone mixing shocked disbelief with your usual anger. "You're that idiot from the warehouse! The archangel!"

Gabriel stepped toward you with calm strides, leaning down to your level, your face covered in wounds, tilting his head with a smile both warm and mocking at once

"An idiot? After everything I've done for you, you're still calling me an idiot? What a hard hearted woman you are!"

You narrowed your eyes, trying to press against your wound and get up. "What are you doing here? And how... how did you kill that thing with a snap of your fingers? Were you following me?"

Then you remembered again that he was an angel. His appearance was too simple, it didn't help.

Gabriel smiled a wide smile, extending his hand to help you up, but you ignored it and stood on your own, groaning lightly from the pain in your ribs.

Gabriel laughed in a low voice and wiped his hands. "Following you? Oh sweetheart... I wasn't just following you. I've been here this whole past three weeks."

You blinked several times, looking at him with suspicion. "What do you mean?"

He stepped closer to you, his usual playful tone turning warmer and more serious, looking straight into your eyes

"The car that started running like a miracle? The truck whose tires flew off? The weapons that kept appearing under your feet right when you were losing your nerve? The hot sandwich and the disinfectant in the abandoned shop?"

He didn't want to say any of this outright, but he wanted some acknowledgment from you of his importance, or maybe a thank you, maybe a warm smile, anything!

Your eyes widened in shock, and the pieces of the puzzle clicked into place in your head instantly.

You stepped back and said in disbelief. "Oh...?"

Gabriel brought his face closer to yours, and winked with his charming smile.

"I wasn't just a coincidence, sweetheart... I was your personal guardian, even if it was an unpaid contract."

You stood there speechless, for the first time in your life. Your sharp tongue and your usual edge evaporated in front of his warm gaze, which didn't hide how impressed he was with you.

You wiped your face slowly, then looked at him with a faint growl, trying to cover up the blush on your face

"So... you were spying on me while I fought?"

Gabriel laughed loudly, and a warm food container and a fresh bandage suddenly appeared in his hand, and he said, offering them to you with dramatic flair

"Spying? Such an ugly word! Let's just say I was 'enjoying the show'... now, take this and hush, we've got plenty more demons to hunt down, until the Winchesters decide it's the apocalypse again..."

You looked at the food, then at his smiling face, and despite everything... you couldn't hide the small smile that spread at the corner of your lips as you took the container from him, which was exactly what Gabriel had wanted

In the months that followed, your life turned into a circus... but for some strange reason, you could no longer picture your day without him in it.

Gabriel no longer settled for protecting you secretly, he'd started showing up in your apartment at the most random hours. You'd go to the fridge at six in the morning to find his head stuck inside it, devouring ice cream, or you'd walk out of the bathroom in your workout clothes to find him sprawled on your couch, flipping through your magazines and smiling like he owned the place!

"Gabriel! I swear I'll rip your wings off and cook them if you don't get out of my apartment in the next second!"

You'd shout, out of patience, the muscles in your arms tensing as you hurled the nearest pillow or shoe at him.

And he'd chuckle with his mocking smile. "Oh, relax, honey! Your place is comfortable, and you actually love having me around, but your pride won't let you admit it!"

"I love you?" You exhaled sharply and glared at him. "I only put up with you because you clean up after your own mess of a self!"

But the truth of it? You'd smile in secret every time he vanished. Your heart had gotten used to him, used to his stupid way of making you laugh after a day soaked in blood and wounds.

On a rainy night, you came back to the apartment, your shoulder aching badly after a brutal fight. You sat down on the couch exhausted, gritting your teeth to bear the pain without making a sound.

Suddenly, Gabriel appeared beside you.

He wasn't joking this time. He looked at your exhausted face, at the blood stained gauze on your strong arm. He brought a warm cup and set it in front of you, then fetched fresh bandages and started dabbing at your wounds very slowly and carefully, as if handling rare glass rather than a woman who could split a wall with her own body, and he could have healed all your wounds with a snap of his finger, but he'd learned where his limits lay and not to do anything without being asked.

You looked at him in quiet astonishment, thrown off by this sudden gentleness.

Gabriel tilted his head, looking into your eyes with a warm tone free of any mockery. "You never rest, do you? You go out every night to take the hit for everyone else..."

You said in a dry tone, trying to cover up how his closeness unsettled you. "It's my job. No one else is going to do it."

He smiled helplessly as he applied the last bandage, and muttered in a low voice. "You're insane... and absolutely amazing."

He leaned in toward you very slowly. His warm breath brushed your face, his hazel eyes dropping to your lips with obvious hesitation. This was the moment... he'd been secretly drawn to you for weeks now, and now he was leaning in to kiss you.

But... in the moment there was nothing but an inch between you, he froze.

He suddenly pulled back, yanking his hands away as if he'd touched a burning coal! He sat at the edge of the couch, his eyes fixed on the floor with a shy, unsteady confusion that threw you off completely.

You blinked with frustration and suppressed anger, feeling a small lump form in your throat. "What's your problem? Backing out now?"

Gabriel smiled a faint, broken smile, rubbing the back of his neck helplessly. "I'm... sorry, sweetheart. My foot just slipped."

"Your foot slipped?" You narrowed your eyes and half stood up, gritting your teeth. "You lean in toward me then pull back and say your foot slipped? Talk like a man, what's stopping you?"

Gabriel laced his fingers together, feeling small in front of your height, your strong body, your firm personality. And for the first time, you saw him stripped of his angelic arrogance.

He said in a low voice, a calm tone carrying all his lack of confidence

"Because I was scared you'd throw a punch at me and reject me..."

You thought to yourself, well yes, you would have done that if it were anyone else.

He looked at you, gesturing at himself with sad mockery. "Look at the situation seriously! You're a tall woman, built with muscle, sharp tempered, and strong as a rock... you could level anyone. And me? I'm shorter than you, my personality is over the top and loud, and I spend all day acting like an idiot hiding from my brothers... I know how much you hate cowards..."

Silence fell.

He genuinely believed he wasn't enough for you. He saw himself as small next to you, and a coward? Gabriel was a lot of things, but not a coward.

You sighed with sheer impatience and frustration at this angel's stupidity and his pitiful hesitation!

"You giant, damn idiot..." you muttered in a low voice.

Before Gabriel could understand what you meant, your hand shot out toward his coat collar.

You yanked him hard and hauled him toward you with all your strength!

And in a split second, you closed the distance between you and pressed your lips against his in a hot, powerful kiss, full of everything you'd been holding back, all the pent up hell of these past weeks!

Gabriel's eyes widened in a shock that paralyzed his senses for a second, then all his fear and hesitation dissolved like smoke. He surrendered completely, closing his eyes as his hands slowly rose to wrap around your neck, clinging to you as if he were melting entirely in your hands.

When you pulled back slightly to catch your breath, you were panting, your eyes gleaming with a sharp, gentle irritation as you looked at his reddened lips and his stunned face.

You gritted your teeth, a small, harsh smile spreading across your lips

"Next time you decide for yourself what I like and don't like... I'll land a real punch right in the middle of your face! Understood? I don't want some serious, boring guy lecturing me... I want you, exactly like this, with your mess and your madness!"

Gabriel blinked several times, processing your words, and the powerful kiss that had blown his mind away.

And suddenly... his familiar smile started spreading wider and wider until it filled his entire face, and all his doubts and fears vanished in a split second.

He rested his head helplessly on your broad, warm shoulder, letting out a light, surrendering laugh, then whispered close to your ear with joy

"As you wish, sweetheart... though since you're going to hit me every time I misbehave... will you reward me with a kiss if I behave well?"

You didn't answer with words; instead, you brought your strong hand down heavily to press boldly and firmly along his prominent length beneath the fabric of his pants.

Gabriel gasped aloud, his entire body trembling as he began to pant from the surprise of your warm, confident touch.

You leaned close to his ear and said in a low, husky voice dripping with authority:

"You'll get more than just a kiss... but right now, I can't release this energy because of my wounds. So... how about you give me a little show?"

Gabriel’s head was spinning fast, his hazel eyes widening in disbelief, not quite understanding at first what his lover was trying to say or where this audacity was taking him.

Before he could process it, you leaned over him again to kiss him, this time with a slower, deeper passion and possessiveness that made his hidden wings quiver. Then you whispered directly against his wet mouth:

"Take off your clothes... and milk yourself in front of me."

Gabriel froze in place for a few seconds, his hazel eyes wide with sparks of pure shock and arousal. The angel who had always played with the finest of beings found himself wanting to submit to you...

He swallowed hard, trying to keep his composure and pull up his usual smirking smile to cover the flush that instantly rushed to his cheeks and ears. He moved to the opposite end of the couch, sitting where he could ensure you wouldn't miss a single detail.

"A show?" he muttered in a tone he tried to keep confident, though his voice came out raspy and muffled with excitement: "You really know how to tame an angel, my sweet..."

He began removing his elegant coat and shirt. His movements, usually so decisive and poised, were slightly slower this time, his fingers betraying a subtle tremble under your fiery, consuming gaze.

He pulled down his pants and underwear, exposing himself completely before you under the dim light of the room.

He was fully erect and rigid, aching for you. He sat on the edge of the sofa, legs spread wide under your strict eyes, yet he couldn't stop his gaze from darting toward the floor for a second before looking back at you, his lower lip trembling softly from intense shame and desire.

You looked at him with an annoyed gaze, your exhausted shoulders keeping you from moving, but your dominion over the room was absolute.

You leaned forward slightly, hand resting on your knee, commanding in a sharp tone slick with passion:

"Don't wait... start now. And I want to hear every breath you take."

Gabriel shuddered at the command in your voice, his long fingers wrapping around his burning shaft. He started moving slowly, up and down, his eyes never leaving yours.

He let out a hot exhale from his reddened lips and murmured in a low, raspy whisper:

"You're... you're so cruel, my sweet..."

You hardened your glare and said coldly:

"Faster... show me how you do it for me."

The last remnants of his fake confidence vanished, and Gabriel surrendered completely.

He sped up his pace, his hand gripping himself tighter, his steady breathing instantly turning into low moans and ragged gasps filling the room. He tilted his head back, reaching a point where he looked completely desperate and helpless. He squeezed his hazel eyes shut, trying to escape the disorientation of staring into your eyes while his hand moved fast and his body trembled on the edge of sheer ecstasy.

But you weren't about to give him that escape.

"Open your eyes."

Your voice cut through, sharp and stern.

"Open your eyes and look at me..." you added in a breathy, breathtaking murmur: "And tell me... what are you feeling right now?"

His eyelids fluttered, opening slowly to meet your heavy gaze. His face was flushed red, his breath hitching with a delightful mix of embarrassment and intense tension under your command.

He swallowed hard and spoke in a raspy voice trembling with passion:

"I feel... like I'm losing my mind, my sweet. I feel like all my past centuries were nothing... compared to a single look from you while you control me like this."

The rhythm of his hand grew wild, his body tensing as he approached his climax. But just a second before he could reach it, you barked your order:

"Stop! Let go of your dick now."

Gabriel froze in place, snapping his hand away instantly as if his fingers had been burned, his hazel eyes widening in utter shock and despair. He was throbbing on the verge of exploding, his body begging for a touch, and being denied at this exact moment was agonizing.

He released a hot breath and let his head drop forward, his body shaking from the intense, trapped desire. He looked at you with eyes full of desperate pleading, casting aside all pride.

"Please..." he whispered, his voice begging, filled with need and warmth: "Please let me heal your wounds now... let me heal your shoulder and arm with a single touch, just so you can touch me! I want to feel your strong hand on me... I want to kiss you until I run out of breath!"

He was begging for nothing more than to be close to you, to touch you, and to melt in your hands.

You tilted your head with a cold, dreamlike smile, your eyes consuming the sight of him burning with desperate longing before you.

You leaned forward with a cold, dazed smile, your eyes consuming the sight of him burning with desperation and surrender under your power.

"Fine..." you said in a low, wet whisper of passion: "Do it."

Gabriel didn't wait for a single second! He raised his trembling hand and snapped his fingers with a soft *click*.

Instantly, a wave of soothing warmth washed through your entire body; the pain in your shoulder vanished completely, and the wounds and scratches disappeared as if they had never existed, restoring your full strength and muscular power back to peak condition!

Before he could even process that you were fully healed, you lunged at him with blinding speed, pinning him completely beneath you on the sofa!

You settled over him with your powerful frame and imposing height, closing the distance with a hungry, hot, and punishing kiss that blew away what little was left of his mind. You brought your heavy, strong hand down to grip his throbbing length with tight, thrilling intensity, forcing Gabriel to let out a muffled gasp as he writhed beneath you, panting wildly and clinging to your shoulders with all his strength.

He wanted to speak... he parted his lips between the relentless kisses, gasping raspily: "T-Take off your clothes, my sweet... let me pleasure you too..."

But his words evaporated into thin air! The skillful, harsh movements of your hand and your fierce, merciless kisses robbed him of any ability to think or take control. He was panting, whimpering softly in deep need and delirium, his head tilting all the way back under your absolute control.

After five minutes of delicious cruelty and total dominance... his entire body tensed beneath you! He released a hot exhale and a prolonged moan as he came violently, trembling completely in your hands.

When you pulled back slightly to catch your breath, you looked down at his flushed, dazed face with a smirk and a look of pride at what you saw.

Gabriel grew flustered under that look, saying in a raspy, broken voice as he tried to cover his overwhelming shyness: "L-Let me return the favor... lie down and I'll..."

He reached out a trembling hand to touch you, but you gently stopped his hand, reassuring him with a warm tone free of any anger:

"I'm fine tonight... I don't want anything other than you right beside me."

Gabriel froze, his hand hovering in the air.

He looked into your eyes with pure clarity, feeling a warm lump in his throat as if his hazel eyes were about to tear up from sheer joy and relief. It wasn't just physical desire; it was a genuine longing for *him*.

He broke into a wide smile that lit up his whole face, and with a second, quiet snap of his fingers, the entire space was instantly cleaned of any mess. Within a second, warm blankets wrapped around the two of you, and beside you appeared boxes of warm French fries, popcorn, sweets, and drinks.

He pulled the blanket tightly around your broad shoulders, resting his head playfully and comfortably against your chest, saying with his usual bright, mischievous joy:

"So... movie night!"

Anonymous asked:

Silly question, but what are your headcanons regarding the sexuality of your favorite characters?

For me it's: Castiel - Queer/pansexual, asexual and non-binary Dean - Bisexual Gabriel - Bisexual

Soldier Boy/Ben - Bi-curious

And along with the question above, do you have any favorite ships? Have you written about them?

Hi! I love silly questions, especially ones like this.I agree with you about all of them, especially Castiel. That's actually one of the things that makes me love him so much.As for Dean, I used to think he was straight as hell, but then there was that episode (I can't remember the number, unfortunately) where Dean thinks a guy is flirting with him. He gets so flustered, only to find out it was all part of a case involving a big man from World War II that had been passed down from the man's grandfather. Do you remember that episode? Anyway, that scene genuinely surprised me. For a brief moment, Dean acted like a shy teenager. 😂As for Ben (Soldier Boy) and Gabriel, yeah, I can definitely see that sense of curiosity in both of them. Although I think Gabriel is much more open to the idea of being involved with another man.As for my favorite ships... I'm the kind of girl who can't watch a TV show without ending up shipping somebody or opening AO3 afterward. I absolutely love Destiel (Dean/Castiel), and lately with Crowley/Bobby. I know it's a weird shipBefore that, I was completely obsessed with ships from Scrubs, especially Dr. Perry Cox/J.D., and from Wednesday, I loved Isaac/Pugsley Addams..And yes, I've written a lot. I actually had two accounts before this one and wattpad, but I deleted both of them. Why? Honestly... I have no idea.I even deleted this account at one point, but when I logged back in, it was still there, so I just decided to keep it.I also have an AO3 account, although most of my works are unfinished. I have a terrible habit of getting inspired by a new idea before I've finished the last one, so my drafts just keep piling up. 😭I haven't written any Supernatural ships, though.Honestly, I've been so busy lately. I mean, life was so much easier back in high school. I had so much more free time. Now I constantly feel overwhelmed, and I'm lucky if I can finish anything I start.So these days, I mostly stick to reading whatever I can find on AO3 instead. At least that lets me stay connected to the fandom, even if I don't have the time or energy to write my own stories.

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Reblogged

Idc, normalize kink shaming. Cause y'all be using “don’t kink shame” and “it’s fiction” to excuse being into incest, pedophilia, cannibalism, etc. Like, be so fr, you ship a 14 year old with a 30 year, want to get railed by your dad and want to see two brothers f*ck each other. I don’t engage with things fictionally that I don’t like/wouldn’t want to do in real life. Yes, I’m judging you.

Anonymous asked:

Keep posting!! Your content is wonderful and it's great to follow such a talented writer!

Whenever possible, I want to encourage and repost your content.

I think I should start identifying myself (even if you already know who I am)

Thank you so much🥹 That really means a lot to me I truly appreciate your support and your kind words I'm so happy you've been enjoying my stories And now I'm curious to know who you are🙂🤍

Anonymous asked:

You're back!! How was your week??

Hello Yes we're back 🥲

My week has been pretty good and we're still moving forward I work at a pharmacy for five hours a day then I come home to study I honestly still can't sleep well so I started taking melatonin but here I am at 2 a.m. somehow still feeling fine

That's why I came back to writing I also have a few requests waiting in my inbox that I want to finish.. I also have an idea for a longer Dean x Reader story where Dean and the reader meet at school through Sam since the reader is Sam's friend and she's secretly a hunter too but I don't want to spoil anything

Thank you for asking and I truly hope life is treating you well 💗

Unexpected love - ch5

Note:Hello! I'm sorry for disappearing for a while. Life just... happens.. But I'm back, and this chapter is a bit longer than usual, so I hope it makes up for the wait. I really hope you enjoy it and English is not my first language

Chapters: here

The next day, the dim lighting and massive microphones in Vought's radio broadcast studio only deepened the gloom in the air.

You stood behind the soundproof glass in the control room, wearing large headphones to monitor the live broadcast. On the other side of the glass, Ben and Homelander sat facing each other. The tension between them wasn't visible to the naked eye, but it was as heavy as the air before a storm.

The host, visibly straining to keep up an artificially enthusiastic tone, started asking questions

"So... the legendary hero Soldier Boy, and Homelander, America's current guardian. A historic family reunion under one roof. Ben... what does it feel like coming back after forty years away, on 'secret missions and a cold war against communism,' as the reports describe it?"

Ben shifted in his seat and gripped the microphone roughly. You watched his jaw tighten instantly. He said in a calm voice, but one carrying a dark, strange tone you'd never heard from him before

"Coming back is strange. The world changed... and people started believing lies faster than they put their clothes on in the morning."

A brief, awkward silence fell over the studio. Homelander rushed to intervene with a warm, fake smile, placing his hand on the table

"What my dear father means is that the technology and speed of the modern era are amazing compared to his wonderful time. We're so proud to have him with us, maybe he can teach us some of that resilience he has, you know, forty years on secret missions..."

But Ben didn't play along this time, he looked directly into his son's eyes with irritation and said in a tone full of mockery and harshness

"Resilience? Yeah... resilience is a good word. But some people learn resilience because they had no other choice left... when you're left alone in some cold, dark place, and you discover that the ones who put you there were the friends you trusted... resilience becomes the only straw you cling to so you don't lose your mind. Isn't that right, boy?"

Homelander's features paled for a full second before he pulled his media mask back on and scrambled to find some lie to explain his father's words. Behind the glass, you felt a strange shiver run down your spine. These weren't the words of a man who'd disappeared by choice or betrayed his country, as the rumors and vague reports in Vought's archives claimed. There was something dark, filthy, and deep beneath it...

The moment the interview ended and everyone left, you took advantage of Ashley Barrett's permanent state of panic. You pulled her into a dark side corridor and cornered her with your usual coldness

"Ashley. I need the classified archive on Soldier Boy's operation in Russia. Now."

Ashley's eyes went wide with terror, and she started looking around, whispering hysterically

"Have you lost your mind? Those files are classified at the highest level! If Homelander or Sage found out, they'd tear me apart! I don't even have clearance to access those files—"

You cut her off, gripping her arm and pressing gently but firmly

"You're head of PR, Ashley. You hold the keys to every filthy basement in this building. Give me the access code for the old directorate's server, and no one will ever know you were part of this. Otherwise... I'll let Ben lose his temper in the next interview, and let's see how you explain to Homelander why the studio got destroyed."

Ashley swallowed hard, and with trembling fingers pulled out her phone and sent you an encrypted link and an old password dating back to Ben's era.

Late that night, you sat in your quiet apartment. Darkness filled the place except for the light from the tall glass buildings that stood over the city, and the pale blue glow coming from your laptop screen. Your glass sat beside you, completely forgotten.

You entered the access code and clicked on the files labeled "Project Number: Cold Trench - 1984." A series of video clips appeared before you, filmed on old, grainy, shaky 8mm footage.

You clicked the first clip.

The breath caught in your chest. The scene was unbearably heavy. Ben... was restrained in massive iron chains specifically designed for people with superhuman abilities, inside a cramped concrete room somewhere in Siberia. He was stripped of his armor, his body covered in wounds and burns that formed and vanished...

In the video, Russian scientists appeared wearing protective masks. They were trying to test the limits of his abilities and probe for his weakness. You watched them insert a long metal tube into his mouth to pour a burning, radioactive liquid directly into his gut, while he writhed violently, muffled, anguished screams tearing out of him, the veins in his face and neck nearly bursting from the extreme pain.

In another clip, they were shooting him at close range, directly in the eyes and throat, to see whether his internal tissue could resist bullets, and you saw how he trembled from the sheer physical and psychological torture that, based on what you understood from watching more clips, had gone on continuously for years.

You slammed the laptop screen shut suddenly...

Your body sank back into the couch, and you kept staring at the ceiling, in total shock and disbelief. The silence you usually loved in your apartment now felt cold and frightening.

You felt real nausea churning in your stomach. All that savage behavior, the fear of modern devices, the excessive drinking, chasing women to numb his mind, even that childish, stubborn need to dominate and prove his manhood... it all started falling into place in your head like the pieces of a horrifying puzzle.

Ben wasn't just some "arrogant, stubborn caveman" or "old furniture," he was a man who had literally been destroyed, his humanity dismantled piece by piece over forty years in a dark lab, while the world outside believed him a traitor or a dead hero.

Your view of him changed completely in that moment. A huge part of your disgust faded, replaced by a heavy, complicated feeling of understanding and silent pity that you would never tell him about.

The next day, there were no sharp knocks on the door, no wake up shouts, no dry orders filling the suite.

You sat on that same couch in front of that damn TV, but your eyes were completely distant, lost in the details of thoughts that had devoured your mind all night. The recorded clips, his muffled screams, the torture tubes... all those scenes kept spinning in your head like a film reel that refused to stop.

In the adjacent room, Ben was still sound asleep with another night girl you'd sent him the day before. You didn't intervene this time. What you'd seen the night before hadn't left your head yet. His muffled screams kept following you, dragging along with them the echo of other screams you'd thought time had buried... your son's screams.

You rubbed your eyes and sighed, "oh, damn it..."

Around half past eleven in the morning, the girl walked out of the room with soft, quiet steps, and the moment she saw you sitting there with your usual coolness, she nodded her head at you and left the suite right after, letting a heavy silence settle back over the place.

You stayed right where you were, waiting for Ben to wake up on his own, with no desire at all to rush him.

Ben walked out of the bedroom a few minutes later, slowly buckling his belt, a small towel draped around his neck, wiping the last traces of water off his face.

His body was tense, his mind churning with unsettling thoughts that had followed him since he woke up. All through the previous night, after you'd suddenly vanished right after the radio interview ended, Ben had felt something strange and heavy in his chest, a sickening feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time. He assumed you were angry with him over going off script, over his hints about Russia and betrayal. And through the past hours, when you hadn't shown up or banged on his door hard the way you always did, Ben found himself gripped by a quiet, hidden dread, thinking you might have quit entirely and left the tower, leaving him alone in this insane era.

He'd gotten used to you... used to your morning shouting, your coldness that drove him crazy, your strange steadiness that gave him an odd sense of safety in a building crawling with maniacs. And the thought that you'd abandoned him hurt him deeply, though he'd never admit it even if his throat were cut.

He stepped toward the living room, bracing himself to find an empty suite, or maybe a cold resignation note on the table.

But he froze in place when he saw you.

You were there, sitting perfectly calm on the couch, staring at the switched off screen in a complete silence he wasn't used to from you, despite your usual coolness. There were no scattered papers, no agenda you were waving in his face, no morning look of disgust. Just a deep silence wrapped around your body.

Ben instinctively took a step back, then moved forward slowly, trying to mask his unease with a mocking smile and a loud, rough tone

"What now? Did your damn alarm break today? Or did you finally decide to give the caveman some peace without any yelling?"

You didn't move, didn't answer right away. You just turned your head and looked at him.

That look was completely different from every other time, there was no provoking coldness in it, no sarcasm, no disgust. It was a deep, calm look. A look that made Ben feel as if you were staring straight into the depths of him.

His smile gradually faded under the weight of your gaze. He furrowed his brow and stepped closer, putting his hands on his hips with defensive irritation

"What's wrong with you, staring at me like I'm dead? You disappeared all day yesterday after that ridiculous radio interview. I figured you went off to cry to Ashley or file a complaint with Sage because I didn't stick to your sanitized little pink script."

You took a deep breath, and finally your calm voice came out, strangely warm this morning

"I didn't go complain to anyone, Ben. And I'm not angry with you."

Ben stopped in place, blinking in mild disbelief. The simple words hit him like cold water dousing a fire that had been eating at his insides since the night before. But his legendary pride wouldn't let him show that relief, so he said in a mocking tone as he headed toward the kitchen to grab a beer

"Then why all this damn quiet? I nearly thought you'd died sitting there."

He grabbed the beer bottle and turned to shoot you a challenging look, but you stood up slowly and walked toward him with calm steps until you stood a short distance away. You looked at his face, at the fine lines around his eyes...

You said in a low, steady voice

"I just wanted to let you rest a little today. The schedule isn't packed... and it's fine to slow things down sometimes."

Ben looked at you, his eyes narrowing with suspicion and confusion. He wasn't used to this gentle tone from you, and it left him thrown off, but at the same time, the lump that had been sitting in his throat vanished completely. He felt, powerfully, that you were still here, right beside him, and you weren't going anywhere.

"Slow?" Ben muttered, taking a sip from his bottle, trying to hide a small smile threatening to break across his lips. "Well... maybe this stupid era of yours has a few decent things going for it after all."

You hadn't changed completely, it wasn't your nature to suddenly turn into some warm, gentle, overflowing with softness person. Your icy armor and your usual coldness stayed exactly where they were, but things started being managed in a gentler, kinder, more understanding way, off camera and behind the scenes. They were small shifts, barely visible to the naked eye, you stopped shouting violently to wake him, started giving him more room to breathe, and handled his sudden outbursts with a kind of contained silence instead of provoking pushback.

That subtle change made Ben doubt his own sanity, he'd look at you with suspicion, brows knitted, wondering if he was imagining things or if you were plotting something. But the days rolled on, the months passed quickly, and that violent daily conflict gradually turned into a kind of quiet understanding and a shared routine between you both inside that tower full of madmen.

Over those months, you were still trying to teach him some basics of the modern era so he wouldn't look like a fool in front of the crew. What frustrated you the most and took an enormous amount of effort was the smart TV remote and that damn iPad holding his schedule and promotional photos. He'd throw them to the floor, shouting that these devices were "a communist conspiracy to scatter men's minds," while you stood in front of him with endless patience, pointing your finger at the screen, "press here, Ben... it's easier than pulling the trigger on your old rifle."

On one evening in that third month, you walked into his suite without knocking as usual to hand him the week's report. The atmosphere was quiet, free of the shouting of girls or loud music.

You froze at the threshold of the outer door, your eyes widening in genuine shock that left your next step hanging in the air.

Ben was sitting on the big couch, his massive feet propped on the table in front of him, and in his hands, slightly trembling and covered in old scars, he held the iPad. He wasn't hitting it, wasn't shouting, he was dragging his finger gently, with intense focus and narrowed eyes, and having heard your footsteps and recognized your familiar scent, he'd managed to open the settings app and enlarge the text himself, then skillfully backed out and switched over to the music app, starting up a classic Elvis Presley song he'd asked you to look up weeks ago and you'd completely forgotten about.

Ben wanted to make sure he'd succeeded, so he raised his head to see your reaction, expecting to find your usual cold face. But instead, he saw your raw, genuine shock, your mouth slightly open, your eyes darting between the screen and his fingers in complete disbelief, as if you were watching some divine miracle unfold in front of you.

Ben smiled slowly, that arrogant smile spreading across his face, full of the childish pride hiding behind his ego, then he set the device down on the table with feigned carelessness, leaned back, and put his hands behind his head

"Why are you standing there like you've seen a ghost? Did you really think a stupid piece of glass like this could beat Soldier Boy?"

You took slow steps toward the table, unable to tear your eyes away from the device successfully playing music, then looked at him in genuine disbelief and said in a tone completely free of your usual dryness for the first time

"You... you actually did it. Without breaking the screen, and without asking me for help once in three months."

Ben's smile widened, and he tried hard to keep his manly composure as he took a sip from the beer beside him

"I told you before... I'm not stupid. I've been watching how you do it with your little fingers all these past weeks. It just takes a bit of precision."

You sat down on the edge of the couch across from him, your warm, gentle gaze still fixed on his face. Ben felt his heartbeat quicken slightly under the weight of that look, a look of genuine pride in him, like someone watching a stubborn child take his first successful steps, something Ben wasn't used to, something he'd secretly wished for, for someone to be proud of him. This sudden warmth threw him off, so he cleared his throat sharply and turned his eyes away, trying to change the subject

"Anyway... where's today's dinner? I'm starving, and I don't want that disgusting pizza again."

You laughed lightly, a rare laugh he'd only heard from you a handful of times over these months, and said as you stood up and adjusted your jacket

"Alright... since you've achieved this historic milestone today, I'll order you real grilled meat with plenty of beer, on my own dime."

Ben turned his head quickly, a flash of pleased surprise crossing his face that he tried to hide behind a faint scowl

"On your dime? Whose money is footing my bill now... I haven't seen this generosity before today."

You nodded with a small, sly smile as you moved toward the kitchen to order the food

"Just so you realize the size of your own achievement... consider it a reward for good behavior and quick learning."

Ben stayed seated where he was, watching your back as you moved calmly around the suite, and felt that warm, comforting heat spreading through his chest again.

After you hung up the phone, finalizing the order for grilled meat and beer, you went back to sit on the couch next to Ben. He was watching the light movement around the suite, trying to savor his small victory over that device without letting too much of his satisfaction show, fiddling with something on the TV while your food was on its way.

You broke the silence by setting your notebook down on the table, and said in a steady tone that had returned to its strict professional edge

"Now, since you've mastered the device on your own, there's no excuse anymore for missing the news updates I send you every morning. Ashley keeps asking about your impressions of the new promotional campaigns, and it'd be better if you sounded informed instead of repeating 'good' over and over."

Ben tilted his head back and took a long pull from his beer bottle, letting out a tired breath as he glanced at you from the corner of his eye

"That Ashley talks too much and shakes like a reed every time she walks into a room. I don't understand how you people run a multi billion dollar company with a team of terrified rabbits."

"They run it because they're afraid of the consequences, Ben," you answered with your usual coolness, reviewing tomorrow's schedule. "And fear is the main engine driving this whole tower, unless you're suicidal."

Ben looked at you while your eyes stayed fixed on the TV, and set his empty bottle down firmly on the table. He knew perfectly well you were the only one who didn't talk to him out of fear, or with hypocrisy, but with a sharp pragmatism that protected his interests and yours at the same time. Did that make you suicidal? Weren't you ever worried about your own life? For some reason, the thought bothered him.

Before he could open his mouth to ask, the outer door of the suite was knocked on in a rigid, regular, very loud way. That wasn't the usual way the service staff came and went.

Your senses spiked instantly, and Ben's posture shifted, his deep relaxation turning into an alertness you couldn't quite perceive. He stood up slowly, gesturing with his hand for you to stay put, then walked toward the door and opened it.

Standing outside was one of the senior management office's assistants, broad built and tall, holding a closed black file. The assistant spoke in a quick, firm tone

"Soldier Boy, Miss Y/N... there's an emergency meeting scheduled on floor 99 tomorrow at eight, Mr. Homelander has requested both of you attend together to discuss some important plans."

Ben wanted to hit the man and throw him out, if it weren't for you appearing behind him and telling him you'd both be there tomorrow for sure. You explained to Ben that meetings like this always carried problems with them and that he needed to stay as calm as possible tomorrow, but Ben cared less about your words than about your leaving, wanting to make sure everything about his affairs was fine and legal so he wouldn't run into trouble. You left him alone with his food and yours, and after a while you sent a girl to his room as usual, but Ben turned her away and went to sleep, irritated. It was the first time he'd ever done that, and he didn't know why.

On the 99th floor, the grand conference hall looked more like a secret courtroom. The lavish oval table made of black marble was packed with attendees, department heads, legal advisors, the PR team, led by Ashley, sipping water nervously and wringing her hands as usual, with Sage beside her flipping through her own papers, and at the head of the table sat Homelander, leaning back slightly, that trademark gleaming smile fixed on his face.

You sensed something was wrong immediately.

You walked into the hall with Ben, pulled out a large chair, and sat down, setting your black leather files on the table. Ben pulled a chair beside you with deliberate carelessness, leaning back, resting his elbows on the arms, casting slow, contemptuous looks over the frightened faces around him.

The meeting opened in a calm, manufactured tone. One of the new marketing consultants opened his laptop and displayed colorful reports and graphs on the hanging screens

"Thank you all for coming. Per senior management's directive, today we need to review a restructuring of the public image of the company's superheroes... specifically, Soldier Boy's positioning in upcoming campaigns."

Everyone turned toward Ben. The consultant took a deep breath and continued in a theatrical tone laced with veiled condescension

"Actually, recent audience surveys among the younger generation... show a disconnect with the Soldier Boy persona. The sharp tone and the traditional behaviors from the nineteen forties are now being classified as 'toxic behaviors' that don't align with Vought's inclusive policies."

Ben's eyebrow lifted slightly, the veins in his neck slowly tightening.

The PR director cut in, with a wave of his hand, adding with fake friendliness

"Exactly. Not to mention the technological and logistical burden required to bring him up to speed. The team struggles to make him keep pace with modern times without appearing... out of touch or unresponsive on social media. Frankly, the tower feels the company's interest requires scaling back his public presence, moving him into the 'Living Archive' division as a retired, honorary historical symbol, rather than dragging him into today's issues he can't grasp."

The plan was transparent, cheaply so. Every single word being said was carefully engineered to wound Ben's pride, provoke his masculinity, and humiliate him in front of everyone. They knew a man from the forties couldn't stomach being called a "burden" or a "helpless retiree." They were waiting for his inevitable explosion, to scream, slam his fist on the table, stand up and hurl his crude insults, so that Homelander, watching the whole scene with quiet enjoyment, could paint him in front of the board as "mentally unstable and unable to control himself," and push through the new contract that would sideline him completely.

Ben started straightening his back. His hand reached toward the table, his head dipping slightly, the motion that always preceded his storm. He opened his mouth, his eyes locking with Homelander's, which waited eagerly...

But before a single word could leave Ben's throat, your hand reached out slowly, grabbed your heavy black file, and slammed it down on the table with force and finality.

The sound cracked sharply through the room, cutting off the PR director mid sentence and forcing everyone to stop.

Heads turned toward you. Your expression didn't change, your voice didn't rise, but you adjusted your posture and looked at the consultants with disdain.

You said in a clear voice

"Are you done with this circus of nonsense, or do you have more empty buzzwords to recite for us?"

The marketing director's face flushed with anger and he stammered

"Excuse me? Y/N... you're just his office manager, and these are strategic decisions concerning numbers—"

"I'm the only one in this room who actually understands how those numbers are made," you cut him off in a dry tone. "And I was the one reviewing the financial statements that fed all your salaries every month, years before any of you, so I understand your disgust perfectly well, gentlemen."

You opened the file slowly, flipping through its pages as you continued speaking with absolute confidence

"Let's talk about the actual facts you conveniently left off your screens. Since Soldier Boy's relaunch six months ago, sales of classic merchandise and commemorative replicas of his armor have risen 38%. His interviews, despite all your attempts to limit them, have achieved the highest viewership and engagement numbers in the company's history across digital platforms. The audience isn't looking for soft, lab manufactured heroes reciting canned scripts, the audience is starving for genuine authenticity, and the real toughness he represents."

Then you swept your cold gaze across the consultants, one by one, until it landed on Homelander himself, settled in the head chair.

You continued, folding the file shut firmly in your hands

"This tower wasn't built on PR campaigns or failed charts. This tower was built on the legend and the history Soldier Boy created back when this company was nothing but ink on paper. And labeling this nation's first hero a 'burden,' or trying to push him to the margins, isn't just administrative stupidity worthy of firing the entire marketing team, it's financial and political suicide, and I will not let Vought commit it."

A graveyard silence fell over the hall.

Ashley sat frozen, eyes wide with terror, glancing between you and Homelander, while the marketing director backed away, removing his glasses, not daring to respond.

You turned immediately toward Homelander. His face was taut, his eyes flashing with suppressed fury, but he knew any objection now, against your argument backed by real numbers, would make him look, in front of the board and the company, like someone fighting Vought's financial success for personal reasons. He clenched his jaw reluctantly, settling for a silent, furious glare, a heavy stare locked onto your unflinching eyes.

You raised your icy chin and said in a final tone

"The draft amendments to his contract are cancelled entirely. And any future meetings concerning his authority will only be held upon official request from my office, with an agenda I personally approve."

You closed the file firmly, stood up slowly, adjusting your blazer.

As for Ben... he sat frozen, his eyes wide with total astonishment he hadn't managed to hide throughout the past two minutes...

Ben looked at Homelander, still rigid in his seat, and a smirk of mockery and contempt spread across Soldier Boy's lips, then he stood up very slowly.

You looked at him and said in your usual businesslike tone

"Come on, Ben. We've got an agenda waiting for review."

"Absolutely, boss..." Ben said in a rough, warm voice.

And you both walked out of the hall.

With quick, sharp steps that echoed through the lavish marble hallway. On the outside, you looked composed as always, but on the inside, you were seething. The anger wasn't just a professional reaction, it was something much deeper. After learning what he'd been through in Russia, those four decades of brutal torture and cold concrete walls, the way they'd disrespected him and humiliated him so cheaply, trying to toss him aside like used garbage, provoked your humanity before it ever provoked your professionalism.

You didn't even notice your own features were slightly clenched, your brows drawn together in a quiet, obvious anger.

Ben walked beside you with steady steps, trying to process what had just happened in the hall. He watched the side of your tightened face, the hidden spark in your eyes, and noticed this had gone beyond the boundaries of some financial report for you... it looked like a personal battle you'd fought on his behalf.

Ben said in a mocking tone, trying to lighten the adrenaline heavy mood as he walked beside you toward the elevator

"You were terrifying back there for a second... you made the crybaby speechless for the first time since I came back to this era."

You let out a long, exhausted sigh, then pressed the elevator button firmly without looking at him

"I was just doing my job, Ben... especially since they're a bunch of idiots."

The elevator arrived and the gleaming metal doors slid open, and you both stepped in together. You looked ahead at the digital screen counting down the floor numbers, and continued in a tone leaning toward boredom and bleak realism

"But I'd advise you to start looking for a replacement for me from now on."

Ben turned to you immediately, his brow furrowing with obvious irritation, his mocking tone shifting into a defensive edge

"What? I just complimented you... and now you want to run off?"

You rolled your eyes with impatience, saying with annoyance

"Wow... Soldier Boy complimented me. What an honor."

Then you adjusted the file under your arm and faced his narrowed eyes with a serious, clear look, clarifying your point

"I meant find a replacement because Homelander is probably going to kill me. Do you really think he's going to let me live after I basically told everyone, in front of the whole room, that he's just a hollow, canned toy with no value without his ad campaigns?"

A sudden silence fell inside the elevator. Ben looked at you with a heavy stare, every trace of mockery draining from it, replaced by that scowl and that darkness that always came before his storm.

He tilted his head slightly, leaning into your personal space, and said in a rough, deep voice, steady as iron

"Let him even think about it... I'll bring this whole tower down on top of him."

You froze completely in place.

The shock hit you in quick waves, first from his sudden closeness, breaching your personal space without permission, second from the raw anger roaring through his voice, and third, the heaviest one, from the meaning of his words themselves.

Did he actually threatening to secretly bring down the tower and kill Homelander... for me?

Your mind stalled for a full second. You were close enough to him now to see the depth of green in his eyes, that stormy, wounded green shaped by pain, but this time, he wasn't angry at you, he was angry for you. It was a strange, unsettling, disorienting thought for a woman who'd always been her own only shield in this place.

The elevator chimed, announcing its arrival, and the metal doors suddenly slid open to reveal a group of employees and assistants standing in the hallway waiting to go up.

You snapped back to yourself in an instant. You took a firm step back to rebuild the distance between you, and adjusted the file under your arm before stepping out with steady strides, Ben following behind with his massive frame, making the gathered employees step aside in visible fear and unease.

You cleared your throat and swallowed, trying to reclaim your usual coldness and formal, businesslike tone, saying without turning to look at him as you walked ahead of him toward your office

"Alright, big guy... I said 'probably,' meaning maybe... so don't do anything stupid that everyone will end up regretting."

Ben walked behind you with wide strides, his mind churning with conflicting thoughts he hadn't felt in a long time.

Ben watched the back of your head, your steady, straightened back... it genuinely bothered him how little you cared about your own life, and the last thing he wanted was for you to die, especially because of him.

That genuine anger he'd seen in your eyes a moment ago had cracked something open inside him.

You reached your private office, closed the door behind you both, and quiet settled over the place.

Ben leaned his body against the edge of the plush couch, arms crossed over his chest, legs crossed, and looked at you with narrowed eyes, breaking the silence in his rough, serious tone

"There's no such thing as 'maybe' in my vocabulary, Y/N. That boy thinks he owns this tower and owns the people in it like plastic toys. But he always forgets where he came from... and forgets who I am."

You sat down behind your desk, took a steady breath to calm your pulse, then opened your laptop, saying coldly, trying to defuse the weight of his statement

"I'm not underestimating Homelander, and I'm not underestimating you, Ben. But we're in a media and political war, not a street fight. Direct confrontation right now could destroy your image."

Ben raised his eyebrows mockingly and walked toward your desk, leaning his body forward slightly toward you

"And do you think I'm just going to sit back and watch while he sneaks around at night to hurt you? I might be trash in about every way possible, but I still know how to value someone who stands by my side, and that hasn't changed in me... even if this whole damn world around me has."

But you lifted your eyes to find Ben standing in front of you, still with that massive steadiness of his, still angry, treating you like a partner and a support he couldn't just abandon.

The gesture was warm and surprisingly gentle... especially coming from a rough man like him, one worn down by wars and decades of torture.

A calm, genuine smile spread across your lips, and you looked at him for a long moment, but that lingering gaze made Ben's angry features stumble for a second. His brows knitted with a strange unease, he lifted his hands off the desk and stepped back, a kind of quiet awkwardness settling into his stance, and he broke the eye contact by scratching the edge of his rough jaw.

You said in a calm, warm tone that melted all the tension hanging in the air

"Thank you, Ben... I really do appreciate you looking out for me. Now... let's get back to work and leave this topic for another day. You have a new promotional assignment tonight with the PR department, a poster shoot for the upcoming league."

Ben's features hardened again, but that gentle awkwardness stayed lingering in his green eyes as he cleared his throat lightly, and said in a manly tone trying to sound dry and indifferent

"Another photo session? Damn it... I swear you people spend half your lives in this era staring at cameras and primping like butterflies."

Still, he didn't object. He moved with wide strides toward the couch in your office, pulling the chair to sit up properly, ready to hear the rest of the schedule details from you...

Anonymous asked:

Your creativity amazes me. I'm not even a fan of The Boys, but I ended up being influenced to read it because I loved your other fanfics. And Jesus, I loved it and I'm obsessed! I can't wait for the next chapter! Keep writing and good luck with your studies <3

omg thank you so much your words really make me happy you have no idea how much comments like yours keep me motivated to keep writing

to be honest im not really a fan of the boys either especially the last season it had a lot of unnecessary weird stuff but ben is one of the few characters that really caught my attention along with butcher you cant really call them white or black theyre just gray

ill do my best to update in the next few days.. thank you again and i wish you all the best too ❤️

Hey everyone, I wrote a complete story in my drafts yesterday about a request involving Gabriel and a female muscle character. Today I came back to translate it, only to discover that it hadn't been saved... I honestly think my heart stopped for a second from how frustrated I was. Technology really hates me. 😭

So, I'm sorry, but my reply will be a bit delayed.

Unexpected love - 4

Note:Hey everyone, sorry for the long absence and English is not my first language

Chapters: here

The next day. The massive filming studio in the lower floors of the Vought Tower was buzzing with activity, hundreds of lights aimed in place, giant cameras, a crew scrambling around in panic like ants, and Ashley standing in the corner biting her nails as usual, clutching an ad file that looked ready to tear apart between her trembling hands while you glanced at her and rolled your eyes.

In the middle of the elegant stage, designed like a national platform, Homelander stood in his full blue suit and cape fluttering behind him from a hidden fan. Beside him, in his dark green suit and heavy iron armor covered in scars, stood Soldier Boy.

The contrast between them was almost comical, Homelander looked like a shiny, modern plastic product with a vacant smile polished over years, while Soldier Boy looked like an exhausted soldier seething with anger and not even bothering to hide it.

"Alright guys! Let's get some energy!" shouted the director, a young man in his twenties in trendy clothes and colorful glasses, holding a small megaphone. "Soldier Boy, when the camera starts rolling, I want you to tilt your head toward Homelander and give a military salute, then say, 'I'm proud that this amazing kid is carrying the torch of my legacy on Vought's new Flootie app, and know they'll be watching us on TikTok and Insta'... Homelander, you'll smile and put your hand on his shoulder as a symbol of affection and a shared goal."

You could see Soldier Boy's jaw clenching violently. That was his unmistakable sign that he was about to kill someone. He turned very slowly toward the director, his voice dropping so low it made the sound engineer yank off his headphones in panic

"What did you say, Floo? Tik? ... What? And who is this I'm supposed to tilt my head at?"

Homelander cut in immediately, his tone childish yet laced with a scorching threat, placing his heavy hand on his father's shoulder with deliberate force to flaunt his authority

"Dad... please. It's just a simple ad for Vought. This era requires us to use these trivial platforms to connect with stupid fans... I mean, amazing fans. Let the director do his job."

"Get your filthy hand off my shoulder first, and don't you ever call me dad again," Soldier Boy whispered in a voice sharp as a blade, locking his eyes onto his son's. "And don't talk to me like you understand a thing about leadership. In my day, we did liquor ads with fashion models... not this," he gestured at the setup with disgust.

The atmosphere suddenly shook, and Ashley started whispering frantically, "Oh my god... oh my god, everyone's going to die today." Homelander felt humiliated in front of the film crew, his eyes starting to flash a faint red glow, his smile twisting completely

"Your day is over. You're in my tower now... under my terms."

Soldier Boy wanted to raise his iron gauntlet and land a direct hit on Homelander's jaw, and the situation was seconds away from turning the studio into a mass grave.

That's when you stepped in, the sound of your high heels striking the wooden floor in a steady rhythm cutting through the tense silence, and you walked into the arena.

You walked straight until you stood between the two men, completely ignoring Homelander's burning glare, and directed your words straight at the director in a firm, non negotiable tone

"The script's cancelled."

"What?!" the director shouted in shock, stepping closer. "But management and Sage approved—"

You cut him off as you yanked the script page from his hand and tore it apart completely in front of everyone

"Soldier Boy will not be promoting some trivial app, and he will not be saluting anyone here... he's the very origin of this cursed tower's existence, and if he appears looking weak or subordinate to his so called son, his marketing value and the value of his legacy will drop to zero within five minutes. Is that what Vought wants?"

You glanced sideways at Homelander, who was seething in silence, then continued in a sharp tone directed at the director

"The new script is as follows: Soldier Boy stands in the center, and Homelander stands beside him as an equal partner in strength. The only line Mr. Ben will say is, 'America is still strong'... then the ad ends on a still shot of the two of them together as a symbol of shared power. No stupid gestures, no touching shoulders, put it on whatever idiotic app you want."

A stunned silence fell over the studio. The director turned toward Ashley, who nodded her head frantically in agreement, terrified the situation would explode.

You turned slowly toward Soldier Boy, who was still gripping a piece of his armor, ready to fight. He looked at you, his eyes widening slightly in disbelief as he studied your face with his own, as if trying to detect some trick, or maybe he was starting to look at you a little differently.

Homelander wanted to argue, but he looked at his father, who was looking at you with an entirely new kind of quiet respect, so Homelander swallowed his fury and smiled at the camera with difficulty, saying

"Fine... let's try Y/N's script. It seems more... classic."

Everyone retreated to their marks to start filming, while you went back to stand behind the cameras with your usual coolness. And before the camera fully turned, Soldier Boy glanced toward you and gave you a very small nod, invisible to anyone else... and you returned it the same way...

several days passed since that incident at the studio. Soldier Boy didn't comment on what happened, and you didn't bring the topic up either.

The first months with Soldier Boy went by like an endless daily battle, each of you trying to assert yourself. There was nothing between you but pure hatred, mutual stubbornness.

At seven in the morning on one of those stormy days, the walls of the suite shook from a violent metallic crash. You walked into the living room to find Ben standing in the middle, bare chested, wearing nothing but underwear, gripping his iron armor, his eyes blazing, while the new green military suit Vought had designed with modern flexible materials lay on the table.

He pointed his finger at you and shouted with a roaring anger that shook the place

"I am not wearing this damn nonsense! It's so tight it makes me look like one of those dancers in nightclubs! Where's my original suit?"

You set the iPad down on the table slowly and looked at him with the same sleepy, bored eyes as always

"Your original suit is in the lab being sanitized from bacteria, Ben. And if you don't put on this 'tight' suit in ten minutes, you'll go to the press conference in your underwear, and I'll personally make sure the media writes that the 'national hero' is going through a midlife crisis and has lost his sense of style."

Ben took quick, heavy steps toward you, flaunting the massiveness of his body. He leaned in slightly to whisper with fury, the veins in his neck nearly bursting

"Do you think this arrogance protects you from me? I could crush this table and your tiny head on it with one blow."

You didn't even blink. You leaned your body back slightly so your eyes met his sharp gaze, and answered in a flat tone

"You could actually do that. And then you'd go straight back into that damn Russian box they dragged you out of, because no one else in this company has the patience to clean up your mess and your psychological baggage but me. Now... put on the damn suit."

Ben breathed audibly like a beast holding back his fury, hurled the armor onto the couch with force, tearing a gash in its leather, then dragged his steps toward his room, cursing you, this era, and Homelander especially.

But the conflict didn't end there, it moved backstage at the TV interview that same afternoon. You stood in front of him holding the "script" prepared by the PR department, while he sat bored, smoking a cheap unfiltered cigarette, blowing the smoke directly toward your face in a childish attempt to provoke you.

You waved your hand to clear the smoke without your expression changing, and kept following along with your pen on the paper

"The host is going to ask you to comment on diversity issues and LGBT rights in society. The answer is written here in the third line: 'Freedom is the essence of America, and I respect everyone's choices.' Memorize it word for word, no philosophizing."

Ben let out a loud, mocking laugh that shook the room, shaking his head in contempt

"Me? Say this soft liberal nonsense? In my day, men were men, and we didn't need to apologize for existing! I won't say a single word of this trivial garbage."

You slammed the file shut with a sharp sound that echoed through the room

"Damn your era, where they thought smoking was good for your health. Your era is over. We're in the twenty first century now, and if you open your mouth with your ancient opinions, the company will lose millions of dollars in sponsorships. And guess what? I'll deduct that directly from your liquor budget and the girls I send you."

Ben froze in place. This was a fatal blow, he realized you weren't fighting him with the physical strength he outmatched everyone in, but with the weapon of total control over his lifestyle and his pleasures. He pressed his hands on the arms of the metal chair until they started bending under his grip

"You're just a parasitic insect living off my money and my legacy. If it weren't for me being here, you'd be worthless in this building."

You stood up and prepared to leave, completely cool, adjusting your jacket

"And if it weren't for me being here, you'd be on display right now in a glass cage underground in Vought's labs, like some extinct archaic animal while scientists examine your genes. Memorize the third line, Ben. See you after the broadcast."

These months of clashes came to a head late that same night, on the way back from a loud party Vought had thrown. Ben was drunk with a rigid anger, not from the alcohol, but from feeling deeply humiliated because Homelander had stolen the spotlight from him again in front of the cameras, driven by his inferiority complex, and for the first time Ben felt this furious over such a ridiculous move.

In the long, enclosed hallway leading to his suite, he walked violently, punching the walls with his fist, leaving deep marks and cracks in the plaster. Suddenly he turned toward you, walking calmly behind him, his features twisted with anger directed at you, and grabbed your wrist firmly, pressing down but not actually hurting you, given his strength which could easily break your hand

"Why didn't you step in? You saw that arrogant bastard standing in front of me, turning the cameras on himself! Saying stupid things about me!... You're my manager, your damn job is to protect my image! But I ended up looking like a joke there and I was one step away from blowing the place up."

Despite the slight pain running through your wrist from his iron grip, you didn't try to pull your hand away in panic, instead you planted your feet and looked deep into his glowing eyes with a sharp stillness, cold as a blade

"Let go of my hand, Ben."

He growled stubbornly, his booming voice echoing through the empty hallway

"Answer me first! Or are you scared of that plastic boy and you'd rather lick his boots like the rest of the cowards in this company?"

You sighed and wiped your other hand, rubbing your tired, teary eyes, it had been a long day for both of you. It was supposed to be some kind of celebration after months since Soldier Boy's return, but Homelander had ruined the whole evening for everyone with his tasteless talk about being proud of his father and how he'd wished for him his whole life, but duty always came first, and other remarks that made everyone uncomfortable and made Soldier Boy look foolish, since he hadn't known what to say and nearly blew the place up if you hadn't pulled him back and whispered for him to calm down. And now here he was, holding you accountable for his son's stupidity. You said, exhausted

"Ben... anything you would've said in that moment could have backfired on you and wouldn't have helped you in the long run. Homelander's whole goal was to provoke you, but he didn't succeed, and he also made himself a laughingstock online, where he's being described as weird, and even his own father, meaning you, because your disgusted looks at him got circulated. These are things your stone hard mind doesn't understand. Now let go of my hand, it's starting to hurt."

Your eyes met in a heavy silence that felt like an entire eternity, him looking at an ordinary woman with no superpowers, yet holding every thread of his life and his new reality between her fingers.

And slowly, Ben's grip loosened around your wrist. He stepped back, wiped his face with his large hand trying to shake off his blaring anger, then muttered in a hoarse, muffled voice

"You're a heartless woman. A real devil in a business suit."

You adjusted your sleeve calmly and looked toward the door

"I'm just doing my job..."

Then you walked away and left him there

...

You walked into the suite as usual, at half past ten. The outer door was partly open, and the last girl had just left, fixing her hair and smiling at you gratefully as she passed by.

You walked inside to find Ben sitting on the classic couch, wearing only comfortable pants, holding a cold beer bottle in one hand, and with the other trying to navigate the iPad you'd left him the day before to learn on.

He wasn't hitting the device or shouting this time, instead he was dragging his finger roughly and cautiously across the screen, brows knitted in intense focus.

You stopped at the corner of the table, set your bag down calmly, and he glanced at you from the corner of his eye. Since your last clash, you two hadn't talked much, and it seemed you'd both taken a step back. You said in a tone free of your usual provocation

"I see you haven't broken the screen yet. That's a historic milestone worth recording."

Ben didn't lift his eyes off the screen right away, he took a sip of his beer, then gave you a calm sideways glance, and said in his hoarse voice

"Don't flatter yourself. This damn thing freezes constantly... and the text is tiny, hurts the eyes."

You walked over slowly and sat on the edge of the seat across from him, pulling papers out of your bag

"You can enlarge the text from the settings, I'll show you later. What matters now... you have a radio interview tomorrow. No TV, just voice. And Homelander will be with you again, to talk about a 'family reunion.'"

Ben's finger stopped scrolling. He set the iPad down on the table slowly, leaned his back and watched you with a sharp, scrutinizing gaze, his voice rising with irritation

"More family nonsense? That plastic boy won't stop clinging to me in public like some puppy looking for a pat on the head. He makes me sick."

You lifted your gaze to him, laced your fingers over your knee, and said coldly

"He makes everyone sick, you're not alone in that. But Vought wants this warm image to repair his reputation after his latest scandal. All you have to do is sit there, look like a proud, forgiving father, and let the written words come out of your mouth without your own additions."

He looked at you for a moment before sighing and taking another swig of his beer, and didn't say anything..

Hey guys Im really sorry but I cant post today I was planning to upload five requests but Im exhausted and my internet has been terrible all day I cant really work without my music and Pinterest images so Ill probably post them tomorrow Thank you for being patient with me

Unexpected love-ch3

Note:Hello everyone sorry for the delay as you all know life gets busy sometimes This chapter is a little longer to make up for the wait and Ill also be posting a request later tonight..

Warning: contains homophobic remarks and some nudity

Chapters: here

After you walked out of Sage's office relatively victorious, you started thinking about Soldier Boy as you made your way back through the hallways. That disgusting, outdated mindset of his that made him see everyone as beneath him made you wonder exactly what he'd been doing in Russia for forty years, but you weren't really interested in knowing the origin story. All you cared about was making sure this cursed tower didn't blow up, and finding a way to communicate and deal with this ancient piece of furniture.

You grabbed the most important documents and headed back to his suite. When you opened the door, everything was exactly as you'd left it, him sitting in casual clothes, drinking, fumbling with the modern TV remote. It was obvious he was struggling, stubbornly trying not to look like a fool in front of this annoying technology that kept showing him strange options, viewing suggestions, and payment requests, and suddenly the TV would shut off to display a screensaver of some ugly countryside house.

He cleared his throat and said sharply, trying to control the situation and hide his confusion

"Missed me already?"

You sighed impatiently and didn't answer his question, instead asking directly

"Did you eat anything? I'll order pizza"

His face twisted as he glared at the remote before tossing it onto the couch

"Pizza? What kind of nonsense is that? I want something real to eat... grilled meat with beer"

You raised an eyebrow while flipping through your papers. Of course, something manly and tough, just like your annoying voice you thought to yourself.

Suddenly he asked warily

"Did you say something?"

You looked at him, sure you'd only thought the sentence and hadn't said it out loud, but apparently your face read clearly enough. You didn't answer, instead you walked over and sat on the couch beside him, taking the remote. The moment you got closer, you saw him tense up, his broad shoulders stiffening, he was about to snap something like "I'm not stupid!" or "I'm not a child!" even though he was acting like both right now. But you kept your tone completely serious and free of any mockery, so as not to wound his oversensitive pride, and said, pointing at the screen

"Look... this TV has app icons, when you press one, it shows you everything that specific platform has, like Netflix. I think it'll be your favorite"

He raised an eyebrow and looked at you with mockery mixed with suspicion

"And why are you so sure?"

You answered him with utter simplicity

"Because it has a lot of nudity and sex on it... anyway, press here, then here, and there you go"

You reached out and handed him the remote. But his damn pride made him grab it and press buttons randomly and stubbornly, accidentally landing on a show depicting a love story between two gay men in their fifties, then he threw the remote down angrily, ignoring all your instructions and not even realizing what he'd actually put on, then rudely propped his feet up on the table in front of him, ignoring your stare burning into the side of his face.

You didn't look away from him, you crossed one leg over the other, laced your hands together, and said in a low, calm voice dripping with coldness

"It's a show about gay men in their fifties... I didn't realize you were such a supporter"

The moment you said the word "gay," he turned to you fast as if a snake had bitten him, his eyes flashing with disgust and shock

"What? No, I'm not a supporter! Damn it! You're the one who said this channel suits me!"

And to end this embarrassing moment immediately, his heavy hand shot out and slammed the main button to shut the TV off completely, ignoring any of your instructions, simply to preserve what was left of his dignity.

You rolled your eyes, bored by his violent childishness, stood up, and headed back to your office, leaving the old man to stew right where he was.

You sat down at the wooden table in the corner of the suite and started reviewing the paperwork for his first commercial contract. Naturally, the ad was a joint one with Homelander, that hateful idiot. The moment you read his name, you felt a familiar shiver of disgust run through your body. Your mind still refused to fully process that repulsive scene you'd accidentally walked in on a while back, when you'd opened the wrong door and found Firecracker breastfeeding Homelander from her chest like he was an infant. It was a situation beyond what any human could endure. Luckily, their distraction and your quiet movement had spared you disaster, and they hadn't noticed you that day, but the image refused to leave your mind.

You rubbed your temple hard, as if the memory physically hurt you, eyes closed, and didn't notice that Soldier Boy had gotten up and was now standing right in front of your table, staring at your pained expression as if trying to figure out what was wrong.

He said in his rough, mocking tone

"Did you hit your head on the table? I didn't peg you for this stupid"

You jolted and pulled back at the sudden sound of his voice, as if you'd just woken from a terrifying nightmare, only to realize you were already awake... but in a different nightmare, standing on two legs.

You looked at him with clear irritation, eyes narrowed

"What do you want?"

He didn't like your dismissive, sharp tone, and a spark of anger flared in his eyes as he said in a booming voice

"I don't know! Maybe I'm wondering what you're still doing in my suite? And where are the women? And what's my next assignment? Do you think I'm mindless, that you can lock me up here like some kid?"

You shot him a cold, bored look and gathered the papers calmly, saying

"I'm here because these papers concern your work, and we were supposed to go over them, but I'll spare you the trouble and handle it myself. As for women, a girl will come tonight. And your next assignment right now is to rest. Now go sit down, food will be here soon"

Soldier Boy blazed with anger at the way you gave orders and spoke to him like he was some schoolboy, and stepped toward the table, shouting

"Damn you! If I wanted to sit, I'll sit on my own terms, you don't get to order me around! Don't kid yourself into thinking you're actually responsible for me. And another thing..."

He paused for a second, then continued in a sharp, disgusted tone, gesturing with his hand

"I don't want that night girl to be one of those skeletons running around this stupid era of yours. I want a real woman, with an actual chest and ass!"

You looked at him for several long seconds, your eyes fixed on him with complete stillness, while he glared at you with irritating anger, but you weren't fazed, and showed no reaction, since this was exactly what you'd expected from someone with his mentality.

You closed the file in your hands with an audible snap, set your pen down on top of it slowly, then took a deep breath, and said in a low, calm tone carrying an enormous amount of dismissiveness and coldness

"I'll make sure she has whatever specifications satisfy your refined taste from the forties"

You stood up from your seat, grabbed your bag and files, then gave him a quick, unimpressed once over from bottom to top, and continued as you moved toward the door

"As for me being responsible for you, I'm not interested in controlling you or taming you. I'm here to keep you from doing something stupid enough to get you refrozen, and to make sure your idiocy doesn't burn this place down. Food will arrive in ten minutes... try not to choke on it"

You opened the door and walked out without waiting for a reply from him, leaving him standing there like a fool for the second time that day, something you knew would keep eating at him all night.

He shouted after you with everything he had, "Stupid bitch!", and the walls of the suite shook with the sound of the door slamming shut behind you.

He stayed standing there in the middle of the vast room, his chest rising and falling with anger. But suddenly, a deadly calm settled over the place. An unsettling, heavy calm, the kind that drags a person, against their will, into the corridors of thoughts they'd been trying to escape all along, thoughts of betrayal, of the forty years lost from his life in the depths of Russian prisons, of a time that had changed and no longer held any meaning for him.

In that exact moment, Soldier Boy felt a sharp, immediate pang of regret over kicking you out. At least the scratch of your pen on paper and your cold, provoking presence gave him something to burn off his energy and anger on, something to occupy him enough that he wouldn't dwell too much on his past.

He exhaled sharply in frustration and went back to the liquor bottle, trying to numb himself and quiet his agitated mind. A few minutes later, the hotel staff knocked on the door to bring the food, it arrived together, the grilled meat and beer he'd ordered, and beside them the pizza box you'd suggested. He stared at the pizza box for a moment, he'd assumed, from the way you'd talked, that you were supposed to sit and eat with him. He scoffed bitterly at the idea, grabbed the box, and tossed it carelessly into the fridge, then sat down to eat his meat alone.

About an hour later, a soft, light knock sounded at the outer door.

He opened the door to find a young, strikingly beautiful woman. She had a full, precisely curved figure, wide eyes, fiery orange hair falling over her shoulders, and a warm, friendly smile lighting up her face.

The girl was a living embodiment of everything he genuinely preferred in women, as if you'd had her "custom made" to his exact specifications. Soldier Boy looked at her, his scowl gradually fading, replaced by a thin thread of astonishment.

He brought the girl in without any preamble, leading her straight to the bed, boldly running his hands over her body, then laid her down and started pulling off her clothes with one hand while the other explored her.

"Finally, some pleasure"

The girl laughed.

The next morning, at exactly ten o'clock, you pushed open the suite door and walked in. That was plenty of time for the night girl to have left after collecting her payment. You walked in with confident steps, heading toward the bedroom, and there was Soldier Boy, still sprawled on the bed tossing around, sleeping nearly naked if not for the white sheet twisted around his waist, hiding his backside.

You rolled your eyes, bored by the sight, and without any hesitation or embarrassment, you walked straight up to the big wooden door and slammed it shut with force, the sound crashing through the room and startling him out of his deep sleep.

You said in a sharp, loud tone meant to cut through his liquor heavy head

"Wake up! It's almost eleven, and we have a lot of work to do today!"

Soldier Boy flinched and sat up quickly, rubbing his eyes with scattered irritation. The moment he registered where he was and recognized your grating voice, his eyes lit up with morning fury, and he shouted from the middle of the bed, the veins in his neck bulging, while you were already turning to go sit on the couch in the outer living room

"Didn't you say yesterday my next assignment was to rest? I swear to god... if you don't get out of this damn room right now, I'll come break your neck with my own hands!"

You sat down on the couch with total coolness, crossed one leg over the other as you opened the contracts file, then delivered your line with bored, sharp dismissiveness, without even glancing at him

"Shower first... you smell disgusting."

Ten full minutes passed and you didn't hear any response or movement from Soldier Boy's direction. Silence settled again, and you genuinely thought that stubborn old man had drifted back to sleep. You sighed loudly, out of patience, and got up from your seat, today wasn't going to last forever, there was a joint commercial shoot in just one day, and you needed to make sure he fully understood the situation, and what he should and shouldn't say in front of the cameras.

You walked quickly into the bedroom to scold him, but you were surprised to find the bed empty. Before you could wonder where he was, the sound of the adjacent bathroom door opening reached you.

You turned instantly, just as Soldier Boy stepped out through the bathroom steam, water dripping from his hair and his entire body... completely naked, without a single piece of clothing covering him.

You froze in place for a second. Well, you weren't going to lie to yourself, his body was good, more than provokingly good, especially with his towering height and hard muscles untouched by time..

and his cock... Fuck! ..and the moment you realized you were standing there staring at him, you spun your face away quickly, your cheeks burning with anger and embarrassment.

Meanwhile, this fluster didn't escape Soldier Boy's notice. A wide, mocking smile spread across his lips, and he looked deeply proud of his body and the sudden effect it had on you, standing there shamelessly without even attempting to cover himself.

You said with intense irritation, your voice stumbling, as you moved quickly toward the living room before he could think of coming closer

"Oh... damn you!"

The moment you were safely outside the room, you shouted at the top of your voice so he'd hear you clearly

"Put on some damn clothes and get out here fast!"

You didn't hear a response from him, but exactly five minutes later, there was a knock at the door and the hot breakfast you'd ordered for him earlier arrived. Moments later, Soldier Boy stepped out of the room wearing simple pants and a cotton shirt, and walked over to sit across from you at the table.

You immediately sensed his mood was oddly good this morning, and a strong urge crept over you to believe it was thanks to that orange haired girl you'd sent him the night before, who seemed to have drained his angry charge.

Soldier Boy started eating calmly while you opened the files and began explaining the details of the upcoming commercial, its type, and the expected benefit for Vought. You spoke seriously, trying to avoid looking at his face or remembering that hot scene from a few minutes ago, but you noticed he was oddly focused on you, he didn't interrupt with his usual sarcasm, didn't throw the papers aside, instead he followed the movement of your lips and the gestures of your hand with a quiet, guarded attention.

You looked at him suddenly to make sure he was actually following, and said in a wary tone

"Are you actually listening to me? Or are you still asleep?"

He took a sip of his coffee and looked at you from under his brows with a heavy, confident gaze, and said in a calm tone free of yesterday's edge

"I'm listening, Y/N. Keep going... I want to see how this trivial commercial is going to make me look better than that overgrown child.'"

Anonymous asked:

Hello Could I request a story about a younger sister to Dean and Sam She is highly talented and has an amazing singing voice At the age of fourteen after a huge fight with her father John she runs away leaves with a music manager However she suffers deeply from the guilt of abandoning her brothers Years later she reunites with them after the appearance of the YellowEyed Demon filled with intense remorse as she finally confronts her past Maybe she keeps a guitar given to her by Dean and she also completely changes her appearance so that no one can connect her to her family I have read Castiels story My Light and it was truly amazing!!

A Melody of Remorse

Note:​I enjoyed writing this story, I hope you like it! And English is not my first language

The Impala's wheels ground the gravel of the road leading to a new motel, leaving behind the dust of another town they'd left in a hurry. You were in the back seat humming a tune. At this age, drifting between cold motel rooms, music was your only refuge. Since you were little, you had been that child who loved to sing, whenever Sam couldn't sleep out of fear of the darkness of unfamiliar places, you would sit beside him and hum to him softly until sleep overtook him, and when the weight of worry pressed down on Dean's shoulders, you would sing to lift some of that early burden off him. You were the youngest, but your heart had room for all their grief, and you had nothing to offer but that gentle, soothing voice.

Your brothers loved hearing you, but that melody would stop completely the moment your father set foot in the place. John Winchester's presence alone was enough to impose a curfew on your very breathing, since your pure voice was an exact copy of your late mother's voice, the voice whose absence burned him and that he missed terribly.

One night, a spontaneous hum slipped from your throat in the stillness of the room. Your father turned suddenly, his sharp glare enough to freeze the blood in your veins. He looked at you sideways and raised his finger in a stern, silent command for you to be quiet. Before he could utter a single one of those words that would crush your chest for days, Dean moved with lightning speed, putting his body between you and his father's gaze, and said in a calm tone, trying to gather all his coldness into it

"Go check the bags in the other room, I think we left some ammo there"

You withdrew with a broken heart, leaving behind a tension that nearly choked the walls of the room. Inside, sixteen year old Sam was seething, his eyes challenging his father with the boldness of a teenager fed up with the cruelty. Sam turned to his father and said in a sharp tone mixed with cursing

"Why do you always do this? She didn't do anything wrong! She's just—"

But Dean cut him off immediately, gripping his shirt collar firmly, hissing in a muffled, stern voice before the argument could turn into a disaster

"Sam! You stop too, not now"

Their father stayed silent, dismantling his weapons with dark looks, while Dean spent his night awake at the corner of the bed, his eyes watching your door with worry.

You don't know why you remembered that night, but Dean asked you "why did you stop?" You smiled and went back to singing.

This scene repeated itself over and over, and now you had turned fourteen. Sam was sixteen, and Dean was twenty, carrying on his shoulders the responsibility of looking after you both, as usual, in your father's frequent absence.

In that small, mysterious town, where the motel was old and dampness filled the air, you went out with Sam to search for clues near a car and a motel, while Dean searched somewhere farther away, maybe a police station. Your steps suddenly stopped in front of a wooden bulletin board in the middle of the street. A colorful poster caught your attention, an advertisement for an audition and a singing competition for young talent.

You stood in front of the poster and your gaze froze on it...

Sam went into an adjacent office and buried himself among the shelves of old books, searching with tired eyes for any record or clue about that vengeful spirit you two had been tracking.

You looked at the poster, then turned toward the path where Sam had disappeared into the library. Your heart pounded fast, and you felt an overwhelming urge sweep over you, an urge you didn't fully understand the reason for. You didn't know what you'd gain from this, or where it would lead you, but you knew one thing, you wanted to do this, badly.

Without thinking, you went back to the car and pulled out the guitar case. That guitar Dean had bought you for your last birthday, you remembered how you'd cried with joy that day and hugged him so tight he nearly choked, while he smiled wide, his eyes gleaming with pride and happiness that he'd managed to make you happy.

You walked into the audition hall with unsteady steps. Before you could process what was happening, the organizers pinned a number on your shirt, and a young woman said to you in a businesslike tone

"Ten minutes and you're up on stage, get ready"

When your turn came and you stepped onto the stage, the shock hit you. It wasn't just a small panel of judges, there was a real audience filling the rows. You felt the tension running through your limbs, and the stage seemed wider than your fear could handle. But in that exact moment, you remembered the first time you'd sung an original song of yours in front of Dean and Sam, you'd been trembling that day, and Dean had laughed and told you in his warm teasing tone "just picture us as a couple of dumb ducks sitting in front of you."

That memory settled a sudden calm over your heart. You took a deep breath, closed your eyes, and pictured the audience as ducks, then ran your fingers over your guitar strings.

You started playing a strong intro to Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love," but with an arrangement carrying a strength and tone suited to your voice and the ring of the guitar. With the first note that came out of you, you slipped away from the world. You melted into the melody and the words, and the fear faded, replaced by a passion held back for years.

When you finished the song, the hall suddenly erupted with clapping and cheering that shook the walls. You opened your eyes to see the judges smiling with deep admiration and the crowd applauding fervently. Indescribable happiness washed over you, and a wide, genuine smile spread across your face, rising from the depths of your heart.

But that smile slowly froze, and the life drained from your veins as you looked toward the dark corner of the hall.

There, by the back exit, stood your father, John Winchester. His body rigid as stone, his dark eyes piercing you with a sharp look that promised nothing good. And beside him, Dean and Sam stood, hope gone from their faces, looking at you with eyes full of stormy worry and real fear over what was about to happen in the coming minutes.

You came down off the stage, the voices around you fading as if you were underwater. It wasn't your father's hurtful words gnawing at your chest, your feelings toward him had gone numb long ago, but the thought of seeing that look in Dean's eyes, the look of an older brother who felt he'd failed to protect you and failed in front of "commander" John Winchester, that was the real nightmare.

Before you reached the aisle, a blond man blocked your path, broad shouldered, giving off the scent of expensive cologne, his white smile blindingly bright. He said eagerly, holding out a business card

"You're amazing! I'll get straight to the point, I'm a talent agent, my name is Michael, and I want to sign a contract with you tonight. As a start, we're talking about an upfront deal worth seventy thousand dollars, and we'll discuss the percentages going forward..."

You froze in place. The number made your mind stop thinking, and with it you completely forgot the danger of the situation, until you caught sight, from the corner of your eye, of that familiar leather jacket approaching with heavy, military steps. Panic seized you, and you said quickly to the man, pushing him away

"Take your card and go now! I'll come to your office tomorrow if I can, just leave!"

The man looked past your shoulder and saw John Winchester's features looking like a thunderstorm, and behind him Dean and Sam looking as if they were being marched to the gallows. The man understood his life was in danger, so he retreated at lightning speed and vanished into the crowd.

The moment you turned around you found him standing in front of you. John was seething, his eyes blazing with blind rage. He didn't care that they were in a public place, he growled in a low voice, sharp as a knife

"Have you lost your mind? Climbing on a stage for everyone to see you? We're being hunted by a vengeful spirit that could end our lives any moment, and you're putting yourself up as bait in a circus?"

Dean moved instinctively, putting his broad body between you and his father, and spoke in a pleading tone, trying to gather all his coldness to protect you

"Dad, please, calm down. It's my fault... I'm the one who got distracted and didn't watch her closely enough. She didn't mean to..."

John turned to Dean, his tone shifting to an unbearable contempt, and said words that tore through your heart

"Of course it's your fault! Twenty years I've trained you to be a man people can rely on, to take over protecting this family when I'm gone, and in the end you can't even control a fourteen year old girl? I don't know which one of you disappoints me more, you or her!"

You saw Dean's jaw tighten, his eyes broke for a second before he lowered his head. In that moment, you felt something explode in your chest. You lost all control, shoved Dean aside to stand directly in front of John, and screamed in his face for the first time in your life

"Don't you dare! Don't you ever cross the line with Dean again! Who do you think you are to talk to him like that? You're not a father, you're just a pathetic, deranged military commander! I hate this damn job! I hate the salt, I hate chasing monsters through filthy motels! I don't want to be a hunter, and I don't want to be part of your disgusting life!"

John's eyes widened in shock that instantly turned savage, and he stepped forward, saying in a terrifying tone

"You don't have a choice! You're a Winchester and this is your job, if it weren't for this life you'd be a corpse right now!"

You laughed bitterly through your tears, and gave it right back to him with words that felt like they'd come from the bottom of years of repression

"You're talking about protection? You failed at everything! You failed to protect us, and you failed to protect mom before us! You're a pathetic, broken man, and you live off revenge because you're weak! If mom were here right now, she wouldn't look at you with pride... she'd feel nothing but disgust and revulsion at the monster you've turned into!"

Slap

The slap landed on your cheek with a force that made your head snap to the side. John stepped back, his eyes wide, as if he couldn't believe he'd done it.

In a split second, the stillness turned into hell. Sam charged like a raging bull and shoved John in the chest with all his strength, gritting his teeth

"Don't you ever touch her again! Don't you dare!"

At the same time, Dean moved, he wasn't just angry, he was staring at his father with lost eyes, stunned that his role model had raised a hand against his little sister. He stood, cutting himself between you and John, and said in a voice trembling with fury and shock

"Back off, Dad... back off now."

Tears streamed down your cheeks, mixing with the heat of the slap. You wiped your face with the back of your hand and looked at John with a completely empty stare, a look in which every last road back had died, and said in a sharp, clear voice

"I'm leaving... and I never want to see your face again as long as I live."

You turned slowly toward Dean and Sam. You saw the anguish in Dean's eyes, and you saw the terror of losing you in Sam's eyes. Your heart clenched, and you said softly, your voice trembling

"I'm sorry... but I don't want to be a hunter."

You turned your back on them, and without looking back even once, you ran toward the exit...

By the end of that day you had signed with a new agent, and you stayed at the same place as the audition. In the morning, a sleek black car pulled up. You didn't have much to take with you, just a guitar and a knife. You got into the car.

Even though the leather seat of the luxurious black car was comfortable, you felt as if you were sitting on burning coals. You shut the door quickly so the tinted windows would seal out the dust of the street, but they weren't thick enough to block the view of the back corner of the street.

There, at the end of the crumbling sidewalk, they stood.

Dean and Sam.

Dean's body looked rigid as stone, his hands buried in the pockets of his leather jacket, his eyes following the car with a look in which every trace of strength had shattered. Beside him stood Sam, looking small despite his towering height, his eyes shining with tears he refused to let fall. Your heart clenched violently, and you felt the soul of the fourteen year old girl shattering inside you. You turned quickly to face forward, tears streaming down your face without stopping.

Your new agent looked at you, that blond man who had first thought he was dealing with some foolish girl who could be tamed. He had tried the day before to trick you with twisted contracts eating away at your rights, unaware that you'd been raised by Winchesters, kids who knew how to read between the lines and spot a scam from a mile off. You remembered throwing the contract back in his face and telling him in a cold tone that made his fat shake

"The fake ID I gave you says I'm eighteen, and you're pretending to believe it just to win my signature. But don't you think for one second that I'm a fool. Fix these clauses, or I'll go find another agent who understands exactly who he's dealing with."

From that moment on, he understood you weren't easy prey. And now, as he watched your tears and your gaze fixed on that corner, he chose silence. He didn't ask you about those two young men, didn't ask why you were crying, maybe he sensed the secrets you carried went beyond the scope of his job. He pressed the button to start the music, and the car set off, swallowing the road.

Eight years passed

Eight years in which your name climbed to the top of the charts. You left damp motel rooms behind for luxury hotel suites. But the name thousands chanted wasn't your real name, nor your natural hair color, your original color, and even your eyes, you always hid behind dark sunglasses, as if you were hiding from the world... or maybe hiding from yourself.

Every time you saw your photos on magazine covers, you'd smile bitterly and imagine Dean picking up the magazine at some filthy gas station, turning to Sam with his usual sarcasm, saying

"Look at her, wearing sunglasses indoors like all the douchebags."

You were convinced they saw you, convinced your voice screaming through the radio reached them. And contrary to everything you'd imagined as a child, fame brought you nothing but overwhelming misery and an emptiness gnawing at your insides. You had everything, and yet you were devastatingly alone. You wanted your brothers. You wanted Dean's sarcastic laugh, Sam's enthusiasm for old books, but you'd chosen a road with no way back. You'd tell yourself, if I went back now, John would mock my failure and say "didn't I tell you?", and Dean and Sam might never forgive me for abandoning them.

After a huge concert ended, you went back to your hotel room exhausted. You tossed your guitar, that same guitar Dean had given you, the one that had never left your side, onto the couch, and took off your sunglasses. Suddenly, you felt a strange cold sweep through the room, and the lights went out on their own.

You turned around on instinct, your eyes widening in terror. In the darkness, a horrifying yellow glint flared from the eyes of someone standing by the balcony.

"Little Winchester... you look different from the last time I saw you"

He lunged at you, trying to kill you. You hadn't forgotten your training, there was no way you could forget it. You dodged his first strike and pulled a silver knife you kept hidden under the pillow, driving a stab into his shoulder, drawing a muffled, furious scream, but there was no real sign of damage. He was a demon, far beyond your physical ability in that moment. In the blink of an eye, he knocked the knife out of your hand, threw you to the ground, and pressed his massive, brutal hand against your throat.

The air began to vanish from your chest. You felt your lungs burning, your head growing heavy. And in those seconds you thought were your last, you thought of them, how would Dean and Sam receive the news of your death? Would they find your body as some tragic magazine headline?

Then

A massive, powerful blow crashed down on the demon's head, followed by the sound of heavy wood shattering. The grip on your throat suddenly went slack, and the monster fell aside, groaning bitterly.

You were gasping hard, sucking in air like someone drowning, your vision blurred. You coughed violently as you tried to lift your head, and the scene slowly came into focus.

There was a broad body leaning over you, gripping your shoulders with hands trembling from sheer terror. Your eyes lifted to meet a pair of familiar green eyes, drowning in fear.

"Y/N, look at me! Breathe... breathe!"

It was Dean. He was shouting your real name, the name you hadn't heard in eight years.

And a second later, Sam sat down beside him on the floor, his old childlike eyes overflowing with tears and terror as he helped Dean prop up your back. Dean said, his voice trying to hold steady

"We found you... my god, we found you, kid, just in time... damn it." He glanced at the demon, now nothing but a corpse, then turned his eyes back to you.

You lay there between their hands, tears streaming down your face mixed with the marks of the choking, trying to catch your breath You looked at them with real terror, then your gaze slowly shifted toward the demon's body lying on the floor. Your mind was paralyzed, and the words refused to form in your dry throat. You felt an enormous weight on your chest, and found nothing to say amid your shock and tension, so you asked stupidly between your gasps and the tears choking your voice

"How... how are you two?"

The question seemed completely out of place, and you looked tense, drowning in a deep sense of guilt, like a child caught in the middle of committing a sin.

Dean didn't answer with a single word. He just looked at you for a few seconds with intense focus, as if redrawing the details of your face that had been missing from him for eight years, then he threw all his weight into it and hugged you so hard it nearly cracked your ribs. In that moment, all your false composure collapsed, your muffled sobs broke free and you started crying silently against his shoulder, burying your face in his familiar leather jacket, whispering through your tears in a hoarse voice

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

And in the middle of your misery, you felt Sam's warm, large hand patting your head tenderly, exactly the way he used to when you were little.

You struggled to catch your breath as Dean started explaining the situation to you quickly, his tone carrying an old worry renewed

"This thing... yellow eyes, he's targeting all of us. It's not safe for you to stay here alone anymore, Y/N, you need to come with us."

Dean spoke while looking down at the ground, his tone full of regret and grief, as if he felt guilty for dragging you back into that swamp, into the disgusting hunting world you'd escaped from of your own free will. But you didn't hesitate, you looked at them both and said with a confidence they hadn't expected

"Of course I'll come with you."

Dean and Sam's eyes widened, both stunned by how quickly you'd agreed without a single objection or argument. You felt embarrassment coloring your cheeks, so you lowered your head slightly and added in a quiet voice

"Honestly... I've wanted to come back since my second year out here. But I... I was so scared. Scared of what Dad would say, scared of his mockery, and scared that you two were angry with me and hated me for leaving..."

You went silent for a second, then swallowed the lump in your throat and continued softly

"And I think... you're both still angry, and that's completely your right."

At this, Dean's features changed entirely. The look of sympathy vanished, replaced by overwhelming anger. He slammed his fist on the edge of the bed and shouted in a sharp, burning tone

"Angry? Are you serious? Eight years, and you were gone from us! Eight years of me dying a thousand times a day, terrified I'd find your body in a ditch or in the hands of some monster! And now you're telling me you wanted to come back six years ago and didn't, just because you were scared of what Dad would say? Damn you, Y/N! Damn your goddamn fear!"

You quickly shifted your position as you tried to catch your breath, and looked at Dean with a reproachful stare despite your tears, cutting in

"Dean, please don't yell... you two knew where I was! You knew the whole time! My photos are everywhere and my voice fills the radio stations, there's no way you didn't recognize my face or my voice even if I changed my name and my hair color!"

Dean suddenly stopped shouting, his hard features receding, replaced by a mix of frustration and suppressed anger. He sighed bitterly, ran his hand over his tired face, then said in a sharp, wounding tone

"Yeah! We knew! We knew you were that famous singer who wears sunglasses all the time like some douchebag! We saw you on magazine covers at every gas station we stopped at, Y/N. But what did you want us to do? Break into your fancy suite wearing leather jackets that reek of werewolf blood and gunpowder, and say 'come on, come back with us to filthy motel rooms and cold sandwiches'?"

Sam cut in, his tone calmer but no less pained, looking at you, his eyes reproaching you silently, and said

"We saw you succeeding, we saw the money and the fame surrounding you from every side. We thought you'd achieved the life you'd always dreamed of, the life Dad denied us. We thought you were happy without us, and that if you'd wanted to come back... you would have come back on your own."

You felt a burning lump in your throat, and looked down at the ground, rubbing your hands with childish, guilty tension

"I wanted to come back... I swear I wanted to come back since my second year. But fear paralyzed me. I kept telling myself Dad would mock my failure, and I thought you two were angry with me for abandoning you and the family... and I thought the fact that you never came to me was proof that you didn't want to see me again."

Dean sighed in frustration, his eyes burning with real anger that silenced every justification of yours, and stepped closer to you, saying in a voice shaking with sheer anguish

"Angry with you? We weren't angry that you left, genius! We were angry because you wanted to come back six whole years ago, and you knew exactly where to find us, and you never once picked up a phone to say 'I need you,' just because your pride and your damn fear of what Dad would say mattered more to you than your own brothers! Six years we choked on the bitterness of your absence while you hid behind your goddamn sunglasses!"

Heavy silence settled over the room, broken only by your shaky breathing and the sound of raindrops starting to hit the window glass. You looked at Dean, then at Sam, and felt as if your soul were hanging by a thin thread. You curled into yourself and said, fear in your voice, your eyes brimming with tears that blurred your vision completely

"Is it too late to say I missed you both so much? And that I regret leaving you... and that I want to come back?"

Dean's head dropped immediately, his eyes squeezing shut as if he'd taken a blow to the chest. He let out a long, burning sigh, air escaping through his clenched teeth as if trying to hold back the demons of his anger. The sharpness in his features slowly faded, replaced by that chronic exhaustion that had followed him since childhood.

He stepped closer, leaning down until his face was level with yours. His rough hand reached out, his thumb brushing your cheek to wipe away a tear that had escaped your eye, then he said in a low tone, sharp but overflowing with broken tenderness

"If you'd picked up that phone six years ago, or even six minutes ago, Y/N... I would've flipped the Impala in the middle of the road and come running to you. You're our little sister, do you understand what that means? There's no such thing as 'too late' between us."

You turned toward Sam, who was sitting close by... his tears had already carved their way down his cheeks, but a warm, small smile spread across his lips despite everything. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and said in a hoarse voice

"You already got your share of yelling and lecturing from Dean as usual, so I won't pile on... but don't you ever, ever think again that we could throw you out or hate you, that's impossible."

Dean turned toward the demon's body lying on the floor, and the mask of seriousness and the professional hunter settled back over his face. He picked up his gun and turned to you, saying with his usual wink to break the tension

"Now, pack your things and that stupid sunglasses of yours... we need to clean this place up and get out before someone shows up asking for your autograph while we're surrounded by bodies. I've missed eating cold sandwiches with you in the car anyway."

You smiled a wide smile and nodded your head yes.

With help from your agent, your agent who over all those years had become your only friend and the keeper of your secrets, you planned everything down to the last detail. You faked an accident consumed by flames, and that famous singer chased by fans died, burying with her eight years of fame and bleeding.

After things had settled down and you were at a motel, Dean and Sam walked into the room to tell you, tension in their voices, that your father had died. No loud reaction came out of you. You stood there, feeling only a strange sensation wrapped in coldness, the idea that John Winchester, the man whose voice used to shake the walls of motels, was gone for good, felt unreal. Neither Dean nor Sam commented on your calm, maybe because his long absence from your life had made his death feel like just a passing piece of news, or maybe because his death had left a lump in their own throats they didn't want to dig up right now.

You went into the bathroom and poured the dye over your hair to bring it back to its natural color, cutting it with scissors until it returned to the same casual style you'd worn as a child. The moment you opened the door and walked out to them, you were met with wide smiles you hadn't seen on their faces since your teenage years...

You looked at them with curiosity and asked in wonder, an hour later

"How did you two know it was me? Did you recognize me from my voice on the radio?"

Dean smiled wide, his eyes gleaming with pride, and said, tilting his head toward the guitar case propped in the corner of the room

"From your guitar, genius. Of course I'd recognize the guitar I spent months saving up for to give my little sister on her birthday. I'm honestly surprised you never changed it all these years, with all the money you had at your fingertips."

You looked at the old guitar and gently ran your fingers over its strings, saying in a soft voice

"How could I ever leave behind my brother's gift? This guitar is the most precious thing I own in this whole world, it's the only thing that ever kept me tied to my real home."

Dean turned his head away, trying to hide how moved he was, a warm smile spreading across his face.

But during our conversation later in the car, you found out by chance something that made your heart clench, you learned that Sam too had left Dean and your father to study at Stanford. In that moment, the guilt in your chest grew so heavy it nearly choked you... and when it was just you and Dean out on a job while Sam was back at the office, you turned to Dean again and said with bitter regret

"Dean... I'm really sorry. The thought that both of us, me and Sam, left you alone with Dad in that hell while all you ever cared about was protecting us and keeping us together... I feel like I was selfish, only thinking about my own decision."

Dean cut you off immediately, gripping the Impala's steering wheel tightly, then turned to you and said in a firm tone

"Y/N, stop. I'm not angry, and I swear to you I'm just happy you're back beside me now. That's all that matters."

You didn't believe him easily. Through the first weeks, you moved carefully, trying with everything you had to be useful, cleaning weapons, researching alongside Sam, taking over the cooking, terrified that Dean would wake up one day and tell you that you were a burden, or that he still hadn't forgiven you.

Then, on a quiet night, you were sitting in the motel after you'd put yourself at risk to save Sam and Dean, and Dean brought up that old fight from the day you left. He looked at you and said in a calm tone you weren't used to hearing from him

"Do you remember how you stood up to Dad? How you screamed in his face and defended me when he said I was a failure? Y/N... those words affected me in a way Dad never could, and no monster ever could either. Honestly, that fight was the main reason I let you go the next day without chasing after you and forcing you to come back."

You looked at him in disbelief, and Dean continued, his eyes fixed on the ground

"I knew how badly you wanted to leave this disgusting life, but you never said it out loud, afraid of hurting my feelings, and I saw the courage in your eyes as you stood up to him for my sake... and now I see that hasn't changed in you, you're still that same brave girl who cares about me. You have no idea how much I've missed my sweet little sister, and how happy I am just to have you around. Y/N, I'm happy, I'm not angry with you."

Your tears poured out, and you smiled through your crying, looking at him and saying for the thousandth time

"And I'm so happy to be back with you and Sam too, and I'm sorry... and I think you're stuck with me for the rest of your life now, I'm not budging from this car ever again."

Dean laughed his signature loud laugh, the one that came from deep in his chest and filled the whole space with warmth, and said, patting your shoulder and pulling you into a side hug

"And that's all I want, kid... that's all I want."

Sam shouted from the back

"Hey! Why do I feel like I'm the least favorite brother here"

Dean whispered

"Here comes the jealous boy"

Unexpected love - ch2

Note:This story contains themes of past trauma, emotional pain, and negative thoughts and English is not my first language

Just a quick note: this story will follow a one-year timeline instead of the two months shown in the series, as it better fits the plot and the pacing I have planned I'll do my best to update daily. Thank you all so much for the likes, comments, and support it truly means a lot to me

Chapters : ch1 - ch2 - ch3

You walked out of the conference room with quick, decisive steps, and behind you walked Soldier Boy, dragging his feet with a bored, irritated look. You turned to him slightly as you explained the upcoming arrangements in a purely businesslike tone

"I'll be responsible for your paperwork and contracts, and we'll set aside time to teach you some modern technology... I mean things like devices and smart systems. Let me show you your suite first"

You barely finished your sentence before he cut you off with a mocking tone, his eyes examining you with provocative boldness

"And will you be warming my bed too?"

The words hit you like a bolt of lightning. The sentence froze you for a few seconds, and you stopped in the middle of the hallway. You turned to him slowly and gave him a look dripping with disgust and sharp irritation. Your stern features made him raise his eyebrows in surprise, thinking to himself, it seems the answer is no

You didn't wait for him to push further, instead you answered in a sharp, cold tone

"My job is organizing your nonsense, not fucking with you. If you want whores I'll arrange that for you.. just give me the specifications... that is if you even have preferences"

Then you turned your back and walked off immediately. In that moment, Soldier Boy felt a sting to his pride, what did you mean by if you even have preferences, did you think he is some animal that would fuck with anything that moved? He shouted after you in a loud tone

"I have preferences! And you're certainly not one of them!"

You answered him coldly without turning around or slowing your steps

"Good"

You kept walking as tense silence hung between you, a silence charged with unspoken conflict. After several hallways, you finally reached the suite assigned to him. You opened the door, and you both walked in.

The suite was very large, dominated by a warm brown tone with white silk curtains. Even though it was fully equipped with modern technology, the devices were cleverly hidden from view, keeping the overall style classic, reminiscent of decades past, looking old and completely different from the rest of the cold glass offices in the Vought tower.

This was exactly what he had been looking for, something that resembled his era, something that made him feel like he belonged. His smile widened genuinely for the first time since he'd come out, and he said as he examined the furniture

"Well, this actually looks like a suite, not like a giant bathroom like the rest of the rooms here"

In that moment, you felt a slight pang of pride, since you had been reviewing the available suites a little while earlier during the meeting, your head buried in an iPad while voices went on around you, and you hadn't known that Soldier Boy had been watching you, wondering what his new handler was so absorbed in, unaware that you had been specifically picking out this exact place for him based on his historical background.

You kept your businesslike expression and said

"Good that you like it. Now, get some rest. I need to go sort out some things with management. You'll find the liquor that way, and the food is in the kitchen on the right... but you can order anything you want through this number"

Soldier Boy watched your movements with boredom, then looked at the number you had left.

He leaned his back against the edge of the wooden table, crossed his massive arms over his chest, and gave you a sideways, mocking look as he raised an eyebrow and said in a taunting tone

"Wow... liquor, food, and an old fashioned setup? You're putting in a lot of effort to please me for someone who claims she doesn't want me to fuck her Y/N"

He didn't wait for an answer from you, instead he turned toward the bar, laughing with scorn and irritation, like someone trying to prove to himself and to the walls that he was still a man in control, unshaken by some irritating girl like you. He grabbed the liquor bottle and opened it himself without looking back. When the room shook from you slamming the door shut behind you, his laugh froze.

"Damn that crazy bitch..." he muttered sharply, grinding his teeth.

He took a few quick steps toward the door as if he wanted to open it and chase after you to teach you "manners" and how to deal with a man of his worth, but he stopped in the middle of the room. He realized that lowering himself to your level and chasing you through the hallways would make him look weak, or too interested, something he refused to allow. He cursed you, then went back to his liquor, feeling that there was at least something interesting about this place. His own son was driving him out of his mind with how strange he is...

...

You slammed the door shut behind you so hard it nearly came off its hinges. Damn him! He was disgusting and unbelievably narcissistic. Of course you knew he was coming with an outdated fifties mindset, but my god, why did every man in this cursed building assume that every woman whose eyes landed on him wanted to sleep with him? Yes, he had a handsome face and a massive body, but all that appeal vanished and evaporated in seconds the moment he opened his repulsive mouth.

You walked with quick, angry steps through the hallways, your high heels striking the floor violently, mirroring the fire raging inside you. You headed straight for Sage's office. You pushed the door open and walked in without asking permission. Luckily Ashley was there too, you had no intention of repeating this lecture twice.

You stood in front of them both and shouted in a sharp, angry tone

"What is this nonsense? Throwing me at some lunatic who escaped from the fifties? Without even telling me or coordinating with me?"

Sage looked at you with dull, extreme coldness, completely unaffected by your anger or your furious shouting, as if she had already expected this outburst. Ashley, on the other hand, couldn't even meet your eyes, staring at her papers in panic, because you knew perfectly well she was the one who'd come up with the original idea of dumping her mess onto you.

Sage clasped her hands together on the desk and said in her calm, provocative tone

"Alright... what can we give you to make you stay with Soldier Boy? Because, surprisingly, it seems he's taken to you well and hasn't thrown you out. We were worried no one in this tower would suit him."

There was something unsettling and layered beneath Sage's words, a sly look in her eyes suggesting she was thinking something filthy, but to hell with her and her thoughts. You decided to get straight to the point and take full advantage of the situation. You said in a firm, decisive tone

"You assigned me to babysit the most unstable man on this planet without asking me. If you want me on call twenty-four hours a day, risking my life every time he loses his temper, then five million a month, non-negotiable, in addition to full authority to manage his contracts and public appearances without anyone interfering."

Ashley's mouth fell open in shock and she looked at you for the first time, while Sage raised her eyebrows in surprise at your boldness and the massive sum you'd demanded.

You didn't back down a single step, instead you fixed your gaze on both of them and said with firm certainty

"That number... or nothing. Go find someone else suicidal enough to handle his ticking bomb."

Inside, you knew that if you got this sum, Soldier Boy would be the last superhero you'd ever oversee in your life. You'd resign immediately once you'd amassed enough wealth, and open your own restaurant to rid yourself of the disgust of these genetically modified creatures. Your life had revolved around this company for long years after you'd lost everything from your old life, and this job had suited you, since you'd had nothing left to lose. But lately you'd started thinking about a new beginning, a chance to live and forgive yourself. So this was your chance to climb out of the swamp with the best possible payout.

Sage glanced at Ashley from the corner of her eye, then turned back to you with a small, enigmatic smile and said

"Agreed. The number is yours... as long as this old man stays calm and under control."