Bäahal and Jon (GoT)

Life worked in mysterious ways. One minute you were an orphan and the next you had a family. She had always seen the honesty in his eyes, a rare quality for people of his sex. She had always trusted him, again, a rare occurrence in her life. At the brink of a potential extinction, when everything might be lost to Death itself, she was starting to feel more alive than she ever did. From the ashes and burnt bridges came something new, something beautiful. Jon was the bearer of bad news, but somehow he brought Life along with him. Life worked in mysterious ways, indeed, one minute she was an orphan, the next one, she had a family and before she knew, here he was, standing before her, guiding her through well-timed bits of advice, cementing her very existence in their shared line of ancestors. Here he was, family."

elise and Asma

She is one of a kind, extraordinary
Maybe it was the way she danced with death
Or the fact she looked flawless while doing so
That attracted me to her. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't.

You couldn't keep her in a box, she couldn't be defined by words
There was a mystery to her, some contradictions too,
For she was the night yet she was the Light.
She was Death but she could give you Life.

She was a hurricane and yet still so very calm.
And you could mistake her patience with a weakness
While all she did was assess you before she struck hard.
I was in love.

I chose her a while ago, her and my King. Forever a duo.
I brought my Light and my Hope and tangled with them
mixed it with their beautiful chaos to create something more.
I chose them a while ago and never looked back since then.

My life finally had meaning and only because they were there.
Because she was there,
My beautiful daughter of Death.

Doya: Anniversary

Anniversary day!

3 years already of being part of this family of Misfits. 3 years I would never trade for anything else. 3 years with him too. He promised I will have a no-work day and I can eat as much as I want! what more can a girl ask for? I have my boys, I have food, I have a quiet day of being pampered. I'll probably spend it snuggled against him watching soap operas or...eheheheheh you know, having fun.

Chronicles of Lux and Tenebrae: The End Realm: part 5: Confrontational

A/ N: Finally, Tenebrae feels he has some leverage against his father.

Xxxxx

As soon as they returned to the glass palace, Tenebrae sat with Lux and explained what he said earlier. He told her everything, about the stories his father used to tell him about his old battles and his identity before he was given the crown of the End Realm. Death was one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Once Time gave him the opportunity to become more at the condition that he banished the other three, he did. Of course, while telling the story, Death didn't mention the way he vanquished his former allies. He didn't tell Tenebrae that he did so with the help of Life and together they sent the horsemen to the Vanishing Point. Lux didn't get to the same conclusion as Tenebrae.

She didn't see just yet the love between her mother and Death, perhaps because she couldn't remember clearly how her mother was and therefore couldn't remember tiny details about her. Instead, she realized that indeed, the only people who could have hurt her mother and have a grudge against her would be the three remaining Horsemen of the Apocalypse. They were the antithesis of her mother, the end of everything. Life couldn't thrive if the four horsemen of Apocalypse were still around and in order for her to gain power and make sure Life could spring on Earth, they had to be stopped. So, to the princess' point of view, it made sense they went after her mother if they were roaming free.

Both heirs were upset at the new, mostly because Tenebrae realized that fighting and defeating the three horsemen would become a task more difficult than he imagined. They were strong, War, Pestilence, and Tenebrae felt he was alone. If the princess couldn't regain her powers, then there was no possibility of them becoming the Alpha and the Omega and he didn't see how they could banish the horsemen like their parents did. It concerned him even more as he scanned the beautiful silver eyes of his beloved and she still had this lost, innocent yet determined gaze on her. Lux might not remember everything, her time spent with the prince was bringing her personality back. She wanted to help. It wasn't just because Tenebrae told her that she had to be avenged and the people who hurt her mother had to pay for it. She could feel it in her bones. She wanted to help.

Death returned from his trip to the Vanishing Point. He had to make sure that his former enemies were still banished. While investigating, the king realized that they did escape from their prison and found princess Despair's scarf abandoned behind. He quickly realized that she might have been the one to break the spell Her hatred for Lux might have been strong enough to cause this catastrophic situation. He returned home fuming a the idea that his former partners were free to do as they pleased and would try to exert their vengeance on him and Life. They have started it, anyway, with the attack on the realm of All Beginnings. Life couldn't be killed by them but her subjects and family could. She lost one of her sons, Lux, and her husband. She wasn't allowed to bring people back to life but Time allowed her to do it only once, with the person of her choice. She chose Lux and it almost sucked all of her energy, forcing the queen into a long coma so she could recover. The horsemen knew this would have been the result and it didn't fail. Death was horrified at the thought of losing Life, but more importantly angry.

He returned to the glass palace and spent some time in the throne room, walking through the evidence he found and trying to think of the best plan to eliminate the threats. Fate told him a while ago that he should not separate Tenebrae and Lux. As tempted as it was, he now realized that she was warning him about the horsemen of Apocalypse and the need to have an Alpha and an Omega to perform the ritual. Under other circumstances, he would have refused to put his son in danger and would have urged Life to perform with him but she was in a coma and he knew her recovery was very slow and could take centuries or millennia before she could eventually wake up. Just as he was thinking of the best way to talk to the children, Tenebrae broke into the throne room. Death looked up to his son and welcomed him with a cold face. As usual, the prince chose to be dramatic, so the father braced himself and drummed his fingers against the armrest of the chair.

«Father! I demand answers! » He said, already speaking with venom in his voice. He surely was angry at his father for having omitted to tell the whole truth about the way he vanquished the horsemen.

« Why are you always so dramatic, son? What is it this time, that has you furrow your brows ? » mused Death with a cynical tone. The young cub tried to look commanding and straightened up to give himself an additional height. Lux was walking behind him, in a gorgeous sleeveless blue dress with diamonds at the rim. The goddess put her hands on her waist and waited for the prince to answer.

«Dramatic? I have always been true to myself, father, I never hid behind a mask like you did. I figured out that the Queen enemies could only be yours. Life could only be threatened by the three horsemen. » The king furrowed his brows, he didn't know what to expect from his son but knew him enough to know that this little jab wasn't all of it. He braced himself but remained emotionless, or appeared to be. Lux noticed the change in his gaze, the tempest that was starting to form. She blinked but couldn't inform the prince who resumed his accusations. « Because of you, they killed the woman I love. » That was said, the venom was spat in Death's face. He held onto the armrests tighter than he intended to and kept staring at his son without a word. « Admit it! You got Lux killed! »

« What do you know about Love, child? » He dryly said.

« I know you are in love with Queen Life. Your love allowed you to defeat your former brothers in arms. Your love is the reason you refused my love for Lux and you separated us. How could we dare be together while you never could? »

Death eyes grew wide and a green light into the jet black of his irises started to dance. He was angry, Lux could tell. The walls started to shake and Tenebrae felt an incredible pressure onto his shoulders, forcing him to kneel before his father. He resisted the best he could but there was no escaping, he couldn't resist. The boy knelt and fought as hard as he could to move. Lux watched as Death stood up, his face turning into a skull as he walked down the small stairs below his throne.

« What do you know about love, Boy. » He spoke, his voice booming through the room and sending shivers down the princess' spine. « You think you can have leverage on me because of this piece of information? You think you could make me feel fear? »

He stood a few steps away from his son who managed to keep his head up so he would stare into his father's eyes sockets. Green flames were dancing where his eyes should have been and it was a terrifying view but not as unusual. After all, Tenebrae also had red flames dancing in his eyes when he truly lashed out at the situation he was forced to be. Lux could still remember him and the flames that were on his skull. Death didn't have flames yet, but she knew it only was a matter of time before he truly lashed out at his son.

« I could care less about making you feel fear, Father. »

« Do you think I am not aware of your shenanigans, Boy? I know how you feel about me. »

« You've never loved me! » Tenebrae sneered. « You had a son out of spite! » He spat at Death who walked around him, ever so slowly and menacingly. Lux, who was kneeling too due to the pressure in the room, managed to look at the king as he strolled around.

« You are dumber than I thought you would be, son, if you ever think I do not love you. All I ever did, when it came to you, came from a place of love. You are my son. MY SON. And I wouldn't want you to be killed because you are not /thinking/ » His green flames then looked down at Tenebrae as he stopped in front of him. « You want my throne but you don't have the shoulders broad enough to rule the End Realm like it should be. You are reckless, impulsive and now it seems, stupid. » His voice was still under control, not too strong so it wouldn't transpire that he was angry, but the energy he was sending in this room proved he actually was even angrier than he looked like.

« Why didn't you tell me you were in love with queen Life? Why did you separate Lux and me? » Tenebrae managed to ask.

« Time told us of a prophecy. He told Life and I that we shouldn't fraternize because it could bring the end of everything. So we didn't. Do I love her, Tenebrae ? I do.» He stared at Lux who sat on her heels as he spoke. She was shocked at his revelations and the casualness he used to answer them. « You seem to think that what you feel for Lux is true love, but this is just puppy love. » He sounded bitter all of a sudden. « True love is watching your one and only getting married to another, bear his children, and love him. True love, is sacrificing your one chance at happiness to make sure she wouldn't die because you were selfish with your feelings. True love.. » As he spoke, his skull started to lit itself with fire. « True love is protecting her daughter and make sure she doesn't die needlessly. I will avenge her and protect you because I love you, son. Whether you believe me or not, I do love you. » He groaned and turned around, walked back to his throne and sat. His face returned to normal, with just green dancing flames in his eyes and he relieved the pressure onto the children before him. As Lux could move, she quickly went next to Tenebrae and wrapped her arms around him.

« Aokay? okay? » He nodded and she turned to look at him. « I don't understand why you show your love and affection to him in such a harsh way. Haven't you thought that maybe, if your son hated you this much it had to do with you being so cold to him? »

« I do not recall requesting your opinion, princess. » Death dryly said, but she had a point, he knew that his son would have loved him better if he had mellowed to him.

« You did not, but I don't need your permission to express myself. » She boldly stated. « I might have lost my memory and not recall your son in the past, the "me" of today was able to see just how much he loved me. You say it's puppy love, but he did unleash his true power to rescue me from a super demon. He is doing his very best to find my enemies and put them out for once and for good. He loved me, so much so that he refused to ask the keeper of secrets how to restore my memory and instead asked how to defeat our enemies. He went against my wishes for the better and took the scorn and the anger I felt towards him because he knew it was for the best. » She cupped Tenebrae's cheeks and looked into his eyes. « He loves me, my king. He loves me so much that he took the risk of being rejected by me and showed me his true face, poured his heart in front of me. He loves me enough to be honest with me, no matter what. And...I am receptive. » She whispered to him, pressing a kiss onto his forehead before she looked at Death who smirked.

« Lux. » Tenebrae wrapped his arms around her waist and looked at his father. « What is our next move...What do we do now that we know who our enemies are? »

« Fate told me that it might not look as it seems. Maybe someone else is pulling the strings. I found Princess Despair's scarf at the Vanishing Point. She's the one who set the horsemen free. »

«How? » Lux asked. « How is it possible? »

« I doubt she was able to do it alone. One of the key element to break the spell of love is to have someone with enough hatred in their heart as well as a spell. Princess Despair doesn't seem to be knowing that spell.. but I have to investigate. »

« Wait, are you saying that the horsemen are just a means to an end? What end? »

« I don't know yet. But we do need to put them back into the vanishing point. You think you are the Alpha and the Omega? Let's see if you can lock them down. I will reach out to them, send them an invitation to a duel and we'll settle this for once and for good. »

« Father... » Death was already lost in his thoughts, he moved his hand to inform the pair to leave him alone. As they left, Tenebrae took Lux's arm and led her to a quiet balcony. She looked at his face and coyly smiled. « You didn't have to interfere with my father and me. »

« I wanted to. » She simply said, her hands on the balcony. Tenebrae cupped her cheeks and stroked the soft ebony skin. « I was afraid he would obliterate me, he was so upset. » She noticed the goosebumps on her arms and chuckled softly.

« But he didn't. » He moistened his lips and looked into her silver eyes. « Did you mean..what you said? »

« About feeling....some type of way? » She danced around it and he nodded frantically. « I meant my words... I'm still figuring things out but...I'm...I like you very much. » She leaned her cheek into his palm and pressed a delicate kiss on his sensitive skin, sending shivers down his spine. « Give me some time, Tenebrae...There is still a lot I need to figure out. »

« You can have all the time you need, Lux...All the time. » He whispered and planted a kiss on top of her head. 

-TBC-

Chronicles of the Primeval gods: Life and Death of Ayasha: Ambition

A/N: Ayasha just wanted to be heard

xxx

Ayasha could remember the day she had her first taste for blood. It happened after Elpis was cursed by Ishtar. The rebellion started, their own siblings took sides. Those who were in support of Ishtar's action sided with him and the rest opposed him. Ayasha had always desired control and power. She had always wanted to show that she was a ruthless and capable ruler but knew her limitations. Knowledge was only a tool for whoever knew how to use it. She wasn't a fighter, couldn't possibly go toe to toe with most of the primeval gods, but she had knowledge. She knew of their weaknesses and knew how to exploit them. She knew of their secret desires and could exploit them. She simply needed something to ignite this fire inside of her and Khrön gave it to her.

The messenger of gods found himself on the wrong side of this war. He quickly fell and surrendered to his brother, the new all-father Ishtar. Ayasha suggested she could talk to him and reason with him and under the guise of compassion and love, the goddess found herself alone with a bound and weakened god.

She could do as she pleased and did so, using the instruments of torture at her disposal. Khrön was soft, easily the perfect victim for her to experiment with her sadistic tendencies. He resisted as much as he could, calling her out on her double-face and mind-games but the more he did, the more brutal she became. Drawing blood from her own sibling took her forever because she wasn't sure she wanted to do it, but when finally after days of trying to bring herself to rip his wing off of his back, she felt the warm crimson liquid soak her fingers and run over her arms, she smiled. It felt wonderful to the goddess who smeared his blood all over her hands and onto her face, chest, and hair.

Khrön might have been weak and nearly passed out, he still could see his sister's true face. The face of a woman who nearly climaxed from the overloading of her very senses. His complete submission was her reward, The breaking of his mind was the main course and the blood she had on her hands was nothing more but the icing on the cake.

Ayasha realized on that day that she wanted more and was ready to take more if only Ishtar let her maneuver as she pleased. She would be queen, the queen of everything and she would rule supreme.

-TBC-

DOYA: we are home

// ALL the usual disclaimers

I can still feel the heavy silence that settled in the car as we drove away from our last case. Dean could barely speak but I felt his eyes on me. He wanted to make sure I was fine and perhaps, he wanted to take the memories of him killing shifter! me off of his mind. I knew it didn't work, memories didn't work like that. I knew he would still remember the fight and the taunts and how worried he was about me.

I could still remember the deafening silence in the car as we were driving home. I was the one behind the wheels for a change because Dean couldn't drive in his condition and I did my best to keep my eyes on the road but my head and my heart were boiling with thoughts. I could have died. I should have died but I didn't. The shifter kept me alive, he noticed pretty easily that she wasn't me and he came to my rescue. He came for me and he saved me. I would never forget the fear in his eyes and the breaking voice he had when he found me.

I could still remember how I felt when he did find me. I felt relieved but ashamed at the same time because I didn't pay attention enough. I couldn't see it coming and he was forced to fight shifter! me and kill her. I wanted to say something, but nothing came out of my lips, nothing but silence so I kept my mouth shut.

In our line of work, the danger was a constant we couldn't do without. We were meant to take risks, we were meant to bet our lives at every turn we took. I was supposed to handle this event but I was breaking down inside. I thought I would be the one to always protect Dean, to always be there for him and make sure he didn't go through the ordeals he went through. I wanted to guard him, protect him but it is impossible in our line of work. I wasn't able to protect him, much like I wasn't able to protect myself.

"You alright?" He asked me as I parked the car and turned off the engine. Was I? no. I wasn't alright and at the same time, I was. I wanted to forget everything about our last case but one thing. He came to me and I saw at this moment, just how much I meant to him and this gave me butterflies in my damn stomach and made me smile faintly as I looked at him and nodded.

"I'm better now that we're home."

And we were home.

-TBC-

Chronicles of the Primeval Gods: Life of Elpis: I chose him

A/ N: Since they're getting closer to the fight against Leviathan, the goddess communicates with her vessel through dreams or thoughts. This time, she chose to show her an old memory of a time that is no more. It takes place after one peculiar moment between Pride and Elpis where she had the choice to either love him with his flaws and qualities or leave him for a better suitor. Only her sister Sitäa, the goddess of Love, knew about her ordeal.

Xxxxxxx

« Elpis wait! Wait! »

Sitäa's voice echoed through the luxurious garden of the Primeval god's Pantheon. The tall goddess with the bronze skin and the long straight black hair looked at her smaller sister who was running away from her. They just had an argument about love, with Elpis making a case for her relationship with a Sin, one of the most dangerous enemies of the pantheon. Sitäa dismissed it at first, not because of the nature of her little sister's beloved but because of what he did. He wasn't faithful and it broke Elpis' heart to notice he wasn't. She went to him, to inform him that she deserved better and would be looking for better suitor but he spoke, he spoke and her knees went weak and she couldn't resist him. He wasn't perfect, never said he would be faithful, it just wasn't in his very nature but for Sitäa, this was evidence that he didn't care as much as Elpis thought he did. He couldn't care because Elpis wasn't his priority. At first, the pink haired goddess followed her sister's pieces of advice, after all, maybe the sin wasn't meant to be with a goddess. She had a lot of suitors anyway, better suitors. All were proper gods she could pick on to start a predictable life. Her life would be better, she thought to herself, better with gods she knew by heart, better in a rôle she was in perfect control of. The goddess of Light, the goddess of Hope. She could just so easily choose them.

« What more do you want to hear, sister? I refuse to stand here and be lectured about my choices. You can't understand! »

« What is it that I can't understand? I am the goddess of Love, I do understand Love. I /am/ Love incarnate, so please, stop acting like a child and talk to me. »

Elpis stopped and turned around to face her sister. Her irises were brightly burning, like two suns against the black sclera of her eyes. She crossed her arms over her chest and furrowed her brows as anger slowly became more and more intense. Sitäa blinked before she put her hands on her waist. She was ready to listen to her youngest sibling and in order to make Elpis feel more comfortable, she decided to relax her features and present a softer face to the youngster. It did help influence the young goddess who took a deep breath and pondered her words. She wanted Sitäa to understand where she came from and what she wanted, how messy and complicated her emotions were and that her anger towards Pride, while justified, wasn't ground for her to completely turn her back on him. She was lovestruck with him, deeply and utterly in love with the sin and knew that if she came to choose him, there would be heartaches, there would be arguments, there would be anger and violence but the good moments would outweigh the bad ones. Her love would transcend anything else. She knew it deep down that with him there would be more to her life and to her soul than she could have if she chose any of the other gods. The young goddess put her hand on her chest.

«He did hurt me. I know he did. I told him so. He hurt me but Sitäa...I am so much more when I am with him. I am not just the goddess of Light and Hope. I am Elpis and...He...He sees me. He respects me. He makes me see life in a new way. »

« Does he? Because if he doesn't choose you then he doesn't love you. »

« I know he does love me...in his own way. Sitäa, this is not puppy love. I am not naive. He is a Sin. He is Pride and yes, there would be times I would be frustrated and I would be upset, but he chose me. He will choose me! » -She claimed in a convincing tone.-

Elpis believed that he cared for her and he would treat her better now that he was aware of how badly it impacted on her. Sitäa wasn't convinced that Pride was capable of loving her sister the way she deserved to be but she saw the fire in the young goddess eyes. It was unlike any she had seen before. Surely, Elpis did have crushes on a few gods as she grew older. Innocent and chaste crushes that didn't take her further than the promise of a kiss. She always spoke of these with a blushing face and a shy smile but this was different when she spoke about the sin. She was passionate, her face alive and her gaze burning. She was in love, true love and it did catch the elder goddess' eye. Sitäa sighed and held onto her waist a little tighter.

« You sound like you're truly in love with him. »

« Love is messy, sister, you are the one who taught me so. Love is unpredictable and it makes you act in crazy ways. I fell in love with a Sin, which in itself is seen as treason here. I am taking risks by telling you everything but I believe in you and I trust you. » She held onto Sitäa's hand and pressed her lips against her soft skin.

« You keep saying he makes you feel special, but what I see right now, is a broken heart. You have a chance at being happier if you choose someone else. You know the many gods who try to wed you, you can learn how to work well with any of them to have a good marriage. Why not pick any of them? » -She tilted her head to the side but Elpis released her hands and dropped her arms.-

« I can't do that. I do not want to marry any of those gods. We are not meant to be. I can feel it Sitäa. None of them is my soulmate, none of them understands me the way Pride does. None of them make me feel like Pride does. I am Pride's. I gave myself to him, mind, body, and soul and I meant it. »

« You... » Elpis nodded and chewed on her bottom lip. She gave herself to the Sin, crossed the line nobody would forgive if they ever heard of it. The young goddess was scared of her older sister's reaction but Sitäa's features softened and she cupped her cheek with her left hand. « It's okay, child, do not fret. I am not going to tell your secret. I just wanted to make sure you knew what you were getting into. »

«Love is messy, Sitäa. Love is absolute. I never realized until I met Pride how powerful this feeling could be. I never understood all your lessons about it but now I do. It's exhilarating, I feel.. I feel brand new and powerful and invincible.. » She bit her bottom lip harder. « I feel. He's constantly in my head and when I see him, I forget about the World. I forget about everything, there is just him. There is just him and me and I can't get enough of this feeling. It's overwhelming and..and... » She shut her eyes. « I love him, Sitäa. Nobody can understand it but you. I am willing to risk my life just so I can be with him. »

« I know. I know, child. I can see how different you are. You're more confident, more fierce, more../you/ and I can support it because I support you. However, I really want him to treat you well and make you happy. Love can make you do crazy things for the one you love, but love is only worthy when it's shared. Your love will fulfill you if you receive what you give. I do not know if he's capable of feeling Love, but I would gladly help you if I see he treats you well. » She pressed a kiss on her sister's forehead. « I want you happy, Sister. I need you to be happy. »

« I will be. I promise. »

The memory faded away and Asma woke up. Lately, due to the presence of the Dagger of Fate on Earth, she was able to communicate more and more with her human vessel. It strengthened the empathy Asma was feeling towards the goddess as well as her will to help. When she thought of it, they were similar in many ways. The goddess fell in love with an older, ancient version of the Sin. A version that was no more. She was willing to risk everything and did risk her own life to be with him. Did he love her? Asma doubted he ever could love someone, but he could take great care of them, he could consider them great like he did with her. Maybe that was the most they could get from him, the most Asma did. The human fell in love with the Sin, the actual version of him who had never met Hope and Light before. He learned how to care, showed that he could care for someone other than him when he tried to find a way not to kill her and set Elpis free. She knew that he would find a way to soften up, but she also knew that he just might not. Pride had lived for millennia without the presence of Elpis in his life as if he'd never met her due to the curse. He did remember today but he wasn't the same person she used to know. He was different, rougher on the edges, harder and definitely darker. He was all she knew about him and so much worse. Elpis was convinced she would still love him despite the consequences of the curse, despite her own change and thirst for blood, and despite her fears of not being able to reach out to him. She drummed her fingers against the mattress and put her left hand against her heart. She will soon be free. She only had to be patient.

Castiel and Oya: Promise me

A/ N: Sam and Dean aren't home just yet, so I'm stretching a little bit the time shared between Castiel and Oya. It's soon her anniversary! She's been through a lot lately so I'm giving her (Them) some rest.

Xxxxx

After saving Joshua, Oya slept for two days straight. She wouldn't wake up so Castiel decided he would let her rest and run some errands for her. He remembered she had not picked the framed collage she wanted to gift everyone with, so he went back to the mall and took it for her. It was simple and elegant, a black frame for a collage the size of a painting, with genuine pictures of the four of them. The angel fondly stared at the pictures, mostly selfies Oya took with all of them. It was a kind gesture, a very simple but effective one. He didn't realize she had taken so many pictures of them or that they even had a moment in their lives when everything wasn't grim and bleak. The angel brought the collage back and put it in her bedroom. He thought she was still sleeping but Oya had woken up a while ago. She had been thinking a lot since she opened her eyes.

Her anniversary was supposed to be something fun, to mark a beautiful moment in her life. It was a moment to celebrate and reflect on the last couple of years she spent in America. She sat on her bed and leaned her arms on her lap as the sweet memory of her late friend, Isaac Stenton filled her mind. How could she forget Isaac? He was the only civilian she saved a couple of years ago, who wanted to get to know her better. She couldn't forget his smiles and genuine affection towards her. Isaac helped Oya express her emotions, back when she was still very closed off and wouldn't admit she cared for the Winchesters more than she said she did. Isaac was a sweet soul who made a friend out of her and she realized that a year later, she was missing him. A quick hold on her phone and she texted his family, just to check on them. Thinking of him was painful and bittersweet but at the same time, she realized that he gave her more than she lost when he died.

He opened the door to a new beginning, to improve and to grow. She thought of Sarah and Joshua Thomas, her childhood friends who made quite a good life for themselves. Sarah had a family and was out of the hunting business once she got married. Joshua stayed a hunter and an actual good one, but even he was thinking of having his own family. They refused to let go of Oya when she came back to the USA and somehow, helped her realize that the Winchesters were her family. Funny, how life was when you thought of it. Since she wasn't sleeping anymore, Castiel simply straightened up and leaned against the wall.

« You're awake. » -He observed. She ran her hand through her heavy black locks-

« I am. » She rubbed her eyes and yawned again. « At long last! » She mused.

-Castiel nodded and said in his monochord voice-« I got your framed collage from the mall so you won't have to go take it. »

He tilted his head to the side as Oya flashed her gorgeous smile at him. It was her first genuine smile in a while because Castiel didn't have to go to such length for her. He usually didn't bother but this time, he did. The angel knew the petite hunter would appreciate it and because he knew she would be smiling, he simply did. Oya learned how to keep things simple over the years on her anniversary: A piece of some pie, one candle to represent the new year and eventually presents she would slip under their pillows, like a secret Santa. This year was no different, the collage was the present and instead of slipping it under their beds, they would hang it somewhere so they could see it. She was excited just because she anticipated their reactions and her smile grew in size before it withered. She woke up with worries in her mind, the remnants of the nightmares she had two days in a row and the thoughts of her loved ones who passed away. Oya woke up with the urge to celebrate life in all its forms and more specifically, the fact her loved ones were still alive, no matter for how long. She had wanted to talk about their rocky beginnings for a while now, but never really had the time so they could talk. Maybe, today was the day, she had to try.

« Thank you. You didn't have to. » -She stood up and stretched her arms, yawning one last time to fully wake up- « It's gorgeous, isn't it? »

« It's simple yes. » The angel replied with a nod. He liked the simplicity of it all, a nice collage of pictures that reminded them of the good times was worth all the vintage cars and artifacts they could find. « I like it. » He added to reassure her. Castiel knew he sometimes had to make sure she understood him fully. She wasn't like the brothers who could somehow, figure out what he meant, so he had to work a little harder when he perceived confusion in the young human. Compliments, for example, didn't occur naturally to the angel or didn't translate well when he tried to make some, so he had to adjust.

« I know. » She said with a soft smile, She turned around and removed the shirt she was wearing. Underneath her clothes were a pair of sports bra and boxers so she didn't feel worried about getting undressed in front of the angel. He could see the scars she had on her body, the long and deep cut from the Asanbosam, and some fresher stabbing wounds she sustained from her time against the shapeshifter. Oya had the body of a fighter. Anyone else would be off put but not Castiel and certainly not the Winchesters. Oya then went to Dean's dresser and took a large white towel from it she wrapped around her frame. « I have to hit the shower, but before I do, I wanted to talk to you. »

«Yes? » Castiel scratched the top of his nose but didn't move from the wall he was leaning against. She turned her head to glance at him and nodded. « I guess I'll have a seat then. » She nodded again and turned on her heels.

« Please. » He went and sat on the bed. She quietly walked towards him and sat next to him. « Thank you. I feel we haven't really stopped to talk about...us. » She began with, her fingers drummed against the soft fabric of the towel that covered her thigh. « And if I'm going to spend some more time with all of you here...There are some things that need to be said. Especially about you. » She bit her bottom lip and looked at him straight in the eye.

« Go ahead... » -His tone was still neutral but she could see he was curious about what she had to say.- « I'm listening. »

« I know. I know you are. I'm grateful you are. » She began with. « You know I hate angels. » -He nodded- « I already told you why so I won't repeat myself here. Today, I still feel the same because there are days I miss my family and it hurts so fucking much.» She patted the towel where her heart should have been. « I feel the same except for you. I love you. You know that. » She put her hand on his knee and looked up at his face.

« I can't speak for my siblings, I understand why you feel the way you do. They have failed you when they should have brought you comfort. We failed you. » He said, his blue eyes averting from her face to the hand that was holding his vessel's knees. « Well, lucky me then. » He teased, a smirk crossing his features. « I'd rather not be at the end of your wrath. »

« Oh come on! » She chuckled and held onto his knee tighter. « I mean it, Cas. What you did for me... »

Her voice broke as she thought of their latest hunt together. He did help her track down the possessed Joshua. Without Castiel, Oya would have never been able to save her friend, let alone face him. The very first reaction she had was run away because she couldn't face the Christian demon who possessed him. The nightmares she had ever since she encountered Possessed! Joshua was even worse than her regular ones. She ran away when she should have stayed and helped her friend. Castiel didn't judge her for her mistake, he didn't judge her for her genuine fear. After all, she hated angels but feared Christian demons, it was who she was. The angel helped her save Joshua, but she did overcome some of her fears and faced that demon anyway. She did it to save Castiel, not because it was Dean's best friend, but because she loved him. She realized it when they went up against that demon. She realized she would genuinely give her life to save Castiel's and it filled her with joy and fear. Something she couldn't fully explain. Shame took over, however, as she remembered the way she used to treat him before their relationship became better. Shame urged her to ask for forgiveness, so she did.

« You don't have to thank me for that. I wanted to help you. I know how important that was for you. Joshua is your friend, and you are terrified of demons. It made sense that I went with you. » He said, holding onto her shoulder. Oya nodded and leaned her cheek against his arm.

« I actually do have to thank you for that... And apologize too. I was a little bitch with you ever since we met. I put you in the same bag as all the angels and ignored everything Dean and Sam told me about you. I wanted to hate you, I needed to hate you because you were the first angel I've ever met and at long last, I had someone I could lash out at. It was dumb, selfish, and horrible for me to treat you the way I did. » She closed her eyes. « I ask for your forgiveness, but you don't have to forgive me. »

She resumed drumming on her lap. He stared at her for a while, stoic as usual until finally, his gaze became warmer and he gently cupped her other cheek. He knew she had been thinking about it for months, probably since the very first day they got along well and it stayed at the back of her head. He wanted to help her feel better and relieve her from a self-imposed burden. Her eyes averted from his neck to finally meet his warm gaze. He might not smile, but she knew he was looking at her with great care in his baby blues. She was certain now, that he cared for her otherwise he wouldn't have gone with her in this case. He wouldn't have saved Joshua for her, he wouldn't have forced her to stitch her head or even bother bring her home. He did all of this because he wanted to and because he could. It didn't get lost on Oya who put her hands over the back of his larger ones and tried to smile to him.

« I forgave you long ago Oya. I forgave you because I understood why you were acting like this. I forgave you when I realized you really cared for the brothers and you would do anything in your power to save them. I forgave you a long time ago, you don't need forgiveness. » He then planted a kiss on top of her head.

« Thank you... » She choked on her words and shut her eyes tight. Oya was exhausted, emotionally exhausted from the last months she'd just spent. The constant fights, the heavy cases, the dangers she escaped from. She nearly died several times, had to watch old friends die, had to save Joshua from being possessed by a demon, had to talk Sarah out of becoming a hunter and even now, she had to struggle with her feelings. It was a lot. She felt a lot and her heart could not handle that many feelings, some had to come out. « Thank you. » She repeated again, as tears filled her closed eyes. She knew she wouldn't be able to contain them so she didn't even try.

« You're welcome. » -He simply said, his features giving him a relaxed expression on his face, which helped Oya relax as well.- « I like you Oya. You're family. » She skipped a heartbeat as he spoke. « It took some time but I saw you for who you really are. I like that person. » She nodded as a couple of tears just ran down her cheeks. « I know you care about this family as well. You care a lot. » -She nodded again-

« Which is why I should tell you...What happened with Joshua made me realize that, if I ever became evil, or possessed or...promise me you will be the one to finish me off. »

« What are you talking about? »

« I can't do that to Dean. He can't be the one to kill me. He can't... » She swallowed a lump and bit her bottom lip. « It happened already... When he fought against the Shapeshifter? He had to kill her--- me! She looked just like me. He had to kill me. » She said, her eyes wet from all the tears she was crying. « We never talked about it, but I know how traumatic that is. And given how she taunted me, I already know she told him I was feeling something... » She sighed and shut her eyes. « I also know we're not talking about it and I won't. »

« You care for Dean. Everyone knows. » He said with a tone that suggested he was teasing her when in truth he wanted to alleviate the situation and give her a reason to chuckle. It didn't work, Oya shook her head.

« I-I-I very much do. I care for him in ways I can't express Castiel. I can't say it, but I can show him. And I implore you to never let him be the one to kill me if it comes to this. He would never cope with it, never. » She held onto Castiel's hands tighter and opened her eyes to look at the angel.

« I will never let anything this bad happen to you. He wouldn't have to »

« Just promise me, Cas! Promise me... » She said, her voice breaking down again. Castiel eyes shifted for a second before he finally looked at her and nodded. He wouldn't let Dean go through this ordeal and he wouldn't let Oya get in this situation to begin with. He would try anything in his power to protect her. Just like he would protect the brothers.

« I promise. » He finally said in his very laconic tone, but she knew by the intensity of his gaze that he meant his words. She relaxed and wrapped her arms around Castiel for a hug. He shifted his gaze and gently patted her back. « I got you. »

And he did. He had her back now and she knew it.

-TBC-

SoA: We're not done yet

A/ N: Because I love you sooooo <3 And it's been a while anyway. So enjoy this little blurb. <3

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«So this thing between you and me... How do you think this is working so far? »

Asma was looking at the ceiling as she was lying on her back. The sheet was barely covering her sweaty body but she didn't mind much. Who was there if not just the man on her side? Tig was looking at her, his calm blue eyes were taking in the beauty of the moment. Asma was calm, joyful, smiling even. It was a sight he never grew bored of, and if anything, he would have wanted her to remain like this forever, but those were wishes in the damn cursed lake. With his line of work and the line of work of his entire family -the club, Jessica, and the Knights- there was no way they could enjoy more than a day or two free of bullshit and danger and death. It was part of the course and he wanted to preserve her from the horror of his daily life. The less she knew, the better but Asma was clever. She was aware of what being part of the club entailed. She was aware of what doing what Jess did entailed. She knew but it was better not to discuss any of it.

« I think it's working just fine, Bella. I like it here, with you. » He said, as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and she cozied herself against his chest. She was still staring at the white ceiling but her hazel eyes averted from it to look into Tig's baby blues.

«Really? You do? » He nodded. « Well. I think You're lucky you do. You're the one with my name tattooed on your skin. » She grinned and rolled on her side to face him. « It would be a shame if you had to laser-up my work. »

« I don't want to do that, silly. » He said, rubbing his nose against hers while she cupped his cheek. « I want to keep it. »

« Even when I'm acting all crazy? » She asked, leaning onto her left elbow so she could have a better look at him. Tig was on his back, one hand still on his chest. The one with the rings. Asma grinned and started to plant kisses on his torso, lazy and slow kisses she gave his pecs before she moved further to the side so she could reach his tattoo.

«You're never crazy. You're over-worrying, sure! You're overthinking too. But you're not crazy. You're just trying to be ready for anything. » He lost his hand in her thick dyed pink curly mane and massaged her scalp. It made her purr and distracted her enough to make her lift her head and lean her chin on his belly.

« Can't a bitch be worried? » She asked, her left hand gently raking the skin of his torso. « Can't a bitch with her man and her family come back alive and in one piece? I am worried sick about you when you leave, especially you. I've heard you were loco. » She said, moistening her lips as she kept raking her nails onto his chest. She had her head pressed against his belly, not hard enough to be uncomfortable, but close enough to his bulge, which he did notice.

« Ahem...If you're going to have this conversation with me, right now, you'd better move your head away from here. » He informed her, but she didn't move, her other hand just rested on his thigh, gently stroking the hard skin there so he would be aware that she was slowly getting into a position of absolute power over him.

« No. I think I'm very fine where I am. So.. Where were we? Oh yes, I was asking you why you think I'm overthinking when you're literally putting your life in danger every single night? »

« Bella, babe...You're fucking too close...I can't fo-- »

«Focus! » She commanded. At first, he thought she was angry because Asma never spoke so dryly, but he then saw her grin and he realized she had other plans with him. Her hand moved further north on his leg, brushing over the sensitive skin of his lap. «Where were we? » She asked again, this time making him swallow a lump.

« Bella...You were... » He swallowed hard again. « You were telling me that you were worried about me. Does that mean... Does that mean you're not...Happy with me?? »

« I am. So far. » She moistened her lips again, this time enough for him to notice how sugary and wet her plump lips were. With her soft hands stroking his skin and her head just mere inches away from his crotch, Tig was starting to think that she had him wrapped around her finger and he didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing. « I just want to know if this would be enough for us. »

« What do... What do you mean? » He barely managed to say. She shifted on the bed and sat on her heels. He leaned on his elbows and straightened up enough to look at her. Her pink locks were cascading over her back and she narrowed her gaze. Her voice was different, raspy, deeper as arousal was taking over but she still wanted to voice her thoughts and the clash between the seriousness of her words and the handy work she was giving him was starting to push Tig to his limit. He drew a breath when he felt her warm hand wrap around his length and gritted his teeth as he didn't know if he should tease curse or say anything to this woman. How could he even think?

« I don't know...yet. I just know that I don't feel we're done yet. You and I. » She bit her bottom lip. Saying 'I love you' was still so very difficult for her and she wanted to express something more.

They have been together for a while now, enough for him to know he wanted to spend his life with her and have her name inked on his skin. He knew her enough to basically settle in her home and have her bring some of her stuff over to his place too. He knew her enough to know she was the one. The next step was a wedding, maybe not now, maybe not yet, or never. He didn't know yet because the only thing he was sure of, was that he had her name on his skin and she was the one who inked him. Was it enough to be certain she wanted to marry him? He knew how freaked out she was when he suggested she inked him so imagine how freaked out she'd be if he proposed? Would she even say yes? Somehow, Tig wasn't aware she was considering those questions as well. Were they just dating would be enough for the two of them? He inked her name, which was a grand gesture, and the biggest when it came to bikers. He already made his move, but she had not just yet. She needed to prove to him that she believed their fates were entangled and their lives were meant to be spent together.

But how could they be together if they were not honest with one another? She couldn't tell him about Oscar, she promised Jessica it would only be between the two of them and eventually her clean-up guys. Nobody knew that a dangerous possessive and angry man tried to take Asma away and kill Jessica when she was pregnant. Nobody knew that she killed him in her house while hiding Asma in the basement with the dogs. How would they react if they knew? Jessica would be in trouble, and Asma would be too. Could she afford to risk everything because she wanted to have no more secrets between Alex and her?

« It's not over yet, Bella. We're just getting started. » He assured her, his hands found their way to her hips and he switched places, so she was now on her back and he was in between her legs. « All I know right now is that I don't want to think anymore. I just want you, all of you, right now. »

« I love you. » She said, her voice strangled by emotion. Tig froze and looked at her with eyes wide open before he softened his gaze and gently stroked her cheek. She said it again and he knew that at this moment, the only thing she needed was a hug, so he ignored the fire she ignited minutes ago and rolled on his side. « I'm sorry Tig, I just... I want all of you too, but, give me a minute. Just a minute. » She turned to face him again and pressed her lips against his. « It's just... »

« I love you too. » He said with a kind smile. « You're the best thing to ever happen to me. »

« You have my name on your skin. » She repeated, amazed that he eventually took this leap of faith.

« I have your name on my skin, and you inked the fuck out of me. » He added, pressing a kiss on her nose. « Nothing can top that. »

« Mmmhhhh yes, something can. I could take a bullet for you. I'd beat Romeo if I ever did. » Her joking tone came back and she rolled on top of him and sat on his belly. « I will do anything for you, Mr. Outlawed...Starting with finishing my handy work. » She giggled as he held onto her waist.

«Yeah? I ain't complaining then! »

-TBC-

Chronicles of Lux and Tenebrae: The End World- part 4- The Alpha and the Omega

A/ N: We're finally meeting the harpies and getting some answers to some questions.

Xxxxxxxxx

Forced to remain at Elysion, the prince finally decided to take Lux out of the glass castle so she could meet his people. He would walk next to her, to ensure her safety and would keep a very close and somber face. It was no secret that Tenebrae didn't like spending time at Elysium, mostly because the people were afraid of him and he could see through their lies and fake smiles that they'd rather be far away from him. It didn't bother him, per say, solitude was a companion for most of his life. What it did was, irritate him. As the prince, he had to spend time with them, he had to rule them when his father went on Earth to collect fresh souls and decide of their fate. He had to be there because the King left the End Realm to investigate the attack on Life's realm. He kept sighing and groaning as the two of them walked through the beautiful -albeit monochromatic green- streets of Elysium.

Lux was a curiosity because she was very much alive. Her body was real and warm and attractive to the eye of the dead who couldn't stop but gather around her any chance they got. It made the princess uncomfortable because she wasn't used to being stared at like that. She would glance at Tenebrae for reassurance as they kept walking through Elysium and she finally witnessed what he talked about. His people carefully avoided him and for those who couldn't, she noticed they were shaking from head to toe. Elysium, despite the strange relationship the prince entertained with his subjects, was a beautiful place. Not as beautiful as the realm of all beginnings but it had its peculiar beauty. She enjoyed the sight of the different architectures that were testimonies of the changes throughout mankind history. She enjoyed the variety of people she saw and how much they had not changed from when they were alive. Humans always said that Death was the beginning of something new and that existence didn't stop once you passed away. Lux knew they were right since the End Realm existed but she never got to see human's afterlife this close. Was she disappointed? No, not really but she realized that they were a world apart from the world of the living and she might need more than just a day to adjust to it.

Tenebrae was able to find them a quiet place, far away from sycophants and the unwanted attention of the princess. He took her to the outskirt of Elysium, where a huge wall separated it from « Hell ». Not many people ventured there so the pair was alone, which was a huge relief for the prince who rolled his head from left to right. He couldn't leave Elysium and couldn't take her outside of it, so he managed to ask one of his former wet nurses to come to him instead. The princess tightly held the fabric of her black and green asymmetric dress and tilted her head to the side.

« Tenebrae.. » -She called for him, but he wouldn't look at her.- «Tenebrae? »

« I hear you just fine, Lux. » -He whispered before he looked up to the black « sky ».

« Why are we here? I thought we couldn't leave? »

« We're not leaving. I called for one of my wet nurses so I could have some answers about the keeper of secret's riddle. »

« It wasn't a riddle. They told us what we needed to hear. » Lux crossed her arms over her chest. « But I see what you're doing. We can't ask your father, otherwise, he would know you were looking for a way to get rid of him. We can't ask any of the elders...In case it was one of them who tried to kill mother and me. » She sighed.

« You figured that out. » He was sarcastic, not really against her, she could tell, but the prince was frustrated.

« I still can use my brain, it seems. » She joked along with him, relieving a little bit of the tension that settled between the two of them.

Tenebrae was still worried about Lux. He had no clues about what lied in the future. Of course, he made a promise to himself when he found out that she was dead. He promised to avenge her and he intended to keep his promise, even though the princess was now alive and recovering. For a split second, the prince believed that the only thing in the universe that mattered to him was murdered and taken away from him. He wanted nothing but the blood of his enemies and to make them suffer as he was suffering and still was. Her life was fragile as it was and anything could actually kill her since she was defenseless and her lifeforce wasn't completely restored to her. Just like that, he could lose her for good. She noticed how he closed himself off again after his outburst last time and he avoided looking at her because he didn't know how this version of her would handle his true face.

Lux had not tried to reach out to him just yet, she was too confused about herself and the recent events to eventually know what to do next. She did feel the prince distance himself from her and it was unsettling to say the very least. She was used to feeling him watch over her, reach out to her so he could touch her skin, feel her close to his frame, make her feel safe because he was with her. She was used to him speak of their past relationship, of all the wonders and the thrills they shared and of how much they cared for one another. She was used to him but ever since he cried and showed her his true face, he put a barrier between the two of them, out of shame maybe? Out of fear? She couldn't tell. She noticed and it didn't sit well with her. His name was at the tip of her tongue as she wanted to call him again and ask him about the distance he put between them but a noise caught her attention. It was the same noise as flapping wings and the powerful wind that whipped the goddess' face was enough to confirm that something with giant wings was landing nearby. She watched a huge humanoid form with eagle's feet land in front of them. The torso and face of a woman, wings instead of hands, bird's claws for feet. Her hair was dark as night and contrasted with the pasty white hair the dead all had.

« Finally, Althea. You're here. » Tenebrae's voice softened at the sight of what seemed to be a harpy.

« Of course, my prince. You call and I come. » Althea replied, her amber eyes scanning the area and setting on Lux who was standing nearby, visibly frightened. « We are in a hurry, my presence isn't welcomed here and my sisters didn't want me to come, but you've always been my favorite, so here I am. » She said with a sharp smile before her eyes averted from the prince to set on Lux.

« I will make it quick then. We've seen the Keeper of Secrets and they told us a riddle. »

« It wasn't a riddle, » whispered Lux who crossed her arms over her chest to give herself some courage.

« What did they tell you, my prince? »

Althea was huge, probably the same size as the super monster they fought a while ago. She was one, after all, a monster with bloodthirst and malice in its eyes. Althea was the sweetest of the harpies who kept Tenebrae was an infant. She was fond of the prince and taught him the secrets of the End realm. She secretly trained the kid so he could control his powers and open/close the portal only when he reached a level of anger high enough to break the mental blocks they put in him. She wasn't the strongest but she definitely was the fiercest and the most knowledgeable. As the prince gently petted her wings, Althea tilted her head to the side as he finally began to answer her question.

« They mentioned the Vanishing Point and two chosen ones...I didn't understand what they meant. What is the Vanishing Point? I've never been there. »

«I see... The Vanishing Point is a celestial prison. This is where the worst of the monsters and the celestials deemed too dangerous are locked. They can't escape it, can't go to the human plane or the divine plane. They are isolated for all eternity. »

« They spoke about an Alpha and an Omega. They even said it happened long before I was born. What happened,  Althea? » -His eyes were filled with unshed tears. His voice was raspy and tired.

«Ah! My prince, you're really asking the most difficult questions today. » Althea complained, but she rolled her eyes as she saw Tenebrae's determined face. « Well, fine. I will tell you. A long time ago, two deities performed the ritual to lock three celestials who wanted to bring harm to the world of the living. They held hands, chanted the spell and banished the entities to the Vanishing Point. The Keeper of Secrets told you what you needed to know. Only a strong connection between two powerful beings could defeat any celestial existing. Your father, yourself, Life and even Time could be banished using this technique. But it's risky, it's tasking. It requires true love and trust. » She sneered and bent a little forward, her head inches away from Lux who swallowed hard and held onto her arms tighter.

« Thank you, Althea... I am having a better idea of how we could defeat those who hurt Lux and Queen Life. »

« We do not have much time, I'm afraid. » Althea said as she looked up to the sky. « My sisters found me and soon enough, your guards also will. I have to leave before it goes out of hand. » She wrapped her wings around the prince « It was good to see you again, my prince and before we part ways, you have to know something. The Alpha and the Omega were Life and Death. » She said before taking off and leaving a shocked prince.

« What did she say? » Lux asked as she reached out to Tenebrae's arm. He looked at her, this time with relief in his eyes as he finally got some answers. «Tenebrae? » She called his name again and once again, he didn't respond to her. The prince simply cupped her cheek and pressed his lips against her forehead.

« I know who your enemies are. I know who they are! » He said cupping her other cheek and leaning his forehead against hers.

Tenebrae pieced everything together from both Althea's answers and what he knew from his father. A long time ago, Death and Life defeated the three other horsemen of Apocalypse. Death always told the story of those events to his infant son and it stayed with him as he grew older. It made sense that in order to lock them in the Vanishing Point, he had to use the help of the only other being he loved: Life. As he laughed and celebrated with Lux who still didn't understand everything, Tenebrae realized that his father was in love with Life and probably had been in love with her for a long time. It shocked him enough for him to become stiff, which drew the princess' attention. She cupped his cheeks and stroked them with her thumbs. It was time to return to the glass castle and rest. Tenebrae's jet black orbs set upon the goddess and he planted another kiss on top of her head before he held her hand and took her back home. His whole mind was focused on confronting his father about the revelation Althea just made. He had to ask, he had to understand. But was he ready for the answers? He couldn't tell.

-TBC-