Wolvena

2020 The Year of The Occults

This sounds interesting.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme Stirling

Esme wrapped her arms around Duke and held on to him the moment his grip tightened around her waist and caught her. She then rested her forehead against his chest as he pulled her tight against his chest, then the rest of the way out of the tub. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, slowly letting it out to collect herself and to slow her heart rate as he held her close to him. She couldn’t have been more thankful that he was there with her to catch her before she connected with the hard tile floor. It didn’t take a genius to know that the fall would have done more damage to her already beaten up body, which was the last thing she wanted or needed. Once she felt stable in his arms, she loosened her grip around him, opened her eyes, and lifted her forehead from his chest, then looked up at him and laughed along with him at his comment. Maybe a little too hard because of his raised eyebrows.

“Well, you know me. I’ve never been one to make much easy.” she laughed as he steadied her onto her good leg. She let her arms fall from around him when he unfolded the towel that was on his arm but made sure they were out of the way as he wrapped the towel around her and tucked it in on itself. At his question, she raised a single eyebrow and watched him as he knelt to one knee and ran his hand up her bad leg. “For now.” she teased, even though her tone sounded serious. She continued to watch him as he lifted the towel just enough to check on her stitches and trace his fingertips around them. At his sigh, she knew he was relieved that her tumble didn’t tear or pop a stitch. When he stood and lifted her chin, she couldn’t help but smile softly as she saw his smirk, then it grew at his words and was followed by a light laugh as she met his gaze.

“Sometimes I do get lucky.” she replied with a laugh in her tone. She then fell silent, a look of playful thought taking over her features, showing she was somewhat thinking about what he asked her, then broke the silence. “I’m actually a little surprised you asked. Before, you would just take control of the situation and do what you thought was best. Then again, this is a tad different than all those situations.” she finished with a light laugh. “But since you asked…… I’m not sure I trust my feet to get me from here to there after what just happened.” As Esme held Duke’s gaze, the smile that rested on her lips spread to her eyes, showing that she was pretty relaxed at the moment even with them both being in nothing but towels. What also brought on the smile was that she knew her suggestion for him to carry her would probably surprise him, since she wasn’t really one to be carried no matter what state she was in.

Though if she wanted to be truly honest with herself, Duke and Dean were the only ones that could get away with carrying her without much protest from her, if any at all. She had trusted them both with her life back then and still did to this day. There probably wasn’t any other living person she trusted more than she did them. Yes, there were others that she trusted to help her out in a situation if she needed it, but her trust for those select few didn’t come close to the trust she had with Duke and Dean. Not to mention, they were the only ones left that she considered her true family at this point in her life. Without them, she would feel completely and utterly alone in this chaotic world.

What if... there were Young Avengers? (MCU - Casual to Low Advanced)

@Ezka I'm still giving my character a bit of thought. I'm still trying to work out some details.

What if... there were Young Avengers? (MCU - Casual to Low Advanced)

This seems pretty interesting.
I’d be willing to give it a shot even though I’m not fully versed in the MCU.

A futuristic world with fantasy races, beasts, and magic

This sounds pretty interesting. I’m curious to see where this goes.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme Stirling

Esme laughed again as Duke laughed at her words, then nodded as spoke. It was true, adding injures to what she normally got herself into didn’t help her bouts of clumsiness any. Having the added injuries only made things worse and even harder to get around without more problems. “Then I consider myself lucky you’re here.” she smiled with a warm laugh. “This would be a lot harder without you.” She watched as he lowered the towel to one hand and squared his shoulders, finding it hard not to notice his rippling abs as he readied himself to help her out of the bath. At his laugh and request, she readied herself to have him help her, but before she couldn’t even lift her arm, he had taken hold of her hand. This caused her to lift an eyebrow as she looked at him. Did he really think she had much to protest about in this situation? “You don’t want to redo the stitches. I don’t want you to have to redo them.” she laughed, as she gripped his hand and took to her feet with his help.

As she stood, her feet slid against the bottom of the tub’s slick surface, which would make things a bit more difficult. She noticed how he was trying his best to keep his eyes on her face as he took her hand and help her up out of the bath. It kept a smile on her lips. Esme even noticed the realization hit him after he helped her up and stepped back from the tub, then stepped back up to wrap his arm around her waist. Using her free hand, she tucked some of her wet hair behind her ear before he pressed his lips to her forehead and spoke, her eyes closing briefly before he stepped back to coax her to step over the edge of the tub. She could feel her heart rate pick up at the simple action. She mentally shook her head to clear her thoughts and let out the breath she was holding. Placing her free hand on his arm around her waist and gripping his hand that held her other hand, she shifted her weight to her injured leg so she could lift her good foot from the bottom of the tub and over the side of it.

“I sure hope so. It’s gotten slippery in here.” she said in a slightly teasing tone as she felt her feet slipping a bit. Slowly, she lifted her foot from the bottom of the tub, wincing a bit as she felt a little pain in her other leg. Once she got her foot high enough, she brought it over the side of the tub and to the floor, but before she could step on the floor, her other foot slipped on the tub’s slick surface. Gasping, she came down hard on her other foot causing her to lose her balance from the force and fall forward. “Hellfire!” she said through gritted teeth from the surge of pain she felt from the jolt. Her grip on his hand and arm tightened to catch herself but knew she’d still hit the floor if Duke couldn’t catch her because she wouldn’t be able to get her other foot under in time. Then again, her leg would more than likely buckle as soon as her weight was on it from how she was falling. Esme braced herself for impact with the cold hard floor, not knowing if Duke would be able to catch her or not.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme Stirling

Esme couldn’t help the smile that graced her features when Duke said he’d stick around a bit after she said she wanted him to. It wasn’t hard to miss how her touch and kiss affected him, and it made her hold back a laugh at how those simple actions affected him. A soft laugh escaped her at his comment about making sure she didn’t get killed trying to keep up with the Winchesters. Though it was true, one could easily get themselves into trouble trying to keep up with the Winchesters. It was still funny. Then again, she wasn’t a stranger to getting into trouble. Trouble seemed to follow the Winchesters around just as it did her. Even if she hadn’t stuck around or hadn’t followed Natalia back to Sam's room that day, she’d still run into many troubling situations on her own. They all appeared to be people that had unpleasant situations dropped into their laps, just flat out drew them in or even caused them some way. Yes, they would seek cases out to prevent the innocent from being hurt or killed, but some of them…. Just happened out of the blue. At least they did for her, anyway.

Before making a suggestion for plans, she had noticed how they had both taken a deep breath in unison, then his furrowed eyebrows after she asked. Yes, she was aware of how much it sounded like a date night, but what else could she do with a bruised face, a stitched-up shoulder, and a stitched-up leg? She was liable to scare many people if she went out looking the way she did, and she just wanted to relax for a while. Her smile grew at his excited nod and when he rolled back his shoulders, she even laughed a little. One eyebrow raised when he spoke about her car. It was as if he had read her thoughts. “Sounds good. You know my whole life is in that car.” she said in a joking tone with a laugh, even though it was pretty much true. Her car was her home, and the only one she could remember after her mother’s death. She and her father spent many a night sleeping in it when they couldn’t stay in a motel. He would take the front seat and she would take the back.

It wasn’t until he stretched out his leg and hit the lever to release the water from the bath did Esme realize just how cold the water had become. After he scooted her forward on the tub’s slick surface, she rested herself against her bend leg as he carefully stood and stepped out. Her focus went to the water swirling as it went down the drain as Duke grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist. When she saw him hold out a towel for her out of the corner of her eye, she turned her head to look at him and was about to try and stand before he laughed softly. Her head tilted slightly to the side before he spoke, then she laughed softly as well. “Ah, so you remember that about me, huh?” she laughed as she joked. She tilted her head a little more in thought, then closed her eyes briefly with a small sigh that was followed by a warm smile that spread to her eyes. “I think the smart thing to do would be to have you help me up and then help me step out.” she said, looking up at him. “You know how danger prone I can be at times.” she added with a laugh.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme Stirling

When Duke tightened his arms around her, Esme gently squeezed his arms. A warm smile came to her lips when he placed the soft kiss against her hair, and she listened as he spoke. His sweetness was almost too much for her to handle and made her want to never leave his embrace. She just wanted to curl up right there in his arms and have him hold her close in a warm and strong embrace. It was something she had missed during her time alone and hadn’t realized how much she had craved it until now, even after what she went through two and a half years ago. “It’ll always go both ways.” she told him as she pulled her forehead from his neck and opened her eyes. She pulled her head back just enough to where she could see his face, a warm smile still rested on her lips. “You can also ask questions, as long as they aren’t stupid ones.” she teased. “I just don’t know how easy some of them will be to answer.”

She watched him as he brushed her hair back with his free hand, taking in how his thumb brushed down the side of her face and the deep breaths he took to calm himself. Before his hand could leave her face, she lifted her own hand and placed it on top of his, holding it to her cheek as he spoke once again. Her warm smile grew, and it shone in her eyes as she looked up at him. “Of course I want you to. Why wouldn’t I?” she asked, her tone as warm as her smile. “Not just to work on that, but also catch up on everything that we missed. I’ve really missed you.” Lifting her head slightly from his shoulder, she released his hand, and placed her hand on her chest, just under the cuts that were made by the demon earlier. Leaning forward, she placed a soft kiss on his cheek before laying her head back on his shoulder and looked up at the ceiling. “I know you’ve been trying to get out of this life, but I would like to spend some more time with you before you decide to leave.”

After answering, Esme found herself once again thinking about just how long Duke would stick around for. It could be as soon as she healed and was back on her feet for all she knew. She wanted to make sure they parted on better terms than they did the last time and also keep in touch. If she was completely honest, she didn’t want him to leave, but she wouldn’t force him to stay, either. It was his choice if he stayed or went. Taking a deep breath, she slowly let it out and focused back on him again. “So, what do you say to finishing up here, ordering in, and then either talking or we could try to find a good movie to watch until the others get back?” she asked warmly. It was pretty obvious she didn’t want to talk about him leaving anytime soon. She then remembered that she didn’t have any of her things. It was all in her car, which was left at the roadblock made by the demons earlier, which meant she didn’t have any clothes to put on when she got out.

It looked like she would have to borrow a shirt from Duke, keep a towel around her, or put her bloody clothes back on until she could get her car. Though she knew Duke wouldn’t allow her to put those clothes back on. Though she had a bra and underwear, at least. From what she could tell, they weren’t too badly messed up. She inwardly sighed, hating that they had left her car in the middle of the road with everything she owned in it. She tried to not let herself think of someone finding it and driving off in it since the keys had been left in the ignition when Cason and herself were dragged from her car.

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme Stirling

Esme was aware of Duke pulling his knees up on either side of her before she started speaking. She also knew why he had done it. Even if she had wanted to run, there was no way she could have gotten out of the tub fast enough before he grabbed her. There was no point in trying in her condition, anyway. When he answered her question, she didn’t answer back or make it clear she heard him, but it relieved her to hear him say he didn’t and couldn’t see her as a monster. He was one of the last people she wanted to think of her as such. With how close he was, it wasn’t hard to miss his sigh of frustration as he took in her words and how they affected him. She didn’t mean to unload on him, but once she started, she couldn’t stop herself until it was all out and off her chest for once in her life. She had kept it bottled for so long it just needed to come out, and she was glad it was him and not someone else that was the one to hear it.

She wasn’t one to just unload her thoughts and feelings on someone, because she didn’t want to burden anyone with her personal problems. But being alone for as long as she had with no one but herself to talk to, it was bound to happen, eventually, and she had known that. Duke’s soft kiss between her shoulder blades when she finished caused her to open her eyes and flinch, then tense up a little as he rested his forehead against the back of her head. His words warmed her heart and lightened her mood. His words ‘I’m not leavin’ you alone again.’ replayed in her mind as she sat there, not really expecting to hear those words from him, especially after hearing Duke say he was going to stay a few days earlier. Did that mean he would stay longer or try to get her to go with him when he decided to leave?

When Duke’s fingers brushed over her ribs, around her waist, then his fingers wiggling between her stomach and bent leg to pull her into a hug against him, then followed by another kiss to her back, Esme felt her breath catch. Her elbow fell from her knee and she lifted her head from her arm. A soft smile made its way back to her face at what he said next, and she slowly let out the breath she was holding. Bringing her hand from her shoulder, she rested her hand and arm on his as he held her to him. Closing her eyes, she could feel herself relaxing and melting into his embrace as she sat there with him. Leaning her head back, she rested it on his shoulder with a light sigh, then brought her other hand to rest on both their arms. “I’m relieved to hear you’re not afraid or bothered.” she said, turning her face towards him, then rested her forehead against his neck.

“I don’t plan on becoming a tool again. I’ll try not to live in the past anymore.” she whispered, softly nuzzling her forehead against his neck. “Breathe? That’s easy…… Let it go? That’s a little easier said than done. It’s a bit hard to be like Elsa and let it go.” Her smile grew a little more at her last words, holding back a laugh that threatened to show itself as she realized what she said. She had used a line she’d heard Duke and Dean use before and she knew he would catch it. I’ve spent way too much time with them. she thought with an inward laugh. “And you’re forgiven, Bright Eyes. I should apologize for unloading on you. I didn’t intend to and I’m sorry.” She nuzzled her forehead against his neck again and sighed softly, then gave a small laugh. “But you know, I always had an easier time talking to you about things. You could always get me to talk about something, even if I didn’t want to. Maybe it’s because I knew you would listen until I finished, not pick it to pieces, and handle it in a calm manner.”

Supernatural - Hell On The Horizon

Esme Stirling

Esme had watched Duke as she spoke about how it was when he was around her and Dean. She watched him frown as she described how it was hard to keep her emotions in check, then saw his face relax when he heard to laugh in her tone. She was glad that he picked up on her not being upset by the experience, even though it was uncomfortable at times. Though she could admit it was quite strange having two men in love with her at the same time. When he rinsed more soap from her hair, she slightly tilted her head back again. She was also still aware of his unchanging grip around her, which was keeping all her senses heightened. When he commented on Flagstaff, she could only smile a little more and give a laugh as she could clearly remember Duke barking at Dean and almost getting himself shot. She was still convinced if she hadn’t had been there, Dean probably would have shot Duke.

As for him claiming being chained up with nothing to do but talk to her and wait to not turn was a needed break, she could understand that. Things had been rough before that day, and it was like they were getting a slight break while they waited to see if Duke would turn or not. She could still remember sitting in a chair across the room from him, with her arms crossed over her chest as she leaned back in it as they spoke to pass the time. Dean had been determined to not let her get too close to Duke in case he had turned, even with how adamant she was he wouldn’t turn. After she had turned serious and asked her question, she watched him shake his head with a small smile before he answered. She listened to every word that came from his mouth, and letting then roll around in her head. It brought her relief to know that it did not bother him and knew that she wouldn’t hurt him or use her abilities against him since she had plenty of chances in the past.

A smile started to come to Esme’s lips at the use of her nickname, but stopped when Duke took a deep breath and asked his question. What smile had made it to her lips faded, and a look of genuine hurt took over her features. She then carefully shifted back to her original position, slowly leaned forward, pulling herself from his grip, then bent her good leg and propped the elbow of her good arm on her knee. Bringing her arm towards her, she rested her hand on her shoulder and leaned her head against her arm with a heavy sigh. “How can you even ask me that?” she asked quietly as she closed her eyes. She fell silent as she sat there, her fingers curling up on her shoulder. “No, of course, I don’t want you to be bothered.” she finally breathed. “It’s just surprising to see you take the news so well. Most don’t take it as well as you have. They shy away or freak out and see me as a danger, a freak, a monster…...”

She closed her eyes tight as she remembered some of the times being an Empath had gotten her into some hairy situations. She mentally shook them from her thoughts and took a deep breath. “You of all people should know I don’t want you to see me that way. I need at least one person out of this group, other than Cason, to see me as somewhat normal and not a threat to them.” she told him. “I know Mika sees me as a threat because Dean and I have a past. She’s been nice, but I know it’s hard for her because she knows we still care about each other. I think she’s afraid I’ll try to take him from her, but that’s something I could never do to anyone…… I still don’t know why I stayed after finding out he was back from Hell other than Dean begging me to…… Maybe it’s because I don’t want to be alone anymore.” Her last sentences were hardly audible, as she mostly said them to herself.

Sighing heavily again, she fell silent and closed her eyes tighter for a moment before finally relaxing her face. “I’m tired of being seen as a freak. I'm tired of being feared, and I’m tired of being used as a tool because of what I can do just for someone else’s gain.” A shiver overtook her and her fingers curled in making a fist as she spoke about being used as a tool, it obviously triggering something. Esme took in a shuddered breath and her head dropped a bit. Duke didn’t have any idea how much she sometimes wish she could just turn it off or wished she wasn’t an Empath. Throughout the years, she had searched for ways or some sort of object that would block the emotions of others from hitting her so hard, but had found nothing until recently. Never in a million years would she had thought that something would have been a Hellhound. Even with knowing that, she couldn’t just go about her life with a Hellhound attached to her hip. She still needed to see if she could find something else that would work.