cathybites | She was lying there like a loaf of bread...

- THANK YOU FOR SPAMMING MY INBOX WITH YOUR FUCKING USELESS COMPLAINING ABOUT NEWPORT. *grumble*

- anyone who has ever ridden in my car can attest to the fact that I'm an aggressive driver (the best defense is a strong offense!). but living here in Jersey City? I am now, like, SUPER-aggressive driver. I manage to even shock myself at times with the way I drive. yikes. I might have to work on that.

- and OMG I TOTALLY FORGOT (how could I have forgotten?!!?!) BUT I AM GOING TO FLANVENTION THIS YEAR. EEEEEEEEE!!!

- some of the lists from this post.

5 Greatest Videos in Hair Metal History, for spacedye_vest

no particular order because it was hard enough picking out five.

1) "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi - years before nsync, the Jersey boys learned the true meaning of 'No Wayne, no pain'
2) "Cherry Pie" by Warrant - yes, it was crude and crass and blah blah whinecakes, but that's what hair metal is all about.
3) "Sweet Child o' Mine" by Guns 'n' Roses - it's a *pretty* video. I love the way it was shot and put together.
4) "Looks That Kill" by Mötley Crüe - this video is NUTS. one of the best examples of 80s videocrack EVER.
5) "We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister - it has Neidermeyer in it! plus, it's just such a classic.

5 Ways Dean Babies His Car, for babyofthegroup (aka, cathy knows nothing about cars)

1. The first time he slides the key in and revs her up, she growls and shudders a little, shooting a streak of excitement through his body. He smiles and names her Nadine.

2. He never takes her through a carwash because those fuckers always end up scratching the paint job (nevermind the numerous times Dean has done it with his rather free-form style of driving). Instead he does it by hand, with a hose, a bottle of Zymol Clear, and mitts and chamois, rubbing her down and rinsing her off until she's gleaming, sunlight sparkling off the chrome like a smile.

3. It costs him nearly twice as much, but he only ever uses synthetic in her. Changes it himself, too, because it gives him a chance to really get in there and see that everything's running okay. Feels up the belts, runs his hands over the engine block, checks to make sure everything is tight and in place. He knows that if anything were seriously wrong, she'd tell him, but sometimes he just likes the chance to take a good look at her.

4. After a particularly nasty incident with a gang of imps, Dean gets Nadine blessed regularly. It doesn't always work (case in point: that fucking bitch in white) but it makes him feel a little better, knowing that maybe she has her own guardian angel.

5. In the seven years that he's had her (and, yes, outside of his family, that's the longest relationship Dean has had), he's only ever let one person drive her. Nadine's his baby, his own flesh and blood shaped in steel and chrome, and if he can trust Sam with his own life, he guesses that he can trust him with hers.

5 Other Secrets Sam Is Keeping from Dean, for mellafe

1. When he was twelve, Sam borrowed Dean's favorite t-shirt, a faded grey Led Zeppelin t-shirt that he'd rescued from the Salvo. Sam pulled it over his head and stared at his reflection in the mirror, frowning at the way it hung loosely over his frame. Turning to the side, he pulled the shirt tight across his chest, sneering at his reflection. Turned again and he narrowed his eyes, trying to imagine what he'd look like at Dean's age - taller, stronger, fearless. Another quick turn and his feet slipped out from under him, sending him facefirst into the floor. When he sat up, blood flowed from his nose and without thinking, he grabbed the bottom of the shirt and used it to staunch the bleeding. Once it stopped, he peeled the shirt off, took one look at the crimson-stained fabric, and shoved it into the trash.

A few days later Dean asked him if he'd seen it. Sam focused on the book in front of him and said no.

2. Dean knows about the dreams. Or, he knows about some of them. Sam had told him that he'd dreamt about Jess's death for days, and that sometimes there are other ones, about people he's never met and prays that he never will, their screams and terror tasting slick and dark in the back of his mind. He gets shit about it from Dean now and then, but other than the initial shock of it, Dean seems to be okay with Sam's 'lameass Miss Cleo impersonation'.

Sam doesn't think Dean'd be so cool with the other dreams, the ones that burn the back of his eyes and light up every dark place within him whenever he looks at Dean.

3. Sam had spent his 21st birthday in the hospital. He'd been driving home from work - late shift as usual - and his vision had flickered, just for a moment, but it was long enough for him to miss the curve in the road and plow into a tree. He woke up in the hospital, ribs swathed in bandages and a cast on his left leg. When the cast finally came off, he had a long scar down the side of his thigh. He'd laughed at the time because Dean had a similar one, a gift from a chupacabra they had fought when Sam was fifteen.

Now and then he catches Dean eyeing the scar, mouth drawn tight over unasked questions, but he never says anything and Sam never explains.

4. Dean knows that Sam knows about Sue Mellinger, the first girl Dean had ever slept with - how could Sam not have known, with Dean bragging about it every fifteen minutes? Dean doesn't know that Sam also knows about Sue's brother Tom, who was four years older than Dean and gave Dean his first blowjob.

Sam knows - and Dean doesn't - because Tom was his first, too.

5. Once upon a time, Sam wanted to grow up to be just like Dean, to live in his skin, see the world the way Dean saw it. Sometimes, when it's late and Dean's curled up on his side, one hand tucked under his pillow and sleeping peacefully, Sam still wants that.