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#eh ill risk it
afniel · 7 months
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Every morning my brain spins a little wheel and picks what's going up be fucked up that day. Usually it's my pain perception or energy level, sometimes it's my mood, sometimes it's my sense of balance and I could do without that, but VERY OCCASIONALLY it will Mad Lib slap together, "TODAY'S BROKEN THING: your (noun:[ability]) (verb:[to sense that]) (object:[you are disabled])," and today is one of those days. I feel fucking good? I slept well? I jogged big sections of the way to lunch because I could? My legs didn't cramp up? I'm in a super good mood?
This happens so rarely that I actually register it as a problem and go through the day thinking, oh no have I finally developed bipolar, is this mania, and it's like, no, dipshit! It's functioning. Of course it feels good and you feel good about it. There's nothing wrong with having nothing wrong with me for a moment. You really don't understand how disability changes you until you're wondering if your temporary relief is a mental illness...
But enough of that, I'm having a good day and I hope everyone else is too, and if you aren't, I hope you'll have one very soon. 💜 ✌️
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quietwingsinthesky · 10 months
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thinking about angel banishing sigil tattoos on Sam & Dean, but in order to make them effective, they have to be tattooed with their own blood. Which apparently leads to the body reabsorbing the tattoo after a few weeks, so they’d have to do it constantly to stay safe. Sam & Dean committing to this ritual every few weeks… tattooing themselves in their own blood or maybe even each other’s…
#i do not think that is strictly healthy but this is Sam & Dean I don’t think they care#they just go ‘oh we can force our blood under each other’s skin to protect each other and leave a mark that anyone will be able to see?’#and then don’t think twice they just do it#oh 🥺 Dean being ready to do it from the get-go. if it’ll protect Sam. if it’s a bit of him for Sam to carry everywhere…#he’s got the blood drawn and the tattoo needle ready before Sam even says anything#but sam has to be convinced. what if his blood hurts Dean. what if he’s too corrupted to protect Dean like that.#but Dean coaxes him into doing it anyway. he’ll take the risk.#and then by the end they’ve both got matching blood tattoos along with their matching anti-possession ones#and they work too. Nick a finger and put the bleeding tip on the center of the tattoo and boom! banishing.#but they have to keep reapplying them as they’re reabsorbed…#which is probably a part they both like honestly. little bit of them is going to sink into the others bloodstream forever.#they are such freaks <3#spn#dean winchester#sam winchester#should I tag this wincest? I mean I wasn’t thinking about it I just think they’re Weird about each other#and like. what’s a little blood tattoo compared to being platonic life partners in your supernatural war bunker where you’re raising#a devil son right?#but I guess you could also look at this as a romantic thing or something.#eh. for the sake of people’s filters ill tag it:#wincest#I can see it. it could definitely be that.#look away dev
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fellwhite · 2 years
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(metroid dread spoilers) what if metroid was a girl? i think shed be a lesbean
No clue who that is
But hey, probably is
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laurelwinchester · 1 year
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at this point my doctor’s ‘’chill’’ demeanor is becoming a fucking problem
#i have chronic iron issues#i have to get my levels checked regularly#at my last check my levels were low so my doctor told me to take supplements#which would be fine except that i don't absorb supplements and she knows that#''eh just try and we'll see what happens'' i was told#what happened is that my ferritin level dropped to a fucking 2 and i am so ill i'm basically non functional#and now it's going to take longer to fix#i get that as a canadian i'm not allowed to complain about healthcare where americans can see it without risking being piled on#but canadian healthcare fucking sucks#it was borderline negligent before the pandemic collapsed the system#you go to your doctor and say ''something's wrong''#and they say ''here's a band aid if you don't die it wasn't serious if you do die it was that's pretty much all we're willing to do''#now you don't even get the fucking band aid#you get sick and you go to your doctor or the emergency room and you wait hours and days and months#and they look at you for five seconds and go ''oh damn this is bad lol thoughts and prayers off you go''#a thirty seven year old woman died in a nova scotia emergency room on new year's after waiting seven hours#she was in excruciating pain and kept telling her husband ''i think i'm dying'' and they kept brushing her off#she died slow and scared and in pain after lying on the dirty floor of an emergency room#she was essentially tortured to death and left behind children and a husband who had to sit there and watch her die like that#and it was completely preventable#and it will happen again in this country#it's probably happening somewhere right now#anyway now i get to go fight for the infusions i should have gotten months ago while i'm so ill i can't stand for longer than a few minutes#end rant#personal
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Edits | Ona Batlle x Reader
this request, enjoy :)
Ona is in her own world, tucked away in her little cubby in the changing room. The hand draped around her neck moves slightly, rubbing against her skin absently. Her bottom lip tucks tightly between her teeth momentarily before her jaw goes slack, she repeats the cycle every few seconds. Her eyes are focused on the phone screen, pupils dilated amorously at the video playing. 
Training would start soon and she knew better than to be doing this here with the risk of being caught too high, but it just happened. She couldn’t bring herself to just scroll past the fan made video, and it’s just impossible for her to only watch one. That’s how she ended up scrolling through the tag of your name the last ten minutes. Each video causes her head to spin a bit more than the last. 
“Ay,” she jumps, nearly dropping her phone at Patri’s loud voice interrupting her. “Jesus, what is that look? Are you ill?”
“You scared me. Don’t just walk up to people like that and no, I feel fine,” Ona mumbles out the last part, her cheeks turning a deep shade of crimson. 
Patri, always suspicious, looks her over before setting her sights on the phone in Ona’s hand. Without warning she grabs the device and moves out of the defender's reach. The pure shock at the action makes Ona freeze in her spot, unsure what to do next as she sees the girl focus on the screen. An unease setting in when Patri looks repeatedly between her and the phone several times before bursting into laughter. “What is this?”
Ona is grateful for the fact that the room is empty minus a few fellow stragglers getting ready for training. She finally regains motion in her legs and strides towards her teasing teammate, “nothing, give me the phone back.”
Ona’s attempt to grab the device is fruitless as Patri pulls it out of her reach, “you like?”
“No, it just popped up. Now give it back, we need to get to training,” Ona huffs, sighing in relief when she finally relinquishes the phone. She’s quick to exit out of the app and tuck her phone securely back in her bag. 
Ona doesn’t wait to hear what the midfielder has to say as she sprints off to training. She sees you first and as much as she wants to cozy up beside you like usual the embarrassment still lingers. She settles for sliding in beside Kiera for the morning meeting as she quickly regrets it when she sees Patri make her way out heading straight towards you. 
Patri looks right into Ona’s nervous eyes with a smirk as she bumps your shoulder playfully, making you laugh. Ona tries to pay attention as Jonatan gives his instructions for the day, but her eyes glance in the direction of you and Patri more than she cares to admit. A mix of nerves and jealousy surges through her each time she sees you chuckling at something Patri whispered. 
“Are you alright? You look fuming,” Kiera asks Ona as warmups get set to begin. 
“I’m fine,” Ona smiles, looking at Kiera and trying to pretend she doesn’t see you approaching. 
When you reach the two women in discussion you sling an arm around Ona’s shoulder, “hey, you feeling okay? Patri said you weren’t feeling well in the change room.”
Ona feels her heart racing at the concern etched in your features, “sí, all better,” she brushes off, wrapping an arm around your waist. 
Ona couldn’t resist falling into your embrace and it would be more weird if she didn’t. The two of you were close and had been since you played together at ManU. Ona is unsure when her attraction began, but she was sure it was something about seeing you with her childhood club crest on your chest that altered her brain. 
“I thought you were mad at me. We didn’t have our morning meeting cuddles,” you pout, looking her way with sad eyes.
“Gross,” Kiera mumbles, jogging off after feeling out of place in the conversation. 
Ona squeezes you tighter in apology, “never, my head was just a bit eh?”
Before you can respond and question her further Mariona is by your side, “chica, you look good today. What have you been doing?” 
A combination of her shamelessly roaming her eyes over your body, and the cute English falling from her mouth makes you blush, “Thanks Mario,” you chuckle as you feel Ona squeeze harshly at your waist. You look in the girl's direction, frowning when you see the daggers she’s shooting Mariona’s way. 
“With me?” She questions, gesturing towards the football at her feet. You once again feel the harsh squeeze at your waist. 
“Next time, I’ve got to talk to Oni about something,” you say apologetically. Mariona shrugs, sending you a wink and a teasing smirk in Ona’s direction that you see her roll her eyes at. “What was that?” You laugh.
“What?”
You squeeze her shoulder harshly like she did to you and she groans, pulling away, “why were you trying to rip her apart with your eyes?”
“She shouldn’t be looking at you like that,” Ona’s response is short, but direct as she distracts herself by dribbling the ball. “Why did you blush, you like her?”
You laugh at the very blatant jealousy, “Ona I don’t think she meant it like that, and no I don’t like her it was just cute.” She rolls her eyes, kicking the ball in your direction. “Would you be mad if she did?”
“No,” again her response is quick and you can’t help but laugh. “It’s not funny. Plus, she is not single,” she says it like she’s trying to convince you it’s a bad idea. 
“Okay Oni,” you laugh. The rest of training Ona is stuck to your side like velcro. You couldn’t make a single move without the girl by your side. You knew something was up when Lucy, Pina, and all the kids made their way over to you full of compliments.
While flattering you knew it was some inside joke that you were clearly not a part of. Ona however seemed very aware and in on whatever was happening, sending menacing glares in each girl’s direction. Ona made sure to remind you which ones were in a relationship, and why the ones that weren’t still were not the best option. ‘She’s too young, too annoying, your Spanish needs work, you two couldn’t communicate well.’ All very valid reasons, but you couldn’t help but tease her. 
“I don’t know, she’s kind of cute and maybe my Spanish will improve as we get to know each other.”
Ona’s arms are crossed and her gaze is one of annoyance, “no, I will teach you.” 
“Yeah, but she will buy me flowers and teach me. It’s different,” you wave her off. Another eye roll is sent your way before you see Ona take in a deep sigh spotting something behind you. You turn your head to see Patri coming your way.
“Hola, have lunch with me?” Again it’s the cuteness of the proposal that makes you bashful.
Before you get a chance to respond, Ona is stepping up to speak for you, “no, she is busy… we are busy!” She makes sure to emphasize the ‘we’ as she wraps an arm around you. A soft giggle escaping your mouth at the teasing smirk from Patri. 
“Okay seriously what is happening?” You chuckle out, looking between the two women in front of you. 
Patri sighs like she’s been holding something in forever and you start to straighten yourself up in case it’s serious. “I seen this… video of-” Ona slaps a hand against her mouth, effectively silencing her. 
“Patri, por favor,” she pleads, before switching to Catalan completely losing you in the conversation. You tilt your head in confusion as they both look your way and Ona drops her hand from the girl's mouth. 
“Maybe some other time amor,” Patri winks before heading off with the same teasing smirk in place. Ona groans, a frustrated hand sliding down her face. 
“So what was that? No fair when you speak Catalan you know I don’t understand,” you pout. 
“Patri caught me watching a… fan edit of you this morning,” you struggle to piece together the mumbled Spanglish briefly but you get it. A smile breaks across your face, eyes twinkling in delight at the rose colored cheeks in front of you. “That’s why they’ve all been so flirty and trying to rile me up all day. I mean no- I don’t know. You do look beautiful. I am sure they all mean things they say. I would, but yeah. I’m sorry, it is weird,” Ona rushes out, a look of relief and embarrassment flashing in her eyes. 
You soften at her distraught state, shrugging as you ask, “did I look good in the videos?” Ona lets her eyes flicker back towards yours, calming at the soft look on your face she nods with certainty. “Good enough that you would be willing to take me out?”
“Sí,” Ona nearly shouts, gaining a few curious looks from the team. “I mean sure if you wanted,” she tries to play it off casually. 
You tap your chin in thought, watching as Ona nervously tucks her bottom lip between her teeth. “You made me wait five years to finally get a date. I shouldn’t say yes so easily.”
“Qué?” Ona’s eyes widened. You roll your eyes, Ona was so oblivious it pained you. Ever since your time together at ManU you had been dropping hints. While you could’ve chosen to be a bit more direct you weren’t entirely sure she was actually interested. Plus there were times she was seeing other people and you’d completely give up hope. 
When you both came to Barcelona it felt like everything intensified on both sides, but still she made no actual move. You had officially made up your mind that the two of you were simply just going to be friends. “I’ve been waiting for you to ask since we were back in Manchester.”
“Oh?” Ona tries to look calm but you can nearly hear the drumming of her heart. “It is too late?”
“I never said that,” you laugh, quickly coming to your senses. “You’ll just have to work harder.”
A smug look comes to her face, the one you’ve come to adore. The defender's confidence is one of your favorite things about her. “Be ready tonight. I will pick you up at 7,” Ona sneaks a quick peck to your cheek before rushing off towards the building. 
“She finally asked?” You flinch at the sudden voice, too busy holding your burning cheek where she kissed you. 
You turn, seeing Keira standing beside you. She was one of the few people you’d actually confided in about your little dilemma with Ona over the years, “yeah she finally did,” you whisper dreamily. 
A fake gag falls from her mouth, “you are going to be even more insufferable now.” 
You can’t even deny it. You want to run around the pitch in excitement, but you contain yourself. Choosing to play it cool until you were alone. Who knew a little fan edit and some teasing was all it took to put things in motion. 
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itstheghostofmypast · 2 months
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Loyalties
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Kim HongJoong x (f) Detective Reader
Summary: He held her itty bitty heart in his bloody palm and she knew that, but did she love him enough to let him win his little game everytime? Did he love her enough to risk her safety?
Genre: Hurt/Comfort Fluff
Warnings: Joong's a perv (Idk okay), mention of gunshots, strong language.
Word Count: 2.5K
Read Time: 12 min
Rating: nc-17
Networks: @cromernet @k-labels
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She hated him, no she despised him, no she loathed that disgusting, horrid, weasel of a man. She despised his cheap ass fur coat, his unnecessary bling and those pants! Her blood would boil at the mere name of that demonic, immature moron, she despised every little detail about him; his angular face, his sharp eyes that would glimmer like the stars swirling with pure mischief, his light chuckle that would ring in her ears like the voice of an angel, oh and she really, really, abhorred the way he'd look at her, with the warmth of pure love - NO!
Mentally slapping herself she cleared her throat, rehearsing the first stanza of hatred that ran hot in her veins for the infamous leader of MATZ. Technically it was just two men, boys who were usually called in for petty crimes turned into men who were now challenging the system- a knock-off of any vigilante out there. Batman, Daredevil, even the Punisher, see these men had class and style- MATZ, well, they had style...but perhaps the fact that explaining how her once high school friends are now notorious criminals or wannabe Robinhood would be a bit difficult. Perhaps this little fact only added to her current presiding problem, one she had mentioned to her lover, explicitly mentioning her concerns; for the safety of his life and her professional career. Once again, that bastard let his deflated ego in the way, her words bouncing off it without ever reaching his useless, dysfunctional brain.
So, here she stood, in front of her captain, watching him go on and on about the need for order and justice, the need for law and police work, and more importantly the need for loyalty. Loyalty, a trait that was of importance, though her's was being questioned.
"Where do your loyalties lie detective?"
"With the force, Sir" With a salute she looked dead ahead, not at him, no, through him, trying to figure out the answer to this very question. Where did her loyalties lie?
"Then how is it, you've been leading the task force to capture MATZ for three years and each time you are close they miraculously slip away!" his large, meaty hands slammed on the table, her partner beside her flinching, though not a jerk left her bones. Instead, her eyes flickered to his face, instantly scanning his form, this man looked like anything but eh definition of justice, safety and security - if anything, he looked more like a criminal than that moron of hers.
"I assure you, Sergeant, my loyalties lie where my heart has ever since I was a little girl. My friendship with Joong- " pausing she cleared her throat, ignoring the way he raised a brow at he before glancing at her partner as if hinting at something "MATZ, both Kim Hongjoong and Park Seonghwa ended as soon as they started this life of crime."
"I don't trust you an ounce detective, not one bit." slumping back in his seat he stared up at her, "But the Captain trusts ya for some reason, believes you a good egg- I just think you're a cracked egg, too far gone for anything else- so I'll tell you this, I'm on to ya, I'll be watching you, listening to you, from the moment you step into his precinct ill be watching your every move."
.
"Well, that was something." Jongho muttered, closing the door behind him, "Do you...want to grab a bite or something?"
"I'm good." giving him a small smile she sat back at her desk, sifting through the papers, not a word written processing in her already occupied mind. The traffic of thoughts only stopped when a hand rested on hers, "I may be younger than you, but we're partners, and my mentor has always told to me trust my partner. "
His soft words, followed by his cute smile had her sigh in defeat, sitting back down and nodding, "Some mentor you have, huh?"
"She's the best of the best." Puffing up his chest with pride he placed his hands on her desk, "Now, what can I do, to make my mentor feel better."
"Nothing, really Jong, I- " her words caught up as she noticed something. Her eyes caught the way her system was on, the screen lit up, the mouse icon moving on its own, she was being - shit. Instantly reaching for the cable, she pulled the plug on the CPU.
"Um...did you see what I just saw?"
"Jongho, get Yunho and tell him to track whatever the hell that was."
"Yes, Ma'am."
.
The door slammed shut, the darkness just adding to her anger, of course, he wouldn't turn on the lights, no lamp or bulb, choosing to sit on the small balcony - maybe she should just push him off, the idea extremely tempting at this point.
Placing her badge and gun on the table she made her way to the small balcony at the other end of the living room, making sure to turn on a lamp on the way out. Sliding the door open she sighed, the cool breeze prickling her warm skin, a shiver running down her spine as she stepped out completely, barely missing the small table as she made her way to the seat her boyfriend was currently sprawled on, limbs extending like the roots of the potted plants behind him. His head lay against the cushioned headrest, turning his head to face her, an easy smile making its way to his face, the warm glow of the fairy lights from the wall beside him only adding onto his beautiful face, making him appear oh so soft and lovable.
"Hey babe." his words barely above a whisper.
"Joong~" she sang, slowly getting on top of him, making herself comfortable until she was fully straddling him, his hands automatically finding their place on her back, holding onto her tight, her arms loosely hanging around his neck, "Did you miss me?"
"You bet your pretty ass, I did," he mumbled, eying the way she moved closer, her chest pressed against his, fingers playing with the hair at the base of his head.
"Aw~ baby" she pouted before gripping onto the ends of his hair and tugging hard, his head tilting back as a whimper escaped him, damn, his girl was in the mood- or so he thought.
"I didn't you f*cker." her grip tightened, tilting his head further back with another tug, his own fingers digging into her sides, trying to keep some form of control.
"Why~" whining with his eyes closed, he treasured the burning sensation, his princess knew how to play and he liked it so very much.
"Did you get Youngie to tap into my system? Do you want me to get fired? Or do you want me to shoot you in the d*ck?"
"Aw baby~ it's just work." his eyes finally snapped open, standing up without warning as a high-pitched squeak left her lips, arms instantly locking around his neck, much like her legs around his waist, staring up at him wide-eyed.
A chuckle echoed in the dark of the night as his hands finally gripped her close, "Don't worry doll, I'd never let ya fall." Walking them into the apartment he looked down at her frowning, "Did someone piss off my princess ?"
"Joong, " sighing she glanced away, letting him carry her around like she weighed nothing, like she was a mere muse he was addicted to, clinging onto him, onto his fur coat- wait God, he was wearing the orange one, she hated it.
"Yes, love?" slowly setting her down on the bed he shrugged off his jacket, going to the cupboard to hang it, his precious baby wasn't cheap!
"I can only protect you if you trust me, but if you hack into my system or pull shit like that and they fire me, who knows what- I- I just can't lose you" her words clogging up in her throat, the burning sensation all too evident behind her eyes, " what I mean is" sighing she paused to rephrase, his casual attitude just adding to the frustration as he walked towards her, swaying like a cat, stopping right in front of her sitting form, "Hongjoong, I'm serious, with me, it is just a game of cat and mouse but if I get replaced, if its someone else, it'll be serious and they might even-"
"Shhh..." placing a finger on her lips he hushed her, his hand caressing her cheek, admiring how she nuzzled into his palm, "You know love, " he whispered leaning closer till their noses touched, "I am a very dangerous man, I am more than just your lover."
"But-"
"I'll lay off your system," brushing his lips against hers, "Detective." Pulling back he smiled down at her, admiring how she looked up at him with teary eyes filled with nothing but love and worry, letting his intrusive thoughts win and squishing her cheeks with one hand, laughing at her whining in protest.
His other hand pulled out something from his back, showing her the shiny metal toy of his, "If it were someone else, other than you, that f*cker would already be dead, you're the only reason why I haven't torn this system down to shreds." with one last kiss to the forehead, her lovable idiot of a man once again promised to stay out of her way, at least for a while.
.
"This is team two, The ground floor is clear."
He did it again, he must've done it again, no way in hell did he not do it.
"Team three reporting from floor 1, all clear."
"Boss" Jongho mumbled beside her, turning off his comm, "Did you tell him?"
Sighing she adjusted her bulletproof west as the two walked into the basement, "Yes, I told that bastard, my system wasn't tapped, I double-checked." Of course, her junior knew about her little relationship, she did teach him that a mentor and mentee should have no secrets, even ones like these. It didn't take him long to accept it either, saying something along the lines of, "Is he really that bad if he's fighting against a system that has failed us?"
"Because Yunho just texted me saying your phone was tapped instead. "
"I hate him."
"Team two reporting, roof's all clear boss."
"This doesn't look good," he mumbled, trailing hot on her heels as the two entered the basement, a parking lot with two entrances. They were going to split up, "We can't go empty-handed, we need something at least."
"I know. Let's split up, and be on your guard."
With that the two parted ways, her footsteps echoing across the empty parking lot, the scraping of her boots muffling the jingle of her gun, one that was aimed and ready to shoot. A low chuckle caught her ear.
"STOP RIGHT THERE." She yelled, turning to aim at the fool, his smirk pissing her off even more, "Don't.Move."
"Hey doll." the deep voice from beside her alerting her senses, "You should go check up on your partner, baby bear's knocked out like Goldilocks." Seonghwa chuckled, making his way to stand next to Hongjoong who had his hands up for a show, the smug look never leaving his face.
"Aw, come on detective, just let us go and we can call it a night."
A loud bang, followed by a series of bangs, resonated across the entire parking lot.
"ALL UNITS TO THE BASEMENT, NOW!"
.
"You okay?" she asked, pressing the icepack against the bump on his head, "Told you to wear the helmet."
"Are YOU okay?" he asked, others around them looking at their head's bulletproof jacket, staring at the four shots right across it. Though that's not what he meant, he was definitely asking about something else.
"Yeah, great actually." Patting her head she turned around when someone called her name, eying the office who handed her a phone, "It's the sergeant, detective." rolling her eyes she pressed it against her ear, "Hello?"
"Detective. I heard about the encounter but didn't think you had it in ya to shoot him. Glad the bulletproof vest worked though, you're a good agent, we can't risk losing. I take it back, you have my trust and support. Get home safe."
.
Slamming the door shut she sighed in relief, kicking off her shoes she made her way into the living room, oh? The lights were on, what a pleasant surprise, wonder what happened?
"Hey honey how was work?" she smirked, leaning against the wall, arms crossed as she watched her shirtless boyfriend glare back at her, both ignoring the other man in the room who was tending to the gunshot wound.
Raising a brow, he scoffed, "Oh great love I got shot today by a bitch-"
"I'm still holding my gun Joong, don't test me"
Slamming his hand on his thigh he yelled "YOU SHOT ME- you SHOT ME IN THE SHOULDER!" hissing in pain as Seonghwa clicked his tongue, mumbling a stay still as he patched up the hole. This was all he could do before Yeosang could come over and have a proper look at it.
"YOU TAPPED MY PHONE"
"WELL YOUR SERGEANT WAS GETTING TOO COZY WITH YA- man's a perv, I know it" he spat back, shoving Seonghwa out of the way with his free hand, earning a curse in return.
"HONGJOONG, HE WAS DOUBTING MY LOYALTIES!" she explained and pointed at herself, "AND YOU SHOT ME TOO!"
A dramatic gasp echoed across the room followed by a hand placed on his chest - his heart, mind you-, causing Seonghwa to roll his eyes, here we go again, he should've never befriended these two in high school. Mumbling to himself about their idiocy he walked out to the balcony, deciding to smoke instead of listening to these idiots.
"First of all, YOU shot ME first and" he yelled and turned to point at the balcony, "That motherf*cker shot you, not me! I agree four times was a bit excessive but hey you were the one who kept going on and on about us being too soft on ya." Turning to her with raised brows, "And loyalties? Babe, come on, I mean, you and I- like we like- I've been in you multiple times, day or night and-"
"CAN YOU NOT!" she screamed, gesturing at the open door of the balcony.
'I don't care, pretend I'm not here, that's what I'm pretending too!' was all they could hear from the balcony, causing her face to resemble a tomato, though her shameless boyfriend was as nonchalant as ever, continuing his little speech, half naked in the living room.
"All I'm saying is, I don't question your loyalties because I know you've got the hots for me like I completely get it, I'd wanna sleep with me too, but your creep of a boss knows his soggy sausage aint worth your time and-"
"I should've aimed for your d*ck"
"Would you really though? Cause I know you loyal to my d-"
"And this conversation is over." with that she stomped away, speed walking when she heard the loud cackles of Seonghwa followed by the laughter of her own idiot of a man. No, boys, they were still the same shameless teenage boys, she accidentally had the unfortunate fate of meeting in school, when she was nothing but a victim of loneliness, turning her grey dull days into chaotic, colourful ones pulled out of the ass of the rabbit in Alice in Wonderland.
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The Sticking Point 4
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Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as noncon, possible violence, illness, death, bullying, ableism, and other elements. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.
This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.
Summary: You are sent in the place of your ailing sister to marry a stranger. (Regency AU)
Character: Loki
Note: It's Friday. I'll probably try to chill. Work is wild yall.
As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me 💞
Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!)
Love you all. Take care. 💖
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There's a silence, weighed between three; Thor, Jane, and yourself. You feel is crushing you, resting across your chest, constricting your throat. You put your gloved fingertips on the table and rise.
"Pawdon," you cringe at your own voice, "I must see to my mother…"
Thor rises, Jane doesn't bother as she pats her stomach. You leave without further pretense. Your skirts ruffle around your slippers as you flee without true purpose.
It's an excuse. Your mother wouldn't want to see you, to be reminded of the burden she's left with. Your betrothed and his parents can hardly think better of the circumstance. Yet you loathe to think how it should be if this contract is declared null.
You enter the corridor and turn aimless towards the center of the house. Apart from the few rooms you've been shown into, you haven't much sense for the layout of the house. Loki never troubled to guide you and your mother kept herself cloistered up in her grief.
You shuffle forward. Perhaps a breath of fresh air or if you go so far as your chambers, you might hide in there. You proceed through to the drawing room and give pause. Low timbres in mid-hush, from behind a door not quite shut.
Your name escape the space between frame and clasp. You go no further, instead tiptoeing to hide behind a broad bookshelf, just between the hidden office and the entrance. You tamp down your breaths and listen, knowing you shouldn't, knowing you can only regret to hear the unbridled truth.
"...she can hardly speak a word…"
"Perhaps it is that you don't allow her too. You've always been one to do overly much speaking," Odin retorts, "Loki, have you considered her demureness may be a blessing? That the sort you are would do better with one who listens before they talk, eh? You could learn–"
"Father, she is not what I was promised."
"She holds the same bearing and she is not hideous. She's rather becoming, I think–"
"Oh yes, then why don't you have her? Have you tired of the maid already?"
"Careful, boy," Odin growls, "do not be so petulant. If you could restrain yourself you might realise what you've been given."
"A dumb mute–"
There's a strike of flesh on flesh. A grunt and a snarl, each from a different throat.
"She is to be your wife. Do not sow bitterness in the soil. You should pity that she must put up with an ingrate such as yourself. You are getting exactly as I promised, you will have your vineyard in Kyri, you will have an estate in tears when her father is regrettably gone… what else can I give you? Shall I cut my heart out?"
"If I refuse, I have Jade Park. It is mine by right."
"You haven't any right if you do not provide an heir to it," Odin rebuffs.
"She is not the only duke's daughter–"
"Of a dozen, I'm sure, but cruel as it is to say, they aren't all in queue for a second born."
"You needn't remind me. Thor has his pick, he may do as he pleases, and I get scraps!" Loki blusters, "fine, father, if only to rid myself of your mighty hand. I will marry and you will be gone from my estate. By my right!"
You press yourself to the wall and clamp your lips shut as Loki storms out. He has his hand on his cheek for a moment before tearing his fingers away. He does not look back as he crosses the chamber, stomping through the next doorway just as he sends a standing vase crashing to the floor with an angry swipe.
You stay stuck to the wall as you hear softer steps. It's too late to flee but the Grand Duke calls you out before you can think of it. Odin says your name just as he peeks around the bookcase.
"Apologies you had to witness my son's tantrum. At his age, you'd think he'd be past all that," he slants his lips tritely.
"Pawdon, yaw gwace, I didn't mean to intwude–"
"It mightn't have been your mission but along the way you did make the choice. I don't fault you that, curiosity is dangerous," he shakes his head, "I am ashamed, lady, to think my son is so stubborn and uncouth. It isn't how I've brought him up."
"It's… it's fine, yaw gwace, I know I am not… expected."
"Eh, none of us are, are we?" He tugs on his cravat with irritation, "what say you? Shall I show you the splendors of Jade Park as my sons steeps in his childishness?"
"Yaw gwace?"
"I presume you've not been given the proper look around. I admit my son is rightly jilted by me. I was rather reluctant to hand this over. It has ever been my most treasured property but even second sons need some value… and second daughters…" he offers his arm as he turns, "besides, it's been some years since a pretty young lady adorned my arm."
You look at his sleeve then his flinty hair. He does not censor himself but his truth is not mean. It is only just that. It is what is. You tuck your hand into the crook of his elbow and thank him softly.
"I should thank you, lady," he pats your hand, "I can appreciate someone who reveres silence."
He sets off, tugging you into step. You keep pace, comforted and for the first, at ease in this strange place. This place you must call home.
"We'll save the gardens, I've a little secret for you there."
🔹
“I must return to be sure the banns are read at perish, as they will be here,” your mother points Doreen to her luggage chest with her fan, giving a silent order. “Oh, to think, I must attend my daughter’s grave in the same week I sit to hear the other engaged.”
You’re silent, patient. You know it’s better to let your mother ramble than to interrupt. If any one cared to hear it, you might admit you’re not dismayed to see her leave.
“Be sure you behave. Your father and I made an effort to keep you aware of etiquette. Do mind your manners,” she chides.
“Yes, motha.”
“Oh, and…” she gives you a tortured look, “try to choose your words carefully.”
You nod. You know her meaning clearly. Avoid those syllables that underline your detriment.
“Good, good. Your father is devastated about your sister, you see? I must away.”
“I understand.”
“It isn’t so difficult to be a wife,” she comes close and looks you in your face, “it is part of being a woman. Give him an heir, or two, and you’ll have the rest of your life to be happy. Duty first.”
She touches your arm, squeezing it before she spins to remind Doreen not to forget her chain of pearls left on the vanity. You tuck your chin down and bite your lip.
Duty. What if your husband doesn’t do his? What if he cannot? If he is so repulsed by you, you might not even have the chance to provide him an heir.
🔹
As your mother departs, the Grand Duke and Duchess remain. The first son and Lady Jane take their leave as well, insisting on having the expectant wife home in case of a sudden labour. Even with a few additional guests, the house feels empty. You have only your novels and Doreen, and she is reticent company, a hard line drawn between you by status.
You tire of the pages. You’ve read them a dozen times at least. All of your books are well worn and near memorised. It’s easier to live in your head where you do not sound like a fool.
You approach the door and ponder without. You have a yearning to explore but a fear of what lays outside. You’ve never been much for social graces; you have neither tact nor eloquence. You tend to shy away and forget your posture.
You clutch the handle, battling your fear. You pull the door open, assured by the silence of the corridor, and emerge. You look right, then left, and turn to the former. You wander down to the door you recalled from your stroll with Odin.
The dark oak with the long vertical handles that spiraled at the top. You ease one open, edging quietly into the darkness within. You should’ve brought a candlestick but the windows allow enough light to limn the shelves and upholstered chairs around a single low table. 
You wade through the dull hue and stop before a shelf nearest the window, shifting a book to read the spine. Swift. You’ve not read anything by that author. You slide it loose and flip back the cover and flutter past the front page; A Tale of a Tub imprinted into the sheet.
You squint as you turn to the first page of cramped font. You bend your neck and turn towards a light, not realising the glow moves towards you, only focus on the unraveling of letters before you. A shadow nears until you are drawn up by its umbrous presence.
“Oh!” You gasp in surprise.
Loki looks down his nose as he holds a candlestick. You peer past him to the dark rectangle of the doorway that leads to the attached sitting room. You give a sheepish look to the floor as he reaches for the book in your hand. You let him slide it free, his thumb hooked over the pages before he snaps it shut in his hand.
“Satire. A musing of theology and science. Hardly a woman’s novel,” he remands. “My mother may have something to your preference.”
You take a step back and look at the window, the sun yellow and warm through the pane. You bring one hand up your arm to pinch your sleeve nervously. He is cold and you will never be used to it. A whole life to be spent in the tempest of his distaste.
“Funny, you should be repulsed by me?” He snorts.
You face him and feel the crease between your brows. He lets his eyes drift to the ceiling and gives a scoff. He spins on his heel and sets the candlestick on a tall table between the shelves.
“Let us not pretend either of us are happy. Even if you say little, it is written across your face. I saw it the moment we met. Then I heard you speak and I knew it was all a great joke on my behalf.”
You frown and squeeze your arm, keeping your arm bent across your front, like a shield, “what did you see… when we met?”
He shoves the book back on the shelf. You watch the fabric of his vest strain between his shoulders, almost admire how he’s folded his sleeves to the elbow, though the tops remain bloused. He tilts his head and strides along the wall of books.
“You act so innocent. I don’t believe it, not like the rest. You sit and pout and mope, expecting everyone to coddle you, to feel bad for you. I do not.”
“I do not act–”
“You lie like any woman does. Let us be clear, my wife will not lie. Not to me.” He turns and crosses his arms, leaning on the bookshelf, hooking one foot over the other. He takes a breath and lets it out slowly. “You will be quiet unless given leave to speak. I needn’t be further embarrassed. My father and brother have always made certain I am derided, you will not join them.”
“Loki–”
“Lord Laufeyson, husband, nothing else. Not your companion, not some kindred spirit, not anything but a convenience. A duty,” he raises a long finger as he speaks, “once I get a child on you, then we will be very much as we were before. Separate. Can you understand me?”
You bite down as hard as you can, until your jaw hurts. He speaks to you in the same tone your father used when he was agitated. He treats you like a child and yet, as Odin said, he acts like one himself. Spoiled and mean.
“I am not stupid, yaw gwace,” you say.
He narrows his eyes and stands straight, gripping his hips as he glares at you, “we’ve said all we need to say. You may go.”
You don’t move. Not right away. You don’t know why you don’t. Your heart is drumming and your ears are tingling.
“I am dismissing you,” he sneers.
You stare. Still regardless of the sharpness to his lilt.
He pulls his hands off his hips and balls them, posturing as he takes a step forward. You wince as a spasm of anger tics in his cheek.
You let the tension out of your jaw and drop your arm straight. You surrender but you do not hang your head as you turn to leave. You walk stiffly towards the door. As you reach it, he speaks again.
“Do not come in here again,” he bids.
You do not answer. You don’t argue. You don’t look back. You just go.
214 notes · View notes
eggtartz · 1 year
Note
ALIN YOUR WRITING IS PERFECT!! 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕
Could we have Chifuyu, Shinichiro, Mikey and Kazutora protecting the reader from perverts?
a/n : waittt my writing is still far from perfect 😭 but still thankyou for the compliment i just woke up so this made me smile a lot <333 thankyou for requesting anonnie and enjoy 🫶🏻
cw : sexual harassment, mentions of blood, violence
masterlist
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manjiro sano
- oh the harasser would be in very, very bad luck it seems
- you two just got done with another meeting of toman and mikey had changed his clothing, mikey said he was hungry for dessert
- so you two went to the mall where his favorite dessert store was
- he was excited upon seeing the scrumptious dessert that he accidentally let go of your hand and helped himself, selecting the dessert himself
- what he didn't noticed was how a group of men have been eyeing you from afar, specifically looking under your skirt while laughing. they've been closing their distance slowly too
- boldly, one of them tried groping your ass, the action going unnoticed by you until his wrist got twisted
- "try that again, i dare you" mikey said with empty eyes. mikey kept twisting his hand until he heard a crack, making the group scatter away
- "mikey did you just-?"
- "no worries bubs, he just cracked a bone. now, let's go pick some dessert!"
kazutora hanemiya
- kazutora had a lot of regular visits that comes to see him at juvana and one of those regular visitors are you
- you have bought him a lot of meals from home, or trinkets that reminds him of him, subtlety a way to tell him to come home soon and stay out of trouble
- but does kazutora follows them? no, no he doesn't.
- and he would risk everything to defend you including hitting the skull of some men that has been talking ill about you
- talk shit about him all they want, he doesn't care. but talking about you in a filthy way? kazutora doesn't allow that
- "say hanemiya your cute girlfriend there comes everyday eh? think we could share her?" he laughed
- his head ended up getting multiple hits on the concrete wall of the cell, kazutora stopping only because the officer held him back
- "i'll kill you, i'll kill you" kazutora said with bloodshot eyes, his hands bloody and the wall bloody too
chifuyu matsuno
- he had an exhausting day at the pet shop and the only thing that kept him at bay was your smile while you were assisting him
- kazutora couldn't come in today so you took his place, hoping to help your boyfriend as well as you could
- although your short skirt has been nothing but a distraction to him and also some of his customers. it wasn't too short however the wind from the ac blasting into the store made the skirt hitched.
- you were intending to change to wear trousers but your home was a bit far from the shop and you felt it was troublesome plus the shop was about to close so you endured the best you can
- you tried bringing down your skirt a lot only for it to hitch up again
- chifuyu that notices your discomfort walks over and ties his jacket around your waist
- he gave you an assuring smile and went back to the counter, a man standing there gawking at you. he didn't even noticed chifuyu in front of him
- "excuse me, if you have no business instead of gawking at that employees skirt, i suggest you get out. and maybe don't come back" chifuyu said with a monotone voice, his words attracting disgusting stares from the other customers there
- they started whispering at each other about the perverted customer that he left without a word, hurriedly
- "you're good, don't worry" he mouthed at you before continuing his work
shinichiro sano
- the man was tinkering an engine his customer just send in, and his hands were busy
- you bought a bento box for him because you knew the man would overwork himself, him not even realizing it
- "oh thankyou honey, wanna eat together and help me out a bit?"
- "but i don't know these kind of stuff.."
- "don't need to honey, just lend me the tools when i ask you. okay?"
- "okay!" you two sat there on the floor, eating the bento box you have packed, rice with fish with side dishes.
- after eating the meal, you sat on a stool beside your boyfriend who gave you instructions to lend him multiple tools like a wrench, a screwdriver
- "but love this isn't a screwdriver.."
- "it isn't?!"
- while shinichiro was busy tinkering away, you have moved somewhere else to search for what shinichiro needed
- you bent down and found the item only for you to bump on a chest after that. your body grew stiff, reading that isn't your boyfriend
- "what are you doing here sweetpea? lost? want me to help you hm?" he tried to grab your hand but you accidentally swung the tool you had in your hand while screaming
- shinichiro came to look when he heard your scream and saw the man's head bloody and him wincing in pain "damn you psycho!" he said
- you explained the situation to shin, him nodding a lot and he felt guilty afterwards, that he wasn't there to protect you
- he started hiring his ex gang members as employees since that for.. safety precautions
822 notes · View notes
todoabi · 4 months
Text
Secret Santa!!
Okay so, I participated in the secret Santa that @gt-jar made, and who did I get as a giftee? none other than @sheena-yuet ! gosh, I didn't know how to even start, as they're so very talented and I could never compare, but at any rate, I hope you like this:
I was told you like reunion stories, and since you love g\t I assumed you watched The Secret World of Arrietty (I apologize if you hadn't, but if you hadn't please do!) and made a little sketch plus a tiny story of Sho reuniting with Arrietty years after the movie ends.
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"I can't believe it, Arrietty, I thought I'd never see you again!" Sho said, tearing up. It has been years since they last saw each other- when Arrietty came to say goodbye to him since she and her parents had to leave for a new home after getting discovered. Destiny must have done backflips to get them to meet again after the miles and miles that Arrietty and her family traveled to find a new house to settle in and borrow.
"Sho... This is so... I can't believe it either..." She had no words to say. She saw him through the grass leaves in the front garden, as he arrived at the new house they were hiding in, and couldn't not show herself to him. She had to come to say hi. Arietty has been thinking about him and their adventures together ever since they happened. How could she ever forget him? As the only human she'd ever met that has been compassionate and kind to her, and she couldn't help but feel safe with him.
"How did you find this place? Do you live here now?" He started asking her questions, his mouth rambling. This was new, Arrietty thought, He'd never been so expressive. He seems to have healed from his illness.
'"I... I can't tell you that... I'm sorry. I can't risk our lives again." She sighed. His expression made her heart ache. He looked disappointed but understanding. "But... how have you been? you seem happier."
"Yeah, I've moved out from my mother's house. I live in the city now, far away. This is the place of my close friend from school, I came to visit." He placed her on the ground, thinking the surface of his hands was too uneven for her- she did look uncomfortable when she realized he was holding her.
"That's nice... I wish I could see it." She said as Sho sat down next to her on the steps to the front porch. She sat down as well.
"Eh, it's not so special. Just lots and lots of humans living very close to each other, nothing like the countryside." Sho looked out towards the beautiful garden and past it at the fields beyond it. Arrietty couldn't see his face from below, where she sat. His giant hand was resting right next to her, reminding her of how enormous he was and why they could never have a real friendship.
The sun has begun to set as the clouds turned a pinkish orange. Arrietty rarely found herself watching the sky, given most of her surroundings were obscuring the view above her. Sho then sighed and looked down at her.
"I'm glad to know you're alright. I've been thinking of you ever since we said goodbye." He said with a smile.
"I feel the same way." She looked up at him and smiled back. Then her face suddenly saddened and she looked away. Sho didn't need to ask to know what she was thinking about. They were living in two different worlds and were destined to be apart. He then felt her tiny hand resting on his index finger. He looked back down.
"I... have to go... My parents will freak out if I'm late for dinner." She chuckled. "It was nice to see you, though."
"Oh... I see... I-it was nice seeing you, too. Please take care, Arrietty." Sho then saddened as well. He wished they could make this moment stretch even a little bit longer. He knew he might not see her ever again. Looking at her, examening her face as she got up, he suddenly picked her up and hugged her close to his chest.
Arrietty felt her stomach drop when he suddenly swept his hand under her feet and held her up. She opened her mouth to shout but nothing came out. When the terrifying feeling of getting picked up went away, she realized that was his way of trying a hug. So her heart softened and she hugged him back. She could feel heat radiation off of both his palms and his chest.
After a few moments he placed her back down on the floor, and watched her run off and disappear in the grass. Sho's heart wished he'd be lucky again to see her one more time. And just at that moment, The front door opened and his friend greeted him in a warm hug. Sho returned the hug, but his head was somewhere else, wondering where she was now, and hoping she would be okay.
______
Hope you liked it, Sheena! and marry christmas to you!
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jess-themess05 · 2 years
Note
Favorite fics?
oh geez. i’m gonna try keep it sweet and simple less i go on and make it unbearable to read. also these summaries are gonna be terrible but i think all of these are gonna be fnaf sun and moon fics i’m SORRY ITS IN MY HEAD BUT ANYWAYS- SHORT N SWEET LES GO
A Dose of Sunshine and Starlight - @give-me-your-monsters a slow burn w/ lots of angst and bittersweet-ness aww but you are all mentally ill.
Bug Love - @theohnocorral the boys are now bug-ified gods and take a liking to a mortal who probably apologies to inanimate objects
Universal Jesters - @lovelymoonmagic you accidentally become the handler to pair of bots with memory loss and mystery trauma
it was, in reality, not fine - @bones-of-a-rabbit you, the reader, have the self preservation skills as a bowl of soup. also oblivious to love hehe
Late Night to Early Morning - Loyal_Backstabber reader meets neglected robot clowns and vows to risk their life for them
Solar Lunacy - @bamsara its- ITS SOLAR LUNACY. anyways you meet certified murder robots and say i can fix em, they’re gonna fix u too.
copper cogs rusted through - @paper-lilypie “oh what’s this, one of these jesters tried killing me? eh it’s fine” then you fall in love
Rotating Shifts - LightningTriceratops protag mistakes sun for unconscious, jaundice ridden man and realizes he’s a robot with a not dead brother and separation anxiety
basically ANYTHINGGG by @naffeclipse , but the first story i ever read from them was In Deep Dreams Between the Waves very different fro, eclipse in sleuth jesters cause he’s actually decent. (also poor vanessa girl don’t get a break)
Clowning Around - EngageSage you overcome your anxiety to protect a poor jester, and are fueled by spite to fuck up moon man for being a certified bitch
Celestial hearts in a purple mind - @kabra-malvada *finds ominous object* *touches it* *is shocked to find they are possessed*
Twin Animatronics With Too Much Time on Their Hands - @twinanimatronics & @dana-chan-the-control-brain you fall in love and fight the temptation to resurrect a dead dude and kill him again
The Night Shift - @certified-handler oopsie you now work with a needy jester who sweeps you off your feet, even more oopsie he turns into a psychopath when the lights go out and triple oopsie you fall in love with HIM too
Star Crossed Souls - @faz-friendly-light-up-shoes reader said “god give me a sign i’ll find love.” gets the sign, and ignores it
404: Personal Space Not Found - CrazedAuthor anxiety filled individual thinks they will be fixed by a child supervisor, gets surprised by his stab happy twin
Celestial Syzygy - @echoingkarma you’re like the jack of all trades, including befriending animatronics who may or may not hate you (and want to maim you) you are probably underpaid.
My Neighbor Mr. Roboto - @kagedbird oh what’s this? you think moving into your new apartment will be simple and boring? WRONG there’s a robot in your closet. and everywhere- why are there so many-
Apology Flowers and Blooming Hours - @daunsun you’d think sentient flowers would have no angsty backstory huh? well actually...
Our Orbit is Elliptical - @sycopomp like your intrusive thoughts came to life, and you choose to ignore them
Lost and Found - SmolShampoo technology is so cool right guys? you got ai, and that ai can get traumatized! how cool??
Stare at the Abyss; It Might Look Back - @characcoon reader becomes a human punching bag and finds new rusty robot roommates. once they escape a deteriorating child’s play place they walked into
Ventura Highway - @madamemiz says “hey is anyone gonna take this robot?” and doesn’t wait for an answer.
Repaired Unstable - @blonde-fraumell you decide to work alongside your childhood friend! oh how non threatening he was- hey why’s this man TEN FEET TALL. and why’s this other man so kickable.
also, obligatory mer may fics! even though it’s no longer may these are still being updated :D
Luminescent Charm - @finfiprince reader finds the fishy dudes they saved as a kid in a cage, continues to spite god until they can save them
Celestial Omens (that really like Fishsticks) - @bamsara (again yes) you save two scared bastard fish and feed them in your bathroom, a decade later they see u and go “well they gave us fishsticks no drowning for them”
The Sea Jesters are Real Science - MatosaurusRex & sixty_nine13 your idol hires you to take care of real life mer! wow! unfortunately being their therapist wasn’t in the contract
Pisces Caelestis - S_V i’m a little scared of reader. they got attacked by a mer and passed out for 3 days and said “yeah lmao i’ll be fine” nO YOU WONT-
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wonderinc-sonic · 3 months
Text
TDW 4 - "Medicine for Malware" on Ao3
2.7k Gen, All Audiences
Slice of Life, Illness, germaphobia, Silly, Domestic, Post-Comic Arc: Metal Virus (Sonic the Hedgehog)
TDW 4: Creation // Malfunction - I chose Malfunction
Shadow takes any potential malady a bit too seriously, but when it comes to friends it really can't take risks.
Shadow started the coffee machine in Rouge's kitchen. Once the beans had crushed for her drink, it snuck a few out the top that hadn't gone through the grinder, crunching furtively. It flicked its ears back to face away from the whirring.
She was under a blanket, and on the phone to some sister, or friend from school, or whoever else Rouge knew. They were laughing about something.
"That's so grim. A judge couldn't drag that out of me!" She cackled. The person on the other end said something that made her snort even more, then said something else. Rouge was quiet for a moment, flicking through something on her phone.
"Oh, god, that was tomorrow. I'm gonna have to pass, I'm, er, actually not feeling well. Sure, I mean I didn't wanna say, kill the vibe, but yeah it's kinda nasty. Uh huh, don't think I should go far from the bathroom. God, no don't catch it. Oh, thanks I will. You have a lovely time! I, er, actually gotta go right now, see-ya-mwamwa-bye-" she hung up the phone with urgency, then leant back on the sofa and smiled to herself, tucking the blanket under her chin.
"A-hem! Barista?"
Shadow plonked the mug in her hand and rolled its eyes.
"What?" She shrugged.
"Why lie? You should say you don't want to go."
She blew on the foam and smiled toothily; "The plan was to set her up with the only other person who won't bail, somewhere they're in bikinis. I think it'll go swimmingly."
"That's invasive of you."
"Sure is! But it wasn't a total lie, I don't feel great, and I would rather stay in."
Shadow's fur stood on end, but it didn't move. Rouge didn't notice, flicking through the TV channels unimpressed.
"You feel ill?"
"Enough to sit in front of the sofa and be waited on, sure."
"What are your symptoms?"
"Eh? Oh, nothing that bad. Usual stuff, y'know. I just don't fancy a waterpark."
"Is it the caffeine? I will take this away. Dairy is also an irritant to the gut."
"What- no, it's not food! I just want to stay in and rest, I'm tired. What's wrong?"
Shadow took the coffee from her hand and poured it down the sink, holding the mug with only its fingertips, and took a deep breath. It disappeared into a room, which she thought was odd until she realised it was her room.
"Oi- what are you doing? Get out of there!"
It reappeared, and let the breath go, having opened all the windows in her room and placed the washing up bowl next to her nightstand.
"Go to bed."
"Go to hell! This is my house, don't tell me what to do!"
"Bed. Now. You're ill. I will manage all duties. Do not move fast, but go immediately."
She tilted her head, but scooped up the blankets and her phone and laptop.
"Well whatever, weirdo. I didn't wanna hang out with you anyway. Sure, you wanna do things for me? Go buy my shopping, then, and do a couple loads of laundry while you're at it. I want takeaway for dinner, and it better be nice. That's what this terrible disease demands - chop chop!" She huffed, and it distinctly thought it heard the word 'dumbass' as she closed the door.
Shadow threw its gloves in the washing machine, and started scrubbing down its hands, arms and face in the kitchen sink. It cleaned the surfaces with a bleach cleaner, and put every soft fabric surface in the washing machine too, setting it to very hot. It finished opening the windows in the flat, and stared out, hands shaking.
Tests would be needed, and Shadow would of course need to administer them to reduce any further contact, at risk of picking up a greater potential viral load. They would need a double seal on the entryway for incoming supplies, or some method of receiving from the outside world that couldnt transmit disease...
Shadow tapped out a message to E-123 Omega with trembling bare fingers.
It could hear the sounds of banal television from Rouge's room when Omega arrived with ample groceries and a bit less ammunition than he set off with.
"I do not like Waitruse. I am coincidentally no longer welcome in Waitruse."
"Clean yourself down this instance." Shadow barked, tossing a cloth and isopropyl alcohol to Omega, who dropped all the shopping and caught both. Shadow laid a bowl of soup and bottle of still water on a tray in front of him, with a little packet from the shopping bags.
"Take this to her, then immediately clean yourself again. Take her temperature, the instructions are here."
Omega looked dimly over the sealed thermometer, and barged open Rouge's bedroom door, as Shadow darted to the window to breathe the clean air.
"Why are you in bed?"
"I've been sent to bed, oh thank god some lunch. Has it done my washing yet? I want my fuzzy slippers. And make it fill my hot water bottle. And kick it, just because." Rouge yawned, taking the soup and eyeing Omega's shining chest.
"Did you wash?"
"I was forced to. What is your core temperature reading?"
"How should I know? Normal temperature? I'm fine."
"Puny meatbag, insufficient internal data. I will perform manual test."
Rouge huffed and put the soup down, then shuffled up in her bed as a thermometer was stuffed in her mouth.
"38.5°C. Within normal range of Bat. Why is Shadow afraid of you?" Omega huffed.
Rouge blinked dimly, and paused the sitcom as she thought.
"Is it? I thought it was angry with me? Shadow! Why are you scared?" She shouted through the door, but Omega stopped her.
"You will leave until we know it is Shadow who is faulty. I will reconvene."
As he shut the door, Shadow was spraying him down.
"She is bat temperature."
"Go back in with this kit."
"Query: why are you cleaning me again? Illogical order of events. Clean once after contamination."
Shadow huffed, and threw some testing kits at Omega.
On the other side of the door, Rouge groaned.
"Oh my god, is it some kind of germophobe now? Honestly, one zombie apocalypse and everyone and their granny is a virus expert." She grumbled, sticking a swab up her nose as instructed.
"Unclear: are you malfunctioning? Rouge is not known for compliance with orders."
"No. I wanted to laze around today anyway. It's normal, Omega, don't let Shadow spook you."
"If Shadow is wrong, why comply with its idiocy?"
"Because my stomach aches and I don't want to fight right now. If it wants to spend the day playing doctor, then it can knock itself out. You done? Thanks for the soup. Now go play somewhere else, apparently I'm contagious." She growled, stuffing the completed tests into his hands and shuffling back into bed. Omega left, something nervous churning in his core processor.
Shadow took the tests in a pair of rubber gloves and laid them out on labels it had prepared.
"Clean yourself off, and you can go. You are highly unlikely to incubate a disease."
"Query: why am I expendable to infection?"
Shadow glared at him, and shook its head like he was being stupid.
"You're a machine. We have no evidence you can be infected with anything biological. I am apparently not so fortunate. I'll have to stay isolated too."
When Omega stared nonplussed, it sighed, covering each little test strip with a glass as it expanded:
"On the ARK new crew spent 3 weeks in solitary confinement, sealed with a different air cycling system. I thought it was excessive, but I see now..." Shadow stopped, bearing its teeth and closing its hands into fists.
"It was only with those careful measures that Maria could stay well. Even the smallest illness in mortals can be deadly. And you are less likely to carry transmissable diseases than I, even if I don't become as unwell as others."
Omega's head felt light again as he thought about how deadly mobian infections had proved they could be. He spread his arms out to let the excess heat leave his body quicker.
"... Concern level unwarranted. Rouge is lazy, hungry and grumpy: she is clearly in normal Rouge condition."
Shadow tutted its tongue, and scrubbed its hands again, before it began to sanitise the shopping. It quirked its ear back as Omega whirred hard.
"What? Are you thinking? Try not to."
"Unit has no thoughts."
"Lies, your fans are going."
Omega looked down at his chest and bonked the fans.
"Nothing can be wrong. They are... congested, working theory. Take them out immediately."
Shadow frowned, but took a screwdriver to Omega's chest. When its damp hands touched the barrel the water hissed.
"You are very warm. Something is wrong."
"Ridiculous! Robots are immune to fever."
"I know. I meant mechanically."
"Query: can machines run a fever? Time sensitive. Urgent. Respond now."
"No. I just said that, calm down."
"Secondary opinion required! Acquire more testing aparatus!"
"You want a swab? For what? How do you suppose you'll get a saliva sample?"
Omega spun his wrists in panic, and clanked to the ground as Shadow tripped the back of his knee.
"I am in peril!"
"You are incorrigible. Sit down, I'll check inside."
"Urgent: Shadow is machine and meat. Shadow is susceptible to all viruses! Beware my malware!"
Shadow flexed its hands in and out of fists, and bore its teeth.
"I'll risk it. Stop moving."
It opened his chest, and started carefully unpacking the wires.
"Beep. Beep. Beep." Omega trilled rhythmically while it laid all the pieces out on the floor meticulously, digging for his fans. As Shadow's fingers came close to the motherboard, the beeping surely sped up, because it was in tune with its own hammering heart. Something hissed and rumbled in the background, and it wiped sweat from its brow. It had watched Rouge do this thousands of times, but what was that blue coil again? It touched a latch carefully.
"Ooh, wouldn't do that if I were you." Rouge whispered over its shoulder.
Shadow sprang from Omega and her, clinging to the curtains where it landed. Omega gasped dramatically.
"Urgent! What has it touched! Shadow has forsaken its brother!"
Rouge tittered, and stuck her hand boldly into Omega, cuddling a freshly filled hot water bottle to her stomach.
"Rouge must leave! This unit is compromised by her diseases!"
"More like my fur - when did you last clean your fans, Omega?" She huffed, yanking a greyish mound made of white fur and black spines from one of his fans.
"Get back in your room! I can't help you if you make me sick!" Shadow hissed, as Rouge glared at it, clipping Omega's chest back on. He whirred his fans fast, but they only whooshed this time, instead of roaring.
"Why did you open his whole chest instead of the back panel to get to his fans? Are you feeling alright, idiot?"
"Critical Failure: Rouge's malady is spread to Shadow! The whole team is compromised."
Rouge clutched the hot water bottle and pulled herself up, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Do I need to explain to you two there are some things you literally cannot catch? Beyond yourselves not being susceptible, but completely uncontagious? Are you that dense?"
Omega scratched at the nape of his neck, trying to open the panel with his finger. Shadow climbed down the curtain and unscrewed it, eyeing Rouge carefully as Omega's fans were exposed and spluttered out more fluff and dust.
"... I thought I couldn't catch and spread anything. That was my design, I never doubted it was true. I won't make the same mistake twice."
Rouge pinched the bridge of her nose and nodded.
"Right. I get that. But, you never used to think I'm dying when I got a headache, or try to take Omega apart when he's a bit dirty. You're gonna have to go back to that."
Shadow nodded, but visibly leant away from her still. She sighed.
"Shadow, I'm so confident, I'd bet... my whole fridge that you won't catch what I have. Does that ease anything?"
"Fridge is replacable. I won't go out until we are passed the infection window."
"I would bet the whole house."
"It isn't actually yours."
Rouge clapped a hand on Omega's metal body: "I bet the 'bot you can't get what I have. So stop worrying." She smiled tiredly at Shadow, and it weighed up how serious she could be.
"This unit is not a pawn! Omega is Queen of Chess Board!"
"So I win Omega if I get sick? Perhaps that's a fair deal." It smirked slightly, as Omega spun his head between them.
"Oh sure, buddy, I'm that confident you'll be fine. And if I'm right?"
"Well, you can have Omega, obviously."
"Protestation! This is not obvious!"
"Fine, I guess I'll take Omega. How about I'll keep him for now, and when you catch my period, you can come claim him, how's that?"
"... that didn't occur to me. Fine, you win Omega."
"Idiot. I change my mind, I don't want just him. If you lose, you can keep serving me til I'm 'better'. And I am going back to bed. Actually, Omega: you're mine now so princess carry me. Then make me a mocha."
"This unit did not consent to bet!"
"Caffeine is still an irritant-"
"Irritant yourself."
"-As is your fur to his fans. You shouldn't keep him in your room, it's filthy in there." Shadow huffed, shunting the fur tumbleweed around with his toes.
"Oh, you're volunteering to clean that too? How thoughtful!"
Omega growled metalically.
"Conversation Moot! This unit is not won! He will go wherever he wants!" Omega huffed, and Rouge tapped a hand on his forehead, shushing softly.
"Careful, all that bluster has you feeling a little warm, big guy! What was that talk of malware? Maybe you need some soup and a bath?" She laughed softly, but put herself to bed. Omega turned on his heel and plugged himself into the internet port, downloading an antivirus update.
In just twenty minutes, he was in a half-sleep mode, whirring away at the foot of Rouge's bed, while she flicked through crap TV. Shadow lay on top of the duvet criticising everything, and flinching everytime she groaned. She shifted in her bed, and its ears pinned back to its head.
"Really not a big deal, Shadow."
Shadow nodded, staring at the screen.
"You wanna talk?"
It shook its head.
"Fine by me." She snickered, and they both groaned at a laugh track, so Rouge changed the channel again.
"You..." Shadow began, then shook its head.
"I? Moi? My favourite topic?"
"You have to take care of yourself. Don't get ill."
"I won't try to."
"Good."
"But I'm not making a promise."
Shadow sniffed, and exhaled a low growl, staring at the nature documentary before them.
"It's gonna be fine, Shadow."
It hummed back.
"I'm not weak, and I'm not planning on hitting my deathbed anytime soon. I've got to spend at least a few more years getting mad at you before I have to say something inspirational and check out."
She chuckled to herself, but Shadow shook its head hard.
"You can't live being scared of people getting sick, Shadow. You don't even remember most of the virus."
"not scared. Cautious. And not remembering is what's unnerving. Yet,"
Shadow stopped himself, watching a killer whale pack corner a baby seal in awe.
"Yet?"
"... yet I'm glad I wasn't in your shoes."
Rouge sniffed.
"You would have coped."
"Naturally."
The baby seal was thrown between the Orcas.
"But I guess it's fair. I mean, you'll do your turn of... holding down the fort."
"Supposedly. I don't know what I believe anymore. Perhaps Omega will have to live on without us."
"Omega alone? Harrowing. What say you, big guy?" Rouge snickered, kicking the back of his head.
Omega jerked awake, eyes whirring before he pointed at the screen, where the baby seal's body was being tossed around by the orcas.
"Excellent. The sports channel has been found." He remarked, standing up to stare at the screen, tapping his feet with glee.
"He'll be fine." She nodded.
@teamdarkweek
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fluffyhare · 2 months
Text
Like Real People Do, Part 3! ♡ (Casper x Avery)
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☁️ Summary: Avery explains where he's from and why he lives in the lighthouse. Casper takes Avery to the fair. Things get a bit more interesting between them.
☁️ Warnings: Very mild suggestive language, mild emotional scene, Real Actual Tickling™ This is a series now!
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3 *you are here
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
If you just got here and want to know more about my characters, you can read my comic starting right here!
"Wait, what? If you can do that, why didn't you do it when we met? Weren't you afraid I'd freak out?"
"Well... it takes a lot of energy, and it's not something I can do at the drop of a hat, either. It takes time to spin up. It also wears off after about an hour," he explained, pausing for a moment to take a sip of his drink, "and, yes... I was afraid you would freak out, but I also didn't know how long you would be unconscious. You were out for about twelve hours... I can't hold it for that long."
Avery shifted pensively on the couch, his eyes not meeting mine. My heart sank. He'd only been in my apartment for half an hour, and I had already upset him.
"Look, we don't have to do this if you don't want to. Please don't feel pressured to agree, okay? I won't be upset. We can do something else."
"Please don't misunderstand. I really want to go! I've admired the Ferris wheel from my lighthouse many nights; I've always wanted to see it up close. It's just that, I've never been around that many humans at once before. I'm concerned I won't... behave correctly. Casper, I... I don't want to get you in trouble, or embarrass you."
I stared at him, dumbfounded. I had to admit, it did make sense for a man whose only social interactions were Internet-based to be concerned about his first social outing. I just couldn't believe he was worried about embarrassing me. I shook my head, snorting.
"Dude, there's nothing you could do that would embarrass me, I am so cringe already on my own. As far as getting me in trouble, eh. I've been in trouble before," I said, smirking coolly. That was a lie. I was a total goody-goody who'd never gotten so much as a speeding ticket, but I was willing to risk it for him.
Avery chuckled uncomfortably. He still would not look at me. "So have I."
My eyes widened.
"Holy shit, like, with the law? Avery, you? What did you do?" It was hard to imagine this straight-laced man, in his neat little button-down and slacks, had done anything wrong in his life, much less run into legal trouble.
Avery looked down at his hands, then inhaled deeply. "To answer that, I think it would be appropriate to first explain why I'm here, living in that abandoned lighthouse, in the first place.
"I am from a place called Cirropa, way up in the mesosphere: The highest level of the atmosphere where clouds can still form. Your scientists think that noctilucent clouds are the only type that form there -- that isn't true. Above that layer is where sentient variants, like myself, are born. We just aren't detectable by human technology at that altitude. When you see noctilucent clouds, you are really just seeing the "floor" of Cirropa," he explained.
"Though clouds can't die of illness, pollution can still make us sick, just like it makes you sick. It also prevents new clouds from being born; sentient and mundane alike. A little is tolerable, but too much has a major impact on clouds as a whole. Your industrial revolution in the 1700s had such a deleterious effect on our population that we are now on the verge of extinction: That is why I'm here. I research weather patterns and pollution relief strategies, and collect data that your scientists don't have the technology to obtain, then anonymously provide it to organizations that are trying to enact change. I wanted to ensure that currency would never be a barrier for entry in terms of obtaining my services, because for me, the situation is quite literally life-and-death. So, I do it for free.
I don't often have need for physical things, but when I do, I steal them. Books, clothes, parts to maintain the devices I use to collect data, et cetera. I never take anything I don't need, including food -- I only know that I can eat food because I have occasionally found wild berries and such while conducting research, and, well... I'm a curious fellow."
He brightened a bit, to my great relief, then continued, "Despite the pollution and damage you cause, I still find humans endearing and fascinating. I know you are not all the same, and I feel true sorrow for those who are suffering like we are. The work I do is for them, too. But yes, I have been caught stealing before; I've even been chased by your authorities once or twice! I try not to steal from local businesses when I can avoid it, though. I don't want to hurt small shop-owners with families to feed. Robbing big-box stores is more dangerous, since it's easier to get cau- Casper, are you okay?"
When Avery finally looked at me, my eyes were glassy with tears that I was fighting to prevent from rolling down my cheeks. I hated crying in front of other people, but when I got emotional, it was impossible to hide -- my face flushed when I cried, too. Quickly, I turned into my shoulder and rubbed my tears on my sleeve. He was just so compassionate. My species was destroying his, yet he still held such tender curiosity and empathy for us; he still wanted to be there in my apartment, spending time with me. What could I say to that?
"Avery... whatever you need, just ask me, okay? I'll give you my phone number."
"Casper, I couldn't possibly-"
"Yes, you could. I'm not rich, obviously... but I make enough money. The work you are doing is so important, more important than anything I've ever done. I can't bear the thought of you putting yourself at risk when I can do something about it... especially since I literally owe you my life. I would have drowned yesterday if not for you. Please?" I implored from across the coffee table, my hands fidgeting in my lap.
Avery fidgeted a bit, himself, looking out the window for a moment.
"Alright, dewdrop. If you insist," he relented, smiling a little now.
"Yesss! Here's my number." He typed it into his phone, then gave me his. "So... we got a little off track. Do you still want to go to the fair? Like I said, no hard feelings if not."
He perked up again, his big smile a salve for my aching heart. "Yes!"
"Cool, let's do this transformation thing."
+++
"Erm. Could you turn around? I've never had someone watch me do this before," Avery asked, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Oh, yeah, of course."
I spun around, facing the kitchen. From behind me, he took a deep breath.
"Remember, once I'm transformed, we have one hour. Okay?"
"Got it, no problem. The fairgrounds are a short walk away, and I'll set a timer on my phone."
"Okay."
First, there was silence. Then, a sound like crackling fireworks, which grew progressively louder until it was so loud, I was concerned my neighbor might hear it. In the blurry microwave window, I could see flashes of light, followed by the faint chlorine-like scent of ozone. The microwave clock informed me that this went on for three minutes, during which time the urge to peek was nigh-unbearable, but I stayed put. Then, there was silence again. After what felt like ages, Avery spoke, "Okay, you can turn around now."
I whirled, instantly catching my breath.
His face was essentially the same, but his puffy head shape had been compacted into that of a human skull, the top of which erupted in a cloud of fluffy, curly white hair. Peeking out from his curls I spied two delicate ears, and his previously white irises were now a playful cerulean, glimmering above his round, cherub-like cheeks. It took me a moment to realize my mouth was open, and close it.
"Do I look human?" He asked.
Avery didn't look human at all, he looked like an archangel, perhaps even a god in this form. 'Celestial' was the only word that seemed appropriate to describe his beauty, and yet... I felt a pang of regret. Though I was excited to take him to the fair, and I accepted this as the only way he could attend... I already missed his cloud form, and the soft, elegant curves of his real head.
So distracted was I, that I forgot to temper my response.
"You're the most beautiful person I've ever seen," I said, and in my heart I knew that I wasn't just talking about his face.
Avery flushed, and despite his human countenance, his blush was still blue.
+++
The glowing arc of the Ferris wheel grew larger as we approached, LED lights illuminating it in a rainbow of colors. It was a Monday night, and I noticed approvingly that the crowd had thinned considerably from the mass of patrons I had seen on weekends prior. As we walked under the colorful welcome awning, the aroma of popcorn, frying oil, and spun sugar engulfed us. The night was warm, and as I looked at Avery, his blue eyes reflecting the many lights looked like a sea of stars.
"What would you like to do, first? If you don't know, I'm happy to lead on," I offered.
"Oh, I'm so excited to ride the Ferris wheel, aren't you?"
I had been on Ferris wheels plenty of times in the past, but I had never been so excited to ride one as I was right then.
There was a short line for the attraction. I bought our tickets and we climbed into the colorful metal cart, which I noticed with delight was painted with a cheeful cloud motif. Unlike other Ferris wheels I had been on, this one had old-fashioned style carts with a single seat and an open top. I climbed in, and as Avery sat beside me, my heart fluttered nervously as his hip pressed against mine. The gate closed and we were off.
Though the night was warm, a gentle breeze caressed us as we ascended to the top of the wheel. I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply the heady bouquet of food, sea and ride machinery. After a moment, I turned to Avery.
"Aren't you able to fly much higher than this thing can go?" I joked.
"Well, yes, but... it's nice to rest and take it all in, you know? Flying is fun, and freeing, true enough... but it can be tiring as well," he said, alabaster curls spilling over his shoulders as he looked up at the stars. Recalling how it felt to ride my skateboard, I could relate.
An unexpected sound broke my reverie.
"Hehe, stop it!" a female voice cried from below us.
I looked down, where two women were cuddled together in the next cart, seemingly on a date. Like Avery and I, they were pressed together in the confined space of the cart, and it seemed one of them was taking advantage of the other's immobility. I watched with a cocktail of elation and horror as she squeezed her partner's sides and scribbled fingertips on her kneecaps, making her squeal with laughter.
"Whatever they're doing down there sounds like fun," said Avery, elbowing me playfully. His nudge to my sensitive ribs sent a shockwave through my whole body, and it was all I could do to endure it without jumping, petrified to tip him off.
"I am going to DIE. How does this keep happening?!" I thought, feeling in that moment as though I were a character in the story of a tickle-obsessed blogger.
"H-haha, yeah, I think they're on a date," I choked.
"Are we on a date, too?" asked Avery, his innocent eyes now trained on me.
Sweat broke out along my hairline, my palms slick as I gripped the lap bar, my heart pumping like an engine piston. In my panic, my internal monologue rang out.
"Say something, quick! If you take too long to answer, it might make things awkward!"
"What do I say! What if I say it's a date and it makes him uncomfortable!"
"What if you say it isn't and he's crushed because he feels the same way you do!"
"BOTH OF THESE OPTIONS SUCK!"
"Do you want us to be?" I asked, summoning all of my courage to look him in the face. Even with his altered visage, behind those eyes, it was still him. There was no going back, now. Whatever he said was going to mean something for our relationship... whatever kind of relationship it was going to be.
"Hehe, well, I... I'll admit, I'm... I'm quite fond of you. But, I've never done this before, especially not with a human. I want to keep going, but, do you think we can take it slow? Isn't that... what real people do?"
"Avery, we can take this at whatever pace you want. I've got nothing but time, and I'm not going anywhere. We don't have to do anything you're not ready for," I replied, trying to hide my breathlessness. "And, for the record... I'm quite fond of you, too, cloudboy."
Avery flashed me his signature grin, making me melt like a snowcone in July.
"Then, it's a date."
He shifted a bit. Then he gently leaned his body against mine, and as he did, my heart soared like a kite off its string.
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Text
I’ll Stand by You (Sweet Jane Part Two) — Campbell Bain x Reader
Sweet Jane Episode One: Hey Jude
Warning: One gif shows mild self harm. (The digging nails into palm from Riverdale)
“You were a risk, a mystery, and the most certain thing I’d ever known.”
Campbell finished playing a song and he spoke into the microphone, “That was Money (That's What I Want)—"
“Cannae hear ye, Campbell.
“From way back in 1959—” Campbell continued, now louder
“They still cannae hear ye.
“AND THIS IS CAMPBELL BAIN, THE BANE OF YOUR LIFE!” Campbell all but shouted.
“Campbell—” Eddie started.
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Campbell turned and snapped, irritably at Eddie, “Eddie, I'm a mentally ill person. If I shout any louder I'll be restrained and sedated!”
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He felt Y/N take his hand and brought it to the fader as Eddie pointed this out, “The fader, Campbell.”
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He paused. “...Oh, I knew that!” He lied.
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“Okay, Campbell, we'll try it again.”
Campbell started to jingle again, making it let out a screechy staticky whistling as it played, making Y/N jump up, suddenly, clamping her hands over her ears, making Campbell look at her with deep concern before Fergus reached over Campbell’s turned shoulder and pulled the slider down
“You'll blow the monitors if you push 'em like that.” He told them, “Along with Y/N’s eardrums.”
“Fergus! I nearly got it right that time! What're—” Campbell complained but cut himself off when he saw Fergus wearing a white doctor’s coat and glasses with his pulled back into a ponytail, “Well, well! The poacher's turned gamekeeper, eh? Where did you get the coat?”
Fergus looked down at the nametag to read it, “From, uh, Doctor Brady.”
“You look dead handsome like that, so you do.” Rosalie complimented.
“Get everything you needed?” Eddie asked.
“Almost.” Fergus said as he held up an electronic device, “That only cost 50p. I'll strip it for the power transistors.” Then he gestured to Campbell. “Are you sure you trust him on that desk?”
“Fergus, this desk and I are on intimate terms. This desk and I are practically engaged. We're doing our first show together tomorrow night.”
“Not tomorrow, Campbell.” Eddie told him.
“But I'm standing at the threshold of one the most important moments of my life here!” Campbell whined before saying, fervently, “Give me an audience; give me punters and I will deliver, Eddie!”
“Well! I hadn't expected such a crowd.” A woman said, entering, and Y/N rolled her chair away from her, looking at her suspiciously as she nodded at Fergus, “Doctor.” Then to everyone else, “Which one of you is Eddie McKenna?”
“Um, I am.” Eddie said, standing up.
“I'm Mrs. MacDonald, assistant administrator.” She said
“Mrs. MacDonald.” Eddie said, shaking her hand.
“Call me Evelyn. Just thought I'd pop my head in and say hello, ask if you need anything.” She said and Y/N and Fergus exchanged looks before the silent patient gave her a blank stare.
“Aye, we do.” Fergus said.
“I'm sorry?” Evelyn asked as Y/N handed Fergus a cable.
“We need some shielded three-core flex. This stuff is useless. The doctors' bleeps are coming through on the air.”
“Well, that should be possible.” Evelyn said, having understood very little of that but smiling to pretend that she did.
“And some paint! This place needs redecorating, so it does.” Rosalie interjected.
“Oh, hang on. Just let me make a list.”
Y/N smacked Fergus in the shoulder, lightly and gestured to the mixing desk. “Yes, the main thing is the mixing desk.” Fergus opened said mixing desk, “Now, we've got a lot of crackle coming through on these faders, and these two here have had it, really.” Y/N used a screwdriver to demonstrate which wires, “Now, we could do with a couple of new ones if you can still get them, but what we really need is a new desk. A six-into-two would even do us.”
“My goodness!” Evelyn laughed, “Are you a doctor or an engineer?”
“I'm a patient.” Fergus said as Y/N smiled, cheekily at her before he took his glasses off, laughing as Evelyn’s smile fell but not having the open mind that Eddie had when he mistook a patient for a doctor.
“We're all patients. Except him,” Campbell said, nodding towards Eddie, “who isn't, but should be. But don't worry; we're heavily tranquilized and pose no danger to the public.” Campbell then gave her an adorkable smile.
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“No, that's marvelous, involving the patients.” She said but Y/N could tell she wasn’t genuine and was being very fake, not exactly going to be the next Oscar winner, “I'll see what I can do about this list. Uh, there's an endowment trust we can approach. But the hospital board will want to see some figures, I'm afraid.” Her voice was now hesitant. Y/N rolled her eyes, picking up on this at once.
“What kind of figures?” Eddie asked.
“Oh, just a budget proposal, really. Current running costs, projected capital outlay, that sort of thing. If you've got your books up to date and you've got some written estimates of the equipment you propose to purchase, you can—” Evelyn said as Campbell and Y/N started to get very bored and they exchanged very bored, like in Math(s)-class-level-bored looks before Campbell played the jingle.
“That was dedicated to the bored and boring board of Saint Jude's Hospital, that bloated, bilious body of befuddled brains we'd like to befriend. Just give us your dosh, boys!” Campbell said into the microphone cheerfully.
Can’t Buy Me Love by the Beatles played before Eddie scolded, “Campbell!” He slid the fader back down, quieting the music.
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“Well. Pretty impressive! Anyway, Eddie, I'll pop in again in a few days when you have a chance to get some figures together. And... thanks for the wee demonstration, as it were.” Evelyn said, taken aback, confused, and not wanting to be near Campbell as she felt he definitely was mentally unstable and she didn't like the death glare that was being given to her by Y/n.
“Oh, well done, Campbell.” Eddie said, sarcastically.
“I told you I could do it if I had an audience!” Campbell said, the sarcasm going right over his head.
“No that. What's Evelyn gonna think of that?” Eddie nodded at the mixer, having been referring to Campbell’s performance out of boredom.
“She'll think I'm a loony. I am a loony. ...Come on, Eddie. Let me do my own show tomorrow, eh?” Campbell pleaded.
Eddie looked at Fergus and Y/N, the older of the two quiet and gentle patients shook his head ‘no’ while the youngest and most quiet on, nodded her head, enthusiastically, yes. Yes. Yes. Yes!
Eddie sighed, looking at Campbell and conceded, “...Aye, okay.”
Campbell then jumped up from his chair, either really excited or having a mild manic mood swing. “You beau-taay! Tomorrow night! The Campbell Bain Show debuts tomorrow night!” He extended his arms out and leaned his head back to look at the ceiling like, I’M ON TOP OF THE WORLD as Y/N watched with a sparkle in her eyes. “Eat your heart out, Ken Bruce, you bastard, ha!” His smile immediately fell when he spotted his father entering the room, “Oh... Hello.”
“They, uh, told me I'd find you in here.” His dad said, uncomfortably.
“...Aye.” Campbell glanced at his friends, rather nervous about how his father would react to them given his disbelief in his son’s own mental disorder, “Well... here I am." He turned back to his friends, who were uncomfortably waiting for him to introduce this man to them, "...Eh, you lot, this is my dad." Eddie smiled in greeting but like Y/n, his eyes kept darting back to Campbell, noticing his obvious uncharacteristic nervousness and stillness, "Dad, this is that lot and this is Y/N, my best friend…” He said, placing a hand on the back of Y/N’s back as she looked at him, considering they had only met two months ago and she’s never even spoken to him despite the many, many, many times he’s spoken to her, before quickly adding, “but-but not my--not my-my girlfriend…”
He cut himself off as his dad gave them all apart from Campbell a cold look while the one he gave Campbell was just uncomfortable and disappointed, like he thought he had to walk on eggshells around him.
Then his dad just left, intending for the unsettled Campbell to follow. Campbell turned to Y/N and pleaded with her with his eyes to follow in case things went wrong which they most likely would, knowing his father and Y/N got up and walked solemnly after them, glaring at Campbell’s dad the whole time.
The father and son entered the day room as Y/N slowly walked in, glaring at Campbell’s dad still, before sitting down and continuing to glare daggers at Campbell's dad.
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“Uh,” Campbell glanced at Y/N with her rather terrifying stare at his father like she was planning on murdering him, “have a seat.” Then he joked to lighten the mood, “I'd get you a cup of tea, but they don't trust us with kettles.”
“No, you might burn yourselves.”
“Aye. Or wear them on our heads. Either way, it requires medical intervention.” The teen chuckled, nervously.
“I've just, uh, had a word with your doctor, by the way.”
“Oh, aye?” Campbell asked with mild curiosity.
“He gave me some good news... I think. He says they'll be letting you out of here soon. Next week, he reckons.” Campbell’s dad said and Y/N’s insides flipped, not sure how she should feel. Her empathetic side was happy for him but her selfish side was sad that she wouldn’t be able to see him as often.
Campbell had defied all her expectations after her trauma. He was everything she had started to lose belief in in men. He was kindness and gentleness and sunshine.
Campbell clearly thought this was great news, “You're joking — next week?” He said, excitedly and then jumped up, excitedly, shouting, “YES! YES! FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST!” He walked over to Y/N and kissed her on the head, enthusiastically, “THANK GOD ALMIGHTY, I'LL BE FREE AT LAST!”
He spotted the bittersweet look on Y/N’s face, making him pipe down and look at her with confusion and concern so his dad took this opportunity to talk.
“Aye, well. Just thought I'd come and ask you if you'd, uh, any plans for when you come out.”
Y/N scoffed, knowing what he meant at once. Was that really his only concern? Not welcoming his wonderful son home.
“Aye! Loads of them!” Campbell said, enthusiastically, not understanding, “Massive booze-up with all my pals. Holiday in the Seychelles—or Majorca; I'll slum it. And… lose my virginity. I'm nineteen, I think I should lose my virginity, don't you?”
For some reason, Y/N felt even more sad at this, not noticing how Campbell’s brown eyes darted at her before his dad ruined his excitement… as per usual.
“Listen, stop your daft act! You'll make me think you need to stay here.” Campbell’s dad snapped, making Campbell’s mood switch from manic to depressed as he slumped into a seat, seeing his dad hadn’t changed as much as he had as Y/N glared at the ununderstanding father, her nails digging into her skin, something she had done from a young age to keep herself from violently lashing out. The pain grounding her but she had never told anyone this due to it being considered as self-harm.
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“I was talking about your future, son. You didn't get your exams, you know. Your mother and I was wondering if you'd thought about going back to do your exams.”
Yes because exams are fair and test all kinds of intelligences equally instead of one or two because that would be massively unfair to those with mental and/or learning disorders by forcing them to conform to the way normal people think. Y/N thought, sarcastically, her nails breaking skin.
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“Well... cannae say that was the first thing that crossed my mind.” Campbell admitted.
“Well, think about it, son!” His dad said, like, what else could you possibly be thinking about, “There's a recession on. Nobody gets nothing for nothing. You need qualifications.”
Alistair looked back at them in annoyance before catching the deadly glare Y/N gave him like, say something if you dare.
“Well, it's just... I don't know what I wanna do yet.” Campbell sighed.
“Ah, don't give me your daft talk. We're talking about a job. I mean, what you want has nothing to do with it!” Campbell’s dad snapped as Y/N’s nails pushed harder into her palm.
“Aye, well, I could always be a road sweeper, I suppose.” Campbell snapped, bitterly, getting up and turning his back to his father.
“I am not a road sweeper! I work for the Cleansing Department. And I'm a foreman.” His dad defended and Y/N audibly scoffed.
You sweep the road.” Campbell said, coldly.
“Oh? I never heard you complain about the food it put on the table.” Perhaps because you were too busy criticizing him and refusing to listen to him to hear him. “Do you want to be a waster all your life?” You’re the waster. “'Cause I'm not having it. You've got to pull yourself together, because this thing is killing your mother. It's positively killing her. I mean, the doctor's had to put her on tablets because she's so upset about it.” Then why isn’t she here?
Y/N’s eye started to switch as her nails continued to dig.
Campbell just breathed out a bitter laugh at that, “That makes two loonies in the family.”
“Your mother is not a loony. We've never had a loony in the family before you. Not on my side or your mother's. You've just got to stop this. Put it all behind you. Pull yourself together. You understand me?” His father ordered like it was something Campbell could turn on and off or like it was some act for attention.
Campbell just nodded, not trusting himself to speak without his voice breaking but he still didn’t turn around. His dad went to put his hand on Campbell’s shoulder but stopped himself before he could.
“You just have to think about your future, son.” He told him as Campbell stared solemnly at the floor
Y/N glared at Campbell’s father as he left as he gave her a cold look back, once he was gone Y/N walked towards Campbell and hugged him from behind, he grabbed at her hands before turning around in the hug and pulling her into a stronger hug as he buried his face into the top of her head.
— 
The next day, Fergus and Campbell announced “Campbell Bain’s Looney Tunes Show” with Campbell in a wheelchair with balloons and streamed on it… also on Fergus.
Later that night, Campbell, Y/N, Rosalie, and Fergus were in the station and Eddie wasn’t there yet.
Campbell stressfully took out a cigarette out of his pack as Fergus squeezed a yellow balloon, “He should be here by now!” He looked down at Rosalie who was under the desk, spraying Campbell’s boots and Y/N high tops. “Rosalie, what are you doing?”
“Just polishing your shoes, son.” Rosalie said and Campbell felt his cigarette be pulled out of his fingers by Y/N and dropped in a pitcher of water. Campbell looked over at Fergus in disbelief.
Campbell excused Y/N by asking her to get him some water that didn’t have cigarettes in it and then lit a new cigarette.
“We're gonna have to go without him.” Fergus said as Y/N came back with the water and frowned at Campbell who taking a nervous puff of his cigarette.
“Ten... nine... eight... seven... six...” Fergus counted down as Y/N took the cigarette from Campbell and stubbed it out, giving him a disapproving look. “Two... one. You're on.”
Campbell leaned towards the microphone and spoke, “That was I Hear You Knocking, But You Can't Come In, dedicated to all the medical staff here at Saint Jude's Hospital. They hear you knocking, but you cannae get out! And this is Campbell Bain with the first ever Campbell Bain's Looney Tunes Show!” Y/N pushed the button that played the Looney Tunes jungle, “And our next request is for Senga on Ward six, who tells me that she's being controlled by aliens from another planet.” He put on the record, Puppet on a String and then he joked, “Sengaaa, the nursing assistants are only doing their job.”
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He heard Y/N giggle beside him, making his heart do flips. Y/N. She was definitely what he was going the miss most. Even with her never saying a single word to him.
Fergus and Y/N spotted Eddie stopping from a dash when he saw Campbell, sorting through the records. Fergus waved casually at him.
And now, I've been asked to play a "dead smoochy" tune by Alison on Ward 7.” Campbell said in a comedically husky voice, “So here's a song that should cause each of us to experience a wee flutter in the heart, a wee catch in the throat; a tune that we can truly call our song.” He said the last sentence while looking at Y/N.
Campbell put on the song, Goin’ Out of my Head and then he spotted Eddie and he smiled at him, before looking at Y/N who was bopping her head along to the song.
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“Cocoa's up. You coming” Campbell asked Eddie as Y/N waited for him, quite proud of the looney.
“No. Gotta get these figures together for Evelyn.” Eddie refused.
Campbell was nervous yet excited as he put his hands in his pockets, “I had fun tonight, guys. I think that's the most fun I've ever had without being manic.” There was a nervous pause. “Was I any good?”
Y/N didn’t even hesitate, she nodded and gave him two thumbs-up. That was as good as he was going to get with her.
Eddie paused, considering before turning to look at him, “Aye.”
This was the kind of support Campbell never got from his father and it excited the young man, “I've never been good at anything before, Eddie. I spent four years of my life learning to play guitar and the only song I can play all the way through is ‘Knock Knock Knockin' on Heaven's Door. And I only did it to try and pull women. I'm no good at that either.” He sighed and Eddie breathed out a laugh, knowing that Y/N was quite infatuated with him, even without her ever saying a word to him… or to anyone in the hospital, “I want to do this. Professional, Eddie, Y/N. D'you think... I could?”
Y/N gave him a smile while Eddie said, “Maybe, aye.”
“But I've got to take it seriously.” He said, starting to pace, “It's got to be taken seriously, this thing. First thing I'm gonna do is get some cans like yours, Eddie.”
“Beyer DT-100s.” Eddie said, flatly.
“Aye. Professional cans, with my name on them in big yellow fluorescent letters. Build up my own record collection; specialize in something. Get some routines together. What else do I need?
“Experience, Campbell?” Eddie suggested.
“Aye, good point! They're no gonna hire somebody who just walks in off the street. They're going to hire somebody who has spent days, if not weeks, developing their show into a creature that's, is totally fresh and fundamentally loony in every way!” He said, excitedly.
“‘Days, if no weeks’?” Eddie repeated his words, considering he had been trying to go professional for eight years.
“They're letting me out of here next week, Eddie. And I wanna come and work for you. Full time. I want you to teach me everything you know. We'll be a double act. We are gonna make this the most outrageous and original hospital broadcasting outfit in the country! This station is gonna take us places, Eddie.” Campbell proposed and Y/N’s heart began to lift.
“‘Us?”
“Well, you're no gonna sell double glazing all your life, are yeh?” Campbell pointed out.
“Uh, no likely, anyway.” Eddie muttered, figuring he was going to be fired in a few days due to his literal workaholic boss’ impossible standards.
“Then go for it! Have you never wanted to go professional, Eddie?” Campbell asked.
“I've sent out the odd tape.” Eddie said as Y/N tilted her head.
“And?”
“Uh, general consensus seemed to be, um, I was shite.” He muttered.
Campbell thought about this for a moment before saying, “Ah, well, that's where you went wrong. You see, you went to them. That's one thing I'm sure of, is you've got to get them to come to you. What's it called...”
“Abduction, Campbell, and it's illegal.” Eddie deadpanned.
“No! No! No!” He spotted Y/N pad which she had written the word on, “Yes! Market strategy. Creating a seller's market. Can you see the potential? We are one of the only loony radio stations in the country! Think of the angle, the publicity!” He mimed a newspaper headline in the air, “‘Loonies Take Over Asylum at Saint Jude's’. All we have to do is be brilliant as well as original, and they'll be coming to us. With your knowledge and experience and my hypomania, how can we lose? Come on, Eddie. You with me?”
Eddie thought about for a moment before nodding, “Aye. Campbell grinned widely at his answer.
“Are you sure you're no manic?” Eddie asked.
“I'm inspired, Eddie.” He corrected.
“What's the difference?”
“Inspired is when you think you can do anything. Manic is when you know it.” Campbell explained and went to get his cocoa. Y/N smiled and followed Campbell to get hers.
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--
Later Campbell was reading a book called Careers in Radio when he looked up to see a soaking wet Fergus with a shopping bag.
“Fergus! Did you get them?” He asked, excitedly.
“Aye. Secondhand. Fifty quid.” Fergus said, opening the bag for Campbell.
“This is brilliant! Brilliant! My first professional headphones.” Campbell said, getting his headphones out and putting them on as Fergus got a towel to dry off. “Did you get the paint?” Fergus pointed at the bag and Campbell fumbled with the bag until he got the pain out, “I have to put my name on them. That's how they do it in professional radio.”
“Where'd you get all this cash, anyway?” Fergus wondered.
“Sold Mad John all Y/N and my cigarettes. She doesn’t smoke so she was happy to.” He explained.
“For sixty quid?”
“Well, it was nearly eight packs. And he did offer; he was desperate.” Campbell said.
“But what are you gonna do for smokes?” Fergus asked.
“I'm giving it up. I've gotta take care of my voice. And may God strike me dead if I so much as engage in passive smoking.” He said.
“But everybody smokes in here.” Fergus said, “Except your girlfriend.”
Campbell merely glanced at him, slightly irritated at him calling Y/N his girlfriend but decided not to comment on it. “Then I'll stop breathing in. I’ll do whatever Y/N does. C'mon! Let's try these out at the station.”
He went to run out of his room and to the station when he was stopped by his father entering, looking just as lethargic and boring as ever. So, the exact opposite of Campbell in every conceivable way. “Dad! Hello.”
Campbell’s dad looked at Fergus and frowned, “You're wet!”
Fergus pressed his finger against his temple like he just got an idea or was getting a psychic message from someone and then said, sarcastically, “Next time I'll take my clothes off before I get into the bath.” The he gave Campbell’s dad a somewhat loony-esque look as he walked out.
“I thought he was a doctor.” Campbell’s dad said, confused and slow.
“Only part time.” Campbell said with a slight nervous chuckle.
Campbell’s dad then decided to ignore this, not having his son’s acceptance and love for “loonies” as his son put it. “I was wondering if you'd thought about what we were saying.”
Neither noticed Y/N appear at the door, leaning against the door frame, watching the scene with scrutiny but not interrupting.
“Yes. I have. And I've decided that you're absolutely dead on. I'm nineteen years old and it's time I started thinking about my future.” Campbell said with a big smile.
“Oh, aye?” His dad asked.
“You're gonna be proud of me, Dad.” Campbell hoped, but somehow, this was doubtful with what was known about Campbell’s close-minded dad. “Because I've decided that my future, my life's work, my soul's passion is gonna be this.” He pulled his headphones from around his neck to over his ears.
“...You're going to be an airline pilot?” His dad asked.
“Nooo!” Campbell drawled out, making Y/N lips twitch into a smile before her glare settled back onto his dad. “A radio disc jockey! And I can get all the experience I need right here in the hospital station!”
Campbell's dad was not proud in the slightest, just disappointed and exasperated for what he assumed to be his son’s latest “obsession” but was actually more accurately a Bipolar hyperfixation. “Back to that, are we?” He asked, sitting down.
“Back to what?” Campbell frowned, pulling his headphones down.
“Well, six months ago you wanted to be a pop star.” His dad reminded him.
“That was different. I cannae sing.” Campbell told him.
“Two years before, you wanted to be a racing jockey.”
“I'm afraid of horses.”
“Before that, you wanted to be an actor!” His dad complained.
“I cannae remember lines. But this is different! I'm good at it! I know I am! Y/N told me, I mean not so much with words, but she did in her own way!”
“The mute girl?”
“SHE’S NOT MUTE!” Campbell shouted, angrily, gesturing to Y/N at the door who waved sarcastically at Campbell’s dad with a sarcastically sweet smile.
“Ah, well, there's a lot of things are gonna be different from now on. Your mother and me have been talking, and... we've decided it would be a good idea if you went to your auntie Susan's for a bit.” Campbell’s dad told him.
“But she lives in Perth.” Campbell said, shocked.
Y/N’s heart fell at this. Campbell wasn’t just leaving the hospital, he would be even further away. If he meant Perth, Scotland then he’d be sixty miles away, that would be over an hour’s drive. If he meant Perth, Australia, then that was in a whole different time zone.
“Yes, but you can go to adult classes there. You'll get the peace and quiet that you need.”
Y/N scoffed at his dad’s reasoning. It sounded more like if Campbell had another episode, he didn’t want to deal with it and he was using his education as an excuse.
“I cannae go to Perth! I've gotta stay in Glasgow to work in the station! I need the experience!” Campbell freaked out, holding up his headphones at his dad, Y/N eased over to behind Campbell, sensing his anger rising.
Y/N took Campbell’s headphones from his hands and replaced them with her headphones.
“You need to get well!” His dad protested like he was arguing with someone who was actually ill and Perth was actually going to help do that. How exactly?
 “BUT I'M NOT ILL!” Campbell screamed and just as Y/N had predicted Campbell threw his headphones at his bed, they bounced and hit the floor, she could hear them break even though Campbell was shouting as she slinked back out of the room, “YOU CANNAE MAKE ME GO TO  PERTH! I'M NINETEEN YEARS OLD, AND I'M STAYING IN GLASGOW TO WORK IN THE STATION! I'M GONNA BE A PROFESSIONAL DJ WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!”
“You stand there, shouting at the top of your voice, throwing your arms about like some mad scarecrow, and you're telling me you're not ill?” His father scoffed as Y/N glared with him with such hatred. “You're not capable of thinking straight, and some straight thinking needs to be done. Now, your mother and me have done our best to look after you.” Y/N clenched her jaw as her hatred increased, “If that's not good enough for you, then there... there's nothing left but... to have you sectioned, and let the doctors decide.”
Campbell’s anger turned to shock and brokenheartedness as Y/N’s turned from fiery hatred to ice-cold hatred. There was officially one person she hated more than she hated Campbell’s father. She could see that he wanted to love a normal son but he didn’t have that so he tried to shape Campbell into being normal, but he wasn’t but he just didn’t have the capacity to understand that and just blamed Campbell for things that wasn’t his fault.
“...Oh, Jesus. You'd have me sectioned?” Campbell breathed, looking at his father with horror through his floppy light auburn hair.
“I'll come round on Monday to collect you. Your uncle has loaned me his car.”
Great. Y/N thought, Then I could key it with curse words.
Campbell’s father went to turn to leave when his son spoke again in a heartbroken tone, “Have you never been young, Dad? Was there never anything you wanted to do, you wanted to be, more than anything in the world?”
His dad paused and then said, “Oh, aye. Goalkeeper for the Glasgow Rangers. Lot of fucking good it did me.”
Yeah, because you have no talent whatsoever, nor compassion, empathy, or unconditional love for your so. Only if he’s the way you want him to be. Y/N thought with sardonicism. 
Campbell looked up to see Y/N blocking his dad’s way, glaring daggers at him before he shuffled past, muttering about loonies.
Campbell looked at her with tears in his eyes, “WHAT!? YOU THINK I’M JUST AS BROKEN AS HE DOES! THAT’S WHY YOU FOLLOW ME AROUND BUT NEVER SPEAK TO ME!” He lashed out but Y/N showed no emotion on her face, she just took it like she was used to being screamed at… she was. Campbell got up and ran past her and she ran after him.
--
Evelyn was showing her true colors to Eddie, to her the only normal who worked at the station.
“Eddie, nobody could admire you more than I do for involving the patients. But I think the intention when we decided to fund the station was that there would be a regular staff of outside volunteers. Reliable people.” She voiced her opinion. Which was wrong in every way imaginable because in her mind, they were dangerous, unstable, and every stereotype their mental illnesses and/or disorders presented via said stereotype or movies or discrimination in general when in actuality people with mental illnesses which was over one third of the Earth’s population were eleven times more likely to be the victims of crime and/or violence than the general public.
“I've never been let down.” Eddie frowned.
“Eddie, some of these patients have horrendous problems. It's not fair to expect too much.” Evelyn explained to him like she was explaining what a surplus was to an eight and then to a five-year-old. Even though each “patient with horrendous problems” had done just as much if not more than Eddie had.
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“They keep telling me how much they enjoy it.” Eddie said, shocked and confused. Wasn’t this woman supposed to be the Assistant Administrator of mental health? It was becoming more clear why she was Miss Evelyn MacDonald and not Mrs. Evelyn MacDonald or Doctor Evelyn MacDonald.
“You can't always listen to them.” Evelyn said, even though that’s what people already did that and when it should be the opposite with less screaming at them that their view of the world was wrong and the normals’ view of the world was right.
Then she left as Eddie looked after her, not understanding why she would think that, he had spent ten minutes in this hospital before realizing that his initial assumptions towards the patients had been wrong, thanks to the contrast between Stuart and Campbell.
Then he noticed that Francine had been eavesdropping on the quite upsetting conversation and she ran off.
“Francine!” He cried after her.
Campbell visibly upset and trying to light a cigarette with his lighter stalked past behind Eddie.
“Campbell? Campbell!” Eddie called as Y/N ran past him after Campbell with his new headphones around her neck.
Eddie had never seen Campbell so upset before, given Campbell was either always happy, manic, or overwhelmed, so he followed Campbell and Y/N. Campbell stormed into the studio, sulked over to the chair next to Fergus and flung himself into it, dejectedly before Y/N opened the door and knelt by Campbell’s side but he twisted his torso so the swivel chair turned him away from her, refusing to look at her, feeling guilty for what he said and not wanting to look her in the eyes.
“I thought you said you were gonna give up cigarettes.” Fergus told him.
“Aye, well, I also said I was gonna become a DJ.” Campbell said, bitterly and depressedly.
Eddie came around the corner and traded looks with Fergus. Eddie nodded at Campbell like, do you know what’s wrong?
Fergus shrugged like, No idea and I have no idea how to help him.
Y/N held up her hand, reassuringly like, I got this, boys.
Y/N grabbed Campbell’s arm and pulled him but refused to get up so the chair rolled until Fergus grabbed the back of the chair, making Campbell reluctantly stumble after Y/N who pulled him to his room, closing the door behind them and sat him on his bed and sat next to him so he could vent.
“Maybe, my dad’s right. Maybe following your dreams only exits in television.” Campbell sighed and tried to take another puff of the cigarette but Y/N took it from him and put it out on his ashtray. He looked at her and took out another cigarette which she took from him. He tried three more times in which she did the same.
He finally looked her in the eyes, “Well, that’s the least fun game ever, Y/N,” He deadpanned and she gave him a smile as she tilted her head and a sparkle twinkled in her eyes like, come on. Come on, buddy. Interact with me. He let out a half-scoff, half-chuckle and said, “Look, I’m sorry that I shouted at you, Y/N. I really am and I know you don’t think I’m broken and I don’t think you’re broken—I know I didn’t say that but I know you think you are because I know that look in your eyes. I’ve been here a while and I’ve had that look in my eyes for a long time.”
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He stopped his rambling when Y/N placed her hand on his, sending waves of warmth through his body like hot cocoa on a cold day, “Maybe I need to be more like Eddie, a realist. Get a job to get by. Maybe, I’m just not that good. Maybe idealism is for suckers and I’m not as talented as I thought I was.”
“No.” Y/N spoke.
Campbell shook his head in disbelief and looked at Y/N with wide eyes, “Did you just…”
“Don’t give up, Campbell.” She said, softly, her voice was soft and bit hoarse from going ten months without speaking and so her vocal chords had atrophied a little but nothing too bad.
Campbell let out a laugh and cupped her cheek, “you’re talking. You’re really talking.”
“Your dad is close-minded arse who’s just miserable with his life and takes it out on you. I wanted to attack him and I wanted to key his car but he took the bus here… I checked. I wanted to scream at him and make him go crazy so he’d know what being loony is like.”
“You’re a really dark person, aren’t you?” Campbell chuckled, not at all worried or upset with her for wanting to commit physical and psychological damage upon his father.
“Manic-Depressive disorder is eighty percent genetic and most likely passed down from the father’s side of the family, just because there’s no known family members of your family doesn’t mean there weren’t any. Until seven years ago, they called attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD, ‘hyperkinetic reaction to childhood” despite the disorder being known since either the late seventeen-hundreds or the early nineteen-hundreds. Stress, emotional abuse, neglect, being bullied, loneliness, isolation, pressure, etcetera, etcetera.”
Campbell studied her as she spoke, seeing she was rather intelligent though he had expected that from her engineering skills but this was knowledge of mental health that even some of the therapists he saw didn’t seem to know as they just insisted that he needed to calm down or he wouldn’t be able to function in society or lazy or over enthusiastic or a slacker or pointed out whether he seemed happy or sad that day like he needed it gauged and vocalized or that he was faking his episodes before they finally diagnosed him with manic-depressive disorder. She had a Y/A (Your accent) accent that sent his heart a-fluttering.
“You are not mentally incompetent or unwell. You are not acting out or putting on a daft act.” His eyes became misty with happy tears, “You are perfect just the way you are. You’re so much stronger than all the white noise in the world,” She gestured out the window, referring to the normals as white noise, “You’re stronger than your father, you’re stronger than Stuart, you’re stronger than Evelyn MacDonald. You’re so much stronger than anyone I know. You are holding the station together, you are holding the show together, so please, please, don’t let go.”
He nodded and cupped her cheek, stroking her soft skin with the pad of his thumb, “Why’d you wait until now to talk? You’ve been here for weeks and according to Stuart, you haven’t spoken in eight months and that was nearly two months ago, so ten.”
“You.” She said, “You were going to give up. Don’t. Please, don’t.”
“You’re talking… because of me. To encourage me?” He asked, touched and surprised that she cared for him that much.
She nodded and touched her forehead against his as she spoke softly, “You are more brilliant and talented than your dad ever could imagine. He doesn’t understand your disorder, he doesn’t see how brilliant it is. You know creative people are twenty times more likely to be manic-depressives? Creative people are more likely to be loonies.” Campbell chuckled softly, loving the sound of her voice and the passion twinkling in her E/C-colored eyes as she placed his headphones around his neck. “You have ambition, genius, loyalty, and compassion that doesn’t even rival your father’s by a long shot. Your disorder reminds you to relate to others and know when they’re struggling. You saw me. My parents only sent me here because I refused to talk but you knew there was more than that. They never did. And I see you and I understand you and I accept you.”
Campbell had tears of joy in his eyes and he pulled her towards him, hugging her, making her straddle him so not to be in an awkward angle, she stiffened before relaxing, hugging him back.
She turned her head to whisper into his ear, “And I have a plan.” She pulled away and looked into his brown eyes, “How’s your acting?”
Campbell raised an eyebrow at her before getting distracted, “I thought I broke the headphones, I threw but these aren’t broken.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s…” She nodded to the floor where he spotted her headphones now broken.
“Oh, shit! I broke your headphones, don’t-don’t worry, I’ll replace them.”
"Campbell... the plan." She reminded him.
"Oh, right, right... what's your plan?" He asked.
Y/n leaned in closer and whispered in his ear, however he didn't get a single word from being too distracted by their closeness.
"Could you say all that again? I didn't get any of that."
--
Campbell started the show the next day with Y/N as Eddie was a bit late but anyways, it was his show today—his last show.
As This Ole House by Rosemary Clooney played, the patients danced outside the station and Campbell, looking more restrained and calmer than usual. He also seemed deeper and more lost in thought than his usual spur-of-the-moment, impulsive, didn’t-think-this-through self. They sorted through the records and looked at the ones that Y/N handed him as she spoke softly with her back to the others so they couldn’t see and take her away now that they knew for certain she could talk because then she’d miss this and she didn’t want to miss this.
“What about Tears for Fears’ Mad World? It’s one of my favorites.” She suggested, holding up the 1983 song. “It can explain a looney’s tiredness of the world around us. To everyone else, we’re the ones that are mad but to us it’s the everyone else in the whole world that’s mad.
“Mmm. Great choice but I think some people are going to be a little bit depressed already with what I’m going to do.”
“Or I could play it after you leave.” She shrugged.
“Oh, you trying to take over my show, L/N.” He teased, spinning his swivel chair to her.
“Maybe, I am, Bain. What are you going to do about it?” She teased back.
The song ended and Campbell took over as Eddie entered, “This is Campbell Bain's Looney Tunes show, and I hope everyone in this old house is tuned in and ready to rock and roll.” Y/N pushed the button and the Looney Tunes jingle played as Eddie gave Campbell a proud smile, being far more supportive to him than his dad ever was, “That's right, because it's time for the Looney Tunes show, and I want you dancing, loonies, I want you singing along, I want you clapping your hands and stamping your feet! If there's a strange voice in your head, get it to sing along! If there's a catatonic sitting next to you, WAKE ‘EM UP!” Y/N giggled at his antics, making him give her a grin, “This is for all of you having ECT tomorrow; I hope you get some good vibrations.”
He started playing Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys and grinned at Y/N as that was one of her suggestions which he rather liked as it resonated with his feelings for her.
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Outside the stations as per usual, Hector sang along to the lyrics of the song into a spoon while as per usual Alastair was annoyed that they were interrupting his TV time
Campbell put the fader on, so the song faded out and he spoke into the microphone again, “Well, I suppose you're all wondering why I asked you here tonight. As you may know, this is the fourth and last Campbell Bain's Looney Tunes show. The good news is that it's because I'm being discharged. The bad news is, I'm gonna be living in Perth. And our first competition tonight was to find a special dedication to the town of Perth. And the winner is Margaret on Ward eleven, and she dedicated this song to the town of Perth.”
He started playing We Gotta Get Out of This Place by the Animals. He looked at Y/N and winked, giving her the signal while forcing himself not to look happy or manipulative. She smiled, then she leaned forwards and kissed him on the cheek before leaving to join Fergus and Eddie and actually spoke to them, “He's hot the night.”
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They did a double take at her but she wouldn’t say anything else when she was questioned about it as she closed the door, watching Campbell with amusement at what was going to happen and because his cheeks were now bright red.
Campbell waited a minute so that her leaving right before wouldn’t seem planned before taking his headphones off and looked at the studio door, as he pieced together what he was going to do. He walked over to the studio door and locked the door, locking eyes with Y/N.
Fergus and Eddie exchanged looked before Campbell walked over to the record player and pulled the tonearm off the record with a scratch and he sat back down, placing his headphones back over his ears and spoke in a manic pace of voice, “Ach, that's no dance music, is it? We're supposed to be rockin' an' rollin'! Because we are loonies and we are proud! I'm a manic-depressive and I'm proud, my friends. Some of the greatest geniuses in history have been manic-depressives on a manic roll! Vincent van Gogh, Handel, Schumann—”
Outside the station, Isabel the only good nurse apparently opened the medicine cabinet to see that Campbell hadn’t taken his pills and then looked over towards the studio door, concerned, given how severe his episodes could become if untreated.
“Virginia Woolf, Sylvia Plath, Spike Milligan, Vivien Leigh—” Campbell continued, “that is one hundred percent true, folks—and this is for all you manic-depressives out there; we are loonies and we are proud!” Then he let out a sort of shout/howl, “AAAOOOOW!”
Then he put on Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher by Jackie Wilson and the patients continued dancing while Alastair yanked the spoon from Hector’s hand and then sat back down, grinning triumphally as Hector frowned.
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He exited the day room, only to run into Y/N who handed him a new spoon. He grinned and started to sing along into it. She walked into Alastair’s view who was frowning in disbelief at her as she gave him a sarcastic smile and then gave him the middle finger before taking Hector’s arm and leading him out of the day room and to the hall so Hector wouldn’t take the second spoon away from him too.
“Have you ever noticed how much mental illness imagery there is in popular music? Tonight our guest on the Looney Tunes show is professor of musicology, Doctor Boogie!” Then Campbell started to speak in bad German accent… or Romania given how he was pronouncing some words… somewhere near Transylvania where Dracula lived, “Aye, aye, in the popular music we find much imagery of ze mental illness, indicating an underlying fear and faskination vith madness. For example…” He started to play A World Without Love by Peter and Gordon.
“He's away.” Fergus said, a bit concerned.
He stopped the song with another record scratch, Campbell’s voice seemed to be increasing speed, “And this expresses the deep anxiety about going a little bit crazy, huh? Another example is…”
The needle scratched on the record and Great Balls of Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis. “This expresses the deep anxiety about going a lotcrazier with a,” His eyes were bugging out of his head and waggling his fingers, manically and Y/N had to force herself not to giggle at how he looked, “pyromaniac overtones. And then again in a song like—"
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A less prominent record scratch before Paint it Black by the Rolling Stones played,“—We see a fascination with obsessive behavior. And some songs provoke the greatest fears of all, in this case—”
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He took the needle off without a scratch this time and then he played Sugar, Sugar by the Archies.
“—the tvin fears of abject mediocrity and of writing crap songs. Ah ja! But zen of course—” Campbell said, still speaking in the odd Central to Eastern European accent as Eddie finally tried the door, only to find it locked., “—there is, uh—"
He started playing Da Doo Ron Ron by the Crystals as Isabel and two assistants (thankfully not Stuart) hurried down the corridor. He dropped the accent, “—which has got nothing to do with loonies, but it's a great song!”
He glanced at Y/N with the silent message of: should I up the mania? She subtly nodded, he flashed her a grin as he tore off his headphones, “Whoa! I'm sweating! I'm just going to open a window.” He went to the window and opened it as Margaret from Ward eleven bit her thumbnail with concern, Campbell stuck his head out of the window and looked around, “Whoa! It's a long way down from this window, but I'm so high I'll bet I could fly.”
Eddie growing more and more concerned now that Campbell seemed to be threatening suicide or at least several shattered bones, banged his open palm on the studio door window glass.
“Oh, cue the song, cue the song!” Campbell shouted as he put on Fly Like an Eagle by Steve Miller Band.
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“Jesus, Campbell!” Eddie shouted.
Campbell leapt on the windowsill and Y/N shifted as this was getting a bit too close for her but surprisingly she trusted Campbell and saw that he was clutching onto the bottom of window sash frame as he shouted enthusiastically and manically into the microphone
“What do you think, boys and girls? Do you think if we close our eyes and say ‘I do believe in magic’ that Peter Pan will really be able to fly?” Everyone was concern by now, realizing how serious Campbell’s episode was by now as he pushed the window sash up a little more and Y/N smacked the window, making him look over as she gave him a message like, don’t be so manic that you kill yourself because then I will kill you! “Let's try it, eh!?” He turned away from the window, locking eyes with Y/N through the floppy bangs in his brown eyes,“I do believe in magic.” Then he shouted, loudly, stepping away from the window thankfully, “COME ON! I DO BELIEVE IN MAGIC!”
Isabel pushed her way through the concern crowd to the door, Y/N refused to move out of the way.
“Oh, they're coming to get me, folks! They're coming to get your very own Campbell Bain! BUT WAIT!” He shouted, throwing his hand out, “Wait, I've got the perfect song!” He ran to the record player and scratched the record off as Isabel pounded on the door with her palm, finding it locked as he scratched on They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha-Ha by Jerry Samuels.
“Oh, yes, we're really seeing some action now, Brian!” Campbell shouted, his voice getting even faster, Y/N was sure that not even the Doctor from Doctor Who could talk that fast, he put his fingertips to the top of the shell of his ear, like a sports commentary, speaking into an earpiece, commentating what was happening as he saw it to those who were only listening, “Oh, the nursing staff have been at a temporary disadvantage, but I think they're beginning to get the upper hand now! YES! They found the spare key! It may be all over soon, and,” The key couldn’t turn due to the first key being in on the other side of the lock, “Oh, nooo!” He dramatically fell to his knees, “the key's in the lock from the inside and there's not a thing they can do about it!” Then he spotted Stuart approaching, “Oh, wait! Oh, it’s wee Stuart's got something, and he's not happy. If he can't break through the doors then I don't think anyone can.” Stuart aggressively pushed Y/N to the side which made her scream and fight back, suddenly, punching Staurt and clawing his skin off, “He tried to manhandle Y/N and she’s not happy; he’s made her angry! He’s pressed her trauma button!” Isabel then pulled her away and she immediately calmed down, “Ah, Isabel to the rescue.” Stuart then smashed the studio door window with a fire extinguisher, making Y/N flinch violently.
“YES! He's done it! He's broken the glass! And he's in! Wait, I haven't told you my loonies joke yet!” He shouted as Stuart and another assistant grabbed a hold of Campbell, picking him up as he continued to tell his joke at full speed, “This loony walks into a pub with his dog. The barman says, ‘Can't be any dogs in here, bud.’ But the loony tells him ‘it's a talking dog’, and he says to him ‘Look, if he can answer three questions, can he stay in the bar?’ ‘Let's see it.’ So the guy says to the dog, says, ‘What's the texture of sandpaper?’ And the dog says, ‘Rough.’ And then the loony guy asks, ‘Who was Scotland's goalkeeper in the 1978 World Cup?’ And the dog says, ‘Rough’.” The crowd followed them as Stuart carried Campbell, even Alistair had gotten up from the TV to watch with concern, “And then, ‘Who was the greatest American baseball player of all time?’ And the dog says, ‘Ruth.’ The barman's definitely not impressed. He grabs the guy by the collar and throws him into the street.” They brought Campbell into the treatment room with Isabel stopping Eddie and Y/N from following them in.
They slammed Campbell against a wall roughly, making Y/N flinch as Campbell, now slightly disorientated from the impact done to his head, repeated the last sentence he said, “Then he grabs the dog by the collar—” They pulled his jeans down, leaving him in his underwear, making Y/N flinch, violently as he continued to tell the joke, “—and throws him into the street. They slammed him aggressively against the treatment table, making Y/N flinch again, “And as they're lying in the gutter the wee dog looks up with tears in his eyeee—!” He cried out in brief pain as Isabela jabbed the needle into his buttock cheek with the sedative, making Y/N flinch. He was quiet for a few moments as the sedative took effect, making him drowsy and relaxed and then he spoke in a much more slower speech to finish his joke, “The wee dog looks up with tears in his eyes and he says... ‘DiMaggio...?"
He chuckled at the joke before succumbing to the sedative as Eddie watched ruefully and Y/N guiltily through the window before walking back to the station. She stepped through the glass and sat down, “Hello, this is Y/N, sorry for the craziness but our Campbell Bain has suffered a violent mania attack thanks to his father’s closed-mind, judgmental, disappointment in his DJ career, neglect, and general awfulness about him. So, I fucking hope you’re happy, Mister Bain, you think your son is the only looney in the family, you likely made him that way. This next song is Mad World.”
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She played the song as Eddie looked at her through the window. A little bit later, she spoke again, “The last song of the day will be Bang and Blame, dedicated to all pathetic waste of spaces that are abusive parents, once again Mister Bain, thank you for making your son ‘unwell’ as you put it and putting pressure on him to find a job like you have such high standards, you road sweeper.” She played song as she looked through the window to see Stuart and Isabel waiting for the song to be over so they could deal with her and the fact that she’s talking.
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The next day, Eddie walked in to see Campbell still groggy from the sedative with Y/N by his bed in the same clothes as yesterday, holding his hand. He was awake and they were just looking at each other in a comfortable silence.
Campbell groggily looked at Eddie to see him in a suit and in a slow yet facetious tone said, “What's this? Did somebody die?”
Y/N fetched a glass of water and made him drink it, he resisted at first more just to be a nuisance than anything but gave in and complied as Eddie chuckled and said, “I came from work. Big day today.”
“Ooh, did your boss get fired for overworking his employees? Or drop dead from exhaustion because he’s working seven days a week?” Y/N asked, sardonically yet with a cheerful tone.
Eddie chuckled again yet not sure if he liked it better when she didn’t speak, considering he was finding out she was a very sarcastic and sardonic person. to vastly contrast Campbell's personification of sunshine-ness. He pointed to his tie tack, “Salesman of the Month.”
“Salesman of the Month, eh?” Campbell asked in disbelief.
“What were the other salesmen like?” Y/N teased.
“How are you?” Eddie asked Campbell.
“Great. Y/N slept with me last night, yet I still remain a virgin. He teased and Y/N slapped his shoulder, playfully as he smirked, cheekily, “Saw my shrink this morning. He says I'm definitely not stable yet.” Y/N grinned and leaned down, pressing it against Campbell’s hand to hide it while pressing a kiss to it. “They're, uh, going to keep me in another six to ten weeks.” He briefly got distracted from the hand kiss, “Do you realize how much we could make of that station in six to ten weeks? Anything's possible now. And Y/N could be my protégé, now that she speaks again.” He wanted to ruffle her hair but his limbs felt like lead, so he just let out a half-hearted noise of not-really exertion.
“Aye, well. If you think you're up to it. Both of you.” Eddie told them.
Campbell looked at Y/N like, can I tell him. And she nodded, enthusiastically.
“Great acting, eh?” Campbell grinned as Y/N giggled.
Eddie looked confused as both teenaged patients looked up at him, then they both winked out of sync and it dawned unto Eddie that there was no manic episode. That’s why Y/N had left the room just before the “episode” started, why she remained calm up until Campbell was fake-threatening-implying to jump out of the window, why Campbell kept looking at her during the episode, why Y/N had looked so guilty and then blamed Campbell’s father like she had rehearsed it.
“It was Y/N’s idea. She’s an evil genius.” He smiled at Y/N before looking back at Eddie, “We’ve beat them, guys. I'll beat the bastards.”
After Eddie left, Campbell looked at Y/N as she climbed back in the bed with him just like she had last night and cuddled next to him letting the blanket act as a barrier of platonic intimacy between them, she rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped a loose arm around his covered waist.
It was silent for a little bit before she moved her hand so it went to Campbell’s hand, resting on top of it and she stroked Campbell’s hand with her thumb.
“How long have you been here?” He asked.
“As long as I could. They wouldn’t let me in at first but I kept finding ways in. I needed to be by your side.” She said, “They kept pulling me out, especially when I started shouting… well, it was more like whisper-shouting due to my likely atrophied vocal chord and they tried to take me away to some shrink but I wouldn’t let them. Eventually, they gave up and let me stay with you.” She whispered, “as you know, I slept next to you. I’m sorry if my plan hurt you.”
“It worked, didn’t it?” He asked and he managed to shift so his arm was on the other side of her and able to just barley touch her waist and to her surprise she didn’t flinch. She felt him move his head and press a kiss to the top of her head and again, she surprised herself by not flinching.
She was surprised herself on how this little, hyperactive, persistent kid had somehow gotten past her guarded defense walls, gotten under the wire, despite all her efforts to forevermore keep another heart from touching hers, the one she tried so hard to hide in the past ten months. She had been successful until Campbell Bain had crashed into her two months ago.
But the last time, she had trusted someone to be their best friend, she got hurt and was violated and therefore traumatized into a nearly year-long muteness.
There is a couple Doctor Who references. One straight out states it and the other is a reference to a quote from the Tenth Doctor in Fear Her.
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There's also a reference to a line from Queer as Folk, but I've never seen this show but I have heard the audio clips of this scene in fan videos.
Personal Mental Heath Rant (Skip if you don't care)
Sorry for being tough on Campbell's dad but I have severe ADHD (since I was three and getting worse with ever presistent pessmisstic criticism I'm given), Anxiety, Depression, and possibly two ambigious and debatable types dylexia and if complexes count an inferiority and guilt complex and I have spent my whole life being shouted at for seeing things differently, for seeing that there is no metaphoric box to think in, for focusing on so many things at once that it's just as useful as not focusing on anythingat all and so people think that I', not even trying, for being overwhelmed with tasks that are so simple to everyone else yet near impossible for me (due to being yelled at my entire life for everything I did. I was once shouted at for about or over thirty minutes because I didn't put something down right after I was told to do so becuase I was so terrified of the person who shouted at me, I was convinced they were one meltdown from turning verbal abuse to physical abuse though then I would be able to call the cops of them, I tried to see the silver lining in my own dark and twisted way of thinking). People expect me to act like I don't have a disorder or they treat me like I'm stupid because apparently I'm the one with the issue rather than them googling the symtoms (IT'S FOUR LETTERS) and try putting themselves in my shoes. (My mom once told me that ADHD was not a learning disorder; techinically she's right because IT'S SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST A LEARNING DISORDER! It can affect your entire life and shouting at me is just making it worst! But I have to be the calm one and force my temper down. Somehow I'm the most patient persn in the house in terms of temper. How!?
I have been forced to try and learn and study to only two type of intelligence rather than the one I understand best I have been forced to try and think socieity's way of thinking when my mind just doesn't work like that. I'm literally wired differently.
(About the "ambiguous and debateable types of dyslexia, I was tested for Bipolar when I was young and somehow they got I was dylexia because I kept drawing lines in the opposite directions that they told me and if you were to give me directions, it would be like in a cartoon when a character spins an arrow sign and it points in like every direction at once just indicates "Directional Dyslexia" or "Left-Right Confusion" but I don't like that term as it sounds like I have the intellect and common sense of a first grader who can't tell the difference from right and left.
 A few years ago, I went to the therapist and I was diagnosed with a math learning disorder but wasn't told what kind so I went to my most knowledgeable ally: Google! And the only one I can find is Dyscalculia which is basically math dyslexia. In my head, it's like some astronauts in a kid's game or show is placing number down in outer space but the moment I let go of them, they float away and I can't place more than two down, I can barely think about numbers without getting a headache as if I'm trying to understand time travel.
These two types of dyslexia I suspect I have, have been debated on whether or not they're an actual form of dyslexia
So I haven't been "officially" diagnosed with these but I'm not just saying, "hey, I have trouble with (insert dyslexia-induced trouble), maybe I'm dyslexic too", I hate that (Like don't say "I get distracted too, maybe I'm ADHD"), I have sufficient reason to believe this.
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opbackgrounds · 2 years
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Firstly - get better soon Sarc!! Secondly, a question - how about a rating of doctors/medical professionals in One Piece? Worst to best, and why =D
Worst to best, eh? Going to have to consult the wiki on this, but I’ll give it my best shot
Hogback: I considered putting him higher since he seems to be a competent surgeon—successfully transferring animal parts onto Absolom, among other things—but his utter disregard for ethics puts him at the bottom. Doc Q is a terrible human being, but he doesn’t claim to be advancing medical science. Plus, his supposed greatest feat isn’t even his own. Without Moriah’s devil fruit, Hogback’s “resurrections” don’t exist. He’s a fraud and a creep, -100/10
Doc Q: We haven’t seen him do much doctoring but considering his own health and that of his horse, I have my doubts. That, and handing out exploding apples and then blaming fate when they explode is generally regarded as bad practice. He’s caused much harm and brought no health, so -10/10
Hiliruk: An inspirational figure does not a good doctor make. Please don’t force feed children frog spawn in order to treat their broken bones 0/10
Dr. Blackbeard: we didn’t see his medical practice, but he seemed nice and probably didn’t deserve to be kicked in the head by an Emperor’s commander ???/10
Masked Deuce: I read both Ace novels and didn’t remember he was a doctor, but the wiki says he was a dropout with sucky grades so we’ll say 2/10
Aladine: Also did not remember he was a doctor, but unlike almost everyone else on this list he was sensitive to mental health issues. But without seeing him more in action I can’t give him higher than a 5/10
Nako: Don’t know much about him, but he gave Nami her tattoo and stitched up Zoro’s chest so 5/10 for being partially responsible in universe for two iconic character designs
Marco: Devil. Fruit. Hax. Seen more slapping on temporary (albeit effective) bandaid solutions than truly healing underlying conditions and hasn’t shown himself to be any great specialist or researcher 7/10
Crocus: He’s a doctor and a veterinarian, so he gets bonus points. Couldn’t heal Roger, but kept him alive for his last journey, and is a good enough engineer to hook Laboons stomach up with electric lighting without killing him 8/10
Kureha: If this were based purely on knowledge and expertise she’d win hands down, but we don’t see here treat the range of injuries and illness as some others, and her predatory business practices run the risk of causing real harm to her patients. Don’t through scalpels at your patients while robbing them blind. 10/10 doctor, -100/10 bedside manner
Law: Devil Fruit hax with legitimate medical genius is a dangerous combination in a man who literally steals hearts as a hobby. 10/10 doctor, but there’s a good chance he’ll just murder you instead
Chopper: Protagonist powers, and is the only upper tier doctor who is genuinely altruistic while conducting ground breaking research in the area of manipulating his devil fruit abilities with the power of SCIENCE. He was fifteen years old when he kept Zoro from dying at the end of Thriller Bark and reverse engineered viruses in the middle of a battle as the equivalent as a high school junior. 11/10 doctor, I will be forever mad that Oda never shows more off his efforts keeping these morons alive
Whitebeard’s nurses get a bonus shout out, because as great as he was as a person Edward Newgate was a shit patient and they all had to work in those ridiculous outfits. 15/10 for the lot of of them, I hope he at least paid well
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bunnieshoneys · 3 days
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china, thoughts
nico rosberg please come to every race im so serious. hes so fucking funny and genuinely incredible to listen to, especially in quali when he was talking through the laps... god i love listening to him so much
sainz... sainz... at the risk of being biased (i dont like sainz very much, lol) i really need him to Stop! im getting a bit sick of him just consistently blaming everything but himself for performance issues and refusing outright to be a team player. Between the comments on the sprint, fighting leclerc way too hard considering it was in a sprint for one (1) point and leclerc was faster (and could have caught perez!) and considering that he was carrying damage there too! no reason to not let your teammate through at that point. then the comments on the grand prix start losing places to russell and implying it was leclerc's fault for defending against him the same way HE did yesterday? god. please. just own up to being slower. charles has had zero issues owning up to his mistakes and low performance in australia and japan (both quali issues caused partially by the DNA of the SF-24), so why can sainz not do it?
as an offshot to this, sainz crashed out in q2 of quali and it was HIS fault and the commentators/pundits have barely mentioned it???? even using it as an excuse to praise the team?? and the bias is insane. i can think of a few drivers who would be ripped to shreds for the same mistake. ultimately it didnt mean anything because he got the car going, but god.
alonso recieving three penalty points for his move on sainz in the sprint (deserved penalty, but very harsh) but stroll and magnussen committing war crimes on ricciardo and tsunoda and only recieving two??? um???? FIA????
ferrari in general was hugely underwhelming and benefitted from a shockingly bad strategy call from AM to go on the soft (alonso on the hard likely wouldve finished above sainz, at least). Mcl also benefitted.
mclaren was a LOT stronger than we thought! but i think this is likely as a result of ferrari looking weaker than expected as well, regardless, lando delivered a great drive and dotd deserved today!! (never trust lando when he says they'll be weak, hes a LIAR!)
ferrari again: seem to only work on the medium tyres right now. they have to be a bit more aggressive or hope for much hotter temps in miami because they've gone so far on the tyre deg that they can't heat the tyres or get them into the correct performance window particularly in cooler conditions
piastri has struggled all weekend with tyre deg and i still believe this is why norris is clearing him, but !! piastri was carrying SIGNIFICANT damage after the safety car incident involving RIC/PIA/ALO/STR, so he did a decent job limiting damage. he stayed incredibly calm and composed. great drive from him.
speaking of damage control, hamilton recovered very, very well. p18 to p9 isn't bad, and considering russell was only p6, probably not far off what he could've managed with a "normal" quali, so...eh. not where merc wanna be, but maybe if they wanna be higher they could build a better car /j
RB got SHAFTED today holy shit, and ricciardo was on to score points too... yikes. pretty costly but neither driver was at fault even remotely.
STROLL??? LOOK WHERE YOU'RE GOING? fucks sake man
hulkenberg points in a haas what the hell is a polar bear doing in arkansas texas (he defo deserves that chance at audi, he's criminally underrated, shitbox whisperer)
williams... im looking at you.. score points...
verstappen dunking like twenty seconds on his teammate..... bro
off track helmut marko did NOT stop yapping about sainz exposing all his contract talks LMAOO apparently RB do not want him for the money he wants, which after this weekend i can see why. hes horrible at being a no2 driver
anyway. onto miami. need a charles leclerc front row start or ill die from withdrawals. also desperately need imola to be HERE
things to look for in miami:
logan home race!
mclaren bringing upgrades
i think ferrari might be bringin some very minor things also
peace out bye
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46ten · 5 days
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Were some of AH's reactions over-the-top?
@icarusbetide wrote the following here:
and i'm paying attention to what you said about how "He viewed things differently than they because he had different motivations" - that's generally how i feel about the reynolds pamphlet, because i can very much see the reasoning behind why he did it, even if it was a terrible political decision. a lot of his actions can definitely be accounted for by thinking of his priorities, which a lot of scholars have nicely argued were public integrity, honor, fame.
do you think there is something illogical/irrational in a lot of his over-the-top reactions to slander, or do you similarly think they are ill-considered but still rational? i don't have an answer, because i think they make sense given his aforementioned priorities, but i've also seen people argue that that level of intensity and "rabidness" probably had some psychological basis. flexner in the young hamilton seems to lean heavily into that (i have grievances with that book in general so i'm not taking his word for it lol), arguing that hamilton would revert to this insecure, child-like mindset at crucial moments - this isn't really about bipolar disorder or ADHD, but i wanted to ask if you think there's merit in that general idea!
I hate Flexner, and others do, too. I think psychobiography is not at all helpful to history, as a discipline, as "facts" are made up to support the psychological speculation.
It's hard for me to come up with hard examples of AH behaving "irrationally" in his life - that was not his personality at all. He was overly rational, an over-thinker at times. And he was also decisive - he would take this risk if he thought that outcome was worth it, but he does not strike me as someone unaware of the pros and cons who was just marching on. (His rationality, his ability to see many sides, his clear-headed thinking and ability to move that to action, and then his judgement, are qualities his colleagues praised about him - which doesn't mean that he didn't have examples of what they considered to be poor judgment - hello Adams pamphlet.)
To discuss the Reynolds Pamphlet briefly, since this is often suggested as an example of how crazy and impulsive/reckless AH was, he spent at least a month composing it. It's long and detailed. He explains why he's writing it. Considering we have it - documented - that AH consulted with some of his friends about dueling Aaron Burr (another example where it's in fashion to claim AH was some crazy loner guy making bizarre choices), I'd speculate that he discussed writing the pamphlet with EH, John Church, Oliver Wolcott, and William Jackson almost certainly, maybe Fish, Troup, Clarkson....He may have discussed it with Philip Schuyler! [He didn't get as far as he did in military/professional/political life without understanding the idea of consultation and seeing all sides to the problem, even if he wasn't aiming for full consensus.]
Callendar's pamphlets (which we no longer have copies of - historians are working from the History...of 1796 and AH's quotes in the Reynolds Pamphlet) took aim at whether AH was a trustworthy public servant - the intent was to wound his public character. He is absolutely going to need to respond to that in some way. The way he wants to respond to it, however, is to have the editor (Fenno) disavow it, and then to have the men (Monroe, Venable, Muhlenberg) to whom he provided an explanation of the Reynolds Affair way back in December 1792 provide him with letters stating that Callendar's allegations are false. He is furious when Monroe refuses, esp when Monroe states that he didn't really believe AH at the time! He's pretty ticked off that he instead has to argue his own innocence himself, and he lets the reader know he's ticked off to have to do this. That's not reckless, impulsive, crazy behavior. The issue, really, is the amount of detail he provides: not only "I didn't do that," but "I instead was doing this...." He is "too honest," "MOST INDISCREET" as GM probably would have put it! But this was also him putting all his arguments out there - this is what you should judge me for, because I was innocent of that other thing - and besides politicians knowing since 1793, the general public already knew (it's in the press by 1795) that there were accusations of adultery around him. He really wasn't revealing anything except rather excruciating details of the affair, but that again, is his "too honest" style and his thinking like the lawyer he is - "I'm giving you guys all the facts!" There may have also been some thinking that by providing all these facts, it would shame folks in the future and he could avoid being the subject of similar attacks - he may have also wanted to correct people on the record about his adultery; it's difficult to say. (Maybe this link to all my posts on the Reynolds Pamphlet will work, for those interested.)
One of AH's best friends, Robert Troup, states "his ill-judged pamphlet has done him incomparable injury," and Webster's quotes are pretty well known - the common objection is sort of a "why respond at all?" Well, AH explains why he responded - it's not unreasonable.
Let me bring this back to Flexner and his speculation that this has to do with some awful childhood events (that we have no record happened) and his resulting insecurity from it. There's no basis for thinking this. No evidence, no assertions from AH that this is a concern for him - it's just a story to sell books (come on down, Chernow!) Now if we're going to argue that some of AH's defensiveness around attacks on his public character came from his being an outsider, so therefore often having to re-assert his position in the gentleman circle, that may carry more weight - and some scholars do argue that. But I don't think AH, through most of his life, thought of himself as an outsider on the American scene.
If you give me some examples of what you consider to be over-the-top reactions to slander, I may try to respond to a few. I am planning a response to your questions about AH's personality, if that's okay, which I will post in a few days.
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