#phantom pain

[nyamadermont]

Phantom Pain

Angstpril 2024: Day 10

Rohan was the first to notice when Lin rubbed her forehead. Pema watched him toddle over to her, crawl up beside her on the cushion, and worm his way under her arm until she took her hand down to steady him in her lap. His mother thought she might just melt at the way Rohan lifted ShuShu up to give Lin a kiss on the forehead.

***

The volume of Jinora and Meelo’s argument crested as they chased each other along the breezeway leading to the family’s quarters. The game’s rules were important, after all. Air Nomad heritage was at stake in these things. Would they respect tradition, or strike out onto new paths? 

But when Meelo’s scooter spun him far enough along to see Lin bent over the railing, looking off into the trees behind the house, rubbing her forehead, he froze and plopped to the ground. Jinora, caught completely off guard, slammed into his back, causing them to tumble over each other for several lengths. 

The ruckus snapped her attention to them, but her face looked strange. The children looked at each other, and ran over to hug her.

Uncharacteristically, she knelt between them, and hugged them back.

***

Ikki did not want to clean her room. That was boring.

A quick glance outside told her that no one was walking around below, so she whipped out her glider, and jumped through the window.

The currents carried her around the main tower until she was looking out over the meditation courtyard. In the distance, she could see Lin’s black form stepping to the top of the Thousand Steps. She banked against the breezes to go say hello to the Chief. 

The clomp of Lin’s boots rang out from the stone, loudly enough that Ikki could hear every step Lin took. Until she stopped cold.

Ikki noticed that she was facing the dormitories, a place Ikki knew that Lin knew as well as any of them did. Playing badgermole hunt with Lin was never any fun because she knew every place there was to hide. Even on the roof!

But then Lin seemed to get small, and Ikki got worried. She angled her glider to bring her close.

Lin was on her knees on the pavement, one hand limp in her lap. The other was rubbing at a spot in the middle of her forehead.

Ikki floated down in front of Lin, who looked almost shocked.

Ikki could feel all the questions she wanted to ask, but they all felt wrong. She knelt in front of Lin, and reached up to take the troublesome hand away from Lin’s face. Gently, she kissed the fingertips on that hand before pulling it down to touch the stone under their knees.

Lin gasped and sighed, and bowed her head. Beneath her knees, Ikki could feel little tremors in the stone, and she wondered if that was what Lin felt all the time.

She covered Lin’s hand with her own, stretched up, and placed a tiny kiss on Lin’s forehead.

***

The heavy thump woke Kya with a start.

She rolled over and reached to the other side of the bed. Not finding Lin, she sat up.

“I won’t tell you anything, you monster!” Lin roared from her knees, staring wildly up at…

Nothing that Kya could see.

And suddenly, Lin slumped bonelessly to the side.

Kya scrambled from the bed, flailing for whether to turn on the lights or try to shake her awake, or let her sleep or bring her back gently, or…

She knelt in front of Lin, close enough to touch, but holding back, just a moment longer.

Lin stirred, and slammed the heel of her hand against her forehead, pressing and groaning.

Kya leaned forward and tried to pull the hand away from Lin’s face. Lin resisted, seeming to press even harder.

“Lin, Lin, it’s Kya, honey. Please wake up. You’re having a nightmare. Can you talk to me? Please let me take your hand.”

Suddenly, Lin went limp, the hand dropping away from her face for a moment. She grimaced and curled into a tight ball, bringing her fingers back up to her forehead.

Kya reached down to try to tug her up by the shoulders.

Lin gasped. Her eyes snapped open, and Kya could see the confusion and fear in her face.

“Lin, it’s just me, just Kya. You’re at home. We’re together. Can you sit up? Do you want a light? Feel your pajamas.”

She helped Lin put her back to the side of the bed, then wriggled around on her knees to reach Lin’s nightstand. The familiar meteorite was heavy and cold in her hands, but she knew it would feel different to Lin.

She could tell the instant Lin felt the rock with her bending, not just her hands. Her eyes widened, but her shoulders slumped, and her head fell back against the bed.

Lin let her hands fall to her lap, cradling the meteorite in her two cupped hands.

Her voice was hoarse when she whispered, “It’s just a phantom pain.”

Kya brushed back her hair, reassuring her, “Pain is pain. Pain is real. Even if he isn’t here to hurt you, ever again.”

“Why does it still hurt? He’s dead. I know he’s dead,” she said, her eyes fixed on the ceiling.

Kya caressed her cheek. “I don’t know. Maybe think about what Korra’s touch felt like when she restored your bending.”

Lin inhaled and held her breath. She opened her mouth and released the breath without exhaling, exactly. Kya pulled back to let Lin lift her head from the mattress.

“Did I ever tell you that it felt like your dad gave me a kiss? He used to do that when I was very little, and that’s what Korra’s touch felt like.” Her watery eyes looked down to the rock in her hand. It shimmered and undulated, changing shapes in a steady rhythm.

Kya reached out her hand again to rub Lin’s elbow.

“Then let his phantom kiss wipe away the phantom’s pain.”

She leaned up on her knees, and placed a gentle kiss on her brow.

#angstpril2024 #angstpril 2024 #avatar the legend of korra #legend of korra #fanfiction #day10 #phantom pain #nyama's shorter stories #kyalin #lin beifong #kya ii #airkids

[befuddled-calico-whump]

Im having a pretty bad pain day today, can I request some Cingerglass caretaking? Maybe Lex has a bad pain day too, with phantom pains and Sarah being there for him. Idk just he doesn’t have to go through that alone anymore

cw: phantom pain, referenced captivity

He woke to shooting pain in his hands.

It felt like his fingers were overextended and cramping, the muscles in his palms spasming, and Lex wondered dully how he'd managed to hold them open like that as he'd slept. He curled his hands into fists, but was only met with the sound of metal on metal as his cybernetics obeyed the signal. His cybernetics, that he couldn't feel.

He sat up, moving his arms into his lap, the stretching, straining, imaginary pain still there, getting worse, crawling up the forearms he didn't fucking have anymore. He breathed through clenched teeth, trying not to let panic rise in his chest.

(Nest, best, crest)

This had happened before. He knew it was... normal, kind of, but he didn't know how to stop it. In the Tower, he'd just curled up on his cot until it got to be too much and he was biting back screams. With Uriah, all of his energy went into trying to conceal it, trying not to let it become another moment Fox could exploit. Here... fuck. He was free, but it was early morning, and he didn't want to wake anyone up.

He forced himself out of bed, trying to shake off the feeling by shaking his cybernetic arms, but it did nothing. He stared at his hands, willed the ghostly ones to relax and close with the metal ones, but the fingers stubbornly refused, stretching and stretching until it felt like the joints would sever from each other.

(Brother, another)

He needed to go out. Go for a walk or something, try to distract himself, ride it out. He winced as he grabbed the handle of the door to his room and threw it open, tried to keep his breathing even as he moved down the stairs, stumbled towards the door--

"Lex?"

Sarah was already awake. His metal fingers curled into tight fists, but the sound of it only seemed to drive the phantom hands to be spiteful, a flash of pain running up his arms with such intensity that Lex had to choke back a gasp.

"I--I'm going out," he said, forming the words carefully, trying not to let any pain leech into his voice, but the words were coming out too sharp. Clipped. "Be back later." (Hater, crater)

"Are you okay?"

"Fine." Even as he said it, his body sought to prove him a liar, non-existent forearms clenching with enough force that it felt like the muscle fibres were splitting. Lex winced audibly, metal hands coming up to wrap around him before he could stop himself.

Through blurring vision, he could see Sarah getting up, coming to stand a few feet away from him.

"Uh... we might have different definitions of what 'fine' is," she said in a careful voice.

(Brine, sign)

"It-- I can't do anything about it," Lex said. Fuck, he didn't want to explain this right now, didn't want to fuck up her morning, he just wanted to leave so he could scream in peace. "Phantom pain," he said shortly, and hoped that was enough.

Her eyes widened. "Oh shit, hold on, I can grab you some Tylenol."

Lex's brows pulled down further. He kept forgetting that was something that was available, after he'd gone so long without it as an option. "Yeah," he gasped out. "Please."

"Okay, here. Sit down." She held out her hands, and he moved to meet them, allowing her to guide him to the couch.

"I'll be right back."

He hunched forwards, trying to breathe through the next bout of spasms. The moment seemed to drag out forever, but eventually Sarah came back with water and pills, and he took both eagerly.

"I'm not sure how much it'll help---"

"S'okay. It's enough," he said. Miles better than what he'd had access to in the past. His forearms twisted tighter, and he turned away from her, clenching his jaw until the muscle there began to burn. Despite his best efforts, a whimper managed to slip out.

He felt the couch shift as Sarah sat beside him. "Do you want me here?" she said softly. "I can go upstairs if you'd rather be alone."

Did he? He was used to being alone, especially for this, but... he didn't want her to go. Even if it didn't do much for the pain, something in him was drawn to her like a magnet, and he just... felt better when she was nearby.

"Stay," he said, and she smiled in return.

"Okay. I can put on some cartoons? It might help distract you from it."

He nodded, eyes squeezing shut against another wave of pain. Better than nothing, better than staring at the wall and waiting for it to end.

"You... Uh, you can sit closer if you want," Sarah said. "I mean, you don't have to, but if you think it'll help..."

He wasn't sure it would, but because it would be a distraction, because it was Sarah, he inched closer to her, breathing shakily as he lowered his head onto her shoulder, felt her arm rest light on his waist.

It didn't help the pain, not directly.

But it sure felt good to have something to hold on to.

וו×

@whumpacabra @enteredin2eternity @kixngiggles @whumpsday @kiichu @whump-for-all-and-all-for-whump @shywhumpauthor @distinctlywhumpthing , @bloodinkandashes , @fleur-alise , @whumpy-daydreams , @whumpwillow , @honeycollectswhump , @snakebites-and-ink

#sorry it's short ahaha #hope you feel better! #cinderglass #anon #phantom pain #wildefire #comfort

[alma-n]

Most people who lose a body part experience something called 'the phantom pain'

Wich is basically when the brain goes "you know what? Imma refuse this body part doesn't exist, gonna think its there, and right now, it hurts like LITERAL HELL"

#nimona #nimona movie #ballister x ambrosius #ballister blackheart #ballister boldheart #nimona ballister #nimona ambrosius #ambrosius goldenloin #disablility #disabled #phantom pain #angst #nimona angst

[short-honey-badger]

Phantom Pain

Little soul mate au where they feel each other's emotional and physical pain.

Warnings! A lil bit of angst and a lot of possessive Shanks cause I just can't help myself. Enjoy!

Masterlist

Phantom Pain Masterlist

Soulmates. Just the thought of them disgusted you. What good did it do anyone in this world to have someone else's pain and trauma to worry about? The joy of meeting your other half just wasn't worth all the hurt one had to go through, in your opinion. Yours certainly did nothing but cause you grief. Hangovers that weren't yours, to wounds from swordfights and shootouts. The worst had been the day your other half had lost his right arm.

Even now, almost a decade later, that phantom pain lingers, and with it, the guilt that isn't yours that eats away at you every time you acknowledge your soulmate. You ignore it the best you can, hell, you would be happy to never meet whoever they are. And you make sure to let them know that, too, with your own frustrated feelings. However, life had rarely been kind to you, and it wasn't going to stop tonight.

You know the moment you step into the only open tavern in the sleepy little town and see the red-haired man with a black cloak on at the bar, that tonight would be it. While he is covered, you can still tell that there is nothing on his left side and your arm aches something fierce. You debate with yourself. You could run away before your possible soulmate noticed you, or you could put on your big girl panties and go order a hot drink like you had planned.

You shiver violently, and the decision is quickly made. With a world weary sigh, you hang up your wet overcoat and then casually cross the room to sit at the bar several spots away from the one armed man. You order your drink and see out of the corner of your eye him staring at you, but you stay looking forward even when you notice him scoot down to the seat next to you.

Shanks stares at the person who had come into the bar, dark gaze curious. He'd felt you the moment you had walked into the bar, all angry emotions and swirling frustration directed right at him. Even through the negativity, the Yonko was desperate to know if you were the one. And he knew the fastest way to figure that out.

The grin that splits his face is full of glee and victory as you yelp loudly when he pinches the meat of his thigh. You whip around to glare at him, eye alight with indignation, but Shanks looks like the sun and moon just fell in his lap, "Found you," he says with a teasing tilt to his voice, "I've looked for you a long time, ya know that?"

You scoff at him and loom away to take a deep sip from your cup, "And I've been running," you quip meanly. Why? Why did he have to do this ro you now of all days? All you wanted was a nice evening to yourself, and of course, your soulmate seems obnoxiously good spirited.

Shanks laughs, and you can feel his merriment and joy at finding you. Your body desperately wants to act as well, but you fight down your biology and tell it to shut up and stay down. You've faught against this your entire life. You couldn't break now.

"I know," he says, and his words make you look at him with narrowed eyes, "I'm a dangerous man, Sweetheart. I know I've caused you a lot of pain, and I'm sorry about that."

You have to turn away from him with how genuine and soft he sounds. You drink deeply again and then set your mug down with a click. You've felt his guilt before, but having words go with it made you break just a little more.

"Well. Thanks for the apology, at least," you murmur and then tense when you watch him get off the stood. He circles around you and presses his front to your back. Despite yourself, your body relaxes, as if it knows that this man is meant for you. His one hand grips your hip, thumb moving to stroke the your skin under your shirt, and you shiver unintentionally.

"I plan on making up for it," he says casually and leans forward to bury his face in your hair, breathing in your scent. You smell like the sea and something else unique just to you. He can't get enough of it.

"I don't plan on sticking around," you tell him and shift to try and get away from the man, but the obvious pirate only tightens his grip on your hip.

Shanks laughs again, but it isn't a very nice sound this time, "Sorry to burst your bubble, Hon," he whispers, and you shiver at what he says next, "You don't have much of a choice this time," the Yonko waited long enough to find you, he wasn't about to let you go now.

He leans around you, hand leaving your hip to grasp your chin, and a kiss is bestowed on your lips, soft as a daisy, "Name is Shanks, by the way. What's yours, Sweetheart?"

#fanfic #one piece #reader insert #red haired shanks #shanks #shanks x reader #shanks x y/n #shanks x you #soulmates #alternate universe #fluff #angst #soulmate au #opla shanks #phantom pain

[heartoferebor]

[Image description in Alt]

"Morale has fallen." - An extremely normal Venom/Ocelot interaction for @sir-yeehaw-paws ◕��◕ (also: Hi, MGS nation, I have officially arrived)

#mgsedit #metal gear solid edit #MGSV #Revolver Ocelot #Venom Snake #Vocelot #Metal Gear Solid #Venom x Ocelot #Phantom Pain #MGSV: TPP #mgsvedit #idk what the common tags in this fandom are yet pls forgive #ANYWAY THIS SCENE HAS LITERALLY ALTERED MY BRAIN CHEMISTRY #the way they cannot express intimacy without violence. #the implicit trust #the loving way in which ocelot wraps his fingers around that knife. #THAT FUCKING DIALOGUE. 'Be gentle' HELLO????? #THE WAY THEY SOMEHOW ANIMATED IT LIKE VENOM JUST CAME WHEN OCELOT PULLED OUT HWAT IS THIS GAME #also thank u Nate for listening to my increasingly unhinged rambles #and hi MGS fandom. I'm sorry there'll be so much more where this came from #just wait until November when I am free of all the big obligations. you have no idea what's come at u you lmao rip sorry #my edit

[dewa-chan]

venom zoning out (doodle)

#my art #metal gear #metal gear solid #mgs #mgsv #mgs5 #metal gear solid 5 #venom snake #mgs big boss #mgsv venom snake #mgs phantom pain #phantom pain

[deadscell]

#bitch you live like this? #metal gear solid #mgs #metal gear #revolver ocelot #master miller #mgsv #mgsvtpp #mgsv ocelot #mgsv kaz #metal gear series #shitposting #shitpost #metal gear memes #metal gear solid 5 #metal gear solid v #metal gear solid the phantom pain #phantom pain #mgs ocelot #ocelot mgs #ocelot #major ocelot #kazuhira #kazuhira miller #kaz miller #kaz mgs #mgs kaz #silent hill #silent hill 4: the room #silent hill 4

[bigmangamin]

#metal gear solid #mgs #phantom pain #quiet #gif #pixelated

[lee-bug]

V Has Come To

#metal gear solid #mgs #mgsv #venom snake #kazuhira miller #revolver ocelot #big boss #mgs ocelot #vkaz #ocelhira #mgsvtpp #phantom pain #mgs big boss #mgs fanart #bbkaz #bosselot #master miller

[dieserr]

ouroboros

#mgs #metal gear #big boss #kazuhira miller #revolver ocelot #I guess you could call this one… metaphorical gear #metal gear solid #phantom pain

[in-a-breeze]

forgot i drew this for a while after i listened to the hamburgers of kazuhira, i love my wife so much oh my god

then this was the first thing i thought

#metal gear solid #mgsv #phantom pain #kazuhira miller #venom snake #miller's maxi buns #i love these recordings so much wtf #hes so wife material i swear #this is my favorite drawing of kaz in forever tbh

[eggocrumbs]

mgsv brainrot o’clock

#+ lil foxhound #mgsv #mgsv phantom pain #phantom pain #metal gear solid #game fanart #doodle #doodle domps #eggodraws #csp #clip studio paint #venom snake #kazuhira miller #kaz #quiet mgsv

[mgs3dickeater]

face to face

#not described #mgs #metal gear solid #mgsv #phantom pain #venom snake #doodles

[ashesfordayz]

Venom Snake

#metal gear solid v #phantom pain #venom snake #ashesfordayz #my art #artists on tumblr #fanart #hideo kojima #videogames #drawing #art

[short-honey-badger]

Phantom Pain part 2

Masterlist

Part 2 of my mini fic. I hope you enjoy this one as well!

You jerk away from his hand with a sneer, cheeks flushing at the unexpected kiss, "Please get off of me," you demand, tone not leaving any room for joking. Just because the two of you apparently belonged together didn't mean he could get all touchy-feely with you immediately.

You are pleased when he actually lets you go and plops back into his own seat. You turn and examine him with a frown, flickering your eyes up and down his rather impressive form. Your soulmate was handsome in a rugged sort of way with dark eyes and a carefree smile that could put anyone at ease. Anyone but you, at least.

"Shanks," you say his name and the man perks up like a puppy. You furrow your brow at him, trying to recall why his name sounds so damn familiar, and you jerk back even further when it finally clicks, "Red-Haired Shanks? The Yonko?" You demand, and your voice goes a little shrill at the end. Your heart wants to beat out of your chest, and your eyes are wide as dinner plates. It would be your luck that someone so terrifyingly strong would be your soulmate. This must be to make up for your own cowardly and wiley ways. You were a firm believer in not your monkey, not your circus.

This man made other people's business, his business, and that wasn't something you wanted to deal with. Not like you had much of a choice if he was believed, but you would not hide away how you felt. You've never held back before. Why stop now?

Shanks just laughs when he feels your annoyance and frustration stream down the bond the two of you share, "Yep," he pops the p and leans in close to you, and you lean away in response, "The one and only," he gives you a smug little grin and you suddenly want to wipe it off his face with a well-placed punch, "You still haven't told me your name yet, Hon."

You reach for your mug to give yourself a little bit of time to think about how you want to respond. Running was out of the question. His entire crew was in the building with him, and you didn't think you could get very far anyway. And even if you did manage to get away, Shanks knew what you looked like and could easily track you down with the connections he surely had.

You let out an explosive sigh and mourn the freedom you once had, and then quietly tell your soul mate your name.

"_," Shanks says your name softly, tasting the syllables on his tongue, and you shiver at the way he says it. How can he say your name with so much emotion attached to it? How can he care so much about you already? It's enough to almost frighten you.

Shanks stares at you, brushing away your rising confusion that he feels. You were nothing like he had expected out of a soul mate, surly and snappy with a bad attitude. But you were his, and he would show you how much you meant to him even if you didn't want anything to do with him. You were made for him, just like he was made for you.

"I like it, your name I mean," the redhead says, and satisfaction curls hot in his chest when he feels your embarrassment. Who knew that you were so shy? He wonders if it is your biology or you responding to him.

"Thanks, I guess," you murmur and give him a strange look. What an odd statement to make, but your soul mate seemed like an odd man anyway, so what was new?

Shanks grins and reaches out to drag you closer by your stool, causing you to flail for a hot second as you lose your balance. The Yonko saves you from the close fall by wrapping his arm around your waist, "Oopse," he says with that smug grin, and again, you want to wipe it off his pretty face with your fist. You can feel his joy and playfulness over the bond you share with him.

"Insufferable," you grumble lowly. You shift in your seat just to feel how tightly he holds you, and the longer you stay, the more you feel that freedom slips further and further away. You have run from this your entire life, and in one fell swoop, your fate had been sealed by walking into the wrong tavern.

"Can't help myself, Baby," Shanks says, and you can feel his joy and giddiness at you accepting your place at his side. Maybe not fully, but he could tell that you didn't plan on running anymore. His arm tightens around your waist, and Shanks leans in to drop a kiss on the top of your head, "I wanna know everything about you."

You huff through your nose, eyes rolling to the heavens, and when they come back down, they settle on Shanks, who looks eager just to be near you. You suppose his open affection would be something you'd need to get used to.

"Finnnee," you draw out and then tip up the remainder of your drink, "But you are buying the rest of the night," like hell would you spend what little money you had if your soul mate was here. You would happily let him pick that up for you.

"I think I can handle that. Pick your poison, Baby," he says easily, and hours later, you find out that the redhead was serious about wanting to know everything about you. Shanks had asked you every question under the sun, to the point that you had snapped at him to be silent for two seconds just so you could take a breather and think. This man was overwhelming in every way possible, and it made you wonder why fate decided the two of you belonged together. However, for all your dislike and disgust for soul mates, you couldn't deny that yours wasn't a bad one.

"Alright, that's enough. You're a sponge, aren't ya, Sweetheart?" Shanks says, and you blink up at him, vision a little swimmy. Huh, guess you had drank more than what you thought.

Shanks stands and steadies his soul mate when you seem to sway to the side. He gently pulls you off the stool and laces his hand with one of your own, "I think it's time we got back to the ship," he says and makes sure to keep his voice clear. The Yonko didn't want you to think that he had kidnapped you or something. He watches your vision sharpen as you process what he said.

You swallow harshly, hand clenching around his own and your free hand tangling in his dark cloak. Fuck. You weren't ready. How were you supposed to be there for someone else when you could hardly be there for yourself? This man was so strong and you were so weak in comparison it was pathetic.

Before you could spiral further, Shanks grabbed your attention by tugging you into his chest and kissing the top of your head just as softly as he did earlier. He could feel your fear and anxiety flowing between the two of you, and it made his heart ache that you were so fearful of something so good.

"Don't worry. We'll take this one step at a time,_ " he says your name again, and you feel yourself relax just a bit. He says it like it's the most important thing in the world, and maybe it is to him. He grins at you when you calm down and pulls away, but keeps his hand tangled with your own, "Now let's go. I wanna show you my ship. We've got a lot to catch up on."

Shanks pulls you out of the tavern and down to the harbor, and you have no choice but to follow behind him, completely forgetting your now dry coat left hanging by the door.

#fanfic #one piece #reader insert #red haired shanks #shanks #shanks x reader #shanks x y/n #shanks x you #angst #possessive shanks #soulmate au #opla shanks #phantom pain

[comet4123]

Well this took foreverrr but it is finally done :3 now I rest XD

#mgs #kazuhira miller #revolver ocelot #mgsv #ocelhira #metal gear fanart #mgs kaz #metal gear solid #mgs fanart #Almost kissing meme #phantom pain #master miller #moi oc makes cameo XD #MASSIVE BURGRS