#← drinking a different temperature of water then what you usually would might help like ice water ive found its nicer on my throat

[corroded-hellfire]

I've got this image in my head of very pregnant!AYW reader sitting outside with her feet in a kiddie pool, letting the older boys splash around and keep her cool on a hot day. Maybe a cooler full of frozen treats at her side.

I have had this one in my ask box forever because I wanted to write something I’d be happy with and I think I’m there lol. I hope it makes you happy as well 😘

Words: 1.4k

[As You Wish masterlist]

Of course. The August that you’re seven months pregnant is the hottest summer Hawkins has had in over fifty years. Of course.

Eddie could see how the heat was getting to you. Sweat would dot your forehead just moments after you’d step outside. Your ankles had swollen to almost double the size. It hadn’t escaped anyone’s notice that you were a little more irritable than usual as well. But your husband wasn’t sure what he could do to comfort you. Usually, his way of comforting you included wrapping you up in his arms but the one time he’d attempted to do that you’d given him a death glare that blazed hotter than the weather. He’d learned his lesson after that: no touching when the temperature is above a hundred degrees. 

One early Saturday afternoon, you and Luke are eating lunch while Eddie and Ryan run a few errands. Luke had wanted to go too, but ever since you started your third trimester, Eddie didn’t like the idea of leaving you by yourself. 

It’s quiet between you and your ten-year-old son when the back door bangs open, making you jump and swivel around in your seat–which was no easy task. Perspiration runs down Eddie’s forehead, Ryan’s own golden brown hair plastered to his forehead from the moisture. Patches of Ryan’s gray shirt are black and clinging to his skin from the sweat. If Eddie’s black Iron Maiden shirt weren’t so dark, you know you’d see the same thing on him. Despite how hot and sweaty they both look, they both have smiles on their faces and Eddie looks quite proud of himself.

“I f’ought oo were goin’ to da store,” you say around a mouth full of pasta salad.

“We did,” Eddie said, breaths labored.

“And we set up a surprise for you!” Ryan adds, his beaming grin stretching from ear to ear. 

“And me?” Luke asks optimistically, craning his neck to look over at his father and brother.

“Actually, kind of,” Eddie says with a shrug. “Come on.” Your husband waves the both of you over towards the back door before remembering he should help you up out of the chair–even though you’re capable of doing it yourself. 

The boys both run ahead of you as Eddie stays back with your waddling pace. It feels like no sooner than your bare foot hits the grass of the yard than sweat begins to break out along your hairline. You swear you’ll never complain about the winter being too cold again. 

“It’s small,” you hear Luke say. 

Your eyes catch on the short inflatable kiddie pool set up in the middle of the backyard, two white and blue striped lawn chairs set up beside it, and a large red cooler between them. The garden hose is hanging inside the pool, the green tube writhing like a snake as the water whooshes in to fill the empty space. 

“Cause it’s a kiddie pool, duh,” Ryan replies to his brother. 

“I thought,” Eddie starts, reaching up to rub your shoulders before catching himself, not wanting to make your discomfort worse, “you could sit out here with your feet in the nice cold water. Might help your ankles, too. And you know these two monkeys are always splashing so you’re bound to get caught in the crossfire.”

“Hey,” Luke protests, but Ryan nudges him with his elbow because they both know that their father is right. 

“And…” Eddie takes your hand and gently leads you closer to the chairs, where he opens the cooler that’s nestled between them. Inside there are different flavors of ice pops, ice cream bars, and cold drinks, all enveloped in gallons of ice that have a pleasant chill wafting off them. 

Words become trapped in your throat. Your wonderful husband did all of this for you just because he knows how the heat has been making you feel lately. And after you’ve been a pain in the ass. This would’ve made you emotional even if the hormones didn’t beat you to the punch. 

“Eddie,” you say, all other speech cut off as your bottom lip begins to wobble.

“Uh oh,” Luke whispers.

“No, could be a good thing,” Ryan mumbles back quietly. He was slightly better at understanding the emotional aspect of hormones than his little brother. 

“This is so sweet,” you say, turning to cup your husband’s face in your hands. 

“You’ve been hard at work cooking that bun in the oven,” Eddie says with a shrug. “Oven needs some cooling down though, she’s getting overheated.”

“Ahem,” you hear from behind you. Ryan moves into your peripheral vision, and you turn your head to look at him, sliding your hands down to Eddie’s shoulders as you do. The eldest brother is clearly holding something behind his back, and you scrunch up your brow as you look at him.

“Whatcha got?” you ask.

Eddie huffs out a small chuckle and presses a kiss to your temple before saying, “Ryan found something at the store he says is on every ad for the beach.”

“You bought me sand? The ocean?” you tease the boy.

Ryan rolls his eyes, another reminder that he’s a preteen now. 

“No,” he says. From behind him, Ryan brandishes a floppy hat, and he is certainly right—a woman is wearing one of those in every ad for the beach.

“Ryan, I love it!” you exclaim with a giggle. The grass crunches beneath your feet as you waddle over the few steps to the boy. He holds the straw hat out to you, a bright grin on his face at your happiness. 

“You know,” you say as you accept the hat from him, “I’d bend down so you could put it on my head but then I wouldn’t be able to stand back up.”

“Like crowning a princess!” Luke adds as Ryan laughs.

“Well,” your husband says, coming up behind you, “it’s a good thing I’m taller than Ryan then, huh? Or we could’ve just made Luke help you back up.”

Eddie plucks the hat from your grasp, the straw scratching lightly against your fingertips as he pulls it away. He steps in front of you, and you keep your head level, only raising your eyes to watch Eddie’s pale, toned arms lift to place the floppy hat on top of your head gently. 

“Your Highness,” Eddie says, bowing his head. Your giggle makes Eddie grin as he gestures towards the lawn chairs. “Your throne awaits.”

Twenty minutes later it’s as if the summer heat were merely an annoying insect that you’re only somewhat aware of. Even though the chill water of the miniature pool only goes up to midcalf, sloshes of water have hit you all the way up to your neck. The cool beads of moisture feel like heaven as they meander down your red tank top, though. The denim shorts you’re wearing will weigh a ton later since the boys’ splashing has gotten them so wet, but Eddie’s such a pro at taking your clothes off that he could use a little challenge this time. 

Luke and Ryan manage to find games to play in the small pool—after Luke’s failed attempt at Marco Polo, anyway. Toy boats glide through the water, a few of them on the grass from flying overboard. The two boys shout but they’re outside and having fun, and it’s nice to hear. 

The sound of the back door slamming shut reaches you as you tilt your head back, protected from the sun by Ryan’s thoughtful gift and the sunglasses you grabbed when you got changed. Eyes closed, you listen to footsteps in the grass as Eddie walks your way from the house. They come to a stop and you sense as he crouches down next to you. Lazily, you loll your head to the side and crack your eyes open. 

“How’re my girls?” Eddie asks, placing his right hand over the soaked red shirt covering your baby bump.

“Mmm, good,” you hum. “She’s very happy you bought strawberry shortcake bars.”

“I’m glad she liked them,” Eddie says with a chuckle. “What about you, princess? How do you feel?”

You pretend to consider his question for a moment before speaking.

“Kiss me?” 

You pucker your lips and there’s no hesitation as your husband leans in and gently presses his own against yours.

“Perfect. Now I’m perfect.”

[xo-cod]

would you write something about casual intimacy with simon please??🥹🫠

i'm in love with casual intimacy :") hope you enjoy babe <33 i couldn't pick one so i did a bunch but lmk if you'd like a specific scenario 🤍

rushed/ooc as usual.

affection and attention had been something the masked soldier had struggled with for years. he naturally had been closed off and reserved at the start, he didn't care much for intimacy having never truly finding it in his life. but when you entered his life, it'd all changed him completely

simon riley who disliked being caught in hugs and being squeezed, who grew to become incredibly uncomfortable and awkward around hugs and physical touch now came home from a long and hard day of work to actively seek you out and just collapse onto you in a heap, cuddling you close to his chest falling asleep on you. feeling as safe as ever between your arms

simon riley who was an incredibly observant man, who was known on picking up on the small habits others around him did even if they weren't aware of it casually and silently handing you glasses of water or food throughout the day because he knows you might tend to forget or you didn't have a good habit of remembering when to do so.

simon riley who had an intelligent yet busy mind, filled to the brim of placements on how to take down the target as efficiently as possible and how better to inflict the worst torture on his enemy carried space to memorise your coffee/tea order, making sure it was just the right temperature for you to drink and the correct amount of sweetener (or none) so you didn't have to top up

simon riley who everytime you both spoke couldn't help but fidget slightly with you purely out of love. who noticed everytime a strand had been out of place and delicately brushing it back as you spoke to him, continuing to listen intently but making sure your hair remained as perfect as ever

simon riley who was a natural born leader and protector, who lead his team along with price through countless battles and ensuring every last of his men came back to safety now couldn't stop protecting you no matter what. holding your hand securely with his fingers toying with yours or a gentle hand on the small of your back guiding you through the crowd of the streets, keeping you safe and close by at all times

simon riley who didn't laugh much through his youth or a fair share of his adulthood, never being able to find that connection and keeping to himself now gently nudged your calf with his foot under the table everytime soap and gaz did something stupid knowing it was funny but wouldn't give them the ego boost so he kept it to you solely. or his linking his foot with yours from the opposite side even if it was unknowingly because his body craved your warmth, some part of him having to touch you no matter what

or simon riley who was incredibly strong and who scoffed at the sight of couples, who thought he didn't need someone else now enjoyed resting his head gently on your lap whenever he had the chance. his fingers laced with yours as he brought the back of your palm for a soft kiss, still not used to the fact that you were his and he was yours.

simon riley loved different than most, initially he had been too worried to even reciprocate any feelings because he was damaged. some parts of his past couldn't be healed and he swore up and down he could never do to uou what his father did to his mother. some days were easy and others were hard, some days he sought out your touch other days he needed to be alone for a while to decompress.

but even in those silent moments, there was love.

he learnt that perhaps love itself didn't have to be made of grand gestures or explosive displays. it didn't have to be chaotic and mind numbing, it didn't have to be so terrifying and confusing. you were the anchor keeping him steady and grounded

love was made up of the little things and simon was so full of them, he might've not been the most romantic person in the whole world but he was always there and he cared for you in ways that couldn't fully explain himself. it took months of him adjusting around you, it took time to fully trust and let you in, to break down the walls that guarded his heart so fiercely but your life had intertwined so deeply with his, his heart was yours simply all along.

he thanked his lucky stars everyday when it came to you because he didn't have to pretend or make a charade, this love came easy. your love came easy and it wasn't for a price it wasn't something you snatched and dangled in front of him only to watch him fall and break. you kept him steady and in return, he cherished you well.

you truly were the other half to his soul <3

[maryland-no-rabies]

......................

cat onesie has no tail and I think this is a crime.

[rainismdata]

PriceGhost: A Sunny Morning

a short story of a sunny morning in Ghost and Price's life as husbands.

Ghost groans when he realized the sun has peeking through the window. He knew someone has opened the window, knowing he closed all the curtains already last night. Taking one's time, Ghost letting down his feet onto the floor before he got his body sitting up with the help of his arm. Ghost took the water bottle on the bedside table. Before he was drinking the water, he took in the information that the bottle was full. Someone has to be fill it in. To check into his thinking whether it is right or not, he turns his head back to the other side of bedside table. A wristwatch on the table. He let out a chuckle before he finally drink the water.

Ghost went straight to the bathroom right after he set up the bed, feeling the warmth coming from the inside of the bathroom. Someone used the bathroom already. So, he brushed his teeth while gently massaging his own neck, then washed his face before going to the kitchen.

The east side window of his house has made the way for the sunlight to get into his house, shining to every corner. Ghost opened the window, knowing the temperature was not really that cold anymore.

Ghost heard the ringing sound of a kettle from the kitchen. He knew who it would be. One of his question for it is... when did the other guy came into the house?

“John? Good Morning...” Ghost said as he was walking closer to the man. Judging by his looks, Ghost knows Price has already took a bath, even wearing his home fits, a navy blue sweatpants and sky blue t-shirt; what a color to start a day.

“Good Morning, Darling.” Price turns his body around, facing Ghost, taking in Ghost's hand into his hands. There's a slight differences on the size of their hands. Ghost doesn't usually fine if someone touched him, especially his hands. But, he loves the way Price touching his hands. Ghost inisiated the kiss between them two and Ghost didn't let Price get away.

“Warm.” Ghost humming while he was in Price's embrace, letting his body down because he is taller than Price.

“I took a shower already.”

“Hm-hm... I know.” Ghost confirms as he drew himself closer, taking in the scent on Price's neck.

“I'm just waiting for the soup to be cooked.” Price uses both his hands to caress Ghost back and put a kiss on Ghost's left side of his temple. “Would you like me to prepare a bath?”

“No. No. I don't want to take a bath, yet.”

“I see. Then, here... Take a seat.” As gentle as he is a gentleman, Price drew out a chair for Ghost to take a seat. “I might need you to help me chop the potato while I'm preparing our drinks.”

“Sure, will do, Captain.” Ghost said, teasingly, as he sat down taking the knife, continuing Price's chops.

“Really...” Price scoffed, folding his arms on his chest, looking at Ghost in disbelief (he's not). “You teased me. You don't really get it how good hearing your voice for that exact word.”

“Maybe I do, Old man.” Ghost said as he used his voice a few notes lower than his usual voice.

“Says the one who is just a few years younger than me.” Price then prepared a cup of coffee and a glass of milk right after he heard a chuckle from Ghost.

[yourfavoritewitchbitch]

Evermore Part 4

Summary: It’s been 7 years since the love of your life left you behind for his career. When he decides to come back, is it too late to start anew? Will you decide to start over or realize what's been right in front of you this whole time?

Chapter Summary: Backstory for Eddie and Peach.

Chapter Warnings: 18+ MDNI! AFAB reader. Angst (of course). Hurt/no comfort. Alcohol/drug use. Brief, soft smut. P in V. Minimal use of Y/N. Reader is given the nickname Peach.

Word Count: 6.3K

Masterlist

June – 1985

Another party was in full swing at the Harrington residence. It was an unusually muggy, sticky night. Everyone that was somebody at Hawkins High, as well as a few nobodies were in attendance. Steve never minded who showed up. Drinks were flowing, the smell of weed and sweat clung to the air; hormonal laced teens spaced throughout the house and back yard out by the pool, and more than a few getting some relief in the cool water. The epitome of high school parties. This was Steve’s last hoorah before starting a summer internship and then off to college.

You were sitting in one of the loungers, cut-off denim shorts and billowy tank to help with the sweltering temperature. Even past sundown, the heat radiated from the concrete surrounding the pool. He saw you across the yard, lost in your own little world, nursing your drink. Running in different circles, you’d never talked at school, but he knew you weren’t one of those bully types, though you were popular. He knows that infectious smile that could captivate anyone lucky enough to be graced with it sent their way. 

You were zoned out, thinking about refreshing your drink when he sidled up in the lounger next to you.

“Hey, this seat free?” he blurted out, not knowing what else to say in the moment.

Initially jumping from the voice, then turning then to see who had spoken, “Oh hey.” The metalhead looked a little frazzled, out of sorts. “I’m not looking to get stoned tonight, so don’t bother trying to sell any. I don’t do that around big crowds.”

You knew Steve invited the local drug dealer to all his parties, even though neither he nor you did any of the hard stuff; just the occasional blunt being shared when it was just the two of you. He said it was for effect, King Steve trying to stay on top.

“Oh, that’s not… I mean… Yeah, I sell. I was just chilling,” Chilling? Had he just said that out loud? He internally groaned.

“Sorry, that’s cool. I shouldn’t have just assumed. Eddie, right?” you smiled radiantly at him then. You knew HIS name.

“Yeah, that’s me. You’re uh… Harrington’s girl, right? Y/N?”

You snorted, “I’m not Harrington’s girl. We’re just close friends. And you can call me Peach, everyone else does.”

The two of you hit it off instantly. You hadn’t judged him for not graduating yet, even offering to tutor him if needed, he would gladly take the offer if it meant spending more time with you. You had even gone as far as commending him for not giving up like most people would already have.

“Yeah, well, if I don’t graduate this time my uncle will kill me.” He barked a laugh, slowly taking a drag of the blunt he now held.

 “You’re into D&D, aren’t you? You’re, what do they call it…? Oh, Dungeon Master!” you snapped your fingers as it came to you, he nearly choked on the drag.

“You,” he pointed for emphasis, “Ms. Popularity, know about D&D?”

“Oh yeah, Steve and I know these kids that are starting high school this fall that absolutely love it. I was hoping you might be looking for some new members. They’re good kids, I’m just worried how high school is going to treat them.” You stopped yourself before you started rambling too much, the alcohol starting to affect your mouth, as it usually did when you were buzzed.

“Hellfire could always use some new members; I thought you might be interested there for a sec,” he took another drag as he spoke. “Wishful thinking,” he mumbled to himself lowly, but you had caught it, shyly grinning to yourself.

“Sorry to burst your bubble Eds. They tried to get me to join in before, don’t get me wrong, I like the fantasy of it but it’s just not my thing.”

Eds, he liked that. He knew he was in trouble the moment he heard the nickname roll off your tongue so easily. He started to say something else, when he was interrupted by a gruff sounding voice from behind the two of you.

“Peach, this guy bothering you?” You both turned to look, Billy Hargrove staring daggers at Eddie, pointing to him, cigarette in hand, eyes briefly flicking to yours before landing back to the other boy.  

“Oh, hey Billy, no, this is Eddie. He’s a friend.”

Billy seemed to think it over a beat, taking a drag from his smoke before speaking once again, “Alright Peach, I’m heading out, you need a ride home?” he stubbed out what remained of his smoke, heading toward you.

“Nah, I’m good. I’ll just stay here tonight. Be safe getting home and say hi to Red for me!”

“Sure thing, Princess. Don’t let Munson keep you up too late.” Winking at you as he walked away, rolling your eyes in reply.

“Ugh… odd company you seem to keep.” Eddie was a little dumbfounded. He knew Hargrove as a grade-A asshole. Even going as far as beating the shit out of Harrington last year if his memory was correct.

“I know what you’re thinking, I tolerate him. Don’t get me wrong, still a total dick but uh, he really changed over the past couple of months. His dad left his stepmom, and Billy was caught in the middle, with Max his kid sister. Now that guy, Neil, was a real piece of work. Max and I are close.” Eddie nodded along with the story of woe you told, pondering how a girl like you wasn’t already taken. Beauty, brains, and it was obvious the compassion you held for others.  

“But, uh, I guess you could say our little group of friends is a bit odd to people on the outside looking in. Oh, Max lives at Forest Hills now. You may have seen her, broody girl with fiery red hair. Can’t miss her!”

Eddie had remembered seeing them the day they moved in. He had said hi to her in passing but she wasn’t much for talking. Stayed mostly to herself.

The rest of the night went by too quickly, chatting with Eddie into the early morning hours. Party goers eventually ran out of alcohol and energy, just a handful still mingling and talking amongst themselves. You and Eddie enjoying the quiet bubble you had created for yourselves.

You suddenly stopped Eddie mid-sentence when you heard I was Made for Lovin’ You by KISS begin over the speakers as you started to loudly sing along.

“Tonight, I wanna give it all to you… In the darkness, there’s so much I wanna do…” you stopped when you noticed Eddie slack jawed, taken aback, staring at you a little bug eyed with a quizzical look plastered to his face.  

“I’m so sorry! This is one of my favorite songs. I just couldn’t help myself!” Your laughter rang out, as you continued, “I was made for lovin’ you, baby,” pointing to him, then to yourself, “You were made for lovin’ me!”

He laughed out at your energetic outburst, “Ever a surprise, Peach.”

Steve eventually came downstairs, looking for you and spotted you sitting with the metalhead. At first, he thought he may have been bothering you, but he heard you laugh, throwing your head back. You were enjoying yourself.  He smiled to himself and left to grab some water and aspirin, knowing by the way you sounded you’d need it in the morning.

“Well,” Eddie finally resigned, watching your eyes grow heavier by the minute. “It’s late, or early…,” checking his watch. “I guess I better head out.” He stood, tucking his metal lunchbox under his arm. “It was a pleasure, Peach.”

He bowed dramatically and winked holding out his hand out expectantly. You placed your hand in his, feeling the buzzing electricity from his touch. Noting his warm skin in contrast to the coolness of his rings. He slowly brought your much daintier hand to his plush lips and placed a soft kiss there at the top of your knuckles.

He rose, reluctantly letting go, your hand dropping with a soft thud back to your lap. “So, uh… If you ever want to come watch my band play, we’re at the Hideout every Tuesday night, for now at least.”

“That sounds nice Eddie, I’ll have to take you up on that before Summer ends.”

He smiled so sweetly and vast, dimpled cheeks on display and big does eyes shining brightly.

“See ya ‘round Peach!” with that he was out the door your eyes trailing after.

It was then that Steve rounded the corner, leaning against the doorframe. Crossing his arms against his chest with a smug look on his face. You knew you’d never hear the end of his teasing.

“Not a word!” you held up your hand to shush him.  

“What?” he made his way over to you. “Just shocked you actually talked to a dude all night, especially Munson.”

“What? I offered to help him study so he can graduate next year.”

“Right. That looked like a lot more than just talking about school.” Pointing toward the door Eddie had just let out of.

“I’m going to bed!” You yelled over your shoulder as you headed to the guest room. You heard him laughing behind you.

­­­­You had gone to see Corroded Coffin that very Tuesday. The rest of the guys were entirely shocked that someone their age had come to see them, especially someone of the opposite sex. Dubbed you their first groupie, mostly as a joke. Eddie ate it up.

“Hey now,” he warned them. “She’s here to see me, that makes her my groupie.” Throwing you a wink and a smile, making your cheeks flush the slightest shade of pink from the attention.

You loved watching him on stage, completely in his element. He was made to be up there in the spotlight. The way his nimble fingers played the notes perfectly, his curls bouncing with every bob of his head enjoying every moment on stage. Tossing another wink your way when he found your eyes already on him. You were mesmerized.

The summer had gone by more quickly than you had anticipated. Days mostly spent by Steve’s pool or taking the kids here and there. Nights were filled with hanging out with Eddie, usually to watch him practice. On nights reserved for Hellfire, you joined as a spectator loving every theatrical moment.

At first, Steve didn’t like the idea of you dating “the freak” from Forest Hills, given his reputation and of course his source of income. They eventually warmed up to each other, only from your insistence because you wouldn’t have them hating each other. Though you could still detect a hint of jealousy here and there on Eddie’s part. You knew Steve was always looked out for you with only the best of intentions.

By the time Fall made its debut, you were completely gone for him. It admittedly took your head a little longer to admit what your heart had already been telling you. If Eddie had been honest with himself, he had fallen for you the night you’d first talked.

 As promised, you’d helped him study and pushed him. He graduated the following May, much to Wayne’s delight. The older man adored you from the first moment you met.

“Get together kids!” He yelled, polaroid at the ready. Your faces smooshed together, but at the last second you had turned, looking up at him with admiration in your eyes and the brightest smile you could muster.

Being this close, you could see the smattering of freckles that dotted the top of his nose and cheeks, the young Spring sun helping coat his usual alabaster skin with the faintest color. The way his lashes lightly kissed his cheek when he blinked. His smile, big and bright, dimples on display. You wanted to soak in his happiness and drown in his laughter. That was when he snapped the photo. This was the photo that was still hung at Wayne’s. Anyone could recognize the love radiating from that single glance forever caught in time.  

June – 1987

You were sat in the small apartment you shared with your boyfriend, listening to him lazily strum his guitar, only stopping to hum to himself and write down lyrics or notes on the pad that lay beside him, while you were trying to catch up on some reading. The sun began to set, orange and pink hues of the evening sky sending shadows dancing around the room.

He was perched on the stool in front of the window with a cigarette held loosely between his lips, bare chest on display, grey sweats slung low on his hips. He was occupying far more of your attention than the book in your hands, as you peeked over the top for the 100th time.

You were done with your first year of community college, and everything was looking up for the both of you. Eddie was still working on his music, playing different gigs every weekend, and gaining quite a bit of traction in Indianapolis. The big city was much more than he could have hoped for. The audiences there really welcomed their type of music with open arms. Proud of all his hard work and what he had accomplished so far, though you never had any doubt more was to come.

You stayed in Hawkins with day jobs to keep you afloat. The apartment was cheap since the Hideout was just below, where you waitressed and Eddie bartended. It paid the bills and Hank, the owner who also happened to be your uncle, cut a great deal on the rent.

Finally admitting defeat and abandoning your book, you slid up behind him, wrapping your arms around his waist. “Hey baby,” he hummed as he put the rest of cigarette out. “Hey handsome” you sighed and hooked your chin over his shoulder, “working on new stuff?”

“Just a little.” He moved out of your grasp long enough to put the guitar down and stood around to face you. Hand coming to rest on your hip, as his other caressed your cheek, thumb stroking your skin lightly before leaning down to put his lips to yours.

You moved your hand to the back of his neck to pull him closer, deepening the kiss, as his tongue slid languidly against your lips, begging for entry, giving in immediately. He tasted of the freshly finished nicotine and soda he had been nursing mixed with what you can only explain as Eddie. You melted into him, humming into the kiss.  

“I love you,” you murmured against his mouth.

”I love you too sweetheart.” He sighed, wrapping his arms around you, enveloping you with his embrace.

When you thought of the good memories, these were the days that came to mind. Just the two of you enjoying each other. No worries, no hurried days.

Eddie finally felt that his life was headed in the right direction. He had received a call from an agent the day before and he had been in Indy all day meeting this Reggie guy in person. The boys were on the precipice of a lifetime opportunity. This deal could make Corroded Coffin a household name if they were lucky. One of the biggest dreams he’d ever had could be coming true.

He put the key in the lock to the apartment and was immediately met with you jumping into his arms. Smothering him in kisses to his cheeks, chin, forehead, and nose; ending it with a peck to his perfectly pouty lips. He had left early that morning, so you’d not able to tell him goodbye.

“Happy Birthday Baby!” You cheered and leant back to look at him, his eyes already looking you over, catching the slightest glint there. You were wearing a new dress, hugging your curves perfectly leaving nothing to the imagination that had him practically drooling onsite. He knew you had something planned.

 “So, how’d today go?” you beamed up at him.

“It went great, but I don’t want to bore you with the details right now.” He was holding something back; this was a conversation meant for another time. He’d enjoy the night and fill you in on everything in the morning.

“Alright, well, if that’s how you want to be, we’ll wait but, I’ve got a surprise for you. So, follow me!” You took his hand, practically pulling him out the door.

“Baby,” he whined, pulling you back into the apartment to face him. “You sure I can’t unwrap my present first?” His eyes sparkled with mischief, pinning you under his gaze as he slowly pored over your form from head to toe.

You giggled in reply and pulled him back out the door. He huffed but followed, “Fine!”

You led him to the front of the Hideout and when you two entered, you were met with cheers, and screams of all your closest friends and family shouting, “Happy Birthday!” Hank had let you rent out the entire bar for the evening.

“Wow, sweetheart! All this for little old me?” snaking his arm around your waist and bringing you close nuzzling your cheek, before kissing you there.

“You sure know how to make a guy feel special,” he whispered close to your ear, breath fanning your skin, sending a shiver through you.

“Just wait until later handsome.” You moved close to his ear, so only he could hear. “If you’re a good boy, I’ll let you unwrap your present and you can enjoy it, All. Night. Long.” You placed a soft kiss to the pulse point right below his jaw. The place you knew would get him worked up before pulling away, leaving him speechless as you stepped away to speak to your friends. You looked over your shoulder as you walked away, the look on his face leaving you in a fit of giggles.

The night went on without a hitch. Everyone mingling amongst each other, drinking, and catching up.

“So, have you told her yet?” Gareth asked later in the evening, already buzzed.  

“No! Lower your voice dumbass. I want to tell her in private.” He hissed back at him, gritting his teeth at the younger man as he took another swig of his beer.

“Got it… lips are sealed!” He made a zipping motion across his mouth, locking the end and throwing away the invisible key.

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow man,” spotting you across the room then, giving him a slap on the back and tunning out whatever else Gareth had said as he walked away.

You were laughing with Robin and Steve, along with his flavor of the month. What was her name this time? Candy? Mandy? He couldn’t remember. What he could tell was this one seemed to be enjoying herself and didn’t mind the closeness you and Steve shared. Unlike most of the ones before. Eddie would be a fool if he didn’t admit some days it got on his nerves as well, but Harrington was actually a pretty good dude. And it was genuinely hard to hate the guy.  

As he made his way over, he studied the way you were so animated in whatever story you were in the middle of. Your smile radiating sunshine that he could feel across the room. How’d he get so lucky to land his dream girl? He scooted in beside you possessively grabbing your hip, body pressed close to his nuzzling into the side of your neck, drowning in the smell of the perfume that he loved.  

“Eww, you always get so clingy when your drunk” Robin mumbled into her drink. You smirked, loving how affectionate he was.

“Eds, baby, you remember Emily?” Oh yeah, Candy, Mandy was from last month.

“Hi again,” she was bubbly, “Happy Birthday!”

“Thanks!” pulling himself away from you.

Steve spoke up next, clapping him on the back with that signature Harrington smirk, “yeah, happy birthday man!”

“Thanks Harrington.” He spoke, but his half-lidded eyes were already drifting back to you. He could feel the effects of the alcohol and the lengthy day wearing him down.

Shoes in hand, long abandoned once they started to hurt your feet, you followed behind Eddie stumbling up the back steps to your apartment holding onto him with your free hand, as if he might drift away and leave you behind. He hurriedly opened the door as you both slid inside.

Your mouth was immediately on him, barely giving him time to shove the door closed with his foot, as you were pushing him against it, his back hitting it with a thud. It was a clash of teeth and tongue. You smoothed your hands up his torso, under his signature leather jacket, searching higher feeling the expanse of his chest and finally reaching his shoulders trying to help him out of the offending garment.

It was then you noticed some folded papers in the breast pocket that made you pause.

“What’s this baby?” You went to lift them from their position, but he was quick to snatch it back.

“Let’s uh… let’s talk about this in the morning, when we both have some clearer heads.” He went to kiss your neck, but you stopped him, pushing firmly on his chest to make him look at you.

“Eddie, I know your keeping something from me.” You were scared to look him in the eye then, looking down, picking at the skin around your nail instead. He never hid things from you, so you assumed the worst. He saw the worry etched on your face.

“Peach, baby, it’s nothing bad. Just a lot to take in. Hell, it’s still a lot for me to take in.”

“Then tell me!” you half shouted, growing frustrated, under the haze the alcohol held over you.

He slowly opened the folded packet as you watched him intently. He let out a shaky, nervous breath he realized he had been holding.

“This,” holding it up for emphasis, “Is a contract for Corroded Coffin with a very lucrative label company. They listened to a few songs today and immediately wanted to sign us.”

You jumped up throwing your arms around him. “Oh my God Eddie! This is amazing news!” he didn’t quite meet your hug with the same enthusiasm. You pulled away searching his face.

“What’s wrong with you? You should be bouncing off the walls!” He sighed and leaned back in, forehead meeting yours.

“I’m thrilled, truly, it’s everything I… we’ve ever wanted. They’re just waiting on my signature. The boys have already signed.”

“Eds,” taking his face in your hands, “what are you waiting for? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity! You have to sign! Baby, this is a no-brainer!”

“It’s just… If I sign this, it means I’ll have to leave Hawkins for at least 6 months, maybe longer. They want us to come to California immediately. And they’re only giving me the til’ the end of the week to decide.”

“Baby, listen to me. This is your dream!”

“Peach, I… I’m not sure I can do this without you there.” This was it, that’s what he’d been worried about this entire time. Not that the band might fail, he might fail but he was worried about leaving you behind. Wondering what kind of boyfriend he is for not taking you with him.

“Baby, I’ll always be here to support you, but I can’t go right now. We can do the long-distance thing for a while. You can call me every night and tell me about your big adventures. And you’ll come home as soon as you can. I’ll still be here.” You kissed his lips and pulled him in tighter. He melted into you then, nerves soothed. He just needed your support and reassurance.

“And, once you get back, we’ll see what the next steps are and go from there.”

Eddie signed that same night and dropped the contract off the next day. The rest of the week was a blur. The boys stayed in Indy to make sure everything was ready to go. Excitement and nerves bounding all around.

And finally, the day came. He boarded the flight to LA, leaving you and Hawkins in the proverbial rear view.

For the first couple of weeks, Eddie called you every day to let you know about his day and how everything was going. When they had gotten to LA it was a whirlwind of meetings, studio sessions and more meetings.

Within the first month they were already in talks of going on tour as an opener for Metallica. Eddie could have died then and there. But that also came with the possibility of being away from you longer.

As he got busier, it became harder to keep up with the nightly chats.

“Baby, It’s ok. I know you’re busy. As much as I love hearing from you every day, I understand if you can’t make it sometimes.”

“Peach, you are the absolute best. How the hell did I get so lucky?” He sighed, exhausted once again. “I miss you like hell.”

“Hey handsome, I’m the lucky one and don’t you forget it, but go get some rest. Call me in a day or so. I love you, Eddie.”

“I love you more! Goodnight baby.”

Eventually, the calls started coming in more infrequently. Understanding how demanding his lifestyle was; you weren’t going to complain, you just missed him. Being away from him was like missing a vital piece of yourself, but life, for all intents and purposes, had to go on.

February 1988

“Hello?” you huffed; voice groggy from being woken up in the dead of night.

“Peach! Baby!” Eddie practically yelled; you pulled the receiver from your ear at the sudden intrusion. There was music and voices in the background.

“Eddie? What’s… Are you at a party?” wiping your eyes as you sat up and looked at the clock that read 3:40. “Baby, have you been up all night?”

“Oh shit, I’m sorry baby. I know it’s late, I just… just had t’ hear your sweet voice.” As saccharine and earnest as he seemed, you could tell his words were slightly slurred. He was either drunk, high, or maybe both.

“Eddie? Are you ok? Are you staying safe?” your voice now an octave lower, laced with concern for your boyfriend.

“I’m soooooooo good baby. I just missed ya!” he purred. “Oh, hey Gare… Nah… Just Peach.” He spoke away from the phone then, muffled words, not catching what else was spoken between the two men. “Baby, I’m so sorry, the boys are heading out. I gotta go. I love you, see ya soon sweetheart.” He hung up without giving you the chance to reply.

You sat there stunned. Eddie liked to overindulge from time to time, but in all the time away he had never called you while faded, let alone at a party. His newfound fame leaving him in the public eye more often could lead to a lot of backlash if he did or said the wrong thing. He knew better, or at least you thought he did.  

You waited until the afternoon to try the number to his apartment. It rang until the machine picked up.

“Hey, it’s Eddie, you know what to do” followed by the beep.

“Eds, call me back. Please.” You attempted a few more times. Always met with his voice on the machine, now seemingly mocking you. You stopped leaving messages after a few more tries.

It was two days later before he finally called back.

“Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick about you.”

“I’ve just been working Peach. Nothing to get worked up about.” He sighed.

“Nothing to get worked up about? You call me fucked up in the middle of the night and wait two days before calling me back and it’s nothing to get worked up about? I was worried about you Eddie!” agitated that he seemed so nonchalant about the whole thing.  

“Look, I’m sorry about that, but it was nothin’. We were just blowing off some steam. And I’ve been busy the last couple of days, okay. I was going to surprise you but I guess it’s a good time to let you know I’m coming home for the weekend.” It had been eight long months since you’d seen him. “Look, I hate to cut this short, I know we haven’t gotten to talk much here lately, but I’ll be in tomorrow afternoon. The boys and I will get a lift to Hawkin’s from the airport. I’ll see you soon. Love you!”

“That’s… That’s great baby!” Click. “I love you too,” you whispered into the line as it went dead.

You didn’t want to admit what was happening, but the distance was finally getting to you. There seemed to be a rift between the two of you that seemed to grow larger each passing day. You weren’t sure what to expect when you’d see him. You’d hoped it was more your imagination, but there was this nagging feeling in the back of your mind that you couldn’t shake.

 

Not able to sleep from excitement and nerves, you stayed up all night with anticipation. You went on about your daily routine as best you could. You had thought about having a small get-together but instead opting to cook dinner for the both of you. Trying to make it cozy and romantic, lighting candles around the apartment. You did your hair and makeup, even opting to buy a new outfit for the occasion.

He said he would be there by 7, but as the hands of the clock slowly ticked closer to 9, you’d all but given up hope. He hadn’t called since before he was supposed to get on hi flight so you had no idea where he was or if he had even made it in.

Around 9:30, you heard a familiar jingling from the hall, as his key entered the lock. The breath left your body as the metalhead entered.

“Peach?” he called out, eyes adjusting the dim light within, sliding his bag from his shoulder and onto the floor. “Peach?” Calling out once more, as he rounded the corner spotting you by the window. Wine in hand, your face down turned.

“Hey Eds, I uh, made dinner. I thought you’d be in sooner.” He made his way over to you in a couple of strides. Barely giving you enough time to put the glass down without spilling it, his hands found you. Pulling you into a bone crushing embrace.

Your hands wound around his waist, meeting the warmth you missed so much, nuzzling your face to his chest and breathing him in. You noted a tinge of new cologne that smelled expensive. He peppered your hair with tender kisses then. Mumbling into your hair, “God, I missed you so much. And I’m sorry I’m late. I tried to call, but then got dragged away because they found us another flight.”

“It’s ok.” You had said that for what seemed a million times in the last few months. Was it ok? Were you ok? You pulled back enough to study his features. His cheeks flushed, tinted the lightest shade of pink. Eyes drifting to his lips. His tongue darting out slightly, wetting them. His warm, gentle gaze bringing you a comfort you hadn’t felt since being apart. He was your everything, your home.

“Peach I,” he sheepishly began, but you surged forward, effectively shutting off anymore words from escaping him.

The moment your lips met his, it was desperate and needy. Your hands find purchase on the front of his shirt. He moved his hand to the back of your head, tilting his own to deepen the kiss. His tongue grazing your bottom lip, begging for entry. Gently parting your lips, silently granting him permission. All at once, he’s everywhere. Hands roaming, feeling any of the exposed skin he could get to. You fervently wish in this moment you could crawl under his skin, desperate to be as close as possible.

You feel a familiar ache between your legs, the intensity of it has you reeling. He closes the space between your bodies; you feel the hardness of his own need pressing against your thigh straining against the denim. He finally releases your mouth, sucking your lower lip gently before releasing it. You’re both out of breath, panting. He leans his forehead onto yours, the small breaths being shared in the space between you the only sound.

“Eds, I need you,” you finally manage to speak.

“Peach, we… I…” he began again.

You brought your hands up to gently cup his face. “Whatever you’re about to say, don’t. It can wait until morning. I just want you to hold me tonight.” There was something unspoken behind his eyes with the way his gaze didn’t fully meet yours. He simply nodded.

You took his hand, interlacing your fingers, you led him down the hall to the bedroom. The air felt thick, making it hard to breathe.

He took you slowly like he was trying to memorize every inch, every mole, freckle, and scar. Kissing you from head to toe, the way his lips roved your body, mapping every inch. Savoring each sight and sound his touch coaxed from you.

His throbbing cock filling your aching cunt like no one else ever could. Each delicious inch splitting you open as he lazily fucked into you, relishing each moan and hum of pleasure as your walls began to flutter around him. You didn’t want it to end. Even this blissed out, the alarm bells were still ringing. You pushed them from the forefront of your mind, focusing instead the man pressed close to you.  

You laid there in bed once you were both well and spent. No words were spoken in the time that passed while you began to level back out and the haze of the afterglow subsided.

He was sleeping peacefully now, with his arm around you. Your back pressed in close to his chest. Puffs of breath fanning across your cheek with every exhale. You gently brought his hand to your lips nuzzling his palm, kissing the tender skin there. “I love you,” speaking into the night, sighing, and giving yourself over to sleep.

 Eddie had heard you then, and silently cursed himself for what he was about to do.

­­­­­­­

You opened your eyes slowly, with the now rising sun, scanning the room. You reached over, expecting to feel the warm body of your boyfriend. Instead, you were met with nothing but cold emptiness. You stretched, yawned, and sat up clutching the comforter close to your chest.

“Eddie?” you groaned. Waiting a few beats, only met with silence.

“Eddie?” you squeaked out a little louder this time, mouth now dry. Nothing but the sound of your own breathing, becoming a little more ragged as your heart started to race a bit more as the seconds ticked by with no response.

You swept the covers from you, grabbing your robe throwing it over your naked form as you made your way from the room.

The apartment was too quiet. No one stood in the kitchen or lingered by the window. His pack from the night before now missing from where he dropped it beside the door. No trace or evidence that he was ever there. You suddenly wondered if you’d just awaken from a dream that had conjured everything from the night before.

You saw it then.

A folded note. The same paper you kept by the fridge for grocery lists.

In Eddie’s messy scrawl, it simply stated “Peach”.

You stared at it for a few moments, unbelieving still. Hesitantly stepping forward, blinking back a few tears starting to swell, already fearing what it contained. You had felt a shift in him, you didn’t want to admit it even now with the evidence staring you in the face.

You slowly unfolded the paper, taking one deep breath and exhaling.  

I’m sorry.

Pain shot through you as your bare knees hit the hard, cold floor. Even with all the warning signs nothing could have fully prepared you for the reality before you. Gone like a thief in the night, leaving you alone with your shattered heart with no explanation.

If only he had noticed the pamphlets around the apartment for various colleges in and around LA. You had every intent of completing the rest of the semester and transferring in the fall just to be closer to him. He was worth leaving the only home you’d ever known. Now feeling stupid for thinking he felt the same.

You curled into yourself; the noises ripped from your body barely sounded human. Shuddering cries left you breathless as the sobs wracked your body. You stayed like that on the bare floor for what felt like hours.

In the days that followed, you tried reaching out to him numerous times, only to be met with his voice on the machine each time.  

“Hey, it’s Eddie, you know what to do.” Each message you left more desperate than the last.

“Hey, it’s Eddie, you know what to do.” Those words now seared into your brain, insulting each attempt you made.  

“Hey, it’s Eddie, you know what to do.” One last call, a week after he had left. 

“I hate you!” Blurting it out but meaning it with every fiber of your being.

 Weeks gave into months, into the years that now separated you from Eddie. You never gave anyone the chance to get close enough to break your heart again. Closing yourself off to the prospect of ever loving someone the way you had once loved him.

Tags: @josephquinncore @theawkwardbutterfly @munsonmecrazy @jadedhillon @pettydonuts @angelina16torres-blog @justheretoreadleavemealone @heyyimmisunderstood @micheledawn1975 @devilslittlebabyxx @luciferiorbxtch @bebe07011 @yunnie-f1 @akiratoro420 @evansslutt @sheerfreesia007 @tlclick73 @bakugouswh0r3 @vintagehellfire @feelinglikeineedlotsofnaps

[doe-eyed-dreamr]

hi!! would you be able to do a fic of snufkin taking care of a sick regressor? if you could make the regressor aged 3-4 that would be great!! tysm!!!!!!

Of course! I'm so sorry this took so long, I was actually feeling pretty unwell myself so I was struggling to get any writing done. I also have emetophobia so I had to be a little vague with the illness I hope that's okay ʕ`•̥ᴥ•̥`ʔ

I really like how this came out though and I hope you do too! <3

Snufkin Cares for Sick Little Reader <3

It's been a long couple of days. You figured you were safe from sickness as the weather warmed, but unfortunately the Valley had other ideas. Stuck in bed while the others went off to play and seek adventure had you grumbly and moodier than usual.

It just wasn't fair! How come you are the only one who can't get their limbs to cooperate when you try to get up and walk around? And that was without mentioning the fever and icky tummy.

But Moomin has promised today will be different. He and the others have gone into the woodland to find a rare plant Moominmama spied in Granny's notes that will hopefully bring your temperature down and give you a little more energy.

Snufkin had volunteered to stay back and take care of you. When asked if he was sure (he did have the best eye for plants among the group after all), he pointed them in the direction of the Hemulen (who's eye was even better than his when it came to flora and fauna) and said he was needed more by your side today.

You hadn't known what he meant by that until you felt it. That telltale fuzzy feeling in the back of your mind.

Everything is just so hard right now. You're tired and achy and nothing feels good to eat and all you want to do is cry and stomp your feet.

You're regressing.

It shouldn't be a surprise - days of feeling icky and not being able to play with your friends? A recipe for disaster. Luckily, Snufkin had noticed and appointed himself caregiver for the day.

"It's okay to let go." He says, eyes tilted towards the sky as you both lay out on the grass, cushions from Moominmama propping you up and keeping you comfortable while the gentle breeze attempts to wash your fever away. "I'm here. I've got you."

You feel the tears well up as soon as he finishes speaking. Any resistance you might've felt melts away and you allow yourself to feel miserable in the only way a toddler knows how. You let the tears fall with a whimper and soon you're cradled against a soft green coat, rocking in a soothing motion while you wail.

"I know, I know little one." Snufkin coos. "You've been so brave, haven't you? I know it hurts but I just know you'll feel better soon."

He places a small kiss against your head, and keeps talking when the tears slow.

"And when you do, we'll go on as many adventures as you'd like. To the beach, to the woods, even soaring through the sky. Anything you can dream up, angel."

"Da others be there?" You question, one hand rubbing at your eyes and the other clutching at Snufkin's coat as if scared he might disappear.

Snufkin chuckles and takes over wiping away your tears, much gentler than you yourself had been. He produces a pacifier from his pocket and clips it to your own clothes, giving you the comfort of knowing it's there without pressuring you to use it if you aren't quite feeling young enough.

"Yes, the others will be back as soon as they can be. And you know they love to play with you, whatever age you feel on the inside. I bet each of them has an idea for an adventure, we can ask them later if you'd like?"

You nod quickly, then pout when your head hurts at the motion.

"Owie."

Snufkin kisses your forehead with sympathetic eyes.

"I know, sweet one. Do you think you could manage some soup? I made some earlier and it might help hydrate you more than water. I'd hope it'd be tastier too." He adds, noting your scrunched nose at the mention of water. It feels like all you've been doing these past days is drinking water.

You nod slowly, hoping the food goes down well this time. If Snufkin says it's a good idea, you're going to believe him.

You didn't, however, factor in the fact your friend would have to get up to fetch the food.

A whine passes your lips and you cling on even tighter to his coat.

"Nuh uh! Snuf'in stay!" You protest. Snufkin hushes you, stroking your hair till you calm a little.

"Easy, sweetheart." He coos again. "I'll be right back. Count to ten for me, okay?"

You do so reluctantly, counting between shaky breathes the longer Snufkin is away from you. He smiles encouragingly as he emerges from his tent, large flask in hand.

"There." He says, plopping back beside you before you've even reached the number ten. "I'm so proud of you, little one. I know that was hard."

You get another kiss to your head for your efforts and you can't help the smile that overtakes you. Snukin is proud of you!

"There's that sweet smile." Snufkin says, smiling back as he opens the lid of the flask and pours some soup into it. "Now, I'm going to hold this, just sip carefully okay? And we'll see how you feel once you've tried some."

The task sounds simple enough, and you nod your head with determination. Snufkin boops your nose, and then lifts the soup to your mouth for you to take the first sip.

It's DELICIOUS.

Your eyes widen and Snufkin pulls the lid back as you attempt to gulp all of it down at once.

"Ah ah, not so fast." He says. "I'm glad you like it, but you have to take it easy at first, okay?"

You pout, but nod. Snufkin giggles.

"Okay." He says, bringing the soup to your mouth again.

You sip much more slowly this time, basking in the warmth of the food and the ache in your head fading into the background.

When you can't drink anymore, Snufkin closes the flask and rolls it away from you both, pulling you in to snuggle against him again.

"Now. I think a nap is in order, then by the time you wake up the others should be here to help you feel all better. How's that sound?"

At your clear hesitation, Snufkin continues.

"We can take a nap right here beneath the sky. Together."

You smile and hum in confirmation, allowing Snufkin to lower you both onto the cushions. He tucks your head under his chin, curling into one another, and begins to hum.

The tune isn't a familar one, most likely taking inspiration from the wind, the rustling leaves, the bubble of the stream not so far away.

It sounds like home, and you allow yourself to drift, knowing you are safe, and you are loved.

[autumnmoonsurveys]

NEW YEAR’S DAY 2024 4:10 PM

(I love her bathroom!)

What's for dinner tonight?

Pork & sauerkraut with garlic mashed potatoes!

Do you prefer cold or room temperature drinking water?

Cool, not cold. So, closer to room temp. I don’t put ice in my water.

How many different things have you had to drink today?

Water with my morning pill and two mugs of instant espresso with fat-free half & half and a little sugar. About to have my third and final.

When you read a book, do you use a bookmark or simply dog ear/fold the top of the page?

USUALLY, I just remember the page number I’m on.

What's the nearest city to you with a population of at least one million?

Philadelphia is the one PA city with 1mil+.

During the pandemic, did you use reusable or disposable masks?

Both. I bought us reusable masks at first, but learned I preferred the disposables.

What is your favourite local restaurant?

There aren’t a whole lot of “local” restaurants here, but I’ll say Vince’s for their chicken salad wrap.

Have you ever been harassed while minding your own business walking down the street?

Of course.

Do you own a gun? Have you ever thought about getting one?

No; yes.

Do you know anyone who owns a gun?

Tons of people.

What year is/was your 10 year high school reunion? Will you (or did you) attend?

2020, and no.

Do you cut your sandwiches into triangles or rectangles?

Either-or.

Have you ever seen a panda in real life? Where was it?

At zoos, I’m sure.

Are there any postcards hanging around the house? If so, where are they from?

No.

Does it snow where you live?

Yes. It snowed right at midnight the big, chunky, heavy snowflakes and it was magical.

When was the last time you took a flight? Where did you go?

Aug. ‘21, to Mexico — Cancún airport. I had paid $6K (all-inclusive resort & flights) for my husband and me to travel with our friends to Punta Cana again this past August, but we had to take the loss and stay back because the house we bought that we knew we belonged in was going up for auction during our vacation. We won though! 🤍 Side note: it wasn’t a foreclosure; farm auctions are popular around here. It’s a great way to make tons of money if you’re selling a home with a farm or lots of land.

Is there a flight path over your house?

Yep.

Does your neighbourhood have a lot of hills?

We do live on a mountain.

Have you ever had covid? What was your experience like?

Just once, to my knowledge. It was mid-Jan. ‘21. I had my usual flu-like symptoms of severe body aches, headache, and feeling like I’m freezing. It was a 24-hour ailment.

Do you have any alcohol in your house right now?

Yes.

Do you tend to keep alcohol around the house for when you might want it?

I don’t drink, but my husband does.

Has a romantic partner ever given you a pet as a gift?

No.

Do you ever talk on the phone with friends?

No.

What was the last thing someone said to you in person?

My son was explaining to me how he slipped out of the trampoline since it’s wet.

Are you hungry right now? What would you like to eat?

Nah.

How far away are your parents right now?

I don’t know where my mother is, but she lives 7.5 miles away. My father is deceased.

Do you believe in aliens?

I do.

Have you ever been bitten by a spider?

I believe so.

Do you own any clothing made from animal products like leather or fur?

No.

What's the best vacation you've ever been on?

My favorite was Oct. ‘17 when my husband and I took our four little kids (and my mom for help) to Disney World for a week over my daughter’s sixth birthday. Our kids were 15 months, just shy of 4, just turning 6, and just shy of 7. 🥹 They’re now 7½, 10, 12, and 13! 😭

[madscarypod]

Episode 2 Recap: Ex Machina

Millie & Rina are back, baby! After a medium hiatus! We start off by arguing about whether this is episode 2 or 3. It’s both. We do a bit of catch up and chat about the Writers & Sag Aftra Strike. They want a fair wage and proper protections against AI - very reasonable. We’ll see how long it takes for the bigwigs to get their acts together.  

Until they do, all folks writing or recording content around movies and TV are being asked to chill until the strike wraps. A24 is all good because they’ve agreed to all terms/an interim agreement. 

Millie discusses Refik Anadol’s AI generated art at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. Using machine learning models, an image is generated based on every piece in the MoMA archive as well as the weather, temperature, and biometric data from folks at the museum viewing the piece. It is a sight to behold. We dug in on what the level of technical skill might be - a deep understanding of development, machine learning models and data sets.Check out this work before it closes on 10/29/23. No moment/no visual is ever the same. Here’s a great example of how AI can help us create without replacing the artist. 

Rina updates on AI news, Apple’s GPT beta is almost ready/out and it’s going to “blow things out of the water.” We’ll stay tuned.Companies are heavily investing in AI - whether that’s via research, experiments, as well as additions to their preexisting products. Especially in the Workforce tool space. Can I have an AI assistant now please? 

Ok, so the Newton Creek sitch. There’s a pattern and it’s no bueno. There are now 2 guys that have been found dead in the creek. Is it an accident or is it foul play? They could have been drunk and fell in the creek. But maybe not. We’re speculating a female killer because Millie’s been listening to The Pact and it just makes sense. If a woman was found in the creek, the investigation would be different. Also, when women are the perpetrators it usually takes way longer to find them out. Women can fall under the radar. Gender stereotypes, yo. 

We dig into Ex Machina; written and directed by Alex Garland. He’s got a lot to say about men and their creations. The tagline is to erase the line between man and machine, is to obscure the line between men and gods. Woah. 

Caleb gets to go to his boss’s house and hang out with Nathan, his boss, and a beautiful robot girl. Oscar Isaac is smoking hot in this movie. And also hella creepy. Nathan has Caleb sign an NDA so he can user test this actual AI. We gush over the design of the beautiful robot girl. It’s stellar. 

Things get wild right away. Are you a robot? Am I a robot? All I know is,  Nathan likes to hit the sauce and makes a lot of bad choices because of it. Is Alex Garland sober? Don’t drink on the job folks. To learn more about some of Mr. Isaac’s choices watch this Oscar Isaac & Alicia Virkander Interview. He talks about his inspiration for Nathan, a combo of Kubrick and Bobby Fischer. Both Bronx boys. Hence the Bronx accent. Big ups.  

Caleb falls in love with Ava pretty quickly and she’s manipulating him left and right, as is Nathan. The power cuts in and out. But Nathan is wearing his “hanging around the house” clothes so at least he’s comfy. 

Caleb confronts Nathan about giving Ava sexuality; mostly to manipulate Caleb. Duh. But also Nathan is hooking up with those robot(s). Yeah, they’re is more than one. They continue the Turin tests aka their creepy dates. Ava and Caleb hatch a plan as she continues to fuel the fire of Caleb’s mistrust of Nathan. If only Ava can leave the room, then she can be truly “human.” She’s trapped and wants out. Yikes. 

Ava wants out of the metaphorical maze and is using her sexuality, her intellect - her data sets - to find a way to escape. Caleb resets the locks while Nathan is blackout drunk. Even though Nathan has been essentially recording him, specifically his secret conversations with Ava. Again, don’t drink on the job, ya’ll. Ava gets out. 

But Kiyoko! The other robot. She’s the housekeeper, cook, and Nathan’s dance partner/sex toy. She has a mo with the escaped Ava and gives Nathan a big ole knife to the back. But Ava deals the death blow. She’s devoid of all humanity. “It’s fucking unreal.” She traps Caleb and escapes into the real world in a gorgeous white eyelet dress and white platform heels. She doesn’t seem that impressed with what she sees. Botox face. End of movie. 

This movie was mad scary. The idea that we could create a true AI and it being free in the world. What are the implications? 

We loved this movie. It’s one of Rina’s favorites.   Stay tuned! Next time we’re going to watch and talk through the Philippou brothers’ Talk to Me. See you then!

[masquerading-man]

Adding some more:

1. Heat rises! If you have a house with multiple levels, try to spend your time on the lowest level. Also, during the afternoons (usually the hottest part of the day) look where the sun is and hang out in the opposite side of your house.

2. While wearing less clothes is good to cool you off, if you work outside, please layer!! You don’t want to deal with sunburns. Wear light colors, lose fabrics, and try to cover as much skin as possible. Also, don’t feel shame in looking “stupid”. Literally stand in that sliver of shade, or walk a weird path to stay in the shade.

3. Use an umbrella! I’ve found it’s not really common in western countries, but using an umbrella when you go outside makes a lot of difference to shield you from the sun.

4. Drinking cold water will lower your body temperature much faster than sweat evaporation. So i would suggest drinking colder water instead of room-temperature water if you are hot but hydrated. Also, if you need to retain your hydration, milk is scientifically proven to hydrate you better than plain water! (But still make sure you are still consuming electrolytes).

5. Speaking of electrolytes: eat salty snacks. Check ingredient lists— sometimes foods that dont seem super salty may contain *more* salt than the salty-tasting snack.

6. Also, if you feel thirsty, that means you’re already slightly dehydrated. Try to stay at a level where you never feel “cotton-y” in your mouth.

7. If you need to go outside, try to do things in the morning, not nights. Depending on your area’s climate, it will be much cooler at 5:00 in the morning than midnight.

8. Dont be afraid to look at your urine— it’s a great indicator of hydration.

8. If you need to open windows because you don’t have air conditioning, it can help to keep curtains/shades partially closed to block sun but let in air. Investing in screens also helps.

9. When trying to create a cross-breeze, creating a straight line through your house is most effective. For a stronger wind (yes you might be able to feel the breeze even if there’s none outside!), close all other windows/doors. But, if other areas of your house retain heat a lot, opening a window there will help.

10. If you have a car to go to work, etc, go early to get the parking spots that have shade! Also, try to envision where the sun will be moving— sometimes a spot won’t have shade in the morning, but will for most of the day or in the afternoon.

11. You’re car is like a greenhouse!!! NEVER leave children or pets in the car, even if you leave the a/c running or are only going to be gone for “30 seconds”! You don’t ever want to risk it. (For example, what if you get locked out of your car? What if you have a medical emergency and nobody knows a child is left in the car?). And if you see someone has done that, save a life! In some areas in the world, it is legal to break into a car in the summer to rescue a child or animal if they are left unattended— check your laws so you know your rights.

12. When you get into your car, its going to be HOT. Open doors or windows to create a cross-breeze. It may be tempting to crank up the fan, but if you have an old car especially, the a/c temperature will lower faster if you have the a/c on the lowest fan setting. Also, buy a window shield if you can! The shiny reflective ones are by far the most effective— and be sure to have the shiny silver facing out!

13. If you do happen to have an air conditioning in your house, remember than it can only lower the temperature so much from the outside temperature. Check your a/c brand to see what the manufacture says. If you try to lower it past that point, you’re just wasting electricity and your a/c can break. Also, if you do have an a/c, do NOT do the cross-breeze method at the same time. Seal up all doors and windows!! And when you enter your house, open and close the door as fast as possible.

14. Don’t underestimate the power of stoves and ovens! They will make your house hotter. If you’re able, use a microwave. (Also, ovens give off more heat than stoves, so use stoves instead when possible).

15. This is more of a fun thing to do than an actual tip: if you live in a house with plumbing (and not an apartment etc), your “cold” sink water will feel room- temperature or warm eventually. If you want a 5-second relief of cold water, turn on the hot water— the water will have been sitting in your pipes underground for a while, so it will actually be cooler for a few seconds!

16. Last but not least, rest!!!!!! Take care of yourselves <3

Editing to add:

It’s a common trope in tv/cartoons for people to stand in front of open fridges/freezers to cool off. Dont do that!! Even if they are left open for a couple minutes, it can lower the temperature extremely, and your fridge wont be able to get the temperature back to the “safe zone” in time. You dont want to risk having food sickness while it’s extremely hot!!

Speaking of illness, if you are throwing up or have diarrhea, talk to a doctor if possible. These two conditions dehydrate you extremely fast. If you’re nauseous, studies have shown that smelling rubbing alcohol helps (plus its a common practice in hospitals).

For all of the northerners that stood up for Texas during our freeze and said, "Don't make fun of them, they've never dealt with this before. Their infrastructure isn't made for snow and freezing."

This one is for you.

Where I live 108°F with 80% humidity with no wind is normal.

Pacific North West is dealing historic best waves 35-40°C or 95-105°F.

First of all. Don't make fun of them for bitching about the heat. Just like Texas isn't built for a freeze and our pipes burst, Pacific North West isn't built for heat and a lot of their homes don't have AC.

If you live somewhere with a high humidity like 80+ HUMIDITY IS NOT YOUR FRIEND. The "humidity makes it feel cooler" is a lie once it gets beyond a point.

If you live somewhere with a lower humidity, misters are nice to cool off outside.

Once you get over 90°F (32°C) a fan will not help you. It's just pushing around hot air. (I mean if you can't afford a small AC unit because they're expensive as hell, by all means a fan is better than nothing).

If you have pets, those portable AC units aren't safe. If your pets destroy the outtake thing, it'll leak CO2. Window units are safer.

Window AC units will let mosquitoes or other small bugs in. Sucks, but that's life.

Now is not the time to me modest. If you have to cover for religious reasons, by all means. If you don't, I've seen people wear short shorts and a swim top. It's not trashy if it keeps you from getting heat stroke.

If you do have to cover up for religious reasons, look for elephant pants or something similar. They're made with a breathable material.

Shade is better than no shade, but that shit it just diet sun after some point. Don't think shade will save you from heat stroke.

I know the "drink your water" is a fun meme now, but if you're sweating excessively you need electrolytes. Drink Gatorade, Powerade, or Pedialite PLEASE. I don't care if you're fucking sitting in one spot all day. That shit WILL save you from heat stroke.

Most importantly. RESEARCH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEAT STROKE AND HEAT EXHAUSTION PLEASE!

If you're diabetic and can't drink Gatorade, mix water, fruit juice, and either lite salt or pink salt

If you can afford it, cover windows with thick curtains to insulate the house

If you have tile floors, lay on them with skin to tile contact. If you don't, laying your head on cool counters works too.

If the temperature where you're at is hotter than your body temperature, don't wear heat wicking clothing. Moisture wicking is safe though.

Check your medication labels. Many make you more susceptible to sun and heat

-Room temperature water will get into your body faster. This is something I learned doing marching band in high summer in Georgia, and it saved all of our asses. Sip it, don't gulp it, especially if you're getting into the red; same goes for whatever fluid you're drinking. And just in general drink during the day.

-If you are moving from an air conditioned space to an un-air conditioned space, if at all possible try to make the shift gradual. When my dad and I were working outside and in un-ac houses a few years ago, he'd turn the air down to low in the truck about ten-fifteen minutes before we got where we were going. This way your body doesn't go from low low temps to high temps. S'bad for you.

-If you can, keep your lights off during the day. Light bulbs may not generate a lot of heat, but the difference is noticeable when it gets hot enough. I literally only turn my bedroom light on in the evening when it gets too dark.

Don't be afraid to just like... pour water on yourself if you need to. The evaporation will cool you off.

Put your hand to the cement for 15 seconds. If you can't handle the heat, it'll burn your dog's paws. Don't let them walk on it.

Dogs with flat faces are more prone to heat stroke. Don't leave them out unsupervised.

Frozen fruit is delicious in water.

Wet/Cold hat/handkerchief on your head/neck will help you stay cool.

Pickle juice is great for electrolytes! You can even make pickle juice Popsicles!

Heat exhaustion is more, "drink water and get you cooled off." Heat stroke is more "Oh my god call 911."

Image Description provided by @loveize

[Image description: an infographic showing the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The graphic is labeled "Heat Dangers: First Warning." Signs of heat exhaustion: faint or dizzy, excessive sweating, cool, pale, clammy skin, rapid, weak pulse, muscle cramps. If you think you or someone else may be experiencing heat exhaustion, get to a cool, air-conditioned place, drink water if conscious, and take a cool shower or use cold compress. Signs of heat stroke: throbbing headache, no sweating, red, hot, dry skin, rapid, strong pulse, may lose consciousness. If you think you or someone else may be experiencing heat stroke, call 911. End description]

Be safe.

-fae

[lingshanhermit]

Lingshan Hermit: The Sense of Relaxation

There's a term called "sense of relaxation." If you're using it to describe an enlightened person, I believe that would be a good thing. Many enlightened individuals possess this ability to instantly calm your restless mind. They are typically very relaxed, and thus can help loosen your tense nerves. However, in other situations, they can also be quite adept at making you feel extremely nervous.

For instance, if you're their disciple and happen to be traveling together—they can instantly transform into an extremely demanding person, with a nitpicking attitude that can drive you to the brink of existential doubt. They might have you repeatedly negotiate with hotel managers—whether it's about water temperature, unsatisfactory lighting, or strange odors on the pillow. The reason they do this is because you're accustomed to being tolerant, living within a self-imposed persona of magnanimity. You've never imagined that one day you'd change rooms three times because of dim lighting, or that you'd be so critical and harsh towards others.

Your teacher knows exactly where your comfort zone lies, and that's precisely why they do this—to drag you out of it. So, I want to say that enlightened beings don't necessarily make you feel relaxed; they can also make you quite uncomfortable. But that's another topic. Today, we're discussing the sense of relaxation.

Typically, we practitioners use this term to describe enlightened individuals. But if you're applying it to an ordinary person, in most cases, it might not be a good thing. Because an ordinary person's sense of relaxation usually isn't about being truly relaxed, let alone about realizing the illusory nature of everything. If they appear relaxed, it's often because they simply don't care about others—stemming from their simplistic and extremely selfish mindset.

All the ordinary people I've encountered with a sense of relaxation are self-centered. They adhere to a value system of minding only their own business, never caring about others' life and death, having no demands on themselves, and never considering long-term consequences. I used to hear Chinese factory owners in Africa say that you can't pay wages for an entire month at once. If you do, you won't see the workers the next day. Locals would take the money, go drinking and having fun, get completely drunk and lie somewhere, only returning to work after spending all their money. They never worry about tomorrow. They're somewhat like cat cubs, knowing only to play each day, caring about nothing, with no long-term plans or goals. This is perhaps the extreme of relaxation an ordinary person can achieve.

Buddhism typically speaks of a mind without obstacles. There are two types of people with a mind without obstacles: First, those who have truly achieved a certain degree of emptiness, who can keep their mind from intentionality and attachment. The second is a false sense of being without obstacles—those who never care about others. Such people also appear relaxed because they bear no sense of responsibility and don't intend to be responsible for anything or anyone.

Those who claim they never engage in internal struggles, who shoulder no responsibilities and consider no one, who are indifferent to whether things are done well or poorly—they only care about their own comfort. They neither know nor care about others' feelings, focusing solely on themselves. I recently heard their peculiar theory: "What does your feeling have to do with me?" I believe simple-minded people would see this as a treasure, hanging it on their lips. As if they live in a different dimensional space where others' unhappiness doesn't affect them at all.

It's not just about one person—even an insect's unhappiness can bite you. People like this, the less they care about others, the less they understand others' feelings. The consequence is that they become increasingly closed off and unable to communicate, which typically leads to misjudgments with numerous repercussions. Due to extreme selfishness, they've been stripped of the ability to perceive others' suffering—they cannot feel any human's emotions except their own. This is terrifying. It means that even if they pour boiling water on your head, they won't comprehend the pain you're experiencing—to them, it's just a slight discomfort.

Such people grow up under a peculiar education, not caring about humanity, poetry, or even their neighbors. They live only in their own world, unwilling to do anything meaningful, lacking any sense of responsibility to do things well, and having extremely low expectations of themselves. If they appear relaxed, it's because they don't need to contemplate human destiny. They don't care about arguments in the White House or the Ukrainian girl who lost her legs on the battlefield—they're completely numb to others' suffering.

They live like a Tasmania devil in Australian forests, daily concerns limited to finding enough carrion and bird eggs. Such people typically lack basic responsibility for themselves and others. They have no passion, no ideals, no life goals, yet consider themselves incredibly clever, living only for themselves. If you ask them to do something, they'll gradually dismantle your entire worldview. As a quite discerning perfectionist, I wouldn't enjoy interacting with such people.

Fortunately, human society isn't composed only of such people, not just those of extreme selfishness. We have Xuanzang, Kumarajiva, Jin Yong, and Jiangyang Qingzhe Wangbo. Take Jiangyang Qingzhe Wangbo—I consider him a person with a true sense of relaxation, despite spending his entire life practicing and teaching dharma, appearing incredibly busy. I still consider him the most relaxed person because he realized everything is like a dream, like an illusion. When you realize everything is a projection of your own mind, you become truly relaxed. Nothing can disturb you.

You can be relaxed while busy, and busy while relaxed. You can do many things yet feel like you've done nothing. Those with a false sense of relaxation appear carefree because they never contemplate complex matters or care about others' destinies. They grew up in an environment that allows mistakes, places no demands on oneself, and feels no responsibility towards others. This can make them temporarily relaxed, but cannot grant them permanent relaxation. Ultimately, they will pay the price for their indulgence.

Written by Lingshan Hermit on February 27, 2025 First published on March 5, 2025

Copyright Notice：All copyrights of Ling Shan Hermit's articles in Simplified and Traditional Chinese, English, and other languages belong to the natural person who owns "Ling Shan Hermit". Please respect copyright. Publishers, media, or individuals (including but not limited to internet media, websites, personal spaces, Weibo, WeChat public accounts, print media) must obtain authorization from Ling Shan Hermit before use. No modifications to the articles are allowed (including: author's name, title, main text content, and punctuation marks). We reserve all legal rights.

灵山居士：松弛感

有个词叫松弛感。如果你是拿它来形容一位证悟者，我想那应该是一件好事。很多证悟者具有这样的能力，他们能让你烦躁不安的心顿时平静下来。他们通常都很放松，所以他们也能让你紧绷的神经松弛下来。但是在另一些情况下，他们也很擅长让你神经紧绷。比如你是他的弟子，又恰好在和他一起旅行——他可以瞬间切换成极为挑剔的人，他的吹毛求疵能让你抓狂到怀疑人生。他会让你几次三番去找酒店经理交涉——不是因为洗澡水太热就是因为光照不满意或者枕头上有奇怪的味道。而他之所以这么做是因为你习惯于做一个宽容的人，你一直都活在一个自己很宽容的人设里，你从未想过自己有一天会因为光线太暗的事找经理换三次房间。你不习惯对别人如此吹毛求疵更不习惯对别人疾言厉色。你的老师知道你的舒适区在哪里，所以他才这么做，把你拖出你的舒适区。所以，我想说的是，证悟者并不一定让你感觉很放松，他也可以让你非常酸爽。但这是另一个话题。我们今天要谈的是松弛感。

通常我们修行者会用它来形容证悟者，但是假如你是用它来形容一个普通人。如果你在一个普通人身上发现了松驰感，大多数时候这可能并不是件好事。因为普通人的松驰感通常并不是因为他很放松，更不是因为他证悟了一切如幻的本质，如果他看上去很放松，很多时候是因为他们压根不关心别人，是缘于他们头脑简单又极度自私。我见过的有松弛感的普通人都很自私，他们奉行的是一种只管自己的价值观，他们从不关心别人的死活，对自己毫无要求，也从不考虑长远的事。以前我听在非洲开厂的中国人说，在非洲，你不能一次性发放一个月的工资，如果你一次发给他一个月的工资，第二天你就见不到他们了。因为当地人拿到钱之后就会去喝酒找乐子。他们会喝的醉醺醺的躺在某个角落。等把钱全花光了才会来上班。他们从不为明天的事情发愁。他们有点像是猫的幼崽，每天只知道玩，什么都不放在心上，没有任何长远的规划和目标。这大概就是普通人松驰感所能达到的极致。

通常我们佛教会说心无挂碍。心无挂碍的人有两种：一种是真正的心无挂碍，这样的人证到了某种程度的空性，他们可以让自己的心不作意不粘着。还有一种假的心无挂碍，就是这种从不关心别人的人，从不关心别人的人看上去也会很有松驰感，因为他毫无��任感，也不打算对任何人任何事负责，所以看上去很放松。那种声称自己从不内耗的人，他们不肩负任何责任，也不为任何人考虑，事情做好做坏他们也丝毫不关心。他们只关心自己是不是过的舒服。他们既不知道别人的感受也不关心别人的感受，他们只关注自己。我新近听到他们有一个奇特的理论是：“你的感受跟我有什么关系？”我相信那些笨人看到这句话就像是捡到了宝，他们会把这样的话挂在嘴边。好像他们和别人生活在不同维度的空间，别人不高兴了不会影响到他们一样。别说是一个人，即便是一只虫不高兴了也能咬你。像这样的人，他们越不关心别人就越不知道别人的感受，后果就是他们会越来越封闭，越来越不知道怎么沟通，而不知道怎么沟通通常会导致误判，而误判会产生很多后果。因为极度自私，他们被收缴剥离了感知他人痛苦的能力，他们无法感受除了自己之外的任何他人的感受——这很可怕。这意味着即便他们把开水浇在你头上他们也不知道你遭遇了什么样的痛苦。在他们看来，那只是小小的疼了一下。

这样的人，他们在一种奇特的教育下长大，他们不关心人类，不关心诗歌，也不关心隔壁的邻居。他们只活在自己的世界里，他们也不想做任何有价值有意义的事，更没有要把事情做好的责任感，他们对自己要求很低。如果他们看上去松弛，那是因为他们不必思考人类的命运，他们不关心白宫里发生的争吵，不关心战场上失去双腿的乌克兰女孩，他们对别人的苦难完全无感。他们活的就像是澳洲森林里的袋獾，每天关心的是能否吃到足够的腐肉和鸟蛋。这样的人通常对自己和别人都缺乏基本的责任感。他们没有激情，没有理想，没有人生目标，又自以为精明无比只为自己而活。如果你让他去做一件事，他就会一点一点敲碎你的三观。我是个相当挑剔的完美主义者，所以我不会喜欢和这样的人相处。

所幸的是，人类社会不是只有他们这样的人，不是只有这种自私到极致的人。我们有玄奘有鸠摩罗什，有金庸和蒋扬钦哲旺波。像蒋扬钦哲旺波，我认为他是很有松弛感的人，虽然他一生都在修法在传法，看起来非常忙碌。但他依然是我认为的最有松弛感的人，因为他证悟了一切都是如梦如幻，当你证悟了一切都是你自心的投射，你就会很放松。任何事情都不能打扰到你。你可以在忙碌中松弛，也可以在松弛中忙碌。可以做很多事但是却一件事也没有做。而那些假的松弛感拥有者，他们之所以看上去毫无疑慮，是因为他们从来不想复杂的事情，也不关心别人的命运。他们是在一种允许犯错、对自己毫无要求、对别人没有任何责任感的环境里长大。这能让他们放松一时，却不能让他们永远放松，最终他们要为自己的放逸而买单。

灵山居士写于2025年2月27日。首发于2025年3月5日。

[kimmysurveyblog]

42

What's for dinner tonight? We did breakfast for dinner! Pancakes, breakfast sausage and strawberries.

Do you prefer cold or room temperature drinking water? Cold.

How many different things have you had to drink today? Water, cold brew, iced coffee lol.

When you read a book, do you use a bookmark or simply dog ear/fold the top of the page? My boyfriend got me a super cute Stardew Valley bookmark for Mother's Day!

What's the nearest city to you with a population of at least one million? Toronto.

During the pandemic, did you use reusable or disposable masks? Both. I use disposable now if I'm forced to go out when sick or going to a crowded place during cold & flu season.

What is your favourite local restaurant? Not comfy sharing.

Have you ever been harassed while minding your own business walking down the street? I'm a woman, so yes.

Do you own a gun? Have you ever thought about getting one? Noooooo. No.

Do you know anyone who owns a gun? Perhaps for hunting?

What year is/was your 10 year high school reunion? Will you (or did you) attend? 2018. I did not attend.

Do you cut your sandwiches into triangles or rectangles? I don't cut them.

Have you ever seen a panda in real life? Where was it? No.

Are there any postcards hanging around the house? If so, where are they from? From a friend I met off of Twitch in England.

Does it snow where you live? Yes!

When was the last time you took a flight? Where did you go? I've never flown, nor do I want to.

Is there a flight path over your house? I think so.

Does your neighbourhood have a lot of hills? I'd say no but I had an online friend visiting from a different province and he told me it definitely does, so maybe.

Have you ever had Covid? What was your experience like? I think we've managed to avoid it somehow. We haven't tested the last few times we've been sick though.

Do you have any alcohol in your house right now? A few IPAs.

Do you tend to keep alcohol around the house for when you might want it? Not typically.

Has a romantic partner ever given you a pet as a gift? No.

Do you ever talk on the phone with friends? Sometimes! I do a every-few-weeks catchup with one of my friends, and an every-couple-of-months catchup with another.

What was the last thing someone said to you in person? My boyfriend complained about something one of our neighbours did.

Are you hungry right now? What would you like to eat? I'm still full from dinner.

How far away are your parents right now? They died.

Do you believe in aliens? Yes.

Have you ever been bitten by a spider? Perhaps as a child.

Do you own any clothing made from animal products like leather or fur? No.

What's the best vacation you've ever been on? I'm not sure.

Do you have any plans for tomorrow? Boyfriend's dad/stepmom/sister are coming over. His dad is helping fix a couple of things in our house and his stepmom & sister are visiting with my kiddo & I. :) I've been enjoying how much time we've been spending with them lately.

What's the longest movie you've ever seen?  Nooo idea.

What movies did you watch a lot as a kid?  ^

How many rooms are in your home?  Two bedrooms.

Do you ever experience imposter syndrome?  Sometimes.

What was the last place you rode to in a car?  Grocery store.

Do you have a PayPal account? If so, how often do you use it? Yup! Once or twice a month.

Are you cold right now?  Not really.

How old will you be at your next birthday?  33.

Before this one, when was the last time you took a survey?  Earlier today.

Can you skip rope?  Maybe. I don't know the last time I tried.

Have you ever participated in a charity fundraising event?  No.

What is your hair like at the moment?  In a bun, as usual.

Do you like cucumber?  Yes!

What do you like and dislike about your job? (or your last job)  I liked that it was super chill. I hated the night shift though.

Have you ever had a dream job? If so, did you give up on it, and why? Or do you happen to have that dream job? I really wanted to be a PSW and became one but couldn't handle it.

What's the last sitcom you watched? Friends.

What car did your parents or guardian drive when you were growing up?  I don't remember.

Do you have milk in your fridge right now? What kind?  Yes. 3.25% for my daughter.

Are you left or right handed? Right.

If you have your ears pierced, how old were you when you got them done?  I was a baby. I don't know what age.

Do you have any other piercings?  Not currently.

What was the last thing you wrote down in the notes app on your phone?  Added something to the grocery list I share with my bf.

Have you ever been on a winery tour?  Yes.

When was the last time you were hungover?  A few months ago.

Do you still have Facebook? If so, how often do you check it? Yes. Once or twice per day.

Are you wearing your favourite colour today?  No. I just want to add this because it made me smile today. I'm wearing a Pikachu shirt and I went grocery shopping this evening. A kiddo, probably 8 or 9, gasped when he saw me and said, "I LOVE YOUR POKEMON SHIRT!!" It was very sweet. :)

Would you ever want to visit South Korea?  Yes.

How many times in your life have you been in love?  Twice.

Do you like your name?  No.

[elstrick-shimae-writes-whump]

Writing whump: Covid

I’m currently recovering from having covid (for the 2nd time ever) and since I have this account I might as well describe my symptoms/experience

-Poor sleep. Despite needing rest, your character might not be comfortable enough to sleep whenever they need to. They might not be able to sleep through the night or sleep for long stretches of time. They might get the most sleep during odd times of the day, like sleeping the most in the morning or afternoon. They could also just end up taking very light naps, which aren’t very restful and are easily disturbed.

-Poor appetite. Getting out of bed to go eat can make symptoms worse, and a character won’t have much desire to eat. Keeping snacks and drinks accessible to them will help. They might only eat one meal a day. If they do make something for themself, it won’t be very big and likely won’t be a super healthy option, since they’ll want to eat quickly and go back to bed.

-Fever/temperature changes. Their temperature will likely rise, and they might remove blankets/clothes to stay cool. Caretakers can also help them with fans/wet towels etc.

-Loss of smell/taste. Not something I experienced this time around, but something I did the first time I had Covid. Actually I realized I had Covid because I was cleaning the litter boxes and couldn’t smell it. It’s not always a full loss of smell and taste, for me it was a large dampening of sense. I could smell, but only a bit. I regained my senses after recovering.

-Soreness of back/chest/neck from coughing. Most evident when the character is trying to move/walk around.

-Feeling dizzy or floaty. This could be from exhaustion, or something. But sometimes when I got up, I felt a bit what I would describe as floaty or dizzy. I didn’t fall, but I would feel as if the world was tilting quite a few times.

-Stuffy/runny nose. That’s self explanatory.

-Reduction in hearing abilities. Because the nose, throat, and ears are connected, the ears can be affected as well. I found I would have differing levels of hearing in each ear, plus more discomfort due to wax.

-Shaking. When I would get up I would sometimes realize I’ve been shaking. Usually not a lot, but noticeably. That might be unique to me, because I can get shaky when I’m hungry as a side effect of my medicine.

-Itchiness/irritation from having to wear a mask. If you’re wearing a cloth mask, it needs to be washed when it becomes itchy, cause that’s when it’s dirty.

-Claustrophobia. This one is probably not common but I can see it being experienced a lot. I share a room and bed with my partner, and so I was trying to sleep with a mask. I couldn’t sleep well anyway, and I felt trapped in my mask, in my clothes, in my blankets, in my bed. We were able to get an air mattress so I could have the bed to myself and not wear a mask while sleeping.

-Coughing, lots of it. I was coughing to the point where I was worried I would maybe start throwing up. And also to the point that I could taste that flavor that you get when coughing up water you swallow in a pool.

I think that’s about it? This post feels messy but that’s what I get for trying to write a draft in one go. Probably should’ve drafted it somewhere else and pasted it in when I was done. Also I wasn’t sure whether to write it as “your character might-“ or “I was-“ so it’s a mix of both. It’s been a while since I’ve done anything on tumblr, anyways, so it’s good to write something.

[proserpina-magnus]

Could you do a fluff Regulus x fem!reader where it’s snowing and they jump into the black lake with their cloths/uniform on and yk ✨main character vibes✨ and then afterwards they both have a cold

Sorry this took so long! thank you so much for this request, I think I made regulus a bit more softer than usual.  🌻

Meant To Be [ Regulus Black ]

word count: 2148

[ warning: fem reader, a little bit of soft Regulus, description of pain caused by temperature, clothes sharing, kissing, hand holding, nicknames such as “love” “princess”, description of sick/colds, medicine taking ]

Hogwarts wasn't as fun with only a small percent of the students left. Most Students were home with their family's, making memories and building snowmen.

You, however, had stayed for the Christmas break. All your roommates had gone home, even some teachers. It felt so quiet walking down the hallways, no gossip or news being shared. Snow had fallen from the sky, coating the Hogwarts grounds with sparkling white.

Luckily, your boyfriend Regulus had convinced his mother to let him stay for the break. You almost squealed at the news. Finally, you could get your boyfriend all to yourself, he was always covered in girls.

You weren't the only one who hated the encounters, Regulus was furious every time a girl would come up to him and completely push you aside.

So here you were, Hands laced together as you run down the empty hallway. You giggled as you heard Regulus ask for you both to slow down, he was curious about where you were taking him.

You flipped back, slowing your speed as you walked backwards. You smiled bright, eyes sparkling like the snow as you tighten the grip on his hand.

"I heard from a 7th year that if a couple jumps in the black lake together, they will stay together forever!" You explained, pushing him further along as you made it to the outside. You looked up at the warm sun, feet crunching against the snow as you basked in the glow.

"I'm sorry what? That's completely insane, you do realize that right?" Regulus said, eyes slightly wider as he thought about jumping in a cold lake.

"Oh Regulus, if we believe it to be true then it is!" You told him, smiling up at him as you pulled him closer to you. The wind pricked at your exposed skin, your hair getting tossed in every direction.

"Yeah, if you believe in fairies. But I'm not jumping in a frozen lake for you to proclaim some bogus myth" Regulus said while planting his feet, drawing you closer to him as he cupped your jaw.

"I'm not letting you jump in a frozen lake, I already know I'm gonna spend the rest of my life with you," Regulus told you, leaning down to press his lips to yours. You smiled with closed eyes, pushing into his kiss as you held onto his forearm.

"I know our love is forever, but we might as well make it official" you whispered, slipping from his hands as you dashed towards the doc.

You heard Regulus call out for you, immediately running after you as you reached the wooden steps. You almost slipped on the ice, sliding down the doc as your arms sprawled out around you.

"Hey! Be careful!" Regulus yelled, now on the doc as well as he couldn't help but laugh at your attempt to stay upright.

"I love you," you told him, letting your feet slip off the edge of the icy wood as you fell back into the cold lake.

Water engulfed your body, the temperature sending stabs to your body as you swam up to the surface.

You broke free just as soon as another splash ruffled the water, Regulus had jumped in after you. You giggled, watching as his head popped up over the waves, his hair flat against his face.

"You jumped in with me!" You yelled, he didn't reply instead he went under the water. His arms wrapping around your waist as he lifted you into his arms.

His face came next to yours, his face pales from the cold as he held onto you tighter.

"You little menace," Regulus said while letting out a laugh. You hardly ever got to hear Regulus's laugh, he was always so quiet and shy. It was nice to finally get loose with him, it felt like you truly were going to live forever with him.

His lips met yours, kissing you with his cold thin lips. You smiled, letting your eyes shut as you leaned closer to the kiss. He pulled away quickly, leading you towards the doc.

"Okay, we must get out now. I don't want you catching a cold" Regulus tried to sound persistent and firm, but when he saw you laugh he couldn't help but take a moment to laugh with you. This moment with like a dream, it all happened so fast that you couldn't even process the cold nipping at your wet clothes.

"Regulus it's freezing!" You yelled out when your adrenaline ran out, your arms wrapped around yourself as you try and find warmth.

"I told you! Your so demanding," Regulus muttered, looking around for your shoes before he saw them wash away down the lake.

"Oh you love it," you teased, kissing his cheek with your shivering lips as you look for your shoes as well. When you saw them halfway past the water, you shivered on impact.

"Come on, I'll get you new shoes," Regulus said, leading you to the castle as you crept along with the snow. Your feet froze, pale and raw as you make it to stone.

Regulus looked over you, sighing before shaking out his hair and picking you up quickly. You wrapped your arms around him instantly, afraid you'd fall.

"Regulus, this is unnecessary," you told him, but you secretly loved it. Regulus rarely ever went out of his way to do affectionate things in public, and though there were no people around to witness, it still made you feel loved.

"No, it's my responsibility as your boyfriend," he proclaimed, striding down the hall until he made his way to the entrance of the Slytherin common room.

"Future Husband," you corrected, your head leaning against his chest as you felt the bumps every time he took a step.

Regulus grinned to himself, opening the door with his foot as he plopped you on the nearest chair.

"What jumper do you want to wear?" He asked, peeling off his wettened tie and shirt as he slipped on a clean white long-sleeve. He went off to the bathroom quickly to grab you a towel.

"The green one," you say, ringing your hair out with the towel as you shiver. Regulus glanced over at you and gave you a look, his lips in a thin line.

"Well, that's real specific isn't it," Regulus said, holding up 3 different jumpers, all in green. You laughed, pointing to the one in his left hand.

He tossed you his jumper, turning around so you could undress without staring eyes. Later on, he tossed you his sweat pants, which were way too big for you.

Both of you had gotten dressed in warm clothes, Regulus had insisted you wear 2 pairs of socks to make sure your feet won't freeze. He looked at you, his clothes were abnormally large on you, he absolutely loved it.

Regulus led you to his bed, helping you under the covers as his hands wrapped around your waist. He pulled you closer, kissing your forehead. You smiled at the feeling, relaxing back into his chest. You felt warmth wash over you, you interlocked your fingers with his before falling fast asleep in comfort.

—

The morning after you woke up to the sun shining through his window, Regulus pressed against your side. His head buried into your neck as he pulled you ever so closer.

"Morning," you mumbled out, your eyes opening slightly. His room was dark, it usually smelt like burning wood and men's cologne. Your nose was clogged, making you twitch it as realized how sore your body felt.

"Morning, princess," he muttered tiredly, his voice was raw. You heard him clear his throat, realizing that you both had been sick from the lake jump.

"We're sick," you declared, rolling over to face Regulus. His nose was slightly red, his eyes looked tired. You brought your hand up to his cheek, rubbing your thumb over his smooth features.

"I don't get sick," Regulus said while his hand rubbed the small of your back in a comfortable manner. You giggled, your head resting on his shoulder.

"Why are you all stuffy then?" You asked, closing your eyes as you adjusted to the feeling of being awake. You had to force yourself to open your eyes, blinking back sleepiness.

"I'm not, your hallucinating because you're sick," his words were almost convincing, but you heard him hold back a sneeze. You pulled out of his grasp, sliding to the edge of the bed.

"Where are you going?" He asked, sitting up as he rubbed his eye with the palm of his hand.

"Getting supplies to heal you," you explain, going into his bathroom. Regulus flopped back down on his bed, closing his eyes with a flustered expression. He felt silly having someone care for him.

You grabbed a cloth, running it in warm water as you squeezed the excess out. You did the same to another cloth, dipping it in cold water. You left the bathroom after a few moments, going back to Regulus.

You climbed atop of his bed, your fingers coming to comb through his hair. He grew it out over the school year, much like his brother. His hair was jet black, waves spinning out everywhere.

"Hi," you whispered, placing the warm cloth against his pale skin. You pressed it firmly against his forehead then moved to press it against his cheek. The cloth left red imprints, you smiled as you dabbed his face.

"This is silly," Regulus commented as you switched to the cold cloth, pressing it against his warm skin. You let the cloth rest against his forehead, smiling down at him.

"Taking care of you isn't silly," you replied blankly, moving the cloth to his cheeks. You walked to the bathroom again, grabbing some cold medicine.

Regulus groaned as he saw you leave the bathroom with the medicine in your hand, you rolled your eyes. Pouring the liquid into the small measuring cup, you pass him the cup. He eyed it, giving you a long frown.

"Drink," you told him, walking over to the jug of water that sat by the window. Ice cubes swam in it, never melting. You poured him a generous glass as he drank the medicine.

He made a small face, making you giggle. Passing him the water, he held you out the medicine cup.

"You're sick too," Regulus said, placing the glass down on his nightstand. You made a small face at the thought, pouring yourself some medicine. You downed it quickly, gagging at the bitter taste.

You reached for his glass, taking a sip as you washed down the remaining taste. You took the cold cloth from his face, pressing it against your own. You flopped down beside him, exhaling in relief from the cold compress.

"My mother never did this for me," Regulus whispered in a small voice, you opened your eyes, casting your vision to where he laid.

"Well now you have me, I'll always take care of you Reggie," you told him, leaning over to kiss his cheek. You placed the cold compress back against his forehead.

"I'm so lucky to have you," Regulus looked like he was about to cry, his voice was strained and his eyes were red. You stroked his cheek, a gentle smile forming.

"You deserve me Regulus, it's not luck. I'm meant to be with you," you avowed, leaning down to capture his lips against yours. Every time you kiss him, it feels like the first time again.

Slowly pulling away, your eyes squinted slightly as you stare into his dark ones. His hand found yours, overlapping his fingers over yours.

"You're my soulmate, every life I'm given I promise I'll find you," Regulus promised and he meant it. He rose on his elbows, tossing the cloth to his bedside table. His empty hand coming to hold your face. He pulled you into a heart-stopping kiss, every ounce of love he offered you poured into this kiss.

"Not if I find you first," you exhaled, resting your forehead against his. Regulus stared lovingly into your eyes, a small smile embedded on his face.

"Come on, I wanna sleep for a little longer," he said, relaxing back onto the bed. He brought you down with him, holding you close. His chin propped up against yours, you lean into his shoulder. He smelt like home, your hands still encased with his.

"You promise you'll find me in our next life," you asked, sleep slowly starting to take over your body. You stayed awake long enough to hear his answer.

"Always," Regulus claimed, hearing your breath even as you slept. He smiled to himself, kissing your forehead. He let his eyes close, contempt with having you in his arms. Regulus fell asleep shortly after you did, finally happy about having someone that he cared so deeply for.

[demonicheadcanons]

The Obey Me Brothers When the MC is Sick

AN: MC is gender neutral. TW for obvious mentions of illness (warning for anyone with emetophobia) and death (no actual death included). The MC has a general ‘bug/fever’ style illness to keep things simple. Like last time, I’ve included scenarios that take into account whether or not you’re close, because I want to consider what they’d be like when the MC first gets there vs when they’ve been there for a while.

Note: All of the brothers aren’t worried about getting sick, because I headcanon that whilst the demons can pass on harmful illnesses to humans that can be deadly, the opposite generally is not true.

Total words: Around 5k. This was written in 3 different sessions so there may be some inconsistencies. Sorry for mistakes, its 1am and I’m too tired to double check everything. Enjoy!!

 Lucifer

· If you’re not close: He’ll check up on you, take your temperature, and ask about the symptoms. He’s not necessarily cold, but just seems rather emotionless, or he might come off as frustrated - because he is. It wouldn’t be good for Diavolo’s goals if something were to happen to you, so the entire thing is an inconvenience.

· He’ll take care of you to a degree, but he’s not going to be a very comforting presence. He’ll give you any medicine or potions he can find that might help, or he’ll ask Solomon or a doctor to look after you. The warmest gesture you can expect from him is a cup of herbal tea in the morning when you wake up.

· Have fun catching up on all the schoolwork you missed after. Lucifer claims he has too much work to do to help you, and he’s telling the truth... kind of.

· If you are close, he’s going to ask you to move to his room until you get better - this is so that he can keep an eye on your whilst working at his desk, so that his brothers won’t constantly disturb you, and also because he wants to be as close as possible; he can comfort you easier if you’re right there, and he can spend the night with you in his arms if it makes you less miserable.

· He’s going to be gentle and attentive. He’ll take his gloves off and check your temperature with one hand, and then ask a lot of questions. “How do you feel?” “Where does it hurt?” “Do you think you can eat?” “Can you drink some water?” “How do you think you got sick?” He wants whatever details you’re willing to give so he can paint an accurate picture of things and start resolving it as soon as possible.

· When he’s with you, he’ll rub soothing circles against your palm or the back of your hand with his thumb, or against your cheeks and jaw, or along your arms and sides - whatever seems to comfort you most.

· He’ll ask if there’s anything you want him to do, or anything that you think might help - he’s not your servant, and he does have to bite back his pride a little to ask, but if he can make you happy then he has plenty to be proud for. He knows humans are more fragile than demons, but going by everything you’ve said it seems like this isn’t a serious illness, just a little sick spell. Lucifer is one of the more realistic brothers - he knows not to panic too much. However, he’d still rather not see you upset or hurt if he can help it.

· If you’re physically being sick, he’s going to initially step back because its rare for demons to get to that stage, and he isn’t sure what he’s supposed to do. After a bit he’ll take to rubbing your back and mumbling whatever reassurances he can think of. He won’t admit it, but it definitely threw him off a bit, and it makes him even more anxious and doting for the next while.

· He feels guilty if he has to leave to go to class, but he’ll tuck you in and leave you with some tea and light snacks. He can’t afford to miss out on work, he has far too much to do already without falling behind and he doesn’t want to disappoint Diavolo. A lot of people are counting on him. That said, between classes and during breaks he’s going to be checking his phone to see if you’ve messaged or left any missed calls. If you haven’t, he probably won’t text each time to check up on you, but he’ll send at least 1 text a day whilst out to see how you’re doing.

· When he gets home, he’ll make sure his brothers aren’t doing anything stupid where he can see them and then head to his room to see how you’re faring. When you start to get better, you can see him smile faintly with relief and he flops down on the bed beside you, graceful as ever but more relaxed than he’d been the last few days.

· When you’re well enough to eat and your fever is down, he stops worrying. He’s a bit irritable around this time, though - its not your fault. His brothers are all really excited that they can see you up and about again, and when you turn up for dinner after not being there for a few days, they’re all so loud he starts to think he might need a day off to deal with the headache it gives them.

· If his brothers start teasing him for being so worried for the last few days, he’s going to snap fairly quickly. Please don’t be offended - he was worried, he made it clear he was when he was around you.

 [Other brothers after the Read More]:

Mammon

· Close or not, he’s panicking. If you’re not close, it comes across as him teasing you about how weak you humans are, and he might come across as rude or inconsiderate. In reality, he really doesn’t know how he’s supposed to act, and he feels bad for it because Mammon is more emotionally in tune, and feels bad when others around him feel bad. He’s also just, trying to get more information - is it serious? Do you need a doctor? Should he go get Lucifer or even Lord Diavolo?

· Mammon isn’t the kind of person to wish harm on anyone, even if he doesn’t like them. When he finds out you’re sick, he’s going to quietly hope you get better soon, and then try and convince himself that he doesn’t care because you’re just some random human anyway. Still, he’ll be relieved once he hears that you start doing better, but the entire time you’re sick he’s worrying that you might die because humans are like that.

· If you are close... be prepared. Mammon is not leaving your side. He comes to wake you up in the morning and you seem more out-of-it than normal. Your face is flushed, so he checks your temperature with his forehead (its what he’s used to, he doesn’t even think to do it with his hand or arm). When he realises you’re much warmer than usual, he starts panicking.

· He’ll ask you about it first, but if you don’t give him clear answers or you seem a bit unsure, he’s going to go get Satan or Lucifer and bring them back to check up on you - he would go to Solomon, but he’s not close enough to him to predict how he’d react, and so leaves it as a last resort. If they give the all clear and say you just need a few days to recover, it relaxes him a little, but he’s still going to be on edge until you’re back to your usual self.

· Mammon is focused on comfort. When he’s sick he doesn’t want to be alone and he wants to be held. He’s either holding your hand, or laying right beside you with his arms around you, rubbing your back until you fall asleep. You’ll have to ask if you need anything like water or painkillers because he’s only going to leave if he really needs to eat, and if you’re physically being sick he’ll feel guilty but he’s not going to bring back any food because its impossible to predict how the Devildom food will interact with your illness.

· The first time you truly hear him snap at Lucifer probably happens whilst you’re sick - Lucifer comes to tell him he needs to go to class, because he’s missed too many lessons, and initially Mammon will plead with him and promise to attend every class for the next month no matter what, all pride thrown out the window because you’re important to him. If Lucifer still refuses to let him stay home, he’s going to get pissed. You shouldn’t be alone right now, and he’s adamant about that. It takes you quietly opening the door of your room, wrapped up in a blanket and flushed from the fever, to make the two stop arguing. When Lucifer sees you, he lets out a low growl and then leaves Mammon to do whatever he wants, filing an excused absence for the two of you.

· When you start getting better, Mammon lights up. You could swear he’s got stars locked away in his eyes that first morning you wake up and you seem almost back to normal. He keeps an eye on you, still, but his nerves finally die down a bit and he feels like he can breathe again. He’s grinning every time he looks at you, because he really is so happy you’re doing better, but if you bring it up or tease him he’s going to pout and refuse to speak.

· When you’re completely recovered, he might seem distant for a day or two - he needs to fall back into his normal schedule, and he needs a good rest. He’ll be there for you if you come to him, but he’s not glued to your side like he usually is.

 Leviathan

· If you’re not close, he’s not going to know you’re sick unless someone posts about it in the group chat. Even then, he doesn’t pay any notice to it. You’ll get better. Whatever brother you’re close to will take care of you much better than he will anyway - that’s why you chose them, they’re better and more capable than him. Levi barely pays attention to anything at all for those few days, and spends most of his time holed up in his room with one distraction or another. He doesn’t understand why he feels lighter when you’re back at breakfast again, but he does. He keeps an eye on you from then on, but nothing really changes.

· If you are close, he can’t define how he feels no matter how hard he tries. He’s worried, he knows that much, but you’ll get better, right? Was he qualified to take care of you, if you were seeking him out? Shouldn’t you just rest for a few days? Wouldn’t that be enough to help you? He honestly doesn’t have a clue what would actually help you feel better, and so won’t even think to get medicine or painkillers unless you ask him to.

· He has to view it as an opportunity to get the ball rolling - if you come to him for comfort, or he feels he can offer any, then he can spend the time you’re sick getting closer to you. He can show you that he might just be able to offer something, anything at all, to your relationship. But... in his room, please? He’ll carry you there if he needs to, he has to be able to feed Henry and relax where he’s surrounded by his comfort items and his fish-tank walls.

· His bathtub bed (and his room as a whole) is quite cool and helps keep his temperature down, so he’ll set you down in that. If he’s also not focusing on keeping himself warm, he can drop his temperature enough that even just having him rest a hand on your forehead lowers your temperature. It takes a lot of courage, but if you’re up for it, you can sit in his lap and marathon TSL and he’ll keep his cold arms around you so you’re not overheating. He almost cries if you fall asleep like that - do you really feel so safe and comfortable around him?

· If you’re being physically ill he won’t have a clue what to do. Its not something he has experience with, so he’ll probably just wait outside the bathroom and call Lucifer to see what he says. When you come out he’s in pieces, tears in his eyes as he wraps his arms around you and holds you there. He’ll ask if there’s anything you want him to do if it happens again, and whilst it might make him feel a little ill himself, he’s willing to rub your back or hold back your hair if you need him to.

· If he’s asked to go to class or to a student council meeting, he’s reluctant to leave you alone. He makes sure you’re all set with TSL on and a handheld game system within reach, and a glass of water, and enough blankets and pillows... he’s nervously darting about the room making sure things are perfect. Right before leaving, he hesitantly kisses the top of your head and leans down to talk to Henry. “You have to take care of them, okay?”

· When he’s not around you, he’s nervous and unfocused. Where he’d usually spend his time glued to his phone so that he didn’t have to focus on the world around him, he now just stares off into the distance. He walks faster to make it feel like time is moving a little quicker, and the second he’s free, he rushes back to his room to check on you.

· When you start getting better, Levi in part wonders if anything he did helped. It was probably the doctor, or maybe one of his brothers came in whilst he was gone and helped, but all it takes is a ‘thank you’ from you and he’s tearing up. He wraps his arms around you until he’s too flustered to keep holding on. He still doesn’t want to let you out of his sight.

· It does end up being a bonding experience - Levi trusts himself a little more around you. He thinks that even if he’s not the best, you’re still open to his presence, and he’s not bothering you all the time. He finds himself closer to you, asking if you want to hang out more, and he’s more open after the whole experience. Really, an experience like this is the perfect way to break down some of the walls he’s built, so being sick isn’t all bad in the end up.

 Satan

· If you’re not close, Satan will offer advice he’s found in books to you or whoever is taking care of you. He’s the most willing to help even if you’re not that close, because he has knowledge on the subject that the others lack. If a doctor isn’t available, he’ll be the one to check your temperature and ask about your symptoms and give a general diagnosis on the problem. If other brothers aren’t sure what to do, he is one of the first they call for advice after asking Lucifer (they think Satan might be better at dealing with it, but Lucifer is responsible for your safety and well-being, so the brothers view it as being necessary to keep him updated and get his opinion. Otherwise, they would usually go to Satan first and only to Lucifer if it was serious and/or you needed time off school.)

· The most he’ll offer in such a case is advice, though. You won’t get any real comfort from him, unless you call him and are clearly distressed, in which case he may offer some generic words of comfort over the phone before he calls someone you’re closer to and tells them to go take care of you.

· If you are close, he’s still going to be checking your symptoms, but he’ll be closer - instead of hovering over you from a distance, he’ll sit beside you on your bed and press a hand to your forehead and cheek instead of rushing to get a thermometer, and if you lean against him, he’ll put an arm around you whilst he asks about how you’re feeling.

· He’s one of the few brothers who prefers for you to stay in your own room - he’s aware that being physically ill is common for humans, and he can’t have you being sick on his books. Also, his room is too messy to fathom trying to take care of you properly. He ends up setting up a corner of your room for him to relax in whilst you’re recovering, with a selection of blankets and some pillows that Belphie was willing to lend him, so long as he washes them before returning them. Satan brings a couple of books and settles there until you’re better. He’s aware that he won’t get ill, and so doesn’t worry about proximity to you. He just thinks you might want your own space.

· If you ask him to, he’ll cuddle up beside you or sit beside the bed and read to you. His voice is low and steady and relaxing, and if it helps you sleep, he feels quite proud. He often ends up falling asleep right beside you, and it takes a moment for him to come around again when he wakes up. A lot of time is passed that way, with the two of you napping or him curled up in the corner in his impromptu fort, reading, as you rest.

· He’s not proud of it, but he finds it almost enchanting if you’re moody whilst sick. Its entertaining to him, and he wants you to get better, but he’ll still analyse your mood and actions the entire time you’re ill to see what makes you react in certain ways. He’s not intentionally provoking you, he promises, he’s just curious by nature.

· He asks a lot of questions in general - about how you feel, about what you think of a certain topic, about the human world. He’s trying his best to provide some sort of distraction for you, and the second you furrow your brows or start to look distressed, he produces another question or topic for the two of you to discuss or mull over instead. If it gets to a point where you stop answering, he’ll sit beside you and run a hand through your hair with an uncertainty similar to someone petting a cat that isn’t quite friendly yet. He wishes he could offer more comfort somehow, but Satan isn’t sure how he’s supposed to do that, so he just ends up acting like he normally does with short bursts of extra contact if they appear to help.

· If you’re physically sick, he’ll hold your hair back and then sit you down and get you a glass of water. Sips only, he reminds you - if you gulp it down, you’ll just be sick again. He’s practical, and he reminds you of anything he feels necessary when you’re ill - “don’t do this, it’ll make it worse” and “how about you try this, it might make it better?” become common phrases. He’ll listen to what you have to say, but will still gently coax you towards whatever advice he’s following out of a book if he can, because surely something has to help?

· When asked to leave for class, Satan complies without an argument, but he does notably struggle to maintain his composure when he remembers that you’re alone and suffering. Still, he reminds himself, if he goes to class he can tutor you on whatever you’ve missed when you’re better. So long as no one pisses him off, it’ll be alright. He checks up on you when he gets home, and realises that as long as you have everything you need before he leaves, that he can leave for short periods of time so as not to disrupt his schedule too heavily. He only really does so to go to school or cook, but knowing he can do that leaves him much less stressed than most of the other brothers, and he ends up a lot more organised too when you’ve recovered.

· When you start to get better, he tries to help get your school work out of the way as quickly as possible so that you’re not falling too far behind. He’ll still encourage you to relax and take it easy, but you’ll be caught up in no time with his help. He also prepares foods that are lighter when its his turn to cook so that you don’t distress your recovering system too much. Satan seems calm, and the next time you feel under the weather, he now knows exactly how to react to bring the least stress to both of you. He’s definitely the fastest to adapt.

· Bonus: You absolutely steal his heart if you ramble whilst somewhat out of it. Especially if none of your thoughts really connect but you’re trying to tell him something, anything that pops into your mind. He sits by your bed and rests his arms on it, with his chin propped up on them as he looks at you and listens intently, smiling the entire time.

 Asmodeus

· If you’re not close, Asmo won’t really do anything. You might get a simple ‘get well soon, honey x’ text, and that’s about it, or maybe some moisturiser with a note about how you should still take care of your skin even if you’re under the weather. Asmo keeps his distance and goes about his days as normal, without any real concerns or worries. You’ll get better, he doesn’t have to stress himself out over some human.

· If you are close, he’s all over the place for the first few hours. He makes sure your bed is comfortable, being the only brother other than Satan who wants you to stay in your own room so that there aren’t human germs all over his, and so that if he needs to, he can have his own time in his room. He’ll give you the comfiest pyjamas he can find that still look ridiculously stylish, and will ask if you want any help changing with a suggestive smirk, but any offers he makes are fully genuine - if you want his help changing, no funny business, he’ll absolutely do it.

· He’s not worried about getting sick, so Asmo stays physically close, but he’s also just not interested in being intimate with someone who is ill. Because of this, you get a break from his more suggestive nature. He’ll press soft kisses to your forehead when he’s trying to get you to relax or sleep, but that’s the only kisses you’re getting until you’re better and there isn’t a trace of your fever left.

· You may not feel great but your hair is going to look great, because he focuses on it. There’s an intimate comfort in having someone wash, dry, play with, and style your hair, and he hopes its enough to help you feel a little better. If you seem distressed his hands go to your hair, and he runs his fingers through it gently. If it’s messy or hasn’t been washed, he’s going to offer to help you bathe, but if you’re too unwell he’s going to prop you up in a chair, swaddled up in a blanket, and he’ll handle your hair. While he’s at it, he’ll wash your face and apply moisturiser to your face, hands, and arms. He quietly tells you something about how feeling cleaner can make you feel healthier.

· He’s not forceful about anything. It’s the first time he’s cared about anyone almost as much as he cares about himself, his first time putting someone before him, so he treats you like he’d treat himself. He knows that when he’s sick he sometimes really just wants to rest and be cared for, so he’ll do that for you. He rubs your back and tells you to let it all out, to complain if you have the energy to, and he’ll listen to everything you say. He tries his best to focus on you anyway, but when you’re sick and you ramble and whine, he couldn’t focus on anything else if he tried; he’s startled to realise just how important it is to him that he understands how you’re feeling in that moment so that he can make it better.

· He’s actually pretty good at attending classes, and because his attendance is high, Lucifer is more willing to let him have the few days off whilst you’re ill so he can look after you. Asmo leaves every now and then to wash, eat, exercise, or just to stretch his legs and have a bit of a break, but he does try to spend as much time as possible with you. Sometimes he’ll sit by the bed and scroll through Devilgram and read out posts to you or show you anything he thinks you’ll like.

· When you get better, he books a full spa day for the two of you - it helps to wash away any remaining traces of the illness, without being too overwhelming. It also helps him - its going to take a long time for him to get used to taking care of others, but he thinks its all worth it at the end of the day.

 Beelzebub

· Close or not, Beel is at least a little concerned. Being sick is one of the worst things that could happen in his opinion, and the second you stop showing up for meals, he notices and asks about you. He finds out what’s happened from another brother, and worries the entire time he doesn’t see you. He doesn’t know what to do, but he’ll tell whatever brother you’re close with to stay by your side as much as they can so you don’t feel too lonely. He’s relieved when you show up again, and will try to get closer to you so he can be closer to you next time you’re ill.

· If you are close, he’s at your door the second he realises you’re ill, and carries you back to his room if you’re comfortable. You’re wrapped up in blankets with as many pillows as Beel could coax Belphie into giving him, and he’s ready to take care of you as best he can. To him, this just involves staying glued by your side. He’s roped Belphie into helping, so that when he does have to leave, Belphie is by your side holding your hand in his place. Outside of that, Beel tries his best to only leave if you’re resting.

· He initially planned to have Belphie bring him food when he needed it, but then he felt too guilty because he couldn’t give you any and it might make you feel nauseous. Whilst you’re ill, no food is allowed in the twins’ room because of this.

· Beel is large and warm, making him perfect for cuddles. As mentioned in a previous post, the one issue is that if one of you is already feverish, you’re liable to overheating, and so Belphie has to set up a fan to keep you at a more reasonable temperature. With this in place, Beel lays down and wraps you up in his arms and stays there for as long as he can. He’s not one for words, but he’s happy to listen if you want to complain, or with some prompting, he’ll talk about his past and about what he and Lilith and Belphie got up to when they were angels in the Celestial Realm. If you still overheat, he kneels down by the bed and holds one of your hands in both of his, gently playing with your fingers and tracing shapes over the back of your hand idly as he speaks or listens.

· He checks your temperature regularly with his forehead, desperate for any sign of recovery, and sheepishly kisses it afterwards as an apology for disturbing you. Every time he leaves he comes back with a fresh glass of water, and will hold it up for you to sip at - if you can’t eat, you at least need to drink a little. If you end up being physically ill, Beel holds your hair back and rubs your stomach carefully. He makes a steady, quiet whining noise in his throat the entire time without realising it because he’s so sad and concerned that you’re this ill. At this point, even if Lucifer or Satan has promised you’re going to be okay and you’ve been checked by a doctor, Beel is calling them to his room and making them check again.

· No one can convince him to leave for class. He’s reluctant to go to classes anyway, although he got a little better when the exchange programme started because he wanted to be wherever you were. However, now that you’re stuck at home, he’s determined to stay by your side no matter what - it should have started a fight between Beel and Lucifer, but Beel looks at him once with those sad, puppy-dog eyes, and Lucifer lets him be. He wouldn’t be able to focus in classes anyway.

· When you start getting better he prepares a lot of food for a feast, although he asks Satan first about what foods would be light enough for you to eat. Whatever you can’t eat, he will, he reminds you, so you shouldn’t feel too pressured to finish everything. He lets you return to your own room, and the two of you have a movie night together. Beel pulls you into his lap and hugs you close to him the entire time because he’s so happy he doesn’t really know how to express it. If you’re still tired or unwell he’ll alternate between feeding you and feeding himself, and when the movie ends he presses a kiss to the top of your head, letting you rest if you’ve fallen asleep - if not, he reluctantly gets up to put on whatever you’d chosen to watch next, and then cuddles up with you and runs a hand through your hair until you fall asleep.

 Belphegor

· Belphie doesn’t really pay any attention to you if you two aren’t close. He barely even knows you’re sick, and only picks up on whatever his brothers say around him. He doesn’t think about it too hard and goes about his days as normal, and his thoughts only drift towards the topic when he’s alone in the attic and can’t sleep. He briefly wishes for you to get better soon in his head, and then immediately denies that he ever thought about you and forces himself to move on from the topic.

· If you are close, good luck. Belphie’s motto for being sick is that the more you sleep, the sooner you’ll get better. There’s some truth to it, but he’s quite extreme. You’re carried to the attic the second you’re ill and dumped unceremoniously on a large nest of pillows and throws. Belphie flops down beside you and wraps his arms around you and tells you to close your eyes.

· His sin’s influence may not work well on you, but it doesn’t stop him from trying to make use of it anyway - he focuses hard and puts whatever spare energy he has into trying to make you sleep and have peaceful dreams, warding away nightmares for the entire time you’re ill. It works enough that sleep finds you easily, but for the brief periods where you are awake, you’re going to feel pretty dreadful because you’ve overslept so much and your body is crying out for some care. It takes time and effort to extract yourself from Belphie’s arms to be able to go get some water or go to the bathroom.

· If this becomes distressing, Belphie will listen when you shake him awake and tell him that you want to stay awake now for a while. He curls up beside you, the two of you facing each other, and smiles tiredly. There’s a comfortable silence in the room, only broken when one of you voices something or when Belphie yawns. If heavily prompted, Belphie might tell old, old stories of his past, and what humans were like long ago when he first visited the human realm. He presses his forehead against yours and closes his eyes to talk, holding your hands together between the two of you, trying to create a calming aura so that you don’t feel too bad.

· If you’re going to be physically ill, Belphie brings a bin or bucket of some kind to the attic and encourages you to aim for that. There’s no formality to it and he sounds almost uncaring, but the second you have to make use of it he’s standing by you, worry filling his features as he tries to figure out how to make you feel better. He hesitantly pats your back but leans away as far as possible because the smell is a little too much for him. He’ll help you rinse out your mouth and then lay you down again, begging you not to be sick on his pillows whilst he goes and cleans out the container.

· You get better quickly with Belphie, the sleep working its magic. Because of how quickly you are recovering, Belphie is allowed to stay with you to help you get better so that you don’t end up missing too much school. He’s already missed so much that another day or two doesn’t really matter in the long run, and it won’t be noticeable when added to the pile of schoolwork he has sitting in the corner of his room that he’s slowly working his way through with you.

· Belphie has this gentle smile on his face every time he looks at you, his hair an absolute mess. You’re welcome to stay in the attic for as long as you need to, but Belphie becomes unresponsive as he tries hard to build back up the energy he used helping you rest. Its your turn to ‘take care of’ Belphie now, which mostly just involves letting him rest his head on your shoulder, chest, or lap and running a hand through his hair as he naps.

[cuddlepilefics]

Please Help

Fandom: Stray Kids

Sickie: Changbin

Caregiver: Minho

Changbin gets sick and while trying to hide it gets into an argument with Minho, who might be the only one there to take care of him.

Changbin’s POV.:

It was getting closer to four in the morning and I have yet to fall asleep. For some reason, my stomach had started to hurt pretty bad at some point during the late evening. I couldn’t tell whether it was something I ate but I knew if it wouldn’t get better soon, I wouldn’t get any sleep before having to get up for our schedule. Dance practice, something I really wasn’t looking forward to at the moment. Even if my stomach got better by then, I’d be way too tired for the intense choreographies we’d be working on. Just thinking about all the fast turns and jumps made my stomach churn uneasily. Considering there was no use in laying in bed stressing out, I slowly got up. Maybe some tea would settle my stomach, so I could get at least a tiny bit of sleep. I had to be carefully as I felt a bit queasy if I moved to fast. Wrapping one arm around my aching middle, I shuffled to the kitchen. I didn’t feel like turning on the ceiling lights as they were way to bright, so I ended up using my phone’s flashlight to find my way. After I turned on the kettle, I grabbed my favorite cup and popped in a bag of ginger tea. My mother once told me it helped with nausea and I prayed it really would because being up and moving made me feel increasingly queasy. Waiting for the water to boil, I moved a bit closer to the sink, unsure if the odd feeling at the back of my throat was just a fluke. My mouth was watering a little, which worried me quite a bit. If this got bad enough to make me throw up, I probably wouldn’t be better in a few hours, when we’d have to head out.

I was so distracted worrying, that I almost missed the water boiling. Snapping out of my thoughts, I prepare my tea before shakily making my way to the living room. The few minutes I had been standing seemed to have drained most of the energy I had left and I weakly plopped onto the couch, drawing my knees up to my chest. Closing my eyes, I rested my forehead on my knees and took a deep breath. By now, I was almost certain that I was sick. My head felt too light for me to just be tired and I highly doubted the dorm was as cold as it seemed to me. I couldn’t be sick now though. We were way too busy for me to take some time off. Usually, I’d be rather open about how I felt because I knew my friends would be by my side, comforting me until I felt better, but with how busy we were, I didn’t want to stress the rest of the group out. Completely forgetting about my tea on the coffee table, I sprawled out on the couch with my hand under my shirt, rubbing soft circles over my stomach. Exhausted, I must have fallen asleep because the next time I opened my eyes, it was already dawn and when I sat up, reaching for my tea, it was cold. My stomach didn’t hurt as badly anymore, though it was still a bit sore. Checking the time, I realized we’d have to get up in ten minutes anyway, so I disposed of my cold tea and went to get ready. It was a bit of a struggle because although my stomach had gotten a bit better, my head had become foggier and I stumbled around clumsily, probably waking most of the members already with all the noise.

No one’s POV.:

Though he was up earlier than his friends, Changbin took quite a while to get ready, spacing out frequently. It all made sense with the fever he was running but the rapper didn’t think to take his temperature. Knowing about his fever wouldn’t make much of a difference anyway, as he had already decided not to say anything and to go about his day as if nothing was wrong. Chan noticed the younger not being fully awake and made sure the rapper would have breakfast, knowing he’d need the energy for their dance practice. Changbin figured that maybe, if he was lucky, having some food would help settle his stomach further and maybe, just maybe, he’d feel less dizzy after eating something. He was quiet on their way to the company building, still trying to shake the fog in his head as he knew he’d have to be more than just focused if he wanted to keep up with their dances.

They were still warming up when Changbin realized, his breakfast had been a mistake. His stomach was churning again and he cursed himself for not skipping out on the meal. The rapper had no idea how he was supposed to dance like this, afraid he’d make himself sick with all the fast movements. “Changbin, wake up! We want to start now, so move”, Minho ordered. The members were already on their starting positions, all except for Changbin, who seemed to be in his own world. Startling, the rapper nodded and quickly got into position. He didn’t even know which song they’d dance to first and anxiously waited for the first beats. Today was not his day. Of course, Minho would start with the most complex choreography first, so they’d have the time to perfect it. He didn’t know how but Changbin managed to go over all the moves, being only slightly behind the beat. It wasn’t good enough though for him not to be called out by Minho, reminding him to speed his dancing up a little, so he’d keep up with the music. Barely paying attention to what his hyung was saying, the rapper nodded along as sweat ran down his back. His stomach cramped and he tried not to wince before he was forced to go back to his starting position, so they could give it another try.

About an hour in, Changbin wasn’t doing any better. His dancing was at least as off-beat as it was the first time and his moves grew increasingly sluggish. The rapper had already excused himself to the bathroom twice, feeling like he needed to be sick. He hadn’t thrown up and had made his way back to the practice room either times after accepting that it had been another false alarm. By now, Changbin contemplated just sticking his finger down his throat, as he’d probably feel better after getting everything out, so dancing wouldn’t torture him as much anymore. Pausing the music again, Minho sighed: “Bin, can you at least pretend you’re taking this seriously?” - “S-Sorry, hyung, I am”, the rapper apologized, trying to pull himself together. He just couldn’t focus, no matter how badly he wanted to. Changbin swallowed hard, fighting the rising nausea. “Well, you’re moves don’t really make it seem like you are”, Minho commented, “Put a little effort into it, would you?” Not daring to open his mouth, the younger nodded, making himself dizzy.

Minho’s POV.:

Changbin had been slacking off ever since we started and was really getting annoying. It didn’t look like he was even trying at all, his moves all over the place. The more time passed, the worse it got. We needed to get this perfect soon because one of the company’s choreographers would stop by towards the end of our practice to see how we were progressing, which in my dongsaeng’s case was backwards. Taking a deep breath to calm my temper, I reminded him: “Pull yourself together, Changbin, alright? Someone will watch our dance later and if you keep fooling around like this, all of us will get in trouble.” – “S-Sorry, I-I need the bathroom”, he stammered, already fleeing without giving me the chance to say anything else. I had lost track of how many times he had already escaped ‘to the bathroom’, probably trying to kill time till our practice was over. Giving Chan an exasperated look, I went on to help the rest of the members polish up their moves. The leader only shrugged, contemplating going after Changbin but by the time he had made up his mind, the rapper already returned. He took his time, getting a drink first before joining us in the middle of the room again, causing me to pinch the bridge of my nose and remind myself to stay calm for the sake of the other members. I was really irritated but needed to be professional, otherwise we’d make even less progress.

No one’s POV.:

The remainder of their practice session passed just the same and before they knew it, they were joined by the choreographer. Changbin blinked confused. He had forgotten they’d have a visitor, no matter how many times Minho reminded him. Swallowing convulsively, the rapper prayed his stomach would stay where it was. He hadn’t thrown up yet but the number of false alarms was ridiculous. Spacing out while the dance-racha talked to the choreographer, Changbin snuck a hand under his sweaty shirt to palm his cramping stomach. He couldn’t suppress a shudder, feeling chilled to the bone in his sweat-damp clothes. It was confusing really, how he could sweat that much when it was so cold in the practice room. They had surely turned the aircon down to arctic temperatures. Seeing the other members gather in the center of the room, Changbin dizzily made his way over and prayed he’d be able to get through the entire song. He really didn’t want to get sick or faint in front of everyone, especially now that someone else was present, expecting him to be professional. One of the jumps made his stomach lurch, acid rushing up his throat. The rapper panicked, gritting his teeth and quickly swallowing it back down, while trying to not miss a beat. In the end, he surprised himself by striking the ending pose without passing out, despite the black spots clouding his vision.

Still panting, Changbin saw the choreographer walk up to him. He could hear the other talking but couldn’t comprehend anything he said, too distracted by his stomach sloshing nauseatingly. A trickle of sweat ran down his temple as he nodded along to whatever the choreographer was saying, mainly focused on staying upright without puking on the other’s shoes. When the older finally stopped talking and bid the group goodbye, Changbin plopped down on the ground, assuming their practice was finally over. He was startled when a fuming Minho walked up to him. “Why couldn’t you just take it seriously earlier?”, the dancer spat, “I have so many other things to get done today and now I need to stay behind until you get it right.” Blinking at the older confused, Changbin muttered a tired: “What?” – “Didn’t you listen to a word he was saying? I really can’t believe you! You and I are forced to stay here until you get it right, so get up! We’re starting right now, no breaks just dancing because I also need to practice my vocals later and am not planning on staying here all night”, Minho snapped, grabbing his dongsaeng’s wrist and hauling him to his feet. Blacking out for a second when he was upright, Changbin swayed on his feet but managed not to fall.

The other members were already packing up their things while Minho got a drink before walking over to the sound system to start the music again. Sensing the tension, the group quietly left as they didn’t want to irritate Minho further. When the dancer turned around again, he had top realize that Changbin had slipped out of the room unnoticed. Angrily gritting his teeth, Minho paused the music and went to go look for his dongsaeng. Considering he hadn’t been gone for long, the rapper had to be somewhere close by, so Minho decided to check the practice room next to theirs. It was empty and closing the door again, the dancer’s eyes fell on the bathroom a little further down the hallway. His anger dissolved when he heard muffled sobs through the door, already assuming it had to be Changbin. Minho’s prediction was correct and he found the younger curled up against the far wall, feeling guilty as he could see now that the rapper hadn’t been fooling around but was actually struggling. Quietly sitting down next to his crying dongsaeng, the dancer draped his arm around the other’s shoulders. Changbin hadn’t even noticed his hyung walking in and startled when he was suddenly touched, flinching away. “Hey, ssh, it’s okay”, Minho hummed, finally taking a closer look at his friend. His heart broke when he noticed how pale the rapper looked, barely distinguishable from the wall behind him. His sweat-soaked practice clothes clung to him uncomfortably.

“I-I’m sorry”, Changbin whimpered, not looking up, “Hyung, I’m so s-sorry, please- Hyung, please he-help.” Trying to make eye contact with the younger, Minho promised: “It’s okay, Binnie, I will but you need to tell hyung how. What’s going on?” The rapper only choked on another sob, squeezing his eyes shut. Gently brushing back Changbin’s sweaty bangs, Minho cringed when he felt the heat radiating from his dongsaeng’s forehead. “You’re burning”, he stated sympathetically, “Haven’t felt well all day, hm?” The younger defeatedly shook his head, shifting and trying to get up. His face had taken on a slightly greenish tint, so Minho helped him up, getting the rapper settled in front of the toilet. “H-Hyung, I can’t”, Changbin muttered shakily, before ducking down with an unproductive gag. Comfortingly rubbing his back, Minho instructed: “Deep breaths, then explain what you can’t and how I can help.” The rapper coughed weakly before drawing in a shaky breath and admitting: “Can’t throw up. Always feel like it but nothing’s happening.” – “That’s why you’ve been running off all the time wasn’t it? I’m so sorry I never took the time to ask you if everything was alright”, Minho cooed regretfully. Nodding, Changbin tensed with another gag, hand going up to his throat that ached from the strain. Getting back up, the dancer promised: “I’ll be right back, I’m just going to get you some water. Maybe drinking something will speed things up. Just hang in there.”

Minho hurried to retrieve his dongsaeng’s water bottle from the practice room, all the while beating himself up for making assumptions earlier. In hindsight, it was obvious that Changbin hadn’t been alright. He would never slack if a choreographer was present. The dancer’s eyes landed on his own sweatshirt, carelessly thrown next to his bag. Quickly grabbing that too, he rushed back to the bathroom, only to find Changbin in pretty much the same position that he had left him in. Resting a gentle hand on the younger’s shoulder, Minho hummed: “I got you a warmer shirt too. You’re not going to get better if you’re running around in wet clothes. Do you want change first?” Shivering pathetically, the rapper nodded and struggled to get his sticky shirt off. Minho helped him pull it off before handing him the sweatshirt. It was a bit tight around his dongsaeng’s broad shoulders but it was a lot warmer.

Changbin slumped with his back against the toilet stall, closing his eyes and bringing his fist up to his face to muffle a queasy belch. “Do you want to have some water? Either it helps your stomach settle or it makes you sick, so you can get it over with and I can take you home”, Minho offered, already uncapping the bottle. The rapper winced but accepted the bottle. He didn’t really want to be sick but after so many false alarms, it’d be better to just get it over with than be stuck in this limbo forever. Taking a few tentative sips, Changbin realized the water certainly wouldn’t settle his stomach, so he started to chug it quickly, struggling to keep from gagging. He barely got to finish his drink before dropping the bottle and scrambling over the toilet bow, as the water gushed from his lips. Minho was there in a second, running his hand up and down his dongsaeng’s back to keep him calm as wave after wave of clear water shot up his throat. Choking a little, Changbin gave a painful cough and reached for his hyung’s hand. He yearned for comfort, needing a hug but his stomach wasn’t yet done. It clenched again, causing the rapper to pitch forward with a strangled retch. Biting his lip, Minho took Changbin’s hand, that was still blindly feeling around for his, and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

It took a while for Changbin’s stomach to calm down again but they were in no hurry. Unlike his earlier claims, Minho would definitely stay the entire night at the company building if that was how long the younger needed. When it didn’t seem like the rapper was going to bring anything else up, Minho carefully pulled him back let him lean against his chest while he tore off some toilet paper to wipe his dongsaeng’s lips. Changbin dizzily closed his eyes, huffing shaky breaths while the older cleaned him up. He was glad he finally got it over with but now he was so spent that it didn’t feel like he could get up at all anytime soon. There was a gentle hand on his forehead, brushing the damp bangs back before softly scratching his scalp. “Feeling at least a little better now?”, Minho whispered as he continued to run his hand through the younger’s hair. Lacking any energy, Changbin could only give an uncertain hum and kept his eyes closed as he slowly relaxed in his hyung’s hold. Checking his fever again, the dancer promised: “You will soon. As soon as you feel ready to move, I’m taking you back to the dorm, so you can rest in your bed and I can fetch you some medicine but don’t worry, there’s no rush, you can take as long as you need.”

Changbin drowsily went in and out of sleep as Minho didn’t have the heart to wake him, so they could go home. The dancer had no idea how long they had been sitting there but it didn’t matter all that much to him. Yeah, he wanted to get the younger home but if the other needed to regain some of his energy first, that was fine with him too. Minho was deep in thought, guiltily recounting all the opportunities he would have had to realize his dongsaeng was sick, when Changbin sleepily sat up. “Hyung, can we go home? I’m tired”, he muttered, voice scratchy from throwing up. The older nodded and got up before extending his hands to help the rapper up. Changbin’s head spun when he stood and Minho was quick to wrap him in a hug to steady him until he had adjusted. Even when the rapper nodded that he was okay now, Minho kept one arm around his waist, just in case. They slowly made their way back to the practice room, where the dancer hurriedly threw their stuff into their bags before slinging both of them over his shoulder.

Their walk back to the dorm seemingly too forever as Changbin dizzily stumbled next to Minho, who tried to keep his dongsaeng from falling. Unlocking the door, Minho quickly kicked off his shoes before helping the younger with his. He walked the rapper straight to his room and placed his bag next to his desk after sitting the sick boy down on his bed. Changbin instantly curled up, struggling to pull his blanket over himself as he still shook with chills. Cooing sympathetically, the dancer helped him with the blanket before turning to leave the room. “Hyung, can you please stay? I-I know you have a lot of other stuff to do, so you don’t have to, I just- I-”, Changbin rambles sleepily, needing the comfort he had been craving since last night but still remembering the older’s temper earlier. Face softening, Minho crouched next to the bed. He gently cupped his dongsaeng’s feverish cheek and whispered: “I will, don’t worry about it, yeah? I will stay with you as long as you’ll have me but I need to get a few things first, so we can try and bring that fever down at least a little.” Changbin nodded and closed his eyes, hoping his hyung would be quick. He had lost all sense of time, so he had no idea how long it had been before the mattress dipped beside him. “Bin? Do you feel like you could drink something? I don’t want you getting dehydrated after getting sick and sweating so much during practice”, Minho asked carefully. The younger shrugged propping himself up on his elbow and accepting the water his hyung handed him. The dancer had also gotten a bucket, figuring Changbin would throw up again before he was able to get over his bug, and a cold washcloth to place on the rapper’s forehead. When Changbin handed the water back, Minho placed it on the nightstand and got into bed beside the younger, cooing when the other up on against him. “Your head must be hurting a lot, so I’ll put something cool on it that will hopefully help your fever”, the dancer whispered, draping the washcloth across his dongsaeng’s burning forehead before running his fingers through his hair repeatedly. Giving a satisfied hum, Changbin relaxed and soon drifted off to sleep but still heard the quiet: “I’m sorry, Binnie. I’ve been a shitty hyung today but please know, I will always help if you ask me to.”

[tommybaholland]

Hello, I have a request that's been eating at me. I read a lot of fics where the reader is afraid of thunderstorms, but I really can't relate. My family used to sit on the porch and watch the lightning like I was looking at fireworks, the rumbles lull me to sleep. I was also one of those kids who rain outside in heavy rain. Can I request some Shouto, Izuku, Kaachan and Kaminari heacanons with an S/O who looooves thunderstorms and heavy rains please?

s/o who loves thunderstorms 

featuring: todoroki, midoriya, bakugo, and kaminari

the older i get the more i appreciate the sounds of heavy nature. i also like the idea of flipping concepts and doing something different! thank you and enjoy. x

todoroki

he also enjoys the soothing sound of thunder and heavy rain

he’s already a pretty sleepy boy so staying up and watching storms with you is almost out of the question

he’ll do it if you want but he’ll most likely be fast asleep in about ten minutes 

and you’ll know when his head starts to lean into your shoulder 

he prefers falling asleep with you during a storm

he finds the sentiment very comforting and the way you snuggle up to him makes him feel all warm and cozy

he’s not a huge fan of you running outside in the rain but he can’t complain if it makes you happy, he’s happy to watch you from a drier spot

one time you asked him if his quirk would work during a storm 

like if he could freeze the rain or if he could even use his fire side at all

that got him thinking and he became curious about it too because he didn’t know either

he did have preconceived notions about it like that his fire side would be particularly useless during a heavy rainstorm

and that he could only make ice itself and wasn’t so sure that he could freeze moving rain

you thought that maybe this could be a new revelation for his power and that he could combine the two quirks and create steam or something

although he was doubtful, he tried anyway but the rain was still affecting his ability mostly to produce heat 

“it looks like i’ll have to try it another time when it’s not raining. now, we should get inside before you get sick, my love.”

he makes sure you’re all showered and dry and comfy before getting relaxed with him under a blanket 

at this point you’re glued to his left side because of how warm he is 

he’ll even raise the temperature a little higher so it feels like the blanket just came out of the dryer and you feel so comfortable 

it makes you fully relax as you doze off on him with the soothing sound of rain hitting the building in the background

he sees you struggling to stay awake, “you can fall asleep on me if you like, baby.”

he rubs your back with his warm hand and kisses your head, effectively making you succumb to sleep 

midoriya

he seems like someone who would be spooked by thunder and lightning claps

so you’d most likely be the one comforting him during a storm

and he definitely doesn’t like you going outside in that kind of weather

he’s afraid you’ll get struck by lightning

however, he wants to beat this fear of storms because he might have to fight a villain during one and he wants to be prepared for anything 

so he starts practicing kicks outside whenever it rains 

more like every time it rains 

and he’ll be out there for a while, just trying to improve his mobility in the rain 

which is not out of character for him

even before you started dating, you knew that he was persistent and didn’t give up so easily 

it’s both a good and bad quality to have 

the bad being that he doesn’t know when to quit, even when his body is telling him to do so

you felt a little hypocritical about dragging him out of the rain like he’s done to you 

but this wasn’t so much about the rain than about what he’s doing to himself 

once you finally get him inside and make sure a hot shower, warm clothes, and some tea are in order 

 he’s very grateful for how much you take care of him

“thank you, sweetie. i know i can push it too hard sometimes but i do appreciate what you do for me. you should try training out in the rain too sometime though!”

it’s hard not to smile at his undying enthusiasm

you agree to go out with him next time but for the time being, you’d rather stay inside and listening to the storm with him

even though he trains outside in the rain now, it doesn’t change him getting jumpy from the thunder claps

but luckily, he has you to snuggle into him to look forward to

bakugo

he doesn’t understand your fascination of heavy rain and thunder 

meanwhile he’s literally out like a light during storms

he’s used to loud noises like that given his quirk so it never bothers him

it can keep you up though because you just love to watch it

so he doesn’t love to share a bed with you during a storm as he just wants to sleep 

more like he just wants you to sleep next to him instead of watching some stupid rain 

“hey, dumbass. quit staring out the window and come lay next to me!” 

he literally has to drag you to bed so you don’t stay up too late

he’ll hold you tight against his body to try to get you to relax and go to sleep

but then you’ll start squirming in his hold and feeling those movements against him makes him blush

“why are you so fidgety, you idiot?”

he ends up laying on top of you, which is perfectly fine because it’s one of his favorite ways to cuddle you anyway

he will not, however, run around like an idiot outside in the rain

he also doesn’t even care that midoriya is training outside in the rain because what villain would be dumb enough to attack in a thunderstorm?

he usually has to go out to reign you in at some point 

and one time when he finally caught you by your wrists, he couldn’t help but notice how attractive you were in that moment

your hair drenched was and stuck to your neck 

and he was mesmerized by the droplets of rainwater running down to pool in your heaving collarbones 

he felt the need to pull you in for a kiss with his hands holding either side of your head

he was definitely the stupidest thing he had ever done but the way you looked at him after the heated kiss was all worth it

unfortunately, he got sick after that and blames you for all of it but he feels lucky that you’re there to take care of him

kaminari

he likes them but mostly because he feels “more powerful” due to the lightning

so he’s more of a heat storm person that likes to watch the lightning behind the clouds

he can get a little too overzealous about it, “what if i could bend lightning like in avatar? wouldn’t that be the coolest, babe?” 

you point out that he can already bend lightning but he thinks that ‘electrification’ doesn’t sound as cool

sometimes he attributes your attraction to him to your love of thunderstorms and lightning

you had never really made the connection and you always tell him that he’s just a cute and sweet boy that love you too

he also can get a little jumpy with the thunder because sometimes it’s really loud and you never know when the loud ones are going to hit

he’ll try to keep himself from getting too scared 

but then he sees how midoriya’s s/o is when midoriya gets jumpy with the thunder 

so sometimes he’ll exaggerate his shivers and jumps when you’re cuddling him during a storm so you’ll get even closer to him 

then the warmth and weight of your body against him makes him blush

he’d be the most willing to go out into the rain with you

let’s face it, the real reason you’re dating him is that you’re both idiots

one time he decides to try to bend the lightning from the storm and just caused a huge explosion 

thank god you were with him because he ended up short circuiting and would’ve been left out there alone 

it took a lot of your energy to get him back home and you nearly collapsed once you had returned

he felt really bad after that and apologized profusely for putting you in danger

you also ended up falling ill after that so he made sure that you were well cared for 

he brought you all your favorite snacks and things but made sure you were drinking water 

and he got you a white noise machine that played heavy rain and thunderstorm sounds so that you would get adequate rest 

even if he can’t exactly lightning bend, he still makes you just as happy as storms do

welcome back to bnha night! request some ideas..