#( i'm doubling down on the need for a double date. that level of chaos is mandatory even if it'll drive rhys to the brink of insanity LMAO

[rhysdasiorarchive]

“I can assure you that Roland has far better ways to spend his time. It isn’t anything serious, Seth. It’s an…” despite the confidence he’d started off with, Rhys floundered for a moment as he tried to find the most fitting description for whatever was blossoming between himself and the councilman in question. “...amicable workplace relationship… I suppose. If a label has to be applied to it. It’s nothing that’s set in stone. For the time being, it’s harmless. It’s certainly nothing you have to be concerned about.” Rhys himself still possessed several reservations when it came to thinking too hard about whatever it was that was occurring between himself and Roland. As much as he tried to tell himself that there wasn’t anything deeper than a physical relationship between the two of them, he was struggling to deny that more was blossoming beneath the surface. The nightly walks they’d been venturing on together had really opened Rhys’ eyes; he’d learned more about Roland during the nighttime hours they’d spent than he ever could’ve hoped for – whether he wished to admit it or not, he was stumbling further and further into the seemingly bottomless pit of intrigue surrounding the vampire with each evening that passed. Trying to explain such a fact to Seth seemed impossible given the younger witch’s reluctance to hear anything vaguely complimentary about the councilman in question. 

Given Seth’s reaction to the unveiling of the unfortunate exchange between himself and Shade, Rhys suppressed a sigh of relief as the conversation took a noticeable turn. Well, until Seth attempted to defend himself again. “We both know that isn’t entirely true. Did you or did you not threaten him?” Cocking his head to the side, Rhys narrowed his eyes as he pinned his stare on his protégé and fought the urge to launch into a new lecture. “I know I don’t need to tell you how reckless that was. Again, I appreciate the lengths you’re willing to go to to look out for me, but for the love of all that’s holy, don’t put yourself at risk in doing so. You’ve got enough to worry about right now. Threatening any member of the council isn’t the way forward.” Rhys paused for a second as he mulled over everything Roland had informed him of before continuing. “Besides, you’ve probably only encouraged him further by doing so. He tends to enjoy a challenge.” 

As the conversation shifted to the perpetual headache that had been Shade’s presence in his office, Rhys sighed and reluctantly retraced that meeting in his mind. “I wish I could give you a conclusive answer. Initially, he’d come here under the guise of requesting my assistance for a certain demon-related incident–” He fixed Seth with a pointed stare, knowing he needn’t elaborate further on that particular elephant in the room. “He’d scheduled an appointment with me previously and hadn’t bothered to show up, so I’d thought nothing of it and was minutes away from locking up for the evening when he finally decided to show up.” Pushing himself off of his desk, Rhys readjusted his blazer as he began to pace around the office, disdain visible on his features as he continued the retelling. “He was immediately insufferable. His expectations were entirely unrealistic. I patiently tried explaining to him that magic wasn’t necessarily instantaneous, not that level of magic, anyway. He wasn’t having any of it. He also took it upon himself to almost break several of my possessions and then decided it was somehow wholly appropriate to pin me to the ground and proposition me. Fortunately, matters didn’t progress any further.” Coming to an abrupt halt, Rhys turned to face Seth properly and tried for a faint smile. “As I said earlier, by comparison, Roland is practically a saint. You’re fretting over the wrong drama queen. Yours needs a reprimanding far more than mine does.”

"He could also be playing some long con game, get you to trust him before he shows those true colors," Seth argued, well experienced with the type after living with his own mother, Crash, and many of the residents within Krovs. Truly a mystery how he developed trust issues with people. He wanted to be happy for Rhys without these well-meaning concerns but Seth always had an overprotective streak with the very few people he considered family. He didn't like the idea of them getting hurt or screwed over if he could help prevent it although Seth also learned through trial and error that he couldn't control everything.

Anything else he might've had on his very firm anti-Roland brigade list immediately scratched off the second Rhys mentioned the other member of his found family, for better or for worse. He stiffened in his seat, sucking in a hiss of breath through his teeth. He loved Shade dearly, perhaps a little more than he should given the cambion's... personality. Shade could be, well, a lot to handle with his quick ramblings that usually made no sense, general chaotic tendencies, and his inability to focus for long. That and the fact that whenever Seth saw Shade he was either drunk or high or both. Seth adored him regardless, having known him for about ten years and similar traits. He had no immediate plans for Rhys to actually meet Shade for that reason although now he was wondering how that came about. "I've been respectful," he mumbled, deflating upon an exhale while he sank down in his chair. He set his jaw, making a mental note not to kill Shade for fucking up his argument here about Roland with all of his... Shadeness. "Shade's not some old ass undead councilman. What, uh, what was he even doing up here?"

[matenrou-fan]

headcannons for a poly mtc x gender neutral s/o? imo i think it would be a pretty protective poly but with a lot of sillies and chaos 💅

Poly mtc x NB! s/o

ooh.. it really would be.. something

NBreader, fluff, just wholesome stuff, swearing;;

-It would be really chaotic in the beginning.

-Especially due to the fact that both Samatoki and Jyuto are pretty possessive and when they want some private time with you it's almost a war here.

-When Rio is the only one who doesn't mind how much time you pay him. Honestly, he prefers to just hang out all together, in his view it makes the bond between you all stronger.

-So yeah, why don't you three pay a visit to his tent? He's already prepared some tasty, hearty dinner…!

-..Samatoki and Jyuto would save you from this survival cooking as long as they can.

-"Oh, yes, a-actually.. Me and s/o drop by a cafe on our way here, so we're full.." - Jyuto gets closer and hugs your waist, nipping your skin through fabric. - "Right, darling..?"

"Mm? So Samatoki would be the one to eat?" - Rio nods and looks at Samatoki who smiles awkwardly and shakes his head. - "Don't worry, that just means we would have a bigger portion for us two.."

"Oh, yeah, I'm sure he would be glad.. I totally hear his stomach growling.." - Jyuto chuckled, ignoring the sharp gazes of his mad boyfriend.

-Well, but if you actually like it, then you're their salvation, as now they both feed you their portions quietly, while Rio didn't see this.

-Actually, it is kinda fun to compare the difference between your evenings now, as everything depends on who's set up a date today.

-Expensive restaurant with live music? It's Samatoki and his urge to brag about his lovers and spoil you all. Loud dark club with alcohol? Well, Jyuto just likes to relieve his stress through alcohol and cigarettes here. Calm warm evening around the campfire? Because Rio just wants you all to relax with nature.

-Also, you never feel as safe as right now. You literally have protection in all levels - not only in civilian one, where Jyuto is always ready to use all his privileges as a policeman to arrest or at least destroy the reputation of anybody who will try to have beef with you and where Rio don't mind to show his military training and scary away all creeps who's looked at you, but in life of crime too, as there you have Samatoki who don't mind to bring his people to 'just talk' with any jerks who's try to give you problems.

-Rio and Samatoki are kinda overprotective, so they both will not only guard you, but also try to teach you some self defense when Jyuto is trying to rizz you with his "don't worry babe I will take care of everyone myself".

-Well, but honestly, do you actually need self-defense? After a few times as you four walk together on a street, there's no way someone would try to hurt you. One glance is enough to realize just how much you're appreciated and loved by them. (It also kinda looks like you just walk with three big guardian dogs.. especially due to Samatoki's angry possessive gaze.)

-"Samatoki, stop with those looks. Even I start to feel uncomfortable.." - Jyuto mumbled, raising an eyebrow.

"Shut up! I don't like the way these two jerks look at s/o.." - he scoffs and gets closer, placing a big hand on your shoulder. - "Come here, s/o, kiss me so they would eat shit, knowing you're already taken.."

"Oh yeah?" - Jyuto smirks and also touches your other shoulder. - "Then maybe you should kiss me too? So they would know you're under double protection.."

"Actually triple." - Rio was standing behind, looking down at you all. - "But there's only two of them, it would be unfair to attack them all together, don't you think..?"

-But in private all this coolness fades away and boys just relax, showing a softer side of them. Some chaotic strange evenings are great, but sometimes you all just want some peace, cuddling together and sharing kisses.

-Should I say that Samatoki is the most passionate one here? You and Jyuto love to tease him about this just to cause a light blush on the cheeks of your precious Yakuza.

-But the one who's making everyone confused is Rio, as he feels no shame in his way of showing love. Well, yes, he loves you all, so why can't he just trap you all in a big bear hug and kiss one by one? Poor former soldier doesn't even understand all your teases, thinking you actually complimented him for being so loving.

-Yes he has enough strength to hold you all in a hug. And Rio also doesn't mind for you to sit with Jyuto or Samatoki on his back as he does push-ups, it's a great challenge for him.

-"Is it actually okay..?" - you ask worryingly, sitting on your boyfriend's back.

"If he said everything good, then everything good.." - with a scoff Samatoki sits behind you, immediately hugging your waist. - "Come on, big boy, show us what you got."

"Mm.. It's actually easier than I thought.." - Rio mumbled after a few push-ups. - "S/o, take something heavy with you next time, you're too light.."

-It's hard to tell due to his cold emotionless behavior but if you three would kiss him and praise a little, telling Rio how good he works out, then he would be SO happy. Even the results of his training do not satisfy him as much as your little compliments.

-Honestly they all loved to be praised. Jyuto in particular, as he loves to stroke his ego and have great pride. But he's reacting in a more mischievous way, turning it all into flirting.

-When Samatoki is a bratty one, acting like he doesn't care, but slowly breaks down, especially when Jyuto steps in the game. Aww, who knows wild harsh Yakuza can blush like that after you cooed at him so sweetly?

-"Just don't you or Jyuto dare to tell someone, I swear to god.." - he mumbled with furrowed brows, trying to look away.

"It's okay, Samatoki.." - Rio gets closer and nods. - "Don't be afraid to show your emotions.."

"I'm not..! Rio, you're stu-.."

"He's right, Samatoki~ Don't be shy, show us your pretty face.." - you and Jyuto get closer with smuggy smirks, clinging to him from both sides. It's just so fun to tease your boyfriend when he has such an amusing reaction..

-Sometimes you don't even feel like time passes by, too busy with them, as you all just fool around and get in some stupid situation almost on a daily basis. But you never feel more happier than with your three boyfriend, surrounded with support, love, and care..

[notsuchasecret]

A Third, Please

Ao3

#3: SakuAtsu meet uglies. It seems to me that most of y'all don't know just how bad of an obsession that I have with these two losers. Like, the Chaos Incarnate chat knows, and Haz knows, but outside of them, I feel like y'all have no idea. So here. A meet ugly for this challenge.

When Osamu had told Atsumu he'd set him up with a guy "about ten thousand miles outta yer league, yer welcome, scrub", Atsumu had been, of course, skeptical. And then he'd gone on the date and realized that Osamu had been understating just how gorgeous this guy was. And then the date had gone horribly, disastrously wrong. Like, Atsumu had never been on such a miserable date, wrong. Like, Atsumu wanted to change his name and flee the country, wrong. Like, Atsumu was never going to emerge from the pits of despair this date had left him in, wrong. He shuffled into the apartment he shared with his brother, sopping wet and miserable.

"I'm home," he whined, doing his best to peel his soaked sneakers off his feet. Osamu glanced up from the couch, then did a double take.

"Yer soaked," he said.

"Great observation skills ya got there," Atsumu muttered, but it was all the retaliation he could come up with. He just shook his head and squelched down the hall toward the bathroom. When he returned, considerably dryer and a hell of a lot warmer, he dropped onto the opposite end of the couch from Osamu and stared at the television.

"So I take it that didn't go well," Osamu said. His voice was quiet, feeling Atsumu out and gauging his reactions. Atsumu was too exhausted to really do anything about that just then.

"No," Atsumu said dully. "It didn't go well."

Osamu studied Atsumu for a moment, and didn't say anything else. He simply offered Atsumu the silent comfort of his presence. It was a rare show of support, considering how they would normally pick and pull at each other until they devolved into a shouting match or a fist fight. Which meant that Osamu realized just how miserable Atsumu was.

Atsumu couldn't work up the energy to be grateful. He just let himself sit in his misery, and then in the morning he moved on with his life.

Except.

It was perhaps two, maybe three weeks later when Atsumu received the first text. He wasn't sure why he hadn't deleted the message thread, except to say that it had gotten buried under all his others and he'd just forgotten about it. But when he did receive the message and the name on the contact popped up, it took him a moment of puzzling and a quick scroll through the history to understand what exactly was happening.

GREEN SCARF, DARK HAIR: [So while I was on a date last night it occurred to me that some helpful tips may be what you're needing to stop being a complete disaster and maybe even take someone on a successful date someday. I've compiled some notes for you.]

The typing indicator was going still by the time Atsumu had managed to piece together that this was his blind date being an absolute ass.

ME: [Thanks, but you really don't have to waste your time. Rest assured it was a shitty night for both of us.]

He must have been ignored, because thirty seconds later another message popped up.

GREEN SCARF, DARK HAIR: [First and foremost is this: Check the restaurant's website, at very least. Understand the level of formality involved and dress appropriately. Contrary to popular belief (or whatever it is that was going through the peanut shell that is your brain) joggers and a sweaty track jacket are not acceptable attire for a fine dining establishment.]

Atsumu closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to control the swell of rage rising in him. Sure, he had been underdressed. Osamu wouldn't tell him the name of the restaurant, and dropped him off in person, so Atsumu hadn't had any time to find out of there was a dress code. And in all fairness, the maître d' had let him in the door, so he wasn't that out of place. He simply closed the message thread and swiped to his contacts to change the name. If he answered, it would only serve as encouragement, and Atsumu didn't want or need any more helpful tips. He stuffed his phone in his pocket and put the whole thing out of his mind.

Osamu whistled as soon as Atsumu walked through the door of the studio. "What shat in yer bed today?" he asked.

"Fuck off, Samu," Atsumu groaned. He slumped over to the baby grand in one corner, plunking down on the bench and poking at the keys. "Where's Rin, anyway?"

"Missed his train," Aran answered, fiddling with the tuning pegs on his bass. "He'll be here in fifteen or so." Atsumu grunted. He let his fingers poke along the keyboard of the piano, plucking out a half-thought melody. Beethoven, probably. That was where Atsumu's fingers tended to lead him when he wasn't thinking.

"Atsumu," said Kita, appearing from nowhere beside Osamu's drum kit. "Did ya finish transcribin' that song yet?"

"Ah, yeah, mostly," Atsumu said. He dug his notebook out of his bag, flipping past the half-started doodles and concepts until he reached the song that Suna and Osamu had come up with. "I need Sunarin here ta ask him about this chord progression in the bridge. I couldn't tell where he wanted it ta fall."

Kita nodded, craning his neck to look at the transcription. Atsumu turned the book so that Kita could see it better, listening to the quiet chaos of the band setting up for rehearsal. A buzz in his pocket had him startling, and Kita took the notebook from him before he could throw it. Kita walked away with the notebook and Atsumu let him go as he dug his phone out of his pocket; the notebook was safer in his hands than anyone else's.

GREEN SCARF, DARK HAIR, RUDE AS SHIT: [A bonus tip for you today, courtesy of the absolute dreamboat I went on a date with last night: bickering with the serving staff over their recommendations is not couth, nor will it win you any points with your date. Unless you're counting how much you embarrass them.]

Atsumu rolled his eyes. He knew better. He shouldn't engage with this. But Kita wasn't babysitting him at that moment, too busy chatting with Aran, so Atsumu started typing anyway.

ME: [Tell me, do you get off on being this much of a dick? Like, is it a fetish thing, or were you just not taught how to play nice with the other kids?]

GREEN SCARF, DARK HAIR, RUDE AS SHIT: [I could ask the same of you. Seriously, what was it about that bottle that had you ready to start a physical altercation like that?]

ME: [First rule they teach you in culinary school is never pair a red with seafood. The vintage was fine, but you ordered salmon, and that red had chocolate notes. That should've been paired with a rich desert at the most, but your dinner would've gone much better with white.]

GREEN SCARF, DARK HAIR, RUDE AS SHIT: [You went to culinary?]

ME: [My brother did.]

GREEN SCARF, DARK HAIR, RUDE AS SHIT: [I thought you said he was in that sad excuse for a band with you. I didn't realize either of you would have the intellect required for post-secondary education.]

ME: [See, this conversation was going fine until you said that. Lends weight to my question, you know. Is it a fetish? Because I don't consent in that case.]

Atsumu's phone buzzed again, but just then the doors opened and Suna slouched in, his guitar strapped to his back and his bag swinging idly from his arm.

"'Bout time," Atsumu groaned, stuffing his phone in his pocket.

"Shut up, princess, I got here as fast as I could," Suna said as he set his stuff down. Atsumu just grunted. He stretched his fingers out, playing a couple of arpeggios on the baby grand before he swung out of the bench to go check the setup on his keyboard.

This was where Atsumu belonged. Not some stuffy, pretentious school, not some concert hall, here. This grungy little studio space, where he was totally free. He let himself get lost in the music, and put the asshole with the pretty curls out of his mind.

It couldn't last forever, of course, not with that dickhead insisting on texting him every time he went on a date with more "tips". But for the most part, Atsumu's life went on. Kita managed to secure them a gig at a local festival, the kind where bands had a tendency to be discovered. It was a far cry from the dive bars they'd been playing, but this little farmer's market with the best damn luck for emerging bands was exactly what they had been hoping for. It could be the gig that made them, if they played their cards right, and they only had three months or so to prepare.

Every so often, there was a text that wasn't the most assholeish thing Atsumu had ever read. Once, when Dickweed was presumably drunk off his ass, he even had a genuine conversation with Atsumu about life and dreams and the future. It was then that Atsumu learned just how much they had in common, at least in their personal histories.

But knowing that the unfairly pretty man with the unfairly horrid personality was classically trained on pretty much every string instrument out there didn't take away the fact that Atsumu didn't really have time to dive deep and find out what was underneath all that. Especially when the next day started with a text reminding Atsumu to chew with his mouth closed.

In short, Atsumu was done with dating for now, especially blind dates. Especially blind dates that Osamu set him up on. But networking was the name of the game this early in the band's career, so when Kita said that Atsumu had a lunch to attend with the nephew of the festival's organizer, Atsumu didn't even question it. It didn't occur to him that Atsumu going alone was strange, or that the restaurant that Kita sent him to was a bit intimate for a business meeting, none of it. He just put on a nice shirt, organized notes and song transcriptions into an expanding file in his bag, and let Osamu drop him off at the restaurant about fifteen minutes before he was set to meet his contact.

"What."

Atsumu stood stock still, staring at the table and the man sitting at it. Dark, endless eyes blinked up at him from beneath a curtain of glossy black curls. he didn't look surprised to see Atsumu, but he did scowl at him after a moment.

"Are you going to sit, or not?" he snarled.

"Uh, yes," Atsumu said, and did pull out his chair to perch in it. "Sorry, I'm just a little confused."

"About what?"

"I wasn't expectin' ya to be the person I was meetin'," he said. "Didn't know you had anythin' ta do with the popular music scene."

"Personally, I don't," he answered, squinting at Atsumu.

"But yer aunt is the organizer fer the festival next month," Atsumu said slowly. "Why do I get the feelin' we're here fer two different reasons?"

"Because, in all likelihood, we are," sighed the other. "I asked Komori, my cousin, to see if he could get you to come to lunch with me, to apologize and see about starting over. I take it he did so in some underhanded and convoluted manner, as he so enjoys doing."

"Yer cousin Komori," Atsumu repeated. "Like, Komori Motoya? The head producer fer EJP Record Label?"

"Yeah, that's him."

Atsumu blinked, puzzling for a moment. Then he shook his head. "Well," he said. "No reason we can't do both. If yer aunt wants any info on the band, I've got it, but I don't see why you and I can't have a nice lunch in the meantime." He grinned and stuck out his hand. "Name's Miya Atsumu. Pleasure ta meet you."

"Sakusa Kiyoomi." A large, strong hand gripped his own. "I hope you took notes."

"Yer such an ass," Atsumu laughed. "Half of the stuff that happened last time was not my fault, you know."

"Well, you do look considerably more human this time," Sakusa conceded.

"That's 'cause I dressed myself. I clean up nice, it's okay, you can admit it."

"The insufferable personality, though, that's all on you."

Atsumu cracked a grin, and he could just see how hard Sakusa was fighting to keep from smiling himself.

-

When Komori Motoya had first conspired with his old friend Miya Osamu to fuck with their respective relatives, he hadn't expected this. Weeks of coming home from perfectly good dates with a bitter expression, of pulling out his phone and texting with the biggest pout on his face, of grumbling under his breath about 'stupid, arrogant foxes with their stupid, pretty faces'. He hadn't expected to be begged for a second date, to be bribed into setting one up. And he certainly hadn't expected to come home that day to find Sakusa curled up on their couch with a massive plush fox in his lap, scrolling through the website for Motoya's mom's next festival with a scowl on his face and his credit card in his hand.

"Kiyo?" Motoya asked, cautious.

"They had better be good," Sakusa grumbled. "If I put in all this effort and they aren't even good, I can't do it. I can't date someone tone deaf."

Motoya laughed. "You don't have to worry about that, Kiyo," he said. "They met at Inarizaki, after all."

Sakusa dropped his phone, staring at Motoya with wide eyes. "They what?"

"Inarizaki School of Music. That's where they all went after high school. Atsumu's a prodigy on the piano, but he plays like six other instruments, too. And he sings."

"Fuck. I need a third date."

Motoya smiled, wandering off into his bedroom to the background soundtrack of Sakusa cursing himself, Motoya, Osamu, and especially one Miya Atsumu. It seemed that his time with that band was only just beginning.

[mblay-and-company]

Okay, look @leggerefiore

You created Yandere Submas

Your fans asked "What would happen if they swapped with your regular Submas Twins?"

And my Chaos Brain decided to wake up and choose violence

I was 100% inspired by a very special Spiderman Comic about Aunt May

AFAB Reader, mentions of the worst time of the month, implications that the Yandere Twins have done very horrible things in the past, like kidnapping and non-con. Drugging

---

There was a certain level of ability to see fine details that was needed to date both of the Subway Masters. Their subtle nuances made them difficult to read if you didn't know them; Especially what mood Ingo was truly in. The twins doubled down on your ability to read them by frequently testing you for fun, finding ways to obscure their faces so you couldn't just use Ingo's lack of facial expressions as an immediate calling card.

This made you very good at reading the Twins.

Which meant you could tell when something wasn't right.

---

You were paying your boys a surprise visit in the Subway when they received reports of strange lights and sounds coming from one of the tunnels. The duo had left to investigate, leaving you to chat with the various depot agents and commuters. When the two of them came back, you ran up to greet them, but you paused when you saw the confused looks on their faces.

But they didn't look like they didn't know who you were.

They looked like they were wondering why you were here.

"Did you two goobers forget that I decided to visit you, today? I know things have been a little hectic today with whatever that weird light was, but jeez, some boyfriends you are!" You joked, watching them look at each other. They were doing their weird twin thing, where they just look at each other and have a silent conversation. You watched carefully as their eyes flicked between you and each other, before fully looking at you.

"Our apologies, darling, investigating the source of the light was quite distracting…" Ingo responded

"We will make sure to pay extra attention to you! We will be verrrrrry sure!" Emmet added.

While their tones were genuine, there was an unmistakable darkness that swirled in their silvery eyes.

These were not your boyfriends.

---

Every second with these Twins made your realization more and more painfully obvious. Their mannerisms were a perfect match for being authentically Ingo and Emmet, but… They behaved so differently when it specifically came to you. At least one of them stayed virtually glued to your hip at all times. They got super passive aggressive if anyone tried to approach you in any way. One of your friends that happened to be a Depot Agent wanted to talk to you about some ideas for what to paint their living room, only to be intimidated off. You knew it was the way Emmet was looking at them, you didn't even have to look.

You've heard about some of the madness that happened in Alola, so you were assuming that there was some Ultra Wormhole down that tunnel. Which means that these Twins were probably still genuinely Ingo and Emmet - Just not the ones from this world. Judging by how they behaved towards you, you likely existed in their world as well. But judging by how clingy they acted towards you, as if the entire world was trying to take you away from them… And that unsettling darkness that hid deep in their eyes… You had a sneaking suspicion that the relationship they had was anything but healthy.

You needed a break in the office to take some painkillers, your cramps becoming absolutely unbearable, and Emmet followed you in there. You sat on the small loveseat in the room, waiting for the pills to kick in, as Emmet cuddled you just a little too tightly. You were trying your best to tolerate it, but his hands were starting to get very frisky.

"Emmet, not right now… I'm not in the mood…" You sighed, trying to shoo his hands away.

"Awww, darling, you're being so meaaaan!" He whined playfully, his hot breath dancing on your shoulder as he snuggled into you, continuing to grope at you. Before you could continue to argue, he started to kneed at your breasts; which were unfortunately extremely tender and instantly sent shockwaves of pain throughout your body. The sharp yelp of pain you let out caused him to flinch back in confusion.

"Emmet! I said not right now! I'm on my period right now, and everything hurts!" You snapped at him, gently trying to massage your side. There was a slight twitch to his eye, and you watched his emotions juggle between an annoyance and a concern. You let out a hard sigh before he could say anything. "I'm sorry, honey, I shouldn't have yelled… I'm just… Being touched is way too much right now, I need space for my body to stop being bullshit… It wasn't nearly this bad this morning…" You muttered, holding your head in your hands as you looked to the floor. Oh man, you're starting to feel nauseated now…

You could feel Emmet's hand start to massage your back, taking a much more caring and gentle motion compared to the hungrier explorations from earlier.

"I'm verrrrrry sorry… I should have paid better attention…" He admitted, his expression becoming softer as you started to hum in content from the gentleness. You needed to keep their guards lowered as much as possible if you were going to figure out what happened to your actual boyfriends. You had a feeling it wouldn't end well if these two thought their time with you would be threatened.

Your thoughts were suddenly interrupted when he let out a startled yelp. You looked to see one of the many baby Joltiks your silly Emmet had hatched giving this false Emmet an aggressive bite. You couldn't help but chuckle a little; Of course the babies would recognize that this wasn't their perceived dad. They probably knew him better than he knew himself. You gently scooped up the little arachnid, looking at its huffy little eyes.

"Be careful, darling, that one must be wild-!" Emmet started in concern, but you cut him off.

"The little one's just feeling spicy!" You giggled, pulling out a small battery to give as a treat. You weren't surprised that this false Emmet didn't recognize one of the babies. "Are you hungry, sassy pants? Do you need something to do? How about you go make a picture for Auntie Elesa? You look like you could use a bigger project, so how about try to see if you can fit an Amoonguss?" You offered, setting the Joltik down near one of the many holes that they used to safely traverse the city. It chittered with conviction, taking the battery you offered and scuttled away. You could hear the false Emmet cooing and squeeing over how cutely you handled the little Joltik.

Good, he didn't catch on to what you were doing.

---

Elesa had a lot of risks, being such a high profile celebrity. While the percentage of people who would do something dangerous was low, it was never 0. As a result; You, her, Emmet, and Ingo came up with a secret messaging system using the Joltiks, for the event that someone would need to call for help without arousing suspicion. You guys came up with a selection of Pokemon for the Joltiks to draw in their webs, and it would mean different things. There were quite genuinely thousands of the tiny arachnids, and several of them proved to be very artistic. Even the ones that weren't were very efficient at sending messages across each other, ensuring that they got to their destination on schedule.

Because you couldn't let go of the joke, you insisted that the four of you associated Foongus and Amoonguss with "I am dealing with an Imposter."

None of you expected to actually need this specific message, but it was a good thing that you had it.

Very shortly after you sent the Joltik off, the false Ingo had peaked his head into the office.

"Is everything alright in here? I heard both of you shout…" He stated with concern.

"A little Joltik was feeling feisty and bit Emmet, so I sent it on its way with a snack and an art project!" You chime without a beat, giving him a calm smile.

"I am Emmet. I was too rough on them while their body is going through their menstrual cycle… Their body is verrrrrry sensitive right now…" Emmet sheepishly explained, both brothers looking at you. You could see the concern in both of their eyes, mixing dangerously with that darkness, making their shoulders tense. You decided to speak up before they could act on any ideas.

"I honestly think I just wanna go back home… The electric blanket you got me is still there, and it'll feel so nice to bundle up in the chair…" You admitted, scratching the side of your face. You could see Ingo starting to take a Pokeball out.

"If you're in as much pain as you are, I shall have Chandelure-" He started, but you cut him off.

"Ingo, I appreciate the concern, but you know that my cramps get better if I take the walk home. If you're worried about me, one of you can escort me home." You offered, walking up to give him a gentle kiss on his cheek. They had such a clear obsession over you, you had to work with it to make sure your plan would still work. The kiss definitely worked, as you watched this false Ingo turn bright red, sheepishly chuckling.

"No fair! I want one too!" False Emmet whined, trying to push himself in between. You made a chuckle, giving him a peck on the opposite cheek from his brother, earning gleeful giggles from him. "Brother, I think you should be the one to escort them home! I'm in the mood to battle some verrrrry strong trainers!" He offered, practically bouncing up and down. False Ingo nodded in understanding, holding out his arm for you to hold. You took it without hesitating, and the two of you began the walk back to yours and your boyfriend's apartment. You had to ask him to slow down a little, since your legs were still a little sore.

He kept you suffocatingly close the whole way.

---

You unlocked the door and made your way straight to the arm chair you remembered where you left the electric blanket. It was still there, thank goodness. You settled yourself straight into the chair, wrapping the blanket around yourself and turning it on high. It quickly started to heat up, and you could only let out a happy sigh from the comfort. False Ingo meandered about the apartment seemingly without reason, and you heard him call out your name.

"Why did one of the Joltiks create what looks like a Watchog in their web?" He asked you. You craned your neck around to look at where he was standing, and sure enough, there was a clear Joltik web with a Watchog formed within the web.

Watchog - "I am alert - Are you okay?" Good, Elesa got your message.

"That's part of the art project I sent that one Joltik off to do! I suggested it make an Amoonguss for Elesa, so she must be in the mood to keep it going!" You cooed. You watched the false Ingo attempt to pick up the Joltik, but it scurried away from him out of fear, heading straight to you. You watched him blink a few times in confusion.

"Why an Amoonguss..?" He questioned, approaching you. He looked more inquisitive than suspicious.

"Since that one Joltik bit Emmet, I assumed it was riled up about something. I wanted to suggest something a little more complicated to put in the web, so that it would have to think more about it. I thought something a little bigger, like an Amoonguss would be something complex enough, but still fit in the confines of a reasonable web. I couldn't ask the little guy to make a Hydreigon or something crazy like that…" You admitted, giving the Joltik that curled into your shoulder a gentle skritch. It stretched into your touch, giving very soft trills. It was impossible to miss how soft the false Ingo's face became, watching you curled up safely with the baby Pokemon nuzzled into your shoulder. Of course, there was a hint of worry in there as well, as if he expected something to happen to you if he walked away…

"May I suggest a nice long nap? Will you need me to ask Chandelure to use Hypnosis for you?"

Oh sweet Arceus, he was playing that game…

"I don't think that'll be needed, hun, I just need to let this blanket warm me up for a little bit." You answered, keeping your voice light and thoughtful.

"I insist, darling, if you are not feeling well, then-"

"It's not like I caught the flu, Ingo. It's just monthly grossness. My relief meds kicked in on the way here, and I just need this blanket to relax my muscles a little." You stood firm. If you allowed him to freely use Hypnosis on you, it would throw all hope of fixing this mess out the window. You watched him start to get stiff, a clear frustration on his face because of your lack of cooperation.

"Darling…" His voice was extremely stern. He might not let you have a choice, unless you came up with something fast. You remembered your dinner plans for the night.

"I just really wanted to surprise you…" You muttered softly, looking disappointed. You watched him relax a bit, tilting his head in curiosity. "I finally found it… My great grandma's pierogi recipe… The one my dad grew up with… I wanted to make them for you two as a surprise for when you got home from work… You know how heavily I sleep, so I'm just worried I won't have time to make sure they're done…" Your face scrunched in disappointment, looking out the window next to the chair despondent. You felt him place a gentle hand on your arm.

"I'm so sorry, darling, I didn't realize you planned so hard for this…" The false Ingo's voice sounded deeply apologetic, and you looked up at him to confirm that he looked as sorry as he sounded. Even when he's not the right Ingo, his eyes were still very easy to read. He was carefully reconsidering his options. "Very well, I will trust your judgment… I just…" He trailed off for a moment, thinking deeply.

"May I have your phone and keys?"

Your eyes squinted slightly at the request. Your phone and keys. Without them, it ensures that you are completely cut off from the outside world… At least not including the Joltiks.

"Why..?" You questioned. It was very difficult to hide your suspicion of him at this specific point. You watched him bite his lower lip slightly, cogs turning in his head.

"I… Misplaced mine…"

He was definitely lying through his teeth.

You let out a hard sigh, pinching the bridge of your nose. The more you fought against him, the more difficult he was going to make this for you… Fortunately, you already wrote the recipe down to put in your recipe box, but…

"Fine…" You sighed out, passing him the requested items. "But I'm going to want to have a long with you both about what's going on." You insisted, looking into his eyes strongly. He paused for a moment, before planting a kiss on your forehead.

"Of course, darling…" He agreed gently, before straightening out and heading out the door. "We will be sure to be home as scheduled."

"Yeah, alright…" You sighed, getting yourself comfy in the blanket. "Love you…"

You could see his eyes light up in an unnatural bliss. It didn't surprise you that such a phrase made him so happy.

"I love you too, darling! We will see you later tonight!" He exclaimed with a bubbly voice, before closing the door and locking it. You let out a sigh, looking back at the Joltik.

"Make a Crustle for Elesa…" You told the little one, putting them on the window sill. It chittered and scuttled off to deliver your message.

Crustle - "I am trapped at home."

You sighed again as you let yourself warm up in your blanket, before carefully planning out your course of action.

It was a good thing he clearly didn't know you as well as he thought he did.

Your great grandmother never wrote her pierogi recipe, and your boys knew that. You were just in the mood to try and make them because you knew you liked them.

Now to see if the Joltiks can do another favor for you…

---

You would be lying if you said you didn't feel bad for stealing someone's Zolpidem. If someone needed sedatives of this caliber, it meant they had pretty bad insomnia. But given the severity of the situation, you needed to act fast before you just disappeared entirely. The Joltiks were invaluable in this delicate operation, bringing you the bottle of medicine and returning what wasn't needed. You timed it all as carefully as you could, to ensure that the pierogi would be nice and hot for their return. You could hear the two of them approach the door, but they paused. You could faintly hear their whispers to each other.

"…-urn home as quickly as possible with them…"

"Yes, of course… We will h-… -utious… We don't have the same connect-… Most of everyone will attempt to…"

"-delure will be most invaluable… Be ready to use Hypnosis-…"

"-t believe we will have two of our darling… All to ourselves…"

You swallowed hard, carefully making your way back to the table to set sour cream in the center of it. They were planning on abducting you tonight… If things didn't work…

You took a deep breath. No, this will work. It had to. You put on a brave face, and looked towards the door as the lock clicked to the unlocked position

"Welcome home, you two!" You chimed with as welcoming of a smile as you could muster. The false Ingo's expression was warm and fulfilling as he saw you put the plate on the table. The false Emmet's eyes widened in wonder as he sniffed the air, looking at the plate.

"What is this, darling?" He asked excitedly, virtually bouncing in place. It was almost adorable, were it not for the truth…

"Awww, you didn't tell him? You're so sweet!" You sang happily at the false Ingo, who hid his face behind his hat sheepishly from the attention.

"Yes, well… You had clearly put so much thought into the surprise, it felt right to try and salvage as much of it as possible…" He admitted, his brother looking between the two of them with wide eyes filled with wonder. "I had… Accidentally forced them to reveal their surprise to me. They had found their great grandmother's recipe, and wanted to share it with us." The false Ingo explained.

"What kind of recipe?" The false Emmet asked with excitement, running toward the table, a line of drool clearly seen at the corner of his mouth.

"Pierogi!" You chimed happily, sitting down at your plate. "It's a kind of dumpling that's found in areas near the Galar Region." You explained as you started to eat one of them. You watched the false Emmet sit himself as quickly as he could in one of the empty chairs, immediately trying the first dumpling. The false Ingo was very shortly after, also taking a bite.

You couldn't help but let out a blissful sigh; They turned out really well.

"Bravo, darling! These are absolutely lovely!" The false Ingo cheered.

"Verrrrrrrry delicious!" The false Emmet confirmed, happily scarfing down a second and a third. There was a part of you that still felt very happy, knowing that someone enjoyed your cooking…

Even if there was a very real risk that they would hurt you.

As you expected from any Emmet, this false one ate his pierogi a lot faster than his brother, even stealing the last one of the false Ingo's plate and scarfing it down before either of you could stop him.

"Emmet, let your brother eat his. As terrifying as this situation is for me, I would still rather you not be overdosed…" You stated calmly.

You could feel the tension thicken in the air.

"…What do you mean, darling…" The false Ingo asked carefully, looking very tense. You stole a quick glance at the false Emmet - He was already starting to sway.

"I don't know how you expected me to not notice, really. You two don't belong in this world. You two are not my boyfriends; my Ingo and Emmet." You stared deep into the false Ingo's with a knowing conviction, standing up. He tried to move to let one of his Pokemon out, but thanks to the sedatives taking hold of him, you were faster. Separating his Pokemon from him and keeping him sat in his chair. A soft "thud" signaled that the false Emmet had passed out.

"How… Did you…" The false Ingo started to slur out, trying desperately to stay awake.

"It was right away, the moment you saw me. My boyfriends already knew I was there and were happy to see me visit. When you came by, you looked at me like I wasn't supposed to be there." You explained curtly, taking your phone back from his pocket, along with your keys. You quickly went to Emmet's room to grab some rope - You were sure he wouldn't mind if you used this for self defense. You came back and carefully tied both of the false Twins securely to their chairs, false Ingo attempting to resist.

"Of course, you both also didn't recognize the Emergency Pictographs that me and my boys came up with to use with Elesa in events that we could not message as normal. That was also a big tell. Or the fact that none of my sweet Emmet's Joltiks recognized you." You continued, snapping a picture of the bound twins to send to Elesa, gesturing to a hoard of Joltiks hiding in a corner. All of the tiny Pokemon glared at the pair of twins with a fearful disdain. "You don't even know that my great grandmother never wrote her pierogi recipe. My boys most certainly know that, but also know I just enjoy pierogis regardless."

"I'm safe now, I caught them." You sent, the picture connected. You looked back at the false Ingo; His eyes held a whole slew of emotions. One including betrayal.

"Why… Are you…" He tried to ask. You had to admit it, his resistance towards the sedative was impressive. It's a good thing his brother only ate one extra, he may have been able to still overwhelm you if he had less.

"You were pretty quiet out in the hall, but I still heard enough. About you being "ready to use Hypnosis" from your Chandelure. How excited you two were to have two of me…" The words were spat out like they were venom in your mouth, your eyes a steely glare upon the older twin. Your phone buzzed, and you checked it.

"Great job, sweetie! Guess who I found along the way!" Elesa shared a picture of Ingo and Emmet. The both of them looked overwhelmingly concerned, and had what looked like you piggybacking on Ingo's back. The way this other you clung to Ingo like a lifeline… You had a sneaking suspicion you knew what they had gone through… "Me and Emmet are coming by! Ingo is going to stay at my place for a little bit until things settle down ♥'' You couldn't help but smile warmly at the realization that your boys were back and safe. You sat back in the arm chair, wrapping the blanket around you, then looked at the hoard of babies in the corner.

"C'mere, babies! Daddy's gonna be home soon!" You sang sweetly, the hoard chittering with glee and swarming upon you. You couldn't help but steal a glance at the false Ingo; There was an unmistakable panic in his eyes as he realized that you were talking about your actual boyfriends; The Ingo and Emmet from this world. He likely didn't know what they would do to him for threatening you, but he was definitely getting ideas. You decided to just let him stew in his fear, quietly enjoying your time with the Joltiks.

---

A series of knocks snapped you out of your relaxed stupor, causing you to look up at the door. You heard Elesa's voice call your name on the other side of the door.

"Me and Emmet are making our grand entrance~ Are you okay in there?" Her voice sang.

"The door's open! Come on in!" You called, carefully digging your way out of the pile and standing up. You braced for the inevitable impact as the door clicked open, showing Elesa and Emmet; Your proper Emmet. He cried your name out as he came barreling in at full speed, virtually tackling you in his embrace.

"I've read verrrrrry horrible things! Horrible, nasty, awful things!!! You're not hurt, are you?!" He cried, checking you over meticulously. You couldn't help but laugh, giving him a comforting kiss on his forehead.

"I'm just fine, Emmet. There was no way I was gonna let them do anything to me." You told him, pressing your forehead against his. "I knew they weren't you or your brother right away, they weren't gonna catch me off guard. Especially since your Joltiks were very protective of me." The both of you looked at the small hoards of Joltik rush towards Emmet, chittering happily at their dad. He laughed happily, scooping up as many Joltiks as he could before embracing you again, spinning you in circles.

"You're so verrrrrrrry smart! All of you, so smart!" He chimed happily, before his eyes suddenly caught a glance of the alternate twins still tied to their chairs. The false Emmet started waking up, looking around in a confused daze until he saw the party that was staring back at him. He opened his mouth to say something, but upon seeing himself glaring daggers at him, he shut it. Emmet's body was shaking in fury as he looked at the two of them, barely being held back by your reassuring hand on his arm.

"They're not worth it, Em…" You told him calmly.

"Verrrrrrry cruel…" He spat in their direction, his mouth curled into a snarl. "They claimed it was for love. You don't force yourself on the one you love. You don't lock them away. Take them away from those who care about them. Keep them tied for months. Write logs on how they're breaking down like it's the greatest gift you could receive…"

"I don't expect you to understand." The false Emmet sneered in return, not even flinching when your Emmet focused all of his attention on his alternate.

"I am Emmet. I don't want to understand. I prefer knowing I can trust my darling. That they can go out with their friends without me, and can give unruly drunks a black eye for getting handsy. I prefer knowing that they trust me with all of their heart and aren't afraid of me should I get angry." The way his body shook and his voice cracked as he said that last line… Dear Arceus, what kinds of things did he read..?

"I have InterPol on their way, Em. I dunno how far their jurisdiction can go since these two are from an alternate world, but they'll at least make sure that they can't cause any more harm here." Elesa comments, going through her phone. Ever since she received word that the Twins weren't acting right, followed by the initial Joltik Message, she had been on top of Social Network Control. She needed to keep the situation as relaxed as possible, lest these two panic and lash out. She also needed to make sure that her friends' reputation didn't get tarnished

"If I may ask… Where is your brother..?" The false Ingo asked carefully, his eyes carefully looking around the room. Your Emmet's jaw clenched tightly for a moment, contemplating. Eventually…

"Ingo is taking a moment at Elesa's. He was more upset than me at what we learned, and does not want to act rash. I would rather him let loose, but I will let him calm down." He jumped ever so slightly when you took his hand, looking at you with a tense yet confused look.

"Do you want to sit on the couch..?" You offered, a little worried about him. He let out a sigh, his shoulders slumping as he simply nodded. You led him to the couch and pulled him close, scritching his head. He let out a second long sigh, melting into your touch. This was going to be a long night.

---

The International Police were surprisingly understanding of the situation, very quickly identifying the Wormhole Signature that clung to the false Emmet and Ingo and finding that said Wormhole was still open, sending them back home from whence they came. They admitted that as much as they would like to send the two to prison for their crimes, they were sadly outside of jurisdiction due to the Wormhole still being open. But they were sure to make sure that the InterPol on the other side was made aware of their actions. Shortly after everyone was certain that the two were gone, Ingo made his way back home, opening the door for someone hiding just around the corner.

"Are you certain you wish to enter? I do truly understand if you would rather be anywhere else…" His voice was gentle and soothing, yet still filled with pain. After a few moments, he nodded in understanding, and you watched your other self carefully peak inside. This other you was so different compared to you; Extremely skittish, checking each and every inch for potential danger. Angry bruises and scars from constraints clung to Not Quite You's wrists, and their legs were shaking under the weight. They looked to you, who looked so much more comfortable and healthy, as you gently continued to scritch Emmet's head, who had since fallen asleep. You gently shook him awake, asking him to let you up. He nodded in understanding, shifting to lay his head on the armrest of the couch. This whole adventure took a lot out of him, and he honestly just wanted to nap for the first time in a while.

"Hey, uh… Welcome to my world, I guess…" You muttered awkwardly, standing up to offer your hand to the other you. The other you hesitantly looked at your hand, and suddenly turned to look at Ingo, almost fearfully, as if to gauge his reaction. He looked at their expression sadly, trying his best to look non threatening.

"What you wish to do is your choice to make…" He explained calmly, punctuating the sentence by calling them by your name. He clearly wanted to be as gentle and polite with this other you as possible, probably to try and create some distance between himself and the horrifying monster that shared his face. Your other self nodded in understanding, taking your hands. You got a much better look at the scars that dotted their wrists.

"Let's take care of these and get you something to eat…" You sighed. "Ingo, can you go get the first aid?" You asked, watching him nod in understanding and make his way to where the first aid was stored. He made it a point to move carefully by the other you so as not to startle them, bringing you the first aid kit. You, meanwhile, pulled forward the plate of good pierogis that weren't laced with sedatives, offering one to the other you. They gratefully accepted the offer, humming happily from the food. You carefully put ointment on their wrists, wrapping them in bandages, and giving them gentle rubs. Ingo had since located himself to the couch.

"It's warm here… I like it…" Your other self commented, their shoulders relaxing.

"Thank you… The three of us worked hard to make it nice and comfortable…" You chuckled, stealing a glance at the Twins. They looked so exhausted from their sudden adventure. You didn't really blame them. "What do you… Plan on doing? Now that you're in this world..?" You ask, turning to look back at them. They fiddled their fingers awkwardly.

"I, uh… Was… Wondering if I could… Stay here… For a little bit at least…" The other you muttered. The boys lifted their heads and turned to look at the table.

"Are you certain..?" Ingo asked carefully, very concerned for their well being.

"I am Emmet. Myself and Ingo would feel much better if you go where you wish. You do not need to stay here, if you do not desire to." Emmet added. You watched your alternate bite their lower lip lightly in thought.

"It's… Kinda complicated… Part of it is… I dunno… It's… Smaller, I guess..?" The other you tried to explain. Fortunately, you had an idea what they were trying to say.

"You're more nervous about the openness of the rest of the world, compared to an apartment. The idea is overwhelming…" You explained, watching the other you nod as you explained their thoughts so well.

"The other, is just… While the layout is familiar… It… Feels different… They… They always tried to force me to consider their apartment as home, but… It always felt so distant… Cold… Here is warm… I… I actually feel… Kinda safe here… It's not my home, but… It feels like a home…" The other you admitted with a soft smile. You couldn't help but make a warm smile in return.

"It'll be a little crowded, but… We'll be more than happy to provide you the safe space you need." You offered, giving the other you a reassuring hand on their arm.

"Myself and Emmet will do our best to not overwhelm you." Ingo added. Your other self nodded slightly in understanding.

It was going to be a difficult healing process, but you had a feeling it was going to work.

[notasdriedapricots]

Which ocs from mutals would your ocs be friends with?

ANON! What a cute question, thank you!

I'll limit myself to the OCs I feel like I know a little more. Liz is a fairly boring character (I'm sorry, hun, I'll try to do better 😭) and I don't want to risk putting any of these amazing characters in ooc situations as I haven't really discussed any of this with their authors before replying, so I'll err on the side of caution and keep it short and general.

There are many OCs going around that I feel like Liz would get along with, though, so if anyone sees this and thinks their OC would be friends with Liz or Simon, please let me know!

I'll just go through them in alphabetical order because I why not:

Este is @moderarato's OC. We've talked about her meeting Liz and Simon, actually! I won't spoil it in case we ever come back to it, but I feel like they would all get along so well. I know Hente is iconic but I can't not mention that I ship her with Simon a bit.

Kara is @sailorpleiades's OC. We have talked about what it would be like if she and Liz met here! I don't know if she would get along as well with Simon, though, I feel like his chaotic energy wouldn't be quite her cup of tea, but I'll have to check.

Naomi is Trina's (Trina get a tumblr pls) OC. It sounds basic, but I believe they would have met in school because Naomi and Liz are colleagues! Love the idea of Lucas and Henrik being left out in double-dates conversations because Naomi and Liz just got lost talking about music. I'm not sure about Simon because I don't feel like I know Naomi enough just yet, but honestly I don't see why they wouldn't get along.

Peggy is @follies-fixture's OC. She's another Debby and I have talked a bit about being friends with Liz, we need to go back to that. Peggy would be the fun friend that would drag Liz on wild nights out, and she would love Peggy for it. They're currently on wildly different scenes, but are both musicians down to their cores, so they connect on that level. And also of course Simon is also there, right in the perfect middle between Liz's structure and Peggy's spontaneity.

Winona is @starsarestars's OC. There's just something very unique about Winona, and I just know Liz would love that about her. I feel like they would be those kinds of friends who have deep but weird conversations about seemingly random things, without any judgment. Now, absolute chaos when you put her with Simon, oh god. They actually have a lot in common, with their incommensurable creativity and fierce protectiveness over the people they love, and I think they could be great friends because of that.

Thank you so much for this ask, anon! 💗

[mjalti]

I realize this is super personal so I understand if you don't want to answer. I'm in a caregiver position right now for an elderly family member and I am EXHAUSTED. How do you keep going/take care of yourself and someone else without collapsing?

It’s nothing glamourous. I’m exhausted all the time, my memory suffers alot (iPhone reminders, handheld notebook to take down info quickly + write something as soon as I remember it), i am always stressed, I have one of those giant calendars that I keep up and plan as much as I can ahead + color code. I have my mom to help me out so in days when we can we take over “majority chunks” so I quit my full time job to help take care of him throughout the week and I work doubles on weekends to “make up” for it. On Friday and Monday my mom takes over a majority of the work as of course Saturday and Sunday. Tuesday -Thursday I try to take over a majority of the work + doctors (and emphasis on the plural) appointments. Then it’s just a matter of planning shopping trips for like food or diapers etc (since he’s in diapers).

The chaos level had the potential to be at 100, but just planning things ahead and being able to divy up work takes it down to 40.

I don’t have time to hang out with my friends, go to the gym, or have me-time in any real sense, BUT sometimes I do get half an hour or 45 min and I like to take baths, so I’ll just do skincare and baths for that time.

If ur elderly family member is immobile and u live in the United States, they might be eligible for home health aides. My father wasn’t. So the work falls on the family / caregivers. If ur elderly family member doesn’t need 24/7 care, maybe consider going to a caregiver support group (reach out to their hospital or a couple local hospitals to see if u have any) and see if u can make friends with some of the people that way & maybe you can all create a rotational shift of care or have each other available should soemthing come up. Ask ur other family for help. If they can only do one day a week, take them up on it and use that one day for you. Support is the number 1 thing that’s needed but often lacking. See if they have power of attorney and if not, GET ONE through a lawyer. It’s always better to have it and not need it than it is to need it and not have it. Contact the hospital social worker if they assigned you one or the case manager and ask for the social worker & see what other resources are available to you as they would have the most up to date information.

Otherwise yeah it absolutely sucks, it’s bleak, it’s exhausting, it’s often not something people plan for, and there’s no real repose from it in a significant sense. You keep going by taking everything one day at a time, and planning ahead as much as you can. Plan for savings for things like funerals (an average funeral is around 10k), plan for things like medications + always look into copay assistance cards although most copays don’t work in conjunction with Medicare —some do, keep lists of current meds, be on top of it as much as you can and it makes both 1) the medical professionals take you more seriously about Ur concerns and 2) you feel more in control of the situation rather than the situation steamrolling you. Good luck :)