#ALP Test
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Liver Function Test: The Basics for a Healthy Liver
Liver Function Test: The Basics for a Healthy Liver1. Introduction2. What is a Liver Function Test?3. The Role of the Liver in the Body4. Indications for Liver Function Test Monitoring Liver Diseases Routine Health Check-ups Evaluating Medication Effects5. Understanding LFT Parameters Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) and Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) Bilirubin Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) AlbuminâŠ
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#ALP Test#ALT Test#AST Test#Bilirubin Levels#Hepatic Function Test#LFT#Liver Blood Test#Liver Diseases#Liver Dysfunction#Liver Enzymes#Liver Function Analysis#Liver Function Assessment#Liver Function Diagnosis#Liver Function Evaluation#Liver Function Monitoring#Liver Function Screening#Liver Function Test#Liver Function Test Cost#Liver Function Test Interpretation#Liver Function Test Procedure#Liver Health#Liver Health Check#Liver Health Checkup#Liver Panel#Liver Test Results
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The high ALP I mentioned that Taylor hasâŠ.is just a normal senior thing. The ultrasound vet said every one of her organs looks normal and perfect and that even if it goes into the thousands range she isnât worried unless Taylor starts acting sick. She even said sheâd recommend we not refill the denamarin and just let it run out because it doesnât do much for the benign ALP levels.
Did I mention I also freaked out and thought Taylor had DM because she hadâŠnormal senior tremors? Specially when sheâs excited/stressed/tired? My vet had to talk me down from the ledge with that too lmao
Itâs just so weird having a senior dog with (knock on wood) no health issues that is just showing normal signs of aging. Iâm used to either them just acting tired and no other signs of aging until they drop, OR getting chronic health issues early into senior hood. Having a senior dog that has all the energy of a four year old but has these quirks I just need to warn people are normal is weird
#Ian is getting her a pup cup and Iâm just like..good luck she is just as loud as she always has been#excuse her nails sheâs due for her spa day soon#Taylor#boxer dog#senior dog#I donât think Iâm gonna stop worrying over minor issues anytime soon#the internal specialist even was like Iâm surprised your vet told you to get an ultrasound with just high alp and being healthy otherwise#sheâs being very careful and I was like no that was me#I annoy my poor vet into getting all the extra tests by always being worried#Iâm pretty sure they have a note in the chart to just go ahead and send me copies of her bloodwork lmao
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[X] had a dream about my city being flooded
This would almost make me a true Dutchie except that I now wrote a post about it which automatically makes me as non-Dutch as possible
(it was a fun dream too, we just sat on a roof in a group of friends and neighbours and played DnD, waiting for the water to go away)
#dutch kids pass exams for swimming and swimming in shoes and clothes at school#and everyone knows where the highest point of the city is#and flood sirens are tested monthly here#which won't amount to much because some parts of the country are 6m under the sea level#so if the dams fail we are massively screwed#it's impolite to talk about it#and the dams won't fail of course#the only town that is really getting flooded sometimes is limburg#which is above sea level by a lot#has a mountain trail#and just gets too much water from the alps thawing in spring
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16/1/23 // 21.53
Moved on from the fun of drawing bowels to the hell of memorising the meaning of liver function tests (yes I am a qualified healthcare professional no I do remember what ALT tells you) and honestly I miss yesterday when the hardest thing was drawing the sigmoid colon
#mine#studyblr#studyspo#notes#studying#pharmblr#revision#study notes#maria does diploma#gastro#ALT is an actual liver test#AST is a systemic test ? so like heart etc?#ALP is like a lumbar puncture which is in your back where thereâs bonesâŠâŠâŠâŠ right guys? right?#so if you have a lumber puncture with alcohol (GGT) and youâll vomit bile (cholestasis) ??????#this makes sense right#god help me
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Watching Sebastian Stan in the background of scenes in this movie is a fucking delight. He remains so stalwartly in character and it just adds so much dimension to every moment he's there.
And, this was clearly an acting decision. Seb knew where his role was headed, if they could do well enough as a franchise to get another film. You can see how his behaviour changes and evolves as this scene unfolds. Bucky had moments ago been pushing Steve in front of him, urging him along, but here he freezes. He grips that railing like it's the only thing keeping him upright. That roll of his back as he clenches his jaw. The way he takes a steadying breath. These micro expressions convey so much without even saying a word. Fear. Revulsion. Determination. He looks like everything in him is fighting not to run away.
Ok, Iâm probably the last one to notice this, but even if I am, Iâm bringing it up again bc itâs very important and very sad and I need to cry about it.
Iâve seen this scene about 50 times now and not once did I bother to take a closer look at Bucky. Specifically, his eyes. I always thought he was looking at Schmidt or in the general direction of the two while I focused on Steveâs face and what was happening. Now, obv, Steve is looking at Schmidt bc heâs being confronted and all that. But look at Bucky. Compare his gaze in the 4th gif to Steveâs. Itâs not trained on Schmidt. Heâs looking directly at Zola and his face looks like a mixture of fear, anger and like heâs gonna puke. All of which would make sense after you imagine the shit Zola put him through on that table before Steve showed up. Just try to imagine one scenario that could be happening in his head here. Like reliving the parts where they tortured him and experimented on him, slowly took away the control of his own mind, tried to take his memories so he had to keep reminding himself who he was and began the process of turning him into god only knew what. When Steve found Bucky, he looked like he had no idea what was going on around him. No awareness that the alarm went off, soldiers abandoning their posts, the doctors scurrying off to safety. He didnât realize he was alone in the room and no one was looking after him anymore. He just repeated his name and number over and over again and if Steve hadnât found him, heâd have went down with the building while completely lost to his surroundings. After Steve got him out I imagine he didnât have much time to dwell on the things they did to him. Until now. Until he saw Zolaâs face and it hit him like a truck and the result was that face above. Little did he know that even if they do get out of here alive, he was eventually gonna end up right back where he was and Zola would get to finish what he started and if that doesnât fuck you upâŠi donât even. fuck this movie and fuck these characters i did not sign up for this pain
#marvel mcu#mcu#bucky barnes#winter soldier#steve rogers#captain america#it's horrifying to consider#that the train through the alps was nothing but a trap#set by arnim zola#to recapture his successful test subject#and it worked!#though maybe not in the way he'd hoped#the only way bucky could have survived that fall was the serum Zola used on him#and it's the fucking Alps#there's no way the Americans would be able to recover a body#much less a living Bucky#so all Zola had to do was send someone to recover him#even dead#he still would have been useful to Zola's experiments#and even though Zola was ultimately captured#Operation Paperclip let him continue his experiments right under SHIELD's nose#i suppose i should tag#arnim zola#after these tags#how long do you think Bucky lay there in the Alps?#do you think it was like Steve in the Arctic?#like he was frozen but the serum kept him alive until he could be recovered?#parallels
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I can't drink G-Fuel anymore, it has too many vitamins
#specifically it has B6 and my lack of ALP means I always have toxic levels of B6 just from food#when I get Strensiq I might be able to have G-Fuel again but I don't know#fun fact when you're on Strensiq you can't get a serum B6 test#because the Strensiq in your blood metabolizes the B6 in the tube#chronic illness#hypophosphatasia
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Learn to interpret your liver function test results with our comprehensive guide. Understand commonly used liver tests and their implications for your health.
Do Visit: https://www.healixhospitals.com/blogs/reading-and-interpreting-your-liver-function-test-a-guide-to-commonly-used-liver-tests
#Liver Function Test#Liver Health#Diagnostic Tests#Liver Enzymes#Blood Tests#Hepatic Function#Liver Panel#Bilirubin Levels#Liver Disease#Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT)#Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST)#Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)#Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT)#Liver Health Markers#Hepatobiliary Disorders#Serum Biomarkers#Hepatic Enzymes#Liver Damage#Medical Laboratory Tests#Hepatology
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Understanding Liver Function Test
What is a liver function test?
A liver function test is a blood test that measures the levels of various enzymes and proteins in your blood. These substances are produced by the liver, and they can be a sign of liver damage or disease.
#liver function test#Bilirubin#Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)#Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST)#and Alanine Transaminase (ALT)
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Class24 is one of the best online learning platforms in 2023, offering comprehensive courses for government job exams including SSC, Banking, Railway, ALP EXAM ETC.....
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it's gonna get better (teaser)
(this is the final part to brave it together)
pairing: jay x reader genre: suggestive, angst, slight humor summary: your tumultuous tryst with jay might have ended, but your relationship with the karma club and its members has only grown more entangled. a winter trip to the swiss alps tests your friendships, your willingness to lie, and your resolve in staying away from jay. despite your previous inclinations towards isolation, you're starting to realize, a little too late, that being around people isn't too bad. content: drinking, drug usage, sexual themes, rape mentions, murder mentions, suicide mentions, threats, more to come. estimated word count: 20k
taglist: @moon7jay @belowbun @bambangan @praliliaaa @jjklvr9 @iveivory @magicshop1913 @sseobonggs (if i forgot you, please let me know!)
It took you until evening to gain even a semblance of your composure. You had spent some time working on your scarf, mindlessly purling and knitting. You had tried to watch a movie, but your eyes grew unfocused. Finally, you had decided to lie on your bed as you did at the motel, staring at your ceiling. If you focused, you could still smell Jay's woodsy, spicy scent, as though it had permeated the very walls of your room.
When dinnertime approached, you stripped down to your underwear and examined yourself in the mirror. Your body was a patchwork of fresh skin and mottled bruises that Jay had given you over the past month. When you raised your arm, you could see the nail marks he had made. As usual, bright red hickeys adorned your neck. Youâd have to cover them up again so no one would get any ideas.
Then you realized that this was the last time youâd have to cover up a mark that Jay had given you. After this, the evidence of what the two of you had had would fade away, your cells would replenish, and it would be as though he had never touched you in the first place.
It didnât seem right, that you and Jay were finished. At any second, as you rummaged around in your closet for an outfit to wear, you imagined that Jay would burst inside of your room, demanding something. Heâd lie on your bed again, smoking your cigarettes while complaining about how they tasted. Heâd tell you that he had been joking, that he had never intended to leave you, that you were his. He would kiss you again, choking you in his grip.
Instead, the minutes dragged on, and Jay never showed up. You pinched the inside of your arm and once again, you didnât feel a thing. Just a dull register of a sensation.
After you got dressed in your usual sweater and long skirt, you checked your phone. You had gotten a text from Riki.
Riki: howâs my favorite traitor đ
You: Not a traitor. Didnât betray anyone.
Riki: when you give me an explanation for saying one of my friends raped you in a group chat literally called âanti-kcâ
Riki: then you can be not a traitor
You had to admit, the evidence against you was stacked.Â
Riki: are u ready yet
Riki: iâm hungry
Riki: iâm thinking iâll get the âshe liedâ salad with the âour friendship is ruinedâ combo
Riki: the âi canât believe i was going to take her to cliffside laser tagâ mealÂ
You: That was never going to happen.
Riki: stop
Riki: havenât u done enough
Riki: maybe a side of âlying wenchâ chips
You: Are you done?
Riki: not even close.
You: Iâll be there in fifteen minutes.
Riki: good
Riki: thatâs plenty of time
Riki: the âhoes madâ burger with the âsheâs a birdâ fries
Riki: crisp waffle fries with extra salt
Riki: ketchup representing the shed blood
He kept going on like that, so you turned your phone off. It bothered you that you couldnât tell Riki the truth. Well, you could. But if you told him that Jay raped you, and Riki somehow found out that you had been hooking up with Jay for the past month, you would look insane. Or like an idiot. How could you explain something that you didn't even understand? No, youâd rather have Riki hate you than tell him the convoluted truth.
You were used to Karma Club members hating you, anyways.
â
Dinner with Jake and Riki at Stokerâs cafeteria was as insufferable as you had imagined. Bundled under a coat and a high-necked sweater that masked the marks made last night, you wordlessly ate your meal while Riki and Jake talked. Riki sat on the right side of you, jostling you whenever he would gesticulate wildly as he recounted some story. You werenât really paying attention to anything he said. Your focus was on Jake, on the way he bit his lip as he looked between you and Riki.
âSorry to interrupt,â Jake said slowly, setting his fork down, âbut are you and Wednesday, uhâŠâ
Riki winced, and you marveled at his acting prowess. âIt sort of just happened,â Riki said. â We were at the party, and she came to see me, and well, I just went for it. It wasnât like I meant to steal your girl or anything.
âNo, no, no,â Jake said, waving his hands furiously. âNo, itâs fine. She wasnât my girl, never was, neverâŠhaha. You guys are cute together, honestly. Same age and everything.â Nervously, he started folding his paper towel into small, neat squares.Â
âNo, I really should have told you,â Riki lied, swallowing a bite of chicken breast.Â
âItâs cool,â Jake said through gritted teeth. âWhy would I want to know if my best friend and the girl I, uh, know, have a thing? Thatâs none of my business.âÂ
âGlad you understand,â Riki said, beaming at Jake.Â
Jake got up from the table. âGonna take a leak,â he muttered before staggering away from the long bench.Â
As soon as Jake disappeared from view, Rikiâs face fell.
âWhat are you doing?â you asked. âWhy are you telling Jake weâre together?â
Riki leaned towards you so that he could whisper. The Stoker dining hall was relatively full at this hour, mainly by students from other dorms, and you were beginning to learn that there were eyes and ears all over Sadame University. âBecause,â he began, voice thick with anticipation, âthings were getting way too dicey in our dorm. âFor whatever reason, things between Jake and Jay got worse after last night. Jakeâs skittish as fuck, and Jayâs acting like he wants to kill Jake. I figure this has something to do with you.â
You winced.Â
âItâs no good,â Riki continued. âJakeâs been going to Jungwonâs room and pacing around and shitting himself and whatever. Remember how I told you that there has to be a balance to shitstirring?â
âI do recall that.â
âThis is it,â he said. Riki used his hands to mimic a scale, one hand representing a plate dipping too low. âRight now, tensions are too high. Thatâs no fun, you know? So I have to even things out.â Riki brought both of his hands to the same level. âIf I redirect their attention, make myself the target, then theyâll both hate me instead. But they like me, so nothing bad will happen.â
With your index finger, you pressed down on the palm of one of his hands, forcing it downwards. âWhat if something bad does happen to you?â
Riki pushed against your finger, steadying his hands once more. âIt wonât. I know you and everyone else loves to pretend like the Karma Club members have their own special brand of evil, that weâre just, like, complete sociopaths, but I know them.â
âItâs been three monthsâŠâ
âA lot can happen in three months,â Riki said. If you reflected on the path your life had taken in merely one month, you would be forced to agree with him.Â
You pulled your hand away from his and sighed. âWhy do you like bad things so much? What about good things?â
âThatâs not true,â Riki said. âI love good things. I like bad things too. Iâm a very deep person.â
âAs deep as a kiddy pool,â you said.Â
âDonât make me laugh,â Riki said. âIâm still mad at you for trying to fuck us over.â
You thought about arguing with him, but you decided against it. Riki felt like a true friend to you - at least, he had felt like a true friend - but the thought of baring your soul to him only for him to be unreceptive to your sorrows made you feel sick. You pushed your plate of food away.
âYou know, for a while there I almost thought Jay had like a weird thing for you,â Riki said offhandedly, cutting another piece of chicken breast and spearing it with a fork. âI know, I know, it doesnât make much sense considering he hates your fucking guts. But the dedication with which he hates your guts was scary. Elite hatred. What did you even do to the guy, anyways?â
âNothing,â you said, âwhich seems to be the problem.â
Riki chewed his food, staring into space with a thoughtful expression. âHe still hasnât brought Isa over,â Riki said.Â
âMaybe you just havenât noticed,â you said. Memories of that night with him in his dorm room, sex tinged with a faint hint of romance, your limbs tangled together in post-coital bliss, spun through your mind.Â
âNo, he explicitly said, âDonât let that bitch Isa get near my room or I swear to God Iâll kill you all,ââ Riki said, mimicking Jayâs voice perfectly.Â
You shrugged. âI donât know, then.â
âI just always found it weird,â Riki said slowly, âIâve never seen him be nice to her at all, besides when I would come to the library to pick you up to get a smoothie and I would see them flirting or whatever. Isnât that so weird? Like, why would Jay get close to Isa in public? Specifically, at the library.â
The hickeys still marring your neck felt as though they were burning, and you scratched at them absentmindedly. âYeah, weirdâŠâ
âHey,â Riki said in an unusually light voice. âHow did you get home last night?â
Rikiâs long bangs had fallen into his face, obscuring his eyes. For the best, as you didnât know how youâd be able to look into them. âWhat?â
âHowâd you get home?â Riki repeated.Â
âUber and a bus,â you said.Â
Riki nodded and leaned away. âInteresting.â
âWhatâs interesting?â Jake asked. He swung his legs over the bench and settled into his spot again.
âInteresting sheâs okay with us sharing a room, considering sheâs just so, so shy,â Riki said, putting his arm around you in a constricting half-embrace. âThe third-floor bedroom has two single beds, right?â
Jakeâs lips twitched. âUh, yeah,â he said. âIt does. Jungwon and I were thinking about taking that one, though.â
Riki waved his free hand dismissively. âJust sleep together, Powerpuff girls style.â
âFuck off,â Jake said with a smile, playfully pushing at Riki.
âYouâre going to knock your soup over,â you said, but it was too late. Jakeâs chicken noodle soup sloshed over the table, staining the crisp, white tablecloth.Â
âAw, man,â Jake said, pouting slightly.
Riki shoveled the last of his chicken breast into his mouth. âLetâs get out of here,â he said. âThis is the second tablecloth weâve fucked up.âÂ
âThird,â Jake said, picking bits of pasta off of himself. âWhen we left Sunoo alone with the chili and he fucking-,â
Riki laughed. âOh shit, yeah.â Riki stood up and held his hand out towards you, his gaze imploring. Reluctantly, you loosely joined hands with him, and he pulled you to your feet. âCome on, letâs go watch the Scream movies.â
âNo,â Jake whined. âI wanted to watch the Amazing Spiderman.â
âNo one asked,â Riki said, pulling you along with him. You stumbled after him, disappearing into Stokerâs dorms. Despite yourself, you scanned every possible corner for a hint of Jay, a trace of his breath, the sound of his sardonic laughter.Â
He wasnât around.
â
Halfway through the second Scream movie, Riki announced that he had to take a massive shit.Â
âAnd why did you choose to tell us that?â Jake asked, slapping Rikiâs leg as he got up from his plush bed.Â
Riki shrugged, shimmying between piles of laundry he had left on the floor. âI thought you might need to know about my bowel movements.â
âFor what?â
âI donât know, thatâs up to you,â Riki said, leaving to use his ensuite.Â
As soon as the door clicked shut, Jake scrambled on top of the bed to sit next to you. He had been sitting cross-legged on the floor; Riki had insisted that you sat next to him.Â
âWhy didnât you tell me?â Jake asked.Â
âTell you what?â
Jake gestured wildly. âThat you had a crush on Riki. I guess I could have guessed, but like, come on. Instead, you sort of made me feel like, I donât know, I might have had a chance at some pointâŠâ
Had you? âUh, it sort of came out of nowhere,â you said, belatedly realizing that you had copied what Riki said almost verbatim.
Pushing his tousled hair back, Jake licked his lips and sighed. âRight. Right, yeah. Itâs just that I feel like kind of a dick now.â
âYou didnât do anything,â you said awkwardly.Â
âI mean, I donât want to seem like Iâm being pushy or that Iâm entitled to anything, but you could have told me. Or Riki could have told me. I mean, like, you guys were pretty close and everything, but I didnât think he was into datingâŠâ
The name âSieunâ came to your lips, until you remembered that no one knew that Riki had dated Sieun. âWell-,â
âLike, you didnât lead me on, I knew you had your own issues and all to sort out, but if you were going to date one of my best friends, I think itâs only fair to tell me. You know, out ofâŠrespect for my feelings? And so it wouldnât be like I was hitting on my friendâs girl.â
If this was how Jake reacted to the mere idea of you and Riki getting together, you didnât want to know how heâd react if he found out about you and Jay. âSorry, Jake.â
Jake sighed again, his entire being seeming to deflate. âItâs fine, whatever. Itâs cool.â After a period of silence, Jake said, âI donât even care, you know? I mean, it wasnât like it was serious. Like I like you and all, but it wasnât serious.â
âRight.â Then you recalled what he had said at the party, when he had came out of the bathroom so flustered. âYou said you had something to tell me, back at the party?â
âOh. Yeah, that.â Jake slowly made his way to the floor again, one knee tucked into his chest, the other leg spread straight. He looked at the plasma-screen TV mounted to Rikiâs wall blankly. âWell, I was going to ask you to go on the KC trip with me. I was going to pay for everything, but I guess Riki is going to take you nowâŠâ
You nodded, then realized he couldnât see you. âYeah.â
Jake bobbed his head up and down slowly, his lips pursed together. âCool.âÂ
When Riki came back, Jake stood up as though being pulled by strings. âIâm gonna head in,â Jake muttered. âIâm still a little hungover.â
Riki clapped Jake on the back. âSee you, Jake.â
Jake made a little wave, bid you goodnight, and left Rikiâs bedroom. Riki sat down beside you and smiled. âSo, whatâd you guys talk about?â
âHe had an episode,â you said flatly.Â
âPerfect,â Riki said. âItâs all going according to plan. Now get out of my room.â
You didnât have to be told that twice. âGood night,â you said, gathering your long skirt up and standing.Â
âGood night,â Riki said, zipping his hoodie all the way up and covering his jet-black hair with his hood. âI mean, just night. Bad night. I hope your night is shit.â
You squinted at him. âYouâre really bad at this.â
Riki had turned the lights out to fit the gloomy atmosphere of the movie, but you could make out his features via the light from the television. Suddenly, he looked older than his age. âIâm bad at it because I genuinely liked you a lot,â he said quietly. âI saw you as a friend, like a real friend. Everyone knows I really liked you. But you lied on one of my friends, and not something petty. You lied about something really fucked. I thought youâd be above doing something like that. Itâs something⊠something I would probably do.â
âRiki-,â
He pointed at the door. âOut, before I lose my nerve.âÂ
You wouldnât tell him the truth, couldnât tell him the truth. He wouldnât respect you at all if he knew what you did with the man who sexually assaulted you.
 With some horror, you realized that Riki didnât know that Jake had a problem. If Riki kept pushing Jake, who knew what he would do? The only thing you could do is trust that Riki knew how to balance the scales of his bizarre game.Â
The walk to Fawcett left you with far too much time to reflect. You knew that you had never fully had Jay, that he wouldnât allow you to possess him in a tangible form. But you hadnât realized that you would lose your friend, too.
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three | chapter list
Finding out youâre a princess isnât half as intimidating as suddenly acquiring a full-time bodyguard. Especially when that bodyguard is disarmingly handsome, charming, and canât seem to stop flirting with you.Â
bodyguard!james, fem!reader, shy!reader, princess diaries au, all characters in their 20s or older, star-crossed lovers/ forbidden romance, slowburn, background wolfstar
ËËË âĄ ËËË
Julianna is a real princess. As a granddaughter of the Queen, step-daughter of a prince, her title is official. Sheâs been a princess nearly all her life, and itâs a detail you canât miss.Â
Jamesâ hand is hot but amicable against your shoulder blade. He hasnât stepped away from you since Julianna arrived, though what threat she poses has yet to be seen. She doesnât seem particularly volatile. You canât imagine her in all her dewy skin and fine clothing lifting a finger, let alone her fist.Â
âMama says youâre an artist,â she drawls.Â
âNot really.â How her mother knows anything about you is a mystery. âItâs a hobby, is all.âÂ
âAnd you didnât finish university?â
âNo.â You donât owe her anything. You know you donât. But itâs not just her you want to defend yourself to, not when Remus is sitting by the window of the parlour and James is close enough to hear your heartbeat. âI tried to, obviously, but I couldnât, uh, afford to not work.â
âAh.â
You donât expect her to understand it. You know most people don't. Studying and working, the majority can handle both. Youâd been ashamed of yourself for failing, but youâd come to the realisation that it was sink or swim. You could sink âresent yourself for needing more time, more space, more accommodationâ or you could swim. Accept your âshortcomingsâ. Make the most of what you have.Â
Find yourself in a foreign country surrounded by the highly educated and the ridiculously wealthy. People who might never comprehend why youâve struggled, or how.Â
In that moment, you decide to treat this heart-wrenching trip as nothing more than a holiday. James is nice to you. The food is free and apparently plentiful. The groundsâŠÂ
Fuck, the grounds. The scenery. The royals arenât currently living in their most famous residence, Loswell Castle, but are instead mourning the Prince at the more private and more subtle Bellaverden House. Subtle, yet gorgeous. The grass is green and stretches as far as the eye can see in all directions, broken up only by the silhouette of the alps to the east and the shimmering Lake Orlo to the west. The palace itself is nothing like youâd expected, and so far from the capital city of Genovia it is no surprise to find that the royals let their personal tastes bleed into every corner. Itâs tasteful, silent wealth, no crystal chandeliers hanging from the eaves but instead a Rembrandt in the hallway. No solid gold cutlery, but instead Noritake porcelain tea cups and their matching exorbitant saucers.
âLoswell is the gaudier of the two houses,â James had said, evidently pleased by your wide-eyed surprise.
A nice boy whoâs being paid to spend time with you and his funny friends. All you have to do is survive the paparazzi (check!) and your suspicious possible relatives (less so).
Any hour now, the paternity test will come up negative and theyâll be shepherding you home in search of the actual princess, wherever she may be.Â
If she exists at all.Â
âYou havenât eaten anything today,â James says softly, for your ears only. âShould we go down to the kitchens?â
Itâs hard to describe the true and daunting scale of Bellaverden House, but Jamesâ use of âkitchensâ rather than âkitchenâ sums it up nicely.Â
Julianna rolls her shoulders, reaching for a black telephone on the side table. âNo need. Weâll have it brought up. What do you like? They have yards of fresh pasta prepared by now. Doesnât matter, Iâll ask for some of everything.â
âOh, no,â you say, stepping out of James' reach. âI donât want to be an imposition while Iâm here.â
âThat ship has sailed,â she says neatly.Â
Ouch. You look back to James without intending to, an automatic movement. Heâs become your safety net too quickly. His job is to protect you from harm, not your catty maybe-cousinâs mild disdain.Â
âSit,â Julianna says. âJames, you can take up station in the hallway. Go on.â
Her voice possesses all the snobbish airiness youâd expect it to. Sheâs regal, elegant, and rude. Jamesâ hand stretches toward yours, your fingers not quite touching. You think it might be his silent way of saying he wonât be far.
He gives you a reassuring half-smile. âIf you need me,â he says.Â
âTutor,â Julianna adds once James is at the door, âyou can leave us.â
âRemus, please.â You smile at Julianna appealingly, piping up before she can steal your last lifeline. âI need him to tell me what silverware to use. If I have any hope of catching up, Iâll have to start learning about proper etiquette straight away.â
You look to your tutor to make sure heâs on board. Remus gestures for you to sit and crosses the hardwood floors between you, his footsteps soundless. Julianna sniffs, your suggestion agreeable but tiresome for her, and pulls the telephone receiver to her ear.Â
Remus settles into the chair next to yours at the table.Â
âDonât worry. We wonât leave you for wolves,â he says.
Youâre grateful. You nod to the book in his hands. âWhat are you reading?â
He turns the book around. A Comprehensive History of Contemporary Genovia.Â
âIâve never had to educate someone who didnât already know a very specific, very intricate history of our country,â he says in his melding voice, the barest hints of his accent peaking through. He says our country like you already belong as he does, not native but citizen anyhow. âI provide supplementary education for the well-educated, I⊠Iâm like a second chance for rich slackers. Youâre neither, and so Iâm not sure how I can make this easy on you.â
You admire his thinking. Youâve been lucky to find yourself in the care of people who put your comfort first. Remus, James, Sirius, even the ambassadors of the country, and the matron youâd been introduced to upon your arrival here, theyâve all been so conscientious.Â
But it wonât matter.Â
âI know what youâre thinking,â he says.Â
âYou do?â
âYouâve made it clear how much faith you have in the current situation. I believeâŠâ that youâre who we suspect you are, you think he might say, but he parts his legs to bump his knee into yours. âI believe weâre going to be good friends.â
That is⊠âThank you,â you say softly.
The telephone jingles as Julianna slams it down. âSo, whatâs with the bruise?â she asks. âAnd the bad makeup. Mean boyfriend back home?â
Her cavalier attitude chafes. âI was a little too close to the door when someone opened it,â you say.
âAh.â
Again with the Ah. Extra syllables must be at cost.Â
Positivity, you remind yourself. This is a vacation. This inane and insane need to constantly prove yourself to the people around you is going to make you crazy, especially when all of this is temporary. Who cares what princess Julianna thinks of you now when, in a day or two, sheâll remember you as nothing more than the girl who they brought by mistake? And wouldnât it be nice to just⊠not care? Who cares what Julianna thinks?
You stand and walk to the door where James is standing, because calling for him would make you feel like an entitled dick. He turns his head to you obligingly.Â
âWould you come back inside? The painting is giving me the jeebies.â
âThatâs a portrait of your great great grandmother.â
âSheâs scary.â
He claps your shoulder, giving it a squeeze. âIf the test comes out negative, Iâll happily commit royal espionage for you and fix the results.â
âThat is not a joke you should make,â Remus calls mildly.Â
âProbably not. Iâve made it now. Sit down, Princess, the foodâs arriving.â
The food they bring up to you is Genovian specialty cuisine, recipes borrowed from the Italians hundreds of years ago, and how fortunate you are for that. You have no clue where to start, surrounded by rich smells of broth and stewed vegetables, the spritely aroma of white wine and tomatoes so fresh their roasted skins split under the gentle bottom of your spoon.Â
James refuses to eat with you, as heâs on the clock, but Remus sits down at the table as promised to guide you through the fascinatingly intricate etiquette it takes to be a new royal.Â
âThatâs Cioppino,â Remus says, pointing to a dark red stew bragging large pieces of crab, smaller chunks of a white meat youâre unsure of, and the distinct dark brackets of mussel shells. âItâs actually an Italian-American dish. Itâs served with sourdough or French bread, but in our case, where you canât necessarily use your hands, weâll go without.â
âThereâs nobody here I need to impress, right?â you ask quietly.Â
You swear you can hear Julianna twitching.Â
Remus doesnât respond to your comment, though his voice is riddled with amusement when he continues. âItâs more common for the crab to be served in its shell, but I donât suppose they want the royals using crab forks and crackers." He points to a second bowl. âThis, from the looks of it, is a variation of stufato di capra e fagioli, Italian for âstew of goat meat and beansâ. Self explanatory. Itâs very popular here in the winter, itâs,â âhis voice drops to a lower registerâ âSiriusâ favourite. Shoulder meat, onions, carrots, celery, white wine and white beans. I donât suppose I have to tell you what that is.â He nods to a heaping bowl of gnocchi coated in a green, buttery sauce, and its familiar wingman â fettuccine alfredo.Â
âNow thereâs one I know,â you say with a smile.Â
âI think theyâve gone easy on you,â Remus says. âGiven you something they knew would be familiar. The head cooks, Marlene and Marsha, hardly ever serve fettuccine without ragĂč di pollo. Chicken ragĂč. Itâs a sacrament in Marleneâs eyes to separate the two.â
He moves so easily from English to Italian. You wonder if he speaks Genovian. Is there a Genovian language? Youâre too embarrassed to ask, instead piling a mound of unadventurous fettuccine into your bowl.Â
Julianna picks up the telephone again and you let yourself relax as her conversation begins. She pokes at her food and talks in Italian down the line, staring straight at you as she says the word, âprincipessaâ. You donât have to be a linguistics expert to know sheâs talking about you. Eventually, her attention fades. Remus loosens at your side.Â
âThis spoon,â he corrects, before opening his book and sagging into his seat.
You're famished, yet all the rich food makes you nauseous. You toy with your fettuccine and a little of the cioppino. Weirdly, you miss the ordinary smells of your kitchen.
A figure moves behind you, Jamesâ shadow shifting to cover your hands. âUnladylike as it might be,â he says, âyouâll regret it if you donât try the bread, Princess. Freshly baked, soaked in pesto, itâs what us peasant folk fight over at the end of a shift.â
You hold your hand to a beautiful sliced baguette, âThis one?â
âThatâs the one.â
You pull the bread apart and enter a stodgy, olive oily sort of heaven. The only thing better than how it tastes is James' happy sound when you set aside a huge slice in a napkin and usher it behind your back, as inconspicuous as you can possibly be. He has no choice but to take it. A telltale crunch comes quickly and poorly smothered.Â
Julianna excuses herself, and a maid comes to take her plates and dirtied cutlery on a silver cart.
You lean toward Remus with a hand over your mouth. âWhat do you call them? The ladies in uniform?â
âPrincess, you can call them whatever you want to,â James butts in, returning to your side now Julianna is absent. He wipes his mouth with a napkin and sits in one of the chairs facing the door.
âBut whatâs nicest?â
âYouâll learn their names in time,â Remus says easily. âYouâll be fine. Officially, theyâre âattendantsâ. Maids, cleaners. Oh, youâll have a lady in waitingââ
âA what?âÂ
âA personal assistant,â James says.Â
Your face heats up like an instant flush, all hot pinpricks and embarrassment, âNo,â you beg, standing up, âplease, that would be entirely unnecessary, itâs not like Iâm some sort ofââ
âPrincess!â A familiar voice shouts. Sirius has weaselled inside the door and closed it tight, his back pressed against it for a moment like heâs keeping someone out. He wears an exuberant smile and a brilliant dark ensemble with fine pinstripes that mess with your eyes as he approaches. Heâs practically running. âIâve spoken to Delilah whoâs spoken to Beau whoâs spoken to Lily whoâs been in contact with the legal team in charge of your care here in Genovia, and theyâve heard from the medical team who have been fighting tooth and nail to be put in talks with you,â âhe looks at you emphatically now, and thereâs something about his expression, part wide-eyed awe, part sympathy, that freezes you to the spotâ âbecause itâs technically your care, andââ
âSirius, get to the point, please,â James says. Heâs looking at you in a different way. Like heâs waiting for you to fall over.Â
âYour father,â Sirius says, promptly deciding to start again. âThe paternity test is positive. Your DNA is a conclusive match for the Prince, may he rest in peace. Youâre a princess. Youâre the Princess, by blood. You are a Renaldi.â
Thereâs a stretching silence. You wrap your hand around the back of your chair and stare at the velvet upholstery of the seat.Â
âTerrible last name,â he adds sympathetically.Â
You donât want to be the girl who faints. That would be ridiculous, to fall over and crack your head. So, though you hate to ask for anything, you mumble, âJames?â
He wraps a shapely arm behind your shoulders and under your armpit before you lose the feeling in your legs.Â
âI think I need to sit down again,â you say.Â
âReckon you do," he agrees, as he pulls the chair around with his foot and arranges you in it efficiently, the tip of his thumb pushed into the pulse point on your neck. âWeâll get you something cold, Princess. You can breathe.â He gives you a little shake, hand spreading wider as it drags down your collar. The pressure is like the safety release of a suction cup. You take in a huge breath. âBreathe, lovely.â
âIâm fine," you say meekly.Â
âItâs alright,â he says, with his impossible softness. Heâs unafraid to be kind even when there are people watching.Â
âIâm fine. Iââ You canât finish your sentence. Youâd wanted to say youâll be okay. That this is just some melodramatic episode, but it isnât. This is a human reaction to unbelievable news. Because youâre aâ youâre a princess.Â
You cover your face with both hands and curl in toward your thighs. Silence pervades, your ears abuzz with white noise. You arenât sure how long you sit there paralysed, but soon Jamesâ gentle murmuring and shushing cuts through the ringing. âItâs alright,â heâs saying, his hand at your elbow, âI swear, itâs alright. You take as long as you need.â
âMickeyâs at the door,â Sirius says.Â
âGood. Tell him to radio in a level two security detail and stay there for now. Who else knows, Sirius?â
âBy now? Everybody in the castle. Including government officials.â
âAnd youâre sure?â Sure said severely.Â
âOf course I am.â
Youâre trying very hard to keep your pasta down. This canât be happening. It canât be right. Their test is wrong. They swabbed the inside of your mouth wrong, or got it mixed up with some other person test, or the doctors are lying. Not once in your whole life has there ever been any indication that you are more than the nothing youâve always been. All your worst insecurities rip to the surface. Not me. Not me.
âLevel two isnât as bad as it sounds,â James says, still so gentle. Heâs been talking to you again. âAll it means is that Iâm not at full attention, and I need someone else to watch the room. Thatâs all it is.â
âIâm not,â you say.Â
âYouâre okay.â
âIâm not a princess,â you say, peeking at him through your parted fingers.Â
His hand curves around your arm. He pulls it toward him. Encouraging rather than demanding. You let him.Â
âWhatever it is that you are,â he says, meeting your eyes, âIâm here to take care of you. Okay? Try to calm down for me.â He nods, hoping youâll nod back no doubt. You worry at your lip, your teeth scratching delicate skin.Â
âSorry,â you say.Â
âNo oneâs expecting you to feel a certain way right now,â Sirius says.
The urgency in his expression has departed completely. He has an air of regret about him now, an uncomfortable set to his jaw.Â
Itâs not just James in the room witnessing your wobble. You cover your face again and try to become one with the furniture.Â
James stands off of his knees, having seemingly decided that you arenât in any mental peril. He stays hovering behind your chair. You think you mightâve found them all at a loss for what to do.Â
The door opens. You imagine a nightmare, Julianna coming to play nice, but itâs the British ambassador Lily once again. She looks as perfect as she did when you saw her last with an immaculately straightened sheet of hair fluttering behind her, her steps hurried. Despite her speed, she doesnât look unhappy. Sheâs smiling. The Genovian ambassador Emmeline follows behind her.Â
You try to straighten up.Â
âWe have wonderful news,â Lily says.
âYouâre the Princess!â Emmeline squeaks, her tiny stature no bounds for her excitement. âWelcome home!â
She begins clapping. It slows when nobody joins in.Â
âWhat?â she asks cluelessly. âHas something bad happened?â
Thatâs what youâre trying to work out.
â
James can hear you sniffling.
He rests his shoulders against the wall by your bedroom door and sighs. You'd held in tears for hours after the announcement. Sirius' last announcement has toppled you over. You have to meet your grandmother tomorrow to begin preparing for your father's funeral. James thinks you might have reached your breaking point. He can't imagine the grief of losing a father you didn't know you had, and the stress of being pulled out of your life so suddenly, carted across Europe and left under the judgemental eyes of royals and officials with little direction. Now that the paternity test has been found positive and checked by many, many professionals, your confirmed identity should provide a more stable schedule. From Jamesâ perspective, the days ahead will be easy. For you, they are going to be very, very hard.Â
You'll meet the Queen tomorrow at breakfast. The plans for your permanent residency in Genovia will be decided. Your entire life is about to change, and there's nothing you can do to stop it.Â
Well⊠James doesn't really want you to stop it, but it's not entirely true that you can't. You could reject your heritage and go home to your flat, your art, your degree equivalent classes. Maybe you're crying because you're scared you don't have options.Â
James thinks about knocking on the door to talk to you. He meant it when he said he has a duty to all aspects of your health, the mental as well as the physical, but it's difficult to define the line between professionalism and being friendly. He's already crossed it.Â
He sighs and rubs his weary head. He's tired. Today has been the longest day ever. You'd slept for an hour in the car from the airport to Bellaverden Castle, and James had watched you half jealous and half enraptured. He won't mind looking after you no matter how you look, but your being easy on the eyes is a brilliant plus. Well, when ignoring the huge bruise staining your cheek.Â
"Fuck," he says.Â
He hasn't been doing very well. Honestly, his failure to keep you from harm in your flat (even if the harm had been him) and then his screw up with the paparazzi has left him off kilter.
James pulls out his pager. He should swap with one of the night guards, and he trusts them all, having picked them himself, but he wonât feel right walking away while you're crying.Â
He clicks in Remus' code and waits until he hears it back. It's shorthand between them: if Remus wasn't awake or didn't want to see James, he could've ignored James' page and there'd be no hard feelings. But he answered. Tonight, once James has made sure you're okay, he'll crawl into Remus' bed like when they were kids in a cold dormitory and missing home to sleep for a glorious eight hours. He might even tell Remus how stressed he is. He knows his friend will listen.Â
He'd invite Sirius, of course, (and that's assuming he isn't already there) if it werenât well past ten. Sirius is definitely asleep.Â
James hasn't had a proper night's sleep in a week. He feels poorly. He misses his mum. He's hungry. This job is great, he loves what he does; he gets paid to take care of people. It's also too much. It eats at him.Â
"Fuck," he says again.Â
"James?"Â
He flinches hard.Â
There it is, his third mistake. He's very lucky that the chief of royal security is busy making funeral arrangements, because if Mary were here she'd gut him.Â
You've crept up on him in his distraction. How could he not notice your footsteps across the floor, or your door handle's heavy metallic thunk?
"Princess," he says, biting his tongue when you wince. He'll have to call you something else. "I'm sorry, Iâ" James squints at your sore eyes.Â
"It's okay. I just wanted to ask⊠are you alright?"Â
"Am I alright?"Â
âI just heard you and I wanted to make sure you were doing okay. You sounded⊠stressy."Â
"You don't have to worry about me. That's my job." He frowns at the remnants of your tear stains, dampness shining at the corners of your eyes and your lashes sticking together in darkened triangles. "I was just about to come and see you, actually. I know today's been hard, and I know I haven't helped. I'm so sorry, again, for hurting you. And at the airport, I know the scuffle with the photographers didn't help your nerves. I know," he stresses, "this is hard. I swear things will be smoother from now on. You have my word."Â
You rub your elbow wordlessly. He's about to backtrack, perhaps dig himself a bigger hole, but then you give him one of the softest smiles anyone's ever given him in all his years.Â
"It's forgiven. Believe me, James, this is the least of my worries," you say, gesturing to your cheek. It only takes a second for shame to stick its hooks in you, yanking your gaze to the floor. You're wearing an expression he's seen a thousand times on the people closest to him.Â
He flicks you under the chin gently.Â
"Things are gonna get easier. I swear it," he says.
You plaster a smile on. James figures he can push it some more and wipes the smudgy shine of old tears off of your cheeks.Â
"There. Looking good, angel. Why donât you try and get some rest now, yeah?"Â
He keeps getting this odd feeling like you're an old friend and not his charge. It's fleeting and it's making him stupid. This and the sleep deprivation. He swears to himself he'll be better tomorrow.Â
You bid him goodnight. James listens to your night time motions until another guard comes to release him from duty, rushing to his room for a shower and a cereal bar, giving his teeth a half-hearted brush before he sets off for Remus' room halfway across the castle. Remus and the other scarcely employed scholars don't have to sleep in the servant quarters like he and Sirius do. Schmucks.
He finds the door unlatched. Mercifully, James decides to spare them both the safety-related lecture. He tries to be as quiet as he can, a head of sandy brown hair turning his way just two steps into the room.
"James?" Remus asks, his voice thick with fatigue.Â
"Sorry. You can go back to sleep."Â
"I was waiting for you. Drifted off."Â
James scrubs a hand through his damp hair and closes the door. He can find his way in the dark.Â
"Sirius isn't here?"Â
"JamesâŠ"
"What, are we still pretending?"
"James."
"I'm sorry. Forgive me, Moony."Â
"Yeah. Don't lean on my left side. I'll move over."Â
"What's wrong with your left side?"Â
"I don't know. Maybe from carrying the bags. Maybe not."Â
James slides into the warm space Remus has made for him and tries not to feel overprotective. Loving someone who's constantly in pain can be confusing. You don't know how much love you're allowed to give before it starts to be patronising. Remus can take care of himself, but he doesn't need to.Â
"Anything I can do?" James whispers.Â
"Tell me what's bothering you."Â
"Oh, you know⊠Everything. Nothing. I'm so happy we're all together again, I mean, what are the fucking odds? How long has it been since I could come and see you guys after work without making an appointment? ⊠I didn't love the Prince, but I hate that he's dead, and IâŠ"Â
Remus turns his head to James. They're a pillow apart. When James looks at him, he can't remember what Remus looked like when they were young, but he can feel the years of knowing one another stretching out between them. A straining cast of light from under the door catches the edges of Remus' features. James can see the corner of an uneven smile.Â
"Go on," Remus says quietly.Â
"She's nice. She's really nice. I don't want her to get hurt, but I donât know that Iâm up to this, Moony."
"James, you're up for everything. Always have been."Â
"I thought this was a demotion."Â
"Isn't it?"Â
"If it is, it's one I deserve. I deserve another one. Once Mary sees the mess I've madeâŠ"Â
Remus reaches across the sheets to pinch James' bicep. "Nobody is good at their new job. Sirius didn't touch up the princess' bruise when we got off the plane, and while they're paid off for now, someone who needs the better payout is going to publish those photos, and soon. Sirius should've been doing his job, but he was too busy looking after me."Â
"I tried to cover itâ"Â
"I know. You did a good job and I'm not blaming you. My point is that he made a mistake. Does he deserve a demotion?"Â
James wrinkles his nose. Hate you.
"And I should've better prepared her for meeting Princess Julianna. It was my fault that she felt embarrassed. I tried my best to fit in some coaching for breakfast tomorrow but the poor girl doesn't know a butter knife from a paring knife."Â
"That's not true."Â
"No," Remus agrees. "I'm making her seem less educated than she is to prove my own point⊠James, she isn't a princess. She has the blood, and soon she'll get the official title, the land and the money and the education and maybe some of the bad bits, as well. But right now, she's new to being a princess, and she's not very good at it."Â
"I get it."Â
"Yeah, I know."Â
Remus readjusts in bed. James almost misses the pain in his friend's exhale under the sound of crunching fresh sheets.Â
"Are you sure I can't do something for you?"Â
"I wish," Remus says. He isn't depressed. The opposite, he sounds way too spritely for the time. "You could stop hogging the blankets, for starters."Â
James feeds Remus some more blanket and sighs. The mattress is heavenly. The quilts and sheets and pillowcases are soft and thick. By all means, James should've fallen asleep the second his head touched Remusâ pillow.
"You've asked Mickey to look after her tomorrow, right?" Remus asks.Â
James had radio'd Mikkelson after his shower to put the early morning shift and protocols in his jurisdiction temporarily. That means James will hopefully be able to sleep until his body feels like it can hold itself together again. He doesn't like leaving you to face the Queen by yourself but it's not as though she'll hurt you, and Sirius will see you bright and early to help you get dressed. James isn't worried.Â
"I have. How did you know that?"Â
"You're the only one of us who knows how to properly take care of themselves," Remus explains easily. "Good. I'm glad you did. You haven't been sleeping."
"How do you know that?"Â
"I love you. I know everything about you."Â
James smiles at the ceiling. There is nothing quite as valuable to him than his family. He would do more to keep them all safe and healthy than he should admit on the record, so he keeps it tucked inside and out of view. It's terrifying and freeing at once to look at someone you love and know you're going to do something awful one day if it means they'll come out on the other side of it alive.Â
"Not everything," he murmurs.Â
"Everything, James."
"Yeah? How many fingers am I holding up right now."Â
"One."Â
"Which?"Â
"Middle."
"Lucky guess." James laughs at their childish squabbling. "I love you, too. I'm really glad we're in the same place again."
"What did you say? What are the fucking odds?" Remus quotes, so tired now that his words are running together. "I'm not sod enough to do the maths, I think it's gotta be deep in the decimals. Lily's and Mary's involvement definitely helped, but to have someone come along who needs security detail, special education, and a lady in waiting is unfathomable."Â
James laughs and feels his abdomen shaking. "I'm telling Sirius you called him a lady in waiting."Â
"Sorry," Remus says, and James knows his friend is genuinely repentant, though Sirius would've laughed himself if he'd heard the joke. "I'm not trying to put him down. He's worked so hard, heâ He's working so hard. He thinks it's easy work because he's good at it. He doesn't realise it's easy because he worked hard to be good at it."Â
James has to chew it over for a moment to understand what Remus is saying. Once he understands, he vehemently agrees. Sirius is skilled in many areas. He's a media liaison, a sleuth, a sweet talker. He understands the inner workings of Western media â Sirius can deduce the honesty of a smile from a precursory glance. He may not always trust what he's seeing, but he sees it undeniably. And he can dress well.
"He's the best of us," James sighs agreeably, stretching down the length of the bed until his spine pops and his calves burn. "Shit. I need to start working out properly again now we're here."Â
"Tomorrow. We'll figure it all out tomorrow, James. Go to sleep."Â
James is obedient. He falls asleep, and doesnât wake until the sun is warming his cheeks. His hair is still damp at the back and he feels awful in a new way. Better for having slept with someone close by, and catching up on the hours heâs been missing. But his back is stiff.Â
He goes back to his room. His neck aches as he brushes his teeth. He does a workout and stretches his rigid limbs until he feels human again.Â
The black telephone on his nightstand starts to ring.
âHello, sir,â Lily says cheerfully down the line. James can picture her sweet smile. âI couldnât help but notice your absence this morning.â
âHow did it go?â he asks, trying to tug on a new pair of socks one handed.Â
Lily hums. âIt wasnât awful. It wasnât good, but it couldâve been worse. Her majesty liked her. Y/N was quiet, she was awkward, but we all know they prefer quiet to mouthy. The last thing they wanted was another Julianna. I felt kind of bad, really. Like I was handing her over.â
âSheâŠâ James sighs. âShe didnât seem upset, did she, Lils?â
âNo, I actually think she was feeling good. Your boys took good care of her.â
âBrilliant. Oh, and to answer your unasked question, Iâm being slovenly. Iâll be back on duty by noon.â
âSlovenly,â she repeats. âIâve never known you to be any sort of lazy.â She laughs. James is happy that the sound doesnât break his heart anymore. âAlright, James. Iâll see you later.â
He appreciates what sheâs doing, letting him know youâre okay while heâs away. Itâs uncanny how fast the people in charge of your care can band together, and Lily has always been kind.
James gives himself a minute to wipe away yesterday and prepare for today. He closes his eyes and shakes his head ferociously, his hair flying every which way. He sorts through all his worries one by one, letting that anxiety eat at him methodically âheâs a bad bodyguard, heâs a bad friend, he doesnât call his mum enough, heâs chicken shit scared of dying alone, the worksâ and then pushing it away. Today is a new day with new opportunities. He can prove to you and to himself that heâs good at his job, he can make sure his friends are doing alright, he can call his mum tonight before dinner, and dying alone? He isnât dying today. That oneâs on the back burner.Â
He makes his way from his room in the quarter and into the main building, wary that he might come upon a duke or duchess. His radio, clipped as it always is against his left shoulder, chirps with chatter. He bites back a scolding about keeping the line clear and looks out of a Goliath glass window at the grounds below. A marble water fountain spurts proudly at the foot of the stairs, and an elaborate hedgework stands at pruned attention. Itâs a nice day. He wonders if youâll be up for walking.Â
He looks for you in the secondary parlour, the den, the library, the dining room. He swings by your room, and when you arenât there he admits defeat and unclamps his radio, cutting through an inappropriate joke unapologetically.Â
âAfternoon. Location on Princess Y/N?â
He imagines his subordinates scrambling to answer, embarrassed by their unprofessionalism, but itâs likely they just donât know where you are.Â
âIf I donât get an answer in the next five seconds, you can all expect to be running laps tonight. That includes you, Mikkelson, I donât care how much overtimeââ
âSir, this is Daniels. Me and Roma are with the princess in the south wing.â
âWhy?â
âShe wanted a pencil sharpener.â
James grins to himself. The south wing (or, as James might put it, the guest wing), houses the scholars, the ambassadors, and whatever government official the royals are trying to butter up at the time. Heâs feeling positively joyful when he finds you sketching, your face pressed to the window. The Genovian mountainscapes take shape on your page one confident stroke of graphite at a time, a small leather bound sketchbook pressed flat to your knee.
âSettling in?â he asks.Â
You raise your head but not your eyes. âYou could say that.â
âHow was meeting Her Majesty?â
You frown.Â
âThat bad?â he asks.Â
âNo, I mean. You know. Sheâs a queen. It was terrifying.â
Despite your unhappy mouth, you look as relaxed as you have since the moment he met you, dressed in a casual Genovian dress with subtle but remarkable stitching a shade darker than the dress itself and a squared neckline. Your calves are out and glossy in the daylight. Theyâre rather distracting.Â
âYou look good,â James says carefully.Â
âIâll miss the fancy lotions,â you say. Your pencil scratches away.Â
Jamesâ hands falter where theyâre clasped behind his back. âWhat?â
You meet his eyes properly. He hadnât realised youâd been avoiding his gaze until you werenât, your face ringed with guilt, an explanation slow to come.Â
âIâm not staying. I canât be a princess, James.â You shake your head mildly. âIâm going home.â
ËËË âĄ ËËË
thanks so much for reading! oh no, you want to go home!! rest assured, james and co arenât letting you go too easily. i hope you enjoyed, reblogs are always appreciated, a thousand kisses for all of you either way <3<3
#james potter fic#james potter#marauders era#marauders#james potter x reader#james potter x y/n#james potter x you#james potter fluff#james potter blurb#james potter drabble#james potter imagine#james potter fanfic#james potter fanfiction#the marauders
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Some at the team knew he was the man for the job, but Charles Leclerc's procurement of a seat relied on a neat bit of manoeuvring in order for their boss to agree to a deal.
We're not talking here about the delay that followed Sergio Marchionne's death before Leclerc gained a 2019 Ferrari Formula 1 drive, rather his maiden season of car racing in the '14 Formula Renault ALPS series.
Fortec Motorsport engineer Martin Young knew all about the talents of the 16-year-old Monegasque driver.
"My background is in karting," he explains. "I used to work for the factory teams in Italy. I knew the drivers to watch from karting would be Max Verstappen, Ben Barnicoat and Charles Leclerc, and Fortec wanted to run teams in Eurocup, NEC and ALPS."
It's worth explaining here that in those days Formula Renault 2.0 operated as a pyramid structure, with the Eurocup at the top, and the Dutch-promoted Northern European Cup and Italian-run ALPS series as the base. Fortec was already established in Eurocup and NEC, but was venturing into ALPS for the first time.
"At the time it looked like Verstappen would be doing Eurocup, and we had Ben signed for NEC," continues Young. "I spoke to Jamie Dye [Fortec managing director] and said that if we wanted to move forward in ALPS we needed to get Leclerc.
"We did a test day at Motorland [Aragon] and we sort of lied about his times - we'd put Charles up against a lot of experienced drivers, so he was 1.2-1.3 seconds off - so that Richard [Dutton, team principal] would stay interested in giving him a bit of a deal. Richard was asking, 'Is he really good?', and we said, 'Yeah, we know he's really good.'"
Barnicoat, now a factory McLaren GT racer, was already familiar with Leclerc - as a Racing Steps Foundation protege, he was part of the ART Grand Prix line-up in international karting in 2012 and '13, while Leclerc belonged (and still does) to the All Road Management stable of ART shareholder Nicolas Todt.
"I had two years as team-mate to him in karting," says Barnicoat. "The first year I was directly racing with him, and in the second he went into gearbox [KZ] karts. He was one of the best team-mates I ever had, if not the best. A great guy.
"That first year, Charles won the WSK series and I won the European championship - that was up against the likes of Verstappen, so the competition was extremely high. I feel sort of left out!
"He had a bit more track knowledge so in the first half of the year he was beating me, but then we pushed each other really hard and that worked for the team - we got a lot from that.
"Looking at how good he is, it's nice to know I beat him on occasions, to know that I had the talent and ability to do that."
Fortec was one of the teams that tested Verstappen, and was also eyeing a deal with another talented karter: George Russell, whose plan was to combine Renault ALPS with what was then BRDC Formula 4.
Russell, who now is on course to succeed Leclerc as Formula 2 champion, eventually joined Prema Powerteam for ALPS, but that deal fell over on the eve of the season and he secured a last-minute berth at Koiranen GP.
"We wanted George; we tried to sign him," says Dutton of what could have been a mighty line-up had Russell joined Leclerc. "But he signed for Prema and then [Lawrence] Stroll [who had taken a majority shareholding in Prema] stopped him from going there."
"Me and Charles were testing for Fortec," says Russell, "and at the same time Verstappen was there with Josef Kaufmann Racing, I think. We were in talks with Fortec, but we decided to sign with Prema."
When it's pointed out what a mega line-up that would have been alongside Leclerc, Russell laughs: "In hindsight that could have worked out better for me than Koiranen. That [the late Prema split] put us in the shit a little bit, and three weeks before the first race I didn't have a deal. We took the gamble on Koiranen."
Autosport reminds Dutton of an awards evening over the 2013-14 winter when, asked about Russell, he said: "We've got someone even better - a lad from Monaco..."
"It was really quite a late deal," recalls Dutton. "He missed most of the winter-test programme. But you just knew he was the real deal. In and out of the car he knew what he wanted. In lots of ways he reminded us of Verstappen when we tested him."
Young confirms that the sum total of Leclerc's pre-season mileage was four days at Aragon, and two at Barcelona, before going straight into the pre-weekend test for the Imola opener.
"The first three race weekends his experience was a bit low," says Young, "but as soon as he got on the podium he was there every weekend.
Leclerc went on to finish runner-up to the flying - and experienced - Nyck de Vries in the ALPS points, with two race wins at Monza under his belt, but perhaps the more impressive performances came in his three 'wildcard' outings in the Eurocup. The first was at Spa, one week before the Belgian track's ALPS round.
"He was 30th in qualifying at the Eurocup," says Dutton. "We changed everything - we couldn't understand what the hell was going on. One week later he qualified third for ALPS. That was really, really special."
In his next Eurocup outing, Leclerc took a fifth and a second at the Nurburgring, and in his final one he took a brace of seconds at the Hungaroring.
"I was looking after Matt Parry and Jack Aitken in Eurocup," says long-time Fortec driver coach Matt Howson. "I'd heard [Leclerc] was something maybe a bit special, but you hear that all the time, and wait until you see it yourself.
"Usually you understand the driving style straight away - what's good, what's bad - and the thing with Charles is it didn't matter whether there was understeer or oversteer, he seemed to deliver a lap time."
The cerebral approach of Leclerc and engineer Young frustrated Howson at the Nurburgring.
"He'd never seen the place, and there were only two 45-minute [test] sessions, and furthermore Martin was determined to try things on the car," says Howson.
"I said, 'Don't do it, leave him out'. He was last in the second session, and then he was P3 on the grid for the second race - that's unheard of in Eurocup [for a newcomer]. Renault is a very finicky formula, and it all has to come together to deliver results, but Charles seemed impervious to everything.
"Based on that first year, I knew he was a little bit special. Whenever he was tested in Eurocup, he defied his experience. That's a marker - that you can break all the accepted rules."
Talking about that Nurburgring episode, Young says: "That literally sums up Charles Leclerc. That year we were struggling in Eurocup, and I said I'd come in with Charles and we'd do some testing. Going into qualifying he'd never run new tyres, but he went from last to the front. Nothing ever fazed him."
In Young's view, he also compared favourably to Lando Norris, who tested FRenault cars with Fortec in 2014 before his first steps into single-seaters: "I worked with Lando towards the end of the year, and Lando eventually got to the same point [as Leclerc] but needed a lot of testing, but Charles could just get in and drive. It was second nature to him."
Russell took a distant fourth in the ALPS standings, although he did claim the 2014 BRDC F4 title.
"With Nyck winning the championship it didn't make any sense to me, but I think at the time there were a few dodgy chassis around," he says. "When I tested Nyck's car it was extremely different in terms of characteristics. I wasted a season there, but it was character-building."
He also suffered from chicken pox that caused him to miss the Monza round, where Leclerc took his two wins.
"I didn't think it affected me at the time, but I struggled a bit for no reason in the following few F4 races," says Russell. "It was quite severe - I've still got some bad scars. I put my family off their dinner a few times!"
But Russell trumped Leclerc by joining Tech 1 Racing for the final Eurocup round at Jerez as a wildcard - and winning: "I got my self-confidence back a bit, jumped in that car and won."
Both Russell and Leclerc had initially targeted a full season in Eurocup in 2015, but such were their reputations by the end of '14 that each went to the Formula 3 European Championship, Russell with Carlin, and Leclerc with Van Amersfoort Racing.
Fortec tried to hang on to Leclerc for F3. "We tried so hard to get him for F3, but we lost him to VAR," says Dutton. "We did some tests with him in the F3 car and he was straight on the pace. At Silverstone he was quickest of everybody there, and then we went to Valencia with him and we had a nightmare with mechanical issues. I think that didn't do us any good."
All who worked or raced with Leclerc agree about his qualities as a man.
"Of all the drivers in F1 who've come through us, Charles is the one who gets [guest] passes for the British Grand Prix," says Dutton. "He had Martin [Young] and Jamie [Dye] there this year the whole weekend, in Sauber hospitality. He's a proper guy."
"I still speak to Charles every week or so on various topics," adds Young, who attended Leclerc's initial grand prix free practice outings in 2016. "He's still exactly the same person."
Barnicoat, who is one of the drivers for the McLaren hot laps at F1 events, bumps into Leclerc regularly.
"When we raced against each other in Renault there was quite a lot of rivalry from what we'd had in karting," says the Briton, who added three 'wildcard' ALPS outings as direct team-mate to Leclerc to his title-winning NEC campaign.
"But it would have been nice to get more direct comparisons. In 2013, when we were in karting, I went to the grand prix with him in Monaco and stayed on his uncle's boat, and had a really good time. We spent a lot of time together, and although we were rivals we helped each other out. He was a good friend of mine and still is."
Leclerc is also resilient. "Jules Bianchi came to the Hungaroring Eurocup round to mentor him," says Howson, "and I understood then how close they were. After that incident [for Bianchi] and his father [who died in mid-2017], he's probably been tested off track more than anyone else, but it's not bled over into anything on track.
"He's incredibly mature. He's relatively introverted - he doesn't come in and make lots of noise, but he's polite, considerate and always looks you in the eye when he talks to you. It doesn't matter whether he's got loads of cameras on him, he'll always come over for a chat."
Russell, meanwhile, is "100%" sure that Leclerc will flourish at Ferrari.
"Charles is one of a handful of others I put in the best-of-the-best group," he says. "In my opinion he absolutely deserves his chance at Ferrari. He's got the speed and the talent, and I'm excited to see how he fares next year. I've no doubt that he will be competitive."
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König meeting civilian reader Scenario (part 1)
Masterlist
Part 2 is here
Meeting for the first time. Civilian reader. I know, you all have your personal headcannons for his real/civilian name, so I tried to leave it blank for you. Boy is just homesick, so sorry for that âAustria is better than...â thing.
It was Friday night, you gathered with your friends at the local bar. Your neck and shoulders were aching after a week of sitting in the office, barely having time to stand up.
So when you saw an unoccupied coach at your table - you knew it was your choice for this evening.
You see, the coach is good for relaxing, even drinking maybe... but you all were hungry after a long day and sitting down there, you were too low to eat something from the table. Your nose was literally at tabletop height. So you were left alone on the couch.
Not that you minded extra space.
It was until your last friend showed up, bringing this mountain of a man with them.
"Everybody, say hi to *Königs` civilian name*. He is a friend of a friend, he'll be staying in our town for some time."
Despite being warmly greeted, he glances at you all cautiously and answers something under his breath.
You figure, the guy must be tired or just doesn't like big companies. So when he lands on a couch near you and almost immediately moves away, as if trying to take up less space, you just smile and reassure you don't need the whole couch just to yourself.
Even sitting on a low sofa, he rises above the rest of you.
You are quickly distracted by the conversation with the rest of your friends and turn back to the table. From time to time, someone from your company asks the giant next to you about his life, but his answers are always short and reserved.
Sometimes it seems to you that you feel someone's gaze, but when you turn around to your new acquaintance, he turns out to be absolutely fascinated by reading the label of his beer bottle.
At some point, one of your friends is going to the bar and asks what to get you. You glance at the menu without much enthusiasm.
"I don't even know... What are you drinking?", you turn to König.
"It's Villacher...", he answers almost automatic and looks so concentrated and nervous, as if you already knew the right answer and was just testing him.
"I don't see it in the menu... it must be in German exported list, yes?", you ask him without second thoughts, and it is where his face changes.
Anxiety is replaced by surprise on his face as he answers you in much slower pace now: "It's Austrian. You don't place Austrian beer in German list..."
And before you have a moment to consider, if you offended the guy, he starts a whole freaking TED talk on how Austria and Germany approach brewing. And how far the traditions of Austria surpass those of Germany.
But somehow he sounds not angry at all. He is actually very happy to share his knowledge with you. He even scribbles view from a window in a typical village in the Tyrolean Alps (yep, good luck figuring out how is that related to his lecture. IT JUST IS).
You notice small wrinkles at the corners of his eyes as he smiles, talking to you. You listen to his accent, remember his name, and put two and two together.
"So, I take it, you are from Austria. Miss your home?", he suddenly pauses at your question.
"Well, a bit... But I'm ok here, I guess".
You two spend the rest of the evening chatting. The more you talk to him, the more relaxed he seems.
It is until it's time to say goodbye, and you casually ask him for his number. Man frowns. Seems like he stops breathing.
"No-no, you got me wrong, I just want to add you to our group chat. That way, you'll have a bunch of acquaintances in the local area. Plus you'll know, when we are gathering next time", you laugh, hiding your own embarrassment.
He answers "Sure" not breaking eye contact and completely ignores the smartphone you placed before him on a table. Instead, he takes a napkin and scratches a number on it with a pencil (this gentle giant is so caught up in a moment, he doesn't have a single idea, what is he doing).
Back at home you understand, you've fetched the napkin with his sketch as well by mistake. But you keep it - such a wholesome reminder of that nice evening.
#koenig#konig#konig mw2#konig headcanons#konig fluff#konig scenario#scenario#scenarios#cod#cod x reader#könig cod#könig#könig imagine#könig headcanons#könig x reader#könig mw2#mv2#cod mw2#könig fluff#konig imagine#könig scenario#könig headcanon#konig headcannon#konig x reader
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Modern Ikke - world download
The idea behind Ikke was to create a scandinavian/swiss inspired world, but most importantly a place where sims can go (fake) skiing and be surrounded by pine trees and snow. I took inspiration from the Swiss/French Alps (especially Verbier) so naturally all buildings go along that vibe.
I kinda made it my mission to leave CC to a minimum, so I used only a few cc items and the rest is from expansion/accessory packs or ts3 store. - So make sure to at least have Supernatural, Pets, Into The Future and Late Night in order for the world to show up properly.
Note: the world file is pretty much empty, so I strongly recommend to download the world AND the save file so Ikke can look the same way it does in my game. - I am going to share furnished lots too, but finding cc takes time so bare with me :p
All relevant info is under the cut, so please read it!
>DOWNLOAD< (early access until 20/10/23)
>CC: there's two folders included with the download; the one called CC has all the necessary stuff you need so the world looks exactly as it does in my game. I didn't include some mods objects, so if you don't already have these then grab omsp, omsp resizers by Buckley, medium size rocks here, (more) medium size rocks here, city hall/police station/military base rug shell (you only need that one) & this set of patterns (I didn't use all of them, but I love them and highly recommend getting all of them hehe - I used the ones from the wood category) / the second folder called CC Recommendations is not necessary for the world to show up properly, but everything there goes along with the vibe and would look great in most buildings (;
>Modern Ikke.world: as said above, it's almost empty except for some scarce decor and the chairlift (but without it's start/finish bit) / Goes in Documents>Electronic Arts>The Sims 3>Installed worlds
>Save File: Has all the buildings I did (14 lots), plus a few other details I changed from the original world file. I tested it along with my bf, so you'll start with my Svensson household and there will be some npcs (with randomized Spanish names as he has the game in Spanish hehe) - obviously just get rid of them all and start with your own simmies (; / Both folders inside 'save file' go in Documents>Electronic Arts>The Sims 3>Saves / you NEED to install the world file too or the save won't work!
>Additional note: If you downloaded the shell rug linked above, then you'll find a "city hall" icon in Ikke's Hotel; I put it there mostly so you can change NRass settings if you're using it. Otherwise (or when you're done setting things up) feel free to get rid of it.
#s3cc#ts3cc#ts3 custom content#s3 custom content#ts3 world#ts3 world download#download#my cc#modern ikke
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Reading And Interpreting Your Liver Function Test - A Guide To Commonly Used Liver Tests
The liver is a vital organ responsible for numerous metabolic functions in the body, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and bile production. Monitoring liver health is crucial for early detection and management of liver diseases. One of the primary tools for assessing liver function is the Liver Function Test (LFT). In this guide, we will delve into the commonly used liver tests, how to interpret the results, and what they indicate about your liver health.
Understanding Liver Function Tests
Liver Function Tests (LFTs) are a group of blood tests that provide valuable insights into the health and function of the liver. These tests measure various enzymes, proteins, and substances in the blood that are indicative of liver health.
Key components of Liver Function Tests
Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT): Elevated levels suggest liver damage, commonly caused by conditions like hepatitis or fatty liver disease.
Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST):Â Similar to ALT, elevated AST levels indicate liver damage but may also be elevated in conditions affecting the heart or muscles.
Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP):Â Elevated ALP levels may suggest liver or bone disease.
Total Bilirubin:Â Increased levels may indicate liver dysfunction or obstruction of bile ducts.
Albumin and Total Protein:Â These are measures of liver synthetic function; decreased levels may suggest liver disease.
What are the causes of abnormal liver function test results?
Causes of abnormal liver function test results can vary and may indicate different underlying conditions. Some common causes include:
1. Build-up of Fat in the Liver:
* Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can lead to abnormal liver function tests, especially in overweight or obese individuals.
2. Liver Inflammation and Damage:
* Infections, toxic substances like alcohol or certain medications, and immune conditions can cause liver inflammation and subsequent abnormal test results.
3. Liver Overworking:
* When the liver is under stress from processing medicines or toxic substances like alcohol or paracetamol, it can result in abnormal liver function tests.
4. Bile Duct Blockage:
* Blockages in the bile ducts, such as by gallstones, can lead to abnormal liver function test results.
5. Liver Conditions and Diseases:
* Underlying conditions like Wilson's disease, haemochromatosis, or Gilbert's syndrome can affect liver function and result in abnormal test values.
6. Liver Injury:
* Physical injury to the liver, trauma, or presence of abscesses or tumors within the liver can cause abnormal liver function tests.
7. Medications and Supplements:
* Certain medications, over-the-counter drugs, herbal remedies, and traditional medicines can also impact liver function test results.
8. Other Factors:
* Factors like high alcohol intake, viral infections, autoimmune conditions, metabolic liver diseases, heart problems, and tumors in the liver can contribute to abnormal liver function tests.
Continue Reading: https://www.healixhospitals.com/blogs/reading-and-interpreting-your-liver-function-test-a-guide-to-commonly-used-liver-tests
#Liver Function Test#Liver Health#Diagnostic Tests#Liver Enzymes#Blood Tests#Hepatic Function#Liver Panel#Bilirubin Levels#Liver Disease#Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT)#Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST)#Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)#Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT)#Liver Health Markers#Hepatobiliary Disorders#Serum Biomarkers#Hepatic Enzymes#Liver Damage#Medical Laboratory Tests#Hepatology
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