#Heart Artery Scan

[usmanpuraimaging]

Learn about CT Coronary Angiography at Usmanpura Imaging. Discover how it works, what it detects, why it's preferred, procedure details, and associated costs.

[bpod-bpod]

Risk for Rupture

CT scan study finds an increased risk of diseases in the wall of the aorta [the body's largest and central artery] called aortic pseudoaneurysm and penetrating aortic ulcer in individuals with aortic calcification, which causes narrowing

Read the published research article here

Image from work by Siting Li and Haoxuan Kan, and colleagues

Department of Vascular Surgery, Department of State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China

Image originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Published in Scientific Reports, January 2024

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[batsbaby]

Seeing a cardiologist and having them be like okay so what cardiologist have you been seeing about these things before and having a “🙃 really?” reaction when I’m like “Ur the first cardiologist I’ve ever been referred to”

[alyrasturnz]

"fluff this" and "angst that"

fwb!matt x reader based on the song "false god" by t swift!!!!!!

 ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎FALSE GOD

❐ summary » y/n and matt maintain a facade of friendship while discreetly fucking in private. they satisfy their desires without the chain of commitment, though beneath the surface, they secretly yearn to be able to call each other their own. who could have foreseen that a seemingly innocent post on your instagram could burgeon into something far more profound?

❐ pairings » bsf!matt x fem!reader

❐ warnings » literally smut , swearing , mentions of blood if you whip out a magnifying glass , pet names [ princess , every single variant of sweet ] , car sex

❐ a/n && w/c » the first smut fic i have ever written.. am i doing this right ? 😭 this took me 24 hours im not joking • 3.79k

matthew.sturniolo replied to your story: Look real pretty, sweet thing

matthew.sturniolo replied to your story: You busy?

he recognizes your presence from the scandalous story you've just shared on Instagram, but he remains indifferent. 

his nonchalance is but a facade, for he finds you utterly irresistible in that tiny dress—a garment he's taken off you so many times that the number eludes him, each instance a cherished fragment of his recollections.

he could’ve merely enclosed his hand around his own length, allowing his imagination to paint an obscene tapestry of her cunt enveloping his completely, but he understood that if he could just endure the wait a bit longer, he would soon be enveloped in the euphoric sensation of her skin against his own.

yet, he can vividly recall how it clings to your curves, the mesmerizing sway of your hips—a dance that intoxicates his senses, and the way it causes his arteries to swell with an almost unbearable intensity.

he felt the torrent of his blood vessels surge toward his cock, suffusing them with a fervent flush as the pre-cum seeped, a slow and insidious seepage that betrayed the hidden depths of any sort of purity he had left.

he could just see the swarm of lecherous admirers vying for your attention, plying you with drinks and undressing you with their eyes.

  yet, he is confident in the knowledge that none of them could ever satisfy you in the way he can.

thus, he presses the heel of his palm against the throbbing bulge in his pants, attempting to quell the surge of desire. his fingers tap restlessly at his phone screen, your salacious story flashing before his eyes once more, eliciting a low, ragged groan from deep within him.

matthew.sturniolo sent you a message : Need a ride? Gotta talk to you about something important, princess.

the immediacy with which you open that notification is almost reflexive. a testament to the alacrity with which you have always responded to him.

yet, it was uncharacteristic for him to adopt any semblance of earnestness with you. the tacit understanding between you both was unequivocal: he relished the company of a pretty girl to his heart’s content, unburdened by the exigencies of pressure or commitment, which was indubitably for the best, given matt sturniolo’s enigmatic nature.

“has something happened?” you inquired as matt allowed a breathier, almost sardonic chuckle to escape his lips while scanning over the message. he let it linger for a few more seconds, savoring the moment, fully cognizant of your tendencies and the intricate dance of anticipation that played between you both.

thus, he was already en route with an unquenchable pulsate in his cock as you sent your location a few moments later.

matthew.sturniolo sent you a message : See you soon, sweet girl

the impatience seeps through him like a relentless tide. 

matt becomes acutely aware of it, the realization dawning as he clutches the rhythmic tattoo of his slender fingers drumming against the wheel, each tap a testament to the silent storm brewing within. 

yet his impatience pales in comparison to his mounting annoyance, a sentiment vividly betrayed by the imprint of his throbbing cock, oozing against the fabric of his slacks when you finally step out from the dim, grimy doorway he has been fixated on with an intense glare for what feels like an eternity.

but you’re wide-eyed and so adorable when you notice the familiar vehicle, one you’ve seen the inside of a few too many times for it to be just casual now.

yet, your eyes, wide with innocent wonder, betray an endearing charm as they alight upon the familiar vehicle— one whose interior you have explored with such frequency that it has transcended the realm of casual familiarity

  he suddenly feels too hot under his clothes as he’s clears his throat, his eyes following your figure until you’re opening the passenger door with a smile that’s just as pretty as you always are.

there is no hesitation as you approach him, the radiant smile that unfurls across your features upon recognizing the chestnut-tressed man in the driver’s seat ignites a warm, effervescent sensation within his chest. 

a sudden, oppressive warmth engulfs his throat as he clears, his eyes unwaveringly following your graceful figure until you open the passenger door, your smile unfurling with a beauty that is as enchanting as ever.

your grasp of the world and his standing was but a fleeting shadow in the vast expanse of reality. you knew that he was a youtuber, yet your knowledge was limited to the whispered confessions he shared during those tender nights, your body resting against the rhythmic cadence of his heartbeat.

however, any trepidations that dared to creep into your thoughts were swiftly vanquished when matt, with a voice imbued by unwavering resolve, assured you that there was no cause for worry.

he would be your unwavering sentinel, shielding you from all harm.

as you finally settle into the car, he perceives the flicker of apprehension in your eyes, recognizing that you likely suspect he has called you here for a matter of grave importance.

"is everything alright? your message left me unnerved, matt,” you murmur, your voice a soft whisper that disrupts his obscure reverie, yet paradoxically seems to stoke the embers of his desire.

  he chooses to let the silence stretch, the tension palpable in the air as both of you take a breath, savoring the moment. the pause lingers, a deliberate tease, before he finally shifts the car into drive, a mischievous grin playing on his lips.

"oh? worried about me, sweet thing?" he replies, his voice a low, velvety murmur. his large palm comes to rest against your thigh, giving it a reassuring squeeze. yet, despite his comforting touch, your eyes still brim with curiosity, silently questioning the abrupt end to your night. not that it mattered much; after all, your ride home was graced by the presence of someone as irresistibly handsome as matt.

or who could’ve been your ride home if he actually had any intention of taking you there. but just as quickly as the car starts, it stops again in a darkened alley, one you've both scoped out before. your 'driver' reclines his seat back, a silent invitation as he pats his lap expectantly, the shadows playing across his face in the dim light.

“matt-“ you huff, playfully rolling your eyes. yet, as you attempt to slide over the center console, you feign ignorance to the way the corners of matt’s lips widen into a knowing smile. "is this why you picked me up... seriously?" your voice carries a whiny edge, spoken through a pout that holds no real irritation. not when you feel the chestnut-haired man’s hands, warm and familiar, taking their usual place on your hips, guiding you effortlessly onto his own.

"hmm.. come on now, don’t try and pretend you weren’t teasing me. did ya’ miss my cock, ‘s that it?" matt drawls, his voice a low, mellifluous murmur that seems to permeate your very essence. 

as he leans forward, his lips graze along your jawline, sending electrifying shivers down your spine. a deep, guttural grunt escapes him at the first lascivious press of your pussy against his clothed cock, even through the fabric. 

his fingers twitch into your skin, a silent and fervent entreaty for more, each touch igniting an insatiable yearning.

"looked fuckin’ greedy for it in those pictures, princess." he’s such a tease, and he can feel the palpable effect his words have on you when your next exhale trembles against his neck. 

gooseflesh erupts along his ivory skin at the tantalizing proximity of your bodies, but it’s not enough for him; he yearns for you closer, a voracious need that demands fulfillment.

matt feels your fingers trace against the nape of his neck, eliciting an involuntary shudder from him. 

he deliberately exhales a prolonged breath against the shell of your ear, the warmth cascading over your skin. 

his lips then begin a tantalizing journey, pressing kisses along your cheeks and trailing them to the very corner of your lips, only to stop short, just to revel in the endearing whine you emit in response to his calculated tease.

"you can simply confess that you missed me..." you manage to tease back, though your breath catches in your throat when matt finally allows his lips to brush yours. slender fingers traverse the expanse of your skin until they grip your jaw, rendering you immobile as if ensuring you cannot close the distance until he decrees it.

his movements are excruciatingly deliberate, tantalizing, yet just close enough for you to discern the next low rumble of his words. "is that so?"

he doesn’t give you a moment to process his words, let alone respond, before his lips are on yours, and he’s kissing you like he’s been starved for this all night. 

his movements are urgent, a stark contrast to the playful nonchalance he usually wears like armor. when his tongue slips past your lips, dancing with your own, you feel the tension melt from his shoulders, a subtle shiver running through his hips.

the way your whimpers dance through the air leaves him feeling dazed, a lingering echo of the drink you had before he arrived still present. 

you hadn’t consumed enough to feel a buzz, but just enough for him to taste the cloying sweetness of the liquid on his tongue as he sucks on yours, groaning at how it momentarily satiates his sweet tooth, yet leaves his deeper craving for you unfulfilled.

the initial, delicate brush of your fingers against the waistband of his slacks elicits a deep, heavy exhale from him, as if he is releasing a breath he had unknowingly been holding, the sensation weaving a spell of ardor over him.

matt’s own fingers reluctantly abandon your skin to assist in tugging them down, a sigh escaping his lips at the first hint of sexual liberation. with a single, decisive tug, he pulls the constrictive fabric away, until his leaking cock rests against his abdomen.

he clicks his tongue in mild frustration when you pull away from him, lifting your dress up around your hips, the motion a tantalizing tease that leaves him yearning for your touch once more.

his abdomen tightens with a jolt of ecstasy, sending his mind spiraling into a fuzzy haze, where coherent thought dissolves into the intoxicating sensation of pure, unadulterated bliss when your hand wraps around the foundation of his cock, giving it sequence of deliberate, languorous pumps as matt groans, subdued and ragged before he’s sending you a grin which causes an involuntary constriction within your very core, as if your innermost being is ensnared by an invisible force. “knew you were fuckin’ hungry for it, sweet girl,”

one of your arms hooks around his shoulders, and it feels almost instinctual the way his arm snakes around your hips, drawing you nearer. his larger hand gently supplants yours as he positions his pulsating tip between your legs, and then his lips find yours once more, sealing the moment with a kiss that speaks volumes.

fuck, he takes solace in the knowledge that he alone is privy to this intimate vision of you, a privilege that fills him with a profound sense of contentment. matt believes that with the very first caress of his cock through your folds, it would render his mind a void, shrouded in a misty haze as he watches his cum effuse from your puffy cunt.

his cock twitches underneath you when he feels it prod at your flexing hole, his eyes fluttering closed in bliss when he finally begins to sink into you. he’d normally take his time prepping you for the stretch, but when your lips part to moan at the first saccharine squeeze around him, he thinks your pussy was made to fucking take him anyway.

his cock convulses underneath you when he feels it prod at your flexing hole, his eyes gradually flutter shut in a state of bliss as he finally succumbs to the embrace of your tight cunt. he would typically dedicate ample time to meticulously readying you for the stretch, yet, in the moment when your lips gently part to moan at the first saccharine squeeze around him, he thinks your pussy was made to fucking take him anyway.

“shit, wish they could see how fuckin’ pretty y’ look on my cock, princess.," he murmurs. by "they," he refers to the silent spectators who have glimpsed your story through matt's eyes. he shouldn't care, shouldn't dwell on it as much as he does, but oh, how it consumes him.

but now, you find yourself here, and now, it is he who conjures your moans and sighs, as his cock deeper into the warmth of your cunt. his eyes drift downward to observe the delicate manner in which your puffy folds unfurl for him and he thinks you’re fucking hypnotizing.

he allows his head to recline against the headrest, a sigh escaping his lips as he senses the moment your hips align perfectly with his, giving you a moment to acclimate to the stretch, all the while striving to maintain his composure and not succumb to its biting embrace.

but you are as eager as you are radiant, and matt feels as though he has ascended to heaven with the first genuine sensation of your body dancing against his, elevating your hips until only the tip of his cock is reposing in your warm flesh before your pussy descends once more into repose.

his eyes, once reminiscent of the ocean's azure depths, have now darkened, their hue transformed into a stormy, intense focus on the way your pretty tits jiggle with every saturated affinity of your hips with his

“it feels so fucking good, matt," you murmur through parted, pouty lips, your thoughts clouded with arousal for his sinful prowess. you lose yourself in the sensation of his proximity, and it's almost instinctual the way his fingers find their way to the nape of your neck, drawing you in for a kiss that is as fervent as it is necessary.

matt kisses you as if you are the first drop of water on his parched tongue after a relentless drought, savoring every essence you offer and more, as his body moves in perfect harmony with yours.

“yeah? nobody treat this pretty pussy like i do, princess? i know what y’ need.” he grunts against your lips, his cheeks tinged with a rosy flush, and with the way he's holding you—desperation etched in the firmness of his grip against your skin—you'd think you might dissolve into the ether if he dared to let you go. “fuck— this pussy was made for me”

the muscles in matt’s sculpted physique quiver beneath you, trembling with a barely contained intensity when he grinds his hips up to meet yours, deliberately pulverizing his pelvis along your puffy clit until he’s swallowing those pretty sounds that only he likes to pull from you. the blunt head of his cock slides along every one of your sweet spots perfectly and it feels like he’s igniting every nerve ending in your body.

the rhythm he establishes is nothing short of remarkable, considering his imposing stature and the confined quarters of the car, but the way he fucks you is more than just that. it’s unrelenting but fervent, and the warmth that only he can ignite along your thighs makes you feel as though you’ve swallowed the very essence of the sun itself when he holds you closer, momentarily pulling away to gaze upon you once more.

“yes- ah! i, i need you.. matt, fuck.” you exhale a dreamy sigh, your cheeks flushing with a rosy hue as a whirlwind of emotions stirs within you. 

the flustered sensation courses through your veins, making your heart race and your thoughts scatter like leaves in the wind as your pussy squelches, drenched and disheveled as the sounds reverberate through the confines of the car, creating an intricate symphony that dances along the wall, yet, matt has transcended the point of concern regarding who might overhear. you resonate so pretty for him when he’s forcing his cock deeper into your slick cunt, his pelvis grinding against your clit while your nails delve profoundly into his back, discovering uncharted territories, and leaving crimson trails in their wake.

“oh yeah? ‘m i your one and only? this pussy all mine?” he emits a guttural groan, fully aware that such a request is beyond propriety, yet the mere contemplation of it propels him towards an inevitable climax. you, in turn, let out a soft, knowing giggle, for you both understand the undeniable truth in his words.

your rhythm falters, your body instinctively gravitating towards his, enveloping him in a way he has never experienced, leaving him utterly consumed by your presence.

he finds himself utterly powerless when you cast that enchanting, starry-eyed glance his way, causing his breath to catch and his composure to unravel.

yet, he is acutely aware of how close you are when that starry-eyed glance is accompanied by the languid roll of your hips and another needy constrict of your cunt around his cock, and, fuck, if you demanded his very soul at that moment, he wouldn’t hesitate to let you entwine it with your own.

for matt harbors a fervent desire to possess you entirely, wishing to render you unattainable for anyone else. he is avaricious, fully aware of his own nature, yet remains utterly indifferent to it. he yearns to claim every fragment of your being, cursing coarsely as he fucks into you eagerly. his hands nearly clenched into fists at your hips, as your moan, so sweet and melodic, resonated for him. “yesyesyes, matt- g-god.“

another groan emanates from his lungs in response to the insistent coaxing of your walls, the reverberation of his tone resonating deep within his chest, and you feel your body nearly succumb with each powerful thrust upward into you.

every thrust into you is propelled by the formidable strength of his physique and the unadulterated fervor of his desire for you, feeling matt ruthlessly slam his cock into your stretched cunt, as he draws you closer.

nuzzling into the crook of your neck, he murmurs half-drunken praises, each word dripping with fervor and cascading down your spine like liquid fire.

he lets out a deeper, more resonant grunt escape his lips this time, reverberating with a newfound intensity.

with another mindless throb of his cock, pulsating with a pure lewd, he lets his slender fingers weave a delicate path between your bodies, finally anchoring themselves with purpose between your thighs.

as he rolls your puffy clit in sticky circles, and if he wasn’t fucking you mindless you’d maybe be able to recognise the familiar signature against the puffy bud.

but he synchronizes the movements with the rhythmic oscillation of his hips, driving upwards into yours with a deliberate cadence, and instead your breath is skipping and he feels your pussy throb around him as he grits his teeth.

“shit, gonna cum f’ me, sweet thing? no holding back on me now.” he hums, his words flowing with a polished ease despite the underlying current of need they carry, until your hips falter and you let your head fall forward, finding solace in the crook of his neck.

“i’m gonna— matt! fuck!” you emit a high-pitched squeal, while matt releases a deep, resonant groan. his hips press into yours, snug and tight, as the first milking compression of your walls ensnares him. he bites his lip, a futile attempt to restrain himself, panting against the dip of your shoulder as he coaxes and fucks you through the mind numbing orgasm only he can give to you. 

“that’s it, so good f’ me.. only me, yeah?” he rasps, and the praise cascades down your spine, causing your eyes to roll back. each stuttered bounce of your hips against his interrupts your needy, breathless chants of his name as a ring of gooey liquid forms around the base of his cock every time his hips draw back beneath you. 

“take me so well, don’cha? fuck, princess. pussy’s fuckin’ made for me.” your breathing becomes ragged, and Matt feels your body meld seamlessly into his. his jaw tightens as he hisses through clenched teeth, finally releasing his warmth deep within you.

his cock pulsates and congeals as he compresses at your hips, his brows crumbling while he curls over you, and there’s a thin sheen of sweat across his forehead, his hair sticking slightly as he loses himself in the fluttering pull of your body and your cunt.

he finally stills with the slight sting of overstimulation but you still feel warm where you’re chest is pressed tight against his, his fingers grazing along the length of your spine in the intimate silence that stretches after. but then you whimper and pull back to give him a look that makes his usual smirk curl his lips.

  “is this seriously why you picked me up, matt?” you hum, your voice lilting into a playful cadence, and he responds with a laugh—a more breathless resonance, as you emulate his tone impeccably. subsequently, he bestows upon you one of his most dashing smiles and places a moist, ticklish kiss upon your cheek, prompting a cascade of giggles from you.

“huh? nuh uh, angel. think we both agreed you were asking for it.” matt drawls back, his words still slightly slurred in the lingering aftermath of pleasure, yet the playful tone that always accompanies his speech remains discernible.

“yeah right.. did you really like the pictures that much?” you pose your question yet again, watching as he sends you an amused wink. he then deftly squeezes your cheeks together between his fingers, pressing a kiss against your lips as they jut out in response.

“hope you took some that’s just for me, yeah?” he teases, wiggling his brows but then you’re laughing and squirming back over to the passenger seat, and as much as he already misses the warm press of your skin against his, he still feels heat bloom in his chest when he catches you smiling anyway. 

“i feel gross now, i gotta go home and shower.” you mumble as you pull down your dress and matt follows as he tucks his cock back into his slacks. but he can’t help the way his large palm naturally reaches over to rest against your thigh, squeezing at the skin before he’s leaning across the center console to ghost his lips along your own. 

“oh? you thought you were getting off easy? nights still young, sweet thing.”

[hatsukeii]

"WE ARE THE BLOOD IN OUR...WAS IT VEINS OR ARTERIES AGAIN?" / T. KUROO

PROLOGUE | M.LIST | NEXT. |

warning(s): a very offhanded, not serious mention of suicide, also ochem and bio!

wc: ~1.0k

When Kuroo Tetsuro sees another glaring "2" that bleeds into the white paper of his chemistry exam, he has to consciously restrain his fingers from curling up around the cover and crumpling it until it is unrecognisable to the naked eye.

"Great work, Kuroo, as expected. 84%, keep it up!"

He smiles at his teacher, only customarily, with a grin that presses tight against his lips to hide the grinding of his teeth.

"Yeah...thanks."

For the second time in his life, somebody; some monster, or formidable foe, has pushed his head into the ground and risen from the dirt in this subject. From the front of the room, Kuroo slams his paper into the desk face down, a thud sounding from the slapping of paper on wood. His head snaps around his shoulder, eyes scanning his classmates behind him for a gleam in someone's eyes, or a face that tries to stay still, but trembles at the apples of its cheeks. Chatter about specific questions drones on, heads bury themselves into clammy hands, pens tick as impatient thumbs tap anxiously at the clicker shafts. An air of dread and nihilism paints the room grey, white lab lights buzzing and flickering more like that of a morgue as hopes and dreams are slowly, but surely, dissected with the flick of a pen that etches numbers into a test paper.

He should be glad, after all, he's in second place! Just barely grazing the top spot of the cohort! The education system is largely flawed anyways! Life is not a grade! He is still worthy of merit!

Kuroo's mind races for consolation, only to find sarcastic, half-hearted sentiments plucked from inspirational TED talks watched in his showers, and mandatory wellbeing assemblies enforced by the school to prevent students from finding the urge to launch themselves off bridges. He rips through the pages of his exam, picking at every calculation error, and missed argument, and misused theory that emerges from his work. He can almost hear their laughter, screechy and squeaky as they wiggle and twist on the paper, before shooting out of the page to laugh a little louder in his face.

"Guys, just take a look over here, since almost everyone messed up drawing this diagram. LDPE is supposed to be branched, but I still need to be able to read how many carbons and hydrogens are on each chain."

The projector ahead flicks on to reveal a perfect diagram, branches and webs of polyethylene connected neatly to one another, carbons and hydrogens labelled between each spot. Kuroo stares at his own diagram, a mess of lines and scribbled letters, all rendered futile beneath the ink red cross of judgement. He bets that whoever beat him wouldn't have gotten the words "illegible" stamped beside their polyethylene diagram. Wait, is that an S, or a 5?

From four rows behind, a pair of eyes train onto a sticky note stuck on a page of the exam. Just beneath the outline that houses the same polyethylene diagram on the projector screen, a labelled neuron is sprawled across the fluorescent yellow of the note. You rip the note off, clicking your tongue at the loss of a mark on the next question, before sticking the neuron diagram into a lined notebook. Peeling a new sticky note from your notepad, a pen spins between the joints of your fingers, rolling in steady backs and forths along your hand. You bite down on the hard plastic of the clicker shaft, flipping through the rest of the pages as you wiggle the pen up and down with your teeth to ease your bubbling annoyance. Seriously, who even cares about the difference between "suppose that" and "assume that" anyways?

A flick of the page with your hand flips the test back on its cover, and you slap the fresh sticky note onto the circled "1" that graces the top of the page, before scribbling the frontal lobe of a brain on the fluorescent green square in preparation for your lunchtime duty.

author's note:

to say that i haven't been either reader or kuroo would be a lie because you bet your ASS i am arguing for anything and everything i can get in an exam paper.... ANYWHO welcome to the new series!!! I've decided to make this into a series because of both the poll and personal planning preference LOL don't hate me pls but i hope u enjoy!!!

tags: @staraxiaa @iiwaijime @hiraethwa @akaakeis @wyrcan @chuuya-brainrot @catsoupki @bailey-reeds @fiannee @cupidsblonde @she-lovesmyheartshapedsunglasses @kuroppiii

ok love u guys see u soon bye bye

[aggro-my-beloved]

I Bleed For You (And Now I'm Gushing)

note: you've heard of tooth-rotting fluff, now get ready for jaw-clenching angst >:)

pairing: quinn x gn!tank, sam x gn!tank

summary: a glimpse of one of tank's many nightmares centered around quinn. in this particular universe, they were unable to escape him...

warnings: manipulation, non-consent biting, graphic descriptions of blood and violence and an almost character death.

word count: 1.1k

estimated read time: 5.5 mins

Tank wasn’t sure they had ever fallen victim to an adrenaline rush this powerful, when Quinn’s teeth sunk into the vulnerable flesh of their thigh. The pleasure masking the pain remained incomparable to all of their tattoos combined. A buzzing flooded their brain and their heart rate kept climbing, unable to find a rhythm. Quinn became giddy at their sporadic pulse humming against his jaw and was urged by their hands in his hair to bite harder. 

When he did, the squeak Tank emitted caught both of them to a great surprise. He released their femoral artery from the reign of his fangs with a chuckle, scooping up the droplets escaping from their wound with his finger and a chuckle, and bringing it to their mouth. Tentatively, their lips parted open, imploring him to drag the pad of his thumb down their bottom lip. It wobbled as his digit grazed the interior of their mouth, and his eyes scanned over their canines. Sharp, he observed, but missing potential. 

“That’s it, precious.” He praised them through the closing of their mouth. “Can’t let a drop go to waste now, can we?” Tank’s poker face had become an art form since knowing Quinn, and him ravishing them in their private moments, The metallic taste still urges for their tongue to curl and drool to form–a psychological preparation for their oral cavity spit and hack and get rid of the substance. Their mind tells them to purge it, but they swallow it to witness his smile. Whether or not Tank has realized, their comfort is worth vastly less than his satisfaction. 

“Good.” His sultry voice guides their eyes to stare deep into his. Simultaneously, the hand clamping down their thigh–which will no doubt be littered with bruises in the morning–slithers up to take purchase on their neck. His thumb (no longer blood-soaked) caressed their collarbone with a delighted hum. 

“Precious, have I told you what a great mate you make for me?” His eyes crawled down their face and stopped at the gap beneath their ears. Tank only pondered the question, unbothered by the wandering stare. They’ve heard Milo mention the term a time or two in past meetings when illustrating the latest adventures between him and a department investigator. Albeit the notion of being bound with Quinn had been swirling subconsciously around their mind, Tank was still unsure of where they stood with him but refused to voice their concern. Like blood, they’ll swallow this down too.

“What do you want?” They inquired with a smirk. All at once, his gaze darkened, and Tank’s eyes grew. The blood rushing through their system picked up pace once more, but they and Quinn both knew it was from trepidation rather than excitement. 

“I want to be more intimate with you.” The hold on their neck grew firm. “We could take our relationship to a level much deeper than mates. We could be maker and progeny. You would belong to me, and I, you.” It wouldn’t be the first time Quinn’s brought the subject to light. The last time he did, he made transforming Tank’s entire shifter DNA to be a different species sound like a fun fact, as opposed to a pressing suggestion. But the act of succumbing to him completely, let alone as a disloyal member of David’s pack, was not agreed upon prior to this rendezvous. The metallic taste was back, marrying an unpleasant churning in their stomach and curling toes. As much as they yearned to, Tank couldn’t bottle those words up even if Quinn shoved them down Tank’s mouth himself. 

“I don’t want that.” A few beats of silence followed. Immediately, it became clear how displeased Quinn was by the answer. Tank wants to cut out their tongue. They want to rewind to a minute ago when the endorphins were still high and the tension between them and the vampire was all sexual. They want the pain to be masked by the pleasure of his teeth buried in their skin, tangling with their muscle and veins–not just the searing anguish of his stare peering into them.

 

“Oh, precious.” His grip on their neck never loosened. “I thought you would’ve been smart enough to understand the whole dynamic of this relationship by now…” He rolled his eyes with a sinister chuckle. “I take what I want, permission be damned. You take what I give you and like it.” The end of his declaration morphed into a snarl as the same fangs that dangled heaven in front of Tank’s face threatened their demise in a matter of seconds.

He ripped into his mate’s throat unapologetically and ravenous, no longer savoring the taste of them but picturing what a poised thrall they would become beneath him. Tank screamed and writhed at the feeling of skin and muscle breaking in the wake of his pearly daggers, vision turning crimson from the utter mess he was making of their body. As they brought both hands to claw at the one chained to their neck, Tank thought back to their conversation earlier in the day, where they brought up the idea of learning healing magic to clean up the more vicious wounds Quinn would leave on them. Something about the way the ceiling fan keeps sounding more distorted, and the weak feeling overcoming them tells Tank that this session may not be one they could bounce back from without Quinn’s empowered ministrations. 

“Please,” they manage to choke out, nails clawing at his unrelenting hand. “Don’t, don’t do this.” 

This is the universe where they don’t walk away. One that has tormented their subconscious several nights, and left them to wake up alone in a pool of sweat and blood-curdling screams. Tonight was no exception if you pay no mind to the Solaire Clan vamp urging her awake. 

“Come on, Darlin, open those pretty eyes for me,” he pleads incessantly. Moments later, they shoot up from where they are lying, gulping sharp breaths of oxygen down like it's the last ones they will take. It sure felt like it a few seconds ago.

“Hey, you.” Sam greets them with a relieved sigh. Tanks felt a stinging sensation on their neck, no doubt from where they were clawing themselves in their sleep. They silently pray the next round of scabs heal over without interference, but aren't sure if they’ve landed on the side of good karma with all of the luck this past year has brought them. “You scared me for a second, looks like one hell of a nightmare you just woke up from…you get those a lot?” 

Their throat feels like sandpaper as they swallow, and shake their head. "Never."

[french-unknown]

𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝔼𝕋𝔼ℝℕ𝕀𝕋𝕐 𝕆𝔽 𝔹𝕃𝕆𝕆𝔻

ℂℍ𝔸ℝ𝔸ℂ𝕋𝔼ℝ: trafalgar law ℂ/𝕎: hurt/comfort (sickness), established relationship 𝕎/ℂ: 3.1k + 𝕊𝕌𝕄𝕄𝔸ℝ𝕐: What could be worse than a doctor condemned to watch his lover waste away from a fatal illness? Perhaps a vampire witnessing his companion's failure to access eternity at his side. Law has never had a chance in life.

| m a s t e r l i s t |

𝕃𝔸𝕎

You were comfortably lying down on your bed, your back against your soft blankets, while Law's body was lying on top of yours. His head was nestled comfortably in the crook of your neck and you felt his hair, free from his usual hat, tickling your neck as well as your jaw.

In your happy state, you laughed lightly at the situation while gently tugging on a handful of hair that came your way.

Above you, you felt his soft growl against your touching chests before he buried his head even further against you. The grip he also had on your hips tightened and you felt the coolness of his icy hands pierce the thin fabric that covered you. A shiver went up your spine. However, far from being disturbed by the rapprochement, your blissful smile widens and you resume your caresses on his scalp. His messy hair was soft under your fingers.

Your brain was foggy but the pleasure you got from it felt good.

Suddenly, Law shifted against you.

Still in the clouds, you didn't quite understand why your lover released himself from your neck before getting up on his elbows. Your faces came face-to-face. You looked at him in awe as his fangs slowly retracted and he wiped away the few drops of blood that had rolled down the corner of his mouth. You surrounded his chiseled jaw in your hands to brought him closer to you until he was lying on you again and you placed a loving kiss on his lips.

He stayed there briefly, temporarily enjoying the contact, but he rose again.

You saw him looking at you with his eyebrows furrowed.

“Your blood tastes weird.” He announced with annoyance.

You laughed discreetly.

“You never told me this one.” You answered him with a smile.“New catchphrase?”

But Law didn't share your good humor.

“Of course. I was torn between «your blood tastes weird» and «you make weird noises when you chew» so I hope you're flattered.” He muttered.

“I think I prefer the one about my chewing.” You laught again but, when he moved further away, you complained, “Come on, it's nothing. Come back to me.”

You then tried to wrap your arms around his neck to pull him back onto you but he pulled away. You let out a sound of sadness as he propped himself up on his elbows before sitting on his knees around your thighs.

“Law!” You moan.

The loss of contact caused a cold draft to pass over your neck and make you shiver. You missed his warm, heavy body on yours.

Yet your grumpy lover leaned to the side to retrieve his sword and repositioned himself on you with his weapon.

“Room, scan!” He declared in the darkness of your room.

The room lit up in blue and, among the idyllic setting that this formed, you emerged even brighter. Indeed, your body glowed with the same bluish hue while your veins stood out a blood red. They sparkled in your body like an infinite tree that multiplied and became more and more refined as it approached your extremities. And, in the middle of it all, your arteries were pulsing bright red.

The light eventually faded, leaving only you and Law in near darkness.

You still made out his indecipherable face in the darkness so, still peaceful, you held out your arms for him to come back and settle between them. But he didn't move.

“Law.” You called to him in vain with necessity.

Your body was gradually cooling down and you just wanted to savor your post-meal moment with your lover. But he didn't move except to lower his emotionless eyes from your eyes to your heart. Then he brought them back up to your eyes.

"You will die." He blurted out without the slightest tact.

You laughed in disbelief this time.

“Stop saying stupid things.” You replied before you were finally able to grab his hands in yours.

You laced your fingers together then roughly pulled him towards you until he collapsed onto your chest. His frame, wider and taller than yours, suddenly crushed you - sending a pain signal to your brain - but you didn't pay attention because you were too happy to have your man back. You were too happy to have him against you again while he also tangled your fingers with his and rested his head under your chin.

You gently kissed the top of his hair.

"You're tired." You resumed calmly. “Sleep, we'll see about it tomorrow.”

And you let yourself be carried peacefully into the arms of Morpheus as soon as the last word left your lips.

When you woke up the next morning, the bed was empty.

You stretch your foot out of your mountain of blankets before building up the courage to get out from between your sheets. Law was already long gone if you stuck to his neatly folded side of the bed. You groaned. Your mind was no longer as fuzzy as it was last night—one of the happy effects of having your blood drawn by him—but it was nevertheless still clouded by the mists of lingering sleep.

You then went into the corridor in search of your grumpy lover.

Even though he was his usual grumpy self, you didn't doubt for a second your ability to make him cuddle you.

You passed a few members of the crew along the way who greeted you happily and, at the end of the way, you finally arrived at the captain's office. You knocked on the door before entering without waiting for his signal.

You found him sitting in his chair behind his desk. He was bent forward with his elbows on the surface while his open hands supported his lowered head. You hesitated for a second before he heard you enter. However, he slowly raised his head to gaze into yours with his steely eyes. From where you stood, you could see the grayish dark circles that stained the underside of his eyes.

"What?" He asked dryly.

You cringed at his tone.

“Wow!” You exclaimed, clearly unsettled. “Bad night, sleeping beauty?”

He growled in response.

“Well, I might as well leave if I piss you off.” You replied, annoyed by his behavior.

"Wait." He hurriedly stopped you while you had your hand on the handle.

Behind you, you heard the crunch of his chair against the floor followed by the sound of his footsteps going around his desk. When he stopped moving, you turned back to him with a suspicious glance.

He was simply standing behind you with his arms limply at his sides. His gaze was slightly shifty, unlike usual, as well as you could see in the nervous movements of his fingers that he wasn't comfortable. Finally, he took a deep breath before shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He raised his steely eyes to yours.

“Do you remember about last night?” He asked sharply.

You turned toward him and leaned your back against the door.

"Yes." You replied still annoyed by the start of the conversation. "It makes me high. It doesn't make me so stupid that I forget my evening."

You saw a nervous twitch pass his lips but he did nothing.

"There is a problem with your body." He continued without getting angry despite the fact that he seemed to be seething inside. His nervous movements resumed discreetly. "Your blood isn't like usual and you lit up like a lantern when I scanned you."

You stared at him in silence. You felt accused by his remark. Defensively, you crossed your arms over your chest without even realizing it.

“You must have made a mistake.” You explained.

“I never make a mistake.” He immediately retorted, almost growling.

“And yet you were wrong.” You affirmed.

The air began to crackle with tension around you. Far from avoiding your gaze now, his eyes were firmly planted on yours as he seemed to probe your mind. His face was completely expressionless, if we forget the irritated grin that twisted his lips. His parasitic movements had also completely ceased, leaving behind only his impassive frame which towered over you coldly.

Faced with the situation, which was getting worse, you decided to calm things down.

“Look,” You started, trying to take a softer tone. "you clearly look like a zombie now and you must not have slept all night given your dark circles. There must be a little mess, okay? I'm not sick. I didn't have temperature. I don't hurt anywhere."

You noticed his shoulders unwind and drop as you spoke.

Slowly, you moved from the door before slowly getting closer to him. You approached him as you would with a wild animal. Once in front of him, you raised your hand which you delicately placed against his cold cheek. With the tip of your thumb, you tenderly caressed his cheekbone. You still noticed that, although he didn't lean into the contact, the muscles in his jaw relaxed against your palm.

"I'm fine, Law." You finish smiling.

Then, to your complete astonishment, his hands rested on your hips over the fabric of your t-shirt and pulled you against him. Caught in his embrace, you felt him bend forward to rest his forehead against your shoulder. His cold breath hit your collarbone and made you shiver.

However, you raised your arms and wrapped them around his neck to bring him even closer to you. You placed a kiss against his temple at the same time.

"I'm fine, Law." You repeated it to reassure him. "Everything's fine."

From that day on, your relationship with him changed.

Whereas before you both had been quite laid-back and independent, you soon noticed that he appeared in your field of vision a lot more. You had always been this quiet couple who did their activities separately before meeting in the evening to discuss them. But now, he was always in the corner of the room.

You found it quite endearing at first: he was worried about you, unlike some times when he could be quite insensitive.

After so many years living on Earth as a vampire, he had a perception of time quite different from yours which meant that he didn't place as much value on the time spent together. He valued the quality of your time together over its quantity. And it was indeed very pretty on paper but that unfortunately meant that days or even weeks could go by without him giving any sign of life. He would simply show up at the end of the day to naturally ask for some time together—or even just to feed on you—before going back to his studies or his occupations.

It weighed heavily on you at the start of your relationship. You had sometimes wondered if he just saw you as a pleasant way to pass the time or as a simple blood bag. But you knew now that he loved you, after he finally grumpily admitted it after years of dating.

Yet, while you could have sacrificed your entire family at the beginning of your relationship for him to give you this much attention, now it annoyed you.

You saw the doubt in his eyes and it irritated you. He watched you like a babysitter watching over a baby he had to take care of. Or out of fear that you would escape if he looked away for even a second. Except you weren't a child. You were an adult and you would have liked to get this fact into his vampire head.

Besides, he probably must have told the rest of the crew about his paranoid doubts because you also had the impression that they were taking turns keeping an eye on you. When Law was locked in his library or office, they would mysteriously appear one by one at your side.

Bepo asked you to come take a nap with him because he couldn't sleep on his own.

Shachi and Penguin asked you to decide which one of them won after their prank competitions.

Ikkaku asked you to be her partner for a card game since no one else was free to play with her.

The more time passed, the more their attention suffocated you.

Their fear was increased tenfold when, while you were eating dinner together in the Polar Tang refectory, you tried in vain to contain a cough. You had the impression since you woke up that morning that a weight was pressing on your chest while a cat seemed to have taken up residence in your throat. You barely suppressed a groan of annoyance at having coughed at the worst possible time. All the crew's horrified eyes were pointed at you.

“It’s okay,” You tried to justify yourself, laughing. “the water went down the wrong pipe!”

But no one laughs with you.

You heard Law's chair creak precipitously against the floor in the silence of the room and then you felt the icy grip of his fingers between yours. You were immediately lifted from your own chair and he carried you with him down the halls to your room. You tried in vain to explain during the ride but, despite your efforts, he didn't listen.

As soon as your bedroom door closed, he picked you up and threw you onto the bed. He then sat on your lap in a parody of his last meal and pinned you against the mattress to retrieve his sword.

“Come on, Law!” You moan, dissatisfied, for him to stop his cinema.

“Room, scan!” He still whispered seriously above you.

The same shade of blue seeped into your room. Your eyes, however, remained fixed on your lover's and you waited for the moment of realization where they would relax. When he finally saw that you had nothing.

You were okay.

But you looked and all you saw was his eyes widening as a glint that you recognized as fear lit up in his eyes. His mouth opened blissfully in shock, revealing his white teeth with retracted canines that you knew were sharp. His grip loosened around your wrists and he leaned back, stunned, as if he had just been punched in the face.

Faced with this reaction, you felt fear begin to tickle unpleasantly in your stomach. You got up like this, worried, in order to reassure him but the vision you had froze you.

In the mirror that decorated your room behind your lover, you saw your reflections.

The blue light of his Room contrasted harshly with the bright red that spread across your body where all your veins should undoubtedly be. You saw them going in all directions in the smallest corners of your body while giving it a slight reddish tint by proxy. And what mortified you the most was the enormous center of neon red light pulsing from your lungs. They were so clearly visible in the mirror that you had no trouble recognizing the lobes and structures you had seen so many times in Law's scientific journals.

It wasn't possible, you were fine!

You certainly had a little cough a few minutes ago but it was perfectly normal. You lived in a damp and sometimes a little cold submarine that was submerged for more than half the year. You didn't see much sun so your immune system wasn't always at its highest potential. You had caught a cold, that was all.

You turned your confused face towards Law's who was still looking at you in amazement.

"It's just a cold." You tried to soothe him.

"It's not a cold." He countered by recomposing himself. "It's more than that. It's in your blood and it got into your lungs. I don't know what it is, I've read every book I have and I still don't know what it is."

You sighed as you tried to approach him but he moved away from your touch as if you had burned him. Inside, you felt the rejection like a slap in the face.

"It's nothing." You started again anyway. "I just have a little virus or something. I'll be better in a few days."

He glared at you.

"It's not nothing!" He growled now, clearly. "Do you think my Devil Fruit helps me spot birds in the sky? It spots illnesses. Serious illnesses!"

You were going to growl at him for not speaking to you that way, but he cut you off.

"If it's on my scan, it's dangerous. And it's everywhere in your body. In your blood, in your lungs. It's killing you!"

The poorly concealed despair you detected in his tone made you calm down. Even though he was currently annoying you prodigiously, you knew that he really wouldn't get angry in vain. It must have really worried him for him to lose his usual sarcasm and get to this point.

You took a few seconds of silence to let down your irritation.

“Okay,” you continued after calming down. "I understand it could make you panic. It's true that your scan detects anomalies that could be worrying. But it could just be a false alarm, right?"

You saw him take a deep breath.

"Is there anything I could do to reassure you? To prove to you that I'm okay." You asked to appease him.

“Let me replace your lungs.” He announced seriously.

You stood staring at him in disbelief.

"No?" You started in shock. "No! You're not going to replace my lungs for a few doubts!"

"Honestly, it's either this or I turn you into a vampire like me." He explained with a semblance of calm. "It won't change anything for you if I do it with my Ope Ope No Mi. I don't know what molecule is screwing up your body so I can't take it out like that. But I can swap your lungs and try antibiotics and anti-inflammatories to weaken the thing in your blood.”

"No!" You defended yourself, offended.

“Please,” he continued. "I promise I won't let anything happen to you. It's really the only thing that could reassure me. Please."

He looked at you with an unreadable expression in his eyes.

A heavy silence ruled around you.

“I’m ready to beg you on my knees if necessary.”

You stayed still, shocked by the offer.

“Do you promise nothing will happen to me and that you won’t make a fuss about it again?” You asked him, perplexed.

"I promise."" He affirmed.

You swallowed nervously.

Alright then." You accepted.

[dangerpronebuddie]

WIP Wednesday!!

Tagged by @tizniz who shared BRILLIANT stuff from Cupid Buck that is going to kill me!!

I promise, I promise, I am almost done with Severed Artery. I'm trying to decide if I want to add just a little bit more whump but we'll see. I'm debating it. While I do, here's some more whump. (Sorry Eddie) 😁:

“Help!” Eddie shouts again. “Stop,” the man growls. He lunges at Eddie, wrapping his hands around his neck and squeezing tight. Eddie brings the heel of his hand to the man’s chin. The sound of his teeth clacking together echoes in the room and it dislodges his grip. Eddie gasps for breath as footsteps clamber down the hall. The man bolts for the door. He looks left before running to the right. Two hundred pounds of Buck goes flying past the door. Something thuds loudly on the tile floor. “Stay down!” Buck commands. Eddie wishes he could see what was happening. He sees officer Williams run past the door, followed by Bobby and at least three nurses. Eddie takes slow, measured breaths, trying to get his heart rate back to some semblance of normalcy. There's still shouting in the hallway. If he had the energy, he'd get up to see what was happening. “Eddie!” Familiar scrambling footsteps pound the tile floor. Buck appears in the doorway, his eyes wild, his chest heaving. In the blink of an eye, Eddie has his arms full of one Evan Buckley. “Are you okay?” Buck asks, hugging him as best he can before perching on the edge of the cot and running his hands over Eddie, checking for injuries. It's not often the roles are reversed like this. Nine times out of ten, Eddie is the one scanning every inch of Buck, looking for the smallest scratch. “Tell me you're okay, baby.” “I'm okay,” Eddie says, ignoring the skip in his heartbeat at the pet name for the moment. He lets Buck keep checking, watching the furrow in his brow as his hands roam over his arms. He reaches Eddie's wrist and Eddie can't help but yip. “It doesn't sound like it, what happened?” Buck asks. His eyes land on Eddie's neck and he brushes his fingers gingerly over what will soon be deep bruises. “What did he do to you?”

(tags under the cut! As always please let me know if you want to be added/ removed):

@lover-of-mine @loveyouanyway @daffi-990 @kitteneddiediaz

@ronordmann @steadfastsaturnsrings @inell @exhuastedpigeon @hippolotamus

@thekristen999 @monsterrae1 @diazheartsbuckley @wildlife4life @misshiss727

@rainbow-nerdss @alliaskisthepossibilityoflove @lunarspark-cos @idealuk @shipperqueen6 @slowlyfoggydestiny @eddiesfagstache

@lin27 @jshadow01 @orangeboxfox92 @thegeekcompanion @emilybahu @lemotmo @awolfnamed-nyx

@kaseysgirl86-blog @darkrose6578 @totallynotagoraphobic @dandelioncasey @bibuckbuckgoose @whatsgoodinthehood22

@lady-elaine @buckley-diaz-rules @buddiedaydreamer911 @monroemary @pirate-hunter @snowviolettwhite @hermoineindisguise @tidesreach

@nonspeakingkiku @eddiedisasterdiaz @drunkandsupportiveeddie @epicbuddieficrecs @disasterbuck

@lyricfulloflight @charlzie-ghost @hypersensitivitywitch @kindlingtotheflames @wallywise @zerokrox-blog @hawaiianlove808 @retromodgirl @allygateobeanz and anyone else who wants to share!! 🥰🩷

@gnoeltop @keynb @cassi-brooks @-syrup-sue @punkrock00 @shannonhutchins @aroqueerfandoms @unlifeira @marissaleec @kissyboytroye

[poeproductions]

Poe update: Baby boy is home and has a huge appetite! After a CT scan we think we know what's up. It turns out Poe's heart is actually fine! Buuuut he has some arterial constriction, which is what caused the fainting episode that got him hospitalized.

Poe has to get a biopsy and one more scan to determine the source, but the great news is he should be okay with medication and will start meds once we identify the cause. His arterial constriction will be chronic, but manageable with medication.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the outpouring of support we've gotten on his Ko-fi since yesterday. Each scan is about $1.5k so it really helps so much, thank you. 🙏

[getinthefuckingjaeger]

“We’re not gonna be like them, Joe.” Harry’s fierce tone catches Joe off guard. "We're gonna make it."

(Joe, Harry, and Major Egan's grief)

“Harry, look.” Joe presses his chin into Harry’s hair, careful not to dislodge his best friend’s head from its rest on Joe’s shoulder. “Over there.”

He glances down and over thick, messy dark curls to watch Harry squint in the pre-dawn light. They’re perched on one of the many observation towers on base - far away enough from the heart of the operations and closer to where the ground crew park the forts under repair. Joe waits as Harry scan the tarmac for a second. The hitch in his breath tells Joe that he’s seen it.

Joe drops his head on Harry’s, the two of them lone observers of a single jeep making its way down the tarmac until it turned and parked by one of the forts on the hardstand.

The signature white of Major Egan’s sheepskin is the only bright spot in the blue light of twilight. The figure sits straight as a ramrod as the engines die down and the headlights fade to nothing. Joe and Harry breathe in tandem, eyes focused on Egan as he sits there with an empty passenger seat, staring at nothing. 

Joe counts down the seconds by the ticking of his wristwatch, each passing of the needle like the countdown of a bomb.

He counts to the sixth minute and the time bomb explodes with a small gasp that Joe does not need to be there to hear. Idly, he thinks of trees falling in forests.

Watching John Egan fall, Joe thinks, is like watching a giant sequoia being felled by explosives. It is heartbreaking, terrifying, and it sparks a kind of anger in his heart at the destruction of something so timeless and seemingly indestructible. 

It’s intrusive and personal, but the thought of something so immutable breaking down without a witness feels blasphemous. So Joe sits there, wrapped around Harry with his head bowed and he makes himself watch. He forces himself to witness the destruction of John Egan as he slumps over the steering wheel, his broad back curved and defeated, but still breathing.

How soon does a felled tree know it is dead?

“I wish I saw what happened.” Harry whispers, voice hollow. Joe feels the way Harry’s arm tightens around his waist and he turns to bury his face into dark curls, no longer have the appetite to watch the loss of another life. “I wish I could tell him what happened.” 

Joe is silent for a long while. 

He casts his thoughts to the few hours he spent walking around as a solid ghost on the grounds of Thorpe Abbotts, his body still existing among the living whilst his soul is lost over the skies of enemy territory. 

He takes the grief that was a brief, but oppressing friend to him in those scant hours into his hands and he turns it over and over. He pokes and prods at the dark ball of tar that, for a few hours, dripped messily all over his heart before Harry came back and scraped every last bit of it away. 

He imagines the black viscous thing crawling all over Egan’s heart like the sticky reaches of an eldritch creature, getting into the ventricles, clogging the arteries, and poisoning the blood system to ensure death at molecular level.

The enormity of it steals his breath.

“I wish you did, too.” Joe mumbles into the riot of curls. Without opening his eyes, Joe scoops Harry’s thighs and lays them sideways over his, manhandling Harry until they are as close as humanly possible without tumbling over the edge of the tower.

“‘No record’, was all that I had to go on with.” 

Harry makes a distressed noise. 

“I don’t know what I would have done if I knew where you went down, but at least I knew you were somewhere and not everywhere at once. It’s stupid, Harry - It’s so stupid, but,” Joe swallows, breaths coming out in shuddering gasps. He wraps his arms closer around Harry and Harry reciprocates. “But it feels better, somehow, to look at a map and know that’s the last place on earth you existed because it's not like I’d be getting a body, ain’t it.” 

Joe imagines himself living through this war. 

Ten, twenty, thirty years down the road, when he has a wife and children and grandchildren - he’ll tell them all about the love of his life Harry Crosby who he will introduce as his best friend. He’ll show them all the pictures he has of Harry, tell them stories about Harry, and then he’ll pull out maps and point out his last resting place. 

He imagines visiting an obscure German countryside in his golden years, casting his eyes up at the blue skies and telling Harry to hold on, he’s coming. 

Maybe, in that future without Harry, the world might grow kinder to folks like them and Joe wouldn’t have to pretend. Maybe, hopefully, his grandchildren can look at Harry’s pictures and see the truth as clear as day and they would understand. Maybe then his grief can speak its truth - a bereaved lover.

Joe allows himself to sink through the maybes a few seconds more before resuming his vigil.

Major Egan is sitting upright in the jeep now. He rubs his hand over his face, presses the heel of his palm to his eyes, his mouth hanging open with exaggerated breathing. They watch quietly as Egan stumbles out of the jeep and drags himself over and up into the parked fort.

The hatch closed like a period at the end of a love story. 

“We’re not gonna be like them, Joe.”

Harry’s fierce tone catches Joe off guard. He pulls away to look at Harry’s white, terrified face. He’s not looking back at Joe, but the bruises his fingers press into Joe’s side speaks louder than any gaze ever could.

“We’re gonna go home and Jean’s gonna fuss over us and then you and her are gonna sing every Friday night in our lounge, and you’re gonna tell me to shut up because it’s scaring the cats.”

Harry stops speaking as though he ran out of breath. His gaze cuts to Joe so suddenly that his heart skips a beat. He sees an ultimatum in those brown eyes, an all or nothing.

“We’re gonna make it.” 

–

Joe goes up the next day on the Munster mission, lucky snowglobe in his vest pocket, and Harry’s face is the last pretty face he sees.   

–

(for Abbie (@moghraidhs) and her ability to express 'nina, why would you?' very clearly through a single thumbs up emoji)

[nerdraging4point0]

Blood of Eden // Chapter Fourteen // Bad Omens Urban Fantasy Romance

Tropes and Tags: MM, MF, MFM, MFM, instalove, too much sex, tattooed men, polyverse, shapeshifters.

CW: 18+ only minors DNI. Urban Fantasy romance, Smut. Angst. Fluff (ish), Story includes D/S themes, mentions of blood and gore, mentions of drug use and distribution, mentions of prostitution, unprotected sex, male receiving oral sex, female receiving oral sex, cuckolding, P/A sex, P/V sex.

This work below is fictionalized ideas and stories involving real people but does not directly reflect their thoughts, feelings, or behaviors. Please keep in mind that this is a work of fiction.

Taglist(click to be added): @ladyveronikawrites @mysticdoodlez @poisongirl616 @shilohrosechicken @cookiesupplier @meliferafaerie @concreteemo @itsafullmoon @letmeadoreyoux @transparentwitchnightmare @spicywhenspeaking @somewhere-diamond @iknownothingpeople @darling-millicent-aubrey @somebodyels3 @jakeygvf21 @badomensls @dominuslunae @mountains-to-move @sundamariis @caitcoreeeee @crimson-calligraphyx @darkmxgician

As soon as Noah picked himself up from the floor he crawled into the passenger seat of the Denali, wiping the tears from his cheeks and desperately trying to scrape the blood off his knuckles. His fingers cracked each time he opened and closed his fist, his accelerated healing making quick work of the mangled hand. The denali cruised easily out of the compound trying their best not to draw suspicion, as soon as they were clear and onto the freeway Jolly pressed the accelerator to the floor. 

Noah had tried repeatedly to dial Maria or Oli, there was no answer, the phones immediately going to voicemail. He tried Nick whose phone only rang and rang with no answer. 

“I don’t like this,” he growled.

“Nothing for Maria or Oli?” Jolly’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel. 

“Not even Nick.” Noah confirmed. The pair drove in silence, Noah still trying his best to reach out to Rosa, he watched billboards pass and his body swerved as Jolly weaved through traffic. Noah grew frustrated more and more by the minute, trying to reach out to an empty void. 

As Noah and Jolly approached the city exit, they were immediately struck by the eerie emptiness of the streets on what should have been a typical bustling Thursday afternoon. A palpable sense of unease crept up the back of Noah's neck, causing the fine hairs there to stand on end. Jolly, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, began to gradually slow the car's pace, his eyes scanning the deserted roads for any sign of activity or explanation for the unsettling silence.

With growing trepidation, Noah peered out the windows, his gaze darting from one abandoned sidewalk to the next, spotting only the occasional solitary pedestrian or idle vehicle - far fewer than the usual throngs of people and congestion that normally clogged the city's arteries at this time of day. "Something's off, master," Noah murmured, his words barely escaping his lips before the car lurched forward as he slammed on the brakes, causing Noah to brace himself against the dashboard.

There, standing brazenly in the middle of the street, was a figure they both recognized - Oli, his trademark leather jacket collar popped up to obscure his features, a twisted grin plastered across his face as his long, unkempt hair fell haphazardly over his eyes. 

Noah's heart raced as he scrambled out of the car, adrenaline coursing through his veins. Steading himself on his own two feet, Noah wasted no time pulling Oli into a tight embrace, relief washing over him. Jolly had quickly pulled off the side of the road, as Oli clung to Noah, his own panic evident in the way he gripped his friend's shoulders. "What are you doing? I've been calling you all day!" Noah sneered, his voice laced with a mixture of concern and frustration.

Oli's response was hurried and apologetic. "I'm sorry, my friend," he said, ushering them both off the road and towards a waiting car just down the block. "But we need to move fast. We've found a tracker in your car, and we're worried they might be closing in on you." Oli's words spurred them into action, and Noah quickly gathered their belongings, his mind racing as the trio made their way to the car, their only priority now being to get as far away from this place as possible before their pursuers caught up to them.

As they made their way slowly through the vacant streets, the group navigated their way down multiple city blocks, the homes in this part of town packed tightly together and visibly run-down. Oli led them through a creaky old chain link gate and up some dilapidated wooden stairs, finally arriving at the entrance to a weathered, aging house. "It's the safest place we could find," he said quietly, closing the door behind them as they stepped inside.

In the front room, several familiar faces were seated, all seemingly engrossed in the various tasks at hand. Jethro sat hunched over an old dining room table, a scattered array of computers, screens, and other technical equipment spread out before him. His fingers flew across the keyboards as he seamlessly shifted his attention from one monitor to the next, his salt-and-pepper hair and wire-rimmed glasses giving him an aged, experienced appearance that contrasted with his relatively youthful frame. Despite the casual nature of his slacks and button-down periwinkle blue shirt, Jethro's green eyes remained locked with laser-like focus on the screens, occasionally pushing the glasses up the bridge of his nose as he worked tirelessly, undoubtedly carrying out some critical function in this hidden refuge they had found.

Skylar sat perched on the arm of the couch, her leather boots tapping an anxious rhythm against the hardwood floor as she circled her eyes around the dimly lit room, her gaze periodically drifting to the window where she kept a watchful eye on the activity outside. Her appearance was a striking contrast - part badass and part ethereal beauty, with her black roots cropped short at the base of her skull and teal locks flowing in soft waves over one shoulder. The tense set of her jaw and the restless energy thrumming through her body betrayed the worry and uncertainty she felt in this moment.

Meanwhile, Noah caught fleeting glimpses of shadowy figures moving about at the back of the house, and soon Folio and Amber came into view, exchanging a slight nod with him before resuming their hushed, hurried work. Across the open kitchen, Maria and Mark stood in tense conference, papers and files scattered between them as they pored over the results. Suddenly, Maria's eyes flashed up, locking onto the trio by the door, and with a muttered curse, she hastily shoved the documents into Mark's hands and padded across the room, bare feet slapping against the tile. Without a word, she pulled both Jolly and Noah into a desperate embrace, her body wracked with sobs. "I'm so sorry, boys," she choked out, her voice thick with anguish. "I thought she'd be safe with him. I didn't realize..." Her words trailed off, the weight of her unspoken fears and regrets hanging heavy in the air.

“Maria, don’t worry yourself, we’ll get her back.” Jolly said, stroking his friend's hair. 

“What is all this?” Noah's eyes darted around the makeshift living quarters, taking in the hastily assembled yet functional space that served as a safe haven for his companions. "A safe house," Oli explained, his voice tinged with a mix of relief and concern. “Jethro and Mark got out a few days ago, setting up shop here before the meltdown. I barely made it out of Skytower with Maria before the Magistrate moved in. We meant to take Rosa but it was too late.”

Maria's expression grew somber as she cleared her throat, wiping away tears. "Mark and I have been pouring over every historical and scientific clue we could find, but there's been frustratingly little to go on." She paused, her gaze hardening with determination. "The best lead we have is sending Skylar on a hunting mission." Noah turned to the woman, who now stood at attention, silently awaiting his response.

Noah's brow furrowed as he processed this information, his lips pursing in a mix of worry and frustration. "How does this help me get Rosa back? What did they do to her?" he demanded, his voice rising in anguish. 

“The magistrate found the test results for the Nightshade concoction Jolly sent for analysis,” Jethro’s eyes still focused intently on his screen, gravely explained. "My guess is they're using it to harness Rosa's powers while they prepare her for trial," he said.

"Trial?" Jolly exclaimed, the shock evident in his voice. Maria nodded solemnly, revealing that Jethro had been hacking and monitoring the Magistrate's private communications. "There's been a lot of chatter about a trial at the compound in two days," she said, her words laced with a sense of dread and urgency.

Noah's heart raced as he considered the bold plan to break their friend out of custody. "So we break her out!" he shouted, the adrenaline coursing through his veins. But Oli quickly placed a calming hand on his shoulder, shaking his head. 

"Not a good idea, my friend," he cautioned, his voice low and measured. "You'd be arrested on sight if you tried something so reckless." Skylar's brow furrowed as she contemplated their predicament. 

"He's right, you know," she said, her tone level and pragmatic. "The authorities have eyes everywhere and would pounce the moment you made a move." Noah's shoulders slumped, the wind taken out of his sails, as the reality of their situation set in. But then Skylar's expression shifted, a flicker of hope kindling in her eyes.

 "But," she continued, "there may be a way - a more subtle approach that could work." 

It had been the longest, most agonizing night Noah and Jolly had ever spent away from the comfort and familiarity of their own home. As Jolly watched his beloved pet pace restlessly through the unfamiliar rooms, whimpering and scratching at the doors, his heart broke to see the animal's desperate attempts to reach their missing girl. Tears streamed down Jolly's cheeks as he witnessed the dog's futile efforts, his loyal companion clearly distressed and confused by their sudden displacement. That morning, as the first golden rays of dawn began to peek over the horizon, Jolly joined Maria, Oli, Noah, and Skylar in quietly slipping out of the nondescript safe house where they had taken shelter. Blending seamlessly into the steady flow of early commuter traffic, the group made their way further south, leaving the city limits behind as they headed into the more suburban outskirts. Though the change of scenery provided a sense of increased distance and safety, the ache of separation from their home and loved ones weighed heavily on them all.

As Skylar and Jolly strolled down the quiet, tree-lined street, they couldn't help but notice the warm, neighborly atmosphere surrounding them. Friendly strangers waved cheerfully as they passed by, their faces alight with genuine friendliness. The scene painted a picture-perfect portrait of small-town community - neighbors out and about, tending to their daily tasks like taking out the trash or walking their beloved pets. It was the quintessential image of the ideal, close-knit neighborhood.

Skylar gestured ahead, guiding Jolly's gaze towards a picturesque modern ranch-style home nestled at the street corner. The neatly manicured green lawn and meticulously maintained front porch, which wrapped nearly all the way around the house, gave the residence an inviting, well-cared-for appearance. Out front, a young girl darted about, her laughter ringing out as she chased what Jolly assumed were her older twin brothers, the siblings playfully splitting off in different directions as she tried to decide which one to pursue. The joyful, carefree scene perfectly encapsulated the charming, family-friendly vibe of the neighborhood - a place where children could safely roam and neighbors looked out for one another, fostering a warm, close-knit community atmosphere.

Jolly took a deep breath as he pulled the car over to the side of the street, parking directly across from the modest two-story house. Biting down on the inside of his cheek, he knew he was taking a risk by even being here. One by one, the rest of the group followed Jolly's lead, exiting the vehicle and gathering on the sidewalk. Jolly led the way, carefully crossing the street, hyper-aware of the three children playing in the small front yard. As soon as the group set foot on the sidewalk, the children's playtime came to an abrupt halt, all three young faces turning to regard the newcomers with curious expressions. 

"Guardians," the little girl giggled, her eyes sparkling with wonder as she pointed towards Oli and Noah, the tallest members of the group.

"Father is inside," one of the boys said, his gaze fixed intently on Jolly. Jolly gave the boy a small nod, forcing himself to continue forward up the walkway to the front door. Before he could even lift his hand to knock, the white door swung open, revealing a man just a few years older than Jolly himself. The man's brown hair was slightly receded, a small scar running between his furrowed brows, his blue eyes tired yet twinkling with a hint of warmth. The stubble on his face gave him a distinguished, almost rugged appearance, but his soft, friendly smile put Jolly and the others at ease.

 "My name is Joshua," he said in a gentle, melodic tone. "Please, come in."

[cceanvvaves]

defying fate; i.ny

(moved to isanggayfrog) warning: swearing, suggestive content

It was hard to fall in love when you were in the middle of a war.

It was even harder when the woman you fell in love with was the daughter of your father's enemy.

And worse, when so many factors forced you apart.

One, you were from warring families.

Two, you were a normal citizen, and she was a noble.

And three, she didn't harbor the same feelings.

Or so you thought.

You fought fiercely with Nayeon, fists determined to draw blood from her pretty face. Your lips were cracked and dry, your skin coated with sweat and grime. Labored panting escaped your lips, chest heaving. Heavy footsteps slammed against the battered soil as you escaped from the raging battle, Nayeon hot on your trail with an unsheathed knife clutched in her hand.

You raced through houses and flying insults from your father to hers, searching for a secluded area where you can hide.

You spotted a hill, far away enough from the two families where you could rest and catch your breath.

Climbing the hill hurriedly, you ignored the stinging pain from your cut-filled hand and shredded shirt.

Once you reached the top, you scanned the vicinity and were about to sit when a figure charged at you and pushed you down, blade pointing at your heart. Alarmed, you stretched out your arms to hold her wrists. Both of you wrestled, one desperate to cause pain and the other struggling to protect themself.  Nayeon caught you by surprise and pushed you down, swiftly resting the blade against your carotid artery.

"Hey," you rasped out. "careful, now. It's not fair that you've got a weapon and I have none."

"The world isn't fair," Nayeon spat. She straddled you as you lay defenseless on the ground, holding your hands in place above your head. She glared at you, anticipating your next move. You greedily took in her features. The stray strands of hair sticking to her damp forehead, tongue poking out in concentration, furrowed eyebrows and charming eyes staring deeply into yours. Reaching up to brush a stray lock of hair behind her ear, you let your lips curve up into a slight smile.

"I give up," you sighed, relaxing your body.

Giggling, Nayeon set you free and collapsed beside you, knife rolling a safe distance away.

The moon had tucked the sun to bed, taking its place and glowing at both of your faces. The stars weren't there for company tonight, so the sky was darker than usual. You could hear the faint screams coming from the village, hoping against hope that your father didn't do anything rash.

I'm sorry I left you, but I need some time alone.

"Hey," the girl beside you whispered, running a thumb along your lower lip and wiping off the dirt. "They'll be okay."

Nayeon's eyes traveled down to your leg, where a gash in your pants exposed a bloody knee. "Oh, goodness," she panicked. "Was this me? What do I do, what do I do?"

She fumbled with the hem of her shirt, successfully ripping off some cloth and tenderly wrapping it around your injured limb. You stared at the scarlet-stained grass as she worked on you, mind working nonstop, filled with thoughts of random things.

She's cute when she's worried.

"There," she said triumphantly, grinning and showing off her characteristic teeth. You smiled back, enjoying the silence that followed.

The bunny girl broke it with a question. "If I asked you something, would you answer it truthfully?"

You hummed. "Of course."

"If you died tomorrow, would you be able to say you're satisfied?" She didn't elaborate, but you understood. Are you happy lying in your bed tonight, knowing you might not be there the next day? Would you be able to say, confidently, that you've fulfilled your heart's desire?

You thought carefully. You detected the seriousness laced in her voice, and decided to answer wholeheartedly. "I'd say yes. I've lived. I've lived a lot, actually."

"What? But you only live once!"

"You only die once," you corrected. "But yes. I can say I'm satisfied. I've experienced joy and despair. I've felt pain and comfort. I know what it's like to love and be loved."

"I wish I could say the same," Nayeon muttered.

"What do you mean?"

"I'd rather be a lover than a fighter. I've been hiding for too long, restraining myself for so long, I'm tired. I feel like a coward because I'm too scared to do what I most want to."

"Then do it," you said simply.

"It's not that easy."

"Still. Do it."

"Why?"

"Because if you died tomorrow, then you'd be sad." You two were touching shoulders now. Nayeon scooted even closer, her breath tickling your nose. Her eyes silently asked for permission. You tilted your head as a sign of approval, and she leaned in, claiming your lips with hers.

Your lips fit together with a perfect rhythm. Soft and slow, innocent, even. She pulled back after a quick second, making sure you were okay with it before diving in again. 

You met her eagerly half-way, crashing your lips harshly onto hers into a wet kiss. She moved to hover over you, trapping you in between her legs and desperate for your attention. It was no longer a chaste kiss. Your cold hands slithered under her shirt and traced patterns on her soft skin, causing her to gasp. Her hands found their way to the back of your neck, playing with your hair.

You could feel the way she shivered underneath your touch, your hands roaming and exploring every part of her body as your tongue darted out to tease. A quiet moan escaped her mouth and made you grip her waist firmly.

Her scent was the only thing entering your nostrils, intoxicating you and making you greedy for more. Her warmth was in contrast to the soft breeze that came. Your ears were filled with the soft noises of pleasure Nayeon made.

You broke it for a moment to catch your breath and went back, feeling the atmosphere get hotter and the tension between the two of you get thicker. Your mind was clouded with bliss and euphoria, finally doing something you've been dreaming of for so long.

Your hands slid down to rest on her thighs, her fingers accidentally tugging at your hair, prompting you to let out a soft gasp. You stopped, but only to trail kisses along Nayeon's throat, making her breath hitch and let out a whine, grabbing your shoulders desperately. "Fuck, don't stop," she breathed.

Reaching a certain spot, you gently bit down, releasing another moan from the girl on top of you. You pulled away to hold eye contact with her. Seeing the disappointment and betrayal in her eyes, you smirked. "Let's take this somewhere more private, shall we?"

[salstray]

Keegan P. Russ x fem!Reader - Guardian Angel - part 3 3rd person pov warnings: blood, guns, knife wounds 1.8k words

--

~The Meet Cute~

Part 1 = Part 2

--

No one was invincible. 

Keegan was always careful to remember that. It didn’t matter how much training you had, how many years you’d been at it, and sometimes it didn’t even matter how careful you were. Sometimes it was just sheer luck that got you where you were. 

In this case, it was bad luck.

It wasn’t life threatening. A knife wound on his thigh, a few inches off from his artery, but leaking blood like it didn’t matter. Like it wanted to kill him or, at the very least, leave a crystal clear trail of crimson in the snow. A perfect path for every Fed soldier combing the mountain side to use like birds following breadcrumbs.

It wasn’t life threatening. Not in the traditional sense at least, but he was alone out here. Alone, unlucky, and outnumbered. 

He needed to move. To push himself away from the tree against his shoulder and head deeper into the frozen underbrush. Hide himself somewhere low and quiet where he could deal with his leg and wait for the all clear from Merrick, but it wouldn’t matter where he hid, how well he covered his boot tracks, if the blood was still dripping from his heel with every step. 

The not so distant sounds of Spanish reached his ears and he resisted the urge to swear into the open. They were too close. Too damn close for him to do anything. 

Keegan crouched low, wincing silently at the pull of flesh at the edges of his wound. The warm gush of his blood squeezing out of his veins made an unpleasant shudder roll up his spine, but he took a deep breath and raised his gun instead of dwelling on it. Getting hurt was never fun, yet it was still part of the job. 

He put his scope up to his eye, slowly scanning it back and forth, spotting the shifting of his enemies and their snow-colored camo through the trunks of the surrounding pines. Keegan counted six men and pressed his lips together under his mask. They way they were spread out? He’d get two… maybe three before the others clocked his position and pinned him behind his meager cover. Even so, just because he counted six didn’t mean there weren’t more. Fuck knows there had been more in the convoy he’d been following-

Keegan almost jumped right out of his skin at the feeling of warm, soft fingertips barely brushing against the nape of his neck. The only sliver of flesh he showed besides the painted space around his eyes and the newly exposed tear in his own white and gray patterned cargo pants. 

He whipped around, gun barrel at the ready, sweeping it from side to side into the empty air behind him, panting at the sudden rush of adrenaline and the surge of fear that pulsed through him. 

Suddenly, something snapped. Loud and echoing, on the other side of the enemy, the opposite side of the forest from where he was hiding. Distant. Distracting. Sending them off shouting, weapons ready, crashing through the dormant shrubs and low hanging branches like hunting hounds after a fox. Keegan turned back to watch them, noting in his mind as his heart steadied again that he now counted eleven men tromping their way through the snow. 

He was touched again, feather-light, warm against his frigid skin, and Keegan flinched. 

“Easy,” that voice called, making him freeze all at once. “Let me help.” 

The hand at his scruff gently slid to his shoulder, but before it could settle there, before the other hand could slide past him to rest on his thigh and heal the wound that was still dripping onto the snow, Keegan stood and turned. 

His gun was up, the hot end pointed directly into a pair of shimmering eyes. Wide and worried, but not at all afraid and not even slightly surprised. 

“Who the fuck are you?” Keegan growled, low and quiet, well aware of the fact that he was still in enemy territory. Still close to a lot of people that wanted him dead. 

“Your leg-” 

“Answer me or I will shoot you.” 

It was a woman. Shorter than him, softer than him. Not even dressed for the weather… no vest, no radio, no flag to show her loyalty to one side or the other. Just… clothes. She wasn’t even shivering and the mountain was nearly below freezing at this time of year. His brow pinched ever so slightly and his eyes narrowed harshly as he took her in. Watched her stand there, her hands slightly raised in surrender, her flickering eyes dancing between his own and the place he’d been stabbed. 

When she spoke to him again, it was a name. Her name. Then a small smile curled at her lips and Keegan’s heart did something… funny at the sight of it. Something he didn’t exactly like that it was doing. 

“What are you doing out here?” He hissed, keeping his gun level with the tip of her nose. “Where did you come from?” Keegan’s eyes barely moved. Barely glanced at the fresh, unbothered snow behind her. It was pushed up around her shoes, bunched up at her ankles and near her calves, but there was no trail behind her that suggested she’d walked up to him. It looked more like she’d just… appeared where she stood.

“I want to help you.” 

“How?”

Her eyes, still bright with emotion, fell back to his thigh. “You’re bleeding.”

“Not the first time,” he grunted.

She huffed, her smile twitching up on one side. “Not the last either, I’m sure, but I’ll be there for you then too. Like I was up in that sniper nest… remember? The house on the hill?” Keegan’s jaw shifted under his mask, the rough, aged fabric rubbing uncomfortably against the stubble that grew there. 

It had been four months since that day. Since he’d been shot, nearly killed, yet got up and walked off like it had never happened. He dreamed about that night. Constantly. Vividly. A picture perfect reenactment his unconscious mind gave him to analyze over and over and over again. A situation that he’d still not come to terms with. Something he still couldn’t rationalize in any way that made sense.

“You…,” he muttered, voice barely more than a rough, ragged whisper. “...that was you.” 

She beamed at him, her smile full and bright and… beautiful.

“Yeah. That was me.” She clasped her hands behind her back. Again, her gaze fell to his leg. “Will you let me do it again?”

“M’ not dying this time.” 

“Don’t need to be dying for me to help,” she stated. “Just need to be hurt.” Then she looked right down the barrel of his rifle and Keegan, for some fucking reason, felt himself flush under all the paint. Slowly, he let it fall back down towards the ground, the butt of it sliding loose from the nest of his shoulder. 

“Right.” Maybe it was stupid, maybe she was some Fed assassin that had come down from the trees or something, but he took his eyes off of her. Turned to look the way his known enemies had gone, making sure they were still running off after their red herring, then turned to face her again, nodding once. 

He was tense when she took a trudging step forward. Had his fingers tight against the icy metal of his gun, all his muscles wound up and at the ready, should he need them. 

She didn’t attack him, however. Didn’t pull out a knife and gut him where he stood. Just reached forward with one hand, splaying her fingers across the now ruby red fabric, her palm pressing into the gore with a silent squelch that made him press his lips together under the mask. His eyes flickered down to the contact, then back to her face and he decided all at once that he didn’t like the way blood looked on her skin, but he did like the look of concentration that twisted her features. It was… cute.

Keegan almost had to shake his head to dislodge the thought from his mind. Now was not the time.

He’d already felt the warmth of her hand through his layers. She wasn’t even touching him skin to skin, but he could feel it through everything. Feel the way it poured into his bones, into the twitching skin as it slowly sewed itself back together. The chill of drying blood vanished too and Keegan’s eyes widened a touch as it faded from his white camo. First a bright sort of vermilion, then a rapidly vanishing pink, then back to the broken pattern of gray, white, and black that hid him in the mountains and the forest. 

When his eyes met hers she was smiling again and he felt the absolutely traitorous pull of a matching gesture at the right side of his lips.

He’d never been more thankful for the mask. 

“There. All better.” 

“What are you?” he breathed, blinking a few times as his thoughts caught up to him. As the reality of what had just happened was finally carved permanently into the wrinkles of his brain. 

“Just someone that wants to keep you safe,” she answered simply. She took a step back, her feet planted back into her original prints and bent to the side to look past his arm, out towards the trees. “You shouldn’t stay here. The Federation is still too close.” 

As if on queue, the low growl of Merrick’s voice filtered through the static of his radio and Keegan jolted as it sounded in his ear.

“Keegan! Time’s up, Hesh’ll be waitin’ for ya by the river mouth. Haul ass, Feds aren’t happy and they know we’re here!”

The motion he made to reach up and respond was second nature at this point. “Copy,” he rasped, eyes still locked on the strange, pretty thing in front of him. When his glove settled back on his weapon, he spoke again. To her. “When am I gonna see you again?” 

She shrugged. “Depends on when you get hurt again.” 

What if I wanna see you outside of that? He had so many questions he wanted to ask. So many things he didn’t understand about her and why she was even here. To help him, sure. She’d said that point blank, but why him? Why not any of the other Ghosts? Why not any other soldier out there, fighting to take back their home? 

Keegan didn’t voice any of them, though. He simply grunted, adjusted his hold on his rifle, and glanced over his shoulder, back out over the snow. 

And when he turned to give her some sort of goodbye, he found only fluttering snow and frosty wind in front of him. Along with two deep pits where she once stood. The only evidence that he hadn’t, in fact, lost his mind up on that hill, in that house. 

So, instead of speaking, he sighed. Heavily. 

Then turned and bent at the knee, gun barrel raised and eyes sharp.

--

[ishtadawnstar]

Introductions

As Astarion scanned the dense forest, every rustle of leaves and distant animal call set his nerves on edge. The dread of Cazador's wrath was a shadow that loomed over him, a dark cloud that tainted even the brightest moments.

The thought of those harsh, cruel eyes finding him again, of the chains and torment he had barely escaped, was enough to make his blood run cold - as cold as the steel he suddenly felt being pressed against his neck.

Astarion froze, his breath hitching and heart pounding as a dagger slid past his face, the sharp edge dancing lightly across the skin under his chin.

His pulse thundered in his ears, and he held his breath, painfully aware that even the slightest flinch could result in his carotid artery being sliced open. The sensation was a chilling reminder of how close death always was.

"Now this is how you threaten someone..." a voice purred menacingly.

His eyes widened as he recognized the voice. How in the hells did she sneak up on me so quietly?

The fear was quickly replaced by a wave of embarrassment and anger. Swallowing nervously, Astarion slowly raised his hands, palms out to show he held no weapon.

Trying to appear much calmer than he felt, he forced a cheerful tone. "Hello again. Still alive, I see."

"How observant. Yes, not much has really changed within the past half hour... including your position, it would seem," Ishta replied, a hint of amusement in her voice. He could detect a faint trace of mockery, and he felt his anger rising again, his pride stung by her nonchalance.

The sensation of cold metal against his neck abruptly disappeared, accompanied by the sound of a dagger being sheathed.

Springing up, Astarion spun around and reached for his own dagger, only to find, to his dismay, that it was gone. Looking at the Ranger, he saw her holding it up and examining the blade, turning it around to catch the light. She glanced at him with laughing eyes, and he clenched his fists angrily.

"What do you want?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous, eyes narrowing into slits.

"Well, first of all, this edge is a mess. Needs a good sharpening," Ishta remarked, tossing the dagger back to him. He deftly caught it in mid-air by the hilt and looked at her with a mixture of surprise and annoyance.

Folding her arms, the Ranger quietly observed him as he returned the blade to the sheath on his belt, his movements stiff and controlled.

"Is that all you came back to say?" Astarion asked testily, his patience wearing thin, his usual charm stripped away by the tension and humiliation of the encounter.

Ishta shook her head and smiled slyly. "No. I came back to test a theory."

Astarion stiffened slightly, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Surely she can't already suspect I'm a Vampire... The thought sent a shiver down his spine.

"And what theory might that be?" he inquired casually, striving to keep his tone light and unconcerned.

"That you won't survive for long out here without help. If I could sneak up on you that easily without even trying, then I guarantee the predators of this forest are going to be eating gourmet tonight," Ishta grinned, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of mischief and mild concern.

Her words struck a chord, and Astarion felt a pang of vulnerability as he reflected on the harsh reality of his situation. He'd been so caught up in his own thoughts that he'd allowed this damned Ranger to get close enough to lay a blade on him.

Either she was extremely stealthy, or he was getting sloppy. Neither explanation was very encouraging, but maybe there was still a chance to turn things around. She must have sought him out for a reason, unless she just enjoyed toying with people....

The Ranger's tone became more serious as she continued, "Look, the wilds can be a pretty dangerous place for someone on their own even at the best of times. Add to that, roaming Intellect Devourers, Mindflayers, and definitely Goblin raiders, and well... I think it would be best if you joined me and my companion after all."

Astarion could feel his pride warring with the stark truth in her words. He was no fool - he knew that his chances alone were slim. But to accept her offer would be to acknowledge his weakness, to admit he needed help, and that was a bitter pill to swallow.

He took a deep breath, his eyes narrowing as he studied Ishta. Her confident stance and the way her eyes constantly flicked from his face to their surroundings indicated she was fully alert and taking in every detail around them.

She wasn't wrong about the dangers; the forest was more than likely teeming with threats, and he was far from his best while starving as he was.

If her fighting skills matched her calm confidence, then Astarion knew he'd be a fool to pass up an opportunity to ally himself with her - as much as he hated to admit it.

"I was ready to go this alone, but maybe sticking with the herd isn't a bad idea. Safety in numbers, after all," he said slowly, each word feeling like a concession. "And anyone that can crash a Mindflayer ship and walk away unscathed seems like a good person to know. All right, I accept. Lead on."

First impressions are so important, and Ishta has certainly made an... interesting one on Astarion. If you like this excerpt from my story and want to read more the click on one of the links below.

And to clear up some confusion, the Vampire lore in my story is a bit different from recognised D&D lore. (Mainly because from a writing standpoint, its extremely limiting and fustrating to describe the emotions of a character without the heartbeat and breath as indicators.) They have a heartbeat, but it is usually at 1bpm when calm, which prevents blood loss from injuries etc. However the more emotional they get, the closer to standard mortal levels their heartbeat becomes and the more dangerous it is for them to be injured.

Breathing is a bit more complicated; they can and do breathe, but they can hold their breath for an impressive amount of time and it won't kill them if they are suffocated in some way. They just fall unconscious and exist in a sort of hibernation until their bodies sense breathable air again.

https://www.wattpad.com/myworks/369105372-ishta-blood-huntress

[onedaughterofman]

You, forever (Chapter IV: A funeral pyre)

Pairing: Papa Emeritus IV x g/n reader

Summary: The Clergy takes something from Copia, but he refuses to let go.

Warnings: Mentions of blood and corpses. Implied/referenced murder.

PART I HERE / PART II HERE / PART III HERE

The Nameless Ghoul stands in the middle of the room. Hands behind his back, spine straight and feet positioned firmly on the ground, he basks among the shadows. His eyes, covered by the round glass of the mask, remain on the figure in front of him.

“How is the cleanup going?”

Papa Emeritus IV paces from left to right, black cornette tall on his head. The hat obscures his factions, making him look harsher at the edges, older than he is. There’s a heavy furrow on his brows, as his mouth curls downwards. From time to time, his pupils dart from one corner of the foyer to the other, lingering somewhere far away on the long hallways.

In a deep rumble, the ghoul’s voice elevates over the distant creaking of the fire. “Up to your standards,” he replies. Only after a beat, his mouth opens again to add a small “Sir” as an afterthought.

For a long moment, Copia only nods absentmindedly. His eyes are closed, head tilted when his fingers reach up to press on his temples. “Do it better,” he commands, waving one hand. “I can’t stand the smell of death.”

The ghoul’s mouth becomes a thin line behind his mask. His tongue brushes over the pointed tip of his fangs, biting back the words he wants to say. It doesn’t matter how well they clean the place, because the heavy stench of death doesn’t come from the humans stored in the chapel.

No, he knows better. It’s clear as day that, lately, the pungent smell of blood, pain and misery clings to Copia like a shadow, coating his clothes and skin with demise. Nevertheless, there’s no sense in stating it, it will offer nothing more than a faint satisfaction at his despair.

“Understood. Anything else?”

Letting his fingers fall from his face, Copia shakes his head. “No, we’re done here. Finally .”

Since his birth all those centuries ago, the ghoul has known humans to be short sighted, quite simple creatures. They have all this world to them, all the abilities and potential to create and destroy, but they lack legitimate ambition and foresight. Humans also don’t seek for the truth that is, but for the one that allows them to sleep at night. 

This time, the ghoul lets out a muffled chuckle. Papa Emeritus IV overhears it, even through the thick mask. “ What? ” He asks, halting his pacing. “Do you have something to say, ghoul?”

“Do you want me to say something, sir ?”

The last word burns on his tongue. Making deals with the Clergy is something he can tolerate on most days, since it provides him with a chance to inhabit a body and to feed on the energy of hundreds, if not thousands of people during the tours. Yet, on other days it’s a tortuous chore to obey the commands of a mere human. Especially one like Copia, who only recently started demanding nothing but uttermost respect.

The more desperate Copia becomes, the tighter his leash becomes around the necks of the Nameless Ghouls.

He despises it. 

“Speak.”

For a few seconds, the ghoul remains silent. His eyes scan over the other’s face, down to his tense shoulders and trembling hands. A smile stretches his lips as he decides to, finally, reply. “As you wish,” he begins. His next words are like sharp knives, digging into Papa’s flesh without mercy, tearing it apart. “This is not over yet. Your little massacre has taken you nowhere.”

No blood comes out of Copia’s body, but the ghoul can practically enjoy its taste. The human’s heart beats faster, filling the arteries and veins with rage and fear. He smells it, the anguish and despair, the sorrow and pain.

Oh, how enticing, how delectable.

There’s nothing as raw as human emotions, nothing better to feed on. Inhabiting a vessel doesn’t fully compare to the whole complexity of humanity. The ghoul might walk like a human and look or speak like one, but his body is nothing but a hollow puppet desperately wanting to be filled with sensations. The bigger and cruder, the better.

In front of him, Copia jerks his head again. His eyes are gloomy, concealed behind his troubled expression. “Nonsense. I’ve killed them all,” he says, breathless.

Under the mask, the ghoul smiles widely. “Not all of them.”

“What do you mean? Saltarian is gone! The old man is gone! And so are all the higher-ups in the Clergy, priests and priestesses alike,” Papa Emeritus yells, right arm wildly gesticulating in front of him. “There’s no one else.”

The dozens of bodies inside the chapel are proof of it, but there’s one missing. The ghoul takes one step ahead, maintaining his hands clutched behind his back.There’s no emotion in his voice, just a sliver of amusement. “Have you found peace, then? If they are all dead and gone, are you granted respite?”

Those words cause the desired effect on his victim. The emotions, raw and heavy, strike him in the face with the force of a whirlwind. Copia staggers back, throat tight when he swallows once, then twice. His eyes are veiled, focused on a mirror in the distance, looking at something only he can see.

“You…What do you mean?”

Taking another step, the ghoul tilts his head. The distressed image of Copia reflects on the dark glass over his eyes. “There’s something I need to make clear. I don’t have any kind of feelings towards you, positive or negative. I’m here because I’m obliged to, until the contract is fulfilled or you die. So don’t misunderstand me.”

Step after step, the ghoul gets closer to the other. Even if he’s not tall, his presence seems to tower over Copia, reducing him back into nothing but that poor Cardinal that crossed the Ministry’s doors years ago. It's intoxicating to have a resemblance of power back, to remind humans of the place they primarily belong.

Born from chaos and fire, the ghoul searches for home on earth. “It’s not my place to judge whether you’re doing something right or wrong. The only reason why I’m going to tell you this is because this game is growing stale, boring.”

Breathless, Copia takes one small step back. “Game?” He whispers, voice hushed.

“Human affairs. Humans killing humans, destroying each other,” the ghoul begins. “So listen closely. You haven’t killed the one responsible for the death of your partner.”

“ Who? ” Papa Emeritus growls, gloved fingers closing over the neck of his jacket. The ghoul remains still, head high. “Tell me, you little devil. Tell me, or else!”

Over the silence of the foyer, the ghoul’s laugh comes from every little corner, from beyond the halls and within the walls. It’s nothing like his normal speaking tone, but something stronger, inhuman. “Don’t believe yourself to be so special,” he mocks, hand reaching out to grasp Copia’s wrist.“You might be a chosen one on this earth, but after death you all burn the same. Like pests.”

The poison embedded in his tone doesn’t compare with the one stored deep within Copia’s when he growls in his face, fist tightening around the ghoul’s clothes. Papa’s jaw is locked, eyes opened wide and pupils trembling, feral inside his irises.

“It’s an order, you wretched creature”, Papa snarls. His white eye emanates a bright, blinding light that casts deep shadows on his face and illuminates the dim room. The energy coming from him hits the ghoul in waves, one stronger than the other. “I command you to tell me who this person is.”

Feeling a shiver travel down his back, biting at his bones and devouring him from the inside, the ghoul bares his teeth under the mask. The sigil binding him to obey burns almost like hellfire on his skin, seizing him by the guts and twisting his core hard. This is the first time Copia used his power over the contract to actually put him in place, and he doesn’t know how to react to that.

In the end, an order is an order.

“Yes, your Infernal Holiness,” he replies, lowering his head in a show of submission and respect. Papa Emeritus IV doesn’t allow him to go as he continues. “The person you’re desperately looking for has always been here inside the Ministry, commanding and punishing behind the shadows. The one you want is the enabler of Armageddon.”

The hold only becomes stronger as Copia’s hands travel up the ghoul’s neck, squeezing with enough strength to make him endure it. Even if infernal creatures don’t require air to survive, when on earth they are bound to certain limitations from their human vessels. The Nameless Ghoul feels the burn inside his lungs, as they cry for any relief.

“That tells me nothing!” Papa yells, voice breaking in the middle of the sentence. He pushes the other away, beginning to pace around the place. His stare is feral, pupils wandering from one corner to the other, haunted by his own demons.

A human, tormented by human emotions. The Ghoul almost prefers this despair over the raw anger. “I answered your question,” he states, fixing the neck of his jacket before his hands go back behind his back.

“A name! I want a name!”

Even as Papa Emeritus yells on his face, the infernal creature remains stoic. “I gave you something better. Their true nature. That’s their real name. How humans chose to call themselves and others means nothing to us.”

If his Dark Eminence wants more answers, at least he doesn’t press any further. The Nameless Ghoul stands in the middle of the room, pupils following the other as he destroys the furniture until it’s nothing but a pile of wood and fabric, old trash that will burn along with the bodies to feed the funeral pyre.

PART V HERE

Ps: We're really getting some plot today lol. I'll try to focus on ending this series before posting more new WIPs and requests. I hope you guys understand.

I love the idea of the Nameless Ghouls being weird little creatures that just want to see the whole world burn. They are here for the vibes only.

Also, Copia being all commanding is awakening something inside of me. Something unholy.

[mandana-the-service-pup]

Just got home from my Cardiology apt about these heart episodes I’m having.

Checking for anemia, thyroid and CT scan for calcium deposits and artery size.

I’m not happy with how I was treated like a mentally ill patient despite having no anxiety/depression/etc but at least they’re doing some tests.

If nothing shows up then I think I’m done with Cardiology. I can start Methotrexate and focus on GI stuff next.