#Hot Grumpy Surgeons

[zenaidamacrouras1]

Chapter 3 is up PLUS PLUS PLUS @daisytarget (on ao3) made a moodboard !! All the little details (I let them read ahead in my draft) are perfection!!! Also the fic has grown by 6 est chapters and is now looking like 60k words minimum, send your humble author who never learns bagels.

New fic! Posting...weekly or something.

Stellate

Summary:

Dr. Bucky Barnes is a plastic surgeon, highly regarded in his field. Dr. Steven Rogers, new head of the ER, has very little regard for Dr. Barnes or his field. Content Warnings: Descriptions of medical procedures and surgery, particularly for burn patients. I tried to make it not totally gross, but y'all, human bodies are like, kinda yucky.

Author's note: I wasn't totally ready to post this today, but frankly, I need the serotonin, for reasons, and I suspect I'm not the only one.

[isabeauwolf]

Pregnant reader x Trafalgar Law

Chapter 1 - Coffee and Confessions

You worked at the small coffee shop down the block from the hospital on one the The Grandlines infamous Winter Islands, it snowed most of the year, except for the rare two month for spring and summer, then goes back to cold, winter once again.

You always loved the snow, watching the flakes fall from outside your window as you curled up on your couch with a cup of hot chocolate, your favorite blanket, good book and the puppy you just adopted naming him Onigiri.

Oh, sure it got sure busy and you had to work most holidays, but it was worth it.

Why?

The famous, cold, stoic and handsome Surgeon himself, Doctor Trafalgar D Law become one of your regulars. You heard his nicknames whispered underneath people breaths, "The Surgeon of Death" and "Doctor Heart Stealer," to name a few.

Twenty-six, handsome, doctor and single?

How in the world was this man still on the market you never know, but he was easy to talk to.

Well, somehow you two had become closer after the embarrassing questionnaire you two had while off the clock at work eight months ago.

You were fine until you excused yourself to go throw up in the nearest bathroom. Thank god, you packed a travel size toothpaste, toothbrush and mouthwash in your purse since you had spend the night with Jess last night after work.

Jess is your co-worker and best friend, she knew of your secret crush on the Doctor. And like the idiot that you were decided to scroll through tinder, hook up for a one night stand and.... your face paled, no.

No, oh no.

Fuck, oh my fucking god. No.

What? How? You were on the pill! You used condoms! Fuck.

You looked at yourself in the mirror in horror, inwardly screaming, Oh god, I'm pregnant! You wanted to bang your head against one of the bathroom stalls. "Okay, calm the hell down, Y/n." You whispered to yourself, hands gripping the edges of the sink hard. "Everything will be fine."

A knock on the door made you jolt, knots hitting your belly. "Who is it?" You asks, voice wavering.

"Y/n, it's me." Jess' voice calls from the other side of the door. "You've been in there for a minute." Worry in her tone as she whispered. "Can, I come in? I've got Max covering the counter."

"Yeah." You sniffed, wiping your mouth with the face of your hand. Unlocked the bathroom door, let Jess in and closed it, re-locking it.

"You look like shit." Jess joked gentle, hoping to get you to laugh.

"Thanks, ha ha," you muttered, leaning against the wall, sliding down, knees against your chest, crossed your arms over your chest, burred your head in your arms and cried. "Dammit, Jess, I fucked up."

"Hey, hey, shush," Jess kneeled beside you, rubbing your back. "What happened? Was your hookup harassing you?" She asked, immediately growing defensive. "I thought he didn't do repeat hookups?"

You mentally scoffed, if only. "No, that's not it." You sighed, meeting her emerald green eyes. "I think... I'm pregnant." You muttered, biting your lower lip.

Jess' eyes grew wide. "What?! But I thought you were on the pill and he wrapped it! Are you sure!"

You immediately covered her mouth with your hands, glaring. "I am and he did." You hissed, "Please, keep your voice down. I don't want the whole staff and our customers to know."

Jess nodded her head and you lowered you hands and ran your hands through your hair.

All of this started because you were too shy to ask Dr Sexy out, like a coward, you hoped to get a good lay out of your system and instead, ended up pregnant. If your mother and older sister ever found out, you knew they wouldn't judge you since both of them got knocked up while they were both sixteen. At least you were twenty-four, like that was any better.

Single, unmarried and now pregnant.

Those three words rang in your head over and over.

Hitting harder.

"Damn," Jess nudged you lightly, siting down beside you. "I thought you wanted to let off some steam for Mr Grumpy Pants, but instead you got lost too deep in that wild night, huh?"

"Your telling me." You closed your eyes. Dammit, how were you going to face Law again? Would he find you gross? Look at you like you were a harpy? You hoped not. You really hoped he wouldn't think any less of you.

"Hey, I know that look." Jess pointed you in the forehead, "Stop being a negative Nancy and get out of your head." She pointed over her shoulder, "Besides, Dr Sexy is waiting for his order. You know he only wants you to take his order." She gives you a smirk. "I think he's crushin' on you hard."

"No, he doesn't." You fired back, frowning. "If he did. I'd gladly be having his baby instead." You blinked, grew flustered and covered your mouth. "Forget I said that."

Jess hummed, smirking. "Yup, your type are bad boys with dark hair, dark eyes and tats." The raven haired woman, offered you her hand, which you took as she helped you up. "What was baby daddy's name again?" She raised a brow, "Ace?"

"Yeah," You frowned, instinctively placing your hand over your abdomen. You immediately thought of the biker with black hair, charcoal eyes, bright smile and adorable freckles on his face. Sure, Ace was hot and easy to talk to, but you both agreed that that night was a one time thing. Besides he was long gone and on the road with his brothers Luffy and Sabo in their biker gang, ASL. It would be best to not tell him, even if, you kept his number in your phone. "He was a gentleman and a nice guy but..." You trailed off, frowning deeper.

"He's no Trafalgar D Law, right?" Jess pulled you into a side hug and nodded. "I get it."

Another knock outside of the bathroom door sounded. "Is everything okay in there? Y/n- ya?" His monotone drawl called, a hint of concern in his tone.

Speak of the drop dead sexy doctor and he shall appear.

Oh no. You didn't want to go back out there. Law was observant, he would know something was wrong, you knew it.

"Y-yeah.. I'll be right out Law." You panicked and stuttered like a dumbass. You met your friends gaze with wide eyes as your breath hitched, nerves clawing at your belly again and you held yourself tighter, whisper underneath your breathe. "I'm not ready, Jess."

"Alright, call me, if you need anything." Law replied, "I'm off work for the rest of the day and will be hanging out for a bit." With that he walked away, returning towards the counter, waiting.

Stubborn man.

"Come on," Jess stood and helped you up. "I'll run to the pharmacy real quick and grab you a test while you and give Dr insomniac his coffee."

You nodded and reached for your purse, grabbing your wallet when Jess' hand lightly touched yours.

"No, I'll pay for it. It's the least I can do." She winked, "I know you'd do the same for me."

You nodded again, wiping your face with the back of your free hand and rewashed your hands. "Thanks, Jess." You met her reflection in the mirror, offering her a sheepish smile. "I'll owe you a coffee on our next girls trip."

Jess' smile widens. "You know it." She unlocked the bathroom and went out, announces. "She's coming Law!"

You bit your lip, holding back a snicker at your friends innuendo to try and make the Doctor's face fluster. After repacking everything into your purse, you took a deep breath and walked out.

You saw the back of Jess' head as she went out the door after throwing on her thick black and blue ski jacket with her white gloves and matching scarf you bought her last year for Christmas.

You felt Law's eyes on you as you made your way back to the employee's locker room, You inwardly shivered and felt embarrassed as your cheeks heated up, clutching your purse tighter to your chest. Your mouth had become dry as you shoved your purse back into your locker, pulled out your water bottle to gulp down a few heavy sips, then put it back into your overnight bag your brought with you from last night.

Quickly applying hand cream on your hands and shoving it into your pocket with you phone and retied your apron, you went back out onto the floor with your best business and cheer smile.

There he was.

Your crush, Trafalgar Law. Sporting a black turtle neck sweater, his spotted print faded washed denim jeans, white and spotted printed hat (which cutely reminded you of a snow leopard, or Onigiri) he always wears when he's off duty and his black boots. He had rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, rolling them up to his elbows, showing off his tats and had his arms crossed over his chest. Leaning against the wall, his long legs crossed at the ankles, looking bored at he glanced down at his smart watch.

Dr Heart Stealer was hard to read most of the time, but it was clear that he was worried with the nervous tapping he was doing with his inked index finger against his forearm. The stoic and cold surgeon could come off as intimating at first, but it was clear that he had a dark past since he never really talked about himself, mostly his work and his annoying coworkers: Penguin, Shachi and Bepo.

You had seen them from time to time as Penguin and Shachi loved to tease Law and were two trouble makers, but his childhood friends. Bepo was a literal polar bear in the form of a man, shaggy blond hair, blue eyes, a sensitive soul and very loyal towards his friends. He was also Jess's not so secret crush. Bepo was a giant, even taller than Law, which was impressive. What he was doing in the medical field you will never know.

You stepped behind the counter, putting on new gloves, grabbed the stores tablet, flickering your nervous gaze on the man of the hour as Law meet your stare, shoved his hands into his pockets and leaned off the wall, casually walking towards you.

You could honestly get lost in Law's stunning silver eyes. His dark sense of humor was funny. You are always reminded how much he towers of you as he approached and stopped at the counter.

"Are you feeling unwell, Y/n-ya?" His professional mask of stoicism was present, but you could have sworn.. he was frowning?

"I could be better, but I'm okay, thank you, Law." You replied, snapping out of your daze and refocusing your attention back on the tablet in your hands. "Would you like your usual for tonight?"

Law's slight frown deepens.

Shit, he didn't like that.

"I may be off the clock, but I still am a Doctor… if you ever need me Y/n-ya." He whispers, leaning against the counter, his usual stern tone was gentle and genuine.

Oh lord, please have mercy. Your hands tightened around the tablet, pressing it against your chest, growing flustered as you take a calm and steady breath. "I appreciate it, Law…" How the hell can you tell him no? You can't. "My shift is almost over…" You stare deep into his pooling sterling, stormy orbs. "I do have a few personal questions.. if you are willing to listen?" Dammit, I caved!

You mentally wanted to face palm yourself and scream in horror, but you kept your mouth shut.

Law's mood brightened a tad, it was small, but noticeable. The twinkle in his eye and the way his lips twitched into that familiar and bewitching smirk that had you swoon and mentally fan yourself. "I'll be waiting with my usual order then, thank you, Y/n-ya."

How can his lazy drawl sound so smooth at the same time? It wasn't fair!

"Thank you for your order, Law." You replied, lowering your gaze to try in the order you knew by heart and told him the order and total. "Medium black roast with a triple shot of espresso and a cream. That will be six-fifty, please."

He put his debit card into the card reader and typed in the pin.

You gave him his receipt.

Your hands brushes lightly as your heart thudded harder in your chest.

Law stiffened, then took his copy of the receipt and sat down at the back of the coffee shop, his usual spot. It was private, but he had full view of the shop.

You made his drink as Jess came back.

Oh boy.

You closed your eyes and counted to three as you walked out from behind the counter and slowly made your way towards Jess to grand the small paper brown bag, whispering your thanks and turned in Law's direction.

Law's gaze trailed curiously towards the bag. It was private and rude to stare, but he couldn't help it. Were you sick? What did you need so badly that you couldn't go get it yourself?

The more Law thought about your health, the more inwardly concerned he'd accidentally gotten himself worked up. But decided not to say anything for now.

You set his drink down as your glanced at the clock. It was 6pm, the end of your shifts. "Here's your coffee, Law." You smile at him, hand tightening around the brown bag. "I'll be back, excuse me." You quickly turned on your heels and rushes back into the bathroom.

Law wanted to follow you and ask what was wrong, but remained seated and reached for his coffee in hope the drink could help settle his nerves. Reminded himself that it wasn't his business, it didn't concern him. He couldn't help it, this unsettling feeling that something was wrong.

Jess came back out of the break room, drawing Law's attention as he noticed the worried look on her face.

He was tempted to ask.

A few minutes later you came out of the bathroom, tears in your eyes. It made his heart ache. He wished he could comfort you.

He observed as you help the brown paper bag in your hand and whispered to your friend who frowned and gave you a hug.

Law's grip on his drink tightened, his hat covering his eyes.

He heard someone approaching and recognized your black and white tennis shoes, forcing his gaze to meet yours. Your eyes were still red and puffy from crying and you looked nervous as you nibbled on your bottom lips, grip tightening and wrinkling the paper back. "What's wrong, Y/n-ya?" He asked slowly, he couldn't keep quiet any longer, he had to know.

"May I sit down with you Law?" You ask softly.

His nodded, "Of course, here." He gesturing across from him at the empty seat, standing, walking around, pushing out your seat and waited to push you in. "Is here okay or would you like to talk more in private?"

You were hesitant. "Can you come with me into the break room?"

"Very well." He pushed the chair back in, grabbed his drink, backpack and followed after you. "Is it okay for me to go back there?" He didn't want to get you into trouble.

"Max said it was okay since it was an emergency." You replied without meeting glancing over your shoulder, you reached the break room and were about to reach for the door knob when Law's hand was faster, opening it and holding it open for you. "Thank you, Law." You gave him a sheepish smile and entered first.

He once again helped you into your chair when you blurted out. "Can you become my doctor?"

He wasn't expecting that. "I can see if I have any opens available." He answered, raising a brow. "What for Y/n-ya?" His silver gaze scanned you from head to toe, apart from crying, he noticed that you had gained a bit of weight which didn't both him. "Why me?"

"I trust you Law." You admitted.

It made his heart skip a beat and a hint of a blush rise across his cheeks. "I appreciate it, thank you." He muttered, he raised a hand out of instinct, covering his eyes with his spotted hat. Clearing his throat as he leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, grabbed his coffee and took a sip.

You took a deep breath and figured you'd go ahead and get it out of the way. Rip it off like a band aid.... a really big, one. "I'm pregnant."

Law nearly choked on his coffee, drops of the hot liquid left his mouth. He swallowed quickly, coughing as he covered his mouth with the back of his hand. "Excuse me?" He sputtered, scanning your face for a hint of a joke or a lie.

He found none.

You felt so bad. Speed walking towards the coffee machine, grabbing a handful of naps and handed them to him. "I... probably could have said that better, huh?" You blushed deeply.

"Th-thank you." He coughed, using them to wipe his mouth, chin and hands. "I didn't know you were seeing anyone."

"I'm still single yes." You admitted, glancing away as you sat back down. "It was a casual hookup a couple of weeks ago." You tilted you head. "No about a month ago." You opened the brown paper back and pulled out the pregnancy test and laying it on the table, resting your hands in your lap.

Law stared down at the test. "Did you not use protection or are not on birth control?" Sure enough, their were two blue lined on the test, showing that it was positive.

He shouldn't be upset. You are an adult and he wasn't your boyfriend. This still wasn't an easy pill to swallow either, yet he couldn't abandon you. It took a lot of courage to tell him, to trust and open up to him.

"We did." You muttered, hands clapped tightly. "And I am."

Law took off his hat, running his inked hand through his scruffy black locks. "Both aren't one hundred percent."

You nodded. "Perhaps it's that strong D clan genes." You joked, but it seems to have unnerved Law. You wondered why?

That made Law pause, his eyes widen. "Your hooked is a member of the D Clan?"

"Yes," You nodded again. "Portgas D Ace." You picked up the test, held it in your hand, stood to your feed and walked over to the trashcan, threw them away and leaned against the counter. "I think, if I remember right you know his little brother don't you?"

Law had heard of StrawHat talking about his older brother.

From what Law remembers Ace was Luffy's half brother from his Mother Rouge remarrying Monkey D Dragon when Ace was three. Her first husband Gol D Roger has died from an illness before Ace was born, Luffy was born not long after and they had adopted Sabo.

He does recall Luffy shoving his phone in Law's face when StrawHat was back in town last month, showing off pictures of his adventures with his brothers. He never saw Ace in person. It made Law secretly jealous that Ace had caught your eye.

He supposed Ace is considered attractive with him being taller than Luffy and had more muscle, same stupid happy go lucky trade mark smile or that mischievous smirk he shared with his brothers.

Ace was known to be more polite.

And yet, Law still felt the burning coals of jealous and envy towards the bastard.

Law felt his hand tighten around his hat before he shoved it away in the back of his mind. "Do you plan on keeping the baby?" He asked softly, meeting your eyes.

You placed you hand on your abdomen. "Yes, I don't have the heart to get rid of the baby."

"What about adoption?" Why was he prying? It wasn't any of his business.

"I'm not sure yet." You turned untying your apron and putting it in your lockers. Slipping on your heavy winter coat and untying your hair, ruffling it a bit and sighed. "Thanks for not judging me by the way."

Law's jaw clenched tight, then relaxed. "Your welcome." He stood, threw his backpack over his shoulder, downing the rest of his coffee, threw it away and talked towards the sink to wash his hands. He'd sneak a peak at you as you finished gathering what looked like a small black and purple duffel bag and your purse. "Where'd you go last night?"

"Slept the weekend at Jess' and came straight to work." You faced him smiling.

God, if you knew what that smile did to him.

Law dried his hands and pulled out his cell phone. "Here's my number, if you ever need anything or have any questions. I'll see, if I can squeeze you in first thing in the morning."

"Are you sure?" You blinked. "I don't want to take anyone's spot in case the hospital needs you."

Law smirks that sexy smirk of his again. "I'm sure they can manage." He opened the door for you again as you walked through and he followed, watching as you put on a white beanie with pink hearts on with a matching scarf and gloves.

He wasn't going to say it out loud but apart from his beloved leopard print clothes, anything with hearts on it was a close favorite of his. It reminded him of his adoptive father Rosinante Donquixote. He supposed it gave him nostalgia and comfort, made himself smile whenever he saw the design.

It suited you.

You took out your own phone, adding him to your contacts, saved it and handed it back to him. "Thanks again, Law."

"No problem, Y/n-ya." He replied, tilting his head. "Aren't you going to give me yours?" He held his phone in his hand, fingers hovering over the screen.

You blinked, growing flustered. Oh, right. "Oh, here." You repeated your phone number that you made yourself rewrite and repeat over and over until it stuck.

You lead the way, wishing Jess and Max goodnight as you exited the coffee shop.

The street lamps were bright and shining against the dark sky. The world was covered in a layer of white, big fat flakes fell slowly as you smiled. Closing your eyes, breathing in the chilling winter night air, holding it in your lings and exhaled, reopening them to watch your breath puff into a cloud of fog and vanish.

Law felt him own mouth tug into a ghost of a smile.

Feeling his stare you turned towards him, meeting his beautiful and steamy silver gaze as he zipped up his black winter coat with pride orange spots trailing at the bottom, his beloved spotted hat back in place on top of his head.

"I'll see you in the morning then?" You muttered, half turning to head in the towards your apartment.

"Yes, I suppose I will won't I?" Law tipped his hat towards you and walked away in the opposite direction, the sound of crunching snow was loud and echoed in the quiet streets. "Be careful."

"You too Law." You watched him go. Your gloved hand tightened on the strap of your duffel bag. Did you do the right thing? Asking Law, your crush to be your primary care doctor? You only wanted to ask him a could of question, but the intrusive thoughts won. You could always change to a woman doctor, if you wanted to. Guess Jess is going to tease me for blabbing to Law.

Shivering you rubbed your arms and made your way home. You knew Onigiri, the sweet and adorable little guy was waiting for you. Guess that means he's going to be a big brother isn't he?

I can already see him being overprotective of the baby and sleeping beside the crib, or somehow crawling into it. You giggle to yourself.

Law paused at the top of the hill, turning and watching your retreating figure grow further and further away. He had half a mind to chase after you and walk you home, but he thought better of it. He's sure you'll be fine he tells himself.

He followed your silhouette and watched you walk around the corner, making a mental note to look up possible houses close by in that direct in case of emergencies, and not for creepy reasons.

Readjusting his bag he whispered quietly to himself out loud, "Good night Y/n."

------ End of Chapter 1 ------

Okay, I know it didn't end exactly like the poll and preview, but I kept writing and writing until I decided to break it down. XD

I hope I didn't disappoint my fellow Law fans!

Were you surprised who the baby daddy was? Yes? No?

Give me your thoughts please! I tried to keep our snow leopard close to canon.

Tag list: @m0sigma7 @angelblueflame @pandora-writes-one-piece @short-honey-badger @supreme-burrito @fanaticsnail @turtletaubwrites @cherry-queens-blog @fairymama624

[hyrules-warrior]

There needs to be more fics focusing on Joel’s PTSD and other issues after returning to Jackson.

I mean the guy has finally opened himself up after loosing his daughter. He was having panic attacks in episode 6, had full on dissociative episode with the events at the hospital. This guy has issues and finally being safe with Ellie in Jackson, those will start to come out as he relaxes for the first time in 20 years.

There are pancakes for breakfast at the canteen one morning. Joel gets in two bites before he goes white faced and barely makes it outside and between the buildings before he violently throws up everything he has ever eaten in his life and sits there hyperventilating and shaking until Ellie finds him and he comes back to himself. Sarah and him were supposed to have pancakes for his birthday breakfast that last day......before.......

Ellie has horrible nightmares, but so does Joel. Terrifying dreams of failure, of dying in that basement and leaving Ellie alone, of failing to make it to the surgeon in time to stop the surgery, of letting David......... He wakes up and has to stumble over to Ellie’s room to check on her just as much as she does for him after her dreams. Sometimes he is so shaken he has to wake her to make sure she is okay. But usually he just sees and hears her breathing and that is enough. He will settle in the window seat of her room with a gun and keep watch the rest of the night. Unknown or maybe just not acknowledged by both, Ellie herself sleeps the best the nights when he does this.

He has moments of high anxiety where he just has to lean against something for a few moments and breathe through it to settle his ringing ears and pounding heart. He isn’t even sure of the triggers most of the time, it seems to come out of nowhere. He also has sudden moments where he totally checks out but still functions. He is thrust back into survival mode and usually after has no idea why and barely remembers what happened during it. He closes right off, seems to stare at something far away instead of who is with him, his responses come out in his “asshole voice”, cold and distant. People just think he is grumpy, had a rough night or something but Ellie knows better. If she is there she works to keep people off of him and remove him from the situation in case that has triggered this shut down moment. When Ellie is with him her voice and touch grounds him, is the lifeline he tugs on to swim back to the present. It takes 10 times longer to drag himself back if she isn’t there.

His stab wound was major and the first aid done on it was understandably not the best. It never really heals right and remains sensitive. It pulls uncomfortably sometimes and aches horribly on cold winter days or when the pressure drops before a storm. And the phantom pains....... He wakes some nights from feverish dreams of the basement swearing he has just been stabbed all over again. The pain so fresh and sharp he thinks someone broke in and stabbed him there with a red hot fire poker. The first time it happens the wounded animal noises he lets out unbidden scare Ellie so bad she thinks he is dying and her extreme fear is what brings him back to the present. In the future he tries to hide it, dealing with his pain in silence (or attempted silence). Ellie still seems to know though and will silently come into his room and curl against his side allowing him to slowly settle. Or if the pain comes during the day she will push him into laying on the couch and get out the hot water bottle. Heat and seeing Ellie alive and well seems to soothe the pain, chase the winter away from his memory. 

Just like with Ellie’s trauma, these things begin to fade with time and attentive care from the one he needs most.

[seekforwarmth]

hello and welcome to the first fic rec of 2024 featuring my favourite works from what i’ve read during the past weeks. as always, please check tags before reading. if you liked the fics please reblog their posts, leave kudos and write a nice comment. happy reading! rec tag | more rec lists

— harry/louis —  

໑ Red Wine/Long Nights by lucky28 (G, 1.3k, strangers to lovers, infidelity, fluff) When Louis goes to surprise his boyfriend with an unexpected dinner date, he's nothing but excited. That is, until he runs into his boyfriend's boyfriend along the way.

໑ Abundance by @rockstarlwt28 (M, 1.7k, established relationship, breastfeeding, failure of conception, fluff) The Tomlinson-Styles' family are blessed with their own Christmas miracle, Tallulah Jay. A lifetime of happiness follows her birth, her mother, Louis and father, Harry are instilled with hope and an abundance of love to double their already blossoming marriage.

໑ make my wish come true by localopa / @voulezloux (NR, 2.4k, friends to lovers, flat mates, christmas, angst with happy ending) the one where all harry wants for christmas is lou

໑ heaven in these sheets by @thepolourryexpress (E, 3.5k, established relationship, bunny hybrid louis, pwp, fluff) Bunny Hybrid Louis has it out for his boyfriend’s phone.

໑ powerless (and i don't care) by localopa / @voulezloux (E, 4k, established relationship, canon, fluff, slight angst) everyone on tour calls each other daddy, don’t ask why. and louis is so used to calling everyone “daddy” that, when he finally comes home, naturally he calls harry that.

໑ now you hang from my lips by teenytinytomlinson / @hs3lt2 (E, 6k, red herring, implied cheating, read tags and author’s note) Louis goes out and finds exactly what, or rather who, he’s looking for at the hotel bar.

໑ You're like a Sponge (Abrasive and Colorful) by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup (T, 6.5k, coworkers, university au, hate to love sort of) Louis's flirts look an awful lot like insults.

໑ Behind Smoke Stained Curtains by @jaerie (E, 19k, strangers to lovers, a/b/o au, truckers, secret identity, one night stands) The worlds align when Louis meets an alpha from the road with as many secrets as he holds himself.

໑ i feel like this is the beginning, though I've loved you for a million years by puppyvirvinloui (spanish, NR, 22.8k, established relationship, marriage, sunshine/grumpy, trophy wife louis, pregnancy) Louis quiere un bebé, no está muy seguro de que Harry quiera lo mismo.

໑ sunshine (you temptress) by @petitommo (E, 26.8k, acquaintances, complicated relationships, age difference) Harry had everything he'd ever wanted in life. Well established, in love, and on the very precipice of the rest of his life, everything goes wrong. The road forwards is paved with difficult emotions, firm denial, and a complicated relationship to the strange teenager he'd snorted coke off of that one eventful night at the club.

໑ the mountain between us by happilylarry (NR, 31k, strangers to lovers, plane crash, surgeon harry, photographer louis, injuries, angst) Harry is a surgeon and stranded at Salt Lake City International Airport. He is to perform a surgery in fourteen hours in Boston. Louis is a journalist and stranded at Salt Lake City International Airport. He is to be married in ten hours. They decide to charter a private airplane to Denver, where they will get on their respective flights and part ways.

Or so they thought.

໑ You Ain’t Gotta Feel Fear Just Mingle by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup (T, 32.7k, co-workers, advent fic, library au, christmas, fluff, humour) Harry has been at his dream job for less than three months, and he knows two things for sure; first, his project manager doesn't know what he's doing, and second, someone in the office is apparently pure evil, and no one will tell Harry who it is.

Oh, and the guy who works in conservation at the other end of the building is the most beautiful man Harry's ever seen, even when wielding a hot iron as a weapon.

Happy Christmas, here's to many more.

໑ I Really Like Your Styles: The Baking Advent-ure by @homosociallyyours (T, 34k, strangers to lovers, advent fic, coffee shop au, barista louis, baker harry, food, american au) Louis isn't much for frills, and the coffee shop he co-owns with his best friend Liam is evidence of that. Yes, it's got a decent sized, well-kept industrial kitchen, but Louis insists that people come to coffee shops for coffee, not mediocre pastry and plastic wrapped cookies. When Liam's campaign for serving treats turns into watching a few baking accounts on whichever popular app he's on, there's one that really gets on Louis' nerves: "I Like Your Styles." With his chipper demeanor and over the top descriptions of the food he makes, Louis is sure that the (unfortunately cute) baker is full of it. Nothing that adorable could possibly be worth the hype.

It doesn't actually take much for him to eat his words…and some quality baked goods, while he's at it.

— rare pairs —

໑ for the rest of my life (for the rest of yours) by localopa / @voulezloux (louis/zayn, M, 1.5k, exes with benefits, canon au, song fic) zayn and louis are exes. they still sleep together.

[mecommentating]

Imagine if Kal had gone and become a surgeon in kharbranth like his dad wanted. What if he’d ended up becoming part of the Diagram group? What if the enemy had Kal as their weapon instead of Dalinar? Frick that Dalinar would be dead in that plateau run bro. No Urithiru. Odium would have taken over and the cosmere would be destroyed

Or. Teft would have been our main boi and we'd have a grumpy old man addicted to weed leading the resistance

OR

Oh my goodness he goes to kharbranth and becomes an edgedancer instead because healing ye know and Shallan's story goes as normal until she has her episode and they think she tried to off herself and they put her in the hospital and cue hot young edgedancer surgeon Kaladin. He falls for her but she does not fall for him (I will die with Shallan x Adolin). She leaves, he follows her. He ends up on the shattered plains and saves Dalinars life when Adolin beaten and bloody drags Dalinar's half dead body back from the disaster plateau run where Sadeas betrays them and now you have Kaladin favored advisor and surgeon of the royal Kholin household

[sonlisasims7]

Introducing the Contestants

Hello everyone!

I'm Sabrina, a fairy-in-training and your hostess for the Foxbrook Generations Challenge. This challenge is simple: 30 lucky (or maybe unlucky) guys and gals have recently moved to Foxbrook to try to find love and maybe start a family. As a fairy, its my duty to ensure that everyone gets a happy ending, though things are not always quite so simple. Here I will be chronicling what has happened in the last week in the lovely town of Foxbrook, from new love and breakups, to cute dates, happy accidents, and even secret affairs. Nothing shall escape my magic eye, muahaha!!

So, without further ado, let us meet our new neighbors.

Django Brigham

Gatherer, Hydrophobic, Lucky, No Sense of Humor, Star Quality

Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous

Maria Pavone

Childish, Coward, Eccentric, No Sense of Humor, Slob

Jack of All Trades

Yuuki Chaudhary

Coward, Flirty, Friendly, Light Sleeper, Loner

Heartbreaker

Gulnara Johannessen

Angler, Dramatic, Frugal, Natural Cook, Unstable

Celebrated Five Star Chef

Zeferino Marquez

Cant Stand Art, Coward, Green Thumb, Shy, Vegetarian

The Perfect Garden

Yana Hobson

Cat Person, Charismatic, Dramatic, Easily Impressed, Loves the Outdoors

The Cat Herder

Otobong Charbonneau

Bookworm, Great Kisser, Green Thumb, Technophobe, Unlucky

Golden Tongue, Golden Fingers

Eadburga Kools

Dog Person, Excitable, Friendly, Neurotic, Savvy Sculptor

The Canine Companion

Narcissus Koemans

Brave, Great Kisser, Kleptomaniac, No Sense of Humor, Unstable

Firefighter Super Hero

Angeline Guerra

Athletic, Born Saleswoman, Green Thumb, Loner, Unlucky

Become a Superstar Athlete

Ghulam Andreas

Adventurous, Hopeless Romantic, Hydrophobic, Natural Cook, Shy

Great Explorer

Netta Blaha

Genius, Hot-headed, Loves the Outdoors, Lucky, Vehicle Enthusiast

Become a Creature-Robot Cross Breeder

Adoniram Peter

Disciplined, Loves the Outdoors, Natural Cook, Rebellious, Unlucky

Physical Perfection

Malati Sessions

Adventurous, Grumpy, Irresitable, Nurturing, Perfectionist

Seasoned Traveler

Porir Romao

Athletic, Great Kisser, Grumpy, Heavy Sleeper, Perceptive

Pervasive Private Eye

Gwenith Blake

Easily Impressed, Family Oriented, Genius, Heavy Sleeper, Vehicle Enthusiast

Surrounded by Family

Georg Vob

Charismatic, Easily Impressed, Inappropriate, Schmoozer, Unstable

Super Popular

Nadia Holt

Artistic, Clumsy, Grumpy, Light Sleeper, Mooch

Master of the Arts

Aeneas Amundsen

Artistic, Dog Person, Handy, Lucky, Photographer's Eye

Visionary

Valeria Chaykovsky

Green Thumb, Hates the Outdoors, Nurturing, Proper, Socially Awkward

Perfect Student

Ayaz Ahearne

Cat Person, Coward, Diva, Family Oriented, Proper

More than a Machine

Gudlaug Millard

Diva, Eccentric, Perceptive, Vegetarian, Virtuoso

Vocal Legend

Baraka Egawa

Childish, Insane, Light Sleeper, Mooch, Proper

Gold Digger

Kirke Kinsley

Charismatic, Great Kisser, Hopeless Romantic, Lucky, Vegetarian

Master Magician

Zack MacAlastair

Bot Fan, Cat Person, Hot Headed, Loser, Natural Born Performer

Celebrity Psychic

Tambudzai Wang

Cat Person, Disciplined, Genius, Mooch, Vehicle Enthusiast

Martial Arts Master

Filip Eliassen

Bookworm, Cant Stand Art, Loser, Neat, No Sense of Humor

World Renown Surgeon

Nazli McGuire

Family Oriented, Never Nude, Savvy Sculptor, Social Butterfly, Unflirty

Descendant of da Vinci

Hilding Robertson

Cat Person, Family Oriented, Neurotic, Schmoozer, Vehicle Enthusiast

Master of Mysticism

Oydis Pavesi

Eccentric, Excitable, Mooch, Nurturing, Slob

Monster Maker

P.S. Here's a link to the Custom World being used in this playthrough

[ikkaku-of-heart]

@celestiialnotes asked: "I hope you can consider me a friendly face. Your captain is a friend of my little brother. It's nice to get to know what kinda crew Traffy has with you all." - Sabo, who's probably wanting to explore the sub without permission-

"A friendly face?" Ikkaku asked, putting down the box of supplies on the Polar Tang's deck to observe the blonde. She'd heard of the Revolutionary Army, of course, and she knew she'd seen the Chief of Staff's bounty poster even before Dressrosa. She'd worked for a Warlord, after all, so it made sense for the World Government to shove the pictures of their enemies in the Hearts' faces like they were attack dogs or something.

Too bad for them, the Hearts had never been all that cooperative. Now they were even less so, with the news that Sabo had been imperative to Law making it through the Dressrosa Debacle, as Ikkaku started to call it.

So she smiled, leaning her hip against the crate as she turned to fully face Sabo. It was a hot topic of debate, whether or not Law actually considered Luffy a friend or not, but it was obvious the rubber captain considered them such, and Ikkaku supposed that counted for something. "I considered you a friendly enough face already, seeing how many headaches you and your associates cause the World Government. But you helping my captain out, even a little, with the whole Doflamingo bullshit...yeah, you're pretty good in my books." Even if Law leaving the Hearts behind to battle the feathered bastard was still a bit of a sore spot for the engineer, she didn't bear any ill will toward Sabo over it. Unlike the Straw Hats, he hadn't been asked by Law to be there to help him with his revenge. Him being there had been luck or fate or whatever. Not her captain deciding another crew should be at his side during his stand against his tormentor.

Shaking those thoughts off, Ikkaku focused on the present. No need to depress herself in front of a potential ally, or even friend. "As for what kind of crew we are, well, we're a crew that does our best to do right by our captain. We train hard, work hard, and do our best to keep him from getting too grumpy. Not sure what else I can say about us that won't sound like hollow bragging, though. Kinda curious what kind of crew you imagine follows the Surgeon of Death."

[books-in-a-storm]

Book Of The Week

Title: Dr. Wrong

Author: Crystal Monroe

Pages: 288

Synopsis:

Paging Dr. Grumpy…

Dr. Ryder Finley is a smoking hot surgeon and a total grouch. Arrogant. Entitled. A cold-hearted brute with a sculpted body and gorgeous eyes.

We’ve bickered since day one. So what if I notice the bulging biceps under his scrubs… And that he's very good with his hands? He’s my sworn enemy.

When he asks me to be his fake fiancée for a real estate deal, I think he’s lost it. But I’m desperate to get my pushy family off my back. So I agree.

I’ll wear his ring and pretend to be in love. Then I’ll go back to hating him. But I didn’t count on one tiny detail: Ryder’s not the devil I thought he was.

I don’t know what’s crazier: That I’m falling for my enemy... Or that I’m having his baby.

[the-book-queen]

Hide your wallets, it’s that time again #TBQsBookDeals

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KU Title

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TBQ Rec

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I liked this one

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[bloominghands]

@inksofoblivion​ whispered:  "What would it take for you to become a Heart Pirate?"the doctor smirks. "... bear in mind I can be _very_ persuasive."

  Laughter bubbles up from her chest, warm and bright; It’s not mocking, however, no-- she’s actually quite flattered to be asked such a thing. In the past Robin had been the one to insert or insist herself into crews, as she had the Strawhats, and being invited was quite novel. Still, whether or not his question was genuine, her laughter quiets to something more thoughtful, though the soft smile upon her lips never dissipates.

 “Well, a time machine for one.” She hums. “Honestly, back in Alabasta, if Luffy hadn’t allowed me to stay, I’d have joined the next ship I happened upon-- anything to be away from that desert before the Marines caught up to me.” 

   It’s a thought that makes her pause. Where would she be now if her captain hadn’t accepted her? That was a dark moment for her, and there was no telling what would have happened. Suppressing a slight shudder, Robin turns golden eyes upon the surgeon, and reaches over to playfully tilt up his chin with a finger. 

  “Ah, but the past is past, and I’m afraid my place is firmly upon this ship, though I’d certainly love to see you try to convince me otherwise~” 

   An impossible task, of course, her loyalty to Luffy ran soul deep, but Law. . .? Well, she could certainly think of far worse, and far less handsome men to be under -- work under -- yes that’s what she meant.

[bruciemilf]

ACTUALLY, you guys WILL listen to my Bruce & Officer Martinez brain rot because they have Peak " grumpy sunshine " and " asshole sunshine" dynamic and I'm not letting it go

Here's the thing about Jim Gordon; He has patience; He has tact. But he's also a petty shit, and God almighty, he WARNED Batman to stop his solo crime busting for extra dangerous cases

So yes; He gestures to Martinez, sugar cream on his moustache, files overfilling his arms. He tries to wave. They fall everywhere. ''This is your divine punishment "

"... Did you really just refer to Martinez as a punishment?"

" Honestly, I'm just happy to be included!"

Martinez is still SUPER sketchy about Batman, but of course he freaks out in the Batmobile; Yes, it's from the back-seat, but it still MATTERS, - " You know, my aunt is actually a mechanic, and-"

And that's the second thing Bruce writes about him in his profile journal; First thing being 'Talks too much.' Second is Family man.

But he actually listens to everything because it's comforting to know Gotham allows some love to survive.

And Bruce REFERENCES all stories. When they investigate different sources he's like " This is a professional dismemberment. We should ask your brother's opinion"

" My brother?" " I'd ask mine, but I don't have one." " No asshole I mean - you know my brother's a surgeon? You listen to me?" " I always listen."

FIGHTING OVER THE RADIO! GIVE IT TO ME! BECAUSE YOU JUST KNOWWWW BRUCE PLAYS THREE DAYS GRACE AND SKILLET AND MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE

" you listen to this shit??? Unironically?? THIS is REAL music" and then-

" GIMME GIMME GIMME A MAN AFTER MIDNIGHT-"

And also a ton of Nicki Minaj. " PULL UP IN THE MONSTER AUTOMOBILE GANGSTA-"

Bruce almost rearranges his whole skeleton right there; Martinez eventually figures out that it's Bruce's special interest so he apologises, " I'm sorry I called you out on your terrible taste. We can listen to that Bridge song or whatever"

*shaking with rage* " It's. Not. Called. That."

Literally give me Martinez whining Bruce's ear off until they reach a drive through, and Bruce is just standing there like a STATUE

Martinez leveled up to front seats and is rubbing his hands together like a greedy gremlin, but Bruce does Not move. " Welcome to Bat Burger can I take your order? Hello?" And Bruce is just. Petrified

" Can I had- have, can I - um,"

" what was that?"

" ... Burger"

He pins Martinez face to headboard and makes him SWEAR he won't tell anyone about it but Martinez is too busy laughing his ass off

Martinez always talking about Bruce, - He gave my sister a job as a security guard after she got out of prison. Murdering her rapist, you know how it is

"... I don't, actually." " Well yeah, you grew up in the good part of town, probably" "There's no good part. Only good coincidences."

"... Oh yeah, you're DEFINETLY rich."

Martinez and Selina strangers to enemies, 500k words, slow burn.

Martinez is a dog boy and she's a cat girl. It was expected. She kicks his seat in the Batmobile and he readjusts his chair as LOW as possible just to annoy her

" Crazy cat lady KNOWS something. "

" Don't call her that."

" I don't have to, her smell does it for me, - wait. Are you... Are you HOT for her? SERIOUSLY?"

And so what if Bruce's fast feels hot under his cowl? " Now's not really the time for a jealous scene."

" Oh I'M not jealous, bro. She's in your pants, I'm your emergency contact and organ donor. We aren't even in the same highway."

" ...When did you do that?"

" We don't have time to talk about all that-"

Martinez super casually mentioning he knows Bruce's identity. " Thanks for your help, Mr. Wayne"

[SHOCKED SILENCE]

" How... How did you?"

" BRO. I'd know that jawline in death."

[nokacchan]

"Mine Forever"

Kenma Kozume x fem!reader

Genre : one shot, fluff , wholesome

Summary : Kenma is a popular twitch gamer and he has a s/o. No one has ever seen her face but they know her name. However on a faithful day, Kenma's s/o decided to pop by after finishing a long day at university.

A/N : lmao I said I'll be back in may but here is something I wrote. It's trashy lmao but enjoy!

---

You and Kenma had been dating for almost 7 years. You two were friends from middle school. Recently you have been busy with university as you major in medicine. After a whole week of interning at a nearby hospital, you just wanted to bury yourself underneath the covers and sleep all day long. Of course before that could happen, you decided to drop by the ramen stall to get dinner for you and Kenma, knowing that he probably hadn’t had lunch either beside snacking.

Upon entering Kenma's apartment, you could hear muffles of Kenma's voice followed by the sound of his game playing in the background. You placed the bag of food on the dinner table before making your way to his gaming room.

“Kenma, i brought dinner”, you announced as you carefully avoided being seen on camera. He let out a hm before pausing his game. He turned his head to look at you before pulling you closer to him. Your head was out of view from the frame of his camera. You could see the comment section of his other monitor going crazy as you ruffled his hair. He wrapped his arms around your waist.

“Do you want to eat now or later?” he asked before looking over to his monitor.

“Later, I’m going to wash up first. You can eat first if you want to”, you told him before moving away. He scrunched his nose before grabbing your wrist. You looked down at him in confusion.

“Nooo kitten, come back here”, he whined. You let out a chuckle before playfully shaking your head. “Look, the viewer wants to see your face too. Stay~”, he pouted before pointing over to the second monitor. You looked over to see if what he said was true. You let out a sigh. It was not that you were camera shy but you were just exhausted and you didn’t want his viewers first impression of you to be bad. “Fine, let me at least change to something more comfortable, I'm still in my nurse uniform. Love you, bye~”, you quickly replied before escaping from his sight. “YAH”, you heard kenma yelling as you made your way to your room to change.

Kenma continued on with his game while waiting for you to come back. He even brought in the food you brought and placed it on the table beside his gaming desk. As he continued playing his game, he looked over to read some comments.

‘Is Y/n a nurse or a doctor?’

Kenma raised his eyebrows before answering. “Y/n goes to med school to become a surgeon. Right now she is an intern at a hospital. So she’s a bit cranky from working all week long” He chuckled as remembered how grumpy you were when he woke you up this morning for work. Just then he heard your footsteps approaching. Looking at the camera viewer, he saw you enter his gaming room with your glasses on.

‘Oh My Gawd i just saw y/n’

‘Why is she so cute T-T’

‘HELP’

Kenma couldn’t help but feel the corner of his lips being tugged as he read the comment. You wrapped your arms around his neck before kissing his cheek. “I’m hungry, let's eat now”, you said before letting go of him. Settling down beside him, you opened the food bag and took out your ramen container. Kenma looked over before pausing his game. He quickly changed his twitch stream name from ‘playing (game name)’ to ‘Dinner time…meet my girlfriend’.

You passed Kenma his ramen container before opening yours and digging in. You were happy to finally have to eat a fresh and hot meal after a long week of having to rush your meal before being called in for an emergency or assisting the patient in your ward zone. You placed the chopstick down before rubbing your left shoulder which started to hurt. Kenma noticed your discomfort. He carefully massaged your shoulder that was hurting. You let out a mumble of thanks as you leaned back into your chair. You read some comments and couldn’t help but let out a laugh.

‘Kenma is so soft with his girlfriend o_o’

‘AHH HER LAUGH IS TOO CUTE’

‘When did you and Kenma start dating?’

You re-read the last comment before answering. Kenma continued eating his meal with his left arm placed around your shoulder. “Kenma and I are childhood friends, together with kuroo. We started dating when we were in middle school. So we've been together for 7 years”, you said proudly while showing the number seven with your hands. You smiled softly before looking over at Kenma who was already staring at you. You pinch his cheek before continuing to eat your meal. Kenma shook his head before playfully rolling his eyes at you. He had already finished his meal. He chatted with you while also answering some questions about you two in the comments. He was glad that the reaction of his viewers to seeing you for the first time was positive. Talking sure did drain your energy. You slowly doze off as you rested your head on Kenma's shoulder. Slowly but surely you fell asleep. Kenma looked over to see you peacefully sleeping, he left a peck on your head before returning his gaze back to his stream. He was about to wrap things up with his stream when a comment caught his attention.

‘You better wife her up or we are going to steal her away from you’, he scrunched his nose in disagreement.

“No, you guys can’t steal her away from me, i’ll put a ring on her finger before you guys can even think about it. Alright, I need to move y/n back to our room before she gets cranky tomorrow about back ache. Bye”, he said as he ended his live stream.

He let out a sigh as he looked at you wrapped his arms around your waist before whispering into your ear,

“You’re mine forever".

[snoffyy]

So I thought I’d touch base with the Fried Fish crew cos it’s been a hot minute. I kinda made this up really quickly while I was in a placement at a hospital last week twiddling my thumbs. Bit of a snippet from a weird au spawned during that time; figured I’d share it anyway. Full disclosure: it’s been some time since I last studied the cardiovascular system, so don’t come at me with inaccuracies lmao. I made it as vaguely informative as possible.

(And yes, I made Zhao a heart surgeon just to make a pun.)

“Are you sure you don’t want to go straight home?”

Zhao glared at Jee, sure that his exhaustion was plain on his face. It’d been a long day of surgery, case after case bleeding (ha) together until he barely even remembered what procedures he had done. Look, when one had accepted to be a guest lecturer at the local medical school on the spur of the moment while still juggling research and consultations and lately awfully long operating days – a need to replace all their blood with caffeine became more of a priority than anything.

Hence why he’d jumped at the opportunity to join Jee for a coffee run.

It was four in the afternoon, Zhao had been up since five in the morning, and he still had to get that fucking presentation which he had to give next fucking week in order.

“You’re a heart surgeon,” Jee berated. “Shouldn’t you be, I don’t know, harping on about how caffeine is bad for your heart?”

“Moderate consumption of caffeine doesn’t have detrimental effects on the cardiovascular system,” Zhao said irritably.

“Yeah, but that’s assuming moderate consumption. How many cups have you had today?”

“None of your goddamn business.”

Jee snorted and opened the door to a little café, a bell jingling cheerfully overhead as he gestured for Zhao to enter.

“Sure thing,” Jee said airily. “You might like this place, actually. It’s new. There’s a lot of high schoolers who like to come hang out here, but the coffee is damn good.”

Yeah, Zhao could see a group of them tittering at one of the booths. The radio was on, and there was a string of pink lights hung across the walls, lending a soft glow to the place.

They got in line, and as Jee perused the menu, he absentmindedly asked, “What did you even do today?”

“Heart valve replacements and a coronary artery bypass.”

A low whistle. “Damn.”

Zhao rolled his eyes. “I’m fucking tired. Can’t even enjoy my day off tomorrow because I’m still wrangling with that bullshit powerpoint that should’ve been ready last fucking week.”

“You’ve still got another week,” Jee said sympathetically. They were close to the counter now, and there was a barista with a shock of white hair manning the cash register, her voice light and sweet.

“It’s that time of the year when everything’s cropping up,” Zhao sighed. “Been hell of a lot busier than usual.”

“Ah,” Jee nodded sagely. “Just got to power through it, huh?”

“Yeah,” Zhao grimaced. “It’s fine. I’m on leave soon.”

“Hi, what can I get for you today?”

That same light and sweet voice that had faded into the background jostled Zhao back to reality; the reality being acquiring caffeine, that is.

“A black coffee for me, and a latte for him,” Jee pointed his thumb at Zhao.

“Excuse the fuck out of me,” Zhao sputtered, “I came here for coffee.”

“A latte has caffeine,” Jee waved him off. “If it were up to me, I’d get you a hot chocolate instead.”

“Who’s the cardiothoracic surgeon here?” Zhao protested. “I’ll be fine. Just give me my damn dose of caffeine.”

“Don’t listen to him,” Jee said cheerfully to the amused barista. “Went to medical school and all, but sometimes I can hardly believe there’s a brain in there when all he does is inject caffeine into his body.”

“I hate you,” Zhao hissed. “I abhor you with every fibre of my being, I don’t even know why I’m friends with you, I –”

“Ignore him,” Jee continued, handing over his card. “He’s extra dramatic when he’s grumpy. Which is all the time, but it’s been a long day for him.”

“Okay, then,” the barista laughed. “Here or to go?”

“Here,” Jee answered.

“Sure thing.”

Zhao did not sulk as he forlornly watched his dreams of pure black coffee fade away. It wasn’t fair. If Jee was having it, then so should he.

“So, you’re a heart surgeon?” the barista prompted, addressing Zhao with a small smile. “That must be hard.”

The compliment flew straight over his head when he finally turned his full attention to her because, oh wow, she was actually kind of pretty. Bright blue eyes, so warm for such a typically cold colour, and the pearly flash of teeth set in a friendly smile.

“It’s fine,” Zhao managed to make his exhausted brain spit out. “Can be difficult at times, yes, but it’s all part of the job.”

“I can imagine,” she laughed. Yue, it said on her nametag. “A barista isn’t as impressive as a heart surgeon, but it’s been a pretty rough day for me too.”

Zhao idly flicked his lanyard, his ID card clattering against his chest. “You’re providing me caffeine right now, so I’d say your job is very impressive.”

Yue laughed, and why the fuck did it have to sound so unfairly nice? Like the chime of the bell hanging over the front door of the café if Zhao was trying to be poetic.

“Still,” she grinned, handing the receipt to Jee. “One of my friends is in pre-med right now, and I’ve seen her notes on the cardiovascular system. Looks hard.”

“It’s not that hard,” Zhao said, and then immediately felt like an asshole afterwards. Hastily correcting himself, he added, “I mean, if you draw it all out, it becomes fairly straightforward. The cardiovascular system is simply… well, a system. If you know the components and what they do, you can infer how they affect other systems if one of those components goes wrong.”

“I’m sure it’s harder than that,” Yue refuted, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Zhao shrugged. “Well, no, if you look at, say, autonomic regulation of cardiac output, it’s only a matter of collecting bits and pieces to form the bigger picture and how it contributes to –”

“That’s enough, Doctor,” Jee interrupted. “Sorry to break it up, but there are other customers waiting for their caffeine fix.”

Jolting out of the haze of let’s go on a tangent about parasympathetic innervation to the heart because why not, Zhao coughed awkwardly when he noticed the small line that had been forming behind them for the past few minutes or so.

With colour splashing across Yue’s cheeks, she gestured for them to sit down, but not before adding with a wink, “I’ll make sure to pour a heart for your latte,” at Zhao.

It took longer than he’d like to admit to process what happened.

She winked at him. And said she’d draw a heart.

Somewhat stunned, Zhao didn’t even register Jee leading the way to a table in the corner.

He did, however, notice when Jee started snickering and goading, “You like her.”

“I do not,” Zhao snapped, cheeks scorching hot. “She just happened to take an interest in my field. I was indulging her.”

“You don’t need to pretend,” Jee started chuckling. “In fact, you could even say that seeing you flirting was actually kind of… heart-warming.”

Zhao could only gawk at Jee, not sure if it was because of that awful pun, or if it was because of the sheer audacity of his claims.

[surrealsunday]

A Christmas Mood Tattoo snippet…

Notes: Merry Christmas to anyone celebrating! Enjoy this little snippet from our Mood Tattoo babies. It takes place just a few months after they’ve moved in together, but before they go away to Japan and get engaged.

There should be a part 2 of this coming that I intend on being longer – that will be NYE themed. This was just a little intro to get me into the writing zone again. I hope you enjoy!

* * * *

“Eli, it’s freezing.”

Eliott turns back to look at Lucas. From how his boyfriend is bundled up, scarf wrapped around his head in a way that allows only his eyes to be visible above it, one would think Eliott had dragged him out in the middle of a Russian winter. The temperatures have dipped below zero, but it’s hardly as cold as Lucas would lead someone to believe. Eliott’s just thankful the scarf is blocking the pout he knows lies beneath it. It’s impossible to resist Lucas when he pouts. As it is, he’s doing a pretty impressive job of conveying that pout with wide-eyed, watery eyes. But Eliott is determined enough to resist him… for now.

“Baby,” he begins, delighted by the way Lucas immediately huffs, “it’s not that much further. But if you want to turn back now, we can.” He knows exactly what he’s doing, and maybe it’s a little unfair. He knows Lucas won’t ask to turn back when Eliott is excited to go, but offering the option still feels like the right thing to do.

Lucas doesn’t answer. Making a small sound beneath his scarf – definitely a harumph – he grabs Eliott’s gloved hand in his own and continues walking. “Tell me about this thing again. ‘Cause if we wanted to watch a movie, we could have done it at home, under a blanket, with hot chocolate and blowjobs.”

Eliott chokes on a laugh. “God, I love your idea of a night in.” Lucas glances over at him, a smile clear in the crinkles beside his eyes. “And it’s not a movie. It’s a sound and light installation,” Eliott continues. “Remember that patient a week or so back who had the meniscectomy? She told me about this. She knows someone involved with the set up. Laura.”

Lucas nods. “The one who wanted to bone you.”

Eliott snorts immediately. “She did not want to bone me.”

“She definitely wanted to bone you.”

Eliott sighs, too charmed to be annoyed by Lucas’s stubborn belief that everyone Eliott meets wants to sleep with him. It’s hard to be mad about it when it really just comes down to Lucas’s belief that anyone who doesn’t want to sleep with Eliott must be a moron. “She was at least ten years older than me.”

“Yeah. And she wanted to get herself a piece of that.”

Eliott laughs, unable to help himself from stopping and reaching for Lucas, pulling him closer by his coat. “Get herself a piece of that?” He teases. “A piece of me? What piece exactly?”

Lucas rolls his eyes. His scarf has slipped down slightly to reveal the tip of his nose and his cheeks, both rosy pink from the cold. Eliott moves his hands up to cup his face, brushing thumbs against the flush of his cheeks.

“Don’t know why she’d want to,” Lucas grumps. A piece of his hair falls down, catching in his eyelashes and Eliott moves a hand up to brush it back, tangling his fingers in the strands. “Pain in my ass, you are,” Lucas continues with a huff, “dragging me around in the cold when we have to be up to work a full shift tomorrow and it’s Christmas, so you know it’s gonna be extra hellish and –” Eliott cuts him off with a kiss, pressing their cold lips together in what was meant to be a soft and gentle peck, but turns deeper almost immediately. He couldn’t even say whether it’s him or Lucas who does it, but it’s suddenly soft and slow, open-mouthed in a way that has a buzz vibrating just beneath Eliott’s skin. He pulls back only when he feels Lucas’s tongue licking at his lips. Lucas’s eyes are wide and dazed, his lips pleasantly puffy. But it’s only a split-second before they narrow in suspicion. “Did you do that to shut me up?”

Eliott laughs. “No.” It’s the truth. Any moment spent not kissing Lucas feels like a moment too long. And a grumpy Lucas, skin flush from the cold? There’s absolutely no way Eliott could be expected to resist such a formidable test of his will power. “And you get all my pieces. For the record.”

Lucas’s nose scrunches. He means it to be a look of disapproval – an objection to Eliott’s choice of words. He only manages to look even more adorable. “You make me sound like a serial killer – collecting body parts or some shit.”

Eliott snorts a laugh. “Remember when you said that before?” Lucas quirks an eyebrow in question. There’s a ninety-nine percent chance he remembers too and just wants to hear Eliott recall the moment. Eliott’s more than happy to oblige. “In the hospital. Both of us covered in puke. You pretending you didn’t want me as badly as you did.” Lucas rolls his eyes. It only makes Eliott smile wider. “You said our idea of a good time was cutting people open. That we sound like serial killers on a good day.”

“I said psychopaths.”

Eliott tries not to let his smile become too smug but it’s a losing battle. “You do remember.”

“You followed it up by nearly braining me on the tile of the showers. Hard to forget.”

Eliott sighs wistfully, flashbacks to wet and naked Lucas more than welcome. “Yeah.”

It makes Lucas laugh as he turns away again, pulling Eliott along by the hand. “Ok, so, this is a fancy movie. Still a movie.”

Eliott sighs, his breath puffing before him in the cold night air. Lucas’s shameless efforts to play dumb when it comes to all things art shouldn’t be as charming as they are. “A sound and light installation is totally different,” Eliott begins, throwing just the right amount of pompous indignation into his tone. “It combines totally different disciplines, art and engineering, and it’s more than watching a film. It’s multi-sensory and interactive, and –”

“God,” Lucas interrupts with a laugh, looking over at Eliott with such affection in his eyes, it still – even after so many months of being together – catches Eliott off guard. “You really were meant to be some pretentious art student, hunh? Just got turned around in the halls one day and ended up in medicine.”

Eliott grins, releasing Lucas’s hand to wrap an arm around his neck instead, hauling him closer. “Got me you.”

Lucas makes an amused sound. “Bad enough dealing with surgeon you. Not sure I could handle even more insufferable artist Eliott.”

“You would have thought I was hot.”

“I already think you’re hot.”

Eliott tries not to preen too obviously at that. “Hotter.”

“Not possible.”

Eliott glances sideways at Lucas, suddenly wondering how loudly his boyfriend might object to Eliott dragging him into the nearest shadowed corner to do unspeakable things to him. Normally it wouldn’t be something he’d need to question. In this cold however, Lucas is likely to give him a bit more lip. “Baby –”

“Holy shit,” Lucas’s awe filled voice cuts him off and Eliott turns his head to look in the direction of his gaze.

They’ve rounded the corner and the installation has come into view. Streaks of different coloured lights stretch into the night sky, moving in slow tandem. There are sounds – single notes – that play each time one of the light beams moves. Together the notes have formed a haunting sort of melody. The source of the light beams is several projectors, housed in larger, futuristic looking black boxes that showcase external digital, interactive screens. There are a number of other people milling about, pressing various buttons on the screens. “You didn’t say it would be this!” Lucas moves out from under Eliott’s arm, hurrying towards the installation.

“I said sound and light installation,” Eliott laughs as he follows. “That’s what you’re looking at.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t say it would be this cool.” Lucas stops at a lightbox, staring at the screen and then up into where the blue light stretches into the sky..

“Pretty sure I did,” Eliott mumbles, coming to stand beside him.

“What does it do?” Lucas asks, turning to look at Eliott rather than read the instructions and artist statement to the side of the lightbox.

Eliott smiles. This is the part he’d been most excited to tell Lucas about. “Remember how I said it was interactive?” Lucas nods. “So, these numbers,” Eliott points to where you have the option of typing numbers into set lines on the screen, “control the lights. The numbers you put in match coordinates in the night sky. The numbers can be random, but they’ll find something up there – a star, a constellation, a planet… something. But not our sky. Or not exactly.”

Lucas looks away from the sky towards Eliott, his nose wrinkling in confusion. “What do you mean not our sky?”

“See. It’s moving,” Eliott points out as they both take a step back to watch as the beam of blue light slowly tracks across the sky, sounding a singular note to join the others. “It’s not us doing it.”

Lucas stares at it in wonder as it comes to a stop. “Who then?”

“There are matching installations in other major cities across Europe – Rome, Berlin, Antwerp, and other places, I think. They control our light beams. We control theirs.”

Lucas looks to the screen in front of him on the light box. “So, the numbers I put in… they’ll change the direction of the light somewhere else?”

Eliott nods, answering out loud when Lucas’s eyes don’t move from the screen. “Exactly. Someone else will be watching the spot in the sky you chose.”

Lucas turns to look at him. The blue of his eyes catches the reflected glow of the light beam, making them appear even more ethereal than they do normally. Eliott’s breath catches in his throat. “But why?”

“I’m not sure,” Eliott admits, tearing his gaze away to look towards the various beams of light moving together. “Maybe to remind us we’re all connected – we’re all looking up at the same night sky? That the choices we make affect others?”

“Wow,” Lucas whispers, turning to watch as other lights track across the sky. “It’s beautiful.”

Eliott turns to stare at his profile. “It reminds me of that thing you say… about parallel universes.”

Lucas glances back to him surprised. “It does?”

Eliott nods. “Like there could be another Eliott and Lucas in Rome, watching the lights tonight just like us.”

Lucas laughs lightly. “But this is our reality. The lights exist in different cities in our universe.”

Eliott knows that’s true. He’s not sure how to explain what he means exactly. “Yeah, but –”

“Eliott,” Lucas cuts him off, stepping into his space and reaching for the lapels of Eliott’s jacket. “I know what you mean.”

“Yeah?” Eliott breathes, leaning down to press their cold foreheads together.

“Mmhmm,” Lucas hums, his eyes slipping closed as he presses into the contact. “Lots of parallel universe Eliott and Lucas’s freezing their asses off to move light beams for one another.”

Eliott snorts with a laugh, pushing back to see Lucas looking up at him with a smug smile. “Brat.” He turns them both back towards the screen, moving a hand up to thread through the back of Lucas’s hair and tug gently. “What numbers should we put in? Birthday?”

“Nah,” Lucas denies, leaning forward to brush his fingers against the screen, “that’s boring.”

“Random then?”

Lucas nods. “Yeah, or like… I could put in a date. Like… the day we met?” He doesn’t look at Eliott, staring down at the screen in what becomes apparent is an effort to seem nonchalant.

Eliott smiles. “That’s awfully romantic.”

Lucas glances at him quickly. The flush in his cheeks is just a little deeper now. “Shut up.”

“Let’s do it,” Eliott agrees, rubbing a hand against Lucas’s back to prompt him to enter the numbers. “You remember the date?” Lucas doesn’t answer, leaning forward instead to input the numbers. Eliott watches him, his smile growing. “And you say I’m a romantic cornball…”

“You are a romantic cornball.” Lucas finishes, pressing the submit button, and stepping back. He allows Eliott to move behind him, wrapping him up snuggly in his arms. Eliott leans forward to press the cold of their cheeks together. “It’s a bit weird thinking someone somewhere else is watching it move for our numbers,” Lucas comments, looking up at their blue light, still and crisp in the night sky.  

“Yeah,” Eliott agrees. “There,” he raises a hand to unnecessarily point at the light beam moving, “they’re moving it back. It’s like they’re talking to us.” He brings his hand back to brush against Lucas’s arm. His tattoo is buried beneath layers and layers of fabric, but Eliott can picture it there. “It’s like magic.”

Lucas turns his head to nuzzle the tip of his nose against Eliott’s cheek. “Thanks for bringing me.”

Eliott squeezes him even closer. “C’mon, that’s not all. Let’s warm up.”

“We’re going somewhere else?” Lucas asks, looking sweetly disappointed.

Eliott shakes his head, turning to lead Lucas to a nearby bench. He drops the backpack he’s been carrying to the surface and motions for Lucas to have a seat. “I brought us hot chocolate,” he admits, smiling again when Lucas does, “and Bailey’s.”

“Now we’re talking,” Lucas laughs, happily taking the empty cup handed to him.

“We can warm up and watch the lights for a little bit longer.” Eliott sits next to him on the bench and goes about filling up both their cups from the thermos he packed, topping the cups with a little Bailey’s as Lucas hums in approval. He hands his own cup to Lucas while he pulls out the small throw he’d packed as well. It won’t provide much extra warmth, but it was all he could fit in the backpack. He spreads it across Lucas’s lap, leaving just enough material for himself, and he tucks them closely together under it, reaching one arm to wrap around Lucas’s shoulders, and reaching for his cup with the other.

They both sit for a moment, sipping happily on their drinks and watching the light beams glide through the sky.

“I brought something too,” Lucas says into the gentle silence between them.

“You did?” Eliott looks to him in surprise.

“Mmhmm,” Lucas nods, not looking away from the lights. “You said I wasn’t getting in the Christmas spirit.”

“Yeah,” Eliott agrees. “And you said it was hard to get in the spirit when we would be celebrating Christmas with cramped hands from doing sutures all day in the ER for – and I quote – morons who can’t even manage to stop being morons on Christmas.”

Lucas grins, looking at Eliott now. “And I’m right but…” He shrugs, suddenly looking a little bashful and sweet. “I haven’t really wanted to get into it since my mom was around. It’s different this year.”

Eliott swears he can feel his heart physically swell in his chest. “Yeah?”

Lucas nods, glancing away and back to the lights. “And you love all this shit, so…” He motions a hand towards the backpack.

Eliott grins, reaching for it and rooting through the pockets until he finds an opaque plastic bag in one of the front pockets. The smell of gingerbread wafts from it the moment he pulls it from the pack. “You made gingerbread?” He might sound a little like a child on the cusp of teendom whose crush just said hi in the school hallway… but truly, no one could blame him. Lucas made him Christmas cookies. Lucas, who has been working shifts just as exhausting and back-breaking as Eliott, had taken the time to make gingerbread cookies because he knew Eliott would love them.

“Sof helped,” Lucas admits with a shrug.

Eliott stares at his profile, smiling so wide his cheeks ache with it, until Lucas – with a huff, of course – turns back to look at him. “You made me cookies.”

“Well, you deserve them.”

“Lucas,” Eliott begins prying the bag open, “that is so sweet, so thoughtful, I –” He cuts himself off as he stares down at the cookies looking up at him from the bag. “Lucas…”

“Yes?” Lucas’s eyes have widened with false innocence. He could not look more like the bratty bane of Eliott’s existence… love of his fucking life…

“You made dirty gingerbread cookies…”

“Excuse me,” Lucas sniffs. “They were wrapped up carefully. They’re quite clean.”

Eliott looks up, one eyebrow raised in disbelief. “You actually took the time to make gingerbread cookies…” Eliott glances around them for any nosey listeners before adding, “fuck.”

“Language,” Lucas gasps, so obviously enjoying himself. His eyes are lit up with mischief. “Those are Christmas gingerbread cookies. They’re innocent. You should know better.”

Eliott lifts one cookie that appears to be one gingerbread man taking another from behind. “Oh yeah. Definitely scream innocent.”

Lucas grins. “I liked that one.”

“Can’t believe Sof helped you make these.” Eliott can’t even picture it but the very thought makes him want to laugh and just not stop.

“He helped make ‘em. Idriss helped me find the cookie cutters online.”

Eliott gapes. “You bought sexual cookie cutters?”

“‘Course,” Lucas nods with faux authority. “Now we can get use out of them for years to come. It can be our tradition.”

Eliott stares at him. Count on Lucas to make something so ridiculous, so goddamn sweet, all at the same time. “You’re something else.”

“Thank you,” Lucas sniffs, reaching for a cookie of his own. He chooses the one very clearly depicting one gingerbread giving the other a blowjob. Gingerbread cookies are never going to be the same. “You like them though, right?” Lucas doesn’t sound insecure. Not really. But there’s a caution in his voice which is likely more a reflection of how much he knows the holiday means to Eliott – and his own desire to be part of that in his own, bratty, ridiculous way.

“Yes.” Eliott twists slightly sideways and doesn’t resist the urge to pull Lucas into a kiss. He pulls back with a gentle smile, moving his free hand to brush back the strands of hair fallen down over Lucas’s forehead. “I love my dirty gingerbread men.”

Lucas smiles. “Good.” He places his cup next to him on the bench and turns to wrap his arms around Eliott’s waist in a sideways hug, tucking closer into his embrace as he presses his head beneath Eliott’s chin. He reaches forward to tap his own cookie against the one held in Eliott’s hand. “This your way of saying what you want later?”

Eliott snorts, motioning towards Lucas’s own choice. “Was that yours?”  

Lucas shrugs, letting out a happy sigh as he snuggles into Eliott’s hold. “Guess we can have both.”

“How generous,” Eliott laughs.

“I am. Quite,” Lucas sniffs, sounding hilariously pompous.

Eliott takes a bite of his cookie, humming happily as he chews, leaning back to watch the lights for a moment, warm and more content than he can ever remember being. “I love you, Lucas,” he says, eyes tracking the colourful beams of light in the night sky. “There’s no one else like you.”

“Not so average?” Lucas asks after a moment.

Eliott laughs lightly. “No. Definitely nothing average about you.”

“Well,” Lucas sighs, his arms tightening around Eliott, “I think you’re pretty ok too.”

“Pretty ok?” Eliott snickers. “A high compliment.”

“Mmm. Only the best for you.”

Eliott leans down to press a kiss to the top of Lucas’s head. “We’re going to have lots of traditions together. This can be one.”

“Freezing our asses off with dirty cookies and hot chocolate while we watch a light show?”  

“Yeah,” Eliott agrees, near bursting with happiness. “Exactly that.”

“Ok,” Lucas agrees, more easily than Eliott expected. “Eliott?” Lucas adds after a moment of silence.

“Mmhmm?”

“I wouldn’t make gingerbread cookies fucking for anyone else.”

Eliott laughs, pressing his mouth down into Lucas’s hair. “I know.”

“I love you.”

Eliott breathes in the words, closing his eyes as he presses his nose down into Lucas’s hair and soaks up the way ginger and chocolate and other spices have somehow mixed with that uniquely Lucas smell. Eliott didn’t know he could love the way someone smelled quite this much. Lucas. His Lucas.  

“I think you’re pretty ok too.”

* * * *

* * * *

End notes: 

- I’ll post this to ao3 once I have the second part up

- The whole light installation was inspired by one I saw when I lived in Montreal. It wasn’t exactly like that but quite similar and I hope the way I described it sounded cool because it really was! 

❤❤❤❤

[physicalturian]

Why don’t you listen to me? Law x GN! Reader - Part 4

Spoilers for : Punk Hazard and Dressrosa arcs [No gender used for the reader, no physical description, everyone is +18] Words : 4801 Archive of our own Bad flirting, fluff, embarrassment, angst No warnings, if you feel like I should put some, send me a DM or an ask!

… Part 1  - Part 2 - Part 3

“… some point you’ll have to kick them out of here Chopper, you can’t just let them-“

“But Torao is scary!! And I am sure all of his crewmates are just as scary, no way- nope, I don’t want to die Robin. You do it! Yeah… Imma head out, okay?” Then echoed the muffled sound of hooves hitting the wooden parquet, slowly at first then scurried. Then there was a heavy sigh followed by a short laugh, quickly after, hands pulled off the blanket from my form, and Law’s along with it. I gasped at the cold air hitting my face and took a bit of time to understand that I had been covered up to my head with the blanket.

“Time to wake up, I think Chopper is getting impatient and he needs his infirmary.” The gentle voice of the long-haired fruit user reached my ear and I slowly opened my eye, ready to answer when I felt the hold on myself tighten.

“He can come by in 10 mins, we’ll be out by then Robin-ya.” Satisfied by Law’s answer, she hummed, maybe too happily then gave us one last glance before leaving and closing the door behind her. When she was out of sight, Law groaned loudly before running his hand over his face. I stood there, in a position completely different from when I had gone to sleep. Instead of him on me, I was the one on him, at least my head was resting very close to his side and I had one leg throw over his. I was pretty quick to change that and sat up rapidly.

“Sorry, I got a bit too comfortable there.” A short laugh escaped his lips, I looked at him tiredly, but curiously too. His hair was a mess, more than usual but it looked good. I let my eyes wander about his form, I was only now realizing that he had some lighter spot on his skin.

 I remembered from his past that as a child he had gone through a lot, and if my memory wasn’t bad it was due to that that his skin had some discoloration. A sigh reached my ear, I looked away as the man put his coat on to cover the small amount of skin I could see. “I wasn’t complaining, but Robin-ya is right, we should go.” What was he not complaining about? I squinted my eyes, thinking, it made him laugh since he stood up and simply said, “You, sleeping.”

 My mouth shape in an O, I snorted and shook my head, “It wasn’t half-bad. I’ll admit, you are a great source of heat, I’ll give you a nine out of ten,” I hummed as I stood up and brought everything back on the infirmary bed, Law was standing by the door, unmoving.

“Nine?” He asked.

“Well, I would give you a ten if not-“ His face turned sour, and his gaze turned to the ground. I don’t know what he expected me to say, but I continued, hoping to lighten his mood. “If not for the heat, it’s great, don’t get me wrong but it’s very, very hot, like a furnace. I’m sure you don’t even need blankets usually.” His expression changed to something close to relief as a small smile drew itself on his lips, but only for a short time.

“And you move a lot, yet you don’t hear me complaining, do you?”

“Hey, I’m just giving feedback here pal, I know I could never be as great as Bepo in term of pillow-quality.” I said with my hands raised in defense, but I was joking.

 A snort blew threw his nose and he opened the door, signaling me to follow him out of the infirmary. I kind of liked it when I made him laugh, I’m sure he found a lot of things funny, but having him show it was something that brought me great joy. He was kind of cute like that. I didn’t have time to reflect or daydream that Chopper came in rushing.

“Did you do anything? Did you- is everything still in place? You better not have broken anything or I’ll-“

I frowned in confusion, how would we have done that? We were sleeping, what was he thinking we had done? The reindeer stopped mid-sentence when he met Law’s gaze and apologized before scurrying off to his room. His panic was appeased when he saw that everything was exactly as he left them. Except perhaps for the bed, that was a bit messy. I never was great to make it proper looking, I never knew how military people did it so well… Or perhaps I was too lazy.

 “Does your infirmary often get,” I made a gesture with my hand, meaning messy, chaotic.

The Doctor shrugged, “Sometimes, they’re not fans of needles but- I meant, you and Law you… Nami said-“

“What she says is never to be trusted. She likes the chaos.” Law said over my shoulder, I thought he’d have left but he was probably curious as of why the reindeer was in utter frenzy when he came rushing in.

“We just slept together though, so what could-“ I stopped talking when the words left my mouth. Some things made more sense when said out loud, but that never meant they were better said out loud either. Like saying you slept with your captain. It sounded wrong.

 I threw a glance at my grumpy captain, my cheeks heating up. I said in realization, “Slept together.” Then huffed, “She- I swear to fuck, this crew is-“

“What do you mean?” he asked, still confused. I didn’t know if he was playing with me or if he was genuinely at loss.

So, I exhaled half-nervously half-tiredly, “She’s saying we fucked. Like, slept together in that sense of the term.” A glimmer of understanding struck his face and for a brief moment, he seemed flustered. But I could have been wrong, I did not have time to question him more that he shook his head.

“I can’t even believe everyone believes that, we weren’t even noisy or anything. It doesn’t make sense-“ A smug smile drew itself on my captain’s face.

“Does that mean you’re usually loud when you-”

“Both of you!! Out! It’s gross, you’re gross! I’ll tell Zoro you’re being weird!” Chopper said as he pushed me out of the doorway before slamming the door.

 I took it as an opportunity to ignore what Law had said, I don’t know why he said that but I was not going to have a conversation about that either. I decided to play it casual. We were still a few days from Dressrosa, which meant we had some time left to polish the plan until we arrived. It seemed the Straw Hat had no ability to focus on Law’s words, they did not seem to care much about the plan either. It annoyed my Captain to no extent; I could see it was getting on his nerves and eventually he blew up and yelled at them.

 It was a rare sight to see the Surgeon of Death lose his composure, the only time he would be anything but laid-back would be when he’d be taunting his enemies. Seeing him angry was very new and I was finding it to be an enjoyable sight. Perhaps it was because it made him more humane, or perhaps I just liked seeing his face contorted with something other than boredom. When he would lose his temper and just vent on the poor Straw Hat Captain, I would nudge his side and look at the map laid out on the deck, to silently tell him to continue. Sometimes it’d work, but most of the time he’d let it all out and the only response he’d get was a laugh from Luffy.

 I found myself enjoying the Straw Hat crew more than I expected, along the three people from Wano that boarded the ship. They were a rowdy bunch, for sure, and I would sometimes sneak off to find some quiet in random rooms of the ship, but on the whole they were great company with great stories to tell. It was interesting to hear their adventure, it made me realize we did not follow the same roads on the sea but it was just as perilous as our voyage.

 A few hours before arriving at Dressrosa, the plan was to call Joker, to tell him we had his partner, Caesar. The whole thing went down as you’d expect, the Straw Hats were not serious, Luffy was easily tempted with simple things. It forced Law to be on the call with Joker, he was filled with hatred, I could hear it in his voice and it sent chills running down my spine. Those chills persisted at the answers from Joker, he seemed to be relaxed on the other hand and yet his tone was serious and threatening. When Law hung up, he reminded everyone that giving them Caesar was but a distraction.

 The more we talked about what we should do once we arrive, the more I felt things would not go according to the plan. We knew full well this entire crew was made of free-spirited people, and while most of them knew how to follow orders, they would prioritize following their Captain no matter the circumstances. And he had close to no impulse control, which meant if you lost track of him it would be too late, things would go awry. Or as I liked to put it, from what I gathered, “Where Luffy goes, fuckery follows.”

 That was what frightened Law the most. He did not use those words exactly, he’d said “If he sneaks out of our sight, we’re screwed.” But the idea was there. I could not reassure him, and deep down we both knew everything will go shit, but I trusted Law, I knew he’d come up with something. He was smart and was able to come up with a plan in the heat of the moment, which saved us numerous times in our own adventure. Hence why I said, a few hours before we arrived on the island, that I’d say by his side, it’s not like I had chemistry with the other of the crew. Nor was I used to their fighting style.

 But the answer was not one I had expected.

“You’re not coming. You’re not stepping off of this ship.” He said off-handedly.

We were in the corridor on our way to the library for some relaxing time, away from all the noise. He did not stop when I did, so I gripped his arm tightly. He grunted and turned around, giving me a pissed-off look.

I held my head high and spoke clearly, “Bold of you to assume I’d listen to that shitty command.” He held my gaze, I hated the way he was looking at me. I did not deserve such angry look from him, I was not known for taking pointless orders and his made no sense.

“You’re only here because it was too late for you to go to Zo.” He explained, pulling his arm away from my grasp.

 “And since I’m here, I’m coming to fight. The more the merrier, right-“

He interrupted me with another frustrated sigh, his low voice reaching my ears, “I’ve given you an order, as your Captain-“

“As my Captain, what? I’m not one to just throw hands at nothing, but this makes no sense. You know full well I can be useful on the battlefield, as a member of your crew, you should trust me.”

He turned around and said, “My crew is smart enough to follow my order, if you’re not planning on doing that, then leave.”

What he said did not sit right with me, I don’t know why he said that but it hurt. I don’t know why I let it get to me, nor did I know why I reacted like that but as he walked away, I hurried to meet his pace and pushed his back with all my force.

 He stumbled forward, catching himself with his hand on the wall. He grunted my name in a warning tone, as he turned around.

“That shit fucking hurts Law, take it the fuck back.” I said with as much calm I could muster.

There was like a knot in my throat, my chest was tight and I could feel my body getting warm and yet I shuddered when he looked at me with this look. This look that meant he was not going to take it back, that he meant what he said, that I was acting stupid. I stared back at him then smiled. My head dipped forward as I tried my best to calm down.

“Alright. So, if I step out of this ship, I’m not part of the crew anymore?” His expression did not falter. He did not move.

 “Why don’t you want me on this? What-“ I paused and swallowed, feeling my throat tighten once more but I acted cool. “What can, I don’t know, a child that has no control over his devil fruit, bring more than I can? Uh?” He gritted his teeth and look to the side, not answering. I thought he respected my power, I thought it was enough. I already felt off joining their crew so late, but having him lose all trust in me the moment the rest of the team was not there, made my heart clench.

“Let’s start over, because you’re not an asshole, right?” I chuckled lowly and joined his side once more, ignoring the chilly feeling I felt next to him.

 I reiterated my sentence, “That’s why I’ll stay close by, ready for your new plan.” I casted a glance at my Captain and he seemed annoyed, his eyes focused in front of him as his hand tightened on the hilt of his sword. He muttered my name once more, it seemed to be said in a more tender manner than earlier but then I met his gaze, he was even more annoyed.

“When your Captain gives you an order, you follow it. If you don’t want to follow my order, you can serve under someone else.”

“Serve under someone else. Serve under someone else.” I repeated his words in pure bafflement, how could he say that? How could he tell me that I could leave, as if it was just some sort of side hustle?

 “This is not some sort of deal, I joined your crew because you were the ones that welcomed me-“ I pushed his chest firmly, once. “As a family,” again. “It’s not about serving anyone, it’s just-“ this time I hit my fist against his chest, he was not moving. “It’s a fucking adventure!-“

“This is not a kid’s game, it’s a life-threatening situation. And if you can’t understand that we’re pirates, not adventurers, then-“ I pushed him more strongly this time.

“I get it. Fuck you. I never saw this as a kid’s game, for someone who’s smart you can’t seem to grasp what I’m saying and it’s exhausting.” I think I heard him mumbled something, but he acted like he hadn’t said anything.

 “I’ll spell it out more clearly,” Taking a deep breath, I stared at the ground a moment then met his gaze, “You’re a fucking asshole for asking me to either follow your orders blindly or leave the crew, knowing full well I loved this crew like my family- but you know what? Maybe I was stupid and it was all pretend, was it?” Tell me no. Tell me we were all a big family, tell me I was enough. Tell me I fight good, and that you want me on this mission, tell me… tell me you love me… I was desperate.

 He looked away. This was more sombre than I thought it’d be but I understood.

“Right. Right, well.” I nodded.

It could mean a lot of things to just look away. But what I gathered was that being honest with me was too much to ask for. “We’ll be arriving soon. I’ll go get ready to join on the mission.” I moved away from him when he turned to face me with a shocked expression, saying my name in surprise.

“What? Did you think I’d just stay here? Because of your shitty ultimatum?” I asked with an exhausted smile. He did not reply, only staring. He was in genuine shock, not that it showed too much on his face, but I could see it was agape.

 Without an answer from him, I shrugged and made my way to the deck. Inside my head were so many thoughts. I was convinced he had a reason to do that, but he gave me an ultimatum I could not fathom. And while this new-found family was great, inside I was thinking that if I was on the battlefield, I could watch over him. If not as a crewmember, then as an ally at least. Never would I have stayed on this ship, but never would I have thought he’d give me such dilemma. Now I was a simple pirate, on a ship on my way to a fight that was not even mine, but I knew Law was about to get reckless, I just knew it. He was too involved in this situation, his pride is at stake, Cora’s pride was at stake. But maybe, at some point, his life will be at stake too, and I will be there to avoid such things.

 I wanted to find a dark room and cry. Even after that shitty ultimatum, I felt a pull. I wanted to stay with him, I still liked him, just because of that I took the only option that allowed me to watch over him.

“How fucking stupid is that.” I mumbled dryly to myself.

“What is?” The cook’s voice echoed right next to me. Without realizing it, I had made my way to the kitchen. Startled, I let out a soundless gasp and moved out of the way, telling him it was nothing.

“It’s not nothing, you look like you’re about to cry.”

“But I’m not, stop insisting.”

He hummed and puffed out some smoke before suggesting me a nice warm meal; which I did not refuse.

 Making my way to the table, I watched him wander about the kitchen as he cooked. It did not take him long to make something that could even warm up the Marine’s hearts. When I took a bite, I felt my chest lighten as I ate up, the cook was observing me with a small smile. I did not pay attention as I gobbled it down, switching with water from time to time to avoid choking.

 When I was done, he asked me once more what was troubling my mind. This time I chuckled dryly and shrugged, “I got kicked out of my crew, I guess?” He quirked a brow and asked for details, so I summarized it to something short, “Me wants to fight, Captain says no. I ask why not? He says, orders you stay on ship, you shouldn’t even be here in the first place. I say, but there’s a kid taken in consideration in the whole plan, you know?”

Sanji nodded, telling me to continue.

There was a small smile on his lips that ticked me off, I don’t know what was fun about this situation but I continued. “Then he basically said, that if I left the ship, I could leave the crew because I couldn’t follow orders.”

 Crushing his cigarette in the ashtray, the blond man hummed and leaned on his fist. “Did he say it like that?”

Shaking my head, I quoted both times he told me off and what followed. It still hurt to think about it, but I’m sure it’d fade soon. Maybe the Straw Hats would want me? Maybe I could join their crew. Looking at the man across from me, I saw the widening smile on his lips as he lit up another cigarette.

“And you’re asking me what I think-“

“No, I didn’t ask you anything, but you’re curious so go off.”

His eyes widened before continuing, “I think once this is all over and you’re both safe and sound, you should ask him again if you’re really kicked out of the crew-“

“I’m not doing that, he said what he said.” I spat, still hurt.

 Taping a finger on his chest, the cook added, “Or maybe, what he didn’t say.” I made a face at the blonde’s words, confused by his cryptic words. “There’s a lot he didn’t exactly say, so think what you will. But Robin-chan is right, you’re both idiots for sure.” He shrugged before rolling his sleeves once more and saying he’d have to prepare one last meal before we go fight. I stayed in the dining room, lost in thoughts while Sanji moved gracefully across the floor, I did not know his past or anything at all about the man except his famous reputation of fighting with only his legs; And yet from his movements I could tell he was very familiar with kitchens, in a professional way. Not all ships had the luck of having a real, good, cook aboard but theirs was almost god-sent.

 While daydreaming, my gaze lost in the direction of the blond, I was repeating Law’s words in my head. I tried to tell myself to stop and come up with a reasonable explanation, one was that he actually cared and wanted me safe but it sounded stupid. He was not emotional enough to be like that, and even if he did, he would have told me straight up. I pressed my palms to my cheeks and scolded myself, focus, focus, forget what he said, you don’t have time to overthink. Stay focus and everything will be fine, you’re still friends so it’s good. Yeah, mm, yep friends.

“Sanji! I’m hungry!! Oh-“ I stood up when I heard Luffy’s voice enter the dining room, and he stared at me with his big wide eyes in awe. Then turned towards Sanji and tried to snatch something, anything, from the burning pan, only to have his hand slapped away. Many times.

 “Hey, you should check up on your Captain, he looks even more stuck up than usual.” A short snort blew through my nose at the swordsman’s words. It looks like they were all arriving to eat whatever the cook was making.

“Well, have you seen his sword nearby? Maybe it’s up his ass?” I asked jokingly, patting his shoulder as I walked past him. A throaty laugh escaped his lips, he did not reply.

 I was tempted to not check up on him, out of pure spite. But I thought, no you’re mature, let’s see what’s up with him, and I did. He was sitting on the stairs on the deck, his sword between his legs, hands on the handle and forehead resting against the hands.

“Law. What’s going on with you?” He lifted his head, a red mark on his forehead from pressing it against his hands.

“Nothing.” He replied before turning his gaze away from me.

It sent something coursing through my vein, I wanted to react just like I did before and push him down, asking him to look at me instead of avoiding my gaze.

“Alright, you don’t want to talk. Do you need company then?” Yeah, that’s a good question, a good reply, polite and all that.

“No, you can go.”

 I scoffed, “Cute, earlier it’s ‘don’t you dare leave this ship’ and now it’s ‘you can go’,” I started, moving closer to him to crouch in front of him to get of glimpse of his eyes, “But funny enough, you’re not looking at me while saying any of those things.” I regretted saying all those things the moment they left my mouth, but I was bitter, I was still angry and hurt by his words. Now I was acting without thinking.

“Don’t.” He said in a warning tone, still looking away from me.

Nodding, I stood up once more, “Got it. Then at least act like you’re fine, the Straw Hats are worried.” I explained.

The next words that I heard shook me, “Are you?” he breathed, finally meeting my eyes.

 There was fear, determination, finality in his gaze. I hated it. It’s as if he was going to take Doflamingo down, no matter the cost, even if the price was his own life.

“To be honest, I am mortified,” I confessed, trying to look as composed as I could. “But even though you’re a bitch, I’m not letting you go out there alone. From what you’re telling me, you’re ready to go down with Doflamingo-“

“If it’s what needs to be done I don’t care-“ Telling him to shut up, I continued,

“But I care! I told everyone I’d watch over your ass, and I’m going to.” I said a bit too quickly, gripping the handle of his sword tightly before pulling it from his hands and crouching in front of him, frowning.

 “I don’t care that you’re ready to sacrifice yourself, because I’ll be there to stop it.” He was surprised for a second, then his brows were furrowed once more. I wanted to go back to our ship where everything was easier, but I knew this was only the beginning of something greater.

He sighed, “You better not mess with the plan-“

“Oh, I’m sorry, is this some sort of command? Because you made it very clear that I was not good enough for your crew.” I said with a spiteful grin, it earned me another baffled look from Law that changed back just as fast,

“I didn’t say-“

I interrupted him, “Cora’s will is important, but I find your life a bit more important. I’m sure you’ll excuse me for that.”

 We stared at each other for a moment, battling one another without word. I was trying to understand him, why he was acting so off but just staring at him would not help. If anything, it made the pull I felt towards him only stronger.

“It’s dangerous.” He stated, I could almost describe it as a desperate attempt to keep me here but I could not be sure.

“Hence why I’m coming with you.” I stood up and handed him his sword back, “You’ll need this,” I said, he grabbed my wrist and I stopped dead in my track, confused. He kept surprising me today, from being a complete asshole to a seemingly nice guy when he said, “Be careful.” Then people joined us on the deck and his demeanor changed completely, he let go of my hand and was back to the leader-like attitude as he repeated the plan to everyone.

 Once again, their focus was nowhere close to be on Law but was probably back in the kitchen from their recent feast the cook made. Some people were going to stay on the ship, others were told to go by teams in different places across the ‘country’. I was to stay near Luffy for when everything would go down, maybe to evacuate civilians that were in Luffy’s radius. I was told he made quite the damaged during fights, even more so since he trained with a man named Rayleigh.

“I don’t have a bounty; Do I need to disguise myself?” I asked, giving them a once-over and holding back from laughing at Law who had a fake mustache but still had his familiar coat and sword. Chuckling, Robin handed me a cap, that I put on reluctantly, making sure my hair was out of the way.

 “It looks good on you, don’t worry!” She said enthusiastically.

“I’m sure I could even rock the mustache, got any spare one?” I said jokingly. People laughed and gathered by the side off the ship as Nami moored the ship on the shore. We were as well hidden as we could with such a big ship, but I’m sure our submarine would have been a lot more efficient if stealth was the key. The Straw Hat captain, however, could not begin to understand the idea of discretion and jumped off the ship, yelling that they had arrived. It’s with difficulty that we quieted him down, and as Law reiterated them to be discrete and calm down, Luffy ignored him completely and took off.

 Observing everyone carefully, I saw Law approach Nami and hand her part of Bepo’s vivre card, telling her its use. It made everyone panic, asking what could go wrong, the black-haired man only shrugged in response telling them “Who knows.”

[Part 5]

[amelialincoln]

Happier

To say Amelia was a coffee addict was a fair statement and Link would frequently remind her of that. Not exactly in those words, of course. But he’d begun to get used to her cute grumpiness that she started each morning with until she’d finished her first cup of brown liquid straight from heaven. Her words, not his.

 His girlfriend had surprised him through the pregnancy. Barely complaining about the lack of caffeine she was allowed to have. He knew it pissed her off, but to his surprise she drank her decaf and sulked in silence. Amelia, however, was not aware that caffeine was still a no no when breastfeeding. Carina had burst her bubble when Amelia came sauntering into work with a thermos that seemed to hold a litre of her favourite drink. Link thought she might rip Carina’s head off as she shoved the thermos into his hands and stormed off, yelling at him to enjoy it for her. Link only drank black coffee. The sugary stuff that Amelia liked made him want to hurl. That was something he wasn't expecting. You’d think a woman who could chug vodka like water, again her words, not his, would tolerate a cup of black coffee. “Morning princess,” he called to her sarcastically, trying to hide his amusement as Amelia trudged into the kitchen. Her hair practically stood out on end, as if she’d been electrocuted.

“Shut the fuck up,” she growled, coming to sit at the kitchen island and burrowing her head in her hands. Jake, named after Addison’s husband, had been giving the couple grief. As easy as their baby boy had been, his eating schedule was what was driving them both crazy. Jake had trouble latching and would throw a tantrum if Amelia would try to coax him into it. When he wanted it, he wanted it and when he didn’t there was no use trying. Therefore, the couple was left trying almost every hour in an attempt to keep their son from becoming underweight. According to his mother, Link had similar problems growing up. So in Amelia’s mind, it was all his fault. The whole situation left Amelia’s chest sore and her being completely exhausted from being up all night with him. Link tried to take care of Jake when he would wake up but Amelia always wanted to try and feed him just in case it was the reason for his crying.

“You get him on this morning?” He passed her a bowl of cereal and spooned his own into his mouth.

“What do you think?” She grumbled.

“We could try formula?” He offered. It was something Carina had been suggesting to the pair.

“My mother says all of her kids turned out so smart because she nursed us until we were two years old. Jake’s two months.” Was always her argument. She stirred the cereal, unappetizing.

“I know babe, but you’re exhausted. I’m surprised you haven’t fallen asleep over someone’s brain.” He received a glare for that one.

“I’ve lived on a surgeon’s sleep schedule for years. I’m getting more sleep than I did as an intern. If my chest weren’t so damn sore,” she messaged an especially tender spot and winced. “I’m also worried about him. Carina said he should be twelve pounds.”

“He’s only just shy of that,” Link assured her, rubbing her shoulder affectionately. “And remember what my mom said? I turned out okay.”

“True,” Amelia sighed, spooning another bite of soggy cheerios into her mouth. “I have an aneurysm at nine, can you take him to daycare?”

“Of course.” He nodded, watching her head bob as she closed her eyes momentarily. “You have a baby and only clip aneurysms from now on?” He teased. That woke her up.

“Operating on another toe today, babe?” She never got enough of the superiority complex that being chief of neuro gave her. Link shrugged, just happy to see her face light up for a change.

“Probably.” He kissed her forehead lightly, pulling her into a quick hug. “I’ll go grab our little guy and get him in his car seat. Are you ready to go in like ten?”

“Yep.”

Link did not have a toe operation today, despite Amelia’s predictions. Instead he was greeted with a partial amputation first thing in the morning. It had woken him up, to say the least. The guy worked at some cedar mill just outside of Seattle and the saw had chopped his hand off two thirds of the way through. They’d decided to bring the guy to Grey Sloan since Link was building quite a good reputation on the west coast. He could practically hear Amelia going on about her reputation being heard of from across the entire country. One might think that Link would be upset about his partner’s success surpassing his own. She definitely earned more than him. According to Amelia, that had been an apparent issue in many of her old relationships. However, as the orthopedic surgeon had told Deluca once before, he had no problem with her being better than him. If anything it was nice to have his girlfriend be just as much of a workaholic as himself. He loved bones and even if the surgeries he usually performed weren’t considered groundbreaking, he didn’t care since he was doing something he loved. It made him happy to see that Amelia shared that love for her own field. It brought them closer together if anything.

“Are we good to go?” Hunt broke Link’s train of thought. He was supposed to be observing the resident that was suturing up the revised wrist. Perez glanced at Link expectantly and Link noticed that he had finished closing the entire incision.

“Yeah, sorry.” He shook his head, tiredly. The operation had worn him out. “Great job, everyone.” He could tell Perez was grinning through his mask, his eyes lit up at the idea of impressing his attending. Link hadn't taught much before moving to Grey Sloan and didn’t give out a whole lot of praise unless he really meant it. He had grown to enjoy the resident, despite how much he never seemed to keep his mouth shut. Link stepped into the scrub room and gently cleansed his hands under the hot water. Finally able to check his phone, he replied to a couple messages from his friends and noticed he hadn’t heard from Amelia. He was pretty sure her aneurysm would be done by now. She was probably in the daycare visiting Jake. However, as Link finally reached the day nursery he was told that Amelia had not come by and that Jake was sleeping. Not wanting to wake the baby, Link thanked the worker and headed down to the ER. No luck there either. He ran into Maggie, who apparently hadn’t seen her sister either. After about an hour of roaming the hospital halls, he realized there was one place he hadn’t looked. Cursing himself for his stupidity he climbed the stairs to the fourth floor and knocked on the door of Amelia’s office. Hearing no reply he turned the knob. The room was dimly lit and it took his eyes a moment to adjust. When they did he found Amelia curled up in a ball on her couch, fast asleep.

“There you are,” he whispered, admiring her for a moment. She’d thrown her hair into a messy braid in the car on the way to the hospital and it was barely still together. Her cheek was smushed into the hand she was lying on. He noticed a throw pillow lying on the floor. She’d most likely ended up chucking it because, as he knew extremely well, those pillows were hard as rock. He cautiously climbed onto the couch beside her. From trial and error they’d found a couple positions in which they could both fit on the couch lying down. Both sexual and non sexual. He pulled her onto his chest and relaxed into the soft cushions.

“Hi,” Amelia mumbled groggily. She rubbed her nose on his scrub top, laughing as he shoved her in mock disgust. He glanced at her noticing that her nose was a shade of red that it wasn’t that morning. “Aw, babe, are you getting sick?”

“No,” her voice was scratchy and he raised an eyebrow. “I forgot to dust the couch, my allergies are raging but I’m too tired to care.” She shrugged as Link examined her puffy eyes.

“You should take a benadryl,” he advised her, passing her a tissue from the box on the table. She groaned in response to him sitting up.

“I just wanna sleep,” she complained. “I was doing fantastic till you came and woke me up.”

“Fine.” Link lay back down, chuckling as Amelia grinned and cuddled up to him. “Doesn’t take much to make you happy.”

“Just brain tumors, cuddles and…” she trailed off, forgetting the third thing that she listed off frequently as her favourite things.  

“Coffee,” he reminded her, rolling his eyes.

“Fuck,” her eyes rolled back as if the mere idea of the drink was somehow pleasuring her. Link squirmed, momentarily realizing that he was jealous of a cup of coffee.  He glanced at her to find her watching him with amusement.

“Maybe I should change the last one to my extremely hot boyfriend,” she teased, laughing as his head bobbed in response.