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steddieas-shegoes · 4 months ago

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for @corrodedcoffinfest prompt 'ow'

rated t | 926 words | cw: injury, hospitals | tags: established relationship, steddie, famous corroded coffin

🤕🤕🤕🤕🤕🤕🤕🤕🤕🤕🤕

Steve woke up to his phone ringing. He wouldn’t normally be too concerned about that happening, especially when it was barely eleven at night and Eddie was known to call when he got offstage for the night, but the ringtone wasn’t Eddie’s.

“Gareth?” Steve answered, heart already racing from the adrenaline of being woken up so quickly.

“Eddie fell!” Gareth’s voice was panicked as he spoke.

“Fell? Where? Is he okay?” Steve started to rush out of bed, mentally calculating what he would need to shove into a carry on bag to get to wherever Eddie was.

Dallas? Las Vegas? He forgot.

“Off the stage. He’s in the ambulance and we’re on our way to the hospital now. He was awake and yelling at us to call you when he left,” Jeff answered. Apparently Gareth had him on speakerphone. “I don’t think he hit his head, but he said his leg and hip hurt. Could have broken something.”

“Shit. Okay. I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Steve threw his backpack on the bed, shoving his phone charger in first. “Send me the hospital info so I can try to call.”

“No, no. He said to tell you not to rush here.”

“His exact words were ‘’Tis but a scratch.’” Frankie said through the phone. “Which is code for he’s being very brave.”

“Exactly. I’ll be on the next flight to-“ Steve leaned over to check his printed out schedule of the tour. “Kansas City.”

“See you soon.”

****

When Steve arrived at the hospital, the entire crew filled the waiting room. A nurse was standing at the reception desk talking to Gareth, Jeff, and Frankie.

Steve rushed over to them.

“How is he?”

“They won’t let any of us see him. He’s been in recovery for two hours now.” Frankie said over his shoulder as he glared at nurse.

“Apparently Eddie doesn’t want to see anyone.” Jeff said as he turned to Steve. “Not until he saw you.”

“Okay, so let me see him.” Steve adjusted his backpack over his shoulder.

“He’s asleep. Nurse said he finally passed out about 15 minutes ago and he needs rest,” Gareth shook his head. “Dramatic bitch.”

“Wait. Recovery?” Steve shook his head. He needed to focus, figure out what was going on exactly. “He had surgery?”

“They had to repair his knee that he shattered. Idiot.” Frankie said before walking towards the crew.

“He’s just mad it took so long to find out anything. He was worried,” Jeff explained. “Glad you’re here now, man. Flight okay?”

“Got stuck in the middle seat between a business man who spent the entire flight calling his wife a bitch and a woman who spent the entire flight crying about leaving her boyfriend. Also anxious as hell. Pretty sure my leg is still numb from not sitting still.” Steve sighed. “Any way I can just go sit in his room?” He asked the nurse.

“Will everyone leave if I let you?” She asked in return.

“I’ll clear ‘em out.” Jeff promised as he patted Steve’s shoulder.

Gareth gave him a quick side hug before following Jeff to the crowded room.

The nurse still didn’t seem pleased, but she must’ve sensed that Steve would put up a hell of a fight. She nodded her head for him to follow her through the double doors to the elevators.

“Room 3186 is where he’ll be for the next 24-48 hours. Then he’ll either get released or moved to the inpatient physical therapy hall,” she explained as they rode up to the third floor. “That’s usually reserved for particularly slow healers and older people, so hopefully he’ll be able to do outpatient PT.”

“How long before he can go on stage?” Steve asked, already scared of the answer.

“I guess it depends on if he plans on falling off another one.”

Any other time, Steve probably would’ve laughed, but right now, he was full of too much anxiety.

“I doubt he planned on falling off of this one,” Steve snapped back.

She apologized when they got to Eddie’s room. “It’s just been rough dealing with that crowd.”

“Well, he’s got a lot of people who care about him.”

She gave him a small smile before leaving him to go into the room on his own.

Eddie was asleep, but Steve could tell it wasn’t a deep sleep. They must not be giving him strong medication.

Steve set his backpack down by the chair and sat down as quietly as possible.

When he looked over to Eddie, his eyes were open and his lips were turned down in a frown. “Ow.”

“Want me to call a nurse?” Steve leaned closer to the bed, worry creasing his brow.

“I broke my knee.”

“I know, baby.”

“Floor got me.”

“Yeah, it did,” Steve barely managed to hold back a laugh as Eddie sighed. “You wanna hold my hand?”

“Always.”

Steve watched as Eddie drifted back to sleep, his hand loose in his grasp.

He sent a text to Gareth to let him know he was with him and he was sleeping somewhat peacefully. He made sure to tell him they could all head back to the buses and vans if they hadn’t already.

Eddie got released two days later with a very intense PT schedule and a restriction on playing on stage standing up for four weeks.

When he got the cast and bandages off, his first stop was a tattoo parlor, where he got the word ‘ow’ tattooed over his kneecap, just above the scar from his surgery.

#corroded coffin #corrodedcoffinfest #steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #gareth stranger things #jeff stranger things #unnamed freak stranger things

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c4m-th3-gr34t · 3 months ago

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inspired by a post from @jamandjazz

How Johnny Cade, Dallas Winston, and Steve Randle are affected by their parent issues.

ok so keep in mind i havent read the book since december (i dont have my own copy) so this might be a bit wrong. im using info from my mind, the movie, the musical, tiktok, and here.

Johnny Cade

so its canon that johnny wouldve ran away if it werent for the gang (starting off strong with dally-johnny parallels OUCH)

the abuse from his parents definitely gave him a fucked up sense on what it means to feel loved

which is why johnny gets along with dally so well, i'll get into that more in dally's part

he 100% thinks that the entire world hates him except for the gang

someone said that he is so sweet its sick, not true. the abuse definitely toughened him up enough that he will be mean to strangers

he canonically is somewhat responsible (going out to the store to buy supplies and giving ponyboy a note)

im saying that because im pretty sure pony says something like twobit and someone else in the gang would forget to buy something johnny remembered

johnny learned that from having to live out on the street sometimes when his parents fought or kicked him out for multiple days

he is the living definition of forgive but never forget

he just wants a home

i personally hc that the abuse started as johnny grew older, maybe when he was 6-8 years old

which is why johnny (especially in the musical) still cares about his parents

because he remembers that they WERE good people

and he hopes to bring them back eventually

Dallas Winston

oh this man...

ran away from his problems. thats canon

his mom died when she gave birth and thats why his dad is the alcoholic deadbeat abuser he is

the abuse from his parents gave him a fucked up sense on what it means to love

which is why he can talk to johnny so well because johnny is used to the type of love dally gives

he 100% hates the world except for the gang

the abuse toughened up both johnny and dally, the thing is dally grew up with it, johnny was raised with love at first

also dally's environment in ny, that place is rough in many areas

tulsa doesnt have that, at least not on the level of ny

he's rough with everyone because thats what he learned

Steve Randle

UGH THIS MAN BRO

screw u se hinton for giving us NOTHING abt him

anyways!!

the neglect sooo fucked him up

then his dad giving physical money for forgiveness?

hell nahhh

steve definitely felt like he cannot be loved without paying someone

like with real money

which made him feel unlovable because he's like broke as fuck

soda was the first person to show him what love actually is

his mom uhh eloped to wherever after steve's birth ig idfk

steve thinks everything in the world comes with a price, even an ounce of love

i literally cant think of shit for this man rn

All Three

accidentally trauma bonding

johnny mentioned something then both steve and dally said "same"

genuinely concerning from an outsider standpoint but really funny to them

if it was modern au darry or soda wouldve sent them to therapy

one time johnny got kicked out and went to the curtis house and found steve in the kitchen

j: "kicked out?"

s: "...yeah"

j: "same."

then dally walks in

d: "bottles got thrown at me in buck's place"

j: "ptsd?"

d: "no-" *remembers he's with two people who had it happen to them* "...yeah"

j and s- "its good."

johnny convinces them to do a cuddle blob thing (the gang's done them before)

darry wakes up and see them, doesnt comment but remembers for blackmail

#cam talks about the outsiders #the outsiders #steve randle #johnny cade #dallas winston

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creepiecreator · 3 months ago

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JOHNNY CADE HEADCANONS

-Italian/chilean with some Wichita native american *he doesnt know much, about the native american parts of his culture

-fluent in Italian

-His comfort item is his jacket, which was probably a christmas present from the gang one year

-Primarily sticks with long sleeves to hide all the bruises. After a certain point he no longer cares about it though.

-Surprisingly skilled at theft but only does it if absolutely necesary.

-surprisingly strong right hook

-His favorite season is spring but he *loves* snow

-He can sleep damn near anywhere.

-He likes to draw, its one of his favorite past times to end up doing.

-He may be a timid person and a pacifist but he can fight when necessary (obviously) and can be a sarcastic little shit at times.

-He can and will fidget all the damn time.

-Absolutely loves when someone reads to him, since he has some issues focusing on reading himself.

-Tries his damned hardest not to cry around the gang, only exception to this rule is Ponyboy

-He plays football (canon), soccer (canon) and baseball (not canon). None of these are on actual teams though

-I have a good feeling this guy is touchstarved as fuck, no matter how much the gang gives him he still craves it.

-Tries to take care of his friends when they're hurt

-neurodivergent

-Befriend all the animals when possible

-Surprisingly can in fact deliver some *really* funny roasts and can be really sarcastic. But hes so quiet when he does it most the time that a lot of people dont hear him.

-Loves drag races/Dallas's speedy driving *canon*

-Supersticious at times somehow?

Johnny survives HCS

-chronic pain

-Stuck with a wheel chair and a lot of physical therapy for a while, but then he just gets stuck on crutches...he still wants to try to walk normally though. (And maybe he will? It depends on the rps and

Well. Lets face it. How merciful I'm feeling)

-PTSD galoreeee

#the outsiders #the outsiders johnny cade #johnny cade #the outsiders headcanons #the outsiders 1983 #johnny cade headcanons

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goldenseresinretriever · 4 months ago

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Snitches Get Stitches: Chapter 10

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Reader

Part of the San Diego Dogfighters universe

Summary: Jake Seresin, golden boy of the NHL and Captain of the Dallas Stars makes headlines when he unexpectedly signs with newly-formed San Diego Dogfighters. When your future seems at the verge of crashing down, you receive the opportunity of a lifetime to become the team physician for the Dogfighters. You never expected to be working directly with your favorite hockey player. Jake has a secret and you have a job to do. Will he be able to trust you enough to help and will you be able to trust him with your heart?

Series CW: 18+ ONLY, swearing, violence, sports violence, medical stuff, blood probably, angst, fluff, (eventual) smut, forbidden romance, sexual harassment, suggestive language, medical inaccuracies, hockey inaccuracies etc. No use of Y/N.

Word Count: 3.4k

A/N: This is a repost of my completed series, Snitches Get Stitches. It was originally posted in October-November 2023, and was lost when my blog was deleted.

Previous Chapter // Series Masterlist // Next Chapter

You’ve spent the last two weeks out of work. You’d called Maverick the morning after your accident, explaining your situation and he’d appointed Jake to keep an eye on you since if you wouldn’t be there to work with him there was little reason for him to come into work. He said he’d explain your situation to Cyclone and you couldn’t help but worry even though no one but Zam and Javy knew you were recovering in Jake’s house, in his bed. The first couple of days had made you lightly stir-crazy as Jake insisted on you getting complete rest, and while you were content to spend the day curled up in bed with your boyfriend, the logical part of your brain was panicking. Jake compromised by bringing a mat from his home gym into the bedroom and performing stretches under your watchful eye. By the end of the first week, you were up and moving around again, and the cuddling extended to the living room, Jake getting creative with at-home dates for the two of you. From homemade pizza and a movie to evening strolls along the beach behind the house with Pudding, the two of you were making the absolute most of your time together. After the incident in the bathroom, however, Jake had been keeping his distance sexually. You both knew “strenuous physical activity” was off the table until you were fully healed so the two of you had agreed to pump the brakes for the time being and take things slow. Not that you didn’t spend every night curled in the safety of his arms, but some sacrifices had to be made. Jake had teasingly marked the Sunday before the two-week anniversary of your accident on his calendar as “D-Day” with a winky face since you’d be returning to work the day after. You’d teased him endlessly for his childishness but a part of you was just as excited as he was. Keeping your hands off him wasn’t easy when you spent every minute of every day with him and you hadn’t helped by escalating things in the bathroom that day.

Now D-Day was tomorrow and you were making some final preparations that Jake was blissfully ignorant of. The two of you had continued physical therapy at home and Jake’s knee was healing well. So well that he was out right now walking the dogs all by himself while you and Zam were sprawled across from each other on the couch while she filled you in on all the goings on at work. She’d stopped by your apartment on her way here to pick you up some things you’d asked for.

“You got everything?” You ask as you sort through the bag as quickly as you can, glancing at the front door to make sure Jake isn’t back yet. You don’t want to ruin the surprise. Zam grins conspiratorially.

“Well almost all of it, let’s just say I took some creative liberties with the last item.” You raise an eyebrow before you feel your fingers brush plastic wrap at the bottom of the bag and you pull out the mysterious package, your breath catching as you realize what it is and you look up at Zam in surprise.

“They arrived?!” She nods, squealing in excitement as you tear into the plastic wrap and unfurl the fabric inside. The jersey is predominantly olive green with gray sleeves and golden accents with the Dogfighters logo in the center. You turn it around to see the golden number 86 on the back and SERESIN emblazoned above it. “Oh Zam, it’s perfect!” You squeal as you hug the fabric to your chest, burying your cheek against it.

“Remember, that’s his official one, okay? He has to wear that at games so don’t do anything TOO freaky with it.” You roll your eyes, cheeks flushing slightly. “The first round of official merch should be coming in next week, so I’ll make sure to set aside one for you if you tell me what size you want.”

“You say that like you haven’t already checked the one in my closet and have the size memorized.”

She shrugs. “Just giving you a chance to speak now or forever hold your peace.” You shake your head just as you hear the creak of the front door and fold the jersey as quickly as you can before burying it back in the duffel bag, pulling the zipper shut just as a chorus of happy barks greet your ears. Pudding and Roxie bound over to you as Jake hangs up the leashes and takes off his shoes. “Who’s this?” Zam exclaims as a dachshund rounds the couch and attempts to climb the couch as Pudding nudges her nose under the smaller dog’s butt, boosting her onto the couch before climbing up and throwing herself across your lap. You laugh as you shower her in pets while Zam gives attention to the jealous brown bundle she’s scooped into her lap.

“That’s Roxie,” Jake explains as he rounds the couch, placing a kiss on your cheek as he squeezes in next to you. “She’s Javy’s little girl.”

“WHAT?” Zam is shocked as she pauses her cuddling of Roxie who takes massive offense to the gesture and nips at Zam’s hand impatiently. “Javy Machado, puck slut extraordinaire, is a doggy daddy?” You burst out laughing at her reaction as Jake nods solemnly. “How come I’ve never heard anything about this before? I did my research and it’s VERY thorough.”

You roll your eyes at that. “He keeps her super private because he doesn’t want her to tarnish his playboy reputation. At least that’s what he says.” You shrug.

“So where is he tonight, then?” Zam asks as she resumes petting Roxie.

It's Jake’s turn to roll his eyes. “He’s spending the weekend in Cabo with some girls he met at a bar on Wednesday.”

“He’s in CABO? He has work on Monday, he knows this right?” Zam exclaims, eyes wide with shock. Jake nods.

“He wanted one last offseason hurrah before the season starts.”

“So you’re watching his dog?”

“Actually, he watches her whenever Javy hooks up with someone.” You clarify and Zam groans, rolling her eyes.

“Is this poor girl EVER at home?” Jake chuckles at that. Zam pauses for a moment, and you can see the gears turning in her head before she looks up at the two of you, light twinkling in her eyes. “Actually! She might be the key to fixing Javy’s reputation!” Jake raises an eyebrow and she continues. “There’s nothing the media loves more than a big guy and his small dog! Do you think he’d bring her to the arena sometime? Maybe to a game?” Jake shakes his head, sighing.

“He doesn’t even keep her at home when he has girls over, I doubt he’d bring her anywhere where there’ll be press.” Zam groans.

“Well maybe we can convince him, and by we I mean you. You owe me one since I’m covering for the two of you.” Jake grimaces but nods.

“I’ll try but I can’t promise anything. Believe me, I want Javy to grow up as much as you do but he’s set in his ways. Not to mention he’s still pissed at me for not saying anything about my knee… or Bugs.” He runs his finger down your arm. Zam gives him a sad smile.

“He’ll forgive you soon enough, just give him time.” She glances at her phone and sighs. “Okay lovebirds, I’m gonna head out. I’ll see you both on Monday, yeah?” She carefully moves Roxie out of her lap before standing and stretching. Jake gets up to walk her out while you’re trapped under Pudding. Roxie climbs over Pudding to lie on top of the pile and when Jake comes back he chuckles at the sight of you buried under the two dogs. He pulls his phone out and snaps a picture as you smile up at him.

“Look at my girls.” He coos and you blush, still getting used to his blatant sweetness. You stretch a hand out to him.

“Come join the cuddle puddle,” he takes it and you pull him back to his spot on the couch and he lifts Pudding’s back legs to slide underneath. You lean your head on his shoulder and he presses a kiss to your head gently before the four of you drift off into an afternoon nap.

***

The next morning you lean over Jake’s sleeping face watching his eyelashes flutter against his cheeks. “Happy D-Day, Jake.” You whisper softly, leaning in to press a featherlight kiss against his cheek and it shifts under your lips as Jake smiles.

“Mornin’, sweet girl.” He opens one green eye and gazes at you with a look full of pure adoration. “How’re you feeling?” You giggle, leaning our cheek on his shoulder so you’re face to face.

“Absolutely perfect.” You lean forward to press a kiss to his lips and he returns it enthusiastically, groaning softly against your mouth as he pushes up, rolling you underneath him as you squeal in delight. “Jake!”

“Mhm?” He hums, making no move to deepen the kisses, content to place pecks of varying length against your lips between your giggles. You reach up to cup his cheeks, his beard scratching against your palms, holding him to you as you pull away just far enough to lean your forehead against his. “Hi,” his voice is still gravelly with sleep as his emerald eyes keep yours locked with his, a magnetic attraction that you can’t look away from.

“Hi,” the smile you’re trying to hide bursts forth and spreads across your face, and Jake returns it with one of his own. Your thumbs stroke into the divots formed by his dimples deepening into his cheeks as yours heat under his gaze. He leans in to kiss the tip of your nose, grin widening in delight as you scrunch it up in response, another giggle escaping your lips.

“As much as I’d love to celebrate by keeping you in my bed all day,” you whimper in response and he brushes his nose against yours. “I have other plans for today.” You pout up at him playfully and he nips at your lips, causing you to giggle again. “Take your time getting ready, I’m gonna get started in breakfast.” You groan as he rolls off of you, climbing out of bed and you bite your lip at the sight of him, framed in the stray sunbeams that creep in through the gap in the curtains. The muscles of his bare back roll as he stretches and his sleep pants are slung low on his hips.

“Are you sure I can’t convince you to take a rain check on those plans?” He turns to glance at you over his shoulder, smirking at where you’re propped up on one elbow, worrying your bottom lip, and smiling up at him. He chuckles, turning fully and placing his hands on his hips, giving you a look of mock exasperation.

“C’mon pretty girl, it’s our last day of vacation, let me treat you like the queen you are.” Your cheeks heat as you let your head fall back slightly as you look at him dreamily.

“You always treat me like a queen.” He walks back over and leans over the bed to kiss you slowly.

“Then let me treat you like a goddess.” He whispers against your mouth as he pulls away. You reach for him but he escapes your grasp, stopping at the doorway to blow you a kiss as he disappears to the kitchen. You groan, flopping back into bed. A part of you wants to savor every second of your last day of privacy before the two of you have to go back to work tomorrow and pretend that you haven’t spent every second of the last two weeks wrapped around each other. The other part of you wants to coax Jake back to bed and spend the rest of the day forgetting that time exists outside your little bubble while the two of you get drunk off the desperacy you’ve been holding back for the last two weeks. But if Jake has plans, you don’t want to get in the way of them.

***

You freshen up but don’t change quite yet, waiting for Jake to clue you in to what the appropriate attire for his plans entails. You pad into the kitchen to see Pudding sitting at Jake’s feet as he slips her a breakfast sausage and you pause for a moment, just soaking in the domesticity. You pull out your phone, snapping a photo for later before sneaking up behind Jake and snaking your arms around his bare waist, leaning your cheek against the muscles of his back. “Hi,” you whisper against his warm skin and you feel the answering chuckle reverberating through his chest.

“Hi,” he whispers back, and you peek around his body just in time to see him scooping bacon and more sausages onto a plate next to a heaping plate of eggs.

“So what are these plans you have for today?” You ask as you detach yourself from Jake and start getting out plates and setting places for the two of you at the counter. Jake brings over the plates piled with breakfast food and you start serving the two of you. It feels comfortable, and routine because it is. Every morning for the last few weeks, it’s been the two of you and Pudding and it’s become your new normal. Since moving to San Diego you’ve spent more time in Jake’s kitchen than your own, and now you’d spent the past two weeks living here full-time and a small part of you wonders what it would be like to stay this way forever. Jake hasn’t asked you to leave but he also hasn’t asked you to stay. What happens after today has been one big question mark. Sure you’re going back to work but now you’re dating your number one patient and directly breaking your oath as a doctor as well as your contract. You and Jake have agreed to make things work but that’s been easy when you’re playing house in your little suburban bubble. Tomorrow will bring new challenges, but as Jake comes around the counter to sit next to you, dropping a kiss on the crown of your head, you know that no matter what changes, Jake won’t leave you. He’s promised as much over and over. If you go, I go. His words replay in your mind every day and while the sensible part of your brain knows he shouldn’t be so willing to throw his career away for you, the fact that he seems so ready to brings you peace when you feel like spiraling. You’ll figure things out together.

“So I was thinking,” Jake says as he starts loading up his plate. “We could pack food and have a beach day, and watch the sunset.”

“That sounds perfect.” You lean your head against his shoulder as you start eating. Jake slides your matcha latte across the counter to you. Ever since you told him you don’t drink coffee, he’s been making one for you every morning.

***

After breakfast, the two of you put together sandwiches and pack up lunch for the day. It’s a beautiful day for a picnic and you’re thankful for the relative privacy of the beach behind Jake’s house. The waves lap along the shore as you dig your toes into the damp sand, letting it cool you while the San Diego sun beats down on your face. Jake’s setting up the blanket and Pudding dashes straight for the water. “Pudding wait!” You shout, running after her without a second thought and just as your hand closes around her collar a wave smashes straight into the two of you, soaking you head to toe instantly.

Thankfully, holding onto Pudding keeps you from getting knocked over but you’re spluttering as the water recedes. Pudding is shaking her fur, getting water everywhere as Jake’s hand closes around your arm gently, turning you to him. You’re sure you look like a drowned rat as you rub salt water out of your eyes with your free hand.

“You okay, sweet girl?” His green eyes match the ocean around you and they’re full of concern as he takes in your bedraggled state. You nod, spitting out salt water and taking his hand in yours. Your lips curl into a playful smirk as his eyebrow raises in question just as you yank him in front of you as another wave hits. You watch him gasp in surprise as the wave drenches him and you squeal with laughter. Pudding, never one to be left out, is jumping all over Jake and now the three of you are soaked to the bone.

Jake gives you a look that sends shivers down your spine. You’ve only ever seen it when he’s on the ice. You’ve picked a fight you can’t win. You help, running backward through the surf, doing your best to kick up enough water to slow him down. Unfortunately, even with his bad knee, Jake has the athleticism of a hockey player and he’s catching up to you, quickly. Finally, you decide to stand your ground and as Jake approaches you start kicking up a frenzy of water in an attempt to defend from Jake’s advances but he pushes right through towards you. Just as he’s about to reach where you’re grinning at him, another wave hits and this time you don’t have anything to hang onto. You go tumbling at the force of the water hitting you, gasping in shock. Water fills your mouth and nose and you’re spluttering as you struggle to regain your footing until a pair of strong arms wrap around your middle and you’re clambering up Jake’s torso as he pulls you close. He’s walking out of the surf now, the lightheartedness of your chase gone for the moment, overshadowed by his concern for your safety. Once the water is just lapping at his tanned ankles he stops, rubbing your back to coax your head out of where it’s tucked into the salt-kissed skin of his neck. “Bunny, you good?” You nod into him, pressing a soft kiss to the skin there, nosing at it gently. “Need to hear your voice, baby.” He says as he keeps rubbing soothing circles.

“I’m okay, Jake.” Your voice sounds raw from the salt water you swallowed and you cough up some. Jake pats your back as he gently puts you down. His eyes search your face, worriedly, and you’re sure you look a mess, the salt water making your eyes red and irritated. You reach a hand up to cup his cheek and he turns to press a kiss against the skin of your palm. “I’m always safe with you, Jake.” You whisper and you see emotions swimming in his eyes that you’re sure are mirrored in your own. And when he kisses you, you don’t mind the taste of salt in your mouth so much.

Jake leads you back to the blanket and you shiver, sitting down on the corner, trying not to soak the fabric beneath you. He unbuttons his soaked white button-down immediately, shrugging it off and stripping off his black undershirt, handing it to you and you take it. “Jake, you really don’t have to.” You say, examining the soaked black fabric that’s already heavy in your hands. He gives you a curious look.

“As much as I’m enjoying the view, Bunny, I don’t really feel like sharing.” You’re confused until he nods at your soaked sundress and you glance down, realizing that the thin white material has soaked through, revealing the black cotton set you’re wearing underneath. Gasping, you pull Jake’s undershirt over your head to cover yourself to the best of your ability, shivering as the damp fabric sticks to your bare skin. Jake sits down next to you, pulling you against the warm skin of his chest that’s exposed by his open shirt. You snuggle into his embrace as he digs into the bag you lugged down from the house.

There’s a strawberry placed against your lips and you take a bite appreciatively, humming with pleasure at the sweet taste before Jake polishes it off. Pudding is still racing around in the water, chasing something the two of you can’t see. This right here is your special piece of paradise and for the first time in weeks, you’re not worried about how long it’ll be before it slips through your fingers.

#san diego dogfighters au #San Diego dogfighters #San Diego dogfighters hockey au #snitches get stitches // goldenseresinretriever #sgs // goldenseresinretriever #jake hangman seresin x you #jake seresin x you #jake hangman seresin x reader #jake seresin x reader #jake seresin #top gun maverick hockey au #top gun maverick #top gun #TGM #no use of y/n

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leaves-lilies-and-esther · 1 year ago

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Why being against trans rights as a feminist is bull

Generally I fall pretty neatly into line with the radfem line of thinking about things (anti surrogacy, anti sex industry, pro choice, anti beauty industry etc). And I don't think that radical feminists who disagree with me on this are evil or anything, but I do believe that it shouldn't be a priority and that this whole effort will be remembered badly.

"But the bathrooms-"

Letting trans women into female bathrooms does not increase sexual assault. According to Media Matters, "...the fear is baseless- completely unsupported by years of evidence from states that already have non-discrimination laws on the books." To give examples:

Rhode Island reported "no increase in sex crimes due to 2001 law"

Karen Richards of the Vermont Human Rights commission said she is "not aware" of any problems from a 2001 law

Jim O'Neill said he was "unaware of any sexual assault as the result of the CT gender identity or expression law" in Connecticut

If you search "Debunking the Big Myth about Transgender Inclusive Bathrooms" from Media Matters you can see the other twelve state level examples

There's also a very well written article from Time called "Transgender Bathroom: Advocates Say 'Predator' is a Myth" . They detail several locations like New York City and California which protect trans rights without seeing a spike in sexual assaults, the fact that school officials and police departments have not seen a spike either, and that several organizations dedicated to stopping violence against women all agree that bathroom rights aren't a threat.

Moreover, according to Vox's article "Anti-transgender bathroom hysteria, explained"- all of the incidences commonly cited of men dressing up as women or posing as a woman in order to commit sexual assault happened before a non-discrimination bathroom law was passed. Meaning that these laws don't cause sh*t.

But to add onto another point, there's a very good reason why we cannot simply say that women's bathrooms must be defined by sex alone. Which is that we end up exposing transgender or nonbinary youth to extremely avoidable violence instead.

According to an article from Harvard entitled "transgender teens with restricted bathroom access at higher risk of sexual assault", quote, "Transgender and non-binary teens face greater sexual assault in schools that prevent them from using bathrooms or locker rooms consistent with their gender identity." 36% of trans or nonbinary youth with restricted access had been sexually assaulted in the past year. In no world is that an acceptable number. Not only does restricting bathroom access not solve anything for cis women, it actively inflicts male violence on transgender women.

And even in the outlandish world where this wasn't enough of a reason, it also leads to cis women being policed on their appearance and how feminine they present in order to avoid looking trans. In Las Vegas a woman named Jay was kicked out because they mistook her for trans according to Advocate article 'cis woman mistaken as transgender records being berated in bathroom'. Aimee Toms in Danbury was similarly harassed, as was Jessica Rush in Dallas. There's several videos in the Vox article "Women are getting harassed in bathrooms because of anti-transgender hysteria". And guess what? This sort of policing what a cis woman can look like is only going to get worse as people continue to advocate against trans women in bathrooms.

And women's sports-

Any physical advantage that transgender people have in sports goes away several years after medical transition. According to the NBC article "trans women retain athletic edge after a year of hormone therapy"

(1) "For the Olympic, the elite level, I'd say probably two years is more realistic than one year" - namely, trans people have standard hormone levels if they wait two years after medical transition. "After two years, Roberts told NBC News, 'they were fairly equivalent to cisgender women'".

There were some limitations to the Roberts study, but there's also a 2015 Harper study backing this up.

(3) Joanna Harper, a medical physicist in Portland, already ran a study on this. "...found that trans women ran at least 10 percent slower after beginning hormones. And, relatively speaking, they did no better against cisgender female runners than they previously done against cisgender men".

Namely, as long as there's been a medical transition for several years, it's still a totally fair competition.

But laws which ban transgender women from sports have had the incidental effect of allowing for state-sanctioned genital inspections on minors. This sounds fake, right? But in Ohio Republicans have passed a bill which "...has a verification requirement, if someone is 'accused' or 'suspected' of being trans... she must go through evaluations of her external and internal genitalia, testosterone levels and genetic makeup." And believe it or not, they only had one transgender girl who was an athlete in high school. One! This is according to the Ohio Capital Journal's article "GOP passes bill aiming to root out 'suspected' transgender female athletes with genital inspection."

Similarly, Florida has just passed a ban on transgender students in sports in April 2021, with provisions similar to the Ohio law. "A dispute regarding a student's sex shall be resolved by the student's school or institution by requesting that the student provide a health examination... provides for 'routine sports physical examination' of students' reproductive organs, genetic makeup, or testosterone levels." This is according to Changing America, titled "Florida's new ban on transgender students in sports would allow schools to subject minors to genital inspections."

I don't know about you, but as someone who has enjoyed track, swim team, and basketball all through educational institutions- I don't want the government in my pants.

Beyond the creepy implications of the state demanding invasive inspections on literal children, this also goes back to the point I made on bathrooms above- that when we take spaces away trans people, we take spaces away from any woman or girl who society deems as presenting too 'masculine'.

As feminists we can absolutely support trans rights without compromising our integrity. And not only can we, we should.

Edited August 24, 2023: I wanted to add a section about the provisions of these bills for literal genital inspections. I regret that it wasn't in the original, but I remembered these articles earlier and thought that it was important to add here.

The other thing I did later the same day was take out the part referencing women like Caster Semenya competing in the Olympics and being removed because of high testosterone levels. Someone has kindly pointed out that these are intersex women, which the original article I had read referred to as cis. I feel that intersex women in athletics deserve their own discussion, and I haven't (a) read enough on the issue or (b) learned enough about the intersex community as a whole to take part.

#radical feminism #gender critical #feminism #liberal feminism #transgender #trans rights #women's rights #long post #loooong post #radblr

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hangmansgbaby · 10 months ago

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Things to Know Before Reading

Royally Pucked

This will be updated as needed | Masterlist

The Warnings

This series contains SMUT and heavy topics! You are responsible for your intake on the internet! Read at your own discretion!

There are A LOT of hockey inaccuracies cause I don't know much

Mentions of intended one might stands, toxic ex, secret relationships anxiety and descriptions of panic attacks

Fun Facts

Javy Machado's number for the San Diego Daggers is 11 for 2 reasons: Javy and Nat got married October 31, 2011, 11 days before their twins Trace and Jules were born on November 11, 2011 (11-11-11).

Jake and Ellie Seresin's daughter Kingsley was born March 30, 2012.

Javy and Jake have been best friends since they met in 2009 when they both joined the LA Kings.

Jake transferred to the Dallas Stars in 2012 after splitting with Ellie to be closer to a support system to help raise Kingsley.

In 2015 the San Diego Daggers were founded and Jake, Javy, Bradley Bradshaw, and Mickey Garcia were the first to be recruited and accept a deal.

2016 is when the rest of the team we have now joins with few coming and going.

Royally Pucked takes place in 2017-18 but the prologue is December 2016

Layne has a work mix that's over 20 hours long (see here)

Layne is the Director of Physical Therapy with one intern. She answers to 2 people; the Team Doctor and the Operations Manager

Layne studied kinesiology at University of Texas at Arlington. She has her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science - Clinical and Applied Physiology and her Master of Science in Athletic Training.

Also! Read Pucking Finally! It is the series prologue after all😊

Taglist: @mamachasesmayhem @sarahsmi13s @thedroneranger @kmc1989 @dempy @buckysteveloki-me @hangmanshoney

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coreintegrativehealth123 · 8 months ago

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What advantages does Dallas physical therapy offer?

Dallas physical therapy provides several benefits to anyone seeking recovery or care for different musculoskeletal disorders or injuries:

Expertise and Specialization

State-of-the-Art Facilities

Comprehensive Approach

Personalized Treatment Plans

Collaborative Care

Convenient Access

In summary, Physical Therapy Dallas provides patients with access to top-notch medical attention, specialized knowledge, state-of-the-art facilities, and individualized treatment programs to aid in their general well-being, chronic condition management, and injury recovery.

Give Core Integrative Health a call right now to learn more if you're interested in physical therapy services in Dallas.

#botox and fillers in dallas #physical therapy dallas #chiropractor in dallas #vaginal rejuvenation in dallas #medical clinic in dallas #hair restoration in dallas #iv therapy in dallas

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acceleratemarketing003 · 2 years ago

Link

The goal of physical therapy dallas is to help patients regain their ability to perform daily activities and improve their quality of life. Physical therapy can be used to treat a wide variety of conditions, including musculoskeletal disorders, neurological disorders, cardiopulmonary conditions, and sports injuries.

#physical therapy dallas

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healthcareservicesdallas · 10 months ago

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Identify the Causes of Golfer's Elbow

Golfer’s elbow Dallas, a condition characterized by pain and inflammation on the inner side of the elbow, is not exclusive to golfers. It can affect anyone engaging in repetitive wrist and forearm motions. At Top Notch Vitality, we recognize the importance of identifying the causes of golfer’s elbow to empower individuals with the knowledge needed for prevention and effective treatment.

Repetitive Movements:

A primary culprit behind a golfer’s elbow is repetitive movements, particularly those associated with sports like golf. Whether you’re perfecting your swing on the golf course or participating in activities involving continuous gripping and flexing of the wrist, the repetitive nature of these motions can lead to strain and inflammation in the tendons.

Incorrect Technique:

Using improper techniques during physical activities can significantly increase the risk of a golfer’s elbow. It’s crucial to pay attention to your form, especially in sports like golf, tennis, or weightlifting, where incorrect techniques can place excessive stress on the inner tendons of the elbow.

Overuse and Strain:

Overusing the forearm muscles without allowing sufficient time for rest and recovery is a common cause of the golfer’s elbow. Intense physical activities without proper breaks can contribute to the development of this condition.

Lack of Warm-up and Stretching:

Skipping warm-up exercises and neglecting proper stretching before engaging in physical activities can leave your muscles and tendons vulnerable to injury. Adequate warm-up routines and stretching are crucial in preventing a golfer’s elbow.

Age and Health Factors:

Age can be a contributing factor, as tendons become less flexible with aging, making them more susceptible to injury. Additionally, individuals with certain health conditions, such as arthritis, may be at a higher risk of developing a golfer’s elbow.

Prevention Strategies:

Preventing a golfer’s elbow involves adopting proper techniques, incorporating regular breaks, warming up adequately, and maintaining overall arm strength and flexibility. Top Notch Vitality recommends consulting with healthcare professionals or specialists for personalized advice based on your specific needs and activities.

Seeking Timely Treatment:

If you suspect you have a golfer’s elbow or are experiencing persistent pain, seeking timely treatment is essential. Rest, ice, physical therapy, and, in some cases, anti-inflammatory medications may be recommended to alleviate symptoms and promote healing.

Conclusion:

Understanding the causes of golfer’s elbow empowers individuals to take proactive steps toward prevention and seek timely treatment when needed. At Top Notch Vitality, we advocate for a holistic approach to health, emphasizing the importance of informed choices for a pain-free and active lifestyle.

By embracing this knowledge and incorporating preventive measures, individuals can confidently navigate their activities, knowing they are taking the necessary steps to protect their elbow health. For more insights into health and wellness, trust Top Notch Vitality as your partner in achieving and maintaining a vibrant life.

Original Source: https://jacobjose.livejournal.com/315.html

#dallas golfer's elbow #golfer's elbow dallas #dallas tennis elbow #tennis elbow dallas #golfer's elbow treatment in dallas #causes of golfer's elbow #top notch vitality

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ofmanycol0rs · 1 year ago

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↶*ೃ✧˚. golden goose productions is the in-house music production company for rainbow entertainment. golden goose has 3 full-time in-house producers with multiple other producers who have worked with the company on a few projects.

↶*ೃ✧˚. shin daewon " DAY1 "

❃ ↷ ˊ- producer name ; DAY1

❃ ↷ ˊ- birth name ; shin daewon

❃ ↷ ˊ- birthday ; may 31, 1996

❃ ↷ ˊ- birth place ; daegu, south korea

❃ ↷ ˊ- faceclaim ; jeon jungkook

❃ ↷ ˊ- notes ;

✧ . the first producer to be brought on as in house in 2016

✧ . an incredibly controversial hire among the executives as he was only 20 and relatively inexperienced, many wondered why he wasn’t simply a trainee

✧ . he was the son of an industry friend of jiwon’s and the protege of a producer who had worked with rbe in the past

✧ . his first title track release was lucky’s gashina, and considering it was a smash hit, he successfully proved himself

✧ . he is well-liked around the company since every artist works with him regularly and he is rather personable, but he tends to have control issues

✧ . he will make someone re-record their part 50 times until they get it just how he wants it

✧ . those control issues may overflow into his personal relationships as well...

↶*ೃ✧˚. emily min " ROZE "

❃ ↷ ˊ- producer name ; ROZE

❃ ↷ ˊ- birth name ; min eunji “emily”

❃ ↷ ˊ- birthday ; march 6, 1999

❃ ↷ ˊ- birth place ; dallas, texas

❃ ↷ ˊ- faceclaim ; park jennie

❃ ↷ ˊ- notes ;

✧ . fell in love with music and performing doing children’s theater at her elementary school

✧ . did theater all the way through high school, even learning music direction and some composition

✧ . introduced to kpop though her mom who was a big h.o.t fan back in the day

✧ . on a family vacation to korea to visit her grandparents, she saw an ad for rainbow auditions online and begged her parents to let her audition, and not thinking it turn out to be anything serious, they allowed it

✧ . she got notified that she was accepted after she had already returned to the states, and she had to turn on the waterworks to convince her parents to let her return to become a trainee

✧ . she was originally in the trainee group for la vie, but 9 months before they were supposed to make their debut, she tore a muscle in her hip, requiring surgery and physical therapy treatment

✧ . she was heartbroken that she wouldn’t be able to make her debut with her group, but she found solace in learning to make music after getting closer to woosung

✧ . he offered to officially mentor her in production so that she could stay with the company

✧ . most known for producing all the iconic girl group hits including la vie's 'fancy you' and lucid's 'love dive'

✧ . made her solo debut under the name EUNJI in 2021 after a video of her performing her self written song ‘the weekend’ went viral

↶*ೃ✧˚. han hwiyoung " HWI "

❃ ↷ ˊ- producer name ; HWI

❃ ↷ ˊ- birth name ; han hwiyoung

❃ ↷ ˊ- birthday ; january 27, 1997

❃ ↷ ˊ- birth place ; incheon, south korea

❃ ↷ ˊ- faceclaim ; cho seungyoun "woodz"

❃ ↷ ˊ- notes ;

✧ . grew up always wanting to make music; banging on pots and pans to joining the band in middle school to teaching himself music production on his phone in high school

✧ . had a brief soundcloud rapper stint under the name ‘young b0i’

✧ . joined rbe as a contestant on lost boys

✧ . placed 9th and thus did not make it into the final lineup, but decided he preferred making music rather than performing it

✧ . has a very experimental style of production, some may call it noise music

✧ . primarily produces for neverland, although he has been on some of lucid’s more controversial title tracks

✧ . fans either love him or hate him, but he’s really indifferent to it all

✧ . he’s just happy to be making music and will always want to be his authentic self

#one of many colors ! ↶*ೃ✧˚. staff ❃ ↷ ˊ #one of many colors ! ↶*ೃ✧˚. golden goose ❃ ↷ ˊ-#fictional kpop soloist #fictional kpop community #fictional idol community #fictional kpop oc #fictional kpop idol

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northtxhandcentre · 2 years ago

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Occupational Therapy in Dallas, TX

OT can help people regain independence in all areas of their lives. Occupational therapists help with barriers that affect a person's emotional, social, and physical needs. Contact North Texas Hand Center for occupational therapy in Dallas, TX.

#Occupational #Dallas TX

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goldenseresinretriever · 4 months ago

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Snitches Get Stitches: Chapter 7

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Reader

Part of the San Diego Dogfighters universe

Word Count: 4.7k

A/N: This is a repost of my completed series, Snitches Get Stitches. It was originally posted in October-November 2023, and was lost when my blog was deleted.

Previous Chapter // Series Masterlist // Next Chapter

It’s been a week since all hell broke loose in the locker room. It turns out that Maverick and Dare’s marriage really isn’t public knowledge since all everyone’s been talking about is how Iceman had managed to get one of the best coaches in the entire NHL and as an assistant coach at that. Only you and Jake know the extent of the chaos that’s officially descended on the team.

Jake’s officially exempt from practice and the two of you spend pretty much every single day together as you start developing a recovery plan for him. You’d been bouncing between clinics and hospitals getting tests and scans done and you’ve finally managed to book Jake in for the final scans he needs tomorrow with one of your former medical school colleagues. Unsurprisingly, the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute had been staunchly unwilling to help you out, NHL or not, so you’d been forced to look elsewhere to get Jake examined. You couldn’t help the guilt you felt that your own personal issues were keeping Jake from getting the care you deserved but it’s not like there was anything you could do.

That’s what found you here, sitting in a baby pink chair across from Zam’s desk as she chomps ferociously on your peace offering of green gummy bears from your office stash, clicking away at her computer, scanning the documents and emails you’d brought for her to examine. You’d been sitting in silence save for the sound of Zam’s chewing and clicking for the last ten minutes. She finally sits back, an annoyed frown on her face. “This is bullshit.” You sigh, you’d always thought so but every lawyer that had glared down their nose at you had always insisted otherwise. “You realize if you were a man you wouldn’t be dealing with most if any of this.”

“I’m acutely aware, yes.” You slump back into your chair. “Instead I barely have a career, and the one that I do have is constantly being affected by this. I’m literally having to beg doctors to see Jake.” Zam glares harder at her screen.

“A physician’s reputation shouldn’t keep a patient from getting seen.”

“That’s what I’ve been saying, but no one seems to care.” You’re tired, downright exhausted from the grueling and frankly humiliating phone calls that had taken up most of your week. Jake was the only thing keeping you sane amid all this. Unsurprisingly, the two of you had gotten even closer over the past week with all the one-on-one time you’d been spending together both at and outside of work. He was more open, and despite the difficulties he was facing with physical therapy, he smiled and laughed with you in a way you knew was genuine. That only made you want to lean on him more, but you knew you couldn’t. You didn’t know if you’d be able to handle losing him when he found out. You could take the rest of the world being disappointed and disgusted with you but from Jake? It would break every last bit of your resolve.

The last thing you want to do is cry in Zam’s office but finally feeling some solidarity and support from someone else is overwhelming. The look in her eyes as yours blur with tears isn’t pity, it’s pain, solidarity in the shared experience of being a woman in this industry. A knock at the door breaks the moment of vulnerability and you’re blinking back your tears as Zam pushes her pink tissue box towards you, pausing to make sure you’re professional again before she calls out to the knocker to come in.

A familiar blonde head sticks its way in. “Hey Zam, I’m looking for Bugs, Nat said-“ His eyes fall on the back of your head. “Hey Bugs, there you are!” You turn in your chair and give him a smile.

“Hey Jake, sorry I’ll be right there.” You glance at the clock on Zam’s wall. “Sorry, I lost track of time.” Jake shrugs, pushing through the doorway and coming to lean against the back of your chair.

“S’all good, Bugs. I don’t have anywhere else to be.” You know he means it in a nonchalant and completely platonic way but you can’t help the way your heart skips at his words. Then he’s leaning over where you’re seated to grab at the tissue on Zam’s desk covered in gummy bears. You can’t see much past Jake’s torso blocking your field of vision but you hear the slap. “Ow!” Jake yelps as he recoils, holding his hand and pouting at Zam as she scowls at him.

“Paws off, Seresin.” You giggle and Jake glares down at you.

“Whose side are you on, Bugs?” You roll your eyes.

“You know where I keep the stash in my office, Jake, you don’t have to steal from Zam.” He gives you an exaggerated pout and you swat at his arm gently. “Go grab some of your own and I’ll meet you in the therapy room in ten.” He grumbles but takes his leave, dropping a large hand onto your head to muss your hair up in a silent goodbye. You feel your cheeks pinken at the casual touch.

The moment the door swings shut, Zam lets out a breath and you look over to see her giving you a look. “What?”

“Oh girl, please tell me you didn’t go and fall for him.” Your face goes bright red. Now there’s pity in her eyes as she shakes her head.

“You’re setting yourself up for failure, you know that right? As cute as the two of you are, and you’re VERY cute, annoyingly so, actually, you know there’s no universe in which that can happen, right?” Your conscience has graduated from a nagging voice in the back of your head to a frowning woman in a lilac suit sitting across from you. You let out an exhausted sigh before whispering so quietly that you’re not even sure she’ll hear you.

“I know.” The tears are back and you hate that she’s right. There’s no future for you and Jake. Yet you can’t help the way your heart jumps every time he fixes that smile of his on you like it’s your personal spotlight and he thinks you deserve to shine. You’d asked him for professionalism at work and he’d delivered, keeping a respectful distance between the two of you at all times and dialing his flirting down to playful teasing. You knew he was trying for you so why were you so incapable of doing the same?

“Oh, sweetie.” Zam’s getting out of her chair and coming around her desk to wrap her arms around you. You tremble in her arms as the traitorous part of your brain wishes it was Jake holding you. The two of you are silent except for your occasional sniffles as you try to hold yourself together. “This is more than just a little crush, isn’t it?” She finally whispers. You nod over her shoulder because you don’t trust your voice right now. She straightens then, leaning against her desk as she looks you in the eye. She looks like she’s debating something before she swallows and speaks. “I’m gonna start looking into some stuff for you guys.” Your eyebrows shoot straight up. This wasn’t what you’d been expecting at all. She shakes her head. “There has to be a way for this to work.”

“Zam…” you’re at a loss for words at her kindness and solidarity.

“Hey now, this is my job, Bugs, remember? Sticky situations are my specialty. Plus, there’s no universe in which I’m letting Cyclone fire you without a fight, he’s a prick.” Your laugh gurgles up past your shed tears.

“Thank you, Zam, I mean it.” She just gives you a sad smile.

“Just be careful okay? Just because he’s a golden retriever in hockey pads doesn’t mean he’s not still a guy. He’s no Javy Machado, but just make sure you don’t let him break your heart.”

You snort, thinking back to your conversation with Jake about Javy’s dating habits or lack thereof. “How’s that going by the way?”

Zam groans, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I don’t get it, how can a guy that’s that sweet be such a slut?” You laugh at that. “He’s thirty-three for God’s sake, he needs to grow up instead of going through girls like he’s still a frat boy.” She raises an eyebrow at you. “His STD report really came back clean?”

“Really!” You insist. You hadn’t known that it was anything questionable when you’d gotten the results, but you hadn’t really known much about Javy back then.

She groans again, running a hand down her face. “These boys are going to be the death of me, I swear. And not just the younger ones.” She gives you a pointed look. “Cyclone is going to put me in an early grave.”

“Maybe we should get plots next to each other.” You muse and the two of you burst out laughing before Zam sobers before leaning in and whispering.

“Did you know that Mav and Dare are MARRIED?!” You give her a grim smile and nod.

“Jake and I accidentally found out when he invited us over to dinner.”

“There’s no way that doesn’t go absolutely ballistic.” She shakes her head, laughing nervously. “Not to mention the fact that she’s way more qualified than him and SHE’S the ASSISTANT coach. Feminism is dead.” She frowns as if she’s just thought of something. “You think Ice knows that they're married?” You frown back, you hadn’t considered it.

“I think there’s a pretty good chance. I mean why else would he call HER of all people? But a better question is why did she come here in the first place? She’s been coaching the Penguins for 26 years and they’ve been really good, there’s no reason for management to want her gone so that means she left. Mav said they separated on good terms, so maybe he asked her to come here and help?”

Zam shakes her head. “No, Mav didn’t know she was coming. He found out when we did” This is news to you and your jaw drops. “And look I love Mav, I really do but Dare’s been my inspiration for as long as I can remember. She’s the reason I’m here, doing this, and I can’t help but wonder if there’s more to the story than we know.” Before you can answer Zam, there’s another knock at the door. Zam calls out for them to come in and Maverick opens the door.

“Hey ladies, Zam you ready for our meeting?” Zam glances at the clock before cursing and you follow, having both lost track of time. You get up out of the chair, relinquishing it to Mav as he comes in and mouth thank you to Zam before excusing yourself.

***

You sigh, getting up from where you’ve been sitting next to where Jake’s lying on an exercise mat, observing while he does some heel slides, stretching his knee gingerly. “How’s the pain?” You ask, jotting a few notes down on the clipboard at your side.

“Better than yesterday,” Jake confirms as he smiles at you. He’s working hard and it’s showing. So far his recovery has been smooth. You smile back.

“Remember, we have the last of your preliminary scans tomorrow morning so we can’t be late.” You fix him with a look. Jake’s taken to joining you and Pudding on your morning walks aided by a pair of crutches so he can hop along. Unfortunately, both Pudding and her owner are all too excited for these outings and are easily distracted, leading to multiple days where you’ve been forced to rush to make it to work on time.

He holds up his hands in mock surrender. “I have no idea what you’re talking about Bunny, I’m always on time.” You give his chest a gentle shove that makes him laugh before pushing to your feet and holding out your hands to help him up after you. The muscles in your arms strain as you pull the much larger man up and Jake’s hands squeeze yours tightly until you’re face to face. His hands skim up your arms gently, thumbs skimming over your biceps. “Who knew you were so strong, Bunny?” Your eyelids flutter shut at the contrast between the gentle caress and the roughness in his voice.

“I’m really not.” You whisper back, half-lidded eyes meeting his green ones. “But you make me want to be.” It’s true, he makes you want to fight for what you want, for what you deserve.

“What’re you doing tonight?” The words spill past Jake’s lips in a tumble. You shrug, knowing you should lie, and tell him you have plans. It wouldn’t be the first time you’ve hung out after work but there was never this electricity that’s coursing between you now as you’re standing so close that you’re almost touching everywhere.

“Nothing really.” He lets out a pleased hum in response.

“How does a movie night sound?” His fingers are still stroking at the bare skin just past the edge of your sleeve.

“That sounds perfect.” You murmur back and he gazes down at you with such a fondness that you feel like the air has been knocked out of your lungs. Before either of you can move, however, the shrill sound of your alarm pierces the tense atmosphere, signaling the end of your session and you step out of his grasp to fish out your phone and turn it off. Jake plops into a nearby chair going to put his brace back on. You collect your things as he finishes before turning back to him, twisting your fingers together. “Hey, Jake?” He looks up, a question in his eyes at your nervous tone.

“Yeah, Bunny?”

“Can we swing by my apartment on the way? I’d really like to change first.” His face spreads into a relieved smile.

“Of course we can, and for the record? You never have to ask, you’re driving, remember?” You flush at the reminder.

***

You swallow hard when you pull into the parking garage for your apartment complex. Jake’s never been over to your place before. Usually, you’re content to stay in your scrubs for after-work hangouts but today you need to be as far as you can be from any reminders of your job, your title, and your responsibilities. You want to just be Bugs and Jake tonight. You put the truck in park in your usual spot, before turning to Jake. “You wanna come up?” You shouldn’t be so nervous, it’s just for a few minutes while you get changed. He nods and follows you to the elevator.

When you finally reach your door, you’re nervous again. He’s a millionaire and you’re only half moved into your new place so it’s a wreck. You pause with your key in the lock and turn to Jake. “Look, I’m still in the process of moving in, so it’s kind of a mess, but just make yourself comfortable as best you can, I’ll be quick.” He just chuckles and ruffles your hair, nodding. You try not to look too hard at the living room as you make a beeline for your room, leaving Jake behind.

After a few minutes of rummaging around for the pair of sweats that you’re looking for, you duck back out into the living room to check the half-unpacked box next to the couch. You come face to face with Jake who’s standing by the couch holding a box of dog treats in one hand and some brand new dog toys in the other, more on the table next to him. He’s got a look of soft awe on his face as he looks at you. “You bought all of this?” He asks as you walk over, taking them from his hands and returning them to the table, your cheeks pinkening, not meeting his eyes.

“Yeah, it’s nothing really.”

“Nothing? Bunny, it’s EVERYTHING.” You look up at that and then Jake’s lips are colliding with yours. You gasp against his mouth at the sudden kiss before your body betrays every bit of logic in your mind and you’re kissing him back just as hungrily. His arms wrap around you tightly, holding you close like he’s afraid that you’ll slip between his fingers and disappear. You almost sob at the feeling that you’ve been craving all day. Instead, you whimper into the kiss and Jake’s tongue sweeps gently across your bottom lip, asking for entry that you give wholeheartedly, whining his name into his mouth as his tongue sweeps into yours. Your hands come up to fist into his shirt, pulling him impossibly closer while you backpedal toward your room. He stumbles after you, not breaking the kiss. Your lips feel swollen from his ministrations and your mind is hazy as you shove the bedroom door open dragging him along with you. The backs of your legs hit the bed and Jake’s hands go to the back of your thighs, scooping you up effortlessly, breaking the kiss to toss you onto the center of the bed before he attempts to follow before he pauses, scowling down at the brace on his knee keeping it from bending so he can slot himself over you. You giggle softly in response and crawl towards him pulling him by the collar of his shirt and flipping him gently onto his back before you climb onto his lap. Your giggles are cut short by a moan as you feel the straining bulge in his pants. Jake pulls you close, kissing you again before he moves to place open-mouthed kisses along your jaw and your neck, whispering praises in between. “So fucking perfect, Bunny. You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do this.” You moan in response. He chuckles at that, reaching up to brush your hair back from your face, just looking at you and you flush, squirming under the intensity of his gaze. “So beautiful,” he whispers like it’s a prayer and you let your eyes flutter shut as you let yourself believe him. You open your eyes just as his catch on something over your shoulder and you watch his eyes narrow in confusion, the passion in them momentarily quelled as he pushes up onto his elbows to get a better look at whatever’s caught his attention. “Bunny, is that my jersey?” FUCK. Your heart stops and your desire screeches to a halt as Jake sits up, hands coming up idly to hold your waist so you don’t fall as he turns to get a better look at the frame above your headboard. Because yes, that’s his jersey. The stark white number 86 with his name emblazoned above it on the bright green fabric of the Dallas Stars jersey. And there at the bottom is his signature and a personalized note that says KEEP KILLING IT. You’re going to die from mortification as your eyes follow Jake’s past the jersey to the framed pucks, headshots, and various other memorabilia that hang on the wall, your heart dropping with each one that your eyes pass as you feel Jake’s body stiffening beside you. “Bunny,” his voice is low and dangerous and you feel your body shiver involuntarily. “What is all this stuff?” He turns to you then and you see confusion, anger, and most of all betrayal in his eyes as they search yours for an explanation.

“Jake, I can explain, I promise.” Your voice sounds foreign to you. You reach for him but he pulls away, pushing you off his lap and standing as you get up on your knees reaching for him. “Jake, please! Please don’t go.” You’re begging. Begging for him to wait, begging for him to let you explain, begging him to stay, begging him to understand, begging him not to go. He gives you a pained look as he walks out of the room. You’re tripping over your legs, falling off the bed with a thump as you race after him. You grab his hand, doing your best to pull him to a stop but you can’t because he’s wrong, you’re not strong enough. “Jake please, whatever you think it is, it isn’t.” He rounds on you then, pain in his eyes and your heart breaks at the thought that you’re the cause of it.

“Do you know why I left Dallas?” His voice is low, his eyes piercing yours. You look back at him with confusion at the sudden change in topic.

“Because of how your coach handled your injury, right?” You ask, unsure if he’s asking a rhetorical question or not.

He shakes his head, eyes never leaving yours as he chuckles darkly. “I left because after demoting me and saying he didn’t care if I healed properly or not, I found out why he didn’t care. He booked me a gig as an underwear model.” Your stomach lurches as the realization hits you. The pain in Jake’s eyes is palpable. “He didn’t need me to play, he just wanted a pretty little poster boy to ride the bench and bring in the media, get girls in the stands, buying tickets to see his pretty little sideshow.” Fury hurdles down your spine. Jake said it himself, hockey is his first priority and for his coach to try and take that away from him makes your blood boil even as your heart aches in solidarity. All this time you were afraid that Jake would cast you aside if he knew the truth about you, when in reality that couldn’t be farther from the truth. “And now the first girl I’ve been interested in in years has a fucking shrine in her bedroom, so tell me Bunny, how is it not what I think it is?” You feel like he’s slapped you across the face as realization dawns, as you see what he sees.

“Jake, no. NO. I’m not, I’m not some fucking puck bunny.” Your face twists in disgust. “I would never do that to you, that’s disgusting.” He glances down at you warily, the anger in his eyes warring with confusion and you can tell that he wants to believe you. You reach up and grab his face in your hands, forcing him to look at you. “I would NEVER do that to you, Jake, do you hear me? Yes, I know my room makes it look like the exact opposite but that’s not what you think it is. Am I a fan?” Your cheeks flush with embarrassment at having to admit this to him. “Yeah I am, and I have been for YEARS, but not because of the way you look. I’m a fan because of the way you PLAY. I can’t take my eyes off you on the ice because you’re BRILLIANT, Jake. I’ve watched hockey my whole life and I never understood what it was to truly love it until I watched you play.” Tears blur your vision as you look up at him. “And this?” You stroke your thumb across his cheek tenderly. “I never expected to fall for you, Jake. Truly. And the man I fell for is so much more than the person I’ve watched on the ice over the years.”

You swallow, your body beginning to tremble as you contemplate what you’re about to do, to admit, but you need to come clean, totally, completely clean. “You may think that I don’t understand how it feels to have everything you’ve worked for taken away because of someone else’s greed, but I do.” Your fingers are trembling on his cheeks and he reaches up to take them tentatively in his own as he waits patiently for you to keep going. “All through medical school, I kept my head down and worked hard because I knew I needed to be the best if I wanted to work in the NHL, and I topped all my classes. I gave up having a social life, dating, and everything to make sure I was the very best and it was working. And then,” you take a shuddering breath, and Jake gives your hands an encouraging squeeze. “A-at the fellowship I was at before I came here, there was this doctor. He was older and one day I was getting some stuff from the supply closet to restock one of the exam rooms, and he came into the closet.” You squeeze your eyes shut like you can block out the memory as it plays out in your mind. “He said there was no way a girl like me did as well as I was by myself and that he wanted some of my ‘special treatment.’ I-I tried to tell him that I’d never done anything with anyone to ever earn my grades, that I worked hard and was just good at my job, b-but he wouldn’t listen. He kissed me.” Jake growls in fury and you open your eyes to see the rage in his. “I was trying to fight him off and thankfully someone else showed up before he could try anything else, but then he turned it around and said I had kissed HIM trying to get a letter of recommendation from him.” You laugh hollowly. “And he was my senior, and he was a MAN, so of course everyone believed HIM. I almost lost the fellowship but it was so close to being over that I managed to beg them into letting me stay. Unfortunately though, if you fuck up at one of the best places in the country, they know everyone and you’re basically blacklisted from the entire industry. So there I was, at the top of my class, with the best grades and not a single job offer… until I met Maverick.” Your eyes burn as the tears finally start to escape. “He gave me a chance when no one else would. And then I somehow managed to convince Cyclone to give me the job. Apparently, he has a daughter so he sympathized with me or something, but he made me promise there wouldn’t be any incidents here. That I wouldn’t get involved with any of my coworkers or else he’d fire me.” You give him a rueful look. “And well you know how well that’s gone so far.” Your heart breaks at the fury in Jake’s eyes and the guilt as he gently lets go of you and you keen towards him, missing the feeling.

“Oh Bunny,” his voice is full of pain. “I’m so sorry.” A sob breaks through your lips and you reach for him, desperately and you see him hesitate a moment before he gives in and pulls you to him. You weep into his chest as he holds you close. You feel so light, like you haven’t in the months since the incident, because Jake’s here and he understands and he believes you, and it’s going to be okay as long as you have him.

You’re not sure how long the two of you stay standing like that until Jake finally pulls away, a deep sadness in his eyes that you don’t understand until he speaks. “I think I’m gonna get an Uber home, Bunny. You can keep the truck until tomorrow.” Your heart shatters. He’s leaving.

“You’re leaving?” You hate how weak your voice sounds and you can see on Jake’s face that he does too.

“I-I just need some space right now, Bunny. I need to think about all of this, about us.” You know he’s right, that you need to do the same but the idea of being alone right now is enough to make you feel lightheaded. You nod anyway.

“No, you’re right, that’s totally fair. I just- Jake I just want you to know, it was always real for me.” You swallow, forcing yourself to meet his eyes so he can see your sincerity. “But whatever you decide, I’m always going to be your physician first and I intend to keep my promise about getting you back on the ice because it would truly be a loss to the hockey world if you never played again.” You reach out to squeeze his hand. “I can drive you home if you want?” He shakes his head gently.

“Not tonight, Bunny. I’ll see you in the morning, yeah?” You nod your head silently. He steps closer and places a gentle kiss on your forehead before he turns and leaves, the front door clicking behind him and feeling more final than you want it to.

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