#RBC Cup

[mixelation]

is this true you seem to know things https://www.tumblr.com/luminarai/725654142779097088/red-blood-cell-capacity-of-modern-menstrual

i mean.... yes, both the paper itself and a sci-comm article are linked....? the paper doesn't appear to be on scihub and i'm not at work to try and access the article itself, but i did read the summary and a couple of press releases

i'm not familiar with the literature to confirm if it's the first study that used human blood, but multiple press releases say it's industry standard to use saline (salt water) to test absorbency. i suspect that is because it's hard to get your hands on blood if you're a sanitary pad company (not that they couldn't do it or develop an equivalent-- just that storing blood without it clotting and the red tape and training to get it and use it are a lot more complicated that using saline). a few notes i think the tumblr screen caps are missing:

First, the point of the study seems to be testing newer period products like menstrual cups to help doctors take patient history, rather than proving a point about blood vs saline. Usually what tips a doctor off that a patient's period is too heavy is that the patient will say they're using some excessive amount of pads/tampons. Given lots of people use other things now, and pad/tampon companies are adding gel and shit to improve absorbency, doctors need to know what would count as "excessive." The conclusion on the summary is:

This study found considerable variability in red blood cell volume capacity of menstrual products. This emphasises the importance of asking individuals about the type of menstrual products they use and how they use them. Further understanding of capacity of newer menstrual products can help clinicians better quantify menstrual blood loss, identify individuals who may benefit from additional evaluation, and monitor treatment.

Secondly, the study used expired packed RBCs (red blood cells), which is NOT the same consistency as period blood, or even regular blood. Packed RBCs have had most of the blood plasma (the liquid part of blood) removed, so the cell are more concentrated. I think they also add stuff to prevent clotting, but the blood was old so who knows what was going on in it. Period blood has all sorts of other stuff in it besides just blood, and people with excessive bleeding may also have clots. That being said, in the theguardian article, the researcher they interviewed noted that packed RBCs are closer than saline.

[anunimportantduck]

Cells At Work Season 1

Cells At Work Season 1 is an educational, slice of life, comedy about the everyday goings on of the human body. The story follows the main character of the Red Blood Cell as she does her best in her day to day job circulating O2, CO2 and nutrients around the body. Clumsy characters are a mixed bag for me. Either they’re clumsy and adorable or they’re clumsy and annoying as fuck, RBC is clumsy and adorable. This is due to the fact that even though she is clumsy, she’s still determined and hard working. I love her relationship with White Blood Cell, it’s so cute. I also love that she starts off as a student following an older more experienced cell and by the end of the season, she’s tutoring another cell.

This anime is funny and interesting. Honestly, wished I watched this while I was studying biology. This show was a treat to watch and yes, the Platelets are freaking adorable. However, I am not interested in watching Code Black. It’s not my cup of tea. But Cells At Work Season 1 is a definite watch. 5/5.

[aristoteliancomplacency]

Authors: Emma DeLoughery, Alyssa C Colwill, Alison Edelman, Bethany Samuelson Bannow.

Pdf link bc above link is paywalled for full content.

From p.4: ‘We found considerable variability in the capacity of different menstrual products to collect or absorb human RBCs. Menstrual discs held the most blood in our ex vivo testing while menstrual underwear (super absorbency), regardless of size (small, medium or large) held the least. We also found that the product capacity labelling was discordant with our results—the majority of products reported that they had greater capacity than our testing found. We suspect this is due to product testing with non-blood liquids, such as water or saline.

Menstrual blood loss is typically assessed by clinicians utilising the type, number, and saturation of products per hour or day and all validated assessment tools incorporate the use of traditional menstrual pads and tampons. We performed this bench-testing in order to

modernise our understanding of the maximal capacity of the menstrual products that patients are increasingly using, like period underwear and menstrual cups and discs. We also wanted to test product capacity utilising a closer approximation to menstrual blood, human RBCs, rather than saline or water. Menstrual blood is likely more viscous than packed RBCs as it contains blood, tissue/cells, and other secretions. RBCs are, however, more viscous than non-blood fluids such as saline which are often used for product testing and reporting. These factors certainly have an impact on the collection capacity of menstrual products. Unfortunately, we cannot approximate the capacity of products for patients with HMB who report ‘flooding’ (high speed volume loss) or clotting. This type of bleeding also likely has an adverse impact on collection capacity, whereas we maximised the testing capacity of each product by slowly but consistently pouring blood or allowing the product to fully absorb (tampons). We also recognise that ex vivo testing does not necessarily represent in vivo capacity as different products bend or are compressed with wear (pads, period underwear) or vaginal use (tampons, menstrual cups and discs). Likely in vivo use lowers capacity due to changes that occur with actual use of the product.

No other published study has analysed a variety of modern menstrual products utilising RBCs.’

hey, hi, I was just on the former bird app and came across this info from a brand new study and now I cannot stop screaming internally??? what the actual fuckkkk

theres' an article from the guardian here and here is the actual study:

[untilthenexttee]

TOMMY FLEETWOOD AND SHANE LOWRY JOIN FIELD FOR 2024 RBC CANADIAN OPEN

2023 Ryder Cup Team Europe winning duo join defending champion Nick Taylor and two-time champion Rory McIlroy along with Team RBC standouts Sahith Theegala, Cameron Young and Sam BurnsPresidents Cup International Team Captain Mike Weir accepts Tournament Exemption into the 113th playing of Canada’s National Open Championship to compete alongside Canadian PGA TOUR winners Adam Hadwin, Corey…

[independentartistbuzz]

Ekelle Brings The Hype with ‘Hood Pop’ Track “Baddie”

Toronto’s Ekelle rhymes about what she knows best: her real-life experience! Money, sex, drama, and identity stir together to create a style she calls Hood Pop – popular music with a street edge.

“Your baddies are your real ones, hustlers who get shit done and keep it moving,” Ekelle says about her aptly titled new single “Baddie,” which is “perfect for pre-gaming with your girls or driving around on a sunny day.”

Currently, Ekelle is an artist in the RBC Launchpad Music Entrepreneurship Program, guided by her instincts and a passion for music, pop culture and fashion. In 2022, Ekelle dropped her first album, Let’s Get It, landing song features on the video game Boogie, TV show Hudson & Rex and the Stanley Cup Finals. 

[lemememeringue]

Only tampons undergo industry-regulated standardized testing for absorption capacity. Manufacturers of other products only document the absorption capacity of their product(s) using a liquid, i.e., not equivalent to menstrual blood.

The study findings were also discordant with the menstrual products' capacity labeling, likely because manufacturers tested these products with non-blood liquids, e.g., saline.

Of all the menstrual hygiene products tested, a Chinese menstrual disc held the most, i.e., 80 mL of RBCs. On the other hand, a pair of period underwear and a perineal cold pack (both at room temperature and ice-activated) only held 1 mL of RBCs each, and their absorbency did not vary with size.

As advertised, menstrual discs have an exceptionally high absorbing capacity of up to 80 mL; however, that is excess blood loss for one menstrual cycle. Blood loss >80 mL indicates HMB or other underlying conditions; a menstruating person must fill a menstrual cup fully three to four times per cycle to demonstrate this much blood loss. Similarly, they would have to use one menstrual disc/two cups every hour, i.e., the equivalent of using two sanitary pads in an hour, to absorb ~60 mL of menstrual blood. Furthermore, using two heavy pads or three heavy tampons would represent blood loss of >80 mL over the entire menstrual cycle.

did y'all hear about how they hadn't been testing period products with blood but with SALINE or WATER until THE FIRST STUDY DONE WITH BLOOD CAME OUT SEVEN DAYS AGO?!!?? AND THUS REVEALED THAT MOST PERIOD PRODUCTS ARE NOT ACTUALLY AS ABSORBENT AS THEY CLAIM??????

[uberstrainerusa]

What is the Function of TwinSpin in Buffy Coat Preparation?

You can go to our website for more details. Use our products to experience the distinction for yourself. Start using our density gradient centrifugation products for cell separation right away!

A buffy coat is an accumulation of platelets and white blood cells (WBCs). We'll discuss how TwinSpin helps in the preparation of a buffy coat.

A sample of peripheral whole blood contains less than 1% white blood cells (WBCs) and platelets. When scientists spin the blood sample in a centrifuge, these WBCs and platelets combine to form their own layer that is suspended between the red blood cells (RBCs) and supernatant plasma. This thin layer is referred to as a buffy coat because of its color (yellowish to brownish).

We will also find out how TwinSpin density gradient centrifugation tubes are used in buffy coat extraction.

A Brief On TwinSpin Tubes

Spin Medium can be used to separate peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from bone marrow and whole blood into TwinSpin centrifuge tubes. A standard 15-inch tire and an inner tube make up the TwinSpin. The open bottom of the inner tube is submerged in the density gradient medium (DGM).

Instructions for Using the TwinSpin Tube

1. Ensure that the (diluted blood) sample, the TwinSpin, and the centrifuge are all at room temperature.

1.1 Check that the inner tube is partially filled and immersed in the DGM. If not, maintain the vertical position while rotating the TwinSpin device.

1.2 Take out and throw away the transport stopper.

2. Include Sample Material

2.1 Pipette the sample material on top of the DGM in the inner tube by tilting the TwinSpin 45° and allowing the sample to run down the inside of the dropper.

2.2 Push the elastic cap firmly into the opening to close the TwinSpin. PluriSpin PLT Depletion can be used to reduce platelet contamination.

3. Spin

3.1 Centrifuge at 800 x g for 20 minutes at room temperature in a swing bucket rotor, brake off. If the blood is more than 4 hours old, centrifuge it for 30 minutes at 1000g.

4. Collect

4.1 Remove the inner cell separation tube by unscrewing it.

4.2 Push the elastic cup down to collect cells in the opaque layer in a new tube.

5 Wash (if necessary)

5.1 Add wash buffer to the reaction tube.

5.2 Cells are spun down for 10 minutes with 300 x g at 4 °C (no or small break).

5.3 Remove the supernatant and set the reaction tube on the table for 20 seconds.

Excess wash buffer will flow down the tube wall and accumulate at the bottom. Aspirate the majority of the liquid above the pellet. The liquid will appear foggy because it contains mostly platelets; aspiration will improve the washing result.

5.5 Carefully pipette the pellet with 1 ml of wash buffer.

5.6 Re-do steps 5.1–5.4.

5.7 Refill the pellet to the desired volume.

Preparation of buffy coat from scratch

Buffy coats can be prepared in two different ways. To separate the whole blood into red cells, plasma, and buffy coat, the whole blood donation is centrifuged on the one hand. The second option is to filter the blood and keep the leukocytes from circulating.

[teavalleytea007]

Herbal Tea: A Cooling Drink With Several Health Advantages

Herbal tea is more popular since it is far healthier for the body than traditional tea, even though most people still prefer ordinary tea with milk and sugar. Additionally, a person's choice of flavours is never limited due to the variety. As per your choice and taste, you can select from the variety of blends available for Tea Valley, making it a premium tea brand. These can help you overcome digestion problems, ease the discomfort from arthritis, and obtain a decent night's sleep. There are many different tea brands in India, but Tea Valley offers the best strong tea in India.

What Is Meant By Herbal Tea?

Herbal tea or tisane refers to any beverage made by infusing or decocting herbs, plants, or spices. Herbal tea is included in beverages with scent, flavour, and therapeutic properties. But when we approach further to China, people start referring to it as Liang Cha, which means "Cooling Tea." Chinese culture holds that herbal drinks may cool the body by controlling body temperature.

Herbal tea is widely consumed to treat ailments. Since herbal tea is steeped in water that has almost reached boiling point, the essential oils and scents of the herbal blend can be absorbed. As a result, making herbal teas is much like making normal tea. For herbal tea, Tea Valley tea is one of the best tea brands in India.

The History Of Herbal Tea:

Ancient Egypt and Ancient China were the first civilizations to use herbal teas as therapeutic beverages to heal illnesses and advance general well-being. Herbal teas have always been seen as healthful and used for therapeutic purposes, which is still the case today. Since herbal infusion drinks support your health and well-being, you can continue to enjoy them guilt-free even though they may not be "authentic" teas.

Dietary Values of Herbal Tea:

Whatever variety of herbal tea you choose to drink, it is very nourishing. Herbal teas are highly nourishing, as was already said. The nutritional content of one cup of herbal tea, equivalent to eight fluid ounces or 100 grammes, is the standard and best tea for health.

What Health Benefits Does Herbal Tea Offer?

Tea that is medicinal for colds and coughs:

Colds and coughs are common problems that can be addressed with "elder tree" herbal tea. It heals colds and coughs, improves nasal congestion, and soothes sore throats. Herbal teas that are beneficial against colds and coughs include licorice tea, ginger tea, and clove tea.

Herbal tea to ward against illness:

If you have a slight infection, ginger herbal tea can help. A 2013 study found that ginger has anti-fungal properties and aids in treating infections, notably yeast infections. According to a different study, ginger herbal tea also possesses anti-microbial qualities that lower the risk of infection caused by microbial development.

Herbal tea increases iron levels:

Iron is necessary for both sexes to make RBCs and keep their haemoglobin levels healthy. The finest herbal teas to supplement mineral deficiency include considerable calcium, iron, and silica, three essential minerals for human health.

The power of herbal tea helps you sleep well:

Due to the inclusion of tryptophan, an amino acid that aids in bodily relaxation and sleep, a hot cup of chamomile tea can assist persons with insomnia in falling asleep quickly if they consume it right before bed. However, chamomile tea can be used to alleviate mild insomnia.

Helps tissue cells regenerate:

For cell growth and rejuvenation, herbal tea is a boon. Because of its strong antioxidant content, it protects against cell damage caused by free radicals or pollution and strengthens the body's tissues. Herbal tea is thought to slow down even the ageing process.

Relieves tension and stress by:

The amazing properties of herbal teas are also widely known for lowering stress levels and, in many cases, working as an antidepressant. Herbal teas calm the mind and release brain chemicals that fight stress and despair. Most people are familiar with chamomile tea's relaxing properties.

Tea made from herbs controls blood sugar:

Patients with moderate diabetes or those who are not insulin dependent have been demonstrated to considerably benefit by drinking some herbal teas, such as rosemary and bilberry. Because they lower blood sugar levels, these herbal teas are widely used in diabetic neuropathy.

One of the best parts about drinking herbal tea is discovering a new variety with a delicious flavour. While some people are taking matters into their own hands and making their own tea, many people are content to purchase the previously accessible supplies.

By identifying the ingredients that taste great and deliver the required results, people are creating distinctive herbal tea with its benefits. You are ultimately your sole creative limitation. You can brew herbal tea at home, buy it online or in a store, and it comes in various flavours. In addition to providing vital minerals, it also has health benefits. India’s best chai has quickly been established as Tea Valley. Tea Valley must be your first choice if you're looking for healthy tea brands.

[juniorgirlfriend]

Onto the next thing

Well the boys didn’t have the same success in the finals that we were all hoping for. They were up against a top team and weren’t on the gas 100% when they needed to be. With this loss I am officially no longer a junior girlfriend and that makes me sad. Being a hockey girlfriend especially to a junior player for these last three years has not been easy but Its also been a lot of fun. I got to go to new places and meet new people and it was great overall.

I am so proud of my guy and the player he’s become. He played his heart out every night. I am honoured I got to be a part of his journey and watch him achieve so much success. He won two championships, had an unbelievable rookie season being thrown around into all different positions, was the leagues best defenseman in back to back years, with no other guy coming close to his points. I saw him go through a trade which was messy and hard but he ended up on a great team and had a shot for another cup. He got to go to westerns twice and play for the RBC cup once as well. He got a div 1 scholarship and is moving onto bigger and better things. Not excited for him to be moving even further away from me but we’ve handled these last 3 years of junior how much harder can college hockey be. So excited to see where his talents take him and the things he achieves.

To his two junior teams, the bombers and mustangs you have both been unbelievable. Thank you for this experience it’s been a hell of a ride!

[stillswearing]

7:30 AM - Errand day. I’m at Starbucks, RBC. Luckily it opens at 6AM; I was concerned I would have nowhere to kill time for about 2 hours before my bank opens at 9am.

Yeah, bank errands. In a bid to be more fiscally responsible, I am putting my eggs in separate baskets, as they say. I’m opening another time deposit account so I won’t touch a bulk of my money for a few years. This comes at the heels of my opening an investment account. I don’t know, man. I don’t know what I’m doing, if I’m doing this “saving money” thing correctly. But it’s brought me to this point where I woke up at 5:30 am, so I can go to the bank at 9am.

I’m also scheduling a doctor’s appointment - for around lunch 10-11am. See, I was told more than a month ago during my office APE that I didn’t need to pee in a cup. And then last week the company nurse told me I needed to. So here I am, booking a slot at a mall clinic that honors my insurance. I’m lucky that the clinic is in Shangri-La… I think. Honestly, it remains to be seen. I’ll see when I get there.

Did I mention I woke up at 5am?

I can’t believe I’m at a Starbucks with an Iced Grande White Sweet Cream Cold Brew, typing away on a Mac, like some a living effigy to consumerism. Burn me. I can see myself from a third person perspective, and I can’t help but judge that girl in the corner, in a tank top and Nikes, with her headband and tinted lips. As office folks in their smart casuals get their mediocre morning in the nearest available shop. Basically, I’m bringing influencer-core in this corporate Starbucks. Very cute of me. Speaking of smart casual - I do love the middle-class juxtaposition of a smart pair of slacks against a commuter’s backpack.

Anyway, where was I?

Oh right. All this to say, that as I sit here typing, in an attempt to look busy in this restaurant since I can’t use my phone and computer without wi-fi (and I refuse to pay more on my phone bill unless I really have to), what I want to actually do is write out yet another one of my insane late-night breakthroughs as I talk to myself to exhaustion. I already started writing about this on my Tumblr - but that was more of an aimless post than an actual meditation on something deep that had happened.

(Some lady who looks like Ma’am Clem just walked in the shop. Our eyes met. I don’t think it’s her but my stomach dropped for 0.5 seconds. Quick, keep your eyes on the screen and continue typing. I can overhear her talking to the patron sitting across me. He had been talking to himself out loud; it had taken me a moment to realize this man was memorizing lines.)

Anyway, back on topic. Here I go.

My therapist (great start) told me in our last session that she attributes my black-white thinking to religious trauma. (It’s probably a mix of trauma and general autism but I’m good with seeing it as a trauma response for now.) And I just want to break down how this type of thinking has both served me and hurt me. I think it pays not to totally vilify this tendency I have - my first instinct was to “fix it,” but I realize it would be better at this stage to “contextualize it” instead.

Pros - Having black-white thinking has enabled me to have clear standards and boundaries with people. I have expectations of how I want myself and those close to me ought to conduct themselves, and when they fail to do that, I know that need to either communicate some changes or slowly let it go. It’s pretty clear cut to me.

Edit: 2:45pm - im home now. And I just want to add that I developed this “tool” as a result of losing religion as my center, my sense of value and identity. So having this black-white thinking was kinda like a barometer of goodness and excellence outside of religion, and more informed by intellect, community, and empathy.

(Oh shit Robyn just came on the Starbucks radio. Happy pride.)

However, black-white thinking isn’t beneficial to me when I start feeling incredibly shitty about myself when I do not meet the high standards I’ve set for myself. More importantly, I feel shitty when other people don’t meet these standards as I translate this as them not valuing/loving me. Wild, I know. And these high standards for myself and other people come from me having The Responsible Role since I was a literal child. It has been my identity since forever - I don’t remember at time where I was not conscious that my actions and decisions impact other people in my life. (I remember it being a breakthrough at an early age that I do not have to be responsible or feel guilty for men’s misogynistic behavior around me. That’s on them, not me.) And since my “love language” is ultimately taking care of someone to the utmost standard that I can, I do not feel taken care of when they fail to do the same for me - even if they are trying their best. My unhealthy thinking is, “If you really cared about me, you wouldn’t make THIS mistake… because I wouldn’t.”

For example,

AA, JV, My job

It’s a lot.

So yeah, there. My non-black-white thinking about black-white thinking. It’s pretty, dare I say, therapeutic to get that all out. I’m back to meeting with Josie once a month. So I hope it all works out.

And I special shoutout to my friends who HAVE met these nearly impossible standards of mine. They are truly out of this world.

I would end this way more neatly if I wanted to - I still have 15 mins before I go to the bank - but frankly I am an impatient person and this exercise has bored me.

I’ll work on my writing habits some more next time. I know I always say that but I do want to hone and refine (aka “FIND”) my own voice again, beyond all the formal pseudo-writing I do for my job over the past 5 years.

Anyway, ciao.

It’s Taylor Swift on the radio now. Ew. Time to go.

[Edit: 9 July]

I have more insights after talking with A out loud about the things I have learned so far in therapy.

I think I was also hating myself because I operated under the thinking that my thoughts and feelings should match up with my actions (very Christian of me, I know.) So when I was responding with grace, empathy, and kindness to the shitty situations that Alie and my job put me in, I still felt like I was still falling short of my own standards since I don't actually FEEL any grace or empathy or kindness towards them - I hate them.

I saw that as me being fake. But now I know that me externalizing the "correct" and "good" responses regardless of how I actually felt was me having Principles. That was me saying, "I want to conduct myself in a manner of dignity regardless of the pain that others cause me. Yes I still feel the fury and disappointment, but I will choose, not ignore them, but to temporarily set it aside so I can respond in a way that will ultimately give me peace in the long run. I do good things not for the benefit of the people who hurt me (they do not factor at all). I do these actions, regardless of how I feel at the moment, for myself so I can respect myself and not regret my actions.

Therapist told me I think in black and white due to evangelical trauma. (I left around 10 years ago.) This practice isn't limited to judging people's morality and actions. It extends to how I label things, ideas, feelings, phenomena, etc. under categories or concepts, so I can easily navigate the world.

I find that fascinating. See the upside of seeing patterns easily, of being able to draw conclusions and come up with categories, is that I have clear and "good" standards for myself and others and the world. I can spot social red flags miles away and I can dodge emotional bullets like the matrix.

And if I'm gonna be kind, I'm gonna be the KINDEST PERSON YOU'LL EVER MEET. If I need to be responsible, I will be the most RESPONSIBLE AND HELPFUL HUMAN ever. If I can't meet your needs, I will at least BE THE BEST PERSON AT COMMUNICATING THAT. And I expect the same level of care to be returned to me. This is how I understand love - people being the best they can be to be "good" to the people they care for. Anything not that? Well.

The downside of thinking like this is that I feel constantly devalued and uncared for when people don't meet my black-and-white standards. If you fail, then you've fallen short, you're in the black - not white. And for some reason, my brain will interpret that as "You don't care about me. If you did, you wouldn't have done this mistake. I don't think I should be here anymore."

WHICH IS!!! APPARENTLY!!! NOT THE WAY!!! NORMAL HUMANS WORK!!! SINCE PEOPLE ARE MULTIFACETED!!!

This thinking leads me to a weird lone-wolf lifestyle that I don't like. I don't see myself as an independent girlboss bitch with no deep social connections. And now i gotta learn how to expand my concept of "care" and "value" if I want to actually FEEL connected to others. Isn't that wild.

[dearestones]

Small Woman, Intense Anger (U-1146 and AE-3803 Scenario)

Warnings: Slight angst, miscommunication. 

Anonymous Request: 1146 obliviously set 3803's temper off - a rare thing indeed -over a series of oblivious non malicious insensitive events caused by him that inconvenienced her greatly. She takes charge and sets out to destroy 1146's no 1# title in a arm wrestling championship in front of his friends and colleagues. 1146 isn't the only competitive  one and little does he know 3803 has super strong arms even for a RBC thanks to her over training.

.

.

.

U-1146 was no stranger to competition. Growing up with other young myelocytes was a recipe ripe for disaster, but due to the diligence and experience of their mentors, 1146 and his fellow immune cells had grown up in an environment that taught them how to constructively use their innate traits of bloodlust and combat for the good of the body. This meant that mentoring younger myelocytes, training day in and out, and bonding with fellow teammates was the norm. There were times, of course, that some of their more combative natures would clash and would often result in a more… intense exercise. 

On one particular cycle, after an invasion of pneumococcal bacteria in the ear canal, the neutrophil division was informed of an event that was occurring in the crook of the arm. At first, they had been concerned that it was going to be another meeting about preventative measures to maintain the sanctity of the body, but it turned out that some of the newbloods decided that they were going to organize an arm wrestling championship. 

Not exactly newsworthy (1146 had been to many competitions before), but it was definitely something worth looking forward to. Furthermore, it was an opportunity to introduce his favorite red blood cell to some of his newer colleagues. 

And…

Well…

Over the past few cycles, 1146 realized that there was something bothering the red blood cell. Whenever he approached her, cup of tea in hand or a particularly useful tidbit of trivia that he thought that was interesting, AE-3803 reacted in a way that wasn’t usual. Instead of partaking in his tea or listening to his passionate ramblings about a cluster of ganglia that he found in one of the organs found in the thoracic regions, she had stayed silent, did not engage, and tried to leave before 1146 caught on to her low mood.

He had managed to ask her why she was angry and while she did not exactly say, 3803 did give him the impression that he made her angry. 

Confused, but mostly guilty, 1146 tried to seek her out again, but found himself stonewalled again and again, sometimes with the help of her friends. Eventually, 1146 realized that he would have to make it up by hoping that maybe she would accompany him to an arm wrestling competition. Would it work, he didn’t know, but it was worth at least trying. 

—

Anger was not an unfamiliar emotion to AE-3803. She didn’t like to feel angry, she rarely was, but there were times when even she managed to reach the end of her patience. Unfortunately for her, the source of her ire was none other than one particular neutrophil. 

Over the past few cycles, 1146 had been hovering around her. At first, 3803 had been overjoyed that his scheduled patrolling coincided with her routes, but over time, that same joy gradually curdled into something akin to irritation. Normally, she liked having him around. Their conversations were always insightful and often something that she would collect and tuck into the back of her mind for future recollection and fond reminiscing. 

In short, 1146 loved having 1146 around. It wasn’t because he was a veritable bodyguard should something terrible happen. Rather, it was because of the quality of his character and his desire to keep the body, and by extension, her, safe. 

But it was that same quality of character that haunted 3803.

At first, she had let minor grievances slide. 

Said grievances were as follows: hovering just a little bit closer than normal, which impeded on 3803’s deliveries; practically frightening all of her clients just when she was about to get her deliveries done; and when she convinced him to go on ahead of her because she wanted space, he actually followed her in the shadows! When she confronted him about his actions, 1146 hadn’t denied it.

No.

Instead of apologizing and going back to the way things were before, he had the gall, the audacity, to say that it was due to her fragile nature that he had to go about protecting her like this. Protecting her? 3803 had managed to live a normal lifestyle without his interference. Besides, there were other newer red blood cells who could use his protection—not just her! If she were a lesser erythrocyte, she might have been flattered, but honestly, it was not just because it felt like he was insulting her.

Not.

It was infantilizing.

She wasn’t a greenhorn recruit straight from the bone marrow.

She wasn’t someone who was always getting into trouble every other cycle.

No. 

No!

NO!

How dare he think that he was doing things for her safety. Yes, his actions might have been rooted in kindhearted intention, but overall, his execution was far from exemplary. 

After convincing him to leave her alone (and yes, she might have bribed her friends and coworkers to lay it on thick that she wished to be left alone), 3803 got to work. In order for 1146 to realize that she was fine and didn’t always need him to help her, she had to send a message. She had to teach him a lesson that while she wasn’t an immune cell, she was still fully capable of keeping herself safe from pathogens. 

And to do that, she was going to have to go all out or it would be all in vain.

Enter U-4989.

—

U-4989 was far from a pacifist. Like most of his coworkers in the neutrophil division, violence was a language that he had been weaned and trained upon. In all matters that concerned life and death, pathogens and infections, violence was often the number one answer. However, outside of that specific realm that dominated most of his working life, 4989 was actually a cell who was rather easygoing and versatile. 

(His versatility was probably one of the many reasons why he was always getting written up for his on the fly inventions). 

And it was also his versatility that allowed one special red blood cell to approach him. 

During one of his patrols, 4989 got himself stuck—again—in one of the transmigrating vents and had been trying to grab the attention of some of the civilians. Unfortunately, the biased perception that most cells had towards neutrophils were still in full swing. There was nothing that 4989 could do. If he could somehow radio his fellow neutrophils for help or—

“Little Miss Red!” He waved his arms frantically as if his life depended on it. Considering the fact that he was leaving most of his selected sector unprotected, he might as well be. As the red blood cell took in how his body was wedged in a space that was far too narrow and too tight for him or any other cell to fit, she immediately placed her package onto the ground and ran over to help him. 

Usually, 4989 wouldn’t have considered himself to be the most observant neutrophil in the squad. He left most of the reconnaissance to his coworkers, but even knew that the red blood cell looked jumpier than usual. The way her eyes shifted from making sure that he was okay to taking in her surroundings like she was waiting for an ambush… 

She was apprehensive. 

“Looking for something?” He took in the way that her eyes widened before she crossed her arms over her chest. Anger didn’t suit her. 

“U-1146 isn’t here with you, is he?” Instantly wary, 4989 latched onto the way she addressed his squad leader. On most days, she called him Mr. Neutrophil, a cute little quirk of theirs that persisted despite knowing their alphanumeric designations, they always decided to be formal with each other. It was adorable. 

“No, why?”

For a moment, she pursed her lips, came upon a decision after a moment of contemplation, and then decided to tell him everything. 

Now, 4989 knew 1146 like the way he knew the fact that there was a groove in the shape of his fingers on the handle of his favorite knife. Or the way he knew that his antigen detector atop his hat was slightly crooked and definitely something that he should look into before management got on his ass about it. 

So, he knew that 1146 could definitely get a little more obsessed over things that probably didn’t need obsessing over. 

He also knew that 1146 usually meant well in regards to those he cared for. 

However, even 4989 knew that even the most well intentioned of actions could very well lead to consequences that were far from the happy ending that 1146 probably imagined for himself and his dear red blood cell friend. 

“I’m not sure if this would help, but…” He thought about Little Miss Red, the conviction that roared in those golden amber eyes of hers. She wanted to teach him a lesson to ensure that even though she may not be well versed in protecting herself, she was far from useless. Infantilization and condescension, she had said. Not out of malice, she had said, but it was definitely something that had to be addressed. 

And well, he loved and respected 1146, but even he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to help out a civilian in need. 

—

U-2001 sucked in a breath through his nose, held it, and then exhaled.

The arm wrestling competition was ridiculous.

While he could noy deny that it was necessary for both the morale and the upkeep of the required skill sets for neutrophils, there were definitely better ways to go about it. For instance, the neutrophil division could have asked for the aid of the lymphocytes to give them an obstacle course to run. Or maybe they could have asked some of the older neutrophils to host a seminar. 

Or something.

This was—

“Are you excited for the arm wrestling competition?” U-2626 flexed his muscles, his smirk taking up the bottom half of his face.

—ridiculous. 

Utterly ridiculous.

They weren’t myelocytes anymore. 

2001 sucked in a breath through his nose. “As a judge, yes. As a participant…”

Well, there were fates far worse than making sure that friendly competition didn’t devolve into senseless roughhousing. 

At least a dozen neutrophils surrounded them, all of them in various stages of maturity. There were a few new recruits, some of them barely fresh out of the bone marrow. In fact, if 2001 wasn’t mistaken, there were a few band cells among the older neutrophils. While not uncommon, it wasn’t reassuring. More band cells meant that there was a shortage of neutrophils, which in turn meant that the immune system was going to continue pushing out more of the young ones just to make sure that the immune system was operating at peak capacity. 

Such a sad, but necessary cycle.

Almost as sad as this arm wrestling competition. 

As 2001 had his coworkers sign a sheet to prepare for the brackets, he caught sight of a few red blood cells joining among the ranks of white uniformed immune cells. At first, he was confused. Not a lot of civilian cells wanted anything to do with the immune system, especially the neutrophils, but it became clear why there was a quartet of erythrocytes looking lost among the crowd. 

Little Miss Red, or AE-3803 as she was designated, was at the front of her little party. 

Once she spotted him with a clipboard and a gaggle of band cells clamoring to sign up, she practically pushed her way through the crowd. Not politely asked them to move aside. Or ducked underneath an arm or two to move ahead. 

Pushed.

Shoved.

How unlike Little Miss Red.

Intrigued, 2001 hurriedly dismissed the band cells after verifying their identification numbers and rushed towards her. 

“Miss Red Blood Cell, what a surprise!” Unbidden, he allowed a small smile to lighten his features. It wasn’t every day that he managed to spend some time with the erythrocyte. Charming and adorable to behold, she was a far cry from the company that he usually entertained when he couldn’t slip away to a private marginating pool. “Are you here to watch U-1146—”

At the sound of his squad leader’s name, 3803’s eyes flashed and 2001 fell silent. 

That… was not normal. 

“I’m here to sign up.” 

If it were any other cell, 2001 would have initially balked at such a request. It wasn’t like he particularly cared who joined or who opposed who, but even knew what a one-sided match a red blood cell could be against a white blood cell. 

Their strength training… was near impeccable. 

In fact, the one cell who was more surprised that he willingly gave her the clipboard and an accompanying pen was 2626. If 2001 concentrated hard enough, he could make out how 2626’s eyes were basically bulging out of his sockets. 

But, then, 3803 decided to deliver one more surprise. 

“I want to go against U-1146.”

Not a band cell.

Not a neutrophil she had never met before. 

Not even a neutrophil she was on friendly terms with.

U-1146.

“Are you—” 2626 tried to reason with her and 2626 failed. 

One of the brackets ended up with 3803 facing 1146 as one of the first matches of the competition. 

As 3803 strolled back into the fold of red blood cells, 2001 turned to 2626, an inquiry on his lips. “Do you have an umbrella?”

“No, why?”

���Because it’s going to be a bloodbath out there.”

__

U-2048 was feeling confident. He had been paired up with a former classmate from the bone marrow. Despite their similar builds and training regimens, 2048 knew that he was going to be the victor in their bout together. Victory was going to be within his grasp, he could practically taste it on the tip of his tongue, feel it through the cloth of his gloves. 

And then, just as he was about to seat himself at one of the tables that were set up specifically for this event, 2048 heard a series of whoops and hollers, far louder than of the other matches that he had personally witnessed. If he could take a guess, he would have assumed that it was probably a rowdy band cell going up against a seasoned neutrophil. While the match up wouldn’t be too one-sided, the maturity levels between the both of them would have to be taken into account. As he managed to pull himself to the front of the crowd encircling a table, he finally found his squad leader facing—

His jaw dropped open and he felt uneasy watching 3803 seat herself across an unusually reticent and bashful 1146. 

Based on the way 3803 had a presence that oozed danger and confidence and 1146 looking cowed, this was not going to end well. 

2048 felt a hand at his shoulder and found 4989 had stuffed himself with a few pastries, one of which he amicably gave 2048 for his own consumption. Across from 2048 and 4989, 2001 and 2626 stood shoulder to shoulder. 2001, for all of his placidity and 2626’s lack of personal features underneath his non-regulation haircut, 2048 immediately knew that they were curious but fearful all the same.

And then the arm wrestling competition began.

For a tense second, it seemed like 1146 had the upper hand, but he looked rather pained. Centimeter by centimeter, 1146’s arm was gradually overpowering 3803’s arm. As the distance between 3803’s arms and the table decreased, 1146’s mouth moved. 2048 couldn’t hear him, but he could tell that he was trying to reason with her, but—

3803 wasn’t having it. 

Just as 3803’s wrist was only a milimeter away from grazing the smooth plain of the table, 3803 said something. Shock colored 1146’s features, but it wasn’t enough distraction for him to falter.

No.

3803 appeared to lose, but then—

With one single motion, 3803’s arm overpowered 1146. 

It took less than a second, but the deed was done. 

3803 won. 

As the neutrophils, band cells, and erythrocytes cheered, 3803 said one more thing to 1146. 

Something that made 1146 lower his head before nodding. It was out of character for him to look so submissive, but no one in the crowd noticed that he nodded his head in shame. 

Or that 3803 walked away, head held high, but eyes so empty and blank.

Or that 1146 tried to reach out for her.

3803 had won, but it seemed that 1146 and 3803 had lost at the same time. 

—

NT-4201 glanced up at her mentor, noted the way she held herself, and bit back a sigh. 

At any other time, she would have said something caustic at the expense of 1146, but she kept silent. Instead, she wound an arm around 3803’s shoulders and led her outside the arm wrestling competition. 

“I think I hurt him,” 3803 mumbled.

4201 canted her head to the side, contemplative before speaking like always. “Maybe,” 4201 conceded, “but he hurt you first. You’re even.”

3803 smiled, but it felt bitter all the same. 

.

.

.

If you want to donate a Ko-Fi, feel free https://ko-fi.com/devintrinidad.

HATARAKU SAIBOU (CELLS AT WORK) MASTERLIST

[jehovahhthickness]

Can high BP kill someone? What about diabetes?

Anything can kill you depending on the severity.

If you do have high blood pressure, that’s not a death sentence. You can reverse it by lifestyle changes.

High blood pressure is dangerous because you can fuck up your kidneys and arteries and your heart.

Your kidneys are responsible for maintaining your blood pressure because of the adrenal glands that sit on top of them - aldosterone is a hormone produces by these glands, your kidneys also help produce red blood cells in the bones by this special protein called erythropoietin (important because RBCs brings oxygen to all the vital organs to keep your alive). So if your blood pressure is constantly running high, you can decrease the production of all of these important functions of the kidneys. And that’s just one organ. Granted, there’s more to it than that but this is just a super simple explanation.

And obviously, it’s bad for your heart because your heart is a muscle, already working super hard to keep you alive and if it’s overworked, a clog can happen, causes healthy heart cells to die (heart attack) or it can just simply stop working the way that it needs to (heart failure). Which can affect your breathing because now your lungs are fucked up and it affects circulation (this manifests into swelling of your lower limbs, which is fucking painful and can be debilitating).

As far as diabetes, not a death sentence either. Can be reversed if you catch it early and you do not have to take oral medication or even insulin, if you are compliant enough to make the necessary lifestyle changes. Granted, this should be consulted and closely monitored by a doctor or some other healthcare professional.

When they check for diabetes, they run a test called hemoglobin A1C, which pretty much shows how trash your diet has been over the course of 3 months.

The problem with diabetes based on science called blood viscosity aka the thickness of your blood. Your blood is supposed to be naturally thin, not thicker than a bowl of oatmeal.

So think about how when you take a pot of water and you put in a cup of sugar and heat it up, doesn’t it turn into syrup eventually?

That’s exactly what’s happening in the body. When you have diabetes and it’s becoming out of control, you’re eventually turning your blood into thick syrup.

It’s a problem because that causes poor circulation, which could lead to cell and tissue death.

That’s why many diabetics get amputations starting from the toes and UP like crazy because of poor wound healing because there’s not enough oxygen filled blood getting to the fresh and healthy tissue fast enough.

When you get a cut or a wound as a diabetic, you need to be careful and take it seriously. Especially your feet … most of us tend to neglect our feet. Some of us just wash them and go, not paying attention to the new darkness of the toes, skin or random cuts and tears.

And sometimes, it ain’t even your fault that you never caught those things in time because you couldn’t feel it! When your blood is thicker than a Snicker’s caramel, you lose regular sensation to your limbs.

That’s what makes both of these things dangerous.

[rutgersmcgroarty]

do u know things ab jasper weatherby? i might use him as inspo for this one project i have lol

OH MY GOD DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON JASPER HES AMAZING I LOVE HIM

(I'm gonna put all of this under a cut cause Its kinda long)

this is jasper weatherby:

- he was born january 22nd 1998 in Oregon

- he moved to Canada when he was 13 to train at the international hockey academy in rockland and played there for 2 year (its a small city right on the outskirts of ottawa that I'm gonna assume most ppl have never heard of)

- he graduated from Douglas County West High School in 2016 but wasn't able to land a tryout or stick around long-term with several other junior teams.

- he got a tryout with the wenatchee wild in the bchl as a last chance

- not only did he end up making the team and playing there for 2 year but he light it up in the bchl with 74 points in 58 games in the regular season, 38 points in 20 playoffs games, was names team MVP and rbc cup forward of the tournament

- He was drafted in the fourth round 102nd overall by the sharks in 2018

- played 3 seasons with north-dakota before signing with the sharks, and was one of the assistant captains at und

- his sophomore year, he was named to the nchc all-acedemic team

- his junior year, he was once-again named to the all-acedemic team and he scored so so many clutch goals

- he was supposed to stay for his senior year but after sharks dev camp he was like NOPE and signed with the sharks (and no I'm totally not still salty about that)

- was part of und's student-athlete inclusion and diversity group w/ jacob bernard-docker

- him and jbd also nelt during the national anthem of the first game of the 2020-21 season and were at a protest in grand forks earlier during the summer

“So we kind of talked that summer, and I said I was going to do it. And he took his time … and decided that this was something he wanted to do,” Weatherby said of his close friend and former roommate of three years. “So we came out with an article beforehand kind of explaining why we’re doing it.

“The positive stuff for us really outweighed the negative stuff. We had minority people messaging us on campus saying, ‘Thank you for that; sometimes we feel that North Dakota isn’t the most welcoming place for people like ourselves.’ And for us that’s all we needed to hear. If we can make UND and North Dakota welcoming for one person who doesn’t feel like it’s welcoming then we’ve done our job, and we’ve done the best we can.”

- he signed his contract with the sharks on august 24th

- fun fact: he was a sharks fan and his dad has season tickts

- anyways he has a pretty good shot at making the the team (especially since the sharks kinda suck lmao) and he's great and l Iove him a lot

[reidsbookclub]

OH MY GOD TALK ABOUT A MEET-CUTE!!

i owe you

[summary] this random, curly-haired guy is having trouble asking a girl out. and you have this odd urge to help him out. by pretending you dated. and he didn’t call you back. you have no clue why you’re helping him out. [pairing] spencer reid + gn!reader [warnings] none [category] fluff! romcom like fluff [word count] 1.4k [a/n] based on legally blonde, when elle helps her friend out as he’s trying to ask a girl out. i imagine early seasons spencer, because babie! also i loved writing this coffee shop atmosphere, i havent been in so long because im broke and the pandemic but i miss the peace of it all. also, i just really wanted to write this idea out, and i’m still deciding if i like it or not, but felt like releasing it anyways because im impulsive like that :> hope you enjoy!

your senses were flooded with the morning rush of your favorite coffee shop. the coffee beans grinding and the steam of the coffee machine was mixed with the chatter of the baristas calling out customers’ names. you were welcomed by the smell of the freshly baked croissants of the seven-thirty am scheduled production. the smell of fresh croissants and coffee was like the hug you had every morning before work.

you knew what you wanted to order, of course. so as you stepped to stay in line, you let your eyes wander around the small room.

you found a few of the morning regulars scattered around, reading their newspaper, peering out the window, and sipping their coffee peacefully. there was a girl who looked like a university student, probably catching up on her readings. there was a couple lost in each others eyes as they talked and held hands, likely catching up before leaving for work. a single dad you saw another time, with his daughter who definitely was older now. and of course, the old man in the corner who was always there, sipping a large cup of black coffee.

as your eyes scanned the room, you had to double take as you saw a curly haired brunette by the newspaper stand. you probably saw him before, too, but he always rushed out of the coffee shop too quickly before you could look at his features. his back was turned towards you, and he was in conversation with a pretty girl. you could see his hand fiddling with the coffee cup in his hands, as he tried to maintain eye contact with her. she was blonde, and her outfit accentuated her figure well. if he was trying to flirt, you could see what he saw in her. but her behavior wasn’t mirroring his, if anything, she was quite the opposite. her face was morphed into a defensive, disgusted face. maybe she was uncomfortable? you stepped out of the line, and approached the two of them slowly. your assumptions were refuted when you heard her exclaim, “god, what makes you think i’d go out with you?!”

you were taken aback.

“i-i don’t know, i just thought i would ask—” you could hear the anxiety in his voice.

you’ve been in that situation before. and you don’t know what got into you. but you felt the need to help this guy out.

you could read the name on his coffee cup. spencer.

your personality quickly changed and you went up to the two with a knot in your chest.

“excuse me, but spencer, how dare you come here?! to my regular coffee place and what, to ask another girl out???” you finally saw his face. he wore glasses, with wide eyes behind the lens with an anxious look.

shock spread across him and the girl looked at you in confusion and surprise.

“i’m sorry, what?” he stammered, managing to get those few words out. the girl’s face was still frozen trying to process what was going on.

“you give me the best night of my life and then never call me back or text me? how dare you, spencer?”

his brows knitted in confusion before he managed to catch on to what you were doing.

“aren’t you sorry?” your eyes notioned to play along.

you could see him bite the inside of his cheek. he looked at the girl then at you, before saying, “i’m sorry—?”

“you should be. god, spencer, you really should be sorry.” you paused and looked at him before looking at the girl again, who was now smirking at spencer.

you walked away from the two of them and stepped back into line, and as you looked back, you could’ve sworn you heard the girl ask him when he was free for that date.

you chuckled to yourself before your thoughts went silent, wondering where that side of you even came from. and this poor guy, he was so nervous and vulnerable. it even seemed like it was his first time asking someone out.

you shook off the thoughts. you did what you did, it was over with, and you probably helped him get that date. you pulled out your paperback and read while in line until you came up to the counter.

“hi, a medium cold brew and a medium iced chocolate, but could you pour it into a large cup?” you beamed at the barista. you paid and moved aside, reading while waiting for your drink.

“excuse me, hi, sorry.” you felt a hand on your shoulder.

you turned to find your eyes meeting spencer’s. him again.

“hi, is everything okay?” you tiptoed to see if the girl was still there. “she left.” he was looking at his fidgeting hands. “oh, i’m so sorry.” you looked at him in pitifully. “no, no it’s okay! she did end up wanting to go on a date with me, but i declined.”

your face made it obvious you were stifling a laugh. “so my amazing performance, and for what!”

he let out a chortle and loosened up a bit. “i’m sorry it took me a while to catch on to what was happening.” “oh, gosh, don’t worry about it! i honestly don’t know why i even did that—” “no it definitely helped!” he was fidgeting with his cup. “i wanted to say thank you. my friend, uh, derek, dared me to ask a girl out. he’s been giving me advice lately. but i guess some things only work when you look like him.” he joked, running his hand through his hair like a nervous spasm.

you smiled as he rambled.

“listen, uh, oh shoot, i never got your name!” he jumped a little.

he was so cute.

and right on time, the barista called your name out. you smiled at him as you grabbed your cup. “well, now you know.” you smirked.

“that was really nice of you, saving me back there.”

“oh, no, come on. just some friendly decency.” you smiled at him.

he bit his lip nervously, before a spark crossed his eyes. he looked at the barista, and asked, “sorry, could i borrow your marker?”

you looked at him quizzically as his face was lit, waiting for the barista to return with a marker.

as he retrieved the marker from the barista, he looked back at you. your head tilted in confusion. “may i?” he asked, hand open in front of your hand holding your coffee.

“oh!” you gave him your cup, and he held it up in front of him.

he wrote something on your cup that you couldn’t quite make out.

he grinned as he returned the coffee cup into your hands.

“your next coffee is on me.” he clutched his satchel, and his smile didn’t waver one bit.

“thanks, spencer.”

“and when we get that coffee, i’ll tell you what i think about your book.”

“oh, you’ve read this?” you lifted your book up.

“just three times, it’s pretty good.”

you scoffed, looking down at your paperback. it was one of the longest books you owned. you’ve been reading it for a month now, and you were barely halfway.

“three times, huh?”

you looked back up at the brunette. you couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic, or if he was trying to impress you.

he nodded enthusiastically.

oh, he was serious. and cute. and reads books. you felt your stomach twist a little. oh my god, butterflies? this was new.

your thoughts were interrupted with the sound of a phone ringing.

spencer scrambled to grab his phone from his pocket. “hi. yes. okay, i’m coming.”

he sounded rushed.

“i’m so sorry, but it was so nice to meet you.” he was hastily putting his phone back in his pocket and was backing up towards the door. “text me, and i promise not to spoil the end of the book.”

you felt the corners of your mouth perk up. “okay, i will text you.”

he paused and smiled at you before stepping out the door. one last look.

you felt your heart skip a little as you kept your eyes on each other until he was completely out the door and out of sight.

as you remembered the coffee cup in your hands, you looked down to see what he wrote.

there, in unique, scratchy handwriting, was his name, and his phone number, along with a very little message.

‘i owe you :)’

read more of my work read my favorite works send me prompts or suggestions

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[thelittlecookiecat]

How (I imagine) Red Blood Cell and Band Cell find out U1146 likes to sing:

Band cell was assigned to patrol near the dendrite (dendritic cell's post). On his way there, he suddenly he sees a familiar figure passing by

Band Cell: Oh! Hey Miss RBC!

RBC looks around, finding the source of the voice and sees Band Cell

RBC: Oh hey there Band Cell!

Band Cell: It's nice to see you again! I'm sorry, am I keeping you from making your deliveries?

RBC: No, not at all! I just finished my deliveries a minute ago. I'm on my way to the cafeteria to buy some food.

Band Cell: Oh I see, by any chance are you going to be passing by the dendrite?

RBC: Yeah, I am! Why do you ask?

Band Cell: I'm headed that way too! Do you mind if I tag along with you?

RBC: Sure! I could use the company!

They chatted about everything they could think of as they made their way to the dendrite. Dendritic Cells spots them as they were walking towards his post.

Dendritic Cell: Hey there you two, care to join me for some tea, sandwiches and cookies?

RBC: I would love to

Band Cell: I guess I could join in as well

As Dendritic Cell prepares their food, RBC spots a book on the table. She picks it up and realizes it was a photo album of the WBCs. She then opens the album and flips through the pages

RBC: You sure do like keeping pictures of other cells, don't you, Dendritic Cell?

Dendritic Cell: I do. I like to hold on to the memories. Plus, they serve as inspiration for young cells like Band Cell and motivation for mature cells like his senpais

He places the food on the table, sits down and fills their cups with tea as he asks

Dendritic Cell: By the way, I haven't seen U1146 around. Is he okay?

RBC: Now that you mention it, I haven't seen him in a while

Both RBC and Dendritic Cell turn to Band Cell

Band Cell: He's fine. He's just working hard this past couple of days. I have to admit though, he needs to take a break once in a while

RBC: *chuckles lightly* That sounds very much like him. Though i wish there was some way we could make him take a break and just have fun

RBC and Band Cell sigh. Dendritic cell finishes drinking his tea and responds

Dendritic Cell: I have an idea! Why don't you take him and his friends out for some karaoke? I think he'll enjoy that

RBC: I didn't know he liked to sing!

Band Cell: Yeah, he doesn't look like the type of person who enjoys singing. Are you sure taking him out for karaoke is a good idea?

Dendritic Cell smiles and motions for RBC to give him the album. He flips through the pages then finally finds what he is looking for and shows them a picture of U1146 singing (if you've read the manga, you'll know what this picture looks like...but i'll put it here just in case )

Dendritic Cell: I'm sure *smiles*

Meanwhile, somewhere in the body, U1146's receptor suddenly pings

U4989: There's no bacteria here, is your receptor broken?

U1146: I don't think so...

Suddenly a shiver makes it's way through his body. He drops to the floor, shivering, with legs to his chest, arms around his knees and his eyes wide open

U4989: What the heck is wrong with you?!?

U1146: I got the chills, I feel like someone is trying to see the embarassing stuff I've done in the past!

[devintrinidad]

Wait. I have an idea. There have been ideas on 1146 staying over at 3803’s apartment. But what about 3803 having to spend the night at 1146’s barracks? Maybe there’s a huge attack near where she lives and 1146 and the germ crash into her home and ruin it. 1146 feels guilty so until it gets fixed up, he invites her to his barracks. It’s only for one night, plus she’s curious and knows he feels bad so she accepts. 

There she gets to see where he stays when he’s chilling out. She expected to be ignored because WBCs other then 1146 typically ignore her. But after awhile several WBCs do a double take and start crowding her because Wow it’s u1146’s famous RBC! u4989 told us about you! They start teasing u1146 for bringing her here after she manages to spit out what happened to her house. She’s utterly clueless when 1146 goes from stoic to embarrassed (hiding behind his hat) to finally getting grumpy and shooting them all off. She’s even more clueless when 1146’s friends pop up and teasingly tell her to get them if 1146 is too much for her. 

1146 gives her his bed. But they end up talking so much 1146 wakes up from one if the best sleeps w/o nightnares he’s ever had to find 3803 cuddled up to him. He freezes and almost freaks out. She wakes up and doesn’t think it’s a big deal at all since she and her friends sometimes sleep together. She ends up slumbering again and snuggling up to him more. 1146 is powerless to move his very small friend away from him because he doesn’t want to disturb her or make this a bigger deal then it is. But he does fumble with the blankets enough that by the time he falls asleep and wakes up again he’s somehow tangled them up and they’re trapped. 3803 thinks it’s funny and 1146 just has the I’m so done with this how do I keep getting into these awkward and out of my comfort zone situations expression. 

He’s also decided to just die and become a zombie inside because he’s trying not to crush his crush underneath him while she laughs at him like he’s a dork. He is a dork but she’s laughing because she’s having fun seeing more sides of him and happy he’s more comfortable with her then before. Later she tells him this and it’s enough to make him stop apologizing and feel happy he had invited her over afterall. 

~~~

“I don’t know about you, 3803, but you look super comfortable down there,” 2626 couldn’t help but remark. He leaned against the doorframe inside of 1146′s room, in his hand, he held a tray that held two steaming mugs of tea. 

Meanwhile, 3803 sighed as she passed her fingers through 1146′s ruffled locks of white hair. Lying underneath his warmth, 3803 couldn’t lie: she definitely liked being held and comforted like this. After the bacterial attack at her apartment complex, she had been somewhat rattled and shaken. She had seen attacks all over the body, but never as close to her home until now. As she was nestled underneath 1146, she felt safe. Comforted.

Loved, even. 

Before she could ponder the matter further, she glanced over at 2626′s smirking, but somewhat contemplative expression, and laughed a little before nodding. 

“I don’t know about you, 2626,” she parroted his earlier remarks, “but you look super awkward over there.” With one free hand, she gestured to the spare chair near 1146′s bedside. “Why don’t you come over here? You’re not busy with more attacks?”

Softly, so not as if to disturb his sleeping friend, 2626 hurried over to the chair before he sat down and set the mugs on the desk. He stared mournfully at the mugs (he must have known that by the time 1146 woke up, the beverages would have gone cold by then) before he smiled down at the red blood cell.

“Did I disturb you, Miss Red? I thought you were going to sleep.” His canted his head to the side, his eyes intent on catching whatever reaction she had to his question. Or rather, to his underlying questions. 

3803 thought for a moment. Instead of answering his question, she answered with a little quip of her own. 

“I would ask the same of you, 2626. You brought two cups of tea. So--” She playfully narrowed her eyes at him, a challenge in her gold chromed eyes. “--either you wanted to leave this behind for both 1146 and I even though we should have been sleeping, or you knew about his sleeping habits that you only brought tea for yourself and I.”

2626′s eyes widened despite himself before he asked, “And what makes you think that I didn’t already have a cup of tea before joining you two?”

3803 had the nerve to roll her eyes. “Because...” She pointed at the leftmost part of his chest. “... I know that you have the heart share things with your friends.”

“Well, I suppose you’re right.” 

The white blood cell leaned against his chosen chair, his eyes lost in thought. Despite the hair that blocking his vision, he could clearly see that 3803 was struggling to sit up while inside 1146′s grasp. For a moment, he watched in bemusement as she wriggled around while 1146 mumbled in his sleep. Finally, when it seemed like all hope was lost, 3803 finally huffed out a deep breath before unwrapping one of the arms around her waist so that she was free to sit up. 

Now that she was free (and possibly drained from the extra energy she had to exert when breaking free from her best friend), she held out her hand in a “give me” motion, eagerly waiting for 2626 to hand her the drink. 

“That was entertaining.” 2626 couldn’t help but say as he allowed his own sip of tea to warm his tongue. “It almost seemed like you weren’t trying.”

“Ha.” 3803 closed her eyes as she allowed the blissful aroma of the tea to fill her nose before taking a sip. As per usual, 2626 was a master at brewing tea. If he wasn’t a neutrophil, he would have been in charge of a chain of tea shops. “I’m just a little bit drained from today... and 1146 seems a bit too clingy when he sleeps.”

2626 snorted. That was an understatement. 

“When we were pretty young myeloblasts, sometimes, we would sneak into each others’ rooms and sleep with each other. 1146 won’t admit it, but once you’re in his grasp, you can’t leave.” He nodded appreciatively at the way she sat up despite her still being in bed with 1146. “You probably cleared our last record faster than 4989 when hyped with sugar.”

The two shared a laugh before 3803 finally sobered and managed to place the cup back on the desk. 

“But I suppose you’re not here to tell me childhood stories.”

2626 sighed as he lowered the rim of his mug back down into the palm of his hands. 

“I just wanted to let you know... 1146 cares about you a lot. What happened today... He probably thinks that all that happened was his fault and he’ll probably...” 2626 looked almost helplessly at 3803. He lowered his cap so that it could rested low over both his bangs and his eyes. Despite no one seeing underneath his bangs, the red blood cell always had the uncanny ability to just know what he looked like underneath the bangs. 

Suddenly, he felt nimble, ungloved fingers brush against his cheek and playfully bopped the rim of his cap. 

“2626, are you scared that 1146 will overwork himself?” 3803 laughed before she shifted over so that she sat on the edge of the bed facing him. “Come on,” she laughed, “talk to me!”

2626 mumbled, “Kind of? I’m worried for you.”

“And him. But don’t you worry....” 

2626 glanced up just in time for him to see 3803 brush his cheeks with the pads of her thumbs as she cupped his face. Her eyes were earnest, the smile on her face upturned and determined. For a moment, 2626 felt all of his worries and stresses disappear as he relaxed in her unrelenting hold. 

“...I’ll take care him.” 

2626 breathed out a sigh of relief. 

“And don't worry... I’ll take care of you too.”

2626 hid himself underneath the brim of his hat again, unwilling to admit that the pallid coloring of cheeks were darkening. 

~~~ Remember how we talked about how 2626 needs his own therapist. Behold: 3803 is now his personal therapist.

Also, I have been neglecting 2626 and 2048 on tumblr, so I might include them more often when the situation calls for them. 

My heart still belongs to 2001, though.