#Spring Racing Transfers

[lovingpiastri]

ANGEL KISSES IN SPRING (op81 x female!mclaren engineer reader)

ᯓ★ sweet request from my very best mutual @333-th34 : moral of the story , never leave oscar in his drivers room hot and bothered !!

warnings: making out and heavy sexual tension

everything about the current situation was the riskiest of all risks . if there was a tv channel with this weeks top ten jeopardies , you and oscar would be posted up on rank number one for the next two years . why you may ask? picture this : getting hot and heavy in oscar's drivers room isn't exactly the most romantic ordeal to walk in on , especially as fraternising is an unspoken rule !

but it was so hard to resist !

and that is exactly why you were straddling oscar , desperate and needy to feel his touch . more importantly his butter soft lips grazing yours which were adorned in the cheapest drug store lip gloss . speaking of which , instead of staying on your lips it transferred onto oscar's .

your hands were intertwined in his hair harshly , carrying the act out of an occasional tug to force a pathetic whine to escape oscar's throat . on the other hand oscar was more than respectful , arms draped onto your waist gently, too scared to allow them to travel south .

the sound of people bustling outside only increases to the endorphins releasing inside your body , not to mention the creeping fact that you need to come to terms of being an adrenaline junkie . but that was a story for another day , it wasn't time to bottom out when a yearning oscar was beneath you .

"please ." he mumbles with a slightly cry with the target of gaining the slightest bit of pity from you . however oscar's cries of need didn't persuade you to halt your travels of kissing down his neck with the sporadical nip of your teeth from time to time .

oscar seals his eyes close at your scavenging for his sweet spot , but once you do it's like heaven crashes down onto earth & due to the fortunate turn of events oscar vibratos a loud moan . loud enough to wake the dead if you will .

it has to be a coincidence that as soon as that whine escapes oscar's throat unscathed , all the buzzing preparations for the race siezes to an end making you and oscar feel caught red handed for a crime you didn't commit .

a silence fills the atmosphere causing you to snap your head towards to door , making sure all coasts are clear before returning to your predicament . but as you turn around , oscar is gazing at the door clueless as ever despite the circumstances.

with that damn hot pink glittery lip gloss slathered all around his mouth.

©lovingpiastri

[lvnleah]

— the best gift | alessia russo 🎄

find the twelve days of Christmas masterlist here!

You sat on the couch, nervously fidgeting with the ribbon on the small, neatly wrapped box in your lap. Alessia was in the kitchen humming a soft tune, pouring two mugs of hot chocolate—her Christmas Eve tradition—and completely unaware of the surprise you were about to spring on her.

Your heart raced as you thought about the tiny test inside the box, wrapped in tissue paper. You hadn’t planned on testing early. The clinic had been so firm about waiting the full two weeks after the embryo transfer, but the anticipation had been eating at you. This morning, while Alessia was out picking up last-minute stocking stuffers, you’d caved.

You’d stared at the test for what felt like an eternity, your hands trembling as two faint pink lines began to appear. Positive. It was positive.

Now, hours later, the excitement bubbled in your stomach, but so did the nerves. You’d wanted this for so long—both of you had—but the journey hadn’t been easy. The setbacks, the disappointment, the negative tests, the constant rollercoaster of hope and heartbreak… all of it led to this moment. And now, the one thing left to do was tell Alessia.

“Hot chocolate’s ready!” Alessia’s voice called, pulling you out of your thoughts.

She entered the room, carrying the mugs carefully, her face lighting up when she saw you sitting by the tree. Her blonde hair was loose around her shoulders, and her cheeks were flushed, either from the warmth of the kitchen or the happiness that radiated off her every time you were together.

“You look suspiciously cosy,” she teased, setting the mugs on the coffee table before plopping down beside you.

You smiled, doing your best to play it cool. “Just waiting for you. It’s Christmas Eve, remember? We’re supposed to open our gifts to each other.”

Alessia grinned. “You’re really sticking to this ‘midnight gift’ tradition, huh?”

“It’s tradition for a reason,” you shot back, holding out the little box in your hands.

Her eyes flicked to the gift, her brow furrowing slightly. “Wait, I thought we were doing the big ones tomorrow?”

“This is a little one,” you said, your voice trembling slightly despite your best efforts.

Alessia gave you a curious smile but took the box, her fingers brushing yours. “Alright. Let’s see what this ‘little one’ is all about.”

You watched her carefully as she untied the ribbon and lifted the lid. The tissue paper crinkled softly as she pulled it back, revealing the test inside.

For a moment, she froze, her eyes locked on the object in her hand. Then, slowly, she looked up at you, her lips parting as if she were about to speak but couldn’t quite find the words.

“Is this…?” she started, her voice barely a whisper.

You nodded, tears already pooling in your eyes. “It’s positive, Less. I took it this morning. I know I wasn’t supposed to test yet, but I couldn’t wait, and—”

Before you could finish, Alessia launched herself at you, her arms wrapping around you so tightly that it knocked the breath out of your lungs. Her face was buried in your shoulder, and you could feel the dampness of her tears against your skin.

“You’re pregnant?” she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion.

“I’m pregnant,” you confirmed, your own tears spilling over as you held her close.

Alessia pulled back just enough to cup your face in her hands, her eyes shining with a mix of disbelief and pure, unfiltered joy. “We’re having a baby?”

You laughed, nodding. “We’re having a baby.”

For a moment, neither of you said anything. Alessia leaned in, pressing her forehead against yours as her thumbs brushed away the tears on your cheeks.

“This is the best Christmas gift I’ve ever gotten,” she said softly, her voice filled with so much love it made your heartache.

“I thought you might say that,” you teased, your laughter breaking the tension as Alessia let out a watery laugh of her own.

She looked down at the test again, shaking her head like she couldn’t quite believe it. “I don’t even know what to say. This is… incredible.”

You placed a hand over hers, your fingers lacing together. “I just wanted to tell you in a way you’d never forget.”

“Oh, I’ll never forget this,” Alessia promised, her eyes meeting yours. “This is everything we’ve ever dreamed of.”

As the two of you sat there, wrapped in each other’s arms with the faint glow of the Christmas tree surrounding you, it felt like the world had paused just for this moment. Your journey had been long and full of challenges, but now, as Alessia kissed you and whispered how much she loved you, it was clear: this was the start of something even more beautiful than you’d ever imagined.

[v6quewrlds]

Joe Burrow + Fluff/Angst ❤️‍🔥

imagine being joe's gf at ohio state.

In the dimly lit living room of a cramped college apartment, your laughter filled the air as you watched Joe and his friends engage in a heated round of Madden. The laughter of the girls contrasted with the cackling of the guys as they trashed talked each other's virtual football skills. You leaned back into Joe's warmth, your head resting comfortably on his broad shoulder. His arms wrapped around your waist, locking you in place against him as he held his controller tightly, eyes glued to the TV screen.

One of the girls handed you the dwindling blunt and you took a slow drag. You could feel the tension building in Joe's shoulders as you balanced the blunt between your thumb and index finger, you knew he was getting ready to make a big play. The boys went quiet, anticipating the outcome, and then erupted in cheers and disappointed complaints as Joe scored a touchdown. He leaned back, smugly grinning, and kissed your cheek before turning his attention back to the game.

You smiled to yourself as you held the blunt up to Joe's mouth for him to take a hit. His eyes remained on the game, but his expression grew serious as he took it from you. He inhaled deeply, the tip glowing brightly before he released it from his mouth. The smoke curled around your friends, adding a layer of comfort to the already cozy atmosphere. You felt his shoulders relax slightly as his jaw unclenched, the smoke escaping through his lips like second nature.

“You want more?” you asked softly, turning a bit to look at Joe.

“Nah, I’m good for now.” He turned down another hit, his gaze still on the game. You handed the blunt off to the next eager participant and turned your attention back to Joe. His eyes flickered over to yours, and you saw the flicker of lowered inhibitions as his high began to set in.

The conversation grew louder as the game continued, and the topic of football inevitably shifted toward Joe's future at Ohio State. One of the guys, Shawn, a high-school friend of Joe's, brought the topic up with a nonchalance that drew a silent frown out of you. “Joe, you really think you're gonna stay?” he asked, blowing out a cloud of smoke.

Joe simply shrugged, his thumbs never faltering on the controller. “I don't know, man,” he replied, his voice thick with the smoke he'd just inhaled. “It's kind of up in the air right now.”

You sat up straighter. This was news to you. You thought the two of you had put the transfer talk to rest after his spring game last week. The last time you talked about it, Joe mentioned that it wasn't super realistic for him to start over at a new program with only two more years of eligibility left. But here he was, casually talking about it with his friends like it was something he was still seriously considering.

You held back the urge to press him on the matter right there. Instead, you reached for your phone to pretend you were scrolling through social media while your mind raced with questions. The others around you kept talking about it, asking Joe questions about the rumors, but you tried your best to keep your cool.

“What schools you lookin' at?” one of the other guys, Corey, asked, leaning back into the couch cushions.

Joe took a sip of his drink before answering. “Couple of options. Maybe UC or LSU. Gettin' a visit from Coach O soon, so we'll see what that's all about.”

You felt your stomach drop. The University of Cincinnati was still in Ohio, but LSU? That was a whole different world, a place where you would be a fourteen-hour drive away from him. You tried to keep your face neutral, not wanting to make a scene, but your body grew rigid against Joe's chest involuntarily. The conversation around you grew more animated as the guys threw out more names of schools with storied football programs. Your mind was racing, trying to understand what had changed since your last talk about his future.

As the conversation switched to a different topic, you couldn't help but feel a growing knot in your stomach. The room's chatter became a distant buzz as you processed the potential reality of Joe leaving Ohio State, and with it, the comfort of your relationship. You stared at the TV screen, watching the players run across the digital field, but your thoughts were a million miles away.

You released a breath before turning to whisper in Joe's ear, “Transferring is still on the table?” Your voice held a hint of accusation, but Joe's eyes remained on the game.

“Yeah, I know I said it wasn’t realistic, but things have changed a little,” Joe murmured, his eyes flicking to yours briefly before returning to the game. “My spring game put other schools on notice, and it’s not like Urban’s made a decision yet. Dwayne and J.T. are still in the mix, and I can’t just sit here and wait around, you know?”

You nodded, your throat tight. You knew Joe was a talented player who wanted - and deserved - more than just riding the bench, waiting in the wings for his big break. But you hadn't anticipated it would happen this way. Your heart was racing, and you took a sip of your drink to calm yourself. You didn’t want to argue in front of his friends, so you leaned back into his embrace, trying to keep your feelings in check. As if extending an olive branch, Joe's arms tightened around you, his chin coming to rest on the top of your head.

[x3nawr1tes]

★RULER OF MY HEART★- ch. 2

“Tabito- what-“

“Ya said ya wanted to get out, so im here,” he smirks

“you didnt have to,” You sigh as you look at him. “Plus- i dont have a helmet”

His bike glistened behind him. “i have yours” karasu hands you your helmet. you were confused.

“Wait- how the hell do you have this-?”

“broke in”

“tabito!” “sorry~” he sheepishly says. He obviously didnt feel bad. “i shouldnt have given you a spare…”

youre already regretting this decision. “Just let me know if youre going into my apartment…”

“fine, fine. Just get on.” Tabito hops on the bike while you follow suit. You wrap your arms around his waist. This was nothing new- you've done it many times before. As you get on, you can feel the stares of your peers around you. Not that you care. You've been the subject of rumors for as long as you can remember.

"I really should be studying..."

“Yeah, you can study biology. At my place" Tabito winks at the side mirror and you can feel your face heating up.

Your face cools down as you deadpan, "I major in pharmaceuticals. What the fuck will I do? Test out drugs on you? And do you stalk my Twitter-? scratch that- you clearly do. Creep"

"I'm thoughtful"

"Still a creep. Let's get out of here." People are staring and I don't like it, you think as tabito finally starts the engine of the bike and drives you to your place. The drive is nice- the scenery green as ever in the spring. You feel the wind blowing against your body, but it stops as soon as tabito parks in front of your apartment complex.

You hop off the bike, your hands leaving his waist. “bye tabito” you wave. “…”

“you can come in. Want me to order something?” You sigh.

he immediately hops off and follows you to your apartment. The cozy atmosphere draws you in as the two of you walk in. Tabito sits next to you on the couch as you lean on the pillows. You pull out your phone.

“what do you wanna doordash?” “you decide”

“no you”

“fine- ramen-!” You pull up the first restaurant you see on the app. Its rated 4.7 stars- but at this point you dont give a fuck. Anything is better than studying. You order first and practically shove the phone in Tabitos’s hands and he places his order.

you input your credit card information and without skipping a beat you say, “you owe me”

“huh?!?!”

“Just kidding”

“Good- ‘m your best friend after all~”

“dont make me change my mind…”

About 40 minutes later you get the ramen from the restaurant. The smell wafts in the air and youre practically drooling over the tender meat and flavorful broth (at least thats what you think it is). As youre about to dig in, tabito takes the lame plastic container and transfers the dish to a bowl you have.

“what are you doing? Im hungry” Its evident through your tone.

“Dont get cranky. Let me just…”

you swear an hour passes as Tabito neatly arranges the ramen to look presentable and then takes a picture.

“what the hell are you? An influencer?”

“Ah- ya dont need to nag, y’ know. Im just making it more presentable. I also added furikake and nori.”

He pushed the bowl to you. “Eat up”

“Presentable my ass. Im fucking hungry” You can see tabito’s lit screen next to you. Hes posting the picture to twitter and tagging you.

“Twitter addict”

“shut up, y/n. You post more than me. ��Im not touching twitter with a ten foot pole!’ My ass”

He has a point. “…”

you can see tabito’s smug smirk as he has the last word. You’ll get him back for this. Right now, ramen. The broth fills your mouth, the flavors hitting your tongue. You were right- the meat was tender. You make a mental note of the place- maybe you’ll go there in person with kiana or something.

“im bored-“

“The remotes over there. I wanna take a shower”

“arent u supposed to be a good host? Entertain me, y/n-!”

“I can hardly do that.”

A thought comes to your head. “Anyways- are you going to be racing today? I think ima go today. I need a break”

He brushes your question off, “just admit youre procrastinating. I saw your discord- you were playing Persona for AT LEAST four hours”

“Yeah but i went to the library-“

“Still-!”

“Yeah, yeah” you say bitterly. “Are you going though? I dont wanna bring kiana- shes gonna give me an earful. And i dont want to hear shidou yap about busting”

Karasu giggles a bit, “if yer going, yeah”

“Mhh… alright” you continue slurping up your ramen

~~~~~~~~~~~

You step into the old, rusty metal factory. The cool night air turns into a cement like scent. Its a feeling you cant describe, but still enjoy. You park your bike in a corner and wait to race. You can see tabito in the distance, his smile unwavering as hes waving.

you look around and see the other racers. Shidou’s here. Thats annoying. The manwhore eita is too… chigiri isnt too bad- and there are some other guys you dont really know. A redhead and some guy with an ahoge. Not that you care. You turn on your heels and face Karasu

“if i win, ramens on you all of next week-!”

“Like you will- if i win…” he thinks for a moment

Karasu and you, despite being childhood friends, are extremely competitive. Whether it be academics or something silly, you both wouldnt let the other win.

“if i win, i want a kiss. Right on the lips”

“Why? Ew- no”

Worth a shot… “fine. I also want ramen for all of next week.”

“Deal!” You both say in unison.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Three, two, one!!!” The flag girl says.

the whir of motorcycle engines could be heard. All the racers were ready and sped up, trying to to out do the person in front of them. You and karasu are neck and neck at the front as usual. Trying to scan the area for shortcuts, Tabito beats you by faking a turn left and turning right. You slam your brakes, which causes you to fall behind. Damn.

You quickly recover and catch up to some people. You do some calculations in your head… If Tabito went that way at approximately this speed, he should be ahead by a bit. I could probably get someone to distract him… but thats boring. Knowing Tabito, hes probably getting cocky and slowing down… You speed faster than you are right now, if thats possible.

which it is! Because youre now neck and neck… not for long. You fall behind Tabito and start tailgating him. Approaching a corner, you both turn. Youre now slightly in front of him- maybe an inch. The wind around you is nice and cold- perfect for a moment like this where you beat him. As you approach the other end, you gain more distance- but then Tabito gains it back. Its a huge struggle, but as you cross the finish line first- you know its worth it.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The two of you are both leaning against the rusty old walls, watching the other racers that are going after you guys. Theyre getting ready, Some of them clearly newbies.

“anyways, i want ramen. Lets go- theres a good 24hr place around here” you strut toward toward your motorcycle. That ramen was a must have.

“big back”

“Shut the hell up. Let a girl eat”

~~~~~~~~~~~

“mmh!!! This is so good!!!” You say as you slurp down the firm noodles. From the moment you went in, you were immediately comforted by the aura of the place. Its been a while since you were last here, but nothing changed. The dim lighting and cozy seating welcomed you just as it had months ago

“Whats up with you and ramen? We literally had it a few hours ago…” karasu grumbles. He ordered an assorted barbecue plate filled with with kalbi ribs and katsu. As soon as he says that, you lean over from across the table to where hes sitting and grab a piece of meat. As you plop it into your mouth, you taste the love and care that went into making the dish. Its so good, you take another piece.

Tabito sounds a bit bitter, “thats my fuckin food-“

“Might i remind u who won?”

“and? You coulda asked…”

“Thats fair. Sorry about that. Anyways, can i have another piec-“ before you respond, tabito takes noodles from your bowl. "-hey!"

Tabito says matter of factly, "You stole first"

"You lost the race-"

"Yeah, yeah. Shut yer mouth up"

You both laugh, the warm lighting from above the two of you illuminating your faces. As you're laughing, you can't help but get struck with a thought. 1) tabito looks... kind of good like this. When did that happen? Oh well, I guess it's the aging. And 2) is this a date? You don't know why these thoughts even came into your head. You guys have hung out together for years, so why now are these thoughts intruding your mind. After all, tabito is your childhood friend... right?

FUN FACTS!

•y/n MIGHT like ramen

•y/n doesnt think karasu is serious when hed flirting with her (he is)

•karasu is trying to get y/n to see him as an adult- not some kid.

•the redhead during the race was sae

A/n: cant believe i made it to the second chapter and finished it! Btw, this was NOT beta read… im rlly happy :) also, this definitely was not my best work. My writing is pretty rusty, but i guess this fic can be practice. Lmk if u guys like the writing segments or twitter posts!

navigation

CH. 1 || CH. 2 || CH. 3

TAGLIST: @fishii28 @mixolya @narcjsistx @sky-casino @aztec-ahuizotil @morgyyyyyyy

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

This is one of the big reasons we should all be masking in public.

By Jan Greene

Kaiser Permanente study supports COVID-19 vaccination of children, pregnant mothers

An analysis of unvaccinated children who had COVID-19 between 2020 and 2022 found they were more likely to be hospitalized if they were 6 months old or younger, and more likely to be treated in an intensive care unit at ages 12 to 17. The study was published in the journal Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses.

The overall risk of hospitalization from COVID-19 remained relatively low, the authors said, but if children were hospitalized, they could face serious outcomes. Most of those admitted to the ICU had no comorbid conditions that might have made their symptoms worse.

“When you look at children who are being hospitalized, we see particular concerns for teens who may end up in the ICU or need oxygen, and infants who are too young to be vaccinated,“ said lead author Ousseny Zerbo, PhD, a research scientist with the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research. “Inoculation against COVID-19 is still an important childhood vaccination.”

The study examined records for more than 1.1 million children who were members of Kaiser Permanente Northern California between 2020 and 2022. The researchers found 423 children hospitalized for COVID-19 during that time and analyzed trends within the group. The children were all unvaccinated against COVID-19.

They found babies 6 months and younger had the highest incidence of hospitalization. There is no COVID-19 vaccine available for this age group, though research shows a mother’s vaccination against COVID-19 during pregnancy can protect the baby.

“Previous research has shown that a mother’s vaccination can transfer to her baby while she is pregnant,” Zerbo said. “The risk of hospitalization for an infant can be reduced so much by getting that done during pregnancy.” However, vaccination rates in pregnancy remain low — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the average was 13% in spring 2024.

The risk of ICU admission was highest among the teenaged patients. Overall, 20.3% of the hospitalized children were admitted to the ICU, but admission was 36.1% among ages 12 to 17.

Most (91.8%) of the pediatric ICU patients with COVID-19 had no comorbidities — unrelated diseases or conditions that might make them sicker or more vulnerable to COVID.

While COVID-19 variants have been viewed as less likely to lead to hospitalization in the population overall as time has gone on, this study actually found later variants to result in higher rates of hospitalization among children. Among infants 6 months old and younger, the incidence of hospitalization for COVID-19 was 7 per 100,000 person-months during the pre-Delta variant period, 13.3 per 100,000 during the Delta period, and 22.4 per 100,000 during the Omicron period.

Despite evidence of pediatric hospitalization with COVID-19, vaccination rates in children have remained low. Just 6% of children ages 6 months to 4 years were up to date with COVID-19 vaccine in spring 2024, the CDC reports.

The study also found inequity by race or ethnicity in health outcomes among hospitalized unvaccinated children; Black and Hispanic children had higher risk of hospitalization than white children.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Additional co-authors were Nicola P. Klein, MD, PhD, Julius Timbol, MS, John R. Hansen, MPH, Kristin Goddard, MPH, Evan Layefsky, BA, Pat Ross, BA, and Bruce Fireman, MA, of the Division of Research Vaccine Study Center; and Dao Nguyen, MD, and Tara L. Greenhow, MD, of The Permanente Medical Group.

Study link: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/irv.70022

[praxcrown5]

Unhinged Cars or Planes Headcanon Wednesday: Sheriff

Been wanting to gush about my beloved donut car for a while, now. Enjoy!

-Sheriff's full name is Sheriff Royce Campbell (Factory Designation M8C1949255CU09281934). He is the oldest of two children sired to Sergeant Henry Campbell and Maryanne Elizabeth Campbell nee Sheetwelder. He was manufactured on September 28, 1934 at the Ford Factory in Detroit, Michigan, and was modeled in the likeness of an Old World, 1949 Mercury Eight two-door coupe.

-Most everyone in his family is a cop or works for the police/FBI in some capacity.

-Sheriff grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, and he enrolled in the Charlotte Police Academy when he turned nine, just like his father.

-He received the Honor Graduate Award in 1945 for his academic acumen, high level of proficiency with a firearm, and his technical driving skills. He was hired by the Charlotte City Police Department almost immediately thereafter, with his father serving as his FTO.

-He was recruited into a revenuer task force in 1947 under the command of Captain Lorence Camber where he would achieve the rank of Corporal.

-For reasons unknown he was demoted back to officer status and transferred to Carburetor County, Arizona in 1949 where he served as a deputy under Sheriff Randy Coldweld. Coldweld's way of policing was unlike anything Sheriff encountered in Charlotte. He fully believed that empathy and compassion were FAR more effective at controlling crime than fear, and he worked bumper to bumper with Stanley and Lizzie to make sure that the residents of Radiator Springs had access to affordable food, housing and education.

-Coldweld was forced to retire for medical reasons in 1950. A special election was held that year, and Sheriff was elected to replace him.

-He only keeps in touch with his brother, having been disowned by his late parents shortly before moving to Radiator Springs.

-Sheriff knew Doc's true identity--having figured it out pretty early on in their friendship. He never let on because he respected Doc's privacy, though he came clean after the tie-breaker race.

-Despite his conservative upbringing, Sheriff is bisexual, though he prefers male company. He and Doc have been in a relationship since 1958; sort of a best friends with benefits situation

-While working for the CCPD, he had a pair of .378 H&H Magnum rifles mounted to his undercarriage. He swapped them out for parking boots when he became the sheriff of Radiator Springs

-He loves Lightning like a son

[fairyberries]

When you use transference, Aoi mentions finding it romantic. Would love to see a little drabble about her and a fem Drifter's first time going through the transference together and effectively becoming one. Probably a bit of a trip doing it with a proper person instead of a non-sentient 'frame, especially one that can talk (unlike Umbra).

"Aoi..." Drifters voice is soft against the other woman's neck, like a warm duvet on a winter night, "Please?"

Aoi smiles and the skin around her eyes crinkle in a familiar way, it pulls on the drifters heartstrings and she knows she's fucked. "Oh my dearest flower, when you ask so nicely, how am I supposed to say no? Come here. Let's go slowly, I want to cherish it."

A deeper blush emerges on Drifter's face and Aoi can't help but giggle at the reaction, "Oh, you're so cute, love. You don't have to be embarrassed, who knows, I might like it?"

Drifter takes a steadying breath and cuddles closer to Aoi's chest in the bed, holding her tightly she starts to initiate transference. She goes slowly, melding their fingertips together until their palms connect and her limbs start to phase through the woman's. Next the arms and Aoi can't help but giggle at the ticklish feeling as Drifter molds their bodies together. Soon they're both chest to chest as Drifter leans in to kiss Aoi, a sweet passionate and quick action as they finalize their connection.

Drifter fully within Aoi, she takes a moment to breathe through the woman's lungs and see through her lover's eyes. The bed still dipped where she had been laying moments ago, she raises one of her hands up, finely inspecting the details of metal work dancing along the skin and smiling.

"It's so warm, like a hug, Aoi. You feel so peaceful and clear, the metal like water flowing through your bones upon a river. This is... magnificent. You make me feel powerful, my love." The voice sounds akin to her partner though twisted for once it's coming from her own mouth.

Aoi's pulse races at the affection and it makes her bristle with pride, "You get to feel every beat of my heart, Drifter, keep it safe."

Drifter hums, her own heart melting, "How does it feel?"

"Full-" Aoi laughs, "Not like that. But, let's say.. like Sol's warmth, on a spring day. Weird, though, too. I can feel you, your needs, your wants, your thoughts and memories, I can tell how happy this makes you.”

[dayhair]

dr rants!

the squirrelly, inane edition that leaves you wondering why your eyes loom over certain semicolons and en-dashes [ how self-deprecating, i know 🎀 ]

also .. my first post, a liberating departure from the chains of shifttok

marauders; tell me why sirius black, heir apparent to the noble house of inbreeding, behaves like a broken analog clock — drinking at the sixth hour, and a mental breakdown with the occasional tactless jab when his little hand strikes nine ( i'll admit the metaphor is bizarre because i can't even tell the hour hand from the minute, anywho .. )

sirius black? oh, he invented sarcasm. and ebony locks of hair, chainsmoking ( whilst listening to lana del rey, crying in the shower ), sporadicity & a taste for gryffindor's finest, a bowie-loving werewolf

with him, it's always, "lonnie, i swear to god if you don't leave regulus alone," or, "let's deflower a firewhiskey after divination," no in-between

the insipid crash-outs & tantrums of an old-money dauphin must sound riveting, but a half-blood beauxbatons transfer can only behave so .. cordially; after all, my family's motto does translate to something like, "strike the iron while it's hot," and i'm not sure pulling sirius black's hair back as he [ i don't want to gross you out ] is what my ancestors had in mind whilst stitching gilded threads on our coat-of-arms

so .. do i ghost the anti-hero? i'm sure we'd have way more fun anyway if he was sorted into slytherin, or if i wasn't in his brother's year

gossip girl; serena van der woodsen, silver spring of her family, once said to me, "it's not my world, i just live in it." i'm pretty sure she was drunk, because she's no sylvia plath, no matter how hard she pretends. naïve me, in the dregs of upper east side bacchanals, more or less, teenage debauchery, and affairs on both sides of the tennis court — i'd no idea the roman holidays she was referring to, for death had always taken vacation on mine

picture this: a soirée, a suicide, a suit of cards ( hearts for the ones broken, clubs for the ultraviolence, diamonds for the [ well, we're bourgeoisie, there isn't much else to say ], and spades for my blackened luck )

i won't name-drop, but this ballot triggers easily to the unyielding imagination. let's just say an un-judging breakfast club was left fractured, and now i know to mark my julian calendar for the next time death and his blooded scythe strike

90s fame; how does one recover from the faux-pas, glossy tabloids of la la land? mixed reviews from critics and i questioned my steed in the oscar race, no golden globe nomination ( must they ignore me, so? and i know i could just script it in, but what's the fun in that?? ) and i'd already booked an month-off to st. tropez

a few things that i remember from this era

candid shots of me & heath ledger, drunk & the snl parody skit that followed

rumors of false behind-the-scenes drama, which then spurred into actuality 🤦‍♂️

appearing in britney spear's '.. baby one more time' mtv mv ( i was so nervous dbsndjwa )

i was on nirvana's 4th album cover ( scripted out kurt's death )

".. a pretentious performance that crashes into itself and shatters the film's narrative into something maladroit and unworthy of watching" ( some stupid critic about my acting; they don't know true talent or art. like at all. the movie's already a cult classic here so whatever ig )

oh, tinseltown. you pretend to be as glamorous as the age of beatniks & true cinema, but hollywood really is dead ..!

you've reached the post-script; i'd love to go on-&-on, but sleepiness strikes 💤

a reblog wouldn't hurt, eh? ( please )

ok. i'm done

ta-ta, happy shifting !!

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

Dodge Challenger R/T

This custom Challenger was originally a Plum Crazy Purple car. It has a Shaker hood TA spoilers and dual mirrors. During its custom build it was fully disassembled and blasted before it was finished in custom PPG paint. The custom 528ci all-aluminum Indy HEMI engine features a Maxx aluminum block Manley rods Wiseco custom dome pistons 426-1 Indy heads with Super Mod porting K-Motion springs and 10-degree titanium keepers. The engine is fed by a 950cfm Holley Ultra HP carburetor through a port-matched Indy 426-2 intake. It?s also equipped with an Indy Maxx oil pump and oil pan custom 24-gallon aluminum fuel cell with a Holley racing fuel pump MSD Pro Billet distributor custom 1-1/4 ceramic-coated headers flowing into custom 3 exhaust with X-pipe and ceramic-coated Holly Flo Tec mufflers. A Be Cool aluminum radiator with dual thermostatically controlled fans Meziere high-volume water pump and Indy reverse-flow water pump keeps the engine running cool. Richmond 6-speed manual transmission with a long shifter and McCleod dual disc clutch with Lakewood scattershield transfers the power through a Dennys heavy-duty aluminum metal matrix driveshaft and DTS custom-built Dana 60 rear end with Strange axles. This Challenger features a custom frame and suspension with a full roll cage Aldan coilover shocks and Magnum Force A-arms with 1-1/8? sway bar up front Aldan coilovers out back Modified Competition Engineering engine and mid-plate mounts and full aluminum tubs. Wilwood dual master cylinder and billet disc brakes at all corners provide stopping power to the one-off Boyd Coddington billet wheels and Nitto 555Extreme ZR tires. Additionally this Challenger was equipped with a Painless wiring harness Summit battery disconnect dual batteries mini starter variable speed wipers Electro-life electric windows Halogen headlights and custom driving lights. The restored interior features Legendary leather seats a Rim Blow steering wheel center console full Auto Meter Phantom gauges and tachometer a custom Autosound stereo with 5-disc CD changer Sony Xplod amp and Pioneer Aramid fiber speakers with IMPP cones electric antennae tinted glass and air conditioning. 

[hellfirenacht]

Players Wanted: Session 0

Fic Summary: Various Readers ask to join Hellfire. Eddie Munson x Reader

A new semester meant that Hellfire Club was now open for new members again. It was rare that anyone new joined Hellfire in any permanent capacity during the Spring semester, but not completely unheard of. Grant had shown up in the middle of Spring his freshman year, having been a transfer from outside of Hawkins after all. 

But this wasn’t just any Spring semester, this was the Spring Semester of 1986, baby! This was Eddie’s final year, the finish line, everything that he had worked so damn hard for over the past six years. Nothing was going to stop him, not Higgins, not his dad, not this damn town that was turned against him. 

This was finally going to be his year. 

And with this being his year, Eddie had been working hard on his final campaign. This was going to be his grand finale, one that he had been pouring his heart and soul into over the past few months. The Cult of Vecna. 

Of course, with this being the end of an era for Hellfire Club, Eddie wanted to go out with the best party imaginable. He was going to throw everything he could into this, be as sadistic and hard on his players as he could. They could handle it, they’d been playing with him long enough that he knew exactly what they could handle. His little sheepies weren’t about to back down from a challenge. 

The new semester also meant refreshing club applications for the last time. Normally Eddie didn’t bother, if it wasn’t broke then don’t fix it. The applications had stayed the same over the last few years. HELLFIRE CLUB. ADVENTURERS WANTED. Fill out your name, race, and class and come by the drama storage room on Friday. 

This wasn’t amateur hour though, and Eddie wasn’t here to babysit any new players. For this last campaign, he wanted everyone in his party to be on the same level, same playing field, same knowledge of the rules, so a little tweaking was in order. 

ONLY EXPERIENCED ADVENTURERS!

If he was going to be completely honest with himself, even if someone showed up with minimal knowledge he’d probably still let them in. He needed to train the future leaders of Hellfire how to handle the next generation of Freaks anyway. Jeff wasn’t the most patient with newbies, but he’d have to learn. Gareth was also starting to ask questions about DMing now, and Eddie couldn’t help but wonder how Hellfire would fare after Eddie’s graduation. 

If someone showed real interest, then they’d be allowed in. Which brought Eddie to the second new addition to the application. 

*Give this completed form to Eddie Munson in the Hawkins highschool lunchroom 

There. He’d had his share of bogus applicants in the past, just trying to be funny and waste his time. If you were going to join the Freak Show, you were going to show up center stage and ask the Dungeon Master himself. 

Satisfied, Eddie took the stack of applications and set them on the table in the main hall of the high school, next to the other stacks of applications for all the other clubs in school. 

As he turned the corner to head to his first period, he didn’t notice another person pick up the Hellfire Club application... 

Welcome to my mini series! Each chapter will have a different type of Reader asking to join Hellfire club! I am trying to keep it to one type of reader per chapter, so one Shy, one Popular, one Cheerleader, one Freak, etc! However I really want this to be interactive, so either fill out the form and drop it in my inbox or leave a comment to let me know what kind of Reader you want to see, and you’ll get more likely to be picked if you give me more detail! 

-----

Master List

And if you’re thinking “Rachel, don’t you have like, 4 other series you should be working on?” think about other things instead, please. 

Welcome to Hellfire. 

[jessybarnes]

I See You

Pairing - Professor Snape x Student!Reader

Tags - Angst, crying, confessions of love, sneaking out, slight panic attack, and I think that’s it.

Word Count -  684 

Beta - None. All mistakes are my own.

A/N - The reader is 18 in this! This is a repost from my old Tumblr blog. I am in the process of transferring all of my fics over to this one. I hope you enjoy :)

Nights at Hogwarts were often calm. While the rest of the students slept peacefully in your dorm, you sat on the windowsill with your thoughts. It was nearly spring, and even closer to the day when you’d have to say goodbye to the place you practically grew up in. 

You’d miss so many people and things about this castle, but there was one person you’d miss more than anything else. Falling in love with Professor Snape hadn’t been your intention, but it’s what your heart decided. 

Most nights, you would look out across the grounds and let your mind race until you were tired enough to sleep. Other nights, much like this one, you knew it wouldn’t be enough. Quickly and quietly, you slid your shoes on and stepped out into the chilly dungeon corridor. 

Navigating these halls was something you’d grown accustomed to over the years, and you managed to get to your destination without using Lumos once. Once you were sure you weren’t followed, you slipped inside and breathed a sigh of relief. 

Unaware that Professor Snape watched you disappear behind the door, your eyes zeroed in on the one thing that brought you peace. The Mirror of Erised sat near the back of the room, and you felt as if you were drawn to it. 

Slowly, you walked up and ran your fingers along the grooves of its frame.  The detail in its design was beautiful, but that wasn’t why you came here. The floor beneath you was cold, but you sat anyway. Your knees were folded up to your chest and your eyes glistened with fresh tears as you took in the sight before you. 

It was you in an embrace. A hand came up to cradle your face as obsidian eyes gazed lovingly into your soul. You were so enraptured by how real it all looked that you didn’t hear the door open behind you.

“I could have you expelled for being out of bed, you know.”

You felt the color drain from your face. Out of all the people to find you in here, why did it have to be him?

“P-Professor Snape! I … I can expl-” 

Instead of taking points away from Y/H, he asked a question you weren’t expecting.

“What do you see?”

You wiped a few stray tears and shook your head.

“You wouldn’t understand…”

Snape crossed his arms, his expression becoming impossibly more impatient.

“The fact that you think I wouldn’t understand only intrigues me more, Y/L/N. Either tell me what you see when you look in that mirror, or I’ll take you to Dumbledore myself.” 

Panic pricked at your skin. There was no way you could tell him, and he’d know if you lied, so you did the only thing you could at that moment. You ran. He called after you, but all you could think of was finding somewhere to hide. A closet caught your eye and you hurried inside, barricading yourself against the back of the door. 

Sobs shook your body and even though you knew the noise would lead him straight to you, nothing could stop them. His deep voice was muffled by the thick wood of the door, but you still heard him clear as day.

“Did you really think you could hide from me in my own potions closet?”

He muttered the unlocking spell and tried to get in, but you pushed back keeping him from entering.

“Professor, please, just … let me go back to my room! Don’t break my heart anymore than it already is!” 

“Y/N! Open the door!”

Snape never called you or any other student by their first name, and that was enough to get you to ease up on the door just enough. He opened it slowly and stepped into your space, his hand tilting your face up to meet his just like in the reflection you saw.

“Tell me, what do you see?”

Your lip quivered as you finally told him your secret. The welfare of your heart now laying completely in his hands. 

“I see you.”

[strawhatsoraya]

GOJO X FEM READER X GETO | SFW WC: 3.4k CW: suggestive language, mentions of bullying, gojo continues to be a little shit, second hand embarrassment, geto suguru just existing, rom com vibes SUMMARY: Gojo Satoru can't seem to stop annoying Y/N, and Y/N unwillingly shares a lollipop with him. Geto Suguru appears like a knight in shining armor, but he has his own feelings to sort through.

CHAPTER ONE

Chapter Two

Every time he’d see you in the halls, there was a lollipop in your mouth.

Your eyes, dull and hard to read, stare at nothing as you lean against the wall. You absentmindedly turn the stick between the tips of your fingers, swirling the sticky sweet against the inside of your cheeks.

He doesn't know why or how it started.

Maybe it began as a whim, or maybe it was an innocent token given by someone Gojo Satoru hadn’t noticed before. Someone he had long forgotten. Although he severely doubted that. He prided himself on his observational skills and on his keen ability to file away personal little tidbits he could manipulate to his favor later.

If someone had given you a lollipop, even as a mere act of kindness to breach past the invisible walls around you, Gojo would have noticed; and he would have definitely remembered. After all, whether he liked it or not, he had developed the uncanny ability to find you in any room without much effort.

You had joined a few weeks into the spring term, a surprise transfer student no one was expecting.

Your introduction to the school had sent everyone into an unnecessary tizzy, as rumors about the reason you had transferred broke out in every corner. Some mentioned bullying as to why you suddenly left your previous school; that it had been so bad you had contemplated doing something reckless. Others mentioned violence, and theft.

The more days passed, the more embellished the stories became.

“You know what I heard?” Shoko spoke out of the corner of her mouth, her voice low and drawn out. It was a habit that drove Suguru crazy. Satoru looks sidelong at him with an amused grin. “I heard she got caught in the teacher’s lounge doing,” she pauses to use her hand and turn it into a fist. Shoko tucks her tongue against her cheek until it bulges, and brings her first to her mouth rhythmically. “You know.”

Suguru sucks his teeth impassively. Gojo finds his reaction infinitely more humorous than Shoko’s far-fetched rumor. He smiles as he leans against the corridor wall, the sun reflecting off his dark sunglasses.

“That’s enough,” Suguru speaks sternly, frowning down at his short haired classmate. He turns to Satoru. “And you too, stop entertaining her!”

“I’m just saying that’s what I heard!” Shoko defends herself as she brings her hands up in defeat. “I didn’t say I believed it.”

“And you’re making it worse by repeating it,” Suguru admonishes. He shakes his head in disbelief, hands deep inside his pockets. There’s a strand of ebony hair that falls away from his bun, gently grazing one eyebrow. Satoru watches it from behind his lenses, suddenly entranced by its movement.

“Relax, Class President.”

Satoru’s voice is jovial once he manages to swallow the thick lump in his throat. His heart races when Suguru directs his frown at him next. His dark eyes, usually kind and understanding, were turning turbulent and unreadable.

“The rumors will die out soon enough. She’s not even in our class. What are you so upset about?”

“You just don’t get it,” he mumbles quietly, sharply turning his face away. Shoko elbows Gojo, and whispers in his ear before snickering–something or the other about a stick being far up where the sun doesn’t shine. Satoru smiles reflexively, he even laughs and leans in but the lump is back in his throat as he notices the flush on Suguru’s cheeks.

His eyes, always kind, and understanding have gone past unreadable. They were searching down the hall for someone that wasn’t standing right in front of him.

It is then you appear around the corner. Your glossy curls framing your face, falling around your shoulders. The sun filtering through the glass is soft when it lands on your hair, and trails down your face. Tucked to a corner of your mouth, is a lollipop that you let dangle there as you cradle books to your chest. Your gaze is distant even as you approach them. You don’t even look at them as you pass them by, and in the moment Satoru sees the beauty mark on your jaw, a memory comes in like a tidal wave, sweeping away every other thought in the current of it.

“Oh,” he exclaims softly, lost within his memories.

He remembers suddenly, the sound of rain, the smell of wet dirt. He remembers your soaked hair clinging to your cheeks, the sound of you crying. It comes in fragments, as you distort the sunlight when you pass by, leaving him in tentative darkness. He shivers remembering that day but sunlight touches his milky skin again when you’re gone.

“You alright?” he hears Suguru ask. Satoru looks away from your retreating form.

“I’m fine,” he assures Suguru. “That’s her?” When Suguru nods, Satoru turns to Ieri. “Shoko-chan. Don’t ever bring up that rumor again.”

“What?” she repeats in disbelief, amazed at Gojo’s sudden change in behavior. “Since when do you care?”

“Since now.”

You always acted like it didn’t bother you. In fact, Gojo wasn’t even sure you were aware of the rumors. Every time he saw you, in the halls, in the cafeteria, as you crossed the courtyard leading to the gated entrance of the school, you always had that distant detached stare.

And there was the lollipop, tucked safely inside a cheek.

Something about your blasé existence bothered him. It gnawed at his conscious, slowly chewing around the edges. The rippled shadow of his resolve provoked him to act impetuously. There’s a tinny voice echoing in his ears, begging him not to do it but he still does. He still reaches for you, gripping the end of your lollipop stick between index and thumb finger.

Satoru pulls it out of your mouth with a ‘pop’, leaving you stupefied as drool oozes from your bottom lip to your chin. You wipe at it slowly with the back of one hand, only to watch him push the used lollipop into his own mouth.

“That’s disgusting,” you tell him flatly, top lip curled, brows raised to better convey the message. You’re trying to bury it between his eyebrows. Maybe if it digs into his brain deep enough, he’d leave you alone for good.

“Only if you think you’re disgusting.” His quip is quick, sharp, lethal. He doesn’t hold back, as if he has no concerns for your ego. Satoru observes you as he hangs his tongue out of his mouth, twisting the lollipop over the surface of it. You watch, your eyebrows slowly drawing together, as the fleshy pink of his tongue becomes blue at the center of it. His stance is languid, the weight of his statuesque figure laying mostly on one foot. Gojo looks down at you sidelong, ivory lashes fluttering seductively.

“What’s up with you, Knee Pads?” he asks you, not bearing the silence between you. “It’s like you’ve been avoiding me or something.”

“What’s up with you?” you retort, unhappy with your bout of stupidity. You blush as you try to steal back the lollipop. Gojo holds steadfast, his neck craning as you tug with more strength. “Also, my name,” you clench your teeth as you pull one more time, freeing your lollipop from Gojo Satoru’s impressively strong lips. Just what kind of suction power a tall freak like him possessed? “Is not Knee Pads.”

He knew that.

Instead of confessing, he resorts to digging into his trouser pockets, curling long fingers around lint like well kept secrets.

“Hmm,” Gojo hums contemplatively as he watches you put the lollipop back into your mouth. The corners of his mouth twitch as he does his best to fight off a wicked grin. His best, in this case, was not even close to good enough. Even as his lips split into a mischievous smile, he sees your eyes narrow in suspicion.

For your amusive efforts, Gojo allows his own eyelids to become playfully heavy. A tapered finger reaches out to tap the end of your lollipop stick. You flinch.

“We just kissed. Did you know that?”

You blink, shake your head. You blink again, thinking it would clear the fog from your mind.

“I see,” you speak around the lollipop that’s tucked safely back into one of your cheeks. You bob your head, nod as if you had been imparted with some worldly wisdom. “You’re crazy crazy.” You wind a finger around the side of your head, and hold out your palm briefly. “Full. Alternative facts crazy.”

Gojo closes his eyes dramatically, lifting a finger to wag it in the air. You watch with the last vestiges of your patience, as his soft looking hair falls to the side when he tilts his head slightly.

How incredibly annoying of him to be so undeniably beautiful. Surely, that was illegal somewhere in the world.

“No no,” Gojo coos softly, his white eyebrows drawing together. “Indirect kisses are real. We just had one.”

He tries to bop your lollipop stick again but you dodge him by reeling back slightly.

“Keep your hands to yourself, Mister Gojo!” you mumble, your own brows drawing together. You can feel them settling there, as if that was henceforth their permanent location when Gojo Satoru was around. “Indirect kiss or not, this isn’t a free for all. You may not have boundaries, but I do.”

Guilt washes over his expression, turning his glimmering smile empty.

Whether it’s feigned, or genuine, you don’t want to bother thinking about it. His shoulders slouch as he deflates, pallid hands hiding inside his trouser pockets once more. The way he looks up at you through his lashes, behind those stupid circular glasses, reminds you of a dejected puppy.

You liked dogs, but you weren’t in the habit of picking up strays.

“Sheesh,” he exclaims after a tense moment of silence. “You’re pretty brutal with that mouth of yours. Guess it does more than just suck on a lollipop, huh?”

“Ha ha,” you laugh sarcastically, a single brow cocked high over your forehead.

You don’t seem receptive to his jokes, and he should really learn to observe and heed the lines drawn on the sand but Gojo Satoru was never one to follow the rules. He simply didn’t think they adhered to him.

“I mean,” he drawls, shifting the weight of his body to the other leg. “It makes sense why you don’t have any friends.”

There he went again, throwing words like daggers; like he didn’t care where they landed, like he didn’t care if you bled in front of him.

You open your mouth, thoughts slowing down partially because you were not expecting his brutal observation and partially because you were stunned into silence by his sheer audacity.

“That’s-that’s really none of your business,” you try to speak calmly, even as you stumble over your words. You pray your practiced stony expression saves you this time. “Also you’re one to talk. I’m surprised you even have friends.”

You, in fact, were not. He didn’t need to be told that.

Gojo Satoru loved his theatrics.

You had reached this conclusion after seeing him exert his dramatic skills at school plenty of times. Often in the company of Geto Suguru, Class President and the current star of your dreams; much to your chagrin.

You take a front row seat to Gojo’s performance as he places a hand to his chest, a trembling injured sound shooting out his throat.

“My friends love me,” he declares hotly. “I have a best friend. In fact,” he turns, swinging an arm out to point behind you. “He’s right there. SUGURU!”

You flinch at the sudden volume of his voice, shutting your eyes as one of your hands raises to pull the lollipop out from your mouth.

“SUGURU, COME HERE!”

Panic seizes in your chest, before it untangles into heated tendrils. They shoot out to your limbs, confusing your neurons. The signals are messed up, you’re sure of it, as you falter in your spot, turning and spinning to and fro. Your mind screams: run, but your legs find that extremely inconvenient. So you settle for popping the lollipop back in your mouth, and placing your hands on your hips; the epitome of teenage nonchalance.

You even lean back on a leg, as if you didn’t care about your crooked posture; scoliosis be damned.

It isn’t long before his footsteps reach you. There’s an electric chill on your fingertips, forcing you to drum them against your hips. It was all you could do to keep from screaming as Geto Suguru’s shadow fell over you.

“Oh, Suguru!” Gojo exclaims excitedly. You can’t help but notice the way his face lights up, as if the whole sun was shining down on him and only for him. An infectious smile stretches his pouty lips. “You’re here.”

Geto nods slowly, an impassive expression temporarily rippling across his features. It is quickly replaced with a more patient ambiguity.

“Mmhmm,” he admits, still nodding slowly, hands deep in the pockets of his baggy trousers. His glossy locks are tied up in his characteristic bun, bangs gently swaying against his temple with every motion. “You did flag me down.” He pauses as if to give Gojo the time to answer but the fair-haired man only stares back with a broad smile. Geto shrugs his shoulder in question. “So, what’s up?”

“Oh!” Gojo claps his hands, finding himself back on his initial train of thought. He leans over to drop an elbow on your shoulder. You try to train your expression even as you buckle slightly under the weight of your taller classmate. “Knee Pads here,” he says next, flicking a finger down at you as he continues to use you as a crutch. Your hands, still on your hips, grip tighter. “Was trying to say I didn’t have any friends. So…”

He trails off, nodding at Suguru expectingly.

You dare to finally look at Geto head on, as you feel his gaze land on your flushed face. Shiny dark marble eyes that take your breath away inspect your facade for cracks. You feel yourself small under his brief scrutiny. Fortunately for you, he flicks his gaze over at Gojo, still inconveniently close to your body.

You watch as Geto Suguru open his mouth, only to close it. You do your best to fight off a smile. It is extremely difficult when Gojo tenses slightly next to you, so you chew on the inside of a cheek for distraction. It’s like you can hear the gears inside the brunette’s head spinning, creaking, in search of some kind of answer.

“I mean…” he starts, but his voice dies out quickly. He frowns at Gojo, an overplayed sympathetic look takes over his elegant features. “First of all, her name is not Knee Pads…”

“Don’t!” Gojo interrupts, one hand going out in the air. “Change the subject.”

“Yes,” he admits with an eye roll. “We are friends. Okay?”

It was all Gojo needed, apparently. His mood shifts quickly, and he gives your shoulder up to replace you with Geto. His hands go out to his shoulders as he settles behind the dark haired young man, squeezing them repeatedly.

“See, Knee Pads? What did I say?”

Geto tries to shake him off, but gives up when he sees his attempts are futile. You laugh tensely, feeling sweat seeping into your school shirt from your armpits. It’s like your body is screaming for you to finally high tail it out of that situation but something keeps you tethered to the ground you’re standing on.

Maybe it’s the sparkle in Gojo Satoru’s shit-eating grin that pushes every button inside you, like a kid with sticky fingers. Maybe it’s the way Geto Suguru tilts his head, a quizzical expression on his face as if he is trying to read your every thought.

Maybe it’s an unknown third thing—a lonely dark thing, that still craves what it cannot have.

Friendship. Bonds.

Those were things you didn’t dare touch anymore. You’d never cross that threshold again, much less if it involved the Class President and the devoted Sunflower boy on his side.

You shift the lollipop to your other cheek with your tongue, raise a hand and vertically slice through the air with your palm.

“Good for you, Gojo Satoru,” you declare without humor. “Wonderful, even.” If there was any part of you that was envious, delirious with want, you make sure to stamp it out when you plant your feet on the ground in preparation to your exit. “I’m gonna go. Bye.”

“Wait!” Gojo stops you before you can spin and run against the wind. He reaches over Geto’s shoulder, pressing his chest against his back. Suguru starts to protest, you see him aim his elbow at Satoru’s stomach. It doesn’t stop him, however, from once more plucking the lollipop from your mouth with talented fingers.

Just as before, you watch him with a petrified expression as he crams the lollipop in his mouth, half of his body draped over Geto Suguru.

“You can go now!” he bids you adieu cheerfully. A hand wave and a smile is all you get for your mortification. “Thank for the kiss. This is my favorite flavor, actually.”

Suguru’s eyebrows shoot up his forehead.

“HUH?” he shouts, as he attempts to look over his shoulder at Gojo.

He does his best to shake him off of him, his gaze flickering from you to his friend repeatedly. Your heart freezes painfully, and there is a heat wrapping around your neck that suffocates you, that buries every excuse and explanation back into your stomach where it gets ready to fester.

You’ll feel them there later, tangling themselves into knots, as you lay in bed awake replaying this disaster of a meeting with your high school crush.

Unable to bear it anymore, you spin on your heels and speed walk away, far enough until you think you’re out of their line of sight; but the school gate seems so far away, as if the distance is never shortened and although you tell yourself to be patient, to just suck it up for a little longer, tears prickle your eyes. Your legs kick up as you start sprinting away, and take a sharp corner at the gate disappearing from Geto and Gojo’s sight.

Suguru finally shakes him off, and for his grievous affront, he makes sure to dig his pointy elbow into the apex of Satoru’s abdomen.

Gojo coughs and folds over, wheezing as he takes in a deep breath. He laughs, deeply amused by jokes Geto wasn’t privy to. Despite having been practically thrown off his body already, Satoru goes back to Suguru, this time propping his arm on one of his shoulders.

“She’s cute, right?” Gojo asks, peering closely into Suguru’s eyes.

Suguru finds that his friend is uncomfortably close, as he often was. He swallows thickly, a knot inside his throat that is indiscernible, tastes bittersweet on its way down. There’s a heat on the back of his neck that touches tenderly, turning the tips of his ears crimson.

“Leave her alone,” he argues, voice so taut he fears his vocal chords might tear. Suguru swallows again hoping that would solve the issue. He shrugs his shoulder, efficiently ridding himself of the source of his current affliction; at least for now; at least until he remembers the bright shade of blue of Satoru’s eyes in the middle of the night. “You don’t even like her.”

“Says who?”

“Says I.” Silence falls between them, a rare ordeal. Geto feels his shoulders stiffen as Gojo peers at him from behind his dark shades. He senses the questions in the way he stands, knows that Satoru is running through various scenarios in an effort to figure him out. If he doesn’t speak now, he might be asked questions he doesn’t want to answer. “Well, do you?”

He forces the words out, throws them like stones at a fragile skylight.

“I don’t know,” Satoru admits with a crooked smile, a dimple decorating one cheek. “Maybe? She’s interesting.”

The thing with throwing stones at glass ceilings, it’s that sometimes they shattered all around you. Geto pretends the shards don’t cut right through him. He pretends just like he’s done countless times before.

“Like I said,” he pauses to lick his bottom lip, mouth going dry. “Leave her alone. You’re just bored. Let’s go find something else to do.” He begins to walk, expecting Satoru to follow him closely—and he does as predicted.

“Oh, you wanna go to the arcade? Why?” he asks, bumping into Suguru playfully. Suguru allows himself to be swayed, and fights off a smile. “You lose against me every time. You’re that desperate to buy me food?”

“Shut up, Satoru.”

“I want McDonald’s.”

Suguru sighs heavily.

“Fine.”

[theplottdump]

M: Speaking of Aliens- wanna hear a secret? Vera: Always. M: You know Agent Star? Vera: The super serious one that works at the capital? M: 𝙐𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙣. Vera: What? No way! Why do you even know that?

M: So you know how there's like stuff that's 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵- and then there's stuff that's 𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩, yeah? Like how UNIT is a secret but the tub of hummus Argent keeps in her desk is top secret?

Vera: 𝘞𝘢𝘪𝘵 - Argent keeps a tub of hummus in her desk?

M: 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘴- I helped her set up a refrigerant system in one of the drawers. She gets snacky.

Vera: So 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 what that humming is!! I seriously thought it was just the sound of my anxiety during one on ones!

M: Well above that there's what we 'labrats' call the '𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘇𝗲' secrets. Stuff reserved for only the most need to know higher ups.

Government Secrets so dangerous they get shoved all the way in the back in the server - left to be forgotten and covered up with digital frost til the end of time.

M: Every few months me and few of the lab guys over at Bridgeport HQ meet up online to race and see who can decrypt whatever deep state documents we manage to fish out of the freezer the fastest.

The prize is usually pizza.

Vera: And that's how you found out about Agent Star? M: Agent Star was just the tip of the iceberg. Turns she was transferred from this facility an hour outside of Oasis Springs. The place was running experiments on all kinds of occult kids. Vera: 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩!? That's horrible.

M: It was 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬. After the last Director died, the state took one look at it and shut it all down. Relocated all the remaining staff to Strangerville and wiped all the records- cept for what we found in the freezer. Kinda like a post mortem. Cool right?

Vera: But what happened to all the kids?

M: I dunno. Place is still locked up tight from what I managed dig up. I low-key wanna drive out and see what else is left down there sometime.

Vera: And 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 is what you do for fun? M: Eh, yeah- I mean sometimes? Just because we work for the government doesn't mean I trust them.

What do you do for fun?

Vera: I 𝘶𝘩, it's stupid. M: Try me. V: Well, after my Dad tracked me down he gave me one of his old guitars. I think he felt a little bad about the whole 𝘶𝘩- abandoned at birth thing?

M: That's cool he found you. Vera: Yeah! 𝘶𝘩𝘮. He gave me a few lessons on it - said I'm a natural, but I think he was just being nice. So 𝘶𝘩- I've been writing! M: Music?

Vera: Yeah, ah, songs. With words and all that. They're mostly rubbish. M: I bet they're great. Vera: [ 𝙨𝙣𝙤𝙧𝙩 ] You haven't heard them.

M: Well then- you should play them for me sometime! I've seen you do karaoke at the Office Holiday Parties. Vera: 𝘗𝘧𝘧𝘵, I was drunk!

Maya: 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩.

[bunnysnuff]

Chapter 1.

Pairing: Charlie spring x F!twin!Reader (siblings), Charlie spring x nick Nelson, nick Nelson x F!reader.

Triggers warning: future love triangle, reader and Charlie are siblings. Wrote in the First Point of view. Reader is Female.

Masterlist.

—

Summary: Dear Charlie, we shared the same womb; I love you. I’m sorry.

was a Tuesday afternoon, the kind of day that felt like a thousand others. The air was warm but not too hot, a faint breeze rustling through the trees outside as I sat on the front steps of our house, waiting for my brother Charlie to get home. School had just ended, and I was half-heartedly scrolling through my phone, trying to distract myself from the anticipation of meeting Charlie’s new friend—the mysterious Nick Nelson.

Charlie had been talking about Nick for weeks, ever since he’d transferred to our school. I hadn’t met him yet, but from everything Charlie had said, I’d gotten the impression that Nick was some sort of golden boy—captain of the rugby team, effortlessly charming, and, of course, “the nicest guy ever.” Charlie hadn’t stopped gushing about him, which had been kind of annoying but also, I’ll admit, made me a little curious.

Charlie wasn’t the type to get overly excited about people, so for him to be this enthusiastic about someone meant Nick must be something special. Still, I hadn’t really thought much of it—until Charlie had invited him over.

I heard the crunch of gravel as a familiar sound—the heavy thud of my brother’s school bag hitting the ground—came from the sidewalk. I looked up just in time to see Charlie walking toward me, his usual slightly tousled hair and worn-out sneakers giving him that casually cool look he never really tried to have but always managed to pull off.

But I wasn’t looking at Charlie. Walking beside him was Nick.

And, yeah, okay, I could kind of see what Charlie meant.

Nick was taller than Charlie, with broad shoulders and a rugby player’s build, his light brown hair catching the sunlight in a way that made it look almost golden. His smile was warm and easy, the kind that made you feel like you were the only person in the world when he looked at you. He was the kind of guy who probably had no idea just how attractive he was—which, of course, only made him more attractive.

"Hey," Charlie called, waving as they approached. "This is Nick."

Nick grinned at me, sticking out his hand with a friendly confidence that was somehow both disarming and infuriating. "Hey, I’m Nick. You must be Charlie’s sister."

"Yeah, I’m—" I stammered, momentarily caught off guard by the brightness of his smile. "Uh, I’m [Your Name]. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," Nick said, his handshake firm but not too strong. His hand was warm, and for a second, I had the ridiculous thought that I didn’t want to let go.

"Nick’s going to hang out with us for a bit," Charlie explained, not picking up on the weird tension that had suddenly settled over me. "We thought we’d play some video games or something."

"Sounds good," I muttered, my mind racing as I followed them inside.

As we settled in the living room, I couldn’t help but steal glances at Nick. It wasn’t just that he was handsome—though, let’s be real, he definitely was. There was something about him, a kind of presence that drew you in without even trying. And the way he talked to Charlie, laughing and joking like they’d been friends for years, made me feel like I was watching something I wasn’t supposed to.

Charlie had always been my closest friend. Even though we were different in a lot of ways—Charlie, always more laid-back and easygoing, while I was more intense, more competitive—we’d always had each other’s backs. But now, seeing him with Nick, I felt this unfamiliar pang of jealousy. It wasn’t that I didn’t want Charlie to have friends, but there was something about Nick that made me feel…off balance.

As the afternoon wore on, we all played video games, the banter light and fun. Charlie and Nick were in their element, laughing together as they teased each other over their virtual victories. I tried to join in, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was on the outside looking in. Worse, I couldn’t stop my eyes from drifting to Nick whenever he wasn’t looking. There was something about him that made my heart race, something I didn’t quite know how to handle.

At one point, Nick caught me staring, and for a moment, our eyes locked. He smiled, but there was something in his expression—something like curiosity. I looked away, heat creeping up my neck.

After a while, we paused the game for a snack break. Charlie got up to grab some drinks, leaving me alone with Nick. The silence that settled between us wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, but it wasn’t easy either.

"So," Nick said, turning to me with that disarming smile again. "You into rugby too, like Charlie?"

"Not really," I admitted, shrugging. "More into basketball, honestly."

"Cool," Nick nodded, his gaze steady. "I’ve always thought basketball seemed fun, but I’m terrible at it."

"Maybe I’ll have to show you sometime," I said before I could stop myself, my heart pounding at how casually the words had slipped out.

Nick’s eyes flickered with amusement. "I’d like that."

Before I could respond, Charlie returned with drinks, his usual bright smile plastered on his face as he handed us cans of soda.

"You guys getting along okay?" Charlie asked, glancing between us, completely oblivious to the silent undercurrent of tension.

"Yeah, your sisters cool," Nick said, winking at me, and I felt my stomach flip.

"Of course she is," Charlie grinned, throwing his arm around me in that casual, brotherly way that was both affectionate and a little annoying. “She’s my twin alright.”

As we sat back down, I couldn’t help but feel conflicted. There was this sudden, sharp awareness of Nick—of how I’d started to want his attention, even though Charlie clearly already had it. And I didn’t know how to feel about that. I wasn’t used to competing with my brother for something—someone—I wanted.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of laughter and video games, but that unspoken tension never left. By the time Nick left, I felt like I had spent the entire day trying to ignore something that was slowly growing between us. Something I wasn’t sure how to handle.

As the door clicked shut behind him, Charlie turned to me, grinning.

"See? I told you he’s great."

I forced a smile. "Yeah, he’s…something."

But as I walked up to my room later that night, my mind kept racing, the memory of Nick’s smile lingering longer than it should have. I had a sinking feeling that this was only the beginning of something much more complicated than I was ready for.

And the worst part?

Charlie had no idea.

——-

Diary Entry 1.

Dear Charlie,

I need to get this off my chest, and you’re the only one I can really talk to about it. Today was… different. Nick Nelson came over, and I have to admit, he’s just as charming as you’ve said. He’s funny and confident, and I can see why you’ve been raving about him for weeks.

But I don’t know how to explain this feeling I have. When we were all hanging out, I felt like I was on the outside looking in, like you two shared some secret language that I wasn’t a part of. I’m happy you’ve made a new friend, but there was this weird tug of jealousy in my gut that I wasn’t expecting.

He looked at me like I was more than just your sister, and I can’t shake the feeling that I might have liked it a little too much. It’s confusing. I want you to be happy, but I also want to feel like I matter in this new dynamic.

I guess what I’m trying to say is… how do I fit into all of this? Can we still be the same as we’ve always been, even with Nick around? I’m worried things are changing, and I don’t want to lose our connection.

Anyway, I just needed to vent.

Love you,

[Your Name].

[love-and-deepspace-wiki]

Linkon Aquarium

Location: Linkon City

Details:

The Linkon Aquarium is a location referenced in various places throughout the game. Interestingly, the aqarium scene in Rafayel's "Touring In Love" story appears to be a direct sequel to his "Oceanside Exchange" Tender Moments story. There's an additional reference to the aquarium in the image for Zayne's "Spring Remnants" memory. Each of these references will be detailed below.

Zayne - "Spring Remnants":

In the image for Zayne's "Spring Remnants" memory, he is shown holding a newspaper. The main article covers the acquisition of Gilt Trading. But, on an adjacent page, there's an article with a headline that reads "Renovated Linkon Aquarium To Reopen Early Next Month".

Rafayel - "Oceanside Exchange":

In Rafayel's "Oceanside Exchange" Tender Moments story, the protagonist visits an aquarium with him to bid the fish farewell because the aquarium will soon close permanently. While there, she says she used to race with these aquarium fish when she was a kid.

She wins a foot race against a colorful fish and Rafayel gives her an origami fish as a prize. When she asks him to make her an origami bird, he says he'll only do it if she wins a race against a small silver fish. At the time, she declines.

At the end of the story, the protaganist says the fish are still talking about seeing them again despite it being the aqarium's last day. Rafayel communicates with the fish and then relays their message to the protaganist: "We will meet again".

Rafayel - "Touring In Love":

In Rafayel's story from the "Touring In Love" event, the protaganist visits an aquarium with him again. The story specifies that this aquarium had been "temporarily closed", but had since reopened "after renovations".

Based on the following details, it is possible that the aquarium from "Oceanside Exchange" either reopened after all or the same fish were transferred to the renovated Linkon Aquarium:

Rafayel greets the fish by saying "We meet again", seemingly referencing "Oceanside Exchange" (right)

While there, the protagonist mentioned "still" wanting to race a silver fish in the fish tank (right)

For the foot race against a silver fish, Rafayel says "the rules are the same" (left)

When the protaganist wins the race, her prize is an origami bird (left)

The protaganist teases Rafayel, saying she thought he'd forgotten about promising her an origami bird (right)

[shesgotthebeststories]

CAUSE I CAN DO IT WITH A BROKEN HEART

a rosa diaz x oc fic

an au where maddy is a doctor at the local hospital, and the new patient coming through the ER doors looks a lot like her girlfriend.

An AU of my AU, but I am currently rewatching chicago med and felt inspired by other rosa x doctor fics, so enjoy :)

TW: TALKS OF BLOOD, GSW, HOSPITALS !!!! read with caution, stay safe my loves

It’s a late night in the ER, and Maddy is finishing up some paperwork at her desk. The fluorescent lights flicker overhead as the steady hum of hospital life continues around her. Her mind is still processing the case she’s just wrapped up when the unmistakable sound of the alarm echoes through the hospital. The emergency department springs to life—doctors and nurses rush toward the doors, preparing for the next trauma. But Maddy stays seated for a moment longer. There’s always a chance they’ll need extra help, and she’s ready to spring into action if they do.

She listens closely, tuning in to the paramedics as they call out the patient’s details. Her focus sharpens when she hears the report:

“32-year-old female officer, GCS 13. Single gunshot wound to the lower abdomen with no visible exit wound. Minor laceration to the back of the head. Stable but slipping in and out of consciousness, disoriented when awake. Tachycardic and mild hypotension, all other vitals are stable. Saline and pain relief administered in the field.”

The words hit Maddy like a punch to the gut. A gunshot wound to the abdomen, slipping in and out of consciousness, a head injury—her mind races through the possible scenarios. But it's the first detail that strikes her hardest: "Female officer." It takes her a moment, but when the paramedics rush into view, pushing the stretcher through the ER doors, Maddy’s heart skips a beat. She recognizes the dark curls spilling out from under the stretcher’s blanket. Her stomach drops.

“Rosa?” Maddy calls out, her voice tight with anxiety. Without thinking, she’s already on her feet, darting toward the team that’s pushing the stretcher inside. She pushes past her colleagues, heart pounding in her chest. As she gets closer, the sight of Rosa’s blood-soaked shirt nearly stops her in her tracks.

“Montgomery, move, I’ve got this,” one of the doctors says sharply, blocking Maddy’s path.

“No,” Maddy responds firmly, her eyes narrowing as she gives him a look. It’s the kind of look she’s given him before—one that says, "I need to do this." The doctor hesitates for a moment before stepping back, a silent acknowledgment of her need to take control.

Maddy’s fingers are already shaking as she steps closer to the stretcher, helping to wheel it into one of the rooms. Rosa’s head lolls to the side, her face pale and covered in a sheen of sweat. The blood on her clothes is a stark contrast to the otherwise lifeless color of her skin. Maddy doesn’t care about anything else right now—she’s focused on Rosa, determined to keep it together.

“Okay, I’ll check on my other patients. Let me know if you need anything,” the doctor says, his voice quieter now as he retreats from the room. Maddy barely acknowledges him, her gaze fixed on Rosa as she unbuttons her own coat and throws on a pair of gloves.

“Transfer on my count, one, two, three,” Maddy instructs her team as they work to lift Rosa from the stretcher onto the hospital bed. She watches as they move quickly but carefully, the coordinated motion giving her a sense of control in a moment that feels completely out of her hands. The paramedics exit, leaving the room in a heavy silence. Maddy takes a deep breath, trying to calm the storm raging inside her.

The ER room was filled with a flurry of activity as Maddy stood back, watching her team work swiftly to stabilize Rosa. The air felt heavy with tension, each movement deliberate and urgent. The alarms and beeping of monitors created an eerie soundtrack as Maddy assessed the situation, her mind running through everything she knew and everything that still needed to be done.

“Let’s get that bleeding under control and get her on the monitors,” Maddy directed, her voice firm and steady despite the chaos around her. “Likely slipping out of consciousness due to shock, given the tachycardia and mild hypotension. Pupils are equal and reactive to light, so no obvious signs of neurological impairment at this point. Breath sounds are bilaterally clear with no signs of chest trauma, so we can rule out pneumothorax for now. But continue to monitor. If there’s any sign of respiratory distress, we’ll need to reassess.”

Rosa’s bloodied body lay on the bed, her chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. The doctors and nurses worked in sync, each playing their part in the intricate dance of saving a life. Maddy observed the monitors, reading the vital signs carefully. Her own heart pounded in her chest, but she remained composed, focused.

“Vitals are still the same—still tachycardic and mildly hypotensive,” Maddy continued, her voice calm but authoritative. “Continue with IV fluids to maintain perfusion, and keep monitoring closely. She’s already had fentanyl for pain in the field; let’s reassess her pain level and offer more analgesia as needed, but watch for signs of respiratory depression.”

Maddy moved back to Rosa’s head, her eyes softening as she looked down at her. Rosa’s dark curls were matted to her forehead, blood staining the strands. Her face was pale, a stark contrast to the vibrant, strong woman Maddy knew.

The back of Rosa’s head had been cut when she fell back on a rock after being shot, and Maddy gently examined it. "Laceration on the back of her head has stopped bleeding, so clean it up and apply a temporary dressing, It’ll likely need stitches once she’s stable." As Maddy was finishing her instructions, Rosa’s eyes fluttered open slightly. Maddy’s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively placed her hand on Rosa’s shoulder, speaking softly, trying to soothe her.

“Hey, you’re okay. You’re at the hospital, we’re gonna take good care of you,” Maddy whispered, offering a gentle smile as her thumb rubbed the back of Rosa’s hand. She could see the confusion in Rosa’s eyes, but there was no fear—just the blankness of someone struggling to stay awake.

Maddy then called out to the charge nurse. “Order a FAST exam for abdominal bleeding, a CT abdomen and pelvis as well as a CT head just to make sure. Also add CBC, type and cross, and a coagulation profile. Let’s continue IV fluids and reassess vitals every 15 minutes. Keep her under close observation and ensure she’s ready for surgery if any complications arise. Okay, let’s go!”

Her team moved in sync, following her orders without hesitation. Maddy helped push Rosa’s bed out of the room, her mind already running through the next steps. Every moment counted.

As they neared the hallway, Maddy’s eyes caught sight of Jake, standing near the entrance to the ER, blood on his hands, his face pale with a mixture of shock and concern. His gaze snapped to Maddy the moment she appeared, his eyes wide and terrified.

“Where—where are they taking her?” Jake’s voice cracked, his body stiff with worry.

Maddy quickly ripped off her gloves and rushed toward him, pulling him into an embrace. She could feel the tremble in his body, the fear that radiated from him. “Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Maddy said, her voice soothing as she held him tightly. “She’s alright. They’re just taking her up for some scans to make sure there’s no serious internal damage. What happened?”

Jake’s breath came in short, panicked bursts. He pulled back just slightly, his hand gripping the back of her jacket. “I—I don’t know. We were out investigating a lead, and there was a bang, so we separated… god, I shouldn’t have left her. And then there was another bang, and I ran around the corner, and she was just there, on the floor. I tried my best to stop the bleeding... Is she going to be okay?”

Maddy’s heart broke as she listened to Jake’s words, his voice frantic. She could feel the guilt weighing heavily on him, but she couldn’t allow him to carry it. “Right now, it looks like it,” Maddy replied, her voice steady but filled with empathy. “But we need the scans to be sure.”

She placed a hand on Jake’s shoulder, offering him what comfort she could in this moment. “Let’s get you checked out too, okay? Just in case.”

Jake shook his head, his eyes wide with protest. “I don’t need to be checked out, Maddy. I need to be with her.”

Maddy gave him a look—a look that said everything without a word. It was a look he knew all too well. The kind of look that meant she wasn’t going to stop asking until he agreed. Reluctantly, Jake nodded.

“Alright,” he said quietly, his shoulders slumping in resignation. “But only because you asked.”

Maddy smiled softly and glanced around for a free nurse. “Monique!” she called out, spotting one of the newer nurses. “Hey, can you come over here for a sec?”

Monique walked over with a cheerful smile, but her expression shifted to concern as she noticed Jake’s state.

“What’s up?” Monique asked.

“I need you to take my friend Jake here,” Maddy said, her tone professional but gentle. “Get him cleaned up and make sure he doesn’t have any injuries himself. I’ve got a spare jumper in my locker that he can change into. I need to go follow Rosa.”

Monique nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. She placed a reassuring hand on Jake’s shoulder. “Come with me, Jake. Let’s get you checked out.”

Jake glanced at Maddy one last time before he followed Monique, his steps slow and heavy. Maddy watched them for a moment, her heart aching for both of them.

Taking a deep breath, Maddy turned and quickly made her way to the elevator, going up to the CT floor. She knew there was still so much to be done, but Rosa was strong.

-

Rosa’s eyes fluttered open slowly, her vision swimming as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. She was in a sterile, white room—hospital lights above her, the faint beeping of machines surrounding her. Her head felt foggy, like she hadn’t fully woken up from a dream. But there was one thing that was unmistakable: her stomach hurt—a lot. The pain was sharp, and she winced as it radiated through her body. She groaned involuntarily, her hand instinctively clutching her abdomen, trying to soothe the ache.

Her head turned slightly, trying to get a better look at the person sitting next to her bed. The figure was hunched over, his dark hair falling messily in front of his face. His arms were crossed, resting on his knees, and his NYPD jumper clung to his frame. The recognition came fast, even through the haze of confusion. It was Jake.

“Jake?” Rosa mumbled, her voice hoarse. It barely left her lips, but it was enough. Jake’s head shot up immediately, his eyes wide with shock and relief. He took a sharp breath before moving quickly to her side, grabbing her hand as though it was the only anchor keeping him grounded.

“Hey, hey… oh my god, I’m so glad you’re okay,” Jake said, his voice breaking. “I’m so sorry for leaving you.” His tears fell silently, his face a mixture of guilt and relief.

Before Rosa could respond, a knock at the door broke the moment. The door opened, and in walked Maddy, her footsteps quick but measured. She smiled softly at the sight of Rosa awake but quickly put on her gloves and walked to Rosa’s bedside.

“Hey, glad you’re awake,” Maddy said warmly, her hands gently adjusting Rosa’s IV lines. She focused for a moment before looking up at Rosa. “How you feeling?”

“Like I just fell out of a tree,” Rosa groaned, her lips curling into a tired, wry smile. Maddy’s heart swelled at the small sign of humor creeping back into Rosa’s demeanor. It was a relief to see that, despite everything, Rosa still had some of her sass.

Maddy chuckled softly, “I bet. Your vitals are looking better now. And your scans were all clear—thankfully. You’re very lucky. No internal damage, and the bullet was removed without causing any additional harm.” She listened to Rosa’s breathing with her stethoscope, a professional calm settling over her as she continued, “You’re going to be off from actual field work for a while, but you’ll be able to return to desk duty in a couple of weeks.”

Rosa let out a heavy sigh, her brows furrowing. Maddy’s face softened, and she squeezed Rosa’s hand gently. “I know you don’t like it, but this is what’s best. If you don’t heal fully, you could end up back here, and I don’t want that. You fucking scared me, Rosa.”

Rosa’s lips twitched into a small grin, her voice barely above a whisper as she teased, “Hmm… I think you need to work on your bedside manners. Might have to report you.”

Maddy laughed, shaking her head. “Yeah, yeah, sure. But seriously, I mean it. Please, be more careful next time.”

“I will,” Rosa muttered, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. Before Maddy could respond, Jake’s phone rang, the sharp sound cutting through the tension in the room. Jake quickly answered it, his expression changing from concern to a slight sense of relief.

“Okay, yup, will be there in a sec. See ya,” Jake said, hanging up the phone. He turned to Maddy, giving her a small smile. “That was Amy. Her and the rest of the squad are here to see you. I’m going to go grab them.”

Rosa’s face immediately changed the moment Jake stepped out of the room. Her eyes filled with something darker, something she couldn’t quite hide.Maddy, sensing the shift, sat down next to her, her voice soft but concerned.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” she asked, her hand reaching out to gently rub Rosa’s shoulder. Tears welled up in Rosa’s eyes, and she blinked them away quickly, trying to fight them back. “I just feel so bad. I scared the hell out of both you and Jake. I should’ve never suggested we split up. It was such a stupid decision. I…” Rosa’s voice quivered, breaking at the edges. “I just keep thinking, what if I hadn’t… what if I just stayed with him?”

Maddy’s heart clenched, and she leaned closer, taking Rosa’s hand in hers. “Hey,” she whispered, her voice firm but gentle. “This is not your fault. Not at all. That perp is the one who’s wrong—shooting at a police officer, of all things. You made a split-second decision with the information you had, and you did what you thought was right. That’s all anyone could ask for.”

Rosa let out a shaky breath, her chest rising with the effort to calm herself.

“I know Jake’s scared, because he feels like it’s his fault,” Maddy continued, her thumb stroking the back of Rosa’s hand comfortingly. “But trust me, it’s none of his or your fault. None of this. I’m so proud of you, you know that?”

Maddy wiped away a tear from Rosa’s cheek, the gesture tender. Rosa’s lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say more, but instead, she whispered, “I love you.”

Maddy smiled warmly, her heart soaring with the weight of those words. “I love you too.” Leaning down, Maddy kissed Rosa softly on the forehead, feeling the warmth of her skin against her lips. The kiss was gentle, soothing, a reminder of their bond, and it lingered in the room like an unspoken promise. But before either could fully settle into the moment, a throat cleared at the door.

“Wow, wish I had this type of service when I was in the hospital,” Gina’s voice rang out, causing both Maddy and Rosa to pull back quickly, embarrassment creeping across their faces. The rest of the squad followed Gina into the room, their smiles wide and teasing.

Maddy stood up quickly, her hands instinctively moving behind her back as she tried to suppress the blush creeping up her neck. She glanced at Rosa, who was just as embarrassed, her cheeks flushed.

Boyle, always quick with a quip, grinned and raised an eyebrow. “Sooo… you got something to tell us, or have they just updated the bedside manners training?”

The squad burst into laughter, and Rosa, despite the pain she was still feeling, couldn’t help but smirk. “Uh, yeah…,” she started, pushing herself up slightly on the bed with a wince. “Maddy is my girlfriend.”

A wave of quiet congratulations swept through the room, the squad smiling at the news, offering supportive nods and small cheers. Even Gina, with her usual sass, was beaming.

Maddy, grateful for the shift in the mood, glanced at Rosa one last time before turned to the squad. “Well, I should go check on some of my other patients, but I’ll be back once my shift’s over, okay?” she said, her tone softening as she looked at Rosa.

Rosa nodded, her lips curling into a small smile. “Okay. I’ll be here.”

Maddy leaned down and kissed Rosa’s forehead once more before nodding to the squad. With a final smile, she left the room, her heart full of love, relief, and hope for the future.

(i didn’t know what to title it but i ended up with this, kinda made me think of maddy stressing about rosa but still being able to do her job idk if that makes sense. also pls don’t judge if it’s not fully medically correct, i watched chicago med while writing this and tried to use things they said as well as doing lots of research (which is so hard because it’s so hard to find a way to find out bllet wounds and their severity and things that come along with them without being put on a watch list) but yeah !!! this is inspired by a couple other rosa x doctor fics which i will link! )