#Top Fire Alarm Equipments

[quickshipfire]

6 Fatal Fire Safety Hazards for Banks & Financial Institutions

Commercial buildings often use different fire protection methods. This may be due to the construction of the building or what types of items are in the building. Banks and financial institutions, for example, have their own requirements for fire safety systems, as well as special fire hazards unique to that type of business.

There are six main fire security risks for banks and financial institutions, which is why they need a specially designed fire protection system:

[worldssilliestserpent]

bruhh the world really hates me this week

[dontbesoweirdkira]

A/N: Thinking about Yan! Platonic Tim Drake with a medic! batsis. I don't know, Tim just gives me the vibes where he'd go to the extent of faking and sustaining injuries just for his sis's attention. Like that one comic inspired this low-key...ya'll hear me out.

Warnings: symptoms of factitious disorder/munchausen syndrome, self-injury, brief mentions of vomiting, obsession, unhealthy family dynamics..

Masterlist

Requests: always open

You're not actually certified or anything but just someone who often finds herself patching up the family after their patrols thus is claimed as the family's medic. Despite your lack of formal training, your skills are actually fairly good to the point they'll often come to you for a quick stitch so they don't bleed out on the way to the hospital or while waiting for Alfred.

We all know that Tim often gets himself hurt the most when he goes out. While he's arguably the smartest robin, he definitely not the strongest. And small dogs can't help but throw themselves into the line of fire....

So more often then not when someone was coming to you for stitches or to be patched up, it was your brother Tim.

You didn't mind too much, actually you enjoyed taking care of him the most. Tim was always a trooper, even while pouring alcohol on his open gashes. He stayed still, polite and was rather good company. A nice contrast to your brother Jason who'd often spew curses and was rather brash while you helped him.

Tim found himself really enjoying being taken care of by you too. He didn't often have the time or energy to spend with his siblings because between solving cases, school and being robin...all his time was gone. It was always late at night, before bed when everything was finished when he'd quietly chat with you while he patched up. The best thirty minutes he could ever spare. You were just so gentle and attentive with him, something he hadn't had since moving away from him bio family. He missed this domestic feeling, it was nice having someone care so much about him. His chest felt warm as you send a million apologies his way anytime he'd wince...He could almost die when you gave him a head pat for getting through all of it.

Tim feels so important when you're caring for him, it's so nice to be remembered...it's an addicting drug that he needed to keep getting high off of

Tim knew it was wrong to be reckless out in the city but...he couldn't help getting excited about the thought of you patching him up again..Just a few cuts was enough to spend a few valuable minutes with you again.

It's kind of crazy because he lives in the same house with you and could just spend time whenever but it wasn't the same in his mind. There wasn't any reason to be gentle with him when he wasn't hurt. You didn't pay extra attention or give him the same affection...he only mattered to you when he was hurt. That wasn't true but in his twisted his it was.

So Tim started being really reckless...not just on patrol but like..all of the time. If he decided to skateboard home, he's purposefully do some crazy trick on the top of the stairs...if he was on patrol he'd practically run to get hit by someone three times his size..

The more hurt he'd be, the happier because the worse the injury, the more attention he'd receive. Which would set off so many alarm bells because why are you so happy to be in pain. Like you are so weirded out as he's smiling up as you as you are fixing a stab wound.

Do you think he's made himself physically sick too? He'd chug down these horrible concoctions just to make himself vomit or manufacture fevers just so he can rest in your arms.

Maybe even sometimes he'd fake injuries just like he did with the whole knee brace situation..Such an attention whore gosh.

Like this man comes to you and is like "Hey! I think I am bleeding internally and my ribs are broken, please fix it sis." No, Timothy. You have to explain to him that you don't have the knowledge, skills or equipment to fix that. That he needs to go to the hospital right away and you're just freaking out. He's begging you to please help him and refusing medical attention for literally everyone else but you...

Did Bruce have to pull some strings to let the doctors let you assist in his medical treatment? Yes. He's so insane.

He also starts becoming jealous of the other siblings when you're patching them up. They don't deserve your attention. Alfred can take care of them, why do they all need you?? You're his sister, not theirs. UGHH He'd be on the verge of a freak out as you patch up Cass and Dick. Can you imagine how upset he'd be???

..and don't ever try to ban Tim from being taken care of by you. It doesn't matter that you put two and two together and realized he was doing this all for you,,,,just do your job! He needs you to take care of him.

Yan! Tim is far more unhinged than Dick so I can just imagine him getting himself severely hurt in front of you and you'd have no choice but to quickly do something about it....He's so fucked, I love him. Hopefully you've given him some stickers and a lollipop for all his troubles.

[zhenne]

snowy escapade

— dr.zayne + f.reader

sum. when zayne invites you to join him on the slopes, you take it as an opportunity to better your skills (and maybe impress the astute doctor). however, what was supposed to be an active day of fun in the snow turns into a lecture after you get injured on the last run of the day.

wc. 2.6k

warnings. fem reader, use of y/n, mentions of injury (reader fractures her elbow), not proofread

a/n. this is based off a very real scenario that happened to me a few years ago lol, hope you enjoy!

Perched on the mountainside, the weathered wood lodge stood like a rustic sentinel hidden in the biting cold. Strings of twinkling golden lights adorned the eaves, casting a warm glow in the wintry afternoon light.

Inside, the air was a mix of rich pine and the faint sweetness of hot chocolate. A hearth of natural rock kept the cozy interior thrumming with a comfortable warmth, and plush armchairs and overstuffed sofas invited guests to relax after a day on the slopes. Several small groups of skiers and snowboarders mingled about the central lounge, the occasional bout of hearty laughter bubbling from one of the ongoing conversations. A few more helmeted heads trickle into the room as some step out, intent on using every last bit of daylight to make the most out of the fresh powder snow.

Your jacket was hung against the side of your chair—gloves, helmet, and goggles precariously piled atop the small coffee table. The chair across from you remained empty, gear similarly displaced to your own. The lodge’s wide windows offered a panoramic view of the slopes outside. Although it was only four in the afternoon, the winter left little respite and dusk would begin to fall within the next couple hours. You watch as a group of skiers trudge past the equipment racks, their laughter echoing faintly through the frosty air as they make their way to the lift.

The faint clatter in front of you draws your attention back. First to the mug of steaming hot chocolate being placed on the small table. Then, to the hazel green eyes peering down at you.

“That turn you did on the last run? Far too risky.” Despite the obvious heed of concern, Zayne’s voice held a distinct mirth you’ve come to quickly identify.

He sits in the seat across from you, pushing some of his gear aside in favor of making room for his own hot chocolate, a handful of miniature marshmallows halfway melted on the top. His dark hair was still damp from the melted snow, sticking up in messy peaks. You giggle to yourself at the rare sight. Even now, the (sometimes overly) composed doctor managed to look ruggedly handsome with his tussled hair and wind burned cheeks.

You pick up the cup in front of you, relishing in the warmth that encases your hands. You take a small sip, grinning over the rim at him. “I was just trying to mimic my teacher. That’s how we learn, is it not?”

“I only did that because you said you wanted to see something cool.”

“I meant something I could learn,” you shot back, rolling your eyes as if it were obvious enough.

“You’ll get there,” he said, his voice softer now. “But I don’t need my star pupil getting injured before she even makes it off the bunny slopes.”

The ‘bunny slopes’ he was referring to was actually a Blue slope, one that acted as the pre-qualifier for the Red and Black slopes. And, in your defense, the route got a bit crowded, and you ended up getting bottlenecked on one of the more precarious turns. Did you end up taking the turn a little too fast and end up propelling yourself into the rougher terrain? Yes. Did this result in you eating absolute shit and lodging yourself in a wide bank of snow? Also yes.

Zayne, who had said he was going to follow behind you, watched with alarming anxiety as you neglected to slow down and go careening straight into the bank, and you were sure you won’t hear the end of it for the rest of the night.

As if to add fuel to the already smoldering fire, you voice your new goal. “I think I want to try to hit one of the Red slopes next, one with some jumps.”

Zayne is mid-drink when his brows quirk up at your words. You bite back the grin when you notice the small patch of melted marshmallow on his upper lip. He seems to notice anyway and quickly swipes it off with the pad of his thumb. Then his brows crease with a wary glance, “You realize you could’ve been seriously hurt on this last run, right?”

“Well, yea-“

“Then you should know not to push your luck.” He coolly takes another sip of the sweet hot chocolate, shooting you a look that boasted ‘listen to your doctor’s advice’.

You frown, scowling slightly as your cheeks puff with indignation. You hold your tongue for a moment before your grin seeps back onto your face. Flattery oozes from your soft voice like a well aged wine, fragrant and sweet, “That’s why I have the best teacher, right? I’d only trust Dr. Zayne to show me how to navigate something like this.”

The silence is long. You both stare at each other—you, with your pleading doe eyes, and Zayne, with a hardened resolve. Then finally, he sighed, reaching for his half empty mug. “And I suppose you want to start working on this new goal of yours soon?”

Another cheshire grin from you has him sighing again, as if he predicted the words about to leave your lips, “how do you feel about making one last run today?”

In hindsight, you probably should have actually taken Zayne’s advice. Adorning all your gear, with one foot secured to the snowboard, you made the trek with Zayne to the lift that would take you to the entry-level Red slope. You felt giddy sitting next to him as the five o-clock shadows of the encroaching evening loomed.

You both wore your goggles and balaclavas, so you had to practically lean into him as you spoke. “One jump, and I promise we can be done for the night.”Seeming to take you at your word, Zayne only nodded.

Now you stood at the top of the route, your boots latched into the bindings, and your heart thrumming with anticipatory adrenaline. The wind was weak, but bitingly cold, the tip of your nose burning. Zayne was next to you, secured to his own board as he raised his voice a bit to reaffirm the plan.

“You remember what to do?” He continued before you could nod, “Keep a moderate speed. Bend your knees, stay balanced, and pop off the lip when you hit the jump. And don’t forget to land with your knees bent.”

You gave him a gloved thumbs up, your small smile hidden by your mask. You edge closer to the start of the slope. As if one cue, the mountain side became illuminated as the dusk to dawn lights switched on. You glance at Zayne.

“And remember,” his voice was definitive, “only go for a small jump. If you don’t feel you can hit it right, don’t try to force it.” Then, reassuringly, like he always reminded you before each run, “I’ll be right behind you.”

You nod, lining up your board and adjusting your stance. With a steadying breath, you lean into the sloped descent.

You’d never grow tired of the rush that came with snowboarding. Each run, even if it was a hill you’d done a hundred times, made your body feel alight with energy—the cold wind that seeped into the gaps between your mask and goggles, the way you felt both weightless and demanding at the same time—like a ballerina poised in elegance as her muscles screamed with the exertion to remain on pointe.

You carved your way down the slope, fresh powder rising in thick waves as you board cleaved through. Then you saw it, a perfect mound to try and get some air. You adjust yourself slightly, slowing your trajectory just enough so Zayne won’t berate you later for ‘unnecessary recklessness’.

You closed in on the jump fast, bending your knees, and extending your legs just as you popped off the jump. Your landing was a little shaky, but you managed to stay upright as you quickly rebalanced yourself.

You cheered yourself on, adrenaline pumping like hot blood in your veins. You catch sight of Zayne in your peripheral, clapping as he gracefully carved his own trail through the snow. You felt like you were on cloud nine. And perhaps that is where you should have stopped and called it a night.

But pride in a new skill is such a tempting allurement. The wind bit at your cheeks as you carved further down the slope, snowboard slicing through the snow with satisfying ease. Your heart thudded in anticipation. You knew what awaited at the end of the trail—a daunting jump that seemed to dare anyone brave enough to tackle it.

‘You’ve got this, Y/N,’ you told yourself, though your nerves began to betrayed your confidence.

You crouched lower, picking up speed. The icy air stung your face, and your breath came in quick bursts. The jump loomed ahead, larger and more intimidating with every second. Your instincts screamed at you to slow down or swerve out of the way, but you pushed the thoughts aside. Don’t overthink it. Just go.

You hit the lip of the jump at full speed, launching into the air. For a split second, it was exhilarating—the rush of weightlessness, the world tilting as you soared above the slope. But then you became all too aware of your hubris. You had gone too fast and your balance was just slightly off.

The board tilted awkwardly as you descended, and your stomach dropped.

The landing came hard and unforgiving. Your board’s edge caught the snow wrong, and you were thrown forward, your body hitting the ground with a brutal thud. One moment you had the perfect view of the lodge down the mountain, all lit up and welcoming in the dimming light, and the next your vision was filled with tiny specks of stars against a black backdrop. It took you a moment and several quick blinks for you to realize you were on your back, and that the stars weren’t out yet.

Then you felt it. Pain, hot and dizzying, shot from your right elbow, radiating all the way into the bend of your shoulder.

You must have rolled to a stop, snow covered you like a patchwork quilt, your balaclava pull down your face from the impact.

“Y/N!” Through the incessant ringing in your ears, you managed to pick out Zayne’s voice, sharp with panic.

You groaned as you sat up, trying to drag yourself onto your knees, but the sharp, searing pain in your arm stopped you cold. Your left hand instinctively cradled it as you winced.

“Hey, hey—don’t move,” Zayne chided, suddenly at your side. He knelt in the snow, his board abandoned a few feet away. His goggles were lifted atop his helmet as his eyes searched yours. His usual calm was edged with concern. “Where does it hurt?”

“My arm,” you manage through gritted teeth. “Elbow.”

Zayne’s hands hovered over yours, his doctor instincts kicking in. “Okay. Let me take a look.” His eyes flicked from your arm to your face, “Tell me if it hurts too much.”

Your head was swimming. You nodded, though the thought of moving your arm made your stomach churn. His touch was careful as he checked for obvious breaks, his brow furrowed in concentration.

“Doesn’t feel like anything’s out of place,” he muttered after a moment, his voice steady but still laced with worry. “Probably a bad sprain or a fracture. We’ll need to get you off the slope and to the clinic to be sure.”

“Great,” you muttered, your attempt at humor reduced to a pained groan, “I’m definitely in for a scolding from Dr. Zayne.”

“We can discuss your scolding later, “Zayne said firmly, his gaze locking onto yours. “But now we’re going to get you some help, okay?”

You nodded again, biting your lip against the pain. As Zayne helped you to your feet, his arm carefully supporting your injured side, you couldn’t help but notice how steady he was.

“Guess I owe you one,” you said, your voice a little softer now.

“You don’t owe me anything,” he replied. “Perhaps except for a ‘you were right, Zayne’.

Despite the ache in your arm, you couldn’t help but smile.

The smell of coffee and fresh baked bread filled the cozy diner near the ski resort and lodge. Morning sunlight streamed through the frosted windows, casting a golden glow over the polished wood tables. You sat across from Zayne, your right arm now secured in a black sling. You were poking at the plate of breakfast pastries with your fork, your left hand doing its best to compensate for your usual dominant one.

You can feel green eyes boring into you, and with a defeated sigh, you set your fork down. “Okay, let’s hear it,” you say, not looking up.

Zayne leaned back in his chair, a cup of coffee cradled in one of his hands. He tilted his head slightly, brow quirked. “I’m not sure what you’re referring to.”

This little shit. You finally look up, the tendrils of guilt quietly pursing your lips. “You’re going to lecture me, aren’t you?”

He leaned forward, expression serious. “Y/N, you went into that jump way too fast. I told you—control your speed.” He pushed a sigh past his lips, and you had to bite the inside of your cheek from remarking how he sounded like a middle aged father. “And not to mention the fact that I had specifically told you to only attempt the small jumps.”

You feel yourself recline back into your seat, hiding your mouth behind your cup as you muttered, “I was just trying to push myself.” Your cheeks colored slightly with warmth as a childlike petulance bled into your voice. “Isn’t that the whole point of a challenge?”

“Sure,” Zayne admitted, setting his coffee down. “But pushing yourself doesn’t mean throwing caution to the wind. You’re lucky is just a small fracture. It could’ve been a lot worse.”

You sighed, slouching into your chair. “I know, I’m sorry.”

Zayne softened at the sign of your obvious guilt. “Hey,” he said in a voice so gentle it made your heartbeat quicken. “I’m not trying to make you feel bad. I just—look, you don’t have to feel like you need to prove something out there. Challenging yourself doesn’t mean you have to take unnecessary risks.”

Your fork clinked against your plate as you absentmindedly fidgeted. “I wasn’t trying to prove anything.”

Zayne raised an eyebrow.

“Fine,” you admitted after a moment. “Maybe a little. You’re always good at this stuff, and I want to catch up to you.”

You catch the way his eyes widen slightly. But just as quickly as it had happened, he shook his head. “Y/N, you don’t have to catch up to me. You’re one of the most capable people I know, but you’ve got to give yourself a break, literally, this time.”

You snorted at the pun despite yourself. “God, who knew Dr. Zayne was such a dork.”

“You’re lucky this dork was here when you failed to follow simple instructions,” he shot back, the ghost of a teasing grin spreading to the corners of his lips.

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help smiling. “Alright, Dr. Zayne, point taken. I’ll be more careful next time.”

“Good,” Zayne said, sitting back with a satisfied nod. “Because I’d rather not have to tend to an injured patient while I’m off duty.”

You smirked, lifting your coffee with your left hand. “You mean you’re not secretly enjoying being my personal chauffeur and medical consultant?”

“Aren’t I that already?” He replied, his tone light.

You shared a quiet laugh. Despite the sling and your bruised ego, you couldn’t help feeling grateful—for his care, his companionship, and the way he always seemed to know how to make you feel just a little better.

credits!

lace divider: @/muruffin

bear divider: @/chiffonz

[narumi-gens]

firefighter!yuuji shows up late to nobara’s Halloween party. but since he just got off work, he doesn’t have time to change into a costume and just comes in his uniform. but not his full-on “runs into burning buildings carrying his weight in equipment” uniform. he comes in his daily uniform — a bright blue button-down tucked into unflattering, matching blue pants. the outfit looks more like a jumpsuit than anything else and it’s topped off with his baseball hat that proudly reads, “TOKYO FIRE DEPARTMENT.”

it’s your first time meeting him and you make a joke about whether the equipment was too expensive to rent out and he laughs and tells you he never could have gotten away with sneaking it out of the station undetected. he gives you his name with the widest smile and you give him yours.

you share drinks. you share laughs. and by the end of the night, you’ve also shared numbers. he unfortunately has to leave early, telling you that he’s covering a shift the next day, which makes you giggle because he’s still keeping the joke going.

the butterflies in your stomach are still fluttering throughout the next day. at least until you’re cooking dinner and the pan gets too hot and starts to smoke. you quickly take it off the fire and then off the stove but despite the situation being taken care of before an actual fire could start, it still sets off the smoke detector in your kitchen.

you panic and try to fan the smoke out of the kitchen as best you can. but when that doesn’t work, you open the door to your apartment hoping that will help the smoke disperse. what you haven’t accounted for is the smoke setting off the alarm in the hallway, which then sets them off throughout the rest of the building.

you can only bow repeatedly and apologetically to your landlady as she scolds you, surrounded by your neighbors who are forced to wait in the cold outside after having to evacuate. thankfully the screech of the fire truck’s siren drown her out as it appears along with Tokyo’s finest.

your landlady immediately begins to wave at them, grabbing their attention only so that she can point at you furiously. you feel like you might die of embarrassment on the spot and bury your head in your hands. the truck’s sirens cut out and your landlady starts to shout about the problem starting in your unit.

“I’m so sorry…” you mumble into your hands as you give another deep bow when you hear one of the firefighters approach and come to a stop. “I accidentally set off the alarm while cooking…”

“So, I should be the one to cook for you on our date.”

your head shoots up and your jaw drops when you see yuuji standing in front of you in his “runs into burning buildings carrying his weight in equipment” uniform, a good natured smile on his handsome face.

“I thought it was a costume!” you blurt out before quickly slapping your hands over your mouth as if that will shove the words back in.

yuuji throws his head back and laughs, the sound making you feel warm with something other than embarrassment. his eyes sparkle with mischief as he takes his helmet off, only to surprise you by placing it right on top of your head.

your hand unconsciously comes up to steady it, trying to keep its massive weight and size from sliding forward so that you can continue to look up at him with wide eyes.

“it’s a much cuter costume on you than on me,” he grins, and you’re overcome with the sudden urge to bury your face in your hands once again, if only so he doesn’t see how flustered he’s made you.

[rimatsu]

bucktommy makeup scenario of the night before i hit the hay:

over 30 companies are dispatched in an effort to battle a 5-alarm skyscraper fire buffeted by winds. flames engulf the 29-story building from the seventh floor upwards. tommy is tasked with delivering firefighters and equipment to the roof for search and rescue, including the 118's a-shift. the helo journey to the top of the building is short but incredibly awkward. tommy and buck only exchange a curt, overly professional greeting. chimney tries to diffuse the tension with pleasantries until hen elbows him square in the ribs.

(the breakup is followed by months of radio silence. they relinquish every belonging left behind except for keys which are politely mailed back. buck mops and bakes and mourns the loss of his relationship and the impending loss of his best friend until maddie is kidnapped. reuniting with his sister after fearing for her life and the life of her unborn child proves to be the necessary impetus to move forward. buck's attempts at romance fizzle out like the bubbles in champagne after a handful of dates but he learns a few valuable things: his pond is a vast, indiscriminate one; the weight of the word bisexual on his tongue. he learns that some women aren't too keen on seeing him again when he mentions an ex-boyfriend in passing. those who are indifferent or intrigued are perfectly lovely, but they'll never keep their promises covered in soot and exhaustion at his sister's wedding. the men are attractive enough, but they never quite manage to ignite the same fire tommy sparked in his loins.

buck keeps swimming against the current anyway. years ago, he promised himself to never seek solace in places he's not invited in.)

after his mandated maximum of 6 hours in the air, tommy is grounded for the next 8. numbers are stretched thin so he joins rescue ops on site. and since his life is pure bollocks, tommy ends up trapped with his ex in a pocket of rubbles following a partial collapse between the 17th and 19th floor.

"can't run away from me this time," buck tosses out, because forced proximity and fatigue and adrenaline and panic are an explosive cocktail.

the truth pours out. they fight about it. they explain their perspectives. they apologize. there's a semblance of closure that allows them to work together in tandem until reinforcements lend a hand.

the episode ends with buck knocking on tommy's door 24 hours later.

"you can slam the door shut in my face and i won't bother you again. but i was so deafened by rejection i didn't really listen to what you were saying until you said it again. i should've chased because you needed to be chased. i should've chased because you told me you wanted me and i let you walk out anyway. i should've chased when i realized you became my new benchmark for comparison and everybody else paled. you'll always be my first but you're not the only man in my tally anymore — is that enough for you to trust what i say?"

or something to that effect. idk it's late and i'm running on fumes. i just have the vivid image of tommy taking a big sigh, resting his forehead against the door for a sec before letting buck step inside the house wordlessly as the soundtrack swells. end credits.

[wing-ed-thing]

Exposure Therapy (Shino x Reader)

Request:

Word Count: 1.3k

Tags/Warnings: Entomophobia, Insects, Large Amounts of Bugs on You, A Shibi Feature!!, Alcohol, Hangover

Notes: It’s actually kinda gross, so if you’re squeamish when it comes to insects, maybe sit this one out. This ultimately took on more Shibi than I expected. 

You could’ve cried. You would have if it weren’t for the emptied, vacated streets. The surrounding area had been completely deserted, except for you, Shino, and a few thousand rogue Aburame beetles. It was just you and an absolutely wasted, nearly unconscious Shino who leaked beetles like water. 

“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god,” you were practically flinching as you supported Shino from under his arm. You quickly shut your mouth as you felt the sensation of tiny legs at the edge of your lips. He was heavier than he looked, although you should have expected as much with his height and still fully equipped vest. Together, you lumbered through the streets. 

Shino’s beetles covered every inch of the surrounding area, completely morphing fences and rooftops. The light above you flickered, casting the shadow of a moving, shambling mass onto the pavement below. You were not immune to the infestation, extremely aware of all the little legs that tickled their way through your hair and under your collar. 

You had popped in your standard-issue earplugs before you left the bar with Shino, which proved wise as the insects clung to the shell of your ear. It was for the better. You knew the experience would have been much worse if you could hear the churning of exoskeleton on exoskeleton. A few of them clung to the window of your goggles, along for the ride as you returned Shino to the only place you thought to take him. 

To your surprise, Shibi didn’t seem bothered by being woken up in the dead of night. He stared down at you from the front door of the Aburame residence, absolutely covered from head to toe in beetles. They seemed to march from Shino directly to you. Shibi couldn’t even see an inch of flesh or fabric on the side that supported Shino. Only one of your eyes was visible behind your goggles. You swiped beetles away from your mouth. 

“I’m sorry to wake you, sir!” you said a bit louder than necessary. “I don’t know what happened! He had two sips of something, and he completely collapsed! I didn’t know where to go!” 

Shibi took you in, and you heaved Shino to his room together. You laid him out on top of his sheets, and for the next hour, Shibi proceeded to scoop Shino’s beetles off of you into a cardboard box he had plopped under Shino’s arm. He cleared them away with indescribable confidence, talking palmfuls upon palmfuls of insects to shake off into the box. 

“Do you think he was drugged?” you glanced at Shibi nervously, alarmed by his lack of urgency at his son’s medical state. Beetles fluttered around, spanning out across the small room. He shook his head.

“No, just another Aburame man who can’t hold his liquor.” He frowned, a contrast to your nervous laugh.

“He didn’t even drink. He had maybe a sip of beer if that.” Shibi stopped. You could see the slightest bit of his eyes as his glasses slipped down his nose. 

“Shino should have known better then.”

The rest of the beetle removal was made in silence. You excused yourself to the restroom to grab the stragglers from under your clothes before returning with about forty beetles collected in a jar. Shibi shook them into the box before gently covering it with a lid. Insects continued to pass in and out through the two side holes. 

“These aren’t poisonous, are they?” you asked, the thought suddenly dawning on you. Shibi passed you, slipping out the door just down the hall to the kitchen. He motioned for you to follow.

“I wouldn’t worry about it,” he answered. Not the most reassuring. Shibi lit the stove with a match before sliding a heavy-looking kettle over the fire. He turned to you as you stood in the doorway, your tactical vest hanging over your arm. “You don’t have to stay, of course, but I do enjoy a late-night cup of tea myself.” He gave you a curt nod as he turned to take out cups. 

You sat down at the chabudai. Shibi placed down two cups before fetching the tea to pour. Hot steam wafted up into the air. He sat down across from you.

“I remember you from the Academy,” Shibi mused, sipping his tea. You gave your cup a light touch to find it pleasantly at the perfect temperature. 

“Oh?” you hummed, not entirely remembering the sort of impression you gave at age five. Shibi gave another nod as he set his cup down gently on the table. 

“Yes, I always thought you were a poor little thing. Cried at the sight of me every time.” You remembered as soon as he said it. As young as you were, you didn’t quite remember who caused you so much distress at Academy pick-up time, and the memory rushed straight back to you. Your face froze in dread as you wracked your head for a response. You must’ve made a face. Shibi only chuckled, extending a hand over the table as if to physically wave off your worry. “Those old Aburame gourds sure made a lot of ruckus for battle. Good for scaring off enemies. Maybe not so great for little kids.”

“I’m very sorry, Mr. Aburame,” you said, head instinctually bowed a bit forward. He waved you off again as he nursed his tea. 

“No need, please. We, as humans, evolved to have a certain wariness of insects. It’s why they’re so effective on the field.” Shibi chuckled to himself again. He moved to take another sip from his tea but stopped short. He held his cup in both hands halfway up to his mouth. “Thank you for bringing my son home. You’ve always treated Shino well. You certainly have my gratitude.” 

You parted your lips before closing them again, once again at a loss for words. 

“We’re… close.” You opted, hoping that Shibi wouldn’t pry too hard. 

He didn’t ask at all. 

***

Shino woke up with the worst, most raging hangover. 

It was well into the afternoon by the time he mustered up the energy to leave his room for something to eat. He had stripped off his jacket and gear, leaving them haphazardly around his room. Shibi was already in the kitchen, an assortment of foods in various stages of preparation scattered around him. 

“Dad?” Shino rubbed his eyes, the light hurting his head as he trudged through the doorway. An array of fresh vegetables from the garden sat in baskets across the counter. “Is it a holiday?”

“Your friend is coming for dinner. The one who brought you home last night.” Shibi placed a small bowl of clear soup in Shino’s hands. “Eat this; it will make you feel much better.” 

Shino didn’t have the energy to deny him. He slumped down at the chabudai where you sat the night before, pushing away rising doughs and covered greens to make enough room for him to eat. Shibi placed a large glass of warm water in front of him. 

“Why are we having a feast?” Shino grumbled, his fatigued head not quite understanding. 

“I want the poor little thing to come back. Good conversation is hard to come by.” Shibi ran his knuckles across the side of Shino’s face, humming disapprovingly. “You need to shave. I’m doing this for your sake, so you best clean yourself up.” Shino massaged his forehead, keeping his head down to avoid the glare from the window. 

“Not so loud, please.” 

Shibi scoffed, returning to his cooking.

“A beer,” he muttered. “What were you thinking?”

“It won’t happen again.” Shino stood, his empty bowl in his hand as he lumbered toward the sink. Shibi turned to snatch the bowl from his hand with a hum.

“You wouldn’t be my son if you didn’t have to see things for yourself. Go wash up now. We have lots of preparation to do.” 

Shino shuffled out of the kitchen with a new promise to swear off alcohol.

Thank you to all who liked, reblogged, followed, and supported. Your support means so much and is greatly appreciated.

Notes: Wow, the poc experience really seeped through on this one. I’d like to think that Shino just turned of age and didn’t know what his reaction would be to alcohol. Also, I kept thinking of that one lady who saves bees and just takes handfuls of them and scoops them into travel hives haha

[songmingisthighs]

Wanbelyn

introduction pt. i | pt. ii | pt. iii

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ch. vi - fire ?

neurosurgeon!hongjoong × reader

buy me coffee ?

tw : medical emergency

where love and peace is held, i never expected for this to happen. i planned and i planned, i expected, and i hoped, but it was never you. you held what i wanted hostage to make room for you, the thing that i needed but has no means of acceptance. deny me, live your best life.

It had been a while since you stepped into a hospital in the hopes of getting a job. Last time you did, you were younger and more naïve, unaware of what the job entails. Unaware of what was waiting for you.

The thought of working as a nurse kind of made your palms sweaty and knees knock slightly. You suddenly wanted to run but you had already told the HR that you were there and Yeonjun had spent a good amount of time prepping you. Not to mention Wooyoung who gave you the opportunity itself. You can't disappoint them and you can't disappoint yourself. You kept repeating the words your dad told you after that morning's call, "Calm down, take a deep breath, hold until 3, then bust a move."

He's dorky but you love him.

So in your attempt to distract yourself from your nerves, you began looking around the hospital, taking note of the things around you and naming them. It was then that a noise caught your attention from the end of the hall, causing you to immediately snap your head towards the direction. You couldn't see it clearly but you saw an abandoned cart rattling and shaking slightly before a tiny figure emerged, going on his tippy toes trying to get something from the top. It worried you to see a kid rummaging through carts like that as in hospitals, there's a chance that the cart could be filled with medical equipment that children shouldn't play with. You would've attended to the boy and brought him back to his parents but you were about to get called in for the interview any time and frankly, you learn to leave things that are not your responsibility alone. As hard as it was. So you looked back to your lap and took a scan through your resume, recalling the things Wooyoung wanted you to mention and the way you should explain things.

As you were deep in your own head, practising answers to potential questions, you heard clattering sounds from the direction where you saw the boy and soon you saw him on his back on the floor. Your eyes squinted in hopes of getting a better view of what was going on, both curious and worried, so you let your legs move on their own, walking closer to the figure only to hear strangled noises coming from the boy who was slowly turning blue.

"Oh my God," you whispered, body freezing in shock. No matter how much you were trained to face emergencies, the sight of the boy convulsing on the floor with his lips turning blue was scary enough to render you useless. Your hands shook and flashes of memories passed in your head, the figure of the boy who was in front of you mixed together with flashes of another child who was lying on his bed with blaring alarms from machines flooding your mind, almost suffocating you as well.

"No, no," You whimpered, bottom lip trembling as your eyes swam with tears, "Not again."

The boy lay not far from you, face red and lips turning blue in a position that made his choking even worse. You knew you had to help, you knew that at that moment, there was no one else but you who could help him and you needed to act fast.

With a bit of struggle, you managed to get your frozen body moving again slowly, step by step. You fell to his side and saw that the boy was clutching an empty jello container. You immediately put the information in your head, slightly relieved that it was a rather softer food instead of literally anything that wasn't food or worse, something sharp.

Though you were practically trembling in a mixture of fear and PTSD, you braced yourself, you grabbed the boy and dragged him to your lap, placing his chest on your thigh as you made sure his mouth was opened. As you manhandled the boy, you could feel how rigid his body was and it did not make you any more relieved/ Heck, it reminded you how you had to move fast or else it was another kid's life in your hands.

For a moment, you hesitated, you didn't want to do something you felt you were not ready for yet. But what were you supposed to do? So after successfully pushing the thought aside, you began striking the boy's back hard, right between his shoulder blades. The first hit made you stiffen, afraid that you might have done more harm than good and slightly hoping that it was all it took. But alas, the boy's face was turning purple and when you saw his eyes rolling back, something took over your whole body, something that was a mixture of determination and fear. You can not lose this boy, not when you can do something about it, you decided. So you sent blow after blow, one by one, and with each one delivered, you felt your mental state slipping slightly to the point that it seemed like you were not in control of your body anymore. You were fully aware that you had been trying to get the boy to cough up the jello he choked on, but you had absolutely no idea how to stop.

You swore you processed what went on, you swore you finally heard the boy's clear, loud cries from his lung that was no longer congested. You realized that you managed to save the boy but your hand wouldn't stop hitting him until you were yanked away and thrown to the other side. With your body slumping, you slowly regained consciousness of what was going on. Your cognition came back like a wave of cold water crashing onto your body. You hadn't had time to fully comprehend at what point of time you were at when you were yanked up to your feet.

"What did you think you were doing!?" you recognized her as the HR personnel who was supposed to interview you. "What?" you gasped out, a little delirious from your dissociated state but she didn't care, "Why were you hitting that boy!?" she yelled out, surprising you. At the mention of the boy, however, your eyes darted around until you fell to his crying figure. He was being held by a nurse who was glaring at you as we wailed loudly, so loud that it caught the attention of the people who were slowly gathering around. It didn't occur to you earlier at all but once reality crashed down on you, you recognized the boy as Kijoong, the boy Wooyoung brought to Yeonjun's cafe a couple days back.

Just as you felt relieve, the HR personnel snapped her fingers in front of your line of sight. "Well?" She asked, seeking an explanation out of you. Dread crawled to your chest and the look of absolute distaste and Kijoong's wails only made you feel worse, it struck a deep sense of fear in you. "I-I was, I saw him there all alone a-and I noticed he was taking, I think it was jellos? He got up and a-and got like a jello from the unattended cart so-," "So you punished- no, ASSAULTED a child you don't know because he was being juvenile?" She snapped, voice loud as she stressed the word 'assaulted'. Your eyes widened and you shook your head quickly and you moved to take a step back only to fail. That moment you realized that you were being held by a security guard who was rather bulky, unable to escape even if it was just to create some distance. "No! I-I, look, I was-" the words were at the tip of your tongue but your brain was muddled, your cognition was not working correctly and maybe it was because you had had what could only be practically described as an out of body experience, but it was also due to the situation you were put in. Who would be able to stay calm in that situation?

Though she could've waited for you to explain, she simply rolled her eyes and told the security guard to escort you out the hospital after making sure that security has your picture and profile.

"P-profile? Wha- Excuse me?" Things weren't making sense and the people who were there did not provide clarity. The HR personnel paused momentarily in front of you, letting out one sharp exhale, "I'm afraid we can't process you in our hospital, Ms. (y/l/n). The behaviour you had just shown in this very unnecessary situation tells a lot about your personality and I do believe with absolute certainty that you would not fit in with this hospital. Frankly, I do not think you are fit to work in this profession whatsoever. The interview is off, you are no longer permitted back into this hospital, effective immediately," she then turned sharply just as you saw Kijoong being put on a gurney and getting strolled out.

"Wait!" You called out, what for? You weren't sure. It didn't matter anyway because just as Kijoong's voice grew further as he got wheeled away, you were dragged with such force by the security, past the group of people who were glaring, leering, and whispering at your expense.

Honestly, you didn't even care about the interview or the job opportunity, you just wanted to make sure that the kid was okay. Sure, his voice was loud and clear, but you wished there was a way for you to be absolutely sure.

One thing is for sure though, you may have lost an opportunity, but you had potentially saved a life.

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[signfromeywa]

AUNGIA TA EYWA (A SIGNS FROM EYWA)

Chapter 04: The Infirmaty

Description:

Anastasia Novak is a behavioural scientist tasked with socializing a captive Na'vi on behalf of the RDA. The longer she works with the Na'vi and the closer she gets to him, the more she has to rethink everything she thought she knew and redefine her morals and values. Can she just carry on like this, or will she follow her heart?

Content: Rating +18, Avatar fanfiction, human x Na'vi ship, Na'vi captured

Characters: Human OCs: Anastasia Novak, Steven Turner, Patra// Na'vi OCs: Ean'tu,

Word Count: 3914

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❗️English is not my native language! I apologize very much if it reads a bit bumpy here and there.

I'm a German author and this is the first time I've tried to translate a story I'm working on into English and upload it. I still hope you enjoy it.❗

A sudden loud bang that shook the walls of the base made Mr. Turner jump up from his chair. He had been scared out of his wits and not long after the loud bang, the base's alarm sounded. Were they under attack? What had happened, just a moment ago Turner had been dozing away in front of the documents with his coffee cup in his hand, now chaos had broken out. The doors to the surveillance room opened.

"Turner! Quick!" Gonzales literally shouted and Turner took off running.

Once in the room, his eyes immediately fell on the window, which offered a view of the enclosure. The red flames colored the otherwise unlit surveillance room red.

"We have to get Sky out of there, now! Mobilize Unit 12 and give Sky a dose! This has to happen quickly!" as he instructed Gonzales and another colleague. The colleague ran out of the room to initiate everything else to get Sky out of the completely destroyed enclosure, Gonzales was busy in the meantime adjusting the dose and administering it to Sky via the collar.

It wasn't long before an entire unit stormed the enclosure. Fully equipped, they fought their way through the flames and searched for the Na'vi, who was lying unconscious somewhere. Only a few minutes later, the next unit arrived to fight the fire. Two AMP suits were mobilized to help get the flames under control and clear the debris out of the way.

Turner stood tensely at the top of the window and watched the units at work. Half of the surveillance technology had failed and he very much hoped that nothing worse had happened to Sky. If something happened to the Na'vi on his shift, it could cost him his head. After a nerve-wracking eternity, he was given the all-clear. The recovery unit had found the Na'vi and taken him out of the enclosure. But now everything had to happen very quickly. Sky couldn't wake up until he was back in a safe room where he couldn't hurt anyone and, above all, couldn't run away.

Gonzales came over to him. " Come on, let's take care of this, it's going to be a long shift."

Turner nodded to his colleague. He was right, besides, he would have to write a detailed report later and let Novak know that she would have to show up for work early, because they would most likely need that woman if Sky got out of control.

**

Ana woke up to the sudden ringing of her cell phone. Tired, she reached for the device that she had recently started keeping on her bedside table for just such occasions and peered at the number with blurred, tired vision. When she recognized the facility where she worked, she hastily answered her cell phone.

"Dr. Novak, what's wrong?" she asked anxiously, still a little hoarse."Forgive me for interrupting, Turner here, it's about Sky."

"Has something happened to him?" Ana interrupted her colleague, upset and worried.

"He's fine so far, just a few bruises, but we had to transfer him to the infirmary. Could you make it here at short notice?" Turner reassured her.

Ana sat on the edge of the bed and breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, I'll take the next team bus, where do I have to go?"

"Just our normal facility, I'll pick you up at the gate. See you in a minute."

"Yes, ok, I'll be right there. Goodbye." Ana ended the call. What had happened that Sky was in sickbay? It certainly hadn't been easy to move him there. Sky was wild and dangerous, he wouldn't have let that happen without resistance.

Tired, she got up and hurried to put on a skirt and blouse as quickly as she could before setting off. After all, this was still her workplace and she didn't want to be lacking in professionalism. She grabbed her work bag and hurried out of the room and down to the bus stop while she hurriedly checked her wristwatch again. If she remembered correctly, a bus was about to arrive and she couldn't miss it under any circumstances if she wanted to get to the base as quickly as possible.

The bus stopped and she ran the last few meters to catch it. Out of breath, she sat down on a seat in the first row and the bus took off. The journey seemed like an eternity, all she could think about the whole time was Sky and how he was doing. Questions were running through her head, making her tired mind dizzy. So she was delighted when the bus finally reached its destination and she was able to rush out of the doors.

Past the security staff, in the courtyard, her colleague Turner was already waiting. "It's a good thing you made it here so quickly. Sky is completely out of control," Turner said by way of greeting and set off with her.

"What happened, why did he hurt himself?" Ana wanted to know.

Turner's steps were fast and Ana had difficulty keeping up. "A plane crashed and tore one side of the enclosure. It started a fire and the flying debris must have injured Sky," he said, without turning to look at Ana. "That was a big bang, I tell you, I was totally startled."

"Oh shit- sorry." Ana cursed in disbelief, it was lucky that nothing else had happened to Sky. No wonder Sky was beside himself now, he was in a strange environment with strange people and the last thing he remembered for sure was that huge bang. Absolutely disturbing.

Turner went on to fill her in on the state of the enclosure, what measures had been taken and what would be necessary. While he was telling them this, they walked along the large main corridors of the base to an area that Ana had not yet entered. Until now, she had always taken the direct route to her department and had not explored the rest of the base. However, they walked through far too quickly, so Ana had no chance to look around, not to mention to remember where they were. She would never find her way back without help.

The large mechanical doors of a ward appeared in front of them, with a large white glowing sign. Infirmary. But this wasn't where ordinary soldiers went when they were injured, this was a high-security wing. It was already written on the front which security clearance was required here. One that Ana certainly didn't have, but Turner seemed to know what he was doing.

Together they entered the station through the large door and just ahead was an airlock with a receptionist. "Yes, please?" She didn't even look up from her work.

"Mr. Turner, we're here for Sky." He pulled out his employee card and Ana did the same.

Now the woman looked up, inspected the cards and compared the data with her computer. "Yes, that's right. You have to go down the corridor, turn left and go all the way through. He's in the isolation station, room 4," she explained briefly and then opened the airlock to the station for both of them.

With the help of the description, it didn't took them long to find the right room and when the doors opened, they could hear something falling to the floor and shattering, followed by the loud sound of many smaller metal objects falling to the floor.

Turner and Ana hurried in. The room was divided into two areas and separated by a pane of glass. On the far left was a small airlock and behind it was Sky. He was hissing angrily and frightened, pressed against the wall and fending off the medical staff who tried to approach him. In the process, he had knocked over a small side table where medical utensils had been laid out ready for treatment.

The two medics, fully clothed in protective suits and wearing masks, didn't dare approach Sky, their gazes just as frightened as Sky's.

"What's going on here?" Ana wanted to know immediately.

The two medics became aware of her: "He suddenly jumped up and started thrashing around wildly!"

Ana didn't want to hear any more, it was clear that they were scaring Sky and she couldn't blame him. He didn't know what they were planning to do to him, he was completely disoriented and perhaps even in pain.

Without hesitation, she grabbed a mask and entered the airlock. If she didn't intervene, someone else would get hurt.

She entered the separate treatment room and stood in front of Sky: "Please leave the treatment room, Sky is not in a condition where you can treat him."

"Mam, we have to treat his wounds," said one of the medics, raising his hands placatingly.

"You can do your work later, but if you don't leave now, Sky will only hurt you."

"All right," they picked up the medical instruments and bandages that were scattered on the floor and left the treatment room, "watch out, there's broken glass here."

Ana turned to Sky, who was now huddled on the floor in the corner. He had raised his hands anxiously in front of his face because the light in the room was a glaring white and seemed to be blinding him, which must have disoriented him even more. Tears were running down his face and his body was bruised here and there, with small wounds and cuts. His whole body was trembling. Ana felt so sorry for him, but she didn't know what to do. It wasn't as if they had built up any trust in each other, he was probably just as scared of her as he was of the doctors. How could she help him?

Then Sky suddenly lowered his hands and his wrinkled forehead smoothed as he seemed to recognize her.

"...Ana." he then said and Ana's eyes widened in surprise.Had she just heard correctly? Had Sky said her name? It was impossible, even if he was intelligent, that he had remembered the name so quickly since the last time, which had been a few days ago.

"Ana." she heard clearly this time. No doubt he had called for her. She cautiously approached Sky and carefully raised her hands.

"I'm here, don't worry." Ana said gently and crouched down in front of him when she reached him. She sat there hesitantly. Sky's expression had calmed a little when he recognized Ana, but she still wasn't sure how much he trusted her. Was it OK for her to touch him? How close could she get to him?

To her surprise, Sky pulled her out of her thoughts by saying her name again. He seemed to want to communicate with her, but it was the only word he knew. Ana summoned up all her courage and reached out for the Na'vi, who did not flinch. So she reached for his hand.

"Come Sky, come with me." She made a gesture for him to follow her, hoping he would understand beyond the language barrier.

Indeed, as she rose from her crouch, Sky stood up too, but without letting go of her hand. He was so huge, his hand completely covered Ana's, she felt fragile next to him, even though Sky only held her hand very carefully. It was as if he was aware of his size and, above all, his strength.

She gently led Sky to the treatment table where he must have been lying a moment ago. He sat down on it and looked at Ana.

"I'll get the medics to help you now, okay?" Ana knew that he didn't understand a word. Nevertheless, she looked deep into his eyes and said this very slowly in a particularly gentle tone of voice. She was trying to make him understand that she wasn't up to anything bad and that everything was fine.

Nothing was good at all. The circumstances were completely bizarre and actually quite inhuman. In front of her sat something that seemed not unlike the consciousness of humans, and yet he was caged like an animal.

As she turned to go to the airlock so she could use the microphone to ask the medics in, Sky held her by the hand. His eyes looked at her pleadingly; there was no way he wanted to be left alone.

Ana lovingly placed her other hand on his. "It's okay, I won't leave you alone."

She thought about it. Sky needed someone to look at the wounds and treat them, not that anything would get infected. But he would never let the medics near him without Ana.She pointed to his sore knee. "You have wounds." she said very slowly, then pointed out to the medical staff standing in front of the glass pane, still holding the bandages in their hands. "They'll help you take care of the wounds."

Sky looked at her warily and then at the medics. He seemed to be thinking about what Ana might have meant and she hoped so much that he would understand. She didn't know how else to tell him.

"Tam 'ì'awn hu oe." Sky then also said very slowly. Ana could hardly believe that she had just witnessed his language. It was the first time she had heard this foreign language, so she had no idea what he might have said, but from the way he had squeezed her hand, he clearly wanted her to stay with him. She smiled at him, trying to be calm, even though her heart was beating excitedly. She had gotten herself into something, the extent of which she could not yet fully comprehend. The more she saw that Sky was not so emotionally dissimilar to her, the more she had to question everything she thought she knew.

Ana looked to her right, to the window behind which the medics stood and watched in amazement as Ana dealt with Sky, waiting to do their job. With a gesture, she indicated to the two men that they should come to her and Sky to treat him. Only hesitantly did they both set off, still full of suspicion as to whether the Na'vi would be able to control himself this time or whether he would fight them off again.

Turner also seemed to be watching tensely. He seemed to be worried about Novak in particular, just like on the first day. As the medics stepped through the airlock, Sky's hand holding Anas tensed. His tail whipped nervously back and forth and his ears flattened. Ana could see him clenching his teeth and tightening his jaws, but he remained still. He was clearly still scared, but he trusted Ana to look after him, which she was determined to do.

"Come to us, but slowly, don't make any loud noises that might frighten him," Ana instructed.

The men approached them slowly, careful not to make any rash movements. They placed the utensils for cleaning, disinfecting and bandaging on the small side table with castors that they had set up again.

"Can we approach him without concern?" one of them asked uncertainly.

"I can't promise anything, but I'm in good spirits if you move calmly and slowly," Ana answered them, but looked at Sky to let him feel safe. The medics carefully began to clean his wounds and Ana knew that most of them stung a lot. Sky held on bravely. His body was tense and his face showed fear and uncertainty, but he didn't break eye contact with Ana. She would have loved to say something to him now, but she didn't want to risk Sky answering her in his own language. After all, Ana didn't know who exactly knew that Na'vi were apparently an intelligent species and what would happen if the wrong people found out.

After plasters had been applied to the few abrasions and two deeper cuts had a thin bandage, the two medics left the treatment room again. You could immediately see that Sky's tension had eased a little. He was much more relaxed when he was alone with Ana, but unfortunately she also had to leave now, however much she hated to leave him behind. He needed her now more than ever, of course, she was aware of that, but she had to talk about his further whereabouts. After all, he couldn't stay here. He needed a place where he could rest, with somewhere to sleep. Here in the room there was only emergency care equipment with a treatment table. If she took a closer look, it was even the right size for Sky. That was extremely unusual. None of this changed the fact that the circumstances had to improve for him.

"I have to go for a moment, but I'll be back." She looked Sky in the eye. "I need to talk to my colleague." She pointed at Turner.

Sky looked at her, worry written all over his face. He didn't want her to leave. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, then he pointed at Ana and said her name.

She nodded with a smile. "Yes, I'm Ana." But then he pointed to himself. "Ean'tu"

Ana's breath hitched for a second as she processed what the Na'vi had just said. Was it what she suspected? Had he just told her his name? His real one? Ana had to make sure. She pointed at him now too. "Ean'tu?" she said in an uncertain, questioning tone. The Na'vi, who apparently went by the name Ean'tu, nodded and Ana thought she saw a faint smile on his lips.

Ana pointed at herself again: "I am Ana," she said slowly, every single word, then pointed at him. Would he understand?

He looked at her warily and pointed at himself too. "I. Am. Ean'tu," he spoke after Ana, with a strong accent, only with his name instead of hers.

"Yeah, right." Ana smiled happily at him. He had understood quickly, she hadn't expected him to really try to communicate with her and if he did, it wouldn't be here. It was all very unexpected and she wished they had more time and, above all, more privacy. But there was a lack of both and she really had to go and talk to Turner, who certainly had enough questions.

"I'll be right back, I promise," she said softly and released her hand from his. Ean'tu stood up immediately, wanting to grab her hand again, but then hesitated when Ana flinched. That he would reach for her so suddenly had admittedly startled her and Ean'tu seemed to have noticed. His gaze went to the window behind which Turner was standing, watching them both tensely through the glass.

Then Ean'tu sat down again. He apparently didn't want Turner to think he was going to attack Ana again, because now he seemed very passive and was ready to let Ana go, even if she could read in his gaze that he was reluctant to do so. But she didn't have any more time to waste. Ana's colleague was waiting for her outside and she didn't want to keep him waiting any longer. She hurriedly left the isolated area through the airlock and approached Turner.

"What happens to Sky now?" she wanted to know directly. Now that she knew what Ean'tu's real name was, it felt wrong to talk about him as Sky. The name he had been given by a human. But for now, it was safer for them both and wouldn't lead to unnecessary questions.

"The enclosure is still partially destroyed and will probably need a few more days until at least everything is escape-proof again, until then Sky can't go back," Turner explained the situation. Among other things, he was responsible for managing the enclosure and therefore always knew exactly what was going on.

Ana crossed her arms thoughtfully. "We can't leave Sky here, he needs to rest, it's all been a lot of excitement for him. Isn't there a temporary enclosure for him?"

"We have a sanatorium on this base, with various enclosures, but I can't tell straight away which ones are currently occupied and which are not. I'll make a few phone calls in a minute. If I have anything, we can move him." Turner looked over at Ean'tu thoughtfully. "The only thing we have to think about is transportation. We can't just transport him through the station like that, there's a high risk of escape or worse, he could attack someone. I'll be glad if there's something between him and me to keep us apart."

Ana could have been upset. The way Turner talked, Ean'tu was a monster, but Ana was no longer convinced of that at all. He was considerate and careful around her. To be honest, she had the feeling that he was very sensitive and therefore often very scared. If only she could make his circumstances better. She was determined to do this in the future and, above all, she really wanted to find out more about the secret contact. Her contact certainly knew a lot more about the Na'vi."Take care of initiating the transfer, I'll take care of Sky," Ana looked at her colleague resolutely. "I'll make sure he goes safely with me to the other station. No need to sedate him again."

"You want to... walk through the ward with him? Just like that? I can't let you do that. It's far too dangerous to trust on your word alone that Sky won't get out of control again and hurt someone." Ana could understand Turner's mistrust, but they had to start trusting him somewhere. At least Ana could, but Turner didn't know what she knew either. She was sure she could form a good bond with Ean'tu.

"We're taking security measures. We clear the corridors from here to the sanatorium, then we don't endanger anyone. We'll seal off the exits so Sky can't escape and he'll still have the collar on in case of emergency. So if he gets out of control, we can use it to tame him," suggested Ana, who was now all the more determined to move Ean'tu without sedating him. He should walk on his own. If he could see that Ana trusted him to do this and that he wouldn't hurt her, it would be good for their bond.

"...Novak, you have some ideas." Turner sighed.

"But they're good, aren't they?" Ana grinned.

"Unfortunately, it's not a bad plan... but I'll have to talk to the boss to get permission to evacuate and go into lockdown. After all, we'll be shutting down a small part of the facility."

 "Good, then I think you should start making calls right away." Ana laughed a little, although she felt sorry for her colleague. These were certainly difficult calls that she wouldn't have wanted to make herself. But then again, she was the brave one who was always with Ean'tu. Although she was no longer sure whether the Na'vi was the greater evil in this case.

Ana turned away to go through the airlock, "Let me know when we can start the transfer, I'll take care of Sky until then."

"All right, I'll see you later." Turner pulled out his cell phone and began to enter a number as he left the room. Ana just looked after him for a moment, then went through the airlock to Ean'tu, who had apparently been watching them the whole time and was already waiting for her.

Tag List: @twisteduniverse5 @yukilaaw @mooniequeen (If you want to get added, comment it under the post)

[nightynightghoul]

Pebble has POTS

How Pebble finds out they have POTS and sort of learn to accept it.

This is just a little something I wanted to share, if it does well I may share other ideas. Thank you to @sister-nyx for encouraging me and giving it a read :)

Warnings: Pebble faints, there's talk about medical tests, not much more.

When Pebble was summoned, the rest of the ghouls thought nothing special of it. Yes, they were smaller than the rest, but their summoning had been hard and not as much energy went into it as it did for the past ghouls. They all had seen ghouls of all sizes during their lives back in hell. Many of the smaller ones being doubly as fierce to compensate for their size. No one thought anything could be wrong with them. 

Neither did Pebble. At least not for their first few months topside. They learned what they had to in order to become their new drummer, they were good at it too. Enjoying the feeling of getting lost in the music alongside the rest of their new pack.

Pebble started noticing they weren’t like the rest of the ghouls. Not as strong, not as agile, not as resilient. The first time they felt it was when they were moving instruments around the practice room. They had to clear the floor for the siblings to come in for a deep clean. Ifrit had easily lifted and carried stands, amps, boxes, and instruments. Aether had no trouble helping Zephyr with their Keyboard. Hell, even Dewdrop was helping haul up equipment, and he was smaller than them!

But here they were struggling to catch their breath and feeling their heart in their throat just because they were trying to drag one box across the stage. Emphasis on the word “trying”. By the time Ifrit was done, Pebble was only just getting the damned box to where they were supposed to stack it with the others. The fire ghoul just smiled at them and lifted the box to stack in on the others. 

Pebble could not catch their breath and their vision was spotty. But they just ignored it, muttered a thank you and went back to the den. 

The second time, was stupid if you asked them. It was a very early and cold morning, they just wanted to have a nice hot shower before breakfast. Yes, they took longer than usual. The water felt great, they had to wash their hair, and maybe they wanted some time for themselves. The problem appeared when they stepped out into the colder air of the bathroom. As they were drying off, they started feeling like they ran a marathon. Heart beating quickly, spotty vision, and they couldn’t catch their breath. Nothing new, but it was getting worse. 

A splitting headache started right behind their ears and their vision became tunnelled. Suddenly the effort to just stand was just too much and against their will they crumpled to the floor half conscious, dragging with them several items from the counter that clattered loudly on the floor and on top of them. They spent a few minutes on the floor, floating in that space between. After getting ready, only Aether asked why they took so long. Even years later, they could not tell if they fainted that time or not. 

The third time was when they started to get worried. It was a sunny, warm day, fairly humid too. Most of the ghouls were spending their time outside. Even Zephyr felt well enough to go on a little stroll with Dew. They were sat on the grass with Omega and Alpha. Playful chatter, became playful banter which in a few minutes became playfighting. Pebble wrestled Alpha but was quickly pinned under the bigger ghoul. 

But Pebble wasn’t laughing any more, the heat, the humidity, the exertion and now Alpha on top of them had their vision swimming. Just like before they felt that headache, the tunneled vision and the breathlessness. But this time it all came so quick, they had no time to tell Alpha that they wanted out. With a pathetic whine they breathed out and then everything became black. 

When they next opened their eyes, they were laying on their back. Omega was looking at them alarmed, as if they had grown a second head. Alpha was agitated too, the usually stoic ghoul looked close to tears. Omega insisted on carrying them to the infirmary even as Pebble protested that they were fine and could walk themselves.

While in there, Omega took his sweet time noting their blood pressure and heartbeat. Pebble insisted time and time again that this was normal, that it just had gone a little further than it usually does. Omega made quite a few notes and kept asking more questions. As if every ghoul didn’t feel the same as them. -

Do you have a hard time breathing?

Do you usually struggle to catch your breath after exerting yourself?

Are high temperatures usually a problem?

Do you get dizzy when you sit up? When you stand up?

Pebble quickly became frustrated and ended up leaving the infirmary before Omega could finish his long list of questions or tell them much of anything really.

The quint did ask them to come back for some tests the next day but Pebble in their eternal stubbornness didn’t go. They were fine, and this was normal for all ghouls. Right?

The subject was forgotten with time but right now, this very minute. They kinda wish they had gone for those extra tests with Omega. Maybe there was something wrong with them.

This was their third ritual, the past two had gone very well. Only getting somewhat dizzy with the heat of the stage lights and the effort of playing the drums. They had managed to stand up without fainting by taking deep breaths. But right now, in this damned venue and its non-existent ventilation, Pebble found themselves sweating bullets. Their skin felt clammy and cold, their breath getting quicker, same as their heartbeat. 

This was more than the adrenaline from rituals, Pebble was in trouble. 

By the last song of the set, their vision was becoming spotty, but they did their best to keep playing. If Dewdrop, Aether and Ifrit could jump around the stage and play at the same time, surely they could keep playing while sat down. 

The alarm bells really rang in their head when that last song ended. The crowd was cheering, and they cursed the damn mask for not letting them breathe properly. They had to stand up, go to the front with the others, go to their place for final bows. But just as they stood up, they realised just how bad they had let it become. The headache came in so hard they had to close their eyes and grasp their head. They may have been glamoured, but the loud whine they let out sounded like that of a wounded animal. 

They tried to walk down the steps of their stage, but their vision went all black and unlike that time after that hot shower, this time they crumpled to the floor like a wet napkin. Aether looked back at his stage as he saw several people in the crowd pointing behind him.

He saw Pebble, unconscious, sliding down the steps of their stage. He ran to catch the smaller ghoul before they could reach the bottom. Ifrit and Dew turned to look at Aether, confused as to why he would be heading backstage in a rush before final bows. Then rushed to help him as they saw him removing Pebble’s mask.

Papa grumbled his disapproval to Zephyr, but quickly changed his demeanour as Ifrit ran back to him. - Pebble is out cold, Aether is taking them back to the greenroom -. They bowed and quickly headed back.

When he opened the door to the green room, Papa found Pebble laying on the couch, Dewdrop holding their legs high and Aether sat on the floor taking vitals. The quint assured them all that Pebble would be fine, even if they had some nasty bruises from their fall. 

When Pebble woke up, they groaned and tried to sit up. But with a gentle hand on their chest, Aether kept them on their back. 

Don’t move just yet love. Your heartbeat just went through the roof.

M’fine

No, you’re not. You just passed out on stage, and I need to get Omega on the phone now.

Terzo fumbled with his robe to take his phone out and call the older ghoul. Pacing around the room while waiting for his lover to answer.

Terzo? 

Hi Amore, Aether needs to talk to you. Now.

Wait, aren’t you in the middle of a ritual right now?

No, just finished. But Pebble fainted.

What? Ok, let me talk to Aether please.

He handed his phone to the quint. Sitting by Pebble’s head, petting their head and around their horns. Hoping to comfort one of his smallest ghouls.

Aether immediately got to work, narrating all the important details to Omega. All Terzo could glean from what was said was that this was not the first time Pebble had fainted, and that more tests were needed to have an answer as to why they were passing out. 

The rest of that leg of the tour went surprisingly well. Pebble didn't faint, although there were a few close calls, but much to Pebble’s annoyance, Aether was on top of them, all the time. Just as they got back to the abbey, Omega practically kidnapped them and got them to the infirmary. 

A full week of tests got them their answer. There was something wrong and other ghouls definitely did not feel like this every day of their lives topside. Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Stupid Human thing to have. 

They walked back to their room after Omega was done with indications. There was nothing that could be done to get rid of the problem. They would always be smaller, lesser, defective. The feeling of being lesser invaded them. They’re supposed to be a demon straight from hell, strong, fast, agile. Not a runt that has to be watched over all the time. 

What made it truly worse was the news they were given before the next leg of the tour. They would be summoning another Earth ghoul, Omega and Terzo had decided touring would be too much on their body. Straight up salt in the wound. No only that, they would be training them in the time remaining.

Their out of control heart rate and quick breaths didn’t help at all when they asked for the decision to be reconsidered. Pebble walked back to their room, to calm down on their own, to mope for weeks and isolate from their pack. 

With time, they learn to live with it instead of against it. Accepting their body just as it was, flaws and all. It doesn’t come quick, and they still miss the little time they had with their Papa on stage. 

But yes, with time, the bitterness subsides. They still get frustrated sometimes, and some days are impossible. They still faint all over the abbey, but they’re fine at least.

[catenary-chad]

Electra headcanons part 2: mostly random pointless stuff this time. How human vs train they are varies wildly. I have a lot of weird contrarian takes I explain in the first part here but the shortest explanation is that the 2013 tour videos are generally my starting point and I expand on things with heavy irl train context.

-their ire for older equipment is pretty much limited to diesel and steam engines.  This is because the former is a dirty stopgap solution with surprisingly heavy links to the auto industry that has absolutely dominated the US since after WWII and shuts down valid economic arguments for electrification with short-sighted complaints. The latter just won the propaganda war despite being proven losers, and tends to overshadow if not outright erase electric history from their time.  These same factors also exist in the UK to lesser degrees.  Basically it’s a very political thing in a way that other old equipment isn’t.  

-Electra is generally fine with old coaches and freight though.  I think there’s actually more respect for elders among electric trains vs other traction because of how long they can last, especially if you’re talking the US circa the 70s-80s where there were still a ton of 50+ year old boxcabs and EMUs.  Electra would definitely prefer somewhat newer (30s-on) lightweight coaches vs really old heavyweight ones for speed purposes, but it’s not a deal killer. 

-they do try and egg old coaches (and even freight and other engines) into getting makeovers for PR purposes because if you’re going to be a sad old commuter train, pretty colors slapped on top go a long way.  “We have better paints now you don’t have to be dark brown/green/maroon”.  See the New Haven Railroad, early Amtrak, and low-cost trains in France and Sweden, where painting oooold equipment fun colors made it more endearing. 

-Electra cares a lot about PR and marketing in general and usually has a good eye for it as long as they don’t try too hard.  They’re good at casually making things look or sound cool but when they make a concerted argument they tend to come off strong and overly hostile and turn people off.

-Related to the part about how old many electric trains are: they were raised by the equivalent of a grandparent, due to the previous “parent generation” of electric locomotives being dysfunctional.  This goes for both “GG1 successor” 80s Electra or “AEM-7 sucessor” more modern Electra.  Electric trains have unusually long “generation lengths” to begin with and it’s not rare to be raised by someone that old, but it’s usually not exclusively so.  

-Because of that, Electra actually has some weirdly antiquated tendencies that pop out.  Like calling car drivers “Moloch worshippers”, wanting interurbans to come back, and being unusually fond of 20s-30s era jazz for their age (80s era).  Or being way too into ABBA deep cuts and familiar with 70s-80s politics and pop culture that time forgot, like a literal “30 year old boomer” (modern).  I think Electra of any era likes old amusement parks (ala Coney Island) because of their heavy links to trolleys

-They made up a zodiac system based on transmission towers.  

-Their favorite instrument is “hijacked stepper motor” and they think all random consumer electronics should be able to play a cute little song when ready/done

-I think they feel weirdly safe in enclosed spaces because larger/combustion engines can’t get in there (without smothering anyone and/or getting escorted out).  A piece of them also kind of yearns for the mines…

-hazardously close to being an elevator enthusiast.  hazardously close to being a fire alarm enthusiast too.  I’m on the fence about whether I see them as autistic or not because I don’t really see them having sensory issues and there’s another explanation for traits they have. They just have inherent reasons to care about mundane urban/electrical infrastructure because they depend on it so much, and were isolated during their equivalent of childhood and are socially weird because of that.  

-Unlike many others I don’t see Electra as terribly anxious, just socially clunky, but I think they flee when they sense physical danger.  They’re a bit more European-style vs most of the cast and operate more on the “avoid incidents all together” mindset.  When it comes to words though, they’re a lot more confrontational.  I feel like Electra can really enjoy arguing and yelling at people. It can even be weirdly easy to get through to them that way if you hit them with hard numbers.

-In a similar vein, I feel like they’re broadly very forgiving.  It’s easy to make them hate you but just as easy to flip them back, unless you’re Robert Moses or General Motors.  People laugh at them going from bitter rivals to hugging other characters in the megamix but I’ve known people like that irl. 

-They tend to understand counterintuitive things but get frustrated by more conventional/straightforward ones.  And likewise get frustrated when others are the exact opposite.  

-Surprisingly not awful as a deserted island/camping buddy since they can learn the basic skills reasonably well… they just eat way more than people expect and oops you run out of granola bars two days in.  You really don’t want to be too far from a convenience store or even vending machine with Electra because they get faint and weak FAST after getting hungry (and can’t just eat extra beforehand or they’ll also feel miserable)

-barely capable of cooking, prefers to eat out or minimal-prep stuff.  Would have been the target audience for Gerber Singles and have no shame because “it’s efficient and glass is recyclable”

-I always imagine a more human Electra/Components living in one of those unrealistically large sitcom apartments in some ambiguous large city

-On a related note to the above, I think they have a notable communal streak.  A lot of electric trains do as a reflection of how they share a power supply and are heavily associated with left-leaning economic politics.  Electra will just grab food off your plate and treat all shelves as shared until stated otherwise, and doesn’t mind at all if you do the same.  

-I don’t really see trains as having much of a “child” phase outside of commissioning/testing, but I think a more human Electra would be good at entertaining (and even teaching) kids.  Awful as an actual parent and maintaining any kind of order, and I wouldn’t even let them be a babysitter or you might get the house burned down.  But they have an almost endless tolerance to a lot of annoying kid stuff, like bright, obnoxious things, and will play silly games with them for hours if needed.  I think they’d have a weird knack for making unapproachable and “pretentious” things weirdly easy to understand, and could get most kids engaged with taking apart busted appliances, Balkan folk music and free jazz, and early 20th century abstract art because they can explain it and break it down in approachable ways.  

-I think they would be at least mildly enthused by maps.  There’s just a weirdly heavy overlap between that and electric/transit oriented railfans.  Bold and well-designed subway maps are their favorite.

-Electra likes roller coasters but REALLY likes intense, European-style spinning rides because they’re a lot more forceful.  But not as much as Krupp, who is the kind of guy who will just ride the Gravitron/Rotor all day if not stopped.  

-I’ll vary a bit on basis but toothpaste/80s era Electra is a DC-motored engine no matter how I slice it and thus runs surprisingly hot and is more comfortable in cold than hot weather.  They have more issues with heat with age as their traction motors wear out.  In a more human verse, it still works out this way because I have them short and thick, they make a lot of heat but aren’t built to shed it well.  

-Human Electra is small and cute enough to pass as a kid until about their 30s.  They have exploited this to get discounts plenty of times.  

-They’re also generic enough looking dressed down and without makeup that it’s deceptively easy to lose them in a city.  

-In my mind and probably my mind alone (because I base their proportions on EMD E-units vs “typical larger European electric loco” more than casting conventions) Electra and Greaseball are similarish size-wise going around, but NOT vertically.  Greaseball could just about wear a lot of Electra’s clothes… but they all turn into crop tops and capris on him because he’s so much longer, especially in the torso.  

-Electra’s natural speaking voice isn’t very high and actually sounds like a somewhat smoother, lighter version of Greaseball’s.  They just talk higher for various PR reasons but will flip between the two as desired.  

-Electra and the Components have a communal trainset that’s a bizarre hodgepodge of whatever electric models Electra could buy and all their various other interests all smashed onto one fictional, isolationist, highly mountainous tropical island.  It’s got wacky animals, an elaborate military base, elaborate ice caves/mines, a detailed economy, and public referendums on what color to paint the lightly used cast-off trains they bought from de-electrified lines in the US.  They have extended lore for it and roleplay as government officials complete with stupid hats and unreasonable numbers of military medals.  Greaseball and the Nationals come over to roleplay as ambassadors from other countries.  

[bird-in-the-space]

Echoes of the Unknown

You try to practice using your blaster arm, but then you, Emily, and the trio end up beneath the earth when an abandoned mine catches your attention. You find a ship and meet one of the most notorious Decepticons.

Warnings: you practicing shooting, falling through a sinkhole, Starscream talking about himself, and sneaking away right under his nose.

Chapter 14

---------------------------------

A sound of blaster fire echoed in the air as your shot blasted off the target rock. It flew off from the boulder, leaving a scorch mark and a trail of smoke. Emily whistled as she stood on the side with the trio, who wanted to come and see you train using your blaster. 

“Nice shot. Way to go (Name). You’re getting better,” she said. 

“Yeah, but it's still kinda difficult to handle the recoil,” you stated. 

“It depends on your feet and balance. With a firm stance, you won’t be blasted off. Now you need to learn to keep your arm steady,” Arcee guided. “But way to go. This time you actually managed to hit the target,” she said as there were many different blast marks around the boulder from your target practice. 

“For a rookie, you do learn fast,” she said as she walked over to the boulder put another rock on top of it. 

“Well, it’s mostly thanks to you. Thanks for helping me practice again, Arcee,” you said. 

“It’s no problem. It’s good for you to learn how to defend yourself in case you end up facing a con,” she said as she came back and stood beside you. 

“Now, try again,” she said. 

You aimed at the rock with your blaster, holding it steady with your other hand. You balanced your sight on the rock and with a calm breath, you prepared to shoot. 

A loud sound then echoed from the distance. You looked toward the way it came from. 

“Did you hear that?” you asked. 

“Yeah. It came from there,” Jack said as you all looked toward the way where the sound came from. 

You all walked up to a hill and noticed what seemed to be an old mine. The sound of the wind and something falling echoed from the mine entrance. You noticed warning signs that warned about sinkholes and unstable ground. However, it looked abandoned as there was no sign of people or mining equipment to indicate that it was an active mine. 

“I guess from the sounds that the mine is just echoing falling boulders,” you said, then your scanner showed something odd. 

“Hold on. I am getting a strange reading from there,” Arcee said as her scanner was also picking up the odd thing. 

“What is it?” you asked. 

“I don’t know…” she said, before turning toward you. “I’ll go check it out. It might be a possible false reading. Continue practicing,” she added. 

“Sounds good to me,” you nodded. 

“Aww! Can’t we come along?” Miko asked. 

“That warning is saying unstable earth. I’m afraid it's too dangerous for you to go there,” you explained, pointing at the several signs. 

“She’s right. It will be safer if I go check it on my own. There’s a high chance that there’s nothing down there,” Arcee said. “Do not think about following me,” she said strictly and Miko whined. 

“Alright. Stay safe,” you said as Arcee then walked into the mine. 

“I wonder what got this place shut down,” Jack said as you started making your way back to your practice place. 

“I checked this place out from the internet. Apparently, it got shut down due to the unstable structure and the digging of too many tunnels,” Raf answered. 

“After what happened last time I was in a mine, I am not very fond of going into another again,” you uttered. 

Something cracked beneath you. 

“Wait,” you said and you all stood still. 

The ground beneath you released cracking sounds. You began to feel nervous and wondered if you were causing the cracks. The sounds then suddenly stopped and it was quiet. You waited but nothing happened. 

“Phew. False alarm.” Emily said. 

At that moment, the ground beneath you suddenly cracked a big time and you felt how the ground sucked itself deeper into the earth. 

“We’re sinking! We’re sinking!” You all yelled when the ground finally failed and you all dropped from the surface. Luckily, you didn’t fall far. Right beneath you was another, much sturdier ground, which made your landing unpleasant. 

You fell on your feet and cleared up the dust. You looked through the sunny hole above you, seeing nothing but the clear blue sky.

Emily coughed. “Oh, come on. This is too cliche,” she said as she and the trio recovered from the fall. 

“Are any of you hurt?” you checked on them. 

“I’m fine. Just got some dust on my clothes,” Emily said as she dusted off the dirt from her jacket. 

Miko coughed. “I’m okay,” 

“Same here,” Raf said as Jack helped him up. 

You all stared at the hole that was too out of your reach.

“You think you could jump that?” Emily looked toward you. 

“I don’t think so. It also doesn’t look like I can climb it either,” you said as the ground did not look like it would hold your weight. 

“We should call Arcee,” Jack said. 

“Good idea. Arcee?” you opened the comlink. “Arcee, we fell into a sinkhole. Can you come to help us out?” you asked but only heard static. 

“Crap. I can’t get a hold of her. She might already be too deep beneath the earth to hear us or it's that strange reading from before,” you concluded.

“What should we do now?” Raf asked worriedly. 

“We could try finding the entrance by following this tunnel,” Emily pointed at the tunnel. “There is a high chance we end up finding another tunnel that will then lead us to the entrance,” she explained. 

“I don’t like this. If the ground fails beneath us again, then we might end up somewhere deeper with no way out,” you said, reluctant to follow the tunnel.  

“But it doesn’t seem we have much of a choice,” Jack stated. 

You sighed. “Well, seem like we’re gonna investigate underground tunnels after all,” you said. 

“Sweet. Let’s go then,” Miko said, taking the lead and running deeper into the tunnel. 

“Just make sure you stay near us, Miko. I’m not gonna come look for you if you get lost,” you said as you followed her into the tunnel. You could only hope you either find a way out or stumble upon Arcee.

Right after you left, a distant sound of a jet echoed from the sky. A silver jet transformed in the air and the bot chuckled when his scanners picked on the strange readings. “Now let's see what we have here,” he said as he entered the mine. 

The tunnels were dark. You used your car lights to light the way. Jack and Raf stayed close to you while Emily was behind Miko, who was excitedly checking out all the corners of the mine. 

“Cleveland!” she yelled and the ground shook beneath you. 

“Miko. You need to be quiet. This mine is unstable enough for the sounds to affect them,” you scolded. 

“Sorry,” she said in a much toner voice. 

You then arrived at the end of the tunnel that led you into a large cavern. 

“Wow,” you all said as the cavern was bigger than you imagined. It was perhaps bigger than the mine at Lynx Wood. 

You saw paths and tunnels, and when you noticed sunlight, you saw the entrance high above you. 

“Over there. If we walk up that path then we should be out in no time,” you pointed out. 

“Wait, is that a ship?” Emily pointed at something. 

In front of you stood a large ship, bigger than you. It looked old and corroded over time, but it was clearly a cybertronian ship. 

“How long has this been here?” Jack asked. 

“From my guess, it must be at least centuries old,” Raf stated. 

“Who cares? Let’s go check it out!” Miko said with a new type of adrenaline. 

“Miko. We should prioritize getting out of here. We don’t know what’s in there and Arcee might not like seeing us if she finds us there,” you explained. “I suspect this is the thing that caused those strange readings,” you added. 

“Most likely,” Raf said. 

“But what if there’s something valuable there? Like energon, or a cybertronian artifact? It would be a shame for the con to get their hands on that,” Miko said. 

You crossed your arms along with Emily. “Are you seriously trying to guilt trip us to go there just to sate your own curiosity?” you asked. 

“Yeah, that’s kinda foul,” Emily agreed. 

“Can we take a quick peek, please?” Miko pleaded. 

You glanced toward Emily and she shrugged her shoulders. “Okay. Just a quick peek. Any sign of danger and we’re out of here,” you said. 

“Sweet! Let’s go!” she said and ran toward the ship. 

“Woah. Are you sure about this?” Jack looked toward you. 

“Well, I’m a robot, so if there’s danger then we should be fine. If we’re lucky we might end up meeting Arcee on the way,” you explained as you all followed Miko to enter the ship. 

The inside of the ship was rusty. You had to push the doors open to pass through with Emily and the kids. You looked around as Emily and the kids used their phone lights. You were somewhat glad that the room was empty as it meant there was nothing important on the ship. 

“Well, this is the third room. There’s no energon or alien artifacts,” you said as the kids investigated the place. 

“Maybe the ship's old system is causing the disturbances,” Raf suggested. 

“Then I’m sure Arcee already has it handled,” you said. 

“We should get going,” you said. 

You then heard a sound. 

“What was that?” Emily questioned as you listened to the sounds. 

“They sound like footsteps,” You said as you approached the doorway. 

“Arcee?” Jack questioned as you looked into the corridor. You then quickly pulled back. 

“No. Not Arcee,” you said, stepping away from the door. 

“Who?” Jack asked as they all now panicked. 

“I don’t know. But I saw a Decepticon mark. You need to hide,” you said as the unknown bot got closer to your room. Emily and the trio quickly hid behind some boxes as the unknown bot pushed through the door. 

Miko gasped. “It’s Starscream,” she said. 

“Who?” You questioned, but she did not have time to answer when the unknown bot entered the room.

You stared at each other.

He had silver paint and a red thin horn in the middle of his head. You guessed he was a mech despite his sleek build and heels that kinda looked like stilettos. His wings reminded you of a jet, so you guessed he was a flyer or something. The thing that made you feel more dread was the Decepticon symbol on his chest. 

He looked at you confused, most likely because of your face. 

“Well, this is curious. What does a lone Vehicon like you are doing here?” he asked with a husky tone of voice.

“Ughh… “ you considered what to say. Your guts told you not to tell him anything. However, you could not stay quiet. Maybe you should play dumb.

“Looking for a safe place. Who are you?” you asked. 

He seemed stunned for a moment.

“You do not know me? That’s impossible. I am commander Starscream. All Vehicons should know my name,” he said. 

“Actually… I’m not exactly a Vehicon… sir,” you hesitated. 

“Hmm? What do you mean?” he asked curiously. 

You straightened your back. “Well, believe it or not. I’m actually a human inside the body of one,” you revealed. 

“What?” he tilted his head in confusion. 

“I encountered one of your kind before and found this strange artifact that made me switch bodies with these things. Please, sir. Do you know how to help me? I have been alone for a very long time,” you asked, hoping he would take the bait. 

His eyes were now filled with intrigue.

“Oh, really? What’s your name earthling?” he asked. 

“(Name), sir,” you answered. He had a hidden grin on his face. He seemed to like how you referred to him as a ‘sir.’

“Well, (Name). I say you’re in luck. Though I do not know much about your current condition if you follow me and become my loyal servant, I promise to keep you safe and well looked after by the Decepticons,” he said. 

You glanced toward the doorway and this con named ‘Starscream’.

“Oh, that’s very kind of you, Starscream, sir. However, what are Decepticons? Who are they, and what do they do?” you asked as you backed closer to the box, motioning with your hand behind your back for Emily and the trio to hide behind your foot. Emily understood what you meant and carefully they moved behind your leg while you moved toward the doorway while keeping your eyes on Starscream as he began rambling about Decepticons. 

“Of course. Decepticons are a faction of great warriors, meant to conquer and… protect the innocent from the cruelty of the Autobots. I was their lord for the time being, but then that position was taken from me by Megatron,” Starscream explained with a hidden snarl. 

“Megatron? Who’s that?” you played stupid, stopping when he was looking at you. 

“The most vicious and treacherous cybertronian you could ever meet,” Starscream continued, looking away and allowing you to continue moving toward the doorway. You tried to play along, but his yapping about overthrowing Megatron and becoming the lord of the Decepticons started to annoy you. 

Fucking hell, this guy loved to yap. 

“And… if I help you become the lord of the Decepticons again? What kind of plans do you hold for them and my planet?” you asked, trying to keep him talking. 

“Well, why of course, lead them to victory over the Autobots. Then I will reconquer my homeworld Cybertron and with all the resources—” his voice fell out as you reached the door. Emily and the kids sneaked out through the opening. You looked toward Starscream and carefully stepped out without alerting him. 

When you were out of the room, you transformed and opened your doors, letting Emily and the trio climb in before hitting the pedal.  

“And become the emperor of Cybertron!” Starscream said, then he heard the sound of your wheels becoming distant and saw you were no longer there. 

“Eh? Where did you go?” he questioned, baffled by your disappearance. 

You quickly got out of the ship and drove toward the entrance. 

“Way to go, (Name). You kept him distracted by keeping him yapping,” Miko said excitedly. 

“Yeah. that guy sure loved to yap,” you said as you exited the mine. 

You allowed the kids out before transforming. You soon reunited with Arcee who had come outside after hearing your static message. 

“(Name), kids, what happened? I came here when you tried to reach me through the comms,” she explained. 

“Well, as you can see, we got stuck in a sinkhole so we had to use the mine tunnels to get out,” you pointed at the sinkhole. 

“Did you see the ship down there?” you asked, pointing at the mine. 

“I did, but I didn’t have the time to investigate it,” Arcee nodded. 

“Well, don’t go down there anymore. There’s nothing except this guy named Starscream,” you explained. 

“Starscream! What happened? Did he hurt you?” she asked worriedly. 

“No. We’re fine. I distracted him long enough to get us out of there unharmed,” you assured. 

“Yeah, she kept him yapping so much that he didn’t even notice us,” Miko grinned. 

“Yeah, apparently, the best strategy to distract those who love talking is to keep them talking,” you shrugged.

Arcee sighed, her shoulder relaxing. “Well, I’m glad nothing happened. Let’s get back to base,” she said, calling out to Ratchet to open a ground bridge. You looked down toward Emily and the kids before shrugging. Compared to the other dangers you experienced, this was rather tame. 

[lieslab]

Introducing: Pandemonium

| If you'd like to read my drabbles or find more of my full-length fics, you can find them here |

~

Carmen Holbrook's life is practically perfect until her younger sister, Lily, goes missing. While fighting grief and disbelief, she stumbles across a stranger, who invites her to see the traveling circus. Only digging up dead-ends and false alarms about her sister, she accepts.

Hwang Hyunjin was meant for stardom. Beneath the blinding lights and equipped with a spectacular array of talents, it seems like the circus life is a dream come true. When he invites Carmen to join him, life flips upside down.

It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to join the circus and she knows that. Taking a chance, she's determined to bring awareness to her sister's disappearance. The added bonus of being paid and performing alongside Hyunjin is far more than what she was expecting. However, there's a weariness that she just can't shake. Fellow circus members seem a bit strange at times. Something seems off and no matter how much she tries to avoid it, there's an unshakeable aura of mystery beneath the big top.

Someone or something will do anything to keep her from finding out the truth, even if that means going to extreme lengths to keep it quiet.

_ _ _

Pandemonium is a full-length mystery/horror fanfic on Wattpad and Ao3. You can find the playlist right here (along with almost every other playlist for my full-length fanfics)

Starring:

Hwang Hyunjin: The runaway acrobat who joined the circus to get away from it all.

Bang Chan: Every circus needs a magician who never spills his secrets.

Lee Minho: A fire-breather who lives between spitting flames and dances with fire, despite the occasional burn.

Seo Changbin: Everyone's favorite ringmaster aka the real star of the show (as he insists)

Han Jisung: A circus wouldn't be a circus without animal acts and he's there to make sure they're ethically trained and behaving.

Lee Felix: The second half of the acrobatic duo, who might have bitten off way more than he could chew.

Kim Seungmin: If anyone was going to tame the vicious lions and walk beneath elephants, it'd definitely be him.

Yang Jeongin: He can often be found pulling pranks and clowning around, it's literally his job description.

Contains:

*Stupidity and idiocy

*A lot of cursing

*Really fun circus acts performed by skz (if you loved the circus era, you'd like this)

*A romantic relationship that may or may not be doomed (depending on which cast member you ask)

*Seungmin shoving his head between the jaws of a lion

*Han's mortal enemy being a white horse named Snowball

*Minho taunting and teasing everyone because he's bored

*There's something weird about Chan (Jeongin says he never left his emo phase)

*Changbin showing off because he's the ringmaster (and they run the circus, remember?)

*Jeongin refusing to take off his clown costume because he insists it helps him build character for the audience

*Felix flying through the air with the greatest of ease (until he accidentally smacks into Hyunjin mid-routine and hits the net like a dead fish)

*Hyunjin is in love (Awogah)

*Missing kids that people can't find...suspiciously (bring them back?!?)

*A lot of cheesy romance

*Train rides that are just full of the members belittling, bullying, and biting the shit out of one another (They call Seungmin a dog for a reason)

*Absolute chaos

*An old urban legend that changes everything

*A lot of clowns (it's their top personality trait)

*An original character that experiences loss and goes through grief (but don't worry because Hyunjin helps with that)

*People will probably die

~

So bring your cotton candy and kettle corn. Enjoy the circus and the added carnival rides. Feel free to ride along, just buckle up and keep your limbs inside the ride at all times. It'd be a real shame if something ripped them off. We don't want you to leave this injured and traumatized, do we?

[wrathofresistantx]

Anthony Barbaro - The Olean High School Shooting

The Shooting

On December 30th, 1974, at approximately 2:50pm, 17-year-old Anthony Barbaro entered Olean High School. He was armed with a .30-06 rifle, a shotgun, smoke bombs, and a pistol. Before going to the school he told his younger brother "Tell mom I've gone to do some target shooting".

Upon entering the school through a side-entrance, he went up to the 3rd floor of the school and set off a molotov cocktail made from a Coca-Cola bottle filled with gasoline. He then shot the lock off of the Student Council room before going inside and tying the door shut.

Hearing a fire-alarm in the school, 61-year-old Earl Metcalf was sent upstairs to see what the problem was. Metcalf was a custodian at the school, and was part of a 12-man crew doing maintenance in the basement at the time. When Metcalf reached the 3rd floor, Joe Kusidlo, who was the school's 3rd floor custodian, warned Metcalf not to go further, as he thought he heard gunshots.

Metcalf went forward anyway and was confronted by Barbaro when Metcalf saw him through the window of the Student Council room. Anthony then opened the door and shot Metcalf, killing him. At around 3pm, Barbaro began shooting at people on the street from the 3rd floor.

From the 3rd floor he killed 25-year-old Carmen Wright while she was driving her car near the school. He also killed 58-year-old Neil Pilon, who was shot while fleeing from his truck during the shooting.

At 3:05pm, the Olean Fire Department received a call of a fire at Olean High School. This fire came from two smoke bombs used by Anthony Barbaro to lure the fire department to the school. Upon arriving at the school, the Olean Police Department received a call at 3:07pm from the Fire Department saying "Send all the help you can, the police and all. We're being shot at". Four police cars were dispatched to the area, and the area was sealed off 15 minutes after the initial call came in.

The shooting lasted over 90 minutes, as by 5pm witnesses reported that two "long-barrelled" weapons had been tossed out of the 3rd floor window. The police had also planned an assault on the school, with them moving to the top floor armed with shotguns, rifles, protective equipment and gas masks.

When police entered the 3rd floor student council room, Anthony lay on the floor with a gas mask over his face and a tape recorder by his left ear. He then let the police handcuff him and put him away on a stretcher. According to police testimony, Barbaro "was limp, conscious, not overly affected by the tear gas that filled the room".

The police also found 17 spent shotgun shells and 18 empty rifle cartridges, as well as 27 live rounds for a rifle and 30 for a shotgun. A 30.06 rifle was also found beneath the 3rd floor window. Its stock and barrel were broken in two, as well as being equipped with a telescopic sight and having one live round in the magazine.

The word "Shit" was also found written on the wall of the Student Council room in 20-inch letters and it was found that Anthony had been listening to the song "Ticking" by Elton John during the shooting. This song shared parallels to his own life, as it describes a quiet boy who goes on a shooting spree.

Anthony Barbaro

Anthony Barbaro was born on September 9th, 1957, to parents Ned and Helen Barbaro. He also was the oldest of his siblings, with him having two younger brothers and one younger sister. He was also a lifelong resident of Olean, with the family living in a two-storey house on the outskirts of the city.

Anthony was reported as being extremely quiet and "a loner". His uncle, Michael, said that "He never swore or said a curse word. He was quiet, very reserved, polite. He was a brain. He never had a girl friend. I never knew him to even go out with a girl". He was also the eight highest student in his class of 290, and wanted to be a physicist or a chemist.

In the wake of the shooting, much was made of Anthony's academic abilities. He had recently received a Regents' scholarship to go to college, and was an 'A' student. Upon hearing his nephew was the shooter, Michael Barbaro said "That's my nephew! He's an 'A' student!". Classmates also called him 'the professor' in Biology classes, and neighbours reported seeing him with a rifle and gas mask playing outside. The general attitude towards Anthony after the shooting was that he was a quiet student who rarely, if ever, caused any trouble.

He was also ranked third in Olean High School rifle team, with a teammate of his stating: "He was always very careful with the gun and he was always telling everyone else to be careful". Another teammate of Anthony's said that they sometimes "joked about holing up in the armory with all the weapons, you know - a sort of stand-off thing". It was also said that he "liked to read books about war, he liked war films".

Anthony's performance on the schools' rifle team was widely discussed, with Joe DeCerbo, Barbaro's rifle team coach, saying that he was "an excellent marksman" and that he regularly came to practice twice a week and was "very responsible, very safety minded".

Anthony also had a job at the Castle Restaurant, with his mother soon coming to work as a cashier. Frances Sullivan, who was a waitress who worked with Anthony said that she "loved him like a son" and that he said to her "I'll see you on New Year's Eve" and asked her if she wanted him to come into work early that day.

Barbaro's Trial

Anthony was arraigned on 31st December on three counts of second-degree murder, six counts of first-degree assault, and five counts of first-degree reckless endangerment.

On the 1st April 1975, Anthony was found competent to stand trial, with a preliminary hearing taking place on October 27th, 1975. Barbaro's defence lawyer, Vincent Doyle, stated that Anthony had a "serious, deep-rooted mental illness that precluded his conviction" with it also being said that he didn't remember committing the shooting.

"He can't remember pushing a couch against the doorway but yet he can remember shooting at a figure that appeared in the doorway" said Doyle. He also said that Anthony "forgot several details of the school room but he remembered the shooting".

It was also found out that Anthony had been planning the shooting for five months, with him having a notebook containing other locations he considered for a shooting. These included Rock City Hill, Olean High School and a line stating "get a car and drive through town shooting". Anthony only decided to commit the attack 12 hours before, after feeling more and more depressed for two weeks.

Barbaro's Suicide

On November 1st, 1975, Anthony was found hanged in his cell. He was found with a bedsheet knotted tightly around his neck, with the other end being tied to the bars of his cell. His death was ruled as a suicide after an autopsy was conducted.

He left multiple notes in his cell prior to his death, with two reading:

"To Whom It May Concern,

It hit me today that whichever way the trial goes, I won't survive. So I've decided to save all concerned some time and pain"..."I know for many it is too late, too late; but my life is all I have left to give.

Some will always ask 'Why?' I don't know - no one will. What has been, can't be changed. I'm sorry. Anthony Barbaro".

"The End,

It ends like it began; in the middle of the night. Someone might think it selfish or cowardly to take one's own life. Maybe so, but it's the only free choice I have. The way I figure, I lose either way. If I'm found not guilty, I won't survive the pain I've caused - my guilt.

If I'm convicted, I won't survive the mental and physical punishment of my life in prison. Therefore, this is the only logical thing to do.

The following pages contain the details and my farewells."

Other quotes from these notes read:

"People are not afraid to die; it's just how they die! It's this way with me; especially when considering pain. I don't fear death, but rather the pain. But no more. Now, my fate is in the hands of the Lord - His will be done."

"Now, come the thoughts at large. Mostly regrets I guess. I regret the pain I will cause my family and friends.

I regret that day the force took me - and the pain, suffering and destruction that resulted. I regret losing the few good memories...

I regret the foods I'll never taste, the music I'll never hear, the sites I'll never see, the accomplishments I'll never accomplish, in other words, I regret my life."

After his death Anthony was cremated, in accordance with his wishes. 300 people attended his funeral, with Rev. Roy Ronald asking the congregation to "think of all those years when there were no headlines. When Tony was doing his chores at home, when he was at school, working hard as always, when he was an altar boy here at St. Mary's, serving very faithfully".

[mightyflamethrower]

You know how awfully fond I am of the lithium-ion battery stories. Sometimes, the ones I've covered have been semitrailers full of them overturning and lighting off, or a warehouse full, or - more menacing - a battery storage facility close to residential areas that suddenly goes thermal, and evacuations ensue. 

But mostly, I wind up discussing them in the context of the EVs I am equally fond of. *spits* 

This morning, between a note from Global Travlr and a WattsUpWithThat email about the same event, I thought I had my theme set and ready to go. But when researching, I found something even more disturbing. 

Everything is all tied together by battery fires.

Europe is (thankfully) way ahead of us on the climate-culture-induced EV madness, even as far as their public safety vehicles go. Where many American cities are only just beginning to get that first "electric" fire truck...

Elected officials and local luminaries Thursday marked the completion of San Diego's new, environmentally friendly fire station near the UC San Diego campus. Fire Station 52 is two stories tall, has more than 14,000 square feet and is part of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department's Battalion 5. It is the first in the city to feature an electric fire apparatus and rapid electric vehicle charging station. "I'm excited to celebrate the completion of this top-notch facility featuring San Diego's first electric fire truck and rapid charger," said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. "Thanks to our partnership with UC San Diego, we're delivering on our promise to increase fire protection and life-safety coverage across San Diego."

...or are bummed the feds dropped the ball paying for the one they already ordered and now the city's stuck with the tab...

...what Green grifting officials in every last venue need to do is pay attention to lessons they could learn from people who have been doing this a lot longer than Americans have.

First things first, for a shiny new fire station like San Diego's, make sure it has a fire alarm system.

Especially if it has *check notes* an electric fire truck or emergency vehicle anything.

A new fire station in Germany that was destroyed in a fire, causing millions of euros in damage, did not have a fire alarm system. The fire broke out early Wednesday morning at the Stadtallendorf fire station in Hesse and destroyed the equipment hall and almost a dozen emergency vehicles, according to local media. Initial estimates put the damage at between €20 million and €24 million. No one was injured.

I would never store one of these vehicles in a garage or any other part of a home. They should be outlawed for multi story apartment buildings.

[gaoau]

summer with(out) you

he's warm one day and so cold the next one. she makes sure he stays warm forever.

pairing — sano shinichiro x fem!reader warnings — sensitive topics; descriptions of blood and death. word count — 2.8k

it's the morning of august 13th when [name] awakens.

she reaches for her phone first thing, shutting down the alarm blaring in her ears. a fuzzy haze wraps around her head. as she squints at the characters on the screen, she recognizes a blinding fog covering her eyes. she blinks it away. dozens of notifications line up underneath the reminder that her device is still set to do not disturb. thousands of missed calls from benkei and waka, billions of messages piling up one on top of the other.

she knows things will never be the same.

sano shinichiro is dead.

the day goes by in a blur. she remembers debating with the silence of her own room. she remembers striking her fists at waka's propped-up palms. she remembers hollering voiceless pleas so shinichiro would come back. she remembers bawling her eyes out in benkei's arms. the five stages of grief burn in her mind at the same time as she fluctuates through all of them back and forth in the span of a few hours.

when she stands solemnly outside s.s motors, she forcefully digs her nails into her palms. she wants to set it all on fire. she wants to keep it in her memory forever. she wants to forget and she wants to save. she wants to grieve in what was their shared safe haven, but now it's a fucking crime scene and completely blocked off.

behind her, she hears her friends and their voices calling out to her. she doesn't turn around to face them. if she looks away, it all might just disappear. she gulps for courage. the hot summer air pierces and burns her nose even if it's almost midnight. a deep breath is all she needs to break past the barricade of warnings to not enter.

there's a sickening bloodstain on the floor. her brain oscillates between the reality of her loss and the denial of her grief. she can't even glance at the remnants of shinichiro for too long. she can't believe a crimson puddle is all that's left of him.

the shop is quiet—a suffocating quietude. she averts her eyes towards the bikes and equipment; there stands the CB250T he was planning to gift manjiro. it's all colored with the painful hue of his absence. [name] doesn't understand why it feels so cold in here.

the clock hanging on the wall ticks time away. the seconds weigh more than the minutes and the hours stretch into eons. her anguish and distress seem cheap in the face of how long shinichiro has been gone. she cowers in fear at the threats the passing numbers bark at her. the more she lets it pass, the more she stands alone.

"i miss you so bad…" she croaks in a broken voice. it echoes in the solitude. her eyes squeeze shut to avoid acknowledging her tears as she chokes back a sob. "i miss you so, so bad, shin…" the emptiness he left behind is just so jarring. it pierces through her chest relentlessly and she knows she'd be better off with bullet wounds. it would hurt less.

things will never be the same.

but she'll make it so they stay the same forever.

it's the morning of august 12th when [name] opens her eyes again.

sunlight pours in through the window, caressing over her face to make her stir awake. she sits up and digs the base of her palms into her eyes to rub the sleep away. her back aches after lying on the hard floor all night. when she catches sight of shinichiro sprawled out by her side, it's all forgotten.

there's a small puddle of drool beside his face, falling from nowhere other than his open mouth. he has the audacity to snore. [name] exaggerates a gag as she brings her foot up to his chest to kick him out of his dreamland. shinichiro startles awake in an instant.

"what? what happened? are you okay? what's wrong?"

she bursts into amused cackles at his frantic, groggy mumbles. the sound of her laughter makes him blink repeatedly to reorient himself. [name]'s image comes into view, cheeks flushed with joy. he doesn't know what's so funny, but he joins her anyway.

her chortles fade into giggles when his voice overpowers hers. she lets his laughter ring melodiously in her ears, better than any alarm she's ever woken up to. she's learned to appreciate the little things about her friends. anything coming from him is worth admiring.

shinichiro takes a little too long to notice she's staring at him so intently. he raises a brow at her. a smirk curls his lips. "finally falling for me?"

she sticks her tongue out at him. "not a chance. i'm wondering how long it'll take you to wipe that disgusting drool off your face."

his fingertips reach up to his chin to find the dripping saliva sticking to his skin. [name] regrets being friends with this man the moment he uses her shirt to wipe his face clean. she slaps her palm against his forehead to push him away. "good morning, [name]," shinichiro struggles to pronounce behind her hand. he grips tightly onto her waist.

"yeah, good morning, shin." she'll have to change out of this shirt and chuck it into an incinerator. peeling his arms off her, she manages to slip away from his grabby hold. as she stands, he crumbles on the floor again and [name] eyes him unimpressed. "i'm gonna go home and take a shower. i think there's bike oil in my hair."

"but what about breakfast?!" he whines on the ground. his fingers reach towards her, barely brushing the skin of her ankles when she steps away.

"what do i look like? your servant?"

"my love."

she bursts into loud cackles that could easily rival a chicken. he smiles up at her because at least he made her laugh. "yeah, not happening. we can meet at the family mart in an hour. we shou—"

"oh, a date!"

"—should tell benkei and waka."

"double date!"

shinichiro sits up as he watches her disappear towards the back of the shop. her giggles dissipate into the summer sun when she closes the door behind her. he catches her voice in the distance, "i'll see you later, shin!" and takes it as his cue to start his day too.

it's the middle of the day on august 12th when [name] is standing outside their frequented family mart.

she doesn't know what's taking her three idiots so long inside the store. she's already chosen and paid for her food, but the other indecisive dumbasses are still browsing the shelves. please, let them hurry the fuck up because the heat is really starting to get to her.

she hears the automatic doors open and a wave of cold, artificial air slams against her back. it makes her stagger forward. her throat clogs up as she chokes on her own spit. shinichiro's voice behind her is a distant echo while a deafening ringing drills into her ears. she winces in pain at the dull ache pounding on her temples, numbing her head. her feet stumble aimlessly when her vision becomes foggy.

it leaves as soon as it comes. it simply rattled her brain to remind her. time is running out.

it's unbearably hot on this scorching summer day, but [name] is more than thankful to know shinichiro's got good reflexes. he catches her by the arm and pulls her back into stability before she can faint. "here, have some water," he advises while bringing his own water bottle to her lips. "you okay, babe?"

she shoves the bottle away only to choke out, "don't call me babe," in a horribly raspy voice.

waka snorts, "she's good."

"no, really, you okay?" there's laughter but so much concern.

"yeah, yeah, just got light-headed." she wordlessly switches the bottle he opened for her with her own sealed one. she makes sure to pay him back for at least this one thing when she's too late to repay what he's done through the years. "c'mon, boys, let's get a move on." and again, she's quiet when she presses her shoulder against shinichiro's.

he peers at her with wiggling brows at the sudden contact. "where we headed?"

"the beach, obviously."

"anything for you, my queen."

[name]'s shoulders bounce with laughter when he playfully bumps into her. she doesn't have the time to hesitate and slips her fingers into his clammy hand. she grasps him tightly to never let him go. shinichiro eyes her curiously, but all she needs to explain herself is a firm squeeze. he doesn't know the catastrophe he'll unintentionally cause with his parting.

they hop onto his bike as if it were routine—at some point, it became one. he revs his engine while she makes herself comfortable behind him. his dark eyes find her gaze from over his shoulder. "ready to race?"

"i hate you."

"oh, yeah?"

"don't do it."

one more ear-piercing rev and he speeds down the street, his two friends following behind. [name] scrambles to wrap her arms around his torso. his joyous cackles ring above the roaring of his engine. she feels him vibrate with glee under her touch, and although her heart wants to leap out of her mouth, she basks in the natural warmth of his body.

the blood runs through his veins and keeps him alive. he's alive. he's here and he's warm and he's alive. he's with her, he's right in front of her; she can see his face and hear his voice and she's holding onto him.

shinichiro glances behind his shoulder once more. she looks into his dark eyes and allows them to trap her soul completely. she really doesn't want anything without him in it. he grins at her with so much brightness. her memory shines down on all of him to ingrain it forever.

it's the afternoon of august 12th when [name] sprints on the sand.

she's darting away from shinichiro and the dead fish in his hand. her feet only allow so much speed as she runs along the shore, naked toes leaving footprints on the humid beach that he follows. he gets a little too close and it's the perfect opportunity to fling the fish at her.

it's disgustingly wet when it hits her shirt and bounces back towards shinichiro. a shrill stream of curses slips from her tongue, cringing at the stench of the makeshift weapon. [name] whips around instantly, just in time to watch as shinichiro steps accidentally on the fish and tumbles to the ground.

roaring cackles bloom between the two of them; shinichiro lies on the sand while clutching his stomach in joy, [name] runs out of air as the waves creep closer and lick at her feet. she kicks water at his face in revenge. he rises briefly to tackle her head-first into the sea.

"no!" she hollers between giggles and strands of black hair that are not hers, "shin! my shirt!"

"oh, my bad, let me do your shorts, too." and he effortlessly throws her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes before dropping her fully into the water.

he stands above her, chortling away at the disheveled state of her hair sticking to her face. when [name] props herself up on her elbows, spitting salt water from her mouth, she feels her head pound again. the sun drapes like a veil over shinichiro from the back as it encapsulates him in an ethereal glow. his face is shadowed, but she can still see the charming grin curling his lips.

then he blurs out of sight.

the more she stares at him, the more she fails to see him clearly. she hears his voice calling her name, and she can make out the shape of his hand in front of her. she wants to grasp his hand so tightly. before she understands what is happening, she's sinking into his arms and he's welcoming her despite being soaked.

concern twists his features. his lips brush against her ear when he whispers, "you good?"

instead of replying, [name] holds him even closer to her. her face buries in his chest as the world around her becomes upright once more. time is really running out. he doesn't know, but it's running out. she wishes she could tell him, but it's running out.

shinichiro hugs her back even if it's unusual. "d'you wanna head back, baby?"

a chuckle rumbles from the back of her throat. she playfully pinches his skin and makes him hiss. "don't call me that."

"no, but do you?"

"not really." because if they go, he'll leave her forever. because their last day together will come to an end. because there are billions of things left to say that he won't remember.

"let's go."

shinichiro pulls away from the unexpected embrace, offering her a gentle simper. he tugs at her wrist to get her moving. the sea loops around their ankles once more, almost begging them to stay a little longer so that time will kindly stop. she watches his back retreat as he strides towards his bike. it's a warm afternoon, but her heart and hands feel colder by the second.

she follows after him, albeit reluctantly. she doesn't want another second without him.

it's the night of august 12th when [name] is sitting inside s.s motors.

shinichiro has already closed the shop so they can relax into the last hours of the day. he's tinkering with manjiro's bike, knowing his birthday is a week away and time is running out. if only he knew. [name] adores the mere sight of him while he dutifully works. moonlight streams in through the window to shine down on his face and his frown of concentration.

he's so close yet so far, because in a few hours he'll be dead again. she's trying so hard to beg the moon and the sky and the passage of time to stop. but she's left with the clinking of metal and the characters for his name in every word. she's losing sight.

the bike oil staining his hands fades away, becomes colorless, trails down his wrists and disappears into puddles of her memory. [name] remains quiet, gazing at every little movement of his fingers. she wants to tell him things that would take her a lifetime, but she only has a few hours left of his presence.

she doesn't notice when he ceases working. he raises a brow at her intense eyes burning a hole through him. a hum pushes past his lips, "hey, [name]."

she startles. "yeah?" she blinks blankly at him.

"you sure you're okay?" he asks, brows furrowed, crawling closer to her. it's been a long day.

"yeah, why?"

shinichiro cradles her face in his palms, gently holding her cheeks. "your eyes are out of focus." it's been the only day in quite some time.

when [name] blinks again, she realizes the man in front of her is so far away, blurring out of sight. her head doesn't pound and there's no ringing in her ears, but she can't hear his voice pronouncing her name anymore. the touch of his skin on her own starts becoming colder by the second. their time is up.

"i'm just tired," she lies straight through her teeth, "i'm gonna head home." her fingers can't feel what she's holding when they circle around his wrists to pull him away. she stumbles onto her feet with a blinding fog covering her eyes. shinichiro is nothing more than a few blobs of color.

his sentences reach her through an infinite loop in broken pieces. "have a good night, love."

the smile tugging at her lips is automatic yet painful. "i'll see you tomorrow, shin." she waves her hand at a shape of white noise working on manjiro's bike. the summer air slaps against her cheeks in a breeze that promises rain.

the first few droplets fall by the time she's curled up in her bed. it's almost like the sky is bawling, telling her it's all over. the wind tears healthy leaves off their branches to flutter and die forever. the crashing waves echo in [name]'s chest, speaking of fond memories of shinichiro. she fades into sleep with the haze of time.

it's the morning of august 13th when [name] awakens.

—あごす (agosu) • 2021