#and as soon as she saw me (i have an eye patch on rn due to the great splinter situation while it heals)

[dragonaqe]

no bc ableism goes so crazy

[ssamie]

epilogue. “your girlfriend’s kinda hot”

kozume kenma x fem dazai!reader

(bsd x hq)

tw: mentions of suicide and suggestive themes + dirty jokes

masterlist.          suicide freak!

"hey uh, welcome to my stream i guess" he said as he spared the camera a quick glance "im not really playing tonight because an incident has recently occurred in this household" kenma said with a tired sigh 

nobody else knew it, but the said 'incident' was y/n accidentally setting half of their living room on fire 

the reason? apparently, she wanted to try burning herself to death in the furnace. obviously, it didn't work. and all that's left from that is more shit for kenma to clean up and a trip to yosano-san. 

kenma is stressed. and y/n is still alive. both of them are facing problems. 

"can you please wear a maid outfit- no."

kenma shook his head as he continued playing, glancing at the chat once in a while to read the veiwers' questions and comments

╭─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╮

user: how about cat ears?! 

user: ^^ cATBOY CATBOY CATBOY 

user: u suck at this game wtf

kuroo.tetsu: hey kenma ;) 

╰─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╯

"first of all, i do not suck at minecraft thank you very much" kenma scoffed 

"second of all, go away kuroo. im still mad at you" 

╭─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╮

user: LMFAOOO kuroo what did u do?? 💀💀

user: he probably broke kenma's pc 

user: PLSS he's the one kenma’s throwing shade at on twitter 

kuroo.tetsu: STOP THE SLANDER 😔✋🏼

user: rooster head lookin ass 

user: ^^ NOT THE HAIR 

kuroo.testsu: 😃😃

╰─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╯

kenma sighed as he continued building a cute little cottage. he was currently vibing, just building y/n a cute cottage for her to probably burn later on. 

and he decided it would be nice to go on stream since his oh-so-lovely girlfriend was still out for work. 

ah yes, kenma has somehow kept y/n alive all those years. 

barely. 

hence why his phone was being bombarded with messages from her, all of which being blurry selfies. 

the photos had her sporting a huge grin while atsushi panicked in the background. 

╭─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╮

user: ayo, ur phone's blowing up 

user: do you have a girlfriend? 

user: KODZUKEN LET ME SUCK UR TOES 😋😋🤩

user: ^ ayo chill 😃

╰─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╯

kenma simply ignored them and continued on with his task. all was going well until a loud slam was heard. his cat-like eyes widened as he heard a familiar voice singing from downstairs, it was undoubtedly y/n. 

kenma chuckled nervously and muted his mic. 

but of course, cute dumb catboy didn't actually mute his mic. haha <3

he ignored all the questions in the chat, all of them being  speculations that he has a girlfriend. which he does, but they simply did not need to know that <3

"kenma~" she yelled out "i have a surprise for you!!" she said, followed by menacing giggles. 

kenma glanced at the camera before hopping off his gaming chair and peeking his head out of the door. 

"y/n, im streaming!! stay down there!" he yelled out in panic 

"aw, you're playing hard to get aren't ya?" she chuckled 

kenma deadpanned as he saw her limping up the stairs, with her bandages torn and unravelled, same with her clothes. he didn't really think much of it since this is usually how she comes home. 

its most likely just due to work and/or another suicide attempt.

"so, kenma.. you'll never know what just happened to me today" she started off with a goofy grin 

"im streaming, atleast let me turn it off first-" 

she paid no mind to him as she peeled off her ruined coat and pointed to her poorly bandaged stomach

"i got stabbed!" 

"you got what?!"

kenma furrowed his brows as he immediately rushed over to his side, cradling her face and waist as he inspected her injuries

"are you okay, kitten?" he asked worriedly 

"yep, apparently it wasnt deep enough to be fatal" she sighed dejectedly 

"please don't be sad about that." kenma groaned "can you undress?" 

"ara ara~ whats this?" she cooed "you're getting real bold, kenma" she smirked at him 

she unbuttoned her shirt and started pulling down on her skirt "but since you asked so nicely-" 

kenma simply sighed and shook his head. "i was gonna prepare you a bath but now im considering leaving you here to die" 

"but the second option would've been better though" she smiled at him 

"oh my fucking god." 

kozume kenma. (22)

╰─▸ university student, stock trader, pro-gamer, youtuber, ceo of bouncing ball lpt. 

╰─▸ y/n's struggling boyfriend. definitely needs a pay after all he's been through.

╰─▸ currently panicking because his girlfriend got stabbed.

l/n y/n. (22)

╰─▸ operative/member of the armed detective agency. 

╰─▸ kenma's girlfriend. kinda dumb, very hot to compensate for it. still hasn't died yet. 

╰─▸ currently bleeding and wounded. also hoping for severe blood loss.

"kenma, did you know" she mused in a teasing tone "lack of sleep and too much stress could possibly lead to poor memory and lack of awareness" 

kenma looked up at her with a look of confusion. he was currently kneeled down before her while she was sat on the bed as he cleaned her wound up with a damp towel. 

"why are you telling me this?" he asked 

"i just thought it probably applied to you" she snickered 

"why? i didnt forget anything-" 

he cut himself off with a huge intake of air. he slowly turned his head to look at the screen which still had his stream going on. to make it worse, the camera was on and they were both clearly in the camera's field of view. 

to make things worse worse, his mic was on the whole time and the live chat was in shambles. 

"i hate it here" he sighed 

kenma laid his head on her lap as he continued on patching her up, honestly not caring that this whole scene was being recorded for thousands or millions of people to see. 

"well, atleast the internet could finally see my beauty before i die" she laughed 

she ran her fingers through kenma's hair as he grumbled under his breath. kenma was a pretty private person. he made sure not to overshare, given his current 'influencer' status. and he was planning on keeping his relationship a secret, though it seems he can't do that anymore. 

"might as well say hi" she shrugged 

so of course, she then decided to walk up to the camera looking utterly dishevelled and roughed up. 

for context, the newly wrapped bandages around her stomach was being stained already by a crimson red hue and it was only getting worse the more she moved, undoubtedly messing up her wound. 

"hi, im kenma's girlfriend and if i see you flirting with him i will make you regret it" she grinned 

"y/n!" kenma groaned from the bed "you're close to dying right now, turn the stream off" 

ignoring him, she proceeded to read the veiwers' comments, laughing at some of them while she joked around. 

╭─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╮

user: heLLO?!?! 

user: GE HAS A GIRLFRIEND NOOO

user: bruh, did i just hear that right? were you fuckin stabbed? 

user: ur kinda hot tho

╰─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╯

kenma furrowed his brows as he reluctantly walked up behind her, reading the comments with varying reactions 

╭─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╮

user: well damn, hot bloody girl comes in and suddenly im lesbian

user: kenma looks so done

kuroo.tetsu: hi y/n ;) 

user: HER NAME IS Y/N

╰─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╯

"jesus christ shut up, kuroo" kenma grumbled out with a sigh 

"yup! yup! im y/n, and no, i am not a criminal. i swear." she shook her head 

"i got an injury from my job, that's all." she cleared up 

╭─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╮

user: tangina nyo sana ol

user: MSKAKAKKA

user: THIS IS LOWKEY ICONIC

user: time to scratch another gamer boy off my possible bf list 😔

user: girl wtf happened to u

user: that's wack bro 🚶‍♀️

╰─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╯

"great question, random person from the internet!" she beamed "see, what happened was.." 

"i went on a certain mission and got severely injured. though, when i called for help nobody responded" she said 

kenma furrowed his brows at her words. "why didn't anybody respond?" he asked. she sighed and fiddled with her torn bandages, pouting her lips as she does so. 

"well, when i told them that i was finally on death's door, all they said to me was 'congratulations!' and all that.." she said "what's your take on that, hm?" she asked kenma 

"im not surprised" he said 

she grinned at his words and leaned in for a kiss. "you're so mean to me, kenma~" she whined 

she licked her lips as she held his blushing face in her hands, she nuzzled their noses as she leaned in closer to him. 

╭─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╮

kuroo.tetsu: oh shit 😳

user: we all know where this is heading ;) 

user: sana ol talaga punyemas 

user: AYO CHILL 

user: why we goin so fuckin fasstttt 😳

╰─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╯

kenma hastily turned the camera off as soon as y/n's lips touched his. 

"kitten, were still- hmph-" 

he was only silenced as she slipped her tongue in his mouth, smirking lightly as she ran her fingers through his hair 

"thanks babe." she said as she pulled away, giving him a soft peck on his cheek and a nod "anyways.." she hummed as she turned the camera on once again 

she looked through the chat while kenma slaps his face to get rid of his blush. 

╭─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╮

user: ur fuckin freaky 

kuroo.tetsu: oya oya 😼😼

user: MS MAAM I JUST MET U AND I LOVE U ALREADY WJABSJSJJS

user: not me blushing chiiilllleeeeee 🏃‍♀️

user: KENMA IS FLUSTERED

kuroo.tetsu: kenma, i didnt expect this from u 😼

user: im so fucking JEALOUS GRR😡

user: girl r u bleeding rn 😃

╰─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╯

upon reading a certain comment, she subconsciously grazed her fingers against her bandaged wound. her eyes slightly widening as she felt a concerning amount of wetness seeping through

she glanced at kenma who was still calming himself down and inspected her wound 

"oh my.." she muttered, though she couldn't help but let a smile slip through 

so like any normal person would do, she simply ignored her bleeding wound and the fact that she was getting a bit lightheaded. haha <3

"anyways, let's answer some questions!" she beamed 

╭─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╮

user: what's ur full name

user: what's ur job miss girl 

user: are you possibly looking for a gf, because i am more 

than willing to take the spot 🚶‍♀️

user: how did you meet?? 

╰─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╯

"alright, those are all very nice questions" she chuckled. kenma, who's now calmed down, sat down beside her to look at the chat. 

"first, im l/n y/n" she mused "nice to meet ya" 

"second im a detective! mhm, im cooler than your fathers" 

"third, it depends, belladonna" she cooed as she sent the camera flirty smirk "are you perhaps willing to join me in a double suicide?" 

"oh god.." kenma grumbled. he pouted at her and shook his head in disapproval. "don't flirt with random girls" he whined 

"why not?" 

"uh- because i am your beloved boyfriend, is that not good enough of a reason??" 

"... anyways, we met at a cafe way back in high school" she said with a smile "also, i asked him to join me on a double suicide" she said 

she was smiling and nodding as if it was the most normal thing in the world, all while kenma nods along 

╭─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╮

user: wtf are u okay 🗿

kuroo.tetsu: teenage romance 🤩

user: cute ❤️

user: im concerned ❤️

user: ur a detective?? cool

user: LMAOO I'LL GO ON A DOUBLE SEWER SLIDE 

WITH U MOMMY 😩😩😋

user: ^^ SAME 😩

user: CHOKE ME WITH THOSE BANDAGES MOMMAE 😩

user: u r still bleeding 🚶‍♀️        

╰─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╯

kenma was simply glaring at the chat as more compliments and flirtatious comments came flowing in, all of which were directed to his girlfriend. 

"this is why i didn't wanna let people know about you.." kenma grumbled 

"aww, why not?" she asked with a playful pout 

"people are flirting with you." he sighed "also, stop asking for my girlfriend's onlyfans! she doesn't even have one!" he snarled

╭─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╮

user: LMAOO CATBOY IS ANGRY 😩

user: y/n-senpai spit on me 😡😡

user: drop the onlyfans 

user: chupapi munyanyo 😩

╰─━━━━━━━━━━━━─╯

"anyways, i'd hate to ruin the mood" she chimed in with a sluggish giggle "but im so wet kenma" she whined out 

a menacing smirk was etched on her lips as kenma spluttered in response, a bright red hue covering his face almost instantly as he faced her with widened eyes 

"y-y/n! why would you say that?!" he whisper shouted 

"cuz i am" she whined out as she grabbed his hand and trailed it down her abdomen 

she faced the camera and gave them a shit-eating grin as kenma mumbled out incoherent words 

"y/n we should-" he cut himself off as he felt the concerning amount of blood drip down his whole arm 

kenma's face paled as he looked up to see her smiling like a kid in a candy store, completely unbothered. 

"y/n, you idiot! why didn't you tell me!" kenma exclaimed 

"um- my girlfriend is bleeding. excessively. so uh- bye i guess" it was all he said before hastily ending his stream and turning off his computer. 

"y/n, let's get you to a hospital" he said as he reached down to carry her away. though she simply slapped his hands off and closed her eyes. 

"nope. this is my time, kenma. don't ruin it for me" she said 

"you're fucking dying!!" 

"well, would you like to join me?" 

"no"

"damn." she muttered in response 

"so...wanna fuck?" she asked sheepishly 

"for the love of god-" 

this was so messy :/

[mass-effect-tales]

Shot in The Dark ch.1

Nihlus groaned as he regained consciousness. The first thing he noticed was he was in a hospital. The second was the back of his head was pounding.

"Oh, you're finally awake."

Nihlus noticed the human nurse walk into his room. She wore her hair in a braid draped over her shoulder and a visor that ran across her eyes like glasses.

"Now mister Kryik, you'll need to take it easy, you've been out for two days." 

Nihlus nodded, carefully sitting up with the help of the nurse. "Do you know what happened to me?"

The nurse, up close he could see her name tag said Skye W. RN. "You were brought in by Commander Shepard two days ago with a head injury. The bullet broke through your kinetic barrier and grazed the back of your head. Another shot broke through and embedded itself in your hide. We needed to put you under to remove the bullet."

Nihlus checked the back of his head with his hand and felt the patch over his wound.

"How long do you think I'll be in here?"

Skye checked her holopad. 

"Let's see... you'll need a few more days to recover and then you'll need to be tested to make sure nothing was seriously hit. After that you'll be able to return to your duties."

Nihlus thanked her as she stepped out of the room to update his file. As soon as she left he looked at the shadowed corner of his hospital room.

"My sense of smell isn't messed up. Come out Nero."

The drell turned his cloaking off as he stepped out of the shadows. His scales were a grey blue and he wore tactical gear only accessible to a spectre.

"Nihlus, it's good to see you're awake."

"Nero, Saren was the one who shot me. I don't know why but he's gone rouge."

"We know, Shepard has been given the status of spectre and is going to find him. I'll be joining her in your place."

Nihlus was surprised when he heard Shepard was now a spectre. He knew she'd be good for the position but didn't think the council would let her in so quickly.

"Wait a minute, you're going with her? She's my protege so I should be there. Besides, I'm not going to let Saren get away with shooting me from behind like a coward."

Nero smirked lightly, finding it amusing that Nihlus was trying to sound intimidating while wearing a teal hospital gown. Nihlus stumbled a bit when he climbed out of bed but quickly straightened up when he heard the door open.

"Mister Kryik I have some painkillers in case your head is hurting." Skye stopped short when she stepped in and saw Nero along with Nihlus out of bed.

"Nurse, I'm going to need to be released early."

Nero had to hold back a chuckle when Skye's face turned stern and she placed a hand on her hip. "With all due respect mister Kryik, unless you have a medical professional close by to observe you, I can't ask the doctor to release you early."

Skye watched as Nihlus and Nero looked at each other, had a silent conversation with facial expressions and then looked back at her.

"Alright, you can come with me to observe."

"Excuse me?!"

Nihlus opened his omni-tool and called the turian councilor to inform him that he'd be joining Shepard in her search for Saren. Skye tried to protest but was silenced with a hand on her shoulder. When did the drell get so close to her?

"I apologise for your sudden involvement but Nihlus is as stubborn as a krogan. If you do not want to join us could you recommend someone that can."

Skye sighed, pulling up her own omni-tool and messaged her brother. "No it's fine, just let me inform the doctor and get my brother to feed my cat while I'm gone."

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

After a few hours Skye was set up in the Normandy med bay with Chakwas while Nihlus and Nero looked over their plans to find Saren. Nihlus was amused to see Garrus, Tali and Wrex on the ship. He couldn't help but feel proud when he asked Shepard about them and she explained she didn't care they weren't human. He knew he liked this human for a reason.

Speaking of humans he made his way down to the med bay for his checkup with nurse Skye.

"Alright mister Kryik follow my pen without moving your head," Skye said as she held up her pen and slowly moved left and right. Nihlus' eyes followed the pen perfectly and she wrote it down on her holopad. She then checked his blood pressure and muscle reflexes which all gave positive results. 

"Nurse Walker, since you have him here, I need mister Kryik's blood sample added to the crew files. I'll call down mister Verge after you're finished."

Skye froze at the mention of her last name. She hoped Nihlus didn't understand it but she knew that wasn't the case when she heard him snort.

"Wait, your name is Skye Walker?"

"Mister Kryik if you want to live I suggest you drop it."

"Or what? Are you going to use the force on me?"

Chakwas decided not to turn around when she heard a crash and a string of expletives.

[ofstaffs]

steve steve was absolutely walking on air. the weather was amazing and he was enjoying it with the woman he loved. of course, it wasn't a totally perfect afternoon due to his endearing clumsiness. after his second time dropping the venue folder, they decided it was better if peggy carried it instead. other than that, it couldn't have been better. "i really like the meadow, if i'm being totally honest," he glanced at peggy as they walked under a cluster of trees in magnolia park. "but the park is fine too, of course."

steve: im screAMING

peggy: OM G CUITE

peggy: CUTIE

steve: the ghostbusters theme song came on while i was writing thiS

peggy: HAHAHAAHHA

peggy she didn't think it was possible for her to love him anymore. the bold and the brave captain america was stumbling over his own feet and dropping the folder each time he held onto it, papers flying everywhere, which required a ton of chasing. she hadn't laughed more in her whole life, and she was sure she had never been more infatuated with someone in her life. "i know, i do too. i just wanted to look around here to see if it was a backup choice," she explained, craning her neck to glance around.

peggy: lets just do them for a bit then ill bring rey in

steve: okie dokie

steve "you know, the first wedding i went to was out here." steve spoke, pointing at the patch of grass by the fountain. it wasn't exactly an enjoyable experience; they hardly knew the grooms and there was quite a bit of drama at the end of the night. he decided to leave out the fact that he brought a date to it. "you would have hated it. it ended in absolute chaos." he laughed quietly, knowing his future bride wasn't one to put up with people's shit.

peggy "oh, dear. maybe we shouldn't have it here, then. i don't want people to be reminded of bad memories when they come here," she said, biting her lip in concern. then she glanced up at him with a teasing smirk. "you know that if anyone tries to start /anything/ at our wedding that i'll deal with them myself." they couldn't exactly hire security; plus, they didn't need any. the groom was captain america, after all. "i don't think you'll let that happen, though," she winked.

peggy: omfg deans rper will not stop chatting me

peggy: like

steve: my ot4 tbh :,)))

peggy: actually

steve: im confused on how it all happened so fast

peggy: they kind of pushed it on kathryn and i

peggy: im convinced the mun is the same person

peggy: they're literally the SAME

steve: nO WAY

steve: mia's rper chats me a lot too so

peggy: yep

steve "i can only think of one person who'd be bothered." steve shrugged. that person was rey. she left early on in the ceremony and sprayed someone with beer when she returned. but at that point, he wasn't even sure if she'd show to his wedding. "i know you will." he grinned with a raised brow, tightening his grip on her hand lightly. him and peggy had already waited way too long for someone to ruin it. "hopefully everyone just keeps their issues to themselves."

steve: if somebody hijacks the steggy wedding i will take it ooc

steve: no shame

peggy: ya tru

steve: i feel like dia would tbh not trying to be rude

peggy "they better," peggy agreed with a firm nod, placing a hand on his cheek then slowly smiling again. "but i don't care if /everything/ goes wrong. as long as i get to be your wife at the end of the day. that's all i want. that's all i've ever wanted." she leaned up to kiss him softly, wrapping her arms around his neck.

peggy: BLESS

peggy: ok im gonna bring rey in]

rey joined the chat 2 hours ago

steve: yaaaasssssssss

rey getting some fresh air was nice, as her dispute with derek was still ongoing, and she felt like she had the opportunity to really clear her mind of everything. until she stumbled across a couple. as soon as she saw the red and blue clothes (did they plan that or did they always just coincidentally dress that way?), she knew exactly who it was. she clenched her jaw but let out a sigh and tried to walk past without her face being seen, tilting it away as much as possible.

steve: does steve stop her orrrrrrrrrrrrr

peggy: probs

peggy: i didnt know how else to bring her in lmao

steve "trust me, you'll be my wife no matter what. even if it means i have to become a minister and do it myself." he chuckled against her lips, gladly welcoming the kiss. naturally, he got too carried away, wrapping his arms around her waist and stumbling back slightly. he didn't even think about anyone else in the park until he felt his back brush against another person. "oh, geez. i'm sorry about that," the avenger apologized to this person behind him, before he quickly realized who it was. "rey?"

steve: i just did that instead whooops

peggy: nice

peggy peggy pulled away as soon as steve did, glancing at the person he had, literally, bumped into. uh oh. hopefully he wouldn't be recognized. she smiled apologetically and began to say sorry when steve said the girl's name. peggy's smile faded as she stared up at him, then chuckled softly. "is-is this a friend of yours?" she asked quietly, nervous about the expression on his face.

rey oh, great. clumsy steve, back at it again. she rolled her eyes and turned to him, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. she was sure she looked horrific, given she'd been bedridden for five days, but finally seeing peggy in person for the first time shocked her most of all. she really did look like her. at peggy's question, she just glared up at steve again before firmly replying, "nope."

rey: ouch

steve: damn steve, back at it again

peggy: i kept saying that in my head while writing jrc

peggy: jfc

steve "uh..." he stammered, glancing between rey and peggy. oh god, they looked so much alike he was getting confused. he genuinely did not know what to say. rey and him had a large falling out, sure, but they were so close. they were still friends in his eyes, best friends even. his eyes narrowed at her once she spoke. "no. she's tony's friend."

steve: yiggity yikes

peggy peggy's shoulders straightened at steve's words, and she stood protectively at his side, hand on his arm. "tony stark is no friend to us. it is obvious that steve doesn't want you around, so i recommend that you keep walking before i have to take action."

steve: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT

rey rey couldn't tear her eyes away from steve. her expression was a mixture of heartbreak, anger, jealousy, and distress. she missed him, but seeing him with peggy angered her beyond belief. she clenched her fists at her sides as peggy spoke to her, then raised her eyebrows. "believe me, i think that's the best idea, seeing the last time i spoke to your fiancé, he threw a coffee table across the room."

rey: riP

rey: sry im replying so fast im like trying to do this fuc kn g study guide

rey: WHY DID I PORCRASITINA

rey: ETE

steve: UR DUMB

steve: WHAT CLASS IS IT FOR

peggy: US HISTORY

peggy: FML

steve: WRITE STEVE ROGERS FOR EVERY ANSWER

peggy: O K

peggy: ITS OPTIONAL TOO

peggy: BUT ITS 20 PTS EXTRA CREDIT

peggy: KMS

steve steve was stupid to think this day wasn't going to get ruined. he expected the cops would have something to do with it, not rey. not his /best friend/. he glanced at peggy once she spoke, but rey was already retorting before he could catch up. "that's enough." the expression on his face was enough to kill. no more clumsy, adorable steve. rey awakened the beast that was captain america. "so where's derek this lovely afternoon?"

peggy peggy's head snapped up to glare at steve slightly. "so /that's/ what happened? you threw a coffee table because you were angry?" she asked in disbelief. but the expression on his face was not allowing for any chastisement at that moment, so she turned back to rey, watching her carefully. obviously she had done something to make steve, sweet, kind-hearted steve, angry and she didn't like it one bit.

steve: http://66.media.tumblr.com/902d809ec25de... LOOK AT THIS

rey "he's at home. i wanted to go on a walk, so here i am." she'd only mumbled a few words to derek before leaving, but she didn't tell him that. she was too afraid he'd poke fun at her for having a failing relationship. two at the same time. just in very different ways. "oh, but i see you two are planning your wedding. you know, that's funny. the last time steve was at a wedding, he brought along a date. but i'm sure he's told you that."

peggy: DED

peggy: REY ST OP

steve "yes. but you should let rey tell you what she said to make me so angry." he spoke through gritted teeth. he could almost hear rey's angry outburst about peggy and bucky leaving him. his hand flew up to his nose, pinching the bridge of it as she continued to spill like an immature child. "i brought natasha romanoff, my colleague. interesting that you bring up the wedding, rey. recall your little beer incident?" two could play that game.

steve: steve rn: (ง'̀-'́)ง(ง'̀-'́)ง(ง'̀-'​́)ง(ง'̀-'́)ง(ง'̀-'́)ง(ง'​̀-'́)ง

peggy "yes, i /would/ like to know that," peggy snapped to rey, crossing her arms firmly across her chest. anyone who upset steve had to deal with her. "i understand. you didn't want to be alone at the wedding. i get it," she assured him then turned back to rey, furrowing her eyebrows as steve brought up one of /her/ issues.

peggy: omg steve should do like a rly low blow

peggy: and then rey will just strt cr ying

peggy: bc i need them to make up

steve: how low u talkin

peggy: as low as u want

steve: idk how low i can go

steve: damn is this limbo

peggy: truth

peggy: idk like her being abandoned by her family or smth

peggy: or her problems with derek

peggy: or her family issues

peggy: rey has a lot of things to use against her ok

steve: i'll talk about her trying to get derek to propose cause i got an anon bout it

peggy: make it bad tho

peggy: or else rey will just be angrier

rey rey's eyes widened slightly as her expression darkened. now /he/ was digging. this was bad, and was surely not going to end well. she wished she had derek here to back her up. if he even would at this point. "well YOU'RE the one who had feelings for me while you said you were in love with /her/!" she exclaimed, motioning carelessly to peggy.

steve "why don't you tell her." steve looked down at his friend demeaningly, unable to bring himself to repeat her words. "at least i don't have to beg the love of my life to get marry me. i know who i love, rey, and you're sure as hell not one of those people when you act like this." the captain spat, grabbing his fiance's hand. "let's go, peg."

peggy: shIT

steve: shawty got low low low low low low

peggy "is that true?" peggy tried to ask steve after rey explained how he had feelings for her. if so... that was shocking. extremely. but at steve's words, she froze. ouch. that was a harsh one. but it was necessary. so peggy swallowed thickly and held on tightly to steve's hand before turning and beginning to walk away with him.

rey no... he couldn't have just said that. had he? he /had/. he didn't love her. once upon a time they were inseparable, spending every day together. first he had used derek against her, and then he outright said he didn't love her. not even as a friend. her hands clasped over her mouth in shock as her eyes fell shut, not even acknowledging them anymore. silently, she began to sob as she slowly crumpled to her knees on the ground, slightly ripping the comfortable pajama pants she had on, decorated with stars. she hated this. she wanted her best friend back.

steve "it was." he admitted swiftly, avoiding her glance. it was before he knew peggy was alive. it was a mistake, all of it was. she had a boyfriend anyway. right as he's ready to turn on his heel, rey falls to the ground in front of them. at first he thinks she's hurt, so he accesses her body quickly until he realizes she's just crying. oh no. was it really that harsh? his jaw clenched as her scene attracted attention from civilians in the park. "rey... just get up, okay?"

peggy "steve," peggy gasped as soon as she saw rey fall to the ground. they were friends at one point; and she knew steve wouldn't want to see his friends hurt. even though it was obvious she was just crying, she knew steve would still want to help. maybe. so she stayed back but watched carefully as he approached her again, hoping things wouldn't get worse from here.

rey rey simply ignored them both, covering her face with her hands and tucking her knees to her chest as she continued to cry. after all they had gone through together... that was what he now thought of her? simply because she was jealous? sure she had said some things that went over the edge, but he knew she hadn't meant them. but his words... he meant each and every one. and she didn't care that he was now seeing her break down right in front of his eyes. she couldn't hide her sorrow anymore. she cried even harder as she leaned forward slightly, threading her fingers into her hair.

steve steve pursed his lips, sending peggy one last apologetic glance before crouching down next to rey. he wish he could comfort her like he used to, but it felt too unfamiliar to him at the moment. "c'mon, rey. get up." he curled his hands around her forearms, making sure to be gently while he pulled her to stand. he meant the words in the heat of the moment, but now he was beginning to regret them. "i didn't mean it, alright?"

peggy peggy nodded her head swiftly as her eyes saddened. she knew he had to take care of this. he needed as many friends as he could get here in magnolia, seeing as they had enough enemies. and she didn't want one friendship to be ruined because of some simple jealousy. she kept some distance, but watched closely with a sympathetic expression as he tried to apologize.

rey "no... no..." rey cried as he, literally, tugged her up to her feet. it took a few moments for her to get a stable stance on the ground, but when she finally did, she began wiping at her eyes as her sobs became almost completely silent. "y-you did- you-..." she tried to say, but only wept harder, wiping at her eyes yet again and trying to move out of his grip. she was beyond humiliated and ashamed now and just wanted to go back inside where no one could see her.

peggy: wtf im tearing up

peggy: this is rly sad but its also bc of this study guide LMAO

peggy: but mostly bc of this bc aw

peggy: i miss my bbs

steve: omg dont crrrrrrrrrrrry

steve: im sobbing this sad ass song just came on my shuffle i feel it

peggy: right omfg

steve: speaking of shuffle wdyt about the plot shuffle

peggy: what about it

peggy: did they post it

steve: no they just talk about it when they get clique qs

peggy: oh lmao tru

steve: ive never done one b4

peggy: idk ugh

peggy: bc i dont want rey or peggy to be stuck with chars they've never interacted with

peggy: fml

steve: same dude

steve: can u imagine if peggy and negan had to be 2gether

peggy: riP

peggy: steve would be freaking tf out the whole time

steve: steve would literally bust through every door in magnolia to get to peggy

peggy: i love him what a nerd

steve the expression on rey's face caused an ache to spread through his chest. "i didn't, i-i swear." he murmured softly, struggling to hold back the lump in his throat. he couldn't believe he let his anger get the best of him and cause this. the last time he saw rey this upset, it had something to do with snoke. she was right, he lost everyone he loved. he always did. he looked back at peggy with forlorn eyes, almost as if he was making sure she was still there.

steve: im cryin

steve: ldr just came on im gonna fight

peggy: whats ldr

steve: lana del rey

peggy "it's okay," peggy mouthed to him when he turned to look at her, making a silent promise that she wasn't leaving anytime soon, unless he asked for privacy with rey. she understood that she wouldn't understand their friendship, and she didn't try to. it was for them, and none of her business. unless steve was being hurt.

peggy: nice

rey "you /did/, you did," rey sobbed, beating her fist weakly against his chest two times then just crying again. maybe if she wasn't so weak from the concussion, bruised ribs, and all the medication she was on, then she would've run away by now. or maybe she just didn't really want to run away. she wanted to stay, to bring back what they once had. "l-leave me alone," she pleaded anyway, attempting to tug her arms out of his grip, to no avail.

steve he let her hit him once again, her fists rekindling memories from their last fight. "stop, s-stop!" he curled his hands around hers, pushing them away from him. "stop this! stop trying to fight me, rey. i don't wanna fight anymore!" who would have thought, steve rogers, the kid who would fight anything or anyone, begging to avoid a quarrel.

steve: im screAMI

peggy: riP

peggy "steve," peggy gasped when he raised his voice, immediately stepping to his side and placing a hand on his shoulder. but she didn't stop him from speaking to her. he wanted this solved, and she didn't blame him. so she let it continue, and would only step in if things got really bad.

rey "then why would you /say/ that to me?" rey sobbed in distress, trying desperately to tug her hands out of his, though, obviously, that was impossible. he surely wasn't even using half his strength and she was using everything she had in her weak body. "y-you don't want to be my friend, you-you don't love me anymore..."

peggy: im em o

peggy: r u here

steve: IM HERE

peggy: YEET

steve "i'm sorry," steve looked down, letting his head hang low. he was apologizing to both of them at this point for losing his temper and control. "yes i do, rey! i never said that," his eyes were wide in confusion, "do you even want to be my friend? every time we're near each other we fight!"

peggy "it's okay, steve. m-maybe we should take this somewhere more private, though," peggy whispered, noting how people were beginning to stare at the three of them. if steve was recognized... the location of the wedding would be the smallest issue.

rey "of COURSE i do! i-... i miss you..." rey admitted, her voice thinning out to hardly nothing as she said it, finally peeking her eyes up to look up into his own. then she sobbed again as she shook her head. "but-but not after you said that. n-no... y-you meant every word... e-every word..."

peggy: midnight rip

peggy: and still working on this piece of shit.

steve: jesus h christ

steve steve nodded, instantly cooling down when he heard her voice. peggy was his happy place. any place, any situation; if peggy was there, he could do anything. "no i didn't, rey." his brow furrowed and his face fell once again. "let's go home, okay? come with us."

peggy peggy held onto steve's arm gently, though he was still holding a fragile rey up. she wondered to herself why she looked so sickly, but kept her thoughts to herself as she led them both inside, and up to their apartment. "i'll get some waters," she offered and stole a kiss when rey wasn't looking before moving into the kitchen to do so.

rey rey didn't want to go to their house, to where the two of them spent their time together. but the stress was overwhelming and she needed to sit down, but she didn't want to go to her home just yet. she still wanted desperately to fix things with steve. she let him practically pull her up the stairs and past the door, feeling too weak to do so at that point.

steve "okay." steve whispered quietly against her lips. he lead rey's weak frame to the couch, passing over the spot where the coffee table used to be. "-uh, are you alright?" he questioned, refusing to let go of the grip on her arm.

peggy "you don't seem too well," peggy agreed, bringing over a glass of water for each of them and setting it on the little makeshift table they had in place of the coffee table. she knelt before them and looked worriedly up at steve, silently asking him what was going on.

rey "yes," rey exhaled as he sat them down on the couch, closing her eyes and bringing her hands to her head. "i... d-derek and i were pushed down a flight of stairs... i hit my head and got knocked out. and bruised a couple of ribs... w-we went to the hospital and now i'm on five different kinds of medication..."

steve steve shook his head at peggy's questioning look. he had no idea what was going on. whatever it was, it was more than just her being upset. she looked horribly fatigued. "what?!" he exclaimed loudly. the floorboards in the house might as well vibrated at his staccato.

peggy: omg steeb my bb

steve: he cares so much about his girls

steve: peggy, rey, nat, wanda

peggy peggy's hands came up to her mouth at rey's admission, looking over at steve in shock. oh, no. she knew her steve; and she knew the guilt would hit him /hard/ after this. "i-i'll get some ice," she whispered immediately and jumped up, jogging to the kitchen to get some ice to cool rey down.

rey for some reason, she assumed steve had known about her injuries. but how could he possibly? they hadn't spoken in weeks. "i-i'm sorry, i thought you knew..." she admitted honestly, nodding in appreciation as peggy went to get her ice. then she moved her hair out of the way so steve could see the stitched up gash near her temple, with sweat-soaked bandages covering it.

rey: im emo

steve way to go, steve. he felt absolutely terrible for everything at this point. all previous guilt he had was superimposed at her admission. "o-oh, god, rey. i'm so sorry." his gaze fell to his hands, which he quickly retracted from her forearms and placed in his lap. once peggy returned with the ice, he gave peggy his best attempt at a smile.

peggy peggy knelt in front of them yet again as she finished wrapping the bag of ice in a paper towel, giving a small, hesitant smile back to steve. "back of your neck, darling," she said to rey, handing it over carefully. any friend of steve's was a friend of hers. she was choosing to look past their differences, as they obviously wanted to as well.

rey rey shook her head. "i-it's okay, i should've told you..." she whispered, feeling bad that she'd, accidentally, of course, kept him in the dark about it all. it was why she couldn't stand up when he told her to, why she couldn't leave when all she wanted to do was run away. but maybe it helped them reconcile in the end. "thank you..." she whispered to peggy and placed the pack on the back of her neck, leaning back against the couch pillow with a slow exhale.

peggy: LAST PAGE

peggy: ITS SO LIT

steve steve instantly sat up from his spot once peggy administered the ice. she didn't need to be on the floor anyways. "i don't blame you." after the whole coffee table mess, who would want to speak to him? he acted like a complete and utter fool in their apartment and in the park. "i'm sorry."

steve: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

peggy "no, no, no," peggy mouthed reassuringly, shaking her head and helping him to sit again. "you sit, i'm okay." obviously rey wanted, or needed, his support right now, and she was sure he needed hers as well. they had just come back together, after all.

rey rey opened her eyes and looked sorrowfully over at steve, shaking her head gently. "don't apologize, it's my fault too... i-i didn't mean anything i said either, i just wanted your attention again..." she admitted. speaking of... she looked down at peggy sadly. "i-i'm sorry i was so jealous... it led me to do things that i wouldn't usually do. bad things, and it wrecked my relationship with the best friend i've ever had. so i'm sorry..."

steve steve responded to peggy's refusal with a tight lipped nod. "you didn't wreck anything." he murmured with sad eyes. "i shouldn't have got angry when you told me what you did. i acted the same way when you were with derek."

peggy: omg wtf when did u get here

peggy peggy smiled kindly and nodded to rey, gently patting her knee. "it's alright... everything's all better now," she reassured her with a light, soothing tone. obviously she and steve were very close, and it made her sad to think that they'd spent so much time apart because of peggy herself.

rey right... derek. that was a whole other ordeal that she still had to sort through. her eyes closed slowly as she let out a heavy sigh, readjusting the ice pack on the back of her neck. "i don't know what's going on with us now..." she admitted quietly, peeking up at steve again. "i want to be married to him... /so/ badly, but... but he's still not ready yet. and it's been /two months/... we've known each other for three of them... he doesn't understand that i haven't had a real connection with anyone for fifteen years... i don't want to waste anymore time in my life..."

[tara-l-blackmore]

Why I haven’t talked about my surgery

Recently, I was called out on my rather acerbic, furious response on this post, and I’d like to respond in public about it, with even further reasons as to why I still feel the way I do.

Buckle up.

So over a month ago now I had my gallbladder removed as a day surgery. I was told it would be quick, recovery would be swift, and I should be back and recovered in less than a month. So I signed on, and went in.

I waited a longer time than I expected for a surgery that was scheduled, and I was given insufficient pain medication to cope with the wait. I was not allowed to take any pain medicine of my own, due to the anesthesia, so I mentioned to one of the nurses that I was still in a great deal of pain.

“Just wait for your surgery and it will be fine,” I was told.

Now, I wouldn’t of mentioned this if I wasn’t in a significant amount of pain, so this was, needless to say, an agonising wait. I yearned to be knocked out, that’s how bad it was.

Now, once I was prepped and ready to go, I was treated really well. My nervousness was greeted with confidence and reassurance, and before I knew it, I was out.

That was the last reprieve I got for the rest of the day.

When I woke up, I was in AGONY. It made the pre-op pain look like a paper-cut. No nurse was around, so I had to lie there, cold and in pain and scared, waiting for almost a half-hour for someone to come to me.

When someone finally did, I got a POW.

Now, listen. My mother is an RN, and has been for all of my life. I know how stressful the job can be, how painful and frustrating it is. But she also knows that YOU DON’T TAKE IT OUT ON THE PATIENT.

This POW didn’t get that training, apparently.

When I told her I was in a great deal of pain, she said, “Yeah, probably, but you gotta wait, so calm down.” I was still pretty bleh from the anesthesia, so suggesting I wasn’t calm was confusing. So I asked for some water, instead.

“Yeah, whatever, hold on.” The POW vanished, and left me alone for another half-hour. Luckily, another RN took pity on me and got me some water. I told her that I was in a great deal of pain, and she said she would look into it (nothing came of that).

I distracted myself with the water for a while until it was gone, but it wasn’t enough. I coughed and coughed like they told me to but the pain wouldn’t go away.

The POW finally came back, but to take my vitals. Okay, fine. Except she grabbed my arm, pulled me to her, and then strapped the bloodpressure cuff and heart monitor on. It fucking HURT, and I started to cry. She noticed and rolled her eyes, and said it would only take a second, so “just calm down already.”

“I’m sorry,” I answered, “Everything hurts and I’m scared.”

“We’re already looking into that.”

“Okay. Can I see my husband, please?”

“No.” No reasons. No explanation. Just denial.

Now, I know this is bullshit, because when I had my appendectomy, the second I asked for my mom, they went and got her. So I know she was just being a lazy bitch by this point. But I said nothing, because my health was literally in this POW’s hands.

“Okay,” I muttered. “What do I do about the pain?”

“Like I said, we’ll get to that. You have to wait. We need to move beds and make room. We have a lot of people to help.” She ripped the cuff off and vanished again.

I was crying in earnest, now, wishing for both my husband and perhaps death. I was so low, so despondent, that I just wanted to go home or die. I felt like I was dying, already, anyway.

Another fifteen minutes pass and she came back with pain medicine. It was one that was too low to work, and I asked her about it, but she didn’t answer me. Instead she said, “Let it drip and I’ll come back in twenty minutes.”

I let it drip. Nothing changed.

She came back forty-five minutes later, and I told her. She rolled her eyes and left again, then came back with another useless medicine pouch. She hooked it up again and left before I could say a word.

Now I was sobbing. I honestly just wanted my husband, now.

FINALLY, someone else came: an actual fucking real nurse. She saw my tears, comforted me with soft words, and went to the doctor right away when I told her my woes. Immediately, she came back with the right medication, and when it started working I was so happy I cried again and thanked her til I choked.

Once stable, the real nurse took me to a room and FINALLY I could see my FUCKING HUSBAND. I hugged him and cried (and accidentally opened one of my sutures, but the nice nurse patched me up).

It was possibly the very worst hospital experience - save the end - that I’ve ever had to deal with.

And the problem is, for me, that’s common. As someone with chronic pain, I’m treated as a disease, a mysterious pest that has invisible pain and only wants drugs. I’m never taken seriously. I’m never treated as a human. I’m treated as a problem.

I had to go back to the ER twice following the surgery, as I got bogged down badly with complications. And here’s where the second experience comes in.

I was helped for a little bit, but when the (wrong) medication they gave me (surprise) didn’t work, they just... abandoned me for hours. For almost four hours, they abandoned me. My bags dripped dry, I was sobbing and - at one point, I’m ashamed to say - screamed. They then realised they had forgotten me, and maybe to make up for it, sent me to quiet care and gave me my own room, while the proper medicine finally given worked and I could finally (after almost three days without it) sleep. They apologised, of course, but they still did it. And we all know why.

They also didn’t tell me my lung had partially collapsed. Nor did they give me any advice on how to reverse it.

I also caught a horrible cold from that visit.

The second time was almost as bad. I was constantly given the wrong medicine, and when I told them it wouldn’t work, I was told I was wrong and that it would. Surprise, fuckheads, it didn’t.

Only when the shift changed over and a new doctor saw me did I get the help I needed. I cried when I couldn’t feel pain, I was so happy.

While I was stabilising, the doctor came to see me and quietly told me that my pain was unusual and he would prescribe me stronger, proper medicine. I cried and thanked him, too.

It ended well, yes, but it wasn’t worth the price.

Since then, however, I’ve been suffering. I can’t eat or sleep well, I vomit bile a lot, and the less said about my toilet habits, the better.

What is the point of all of this?

It’s my follow-up to that post, added evidence that I, and people in the same situation as I, get treated like shit because of our conditions. We are treated as leeches and venom, to be tossed back outside as soon as possible. We’re given the worst staff, the worst care, and the worst experience.

And no one cares. And no one changes anything.

And yet this makes me an overblown windbag that doesn’t understand hospitals.

Well, this is my proof. I’m sorry you had to read it, but it’s the truth. You can’t understand things like this unless you’re willing to learn. I hope you learnt something.

[hey-i-wrote-a-story]

Chapter 24 A Safe Harbor

           Melissa McCall was accustomed to long days. So much so that it was a treat, if not a blessing, when they day actually ended after she clocked out at the hospital. Trained as an RN, Melissa often found herself at ground zero, or at the very least the frenzied triage, when supernatural disaster visited the town. Impossible ailments, hallways littered with the casually slain, spontaneous on-site smack-downs between monsters and demons, Melissa had seen it all. Given the incredible turnaround at the Beacon Hills Hospital due to death and dismemberment, it was remarkable how well they were able to keep the place staffed. Luckily, they had a phenomenal employee health plan.

           Today was a rare gift. The only thing that happened in the hospital were ordinary hospital things. Cuts, bruises, a stroke, one traffic accident, two births, an initial treatment for maturity onset diabetes, and a burst appendix. That was it. The newbies did a lot of frantic running around, but Melissa sailed through it all with quiet aplomb. Compared to giant werewolves blended from smaller werewolves, demon-possessed teenagers, and sword-wielding ghouls that could disappear in a puff of smoke, today was cake.

           Melissa was a beautiful woman with dark hair that flowed past her shoulders in natural waves. Her appearance was that of someone much younger than her 40-odd years. It would make sense that having a werewolf for a son, that son hanging around a variety of supernatural friends, the result of which often bringing her under random onslaught from those out to get him would take its toll. Strangely enough, Melissa was almost invigorated by frequently finding herself in the eye of the hurricane. That most likely had something to do with being so proud of her son. The mawkish boy with difficulty breathing whom she adored had grown into a noble and courageous young man whom she cherished. Apparently, love had a way of holding back the wrinkles.

           That made a humdrum day no less sweet, and coming home to a quiet house felt like something of a reward for making it through the day without otherworldly upset. The lights were on, which told her that Scott was already home. He most likely had his ubiquitous best friend Stiles in tow. Melissa thought that this might be a good night to shoo away the charming if oft irritating Stiles and have a nice Mother/Son night in. Perhaps a pizza, or Chinese, and a movie rental. Nothing of the horror genre. Screwball comedy, maybe. Melissa opened the door to find her son Scott standing there and as expected, his friend Stiles nearby. Unexpectedly, there were three other kids whom Melissa had never seen before. Judging from Scott’s expression, and most certainly those of the three kids’, Melissa’s quiet night had just imploded.

           “Mom, we could use some help”, Scott said.

           Melissa sighed. Not even a hello. She let her purse drop onto a nearby counter and braced herself. “Fill me in.”

             In short order, Melissa had been brought up to speed, told the whole story (the abridged version) and was now in her official Mom hostess mode. “So that thing, whatever it was you don’t even know, could come back at any time? Crash through the roof, maybe?”

           “It’s a distinct possibility”, Stiles said.

           “Scott, honey”, Melissa said, “go over to the spice cupboard and get the usual. We do the whole warding thing and get these kids settled. Did anyone bother treating them for shock? For any trauma at all?”

           Scott realized they had been remiss in that department. “Oh. No. Should we have done that?”

           Melissa shooed her son over to the kitchen and set to work getting the kids settled in. Scott opened up the spice cupboard, ignoring the lemon pepper, seasoning salt, and minced garlic, and retrieved the bottles of mountain ash and the canister of salt. There had been enough incidents at the house that they were always prepared as best they could be. Scott was practiced enough to set up a ward around the house in under 20 minutes.

           “Got it”, Scott said, holding up the warding ingredients.

           Kaitlyn stood by Melissa, the girl’s arms already full of bundles of sheets and blankets. “Kate”, Melissa started, then said, “Is it Kate or Kaitlyn? Which do you prefer?”

           “Kaitlyn’s good.”

           “Kaitlyn, go up those stairs and take the second door on your left. You can sleep in Isaac’s—in the guest room. I’ll be up to check on you in a minute.” Kaitlyn just stared for a moment. She was so unaccustomed to being treated this way. As a guest, and a welcome one at that. Mrs. McCall was acting toward them as if they were cousins who’d shown up unexpectedly. Kindness had become a very foreign thing to Kaitlyn and her friends. She was a bit thrown by it. “Was there something else?”, Melissa asked, breaking Kaitlyn from her daze.

           “No, no. Just…thank-you.”

           “You’ve very welcome. Off you go.”

           Scott stepped closer. “I’m sorry to drop all this on you, mom. Lydia said she had more room at her place, but I thought it’d be better if I was around. I couldn’t leave them in Derek’s loft because then we couldn’t keep an eye on them, so I—“

           Melissa rested a gentle hand on her son’s cheek. “It’s alright, honey. You did good.” She surveyed the room, thought about the upstairs accommodations. There was her room, Scott’s bedroom, the guest room, and the bathroom. “We’re going to be a bit crowded down here”, she thought, looking to Aadesh and Freddie. “Someone may have to sleep on the floor. Unless we still have that air mattress—“

           “Freddie can stay with me”, Stiles said. Scott looked over at his best friend, who’d been sitting on the arm of the couch where the shaken redhead sat slumped. Stiles had been resting one hand upon the boy’s shoulder in a show of support.

           Freddie looked up at his hero. “Really?”

           Scott asked, “Are you sure? Will you be okay?”

           “We have the town sheriff right there with us and Malia’s probably gonna crash there. We’ll be fine.” He patted Freddie on the shoulder and stood up. “We also should be going. Let’s get you home before you drop over from exhaustion.” Stiles looked to Melissa and pointed at Freddie as he got to his feet. He okay to go? Melissa nodded.

           “What he needs now is rest. You all do.”

           Aadesh stood up as well. “Can I go with you?”

           That got Melissa’s attention. “You’re staying here, aren’t you?”

           “Yes. Yes, that was the plan, but I’d like to…just say goodnight. Or, goodbye. You know, in case anything happens…” he found himself at a loss for the words he did not want to say, but Melissa knew what he meant.

           “Scott, you can lock up as soon as you get back.”

           Stiles escorted Freddie to the door, but Aadesh went up to Melissa before joining them. “Mrs. McCall, I just want to say how much I appreciate you letting us stay here…and-and what an honor it is to finally meet you.” He reached out and shook her hand warmly. “Seriously, you’re…you’re just really awesome, is all.”

           “I’m glad to have you”, she said back. “And you can call me Melissa.”

           Aadesh’s eyes widened. “Whoa…can I?”

           Scott guided the boy to one side, offering his mother a lopsided grin. Neither of them were prepared for this kind of hero worship. “If you want, I can stay behind and Stiles can take both of them, then run Aadesh back. Then you and Kaitlyn wouldn’t have to be alone.”

           “I’ll be fine”, Melissa said. “Trust me. This isn’t the first time I’ve housed a wayward youth. It’s a bonus that none of them have powers this time out.”

           Scott opened his mouth to say something about Kaitlyn, but then decided better of it. He could fill her in on that part later.

           “Go on. It’ll be fun to be treated like a celebrity in my own home.”

           Scott leaned in and gave his mom a quick peck on the cheek. “Love you, mom.”

           “Love you too, kiddo. Now scoot.”

              At the Stilinski home, Stiles brought out bedding from the linen closet to set Freddie up on the downstairs couch. Freddie watched intently as Stiles piled up the sheets and blankets.

           “I’m sleeping down here?”, Freddie asked, sounding disappointed.

           “Yeah. Don’t worry, it looks lumpy but it’s actually pretty comfortable.”

           “I thought I’d be bunking with you. I mean, in your room.”

           Stiles looked at him for a moment, and then said, “No” drawn out in a way that made the word sound like it had three syllables.

           Scott entered with a small duffel bag slung over his shoulder and Aadesh not far behind. Stiles saw Scott’s tagalong and raised an eyebrow. “Who. It’s just Freddie who’s staying here, right? I thought Aadesh was with you.”

           The Indian lad nodded. “I came just to ride with Scott.” Then, quickly added, “And I didn’t feel like hanging around the house while the two ladies got ready for bed and stuff.”

           Scott handed the duffel to Freddie. “Is this the one you asked for?”

           Freddie took it gratefully. “Yeah, that’s my stuff. Thanks for bringing it in.”

           As Freddie rooted around his worn and well-patched duffel bag in search of something that could be used for pajamas, the other three boys stood there, feeling ill at ease. Aadesh was clearly still reeling from the events on the highway and radiated waves of tension and anxiety. Freddie’s uncharacteristic lack of chatter wasn’t helping matters, either. Not sure what to do, Scott attempted to break the silence.

“So you guys”, Scott said, indicating them both wave of his finger, “met in a halfway house?”

           “Yeah”, Aadesh said with a certain trace of venom in his voice. His expression darkened. When he spoke again, it was with the tone of someone who had been routinely looked down upon, seen as a thug, and one who had just lost one of his dearest friends. “Is that a problem? Is there somewhere more suitable we should have met?”

           “No, no”, Scott said quickly, not wanting to put either of them back on the defensive. “I’m not judging. I’d never think--I was only trying to verify the, um, the circumstances—“

           Freddie came to his rescue by interrupting. “Where did you two meet?”

           Scott and Stiles answered in unison. “Sandbox.”

           That one word, so unexpected and absurd, diffused the situation and dispelled the tension. Everyone exhaled almost in unison from relief, but no one could bring himself to laugh. “I’m sorry, man”, Aadesh said.

           “It’s nothing”, Scott shrugged. “You’ve had a hell of a day. I wish I could say I have no idea what you’re going through, but I do.”

           Aadesh looked back at his hero with gratitude for that. “It’s just…I’m used to people seeing me as less than…well, as less. And I couldn’t handle it if you…because you’re someone I look up to, that—“

           “Let’s get back to the house”, Scott suggested. “We both need to sleep.”

           Aadesh nodded and allowed himself to be led outside. Scott looked back at Stiles who returned his gaze and the silent message that went with it. Some night, huh?

           Freddie yanked a beat-up pillow from his duffel. “There it is. I can’t sleep without this.” Freddie lay back on the couch and stuck the barely contained cluster of fabric and polyfill behind his head. “Gotta have my own pillow.”

           Stiles offered a weak smile. “Same with me.” With nothing more to say or do, Stiles made his way toward the stairs and his bedroom.

           “Stiles?”

           Stiles stopped but did not turn around. “Yeah?”

           “I’m really sorry about what I said at the clinic. I didn’t mean any of it. I was just all wrought up and—“

           “I’m sorry I almost punched you in the face”, Stiles countered.

           After a moment’s pause, Freddie asked, “We good?”

           “Yeah”, he answered. “We’re good.”

           Stiles went up to bed, knowing that with everything involved in this whole grim situation, there wasn’t any part of it that was good.