#and honestly after ch 2 in this fic there isn't much of the two of them rip

[nenoname]

Can you please continue that one fanfic on gravity falls that you made in like 2024? The one where bill was tormenting Stan?

(the fic in question)

honestly i've been struggling with that one for a bit cos pov switch/i'm not really used to writing a large group of people at once/feeling kinda unsatisfied with what i've outlined so far/general writing motivation issues so far etc

but! i can dump a scene here that would've taken place like.... two chapters later? (as for context... eh i'm sure you can pierce it together)

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

Closing its eyes (far far too many eyes–) it could pretend it was home. That it was another normal summer day. That it was not alone.

One moment he could restrain himself, keeping as far away as possible. Far from being hurt, from hurting them again, again, again.

Next, it was refusing to leave their sides. Craving, needing, wanting the comfort of those gentle hands, warm arms, soothing voices, pitying looks. Begging, stealing, taking all of those scraps. Tired of being starved. It was so, so tired of being alone.

Moses, he was pathetic.

There had been Four moments ago. Four and one pest.

Only Two now. The other two had left. In danger.

But it knew the Two left behind were in far greater trouble. So. It was good it was close by. Could be useful for something.

But. There was a gaping chasm inside, in his head. Missing something.

Shaking its head, it squeezed its eyes shut. Only to wince as its thoughts drifted back to his family. By merely existing, it spilt its guts for all to see and mock and laugh at and be repulsed by. He used to be great at keeping all of it hidden.

You fucking embarrassment.

A whine escaped its throat. He always had been so Weak and Stupid

It was so tired of this. Was so tired. Couldn't remember when he wasn't tired.

It blinked as the floorboards by the door creaked. The room was still empty from anyone but itself. But the noise continued to draw closer and closer. It squirmed back, its hackles raised, until it was unable to press further back into the corner of the room.

“--Sorry,” said a voice, not belonging to the Two. Not from the pest either. “I couldn't– I can't let him–” The voice cut itself off.

It couldn't see the owner of the voice but its heart hammered in its chest, only feeling fear and hurt and betrayal at that sound. The anticipation of another blow. More hurt.

“But I can fix this, I will fix this– I'll get you back.”

It stumbled to its feet, stumbled blindly towards the noise. The threat.

“But I need you to know that Bill was lying. I could never hate you.”

He was so tired of being lied to. 

He was so tired of having his hope slowly rebuilt only to be smashed, crushed, torn to shreds, again and again and again–!

“Stanley, I–”

It lunged forwards.

he was

tired

[aydaptic]

When it comes to your fics, do you have any favourite chapters, moments or lines from them? Also once you’re finished with your web-comic, do you have any ideas for future reed900 fics?

Oh, wow. It's heartwarming that ppl are interested to know. What the phck? ;-;

I do have some favorite chapters/moments/lines, yes. These contain spoilers for those who haven't read my stories, and want to, so here's your warning...

FAVORITE CHAPTERS

(A&E) Ch. 5: Emotional Shock. Writing Carl and Leo felt very natural to me somehow as their voices came really easily.

(A&E) Ch. 15: New Year's Eve. I got to introduce my headcanon for Gav being a Magic Mike fan and great dancer. Him getting tipsy and essentially 'being his flirty self' instead of holding back bc Niner isn't deviant yet just made me so happy. I also tore my own heart out with the ending. It hurt.

(A&E) Ch. 17: Stay. My 1st Reed900 s*x scene. Despite me being ace, and s*x-repulsed, these intimate scenes are my favorite thing to write. I also love the little peck Gav gives Niner's oblivious jawline before they part ways.

FAVORITE 'A&E' MOMENTS

(Ch. 1) Niner's introduction.

(Ch. 5) Gav accidentally dropping his Bluetooth earpiece.

(Ch. 7) Niner patching Gav up.

(Ch. 8)

Tina: "All right, you two just have to fuck already. Blow off some steam." Gavin: "Last thing I need is getting my dick stuck in one of those things." Nines: "Oh, please. As if I'd ever let you top."

(Ch. 8) Niner getting hacked by CyberLife and Gav saving him.

(Ch. 10) Niner holding out a detached android arm to Gav trying to light a cigarette and asking if he needs a hand.

(Ch. 10) Niner interrogating Gav during sparring.

(Ch. 12) Gav patching Niner up and hugging him to reduce his stress levels knowing that's what Hank -- and Sumo -- did.

(Ch. 13) Niner draping his jacket over Gav's shoulders to keep him warm and letting him touch his palm's chassis.

(Ch. 16) Gav shielding Niner with his body in a burning building.

(Ch. 19) Niner deviating for the final time, grabbing Gav by the throat, pushing him into a wall, and kissing him.

FAVORITE 'LIBEROSIS' MOMENTS

(Ch. 1) Gav nearly breaking his arm punching a guy.

(Ch. 1)

OC - Iris: "I wonder what he's doing here." Nines: *nudging the unconscious person she's referring to with his foot* "Honestly, not much."

(Ch. 3) Niner throwing a crumpled napkin piece at Gav and the latter in his dramatic glory accusing the former of trying to kill him.

(Ch. 6) Gav getting territorial as Niner has taken a honeypot approach on the case, successfully egging him on to get him in bed, and making it very clear that he's 'his' in the process.

(Ch. 8) Gav platonically bonding with his ex OC - Craig again.

(Ch. 10) Niner wrecking Gav with kisses alone by being more dominant.

FAVORITE 'A&E' LINES

(Ch. 2) Fowler: *to Gav's outburst after hearing Niner is assigned to him* "I've still got a headache from Hank's outburst back when Connor was new to the precinct and I don't need you giving me a migraine!"

(Ch. 2) Gavin: "What the fuck is this? They sent you back to the Ken-doll fabric and give you an upgrade?"

(Ch. 4) Gavin: "I doubt it's your encrypted p*rn collection, so speak up."

(Ch. 4) "Was he [Niner] human, Gavin would've already had him pinned to the mattress."

(Ch. 4) Nines: "Deviants are like infants. Give an infant a gun and it wouldn’t know what to do with it."

(Ch. 13) Nines: "When you're done being dramatic, please get back inside the car."

(Ch. 15) Gavin: "If you're expecting a fucking waltz, I'm sorry to disappoint you... but every guy who's good in bed knows how to use his hips."

(Ch. 15) "He was terrified to want him, and yet, there he was... wanting him anyway."

(Ch. 17)

Nines: "I fail to see how sleeping with you would benefit your current state." Gavin: "I'd pass out quicker." Nines: "A hit to the back of the head would be immediate."

(Ch. 19) Nines: "You keep pulling me back."

(Ch. 19) Gavin: "Stay."

Context: The line itself isn't much to write home about, but it's the way he says it in my mind. Best example I can give is the 0.04-0.05 second mark of this beautiful Reed900 edit: Reed900 | RK900 X Gavin Reed { Colors }. It's literally just the "Stay out of my way" line from the game, but the music makes it sound soft AF, and nearly completely quiets the "out of my way" part. So it just sounds like a whispered "stay." It's also a very profound thing of Gav to finally ask as he's earlier told Niner to get out of his life.

FAVORITE 'LIBEROSIS' LINES

(Ch. 6) Nines: "User 'Gavin Reed' not found."

(Ch. 7) Gavin: "We're meeting with Dick Perkins and the Powerpuff Girls down the road."

(Ch. 10) Nines: *after Gav asks what last name he wants to use* "I'm holding out for 'Reed'."

FUTURE FICS

As for future fics, also yes, I do have some plans! Said plans are both for the 'Alive' ficverse -- A&E and Liberosis are part of it -- as well as standalone Slow Burn works.

(The 'Alive' Ficverse) WebComic adaption of Liberosis.

(The 'Alive' Ficverse) Gav's bachelor party.

(The 'Alive' Ficverse) A parallel story where every 2nd chapter skips between two instances in Gav's life. One of them, he's at a stakeout with Niner whilst pining for him, and the other is Gav reminiscing about his past with his recent ex. Reminding himself of 'what went wrong' and why he shouldn't 'try again' to have a romantic relationship. I want to share the complicated Gav/Craig story as it has so many layers to it, but most ppl simply wouldn't be interested as it's not Reed900... thus I was sneaky and put in a parallel Reed900 story that ties into it, lol. Ppl are ofc easily allowed to skip the Gav/Craig parts in their entirety.

(The 'Alive' Ficverse) WebComic adaption of that parallel story.

(Slow Burn) Gav and Niner are at a stakeout where the former poses as a stripper while the latter poses as a bartender.

(AU - Slow Burn) Niner is a s*x android, accidentally gets involved with a case bc of a client, and works as an informant for Gav.

Somewhat unrelated, but I also plan to animate my own Reed900 GMVs :)

[karmicpunishment]

oh boy do i!!

here's some of my favorite bsd canon divergent fics

they are mostly atsushi-centric because i know what i like okay sdfghdfd

The little lamb's eyes, desperate for forest water, must resemble mine by flowrrptos

from the summary: AU where instead of being taken to a facility after the Great/Ability War ends, Yosano is taken to Atsushi's orphanage. This changes things

really, really good so far, currently at 6 chapters and counting

A Glasswing's Metamorphosis by Present_Mom

an au where atsushi has an ability based off a different story and gets adopted by kyouka's parents

i love this story and the au idea, currently at 4 chapters and counting

Intertwined Gods (Brothers Forever) by Present_Mom

au where Chuuya and Atsushi were stuck in the lab and got out together, and are brothers. also a really fun soulmate fic with very fun and unique relationship dynamics

you're gonna see a lot of presents fics on here and its because they're all great and i love them. this one is currently at 10 chapters and counting

Wondering if I Was Once Human by Pancake_Mix_133

au fic where atsushi is 7, not 18, when he's found by the ada

super cute so far, i really like this one and it's characterization. 7 chapters and counting!

Tattooed Flowers by Present_Mom

another present soulmate au fic woo hoo!! au where chuuya and atsushi are platonic soulmates who meet during a two-month sabbatical chuuya takes post-stormbringer.

super great character dynamics, really engaging plot and each chapter leaves me dying for the next update. 16 and counting!

Something, Somehow by @thexcricket

au based on this post where atsushi never joins the ada and instead meets the most dangerous people in yokohama through... their mutual grocery store.

i absolutely LOVE this fic so far and cannot wait for ch 2. all the interactions are so good. 1/3 chapters rn

Constant As the Stars Above by Present_Mom

yet another soulmate au by present, where ranpo isn't alone when found by fukuzawa, as he found his soulmate atsushi years ago.

more great character dynamics and some really, really cool relationship ideas with a fun mix of characters. the unfolding plot is awesome and i love how present plays with canon and their own ideas. 12 chapters as of now.

Wind, Light and the Realization of Dreams by (you guessed it) Present_Mom

au where atsushi gets adopted by ango when he visits the orphanage about a mafia debt

so, so, so good. theres so little ango and atsushi content out there and this is such a creative one. its also so fun to see the dark era written here as well as more lupin trio interactions. there's also a shibusawa plot here which im loving. 7 chapters and counting

It's a minor thing okay?!!! by @amythecinnabunny

a series of fics where people keep getting turned into babies by an ability user and the chaos that follows, as well as several developing relationships because of it

i love, love, love this whole series. genuinely one of my favorite bsd things out there. the plot idea in itself is great and the writing makes it even better. its sweet and funny and so lovely to read. currently at 4 completed fics!!

A Motorcycle Isn't Too Fast for a Tiger by twixitativi

canon divergent au where "What if Atsushi went after the motorcyclist in the beginning? And the motorcyclist was Chuuya?"

super funny and super great. im always sucker for a chuuya & atsushi fic, i think their dynamic could be great and this fic does a wonderful job. at 6 chapters rn

all's well that ends well (to end up with you) by @amythecinnabunny

atsushi and akutagawa swap abilites and it honestly goes a lot better than you'd expect it to haha

another amy fic and this ones great. such a fun concept and really great execution. borders on crack and it's so much fun to read. completed!

the golden era by setosdarkness

canon divergent au where dazai is the one too pick up chuuya post the suribachi island explosion and chuuya follows him around like a feral duckling. they both end up teaching each other how to be a human being

such a fun play on the dazai & chuuya dynamic. currently at 4/5 chapters and it's really great. probably a bit more serious/darker than most of the recs on this list (from what i remember) but its totally worth the read

the chaos of nakajima atsushi's peaceful life by utopio_sphere

au where atsushi turns down the ada job offer and works at the cafe below. he gets a second job that turns out to be at a bar the port mafia frequents

another au where atsushi doesn't join the ada (which i adore) and its so good. currently at 5 works. this series is so much fun and i love the way the plot is altered but also similar to canon as well as the character dynamics.

Beast Under the Sunlight by Just_A_Poor_Boy

au where atsushi runs away and lives as a tiger in the forest until being found by dazai at the start of the series.

im such a sucker for feral!atsushi and its done SO well here. im genuinely so in love with the character takes in this series and how well everyone is written from Atsushi to Dazai to Kouyou to Chuuya. the dazai takes in the second fic are some of my favorite ever. The dynamics are wonderful and each story is great. currently at 3 fics in the series

a lonely and diaphanous room by SpeedingCheetah

au where atsushi has in ability similar to Anne's Room.

very very much an au. very cool version of atsushi's character and the character interactions are very well written. more of a long snippet then a finished plot story but its well-worth the read! i hope this isn't too long of a list haha and i hope people like these recs

bsd roleswaps but they're actually incredibly unhinged

[johnnyraine]

Next to Me - Ch. 5

Ch. 1, Ch. 2, Ch. 3, Ch. 4, Ch. 6

Words: 1,336

18th of January, 2023

A.N.: Sorry, it took so long. At first, it was general laziness; then there was a flood and I had to leave; then I was depressed; I got back and it was general laziness again & cleanup; I finished a fic, but no one cared for it, so depressed again; then I finally finished this chapter.

~~~~~

"We can do whatever we want he-"

You stop listening to your "partner." Apparently, there isn't really much that the Militia "does." The patrol you're currently on was your idea, and even then, you only mentioned it. As if it's what they do.

It's not. And your partner decided to continuously remind you.

"Why would you tell Aguni that? Why did he listen to you anyway?" He complains.

'I honestly don't know,' You think, regretting this.

You still remember Aguni's empty stare before he split you up into pairs. Luckily, Niragi was put with someone else.

'I might've just beat him if we were together.'

An hour passes with your partner complaining, taking swigs from a bottle, or just harassing fellow Beach members.

"Okay," You say.

After the latest, now uncomfortable, Beach members turn a corner, you grab "Ken-something," and throw him against the wall.

"He- Ack!" He chokes out, dropping his bottle and grabbing at the arm on his throat.

Pushing against his throat, you point directly in his face.

"If I hear another word, I will rip your fucking tongue out. Okay?" He nods, eyes wide. "If you touch, grab, or even say some shit to any other Beach members, I'll break your arm."

"Got it?"

He chokes out a yes and you let him go.

"Come on, we still have some time left."

The rest of your patrol passes in silence.

Your next partner, Daisuke, is much better. He took to your idea of patrols with some determination. There's no drinking, complaining, at least not about the patrol, or harassing others.

He seems like a fine person.

"Another one," He says, seeing another couple being "busy" down the hall.

"You'd hope they'd find a room instead," You say, moving on.

"Preferably Hatter's. See if he likes a free sex show."

You chuckle, "He probably would."

Back and forth your conversation goes, enjoying the other's company. You believe by the end of your patrol, Daisuke will likely be one of the few people you can tolerate here.

There's a pause in the conversation as you're in your last thirty minutes with him. As you believe it'll end in silence, Daisuke asks you something.

"Why did you hit Niragi?"

You should've known he'd say something about that, but it doesn't stop you from making a face anyway.

Coming to a stop, you face him, "Because he deserved it. Simple as that."

It's Daisuke's turn to make a face, though you can't tell if it's approval or not.

He motions to continue walking, "Do not get me wrong, I think Niragi deserved it. Many in the Militia do. But…"

He stops and turns to you.

"You could have died, W/l/n. You are fortunate that you know each other."

"Why's that?"

He raises an eyebrow, "How long have you been here?"

You think about it for a minute.

"Maybe a week or so."

"And you have not seen the Militia's more violent members or their violent tendencies?"

"No, I've been hiding," You answer, beginning to lose your patience.

"Niragi is known for being one of, if not, the most violent member. I have seen him beat a man with his gun for annoying him. With no hesitation, he killed an entire group of "traitors" who simply tried to leave."

You look like you ate a lemon, anger fills your entire being.

"Yet," He says. "When Aguni pulled a gun on you, Niragi tried to stop him. With him also calling out your name, it is evident you two know each other."

"Hatter stopped Aguni," You grit out.

"But Niragi tried to stop him before Hatter showed up."

You stare at him for a few moments, refusing to answer some unasked question. Daisuke gives in first and your patrol ends sometime later.

'Well, he left an impression,' You think.

"Y/n."

You startle and look at Aguni with some of the Militia.

'Even when he speaks normally, it sounds like barking.'

Or perhaps you were just distracted, thinking about the new information you have about your old friend.

"You two are together. Go."

He dismisses you and you look at your next partner.

"Why would I work with him?' He asks incredulously.

Your eyes catch your partner. Niragi sneers at you before looking at Aguni. The man simply blinks, looking at Niragi until he looks away.

And so it begins.

However long passes with you two in tense silence. Honestly, you expected Niragi to have said something by now. But, he's silent. You don't know why. For you, you haven't spoken because you think you might punch him.

'Calm yourself, Y/n. Calm yourself.' You take deep breaths.

"What's wrong with you?" Niragi asks with an attitude.

"What the fuck's wrong with you?"

'Fuck,' You think.

You just blurted it out, not even thinking.

"What?" 

He gets in your face and you grab his shirt.

"I said what the fuck's wrong with you, Niragi?!  I don't see you in years and the first thing I see, is you attempting to abduct someone for your fucking boss."

Throwing him for a second, he recovers in a rage. Shoving you into a wall, he didn't plan on your grip being so strong.

Your back hits the wall and Niragi is knocked off balance. You headbutt each other.

You curse, letting him go.

"Are you seriously still such an idiot?!" He yells, clutching his forehead.

You bristle at that. Just barely, you withhold your anger. Taking a moment to collect yourself, when you open your eyes, Niragi's gone.

"Fu-" You hiss, taking another deep breath.

Aguni later rips you a new one. Even though he didn't raise his voice, you feel cowed. You don't know if you can take him. You may not be that smart, but you certainly aren't that dumb.

The next time you see Niragi is on a car ride to a game. You are unfortunately in the same group.

It's an awkward ride.

The others must sense the tension because no one says anything. Leaving you all in a long silence. The driver glances at you in the mirror, but quickly looks away from your gaze.

'I'm making a face, aren't I?' You rub your face.

You arrive at the venue; it's diamonds.

You sigh, dropping your head.

~~~~~

Dragging yourself to your room, you disregard the thought of hiding and sleeping elsewhere.

The game wasn't nearly as hard as you believed it would be. That doesn't mean it was particularly easy.

There were six of you: two from the militia; two regular Beach members, and you and Niragi. By the end, there are four.

The only part you care about is that no one had to die. You are certain of it. The last Militia member even knows it.

"That fucker!" You growl.

Niragi was on some fucking high. Though only a suspicion, you believe he knew how to solve the game, but chose to say nothing. When one person died, it was an unfortunate incident.

You weren't paying attention to anyone in particular.

When a Militia member died, he was in hysteria. Apparently, he knew the previous person.

When he died, you saw Niragi smirk. As if enjoying it!

You paid attention when someone else was likely going to die. However long ago it was, you could still tell Niragi was hiding something.

It's only because it's still only a suspicion that you feel somewhat bad.

You "handled" him. Hitting and shaking him to and fro, screaming at him to "fucking help, damn it!"

If the timer wasn't running low, you know he would have fought back harder. He reluctantly helped to win the game, after which he simmered in the car ride back "home."

You know it wasn't just because of what you did, but because others saw.

But you can't care much more about it. Two people are unnecessarily dead.

Collapsing into your bed, you don't even block the door.

"I wish, he'd try something," You mumble into the sheets, just hoping he'd give you a reason to beat his ass.

In no time, you fall asleep, awaiting the next day and its problems.

← Chapter 4 - Chapter 6 →

[surely-galena]

*politely knocks on ur askbox* heyo galena!! i was wondering for your ask game, could we get #5, 18, and 21 pretty please? thank you!!! :D

Ahhh hello Sam!! Lovely of you to drop by :D

And ohhh, good questions!

5. What is the perfect environment for you to write in?

Probably somewhere quiet, haha! I’m usually okay writing anywhere as long as there isn’t anyone looking over my shoulder (I’ve had experience with this because I used to write on the bus to school oops), but I like the quiet because it helps me to focus. It also means I don’t have to listen to two things at once if I want to put on a playlist or something. As much as I like the quiet, I also like to write with music and cocoon myself in the current story I’m writing!!

18. What is a line/scene you’re really proud of? Give us the DVD commentary for that scene.

Ohh this is a good one. I debated over this for a while (because which do I choose??) but I finally settled on this scene from ch. 8 of Despite All Odds, It Seems I’ve Met My Match:

“I’m asking you one last time,” Artem says quietly, finally lowering his gun. His alcohol tolerance is already low enough as it is; he doesn’t want to risk inhaling the ethanol for too long. More than anything, this needs to work. “Where is the cube?”

Dr. Collier lets out a sharp laugh. “You’ll never know.” She coughs. “You wouldn’t burn the place down while you’re still here.”

Artem breathes out slowly. “No. You’re right, I wouldn’t.”

Dr. Collier begins to smile again.

“But he would.”

Artem nods at Luke, a single action filled with every ounce of trust he can muster. Because maybe everything doesn’t need to hinge upon him. Maybe there is a reason why the NXX is made out of five people, an AI, and a robot vacuum rather than just one Artem Wing.

Luke flicks out a lighter from his jacket and steps down to the slowly spreading trail of ethanol. Artem braces himself.

All it takes is a spark, the tiniest of flames.

And all around them, the laboratory explodes into an inferno.

I love the setup that leads up to this one scene. In the first chapter, we get almost exactly the same scenario -- Luke threatening Dr. Collier, Artem near the door as backup. But in this scene, Artem and Luke have now completely switched places. Artem is now threatening Dr. Collier, and Luke is backup. In this way, I get to force Artem to use what he's learned over the past eight chapters in order to get out of this situation. It's the same thing, but different, essentially.

The first time, Luke only threatened to burn the place down; that was all they needed. But this time? Artem has to go through with it. And the key part here is that he isn't alone -- he has a team he can rely on, friends he can trust. He doesn't have to rely on his own skills or lack thereof. In this scene, Luke is supporting him, and when they're working together?

They're setting things aflame.

There's a whole other part about liabilities and being one in this fic, as well as Artem comparing himself to other people, but I particularly enjoy the drama and tension of this scene.

21. What is the one fic that got away?

I’m not one hundred percent sure what this question means, and so I will offer two answers XD

1. A fic that I started writing but didn’t finish:

I drafted two and a half chapters of an unpublished fic sometime after Four Men Walk into a Supermarket and possibly Looking Out for Cosmos. I still think it has a lot of potential (title: have fun, she said. you’ll do fine without me, she said.) and I’m hoping someday I’ll be able to get it up, hehe

The basic concept is this: MC gets sick the day before a beach trip, leaving the remaining four boys to hang out by themselves. Before they actually get to the beach, however, they get caught up in a case that will force them to let their walls down around each other and actually make an effort to be friends (classic sure_galena fic, honestly)

2. A fic that turned out longer than I thought it would:

This would apply to Despite All Odds and the current fic I’m working on, Through the Looking Glass, and What Vyn Found There.

I was expecting Despite All Odds to be around 10K like In the end, all I hope for is to be a bit of warmth for you, but it ended up being nearly double that so that was a pleasant surprise

And Through the Looking Glass just passed 10K but I’m not done yet I’m not I’m not!! There are still plot things that I need to work out so maybe it’ll also be 20K like Despite All Odds? But honestly I just let a story be as long as it needs to be so who knows how it’ll turn out ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Thank you for the questions, Sam! I really appreciated them on my three hour car ride today :D

[lem-20]

Crashing down

Summary: A rewrite of Bk 1 Ch 13 on-call room chat with Bryce. Casey discusses what's got her stressing out and also her relationship with Ethan.

Pairing: Ethan x MC (Casey Valentine). Ethan doesn't appear in this fic, but the relationship is discussed with Bryce.

Warning: Mild sexual reference

Word Count: 950

A/N: I am currently rewriting and adding scenes from book one. I thought I would add this one in as I thought it was a nice opportunity to discuss the relationship with Ethan with another character. I have also been exploring what may happen if 2 of the LI's were aware of MC's relationship with the other. In my version of events Casey slept with Bryce after she kissed Ethan in Miami. Things happened to make each aware that something was going on with the other. (Read my previous 2 fics here and here)

Disclaimer: Characters and some dialogue owned by pixelberry.

Casey sat on a cot in one of the on-call rooms. Bryce sat alongside her, his arm draped around her shoulders. She had bumped into him a few moments before, as she walked frantically through the corridor, her thoughts threatening to overwhelm her.

"I can't stop thinking about...about everything. Poor Mrs Martinez and the investigation into her death...wondering if I'll still have a career at the end of the week...wondering if I even deserve one. Dr Banerji's diagnosis. Dr Ramsey quitting the hospital, being sabotaged at every turn...and now this sweet, sick kid I can't diagnose. I feel like everything is crashing down around me." She placed her head in her hands and let out a long sigh.

She had hoped that saying everything out loud would make her feel a little better. But hearing herself list everything just made her wonder how she had held it together for as long as she had.

"Why didn't you say anything?" He asked, concern etched across his features.

"Because good doctors can handle whatever's thrown at them. And I really want to be a good doctor."

"You're already a good doctor. Hell, you're the best medical intern in the hospital."

"Don't think I didn't notice you qualified that to just the medical interns."

"To be honest, you are better than most of the surgical interns too."

She leaned her head on Bryce's shoulder.

"I don't know if I can keep doing this. It's all too much. If Ethan Ramsey quit, what chance do I have?"

"Hey, you can do this." He squeezed her shoulder, encouraging her to look at him. His eyes were intense and earnest.

"It's wild to me that you don't realise how great you are." He gazed into her eyes and rubbed her cheek. "Casey, how can I make you feel better?"

The way he looked at her told her that she could ask pretty much anything of him in that moment. Yes, he was promiscuous, but he was also a kind and caring guy. He had a way of making her feel completely at ease around him. She knew from their previous encounters that he could leave her feeling physically satisfied at the very least. But, then she though of Ethan. Her feelings for him seemed to be getting stronger by the day. As much as their predicament left her frustrated, she felt that she was now beyond the point where she could engage in anything casual with someone else. Ethan was who she wanted and until she knew for certain there was no future for them, she was prepared to wait. She was sure of that now.

She pulled Bryce in for a tight hug. "I'm sorry, it was a moment of weakness."

He rubbed her back gently. "Hey, your moments of weakness are a hell of a lot tougher than most folks at their best. So keep your chin up okay."

She smiled as she enjoyed their embrace for a few more moments.

"Can I be honest with you? I've known you a while now. And I know you can handle pressure. I don't think that's what's got you so mixed up." He said as he leaned back to look at her.

"Then what has?"

"This isn't something new, its the same thing you've carried with you all along. Your doubt. I know people think I'm an arrogant jerk. But, I just know how to own my talent. You've never done that, you always justify why you're here. I think you don't feel like you're cut out for this. And you're so wrong." He smiled at her warmly.

"Thank you Bryce." She said, smiling back at him.

"Can I ask you something before we get back to work?"

"Sure." She replied

"Is something going on between you and Dr. Ramsey?" He eyed her cautiously, unsure if he was crossing a line.

Although she definitely didn't want whatever was going on between them to be public knowledge, she had always found it hard to lie if someone asked her a question directly.

She decided to tell him the truth.

"Umm...well, not really. I mean, we've kissed a couple of times. But we're not together or anything."

Even though it was he who brought up the subject, he still looked a little shocked by the revelation.

"Wow. I kinda pictured Ramsey as some sort of syborg who was incapable of human emotions and relationships." He chuckled.

She couldn't help but giggle. "Bryce! Honestly, you'd be surprised. He can be really...different sometimes." Her mood soon returned to being more serious.

"You've really got feelings for him haven't you?"

She nodded.

"And does he feel the same way?" He asked with intrigue.

"I think so, I don't really know. It's complicated." She laughed as she realised she had uttered the words she disliked hearing Ethan say.

"I don't know what's so funny, but it's nice to see you laughing." He looked sincerely happy to see her smiling.

"Do you think I'm stupid even thinking of getting involved with an attending?"

"Casey, the heart wants, what the heart wants. I don't think much can stand in the way if two people really want to be together. I just don't want to see you getting hurt though. Honestly, he'd be lucky to have you."

"You always manage to cheer me up Bryce. I hope you know how much a appreciate having a friend like you."

"Yeah, I am pretty great." He smirked.

She laughed at him. Although some people thought he was arrogant, she had nothing but affection for Bryce Lahela.

"You ready to face the world again?" He asked.

"Yeah, thanks to you." She replied, smiling at him. "Let's go."

☆☆

Thank you so much for reading 🥰

☆☆

Tags: @pixie88 @lifeaskim @queencarb @udishaman @lucy-268 @starrystarrytrouble @txemrn @ethanramseyyy @schnitzelbutterfingers @drariellevalentine @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Ethan

@aarisa-frost (I tagged you as there is talk of the relationship with Ethan. I hope that's okay)

♡Please let me know if you would like to be added to my tag list♡

[amjustagirl]

HI NIKKI JIE omg its been ages since ive dropped in how are you!! eep i read ch 8 of when the sun loves the moon DAYS ago and ive been meaning to drop in to scream about it but got caught up with squid game (i want to scream the ending made my heart pain T^T) then with school :")

i dont even have words to describe how much i loved it aaaaa bokuto fighting to stay on her team, her finally bringing him to meet her mum, everything theyve been through together gdkjfkkdsk it was such a rollercoaster honestly having not one but tWO major angst plot points 😭 but i absolutely loved the ending soso much; their wedding (eAting at a yakiniku place with their teammates and friends pls thats the dream sia🥺) and omg that sneak peak at their life with kousuke kouichi AND kouji fjskdjksjs helpp that was soo freaking adorable and i think this thing with showing where they are many years down the road is not really something youve done before in your prev longfics ? (not including all your outtakes ofc) but you did it here and aaa i was squealing so hard it was so sweet 😭 fjskfjs hELP im so excited to see what outtakes youll have for them next time (kouichi and sachiko mayhaps 👀 HAHA) AND THEM SWITCHING IMAGERIES AT THE END HAD ME SCREAMING PLS 🥺 help not the way you revealed mizuki's name early cuz someone thought she was called tsukki HAHAHAHAH nikki jie you damn funny 🤣

eep i saw you have a prequel kuroo fic and osamu fic coming up 👀👀 CANT WAIT

oHOH and i think you mentioned before that you figured out which uni i go to, just from all my kendo references??? HAHAHAH RLY AH i dont keep up with other schools kendo so i have no idea whats the diff LOL (i thought the reading/midterms week schedule would have been more obvious cuz i think the rest diff from us LMAO) ok la but tbh i think most ppl go to one of the three main unis so i dont think its that hard to figure out HAHAHA

oh also i saw you made mr nikki start watching haikyuu?? hOWS THAT GOING HAHA help ive been rewatching it alot recently and my mum keeps asking me 'isnt that the volleyball one you finished watching already??' HAHAHH

hope you have a good week ahead nikki jie 💓 ~ann :>

Hello Ann meimei!

Squid game truly hurt me to the core (I just get attached to the characters and its just game over for my heart). I hope school isn't too hiong for you haha and I figured it out quickly enough bcos it's my alma mater after all!

And thank you again again again for your love for when the sun loves the moon! Every notif fr you truly makes my day and I'm glad you loved the unadulterated fluff I poured in! They're lovely and sweet tgt, and I guess subconsciously after all the angst I put them through, I really wanted to make sure you guys know that they're both truly happy, with their chaotic trio of little sons and their huge group of friends. They relocate back to Tokyo after bo's retirement (sakusa too), so kuroo, bo and sakusas kids end up playing together a lot! Esp sachiko and kousuke...and aiko and kouichi, if I recall whose kids I'm talking abt!

Pls lor I was horrified at the thought of ppl thinking mizuki shares the same name as tsukki LOL and I feel like tsukki wld flip (like omi) if he ended up related to bo.

And yes! I do intend to write more fics, the kuroo prequel is a monster and no where near done, the osamu one is on the back burner but still there! Have patience with me 😊

Hehe yesssss I'm having such a blast rewatching hq w Mr nikki! He was shocked when I told him he reminds me a little of kuroo (the snarky science nerd bit) but he doesn't know I think he reminds me of osamu either, cos hes still at season 2 only! He's v entertained by tanaka and noya cos he used to be in a team sport in sch, so it reminds him of his friends and their antics (where they just share one brain cell!)

I hope you have a good week too Ann meimei ♥️