#but i was already infected by the time i was cooking this shit up. i didnt come up with diaveex tomfoolery yet but he was There in my Mind | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

joelscruff · 2 years ago

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one thing i'm missing (joel miller/reader) PART THREE

thank you so much for 100 followers and for all the kind replies/likes/reblogs on the previous parts!! yall have no idea how happy it makes me that you're enjoying this fic. things are finally getting a little smutty so i hope you enjoy this part too! PART ONE | PART TWO | ao3 summary: you and joel accidentally end up falling asleep together, and what follows is the beginning of a quiet and tender relationship neither of you saw coming. rating: 18+ explicit (mdni) warnings: (for this chapter) smut, age difference (reader is in her mid 20s and joel in his mid 50s), praise kink, thigh riding word count: about 4.3k

As luck would have it, the resort was completely devoid of any major threats. The three of you quietly and carefully searched the cabins and welcome centre, weapons at the ready in case you came across any infected or other people who'd had the same idea you did. There were no signs that anyone had been living here or had even come across the place in the past twenty years; the only evidence of previous life was in the one infected Ellie had discovered, already long gone and practically melded into the wall of the main kitchen. She'd knifed it for good measure, taking maybe a little too much enjoyment out of it while you and Joel watched from a few feet away, giving each other a quick look of concern.

The kitchen itself was disgusting but most of the cupboards and pantries were fully stocked. You watched as Ellie gleefully shoved as many cans of beef ravioli as she could into her pack while Joel grabbed a few cans of tomato sauce and dry pasta.

“Looks like spaghetti's on the menu tonight,” he'd said with a smile, shaking the box of pasta in Ellie's direction, “You ever had spaghetti?”

“Nope, it's just tomatoes and noodles, right?”

“Well I used to make it with more veggies, some green peppers, mushroo-” he cut himself off, making a face, “But this'll do just fine.”

You couldn't help but giggle and he froze for a second to look at you, rolling his eyes when you stifled your laugh and pretended to busy yourself with the box of cornflakes you'd been checking. It wasn't just the mushroom realization that had incited your reaction, but the image of Joel in an average kitchen on an average day cooking spaghetti, maybe singing along to a song on the radio with a dishtowel over his shoulder. The idea of Joel being all cute and domestic was enough to make your chest fill with warmth.

Joel managed to find some more ammo in a storage closet at the back of the welcome centre while you and Ellie searched the cabins more thoroughly. To your absolute joy, most of the cabin bathrooms were still stocked with shampoo and body wash, conditioner, toothpaste, razors, everything you could possibly need to actually give yourself a bit of a pamper session.

“Holy shit, pads!” Ellie had squealed excitedly, throwing the box of feminine hygiene products behind her in delight, “I'm so done with that cup Maria gave me, it's gross.”

“It wouldn't be gross if you actually boiled it like you're supposed to,” you'd replied with a laugh, opening the box to make sure they were usable, “Mine still works great.”

“Yeah but we have to boil them in front of Joel,” she'd groaned, “It's embarrassing.”

“Can't argue with you there,” you'd muttered, but you weren't sure if she heard you.

By the time everything had been checked and taken stock of, darkness had fallen. Ellie was pretty disappointed about not being able to take a bath until morning but you all decided it would ultimately be safer to wait. Joel cooked up his promised spaghetti on one of the many charcoal grills that surrounded the cabins, and that image of domesticity returned to your mind as you watched him stir the pasta, humming to himself. You helped him where you could, filling up a freshly cleaned pan with the tomato sauce and adding some of the spices Joel had picked out, though he'd said that their lack of smell probably indicated a lack of flavour. You really didn't care though, and neither did Ellie; food was food.

Speaking of Ellie, she'd come up with the “exciting” idea that you'd each get your own cabin for the night; there was eight of them, four on one side of a wide dirt path and four on the other side. Each one had a distinct sign outside with a picture of an animal on it – the pig cabin, the horse cabin, the cow cabin, etc. She was currently traipsing through each one, trying to decide where to settle for the night. Each cabin was equipped with two bedrooms and three beds, one queen and two twin. Your first instinct had been to suggest all of you sharing one cabin, but Ellie had shut it down immediately.

You could only assume that you and Joel would be sharing a cabin, but you also didn't want to say anything until it was absolutely necessary. The thought of him choosing a cabin by himself made your heart ache. You looked at him now, his attention focused on the task at hand as he continued to hum a familiar tune you'd heard him hum a few times before.

“I missed this feeling,” you said to him with a nostalgic smile, “I used to help my older sister cook all the time”

He returned your smile, though his eyes stayed on the pasta, “What kinda stuff did you make?”

“Oh, everything. Curry, soup, casseroles, pizza,” you nudged him playfully with your hip, “Spaghetti.”

He chuckled, “Well, nothing tops the Miller family recipe. Me and Sarah, we-” he stopped, biting down on his lip and inhaling sharply.

Slowly, you reached up and placed your hand on his shoulder, squeezing it with all the gentleness and care you could muster, “It's okay,” you murmured, fingers stroking tenderly at the base of his neck.

He closed his eyes and leaned into your touch, head tilting down in a kind of surrender. You inched your hand upwards to cup his cheek, his beard pressing into your hand, and he opened his eyes again to meet yours. He'd done this a few times lately, mention his daughter. It was rarely directly by name and he usually only brought her up around Ellie, as if he was using it as a way to further his bond with her. You liked hearing him talk about the past, something neither of you rarely ever delved into, but it hurt to see the pain in his eyes when he thought of her. Right now it was as if all the lights had gone out, his gaze far away and dark.

“I want to... talk about her,” he whispered, “but it's so hard.”

“I know,” you breathed, watching the way his eyes softened at your voice, “It'll take time, like everything.”

“You'd think twenty years would be enough time.”

You shook your head, “Things are different now than they were. I see the way you're trying with Ellie, how you're opening up and being more vulnerable,” your thumb brushed the corner of his mouth involuntarily but neither of you flinched, “You love her, don't you?”

He closed his eyes again and nodded slowly, “I do,” he whispered, “It scares the hell outta me.”

“Of course it does. That's normal, Joel,” you reassured him softly, “And it doesn't make you weak either.”

He'd opened his eyes again and they'd drifted to Ellie, who was a fair distance away trying to readjust a cabin sign with a duck on it that had fallen over. He smiled fondly at her, staring in her direction for a few seconds before turning back to you.

“So which cabin are you gonna pick?” he asked, slowly pulling away from your touch and bringing his attention back to the food, “I hear the duck one is pretty popular.”

Your hand felt empty without his cheek under it but you understood; she was too close, if she looked in your direction she'd see the way you were standing together. You cleared your throat and started stirring the sauce as it began to simmer.

“I don't know, maybe the dog one. I miss my dog,” you frowned to yourself, “Or maybe the horse 'cause I miss Callus.”

“Now this conversation is just downright depressing,” he sighed dramatically, “How 'bout the sheep one? Reckon the bed'll be fluffier?” he grinned at you and you nudged him again, rolling your eyes playfully. “Or the pig one? Maybe the sheets'll smell like bacon.”

You made a face, “You're gross.”

“And you love it,” he said it with a flirtatious air that was palpable immediately and it stunned you momentarily, your eyes widening a bit as you felt your face get hot. At the same moment his smile faded and a look of recognition crossed his expression, like he realized he'd gone too far. He quickly picked up the pot with the pasta in it and walked a few steps away from you to drain it, pretending like he hadn't said anything.

You sighed to yourself and took the sauce off the heat, walking over to one of the picnic tables with your cheeks still burning.

I do love it, you idiot.

Joel stayed chipper during dinner despite his moment of sadness – and his moment of flirting. He ended up telling a story about the first time he'd visited a hot spring in his youth, both him and Ellie laughing through a particularly cheeky part about Tommy getting yelled at by their father for peeing in the water. You just sat there listening and watching the two of them, a smile practically plastered to your face. God... this was your family. This little trio of broken humans had become the most vital facet of your life, not only for your survival but your happiness, your joy, your love. Ellie had become your little pal; it made your heart feel like it was going to burst when you thought about how you'd taken on that older sister role that your own had left behind when she'd died. Relationships didn't disappear...they evolved, took on new forms.

And Joel had become... that, you weren't exactly sure. But he wasn't just your friend anymore, that much you knew from the way he looked at you, the way he surrendered to your touch, the way he touched you back. The way how every so often during his story his gaze would meet yours as a quiet reminder that he wasn't just trying to make Ellie laugh, he wanted to make you laugh too. You loved seeing him so animated, making faces and gesturing wildly while Ellie threw her head back and giggled with abandon. Part of you wanted to inch in beside him and lay your head against his shoulder while he talked, wanted to feel the vibration of his deep voice in your bones and feel the strength of his thick muscle against your temple. You just wanted him to hold you like he did when you were alone; you wanted him to always hold you.

“Well, I'm going to bed,” Ellie said with a yawn after the spaghetti was long gone and the fire had started to die down, “I'm in the duck cabin if you need me. I could take second watch if you want,” she looked at Joel expectantly, raising her eyebrows.

He chuckled, shaking his head, “We got that covered, you go on and get some sleep.”

“Night,” she called back to the both of you, already walking toward her cabin.

You both called back to her and watched as she disappeared behind the door of the cabin with the duck sign outside of it, which was no longer tilting to the side but firmly back in the ground. She'd fixed it.

“She loved that story,” you said with a smile, turning back to Joel, “She's gonna want you to tell it again tomorrow, guaranteed.”

“All good, it'll give me time to prep for my show in Vegas,” he replied cheekily, and you laughed.

After a few moments of comfortable silence, you figured the time had come to ask about the cabin situation. Right before you were about to ask, Joel spoke.

“You get lost in thought a lot, you know,” he said quietly, and you looked up to see him staring at you tenderly, “Always wonder what you're thinkin' about.”

Suddenly feeling vulnerable, you hugged your legs to your chest and breathed deeply, breaking eye contact to look at the fire as you replied, “You, usually.”

He didn't say anything and you worried you shouldn't have said what you said, hugging yourself tighter. Figuring you couldn't dig yourself any deeper, you continued:

“I was thinking about which cabin we're gonna sleep in.”

When he didn't reply again you finally looked over at him, surprised to see that he was still looking at you. He didn't look angry or uncomfortable, but his expression wasn't unreadable either. He looked...content. He was giving you that familiar look that he did in the early mornings, blinking slowly, like he was savouring the little time he had left to just stare at you. You felt your face get warm and you broke eye contact, smiling down at your knees.

“Sheep, I think,” he finally broke the silence, voice coming out slightly breathless, “Let's see how fluffy that bed really is.”

This would be the first time you'd be sharing an actual bed with Joel, and in truth you were slightly terrified. The last time you'd been in a bed with a man it hadn't exactly been a quiet or comfortable experience, quiet being the operative word, and that's all you could think about now as you opened the cabin door and traipsed quietly through the living room, Joel walking behind you. You slipped your pack off your shoulders once you arrived in the master bedroom, laying your still-lit flashlight on the dresser so you both could see. You and Ellie had checked all the beds earlier and they actually weren't that bad, if not covered in a thick layer of dust that you'd had to shake out. You slowly made your way over to the bed, then looked over at Joel who was still standing in the doorway.

“We probably don't need our jackets,” you said to break the palpable tension, shrugging out of your heavy coat and laying it carefully on a chair in the corner, “There's a sheet, a duvet, and a quilt so it should be pretty warm.”

He nodded and removed his pack, then his coat, leaving him standing there in his plaid button-down and jeans. It was slightly comical that you were about to get in bed with a man who'd been wearing the same outfit for months, but it's not like you could talk – you'd been wearing the jeans, tank top, and sweater combo for almost the same length of time. Which reminded you...

“Oh, me and Ellie found some deodorant,” you reached into your bag and pulled out a lady speed stick, “It's not the manliest scent but I mean, it's a scent.”

He winced as he took it, and you were confused until he said, “I stink, don't I?”

“You actually don't,” you meant it too, smiling earnestly at him, “You kinda smell like pine needles most of the time, honestly.”

He huffed out a laugh and you watched as he reached the deodorant up into his shirt, exposing his stomach to you as he applied it. You caught a glimpse of his stitches, still holding up pretty good, but your eyes couldn't help but be drawn to the trail of hair that lead from his belly button to his belt buckle, dark but tinged with a few grays here and there that sparkled in the glow of the flashlight. You suddenly felt a slight throb in your jeans and you quickly broke your gaze, turning back toward the bed and pulling the sheets back to distract yourself.

Now is not the time, you thought aggressively, searching the bedding one more time for anything you and Ellie might have missed, you've spent two weeks sleeping next to this man and now you wanna feel horny? Stop.

“Bright side is we can actually get clean tomorrow,” he said, tossing the deodorant back into your pack and walking around to the other side of the bed, not before flicking off the flashlight and plunging you both into total darkness.

“God, I know, I'm so excited,” you climbed into bed, trying to sound normal as you felt the mattress sink on his side as he did the same thing, “Hot water, can you imagine? I might not leave.”

He chuckled and it made you smile. He wants you here, you reminded yourself, there's no need to be so nervous.

You inhaled deeply and, before you could think too much about it, you curled into his side, arms finding their usual place around his solid form. Without any hesitation you felt Joel's hand at your back, holding you there. Part of you wanted to say something else, to keep talking to him, but the immediate comfort of his embrace quickly made your eyes close in defeat.

“'Night,” he whispered to you softly, “I'll wake you when it's time to head for the springs.”

You hummed in response, the promise of a hot bath fresh in your mind as you drifted off. It was that very specific image, the idea of you and Joel bathing together in the hot spring, that gave you one of the best dreams you'd had in a long time.

You were suddenly awoken by some kind of weird mewling, a high pitched breathless sound that sounded oddly familiar but you were too sleepy to place it. Your eyes tightened and you tried to ignore it; you'd been having such a good dream. Mere seconds ago you'd been standing in the middle of the hot spring with Joel, clothes abandoned, his bare arms wrapped around you and holding you flush against his naked body, waist deep in steaming water.

Irritated, you tried to bring the image back, only to be interrupted by Joel's voice in your ear saying your name. Your brow furrowed, followed by that weird moan again.

“Wake up,” Joel said again, repeating your name.

You slowly blinked your eyes open in confusion, the keening sound reverberating in your ears again, only to realize mere seconds later that the sound was coming from you. You also realized that you were no longer tucked into Joel's side, but were instead practically on top of him with his thigh between your legs. Your eyes nearly popped out of your skull when you put two and two together.

You'd been riding his thigh. And moaning. In your sleep.

Your head snapped up and you immediately felt like you had to get away, yank yourself off of him and run out of the cabin as fast as humanly possible. You could survive in the woods by yourself, right? You didn't actually need to be going on this long trek with Joel and Ellie, right? You could just disappear and never have to face this humiliation, right?

“Oh my god,” you tried pulling back but felt his grip on your arms, keeping you from getting off of him, “Joel, I'm so sorry, this is so fucking embarrassing.”

“Shh,” he replied, and you wished you could see his expression in the darkness, “It's okay, don't be embarrassed, you're fine.”

“But I-”

“You've been doin' it for maybe fifteen seconds tops,” he reassured you, “I woke you up as soon as I realized. It's okay.” He was still holding you in place and your mind was too muddled to wonder why, so you just shoved your hands over your face, “Hey, it's alright, look at me.”

“I can't even see you,” you muttered into your hands. But god, you could feel him. His thick and strong thigh was tight between your legs, the material of his jeans pressing right against your centre in exactly the right place. You were pounding, beyond wet in your underwear and you were sure Joel could feel the heat you were radiating. Involuntarily, your hips bucked again and you shuddered out a breathless whimper at the sensation.

You felt his hands move from your arms and start to pry your fingers apart. When you opened your eyes and focused on what was in front of you, his face started to become slightly clearer in the darkness. His brow was furrowed and you could see that he was staring directly into your eyes, no signs of discomfort or embarrassment to be seen.

“I'm gonna ask you somethin' and I need you to answer me honestly,” he breathed, the sound travelling directly to your core. “I'm only gonna say it once, okay?”

You shivered, trying to focus on his voice, nodding in response to his words, “Okay.”

“You don't have to stop,” he stated, voice steady and sincere, “you can keep going. Do you want that?”

You stared, dumbstruck.

“Do you want to keep going?” he repeated softly, and without hesitation you buried your face in his warm neck, hands coming up to grip his shoulders as you bared down on him.

“Yes,” you practically moaned into his ear, “Please.”

“Okay,” he whispered, and you felt his arms wind around you, pulling you as close as possible to him, “C'mere.” The words practically set your nerve endings on fire and you groaned, pressing your face further against his skin and shutting your eyes tight, hips bucking under his arms.

Not even taking a second to think about what was happening, you started rubbing yourself against him again, this time fully aware of what you were doing. His arms held you tight to his body and helped you move into a rhythm, his fingers digging into the skin of your hips that had become exposed in the commotion. You whined into his neck, feeling the harsh prickles of his beard against your cheek as he helped you get off.

“Joel,” you whimpered, feeling one of his hands travel up the back of your shirt and press flush against your spine.

“I've got you,” he murmured, “Keep goin', don't think about it.”

You keened beneath his touch, hands coming up to thread through his hair as you turned your head slightly to nose against the heat of his throat. Him telling you not to think was laughable – you couldn't think of anything else other than the way your body felt entwined with his even if you'd wanted to. You could feel him everywhere, his hand still at your back, the other one travelling upwards to cradle the back of your head, holding you to his skin. The size of his palm against you, the wideness, it sent a wave of tingles throughout your entire being, causing you to emit another moan against his adam's apple. He was so large and solid compared to you and despite the heated desperation of your embrace, he still held you like you were precious, breakable. It made you that much wetter.

“There you go,” he breathed softly into your hair as you rutted against him, baring down on his thigh like your life depended on it, “Just feel it, take what you need.”

He'd never talked to you like this; the protectiveness was always there, the fondness, but the way he whispered to you now was special, private. He spoke to you like you were his, rotated your hips against his thigh like your body was an extension of his own. His hot breath was a steady presence at your ear, quickening in pace as he began to help you move faster, palming the bare flesh of your back and moving his hand upwards slightly so his fingers just barely brushed the skin of your breast. Part of you wanted to see his expression, see if he was just as turned on as you were, but the question was answered when you brushed against his crotch and felt the unmistakably hard length of him straining against his jeans. At your slight touch, he elicited a breathless groan in your ear.

It was enough to send you over the edge.

“I'm gonna come,” you practically sobbed, eyes still shut tight as you bucked wildly and moved your hands to grip his arms again, nails digging into the fabric of his button-down, “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

“Good girl,” you heard him whisper into your hair, and you were gone, thighs clamping around him as your whole body began to shake. He just held you tightly and let you ride it out, murmuring “that's it,” and stroking his thumb against the skin of your back soothingly.

In any other circumstance you would have been ashamed at how quickly it took you to finish, but it had been years since you'd been this close to another person, and months since you'd had an actual orgasm. The fact that Joel had been the one to give it to you hadn't helped you hold out very long either. Your whole body suddenly felt like jelly, head heavy and eyes unable to open.

“Joel,” you moaned his name quietly, breathless as you lay spent on top of him, “I think I'm gonna pass out.”

He chuckled softly, stroking your hair, “Go ahead, I'm not goin' anywhere.”

“But you didn't...” you mumbled, feeling boneless as you felt yourself begin to drift, “What about you?”

“Shh,” he carefully adjusted you so you were sheltered against his side again, your hands immediately coming up to grip his button-down as you buried your face in his chest, “Don't worry 'bout me, you go back to sleep.”

“'Kay,” you whispered, sighing peacefully and winding your arms around his strong torso, smiling to yourself when you felt his hand in your hair again, thumb caressing the back of your head.

You swore you heard him say something else, but by then sleep had overtaken you. This time, you dreamed of sheep.

#joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #joel miller fic #tlou fic #*#fic: one thing i'm missing

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mooshkat · 1 month ago

Note

'I knew it, you're sick.' 'Go away'

Tommy wakes up to a pounding fist against his door. Each knock raps in time with the throbbing in his head and he groans, trying to bury his face further into the couch cushion to muffle it. It doesn't work, and also makes him feel even hotter than he already is.

A sinus infection with a side of the stomach bug was not how Tommy wanted to spend his weekend, but he figures it was time for his yearly dose of getting sick to hit him.

He pushes himself up and closes his eyes tightly against the vertigo that threatens to make him sick–again. He's hardly been able to keep anything down, even water, no matter how many crackers he eats and the stomach relief medication he's taken.

When he stumbles over to the front door and rips it open, ready to yell at whoever is on the other side bothering him so badly, he's shocked to find Ev–Buck on the other side. Buck armed with three large shopping bags that knock against Tommy's hip when he pushes his way inside.

"I knew it, you're sick," Buck says as he sets the bags down on Tommy's kitchen counter. He starts unpacking them and Tommy is still reeling from opening the door to see his ex-boyfriend. Who's inside his house now. "Lucy told me you didn't come into work and wanted me to check on you since you weren't answering any of her texts. Guess she thought I still had a key."

Tommy doesn't have the mental energy to deal with this right now. He groans and presses the heels of his hands tightly against his eyes, which does little to ease the pressure in his sinuses. "Go away. You can tell her I'm fine and alive and go back home, Buck. I don't need a babysitter."

"I don't know if you've looked in a mirror lately, but you look like shit, Thomas." He cringes against the bite in Buck's tone, even though he knows he deserves it. "Go get into an actual bed and I'll start cooking up something other than crackers dipped in Pepto Bismol."

"Not to insult your cooking skills or anything," Tommy says wearily, eyeing the growing collection of groceries that Buck is setting out. There's way too much for just one meal. "But when I'm sick like this, I can't really keep anything down. The only thing that ever helped was—"

"—was your grandma's chicken noodle soup recipe, I remember." Buck doesn't look at him. "You keep the recipe card on the fridge, and I might have taken a picture of it one night after–..." After a date, a hookup, simply hanging out. He could've taken the picture at any time over the last six months. "Anyways. I'm pretty sure I have everything to make a batch that'll last long enough for you to get better, so. Go get some rest, Tommy."

Jesus, even after Tommy hurt him by cutting things off the way he did, Buck is still too kind for his own good. He wants to grab him by the shoulders and tell him that he doesn't deserve this kindness, doesn't deserve to be something to worry about anymore. He wants to shake him until the words stick and he lets Tommy go.

Please, let him go and stop giving him hope because this means something, doesn't it? But his heart truly cannot take it any harder than it already has. He blinks tears out of his eyes and clears his throat.

"Okay, Evan. Thank you."

#drcloyd #thank you 🥰🥰#bucktommy #katie.txt #moosh worbs

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callsign-dexter · 4 months ago

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Dr. Uncle Will

Request: Hey I loved your most recent Connor Rhodes x sister!reader!!! Could you write a littlest Halstead one where she gets sick and Jay has to call Will for help?

Pairings: Jay Halstead x Daughter!Reader

Warnings: fluff, angst, sickness

Littlest Halstead

Masterlist

Jay Halstead was a great father to you, Y/N Halstead, and if you asked anyone if he was a good dad they would say that he's not just a good dad but a great dad. He has loved you ever since you were born and he thought he could spot anything since he was a detective but he was wrong and he found that out one night.

You were sick. You just felt run down and just overall felt like shit, especially when it came to playing your favorite sport, softball. Recently your entire 5th grade class had been going through a round of sickness. Some had the flu, some had a viral infection, and some just had a cold. You were lucky enough not to get anything until last week.

Jay had been busy with a case that he admits that he wasn't paying as close attention as he normally did. Even though he wasn't paying as much attention he did pick up some stuff like your lack of wanting to eat and you being really cuddly towards him, a movement that you only did when you were sick or getting sick. He wasn't concerned enough to call your uncle, Will Halstead, just yet but that would all change tonight.

You started to feel sick one Monday morning and it just progressed from there. Jay was in the kitchen preparing for his day at work and preparing your lunch for the day. He looked down at his watch and smiled when he saw that it would soon be time for your footsteps to start padding down the hallway. A few minutes went by and no sign from you which made him frown. “Wonder what the holdup is?” He asked himself as he put down what he was doing and walked to your room. He gently knocked on the door and usually he would get a response but he didn't. “Y/N/N it's time to get up for school.” He said using a soothing fatherly tone as he opened the door.

“Daddy?” You asked lazily looking up at him and he furrowed his eyebrows that's not like you.

“It's me, Baby Girl. It's time to get up.” He said coming to sit by you on your bed and just like a magnet you curled into him. He didn't think much of it, he just thought you wanted to be near him. “Are you ok?” He asked as he cuddled you and you nodded, you didn't want to inconvenience him.

“Yea I'm fine.” You lied easily. He didn't look convinced but went with it.

“Ok. We need to leave in 10 minutes so you need to get up and get ready.” He said and you nodded. He bent down and kissed your head and hugged you then he was getting up and leaving. Once he was gone you were sluggish to get up. It was like your movements were in slow motion and everything hurt but you powered through it. The time you got to the kitchen your father was already packing your lunch in your lunch box and grabbing your bag and waited by the front door. “Khloe and her mom are taking you to practice and I will pick you up after ball.” He said as he handed you some breakfast and your water bottle.

“Ok.” You said as you slipped on your shoes and then your backpack and took the lunch box from him. He nodded and then the both of you were out the door.

Once outside and in his truck that you loved so much you settled into the passenger seat and got comfortable. As you started to move you started to feel better and your dad picked up on this so the concern, he had this morning went out the window. You ate all your breakfast sandwich that your dad made that you loved and drank some of your water. He was really a good cook even though he doesn't like to admit it. The truck ride was filled with low music and quiet laughter and smiles. You definitely felt better after eating something. He pulled up to the school and parked and you got ready to get out. “Remember Khloe is taking you to practice and I will be picking you up.” He said and you nodded.

“Got it, Dad.” You added smiling and he smiled and nodded then you were getting out and opening the backdoor to grab your softball gear.

“I love you.” He said as he looked back at you.

“I love you too.” You said and then closed the door. He made sure you were in the school before driving off. You sighed preparing yourself to start the long boring day and the dreaded practice.

Throughout the school day you were back to feeling sluggish and your nose started to run. You also just wanted to lay down on something cold and take a nap. “Ms. Halstead, are you feeling, ok?” Mrs. Jean asked while everyone was at recess, you had been staying close to the bleachers and the students, which wasn't like you, you took a minute to respond but you nodded your head. She came over to you and sat next to you. It took a minute for you to notice she was there and you turned to look at her.

“I'm ok.” You said in a quiet voice.

“You look a little pale. Why don't you head to the nurse to lay down?” She asked in a concerning motherly tone; she did have 4 kids of her own. You shook your head.

“I'm really ok.” You said and she smiled softly at you.

“Ok. I won't push you. If you start feeling worse let me know and you can go to the nurse.” She said and you nodded at her and then she got up and left.

Lunch came and you didn’t feel like eating so you hardly ate anything. You left the rest in the lunchbox and went on with your day. The rest of the day you just dragged throughout the day not having the energy to do anything. When it came to gym class Mrs. Link let you set out because she could see how much you were struggling today. By the end of the day, you were feeling worse and you just wanted your dad but first you needed to get through softball practice.

“Hey, are you ready to go?” Khloe asked as she came up to you with her bag and gear. You looked at her smiling and nodded.

“Yea, I’m ready.” You said and she smiled and the two of you walked out. You grabbed your water bottle and downed half of it as you got to her mom’s car. Drinking something helped so you weren’t too concerned.

“Good afternoon, girls. Did you have a good day at school?” Khloe’s mom asked.

“It was alright.” You said and she frowned.

“You look a little pale my dear. Are you feeling, ok?” She asked as she looked at you.

“She hasn’t been feeling good since this morning.” Khloe said and you elbowed her. “What? I could see it when you walked in and didn’t say hi to me.” She said and you huffed and sunk into the seat. Her mother nodded but you knew she was still concerned. The car ride to the field was filled with car music and Khloe and her mom talking and laughing. You would comment when needed but you were just trying not to throw up. When you arrived at the field all three of you got out. You and Khloe grabbed your gear and you your backpack and walked over to the dugout and started to get ready.

You went through the motions of practice not really putting in the effort and everyone could see that which is why you had gotten pulled over to the side by Coach Ludgate. “Sweetie, are you feeling, ok?” She asked and you shrugged your shoulders.

“Yes.” You said and she looked at you in a concerned fatherly look. “No.” You admitted and he smiled softly at you and nodded.

“I can tell. You’re red in the face and you look pale. You also don’t seem as energetic as other times. Why don’t you go sit in the dugout out of the sun and cool off? Can’t have my best player collapsing on me.” He said smiling and you smiled back and walked sluggishly back to the dugout and laid down on the bench and closed your eyes. You don’t know how long you had your eyes closed but you then felt something cool being draped over your head. Your eyes shot open quickly and you came face to face with your dad.

“Dad?” You asked and he smiled, running a hand through your hair.

“Hey, Baby Girl. Thought I would come early and watch you practice. When I asked where you were they led me here.” He said and tears welled up in your eyes. “What’s wrong?” He asked as you sat up.

“I don't feel good.” You said quietly and he nodded, smiling softly.

“Let’s get you home. How long have you been feeling this way?” He asked

“Since this morning.” You said as you got up and grabbed your stuff and he nodded. He turned to look at your coach and he nodded and so the two of you made your way to his car and then home.

“Why didn't you let me know?” He asked as he threw your bags into the backseat.

“You were busy and I didn't want to disturb you or put more on your plate because you had a sick kid.” You said and his heart broke. For such a young kid you were smart and very generous of people's feelings.

“I would do anything for you.” He said and you nodded and sank into the cool leather of his truck. The ride home was quiet and uneventful; you had actually closed your eyes and fallen asleep. The music was down low so as to not disturb you. Jay was beating himself up, he should've seen the signs, he should've asked questions, he's a detective he should be able to pick up on things especially when it came to his own daughter. But you were just like him and you hid a lot of things well and you didn't let emotions show. By the time you got to the apartment you were out. He parked the truck and turned off the ignition. He sighed “Looks like I’ll be carrying you.” He said, chuckling to himself. He opened his door and got out then went over to the passenger side first grabbing your backpack and slung it over his shoulder and then he quietly shut the door and opened the passenger door. He quickly worked to get you unbuckled and then he picked you up, you threw your arms around him out of habit and buried your head into his neck. The moment your head touched his skin he knew how sick you were. You were warm despite having the ac blowing in the truck. As he situated you in his arms, he shut the door and locked it and started to head to the building.

“Good afternoon, Jay. I see you have a sleepy one.” Mrs. Mueller Quell, your elderly neighbor, and Jay smiled and nodded.

“Yea, she's not feeling good at the moment. Going to get her settled.” He said and she smiled and nodded.

“You should make her your famous chicken noodle soup. I know me and Grant love it.” She said

“I just might do that. We'll see you later.” He said and she smiled.

“If you need anything let us know. We've taken care of a few sick kids.” She said as she began to walk away to the mailroom.

“I will be.” He said as he got onto the elevator and pressed the button for the correct floor. He was amazed that you had slept through that interaction. As the elevator went up and eventually dinged, he walked out. In just a few quick long strides he was arriving at the door. He skillfully got his key out and unlocked it making sure to quietly shut it as he walked in. He sat your bag down and kicked off his shoes. He walked over to the couch and gently set you down but you had a grip on him like no other and he chuckled. He gently pried your grip apart and then laid you down, took your shoes off, then covered you up with a light thin blanket. He went into the kitchen to grab the children's Tylenol and pulled up the right dose and walked back into the living room. He hated to wake you up but he needed you to take it. “Baby Girl, can you wake up and take this for me? I promise you can go back to sleep.” He said as you opened your eyes and took the medicine and went directly back to sleep. He walked into the kitchen and put the now dirty cup in the sink. He then went to your backpack and there he sat your shoes down. He picked up your backpack and set it on the table and started to unpack it. At first it was all normal and he saw all the work that was sent home but everything was done and he smiled. You always finished your homework early; he had asked why and you responded casually saying that if you got it done early you could have more play time. He was shocked but he understood it and it was actually smart. As he was going through your backpack his phone started to ring. The shrill of the ringer was loud and he was quick to take it out of his pocket and answer it without looking at it just to get it to stop ringing and not wake you up.

“Detective Jay Halstead.” He said quickly.

“Well hello Detective Jay Halstead.” Hailey’s voice came through with a chuckle.

“Sorry, Hails. I didn't look at my phone. What's up?” He asked

“I just wanted to see if you and Y/N wanted to go out to a movie and ice cream.” She said and he smiled at that and looked over at you still sleeping. He began seeing Hailey when you were 9 years old and had just turned 10 years old. She was making the effort to connect with you and it was working.

“We're going to have to take a rain check on that. She's not feeling all that great. Didn't even practice at softball.” He said

“Oh man she must be bad off. That's not like her. She loves the sport.” She said and he smiled loving the thought that she actually paid attention to your interests.

“Yeah, she does.” He said, chuckling.

“I could pick some stuff up and come over.” She offered

“I would like that and she would too. She's asleep right now.” He said

“Anything specific you need?” She asked

“I think I'm out of children's Tylenol, just gave her the last dose, and cold medicine, do you mind getting that?” He asked

“Not at all! I'll be over there soon.” She said

“Thank you.” Jay said

“Anything for my boyfriend and his lovely daughter.” She replied and he smiled and chuckled and then they were both hanging up the phone.

When Jay got your lunch box, he pulled it out and opened and was shocked that there was most of your lunch still left. You love your food and would take any chance to eat it. All this just told him how sick you were. “Oh, Baby Girl.” He said, sighing. He got all of the stuff out and put the items that needed to be refrigerated in the fridge.

“Daddy?” You asked sitting up and he was over to you in a matter of seconds bending down in front of you.

“Hey, Baby Girl. What's wrong?” He asked and you looked at him. Your eyes weren't as bright as they usually are and you overall just didn't look great.

“I'm hungry.” You said and he smiled and ran a hand through your sweat soaked hair.

“Do you want some soup and crackers?” He asked and you nodded.

“Please.” You said and he smiled and nodded. He had taught you to be polite from a young age. Before he left, he grabbed the remote and handed it to you. You turned it on and turned on Disney+ and turned on Wizards of Waverly Place. You settled in as Jay went to the kitchen to see what soup he had on hand in the meantime. He grabbed the saltine crackers and then some canned chicken and noodle soup. He would have to go to the grocery later, he would've had Hailey pick it up but there was more he needed to get and he didn't want her to pay for his groceries. He quickly got to work on getting your food ready and when it was, he brought it into the living room and you sluggishly sat up and he could see this. He sat down and then gave it to you. You instantly cuddled into his side.

“Careful it's hot.” He said and you nodded and then started to eat. You ate about half of it and 3 crackers before you were handing it back to him and he was sitting it on the coffee table in front of you, you snuggled into him and he instantly cuddled you. As he sat there with you, he could hear now that you had become congested, he brought a hand to your forehead and frowned you were warmer than you were when he got you out of the truck. “You really don’t feel good do you, Baby Girl?” He asked as you snuggled into him more.

“No.” You said in a quiet voice and his heart broke. He kissed the top of your head.

“Hailey is on her way over with some medicine.” He said and you nodded but continued to snuggle into your father. It wasn’t 2 minutes later that there was a knock on the door and he was getting up to answer it but not without you whimpering out for him. “I’ll be right back. I promise. Hailey is here.” He said and you nodded and you let him get up but as he stood up and second later you were standing up and tucking yourself into his side.

“I don’t want to leave you.” You whined, tears welling up in your eyes and threatening to spill and a sniffle from you being sick and the tears.

“Ok ok you don’t have to.” He said as he picked you up and walked towards the door. You snuggled into him and wrapped your arms around his neck and legs locked around his waist. Yup you were definitely sick you were being super clingy. He got to the door and unlocked it then opened it and there stood his girlfriend/partner with bags of medicine and a cup holder filled with three drinks, milkshakes to be exact.

“Hey you two.” Hailey said and Jay smiled but you had already fallen asleep.

“Hey.” Jay said and leaned in to kiss her and she ran a hand through your hair. “I think she is asleep.” He said chuckling and she nodded in agreement.

“Well, she can have her milkshake later. I thought something cold would be nice.” Hailey said and Jay smiled as he led her in.

“You didn’t have to do that.” He said

“I wanted to. I love her like she is my own.” Hailey said having not seen his face since her back was turned to him as she put things away and your milkshake in the freezer. His face was one of love and appreciation.

“I can’t even begin on how to thank you.” Jay said and she shook her head.

“No need.” She replied as she turned around to look at Jay holding you and she practically melted right then and there.

“I’m going to try and go put her down. Then I will be right back out.” He said and she smiled and nodded.

“Take your time.” She said and he nodded and turned heading to your room. Jay walked down the hallway into your room he walked you to your bed and started to gently lay you down and you whimpered.

“No.” You whined as he laid you down and sat on the side of the bed.

“You’ll be much more comfortable here than on me. I promise. I’ll be in the living room with Hailey so I’ll be able to hear you if you call. Ok?” He asked and you looked at him tiredly and nodded.

“Ok. Tell her I said hi.” You said and it ended with a cough and he smiled as he ran a hand through your hair.

“I will. Now get some rest.” He said leaning up and kissing you on your sweaty hot forehead.

“Ok.” You whispered as your eyes closed and you were out like a light. He tucked you in and gave you your favorite stuffed animal and headed out of your room making sure to crack the door slightly. He looked at you one more time and then he was walking back to the living room.

“How is she?” Hailey asked

“She’s warmer than normal and she coughed which was new. She ate about half of her soup and 3 crackers before she was putting it down and snuggling into me before you got here.” Jay said

“What do you think it could be?” She asked and he shrugged.

“It could be anything. There has been some sickness going around her class but honestly don’t know.” Jay said as he grabbed your half-eaten soup and package of crackers into the kitchen. He put the bowl in the sink and the crackers back in the cabinet then he walked back into the living room, Hailey handed him his milkshake “Thank you.” He said and sat down and turned on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, a cop show that they were watching together. Jay slung an arm over shoulders and pulled her into him and they drank their milkshakes. They loved to comment on everything but it was mostly a show they didn’t have to really think about but with them both being detectives they ran the cases that were showing on the TV. They probably got about 3 hours into it, it was 8 PM, before you started to cough more and more and that concerned him. He had decided that he wouldn’t be going into work tomorrow and had let Voight know beforehand and he gave his approval saying family came first. “I’m going to check on her.” He said as he paused the show and Hailey nodded and sat up for him to go to your room. As he was walking to your room you started to cough more and more. He walked into the room and you were still sound asleep but coughing a really deep cough. He walked over and sat down on your bed and rubbed you back as you were turned onto your stomach. “Baby Girl.” He said and started to wake you up and all he got was a cough that he could feel wracking your body. “Hey, wake up.” He said as he started to pick you up and you snuggled into him.

“Daddy?” You asked followed by a cough.

“Yea, it's me. Hey, do you want to come into the living room with us? You coughing is worrying me.” He said and you looked at him and your eyes weren’t as bright as they were when you weren’t sick.

“Please.” You said and she smiled and got up and went into the kitchen to grab the milkshake. She put it in the microwave to soften it slightly and then walked back into the living room and handed it to you as she sat down. You took it but you were shaking and that concerned them both. Whatever you had zapped the energy out of you. “Thank you.” You said and took a sip of it and she smiled.

“Yea.” You said followed by a cough and he nodded and then he picked you up and took you into the living room. He was quick to dim the lights until it was semi-dark and Hailey was already making a spot for you between them. “Hi.” You said when you spotted her but it wasn’t as energized as before.

“Hi Sweetie.” She said with a smile as Jay sat down then he disappeared to grab more children’s Tylenol and come back in. He sat down on the other side of you and you somehow ended up more on him. “I heard you weren’t feeling good.” She said and ran a hand through your hair and you nodded snuggling more into your father and she smiled “I brought you a milkshake. Do you want it?” She asked and you looked up at your dad and he looked down at you and you nodded. You looked over at her and she could see the nonexistent light.

“You’re welcome, Sweetie.” She said

“Here, take this and wash it down with the milkshake.” Jay said and you nodded and said what you were told. Then they were turning their attention back to the TV as Jay pressed play. You watched it but didn’t pay any attention to it, not even finishing your milkshake. You were falling back to sleep and he was taking the cup out of your hands and putting it on the side table.

“She only drank half of it. She’s definitely not feeling well.” Jay said as you let out a cough.

“I hope she feels better soon. I hate seeing her like this.” Hailey said and Jay nodded.

“Me too.” He said

Around an hour later Jay was putting you back into your bed and he was bye to Hailey and he was heading off to get ready for bed and when they were done, they slid in and fell into a somewhat peaceful sleep. You coughed and coughed throughout the night and it seemed like it got worse when you were laying down. Jay being your parent had parent ears on all the time and they never turned off so when you stopped coughing during the night he was instantly awake and sitting up. He walked into the room and he was instantly kneeling by your bedside and he could see you breathing and he sighed but he wanted to wake you up just in case. “Y/N. Baby Girl. Can you wake up for me?” He asked as he petted your hair and you let out a cough and slowly cracked your eyes as best as you could but they were almost like caked shut and he could see that. “Oh, Baby Girl.” He said as he started to take the goop away from your eyes. As you started coughing again you started wheezing and that brought a new worry to your father that was new. It was time to call Will. “Come here.” He said picking you up and taking you into his bedroom and laid you down on his bed while he picked up his phone and unlocked it and pulled up his brother’s contact information and pressing call.

“I’m sorry for waking you up but no everything isn’t ok. Y/N is sick and at first, I could handle it but then she started coughing and just a little bit ago she stopped and now her eyes are filled with goop and she is wheezing.” Jay explained keeping watch over as you slept and wheezed.

“Jay? It’s 4 in the morning. Everything ok?” Will asked, voice full asleep.

“Has she been running a temperature?” Will asked

“She didn’t even practice?” Will asked

“She’s been running hot ever since I picked her up from softball practice where she was lying on the bench.” Jay said

“No, she was pale and sweaty and red in the face.” He replied

“Oh, damn she must be really sick. Go get a thermometer and take her temperature and tell me what it is.” Will said and Jay did just that. “Have you given her any medication?” He asked.

“No, not recently.” Jay said as he walked into this bathroom to retrieve one of many thermometers. “She had a dose of children's Tylenol when we got home and then at 8 PM.” Jay said as he grabbed it and then walked back into the bedroom. “Alright, I'm taking her temperature now.” He said and put it in your ear and you didn't move you were so sick you didn't even care.

“Has she thrown up any?” Will asked, already getting out of bed and getting ready to head over to the other Halstead household.

“No.” Jay said as the thermometer beeped. “102.2.” He read it out loud.

“It should've gone down with the children's Tylenol.” Will said, worrying about his one and only niece. “Let me hear her.” He said and Jay put the phone on speaker and put it next to you. You coughed and started to wheeze and Will sighed. “Let me grab some stuff from the hospital and I'll be right over.” Will said.

“Ok.” Jay said “We'll see you soon.” He said and then they both were hanging up the phone. Jay was worried and now Will was worried. He hated waking his brother up after he worked a 24-hr. shift but he didn't know what to do. Jay laid down next to you and shut his eyes.

30 minutes went by and he was jerking awake by a knock on the door and he was making sure you were breathing before he got up. He was surprised you didn’t wake up to the knock because you were such a light sleeper much like him. You coughed and were still wheezing and that broke his heart. He was quick to get to the door and open it to reveal his brother. “Hey, how is she?” Will asked as he walked in and Jay closed the door.

“Still wheezing and coughing.” He said as he led Will to his bedroom.

“Has she had anything to eat?” His brother asked and he nodded.

“Half a bowl of soup, 3 crackers, and half a milkshake.” Jay replied

“Normally she would eat everything. She has a fast metabolism.” Will said as they walked into the bedroom and you were in the middle of bed.

“That’s what I’m worried about. What did you have to get?” Jay asked

“I went and got a nebulizer with some medicine that will help with the wheezing and hopefully it’ll help with the cough as well.” He said

“What do we do about the coughing?” Jay asked as he stood arms crossed watching you and Will was looking at him.

“You need to be careful not to suppress a productive cough too much, unless it's keeping her from getting enough rest. Coughing can be useful, it can help clear the throat and airway of germs, mucus and dust. If it doesn't go away or comes with other symptoms like shortness of breath, mucus production or bloody phlegm then that could be the sign of a more serious medical problem and would need to be addressed.” Will said giving out medical information easily and keeping it to where Jay could understand it. Jay nodded glad to have a doctor for a brother.

“What should we do first?” Jay asked

“I wanna assess her and then go from there and that means unfortunately waking her up.” Will said and Jay said and nodded and went and sat down on the bed and began to wake you up. When you were awake and looked at him confused you then spotted Will and gave him a weak smile and he sadly smiled back at you. He could tell right away that you didn’t feel good. He approached you and sat on the other side of the bed. “Hey, Kiddo. I heard you weren’t feeling good.” He said in a sympathetic voice he used for his younger patients. You shook your head and cuddled into your father.

“Yea.” You said in a quiet voice and that wasn’t like you. You then coughed and coughed until you started gagging. Will was quick to grab the empty trash can by the nightstand and thrust it under just in time for you to expel everything in your stomach, which wasn’t much. Jay held your hair and rubbed your back.

“It’s ok, Baby Girl. Let it all out.” He said and once you were dry heaving you practically collapsed into your father exhausted. “That was new.” Jay said and Will sighed he hated seeing you in such a state, you were naturally a strong-willed girl much like your father and to see you dwindle down to nothing saddens him.

“I’m going to listen to you and take a couple of vitals. You don’t have to move from Jay, ok?” He asked

“Ok.” You said in a now hoarse voice. Having no energy you just sat there while Will checked you over, you actually started to fall asleep.

“Is she asleep?” Will asked and Jay looked down at you and your eyes were closed and head resting on his chest.

“She’s asleep.” Jay said, looking back up at his brother.

“She’s really is sick.” Will said and Jay nodded. “I want to get a dose of medicine from the nebulizer in her and I want her to be awake for that but if she falls asleep during it then it should be fine.” Will added and Jay nodded and once again he was waking you up and he felt so bad about it. When you were awake Will explained what the machine was and what it does and he could tell that you were listening but not fully there but enough to understand. He hooked the machine up and put the medicine in and then handed the piece to Jay who put it over your nose and mouth. At first you protested but when you started to feel better and not wheezing you embraced it and leaned into your father and started to fall asleep the brothers talked about whatever came to their mind mostly the recent Jayhawks game. Once the medicine was done, Jay, not having the heart to move you back to your room, tucked you into his bed and then the brothers were heading into the living room.

“How long do you think it’ll be before she gets better?” Jay asked

“I’m thinking and hoping in a couple days but it may take a week or two.” Will said and Jay sighed but nodded. Jay looked at his watch and saw that it was 5 AM. He looked up at his brother.

“I can either make us some coffee or we can try to get some sleep. Guest room is free.” Jay said

“I’m gonna get some sleep and I suggest you do the same.” Will said and Jay smiled.

“You’re the doctor, you know what is best.” Jay said a smile turning into a smirk and Will rolled his eyes but smiled. As they headed for the rooms Jay’s phone pinged and he looked at it. “Her school has been closed due to so many kids sick.” Jay said and Will nodded.

“That’s what needed to happen when all of this started.” Will said and Jay nodded in agreement. They walked into the rooms and Jay got into bed and somehow you sensed he was there because you were cuddling into him. He smiled and cuddled you kissing your head as he was doing so, he noticed that you weren’t wheezing anymore and the coughing had died down. Once he knew you were ok, he let himself relax and eyes closed and he actually fell asleep.

The next morning Jay was waking up and he was expecting you to be next to him but you weren’t and that made him confused until he heard the laughing coming from the kitchen and followed by your cough. He slowly got out of the bed and walked into the kitchen to find you and Will up to now good. “Good morning, Daddy.” You said in a hoarse voice when you spotted him and that made Will look over in his direction.

“Good morning.” Will greeted

“How are you feeling?” Jay asked and you shrugged. He could see your eyes were not as bright.

“Not great but not worse.” You said and coughed deeply and Jay was rushing over to you rubbing your back. After you were done you took a deep breath and nodded.

“You ok?” He asked and you nodded.

“I’m ok.” You said “We decided to make breakfast.” You said and he smiled and kissed your head.

“You’re actually trusting Uncle Will with the kitchen?” Jay joked

“Hey! I can cook.” Will defended

“No, that’s why I’m supervising.” You said throwing a signature Halstead smirk.

“Oh lord, good thing we have Firehouse 51 on speed dial.” Jay said and everyone laughed. The morning was filled with laughter and joking and eating and every now and then your coughs. By the afternoon you were in the middle of them passed out on the couch as they watched a random hockey game. By the end of the day Will had gone back home but he made Jay promise to keep him updated and he stuck to his promise. Throughout the next week you were getting stronger and light was coming back to your eyes. The coughing had subsided. Your school opened back up and Jay went back to work. You were actually able to get through a softball practice.

By week 3 you were back to normal. Your eyes were bright, you were eating like your normal self, and you were energized again. Everyone was currently at your softball game and of course you were winning. “She’s back to her normal self, I see.” Will said and Jay nodded.

“Yeah she is. I’m so glad about it too.” He replied

“She even had me worried.” Hailey said “I never have to worry about her, she is too much like her daddy that she doesn’t need to be worried about.” She added and everyone nodded in agreement. The crowd erupted in a cheer and they looked up in time for you to slide and steal home base to win the game. Everyone cheered and crowded around you. Once everyone cleared out and you grabbed your stuff you walked over to your dad, uncle, and Hailey.

“Great job, Kiddo!” Will said and brought you in for a tight hug.

“Thank you, Uncle Will.” You said and hugged him back.

“You did an amazing job, Baby Girl.” Jay said and hugged you after you got done with Will.

“You were amazing out there. I’m so glad you’re back to your normal self.” She said running a hand over her head and you smiled and looked up from your position from hugging your father and smiled at her.

“Thank you.” You said and then you snuggled into your father’s side and looked at Will. “Thank you for being Dr. Uncle Will.” You said and he smiled.

“Anytime, Kiddo. I hate seeing you so down.” He said

“We all do.” Jay said

You hated being sick and being down for so long. You hated not being up and doing something and you got that from your dad honestly. Hopefully you wouldn’t be getting that sick again but you never know what life would throw your way. Next time could be just a 24-hr. bug or it could put you in the hospital, you just never know.

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writingseaslugs · 1 year ago

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Diasomnia: When They're Sick

Ahhhhhh finally! This dorm actually took the longest because I kept getting side tracked with other things. Took me two days to write it. I blame my friend, Em. We had write night and we couldn’t stop talking long enough for me to write these. I got midway through Lilia before giving up.

Disclaimer: All characters in this series are aged up. For more information about my version of this world and the type of reader you can expect, please click the “Au Information” below!

Request Information | Masterlist | Au Information

Diasomnia: When They’re Sick

Fae sickness was something that was vastly different from the kind that humans experience. It’s normally stronger and makes the person infected feel like a zombie. Thankfully the virus doesn’t circulate too often, but when it does it comes through like a hurricane. All it takes is for one person to visit Briar Valley when it’s going around and then come back to the dorm and everyone who can get it is sick. Sadly this happened and to say that everyone was in the dorm was suffering was an understatement. Even the humans were getting sick from flu season…overall not the best time to be visiting Diasomnia.

Malleus Draconia

Malleus hadn’t been sick in a hot minute…how long we’ll never know. It just never really happened to the Dragon Fae. So when he did come down with a surprise flu that was exclusive to Fae, it caused a bit of an uproar in Diasomnia. Most students were told to keep quiet about the situation, but it didn’t stop rumors from spreading as Malleus began missing some classes. Sebek was tense while going to school and Lilia, for the most part, also wasn’t attending classes so he could care of the prince.

Lilia is the one who actually shows up to your dorm room to inform you about Malleus’s condition. He isn’t very subtle about it either, in fact he was a bit over dramatic as to how bad off Malleus was. Now at this point, the worst of his illness is gone. Lilia wasn’t about to drag you in for that shit show that was the first few days of the fae flu, but he is dragging you in on the last few days in order to help Malleus feel better emotionally. Poor dragon boy has been stuck inside his room not being able to do much, and it caused him to be restless. The moment he sees you appear in his room his entire day has already brightened up.

Malleus has no issues taking medicine, though what he takes is certainly not something you’d be used to. The glowing liquid in the vial looks almost alien as you hand it over to him. There were several lined up, all labeled according to when he had to take them. It was odd seeing him chug the glowing liquid since it was still glowing in his neck as he took it, only to fade out when it got past the neck. Apparently it was special medicine made in Briar Valley that was specially made to help combat the flu.

Please do him a favor and make something for him to eat…please. Lilia has been in charge of bringing him his meals, so some of them have been unique. Granted, Lilia did try following the recipes this time around to make sure Malleus didn’t get worse from his cooking, but they can only help so much. Lilia can’t help but think “Maybe if I add this it’ll help him feel better faster.” which ended up in a vile concoction. So please bring him something good to eat so he can have a palate cleanser. He’ll probably be asking if you can stay until he’s better just so he doesn’t have to eat another of Lilia's specialty meals.

You’re going to be receiving random gifts at your home as soon as he’s better, along with several letters. Chivalry isn’t dead when it comes to the dragon fae, and he’s making it known that he appreciates what you’ve done. You’re never going to find out about the earlier stages of him being sick though, so don’t worry. That’s something that you probably will never see in your lifetime if he has anything to say about it.

Lilia Vanrouge

Lilia is also someone who doesn’t get sick very often; the last time he did was before Malleus was even born. So to say he was shocked when he began feeling sickly was an understatement. He knew exactly what was going on too, he had the fae flu a few times in the past, and it’s a feeling you never forget. So he’s already getting medicine prepared and telling everyone that he’s going to be taking time away from classes for maybe a week or two.

Lilia originally wasn’t going to be dragging you into this, but when you found out from Malleus that Lilia was acting strange and isolating himself in his room, you were curious. Lilia was in his room, covered in tissues with a red nose and watery eyes, staring at the ceiling. He didn’t even notice you had come in, which says something. Of course he’s going to accept help even if it does pain him to let you see him like this, but he isn’t exactly able to do much himself at the moment.

Once he has you taking care of him, he’s going to be so happy and be far more of a big baby than he was earlier. He now has you to give him medicine and attention, and he’s living for it. He’s never actually had anyone taking care of him while he was sick, so this is new and pleasant for him. He’s going to be over the moon but also extra needy as he begs for an extra dose of medicine even though he had some like five minutes ago. You’re going to have to remind him to let it kick in, but he can’t help the whining. It’s so fun watching your facial expressions and despite being sick, he still needs to mess with you somehow.

This is the only time he might complain; and it’s not even for the reasons you think. He’ll take one bite of your food and comment he can’t taste anything, before asking for you to take him to the kitchen so he can add flavor. Don’t. Let. Him. Absolutely don’t let him even leave the room, he’s contagious and he’s aware, but he also really wants something with a strong taste so it’s a mix of emotions. Just let him know you’ll see what you can do and maybe grab something that’s…different to put into his meal next. It doesn't have to be good, it just has to be unique.

Once he’s better he is so hyped to be able to hang out with you again. He’s going to be jumping off the walls and thanking you for being such a good caretaker for the poor, old Bat. Silver, Malleus, and Sebek will also be thankful to you for helping Lilia, since he refused to let any of them see him while he was sick. He apparently didn’t even let Silver into the room, despite knowing he wouldn’t be able to catch whatever he had. Lilia didn’t want anyone to see him so weak and frail, but you guess since you came in unannounced he didn’t have much of a choice.

Silver

Silver clearly can’t get a disease that targets fae, but that doesn't mean he can’t still get a cold. Falling asleep in random places can really ruin someone’s health, and Silver is no exception. He fell asleep outside and it got a bit too late, a little bit too cold. The next thing he knew he had a horrible cold and a raging headache that wouldn’t go away. So he did what was best and went to his room and tried to sleep it off without a second thought.

Silver in the past was always able to get over colds very fast, so Lilia never was too worried when he found out Silver was under the weather. You, on the other hand, were very concerned. If Silver just slept it off, then he might get better, but it was best to treat the cold as best you could. After all, colds could turn to pneumonia in the blink of an eye, and that can literally kill a human. Somehow this passed by Lilia’s knowledge so he never cared too much, but after you express this concern he goes full dad mode. He doesn't know much about treating humans though, so you’re the one leading the way. Thankfully Silver is too out of it to protest.

Silver will take whatever you give him judging by how he’s half asleep when you’re there. Whenever he’s sick he’s extra tired and literally can barely keep himself awake. It’s extremely concerning but Lilia swears it’s how he’s always been. Silver might be able to thank you while he’s half asleep, but that’s about it. Thankfully the taste doesn’t get to him while he’s in this state, so no worries about him spitting out the medicine or fighting due to the flavor.

This is the most challenging part about him being sick. Again…he can barely keep himself conscious. Just getting him to sit upright to have a meal is a struggle. You’re basically spoon feeding him as he begins dozing off every couple of seconds. You need to make sure he doesn’t drown in his soup. At one point, smelling salts actually do sound like a rather good idea to use on him. It’s going to take a solid hour for him to finish whatever meal you bring to him, but at least he’s eaten something. Normally when it’s just Lilia, he won’t eat until he’s all better. Small improvements are still improvements!

Silver hardly remembers being sick, but he does recall glimpses of you between his fever dreams. Once he’s back, he’ll be thanking you and asking if you’d like to go on a walk. It’s just his way of saying thanks. The walk is mainly so all the forest animals will run up and greet you guys, since they were all concerned once Silver was gone. The animals and Silver are very grateful for the efforts you put forward to assisting him in getting better. While he can’t promise he’ll be able to give the same care for you, he can at least say he’ll do his best if you ever fall ill.

Sebek Zigvolt

Sebek, out of everyone, is the worst when it comes to denying he’s sick. He could literally pass out from exhaustion from his illness, and he’d get back up and apologize for his displays in front of Malleus. Lilia is the one telling Sebek he needs to rest, and the only way Sebek will is if Lilia reminds him that his illness is contagious and could make Malleus ill. So of course this leads Sebek to going to another extreme and barricading himself in his dorm room so that no germs can get out. This makes it hard for anyone but Lilia to get in to check on him.

He refuses to let a human help him; you have no idea what a fae illness is. How could you possibly help? Wait…Malleus personally asked you to come help nurse him back to help since you can’t catch whatever it is he has? Why of course, Lord Malleus is so generous and he needs his guard back as soon as possible, so it makes sense he’d send a servant to help him. Just remind him you aren’t a servant and you’re here because you care for him. He will get flustered but will do his best after he is finally open to you helping him out.

Medicine is something that he’s not super stoked on taking, but if Lilia bought it, then he’ll take it. He will give you the side eye if you stare at him while taking it and ask what’s so interesting about it. When he grimaces it’s a bit funny with how his face scrunches up and he quickly tries to conceal it. You caught it though, it was so obvious that he disliked the taste and it was oh so adorable.

He’s not super picky when it comes to the stuff he eats while sick, as long as Lilia hasn’t touched it. He might even comment that it tastes good for something a human managed to cook up. That’s him secretly saying that it tastes amazing and he loves it, he’s just not going to say all of that out loud. He does prefer it if the meals will help him get better faster though, so keep that in mind. He also wants a lot of protein to be in it so he doesn’t lose bulk, because he might still be trying to work out while sick. Smack him over the head and tell him to take a chill pill and relax. If need be, get Lilia to do it for you. He needs rest and it’s not something he’s good at.

Once he’s better he’ll thank you out of obligation, because Lilia literally won’t let him go without saying it. He might even be blushing but he’s going to have to add something to make it into a subtle insult. “You played a good nurse…well for a human at least.” at least it’s something. Just inform him that it wasn’t for free and the next time you’re sick, he’s the one giving you medicine and home cooked meals. He can’t even say he won’t. He can’t be indebted to a human, after all.

#Twisted Wonderland #Twisted Wonderland x Reader #TWST #TWST x Reader #TWST Wonderland #Twisted Wonderland Disney #TWST Disney #Malleus Draconia #Malleus Draconia x Reader #Malleus x Reader #Lilia Vanrouge #Lilia Vanrouge x Reader #Lilia x Reader #Silver x Reader #TWST Silver #Twisted Wonderland Silver #Sebek Zigvolt #Sebek Zigvolt x Reader #Sebek x Reader

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crossdressingdeath · 4 months ago

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Sera: I got caught stealing when I was little, yeah? You get alienage or worse for that, but the "Lady Emmald" took me in. She was sick and couldn't have children. I had no parents. It worked out. Anyway, she gets a year sicker, so I ask about her cookies. Because mums make cookies. I can pass that down, or something. Turns out, she couldn't cook. She missed that talk with her mum. The ones she "made" she bought and pretended. Aw, right? Well, no, she was a bitch. She hid buying them by keeping me away from the baker. She did that by lying that he didn't like me, didn't like elves. She let me hate so she could protect her pride. I hated him so much, and I hated... Well, she died, and I hate pride. "Pride cookies."

I wish Sera's story had actually... y'know, done something with this. Show her working through her shit and improving as a person! Hell, even have her acknowledge that this little plan only worked because so many people hate elves that "the baker hates elves" wasn't worth questioning. But instead this is the only time anything about this comes up. And I won't lie, the petty, grumpy part of me does wonder if that's because the rest of her backstory (the street kid taken in by a kindly noblewoman who caught her stealing and instead of turning her in to the guards raised her as her own and left her a fortune in her will only for it to be stolen from her by the government because she was an elf) doesn't fit the whole Robin Hood schtick the game keeps trying to pretend she has. They could've focused on that, the fact that even being a noblewoman with a good-sized fortune wasn't enough to protect Sera from anti-elf prejudice! But that would've required her writing acknowledging that elves are the epitome of "little people" in Thedas and DAI does not like elves one bit, so of course it doesn't do that.

And I won't lie, this backstory is like... okay, it's not that it's not sad, but in comparison to the wide array of horrors that everyone else has going on it feels... kind of boring? The noblewoman who took her in, raised her as her own and left her a fortune lied about a random baker hating elves (with zero mention that she ever did anything else so much as unkind to Sera). That's unfortunate. Cole's currently terrified about being controlled by Corypheus, Solas's friend has been captured and tortured because it doesn't count as a person to most people, Josie has assassins after her for trying to keep her family from destitution, the love of Vivienne's life is dying, Leliana is facing the fallout of her dear friend's death and those are just the companion quests that I currently have active. I've already dealt with the reveal that Dorian's father nearly tried magical conversion therapy on him that might have left him a vegetable and only didn't because he left first, Bull having to choose between the religion he's served his whole life and his family in the Chargers, and Cassandra learning that the leader she respected and looked up to was infecting Seekers with red lyrium and that she was made Tranquil as an initiation rite. I haven't even started Blackwall having to face up to the crimes of his past because he finds he can't run from them anymore. Basically Sera's thing could've been a big meaningful backstory... if it wasn't for how completely overshadowed it is by everyone else's shit and how Bioware does literally nothing with it.

#dragon age inquisition #sera critical #more sera's writing critical but y'know

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strawwritesfic · 4 months ago

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Joel x Female!Amputee!Reader: (Don't) Hold Your Breath [Ch. 7]

Summary: You’ve made a lot of monumental mistakes in your life. Cutting your arm off isn’t even at the top of the list. Now you’re about to learn a lot of life lessons at the hands of your savior and her brute of a guardian–and they’re not about to let you learn them the easy way either.

Challenge: "#32 in His Rulebook" by Edible Heart Monster on Lunaescence Archives

Rating/Warnings/Tags: M (post-The Last of Us; excessive swearing; sexual references; violence against children; infected children; references to abortion; references to cannibalism; references to starvation; references to riots; implied domestic abuse; implied grooming; implied sexual relationship between an adult and a minor; death of a parent; violence; gore; blood; gun use; ableism; amputee!Reader; enemies to lovers; not canon compliant)

Pairings/Relationships: Joel/Female!Reader; Tommy/Maria; Reader/Male!OC; Ellie & Reader; Ellie & Joel; Ellie & Maria & Tommy

Tag List: @imaginesfire

Master List (with important note!)

Rule #7: First impressions are important, so don't be yourself.

It didn’t take long to get used to Ellie waking you up by forcing herself into your room. That didn’t mean you had to like it. Two weeks into your stay at Jackson, and it was pretty clear she didn’t have any shits to give in regard to personal space, and it didn’t help that all the adults in her family typically let her have the run of things. You tried your hardest to get her in line, but you might as well have been swearing at the corn crops for all the good it did.

“Oh, just save it,” Ellie said one morning. “In case you’ve forgotten, you actually have to start working today, and unless you want kicked out, you can’t miss your clock-in time.”

“Who said I didn’t want kicked out?” you groaned as you threw your good arm over your eyes. Even without looking, though, you knew Ellie would be scowling at that. She tugged at your shoulders a second or tow later.

“I already let you skip breakfast.”

“Who are you, my fucking mother?”

“No, I’m your personal fucking alarm clock ‘cause you can’t be half-assed to get up in the morning. Come on.” She tugged harder. Luckily, you were a bit too heavy for her to properly move, else you might have fallen on top of her. At last, you moved your arm.

“Fine. Get out so I can get dressed.”

Ellie huffed, stood, and crossed her arms for only a moment before she turned as quickly as she could in the close quarters of your “room.” “Fine, but if you’re not out in five minutes, I’m coming back in, tits or no tits.”

You didn’t bother to sit up until the door snicked shut behind her. No doubt Ellie was still standing out there and would make good on her promise to barge in as soon as she decided you’d gone back to sleep. That didn’t make your movements any less syrupy as you gathered up your spare set of clothing and began to tug off the one you already had on.

Your missing arm didn’t make getting dressed any easier. You still kept trying to do things with it. Unfortunately, this made you look stupid on top of incompetent. There weren’t a lot of helpful jobs you could do in your current state. Cooking, cleaning, farming, scavenging, keeping watch—they all required two hands, or at least more grace than you could manage in your current state. Your attitude—most likely—didn’t help matters, which was probably why Tommy had looked so tired the night before.

“I really can’t think of anything other than helping out with the kids. I know you don’t like them,” he’d added, “but you haven’t really taken to anything else.

“What the fuck am I supposed to teach them if I can’t do anything?”

“You survived on your own for a few years, right?”

“I still don’t have a fucking arm.”

“Ellie can help you.”

Fantastic. So not only did he expect you to interact with human beings decades younger than those you found acceptable, but one such human being was going to do everything while you stood there and presumably directed. Unfortunately, Ellie took this job very seriously.

By the time those memories finished parading through your head, your borrowed jeans and long-sleeved shirt were where you meant them to be. The sleeve around your stump dangled several inches below where your arm ended, a hazard if you’d ever seen one—but you were too proud to ask Ellie to tie it up higher for you, even when you opened the door five seconds later to find her leaning against the opposite wall. She straightened and quickly caught up as you strode down the still-dim hallway.

Outside, the sun had barely risen. The sky was still the calming lavender-blue of not-quite dawn. Well, anywhere else, it would have been calming. If you got up early enough, everything was quiet. It was easier to hear the runners, the clickers, even the stalkers when the rest of the world was silent. You could slip in and out, find items, lose items, find people, lose people. In Jackson, everyone was already up, already watching.

One such woman, a blonde from your disastrous attempt at kitchen duty the day before, brushed past you with a glare that might have melted marble. Ellie’s eyebrows rose at that.

“Yikes,” she said.

You didn’t respond.

“So, are you nervous?”

“No,” you said flatly, because you were.

What was there to be nervous about, talking to a bunch of grade-schoolers, or their parents that thought you had something to do with that little runner mishap a few weeks back? You felt nervous, and you felt irritated, at your stupid arm, at Ellie’s stupid enthusiasm, and your stupid fucking situation. You almost missed numb—almost.

“You’re nervous,” she said. “Why are you nervous? Didn’t you go to school?”

“I went to high school. I didn’t even get to graduate, and that has jack shit to do with teaching a bunch of eight-year-olds how to get themselves slaughtered in the woods.”

“They’re not going to get slaughtered. Quit being so melodramatic,” said Ellie. “Besides, high school was at least something. I wish I could have gone to a real school.”

“Trust me, kid. It didn’t help at all.”

“Trust me, bitch. It would’ve meant something.”

“Listen, you little—”

“Do you really wanna finish that sentence?” came a gruff, familiar voice from behind you.

Slowly, you turned to gaze sullenly up at Joel. Ellie, of course, had the opposite reaction.

“Hey!” she said with a slight bounce. “I thought you had watch duty today.”

“I do,” he answered. “I’m watching her.”

“Me?” you repeated when Joel didn’t so much as look at you.

It’d been like that since the meeting a couple weeks back. You hadn’t seen him outside of meals, and even then, he ignored you. At that very moment, however, Joel’s eyes flashed in your direction.

“Yes, you.”

“What did I do?”

“From what I hear, you tried to stab a woman in the kitchen yesterday.”

“Because she said I was fucking useless!”

“You are useless,” Joel said. “You going to try and take my head off, too?”

God, if only. But you knew enough to not pick fights you couldn’t win, and Joel was more armed than you were in every sense of the word. You scowled as you looked down at your boots. “No…”

“I didn’t think so.”

Your troop fell into silence as you neared the gate. Someone must have warned the people manning in that day that class was being held outside, and that Joel would be accompanying the group, because no one asked you anything before the doors ground open.

“Now, I don’t know if I need to say this,” he continued in a sarcastically light tone, “but if you try to stab the kids, you’re out. The only reason you’re not out after yesterday is—”

“Because I’m fucking useless and she managed to beat the crap out of me herself. I know. Tommy already said. Give it a rest.”

Joel paused long enough to look at you, then snorted and continued on his way. Ellie soon fell into step beside you.

“Did you really try to stab somebody?” she asked.

You didn’t answer.

“Jeez. You’ve really got a death wish, don’t you?”

“And you just keep prolonging it coming true,” you said.

Ellie no longer seemed in the mood to trade banter. She scowled. “Don’t be like that around the rest of the kids, okay?”

“Yeah, sure,” you said. “I’ll give that a shot.”

“I’m serious,” Ellie said fiercely, and suddenly she was in front of you, arms thrown out.

You frowned at her, and then heaved a sigh. “What does it matter?”

She took a deep breath to compose herself, which only caused your frown to deepen. On the other hand, stopping to talk to Ellie prevented you from getting to class, so you were more willing than usual to give her thinking time. After a prolonged moment, her eyes found yours. “First impressions are important.”

“So?”

“So don’t be yourself.”

With that cryptic comment, Ellie bounded after Joel. Despite her long strides, she made barely any noises as her feet covered the hardened earth. You rolled your eyes and followed after. As you drew nearer to the electric fence (which was, thankfully, not on that day), you spotted a knot of people standing by the gate. Next to them stood another man of Joel’s proportions, who nodded upon spotting Joel, and walked back up the plant.

“Hey, guys!” Ellie said to a group of eight other children, ranging from what you assumed was ten years younger than Ellie to a couple years older. They murmured a collective hello, their wide, round eyes staring up at Joel. You couldn’t imagine why except that he was large enough to eat them and carrying several guns. When he remained silent in their midst, one of the younger ones piped up:

“Where’s Miss Daisy?”

“She has the day off,” Ellie answered. She threw Joel a look, but he acted as though he hadn’t noticed.

“Miss Rachel?”

“She…also has the day off.” Ellie bit her lip and rocked backward and forward on the balls of her feet. Then, quite suddenly, she took a wide step to the left and gestured in your direction. “Miss [Name] is going to teach us today!”

“Teach us what?” asked the girl that looked the oldest in the group.

Ellie frowned, but smiled again soon after, brushing some hair out of her face. “Trapping.”

“Trapping?” “

Yep,” said Ellie. Joel, you noticed, hadn’t said a word. He was leaning against the fence, looking up at the brightening shape of the compound beyond the children. “Trapping. Take it away, Miss [Name].”

But you couldn’t. You couldn’t even fucking yell at Ellie for calling you “Miss [Name].” Every single eye in that group of tiny, impressionable children trained on you, and you were frozen. Their eyes—whole, trusting. Their fingers—tiny, unscarred. Eyeless. Voiceless. Your fault. Dead. More your fault.

You were off and through the gate before you even fully made the decision to leave. Your boots smashed into the foliage beneath your feet as you rushed into the forest nearby. The only thing your mind could focus on was your breath billowing wildly into your ears. Breath. Children. Death. Breath. Children. Death. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.

It didn’t take long for your lopsided running and your easy exhaustion to keep you from going much further. Pretty soon, your legs were shaking with the effort to continue. Jackson remained in sight as you huddled onto the ground. Maybe no one would come find you. You hoped so—or maybe didn’t. Either way, about twenty minutes later, you heard footsteps. When you did not stand, the noise stopped. Whoever the feet belong to hadn’t left, though. A second later, you heard the distinct sound of someone sitting down next to you.

“What the hell was that?”

You groaned audibly into your arms. The last person you wanted to talk to at the moment was Ellie. Well, no, probably Joel. After that little scene, he was going to have something to say, and you didn’t want to hear it. Ellie was definitely up there, though.

“Seriously. What the hell?”

“Fuck off,” you said without lifting your head.

“No,” she answered. “You just took off without a word. Remember what I said about first impressions?”

“Shut up.”

“Yours sucked. What the fuck is your deal, [Name]?”

“None of your goddamn business!” you snapped as you at last looked up her.

Ellie scowled and rose to her feet.

“Where’s Joel?”

“Watching the class,” said Ellie. “They can’t be out here unguarded. And only Mitchell and Alice know how to use a knife. Well, come on.”

“What?”

“Well, come on,” she repeated. “You can’t stay out here. You’re going to get eaten.”

“No, I won’t! I can fucking take care of myself, okay? I did it before. I’ll learn to do it again! Just because I can’t—I can’t handle children doesn’t mean I’m a moron!”

“I never said it did. I just said you couldn’t stay out here. Anyway, what’s so damn wrong with teaching? It’s not like it’s a hard job. You don’t even have to do the physical work.”

“It has nothing to do with that!”

“Then what does it have to do with?”

You simply glowered at the ground. It really wasn’t any of Ellie’s business, and you didn’t plan to tell her. The fact of the matter was that you didn’t interact with kids, not even the last time you’d tried your hand at settling down—and that time had been willingly. Of course, to add salt to the wound, at your last settlement, you’d also had two arms. Even if you refused to interact with the kids, you were the best damn hunter of the bunch. No one was going to kick you out so long as you brought back meat and didn’t try to kill anyone in your party. Jackson had no such qualms.

“Whatever,” Ellie said, breaking quite rudely into your reminiscing. “You’re really fucking difficult, you know that, right?”

“I told you,” you said, quietly for once. “I told you all that I didn’t want to teach. There’s no point.”

“There’s always a point,” said Ellie. When your eyes found her in the shadows of the trees, she was looking away from you. Without bothering to see if you were following, she headed back in the direction of the settlement.

“I don’t want to go back there. Not with those—”

“You don’t have to teach,” she stopped to tell you.

“But what about my job? I really—” Suddenly, the tears you never cried were stuck in your throat. Your eyes felt too clogged with years of dust and dirt and gunpowder to get them out. You wrapped your good arm around your chest in the hopes that that would somehow stop the sobs from getting out. If you cried in front of fucking Ellie, you’d never live it down. You took a great, shuddering breath before continuing, “I really can’t be a teacher.”

She regarded you with no expression, for how long you couldn’t say. Slowly, your fear subsided, leaving you as dry as ever. That was when Ellie cocked her head to one side, straightened her neck, and then came up and latched her hand around yours.

“You’re such a baby,” Ellie announced as she led you through the woods. “Look, I’ll handle it.”

“But—”

“I said I’ll fucking handle it. We’ll figure out something else you can do. Something without a whole lot of people to upset, okay?”

You didn’t answer.

“You don’t have to teach. You just need to be present, okay?”

“Fine.”

Just then, the trees came to an end, and you and Ellie met the slope down to Jackson. You tore your hand free before anyone could see her holding it, but Ellie ignored this, intent only on returning to the rest of the group.

“What was that about?” the oldest girl demanded as you and Ellie entered.

Joel frowned at you, but you allowed your gaze to slip past him as you took a stationary position a few feet away.

In answer to the girl’s question, Ellie only shook her head. “Nothing. Something stupid. Change of plans, all right?”

No one argued. Within a matter of minutes, Ellie had dumped a torn book and her knife out of her backpack and started to teach them how to best maintain blades. The children crowded around, but Joel maintained his distance, without looking at you, without speaking to you. It was funny, because in that moment, you almost wished he had tried.

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cozy-writer · 4 months ago

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• Johnny 'Coco' Cruz • Let me take care of you •

Summary: You take care of Coco after he comes back home hurt.

Wordcount: 500+

Masterlist

It was a rainy night when you were waiting for Coco to come home to you. He’d been gone on a mission with the Mayans for a couple days now, but had called to let you know he was on his way over. You kept yourself busy by watching TV and cooking dinner, but after that was done, you silently paced the room waiting for him to come home. He hadn’t said anything about being hurt, but you just knew something must be aching.

You heard the familiar sound of a bike revving and you walked over to the front door to open it. It was dark out, so you had a hard time seeing what he looked out. You waited impatiently in the doorframe for him to come to you.

Right as he reached you, you opened your arms for him, giving him a soft kiss on the lips. You pulled back way too soon for his liking, but you needed to check him over. He had a gash above his right eyebrow and his eye was dark and purple, his chin had a scrape on it and blood was trickling from a cut on his lip.

“What happened?” You asked concerned, walking him into your shared house. “Just ran into some trouble.” “Trouble seems to find you anywhere you go.” You sighed. He only shrugged his shoulders. You took a hold of his hand and dragged him to the bathroom, where you made him sit on the toilet. You rummaged through your cabinet and pulled out some gauze and peroxide.

“Oh not that shit again.” “If you can handle getting hurt, you can handle this.” You assured. You put some of the peroxide on the gauze and pressed the dressing on the gash above his eyebrow, holding Coco’s face with your other hand to keep him from moving away. He hissed loudly at the contact and tried to run from your hands. “Coco, seriously?” You complained. “Sorry, ma. It just stings.” “It’ll be over in a second, besides we do not want those cuts to get infected.”

He let you take his face in your hands again, while his own roamed over your butt. You looked at him, raising an eyebrow. “What? This is my support while you cause me more pain.” You rolled your eyes, he was being so dramatic. “Just let me take care of you.” “I know a way you could take care of me.” He suggested. You shook your head laughing. “Only you would think about sex after getting beat up.” “What? this?” He said, pointing to his face. “That’s nothing.”

He pulled at your legs so you sat down on his lap, straddling him. You tried to keep his head upright so you could treat his wounds, but his lips had already found their way to your neck, where he sucked softly. “Coco.” You sighed again. “Forget about that,” He said, motioning at the gauze still in your hands. “And let’s have some fun.”

He stood up, his hands under your ass to carry you away. His lips caught yours as he walked, which then ended up with your back being pressed against different surfaces as he made his way to the bedroom. Finally, he dropped you on the bed and crawled over you, hand roaming over your body. So much for taking care of him.

#Johnny coco cruz #mayans mc #drabble #one shot #imagine #preference #coco cruz #mywriting

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beemers-hell · 4 months ago

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Can we get some stuff about Tricky and Boxxy’s relationship? I really love the idea of the clown being a dad lol

sure thing!

Tricky found Boxxy in a dumpster when she was a couple of months old. She'd already been bitten by a zed and was dying from the infection, so Tricky zapped her with his stupid reality powers in order to save her bc he felt bad that a baby was dying. He then decided to essentially adopt her since she clearly didn't have anyone to go back to

Tricky spoiled the SHIT out of her, he gave her everything she wanted and gave her as much attention as she could want, he loved her so so dearly that he just wanted to give his little baby the whole world! of course this means she grew up into a spoiled little brat, which he was not anticipating, but he's working on trying to fix that with her!!

Boxxy LOOOOOOVES her dad so so much, half the shit she does is so she can impress him with her skills and talents. She's very proud of being "Queen" of Death Pit, not just because it means she's the strongest competitor of Nevada's (current) most watched program but also because Tricky is her number one fan and hypes the fuck out of her being the best. She doesn't feel like she needs to do anything super crazy in order to get her dad's approval, nor does she think she's lacking his love n' adoration, she just really likes one upping herself and impressing him further.

Tricky gave her a copy of his mask when she was little so her face wouldn't be seen and logged by anyone when he'd take her out as a child, and he helped her decorate it the first couple of times with lipstick and mascara and stickers. Boxxy eventually learned how to customize it herself when she got older.

Tricky isn't very good at cooking (that's more jeb's forte) so he takes her out to get burgers and hot dogs and all sorts of greasy foods constantly, of course he also takes her out to hunt people to eat in the flesh since they're both zeds, but that's an extra special occasion kind of meal!

Boxxy had a hard time dealing with the world on account of the fact she's autistic, and, since Tricky also is, he taught her his coping strategies and they seem to work out pretty well for her! Too bad said coping strategies mainly consist of them lashing out and obliterating the problems that are clashing with their brains!

Boxxy, from a very young age, knew she was supposed to be a girl, and was very open about it from the get go with Tricky, and of course he would do anything for his little baby, so he'd conjure up all sorts of (admittedly gaudy) sparkly and pretty girly girl ass clothes for her to try out and play in, as well as conjured up makeup sets and any dolls she asked for, which helped her in determining that she was, in fact, for sure a girl and loved girly things. Tricky didn't put up a fight at all cause he just wanted his baby ti be happy, and continued to support her as much as he could through her transitioning when she got older and really began to understand how one would go about that. He loves his daughter!

#beemer asks #beemers ocs #beemers lore #dad au

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frango-maconheiro · 7 months ago

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i'm rather indecise on how to write about this, also i'm with another migraine rn, it's very annoying. I hope you enjoy my thought process.

Sooo, basically, when i was making this art, i was trying to convey how annoyed i was at the fact i had a migraine.

The thing is,, in the middle process of the background, it quite reminded me of those silly horror backgrounds in horror stuff and weirdcore? idk, maybe nightmarecore or something, and it kind of made me stop and stare for a second, like, huh, it kind of reminded me of zombie matt.

so i was like, daamn, what if Matt had that same thing in the beach episode, but instead of vampire, it's with zombie, yk,,, like, even after what happened, he still had remains of the zombie self, especially with how he became some kind of lich. (This is the easiest example i could find to resume it)

Wouldn't it be cool if he still had some sort of influence on the undead if he tried hard enough??

I think he'd probably feel iffy with his left arm despite it being perfectly in place again and with no traces of the past, like, the skin there hadn't decayed the same way, so despite being just fine, he almost feels the need to scratch it off for the first post months.

And idk, i think the effects of all of that apocalypse would maybe develop cannibalistic thoughts for some time, like, he ate brains before as a zombie, but now he's back as a human, and it's kind of fucked up so tries to avoid thinking of it, the kind of shit that had him sweating when too close to one of his friends.

scenes ended before Edd and Tom's infection, so Matt is the only one acting all weird because he was the only zombie technically, the only one who probably thought about it now and then of a well cooked arm, a soup of brains.. or some grilled intestines.... yummy, he thought before snapping out of it and getting a sandwich for himself.

i still wanna continue babbling, but like, this post is too long already, the longest in this blog fr. Hope whoever had patience to read this nonsense to have liked it! shksgskjpkk

#eddsworld #matt ew #eddsworld matt #ew matt #zombie matt #rambling #rambling about ew matt

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ovtsakaramel · 2 months ago

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Do you have anymore finnick/odesta head cannons i loved your first one!

So sorry this took some time to answer but heres the hcs

🩵Finnick never wanted piercings or tattoos or anything like this but when he had a crush on Annie and saw the kinds of guys she's into he just went to her and asked her to pierce his ear. She, with the experience of piercings her friends, agreed and was just so happy that he trusts her and actually talks to her, and not talking to her only when she goes to annoy him, immediately says yes. His ear got infected the next day but he didn't let her see him until he managed to get it under control so she won't feel guilty and he won't be like that one kid who got an Infection while all the others are cool and edgy. He ended up loving it, but no needles touched his body again.

🩵Finnick has some days where he just locks himself in his house and doesn't do anything and just sits there until the pain eats him alive and he falls asleep. The stinging rotting from the inside covering each organ, his mind already lost and there is nothing but the last face. Then the others. He's back there. The skin starts rotting too from every hit of the imaginary touch. The two rots meet each other in the middle layer of his body and send the destroying fire. He's numb now. Didn't move for the whole day. The numbness goes to his brain and he shuts down. The next morning he wakes up to a knocking too loud to be from anyone other than the woman always ready for an argument, the victor of last year's games - Annie Cresta.

"Wake up you piece of actual fucking shit! Finnick Odair! Wake up, motherfucking idiot!" The only thing that could make him wake up was a voice this annoying. The only motivation to wake up every morning was the hope that he could win in a fight with her. She was his only hope.

"Do I still bring you hope?" Annie is laying on his chest, he dark brown hair shining with a red essence from the morning sun. The red from the anger he had to her once was now the calming red of love that hits her hair with the sun.

"You're both my thirteenth reason and my only reason, fucking spawn of Satan." She throws the blanket over him and stands up, putting her red panties on. Well, maybe he didn't like red on her in one way. "Hey, take them off again, why standing up?"

"I'm mad." She says.

" -ly in love with me?" He gives her puppy eyes.

"Asshole. What you said it's not true."

"That you're my only reason to live? Or that you are my 13th reason?"

"That you have only 13 reasons"

"Ouch." Well, it didn't actually hurt. Sometimes making jokes was the only way to get through it. Thank God he had a girlfriend that can't take anything seriously.

She puts his shirt on and starts doing her makup. At that moment, he realized - there was another reason to live: to learn how tf can this 20 year old woman have the line drawing skills of a 3 year old child. And know that many swear words for every time she fucked up her eyeliner.

[All of these are headcanons that I planned to write separately, but I felt like if I did a car was gonna hit me tmrw] ok so this was also a little not really thought off and it's just a silly thing don't look a lot into if it's realistic or not

🩵Annie despises being called darling. But she is a sucker for baby and doesn't give a fuck about how cringe it is, she is cringe and will never stop being. She calls Finnick angel because since they kissed for the first time, there was nothing more ethereal and unhumanly nice than the man she used to despise.

🩵Annie may not cook, but she is a fire bartender.

🩵Finnick once stole a cigarette from Annie and will never tell her because she would make sure that he doesn't touch one again.

"Why can you do it then?"

"Because I'm fucked up and don't matter, I'm already way too far gone! I'm crazy! And you matter!"

"I'm far worse than you."

"Well I'm too far gone in loving you." She snaps the cigarette from his hand and takes a smoke.

#the hunger games #the hunger games series #thg #hunger games #odesta #hunger games series #thg series #annie cresta #finnick odair #finnick x annie

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ochrearia · 4 months ago

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I've breached containment I'm drabbling without an inbox ask provoking me first. Mystery prompt

In PoPr Universe, so BF -> Keith, GF -> Cherry

"He just stole more of the chocolate chips! Ban him from the kitchen!" Keith pointed an accusing finger at his boyfriend, currently knocking back chocolate chips like pills.

"Fuck you, you did it first!" Pico retorted. "This is my Pico tax, thanks."

"Both of you will be banned from the kitchen if you keep garbage mouthing the ingredients." Huffed Cherry as she finished off dumping batter into the two muffin tins. "Thievery is frowned upon."

"We already added chocolate chips, I don't see why picking off the remaining pieces is a crime."

"I still might add some more!" She insisted. "And you will both ruin your appetite if you fill up on little pieces of chocolate. You can wait like, 20 minutes, can't you?"

Handling the both of them was like handling two overgrown toddlers when it came to sweets. The trio had decided to attempt baking something together as a stay-at-home date, and it had gone about as well as you'd expect. Well, at least there was actual batter in the baking sheets. Now they just had to bake them without blowing up the oven.

"Do you think if we turn up the temperature it will bake faster?" Keith suggested, fiddling with the oven controls. "Like, 700 degrees for 5 minutes."

"You are going to fucking burn our apartment down if you do that you absolute dumbass."

"Alright Mr smartypants, how are we cooking these things then?"

"Follow the recipe, like normal people." The hitman deadpanned. "It says 400 for 20 minutes. And none of us are at all qualified to be experimenting with baking temperatures so we're doing exactly that."

"You're no fun." Keith pouted. "Why do we even need to wait that long if we pre-heated it?"

"The pre-heat is why it's only 20 minutes instead of longer- ack!" Pico cut himself of as he opened the oven door and a giant, billowing cloud of hot steam smacked him in the face. He snapped back with a scrunched expression, thoroughly unamused while his partners giggled at his misfortune behind him. "Very funny. You wouldn't be laughing if that had actually burned me."

"I would've healed you instantly, don't be such a baby." Cherry said in between her giggles. "You've got such a cute scrunchy face, how are we supposed to not laugh?"

"Now is not the time to be flirting at me when I could just start eating the batter out of the tin."

"You were literally complaining about how we haven't died of food poisoning five minutes ago and now you're about to risk food poisoning?" Keith snorted. "I thought you were supposed to be the smart one. Shit, Cherry, our dumbass disease is infecting him."

"At least you know who's to blame!" Pico stuck out his tongue, popping the sheets into the oven and setting everything correctly. "Also, I'm not the one who thought egg shells were how crunchy cookies were made."

"It was a valid thought!" Came the indignant cry from the demoness. "You know! Crunchy thing goes in to make more crunch!"

"Have you ever seen any food or recipe that calls for leaving the eggshell in with the egg itself?"

"Well, no... but I still stand by my thought process!"

"You're both dumbasses." Pico sighed. "I don't know how either of you lived long enough to get to this point without me protecting you. Fucking hell."

"Aww, you care about us." Keith teased, ignoring everything else he said. "Pico cares about ussss! Gee, he cares about us!"

"I am LITERALLY-" He faltered, shaking his head and pushing through. "I am literally in love with the both of you."

"Awww, he admits it!"

20 minutes could not pass by quick enough, in Pico's opinion. Maybe he could get away with garbage mouthing more chocolate chips, anything to escape the tag-team teasing that made his cheeks flush more than any billowing steam from the oven.

#poprdrabbles

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whiskey-tango-matcha · 2 years ago

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Downfall (pt 2/2)

See? I didn’t lie, part 2 is here and it’s only...11:00PM Sunday night lol. Wow guys, this part got long (like 3.5k words long. Oops.) and *sappy*. But, you know what I love about snz fic? We always give the people what they want. You see a smoking gun in act 1 you best believe it’s going off in act 3. Lmao. Also, I’m sorry if there’s continuity/grammar/spelling errors, I’ll read it through again in the morning and fix them I just can’t do it tonight haha.

Anyway! Hope you guys like the second part.

cw: Male, colds, contagion, mess, there is a passing-out moment in here as well. Shit gets wild lol. This part is heavily inspired by 3 prompts in my inbox, so if you sent a prompt it’s probably featured here!

Downfall - Pt 2

When Elijah opened his eyes Friday morning, he nearly cried in relief; after three full days of feeling like death, he finally, finally felt like he was on the other side of this shit.

The past two days had been a nightmare. After Greyson had called him Tuesday night and told him that not one but two other managers had gone down, Elijah had to mentally prepare himself for a full week of work with one of the worst colds he’d ever endured. He’d walked into the kitchen Wednesday morning stuffed to the gills with dayquil, cough syrup, and ibuprofen; a combination he was sure was actively taking years off of his life. Greyson was already hard at work, despite the fact that Elijah knew he’d been at the restaurant until well after midnight the night before.

“He lives!” Greyson said, throwing his arms up as though Elijah had just scored the winning goal for their nonexistent soccer team. “You look god-awful, and I’m so glad you’re here!”

Elijah coughed out a laugh, and Greyson lead them both into the office. “So, here’s the deal,” Greyson said as they both sat. “I told both Matt and Mark to stay home til Saturday – just to make sure they don’t infect anyone else. I closed the books at 50 covers tonight and tomorrow – and I know, it’s barely enough to cover labor, but we’re in survival mode here, so don’t give me that look. I got in at six, most of my prep for the evening is done, so I figured when we open I can throw on a button down and help on the floor while you expo back here during the rush. Does that all work for you?”

The GM blinked, blindsided. He knew Greyson was good in a shit situation, but damn; the kid should’ve been a fighter pilot or an ER doctor. “Yeah,” Elijah said, “sounds great, Grey.”

So that’s what they’d done. Both Wednesday and Thursday. Elijah had holed up in the office until the servers needed him for preshift, and Greyson had prepared his cooks for two weird nights of Elijah expoing. Service had been moderately slow both evenings, which would’ve been great, if it hadn’t allowed Elijah to hyper-focus on his lingering symptoms and Greyson to flit and fret over him every time he stepped into the kitchen.

“Do you need anything, Lij? Water? Tea? Meds?” The constant stream of mother-henning had eventually worn on everyone, and even Greyson’s cooks had finally said, “Chef, he’s fine.”

But they had gotten through it. Elijah had sneezed and coughed and cursed his way through garnishing dishes, and Greyson had awkwardly talked to tables until finally the week was nearly over. And now it was Friday, one day til the big wedding, and Elijah was finally, finally feeling better.

Elijah walked in at 9AM to a thankfully-empty kitchen; he’d told Greyson the night before to sleep in, prepare himself for the weekend, take some Emergen-C and be absolutely sure he wasn’t going to succumb to the rot Elijah had brought in, but he was surprised that the chef had actually listened to him. The GM placed his things down in their empty office and took a breath; it was going to be okay. Mark and Matt would be back for the wedding, they would be relatively slow tonight, and Saturday would be perfect. Manifest it, Lij, he said to himself, sitting at the desk and turning the computer on. Manifest it.

After an hour or so of paperwork, Elijah heard the back doors open as Greyson let himself in. The GM pushed away from the computer and cracked his neck, anticipating the usual barrage of word vomit Greyson was wont to spew out the moment he walked into the restaurant. “Morning, Chef,” he called out before even seeing Greyson, marveling at how much clearer his voice was today. Fuck that fucking cold.

Greyson stepped into the office and silently saluted his boss, a Starbucks cup adorning each of his hands. “Hey, boss,” he said, placing one in front of Elijah and one next to his own computer. The chef didn’t sit down; instead, he took off his hoodie, grabbed a clean coat from the back of his chair, and buttoned it up before snagging his drink and heading into the kitchen. Elijah swung himself around in his chair, dumbstruck.

“That’s it?” he asked, watching Greyson unpack his knives a few feet away. “‘Hey, boss’? No big gameplan? No huddle to discuss the week’s insanity? No bombardment of questions regarding my health?” Greyson huffed out a laugh, but Elijah wasn’t having it. “You didn’t even tell me what you got me to drink,” he said, holding up the mystery cup.

Greyson raised an eyebrow at his boss and bit back a smile. “It’s a chai,” he said, bemused. Elijah threw his hands up, flustered.

“The amount that that doesn’t address 90% of my questions is truly amazing,” he said, taking a long sip of his drink, which – certainly wasn’t a chai. The hell was that?

“I don’t know what second-rate Starbucks you stopped at, Chef, but this is definitely not a chai,” Elijah said, pushing the cup towards the door. “What is that? It’s like...something lemon.”

Greyson colored a bit and picked up his own cup to look at the sticker. “Ah, fuck,” he mumbled, striding back into the office and switching their cups. “Sorry ’bout that. I switched the cups.”

“What is it?” Elijah asked, his face seemingly stuck in a mask of disgust. “So that I can remember to never order it.”

Greyson rolled his eyes. “Have you ever ordered something from Starbucks that wasn’t a chai?” he asked, sipping his drink. Elijah shrugged and turned towards that computer again.

“Fair enough,” he said, waking the screen by shaking the mouse. He turned to Greyson again when the floorplan popped up on his screen. “Can we take a quick look at tonight together? Since Matt and Mark are still out? Do you think we should cut the covers off now, or go to 75?” Elijah squinted, his face nearly touching the screen in concentration. After a few moments of silence, he peeled himself away from the monitor to glance at the chef, who was – the fuck was he doing?

“The fuck are you doing?” Elijah asked, snapping Greyson out of his trance. The chef had been turned almost all the way around, facing the kitchen. Clearly he hadn’t heard a word Elijah said.

“Huh? Shit, sorry boss. Lost in thought,” Greyson said, turning back toward the GM. “Uhh… 75. Yeah, that looks good,” he finished, lamely. Elijah raised his eyebrows.

“What’s your problem today?” he asked, though not with malice. Greyson chuckled.

“Just got a lot on my mind, boss,” he said. “Big weekend. Week’s been long. I need to get back to prep, if that’s okay.” Elijah gave Greyson another look, but nodded after a moment and shooed him out. Greyson smiled at his boss, held his cup out in a false ‘cheers’. “I’ll be prepping in the back kitchen if you need me,” he said, and disappeared past the line into the back.

It wasn’t Elijah’s fault, he reasoned with himself later, that he hadn’t seen through the ruse. He’d just barely gotten over a monster of a cold; he was himself busy and stressed; it was early and he hadn’t had enough caffeine. He couldn’t be expected to decode what was wrong with Greyson every time the kid acted weird. However, he couldn’t help but kick himself when he finally realized – thirty minutes before service – what the weird-tasting drink the chef had gotten himself was. Aptly named, of course, and something Elijah himself had only had once before, courtesy of Greyson himself.

A medicine ball. Greyson had gotten himself a medicine ball.

***

He wasn’t sure how long he’d be able to keep this up, but it certainly wasn’t going to be through tomorrow’s wedding.

Greyson sat down, fully clothed, on the toilet and put his head in his hands for the third time that day. The fact that Elijah hadn’t noticed at this point was a mix of pure dumb luck and more sudafed than a human person should ever in their life consume. He assumed the former would begin to run out soon, as the latter had hours ago.

“Huhh...HNGSTH! NTSH! ITZSH! Fuck – HNGTSZHUE! Goddamn it.”

Greyson pulled a length of toilet paper from the roll and blew his nose until it made him cough. He checked his watch as he threw the toilet paper into the trashcan next to him – 9:15PM. When he’d stepped into this bathroom, dodging Elijah as he locked the door, all but one of the tables had left. He’d go back to the line, he’d tell Leo, his grill cook who’d been there nearly as long as he had, to check that everyone had cleaned thoroughly, and he’d sneak out the back before Elijah could question him.

And then what? Greyson asked himself as he stood and washed his hands. You somehow make a miraculous recovery between now and tomorrow morning? Have you seen how this shit took down Elijah, Mark, and Matt?

Greyson ignored the voice in his head and dried his hands. He assumed Elijah hadn’t noticed because they were both wildly busy before service, and once service had started, they were both worn thin being the only managers in their departments for the third day in a row. Greyson had managed to keep the congestion out of his voice with the aforementioned sudafed, and he had taken his happy ass to the bathroom or out back to ‘smoke’ when he really needed to sneeze or cough all night. Elijah had definitely given him some looks through the evening, but nothing Greyson couldn’t brush off by pulling a ticket distractedly and not making eye contact.

Tomorrow, though? When Matt and Mark were both going to be back, and they were all going to be prepping their asses off for the wedding? He genuinely had no idea what he was going to do to keep them from noticing.

Greyson exited the bathroom, stealthily managing to avoid his boss as he slipped into the kitchen. He gathered his things, put Leo in charge, and was nearly out the door, nearly safe, when -

“Chef!” Elijah called behind him, making him freeze in his tracks just outside the back door. Fuck.

“Yeah, boss?” Greyson asked, turning to face Elijah and hoping he didn’t look like the garbage fire he felt. Elijah crossed his arms over his chest in the cold of the alleyway and motioned to Greyson’s entire being.

“You leaving?” he asked tapping his foot. Greyson managed a smile and lifted his backpack and knife bag a little for inspection.

“Is it obvious?” he asked, quietly clearing his throat to mask the gravel of his voice. Elijah didn’t say anything for a few moments.

“Leo shutting down the line?” he asked. Greyson nodded, swallowing around a throat on fire.

“Yeah,” he said. “Did you uh…ndeed something from mbe?” Fuck.

Elijah gave Greyson a pointed look. “Grey,” he said, voice low. “If you’re sick, you need to tell me. Now.”

Greyson felt his cheeks redden, but he immediately shook his head. “I’mb good,” he said, cursing once again the congestion that had sneaked into his voice. “Promise. I gotta go, I’mb gonna mbiss mby train.” Without missing a beat, the chef turned around and headed towards the street, hoping his boss couldn’t see him stifle nearly ten sneezes into his fist as he walked.

This was not going to end well.

***

It was worse than Elijah could have even imagined.

When Elijah walked into the restaurant that morning, the first thing he did was text Greyson.

9:01AM

Hey. I’m here, is there anything you want me to pull out/start on before you get in?

9:01AM

Also, how are you feeling?

Normally, he’d get a response in moments; when Greyson wasn’t at work, the man was glued to his phone, playing some stupid game or messaging one of his fifty Bumble suitors he kept on the line at all times. I get bored, he often said to Elijah. One starts annoying me, BOOM! Onto the next.

Today, though, nearly twenty minutes passed before Elijah’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out immediately and couldn’t help but wince at the text the chef sent.

9:18AM

great. no. ill be there in 20.

Anyone who texted with Greyson more than once in their life knew that if he wasn’t being his multi-exclamation-point, constant-joke-and-lol self over text, he was probably close to death. Elijah typed out an ‘ok’ to the chef, before making a thread with Matt and Mark.

9:31AM

Elijah

Hey, guys. Just making sure you’re both on your way in. Greyson’s gonna be down bad. Need all hands on deck asap.

9:32AM

Mark

???? is he ok??? down bad in what way?

9:33AM

Matt

ya, coming now. figured chef would’ve gone down by now. should I bring anything?

9:34AM

Elijah

Just your stamina. Gonna be a long day. Thx.

9:34AM

Mark

no one answered my ?

im so confused

shit, I knew I got greyson sick. fuuuuuuuuck. sorry, boss :(

9:35AM

Elijah

All good. Inevitable. Let’s just get this day done.

Elijah clicked his phone off and sighed. He could go for a whiskey, or even just a long, drawn out scream about now, but a cigarette and a prayer would have to do him. Twelve hours until the wedding was over.

***

How Greyson managed to make it to work was anyone’s guess, him included.

The chef pushed through the back doors and before he could even get past the prep kitchen he was doubled over, sneezing into the sleeve of his hoodie.

“HhhIGSTZH-ue! HuhESHHH-ue! HRRTSCHZUE! NGTSHZUE! Christ, fuck,” Greyson muttered, wiping his nose on his sleeve for what he could only wish he could say was the first time that morning. He cleared his throat, which was for naught since he could barely speak, and continued his trudge into the main kitchen.

When Greyson had made it home last night, he told himself he’d be able to continue to hide his burgeoning illness. He thought maybe more medicine, some Vick’s, and a good night’s sleep would give him the upper hand against it. He’d told himself he was stronger than his coworkers, that his immune system wouldn’t fail him on one of the most important days of his career.

Oh, how the mighty will fall.

“HhNGTSHHZUE! ITSZH-uhh! Fuuuuck,” Greyson moaned, stumbling into the thankfully-empty office and yanking a handful of tissues from the box on the desk. He wiped his nose, unwilling to unleash the volley of sneezes he knew would be behind a nose blow, and pressed his palms into his eyes to try and relieve some of the pressure. Who the fuck gets a cold this fucking bad, Elijah, he wondered silently.

As if conjured, Greyson felt his phone buzz with a text from his boss.

10:07AM

Bless. That sounds fucking awful.

Could a guy not get a moment’s peace in this fucking place?

10:08AM

i should call the cdc’s biohazard unit on u for unleashing this shit onto us.

An admission, but what else was he supposed to do? Elijah could hear him in the dining room. The game was over. Greyson put his head back into his hands until he heard his boss’s footsteps click into the kitchen.

“...chef?” Elijah asked, and Greyson wearily lifted his head.

“Mornding,” Greyson croaked, before turning to the side to cough, crackly and painful-sounding, into his sleeve. He felt something get placed on the desk next to him, and when he finally was able to compose himself he saw it was a Starbucks cup. Greyson smiled, weary.

“Chai?” he asked, picking up the cup. Elijah huffed out a laugh.

“Something like that,” he said, moving to sit next to Greyson. “Now, hear me out. I think I have a gameplan.”

***

At five o’clock, Elijah finally went to rouse the man of the hour with a knock on the office door.

“Chef,” he said, trying to wake Greyson as gently as possible. “Grey. We need you for plate-up.” Greyson nodded blearily and, with the help of both Matt and Elijah, managed to get to his feet.

It had been an interesting day for sure. Elijah’s plan had been for Greyson to try and help with some of the more intricate parts of prep in the morning, and then lay down from noon until it was go time, but that had proved nearly impossible.

Greyson had managed to prep for about three minutes at a time before dissolving into nasty coughing fits that lasted minutes at a time, or absolutely relentless bouts of -

“HTSHH-ue! HRSHH-ue! Hhuhh…NGTSHZUE! ITSZHUE! Huhh-ETSHZCH-oo!”

“Christ, boss,” Matt said, attempting a laugh after a particularly intense fit of sneezes, “When you go down you really go – oh, fuck.” In teasing his boss, Matt nearly missed Greyson’s eyes rolling back into his head and his knees buckling as he lost consciousness for a moment. “ELIJAH!” Matt called, catching his boss and lowering him to the ground as gracefully as possible.

Once they’d managed to get Greyson back to a standing position, Elijah had decided it was too risky to let him continue to be...vertical. Greyson had laid out for Matt exactly what he needed him to do to finish preparing the food, and retreated to the blanket fort they had all heavily utilized this week for a sleep that more closely resembled a coma than anything restorative.

Matt, Elijah, and even Mark had managed to finish the prep Greyson had worked so hard on that week by four PM. Once they felt ready, the three of them gathered in front of the office to stare at the racked-out chef.

“Should we… ask him if everything looks okay?” Mark had asked, ringing his hands. Matt and Elijah exchanged a look before Elijah shook his head.

“I think… I think he’ll be okay with just about anything at this point,” Elijah said. The other two nodded, unwilling to take this precious moment of sleep away from the chef.

When the guests were all seated and ready for first courses, it was, of course, Elijah’s job to wake the sleeping bear. Greyson, ever the trooper, took his place at the pass and regarded the three of them with all the pride he could muster.

“Thangk you guys. Really,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. “Ndow. Let’s get this shit over w – HGSTHH-ue! Snrf. Guhh,” Greyson held tight to the granite counter top and pulled himself back to his full height.

“Let’s get this done,” he said, pulling out his tweezers. “And whend it’s over, I’mb ndot answering mby phone for a fuckigg week.”

They all managed a laugh. They all assumed their positions for plating and running food. This certainly wasn’t the glamorous job it was portrayed in the movies, but they did have something all that media never seemed to truly capture; they had each other, and this place that all of them thought of as not a second, but a true home.

Greyson cleared his throat as the first of the servers came through the doors, bearing labeled sheets with seat numbers. “Order in!” he called, and they all put their heads down and began their work.

#whiskeyswriting #snz #snz fet #snez #snzfic #sniction #sickfic #coldfic #male cold #original charater #m cold #oc sickfic #snzblr #aight im going to bed lol i feel like a teenager again up late writing snz fic christ ive regressed lmaoooo

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