#conrad&everyone in that damn hospital

[queenofbaws]

random bits and bobs about fuck no: the movie: the au because as i'm trying to shift into finishing some wips, it keeps popping up in my head...

does that mean i have a fuck no: the wip in process?

maybe.

is it a fuck no: the oneshot?

probably.

will any of these little details ever see the light of day in actual writing?

who's to say.

but here they are anyway. reader beware, i mention some chronic medical stuff in here, so if that's not your jam, you're in for a scaaaaaare. also this IS a climbing chrash or chris/ashley/josh au, so if that's not your jam either, HOO BOY.

the little underground indie horror studio everyone's favorite garbage pail kids start gets named Hidden Basement Workshop - something that, at first blush, just seems like a sly nod to josh's whole deal during the prank...and it is that, but it's also a fun signature that includes all their initials: HBW, hartley, brown, washington.

after the whole blackwood pines fiasco, josh needs a bunch of reconstructive surgery that leaves him with some facial scarring, but what really gets him (because it's MY au and i get to project wherever i WANT) is the onset of fibromyalgia once he's out of the hospital; chris sustains a fairly rough knee injury that causes him to favor his other leg and wear a brace on and off; and ashley develops migraines and some slight vision issues that necessitate her wearing glasses. they were indoor kids before the pines...after the pines, they're even more so.

this is where the scheming begins.

when the titular movie actually comes into play, or at least an early version of it they can pitch, the gang splits up responsibilities fairly evenly: ashley is, of course, the one to write the damn thing, but josh is the one to adapt it into a screenplay before handling most of the practical effects, and chris handles sound mixing/visual effects/editing. once they blow up and hire more bodies, things change, but their core roles never shift tooooooo much.

josh and ashley simply cannot work in the same room together. it doesn't matter if they're working on different projects. it doesn't matter if they're both wearing headphones. nothing matters. they just can't do it. they're always antsy the other one is looking over their shoulder and waiting to throw their two cents in, so they have to work separately.

chris does not have this issue. in the slightest. once chris is in the zone, a category 5 hurricane could be happening behind him and he'd have literally no idea.

everyone who doesn't know better assumes that they get their OH SO CREATIVE ideas from their combined history - josh's dad being in the horror movie business for years and years, chris being chronically online and familiar with game/tech development, ashley inhaling stephen king novels even before she could walk - but everyone in the know will tell you they're just vultures, plain and simple, buying the rights to any story they sniff out through the grapevine and turning it into something terrible.

josh and conrad/julia's parents were always buddies, but they fell off for a bit after hannah and beth went missing. that is, until (surprise) josh hears a really strange story over family dinner one night and calls the conman himself to "catch up." they spend a very strange night talking about pirates and sexy, sexy grandma zombies.

barely a week later, conrad handles the pr for hbw and the rest of the gang who found themselves kidnapped from the duke that night now find themselves significantly richer than they used to be. significantly.

they don't pick up new employees every time they hear about and snatch up someone's story, but...it happens. taylor and daniel eventually join on to help with stunts and blocking. mark gets offered a position as director of photography and leaps at the opportunity.

nothing - literally N O T H I N G - supernatural/paranormal EVER happens to them again...unless you count the eerie way they're able to track down stories of weird shit happening to other people ;)c

the three of them wear converses to every. single. movie premiere of theirs. it drives conrad up the fucking wall.

the garage of their place is just used for josh to make the worst, most gruesome props mankind has ever seen, so woe betide anyone who goes in there thinking it's the door to a bathroom or the laundry room. woe. betide.

eventually they decide they need a pet and end up adopting the angriest, mangiest, most torn-up old fighting tomcat they can find at the animal shelter. he's grey (sort of), is totally blind in one eye, and will let ashley and josh pet him, but only chris is given the honor of holding him for any amount of time. he swears he even heard him purr once! they name him jack and no one can ever decide if it's a joke or a memorial. probably it's both.

[212-apricity]

Okay I’m finally here! I wanted so badly to read it when you posted but I was so freaking tired I crashed 😭 But I’m here with another rant/essay of thoughts and emotions haha I feel like with every chapter I write more and more 😂

Getting a glimpse into Conrad’s head in any fic itches my brain nicely, idk I just love him?? Anywho, the way you write his like emotions and his anger/frustration? I’m here for it, he deserves to be a little upset instead of just shutting himself down to protect himself 🥺🖤 BUT him tracking Dean down and punching him before the ass can even get a word in?! Yes!! Thank you omg, protector Conrad getting his emotions out AND making sure Dean knows he’s not welcome anymore? no and then he comes home and tucks us in??? After beating a guy up?? God I’m feral for him I need therapy 😂

Him and his moms? (Bc lbr Susannah x Laurel is the real otp here 😭🖤) I tear up every time Susannah’s cancer gets brought up bc of personal stuffs so like Conrad crying on her and letting himself feel bc he didn’t mean to hurt us while his mom was sick?? My eyes were sweating I wanna give him cuddles and back rubs and forehead kisses 🥺😭🖤🖤

Steven would be that person tho “oh don’t worry I watched the cooking channel I can do this!” And then fucks it all to hell 😂 I love him, I feel like Steven and I would be those besties that are complete idiots together because we share half a braincell 😂

And Connie calling us my girl?!?! AND baby?!! That shit gives me butterflies omg 😭😭 im so lonely lmfao ahh the whole living room scene has me in a choke hold I love him, just ahhhhh the domesticity of caring for your lover after he beats someone up for you 🥺🖤

The almost kiss on the beach had me swooning too 😭 Fucking Steven and cockblocking us 😂😂

MATCHING TATTOOS AHHH 😩😩

No but who tf does Thérèse think she is???? “Sorry I stole your bf I was jealous but I ended things with him” like good for you but stay away lmao like that trust would be so damaged!!! Thérèse and Dean really do deserve each other ��😤

Okay but us hitting Dean? And just being a feral cat about him not shutting up? Yes please?! Couples who beat shitty exes up together are top tier 😂 (I know we’re not a couple yet but in my heart Conrad’s already my husband 😂🖤) AND AGAIN the of checking over each others wounds?!!! I love them, your honor. 🖤🖤

Okay but Connie immediately wanting to take off and beat the shit out of Dean, while the love of his life’s injured??? But his tunnel vision is just like “gotta kill this guy”?? Like you idiot I don’t want Jere to take me to the hospital I want the person that makes me feel safe there 😭😭😭

Overall I love how theres a bunch of little moments showing how we love each other but it doesn’t feel forced or too fast? Like obviously Conrad and her just wanna kiss (damn you Steven) but also they’re comfortable just existing together too because they both know they care?? Does that make sense? Is that even what you were going for? Idk but that’s how I’m feeling it rn, maybe it’s just my craving for love that’s reading in too deep 😂😂

AHHH 😭 Anyway thank you again for another glorious chapter, I love it, I adore you, and I’m so so excited for more! I can’t wait to see the moms reactions to their tattoos (and for getting into a fight and getting injured 💀😂) and just for more shenanigans in general with everyone 🖤🖤😭

oh. my gosh. STOP I LOVE THESE COMMENT THINGYS SM THEYRE SO FUN.

ok so i totally agree, dean is a RAT he deserves whatever happens to him ik i wrote the damn thing but i stand w it🤷🏽‍♀️🤷🏽‍♀️

no but fr someone needed to humble dean and thérèse both like they’re so annoying. i didn’t want thérèse to have a giant monologue just explaining why she did what she did bc honestly people like that don’t rly say all that much irl, they’re just looking for ways to get back in ur life and mess it up again tbh and she was just annoying too like

and i mean i didn’t wanna say it myself but yes the main characters here ARE susannah and laurel, glad we cleared that up. they’re literally so cutesy and wonderful i love them sm

STEVENS SO FUNNY STOP- hes literally hilarious i love him sm

no honestly i love the living room scene too it’s so cutesy and domestic i thought those two needed a tiny little cute relaxed moment before it all went down tbh💀💀

and i agree, if someone called me baby??????????

🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️

that’s all i have to say. next question.

no everytime i write an almost kiss im literally on the edge of my seat as well like should i make them kiss or should i wait🤨🤨

REAL. we’re not officially w conrad yet but we bascially are married w two dogs and an adopted son (steven) so we don’t even need to go through the formalities anymore

no fr like ily conrad but now is not the time, you better get in that car and drive to the hospital.

YESS IT DOES MAKE SENSE IM SO GLAD YOU NOTICED!!!! i didn’t want to make this one too like fast paced or too like oh everyone gets what they want happily ever after like i feel like you don’t need to be constantly making out or talking w someone you care about, even just spending some time w them is more than enough like just having these tiny cute little moments is so lovely

YESS IM SO EXICTED TO WRITE MORE ON THIS ONE sadly i don’t think i can post another part until like friday night / the weekend bc schooo started again today (kms) and it’s gcse year (double kms) but im so happy you like it, i love love love these conment things so much you have no idea🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽

[ofbravedemons]

The green jello was a choice for sure. Billie had tended to upon patients to realize most enjoyed the red or orange, but green was her favorite. The off chance she decided to grab a jello with her lunch in the cafeteria. She saw that amused expression, the ster shock on Conrad’s face now. But I brushed it off to my own. ‘ Everyone leaves the green jello out in the dust, I don’t know I like it, maybe I’m the odd one then.’ I said refusing to shrug my shoulders knowing my body could erupt in pain. The stinging blazing through my head was enough, probably from the internal bleeding, which was all irony now considering I was the Neuro surgeon, the chief of surgeon and I was left to peel back the pieces now. 

Billie did appreciate Conrad being here; on the day the whole damn hospital was hoping or praying the man would sign back onto the staff. Chastain wasn’t the same without him. Gigi was happy, she loved the daycare, and in the years since he left; I helped carpool her home, we’re family. So I wasn’t shocked or in disbelief with Conrad’s insistence to be here, to tend to my wounds. But I hated feeling small vulnerable now. But at the notion of all the people who didn’t like Conrad Hawkins when they first met him, his cocky attitude his desire to be right; not taking anyone’s opinions into account, I had to hold my laugh now, as I was on that list too. Conrad and I only tolerated each other once upon a time for Nic. I was her best friend, and Conrad was the love of her life. But now; life was funny, I liked having Conrad around. I liked how I felt with him, seen, cared for. A developed crush maybe? God that was scary all on its own. 

“ You know once I didn’t like you all that much, and you hated me for my reckless behavior in an or.” An obvious; all the fights the male and I had once, but now he wanted me to stay with him, was it friendship? Family? An obligation to the other on behalf of Nic? I had no idea. “ But look at us now, friends, family. I’d do anything for you and Gigi, i hope you know that.” An honest observation, a thought as she nodded slowly not to bring more pain to her head. “ You get my jello, and I’ll think about the offer, okay.” A promise a glimmer in her eye now, as she truly meant it. An answer was made; Billie had healing to do, and there was no one she trusted more than Conrad.

Continued.

@tightensthebolt

Feeling small almost broken. It had been years since Billie had let her fall apart from that night. The night she lost a piece of herself. A night she had stopped trusting men and relationships. Not to say Billie didn’t spend time with men since she was 13 because that was a lie. She slept with men that wanted no strings, that were one night stands. She built herself up, she put herself onto a pedestal because she wanted to protect herself. Two dreadful days in her life; the day she found out she had been taken advantage of by Porter and that same day she found out she was pregnant. The other was a vague memory of holding her son for the first and last time before she let him go. 

A toll she now carried with her, all the demons she hint to be the surgeon she was. Numbness, emotionless it’s who she was. To avoid being hurt. But the looming truth of Porter his crimes sitting in the backburner it now haunted her. Billie had to consider Trevor which is why she had stayed silent, AJ had warned her the birdy in her ear to let her know her son wanted to find his dad; and she lied. She felt helpless even now as she felt on edge. She felt Conrad’s syspathic gaze, it was sweet he didn’t try to tell her he understood, instead he fought his own anger urges; the tightness of the line veins on his forehead; on his neck said it for him. Instead he was just a friend; someone she could lean on. A gentle smile a real one lifted to her brims as she pushed her coffee into her hand. She was preoccupied enough to reject coffee which was the indication Billie was far from okay.

“ Thank you, for being an ear, for not telling me you understood. I don’t want to feel broken. I’m better than this.” Brokenness written in her voice when it cracked. She hated being vulnerable so she was almost relieved when Conrad changed the topic to his debate on career moves. Billie offered a gentle smile as she lifted herself onto her feet. Forgotten coffee had fallen to the trash as hands fell to her sides. She listened intently to Conrad speak; she understood. She did. Because since Nic; he never wanted GiGi to be without a parent or feel abandoned it was part of the why he went to a private practice to begin with. Why we were forced to have coffee meet ups with my busy schedule, being the Chief of Surgeon now; the title made my heart leap on its own content. The brunette gave a silent nod as she stepped outside as he held the door for them both. 

Not that Billie didn’t see Gigi all the time, I spent Sundays at the house, we had little tea parties, and if Conrad ever had to work late I’d be the one he called to help him. We were family; Nic’s absence was heavy in our hearts; but I knew Nic, she would never want him to give up on his dreams, and it sounded like he was settling for what worked best for Gigi. I could tell with the way he spoke regarding the private Practice. A hand extended out to pat his forearm touch lingered briefly. 

“ It wasn’t all Bell.” Lips pulled together in amusement. “ At my Tea Parties with GiGi I may not have mentions all the rainbow fish books she adores on full display, along with the astronomy books I know she’d love. Cause she’s a astronaut in the making, Hate to break it to you.” A laugh escaped her lips as she dropped her hand before turning serious as our walkway path inched closer to Chastian. “ I think you’re settling for her benefit. And Nic wouldn’t want that for you or her. Talk to Kit explain you’ll come back but shorten hours only work morning shifts unless emergency came up. That you’re a devoted dad, but you do desire to return. But on your terms.” Conrad was a big part of our team; something told me Kit would give him whatever he wanted if it meant Conrad was a doctor had Chastian again. 

Just my two cents.

[purpledaisiesthings]

***it's another long read this week. Bare with me😁***

AJ and Irving, our resident Conbillie fans 😂AJ my darling you are the best wingman and Irving my sweet sweet instigator 😈

Now 3 people this episode have already eluded to Conrad of something romantically going on with Billie. AJ, Irving and Cade. But what does he say to Billie when she asked him if he was happy with Cade? He says they're happy?🤦🏾‍♀️ Before that he agreed with her that he was also confused after that dance. Conrad, now I'm confused. She was ready to discuss their feelings at that point. Conrad don't piss me off...Lol jk 😜.

Then when she says she's no longer confused, lol, it seemed like she said it out of frustration. Even when she agreed to the date with Dr hottie. She agreed to that because of Conrad. Just look at his face when she says she's no longer confused.

Stop lying you love her 🤦🏾‍♀️

When he says he wants her to be happy, I saw a parallel to the elevator scene where she also says she wants him to be happy. That was during Billie's pining era. Now it's Conrad's turn Lol.

They both just want the other to be happy which is beautiful and selfless but pls you guys should be happy together.

At this point I really just think it's fear holding him back. He's scared to act on his feelings for Billie and he now knows she feels the same way. But Billie will most certainly not overstep.

I found it interesting that in all of this, with AJ and Irving, Conrad doesn't deny any of their statements about him and Billie. He instead gives excuses. He tells AJ that Cade missed the wedding because she had to stay back at work. Lol AJ was talking about his dance with Billie and that was his answer? Ok Conrad, like AJ said, that makes perfect sense 😏. The man also said he and Cade was just having fun. Does that sound like a man that wants to go further with someone? Nope. Then he tells Irving that Billie was Nic's best friend. Duh 🙄. Again I love Irving's comeback. He was like, and so f*cking what? He was so real for that.

P.s. Irving's answer there made me chuckle a little bit. It's been a running theme with some viewers who don't want them together to give that particular reason. Felt like that was them shutting it down which I appreciated.

At this point, everyone in that damn hospital knows something is going on with them two 😄😄

And to the ones complaining about the love triangle (including myself hehehe) it's now a love square so I guess it's better now 🤭

Yes Billie have fun with Dr hottie. You deserve some sweet loving. I want Conrad to cry of jealousy 🤭😈

I noticed something during that billie conrad scene. I might be wrong though but I think they play a particular music at the background for Billie and Conrad's intimate scenes. I couldn't make out what it was but if I'm right that's dope.

Oh and I looved seeing billie work the surgery again. Also, it was subtle but I loved that Dr hottie called Billie Chief. Like pls, let's not forget, Billie Sutton is the Chief of Surgery. Put some respect on her name.

Plus, I think I spotted a little blush with Billie when she said to Conrad "that was a lovely wedding....AND dance"

Ugh the angst we gonna be getting now mehn 😫 just their stares alone is giving

[tarlos-spain]

Cozzy November Day - Crispy Air

Fandom: The Resident

Pairing: Conrad Hawkins/Devon Pravesh

Characters: Conrad Hawkins, Devon Pravesh

Not just a cold

Chapter 01

Devon could say that he had just finished the longest and hardest shift of his hospital career. Two buses had collided. He hadn't quite figured out what had happened, as a doctor the only thing that mattered was the victims.

They had spent hours receiving them and Devon had spent the coldest days of the winter in the parking lot, among the injured from the buses, those in the cars that had been involved and the occasional person walking by.

He hadn't had time to grab a coat or anything, he had bolted out and by the time he realized it he had spent more than twelve hours out there.

Noon had been a little warmer, but not enough to warm his bones and thank goodness he hadn't stopped moving all day or else he would have ended up not being able to feel his fingers because of the damn air.

They had not had to mourn any deaths, they had been able to save everyone. They had had to amputate a teenager's leg and he knew there was a man in a coma who might not wake up.

But Devon had done his job in the parking lot, all the patients he had cared for were alive when they had entered the hospital and that, that alone made him proud of himself.

However, he was also exhausted and could barely feel his legs. He had spent the day kneeling on the floor or pacing back and forth. He hadn't sat down in twelve hours and now that the shift was ending he could barely take two steps without feeling his feet killing him.

He would be able to sit on the floor of the same parking lot where he was now going to get the car.

"You look bad." Conrad told him.

He hadn't realized he was standing next to him, until she had him there.

"It's been a long day." "You can say that again, but we can say we've been lucky."

Devon nodded closed his eyes and shivered as he felt the cool evening air.

Conrad put a hand to his forehead.

"You're freezing, something tells me you've caught a cold out here today." "It's possible, now when I get home I'll take a hot shower, make myself some tea... though probably the farthest I'll get is the couch, where I'll fall asleep. I'm exhausted." "Come to my place then. We'll make sure the other one gets a shower and I'll take care of making something hot to eat for both of us. I don't have tea, it's not my thing, but we can shop on the way." "No, thanks, really, but I don't want to bother you. You must be exhausted too." "I am, but I'm a doctor, a very good one by the way and you're about to spend a couple of days in bed, fever and you could do with not being alone. Come on I've got the car there."

Conrad set off, leaving Devon no time to respond and he had no choice but to follow.

It wasn't the first time Devon had slept at Conrad's house. They had spent entire nights looking up information on some patients or had simply had meetings with colleagues and Devon had stayed over.

It seemed that Conrad always had a bed ready for him. He had never complained about it.

"The house is a mess, sorry." Conrad said as he opened the door. "I haven't had time to tidy up and I wasn't expecting visitors." "So now I'm a visitor. I've downgraded, because the last time I came I was your friend." "Don't talk nonsense. You're my friend, but as long as you don't live here and help me pay the mortgage, you're still a visitor and a guest."

Devon didn't miss it, that "until I didn't live there" thing. Conrad had dropped it on more than one occasion. Now that they were both single, they both lived in large apartments, empty most of the time.

But it still seemed odd to him. Living with Conrad, who until not too long ago had been her mentor and boss, was something that made her feel weird and he had always passed over the subject without making a big deal out of it.

"You have the other bedroom set up. it's always set up actually because I don't bring anyone to sleep over." "I figured you..." Devon burst out laughing after taking off his jacket and dropping the bag on the couch. "When I first met you you reminded me of those doctors on the shows, who are rude to everyone but drive all the nurses crazy."

Conrad nudged his shoulder.

"I'll take it that it was the fever talking, because it spiked you up and you don't really think that. Come on take advantage and take your shower first, you'll have more hot water."

Devon tried to refuse, it wasn't his house, he didn't want to take advantage of his hospitality. But Conrad pulled him and led him to his bedroom. Not to the guest bedroom where he always slept over, but to his own and made him sit on the bed.

He put his hand on his forehead again. It had barely been half an hour since they had left the hospital and he could tell that his fever had risen.

He helped him take off his clothes, though Devon protested when he tried to unbutton his pants.

"Hey, I can do it myself. I'm not a baby." "No, you're a friend who's sick and can barely keep his eyes open." "That's not..." Devon shivered, the cold air of the day had gotten into his bones and now he was freezing to death. "That's a cold." "I'll buy that, but that doesn't take away from the fact that you're going to run a very high fever tonight and need a hand." "Look how over the top you are." "Dev," Their gazes met and for a second, silence fell between them. Conrad reached out and stroked Devon's cheek. It was burning and maybe because of that, because he had a fever, Devon closed his eyes and sighed. "Let me take care of you. You've been doing it for me for a long time."

Devon dropped the barriers he used to put up in front of him in front of everyone. It was easier to be a good doctor, period, to be a good friend and not get too involved. But Conrad that barrier had fallen too many times and now little by little, it was harder and harder to climb back up.

He coughed repeatedly, Conrad was right, there was no way to stop the cold and he certainly didn't want to be alone.

He held up his hands and let Conrad take off his sweater.

[discordantwords]

hi 🥺 do you have any recs or an existing list of long fics with a good plot and a decent amount of smut too? thank you!!

Hi!

I’m not sure if you’re looking for canon-compliant fics or AUs, but here are a few long fics with excellent plots that come to mind:

Our Enthusiasms Which Cannot Always Be Explained by withoutawish The list that is tacked haphazardly on the refrigerator of 221B reads, ‘Kidney(s), and/or a full cadaver (preferably male, late 30s, under six feet tall), bag of fresh toes, sixteen cow’s eyes (corneas retained), dual exhaust hand –held flame thrower, an unopened first edition copy of Joseph Conrad’s 'Heart of Darkness', and no less than ten abhorrently gruesome murders in the upcoming month.”  The one neatly hanging next to it simply reads, “Sex.” 

A River Without Banks by Chryse "You love this, being Sherlock Holmes. "He had once. When had it all gone so wrong?

The Case of the Green Gown by Splix ...Watson had at that time deserted me for a wife, the only selfish action which I can recall in our association. I was alone. ---Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier

A Vintage Exceptionally to Your Liking by EmmyAngua Sherlock and John met seven years earlier than canon and fell in love. When John dies, Sherlock is introduced to the concept of alternate dimensions and given the opportunity to visit a different universe where he can have a second chance with a new John Watson. A love story across alternate dimensions.

Transports by ancientreader How to become a consulting detective.

In The Deep, Where Dark Things Sleep by HardlyFair The closer time crawls to November, the more water horses the Scorpio Sea spits out. The colder Thisby becomes. Sherlock Holmes is an islander - completely surrounded by the water. John Watson, he knows, comes from the mainland and lives for the Races. On the first of November, Sherlock will race. The man holding steady by his side is someone he never expects.  

The Illustrious Client by ArabellaStrange We’re a couple!' John burst out, bluntly. His face was nearly twitching with rage. He hadn’t even meant to say anything, to anybody, because he wanted what they had for himself just a bit longer, for a million reasons half-romantic and half-defensive, and yet here he was, gripping Chez Francine’s thick cream tablecloth with enough force to tear it in half, suddenly wanting nothing more than to tell everyone within earshot that Sherlock was absolutely infuriating, surprisingly good at blowjobs, and probably in love with him. 

Every Lover in the Form of Stars by esplanade "John had never really given a damn about art, before Afghanistan.  It had always seemed like something that only certain people were allowed to appreciate, people who had studied for years and been trained to pick it apart and understand it.  But he had begun to find comfort in it himself, even if he knew next to nothing about brushstrokes and art styles, oil paint versus acrylic, traditional or mixed media.  It wasn't that he had suddenly developed a great appreciation for the classics, the art school standbys like Michelangelo or Picasso.  Instead, what it boiled down to, the real reason behind his fixation was much simpler: quiet." 

Parhelion by tripodion The darkness is coming again, and when you've lived as a member of the undead for over five hundred years together, you know a thing or two about handling it. Forever is a long way to fall.

Be Here Now by todesfuge John Watson was already fighting demons when he and Sherlock met. With Sherlock's suicide, it all comes flooding back, forcing Sherlock to intervene before he's solved the persistent riddles of Jim Moriarty and his game. Together they find that something darker lurks behind Moriarty, forcing Sherlock, John, and Irene Adler into an even deadlier game with a much more dangerous foe.

Masters of Ink by indybaggins  John has a triple-coiled tattoo machine in his hand and a row of inks at the ready. He has gloves on, a willing client in front of him, and a detailed stencil. He is ready to win this bloody competition. Except he’s competing against Sherlock Holmes... First-meeting-on-a-reality-show AU, Ink Master edition! There is expert tattooing, slightly less expert flirting, and two men falling hard. But John is married, and they can’t all win.

A Ritual to Read to Each Other by weeesi After Mycroft terminated his exile but before Sherlock could escape from the infuriating plane, John and Mary were whisked away by car to an unknown location. Sherlock hasn't seen them for an entire year. He doesn't know when he'll see John again -- until one day, he does. But, of course, nothing is simple.

Watches ‘Verse by bendingsignpost First, he is shot in Afghanistan. Second, he wakes to a phone call in Chelmsford, Essex. Third is pain, fourth is normalcy, fifth is agony and sixth is confusion. By the eighth, he's lost track. (John-centric AU)

You Go to My Head Series by J_Baillier and 7PercentSolution Doctor Sherlock Holmes is the hospital's new neurosurgical star. He performs miracles with his scalpel, but his bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired. The task to address the issue falls on Doctor John Watson, one of King's College Hospital's senior neuroanaesthetists. 

Gimme Shelter by SinceWhenDoYouCallMe_John All John Watson wants is the feeling of a freshly waxed surfboard under his feet and the hot California sun baking down onto his back. To finally go pro in the newly formed world of professional surfing and leave the dark memories of his past behind him as he rips across the face of a towering blue barrel. To lounge beside the beach bonfire every evening with an ice cold beer tucked into the cool sand beside him and listen to Pink Floyd and the Doors while the saltwater dries in his sun bleached hair. That's all he wants, that is, until the hot young phenom taking Oahu and the Hawaiian shores by storm steps up next to him in the sand in the second round of the 1976 International Surf Competition.

As always, be sure to heed the tags on each individual fic.

There are SO many wonderful fics out there and I can’t possibly link them all. If anyone else sees this and wants to add a rec for a long plotty fic, please feel free to do so!

[the-resident-imagines]

Haha, just a friendly reminder that I write long fanfics sometimes as well.

Of Bikes and Sweet Potato Slices

Finally finished and posted the rest of my whump prompt challenge fic from February. But no one is less surprised than me that it took this long. Anyways, I encourage you all, if you enjoy whump and/or The Resident to go take read and let me know what y’all think. Special thanks to all the help  received on this, mostly from @fyeahvulnerablemen and @the-wandering-whumper I would be lost without you both. Thank you.

Title - Of Bikes and Sweet Potato Slices

Fandom - The Resident

Characters - Conrad Hawkins, Nic Nevin, Devon Pravesh, its really an ensemble cast.

Whump - Yes

Working links - Ao3, FFn, Wattpad 

Summary - Sometimes a bad morning is just a warning of things to come.

[sextonsharpwinhalstead]

Okay, so I’m a slut for medical dramas but I also get frustrated when there’s a lack of diversity or when queer/PoC/disabled etc characters exist solely to suffer at the hands of writers. Could you rank the current medical dramas from best to worst in terms of diversity?

 HO’S UNITE! 

I completely understand. Not only in the lack of diversity but also a lack of the KIND of diversity. I have a weird theory about television and often movie casts. Of course this ranking is only of the shows I watch. Worst to Best.

The Resident

The Good: 

The show begins with the audience following Devon Pravesh, a Gujarati and South Asian man. He’s on of the most realistic characters considering most medical shows seem to gloss over the fact that most people in medical school as well as working practitioners look an awful lot like Devon and less like Conrad. They have the shoot-for-excellence-at-all-times Nigerian immigrant surgeon and all around bad-ass Mina Okafor, and of course The Raptor, AJ Austin who was adopted by a Chinese man and a Black American woman. The newest edition of Dr. Barrett Cain adds another bit of chocolate goodness to look at too.

The Bad:

Aside from Mina’s poorly cast mother Lynne Whitfield and the introduction of Devon’s parents the show hasn’t figured out how to weave in the different ethnicity's and backgrounds of their characters of color. No one speaks in their mother-tongue, celebrates any holidays or traditions tied to their respective cultures and religions and of course the most obvious. EVERYONE here is straight and able-bodied. And there are only TWO female leads, with most of the other recurring female characters being sent away or killed off.

The Good Doctor

The Good:

Although not the first medical drama to introduce a character with Autism it is the first to have one as the lead and his autism is a focus of the show. In the beginning there was the English born Dr. Jared Kalu, we know he comes from money and is assumed to be Asian, the actor is actually Nigerian and white, after he left the show Dr. Park was introduced. The Good Doctor has had the most Asian representation on a medical show I believe EVER in the history of prime-time television. Allegra Aoki, Dr. Aurdrey Lim, and Dr. Jackson Han round the out the Asian representation on the show.  Carly Lever, Dr. Claire Browne, and Dr. Marcus Andrews are represented as black or mixed-race Black Americans. Dr. Neil Melendez is the only Latino or Hispanic character he really doesn’t lean into it. Dr. Glassman and his wife are both Jewish.

The Bad:

The Good Doctor is doing something different having an autistic character as the lead, and although Freddie Highmore is a talented actor, he isn’t autistic. Also it would’ve been even better if Shaun could’ve been Shauna. A chance was missed here by taking a look at the often under diagnosed sect of girls and women who are autistic. The show has a lot of women on it both recurring and regular but ALL of them, just like the men,are straight. And a missed opportunity too considering the actress who plays Carly has been married to a woman since 2013. Also, Carly and Claire can pass the paper bag test, NO ONE is bilingual, and if they are they don’t show it or any of the other aspects of their cultural differences it’s very “American.

Chicago Med

The Good:

Out of all the One Chicago Shows, Med has the most racially diverse cast as well as diverse recurring characters. They have four black women on the cast. April Sexton whose real surname is Suassuna is Afro-Brazilian, who speaks both Spanish and Portuguese, attends family functions based on her heritage and has even shared a few anecdotes and beliefs from her culture which also include her brother Dr. Noah Sexton. Ditto for the recurring character Dr. Isidore Latham. He has Asperger’s, is Jewish, and observes all aspects of Judaism including wearing a kippah, and sharing some Jewish based jokes. Dr. Ethan Choi is believed to be Korean and Iranian born Dominic Rains has been added to the cast as Dr. Crockett Marcel rounding out the leads of Asian descent. 

The Bad:

Ethan’s ethnicity and race has only been brought up when it was being demeaned. Other than that the show leans heavily on his military background to give him depth but gives zero basis for any customs or cultural traits he probably had growing up. Nary a mention is given about Crockett’s race only his southern New Orleans heritage leaving us as an audience wondering if he’s Creole? Spicy White? No idea. Also April is Brazilian but almost exclusively speaks Spanish when not speaking English to her brother which is by far the strangest considering I have never met anyone who chooses English if they are raised in a multicultural household, and definitely not in conversation with their family members. But never Portuguese. All of these shows fail at representing Black American cultural, which leaves Maggie and Sharon with very little to share. And of course the most obvious. There are no LGBT characters on the show. None are leads and it doesn’t appear as though they are adding any or thinking about opening any new doors within the characters.

New Amsterdam

The Good

New Amsterdam does a lot of things right. My dear Vijay Kapoor who’s Indian identity is very wrapped in who he is, from his accent, to his prayers, mannerisms, and discussions of his past he isn’t just a token he’s a full character. Although the show has yet to address it Dr. Helen Sharpe who is obviously black is played by Freema Agyeman who is not so obviously half Iranian on her mothers side. But she is English and her disposition, her language and slang are represented in that regard. Lauren Bloom is a neurodivergent character with ADHD and a struggling addict. Dr. Floyd Reynolds is Black American who has Sunday dinners at his mothers. And Dr. Iggy Frome is a gay married man with 50 bajillion Pakistani children and aiming for one more. Recurring characters, Dr. Valentina Castro, Dora, and Casey are all  Latino and Evie Floyd is mixed race, white and Black American. Not to mention this show has plethora of diverse peripheral characters, little people, hijabs, turbans, kippahs,everywhere, you name it you’ve probably seen it. The show has to be diverse because it’s in New York and it’s supposed to be an international hospital. The place is MASSIVE. 

The Bad:

All that diversity, all the difference, cultural richness, ripe stories running amok and the entire show is centered on a cis-het white man. Not mention Casey and Dora don’t even have last names. Maybe that’s why the actress isn’t on the show anymore and is now on Emergence, New Amsterdam’s rival at that time slot. 

Grey’s Anatomy

The Good

Where do you start with the longest running medical drama on television.

They’ve had it all and still do. They constantly have LGBT characters, who are shown to get hot and heavy the same as their het-counterparts. Where other shows have two men bird-kissing like they don’t even want to touch, Levi and Nico are rolling around in ambulances and hooking up in on-call rooms. Ditto for the women, I stan Callie x Arizona especially their golden years. Nothing will ever touch the way Arizona used to say “Calliope” when they first started dated, it still makes me smile thinking about it. They’ve had addicts, alcoholics, neurodivigent characters, every race you could think of, Muslim, Christian,Jewish,and atheists. All kinds of socio-economic backgrounds. If you can think it they’ve had it and there really isn’t much reason or room to list all the characters both recurring and regular who have checked damn near every box.

The Bad:

It’s time for more brown Asians. And a regular neurodivergent character although there is more than enough room to diagnose a few of the characters if they wanted to. I’d be happy with a deaf doctor too. Also Carina DeLuca is currently the only Bi-character and she’s been kind of only used as a bed warmer which is...well, yikes. 

[my-death-before-dishonor]

Burn it down. ((The Resident RP))

Conrad Hawkins was many things. A man of his word, a person who respected and listened to all of his patients, and he was selfless. brave. At this moment in time, he was stupid.

The senior resident had gone down to the basement for something seemingly harmless, to find a child who had wandered off. Glancing around at all the heavy machinery and dangerous equipment, he kept his vision sharp. There were plenty of places a small child could hide. When he had finished catching up with Annie, someone he’d missed dearly and never got to see enough, everything seemed to go in slow motion. The smell of gas had assaulted his nostrils, and he barely had time to try and grab a hold of his older friend with a cry of warning before all hell broke loose.

Explosions seemed to sound all around them, and if it had been a few years ago, he would have lost control, been back in Afghanistan amongst the terror and chaos, watching his brothers die in seconds from an IED, or a surprise attack, he was always the first on the scene, hands covered in blood and forehead dripping with sweat, saving lives. But he was better now, damaged nonetheless, but he had a job to do. He was Conrad Hawkins. The best damn doctor in the hospital. He had to get a grip.

He tried to take deep breaths as he pulled himself weakly to his feet, heart pounding in his chest as he began helping Annie up while still searching for the boy. Once he had gotten her to the door, he tried not to show the terror on his face when he realized it was stuck shut. Another voice was there, panicked and begging, fists pounding on the door and calling for him. It was warmth and it was love. It was Nic.

He had pleaded with her to go, to leave. He could afford to lose many things in this life, her not being one of them.

“Nic, This whole place is gonna go up!” he shouted. “You have to get everyone out! I cant stop the fires down here! you have to go! Get someone to break down the door!” Devin was there too, and Conrad prayed for his safe exit as well. The young resident was a pain in his ass sometimes, but he would fight for him. He would fight for all of them.

When he was sure Nic had gone from the door to get help, he had begun his descent back down. A monstrous explosion sounded behind him, and he cried out as he was flung down the stairs, slamming into the wall, and beginning to see stars. In his swirling vision, he caught sight of the culprit. A smaller gas line had ignited, blowing massive chunks of concrete and wall everywhere, completely blocking the door, and the path to it. If it would have been harder to get out before, now it was impossible. It would take hours to dig through, and they had minutes, at most. 

It took him a long time to hear properly, a little longer to open his eyes, and even longer to finally stumble to his feet. He wheezed when he tried to take a deep breath and was met with only toxic smoke. Annie groaned in pain from her place at the lower landing, and the boy began to cower and cry. 

Conrad felt the same, but let out a long sigh before tearing off his scrub shirt, leaving just his long sleeve underneath. He tore it in half, fashioning makeshift face coverings before trying to tie them to the scared faces before him.

“Okay, guys... new plan... we’re gonna have to find another way out...”

[thankyouandgotohell]

I suppose it’s just matter of OPINIONS. (The Resident)

Ok, I had a chance to read some sides of the pilot and I basically ended up reading a good part of the script and honestly, as long as all the crass content is on the pages I couldn’t read, I don’t know what that reviewer was talking about. 

I could read all the scenes described from that review and they were kept out of the contest or completely misread in that review. For instance it’s not true that Conrad ignores a patient because he doesn’t speak his language: he uses his translator app to explain the patient what they’re going to do (TBH the patient doesn’t give a damn about everything is going on) and the procedure is not done for joke, there’s a medical explanation for it. And it’s also not true that he locates on tinder one of his patients, not in the scene I read. 

Conrad is also considered by everyone, nurses, doctors and patients, like a really good doctor. A patient with cancer, one of the main medical cases of the pilot, specifically asks for him and wants just him for instance and he’s not mean at all with her. He’s absolutely not the “ biggest dick of them”. From what I’ve read he’s just extremely tough.

Nic is not his fuck-friend. It’s clear they’re really into each other but they have issues and it’s specifically stated in the pilot how much he cares for her. 

Also there’s a reason why Dr. Bell is still working at that hospital in spite of his “issues” and it’s explained in several scenes of the pilot. Let me tell you that he’s the real bad boy in that pilot.

Matt’s character is heavily featured in that one, so I get that feeling he’s the main character along with Manish’s one (and Willson’s and Greenwood’s ones) but in the end it looks like an ensemble show.  

EVC fans are pissed off because her role in that pilot doesn’t seem to be big enough for her. She’s featured in few scenes in the pages ( 5 scenes but for 2 of them I couldn’t read the whole thing) I read but there’s  nothing wrong with her character and there’s too little to consider that role “humiliating”. So, once again, I don’t know what that reviewer was talking about. I think that pilot is just giving a look at the dynamics between the characters and hints about who they are. But it’s just a pilot. If it will be picked up I’m pretty sure all the characters will get a chance to be developed (I HOPE). Also I’d like to point out that Carol Hathaway was supposed to appear just in the pilot and then…well, all the ER fans know then what happened.

[virtuosinovel]

Afterword: Revolution Article

The following article appeared in the May, 2030 issue of Revolution Magazine. Dudley wrote the article and sent it to Xavier Pratt as an olive branch, hoping to give the public a deeper look into Virtuosi. A couple weeks later, he hopped the Virtuosi jet to Greenland to start his assignment as Security Chief of the new territory.

 What I Didn’t Find on Christmas Island

By Sid Snodgrass

 First of all, let’s clear the air of false pretensions. Despite what you see in the by-line, this article was not written by Sid Snodgrass. That person doesn’t exist. It was a cover identity that I, former special agent Benjamin Dudley, used to infiltrate Virtuosi and Christmas Island. The cover was created by my former employer, the Freedom Keepers, an off-the-books intelligence and special ops unit of the United States Government. This magazine was forced to corroborate my story based on stolen e-mails used to blackmail the Editor-in-Chief, Xavier Pratt. I would like to take a moment to offer my sincerest apologies to Mr. Pratt. I would also like to apologize to Natalie Chen, who had the unenviable task of being my contact person despite her friendship with many Virtuosi members.

It turned out the blackmail material was a series of e-mails between Mr. Pratt and his psychiatrist revealing Mr. Pratt was suffering from, and seeking help for, bipolar disorder, chronic paranoia, and possible schizophrenia. I’m happy to report now that this information is public, Mr. Pratt continues to both get the help he needs and run this publication. It turns out he underestimated his readership. Business is booming. Evidently, his readers are fine with a paranoid schizophrenic running the show. It makes sense, if you think about the content and reputation of this magazine. Full speed ahead Mr. Pratt.

Now that we have done some housekeeping, let’s move on to my visit to the island. Many of you read the memos my superiors and I exchanged while I was on the island. If you haven’t read them yet, come out from under your rock, get on this new thing called the inter-web, and go to a website. Any site will do. These memos lay out the basics of the situation, but formal correspondence between agent and agency does not an exposé make.

I’m not here to rehash the memos. I’m here to give a more unfiltered version of my time with this remarkable organization. It turns out public opinion is like a battleship; once it gets going in one direction, it’s a very long and gradual process to turn it around. We all now know the Next World/Tea Party scheme was planned from the beginning by the CABAL and their elected co-conspirators. Yet there are still many out there who feel apprehension, fear, or even disdain when the word Virtuosi is uttered. It has been ingrained in us that they are potential enemies and one botched frame job isn’t enough to get them off the hook in the eyes of many. Allow me to take my turn at guiding this ship in a new direction.

 ###

 After coordinating with my office and Revolution headquarters, I hopped a plane to Jakarta and then to Christmas Island. They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression, but even if Virtuosi had a second chance they wouldn’t need to exercise the option. Their Manager of First Impressions, Julian “Dodger” Wells, was just what this weary traveler needed after two days on the go. Dodger is an ex-Chicago gang member and getaway driver who went clean years ago when he went to work for his childhood friend, Victor Freeman. Despite his admittedly checkered past, I have never felt more comfortable with anyone I just met. He was the perfect mix of hospitality, excitement, and knowledge, giving me a couple of island tidbits without totally overwhelming me.

When I arrived at, well, I don’t really know how to describe it. They call it the Hive, so let’s just go with Hive. If I call it their headquarters, their governor’s mansion, their playground, or simply Victor’s house, it would paint an incomplete picture. It is all of these things and more. When I arrived, the Hive House Manager, Winston, was a perfect English gentleman, making me feel at home immediately and throughout my stay.

To the Christmas Island novice, it appears I just recounted my interactions with the chauffeur and the butler of a bunch of rich elitists. Nothing could be further from the truth. They don’t have these fancy titles, Manager of First Impressions and House Manager, in a tongue-in-cheek way, like dishwashers are sometimes called hydro-engineers. They earn these titles and are highly valued for their skill sets and contributions to the group. Winston is a Master Sommelier and an experienced gourmet kitchen manager. Dodger can drive everything from dune buggies to jet skis to ostriches. Yes, ostriches. I saw the trophy he won to prove it.

The next person I met was Victor Freeman. Read the last sentence again and try to put it in perspective. I met Dodger, then Winston, and then the Head of State, which they call the Facilitator. This would not happen anywhere else on Earth. If it sounds ridiculous, it won’t once you understand Victor’s personality. He’s a dreamer of the highest order. Some of his schemes make Willy Wonka’s golden ticket master plan look like something scrawled on the back of a drunkard’s napkin. Einstein couldn’t be bothered to learn how to drive or catch the bus. Victor can’t be bothered with layers of security, a shielding entourage, or a bunch of pomp and circumstance. He was bird-watching in his garden when I met him. The next morning, he was meditating alone in his backyard when I walked out to the deck for our interview. Take everything you think you know about how a national leader should think or act. Got it? Good, throw it out the window. Now we can proceed.

Not only was I given unprecedented access to the leader of a country, but I was given carte blanche to talk to anyone I damned-well pleased while I was there. Victor did not keep me close by, monitoring what I saw or did and trying to sway my opinion. He didn’t assign any babysitters either. I was as free as Mowgli in Jungle Book and indeed could have run through the rain forest naked had I so desired. Now I’m really going to blow your mind. Are you sitting down? He didn’t do this for a journalist. HE ALREADY KNEW I WAS A SPY! AND HE DIDN’T TELL ANYONE ELSE!

Oh, you’re here to spy on me? You work for the country I was chased out of? Okay, as you were.

If that doesn’t prove they have nothing to hide here, I don’t know what does.

Now, maybe you’re thinking Victor must just be the lunatic fringe, front man for Virtuosi. What about everyone else? Let’s move on down the line to the Chief of Staff Megan Myers. Victor might get upset when he reads this, but sorry pal. I call them like I see them. Out of all the people I met, Megan is the most impressive overall. There, I said it.

Seriously, they had a fountain of Minerva in front of the Hive. You could remove Minerva, put up a statue of Megan, and you would have the same amount of courage, wisdom, and beauty emanating through the front yard. This chick is a bad-ass. She manages major projects and operations as easily as if she is rearranging doilies on a coffee table. She counterbalances Victor’s flightiness and then some. And she isn’t afraid to strap on a stun gun and play shockerball with the boys. No big deal for someone who grew up dodging gang crossfire walking to school.

Still not impressed? Secretary of State Greta Mills spreads more global goodwill than the Harlem Globetrotters. Secretary of Defense Wilbur Carson, his wife Eve, and the Hive Protection Network make the Swiss Guard look unorganized and inefficient. The collection of talent in the ExComm (legislative branch) would give the 1927 New York Yankees a fight for the title of “greatest team ever assembled.”

In fact, even the “support” staff I spent time with could be C-suite execs anywhere else. Emily Conrad and Celeste Johnston could guess your death date, within one standard deviation, if you weren’t afraid to ask them for it. Victor’s personal assistant Katalin knew my schedule, as well as every name, phone number, and address I needed, off the top of her head. Oh yeah, she is also training for the Olympics.

What about Victor’s family? His twin nieces, Jordan and Payton, are perfectly normal and well-adapted teenagers, except for the fact they have about a dozen black belts between the two of them. While on my mission, I was given the orders to eliminate Victor. When I tried, the twins descended on me like a pair of honey badgers. They had me poisoned (not fatally thank God) with a knife to my throat before I could say “botched job.” But they only attacked me because I came into their house and threatened their “Shushu.” Until then, they treated me with genuine hospitality. Now I have some work to do to gain some of their trust back.

 ###

 I won’t keep boring you and/or making you jealous. There is a point to all this gushing. These are not America’s rejects who couldn’t hack it in the big leagues so bought their own island with the hopes of one day striking back at their oppressors. They are world class in everything they do and deliberately left, not to cause America harm, but to prove to everyone there’s a better way. They’re even proving it to themselves. Most people here refer to this new society as an experiment. But it is an experiment they are confident will yield the results they expect.

Trust me when I tell you, they are extremely busy for all the right reasons. They’re working on local projects which if successful, will have positive global implications; things like curing world hunger and saving the planet, nothing major. To think Christmas Island would divert their attention, for even a short time, to try to do America or anyone else harm is frankly egotistical on the part of the would-be victim.

So, if you’re one of those people who is still skeptical of Virtuosi, know that I was sent here to uncover ill intention and was unable to do so. As far as I saw, there was none to uncover. They have too much going on right now. In fact, I’ve gotta run. As a new Christmas Island citizen, I have some major pressing projects of my own about to get underway. Stay tuned.

 Yours truly,

Benjamin Dudley

[purpledaisiesthings]

Let’s be real, is Cade really gonna be all that surprised about Conrad having romantic feelings for Billie? I think not. Deep down she’s always known. If everyone else in that damn hospital suspected then she knew. Even the hot doc that was all about some Billie picked up on it from jump. Matter of fact she questioned their relationship at the end of season 5, she questioned it again after seeing the pic. So I believe she went into that relationship knowing the risks and she went for it anyway. Can’t blame her, Conrad is a catch but I’m not tryna see no unnecessary drama from her when she knew this whole time but took a chance anyway

You'll have to be the most naive human being on the planet or blind to be oblivious of the connection Billie and Conrad have.

Like you said, everyone saw it. She saw it too. It would suck though cos I'm sure she likes the guy, but it shouldn't come as a surprise to her.

She can get upset at Conrad all she wants, but I hope she doesn't get mad at Billie. Billie's my girl, and I won't take that 😤

[whumperwriter]

Whumptober Day 19 - Exhaustion

Fandom - The Resident

Whumpee - Conrad Hawkins

A/N - Nothing smart that I've got to say. Just that I hope if you're reading this that you'll enjoy! (Also feel free to donate a coffee in my direction at KoFi or give me a follow at @imagine-tay-tion . And if you want to be tagged whenever I post original content, shoot me a message and I can add you to my tag list. 😁😁)

XXXXXXXXXX

He's used to not stopping.

When he was a baby, he was walking before he could speak. His dad liked to joke that he could run before he crawl, but Conrad is very aware that it's bullshit. He was walking early though, and he just never stopped moving after that.

In school, he was always going. From the moment his feet hit the ground in the morning to the moment he rested his head on his  pillow at night. He would go to school, then after school practices for the plethora of sports he had on his agenda. Sometimes he would get the chance to hang out with friends, but that was only when he had time. The older he got, and the closer he got to graduation, he would stay busy getting into trouble and just trying to stay out of the house.

Then everything came to a head and the next thing he knew, he was being shipped overseas. Being a marine was clearly no easy feat. Once again, Conrad was never able to take a break and catch a breath. It was always going from place to place, just trying to help people to the best of his ability.

Somewhere in there, he injured his knee and suddenly it wasn't as easy to keep going, but he tried. He kept going for years and somewhere in the midst of it all, he became a resident at Chastain and somehow, he managed to continue the motion.

Three years at Chastain had taught him more than he can really recall, but there's one thing it hasn't. Finding time to stop and take a break.

He's never let it get too bad before. Conrad knows that once he's had three energy drinks, he needs to sit down and take a nap if possible. Fortunately that didn't happen too often, and when it does,  the staff understands. Everybody in the hospital was willing to work themselves to the bone, and he was no exception. He would do the same for them.

Fourth of July was where he really ran into issues though. It's been three days since Independence day and Conrad hasn't slept since that morning. He doesn't sleep well during fireworks, and being right in the middle of the city, noises bouncing and echoing off of the buildings, did nothing to ease him.

So he showed up to work the next day and did his job. No sleep to his name but he was doing his best. By the end of the double shifts, he hasn't had the chance to sit and rest, and he's at least six energy drinks down.

Conrad's hands are shaky and his head swims every time he moves it too quick. He's well past the point where he can walk without something supporting him.(He's spending a lot of time using the wall to keep him steady.) He can almost guarantee that he's hallucinating, something stupid like shadows or something, he's really not sure. His head is pounding. He's been snapping at people all evening. He can feel his eyes droop everytime he uses the elevators and suddenly the shoddy break room coffee begins to seem helpful when Bell catches up to him.

There really isn't much catching up to him at this point. He's down in the ER, sitting behind the nurses desk, using a wheelchair as chair. He's rolling back and forth while he ponders some of his new patients and their medical issues. He's so close to the end of his shift, and he's ready to call it and go sleep in the doctors lounge, but then here's Bell, closing on him, and Conrad knows that there is no way that this ends well.

“Listen, Bell, I don't have the energy,” Conrad contemplates his next words, before he stands up, and makes to walk away, “or the time to deal with you.”

“Conrad, I need you to work another shift. We're severely short-staffed down here, as you can tell, and I can't pull anybody else from any of the other floors.” The man says pompously, daring Conrad to say otherwise.

“I'm finishing up a double and you want me to work another shift?” Conrad asks, just to make sure he hears correctly. He stops moving as he looks up at the chief of surgery… and the CEO.

“You heard me,” the older man walks a few steps away as Conrad falls back into the wheelchair, rubbing at his eyes and temples and bridge of his nose. He sighs as he tosses the patient file that was previously in his hand, onto the desk. “And Conrad?”

Conrad doesn't even both to look up, and decides to put his elbow on his knees and hang his head. Exhaustion creeping up on him. “Try not to need me.”

Conrad waits for the footsteps to disappear before he sits back up, and looks around at the relatively quiet ER. He glances at his watch. 10pm.

“Damn it.”

He's about to get up and head to the doctors lounge, knowing that him crashing is inevitable, when Hundley seemingly materializes. “Hey Conrad, we have a multi car crash in route.”

He doesn't mean to sigh out loud, but whoop, there it is. “How many?”

“Right now we have four ambulances coming our way.” She says, almost sympathetically. She knows how tonight's about to go.

“Ok, we need help, let's get some extra hands down here.”

Thirty minutes. It takes thirty minutes to send two patients up to the OR, another to be admitted for observation, five examined, helped, then discharged and then there's the patient beneath his palms. He's trying his best, but he knows that she's gone. She's young too, which sinks to the pit of his stomach. He's doing compressions as Nic and Devon work on her injuries, trying to stop the bleeding.

He does ten more, and then calls it.

By that time, it's 10:32pm and his legs are shaking from the exertion. Conrad pulls away from the body and rips his gloves off, tossing them onto the ground, then he's pulling his gown off and throwing that onto the floor as well.

He doesn't stop to chat to either the younger resident or nurse, instead he walks out into the center of the ER and looks around, pleased that everything is under control. He stumbles to the desk, his chest heaving as he reaches for a patient file that sits untouched before rounding the counter slowly, using it as a crutch.

He's trying not to blink because every time he blinks, he feels his eyelids taking more and more effort to reopen.

He doesn't even make it to the end of the counter before his foot slips out from beneath him and then suddenly Conrad's struggling to keep both his feet under him. He glances around to make sure no one's watching him before continuing, and he makes it this time.

He collapses into the wheelchair again and falls back into a resting position, leaning on his knees and rubbing his eyes. “Hey Conrad, you good down here?”

Conrad waves Devon away, not even bothering to look up before a hand rests on his shoulders and a cup of coffee is steaming under his nose. He's lost time, he knows that for sure. He looks up to see Nic standing above him and he greedily accepts the cup, taking a long swig.

“You were here when I left yesterday. What are you still doing here?” Nic asks, rubbing his back as he pulls the acrid mixture away from his lips.

“I wasn't given a choice. Bell forced me to stay and cover down here.” Conrad normally would have attempted to comfort her, the way her face reddens as she is visibly angered by the statement. He's just so tired that he can't even scrounge up the effort. He prays the coffee makes a difference.

“He's never gonna learn. You need sleep! When was the last time-”

“The night of the third.” Conrad responds, yawning. Nic glances at her watch before rolling her eyes.

“That was days ago, you need rest.”

“I know, trust me, I'm ready to. I'll have Devon take point on all my patients upstairs and I'll just take it easy down here. It'll be fine.” Conrad reassures, grabbing her hand and smiling earnestly up at her.

“Right.” She exhales a long sigh and then turns away from him, her pager beeping. “I gotta go, don't push yourself, alright?”

He nods, his smile dropping slightly as she turns to Hundsley “Keep an eye on him?”

“You bet, Nic.”

And then she's gone.

Conrad's able to make it five more hours. Five hours of energy drinks. Five hours of small talk with everyone who walks in. Five hours of diagnosing and five hours of stumbling around. Five hours of micro naps in the wheelchair. Five hours of using anything as support as his legs grew less and less privy to the idea of carrying him around. If he's honest with himself, part of those five hours he realizes he's lost. His mind just forgot to catalogue at times.

He knows he must really look awful when patients start to ask him if he's ok.

But at 3:30 in the morning, as he's bringing suture equipment to the college kid in the fourth bed, he blinks his eyes.

The next moment, he opens them and he's looking up at the ER ceiling. He doesn't immediately recognize what's happened until Nic's hovering over him, a deep frown on her face.

“Oh boy.” He groans. It's hits him that he's lying on a hospital bed, a pillow resting under his head and his legs tucked under a blanket. He glances up and the curtains around him are all closed. ‘Where are my shoes?’ he ponders momentarily.

“You moronic, selfless, bastard. Imagine how panicked I felt when I got a page telling me you had just collapsed in the emergency department.” Nic is pissed, that's easy enough to tell. Enough time has passed that she's wearing street clothes instead of her scrubs. She's laying beside him, he realizes as she lies back down next to him.

He loves how she fits next to him.

“I'm sorry, I tried not too.” He countered, knowing there really was no excuse for what had transpired.

She sighs lightly, and lays her hand on his chest. “It's not your fault, maybe with this having happened to two different residents-”

Conrad grabs her hand and squeezes it lightly before pulling it to his lips, where he let's it sit. “Nothing's gonna change.”

Another, much louder sigh. “I know, I know.”

“Sucks that it happened. Who knows?”

“Well, everyone who was in the ER at the time, Hundley, and me. We kept it quiet. If Bell found out…” her sentence trails off and he places her hand back on his chest as he turns to face her.

“Thank you.” It's genuine and she smiles that light smile that he loves so much.

“You don't have to thank me. We just put you in a bed and let you sleep it off,” she looks at her watch, “and your shifts been over for about an hour now. What do you say we head to my place and get some sleep?”

Conrad moans in response. “A real bed sounds so nice right now.”

@whumptober2018