#first cadaver dissection

[muesli-command]

“Every little girl dreams of her wedding day” WRONG!! First cadaver dissection

[goodbirb]

s2e2 of red valley is so funny to me bc in the beginning gordon and bryony are so oddly polite and kind to each other like she didn't threaten him with his life the last time we saw them together

[twilightcitysky]

Everything Is Meant (long S2 analysis, part 2)

Part one here

Okay, so that's how I think the pre-creation scene and Gabriel's arc connect to Aziraphale's choice. I also think the ineffable bureaucracy speedrun exists to prove totally different things to Aziraphale and Crowley: Aziraphale loves that they can love each other but notes they have to run away to be together; Crowley sees this and immediately thinks "hey, we can do that too!", forgetting that running away is not a solution Aziraphale has ever been interested in. It's the mentality of an individualist vs a group-oriented mind, and neither of them is necessarily wrong, it's just that their priorities are different and they HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT, which they don't.

Continued analysis under the cut:

3. Let's take the Job minisode. Why include it? We already mentioned that it proves Aziraphale remembers Crowley as an angel, since he mentions it. And he believes Crowley is the same person he always was, and that he doesn't want to harm Job's crops or animals or children. Crowley tries to convince him he's a Big Bad Demon who is all in on this assignment, but fails utterly to kill even a single goat, soooo... Aziraphale comes to the conclusion that he knows what Crowley wants. Alert! Alert! This is a big problem! Crowley says, "What do you know about what I want?" Aziraphale: "I know you." Crowley: "You do not know me." But because Aziraphale got it right this time, he goes ahead assuming he'll always get it right, which is a crucial failure when it comes to the final reckoning. He doesn't ever ASK Crowley what he wants, he just assumes. When you assume you know what someone wants, you usually assume their priorities align with yours... he couldn't be more wrong about that. The Job minisode sets up this dynamic for them, and they never really manage to change it.

The other thing happens at the end of the minisode. Crowley acknowledges two crucial points: 1) he's lonely ("But you said it wasn't!" "I'm a demon. I lied"), 2) he doesn't think Aziraphale would like Hell. Aziraphale DOESN'T like Hell. Aziraphale hates Hell for what they've done to Crowley. He doesn't see Heaven as innocent or benign, but importantly, Heaven has never tried to hurt Crowley directly. They never threatened his safety. They never tortured him (as it's heavily implied that Hell did). Fast forward to the last ten mins of season 2: Aziraphale excited to tell Crowley that he can be an angel again BECAUSE: he never has to go back to Hell. They can never hurt him again, not the way they did before. And he doesn't have to be lonely anymore.

Last point before I leave Job: Crowley has the chance to cause Aziraphale to Fall, here, probably. ("I lied to Heaven to thwart the will of God!" "You did, but I'm not going to tell anybody. Are you? ...good, then nothing has to change.") He doesn't take it. He doesn't want Aziraphale to be a demon. He loves Aziraphale as he is. "Angel" as an affectionate. Aziraphale certainly doesn't use "demon" as a pet name for Crowley. I think they set up this scene to contrast the final one, and show how deeply hurt Crowley is that Aziraphale suggest he change.

4. Moving on to Victorian Scotland. This one confused me at first. I was delighted that they brought back the "the lower you start the more opportunity you have to rise" dialogue from the book, but apart from that I didn't really see the point of it. It seems like the statue of Gabriel and the fact that he and Beelz ended up at that pub in the present were more or less coincidental.

The point, I think, is actually not the girl, but the doctor. He's a person who is trying to do good by working in a system that's deeply flawed, and engaging in questionable moral practices for the greater good. (Cadaver dissection is still an essential part of medical school. You need dead bodies to understand living ones.) He shows Aziraphale a tumor he removed from a child who died, and Aziraphale clutches it to his chest. The camera zooms in and lingers to tell us that this is a guardian through and through. He wants to protect people. He wants to do good with every fiber of his being.

To Crowley, it's enough to just "be an us" with Aziraphale. He doesn't really want anything more than that. That's an issue! For one thing, it fosters unhealthy codependency, and for another, Aziraphale would never be happy without the opportunity to help and protect people. It's an essential part of who he is. Metatron knows that, and he plays Aziraphale like a fiddle. The doctor showed Aziraphale that you can make a difference even in systems that are flawed, and even if you have to do things you'd rather not do. Aziraphale doesn't want to go back to Heaven, but he truly thinks he can change things; thinks he can be a guardian with some real power. In his mind, that's the right thing to do.

Last thing that happens in Scotland: Crowley saves a soul from Hell, arguably, by preventing a suicide. He gets in Big Trouble. Whatever happened to him downstairs resulted in him coming back up, leaning on a cane, and asking Aziraphale to give him holy water. Go back and watch that scene knowing what we know now about the Victorian minisode. Ask yourself how Aziraphale must have felt. He likely blamed himself for what happened, because if he hadn't meddled then they never would have been there in the first place. He knew where Crowley was, and why he was there, and he had to sit with that knowledge for years. He desperately wants Crowley to be safe; is perfectly willing to push him away to keep him safe-- which is what he does do, the minute Crowley gets back.

Now think again about what Metatron offered him. A chance to keep Crowley safe forever. He'd never be harmed again. Aziraphale is going to take that offer, no matter what else is asked of him. He's shown over and over again that he'll sacrifice his own happiness to make sure nothing happens to Crowley. And he'll do it without talking to Crowley about it first, because he is a moron who doesn't know how to use his words. Leading Crowley to assume that Aziraphale doesn't love him. The idiot angel is doing it all out of love, but because he doesn't make himself clear Crowley doesn't know that.

Part 3: Maggie and Nina, and their roles as mirror couple/ Greek chorus!

[connieisthesun]

Chemistry and Cadavers - Conrad fisher x reader

Chapter Summary - You, a bright-eyed sophomore college student majoring in biology stumble upon Conrad fisher, an attractive yet forgetful student who happens to forget his pen on his first day of class...

Warnings - Fluff, teasing, super cute tbh haha

*Authors note* - So I've decided to start a new series due to the nonexistent amount of new tsitp fic's here lmao, if you enjoy a like a repost would be appreciated. Let me know if you have any feedback to improve my writing. Enjoy loves!

Chapter 1: Chemistry and Cadavers

The crisp autumn air on the college campus was invigorating, bringing with it the promise of a new academic year filled with possibilities. The campus was alive with the sounds of students hurrying to their classes, the rustling of leaves in the trees, and the distant hum of chatter from the quad. Among the new faces and returning students was Y/N, a bright and ambitious sophomore majoring in biology.

Y/N had always been passionate about the sciences, and this year, she was especially excited about her anatomy and physiology class. Little did she know that her enthusiasm for the subject would lead to a series of events that would change her college experience in ways she hadn’t anticipated.

As she walked into the lecture hall, she noticed the familiar faces of her classmates and scanned the room for an available seat. She spotted a spot in the middle of the room and made her way over, settling into her chair just as the professor walked in.

“Good morning, everyone,” the professor greeted, his voice carrying a tone of authority and excitement. “Today, we’re diving into the intricacies of human anatomy, and I have a feeling this semester is going to be an exciting journey.”

Y/N smiled to herself, her excitement bubbling over as the professor began the lecture. She took out her notebook, ready to absorb every detail of the day’s lesson. As the lecture progressed, she couldn’t help but notice the student sitting a few rows ahead of her, who seemed to be struggling with his notes and the lecture material. He had tousled brown hair, a laid-back demeanor, and an occasional frustrated glance at his notes.

When the lecture ended, Y/N gathered her things and headed out of the lecture hall, intending to grab a coffee before her next class. As she walked through the bustling hallway, she was approached by a friendly voice.

“Hey, Y/N, wait up!”

She turned to see her friend Lila catching up with her. “Hey, Lila! What’s up?”

“I heard you were in the anatomy lecture this morning. How was it?” Lila asked, a teasing smile on her face.

“It was great,” Y/N replied. “I’m really looking forward to this semester. Anatomy is such a fascinating subject.”

Lila’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “You know, I think you might have a classmate who’s also taking that course. He’s known for being a bit of a mess, especially when it comes to anatomy. His name is Conrad Fisher.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Conrad Fisher? I think I saw him in class today. He seemed to be having a hard time keeping up.”

Lila laughed. “That’s the one. He’s actually a really nice guy, but he’s notorious for needing a little extra help with his studies. If you see him around, you might want to keep an eye out. He’s always borrowing pens or asking for assistance.”

Y/N chuckled. “Noted. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Later that week, Y/N found herself in the anatomy lab for the first time. The lab was a place of intense focus and concentration, with rows of cadaver tables and an array of dissection tools neatly arranged. The room was filled with the quiet murmur of students working together, and the scent of formaldehyde lingered in the air.

Y/N set up her station and began to review the lab manual when she heard a voice nearby.

“Hey, do you have a spare pen?” the voice asked.

Y/N looked up to see Conrad Fisher standing beside her table, his expression a mix of embarrassment and frustration. He held up a pen cap, indicating that he had lost the actual pen.

“Sure, here you go,” Y/N said, handing him a pen with a smile.

“Thanks,” Conrad said, taking the pen and looking visibly relieved. “I seem to have misplaced mine again. I swear, it’s like they disappear into thin air.”

Y/N laughed softly. “It happens. You’ll get used to the lab environment eventually.”

Conrad smiled gratefully. “I hope so. I’m Conrad, by the way. I think we’re going to be lab partners for this course.”

“Y/N,” she said, extending her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

As they worked side by side, Y/N found that Conrad’s easygoing nature and good humor made the long hours in the lab more enjoyable. They talked about their classes, shared stories, and found themselves falling into a comfortable rhythm of collaboration. Despite the occasional moments of distraction and light-hearted teasing, they made a great team.

Over the next few weeks, their interactions continued to be marked by playful banter and occasional flirtation. Conrad would often ask Y/N for help with his dissections, and she would gladly oblige, offering guidance and tips with a teasing edge.

One day, as they were working on a particularly challenging dissection, Conrad looked up from his work with a grin. “So, Y/N, do you have any other hidden talents besides being a dissecting wizard?”

Y/N raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a mischievous smile. “Well, I can bake a mean batch of cookies, if that counts.”

Conrad’s eyes lit up with interest. “Cookies? Now you’re speaking my language. Maybe I’ll have to take you up on that offer sometime.”

“Only if you promise not to lose any more pens,” Y/N replied playfully.

Conrad laughed, shaking his head. “Deal. I’ll do my best to keep track of my writing instruments from now on.”

Their banter became a regular feature of their interactions, and the chemistry between them was evident to everyone around them. Despite their undeniable connection, they both maintained a façade of casual friendship, much to the amusement of their friends.

One afternoon, after a particularly grueling lab session, Conrad and Y/N found themselves sitting on a bench outside the science building, taking a well-deserved break.

“I think that was the most challenging dissection we’ve had yet,” Conrad said, stretching his arms. “I’m glad we made it through.”

Y/N nodded in agreement, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “I have to say, your technique is improving. You’re almost as good as me now.”

Conrad raised an eyebrow. “Almost? I’ll take that as a compliment.”

As they chatted, a group of their friends approached, and one of them, Sarah, gave them a knowing smile. “You two seem to be getting along quite well.”

Y/N and Conrad exchanged a glance, both of them trying to suppress their smiles. “We’re just lab partners,” Y/N said casually.

“Sure, just lab partners,” Sarah said with a teasing grin. “But everyone can see the chemistry between you two.”

Conrad blushed slightly, and Y/N couldn’t help but laugh. “We’re just friends, honestly.”

Sarah and the others laughed and continued on their way, leaving Y/N and Conrad to their conversation.

“You know,” Conrad said, his tone playful, “it’s funny how everyone is always trying to push us together.”

Y/N shrugged, trying to hide her own smile. “It’s probably just because we spend so much time together. It’s hard not to notice the dynamic.”

Conrad’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Well, if they’re right, maybe we should just embrace the idea.”

Y/N gave him a playful nudge. “Oh, really? And what would that look like?”

Conrad leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a mock-serious tone. “It would probably involve a lot more teasing, a few more flirtatious comments, and maybe even some impromptu study dates.”

Y/N laughed, shaking her head. “Sounds like a lot of work. I think we’re doing just fine as friends.”

“Agreed,” Conrad said, his smile warm and genuine. “But it’s fun to think about.”

As the weeks passed, Y/N and Conrad’s playful flirtation continued, with their friends often teasing them about their obvious chemistry. Despite their mutual attraction and the flirtatious banter, they remained steadfast in their commitment to being just friends.

Their interactions were filled with laughter and light-hearted teasing, creating a dynamic that was both enjoyable and endearing. Whether it was borrowing pens, helping with dissections, or sharing jokes, their connection grew stronger with each passing day.

As the semester progressed, Y/N and Conrad found themselves increasingly drawn to each other, their friendship evolving into something deeper and more meaningful. Despite their best efforts to deny their feelings, the chemistry between them was undeniable, and their playful banter only served to highlight the growing connection they shared.

Tag list - @conradfisherswifesstuff @cheezbot @grxnde-dwt @itsshayfr @lanivoid @calpurnia2002

Comment or heart to be added.

[aroaceleovaldez]

Any headcannons about Will Solace? he's an underrated bby (I think?) and I personally hc that he used to be a very moody kid but then decided to turn off all of his negaive emotions (most of the time)

oh i have SO many Will Solace headcanons built up from writing him on Deadangelos so much. Below the cut cause this is very long (and tumblr started glitching about the list format so manual it is):

- His roles at CHB are basically "Every possible medical personnel Ever™." He's camp medic, physician, surgeon, pediatrician, pharmacist, psychiatrist, therapist, dentist, optometrist, veterinarian, etc etc etc. Technically Chiron is also All Of That, but ever since Will joined camp most of the responsibility falls to him (at least in part because campers generally feel a bit more comfortable dealing with somebody their own age versus an immortal centaur), and Chiron just mentors him on it (unless they're running low on hands, in which case Chiron does pitch in, and sometimes the other Apollo kids help staff the infirmary if Will needs. In the past though it was usually just Chiron and whichever camper he pulled in that week to do first aid training with. Mr. D only really handles therapy stuff if Will isn't able to for one reason or another. Will gets very individualized training and has has own schedule separate from the rest of his cabin to account for all of that. Chiron basically personally took Will in under his wing as his apprentice and a not insignificant portion of Will's personal training is gross anatomy lessons with Chiron in the camp morgue. Will does not question where Chiron procures the cadavers for that. He probably should. They aren't campers. They are sometimes demigods, but not always. Most of the rest of camp doesn't even know there's a morgue, let alone that Will does gross anatomy dissection. It's not technically a camp "secret," Will isn't secret about it at all, but most campers treat it like it is and like to use it to try and spook new campers. The ones who find out about the gross anatomy portion and that there is exactly zero information about how Chiron is procuring cadavers are Mildly Concerned.

- Photokinesis and plague powers Will are both extremely fun. I love making him a son of Apollo Smintheus specifically and giving him pet rats and/or the ability to talk to rats and mice. He thinks they're soooo cute and is definitely the type to brag about how intelligent rats are. I also like to think he maybe had a pet snake at one point, like a big ol' boa. Will with a sunglow boa or something? yes? (I also just in general love the idea of Will's house back in Texas being a cute little ranch cause Naomi is rich and also a cowgirl and Will having a ton of different animals over the years. He probably originally wanted to be a veterinarian before he settled more on medic.)

- I just generally love playing with Will (not-so) subtly being the exact opposite of what people would expect from an Apollo kid. Initially he looks like the gold standard for an Apollo kid - sunny, friendly, chill, medic/healer, interest in science/arts/fandom, etc etc. Then you speak to him for more than 20 minutes and find out he loves snakes and rats and guts and gore and is fascinated by disease and mold. He takes gross anatomy classes taught by Chiron. One of his favorite hobbies is just dissecting stuff. He's into vulture culture. His idea of a perfect date is holding hands over a cadaver he is actively cutting into and passing the other person cool stuff he's fishing out. Also he's very vocal about thinking monsters are hot and the combo of all of that is exactly why he's into Nico. Everybody else thinks Nico's inherently cursed or something? Will doesn't mind being cursed - in fact he wants to be cursed, for science. He's swooning over the idea of Nico sacrificing him for some dark ritual in the middle of the night. He daydreams about Nico being a vampire that's gonna romantically kill him. The rest of camp is waiting for the day Will does something stupid and gets himself killed like, flirting with a monster (or the Hades kid) or something. Nico just generally doesn't know how to feel about the whole situation but is? (hesitantly) flattered?? that somebody is enthusiastic about him while recognizing and appreciating his Underworld aspects. Will is out-weirding him, somehow, and Nico never knew this was a thing that could happen.

- Related to that - I have a whole headcanon about "Bad Omen" demigods, which are basically the other main CHB cabin's versions of Hephaestus kids with fire powers being bad luck. For Apollo kids their "bad luck omen" super rare power is a plague-powers kid, and Will showed up during the Titan War, just a couple months before the Battle for Manhattan when nearly all his cabin died. He is very acutely aware of this superstition and fully believes he is a bad luck charm for the cabin and feels SUUUUPER guilty about it and so hides his plague powers. It's not that he feels bad about his plague powers specifically - he thinks plague stuff is really fascinating and his powers are cool and can be used for healing too! - he's just really concerned about how others will view him. (Very strong parallel dynamics between how Will views his plague powers vs the stigma around them & how Nico views his Underworld powers vs the stigma around them. They are handshake emoji).

- TTC implies that Apollo kids are more often than not summer-only campers, and I think it's fun to have Will's backstory being: He may or may not have "accidentally" caused a plague/pest outbreak at his old school early into the year and between that school having to shut down for a couple of months because of that and his mom maybe going on tour, they decided it was time for him to move to CHB and go there year-round. Except he goes from Texas to New York in the middle of winter and he's a son of Apollo, so he gets there and it's like sleet and slush and all cold and he's the only Apollo kid at camp and he hates it so bad. He eventually gets used to it but it is awkward when all his siblings come back in the spring/summer to find they have a new youngest sibling who's just been chilling all by himself for a couple of months. But then Austin and Kayla join so at least he's not the newest/youngest Apollo kid. (But then nearly all of Cabin 7 immediately dies in TLO and Will's right back to being in a mostly empty cabin and being in charge.)

- He definitely puts on an approachable/friendly, or at the very least calm, face 99% of the time, partially because it's expected of him and it's also maybe a little bit masking (it's a lot masking) cause he knows he can be a bit much. He is 100% the type of guy who feels like he has to solve all his problems himself and can't let anybody else know he has problems, and also that he has to help everybody else with their problems because that's his job, right? So he's constantly stressing himself out to the point of breakdown. He also half lives in the infirmary (which he totally has his own little office in) and he'll just shut himself in and spend like, a couple of days straight in there and probably not sleep. He's a workaholic just as bad as Nico and a total hypocrite about it/about overexerting one's self but he's working on it. Nico's too much of a take-no-shit kind of guy (and also him and Will are way too similar) so usually when Will nags Nico about that kind of thing it turns into Will looking in a mirror or Nico turning it back around on him and Will going "ah shit i need to take my own advice >:T"

- He's best friends with Drew Tanaka and he lets out his bitchy side when he's hanging out with her. they are bitching friends. they love to bitch. It's a great venting environment for him cause he knows Drew loves to hear him complain and talk shit so he can just let out all his pent-up frustrations and she'll just enthusiastically eat it all up. The two of them will gossip endlessly. Drew is mildly concerned about Will's romantic tastes though (again: monsters. cryptids. the Addams family. evils from the shadows. the guy from The Shape Of Water. Nico) and keeps trying to talk him out of flirting with things that might kill him. He does not listen to her.

- His only normal crush is Paolo but everyone is waiting for the other shoe to drop about how Will could possibly be weird about this one (there's an ongoing camp bet with different theories). He also dated Drew for like, all of a week but they both decided they totally hated it and preferred to stay just besties (bonus points: That was what Drew considered as her passing the whole Aphrodite-kids-breaking-hearts thing. literally neither of them cared).

- I know his full name is William but it's really funny if he lies about that and his full name is actually Wilhelm, named after the scream.

- ...He is a Swiftie. He's been a Swiftie since he was younger back with like, OG-era country music Taylor Swift and he's just stuck with it.

- Trans!Will is fun and I love it lots. Drew helping him with transition stuff is also very near and dear to me.

- His crush on Nico originates from them meeting for the first time during the Battle for Manhattan. Nico's attempt at flirting with Percy misfired and hit Will instead lmao. Nico parts the Titan Army in cool thematic armor and with three gods in tow, says a dramatic one-liner, and then is super badass in battle and Will is head-over-heels for him immediately. He then proceeds to spend the next year obsessing over Nico and being tormented by Nico never being at camp and never being able to talk with him. Ergo why when Nico shows up in BoO, Will is immediately like "HOLD MY HANDS. THREE DAYS IN THE INFIRMARY. HANG OUT WITH ME PLEASEEEE-" (and that's why Will was under the assumption that Nico was actively avoiding people rather than being ostracized, cause he had heart-eyes tunnel vision). Him in BoO though really is just seeing his crush and losing all his cool.

- For some reason he is just an absolute magnet for chthonic demigods. Nico, Lou Ellen, Cecil (who i hc is a chthonic Hermes kid), etc etc. He thinks Underworld stuff is super cool though (again, see: Will being super into spooky/gory stuff/etc). Also all the ex-Titan army kids decided they were his personal body guards immediately after the war cause he was nice to them.

- He is a HUUUUGE nerd. Specifically a sci-fi and disney nerd. They're his hyperfixations (/special interests if you lean more autistic!Will) <3 His favorite franchises are Star Wars and Avatar (the blue one). He loves conceptual alien biology/ecology and could go on about it endlessly. He will also very enthusiastically infodump about Disney history (both the art/animation side and theme parks side) and other sci-fi series. Ask him about Doctor Who (you will be there for several hours).

- Will being a micro-celebrity cause of his mom is very fun to me. He's been on talk shows and stuff before cause people love how snarky this country star's kid is. He has an extremely popular Instagram and Austin uses him as clickbait in his Youtube videos extremely often (including forcing him to guest-star or do like react content and stuff) (Will is more than happy to indulge him though cause he finds it funny).

- I also love the idea that Will and Piper have actually known each other since they were little, from Tristan and Naomi meeting at some point and realizing they had kids the same age and encouraging them to be pen-pals. Once social media becomes more of a like, Proper Thing™ they become mutuals on Instagram but just use it to periodically send each other silly memes (Piper's instagram is private and basically all she uses it for is dm'ing people). It takes them a solid week of being at CHB together to realize "WAIT, YOU'RE THAT [PIPER/WILL]?!" One of their hobbies is going into the city and seeing if people will recognize them/if paparazzi will see them and making games out of it (who can ruin the most photos, what types of fake gossip can we get them trying to circulate, etc etc).

- I am a firm believer that Will is an extremely loud out-and-proud type of guy and has been for awhile (again see: him being a micro-celebrity) and he spearheads or runs a lot of pride stuff at CHB ever since he joined. If there is a pride parade/event at CHB he helps organize it. If there's a GSA club at CHB he is the head of it. He keeps pamphlets in the infirmary of queer educational material and guides to different identities and stuff and is very passionate about making people feel welcomed and comfortable. Because of this, when he found out Nico was from the 1930s and severely not up-to-date on terminology and stuff, he considered getting Nico up-to-date his greatest challenge yet. It was a personal quest for him. There was also definitely at least a week before that where Will thought Nico might be homophobic or something and was going "I CAN FIX HIM" before Nico managed to explain that no, he's... very supportive (muffled coughing coming from closet), he's just also extremely behind and doesn't know what any of those words mean, thanks. Will set up the most extensive queer crash course possible for him and poor Nico was just going "slow down please,,,," the entire time. Will gets him up mostly up to speed eventually. I just love Will being that type of guy who will start explaining misc queer history with citations at the drop of a hat. It is probably another hyperfixation of his.

- Will and Annabeth both consider Chiron an adoptive father-figure and joke about being siblings and which of them is the favorite child, cause they both know they're definitely Chiron's favorite campers. They both get him father's day cards/gifts.

[moon-buggg]

Not so different after all

I wanted to explore Moon's relationship with mad scientist! Y/n a bit, so I wrote this drabble! It's the first piece of non-academic writing I've shared since middle school, so be kind lol

length- 585 words

warnings- vague descriptions of bodies and dismemberment (yn is taking organs out of a cadaver to preserve them, its not graphic but viewer discretion is advised)

Sun had asked you, once, how you could stomach the dirty work of your experiments. ‘The body is just meat,’ you had responded, elbow deep in a cadaver, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. As if it were perfectly normal for humans to rifle through their own for spare parts. As if you had not been shunned from your peers for this exact transgression. 

Moon wasn’t squeamish. The opening of a body so unlike his own did not unsettle him in the way it unsettled Sun. No, it wasn’t the blood, viscera, or decay that made him feel like this, like everything was wound too tight, grating and wrong.

It was you.

And watching you preserve your latest specimen (another failure, not that you would let that stop you), he could hold his tongue no longer.

“Easy. They’re all hypocrites.” The accusation is harsh and sharp on your tongue. “Did you know they had us dissecting pigs in medical school but not once did we ever oversee a human dissection? Sure the anatomy transfers decently enough, but how were we supposed to treat human patients never learning from humans? What makes our bodies worthy of preserving over pigs? That we figured out pants first?”

“How are you ok with this,” he does not gesture to the human brain currently soaking in formaldehyde, “when everyone tells you it is wrong?”

The disgust in your voice is evident. Moon had always appreciated that about you, your complete inability to mask your emotions- or was it just a lack of interest? It did not help him in deciphering you in this moment. 

You continue on, either unaware of your rambling or used to his lack of response. “I mean really, who do they think they are?-” 

Moon tuned you out. He'd heard this rant plenty of times before. Nothing about your sworn vengeance on and superiority over those who wronged you would help explain why you made him so confused. 

Why your flippant treatment of bodies reminded him of the circus’s repair tent.

You were still talking, never once stopping your task of preparing various organs for preservation. Ever quick and methodical, your hands never stopped moving. “-ean, really, the body is just a machine!” you huff, dropping the heart into a jar like it had offended you.

“...a machine,” he parrots. You remain unaware of how his eyes bore holes into the back of your head.

“Exactly! One that I will take apart and master!” Your easy confidence about such grim matters unsettles many, used to unsettle him. He crosses the laboratory with two long steps and leans over you, observing your work more closely. A body lies cold and empty on the metal gurney, its innards laid out in jars across your desk. You’ve moved on to labeling now, penning down notes in a shorthand he’s yet to decipher. The silence is… comfortable, broken only by your pen scratchings and the quiet ticking of Moon’s internal clockwork. 

You look back at him only once, a questioning but otherwise blank stare, before returning to your work. Not displeased, at least.

He continues watching as you finish labeling and move to writing in that same shorthand in a journal. He doesn’t know if you would explain it to him if he asked, so he doesn’t. He just continues to watch. And as the sun sinks in the sky, he slinks away and activates the electric lights for you before returning to his perch.

[scarlet-stu-dies]

18. 10. 2024

today was fun.

woke up at 5. read through bdc a bit before breakfast.

9 - 10 - nerve muscle physiology. they only taught us what we already knew about neurons from 11th/12th grade.

10 - 11 - anatomy - joints. taught us the basics about joints and their types and mostly covered everything except moveable joints.

11 - 1 - foundation course. basically teaching us how we are supposed to approach learning while in mbbs.

1 - 2 - walked back to the hostel, had lunch, went back to the college.

2 - 3 - biochem. mostly the proff took the entire time to talk about the subject and what he expects from us and about the exams and stuff.

3 - 5 - anatomy. all the teachers of the dept gathered us all, assigned each of us a cadaver (groups of 20) and had us take the cadaveric oath. ngl the formalin did make my eyes water. i was on table one so I was near the storage and ig there's more formalin covered stuff in there?

after that i accompanied my friends as they bought their books and then we all went to buy our dissection kits. (dissection is tomorrow!! can't wait!!) and by the time i came back to hostel it was 7-ish?

the seniors gathered us around, no ragging just a bit of an interaction. then dinner time rolled around but i skipped it to wash clothes 💀 (kya halat ho gayi hei yaar meri-)

anyway then me and my roommates tried group study. the keyword is 'TRIED'. none of us are group study people so it didn't work out.

i read the intro to the first chapter in physiology. and then started with anatomy lower limb. we're working on the hip bone rn and will finish that in tomorrow's lecture. i wanted to complete it tonight but i don't think that'll work out, really. it's already 1:30 and I don't wanna annoy my roommates by keeping the lights on for long.

and besides, i often found myself on the verge of falling asleep during lectures because I got used to sleeping a lot during the 5 months gap between neet and now and I don't want that to continue so ig i really should get some sleep.

good night, loves! <3

[archiveikemen]

'His Cherished Doll' Story Event: Premium END

William Rex

This is a fan-made translation solely for entertainment purposes with no guaranteed perfection. I do not own any of the original content. Please support CYBIRD by buying their stories and playing their games. Reblogs appreciated.

❥･• Warnings and FAQ

My body was forcefully held in the hand of a man who wasn’t Will.

Avoiding the eyes of the other people present, the man snuck into a room in the mansion.

Under the room’s light, the face of the man who captured me was revealed.

(This person talked to Will earlier…)

– Flashback Start –

Doctor Cedric: Allow me to introduce myself as well. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Earl Rex.

William: Ah… Doctor Cedric Hamilton, is it? I heard that you’re very passionate about your research on developing new drugs.

– Flashback End –

Back then, I quickly thought to act like a doll, but it seemed that he had already noticed me moving.

With me still in his hand, the doctor started rambling excitedly.

Doctor Cedric: You can breathe and blink… what a mysterious lifeform!

Doctor Cedric: How did this happen to you? Are you a living person? When did this happen?

(... I can’t keep up my act anymore. In that case…)

(Before that, I want to find out even just a little bit about his intentions.)

— Will will definitely come to my rescue.

As long as I have Will, I’ll be completely fine.

Kate: Before that, please answer my question first. Why are you in such a place?

Doctor Cedric: I have been pursuing Earl Rex, because I heard that he’s funding the Royal Hospital.

Doctor Cedric: I want to ask for him to fund my research as well.

Kate: … Is it research for a new drug?

Doctor Cedric: That’s only one part. I want to know everything.

Doctor Cedric: There are still many things about the human body that are unknown, it’s so mysterious… I can’t stand not knowing all about it!

Doctor Cedric: I want to know every single thing about the human body, and that’s why I’m here.

Doctor Cedric: It’s certainly God’s will for me to know everything…

Doctor Cedric: Now… reveal it all to me. I want to know every nook and cranny of your body…

Kate: … *gulp*

William: Thank you for that passionate proclamation of love to my lover, Cedric Hamilton.

Doctor Cedric: … Earl Rex…?

Kate: … W-Will!

William: You naughty girl, having another man court you while I’m away. Now, come back to me.

Doctor Cedric: This girl is Earl Rex’s… lover? No, that doesn't matter right now.

Doctor Cedric: This girl should be presented to the medical society. She will definitely be an extremely valuable research material…

Doctor Cedric: No, no. I must dissect her myself. Anyone who dares interfere, even if it’s Earl Rex—

The doctor pulled out a sharp scalpel from his breast pocket.

(He’s pointing it at Will…!)

(Take this!)

I bit down as hard as I could on a finger on his right hand, the hand holding the scalpel.

Doctor Cedric: Ouch!?

He let go of the scalpel and it tumbled onto the ground. The one who caught my body was—

William: Welcome back, Thumbelina. Or should I call you my courageous knight instead?

Kate: It’s nice to be back, Will. Fufu, you can call me whatever you like.

Doctor Cedric: D… Damn it…

Doctor Cedric: Give her back to me… this girl is my precious research material…

William: Cedric. I heard a rumour that you have been purchasing cadavers through illegal means for dissection.

Doctor Cedric: H-How did you know that…

William: You have a long history of other crimes, shall I list them all?

Doctor Cedric: … ugh

William: You haven't committed murder. However, it's undeniable that you've committed the sin of being indirectly involved in them.

William: Craving for more knowledge is a beautiful thing, but… it can get a little too extreme.

Doctor Cedric: … Ah, ahh…

William: — Shall we negotiate? Cedric Hamilton.

After negotiating with Cedric, Will and I returned to Crown’s castle.

…

This was the condition Will offered to Cedric—

In exchange for turning a blind eye to his crimes, Cedric was to never tell anyone about me.

Although it was called a “negotiation”, he became under Will’s control from now on.

— He would never dare to commit crimes again.

(Will silenced him and even condemned him for his sins… impressive.)

Will prepared some tea, he placed me in his palm and looked at me.

William: — So, my adorable Thumbelina, is there something you’ve been wanting to ask me from earlier?

Kate: … Yes. How did you know about that doctor’s crimes beforehand?

William: How?

Kate: It wouldn’t be surprising if you knew the sins of every person in England, but…

Kate: You wouldn't be able to remember them all, would you?

William: Right, my mind is too occupied with my memories of you.

Kate: Will… please don't dodge my question and answer me.

There was a playful flicker of joy in Will’s red eyes, his beautiful lips curled into a smile.

William: The reason for going to that mansion tonight was to see that man.

Kate: Huh…?

William: I remember hearing from Roger that there wasn’t enough of the drug needed to return you to your original form.

William: Cedric was expected to show himself there tonight.

William: He's notorious for being a drug enthusiast, that’s why I thought that he must have the medication we need.

Kate: So that means…

William: Yes, this was kept a secret from you — during the negotiation with Cedric, I had one more condition.

Will narrowed his eyes, like he was about to tell me a top secret—.

William: “A man named Roger will be coming later, you will show him to the place where you store your drugs.”

William: “And give him whatever he says he needs from you.”

William: Roger should have obtained the drug by now.

William: Since it’s Roger we’re speaking of, that man most likely took all the other drugs Cedric had in possession as well.

I was under the assumption that Will attended the social gathering tonight on a whim.

(... And yet, it was all… for the sake of helping me return to my original form.)

He once again provided me with the best solution to a problem.

My heart felt so full from Will’s love, I almost couldn't speak.

Kate: … T-Thank you so much, Will.

William: Anything for my sweetheart.

William: I only want you to remember one thing.

William: Kate.

He gently caressed my cheek with his fingers that I loved so much.

William: It doesn’t matter what form you take. As long as you’re still you, that’s alright.

William: I fell in love with the beauty of you as a human being.

Kate: Will…

Will’s voice and words soaked into my heart, spurring my desires.

(... I want to kiss you. I want to be even more deeply affectionate with you.)

He gave me a kiss, as though he had seen right through me and knew what I wanted.

Kate: Mm… mm…

William: Kate.

Kate: … Yes?

William: Want to try and see how far we can take this while you’re in this form…?

Kate: How… far…?

William: Yeah, those shameful yet pleasurable things you love—.

[scotianostra]

September 4th 1791 saw the birth of the notorious Dr Robert Knox, he is most infamous for buying bodies from Messrs Burke and Hare.

BefreI start the post, I again had to point out to people in Edinburgh last month that Burke and Hare were not graverobbers, they cut out the middle man, and apart from the first body they sold, a man called Donald who was a lodger in Hare's house, he died owing Hare money, so they filled his coffin with earth and sold him to the subject of this post.

Prior to his infamous involvement in the Burke and Hare murders, Robert Knox was a renowned lecturer of anatomy, esteemed zoologist, ethnologist and doctor. Knox was born to Mary (nee Scherer) and Robert Knox, a mathematics and natural philosophy teacher. Knox studied at The Royal High School before joining the University of Edinburgh in 1810. During his time at the University he was twice president of the undergraduate club the Royal Physical Society.

Following his graduation in 1814, Knox joined the army where he was posted to Brussels to attend to the wounded from the Battle of Waterloo.

On returning to Scotland in 1822, following stays in both France and South Africa, he was a key force in establishing a museum of anatomy and pathology at the College of Surgeons. Knox became Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh during which time he was involved in setting up a major anatomical school where he was famed for his gory lectures.

Before the 1832 Anatomy Act, the main supply of medical cadavers were those sentenced to death and dissection by the courts. The ability to acquire legal corpses became more difficult as anatomy’s importance grew and the number of executions decreased.

This is when grave robbing became a means of making money, mort safes, a metal grid over a grave, and watchtowers in burial grounds deterred this to an extent, but there was still a good trade in the grisly trade.

In a period of one year Burke and Hare supplied Knox with at least 16 bodies, the second last one was a local "character" James Wilson, known as Daft Jamie on the streets of Edinburgh, some of Knox's students recognised the body, Knox denied it was Jamie but when word started circulating that Wilson was missing, Knox dissected the body ahead of the others that were being held in storage; the head and feet were removed before the main dissection. Things were starting to unravel

The last body Burke and Hare sold to Knox was a middle aged Irish lass by the name of Margaret Docherty, two other lodgers, the Grays had seen Docherty with the duo and their respective partners the night of her murder, they grew suspicious when Burke refused to let her retrieve some belongings from a bed and subsequently discovered the body buried under a heap of straw, they informed the police, but not before the body had been removed and sold to Knox. They did however find items of bloodstained clothing. Early the following morning the police went to Knox's dissecting-rooms where they found Docherty's body, the Grays identified the poor woman's remains as the same woman seen in the lodgings with Burke and Hare, they were arrested. With very little evidence against them a decision was made to offer Hare a deal, he turned Kings evidence and testified against Burke, who of course was sent to the gallows.

Many found it hard to believe that such a prominent anatomist had failed to notice that the bodies he purchased had all undergone violent death, and had clearly not been recovered from graves. On 12 February 1829 an effigy of Knox was publicly hung before being torn to pieces in the street. He was vilified in popular ballads and caricatured in prints.

Despite being cleared of any knowledge of the murders by a medical committee, Knox was widely believed to have known more than he admitted about the origin of the cadavers he dissected and was progressively sidelined from the medical establishment in Edinburgh. After failed attempts to establish a new anatomical practice, or gain a university position, Knox embarked on lecture tours, translated French anatomical textbooks and wrote for medical journals. While he was an opponent of slavery, and critical of colonialism, Knox had strong views on racial difference. He was an early proponent of the race science which argued that humanity was divided into separate races, whose ability to acquire civilisation was very different.

Eventually Knox ended up in London, and there are differing accounts of his last years, however the belief that he died in poverty and obscurity is not true, in fact whilst in London, he was in frequent demand as a lecturer and continued to be a regular contributor to scientific journals. He engaged in part time general practice and, in 1856, was appointed Pathologist to what is now the Royal Marsden Hospital - a post which he held until his death in 1862. Knox was buried in Brookwood Cemetery near Woking but his grave was neglected and forgotten until in 1966 it was rediscovered by Professor Eric Mekie, a subsequent Conservator of the College Museum who arranged for the clearance of the weeds and foliage which had overgrown the grave and for it to be marked by a granite stone inscribed simply - Robert Knox - Anatomist 1791-1862, the grave, by the looks of it in the second and third pic, is seldom tended nowadays and is surely a macabre spot for a grisly tourist to track down with too much time on their hands. The first pic is Knox as portrayed in Edinburgh's Surgeons' Hall Museum.

Robert Knox however is not all forgotten, on a site I use often called Find a Grave, tributes are left by people, some just leave "flowers" but others also leave words like this left last year by an anon member "You where a brilliant mind a shame your name is connected to these vicious murders" an older post says "You were a brilliant doctor of anatomy. However, you made a horrible decision in dealing with Burke & Hare. Fortunately, you were able to salvage some of the career you had left, & move on, elsewhere. I hope you'll be resurrected in the future. I believe God forgave you for your mistake. I hope to see you in paradise in the future. For now, you must rest. Rest In Peace, Dr. Knox."

[battleczar]

First Contact

A nonfiction essay on death and touch

I didn’t expect to cry the first time I held a woman’s heart in my hands. The heart was a large cool weight, colored like pearlescent Georgia clay. It belonged to a woman who had died of a stroke at the age of 76, and who now lay before me in the basement cadaver lab of ——— University, faceless and open on the steel table. My classmates drew close around me, letting me cry, holding me with their presence, for the two minutes I took before I passed the heart to my left.

Massage therapy school is intense. For me, it was night classes fifteen hours a week, learning legal codes, debating ethical practices, categorizing the parts of the body from the mitochondria to the corpus callosum, and of course, learning touch. Always touch. For me, that was the most difficult part. Massage therapists learn a kind of touch that is just as psychological as it is physical, as we learn to think with our fingertips and emote with our palms. It is delicate and draining work, and at first I struggled to turn off my mind. I didn’t like to be touched so much by classmates that I barely knew. But I focused hard on learning our first skill: the “hello”. The “hello” is the first contact a massage therapist makes during a massage, and it is essential that it be full of calm and mindful intent. It lasts a breath before moving on, both a brief promise of trust and an expression of gratitude. It cannot be spoken, only felt.

It only took three months or so before I began to feel comfortable with the demands of my classes. As I settled more fully into the learning environment, my teachers began to teach without words. If I was palpating a classmate’s back, a teacher would walk over to me, observe my hands for a moment, and then place their own hands over mine. Without any questions being asked or answered, I would understand what they were telling me. It felt like experiencing the ah-ha! of fluency in a new language. Through wordless touch, my teachers corrected mistakes and fixed problems that I’m sure couldn’t have been adequately described out loud.

The cadaver lab was not a required course. I first had the chance to take it in my second quarter of school, but declined to register; I was frightened of how I might react to seeing dead bodies for the first time. I wanted to be a death doula, and I was worried that I would prove myself a squeamish coward, unfit to work with the dying. If I discovered weakness in this area, how could I continue with any of my training? But the next opportunity was my final chance to take the class, and so in June of 2019 I took a crack-of-dawn bus to ——— University, buzzing with coffee and fear. My anatomy teacher from massage therapy school was also a professor at———; she and my eighteen other classmates congregated in the dining hall at 8:50am. She answered our questions, we filled out safety waivers and consent forms, and each minute that I came closer to entering the lab, I felt more and more like I was dreaming. When I finally pulled on my lab coat and gloves and stepped foot into the cadaver lab, I was a hollow drum. A classmate came over to me and took my arm, and I felt her trembling energy: I wasn’t alone.

My first “hello” was not chosen so much for symbolic importance as it was that the human shin is a non-threatening place to touch. This was the shin of a formerly 58-year-old man, and it was cold and firm. I kept my fingertips there for a few seconds, determined not to flinch away. It surprised me to realize that I had no desire to flinch at all. There was no hostility in this body, nor anything inhuman. Together with my classmates, as our teacher lifted the pre-dissected quadriceps away from the femur, we silently said our “hello” to the man on the table, who had willed his body to teach us long after his words were gone.

Lunch break was very strange. We left the building stinking of formalin and methanol, the side door outside the lab emerging directly into the sprawling sunlit gardens of ———. I felt like I was moving underwater, reeling with revelation. Human bodies were beautiful. Nerves looked like mother-of-pearl fettuccine; the liver was enormous; metastasized cancer spread like bread mold; the spine was a cascading Jacob’s Ladder. I had spent so much time reading textbooks and studying diagrams, but none of that was real. To truly learn, I had to touch. Touch had opened a fourth dimension of comprehension. I sat on a bench beneath a willow tree and leaned my head on a classmate’s shoulder; another classmate came and sat on the grass, back against my legs. We passed our wonder to each other, and watched the willow leaves dance.

When we returned to the cadaver lab for the afternoon, we were all calmer, a little more eager to reach out to the cadavers. With our gloved hands full, we stood shoulder-to-shoulder, nudging questions and pressing answers. Momentarily distracted from examining her carpal tunnel, I held a former grandmother’s hand, and somebody handed me her heart, and suddenly the weight of my gratitude broke. I didn’t need to explain why I was crying to my classmates. They felt it too, and we all moved a little closer for it.

[epiarchive]

old pics from a weekend trip outta the city ^^

Update:

- Almost done with the first semester! Just finished my French exam and I think I’ll be able to pass. (A change of expectations because this isn’t high school anymore where I beat myself up for not acing everything)

- Yesterday we had a digital dissection class! (Cadavers are not available where I am, so we must make do with a human-sized iPad) Crazy fun. Intensely more interesting than sitting in a lecture hall for hours. I managed to answer a couple of questions asked by the profs since I did review some of the material… no way?! Spaced repetition?

- Trying to establish boundaries with school and personal life.

- Ran last night for the first time. Endorphins. Yes. Give.

- Now suffering from that post-lunch haze. It’s ok, all the more reason to use this as time to catch up on leisure reading.

My focus now is solely on med school exams. Voilà, that’s all. More studying content to come…

[safination]

hi i just finished reading your alastor fic on ao3 and!! i am soo down horrendously for the way you have written him!! the softness for his wife and their relationship as a whole! i love your take on his character! ive read your fic twice now and i'm eating up all the little details you've included with how close they are to each other! the way alastor will preen his wife's feathers, him always having an umbrella for her, the kisses to their rings, the way his smile will wobble sometimes.... ahhhh!! i think one of my favorite scenes was when his wife was gone for two days and finally came home & everything that happened after! especially the intimacy of the bath scene! i eat stuff like that UPPPP!!!!!! thank you for sharing such a marvelous story with us, it is one that i will think about for a long time!!

also- is Lys short for lysine LMAOO. i remember seeing the name for the first time and being like *eyesquint* is that an amino acid? pfft! i really appreciate all the science you've included- especially when alastor's wife was dissecting that cadaver in the forest; all the details about the serratus ventralis muscle. ive taken anatomy courses and i never was adept at memorizing the muscles LOL. if you don't mind me asking (and perfectly fine if you don't want to respond!), what are you studying? i'm pre-nursing so all this stuff with alastor's wife being a nurse/eventual doctor is right up my alley!

HI TO YOU AS WELL❤️ Their softness is everything to me. They’re so soft that they just become absolutely losers. Losers, I tell you. So in love that they become so lame.

YES LYS IS SHORT FOR LYSINE. Lys is the three letter shortcut for Lysine and K is the one letter shortcut for it. And AAA happens to be the nucleotide sequence that codes for Lysine haha.

I’ve also had to take anatomy courses lol because I’m actually doing a pre-med course rn. And I’ve just always loved medical! readers/OCs and all these classes Im taking can at least do something for me. If Im gonna suffer for 8+ years might as well make the most of it😭

Also mad respect to you for doing pre-nursing. Nursing is really hard. So kudos to you❤️

The anatomy classes were what inspired the scene with Reader’s craziness. Reenactment in drawing form:

(And don’t worry the rabbits are ethically sourced. There are businesses that specialize in giving out rabbits for study purposes. They raise the rabbits and give them a full and happy life. It was weird but cool to be able to see their insides and maddening to have to memorize the names of all their muscles. After we were done using their bodies they were given to graduate students who were doing their research. So not a single hair on the rabbit was wasted.)

Series: Partners in Death…and Life

[hello-im-not-a-possum]

Vlad plasmius headcanons?

(Mainly focusing on his ghost powers/biology hcs and how it differs from Dan, Dani, and Danny's biology because I made a couple of hcs on him here)

-He wasted at least five years trying to repress his powers out of fear.

-Comparing Halfas to (nintendo) Kirby's species, Danny is Kirby and Vlad is Meta knight. Danny has a wide variety of powers that he seemingly 'keeps forgetting' because he's still young and he and his powers are still adapting themselves to each other. He'll gain and lose out on more powers as he finds out what does and doesn't work for him while Vlad already has himself and his powers figured out and wont lose or gain any new ones. (unless a macguffin does that to him)

-Vlad has a 'ghost sense' but it works much differently than Danny's does. Where Danny's ghost sense is a cold breath, his is the ability to see ectoplasm in infrared thermal vision. This has the advantage of being able to see intangible ghosts and the drawback of having a lot more 'false positives' as people who are frequently in contact with ectoplasm (like Mr. and Mrs. OSHA Violation, pretty much anybody who works with him on a daily basis, a *lot* of Amity Parkers...) also show up when he's using his ghost-sense-vision.

-He saves energy by incorporating stray ectoplasm he can see into his ecto-blasts, shields, makeshift weapons, simple structures, and his copies.

-For the most part, he can't tell the difference between ghost powers unique to him and ghost powers any ghost can use.

-The exception to this is one power Vlad himself has, hates, and fears to the point where he will only use it if an outside force controls his body and makes him do it. He did not name this ability, but the way it works is that he 'leeches' life out of his opponent victim via infecting them with a ghostly virus and restores his own health to an extent in the process. Exactly as he did on his first deathbed: hurting and healing...

-If you used the Fenton Peeler on him as Plasmius, and if you used it for long enough, removing his 'main form', you'd see a form that looked like a dissected cadaver with an incredibly messed-up face (Appearance seems to be in its 30s), underneath that, a bandaged hospital patient (Appearance ranges from early 20s to early 30s), underneath that, a headless college student wearing a lab coat over a packers-colored sweater. You cannot remove more without killing him completely. He is unlikely to answer any questions about the 'reemerging head', especially if you asked him immediately after finding this out.

-His core is damaged and doesn't function properly, he's unable to use elemental abilities.

-Misinterpreting this to think that Vlad is a 'weak' halfa would be dangerous to a would-be opponent. There's no such thing as a 'weak halfa' as it requires an immense amount of strength to survive a ghost portal accident and or to survive the process of being 'born' half a human and half a ghost.

-This is more of an observation than a HC, but most of his 'vampirism' in his appearance comes from the cape, the hair, and his fangs. Looking at other parts of his ghost form: the white suit, the shiny black boots, belt, and gloves, the black triangle...

It begins to look a little...

Familiar...

[outshinethestars]

Flesh and Bone (Star Wars fic)

CC-6116 performs his first human dissection when he is three and a half.  The cadaver is a blond defective and it’s smaller than ‘16 is.  

They’re a mixed group in the dissection room, two second gen CCs, three first gen CTs and ‘16.  ‘16 doesn’t know any of the others, a long neck pulled them all from their classes, told them there was a body available and that their scores were good enough they were ready to study a real human specimen.  ‘16 had been excited.  He hadn’t realized it could be the body of a decommissioned brother.  He hadn’t considered it could be so small, all of the diagrams in his learning modules were of adults.  But it makes sense, of course.  What other human corpses might be lying around on kamino.  No one thinks about what happens to brothers who are decommissioned, but then ‘16 supposes that it’s a medic’s job to deal with the things no one wants to think about, to see the underside of things.

The long neck instructs them to watch as she cuts into the chest and abdominal cavity. She peels back the skin so that the organs are exposed.  The cadets lean over the table to see inside the cadaver.  ‘16 is the shortest of them, and has to stand on tip-toe to get a good look.  It smells odd.  Not bad, but strange.  The body clearly was preserved through some chemical process, the blood drained away.  The smell of it is very faint, and unlike anything else he’s experienced.  There’s a blood scent, somewhere beneath the odd almost not-there chemical smell, like blood that had gone wrong somehow.

The long neck tells them to identify various organs.  It’s more difficult than ‘16 might have expected.  The real body is unlike the diagrams he has studied, all the different parts layered overtop each other and more or less the same color, some of the organs not quite where he expects them to be.

One of the CTs vomits, and then one of the CCs does as well.  The long neck glances down at them in disgust and orders them to return to their classes.  A droid cleans up the mess, but the smell lingers.

CC-6116 is the youngest and the smallest.  He cannot afford to be soft or squeamish.  It is an honor to be chosen for this, but it means that the long necks expect much of him.  He knows how important it is not to disappoint them.

The long neck cuts into the cadaver’s heart and lungs, allowing the cadets to study the heart’s musculature and its four chambers, see the lung’s spongy texture, its branching bronchioles.  She slices through the rubbery, hose-like esophagus next, and slits open the stomach, revealing its contents.  She asks them to guess which meal the cadet ate last, and from there estimate the time of death. ‘16 swallows hard but manages to keep his own rations down.

The stomach’s contents are fairly meager, and what’s there is is mostly an odd gray sludge.  That throws some of the others off, thinking it must be from firstmeal, which tends to be lighter, and sometimes a bit experimental.  But really it’s midmeal, more than half left uneaten.  The sludge is blue pudding, a triple serving at least.  The cadet’s batch must have known he was going to be decommed.  The cadet hadn’t had much of an appetite, but his batch mates had shared their treasured blue pudding with him.  ‘16 gives his guess for the time of death, and the long neck nods approvingly.  He got it to within an hour.

The long neck tasks the cadets with stitching up all the incisions she made in the cadaver.  ‘16’s stitches are far from the best.  He has some trouble reaching, and his stitches are slower than the others’ and too tight in places, but his hands don’t shake even a little, and his eyes don’t glaze over with tears the way the other remaining CC’s do.

The long neck removes the cadaver’s eyes from their sockets.  She gives one to ‘16 and the other to the CT that finished his stitches quickest.  The eye is brown.  The color surprises him. ‘16 saw a trainer once whose hair was blond, and his eyes were blue.  Bright gold hair and cold blue eyes and pale, pale skin.  Somehow ‘16 expected this clone’s eyes to be blue too.  But that’s silly of course.  This is a brother, and his hair is the wrong color but his skin is gray only with death, and his eyes are deep, warm brown, if anything slightly darker than average.

It takes more effort than ‘16 expects to cut through the cornea.  Eyes are such an obvious weak point in sparring, and he’s used to thinking of them as fragile.  But the cornea is tough and slick, almost like cartilage, and it takes some effort to keep the eye stabilized and cut through, even with the sharp scalpel.  Fluid seeps out, and the eye deflates.  The eye looked dead of course, already, but now it is dull, its color unrecognizable.  Bits of the iris flake away and float in the fluid as ‘16 removes the cornea entirely.  He extracts the lense. It lies on the work surface, clear and gelatinous.  It looks oddly shapeless and inorganic, not at all like a working component of a complex organ, not like part of something living at all.  When he is done, there is no eye left, and the cadaver’s fleshy sockets gape at him blankly.  ‘16 imagines that they’re looking at him accusingly, but then he makes himself stop.  The brother is gone, there’s no use imagining any part of him lingers, even to be hurt.

One of the cadaver’s arms is broken.  This is likely what led to the decommissioning.  The long neck gives a bone mender to the second year CC and instructs him to set the break while the rest of them observe.

There are bruises on the arm.  There were contusions all over the body, ‘16 noticed, evidence of a fight gone wrong.  But the bruises are stark on the arm, and ‘16 can see the distinct imprint of a hand on the thin wrist.

The hand print is too small.  That’s what catches in ‘16’s brain.  ‘16 flexes his own hand, imagines it wrapped around the defective’s wrist.  You heard things about trainers sometimes.  Some of them could be careless or cruel.  But the marks were too small to be from a trainer, the hand that did this would have been only slightly larger than ‘16’s own.  A brother did this. It must have been a first gen CT, ‘16 thinks.  A brother, a group of them, probably, given the bruising on the torso, as though the body was kicked as it lay prone, given the bruises on the arm, like someone was holding him down.  Brothers caused this.  The cadet is dead because his brothers killed him.

The CC uses the bone mender.  It cannot heal the bone now that the cells are dead, but he sets the arm and follows all the steps correctly, and the long neck is as pleased as long necks ever are.  ‘16 watches and pays attention because he knows this is important, because he knows he will need to do it right someday when it matters.  But he can’t help but think that it could have mattered earlier, that the cadet’s arm could have been healed, that he could have been saved.  The long necks didn’t think it was worth it.  They didn’t think it was worth spending the time and the bone mender on a clone that was already defective.  But then they went and expended those things anyway, and the CC used the bone mender without any mistakes.  So if the long necks let them practice before he was dead instead of after, then he could have lived, he didn’t have to die.  

It’s a flawed line of reasoning, ‘16 knows.  He knows how often he makes mistakes, how often everyone makes mistakes, they’re still just learning.  He imagines if the long necks did teach them that way, if the long necks gave them clones they planned to decommission, and ‘16’s small hands were all that stood between them and death.  He’s not ready, they’re not ready.  But isn’t it worth it?  Is ‘16’s own discomfort, his desire not to have blood on his hands, worth more than even 1 in ten of his decommissioned brothers being saved?  Then he considers how much further the long necks might go with that idea.  Wonders if they would think it advantageous for med cadets to perform surgeries on still beating hearts, if they think it might be useful to give them practice on real blaster wounds, since they have live bodies they don’t mind wasting, and he shuts down that line of thinking hard.

Maintenance droids enter to remove the body.  ‘16 still doesn’t know where it will go in the end.  He and the others enter a decontamination chamber, and he knows theoretically, that he’s scrubbed clean on a molecular level, but he can’t help but feel that the residue of the defective cadet’s skin still clings to him, that the not-quite-right scent lingers in his nose.  He thinks that he’ll never forget what his younger brother looked like, with his blond hair and dark eyes and his chest gaping open under the bright sterile lights.  He won’t forget until the day he dies, grown on a battlefield far away.  But for now he forces himself to shake the images from his mind.  He has training still today, and he needs to learn and grow strong.  He couldn’t help his defective brother, but he’ll help others someday, and he can’t let that potential go to waste on mourning.

[queerfables]

S04 part the first liveblog

It's kind of cute that Maddie and Chimney are living with each other's siblings during the pandemic

Who is Buck's new ~covid crush?

Honestly I love when this show does jumpscares that have me staring at my screen like :O. The bus coming through the window while they're fighting was great.

May's doing 911 dispatch?? That's so fun and I bet she'll be great at it

Gosh now I like everyone on the bus and I hope they're OK

I'm in love with CJ. Saves a man's life, makes a joke about how he's working on his eye contact

They're all OK!

4x02

Lmfao it's obvious neither Chimney or Buck have ever used a baby monitor before. I have absolutely forgotten to put the receiver down when going to pick up the baby and I knew immediately how to find that kid

Aw Buck's covid crush is actually a therapist!!

4x03

Yeah no there's no way these students' first experience with cadavers would involve them dissecting said cadavers. I took a year's worth of human anatomy in university and never touched a scalpel once.

Delighted by every Buck+Eddie+Christopher scene

Lmfao watching Hen negotiate with a toddler feels reaaaal familiar

Except that her toddler still responds to "swap?"

Omg Buck and Christopher pulling that prank on Eddie, adorable!!

I feel like I missed some kind of crossover event, should I look into that at some point?

4x04

Oh just like I said May is doing a great at this job. She really takes after her mother, I love it

Eddie and Buck are being DORKS at the crime scene it's CUTE

Ok the hell did Maddie tell Chimney about Buck?

Omg Albert just straight up running away so Chimney won't tell him the secret this is amazing

Wow Chimney really is bad at keeping secrets it's very funny

Oh that was a really good scene, the family dinner and Buck's break down. It was sad but really good

Ohhh secret brother!! I actually low-key guessed it was something like that

4x05

Oh Jesus, Buck was the baby they had to try and save their first baby, but he didn't. That explains a LOT.

Wow, this really does explain a buuuunch

Did they always plan this as Buck's backstory because I can't get over how well it clicks everything into place (and some stuff about Maddie too)

Oh Maddie, you should have gone with him

Oh man she nearly did, oh wow, that's crazy

This guy in the hand sanitiser place is hilarious "this [mask] is helping. The fire is not."

Oh, Buck. This is a bad time for you to lose one

oh no everyone's there and helping T_____T

Oh no I'm gonna cry over Maddie and Buck and Buck asking her to tell him about Daniel and Buckley siblings oh no

4x06

Okay one more and then I'll sleep

Lmfao this episode is off to a very entertaining start I love dumb superstition episodes

Eddie stop flirting while you're supposed to be working (jk she's cute)

I was right this episode is GREAT

Plus I greatly enjoy Eddie the skeptic

"Is it a curse or a jinx?" I'm crying at how seriously they're taking it

Who the hell is this guy from the 147

Oh it's a whole thing I see

So glad we got a hijinks episode, delightful

[sweeter-innocence-fics]

You Brought Your Worst and I’m Right Here - Chapter Six: No matter what I think

Pairing: Gale of Waterdeep x female Tav

Work Summary:

After an explosive falling out between Gale and his academic adviser, Mystra, Tav is left to pick up the pieces.

Modern/College AU.

Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Epilogue

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 1904

Read on AO3.

Masterlists.

Taglist: @mrs-kai-anderson @ang3l1te @missryerye

Taglist info

Previous Chapter

Notes:

all of the regular warnings for grooming, abuse, suicide, as well as alcohol I guess

---

Tav was sitting at a tucked away table in the corner of the student lounge with two glasses of wine in front of her. Shadowheart said she’d be here any minute, but the minutes kept ticking on by. Her glass was almost empty when her friend showed up, looking rather harried.

“Sorry,” said Jen, dropping her over-full bag onto the bench. “The professor wanted to give me some feedback on my last essay after the lecture and I couldn’t say no. Is this for me?” She indicated the full glass.

“Sure is.”

“Thanks.” Shadowheart tipped her head back and downed the wine in one long gulp. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and picked up Tav’s now empty glass. “I’ll get another round,” she said, and then headed off towards the bar.  

Tav’s lips curled up into a smile. It was a Friday night, and both of them clearly needed this. Shadowheart returned a moment later with a full bottle of wine and two fresh glasses.

“Long week?” asked Tav as Shadowheart poured the drinks.

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” said Jen. “I have some horror stories but I don’t wanna make you puke.”

“Try me.”

So she did. As Shadowheart regaled her with stories about the cadavers she had dissected, and the bodily fluids she had ended up covered in while pulling shifts at the hospital, Tav fought the urge to gag.

Shadowheart was in the process of describing the contents of a bedpan that she’d been cleaning when Tav finally held up a hand.

“Okay, you got me, I’m done. Please, no more.”

Jen began to laugh. “You lasted longer than I expected.”

“I don’t know how you do it.”

“You get used to it, I promise. So what about you? How is everything going? I’m glad to see that you and Gale are friends again.”

Tav frowned, staring down at her drink. She was on her third glass now and she was starting to feel a little buzzed. It was just enough to make her bold enough to say what she was going to say next.

“Jen, I have to tell you something, but you’ve got to promise you won’t tell Gale. Or anyone else.”

Shadowheart’s expression grew serious. “Of course,” she said. “What is it?”

Tav knew that she could trust her. She was good at keeping secrets. So she told her everything that Gale had told her, watching as her friend’s face grew paler and paler.

When Tav was finished, Shadowheart was drumming her fingertips on the table, visibly agitated.

“God, poor Gale,” she said. “He’s so sweet. He doesn’t deserve any of this.”

“I don’t know what to do,” said Tav, and then she burst into tears.

“Oh Tav…” She felt Jen’s hand resting between her shoulderblades, gently stroking up and down.

“I tried-” Her breath hitched painfully. “I tried to tell him to report her but he won’t. And I understand why he’s scared to but…” She scrubbed at her eyes with her sleeve. “She can’t get away with this. She can’t.”

“Tav…” Jen shifted uncomfortably. “This isn’t… This isn’t the first time I’ve heard something like this about Professor Mystryl.”

Tav looked up at her in confusion. “What?”

“I have some other friends who study physics and… well, apparently there are rumours about her tendency to favour young male students. She likes to mentor them personally. It’s sort of a running joke in the department, apparently.”

Tav felt like she might throw up. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I thought it was just a rumour! You know the kinds of things that people say whenever there’s a woman in a position of authority! I figured someone was just trying to discredit her, or making an off-colour joke, but… hearing this…”

“Gale might not be the first.”

The conversation was interrupted by Tav’s phone buzzing in her pocket. She pulled it out to see that Wyll was calling. Frowning, she answered it.

“Hello?”

“Tav, hey, is Gale with you?” Wyll’s voice came through tinny on the speaker, but his words still hit hard enough to make her stomach drop.

“No? Why?”

“He was supposed to be home an hour ago. I tried calling him but he didn’t answer.”

Tav felt the colour draining from her face. Between her and her flatmates, they’d worked out a system to ensure that Gale was never home alone, just in case. Nowadays, he mostly adhered to his schedule, pretty much only going out to go to classes. Where was he?

“Tav?” said Shadowheart nervously. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Gale isn’t home yet,” she answered. “I’m with Jen,” she added as an aside to Wyll. “And we’re coming home now. Let me know if he turns up.”

“I will. See you soon.”

She said goodbye to Wyll and then tried to hang up the phone, only then noticing how much her hands were shaking. She swore quietly, so Jen took the phone from her hand and hit the red button.

“I’m gonna call an uber, okay?” said Jen, squeezing Tav’s shoulder. “I’m sure he’s okay. He probably just got caught up studying and lost track of time.”

“Okay. I’m gonna try to call him.”

“Good idea.”

Her call when straight to voicemail. She tried to swallow her panic as she heard his voice telling her to leave a message, but she could taste bile in her mouth. She tried for a second and third time, with the same result.

She let Shadowheart guide her outside just as the uber was pulling up. Shadowheart did the talking, while Tav sat with her head back against the headrest, wondering if she might throw up.

“Is it alright if I open the window?” she asked the driver weakly.

“Go ahead,” he said, so she did so. The cool air was very welcome.

They were five minutes from home when her phone began to buzz again. Her heart leapt, but the caller ID read ‘Wyll’.

She answered it. “Hey Wyll.”

“Tav. Guess who just showed up.” Wyll sounded unamused. Although he was trying to temper his voice, she could tell he was angry.

“Gale? Is he home?”

“He is. He decided to walk home from campus, apparently. And his phone ran out of battery.”

Tav exhaled hard. “Seriously?”

“He’s very sorry for worrying everyone. I’m sorry I called you. I should’ve just waited.”

“No, you did the right thing. Thanks Wyll. We’ll back soon. And don’t worry, I’ll yell at Gale for you. I’m allowed to yell at him.”

Wyll chuckled awkwardly. “Not on my behalf, please. I’ll see you soon.”

Shadowheart was staring at her when she put the phone down. “Well?”

“He’s fine.” Tav relayed Wyll’s message, watching as Shadowheart frowned back at her.

“Well, that’s good,” she said. “He’s always been pretty absent-minded. It’s not surprising that he forgot to charge his phone.”

“Yeah.”

Shadowheart turned her attention back to the driver. “It’s just up here on the left, mate.”

The car had barely pulled in when Tav opened the door and jumped out. She hurried into the house to find Wyll in the hallway, waiting for her.

“Hey,” he said, frowning. “I’m sorry for calling. I shouldn’t have-”

“Yes, you should have,” she said, and then pulled him into a hug. “Is he okay?”

“He seems upset.” He kept his voice low. “He did apologise for worrying me, though. He went upstairs but he’s keeping his bedroom door open.”

“Thanks.” Behind her, she heard Shadowheart shutting the front door. “I’m gonna go check on him.”

“Let me know if you need anything.”

“Thank you.”

As promised, she found Gale in his bedroom, the door propped open. He was lying on top of the covers of his bed, scrolling on his phone. There was a puffiness to his eyes that made Tav frown.

She knocked lightly on the open door. “Gale?”

He turned to face her. “Hey Tav.” His voice was hoarse and throaty. “Wyll said he called you. I’m sorry.” He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. “I didn’t mean to worry everyone. I just… needed some air. I should’ve made sure my phone was charged before walking back.”

“It’s okay.” She could feel some of the anxiety leeching out of her now that she could see that Gale was safe, albeit clearly upset. “What happened?”

“Could you close the door please? I don’t want anyone else hearing.”

She shut the door and came to sit beside him on the bed. “What is it, Gale?”

“I had to turn in some paperwork to the physics department today, to change my academic adviser. I was just going to put it in Mystra’s pigeonhole but…” He shuffled awkwardly, not meeting her eye. “I decided to go and see her.” Tav opened her mouth, but he held up his hands. “I know, I know. I’m the king of making bad decisions. But I was sort of hoping that she might reconsider keeping me on as a student. Not as a lover. Just as a student. Separation of church and state. She really is a brilliant scientist and I learnt a lot under her.” He winced at his own wording. “You know what I mean.”

“Gale…”

“It doesn’t matter. Because as I was approaching her office, a young man walked out. I think he’s a second year. I’ve seen him at physics socials. He looked… dishevelled. And when he saw me standing there he had this look on his face like he’d been caught. And it was very clear what he and Mystra had been doing in her office.”

“Oh Gale.” Tav wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He didn’t hug her back, but he leant into her embrace. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s stupid.” Gale’s voice was thick with tears. “That this, after everything, feels like a betrayal. Perhaps I am a complete idiot, but part of me thought that she loved me. That what we had was real. At the very least, that she’d be as torn up about our separation as I am. But this… it’s clear that I was just some plaything to her, to be discarded when I’m more trouble than I’m worth.”

“You’re not an idiot,” Tav soothed, rubbing his back the way that Shadowheart had rubbed hers while she’d cried over Gale. “You believed what she wanted you to believe. She led you on and used you.”

Gale tilted his head towards her. Their faces were closer than she had realised. She could almost taste his breath. He could probably smell the wine on hers.

“Tav, I don’t know what I’d do without you. I’m sorry for pushing you away.”

She squeezed him. “We’re past that. No more apologies, remember?”

“Right.”

Their closeness had her pulse racing. She pulled back, disentangling herself from him.

“Gale, there’s something I should probably tell you.”

“What is it?”

“I was talking to Shadowheart earlier, and she… well, she mentioned that there were… rumours about Professor Mystryl.” Gale didn’t respond. He just stared back at her, so she took a deep breath. “Apparently, Professor Mystryl is known to… mentor young male students. It seems to be a pattern for her.”

Gale said nothing. He swallowed, looking away from her, and then nodded. “That… tracks, honestly.”

“I’m sorry, Gale.”

“I’m not.” His voice was steely, his expression hardened. “Not anymore. I’m going to take her down.”

Next Chapter