#i need to be medicated i think it would help

[mxs-space]

Dental engineer here. Everything about this is true. I’ve seen 20s something needing a full teeth set up. Even though they have no reason to tell us, one of them explained their whole medical history so we “don’t think he has a bad hygiene or something”. Boy even if it was the case we would do it. Some people breaks teeth during sport, some have medical condition that affects their gengival blood distribution (ir anything really), some have mental disorders that makes them forget or are totally unable to brush their teeth, and that’s okay.

getting out of tracks about the og post, but I want to say it: it doesn’t matter if your tooth decay is because of one cause or another (which includes “bad” hygiene to me) you don’t deserve mockery or pain. Every body is different and some has issues with a “too good” hygiene (had cases of gengival loss due to too much teeth brushing) and that’s okay.

Every single case of tooth issues deserves care and help.

people with tooth decay aren't bad people. they aren't lazy either. neither are they unclean or irresponsible. tooth decay doesn't make you a bad person. you don't deserve mockery, judgement, or tooth pain for having any. the only thing people with tooth decay deserve is healthcare.

[fandomfablesunleashed]

Heartfelt Deception

Law x reader (she/her)

Modern AU, fake-dating, friends-to-lovers, like one swear word.

Summary: Law asked you to attend a charity event his hospital is hosting as his fake girlfriend. As if that wasn’t enough, it’s happening on Valentine’s Day.

Words: 7.5k

Notes: For the Valentine’s Week event. I had this whole fake dating-to-hospital event idea for the ficmas event, but I scrapped it because I didn’t have much time to write it then. I’m so glad I did, though, because I think the story turned out much better for Valentine’s Day than it would have for Christmas.

English is not my first language

Masterlist

Dr. Trafalgar Law was pacing back and forth in the small office of the hospital. His fingers drummed anxiously against the table as he read the charity event invitation for the fifth time, each glance making his pulse race a little faster.

The truth was, Law never liked events like this. Fundraisers, speeches, fake smiles—it all made him itch with discomfort. His introverted nature clashed with the expectations of being a ‘people person’ in the medical field, and the last thing he wanted was to attend an event where everyone would be looking at him.

A month ago, during yet another relentless round of coworkers begging him to attend an after-work gathering, Law had casually mentioned that he had plans. But instead of letting it go, they kept pressing, demanding to know why he was always declining invitations. Frustrated, he blurted out that he needed to spend time with his girlfriend. Before he could even think, the hospital buzzed with talk about his mysterious partner, one no one had ever met. Now, he was cornered into bringing his partner to the hospital's prestigious charity gala on Valentine’s Day. The irony wasn’t lost on him—his colleagues were all too eager to point out how fitting it was to host an event focused on heart issues on a day devoted to hearts.

As one of the hospital’s top cardiac surgeons, Law was expected to be a key speaker. Worse still, he was supposed to bring his girlfriend. But the problem? He didn’t have one.

There was only one person he could turn to—you.

“You want me to do what?!” you asked, your eyes wide with shock, your coffee cup momentarily forgotten in your hand.

He sighed, running a hand over his face in frustration. “I need you to go with me to that stupid gala as my girlfriend.”

Your brow furrowed as you set the cup down. “You're serious?”

“Why would I joke about something like this?”

“Why would you make up a girlfriend just to avoid gatherings?” you shot back, leaning back in your chair, arms crossed. “You could’ve just said you weren’t interested in going.”

He glanced down at the table, clearly agitated, his fingers tapping against the surface in a nervous rhythm. “It’s not that simple. I’ve already turned them down too many times. They won’t leave me alone. And now I’m expected to show up—with a date. It’s just… ridiculous.”

You leaned forward, elbows resting on the table, as you considered his words. “Why not just say you broke up recently?”

“Because it’s obvious. Then I lose that excuse for the future,” he said, picking up his cup and drinking from it.

You stared at him for a long moment, trying to wrap your head around the absurdity of it all. “So, you want me to pretend to be your girlfriend for one night, just so you can avoid more gatherings down the line?”

“Yes,” he said simply, as if it were the most logical solution in the world.

You shook your head, unable to help the small laugh that escaped you. “You’re ridiculous. When is this supposed to happen?”

“February 14th,” he replied, avoiding your gaze.

Your eyebrows shot up. “Valentine’s Day?”

He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, they thought they were being so clever with that one.”

A grin tugged at the corners of your lips. You couldn’t resist teasing him. “So, is this your way of asking me to be your Valentine?”

He groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Who’s being ridiculous now?” But then, with a sly smirk, he added, “So... you’re in?”

A long pause hung in the air as you considered his request. The idea of pretending to be his girlfriend was insane, yes. Pretending to be someone’s girlfriend—for Valentine’s Day, no less—was the kind of thing you’d laugh about in a bad rom-com. But the look on his face was impossible to ignore. Desperation, tinged with just enough pride to keep him from outright begging.

Finally, you sighed, crossing your arms as if it might shield you from the insanity you were about to agree to. “Fine. But you owe me big time for this.”

“Don’t worry,” The smirk on his face widened into a grin, and you wondered what exactly you’d just gotten yourself into. “I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”

And with that, you sealed your fate.

The day of the event had finally arrived. Law was at your door, punctual as always, ready to pick you up just as you'd arranged. He stood there, dressed impeccably—his sharp suit tailored to perfection, exuding confidence and elegance. You tried your hardest not to stare too much, but it was impossible not to notice how effortlessly he pulled it all off.

“Ready?” His voice broke through your thoughts.

“Just a moment,” you replied, your voice betraying your hesitation as you moved closer to the mirror. You needed to make sure everything was just right. You were dressed in the outfit that made you feel good about yourself and was fitting for such an event. Yet, despite all the preparation, a knot of nerves twisted in your stomach. The idea of pretending to be Law's girlfriend made you nervous, no matter how hard you tried to pretend it did not. 

He sighed when you took your sweet time. “Can you stop checking yourself out?”

You glanced at him, an eyebrow arched. “Sorry for making sure people won’t judge your taste too much...” you grumbled, half-amused, half-defensive.

He scoffed as he moved closer, looking at you in the mirror. “Like I care what people think.” Then, with a pause, he added, his voice quieter, almost… sincere, “Besides, you look… stunning.”

You froze for a moment, surprised by his words. “Really?”

“Yes,” he answered, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. His gaze softened, and you swore you saw a hint of admiration there.

“Um, thanks. And… you look amazing too.”

He cleared his throat, somewhat uncomfortable but trying to hide it. “Let’s just go, shall we?” 

“You're sure this will work, right?” Law muttered as he turned to face you. 

“Yes, it’ll work.” You flashed a confident grin, trying to reassure him, though you were just as uncertain as he was. “You’re the one who got us into this mess.”

“I can’t believe I’m actually doing this.”

“Well, I can’t believe you made up a girlfriend in the first place,” you shot back. “But here we are.”

He sighed, running a hand over his face again, not sure whether to laugh or groan. It was one thing to get himself into this mess, but dragging you in was entirely a different matter. The pressure was mounting on both of you. Could you really pull this off? 

Then you caught his eye. A flicker of humor, a spark of something you couldn’t quite place, passed between you, and at that moment, you knew you could. Maybe this absurd charade wasn’t as impossible as it seemed.

He let out a long breath and straightened his posture, his decision made. “Alright, fine. Let’s get this over with.”

“Lead the way, then,” you replied, your tone playful, despite the nerves you were still trying to suppress.

He gave a curt nod, opening the door and holding it for you. With that, you stepped into the venue. The Valentine’s Day theme was apparent everywhere— pink and red lighting bathed the space, heart-shaped centerpieces adorned every table, and a live jazz band played romantic melodies in the background. You looked over at him and snorted seeing his expression.

“I take it Valentine’s Day isn’t your favorite holiday?” you teased, leaning just close enough so he could hear without anyone else catching on.

Law’s gaze flickered to you, his brow arching slightly. “What gave it away?” he said dryly, expending his arm to you.

“Oh, just a hunch,” you said with a small smile, slipping your hands through his arm. “You’re doing great, though. Really selling the whole ‘romantic evening’ thing.”

Law’s expression didn’t shift much, but there was a faint twitch at the corner of his lips that told you he wasn’t entirely immune to your teasing. “I’m thrilled you think so,” he muttered as he led you through the crowd. You caught glimpses of the people who had been whispering about Law's relationship for weeks. Their eyes fell on you both with curiosity.

“Dr. Trafalgar!” one of the nurses called out, waving excitedly. She eyed you with a wide smile. “Is this your girlfriend?”

Law’s face remained neutral. “Yes,” he answered smoothly and introduced you.

The nurse let out a little squeal of delight. “It’s so nice to finally meet you!” she exclaimed. “We’ve all been dying to know more about Dr. Trafalgar’s mysterious girlfriend.”

You gave a polite smile, taking the opportunity to slip into the role. “It's a pleasure to meet you, too. He talks a lot about his team,” you said lightly, with a little twinkle in your eye as you glanced at Law. He rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything.

The nurse beamed. “Oh, I'm sure he does,” she said, her eyes still sparkling as she looked from you to Law. “It’s rare to see him... charming.” Her voice dropped to a playful whisper, though it was clear she wasn’t trying to keep it a secret. “We always wondered what kind of woman could put up with him.”

You gave a small, modest laugh, sensing the opportunity to keep the conversation flowing. “He’s not as difficult as he looks.” You turned to Law, flashing him a playful smile. “And I'm quite lucky he let me in.”

Law’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly, but he quickly masked it with his usual impassive expression. “Enough about me,” he said smoothly, redirecting the conversation. “Let’s get you something to drink.” He turned toward the drink table, eager to move on.

As the two of you moved through the gala, a sense of ease settled between you. The people who approached were friendly, curious, and all too eager to meet the mysterious woman who had somehow captured the heart of the elusive surgeon. Law, as always, seemed somewhat distant, but there was a subtle shift in his demeanor, as if the weight of the event was just a little lighter with you by his side.

“Well, well, if it isn't the lovely girlfriend!” Shachi grinned, giving you a dramatic bow before standing up straight again. “You look awesome.”

You couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks, Shachi. You certainly know how to flatter a girl.”

Penguin let out a low, amused chuckle from behind him. “Yeah, well, Law’s been talking about you for weeks,” he added. “He was so worried about you not showing up and ruining his perfect plan. I’m surprised you agreed to it, honestly.”

You gave Penguin a knowing smile. “What can I say? Someone had to save his ass.” You shot a quick glance at Law, who stood beside you, his expression neutral, but you caught the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth.

Shachi leaned casually against the table, clearly enjoying himself, and turned to Law with a mischievous glint in his eye. “So, how does it feel to finally have a real girlfriend? I mean, I’ve been hearing rumors about this for a while, but you’re actually pulling it off, huh?”

Law rolled his eyes but didn’t respond immediately, though you could tell he was trying to keep his cool. “This will be a long night,” he muttered under his breath, but his friends were far too eager to let him off the hook.

Shachi’s grin only grew wider. “I’m just curious—how’s the ‘relationship’ going so far?” He glanced at Law, whose jaw was tight, trying to suppress his frustration. “Any sparks flying between the two of you yet?”

“Shachi,” Law said in warning, but he wasn’t listening. Law rolled his eyes, though there was a slight curve to his lips, as if even he couldn’t help but be somewhat entertained by his friends' antics. “I told you I didn’t need this kind of commentary tonight.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Shachi continued, entirely ignoring Law’s attempts to rein him in. “But it’s so much more fun when we do comment.” He threw an arm around Penguin’s shoulder, giving him an exaggerated nudge. “So, Dr. Trafalgar, how’s it feel having your friends finally meet your ‘girlfriend’? You look so… happy.”

You couldn’t help but laugh, shaking your head at their behaviour. “I’m sure Law’s thrilled by all the attention,” you said, playing the part, your voice dripping with sarcasm.

Law cast you a sideways glance, but there was something warmer in his eyes than before. “Let’s just get through tonight, shall we?” he said, attempting his best authoritative tone, though there was a clear undertone of amusement, as if he was enjoying it just a little more than he let on.

Just as the playful back-and-forth was beginning to die down, a loud, familiar voice cut through the chatter from across the room.

“YOOO! Look who it is!” 

Usopp’s boisterous voice rang out, and you barely had time to brace yourself before he was at your side, grinning like a mischievous cat. He was joined by Kaya, who was looking stunning in an elegant dress, her eyes sparkling as she waved.

Shit. How had you not considered the possibility that Usopp would be here? Kaya was a nurse at the same hospital as Law, and of course, she’d bring him as her plus-one.

“Usopp, Kaya,” you greeted with a smile, trying to remain composed despite the sudden attention being drawn your way. Usopp's loud voice had already caused a ripple of curiosity to spread through the crowd.

Usopp’s gaze darted between you and Law. “Wait a minute… what are you doing here?” he asked. His voice was just loud enough for the people around you to overhear, making you feel the weight of every set of eyes now shifting in your direction.

You glanced at Law, who was now wearing a mask of calm—though you could tell by the subtle shift in his posture that he wasn’t exactly comfortable with the situation. You quickly shot him an apologetic look, trying to keep things as casual as possible. “Isn't it obvious — I’m with Law,” you said with a playful shrug, hoping your tone would deflect any suspicion and begging to whatever higher power that Usopp won't blow your cover. 

Usopp blinked, his eyes widening in disbelief, as if you’d just dropped a bombshell. “With Law?!” His voice jumped an octave, loud enough to draw even more attention, and you felt the heat of a dozen curious stares. Your stomach churned as the pressure mounted.

“Well yeah, we’re dating,” you said quickly, trying to offer him a pointed look that screamed for him to lower his voice. You didn’t look forward to clearing that lie later, though.

“What?!” Usopp exclaimed again, louder this time, and you fought the urge to physically drag him into a quieter corner.

“Oh, for fuck's sake, don't be so loud,” you hissed, your smile strained as you resisted the urge to clamp a hand over his mouth. You just needed him to stop.

Your words earned a sharp glance from Law, who was now standing as still as a statue, his jaw tight and his eyes dark with irritation. Though his face remained unreadable to most, you could detect the flicker of unease behind his usually impenetrable demeanor.

Usopp sharp eye for detail and relentless curiosity meant he was undoubtedly piecing things together in real-time, and the last thing you needed was for him to say something he really shouldn't.

Kaya, sensing the tension, stepped in smoothly. “Usopp,” she said, with a small but knowing smile, “maybe we should let them enjoy the night.” She gently nudged his arm, giving you an apologetic look. “It’s good to see you both. I hope you’re having a good time tonight.”

You smiled, grateful for her presence. “We’re managing,” you replied before gesturing toward her. “And you? How’s the night treating you so far?”

She laughed. “Oh, it’s been lovely. Usopp keeps insisting he’s the best plus-one anyone could ask for.”

“Because I am!” Usopp interjected, puffing out his chest.

“Nah, I'm way better, right, darling?” you asked playfully, turning to your date. 

Law let out a quiet, measured sigh, his eyes narrowing at Usopp, who was still watching far too intently for comfort. Recognizing that all eyes were now firmly on the two of you, he shifted gears seamlessly. 

Without missing a beat, he slid an arm around your waist and pulled you a fraction closer. His hand rested lightly yet possessively against your side as he glanced down at you with a smirk.  “Obviously.” 

The gesture—and his confident tone—left Usopp momentarily speechless, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Even Kaya seemed surprised, her eyes darting between the two of you before a knowing smile tugged at her lips.

You couldn’t help but smile, both at Law’s quick thinking and the way his response seemed to silence any further speculation from Usopp. “See?” you teased lightly, shooting Usopp a pointed look. “Told you.”

Usopp opened his mouth, ready to say something outrageous, but Kaya quickly stepped in, tugging on his arm with a bright laugh. “Come on, Usopp. Let’s grab some appetizers.” 

“This isn’t over,” he commented, but he allowed Kaya to steer him toward the other end of the room. You gave her a grateful smile.

“That was close,” you muttered, glancing up at Law. His hand was still resting lightly on your waist.

He tilted his head down toward you, “You call that close?”

“Oh, come on,” you whispered back with a grin. “You’ve got to admit, Usopp almost blew it.”

Law’s lips quirked upward in a barely-there smirk. “Almost,” he conceded. Then, lowering his voice  even more and murmuring into your ear, he added, “But I don’t mind setting the record straight when needed.”

The way his voice dipped sent a small shiver down your spine, but you quickly composed yourself, stepping slightly closer to him under the pretense of hearing him better.

“Well, you handled it like a pro, Dr. Trafalgar,” you teased softly, leaning just enough to let your words reach his ear.

“Hmm,” he hummed noncommittally.

Before you could respond, the event coordinator’s voice echoed through the hall, announcing the upcoming speeches. The room shifted as the crowd began to find their seats, murmurs of anticipation filling the air.

“You’re up soon,” you reminded him. Reaching out, you placed a reassuring hand on his arm. “You’ve got this,” you said confidently.

He glanced at you, his eyes locking onto yours for a beat, searching for something—maybe reassurance, maybe just the comfort of familiarity—before he nodded, a small but grateful gesture. “Thanks.”

As he made his way toward the stage, you couldn’t help but watch him with a sense of pride, your heart swelling with admiration. Even surrounded by the polished elegance of the event and the watchful eyes of so many people, he carried himself with an unshakable determination.

When he reached the podium, the crowd fell silent. He cleared his throat, taking a moment before launching into the speech. He spoke about the advancements in medicine, the importance of community support, and the life-changing surgeries that the hospital’s team performed. But when he mentioned his team and thanked everyone for their hard work, his gaze subtly flickered toward you.

For a moment, he dropped the cold exterior. “None of this would be possible without the support of everyone here,” he said. “And a special thanks to my friends and…my better half, who has been my constant rock. It’s easy to get lost in the hospital. But she keeps me grounded.”

The sincerity in his words was unmistakable. His eyes lingered on you for a fraction of a second—long enough for you to feel the weight of his gratitude—before he looked away, the professional composure sliding back into place effortlessly.

The applause that followed was thunderous, but you barely heard it over the warmth blooming in your chest. As Law stepped down from the podium, his expression was back to its usual stoicism, but the slight flush to his cheeks and the quick glance he shot your way told you everything.

As the applause slowly died down, Law made his way back toward you, weaving through the clusters of guests who offered him brief nods and congratulatory remarks. His posture was relaxed, but you could see the faint tension in the set of his shoulders—a clear sign that he was bracing for your inevitable teasing.

When he finally reached you, you wasted no time, leaning in with a mischievous grin. “For someone who wanted to ‘get through the night,’ you sure know how to captivate an audience,” you teased. “And what was that about ‘the one who keeps me grounded’? Are you getting sentimental on me?”

He stopped in front of you, hands sliding casually into his pockets as his eyes met yours. “Don’t start,” he muttered, though there was no real bite in his tone. “I said what needed to be said.”

“Oh, I see,” you replied, crossing your arms and tilting your head. “So, I’m just ‘what needed to be said’ now?”

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he leaned in a little, his voice low enough that only you could hear. “If you’d prefer, I can take it all back.”

“Not a chance,” you shot back, unable to keep the playful edge out of your voice. “It’s on record now. Everyone here knows I’m the one keeping you grounded.”

Before he could respond, Shachi and Penguin appeared, clearly having caught at least part of the exchange. Shachi was grinning ear to ear, while Penguin’s expression held a more subdued amusement.

“That speech was something else,” Shachi said, clapping Law on the back with exaggerated enthusiasm. “Especially that part about being grounded. You’re getting soft.”

Law’s glare shifted to Shachi, though it lacked any real venom. “Don’t you have someone else to annoy?” he asked, his voice dry.

“Not when you’re providing this much entertainment,” Shachi shot back without missing a beat.

Law rolled his eyes but didn’t bother responding, deciding it wasn’t worth the effort. Instead, he turned his attention back to you. “Are you enjoying yourself yet?” he asked

You pretended to consider his question, tapping a finger to your chin. “Hmm... between the impromptu Usopp interrogation, the surprise shout-out during your speech, and Shachi’s relentless commentary?” You grinned. “Yeah, I’d say I’m having a great time.”

Law’s exhale was sharp, but his lips twitched upward in a reluctant smile. “Good,” he sighed. “At least one of us is.”

Just as you were forming your response, the event coordinator approached the two of you with a bright smile. “Dr. Trafalgar, your presence is requested for some photos with the donors,” she said, her gaze flicking to you briefly. “And, of course, your lovely girlfriend is welcome to join.”

Law hesitated, his eyes narrowing. You could practically hear the gears turning in his head as he weighed the pros and cons of dragging you into yet another spotlight moment.

You decided to save him the trouble. “We’d be happy to,” you said smoothly, looping your arm through his. “Right, darling?”

The look he shot you was nothing short of murderous, but you only smiled sweetly, patting his arm as the coordinator led you both toward the photographer’s setup.

After the photos, you wandered back to the main room, weaving through the crowd. You spotted Usopp and Kaya near the dessert table, Usopp animatedly telling a story while Kaya giggled beside him. Heart-shaped chocolates and delicate pastries adorned the table, and you decided to grab a couple of treats before heading back to your corner of the room.

“Here,” you said, holding out a piece of chocolate to Law as you both settled near the bar.

He eyed it skeptically. “What’s this?”

“Chocolate,” you replied, popping one into your mouth. “It’s Valentine’s Day. You’re supposed to eat chocolate. It’s practically a rule.”

Law sighed, but he took the chocolate from your hand, his fingers brushing yours briefly in the exchange. He bit into it. “It’s good,” he admitted after a moment.

You smirked. “See? Valentine’s Day isn’t all bad.”

He gave you a sidelong glance. “You’re enjoying this far too much.”

You just grinned wider and shrugged. Despite the occasional hiccup—like Usopp’s not-so-subtle attempts to sneak more information out of you—it was hard to deny that you and Law actually did have a great time. The whole evening felt surprisingly natural, even with the added touches and pet names that came with playing your part.

But as the night went on, the carefully constructed charade began to blur, leaving you to wonder if there was something genuine simmering beneath the surface. A fleeting warmth in the way he looked at you, a brush of his hand that lingered just a moment too long. You quickly shook the thought away before it could root itself further.

“You know,” you started, breaking the silence, “Usopp already texted everyone the news.”

Law’s brow furrowed as he glanced at you. “What news?”

You raised an eyebrow, giving him a pointed look.

“Oh. Right,” he said, the realization dawning on his face.

“Yeah,” you chuckled, crossing your arms. “I had to turn my sound off completely—the group chat went insane.”

Law let out a quiet groan and reached for his phone, pulling it from his pocket with a resigned air. He turned the phone toward you, revealing a string of increasingly enthusiastic messages from Luffy:

This is amaizing!!!!

I'M SO HAPPY!!!

GOOD FOR YOU!!!

WHEN DID THIS HAPEN??

Tell me evrything RIGHT NOW!!!

You burst out laughing, nearly doubling over as you read the flood of texts. Law pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something about how ridiculous Luffy was, but the small, reluctant smirk tugging at his lips betrayed his amusement.

“Looks like someone’s excited for us,” you teased, still laughing.

Law rolled his eyes, though the faintest trace of a blush colored his cheeks. “Luffy’s always excited about something. This’ll blow over. We will explain it later or something.”

You swallowed your disappointment and tried to focus on anything other than the fact that today was not as real as it seemed. Your eyes drifted forward just as the band started playing a slow, romantic tune, and couples began rushing toward the dance floor. You could feel the weight of the moment pressing down, the atmosphere practically begging for you to make a move.

“Well, darling,” you said, extending your hand toward him with an exaggerated flourish. “Care to dance?”

Law stared at you, his expression caught somewhere between incredulous and amused. “You’re joking.”

“Not even a little,” you wiggled your fingers at him. “It’s Valentine’s Day. What’s a fake relationship without a dance under the romantic lighting?”

He let out a quiet groan but took your hand anyway, his grip firm and steady. As he led you to the dance floor, you couldn’t help but marvel at how natural it felt.

For a moment, you both moved hesitantly, as if testing the waters. Law wasn’t one to engage in things like this—public displays of affection, no matter how fake, didn’t exactly come naturally to him. Yet, as the rhythm of the music settled between you, his movements became smoother, more confident. You matched his pace, the two of you falling into an unspoken synchrony.

“You’re better at this than I expected,” you murmured, glancing up at him.

“Don’t get used to it,” he replied, his voice low enough that only you could hear. “This isn’t exactly my idea of a great time.”

You chuckled, your fingers instinctively tightening their grip on his shoulder. “Could’ve fooled me. You’re surprisingly good at this.”

He raised an eyebrow, his eyes flickering with amusement. “Surprisingly?”

“Well,” you said with a smirk, “you don’t exactly scream ‘slow-dance enthusiast.’

Law huffed, but there was no real irritation behind it. He was paying more attention to the way your body moved in sync with his, the way you shifted your weight with each step.

The scent of his cologne was subtle but intoxicating, and the way his eyes stayed locked on yours made it impossible to look away.

“This isn’t so bad,” you murmured, almost to yourself.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It was meant as one,” you said, your thumb gently brushing the fabric of his suit jacket.  “I know this isn’t exactly your scene. Thanks for humoring me.”

For a moment, something shifted in his expression. The guardedness that usually defined him seemed to waver, replaced by something more vulnerable, something unspoken. His grip on your waist tightened ever so slightly, pulling you closer, and the distance between you narrowed until you could feel the faint brush of his chest against yours.

“You’re doing all of this for me, the least I can do is survive dancing for your sake,” he answered in his usual manner, and yet, it sounded somehow warmer. Then he added teasingly, “darling”

You tried to diminish how much you loved that nickname coming from his lips.

As the music faded, applause broke out around the room, snapping you back to reality. Law stepped back a little, his hand falling away from your waist, but the warmth of his touch stayed. He looked at you for a moment longer, his gaze searching, before he cleared his throat and glanced away, the mask of composure slipping back into place.

“Let’s get off the dance floor,” he said, his tone returning to its usual cool detachment. But there was a faint flush to his cheeks that you couldn’t ignore.

“Not bad for someone who doesn’t like Valentine’s Day,” you teased, keeping your tone light, even though your heartbeat had quickened as you followed him off the dancefloor.

Law smirked faintly, his amber eyes locking onto yours. “I never said I didn’t like it. Just that it’s… unnecessary.”

“Unnecessary?” You arched a brow, tilting your head. “Celebrating love and connection? That sounds pretty necessary to me.”

His grin grew. “If you need a commercial holiday to remind you of that, you’re doing something wrong.”

You couldn’t help but laugh at his bluntness. “Touché,” you admitted, the moment feeling strangely intimate despite the dozens of other couples around you. He put his hand on your back and gently led you to sit down in the corner. You sat in silence for a moment before speaking again.

“So, are you enjoying the night yet? Or are you still counting down the minutes until it’s over?”

Law let out a quiet chuckle. “I’m surviving,��� he replied dryly, though the corners of his lips twitched as though he couldn’t fully keep the amusement from showing. “If I’m being honest, it’s… not as bad as I thought it would be,” he looked sheepish as he added. “Your presence makes it more bearable.”

A warmth blossomed in your chest at his words, and before you could stop yourself, you leaned in slightly, your cheek brushing his shoulder. You felt him stiffen for a split second, but then he relaxed, putting his head on yours.

“I didn’t think I’d be… enjoying it,” he continued, his fingers brushing through your hair as if absentmindedly. “But I think I might’ve been wrong.”

You lifted your head just enough to look at him, finding his gaze already locked on yours. There was no mask of indifference now—just a rare moment of vulnerability, one that you hadn’t often seen. It was disarming. His hand gently cupped the side of your face, his thumb brushing across your cheekbone, and you could feel the slight tremor in his fingers.

Your heart fluttered unexpectedly, and you were unsure of what to say, or even if you should say anything at all. The quiet, unspoken understanding between you was enough.

“Well, well, well! Look at you two, all cozy!”

It was Shachi, followed closely by Penguin, and some other colleagues of Law from the hospital.  You froze for a split second, pulling away from Law just as his hand dropped from your cheek. Both of you turned toward the intruder, finding a group of Law’s colleagues standing a few feet away.

One of the surgeons, a tall man with a broad grin, chuckled as he shook his head. “Honestly, Law, I didn’t think you were the type to be so… affectionate.” 

Law’s face immediately shifted to that calm, composed mask he wore so well, but you could see the hint of a blush creeping up his neck. He scoffed. “What did you expect? For me to keep five feet away from someone I care about?”

“We’re just surprised,” the nurse you spoke with first today, smiled softly at the two of you. “But it’s nice to see you so… relaxed. We don’t usually get to see this side of you.” Her tone wasn’t mocking; instead, it held a kind, almost approving quality.

It was clear that they all weren’t just teasing for the sake of teasing—they were happy to see him like this. This side of Law, the one who didn’t always hide behind his usual walls, was a rare sight for most people.

“I guess there’s a first time for everything,” Law muttered, trying to keep the situation under control while simultaneously not looking entirely displeased.

As if they couldn’t resist, one of the younger doctors, a woman with long hair and a sly smile, smirked at you and asked, “So, come on, how did you two get together? Law didn’t want to say a word about it.” His grin widened as he leaned in, waiting for some kind of juicy story.

You chuckled, glancing at Law, who raised an eyebrow at you as if daring you to come up with an appropriate response.

“Of course he didn’t.” You nudged him playfully. “He’s never been the type to spill the details, has he?”

Shachi smirked knowingly. “Come on, Law,” he prodded. “We’re dying to know the real story.”

“Well,” you interjected, grinning as you looked at the group. “If you're looking for something juicy, I’m afraid I have to disappoint. We were just good friends for quite a while before it just clicked that there’s more and there’s no running from it. So, with a kiss, we sealed the deal, and are together just like that.” It seemed like a story that could be real, that would suit you both, and what kind of people you are together.

“That’s actually a pretty decent story, considering how tight-lipped you’ve been, Law,” he remarked.

Law shot him a sidelong glance. “I’m not in the habit of sharing my private life with everyone.”

The woman with long hair, delighted by the revelation, nudged Shachi playfully. “Well, it’s good to know Law isn’t entirely immune to matters of the heart. Who knew?” she said with a wink, enjoying the rare opportunity to see her usually composed colleague looking so flustered.

“I never said I was,” Law replied, though there was a faint hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth now.

You smiled at him, savoring the fact that, despite his usual reticence, he hadn’t shut down the conversation.

“Well, now that we’ve got that out of the way,” you turned to the group, “any more questions?

“Not if you want to keep your secrets,” Shachi teased. “I think we’ve learned enough for tonight.”

“Although…” Penguin started to say with a mischievous grin

“Alright, alright,” Law interjected, probably scared that more question may blow your cover. “You’ve had your fun.”

The playful banter continued for a few more moments, with the group lightheartedly poking fun at Law, but without pushing too far. It was clear they were genuinely enjoying seeing him in a different light. Even you couldn't help but smile at how the evening had turned out.

“Alright,” you said, nudging Law lightly with your elbow, “I think we’ve officially survived the interrogation. How about we grab some drinks and escape before they start asking for our love story in full detail?” you whispered.

“Fine by me,” he stated, standing up and offering you a hand. “Excuse us for a moment.”

You took his hand, your fingers curling around his with ease. He led you both to the bar and ordered your drinks. When you took them, you found seats nearby.

“They have a point, you know,” you commented, leaning back in your seat, sipping your drink as you shot him a teasing glance. “You’re surprisingly sweet with me.”

Law shot you a look, but his lips twitched upward in the barest hint of a smile. “Don’t start,” he warned, though there was no bite to his words.

“I’m just saying, the way you act tonight—” you paused, letting the words linger in the air, “it’s… kind of adorable.”

“You’re walking a fine line,” he murmured, his tone just low enough that only you could hear, and there was that familiar spark of challenge in it.

You grinned. “I think the real question is, why do you make it so easy for me to tease you?” You leaned back again, propping your elbow on the armrest, your eyes glinting with playful mischief. “Maybe I’m onto something.”

“You’re lucky I don’t have a stronger reaction to you, or I’d make sure you regret that.”

You raised an eyebrow, surprised by the hint of seriousness in his voice. “Oh? Is that a threat, Law?” you asked, half-challenging, half-curious.

He leaned in just slightly, his gaze softening but still intense. “Only if you push your luck too far,” he replied. It was supposed to be a warning, and yet it sounded way…warmer. You felt the air shift between you, the playful tone fading into something more subtle.

Before you could respond, the sound of laughter from across the room caught your attention, and you noticed some of Law’s colleagues still milling about, their eyes frequently darting toward the two of you. They probably thought their glances were subtle, but they really weren’t.

“Wanna bet they’re talking about us?”

Law smirked, his gaze flicking toward the group before returning to you. “I’m not betting against something that is 100% true.”

You chuckled, lifting your drink to your lips as you watched them huddle together in hushed conversation, clearly intrigued by the dynamic between the two of you. The whole thing was both amusing and oddly satisfying, considering how little effort you'd actually put into keeping this charade together.

“So,” you said, breaking the silence with a light tone, “what now? Do we stick around and continue surviving this ‘unnecessary’ holiday, or do we make our grand exit?”

“I think we’ve done enough, surviving for one night,” he declared, standing and offering his hand to you with a knowing glint in his eyes. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

You took his hand, your fingers wrapping around his with the familiar ease. “I like the sound of that.” 

As you made your way toward the exit, you said your goodbyes to everyone, your eyes catching a few lingering, amused glances from Law's colleagues.

“Well, I think we’ve both survived tonight, haven’t we?” you asked, glancing up at him with a teasing look, trying to gauge his mood as you stepped outside.

His gaze softened, and a small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “I suppose we have,” he said, his voice quieter now. “Though, I’m not sure what’s worse—the questions or your teasing.”

You laughed lightly, squeezing his hand gently. “I think you can handle both.”

“Apparently,” he said quietly, his thumb brushing over the back of your hand in a gesture that was almost imperceptible but undeniably intimate.

Instead of calling for a taxi, Law started leading you toward the nearby park. You certainly didn’t mind the extra time with him—after the whirlwind of the evening, the peaceful solitude of the park felt like a perfect escape.

When you reached a bench by a small pond, Law sat down, and you followed suit, the two of you settling next to each other. For a few moments, neither of you said anything. It felt like the perfect continuation of the night—no more questions, no more performances, just the two of you.

“Thank you.”

You glanced at him, surprised by the unexpected gratitude in his tone. “You're welcome,” you replied easily, your lips curving into a small smile. “I had fun.”

“You did?”

“Yeah,” you answered, your smile widening a little. “Did you?”

“I did actually.”

“Good” you said simply. “You know now that they’ll just bother and tease you about me, right?” you added teasingly after a moment.

He gave you a side-glance, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, but his gaze softened as it lingered on you. “I can survive that.”

You sat in silence, the quiet comfortable, with your hand still intertwined with his, even though there was no one around that you had to pretend for.

After a while, Law spoke quietly, “That story…

“Huh?” You blinked, trying to recall what he might be referring to.

“About how we apparently came to be… you made it quite believable.” You suddenly remembered your words from earlier: We were just good friends for quite a while before it just clicked that there’s more and there’s no running from it. So, with a kiss, we sealed the deal, and are together just like that.

“Well…um, it sounded plausible, did it not?” you said, as you tried to brush off the nerves creeping up.

“It did.” Silence fell again, but this time, it felt different. You wrecked your head as to what to say. You looked at him, hoping for something to break the tension, and found his gaze already focused on you. The intensity of it made it harder to find the right words.

But you didn’t have to say anything—his lips found yours in a tender kiss, slow and gentle, as if testing the waters for something deeper. The world around you seemed to fade away as you leaned into the kiss, your fingers threading through his hair. The moment felt suspended in time, perfect in its simplicity.

When he finally pulled back, his hand still resting against your cheek, you noticed a subtle smile playing at the corners of his lips. It was the kind of smile that made your chest tighten, the kind that carried a quiet promise, and the warmth that spread through you was more than just the remnants of the kiss.

“Well, that solidifies that it was all true.”

You heard the familiar voice of Usopp. The sudden intrusion snapped you out of the trance the moment had put you in.

You rolled your eyes, not even glancing in his direction, your focus remaining entirely on Law. “Get lost, Nose-ya. Now,” Law muttered, his voice stern, his gaze unwavering from yours.

“Alright, alright, I’m going!” Usopp chuckled, but you weren’t about to let him ruin your moment, not when it felt so real, so raw. You kept your focus on Law, and for a few seconds, there was just the two of you again, the world falling away once more.

“So, is my story true then?” you asked, a playful glint in your eyes.

“Yeah, it is,” he replied, his voice steady but carrying that quiet confidence you’d grown accustomed to.

You laughed, shaking your head in disbelief. “Can’t believe it happened on Valentine’s Day, after pretending to date for an event.”

“Maybe Valentine's Day isn't so bad after all,” he said, the words almost an afterthought. And you couldn’t help but agree as you tugged him closer, your lips finding his in a kiss that was even more intense than the first.

When you finally pulled back, both of you breathless, you looked into his eyes, and something settled in your chest—this was just the beginning of something, something you both weren’t willing to let go of. It was there in the way he looked at you, the way he held you close. You could feel it in your bones that whatever this was, it was real. And it was only just starting.

“Maybe you’re right,” you whispered, your thumb gently brushing over his hand. “Valentine’s Day might not be so bad… when it ends like this.”

He smirked at you. “We’ll see if you still feel that way next year,” he said, the challenge in his voice playful, but there was no mistaking the certainty in his words.

“You wanna fake-date me for Valentine’s Day next year too?”

His expression softened, the usual sharpness in his gaze replaced by something more tender as his hand brushed gently across your cheek. “No,” he responded quietly, his voice warm and sincere. “I want to be with you—for real.”

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

On the subject of the period tracker meme in TWST…how do you think the guys would react, Miss Raven? Like what do you think their login lines would be or how would they react to you being on your period? Sorry if this is overstepping, in that case then please ignore. Don’t want to make you uncomfortable if this isn’t something you want to talk about.

[Referencing this post!]

I’m going to include Grim, the Ramshackle Ghosts, NRC staff, RSA boys, and Halloweenies here too because why not 😂 And these are going to be my general thoughts, since I think login lines are too short to capture the nuances of what I’m trying to explain! This is unironically some of my best work yet—

***Note: This is going off the assumption that Yuu has a platonic relationship with the characters (ie no romantic implications), similar to what is established in the actual login lines. I will also be assuming gender neutral pronouns for the reader, but there may be references to other menstruators that are women (such as characters' family members).***

Curiouser and Curiouser...

NRC Students

Riddle has the technical knowledge, but struggles to apply that knowledge when the situation demands it. H-He has never had to do this before! Riddle has his anatomy and physiology textbook out and reads directly from it as he tries to figure out how to best help you, double and triple checking the directions before handing you any medication or even a heating pad. Stiffly offers you tea and pours it for you himself. Offers to bring you any classwork you miss, plus homework. Being on your period is no excuse to not keep up with your lessons!

Trey goes into big brother/dad mode. Dotes on you. Bakes you cookies, pies, tarts, cakes, etc. to feed the munchies while you’re bleeding out. His food is also warm and comforting, like a hug. What are your favorites? Tell him, he’ll prepare them. Asks every other hour how you’re feeling or if you need anything. Gives an awkward laugh if you get into the particulars of periods. He’d rather not, he’s just here to make sure you’re okay.

Cater has tons of experience dealing with this kind of thing. When his older sisters were on their periods, they’d whine for him to go out and buy stuff for them—pads, snacks, OTC pain relief meds, you name it, Cay-kun bought it! He knows exactly what you need, so just leave it to him, okay~? Besides, he can’t just leave you hanging like this… even if you do look kinda cute and pathetic writhing like that!

Ace, UGH 💀 Quintessential teenage boy. No clue what a period is, doesn’t understand why you’re in pain—but claims that he, in fact, does know because (ah-HEM!) he actually has mad game and plenty of experience with women!! (He doesn’t.) Calls you while he’s at the Mystery Shop to ask for what pussy size you wear.

Deuce is in a similar boat as Ace. He kind of sort of knows what a period is but didn’t ever think about the particulars. Not the sharpest tool in the shed, can you blame him? Deuce hits the books to learn more about the subject (it’s what an honors student would do, right?) but is horrified to learn you’re “ovulating”. “D-Does that mean you’re going to lay an egg?! Are you secretly a chicken, Prefect?!” Tries to be polite and understanding about it, but comes off as awkward instead.

Leona has the tact to not openly remark on a woman’s time of month. He just kind of makes an unreadable expression and quickly looks away before you get any strange ideas. When he catches you alone, he makes some haughty remark that insinuates that he knows—and as you’re blanching with embarrassment, he (to your shock) casually tosses a bag of period supplies at your feet. There’s everything you could possible need in there!! You glance up, about to thank him, but Leona’s already sauntering away and waving a hand dismissively. “Don’t say I never do anything for ya, herbivore.” Now he’s off to nap peacefully—and, hopefully, you can too.

Ruggie just shrugs. It’s not really any of his business, now is it? The more time he spends loitering around here and lookin’ after you, the less time he’s spending making money at his part/time jobs! “Sheesh, looks like you’ve got it rough~ Glad I’m not you. I’d still have to work my tail off, bleedin’ or not!” Maybe if he’s feeling generous, he’ll save you some free food from whatever he can salvage from work. Want him to grab you something on the way over? Pay him for his time and effort!

Jack smells the blood at first and worries that you’re injured (n-not that he cares or anything). Once he realizes what that smell is, he’ll apologize and will make things right by dedicating himself to supporting you! Dutifully trails after you like a duckling that imprinted on the first thing he saw when he hatched. Quick to rush in and do things even when not asked to. Is okay with even carrying you around if need be—it’s a good workout for him, so it’s a win-win!

Azul shows up “randomly” with a care package he “just so happens” to have on him. Dramatically offers you the care package and thanks you for “taking it off of his hands”. Not-so-subtly also implies he can whip up elixirs that are effective at numbing period pain, or perhaps you'd prefer a massage from his strong octopus arms?—for a price, of course. He studied up on human physiology and had Jade snoop around for details on your cycle; this was all orchestrated well in advance and Azul intends on collecting on this favor at a later point in time. Does a smug little evil chuckle to himself as he walks away.

Oh, Jade knows. (See Azul’s section above.) He acts as though he doesn’t though. For example, he’ll hold something you need out of reach just to watch you squirm and struggle in discomfort to obtain it. Once you cast aside your pride and confess what’s going on, Jade will feign surprise and apologize. Brews you a relaxing mushroom tea to help with the cramps. Kindly offers his services, acts like the perfect, sweetest, most attentive butler you could ever ask for. (… Though you have unfortunately made the mistake of letting Jade into your quarters. He’s just waiting for you to doze off so he can rifle through your things and collect dirt.)

Floyd thinks it’s hilarious. Human bodies are so weird! You bleed every month? Hah, sure must suck. He’s so glad he doesn’t have to deal with that. Pesters you with a bunch of questions about how periods work. Asks if a band-aid is enough to deal with it. Laughs when you double over and coos about the poor Shrimpy. If he’s in the mood, he’ll give ya a lift—but it’s a bumpy ride, and he’ll attempt to parkour with you on him. Might cook you up some good grub too. It’s a gamble—are you willing to try your luck?

Kalim hears you’re bleeding and has a mild freakout about it. Hires the best medical team money can buy to examine you and to make sure you’re okay. Relieved to learn it’s just a period. “Hey, so… I’m glad you’re alright and all, but what’s a period?” he asks. Listens to you talk about it, but concludes he still doesn’t understand the intricacies. Gets the gist that you’re in pain once a month and resolves to totally pamper you for that week or so. Provides Oasis Maker water too--it's so refreshing! Whatever you want, just say the word and it’s yours! You’ll have nothing to worry about :)) Kalim’s sure Jamil won’t say no to lending you a helping hand too he’s being voluntold to.

Jamil is used to this drama/j from Najma. Very calm about the whole ordeal. Hovers and tuts like a mother hen, but more quietly judgy. Prepares delicious home cooked meals and pain relief remedies, fetches items + runs errands for you. Makes sure you’re comfortable. Even offers to plump your pillows. Basically feels obligated to do this on behalf of Kalim; wishes he were doing something else, but hey… this is preferable to having to deal with frantic last minute party preparations.

Vil is very mature and no-nonsense about it. Please, only a child would behave crudely over a woman’s natural bodily processes. He recommends vitamins and yoga stretches for alleviating cramps and to reduce bloating. Blends you nutritious smoothies and plans balanced meals to keep your energy up. Vil also prepares essential oils to help you relax. Here’s a diffuser for your room, and he has these bottles of fragrance you can dab on your temples and wrists.

You don’t even need to say anything. Rook gives you That Look (TM) that tells you immediately that he knows what’s up. Probably knows your period is coming like a week in advance of it actually arriving. Unexplained period supplies show up on your doorstep. There’s a note and a rose with them. Someone has written you a lengthy poem about how the “crimson petals” are “peeling away from thine flower”, so please accept these items and take care of yourself! The supplies replenish themselves whenever you’re just about to run out, too. Rook knows you’d probably prefer your privacy for these matters—he wouldn’t want to make you feel self-conscious! … So he makes sure to make himself discreet when he hides in your walls to watch over you and ensures you’re comfortable.

Whoa, you bleed every month? That’s METAL!! Epel has heard about periods from the elderly ladies in Harveston. The way they talk about it, it’s like they survived a war!! That must make your gut super tough…! It earns you his respect. He looks at you like you’re some kind of VIP. Epel gifts you a bright red apple every day, saying that it will keep the doctor away. Offers to rush by on a (borrowed from Ignihyde) magiwheel/blastcycle to drop off anything you may need.

Idia blue screens and keyboard smashes in a panic. It’s already hard enough for him to interact with people face-to-face but now you have to go and drop this bombshell on him?! How’s an otaku to cope?! Sends you memes and funny videos via a messaging app. Can’t be bothered with going in-person. Might send candies or ramen cups via a drone. You can’t see how alarmed he is whenever he sends you a new text. Not because he’s worried, but because the idea of a period grosses him out. Why are organic beings so unhygienic?? Machines are so much cleaner and more efficient!!

Ortho rattles off facts about your cycle based on the data he has collected. Basically a living period tracker. (It’s scary how much he knows about your health.) Has a list of light exercises, relaxation techniques, and OTC medications loaded to fire off at you. Also advises you eat each iron, fiber, and protein-rich foods to restock on the nutrients you lost from shedding your uterine lining. Remember to hydrate too! Ortho’s just trying to be helpful!

Malleus is familiar with Briar Valley politics, not bodily functions. Ever curious, he listens to your explanation of periods, staring and nodding slightly all the while. Comes to the conclusion that the child of man is suffering immensely and that it is his noble duty as a Draconia to look after the less fortunate. Proceeds to breathe a line of fire to “gently warm you up”. Then attempts electrical stimulation, which brings about a massive lightning storm that has you dodging, rolling, and sprinting to avoid being hit. Malleus dials it back when he realizes his attempts aren’t that helpful. Sulks about it until you tell him you really appreciate the attempt, but just good food and good company is enough for you. He’s able to provide, using magic to make the cutlery dance and to float over some delicious-looking dishes. Sits across from you and says he will keep you company for as long as you may need.

Lilia is oddly very knowledgeable about periods (you figure 700 years of living and a few hundred years of travel must count for something). Unfortunately, he refers to periods as “the peak of one’s fertility” just to mess with you. Keeps you company while you’re in pain and grabs whatever you need, no questions asked. Tells you about how women "back then" managed their periods with cloth rags, cotton, and even animal fur or dried toads. Peasant women had to go without, as they couldn't afford cloth. Endless stories and songs, sometimes exposited to you while Lilia hangs upside down from the ceiling. Do not, however, eat anything he tries to feed you, even if he claims they are "time-tested herbal remedies"! One time he suggested acupuncture or acupressure--techniques he learned of from the east--for period pain cramps. You turned down that idea, which he said was "a shame", as he had been meaning to try it out.

Silver notices you’ve been looking tired and a little out of it lately. Asks if he can touch you, then proceeds to pat you down in various spots…?! He nods and announces you he feels you have a lot of tension in your body, so you should exercise to relieve yourself of it. (You think about letting him know what’s up, but you’d feel bad for “tarnishing” his pure mind.) Invites you to join him for his daily training. Is kind enough to stop and wait for you to catch up or to adjust the exercise to make it more doable for you. Plenty of breaks to drink water and to catch your breath. His animal buddies sometimes bring nuts and berries as snacks or flowers, which you press to your nose to recharge. You and Silver rest in the shade of a tree and end up napping the day away.

Despite coming from a household with two women and even reading some books on growing up, Sebek is still quite bashful and skittish on the subject of periods. He thinks of it as something weirdly intimate but will never confess that to you. Sebek instead shouts very loudly that “mere menstruation” is “no excuse” to not get up and work hard!! Why, he’s had to endure much more hellish training under Lilia-sama’s tutelage!! … You have him to thank for everyone in the school knowing when it’s that time of month for you. (He gets bonked on the head by Lilia and Silver and is told to apologize, which he does so very quietly.) Hands you a book about menstruation and tells you to study up.

Grim has no concept for what a period is. Acts all cool about it though and promises he’ll take the best care of his minion!! He proceeds to struggle using a can opener to crack open a tuna can (it’s your lunch). Spends the rest of the day acting as a heating pad and weighted blanket over your stomach region. Surprisingly very effective.

NRC Staff + Ramshackle

Crowley smiles and wishes you well—but he keeps taking progressive steps back as he talks, almost like he’s hoping to wander off without you noticing. The man is on a tangent about the weather and changes the subject every time you try to bring it back to your period. What? You say he’s dodging his responsibility to look after his students? N-Nonsense! This is a matter for the school nurse, not the headmaster! You want a magic lift to the infirmary? Oh, would you look at the time! Crowley has a very important meeting to go to. You’d better be on your way to the infirmary then, hmm? Toodles, and best of luck!

Crewel is similar to Vil, aware and mature about how to deal with it periods in his own way. Has a spare pair of pants and a sweater on standby for you change into or to wear over stained bottoms. Gives tips on how to wash period blood out of various fabrics so they don't stain. Cold water, hand wash, air dry! Commands Grim to be a good boy and take responsibility for his partner. "Tend to their every need until they are at full health again. Am I understood?!" Tells you to take it easy, you won't perform at your best in your current condition--but he still expects your homework to be in tomorrow! Willing to grant an extension if needed.

Trein thankfully already went through this crisis when his daughters had theirs for the first time, so he knows just what to do now. Refrains from assigning detention for lateness and lack of attentiveness; lets you off with a very sternly worded warning. (Lucius makes himself comfortable in your lap during the lecture.) Trein discreetly passes along some pads after the other students have filtered out of class. Offers tea and light sandwiches in the teacher’s lounge. Lets you know you can come to him if the boys are being mean to you. He’ll give them a good scolding! After all, upstanding gentlemen shouldn’t engage in such behaviors.

Vargas recommends that you join him for exercising. Physical activity can help reduce period cramps, so up and at’m, champ!! Have you tried having a few dozen eggs? Protein can do wonders for the body! Here, he’ll prepare them for you in a raw egg smoothie!

With big ol’ grin, Sam cheerily advertises his wares. He’s got all the feminine hygiene products you could ask for, any snack you could want, OTC medications of choice, IN STOCK NOW!! The Mystery Shock also offers delivery for an extra little fee if you’d like to save yourself some time (and your body some effort).

The Ramshackle Ghosts are old and dead, so they're... let's just say not that well acquainted with bodily functions. They understand that you're in a tough spot though, so they'll step up unlike Crowley to ensure you're okay! They'll do your shopping, float over to the main building to fetch any work you miss, and grab grub for you from the ghost chefs in the cafeteria. Anything Crowley asks you to do, the Ramshackle Ghosts will do in your place. They even sew together some old curtains and couch stuffing to make a pillow for you to rest on. Randomly poke their heads through the walls to check on you.

RSA Students

Chenya’s eyes keep wandering, and he’s humming some tune or saying something cryptic about the color red. It doesn’t sound like he’s really listening to you, but no—he’s actually been listening well this entire time. Here, chew on this unidentified plant he picked up! It’ll help mellow you out and reduce the pain. Trust him, he learned this from his grandpa! And once you’re nice ‘n cozy…! Nyah! You won’t mind if he settles in for a little catnap beside ya, would you?

Neige frets for your health (it’s no good to lose blood) and, with a kind smile, tells you to please relax! He’ll take care of all your chores for the time being. Neige gracefully tackles the cleaning, cooking, and other housework. He somehow manages to get it done despite also balancing school and his celeb gigs, and never seems to be bothered by it. Sings you lullabies to help soothe you.

The Seven Dwarves do a a group huddle (Dominic leading) and debate about what they should do to help you. They try making music, preparing porridge, and offering you shiny rocks they found on the ground. Once they also picked flowers and swarmed your bed with them, as if they’re mourners at a funeral procession. They’re small gestures, but you figure it’s the thought that counts… right? 💦

Halloweenies (Halloween Event Characters)

Rollo frowns. Deeply. He does not understand why you’re telling him about this. “You ought to be keeping such sensitive health information to yourself”, he chastises you. Keeps his handkerchief pressed over his nose and looks the most disgusted and repulsed you've ever seen this man (save for when he's doomposting about Malleus Draconia). Might give you a croissant or some meds out of pity, but hands it over with his full arm extended to maximize the distance he has to stand away from you, or just leaves the items on a table and tells you to come fetch them. Says he will "pray for you."

Fellow never got a formal education, so what he knows about periods is limited to what he hears through the grapevine (ie various women he has conned). He’s aware it involves bleeding from… down there—he can smell it—but has no clue how to handle it. Has too much pride to confess to the truth. Acts like he knows what he’s talking about by playing up being a doctor. Has Gidel scribble in a notepad as if it is your patient chart while Fellow reads off your symptoms and gives you a random diagnosis he made up on the spot. Hands you an apple he finished eating (there’s only the core left) and pats you on the head, telling you you’ll be juuust fine~!

Gidel is too young to know what a period is. All he understands is that you seem to be in great pain, and he feels bad seeing you like this 💦 He sees you clutching your stomach or lying in bed; is it maybe a tummyache? Gidel offers you half of his loaf of bread. He gets tummy grumblies on an empty stomach too, so he knows what that’s like! Tries to do silly things like making funny faces and dancing to cheer you up.

Skully does not know what a period is. (I’M SORRY, bro lived like hundreds of years ago; am I supposed to believe they had pads back then, let alone menstrual cycle education for men???) He’ll listen to you explain, but his face gets paler and paler as you continue. Makes a shocked, wide-eyed expression, hands on his cheeks. A “why would God do this to women” look. Looks slightly faint after the fact, but offers to assist you with whatever you need; simply call for him, and this gentleman will come running!

[queermasculine]

you don't have to answer this but are you still on t? I know you've talked about thinking you were into guys before figuring out u were into butches and I wonder if that realization changed how you saw your body?

I ask bc I'm in a spot where I can't fully tell if I need to go on t to look the way I'd feel right or if I can get to enough of a butch level with exercise and clothing and being around better people than currently. My gender wouldn't change either way, I'm still not a woman, but .. yeah.

realizing i was into other butches did change how i saw my body absolutely, like completely changed it, i don't think i had anything positive to say about my body pre-butch4butch at all tbh. looking at myself and realizing my masculine dream partner would actually have most of the features i was most dysphoric about was a total shift in perspective for me

whether that type of mental shift can lessen your dysphoria to a point where you'll never need T as a dysphoric butch, i'm still kinda figuring that out myself. i was in that "i've done my research and i've seen friends go through the process but i'm being a pussy" stage when i had my b4b epiphany and that brought my dysphoria down to manageable levels (this was years ago now) so i never went on T, but i still think T might be in my future – even if i've cut down my dysphoria by like 70% that remaining 30% can really chafe sometimes depending on the day

but if the question is "is it possible to get to a good place just by focusing on all the other, non-medical aspects of transition" yeah absolutely. like you really can change your appearance completely it's kinda crazy. many ppl don't realize just how much of the average cis guy's masculinity – which can seem so inherent – is actually just clothes and hair. even just getting your hair cut by someone who will give you an actual men's cut instead of the girl version of that style can totally change how you look because it just frames your face and neck so differently (speaking from experience)

that being said i don't think you should ever withhold HRT from yourself if you have access to it and think it might help you. just that it's possible to have a good life even if that's not an option for you, at least in my case it has very much been possible

edit: love all the ppl chiming in with their positive experiences being on T, however i was kind of trying to make this a positivity post for the transmascs out there who are not on hormones rn (like me) so if we could refrain from using wording that paints that life as being incomplete or lesser-than somehow that'd be great, thanks everybody🤘

[gangstalkerbarbie]

for everyone who might not know the difference:

homeopathy is a specific irl magic system where you should definitely put mustard on your burns because they're both hot, the idiocy of which should be obvious intuitively

alternative medicine is sometimes drinking horse pills and other stupidity, but it also encompasses untested traditional medicine, so doctors not familiar with the folk practices of some region their patients are from could be dismissive for no reason of things like eating an orange to shorten a cold or cacao to open your airways, stuff that doctors in other places would know works because their scientists have a reason to investigate local common practices to see if they help or if they're placebo or if they harm (but no practical reason and only a weak obligation to then tell foreign doctors about)

alternative medicine in itself is not a bad thing necessarily, everything is alternative medicine if it's not studied yet, or not implemented in treatment for budgetary or ethical reasons (yeah yeah "this drug is too expensive to manufacture to give it to American proles" but also let's say tiger penis really does make you harder than diamond, which it doesn't, they've studied it, but let's say it does: is it ethical to confirm that information as a major medical institution? plants that can also fix erectile dysfunction grow from the ground and have no nervous system, tigers are giant endangered cats belonging to a keystone species)

conceptually alternative medicine includes stuff that your grandmas going back forever have done for these same issues, including making and eating chicken soup, which is a universal home healthcare practice everywhere there's chickens because they're nutritious and a bland thin high protein soup is easy to keep down

the reason doctors worth their salt might tell you to be careful even with some traditional medicines that do work is that the world is full of independent beings that have zero obligation to tailor themselves for human consumption right

and so yeah this plant when brewed into tea might help with your deep winter depression, but are you aware that it also makes you go blind in the snow and makes your skin ultra sensitive to sunlight? if you dont want skin cancer or to die in a car crash you'd better know that, or in theory you could buy a pill made of only the extractives that help (though in practice i think it helps more people to educate them about risk mitigation with things they can do at home, they're sick they're not gonna retain the complexities of how it all works, that's why we have doctors)

a good physician swears to do no harm and may also ask their deity for guidance and strength to provide care for the sick, to help all people regardless of their status or wealth or state of health, to recognize their needs and care for them correctly, and to stay humble and never to think they know "enough"

there is no "enough" in medicine and your doctor should ideally work with you to find out how you can support a healthy outcome for yourself at home, they should be telling you behavioural interventions you can do and teas you can drink and foods you can eat. it should be common knowledge that drinking bleach doesn't clean your insides like it cleans your laundry but it should also be common knowledge that a diet high in beetroot mitigates the impact of radiation exposure and can help prevent radiation induced renal and immune failure

it's kinda funny/weird how the word homeopathy has been transformed into meaning alternative medicine in general. almost like it's been diluted down in meaning. but don't worry! I've heard that makes it stronger and more effective

[magix-winx-club]

God, I want to sleep

Daryl Dixon x Disabled!reader Part 1?

Warnings: Chronic pain, the feeling you cannot go on any longer, Daryl comforting in his own Daryl way, ANGST, ableism

Summary: You are struggling more and more. The pain starts to get unbearable, specifically since you do not have your medication. Daryl finds out and does what he can to help you. 

You were so tired. That is all you could think about. The exhaustion that has settled deep into your bones, making you weary. It was another night of turning and tossing. Every pressure, on your legs, no matter how small like a piece of cloth felt like it was searing your skin. Every night was the same since your meds ran out. Tossing and turning trying to find a position that felt at least somewhat comfortable. Everytime you thought you had found a position that felt good you had to turn a minute later the pressure on your side felt horrible. Sighing you got up, sitting with your head bowed your arms loosely at your side. During the day you made the best of it, smiling and acting as if everything was alright. But in the dark, with no one around you could not pretend anymore. 

Rubbing at your eyes, you slowly got up. Like everything you did it took you just a bit longer. So you stood there staring at nothing, your mind blank, your eyes heavy, before slowly starting to move. You made your way out of your cell. Luckily located at the bottom, not upstairs. You had no idea how you would manage to walk the stairs, not in this condition. Hell, you thought to yourself, if a walker were to come after you, you had no idea how you would react. How to fight it. Everything seemed to slow like you were frozen in time. Maybe your instincts would kick in, the primal need to survive, but you could not be sure. 

You made your way out of the cell block, towards the kitchen. Maybe they had some dirty dishes to wash, something to focus on besides the bone tiredness you felt. 

It felt like ages before you finally pushed open the doors of the Cafeteria. The moonlight provides enough light to see. Even so, you have become accustomed to walking in the dark. You made your way around the serving station into the kitchen. With one glance you saw the tubs usually used to put the dirty dishes in empty. Sighing, you turned around, guess that was not an option. Maybe some laundry needed to be done? 

You did not get very far, sleep deprivation made you woozy, so you plopped down at one of the benches, your arms laying on the table, you had no idea for how long you sat like this. Your eyes staring at nothing before you, your mind not comprehending what was going on around you. 

Daryl made his way towards the kitchen, he had just gotten off Guard duty. Carol had told him she left some granola on the counter for him. He was not all too hungry but it felt good having a full stomach before going to bed. So he did not protest, for now the prison had enough food, even with the many new people. Rounding the corner, he saw the doors to the cafeteria open, normally they looked up everything tight during night, just in case. Daryl lightened his steps, not wanting anyone to hear him coming. Creeping up on the door, he dared a quick glance in it. He had not expected to see you there, sitting on one of the tables, but instantly his shoulders relaxed. 

Straightening up now that there was no danger he made his way into the cafeteria. 

You heard someone approaching but it did not register until he was practically in front of you. You lifted your head and met with Daryl Dixon. You gave him a small smile, or what you thought was one, you could not be sure anymore. Daryl shot you a confused look. Only then did you realize he had asked you a question. “Said w’at you doin’ here?” Looking around you surveyed your surroundings as if for the first time. “I was gonna do some dishes.” You looked at him. “In the middle of the night?” His head tilting sideways, running along your frame. Normally you would feel weird at someone staring at you like that but you could not careless. “You good?” You just hummed, looking past him at nothing. 

Were you good? No. But you also did not want to say anything, that small part of you that faced too many snide comments in your life, from teachers and peers and even your parents, had your tongue tied. What if Daryl rolled his eyes at you? Just another ‘poor little thing’. A cripple with nothing to offer and burdens to give. What if they decide you were not worth the trouble and it would be a mercy for everyone just to get rid of you? 

Of course this was your sleep deprived and most insecure part of you talking but you could not stop. Even before the world ended you knew you were never really part of it. Last one to be picked for any kind of sports team, the friend who had to cancel plans, the girl who spent her free time going to physical therapy, and doctor visits. Who knew more about medical procedure than what a teenage life was like. 

You had spaced out, ignoring Daryl completely, consumed by that pressing feeling in your chest, and the burning of your eyes. 

Daryl had sat down next to you, his crossbow on his right and you on his left. He looked at you from the corner of his eyes. That was Daryl for you, the one to fix things, but no idea how to approach a situation like that. So he gave you room, just sat next to you, not pushing you to talk. 

Finally you looked at him. “Are you okay?” His lips twitched upwards, that was very you, always checking in making sure everyone was okay. “Yeah, just got off Guard Duty, was headin’ here to grab me some Granola.” 

“I can get it for you.” But you made no move to stand up, as if in your mind you had already gotten it from him. He watched how one eyelid closed faster when you blinked. It was concerning to say the least, he knew that you must be more than exhausted if your body was so visibly reacting. Your head kept dropping and he noticed how you were slumped to one side. Unconsciously he scooted closer, just to make sure he could reach you in case you keeled over. “Hey,” he murmured. Lifting his hand to your face he turned your head to him. Once again his gaze was intense, observing every part of you. He was so warm, you could not help but lean into his hand a bit. “I’m okay,” you mumbled again. Your eyes now hardly open. “Ya ain’t,” he roughed out. If there was one thing Daryl hated was bullshitting lies like these. “You look like hell, woman.” There was no need to beat around the bush. If he did not know you he would have thought you were a walker. Hell he still was not entirely sure you were not becoming one right this moment. Taking a deep breath, his other hand gripped you around the waist. “Common,” he almost said sweetheart. “Let’s get you to bed.” He pulled you up. “Can’t be kickin’ no ass tomorrow otherwise.” He tried to joke. But you just leaned on him, your head on his chest. Gods he was just so warm! He pulled you along, the hand that held your face, leaving to grab his crossbow. He slung his trusted friend over his shoulder before, without thinking his hand found its way back to the side of your face. If you were more awake you’d think he was cradling you. You’d think how wonderfully sweet the rough man holding you up was. But you were not, so you just let yourself be guided back towards the cellblock. Once you stepped into the common room, you were close to the handful of stairs that led down to the small area. You tried to hold yourself up, but the pressure of stepping down was too much for your aching and inflamed muscles, and you crumbled. Daryl had a tight grip around you but he did not want to hurt you more. The painted moan you let out enough to make his, even though he would never name it as such, protective instinct kicked in. He lowered you onto the step, almost covering your body with his as if there was some invisible force coming for you. And there was just not one that he could fix with his crossbow or fists. You sat there for a second and finally the dam broke. You choked out a sob. “I am so tired, Daryl, so tired.” He did not quite hold you in a hug but he did hold you up. “Is alri’ht sweethea’t. We gonna get ya to bed, okay?” You laugh-sobbed. Sleeping? Sleeping won’t help this, you thought. Then you began to sob in earnest. “I don’t know how much longer I can do this.” Another sob broke out. “I just don’t.” Now Daryl felt absolutely helpless. His old self would have scoffed at you, called you a brat or weak. But he knew better now and he knew you. You were not soft, or weak, or a brat. You were strong, kind, and selfless. He had no idea what brought this on but he was damn sure he was not gonna lose someone else. “Hey, come on now.” He gently grabbed your face. “We gonna figure this out ‘kay?” He tried to catch your eyes, show you how serious he was but no matter what your eyes were half shut overflowing with tears. Fuck it he thought. He swiftly grabbed you under the arms, heaving you up. Quickly before you could fall again, he maneuvered one of his hands under your knees and the other behind your back. With you in his arms he made his way down the stairs. He almost jumped back in fright when he saw Herhsel standing in the entry to the cellblock, a look of sadness on the older man's face. Normally, no one was able to sneak up on Daryl but he was so focused on you. 

“Get her to bed, I will be right there.” Even though his face conveyed his sadness, Daryl recognized the tone of the old man's voice, it was all business. So he did what he was told. Walking into your cell, he saw your blanket, crumpled and pushed to the side so he easily enough sat you down in your bed. Quickly he covered you with the blanket. As usual when Daryl was nervous he started to chew on his thumb cuticle. 

Herschel came into the cell, a glass of water with him. “Here give her this.” He handed Daryl two pills and the glass of water. You were laying still in your bed, feeling horrible that the exact thing you did not want happened. Daryl nodded before turning to you. “Here girl.” He lifted you slightly, holding the pills to your mouth. You did not protest, just took them and a swallow of water to wash them down. Laying back down you stared at the bottom bunk bed. “Just try and get some sleep.” Daryl did not know what else to say, so when you nodded, he got up and followed Hershel out of your cell. Once again you were back where you started alone in your cell. 

Daryl followed Hershel down to his cell. “What’s wrong with ‘er?” No need to beat around the bush he thought. Hershel exhaled deeply. “Chronic pain in her muscles caused by inflammations.” He simply stated, thinking the same as Daryl, no need to beat around the bush. “She told me once at the farm.” The older man entered his cell, sitting by the small desk, on an old metal chair. “I have to admit, after everything after the farm, I forgot about it.” He rubbed his hands together, contemplating. “She is good at hiding it.” Was all he said. 

Daryl mulled over the words. He had to agree, you were good at hiding it. “She must have run out of medication some time ago,” Hershel went on. “Hard to sleep when your entire body is in pain constantly.” Daryl hummed in agreement. “So, w’at does she need?” Finally, Hershel looked at him. “For now I gave her a painkiller, it will not do too much but paired with a slight sleeping aid she at least should get a couple of hours. But she will need muscle relaxers, maybe even more pain killers, and those are valuable.” He turned to Daryl. “And she knows that, that’s why she did not say anything. But maybe with additional supplements it will help keep the inflammation down.” 

“Alri’ht, what kind?” Hell, Daryl had no idea where he would get any of the shit but he would try. Hershel pulled out paper and pen from his top desk drawer. “For one, the best would be Pregabalin, if I remember correctly that is what she had before, but any muscle relaxer will do.” He shot Daryl a look. “Maggie can go with you, she knows what kind to look out for. Then supplements, any magnesium, amino acids, vitamins.” Daryl watched Hershel write down all kinds of things. Once he was done he handed Daryl the list. “Where do I ‘et some of tha’ stuff?” Hershel thought for a moment. But he was getting old and he had no idea how many places they had raided already. “Let’s get the map.” 

As the two made their way out towards the common room, Rick stepped out of his cell. He took one look at the two men and followed. The next hour the men purred over the map coming up with a plan to get you the stuff you needed. 

Back in your cell, you had no idea what they were doing, not long after you had swallowed the pills you felt yourself drift off.

Should I do a follow up?

[vinylfoxbooks]

February 13 - Poppy Pomfrey | @into-the-jeggyverse | wc: 1,138 Part 1 of Healing Apprentice James Part 2 | Part 3

“James?” Poppy hums, walking out of the private area she was just chatting with the student in it, wiping her hands off and making her way to her potions cabinet, “Would you be willing to run and get me some more ingredients from Professor Slughorn for the sleeping and pain draughts, I’m running low and this is going to take a few of them.” 

James nods and pushes themself up from where they had been writing up a report for the woman. They’re just about to leave the medical wing when the door opens and in comes Regulus and Evan with Barty slung over their shoulders, Pandora and Dorcas just behind them. 

Regulus and Evan give James a mean look, and normally Barty would as well, but he seems far too out of it right now. Which is what makes James immediately stop and wheel around, silently pulling a room open for them and calling out, “Poppy, we’ve got someone in just now.” 

The woman wheels out of the area, taking a moment to look at the scene before her then sighing, “Can you look over the injuries and mark them down for me? I’m busy and need to get this done quickly.” James nods and gestures to the faux room they opened up.

“What are you doing here?” Regulus sneers at them.

James rolls their eyes, “Helping your friend, put him down.”

“You’re not going to touch him.” 

“If it’s bad enough that you lot are taking him up here and not just doing your own spells, yes the fuck I am.” They sigh, praying that Poppy didn’t hear their language -- as much as she likes them, she’s not above admonishing them for their inappropriate language. They turn to Pandora and Dorcas, knowing those two are more likely to listen to them, “Can you talk some sense into your friends while I prepare a sheet for him?” Pandora nods and goes to talk sense into their best friend and brother. 

By the time that James comes back with a patient sheet, Barty is sitting down in the bed, Evan sitting next to his chest. Regulus, Pandora, and Dorcas are sitting and standing nearby. James sighs, but they know none of them will leave James with Barty alone. So they step to the side of the bed and pull up a chair, beginning to check Barty for cursory injuries, “What happened?” 

“He was the unfortunate bystander to an experimental potion explosion.” Pandora shrugs like it’s nothing, “Got a little too close, the potion decided that it wanted to be reactive… boom.” 

James sighs, “Alright then, what ingredients were in the potion?” They ask, charming their quill to write down as they explain, “Rosier, you’re going to need to stand up and one of you will need to remove his shirt for me.” 

“I can do it on my fucking own.” Barty grumbles, taking his shirt off. 

Pandora has to pull Evan off the bed because he won’t budge, and they don’t stop talking in the process, explaining the ingredients that they were using and what they were trying to do.” James nods and follows along, taking note of injuries and asking about them, then proceeding to ignore what are obviously hickies -- damn Evan can leave some marks on him -- and writing everything of importance down, including the rapidly developing burn marks. 

“What were the results of the explosion?” They ask, “Did he go flying? Get potion on him?” Pandora answers dutifully and James nods once they think they have all the information.

Finally, they push themself to stand up, “Poppy’s busy right now and I’m not technically authorized to do any healing spells right now. Crouch, do you think you need a pain draught?” They don’t wait for him to answer, instead going to the cabinet and grabbing one, writing it down on the sheet that Poppy uses to keep track of her supplies, and bringing it to them, “It’s a low dose, that’s all I can manage for you right now. Take if you want, or don’t. I’ll let Poppy know.” And with that, they head out of the area, putting the report sheet nearby and telling Poppy that Barty was ready for whenever and it was serious but not urgent then telling her that they were heading out. They grab the ingredients list the woman put together and head out, shocked to be joined by Regulus, “Is there something you need from me, Black?”

“Since when are you helping in the medical wing? Just trying to learn some spells to keep healing my idiot brother.” 

James rolls their eyes. It’s amazing how often Sirius gets brought up when the two of them are around each other, “Technically, yes. But it’s none of your fucking business.” They sigh, attempting to ignore him and pretend that the man he’s obsessed with isn’t walking next to him willingly for the first time.

They make it down to Slughorn’s in record time and quickly talk to him about why they’re there, giving him the ingredients list and letting the man put it all into bags. 

It all happens rather quickly and James and Regulus are silently walking out of the room and back up into the medical wing soon after. 

It’s only then that Regulus speaks, “You’re really not fucking with us or something? This isn’t some sort of prank of yours that you got Madam Pomfrey in on?” 

James gives him a look, “You really think that Poppy would agree to joining in on one of my pranks?” They sigh, “I know that you hate me or whatever, but your preconceived notions of me doesn’t make me a bad person like you want to pretend I am. I actually want to help people.” They don’t give him a chance to respond, instead pushing open the door and heading back into the medical wing, moving to drop the bags of ingredients in Poppy’s backroom that she keeps all of her potions things in. 

Regulus is back at his friends’ bedside when they return, joining Poppy. She calls over to them, telling them to go and check in on the other patient that she was working on, make sure that his arm is set right and he’s asleep. They do so, then get to work on cleaning up the area. 

Barty is released soon after and Poppy sends the group to James for them to finish up with the paperwork and drafting up a letter to his parents that James knows she won’t actually send. Pandora and Dorcas thank them before heading out, dragging Regulus along. Evan and Barty do glare at them, but leave quickly once everything is finished up. James sighs and collapses down on the chair, re-opening the healing book they were reading before they were sent out.

[dodgeballstuckonthegymceiling]

full discloser: I do not have ADHD, so if anything I wrote turned out to be inaccurate, let me know! I used this as a resource.

if you like my work, please consider commissioning me :)

Doey & Player with ADHD

★ Doey helps the player stay organized by creating fun and engaging systems. Whether it's color-coded lists, visual schedules, or giving you reminders. He really likes doing these things for you because it's actually really fun for him.

★ His approach can be childish at times. Turning something into a silly game to keep you motivated. "Let's see who can finish sweeping their half of the floor first! Ready, set, go!"

★ If you were on any medication for ADHD, you would be going through withdrawal by now. Withdrawal from any medication you've been taking for a while can feel like hell. As the symptoms start to show, Doey notices.

★ To help manage the withdrawal symptoms, Doey offers some distractions. Whether it's reading a book, telling stories, or trying to keep your mind calm by doing some breathing strategies he learnd to control his temper.

★ When the player talks fast, Doey listens intently and keeps up with their rapid speech. He finds their excitement contagious and feeds off it. He even matches the player's energy when they talk loudly, as long as it's not happening somewhere it could attract unwanted attention.

★ If you were the type to overshare sometimes, Doey is a patient and tries to be a non-judgmental listener. He knows out that oversharing is a way for the people to connect and feel understood, it's something he figured out with the younger children long ago.

★ Doey validates the player's emotions and lets them know that the Safe Haven is a place were for the player can express themselves freely. "This is a safe space. Feel free to share anything! just... try not to give anyone nightmares. Okay?"

★ When something happens and you don't really know how to feel about it, he gives you time to process your feelings. Never rushing you to respond or react. Sometimes he needs time to think things over too.

[rottenpumpkin13]

In honor of the baby delivery question that was in honor of the menstrual pad question, how would AGSZC (+ the Turks and Rufus, ifyw) react if they were asked how babies are made?

Assuming a child asks?

Sephiroth: Pulls up a powerpoint presentation he claims to be kid friendly purely because he included a rainbow title with fun lettering. "When genetic material from two compatible donors combines through sexual intercourse *next slide is detailed medical diagrams* "The male reproductive organ releases sperm cells which propel through the vaginal canal at speeds of 0.2 to 0.3 meters per hour." *more infuriatingly anatomically correct diagrams* "Please, do not cry. This is a perfectly healthy and normal depiction of human birth. Look, the mother even appears happy. Perhaps she won't abandon her child."

Angeal: *sits down with a warm smile* "When two people love each other very much, they share a special kind of hug and decide to express that love in a physical way! Just like how a seed needs rich soil and tender care to grow into a beautiful flower, new life needs—*gasp*—"NO SEPHIROTH, PUT THOSE DIAGRAMS AWAY!"

Genesis: "Ah, like the goddess's tender embrace of morning dew upon spring flowers, two souls entwine in passion's dance, the sacred union of dawn and dusk, where heaven meets earth in passionate embrace. Shall I recite the poetry of the Kamasutra?" *Pulls out an actual book* *gets tackled by Angeal*

Reno: *takes a drag from his cigarette* "When two idiots forget to wrap it up, a screaming hell-spawn is born and they have to deal with it for 18 years."

Zack: "Okay buddy, let uncle Zack break it down for you nice and simple! So there's this thing that happens... like when you... uh... you know how when chocobos... and then they... but with people it's... and then... CLOUD HELP ME OUT HERE!"

Cloud: *turns bright red* "Well... um... so... there's this... thing? That happens? With... parts? And... uh....and then somehow the cells do something with other cells and....Oh! I know! My mom said something about the dragons bringing the babies down from the mountain caves, but only if you leave out a bowl of Nibel stew every full moon for nine months! And you can't forget to hang wolf fangs over your door or the mountain spirits might swap the baby with an evil entity which—" *Zack covers his mouth because the child is now crying*

Tseng: Is cheerful and sweet but makes no sense. "Much like how Shinra absorbs smaller companies, there's a delicate negotiation between two interested parties. When the proper paperwork—by which I mean copulation—is filed correctly, a new subsidiary—that is, a baby—begins development. Think of it as a very complex tea ceremony, where timing and precision are everything!"

Rufus: *stroking Darkstar while reading reports* "A specialized delivery service employs large storks to distribute infants to suitable households. The process is quite straightforward and requires no further elaboration."

*Tseng whispers urgently in his ear*

"...I'm being informed that sex is involved."

[psychoticallytrans]

Hey. You. Disabled person.

We're in dark times right now, and a lot of us are probably going to die. A lot of us have always died, and we tend to be the first ones offloaded when times get hard for being "more trouble than we're worth".

Those people are wrong about us. We are worth every effort needed to keep us alive, because we are people. We are worth loving and caring for. Our quality of life and our joy are important.

The people who are wrong about us are currently in power, and are being given leeway to act. We are likely going to be stripped of a good portion of our healthcare, income, and networks. The first two are most likely to happen directly, through cuts to federal programs. The latter is likely to happen as the ones who love us are burdened under their own problems, and may no longer have the time, energy, or spare income to help us. Ignoring any of that won't help us.

So, our lives are valuable, but they're not being treated that way. What next?

Do what you need to to secure your healthcare. We're going to see a boom in black market and back-alley treatment. Find doctors and pharmacists you trust who keep their mouths shut and their standards of care high. If you can, stockpile medications that are expensive or likely to see shortages with the tariffs. If you depend on weed or CBD for part of your symptom management, see if you can find a grower who's likely to keep it up even if the conservative agenda on weed gets reinstated.

Look into alternative sources of income. Yeah, old news for a lot of us, and I expect you've heard all the old advice about data entry and so on before. Monetary isn't the only kind of income that'll help here, though. If a neighbor will pay you in food for helping set up a spreadsheet, that's food you don't have to buy. If your insurance no longer covers repairs to your equipment, then a technician and you can barter services.

Don't do their work for them. If they want you dead, then they should have to fight for every single death that they want to see. If you have to die, don't die quietly. Spread exactly why you're dying as loud and far as you can- social media, local papers, anywhere you can. Name your killers clearly and often. Don't make yourself easy to bury. Take their reputations down with you.

Do, however, prepare to be dead. If you have any assets you care about, get a will together and make sure they'll be sent to the people who actually gave a shit about you even when it was work. If your parents were pieces of shit, they don't get to sell your small collection or your left-behind art like they have a right to it. Draw up what you want done with your body.

Living wills are important too, as is declaring who has your medical power of attorney. These determine how you are treated if you are alive, but unable to communicate or not considered in your right mind. Be very careful about who you give these rights to, but if you don't give them to anyone, they probably will default to whoever your next of kin is. If there's someone better than them, get it down in legal terms. If you're gay and happily married, get it down that your spouse has your medical power of attorney, in case they manage to rule against gay marriage at the federal level. An advance directive covers both a living will and who has your medical power of attorney.

Hide. Steal. Fight. Commit crimes and use the legal system. Protect yourself and preserve your own life by any means you can get your hands on.

Because every single one of us who stays alive is spit in the face of everyone who thinks it would be more convenient to have all of us comfortably dead and out of their way.

Because every single one of us who stays alive is proof to the disabled people who come after us that we are not easy to get rid of, and that they deserve to fight as well.

Because every single one of us deserves to live.

I love you. Stay the fuck alive.

[multiheadcanons]

THE GOOFIEST SONGS I ASSOCIATE WITH THE MERCS

scout: frankly all of the offense classes get the same song, but it’s the muppet cypher hosted by the stupendium and it’s seven minutes long with multiple artists so guess what it’s all different songs to me today. and they all get this cypher because all three of these dumbasses are muppets in human form. scout definitely gets rizzo’s verse because if nathan didn’t exist skull from jt music is my canon voice for scout. also, “you can leave it to me to put the rat in the race”? “any kind of fourth wall i will happily break”?? dude that’s scout! that IS scout!

soldier: the second dumbass human muppet. y’all know he’s actually sam eagle in human form, right? so sam eagle’s entire verse is indeed soldier. down to the blatant misinformation in the verse because he’s just fucking stupid. i can just hear soldier saying the entire verse word for word as a monologue. “a bunch of weirdos and nerdies”. i bet he does call his teammates nerds. i know he does. the second they show anything more than like, a moderate amount of excitement he’s like wow… what a major nerd. i live and work with major weirdos and nerds.

pyro: the third dumbass human muppet. definitely gonzo the great’s verse, and literally what made me think of this entire post. if only because of the killer lyric combo of “am i he? am i she? am i omnigender? check none of the above, love, i’m whatever” (which is literally just a smooth ass, dope ass lyric and so very real and relatable) and “nobody’s gonna be telling me what is and isn’t canon” because actually yes pyro is my little doodle doll that i doodle on and go “hehe. nice.” and some days pyro is a dragon and other days pyro is a capybara and on the holidays they’re a faerie but really what pyro is is whatever i want them to be on any given day at any given moment. and nobody’s gonna be telling me what is and isn’t canon. honestly the whole cypher eats definitely go give it a listen.

demoman: i just have a question— are your lips dry? i think about demo, and i think about a song, about drinks…. and nothing else. get your mind out of the gutter. can y’all tell i love the stupendium yet? the vending machine of love is definitely one of many masterpieces in stupe’s discography. and the whole vibe of the song is demo the man. eloquent, and elegant, and so effervescent; bubbly, fast paced, with killer lyrics and a smooth, satisfying delivery. and very queer. just like our favorite demolitions expert. slot your pennies in his vending machine of love. and i think demo, like onlycans, the app for soda lovers, is a true chameleon in the sense that there’s really no such thing as not getting along with demo. you will find something about him just irresistible to be around! he’s a chatty, fun loving guy, he’s funny, he’s flirty but not creepy with it (as long as he’s not absolutely plastered), you cannot help but love something about the guy.

heavy: double homicide by cupcakke is heavy weapons guy. sorry not sorry. shut the FUCK up and show me how y’all hold the spot. actual lyric in this actual song. it literally opens with “treat every [REDACTED] just like a sloppy joe; in cold words, bitch we only finna meet for bread” like first of all that’s misha. that IS misha. and the entire first half of the song being so forceful /pos, while not being nearly as fast as it will get in the second half of the song. “head shoulders knees and toes, i bet this bitch won’t leave with those” “itty itty bitty when you’re standing against me” like good god cupcakke wrote this and then said “wow you know who would like this, heavy weapons guy from critically acclaimed game team fortress two”, also it literally ENDS on “motherfucker need a doctor” which makes me scream because i think about the fact that if heavy is dominating an enemy medic, he doesn’t have domination lines against the medic; he’s only insulting the rest of the team for not protecting him. it reminds me of that lazypurple clip where he’s like “don’t rush heavy without a plan, that’s what he wants.”

engineer: he does what he does cause he’s a total fuckin cunt-ry boy. bo burnham has this song. i literally don’t know what it’s actual title is, but it’s that fucking country song? frankly i think engie would like bo burnham in general as a comedian, when i think of engie’s sense of humor i definitely think of bo burnham. dry, dark, poignant, fast enough that you’ll lose him if you don’t keep up. i also heavily associate entropy by awkwardmarina with him too. i think engie is, at his core and at his best, morally grey. self-sufficient, self-serving, and willing to do anything to get him where he needs to go. i think him shifting too far into “good” or “bad” does little justice for who dell conagher is in my mind and removes so much of any facet of his personality that he’s not dell: an insanely intelligent man, who comes from insanely intelligent family, with a lot of secrets he is the sole guard of at this time. and i think engie does feel like he is out of place most places from the sheer amount of information running through his mind at any given point. he’s simply not generic in a way that would make him a real, true functioning member of average society. but for the place he carved out for himself, he absolutely is a pillar and cornerstone of his community. the team would simply not be the same if he wasn’t there.

medic: YOU’RE EITHER WITH ME OR DOOMED! pharrell williams has actually released nothing but banger after banger for the despicable me soundtrack, and the good doctor does indeed get hug me from the third movie that i never watched. what i can tell you though, is that in no case of any one on one interaction with medic, is he ever the straight man. this man is an instigator, a shit starter, and a shit ender with the grin to match. because who else will stay in trouble with you? the doctor will run into open fire with you if he has a 75% confidence one of you will make it to the other side. and if it’s below, he’s willing to try to figure out what you both can do to better those odds. the best part about medic is that he is not a runner. god tier partner in crime. he will get arrested with you and call the team to post bail for both of you. he can be stuck to your hip if you want him to be. the world is his oyster, and for the low price of your soul it can be yours too.

sniper: i don’t know why, but tom cardy’s perception check is sniper to me. other than the fact that i do believe snipes is literally the most perceptive mercenary, like i don’t think anything has ever not been registered in snipes’ subconscious that he was witnessed even out of his peripherals, but i also think that there is an odd algorithm between snipes doing well on the field, and the rest of the team doing well on the field. and there’s a spot where one can argue both parties do “well”; but if the team is absolutely massacring on the field, sniper has missed nine of his ten shots. but! when the team is eating shit on the field; those happen to be the days sniper has gotten nine hours of sleep. also, snipes is probably lethal with some of the insults he’ll hurl on the field. if he doesn’t just straight up point at engie sometimes and yell “SHORT!”

spy: yet another banger from the despicable me soundtrack. i could go on at length about how double life has also cemented itself as one of pharrell william’s absolute masterpieces not just in the despicable me soundtrack, not just in animated movie soundtrack, but perhaps his entire discography. and i see the edit in my mind, seriously. i see the mid teens edit style spycentric MEP except it’s not romantic it’s the fact that his team doesn’t trust him as far as they can throw him. i can see the edit so clearly in my mind… i really think about the line “it doesn’t matter to you if you get heads or tails, you just don’t like to flip all the time.” because to me, that’s a very canonically spy sentiment! and it’s why i personally justify to myself why spy would even bother to sign onto a team of mercenaries, instead of continuing to be a lone wolf. he wants to have a group he can align himself with. he’s looking for a reciprocation of the support he knows he offers. but his team greatly distrusts him for it.

[abyssalwavezz]

zayne smut and i need it neowwwwwww do whatever you want with the plot

Impulse Control

Author's note: I know who you are anon, and this one is for you <3 that's all I've got to say LOL also if you like kpop, check out my kpop page @ta3mint bc I am trying to revive it after such a long break lol also fun fact...I think this is one of if not the longest fic I have ever written. So yeah...send in your LADS requests. It's good to be back, ya filthy animals.

Contains: Zayne x MC/YN, consent king Zayne, jealous/down bad Zayne, explicit sexual scenes with unprotected P in V (use protection irl pls), fingering (fem receiving), MC briefly on top, relatively vanilla missionary (but it’s a classic okay?) and somewhat vague hints at Zayne and MC lore if you squint

Warnings: Minors for the love of God, pls do not interact!! Sexually explicit content, adult themes, cursing, etc. and as always...no proofreading <3

Word Count: 7,872

It was no surprise that Akso Hospital was winning an award for their exemplary service to Linkon City. What was a bit of a surprise though, was Zayne taking the initiative to ask you to come to the banquet with him. He could be so hard to read sometimes, and though of course he could be thoughtful, this seemed to be a direct request, even for him.

You couldn't help but reread the texts from earlier, your heart and your mind racing in tandem.

Zayne☃️: How has your day been so far? Have you been staying hydrated? You often forget to drink enough water when you are busy.

Me: Dr. Zayne, do you text all your patients and remind them of their hydration levels?

Zayne☃️: Only the most forgetful ones.

Me: You mean there's more than one? And here I thought I was special :(

Zayne☃️: Don't fret. You are, in fact, the only patient who I perform this service for.

Me: Well in that case...I should probably go drink some water in between training sessions.

Zayne☃️: Before you go, I wanted to ask you something.

Me: Oh? I am listening (and hydrating as we speak)

Zayne☃️: The hospital is receiving a service award tonight. There will be a banquet. I was hoping you might want to come with me. After all, you have served Linkon as much as I or any of the other medical staff has. It is only fair that you are my plus one. If you want to be, of course.

Me: I would love to, Dr. Zayne. One question though...

Zayne☃️: Yes?

Me : Will there be dessert? 🧁

You had hoped the little joke about dessert would take your mind off of...everything. But it hadn't worked. You were still sitting in your desk chair, knees pulled tightly against your chest.

What did this invitation mean? Did Zayne...no. No way. There was no way he was inviting you because he saw you as something other than a friend and a patient. He said it himself, that it was only fair to invite you due to your service as a hunter.

How about you, though? What did you see Zayne as? You definitely would like to be more than friends. You couldn't help but fall for him after seeing him so often nowadays. He was everything you could have ever dreamed of in a man. But did he know about your feelings? Did he notice the amount of time you spent watching him work or study instead of focusing on your own work or training material in front of you? Did he notice you watching him even more closely during your workout sessions?

You swallowed the lump forming in your throat.

Anyway. It was time to get ready now, and the part you dreaded most was here... Choosing what to wear.

You didn't really have many formal outfits to choose from, and you felt like the ones you did have were worn too many times. Right about now, you were wishing that Zayne had asked you earlier than the day of so you could've had more time to prepare. But honestly, would it have made a difference? Procrastinating was one of your favorite sports.

Eventually, you settled on your favorite dress.

Putting it on turned into somewhat of a chore, though. It didn't fit quite the same way as you remembered... but it had been a while since you last wore it.

Thankfully, it went on without any damage to the dress, but you couldn't help but pull at the fabric at the bottom of the dress. It was also a bit shorter than you remembered, it seemed.

And was this slit in the side always there?

Never mind that, it would have to do. There was no more time, and you still had to do your hair and makeup, as well as put on accessories to go with the dress. To be honest, you were a bit out of your comfort zone at the moment.

"Tonight better go well," you muttered to yourself.

~

The sudden noise from your phone caused you to stop what you were doing with your hair.

Grabbing it with a gloved hand, you immediately saw the text from Zayne letting you know he was waiting outside to pick you up.

You placed the last bobby pin in your hair and gently pushed your earrings in, then grabbed your phone and clutch before heading out the door.

As you passed by the mirror on your wall, you checked your makeup one last time, too.

Was it too much? It was a formal event, so you assumed you were to look the part. Ultimately you decided you looked fine, and part of you wished that Zayne would like it, too.

Oh, who were you kidding. You really hoped that Zayne would like it.

The sounds of your heels meeting the hard floor echoed throughout your apartment building until you got into the elevator. Once you were inside, you sent Zayne a quick text letting him know you were on the way.

Ding!

The elevator alerted you to let you know that it had arrived on the first floor. Quickly, you stepped out and into the parking lot, not wanting to be the cause of potentially being late.

After a quick scan of the nearby parking spaces, you saw his car a short distance away. You made your way over, cursing yourself for choosing these particular heels that were already causing foot pain.

As he saw you approach, he stepped out of his car and walked around to the passenger side, placing his hand on the door handle. He was wearing a traditional suit, accompanied by his glasses that he seemed to save for special occasions or work.

"Wowww, Dr. Zayne. No lab coat today? And doesn't your car have a button to open the doors, even when you're inside?"

"Would it still count as chivalry if I were to only press a button?"

He gave a small smile and pulled the door handle, stepping aside to let you in the car.

You smiled back, gently sitting down so as not to disturb your hair and dress.

As you moved past him, Zayne took a deep breath through his nose, closing his eyes briefly before forcing them back open.

"You okay, Zayne? Am I wearing too much perfume? Or even worse...do I stink?"

Zayne shook his head and smiled once more.

"No and no, of course not. I like what you are wearing."

You nodded, satisfied with his prompt answer which caused your cheeks to burn.

Zayne closed your door and walked back around to his. He sat down and buckled himself in, motioning for you to do the same.

"The banquet is in an event hall not far from here. There will be some speeches that may bore you, by the way. This is your last chance to back out."

It was your turn to shake your head.

"Not a chance. It took me so long to get ready, I have to see this through. Besides, I was glad you thought to invite me."

Zayne turned the steering wheel to back out of his parking space, carefully eyeing his backup camera.

"Well, I am glad you accepted my invitation."

~

Zayne was telling the truth about it not being far. You made it there in only a few minutes. Frustratingly though, it had started to drizzle.

"Aw man, my hair and makeup will be ruined. Then everyone will think you brought a drowned rat as your plus one."

Zayne chuckled, pressing the button to turn his car off.

"Nonsense. Chivalry is still alive and well in Linkon."

Once again, he came around to the passenger side of the car rather than pressing the button to let you out. Seemingly out of nowhere, he had produced a large umbrella that was big enough to cover both of you, and especially big enough to protect your hair and makeup.

"Zayne, you are really outdoing yourself already. How could I ever repay you?"

"Don't worry, you already are."

Zayne walked slowly with you, making sure to keep the umbrella placed perfectly over your heads. Thanks to him, you both made it to the doorway of the event hall dry and in one piece.

There were lots of people, which was to be expected. Nevertheless, you instinctively clung to Zayne's arm, wrapping a hand around it tightly.

He was caught off guard, but only for a moment, before placing his large hand over the top of the silky fabric of your glove.

"You hunt Wanderers for a living and you're scared of a little crowd?"

You glared at him playfully, the amusement obvious in his usually soft voice.

"Hush, you meanie."

If you thought there were a lot of people in the foyer, it was nothing compared to the amount of people in the actual hall.

Numerous circular tables littered the hall as far as the eye could see. Pretty much all of the seats were already full, causing you to wonder where the two of you could possibly sit down. In the center against the back wall was the stage, presumably where the speeches Zayne mentioned were going to take place. Flower displays were plentiful, several of the biggest ones taking up the front of the stage, and the smaller ones sitting in between tables. Tiny vases with smaller versions of the displays sat on top of the tables, surrounded by expensive looking crystal dinnerware. It was definitely not something you see every day.

"Where would you like to sit?" Zayne asked.

You scanned the nearest tables, squeezing Zayne's arm when you saw an empty one.

"Let's sit there," you said quietly, pointing with your index finger so he could see what you were talking about.

Zayne nodded once he saw your choice, leading the way through the people that were still standing around.

There were five seats at the table in total, and by the time you got there, one of them was already filled by a young man that hadn't been there before. Oh well, you couldn't have expected to sit at a table with only Zayne at an event like this. But a girl could dream.

After you and Zayne sat down, the young man turned his attention to you. Nothing in particular stood out about him, and you couldn't say you recognized him from anywhere.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you," he said in a voice that didn't quite match his plain-looking features.

"Hi! It's nice to meet you, too," you replied politely.

"And you as well," the man added as he looked towards Zayne.

Zayne nodded, but didn't say anything. It seemed his mind was elsewhere at the moment.

"I'm (Y/N), and this is Dr. Zayne from Akso Hospital."

The man gasped quietly and looked back over to Zayne.

"Ohhh, I've heard a lot about you. You're definitely a big part of the reason the hospital is receiving the award tonight, I'm sure!"

The man seemed genuine in his comment, as far as you could tell.

"I am only doing my job. I have no desire for awards or accolades. Besides, there are many competent doctors and nurses that work at Akso. That is the reason for our award." Zayne said harshly.

You were a bit taken aback by Zayne's choice of words, but you chalked it up to potential nerves about tonight. The man didn't seem too fazed, which relieved you.

"Oh, where are my manners? My name is Richard."

You nodded and smiled at him, just before a sharp noise echoed throughout the event hall. Your eyes searched the surrounding area, and you realized the banquet must be underway. There was a very important looking man near the edge of the stage, clinking a metal spoon against his wine glass.

"As you all know, we are here tonight to recognize the achievements and outstanding service of Akso Hospital...but we are also here to eat!"

This earned a few laughs from the crowd of people, and even one from you. You couldn't deny you were starting to get pretty hungry.

You looked at Zayne and noticed that he did not laugh, nor did he even smile. Instead, he seemed to be set in stone, staring straight ahead at the man speaking by the stage. It almost seemed as if he was looking through him, like his mind was still somewhere else entirely.

"It isn't like Zayne to be nervous...but what else could it be? Does he regret bringing me here? I probably look so silly, like a little girl all dressed up for her secret crush", you thought to yourself.

Ignoring the sudden pain in your chest, you turned your focus back to the man up front.

"...once again, I thank you all for coming. But for now, let us eat and we'll get to the rest of the award ceremony later!"

The hall gradually began to get louder as people began to talk amongst themselves again. This seemed like a good opportunity to get Zayne to talk and settle the nerves that were boiling under the surface of your skin.

"Zayne, aren't you starving? We didn't eat before we came!"

"Mmm," Zayne hummed quietly in agreement.

"Oh! I didn't realize you two came together. Are you...?

Richard didn't finish his implied question and your ears began to burn instantly.

"Oh, no no! Nothing like that," you quickly replied, waving your hands back and forth in front of you.

You didn't dare glance at Zayne, so you weren't sure of his reaction to the conversation. But thankfully you didn't have to worry for long, since Richard started talking again.

"I see! Well, (Y/N), what do you do for a living?"

Grateful for the change in topic, you jumped at the chance.

"Well, I'm a Hunter!"

"She's very good at what she does. I have seen her at work. We often assist each other," Zayne said suddenly from the side.

Both you and Richard glanced at each other before looking at Zayne, who was as stoic as ever, but this time looking directly at you.

Your ears, still not recovered from a few moments ago, grew uncomfortably hot.

"I think the line for food has gotten a bit shorter," Richard pointed out. "Should we go ahead and head over?"

"Yes, I-."

Zayne cut you off, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table.

"Why don't you save us a spot, Richard? I need to ask (Y/N) something about a confidential matter at work. It cannot wait."

Richard stood, giving a small nod and a quick smile in your direction before walking towards the food serving line.

Once he was out of earshot, you hastily gathered yourself before facing Zayne.

"Is something wrong? You've been acting strangely since we sat down."

Zayne pushed up his glasses, keeping his eye on Richard's back as he stood at the end of the line on the other side of the hall.

"There is something odd about him. We should find somewhere else to sit for the night."

You scoffed, unsure of what he could be talking about.

"I'm not sure I understand, Zayne. He seems perfectly normal and nice to me."

He shook his head.

"Don't you trust me?"

"Well, of course I do, but..." you trailed off before continuing, "It just seems like something has gotten into you. Am I not allowed to make friends?"

"Of course you are. You can have as many friends as you like. Just not him. There is something wrong."

For some reason, Zayne's words frustrated you.

"I don't need permission, Zayne. Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to get some food because I am starving. If you'd care to join me, I'll be over there."

Without waiting for a response, you left the table and walked with determination over to Richard, where he was still waiting in line. You truly had no idea what had gotten into your usually very kind and understanding friend, Zayne. You had never seen him act this way, so far as you could remember. Even so, as you got farther away from him, your resolve faltered. Had you been too harsh? No. Zayne was being...weird. You wanted to get to the bottom of it before the night was up.

"Hey!" Richard smiled and waved you over.

You gladly stepped beside him where he had saved you a spot.

"Thanks for holding a place for me, Richard. I'm sorry it took so long for me to get over here."

"It's no problem! I know you and Dr. Zayne must have a lot of secret work you need to do for Linkon. Speaking of, is he coming? There's more than enough room for him!"

You sighed, shaking your head.

"I'm not sure. He seems a bit...stressed at the moment. I may just bring him something to eat to help out a little bit."

Richard nodded.

"That's very kind of you. Dr. Zayne is very lucky to have a friend like you."

"Yeah," you couldn't help but sigh as the staff behind the table handed you a serving of the first dish. "A friend."

As you progressed down the line, Richard told you more about himself. You returned the favor, sparing some of the more private details of your life. But it truly was nice talking with him. He was very easy to get along with, and that further fueled your confusion towards Zayne's behavior.

After the two of you finished getting your food, you made your way back over to the table. As you got closer, you realized Zayne was no longer in his chair.

"Where did Zayne go?"

Richard looked around, nearly spinning in a circle.

"I'm not sure. He must have gotten tied up in an important conversation somewhere."

Just then you felt a buzz in your clutch, your phone alerting you to a text.

You set your plate down and reached into your clutch, grabbing your phone easily thanks to the small size of the bag.

On your phone's screen was a brief text from Zayne, asking you to meet him outside.

"Is everything okay?" Richard asked.

You snapped your attention away from your phone and smiled nervously at Richard.

"Of course! I just need to use the restroom before we start eating. Will you finish telling me your story that you mentioned in line when I get back?"

Richard nodded enthusiastically.

"I would love to!"

"Great, I'll be right back, I promise."

~

The air outside had gotten significantly cooler after the sun finished setting. Thankfully, it wasn't raining anymore. But you didn't see Zayne anywhere. He wasn't in the foyer and not immediately outside of the building. Almost in a panic, you turned around to search the entire parking lot. And that's when you caught a glimpse of a nearby streetlight reflecting off of something other than a car a few feet away.

It was Zayne's glasses, and he was leaned up against the side of his car with his arms crossed, looking off to the side.

"Zayne?"

Your voice caught his attention, and he used his weight to push himself off his car and move closer to you.

"There you are. I need you to come with me, we have to go."

As you got closer to him, you noticed he had an unfamiliar look in his eyes. It was one you had never seen in them before, and it instinctively made you nervous.

"Zayne, what's going on? You've been so weird tonight and now you're kind of scaring me."

Zayne sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Forgive me, I..."

You remained silent, waiting for him to finish, the rapid beating of your heart pounding in your eardrums.

"I seem to be acting on my impulses tonight. Something I thought I had been teaching myself not to do."

His actions were still not understandable to you, and he instantly read the confusion on your face.

"It's...it's his fault," Zayne murmured. "It's this dress."

Suddenly, he bent down to your level and ran his finger up the sleek fabric of your dress resting against your thigh. It caused you to tense up and shiver, whether from his actions or the night air, you weren't quite sure.

What you were sure of though, was how badly you wanted him to touch you again.

"Forgive me," he repeated. "I can call you a taxi to take home. I shouldn't have done that."

"Zayne," you said abruptly, causing him to stop from getting his phone out.

"Yes?"

"Kiss me."

"What?"

"Kiss me," you repeated, this time a little less confident.

Zayne didn't say anything else before closing the rest of the gap between you in one step. Both of his large hands found space on each side of your face, and they rested there for a moment before he looked at you in the eyes, his own moving back and forth to discern the expression on your face.

"(Y/N)..." he began hesitantly.

"What?"

"If tonight has shown me anything, it's that I have not been controlling my impulses as well as I have previously. If I do this...I fear that I won't be able to stop myself."

You tried to take a deep breath, but it got caught in your throat.

"Do you want to kiss me, Zayne?"

"Yes," he breathed, pressing his forehead against yours and closing his frenzied eyes. "I cannot tell you what it has been like, seeing you almost every day now and falling in love with you all over, again and again. I have waited as patiently as I could have."

Shakily, you reached a hand up and loosely gripped one of Zayne's hands still on your cheek.

"Again? You've fallen in love with me before?"

Zayne hummed quietly, almost imperceptibly shaking his head against yours.

"Never mind that. Just know that I need you...I always have."

"Zayne, I..."

Something about what he was saying felt eerily familiar, and it felt like an invisible force was pulling you somehow even more closer to him in that moment.

"Please," Zayne whispered. "Tell me what you want."

"I...I want..."

Zayne rubbed his nose against yours, inching closer and closer to your parted lips. His labored breaths mixed with your shallow ones, causing the cool night air to visibly swirl around you. Your heart continued to pound, so loud and hard you were sure Zayne could hear it.

"I need to hear you say it...one more time."

Lighter than a feather, his lips brushed against yours as he spoke to you. And finally, finally, you were able to get your words out.

"I want you to kiss me...and I don't want you to stop."

Zayne tightened his grip on your face, his hands slipping slightly due to the thin layer of sweat that was between your skin and his. And then he pressed his lips firmly against yours.

You would be lying if you said you hadn't thought about what it would be like to kiss Zayne before. You had always assumed it would be magical, meaningful, and passionate.

And it turns out, you were right.

His lips tasted slightly sweet as he moved them against yours in perfect harmony. The sounds of your breathing echoed around you, muffled slightly by the sheer lack of distance between his face and yours. Your hands moved to hold onto his shoulders, and his moved from your cheeks to your waist, leaving a feeling of bitter cold behind. Somehow, in the contrasting heat of it all, he turned you around so you were now pressed between him and his car.

As soon as he did this, the kisses became more sloppy, more intense. You could feel his energy shift and it nearly caused your knees to buckle as he moaned quietly into your mouth. It occurred to you that your nails might be digging into his shoulders, but he didn't seem to notice.

Suddenly unable to breathe, you were the first to pull away. Zayne froze, looking down at you with a scared look in his eyes now.

"Are you okay? I'm sorry, I should have restrained myself properly."

"Zayne...again. Please, I only needed to catch my breath. You aren't the only one who has been waiting for this, you know."

This time, you didn't even wait for him to initiate the kiss. You moved in first, catching him slightly off guard. But he recovered quickly, matching your intensity in a flash.

The tip of his tongue brushed against your bottom lip, causing you to shiver for what felt like the hundredth time tonight. You weren't sure if he did it on purpose or if just happened, but you decided to open your lips slightly, providing an opening for him to push into deeper than before.

Zayne quickly obliged, a significant portion of his tongue meeting yours. This time it was your turn to moan, though yours was a little less controlled, and a little more loud.

He audibly groaned, the gnashing of your lips, tongue, and teeth causing a drop of saliva to run down your chin. You were pressed up against his car so tightly that it cause your shoulder blades to burn where they met the hard exterior of it. Zayne had a vice grip on your hips, and his hands were so large that you were sure it would leave marks.

The slit in your dress that you were shocked by earlier became Zayne's next target. He used one finger to trail up your thigh and hook under the edge of the slit as he kissed you, the fabric being pulled taught against your tingling skin.

Once again, you pulled away, letting your head roll back so that it rested against the top of his car. Your chest heaved, stretching the dress where it rested against your breasts with every breath in.

Zayne nestled his head into the crook of your neck, leaving small, wet kisses there. His finger that had been hooked into the slit of your dress continued its way up your body until his hand came to rest against your ribcage.

"Zayne, we should...get back before people start noticing we're gone."

"Hmm," he hummed against your collarbone.

"I mean it. What about the speeches?"

"Easy..." he murmured before placing an open-mouthed kiss, this time against your jawline. "Forget them."

"Zayne! You can't be serious."

"I assure you, I'm very serious. As serious as a heart attack."

You weakly raised your head back up to meet his gaze. There was a deep hunger in his expression, one that you could tell had not been fully satisfied.

"I did warn you," Zayne murmured before kissing you on the lips again briefly. "I have waited so long for you, it will be nearly impossible for me to let you go now that I have you."

You couldn't help but wonder what exactly he had in mind. But your thoughts and your body seemed to be communicating together, the undeniable warmth from your core spreading outwards fast. You knew you wanted to taste him again, to feel him against you again.

"Take me home, Zayne."

~

The drive back to your apartment seemed longer than it did when you left earlier. Inside Zayne's car, the air was thick with tension and desire. Neither of you spoke, too hesitant to mess anything up.

Once you were at your door, you prayed Zayne didn't see your hands shake slightly when getting your keys out to unlock it.

As you made it inside, Zayne closed the door behind the two of you and then slowly crouched down in front of you.

"Zayne, what are you..."

"Shh. Let me help you."

He motioned for you to lift one foot up, and you did so. He then undid your heel's strings and slid it off your foot carefully, before repeating the same steps on the other foot.

This time though, he placed his hand against your calf and let it trail up your bare leg until he stood up all the way. He took a deep breath as he did so, causing you to shake in anticipation.

"(Y/N). I know what I said, but if at any point anything becomes too much for you...or you simply change your mind, I want you to tell me. I will never do anything you don't want to do. Does that make sense?"

You nodded, overwhelmed with all the feelings coursing through you at the moment.

Zayne seemed satisfied, taking off his suit jacket and hanging it by the door. You couldn't help but notice how nicely his white button-up shirt sat against his toned arms.

He chuckled.

"If you don't like this," he said softly, pulling at the fabric of his sleeve, "I can remove it, too."

Involuntarily, you shuddered, realizing what he meant. But you had a better idea.

"Can I?"

Though your question was short, he understood what it meant.

Without a word, he stopped closer to you, looking down at you with a glint in his eye.

"If that's what you'd like."

You didn't mean to necessarily, but you held your breath as you let your clutch fall to the floor and instead placed your hands at his collar. As carefully as you could, you undid the first button of his shirt. Zayne watched you intently, his breathing picking up again like it had earlier in the parking lot.

One of your knuckles accidentally brushed against his collarbone while you undid another button, and it was his turn to shiver, even at such a slight touch. Honestly, it made you feel good, knowing that he must be feeling the same things you are feeling.

You continued down the shirt, each button coming undone with an almost inaudible pop sound. The farther you made it down, the more of his chest you started to see. It was unsurprisingly perfect, chiseled in all the right places, so much better than you could have ever imagined.

By the time you made it to the last button, you needed to pull the fabric out from where it was tucked into the hem of his pants. It was here that you hesitated.

"Are you alright?" Zayne asked, sensing your mind reeling. He placed a hand over top of yours where it still held onto the last button of his shirt.

"Yes, I'm alright. I just...don't want to mess anything up."

"Don't worry. You are perfect. Whatever happens will be perfect. Let me help again, okay?"

"Okay," you whispered, nearly silent.

Zayne gently removed your hand from the last button, and tugged his shirt out from his pants to remove it completely.

Your breath hitched in your throat as you took in the sight before you.

Then without thinking properly, you let your hands reach out for him, flattening against his bare chest. Your fingers traced the lines carved into his skin, and you realized you really shouldn't be surprised at this since you know he works out regularly.

“Would you let me take you somewhere more comfortable?” Zayne asked, nodding his head towards your bedroom.

“That definitely isn’t a bad idea.”

Zayne chuckled at you again before grabbing one of your hands to lead you away, making sure to carefully step over your forgotten bag and his white shirt on the floor.

He sat on the edge of your bed, waiting for you to enter into the room completely.

You were still mesmerized by him, by the situation. And then you realized that you had on remarkably more clothing than him. You decided to enlist his help one more time.

You turned in a circle, so that your back was now facing him. Though you could do it yourself, you thought this would be more fun.

“Help me again, Dr. Zayne”

From behind you, you could hear him stand up and make his way over to you. You moved your hair out of the way so that the zipper on the back of your dress was now visible.

“If that is what you wish.”

Even through the material of your dress, you could feel his cold fingers against your back as they slid the zipper down to your waist.

Once he made it to your waist, you took a step forward and chanced a look over your shoulder.

Zayne stood behind you, watching you with another unknown emotion behind his darkened green eyes.

You shrugged off the top of your dress, causing it to instantly gather around your waist. Your bare back was now directly in front of Zayne, as the dress didn’t require you to wear a bra. The air in your room made you tense up.

Braving any lingering fears, you pulled the dress past your hips so that it fell to the floor, and you stepped out of it. Now you stood only in your underwear.

A few seconds passed and you could then hear Zayne take another step forward. A few seconds more, and you hissed as Zayne’s cold hands made contact with your exposed hips.

“So beautiful,” he whispered, planting a kiss against your shoulder.

You no longer felt the metal of his glasses bump into your skin, so you assumed he must’ve tossed them aside.

“Let me show you what you do to me. What seeing you with someone else does to me. How it makes me feel…”

Before you could respond, one of Zayne’s hands snaked around the front of your waist and began teasing the waistband of your underwear. You instantly knew what he was planning to do.

“And more importantly, let me make you feel good.”

You couldn’t help but gasp sharply at how bold Zayne was being as he gently slid the tips of his fingers past the edge of your underwear. His other hand was laid flat against your stomach from behind you, and the pressure against you only intensified once his pointer finger made contact with the edge of your aching core.

Zayne placed his chin on your shoulder, looking down with an almost gleeful smirk on his lips while he watched the rest of his hand disappear past your last piece of clothing.

“Mmmm,” you hummed as the pad of his pointer finger circled around your center.

“Such a pretty sound,” Zayne stated as if it was a well known fact.

He took this time to softly dip the one finger inside of you, pumping it a few times before adding his middle finger. You could tell he was instantly covered in the wetness coming from deep within you, the slick feeling of his fingers inside already driving you wild.

A fire began burning inside your mind and body as he continued drawing his two fingers in and out of you, curving them slightly to find the spot that would inevitably cause you to unravel around him.

Your knees buckled and his grip around your waist with his other hand tightened.

“I’ve got you. I always will,” Zayne spoke against the thin skin of your neck, nuzzling deeper into the space between it and your shoulder.

The faster he went, the less you felt like you were physically there. The only feeling you had right now was the feeling of his touch, as if that feeling which wasn't even your own doing was the only thing that tied your existence to this room, to this place. You weren't even sure if you were standing properly anymore or if he was holding you up with his other arm. You didn't really care.

Never in your wildest dreams had you expected to end up in this situation. But now that you were, you couldn't imagine being anywhere else or with anyone else. You knew from this point on, he was the only one allowed to witness you like this. There was no going back from this. He had drawn you in and made you his, and this was where you belonged.

It was when you realized this that you came undone.

Somehow, you remained conscious of your neighbors and stifled the strangled whines that threatened to escape your gaping mouth. You eyes screwed shut in pure concentration, causing a single tear to escape the corner of your right eye.

"Shh," came Zayne's quiet voice from behind you.

He rubbed his nose against your cheek where the tear had fallen, ultimately wiping it away. The contrast of his cool nose against the sizzling skin of your cheek was very noticeable.

"Would you like to lay down?"

"Mhmm." This was the only sound you could get out now, but Zayne understood.

He kept a stable grip on you because he had, in fact, been holding you up for the past several minutes. You would have to thank him later.

Zayne guided you towards the bed and helped you first to sit down, and then to lay your head against the pillows. He gingerly grabbed your ankles and readjusted your legs so that they would be laying more comfortably on the end of the bed.

You couldn't help but cringe at the feeling of your now freezing, wet underwear that was sloppily pulled back into its proper position.

From the left side, you could hear Zayne lay down next to you, and his wide hand rubbed the clammy skin of your stomach.

You laid in silence for a few moments, waiting for your breathing to calm down before speaking.

"That was, ummm..."

You briefly glanced over at the man next to you and couldn't think of what to say next, your mind a tangled mess. Really, you had assumed he would say something to fill the silence where you were lacking. But when he didn't, you decided to take a better look at him.

Though his hand had come to a rest on your stomach, he was not looking at you. Instead he was looking at the ceiling, his jaw set harshly as if he was concentrating on something.

"Zayne, are you okay? Did I do something wrong?"

You rolled over onto your side, wrapping an arm around him and trying to ignore the feeling of your bare nipples against his cool exterior.

"No," he said shortly, but softly. "You were perfect, just as I said you would be. I just find myself...struggling to restrain my actions further when I should already be satisfied. And I am...satisfied. However, it would seem that you allowing me this pleasure has turned me into not only an impulsive version of myself, but a greedy one as well."

"Zayne...?"

You began to sit up on your elbow to look at his face, but your other hand brushed up against a lower part of him you weren't expecting to. The sensation immediately elicited a sharp hiss from Zayne.

"Oh!" you exclaimed in surprise, "I'm sorry."

Zayne shook his head roughly.

"Don't be. And don't feel obligated. Promise me, (Y/N). We don't have to go any further."

For a minute, you thought about what you would like to happen next. You took Zayne's words to heart, and you knew he meant them.

But perhaps you had become a bit impulsive as well.

Wordlessly, you finished sitting up enough to look down at Zayne who was now making eye contact with you rather than looking at the ceiling. Your hand had come to rest on his lower stomach now, right below his belly button. If you moved down any further...

You noticed how tight the fabric of his pants was around his bulge. You swallowed thickly, the embers of the fire you felt a little while ago becoming reignited.

"(Y/N)..."

Zayne watched as you looked between him and his painfully restricted erection.

"What do you want, Zayne?"

He was visibly surprised at your sudden confidence, but remained composed.

"That is not as important as what you want. I will always place your needs and wants above my own, no matter how tempting it may be otherwise."

Zayne sounded almost hoarse from timid anticipation and it only further fueled your own desires.

"Let me show you what I want."

He didn't say anything else, he could only watch as your now steady hands touched the belt keeping his pants up.

"(Y/N)," he repeated, this time urgently.

"I want..."

You let your sentence trail off and began undoing his belt as sensually as you could manage. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Zayne's chest begin to heave as he studied you like a hawk.

"You."

The belt was now completely undone, and you pulled it from its loops to toss it carelessly aside on the floor. You then undid the zipper of his pants, the sound of it clashing with Zayne's distorted breaths. Once you had the zipper down all the way, you did the best you could to pull his pants down while he was laying down. It didn't take much before his throbbing length was now restrained by one less layer of clothing.

He shook at the air hitting him down there, and you struggled to keep your eyes from widening noticeably at how large he seemed to be. At the center of his white underwear, you could see several small dark spots from his increasing arousal.

Before he could try to talk you out of it, you lifted one of your legs to straddle him. Both of you moaned simultaneously as your tingling core came into contact with his rock-hard bulge.

Using the last bit of your newfound confidence, you bent down and captured his lips in a wet kiss.

"I have always wanted you."

Zayne watched your lips in awe as you spoke, the corner of his own lifting in a small smile.

And then he collided into you.

It was like the kisses you shared in the parking lot, only...it wasn't at the same time. This felt more primal, more passionate. As if your souls had begun threading together like they were somehow meant to.

You held onto his face tightly as he kissed you, the wet sounds of your mouths echoing in your small bedroom. His deft hands came to rest on your ass, and they dug into the softness there as he thrusted upwards against your throbbing genitals. This caused your back to arch slightly, making your lips leave his, the only thing now connecting them a string of your mixed saliva.

Zayne took this opportunity to roll you under him so that he was now hovering over your exposed body.

One hand held his own body up, and the other tenderly traced around the edge of your breasts.

"You are too good to me," Zayne sighed under his breath.

"And while I do not normally condone this..."

Zayne stood up suddenly and fully removed his pants and underwear in what seemed like one swift motion before climbing back over top of you.

"I have no control left within my body."

His hands gripped your underwear tightly, his knuckles turning white and his veins popping as he completely ripped the flimsy material off of you.

"Zayne!"

He gripped the headboard, leaning over you to whisper in your ear.

"I'll buy you more."

You shuddered at both his words and the proximity of his naked body to yours.

"Do you trust me?" he continued.

"Yes. I trust you Zayne."

"Then hold on," he growled, his hot breath fanning over your ear.

Using his other hand to grip himself, he steered his length to your entrance, teasing it slightly with the head.

"Oh, shit," you gasped loudly.

With no further hesitation, Zayne fully inserted himself inside of you, making the both of you moan noisily. He remained there for a moment, his sweaty chest rubbing against your own. The hand that was on the headboard now came down against the mattress to hold the rest of his body up. His other hand grabbed one of yours, and he weaved his fingers in-between your own.

Your clasped hands gripped each other stiffly as he started to thrust in and out of you. As he did so, your other hand clawed at his back.

Where it had been silent before, your room now seemed like a concert of lewd noises. Zayne's grunts, your mewls, the wet sound of your bodies slamming together repeatedly...it was all so disgustingly beautiful.

Though your eyes were shut, you could feel Zayne's sticky forehead against your temple. The grip he had on your hand intensified, and the rapid, hot breaths from his mouth collided with your neck. Shamefully fast, you felt the familiar feeling of your impending climax, and you couldn't help but wonder if Zayne could, too.

"You..." Zayne panted, pulling himself out of you before slamming back in, all the way up to the base of his cock. "Already?"

You scoffed, opening your eyes to look at him, chastising yourself for thinking he was anything other than observant.

"You do things...to me too, you know?"

Zayne groaned, almost animalistic in the way that it sounded.

You licked your swollen lips, the moisture temporarily aiding in the chapped sensation you had been feeling.

"I want to feel it...I want you to look at me."

Zayne withdrew his hand from yours and instead grabbed your chin roughly. He then turned it, so that you were facing him completely.

"You are doing so well..."

For some reason, you fixated on the sweat that was flowing down the side of Zayne's face, dripping from his soaking wet hair. A few drops of it landed on your cheeks, but Zayne's increasingly harsh thrusts made them run down to your neck.

He kept a grip on your chin and began sucking on the skin where his sweat had pooled against a divot in your neck. It was with such force, you knew there would be a purple bruise there the next morning. The thought of others being able to see the evidence of the filthy night you had with Zayne was enough to send you over the edge for the second time.

Zayne felt you begin to tense up, and knowing what was coming and that he would not be able to stop himself from climaxing inside of you if he remained there, he begrudgingly removed himself just in time.

His warm cum splattered harshly against your pulsing core, and he couldn't help but watch as it did. The sight of you so utterly spent and covered in his seed was enough to make him collapse next to you.

This time, the silence in the room seemed ridiculously loud. It smelled completely of sex, and you knew you would have to wash your bedding tomorrow.

But you also couldn't help but feel completely at ease. That was the closest you could have ever hoped to be to the man you loved.

Love...what a word, right?

Part of you wanted to proclaim it right then and there. Though the other part of you was content with the silence, laying next to the second half of your somewhat broken soul.

It felt complete. You felt complete. And you hoped he did too.

You'd have to thank Richard if you ever saw him again.

[babybearnation]

Alpha driver!male reader (i headcannon that you get ur first rut/heat at like 13ish till then you smell like milk) who while being an alpha most of his life (reader is around 27) has only had one rut and that was his first one, charles(omega) lando(omega) and oscar(alpha) are concerned when reader goes into a rut and he literally can't think in a staight line (like eyes blank and no thoughts, Except him moving his hips into a pillow) and is in alot of pain when not touching atleast two of them, they take reader to a doctor they give him something while there so he's atleast coherent for an hour which leads to him explaining to the doc that this is in fact his second ever rut he's had in his life, after the doc get the info he tell lestappiatri that they need to help him if they want him to survive since most similar cases don't make it even with two partners, it ends up with them having an entire 2 weeks where 2 of them are fucking helping reader and the other is taking a break or getting them all food whenis slightly more coherent and able to eat (though those times don't last long before reader's begging to fuck or be fucked)

🥺🥺🥺

–🍑

apologies in advance, i have a feeling this is gonna be bad

omega!charles leclerc x omega!lando norris x male!alpha!reader x alpha!oscar piastri

cw: suggestive

you'd presented as an alpha at the normal age but, unlike normal, that very first rut was the only you'd had for about ten years

you were dating two lovely omegas as well as a wonderful alpha, but because of how new your relationship was, it took a while for your three boyfriends to realise that you didn't have ruts

until you fall into your second rut ever and your boyfriends rapidly learn the truth

luckily, it was very shortly after all the drivers were given free time for the off-season so you weren't being a potential inconvenience

charles, oscar & lando aren't sure what to do, watching you rut blank-eyed and mindless into a pillow over and over in a way that make oscar's unswelled knot twitch in pain

you always hissed when left with one or none of them in the room with you, so they took turns leaving to get things for you

after speaking to and arranging for a doctor to come over, charles tries to offer his body to you but you couldn't move to do anything about it and ultimately, charles backed off

the doctor comes over and gives you something to clear your rut for a small period of time

he asks you questions and charles, lando & oscar are horrified to discover that this was only your second rut

in an almost nightmarish situation, the doctor told you that you would need all three of your boyfriends help to have even a chance of avoiding falling really sick once your rut faded

the doctor prescribes you a rut-supporting medication before leaving, clearly aware that the momentary rut-supressing meds are about to wear off in only a handful of minutes

charles, lando & oscar aren't sure what's going to happen to you now but they take the remaining minutes of you being aware to get you to drink some water and eat a few slices of toast, concern evident in their voices and gazes

once the meds had fully worn off, however, you were insatiable all over again, falling back against the sheets and touching yourself over and over until lando nudged your hand away and sunk down on your cock himself, providing you that sweet, sweet relief you needed

charles leaned forward and kissed you, guiding your fingers to his slick hole, hoping it would help as well

oscar decides to play with your chest, wanting to be involved but not entirely sure what else he could do to bring you pleasure

neither of them were sure how long this would go on for but they were willing to get through it all with you because they loved you and couldn't understand how horrifying a situation like this must be to experience

and get through it they did because, before long, your rut finally passed and you were a coherent, yet very apologetic, alpha once more

your three boyfriends were instantly comforting you, promising that it was okay and hopefully, with the new medication, you'd fall into a steady rut rhythm

and you did! the medication timed your rut with lando's heat, that way you never went into it during the f1 on season

© all rights to babybearnation 2025.

[cece693]

Could I request a doctor reader with Mathew Brown from Hannibal

after will abandoned him he was placed into the same hospital he once worked at and transfers his devotion and obsession onto his new doctor ( which they don’t reciprocate but he is determined to make them see the truth . He won’t fail again

I Won't Fail Again

pairing: matthew brown x male reader tags: Matthew needs help, but he's a good guy, well kinda, mentions of will and how he dumped his ass, creepy if this occurred in real life, open ended, this takes place over multiple sessions explaining the many line breaks

Matthew Brown had once devoted himself wholly to Will Graham. It was a devotion born of fixation and admiration, a strange, electric faith in Will’s innocence and cause. But that faith had failed him—Will had abandoned him in the end, leaving Matthew alone with the ruins of that intense purpose.

Legally, psychiatrically, he was considered too unstable to be in a conventional prison. But those who saw madness where Matthew saw clarity found it easier to send him to the very same hospital he’d once worked at. The irony chafed at him: how he’d worn these halls in uniform, how he’d walked among patients with a sense of authority. Now he was one of them—a patient in the place he used to think he controlled.

Matthew’s new doctor spoke in measured tones and wore his well-pressed suits like a shield. Something about your composed manner and unwavering voice snatched Matthew’s devotion before he even realized it. He started to watch you the way he used to watch Will, with an unnerving intensity that left the staff uneasy.

At first, Matthew tried to be subtle. He’d never been patient with these feelings, but he understood the delicate nature of coaxing truth from people who refused to see it. He studied your routine: when you arrived, how long you lingered over your notes, what you ordered from the vending machine during your mid-afternoon slump. The man was so carefully, elegantly boring that it fascinated Matthew. He found a new anchor for his once-directionless faith.

They met in a consultation room with a small table and two chairs. “Mr. Brown,” You greeted in a quiet, authoritative voice. “I understand you used to work in this hospital.”

“I did,” Matthew replied, drawing out each syllable to watch for any reaction and was rewarded by your shifting in your seat and adjustment to the cuffs that latched around your wrists. “People here never appreciated what I did for them. They questioned my methods. But I was always correct in my observations.”

You nodded politely, your eyes skimming Matthew’s file. “You worked with Will Graham, an FBI profiler.”

“Yes,” Matthew’s voice caught. “I believed in him. I still do, though he left me behind.”

“And now, you’re here.” Your tone remained unwavering, though Matthew could feel the slight tension in the line of your shoulders.

“Now I’m here,” Matthew echoed softly, leaning forward. “So are you. And you matter.” You blinked, betraying a flicker of confusion. To Matthew, that confusion was like a flash of lightning in the dark. He’d glimpsed a crack in your armor.

The nights were endless, fluorescent-lit intervals broken by head checks and medication calls. Matthew forced his eyes open to watch the corridor’s watery reflections dance through the glass panel in his door. In those quiet hours, he replayed each session, searching for some sign of your needs—some place where fear might be peeled back to reveal the truth beneath. He wrote letters he was never allowed to send, letters scrawled in the margins of paper meant for therapy notes. He does not see what is in front of him, he penned, sketching your profile from memory. But I won’t fail again. Not like before.

A part of Matthew still ached from Will’s desertion. That pain only hardened his resolve. You would see he wasn’t insane, or misguided, or broken. Matthew knew what was real, and you could be guided—he just needed time.

“There’s no reason you should trust me yet,” Matthew said, his voice steady, “but I promise you, what I’m telling you is important.”

You scrutinized Matthew’s pale face. “And what is it you believe so fervently now?”

“That there’s a higher understanding. We’re all looking at these petty illusions. The staff, they talk about me behind my back— but you? You see more.”

“I see a man who was obsessed once. I see a man who has trouble trusting others because he believes himself to be the only one who truly sees the truth.”

Matthew’s lips curved, halfway between amusement and resentment. “My last devotion was misplaced. This time, I won’t make that mistake.”

You tilted your head, measuring those words. “You must realize that I’m your doctor, Matthew, not your friend.”

“And Will was the FBI profiler, not my friend,” Matthew countered sharply, “yet I still believed. But belief alone isn’t always enough—we have to act.”

A hint of alarm flickered in your eyes. “That’s precisely what gets you into dangerous territory.”

Matthew exhaled a slow breath. “Danger is only a problem if you’re blind to it.”

Two weeks later, you discovered a piece of folded paper in your office, slipped under the door. It was a neatly drawn portrait of your face—perfectly proportioned, every line precise. Beneath it, in neat handwriting, was a single phrase: I see you.

You felt a chill prickle over your arms. You had no doubt who had left it. Matthew Brown was watched closely in his room, but hospital schedules weren’t bulletproof. At some point, Matthew had found a way to slip this note out. Or maybe he had an ally; or maybe he had manipulated the staff. You couldn’t tell. Either way, Matthew had decided to keep pressing.

Something clenched inside your chest. You’d heard stories about Brown’s past. You'd read the man’s file thoroughly—his unwavering conviction, his near-fanatic devotion to Will Graham. If that devotion had pivoted toward you now…you threw the paper away, ignoring the subtle quake in your hands.

During their next session, you looked down at your desk, deliberately avoiding Matthew’s penetrating gaze. But Matthew leaned forward, a serenity painting his face, as though he saw a door open in your guarded expression.

“They’ll never understand you the way I do,” Matthew said softly.

“This dynamic between us,” You answered, measuring every word, “is not about understanding on the same level. I’m here for your treatment, to help you cope, to—”

“Cope with reality?” Matthew cut in, smirking. “Whose reality? Yours? The staff’s? People blind to the evil that lurks? I was right before, you know. About Will. It was all part of a bigger design. No one believed me except him. But he left me behind, too. I won’t let that happen again. I’m better prepared. I see you for who you are.”

“And who am I?” You asked, voice trembling with more frustration than you intended.

“You are more than a doctor. You are a gatekeeper. But you don’t realize what you can open.” Matthew’s chains rattled softly as he stood—an abrupt, forced movement before the orderlies could push him back down. “I’m going to show you. I’ll make you see it.”

The orderlies pressed Matthew back into his chair, forcibly securing his wrists. But his voice cut through the hush, steady, still so certain:

“I won’t fail this time.”

You stood, turning away, every nerve on edge. Part of you wanted to run from that unwavering stare. But you had to stand your ground—you were the doctor, you reminded yourself. Matthew was the patient. That was the line. That was the truth.

Yet, as you closed the door on the session, you could still feel Matthew’s eyes boring through the narrow window. A part of you couldn’t shake the prickling sense that the boundary you thought so firm might just be one more illusion Matthew Brown was determined to shatter.

Days turned into weeks, but Matthew’s conviction never faded. He filled diary pages with sketches of you, of the hospital corridors, of the images in his head. His rhetoric grew more certain each time he saw you—no grandstanding, no pleas for acceptance, just calm belief that you'd one day stand at the threshold of truth and see as Matthew did.

Outside, the hospital staff whispered about transferring Matthew to an even more secure unit. You found those whispers comforting, and yet a strange tension resided within you. You weren't supposed to feel unnerved. But a single look from Matthew across the corridor, or a note slipped under you door, reminded you that devotion—obsession—had a power all its own.

And Matthew? He’d quietly vow, over and over, behind that door with its little window, “I won’t fail again.” Because he had found a new clarity, a new mission, and a new center of gravity in you. He would not let this devotion slip through his fingers.

[universefcb]

↬❥ "I'm here.."

Pau Cubarsí x Barça!Fem!Reader.

sy: You are a player for the Barça women's team, and you have a secret relationship, only a few employees knew about it. And one day, some players from the men's team went to watch the women's team play. But you end up getting badly hurt and Dad becomes desperate.

a/n: I accidentally missed the request for this order, a thousand apologies to whoever asked, but here it is! And sorry if there are mistakes, English is not my language.I hope this is what you asked for!

warnings: A little anguish, anxious reader, super protective Pau Cubarsí.

The game was intense. The Barça women were facing one of their biggest rivals Real Madrid, and she was focused as always. The team needed the win, and she played with fierce passion, not hesitating to chase every ball. Her energy was contagious, and even from the bench, her teammates shouted encouragement.

In the front row of the stands, the men’s team watched the game with interest, enjoying their day off. Pau Cubarsí was among them, seemingly calm, but anyone who knew him well would have noticed that his gaze followed her every move on the field. He didn’t show anything obvious—after all, no one could know about their relationship—but every time she fell, his heart skipped a beat.

“Y/n is getting a lot of attention, huh?” Yamal put his cell phone in his pocket.

“The game started ten minutes ago and she’s already playing with a fierce wolf.” Hector said smiling and watching y/n receive the ball and kick it to the side, falling at Ainata’s feet.

Pau felt a pang of jealousy in his chest and shifted uncomfortably on his seat.

“Lucky is her future boyfriend” Marc Guiu said making Cubarsí look at him, taking his attention away from the game.

And then, it happened.

Pau was startled by his friends' screams and turned his attention to the field, seeing his girl lying on the ground.

The ball had come high. Y/n jumped to head it, but at the same time, an opponent came with unnecessary force. The other player's elbow hit her head, making her lose her balance in the air. The fall was ugly.

The stadium was silent for a second, and then a disturbing murmur began to spread. The referee quickly blew his whistle, summoning the medics, while her teammates rushed to her side.

Dick feeling his stomach tighten.

Y/n slowly opened her eyes. Her head was throbbing, her vision blurred. She tried to get up, but as soon as she got to her knees, she felt something warm run down her face. When she touched her forehead, her fingers came away covered in blood.

And that's when the panic began.

She hated blood. She hated anything medical. She hated feeling like she was fighting in front of others.

“I’m fine,” she muttered quickly, refusing any help. She stood up on her own.

Her heart was beating fast. Her breathing was irregular, and her hands were shaking. The doctors tried to hold her down and carry her to the edge of the field, but she refused, not wanting to appear vulnerable.

“I need to get back to the game! I’m fine!” Her voice cut off at the end, and that’s when her eyes filled with tears.

She tried to return to the field, but the doctors got in front of her. Leaving her teammates worried and Pau completely nervous in the stands. Making her friends notice her uneasiness.

Her legs were weak, her head was spinning, but she kept trying to convince everyone that she could play. But no one believed it anymore.

The trainers exchanged worried glances. She was on the verge of collapse, refusing help, insisting that I needed to keep going. She let the pain take her, sitting on the floor.

They don't know what to do.

Until someone had an idea.

“Call the Dick...”

Pau was already on his feet before he even finished his sentence. As soon as he heard his name, he didn't think twice. He jumped over the barrier and ran towards her.

Leaving some of his friends confused and others with a smile of surprise.

“Love, look at me.” He said, after getting close to her.

His voice was low, but y/n heard it. And in the midst of the confusion in her mind, something clicked into place.

She blinked a few times, trying to focus her gaze. As soon as she saw Pau kneel in front of her, her racing heart gradually slowed down.

He gently touched her face, brushing away some of her bloody hair. He tried to clean the side of her face that was covered in blood.

“Breathe with me, okay? Slowly.” He drew in air and let it out slowly. She hesitated, but eventually followed suit. Her eyes were watery, her chest rising and falling too quickly.

“I know how bad this is..” He automatically ran his fingertips over his scar. “It’s going to be okay.

He whispered, leaving small kisses on her forehead.

“I… I have to go back…” the voice came out small, almost a sob.

“Not now, mi amor.” The way he said my love was so delicate that those who were closest heard it and were left open-mouthed. (MY LOVE)

Some of the men's players exchanged looks of surprise. Gavi almost choked on what he was drinking. Ferran Torres furrowed his eyebrows.

Y/n had never let anyone see her like this. But there she was—completely surrendered to him.

“I hate this,” she whispered, closing her eyes as another tear fell.

“I know, I know… But I’m here, okay?” Pau opened her hand slightly, pulling her closer. “Let the doctors take care of you, please. For me?

She bit her lip, still reluctant. But he lightly caressed her face and looked at her in that way that always made her give in.

And then, for the first time that night, she nodded slowly.

As the doctors treated the cut, she never let go of his hand. Pau held her tightly, taking his time, letting her calm down at her own pace.

The men's players remained in shock.

“Wait… They’re together?!” Balde muttered, trying to process what he saw.

“Cubarsí is a scoundrel!” Hector laughed, running his hand over his face. “I love that boy!”

“Worse than that, it makes sense,” Ferran replied, frowning.

“How did we never realize this?” Gavi whispered, still in disbelief.

But at that moment, neither Pau nor y/n cared who knew or not.

She was still dizzy, her head still throbbed, but when Pau helped her up he put one arm under her knees, and the other arm secured her behind her back. Carrying her away from the field and the shouting.

The game had been over for some time, and the men's team players were gathered in the locker room, still trying to process everything they had seen.

Gavi, still in disbelief, ran his hands over his face. “I just can’t believe this. Dick and Y/N?! This kid hid it really well!”

“And he really did hide it,” Random Bucket shook his head. “That quiet one… pretending he was innocent!”

“That explains a lot!” Ferran Torres commented. “The way he was always watching the women’s games more attentively than anyone else… The day he almost jumped off the bench because a woman marked him too hard… But my love was the best.”

Hector laughed. “MY LOVE! The guy announced his relationship in front of the entire stadium and we’ll only see it later!”

Before he could continue teasing, the locker room door opened and Pau entered with y/n, still visibly tense with a headband on. He looked at his friends and already knew that he would not have peace.

“Are you okay?” Yamal said before any jokes could start.

She let out a sigh of relief and nodded. “Yes, the doctors stitched up the cut and told me to rest.

“She didn’t want to go to the hospital, but…” Pau gave a small smile. “I convinced her.”

He gently grabbed her waist from behind, letting her rest her head on his chest.

The friends exchanged knowing looks.

“Convinci,” Marc Guiu repeated, arching an eyebrow. “What kind of convention are we talking about here, Cubarsí?”

Y/n felt her chest burn, slowly rising to her face.

The defender rolled his eyes, already anticipating a barrage of jokes. “The kind you don’t care about.”

“Ahhh, so that’s how it is, huh?” Gavi slumped down on the bench, pretending to be offended. “Months by your side and you never gave any hint that you were dating our future star?”

“Exactly,” Pau replied without hesitation, crossing his arms.

And getting a little laugh from y/n.

“Scoundrel.” Bucket laughed, pointing at him.

“You can’t trust a defender,” Ferran joked, shaking his head. “They’re too cold to even hide their relationship.”

Hector laughed. “At least now we know who will be the official brother-in-law of the locker room.”

Pau rolled his eyes, but couldn't help but smile a little. Deep down, he knew his friends were happy for him.

And he was so grateful to have y/n in his life.

[hunters-vigil]

The Archon's Baby - Chapter 21 - The War is Won

First Chapter Previous Chapter

Warnings: pregnant!reader, allusions to a panic attack, swearing, mentions of avoided death (Chuychu), Mavuika's impending death, talks of amputation injury and prosthetics, death of an NPC, inaccurate medical talk.

Fic under the cut, don't repost my stuff on other platforms, i have ao3. Reader is not the traveller. Reader's adoptive sisters are Chasca and Chuychu.

"Little one, they won… they won, they beat the abyss!" Chuychu nudged you, wincing as she tried to move over to hold you, your hands gently holding her arms, "little one, you need to breathe, crap, breathe!" Chuychu's hands were cold against your skin, trying to apply her cryo abilities to stabilise you.

"The sky is fake. The sky is fake, Chuychu! I thought it was just a rumour… if the sky is fake, what outside the sky are 'they' trying to hide?" you whispered, burying your face in Chuychu's neck to block out your panic.

"Hey, we're okay… ish… as okay as we can be." Chuychu looked down at her leg, a darkness shadowing over her face as regret tried to bubble in her stomach. If she hadn't gotten distracted, if she had seen it about to land near you all… she'd still have her foot, her ability to walk. But… you wouldn't have survived if she hadn't reacted…

"How long do you think it will take for someone to come find us?" you asked after a while, shuffling on your bum over to peek your head out of the cave, giving Chuychu a warning glare to stay put. The iktomisaurs stared at you as you looked out, one shuffling over to try keep you warm with their feathers, while another went closer to Chuychu.

"Depends on how long Ororon takes, but Chasca won't wait around for anyone to help her." Chuychu shrugged, raising an eyebrow as she eyed the iktomisaur trying to rest near her, "why?"

"I have to use the bathroom."

"Seriously?" Chuychu groaned as you grimaced, nodding and trying to stand up, but your body detested that motion immediately.

"Everyone's probably celebrating before the mourning and the rebuilding… fuck… stay there, stay awake, stay alive I'll be back…" you muttered, shuffling out of the cavern to find somewhere to sort yourself out. You didn't see that an iktomisaur was following you, or that the baby one had woken up, trying to follow after you too.

Chuychu's eyes began to flutter, exhaustion from the events of the war rushing over her. She had to admit, things would have been harder if she hadn't have rested so much, and if she didn't have her vision. The abyssal corrosion probably would have been her downfall…

"Chuychu? Chuychu! Wake up, sleepy head." She heard a voice as she began to stir, a whine escaping her lips as someone played with her braid.

Opening her eyes, her green irises met Chasca's blue ones, a soft but sad smile on her older sister's lips welcoming her as she woke up.

"…Chasca?" Chuychu whispered, reaching out to touch Chasca's face, her fingertips resting on her cheek, feeling the warmth of her skin.

She was there, she was alive. Chasca was alive, and so was Chuychu.

"Where's…"

"Citlali has her… they've been whispering to each other for a while now." Chasca explained, scooping Chuychu up in her arms after checking over her wounds. No doubt she would need medical attention, even if her vision had healed you both… but with her foot gone, maybe, Chuychu wanted a prosthetic? Xilonen had already offered her help in building one, with the input of the doctors, but it was Chuychu's choice.

"About what? Our sister having the archon's twins?" Chuychu grumbled, struggling to keep her eyes open, "or how Mavuika's going to die before they're even born?"

"She's what? Chuychu, now is not the time to go back to sleep!" Chasca huffed, but her little sister was fast asleep in her arms. Too much elemental energy used at once, along with the stress of the war taking a hit at her.

"We should get these two to the stadium. Mavuika's not going to want to leave this one alone once she sees her- you can lean on me, you know? It's not like I'm made of glass!" Citlali grumbled as she helped you walk, "Ororon, get over here and help!"

"Sorry granny!" Ororon shouted, hurrying over to move to your other side to help, having been distracted by the saurians who had been guarding you two.

///

Chuychu slept the entire way back to the stadium, Chasca carrying her in silence. Meanwhile, you were in a daze, listening to Ororon and Citlali talk, or more Citlali talk, and Ororon apologise. They eventually went quiet however, as a pair of strong arms picked you up, carrying you the rest of the way.

Her biker suit was smooth against your skin, your eyes fluttering open to take in her fiery hair, her sun-shaped earrings, her sunshine eyes… "Mavuika…"

"Where is Mayahuel?" Mavuika asked, only to receive a shake of the head. Mayahuel didn't make it. "We need doctors, and an obstetrician here, now."

"Right away, Archon." was all you heard, keeping your gaze on Mavuika as she nuzzled her face into your cheek.

"I thought you were dead…" her voice broke, "I thought I'd lost you, all three of you."

"We're okay… Chuychu's vision healed us. She overdid it with her injuries, but the ode brought her back, just in time." Raising your hand to touch Mavuika's face, your archon's face melted into a loving expression, one that only those closest to you had seen when she looked at you.

"Still… I need you and Chuychu given full check-ups, and the twins too." Mavuika pressed her lips to your forehead, gently resting you down on the bed, while Chasca did the same with Chuychu, a bit away, as everyone aimed to give their archon and her love their privacy.

"Ororon, where did you get that baby iktomisaur?" Citlali asked, folding her arms as the baby saurian squealed, jumping out of Ororon's arms to try get to you.

"Oh, it's you! You followed us here? But you were with those adult iktomisaurs?" You tried to reach out to the baby, who was on the floor, jumping up to try reach you too. Mavuika raised an eyebrow, scooping up the iktomisaur who tensed up in the archon's arms, but let out a chirp as she was deposited on the bed next to you.

"Do I ask?" Mavuika raised an eyebrow, looking to your sisters, but Chuychu was being looked over by a doctor for her injuries, especially with her blood loss… she might need a transfusion, but the doctors would sort that out.

"Oh, you seem to be her favourite." Ororon realised, before Citlali ushered him away, saying they'd see you soon, but they needed to return to the Masters of the Night-Wind to clean up any remaining abyssal forces.

"Well, it's a good thing I have some saurian treats back at the Speaker's Chamber then, isn't it?" Mavuika chuckled, one hand cupping your cheek, while the other was offered to the baby saurian, who stared at her hand before allowing Mavuika to pet her.

"Archon, you called for an obstetrician?" someone walked over, pulling around the make-shift curtains to cover the space.

"Yes. Mayahuel was handling our case, due to the circumstances…" Mavuika explained, stroking your cheek as you zoned out, only giving basic answers until you were given an ultrasound. Blood pressure, heartrate, only Mavuika processed all of it, making a mental note that the abyss would pay for the stress it had caused you. If Chuychu hadn't been trying to actively heal you both constantly…

Your eyes shifted into focus as you looked at the screen, listening to the heartbeats carefully as you waited.

"Strong heartbeats, measuring at fifteen weeks… your twins are doing well, Archon."

Mavuika raised an eyebrow, electing to ignore how the update was directed at her, instead choosing to watch the relief wash over your face, how your body relaxed and a tired smile appeared. (You definitely wanted a second opinion though, the lack of details surrounding your twins bugging you much later when you returned from your dazed state).

Eventually, the obstetrician left, having deemed you a course of treatment involving bed rest, healthy foods, and multiple other things that Mavuika kept a note of, while you hid your glassy eyes in the baby iktomisaur's fur.

"My love?" Mavuika whispered, trying to coax you into talking, a hand hovering over your exposed bump, hesitant to touch.

"Don't just leave… when it comes to your sacrifice, please come and say goodbye first. I don't know what I'd do if I woke up and found out you were gone. Please, Mavuika…" you reached out, bringing her hand to rest, while your other hand gently petted the baby saurian who stared down at you with worried eyes.

"Of course. I could never just… I will announce to everyone when the Traveller and I depart for the final battle against the abyss. I will find you, I promise." Mavuika nodded, schooling her expression while you hid yours. Hiding how your heart fluttered at the mention of the Traveller going with Mavuika. After what Citlali said, maybe Mavuika's fate could be changed for the better…