#it sounds like it should be really treatable

[residentrookie]

karma coming back around for seconds

summary: regulus survived a car accident just for his injuries to result in crippling sciatic nerve pain. james, his physical therapist and husband, helps him through it; 1998 words, married jegulus hurt/comfort, physical therapist/patient // part 2! & part 3!

“James?” 

It takes a moment for his husband to respond. “Yeah?” he calls, his voice is muffled and far off sounding. He must be in the basement.

“It’s happening again!” 

Regulus’ eyes are squeezed shut but he hears the heavy thud of fast footsteps racing up the stairs. The sound changes once he hits the hardwood of their kitchen and Regulus breathes a little easier knowing he’s close. That he can help or at the very least be with him while his body turns against him so completely.

“Where?” James demands, coming up behind him, his hands settling on Regulus’ shoulders. His touch is familiar as always, but his tone is professional— he’s got his work voice on, the one that Regulus used to think was attractive until he became one of James’ patients himself and stopped finding it quite so charming. 

Still, James’ voice will never not be a sound he doesn’t love. 

“My— hip,” Regulus gasps as the pain amps up another degree. “The right one.” 

James’ hand travels to the area, squeezing lightly. “Here?” 

Regulus can only bite his lip and nod. 

“When did it start?” James asks and his fingers sink deeper into flesh just beneath his hip bone, making him wince.

“It, um. It hurt when I woke up this morning. I think I slept in the same position for too long, I don’t know. It was just sore at first, but now—” he can’t help the muffled cry that leaves his lips. Only pain can lower his defenses like this. He fucking hates it. He hates how weak this has made him. 

James, all business, makes no comment on his slip. “Would you describe the pain as a low, dull throb or white hot stabs?” 

“White hot,” Regulus hisses, leaning further over the sink as his fingers grip the edges. “Poker. Stabbing me.” 

And then James’ fingers dig into the muscle so deeply Regulus actually yells out loud. He slaps a hand on the granite counter, turning on James. “Whatever the fuck you’re doing hurts worse, you dick!” he seethes at his husband, who to his credit, doesn’t even flinch. 

Throughout this process, Regulus has called him much worse. 

But it’s not fair, really, that this job should fall on James at all. Initially, Regulus wanted a different physical therapist— one he wasn’t married to and didn’t sleep with and didn’t love with his whole fucking heart. But James couldn’t exactly help that he was the best at his job. And in addition to that, he had the advantage of knowing Regulus’ body intimately. If anyone was going to help him heal physically, it was the same person who’d helped him heal in every other aspect long before the accident. 

“I’m sorry,” Regulus pants, turning back around and hanging his head tiredly. “I’m sorry, baby, I didn’t mean it. It just fucking hurts.” 

James’ lips press softly against his neck, just below his hairline. “I know. I know it does.” 

After Regulus’ car was hit from behind by a drunk driver doing 90 in a 45, all he knew for the longest time was pain in varying degrees. The sting of needles constantly going in and out of his arms. The ache in his lower back, dulled by drugs so strong they robbed him of most of his faculties for weeks. The sharp stabbing pains from the surgery scars that pulled every time he moved. 

The look on his husband’s face every time he saw him, knowing there wasn’t a single thing he could do to make all that pain go away. 

Regulus had healed— slowly, but surely. The pain became more palatable. Treatable. He started walking again, managing longer distances than the length of the hospital hallways. When the doctors deemed him ready, he started physical therapy with his husband, as wary as he was by that prospect. James was a doting, affectionate and loving husband, but hard, ruthless bastard of a physical therapist. Still, he was damn good at his job. And for a time, things started to get better. They started to get so good, so close to even a semblance of normal, that Regulus made the mistake of letting down his guard. 

The sciatic nerve pain that started a few weeks ago was a kind of pain Regulus didn’t feel he deserved. As if the car accident wasn’t enough. As if karma was coming back around for seconds. 

The doctors had the audacity to tell him that this sort of thing was normal for lower back injury cases like his. They informed him that pain like this sometimes developed over time, and in some cases, never went away. And the best thing about sciatic nerve pain? If the case was critical enough, if the nerves were damaged enough, there was no known cure for it.

Regulus’ case was deemed critical. 

“Can you rate it for me, please?” James murmurs softly. “The pain?” 

So far, Regulus has experienced sciatica as low as a 2 and as high as an 8. But this…

“Nine,” he whines. Another wave of pain hits and for a moment he sees white behind his closed lids. “James, I can’t stand up anymore. I can’t, it hurts—” 

His legs give out as the pain shoots from his hip and burns its way down the back of his thigh. James catches him before he hits the ground, pulling him up and back against him, taking his pain-riddled body and holding it close. 

“I’ve got you,” James tells him. It’s an unnecessary reassurance. Regulus has always known that much. 

When Regulus had come home from the hospital, they’d made the decision to relocate their bedroom from the master upstairs to the guest room on the main floor. As James carries him towards their room, Regulus has the brief reassurance that at least James doesn’t have to haul him all the way up the stairs. If James was carrying anyone up the stairs, Regulus didn’t want it to be him— he’d much rather prefer standing contentedly at the bottom of the steps, enjoying the view. 

James lays him down gently on their bed before vanishing from the room again. Moaning, Regulus turns on his good side. 

“Can you bring me my pills, please?” Regulus shouts. He hates taking them, but he keeps them around for times like these where the pain is too intense for him to care. 

“What have you had to eat today?” James asks as he comes back in, carrying a few items that Regulus can’t quite decipher in the dim light. 

When he doesn’t immediately answer, James presses him again. “Reg? Have you eaten?” 

“I was making breakfast when…” he sucks in a breath. “No. I haven’t eaten.” 

“Do you feel like eating now?” 

Regulus opens his eyes to glare up at him. “Do you feel like cleaning vomit off the floor?” 

“Not particularly,” James responds mildly, which makes Regulus feel instantly guilty. “If you haven’t eaten I can’t give you painkillers that strong. This will have to do for now.” He grabs Regulus’ hand and deposits two Advils in his palm, then holds a glass of water in front of his face. Regulus pops them in his mouth and takes a gulp before settling back down with a groan. “You can take more in a few hours.” 

“‘S not gonna do shit,” Regulus grumbles petulantly. James ignores him.

“I’m gonna flip you on your stomach. Ready?” Regulus doesn’t get the chance to respond before he does so, which briefly makes him wonder why James even asked in the first place. The movement doesn’t make him hurt any worse, so he decides to let it go. 

“I need access to the pain point, so I’ll have to slide off your shorts and underwear, okay?” 

“Is my husband seriously asking my permission to take off my pants?”  Regulus snarks into the pillows.

“Consent is a beautiful thing, dickhead,” James snarks back, for the first time sounding like his real, non-professional self. “Plus, it’s habit. I’m used to talking this way with my patients.” 

“Of which I am one,” Regulus points out. “But you don’t do a lot of home visits asking to take off your patient’s pants, I’m guessing.” 

“Only my favorites,” James replies easily and Regulus almost laughs. He feels his shorts disappear first and then his underwear. 

There’s nothing sexual about James’ capable touch, but the warm hands roving over his hips still makes him shiver. 

“Is it still just your right hip?” James asks him, exploring the area gently. 

“Mm it’s migrating down. The whole back of my leg now.” 

“Alright.” James’ hands disappear briefly and Regulus hears a bottle cap open nearby before closing again. “This is going to feel cold, but try not to tense up,” James warns him before his hands return, this time coated in a cool sort of gel. 

Despite James’ warning, he does tense at the chill and is rewarded with a sharp stab of pain shooting down his leg. But as James’ fingers return to the pain point, as he’d called it earlier, Regulus feels his heart rate spike with fear.

“James, I’m serious. Whatever you did in the kitchen really did hurt, so please don’t—” 

“Regulus, listen to me. A deep tissue massage will ease the pain, I promise you. I wouldn’t put you through this if I didn’t know what I was talking about.” 

Ridiculously, Regulus feels hot tears fill his eyes. The rational part of his brain knows that James is the expert here. He knows that James would never, ever do anything to hurt him that wasn’t going to help him in the long run. But right now, all Regulus can think about is his own pain. And the thought of James being the one to deliver it makes him frantic in a way that isn’t rational at all. 

“I just want it to stop,” Regulus says miserably, choking on the words. 

James leans down, placing a kiss on his hot, wet cheek. “I’ll make it go away, baby. Trust me,” James pleads softly. “Just trust me.” 

Regulus would be lying if he said it didn’t hurt. It hurt like a motherfucker. It hurt so bad, Regulus screamed and begged and cried for breaks. But between each one, he felt the stabbing sensation dull to a low, pulsing ache. James’ strong hands were no match for the pain that lived just beneath the surface of his skin. 

By the time James is through, he feels almost boneless, limbs sagging from exhaustion and relief. James had turned him on his side and shoved a pillow between his knees, claiming the position was best for sciatica. 

Distantly, he hears the water running in their sink— likely James getting off the remaining traces of Icy-Hot from his fingers. Regulus doesn’t bother opening his eyes as he walks back in, so close to falling asleep now, there’s no point in fighting it. 

“James?” he slurs tiredly. “Come to bed.” 

It doesn’t matter that it’s morning still and they technically have no right to be napping so soon after waking up. 

“In a second,” James promises. “I have to strap an ice pack to your ass first and then I’ll be right there.” 

“So presumptuous of you,” Regulus tuts. “Talking to your patients like that.” 

“I thought my husband wanted me to be less professional.” 

“Your husband wants you to come cuddle him after you tortured him for thirty straight minutes,” Regulus replies. Then, feeling guilty for being so harsh, tacks on, “Also he loves you very much.” 

James huffs a laugh and Regulus cracks open an eye to see him approach, his eyes warm and familiar and belonging entirely to the man he married. “I love you too.” 

“Enough to leave off strapping the freezing cold ice pack to my ass?” Regulus asks hopefully. 

James, damn him, just shakes his head regretfully. “Afraid not, husband.”

[derinthescarletpescatarian]

Hi,

There's a stray cat (very friendly, no collar or anything) wandering our street and he's very skinny so we were thinking of trying to put out food for him and hopefully in a couple months take him in (or at least bring him to a vet to be neutered and released if not).

I was wondering if you had any advice / stuff to watch out for from your experience taking care of Diesel?

Not really. Cats that are socialised young enough are generally pretty easy to bribe with food over time, in my experience; if he's friendly, he should fall in love with you pretty quickly. (Cats that are unsocialised young will very occasionally socialise themselves but are almost always a waste of time, but it sounds like he's been socialised so you shouldn't have problems).

Don't touch him before he wants you to unless there's some kind of emergency (in which case, use a cat trap, but if there's no emergency don't bother); that's a great way to make him wary of you and also get bitten by his horrible plague mouth (cat bites are very prone to infection). Cats are generally easy beasts to deal with if you respect their autonomy and their personal space.

If he's outside and starving, he might have various fleas, internal parasites, and other minor but treatable health problems. Cats are particularly prone to a variety of worms, as well as eye infections. Your vet will tell you how to deal with these, and explain to you how to give him a dewormer and bathe him if he needs bathing (most cats don't ever need bathing, but if he's young and filthy he might need one when you take him in.)

Most socialised cats like to sleep inside where it is safe and warm, so if you feed him for a bit then there's a really good chance that you can just open the door one day and let him into your house. This is especially likely if he's lived in a house before. Some socialised cats who have secure lodgings already in some drainpipe or basement or something will avoid this, but in the vast majority of cases a friendly cat will happily just come inside. So you shouldn't have any trouble "catching" him, unless you have other cats or dogs in there that he might want to avoid.

The one thing that I would warn of is that most outdoor cats I've dealt with have had some level of PTSD. When Diesel started hanging out with me I had to watch him carefully to learn what sorts of things would make him panic (sudden movements or approaching him from specific angles, touching him when he is asleep), and what sorts of things triggered his hypervigilance and put him on high alert. The triggers are different for different cats; some hate enclosed spaces or heights (things that most cats love), or won't eat without somebody standing guard, or need to be able to see the door to the room at all times. These quirks are generally not hard to deal with; just don't do stuff to your cat that upsets them (unless you have to, like for medical reasons) and you'll be fine.

If you want information on anything complicated that shows up with him (unlikely; cats are generally very easy beasts to deal with), there's a wealth of great information from cat fosterers and rescuers on youtube.

[iwritefandomimagines]

DO NOT TOUCH— NURSE MATT PEARSON

masterlist pinned to profile! (link broken rn)

pairing: matt pearson x nurse!reader

description: when matt contracts the plague, of all things, you’re quick to offer to care for him. and maybe end up making your feelings for him obvious.

tags/warnings: soft fluffiness and awkward cuteness ! friends to lovers, plague mention obviously, nothing else I can think of

author’s note: listen if i have to be the first to write a matt pearson x reader, then i absolutely will and i absolutely have !!! i hope you enjoy, sorry if it’s a lil ooc and not amazing i just had the idea and ran with it. PLEASE let me know what you think (and if you haven’t watched st denis medical yet … DOOOO IT)

———

“Just the plague, no biggie.”

You round the corner at the sound of these words, eyes blowing wide at the sight of Matt Pearson — fellow nurse and object of your affection for as long as you can remember — all patched up.

You’d just come over specifically to check on him after Serena had texted you what happened.

You’d been working on another wing for the day, helping out in an understaffed department that you’d previously worked in and had plenty of experience in.

You were reluctant to be away from your favourite team of nurses, but duty called — and of course you missed an eventful day.

What you hadn’t expected was to find that Matt had contracted the bubonic plague from a loose cat in the hospital and that you’d end up rushing to find him at the end of your shift.

“I’m away for one day shift and you manage to get the plague, Matty,” you tut, your gaze soft as you take a small step towards him, “Are you okay? How’re you feeling? You should be lying down!”

His heart warms at your concern, but he fiddles with the chain around his neck and sends a reassuring smile your way, “Oh I’m fine. Like I said, it’s just the plague. I’ll be—I’ll be alright. It’s totally treatable these days, y’know.”

You shake your head at his stubbornness, reaching out to touch him until his hands fly up to warn you away, “I’m kinda labelled ‘Plague patient, do not touch’ right now. Not that I wouldn’t really like you to touch me— oh not like that. Uh—,”

You can’t help but chuckle at his awkward rambling, no stranger to his tendency to get flustered by you.

You couldn’t really mock, given that you too often got flushed when he made little jokes or got closer to you than usual.

“I know, it’s okay,” you cooed, “But I’ll ignore that if you’re not going to take care of yourself. Plus, I’ve got gloves. Never mind that though, are you feeling okay? What symptoms have you got?”

He sighs softly, shaking his head, “I am taking care of myself— I might not even have the plague, it’s just—well, likely. And I’m fine! I feel fine! Good, now, actually.”

Behind you, Serena scoffs and folds her arms over her chest, “I wonder why.”

You turn to give her a pointed look and she raises her hands in surrender, as Ron just shrugs in agreement with her and Matt’s face turns cherry red.

“What, I’m happy to see my frieeend,” the way he overemphasises and elongates the word friend makes Ron and Serena unable to contain their laughter, and he huffs, falling silent again.

You shoo the other two away, mumbling that you should give him a check over — naturally receiving chuckled out responses of “oh I bet he’d like that” and other similar jokes.

Rolling your eyes, you snap your gloves on and smooth down your apron, “I was so worried when I got here and they told me what happened. You did a good job, even if you have ended up a plague patient.”

The praise makes him feel all gooey inside, and the look on his face as he receives it makes you feel all gooey inside too.

He shrugs, “Yeah, things don’t run so smoothly round here without you.”

The sweet comment makes your heart swell, and you notice he’s toying with his necklace again — and despite having never seen him wear one before, you take it as a tell of his nervousness.

You reach down to touch it, barely thinking about the action, and you feel his body tense at your touch as his hand falls away.

“I like this,” you hum, “It looks hot. Y’know, amongst all of your battle scars.”

Okay, you’d heard the others teasing him about it while you were walking over and wanted to make him feel better, but it still wasn’t a lie.

You did think it looked hot. Not that you ever thought he didn’t.

It’s a little harmless flirtation, but somehow his blush deepens even further and his hand flies back up to cover yours now in instant reaction.

“Oh, uh, thanks, it’s new,” he gulps, pretty brown eyes fluttering up at you as you bite your lip.

You let out a small giggle, “I figured, Matty. Think I’d have noticed it before. But yeah, I like it. It suits you.”

He’s quiet for a moment, mumbling a thank you and then leaning back in his chair a bit, “I promise I’m fine, you don’t need to worry about me. I’ll be going home with some antibiotics in like, 15 minutes.”

“Well I’ll come with you,” you say, as though that’s the most normal and logical thing to do, “I can take you home and I’ll make you some dinner or something. Just to make sure you rest up properly.”

He’s taken aback by the suggestion and you can tell, but his grin becomes wider than you think you’ve ever seen it, “You’d do that, for me?”

“Matty, I’d do anything for you,” it’s supposed to come out a little jokey, but you realise you sound deadly serious — because you really are, “No—I’ve just finished my shift so I may as well make sure you get home okay.”

He nods, the corner of his mouth quirked up because he can tell that you mean it and he’s trying insanely hard to quell his excitement.

“That’s so nice of you. I know you’d do it for anyone but I really appreciate it.”

You scoff, “You think I’d give up my evening of binging old New Girl episodes for just anyone?”

His face lights up, his hand still lingering on yours atop his collarbone until you both pull back and you stand back up straight.

His chest almost puffs out in pride at the notion you care enough about him — specifically him — that you want to take care of him when you don’t have any obligation to.

“You can—well we can watch New Girl together if you like?” he offers, “I’ve never, uh, seen it. But I might like it. Or it doesn’t matter as long as you do.”

You place a hand on your hip, about to scold him for having never watched New Girl, until you remember that this is Matt Pearson you’re talking to and he knows and has seen approximately two shows in time you’ve known him.

“Oh Matty, you’re about to have your life changed and your plague cured by the greatest sitcom of all time.”

When Matt is finally given clearance to leave, you’re immediately ushering him to your car, eyeing him through the rear view mirror as he silently gazes out the window like he can’t believe this is happening.

Well, probably because he can’t.

You stop off at the store for sick-day essentials, insisting that he neither comes with you nor gives you cash to pay for the groceries, and you return with a bag full of goodies and a warmth in your chest as Matt looks unsure what to do with himself in the wake of your kindness.

With his directions, you make it to his flat in little time and are quick to fuss about him getting in and comfortable and out of his scrubs.

“You really didn’t have to do this,” he sighs softly as he returns to the lounge in sweatpants and a plain black tee, “I could’ve managed but I’m really grateful you’re here.”

He hands you a bundle of clothes that you identify as another pair of sweatpants and a graphic tee with a cow on it, and you accept graciously as he suddenly looks stressed by his decision to give you them.

“Sorry I just thought that if, uh, you’re staying for a bit you might want something comfy.”

You beam reassuringly at him, “Matty it’s okay, I get it. Thank you, I’ll just go and changed and then I’ll get the soup on, yeah?”

He nods, and so you return a short while later in his sweats and carrying two bowls of freshly made soup and bread.

“You’re the best, Y/N,” his voice wavers a little bit, overwhelmed by you being here in his home and his clothes and, really, if he was totally honest, in his life, “I’m just—Just really grateful to have you. Lucky, even.”

You shake your head, “Matty, even if I’d not worked at all today I’d have come over to do this. I care about you… A lot.”

His brows raise inquisitively, hope glimmering in his features.

“I care about you too, and I’d have done the same for you… Though you’d never be stupid enough to get the plague at work,” he looks down, embarrassed.

You shake your head again, “You’re not stupid, accidents happen. Let’s get cosy, eat our food and watch some TV, shall we?”

He notes the way his sweatpants hang on your hips as you sway to his side and hand him a tray, and he finds himself gulping and nodding profusely.

You notice, and you think he notices that you notice, because at the sight of the subtle smirk on your face he looks down at his food and bites his lip.

You’re silent for the duration of the consumption of your food, save for a few mumbles of how delicious it was, and then New Girl is fired up on your Netflix account after ten minutes fumbling to log in and you’re both tucked up under blankets and locked in on Season 1 Episode 1 as you insist he needs to see it from the start.

Matt is inquisitive the entire time, and you get immense joy from introducing him to the characters and the plot and answer every question earnestly.

You lose track of time watching together, the comfortable ease of being curled up on his couch making you never want this evening to end.

But alas, it’s dark now and as another episode finishes you figure you should probably get out of his hair.

“You look tired, do you want me to turn this off and head off to let you get some sleep?” you ask reluctantly, watching his pretty eyes blink away sleep, “I can come check on you tomorrow, since I’m off.”

He shakes his head too rapidly at first, taking in a sharp breath as he tries not to look so upset at the notion.

He too doesn’t want this time and this closeness to end, and the thought of the absence of your warmth at his side makes him feel more ill than any stupid plague.

“No, no, one more episode please?” he pleads, and you’re not unaware of the way he tugs you a little closer to him with the blanket as he speaks.

You grin, “I’ve made a New Girl fan of you, huh?”

He doesn’t reply immediately, his features twisting into an expression you read as him being anxious. You saw it often enough at work.

“Can I, uh, be honest?”

“Always, Matty.”

“I just—I just like you being here. In my house and on my sofa and,” —gulp—, “In my clothes and, I don’t know… I just like spending time with you.”

Oh my god, you are certain that your heart might explode out of your ribcage at those words.

“You—uh—I,” you’re the one stuttering now, so you clear your throat before continuing, “I love spending time with you too… In your house, and clothes, and— Matty why do you think I ran from my station to see you?”

His eyes are twinkling and his hands are fumbling again with the chain dangling around his neck.

He’s silent as he takes everything that you have just said in, gazing so intently into your eyes that you wish you could bottle up this moment forever.

“Stay?”

“Tonight?”

“In an ideal world, forever,” Matt’s eyes blow wide at his own words, panicking at the intensity of what he’s just said, “No—uh—that’s a joke—yeah, tonight. If you want. I have a spare room.”

You’re smiling so sweetly at him that all panic dissipates immediately though.

You nod, “I’d like that. I can take better care of my plague patient if I’m just next door. As long as I’m not imposing.”

Matt shakes his head vigorously, “Never. If anything I feel like I’m holding you hostage.”

You laugh, rolling your eyes as he leans a little further forward.

You can’t help but watch the way his teeth pull his bottom lip between them, or his eyes twinkle across at you, and you can’t help but want to kiss him.

That thought is no surprise, given that you have it often.

“Never,” your voice is soft, and as his eyes flutter to your lips you wonder if the same thought crosses his mind, and you’re sure it does.

And then you’re reminded that he’s managed to contract the bubonic plague and you probably should keep a little more distance from him.

You stay still for a moment just watching each other, entirely unsure of what next move to make.

It’s you that breaks the silence when he yawns, “We should probably head to bed.”

He nods, disappointed but knowing you’re probably right.

He just doesn’t want his time with you this evening to end, because he fears it might all be a dream, “Yeah, sure. Sure. Bed.”

You both shuffle out from underneath the blanket, and so begins the quiet retreat towards the kitchen to get ready for bed.

It’s as though you’re both scared to speak, knowing the tension in the room had grown exponentially in the last ten minutes.

The two bedrooms in the flat sat directly opposite each other, and as you both reached to open your respective doors, you seemed to pause at the exact same moment.

“Y/N?”

His voice is quiet, as though he’s not at all sure of the words he plans to say.

“Matty?”

You hear him gulp, and debate turning around to face him as you wait to hear what he has to ask you.

“Did you—did you want to kiss me as much as I wanted to kiss you? Like—just now? Like if I wasn’t all plaguey and gross?”

There it is — the confirmation you needed to set your stomach aflutter with butterflies and your heart racing so fast you fear it can’t be contained in your ribcage.

You exhale, relief washing over you, “I did. Really badly.”

You both do turn around now, smiling cautiously at the weight of what this meant.

“Yay—I mean, good—I mean, uh, that’s good to know,” he looks down for a split second, shy under your gaze, before looking back up to hold it, “And you promise this isn’t the plague getting to my sanity? I’m not going to wake up and realise I imagined this and you actually think I’m insane?”

You chuckle.

“Matty, you’re not imagining anything. And I’ll be here in the morning to remind you that, okay?”

“Okay,” his smile is soft and his voice so shy that your heart swells, “Thank you. Goodnight, Y/N.”

“Good night, Matty. Sweet dreams.”

And knowing you were in such close proximity and with feelings that reciprocated his? Sweet dreams he had, indeed.

———

ok i think i hate this but you know what… it’s my first time writing matt and also i’ve not written much lately so feel a little rusty !!! let me know what you think <3

[nothorses]

Wait do most guys on t not 'get soaking wet'? I mean I've always 'overlubed' a bit, but but I've been on t a little while now and I feel like I get wetter now than I used to, which is saying a lot. Am I that abnormal?

I'd say it's abnormal in the sense that it's not the common experience, but I don't think that means you need to be concerned about it.

"Vaginal atrophy" means a lot of things, but essentially, it's the same thing that happens during menopause (which also means that resources for people experiencing menopause are often helpful to people with vaginas on testosterone HRT). The hormones that keep that tissue healthy are no longer present in the way they used to be, so the tissue is atrophying over time.

My personal experience has been that while my libido went up & I experience arousal more frequently/intensely, my body's physical response to arousal- lubrication & relaxation of pelvic muscles for easier penetration- is pretty significantly reduced, and takes a lot longer to happen to the degree that I need it to in order for penetration to be comfortable. i.e., I am dryer and tighter. I also have found that I'm dryer overall, and sometimes feel itchy because of that; a little lube helped me go about my day when it first started happening, now I don't really notice it.

During my last pap smear, my doctor noted minor redness, inflammation, and irritation, which she said was typical of folks on testosterone HRT & wasn't anything to worry about. The skin is more delicate and easier to irritate, and that's about all.

You might be experiencing some but not all of the symptoms of vaginal atrophy, or you might be experiencing them more mildly, or you might be early enough in the process that it hasn't been noticeable yet. If you feel like you're actually lubricating more than you used to before HRT, I would also wonder if maybe your libido is just higher? But I'm not a doctor, let alone your doctor, and I have no way of making a worthwhile guess here.

If you're getting the changes you went on T for, like... "vaginal atrophy" is not typically one of the desirable changes anyway, and unless you actively want that, you probably don't need to worry about it. You can and should talk to a doctor if you're feeling concerned about any of this at all, though- I'm just sharing my own personal experiences.

Also, for everyone reading this:

"Vaginal atrophy" can sound scary, but

It's normal and natural, and it happens to everyone with a vagina who gets old enough for menopause to start,

It's entirely- and easily!- treatable, and

It's a reversible effect of testosterone HRT, and things will return to normal given a little time should you ever choose to stop.

You might consider asking your doctor about topical estrogen cream if you want to reverse the effects of vaginal atrophy without interfering with your T. This is also a common treatment for folks who go through menopause.

There are lubes out there specifically for folks experiencing vaginal atrophy as well; they're designed not to irritate fragile skin, and they can be helpful if you're experiencing a stinging sensation during penetration with normal lube (though again, talk to your doctor!! Please!!)

And as a side note: some people who go on T experience cramping (a lot like menstrual cramps) after a few years, and you can also often treat this with topical estrogen cream. I had some pretty severe recurring cramping that went away after a few weeks using topical estrogen cream. If a doctor tries to tell you that the only way to stop this cramping is by getting a hysterectomy, I would consider researching topical estrogen cream and getting a second opinion.

And lastly:

Talk to you doctor!!

[absurdthirst]

I need advice. You’ve always steered my right before ♥️

I’m so conflicted. Apologies for the essay but i genuinely don’t know what to do.

So, for context, my brother and his partner split earlier in the year. He was living with my parents for a few months before they split because they were having issues. He basically reverted to a teenager. Couldn’t be bothered to see his kids and just wanted to online game all the time. Fast forward to end of Feb, he has a massive blowout with my family and moves back home. It then later transpired that he had been cheating for months prior to all this and his ex kicked him out.

He now lives with my mum (parents are split) and hasn’t spoken to my dad, my husband or I for months (hubby and I didn’t absolutely nothing wrong). He sent a text the day we had our son (after his ex told him to) but that’s it. Radio silence. Taken zero interest in our son. Doesn’t seem to care about any of us.

My husband and I have always been super supportive and have tried to be as present as we can in his kids lives (we do live 2 hours away). His ex has met the baby. Took several trains to come visit and it took her 3 hours but he still, 2 and a half months on, has not bothered to visit (he can also drive). We met his daughter at a month old and his son was a week old.

Now to what I need advise on.

My mum, who I have a strained relationship with as is for many reasons but mainly because we have never been her priority, has been diagnosed with very early breast cancer.

Its completely treatable and hasn’t spread so honestly the best case scenario… but obviously still stressful. One thing to know about my mum, shes a pathological liar and has always used situations to gain sympathy but she has cried wolf so many times it’s hard to believe her when she is telling the truth. She has lied about having cancer once before. She had a benign tumour removed… then changed her story later to say it was cancerous despite telling us initially it wasn’t. I know it is true this time though, only because a close family friend confirmed it.

However, its her birthday in September and she wants us all get together for lunch. As you can imagine I have very mixed feelings about this. As much as i understand she wants her family together, i don’t particularly want to spend an afternoon with my brother. Before this all happened i had told her that we will go but we won’t bring the baby if my brother doesn’t reach out first. She said she’d have a word with him but he still hasn’t.

She’s now trying to use this situation as a way to manipulate me into getting her way but I feel really strongly about him not being introduced to my baby until he demonstrates that he actually cares about him. I grew up feeling very unwanted by my mum and I don’t want that for my child. So I am still set on trying to get someone to take care of him if he still doesn’t reach out.

Am I being unreasonable here? My husband thinks I should just suck it up but I honestly don’t think he gets how hurt I am 😔

Nope. You aren’t required to bring your baby around a potentially toxic situation.

It sounds like your brother has the emotional maturity of a child and he knows he was wrong and refuses to own up to it. He’s too busy living his life how he sees fit.

Given that he’s had no interest in your family, you have no requirement to bring your baby around him. Your mother sounds great. Like my grandmother and I’ve lived less than 40 minutes from her for the past year and I’ve seen her one time. Only for her to lie about me and I’ve not spoken to her since.

You want to protect your child from the heartaches you lived through. There isn’t anything wrong with that.

Although, anon, I do advise you to perhaps speak to a therapist for the feelings from your childhood and for some tactics to set boundaries with your family and deal with their toxicity.

Congratulations on your baby! 💜

[thewickedbohemian]

Thoughts on a Brilliant Minds that felt like Valentine's Day in November (like how places do Christmas In July) and hit me really hard in the feels in a way that felt personal somehow (despite me being a-spec and not a gay man)

great transition into older young Oliver

you can tell they know what they did

nice little Spock motif shenanigans given who she is

I'm worried he's going to have to tell her he's gay

don't flatter yourself Jacob

good to see the show being sex-positive but don't be so sex-positive you miss the problem

speaking of positive I was expecting more awkward and more slow burn, that was fast (more Fleve parallels, they also didn't really slow-burn despite being the kind of procedural couple that normally would)

the girl gets around

I feel like this is reminiscent of some gay romcom

getting shades of Ramona Nowitzki

I'm with Nichols on the fork thing (but I actually have the excuse of low DEX Wolf accused him of)

tests negative so what's the answer

oh shit shit just got real

thankfully it went away on its own

hmm...the plot thickens

little gay romcom montage and I love that song

Ericka feeling really a bit like Annie did in Community S1E11

I was half expecting Van to walk by the window after Jacob

Dana sounding a bit like Garcia (in the way Jacob does Troy)

and how is Whitaker spelled

things just got weirder but at least she isn't that kind of stalkerdoodle

neurosyphilis, never heard of that but didn't expect the kind of weird disorder that'd be the diagnosis of the week to be that easily treatable

same dilemma all over again

obligatory shirtless Jacob in relevant discussion

Dana plays Catan and considers it on par with sex, I like her even more despite being a-spec so I can't compare

not in the elevator (and even though that's only kissing I'm hearing the "We Tapped That Ass All Over This House" song from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend in my mind)

bad timing mom

that was not the reaction Wolf was expecting

finding a compromise perhaps in parallel

expecting a "the talk" (and got confirmation it's Landon not Langdon, I swear her nameplate said Langdon the first time)

okay now things got a little weird (and I don't know if this means it's going to go back to slow, they're hitting a Fleve-esque speed bump or Nichols is really the one hiding hurt)

cue Wolf's Big Dramatic Monologue and mom getting a little bit Mother Gothel

not saying she was interested in her that way but didn't Allison's words to Pierce seem a little weird for a patient (even one with their history)

not the guy I was expecting at Ericka's door (and now I'm rotating the idea of future throuple around in my brain again)

you guys just talked about special food orders and watching Star Wars, don't get right to bed and let the food get cold (and what's the name of that needle drop, I can tell it had lyrics but the dialogue kinda drowned them out)

speed bump patched over and there goes "Heartbeats" again something something full circle something something loom of fate (and now whatever us Brilliant Minds fans call ourselves (as I don't know if we should use any term also used for characters like how Librarians fans call themselves LITs) have even more of an "iconic song" in the sense a lot of other fandoms have)

[reorientation]

Iv been scrolling get hornier and hornier.. it doesn’t help that I’m in denial.. no orgasm for me. I also think I am a lesbian but my mind doesn’t want to accept it. Iv tried so hard to accept it but it’s like I physically can’t. I have slept with men but most of the time I feel nothing, sure I’ll suck his cock because he asked or told me it would make him so happy and ofc I’ll swallow his cum but I’m just so tight in my cunt that my body refuses to have a dick in me. Guys have tried but they can only get the head in at the most! Iv been just so horny and feel my cunt feels so empty I bought a dildo which should come in like two days… it’s such a mindfuck.. like am I gay? Woman make me cum harder but there was one guy who made me cum so much but I never craved his dick in me we tried but it just didn’t go in.. idk what’s wrong with me?

-🦋

I'll be honest, this one's kind of all over the place from a kink perspective and I don't know what to do with it, so I'm just going to answer it honestly.

It sounds like you have vaginismus. It's not uncommon, and from what I understand pretty treatable with a combination of mental techniques (anxiety reduction, etc) and physical exercises (learning how to relax muscles, practicing a bit at a time with a vaginal dilator). You're not going to fix it by just trying really hard to have sex, though.

You might be a lesbian if you try to have sex with men a lot and usually don't feel anything, yeah, although maybe you're just really raising the stress level by focusing on attempted penetration. You might also be somewhere on the asexual spectrum: "I'm happy to please partners and can feel pleasure during sex, but don't really feel sexual desire towards people in real life" is a thing some people experience. Or you might just be having a bad time. It's complicated! Read Come As You Are or something if you want to try to figure it out.

Probably not what you were looking for, but hope it helps.

[seoblogging858]

Chris Pratt Talks Toenail Fungus—and We’re Here for It

Chris Pratt recently opened up about something unexpected—his struggle with toenail fungus. Yep, Star-Lord himself! While it might seem like a small issue, it’s something millions of people deal with. And guess what? You don’t have to deal with it alone.

At Grandville Foot and Ankle, we’ve seen it all—and we treat toenail fungus every day. Here's why Chris Pratt’s story matters, what toenail fungus really is, and how you can get help.

What Is Toenail Fungus? 🦠

Toenail fungus (aka onychomycosis) starts small—a little discoloration, maybe a brittle nail. But it doesn’t stop there. Over time, it can cause thick, crumbly, even painful nails. It’s super common, but it doesn’t have to stick around.

Why Chris Pratt’s Story Matters 💬

Chris shared that his fungus made him super self-conscious. No sandals. No barefoot time. Total embarrassment. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Even A-listers deal with it.

That’s why at Grandville Foot and Ankle, we’re all about breaking the stigma and getting real help to real people.

What Causes Toenail Fungus? 🤔

Walking barefoot in gyms or locker rooms

Sweaty feet + tight shoes

Poor foot hygiene

Weakened immune system or diabetes

Signs You Might Have It 👀

Yellow or brown nails

Thick or misshapen nails

Nails that smell weird

Pain or discomfort

If any of that sounds familiar, it’s time to check in with a pro.

How We Treat It at Grandville Foot and Ankle ⚕️

You’ve got options:

Topical Stuff

Tolnaftate, Clotrimazole – Over-the-counter creams

Tea Tree Oil – Natural and effective

Prescription Meds

Terbinafine, Itraconazole – Work from the inside out

Laser Therapy

Safe, fast, and no downtime. FDA-approved. Boom.

Prevent It

Antifungal sprays

Moisture-wicking socks

Clean shoes (we’ve got sprays for that too!)

Chris Pratt Helped Normalize This—And We’re Here for It 🙌

We’re so glad he shared his journey. Because honestly, it helps people realize they’re not alone. And toenail fungus? Totally treatable.

At Grandville Foot and Ankle, we offer real solutions. We listen, we care, and we’ve got the tools to get your nails back in shape.

FAQ Time! 📌

How long does treatment take?

Oral meds? 6–12 weeks. Laser? Even faster. Nail regrowth? A few months.

Can it come back?

Yes, if you don’t protect your feet. We’ll teach you how.

Is laser safe?

Totally. FDA-approved and non-invasive.

When should I see a doc?

If it hurts, spreads, or just won’t go away—come see us.

Final Thought 🌟

Chris Pratt made toenail fungus part of the conversation—and we’re proud to continue it. If you’re struggling with toenail issues, don’t wait. We’ve got everything you need to treat it right.

📍 Visit grandvillefootcare.com to schedule an appointment.

Your feet deserve expert care. Let Grandville Foot and Ankle help you feel confident again.

#FootHealth #ToenailFungus #ChrisPratt #PodiatryCare #HealthyFeet #GrandvilleFootAndAnkle #LaserTherapy #FeetFirst

[ducky531]

I love doing research for my ocs :3

So apparently this was a flop over on Cara (aka, I think that I jsut posted at a time that no one was on, so they didn't really notice the post, lol) so I'm posting it here because I really want you peeps to know how much love I actually put into making my ocs!

So, I've said on all of my platforms, all of my ocs do have disorders or medical issues in one way or another. And with each of these disorders, I actually do a thorough amount of research before I officially post the information. (And yes, Lee's info is actually out. I posted it up on my Wattpad. Just as an fyi, you will be a minute reading all of it. There's a lot, lol) So, I'm just going to jump right into things. Up first on the roster is their blood types. I know, I sound crazy, but surprisingly, there is some research that goes into the blood types I assign my ocs. It depends on if they have a blood disorder (such as Pandora and Tonta with their heart problems) or their personality traits. Yes, you heard- well, read- correctly. Their personality traits actually play a HUGE part into their blood types. There are studies out there that a few groups have done that proves certain blood types have generalized similarities in personality traits. In Lee's information, I have her listed as A- for her blood type because people with that blood type actually are very introverted people. They're independent to an extent and are very reserved. To those of you that have read up on her (or have followed her development since day one of me creating her-) you can't say that DOESN'T describe her.

I also do research into the names as well. Lee's full name is Lee Ganji, which when translated separately, her first name translate to 'meadow' while her last name translates to 'two beginnings'. This plays a huge part in her info since her own crew's name she was originally the captain of was the 'Meadow Pirates', and after she lost them she got recruited to Kidd's crew- hence the reasoning for her lasty name.

In the way of medical problems, Lee has VCD (Vocal Cord Dysfunction). This is actually something I have, and it is pretty common. Basically, it's a condition that mimics asthma but directly causes the vocal cords to flutter and cause breathing issues. No, it's not a birth defect/ something you're born with, and yes it is treatable through simple speech therapy (or other medical protocol/ therapy). A lot of the time, this can happen from basic things like coughing, your drink 'going down the wrong way', and multiple other reasons.

However in Lee's case, because she doesn't talk very much, VCD is something she's pretty much stuck with. Now for her information, I did make it a bit more dramatic and have it play into a lot of the reason she doesn't talk. Is it that intense in reality? No, not really. (Like I said, I have it, and I still run around like an unhinged maniac on days since sitting still isn't an option, lol. All it does is effect your breathing mostly.) (I've also recently found out that vcd does occur more commonly in women than men, and even more so with women that has phycological problems. Unfortunately, this is also accurate to Lee's info since she does suffer with survivor's guilt.)

As for Pandora and her son, Tonta, their medical condition is quite…unique. And yes, this is also an actual thing. So, getting into their info, Pandora and Tonta were both born with their hearts on the right side of their chest instead of the left. This is a lot of the reason as to why Pandora has multiple scars on the left side of her where her heart 'should' be.

In reality, less than 1% of people in the world actually have this, and unfortunately, this does come with quite a few health risks. (How wouldn't it? Your body basically decided to play Yahtzee with your insides and mixed everything up. Of course there's going to be major repercussions with it.) The official name for this is 'dextrocardia'. And one of the main side effects that go along with this is 'Pallor'. To sum this up, this is a condition where the skin appears paler than normal. This actually has a lot to do with Pandora's appearance. While Tonta doesn't have it, Pandora does because 1. There are a few female problems that do tie into Pallor, and 2. She is the main and first family member to have dextrocardia. Hence the reason it's a lot stronger with her than Tonta. Now, does that mean it's hereditary? No. Somehow Tonta ended up with the same problem by luck, not genetics. So, in other words, Tonta and Pandora have their hearts on the right side of them by pure coincidence, not by hereditary development. (Their family's curse, however? Now that's a different story entirely-)

As of currently, I am in the works of fleshing out Bernice's info since she's my favorite little gremlin bean. (But to be fair, I have too many videos I plan to make of memes for her and Thatch just sharing a brain cell, so as of currently I don't really have any medical conditions really thought out. I mean she does eventually take phycological at some point n her info (and it double dips in the canon timeline to One Piece with what happens to Thatch :( ) But I think that she'll actually be a perfectly healthy oc for once with no problems! :D

Ack, I'm glad that I finally got to share that in its entirety! >v<

Also! Since I am still holding out until the first of this year to grind out art, here are the pictures of each of my ocs in case you don't know who I'm babbling on about!

This is a WIP, but this is Lee (She is normally shipped with Heat on Kidd's crew.)

This is Bernice, She's a revolutionary, but eventually becomes an ally to Whitebeard's crew since she doesn't want to become a nurse or cook on the crew and wants to keep her ability to fight (She ate a devil fruit. of course she's gonna want to fight >:3)

The mean looking lady is Pandora, and the boy is her son. She's a Marine Admiral. She's neutral and humane with criminals. But if you even threaten to touch her son, civilian or criminal, Just know you'll be losing more of your arm than Shanks did to a sea king. (The woman's known for her strength with just her bare hands and has, in fact, ripped a man's arm clean off up to the shoulder joint after testing her :D)

[tennymariya]

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[tickldpnk8]

Listen folks, there’s really nothing like the comfort of a good fanfic after some of the shittiest news you can get. It’s so nice to be able to be able to bury yourself into fandom posts to take your mind off heavy thoughts. Thanks fandom fam.

[3mcwriting]

Check You Out

He was back again, Captain America.

Though that's not how you actually knew him. You knew him as the shy man that always said please and thank you when checking out his books. The man who would sit in the corner of the library, reading World War II books until you finally recommended some other types to him

He came often, at least 5 times a week always greeting you with a, "good evening, ma'am" or a, "how are you, miss?" Always waiting patiently for a response and smiling shyly at you.

And whenever he picked out a book he'd ask you if you had read it. Oftentimes, you had, but sometimes it would be a book you hadn't read and he would ask, "Well, if you'd like, ma'am, you can read it with me?" His voice would be unsure but always polite.

And on days when there weren't many people, you would accept, sitting with him at the window seat and flipping through the book. And the first time he forgot about his shyness was when your friendship was finally solidified.

He had been checking out a book about medicine.

"I'd like to check out this book, please."

"Of course, so you're interested in the medical field?" you asked him, scanning the book and handing it to him.

"Yes, ma'am, when I was younger we didn't have all this stuff and it's interesting. I had a couple of illnesses that weren't really treatable then and now they are so, it's amazing how much knowledge has been gained." He stopped, looking sheepish. “Sorry, I'll stop. You probably don’t want to hear me ramble.”

"What? No, don't stop. It's nice to see you so passionate about something. Normally you just sit in a corner and read your book, you're very reserved sometimes. Also, I think it’s an intriguing topic."

"Oh, are you interested in medicine too?"

"I'm actually in medical school right now, so, yeah, you could say that."

"Wow…” he breathed, looking awestruck. “That's amazing, so do you think..."

And you had spent the afternoon talking about the wonders of healing people. He was genuinely fascinated by it, seemingly in awe at the possibilities of how a person could heal others.

"So why do you come here?"

"Huh?” he asked, face screwed up in confusion.

"Well, this library is kind of out of the way and there are closer ones to Stark tower."

He gaped, making you laugh. "What? You think I didn't know you're Captain America? The shades and hood don't really hide you all that well."

"I just though since you didn't treat me any different than anyone else you didn't know." He looked embarassed.

"Well I assumed you didn't want to be, you came here to read just like anyone else here so why should I treat you different. But back to my question, why do you come to a library so out of the way?"

"I used to go to this library when I was younger," he said hesitantly.

You nodded. "Has it changed much?"

"Not really, everything is in the same place except the computer tables used to be just more bookshelves. Oh, and the lighting is new," he said, looking around.

Since then, he would always asks for recommendations, and often would stay until you closed up.

You snapped out of your thoughts, looking at the man in front of you. "How can I help you?"

"I'm so glad you asked. Why don't I take you back to my place and you'll find out. How's that sound, baby?"

You wrinkled your nose at the scent of alcohol and BO. "If you're not going to get a book, please leave."

"Oh, don't be like that honey I'm sure we can work something out-"

"She said to leave." An angry voice was heard.

"Chill,man, why do you care? Is that bitch yours? Damn you tapped that ass, you lucky-"

He stopped when a fist collided with his jaw, throwing him to the floor. Steve stood there, glaring at the man with rage in his eyes. "Don't ever call her a bitch and you better not ever go anywhere fucking near her or you'll end up with something worse than a broken jaw."

The sleazy man ran out of the library so fast he tripped out the door, all while holding his jaw and cursing Steve which only made him curse more when it hurt.

"You know, I had that covered. But still, thanks.”

Steve said. “I just can’t believe that after all this time people still feel like they can treat women so lowly. I know you had it covered though, so I’m sorry for making a ruckus in here. It’s just makes me angry.”

"Yeah, I noticed, I've never heard you swear before." Even on the days when he came back after missions and he was clearly stressed he never lashed out.

He flushed. "Sorry about that."

"Don't be, it was amusing. Plus that guy definitely got what he deserved, I'm not the only woman that's been hit on by him while he's drunk off his ass and is about as crude as a caveman."

"He's done that to other women too?” His voice got even angrier.

"Yeah, he's a sleaze."

He was clearly about to go out there and beat the man up, so you grabbed his wrist gently. "If you beat that guy up I'm going to have to suspend you from the library and I don't want to lose my favorite regular."

He blushed, almost forgetting about his previous angry thoughts when you said he was your favorite.

~~

"So, what will you be checking out today?" you asked Steve, stepping behind the counter.

"You." He blurted out, eyes widening when he realised what he had said. "I-I mean, uh I meant-"

You laughed. "Calm down, Rogers, it's ok."

He flushed, rubbing his neck sheepishly. "Well that wasn't how I wanted to ask you out." His eyes widened again, realising yet again what he had said.

You grinned at his expression, "Well how about you ask me out the way you wanted to?"

His jaw dropped, you laughed. This man just couldn't get a break from being shocked. And to you, it was extra hilarious because here was Captain-freaking-America looking like a shocked toddler.

He cleared his throat. "Would you go out with me?"

You winked at him, "I thought you'd never ask."

[npfehr]

Recently Completed: Ghost Song [PC]

This is a side-scrolling action-adventure game in which you play as a mysterious person in a futuristic suit of armor, trying to uncover the secrets of a diseased moon. Along the way you will see eerily beautiful things, meet some of the best-written NPCs I've seen in a game like this, and you will probably get frustrated at least a couple of times.

I backed this game on Kickstarter in 2013(!), and waited patiently for its release, eagerly reading each development update as the tiny indie team worked, worked, then completely rebooted and started again midway through. When it finally came out nine years later I played it for just under an hour and wandered off, I think because I was in the middle of something even more exciting at that particular moment.

Last year I picked it up again and started making Let's Play videos for my YouTube channel with it. It really clicked this time and I found myself loving the sound design and gameplay, eagerly waiting to get a chance to record another video so I could continue playing.

In keeping with the long dev cycle of the game, my video series was also taking an extremely long time to make and I was perhaps two-thirds of the way through the game when my personal situation changed. Cancer, stage 3, serious, but treatable.

At this time of writing I haven't started treatments yet, but I knew that I wouldn't be able to finish and upload my videos before they began. I didn't want to stretch an already long project even longer, and I don't believe I'll have the time or energy to make and edit videos in the midst of it. Also, if I'm being completely honest, I know the treatments will change my physical appearance, and I didn't want to track those changes through successive videos in the series.

So I decided to be grateful rather than sad about the work I'd put in thus far -- I used DaVinci Resolve for this project and learned a lot! -- and decided to cancel the videos and finish the game on my own time. The original Kickstarter listing had the game subtitled "A Journey of Hope" and that's, I guess, what I'm on now.

Anyway, the game! It looks great, plays well, feels alien and weird the way a good Metroid should, and takes some of my least favorite design cues from Soulslikes. The bosses can be frustrating and corpse runs are not my favorite things to do. I see complaints about game padding and movement speed, but it's not so bad. Play it with a good set of headphones for the terrific soundtrack and sound design, and talk to everyone you meet as much as you possibly can.

Play it!!

Ghost Song pretty and also spooky

[rottenbutrecovering]

Hey Donnie, we are going over personality disorders in my psych class at college. Reading through my prof's slideshows it seems like her way of describing them, espesically BPD, as super negative. For example, several bulletssay stuff like "blame others for their problems" "extremely difficult to work with" "know their behavior causes issues but are unwilling to change" etc... did they also teach you this stuff in uni about BPD or is it just me that this all sounds like negative stereotypes?

Unfortunately I had a very similar experience. Many psychologists are so so biased against people with BPD. Hell, I wrote my dissertation on BPD stigmatism in Psychology students and mental health professionals!

For me, the worst example was when my tutor said that children who grow up to have BPD deserve to be neglected/abused because we are "difficult". She genuinely said that. And she was the lecturer who specialised in personality.

Even a lecturer I previously really liked, who is literally a therapist, peddled the same shit.

It is so frustrating, because they should know better! They have 0 excuses to not only hold these dangerous ideals, but actively teach them to the future of psychology!

A lot of it is also bullshit! Many psych professors claim that BPD is this hard to treat monster disorder where we never want to recover. But that's not true! BPD is SO treatable! Studies have shown that with treatment over 80% of us will reach recovery/remission!

Anyway, please excuse the rant - as you can tell I'm very passionate in my frustration of how psychology professors treat PDs haha

[wonlouvre]

pairing: doctor!wonwoo x lawyer!female oc genre: modern royalty, arranged marriage, fluff and future angst word count: 2.8k WARNINGS: hospital, injury, child trafficking, child abuse, hostage taking, guns, police, violence

author’s note: we have reached part 4!!! i think our couple’s relationship development is quite slow. please bear with me/them, they’re getting there!!! :’((( also, i am still very much thankful and overjoyed for the kind feedback that you guys gave for the previous chapter. i hope you guys are looking forward for this one. enjoy!!! :)))

four: let’s get you home, princess | masterlist

Wonwoo is not addressed as Your Highness inside the hospital premises. It’s actually rare for him to hear Your Highness ever since the royal decrees have been relaxed. His close friends, family and even colleagues have been calling him by his name or profession for the longest time. However, the King and Queen still must be addressed with utmost respect, regardless of who the person may be to the Royal Family. 

Things just got different when he started living and working at your kingdom. He had said that it’s okay for him to be called Wonwoo most especially by senior doctors who have been practicing even before he was born. But it was still awkward so they stuck with Dr. Jeon. These days, some young residents and interns still stutter and it just makes Wonwoo laugh. 

From time to time, Wonwoo is withdrawn from the hospital because of his duties as the Prince. Duties such as to make an appearance, attend a meeting or speak at an event. Said duties usually eat up most of his days in a week. Days where he could and should have been at the hospital, doing what he pledged to do until he dies. 

Wonwoo is loyal to the crown, but he is also committed to the people he promised to serve. 

The wedding planning has started and he’s relieved that you and him both have reached an agreement to hire a full-time planner that will arrange whatever the desires of your hearts may be. He’s grateful that just like him, you are happily married to your job. It’s a lame joke, but Wonwoo can never be bothered to care. So far as the wedding planning goes, you have been looking at venues such as hotels, private gardens or beach resorts. Initially, his parents offered to hold the wedding at their kingdom but you humbly requested to have it at your homeland instead. 

It was no issue to the King and Queen, definitely understanding where you were coming from.

Wonwoo admires that side of you. You seem to always know what you want and when you do, you speak up at the right time with elegance and confidence. He believes it’s the lawyer and princess in you altogether. 

The thought of you puts a smile on his face. He hopes you wake up soon so he can see you.

“Wonwoo?” 

His thoughts popped like a bubble when his name was suddenly called. He clears his throat and faces the owner of the voice. It was Soonyoung and by the looks of his grin, Wonwoo’s sure he witnessed him daydreaming. 

Wonwoo rolls his eyes and goes back to the charts he’s been reading. “What do you want?”

“That’s not how you return the favor of your friend who brought you a fresh batch of clothing,” his friend chides, bumping his shoulder against his tall friend. “You seemed to have had a great night, our Prince.”

It’s trivial, really. But Wonwoo’s cheeks blushed at the reminder. He will never tell anyone but staying with you yesterday until the early hours of today made him feel something he doesn’t know. It’s absurd how he can’t pinpoint what that something is, but he won’t deny that there is. 

“Shut up,” he grumbles like a child, ignoring the cheeky giggle Soonyoung emits. 

Speaking of Soonyoung, he was born in your kingdom and moved to the neighboring one when he was only a baby. Both his parents are doctors also who have the heart and passion to offer their services voluntarily. They were only set for a medical mission before going back in a month, but the King and Queen (Wonwoo’s parents) recognized and applauded their kindness, offering them a place to stay and permanent positions at their Royal Hospital. 

Being of the same age, Wonwoo and Soonyoung grew up together and became best of friends. 

It’s no question that he’s attached to the Prince wherever he goes. 

“Dr. Jeon,” another voice calls for him and this time, it sounded desperate. 

Wonwoo looks up and finds a young resident, looking disheveled and stressed. “What is it?”

“I have a young boy, 10-11-years-old, crying in pain while clutching his left arm,” she explains the basics before continuing, “He was brought by someone who seemed like his brother not older than 14-years-old. They weren’t accompanied by anyone.”

“Ask for their names and address,” Soonyoung suggests while standing straight and crossing his arms. “I’m sure we can find some contact details from the statistics office.”

The young intern shakes her head. “They’re not talking. All the older boy is saying, begging rather, is for us to help them.”

“X-ray?” Wonwoo asks and pumps some sanitizer on his hands. 

“The result is on the way.”

Wonwoo nods and starts walking to where the boys are. “Let’s see what we got then.”

The emergency department is always hectic and anyone that says otherwise is unbelievable. Regardless of what the case may be, Wonwoo stands that if they are brought here, it is an emergency. Usually, they range from new parents bringing their newborn baby who can’t stop crying in the middle of the night or some bringing their seven-year-old for a cast because they fell off the bike while playing with their friends. They all seem to be treatable and can be discharged in an hour or so. But sometimes, you can never be too sure. 

Wonwoo knows because he has witnessed it already. That one baby that’s been crying was actually fighting a fever and that one kid who fell from the bike? It was having trouble with his balance and movement. 

It’s not the first time that young children came to the hospital by themselves. They’re soon followed by their parents or guardian afterwards most of the time. Wonwoo supposes the kids this time around are in shock that they can’t form any clear thoughts at the moment. 

But Wonwoo doesn’t think that’s the case at all once the curtains were pulled open. 

“Oh my,” Soonyoung blurts out, surprised. 

Wonwoo expected two boys looking dirty and blushing from playing under the sun all throughout the day. He expected them to be silently crying for their mom or dad. He expected them to be at least healthy and on their way for a speedy recovery once they got treatment. But no, Wonwoo was wrong.

The boys looked awfully hungry and dehydrated. Their clothes were smaller than what their body looks like and the older brother is missing one pair of his shoes. He noticed bruises on some parts of their body. There’s even a nasty cut on the older boy’s bottom lip. 

Something’s wrong and Wonwoo is not a fool to not notice it. 

Wonwoo releases the breath he’s been holding and smiles genuinely. “Hello, I’m Wonwoo.”

Silence. 

He looked at Soonyoung before proceeding to meet the boy’s height who’s sitting on the chair beside his brother’s bed. “I’m going to take a look at your brother now, if you don’t mind.” 

The older one finally looks at him, his eyes dead serious. “That’s what they have been saying ever since we got here. Why can’t you just treat him already?”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Wonwoo tries to calm him down, noticing his tear-stained face and shaking voice. “Your brother will probably need a cast. We’re just waiting for the x-ray results to come out to know for sure. I just need to ask some questions, alright?”

The boy’s bloodied lip trembles as he nods his head. 

“I’ll go get the result,” Soonyoung says and leaves without forgetting to close the curtains.

“What’s your name?” 

“They call me Jung,” the boy answers, weak and unsure. He then points at his sleeping brother, “He’s called Sam.”

Wonwoo’s brows furrow in both confusion and doubt. Why wouldn’t they have official names? Looking at the brothers’ state all over again, it didn’t take Wonwoo long to comprehend what’s really going on. He turns his head to the resident and locks eyes with her, who’s already grasping the situation at hand. He then gives her a nod, signalling her to immediately call children’s services.

Once she leaves, Soonyoung arrives with an envelope. 

“It’s a fracture, but won’t need surgery,” He says happily and Jung sighs in relief. 

“But, you’re staying here for a while,” Wonwoo takes hold of the envelope from his friend. “We just need to run some more tests.”

Soonyoung looks at his friend with wide eyes asking, what are you talking about? But Wonwoo ignores him and keeps his smile in the hopes that the boy doesn’t grow any more agitated.

“Your brother is okay,” he assures Jung and squeezes his shoulder. “We’ll put the cast on his arm and clean the cut on your lip shortly. Stay here, okay?”

He pushes his friend out after the boy gives them a nod. Soonyoung was still glaring at him at the nonsense he spewed out earlier. Wonwoo puts a finger on his lip, gesturing for him to not say a thing yet until they move to somewhere more quiet. 

“What is going on?” Soonyoung whispered-shouts when they reached what seemed to be the fire exit. “What tests are we still running?”

“It’s a lie,” Wonwoo answers and smooths the lines on his forehead, thinking and thinking on what he should do. “We need to keep them here. I think… they’re victims of abuse and trafficking.”

Soonyoung’s jaw drops while his legs grow weak, making him stumble. This is nothing new to them. But even so, it still makes him sick to the stomach. He just nodded as he didn’t need to say anything else.

“I already asked for children’s services and they could arrive here anytime soon,” Wonwoo continues. “They looked like they escaped. I won’t be surprised if someone suddenly barges here, claiming they’re the parent or guardian.”

“What do we do when that happens?”

“We keep them safe,” he answers firmly. “No matter what.”

Every staff at the Emergency Room was alerted about the situation of the boys. Authorities were also called and they’ll be arriving soon. Wonwoo gave strict orders to not disclose any information about them to anyone who claims they are the parent or guardian. Any affiliation they assume is not acceptable unless they can prove it. 

The boys were transferred to a ward once Sam’s treatment was done. Wonwoo brought them some food, water and spare gowns to rid them of the excuse of clothes they’ve been wearing for who knows how long. It’s unbearable to imagine what they have gone through but seeing them get comfortable is enough to bring some peace to Wonwoo’s mind. 

He requested Soonyoung to stay with them or at least check on them from time to time and make sure no one goes inside their room other than the designated staff. He just needs the representative of the children’s services to arrive and they’ll start knowing what the next steps to take from there. 

Now that’s settled, Wonwoo can now go back to his routine and job.

Or not. 

“You’re Highness.”

His security detail stands before him, complete and blocking his way to the elevator that could bring him back to the Emergency Room. Wonwoo can notice the tense and nervous expressions on their faces like children about to admit the trouble they just caused. He had requested before that they be posted on the sides to not hinder him from working. They’re only to jump into action when it’s life threatening and by the looks of it they’re here in his face just to do that but he still asks.

“What are you doing here?”

The head of the group bows his head. “The Emergency Room is being held hostage by armed men. We need to leave as soon as possible.”

Wonwoo’s heart almost felt like it stopped beating. “No.” 

He needs to move. He needs to go back there. He can’t just leave.

Wonwoo forces his body against the men standing firm on their positions, only to be held back. His head of security nods at his men to not let him go and carry him if they have to. 

“No, no, no!”

Wonwoo thrashes from their hold as he screamed for them to let him go. He can hear his security speaking to his mic to prepare the vehicle that would transfer him to safety but in that second all men drop to the ground and shield him when an ear-splitting clap suddenly reverberates through the walls.

A gunshot was fired.

Meanwhile, you were brought to the top floor of the hospital at one of the private rooms reserved for the members of the Royal Family when you insisted on staying. Jeongyeon and the rest of your security detail were more than distressed at your stubbornness, fearing for the earful they’re going to get once this is all over. But they would rather have that than leave you and neglect their duty.

“Your Highness, we really have to go,” Jeongyeon reiterates, still trying to convince you while shaking your shoulders. 

You shake your head and avoid her eyes. “No, we can’t just leave the people here. We can’t leave…” you pause then whisper softly, “Wonwoo.”

Jeongyeon nods. “I know, I know. But the Royal Police are on their way and the Prince’s security detail is already with him. The two of you cannot stay here any longer. It’s an order from His Majesty.”

You swallow the lump on your throat. You can’t think. You can’t process whatever the hell is ensuing downstairs. The lives of innocent people, your innocent people, are at stake. 

You just can’t leave. You have to do something. 

“We’re not leaving this hospital until those armed men are immobilized.”

Jeongyeon wishes to plead further but all you hear was ringing when the sound of what you’ve been fearing the most resonated inside the room. 

Security scrambles and moves at a speed of light to protect you with their bodies. They were screaming among themselves but you fail to register what they’re saying. You fail to hear nor see your surroundings.

Everything became a blur.

Everything became nothing as your heart beated a thousand times faster than normal and the only person running through your mind is no one else but the Prince who was beside you just last night but is now in imminent danger.

Please, Wonwoo. Please.

“Their Majesties condemns the hostage taking that occurred at the Royal Hospital,” Prime Minister Lee starts, looking straight at the camera. “Their Majesties assures and promises the public that they will be held accountable for the crime they have committed but most importantly for the distress and trauma they have caused the patients. They commend the prompt action that the Hospital’s Security and Royal Police have taken resulting in no casualties.”

“Prime Minister Lee!” A reporter raises their hand. “Can you confirm that His and Her Highness Jeon Wonwoo and Y/N were at the hospital when the hostage took place?”

“Yes,” he answers, “Her Highness, Princess Y/N, was admitted to the hospital yesterday after fainting at her office…”

You switch the TV off with the remote before throwing it on the couch. You walk to the window with crossed arms and watch the Royal Police vehicles leave one by one after clearing the Emergency Room and declaring it safe. It’s now back to its normal operations. 

Apparently, the gunshot was fired by the police, wounding one of the hostage takers. They took advantage of that distraction to finally hold them down and arrest them right away. There’s no official statement from the Royal Police yet as they are still investigating further. You make a commitment to get to the bottom of this.

They’re gone now.

But Wonwoo is still unheard of. 

He’s safe, they told you. But that didn’t stop you from biting your nails, walking back and forth and pulling your hairs from the roots. You need to see him. 

“Your Highness,” Jeongyeon calls for you and your head snaps up. She gives you a small smile before opening the door she’s holding wider.

Wonwoo enters with a tired smile and you almost burst into tears. You ran to him as fast as you could, but your legs were weakened by worry, you almost fell. It’s a good thing Wonwoo meets you halfway and catches you in his arms. 

You take every tangible thing about him. You take and you take as you hold his waist tightly and bury your face to his chest. “You can’t do that to me.”

Wonwoo sighs in content upon breathing in your scent and hearing your voice. He wraps his one arm around your waist while the other holds your head gently. He stays silent and just holds you for as long as he desires. After the horror that transpired earlier, holding you like this is what he desperately needed. 

“Let’s get you home, Princess.”

[razzle-zazzle]

Whumptober Day 10: Oops, I did it again

Hospital + "Flare Up"

1264 Words; Raised by Serpentine, early Legacy of the Green Ninja

TW for mentions of death

Cole hadn’t been up on the surface long. Just long enough to slay the Devourer and train with the ninja for a bit.

But everything had been great! Devourer and Pythor aside, Cole was glad to be out of the tomb. There was food, here, and light and warmth and safety.

That didn’t mean there wasn’t an adjustment period, though.

Growing up in a tomb had left Cole woefully underprepared for everything outside it. The information, the weather, the technology—it was all beyond what anyone in the Constrictai tomb really had access to during those two and a half centuries, and as a result was almost dizzying in its complexity.

Fog and rain and snow and even sandstorms were wholly unfamiliar at first, but Cole could adjust. Complex pieces of technology like cell phones and video games were harder to adjust to, but Cole was determined to adapt.

Medicine was another matter entirely.

Cole knew illness. He knew, almost intimately, of quarantine rules and a clean infirmary full of people dying from a sickness they had no cure for. He knew of coughs that spread, of aches that worsened until the person bearing them could barely move.

Cole knew of basic medicine, of some of the techniques Vera and Sutara and Dreska would use to lesson symptoms and treat causes—

But the part of illness with which Cole was most familiar, after years of growing up in a tomb too small to stop outbreaks so much as slow them down—was the people he cared about, the people he was supposed to lead and protect one day, meeting their end.

It was what someone falling ill usually meant—maybe they’d survive, but more likely than not all that could be done in the tomb was making the rest of their life less painful.

But here on the surface, things were different.

Cole didn’t understand it. Vera probably did—he remembered she and Sutara excitedly pouring over medical texts lifted from a library shortly after Pythor opened the tomb—but to Cole sickness was sickness. A common cold could be survived with enough rest and care, but the weeping cough that his mother brought back from the caves?

Either you caught it or you didn’t, and if you caught it then your only chance of surviving was if you were immune.

But immunity didn’t mean you couldn’t spread it.

Cole needed to stop forgetting that.

+=+=+=+=+

It started with Jay.

Just a small cough, nothing major, easily treated with cough drops and decongestant.

The watery, irritated eyes and aching legs were another matter, though. But Jay assumed it was a new variant of the flu—the symptoms seemed to change every season—combined with some particularly unpleasant seasonal allergies, and so quietly let Wu know he was feeling under the weather, and was granted a bit of rest time.

And then Kai developed similar symptoms.

He was much more vocal about it.

+=+=+=+=+

Cole froze as Kai complained about the symptoms at the dinner table.

“That sounds a lot like weeping cough.” He commented, eyes not leaving his plate.

Everyone else was looking at him, now, the pressure of their stares demanding an explanation.

So Cole explained. How his parents had gone spelunking in search of much-needed resources. How his mother had returned, died from broken stitches, and then the outbreak followed soon after.

Cole’s hands were shaking by the time he was done.

Sensei Wu hummed, stroking his beard. “It would seem the best course of action, then, would be to visit a hospital.” He stated, “Most of the symptoms Cole described should be treatable, but it would be best to get an expert involved in treating the root cause.”

“Cole,” Zane began, “Clearly the weeping cough didn’t kill everyone in the tomb. Was there a particular treatment that caused this?”

Cole swallowed. “Not that I know of. Some people caught it but showed no symptoms, and some really lucky fuckers avoided catching it altogether.” He closed his eyes to try and remember something, “I think I remember Vera saying something about… ‘genetic differences providing immunity’. Could be remembering wrong, though.”

Zane nodded, parsing the information. “I think Sensei Wu is right. A hospital visit is in order.”

“Are we sure this won’t just blow over?” Kai asked, accidentally bumping Lloyd’s plate as he reached for his drink.

The ten year old stuck his tongue out at Kai, but largely remained uninvolved in the conversation.

Cole bristled. “Weeping cough doesn’t just blow over, Kai.” He took a breath, shoulders relaxing, “If it does then you’re already dead.”

Jay dropped his fork, the silverware clattering against his plate.

Everyone was staring at Cole.

“Okaaay…” Nya interjected, “Let’s just stop arguing and get Jay and Kai to the hospital.”

“Yeah,” Jay nodded, “Let’s do that please.”

+=+=+=+=+

Hours later, Nya and Lloyd found Cole sitting anxiously in the back corner of the waiting room.

“I don’t like hospitals.” Cole said as they approached, having made this decision from the second he’d entered the place, and the feeling had only intensified when the doctors pulled him aside to ask him questions upon questions and run a blood test.

“Hospitals suck.” Lloyd agreed, settling into the chair next to Cole with an unopened chocolate bar in his hands, which he promptly unwrapped and began eating. “The food’s the only good thing about them.” He added around the bite of chocolate he was currently working on.

Nya took the seat to Lloyd’s other side, wincing. “They’re definitely expensive.” She commiserated. “First Master knows how many times Kai and I would treat injuries on our own just to avoid the costs of visiting one.” She leaned back, “That, and there wasn’t really a proper hospital in Ignacia for the longest time.”

Cole nodded numbly, pulling his legs up and hugging his knees close.

Silence reigned but for the crinkle of the candy wrapper.

“Wonder where Wu’s wandered off to…” Nya mused, to break the silence if nothing else.

Cole didn’t particularly care where Wu had gone, or that Zane had gone with him. He just wanted to leave this place that was too clean and too hopeless and too familiar all at once.

Lloyd finished off the chocolate bar, looked around, and then walked over to the nearest trash can to discard the wrapper before returning.

Silence reigned once again.

Lloyd kicked at his seat. “This is boring.” He complained, turning to Nya. “Will Kai and Jay be okay?”

“I…” Nya sighed. “I hope so. The doctor said they’d get in contact with Ouroboros about it.”

Cole tensed.

“’M sorry.” He mumbled.

“Cole,” Nya said, reaching over Lloyd to put her hand on his shoulder, “You’ve got nothing to apologize for.”

Cole snorted. “I was the one who spread it.” He scowled. “I was the idiot who didn’t say anything about the possibility—”

“Everyone forgets things, Cole, I’m not going to begrudge you for that.” Nya shot back, “And you blaming yourself isn’t going to help them.”

Cole curled up tighter.

“Kai and Jay will live.” Lloyd declared, crossing his arms. “They’re not allowed to die.”

Nya chuckled, ruffling Lloyd’s hair. “See Cole? They’ll pull through.”

Cole uncurled by the slightest amount. “I guess.” He conceded, though he didn’t sound very believing.

Nya’s lips pursed. “Besides,” she ventured, “no disrespect for your healers, but you couldn’t have had as many medical resources in the tomb as we have here. So Kai and Jay’s chances are a lot better than they would be where you grew up.”

Cole hummed noncommittally, but uncurled a little bit further.

Nya could accept that.