#moustache theories let’s go

[maydaydiaz]

what if the moustache is the reaction to realising he’s in love with his best friend - he now knows he’s misunderstood his emotions for shannon and buck, the one thing that’s kept him steady and moving forward is on texas and he just wants one tiny thing to feel in control of a situation.

the moustache is his decision and it works as the perfect cover up after realising his in love with him because if everyone is looking at his moustache and teasing, they’re not noticing his heart beating out of his chest or how he’s stumbling over his words for those first few seconds of really seeing buck for the first time and so he keeps it because it feels like a safety blanket

[missholloween]

Why Joey's EOTPII/Casino character was Owen: a theory

Tagging @smytherines , @toringo and @just-watching-dont-worry. This will be long

First of all, let's introduce our guy: waiter #4 or, as he's called in the subs (more on that later), the manager.

During the first Spies viewing, one usually pays attention to Joey, as they might be expecting Owen to return in one way or another. I personally got so caught up with this character because of Joey's body language.

Eyes on the Prize II is a very showy number: the ensemble must move at the same time, and they should all be in the same page. They are showy, yet classy; ostentatious, yet controlled. They have to be all the glamour and riches they are singing about.

That's why waiter #4 stood out to me: he's serious as the other are, yes, but he also seems angry. Here are some ensemble photos so that you can see it:

Why the intensity? Why those gestures? I really encourage you all to rewatch A1P6 so that you can see it, as he keeps the energy for the whole number (even the quick "keep your eyes on the prize" changes). He's not even the waiter that Curt knocks out after his PTSD attack.

It is also remarkable how these expressions are really similar to another (queer) villain of Joey: Wilbur Cross. Wilbur in Made In America and this waiter has a really similar body language. Coincidence? I don't think so.

If it was only Eyes On the Prize II though, I wouldn't be thinking that much about this... But waiter #4 is one of the three waiters with lines in that scene (the other two being Brian's and Lauren's), so let see what he does.

Joey's waiter first talks when Curt loses it and threatens the Informant, quickly jumping to defend them. Joey's character reacts almost immediately, so he must have been nearby, and is so aggressive that Curt backs down quickly. After threatening Curt with throwing him out of the Casino, he checks the Informant to see if they are okay.

The subs call this character "Manager", and it would thus explain the way he acts: he was nearby because he's in charge of everything that's going on, and he does have the power to expel costumers if they act inadequately. A manager also spends a lot of time with his employees, so it makes sense that he's protective with them.

Why then, is the next character Joey plays also called "Manager"?

This character (that, according to the subs, is the same person) has a foreign accent, something none of the other waiters had, and a silly high-pitched voice. His purpose in this scene is to finish humiliating Curt: he tells Curt he has an immense debt for the night and also rebounds his check. The manager is cordial to Tatiana, greeting her while Curt struggles with his payment. He also leaves once Tatiana suggests a solution, and, in a lower voice (similar to no moustache!Manager) says "thank you, ma'am".

Why are these two characters technically the same role? One may think it's because other actors need to be prepared for a quick change or something, but Tessa doesn't! Her next role is ensemble in Not So Bad, and they have a good 3-4 minutes until that. And if they are supposed to be different characters, why would the subtitles use the same name for him? Joey's choices also seem to be stage directions, especially in the coreo. There are too many details for it to be simply a coincidence.

What's the reason, then? Joey is playing Owen at the casino: after his first encounter during A1P3, Owen is on alert knowing that he might cross path with Curt again. He thus decides to go undercover in the casino to see if he'll meet him before attending to Von Nazi's plan. Owen wants to be close, but remain unseen, so he plays one of the waiters of the floor. However, when Curt threatens the Informant, Owen's feelings betray him and quickly intervenes, probably triggered by Curt "brutish ways". After that, Owen has to return with a new role (moustache), as he wants to know where Tati and Curt are leaving. He thus takes advantage of Curt's state to mess a little with him, a little bit of foreplay before what he has prepared for him.

TL; DR:

This also provokes so many fun little headcanons and possibilities. Like, did the Informant and Owen had a relationship then? Would Tatiana have noticed it? Does Owen really think Curt is stupid enough to not recognize someone just by a different voice and a stupid accent? I think it could give way to a lot of fun ideas (but also I do need to know why did they have Joey twice and not Joey and Tessa)

[jackwhiteprophetic]

My theory is that the bee thing was very clearly not going to be effective enough S8 promotion so they ironically went with plan B(ee) and let Ryan Guzman's moustache do all the work.

[cupcakeatsea]

So I know the only cast member with a moustache is Ryan, BUT did the other cast grow beards over break too? Because I see some sort of firefighter moustache growing challenge or competition (maybe as mick take for Gerrard?) and only Eddie being able to properly grow one and keeping it as a screw you to the others.

Hen will have a glorious stick on moustache and the others will vote her winner to spite Eddie.

Anyway. They could have filmed a scene around that straight off then let Peter, Kenneth and Oliver out onto socials clean shaven. I have to go with the stupid option because everyone is going “gay Eddie awakening” and I have truly learnt my lesson from last season and am going with the silly storyline theories.

[waldau]

favourite book — jeon wonwoo | 1,099 words | fluff

supposed to be my tiny love letter to this one book cafe i went to. and crushes. and glasses. and jeon wonwoo. ended up becoming something else?

gender neutral reader. warnings: none.

in theory, a book cafe seemed like the perfect place for your second meeting — and first date. when said date was a man who also liked reading and didn't mind silences, like you.

practically? you've failed to consider that you both aren't the only ones who like reading.

now you're both standing in a corner of the cafe, with your books in hand and very little place left to sit. part of you feels like dropping your book and bolting for it, because neither of you enjoy crowded places, as far as you know.

but part of you is electrified by the way wonwoo's hand is brushing against yours, the backs of yours fingers tingling. you want to chase this feeling and never go of it.

"let's sit there, yeah?" he asks, pointing to a cushion in the corner that looks just big enough for the two of you.

it's a tight fit, and while you've finally found the book you've been meaning to read for a while, you can only think of the way wonwoo's squeezed against your side, your arms and legs touching as you rest the book on your knees and flip through the pages. you're aware of the words on the pages you're reading, of the protagonist flitting from situation to situation, but it's offset by the warmth from wonwoo's strong arms.

it also doesn't help that he looks insanely good in glasses. he didn't have them the last time you saw him, standing in line for the bus.

you're unable to look away when wonwoo glances up from his book to catch you staring at him. rather, his glasses. and how good his face looks framed by them.

"hey," he says, lips curving up into that smile that's been in your mind for the past three days. the smile that encouraged you to ask him for his number, leading to a nonstop spiel of texts that ended up with the two of you here.

"hey."

"how's your book?"

you look back at it, scanning the first few lines of the page to remember what's going on. "fine. good so far. just a bit slower than i expected it to go. yours?"

"cute, honestly." you glance at the spine of his book and recognize it as a romance novel. he's the one that's cute.

wonwoo isn't the first person you've had a crush on, but this feeling is new. new in the way you feel like a teenager again, so careful about measuring your words and stealing glances at him, and the way you feel butterflies when he feeds you bites of the pastry you ordered, when he offers you a sip of his drink and ends up with a slight milk moustache when he takes a sip of yours.

"hang on," he says, leaning forward.

your entire face fits easily in his hand, and you're powerless when he tilts it up to face him.

you think you're in love, even though you don't believe in love at first sight — but this is your second meeting, after all. maybe...

"there's a bit..." wonwoo drags his thumb near you lip and you look down to see some chocolate on his finger. "gone."

"thanks," you whisper, unable to look anywhere else but at him. you think he feels the same, because he ducks his head down almost immediately, before looking back at you.

it feels like all those romantic stories you've read, and all those secondhand accounts of your friends' dates you've always listened to. in the flesh.

"do you have a favourite book?"

you stifle a giggle, one, because you're in a library-like setting that's not appropriate for conversations, and two, that's what he says after leaning in like he was going to kiss you?

"one from each genre, almost," you whisper, shaking your head. "hard to choose. you?"

wonwoo licks his lips. his glasses are slightly crooked, and you resist the urge to straighten them.

"you. i...i mean, there's so much i want to know about you. if you'll let me."

you forget how to breathe; your ribs feel too small for your heart that's threatening to explode. it's like time freezes and it's just the two of you staring at each other, and this time you can't even get yourself to be shy when you chance a glance at his lips and back at his face.

"sorry if that came off as too much," he blushes, hand resting on his neck.

it is cheesy, but in the best way possible. you're just glad he feels the same way you do about him. gathering your courage, you rest your hand on top of his. he twists his hand to hold yours. you can't even get yourself to care about everyone around you.

"do you want to get out of here? i'd love to talk to you. like, really talk, and hear your voice."

"thought you'd never ask," wonwoo says with a smile, getting up to his feet and stretching his hand out to you.

this is probably the only time you've never been happier to leave a book behind.

wonwoo, you find, is kind. he offers to give you his jacket when he sees goosebumps on your arms. but he doesn't know the reason you have them sometimes is because you're just so shy around him.

wonwoo, you find, is a good listener. even if he's busy, he makes time to hear you talk about your day and tell you parts of his. he's more content hearing you speak, opting to draw patterns on your arm and press kisses to your head.

wonwoo, you find, is your mutual support system. he dances to cheesy songs with you when you're down, letting you rest on him while he gently drags you around the floor of his living room. he teases you about your height and makes up for it with a ton of kisses. he makes space for you to watch him game when you're feeling down.

wonwoo, you find, is the perfect roommate, when you move in together.

"now i know," you whisper one night, hands tightening around wonwoo who's lying against you in bed, almost on the brink of sleep.

"hm? know what, sweetheart?"

"remember when you asked me what my favourite book was? all those years ago?"

"...yeah?"

"it's you."

four years and wonwoo's the one book you keep coming back to, and if the way he hides his face in your neck is anything to go by, he's going to be your favourite book for the rest of your life.

[lemotmo]

Well despite as much as we all might have secretly wished, looks like no off screen break up 😂

But I do have to chuckle at Tim saying they are still getting to know each other ( which to me shows there has been no real progress in their relationship at this point)

And while the “they are still going strong” is from whoever wrote the article rather then anyone from the show, I have to again chuckle because you know who else was “are still going strong”

https://x.com/diazdulac/status/1833159774529028223

And we all saw how that turned out 💀🤭🤭

This is only a fraction of the similar asks I've received about this article. So I'm going to answer all of these in one post. 😄

All of the following are opinions, but I did discuss all of this with Ali and we definitely see this in the same light and we agree on these points:

First, it doesn't sound very promising for BT at this point. The words and phrases used in this article are the exact same as the ones used in the season 7 blurb, only replace Marisol with Tommy and Eddie with Buck. That's it. There's not a lot to it. We all know how Eddie and Marisol ended up.

The article basically says that they are still in that stage of 'getting to know each other a little bit better' just like Tommy said in that deleted scene. He said something about 'taking things slow'. I have a feeling this is exactly why that deleted scene was released in the first place. To show us that things aren't going all that well.

The words 'They are going strong' are the journalist's words. They are still getting to know each other a little bit better' are Tim's words. That's a big difference.

They might just be stuck in that phase of figuring things out and the more they learn from each other, the more they realise they aren't right for each other. Or maybe some of the other theories about Gerrard bringing a conflict between BT are right. Buck is mad with Gerrard and maybe Tommy will just tell him to go along with it? We really don't know. It'll be interesting to see how all of this plays out on our screen. I'm sat.

All I can say is that I'm not at all worried about BT at this point. The way they talk about him in this article? He is still that plot device to further Buck's story. Just like Marisol was a plot device to further Eddie's story. It's just rinse and repeat at this point.

The far more interesting part for me right now is the part about Eddie. Ali and I have been breaking our brains about what else all of this could be about, outside of queer Eddie? We didn't come up with anything valid. We both feel very strongly that queer Eddie could be happening. Whether or not we're right remains to be seen. Let's hope we are. 🤞🤞🤞 Because as soon as queer Eddie happens? Buddie is 100% happening.

We both think that episode 4 will be an important one for Eddie. The first three are about the bee-nado and we'll see moustached Eddie in action. That short trailer has certainly given us a close-up of Eddie as he tries to flee the bees. I wonder what he'll go through to bring him some extra insight into his life?

In the 4th episode (Ryan's one hundredth episode) we both expect something more Eddie centric. That might just be the moment when he'll shave the moustache... at which point I will personally burst out into tears because I have gotten insanely attached to that little patch of hair. 😭

Anyway, that's about it. I'm also highly interested in the Madney and Henren storyline and I wonder who is coming back into Athena's life. 👀

Questions questions questions... and no answers.

Every season we find ourselves in the same place.

What else is new? 😂😂😂

[juliapark13]

sending this ask because i want for all the tkkrs who lurk here to see me debunk all their previous and new narratives;

1) "taekook was real" no it wasn't. yall pretended that they were real for years and got slammed thrice, first when tae replied "you'd better get out of the imagination, it's not good in there" to a taekooker on weverse telling him to look at jk's photos whom he loves before going to sleep.

then it was in ITS1 when taekook admitted to having drifted apart when yall spent years making up excuses for why they aren't behaving like you wanted them to, saying that the company is forcing them to hide.

then yall spent every waking moment of 2023 repeatedly using the "taekook are finally free in this solo era and they're coming out to let everyone know that they're together. the company doesn't control them anymore." narrative. then BOOM, taennie got caught.

2) "taehyung is being punished for being loud about him and jungkook so he was forced to get into a fake PR fan service relationship"

a) nothing about taennie is fan service. their fans hate each other and blinks hate taehyung, armys hate jennie. which fans are they servicing?

b) this taennie thing has been going around since late 2021 when tae accidentally followed her on Instagram. it's not a recent thing that hybe chose as a coverup for TK.

c) i thought tkkrs took pride in taehyung never bowing to the company? i thought only jk was the helpless puppet forced into a fake relationship with jimin? i thought that's why hybe were easily able to make jk delete his IG account but couldn't force taehyung? now tae is a puppet too?

d) accusing tae of doing fan service? the same insulting crap you attached to jimin all these years? tkkrs are now tae antis as well?

3) "it's the lookalike" no it's not. he's in Seoul amidst of this controversy. and it was never him at all. other than the fact that he denied being the one in the pictures, and him having a girlfriend, all those pictures that were leaked last year that yall spent hours insulting every part of tae's body in vain effort to prove it isn't him backfired badly for you today. i saw tkkrs calling tae in today's pictures "musty, white, ugly, with a moustache, flat assed" and a whole bunch of other bullshit just for clear pictures to come out later proving it was indeed taehyung.

4) "it still doesn't prove that jikook is real" no one said that. we're here to talk about how yall spent years moving like a cult, twisting reality at every turn of events that didn't fit you little bubble, and dragged jimin for YEARSSS accusing him of all kind of shit but most importantly is how yall accused him of oppressing your precious taekook, yall accused him of trying to steal jungkook from taehyung when jk was never tae's in the first place. yall accused jimin of being a bad friend to tae for being all over his man when tae was dating a woman this whole time. THIS is why jikookers/pjms are gloating rn. because we've been waiting for jimin to be freed of your narratives for years. we've tried talking it out with you using logic MANY times, that your ship isn't real and taekook are just close friends, that you shouldn't drag an innocent man in the sake of theory that could very well turn out false at any day. but yall didn't listen, yall left no place for doubt in your minds and were so adamant that taekook is real and didn't matter to you what horrible shit you said about jimin, even jk in the process. yall accused jk of being a cheater, accused him of being toxic and riling tae up on purpose to make him jealous, accused of enjoying fan service with jimin too much, got mad at him for never doing things for tae that he did for jimin, etc. all of this shit can't and won't be erased in one day. now you have jjks, pjms, and jikookers all celebrating and they will make your lives HELL like you made ours and our idols’.

i'm just gonna end this with saying that this was a long time coming, and taekook were never going to scare me even if tae and jk kept their private lives private forever. even if taennie was never confirmed, taekook would still be as much as a lie as they've always been. no amount of theories, lies, manipulation, and gaslighting would've made that ship sail. and anyone with a half brain could see from a mile away that taekook are just great friends, nothing more. except for taekookers, yall st yourselves up long ago when you started shipping them based on aesthetic, potential and popularity, and now you're been bitch slapped by reality and your bubble finally burst. i can't say i told you so but I told you so.

They can’t get it and they can’t see it, because delusion is a mental disorder defined as:

false belief based on incorrect inference about external reality that is firmly sustained despite what almost everybody else believes and despite what constitued incontrovertible and obvious proof for evidence to the contrary.

[rockingrobin69]

In the Frothing

“He comes by every week.”

“Wow,” Draco said, twisting the dial with a snarl, “that must mean something. Every week, to a coffee shop? One could almost think… oh no. What if—he may be an addict.”

All right, maybe he deserved the rolled tea towel to the back of the head. But come on, how much more of this was he supposed to endure? All his colleagues thought themselves mini detectives, of the French, moustachy kind, ever-observant and all-knowing. They didn’t know shit. And they didn’t know him.

“He only ever comes when you’re working,” Mary insisted, snatching the barely-ready cup out of Draco’s hands. “He always leaves a very generous tip.”

“Yes, yes, he’s somewhat of a saint.”

“And he always sits at the closest table.”

“Perhaps,” Draco thrust down the next tray so loud she jumped, “perhaps I am an escaped convict. And he, a law enforcement officer trailing me around the world.”

Mary quirked an eyebrow, but remained silent. Chewed her lip for a moment before bursting. “Pfft, you? An escaped convict? With those cheeks?” Draco was so shocked, he didn’t even flinch when she pinched one said cheek. “Right, we need another latte.”

He swallowed the array of insults he was too stunned to let out, and made a latte as told. “I’m—not a nice man,” was all he managed, and even that cost a great deal in froth. The latte was ruined. Never mind.

“You don’t have to be nice to go on a date,” Mary huffed, albeit delicately. “With a good-looking guy who just happens to like your scrawny, thirsty ass.”

Right. Delicacy went out the window, he supposed. “I don’t… you don’t understand. He knows me. Has known me forever. And I wasn’t always…” he didn’t know how to explain it. I used to be the worst human being you could possibly imagine? I was a child, and he my nemesis, and we hated each other to our very bones? We suffered at the same hands, and managed to have entirely different traumatic experiences?

“Draco…”

Shit. Shit, shit, there was a reason he didn’t get into this at work, a reason he kept to himself and didn’t allow the others’ theories of Potter—

“Draco.”

“What?”

“He’s—here.”

Shit.

His non-moustached pet-detective was right. There came Potter, straight to them, straight to—shit—where Draco was gaping, over-frothing the next bloody cappuccino. Whatever. No one came here because they expected good coffee.

“Malfoy,” he greeted, pleasant as always.

Mary was grinning behind the till, the cow. “What can I get you?”

“Malfoy knows my order,” Potter said. Draco could murder him.

“Flat white, triple shot, oat milk.” He hated himself for knowing it. “Just—move, let me type it.” For all he knew, Mary would try and give Potter a discount. As if he ever paid for his coffee.

“I’ll just be at the back,” she sang, eyebrows flying everywhere with a vengeance. Leaving the two of them alone. Potter leaned against the counter, watching Draco at the coffee machine as though it were the most riveting sight.

“So…” he fiddled with a plastic lid. “How’s it going?”

Draco closed his eyes. Then opened when the milk started spluttering. “I’m a little busy.”

“Of course, of course.” But he wouldn’t get off the counter, and wouldn’t stop staring. “I’ve just come from another briefing. You are currently in Romania, somewhere in the Carpathians, it seems. Living with an injured, wild dragon.”

“Sounds like me,” Draco mumbled into the cup.

“That’s what I thought. They’re not going to send anyone—I’ve convinced them it’d be unwise. In case you, you know, managed to train it or something.”

“Uh, is anyone—”

“I’ll be right with you,” Draco said through gritted teeth to the suit at the queue. Then spared a half-smile to Potter. “I am somewhat of a natural. With bloodthirsty wild animals.”

He made a sound, not unlike choking. “Yes. So… that’s only to say, I think you’re okay. For now.”

“How very gallant of you to inform me.” Draco placed the cup on the tray and pushed it towards the bloody git. “Here’s your drink. Don’t you dare leave a tip this time. Everybody already suspects.”

“Suspect—what, exactly?” an interesting development, rosy-coloured high on his cheeks.

“That you’re… I don’t know. Something mad. That you fancy me, or something.” The way Potter’s mouth opened should have been unattractive, was certainly alarming. “Not that—it’s only because, well, you’re English too, and you keep coming, and… shit, it’s not—”

“I, er,” Potter didn’t take the coffee, but didn’t move away either. “I’d… I mean. Suppose it’s not so mad for them to think that.”

“It is,” Draco assured him. The queue in front of the till now consisted of four people. He didn’t look in their direction. “Entirely mad.”

“Not mad. C’mon, Malfoy.”

“You ‘come on’.”

“I just—” his hand sent forward, but didn’t make it. Draco backed away so fast he bumped into the coffee machine, set the steam growling. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to—sorry.”

“You can’t just…”

“Excuse me?”

“He’ll be right with you!” Potter shouted the loudest. Draco closed his eyes again, unclenched his fists.

“We can’t talk here. It’s not…”

“You’re right. How about I meet you after your shift? Ends at five, right? I’ll come pick you up. We’ll go for a—”

“If you say coffee, I’ll strangle you.”

Potter, for whatever reason, laughed. “Dinner then. If that’s—is that okay?”

“Yes!” said a voice that wasn’t Draco’s. Mary was back, still grinning like an idiot. “Yes, he’ll go out with you. Five thirty, wear something slutty. What? You know you’d have said yes.”

“Would… would you?”

It was the uncertainty that made him speak. That look on Potter’s face, damn it. “Fine. Half five then. Don’t be late.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Draco ran to the backroom, before Mary got the chance to drown him in ‘I told you so’s.

[cbsxreader]

if ur ok with more fantastical and/or meta stuff, could i please have the mercs with an s/o who was teleported to the tf2 verse from a much more serious setting and is still getting used to their comedic surroundings?

Oooh

Mercs with an S/o who is from a different universe

Tw: (slight mention of drinking in Demo's one)

Scout

Is a bit confused, since he's used to his world and hasn't really thought of it being different in some way.

But he does kind of understand his S/o's frustration, from what he's heard from them, his world doesn't seem bad in the slightest.

If his S/o asks him about something, he'll act as if he knows all about it, but his S/o can tell that he's just a motormouth. He does say the truth sometimes, but it sounds so outrageous that his S/o doesn't believe him anyways.

"Did ya' know that I'm God's gift to women?"

"Yeah...sure you are."

Soldier

Loves that his S/o is tough and ready for anything, but is oblivious to the fact that something must have happened to them that made them that way.

Once he does get it though, he is really protective of his S/o in the way that he teaches them his infamous necksnap, how to defend themselves and how to use certain weapons.

"You're doing great, cupcake!"

Pyro

Is kind of a distraction for his S/o.

Like, both the fact that they're strangelly wholesome and that they see the world completely differently makes their S/o worry less about everything else.

Pyro holds their S/o's hand if they are in public or are feeling paranoid.

If their S/o wants an explanation for something they'll have to ask someone else, but if their S/o tells them about it afterwards, they will draw a picture of them

Demoman

He is at a loss for words at first, because he, just like his coworkers, hasn't thought about his world differently from a different perspective.

He, for once, worries about his S/o drinking their trauma away and hides his alchohol better, locking it away in safes, lockers and cabinets.

If his S/o feels paranoid, he'll bring them away from people and soothe them.

Engineer

He's honestly sorry for it, but there are times when he's more enticed about how his S/o might have ended up in his world than his S/o's world itself or their backstory.

"Did ya' temper with anything that could have caused ya' to teleport to our universe?"

"...We were just talking about how leaders in my world killed people for no reason..."

"*clears throat* oh..right, my apologies...carry on..."

But other than that, he tackles one silly thing after another, telling his S/o about them as well as providing theories to them about his world to calm them down and keep them from overthinking.

Heavy

Is willing to act as a personal bodyguard for his S/o. He always stays by their side and makes sure they're not feeling paranoid or stressed.

If his S/o asks something about his world, he tries to explain it but quickly starts tripping over his words, apologizes and suggests they go and visit Medic or Engineer.

Heavy is also a good listener and wants to know what his S/o's world was like.

Medic

He is INVESTED in his S/o's world and backstory, gladly listening to them when they feel like talking about it. He even specifically asks to not leave out the gruesome and/or serious details.

S/o: *talking about a traumatizing event that dramatically changed their life*

Medic: *looking at his S/o, listening to them carefully, hand under his chin, unbothered by the theme*

Medic lets them watch his operations if his S/o needs a bit of space to breathe from exploring his comedic world.

Would try to explain anything that ponders his S/o's mind about his world, succeeding in explaining his medical adventures and achievements.

Sniper

He tries to slowly but steadily explain how the world works and he himself realizes how silly it is compared to his S/o's home.

"Wait, wait. So, New Zealand is underwater and you're the last person from there and Australia is full of buff people with moustaches, because of a metal very creatively called 'Australium'?"

"Yea...we're all so used these things that Oi haven't even thought why they work in such ways.."

He understands that his S/o is still paranoid and helps them get used to his world by making lighthearted jokes about their surroundings as well as actually gently soothing them when they're paranoid.

Spy

Spy is a bit confused at first, thinking his S/o is crazy. But he spends more time with them and from the way they talk, act and interact with their surroundings, he can tell that they're telling the truth.

If his S/o is paranoid or stressed, he lets them use his cloak, so they can observe the chaos from aside and learn the weirdness of his world without needing to worry about them getting involved in it.

Spy also promises his S/o that he's always going to make sure they're safe and will watch their back.

"From now on, zhere won't be a time when you aren't safe."

Ms. Pauling

Finally, someone understands her!

"Wow! And they called me crazy, can you believe it!?"

Pauling is a great listener and lets her S/o talk about themselves and their world, if it makes them feel better.

Always provides her S/o with something to always protect themselves with (guns, knives, tranquilizers - you name it)

She may or may not sneak her S/o in to her office, if they're feeling anxious about their surroundings.

Sorry for the wait, anon!

[showmey0urfangs]

Hi there!

I've been reading your latest posts and I must say you phrased my thoughts exactly.

The plot has huge holes in them at this point especially the part about the way the trial went down since both armand and lestat should have been able to stop it considering the state they were both in.

And I do feel like louis and claudia were both dumbed down, letting stuff happen because the plot had to go there.

I can't start with lestat I believe his character has taken the worst hits.

Lots of people on here believe that all this will somehow be fixed or explained by rewrites and retconning through lestats pov in season 3.

I get where that hope comes from since thus is sort of what Anne did herself in tvl, but my gut ( Also the vibe I got from rolins interviews) tells me otherwise.

I think the writing suffers from wanting to keep things interesting and avoiding cliches but common sense and character consistency gets sacrificed for campy plot twists.

I'll definitely await with excitement to see season 3 but with a grain of salt.

Thanks for reading. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Hi Anon! Yes, there are a lot of glaring plot holes and all the characters had to be dumbed down for the story to work the way it does.

Armand is shown to be extremely powerful one moment and then completely clueless and incompetent the next. We're expected to buy the flimsy explanation that he's cornered and overpowered by the coven—whose thoughts he could easily read at any point—because he was too distracted by...check notes...𝐿𝑜𝓋𝑒 💖 💕✨

I would have actually preferred if he'd been the one to orchestrate the whole trial rather than the flimsy explanation RJ and the cast have given that he was simply too scared to intervene. Better a moustache-twirling villain than the weak pathetic wet blanket they made him into.

I also agree that Lestat takes the worst hit here because I'll die on the hill that he would have NEVER, of sound body and mind, agreed to participate in a trial meant to humiliate and murder his own family by subjecting them to what is essentially a public lynching.

I know the writers were backed into a corner because they needed a reason why Lestat shows up in Paris. In this version, he's not severely injured and he's way too powerful for the coven to subdue him. But it just doesn't work.

The inconsistent power levels also make it very hard to understand what's going on. They tell us Lestat has a godlike strength; he has the blood of Akasha in him and he's so OP that not even Louis and Armand combined can kill him. So why did he just sit by as his daughter was burned? Why did he not simply kill everyone in the room and rescue her and Louis if his goal in coming to Paris was to save them? Who tf knows. Even the actors were confused about it.

We're also supposed to believe the great Vampire Armand, the strongest telepath to ever exist, is outsmarted by a human journalist with a laptop—whose thoughts he could easily read at any point. His 77-year machiavellian scheme is undone by the intervention of Talamasca ex-machina, who just so happened to have the exact document Daniel needed to crack the case. My belief is suspended so high it's touching the stratosphere. 😂

Concerning potential retcons, my policy going forward is that unless it's shown or implied on the screen, it does not exist. I don't think fans should have to do the writer's job for them by inferring and imagining obscure justifications and explanations that were not given by the show. We already had the retconning debate after season 1. It went on for 2 years, only for none of those theories to end up coming true. The drop still happened, everything in S1 still stands. NOTHING was retconned, only shown from a slightly different perspective. But apparently, people have an extremely short memory and they've learned nothing because we're back to the same silly nonsensical theories.

I know I said I've reached acceptance so I'll stop talking about it but yeah...It's a hot mess. I really hope that the writers do better in S3 now that they're not under the constant pressure of a strike. I hope they take the time to craft a good and coherent story. The amazingly talented cast and crew deserve nothing less.

[sulfurousdreamscapes]

The shadow of a fish swam past the crossword puzzle, and that was all the impetus it took for Auguste to search his coat pockets for a pencil. He didn't find one, so he looked behind him, at Samantha, who lay spread eagle on the floor, staring at the glass ceiling that kept the two of them from being submerged in the Atlantic Ocean.

"Do you have a pencil on you, dear Samantha?" Auguste asked, his thin, trimmed moustache curling up into a smile.

"Did you finally decide to have a go at that crossword?" Samantha asked, eyes fixed on a shark ripping apart a catfish.

"Yes."

"I thought you were saving it for a special occasion. Such as when we finally get to leave this prison, as you put it."

"Yes, well. That was then, and this is now."

Samantha groaned and made an effort to get up, before deciding not to get up after all. "There should be a pencil in my handbag."

Auguste waited for the catch, but none came. "Do you want me to look in your handbag for the pencil?"

The red cloud of blood dissipated within a minute, and the sea was dark, dark blue again, with shadows swimming past the glass-topped hotel.

August cleared his throat. "I thought you said I could never touch your belongings."

"This is a special occasion."

Auguste stifled a laugh and got up from his upholstered seat. He went across the hotel restaurant and found the handbag right where he'd first spotted it, tucked against the window wall in a booth for six.

"Let's see what's in here."

Samantha groaned. "How long before they realise we're still alive down here?"

Auguste raised a finger to the air. "It's best to consider this a hell we've been consigned to, based on all our previous sins. That's the newest theory I've come up with, and it's the one that makes the most sense to me, I think."

Samantha closed her eyes. "What did you find in the handbag?"

"Lipstick, a notepad… a little horseshoe charm. Where's the pencil, dear Samantha?"

"Look, Auguste, I have to confess something."

"That there is no pencil in the handbag?"

"That handbag isn't mine."

"Oh."

"I was just pretending it was mine. I never even looked inside it, so I don't know if there is a pencil or not."

"Are you sorry? Or…?"

"I'm not sorry. I just thought that since we're trapped in a hotel under the sea, we should have some secrets from each other. My mother always said that secrets make for the best stories."

"It doesn't look like there's a pencil here."

Samantha sat up and rubbed her eyes. "What will you do if you don't find a pencil in here?"

Auguste looked at her from across the restaurant. "Why, I'd go absolutely insane trying to solve a crossword I can't fill in."

Samantha shook her head. "All this time, we had the perfect balance - you with your crossword, me with my handbag. Now we've crushed it all."

"Yes, we've entered a new phase of hell."

Somewhere far above them, a blue whale passed by, casting a massive, dark shadow over the restaurant as it went. For a moment, Samantha wished the glass would shatter and fall in with all the water, just to see how it'd feel to be suddenly taken by the Atlantic Ocean.

Auguste shouted, breaking her out of her daydreaming.

"I found a pencil!"

[snaillamp]

Cheap Shot

“Cody!” Cody turned around, panting. He tucked a loose strand of hair out of his eyes as he looked at who had called his name. “Come here.” The older man across the room called. Cody followed his orders, crossing the dojo and standing in front of Mike, his sensei.

“Aaron here says that he can beat anyone in this dojo. You’ve been doing this for a while now, why don’t we test that theory?”Cody nodded.

Aaron was fairly new to the dojo and already walked around like he owned the place, bragging about his knowledge and skills, and how quickly he got to where he was now. He’d been doing karate half as long as Cody, and whilst Cody did have to admit, he was good, he wasn’t good enough to be boasting as much as he did. He was honestly a little excited, he’d kinda wanted to spar with the guy for a while, he’d be a fun challenge.

“Heh, this guy’ll be easy. I’ve beaten bigger guys into the dust during my tournament days.”

Cody smirked, ’Tournament days… The guy’s like 10 years younger than I am, what tournament days was he going to at 15? This guy must’ve been the next Karate Kid or something.’ Cody thought to himself, walking to the sparring area, the large, bulky Aaron sauntering after him.

This guy was gonna be easy to tip, and his attitude would make it even easier.

Blowing out a breath, Cody assumed his stance, watching as Aaron took his. Cody would have to take this slow, let him make the first move and go from there. Aaron lunged, Cody blocking his incoming knee and twisting out of the way. Then he blocked another attack, a punch, pulling Aaron’s arm down and behind him, before sending him to the ground.

Letting him go, Cody stood back, helping the guy up, noticing the vein bulging in his forehead.

“Well. There you have it.” Cody shrugged, taking a step back and glancing at Mike, who was chuckling to himself. “Good job, you’re pretty good.” Cody added, trying to comfort Aaron.

“I want another try.” Aaron snapped, angry. Cody shrugged, glancing at Mike, who nodded. “Yeah, sure.” He assumed another stance, and waited as Aaron lunged again. There was more power to his moves this time, Cody ducking at the last second, rolling out of the way. He spent a few minutes blocking and dodging harsh, quick, powerful attacks, before he made his own.

Cody kicked out at Aaron, only to be blocked. Suddenly Aaron’s leg came in contact with Cody’s groin, sending a shooting pain through him, distracting him for a second. Then, his arm was in a lock, yanked painfully, roughly behind him… Too roughly.

’Oh no…’ He thought as he felt his shoulder pop out. The ground hurtled toward him as he landed hard against it. Seeing stars on impact only for Aaron to land heavily on top of him, crushing his body and sending the pain rushing from his shoulder to his head.

Everything went black.

~~

“Cody!”

Mike sprinted across the dojo as he saw the larger man land way too hard on top of Cody. He knew something was wrong when Cody’s arm went slack in Aaron’s grip, falling heavily to the ground when was released. Aaron scrambled off, but Cody remained motionless, facedown on the ground.

“What the hell was that!?” He yelled at Aaron, who was going pink with embarrassment. “It was- I didn’t mean to-”

Mike shook his head. “Get out. You are not welcome in here, if you use cheap shots like that just to win! Get out of my sight!” Aaron scrambled to get away from the short, angry man, who’s moustache was twitching as Aaron left.

Mike leaned down, looking at Cody. His right shoulder definitely looked wrong, maybe broken. One of the other students had rushed over, and Mike looked at her seriously. “Roll him over gently while I keep his head still.”

The student nodded, following orders as they moved the man carefully. Cody was already beginning to wake up. He looked up at Mike as his eyelids fluttered, then he blinked hard, coming to. He winced, reaching for his arm, before glancing at it.

“Sh-shit…” He stammered, swallowing as he tried to sit up, cradling his arm. The muscle in his shoulder was twitching and spasming under his clothes, making Cody wince again. Mike was glad that Cody was an MD… At least he’d know what to do.

~~

Cody heard voices around him, then hands as he was moved. He couldn’t’ve been out for more than a second, if he was out at all. It was probably just the shock of it all.

He felt the soft mat underneath him as his back was laid against it, and he opened his eyes, head swooning. His vision was blurry, but after a few seconds cleared. He was fine, his arm hurt like a bitch though.He saw the worried face of Mike and Clare, another student looking at him, worry painting their faces as Cody reached for his shoulder. He glanced at it, wincing, “Sh-shit…”.

It was definitely dislocated. He gulped, sitting up, the adrenaline rushing through him as he watched his muscle try to force his humerus back into the joint.

This was one of the worst dislocations he’d ever seen. Mike helped him lean against a wall, as he caught his breath, before getting up and shuffling to a nearby bench. He was still a little light headed.

“You alright?” Mike asked, worried. Cody glanced at him, nodding.

“Yeah, I just -agh- It’s dislocated, that’s all…” Mike looked at him concerned. “You were knocked out Cody, for at least 30 seconds, you were unconscious.” Cody frowned. It hadn’t felt that long?

“Huh… I didn’t realise… nhhh…” He put a hand to his head, feeling a bump already forming. “I’ll have to get this looked at.” He mumbled, nodding at his arm. He stood, the world swaying slightly as he shuffled to his gym bag, swinging it over his good shoulder.

“Perhaps I should drive you?” Mike suggested tentatively. Cody frowned slightly, weighing up his options. “Yeah…. Probably for the best.”

Mike nodded, pulling Cody’s bag from his arm and helping him to his car. He found the keys inside the bag, starting the car, Cody noticing Aaron’s loud car was missing from the parking lot.

Mike drove him in angry silence through Stoney Creek, to the hospital, a place Cody knew all too well. He’d been there hours before, finishing his long, boring, mostly uneventful shift. He cradled his arm gingerly, getting out as they pulled up and walking into the ER, still barefoot.

Dan, the nurse on shift looked at him with a surprised look. “Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in. What happened to you Codes?” He teased, as Cody shot him a look. “I’ll get Mel.” Dan looked away, scurrying off to find the doctor on shift. He knew that if Cody wasn’t in a joking mood, he must be in pain.

Cody, in the meantime made himself comfortable on the nearest bed, sighing as he lay back and rested his shoulder. He reached over to his belt, loosening it and opening his top, right as Melanie came into the room. She gasped as she saw Cody’s shoulder.

“Jesus Christ! Cody what happened?”

Cody looked at her with a scowl. “Guy kicked me in the balls, then dislocated my shoulder and knocked me out.” Mel covered her mouth, catching a slight laugh, as she reached for the injured shoulder. Melanie sighed as Cody squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the pain of being touched to come.

“Do you want analgesia?”

Cody sighed. “No. Just get it back in.”

He was really cranky, his shoulder quite painful as his muscle refused to stop spasming under his skin. Melanie shrugged, and felt his shoulder.

“Hmm, that’s pretty bad Codes… I think you should head down to Sawmill, they’ll need to X-Ray it.” Cody tilted his head back slowly, sighing.

“I knew you’d say that…”

The world suddenly went blurry and tilted a little. Gulping, Cody lay back against the bed a little, closing his eyes. The dislocated shoulder was starting to bruise a little.

“You okay?” Melanie asked, suddenly concerned.

“Yeah, just felt a bit nauseous.” Cody mumbled quietly. “You said you got knocked out, how long where you out?” Cody blinked a little.

“Cody?”

He looked up at Melanie, confused, “Hmm?”

She frowned, “How long were you knocked out for?”

Cody glanced at Mike, who shrugged, “At least… 30-40 seconds, maybe a minute.”

Melanie made a face, and Cody smirked, that wasn’t a helpful answer. “Okay, lets go with a minute. I need to check you out.” Cody nodded, as Melanie guided him through a test. She looked at his eyes, noticing the right one was a little sluggish at expanding and contracting the pupil.

“Yeah, you’re concussed.” Cody sighed, making a frustrated face.

“Look. My shift is done, do you wanna come with and I’ll drive you to Sawmill ER?” Cody looked at Melanie.

She drove up to Stoney Creek from Sawmill Inlet for work, she liked being a bit closer to people, than sleepy, run down Stoney. It wouldn’t be a hassle for her.

Cody nodded, wiping his face with his hand, a tell for when he was in pain.

“Are you sure you don’t want anything for the pain?” Cody shook his head. Painkillers made him feel sick on a good day, he didn’t feel like driving down the windy roads to Sawmill and throwing up on Melanie's car.

She nodded. “Dan can sling ya up, I’ll grab my handbag!” She patted Cody’s thigh, making him wince as Dan came up to him with a sling. He lifted his arm, which was beginning to tingle, his fingers going a bit numb. “Ow- hhhgght…” He hissed through his teeth as it was secured around his shoulders.

“You okay?” Dan asked his colleague, who nodded in response.
 “Okay, ready to go?”

~~

Sliding into the passenger seat, Melanie buckled Cody in, and then went around to her side. She turned on the engine, the radio beginning to spit out some static-y snippets of music. Sounded like Coldplay.

Cody shut his eyes, trying to ignore the waves of nausea coming on each turn. They travelled for a while, Cody occasionally moaning quietly in pain as they went around particularly sharp corners. The tingling in his arm had turned to numbness, but he tried to ignore it as they went down the last few curves.

Melanie’s car smelled like fake fruit… It made him feel a little sick.

“Okay, it shouldn’t be as windy from here.” Melanie half laughed, looking at her pale colleague, who was slumped against the car seat, looking a bit green.

“How you holding up?”

Cody cracked an eye open. “You drive so fast…” He mumbled, closing the eye and tilting his head back again. Melanie saw his Adam’s apple bob a little, swallowing a wince.

“Cody, you gotta ask for pain killers when you get down, they’ll do you a world of wonders.” Cody shook his head.

“No… they make me feel sick.” Melanie shook her head. “How about a paracetamol?”

Cody grunted in pain as they went over a bump. He was beginning to feel tired. It had been a long day… His brain was slow…

“Maybe…” His breathing was shallow and fast.

“Nearly there…” Melanie muttered as they got down the mountain. They drove through the trees for a while, eventually coming into Sawmill Inlet.

It was a small town, once a logging town, now used by people in winter to ski and snowboard on the nearby mountain.

She drove through the streets, as the light began to fade, and the street lights clicked on. Melanie turned down a street, coming up to the hospital and began looking for a park in the tiny, weirdly windy car park.

Eventually she found a spot, sliding into it, and turning the car off, glancing at Cody. He seemed to have passed out.

Chuckling to herself, Melanie got out of the car, and opened Cody’s side.

Poking his temple gently, she murmured, “Coooooody… Wake uuuuuup…”

Her singsong voice made him stir, only for him to groan in pain.

“We’re here. Come on let’s get you inside, eh?” Cody nodded, letting the doctor help him out of the car, before he began shuffling to the door of the emergency room. He walked up to the emergency desk, the receptionist taking one look at him and going to grab a doctor.

Cody took himself to a seat, sitting down heavily with a tired sigh, the chair creaking under him. All of a sudden a big, tall man walked in, and Cody groaned again, but internally this time. It was fucking Dr Sydorenko…

“Ahhh! Doctor Hill! What bring you to my E- Oh, that’s a doozy of a dislocation there eh?” The doctor was using a very strong, fake sounding Canadian accent, instead sounding like he was doing a bad impression of characters from Fargo.

Cody blinked slowly, refusing to let his face show his annoyance to his colleague. “Hello to you too Boris.” Melanie smiled, looking the doctor up and down. He smiled, Melanie going a bit pink, as she looked at Cody and patted his back, making him wince. “Someone needs an X-ray.”

Boris nodded, “I can see that. What happened to you?” He laughed as Cody stood up, following him from the doctor through the halls to the X-ray lab. He wasn’t gonna tell Boris shit, especially something so embarrassing.

Lying down against the hard table, he grunted as the X-ray tech adjusted his arm, and after that, he couldn’t feel his fingers, his whole arm was throbbing.

After the snaps, Boris looked at them, Cody laying on a bed in the emergency ward. He had his eyes shut, breathing slowly and heavily, head tipped back as pain radiated through his chest.

“Okay, it looks fine, we will just try some manoeuvres.” Boris looked to Melanie.

“Would you like to assist, Dr White? What do you think we should try, I’m thinking Cunningham’s first.” Melanie hummed, nodding.

“I prefer Kocher’s method, it works faster for me.” She was looking intently at Boris. “Kocher’s isn’t a bad idea. Perhaps we try Kocher’s then Cunningham’s?”

Melanie nodded, “I like your thinking Dr Sydorenko.” She smiled, laughing a little. “What analgesia does he like?” Boris asked Melanie, his voice low an slightly sultry as he leaned in toward her. Cody frowned, eyes flicking between the two of them, where they really using him to flirt with each other?

“Uh, guys?” He groaned, voice quiet and gravelly.

They didn’t hear him.

Cody moaned quietly. He wasn’t in the mood for games. It had been over an hour since his shoulder dislocated and he just wanted it back in.

“Guys?” He asked again. They were discussing medication in low, breathy voices, leaning over the bed towards each other, noses nearly touching.

Cody cleared his throat. “Ahem, uh, hey. My shoulder is very dislocated right now, and I’d reeeeaaally appreciate it if you left your little bonding time 'til after you put it back in.”

He groaned as he tipped his head back he was really in pain. His fingers were numb… His head was pounding… This sucked.

“Oh, Cody. Yeah, right… Uh… Kocher’s.” Melanie stood straighter and Boris cleared his own throat, walking over to Cody.

He sat by Cody’s side and placed the doctor’s forearm on his own. Melanie looks slightly jealous that it was Cody who was touching Boris’ big, muscular forearm and not her, but she took his other hand as her friend winced.

“Aww, you’re such a good friend.” Boris said smoothly, practlically drooling. Melanie smiled a bit and looked down.

“Anything for my friends, Dr Sydorenko.” Boris nodded with approval as Melanie leaned toward him a bit “to see better”, Boris rotating Cody’s arm. Cody quivered in pain as his shoulder muscles visibly spasmed.

“Argh…” He grunted, trying to hold in the pain.

Swallowing hard, Cody caught his breath as Boris rubbed his chin.

“That’s not working. Oh! How about we do Fares?” Cody nodded, lying back as Dr Sydorenko took his arm and held it out straight, then began to wiggle up and down.

Almost immediately Cody’s legs jerked as pain ripped through his body and down his spine. Boris frowned, feeling Cody’s wrist and squeezing his slightly purple looking fingers. “Can you feel this?” He asked, tickling Cody’s palm gently.

“A bit…” Cody murmured.

“Alright. Let’s get this arm in. Do you want any analgesia?”

Cody shook his head, “Just get it in."

Boris nodded, his blonde eyebrows knitting together as he moved Cody’s arm up and down again, pain shooting through Cody until there was a shift inside his shoulder.

Suddenly it slipped back into place, pain and then euphoria shooting through Cody’s spine as blood came rushing back into his arm with a pop. He moaned in ecstasy, grinning wide as he moved his arm gently.

Boris smirked to himself, turning to Melanie and smiling his flashy smile, hands on hips in victory.

“Good job Boris…” Melanie spoke, slightly flustered. Cody’s eyebrows raised a little, he didn’t know how he felt being the around to this weird flirting, especially since he was the reason Boris looked so good.

“All in a days work, Melanie.” Boris winked and stretched, puffing out his chest.

Cody rolled his eyes, as a nearby nurse helped him put his sling back on.

“I take it you don’t need to know the D-L when it comes to looking after that?” Boris smirked at Cody, who nodded. “I can look after it myself, thanks.”

Boris laughed loudly, clapping Cody’s back hard, right between the shoulders, making him grunt in pain.

“Oh, sorry.” Boris pulled away, looking at Melanie. “I’ll finish off the paperwork and then I’ll walk you to the door.” He spoke only to her.

Cody cleared his throat, trying to remind them he was there too, his two colleagues practically eyefucking each other.

Melanie nodded eagerly, as Boris sauntered off, Cody rolling his eyes again.

“Pfft- I’ll walk you to the door.” Cody mimicked in a sarcastic voice as Melanie went red, hitting his newly relocated shoulder with the back of her hand.

Cody winced, whining in protest. “Ow!” He frowned at her as she glanced around, hoping Boris wasn’t in earshot.

“Cody I swear to god,”

Cody held up his free hand in surrender. “Okay, okay… God you two looked like you were just about to go at it on the bed… with me still in it.”

Melanie blushed again.

“Shut up.” She hissed through her teeth. “Oooooo, someone’s got a cruuuuush.” Cody teased back. Melanie bit her lip, looking at her hands.

“No I don’t! You’re just still concussed…….. Okay he’s hot… but me? Really? Do you think he was really into me or just doing it for attention?” 

Melanie knew Boris’… reputation, especially when it came to women.

“Oh, he was practically undressing you in his mind.” Cody continued half sarcastically.

Melanie looked slightly hopeful.

“Look man, shoot your shot, he’s walking you to the door that must mean something. He didn’t give a shit about walking me to the door.” Cody grumbled, slightly offended, Melanie laughing as the tension in her face left.

Boris returned that minute, holding out the clipboard he was holding for Cody to fill out. Cody took his time, making gestures with his eyes for Melanie to talk to Boris.

He couldn’t stand the guy, he was arrogant, a bit of a showoff and had a reputation for sleeping around, but Melanie was having a bit of a slump after her ex had dumped her pretty unceremoniously a few months back.

She needed a win, and if that was railing Boris in a closet while he signed paperwork, so be it.

As he finished, he noticed that Melanie and Boris were talking, Boris sitting next to her, one hand resting on her thigh, the other around her shoulder.

Eyes widening a bit, Cody cleared his throat loudly and handed the clipboard back to Boris, who absentmindedly took it from him, still engaged in the conversation with Mel.

Cody sat there for a few minutes, fidgeting with his sling and listening to them talk about good cafes in Sawmill. Then, Boris mentioned his shift ended in the morning, and he loved to go to the bakery down the street and get coffee from the little hole in the wall place, very “adorable” and “charming”.

Cody resisted the temptation to gag. Instead, he yawned, looking at Melanie.

“Uh Mel, I hate to break up this conversation, but we should… probably go….?” He suggested, smiling at her hopefully. Boris laughed.

“Oh of course, I forgot, our poor patient! Let’s get you to your car.” Cody frowned.

“Wait wasn’t he walking her to the door…?” He muttered under his breath. Boris walked with them to Mel’s car, Cody getting in the passenger seat and waiting for Melanie to get in and get him home.

Melanie however, didn’t, her laugh echoing through the door of the car. Cody glanced over and saw Boris standing very close to her, hands reaching for, and then settling on her hips. He watched in awkward silence, slightly disgusted as they clearly kissed a few times.

“That was fast…” He mumbled to himself, as he heard Boris knock on the window. He looked at it, seeing Boris outside in his tight scrubs and perfectly styled hair. Melanie’s type for sure. 

“You look after yourself, Codesterino.”

Cody nodded, smiling politely. He didn’t mind is friends calling him names, but Boris?

He was not one of those people… and Codesterino? Really?

“That’s a new one.” He grumbled to himself. It was dark now, and he just wanted to go home.

Melanie got into the car and shut the door, cheeks burning, and then squealed. “Oh my god, Cody!” She looked at him excitedly.

Cody looked at her, shivering a little, tired and cold.

“He said he’s gonna take me out to breakfast!” She grinned from ear to ear, Cody smiling a little, before his stomach growled.

“Mel, that’s great, but can we please go get something to eat so I can go home?”

Melanie’s back straightened. “Oh! Yeah! How does the Thai place sound?”

Cody nodded, Thai sounded good.

Melanie started to drive, humming along to the song on the radio.

“Hey, so I don’t know how I feel about you driving home with that concussion. Why don’t you stay at mine and we can go back in the morning? You know you’re still concussed and everything.”

Cody sighed, nodding. “Yeah… That’s smart.” Mel glanced at him, concerned. “You okay?” Nodding slowly, Cody let his heavy eyelids shut.

“I just… Hmmmmm…” He sighed. “‘m so tired… and sore…”

Melanie nodded. “You sure you don’t want any painkillers?”

Cody shook his head. “I don’t need ‘em… It’s painful but I can handle it. Painkillers make me feel weird anyway.”

He looked up at the red neon sign reading OPEl in the window of the Thai restaurant.

Melanie snorted. “They still haven’t fixed that?” Rolling her eyes, she got out of the car, helping Cody out and going inside to order.

Freezing rain began pouring down the second Cody stepped out of the car.

“Oh come on!” He yelled, making a mad dash for the entrance.

~~

Cody was busy cramming noodles into his mouth when Melanie came over with a blanket. “You’re still wet.” She exclaimed, looking at his damn clothes.

Cody shrugged. “Yeah, it’s fine. I don’t mind.” Melanie shook her head, before pausing. “Wait… Tim might’ve left a shirt or two lying around. You can wear one if you want.” Cody shook his head, pulling his karate gear closed around him.

“It’s fine.” He said quickly, shovelling more noodles into his mouth. The spice was great, hitting the spot and warming him up, and the little bits of pork through it… This was perfect comfort food right now.

A shirt hit him in the face from across the room. It was massive, way bigger than Cody’s size.

Tim had been a body builder, and this shirt would’ve been a tight muscle tee on him. Cody was a decently built guy sure, he had toned arms and legs from karate, but he wasn’t that tall or… wide… or built, he was a normal looking dude, and Tim had been built like a tank... Like Boris…

Melanie certainly had a type.

He shrugged the shirt on and nodded, it was pretty comfy. “Keep it, I don’t need it.” Melanie said, smiling. Cody nodded, he’d just found a great pyjama shirt.

Mel settled down next to him, eating her own sweet and sour chicken soup, turning on the TV and watching the news.

It was pretty boring, some guy in Alberta was talking about cows, the government was on the same bullshit as usual and the US was doing… whatever it did to make the Prime Minister mad this time.

Eventually some random TV show came on and they half watched it, not really following the story.

Cody finished his noodles, sighing as he took off the sling. “Hey do you have a towel? I might grab a shower quickly.”

Melanie nodded, disappearing and coming back with a fluffy pink towel.

“Bathroom is down the hall and to the right.” She pointed across the house.

Cody nodded, following the directions and entering the bathroom.

Melanie’s house was nicer than his. She came from a pretty well off family who had set her up nicely in Sawmill. Her bathroom was clean and tidy, fancy tiled patterns on the walls and even golden taps on her sink.

It was a comfy, mid-century family home, perfect for Melanie.

Cody gently removed his shirt, careful to keep his shoulder from moving too much. Then he slid everything else, turning on the shower and stepping into the steaming water.

He sighed, letting the day’s events wash off his skin, and gently massaging his injured shoulder in the steamy water the tension leaving his body as he melted in the heat. After slightly too long, he turned off the water, drying himself off and slipping back into his clothes.

He shuffled out to the main living area again, plonking down on the sofa and snuggling up with the blanket, already beginning to doze.

Melanie looked at him and smiled. “Aww, sleepy huh?”

“Mhmm…” Cody hummed.

“I’ll leave you to it then, unless you want my bed?” Cody shook his head, lying down as Melanie stood from the sofa.

“‘m gd ‘ere…” He mumbled, feeling the weight of another blanket land on top of him.

In minutes, he was unconscious, sleeping soundly.

Melanie watched him for a while, his chest rising and falling slowly, right arm resting gently on his stomach. She hoped he wasn’t in pain, but he seemed to be sleeping alright. She’d check on him if he woke up.

~~

Cody grunted against the sofa cushion, shifting a little. He was still fast asleep, and it was only 7 am.

Good.

He’d be sleeping for a while longer, and that meant Melanie and Boris could have some fun without her having to worry about Cody finding out.

Boris had finished his shift at 6 and Melanie had met him at the little cafe he liked, they’d both ordered huge plates of pancakes and a mug each of wonderful coffee.

They’d somehow gotten talking and then flirting… and now Boris was standing in her doorway, looking at her house. They were careful not to wake Cody as they tiptoed through the room.

When they finally made it to her room, the fun began, Boris’ big hands grabbing her own and pulling her against him as they began to kiss, their fingers feeling for the hem of each others’ clothes, which rapidly began flying across the room.

~~

Cody groaned as he awoke, reaching for his phone that had fallen between the couch cushions, he checked it.

Shit, 8:30. He’d slept in.

It felt good though, having a decent enough sleep. He felt slightly more alive than usual, or was it less dead?

Either way, he was contentedly dozing, rationalising getting up at 9, when Boris sauntered past him, wearing absolutely nothing. Cody recoiled slightly, looking around for Melanie, who was following Boris in a loose t-shirt and underwear.

This was more than Cody could handle. He could look at his colleagues naked if it was for a medical reason, and even then it would still be awkward, but this was too far.

Cody shut his eyes quickly, pretending to still be asleep, when he heard low voices talking.

“You sure?"

“Yes, I’m sure. Look at him, asleep like a baby.”

“I just don’t want him to see us like this, it feels a bit… weird. Like, a breach of confidentiality or something.”

“He’s asleep, it’s fine. Besides I’ll get dressed after coffee and leave he’ll never even know I was here. Now, how do you get this fancy contraption to- ohhh….”

Cody used all of the willpower he had to keep from smirking. He had the power here. He waited a few minutes, as they began making their coffees, then stirred, inhaling deeply. He heard them freeze, so he sighed, relaxing his body and going still.

“He’s waking up.” Melanie said anxiously. “Nah, he’s fine. He had a long night, he’s dead to the world.”

Cody smirked slightly. Boris’ unchecked confidence was playing right into his hands.

Melanie sighed. “I’m cold, I’m gonna throw on some sweatpants. Just press that button when you’re done.”

Oh this was too perfect. It was time for revenge.

Cody waited for her footsteps to fade, and then slid off the sofa. He walked quickly and silently across the room and into the kitchen, taking a seat at the counter, waiting for Boris to turn around. If karate had taught him one thing, it was how to walk silently across anything.

Boris nearly dropped his mug when he turned and saw Cody sitting at the bench, smiling tiredly, chin resting on his palm. He eyed the coffee.

“Oh hi.” He said, slightly too gleefully, reaching across the counter and taking the coffee from Boris’ hands, “Thanks.” He nodded, raising the mug and taking a sip.

Ew. It was sweet, like one step away from being a milkshake sweet.

“How did you-?” Boris stammered, as Cody smirked. He’d never felt cooler.

“Eh, smelt the coffee, decided it was time to make my escape. I can see you’re both a bit… busy.” He nodded at Boris, who slapped on a perfect smile and laughed.

Melanie gasped, “Cody!?”

Cody turned, taking another sip of his coffee, saluting with two fingers as he did.

“Hey.” He answered, watching Melanie go beet red.

“You’re awake? How much did you- I- We were just-”

Cody held up his hand. “Mel, it’s fine. I need to head anyway. I’ll leave you two to… whatever this is.” He got up, handing the coffee to Boris.

“Thanks for the coffee, B. Ease up on the sugar next time though, eh?” He patted the big, meaty shoulder of the doctor and walked back to his stuff. “I’ll call in a favour, get a ride up myself. Have fun you two, remember to use protection!” Cody smiled gleefully as he left, feeling a bit mean.

But it was good payback for all the awkward flirting last night, and a total fluke he’d managed to look so cool. He slid his sling on haphazardly, and walked out the door.

Melanie opened the door as he fiddled with his phone that was nearly dead, trying to find Dan’s number. “Cody wait!” 

He turned, looking at her confused.

“It’s not what it looks like. I swear.” Mel continued. “We were just really making a connection at the hospital and then at breakfast and next thing I know I’m inviting him back and then-”

“Mel… Mel. Mel!” Cody finally managed to interrupt her, raising his voice slightly each time.

“I don’t care who you’re banging. It’s not my business. I literally couldn’t care less. But if you feel like he’s using you at any point, you come to me okay?”

Melanie nodded. She knew what Boris’ reputation was like, but they really had something, she felt a spark there! They had a connection, it was real.

When she was fooling around with him that morning it had just… felt right.

He was gentle and strong and- she kept the rest of that thought locked away in her memory for later.

“Okay. Hey, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t like, spread it around?” Cody nodded, smiling softly, the early morning light warming his skin.

“Hey, you know I’m not like that. I had my fun, you won’t hear anything more about it from me.”

Melanie smiled, walking up to Cody and hugging him. “Thanks… It was really great sex though. Like… I needed that.”

Cody’s arm slid between them as he pushed her back. “Aaaaaand we’re done here.” He glanced at his phone. Dan said to come by his place.

“Have fun with your booooyfrieeeend.” He teased, waving and walking to the pavement and towards Dan’s, Melanie scoffing dramatically, going back inside with a spring in her step.

Cody was happy for her, even if Boris was a jerk, she needed a win, and she had won herself a pretty good prize, all things considered.

He was glad for her, even if it was kinda awkward.

~~

“Hey man!” Dan called from his porch as he stood in his scrubs. They were neat and clean, but he looked tired. His skin was pale, his thick brown hair combed back nicely, stubble scattered across his face, his blue eyes shining, field by caffeine.

When he saw Cody, his smile faltered.

“Damn, you look… alive?” He asked as he stepped forward, keys jangling in his hand.“I actually got to sleep in for once.” Cody grumbled, still slightly concussed as Dan patted his good shoulder.

They got in his car, beginning the long drive back to Stoney Creek, Cody sleepily blinking as Dan turned on the radio. Cody didn’t listen to the song much, until Dan glanced at him.

“So, you slept at Mel’s last night?” He has a tone to his voice, almost suspicious of Cody, which the doctor didn’t appreciate. He looked up at Dan, huffing, slightly frustrated.

“Yeah. I slept on her couch.”

Dan nodded, not quite believing him.

“Dude. Come on. She didn’t want me driving back concussed. You know me, I don’t sleep with my colleagues. Besides, she’s sleeping with someone anyway.”

Dan’s eyebrows rose. He’d heard about Melanie’s breakup, and was surprised to hear the news that she’d found someone so soon, and besides that, she’d had a massive crush on Cody when she’d first started working at Stoney Creek, that Cody had been somewhat oblivious to.

“Who?” He asked, eyes lighting up. Cody rolled his eyes.

“I don’t know. I just heard them this morning. It’s why I walked to yours. Didn’t wanna… intrude.” Cody lied, looking back out the window.

“Whoever it is, I’m glad she has them. She was getting kinda lonely I think.”

Dan nodded. “Yeah, that’s good. It gets hard being alone all the time.” He sighed softly. “I’m so glad I have Darren. There’s nothing better than crawling into bed to get a big, warm bear hug after a hard day. I remember before we were together coming home to a cold, dark, empty house… It sucked.”

Cody hummed in agreement.

It had been Cody who’d convinced Dan to ask out his best friend, Darren. He smiled softly, remembering the first time Dan, fresh out of nursing school, had seen Darren. It was a boring, empty night shift, just Cody and Dan, until the ambulance called in.

ETA 5 minutes…

When Dan and Darren saw each other for the first time… How they had both stopped and stared into each other’s eyes… Cody hadn’t ever believed in love at first sight, until he’d seen them meet.

He’d spent ages trying to set them both up, eventually inviting the newcomer nurse to his basketball game with his friends, a game including Darren.

Dan had gone pink the minute he’d seen the sweaty Darren in a singlet and shorts, his big arms and legs, neat hair ruffled from a day of racing around in an ambulance. It had only been a matter of time after that… But right now, all it reminded Cody of was how alone he was.

“Oh… Sorry man. I forgot.” Cody shot him a tired look, before going back to thinking.

Dan was right. It was depressing coming home to an empty house, having to make dinner while hardly awake, barely managing to feed himself and shower to get the puke, blood, piss and/or sweat off him before collapsing into a big, cold, empty king sized bed, his only friend in that house.

It sucked not having anyone to decompress and talk to about the patients at work too. The sick grannies and kids, the depressed and drug addicted ones, the people who could barely afford medicine, or the ones burned by the medical system or government…

How helpless Cody felt all the time…

He was slightly jealous of everyone who had even a roommate or partner to talk to… But he also liked his space. It was nice to just not have to talk to anyone for 7 hours whilst he drifted in and out of consciousness, waiting for the next alarm or call or knock on his door.

“It’s fine. You’re right, it is lonely, but it’s why I love my friends. The basketball and karate guys are amazing.” Cody sighed, smiling. It was okay… Hard, but okay, especially when his friends were around.

Dan smiled, before looking a bit sad. “Oh damn. You’re not gonna be able to play for a while, eh?” Groaning, Cody nodded.

“Fucking shoulder… I’ll probably still swing by, maybe help ruin drills or something. Sit in on the kid's games ’n yell from the sidelines at ‘em…” Cody half laughed.

He really liked basketball. He’d played since he was a kid, and was pretty good, even though karate was his passion. Basketball made him happy. It made him feel free and he could forget all the problems of the world and just throw a ball and fuck around with his friends.

For a second, the entire world was a concrete rectangle, and the only thing that mattered was hurling a ball at a hoop.

But for now, he’d have to hang up his sporting endeavours and focus on… video games or something. Pulling into Stoney Creek, Dan drove through the sleepy town, driving past the dim, tired looking houses, and long, uncut lawns.

Turning down a street, he passed the tiny butcher’s, the bank and what had been a furniture store about 15 years ago.

Now there was graffiti sprayed across the windows, one of which was now long shattered and boarded up.

Cody knew some local teens went in there to do drugs sometimes, he’d seen a kid OD’ing outside it once on the way to a night shift. He’d ended up dragging the kid to his car and driving way too fast to the hospital, putting him on a bed and jamming the naloxone in him as soon as he could.

A small cafe he used to go to after school was on the other side. It was run by a sweet grandma and her grandson, Omar. He played basketball with Cody.

Then the grocery store, with overpriced, nearly out of date food on the barely stacked shelves, and red and blue neon lights inside the windows.

Some hippie artist’s new age art store/less than legal weed dispensary if you knew the right people, and the local park.

On the next block was the community centre, looking a bit nicer now it had come under new management. He stared at the totem pole that had been there for as long as Cody could remember.

The paint was flaking and cracked, a memory of the once colourful pole, now covered in moss and leaning slightly to the left. There was a large formline beaver painted onto the side of the building. That was as old as the totem pole, possibly older, but in slightly better condition.

It was more sheltered from the sun and rain Cody supposed, and brick probably soaked up less water than wood…

There was a number of murals around Stoney Creek.

Cody’s favourite was an ocean scene, at sunset painted onto the side of the barbershop, a pod of formline orcas swimming in the photorealistic waves towards the smiling formline sun. They had the marking and colours of real orcas, but their formline eyes always seemed to look at Cody when he walked past.

It creeped him out a little, but in a good way.

The thick, green trees began to creep closer to the road as they left the limits of the sleepy, dead-end town, Dan’s car going further into the forest, towards the reserve Cody lived on, Cedar River 10. It was about 15 minutes out of town, and more peaceful than Stoney Creek.

There were less people, traffic and noise, and a few more people he knew, plus like… 3 cousins and an aunt.

Stoney Creek, for the tiny deadbeat town it was, could be incredibly noisy at night.

Lots of road tripping skiers and snowboarders coming in during winters to get closer to the slopes for cheap, and in summer, other road trippers, grey nomads or people driving north in their ancient, constantly breaking down old vans.

Cody had treated more than a few road trippers for broken ankles or food poisoning in the years he’d been working there. It hadn’t helped he’d grown up there too.

Moving out of town for university had been nice to get away from it all, and he hadn’t wanted to live there again, so the reserve was a nice alternative… and it was nice not having to navigate that horrendous intersection in the main street every day.

Oh, and the small town drama… Cody smirked a bit to himself. That was kinda fun to hear about to be honest.

Dan turned onto the small, winding road, disappearing into the forest. The car followed it for a couple of minutes, before more buildings poked through the large, lichen covered trees.

They were equally tired looking houses with slanting letter boxes and overgrown lawns, a rusted climbing frame in the local park and more murals filled his view as they drove down the streets.

Cody remembered this area when he was a kid being more… Vibrant and alive… But the economy had slumped when industries like logging and mining shut down. Not that that was a bad thing, but with them also went the final lifeline for this area, and it had all suffered.

A lot of the work was now down the mountain, in Sawmill Inlet, fishing and industry, processing wood from other logging projects and such… Most people ended up moving down there to be closer eventually, and leaving the reserve and Stoney Creek behind to rot.

But even Sawmill wasn’t safe…

Cody knew it was only a matter of time until it suffered the same fate as his home town and his reserve… and all the others in these mountains that were withering away.

Dan pulled up to Cody’s cute little two bedroom house. The outer paneling was white, now stained a bit grey from water and age, with speckles of green moss and lichen growing on them.

His windows were dim, the curtains drawn and rickety wooden staircase leading down to the footpath surrounded by overgrown grass to his own slanting letterbox.

He lived alone and was always tired, he never had time to mow the lawn or fix the stairs. He wasn’t sure he even knew how to fix those…

But he ended up living in a house the same as everyone else in this damn place, a tired and slowly rotting, mountainous heaven, intertwined with hell in every direction.

“Well, here’s your stop.” Dan sighed, looking at Cody’s car, his pride and joy sitting in the driveway. Mike had done him a solid and left it there for him… That man was a saint.

Cody nodded, looking at Dan and sighing. “I cannot wait to crawl into bed and sleep for days… At least I have an excuse not to work now… Hmm, Mike probably left my keys under something, I might need your help lifting it.” He gestured to his arm.

Dan laughed, getting out and picking his way through the grass thrusting the concrete path apart by the cracks as Cody followed. They searched for the keys, unsure where they had been left, until Cody found them under an old, empty flower pot.

Letting himself inside, Cody smelt the familiar, old, slightly musty scent of his dusty home fill his lungs, as Dan followed him in, pulling open the curtains to get a little light. Clothes and rubbish was strewn over the floor, and dust flew everywhere the second it was disturbed.

Dan took in the house, surprised. He’d never actually seen where Cody lived before, but hadn’t imagined it like this, the mess was the first thing he saw as dust danced around, making him sneeze.

To his left, was the door to the laundry, then the kitchen directly in front with it’s ugly laminate bench tops, a deep, rich brown, contrasting with the white, now slightly yellowed bench.

The brown, fake tiled vinyl floor curled up slightly under the spot where the sink was, the chipboard cupboard swollen from old water damage.

A small space between the kitchen and wall lead to the backyard deck, which was in desperate need of some TLC, the grimy glass door letting in slightly dulled light. To his right was a large, comfortable, squishy sofa backed against the wall, a couple of crumbs scattered across it and a faded patterned quilt covering the back.

A hook beside the front door clicked as Cody put his keys on it, a couple of keychains clinking together. A TV backed onto the wall opposite the sofa, it’s edge lining up against the intersection of the hallway beside the kitchen.

It was decently big, Cody obviously spending money on entertainment, rather than home maintenance, which made sense. He was always overworked and underpaid, like all of them were, and it didn’t help he lived alone, better to spend money on something you’d actually have the energy to do, like watching copious amounts of daytime TV.

A small corridor lead off the main room, towards the two bedrooms and the bathroom, a dusty rug stretching down its’ length.

Dan followed his tired friend through, noting the basket of soiled scrubs, other clothes piled and what looked like bedsheets underneath them, beside the bathroom door. The off white walls all around the house were dotted with paintings, wall hangings and photos.

The second bedroom opposite the toilet was more of an office, Dan peaking in the cracked open door to see a messy desk against the right most wall.

About 5 used coffee mugs were collected in a corner, a drawer half open full of paper and a few highlighters. A cup with a pen and a couple more highlighters, perched on top of 3 old medicine textbooks from Cody’s university days were in the opposite corner.

Degrees and certificates hung haphazardly above the desk, and a laptop that was covered in fingerprints took its’ place in the centre, charging from a cable that had seen better days.

Opposite that, a bookshelf covered in textbooks, other books and a few knick knacks.It was a million miles away from Cody’s work office, which was always clean, barely a speck of dust in it.

You wouldn’t have been able to tell it was the same person’s space if not for the degrees on the walls naming and shaming him.

Cody was in the bedroom at the end of the hall, his room, a loud groan distracting Dan from his thoughts as he looked in.

“What’s up?”Cody turned to him, his shoulders slouching as he looked at Dan with tired eyes. “I didn’t make my bed… I was gonna do my laundry last night… but cause of everything…” He gestured at himself.

Dan looked at the basket in the hallway. It looked like a lot of Cody’s laundry was in it, clothes, scrubs… the bed sheets… “Do you have more?” Dan asked. Cody sighed. “No, I was gonna do them all in one go. It’s been a while since I’ve done it, and I’ve kinda been… procrastinating.” He glanced at the other pile of laundry crammed into the corner of his room by his closet.

“Ah.” Dan replied, nodding once. “I’ll throw it on for you. My shift starts in like an hour and a half, if I do your sheets and a couple clothes that shouldn’t take long.”

Cody nodded sighing, wandering out of his room, mind dazed. He couldn’t believe he’d forgotten his laundry… Plonking heavily down on the couch, he sighed, only for his stomach to grumble. Groaning as he eased up, he shuffled to the kitchen, walking to the pantry and pulling out a box of cereal.

He placed it on the bench, looking at his sink, full of unwashed dishes… God his life was a mess.

He shuffled to the fridge, yanking it open and staring at the contents. There were a decent amount of microwave meals, more than he’d honestly like, but was his best attempt at some semblance of a healthy diet.

Grabbing the milk, he walked to his cereal, opening the lid and pouring it in, looking down when he heard a strange plopping sound, right as the smell hit his nostrils. Looking down at the coagulated milk, Cody inhaled deeply, letting his rage simmer down as he took the bowl to the sink.

Just like his luck.

Walking back to the sofa, he groaned and grabbed the box of cereal on the way, collapsing onto it. He slouched against the soft, cushy back, wishing it would absorb him into the crumb filled void behind him and grabbed a handful of dry cereal. Dan came out, looking at him and smiling.

“You okay?”

Cody nodded and replied, mouth full of cereal. “Mil weh bad. Kinna ‘ungry, di’n’t ‘af bekfst…”

Dan nodded, going to his pantry and finding something better for his friend to eat.

He noticed the little basket full of medications. It was the usual, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, lactase tablets, but at the back was a bottle, empty and forgotten. Looking at it, Dan pulled it forwards, he didn’t realise Cody took medication, he should probably take it soon. Missing a dose was a bad idea.

He grimaced slightly when he saw what it was, fluoxetine… Prozac.

“Hey Codes?”

“Hmm?” Cody hummed sleepily, barely looking up at Dan from his box of cereal.

“Should you be taking these?”

Cody squinted for a second, then shrugged. “Yeah. Haven’t in a while though. I’m doing fine without them, don’t worry. Was just to get me through a rough patch.”

“You picked this up in March last year.”

“And?”

“Cody, its been over 12 months since you took them?” “I said, it’s fine. Just for rough patch. Don’t worry. I’m all good.”

Cody smiled, but the look in his eyes told Dan to drop the subject.

Dan frowned, looking at his friend wince in pain, grabbing the ibuprofen, popping out a few pills and rummaging in the fridge. He found something edible, some pretty solid bread and peanut butter.

He managed to make a sandwich, and brought it to the salivating Cody on a plate, who eyed it eagerly. Reaching for it, Cody snatched the sandwich, wolfing it down, and downing the pills straight after, not even waiting for water.

At that moment, the washing machine dinged from across the house, Dan going to put the stuff in the dryer, as Cody thought about the Prozac.

He should really look into getting back on that, but it was embarrassing, and besides he didn’t have time to sort it out cause of work, and he was managing just fine…

In his trashed, dirty house, on his shit-hole of a reserve, next to a shitty dead-end town, with a hopeless, underfunded hospital filled with barely any staff…

Yeah life was really fucking great…

Dan came back and sat beside him. “I put it on the super fast dry setting.” He chirped.

“Let’s hope it doesn’t burn the house down.” Cody replied sarcastically. He was starting to feel better with some carbs in his stomach.

Yawning, he stretched. “Hey, I’m gonna shower, if you can help me with the sling, that’d be great.”

Dan nodded, getting up and freeing his friend from the confines of his medical device. Then Cody escaped to his room, getting his last fresh pair of shorts, underwear and… He’d gone through all his shirts, so he kept the one he had on.

“Oh well, I’ll wash one later.” Cody mumbled, going to the bathroom and getting in the shower. He sighed as the heat relaxed his injured muscles, and cleansed his skin of the morning shit-show. He was fresh and new now.

Easing into his clothes, he left the others on the floor, kicking them towards another pile of clothes amassing by his hardly used bathtub.

Cleaning his gross teeth and managing to brush his long hair a little, Cody shuffled out of the bathroom, just in time to hear the dryer machine tinkle its’ little annoying, honestly quite grating tune. It had been charming exactly once, the first time he’d heard it, but after the second, third, fourth time, it was like an annoying baby toy going off again and again.

Dan rushed over, gathering the hot sheets and taking them to Cody’s bed, making it for him as Cody returned to doze on the couch.

He was shaken awake by his colleague when it was done, thanking him and shuffling to bed, the blackout curtains already drawn in his slightly gross smelling room… Perhaps in a couple of days when his arm was better he should finally do some spring cleaning… If he even had the energy.

~~

Dan checked on Cody after throwing on another load of laundry. He could manage to put it in the dryer by himself, he was in a sling not missing an arm. Leaving the sling on his bedside table, Dan looked at his friend, fast asleep. He looked okay, tired and in pain a bit, but okay.

“Cya Codes.” Dan whispered, making a mental note to come and check him this afternoon.

“Nnn… Buhh…” Cody mumbled, apparently not as asleep as Dan thought.

He should probably talk to Vanessa about all this. She might be able to help him make sure Cody was okay.

~~

“Danny.” The head nurse, Vanessa greeted him as he walked through the door.

“Ness.” Dan replied going to the staff room and throwing his stuff in his locker. He trudged back out to the main room, taking a seat on one of the chairs in the waiting area.

“Ah! No, don’t think you can do that Johnson. Get mopping.” V

anessa pointed at the mop in the corner of the room, and Dan groaned dramatically, getting up and grabbing the bucket to fill with water.

“You’re usually 20 minutes early, what’s got you in right on time?” Vanessa asked, not looking up from her paperwork.

“Took Codes home. He stayed the night at Mel’s and decided to leave before he outstayed his welcome.

"Vanessa nodded. “Smart man. How is he?”

Dan finished filling the bucket with the usual carcinogenic chemicals and shoved it under the tap in the nearby sink.

“Good. In pain, obviously, and cranky as all hell. I think he might get a bit lonely all alone by himself out there…”

Vanessa nodded. “I’ll pop around some time, make him something to eat. God knows, Cody Hill is a fantastic doctor, and only a fantastic doctor. Man couldn’t cook a salmon to save his life.” She laughed to herself.

“That explains the ‘eating dry cereal out of the box’ thing.” Dan laughed to himself, as Vanessa burst into laughter.

“Oh my goodness… Cody! He’s done that since he was a kid! I remember watching his mother wrenching his arm out of the box and scolding him for it while he bawled his little eyes out. Oh, yeah, I’m gonna make that boy a big ass lasagna when I get home.”

Dan chuckled, he’d forgotten that Vanessa was a local, about 15 years older than Cody, and had been a teenager when he was born. She’d done the same as him, left Stoney Creek to study and come right back the minute she’d finished.

She’d babysat Cody occasionally when he was little, and as an adult, helped quiz him when he’d come back from med school during breaks. She’d been there for him when he needed his whole life, in little ways.

Dan had noticed how tight-knit Stoney Creek was when he’d first moved, and how each little group was even closer. Vanessa had grown up on Cedar River 10 and was either related to or knew someone who was, to practically every person in the area, including Cody.

Cody had tried explaining it to Dan once, Vanessa wasn’t really his aunt, technically a 3rd cousin twice removed or something, but she was his Aunty V, and that’s all that was important.

Dan had nodded along, not following the long, complicated family tree, but got the message in the end. Vanessa was like a second mother to him and so many people, she gave more than she had, and would give the clothes off her back for anyone, and Cody was the same, she’d taught him well.

He sighed as he thought about the Prozac. Should he tell Vanessa?

“Hey, Ness…” He began tentatively, as he started mopping the floor.

“Hmm?” She hummed in reply, licking her thumb and flicking through the papers she was scribbling things all over.

“I- Uh…..” He hesitated, Vanessa looking up over her glasses at him and scowling. “Yeah?”Dan shook his head. “Uh, it’s nothing. Don’t worry.”

Vanessa sighed, putting her hands on her hips, and giving Dan an unimpressed look. “Yeah, sure sounded like a hell of a lot of nothing. Spit it out, fuck, you’re a worse liar than Cody.”

Dan snorted a little, then sighed.

“That’s actually…” He paused.

“That’s actually what I was gonna talk about… Uhh… I was looking for like, pain meds?”

Vanessa nodded, eyebrows raised slightly in frustration.

“Yeeeeaaaah?” She answered sarcastically.

Dan stopped mopping, leaning on the mop handle and sighing, “I found… a bottle. Prozac. It hadn’t been refilled since March last year.”

He sighed, happy to get it off his chest. Glancing up when silence greeted him, he looked at Vanessa’s face, a shadow of concern creasing her brow. She sighed, eyes closing, rubbing them with the heels of her palms.

“That little son of a bitch…” She murmured under her breath.

“That explains a lot… He’s supposed to be on that.” She shook her head. “He’s had issues with depression since he was a kid. Who doesn’t out here… Anyway after a particularly bad flu season, we lost a bunch of elders in the community Cody was quite close to, then a family of 4 was killed in a house fire, and a cousin of his died in a car accident. Then, there was like, three suicides in 4 months, all Cedar River guys… Guys he’d… been to high school with, helped their children be born… It hit him hard. Hit all of us hard. But him, it was the worst I- I seen ‘im.” Vanessa wiped an eye as she stammered slightly.

“He had a breakdown. Flare-up he called it… The depression he’d had that… he’d ‘managed’ med free for his whole life caught up to ‘im.

He couldn’t move, get outta bed… eat. He ended up in Sawmill, in a psychiatrist’s office and walked out with a prescription for Zoloft.

He hated it, never liked taking meds, anything, even fucking throat lozenges. Zoloft’s side effects made him feel terrible, so, switched to Lexapro, and then Prozac which apparently is the best option for him… He’s supposed to be on it.

He used to complain it made him nauseous and gave him nightmares, but he should still be on it…

Fuck, Cody.”

Dan bit his lip. He had a feeling he’d just put his foot in a bit too much of Cody’s business, and when Cody found out, he’d be so mad. He’d know who told Vanessa when she inevitably broke down his door and shovelled Prozac down his throat herself.

“Look, I’m sure he has his reasons, maybe go easy on the guy. He’s a bit rough right now.” 

Vanessa nodded. “I’m gonna make that boy the biggest lasagna he’s ever seen. God, if he was a pothead I’d even give him some of my brownie cookies.”

Dan chuckled, Vanessa never shared her weed with anyone. The fact she was willing to make Cody pot cookies was…

It filled Dan with hope for his friend.

~~

Cody inhaled deeply as he awoke, the pain in his shoulder getting bad. He’d managed to sleep through it all morning but the pain medication was finally wearing off.

Grunting a little, he sat up and rubbed his injured shoulder, examining it. It felt fine, and he was still slightly woozy from his concussion and sleep, but he was fine. Not fine enough to work, much to his chagrin.

He sighed, getting up to empty his poor bladder, which was beginning to protest about how full it was. Shuffling to the bathroom, he sighed as he faced the bland, slightly streaky wall. He knew he should turn the fan on when he showered, but couldn’t be bothered, even if it did lead to this.

After pissing for what felt like way too long, he washed his hands well, looking at himself in his small, grimy mirror. He looked like shit. 

“Fuck.” He grumbled, going to the lounge to watch TV. Nothing good would be on, but maybe he could catch the end of a re-run of something.

After flicking through channels for a while, not particularly interested by any of it, he decided to fire up his old PlayStation and give it a whirl. He never had time to play video games and there were a few he’d bough that he’d been hankering to play for a while…

’They would be more fun with friends though…’ He thought to himself as he found his second controller wedged in the couch, probably from the last time he had someone over to game. It was… Darren? Maybe Hadley? One of the basketball guys probably, or maybe his cousin Rex?

Hearing the familiar sound of the gaming console turn on, Cody got settled, slouching badly on the couch, controller resting in his lap. He sighed as he flicked through his library of games, picking one and beginning to play.

He lost to the boss, a large ogre thing that he got up to twice, before grinding a bit to get his skill and character’s level up, before taking it on again.

He managed to do better this time, accidentally getting hit by one two many blows from the creature, before dying a slightly more honourable death.

Sighing in frustration, Cody tried again, this time getting in a final shot and killing the monster. “Yes!” He hissed, smiling as he went to the next stage.

His eyes grew heavy as he kept playing, his arms resting in his lap drooping a little, until his head dropped forward, and the controller slid off his thigh, still half held by his left hand.

He lay there, snoring slightly, his character lying dead on the screen with YOU DIED written across it.

He was sound asleep until a loud knock awoke him with a start. He snorted, jerking awake and glancing around, as another knock sounded on his door, the entire thing rattling in the doorframe.

“Cody? It’s V.”

Groaning, Cody eased up, unsure what time it was. Answering the door, his saw a wonderful smelling lasagna and a tired, but happy Vanessa. “Come in, Ness.” His voice croaked slightly, but thankful.

“Figured you’d struggle to manage opening your microwave meals, so I made this.” Vanessa said happily. Cody smiled gratefully. “Thanks Aunty.”

“How much have you eaten today?” She asked, putting the lasagna down on the kitchen counter, one of the only places with not much crap all over it.

“Not really hungry.” Cody replied, going back down to the couch and turning off the game.

“Too busy gaming?” Vanessa asked accusingly.

“Not really… Just have a shit appetite right now.” Vanessa sighed.

“Cody. Come, get a plate and your fucking lactase, this thing is loaded with cheese.” Cody’s face lit up, and he walked to the counter as Vanessa clicked her tongue behind her teeth, making a start on his dishes so that they didn’t have to eat off the kitchen counter.

“How many plates do you own?” She asked, surprised at how little there were. “Uhh, 3. Dropped my fourth like 4 months ago, never got another.” He glanced around at the mess that was his house.

“It’s not usually this bad.” He quickly added, embarrassed.

Vanessa shook her head. “Honey, it’s fine. I’ll sort this out, you go set the table, or do you need me to wash you some cutlery and cups too?”

Cody looked at her, sheepish.

“That’s okay. Go relax, I’ll handle this.” Vanessa ushered him away, before picking mould off a plate and beginning to scrub it.

~~

Soon Cody was sat in front of a steaming plate of lasagna, and was devouring it. He was starving.

“So how was work?” He asked with a mouthful of food. Vanessa rolled her eyes, sighing.

“Fine. No one important came in, just Janine with her bunions again.”

Cody shook his head with a smirk. “She doesn’t even have bunions!”

Vanessa nodded, “But she loves the attention. Poor old bird. Must be lonely living all by yourself at 73.”

Nodding Cody sighed. “It’s lonely at whatever age you are.”

He felt a hand pat his back gently. “I know. But that’s why I’m here. Someone’s gotta feed you. Make sure you take your meds.”

Cody froze, mid-chew, before swallowing and looking at her dark eyes boring into his head.

“So he told you then.” He replied flatly, slightly guilty and unimpressed. He couldn’t say he was surprised Dan snitched.

“It’s an old bottle. I just forgot to throw it out.”

Vanessa gave him a look that told Cody she didn’t believe him.

“What? It’s true.” He snapped slightly, going back to his dinner.

Vanessa got up and found the bottle, looking at the date.

“Cody. This is from last year.”

Cody sighed, putting down his fork, feeling the anger bubble up inside him a little.

“And I told you it’s old. I forgot to throw it out.”

“When did you last take it?”

“Don't remember.”

“Is that the truth?”

“Yes!” Cody answered, exasperated.

“It’s in the fucking drawers in the end table next to my bed.” He glared at Vanessa as she marched to his room, going through his bottom drawer, Cody begrudgingly following.

“Cody.” Her tone was one of warning, when she couldn’t find the bottle of medication.

Sighing in annoyance, Cody leaned over, opening the top drawer, grabbing the bottle and slamming it onto the small end table.

“There. Happy?” He snapped, narrowing his eyes at Vanessa. The nurse took the bottle, examining it.

“You picked this up 8 months ago, and it’s full, like, freshly filled full.” Cody dragged a hand over his face, plucking the bottle from Vanessa’s hands and putting it back in the drawer.

He walked back to dinner, serving himself another plate of lasagna, Vanessa following him, concerned.

“Cody. When did you last tak-”

“Oh my god V! Four months ago, okay?! I just take them when I need them. Back off.”

“Is that the actual truth?"

Cody was silent for a moment, guilt spreading across his face.

“Yeah.”

“And is it what your doctor recommended you do?”

“I am a doctor! I can make my own decisions about myself and my medication. Now drop it, please! I don’t feel like being interrogated right now!”

Cody shut his mouth as he realised he was yelling.

“I just haven’t had time to arrange a refill. Okay?”

Vanessa nodded, looking concerned. “If you need help…”

“I can handle it.” Cody said, his voice quieter. He leaned into Vanessa as she wrapped him in a hug. “I know you hate taking it, but what do you tell your patients when they get put on it?”

“That you’ll feel worse before you feel better? It’s different for me. I don’t like the side effects.”

Vanessa grimaced, tucking a strand of hair out of Cody’s face. “You should still try. Talk to your doctor, someone, please.”

“Yeah… fine…”

“I’m holding you to that, you know.”

“I know.”

“Good. Now, my lasagna is getting cold.”

~~

Vanessa left Cody to go to bed after giving his shoulder a little massage and a warm compress. It helped. She mentioned something about bringing some medicine tomorrow around but Cody just wanted to go to bed, he didn’t want any medicine, traditional or modern, he just wanted sleep.

He managed to drift off into a fitful sleep, stress and anxiety plaguing his dreams.

When he awoke in the morning, feeling more tired than ever, he just rolled over under the warm sheets and continued to try and sleep. His shoulder was still sore, but he could manage. He didn’t like the idea of spending the day dizzy from painkillers…

Easing up, he decided to hook up his headset and play more games, maybe finding a group of people online to play with.

Logging into some server on a game, he began to play, but was almost immediately assaulted by what sounded like teen boys screaming racial slurs at him like it was going out of style.

“Racist fucks.” Cody retorted, leaving the server as the boys said something about his mother being a whore.

“Well that sure filled me with faith for the future next generation.” Cody grumbled, trying to find a new, less racist game.

Eventually he came across a group of people, who were nice.

“Hey Synapse! Haven’t seen you ‘round here before?” A friendly sounding guy piped up.

Cody turned around to spot a guy, RLX694_20 standing on a rock behind him, AK-47 at the ready.

“Yeah, I don’t get to play much.”

“Ohh, American?” The apparently British RLX replied.

“Canadian.” Cody corrected.

“Ooooooh, Canadien eh?” RLX did a terrible fake accent.

“Hey, Roddie! Come say hi to this guy, I like him!”

Another character came over, an Australian this time, and the three began chatting.

“So what does SynapsedAxon_10 mean?” Roddie asked, in reference to Cody’s gamer tag.

“Uh, I’m a doctor in real life, and I came up with that in medical school… Must’ve had neurology on the mind. A synapse is a gap between the nerves that send messages to your brain. 10 is… I don’t know a number…?”

He wasn’t going to tell them it was the number of his rez, that was a little too personal.

“Shit! You’re like a real life doctor?”

“Yeah, man. Currently on medical leave. Got injured and can’t work for a couple weeks and I’m bored out of my brain."

“Shit, what happened?” RLX asked as he murdered an incoming mercenary.

“Dislocated shoulder and a concussion. Now I’m stuck at home all day for two weeks or there about.”

“Damn, sucks arse Sy… Hope you’re better soon. I’m between jobs right now, work as a delivery driver some days.”

Cody nodded, shooting another mercenary down from the top of the building he was perched on.

“Thanks.” Roddie replied, before piping up again.

“Hey, you’re Canadian, so you speak French right?”

Cody frowned. “I guess… Not well, I haven’t spoken it since high school.”

“Say something in French.”

“Uhhh, okay… Umm… Je m'appelle Synapse… Umm… Mon français… mauvais?”

“Woaaaahhhhh!” RLX said, clearly impressed, only for Cody pull a face at the butchered language.

Rubbing his shoulder, he leaned back against the couch. It was starting to hurt.

“Aight, well I’m gonna go, bye guys.” Roddie said as they finished their campaign. RLX agreed and soon followed. Cody sighed, feeling lonely again. He’d liked those two guys.

“Hey!” A voice piped up near Cody. He exited the game as a flurry of various slurs erupted into his headset again.

“Idiots.” Cody sighed, getting up to have some left over lasagna for breakfast/lunch.

Soon he was watching some re-run of a medical show, not really paying attention when he noticed how bad the medical treatment was. He was so bored.

Maybe he should go for a run? He couldn’t use his arm but that didn’t stop him from using his legs.

Going to one of his many piles of laundry, he shifted through until he found a pair of shorts and a singlet. Sliding them on, he brushed his hair and tied it back, heading out the door and beginning to jog. He did a lap around his block, then ran down to the jetty by the river and back to his house.

By the end of the run he was panting and feeling a bit dizzy, but better, he’d needed that. Checking his mail as he went by his letterbox, he grabbed the pile of junk mail and went inside.

“Junk, junk, missionary junk, junk, politician junk, junk, power bill, junk.” He said aloud as he left them all on the kitchen bench. He’d work out the power bill later. Collapsing onto the sofa, he was soon asleep, snoring a little until his phone rang and woke him up. He scrambled for it, finding it on the kitchen table and answering.

“Yeah?”

“Hey, Cody. Just wondering how you’re holding up.” Mel replied.

“Good. You?”

“Yeah. Boris and I are sorta… seeing each other now, so I guess I should thank you for getting us together. And uh- I hope the other morning wasn’t too awkward.”

Cody smirked, sighing. “Believe it or not, its not the first penis I’ve ever seen Melanie.” Mel laughed.

“True, I suppose you’d have some experience in that department. Hey, I’ll be around at some point, so stick around I guess? I don’t know, I gotta go in a second.”

“Okay, bye.” Cody finished, hanging up. So much for talking…He sighed, dropping the phone on the ground, feeling very cold, small and alone in that moment. He inhaled, smelling the mould in the air, and glanced at his mess of a house.

There was no energy in him, physical or mental to bring himself to clean. He should if Melanie came over, she had a neat, clean smelling… brighter house?

What would she think of his trash dump?Cody gazed at the spots of mould climbing up his blackout curtains, grimacing. He should at least do his laundry, so his dirty clothes weren’t everywhere. He had a habit of stripping his soiled clothes at the door, dumping them anywhere and getting into the cleanest thing he could find, which had usually been worn at least twice already, and going straight to bed.

Pulling open the dusty curtains, he choked through a coughing fit as the dust that had been there for… too long took flight, arching through the air and settling across everything.

“Come on…” Cody grumbled, lying back down, surrendering to the dust particles invading his lungs.

He began staring at the messy kitchen, not having the energy to do anything about it… all the mess made him feel so shit…

“Fuck this…” He mumbled, eyes sliding shut again. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been able to sleep so much. Months? Years?

The dust settled around him once more, the dull, dark, messy house.

~~

He awoke to his phone buzzing against his floorboards. He grabbed it and pressed it to his ear.

“Yeap?”“Jesus, you sound awful.” Melanie replied. “Hmmm…” Cody responded, sitting up stiffly.

All this couch sleeping wasn’t doing his back any good.

“I’m just about to finish work, and was wondering if you’re a wine or beer guy.”

Cody thought about it, he didn’t really drink much, never had the time or money, and he didn’t particularly like it anyway…

’Fuck it. Have some fun.’ He thought, rubbing his chin.

There was a slight roughness as his stubble began to break through. He hadn’t had the chance to shave.

“Uh, I don’t know… wine?” “Cool, red or white?”Cody pulled a confused, sleep deprived face. He didn’t know. He always ended up with red wine at fancy dinners, so maybe white?

“Come on, it’s just wine!” Melanie laughed, evidently waiting a bit longer than she had expected for a response.

“White…?” Cody answered apprehensively.

“Oh my God, Cody. V was right you really don’t drink. Oh, and I hope you own at least three wine glasses cause she’s coming with and she’s bringing something too. It’s Girls Night at yours!”

Cody could hear the mischievous note in Melanie’s voice and groaned.

He was about to be subjected to the notorious ‘Girl’s Night’ which was sweet of Mel and Ness to want to include him in, except one: he wasn’t a girl, two: he was boring, and three: didn’t have any interest in their idea of relaxing… which usually involved alcohol and weed.

But he supposed it would be better to have him around instead of not… Just in case they got hurt.

Yay for him…

~~

Cody somehow ended up scrolling through random medical journals, looking for something interesting to read, when Vanessa and Melanie turned up at his door.

He slid off his couch like a slug, getting up and answering the door. He was still in his loose singlet and baggy shorts, and must’ve looked like death, because both women gasped when he answered the door.

“Oh, Cody… Don’t worry, we’ll get you fixed right up!” Vanessa grinned, holding up her little beaded bag where she kept her ‘goodies’.

“Hooray…” Cody replied flatly, as both women let themselves in.Melanie paused for a second, glancing at the state of Cody’s house, and picking her way over to the couch, stepping between a few shorts and what looked like underwear. Cody wasn’t even sure how that got there, but cringed in embarrassment regardless.

They all sat down, Vanessa dragging a small coffee table from beside the sofa to in front of it.

Cody had forgotten he’d had that honestly, it was barely used and he’d put it behind the sofa because he kept tripping over it when he came home from nightshifts.

At least it would be useful now.

He got up, looking for some glasses and somehow finding some. He didn’t know why he had them, until he looked at the engraving on one. A graduation gift from his dad… Perfect.

Bringing the glasses back, he watched Vanessa pop the bottle of wine and begin pouring generously, Melanie pulling several bags of chips and some brownies out of her bag. Cody looked at them sceptically… He knew what they were.

“Okay ladies… and Cody.” Melanie began, as they all took a glass. “Sit back, relax and decompress after that hell of a shift.”

“Aye aye captain.” Vanessa mumbled into her glass, sipping the wine. Cody followed, not really enjoying the taste, but it wasn’t bad. It was light and dry, and he’d certainly had worse wine.

Maybe Mel just knew how to pick it?

“Ohmygod, so.” Melanie began, her hand landing on Cody’s thigh as she spoke quickly, catching his attention.

“There was this lady who came in today, and she had like… the biggest ingrown toenail I’ve ever seen. And it was all infected and gross, oh my god, you should’ve seen it. Oh and when it popped all over Dan! Ah, priceless!” She began cackling, sipping her wine and reaching for a brownie.

“Oh and don’t forget that guy who came in with that tongue rash. That shit was so fucking gross.” Vanessa replied, also grabbing a brownie.

“Do you want one?” She nodded at Cody, who shook his head.

“Nah… I’m not really in the mood to get high, Ness.”

Vanessa exploded into laughter, Melanie snorting as she rolled her eyes.

“They’re clean, Cody. I brought my weed in ‘ere!” She dangled the bag in front of his face. Cody turned his head away, crinkling his nose up at the smell.

“Awww, don’t like it?” Vanessa asked, leaning over to look at him more. “That’s okay, you don’t have to. Mel and me are gonna go outside later if you change your mind.”

Cody smiled, nodding. He wasn’t going to, but a little part of him wished he would. He needed to loosen up, maybe weed was how?

No… No. It wasn’t. He’d done enough weed as a kid, and hadn’t ever liked it. It always made him feel gross and sick, like every drug did. He probably had a hypersensitivity to drugs or something.

Either way, he never had fun being high… Which made him a very boring person to get high with.

“So what did you do all day?” Melanie asked, through a mouth full of Hot Cheetos. For a woman who liked to be well put together and graceful, she sure was a messy eater.

“I don’t know… Played video games. Went for a run at one point, for like half an hour, then just slept. It’s sorta… depressing being stuck here all day, to be honest.”

Both women noticed how down Cody seemed as he took a long sip of wine, a buzz starting behind his eyes. He wasn’t really enjoying being stuck at home with nothing to do, and the state of his house wasn’t helping.

“Hey, that’s good. You’ll be well rested for when you get back. How long is your leave?”Cody grimaced, sipping his wine again. It was beginning to taste more and more like hand sanitiser, and it felt like his skull was peeling itself off his skin.

“Two weeks…”

“What?! Oh my God…” Melanie gasped, seemingly surprised.

“Yeah, but it’ll mean you’re less likely to be injured at work.” Vanessa patted him on his delicate shoulder, causing him to wince. The girls chatted more about horror story patients, until Vanessa turned to Cody, “Codes, tell her the story about when you were in med school!”

“Oh god…” Cody mumbled, setting down his glass and rubbing his face.

“You have to tell me!” Mel lit up, excited.

“Okay, okay… fine. It was uh… A month into my internship and I was given a patient. He comes in, and he’s got a bad case of abdo pain, and he’s not telling me anything specific. I’m thinking appendicitis, cholecystitis, fissures, hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, IBS, constipation… I check his colon, and can’t see anything…

So, I get an ultrasound, and this guy had the largest cucumber I’ve ever seen stuck up his ass, and had noooo idea how it got there.”

Melanie burst into laughter, as Cody continued. “So we start wondering how to get it out. It’s so high up there, and we don’t want to risk breaking it. Keep in mind he’d had pain for about a week, maybe longer, so it had been up there a while and was a bit… squishy.

I end up calling a consult for surgery, and this surgeon comes down and has a look. He agrees that we have to put this guy under, and so they do, and I get called in to watch because…

Well, I’m not passing up any chance to watch this. So they begin and they manage to get a grip on the droopy cucumber, and they finally manage to get it out after a shit ton of pulling, and as they’re pulling it out, a massive tsunami of shit comes shooting out…

This guy apparently tried to get the cucumber out with laxatives… and they worked, except they didn’t get the cucumber out…

So everyone in the OR is assaulted by this smell of cucumber shit, and it’s so bad the surgeon has to step out. He puts the soggy cucumber in a bag and somehow I end up holding it, watching as they clean up this guy and put him back together…

And when he comes around, the first thing he’s worried about is if he can have his cucumber back.”

Cody grimaces at the memory.

“We don’t really know if we should, but the guy is so adamant, we give it back and off he goes happy as can be… with his cucumber.”

Melanie guffawed as Cody finished his tale, wiping a tear from her eye. “I’ll never look at cucumbers the same again!”

Cody grimaced even harder, a haunted look on his face. “I still can’t.”

Shaking her head, Melanie looked over at Vanessa. “Hey Nessie…. What do you say we go and have a smoke?”Vanessa nodded, looking at Cody.

“You don’t mind if we use your porch?” Cody shook his head. “Sure.” He sighed as he followed the women out onto his porch, watching them light up and lean back, waiting for the buzz to hit.

They spent a while blowing smoke in the air, smiling as they relaxed and the high set in, then Vanessa began beckoning Cody down to join her.

“Cody, let me braid your hair! Go and get your stuff, I wanna do your hair!”

Melanie gasped, excited, “Yes, let’s do your hair! Please!”

Cody sighed, relenting as he went back inside and grabbed his hairbrush, then sat on the step below his colleagues, letting them play with his long hair.

They brushed it gently, braiding it tightly, and finally throwing a braid each over his shoulders and high-fiving each other. Cody looked at the braids. They weren’t bad, and he was kinda glad he didn’t have to worry about his hair now.

He could keep it braided for a while to avoid hurting his shoulder… and it was one less reason to get out of bed in the morning…

~~

Eventually Cody stood staring at his two friends who were passed out on his sofa, snoring loudly. He smirked, grabbing some blankets and laying them over his friends, then dragging himself to his own bed, sighing as he lay awake, feeling woozy.

He didn’t have much to drink, but he was feeling it both the alcohol and a bit of a buzz from the second hand smoke. He could smell the faint whisper of weed on his hair and clothes, and it made him feel worse.

He sighed, staring at the ceiling. He’d always hated medication, ever since he was a kid. He smiled, remembering how his mother had desperately tried to get him to take some ibuprofen when he’d had a bad fever as a kid.

And how sick he’d feel after his yearly flu shot. It usually knocked him out for a solid day or two.

God… his life was shit.

His house was shit, his body was shit, his health, and the medical system was failing his patients… He had no resources, no help…

Rolling onto his front he buried his face in the pillow, hot, fat tears rolling down his cheeks.

He sobbed, chest heaving as he cried, gripping the corners in his fists, as he tried to stay quiet, so that no one knew. The last thing he wanted was Mel and Ness knowing he was crying himself to sleep like a fucking baby.

He was useless.

He didn’t notice Vanessa standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall and watching him, before slipping into the bathroom.

Looking at his side table, he reached for the drawer, opening it, and rummaging for the bottle of pills, grabbing it and holding it above his face. It had actually been closer to 6 months since his last dose now he thought about it.

Vanessa was right, he did need them…

Sitting up, he fished one out and tossed it back, dry swallowing and rolling over and lying with his eyes shut for a while, unable to fall asleep, until he began feeling a bit strange and woozy…

His stomach froze as he heard someone in the bathroom… Looking up into the darkness, he saw the shape of a small, chubby woman creeping down the hall.

Shit. Did Vanessa hear him crying?

He lay in bed for a while, maybe an hour, smirking slightly at the sound of Vanessa’s snoring coming down the hall, feeling strange, sleepy and heavy… His eyelids were heavy, and his vision blurred, the black, shadowy ceiling enveloping him in one bite.

Cody’s body relaxed as he fell asleep, his breath slowing and tension melting from his muscles. His calm, quiet breaths came slowly as he slumbered, until his body twitched slightly.

A few minutes later it twitched again, followed by a quiet, breathy moan. Then, another louder one, as he rolled onto his stomach and began to toss and turn.

His moans became quiet cries as he thrashed in the sheets, rolling over again, tumbling from the mattress and onto the floor.

~~

A loud crunch woke Cody up, as he tried to move, but searing pain ripped through him, tearing a surprised cry from his lungs. 

Vanessa and Melanie came sprinting into his room, finding the shaking man curled a ball.

Vanessa’s hand reached for the light switch, bathing the room in a bright light, hurting all their eyes, as Cody pushed himself up, slumping heavily against the bed.

“Cody!” Melanie rushed forwards, noticing the sweat staining his shirt. His right shoulder looked wrong, even worse than the dislocation than before.

Cody cradled his arm to his chest, wincing as he threw back his head, gritting his teeth and grunting to hold back the scream fighting its way out of his chest.

“Come on. Let’s get you up to the car.” Vanessa spoke softly, helping Melanie pull Cody to his feet and wiping the long strands of hair from his face. She slid her arm under his left one, steadying him and helping him limp out to the car.

Melanie opened the door of the passenger seat, and helped him slide in. Cody was being inundated with waves of pain as he groaned in agony, clutching his arm. Vanessa got behind the wheel, sitting and staring at it.

“Cody, I don’t know if I should drive, I’m still baked.”Cody looked at her and sighed, hauling his weak body out of the car and around to her side.

“Let me.”

Vanessa didn’t budge. “Cody I don’t know if-”

“God dammit Ness! I’m the most sober, I have to!” Cody snapped at her, shaking with pain. He felt wired as the adrenaline coursing through his veins began to really kick in.

Vanessa looked at him, worried. She’d never seen him like this before, but she surrendered her seat and swapped with her friend.

Cody sat in front of the wheel, turning the car on and beginning to drive. It wasn’t so bad, only when he had to use both hands to turn corners, but he could manage.

Vanessa and Melanie watched anxiously as he gripped the wheel, his knuckles practically about to burst out of his skin, as he began the long drive down to Sawmill Inlet.

Cody’s vision kept blurring slightly, as he fought off the sleep and pain, but he managed to get into Stoney Creek. He drove through the darkened, derelict streets, the warm orange street lamps illuminating the sweat covering his body as he drove.

He was shining as he passed under each one, and his shaking was visible as he reached for the wheel, wincing and turning it hard. They left the outskirts of town and drove a little further, before hitting the windy road that went down the mountain.

Steering around each hairpin turn made Cody’s shoulder erupt in a fiery pain, causing goosebumps to tingle over his body, each turn making it worse. He began to quietly grunt as he steered, a vein in his head bulging as he clenched his teeth. He knew if he screamed it would be over…

Turn after turn, he steered the car down the mountain, moaning softly as he reached the bottom, relief filling his body. They were nearly there.

The early morning sun rose gently beside them as they pulled into the car park. Cody slumped back in his seat, pale and sweating, his arm looking worse than ever. His eyes were squeezed shut, his heaving chest rapidly rising and falling as little whimpers escaped with each breath.

Vanessa looked at him, concerned. “Cody can you walk?”

Cody nodded, reaching for the door and opening it, easing out of the car, only to hold himself up on the door. Melanie rushed around, helping steady him as they began the walk towards the ER.

Cody could see it through hazy eyes, but was so tired… so in pain… he had to keep going.

Boris looked up from the reception desk as Melanie and Vanessa practically carried Cody in, and immediately the smile on his face disappeared. He rushed over, helping them steady Cody and called for a stretcher. The doctor watched his colleague, delirious with pain as they sat him down whilst a stretcher was being found.

“Cody, what happened buddy?” Boris asked, his perfectly straight, white teeth moved in front of Cody’s eyes, but he couldn’t hear anything.

“Cody! Stay with me.” Cody heard that, opening his eyes, gritting his teeth through the red hit pain inside his shoulder.

“Let’s get an idea what we’re working with. I’ll get you something strong to take the edge off.” Boris said as he went for the collar of Cody’s sweat soaked shirt.

Cody groaned, shaking his head. He’d had enough drugs for tonight.

“No… No analgesia.” He breathed.

Boris glanced at the two women either side of Cody, who both looked concerned, but the stretcher appeared behind Boris, ending that conversation for now. “Here’s the stretcher, Codesterino.” Boris said, slightly relieved.

“Don’t call me that.” Cody mumbled, eyeing the stretcher desperately. He sighed in relief as he was laid back against the bed, ready to just get his arm in. He wanted this all to be over.

“Sorry Doc.” Boris muttered as Cody was transferred to a nice private bed, the curtain drawn around him.

“Let’s get you on the bed Codester- Cody.” Cody groaned, sitting up and shifting himself onto the bigger bed slowly. He lay back again as Boris glanced at his arm.

“I wanna X-ray this it looks bad. Get the tech in here please.” He said to a nurse by his side. He nodded, leaving the space, as Cody stared at the ceiling looking angry.

“Now, let’s out that shirt off. I don’t want too risk damaging your shoulder anymore, or put you in any unnecessary pain.” Boris muttered as he began looking for the trauma shears. He checked a drawer, scratching around but was unable to find any.

“Oh, this is where we had the car accident, mustn’t’ve been replaced yet. I’ll go get so- Or that works too.” He glanced at Cody, who had rolled his eyes and pushed himself up quickly, lifting his shirt over his head and pulling it off, with an annoyed grunt.

“Cody do you want anything for the pain? I can get anything, morphine, fent… hell I’ll give you ket if you want it. You look awful man.”

Cody glared at him. “Just get it back in.” He grunted.

Boris held up his hands in defence, looking at the drawers.

“Okay, okay. Just let me X-ray it, I don’t like how fucked up it’s looking.”

Cody glanced at his shoulder, which was black, a deep bruise spread over his shoulder. His clavicle looked a bit off too… Shit.

The X-ray tech arrived at that moment, and lay Cody back, taking an image and leaving to get it processed. When she came back, she showed it to Boris, who nodded.

“Cody, your clavicle is dislocated and cracked, what the hell did you do?”

Cody felt the rage build in his stomach. He wanted to cry. More time off work… More time spent doing nothing. No basketball, no karate, his only ways of escaping reality…

His stupid idea to take his meds… They always gave him nightmares, but he’d never fallen out of bed before….

And the one time he couldn’t afford to he did and now…

“Let’s relocate that shoulder and see what we can do about that collarbone. It doesn’t look to bad, we should be able to sort it.” Boris patted his colleague’s unbroken shoulder.

“Get me some ketamine please.” He asked his nurse, who nodded.

“No.” Cody said firmly. He felt awful enough already, he didn’t want to throw up everywhere too.

“Just get it in.” He growled, voice haggard.

Boris shook his head. “Dude, you know this is gonna hurt really bad right?”

Cody nodded. “No analgesia. You don’t have my consent. It makes me sick.” Boris exhaled sharply, leaning in so that only Cody could hear him.

“Look man, I don’t know if you’re trying to impress Melanie or something, but you don’t look like a big, tough guy, you look like an idiot.”

Cody narrowed his eyes, shaking his head. “I’m not trying to prove shit. I don’t give a fuck about who you’re boning, Boris, I just want you to put my bones back where they’re supposed to be. And trust me, you don’t want me spewing all over your Sketchers, it’s not pretty…”

Melanie went beet red, hearing the conversation, as both the women had been craning to hear what the two men were saying. Vanessa shot her an impressed look, nodding slightly, and making a gesture of approval.

Cody stared at Boris, waiting for him to respond, but the man just sighed, looking for his nurse and that ketamine.

When he returned, it was laid out, just in case Cody changed his mind.

“Okay. Time to put this shoulder back in.” Boris mumbled tiredly, moving the bed so that Cody was sitting up more. Cody looked at him and nodded, preparing for the agony he was about to experience.

“Ready? On go. 3, 2, 1… go.”

Boris pulled the arm, rotating it, and almost instantly Cody cried out. Boris stopped, looking at the panting doctor. “Cody, I really think you should-”

“Just keep going… Or I’ll do it myself…” Cody panted, voice ragged. Boris cracked his knuckles and sighed.

“You’re the boss.” He mumbled, gently taking Cody’s arm and counting down again. A small grunt at the back of Cody’s throat let Boris know that the doctor was in a lot more pain than he was letting on. He was getting worse…

Boris had to get it back in.

3…

2…

1…

Go.

Cody’s back arched as the pain shot through him. He could feel everything in his shoulder, like it was on fire. It was agony, a white, blinding pain filling his mind, loud ringing in his ears, and a strange feeling of lightheadedness.

Cody moaned slightly, feeling floaty and disconnected from his senses… Everything was numb, and dark and cold… He couldn’t think, but he was finally in relief… He could finally rest…

~~

Cody’s body twitched as Boris began manipulating his arm. Then he cried loudly as Boris pulled harder, as he tried to stop himself from making so much noise. He gritted his teeth, his gasping through them his body dripping sweat and quivering as Boris glanced at him. He really wanted to give this guy something for the pain.

’One more try, then I’m putting you under.’ Boris thought, trying to convince his colleague.

Cody’s head was pressed hard into the back of the bed, his long hair stuck to his skin, which was looking pale.

“Cody, I really think you should-”

“Just keep going… Or I’ll do it myself…”

’Idiot.’ Boris thought.

“You’re the boss.”

Boris focused, positioning the arm again and bracing himself, before giving it a long, slow pull. He felt something shift inside, but nothing popped back in place. Cody however, screamed in agony, his back arching as he visibly shook.

Then, after a minute of pulling, Cody’s screams died down. Boris glanced up when he heard a soft, breathy moan, and saw Cody go limp, sliding sideways, off the edge of the bed, into Boris’ arms. The doctor steadied him before he fell off, looking concerned.

Bundled limply in Boris’ arms, Cody looked awful. This was stupid. He should’ve put his foot down. “Sedate him, let’s get this arm in.” Boris snapped.

Vanessa and Melanie glanced at each other as they watched the doctor work, starting an IV and sedating their friend. This was for the best, right?

Once Cody was well and truely under, they began, manipulating their unconscious colleague’s arm, until a loud crack made everyone look up. Cody grunted softly, probably just air escaping his lungs as he was jostled, but his shoulder was back in.

His clavicle still looked wrong though, swollen and displaced. With one more gentle push, Boris eased it back in, stepping back and wiping his brow.

“Well… I’ll get his shoulder splinted… What’s with the analgesia thing?” He asked, glancing at Vanessa.

“He’s never liked medication. He’s always experienced the worst side effects of everything, he’s sensitive or something.” Vanessa informed Boris, who nodded, taking in the information, he’d had no idea Cody had issues with meds…

“I’ll get him on something for the pain that has mild side effects. I want to monitor him for a while.”

Vanessa nodded, getting up and laying a blanket over Cody’s body. She didn’t want him getting cold.

~~

Cody felt hazy, as he came around. He groaned softly in annoyance at how sluggish he felt, cracking open his eyes, and looking around with blurry vision. He inhaled deeply, only for it to cut off as pain streaked through him, cutting off his breath. His chest hurt.

Then the nausea hit.

Hard. 
Cody barely had the energy to roll onto his side, as his body convulsed, forcing acrid slime up his throat, and all over the floor…

Boris groaned, stepping back as he stared at the relentless torrent of vomit spilling from Cody’s mouth with each convulsion. After about a minute of throwing up his guts, Cody shuddered, going limp on the bed and sighing. His eyes drifted to Boris’ shoes, and he smiled wryly.

“Told you…” He whispered, his throat sounding a bit rough. Boris shook his head and stepped back as Cody began looking slightly green again.

“Do you want-”

“Do not give me ondansetron. I’ve had enough drugs for today…” He coughed, swallowing down the rising bile.

“I was going to say water.” Boris retorted. He smiled as Cody nodded a bit, then went to get a nurse.

He snuggled up on his left side, his right arm practically pinned to him with bandages, a splint and a sling. He smiled a bit, knowing the nausea would fade soon and he could finally enjoy his painkillers properly… But they always made him so dopey and sleepy, which rioght now, may not be such a bad thing…

By the time Boris returned with the water, Cody was already fast asleep again.

~~

Vanessa looked up from her paperwork. She was just about too finish her shift and if another damn patient had just come in, she could kiss any decent amount of sleep she could get goodbye.

But she gasped as she saw who was walking in the door, bright eyed and bushy tailed… Well, maybe not quite that, but Dr Cody Hill definitely looked better than he had a month ago.

She smiled, noticing that he was standing a little straighter, his eyes were a little brighter and his lips were curled into more of a smile than normal. Sure, he still had hollow cheeks and shadows under his eyes, but he no longer looked like he was walking around with a cloud hanging over his head.

The mandatory paid leave really had done him good.

“Cody!” She yelped, springing up and rushing over to her friend, colliding with him and squeezing him in a tight hug, slightly knocking the air from his chest.

“Ness… Can’t breathe.” He grunted, as Vanessa loosened her iron grip on his ribs.

“How are you?” It’d been a few weeks since she’d seen him, she’d been busy with work and family, and she’d kinda wanted to give her friend space. She knew he’d decided to go back on his meds, properly this time and he was going to be grumpy while he got used to them.

But he looked night and day from how he’d been before…

“Good. Tired as shit. Turns out my mother loves to talk my ear off more than Melanie.” Vanessa laughed, thinking about poor Cody, trapped in his house while his mother doted on his every need.

Cody hated being babied, and his mum was famous for being able to talk about anything for literally hours. That sounded worse than the cracked clavicle.

“But, I’m ready to get back into it. I’m gonna go back to basketball this week, and next week I’m starting back up with karate. But right now, I just want to work.”

He rolled his shoulder, and smiled, as Vanessa gently patted him between the shoulder blades.

“Well, get to it then, Doc.”

With a nod, Cody walked to his office, sighing at the scent of chemical cleaners and air-freshener. He had missed this. This is what he was supposed to do, where he was supposed to be.

Helping his community. His people.

Where he belonged.

[cleverchildblizzard]

"The Ghettobot Brawl"

This will be a mini series following the events of the Pico 2 demo (and my own twists and turns to it!) I have put my own Pico's School oc into the story! Along with @myvirtuallove 's Pico's School oc Koko!

A quick notice: since the Pico 2 demo is well..a demo,it was never finished,so I will be adding my own additions to this little story! If you'd like to share your little theories on what could happen next in the Pico 2 demo,go ahead! I'd love to hear everyone's opinions!

Hope you all enjoy!

As the sun shone over the windows of Philadelphia School,the warm morning scent filling the streets,Pico once again found himself sitting in the classroom.Throwing his arms over his head,he let out a tired yawn before falling back into his seat; the other three matching his reduced energy.

The teacher however seemed ecstatic,clasping his hands together as he piped up,much to their disappointment.

"Great news class!" He begun,gauging the students reactions. "We've found new students to replace the ones that died last week!"

Nene frowned at the news,sinking into her seat. "Only a week for nearly getting my head shot off? Gimme a break." She scoffed,crossing her arms,a giggle escaping Koko's lips.

The teachers' ears fell deaf to Nene's negativity as his hand reached for the door handle,grasping it with a tight grip.

"As part of the McGibbles' Kids program,we are bussing in students from the ghetto!" The teacher explained,pausing momentarily. "North Philly,to be exact."

His moustache wriggled as a smile grew on his face.Pulling on the door,he happily announced, "Now they'll finally get the opportunity they deserve! Say hello to your new classmates!"

And with that said,the students in question stepped into the class,and the four straightened up,each of them holding linked curiosity.A frown etched across Pico's face as he pulled out his gun,Darnell whirling his head around at the sound of a gun loading.

"Wow,that gun is crunk!" He grinned,examining the gun with a keen eye.Pico puffed out uis chest,his smile growing at the compliment.

"Thanks! I found it in the janitors closet when goth kids were trying to take over the school." He chuckled a bit. "Can't believe we only got three days off for that!"

"For real!" Darnell agreed,kicking his legs.

Pico's hand hovered over the trigger as he and the arsonist eyes the new students.Darnell narrowed his eyes,leaning closer to the ginger.

"Yo,Pico,check out this shiznit..." Darnell pointed to the students standing by the teacher. "Those kids aren't from North Philly.They're from some sort of space jawn!" He added,stiffling a chuckle from Pico's gasp as the boy leaned back in the chair,mouth slightly agape.

"Woah...you serious 'Nell?" Pico asked,Darnell nodding his head as he eyed the students again.

"No doubt,ya see..."

[Flashback]

◇

"Last night me and my bogs were just chillin' up Broad Street..."

"Gee,school been sending a shit ton of homework!" Darnell groaned,leaning against the wall as his thumb traced patterns on his lighter.The others hummed in agreement,one of them looking up at the stars the night sky had to offer,squinting their eyes.

"Guys,that the fuck is that?" They commented,causing Darnell and the other two to follow their gaze up into the sky.Admist all the shining stars,a small green light flickered as it flew across the town.Smiling,Darnell took out his gun.

"Let's shoot it down boys!" Darnell declared,already aiming his gun as the rest of the gang followed.Bullets flew as the spaceship came crashing down,smoke spewing out of it.Drawing closer,Darnell and the gang took a look at the fallen aircraft.

"Is that..a spaceship?" One questioned,kicking at some rubble as they leaned down to get a closer look.The others shrugged,all of their head moving in synch as they heard noises coming within the spaceship.

As the smoke cleared,out came three individuals; who didn't seem to have any resemblance to the stereotyped aliens.Darnell raised an eyebrow,pointing at the trio.

"You three..what are you?" Darnell asked,but all he got was silence.Another member of the gang stepped up,pointing at the mysterious strangers.

"You boys don't look like youz from around hizza! Where you reprezentin?" The member demanded,crossing his arms.One of the trip finally spoke up,his fingers tapping his cane with growing impatience.

"Scuze us,sukas! We'z on our way to the west side." He announced,his thick accent echoing throughout the once empty street. "The names' Leroy,and you boys are-"

"Bullshit!" Another member declared. "You be steppin in the wrong part of town!" He said,holstering his gun.Leroy only let put a hearty laugh.

"You gonna have to pay a protection fee if you wanna get outta this hood alive!" The other added,loading his gun.

Leroy scoffed, "We don't need no protection from no jive turkeys!" clapping his hands,Leroy turned to one of the two members. "Roc,pay their toll!"

The one named Roc grunted in agreement,stomping over to Darnell,towering over the smaller man's frame.In one swift punch,Darnell was sent flying,letting out a yelp as his body came in contact with the wall.

The other members of the gang watched in shock as Darnell slowly slid down the wall,his body hitting the floor with a soft thud.Leroy smirked triumphantly,walking past the remaining members of the gang,Roc and José following suit.José stepped forward menacingly towards the gang,before quickly following the others;yet remained blind to the gang members flipping him off as he left.

[End of flashback]

◇

Pico blinked,his eyes slowly widening with fear.

"These guys sound pretty badass!" The ginger muttered,lowering his gun slightly. "I bet the aliens have sent them after me!" He added,rubbing the back of his head.

Darnell's brows furrowed,determination etched across his features. "If you've got aliens jawns after you,then we better get you prepared. Let's hit the playground! I got the perfect guy for the job!"

□

[Meanwhile...]

Staring at the sky adorned with planets and stars,the alien turned to his servant. "Have the Ghettobots been deployed in Pico's school?" It questioned,its hands behind it's back as it awaits an answer.

The servant nodded,pointing to the screen. "Yes sir," They said sternly. "They should be upon him this very minute."

A soft hum escaped the aliens lips as they walked up to the control panel. "Excellent. We can not have that little brat interfering with out new plans." Their fingers danced along the keyboard,drawing a small screen as it displayed the school.

"The humans will soon fear their own kind like never before,and earth will be primed for our rule!" It cackled,slamming it's fists on the control panel,the servant cackled with them.

Ceasing it's laughter,the alien straightened up,turning to the servant.

"Contact the Ghettobots,it is time for the second phase of our plan." It ordered,the alien quickly obeying and scurrying off down the hall.

The alien turned back to the screen,which showed Pico walking onto the playground.

"Just you wait,Pico,I have a great surprise you are bound to never forget."

□

[Back in Pico's school]

"So...you tellin me that some aliens,from outer space are after Pico?" Koko questioned,Darnell humming in agreement as he smiled at her.

"That's right! And your the perfect girl to help!" Darnell said happily,patting Koko's shoulder,earning a chuckle from the girl.

"Alright then," she said,cracking her knuckles. "Let's get down to business!"

Scouting the playground,Koko pointed to Timmy,who sat alone on a bench,staring at the ground.Pico groaned,turning back to the other two.

"Don't tell me I have to-"

"Of course! You can barely hold eye contact with Timmy anyway!" Koko retorted,crossing her arms with smile.Darnell chuckled,leaning against a tree as he slipped on another kneepad.

"C'mon Pico! Your always so shy n non-confrontational with people! Just try goin' over there to have a chat with Timmy!" Darnell urged,Koko nodding.With a sigh,Pico trudged over to Timmy,sitting down next to him.Timmy snapped his head to the ginger,a smile forming on his face.

"Oh heya Pico! I was in the class next to you,you remember that! I only survived the whole thing cause I wasn't in! My parents thank God and think I'm special cause of it,can you belive that!" Timmy rambled,adding to Pico's nervousness.

"Wow,awesome." He said dryly,quickly sitting up and speedwalkinf away from the blonde. "See you around." Pico called over his shoulder,Timmy waving goodbye as his eyes found their way to the ground; once again.

Rushing back to the two kids,Pico let put a sigh as Koko patted his back.

"See,was that so hard?" Koko giggled,observing the ginger's solemn attitude. "Now that that's over,time for more physical stuff!" She announced,stepping aside as Darnell walked forward,his body adorned with armor.

"Y'know Pico,somtimes there are conflicts you can't settle with words!" Darnell said,as Koko smiled brightly.

"When that happens,you need some fancy fistwork!" She grinned,punching the air for emphasis.Darnell grinned,pointing at himself.

"Let see what you got! Take a few strikes at me,this umpire uniform can withstand a speeding car!" Darnell declared,smirking through the mask.

Pico sighed,putting his fists up as he approached the arsonist.His fists connected with the armour,each punch sending Darnell a few steps back.Koko observed,tapping her chin as Pico came to a stop.

"Not bad!" She commented,clapping her hands together. "But I would hit the gym after school and work on the heavy bag for while,to give you more chances at no getting your ass beat!" She added,crossing her arms with a smirk as Pico deadpanned.

"Right! It'll be good to know that you aren't always relying on that damn gun." A moment of silence fills the three as Darnell's eyes light up. "Speaking of which,how are you with that thingm I never see you without it! Take a few shots,would ya! This hunk of a thing is bullet proof!" He declared,banging his fist against the armour.

Shrugging,Pico brought out his trusty gun,pointing at a area of the rusty armour,pulling the trigger as the bullet came in contact with the the armour.Yet Darnell remained unharmed,smiling proudly as Koko and Pico clapped.

"Well,well,well! Lookie what we got in here!" A voice rang out through the playground as Leroy stepped forward,a smug grin on his face as his trialed over Darnell's armour. "Wutz this,beat on jive turkey week?" He added,José letting out a small chuckle as Leroy turned to Roc.

"I think we need another go at it! Whattaya say,Roc!" Leroy grinned devilishly as Roc grunted,walking over to Darnell.Taking a look at the armour,Roc raised his fist,only to pause momentarily.

Slamming his fist against the armour,Darnell was sent flying,the armour breaking mid impact as he tumbled into the grass,a weak groan escaping his lips.Koko and Pico watched in shock,Koko's eye twitching,as well as her fists clenching as she turned to the Ghettobots.

"You buncha bullies! I oughta-"

Pico grabbed Koko's shoulder,shaking his head.Leroy rolled his eyes,pointing his cane towards the remaining two.

"Don't think we ain't saving no live for you,Pico! Thatz right,we knows all abouts you!" Larey warned,slamming his cane onto the ground once again as he turned to leave.

"Why don't you come visit us sometime in West Philly? That is,if you want your jive turkey friend to live!" He added,cackling ahead and his gang walked of.Koko gritted her teeth in anger as Darnell trudged back towards her and Pico.

"That shit was rough,I think I shit my pants!" Darnell complained,holding her stomach where Roc had punched him. "Let's get outta here!"

○

Setting foot outside of the school,Darnell,Pico and Koko all rested by the wall,catching their breath.

"Those guys really mean business,Koko breathed out,the other boys nodding in agreement.

"We're gonna need backup! Pico,you should get Destiny,she'll be a big help!" Darnell suggested,the ginger nodding as he stood up,pointing at Koko and Darnell.

"We'll meet at your house 'Nell! Koko,you get Nene!" Pico ordered,Koko nodding.

"I'm gonna run to North Philly and tell my dad about this!" Darnell said,Koko grinning.

"I'll come with you once I get Nene!" Koko added,Darnell's smile softening as he turned to her.

"Cool," he muttered. "Let's getta move on!"

And with that,the gang split up,each heading to designated spots.Pico sprinted down the streets,running last the bustling streets of Philly and turning corners.He then found himself standing in front of Philadelphia Boarding School,the massive building looming over him.

Now he just needed to get to Destiny! How hard could that be?

To be continued...

♤

Uuggghhh finally! I finished it!! The next chapter will mainly be focused on Destiny as she and Pico find out a way to get the Ghettobots of his back!

........... @myvirtuallove you know what will happen to destiny pookie 🤭

[epilogue-and-prologue]

What tattoo do they have, where and what’s the significance if there is any? - The Hobbit Edition

These are head canons. I let my imagination run wild with this one. Hope you have fun reading it. At least as much as I had writing it ;). Warnings: Mentions of tattoos, weapons, death, swearing too and the usual: this franchise doesn't belong to me.

UNBETA'D: And I'll probably die on that hill.

TAGS: @heilith @sotwk @asgardianhobbit98 @middleearthpixie @glassgulls @evenstaredits @fizzyxcustard

Note: Headcanon of mine: They have a common tattoo for the whole Company. It would probably be the symbol left on Bilbo's door the first time they all meet. Or an inside joke, at Bilbo's depend I'd wager.

Bilbo: No. None whatsoever. It never interested him in the first place. (That's what he tells Frodo, but he has the one with the Company, although he did complain the whole time about it. Once finished and satisfied with what it looked like, did not seem to bother him so much. He has it somewhere private, where he would not be showing it on accident to anyone, but somewhere he can also see like his calf or above his heart.)

Bifur (cousin to Bombur and Bofur): No one besides his kin knows, considering the axe in his head. I would feel a lot relating to battle and the history of his people. For the placement, arms, legs, some part of his torso, back, everywhere really. You have a needle some ink and a good design and he's in.

Ori (brother to Nori and Dori): The youngest. One. In common with the company. Wants to have more but his brothers are holding him back. He's brave but a little bit daft so they prefer to be sure they all survive before doing any crazy things. (He tried to get one tattooed of a grape of raisin as a bet with Fili and Kili. They stopped him before he could even ask)

Dori (brother to Ori and Nori): The oldest. He would never admit to it because he has some decorum, but he probably had a few made when he was drunk with his friends a long time ago. On unmentionable places (his left buttcheek for example) of unmentionable designs (wine bottles and/or naked ladies).

Bombur (cousin of Bifur): Loads of them. Very intricate details, portraits of dwarf-women, drawings he made himself of trees and prairies, very bucolic.

Gloin (Gimli's father): Not much. His wife's name when he was younger. She gave him grief for it but he never regretted it. A legendary axe along one of his thighs, the details are uncanny.

Nori (brother of Dori and Ori) : A dragon. He would get a dragon before the fall of Erebor and keep it as a reminder afterwards. He adds tons of coins and jewellery. It’s a whole piece on his back. Impressive work.

Oin: He is the tattoo artist, I feel. Old enough, some medical knowledge. Chances are he misinterpreted a few ones. He was taught in Erebor so he is not as steady as he used to, but he always manages to get someone's help everytime. He never lets anyone touch his tattoo stuff unless he is present. Himself has a harp and several instruments.

Fili: He’d have one with his brother, mother and uncle for the Durin line. Maybe behind his ear. I can see a beautiful blade, down the length of his torso from his upper ribcage to his hips.

Kili: Same for Fili. But he's a romantic so I'd say, on his inner arm or his wrist. He'd go for pieces of poetry, flowers and landscapes of mountains.

Dwalin : Everywhere. A lot of geometric figures are arranged in patterns he only knows the reason for. Fili and Kili have a theory about an escape he lead with those tattoos. Dwalin never denies nor confirms it, he finds it immensly hilarious to see them try to figure it out.

Bofur: Names of his lost ones. Pun jokes in drawings, different moustaches. If the chance comes, a portrait of his One on his lower back. Because he is a cheesy, cheesy dwarf.

Balin: One in common with Thorin, that’s for sure. Something they've been through together. One for the company.

Thorin: Words of poetry or song he’d adored as a younger dwarf, some symbolic ones like the one for the Durin line, and the one for the company. One of an animal, (I'm influenced by some drawings I saw though), something symbolic with a greater meaning. No decorative ones.

Bard: I don't think it ever crossed his mind. He'd consider it as a branding of sorts and between his kids, hiding his lineage and the loss of his wife, he has enough issues as it is.

Thranduil: Has enough scars for a lifetime. But if his lover has some he’d be fascinated. Honestly, repulsed at first because why would you scar your beautiful skin like this, but if they are his love, they have taste so the tattoo design would be one he quite enjoys too.

[napoleonic-sexyman-tournament]

Ahhh, portraits of Bagration! They are something of a mess, with every engraver and their dog claiming to repeat after Tonci, but with every repetition Bagration's features became more and more exaggerated. Not to mention, we don't actually have Tonci's original. There is a very bad copy by an unknown portraitist and many engravings 'based on'.

(Let's put aside the 'mistaken identity' portraits, because at least two Bagrationi are regularly called by Petr Ivanovich's name, including a younger brother, who, at that, wore a moustache.)

In fact, there is a case to be made that there is a bit of truth in Dawe's portrait. The way Dawe's whole enterprise worked, he and his team produced copies after earlier originals, just in the right size and in uniform style. Fairly faithful copies with a bit of poetic licence in details, often kept at exactly the same angle if only possible. The portraits were based on one of the following things: the generals who were still around, portraits send in by families or by those who couldn't make it to Petersburg. Those portraits were gathered and handled by the General Staff. It was a Big Deal. And if no likeness could be tracked, then no dice - they left an empty frame.

So, where am I going with this? George Dawe and his team had to be copying something. And it certainly wasn't Tonci. So what could it have been? The most probable theory - or at least one that kinda works - is that it was a portrait by R. M. Volkov. It is fairly indisputed that Bagration ordered a pair of portraits from Volkov between 1810 and his death, of him and his absent wife. But we don't have this Bagration... or do we? There are at least two paintings languishing in Russian museums, a 1830s copy of an unknown portrait, another older and a mystery. The older one, the Rybinsk Bagration, is thought to be what Dawe might have worked from.

How do we know that they're not copied from Dawe? That's easy. Dawe's workshop produced copies of the gallery paintings as it breathed (because money). And there are a few Dawe-copy Bagrations around. But they all have the wrong, 1817 uniform on, like the Dawe original does and the same arrangement of orders, which doesn't look like that with Dawe - not on the portrait, not on the workshop engraving. Those two, whatever they were copied from, have the version of uniform just right for the time.

Now, we don't actually know that the Rybinsk portrait is the missing Volkov or its copy. But it could very well be. It roughly fits Volkov's style. And we know that of all possible paintings of Kutuzov, Dawe chose Volkov's to extrapolate from when painting his Kutuzov in full length. There was a reason for that. It was widely known that before Dawe arrived, Alexander was Volkov's great fan and indeed pronounced his own portrait to be a magnificent one.

This is wonderful detailed information. Thank you!

[dogesterone]

laying and bed kicking my feet dreamily cause i love my boyfriend and im gonna infodump about how much i love him

weve been dating nonstop for 8.5 years. he was my first partner ever. he asked me out via tumblr fan mail back when that was still a thing. i genuinely sometimes question if id have ever realized i was trans if i didnt have him in my life. he likes idol rhythm games and kidcore aesthetics and one piece and queer theory and midwest emo music and theatre and poetry and mixed media art and plushies and his moustache that he worked so hard to grow out and his weird haircuts that im always hesitant about but they always grow on me cause i love him and they make him happy. ive recently done a lot of introspection since we started doing a lot of ENM/polyamory stuff and i think ive realized that im honestly just a lesbian with how intensely im attracted to other trans girls but that doesnt matter in regards to my boyfriend because he was, is, and always will be such an important part of my life and makes me so happy that i can't imagine my life without him in it. his body feels so comfortable and familiar pressed up against mine in bed and even if his snoring is really loud i never go sleep in the living room. i am attracted to him in a way that transcends romance and sexuality. he calls me a dyke and a faggot and a tranny in exactly the right way to genuinely make me laugh. we have a cat together. he gave himself a christian name specifically to piss off his reddit atheist dad. i let him complain to me about his shitty coworker and his family and whatever internet discourse is bouncing around his head. his fursona's a cat. his middle name is named after a grateful dead song. he has so many keychains and charms on his car keys that you could beat someone to death with them. he likes littlebigplanet and pokemon mystery dungeon and i think he's just about the only person in the entire world who could explain the onceler fandom in a way that actually makes it sound cool. he is my prince and i am his knightess. his stepdad is japanese so he likes japanese food a lot. his favorite color is yellow.

i love him so so so so so much.