#oc Dr Leland

[dawnbreakersgaze]

Howdy folks!

Life has been rough, so I have been quiet. Very, very quiet. Zayne’s bday came at a fun~ time for me and I’m very grateful I got to participate at all 😅 bc I would have been so bummed to miss it like I almost missed his freaking myth 🥴 it just unfortunately pushed me to be a bit more social than I should have at a time I needed to chill.

Anyway, y’all know the blog motto by now, so have an art dump. I know I said I wouldn’t be posting OC art here anymore (and for everyone who wants to keep abreast with AU Greyson, his art will continue to be posted on @eniteoepoch once it’s set up) but until I get around to that, enjoy the pile of wips, trash sketches, concepts for future pieces, and self care paintings~

You guys are great, and to everyone who’s reached out, I’m definitely alive, i adore you, and I’ll be communicative again soon 💜

[muffy-official]

I feel like I can't seem to make anything proper again, just another little crisis so have those random doodles and whenever I'm there mentally again I keep worrying way too much and trying to not think I'm annoying with my character stuff sorry for the semi vent, but somehow this week's been weird private matter wise😭

Gabs might also have to make it clear she's no nurse, that she's only capable of basic things+ stitching, but she'd aid grunts and other expop who got friendly fire'd immediately if needed. With primes she's a bit hesitant but gets the job done. One time she wouldn't care about anything is if pulling sleeves or pant legs up too high cuts blood circulation after a while as she refuses to cut the fabric to have it go up better. You gotta endure it once it's done

Also screw yall/j *genderbends the prime asset as a excuse to draw these suit sets*

[goldenponcho]

Milkbones

Jump to Chapter 1

This took longer than intended, but I’m having a GREAT time with it!

Chapter 2: Welcome to the Menagerie

Before they saw anything, the three assets heard three distinct inhales…sniffing…followed by a sharp, snarling exhale. The person…or thing, it sounded more like, emerged from the darkness with a slow ‘Ssssh-tap! Ssssh-tap!’ of shuffling, clawed feet.

As “it” stepped into the light of the room, Franco’s eyes bulged even further. Long, black mane of hair…DELIGHTFULLY plush hourglass figure…

‘Fuckin’ TITS!’

And the top she wore didn’t hide them, either. Her nose and mouth were covered by a brutally biomechanical, metal muzzle, and both forearms were locked together in a cylindrical, steel restraint.

Before words could be exchanged, there was a metalic “THUNK” of piston locks, and the woman’s arm restraint clanged to the ground with a heavy clatter. She straightened herself, brown eyes scanning them all as she straightened to her full height (somewhere between Franco’s and Coyle’s) and tilted her head in an almost friendly gesture that absolutely DID resemble a curious puppy.

“‘Sup, roomies?!” She rubbed the circumference of her irritated wrist, “Anybody here smoke pot?!” Her playful voice wasn’t especially deep, but had an almost androgynous quality.

Franco bore crooked, gapped teeth, giddiness welling in him. ‘Oh, FUCK, yeah! Lemme play with HER! CHRIST! I’m DYIN’ here!’ He had already opened his mouth to communicate this very sentiment before Coyle beat him to it with a sneer.

“Another hell-ACIOUS female to shoot the whole wide world further ta PISS!” He snorted, “If that ain’t just a JOLLITY…”

“Oh, don’t be that way, officer!” Gooseberry chided, stepping forward with a matronly look of pity, “The poor little creature’s probably scared to DEATH…” Futterman interjected, “Yeah, pencil DICK! It was gettin’ to be a fuckin’ SAUSAGE party in here, ANYWAYS!”

“Swear ta GAWD, if ya don’t shut that-“

Franco stepped between the woman and her view of Coyle, “Cops aaaalways gotta complain about eeeevery little, fuckin’ thing, ‘uuh?!” He was practically assaulting her with his openly lewd gaze. “You ain’t gotta listen ta HIM, suga’…an extra set a’- UH! I mean…” he chuckled knowingly, “…a BEAUTIFUL DAME…such as ya’self is ALWAYS a welcome addition to our weird, little FAMILY!”

Her eyes set on him with another cock of her head. He could now see that her left pupil was blocked by a cluster of cataracts. Her gaze still seemed pleasant even at the obviously sexual quip.

“Oh, THIS again!” The Futterman puppet flashed human teeth, “Find that BINKY ta put in that mouth, and keep your PANTIES on, JEEZ!!”

Franco ignored the goose; he was more interested in this new broad, who finally began a slow, assessing, and understanding nod, “Okay…quite the batch, here!” Dark eyes took in each of her new colleagues, “I’m kinda catching the vibes! Bit a’ HOSTILITY…DEFINITELY some previous drama someone’ll have to fill me in on…”

She raised her hands to unbuckle her muzzle, and Franco noticed her fingernails. They were thick and had been filed to points, as were her toenails that peeked from beneath what looked like brown, beat up, leather spats. He found himself considering the thought of those talons raking down his back hard enough to draw blood and clawed toes pressing hard into his crotch, and he barely held down a groan. “Ooo, I would be happy ta FILL you in on whatever you LIKE, dollface!”

A paw had reached the snout of the muzzle and paused there as she fixed him with a sharply arched brow. “DOLLFACE…” She felt the quality if the endearment, then removed the facial restraint with an upward glance, letting it fall to the floor with the arm one. Her exaggerated smile revealed teeth as pointed as her fingernails, most seeming to have been filed as well, but the canines had been extended with what looked like silver caps. A symmetrical scar down her nose and upper lip almost created the cleft pallet of a canine.

“I guess I’ll take it!”

Franco’s buggy eyes widened with giddy glee. If there was one thing he LOVED, it was a SURPRISE.

Coyle stepped in to point only inches away from her face, and Franco found himself hoping she might open up and snap that finger off if for nothing more than his own entertainment.

“A de-monic JEZEBEL, if I EVER HAVE SEENT ONE!!”

She flashed jagged pearly whites, mocking a curtsy, and Franco laughed, sliding himself between the two again, now well within the bounds of personal space. “And who does baby Franco have the DELIGHT of welcoming into our humble menagerie?”

“Oh!” She smacked her bandanna-clad forehead, “Where are my fuckin’ manners?” She extended a hand, “Doctor Roxanna J. Gorman…Ph. D. Animal Science. Usually go by Rox,” she inhaled holding it excitedly for a moment, “How ya’ll doin’?”

The “ya’ll” brought out her faint southern accent. Not the strong drawl of the ladies back in New Orleans, but CERTAINLY not the backwater, hillbilly RACKET that was Coyle’s grating tonality. Fucked up little southern belle, huh? Milky…

Franco boldly took her hand in his gloved one. Instead of shaking it, he raised it to his face, his other hand wrapping itself around her forearm, fingers stroking the skin there with a brazen suggestiveness. “Mmmmnnn…ciao bellaaaa!” He practically moaned, pressing his nose to the back of her hand and inhaling as sharply as he could before practically making out with her hand, leering moon-eyes up to take in her reaction.

Roxanna’s eyes grew nearly as big as his, teeth still bared in an open mouthed beam, “Now, see…THIS guy knows how to say hello!” She startled him by turning his hand over with a yank and giving the back of his glove a long, hard lick, pushing his sleeve up with her nose to continue even a bit onto a hairy arm.

Franco nearly went cross eyed, giving a loud, high pitched whimper as he felt near to creaming his pants in that instant.

“UGH! Now we got BABIES and DAWGS practically a’fornicatin’ right in my line a’ sight!” Coyle’s nostrils flared in deep disgust, shoulders puffed as if ready to fight…someone, it wasn’t clear who. “A-BOM-ni-da-ble display of LASCIVIOUS FILTH!!”

Franco cocked his head toward the sergeant, still stroking Rox’s arm, brow knit into a smarmy smirk, “Still wear ya jealousy on ya SLEEVE, eh, coppa’?” He didn’t avert half lidded eyes from him as he gave the back of her hand a lick of his own with the tip of his tongue. To his delight, Rox’s contented display of teeth remained as he righted himself.

“You stick with ME, Miss Gorman, and we’ll RULE the TRIALS!”

“It’s DOCTOR Gorman, actually,” The correction remained calm and cordial, “Didn’t spend ten years busting my ass to be called “miss”, ya dig?”

Franco rolled a smarmy eyebrow “Ooohh, YES, Doctor! I dig DEEEEP!” He didn’t bother to hide the rippling shudder in his voice, and her hearty, entirely unladylike chuckle only encouraged him.

“Jeezus, Phyllis!” Futterman whispered loudly, “Even this little bug-eyed tit sucker’s aboutta get lucky! You gotta step up ya fuckin’ GAME!!”

“Daddyyyy! Not in front of the other Primes!!”

“And we gotta check out those CHOMPERS! NO WAY there ain’t a couple need DRILLIN’!”

“Hey! These bad boys are healthier than EVER!” Rox tapped a nail against a silver plated fang, “They’re an important tool in my current line of work, after all!”

Their meet and greet was interrupted by a sudden static from the five television sets strewn about the room. A shadowed figure sat at a barely lit desk, the rest of the room blanketed in darkness. The only feature clear from the footage was a completely bald head, wrinkled with age.

Franco immediately recognized the silhouette, and images of a geyser of brilliant red bursting from the man’s fragile skull flashed before him, as he imagined squeezing it between the heals of his palms like a walnut.

“Man’s best friend… A loyal beast, trained to guard humankind with its very life. But what happens to a dog with a poor owner?”

The room’s gaze shifted to Rox, who didn’t seem to notice, brown eyes fixed on one of the upper corner screens with her hands shoved into the pockets of her purple cargo pants. “Haven’t seen THIS episode of the Twilight Zone…” she mumbled to herself.

“A canine’s life is devoted to its family. Dutiful at all hours both day and night…like a saintly, obedient wife and mother,” At this, Roxanna rolled her eyes, bringing a fist to her face, jerking it back and forth and rhythmically poking her tongue into her hollowed cheek.

“But like a woman scorned, a mistreated mutt has only two options. Whimper in a lonely corner…or growl, and scratch, and DIG, and BITE to protect itself.” Rox’s expression had stiffened slightly as she and Easterman’s eyes locked through the screen.

“I do hope you will all welcome Miss Roxanna Gorman into your fold.”

She stiffened COMPLETELY as she fixed the television with a dangerous glare, “DOCTOR! DOCTOR Roxanna Gorman!!” She growled, arms shooting to fold beneath her overflowing breasts, “Ain’t friggin’ hard…DOUCHE…”

“To my longtime, loyal Prime Assets…my CHILDREN…I must apologize. For you see, you have lain dormant for this past thirty years, awaiting my return.”

There was a pause, tension INSTANTLY thick in the air, before the cacophony of angry chatter.

“Thirty…” Franco’s jaw twitched as he wanted to let out a stream of obscenities, but his confusion gave him none, “The FUCK does that old bitch MEAN?! THIRTY YEARS?!!”

“You corporate FAIRY!” Coyle trudged toward the television, “WE HAD A FUCKIN’ DEAL!! NOBODY fucks over LELAND COYLE!! NOBODYYYY!!!”

“Thirty years later?” Gooseberry was more confused than angry, “What could that MEAN for us, DADDY?!”

“Eh! Time is an illusion, Phyllis,” Futterman lisped nonchalantly, “Don’t worry your ugly little head about it…”

“Wait, wait…” Rox glanced between the three other Primes and Dr. Easterman on the screen that Coyle had nearly decided to punch a hole through, “So none a’ ya’ll even KNEW?! Shit…” she scratched at the back of her head, “…guess THAT’S a lesson learned by proxy…”

“You will all come to realize that what I do is ONLY for the good of our little family,” Easterman was clearly steepling his fingers even though he was nothing more than a silhouette, “A nice rest and a fresh start is EXACTLY what we all needed.”

Franco muttered a string of Italian curses, and Coyle looked as if his cigar might erupt in flames at any moment.

“You will all have a few moments to prepare for your duties,” Dr. Easterman placed the palms of his hands to the table in front of him, “Roxanna’s station is currently being prepared for her arrival, so her first week will be spent accompanying each of you in your own domains. Do set a good example, and you will all be treated well.”

The screens fizzled out and left the room in another short moment of silence. This time, Rox was the one to speak first. “Looks like YOU guys did an accidental speed run to the turn of the millennium!” Her grin wasn’t quite mocking, “THAT must really screw with your steez!”

“Keep a’grinnin’, you godless SUCCUBUS!” Coyle said through gritted teeth, taking s threatening step toward her, “Ain’t ever a virt-chyus thing come outta a woman wearin’ PANTS and TATTOOS!”

Rox only gave a close lipped smirk, and Franco purred, “SUCC-ubus…kinda LIKE the sound a’ that word!”

She turned her gaze back to Franco, the proud look never wavering, “It does have a certain, je ne sais quoi, doesn’t it?”

Coyle just seethed, clenching his fist in the absence of his beloved cattle prod, “Pinko language for a PINKO hussy! Pink RIGHT down to her tight lil’ PANTIES!”

The spark in Rox’s eye as the words formed in her head was blatant, “WHAT panties…” she fluttered her lashes in a mock-ditzy manner, “…COMRADE?”

All jaws hit the floor, Franco through an elated, buck toothed smile, Gooseberry simply in shock, a hand clutching at the bow at her neck, and Dr. Futterman actually doing a quadruple take between the two new rivals.”

Gooseberry was quick to grab Coyle as he bellowed an enraged roar and made to grab at Roxanna’s neck. Sharp teeth shone in a jubilant beam as she took a casual step backwards.

“You SATAN worshippin’, WILLFUL little daughter a’ BAPHOMEEEEET!!!”

“OH-my god! I do NOT worship Satan! I don’t even BELIEVE in the guy…” hands on her hips, she gave a sarcastic shrug of her be-furred shoulders, “Now, BAPHOMET on the other hand…”

Franco’s grin was so wide it was nearly a sneer as he nodded his bulbous head and rubbed his gloved hands together, “OH, yeah! THIS is gonna be WELL worth a thirty year nap in this fuckin’ shithole!”

“I got ‘im, Phyllis!!” Dr. Futterman’s voice was muffled as if it actually came from his arm and cable-filled beak, “QUICK! Get Big Baby Head to SMASH ‘im with that COCONUT!! HaHA! HaHA! HaHA!!”

Franco was too entertained to care about the reference to his large cranium, as his look of elation turned back to Rox, a brow arching and lids lowering, “Mmm! That Easterman cunt REEEAAALY sent me a little TREAT by capturin’ you, Poochie…”

He was encouraged when her demeanor didn’t sour. In fact, her laugh was almost…flirtatious. “Careful, Babes! ‘Cause “Poochie” ain’t TRAINED too well…”

Franco’s stomach did a flip flop, and he shuddered at the pleasant tingle up the back of his neck, “Oooo! That’s MORE than fine by me, suga’! BABY’S the one in need a’…TRAININ’…”

Her smile was just as wicked as his as she looked down her nose at him the way a lion might at a defenseless, little gazelle, but before she could respond, the alarm above Franco’s door went off, and the familiar siren to announce the entrance of an ex-pop echoed through the room.

Coyle had FINALLY calmed down to a manageable degree as the four (five?) turned to see the LEDs run across with the words “BAMBINO / BEETHOVEN” in white and purple.

As it became clear to Franco what this meant, he chuckled in demented delight, “Ya know what THAT means, doncha, Lassie? We’s got ourselves a little…DATE, you could say!”

Her lips curled around sharp teeth, “Well, then…” she placed her hands at her hips, “Whatta ya got in mind for me, Casanova?”

Italian translation:

Ciao bella! - Hi, beautiful!

[wckdaprl]

There's a pattern, there's a pattern, There's a pattern there to follow.

TW - flashing images

Red is the color of tragedy. Is there a story behind it? Only time will tell.

[tillman]

leland sweep ^

[just-an-enby-lemon]

Kristen Kringle in my Rogues Headcannon Au:

- She is from Metropolis (ew) and since my version of Riddler lived in Metropolis from age six to sixteen the two happened to go to the same middle school.

- She is a bissexual trans woman and while Metropolis by itself is a progressive city there's still a lot of assholes there. Her parents were actually very supportive and at 11 she had already socially transitioned.

- Unfortunally when news spread that she was trans a lot of parents and students alike were opposed to her and tried to banish her from competing in sports and using the right bathroom.

- That was when the bathroom brigade was formed by Lisa Jerkins (my unimportant OC who's main fuction is give Ed extra trauma later) and Eddie Nasthon, they would scoult her to the bathroom, even if it meant just getting up in the middle of class and getting detention, to protect her from being attacked by biggots.

- They were inseparable during middle school.

- She was the first person Edward came out as transmasc for and also his first kiss.

- Unfortunally after two years of suffering attacks from classmates, parents and even some teafhers, her parents decided it was better to her to move schools.

- They keept contact at first, but after his dad broke Edward's phone during a beating, they stopped talking.

- They later meet again in the Iceberg, Kristen was hanging with her new work friends on the Iceberg. One of the girls went to the bar to flirt and grab some drinks and came back crying because some douche she had tried to flirt with had called her "easy, boring and stupid". It was Edward. He wasn't even being purposifully rude, he just has low emphaty and was understimulated and feeling ignored by Oswald witch makes for a very cranky Riddler.

- Kristen of course went to confront the guy and got even more angry when she found him talking with Penguin's underage secretary. Until she realized it was Eddie and he was helping the girl do her homework of all things (in my AUverse Miss Tuesday is Oswald secretary and she bullies/manipulates Ed into doing her homework a lot). So instead they catched up.

- They rekindling their friendship may had resulted in Edward mudering her abusive boyfriend during the most akward double date on history (Edward brough Selina - who was already his ex - because she had shown interest on Kristen and Ed has no common sense or understanding of social norms and is just lucky he was born with a huge charisma status anyway). But hey, he is a known criminal, he is one of the less murderous members of the Dark Knigth Rogue Gallery, but he is a known criminal.

- Selina had the time of her life. No one else did. But Selina enjoyed herself. She got to pet Kristens cat, made a pretty woman blush, stoled a gourgeus astray, helped in the murder of an abusive asshole, she and Ed showed their sick dance moves. It was great.

- To everyone else it was a really bad night. And it almost ended Ed's and Kristen's friendship forever (and Tom was literaly dead by the end of it). But Selina had fun. And that is what really matters.

- No but really. Edward did not murder Kristen, because he isn't a misoginistic creep here and was not trying to convince her to not be mad. He was actually trying to convice himself that he didn't mind she was mad because he was right and is great and fuck her.

- They did slowly recovered their friendship though. With some meedling for Selina, because she cared about the fact other people didn't had a great night.

- Kristen did had a one night stand with Selina at some point.

- She somehow ends dating Doctor Joan Leland who in my AU is - personality wise - closer to Gotham's Lee than this version of Leslie Thompkins.

- The fact Leland is Jonathan Crane's psychiatrist (and the only member of the Arkham staff Jon - bregrundgly - respects, witch is what made her survive being Jon's psychiatrist because Crane is famous for making them became suicidal and quit) is not really important, but I'm briggin it up anyway.

[roosterforme]

Adult Education Part 6 | Hangman x OC

Summary: Jessica can't catch a break at work, and things are just made worse when she's required to plan an event for alumni weekend. Looking forward to seeing Jake on Saturday was only trumped by a surprise visit from him.

Warnings: Fluff, angst, swearing, eventually 18+

Length: 4100 words

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Female OC

This story is part of the Beer Boy and Sugar universe but can be read on its own! Adult Education masterlist

Seriously, who let Jake on my masterlist!? Banner by @mak-32

The next morning, Jake was ready to go and standing outside with his travel cup of coffee at 7:25 just to be sure he didn't piss off his ride. At this rate, he was going to owe Bradshaw and his wife something really nice for all of their help with his truck. And with Jessica.

When they both pulled up in the Bronco at exactly 7:30, Jake climbed in the backseat with a smirk. "Sorry I interrupted your evening last night."

She smiled at him and shrugged saying, "It's fine. I hope your truck is repairable." But Bradley just glared at Jake in the rearview mirror as he pulled away from the curb.

"Gonna buy a new one, I think," he replied. "Just to be on the safe side."

As the Bronco coasted to a stop at a red light, she turned to face him. "How was your date with Jessica?"

Jake groaned and said, "That's why I'm getting a new truck. I had to run five miles, and I was late meeting her. Almost fucked it all up. I love that shitty, old truck, but I'll need something more reliable if she actually agrees to date me."

Bradley snorted. "Yes. Get something more reliable so you don't inconvenience Jessica." He gestured to his wife in the passenger seat as the light turned green. "She was asleep when I got home last night. Just in case you were curious."

"I wasn't. But thanks," Jake replied coolly, watching as she laughed and leaned in to kiss her husband's cheek. "And thanks for the ride. I owe you. Again." Jake tried to think about what he could even get for Bradley. What did he even like? Wasn't that Grateful Dead cover band coming to town?

"Wait. You ran five miles after your truck broke down?" Bradshaws's wife asked him. "That's actually kind of romantic. I would have been a mess after that."

"It's not as romantic as all the doors," Bradley grumbled. But now they were driving through the college campus, and Jake's eyes caught on the building where Jessica worked as they pulled up in front of it. Jake also had a front row seat to watch the way Bradley leaned across the seat and kissed his wife as if he wasn't going to see her for a week. 

"Bye, Sugar. I love you so much," he whispered, handing her a lunchbox with a tie dye pattern. She bid him farewell with a similar sentiment and then waved to Jake. And then Bradley sat there and watched to make sure his wife got safely into the building before putting it back in gear. 

"Do you drive your wife to work all the time?" Jake asked awkwardly now from the backseat. 

"Of course. As much as I can."

Jake was quiet for a beat, and then he asked, "I know you and she met a long time ago. Were you ever in love with anyone else?"

"No," came his immediate reply. "Always been a little bit obsessed with that one in particular."

Jake could tell. And that level of devotion was starting to sound more and more appealing to him.

------------------------------

Jessica was so tired of the way she always ended up in tears at the end of every department meeting. This time she was sitting next to Leland, and it just wasn't fair that she was always being singled out. They were going to force her to volunteer to be a faculty advisor for an on-campus event for alumni weekend. She could already tell. It was going to be a tedious waste of her time, and Brian Conley would make some vague promises about getting her on a tenure track. But she just knew he'd never let that happen.

"Let's chat when we're done here, Dr. Reed," Conley announced in front of everyone like Jessica was a small child who needed to be reprimanded. And when everyone else was dismissed, she didn't move from her seat towards the back of the room. If he wanted to talk to her, he could do it from there. Because now she was just getting mad. 

Almost all of the warm fuzzy feelings leftover from her Chippy's date with Jake were gone and replaced by self loathing. She had fucked up her career. She had fucked up her relationship with probably everyone in the science department. And she would most likely fuck things up with Jake, too. 

"Jessica," Conley said softly, shaking his head. 

"Please, call me Dr. Reed or Professor Reed," she managed to say without letting on that she was about to cry. 

He sighed like she was the biggest inconvenience in his life and raked his fingers through his sexy salt and pepper hair. "Dr. Reed," he said with a sarcastic looking smile. "If you want to even stand a chance at tenure, then you need to comply with my ideas."

"It's so convenient that you are the one in charge of tenure for the department, isn't it? You know how hard I work. You know how much I care about my students. This shouldn't even be an issue."

Then he strode across the room and walked down the row of seats she was sitting in and loomed over her as he said, "You are the one who made it an issue. Not me."

Jessica was torn between the urge to tell him to fuck off and the desire to burst into tears. But she sat there quietly with her eyes trained on his as he added, "Now pick one of the events to manage for alumni weekend, or I can guarantee you'll be an adjunct professor as long as you remain at this school."

It didn't matter which one she chose, he would make it miserable for her. So she grabbed her bag and stood as tall as she could in her high heels. "Just shoot me an email and let me know the details. It doesn't matter which event I have to manage; I'll do a fucking amazing job with it while you try to bring me down."

She didn't wait for a response. She was out of the room and down the hallway to the elevators before he could say anything. The whole day was going to suck now. She could just tell. If only it were Saturday, she could be at Jake's place where at least her past wasn't hanging over her head constantly. 

After three lectures in a row, she checked her emails upon returning to her office. The first one made her smile, because Advanced Calculus invited Jessica to stop by her office for lunch. The second was from Conley, letting her know that she was in charge of helping to plan and execute a beer pong tournament at one of the fraternity houses. 

"Fuck my life," she moaned, reaching into her desk to get her peanut butter and jelly sandwich and room temperature bottle of water. Now she really didn't feel like having lunch with another actual person, but she didn't want to lose her only friend here. So she slowly made her way down to the other end of the building and the math department. 

When she knocked on the door, she was greeted with a cheery, "Come in!" And Jessica once again marvelled at the spacious office with windows and the beautiful lunch spread out on the desk in front of the other woman. Today it was a delicious looking veggie wrap, an array of mixed nuts, and assorted artisan cheeses.

"Your husband always makes my lunch look even sadder," Jessica said, tossing her sandwich in its ziplock bag onto the desk and sinking into the open chair. 

She responded with a laugh, saying, "Help yourself. He always packs too much in case I need an afternoon snack. How's your day going?"

"Horrible," Jessica whispered, reaching for some of the nuts. "I'm getting roped into helping with an event for alumni weekend. All because I don't have tenure. And even though I've been assured this type of thing will help me get there, I already know it won't."

"The fucking patriarchy," the other woman replied before biting into her wrap. 

"Right?" whined Jessica. "Like I can't win. I'm never going to get ahead here. I wonder if Penn State still wants me. Maybe I should call them." She honestly didn't have much keeping her in California, but Jake immediately came to mind. Which was ridiculous, because they had kissed all of a handful of times last night. But he did run five miles. And he did want Chippy to like him.

"You can't leave me here alone!" Advanced Calculus complained, and Jessica smiled. "Which event do they have you working on?"

As Jessica nibbled on her sandwich, she said, "A beer pong tournament. At a fraternity house." She deadpanned, but the other woman started howling with laughter. 

"I might actually be able to get my husband to come to alumni weekend even though neither of us went to school here!"

"Was he in a Kappa Pi chapter? I could probably make him some sort of guest of honor if he wants."

"No. Beta Gamma. We have the fraternity paddles at home to prove it. But he and I used to play beer pong in college, and I just know he would be more than happy to spend the fifty or hundred bucks per ticket to try to relive his glory days."

Jessica smiled tentatively. "Do you want to help me plan the event? I'm sure I could waive the fees for both of you."

She was expecting a loud resounding no. So when Jessica saw her nod and say, "Sure," she thought she might fall out of her seat. "Let me text my Beer Boy right now so he knows not to make any plans for that day. Not that he ever plans anything except a night out at the bar where I have to babysit him and Jake and the others, but you know..."

And then Jessica sat up a little straighter. Maybe Jake could come to the event, too. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad at all if they were all there. Maybe then Brian Conley would get off her back about everything, or at the very least, she wouldn't be alone when he tried to pick apart every little detail. 

"Thank you," Jessica blurted out. "Like honestly. Thank you for agreeing to help me. And just for inviting me to eat lunch with you."

The other woman looked up from her phone with a surprised expression on her face. "You don't have to thank me. Now.... why don't you tell me a little bit about your date with Jake. I heard that man ran like a hundred miles to see you."

Jessica felt warmth in her cheeks as she divulged a few details about the evening, but then she realized it was nearly time for her to teach her lab class. "I'm sorry, but I need to run. Maybe we can do this again next week?"

"Sure. And I'll start brainstorming some ideas for alumni weekend. I'll recruit Bradley to help. Or maybe not... everything would be tie dye."

Jessica was still smiling as she walked to the lab.

----------------------------

Jessica was no longer smiling when she was three quarters of the way through her office hours and nobody had stopped by. Her stomach was growling so loudly, she was sure you could hear it down by the elevators. And she was shopping on the Victoria's Secret website for something to do. Really, she just wanted to stop at In-N-Out and head home, but then there was a knock on her open door. 

"Reedy," Jake drawled, and she dropped her phone onto her desk with a soft thud. "You got some time for me?"

He looked so damn good in some well worn jeans and a Texas Longhorns shirt. But to make him even more appealing, he was holding some flowers and a container that looked like it was filled with food. 

"Jake," she whispered, standing up behind her desk. She felt goosebumps on her arms and legs as a crooked little grin appeared on his face. He headed straight for her and set the container down, and when he held out the flowers, she took them. "Thanks."

Then she noticed his eyes catch on her phone which was next to the container, and Jake's cheeks flushed pink. He swallowed hard and asked, "You doing some shopping?"

Jessica turned the phone over just as the screen faded to black, but it was too late. Her Victoria's Secret shopping cart full of thigh high stockings, a new garter belt, and a pretty green set had been plainly visible to him. 

"Maybe," she whispered, realizing that the green bra and thong set matched his eyes perfectly. And now she was thinking about how he might react to her wearing them. Jessica whimpered softly. And then his lips came crashing down against hers. She dropped the flowers onto her desk so she could have full access to his body as she stumbled back a step and hit her chair. But Jake had one arm wrapped securely around her waist, keeping her on her feet. 

She let her fingers sink into his silky hair as his tongue met hers, and she whimpered again for him. His kisses were so intentional, so sure. Like he really wanted to be here in this moment. With her. Yet he kept his hands very respectfully on her back. And she realized it had been a year since she'd let anyone touch or kiss her like this. It had been a year since she even tried, and she never expected it to feel this good.

"Wait," she gasped, wrenching her lips away from his and pulling herself from his warm grasp. Jake held his hands up like she'd burned him, and his cheeks grew pinker as she walked around her desk, high heels clicking along the floor.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, his tone bordering on questioning as his eyes followed her across the tiny room. She closed her office door with a soft thud, and then turned to look at him.

"Too many prying eyes around here," she said with a laugh as her fingers skimmed along the doorknob, already missing the feel of Jake. 

"Understood." He looked mildly relieved if no less pink as she made her way back to him. And then she was right in front of him again, and his lips were parted and his fingers were flexing, but he didn't make a move to touch her again as she adjusted her glasses.

She had somehow managed to pour cold water all over the moment by wanting to close the door, but just the idea of Conley walking by and catching them was too much for her to think about. Then Jessica's eyes trailed down to the lettering on Jake's shirt, and her fingers traced the T in Texas before she really knew what she was doing. She made it to the X, before she met his eyes again. 

"Jessica." His voice was deep and a little raspy as he reached for her wrist and flattened her palm against his chest. He covered her hand with his larger one and said, "You're in charge. You set the pace."

How could those words possibly turn her on the way they did? How was this happening? She just nodded and eased both of her hands up along his chest and around his neck while he stroked her arm with one big hand. And then she pushed herself up onto her tiptoes and kissed him softly, guiding his other hand around her waist. 

"I want you to touch me," she whispered against his lips, and that hand rubbed along her hip and then up her side in the most enticing way. 

As Jessica kissed down Jake's neck to the collar of his shirt, he said, "I can't stop thinking about you. Didn't want to wait until Saturday to see you."

She giggled against his stubbled jaw and said, "You come to my office hours so frequently, you're probably my best student."

Jake grunted and said, "Now you're just teasing me."

Jessica pulled away and looked up at his handsome face. "If I wanted to tease you, I would ask what you thought about the thong I was about to order on my phone."

His head tipped back, and she watched his Adam's apple as he swallowed. "You're right. That's a much better way to tease me. And I would say that green is my favorite color." 

When he met her eyes again, he very slowly brought his hand down along her butt. And then they were making out, hands everywhere. Jessica's glasses were crooked on her nose as he pushed his fingers up into her hair, tipping her head back for better access to her kisses. Her tongue was tangled with his again, and her fingers were tucking underneath his shirt when he moaned into her mouth. 

Jake cupped her cheek with his palm and let the kisses taper off, but he still held her reassuringly in place against him with his other hand on her butt. "So are you going to buy it?" he asked breathlessly. 

"Hmm?" she hummed, brushing her lips on his chin.

"The lingerie. Are you going to buy it?"

She gasped. "I don't really need it. I have so much already."

Jake just groaned and shook his head with a look of agony on his face. "You need it. The green ones. You should buy them."

She was in charge. He made it a point of telling her that she was, and now she felt powerful. "Alright. I will."

-----------------------------

Jake was a little nervous that Jessica would be able to feel how hard he was in his jeans when she told him she was going to buy that bra and lace thong that he was dying to see on her. His current state of need was only exacerbated by the way she vaguely told him she already had a whole collection of lingerie at her disposal. 

Maybe it was the high heels or the fact that he could see her light pink bra strap peeking out of the top of her blouse right now. Or maybe it was her glasses and her kiss swollen lips. It didn't matter. Everything she did turned him on. And she wasn't even really doing anything intentionally. Well, except maybe for the slight dirty talk. 

He wanted to make a comment about how pretty that shade of green would look on her or about how he'd love to take it back off of her, but he didn't. Instead he kissed her softly and said, "I stopped by to bring you dinner, so getting to see what you were shopping for was just a bonus, Baby."

She laughed and ducked her head before asking, "What's for dinner, anyway?"

"Chicken parmesan casserole and garlic toast. Oh, and a brownie for dessert."

Suddenly she was reaching for the container and peeking inside the lid. "This looks homemade. You made this?"

"Mmhmm." He rubbed circles into her hips through her skirt with his thumbs. "Trying to get you excited for Saturday."

She laughed and looked up at him. "I was already excited for Saturday."

He kissed her cheek and whispered, "Game starts at one o'clock. And I'm completely out of journals again."

And then Jake found himself standing behind Jessica at her bookshelf while she looked for the titles she wanted. He had one hand on her hip, and the other was held out so she could stack the journals she wanted for the weekend on his palm. "Oh, you'll like this one," she mused, adding one more to the pile. "I've read it a million times."

"Maybe I can read it to you," he murmured, and then her lips were on his again. 

In an ideal world, this would be something already established. He could just take Jessica home with him for the night. Probably have sex and then cuddle. And then they could both leave for work from his place in the morning after a nice shower together. And that sounded so good to him, he was actually willing to put in the work to try to get there. 

But tonight, he helped her carry her bag and her dinner and her flowers to her car. "You take the journals home with you," she whispered, kissing him just below his ear before she climbed into the driver's seat. 

"Enjoy your dinner," he drawled.

"I will," she said with a smile before Jake closed the door for her. And then he walked the two blocks to where he had parked his brand new truck less than an hour previously. 

The engine started up like a dream, and he drove home to clean up his place for Saturday. Not that it was ever too much of a mess; he lived there alone. Regardless, he wanted everything to look perfect. He wanted his couch to look extra inviting. He wanted to impress her. 

Jake didn't even go to the bar on Friday night. Two weeks in a row now he didn't bring a girl home with him and kick her out early Saturday morning. He could have gone to the Hard Deck, and it would have been fine. He could have played pool and annoyed Bradshaw by buying drinks for his wife. It would have been fun, and he could have come home empty handed, no problem. 

But he went to bed early after he jerked off in the shower to the daydream of Jessica in light green lingerie, and he couldn't remember the last time he slept so well. Then he spent Saturday morning getting food prepared for later. 

Jessica told him she wasn't picky and would eat just about anything, so he was getting the ingredients ready to make chili with the pregame show playing on his massive TV. Then there was a knock on his door. Jessica was standing there holding a six pack of Sam Adams bottles and wearing a fitted Texas A&M shirt and tight black leggings. He couldn't really tell if she was wearing any makeup, and she had traded in her high heels for some beat up sneakers. And Jake felt a little weak. 

"Hi." Her voice was soft as he opened the door wider.

"I told you not to bring anything," he said, eyes fixed on her body as she walked past him into his living room and looked around.

She turned back to smile at him over her shoulder. She looked maybe a little younger and so much more petite like this. Jake had to fight the urge to pick her up and carry her around. "Nice place. You going to give me a tour?"

"I dunno," he mumbled, closing the distance to her. "You're wearing an A&M shirt. The Longhorns' biggest rival."

She pressed her lips together, trying not to smile. "I thought you could make an exception for me?"

He took the six pack from her and brought his other hand up to cup her cheek. He kissed her slow and steady until he felt her fingers meet the waistband of his jeans. "Just for you," he promised. "Nobody else."

When he led her into the kitchen to put the beer away, Jake had to laugh. Her maroon and gray shirt perfectly matched his new truck. "What's funny?" she asked as he closed the fridge. 

"I just realized my new truck is maroon with gray trim. Just like fucking A&M. I've gotta be the worst Longhorns fan around."

"You got a new truck?" she asked, eyes wide. 

"Yeah. Thursday right after work, before I brought you dinner. Can't be late to meet you again."

"Seriously, you bought a new truck?" she asked, lips parted as she gaped up at him. 

"Yeah, it was time. Still hoping the old one can get fixed up. I tend to like to hold onto things once I get attached to them."

"That sounds nice," she said, lacing her fingers with his while he took her on a tour of his condo. He showed her his bedroom and the balcony after she inspected all of the food he had out on the counter for later. And she just kept getting closer to him until they were right next to the couch.

The game was about to start, so Jake just went ahead and told her what he wanted her to know. "I think I'm getting attached to you, Reedy."

She closed her eyes and let her cheek come to rest on his chest. "Are you going to try to hold onto me?"

Jake wrapped his arms around her and said, "Yes."

----------------------------

I can't get enough of Jake (who even am I?). And I love Beer Boy being so snarky to Jake and so loving to Sugar. Reedy + Sugar = bffs? Thanks to @mak-32 and @beyondthesefourwalls

PART 7

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[murkoffoshaviolations]

About my Reagent OC, Hunter!

Reagent Hunter is an Outlast Trials AU of my existing sona character, Hunter Hirnfresser.

Hunter is the angel of death who appears to the living as a 26-year-old male named Hunter Hirnfresser.

In this AU, Hunter is attracted to the trials because of all the death surrounding them. His plan is to investigate why so many people are dying in this area, and also to collect the souls of those who have lost their lives in the trials.

Hunter finds more than he bargained for as his human disguise leads him to being put in the trials as a reagent. He experiences how torturous and deadly the trials are first hand, and makes it his personal mission to stay in them to collect the souls of those who are killed in them.

In trials where it’s a task to kill other people (the snitch, the judge and witnesses, etc), it’s a breaking point for him. He hates the idea of killing someone just to have to move on their soul, so he talks to the victims like they are his friends, or even like they’re children. Which gives off this impression that the trials are absolutely destroying his sanity. In a way, they are, but he believes if he is nice to the people he's tasked to kill they will be less scared of him when he comes back to move them onto the afterlife.

Hunter has been killed and released multiple times, but because he’s death, he does not permanently die and also always returns to the trials willingly. When this happens, he wipes himself from the memories of everyone involved. Easterman, prime assets, ex pops, other reagents, everyone. It works on all except one person…

No one is aware he is the angel of death.

Relationships with People Involved with the Trials:

Dr. Easterman - Hunter has a wicked hatred for Dr. Easterman and openly mocks him throughout the trials and while in the Sleep Room. Easterman always has a sense that he’s met Hunter before whenever he returns but ultimately doesn’t remember him.

Leland Coyle - Hunter wipes the memories of everyone involved in the trials, but the one person it doesn't work with is Coyle. Coyle remembers Hunter every time he returns from outside the trials or dies. He has seen Hunter return to life without the use of rigs, items from Dorris, syringes, or medical intervention. He's watched the wounds on Hunter's body heal completely without medicine. Coyle knows Hunter is not... normal, for lack of a better word. He's always trying to corner Hunter or get him alone so he can interrogate and torture him. Hunter is very aware Coyle suspects something is up with him and actively taunts him during trials, always being uncomfortably close to being caught by him. Hunter often says someday he knows Coyle will get him and he'll end up being the next snitch in the Kill the Snitch trial. Hunter also has no idea why Coyle is the only one that ever remembers him and the interest in each other is mutual. Also, Hunter has an attraction to Coyle that disturbs the other reagents in his group. He always plays it off like he's just joking around... he's not.

Mother Gooseberry - Hunter has an affection toward Gooseberry and calls her "mom" when referring to her. Out of every prime asset and ex-pop, Gooseberry is the only one Hunter feels any kind of sympathy for. Hunter wants to get close to her and just be a friend to her, someone she can talk to. He finds her history both intriguing and disturbing, often wondering how she ended up being what she is now.

Franco Barbi - Hunter is horribly disturbed by Franco. He finds everything about him gut-wrenchingly unsettling. Franco is the only prime asset Hunter takes extra steps to avoid at all costs. Unlike he would with Coyle, Hunter does not taunt Franco in trials. In fact, he’s almost entirely silent during his trials aside from a few terrified screams if Franco finds or grabs him. Unlike his wishes for Gooseberry, Hunter does not wish to talk with Franco. He finds his taunts, his killings, his ways horrifying. He refers to Franco as "Bambi" a nickname a fellow reagent started calling him and he picked up on.

The Pusher - Hunter hates him. Simple as that. He thinks he's a huge inconvenience. Hunter will actively seek to attack him with bottles and bricks, even if he's not being pursued by the pusher. Often calls him "the doctor" by mistake.

The Night Hunter - Hunter is kind of creeped out by him, but indifferent to him being in trials. He doesn't have much interest in him but finds his taunts and the things he says amusing.

Other Ex-Pops - As for the rest of the ex-pops, he only feels bad that they are here in the trials and have been experimented on. He often calls the small grunts by name (if he finds out what it is) but calls the big grunts "big man/lady", berserkers "blind man/guy", pouncers just "lady", and screamers... screamers. Out of all of them, the big grunts are the ones that terrify him the most and he will scream and run when spotted by them, even if running isn't the best idea.

Cornelious Noakes - Hunter likes watching Noakes tinker with things. He understands he doesn't want to talk and make friends, so he doesn't push him to do so. Hunter often sits by his desk just to watch him work on rigs and trial items. Noakes doesn't seem to mind the company.

Emily Barlow - Hunter doesn't really like her and doesn't trust her. She is hard for him to judge, not knowing if what she says is a facade or a trick. Hunter avoids her, never even looking in her direction. Emily hasn't noticed that he avoids her.

Dorris - Hunter was very put off by Dorris when he first met her. however, as time went on, he grew to like her. Hunter can sympathize with her being treated poorly for having an attraction toward other woman because he himself is bisexual with a preference leaning toward men. Hunter is much more open and riskier when it comes to his sexuality, which tends to cause problems for him. Dorris takes a liking to him every time she meets him after her memory of him is wiped. She smuggles in black nail polish for him so he can keep his nails painted!

Other Staff - Hunter is a huge flirt and is always flirting with the guards, even if it's mostly to get a reaction out of them. He's seen as somewhat of a pest to them. He has gotten a couple of them to fall for him and go beyond flirting, but their secret is safe with him. As for the scientists, with how closely they already watch him, he doesn't want to interact with them out of fear of them finding out he's not what he appears to be.

I'll make changes to this as I need to but for now, there he is!

I feel like I'm very bad at drawing humans (almost all art I do is furry/anthro so I almost never draw them). But I'd love to do more drawings of him and maybe get some commissions from other Outlast enjoyers so... we'll see!

[gibbs88]

exposure therapy - (coyle/fem!oc)

short fic i wrote for my other OC who i never talk about because she has a ton of pre-trials lore i still haven’t physically written lol. no smut but it’s a bit suggestive. probably gonna vomit all these finished Coyle WIPs into a collection on ao3 soon.

Even in this Hell of stainless steel and fluorescent lights she can’t forget him. They shove experimental pharmaceuticals down her throat and lock her in a chamber full of nothing but one long sustained beeping noise and nothing changes.

Injections. Sensory deprivation. Electroshock therapy. 

Some days she wakes up forgetting her own face, her own name. Never him. He’s bigger than her own ego. 

Dr. Easterman visits her personally one day (over the television in her room, of course) and tells her that she’s ready for her first Trial. Exposure therapy, he says. It’s a special experience just for her, because he’s so invested in helping her get better.

She can barely sleep these days but that’s okay. They give her a drug for that, too.

She dreams so vividly that night that she can’t even remember closing her eyes.

“Mia.”

She jolts awake and she’s back home, back in her bed, muslin cloth sheets drawn up to her chin. It’s a humid summer night and she knows it’s raining before she even looks outside the window, because she remembers this exact night. The night when everything changed. 

Knock. Knock. Knock.

She doesn’t want to get out of bed because she knows what will happen, but she seemingly doesn’t have a choice. Her feet touch the hardwood floor and it’s so humid that they’re slightly sticky. Was this a dream at all? Maybe she had died and that sterile Hell was actually Purgatory. 

The cute little Oklahoma farmhouse she loved so much is empty as if she had never lived there at all. Maybe she’s already forgotten what the furniture looks like.

Thunder rumbles in the distance and she feels it vibrate in her bones like the throaty growl of some kind of animal. Maybe it's a warning. 

Don’t open the front door.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Lightning illuminates his silhouette through the screen door and still she opens it, the scene playing out like a film reel. She’s dreaming and perfectly lucid at the same time.

“Mia.”

Her name, not a series of numbers. He’s soaked to the bone and seems possessed as he backs her into a wall, his hands greedy and rough as he hikes the hem of her nightgown up over her thighs. 

Their relationship had always been torrid—passionate—but on this night he seemed to want to forget something. Maybe himself.

Leland Coyle is a hulking shadow that leaves dark handprints on wherever he touches. He kisses her and it tastes like whiskey and blood and smoke. It chokes her and she wants to breathe nothing but him at the same time. 

She doesn’t understand. 

You liked feeling wanted, even if you were just a possession, not a person. 

Just like those war trophies of his. Dog tags, a Japanese katana…

Those gold-capped human teeth.

But maybe you’re special. You can walk and talk and fuck.

Did you think you wouldn’t end up like the others? That if you ignored it, it would all go away?

That you could just go away…?

—Nine-Tenths of the FUCKIN’ LAW—

Mia jerks awake to a high-pitched sound and hears someone cursing before she’s blinded by pain at her temples. Her instincts force her to vomit up a shriek and two people in white outfits have to hold her down while another injects her with something that makes her bones turn into jelly.

The next time she wakes up she’s being strapped to a chair and her head still really hurts. 

There’s a weight that wasn’t there before and she nearly screams again as she feels something metallic seemingly attached to her skull now. It reminds her of the visor that her father would wear at his welding job but also more complicated. 

She tries to think about her father to distract herself 

but it only makes her want to cry instead, so she stops. Her eyes are sore too. 

After a few minutes she realizes that she’s moving, or at least whatever she’s in is slowing down, and the restraints attached to her chair retract. She blinks a few times and just stares at the green light above the doors. Is it a trick?

Why does it say “Police Station”?

[florbelles]

— OCS & OTHER CHARACTERS.

tagged by @corvosattano​, @nightbloodraelle​, @leviiackrman​, @adelaidedrubman​, @denerims​, @fourlittleseedlings​, @minaharkers​, @strafethesesinners​, @playstationmademe​, @ishwaris​, @shegetsburned​, @aartyom​ & @gwynbleidd​, ty beloveds!!

sending tags on to @unholymilf (>:((), @henbased (>:(((), @belorage, @jendoe, @phillipsgraves, @chuckhansen, @queennymeria, @poetikat, @derelictheretic, @purplehairsecretlair, @strangefable, @arklay, @morvaris, @noonfaerie, @jackiesarch, @risingsh0t, @roberthouses​​, @confidentandgood, @indorilnerevarine, @shellibisshe,  @blissfulalchemist​, @nuclearstorms, @reaperkiller, @steelport, @nokstella, @shallow-gravy, @cybilbennettgf​ (i am sorry i forgot you moved & was like wait where’d she go) & anyone else can @ me xx (for real the brainfog is strong today so if i missed you please take this as a tag anyway)

rules (via @corvosattano​). take this quiz and share 5 (or more! or less! the world is your oyster!) results from the top 50 that you feel really fit your oc(s). if you don’t recognize very many from the top 50, feel free to expand into the top 100.

(actual influences & inspirations that made the list are italicized).

holly golightly (breakfast at tiffany’s)

villanelle (killing eve)

anna karenina (anna karenina)

love quinn (you)

ciri (the witcher)

honorable mentions. audrey horne (twin peaks), mia wallace (pulp fiction), lucifer morningstar (lucifer), cheryl blossom (riverdale), oberyn martell (game of thrones) (awks because of the eye cutting stuff.)

lady macbeth (macbeth)

cersei lannister (game of thrones)

joan holloway (mad men)

serena joy waterford (the handmaid’s tale)

beth harmon (the queen’s gambit)

honorable mentions but they’re increasingly unhinged. nina sayers (black swan), alice cooper (riverdale), leland palmer (twin peaks), the wicked witch of the west (the wizard of oz), the queen (snow white and the seven dwarfs), joe goldberg (you) (?????)

sterling archer (archer) (this was 95%. by the way.)

don draper (mad men)

logan delos (westworld)

jay gatsby (the great gatsby)

roman roy (succession)

honorable mentions but they’re increasingly unhinged. john willoughby (sense and sensibility) (this one probably belongs in the top five but logan & roman were funnier), jaime lannister (game of thrones), neal caffrey (white collar), james bond (tomorrow never dies), count alexei vronsky (anna karenina) (uncomfortable), regina george (mean girls), haley dunphy (modern family), lindsay bluth (arrested development)

davos seaworth & jorah mormont (game of thrones)

friar laurence (romeo and juliet)

charlie strong (peaky blinders)

samwell gamgee (lord of the rings)

honorable mentions. pete martell (twin peaks), little jon (robin hood), ben scott (yellowjackets), jon snow/samwell tarley/brandon stark all tied for some reason (game of thrones), jane eyre (jane eyre)

maeve millay (westworld)

daenerys targaryen (game of thrones)

vi (arcane)

yennefer of vengerberg (the witcher)

mazikeen (lucifer)

honorable mentions. freddie lounds (hannibal), tyler durdan (fight club), fleabag (fleabag), fiona gallagher (shameless), hiram lodge (riverdale) (mija she owns that dam), freddy krueger (a nightmare on elm street), the alien (alien)

dr. bedelia du maurier (hannibal)

shiv roy (succession)

sansa stark (game of thrones)

mel madara (arcane)

rose dewitt bukater (titanic)

honorable mentions. betty draper (mad men), dana scully (the x files), claire standish (the breakfast club), skyler white (breaking bad), lana kane (archer), jackie taylor (yellowjackets), margaery tyrell (game of thrones), betty cooper (riverdale), princess leia (star wars), lucille bluth (arrested development)

[alj4890]

The Green-Eyed Monster

(Ethan Ramsey x OC* Sophie Triano) in a Choices Open Heart drabble

Thirty Kisses in Thirty Days Challenge: with the prompt: a kiss shared to make someone else jealous.

Rating: PG for some language and heated fluff

A/N thanks @hopelessromantic1352 for choosing the couple for this kiss prompt 😂 It let me delve more into exploring how these two would react when jealous.

@hopelessromantic1352 @twinkleallnight @tessa-liam @choicesficwriterscreations @choices-readerandlover @annfg8 @jerzwriter @trappedinfanfiction

Masterlist

The windows of Leland Bloom's mansion sparkled in the darkness. Lights all along the bottom floor glowed, beckoning one to join in on the festivities currently underway. Couples mingled outside as they slowly made their way into the stately home.

Sophie was more than looking forward to attending the event. It was the first time she was going as Ethan's date. She'd met some of the doctors he worked with at Donahue's, but tonight marked the point where she was being officially shown off as his significant other.

Ethan wasn't particularly looking forward to going, even with the pleasure of Sophie's company. He barely tolerated Leland Bloom and to be stuck for evening in the man's home was too much to contemplate.

Sophie squeezed his arm as they ascended the front steps.

He glanced down at her in question.

"I'm excited." She whispered.

"Over what?"

"Everything!" She smiled up at him. "Being with you, this party, seeing how billionaires spend their money."

Ethan snorted. "I don't know about the last two, but it is nice to spend an evening with you."

She beamed at him. "We've been working so many late nights lately." She rose up on her toes to kiss his cheek. "I've missed you."

Ethan slipped his arm around her, drawing her close. "I'm willing to take you back to my place and make up for all the absences."

Sophie's smile turned sultry. "I'm going to hold you to that."

Her eyes traveled down his body. "But first, I'm ready to see what an Edenbrook party is like."

Ethan rolled his eyes as he followed her inside. "Trust me. It isn't anything special."

"I'll be the judge of that." She teased.

Her eyes darted here and there, taking in everything.

"Should we go to the bar or the buffet first?" He asked.

Sophie snorted softly at the sound of resignation in his voice.

"The bar. Something tells me you're going to need something to help you get through the next few hours."

Ethan's lips curved.

"You know me so well."

Sophie tugged him into a quick kiss.

Ethan's hands lingered on her waist.

"Any chance you're willing to leave now and continue to do that?" He asked.

"At least give me a minute to check out his desserts. I'm curious to see who he got to cater this event." She looped her arms loosely around his neck. "Plus you deserve a drink or two."

"Three." Ethan groaned when he caught sight of their host.

"Ah, Dr. Ramsey." Leland greeted, while looking solely upon Sophie. "Glad you could make it."

"Leland." Ethan managed to keep his tone even.

"And who is this?"

"This is Sophie Triano." Ethan kept his arm around her waist, letting the man see she wasn't just some mere date.

She smiled warmly at the elderly man and held her hand out while complimenting his home.

Leland's own smile twinkled as he shook it. "I shouldn't be as delighted to meet you as I am after your refusal."

Sophie's eyebrow raised in question.

"My Caroline was hoping for your desserts to grace our tables, but your manager denied us such a pleasure, no matter how much money I offered."

"It's spring." Sophie explained. "The wedding season is starting earlier than usual. I couldn't drop those orders to cater your party at the last minute."

"If you'd been told the price I offered, you would have." Leland needled. "Think of the business you would have gained doing so."

Sophie shook her head with a smile. She was determined not to be intimidated.

"Mr. Bloom, as a business man, you know that the one way to lose money is by alienating your clients by breaking your word. I'm not about to anger the clientele I am cultivating for a quick cash grab nor ruin the reputation Veronica and I have in the pastry business. People know that when they order anything from us that they will not only get it on time but will also be given the best of what we can do."

Ethan couldn't have been more pleased with Sophie's ability to fluster the old man.

"You would have gained even more business tonight." Leland argued, waving about the room. "My guests are the type who wish to wow people at parties and your desserts would have been part of that."

Sophie shrugged. "Then that's a loss I'll have to deal with. For now though, I'm going to enjoy being one of the guests you intend to wow."

Leland reluctantly smiled at her. "Then I insist on you giving your opinion later about the pastry chef I had to settle on after your refusal."

He glanced at Ethan. "Enjoy yourselves. I see some other guests I must greet."

Sophie sagged against Ethan once Leland left them alone.

"I've never wished for Terry's intimidating presence more so than just then." She said of her bakery manager. "This is why I stay in the back room working on cakes."

Ethan tilted her chin up. The back of his fingers caressed her cheek. He was about to say how impressed he was with her standing up to Leland, only to be interrupted by someone else.

"Ethan!" Harper exclaimed. "I thought you weren't coming tonight."

Her eyes narrowed slightly on the couple before her.

"Sophie insisted." Ethan chuckled when she nudged him with her elbow.

"Really?" Harper's eyebrows raised. "I'm impressed. I don't know too many people who can change his mind."

"It wasn't easy." Sophie teased, smiling up at him.

"True, but you knew how to end my argument by walking out in that dress." He squeezed her waist.

Harper managed to keep smiling. "That was the only way I ever got him to go along with my plans."

Sophie stiffened somewhat. She was unaware of Ethan's past with this particular doctor.

"Remember our first year at the medical conference in Miami?" Harper's smile turned flirty. "You refused to go out until I wore that little red dress."

Ethan shook his head with a smile. "That wasn't why I went. It was either you or staying and listening to Fawkes go on and on about that new bladder procedure he'd heard about."

Harper winked at him. "I think we both know my red dress made that night better."

Sophie was livid as the two reminisced some more. No one would have known though by the pleasant expression on her face.

"I'm so glad you're here. There is someone I want you to meet that I think could use our help. I can't find Chris and Tobias, but I believe this woman's son needs to be seen by our team." Harper refocused on Sophie. "You don't mind my stealing Ethan away for a little while, do you?"

Sophie shook her head. She didn't trust her voice to give an answer.

Ethan promised to find her soon as Harper slipped her arm in the bend of his.

Determined not to stand there sulking, Sophie walked over to the buffet tables. Grabbing a plate, she dropped various treats upon it.

"Easy there." A familiar voice teased. "If anyone should know that presentation is part of enjoying what you eat, then it should be the top graduate of our class."

Sophie whirled around. "Blake!"

"Sophie!" He responded with a smile.

"You're the caterer for this party?"

"I am." He added a few more desserts to her plate for her to try. "If I'd have known you would be here I would have gone above and beyond with my menu."

She chuckled, relieved to see a friendly face. "Trust me, I know how excellent your skills are."

The two fell into a conversation about what they'd been doing the last few years.

"So how did you get invited to this?" Blake teased. "I thought our kind only worked these types of parties."

"I'm dating one of the doctors at Leland Bloom's hospital." Sophie pointed Ethan out.

A slight frown firmed on her lips to still see Harper's hand tucked within the bend of Ethan's arm.

"Speaking of dates," Blake nodded to the other side of the room, "Vince is here."

Sophie's head jerked around to see one of her exes.

"Of course he'd be here." She grumbled.

Her night couldn't get any worse.

"I have to get back to work." Blake patted her shoulder. "I'll see you when I'm released from the kitchens."

"Have fun." She called out when he hurried off.

********************

As Ethan listened to the various symptoms the woman noticed her teenage son having, his attention drifted over to Sophie. He'd seen her smile and talk with another chef. The two apparently knew one another well.

He'd also noticed she did not seem as happy as she'd been when they first arrived. He had a feeling he knew the reason why, but there was little he could do about it now.

He wasn't certain why Harper enjoyed bringing up their past as much as she did. He was used to Chris and Tobias's eye rolls whenever his ex brought up memories of their time together. Chris even pointed out one day when they were alone that she thought Harper might do this in an attempt to make him want to get back together with her.

He eased his arm out from Harper's hand as he realized that the lingering touch might give everyone the wrong idea.

There was only one woman he was here with and Harper wasn't her.

His attention drifted once more to check on Sophie. He felt his body stiffen at the sight of a ridiculously handsome man standing before her. The stranger took Sophie's plate out of her hand, set it down, and grasped her hand in his as he led her into another room.

Ethan had to lean somewhat away from the group he was standing with to see into the next room. A band had been set up there for couples to dance to. In the crowd, he noticed Chris and Tobias lost in each other and swaying to a slow song.

He frowned at the sight of them. If they hadn't decided to spend this party dancing, they could have been found by Harper and dealt with this while he was able to be with Sophie.

He then saw the strange man pull Sophie into his arms for a dance. Ethan could feel the sexual tension between them from here. His eyes narrowed upon the man's fingers moving along Sophie's back. The two were talking, with Sophie turning and pointing towards Ethan.

The two men locked eyes, each not bothering to hide their instant dislike of the other.

"What do you think?" Harper touched Ethan's arm again to get his attention.

"What?" Ethan snapped his eyes back towards her and the very concerned mother. "I think you should bring your son to our office first thing in the morning so we can do a full examination. We should be able to pinpoint what is causing these erratic symptoms."

He excused himself, telling Harper to make the plans. With his long legged strides, he made his way into the next room.

*****************

Sophie knew it was foolish to agree to anything Vince suggested. After all, she had been the one to end things with him. But seeing Ethan and Harper together made her want a little revenge of her own. She hadn't realized how deep her feelings towards the doctor ran until she saw him with what was clearly an ex girlfriend of his.

After Vince bragged on his robotics skills being the one to make the cute little robots at Edenbrook, he'd convinced her to dance with him.

"If the man you're with can't take the time to dance with you," he'd argued, "then he'll have to deal with the consequences of someone else taking his place."

She knew though that Ethan had not left her to simply be with other people. He was genuinely trying to help someone. She couldn't stay angry over that.

But I can over Harper, she reminded herself.

"You're really into this doctor, aren't you?" Vince pressed her closer.

"I am." Sophie replied, pulling back a respectable distance.

"Even though he has been standing over there with some other woman hanging not only on his every word, but also onto his arm?"

Sophie stiffened. "Yes."

"You're not the same woman I knew." Vince observed. "There is no way you'd have let me get away with that type of behavior."

Sophie rolled her eyes. "That's because you liked having other women hanging onto you and your every word."

"So this Evan--"

"Ethan." She corrected.

"Ethan isn't the same? There isn't a man here who doesn't like his ego stroked." Vince argued.

"Ethan doesn't need his ego stroked." She snapped. "He's a man who is confident in all he does. He doesn't need validation from anyone."

"Doesn't he?" Vince noticed the angry doctor storming into the room.

Ethan certainly looked like a man who needed his confidence in Sophie returned.

Finding the pair on the dance floor, Ethan made his way over to cut in.

He was having a difficult time squeezing through the couples.

Vince decided to try a little experiment. After all, Sophie couldn't have been dating him long if her jealous reaction was anything to go by. He wondered if Ethan felt just as strongly.

Before Sophie could react, he captured her lips in a tender kiss.

She shoved him away from her in angry shock.

"What the hell Vince?!" Her chest heaved in an attempt to calm down.

He held his hands up to both ward her off and in surrender.

"I couldn't let this moment pass us by, Soph." He admitted. "You know I want you back. I have for years now."

"I don't want you." She bit out.

Vince smiled sadly at her. "Then that's my cue to leave and plan for another chance."

"There isn't going to be another chance." She huffed, folding her arms and looking away from him.

"There's always a chance." Vince directed that towards the man standing directly behind her. "Just remember that."

He left, grinning over what he'd noticed.

Ethan Ramsey was beyond livid and also terrified.

*******************

Ethan prided himself on many things. One was that he was a man who rarely overreacted in relationships. Another was that he learned from his mistakes.

Given how much he went through with Chris Valentine, he learned to never waste a moment if he were to ever fall in love with someone else. It was why he'd been upfront and as transparent as he could be with Sophie.

Yet seeing her with this Vince had shaken him beyond what he believed he should have felt at this stage of their relationship. They'd only been together a few months and here he was, completely angry over the thought of someone stealing her away from him.

He'd already endured something similar in watching Chris fall in love with Tobias. He'd be damned if he was going to watch it happen with Sophie.

Ethan intended on cutting in on her dance with Vince. All his plans crashed around him the moment the man kissed her. He felt his world shift at the sight. He'd become immobile, unable to comprehend that this could possibly be the end of him and Sophie.

Then Sophie's almost violent reaction to Vince gave Ethan the flicker of hope he needed.

The moment Vince walked off, Sophie took a step back, intending to leave the dance floor and find a place to calm down.

She encountered a familiar hard surface.

She turned to find Ethan directly behind her.

With muscle spasming in his jaw, he grasped her hand and took her through a set of glass double doors that led outside.

The cool Boston air had a slight bite to it, helping them both deal quietly with their heated emotions.

Sophie's shivers caused Ethan to pull her within his arms.

She snuggled closer for both his warmth and to remind herself that he was hers.

"Ethan?" She said softly.

"Yes?"

"You and Harper were more than coworkers, weren't you?"

"We were." He closed his eyes, dropping his cheek against her head. "It was a long time ago."

"I see." Sophie mumbled.

"There's nothing there." He added. "No feelings at all other than respect and friendship."

"On your side, perhaps." Sophie grumbled.

Ethan tightened his arms around her. "That's all it will ever be between me and Harper."

His eyes narrowed when he caught another glimpse of Vince through the windows.

"You and Vince?"

"He's an ex of mine." Sophie explained. "We broke up years ago."

"And that kiss?" Ethan bit out.

Sophie raised her head to look up at him.

"Didn't mean anything to me." She responded.

Ethan slammed his mouth against hers. He was shocked with the need he had to prove that what she said was right. He also felt the need to make this kiss mean something to her.

Knowing he should ease up, he was unable to make his body do so. His lips and tongue were determined to draw moans from her and wouldn't stop until they did so.

Sophie wallowed in the passion of his response to seeing someone else want her. She threaded her fingers in his hair and gave back as good as she got. It both eased her heart and thrilled her that he reacted the same way she did when thinking about him with Harper.

"Ethan." She moaned as his mouth moved along her bare shoulder. "Let's get out of here."

His lips captured hers once more in a long, deep kiss.

"Please." She whispered, eyes meeting his in the soft light of a nearby sconce. "Take me home and make love to me."

He moaned her name with one more kiss. Ethan then kept his arm around her as they quickly made their exit.

[talesfrommedinastation]

OC Sunday - Minor Character Edition

(Left is Timon Chapelle, right is Tech, in a scene from Far Past the Ring)

Thanks to @commander-sunshine, I am reminded again about OC Sunday, even though I'm busy as all heck!

I've written a ton about Dr. Sjael Drummer and her sister, Dr. Tanke Drummer, but here's another family member that shows up in Far Past the Ring: Timon Chapelle, Tanke's husband and Fire Marshall of Medina Station.

To quote Tech, he is 'the most Belter of Belters', and is known for his jovial humor that works along his no-nonsense attitude.

Some quick facts about this tall (2.14 meters!) dock worker-turned-Free Navy mechanic-turned-firefighter:

Timon was born on Eros, in poverty. He is the son of a dock worker and a prostitute.

His mother left him and his father, Leland Chapelle, when Timon was a toddler. He does not remember her name.

Leland was a loving father, but struggled with addiction and the effects of working close to radiation in the poorer sections of Eros. He died of stomach cancer when Timon was 11 years old. Timon immediately started working the docks hours after his father was cremated.

Despite not finishing grade school, Timon is exceptionally bright, with a photographic memory. He can understand almost all machines he comes across, and is very talented with chemistry as well--which immediately endeared him to his sister-in-law, Sjael Drummer.

He DESPISES MMC and MCRN veterans, as during his time with the Free Navy, the Martian military gave them the most trouble. Timon views Martians as ignorant and jingoistic as a whole. He does not have a good relationship with Bobbie Draper as a result.

Aggressively irreverent, showing a lack of humility earns an immediate dislike from Timon. He has become incredibly critical of Camina Drummer after her election as president, but is delighted with the humble manner of clones such as Tech and Echo (who I promise, shows up soon!).

A typical Belter in size and build, Timon is roughly 7 feet tall, 190 lbs. His long body can not handle normal gravity.

His Earth heritage is Metis, French, and Irish.

Timon is gregarious and inclusive, but his worst trait is that he is an indulgent parent to his three children - Tro, Blid, and Haber. Clone Force 99's appearance in his life is a welcome respite to this.

Feel free to drop any questions about Timon, or the Drummer sisters, to me!

The chapter in which Timon and Tech have a heart-to-heart conversation over whiskey and a cigarette (pictured above) was one of my favorites to write.

[muffy-official]

Had ideas for things you may find in Tillys trials

Besides the mentioned butterfly hall with men pinned onto walls, you'd also find female bodies who were tightly wrapped in silk or even just silk ribbon. Makeup smeared, faces scratched, sliced or generally disfigured, legs and arms shaven if they do peek out. Another thing are statues that seem normal, but the closer you get the more you realise something is wrong. You hear muffled screams, sobs, pained moaning and the such as this isn't just a simple statue, it's a person trapped in plaster/cement, forever resteained and slowly wasting away. Most are dead of course, but some make enough noise to send chills down reagents, but also expops spines.

I also thought she'd be humming, sometimes dragging the blade across the marbled/tiled floors. The clicking of her heels and such echoing in certain bigger areas to the point you're not entirely sure where she is right now.

It's also possible she's keeping Babri in check solely by charme, pain he'd probably enjoy and threats to end up in that corridor himself if he happens to get too handsy and all. Once placing the tip of her weapons blade gently against his stomach, sliding it up to his chest without causing damage to make it clear this isn't a game, she isn't playing his little game and that she will pin him onto a wall like a butterfly while still alive if he oversteps the line. If he thinks she can't do that, assuming she won't be able to lift him, he'd be shocked seeing what anger and spite does with this woman

Even though Coyle is still the misogynistic bigot he is, he himself is also partially prone to fall for Tillys tactics at times just for that ego boost making him feel great(which she is not proud of at all to be honest, often it's to keep herself a little safer even if people end up seeing her as a slut/whore for it), something about these environments feel off in a way.

Gooseberry may be quite mesmerised seeing the bridal shop+studio, but might feel not so comfortable in that big church despite it having those pretty stained glass windows and elegant ceremony decor, futterman also being quite cautious seeing those bodies(not sure really). Him not liking this overall vibe these places have

[goldenponcho]

Dr. Roxanna Gorman

This turned out more detailed than I thought it would. Here’s a preview of my Outlast Trials Prime OC coming in the next chapter of Milkbones, taking place in 1999 when Murkoff reopens Sinyala, waking the assets from cryogenic stasis where they’ve been stored for further use, and making Roxanna their new addition.

Rox is a 33 year old animal lab tech, who after taking a new job released all of the predators in their collection upon the other scientists after learning of the cruel experiments they were performing. She went on to instead experiment on humans, targeting those who expressed noticeable apathy toward nature and the environment in general. She will often eat the remains when her experiments are complete or cannot resume further. She is also a HUGE music lover of all kinds, but especially metal and punk.

Murkoff was already keeping an eye on her by her late teens, but after the lab incident, they made attempts to admit her to a new facility. Her mother did a lot to keep her daughter safe even after her tendencies came to light, but after her death, Roxanna was hunted down and captured. Five years into her stay, she was subject to the current model of the morphogenic engine, when she experienced a long phantom pregnancy as women always end up doing. Soon after, she ended up carving her teeth and nails (which had grown think and hard after the engine) into points, making sure she had the best defense possible in this place. She was then used as a Guinea pig to test out a couple of sensory enhancing devices, which greatly enhanced her hearing and sense of smell.

Her code name given by Murkoff is “Beethoven” both after the composer and after the Saint Bernard from the movies.

She has a complicated outlook on the other Assets. For example, she absolutely DESPISES Leland Coyle, pissing him off any time she can, but she also really enjoys spending time around him because she can’t help finding him genuinely funny and a good time. She’s a big fan of Mother Gooseberry, and she’s honestly fascinated by Franco, both disturbed but also…CURIOUS about his proclivities.

[paganminiskirt]

“Ladies, I’m begging you, rethink your life choices,” the game - OC CHARACTER ASSIGNMENTS!

Thank you to @adelaidedrubman for tagging me to take this test for some OCs and share five Choices™ from the top 20! This was one of the most interesting things I’ve done writing-wise in a while.

Tagging: @henbased (do Brit you coward) @strafethesesinners @deputy-morgan-malone @derelictheretic @shallow-gravy @florbelles @poetikat

Nora Kingston (Far Cry 5)

1. Inspector Kido, The Man in the High Castle

2. Ash, Alien

3. Mr. Saito, Inception

4. Ava, Ex Machina

5. Theresa Cullen, Westworld

Faith Escajeda (Far Cry 5)

1. Snow White, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

2. Ted Lasso, Ted Lasso

3. Charles Bingley, Pride and Prejudice

4. Phil Dunphy, Modern Family

5. Maid Marian, Robin Hood

Margaret Vaughn (Far Cry 5)

1. Will Hunting, Good Will Hunting

2. Cypher, The Matrix

3. Nick Dunne, Gone Girl

4. Rachel Garrison, Ozark

5. Ryan Howard, The Office

Kiswar Abdel Murad (Metal Gear Rising)

1. Russel “Stringer” Bell, The Wire

2. Dr. Wendy Carr, Mindhunter

3. Blondie, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

4. Melinda Warner, Law & Order: SVU

5. Cedric Daniels, The Wire

Yuko Nishikiyama (Yakuza)

1. Norman Bates, Psycho

2. Will Graham, Hannibal

3. Beast, Beauty and the Beast

4. Rust Cohle, True Detective

5. Leland Palmer, Twin Peaks

[a-crepusculo]

Mistakes (Tobias x OC)

Book: Open Heart Pairing: Dr. Tobias Carrick x Dr. Nyla Hassan (F!OC) Premise: He wanted to start over, but she wanted no such thing. Rating / Category: Teen / Angst; Slow Burn Warning(s): Strong language Word Count: 1,168 words

A/N: Life has once again punched me in the face, but I’m so happy to be back here, writing for my babies. Will catch up with everything super duper soon. In the meantime, please enjoy this!

It was a terrifically normal day at the hospital for Tobias Carrick.

He checked in on all of his patients, signed their charts, ran some tests, continued research on their latest case, and went out to Derry’s Roasters with Ethan during lunch break because that was the only place that he could drag his best friend without him complaining.

A perfectly, utterly normal working day.

Except for the small, minor, teeny-tiny fact that he has not been able to stop thinking about Nyla since their first meeting. 

Perhaps it was the way she caught his attention, reeling him into the depths of her warm caramel irises. Perhaps it was the way that they touched; her soft hand meeting his own, firm yet delicate at the same time. Perhaps it was the way she spoke to him, her feathery light voice effortlessly putting a hazy spell on him.

Or perhaps it was the way that she crushed his ego and undermined his ability as a doctor and a leader to his old team in just a few sentences.

Christ, this was pathetic.

Even for him.

Releasing a weighted sigh, Tobias shut down his laptop and closed his navy blue notebook. Her exact words, undoubtedly stitched with anger and disappointment, echoed inside his tangled thoughts. Shoulders slouching forward, he took a moment to close his eyes—savoring every last drop of tranquility within these four walls that he could get.

Still, he could not get her voice out of his head.

Her gentle voice, her airy voice. Brittle, as cold as the first ice of winter. Ringing in the distance, haunting him—or, more accurately, taunting him. There was a hint of calmness in her tone, a collective tune of harmonious silver bells that lullabied him to a state of serenity. The sound eerily came closer, and closer.

And closer.

Closer.

Shit.

She’s here, isn’t she?

His eyelids slowly opened themselves, partially afraid of the ghost that had been lingering in his mind might make her appearance. There was no use in it, though, because she was already there, only meters away. Outside of the Diagnostics Team’s office, breathtaking in every possible way. 

The sparkle in her hazel eyes brought light and ease into his heart. Her rosy cheeks glowed, enthusiastically responding to her conversation with Edenbrook’s own sunshine, Marchia. Each step led them closer to the glass entrance—and before he could anticipate it—they entered the room.

Tobias shifted his sight to the papers in front of him, hoping that Nyla did not saw him gaping like a goldfish. 

“Okay, I have a short meeting in five minutes. You stay here, and we’ll continue after this,” the blonde announced, giving her friend a quick embrace.

Marchia’s heels clacked across the floor, and within seconds, there was only two of them. Left behind in a quiet, atrociously deafening silence. A silence that grew bigger, thicker, as moments passed by.

Maybe this was his chance to redeem himself in front of her. 

“So, welcome to our humble abode.”

There was a slight pause before she could reply. Nyla stood in front of their sofa, arms clutching tightly above her chest, looking in his direction. The subtle white jumpsuit that embraced every dip and curve on her figure made it almost impossible to focus on anything else than her absolute beauty, magnificent in all of its glory.

“Not so humble, I would say, considering that it’s owned by Leland and he always try to show it off in every occasion he could get.”

“Hrm,” he lightly scoffed, agreeing with her keen observation. “I guess that’s true.”

An awkward silence had once again taken their conversation hostage.

Tobias rose to his feet, leaving the comfortable chair, and slowly walked closer—much to her surprise. He fought long and hard to formulate the exact right words, the perfect expression to express his feelings, in order to reset all of this mess.

He knew he had to take a leap.

“Look, Nyla, I think we got off on the wrong foot,” he murmured, locking eyes with her. “Sure, I wasn’t the best and I made some mistakes—”

“Whoa, whoa. Hold on. You weren’t being,” Nyla paused for a beat, then raised both of her hands, motioning air quotes as she continued with, “‘The best’?”

His dark brown brows pulled together at the questionable gesture.

For a room that was only filled with two people, the air felt entirely thick and suffocating. He found himself drowning, struggling to get a sentence out of his mouth.

“You abandoned your team, Carrick. You left them when they need you the most. Edenbrook wasn’t the only hospital that had been shook to the core with the whole shift and merger. MK got their hit too, or did you forgot about that?”

“I didn’t forget about that. But—”

“Not to mention your whole childish competition with Doctor Ramsey. And for what? It almost cost us a great doctor. A wonderful friend of mine.” 

Tension soared as she mentioned the tragic incident that latched within these great halls. What happened was horrible, devastating—not a day goes by without Tobias feeling guilty and wishing he had done things differently back then.

“I’m sorry, I really am, but it wasn’t entirely my fault,” he sighed.

“Oh, please,” she rolled her eyes, lips curled up in disdain. “Just like how we failed to be in the top ten rankings wasn’t your fault too.”

Anger boiled inside his veins as he digested the true meaning of her words. He was no Ethan Ramsey, nor was he the Leonardo da Vinci of medicine—he was certain about that. But he had more than ten years of experience under his belt, dozens of unique and unthinkable cases, and even synthesized a goddamn cure for a lethal bio-toxin.

Surely he deserved some respect.

“You come in here like you’re some saint, Doctor Hassan. Apparently being a mediocre attending at Mayo Clinic does that to you, huh?” he snickered, harshness palpable in his voice. 

Nyla snorted. “Watch where you’re going with this, Carrick.”

“Judge all you want, but you know nothing about me. You know nothing about the vicious medical industry. Nothing. You’re just some new kid on the block. Get some real experiences out there, and then we’ll talk, kiddo.”

Her orbs burned with fire he had never seen before in his life. She inched closer, tilting her head upwards, their breaths interwove in the small space between them. Emotions rumbled inside their chests, waiting to explode at any moment.

Biting her tongue, she replied, “Underestimate me again and we’ll see how well that goes for you.”

“Can’t wait,” Tobias whispered, hot air brushing the shell of her ear.

Fuming with vexation, the young doctor turned her body and headed straight for the door. A melody of heavy thump that accompanied every step she took became music to his ears—a clear sign that he had won this battle. Wearing a complacent expression, he relished in the victorious feeling.

If she wanted war, then she had come to the right place.

Because Tobias was certainly not giving up without a fight.

I’ll be tagging in a separate post!