#severe burns

[thoughtsonhurtandcomfort]

Decision

Followup to Slow Burn and Refuge

Author's Notes: just really happy I managed to write something :')

Content Warnings: vampire whump, burning alive, impaled, left to die

----

There is no unseeing those eyes or unhearing those words. No going back to blissful ignorance. No just walking away.

Matteo is left with two choices.

Kill the vampire, or help him.

It would be merciful to kill him. It would be kind.

The problem is, Matteo has never killed anyone before. Not even as a wolf. He stays in distant, rural areas to avoid just that. And now he's being asked to, in his fully aware, human state, end another life.

Is a vampire really alive?

He doesn't know, and he isn't sure it matters. The creature is clearly suffering, that's alive enough.

It could be a trap. But something tells him that isn't the case.

So help it is.

"If you bite me," he warns, "I'll leave you like this."

Who is he kidding? The vampire can't even keep his head up, let alone attack. At the very suggestion of being left he lets out a rasping sob that makes Matteo's chest tighten in sympathy.

"Okay. Okay."

He takes a deep breath and approaches. Upon closer inspection it's clear that the only thing keeping the man upright is a wooden stake protruding from his chest.

Here goes nothing.

Matteo braces himself with one foot on the wall and grips the stake. It takes a several sharp tugs and all his strength but soon it pulls free. He stumbles backwards. The vampire crumples to the floor.

Without thinking, Matteo removes his tattered flannel and drapes it over the creature's bare torso before it can accumulate any more burns. Then he hurries to the window and pulls shut the thick, ornate outer curtains, blocking out the light.

His eyes adjust quickly to the dark. He lowers himself to sit beside the vampire's trembling body.

"Guess you need blood, huh?" He sighs and stretches out his arm, making one of the deeper cuts re-open. "Lucky for you, I'm already bleeding. Open up."

----

To be continued..........?

[crash-bump-bring-the-whump]

Whumperless Whump Event - Day 25

Andrew belongs to @whumpr!!

TWs: burns, suggestive jokes

Severe burns / Running into flames / “I know it hurts. Breathe.”

Harsh breathing filled the air as Mariano lay stretched out on his own bed, shivering as heat rolled off of his back. He'd been burned the day before, and couldn't reach the bandages to change them. "Thank you, Andrew." Mariano said, voice hitching as Andrew's fingers pressed a bit too hard while spreading the cream along his wound.

"C'mon boss, you don't have to whimper for me." Andrew said, teasing as he eased up and kept working the burn cream along the new ripples and swirls that couldn't swallow the old whip lashes. "I'd do this even without the incentive."

Mariano laughed, relief rolling through him when Andrew pulled his fingers away in time. "I'm not your boss anymore." He took a deeper breath as Andrew continued tending to him.

"Yeah," Andrew said, reaching for more cream. "That's why I know how you sound when you whimper."

Mariano laughed again, relaxing as Andrew finished putting medicine on the last of his burns. "It's alright, I'll get you back next time you faint during a hypo."

"You wouldn't." Andrew gasped, dramatically, as he started to re-bandage the burn. "You're not that cruel."

"I'm a war criminal, you never know." Mariano quipped back, not lifting his head from his folded arms. "I might snap and hold you close while I whisper that you'll be okay."

Andrew's hands delicately smoothed down the medical tape, feather-light as he checked that Mariano's skin wouldn't be pulled at. "I'd never recover. Maybe you really are as scary as they say."

When Andrew's hand came to rest near Mariano's elbow, Mariano twined their fingers together. He breathed easier now that his burn wasn't exposed to the air-conditioned breeze from the fan in his room. "Perhaps I am." He kissed Andrew's knuckles, before resting his cheek against the back of his hand. "Thank you for helping me."

"...Yeah, any time."

@whump-captain @whumpr @whumperofworlds @lektricwhump @cyberwhumper

@bxtterflystxtches @inscrutable-shadow @honeybees-125 

[wilbursims]

I decided to redesign a character of mine that I've missed dearly. His name is Willard! He may or may not have started the zombie apocalypse.

[genericficerblog]

A surgical redemption: An everyone lives AU.

This is my 2nd contribution to @tbb-appreciation-week for 2023. This one is Tech, Everyone Lives, a Reunion, and "Please, Talk to Me". @intrepidmare here you go.

Tech knew what he had done on Eriadu would result in his death. He had come to accept that. That was Plan 99, after all, sacrifice. A cable knocked off his goggles which also knocked him out. At least when he hits the ground, he won't feel it. So when Tech awoke on a soft bed with every part of his body aching and a bacta patch on the side of his nose, he was astonished. What was going on? Is this where everyone goes after they die? Tech couldn't tell what time it was or even what planet he was on, so he didn't know what season it was. It was comfortable, though. And he could roughly tell he was in a bed. He looked over to a bedside table and saw some goggles, which he put on. The room blurred but was now visible, and he recognised a medical bay. Lights from the ceiling lit the room up, and Tech could hear the distant hum of an engine. He must be on a ship. He can smell and taste the sterile room, ship metal and the materials making up the bed he was lying in. The bed is reasonably soft and supportive. "Where am I?" Tech asked. He looked around and saw Plo Koon sitting next to him. "Is this where everyone goes when they die?" Tech asked. To his shock, Plo Koon shook his head. "No. You're alive. So am I. You've been unconscious for the past week," Plo Koon replied, looking at Tech concerned, "However, you would be dead if I wasn't there to separate you from the gondola you were attached to and then you didn't slam into the ground thanks to me," Plo Koon replied. "Thanks," Tech eventually replied after his brain stopped jamming. "No problem. But I have a question," Plo Koon replied. "What is it?" Tech asked. "Do you have any regrets?" Plo Koon asked. Thinking momentarily, Tech sighed and nodded, though he didn't tell Plo Koon why. His last conversation with Phee went badly. He had been distracted by ensuring everything was ready for their mission to Eriadu. In the process, he upset Phee. "Get some rest, Tech. Irala will remove the bacta patch in a couple of days," Plo Koon got up and started heading out, leaving Tech to his thoughts.

Over the next couple of days, his room would remain comfortable. Twice a day, Irala would come in to change the bed sheets. Tech would busy himself by surfing his holopad. However, he got bored sometimes. And when he got bored, he looked out of his door to see who else was there. He saw several familiar faces, including Fives, Kix, and Shaak Ti. The most intriguing to him, though, was that Irala turned out to be an age-accelerated version of Omega, which surprised him. He wanted to know more about her, but this age accelerated Omega was too busy to stay to chat. Other times, Tech's thoughts would wander to Phee. He needed to talk to her. But he would have to wait until the other squad members came to rescue him. Tech didn't mind waiting. He could scan the galactic internet forever and be OK. However, his thoughts kept drifting to Phee. What could he do to make things up to her?

Two days after he woke up, the age-accelerated Omega entered and removed the bacta patch on his nose. When he looked in a mirror, he saw no mark from the wound on his face. "Thanks for your help, Irala," Tech replied. Irala nodded, but at that moment, the alarms went off. "What's going on?" Tech asked, surprised at the sudden alarm. "All hands on deck, we need help moving a bacta tank," came a voice through the PA system. "We need half a dozen people to move a bacta pod. Unfortunately, with your goggles not working too well, I'm afraid you can't help," Irana replied as she left Tech's room. Soon, a dozen people moved a bacta pod past Tech's room. And if Tech was astonished he was alive, it was nothing compared to his astonishment at who was in the bacta pod. Phee Genoa being in a bacta pod was not how Tech wanted to reunite with her. Tech then did something out of character for him. He ignored the fact he couldn't see well and tried to leave his room to follow. "What is Phee Genoa doing here?" Tech asked once he exited his room. "Tech, please go back to your room. I know you want to help, but with your goggles not working properly, we can't take the risk," Kix called. "But I need to talk to her. I need to make things up with her," Tech replied. "Phee is currently not in a condition to interact with anyone," Kix retorted. "As a medic of Clone Force 99, alongside Echo, I can help," Tech said. "Not unless you've fixed your goggles. Now, back down, Tech. I've given you your path to help. But if you can barely see, you are more of a danger than a help," Kix glared. After a few moments, Tech sighed and then returned to his quarters. Irala saw this and asked, "Kix, can I go talk to Tech?" "Go ahead. Find out what about Phee has made him act like that," Kix replied. "Alright," Irala replied as she entered Tech's room, and Kix departed for the treatment room.

Tech was brooding on his bed when Irala entered. "What's up?" Irala asked. "I need to talk to Phee. I think I offended her or something with our last interaction. I want to make things right with her," Tech replied. Irala understood this feeling. There was a lot Irala wanted to say to her supervisor Kaminoan before the Empire rose that she never got the chance to tell. "Well, Kix did say that if you sorted out the goggles, you might be able to help him out. And I know where you can work on them," Irala replied. "Get me there. I need to ensure Phee is OK, and I can talk to her," Tech said. "Follow me then," Irala nodded and left the room. Momentarily pausing, Tech followed. When Tech and Irala enter the room, Tech sees the room is a mix of an optometrist and a glass forge. It was hotter in this room than the rest of the ship. Seasons aren't a thing in space. A lamp and the forge provide light to the room. Tech can hear the forge humming and can smell and taste the glass and plastic from the glasses frame. The ground is solid on his boots. "Now, Tech, can you please take a seat? We'll sort out upgrading your goggles," Irala said, pointing to a seat that Tech then sat on. "My goggles got knocked off my head on Eriadu. These are improvised goggles," Tech reminded Irala. "Right, that's why you had the patch," Irala replied as she placed the optometry device on Tech's head. Tech only realised the purpose of the optometry device when Irala inserted a set of lenses, and Tech saw his vision clear significantly. Tech was able to read the fourth line. "Good start. Now, one or two?" Irala asked. 'Two," Tech replied. The process continued a dozen times until they found ideal optical lenses. "Your eyesight is terrible," Irala admitted as she noted the specs. "You don't need to remind me of that," Tech replied as Irala removed the optometry device from his head. "Sorry. It's just I heard your eyesight was poor. I didn't think it was that poor," Irala turned back to Tech, "Now I'll get the forge going, and you should have your upgraded goggles ready in about an hour," "Thank you," Tech replied before he grabbed his Data Pad from the nearby table and started looking through it, holding it against his face. "Now that is near-sighted," Irala thought as she watched this.

An hour later, the lenses for Tech's goggles were ready, by which time the room had noticeably cooled. Irala struggled momentarily with the lenses for Tech's goggles before finally getting them in. Or so she thought, as when Tech put them on, Irala realised she'd put them in backwards. No problem. Irala switched them quickly, and Tech put the goggles on just as Kix entered. "We've been able to stabilise Phee for now. She'll probably briefly awaken soon, so if you need to talk to her, Tech, do it soon," Kix said to Tech before turning to Irala. "Have you got his goggles sorted?" Kix asked. "Yes," Irala replied. "Good. Tech, follow me," Kix said, and he exited. After a moment, Tech followed. When Tech entered the treatment room, the room assaulted his senses. Tech saw the lights, the bacta, and the chemicals. Everything in the room necessitated a moment for Tech to adjust. The roof and walls were off-white, while the room's floor was dull silver. There was medical equipment everywhere, including several bacta tanks and pods. Half a dozen beds occupy one side of the room, with five used by Clones or Phee Genoa. Tech immediately went to Phee's bed and sat with her. From what Tech could see, Phee was a mess. Phee only wore a medical robe and had bandages over most of her head. IVs stick out of several places in her left arm, her right arm fully bandaged, with more dressings likely covering a considerable portion of her body. Tech deduces Phee suffered severe burns. Phee's eyes flutter open, and she croaked, "Brown Eyes, you're alive," "Surprised?" Tech asked. "Kinda," Phee admitted, "From what the Wrecker said, you fell several hundred meters at least," "You can thank Plo Koon for saving me," Tech replied. "I'll thank him when I get a chance. I'm just glad you're alive," Phee smiled, which Tech slightly returned before he thought of something. "How did you wind up here? What happened?" Tech asked. Phee was hesitant. The events were still raw in her mind, and it hurt to recall everything. Tech gently took her good hand in his, then said, "Please, talk to me," Phee explained how Cid had, unknown to the squad, defected to the Empire and sold them out after they returned to Ord Mantell to save Omega's life. Phee continued with how Dr Hemlock had captured Omega, and then the Empire had returned to occupy Ord Mantell. Phee concluded with how she had learned about his death, how she had gone to Ord Mantell to confront Cid, and finally, how she wound up here when someone firebombed the Parlour. Tech felt a surge of anger as Phee explained everything. "And that is how I wound up here, staring at your handsome face," Phee teased, causing Tech to blush slightly. "T-thank you," Tech stammered, pushing down his newfound anger. Kix then appeared with them, "We've got to continue treatment, Tech. You're keeping us too long," "Oh, sorry," Tech stated as he stepped aside to allow Irala and Kix to wheel Phee into the operating theatre. Tech went to follow and got a look into the operating theatre. The floor, walls and ceiling were the same shades as the recovery ward. Medical equipment and Bacta Tanks dominated the back wall. A bed was in the middle of the theatre, lit by lights overhead. Medical equipment and life sign monitors dominated two entire walls. "What can I do to help?" Tech asked as Kix put Phee under anaesthesia. "What you can do is go and get the medication I'll need to treat Septic Shock," Kix growled. Tech recoiled in horror. Septic Shock. How had he not seen that Phee was slipping into it? "Alright," Tech said after his brain stopped jamming, and he finally registered what Kix told him. "I'll get the medication you need," Tech stated, adjusting his goggles as he spoke before heading back towards the recovery room, his stomach and intestines knotting painfully with guilt and confusion as he did so.

Once Tech reaches the cupboard, he tries to grab the medication but quickly realises he's having a panic attack. His breathing is short and sharp, and his chest is constricting. Realising this, he puts a hand on the cupboard and takes several deep breaths to calm down. As he does, he remembers Pabu and why he's here. He reassures himself that Phee will be OK if he gets the medication. After a few moments, Tech's heart rate calms down, and his chest, stomach and intestines loosen. Finally, he can focus again. He briefly searches through the cupboard and finds the medicine required. Tech returned to the operating theatre and found Irala and Kix arguing. "We need to treat the sepsis before we can put her in the bacta tank," Kix stated. "We do that, and Phee loses her arm at best. Her burns are bad enough that she needs to be in a bacta tank to treat it, or the Sepsis won't go away," Irala replied. Tech was confused by this argument. He gave Kix the medication, then remembered something Omega had mentioned during one of the times he'd treated her injuries.

Flashback: Omega and Tech were in the Havoc Marauder. The back room was warm and lit by a light in the ceiling. The scents of bacta and blood mixed as Tech strapped Omega's slashed forearm. The bacta bandage was smooth but slippery on his glove. Tech can hear his teammates discussing things in the other room and shallow breathing from Omega. Tech could sense Omega was in the early stages of shock. Sighing, he turned to her. "This bandage is the best we can do at the moment. You need a Bacta Tank to heal properly," Tech said. "You've done your best, Tech. And if you guys are OK with it, please stay with me while I'm in the tank, alright?" Omega asked. "Alright. But how are we going to check the progression of your healing?" Tech replied. "Well, Nala Se would put monitors on me while she tested on me or while I was in a Bacta Tank recovering," Omega replied. Once again, Tech felt that stab of anger course through him again at the Demagolka's name. "Eyeing your vital signs?" Tech asked. "Yes," Omega replied. "Alright. The nurses will want to keep an eye on your vital signs. Also, we won't help you change for obvious reasons," Tech said. "Privacy, I know. Don't worry, I'll handle that myself with the doctors," Omega replied.

End Flashback: "Can I interrupt for a moment?" Tech asked. It was enough for Irala and Kix to stop arguing and look at him. "Why not both? You can monitor Phee's vital signs while she's in the Bacta Tank," Tech suggested. They looked to Tech in astonishment. "How do you know that?" Irala asked. "Nala Se did that to Omega, your non-age accelerated counterpart," Tech replied, looking at Irala, who nodded. "Irala, get other workers. Tech, help me transfer Phee to this board, and then we'll bind her so she doesn't slide off. Alright?" Kix demanded. "Alright," Tech replied, and as Irala departed to find others, Tech assisted Kix in moving Phee to a special yellow board and binding her to it. Soon, Irala returns with three other doctors, and the sextet carefully transfers Phee to a Bacta Tank. Carefully, Tech, Kix and Irala lower Phee into the tank. The other three doctors carefully bind the board to the back of the tank to secure Phee's position. Afterwards, Tech and Kix attach IVs and monitors to Phee to ensure proper treatment. "Well done, Tech. Good work," Kix said, clapping Tech on the shoulder. "I'm just glad she's going to be OK," Tech replied. "You can stay around here or return to your room. I'll tell you when the treatment is complete," Irala said. "I think I'll stay in the recovery room," Tech replied, "You probably need this room anyway," "Well, we never know when we'll need it, so that's for the best," Kix replied. Tech returns to the recovery room while Irala and Kix watch Phee.

Twelve hours later, Kix and Irala remove Phee from the Bacta Tank and move her into a bed, the bacta having treated the Sepsis and burns. It was another eight hours, however, before Phee awoke. Tech, who had been scrolling on his datapad while sitting next to Phee. Immediately, he put his datapad away and turned to face her. "How are you feeling?" Tech asked. "Sore, but OK otherwise," Phee replied, her voice raspy from disuse. "Listen, Phee. I'm sorry I offended you in our last conversation before we left for Eriadu. I was distracted, ensuring everything was ready for the mission. Can you forgive me?" Tech said, sighing as a guilty shadow crossed his features. Phee gently caressed Tech's face and replied, "I forgive you, Brown Eyes. There's something I'd like to know," "What is it?" Tech asked, gently removing her hand from his face and taking it in his own. "Tell me how your brain works. I can tell it works differently from your brothers, alright?" Phee replied, smiling gently. "I will. We'll have plenty of time before my brothers rescue us," Tech replied. "I hope they know you're alive and we're here," Phee said. "If they don't know now, they'll find out. They'll find out you're missing, at least. Hopefully, they know I'm alive too," Tech replied.

[lbibliophile-sw]

Vader's Miracle

@whumptober-archive - Day 31 (alt 5): body modifcation

My arm lies on Geonisis, My other limbs on Mustafar My replacement hand I lost again Fighing on the second Death Star.

Between the lava, and the lightning All my nerves are toast. So I gave up my whole body And became a Force Ghost.

Based on The Miracle by Llewen the Unruly

[peafowl-arethe-best-birds]

Everything burned.

He tried to inhale sharply but heard the air exit through one of the stab wounds in his torso. He sobbed. Everything hurt it hurt so so much it burned.

He kept closing his eyes every time he opened them. The sight of his skin wrinkled and loose and without its feathers made him want to puke. Maybe he already had. Maybe that’s why his throat hurt.

Or maybe it hurt from his screams.

Blindly, he crawled. Every movement jostled broken bones. Skin peeled and wind hit places underneath that should never see the light of day. Only one of his lungs was intact, working overtime to help him breathe through the sobs wracking his body.

Would this ever end? Would he bleed out, skin peeling and red and raw, feathers ash around him? Would he ever see his sister again?

Maybe he didn’t deserve that luxury.

All at once, the world went black.

-o-O-o-

Sochai lurched out of bed, panting and shaking, clutching the blanket to his chest. He pressed it to his mouth to muffle his sobs.

He hated remembering that. He didn’t want to remember that.

He looked at his arms and legs. The magic healing helped. His feathers regrowing helped too. But he could still feel the scars underneath.

He still remembered what it felt like to have his skin fall off.

He pressed his lips together and shook his head. He didn’t want to remember that. He had to try to think about anything other than crawling away from where he should have died.

Sochai sobbed silently, whole but not really. Maybe he left some pieces behind.

When his sister woke up, he’d be fine.

She didn’t need to know about the memories.

[dailyworldecho]

[aanews69]

Wij leveren verhalen. We geven je ook handleidingen, tips en trucs over hoe je je eigen kunt maken.Dit kanaal is gewijd aan willekeurige dingen die op onze b...

[townpostin]

Gas Cylinder Blast Injures Woman and Two Children in Jamshedpur

A gas cylinder explosion in Daigutu, Mango, leaves a woman and her two children severely injured; all are undergoing treatment. A woman and her two children sustained severe burns after a gas cylinder exploded in their rented house in Daigutu, Mango, Jamshedpur. JAMSHEDPUR – A woman and her two children sustained severe burn injuries as a result of a gas cylinder explosion that occurred in a…

[kbkhospitals]

Effective Burn Injury Treatment - Expert Care for Optimal Recovery

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[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“'JUST IN FUN,' BUT JOKE COSTS $1,244,” Montreal Gazette. January 7, 1933. Page 4. ---- Two Brothers Sued for Setting Match to Gasoline-Soaked Employee ---- HORSE PLAY IN GARAGE --- Man Who Became Human Torch Suffered Agonies for Month - Conflict of Testimony ---- "Just in fun" Jean Lamarche and Adrien Lamarche poured gasoline on the chest and arm of Alexandre Duperron and set at match to it. Duperron immediately became human torch and suffered agonies in the hospital for more than month. The "fun" of the La marche brothers cost them $1,244 under a judgment of Mr. Justice Lane, of the Superior Court. 

"The Court," His Lordship de Clares, "does not for a moment consider that it was done otherwise than in foolish play, yet defendants are responsible for the result o their foolishness and fault in indulging in the sort of play they did." 

Some extenuation was found In the fact that both plaintiff and defendants had been drinking. 

Duperron and the two Lamarche boys were employed by Joseph Lamarche, roofer and father of the defendants. Duperron had worked for him for 26 years,

On the afternoon of October 15, 1930, plaintiff, defendants and other employees of the roofer had gathered in their employer's garage, for it was raining and roofers do not work in the rain. They passed the time in drinking beer and playing the fool, or, as one of the defendants put it with respect to himself, ‘acting like a baby.’ 

Part of their play consisted in drenching one another with water. 

Duperron was not feeling very well, anyway, the evidence show ed; he was sick as the result of a bust" of the previous evening. So he did not drink in the morning, but in the afternoon, seeing his fellow-workers enjoying themselves it was only natural, as Mr. Justice Lane put it, that he should want to join the glad throng and help them dispose of the beer. 

In one corner of the garage there appears to have been a metal bucket containing a mixture of gasoline and water in which thp work men were used to washing grimy hands. One of the defendant threw some of this mixture over Duperron, then Jean Lamarche said, “I think there is gasoline in it." 

In order to find out, he struck a match and applied it to Duperron's left wrist. A flame broke out and was at once extinguished, A little while later Duperron wan drenched again by Adrien Lamarche and Jean Lamarche applied a match to his coat, which immediately burst into flames. 

BODY BADLY BURNED. Duperron became a human torch. His two ears were burnt, his face and neck and his body from the throat to the abdomen, his two arm pits and his left wrist. 

He was 39 days in bed in the hospital and for the first 15 days suffered agony, the burns going right through to the flesh. At the time of the trial, a year later, he still bore the scars, which doctors thought, and Mr. Justice Lane believed, would be permanent. 

Considerable conflict of testimony developed at the trial and other employees of Lamarche professing ignorance of what happened. "The Court," Mr. .Justice Lane declared, "does not believe that these employees are as ignorant of what happened as they profess to be. They are in the enjoyment of their situations, their employer is a bitter man, and their situations are dependent on his good will, and situations are difficult to procure in this period of depression, especially in the construction business. The Court believes they swore along the line of their own interest, rather than along the line of the truth." 

Alter examining all the evidence, Mr. Justice Lane deemed the defendants were to blame for their folly and allowed Dunerron $1,244 damages.

[thoughtsonhurtandcomfort]

arinn ► boil some water and use it to brew strong tea but put your tail in it too, and hold it there for ten minutes as the tea steeps 😈 how do you like it? 😈

Author's Notes: Thanks for this! I've been sitting on it for a while!

If Alex walks in you are so screwed

This could easily turn tea, usually a source of comfort, into a huge trigger for Ari~

Content Warnings: torture, heat/boiling/burning, torture, demon whump, incubus whump, tail whump, forced to inflict harm on self, sadistic whumper, threats, severe burns, severe pain, sickness, fever, exhaustion, 2nd person POV whumper, passing out

----

"Anything," Arinn begs you one final time. "Anything but this..."

"Keep whining and I'll double the time."

"NO! Alright - a-alright..."

Standing there in his own kitchen, Arinn stands on a small stool and dangles his slender, sensitive tail over a large pot of boiling water and cheap herbal tea. Thick steam rises up around it, the damp heat only a tease of what comes next. He's already quivering with dread, on the verge of panic, and the pain hasn't even started yet.

If he can drop his tail into the scalding liquid, leave it in, and remain standing for ten whole minutes, you won't pour it over his entire body.

You were being generous, really. You gave him a choice. But for the incubus, whose alluring appearance is necessary to tempt potential partners, there was no real choice. In the end his poor tail is the sacrifice you require to leave the rest of him undamaged.

"And your time...starts...now."

As soon as you tap start on the timer the demon takes a deep breath and releases his tail.

"AAAAAGGHHHHHHHH!!!!"

-

"One!"

The first sixty seconds are a blur to the demon.

He seems half in shock. His wide blue-green eyes stare beyond you. He's hardly moving except for the heave of his chest with raspy, frantic breaths. One hand reaches for the wall but doesn't dare touch, because even through the blinding agony he knows that if he supports himself against anything it's over, he's lost.

Your voice snaps him out of his stupor. Arinn locks eyes with you and he remembers who you are, why you're here. He gets his breathing under control, tightens his jaw, and steadies himself, all while tears cascade down his flushed cheeks.

-

"Two."

Arinn makes no attempt to hide his anguish or appear brave. He cries openly, loudly. In an attempt to regain some control, he bites down hard on his lip until it bleeds, trying to distract from one pain with another.

(It doesn't work.)

-

"Three."

It's getting a little boring, you think.

Arinn has done little so far but sway on his feet and groan with his eyes squeezed shut. The endless pain renders him dizzy and nauseous, but he can't afford to be sick. It wouldn't take much to knock him off his feet like this.

You consider adding an extra challenge just to hurry things along. What could it be? From your chair you pluck a fork off of the counter and twirl it in your fingers. You imagine dragging its cold metal prongs down Arinn's hot skin...

But you quickly change your mind. It isn't necessary; the demon won't last long.

-

"Four."

"Fuck," Arinn breathes.

He shifts on his feet to get more comfortable, as if there is such a thing. You stand and take a closer look at the pot. Though the bubbles and steam keep you from seeing much, you can tell that most, but not all, of the tail is submerged.

You choose a ladle from a utensil drawer and scoop a full spoonful of the piping hot water.

With his eyes still closed, Arinn doesn't see, doesn't know until you pour it over the thickest part of his tail at the small of his back. He jerks forward with a scream and nearly loses his balance.

Nearly. But so what if you cheat a little, if you keep him upright with a hand gripped in the back of his hair? You never said you were honest.

-

"Five."

At 50° Celsius, or 122° Fahrenheit, it takes five minutes to for a healthy human adult to develop severe burns from hot water. At least according to one article. Another one said eight minutes. But then another said between three and six, so you aren't really sure...

Regardless, the boiling point of water is 100°C or 212°F,

and Arinn is an incubus, a creature built for sensation,

and his tail is particularly sensitive.

You're no scientist, but the math practically does itself.

-

"Six."

You're honestly impressed that he makes it to six.

Arinn is as surprised as you are. His confidence bolstered by making it this far, he straightens and takes a deep breath.

"F-fuck you," he says with a wavering voice. "I can do it."

By now the thick floral scent of over-stewed tea fills his lungs and makes his head spin, but he remains standing.

-

"Seven."

You start reconsidering the fork.

With nothing to lose, really, you pick it up and walk over to Arinn. His clouded gaze darts between your face and the utensil as you approach.

He licks his dry lips. "That's cheating," he accuses hoarsely.

You lightly press the tips of the fork to his chest. "Not if I'm the one who makes the rules."

Arinn looks like he might argue, but his tail throbs and he accidentally sways forward, pressing into the blunt metal points with a gasp.

You keep it there, pressing four little indents into the skin, and don't pull away until,

"Eight."

-

"Nine."

Arinn's legs are close to buckling.

He's convinced he's going to die like this, cooked alive at the whim of this cruel stranger.

It hurts...it hurts so much...

He wants to say it aloud but what remains of his dignity won't give you that satisfaction.

Besides, you already know.

-

"Ten!"

Arinn nearly faints at the sound of the word. Somehow, though, he keeps himself standing as you approach with a pair of tongs. Through his exhaustion you think you see a flicker of satisfaction on his face.

You slowly lift his ruined tail from the tea and the look is gone. Arinn whimpers at the sight of it raw, blistering, and so unbearably tender that when you give it just a liiiittle squeeze with the tongs, the demon's eyes roll back and he crumples.

On his way down he bumps the handle of the pot. It starts to tip over the edge.

So you help it out. You give it a little nudge, spilling its scalding contents onto the unconscious demon, a surprise for when he wakes.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

If I was in a lucid dream with a ghost, I would simply impress them with my blunt rolling skills

[oxygen537art]

[genericficerblog]

TBB Appreciation Week 2023 Sneak Peak: A surgical redemption: Everyone Lives AU

And now onto my 2nd fic. This one is my Everyone Lives AU involving Tech for @tbb-appreciation-week. I have some written for this one, and it will indirectly involve characters who will show up in my main fic. Here's the preview.

Tech survived his fall on Eriadu. But he lost consciousness when his goggles were knocked off. The next thing he knows, he wakes up in a medical bay on a CR90 Corvette a week later with a Bacta patch on his face and some vision with the improvised goggles he’s wearing. The shock of being alive was nothing compared to the surprises he got when a Bacta Pod was wheeled past his room. Phee Gamora was in it. This was not how he wanted to reunite with her.

Ooooh, what happened to Phee to leave her in a Bacta Pod? And what will Tech have to do to help make things right with Phee? Find out.

[pyritefes2]

Here’s an animation meme that was popular on the clock app a couple months ago featuring Anders.