#strorie

[sirius-lux]

Un giorno una bambina chiese alla maestra cosa fossero gli abbracci.

La maestra sorrise e gli rispose:

"un abbraccio è quando stringi forte una persona, perché le vuoi bene o perché la vedi giù di morale e in quel momento vuoi fargli sentire il tuo affetto."

Dopo scuola la bambina corse subito da suo padre e gli diede un forte abbraccio.

Il padre, perplesso, le chiese come mai di tale gesto.

La bambina lo guardò con gli occhi lucidi e gli rispose:

"perché da quando la mamma non c'è più hai smesso di sorridere..."

[ibreathhere]

Okay so the car scene were Great makes the first move and holds Tyme's hand, this is a lot for him, I feel. He didn't choose to be in this situationship with Tyme and the time travels. But right at this moment when he sees his future, them holding hands, he is like okay I think this is a good thing, I want this. Great getting closer as more flash forward keep coming to him, and accepting all of them so he can be with Tyme in the present, it's so poetic. Bible's acting elevates the scene a lot more.

[squiddle147]

I want an aromantic love story! I don’t mean a story where the main character thinks there aromantic till they fall in love with the love interest. No I mean I want a story where the main character IS aromantic and really wants to love the love interest but can’t, and feels bad because the love interest loves them. But by the end of the book the love interest still loves the main character and has come to terms that they will never love each other in the same way. But that doesn’t get in the way of their relationship.

[theyanderespecialist]

Stories Specific?

[adoriels-tears-if]

what do you mean tips on how to make your game scary....... I'm scared.. yet excited....

👀 I shared it hoping one of my fellow authors (@dalekowrites) see it, but now that you mention it.

[mychlapci]

Now you have me thinking about Brainstorm giving birth to his sparklings in the most oddest way. You know he's still doing the upsidedown hanging thing while pregnant. Ratchet and Perceptor probably lectured many times for him to stop doing that! His water just breaks while he's building something, hanging upside down, just great now the gun has birth fluid on it. Ratchet has to help get him down so he doesn't hurt the baby and he's covered in fluids. Also, he ate the placenta, for science!

Upside down birth… Brainstorm hanging off of his stupid contraception when suddenly his water just fucking. Bursts out of him, dripping down his torso, some of it leaking down his face, too. He can’t bend over and untie himself because the contractions hurt. Ratchet is called in to help him get down…. Wouldn’t it be funny if they couldn’t get him down, though, and Brainstorm had to push the baby out like that? It’s definitely the hardest, weirdest way anyone’s ever given birth… But he manages to push the baby's head out, and Ratchet could pull it out of him before it could have slipped back in, because, y’know, gravity is pulling it down.

[simslacut]

Azazel

[nyaskitten]

Okay so like, this is obviously Ninjago, and the team who work on it almost always exaggerate shit for excitement and hype and whatnot, but I'm kinda worried because like, these new guys aren't like Tommy, who just kinda outright lied, so when they say "you're DEFINITELY not prepared for what's coming next" I kind of believe them....

At the moment we know we're getting big monster Cole, Kai and Wyldfyre in the Wyldness, Imperium, Skull guy (who could be Jay), the Dragon Cores stuff, a new djinn, this "Land of Lost Things", and we STILL don't know what Beatrix's end goal for this season is... god what if they end this shit on a cliffhanger? What if the day is saved and all but they end it introducing a new villain, or end it with Beatrix not being defeated or something....

[arantarisuyamu]

"LOVE LIFE AS A NEKO"

This can apply to men and women. Love is beautiful, but it can also hurt. I struggle with it, but I know it will be there, and unlike my last failed relationships...it will come naturally..a point you don't have to fight to hold on to it.

Not forced, rushed, and confused with lust.

Overall, I hope you guys love it! I made a mistake in one panel, but...who cares XD.

[cosmic-ships]

So as stated in one of the tags of something I rb'd I am reworking my ship with Kylo~! It has THREE versions. (Sorry but not sorry, I have a lot of ideas and feel like it would be best to spread em out.)

In all of these versions, somethings stay the same. Kaden will always be force-sensitive and will always have a purple lightsaber. <3

The first being the fics that are already out, where Kylo defects from the first order because of me and everyone in their mother are hunting us both down.

The second being the timeline where nothing goes wrong timeline, it's a more domestic universe for us, Luke didn't have a melt down, Kylo didn't fall victim to Snokes promises, Han and Leia were good parents and nobody dies! T_T (I just want to see this family happy)

ALTERNATIVELY THOUGH the third verse being where the writers didn't fuck up my boy and he just goes darker and darker, he doesn't give two fucks about anything or anyone (I'm the exception cliche here lol)

This universe Kylo and I keep our relationship a secret for a good majority of time because he doesn't want to make it seem like he is playing favourites but eventually he's just like "hm, no actually I am paying favourites and if you got a problem I dare you to voice it." type of thing. (Kylo is a dick timeline lmfao) <- Letting ya'll know this will probably be my favourite timeline because I can do a lot with it.

Also this is a branching path version of the first- where instead of Kaden convincing him to leave and be free it's reversed, Kylo manages to sway Kaden into joining him. lkjlkjsdf

don't rb plz - keeping rb open to rb myself throughout the day!

[jonniefandoms911]

Welcome home oc ask her questions if you like and also the others like Poppy Julie Sally Frank Eddie Howdy Barnaby and Wally this is one of my blogs the Welcome Home Blog enjoy :3

Enjoy

[desjardins-sarah]

Sarah’s Instagram Stories - November 2023

[part-time-zombie]

I started looking back on the kinds of movies/series I rewatch the most and which tropes inspire me to keep coming back even if I've seen the same story a thousand times before, and I noticed a pattern that (in my own opinion at least) reflects/correlates with my tastes in media regarding the expectation of romantic love.

I've found that when I find a show with characters/plot/tropes i enjoy, it's usually got one of two extremes regarding dynamics and character relationships, both of which subtly subvert or defy standard romantic expectations.

The first extreme is where there is very little explicit romance in the story. Sure there might be love still present, but it's usually shown in a broader expression of acceptance, admiration, understanding, respect, and appreciation. It's simply about caring about the people who care about you, and not expecting that warmth and familiarity to become something different just for the sake of being romantic. This love inspires them to be the best of themselves, and to do the best for the other. It is about seeing this other person as home, and feeling safest and the most like themselves in each others presence. This kind of love doesn't need to be romantic/sexual, and in fact to make it that way would often render it unrecognizable from what it once was.

(think good omens... romantic and yet also More)

The second extreme is where the love is far more intense, far more dramatic, than most romantic stories let themselves go. This love is obsessive, all-consuming, and completely and utterly devoted. It is a pledge of one's life sewn to the other, promising to rebuild the world so it will hold them and to destroy it if they cannot be together. It is acceptance of each others darkness, and inspiration of their light. This love is dangerous, addictive, and ultimately life-saving. It completely alters the characters and the story surrounding them. This love is loud and violent and beautiful, a transformation into power and strength that defies fate itself. It is ultimately what romance wants to be and often falls short of.

(think hannibal, romantic and yet also More...)

That's alot of words to simply say that I like when love stories are vague on the type of love it is supposed to be seen as, but clear in its beauty and greatness and how it doesn't really matter How they love, or even If they love in the way you'd expect, but what matters it that their bond is stronger than their world.

I guess I'm just getting tired of seeing countless drawn out will-they-wont-they romance shit for the sake of drama, I want to see them team up against everything else.

[its-a-mimc]

"You did everything you could, Undyne. You didn't fail them. . . ."

[neverland93]

Peter Pan Imagine/ love you too much

Peter walks into the campsite along with the lost boys and greets you as always

“Morning Y/n,” he says yawning

“Good morning Peter.” You handed him his coffee, straight black with honey and vanilla.

“Let’s do this shall we?” He said as he sat next to you and Felix

“We shall.” You nodded and took out a pencil and paper from your bag

You and him were planning a party, not just any party, the biggest party Neverland had ever seen, you were inviting everyone as well, Indians,lost boys, mermaids, even the pirates, it was going to be one hell of a show.

“This is going to be the best party Neverland has ever seen!” Felix said with excitement

“Honey there you are.” You heard a voice coming from a far but you knew who it was.

Wendy.

“Oh hey what are you doing up so early?” He asked her

“Well I wanted to be with you silly.” She sits right on his lap which was so awkward because you guys were literally in the middle of planning a party.

“Wendy I’m kinda doing something.” He says with his hands in the air not knowing how to react

“And I want to be a part of it, is that so wrong?” She said with a smile

He just sighs

“Continue.” He told you

And you did , your very best.

**********

A couple minutes goes by and you start to think you guys are finally getting somewhere until…

“That sounds like a bad idea I don’t think you should do that.” Wendy said

“It’s not for you to decide Wendy.” Peter said as he’s writing something

“But don’t I have a say?” She said

“No. You wanted to spend time with me but you don’t get to tell the king of Neverland how to plan his party.” He said with annoyance

You could tell he was getting upset.

Felix then looks at you wide eyed and signaled a “let’s get out of here “ look

“Listen Peter I actually have to start breakfast I can totally catch up with you later.” You said trying to get up quickly

Felix does the same picking up the party supplies

“You know what that’s not a bad idea , we should all get ready for breakfast.” Felix gets up quickly as well walking fast with you

Peter just rubs his face, clearly stressed out. He gets Wendy off of him and walks away, shaking his head and looking very upset.

********

Weeks went by and the party was tonight, you were very excited for it because you Peter and Felix planned this like your lives depended on it.

“You ready to get this ball rolling?” Felix came in the kitchen door as you were making French toast

“Hell yeah I just want this to be over already.” You sigh

“Hey what’s wrong?” Felix asked

“Just , it’s not fun anymore.” You said looking down

“Wendy is a nutcase huh.” He said as he sits on a counter

“Hey! I’m sure Peter wouldn’t like you talking like that.” You said looking at him

“He’s the one who called her it in the first place!” Felix says laughing

You just roll your eyes

“Well he’s with her for a reason so let’s change the subject.” You say walking towards the skillet

“Hey hey hey don’t get mad at me because you’re so head over heels with Peter -“ you quickly run towards him and put your hand on his mouth

“DON’T YOU DARE.” Was all you could say before the door opens and Peter sees you in the position

“Terribly sorry for interrupting.” He said confused

“Oh no no no Peter I was just-“ as you were trying to come up with something to say

“Hey what you and Felix do is none of my business.” He said with his hands up and winking as he closed the door

“Damit Felix!” You yelled as you slapped him

“How is ANY of this my fault?” He yelled back

You roll your eyes and walk away .

So yes, you were head over heels for Peter, but only Felix knew, and you were never going to tell anyone, especially Peter. Plus he had his land to take care of, his boys to look after, and most of all, he had Wendy.

********

The party started in about 2 hours, you and Felix and of course Peter were sweating like pigs trying to do the final touches on things

“Everything looks , simply, amazing!” You say looking at it all

“This is what teamwork is all about guys.” Felix said feeling proud

“We truly couldn’t have done it without one another.” Peter said folding his arms and smiling

“Honey!” Wendy yells from afar

You all turn around and see her smiling away

“What are you doing here? This is a surprise for everybody.” Peter said confused

“I wanted to help silly.” She said kissing him on the cheek

Peter rubbed his face and looked stressed.

“I really wanted to do the final touches with Y/n and Felix.” He said calmly

“And now you can do it with me.” She said picking up a party hat and placing it on the table

Peter was very overwhelmed and you could tell it was taking a toll on him.

Party was finally here.

The boys came in with their best dress, which was just their regular clothes with some homemade bow ties

The mermaids came to the shore and sat on the rocks enjoying all the drinks that you guys made

Indians came and sat at the table eating the food and talking amongst each other

Peter and the pirates were talking and getting along great , you never knew why him and Hook were enemies when they got along so well.

“Aye aye I would’ve drank that whole bottle if it wasn’t for you Pan!” Hook yelled playfully

“I bet I can out drink you here and now Hook!” Peter put his money where his mouth was.

“Oh yeah?” Hook said taking an other swig of his drink

The boys laughed and laughed you haven’t seen Peter laughed this hard, he was genuinely having a good time with his boys and enemy Hook.

You smiled at that

“Honey let’s go sit next to the fire.” Wendy said as she interrupted the boys talking and laughing

“Wendy I’m with the boys right now maybe later.” He said still laughing with Hook

“No I’m cold honey.” She said

The boys look at Peter not knowing what to do, it got awkward really fast.

“I’m with the boys.” Was all he could say as he was quickly sobering up not understanding why she was acting like this

“I just told you I’m cold.” She said folding her arms

“Then go get a blanket.” He pointed to the cabin

She looked at him in disgust

“Come with me.” She dared to say

That’s when you believe Peter lost it, he lost all self control, maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was the straw that broke the camel’s back, or maybe it was simply both.

“We do EVERYTHING together! We sleep together, we shower together, we eat together, we do laundry together, we cook together, hell we might as well shit together too!” Peter yelled in front of everyone.

Nobody said a word , they all just stood quiet, as did you.

“Peter why don’t you go inside your cabin for a bit buddy.” Felix said trying to pull him away

“Fuck no! You don’t tell me what to do, the lost boys don’t tell me what to do, the Indians don’t tell me what to do, the mermaids don’t tell me what to do and SHE!” He points to Wendy.

“She DEFINITELY will never EVER tell me what to do again!” He said, he was fed up, he was exhausted, he let her control his every move, the king of neverland was never really the king perhaps, just a puppet on a string and the puppet master was Wendy Darling.

********

That night was one of the most quiet’s night Neverland has ever had, though you could hear whispers all throughout the land, for everyone was talking about Peter and Wendy.

You couldn’t sleep so you decided to go to your thinking spot, the waterfall, it was a little cold out so you brought your blanket with you, walking around and taking the night in your eyes start to shift to the waterfall, it was such a beautiful sight to see, so peaceful, so magical, so- Peter was sitting there …

Just as you were about turn back your foot stepped on a twig.

Peter turned your direction

“I-I’m so sorry I had no idea you were here.” You said as you were walking away

“Wait!” Peter yelled as you stopped in your tracks not knowing what do to , back still facing him

“Come sit.” He said

You turn around and nod walking every so slowly towards him.

Sitting down you put your hair behind your ear, nervous on what to even say. You hadn’t seen him since the fight.

“Can I tell you something?” Peter said

“Of course, you can tell me anything.” You said looking at him swallowing a little hard for your mouth was dry because of how nervous you truly were.

“I think I loved her too much.” He confessed to you as he looked towards the water

“Why do you say that?” You got the courage to ask

“It feels like weight and darkness when I’m with her, it didn’t use to feel like that. It’s like after she got comfortable and consumed me , ate me and spit me out into nothing ” He shook his head

“Peter…” was all you could say

“I loved her too much and I lost myself while doing so. It’s like I’m thirsty all the time, and I can never get a drink of water. It was like a curse, a beautiful tragic curse. “ he said looking at you

“You know what you have to do right?” You asked him

He simply nodded and looked towards the water once again.

“This is going to be hell.” He says picking up a rock and throwing it in the water.

[allie-campbell-bradshaw]

Chapter 10: Maybe It Isn’t All Bullshit

A/N: This chapter had me COMPLETELY in my feels! This is when the pages really start to turn people! I tried something new and wrote it in the author’s point of view, that way we could get a good grasp on Bradley AND Allie’s feeling at the same time. You’ll also find some more developments for supporting characters as well. I mention this in my notes for every chapter, but just in case you missed it– I do not give permission for my work to be re-posted without credibility. If you do want to post this story to your page, please be sure that you tag my account or at least mention its original source in your post. 

Also: This story is sequential…please go back and read my other chapters, in order, for the best results!

Again, thank you for being here and I hope you enjoy :)

Warnings: Very brief mentions of sex (nothing explicit), swearing (it is the navy after all), mentions of a horrible childhood, and a blissful wisp of a blossoming romance!

Chapter 10: Maybe It Isn’t All Bullshit

AUTHOR’S POV

Allie closed the door of room 2 on the student wing. The student wing of the Naval Academy hospital was outside. The navy letters of the hospital hung over the 6 navy blue doors that led to the patient rooms. These rooms were used for quick and easy treatments for students and staff that suffered slight injuries throughout the day. That morning, Allie had treated two students who fell pretty bad on the track. Easy bandaging. The student in room 2 broke his clavicle during an incident on the submarine simulation that they had on base. Allie assisted with the X-Ray imaging and helped the student get placed in a sling. The day was very uneventful overall.

Allie made her way back into the hospital through the sliding glass doors, crossed the hall of the lobby, and made her way over to the nurses station in the second wing where Kiera and Holly were standing.

“Join us for lunch?” Kiera asked Allie, as she was finishing up typing the report of sling man. 

“Can’t” Allie answered shortly, keeping her eyes on the computer screen.

Kiera and Holly exchanged a look, as if to tell each other that their friend is no longer as fun as she used to be.

“Okay, that’s it!” Kiera said, reaching over and pulling the laptop away from Allie.

Allie looked over at her confused; “What?” she asked genuinely. Not at all understanding what Kiera meant by that.

Kiera gave her a slight smirk, “We are prescribing you with a break…” she said in a gentle tone, not wanting to upset her best friend.

“I take plenty of breaks.” Allie corrected her, reaching over and pulling the laptop back in her direction, wanting to finish her report on the student she just saw.

“Not enough!” Kiera replied, a little snappy, but still gentle enough to complete her humble personality. Kiera slid the laptop back to her and held on tight on the back of the screen. Allie reached over for it again, but she didn’t try to snatch it back. She knew it would be no use, Kiera was far more stronger than her.

Allie looked down as she collected her composure, growing slightly frustrated with the “cock blocking” that her friend was doing between herself and her work.

“Look,” Kiera began, “We love you and we can see the life being sucked out of your eyes. Working with students is torture, and it sucks your soul out…” Kiera was being incredibly sarcastic and the least bit sympathetic for Allie’s situation during this shirt: “ but we can also see that you are itching for some fun!”

Allie kept her eyes down, but did look up slightly, admitting to herself that Kiera was right. She had been stressed to the MAX since she graduated from nursing school at Johns Hopkins University back in May. While there, she met her two best friends, and brought them with her to the Naval Academy when they graduated. Given Holly’s obsession with military men, she followed without a problem. Kiera however, was a different story.

Kiera was from New York City, growing up in a family of 7 in two, sometimes one, bedroom apartments throughout the area. She was the oldest, and held onto much of the responsibility of keeping house while her parents worked multiple jobs to pay the bills. When she graduated high school, all she wanted to do was get out. She went as far as she could within reason and ended up in the nursing program with Allie. However, after 4 years apart from her family, and the death of her brother, she felt it was her responsibility to go back and help with her other siblings. After a nasty fight with her mom after she moved back, Kiera packed her bags, moved in with Holly, and never looked back. It had been 2 months since she’d heard from any of her family, but it didn’t bother her as much as it used to, since she was with the two people she loved most.

“Please,” Kiera pleaded to Allie, “join us for lunch. It’s only 30 minutes out of your life”.

Allie looked up at Kiera, who had a hint of loneliness and pain in her eyes, nodded and smirked at her. 

All three girls walked out of the lobby and into the connecting wing of the academy, where a small cafe stood in the corner of the large room. The room was a completely open concept with glass walls stretching all three stories. Stairs linked the three stories on the opposite side, with glass paneling that overlooked the cafe area. It was small, only 6 tables scattered the cafe area, each with sets of 2-4 chairs–people moved them around all the time.

Allie and Holly sat down at one of the tables and Kiera went to an empty table, grabbed an unused chair, and brought it over to them. The tables and chairs were gray metal, completely cold due to not being used in awhile. Two Academy students were working in the cafe, dressed in their service khakis with an apron provided by the cafe draped over them.

Kiera bought all three of them coffee, which they all greatly accepted. “So,” Kiera said, breaking the awkward silence that now existed at the table, “What’s the newest update with medical school”?

Kiera and Holly had their eyes glued to Allie, who just responded with a shrug. She had felt defeated recently in regards to that subject. Halfway into the nursing program, Allie got to participate in a field experience in the surgical wing of Sinai Hospital. During that time, she saw a life saving surgery of a little girl that reminded her of herself when she was her age. She got to be part of the team that performed her heart surgery. However, there was a complication with the surgery that was discovered the next day, and the girl died within minutes. That experience changed Allie’s life, and she realized that nursing was not her end goal in healthcare. Since that day, Allie had been studying anatomy and surgical procedures during all of her spare time. She had recently filled out applications to various medical schools in the United States, hoping to be accepted and able to go by this time next year.

Harvard, Stanford, Cambridge, and Oxford all had applications form her headed their way. She wanted to be able to attend a medical school that was not only rigorous, but also an institution. She honestly didn’t care which of the four she was accepted into, but Stanford was her number one. No reason other than that was just the one she gravitated towards the most. Most particularly because it was away from here…this Academy…where she constantly had men breathing down her neck.

The conversation drifted from Allie’s current surgical studies, to Holly’s love interests (of that there were plenty), to Kiera’s dry-spell, which has lasted longer than she cared to admit. Allie finally let out her first genuine smile-filled laugh when the pager, attached to her hip, went off beep, beep-beep, beep. Silence. Beep, beep-beep, beep.

Allie’s face dropped as she was slowly forced back into reality. She was being paged back to the hospital. She checked her pager’s screen to see the message: Student, 23, in need of immediate medical assistance, student-wing, room 1.

Kiera and Holly’s smiles also dropped as they watched their overworked friend get called back into her personal hell. “And just like that,” Kiera began, in an upset tone; “the magic is broken”.

“Well,” Allie said, as she began to get up, “We ain’t no Disneyland”!

“Hey,” Holly said softly, watching her friend, who had a look of dread in her eyes, “Don’t forget about Friday, please?” Holly knew it was inevitable that Allie would cancel, but had high hopes that she would go out with them just this once.

Allie tapped her forehead with her index finger twice, as a way to say ‘it’s in my brain’ as she grabbed her trash and turned towards the hospital. Her friends watched as she strutted out of the cafe, threw her trash away, and went into the hospital wing.

There were flirtatious giggles coming from the two men that were behind the cafe counter. Kiera and Holly looked at them and then back at each other, rolling their eyes in sync at the men’s thoughts that they knew were of Allie as she passed.

“Why can’t that kind of stuff happen to me?” Holly said in desperation.

“Because you give into anything that moves” Kiera replied in a funny tone, making fun of her friends’ tendencies, while also making it clear that it was a joke out of love.

They both got up and started assembling their own trash as they prepared for their afternoon shift with their patients, all of which were recovering from extensive surgeries that happened within the last few days, and one woman that recently had a baby. Although this hospital was located at the Naval Academy, it still was available to the public as it was one of the only hospitals in Annapolis with a solid reputation. It was small, but the surrounding community appreciated having quality care ready for them should they need to go to the emergency room, but it was mainly used for Naval students and staff as well as navalmen and women that were stationed around the area.

Allie stopped at the other nurses station that was at the right wing of the hospital, smiling at another nurse as she handed her a clipboard with this 23-year-old student’s information on it. Allie returned the smile with a slight smirk of her own, even this nurse, who barely knew Allie, knew how much she hated being on the “student shift”.

Allie read through the notes of the student’s medical file as she made her way to room 1 of the hospital;

Name: Bradley Bradshaw

Age: 23

Vitals

Body Temp: 98.2

Pulse Rate: 63

Respiration Rate: 16 Bpm

Blood Pressure: 111/60 mm Hg

Description of Injury: Student was in their flight training course when they smacked their hand on a magnet strip located inside of the cessna. Student has reported a pain level of 3/10, although it is expected to be much higher. Student now has ice on the injury, but it needs to be wrapped. X-Ray showed no signs of broken or fractured bones. Monitor for possible ligament strain.

Allie knocked on the door of room one, as to give her patient a warning that she was about to come in. She pushed the door and held the clipboard to her chest. “Good afternoon Mr. Brad-” she froze in her place as she made eye contact with the man that has single handedly made her life more stressful during this last week and a half.

“Mr. Bradshaw. Or, you could even say Midshipman Bradshaw”. Bradley responded to her, with a flirtatious smirk on his face, sweat forming along his hairline. It was no lie that this outdoor wing of the hospital was known for its low quality air-flow. The summers were miserable in these sticky rooms and the winters left you freezing. Students worked their asses off to make sure that they didn’t get hurt during the extremely hot and extremely cold days, but for some, it was unavoidable. 

“Jesus” Allie muttered under her breath, looking down so she could roll her eyes as she prepared for what was going to be the longest 15 minutes of her life. Utter torture is the best thing she could compare it to.

“What?” Bradley questioned, leaning in so he could hear her better. Although he asked, he knew full well what she said.

Allie raised her eyebrows and put on a fake smirk as she walked over to the counter, putting his chart down and washing her hands. “So,” she began, as she turned off the faucet and shook her hands over the sink before grabbing a handful of paper towels to dry the remaining moisture, “You smashed your hand on a magnet strip inside an airplane?” She sounded a bit unimpressed, and left a tone that was meant to make him feel utterly stupid, which didn’t work. Nothing really hurts his feelings anymore.

“No”. He replied, quickly closing his eyes and shaking his head. Obviously he told a lie, but it was more like a half-truth than a full-on lie. “I mean, yes” he corrected himself. Allie looked at him utterly confused, with a face that one would have when talking to a completely stupid person. “Yes, I hurt my hand, but not by accident.”

“So, you hurt your hand on purpose?” Allie questioned as she threw away the paper towels and sat down in the rolling stool, making her way over to Bradley.

“Yes.” Bradley answered matter of factly. “I needed to see you, and I knew that this was the only wa-”

“You can just stop there!” Allie said back sternly as she placed her fingers on his hand, with the intent to turn it so his palm would be facing up, but something made her stop. Something about his touch made a bolt of electricity fire through her. She quickly let go of his moist hand.

Bradley noticed the change in her demeanor and had a look of curiosity on his face. She gathered her composure and looked up at him, taking note of his complexion. His eyes were a piercing brown, with a hint of hazel. Hers were a brighter hazel, one that would be the next shade up from his if they were on a color palette together. “I’m sorry,” she apologized softly as she went back to grab onto his hand.

“It’s okay,” Bradley responded, slightly uneven, “I don’t bite”. He said, in an attempt to lighten the mood. Allie would never admit it to him, but that joke did amuse her for a brief moment. Allie now had his palm facing up and was examining the swelling that did not look good, at all.

“But you do gamble”. She said, throwing a punch in her words, which stung at Bradley’s heart. 

“Yeah,” Bradley said slowly and cautiously, “about that…”

“Don’t worry about it”. Allie said, stealing a glance up at him before going back to his hand. “You’re not the first one to say that. It was quite unoriginal”.

Allie now rolled her chair over to the cabinets and bent down over the stool, opening a floor cabinet and began rummaging through it, looking for ace wrap. 

“But, it wasn’t even my idea”. Bradley said, with a slight beg in his voice. “It was my roommate Emmett’s, I just went along with it”.

Allie froze in her search, looking up at his leg for a split second before refocusing on the insides of the cabinet, scanning every corner for the wrap that she needed for his hand. She couldn’t explain it, and didn’t want to believe it, but something felt genuine in his voice.

Finally, she found it! She reached far back as she grabbed the substance, closed the cabinet and rolled back over to Bradley. He looked at her with a curious expression, wanting to know everything that was swimming in her brain. 

“I-” He began, before finding himself speechless. How could he not be? In a room with a woman as beautiful as her in it, it was easy to find oneself speechless. “It was just bullshit. I was bullshitting him. I didn’t care about a single outcome of that bet. I just wanted to get to know you. That’s not bullshit.”

Allie was now holding his hand steady as she interlaced his hand with the ace wrap, completely ignoring his explanation on the outside, but fully listening to it on the inside. “You’ll need to keep this completely wrapped for 24 hours, and then just re-wrap it every time you notice the swelling flaring up. Take ibuprofen for the swelling and pain. It should go down within the next few days. I would come back on Monday if it hasn’t. Make sure to ice! Don’t use heat, or the swelling will get worse. And absolutely don’t go putting your hands on medal powerstrips ever again”.

Allie started standing up, when she felt his clean hand hold onto her wrist, “Allie-” He began to plead, but let her go after a second, knowing full well that no amount of begging would satisfy her. 

“Mr. Bradshaw,” she began, with a professional tone in her voice, “Midshipman Bradshaw,” she corrected, remembering what he said 20 minutes earlier. She swallowed hard as she prepared for the next layer of her speech, “I appreciate your care and compassion for the Navy. Your service can never be fully repaid”.

Bradley smirked and nodded his head in thanks as she went on, “But I would like to remind you that I am a nurse, and you are my patient. And we will not have a relationship that goes anywhere beyond that. I would appreciate it if we could continue this relationship professionally whether it be in the hallways or a treatment room. I thank you for your patience and understanding.”

Allie turned her body towards the cabinets when she froze in her tracks, caught off guard by Bradley’s loud laugh. “Oh-my-God!” Bradley managed to say in between laughs, “How many times have you said that?”

Allie was in fumes, upset with his reaction. “You see,” He said, still in a fit of laughter, “Here I am being genuine in my apology, and here you are with the same old bullshit boring speech that you give the ordinary midshipmen”. Bradley was still laughing, but Allie could have nothing more to do with this conversation.

She turned her body and grabbed his chart off the counter, stealing one last glance at him, her face red with rage. Turning her back towards him and heading to the door, she froze again, finding the anger getting the best of her. “Listen here!” She snapped, facing him and letting him have it, “Your ‘apology’ was anything but. An apology is saying “sorry” and all I heard you say was nothing but excuses and vulgar language!” Bradley had stopped laughing and was growing anxious as she was walking towards him, “and don’t even think for a second that you’re anything out of the ordinary ‘Midshipman Bradshaw’. You are completely ordinary! In fact, even the most ordinary of men here have more originality than you! And it’s not at all about the bet! It’s about the fact that a 22 year old man can’t even come up and simply ask me out on a date without having to get his no good, immature, teenage roommate involved! Now there is nothing more bullshit than that!”

Allie stormed out of the room, letting the door slam behind her as she stomped through the pavement, halfway between room 1 and the sliding glass doors of the hospital, she slowed her pace and then quickly came to a complete halt.

What did I just do? She thought to herself, completely embarrassed about her lack of professionalism. Had she just put her entire future at risk? Her job? Her security blanket? But more importantly, did she just admit that she wanted Bradley to ask her out on a date? She didn’t mean it the way it came out. She wasn’t interested! At all! But would going out with him be so bad? And if he didn’t fuck up and just asked the normal way, would she have said no?

Of course I would have! She answered her thoughts. I would have rejected him just as hard as I’ve rejected others in the academy. She didn’t care that he was much older and more mature than plenty of the other ‘ya-who’s’ on campus. Before she knew it, she was storming back to room 1, throwing the door open, and finding Bradley in the same position that she left him in–paralyzed with shock on the chair that was next to the exam table.

She looked at him, and he looked at her. She was covered in anger and he was completely flabbergasted. No one knew what to say.

“If that wasn’t bullshit, what was I wearing?” She demanded to know. His eyes squinted in confusion, his lips parted on his smooth shaven face.

“The night we met,” she answered, reading his mind. “What was I wearing?”

She stood above him like a queen looking down on the poorest of peasants, knowing the full power she had over him in this moment. She had got him in his own game! From her experience, any man that ever wanted to sleep with her only noticed two things, her eyes, and the shape of her perky breasts. And he was about to be caught red-handed in the same league as those ‘ordinary’ assholes that she has fought against for years. 

Bradley looked down, adjusting his shoes and tying a lace that had gotten loose. She watched as he did this, finally noticing that he was wearing the camo pants of his working uniform and a black skin tight shirt that was showing off the muscles that he had begun forming, they were still underdeveloped, but further along than any other midshipman that she had seen on base.

He sniffled and stood up, keeping his head down as he answered her question, “You were wearing a red dress with white flowers printed all over them. It was loose, and swayed in the breeze that hit you on the dock. Your hair was out of your regular ponytail, curled more than it is now. You had on an anklet that showed in the sunlight, and later on I saw that you had on a locket. It had an “A” printed on it. Your toes were painted a light pink. It was the same color as your nails. And you had white sandals that you carried instead of wore. And studs in your ears that were opals'' Bradley was now at her shoulder as he looked down at her, a complete shift in the power…now he was the king and she was the peasant. She held a flabbergasted expression on her face.

He didn’t say anything else, slowly walking towards the door, “Thank you for the care, nurse Campbell.” he said to her as he left the room, proving he knew another detail of her life–taking the time to learn her full name rather than her bra size.

Allie stood there in shock, focusing on nothing but breathing as she reached into the neck of her scrubs and pulled out the golden locket that was attached to a golden chain. She rubbed her thumb against the “A” that was on the face of the heart. She kept her gaze forward as she regained her composure.

She knew that she made a lot of solid points, and that her analysis of this man was legit. He was less than ordinary, and a complete ass, but she was wrong about one thing… it wasn’t all bullshit.