#tb: pressure point

[augustusaugustus]

15.24 Pressure Point

DEAKIN: You’ve got to make up your mind whether you actually want to be a good copper… or whether you just want people to think you’re one.

A great Tom episode, with him continuing to feel on the outer and making some questionable choices in his quest to be noticed. Chris, Don and John all try to be good mentors, which was nice—although trying to follow John’s advice turns out about as well as you’d think. It’s good how it emphasises the fact that Tom’s biggest strength is that he’s a kind and ethical person (as well as rather nerdy when it comes to random knowledge) which in itself is a reason for him not to fit easily into the CID team. And also a reason for him to cock things up when he tries to play by other people’s rules in the hope of impressing them. He’s only in his mid-twenties—a baby in CID terms—and I think the others should take that into account more.

Oh, and Ged Simmons in his third and final guest appearance before becoming Alex Cullen in s16.

[ursula-legun]

woke up this "morning" (i.e. before 2pm) feeling somewhat better but then started to cough up blood just as i got out of bed. mildly spiraled for a minute b/c the local urgent/emergency rooms are too packed to function and all my EMT training has for bloody sputum is O2 and transport (just like everything else, lol.)

spent like an hour calling different phone trees and looking at my old textbooks to figure out if A) there was somewhere that could see me today (no) or B) if I had forgotten any differential diagnosis type shit from school (also no), before i blew my nose and realized that. i had developed a bloody nose overnight and not realized. teehee

[greylittlebird]

Criston Cole has to be one of the most willfully misunderstood characters istg. TBs still pretend every single thing he does is “because he’s mad Rhaenyra rejected him”. First of all, he’s been completely, borderline-worshipfully in love with Alicent for decades at this point, acting like he still wants Rhaenyra and nothing has changed is ridiculous. Secondly, he wasn’t “mad” because Rhaenyra “rejected” him. I think none of you actually used your listening ears during the scene where he’s asking her to run away with him, he wasn’t asking because he was obsessively in love with her, he was asking as a desperate last-ditch effort to restore his honor. Criston wasn’t just born to power and status, he had to work to become the best of the best to be able to reach even a teeny tiny fraction of what Rhaenyra was born into and he didn’t want to lose it.

Thirdly, Criston didn’t even want to break his vows to begin with and was essentially sexually assaulted by Rhaenyra. She may have been young but she was indisputably in power, she chose Criston for his position and with one word she could have him dismissed from his position, tortured, mutilated, executed, or some combination thereof. No, she didn’t threaten to do any of that but that is how big the power difference is and that’s worth considering when Criston said “No” several times both with his words and actions and Rhaenyra kept pushing even to the point of blocking the door. Ignoring someone’s “No”s until they finally relent is not consent especially not when you are in a gross imbalance of power. It’s honestly disturbing that anyone watched that scene and wasn’t disturbed, the first time I watched it I was like “Ew, this is assault”. She’s acting playful but he is not, he genuinely wanted her to stop and she didn’t. It’s very gross.

So, to recap, Rhaenyra was so selfish that she pushed and pushed Criston into a situation where he broke his vows and risked getting tortured, castrated, and executed with not a single thought to the risk she was putting him in nor the mental toll of breaking his vows, all so she could get off after she didn’t “finish” with Daemon. And then she expected him to be happy to be nothing but her beck and call whore - which shows she didn’t understand or respect him at all as a human being. Rhaenyra was the only one who was acting entitled to sex and treating people as nothing but sex objects in this situation. Criston is more than justified in calling her a “spoiled cunt” after she pushed him into a full mental breakdown where he was to the brink of suicide with her selfish, exploitative behavior.

I know this is a bit trite but seriously, if the roles were reversed and it was a Prince who blocked the door until a servant girl had sex with him and then when she asked “So will you at least treat me like a real partner and give me some sense of dignity?” he went “No lol, I just want you as a whore to fuck whenever I want with no regard for the consequences to you”. And then she tried to kill herself out of shame and self-hatred for what he’d pressured her into doing. I don’t think anyone would be calling that girl a cringe obsessed incel.

[the-winter-spider]

Under Pressure | Part 3

Modern!Bucky x reader AU

Word Count:3.8k

Warnings: Mentions of su!cide attempt, depression, angst

A/N: TB to when this was suppose to only be one long ass cliff hanger fic lol

Masterpost

----

The flashing red and blue lights from the emergency vehicles cast harsh, flickering shadows through the window. The apartment felt heavy, suffocatingly silent except for the muffled voices of police officers speaking quietly near the door.

Sam took the stairs two at a time, his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel the weight of dread pressing down on him, cold and unforgiving, all the what ifs racing through his mind. When he reached your door, he froze for half a second, taking in the scene—the paramedics gone, the cops now lingering, and Bucky.

Bucky was sitting on your couch, his head bowed, his elbows braced on his knees. His hands were clasped together so tightly they were shaking, his knuckles white. He didn’t look up when Sam stepped inside.

“Buck,” Sam said, his voice hesitant, already cracking.

Slowly, Bucky turned his head, his red-rimmed eyes meeting Sam’s. They were hollow, haunted, like he wasn’t entirely there, looking at him like you were no longer here.

“No, no, no,” Sam muttered under his breath, panic creeping into his voice as he moved toward him.

Bucky’s face crumpled, and he buried it in his hands, a sound breaking out of him that Sam had never heard before. It wasn’t a sob; it was deeper, more guttural, like the sound of someone being torn apart.

Sam’s stomach dropped, his legs shaky as he turned to one of the officers. “Where is she?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

The cop opened his mouth to respond, but Sam couldn’t hear him. His own heartbeat was too loud, a deafening thrum in his ears. He stumbled closer, his voice louder this time, more desperate. “Where is she? Is she alive?”

One of the officers, a woman with a calm but tired demeanor, stepped forward. “Yes,” she said firmly. “She’s alive. The paramedics got her heart beating again before they transported her to the hospital.”

Sam’s knees nearly buckled as the tension in his body released slightly. He turned back to Bucky, whose head was still in his hands. “She’s alive, man,” Sam said, his voice shaking. “You hear that? She’s alive.”

Bucky nodded faintly, but it was like he couldn’t fully absorb the words. He just stared at the floor, tears streaking down his face.

Sam sank onto the couch beside him, leaning forward to catch his breath. “Can we have a minute?” he asked the officers, his voice raw.

The female officer nodded. “We have everything we need. We’ll be outside to make sure the apartment gets locked up before you leave.” She paused, her voice softening. “Fifteen minutes.”

Sam nodded, pulling out his phone with trembling hands and sending a quick text to Steve:

Sam: Code red. Something happened to y/n. Meet us at the ER..

He turned to Bucky, who still hadn’t moved. Sam hesitated for a moment, then pulled him into a hug, wrapping his arms tightly around his friend. Bucky didn’t react at first, but then he let out a broken sob, clinging to Sam like he was the only thing keeping him grounded.

“What happened, Buck?” Sam asked gently, his voice low but steady.

Bucky pulled back slightly, his hands shaking as he gestured toward the floor. “She was there,” he said, his voice trembling. “Right there.” His finger pointed to the spot where the paramedics had worked on you. “She was gone. She… she was dead, Sam. I saw her, she was dead…she died.”

Sam’s throat tightened, his eyes darting to the empty pill bottle sitting on the coffee table. He felt like the air had been sucked out of the room.

“Was it…?” Sam started, his voice faltering. “Was it an attempt?”

Bucky shook his head violently, his jaw clenching as he tried to force the words out. “It wasn’t an attempt,” he said bitterly, his voice cracking. “She was successful.” His shoulders shook as another sob broke free. “She was gone, Sam. They—they were gonna call it.”

Sam’s chest tightened painfully, tears burning in his eyes as he stared at his friend. “Oh, my God.”

“I made them try again,” Bucky said, his voice barely above a whisper. His hands trembled as he gripped his knees. “I begged them. Told them to go one more time. Just one more. And they… they brought her back. But, Sam, I…” He choked on his words, shaking his head. “I lost her. She was gone.”

Sam reached out, gripping Bucky’s shoulder tightly. “She’s not gone, Buck. She’s alive.”

Bucky’s breath hitched, his tears falling harder. “But she doesn’t want to be! What if she…” He trailed off, his voice breaking completely.

Sam’s own tears slipped down his cheeks as he shook his head. “We’re not gonna let that happen,” he said firmly. “We’re gonna be there for her. Every step of the way.”

Bucky nodded weakly, his shoulders slumping as he leaned into Sam’s side, utterly spent.

The two of them sat in silence for a moment, the weight of everything pressing down on them. The apartment was quiet now, the flashing lights from outside casting eerie patterns across the walls.

----

The fluorescent lights of the hospital waiting room buzzed faintly, casting a cold, sterile glow over the space. The chairs were stiff and uncomfortable, arranged in neat rows that felt far too orderly for the chaos swirling in Bucky’s mind.

He sat slumped forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his head bowed as his hands fidgeted with a fraying thread on his jeans. His breathing was shallow, fast, his shoulders tight with tension. Every now and then, he glanced at the doors leading to the emergency ward, willing someone to walk through them and tell him you were okay. He hoped that maybe this would just be some sick nightmare because that's what it felt like.

Sam sat beside him, quiet but not calm, his knee bouncing restlessly as he stared at the floor. He kept glancing at Bucky, unsure if he should say something, do something, but the sheer anguish radiating from his friend made him hesitate. Sam was crushed, you were one of his best friends, he knew he should have tried more but at the same time he felt like he had. He kept replaying all the most recent moments he had spent with you, analyzing everything, how could he have not noticed any of the signs, he was trained to look for the signs.

The sound of hurried footsteps pulled Sam’s attention, and he looked up to see Steve and Natasha rushing into the waiting room. Natasha’s red hair was slightly disheveled, her face pale and pinched with worry, while Steve’s brows were furrowed in confusion and concern.

“Bucky!” Steve called, his voice sharp as his eyes scanned his friend. “Sam! What the hell is going on? What happened? Was she in an accident?”

Bucky didn’t look up. He didn’t even flinch at Steve’s voice. He stayed hunched over, his jaw clenched tightly.

Sam cleared his throat, his voice shaky as he tried to find the right words. “No,” he said quietly, his gaze dropping to the floor.

“Then what?” Steve demanded, his frustration and fear mounting. “What happened? Why are we here?”

Sam hesitated, glancing at Bucky before looking back at Steve. His throat tightened as the words clawed their way out. “You remember high school? When Bucky told us Y/N… got sad? Like, really sad? And sometimes…” His voice cracked, and he swallowed hard, forcing himself to continue. “She didn’t wanna be alive anymore?”

Steve’s expression shifted instantly, his eyes widening as the memory slammed into him. “Yeah, I remember,” he said, his voice low, almost a whisper. “But she was getting better, right? She was…” He trailed off, his gaze darting between Sam and Bucky, desperate for reassurance. “She was getting better. Right?”

Sam’s lips quivered, and he shook his head slightly, the weight of his next words crushing him. “She tried to, Steve,” he said, his voice breaking. “She tried to.”

Steve froze, his face contorting with a mix of shock and disbelief. “What?” he breathed, his voice barely audible. “I… I need to hear it, Sam. Tell me what happened.”

Sam looked over at Bucky, who still hadn’t moved. His face was blank, but his knuckles were white as he gripped the edge of his jeans.

“She tried to take her life,” Sam said finally, his voice trembling with the effort it took to say the words.

“No,” Natasha whispered, her voice breaking as she shook her head violently. “No, no, no. She wouldn’t…”

“She did,” Bucky said suddenly, his voice sharp and bitter as he lifted his head. His eyes were bloodshot, his expression filled with anger and pain. “And you’re shocked? Really? After what you said to her? After the way you dismissed her?”

Natasha flinched as if she’d been slapped. “Bucky—”

“No!” he snapped, standing abruptly. His voice was louder now, filled with years of pent-up frustration and guilt. “You told her you didn’t want to be her friend anymore because she couldn’t show up for you. You told her she wasn’t there for your brightest moments, and then you walked away. You fucking walked away. We all walked away!” ”

“Bucky, stop, it's no one's fault, we couldn’t have seen it coming.” Steve said, his voice calm but firm, stepping forward, but Bucky turned on him too, his chest heaving.

“Are you kidding me? We're all at fault! Were shitty fucking friends!” Bucky shouted, his voice breaking as he pointed toward the emergency doors. “None of us saw it coming because we were all too busy pretending she was fine!”

Sam stood, placing a hand on Bucky’s shoulder. “Bucky, stop,” he said softly, his own voice thick with emotion. “She wouldn’t want us turning on each other.”

Bucky let out a bitter, hollow laugh, his shoulders shaking. “She didn’t want any of this, Sam! She didn’t want life, and she didn’t want us. She wanted to leave, and she almost—” His voice cracked, and he turned away, running a hand down his face as tears spilled over.

Natasha stepped forward, tears streaming down her cheeks as she looked at Bucky. “Where is she?” she asked, her voice trembling. “What exactly happened?”

Bucky didn’t turn around. His hands gripped the back of one of the waiting room chairs so tightly it creaked under the pressure.

“They worked on her,” he said, his voice hollow. “She was gone. Right there on her living room floor.” He gestured toward the floor as if he were still standing in your apartment. “She was dead, Nat. I begged them to try one more time, and they did, and… and she came back.”

Natasha’s hand flew to her mouth, a muffled sob escaping as she stumbled back into Steve’s arms.

Steve held her tightly, his own tears pooling in his eyes as he looked at Bucky. “So she’s alive?” he asked, his voice unsteady.

Bucky nodded, his back still to them. “She’s alive. Barely.”

The room fell silent, the weight of his words settling over them like a storm cloud. No one spoke for a long moment, the only sound the faint hum of hospital machinery in the distance.

Finally, Sam cleared his throat, his voice steady but quiet. “We’re here now. For her. For each other. We’ll figure this out. Together.”

Bucky didn’t respond. He just nodded, his shoulders slumping as he sank back into the chair. His hands shook as he rubbed his face, the weight of everything pressing down on him like a vice.

The waiting room was thick with tension, Bucky sat slumped in his chair, his head in his hands, tears streaking down his face as he tried to hold himself together. Sam sat beside him, occasionally glancing toward the emergency doors, his leg bouncing nervously. Steve and Natasha were across from them, Natasha’s hands clasped tightly in her lap, her knuckles white as her nails dug into her palms.

When the door finally opened, all four of them looked up simultaneously, their breath hitching as a doctor stepped inside. The doctor was a middle-aged man with a kind but exhausted expression, his white coat slightly wrinkled, a clipboard tucked under one arm.

“Bucky Barnes?” he asked, glancing around the room.

Bucky’s heart stopped for a moment before he slowly raised his hand. “That’s me,” he said, his voice hoarse from crying.

The doctor nodded, stepping closer. “You’re listed as Y/N’s emergency contact.”

Bucky’s stomach twisted at those words, his mind racing. He managed a faint nod. “How… how is she?” he asked, his voice shaking.

The doctor let out a slow breath, his expression calm but serious. “She’s stable,” he said carefully. “But it was touch and go for a while. We lost her a few times… one of those times was for over two minutes. But she has a stable heartbeat now, and she’s breathing on her own.”

Relief crashed over the group like a wave, but it was short-lived as the doctor’s somber tone lingered.

“Is she going to be okay?” Sam asked, his voice tentative.

The doctor sighed, his gaze heavy. “It’s difficult to say. Every situation like this is unique, and every individual responds differently. We’re not sure what the long-term effects will be, if any. Losing oxygen for even a couple of minutes can cause brain damage. Right now, it’s impossible to know.”

Natasha let out a shaky breath, her hand flying to her mouth as tears spilled from her eyes.

“And from a psychological standpoint…” The doctor hesitated, his gaze softening. “When patients wake up after an attempt, their reactions can vary greatly. Some experience extreme distress or hysterics and require heavy monitoring. Others find a renewed meaning in life. And… some don’t wake up at all.”

Bucky leaned back in his chair, his chest heaving as fresh tears rolled down his cheeks. He rubbed his hands over his face, trying and failing to steady his breathing.

“We have to stay optimistic,” the doctor added gently. “She’s alive, and she’s fighting. That’s what matters right now.”

Sam nodded, swallowing hard. “Can we see her?”

The doctor gave a small smile. “Of course. I’ll take you to her room.”

They stood as one, following the doctor down the long, sterile hallway. The beeping of monitors and the faint hum of machinery grew louder as they approached the ICU. When they reached your room, the doctor pushed the door open and stepped aside to let them in.

The sight of you stole the breath from their lungs.

You were lying in the hospital bed, pale and still, your lips tinged with a faint bluish hue. Wires and tubes were connected to your body, machines beeping steadily to monitor your vitals. You looked lifeless, and for a moment, it was hard to believe the doctor’s words—She’s stable. She’s alive.

The doctor cleared his throat softly. “I’ll give you some time,” he said, his voice kind, before stepping out and closing the door behind him.

For a moment, no one moved. The weight of the moment pressed down on them, suffocating and unrelenting.

Bucky broke first.

He crumpled into the chair beside your bed, his face burying in his hands as sobs wracked his body. His shoulders shook violently, and the sound of his crying filled the small room. “This is all my fault..”

Sam crouched beside him, his hand resting on Bucky’s back. “Buck,” he said softly, his own voice thick with emotion. “It’s not your fault, man.”

Bucky shook his head, his hands gripping his hair. “I should’ve been there,” he choked out. “Why wasn’t I there? Why did I leave her alone?”

“Bucky, stop,” Steve said gently, stepping forward. “You can’t blame yourself for this”

Bucky’s head snapped up, his tear-streaked face twisted in anguish. “She told me to go, and I did, I left her! I knew she was getting bad again, I knew! I knew…”

“Buck—” Sam started, but Bucky cut him off, his voice rising in desperation.

“I love her,” he said, the words spilling out like a confession, raw and unfiltered. “I love her, and I never told her. And now she might leave without knowing. She might leave without ever knowing how much I love her.”

Natasha stepped forward, tears streaming down her face. “We all love her, Bucky,” she said softly, her voice shaking. “We’re all here for her.”

“No, you don’t get it!” Bucky snapped, standing abruptly and pacing the small space. His hands were shaking, his chest heaving as he struggled to get the words out. “I don’t just love her. I’m in love with her. I’ve always been in love with her. And now I might never get the chance to tell her. I love her so much.."

The room fell silent, his confession hanging heavy in the air.

Bucky turned back to the bed, his knees buckling as he sank into the chair again. He reached out, his trembling hand brushing against yours where it rested limply on the bed.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. Please don’t leave. Please wake up. I need you to wake up.”

His tears fell onto your hand as he gripped it tightly, his head bowed as he cried. The others stood quietly, their own tears falling as they watched the man who had always been their rock crumble under the weight of his grief.

And in the suffocating silence of the room, they waited.

---

The bass from the club’s speakers vibrated through the floor, the air thick with the smell of sweat, spilled drinks, and perfume. The neon lights pulsed in time with the music, casting flashes of pink and blue across the packed dance floor. You were pressed against the bar with Steve, Natasha, and Sam, all of you laughing and slightly tipsy, the heat of the club buzzing in your veins.

Natasha leaned in close, her red hair glowing under the club lights. “I can’t believe you didn’t want to celebrate your birthday!” she yelled over the music, grinning as she waved at the bartender. “This is the best idea we’ve had in forever!”

You rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t stop the smile spreading across your face. “You dragged me here!” you shouted back, laughing as Steve handed you a drink.

“And you’re welcome!” Natasha quipped, smirking as she threw her arm around you.

The DJ’s voice suddenly boomed over the music, catching your attention. “Alright, alright, alright! We’ve got a special shoutout tonight!”

Your stomach dropped, and you immediately turned to Natasha, your eyes narrowing. “What did you do?”

“Not me but..” Natasha grinned wickedly, handing you a shot. “You’re gonna need this,” she said, her tone gleeful.

“Wait, wait—” you started, but the DJ’s voice interrupted.

“We’ve got a birthday girl in the house! Y/N, this one’s for you baby!”

The crowd erupted into cheers and whistles, strangers clapping and screaming like they all knew you personally.

“Oh my God,” you groaned, throwing back the shot Natasha had handed you. The burn hit your throat just as the opening notes of Under Pressure blared through the speakers.

“No. No, no, no,” you said, shaking your head and laughing in disbelief. “Where is Bucky?”

As if on cue, you spotted him weaving through the crowd, a huge grin plastered across his face, his eyes shining with excitement. His hair was a little messy, his shirt slightly damp from the heat of the club, but he looked like he didn’t have a care in the world.

“Bucky, you didn’t!” you yelled as he reached you, your laughter bubbling over.

“Of course I did! It's our song!” he shouted back, grabbing your hand. “C’mon, birthday girl!”

Before you could protest, he was pulling you toward the middle of the dance floor. The crowd seemed to part for him, the sweaty bodies making just enough room for the two of you.

As the iconic beat dropped, the two of you threw your heads back and screamed out the lyrics, your voices barely audible over the music but full of pure joy.

“Pressure, pushing down on me…”

Bucky’s hand never left yours, spinning you around as you both jumped and danced wildly, laughing so hard you could barely catch your breath. Every so often, he’d lean in close to shout a particularly dramatic lyric, his smile so big it made your chest ache with happiness.

By the time the song ended, both of you were panting, your faces flushed from the exertion and the heat of the club. The crowd around you roared with approval, and for a moment, it was just the two of you standing there, grinning at each other like idiots.

Bucky’s expression shifted slightly, his smile softening as his eyes searched yours. The noise of the club seemed to fade into the background, and for a split second, the world felt still.

“Hey, um” he said, his voice quieter now, barely audible over the next song. “I—”

“What?” you asked, leaning closer to hear him.

He opened his mouth to speak again, but before he could, Sam appeared out of nowhere, throwing his arm around your shoulders.

“Birthday shots, let’s go!” Sam shouted, steering you back toward the bar with a wide grin.

You giggled, letting Sam guide you through the crowd, but you glanced back at Bucky over your shoulder. He was still standing there, watching you leave, his hand hanging in the air like he’d been about to reach for you.

For a moment, he just stood there, his lips parting slightly before he whispered to himself, “I love you.”

You stopped, turning to look at him with a laugh. “Are you coming?”

Bucky’s face broke into a soft smile, the kind that made your heart flutter in a way you didn’t want to analyze.

“With you? Anywhere,” he said, weaving through the crowd to catch up with you.

As he reached your side, his hand brushed against yours, lingering for just a moment longer than necessary. As the night went on, filled with shots, laughter, and dancing, that moment stayed with him, etched into his memory like a perfect snapshot of a life he didn’t want to imagine without you.

[covid-safer-hotties]

NHS warns of potential 'quad-demic' as flu, norovirus, Covid and RSV cases on the rise - published Dec 5, 2024

Last year they feared a "triple-demic." This year they fear a "quad-demic." Do y'all have to face "quint-" or "sept-demic" before you start masking up to keep airborne diseases from spreading in public places?

Fears of a potential "quad-demic" are rising, with a 350% increase in flu cases and an 86% rise in norovirus cases in hospitals compared to the same week last year, the NHS England has said.

The health service has said it is "busier than it has ever been before" this winter, with cases of Covid-19 and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) also increasing in hospital wards.

Those who are eligible, and NHS staff, are being urged to get their vaccinations without delay as virus levels rise, with pressure on hospitals expected to increase further over the coming weeks.

So, how bad are the difficulties faced by the NHS this winter? Here, ITV News takes a look at the latest figures.

What is a quad-demic?

A quad-demic is a way of describing the co-circulation of four "very common viruses" at this time of year – influenza virus, RSV, coronavirus and norovirus.

"The first three are respiratory viruses – they cause colds and more severe diseases of the lung; norovirus causes diarrhoea and vomiting," John Tregoning, a professor in vaccine immunology at Imperial College London, told ITV News.

"They are what are known as endemic viruses – there is low level circulation of them most of the time, as opposed to pandemics which are the massive outbreaks."

"Viral infections are more common in winter. They tend to peak in the last four weeks of one year and the first four weeks of the following one," he added.

How much are cases rising this winter?

New weekly figures, published for the first time this year, show a 350% increase in flu cases, and an 89% rise in norovirus cases in hospitals compared to the same week last year.

Rising Covid-19 and RSV levels are also a concern, with an average of 1,390 patients with Covid in hospital beds each day last week, and 142 children in hospital each day with RSV.

The NHS says the latest data shows it is going into winter under more pressure than ever before, with an average of 1,099 people in hospital with flu every day last week compared to 243 in the same week last year – the highest number of cases heading into winter for at least three years.

"We are still only at the start of December, so we expect pressure to increase and there is a long winter ahead of us," said NHS national medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis.

“For a while there have been warnings of a ‘tripledemic’ of Covid, flu and RSV this winter, but with rising cases of norovirus this could fast become a ‘quad-demic’ so it’s important that if you haven’t had your Covid or flu jab to follow the lead of millions of others and come forward and get protected as soon as possible," he added.

New figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) also show tuberculosis (TB) levels in England increased by 11% last year, with 4,855 notifications of the disease in 2023, up from 4,380 in 2022.

How much pressure are ambulance services under?

Pressure on ambulance service is "incredibly high", the NHS said. The service transported 90,514 patients to hospitals in England last week, compared to 83,873 during the same period in 2023.

Meanwhile, 35,022 hours were lost to handover delays, up 87% from 18,703 this time last year. There were 413,426 calls to NHS 111 last week – with 73.1% answered within a minute, up 4.4% up on last year.

How crowded are hospitals?

An average of 96,587 adult general and acute hospital beds in England were occupied each day last week, the NHS has said, which is more than at this point in any other year.

The health service warns this could increase in the coming weeks, with problems discharging patients who no longer need to be in hospital continuing to have an impact on capacity.

An average of 11,969 beds each day last week were occupied by patients who were ready for discharge, taking up one in eight of all occupied adult beds.

Patricia Marquis, executive director for England for the Royal College of Nursing, said: “There is barely a spare bed in our NHS, with sky-high flu admissions and thousands stuck in hospital unable to be discharged due to a lack of capacity in social care.

“Before the cold weather hits, nursing staff and patients are desperately worried about what the coming weeks and months may bring.” Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers, said: “Services are already feeling the strain from a worrying spike in nasty winter bugs and bad weather.

"Flu, norovirus, RSV and Covid-19 are piling the pressure on already stretched services and staff, and this is likely to get worse as we head into the depths of winter."

In addition to high bed occupancy and a lag in hospital discharges, Ms Cordery warned social care and community services are "also under relentless pressure".

What are the NHS and government doing about this?

The NHS has put measures in place to manage extra demand during winter, including an upgrade of its 24-hour live data centres, strengthening same-day emergency care and offering more fall services for older people.

In September, an independent review by Lord Darzi warned years of underinvestment have left the NHS with an ageing estate and outdated tech, making it harder for staff to deliver the best possible care. The government and NHS are now engaging the public, patients and staff in the biggest-ever conversation about the health service.

More than 1.1 million separate visits have been made to Change.nhs.uk, with almost 9,000 ideas now live as part of the 10 Year Health Plan, which aims to deliver an NHS fit for the future.

Professor Powis said services like urgent treatment centres – an alternative to A&E where people are treated for more minor injuries and illnesses that GPs cannot address – and same-day emergency care will be "important this winter" in order to relieve pressure on hospitals.

“As always, the public have an important part to play in helping NHS staff over winter by, as ever, calling 999 in an emergency and using the NHS 111 service through the NHS App, online or phone, for advice on how to access the right support for non-emergency health needs," he added.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “We inherited an NHS that is broken but not beaten, and staff are already working hard to tackle an increase in admissions this winter. “We’re backing them with an extra £26 billion secured in the recent Budget and we’ve already resolved the industrial action to ensure A&Es will be strike-free for the first time in three years. “For too long, an annual winter crisis has become the norm. We will deliver long-term reforms through our 10 Year Health Plan that will create a health service that will be there for all of us all year round."

Streeting also encouraged anyone who is eligible to join the 27 million people who have already come forward to receive their flu, RSV and Covid jabs, claiming this is the "best way to protect yourself this winter".

Why are people at a bigger risk of infection during the winter period?

“Infection is a complex mixture of factors a lot of which is down to good or bad luck," said Professor Tregoning. "There are a mixture of behavioural, immunological and virological reasons.

"The simplest, and probably main reason is that in the winter, people will be closer together in confined spaces – in summer you might meet friends for a picnic in winter its more likely to be in your house. This close proximity accelerates the spread of viruses.

"We also, in the UK, have less exposure to the sun in the winter, and there is some level of protection provided by vitamin D. Infections can also happen more when we are tired or run down, and the winter months being colder may in some way leave our bodies a bit more exhausted tipping the balance in the favour of the virus.

"The winter party season may also contribute some spread if people are more run down and also mixing more closely."

Professor Tregoning added that viruses tend to travel in droplets, which are coughed or sneezed up, which evaporate more quickly during the summer, meaning the virus dries out and becomes less infectious.

However, there is some debate over exactly what makes infections more common at the end of the year, according to Paul Hunter, professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia.

He expresses doubt over low vitamin D levels being a significant factor, and says research he has been carrying out with colleagues suggests increased contact between people "doesn't have a great impact" on R0 (the basic reproduction number) to make an infection seasonal.

The drying of nasal membranes due to drier winter air can make it "easier for the virus to infect the lining cells", Prof Hunter added.

What precautions can people take?

Professor Tregoning advised people to follow the same guidance as during the Covid-19 pandemic – hands, face, space.

"Hand washing – particularly for norovirus, but also for the respiratory viruses will slow spread. Wearing masks (properly and using a proper mask) can reduce spread of respiratory viruses," he said.

"If you are feeling ill, reduce contact with other people, where possible. But this is not to say don’t mix with people, being sociable is equally important for our health. Meet in well ventilated spaces if possible."

“And if you are at risk get vaccinated. There are vaccines available for three out of four of the quad-demic. “One really exciting new innovation is that mothers can protect their children by getting an RSV vaccine during pregnancy. RSV is a really horrible disease in children, it leads to hospitalisation of tiny babies. You can give your baby the best possible start in life."

Professor Hunter added: “For most people, it would be very difficult to know whether you had flu, Covid or RSV. Norovirus is very distinct.

"In the early stages of illness it may not be clear how severe the illness may become, but it's best to stay at home, drink plenty and rest until you are feeling better. If needed take medicines like paracetamol or ibuprofen or throat lozenges. If I have a bad throat I tend to make a drink with hot water, lemon and honey and sometimes I add whisky."

[daenerys-apolog1st]

Team Green is so fucking delusional, I swear, but what’s new?

First of all, there ARE thousands of smallfolk on Dragonstone, that’s literally the point. Dragonstone is the seat of the heir to the throne, where they’re meant to rule a populated island in preparation for them ruling the Seven Kingdoms, kind of like a practice run and a test of their skills before they actually rule. Just because the writers of HotD ignore all the political intricacies and world building of asoiaf- (political intricacies and world building that made GoT so popular, I might add) -in favor of “cooler” action scenes and “blah blah blah Rhaenicent” doesn’t make it any less true.

And Team Green forgets, or likely ignores since it contradicts their “TG cares about family” bullshit, but Aegon and Helaena- (Jaehaerys’ PARENTS) -literally didn’t want the funeral to happen.

Otto outright TELLS US ON SCREEN that the reason they’re doing it is to garner sympathy and turn people away from the Blacks- (which is why the announcer is saying “behold the work of Rhaenyra the Cruel” rather than a eulogy or anything about Jaehaerys) -and then we see both Aegon and Helaena oppose that, only to get steamrolled by Otto and Alicent. Helaena says she doesn’t want to grieve in front of the smallfolk, but then Alicent pressures her before trying to cover her ass about Criston. Aegon literally states outright that he doesn’t want his son’s body dragged through the streets and looks to Alicent for help, but she ignores him and—by how Otto acts in that scene—we can assume that Otto pushed until he got his way or simply did it without Aegon’s consent.

They likely WANTED a private funeral like Rhaenyra had, but unlike Rhaenyra- (who was surrounded by people who actually cared about her and Lucaerys, which is why we don’t get “behold the work of Aegon the Cruel” and using her son’s body as a political pawn) -Aegon and Helaena were surrounded by people who cared more about power than their actual family, despite what TG would have you think.

As for Team Black supposedly “not caring about the smallfolk like Team Green,” where’s the damn proof?

Rhaenyra getting mad and making a petulant comment at seventeen after watching a play they held making fun of an insecurity she’s had for years? Daemon killing a random guy as a body double for Laenor in a scene that doesn’t exist in the books? Rhaenys making her entrance at Aegon’s coronation in another scene that never happens in the books? The dragonseed scene which, again, NEVER HAPPENS IN THE BOOKS?

At this point, the show is basically fan fiction and I’m gonna treat it as such- (but with much less respect tbh) -because say what you will about F&B being a “biased history book,” but y’all know damn well that the Maesters would’ve JUMPED at the chance to talk all about how terrible TB was if any of that shit had actually happened.

But hey, if TG wants to use it as evidence in their arguments, so can I!

Did TG care about the smallfolk when Aegon raped a serving girl and Alicent threatened her into silence? Did TG care about the smallfolk when they started a war they knew damn well would result in the deaths and suffering of smallfolk? Did TG care about the smallfolk when Aegon killed all the rat catchers, including innocent people who didn’t do anything? Did TG care about the smallfolk when they spent money on lavish feasts for themselves while the smallfolk of King’s Landing starved?

And that’s not even including anything from the books, in which they—unsurprisingly—murder smallfolk on a much bigger scale, like Aemond burning the Riverlands.

But hey, Team Green is “team smallfolk,” right?

Call me crazy but I’m not gonna take a single scene where Aegon is nice to a peasant who is ACTIVELY STROKING HIS EGO as evidence of him and his side giving a damn about the smallfolk when everything else they do is in opposition to that.

And, not for nothing, but Rhaenyra was said to have charmed and earned the love of the smallfolk in the books, who quite literally went to FIGHT and DIE for her—not to mention that it’s someone from TEAM BLACK in the books who points out the fact that smallfolk are dying and that that’s a bad thing:

“I’ll have no songs about how brave you died, Kingmaker. There’s tens o’ thousands dead on your account.” — Plate Longleaf to Criston Cole

So like…yeah.

I’m not gonna sit here and say that Rhaenyra and co. were out on the streets handing out soup to the homeless or had plans of turning KL into a classless communist utopia or whatever, but let’s not pretend that Team Green was any better.

And if either side is “team smallfolk” it’s not the ones who started a war over greed, knowing how badly it would harm the people of the realm 🤷‍♀️

[verycleverboy]

The Health Consequences of Being Led By The Stupidest Man Who Ever Lived

An old bacterial foe has been making itself very cozy in Kansas. Local health officials reported this month that the state is in the midst of a large outbreak of tuberculosis—reportedly now the largest outbreak of the disease ever documented in the United States. Ashley Goss, a deputy secretary at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), gave an update on the state’s TB outbreak to the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee last week. Dozens of active and latent TB cases have been linked to the outbreak dating back to last year. And the danger has not yet passed. “The current KCK Metro TB outbreak is the largest documented outbreak in U.S. history, presently,” Jill Bronaugh, a spokesperson for KDHE, told local media outlet The Topeka Capital-Journal Friday. “This is mainly due to the rapid number of cases in the short amount of time. This outbreak is still ongoing, which means that there could be more cases.”[...] Globally, experts have blamed the pressures of the pandemic for the recent uptick in TB, particularly in weakening screening and prevention programs for the disease. At this point, however, there appears to be no clear explanation for the outsized number of cases in this local outbreak. And given the ongoing pause in communication from federal health agencies like the CDC, it’s unknown whether the CDC will even weigh in publicly anytime soon.

(full article)

If you've been paying attention, you already know what's coming next.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is going dark, along with other federal agencies within the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This week, the returning Trump administration told these agencies to stop talking to the public—for how long, no one knows. The Washington Post first broke news of Trump’s sweeping directive late Tuesday evening. Staff at these agencies have been reportedly ordered to cease external communication for the time being. The move is the latest to unnerve outside experts about the direction of the country’s public health infrastructure under Trump.[...] Halting communication from federal health agencies like the CDC, NIH, and FDA during an administration transition is highly problematic, especially with active public health threats like the H5N1 outbreak in the U.S. and the Marburg outbreak in Tanzania, according to Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious disease physician in Dallas with experience in global health and pandemic preparedness. “A blanket suspension of external communication from health agencies is unusual and potentially harmful,” Kuppalli told Gizmodo. “Trust in institutions like the CDC is built on transparency and reliability. A lack of communication could lead to skepticism or distrust, making it harder to re-establish credibility when communication resumes.” There’s also past history to consider, as the Trump-led White House has a track record of muzzling its federal agencies and scientists. In the early days of Trump’s first term, the administration similarly ordered several agencies, including the United States Department of Agriculture, to temporarily stay quiet (much of this directive was quickly revised, however). More worryingly, the Trump administration prevented health officials from communicating with the press and public in the early months of the covid-19 pandemic, while his staff reportedly later tried to alter reports from the CDC concerning covid-19—allegedly with the goal of downplaying the harms of the pandemic.

(full article)

We were so busy wringing our hands about the latest strain of bird flu that the tuberculosis comeback tour is a genuine surprise. Guidance from the top might come in handy right now. Damn shame that King Baby muzzled the part of the government tasked with doing that. He's probably still sucking his thumb about Fauci.

[presidenthades]

⚠️HOtD season 2 ep 7 spoilers❗

Your thoughts on this ep and Alicent reconnecting with nature?🎤 Also, I hope your pillow is cold on both sides and everyone who pressures you or is rude to you steps on lego🥰🙏

I actually had some genuinely positive thoughts about Ep 7. Then I read about the Ep 8 leaks and all my nice thoughts are gone again. 😔 I won’t talk about Ep 8 spoilers in this post, but if I’m not as happy about Ep 7 as I could be, it’s probably because of Ep 8.

Also, I will continue with my “here’s what I’m harvesting for fanfic material so hopefully I’m not being too negative” methodology because that’s my coping mechanism. 🥲

Very minor scene, but we glimpse Elinda Massey, highborn lady, running around the poor parts of KL in her bright red velvet cloak as if the hood will help camouflage her. I had a giggle at that, and it reminded me of Aemond in Compromise Ch. 6 going “my fancy green cloak is a great disguise.” 🤭 (Compare to S1E9 Aegon who was a hungover mess, but his clothes were spot-on for blending in with the masses.)

Show is strongly insinuating that Hugh’s mom is Saera. I’m not sure how that would work, because there’s no way Saera could’ve stayed in a KL brothel for years without Jaehaerys doing something about it. So either Hugh was born somewhere else and moved to KL (possible), or his mom actually isn’t Saera but maybe a bastard of Jaehaerys (also possible, maybe a bit convoluted). I’m still undecided about how much of Hugh and Ulf’s show versions I want to incorporate in my fics. My Ulf is way closer to his book counterpart, but Hugh is malleable enough that I could incorporate more show lore, e.g. he’s married to Kat in my fic too.

I liked Rhaenyra taking a dark turn this episode. I have been dying for the show to give her some more life this season, and Rhaenyra going on a messiah arc hits the spot. If this is why they’ve been hamming about the prophecy so much in the show: 👍. If you’ve read my fics (and some of my replies in comments), you know that I think prophecies are super fun to play with in fiction, but I think they’re best when people misunderstand or try to thwart them. The PTWP prophecy is not about Rhaenyra, but her believing it’s about herself is very Greek tragedy material.

I have a fic idea that’s been on the back burner for a few months. It’s supposed to have fairy tale vibes, with the trope of three brothers (Targbros) going on an adventure to the spooky island fortress (Dragonstone) where they have to negotiate with the dark queen figure (Rhaenyra) to get some dragons. And of course something about maidens in the tower (Velargirls) who help them on their quest. The E7 shots where Rhaenyra looked kinda villainous have been inspiring ideas for this fic again. 👀

Jace’s argument with Rhaenyra was very juicy. Stories are best when there’s conflict and tension, and infighting among TB is definitely interesting. I don’t think Jace is at a point when he would actively work against Rhaenyra (yet?). He’s still loyal. But those conflicted emotions add to his character, and the cracks in their relationship might lead to even more drama later.

I was starting to get a little tired of Harrenhal, but the Riverlords scene was 💯. It reminded me of early seasons GOT when there was more talking and less battle/dragons, but things were still INTERESTING because those conversations were important to characterization and plot. And now I feel compelled to incorporate more of the Muppet Tullys somehow.

The Aegon scene was painful to watch. Larys is definitely still manipulative, but he also seems to genuinely care about Aegon (although it does benefit him if Aegon gets better). I might try a more sympathetic depiction of Larys in a future fic.

Orwyle deserves a raise.

Re: Alicent in her nature phase. Man, if I ever felt guilty about making the royals’ security detail not as secure as they could be (e.g. Jace at the Sept in The Golds), all that guilt is gone. If Alicent can go to the woods with one single Kingsguard in the middle of a war, anything goes.

No not really. I’ll still try to make things realistic. But I’m not going to fret too much if the guards aren’t sweeping every corner before they let the royals into a building.

Now the ending. Dragonstone is close enough to KL that in the book, Rhaenyra and Daemon were said to race there and back somewhat regularly. So I imagine the two places are not terribly far away, BUT it still requires some time to travel. Even dragons can’t teleport, and Vhagar is especially slow. So Ulf and Silverwing went on a prolonged detour to KL, then Aemond and Vhagar gave chase for a few hours before retreating. Idk about you guys, but that seems like a LONG time to be on dragon back without a bathroom break.

And I know the show says Vhagar is too large for the Dragonpit, but I choose to ignore that. In the book, Balerion resided in the Dragonpit until he died, and he was way larger than Vhagar ever was. But we can headcanon that Vhagar prefers to be outside during her retirement era, and Aemond has to deal with it. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[raytorosaurus]

i've been so curious about this 'unofficial therapist' that thursday had???? which member is he? how did they find him?? could he always play an instrument or did they ask him to learn so they could keep him around? did he actually help that much? how did it change thursday's writing? i don't expect you to have the answer to all of these things but you seem to know a lot about them and if nothing else i need to know who their therapist is and what 'unofficial' means in this case if you can help at all!

oh lol haha unofficial in the very literal sense so my guy andrew everding of the "no one ever expects it" chest hair fame from my chemical romance in the studio 2002 (@3:10) is like...the y/n of thursday.

he's just a nice dude who hangs around and everyone likes, good friend of the guys in thursday, and then his house burns down and he has nowhere to stay so thursday were like yo just come tour with us and he did. because he's also a very talented (multi?-)instrumentalist and, as it turns out, a great composer too. also at some stage he lived with geoff's mom? it is unclear if this is before or after the fire and/or joining thursday as a touring member. he also photographed their first west coast tour in 2002?

so like anyway by 2003 he's playing keys for the watt tour which is like.....I'd say the darkest point of thursday's history but that would be a fucking lie lol. let's say the darkest point of thursday's history so far. the guys are super stressed, super overworked, super depressed, and under loads of pressure from their label who's saying they're underperforming the expectations they had for them. geoff in particular is copping a lottt of criticism for his singing which he really internalised, and basically everyone in the band is miserable. they were also. not fucking talking to each other. like at all. they would just all constantly bitch about each other behind everyone's back and never say shit to their face. andrew, as a touring member but not official member, and as a Nice Guy, ends up becoming like...the intermediary to whom everyone in the band went to vent. so he's like trying to fix their shit and be positive and he puts his foot down and is like guys you NEED to learn to COMMUNICATE. (spoilers they didn't) but anyway the band after a particularly nasty and conflict-laden tour of australia in 2004 are like fuck this we're breaking up! but then as soon as they agreed to breaking up they were like wait. so much of the pressure is gone now. actually we're good we just need a break :) but media has kind of already picked up on the story of them breakup up so it was all dreadfully will they/won't they. this is also right as three cheers is blowing the fuck up btw 😭😭 #we'retwosidesofthesamecoin #he'smyvillain.

oh shit and then they go on warped 04 as what would have been kinda their last thing but they're like hey look at this we're sorta starting to work on our problems! oh and then at the vegas date 24yo geoff gets shotgun married to a woman he'd been dating for two years with mcr, tbs, and the bouncing souls as the wedding party 😭😭😭😭😭.

ANYWAY. they end up not breaking up but take a break from touring and then all move in together for a while? i think bc they were a little scattered at that point and geoff might have been living in sydney (his wife was australian) at the time idk so when he came over to do thursday shit they just like lived together apparently. and they write city by the light divided (so titled bc the band, naturally, was totally divided on how they wanted the album to sound lol). anyway the main difference now is this time round they've invited andrew to join as an official member!! :DDD

...unfortunately for andrew, this is also the time thursday stops being even slightly commercially viable lol so he's like technically im earning less money now than i had been on a tour salary lolz. anyway he becomes a big part of the writing process, especially for that album and no devolucion, the instrumentals if which were apparently driven pretty heavily by him!

then in 2008 onwards thursday were all broke as fuck and needed to get day jobs to pay rent. most of them went into like...food service or painting houses, but tucker drummed for mcr for a bit and andrew worked as.....a guitar tech? for patd????? (also after the break up, tucker was in boy band the wanted for a while as their touring drummer. he loved it lol <3)

anyway tragically, andrew hasn't appeared at any of the reunion shows 😔. he's private so no details but he was dealing with some health issues towards the end of thursday that contributed to the band deciding to break up and has a baby and shit now. but he did continue touring as a musician a bit, like with neil finn in 2014!!!!!! playing some wacky fancy midi/synth electronic instrument iirc? epic collision of my childhood fave and new-adulthood fave.

anyway lol this is all typed out in bed on my phone off the top of my head so there might be some chronology errors in there, but a lot of this is from their documentary, kill the house lights! it's a comedy. dark comedy.

#andrewnation <3

[coffeebooksrain18]

I only now realize that I was basically forced to like Elain.

She didn’t cross my mind in the trilogy and the novella. I very much disliked her in acosf but when I joined the fandom, so many people worshipped her and people who disliked Elain were labeled misogynistic. So I made an effort to like her.

I thought I like her. I‘ve read plenty of fics about her and love her fanarts. But it’s rather that I like the fandom version (NOT the Elriel version) than the canon version.

This whole time there was hate deep inside me for her. At times I love her, at times I don’t and If the fandom didn’t pressure me I might have just hated her all throughout.

When it comes to characters I really like, I tend to ignore all the criticism and hate towards them. If I actually liked Elain, I wouldn’t have agreed with your points about her.

The fandom acts like she’s done the best things possible. Bffr, her only great accomplishment was when she stabbed the king of Hybern. I can’t think of anything else she’s greatly done but I can think of all the bs she pulled.

if I'm honest (and this may not mean anything to you) but that was me with TB, the fandom and show made me think I liked them but after seeing posts about them vs the ones I saw for TG I realized I agree with TG, always had I was just brainwashed to believe I wasn't

and yeah I totally get why you felt that way, I'm someone who if I like a Character I LOVE them, and they will most likely be a fav for me, if I don't like them, I'm either indifferent like I am with Lucien or I hate them like Elain or Rhys.

if you want to know why I hate Rhys you can ask but I don't do much in this fandom so I don't make many posts for it lol.

[queenvhagar]

What do you think of the Strong boys take? It is one of the few aspects of the show that I really agree with, but I wish it had been explored more deeply...we needed toxic family dynamics in TB. Like...t’s a bit surprising, really, that Jace and Luke aren’t shown as more unhinged, given their upbringing (classism, bastardphobic self-hatred, and blood supremacy). Their childhood is like a walking thesis on psychological turmoil—years of bottled-up anger/angst, identity issues, and the pressure of societal expectations combined with an obsessive drive for perfection that never quite seems enough. Their relationship with their Rhaenyra is particularly intriguing. Despite the fact that she’s been lying to them about their true parentage from the start—a truth she still can’t bring herself to admit—they hold her in incredibly high regard...Even when she set them up for failure from the moment they were conceived. "My ruler is my mother, and I do not wish it otherwise" "I'm not like you...not so perfect" In a patriarchal society, a lad of Jace's age would typically be expected to outrank his mother in authority. But Jace seems to view himself more as her protector despite clearly chafing under her control. He tries to prove himself, but there’s this reluctance to fully eclipse Rhaenyra; instead, he seems to place himself in a subordinate role relative to his mother rather than seeking to surpass her... at least in public. And....despite these intense internal struggles, the Strong boys come across as relatively well-adjusted in the show? They seem like good, charming kids, but every now and then, you catch a glimpse of a nastier side—whether it’s in their subtle assertions of power or their ability to get away with certain behaviors....I wish we could have seen more of that!. Also, despite being betrothed, their interactions with Baela and Rhaena are surprisingly chaste, especially when compared to the often intense relationships we’ve seen in the series.

There could have been so much juicy complexity on Team Black! Like Jace feels he has to protect his mother from his own identity that her own decision caused... he has internalized bastardphobia and self-hatred and feels conflicted by his identity as a Targaryen but also as a false Velaryon-Strong.

This is why Jace deserved an an arc at Winterfell like in the book... on the one hand, the Sara Snow plot was right there for him to meet another bastard and grapple with his own bastard identity, and he comes to care for another bastard and accept his own birth. On the other, the Cregan Stark plot was there for Jace to grapple with his Targaryen inheritance as the descendant of a conqueror and the idea of using dragons to rule in fear and force submission, and then Jace decides to make a political match instead of using fear of dragons to get the Starks to declare for Rhaenyra. And when Jace leaves the North he is changed and has a new perspective on himself and his role as a leader and this could lead to conflicts when Rhaenyra still refuses to tell him the truth of his birth and leans into dragon power by arming the dragonseeds.

Baela and Rhaena also deserve more than being Team Black cheerleaders... they should be allowed to feel resentful of being separated growing up, resentful of their father remarrying so quickly, their perspective on their own betrothal should be shown (or apparently only Rhaenyra gets to grapple with the idea of being a royal womb and losing her autonomy in being a wife/mother). They should be able to grieve their own grandmother. They should be able to express their thoughts about what's happening and have opinions that differ from others'.

The fact that Team Black gets to be the happy family who's united in their goals when all of this complexity is right there... and meanwhile Team Green's family dynamic from the book is completely blown apart with contrived motivations and plot points... these writers did not think through any of this potential and are really just interested in pushing their own simplified version of this story. 🙄

[laf-outloud]

https://ew.com/the-boys-boss-wants-jared-padalecki-for-role-exclusive-8652041

Oh look, yet another article/interview where it's KRIPKE saying how much he wants Jared on TB. He said he wants him on only if it's for one ep. And this was a newer interview because he mentions Walker "wrapping up" and hoping that it means Jared has time to be on TB now:

"Texts have been sent," Kripke tells EW. "I feel like it would be a bummer to not have Jared on the show one way or another at this point, even if it's just the one-episode thing. He's been shooting Walker, but with that show wrapping up, maybe he'll have some time to come in and play with us. I would love it. We have definitely talked about it."

Bookmarking this one for the next time the antis claim its Jared and his fans begging Kripke for a job when really, Kripke is the one who is asking. Repeatedly and publicly. It almost feels like he's trying to publicly pressure him to say yes (he put a big public press on JDM to join the show before they got him signed on).

Interesting timing... but that might just be a coincidence. And yes, it's Kripke who's really pushing for Jared to come on, not the other way around. Though, if he is hyping up Jared just to pressure him to be on, that seems like a jerk move.

[waterfallofspace]

WAIT WAIT I wanna know ur Kepler and Jacobi thoughts (no pressure bc i already sent an ask) - Lex

i'm gonna be so honest with you- i do not remember J/acobi enough to form hcs AHDSOJLKF- I stopped a little bit after meeting them and i just- haven't known him enough to really care/form thoughts sdhsjhfsj- (i promise i WILL get back into it and finish it at some point, but now i have tbs and i love it so deeply so w-numbers is gonna have to wait till after 😭)

But! from what i remember (😭😭) about K/epler, here is some bingo under the cut!~ (I do not remember/know a TON so don't consider these super set in stone!!!)

[also apologies for the bingo spam ahdskjdks- I promise after I've answered these I'll stop spamming the feed~]

Not a lot of explanation/details for this as most of these are 'gut feeling' hcs after knowing him for only a lil time, but he just doesn't strike me as a 'gets sick a lot' person, more a kinda always a bit sniffly/stuffy, but not actually sick person??

And then dog allergies is the vibe I get from him, though- where he is that's....... not as much of a concern....... though I do think he takes meds to handle a dust allergy (as his is manageable, as opposed to Eiffels which. meds do not help anywhere NEAR enough.)

I also don't get the vibe of a stifler, more someone who just lets it out, not super loud or violent, or dramatic, just pauses, sneezes, excuses themself, and continues~ Puts his whole body into it, though not as much by choice, more like he turns away to be polite, and ends up bending a bit over just through the power (not SUPER loud or anything, just a fairly involved sneeze~)

(though again, all of these COULD change once i know him better!!! this is just knee-jerk reactions~)

[redemn]

i've been wanting to write this up and keep forgetting to when i have time ,   but i just remembered and i won't squander the opportunity .   but i want to talk a bit about arthur's suffering at the hands of the o'driscolls ,   and then his later impairments caused by the experience .

first of all ,   the wounds he sustained while he was being kidnapped and torture .   he firstly sustained one huge blow to his head when they first knocked him out ,   and then several more to knock him out as he was being taken to their camp .   in the middle of the trip ,   when he tried to escape ,   they also shot him in the non-dominant shoulder at point blank ,   and the sound of the blast also knocked him out cold again .   at the camp ,   they strung him up upside down and hit him .   though the journey and the amount of time they had him prisoner aren't clear ,   i'd like to say it was a good hour before arthur could finally swing and cut himself down .   in that time ,   he had a tremendous strain put on his eyes and his heart and lungs   ( this ordeal and ,   later ,   the weakened immune system as it worked to heal him exacerbated and ultimately catapulted his tuberculosis infection into active tb )   that caused his blood pressure to drop ,   and caused him to begin temporarily losing his vision .   he can barely see when he finally manages to escape .   it's adrenaline that keeps him from passing out until he's on his horse and running .

the last conditions he has because of this .   it took him a handful of weeks ,   probably at least a month and a half ,   back with the gang before he was finally well enough to get back up and on his feet .   his vision did not clear up for a few days after his return ,   and his shoulder took much longer to heal to the point where he could use his arm properly .   that said ,   he cannot lift his left arm very high all the way up .   i like to think susan grimshaw knew that he wouldn't be able to work his arm well if he didn't exercise it ,   so she absolutely made him do physically therapy and stretches even in pain so that it didn't atrophy and heal wrong .   luckily ,   that's not the arm he primarily uses to shoot .   he used to be able to wield double revolvers/pistols when he needed to ,   but after colm ,   he only shoots with his right .   he did also suffer a bit of internalised bleeding around his stomach and intestines from blunt trauma .   outwardly it manifested as a lot of bruising .   sorry but he did also suffer from some blood in his stool and couldn't hold much food down for over half a month before that began to clear up .   he also suffers from occasional ocular headaches that rarely develop into migraines .   these can cause him to stop what he's doing for a while if it's bad enough .

he also ends up with irreversible damage to his left eardrum after that shot into his shoulder at point blank .   cannot believe i forgot to mention that because the gunshot went off so close to his head   ( to the point of knocking him out ),   it also essentially blasted his eardrum apart ,   causing immediate and permanent hearing loss .   he can still hear from his right ,   it was only ringing for a couple weeks before it eventually subsided .   but he cannot hear out of his left ear anymore after the incident .   he doesn't talk about it because he doesn't want anyone bringing it up ,   but there are signs : he's slow to react to sounds on his left side ,   and he only sleeps on his back or with his head turned to point his right ear up .

[reachexceedinggrasp]

So when I've been complaining about even fanfiction not being romantic enough, part of what I mean by that is that people take huge, gothic characters in pairings with gigantic, dramatic stakes full of titanic emotions and then make them feel small and mundane. Stripping the very romanicism from the bones of the romance.

There are many things that are deeply appealing to me about B&tB pairings or 'unlikely' pairings or Gothic romance in general, but something that is less structural while still being absolutely key is that it's not an easy relationship to get the characters into. It's not something that would happen under ordinary circumstances for either person. It's not a bond that can be forged without some form of pressure preventing these people from continuing in their regular patterns.

If you're writing an E/C fic where you start from scratch, the moment they so much as touch for the first time should be absolutely show-stoppingly prodigious. It can never be casual, not between these two, the idea of a touch being allowed should be an Event. The reader's heart should be thundering in their chest, the suspense should be palpable, the consummation divine. A single touch is a consummation for them, there should be that much tension. If they hold hands and I'm not holding my breath, you have done it wrong. The first kiss should feel like an atom bomb going off, the world should shift on its axis, a line is being crossed which has left both characters forever altered.

And people will instead write them like a standard romance novel couple who make standard pervy comments in the narration, get a bit flirty, casually hook up and then weigh pros and cons about whether dating fits into their life plans or not. All of this being totally without weight, without feeling like any kind of Rubicon has been crossed or that it's significant for the characters to have entered into something which must foundationally alter their worldview.

Reylo brushing fingers across the galaxy and it being the turning point of the entire narrative, given the same majesty and mystical significance as Luke's vision in the cave or Yoda lifting the X-Wing is the exact correct amount of emphasis for them reaching towards each other in tenderness. You have a character defined by abandonment and loneliness and a character who is surrounded by people but never touched, both unseen by anyone else, both aching for connection, both never having felt anything like this before, both aware of the galaxy-spanning consequences of what they're feeling. Them touching is le big deal.

The kiss for the B&tB pairing, the EtL pairing, any Gothic pairing has to feel out of reach, a chasm that cannot be crossed- until it happens, impossible yet inevitable. Something the characters could never have conceived of taking place at the beginning of the story, an infinite abyss of which they have somehow found themselves on the other side. You have to do the work to get them there, you have to build that bridge stone by stone, and it should be a sublime agony of seeing the path take shape while it still feels like the gap is just unbridgable, that no matter how close you come, it will never be complete, they can never get all the way across. Until they do.

If you write characters who have (or should have) that kind of vast gulf separating them as just kind of falling into an intimacy which isn't earned and thus means nothing, I just have no idea why we're here. Why buy a giant gothic castle of romanticism and then bulldoze it to build a minimalist condo? Everything about the pairing that makes it that pairing is stripped away. If these were people who could just meet at a party and end up in bed, they would be completely different people.

[clarejgold]

Stuff

Here are the Tests

I don’t want this to sound like a complaint, but people could not stop telling us about their stuff. Every lab tech and pharmacist. Every community and social worker. I am not a medical professional and half of these things were just words that I didn’t understand, but my goodness were they happy about the stuff they’ve got. 

One way to look at that is to assume it’s because people wanted to let me know that donor money is well spent. There are probably donors out there who need and want that reassurance, perhaps because they’ve had bad experiences in the past or their unconscious bias is telling them they need to check up on any resources shared with poor people.

There is however one form of stuff that I was and remain interested in and that’s the multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDRTB) tests and the machine that uses them. Some readers of this will be well aware of the #TimeFor5 campaign to get the cost of these tests reduced to $5 per test from $15 per test, which is, depending on whom you ask, somewhere between a 300%-500% profit . 

These tests are the difference between following a treatment plan that will cure your TB and one that can ravage your body while the TB you have is still killing you. Over a million and half people needlessly die from TB every year solely because of lack of access to the right tests and medication. By ‘access’ I don’t mean transportation or the ability of a medical facility to handle the tests nor do I mean that not enough tests exist. The resources physically exist. They simply aren’t available to everyone who needs them because a pharmaceutical company decided that the poor people of the world were the right folks to squeeze knowing they don't have many voices to fight for them.

If you don’t know about it, it’s because most of your exposure, no pun intended, to TB as an illness probably comes from historical fiction and you, like many, think of TB as a disease of the past and/or something that affects only a small handful of people in tiny, isolated places. Let me point out that a ‘population’ of 1.6 million dead is far from small and that the vast majority of cases occur within a day’s transport of an international airport. 

The most recent successes in getting test and drug prices reduced have come from social pressure in the form of tweets, letters to representatives, and direct contact with the companies themselves to let them know that gross profiteering off the lives of vulnerable people is unacceptable. See the TBFighters for more information or look to Doctors without Borders or PIH .