#the doctor: dammit you're right

[variousqueerthings]

yes, I read all of the iterations of the doctor as aroace in one way or another, but also yes the doctor has incredible sexual tension with every version of the master, yes, including crispy!master

it's evil sexual tension of course, that's why it works

[vaspider]

Tonight, the night before Election Day 2024 in the US, I am thinking about my stepkid.

I am thinking about the phone call they made to us earlier this year, the one where they told us they'd gone to the hospital thinking they had appendicitis and found out, instead, that a zygote - a tiny splodge of cells - had taken up residence not in their uterus but in a fallopian tube. The one where our kid said they were waiting for their partner to arrive, hoped that said partner would get there before the docs took our kid back to terminate that pregnancy, & assured us that they'd be okay.

After all, our kid lives in a state with choice measures embedded in state law. That pea-sized blot of tissue doesn't have more right to their health than they do. Nobody is standing between them and their doctors. They made a decision, and that was that.

In this tiny tragedy, the kind that plays out dozens of times a day at minimum across the country, we only had to worry about the small risk of surgery complications. We didn't have to worry about Ken Paxton threatening to charge their doctors with felonies. We didn't have to think, "What if the hospital's legal team doesn't think an ectopic pregnancy - which is never ever viable and must be terminated before it kills our kid - is really that big of a deal?" We didn't have to worry that they live in a state where ob-gyns are fleeing, leaving few experts behind, as has happened in Idaho.

We didn't have to watch our kid vomit up black blood before dying the day after their baby shower the way Neveah's mom did. We didn't have to pray in a waiting room (while doctors took our kid apart until their heart stopped because the doctors waited too long out of fear of anti-choice laws) until a doctor came to tell us we'd have to bury them the way that Amber's mom did. We aren't having to pick up our lives after fully treatable miscarriage-related sepsis took them from us the way that Josseli's husband and daughter must.

I could go on for far, far too long.

Listen. If you are a single-issue non-voter and have already decided that "both parties are the same" or whatever other thing you've told yourself so you can sleep at night, smug and secure, then I can't reach you and I can't help you. But if you genuinely think that your votes don't matter, if you're just suffering from a bout of overwhelm or apathy, if you're too young to remember the 2000 election and can't see that Dobbs is a direct result of that election and every one that's followed, please, I am fucking begging you.

I didn't really talk about this when it happened. I mentioned something briefly, maybe. The posts I've started writing about it are still in my drafts. It was too fresh, too frightening. It's not any less frightening now, honestly - because if this week doesn't end with President Kamala Harris, we're headed for a national abortion ban, at the minimum - but it's not about how fucking frightened I was or how sad and bewildered I was to realize that my kid was going through this crisis in a nation more hostile to them than when I needed a D&C for an abortion at 21, in 1998.

It's about stopping this chapter of this fucking bullshit and at least finding some new fucking bullshit.

Vote, dammit.

Do the other work on Wednesday. Tomorrow, the work is to vote.

[dinogoofymutated]

Hey not sure if your currently taking requests but I just wanted to I soooooo stoked that you write for Remy! I've been starved for years cuz there's like no fan fics for him😭.

anyway I was wondering if you could do like a fic or headcannon where gambit somehow got hurt on a mission and is on bed rest but is also like really horny because you wont have sex with his since hes hurt.

If not that's fine I just thought it up and thought it would be hilarious 😂. Anyway luv your work, keep it up😘

NSFW!Gambit/AFAB!Reader

MMMMMHHHMMMMMM BESTIE UR MIND. ABSOLUTE GENIUS. I hope that you don't mind I did make it NSFW there at the end but the majority is just teasing our favorite gambler. Also, This is for the folks who were also really attracted to that one scene in criminal minds with the bulletproof vest. iykyk.

TWs: teasing, sexual innuendos, explicit smut, Handjobs, Mutual masturbation, PNV sex. Raw sex. (Wrap it bf you tap it yall) Creampie. Reader written with Fem! pronouns.

"Asolutetly not." You're quick to say it. Gambit pouts as the words leave your mouth, still on the infirmary bed with all the wires and doodads still hooked up to him. He's giving you those scoundrel puppy eyes that he knows you usually give in to, but you're not willing to budge this time.

"No, Remy. I will not be-" You take a quick glance around the room, leaning in a little closer as you begin to whisper-yell at him. "-I will not be having sex with you right now!" Remy sighs in a pitiful way leaning against the headboard in your direction. You can’t begin to look him in the eyes right now, instead lightly pushing his face away from your spot, sitting close to his bed on a chair that you had moved from the corner. His pout turns into an amused smile, as he instead takes your hand in his own, moving it down to press a kiss to your palm. You try not to blush at him. You’re supposed to be standing strong, dammit! 

  "Come on, Chère. S' not like it's gonna make Gambit hurt any worse-” You cut him off by lightly slapping his abdomen. Remy immediately flinches, curling in on himself with a pained groan. You feel a little guilty afterward, flattening your palm to rub the area soothingly.

    “Yes, it would. Remy, I could seriously hurt you. You heard beast, any vigorous activity could rip your stitches.” You say, moving to where you can sit on the bed, facing him. You cup the side of his face, gently moving stray locks out of the way. He rolls his eyes, not at you, but at the memory of the talking-to he got when he had woken up in the infirmary. 

    “Never stopped me before. Since I been with the X-men it’s like everythin’ become a big deal. So what if I rip a few stitches here an’ there?” Remy grumbles. You give him a stern look, before leaning in to kiss his temple. He melts into your touch.

    “It is a big deal, Remy. You need to heal. End of discussion.” You say gently. Remy thinks on it for a moment, before giving you a slight smirk. 

    “And by “end of discussion” you really mean “Until Gambit tempts me into bed”, Right?” He says. You roll your eyes at him before standing. If that’s the attitude he’s going into these next weeks with, you know for a fact he’s going to be insufferable.

    You were right. The incoming weeks were almost as much torture to you as they most definitely were to him. Wherever you went in the mansion, Gambit was sure to follow. He’d be in the kitchen while you would be cooking, unable to help due to doctor's orders, but no one ever said that he had to stay out of the kitchen. He’s come up behind you, snaking his arms around your hips as he’d “Give you pointers”. He’d lean close and whisper in your ear, sometimes giving it a nip or two. But one thing about Gambit is that every time you turned him away, or laughed at him and told him to sit down, he’d get pouty. 

    That was a trend that continued. He’d deliberately go out of his way to tease you, on movie night, in the library, in the showers even. And every time, despite how hot under the collar you might have been, you turned him away. The more bothered you seemed to be however, his pouts turned into smirks. Eventually, you got fed up with it. You were trying to be a good girlfriend and make sure Remy didn’t hurt himself, but if he was going to be a brat about it, you could be a brat too.

    You started off a little more subtly than Remy did. Lingering touches here and there, kissing him just long enough to leave him wanting. You’d wear just a tad less clothing around him, or wear slightly lower-cut tops. You were beginning to realize just how easy it was to get him riled up.

    One particular day, the tension was thick in the air, having coalesced into something barely breathable. Remy was lying back on the bed on his elbows as you redressed his wound, making sure to spread ointment onto the healing stitches and care for the skin. You frequently found yourself drawn to the sight of his lower abs, the large bruise having begun to yellow as it healed. Maybe it was the fact that you hadn't seen his skin in a while, but the sight of him had you breathing a little funny. Remy was also a little quieter than normal, unable to look away from your gentle hands as you took care of him.

    Once you finished, you lingered by his side, a hand pressed against his chest. You look up to find him already watching you, but neither of you says anything. You purse your lips, debating on whether or not you’re doing what you think you’re about to do. Remy tilts his head at you questioningly. He opens his mouth to speak but fails to do so as your hand trails down to his waistband. He takes a shocked breath through his nose, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment before he’s looking at you again through a lustful haze. 

    “Thought you said-”

    “Shut up.” You sigh, cutting him off. Remy smirks at you, biting his lip. You roll your eyes, caressing the crotch of his pants a few times before you begin to slip them off of him.

    “Don’t get too excited.” You whisper, but really it sounds more like a needy sigh. “Just a handy, okay?” Gambit huffs a laugh at you, but doesn’t tease. He's practically bucking his hips into your hand when you finally take hold of his cock, stroking him to hardness. You can’t seem to look away from the sight, watching as his abdomen clenches with every stroke from base to tip. You twist your hand on the upstroke, listening as Remy lets out a curse and a sudden moan just as you thumb his head, collecting his abundant precum as you use it to stroke back down again. 

    “You’re really pent up, huh?” You ask in a heated whisper. Remy’s head is tilted back in pleasure, and he huffs in amusement as he cracks an eye open at you. His hand slides up your thigh, Your legs being pressed against each other tightly to find some friction. You gasp as he suddenly slides two of his fingers up the inside seam of your pants, and you can practically feel yourself get wetter at the touch. 

    “Looks like I’m not the only one.” Remy hums. You can’t seem to pull away from him as he continues to stroke you. The air is hardly breathable, and the burning in your chest and your core starts to become too hot to ignore. 

    “Fuck it.” You say. Remy is confused when you let go of him, only to break into a wide smile when he realizes you were beginning to strip. The shirt is first to go, before your bra, and then your jeans and underwear. Remy wolf-whistles at the sight, and you wave him off, embarrassed. 

    “Couldn’t stay away from the temptation of Remy LeBeau, Now could you Chère?” Remy muses. He’s such a goof. You try to hide your smile as you carefully straddle his legs, making sure to avoid his sore spots. One of his hands holds onto your upper thigh, the other making its way to your center. He strokes you languidly with his fingers before circling your slit and pushing two inside. You suck in a breath, careful to set your hands on his shoulders without putting any weight onto them. 

    “Looks like this pretty pussy missed me as much as I missed you,” Remy says breathlessly. His eyes flicker from your cunt up to your bare breasts, and then to your flushed face. You feel like you’re falling apart too quickly, already climbing that high as he fingers you with those hands you love so much.

    “Remy,” You call for him breathlessly. “ m’ not gonna last too long.” Remy can't help himself any longer, and pulls you closer to catch you in a passionate kiss. He drags his teeth across your bottom lip, letting go of the plush skin. He doesn't withdraw his fingers until your thighs begin to shake and you start to clench down on him. You whine as he does so, barely holding your composure. Remy takes your hand off of his cock, pressing a kiss to your knuckles before gently dragging your hips further into his lap. Your mind is hazy, but you know to be careful as he lines himself up.

    “If we're going to do this, we're taking it my speed, okay?” You say. Remy nods, barely taking in the information. He was ready to be inside you. After weeks of nothing- all he could think about was you. Your giggles, your smiles. Your body. The way you taste on his tongue. The feeling of your thighs clenching around his head.  Remy would do anything you asked of him at this moment.

    You take it slow as you lower yourself down on his cock. The stretch of him feels delicious against your inner walls. Remy leans in, kissing and sucking on your breasts as you take your time. He bottoms out with a wet sound, his hands resting against your upper thighs.

    Remy curses as you begin to move, bouncing on his cock somewhat slowly. Even in the haze of your lust, you're worried about hurting him. Remy, on the other hand, doesn't share the same sentiment. His hands clench around your thighs, and when he can't seem to take the slow speed anymore, he slams you down onto him.

    You gasp at the action, and apologies spill from his lips as he tilts you forward, knocking your balance so you're forced to lean onto him as he controls the pace, eagerly thrusting into your heat. 

    “Remy-” Your protests are cut off with a kiss as your favorite scoundrel begins to take exactly what he wants. His grunts and moans beneath you send another trickle of warmth inside of you. To be honest, seeing him take control like this was hot- almost hot enough for you to forgive the fact that he was certainly overexerting himself- but it was hard to be mad at him when he's fucking you so good.

    One thing about Remy is that he's a talker in bed. If anything, you were surprised he was as “quiet” as he had been the majority of the time. But once he started to get closer to his peak, Remy began to ramble. 

    "You think you're smart? -Ah! Teasing me like that.. mmh… expecting me to just take it?" You're not really paying attention to his words, nodding in response while only thinking about his steady grip on your thighs and ass and the peak you're reaching so quickly. Remy squeezes you harder, almost harshly as he begins to take you faster. His hips begin to stutter, thrusts starting to do him in one by one. 

    Remy lets out a loud groan as he reaches his peak, burying himself deeply inside you and thumbing your clit. He continues to thrust as he helps you reach that white-hot peak of pleasure, pressing kisses to your temple as you ride it out on top of him. By the time you're both fully finished, you're panting for air. You're fully collapsed onto Remy's chest, Remy being absolutely boneless as he rests against the headboard. 

    “You’re such an idiot.” You say when you finally have enough sense. Remy just chuckles, continuing to press kisses to every part of your face and neck he can reach. You sigh happily as he does so, pressing some of your own kisses to his shoulder.

    When you finally peel yourself off of his chest, the first thing you check in on is his bandages. You scowl when you see that they've been soaked through with sweat, but more concerning is the spot of red that has started to form. You look up at Remy with narrowed eyes, and he quickly looks down as well, before looking back up at you and simply shrugging with a gleeful smile.

    “Casualty of love, Chère.”

[honeyshiddendesire]

Stress Relief

Pairing: Law x Female Reader

Warnings: MINORS BEGONE! 18+! Spit kink, voice kink, Rough oral! deep throat/gagging, Dick riding, dirty talk, teasing/degradation (naughty girl, bad girl, cry baby), Dacryphilia (love for crying) vaginal penetration! you're his medicine !

Summary: Being a captain can be tough but with you around you always seemed to make things better.

*banner*

“Fuck.” Law grunts as he tugs you harder onto his cock, your body tucked under his desk with his head thrown back. His slender fingers tangled in your hair keeping you in place as he thrusts into your throat making you choke and cry. Tears streaming down your pretty face that he loves so much, “Stop being a cry baby I know you can -ah- take it.” Law's usually smooth voice is raspy with lust and stress that he wanted to release down your throat.

“Always being a bad girl when I tell you not to be.” He gets so mouthy whenever he's stressed and you love it, using your throat as a cock sleeve. Loving the sounds of your choked groans and moans sending vibrations around his long cock. The tip poking the back of your throat with every deep thrust of his hips, “Ugh~fuck~ that's it my slutty thing.” Law grunts as he looks down at your wrecked expression, drool running down your chin to drop in your exposed breast. 

Your nails dug into his thighs as you squirmed trying to create friction on your pussy but it was no use. The force of his cock in your mouth made you choke but he held you still loving every sound you made. “Fuck!”

Your eyes looked up into his with a needy expression that made him grunt, pulling you off his cock with a ‘pop’ sound. Your chest heaving as you stare up at him and he takes his cock in his hands tapping your lips with the tip. “Naughty girl, look at you so messy.” 

“Come here.” Law whispers softly patting his thigh, his thumb rubbing your chin as he licks his lips. 

You stand up slowly and climb on top of his lap, your hand going to spread your pussy open for him to watch. Law eyes paying attention to your every move with intense lust and hunger, his hands going to touch all over your body. Your thighs up to your waist then to your tits squeezing them roughly making you whine as you slowly lower yourself down on his cock. It was long and curved just right, hitting every spot that you needed it too. 

“Fuck~” Law’s moan was long and drawn out when you finally sat all the way down on his twitching cock. Head being thrown back to thud against his desk chair, eyes closing for a second as he moves his slender fingers back down to grip your thighs. 

You couldn't help but whine as you held onto his shoulders, bouncing yourself on his cock roughly just how he needed it. Taking his pleasure in your hands watching as his brows knit together with every bounce and drop you made. Circling your hips and moaning as you feel every inch of him. Eyes rolling back as he held your thighs tightly, hips rocking up into your cunt at a rough pace. His hands that you love so much pulling you down harder with each pump of his hips. 

“O-oh Law~!” You moan out loudly as your body bounces, tits moving with each thrust for his eyes to see. His jaw was tense as he watched, grunts and groans leaving him and tangling with your loud cries. The feeling of your wet walls soaking him was breaking every fiber in his being. 

You were the perfect medicine whenever he needed it and no matter his skills as a doctor you always knew what dose to deliver. You lean forward kissing all over his tense jaw, nipping and sucking marks at his neck, grinding down into his throbbing cock. His talented tattooed fingers finding your clit to rub vigorously making you whine just how he needed to hear.

 The walls were thin on the Polar Tang but the life of a captain can be so selfless and stressful but dammit sometimes he needed to be a bit selfish. He'd probably beat himself later out of embarrassment but right now he just needed you to cum on his cock. 

“Law baby please~ please cum in me.” You plead as you feel yourself gush on his cock, the mix of his thrusts and fingers rubbing your clit were all too much. You moan as you feel him fuck ropes of his seed into your pussy with a drawn out curse. His other hand pulling you down for a deep kiss as he gives a couple more thrusts riding out both of your highs. 

“You know I love you right?” He finally whispers after you both calm down and you just smile at him. Pressing yourself into his chest you kissed all over his face with a smile, “Of course you love me captain I'm your little stress relief.” You wink as a joke making his face heat up as he rolled his eyes mumbling shyly, "Be quiet will you Y/N-ya."

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

The Arcana HCs: How the M6 hurt you

~ I hope you're ready for some angst >:3 Even the healthiest relationships have painful moments when one hurting, flawed person hurts another hurting, flawed person. Moments like these are not signs of closeness. They are alarms that signal a need for growth, and a healthy relationship will take those signals seriously - brainrot ~

Here's the sequel!

How you hurt the M6

TW for yelling, references to canon death events, descriptions of panic attacks, abandonment, losing one's home, accidental gaslighting, burns, PTSD, violent outbursts (not character on character) and general trauma

Julian

It happened after a series of busy weeks. Julian had been pulling long hours at work, always gone before sunrise and back just in time for bed. You haven't been able to catch up with him in days

You're rather fed up too. Mazelinka and Portia had both stopped by multiple evenings to catch up, increasingly irritated with his absence while you hosted them and apologized on his behalf

And now he's home early, for the first time in what feels like a month, and you can see the toll he's taken on his body, and he's asking you to - spend the night working at the clinic with him?

"Julian, why do you want me to do this? I'm not a doctor."

"I know, I'm sorry, but there's a nasty cold spreading around. Right now the only treatment is to let the fever run its course, but with your help, I'm sure we'll able to find something!"

"Is the fever dangerous?"

"Well - it's not killed anyone, no - but what if it does? We need to be prepared. Just come with me for tonight, please?"

He's already shrugging his cape on at the door, holding your own coat out to you impatiently. You look at the exhaustion in his eyes and take his hand instead.

"Julian, you're tired. I'm tired. Why don't you rest for tonight? We haven't had a moment alone together in weeks, and people are worried about you."

Something about those words sets him off and he yanks away

"Worried about me? I'm not the one to worry about, people are sick, dammit!" His voice is rising in volume, a gloved hand waving around in angry desperation.

"They're asking for help and I'm the only one still trying! What was even the point of sticking around if you won't let me do anything useful with my life?!"

You would respond, but your throat's closing up in your effort to hold back tears and you don't want to look at him right now. You can feel his angry words sitting heavy in the silence, until he swears under his breath and slams the door

Moments later there's two de-gloved hands hovering by your face, a wavering voice full of regret trying to get your attention

"MC. MC I'm so sorry, I - I didn't mean it, please forgive me. You mean everything to me, and - and you're right, I shouldn't have yelled, and you're crying I - I'm so sorry, can you ever forgive me?"

He's shaken, shocked at his own words and full of shame at causing you pain, but refusing to leave until he knows you'll be okay. You're too tired and hurt to unpack everything right now so you grab a bit of his sleeve instead and make your request:

"We can talk in the morning, but can we sleep? Please?"

He'll nod and help you up the stairs and into bed, offering to exile himself to the couch if the space would help

You'll both fall asleep fairly quickly, but he's going to keep waking up through the night plagued with guilt and fighting the urge to leave so you can save yourself and move on

He'll let you know in the morning that he's really sorry and wants to talk about it too, and will take the next few days off of work to focus on resolving things and finding a way back to normal

Asra

You know for a fact that they're loyal to a fault and that they would never abandon you, but you two have been together for over a year now and they still forget to communicate with you ahead of time

He'd been unusually all over the place for the last month - disappearing with little notice for several days at a time, coming home to spend the night loving you, and gone the next morning

Every time they come back they're so happy to see you that you don't get the chance to ask how and where they've been, and every morning there's only the breakfast they made for you as evidence that they were even there in the first place

You've started to forget what it feels like to see him in daylight, so you decide to try bridging the gap. The next time you have him lying next to you, you ask for him to stay before dozing off:

"Have dinner with me tomorrow. I've missed you."

The next morning there's Faust and a note by your pillow, saying they'll be back at sunset and they'll bring food so you won't have to cook

Dinner is fun. He fixes you with that adoring gaze and gets you to tell him all about what you've been up to, even apologizing for not asking sooner. You get up to clear the table and brew some tea, and when you turn around he's at the door with his back to you

"Asra?" You can see the excitement in their motions as they shrug on their coat, eager to be off. They barely spare a glance over their shoulder as they heft their bag - still packed - onto their arm

"It's a moonless night, my love. The perfect time to start an adventure. I know you've been busy recently, so I won't push you to join me. We'll go together next time. Faust?"

The snake somehow notices your stricken face better than your beloved does. You barely get the chance to grasp what's happening as he bustles across the room to press a quick farewell to your frozen lips, heading out the door with an "I'll miss you!"

It's the sound of the door closing and the resulting, all-too-familiar silence that undoes you. You numbly put the half-filled teapot down and quietly curl up in Asra's chair, no longer fighting your tears as their lingering warmth begins to fade

"Haha! I forgot my hat. Why is the door still unlocked, M - MC? You're crying. What's wrong, what happened? Are you hurt?"

You can hear him rushing across the shop to get to you, sinking to his knees in front of the chair to get a better look at your lowered face. He's got a warm hand on your cheek, brushing your tears away while the other runs through his hair in concern

You can't move away before a hand comes to rest over your heart and you watch the face in front of you twist in pain and concern "MC - what's hurting you like this?"

You're not sure how it's not obvious to them, but you try to explain the best you can anyways: "You said you'd never go where I can't follow again, so - so why do you keep leaving? At least tell me when it's going to happen so I know what to expect."

It's clicking together in his mind now, and he's dropping his bag to clutch you to his chest and murmur apologies between kisses

They'll hold you as close as you let them that night, and stay home for the next few months to reestablish their missed connection with you. You'll be able to tell them eventually that you love their wanderlust - you just wish they'd do better at communicating

Nadia

One of the things that hurt the most when you first met her was how deeply her faith in herself had been broken. Always second guessing herself, doubting her intuition, and hesitating to act

She's the opposite of that now - a Countess more than worthy of leading Vesuvia out of its shambles - but sometimes you wish she would stop to think twice about things. Sometimes you wish she would stop to think twice about you, instead of just assuming

Like hearing her casually mention over lunch that she had received an offer for your shop and would need you to sign the paperwork tomorrow afternoon to confirm the handover

"Come again? Hand over my shop?"

She's still so deep in decision-making work mode that she forgets to read your tone, only pausing to sip from her cup and nod

"Nadia, why would I sell my shop?"

She smiles at you indulgently and calmly explains her reasoning, clearly under the impression that she's doing you a favor:

"You don't have any more need for it. You no longer use it for employment, as you are my lovely magician, you no longer use it for housing, as you are my partner, and you no longer use it for income, as I am committed to providing all your heart's desires. What's mine is yours and what's yours is mine, my darling."

You're beginning to feel panic well up in your chest. The way she speaks is so certain, the deal she mentions has already been struck, and you are about to lose the last piece of your life leftover from before the plague, and -

"MC, whatever's the matter? Are the dishes not to your taste?"

"No, I - Nadia, what's mine is still mine."

"Of course it is, dearest, now what's troubling you?"

You don't know how to explain this. It's as if you're slowly going crazy, panicking at the thought of losing something that is apparently so worthless to the rest of the world, and you're running out of calm ways to explain: "I don't want to sell my shop, Nadia."

Her eyebrows raise in concern. "Are you not adequately provided for?" You shake your head. She sighs in newfound understanding and takes your hand. "I understand that leaving an old house can be disquieting. I assure you, the freedom is entirely worthwhile."

"Nadia," you croak, "Nadia, it's not just an old house." You're rapidly losing the ability to see your plate clearly, but you need to speak before your voice fails. "It's all I have left from my family. It's all I have from before the plague. It's all I have -" your breaths are getting shaky, but you need her to understand, you need her to understand what she's doing - "It's all I have. It's my home."

You can tell the truth's caught up to her when you hear her knife clatter to the table. "MC, I'm so -" she chokes and stands. "I'll resolve this at once. I hope ... I hope you can forgive me."

That night, the relief on her face when you join her for dinner is plain as day. She brings it up as soon as you're alone together, determined to talk things through and reach an understanding so she can properly resolve things with you and do better

Muriel

Certain times of the year are particularly difficult for Muriel. Dr Nazali explained it to you once, how ex-soldiers will have worsened symptoms of combat fatigue on the anniversaries of major battles

For Muriel, it's the dates for all of the new festivals that the ex-Count introduced. City wide celebrations meant thousands more in the Coliseum stands, which in turn required more than double the opponents and cruel spectacles he had to participate in

Whenever the old festival dates roll around, you watch him revert to who he was when you first met him - a shell of a man handling his own haunting in the privacy of the woods

It's been especially rough this week. He rarely speaks and barely eats. He doesn't have the energy to pull his hair back anymore, and he's taken to sleeping on the ground so Inanna can have the bed again. Even the chickens seem concerned

So you try to pick up the slack. You keep the hut clean, offer to comb and braid his hair for him, bring him meals that are easy to keep down, and decline any activities that would force him to socialize

His response is to take the safety as his cue to mentally hibernate through the worst of it. It's afternoon now, and you haven't seen him move since he used the bathroom and ate this morning

"Muriel?" You see his shoulder twitch, but his chin stays sunk to his chest, eyes hidden by the curtain of his hair. "Muriel, can you eat?"

You walk over, purposefully slow so he can see you coming, and crouch next to him with a steaming bowl of broth. "Muriel, you need to eat something. You don't have to get up, just ... please try to drink at least a little of this?"

He turns to you with a sullen glare, completely unlike the gentle green you're used to getting lost in, and Inanna whines from her corner. His voice is gravelly from misuse when he speaks:

"Leave me alone."

"Muriel -" you make the mistake of touching his shoulder, and he flinches violently away from the touch. His flying elbow upsets the bowl in your hand and he turns to you with his arms hiding his face

"Leave. Me. Alone, MC. I don't want you here."

You'd normally try to be understanding, but the bowl he accidentally knocked over landed on your feet and the boiling liquid has splashed up your legs, soaking into your trousers, first burning and then steaming the stretch of skin beneath

It's the way that you're clenching your jaw to hold in a scream that snaps him out of it. He knows that look - he's seen it a hundred times before, but it's the first time he's seen it on you

"MC?" His eyes drop to the upended bowl, to the steam rising from your legs, and his face goes slack in horror

Acting purely on instinct, he swats the bowl aside and tears away the clothing burning into your skin. He has you in his arms and submerged in the cold spring outside in seconds

He's a lot more intentional about staying open to you during his bouts of PTSD now, but he doesn't drink broth any more

Portia

Ambassador trips get draining very easily, much more for Portia than for you. Nothing makes her happier than making everyone else happy, and diplomatic negotiations aren't necessarily the best place to be a people pleaser

It's been three straight days of back-and-forth. During Nadia's coma, a nearby city-state had been slowly encroaching on and taxing Vesuvian territory. If the injustice wasn't enough to get her blood boiling, it didn't help that one of the courtiers had it out for her Aunt Tasya

You, on the other hand, have been busy since you landed helping out the neighborhood around the dock. Magic users seem to be in short supply here, and your days have been tiring but fulfilling

You're sitting in the cabin now, struggling to keep your eyes open, when Portia thunders into the room and begins changing for bed while aggressively ranting

"Those bastards! The farmers have been working on less than two meals a day for the last year and half! And did you hear what they said about Aunt Tasya? Why, I oughtta -"

You're listening to and watching her, concern tugging at your heartstrings, but when she turns to look at your face she doesn't seem to see the reaction she was hoping for

"MC - are you even listening?"

"Yes, you were saying about your Aunt Tasya?"

She huffs and you see her upper lip curl into a sneer. "Oh, I see how it is. I'm just supposed to stand back and let you handle everything, right? Am I just some side character to you? Is that what you think of me?"

She's angrily shoving her hair out of her face, trembling with rage, and all you can feel is shock. Is that what she thinks of you?

"What is it, MC? Cat got your tongue? Are you too important to talk to me now?"

You rear back, head spinning from the hurt in her tone. "No! I don't think that about you at all!"

She slams her fists down on the table, the clatter of the plates on it chiming in with a broken sob. "What, so I come from nothing? I'm nothing but a - a shipwrecked orphan whose older brother couldn't even stick around?"

You're rooted in your chair, heart twisting at her words. Is that what they've been saying to her? "Portia, you're not nothing. You're out here making such a big difference in people's lives -"

"Oh, you mean like you? Like how everyone in town can't take their eyes off of you while I do the grunt work? Like how I save the world with you and you're all people can see? I may as well be invisible next to you!"

You're both frozen, staring wide-eyed at each other. You've known Portia could get jealous. You haven't seen this before. Your hands begin to shake under the table as her eyes go from shock to grief

"MC - MC I'm sorry, I'm so sorry ... I didn't mean it, I swear I would never mean it, it's those bastards who keep looking down on me and I thought ... maybe you were ... I'm sorry -"

It's a long night of whispered sorry's before you're in the space to hear her explanation. She's better at being open with you about her insecurities now, but any time her volume changes she walks away to cool off before continuing

Lucio

Lucio has a level of resilience that will never fail to surprise you

Of course, most of that comes from his tendency to live in the present. It makes confronting the past rather difficult, but once it's been dealt with, he sees no reason to dwell on it and can drop it faster than a hot potato

The only issue is that sometimes he's so quick to drop the past and stay in his present comfort zone that he's blinded to people who still need to spend time thinking about it

Even when it's you. Especially when you walk through a town that's been ravaged by a plague locals refer to as the "Yellow Death"

While Lucio seems antsy to pass through, you find your feet dragging slower and slower as you look at the carnage. Houses marked with a white circle are burnt-out shells in an effort to be rid of the plagued bodies within them and entire blocks are rubble

It's when you stray too close to one of them that your foot knocks against a charred child's toy, painted a strangely familiar pattern

You may not remember, but deep down you know that you knew someone who had one of these. Maybe it was you, maybe it was a friend, maybe it was a cousin?

"MC! Hurry up, we're walking here!" You can barely hear Lucio's voice over the dull roar in your ears, but you know he's nearby when two wet noses nudge themselves into your palms and an impatient hand nudges at your shoulder

"Come on, MC, you don't wanna stay somewhere this depressing."

A hand tugs on your elbow and you're finally able to shake your gaze loose from the eerily familiar blackened doorframe. Your eyes travel down to your palm where the toy still sits

Lucio follows your line of sight and flinches, a bead of sweat trailing down his temple as his smile gets tight

"MC? Let me take that, you don't want it. It's worthless anyway, whoever had it's been gone a long time." His grip is considerably rougher than yours, and you watch in horror as the little toy splinters between his fingers

"Ha! Look at that, gone like smoke. Let's go already, there's nothing worth looking at here. The town's empty, nobody's around to care about whoever died here. MC? MC you're shaking -"

You haven't felt this angry at him in a long time, and you know he's speaking from his stress and not from his mind, but you can't take another invalidating comment from him -

"Nobody cares about whoever died here? Gone like smoke?"

You see the blood leave his face and the fear take over as he realizes what he's said. "MC -"

"I was a person, Lucio. I had a life. Is that smoke to you too?"

"I'm sorry!" He's got your wrists in his hands, tugging you away from ruins that could too easily be your childhood home. "I'm sorry, but we need to get out of here first!"

You follow numbly, unsure of how to proceed while he drags you away from the ghost town. You're barely able to accept his touch as he holds you through the first panic attack of many

Lucio doesn't like dwelling on the past, but he's learning the hard way not to trample on others for needing to

[abbysimsfun]

Sims In Bloom: Generation 2 Pt. 43 (I Think I'm Falling in Love With You)

Heather was practically dead on her feet when she walked into the kitchen after putting her son to bed. Most guests had gone home, but she found Conrad doing dishes at the sink. "You didn't have to clean up."

"You did a lot today," he said. "Putting on the party, putting up with the Landgraabs."

She rolled her eyes. "Nancy needs a moving target and I'm an easy shot, but if I didn't know any better, I'd swear Malcolm was turning over a new leaf."

Conrad shrugged. "Maybe he is. When we were kids, he used to say he wanted to do good things with the Landgraab name. Maybe embracing being a father has made him remember some of who he used to be."

Heather pondered the possibility as she grabbed a small piece of cake. "That Malcolm? Secretly good?" It seemed impossible to believe.

Conrad looked up from the sink with a clean plate in hand. "I spoke with the chief about a transfer to Brindleton Bay this week," he said.

"Wh- Already? It's only been a few months."

"These things never happen immediately, but if I wait too long to put in the paperwork, I might not get a transfer for over a year."

She stammered, swallowing a piece of cake that felt lodged in her tightening throat. "And that's bad?"

He finished with the dishes and took her to the couch. "If you want me to drive two hours both ways every time I want to see you, I'll do it, but the distance won't be any better for Gord than it'll be for us," he said. His piercing blue eyes gleamed with sincerity. "And I always want to see you, as it is."

"I love when you come to see me and Ash," she assured him. "I don't want you have to travel so much, but you haven't even met my parents yet. I really hoped they'd be here tonight, but..."

"How's your sister-in-law doing?"

"No news yet." She checked her phone in case there was a new message. "Doctors said Cass might be at the hospital until morning, but Mortimer and Uncle Karl are stopping in on their way back to San Myshuno. I know Mortimer hopes they'll time it perfectly so he can meet his first grandchild."

"I want to meet your parents, Heather. I want to meet all the people who raised you into the woman I want to spend all my free time with. You and your son."

"I want that. I don't want anyone else. It just feels so soon, and I have to consider Ash before anyone. Even me."

He smiled. "I won't put in the paperwork yet."

As soon as he said it, she wanted to take everything back and leapt from the sofa. "No! I mean, you said these things never happen right away, right? I'm not ready today, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do the paperwork now."

He stood, taking her face in his hands. "If something comes up and you're still not ready, I'll turn it down."

She felt safe with him, but she still couldn't let go of fears it was all too good to be true. "I'm falling in love with you, I think."

He smiled, spinning her by the waist and planting a kiss on her cheek. "I think I'm falling in love with you, too."

Would Heather and Conrad's relationship continue to strengthen, or would her nagging insecurities prove true? ->

<- Previous Chapter | Gen 2 Start | Gen 1 Summary | Gen 1 Start

WCIF Pose Used: I Love You, Dammit by Somneasims

[echantedtoon]

A Lovers' Circle (Poly Haishira x Reader) Ch4 Meet Up

The sounds of gunshots filled the air as sulfur smoke filled the air with it's foul stench.

 The monster crawling forward with each sinister clacking of its jaws as it's bones popped with every movement it made, protruding almost disgustingly from under it's disturbingly sickly purple skin as blackened eyes shifted around it's lizard like snout. Drool ran off in thick globs from protruding fangs waiting to rip flesh from bones as foul breath cascaded out with each puff of hellish air it took. 

The man's heart pounded away in his chest as panic fogged his mind. Teeth biting his lips to keep any whimpered from escaping and giving away his hiding place behind the once nice labs vending machine. The shaking of his hands threatening to shoot off the hand pistol in their grip and either killing him or giving away his position as the scraping claws of the creature's footfalls getting closer and closer. Stopping right behind the machine and letting silence reign supreme.

He trembled and shook as his eyes full of fear turned to the side of the machine he laid again. Head edging further towards the corner. Just enough to peek out. The orbs widened as they came face to face with-

"...Well? What happened next?!"

"C'mon, Tengen. Stop stalling already! Did he get eaten or not?"

Dark magenta eyes crinkled as a wide smile perked up to the four people in front of him. Looking eager to hear from him what happened next. If there was one thing that he was, it was a flashy story teller. 

He shrugged. "No one's knows. When the police finally got to the lab the next day, there was no trace of him except for a broken pair of glasses covered in animal drool. To this very day the mystery has never been solved, but they say that the monster still roams the nearby forest looking for new victims. Others say that on the anniversary of his death, if you cross by the old lab abandoned on the hill, you can still hear the professor crying out the last anguish cries of his untimely demise- RAH!!"

There was screams as he rushed forward arms out and easily caught all three of the smaller women in his arms as they continued to shriek and squirm in his strong hold but unable to escape the puckered lips and lips sending rapid fire kisses to the squirming women in his hold. 

"Dammit, Tengen! That wasn't funny-!" A woman with orange eyes was caught off mid berating when lips met hers in a quick kiss.

"I know.~ It's perfect." A sigh left his lips as he buried himself into their grip leaning back on the sofa and making them cuddle with him. "You all are perfect.~ It's been too long since I got to hold all of you in my arms. I should just stop going to classes and do this all day."

A small hand pushed his face away from them with a whine as pink eyes rolls. "You are not going to drop classes in the middle of the semester. What would everyone think if you just gave up?"

"SHE'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT! You shouldn't give up on yourself like that!!"

The magenta eyes rolled but he didn't do anything but go back to cuddling the three women in his arms with a content sigh. This was the best night of his entire week. After days of stressful classes, and dealing with his ass of a brother, having a date night with his beautiful wives and husband was just what the doctor ordered. Give him what he had tonight. A free show, home cooked dinner, and getting to tease around with the most beautiful people in the world. Just him and his wives and their husba-

A soft humming sound shattered the happy silence as his groaned.

"Great timing."

"Tengen, you're phone is ringing. Aren't you going to get that?"

"Nope!" He snuggled closer into their warmth preferring the sweet scents of mixed perfumes they wore. "It's our day off. Whoever it is, tell 'em I'm busy."

"Tengen! What if it's something important?"

He rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah. Like what? I doubt it. Anyways Im not doing anymore work tonight so they can wait until Monday and screw off."

"I GOT IT, UZUI!!" 

If the other man heard him, he didn't react beyond another eye roll.  The phone continued to buzz, giving a rapid tapping sound as it buzzed against the coffee table but it was quickly snatched up by a large hand. A thumb pressed against the answer button, and the device was held to his ear. 

"HELLO!"

A pause. Most likely from the loud volume of his voice as he eagerly waited.

"Kyojuro." He knew in an instant whom was calling them.

"GYOMEI!" He lit up happy hearing the familiar voice of their blind friend. Last they saw of him, he was still waiting in front of the University for his date. The other four seemed to have perked up especially Tengen. "It's good to hear from you! How was your date? Did you enjoy the show?"

A soft sigh. "It was.. surprising to say the least."

Kyojuro's smile faded away with a blink. "Oh. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. On the contrary, it actually was possibly the best date I've ever been on. In fact you're not going to believe me when I tell you," he sounded genuinely happy which was a surprise but a welcome one! "You won't believe this-" He repeated hopefully. Excitedly. "-but she wants to meet you all!"

There was a pause as Kyojuro paused, fiery eyes blinking. Again and again. Allowing his brain to slowly start processing the information Gyomei had fed it. Four pairs of eyes watched him with confusion and anticipation from the sofa awaiting the blonde's answer. Eventually Kyojuro regained enough sense to at least ask. 

"She wants to.. meet us?," he repeated slowly as if the words were in another language. Gyomei's happy 'uh huh' confirmed the strange words to him. "I..see. Well then. This is quite the surprise!" A small jab of concern couldn't be helped though. "But did you talk her into it or did you plainly ask and she said yes?"

"Neither." Cue more confusion on the blonde's end. "She's actually the one who suggested it!"

Kyojuro gawked at nothing. Eyed widening and mouth opening. "You're joking."

"I wouldn't have told you if I was. It was her idea."

"I-..Well that's amazing! But you did tell her about US us right? Not that we're just friends or-"

"She's aware. I informed her about my partners, and she'd like to meet everyone." His voice confirmed brightly. "I just wanted to inform you all and get your opinions on the matter. Would..Would you be willing to see her?"

"OF COURSE!" He brightly shouted with a beaming smile. "We'd love nothing more than to meet her! When did you want us to come over?"

"Actually I was thinking perhaps I could bring her along with us to our weekend meet up next week."

"Excellent idea! That way she can meet all of us at once! Have you asked anyone else about it yet?"

"Not yet. Technically I'm still on this date and I don't want to make her wait so long for me."

"Not to worry! I can just ask everyone in the group chat!"

"Are you sure? Maybe I should wait until Sunday to ask everyone-"

"Nonsense! Leave that part to me. You go enjoy the rest of your date and don't worry about it!"

A small pause. "...Well, if you're sure-"

"Of course I am! Leave everything to me! I'll handle everything."

The phone was hung up before Gyomei could have a chance to say anything in response. The smile on Kyojuro's face wide as it was happy. Well, well, well. His mother was right. Surprises do come when you least expect it to happen!

"So.. What's up?"

"Great news! Gyomei's date wants to meet us!," he bluntly shouted to the room.

There was stunned silence as four pairs of wide eyes gawked at him and his happily smiling face. The four still stared at him for much, much longer until Suma squeaked out in surprise when Tengen suddenly sat up now and stared at him.

"You're joking!"

"That's what I asked Gyomei first! He's not and I'm not either! She really wants to meet us!"

"Does she know though?!"

"I asked that too! He said he explained the entire situation to her! And he wants to bring her to our get together weekend to meet everyone!"

"No." Tengen looked like he didn't believe the words coming from Kyojuro at all. "I don't believe it."

"Well you'd better, because I'm about to ask everyone else to let her come with us."

"Uh..You think that's a good idea?" Tengen rose a brow shifting his grip on his wives still that all either by now got off his la or were still sitting on him as he pointed. "Like it might be a big killjoy if we just invited a random stranger we've never seen before to a thing we already planned."

"THAT'S WHY I'M DOING THE RESPONSIBLE THING AND ASKING!!"

Tengen's phone was gently tossed back onto the small coffee table with a thud sound and a moment later his own phone was pulled out, turned on, and with a few presses of buttons he was able to pull up his Diskard account. A new chatting website that came out last year. They mostly used it for talking to each other in the group chat and discussing plans to hang out. Like clockwork his icon with a flame covered fire pit came up. 

Flame_King: HELLO EVERYONE!!!

The response was almost immediate. Two icons popped up with matching but different colored butterflies- Ah! Kanae and Shinobu! A tornado. Sanemi! Snake and a cute kitty cat. OBANAI AND MITSURI! 

Petal butterfly: Hey, Kyo. 

Butterflyislovebutterflyislife: Yes?

Catlover36: OMG HI! :D

Snakeman: What?

Sanemi remained silent but considering his icon popped up that meant he was online and looking at the conversation.

Flame_King: HI! Where's Giyuu?

Butterflyislovebutterflyislife: Asleep. He tuckered himself out doing rolls.

Snakeman: Rolls? What was he doing? Parkour?

Butterflyislovebutterflyislife: No. His sister wanted him to make her some of his jelly rolls. He passed out in the middle of making the dough and now he's snoring away covered in flour.

Snakeman: PLEASE tell me you took a picture of that!

Butterflyislovebutterflyislife: Of course.

Flame_King: I think we're getting off topic here. I have a very important question for everyone.

Petal butterfly: What is it, Kyo?

Flame_King: Well you're not gonna believe this, but Gyomei's date wants to meet all of us! And before you ask, yes he already explained everything to her. 

He waited for their response. As expected there was silence for a long while as he was sure everyone was just as shocked he was. It must've been at least a full minute before the snake icon responded.

Snakeman: You're kidding

Flame_King: NOPE! I was surprised too!

Petal butterfly: Where is Gyomei???

Flame_King: He's still on his date actually. I think they're having dinner?? Anyways he called and wanted what everyone thought about having her over for our big weekend session next week? 

As he expected again there was some more silence from everyone else not that he was expecting anything else.

Catlover36: I think it's a great idea!:D I'm so excited!

Butterflyislovebutterflyislife: He's really serious about this huh?

Flame_King: Well considering up to this point he's been very excited about seeing her over and over again, I think we at least owe it to him to at least meet her. If not for our sake then to be supportive partners to Gyomei!

Snakeman: I don't know..I'm getting a bad feeling about this.

Butterflyislovebutterflyislife: You got a bad feeling when Tengen made us play that Pocky game but you still kissed Sanemi and Hina.

Snakeman: NO ONE ASKED YOU!!

Catlover36: Actually Rengoku did.

Butterflyislovebutterflyislife: It's ok. He just doesn't want to admit he likes it when we give him kisses.

Snakeman: SHUT UP SHINOBU!!

tornado-enthusiast: EVERYONE SHUT IT!! Kyo, what does everyone else think about this? Where's Tengen n the others?

Kyojuro was taken back in surprise. It was the first time Sanemi decided to speak up about the situation but he answered.

Flame_King: Tengen and the girls are fine with it but he said I should check in with everyone else to see what you thought. Mitsuri seems on board! So what does everyone else think?

There was more silence until Kanae popped up again.

Petal butterfly: I agree with Mitsuri. It'd be nice to meet her.

Butterflyislovebutterflyislife: Ok. It'll be good to scope out the situation.

Flame_King: What about Giyuu?

Butterflyislovebutterflyislife: I'll tell him after his mid cookery nap. He'll be fine tho. 

Snakeman: Find but she's not touching Kaburamaru!! *Fine

tornado-enthusiast: Fine I guess..

Flame_King: I knew you all would agree! Don't worry! I'll tell Gyomei the good news later!

"IT'S ON!" Kyojuro happily looked up at the sofa widely smiling. "Everyone's agreed to let her come!"

"That's nice, but is this really a good idea?"

"Don't worry yourself, Tengen! This is Gyomei we're speaking of! Whoever she is, she'll be super special!"

[evilfloralfoolery]

Daggers and Deception - Part I

Being shot is a real pain in the ass, especially if you're coming down with a cold. And that's exactly what's happening to this perpetually surly mercenary who has been forced into seclusion while he recovers.

But he's not the only one stuck in the middle of What Kind of Fresh Country Fuck Hell Nowhere. Someone is in the apartment next to his. Someone who knows something he shouldn't . . . and is obviously allergic to air.

Neither man is what they seem to be.

____________________________________________

The driveway is as long as a damn subdivision block, but the house at the end of it sure as hell isn't like his place.  Tall and shaded by trees, the rambling, archaic property sits by itself with no neighbors, no sidewalks.  No nothing.

When the boss said "the middle of nowhere," he wasn't even kidding.  

Goddamn it.

"Let me carry that."

Max's gruff voice at his side.  Not an offer, really.  More like he was going to do it and there wasn't room for discussion.  Typical.

Grimm grunts.  "Yeah. Whatever."  

Not like he can't manage with his good arm.  But Max isn't having any of his shit today, or any other day, for that matter.

"You're upstairs on the right," Max says as he falls into step beside Grimm, bag in hand.  "I tried to get you space on the first floor, but they're remodeling the--"

"It's fine," Grimm interrupts.  "It ain't my leg that's broken."

Max hefts the bag over his shoulder and fishes through his pocket for a key.  "You're still going to take it easy. Behave yourself or I'll see to it that we extend your stay."  He flicks icy blue eyes to Grimm.  "I mean it, Amadis."  

Oooo, resorting to surnames. So fucking terrifying.

"Yeah, yeah."  Grimm waves his good hand in a dismissive gesture.  

Not like he has a choice.  Couldn't be out in the field with a busted shoulder, much less with his arm in a sling.  The wound had been clean enough not to fuck up anything permanently.  He hopes.  At least, that was the line the doctors had fed him.  But damn, there had been a lot of blood. Lucky as hell that the bullet hadn't ripped through both sides of his body.

If one could call that a silver fucking lining.

He follows Max up the questionable facade of a staircase, the wooden slats complaining beneath his footfalls with every step.

Definitely a death trap in the making. 

"How old is this place?"

Max glances over his shoulder.  "Old."  

Grimm rolls his eyes.  

By the time they reach the third story, sweat has begun a steady trickle down the back of Grimm's neck, the small amount of physical exertion taking an unpleasant toll.  Which is stupid.  And annoying.  Fuck, the stab wound across his chest hadn't hurt as badly as this.

Max sets the bag down in front of a door that looks like it might cave in if Grimm breathes wrong and holds up a set of keys.

"The black one is the front door.  Silver is your room.  You've got a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, all of it.  We'll have groceries delivered to you once a week, but if you need anything, call Rex.  He'll make sure you get it."

"And if I wanna leave?"  

Max levels his stare at him.  "You won't."  

Hmn.  Grimm hooks a loose strand of his dark hair behind one ear as Max finagles the keyhole and convinces the door to open, carting his bag inside and dropping it in the middle of the living room area. 

"Fridge and cabinets are stocked.  Clean sheets on the bed.  Towels in the bathroom.  There's a curator on the property who takes care of all that, so she'll be by to check on you now and then. She's also a nurse and she'll help you with dressing that wound and repacking it.  Be nice to her."  

Grimm rakes a hand through his hair with sniffle.  "I'm nice, dammit."

"Uh huh."  

Max reaches into his pocket and produces a bottle with a white label.  "Take these."

Grimm eyes the label with a look of marked disdain.  Opioids. Not a fucking chance. "You know I'm not taking that shit."

 Max shoves the bottle at him.  "Take it anyway."  

He sets the bottle on the nearest piece of furniture and folds his good arm across his chest.  Too bad the damn sling ruins the effect.

"I'll be in touch," Max says.  "Rest, Grimm."

Like he has a choice. 

"I can't believe you're making me do this country isolation bullshit."  

Max's expression doesn't waver. "Believe it."  He pats Grimm's shoulder with one hand.  "And change your shirt.  You're about to drip sweat all over this ugly-as-hell rug."  

Mother. Fucker.

 "Smartass," Grimm says.

Max cracks a hint of smile. "Take care of that cold, too."

Grimm narrows his eyes. "What cold?"

Max doesn't respond, but takes off instead, leaving Grimm standing in the middle of his new quarters with a whole lot of silence and weird-ass furniture.  Floral couch with a high back and wooden feet.  A carved, pockmarked end table with wooden feet.  Mismatched coffee table with some kind of folded flaps on the side.  With wooden feet.  

"Somebody got a damn foot fetish around here or what?" Grimm mutters to no one in particular.  

Max is wrong about the "cold," but is right about his shirt.  A combination of a bumpy ride and a short stair climb has him sweating bullets.  He hefts the bag onto the couch and paws through it until he finds a black tank top.  A hell of a lot easier to manage than a T-shirt.  At least his target had the decency to shoot him on his non-dominant side.

He slips the sling over his head and pulls his arm out of the thing, grabs the back of his T-shirt with his good hand . . . and hisses with a wince.  

Fuck, fuck, fucking FUCK.

A deep breath.  A struggle.  The material peels its way from his damp skin with far too much effort, leaving him sweating and panting as if he's run a good ten miles without a break.  A shock of cold travels down his spine and he fights against a sudden wave of nausea that forces him to take a seat on the floral fuckery of a couch.

The bottle sits on the coffee table.  Beckoning.  Mocking. He flips it the middle finger and tosses the tank top back into the bag.  Fuck this whole shirt-wearing shit.

After securing his arm in the sling once more, he meanders into the kitchen, takes a quick inventory of the food.  

Chicken, veggies, some ground beef . . .and an entire shelf of instant ramen.  The corners of his mouth twitch into a smile.  Max knows him too well.

Not to mention, it's easy as hell to make with one arm.  A few minutes of boiling water, some frozen stir fry veg, and a little soak later, dinner is served.  Grimm sits at the table, palms a pair of chopsticks, and settles in.  

From the stairwell comes the sound of footsteps, a jingle of keys, and the protesting creak of a door.  A rustle of bags.  Footfalls on aging hardwood.  

Grimm tilts his head.  Max had mentioned the house was sectioned into apartments, but he hadn't mentioned other visitors.  Who else even knew about this place, anyway?  It's not like it was on the map. 

And man, are the walls thin as hell.

Pretty much every move his neighbor makes is audible from dropping the keys on the table to moving into the kitchen to put away whatever it is that they're carrying.  Or maybe Grimm's hearing is just too finely tuned for his own damn good.  Not like it didn't come with the job.  

It is not until his neighbor retires to the back of the apartment that Grimm stops being able to hear him walking and moving around.  The soft tinkle of piano keys wafts from the other side of the wall in place of movement, a wistful and almost sad melody.  Was it being played or just listened to?  Not like Grimm knows enough about music to tell.  Still, whatever it might be is oddly soothing and he finishes his "dinner" and drags himself to the bedroom for a rest.  Or maybe just some tossing around and growling.

At least the bed is enormous and inviting enough, all carved with huge spiraling posts and some kind of bars connecting them.  Maybe for a canopy or something at one time.  But whatever, all he cares about is if the mattress is comfortable.  He eases himself onto the duvet and sprawls out as much as his damn shoulder will allow.  The sling isn't exactly comfortable, but he makes do with it via a few propped up pillows and little bit of shifting around.

His eyes drift shut, the whir of the fan a comfortable, lulling nuance that nearly drags him into sleep immediately.  Or at least until the abrupt sound of a sneeze from the other side of the wall snaps him out of it.  A bitingly sharp “EKSSCH!”  And another.  And another.

“EKSSCH! EKCHISSH!”

Well, damn.

A fourth follows less than a minute later and Grimm tilts his head back, eying the wall with a raise of one eyebrow.  

He raps his knuckles on the aging sheetrock.

“Hey,” he says. “You dying or what?”

Silence. Guess the guy didn't realize he had a neighbor, either.

“Yes,” comes the curt response after some time.

Grimm chuckles. Obviously male.  Deep voice, but not as deep as his rumbling bass. Some kind of posh-ass accent, too.  

“-iihEKSSH-uuuh!”

An irritated frustration of a sound that is clearly a “stop this shit right the fuck now!” level of annoyance.

“Bless you,” Grimm says, more out of amusement than anything else.

A pause he can almost feel follows before a quiet "thank you" is issued from the other side of the wall.   

His neighbor opens and closes a drawer or two and wanders back to the other side of the house, accompanied by a few more sneezes and what sounds like a well-placed curse at one point.  

That gets another round of chuckling.

Somewhere from inside the apartment, the piano music resumes and Grimm is now certain it is, in fact, not a recording.  The man is definitely playing whatever it is himself.  With a sigh, Grimm closes his eyes again. Maybe the guy will keep playing long enough for him to ignore his throbbing shoulder and pass the fuck out.  

The fan whirs, the plaintive strands of whatever the guy is playing a nice counterpoint to the white noise.  Grimm takes a deep breath. Exhales.  Repeats.  Sweat beads his brow, threatening to trickle into his ear and the ramen feels like a ball of lead in the pit of his stomach.  A hint of a groan escapes him.  The first few days are always the worst with a wound like this.  It'll pass.  Eventually. 

(TBC . . .maybe)

[jillsandwhichs]

Our Future Day's

Joel Miller x Reader series , Chap 1 , Move in day

Masterlist

Pairing: Fem!reader x Joel Miller

Summary: You officially move from oregan to texas and get to meet your very new & handsome neighbor, Joel

WC: 3.1k

Type: SFW

Some thing's you need to know before reading: this is a series, not a one shot collection! you (the reader) already have a semi premade backstory. first off, you're originally from oregon. you studied at med school and got a job offer in texas to become a doctor, which you took. you are 23 in this but if you don't like that, imagine any age (18+) and i did make joel younger 26 (until the 20 year time jump, he'll be 46) but he does still have sarah, just pretend it's not wonky LMAO! one more thing, ya have a dog in this fic, he's a boy but imagine any breed you'd like! aside from that, this is tlou game version but i included some sides from the show! a couple more things: 1. all characters from tlou1/2 will be mentioned/featured. 2. this takes place before outbreak, then eventually outbreak day, then eventually in the apocalypse. 3. this is a slow burn romance (drabbles of it in each chapter though, esp when it progresses) and does feature a decent amount of smut. 4. JOEL NEVER DIES!!!

A/n: Hi! Hope you all enjoy. Please check out my masterlist, there's a lot of stuff there. You can get to know me, you can see the rules of my blog and then you can see all of my fanfictions. You'll be able to find the previous chapters to this fic and upcoming ones. You'll also be able to find my Wattpad & AO3. Thank you

Tapping your fingers on the steering wheel, you matched the beat of the song playing on your cars radio. It was a song by Blake Shelton. You weren't a huge fan of him but he had some classics. It has been such a long day for you. You've been driving for the past two hours, not a single break in between. You just wanted to get to your new home as soon as you could. You could tell your dog, Becker, needed to go potty as well. He'd just have to hold out.

The GPS on your phone stated you were only about ten minutes away. The center of Austin TX was busy as all hell, so that time span could get longer by the second. So many cars & people flooded the streets. "God dammit." You mumbled to yourself, rolling your eyes as you seen all the upcoming traffic ahead. This was going to be a long night. You had no clue when you'd even be able to get into bed. Then again, it was only 4:30 in the afternoon, almost evening.

Behind you, in the backseat, you could hear Becker whimpering & whining. "Don't worry boy, we're almost home, just a little bit longer." You cooed to him, reaching your right hand back and allowing him to lick you. You got Becker as a graduation gift a few weeks ago. You two have bonded ever since. You were never a cat person, dog's were more of your style. "You'll be able to go potty soon." You said to him, pulling your hand back up and holding onto the wheel.

Traffic wasn't going as slow as you intended, was traffic always going to be like this though? This ain't going to be pleasant if so. Especially working for the hospital. Imagine an emergency happens and you're needed but the roads are packed, that's going to be one helluva time. But, you wanna think positively. You missed your family too. It's going to be hard without them, especially your mom. She is your number one supporter and without her in the same home as you, it'll be a large change.

You turned the radio up, hearing the country music blast throughout your car but not loud enough to scare your dog. Dogs ears are sensitive and you didn't wanna bother him further than he already was. No doggo wants to be stuck in a car all day, especially in this heat. Despite it being early September, it was still quite warm out. That's another big change from Oregon, you imagine that back home, it's either really windy or heavily raining. The change could be nice though.

The sound of Becker panting was clear as day, it only made you feel more guilty. "Hold on baby." You muttered to him before you then rolled your window down and the window directly behind you, not a lot though, you didn't want him to jump out or something. Through your rearview mirror, you could see his slobbery tounge blowing in the wind as he stuck his head out the window. "Hah, good boy!" You giggled, turning left onto the exit, finally getting off of this miserable highway.

Finally, the road wasn't full anymore. It was a downtown rural area now, cars slowly made their way through the town. Austin is busy, yes, but this side of it, not so much. The only logical reason it was super busy on the highway and earlier roads was because people are getting/going to work. Your first day at the hospital is on Monday. You were nervous but in a great way. You have been non stop thinking about it. All of the work you've put in and you're officially where you wanted to be. Life was going good... For once...

You passed by all sorts of different places. Gas stations, fast food chains, locally owned stores & stands, it felt so honey. Back in Oregon, you lived in the center of the city, it was always so lively and never calm. Austin is like that too but not as bad, and definitely not as bad as Dallas is. You were grateful you didn't end up moving there or even somewhere that was worse. Austin was a good enough fit for you.

The GPS showed you were only a minute or two away from home, your heart was racing a bit. You've never been on your own before and you least expected it to be in a completely different state. Luckily, a week from now, you'll be going back home for the weekend. It'll be comforting. You'll definitely make sure to call your family everyday, you made sure they knew that too. They'd have to simply put up with it.

You could tell you were getting closer due to the change in scenery. There weren't any establishments around these parts, just either compact or extensive suburban homes. You actually used to make fun of those perfect American families who lived in these types of areas but look at you now. Back home, you lived in a small house, only two bedrooms but you were an only child so it was never a problem. You did wish for siblings growing up but you understand now that if you had some, things would be a whole lot different.

As you turned left, the tracker built into your phone made a dinging noise, indicating you had arrived at your destination. It wasn't wrong. Just to the left, you could see your newly purchased home. It made your heart skip a beat. Not only were you nervous but you were also so happy. You glimmered as you pulled right into the driveway and set your car in park. You could tell Becker knew this was your guy's new home, his whimpers weren't ones of boredness but rather excitement. "One second." You sighed out before getting out of the car.

Stepping out of your car, you sighed softly as you breathed in the fresh air. The smell of outside was always so welcoming. You grabbed your purse out of your car too and swung it across your shoulder. It was a brown leather purse with an embroidered strap. You then opened up the backseat so Becker could jump on out. "Stay over here buddy." You chuckled out, scratching the top of his head a few times before closing both doors. You had quite a bit of stuff in your trunk & backseat but you hired a truck to drive all of your other belongings here. It wouldn't be there for another day or so.

Becker ran off to the side of the house to go potty ; You trusted him enough to not run off. He was a good dog. You went to the back of your car and popped open your trunk. It was a mess but everything you needed for the night was in there. You even bought an air mattress, your back would die trying to sleep on a wooden floor. You grabbed the first two boxes, they weren't very big, and set them on the concrete of your driveway. They just had toiletries in them.

You grabbed out another box, this one was a bit bigger than the other two. It had all of your kitchen appliances in it. You were excited to cook your very first dinner in your very own home. You already decided on making Pesto Pasta, one of your favorites. In your trunk, there was the air mattress box. It wasn't going to be the best way to sleep but it'd have to suffice for the night, your proper bed should be in either tomorrow or on Sunday.

Whilst grabbing out the air mattress, you heard the sound of a truck driving past and pulling into the driveway across from you. They must've been your neighbors. Your neighbors back home weren't the nicest. There were the Johnson's so were beyond uppity and thought they were better than everyone else, they lived beside you. Then there was Cassandra and Cody, they were your age and pretty kind except they were literal kleptos.

You ignored the truck behind you, just trying to get everything you needed for the night. You could hear Becker barking but you didn't know what it was he was doing it at. You figured a wild animal, maybe a bunny or a stray. Becker was actually from a shelter, you'd never buy an animal from PetSmart or whatever. "Becker, quit your barking!" You shouted at him, nudging him to come over to you. Maybe he wasn't good with new environments.

You placed the last cardboard box from your trunk on top of another one, shooting your eyes to look at Becker. He was looking at the truck across the street, barking at it. "Oh boy, quit it." You spoke out to him but he didn't listen. You went to grab onto his collar but right as you did, he bolted off into their driveway. He was a friendly dog, you didn't think he'd do anything bad, he was just inquisitive, but it was still bad of him to run off like that.

"Becker!" You yelled, jogging across the street to grab him. You watched as two men got out of the black truck. The one in the driver's seat had a mullet and lighter hair than the other man, he also seemed shorter. The other one though had short dark hair, although you couldn't tell if it was purely brown or black. He was well built, along with the other man. Were they brothers? That's the only assumption that came to mind.

Once you reached their driveway, you grabbed Becker and pulled him back to you. The man getting out of the passenger seat looked back at you and had a puzzled look before letting out a chuckle beneath his breath. "Listen, I'm so sorry, he's just curious." You sighed out. Becker was now listening as he sat down right by your feet. "Sorry, we'll be out of your hair." You giggled, beginning to turn around before you heard the man's voice speak up.

"You just move in across the street?" He asked you, his voice sounded southern and it was very deep. "Oh uhm, yeah, just got here tonight actually." You said kindly, looking back at him again. "Well, welcome then, and to your dog." He snickered out. "I'm Joel, this is Tommy." Joel spoke deeply, pointing over at the other man. You let the two men know your name before asking them whether or not they were brothers, and they were. You weren't surprised, they did share similar facial features.

"Where are you from?" Joel raised, his arms crossed. His arms were huge, he definitely has a nice body. "I'm from Oregon." You said softly, placing your slender hands onto your waist. "Damn, that's a long ways out. What made you move all the way here?" "Got a job offer at the hospital." You said with a titter, his accent was thick. "Oh, you a nurse or something?" He questioned, leaning up against his truck. "No, a doctor. Recently gradated from medschool." You explained, glancing over at his brother as he walked into the house. Maybe they lived together.

"Well how bout that? I'm just a contractor." "That's nice." You added, tucking strands of your thin hair behind your ear. "Yeah, yeah, well I'll let you continue settling in. If you need any help with uh larger furniture, me and my brother can stop by, we helped the Adler's when they first moved in." Joel said with a deep voice, pointing his index to the home beside his. "That would be great, thanks, luckily I don't have to deal with the bullshit of larger furniture today, it'll be in either tomorrow or Sunday."

"Alrighty, well, you have yourself a good evening. See you." Joel said with a sly smirk, slowly inching backwards. "You too, Joel." You gave him a slight smile before patting Becker to follow behind you. You made your way across the street, allowing Becker to run around in his new yard. You took a gander back and seen Joel looked back at you before entering his home. When you saw his eyes on you, you felt a deep pit in your stomach. Nothing bad, rather just glee or something. You couldn't pin it.

Around your neck was a lanyard, it had the key to your home, you assumed it was locked. At least you hoped, you don't want any squatters inside. You unlocked the white door and opened it, stepping inside of it. The sunset beamed in through the windows throughout the house. It was still dark though, every single light was switched on. The seller said you'd have to go to the basement to switch them all on. That sounded like a fun time!

One by one, you dragged each box into the home, keeping some on the floor and placing some on the island counter. You didn't plan on unpacking any of it tonight, you were restless and just wanted to lay down for the night, despite it only being 5 PM. The more sleep you get, the easier it'll be tomorrow. You definitely had to get a lot of sleep Sunday considering on Monday, you start your first day. Even though it's just training, you wanna be as awake as possible.

You ambled towards the front door again and away from the kitchen to call Becker in. He'd have to deal with the floor for the night. He is a cuddly dog, he loves big comfy areas but without a bed or a couch, there's no way. "Becker!" You said with a rowdy voice, "C'mon baby." He came running over to you and past your legs, going into the house and treading around like a mad man. "Oh good boy." You chuckled, petting him gently.

You walked back over to the kitchen and grabbed the air mattress, you needed to get it open and blown up. It was sealed to a T, your nails were definitely not enough to get it open. Striding towards the appliances box, you opened it up and searched through it, taking out a knife to slice it open. You are quite clumsy so you were praying you wouldn't stab the mattress on accident. It didn't help that Becker felt the need to push himself up against you, seeking attention & love as if he's starved from it.

"Back off boy." You snorted, pulling the mattress out of it's box. It was all wrinkled up and looked compact. Although it was the size of a Full. You straightened it out on the living room floor, you didn't feel like carrying it all the way up the stairs. It came with a machine to blow it up and you connected it to the black cylinder hole, turning it on and hearing the loud blowing noise it was making. You didn't have any pillows, they were all packed up in that truck but luckily, you had a blanket, it was the one you let Becker use in the backseat when you were driving.

"You stay here mister." You stated out to Becker before beginning to make your way out of the front door to take the blanket out from the car. As you went outside, you noticed a bright light was on in Joel's house, just in one room though. You could also see the shadow of a smaller person's body walking through said room. Did he have a girlfriend? Or did Tommy have one? Maybe it was Tommy's. You convinced yourself of that at least.

After grabbing the blanket, you walked back inside and seen Becker already making himself a spot on the bed, despite it barley being inflated. "You little shit." You grinned, tossing the fuzzy blanket on top of him. Guess you were going to have to share.

The bed was officially ready to be slept on, you haven't been this excited to sleep in a very long time. Back home, you dreaded it. You would stay up all night, doing different stuff. Whether it was studying, painting, reading, working out, etc.. You were always doing something new. With Becker, it's been better. You're an affectionate person and he is as a dog. It may be a rough night, it always is sleeping somewhere new, but with him it may be easier.

Pulling the machine away from the bed, you turned it off and climbed underneath the blanket, feeling immediate warmth. The Texas heat also played a part in that. Back in Oregon, you had a heater beside your bed to help, you definitely didn't need one here. "Alright." You whispered to yourself, Becker lying right beside your feet, his fur was cozy. You were originally going to turn the lights on to your home but honestly, you were scared to go down there all alone, a pitch black basement? No thanks.

Trying to sleep in a new area was hard. You felt homesick. You miss your old room, the house noises, the feeling of it. You lived there your entire life, now you're thousands of miles away. Becker probably felt that way too, especially with how he connected with your father, they bonded. A week from now though, you'd be able to see them. It'd be easier. Another thing you couldn't stop thinking about was that man - Joel.

He seemed so different. He was kind & understanding, and that's just simply based on the short conversation the two of you had together. He was so willing to help you out, no one else was like that. It was a sweet welcoming. He was also very handsome. All the men back home weren't like that. That glimmer in his eyes wasn't something to ignore. It was the way he gazed at you that had you wrapped around the thought of him.

That brother of his was good looking too, definitely not as much, but either way. Were they both contractors? It appeared as though they had just left work so maybe they work together. And who was that smaller person walking throughout his house earlier? Had to be a girlfriend. A daughter? No way, the two of them looked to young to even have children. There was still a chance though, teen pregnancies aren't uncommon. You presume you'll deal with a lot of them as a Doctor.

Your eyes felt more & more heavy. Becker's deep breathing made you weary too. The pitch blackness of the room was helpful ; White sound would've been helpful too. Sleeping in complete silence was torture. All you could really hear was your dog and your own breathing. You were completely spent for the day. And you were ready to hit the hay.

Divider Creds: animatedglittergraphics-n-more

[muddyorbsblr]

you deserve better

See my full list of works here!

Summary: When all the plans you'd made for today go down the drain, the last person you expected shows up at your door to try turning the night around

Pairing: James Conrad x Reader

Word Count: 2.1k

Warnings: angst; language; craptastic friends [let me know if i missed anything!]

Things to be aware of: simp Conrad, that is all 🫠

"Fucking dammit!"

You gripped your phone tightly in your hand, resisting the urge to chuck it into the sea right where the ship's rotor blade was located. Tears burned behind your eyes as every message you'd missed in the last week while you were on this research trip with Monarch trickled in at a steady pace now that you and the rest of the crew had signal again.

Where your fellow scientists were calling up loved ones on FaceTime with bright smiles on their faces and assurances that they were on their way back home, you had an influx of messages from your friends telling you that no, they wouldn't be making your birthday dinner tonight after all.

"Doctor Y/L/N?"

Oh fuck not him, doesn't he have a pool bar to get to so he can snap his fingers and get tonight's lay? you snidely thought to yourself, steeling your stance at the sound of former Captain James Conrad's voice. Taking a deep breath, you turned to face him. "What's up, Conrad? Looking to split an Uber and Brooks doesn't wanna--"

"Are you alright?"

His question felt like a shock to your system, making you blink your eyes repeatedly as if you were trying to get your bearings back. "Of course," you lied through your teeth. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well…" he trailed off, motioning toward your hand. "You're gripping your mobile so hard your knuckles are turning white, for one."

You glanced at your hand, sighing when you saw your skin stretched taut over bone and trying to relax your grip somewhat. "Fine," you gritted out. "If you really wanna know, it's my birthday today. I had plans to spend tonight with my friends once I'd unpacked and washed that goddamned island off of my skin. But some people in that group can't seem to let petty high school shit go, and today when we finally got signal again I got a metric fuckton of messages from one of said friends calling me either a bad friend or a dumbass for extending an invitation to my friends because it's inconvenient for her, which then led to a domino effect of if she's not going then I'm not going and now…" you trailed off, chuckling sardonically to yourself. "Now no one's going."

Something akin to pity crossed the tracker's eyes, making you look away. The last thing you needed right now was the most jaw-droppingly unfairly handsome man on the face of God's green earth to look at you like a sad wet little puppy left out on the side of the road.

"Anyways I'm off," you said a little too chipper it even made you cringe a little inside. "Got a date with a pizza box, fridge full of wine, and my Netflix account. 'Till the next one, Conrad."

Before he could say anything else, you were already walking to your Uber that just pulled up, finally letting yourself let go of all the hot air you were running on and quite aptly feeling deflated. When you were finally far enough from the port that Conrad wasn't even a speck in your line of sight, you felt the tears start to roll down your cheeks.

You felt exponentially worse when you got home, most of the food that you'd placed an order for before you left on the trip to be delivered today already waiting on your porch.

"Fucking dammit," you repeated, albeit this time with a whimper rather than a roar. You propped your door open and started bringing the food in, deciding to set aside a couple of days worth of meals for yourself and then giving the rest to a nearby food bank so that it would at least do some good.

It took a few hours but you were finally perched on your couch, wearing a comfy pajama short set, Kate & Leopold playing on your TV, and tucking straight into a tub of mudslide ice cream just letting the night pass. This definitely wasn't how you pictured spending your 30th birthday, but you strived to remember that there could have been worse ways to spend tonight.

You could've been mediating between spatting friends because they couldn't manage to keep civil for one night, or you could've been on the receiving end of Deena's tirade about "how duplicitous you were to drag her into a gathering with Shana". The island would've been a better alternative than dealing with that all night.

About 30 minutes into the movie you heard a knock on your door, causing you jump in your seat. "I didn't order anything!" you hollered toward your front door, wincing at the pins and needles starting to prickle at your feet and lower legs from the motion.

Whoever was outside knocked again, this time a bit more persistent with the sound booming across the living room. Your visitor, whoever it may be, wasn't here by mistake, and they weren't about to be waved off with a simple 'go away I'm pissy'.

"I told you, buddy, I didn't order any--" Your words stopped short on the tip of your tongue as you saw nothing but broad shoulders clad in a familiar tight and worn blue t-shirt stretched tight over well-defined pectorals, only this time with an off-the-rack casual blazer draped over it. Your eyes slowly traveled upward to meet the oceanic blue eyes that quite frankly you constantly tried and failed not to dream about whenever you drifted off to sleep at night. "Conrad…" you said his name slowly, as if every part of your brain was fighting against accepting the reality that he was here now, looking like the human embodiment of Lust on ridiculously long legs. "What're you doing here?"

There were quite a few thoughts that crossed your mind in the last few hours, scenarios that you'd conjured up on how the rest of the night would go, each of them dwindling in their respective probability as the hours ticked on. Former SAS Tracker James Conrad being at your door, however, was definitively not among those scenarios.

"Erm…I thought I would come over to check on you. You were visibly…understandably…upset when we parted ways at the pier," he answered, shifting his weight to one leg as if trying to make it all sound so casual. He looked over at how you were dressed, from the haphazard ponytail down to the fuzzy monster slippers covering your feet, and resumed his stance that you'd grown accustomed to with the squared shoulders and the ramrod straight back as if he was back on training grounds. "Get dressed, Y/L/N."

You jerked your head backwards, surprise and confusion flooding your system at the soft spoken order. "Why?"

"I'm taking you out for dinner," he stated plainly. "I know you had plans for tonight and they didn't pan out the way you intended. No one should such an important day alone unless they really want to."

"Conrad, please. I'm fine, everything's fine. You don't have to check in on me or take me out to dinner or keep me company out of--I don't even know, pity? You have your own thing and I don't wanna keep you from it or the hordes of women who would probably abandon all common human decency and trample over each other to get that blazer off of you." You finished your little lament with a wave toward the garment, already stepping back like you were about to send him off to better and more interesting company.

When he sensed what you were about to do, he reached out, putting your hand in a delicate hold. "The night has barely begun, and you're in pajamas, eating ice cream, and one of your comfort movies is playing on the screen." He motioned his head towards your TV, where Hugh Jackman and Meg Ryan were currently paused mid-waltz on a New York rooftop. He brought his hand up to cup your face, swiping his thumb over the corner of your mouth before softly saying, "This isn't fine. And I know that I'm not the company you expected or perhaps even prefer. I just--I wanted to come here tonight and just let you know…that I'm here. So…you could join me for dinner or alternatively I could join you here and you can talk my ear off with your movie commentary. The point is that you won't be spending your birthday alone."

His words left you stunned to near silence. "I uhm--I'll go get dressed then." You stepped back from his hold, an irrational part of you already missing his touch, awkwardly waving toward the sitting area. "I'll be out in a few minutes."

Once you'd started to make your way up the stairs, Conrad made his way to the living area of your house, a smile making its way to his face as he looked at the framed pictures you had on your shelves, your dimpled toothy grin on full display. "Oh, Y/N," he breathed your name almost reverently in the silence. "How the hell am I going to move on from you now?"

Earlier today when you'd all disembarked off the ship, he had plans to wash up and head off to a bar to look for someone to keep him company for the night, perhaps until Monday when you were all expected to return to Monarch for briefing on your next mission. All he wanted was to find someone who held even the faintest resemblance to you and lose himself in the chimera that you were the one he was with, that he held you in his arms as he woke up that next morning, and with that indulgence to tide him over for some time, perhaps he could maintain the professional, nearly friendly, relationship that he had with you without running the risk of putting that in jeopardy all because he couldn't keep his affections in check.

Those plans all went down the drain when he saw how you were fighting back tears explaining how your plans for tonight had gone off the rails. When his choices for how to spend the night were spending a few empty hours with someone he would meticulously compare to you or making sure that your birthday wasn't going to be spent alone and licking wounds that should never have been dealt to you in the first place, there was no choice to make.

Tonight's objective was simply to wipe the frown away from your perfectly enchanting face, perhaps even get you to smile. And maybe somewhere along the way finally get you to see him as someone more than just your colleague. Someone that cared. A friend, if he was really going to push it.

And maybe if he was going to entertain the moon shot that played in his most self-indulgent daydreams…a lover.

The sound of you clearing your throat brought him out of his thoughts, the sight of you in your simple pale blue dress with a slight teasing cutout by your waist stealing every bit of his breath away. "Too much?" you asked him, your tone shaky.

"Not at all," he croaked out, clearing his throat before speaking again. "You uhm…you look--You're beautiful." The tiniest smile played at your lips as you motioned for him to follow you to the door. "You always are," he murmured under his breath.

"What was that?" you called out absentmindedly, still steadily making your way to the front door.

"N-Nothing," he stammered. "I was just…admiring your home. It's lovely."

"It's too damn big is what it is," you scoffed as he passed you at the threshold before locking the door. "That's what I get for being perpetually alone, I guess. Just my luck that every guy I ever even tried to date fully expects me to hang up my coat and give up my research so I can play housewife." Your eyes misted over again as the next words came out. "Not a single soul on God's green earth that could deal with that." You turned the key with a little more force than necessary, the lock clicking into place with a resounding knock.

When the two of you made your way to his car, he opened the door for you, your disbelief at the gesture evident in your eyes. And when he was sure that you wouldn't be able to hear him through the car's closed door, he whispered to himself, "I could deal with that. If it meant that you were mine, I could deal with anything."

A/N: Happy happy birthday @liminalpebble!! I hope this puts a smile on your face today and that you have a spectacular year ahead of you, bestie 🥹🥹 Many many hugs from me and Grassy the Mango (even though the bub hasn't arrived yet but it will…today. I think…)

everything taglist: @simplyholl @loopsisloops @unlucky-number-13 @imalovernotahater @coldnique @loz-3 @huntress-artemiss @salempoe @vickie5446 @athalialaufeyson @lokiprompts @kats72 @kikster606 @evelyn-kingsley @lokixryss @thomase1 @mischief2sarawr @peaches1958 @lovingchoices14 @lunarnights95 @goblingirlsarah @iamlokisgloriouspurpose @creationsbyme @maple-seed @mjsthrillernp @ladyofthestayingpower @mygfloki @sititran @glitterylokislut @ozymdias @fictive-sl0th @lovelysizzlingbluebird @lokidbadguy @mochie85 @silverfire475 @joyful-enchantress @elizabethmidnight2017 @holdmytesseract @lokidokieokie @lunarnights95 @superficialdomina @gigglingtiggerv2

[gremlin-girly]

Kinktober 16

Kink: Role play (Doctor + patient)

Pairing: Dean Winchester x f!Reader

warnings: SMUT, roleplay (doctor and patient), fingering (f receiving), oral (f receiving), dirty talk, would 10000% be medical malpractice, improper use of a stethoscope, established relationship, 20000% cheesy, laughing during sex (not in a kinky or mean way just bc Dean almost ruins the moment haha), not beta'd

summary: You and Dean introduce roleplay to the bedroom to try out one of his fantasies. Dr Sexy is in the house

word count: tba

As always I do not give permission for my work to be reposted, translated or copied. My warnings are non-exhaustive (even though I do try to capture everything) but please read at your own risk. I am not responsible for your content consumption.

I hope you enjoy; comments, likes and reblogs are always welcome!

A/N: I am SO sorry ... not really, happy Kinktober! Just a quick one :) - Love, Grem x

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You were worried you wouldn’t be able to keep a straight face when your boyfriend walked in with the doctor coat on and a stethoscope around his neck but, you managed it. It wasn’t until he announced himself as Dr.Sexy, that you bit back a smile and luckily,  Dean was too deep into character to notice.

He was shirtless underneath but unfortunately the coat was buttoned. For now.

“What can I help you with today?” Dean’s tone is low as his eyes rake your form, sat diligently on one of the dining chairs you had snagged from the common room earlier that day. You had worn a low cut shirt and a miniskirt, both of which left very little to the imagination and flaunted the top of your thighs beautifully. You’re not nothing, if not well-prepared.

You cast your eyes up at Dean, pouting slightly. “Well, doc, you see I’m having trouble with cumming.”

Dean, or Dr. Sexy, immediately tenses, watching you bat your eyelashes up at him. He fights desperately not to curse and break character, but shit, the way you look right now has him hard already.

You spread your legs a little wider, miniskirt riding up ever so slightly. Deans breath hitches at the sight of your bare cunt under the miniskirt and his throat is dry.

"Let's see if I can help," he says hoarsely, inching forward. He picks up the end of the stethoscope and presses it to your clit. You yelp at the cold metal on the heat of your clit, but the rush of desire you feel is

Dean slips one finger into your pussy, curling it to reach that sweet, spongy spot that makes your toes curl. You tilt your head back biting back moans when he adds a second finger, stretching you wider over his fingers.

"Fuck, Dean-"

"Doctor," he corrects smugly and your lip twitches.

"Oh, doctor," you mock back. Big mistake.

Dean's thumb brushes your clit sending a wave of pleasure up your spine that makes you moan loudly. Your pussy clenches around his fingers, making Dean hiss as he pumps you with the always present tenacity he has.

But then he removes his fingers entirely, leaving you hollow and panting. You bite back a small whine which turns into a loud curse when Dean sinks to his knees and buries his face into your dripping core without a second thought.

Your hand slips into his hair holding him in place as his warm tongue gently teases your folds before swirling your clit. You move your legs to rest on his shoulders, watching him eat you out like he hadn't eaten for days. His green eyes meet yours from where he sits and you can feel a smug grin form against your heated, wet skin.

"Trying out a different prescription," He teases. Your mind falters and you frown, about to hit him with a comeback, but Dean goes right back to sucking at your clit. You heave breaths, the sounds your both making turning you on even more. When Dean re-adds his fingers you half scream in ecstasy.

"Dammit, you're so tight." He murmurs, taking another long languid lick.

"Dean," you huff impatiently, your eyes pleading.

Dean pulls away from you, face covered in spit and cum, grinning ear to ear. "Maybe you need some vitamin D instead."

You grimace and kick feebly at him, biting back a grin of your own. "Shut up."

Dean chuckles, eyes twinkling up at you from between your legs. He presses a soft kiss inside your thigh before standing up to unzip his pants.

"Okay, okay. Less talking, more action. Noted."

[alipeeps]

Episode 31

The race to be the first to sacrifice yourself for Wen Xiao... on your marks, get set... GO!

How is it? Well... that's never a good expression on a doctor's face...

Oh my fucking heart....

I was right, Baby Bro didn't die. Just dematerialised for a bit.

It's interesting how since the confirmation that his demonic power is gone, Zhao Yuanzhou has started dressing in much lighter colours... lots of white. Which ngl is a little worrying given that white is the colour of mourning in Chinese culture... (oooh or is it that he's wearing white/combinations with white because Ying Lei died?)

Fucking called it.

Of course there had to be some kind of threat to drive the plot for the last 4 episodes.

A plague again? What d'you want to bet it's to do with Wen Zongyu's experiments?

Wait up, Wen Xiao's foster dad is missing?!

Ah shit and Bai Jiu's dad is ill with the plague.

Without his demonic power... is Zhao Yuanzhou susceptible to the plague?

A demon blood sachet?

So someone has deliberately used a sachet containing Fei's blood to spread plague. And who a) was aware of/had contact with Fei, and b) would pull some shit like that?

Answer: fucking Chongwu Camp.

(But if it's the same plague caused by Fei that they encountered previously, can't the same cure that Bai Jiu developed be used?)

Are they sealing off the city?

BECAUSE IT'S FUCKING CHONGWU CAMP!!

Oh what the fuck Fei is not dead?!! How is that possible?! We SAW him die!!

Zhou Dage once again performing his primary duty in the polycule of bringing food to people when they are locked in the library frantically researching....

Oh my fucking heart...

Oh damn. He has been estranged from his dad this whole time cos he thought he'd killed his mum. And he's afraid his dad's gonna die before they can clear the misunderstandings between them...

What the FUCK Zhou Yichen?!!

I have never - fucking NEVER - suffered through a drama that has so explicitly verbalised ALL the found family feels... apparently with the express intent of causing me PAIN!!! 😭😭😭

How did he survive? Wen Xiao.

And now he wants to repay that by saving her...

Because she loves Zhao Yuanzhou

(At least, that's all the show is allowed to say. We know better. Polycule supremacy!!)

Ugh, god, verbalising that love is not just wanting to have something for yourself, but rather wanting to care for it and see it thrive... even if not by your side...

Zhao Yuanzhou continuing to make it his life's mission to make sure Wen Xiao is warmly-dressed...

WTF Zhao Yuanzhou was that a fucking marriage proposal?!!!

Oh god, all the imaginations of them living a happy life together that he held onto to keep his inner demon core at bay... 😭😭😭

"Return to the wilderness"? Yeah that feels like you changed your mind at the last minute there as to what you were going to say... probably because you remembered you're going to sacrifice yourself to save her, right?

God the visuals of each of them alone, contemplating... and we know exactly what the two men are contemplating...

He's carving a monkey - sorry, a white ape! For her? To... remind her of him?

Fuck me that is a fucking badass move.

Ahhhh I have missed Xiao Bai's voice-breaking shrieking!

God I love this show. The humour is just...

Oh holy shit, I am dying. it got better and better and better. Fuck my "no gifs for these summaries" rule, I have to gif the whole fucking thing!

Oh goody, it's occurred to them to look into what the fuck Chongwu Camp are up to.

I swear, if it turns out they pulled a fake-out on us and Wen Zongyu also isn't dead, I will cut a bitch...

Uhhh where did Wen Xiao's foster dad go to? He was in the same prison cell with Fei.

Oh shit, I hope they haven't turned him into a demon hybrid?

Oh fuuuuck what's going on with Fei? That... that looks kinda like the ever-burning fire in his eyes?

Uhoh, Mr Fan is not chained up anymore. I'm guessing he's controlled/hybridised?

GOD FUCKING DAMMIT!! 🔪🔪🔪

He didn't die AND he's got the ever-burning wood and it's let him succeed in his demon experiments!!

Shit... was the Wen Zongyu we saw burn up actually his demon-hybrid with shapechanging powers?

Phoenix?

Oh fuck.

So he has also demonised himself?

So... he needed the ever burning wood precisely because he needed it to burn himself up and be reborn as the phoenix?

Ohhh shit and doesn't the phoenix have the power of rebirth? So... it's part of his plan to bring his wife back to life?

(I hope he succeeds in bringing her back to life and she is horrified at what he has done/become and immediately kills herself)

WHAT THE FUCK?!! How did the medicine they made contain demon cores?!!!

I thought his grand plan was to get rid of all demons? How does turning everyone - including himself - into a demonised hybrid achieve that?!!

You fucker!!

BROTHER?!!

Was Wen Xiao's dad his BROTHER?!

He's Wen Xiao's fucking UNCLE?!!!!

Oooh nice, was it all a plan? They snatched Wen Zongyu!!

What's going on?

Oooft what a reversal, Zhuo Yichen stepping forward to protect Zhao Yuanzhou.

Freeze that fiery fucker Zhuo Yichen!!

Ooof he's transferring the knowledge straight to him.

And now he can form ice out of thin air - just as the phoenix can create fire out of thin air - rather than having to freeze water.

Uhhh I don't like the look of that smoke...

What the fuck? Is this a dream?

Baize goddess and Li Lun? Is it... a memory then?

YING LEI!!

This is freaky....

God the fondness in his expression...

It's a trap. That's what the poison does? Traps you in a dream world where everyone is alive and happy so you don't want to leave...

Zhuo Yichen knows what's up.

Oh damn. He knows full well it's not real. But he just wanted to pretend... for a little bit...

But wait... what if THIS is the trap? What if it's baiting you into killing yourself to try and escape the dream?

FUCK, I was right... the poison was making them act out in real life what they were doing in the dream. They would have killed each other/themselves trying to escape.

Damn, thank goodness for Bai Jiu.

He would if he could, you fucker, and he's every right to. You manipulated and used him against his friends, sacrificed him to be possessed by a demon, poisoned him, and then used him to poison the entire town! Fuck you!!

So wait up, was Zhao Yuanzhou's loss of all his demonic power just temporary then? As Bai Yan had said, it will not be quick to recover? So has he got at least some back now? Cos he sure seems to be using his power in this episode!

Ah yeah, he's got some back. But nowhere near enough.

Okaaay so now they need Wen Xiao to see where his demon core is so they can remove it. Game on!

[bonny-kookoo]

Yoongi

𝓣𝓪𝓴𝓮 𝓒𝓪𝓻𝓮. | Homesick

He's not sure what's worse- the fact that he now knows what's wrong, or the fact that he now knows he can't do anything to help you.

Tags/Warnings: Spin off, Doctor!Yoongi, Cat Hybrid!Reader, mentions of hospitals, Mentions of a coma, major angst, slight fluff?, a lot of hurt, it's your daily dose of angst you masochists

Length: Drabble

There is no taglist for this fic

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There's not much Yoongi truly regrets. After all, he's a firm believer that even the bad things in life happen for a reason- it's all somewhat connected. It all leads you to the next step in life.

But if that's the case, then why did the world gift him you, just to have you taken away like this?

He knows it's only a matter of time until your body gives up. It's already happening, after all- your breathing has become less regulated, blood pressure steadily declining. He knows it's unrealistic to think that you'll forever stay in this state. You won't.

Even if you wake up now, you won't be the same. You'll probably have to fight the aftereffects and impact on your brain for months if not years. And that's a very optimistic prognosis.

The more realistic one would be to assume that you'll be a case of permanent full on care. If you ever wake up.

He dreads the question soon to be asked. What does he want to do?

Can he let you go?

In times like these, when being at home makes him homesick to the point of nausea, he tends to visit you, no matter how late. It's how he finds himself at your bedside again, steady tune of your bpm monitor reassuring him that for now, you're still here.

No matter how much of you.

Watching you sleep like this makes it hard to really comprehend that there's not much to do here at all. There's nothing he can do to help you recover because, at the end of the day, the diagnosis is still being studied.

He can't help. He can only hope.

Holding your hand has begun to feel odd now. Like a tune not played quite right, it feels off to just cling to your body like this, when your soul might've very well already left you long ago. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do.." he mumbles to himself, mostly.

Or maybe he's just at the end of his hope.

Maybe he's the one losing this battle now.

"I know I have to let you go, but I don't want to." He shakes his head. "I didn't even get to experience anything with you." He sighs to himself. "Fuck.." the doctor wipes his face with his free hand.

He sighs again, and gets up to leave-

But your fingers cling to his own, holding a lot more tightly than usual. Maybe a simple muscle memory response- nothing to be excited about. He's learned to keep those feelings in check by now, after having been disappointed time and time again.

So he gently pulls your fingers away from his hand.

And you.. whine?

Your bpm is rising a little, machine complaining with a chime about the change in tempo, and he looks at you a bit more focused, noticing the way your breathing doesn't seem as calm as it usually is.

"No, you're not-!" He curses, turning the lights of the room back on. "You're not fucking taking her from me yet-!" He argues to no one.

When your fingers wrap around his wrist where his hand is pushing down on the hospital bed to gain better leverage to look at your monitor.

"No way.." he breathes out, leaning closer to you as he watches the tears run down your cheeks. It's not new that you're able to cry- you've randomly done that in the past, but during post comatose wakefulness, that's not unusual.

But he hopes. He wants to hope.

"Do you want me to stay?" He asks. "Is that it? Come on, you know how it works, give me an answer-" he begs in a whispered tone,

But nothing happens.

"God dammit what am I supposed to do?!" He breaks down, falling back into the chair next to your bed, finally breaking as he cries into the sheets.

And your hand is suddenly moving around again, as if searching for something, before it settles in his hair, on his head.

And as he lifts it to look at you, your eyes are open. But not just open- because that's what they've done for weeks now, time and time again, hurting him with every empty gaze.

Because this time, albeit a bit tearful-

They're not just open.

They're looking at him.

You're looking at him.

You're back.

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[balkanradfem]

So I am gonna write about a tmi, icky gross problem regarding armpit hair, so if you don't feel like reading about that, it's time to scoot, skip this post, scroll on, skedaddle.

I know you're all still reading because you want to know about gross icky disgusting problems, and this is your own fault. So let me tell you a story!

I've had a life where paying attention to my physical health was the least of my issues, and if a problem was ignorable, you can be sure I ignored it. This proved to be a poor method of staying healthy, and now I am in fact, not doing so well. But that's not the point, the point is, I'm now paying much more attention to my body, and able to notice if something is up!

So one of the things I've ignored, was the condition of my armpit hair, which I shaved for only a very brief period of my life, and was happy to continue growing it out. I've noticed after a while, that there is some white coating on some of my armpit hair, and I thought, you know, I need to wash that stuff out! I need to scrub that area more, obviously it's still dirty somehow. However I would discover that no matter with what I scrub or wash, the white dots and coating on the hair would remain there. So it was not dirt, I was forced to conclude.

I looked it up, and the internet informed me, it is in fact, a bacterial infection. Shocked and baffled, I read some articles that recommended going to the doctor, getting antibiotics, shaving it off, using products to stop sweating, washing constantly not to get it again. It was utter defeat, after being so happy about my armpit hair being normal and all grown, to have to shave it again because of a stupid goddamn infection. They said the infection hits women and m*n the same, but women experience it less because they most commonly shave it off. Like firstly I don't believe you that most women do that, secondly you didn't mention the skin infections women can get from shaving.

But anyway, I had to shave it off in humiliation, and then I grew it back again, and I was more careful this time! To wash more carefully, to not allow myself to be sweaty, to dry off my armpits before putting clothes on, but after a while, it slipped my mind. I get anxiety sweating, I work a physical job, and I am a gardener. I get sweaty! And I like being sweaty and it doesn't feel bad and I would like, to not get an infection. But six months later the infection came back and now I'm brooding about it. I don't wanna shave it off again! I miss not knowing it was a legitimate problem, and I mean it's not like it's actively causing problems, just makes the smell of my armpit slightly stronger but I am okay with my own smell so the only thing that does bother me is knowing there is some bacteria in there having a field day while I'm enjoying my gross sticky life of being a physical worker.

So I am writing this to find out: is this a problem other women growing armpit hair have faced? Have you all known what it is? Did anyone find a solution that isn't a topical antibiotic and living a life where you don't ever get sweaty? If it turns out I'm the number one icky woman out there, so be it, I can be the leader. But I've never heard anyone talk about this, and I don't want to go to a doctor and hear 'why don't you just shave it off like all normal women' because I have the right to my armpit hair dammit, and I want it to be for my own enjoyment and comfort and the bacteria need to find some other job.

If this is a common problem then people have found a way to deal with it centuries ago, and I bet any witch back in time would know exactly what to do, but sadly I can't go and ask one, or read about their findings, because we know why. Please help me crowdsurf this information.

[roxannepolice]

I understand where the "RTD is pulling an obscure past villain in a supposedly new audience focused season" take-with-critical-flavour comes from but. Like, this may be one of the things that make his writing for me, but all of these past situations hardly ever required lore literacy?

Nastene consciousness is a very simple concept that neither benefits nor loses from having seen TotA. The Daleks' focus was entirely in reference to the Time War. Cybermen in s2 were specifically parallel universe Cybermen. The Sontarans were simply on their usual bullshit. Ice Warriors were only brought up as Mars's natives that would explain were the Flood came from (you remember that, right? that the Flood was Ice Warriors' weapon?). Dammit, Rassilon being Rassilon is only established in one line and apart from added epicness of literally fighting your technocratic god this doesn't give or take away much. The Toymaker got one flashback to remind that yes, he and the Doctor already know each other and there's a pinch added bitterness but no, this isn't a revenge story, this is "humanity is fascinating with their little nation dolls and war games" story.

And I left him for the last, because even THE MASTER wasn't there for "history between us" nostalgia fest sake. Yes, the childhood friendship had to be brought up because it's too important in this case, and the times the Doctor stopped the Master as well as the times they cooperated had to be brought up to show how they differ in their perceptions of their relationship, but that's pretty much it and you get all this from the story on its own. You can get an added rush from the little threegado nods but that's just the aesthetic.

Like, the universe is large, multiverse even more so, but sometimes you're just going to run into the same anthropomorphic or zoomorphic personification of pure concepts, and the only thing you can do is deal with it again, with the caveat the gods can't be tricked twice?

[blkdaddie]

Empregnas University: Roommates II

Story tags: a bit of fluff, slice of life

"Dude! Go, go, go!" "Bruh, what the fuck, to the right, where are you going! Dammit! Use the launcher!" Henry muted his headset mic so the other guys in his Call of Duty campaign didn't hear him groaning and gasping for air. He threw the controller to his roommate Chris and closed his eyes. It's not Henry's fault that the baby kicked him in the ribs right as they started the ambush. Although he has weeks to go, this kid is testing the absolute limits of his womb. He's cut out Mountain Dew (at his doctor's insistence) months ago, but has always eaten red vines while gaming and now the sticky cherry candy is a legit craving.

Unfortunately the baby has a love/hate relationship with sugar. It starts dancing and punching, using Henry's organs like a Mortal Kombat opponent. By the time Henry catches his breath, the third roommate Mike has fetched him a bottle of water and jar of belly butter. The only thing that will make the baby settle is a good few minutes of belly rubs, meaning Henry will have to argue with Chris to get the controller back.

Henry scoops out a glob of lotion and gets to massaging, the stretched skin turning shiny in the glow of the TV screen. Finally he can breathe again as the baby curls back up and settles, albeit a bit off center making his belly kind of oddly shaped. Just when he's really getting into the campaign and telling Chris which way to run and shoot, he catches a waft of overcooked Hot Pockets and is overwhelmed by hunger. Henry has to rock back and forth a bit, eventually rolling out of the beanbag chair onto his hands an knees, then eventually to his feet to get up. He waddles to the shared suite kitchen as fast as he can within minutes Mike and Chris hear chewing and a satisfied moan.

Henry returns to the living room eating the last crumbs of a pepperoni pizza picket topped with caramel sauce and pickle relish. Mike looks equal parts disgusted an annoyed. "Really dude? That was the last one! And pepperoni and caramel is foul."

Henry shrugs , pats his belly, and shuffles off to take a piss. "What baby wants, baby gets."

Chris throws the gaming controller aside and calls out "You won your campaign by the way. You're welcome!"