#the guy sent a rude email and i had to go hide in an empty room and cried for like 20 min

[nandalikesstuff]

Someone needs to teach me not to cry whenever a test candidate is rude to me 🫠

[lovely-necromancy]

A Cure for Insomnia CH 11

“Did I meet your friends last night?” Kirby asked as he unwrapped his crunchwrap in the driver's seat.

“uuh...kinda? Like Toby was with me when I gave you the Surge but you sorta just ran off with it.” you pause as you sip a bit of your Baja Blast. “Like a fucking gremlin.”

Kirby lets out a snort and lettuce drops from his mouth. He tries to hide his messy eating behind his hand. Failing miserably, you can't help but laugh at your friend.

“Wha' bout the other two? Kieth said you ditched 'em.” For a man who was trying to cover up his mouth he sure had the audacity to try and talk with his mouth full.

“They're Toby's roommates, I haven't talked to them too much.” he nods as you speak.

“Well I promise I'll be more...together,” he makes a sort of questioning sound as he debates if that was the word he was looking for. He can't really think of anything else so he settles for 'together'. “next weekend. They are coming right?”

After a brief pause he gets his mind back in place, “This weekend, picnic's this weekend.” You chuckle.

“Toby said they'd stop by. Don't think any are really people people.”

“People people?”

“Yup” not going to let Kirby rile you up as he often tries. Not that he could with his current brain power. Sleep haze still has him in it's hold despite being “up” for about an hour now.

Out of everyone in your friend group Kirby is probably the one you're closest to. Along with being a fellow Ace he's an ambivert and you two just instantly clicked over dumb D grade monster movies. He jokes you guys must be long lost siblings. Well he only started the sibling thing because multiple Hornets or other members of the committee kept thinking you guys were dating. Since then Kirby takes to purposefully calling you some variation of sibling when he shows any type of affection. It seems even just being referenced to being in a relationship squicks him out. You don't mind though you'd always wanted an older brother and Kirby is the exact type you would've wished for. The funny dork who was super easy to get along with.

Even when he steals your nachos...like he is now.

“I'm starting to understand the Cain Instinct.” you say looking him dead in the eyes. He lets out a roar of laughter and reminds you he bought “breakfast”.

“Dad tax and all that.”

“You're not my dad! Ugly ass doodoo head.”

“Is that what that kid said? I don't think that's right.” another thing you share is constantly referencing vines or tiktok sounds.

This of course led to an argument of what the kid actually said in the vine. Both of you were determined to get home and look it up to prove the other wrong.

After your breakfast Kirby started the truck as you put all the trash into the Taco Bell bag. You switch on his stereo much to his chagrin. Kirby got a CD stuck in the radio and now the only thing he can listen to is a meme mix tape he made back in high school. It was funny the first two months for him and now he prays that the novelty will ware off on you soon.

Though it has been a few weeks since he last drove you anywhere, and what can he say Discord is always a bop.

Kirby drops you off without much fanfare, you both agree to seeing each other next week at the picnic. Is it ironic that you want to call out for him to get some more sleep? Like you are the one who's been up since five AM and it's now eleven. But you have a medical condition, Kirby is just over worked and stressed beyond Hell and back.

Getting inside you have nothing really planned for today and while you could start heading out to thrifts to find something formal for Jo's recital you really don't feel like it. Productivity wise you've already had a pretty busy weekend so no one can really judge you for taking it easy and just merging with the couch for the rest of it. Even you, you can be so tough on yourself sometimes.

British Bake Off is just the thing you need to enjoy the rest of your weekend. A calming low stress but funny baking show. Just turn your brain off and lose yourself in the soothing monotone of the judges. It's nearly six in the evening when you finally shake off your lazy day haze.

Getting up, bakers still baking, you start making a simple dinner. Fried egg on toast sounds good. Also a good balance to your supreme nacho breakfast from this morning. Dressing one slice of toast in butter and the other with butter, a little mayo, and a dash of Tabasco before placing the egg on it. You head back to eat and continue watching the competition. Your meal fills you and gives the energy you need to continue “leisureing”.

After an hour you get up and wash the dishes from earlier. And while you have no energy to actually play any of your video games right now you do want to log in for your dailies.

A quick trip to your bedroom has you grabbing your laptop before returning back to the comfort of your living room. Couch calling you to it's cozy embrace. You half pay attention to what you're doing as you set up your laptop, muscles running on muscle memory more than any conscious effort on your part. You hadn't even noticed your hands flickering across the board and logging into your email.

By the time you do realize you aren't on your game's site you see you have a new email. It's from Barclay.

'Coming to ask for my help?' you think a little too smug that you'd been right about the cooking being too much for the man.

However, that wasn't what he was messaging you about. It seems he and Leo had been talking and the old man mentioned what your plans for cooking were.

Shortie,

Leo says you're making forager's pie for the picnic. Seasons ripe for ramps and mushrooms. You in for a little adventure through new unexplored territory?

...I'm hunting some lobster mushrooms, could use a hand or two Will share the bounty. ~Barclay sent 12:04 PM

An olive branch in hopes you weren't too sore about his rejection from earlier this week. The message and sentiment is lost on you since you got over that Thursday.

The idea of new terrain makes you a bit uneasy, however lobster mushrooms were pretty good and forage finds were really rare. Barclay grew up in these woods he probably knew what he was doing, not to mention he could easily know where to find ramps. Their flavor would really up your pie game. It's settled you're in for a forage date with big foot as your guide.

Am in Big Feet. When are we going? Sent 7:20 PM

Like with most things a waiting game began, down sides to living in a radio quiet community people weren't as attached to electronics because of the limited capabilities. But now that you know Barclay is emailing you, you can check your phone more often. Shutting down your laptop you close it before sliding it under your coffee table as you slide down the couch getting comfy.

It was two hours before Barclay got back to you.

Fantastic! Does Tuesday work? ~Barclay sent 9:42 PM

Barclay must be in a rush to get those mushrooms. You'd been thinking Thursday or Friday at the latest for the freshest mushrooms. Maybe he didn't need them for the picnic but a personal project. From what Jake has told you Barclay often falls into spells of testing out new ideas with the strangest of ingredients. With varying results but mainly positive ones.

Yea sure. Meet at the lodge after my shift? Sent 9:50 PM

Perfect see you then. ~Barclay sent 9:52 PM

Oki Sent 9:52 PM

Now that that has been settled you are free to continue your chill Sunday. Losing yourself to the lulling voices of the judges you hardly notice as you drift off. Warm in your throw blanket cocoon and cozy on the plush of your couch.

You jolt up right panting after being woken up by a loud bang. Or at least you thought you'd heard a bang, Sometimes auditory hallucinations came to you in your sleep no matter how well rested you were. The room around you is dark as the light from your TV is dimmed with Netflix's 'Are you still watching?' pop up mocking you for your marathon.

Without thinking you hit 'yes' and the bake off resumes. With the brightness restored you can see your living room and hallway are completely undisturbed. An auditory hallucination must have pulled you out of sleep. Nothing more, after all your stalker wouldn't get sloppy now, it's only been three weeks.

'That you know of.' seems to whisper and embed itself in your mind.

Shaking off the worrying thought you look at your phone to see it's now quarter till one. You are hungry and don't feel like cooking. Thankfully you have emergency white castles and fries in your freezer for this exact need. Getting up you go to the kitchen to microwave your food. Popping the fries in first you decide to head to the bathroom before that becomes a problem for you.

Before you go down the hallway you do end up grabbing the bat next to the bookshelf. The whisper from earlier clearly hasn't done much to settle your nerves after your rude awakening. Protection in hand you have a little less anxiety about walking down the dark hallway. You'd have to look into installing one of those cheap wall lamps from Home Depot to help you out in situations like this. Either that or a night light in your bathroom, you can probably get the night light done quicker. Maybe Leo sells them, you'll have to check next week.

You made it back to the kitchen after your bathroom break without any surprises, real or imaginary, jumping out at you. Replacing the fries inside your microwave with sliders, you snack on a few while you wait for the rest of your meal.

It's probably paranoia but you can't blame yourself for it as you continue to keep an ear out for any sound of abnormal movement within your home, as you eat and have the bake show low enough to catch the sounds of another person. None come, and you finish your food without incident. You're willing to chalk the noise up to a hallucination and your paranoia as valid but not necessary in this moment. Without much more thought you place your empty plate on the coffee table and curl back up in your throw blanket. Just like before you don't catch yourself as you fall asleep. This time you don't wake up until your phone alarm goes off for you to start your week and head to work.

The week has been much less dramatic than last week had been. But then again it is only Tuesday and you literally have gay brunch this Sunday. There will definitely be some sort of theatrics this week. Whether they come from homosexuals or your stalker is up to God.

Then later today you'll be going foraging with Barclay. And while that isn't anything dramatic it will be an adventure and, you hope, really fun! Your excitement has been tangible all day and you couldn't hold yourself back from focusing only on the clock in the shop all day. Even giddier than normal for the strike of five. With the energy rushing through you it amped up your tics but thankfully you hadn't hurt yourself in your excitement.

Even Nate is beginning to playfully tease you about your “date” with Barclay.

Great he must've been talking to Little Jo. What is it with this family and wanting you to date the lodge owner? Do you just look like the lead in a Hallmark Christmas movie that moved to a small town in order to feel the joy of the holidays? You could definitely get into the role but you don't think Barclay would be the main love interest for you.

Honestly he'd probably be the one all the viewers cheered for but you'd personally go for the puppy dog partner that has a scarred past. You have a type and your type is emotionally wounded and needing of love. That thought had made you chuckle as you and Nate closed up the store for the day.

Nate kept looking over at you throughout the day, and when he heard you giggle to yourself at closing he couldn't help the fond smile that came over his features. He could feel how his brows lifted themselves from their normally furrowed or downward tilt. He'd have let you leave early had it not been for the new procedures Big Jo had set. It's not often that your excitement shows so visibly. It's not often that the Cowell family has seen you happy like this.

But Nate understands it's not the crush that Little Jo seems to think it is, it's something more bittersweet. It's the excitement that comes from finally waning off of being isolated for so long. And boy does Nate understand that feeling. If he had to guess Nate would say you've been alone for most of your life even if you don't act like it. You need these little hangouts with your friends. So he does his fastest close yet. You both are out the door by five after and he bids you goodnight as you head to your respective cars.

With the close tonight being so quick you made it to the lodge and parked in the half full lot just before five thirty. Getting out of your car you noticed a familiar duo sitting on the stoop of the lodge.

'Something's wrong.' is the only thought you have as you walk towards the lodge.

“Hey stranger.” the brunette looks up to you at your greeting.

In this light you can just catch the slight movement of his pupils in his dark eyes as they widen in surprise.

“oh...hey?” he seems confused to see you here. Must not be used to living in a small town yet. He'll learn soon enough that you run into everyone all the time here. Sometimes multiple times a week as it would seem.

“You good?” motioning towards the hand on the back of his neck.

“Yea, fucking Bri-an Mrrow thought I needed this.” Toby moves his hand to show an ice pack that you assume he's been holding to the back of his neck.

“Heat sickness?”

“Nah, the RV's AC busted. I can probably fix it by the end of the week.” you nod.

That makes sense, after all CIPA affects thermal regulation, at least from a basic skim. You really need to get on that deep dive to make sure you're prepared for irregular injury prevention with Toby. Speaking of, the boy in front of you is just sitting here with Connor, why? Even if he's here to get a room at the lodge why didn't he just go in? Connor is a service dog after all not like anyone could turn him away. So why was Toby just sitting out here, especially if Brian thought he needed an ice pack to the neck to keep cool?

As if the universe heard your question and decided to give you an answer, Aubrey opened the door and poked her head out.

“Thanks for letting me put up Dr. Harris Bonkers. I'll keep him in my room during your stay.” Oh that makes sense Aubrey's rabbit normally has the run of the lodge. Even if Connor's a service dog and well trained Dr. Bonkers is still a prey animal with a weak heart. Seeing Connor may have stressed the poor rabbit out, if not nearly given him a heart attack.

Her russet eyes land on you when she opens the door wider to, you assume, let Toby and Connor in. They widen and Aubrey rushes in to hug you before stopping short as if remembering you don't appreciate physical contact.

“Hey YN! I didn't know you were coming over.” She says a little awkwardly mid pose for a hug.

You won't be saving her from the situation. With a smile, that she can't see, you nod.

“Barclay's taking me foraging today.”

Aubrey nods while lowering her arms and takes a few steps back so you and Toby can enter the lodge. The large foyer of the wooden chalet always looks bigger thanks to the deep red tones in it's color palette. From the dark cherry stained wood to the red rugs and table liners. Always feels a lot warmer too, but in a homey sense not the overbearing swelter of heat sense. You can't wait to see what it's like in the winter. Probably so cozy and welcoming with a fire roaring and the murmur of residents and tourist mingling over the winter festivities. There's a swell in your chest at the thought...it seems nice, you hope you're right.

'Hope you see it.' is the dark whisper that taints your thoughts.

You notice Brian and Tim are over at the counter talking to Barclay who is nodding along sympathetically to the trio's plight. He catches your eye and motions for you to wait. You'd been planning to, after all he's currently working.

Turning to Toby you see he looks a bit paler than normal, which should be a difficult feat. Aubrey had left you both, though you aren't sure if she'll be coming back with her girlfriend Dani in a moment or not. You decide to lead Toby over to the obnoxiously plush couch in the den.

It's not like the lodge is off limits to those who aren't guests, and seeing as most of it's workers live here their friends frequently come around thus using the amenities. After sitting on the couch Toby grabs at Connor's ears and starts shaking them. He isn't being rough with them despite the jerky movements and Connor seems to lean into the pet.

Just from what you can gather it seems like Toby has some pretty bad social anxiety. You really aren't sure of what you could do to help. He calmed down at the movie night with a distraction...oh that reminds you, you fell asleep on him. Figuratively and literally.

“I'm sorry for falling asleep on you.” probably not the most tactful or elegant way of bringing this up.

Toby takes a minute to register you words. Not taking his eyes off Connor or ceasing his movements he says, “Eh.” as he gives a muted shrug and continues, “Your friend...Kirby...gave you a ride right?” He said Kirby's name like a question. You'd have to formally introduce the two at some point. Probably this weekend.

“Yea, he's sorry about being a weirdo Saturday, said he'd be more “present” this weekend.”

Toby doesn't say anything more and you let a silence fall over you two. It isn't awkward, at least to you, and you're content to just sit and wait for a while. However, it doesn't take long before Tim, Brian, and Barclay are all entering the den.

“Knew they'd be here,” Barclay says to the other two, “Sorry 'bout the wait YN, Jake's comin' down to give these guys a tour an' set them up. We'll leave when he gets down.” you nod and give the other two a muted wave 'hello'.

It isn't long before Jake is sliding down the banister and leading the group out of the room before Barclay can get on to him about his juvenile behavior. Sighing at the twenty-three year old's antics Barclay turns to you and looks at what you're wearing. Hiking boots and jeans, perfect but one thing is missing.

“C'mon let's go get duct taped.”

“Duct taped?”

“Yup, keeps ticks from climbing up you.”

So you make your way to his office where he sticks duct tape, sticky side up, around each ankle and just above and below your knees. All while explaining how if a tick started to try and climb up you the tape would make them stick and stay there. You'd end up with less ticks on your torso and hopefully none at all.

In no time the two of your were in the forest two baskets in hand and hunting for your immobile prey. The ramps were super easy to find and the first you knocked off the hunt list. Barlcay said they grow in the same area every year, knowing this you may have to come and grab some the next time they're in season. You can already taste how good your forager's pie tastes with the new earthy tones. Actual mushrooms were much harder to find, aside from the lobster mushrooms you were really only looking for some hedgehog mushrooms. They aren't rare or extremely difficult to find but you two aren't having any luck.

Barclay suggested a spot just past a little pond, and while you didn't find mushrooms you did find some Black Raspberry bushes. Not one to let ingredients go to waste Barclay starts picking some, and you grab some too. Maybe baking an easy Black Raspberry cobbler will be your consolation prize. Though Barclay isn't as placated as you are with the unexpected find. The man is still on the hunt for his lobster mushrooms. So you continue scouring the path and a little bit off it in search.

“We should head back, it's dark.” you state plainly after a few hours of searching and remaining mushroom less.

Barclay agrees, but makes the comment that he'll probably come out again in a day or two.

“If I find any I'll still give you some or helping out today.”

“It's fine I've got my treasures right here.” You shrug it off, because while you are a bit disappointed, you still have ramps and the opportunity to make cobbler. It's not all bad. Barclay on the other hand, you know, will not be letting this go so you expect he'll hand you a container of mushrooms sometime in the coming month if not this weekend.

Getting back to the lodge Barclay helps you cut off the duct tape and disposes of it and the hitch hikers you picked up. He sends you off to shower and check for stragglers before he would allow you to go home. Thankfully you had the foresight to bring a change of clothes and after retrieving them from your trunk you do as you're told.

Barclay was right you hadn't had a single tick on you and you feel much better after a shower. Getting out you already smell the alluring aroma of Barclay's kitchen. You must have taken a bit longer than you intended if he was already done with his own shower and already cooking for the lodge. Heading downstairs with your duffle bag in tow, you are stopped by Dani at the door.

You haven't seen her in a bit so the two of you catch up and have a chat. After a bit Aubrey comes in with a Tupperware container of grilled salmon and veggies over rice.

“Oh I see, you were a diversion.” you said looking at Dani as you take the container. Dani gives a sheepish smile before running off to the dinning room, and after sending you a coy smile of her own Aubrey follows after.

You know you're more than welcome to join them, but you really don't have the battery for that and just want to decompress at home.

“Thank you!” you call out into the lodge, only leaving after hearing the distant chuckles drifting through the hall.

Opening the door you run right into someone. Looking up you see Toby, but he isn't wearing a mask. Instead he's wearing a large bandage on his face to cover the hole. In his hands is a box of similar bandages. Guess if they're staying for a bit he'll need them around the others.

Should you mention the others wouldn't say anything? That this whole place was like Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, but for the misfits or the weird and disowned? You aren't really sure it's your place. And you aren't really sure you're comfortable with how comfortable you've gotten with Toby. You're probably crossing some boundary by over analyzing him so much. And he doesn't even know you're doing it.

Toby knocks you out of your head when he backs away and gives you space to exit the lodge.

“Get home safe.” it falls out of his mouth so easily.

You've noticed he has a habit of saying that...why? There you go over analyzing him, you need to stop. Shaking yourself from your thoughts this time you look at Toby with a smile.

“I will...I think you'll like it here.” when you're in your car you want to slam your head on the steering wheel but Toby is still watching. Why did you say that, you're so weird.

[godlydolans]

when is the next part of something borrowed coming out? ur writing is amazing

I’ve written this little think about how Ethan feels right after he comes to know he has a son. I’ve decided I’ll write shorter chapters and try to update more frequently. Tell me what you guys wanna read from this story and I’ll write it 😊

Ethan was still shaken up from the unexpected revelation about him having a son, moments after being kicked out of Y/N’s home. After seeing his son and Y/N and having a full fledged spat with her outside her house, he had gotten into his car and driven out of her neighbourhood.

Ethan had too much on his mind, too much that he had discovered in a span of minutes. He had only gone to her house with the hopes of maybe catching up, seeing how she was doing and apologise for the horrible way he had ended their relationship. What he found out was so shocking, it pulled the rug from under his feet.

He had a freaking son he didn’t know anything about and he was only just coming to know of his existence. How fucked up was that? A vein throbbed in his jaw whenever he clenched it in anger.

Ethan was pissed off at Y/N for hiding something so big for, him. She had no right.

He didn’t want to go home yet. That much he knew for sure. There was a very prominent desire to just turn the car around, pound on her door until she opened and give her a piece of his mind, but he wasn’t an idiot. He knew the threat she had made about calling the cops on him was not an empty one. Ethan cursed under his breath, his hand slamming against the steering wheel in anger as images of that little boy filled his mind.

Elijah, she had called him.

When Ethan had knocked on that door, his heart had been pounding with nerves in anticipation of seeing Y/N again after three long years. Catching a glimpse of her on the grocery store had definitely not been enough, in fact, it had started a burning desire in him to see her again, talk to her, see how she was doing.

But, Jesus Christ, nothing could have prepared him for the way his heart sped up when the door opened and the little boy in superman night suit stared up at him with a curious smile. It was impossible to overlook the uncanny resemblance between the boy standing in front of him and his own baby pictures that his mother had, stored away in photo albums.

If that kid wasn’t his, he wasn’t Ethan Dolan.

Ethan was still driving, when his phone went off in his pocket. It was Grayson. Ethan clenched his jaw, in no mood to speak to anyone because he was an inch away from blowing up. But Grayson had Irina and no matter how bent out of shape Ethan was over finding out he had a son, he hadn’t forgotten about the baby girl that had been his world ever since her birth.

“Gray.” Ethan spoke in a gruff voice after he pulled the car over on the side of the road. “Hey man.”

“Ethan, where are you? You said you’ll be back to get Irina in an hour and it’s 12am, E.” In no way did his brother’s tone imply that he wasn’t okay with Irina being with him a little longer than what was planned, but Ethan was in a deeply grave mood. He couldn’t stop the words that entered his hot head from escaping his mouth.

“What, you have a problem keeping her for an extra hour?”

Grayson was silent on the other line for a few seconds which gave Ethan time to realise how rude he had just been. But before he could apologise for snapping at him unnecessarily, Grayson was talking again.

“What the fuck, bro? Of course I don’t have a problem with her being here-you know that.” Ethan scrunched his eyes shut when he heard the evident hurt in his twin’s voice. Grayson was an incredible uncle to Irina, he loved her to death and him of all people, didn’t deserve to be treated like this.

“Fuck Gray, I know-“

“Ethan, is everything alright?” Ethan swallowed the bile rising in his throat caused by the sheer worry in Grayson’s voice. “I-don’t know-I just felt this weird unease, like something wasn’t right and you didn’t call once after leaving here,” Usually, Ethan always called and checked up on his daughter whenever he left her with anyone. “I got scared and-“

“Gray, I have a son.” Ethan pressed his lips together after uttering those words out in the open for the first time. His voice broke on the last word. The familiar burning began in his nose.

Grayson had gone completely silent on the other end, the silence stretching for so long that Ethan almost pulled the phone away to check if the call was still connected. Before he could do that though, Grayson spoke.

More like whispered in disbelief, “What?”

**

“I can’t fucking believe this.” Grayson was going to burn a hole in the carpet by his thunderous pacing. Ethan sat on the couch in front of his brother, his head resting on the headrest of the couch, his hands laying limply on his lap. After he told Grayson about Elijah, his brother had demanded he drive his ass over to his house immediately. Ethan had done exactly that because, even though he had felt like he didn’t want to talk to anyone, Grayson wasn’t just anyone.

His brother had listened to everything Ethan had to say without once interrupting him, which was an unheard of accomplishment for Grayson, and the gruffer Ethan’s voice bacame, the paler Grayson’s face got.

“You should have seen him, Gray.” Ethan had said this same sentence countless times since he got there, but Grayson wasn’t sure knew that. “Looks just like we used to. He has these really big bambi eyes that he gets from her, but the colour is ours. And-“ Ethan pushed himself up to sit straighter, his voice holding a hint of excitement as he pointed to his freckle by his eye, “And he has this too!”

Grayson watched as his brother chuckled before getting sad again.

“He’s so beautiful, Gray.”

Grayson clenched his jaw at the pain reflecting in his brother’s eyes. “This is unacceptable. Is it even legally allowed? She didn’t have any right to hide him from you! That baby is as much yours as he I hers, I-what the fuck?! I didn’t know anyone could be such a bitch-“

“Grayson.” Ethan lifted his head just enough to throw his brother a disapproving glare.

“What, you still can’t hear one word against her?” Grayson scoffed.

“I’ve heard plenty words against her, trust me. Iris never kept her hatered for Y/N to herself, but I want you to stop swearing for my daughter is sleeping in the other room.” Ethan knew very well his daughter wasn’t the only reason why he didn’t want Grayson to call Y/N a bitch. He wasn’t going to admit that to his seething brother though. “She said that she called to tell me but I never picked up.”

“Bullshit.” Grayson managed to keep his voice level for his sleeping niece but the harshness of his tone easily gave away how angry he was. “There were too many ways she could have contacted you-“

“How?” Ethan snapped, “I never introduced her to you or mom or Cam because you guys didn’t want to meet her, so she didn’t have any of your contact information. She sent mails which I didn’t read, she called and I didn’t pick up. That’s all she could have done and she did it. I can’t exactly put all the blame on her.”

Ethan never ever read any of the emails she sent, let alone answer her calls because he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from running to her if she asked him to come back. Hell, he wasn’t even sure he would have been able to leave her that night if she would have asked him to stay. But she hadn’t. She’d just stood there and watched him leave. Now that he thinks about it, he should have read at least one of those mails. Had he done that, his son would have known him as his father and Ethan wouldn’t be meeting him tonight for the first time.

“So what now?” Grayson finally gave the poor carpet a rest and came to sit beside his brother.

“Now?” Ethan gave Grayson half a smile, “I don’t know. I can’t drag her to coart even though I threatened her with that. That won’t be fair to her. But I’m definitely not gonna sit back and let her keep my fucking son from me. That’s for fucking sure.”

[sasuhinasno1fan]

When the merchant finds his gumiho- Mystical Week Day 7

Here it is, last day and sequel to the first day, ‘When a gumiho falls in love’. I hope it’s good because I’ve never done a reincarnation story and it was orginally going to be in Keith’s point of veiw but I decided to change it last minute. Anyway, enjoy Free Day

“Don’t leave please.”

“I’m not going anywhere.  Hey do you believe in the idea of reincarnation?”

“Huh?”

“When you come back to life in another form. I fell in love with a gumiho. That has to count for something. Maybe I’ll come back at some point in another form. Maybe you can still love me then.”

“I’ll always love you, no matter what.”

Lance woke up with a jolt, the familiar yet not familiar words slipping from his mind. He let out a breath, wiping away the sweat that built up on his forehead, before dropping his head onto his knees. What was happening? Right when he got offered the job of his dreams and got to move to Korea, these dreams started. He felt like he was reliving something, but that didn’t make any sense. Lance never lived in Korea. He only took an interest in the history and mythology of it when their history teacher in high school assigned it to him. Now he could only dream of black fur, a bloody face and tails. Gumiho was a word that always stuck around. But why would he be concerned about a mischievous female fox?

Lance sighed, flopping back onto his bed. He needed to sleep. He had errands to still do and get done before he started work next week. These dreams weren’t helping but Lance hoped that once he was more settled that the dreams would stop. He could only hope.

Lance was trying to figure out where his bus stop was when he crashed into him. Korean and English slipped through his lips as he steadied himself before a string of apologies in Korean came out.

“I’m so sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going.” When Lance got a better look at the guy he bumped into, he stopped. He looked familiar. His black hair framing his face, his greyish purple eyes, his soft looking lips and…he looked like someone lance felt he should know. But he never met this man before. Though for some reason, Lance felt like the other guy recognised him. “Have we met?” he asked, without even thinking.

That prompted the other guy to move. “No, sorry. Excuse me.” he said stiffly, bowing his head slightly as he walked past Lance, leaving the foreign blue eyed man staring after him. Who was he, and why was his heart clenching at the sight of him?

“You’re not going to eat me are you?”

“Why would I eat the person who healed me? You were…kind to me. You didn’t have to be.”

“I guess you can stay here to stay safe. Just don’t eat me.”

Lance felt like those sentences that still buzzed around in his head from last night’s dream were part of a conversation that was important, like a first meeting. He wasn’t sure how much more he could take of this. In his dream he remembered feeling weak but trying to be strong for someone else but the reason why made no sense. Or at least, he couldn’t remember why.

He pushed it to the back of his mind as he reached the small kiosk he had been looking for in Insadong. He needed a stamp for official documents and heard the kiosk he stood in front of had different ones with designs to choose from and they’d hand carve your name into it. He greeted the worker sitting inside and looked at all the different options. There were a lot of different designs, most matching ones. Lance knew that Korea took the idea of couples pretty seriously but he’d seen at least 4 couples wearing matching clothes and with the amount of matching designs he almost felt left out.

His relationship status was never fixed. Nyma was a disaster, Plaxum was sweet but it didn’t work out, Matt was amazing but they fell out of love and Swanky, well it could have worked if Swanky didn’t feel like hiding him all the time. He hadn’t been in a long stable relationship, like ever. He wanted to though; it was just none of his relationships worked out. Lance partially blamed himself for feeling like they were all missing something that they couldn’t give him. What the thing was, he didn’t know. All he knew was that it seemed life wanted him alone forever.

“Come on Lance, stop thinking about that and pick a design already.” He muttered to himself.

He looked around even more when his eyes stopped on a pair of stamps that shared a design. One half had a fox and the other had nine detailed tails. A gumiho. Lance almost didn’t pick it up, but the face of the gumiho looked sad to Lance for some reason. He picked it up and looked closer at it, feeling his heart clench again. He should put it down, he knew he should but he felt like if he didn’t get it, he’d regret it.

“Excuse me, I’d like to get this one.” He asked the man, trying not to think about the feeling behind his purchase.

It was hard trying to get the worker to understand fully, Lance’s Korean still needed work, but he got the point across. He was handed a stick pad and pen and was asked to write his name. Lance also heard Hangeul as well, so he was the man also asked for his name in Hangeul. Speaking, a working progress, writing, that was a bit harder. And of course more people came over. Lance went to go digging for his phone to use one of his learning apps when he heard a familiar voice.

“Need some help?” he looked up and saw the same guy he bumped into the day before, the one that look familiar.

“You’re the guy from yesterday.” Lance said to himself, though he was sure that the guy heard him

“Do you need help writing your name?” Lance realised the guy was talking to him in English

“Oh, yes. Yeah, he asked I also write my name down in Hangeul but my writing leaves a lot to be desired.”

The guy held his hand out and Lance handed him and pad and pen moving closer to see him writing out Lance’s name in familiar letters.

“So your name’s Lance?”

“Yeah, Lance McClain and you are?”

“Sung Geyong.” Lance tried to repeat the name but it sounded odd on his tongue, like that wasn’t the right name. Which made no sense, because it had to be. “You can call me Keith.”

Keith. That sounded familiar and fit him. But Lance knew he never met the guy. He was sure he’d remember him.

Lance handed the pad back to the man, who told lance his stamp would be ready in 30 minutes.

“Thanks again and sorry for crashing into you yesterday.”

“It’s fine. It wasn’t your fault. Have a nice day and study Korean more.”

“I will thanks.”

As Lance walked away, he started to feel sad, like he was leaving something behind. His mind had obviously wondered during that time because before he knew it he realised he was late for picking up his stamp and he had to be home soon to accept a business call. He rushed back to the kiosk and greeted the woman their giving his name and somehow conveying he was in a rush. He was glad she didn’t see him as rude as she gave him his total and started putting his stuff in a bag. She waved a bookmark that had his stamp stamped on it but Lance didn’t pay much attention as he handed over his money. As soon as he had both the bag and change in hand he stuffed them in his bag, rushing to catch a taxi to the train station.

After he got home and his call was finally over, Lance felt like he could breathe finally. He started emptying his bag and pulled out the bag that held his stamp. He dumped the stuff on the table in front of him and pulled the small blue pouch near him, popping the button open and sliding the stamp out. He furrowed his brow in confusion when he saw that the stamp had 9 tails. He was sure he chose the side with the fox. He picked up the bookmark and saw the stamp didn’t even have his name on it. It took him a while to read it out but eventually and with the help of his phone, he realised what it said.

“Sung Geyong.” As in Keith. Did that mean, Keith had his stamp?

“Geyong is really hard to pronounce for me. Can I call you something else?”

“As long as it’s not stupid.”

“Well, in English I would say your name like Keith.”

“Keef?”

Lance laughed at Keith’s attempt, “We’ll work on it.”

“Love? It’s when you’re with a person and are perfectly content. That even in the worst things, you can trust that they’ll be by your side no matter what.”

“What if you fell in love with someone you weren’t supposed to?”

“Well, half the reason I came here is because my father found me with a man. It wasn’t serious but my father didn’t want me to ruin myself. But if I meet a man I fall in love with, I won’t stop myself. And I think there might be someone.” Lance said, scratching at Keith’s head near his ears.

“Really?” Keith asked, trying to focus on what Lance was saying but was melting at the attention he was getting.

“Yeah, he’s a really foxy guy.”

“Don’t leave please.”

“I’m not going anywhere. Hey do you believe in the idea of reincarnation?”

“Huh?”

“When you come back to life in another form. I fell in love with a gumiho. That has to count for something. Maybe I’ll come back at some point in another form. Maybe you can still love me then.”

“I’ll always love you, no matter what.”

Lance hadn’t been able to sleep. These dreams were worse because he saw Keith there but he had a pair of ears on his head and behind him would wave 9 tails. He would look at Lance with such love filled looks, but that couldn’t be right.

Right?

Lance was emailing his boss back and forth to complete things before he started and he asked if he knew of any legends of gumihoes falling in love. He said he had fallen into the hole of K-dramas and wondered if there could be any truth in them.

“There’s a legend I’ve heard of. It’s not widely known but there’s a story about how a human met a gumiho in their fox form and helped them heal when they were hurt. The gumiho took a chance and revealed themselves to the human and was rewarded with kind words and a home and soon after, love as well. However when members of the village found out, they started poisoning the food that was sent the human’s home, slowly killing him. At that time the gumiho was trying to become a human by not eating human flesh for 1000 days. They were close to turning before they lost their lover. They reclaimed their lost powers by killing the whole village that had killed the one thing that the gumiho had been willing to risk everything for.”

The story felt way too familiar as he read it. He didn’t know why he could fit himself in the human’s place and Keith in the gumiho’s. It made no sense but it felt so familiar.

Hey do you believe in the idea of reincarnation?

Reincarnation wasn’t real. Some cultures believed in it, but the idea of coming back as the same person but just a bit different enough? That couldn’t happen could it? But the dreams, the familiarity of Keith, the sadness he felt when he looked at the gumiho pair stamps. If it was actually true and he was reincarnated, that would mean Keith was a gumiho.

He needed to find him.

It was not as easy as it sounded. He had the name but if it was real was the question. Being alive for as long as he had been, he no doubt knew how to hide himself. He wondered if Keith knew who he was based on the reaction he had when they first met. It was weird how he was hoping that Keith would. He searched on every way he could try and find him and wasn’t succeeding. Lance was going insane in attempts to try and find him.

Lance walked down to the street trying to take a break from staring down the computer screen. He was not close at all to finding Keith and he was starting to feel like he never would. Korea was big, Seoul as well. Now that he knew, it was like everything was against him to try and find him again. Keith lost him ages ago and now they weren’t going to get the chance to meet again.

“Maybe this is what I get for taking so long to find him.”

Suddenly Lance heard barking and yelling. He looked up to see a poodle running towards him and jumped up when it saw Lance, knocking him over.

“Ahh! No, no, stop.” he begged as the dog stated licking him. “Hey, knock it off.” He was able to push the dog off when he realised that someone was running towards him

“Get over here you mangy mutt.”

Lance couldn’t believe his luck. It was Keith.

“Can’t believe Ulaz is making me do this, babysit a dog. I can’t stand dogs.” He heard Keith mutter

“Keith.”

“Lance.”

“I’ve been looking for you. We mixed up stamps and then all the dreams started making sense and I think I’m the person that you fell in love with and I want to be near you and, and…”

“Lance, calm down, calm down. It’s ok.” Keith said, taking Lance’s face in his hands, calming him down

“Am I, I was with you wasn’t I but I was killed.”

“I was 2 days away from becoming human when I lost you.”

“You’ve been alive all this time, alone?”

“Not alone, just waiting for you like you said. When I saw you first, I thought I didn’t deserve the chance to win you again.”

Lance grasped Keith’s hands. “I told you to wait and I want to try to know you again, differently this time.”

“I wanted to know you all those years ago, that hasn’t changed. I’ll get to know you again.”

Lance closed his eyes as tears started falling from his eyes.

“What’s wrong, why are you crying?”

“Nothing, it’s just since I’ve gotten here I feel like I’ve been missing something and now it feels like everything is put back together again.”

[kpopfanfixture-blog]

The Promotion, Pt I

- You had always thought you could get along with anybody at work - even if it was merely on a professional level. That was until you met Jungkook. The most irritating man you had ever met. He got under your skin in a way nobody else could and vice versa. Nothing could make you like him. Shame then, that your boss makes you an offer you can't refuse, pushing the pair of you closer than ever before. - 

Yet another slow, Friday morning had been spent behind your desk at BH Industries ignoring possibly quite important phone calls and doing the bare minimum when an empty candy wrapper zoomed through your line of vision, landing just beside your keyboard. You stared at it blankly for a moment, yanked out of your daydream about Kim Namjoon aka the sexiest man ever to grace your television before another (this time balled up to ensure it hit its target) smacked you straight across the face. You swivelled around in your chair to see Nayeon just as she let go of another wrapper which landed directly on your keyboard and no doubt had left a greasy mark. Just as you were about to open your mouth to give her a piece of your mind, you clocked the alarmed look on her face and noticed she was trying to point in the direction of the door in what she thought was a discrete gesture. You turned quickly to see what she was warning you about and when you saw it, you threw your head back on your desk chair, looking directly up at the ceiling and gave out a deep groan. Jungkook was wandering about in the office and you knew exactly who he was looking for.

He scanned the room and you slunk down in your chair, praying that perhaps he would miss you and assume you were out, but alas, there was the flash of recognition in his eyes before he made his way over. “There you are,” he said casually as though it weren’t at all strange that you were halfway down your chair, almost on the floor. He perched on the end of your light wooden desk, identical to all the others in the room and placed his hands softly on the end of one knee that was draped across the corner of the table like it was perfectly normal for him to be here. “Did you sort out the April ‘17 file I sent you?”

You refused to meet his gaze, pretending to scan the papers before you, although your eyes flickered to your screen showing the one unopened email marked ‘IMPORTANT!’ from his address. You had made it a rule to ignore anything from JJeon2801 until the last possible moment and it appeared that the last possible moment had passed five minutes ago. 

You thought for a moment and settled with: “not yet, I haven’t had time.” Half-true. Your voice had exited your throat sounding calm like you had hoped, but unintentionally sing-songy in a way that would no doubt grate on his nerves. 

However if it had irritated him even in the slightest, he didn’t show it. His composure maintained like a perfect mask in a way yours never did and probably never could. “Shouldn’t you prioritise those? We have to get it done for-”

You cut him off with an over-dramatic sigh you saved just for interactions with him, wheeling yourself over to the printer in your chair and wheeling back to straighten them out by tapping them gently on the desk in an unnecessary fashion. “Don’t you have anything better to do besides to criticise how I do my job?”

Jungkook rolled his eyes. “You’re keeping me waiting. Perhaps if you did something other than strut about the office like you own the place you’d get some work done.”

He always did this; resorting to making little digs about your performance. Each time you promised you’d have a scathing remark waiting to bite back with, and each time you came up with nothing. “Keep waiting.” You snapped and stood up, collecting the wrappers Nayeon had thrown at you and balling them up in frustration, chucking them into the wastepaper basket with a little too much force. “Last time I checked you weren’t my boss, so I don’t have to answer to you.” You made your way to the door, grasping the door handle before pausing and turning back to face him. “And I don’t strut.”

In a huff, you stormed out of the room and headed to the ladies bathroom to recollect yourself. Once again you had let him get to you in front of a room full of people - people you respected, and it was no less mortifying than the last time. Even when there wasn’t a problem, the pair of you would find some way to argue, and it always seemed to you that he won. It had gotten considerably worse since Jungkook found out about the time you had gone to your boss to ask if you could avoid working with him. Needless to say, your boss had basically told you to get on with it, and so here you were once again. This was becoming too regular of a thing.

“Surely not another fight with my boyfriend?” You heard a voice you recognised to be Madge from HR chuckle behind you. She always flirted with the younger men in the office, it was a game for her, but she seemed to have built up a particular rapport with Jungkook - much to your disappointment, as you had always felt you could confide in her beforehand. Now it just seemed a bit rude to rant about one of her friends.

You shrugged, taking steadying breaths in the mirror as you watched your own reflection. From here you could see Madge sat behind you nibbling on a Kit-Kat whilst perched on the window ledge with no window. As usual, she looked absolutely incredible even in unflattering office attire; perhaps looking in her early forties despite pushing late-fifties. It hadn’t surprised you that she was here, she always seemed to be hiding in here and it was a wonder she hadn’t been fired.

“What’s he done now?” She asked as she picked apart the wafers on her chocolate bar and let the crumbs spill all over the place, ignoring your coldness as she always did when you turned up here.

“Oh, you know... He’s trying to tell me how I should be doing my job.” You explained, trying to sound nonchalant but instead sounding completely apathetic - almost robotic. Inside, however, you were a swirling mess of frustration, somewhere between wanting to punch something and wanting to bang your head against the wall and scream.

Madge just shook her head and tried to hide her smile beneath her blonde hair. “You two need to stop this - winding each other up and nobody is going to win.”

You turned to look at her face-on, almost shocked at the suggestion that any of this was somehow your fault. “He started it!” You exclaimed, your voice rocketing octaves higher causing even you to wince.

Madge hopped off the ledge, wiping the remaining specks of chocolate from her trouser leg to the floor. “You sound like a sulky teenager right now.” She frowned at you in disapproval and you bit your tongue, knowing she was right and feeling ashamed that she had seen this side of you. You could hear just how childish and silly this all sounded, but you couldn’t stop it. Madge came over to you and gave you two gentle pats on the back as she looked at your reflection in the mirror. “Just try giving him a chance - he’s sweet. You’re the only one in the office who doesn’t like him.” She pointed out, to which you couldn’t help but sigh and roll your eyes. She smiled at that. “I’d say exactly the same thing to him about you.” Then she gave your shoulder a quick squeeze and was gone, leaving you alone in the bathroom.

Once again Madge was your voice of reason and the only reason that you didn’t go mad working here. You thought about how lucky you had been to find somewhere like this to work. All-in-all you were pretty popular in the office, with quite a few friends and a decent relationship with your boss and before Jungkook had arrived, no particular feelings of ill-will towards anyone. But when he turned up, you’d have thought the Messiah himself had step foot in the office with the way everyone was behaving. One athletic pretty boy gets hired and suddenly all the men want to be him and all the women swoon over him. Madge had been quick to point out to you that he’s not just a pretty face. Apparently, he’s also quick-witted, hard-working and an all-around nice guy, but the thought of that made you scrunch up your face in disgust. Usually, you trusted Madge’s opinion, but he had never exhibited any of these qualities while you were around so it was much easier to believe that it wasn’t true and that Jungkook is in-fact a monster sent to drive you crazy.

Back at your desk, you were relieved to find that there was absolutely no sign of Jungkook at all - your desk was the same, everyone was sat down quietly chatting and working, and everything seemed normal. With a baited breath, you opened up the dreaded file and groaned loudly at the number of fuck-ups you could see just at a glance. He must have done this on purpose because if you had one good thing to say about him was that he was never usually this careless. It would take you all day just to correct his mistakes, never mind anything else.

“How’s Madge?” Nayeon asked playfully as she skipped over and plopped herself down on the edge of your desk before slipping a small red lollipop into her mouth and stuffing the empty wrapper into your pencil holder. 

You let out a small whine of disapproval as you pulled it out immediately and threw it away, earning a big grin from Nayeon through which you could see that her tongue was tinged with chemical red. “She’s fine, I think. Still trying to convince me that Jungkook isn’t out to get me.”

Nayeon shot you a look that told you she probably agreed with Madge, so you turned your computer monitor towards her showing her your predicament. “I mean, come on. Look at this.” You watched her register everything that was wrong, her eyes widening in shock at all the silly little mistakes within it. “Look at the state of it, and he wants it done by tomorrow. Who does he think he is?”

Nayeon slid herself off the desk, her feet landing gently on the floor. “You could try sending it back and asking him to review his mistakes before you work out the cuts for this month?” She suggested, and you glared at her, well aware that she knew as well as you that he would send back the exact same file demanding that you do it. She held her hands up in defeat and head back to her desk. “Fair enough, I’ll leave you to it.”

You worked from that point on in silence as you tried to go through every mistake, even skipping lunch to ensure it was done. He was not going to get the better of you. Nayeon occasionally offered candy or asked if you would like a tea, but only really cut through the intense quiet when there was a half hour of the working day left. “Are you coming to the party tonight?” She asked as she shut down her computer a little too early and began to clear away her desk haphazardly. 

The party was being held in a function room in BH Inc’s downtown offices in honour of Nara - Nayeon’s sister and the main desk receptionist on the first floor. She had been working there for 10 years, but now she’d finally gotten her degree she had gotten herself a brand-new, high paying job on the other side of town, so this party was her big send off. 

“You couldn’t keep me away!” You winked with false enthusiasm, seeing Nayeon’s face light up at your response. Nara and Nayeon had been great to you since you had moved here and you couldn’t bring yourself to let them down now. Jungkook’s stupid file had tired you out and in all honesty, you just wanted to head to Bedfordshire, but you owed Nara a great deal so the least you could do was make an appearance. 

Nayeon threw you your old leather jacket that wasn’t entirely appropriate office attire and the zips clanked against your desk making you cringe at the sound. “It starts at 8 - we’re getting a taxi, do you want us to pick you up on the way?”

You nodded as you shut everything down and made sure the chairs were tucked away neatly. “I’ll be ready for 7.45.”

[i-may-have-a-point]

Chicago Chapter 2

Okay, here is the update.  This chapter takes a bit of a twist, and I would love to know what you think about it.  Again, this is my first attempt at this, so any feedback is greatly appreciated.  

April shifted uncomfortably in her chair and looked up at the clock.  Time was not moving.  Up until this point, her visit to the Avery Trauma Center had been as impressive as she had imagined.  The entire facility was equipped to treat multi-level trauma patients which meant there was a constant, heightened level of intensity and energy that April craved so much.  Catherine had given her doctor’s privileges so she was able to scrub in on a couple of surgeries and give the Chief of Trauma in the Emergency Room several pointers on how to make his ER run smoother and more efficiently.  He seemed genuinely interested in her ideas and invited her to come by his office to discuss them more.  But first, he suggested April sit in on a department meeting so she could get a better idea of how things were already operating. Department meetings at Grey-Sloan were generally quick and direct.  Dr. Bailey valued her surgeons time and didn’t want to waste any of it on things that could just as well be sent through an email.  This Chief, Dr. Dotson, apparently had different views on the value of meetings.  At around the forty-five-minute mark April found herself having a hard time keeping her eyes open, and she was grateful when she felt the familiar buzz of her phone in her pocket.  

Her stomach fluttered briefly as she saw Jackson’s name on the screen.

Jackson – Are you busy?

April – I am being slowly tortured in the world’s worst dept. meeting.  So no. Not busy. If I’m being honest I stopped listening on slide ten of his power point.  

Jackson – Ugh…power point. That sounds rough.  Who is running the meeting?

April – Dr. Jeff Dotson

Jackson- Oh, that guy. Yeah, he likes to hear himself talk. Sorry you got roped into that. Did my mom abandon you?

April – She’s having lunch with some board members.  So, you know him?  I don’t remember you coming out here.

Jackson – I haven’t been there in years, but he and I went to medical school together.  He always felt the need to compete with me and was so happy when he got a job at an Avery hospital and I went to Mercy West.  Like, man, c’mon.  I own that hospital.  If I wanted to work there I would.  

April – Oh, he’s one of those?  Great. He wants to meet with me to discuss my ideas.  Sounds like he just wants to tell me why his are better.  Fun.  

Jackson – You’re meeting with him?  Is my mom going to be there too?

April – I don’t know. Probably not.  Why?

Jackson – No reason

“…and Dr. Kepner agrees with me.  Right Dr. Kepner?” April looked up from her phone to find all eyes in the room fixed on her.

“I’m sorry.  I had a message from someone at the hospital back in Seattle.  Umm…what were we discussing?”  She tried to hide the embarrassment in her voice.

“I was just telling my team that I think using a checklist for ER patients would make things more streamlined and efficient.  Don’t you agree?”  Dr. Dotson smiled at April, but she returned his gaze with a confused one of her own. She had told him about the checklist she implemented at Grey-Sloan and how much improvement they had seen in their ER since she created it.  Was he taking credit for her idea?  She couldn’t very well call him out in from of his own staff, but she planned to bring it up at the meeting.  

“A checklist.  Right. I think using a checklist in the ER is a great idea.”  April half smiled at him, grateful that her answer seemed to satisfy the others in the room and they turned their attention back to Dr. Dotson.

 When the meeting finally ended, April quickly headed for the door to make her way to the cafeteria. She was in desperate need of caffeine and carbs.

“Dr. Kepner, hold on a moment!” She heard Dotson call out to her as she was just a few steps from the door. Crap, the meeting.  She had forgotten about that.  She turned around and saw that he had already made his way over to her.  “Where are you running off to in such a hurry?  I thought we had plans?”

“Right, of course. We’re going to discuss the ER procedures.  I haven’t forgotten.  I was just hoping to grab some coffee before I made my way to your office.”  She explained.  “Meet you there in five minutes?”

Dr. Dotson ran his hand down the back of her arm from her shoulder to her elbow letting it linger for a moment before dropping it back to his side.  “Looking forward to it,” he replied, smiling.

Well, that makes one of us, April thought, and as she turned to walk out of the room she decided to take the long way to the cafeteria.

 April’s coffee was half empty by the time she stepped off the elevator on to the floor where Jeff Dotson’s office was located.  When he had first suggested meeting with her, she was excited about it, but now, something felt a little off.  After he took credit for her checklist idea in the staff meeting, she knew that Jackson was definitely right about him.  He placed a lot of value on getting recognition and coming out on top.  That wasn’t the type of person she wanted to spend her afternoon with, and she certainly didn’t plan on offering him anymore helpful tips to improve his ER.  

The door that read Dr. Jeff Dotson, M.D., was closed when April found it.  Standing outside, April debated whether to knock or skip the meeting altogether.  After several seconds, she decided she didn’t want to be rude at Jackson’s family’s hospital, so with a deep sigh, she knocked on the door.  

Jeff opened the door and gestured for April to come in.  “That was a long five minutes.  Did you get lost?”

“Oh, um, yeah.  I guess I did.” April took a seat in the chair in front of his desk while Jeff sat on the edge of his desk directly in front of her.  He looked down at her and scoffed, “April, this hospital is not that big.  If you can’t find your way around here, how do you ever find your way around an O.R.?  Well, I guess you have nurses to help you then, huh?”  He laughed to himself and April opened her mouth to reply, but before she could decide just what to say, Jeff continued talking.  “So, you said someone from Seattle messaged you? Is Grey Sloan falling apart without you there?”

April couldn’t decide if he was being intentionally condescending or if he thought he was charming.  She tried her best to keep her thoughts out of her expression. “Uh, no.  Jackson was just updating me on a patient’s surgery.”

“Jackson?  Jackson Avery?  I take it you two are close?  I mean, of course you are.  Catherine Avery doesn’t give just anyone a personal tour of the Avery Trauma Center.” Jeff was prying and she wasn’t sure why.  This meeting was supposed to be about making improvements in the ER, but so far it seemed to be more about her personal life.  

She decided to try to steer the conversation back to work.  “Yes, Jackson and I are very close, and I respect Catherine Avery very much. But I really wanted to talk to you about the emergency room.  Do you have any data on how many patients you take in daily?”

Irritation flashed across Jeff’s face, “Yeah, yeah, yeah.  I’ll get the data later. So, you met Avery at Grey-Sloan?  His mom, like, bought him the hospital or something, right?  If you’re so close to him why aren’t you Chief of Trauma? Or on the board?”

The conversation was making April uncomfortable, so she stood from her chair and took a step towards the door.  “I’m sorry, Dr. Dotson, but I really need to go find Catherine.  If you have a chance to get the data together, I would love to look at it for you.  Maybe I can email you some ideas when I get back to Seattle.  Thank you for meeting with me, but I really have to go.”

Jeff rose from his spot on the edge of the desk and stepped closer to April. “Catherine is at lunch with the board members which basically means they will be out for the rest of the afternoon.”  As he spoke, he crossed the floor and closed the space between himself and April.  She jumped a bit when he placed his hands on her waist and lowered his voice to say, “April, relax.  We’re just getting to know each other.  We both know you came to my office for a reason.”  

“I’m sorry, Dr. Dotson, but I think you have the wrong idea.  I’m not - ”

“I think I have the exact right idea.  I have met plenty of women like you.  You have this sweet and innocent act but you attach yourself to the most powerful man in the room to get what you want.  And it sounds like Jackson isn’t giving it to you, so let me give it to you instead.”  His face was inches from hers and although April was trying to pull away from his grasp, his hands only tightened on her waist.

“Dr. Dotson, you need to let go of me, now.  I don’t know why you think I came here, but you’re wrong.  I – I – want to leave.”  April’s voice faltered a bit.

“Is this what you do to Avery, too?  You show up in his office and act like you aren’t there for one reason only?  Well, like I said, if he can’t give it to you, I will.”  In one quick movement, he pushed her against the wall behind her and forced his mouth on to hers.  She turned her face away from his while his hands roughly grabbed at her body in places only one other person had touched.  “Stop! I said stop!” she pleaded with tears in her eyes.  She pushed against his chest, attempting to break free from him, but it only seemed to encourage him more.  His rough hands scratched at her stomach under her shirt now, and she began to pray that he would stop.  He was bigger and stronger than her, and there was no way she could fight him off. She looked over to the office door and wanted nothing more than to find a way to get there, to the other side of the door, and as far away from this man as she could get.  

In that instant, the door to Dr. Dotson’s office swung open and a doctor ran in looking frantic.  “Jeff, what the hell?  I’ve been paging you.  We have a bus crash on the freeway and the ER is filling up –“

April didn’t wait to hear the rest.  She quickly stepped around Dotson, grabbed her bag, and ran from the room without looking back.