#tw: needle mention

[starlighthome74]

[TW: NEEDLE Mention]

{Kik doesn't get a chance to respond before the machine collecting Gail's blood beeps, causing them to startle slightly. They close the book quickly as Edwin stands up and walks over to the two.}

{Kik moves off of the stool and stands bad obediently as their uncle sits and begins to take the needle out of Gail's arm. A cotton ball is pressed to their elbow and he tapes it into place with gentle fingers.}

"Alright, then. Ready to answer some questions? Katherine, be a dear and get her a chair, please."

{Wordlessly, Kik grabs a chair from a nearby counter in the lab and brings it closer. They also grab a juice box or two, bringing them over in case Gail needed them.}

[Gail makes her way to the Lab ready to begin testing. Well more like ready to try and save the poor kid from their uncle.]

@gailroberts

{Edwin has just come in, taking off his coat and setting down the briefcase. Behind him, Kik carries a box of other materials from Edwin's lab. Over the next few days, they'll bring stuff over from the old lab in the basement, but for now he just wanted the essential equipment.}

{Edwin spots Gail, and he smiles warmly. It doesn't reach his eyes.}

"Gail! Excellent to see you, dear. Are you well?"

[dawnbreakersgaze]

*dusts off blog*

*fights the ROUSs for control of keyboard*

*cries a little bc that was hard*

Whew. Hey friends. Forgive the radio silence, I have been unwell. Very unwell in fact. I won't bore you with all the details bc chronic illness be chronically illnessing as that's just how it be sometimes, but it's been an all-out effort just to function and remain upright this entire month. (More under the cut)

I have some very not fun blood work coming up tomorrow (if you know my history and weird genetic deformity surrounding blood work you know why this is an ~event~) and then I get to see my lovely rheumatologist next week so hopefully things will be looking better from there.

Cross your fingers for me that there are some answers bc this bitch cannot keep living like this I swear to God 🥴

I'm very bummed I missed the first day of fall for the autumn date AU!Grey piece that I've been waiting to work on for months but alas, life is a bitch and you cannot control it. I haven't even gotten the flats finished yet sadly 😩 but you can peep the WIP at least-

With the rolling in of fall I'm just waiting for the summer temps to ~Fuck Off~ so I can go back to being happy and less painful and finally feeling like a real person again and not some weird simulation. Like pls pls pls just give me 60°s plsssssss 😩😩🥺

To everyone who has reached out- you're all amazing. I adore you. You're perfect and precious, and I'm so sorry my spoons have been at negative 30 every single day since the 3rd of September. Y'all are far sweeter and kinder than I deserve, and I love you all ♡

[itsajobnotamentalsickness]

Hey sniper,

In your opinion, best way to murder someone?

-Tavern

Murder? I'd say a nice clean shot to the forehead mate. With unsteady hands? Use air in a syringe.

[jerma-985]

I just realized its testosterone tuesday and i finally have my T again (yay)

i tried last week when i got it but the needle was bad umu

[rosehearrt]

‘Come on,’ Leona says with an exhausted sigh. Quite the predicament they were in, but for now they only had each other. He finishes tying his band around the cut on Riddles leg. ‘Get on my back, we’ll move faster that way.’ // sends you things cuz 😭😭😭😭

With his upperclassman's kerchief wrapped around his leg as a makeshift bandage, Riddle couldn't help but feel utterly horrid. He'd gone and gotten himself injured, and deeply enough that he'd likely need stitches. How was he so useless? He couldn't help but beat himself up for it internally - he should be able to stand on his own two feet and support Leona-senpai, regardless of his age. He was supposed to be a prodigy, wasn't he? So what was with this, having to depend so heavily on someone else to the point they dirtied their clothing with his blood?

And...touching. Leona-senpai wanted to touch, and it wasn't as though they hadn't before, but...the longest they had done so before now had been during the time he'd been unconscious as they were kidnapped.

And Riddle...to be completely honest, was somewhat touch adverse.

A lifetime without it, without any sort of affection when he was home, really, made it uncomfortable. Almost painful, and definitely frightening. So it was a lot to ask of him, prolonged touch right now, when he was already vulnerable due to his injury. But it was also Leona-senpai trying to do him a favor, and if Riddle had learned anything while down in Tartarus...it was that he needed to figure out how to lean on other people, to trust them, to let them help when he needed it.

And right now, he certainly needed it.

So, with a shaky inhale in and an exhale out, he provided the beastman with a jerky nod. "...Thank you..." And looped his arms around his neck, allowing himself to be lifted onto the other's back, even as his heart hammered away in his chest.

Breathe in, breathe out.

It was going to be alright.

[genderqueerdykes]

i saw this helpful print out at my local library earlier, i thought this could be of help to someone. even if you personally don't inject, this advice could save a life. I'm here for all addicts and users, we care about you and love you. everyone deserves to be informed about their health regardless of what substances they use

[bladedhunter]

Of course Deidara said he was fine. Would he ever not say he was fine, even though he wasn't? Sasuke sighed in frustration, watching the empty ramen cup get tossed unceremoniously onto the floor. Careless, that's what it was. Deidara was just... annoying. This whole thing was annoying. What was the point of having this man on this mission if he was going to be a deadweight?

And he literally was a deadweight, Sasuke thought, as Deidara got up, wobbled, and fell onto the ground, bouncing off the bed as he did so. Sasuke was done, finished with this.

"I'm done with your shit," he said, well, growled.

He dropped his pack on the ground, pulling out a rope from it. He placed the IV pack on the table. Then he approached the weak Deidara and lifted the deadweight off the ground, putting him unceremoniously onto the bed. Then, before the stupid man could kick him, Sasuke climbed on top of him, straddling him as he tied the blonde's hands up onto the bed posts.

He took a deep breath, glaring down at Deidara. "Stay down, or I'm restraining you more," he threatened. Then he got off.

He then grabbed the IV pack and opened the needle packet, tying the tourniquet around Deidara's arm. He waited a moment before stabbing the blonde's vein with it. Luckily, he hit a vein properly. Then it was just attaching it to the IV, hanging the IV up with a kunai stabbed into the wall, a little twist on the IV cord to let the fluid drip, and he was done.

A finger was pointed in Deidara's direction. No doubt the blonde would feel the cold fluid in his veins, seeping strength back into him. "Don't move," Sasuke warned again.

But on second thought, he didn't trust Deidara, so he tied up his feet, too.

Deidara had thought--or like prayed--that he'd be finished before Sasuke got back so he could crawl into bed like nothing happened. But alias, he was the world's punchline because in walked the Uchiha who stopped and stared at the blonde who was in the middle of crunching on his ramen. Deidara stared back for a moment, like a deer in headlights, before going back to his supper.

"I'm fine," Deidara huffed as he gulped down the cold beef broth to the last salty drop and then dumped the empty ramen cup on the floor. He'd pick that up later--as in never.

To demonstrate, got up, only to be hit with a new wave of dizziness which caused him to fall against the bed and back to the ground. He sat there, downfounded for a moment, before glaring at Sasuke since he anticipated a smartass quip out of the Uchiha.

"I'm fine!" Deidara insisted. "I just...I just need a moment, hn!" More like a lot of moments. Despite eating and sleeping, he still felt so weak. But, one little nap and meal weren't going to magically cure years of malnutrition. He hated being so weak in front of Sasuke, of all people.

[reyrapidsbutgayer]

Ranking All Shadow of the Erdtree Bosses and NPC's by Fuckability.

It's finally time. The sequel to the 2nd worst post I've ever made.

I 100%-ed the DLC and it was fantastic. Time to find out which new characters are the most fuckable.

In this hypothetical all of the bosses can be reasonably communicated with (if possible) and are not actively trying to kill you (Unless killing you makes it sexier).

Repeat bosses not included, duo bosses counted seperate. Bosses that already appeared in the Base game are not counted.

It should also be assumed that all of these bosses have access to their magic/items/resources to benefit them in bed.

Explanation of Grading system:

Ineligible: (Cannot give consent)

These characters are not sentient enough to communicate consent, or are physically incapable of sex.

Unfuckable: (Can give consent, but does not DESERVE sex)

Character sucks so badly that they do not deserve to experience pleasure in any shape or form.

Uninterested: (Can give consent, does not WANT sex)

These character are fully capable of sex but would never participate in sex due to lack of interest or overabundance of moral convictions.

Not worth it: (Can give consent, is terrible in bed)

I mean, you COULD have sex with these characters but why would you?

Acceptable: (Can give consent, would be fine in bed)

These characters are average in bed, nothing crazy or noticeable. Some might end up in this category because they ARE good at sex, but the entire process would be inconvenient or uncomfortable to initiate.

Good Time: (Can give consent, would be great in bed)

These characters are good at sex, give or take a few points depending on their mood or situation.

Knock your socks off: (Can give consent, would be amazing in bed)

These characters excel in giving pleasure and would be well worth the time and effort involved.

Sex God: (Can give consent, would be the best in bed)

These characters would be so good at sex that all other factors are irrelevant. They are serving and we are here for it.

Evil Sex God: (Can give consent, is a terrible person but you’d make an exception.)

These are characters that should fall lower in the rankings, but their sexual prowess supersedes their inherent awfulness to a noteworthy degree.

Full list below the read more. Obviously it's not going to be sfw.

Ineligible: (Cannot give consent)

Ralva the Great Red Bear:

Animal

Rugalea the Great Red Bear:

Animal

Ghostflame Dragon:

Undead, probably not capable of sex.

Golden Hippopotamus:

Animal

Swordhand of Night Anna:

She is a hot goth knight, but is a mind controlled puppet.

Unfuckable: (Can give consent, but does not DESERVE sex)

Promised Consort Radahn + Radahn Consort of Miquella:

Radahn is just a mind-controlled corpse, and Miquella is a little bitch, so they are both ineligible. Honestly who tries to become a god but also ditches their inner goth girl? St. Trina deserved better.

Scadutree Avatar:

Theoretically capable of sex, but is made of pure anger and thorns.

Fire Knight Salza:

War criminal, even by Elden Ring terms so you KNOW it's bad.

Jori, Elder Inquisitor:

Creepy torturer and hypocrite, thinks sex is a sin and I plan for him to die sinless.

Uninterested: (Can give consent, does not WANT sex)

Curseblade Labirith:

Too devoted to being a monk to care.

Midra Lord of Frenzied Flame:

He's going through a LOT right now. He just got dumped AND he is being tortured for eternity while also containing a god of madness in his body, just leave the poor man alone.

Blackgaol Knight:

In another life he'd fuck like semi truck, but as of right now he's taken a vow to be a wet blanket alone in a mausoleum.

Not worth it: (Can give consent, is terrible in bed)

Chief Bloodfiend:

Too goopy and covered in diseased blood, but is still up for it if you are.

Putrescent Knight:

On one hand it's melting skeleton made up of thousands of merged souls... but on the other hand if you managed to get the consent and each and every soul I bet you could PROBABLY do something.

Lamenter:

Throw him one pity fuck and then run, he's clingy and a whiner.

Death Knight:

Is mostly just a skeleton, and whatever flesh is still there is probably rotting... but he does have some rizz and cool wings... goth guys can still get it.

Acceptable: (Can give consent, would be fine in bed)

Black Knight Garrew:

A highly trained knight, probably has good stamina but is also a fanatic to a creepy cult.

Black Knight Edredd:

Is also a highly trained knight, probably has good stamina but is also a fanatic to a creepy cult... but he does know crucible incantations... he might have some weird animal stuff you can get him to use in bed.

Rakshasa:

She's covered in blood and is overflowing with bloodlust... but lust and bloodlust are in the same neighborhood if you know what to do.

Divine Beast Dancing Lion:

If those two guys in there aren't rotting corpses... Fucking two guys inside a scary lion costume is an above average Tuesday night.

Good Time: (Can give consent, would be great in bed)

Logur, the Beast Claw:

A nude man covered in blood is running at you on all fours... you are either about to die or have a WILD night.

Ancient Dragon Senessax:

A very average dragon, but all dragons have a baseline fuckability so she's up here.

Jagged Peak Drake:

Drakes are slightly less fuckable than dragons, but if you don't think I'd willing be double teamed by two dragons while Igon watches, you clearly don't know me.

Ancient Dragon-Man:

All the perks of dragon sex but in a much more portable package.

Demi-Human Swordmaster Onze:

Normally Demi-humans are more cute than sexy, but this guy dedicated his life to the blade, you should be helping him make up for lost time.

Count Ymir, Mother of Fingers:

He's a delusional asshole... but he smacks of gender™ in a very submissive and breedable manner. A man who wants to be a mother and has giant fleshy fingers growing out of his body? It will be uncomfortable and deeply personal... but you GOTTA try it at least once, the LGBTQ community is depending on you.

Knock your socks off: (Can give consent, would be amazing in bed)

Red Bear:

All the raw sex appeal of Logur but with 25% more daddy energy.

Moonrithyll, Carian Knight:

Listen we have all been sleeping on Moonrithyll when we should be sleeping WITH her. She is the chamberlain to Rellana (as in head bedroom attendant) which means she is an actual #girlboss and there must be insane wizard lesbian sex behind closed doors. Not only that but she is beloved by the trolls and can fight on equal terms with the carian troll knights, who are no doubt getting sucked and fucked by her nightly. She's just a normal human but she is blowing out the backs of demigods and giants alike. She is struggling to keep her head above water and that water is pussy.

Commander Gaius:

Ok so here me out: He is an asshole, and violent, and a fanatic who serves the very order that discriminates against him... but all you have to do is mention that Radahn is better in bed than him. With this one simple trick he will have you bent over the back of his boar making sure he won't be the only one who can't use their legs after. He is pure rage and he will not stop until he has make you cum more times than Radahn ever has. Trust me, this happened to me, video games are real.

Dancer of Ranah:

Infinite stamina, enough said.

Sex God: (Can give consent, would be the best in bed)

Rellana Twin Moon Knight:

I want you to imagine Rennala, a normal woman who was able to satisfy Radagon/Marika, the sluttiest possible duo in the entire history of the lands between. Now imagine Rennala at full power, no depression, no hanging out in her basement mourning her failed marriage... now imagine Rennala 18% more goth and holding two magic swords. She will fuck you into space and then fuck you back to planet earth. Now imagine being bisexual.

Messmer the Impaler + Base Serpent Messmer:

I have slowly grown to love this sad bishounen anime boy more and more as I learn about his pathetic little life. He seems all mean and firey, but he is a bottom. (and his snakes are not) I wanna make him squeal and then get him therapy and then for good measure make him squel again.

Romina, Saint of the Bud:

A sleeper hit, but she is a mean insect lady with a giant prehensile centipede tail. She is like a xenomorph queen but a pink pastel goth rather than a vampire goth. She will wrap you up in that giant tail of hers and get straight to the egg laying. If you haven't considered it before, then you will now.

Evil Sex God: (Can give consent, is a terrible person but you’d make an exception.)

Metyr, Mother of Fingers:

Look... you WILL die after doing this, but she has a giant stomach full of squirming wet fingers and she is basically a big pile of dicks. Get naked, jump into her gaping stomach and die happy. That's an order from your commanding officer, now do your duty and serve your country.

Bayle the Dread:

I hate this dragon, he is responsible for the steady decline in dragon sex appeal, he hurt my Igon, and I can't explain why but I feel like he is sexist somehow. BUT... a dragon is a dragon. If Igon asks me to double team this guy I legally can't say no.

BONUS: Ranking the new NPC's from worst to best in terms of fuckability:

#13: Fire Knight Queenlign:

Somehow, his haircut is more of a turn-off than the war crimes he committed in the name of a god who doesn't even know he exists, which is not a good sign.

#12: Hornsent Grandam:

Normally I would give GILFs a pass to live their life and fuck as little or as much as they want. But she is the type to slut shame other women and as a feminist I cannot stand idly by.

#11: Hornsent

In another life he'd be a decent lay. He had a wife and a child so he has had sex at least once. In a pinch I can forgive the blind self destructive quest for vengeance, but I draw the line as soiled loincloths. You're an adult Hornsent, so act like it.

#10: Moore

My sweet little pot boy... If it came to sex I'd like to imagine that he is attentive and gentle, with his armor clattering around the whole time because he is too scared to take it off entirely. But he is too sweet and you honestly don't deserve him. He needs to be romanced, swept off his feet by a loyal and supportive partner and let's face it, you aren't at a place in your life where you can be all that he needs.

#9: Thoiller

The pillow princess to end all pillow princesses. He is a simp, he's submissive, he's breedable, he's a sopping wet pathetic little meow meow. Tumblr, THIS is the man you keep saying you want, now get in there and impregnate this man as the prophecies foretold.

#8: St. Trina

She's a plant at this point and probably isn't up for sex. (And a disembodied essence of love from a corrupted demigod) But I KNOW for a fact you kept imbibing her nectar more than you needed to. She just likes to watch as you and Thoiller get high and flop around in the putrescences. Lore says St. Trina was a fully grown woman at some point, and not just a weird little plant person, so in her prime she probably had a weird sleepy plant orgy with her followers.

#7: Redmane Freyja:

On paper she is the tragic butch sword lesbian we need but don't deserve. A prisoner who earned her freedom and rank through brutal gladiatorial combat, a loyal knight to a fallen demigod, and a big buff lady who can step on you. But in practice she still sides with Leda after breaking free of the mind control, and lets Miquella control her lords body like a toy. Come on Freyja, where is your fire? Your rage? Suplex Leda and fuck your way across the lands between as did your forefathers.

#6: Swordhand of Night Jolan:

She's a mean goth girl with a tragic past and a desperate need to be loved. I could fix her.

#5: Sir Ansbach

He easily earned his place in the top 5. He's running from a tragic past, he is trying to be a better person, he has all the sex appeal of Varre' but actually bathes, and he is a GILF. In practice he probably isn't the BEST in bed, but he is rather romancable. He can still get it, since he was a highly trained warrior in the past, but I see myself cuddling him as he somberly adjusts his glasses and stares out the window. Don't get me wrong there is still a LOT of sweaty blood sex but he knows what he is doing and understands what soap is.

#4: Igon

He's a screamer. Broken legs, dirty armor, doesn't matter. The warriors code demands that we look into each other's eyes as we both cum. That is the only honorable way.

#3: Needle Knight Leda

She sucks. She willingly follows a loser wannabe god, and it's not even the mind control, she is just like that™ already. She is so bad at socializing with rational people who are already on her side that she jumps to murder without hesitation. She even killed all the first Needle Knights just cuz of her own paranoia. She should be at the bottom of this list... but a yandere is a yandere. It would be creepy, uncomfortable and she'd be very demanding and probably bite you in a very non-sexy way. But it would still be some of the best sex you'll ever have. You'd regret it just as much as you'd enjoy it, and you'd regret it for the rest of your life.

#2: Dragon Communion Priestess Florissax:

Lovelorn dragon lady who wants me to eat other dragons in a very sensual manner. I am not immune and neither are you.

#1: Dryleaf Dane

After that brush, he is distant. His training is cold and impersonal, he throws himself into his prayers, dedicating every waking moment to meditation. He sought to turn his flesh to iron, so why is the flesh so weak around you?

Hear me out. He's religious, he is dedicated to his cause, he tries to kill you, and he doesn't even say a word to you.

BUT.

Imagine what happens when you finally get him to break.

He is your master, teaching you in the dryleaf arts, the two of you sparring atop a waterfall and bruising your knuckles more and more with each strike. The two of you meditate together, seeking inner peace to further your warriors spirit. He is stoic, his heart closed off to you and his mind focused on his holy mission.

But he is temped, you can see it in his eyes, in the way he watches over you when you are hurt, the soft way his fist unclench after a battle, and the thick layer of sweat you share after sparring. Together you are hardening your bodies to become living weapons, but bodies are not only used for violence, and the two of you cannot ignore the tension that grows with each day, your bodies intertwining during a particularly heated duel, grappling turning slowly to wanton exploration. He comes to his senses right before it crosses the line and you see the fear in his eyes as he pulls away from you. But you wouldn't have stopped him and he knows it from the pleased expression on your face as you lie on your back, defeated.

When it finally happens, you are sparring, leaving nothing behind. You shed your armor to let the movements flow without hindrance and so does he, conflict apparent upon his face. You trade blow after blow, your bodies raw and sore but still you don't let up. The sun is setting and neither of you will relent, sweat coating every inch and the roar of the waterfall drowning out every thought that isn't dedicated to this battle.

He is getting sloppy, his eyes transfixed not on your fists but your face. A poorly placed sweep to your legs leaves him wide open and you go for the maneuver neither of you have attempted since the close encounter that frightened him so.

He struggles, pushing your arms and legs away fruitlessly as his exhaustion drains away his years of practice. Soon you are pinning him to the wet ground on the riverbed, his hair wild and his hat flung far out of arms reach. He looks like a cornered animal in your grasp, eyes bulging and his breathing haggard. You can only look down upon your former master with a gleeful hunger, his body already more familiar to you than your own.

In a moment of understanding you see the hesitation drain from eyes. He knows what he wants, and he is done denying it. You grab his face roughly and kiss him more violently than any punch you have thrown. He returns in kind and all the exhaustion seems to leave his body as he sits up and wraps both arms around you firmly, desperate to make up for lost time, his holy mission only to worship your body and the unbreakable bond you have forged in sweat and blood.

And then you bone.

We have all imagined that exact scenario, haven't we? I have yet to meet a Fromsoft fan who hasn't described that fantasy to me word for word without hesitation. I am just saying what we were all thinking.

(Pictured: a man I would fuck until he renounces his god.)

[whatiswhump]

Test subject gets injected with something new everyday.

It hurts each time, it hurts A LOT actually, but they’ve realized they can take the momentary pain. They get held down, they jerk involuntarily, hopefully they don’t scream and it’s over in seconds.

… the problem is what comes afterward…

Each vial of anguish has its own set of side effects that the scientists catalogue to the minutest detail.

The burning hives breaking out, their throat closing without warning, red and dark marks icily tracing their veins, world shifting vertigo, amnesia, temporary paralyzation.. each day is a surprise and Whumpee still doesn’t know what these tests are meant to achieve.

All they know is when the side effects come, and they always do, the pens scratch into notepads and their begging behind the glass does nothing to alleviate the horror.

[loonybun]

Check Up

hi. guess who wrote. aren’t you proud. anyways these are like. my favorite ocs. if you’ve known me for very long you know i will never shut up about them ever and have character blogs because god they’re in my brain constantly

contains: med whump/lab whump (not sure which this would classify as. sort of in the middle there.), creepy/intimate carewhumper, doctor whumper, does vian deserve his own mention here yeah he’s a warning all by himself, condescension, restraints, recapture, former living weapon whumpee, magical/sci-fi setting, references to addition and drugs, mentions of brainwashing and memory erasure, betrayal, needles, implied self harm, self harm being weaponized.

i think that’s all but let me know if i’m missing something. this one’s a bit of a doozey. fun for the whole family.

——————————————————

“You look like you slept well.”

He was barely even awake. The room felt like it was spinning, the all too familiar fluorescent lights inducing a dizzying nausea.

The shock of the cold metal on his back forced him into reality. Shit. This was happening. There wasn’t any way out of it. Not an obvious one, anyways.

Koi’s eyes drifted back over to the doctor, who greeted him with a soft smile. Right. Why was he here? Why didn’t he have—

“I took off that little cuff of yours, hopefully you don’t mind. I’ll probably have to answer for that later, but oh well. I figured you’d want to enjoy your last few moments of lucidity.” He murmured, pity crossing his face. “I know you’re not really capable of what they think you are. Poor thing. They think you’re a killing machine! A terrorist! It’s a little funny, actually. I mean, you’re…”

His eyes trailed over Koi for a brief moment. “…Harmless. Completely harmless like this.”

“—I mean, I’m not a big fan of killing people. Kind of why I was trying to avoid this place.”

“Yes, yes, and that’s exactly my point. I guess capable isn’t the right word, is it? I mean, you’ve done it before. I suppose what I’m trying to insinuate is that you’re just unfit to be the monster they’re going to try to break you into.” The doctor hummed, gently ruffling his hair.

“…It’s nice to see you again, by the way. I really did miss you. I know we were never close, but— You were always one of my favorites.”

Koi scoffed. “Enough of a favorite to let out of these restraints? C’mon, it’s not like I’m going anywhere.”

“…You know I can’t, Koi.”

“…Right.” He went quiet for a moment, letting the air grow heavy. Well, might as well rip the bandaid off. “So uh… What are they gonna do?”

And just like that, he was back to his giddy state. “Oh— Yes, I forgot, you like it when I explain these things.”

“You’re uh, not annoyed by it, right? I know a lot of the scientists were and uh—“

“No, no! Not at all. I appreciate your enthusiasm. I always have. People here are just so incredibly impatient.”

“…Oh, uh, thanks. Alright, then yeah, give me the rundown.” Koi already had a good idea about what was going to happen next. They’d throw him in a nice, big cell, give him the whole “You have a purpose here” spiel, and then keep him in there until he either gave in or escaped— not like the former would ever happen.

Vian’s eyes seemed to sparkle as he began to explain. “Well, you see, we figured that since you’re going to be here for a while, we might as well work out that little… Issue… With your magic.”

“And then they’ll expect me to join ‘em again?”

“…Well— Actually, you won’t have much of a say in the matter. They’re planning on wiping your memories. It’ll be like your little runaway incident never happened. You won’t remember the experiments either, of course. None of those silly traumatic things.”

Shit.

“Until then, I’m supposed to keep you hooked up to an IV containing a drug I’ve developed. Just something to keep your mind in more of an agreeable state. You won’t lose your ability to think, of course, you’ll just… Struggle with comprehending those thoughts. I like to say it’s like water slipping through cracks— Nicer imagery leads to a much less stressful experience.” Vian smiled cheerfully, giving Koi a little pat on the head.

He felt sick. This wasn’t how things were supposed to be. “—Wait, wait, wait. Can’t we talk this out? I mean— You don’t really want me to lose my memory, right?— What about— What about my friends? My life?”

At that, the doctor chuckled. “Koi, we should really move on with the examination. I have a job to do… Maybe if you’re good, we can talk a little more about your options afterwards.”

Despite the bile in his throat, Koi nodded. Maybe there was a chance that the doctor would take pity on him. He just had to get through this.

Vian lifted up the thin sleeve of his hospital gown, staring down his arm while he fixed a cuff on his shoulder.

“…Now, I know we didn’t give those to you.”

“What?”

“Those scars.” Vian traced a cold finger along one of the countless cuts lined over the withered skin. “Those are new. Lined up so poorly as well. Goodness, you really haven’t been doing well for yourself, have you?”

Koi shot him a small glare that quickly faded into something a little more pitiful. He had to remember what was at risk if he fucked this up.

“Yeah, well, what can I say? Apparently having a guilty conscience has consequences.”

The doctor’s eyes flickered with mild amusement. It was an unsettling look on him.

“We both know that’s not what this is.”

“Didn’t you say you had a job to do?”

The pressure on his arm began to increase, then released all at once. The cuff went off just as quickly as it had been strapped on. Vian stared at the readings for a brief moment, then looked back at his patient.

“And who are you to say that a wellness check wouldn’t be part of it? I won’t tell, I promise. Now, you were always good with needles. Are you alright if I draw some blood?”

Koi nodded hesitantly. It would be better not to argue with the only person who might be willing to lend a hand to him. He wasn’t that stupid. It’s not like he had many other options.

The needle sank into his skin, and he reflexively let go of the tension in his body. He could have sworn he saw Vian smile at that.

“Good. You’ve always so good with these things. I believe that’s most of what I needed— We’ll do a drug test too, just to be sure. You’d be surprised hearing all of the rumors some of the scouts have come up with about you. Meaningless gossip, really. They claim you’re some worthless street junkie now.” Vian hummed, brushing Koi’s bangs out of his face. “Then again, I wouldn’t be totally surprised. You’ve been hung out to dry. We can lose ourselves, sometimes.”

He couldn’t help but lean into the soft touch. If it weren’t for the backhanded conversation, he probably would have felt genuinely relaxed.

“Yeah, right. I’ve totally got the spare change to shell out for that.”

“Mhm... Like I said, meaningless gossip.”

He needed to break the silence in the air. He could practically feel Vian’s gaze on him. Cold and scrutinizing. “Well, uh, is that all you needed me for?”

“Oh— Yes, we should be done for now. You said you wanted to talk about your options, didn’t you? This would also be a decent time to ask me any extra questions.” The doctor snapped his eyes back to focus, a smile quickly reappearing on his face.

“Yeah, yeah. That sounds good. Uh, so is there any way I can convince you to help me? I mean, I know we were never friends, but—“

“You’d like to be. I know.” He didn’t even let him finish. “You mentioned that once. It stuck with me for a while… I think I’d like that too. You’re one of the few people I can actually tolerate here.”

“So uh… You’re willing to get me outta here?”

Vian’s eyes narrowed, and his grin faltered. “…Well—“

“Well what?” He snapped.

“You don't really have options here, Koi. Let’s just think about this for a moment. I could let you go right now, send you on your way back home… And for what? For you to be miserable the rest of your life? To keep this up?” He gestured towards the lines across his arm. “You lived in a rotting shed. If anything, keeping you here is a favor.”

His blood ran cold.

“You can’t be fucking serious— Vian, please— I… I can’t stay here. They’re gonna make me hurt people. I can’t do that again.”

Vian’s sympathetic expression was looking faker by the minute. He ruffled his hair, earning him a desperate expression. “…Oh, yes you can. The war’s been over for quite some time. It’s not like you’d be used very often anyways. Don’t you want to feel like a hero again? Didn’t you like that?”

Koi began struggling against the metal bands holding him down to the table, desperately thrashing back and forth. “I— I won’t forgive you if you do this. You know that, right?! Didn’t you say you wanted to be friends?”

“I did. And I still mean it. You’ll soon find that you won’t remember any of this, and you’ll be more than happy to spend time with me.” He hummed. “Let’s be honest, sending you back would be plainly unethical! It’d go against my oath. You’d have a fresh start here… There’s really not a downside.”

“Stop— Please—“

“…I think it’s about time to hook you up to that IV. Thank you for your time, though. I can’t wait to get to know each other all over again.”

[psychologicalwarclaire]

Remember the thing I wrote about Mikey getting shot? Here's part three!

Part 1 & 2 | Part 4 (coming soon)

They hit the ground hard, crashing into the center of the Lair. 

Mikey half sobbed, half screamed at the jolting landing. 

“I’m sorry,” Leo cried out. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for us to fall that far. I’m sorry!” 

“Leo? Mikey?!” Raph stood over them, horror etched on his face. 

“Raph!” Leo’s voice cracked. He couldn’t break now. He still had so much work to do. “Raph…” He couldn’t seem to say anything else. He was just so relieved to see him, but still so scared. He could feel his baby brother bleeding out in his arms. “Raph. Raph, Raph–” 

Raph dropped to his knees. Both of his hands shot out, one to cradle Mikey’s head, and the other to rest on Leo’s shoulder. “I need you to focus, Leo,” he said in a deadly serious voice. “Tell me what happened later. Donnie is preppin’ the med bay but he can only do so much. Can you save Mikey?” 

Leo squeezed his eyes shut. He’d never done anything like this before. None of them had ever been in this sort of condition before. He didn’t have the experience, didn’t have the knowledge– 

“Leo.”

He wanted so badly to shove Mikey into Raph’s arms and pass out. But Mikey would die if Leo did that. He was the only one who could possibly save Mikey. 

Mikey let out a pitiful whine. With heavy-lidded, cloudy eyes, Leo wasn’t sure exactly how conscious he was anymore. All he knew was that Mikey was in severe pain. He stared down at Mikey, unable to move. 

“Leo!” Raph shook his shoulder. Mikey sobbed. “Leo, can Mikey count on you to save him?” 

Raph always knew exactly what Leo needed, and those were the right words to snap Leo out of his spiral and directly into action. He nodded. 

Leo tried to stand, he really did. But his legs were shaking too hard, and his arms were too busy clutching Mikey to himself. He couldn’t get up. “Raph,” his voice still trembled, “I need you to carry us there.” 

“Raph’s on it.” With impossibly gentle arms, Raph scooped them up and began sprinting to the med bay. 

Mikey screamed with each step. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Leo whispered. “I’m sorry, I know it hurts.” They weren’t supposed to move him like this. Not until he was stabilized. But there was nothing else Leo could think to do at that moment. 

Whether out of breath or out of time, Mikey’s screams faded into wheezing, ragged breaths. Leo panicked like he never had before. Whether from blood loss or pain, Mikey had passed out. But Leo could still feel Mikey’s faint heartbeat, fluttering like the hope he cradled almost as tightly as his brother. 

Raph ran faster. 

As the med bay doors came into view, Leo attempted to take a steadying breath. He didn’t know what exactly the next few hours of scrambling to save Mikey’s life would entail, but he knew that it was all on his shoulders. 

As Mikey was gently layed out on the cot, Leo allowed himself one moment to take in his injuries under the bright medbay light. 

His shoulder was a torn, bloody mess due to a horrifically ragged bullet exit wound. Mikey’s whole arm hung at an awkward, limp angle. The top right quarter of his shell was mangled: cracked from the impact, splintering apart, and some of it was simply gone. Dark blood had welled between the fissures. In fact, blood was everywhere. Staining Mikey’s hands from where he’d tried to stop the bleeding, spilling down his plastron, congealing on his head where the barrel had hit him. Grimy streaks of gunk from the disgusting floor of the alleyway only added to the horrifying picture. 

In fact, the only part of him that wasn’t splattered in some way were the tear tracks cutting down his cheeks. Leo wondered how much he’d cried when he’d left, believing that Leo must have abandoned him. 

If Leo hadn’t felt Mikey’s weak pulse with his own hands only seconds ago, he might have assumed the worst from looking at Mikey’s pained, pale face. 

He was shaking. 

Leo got to work. 

—

The edges of Leo’s vision were fuzzy as he pressed a damp rag to his baby brother’s clammy, warm forehead. Entirely honed in, nothing else in the world mattered except that Mikey kept breathing. 

Ragged, shallow, pained breaths, but breathing nonetheless. 

Mikey’s face was still scrunched in pain, as it had been for hours. A small whine that sounded far too much like a heart monitor in a flatline came from Mikey’s throat. 

“It’s okay,” Leo whispered, his voice hoarse from barking orders at his family. “I’ve got you. I promise.” 

It had been fourteen, maybe fifteen hours since Leo had portaled into the middle of the Lair, clutching a bleeding, broken brother. Everything still felt broken. Everything was still broken. 

If Leo had been asked to recount exactly what had happened in the many white-knuckled hours before, he would not have been able to recall very much. He didn’t even know what time it was anymore. 

All he remembered was Mikey’s orange bandana stained a dark red. Shards of Mikey’s shell held loosely in his hands. Donnie’s frozen gaze that had forced Leo to yell at him to get moving several times as he’d scrambled to hook up monitors. Accidentally missing Raph’s vein the first try during the critically needed blood transfusion. Towels and rags becoming a deeper and deeper pink as wounds were cleaned. Mounting horror that rose with Mikey’s temperature as Leo realized that he had developed an infection. Worst of all, he remembered the way Mikey’s heartbeat faded in and out. 

Uneven. Unsteady. 

Until it had stopped altogether. 

Leo didn’t remember the chest compressions or the defibrillator or the medication or the frantic voices of his brothers or the weird blue sparks that had circled his shaking hands as his markings glowed. He only remembered being blinded by sharp, icy-white panic.

Whichever of the treatments actually worked, Leo didn’t remember through the relieved haze. 

He’d saved him. 

He’d gotten Mikey’s heart to beat again. But it still took everything to keep it that way. 

Hours after the stitches, the bandaging, the arduous process of the pitiful shell repair they managed to do, the antibiotics, the transfusion, and every other necessary procedure, Mikey was only slightly more stable. 

Even after everything he’d done, Leo’s world remained only a few heartbeats away from shattering forever. 

Leo re-wet the cloth and pressed it Mikey’s overheating head once more. His free hand clung to Mikey’s motionless one. A hand that always had paint or clay or glitter under the fingernails. A hand that had painted countless scenes of their family together. Hands that lovingly kneaded dough for delicious pizza. Hands that always tapped and twitched and booped and snapped and clapped and made every sort of happy noise. 

But now Mikey’s hands were perfectly still in Leo’s grip. Unnatural and upsetting. No matter how hard Leo squeezed, Mikey’s fingers didn’t so much as twitch. 

Distantly, someone made a sound that might have been Leo’s name. 

It took him a few seconds to register that someone else was there. Finally, Leo slowly raised his head, looking around. 

“Leo,” Raph said in a low voice, “let me watch over him for a while.” 

Leo shook his head. Immediately, he regretted doing so, as the world continued to sway even after he stopped. 

“Leo, please. You almost look as terrible as he does. Get some sleep.” 

“I can’t.” Leo’s voice was so scratchy it hardly even sounded like himself. It hurt to speak. “I need to be here in case something happens again.” 

“The worst is over. And even if somethin’ did happen, you wouldn’t be able to do anythin’ in this state. Mikey and I will be right here the whole time. Just… please rest.” Raph tugged the cloth out of Leo’s stiff fingers. 

He didn’t react. 

“Leo, you’ve been workin’ nonstop for almost sixteen hours now. You did it. He’s safe.” 

“We’re not safe,” Leo whispered, staring at nothing. “She’s still out there. She wants Donnie.” The woman’s cold face and the even colder glint off the barrel of the gun were burned into Leo’s mind. He doubted the Foot Clan had been able to stop her for long. Even if they had, there would still be consequences for tangling with… whoever she was. 

“Donnie’s upping security right now,” Raph continued in that same gentle voice. 

Of course. Someone should probably go make sure Donnie wasn’t blaming himself for what had transpired in the alley. Yes, the woman had been searching for him because of money he’d apparently stolen from her, but Donnie had no idea what he’d been getting into. Donnie never intended for any of this to happen. Donnie, who once set a table on fire because Mikey had stubbed his toe on it, wouldn’t rest until he was positive his baby brother was safe. Donnie may be blaming himself, but Leo knew who had fired the gun. And why. 

Leo hadn’t been able to rat Donnie out. And because of that, Mikey’s shoulder and surrounding shell had been blasted apart. 

The flash and immediate spray of red were branded onto Leo’s brain. But what was infinitely worse was the absolute shock and terror of Mikey’s face, and the way it crumpled into agony within a second. 

And then the fall. 

He had taken, it seemed, hours to fall forward. A slow arc downwards where he had crashed to the pavement. 

The bright white medbay and disgusting dark alleyway could not have been more different, but to Leo, everything was blurring together. It didn’t matter where he was, Mikey needed him. He needed to keep watching over him. 

It was the absolute least he could do. 

“Leo, please, you’re scarin’ me.” The Raph Chasm looked even more serious than usual. “Say somethin’, please.” 

Dozens of things he could– should– say flashed through Leo’s head. 

It’s my fault. 

You didn’t see his face when it happened, Raph. You don’t know. 

It was all so horrible. 

I can’t leave him. 

None of them left his tight throat. He didn’t know what to say to Raph. He didn’t know what he would say to Mikey if– when he woke up. 

All he could think about was being dragged away from Mikey’s prone figure, slumped in a growing pool of blood. Leo had screamed and kicked and fought with everything in him to get back to his brother. And nothing had worked. 

Leo had left him there. 

Entirely alone. 

Mikey had literally bled out in darkness, surrounded by grime and garbage. 

“I’m not leaving him again,” Leo whispered. 

Raph drew breath, like he could possibly say something to change Leo’s mind. 

“They forced me to leave him, Raph. Dragged me away. I’m not going to do that again. He needed me and I wasn’t there. I’m not going to do it again. I’m not going to– I’m not–” 

“I didn’t say you should leave the medbay,” Raph said calmly, carefully avoiding making eye contact with Leo. He’d taken over the work of gently caressing Mikey’s forehead with the rag he’d taken from Leo (When had he done that?). It was honestly amazing how levelheaded Raph had managed to remain while his littlest brother hung in the balance. Leo supposed it was a defense mechanism so he didn’t freak out and make things worse. “Go grab pillows or something. You can stay, you just have to sleep. Got that?” 

Leo conceded.

“I’ll be right back,” he whispered, squeezing Mikey’s motionless hand. Letting go was harder than it should have been. He forced his fingers to loosen and pull away. 

The echo of a gunshot flashed through Leo’s mind, Mikey’s terrified eyes reflecting distant streetlights– 

A screaming flatline– 

“NO!”

Lurching forward, Leo’s hands latched onto Mikey’s wrist, instantly relieved to feel a pulse underneath. His ears rang. He couldn’t breathe. Over and over and over again, he saw and heard and smelled– 

“Leo!” Raph’s steady hand gripped Leo’s bicep. “Hey, it’s over, okay? I promise that Mikey is safe. It’s all thanks to you. It’s okay.” 

“It’s because of me,” Leo whispered. 

“Yes, it’s because of you that he’s home safe.” 

“No–” 

“Yes, it’s because of you his little heart is still beating.” 

“No–” 

“Yes. Leo. Look at me.” 

Tearing his eyes away from Mikey’s slowly rising and falling chest was almost impossible, but he managed to meet Raph’s eyes. Leo was shocked to see his own fear and guilt reflected back. 

“I’m scared too. You saw how much I panicked when you two dropped in covered in blood. You saw how I could barely sit still during the transfusion.” Leo’s gaze dropped to the gauze around Raph’s inner elbow. Had that only been a few hours ago? “If you go to sleep, it’ll seem like he’ll wake up faster, won’t it?” 

Leo had gone back to staring down at Mikey’s pinched face. “I know all that. I just… can’t leave.” 

Raph sighed. “Raph’s too soft with you guys. I’ll go get pillows and stuff with the understandin’ that you will attempt to sleep once they’re in here. Got that?” 

“Yeah.” 

Raph left. 

For the millionth time in the past however many hours, Leo checked over Mikey’s vitals again. They hadn’t changed much; he still wasn’t doing great. High fever, shallow breathing, and a heart rate that still hadn’t stabilized. He didn’t know what else he could do. It didn’t feel safe giving him any more antibiotics, and moving him to change bandages again was going to require more hands. Leo didn’t want to think about long term shell repair. He didn’t want to look at the cracks, at the splintered shell, any longer than he had to. 

“I’m back! It is now officially Raph’s-Turn-O’Clock.” 

“He’s not stable yet,” Leo protested. 

“Leo, we had a deal.” 

“What if something else happens? If his blood pressure–” 

Raph dumped mounds of pillows and blankets at Leo’s feet. “I’ll wake you up if something changes. I swear on Pizza Supreme.” 

The moment the pile fwump’ed at his feet and Leo felt soft fabric against his shins, his legs all but gave out. With one final squeeze of Mikey’s hand, Leo sank to the floor. It felt so wrong not to be holding onto Mikey anymore. Surely, Raph had tricked him! Sedated him without him knowing! Something other than just being in the presence of pillows had to be going on. 

“How are you… so calm about this?” Leo muttered, fighting off sleep for as long as he could. 

“Oh believe me, Raph’s not. Once Raph knows everythin’ is okay then he’ll probably have an epic breakdown. Delayed stress response, n’ stuff. You’re not the only one who almost lost their little brother, Leo.” 

“Hmmm,” Leo managed. His limbs were heavy and his mind was filled with fuzz. 

A beeping heart rate faded into the beat that Leo’s legs followed as he ran through dream after dream, trying all the while to get to Mikey.

[one-time-i-dreamt]

Was going to get my wisdom teeth out and they went to stick a needle in my arm which apparently was the anesthesia? But it wasn’t working fast enough for the staff so they sent me home and said to come back when it started working.

[milcycyrus-archived]

miley: we really are stupid for each other aren't we? how could that be? i mean it's because i love you but other than that. miley: have i said i love you recently? we know it's not a bug babe, you saw the test over facetime. miley: wait...you are letting me were your hoodie? fuck yes!! can you come to every doctors appointment with me? oh they also reminded me nova needs her jabs soon too poor thing. miley: [picture attactment] \\ @itsawsten

awsten : we're stupid for each other and time flies too fast . awsten : yes , and i'll be right by your side for it all . if there's not a person growing in your stomach you must have a bug . either way , you know i'll take care of you til the end . awsten : i'm coming and i'll let you take the hoodie i've got on as well . // @milcycyrus

[arya-skywalker]

First off, the new sanders sides was amazing and fun and I loved it!

Second, I have a new headcanon: Remus does needle-felting.

Mr Fuzzy looks like it could have been at least partially made through that, and Remus would absolutely love an art form that involves repeatedly stabbing something with barbed needles.

[uncanny-tranny]

When you're given the needles for injection HRT, you might be given two sizes for needles, or two sets.

A draw-up needle is what you will use to draw up the medicine into your syringe, and often you will use the larger of the needles in order to draw up the medicine if you're given two differently-sized gauged needles. When I first started testosterone, I was given a set of 18G needles and 20G needles, so I would use the 18G to draw up and the 20G to administer the medicine.

Remember that a SMALLER number is a LARGER needle, and a LARGER number is a SMALLER needle. An 18G needle is LARGER than a 20G needle, and so on. If you need clarification about injection, ask whomever is prescribing your medication to clarify which needles are intended for draw-ups and which will be administered into the body.

This might seem pretty arbitrary, but a smaller-gauged needle will feel differently than a larger needle. Now, I inject with a 23G needle, and I barely feel it compared to a 20G, and that can make it so much easier to take your medicine.

I wanted to make this post because I have seen many people have misconceptions about how an injection is supposed to hurt, and part of what can make an injection painful is the needle you are using.

[sadiebrin]

She felt protective of her companion on the best of days. Now? Injured because of her, with a needle sticking out of his arm, eyes dulled by medication and pain? Sadie was resisting the urge to scoop him back up and whisk him away from this place. The constant sterile scent of the place didn't help, either. Nor the alarms, or the jargon in the halls.

She didn't like it. And she didn't like how helpless she felt, because this was beyond her. At least now that his leg was bandaged properly, she could gather the bullet was no longer an issue in itself. But he didn't have advanced healing, to her knowledge. Not that he'd told her. None of this was comfortable.

Who was he?

Two faces drew to her mind. The others were a blur, and she doubted he was referring to them, anyways. The soldier swallowed, her eyes drifted from his, down towards his arm, and then to her lap. Her ear throbbed. Her mouth, dry. Her heart thudded uneasily. She tried to focus her thoughts, to assess who to start with.

"The... the man with the red hair."

Mission Report.

Her arms shifted, clammy fingers momentarily pulling away from her ear, she subconsciously pinched at her skin with her opposite hand.

"He was my-... my handler." The word is bitter, curt. Traced with fire. "He was in charge of me." Her leg is bobbing in place. "The one who-who shot you, he-" He was fuzzier, in her mind. Her brow furrowed as she tried to place him. When she thought of him, she searched for a sense of rage, of fury, and indignation, and found little. His eyes had been unnervingly familiar when he'd fired. When they'd fought.

"I think he's like-" Fear welled in her chest. She found herself growing dizzy, and returned the pressure to her ear. What would Dustfinger think of her, if she said her thoughts aloud? She stared down beside his bed, avoiding his eyes.

Dustfinger's call faded amongst the growling friction of pavement as he was driven towards the hospital entrance. She kept the barrier up as he came to a halt, hoping it would keep him safe. Maybe Gwin would track him down. Give him company through the fear.

Turquoise energy fizzled from the road, dissipating as soon as she lifted her hands. Footsteps grew closer. Sadie.

Time seemed to blur. Rockland.

The sun was sinking behind the mountains, as she trudged through the hospital doors. Every cell in her body seemed to ache. Her limbs were heavy with exhaustion, the side of her face and neck sticky with blood, but... she was herself. Now? Dustfinger.

She had to find him. Nausea met the familiar scent wafting through the air. A part of her expected to be rushed. For the staff to run up, and grip hold of her arms. But that didn't happen. People gawked with alarm as she stumbled up to the front desk. Brows furrowed in concern. A woman tried to check her in, but Sadie refused.

She was informed that she was missing part of her ear, and she should really get it looked at. That explained the throbbing, searing pain, but Sadie refused bluntly, heart pounding. Her hands found one another instinctually, well aware that if she placed them on the desk in her state, she might warp it. It was hard to catch her breath through her nerves, but she told them her fire dancer's name.

At some point, she perched on a chair by his side. She pressed an offered wad of bandage or gauze or something to her ear, mind racing and muddled, blue eyes focused on her companion.