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corrodedseraphine · 6 months

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you are not alone | one shot

pairing: steve harrington x fem!reader

story based on a request by a lovely anon: Steve works as a nurse and lives in a two bedroom apartment. He decided to put out an ad for a roommate and the reader finds it. She’s in desperate need of a place to stay after her father dies. It was just the two of them and she has to use almost all the money she makes working to pay off remaining medical bills.

The reader and Steve have a falling out within the first month of her living there but he keeps her around because she pays her part of the rent and keeps to herself. The two of them are usually throwing digs at one another.

Steve doesn’t realize the reader is going through so much financial stress and the loss of her father. She works two jobs (diner and bar) and is gone a lot. However, Steve starts to notice she hardly eats and sleeps and it’s taking a toll on her health.

One night when Steve gets home from his shift at the hospital he finds the reader fell asleep sitting at the bar in the kitchen. He goes up and puts his hand on her back to wake her and she gets startled. Steve steadies her and tries to calm her down. She’s still disoriented and dizzy. Steve carries her to the sofa and tries to check her vitals but she pushes him away. He lectures her for not eating and makes her eat something before letting her go to bed.

A few weeks later the reader gets sick and is really weak, so Steve takes care of her even though she tells him to leave her alone. In her vulnerable state she finally tells Steve what’s been going on.

An enemies to friends type of story with a soft and caring Steve once he realizes she needs help. angst, slight enemies to lovers, and they were roommates trope, fluff in the end, modern!AU

7 830 words

the one shot is also avaliable on ao3

TW: mentions of: death, family member loss

Dear anon, thank you for your request and I really hope you won't be disappointed!

(I know you requested enemies to friends but I made it lovers instead, because the hopeless romantic inside me is desperate, I'm sorry)

steve harrington masterlist | general masterlist

"Aaand here's for another failed date." Eddie smirked and tilted the shot into his mouth, immediately followed by Robin, Steve and Chrissy.

"I'm so damn tired of this, man." Steve said and slumped helplessly on a soft chair in the corner of the living room. "Everything looks the same, movie, dinner, after dinner we go to my place, have sex and the magic is gone, she sneaks out in the middle of the night and the next day she doesn't answer any messages."

"Maybe you're too desperate?" Robin asked, he sent her a questioning look. "Think about it, it is said that true love comes suddenly and unexpectedly, while you, on the contrary, catch on to anything that moves."

"Robin!" Chrissy jabbed her in the arm.

"What!"

"Be nice!" the blonde rolled her eyes. "Maybe Steve has already met someone who will turn out to be more than a hook-up, and he doesn't know it? Look at us, all through high school we didn't exchange a word with each other, and now I can't imagine a day without your voice." She kissed her girlfriend on the forehead.

"You guys are disgusting." Steve scoffed.

"And you're jealous." replied Robin pulling Chrissy to her and kissing her deeply.

"Ah, ladies! Please spare poor Harrington tonight!" laughed Eddie, filling the glasses anew.

"Thank you, Eddie!" exclaimed the brunette immediately reaching for one. "Can we change the subject?"

"How's your roommate? Doesn't she mind your guests?" asked the metalhead.

"Nope." He waved his free hand and after a moment he brought up a shot. "She's practically not at home at all, and when she comes back it's at night and she sleeps, but when we see each other, exceptionally, she annoys me to the core."

"Why?"

"She constantly walks around fuming, looking at me as if I've committed a crime and getting any word out of her verges on the most miraculous."

"Maybe you made a bad first impression?"

"Then why didn't she refuse when I said she could move in?"

"I don't know, you said she looked desperate."

"It's like I'm living with a ghost who wakes up once every few days and slithers around the apartment in misery."

"Why does it bother you so much that she's quiet?" asked Chrissy suddenly.

"Yeah, blondie is right, I think it's better to have a quiet roommate than to have her be loud, insufferable and pick on everything. Especially the fact that you bring a different girl into your apartment every now and then." Eddie added.

"Oh my God, he's so annoyed because he wants her to talk to him, he wants more than just conversation!" Robin jumped up on the couch as if she had made the discovery of the year. "He likes her!"

"Oh fuck you! All of you!" the other three didn't miss the fact that he didn't deny Robin's theory, but decided to leave the subject for now.

The first month in the new apartment passed extremely quickly. Actually, you didn't quite feel the effects of moving out. Everything seemed to be behind a fog, and the days flew through your fingers turning into nights, and so on and so forth. The only thing that seemed painfully real was the longing and pain. These were the only things that reminded you that you were alive.

As you danced with a tray between tables at a nearby diner from early morning, and later in the evening served drinks to enamored couples at the bar, you didn't have much time to mourn. But that didn't change the fact that the void left in your life was heavy. As heavy as your eyelids, which began to close at the mere sight of your bed. Usually you don't even remember the moment you fall asleep, but today it wasn't so easy.

When you saw that the beginning nurse was looking for a roommate you thought you had managed to find someone calm and quiet. Unfortunately, reality turned out to be different. The frequent sounds of pleasure coming from his bedroom were not usually a problem for you, you quickly learned to simply ignore them or drown them out with music or a podcast. Nor were you bothered by the frequent visits of his friends, who brought chaos and disorder every time, not caring about the silence. Most of the time you weren't in the apartment at all because you were at work, but today they decided to have a movie night, which started with an argument about the choice of movie. Knowing that you wouldn't fall asleep with such entertainment, you exasperatedly got out of bed pulling on your sweatpants.

When you left the room everyone went silent and looked at you. You could see from their faces that they were just waiting for you to start shouting at them, but even though you really wanted to do it at that moment, you didn't have the strength. Exhausted after several hours of hard work as always, you didn't have the strength to do anything, so you passed them without a word, ignoring their attempts to say hello and offers to join them, and left the apartment. With a quick step, you went to the pharmacy located near your apartment, stocked up on a new pack of sleeping pills and went back to your place.

"Hey, y/n!" called out one of the younger boys, from what you associated was probably named Dustin. "Can you help us choose? Iron Man or the Amazing Spider-Man?"

You just rolled your eyes and, leaving him without an answer, went back to your room slamming the door behind you. Taking your pills you started getting ready for sleep again.

Lying in the darkness you listened to the conversation of Steve and his friends.

"See? She can't even say one word, I honestly can barely remember what her voice sounds like!" he said irritated.

"Come on, she looked tired." replied a female voice.

"Tired or not, she could at least answer! Out of politeness!"

"Let's just start the movie."

Then the voices quieted, and your thoughts grew louder. You thought about yourself from a few months ago.

The former you would have answered Dustin's question without hesitation and gladly accepted the invitation to join.

The former you would have been able to chat for hours with Steve from the very beginning and not push away every possible interaction on his part.

You knew it irritated him, he couldn't hide it. Every attempt to have any kind of conversation with you ended in failure, every attempt to get to know you better - spurned. You were not surprised by it. You were sure that the former you and your new roommate would get along very well. It's even possible that the former you would have noticed how his honey-colored eyes curiously followed you when you left the room, maybe she would have noticed the charming smile he sent you during the first days of your living together, and would have appreciated his willingness and interest in you. It is likely that the former you would also have taken an interest in Steve's person, in many ways. However, the former you no longer existed.

The present you was overtired and there was not a shred of energy in her.

The present you had far bigger worries than the handsome boy sitting behind the wall, whose sweet smiles turned into grimaces of annoyance and disgust.

Holding back the tears that rushed to your eyes, you looked at your phone. Six hours of sleep. You snuggled your face into your pillow hoping to fall asleep as soon as possible thanks to the pills. Lately, every minute of sleep was at a premium for you.

Days passed and the tension between you and Steve grew. He was irritated by the lack of willingness to communicate on your part, and you were irritated by the fact that he was irritated. Without actually saying too many words to each other, sometimes one unpleasant glance was enough for one or both of you to feel a strange surge of negative emotions. The climax turned out to be Saturday, when you were getting ready for your evening shift at the bar.

You were walking through the living room holding a glass of Coke in your hand when you tripped over one of the nursing textbooks scattered on the floor. A moment later, all that was heard was the sound of glass on the floor and a rather hard fall.

"What the fuck Steve?!" you exclaimed, looking down at your soaked clothes.

"What happened?" he ran out of the bathroom.

"I tripped over your stupid book! Is it so hard to clean up after yourself?"

"I'm studying, I just went to the bathroom for a moment!"

"And leaving your books on the floor was a great idea!" you said standing up.

"If you had watched where you were going nothing would have happened!" he tried to defend himself.

"If you had kept things in order then nothing would have happened!"

"How could I have known that just now you would mercifully leave the room?! I'm used to you not leaving it for a second!"

"Go to Hell Harrington!" you yelled.

"Feels like I am already in it!" he yelled back, grabbed his books and went to his room.

Angry, you changed your clothes and picked up the glass, then quickly mopped the floor after the spilled drink.

Despite the fact that you had already left the apartment and left him alone in it, Steve felt bad about this whole situation. He didn't know quite whether he was angry, disappointed or tired. Sitting over textbooks for several hours never worked well for him, and arguing with you made him even more upset.

Sighing deeply, he grabbed his phone, where a Tinder notification popped up on the screen. The beautiful long-haired blonde on the screen was smiling broadly at him, he didn't even remember when he swiped her to the right. Each successive match on the app was more and more meaningless to him, despite the fact that he could spend hours there looking for "the one". Eventually everything started to blend together, he could no longer remember what he was saying to whom and what he wasn't, remembering names wasn't his advantage either. He looked at the girl's profile for a while longer, but he decided that he definitely didn't feel like going on a date tonight. Instead he went to the kitchen and took out a full bottle of rum from the refrigerator. Putting it by his face, he took a picture and sent it to the group chat.

Steve the Stupidest: wanna join?

Eddie the Dumbest: my place in 20 minutes?

Chrissy the Sweetest: count us in!

Robin the Smartest: do we need to bring something?

Eddie the Dumbest: your asses to my house lol

Eddie the Dumbest: and snacks

Eddie the Dumbest: I won't let you in without snacks

"You told her that living with her is like living in hell?" Chrissy asked shocked.

"I didn't say it directly! I just said it felt that way!" Steve tried to defend himself. The bottle of rum was emptied in no time and, as standard, Steve brought the tracks back to you.

"Which is exactly the same as if you literally said 'Life with you is like hell." Robin rolled her eyes and threw popcorn at him.

"The real question is do you really feel that way?" asked Eddie.

"No." he answered without thinking. "But it's not heaven either! I don't know what it is, no one gets on my nerves like she does, but I on the other hand..." he didn't finish the sentence.

"I'm still of the opinion that you like her but for some strange reason you're acting like an eight-year-old and instead of admitting it, you're telling yourself that all you feel is annoyance." Robin said.

"I think you two would make an adorable couple." interjected Chrissy.

"Until she would kill me with a single stare." If the relationship between you two was better and more friendly, maybe he wouldn't even try to deny Robin's words.

"You're not in Heaven or Hell, so you could say you're roommates from Purgatory," laughed Eddie. "The only question is which way you'll go, up or down?"

"I have a strange feeling it's going dooown."

Even if the disagreement between you was still present, Steve had no plans to kick you out of the apartment. You always paid everything on time, did not interfere in his life, and, apart from occasional exchanges of words, did not cause any major problems. Over time, however, the atmosphere of irritation began to fade and was replaced by an acceptance of the fact that there would not even be a friendship between you. Not wanting to get in each other's way, you communicated with one another only on necessary matters.

That didn't change the fact that Steve was still observing you, and what he saw was beginning to worry him. Your pale face, blackened eyes and hunched posture betrayed your physical exhaustion. He also noticed that you weren't preparing any meals for yourself at all. In fact, he probably hadn't seen you cook anything once yet since you moved in. Sometimes when he prepared food for himself he would specifically make more to see if you would take what was left, but you never did a single time.

The autumn weather was not one of the best, it was definitely the type of weather during which the only thing to do was to wrap up in a warm blanket, turn on a favorite TV series and drink a big mug of hot chocolate. That was the plan that popped into Steve's head when he walked into the apartment after a long and tiring shift at the hospital.

Putting down his rain-wet umbrella in the hallway, he pulled off his jacket and hung it on a hanger. To his surprise, your jacket was also hanging there. This surprised him because you were always still at work at this hour. Walking deeper into the apartment he saw you sitting at the kitchen counter, your hands and head were resting on its surface. Without saying hello, he entered the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, thinking only about the chicken salad he had made yesterday. When out of the corner of his eye he didn't notice any movement on your part he turned to look at you. Only from this perspective could he see that you were asleep. In your numb hand thete was a mug of tea.

"Y/n?" he asked quietly. You didn't respond. He slowly took the mug out of your hand. The tea in it was already cold. How long had you been sitting there like this? Concerned, he placed his hand on your back and repeated your name several more times.

Awakened, you jumped up on the bar stool almost falling off it, fortunately your roommate reacted quickly enough to prevent this and hold you up.

"Hey, it's just me, just Steve." he said, and furrowed his brow. His voice was calm and a little quieter than usual. "Are you all right? Are you feeling sick?" he asked, and instinctively began to bring his hand closer to your forehead to check for signs of fever, but you, seeing this, immediately pulled away and jumped off the stool. This, unfortunately, was not the best idea, as you were still disoriented by your sudden awakening, and prolonged fatigue and irregular, not very hearty meals definitely weakened your body causing dizziness, which you also felt now and lost your balance.

"Woah!" the brunette once again grabbed your shoulders protecting you from falling. "Come on, sit down on the couch." this time without objection you moved towards the couch which stood nearby, due to the fact that your living room was connected to the kitchen. Steve followed you step by step supporting you. He kept one hand on your back and the other on your arm. "Are you sick? dizzy?" he began to ask when you sat down.

"I'm fine, Steve, just tired." you said, hoping he would give you a break. Meanwhile, a gurgling sound came from your stomach.

"And probably hungry." he raised one eyebrow.

"Just want to go to sleep." you scoffed.

"I have some chicken salad left over, I won't be able to eat it all myself, and it would be a shame to throw it away, maybe you'd like some?" he offered, carefully watching your reaction. He was increasingly convinced that during the day you either eat nothing, or so little that your body can barely manage to provide you with any energy to function. However, given your distant relationship, he couldn't just bombard you with questions and force you to eat like he would have done with Robin or Dustin. He had to do it slowly and calmly.

"Yeah, okay." you said quietly as the gurgling of your stomach resounded a second time.

He immediately went back to the fridge and quickly put the food on plates hoping you wouldn't notice that you got a larger portion. Handing you a plate, he sat down next to you and turned on the TV, the sound of which filled the silence between you.

"That was really good, thank you." you said quietly.

"No problem, I'm glad I didn't have to throw it away." he smiled slightly. "Feeling better?" he asked.

In response, you only nodded your head. You got up from the couch and picked up the plates to wash them, his eyes were following your movements to the kitchen.

Watching you, he thought about the fact that this was your first meal together since you moved in. Satisfied with the result that it didn't end in an argument or that you didn't reject his offer, he felt a little more confident. This small success pushed him forward, so when you started washing the dishes, he decided to take a chance.

"What did you eat at work today?" the question knocked you out a bit.

"Why do you ask?"

"I'm just curious." He shrugged his shoulders, but you didn't see it because you were standing with your back turned.

"A sandwich." you replied not thinking much. You felt strange with the fact that this was your first conversation not about bills or household chores. The first one you had actually allowed him to have.

"Only?"

"I didn't have time at work to eat."

"One sandwich all day? Are you crazy? You need to eat more!" And so much for calmness and slowness. He knew he shouldn't get carried away and didn't want it to sound like an attack, but unfortunately it was too late. Why did he care this much about you awnyway? All the walls that you lowered down for that brief moment rose again.

"I'm fine." you said dryly clenching your teeth.

"I found you sleeping on the kitchen counter, it's obvious that you're overtired and hardly eat anything at all, do you even take care of yourself in any way?"

"It's none of your business." Suddenly all the fatigue is gone from you, replaced, by anger, instead. Who did he think he was to lecture you?

"You are irresponsible." he concluded and got up from the couch.

"Just shut up, Steve, you're not my father to lecture me." You replied in an overtired voice.

"Then maybe you should call him and make him realize that his daughter can't take care of herself!" He was already heading towards his room, but suddenly, he was stopped by the clatter of dishes. He noticed how your shoulders were moving faster and faster, picking up the pace of your breathing. You turned off the water and, without a word, walked away from the sink, standing straight in front of him. Your eyes were big and full of tears, looking at him with a condemning gaze.

"You have no right to say that." You said through your teeth and, without waiting for an answer, disappeared into your room, leaving him alone in a big shock.

That night, instead of his favorite TV series, all he could focus on were the quiet sobs coming from behind the wall and the guilt they caused. He had no idea which of his actions made you cry, and it didn't really matter which. Despite the fact that, in his opinion, he didn't say anything awful in your direction, he felt awful.

Steve the Stupidest: I made her cry

Chrissy the Sweetest: what???? what happened?

Steve the Stupidest: I don't know, we were eating salad together, I asked her what she had eaten at work, she said that only a sandwich, so I got a little carried away and told her that she can't take care of herself, and now I can hear her crying

Robin the Smartest: oh damn

Steve the Stupidest: should I go to her?

Eddie the Dumbest: I don't think she wants to see you now, dude

Robin the Smartest: Eddie is right, let her calm down

Robin the Smartest: and tell everything that happened with details

Autumn brings with itself many changes, one of which may be unexpected illness. The first thing you felt this morning was an unpleasant itching in your throat, the second was a terrible cold, which made you decide to dress a little warmer for work today. Unfortunately, you felt worse and worse by the minute, but adult life can be brutal and you couldn't just not go to work today.

Around noon Steve came home from the hospital, but before he could open the door to the apartment his phone vibrated in his pocket.

"Hello?"

"Come to Benny's, quick." Robin said in a serious voice.

When he arrived in front of the diner, Chrissy was waiting for him with a worried expression on her face.

"What happened?" he asked running up to the girl.

"y/n fainted, Robin and I came in for lunch and when she was carrying our order she just fainted, she said there was no one to help her so Robin said we'll call you-" the words left her mouth at the speed of light.

"Hey, take it easy." he grabbed her by the shoulders. "Where is she?"

"In the back room with Robin and Benny."

With a quick step he walked inside and moments later he was already at your side watching you with a worried face. You looked even worse than last time, which caused him alarmed. Sitting leaning against the white wall, you were almost as pale as it was.

"Let's get you home, okay?" he asked crouching down in front of you.

"I don't have a home." you muttered while burying your face in your hands. "I can't leave, my shift hasn't ended."

"It has ended and the next one won't start until you feel better." said Benny in a harsh tone.

"Benny please." you whined.

"No discussion, get her out of here Steve."

Reluctantly, you walked back to his BMW feeling the gaze of the other three on you all the time, but now you didn't even have the strength to be annoyed with them. Despite the fact that your shift at the diner ended a few hours sooner, you still had to go to your evening shift at the bar, so you wanted to be in your room as soon as possible so you could take a nap before that.

You didn't even remember when you fell asleep, you were pulled out of the darkness by the sound of your alarm clock, which announced that it was time to start getting ready for your shift at the bar. The worst part of it all was that you didn't feel any better.

Slowly and lifelessly you walked out of the room, Steve was standing in the kitchen over a big pot of soup. When he heard the sound of the door opening he turned toward you and smiled slightly.

"I made the soup, the best for a cold, I got the recipe from Robin's grandmother, I'm sure you'll like it, it just needs to boil for a while," he said.

"I'm not hungry." you lied, at the very smell you were drooling but you didn't have time to eat anymore.

"Come on, at least try."

"I don't have time Steve, I have to get ready and go to work." you sighed.

"You're kidding right?" He stood motionless and looked at you in disbelief, and you looked at him with a questioning expression. "A few hours ago you blacked out and now you want to go to work, are you crazy?"

"Don't dramatize."

"Dramatize? Listen to yourself, what's wrong with you?"

"Everything!" you snapped. "Not everyone has a wonderful life full of friends and and rich parents who transfer dollars to your account every month! Do you think life makes me happy? Some people have to work two shifts to make their own living! Some people have other expenses besides just living!" your outburst of anger made you feel increasingly weak, but your voice was still loud. Loud enough for every word to reach him without interference. "You work in a hospital, so you know how much medical bills cost! So I'm sorry Steve, but I won't eat your soup, I have to go to work so I can afford to pay your rent next month!"

Shaken up, you walked into the bathroom and slammed the door behind you. Why does it all have to be so difficult? Clenching your eyes tightly, a loud sob came from your mouth. Much louder than you wanted. Helplessly you slumped to the floor and just let the tears flow. You were sick, tired, sad, angry and lost, everything was against you.

After a while, the bathroom door opened and Steve appeared in it with a broken look on his face.

"I'm sorry." He said, kneeling beside you.

"It's not your fault." you said while wiping away tears. "Everything is just too much."

"I didn't know anything about the hospital bills, are you ill? do you need funding for treatment?" honey eyes studied your face carefully, the warmth that emanated from him made you want to cling to him.

"They are not mine."

"Are you paying for someone?" he asked puzzled.

"My dad was very sick-" you said quietly.

"Was?"

Nothing was your answer. The pain in your eyes spoke for itself.

"Jesus, y/n…" before he could think what he was doing his arms had already begun to embrace you, and you let him. You felt as if he was keeping you from falling apart. After a while, your breathing slowed down, and your body was no longer shaken by waves of crying. "I'm so fucking sorry, I didn't know anything." he muttered into your hair.

"I really have to go to work, Steve." you replied weakly, already a bit calmer.

"You can't go there like this, you're all burned up."

"If I don't go I won't be able to pay you on time." You sighed and extricated yourself from his grasp.

"You'll pay me later, it won't be a problem." he replied without thinking. "Stay, please." he said seeing your uncertain reaction. "I swear that if you pay later, nothing will happen. It won't be a problem."

"Thank you." you replied. "I'll go call that I won't be there."

"And I'll get us some soup." he beamed. His smile was contagious as it also appeared on your face despite your nasty mood. When you returned to the living room there were two large bowls filled to the brim on the coffee table.

"Fancy a movie?" he asked.

"Yeah, okay." you replied surprised, you weren't expecting this proposal. Although he was probably even more surprised and didn't expect you to agree. "What are we going to watch?"

"I don't know, what do you like?"

"And you?" you asked, not wanting to impose something of your own.

"Star Wars?"

"I've never watched, it can be."

"Wait, what? Seriously, it's a classic!"

"Such a film connoisseur of you?" you laughed.

"You still haven't answered my question about what you like."

"Disney is definitely my definition of comfort movies."

"for example?"

"Beauty and the Beast, Princess and the Frog, Tangled, Coco…"

"I haven't watched any of them." he shrugged his shoulders.

"And who's talking about not knowing the classics?!" you pretended to be disgusted.

"I propose a compromise, one part of Star Wars for one Disney movie, I think we both have a lot of catching up to do."

"Deal."

Steve Harrington was a ray of sunshine. From the moment you decided to stop fencing yourself off with thick curtains your life became much warmer and brighter. Your life together changed completely, even though you still had to work two shifts and felt physically tired, your mental state was definitely relieved. When your roommate got to know your situation and understood what you were struggling with, his attitude also changed. This time, all the quiet days and sad looks were not perceived as an attack. Instead, whenever you returned tired after work there was a warm meal waiting for you and an even warmer smile that caused a strange tingling in your stomach.

The more you got to know each other, the more you couldn't hold back the feeling of attraction to him. He was a person from whom a safe warmth radiated, a warmth that not only warmed your cold hands when they accidentally touched his, but also your soul. A soul that had long been a cold and empty hollow. He lit the first tiny sparks in it that made life and emotions awaken in you anew.

By opening up to his presence in your life, you found the courage to grieve. He was the perfect friend. Funny, caring and trustworthy. Day by day you got to know each other better and better, telling him about what happened with your dad you allowed in the feelings that you had kept locked up for an awfully long time.

One day was especially difficult when your dad's birthday arrived. All day the weight of your heart was unbearable, people at work gave you an extremely hard time, so as soon as you closed the apartment door behind you, you burst into tears. Some time ago you would have held it in until you disappeared into your room, but you couldn't help how Steve made the house become home. A home where you didn't have to be afraid to show your feelings.

Hearing you groggy in the hallway he immediately came out to greet you, wanting to show off the new dish he had managed to prepare today. Unfortunately, seeing your condition, all his enthusiasm disappeared.

"What happened?" he asked quietly. His eyes scanned your entire body in search of any apparent reason for crying, but he immediately understood that what was hurting you was not a physical issue at all. Not having the strength to respond you moved quickly in front of him and he simply followed you. You sat down on the bed clenching your face in your hands, after a while the mattress bent under his weight.

"Hey, it's okay." he whispered placing a hand on your shoulder. "Come." He pulled you gently back.

Leaning against the headrest of the bed, he pulled you close, and you fell right into his arms. You cuddled your face into the soft sweater sobbing like a small child. Large hands gently traced paths of comfort on your back and arms. He stroked you as if you were a small, wounded and helpless animal, and he wanted at all costs not to hurt you even more. Your pain was breaking his heart, but he knew the feeling when crying is the only thing that can bring relief, so he didn't interrupt you.

Over the past time, he got to know you much better than he ever would have expected. He saw in you something more than a silent energy filled with fatigue and perpetual irritation. He saw in you a beautiful but broken soul. He saw a heart of gold that was shattered to pieces. He saw how funny you were and what a great conversation companion you could be. He was surprised by your sensitivity, which you initially hid under a mask of oppressiveness. When you broke down the armored wall you surrounded yourself with at the beginning of your acquaintance, Steve met a completely different person, someone in whom he was beginning to see more than just a roommate. With each step you continued to become friends, but he couldn't ignore the thought that he wanted something more.

From people who avoided each other like fire you became a team. You did everything together as much as possible when you both happened to find some free time. Meals together, cleaning together and going shopping together. Movie marathons and evenings spent talking all added up to the beauty of domestication. But-

What if you could lay cuddled up together while watching movies?

What if he could kiss every tear from your cheeks that fall when you get emotional at a Disney movie?

What if you could come up from behind and snuggled into his back while he was preparing dinner for you?

What if while shopping he could hold a shopping bag in one hand and your hand in the other one?

What if seeking comfort in his arms after a hard day at work was the first thing you would do when you got home?

All the what ifs in his head had been swirling around for a long time and were incredibly overwhelming, especially when you were close, yet he couldn't muster the courage to do more.

For the moment, you had more serious things on your mind, and he didn't know how to help you, despite his great desire to do so. Lost in his thoughts and focused to give you as much comfort as possible, he didn't notice when you calmed down. Your breathing was now even and your eyes closed. Thinking you had fallen asleep he settled down a bit and rested his cheek against the top of your head. With the hand that he used to embrace your back he pressed you even tighter against him, and with the other he grabbed the hand that lay on his chest.

"Today is his birthday." you said weakly.

Not expecting you to be awake for a moment panic swept through him, he quickly drew in air and tensed all over waiting for your reaction. Seeing that you still remained motionless, he relaxed, and you continued speaking. "Every year we used to spend this whole day with his best friend and his family. They invited me to join them today to continue the tradition, but I can't- It hurts too much."

"You don't have to go there if you don't feel ready, it's understandable to feel that way." he replied.

"What if I'm never ready? What if it will always hurt like this?"

"Even if time doesn't heal the wounds, you will learn to live with them. And even though moments like now will happen from time to time, you won't be alone with them. You are not alone."

His words went straight to your heart, they were something you needed at that moment.

"Thank you." You said hugging him even tighter.

"Always here for you." he muttered.

The silence that surrounded you and the last rays of the setting sun coming through the window were soothing. Your hearts began to beat out the same calm and steady rhythm that you could feel under your hand. Focusing on the gentle beats, a peace began to envelop you that you hadn't felt since your dad became ill. As the orange glow of the ending day slowly turned into blanketing darkness neither of you wanted to move so as not to scare away such a beautiful and peaceful moment. Desperately clinging to the closeness that existed between you both fell asleep, not worrying about the awkwardness that would come with the morning.

Unfortunately, the night passed all too quickly. When you woke up you were lying in bed alone. Trying to run away from the feeling of disappointment about this, you reluctantly pushed the quilt aside and focused on preparing for work. Entering the living room, you were greeted by a platter of warm scrambled eggs and a mug of coffee.

"I'm going on the night shift tonight, so I thought maybe we could at least have breakfast together." he said sitting down at the table.

"Sounds like a great plan." You replied with a smile. Over the course of the meal you lost yourself in pleasant conversation about everyday life. Steve also talked about his plans for the weekend, where he wanted to take Dustin to a concert by his favorite band.

"And uh- I have something for you." he said when you finished eating. He walked over to his backpack and took out some documents from it, which he slipped to you. "You don't have to do anything with this, but I thought you might want to think about it. I talked to some people at the hospital and they said your situation qualifies for a subsidy on your dad's medical bills." You looked at him with your eyes wide open, he couldn't make out much emotion from your expression, which made him start to get nervous, fearing that you were about to explode with anger. "I know, I'm sorry I talked to strangers about you, you have the right to be angry with me, but I really just wanted to help, this subsidy will cover most of the bills, of course if you need help to figure it all out, I can help you with everything, but I understand if you don't want-"

His rant was interrupted by your arms tightening around his stomach. When the moment of surprise passed he reciprocated the hug.

"Thank you." you said.

"You are welcome." He beamed.

"Let's talk about it tomorrow after we're both off work?""

"Sure." The smile didn't leave his face.

"I have to go now, thank you for breakfast. Have a good day, Steve."

"You too, y/n."

For him, it was the win of the day.

When taking on the job as a nurse, Steve was aware that some moments would be extremely hard in the job. However, he did not expect them to come so quickly and suddenly. Nor did he expect that the first such moment would be so drastic.

Road accidents were the order of the day, so when he got the call to assist in the operation of one of the injured he approached it with composure as always. What he didn't expect, however, was to find a teenage girl lying on the table in critical condition. Despite the best efforts of the entire rescue team, the injuries sustained in the accident were too extensive and she died during the operation. On his way out of the room, all he could hear was the shrill cry of despair of a mother who would never hug her own daughter again. That sound refused to leave his head until the end of his shift.

After returning home, exhausted by today's experiences, he fell asleep on the couch. Unfortunately, even in sleep his psyche was not merciful. His brain replayed nightmares over and over again, which, instead of resting, tormented him even more.

When you returned to the apartment the first thing you noticed was Steve sleeping on the couch. Today, for the first time in a very long time, he was not waiting for you with a meal ready. Determining that he was probably too tired, you quietly walked over to the couch and covered him with a blanket. Your attention did not miss the furrowed brow and the anxious expression on his face. Hesitating for a moment, you decided not to intervene and went to the kitchen, stating that today it was your turn to cook something. In the middle of cutting vegetables, Steve suddenly jumped on the couch breathing heavily.

"Hey, what's going on?" you quickly walked over to him and crouched down across from him. He was in shock, his eyes in a panic trying to recognize the environment he was in, and his breathing was speeding up instead of slowing down. "Steve, hey." you tried to get his attention.

"My phone. Where's my phone?" he sprang to his feet and began a frantic search for the device. He found it in his jacket pocket and immediately started dialing a number. "Dustin? Dustin are you okay?" he asked after a few beeps.

"Yes, why?" replied the confused boy.

"I just- I'm sorry. Glad you are okay."

"What the hell Steve?"

"I have to go, bye." He hung up and clasped his hand around the phone while leaning his head against the wall.

"Steve?" approached him slowly. "What's going on?"

"It's just a hard day at work…" He sighed.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He nodded and together you went to sit on the couch. There he told you about the situation. The longer he spoke, the more his voice broke down and words struggled to pass through his throat.

"When I was sleeping, I had-I had a nightmare. Instead of this girl, there was Dustin. I had to make sure he was okay-" it was his breaking point.

The sight was painful. It was hard to look at a person who can bring so much warmth, light and joy into someone's life in a state of sadness. Steve was like sunshine to you, sunshine that was now covered by dark clouds and raindrops that dripped down his cheeks. Before you had time to think your body reacted faster, and you were already halfway to hugging him. He accepted this form of reassurance without hesitation, and, drawing you closer to him, you landed in his lap, while he snuggled his face into the bend of your neck.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through all this." you said quietly stroking his hair. "And Dustin is fine, he is fine, you are not gonna lose him."

"I can't lose him-"

"And you won't." You didn't let him finish his sentence. You moved him away from you so that you could look at each other and took his face in your hands, wiping away the tear tracks with your thumbs. "And remember that you are not alone with your problems Steve Harrington, and you will not be alone."

Honey-colored irises looked right through your soul. However, after a while they began to take a different course. Slowly and uncertainly they went along your nose to stop at your lips. Suddenly his hands, which were now on the indentation of your waist, began to burn. Yet it was not a painful burning. The warmth was addictive, you wanted to feel more of it, you wanted to feel it all over your body. Your foreheads rested against each other and your noses brushed, lips were separated by millimeters when the magic was interrupted by his phone.

Like a burnt woman, you jumped off his lap, and he went to his room with the phone, not knowing how to deal with what had just happened between you.

Would you let him kiss you?

This thought focused all his attention, and all he understood from his conversation with his supervisor was that tomorrow was his day off.

"Would you mind going for a walk?" you asked when he returned to the living room.

"Sure."

The autumn air was not the hottest, but the warm sweaters you were wearing adequately protected you from it. The setting sun was a beautiful orange color quite like the leaves quietly crunching under your shoes. Steve wordlessly followed you, not even focusing on the road. Walking in your company seemed to be a good cure for shattered nerves, especially since the scenery was equally soothingly beautiful. On the way to your destination, you made a brief stop at a flower shop, not far from the cemetery. At that moment he knew what your destination was.

"It's okay if you don't feel like going there." You said stopping in front of the gate.

"No, it's fine." he replied and moved ahead.

"This place…I found a weird peace in here for the first few days after my dad died." you explained as you approached the grave. You placed a flower on it.

Steve did not respond. But you were right, the place was surrounded by a strange atmosphere of calm. The falling nightfall sharpened the burning candles. Their rays were small but warm, and together they created a solemn scenery. He associated the flames with the emotions you stirred in his heart. Emotions that were bubbling up inside him and begging him to let them out. Emotions that he no longer had the strength to keep inside, and despite the fact that the cemetery was the last place to confess love, he decided to do so.

"Thank you." he said finally.

"For what?" you asked turning your face toward him.

"Letting me in."

"Thank you for being patient enough." The smile with which you answered this was also as warm as the lights burning in front of you.

"I think I'm falling in love with you."

He expected shock, anger, laughter on your part. He expected each of the worst reactions. However, he did not expect the calmness with which you accepted what he said. He didn't expect your hand intertwining your fingers and the other landing gently on his cheek.

"I think I'm falling in love with you too, Steve." you whispered.

That was enough for him to lean in and bring your lips together. The kiss, at first shy and gentle, deepened into something passionate and filled with relief that something that was supposed to have happened a long time ago was finally happening. It was as if everything had suddenly found its rightful place in the universe.

As you pulled away from each other, he spun you around so that your back rested against his chest and your arms locked in a bear hug. With a wide smile and tears of happiness in your eyes, you looked at your father's grave.

"Thank you." you said quietly.

"It's me who thanks you." he whispered in your ear.

"It wasn't to you." you giggled, and he made a confused sound. "It was to Dad."

"Oh."

"He placed a real angel in my path." You didn't have to wait long for a response. After a while, you were face to face again giving each other kisses interrupted by smiles.

"Let's go home." you whispered between kisses.

"Home?" he asked with hope in his voice.

"Home." You confirmed by kissing him again.

taglist: @i-me-mine @phantypurple @tlclick73

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turbulentscrawl · 5 months

Text

Luca Relationship HCs

Not a request, I'm just thirsty today eheh

I think I'm getting more bold with the spicy stuff...which is under the cut, as you know ;)

SFW

-He never brings it up, but Luca is slightly insecure about his appearance. Ptosis of one eye, a broken fang, scarring under his clothes, not to mention he’s underweight and shorter than a lot of the other men in the manor…. He’s aware that he’s not the picture of conventional attractiveness anymore. That said, he trusts you to be genuine with compliments, so if you say you find him good-looking, he’s thrilled.

-Luca is also genuine with his compliments. That might seem impossible because he gives them out so frequently, but Luca doesn’t have the privilege of a good memory anymore so he speaks all his kind thoughts into the world before they slip away. This also means he tends to really harp on his favorite things about you.

-He’s competitive in a very playful sense. Luca likes to tease and taunt, but it’s all good-natured and he’s quick to apologize if he ever crosses a line. He’s among the first in the manor to say something when commentary between the others turns cruel, especially so when directed at you or his friends.

-Luca finds that most medications strong enough to help with his migraines also leave him feeling confused and disoriented, so when one strikes he prefers to seek you out rather than go to the infirmary. The pain is agonizing, but he’s lost enough of himself already. As long as he has your comfort, he’s sure he can pull through. Some things you can do to help include massaging his face and neck, and keeping a cold compress on his head.

-Luca has forgotten you a few times. It’s not something he can help, and everything usually comes back to him later, but it never stops him from feeling rotten when he later remembers how the realization and hurt crossed your face. Desperate to combat the amnesia, he keeps a lot of notes about you stashed all around the manor. If he remembers anyone, it has to be you. It has to be you. He’d rather forget himself than forget you, he can be a nameless ghost if it means he has you. The tenacity starts to help, slowly but surely. Even when he does forget you now, he feels familiarity and comfort when he meets you again.

NS/FW

-Luca had a fair number of sexual encounters before the accident, when he was popular and beloved. He can’t actually recall most of them anymore, but the muscle memory and certain inclinations are still there, so you’re in for a good time.

-Luca is a switch. He has a very slight preference for being a sub—he likes when his partners are eager and boss him around a bit—but it’s all fun to him so he’s happy to go with whatever you’re in the mood for. Just know that he’s not a heavy-handed dom. He falls somewhere in the middle of the roughness scale; Neither of you are made of glass, there’s no need to hold back, but he doesn’t think it’s fun to intentionally try to hurt each other.

-Overstimulation is a common theme in Luca’s bedroom, and it’s not entirely intentional now. The changes the accident caused to his body and brain have lowered his constitution, meaning he’s weaker to pleasure. There’s a very good chance he’ll always finish first during bedroom activities. Luckily for you, he likes being overstimulated and has no problem with you continuing to use him until you’re satisfied. You’ll likely be overstimulated too because of his electrical charges; when you maintain unbroken contact with Luca, there’s a constant, steady stream of electricity running from him to you. It’s not powerful, but it tingles, and eventually causes numbness in the areas he’s touching you.

-On that same note, you have to be alright with a certain amount of pain in the bedroom because Luca still can’t stop those small static discharges whenever he touches something. He can, though, occasionally provide a larger shock if that’s something you’re into.

-Luca loves oral. Like PLEASE suck this man’s dick; He’s so satisfyingly reactive, he just about loses his mind. He’s even known to drool if you ruin him just right. He enjoys giving just as much, and he’s sloppy. What he lacks in skill he makes up for with sheer enthusiasm.

-In a modern world, Luca is the type of person to like music playing during sex. Preferably something with a steady beat and heavy bass. He’d crank it up loud too, if you let him, because he enjoys the vibrations from the bass and the unspoken challenge of trying to make one another scream over the speakers.

#idv x reader #identity v x reader #luca balsa x reader #idv prisoner #spicy content #turbulentscrawl

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scribbledghost · 6 months

Note

Have you considered unilateral hearing loss being reason for the medical discharge? So many ways this could happen so you can toy with it however you want. Losing hearing in one ear (especially suddenly) can really mess with a persons ability to balance and their spatial awareness. It feels like there’s a lot of angsty potential here re: “why is this stupidly small thing such a big deal in my life” psychological aspect. Going from best of the best to suddenly being a fall risk, unable to tell where a sound is coming from, etc (things that have been necessary to his survival, gone) has to be disorienting. Also potential for him to get pulled back in unofficially when he’s learned to cope with it, but being at a disadvantage makes the stakes even higher.

(Bless y'all for helping me worldbuild my Neighbor!AU lmao I love this so much)

Ohhh that's a brilliant idea. Between all the noise exposure to firearms and explosives and (I'm assuming) multiple head injuries over time, it's absolutely a real possibility. Plus it would definitely take some time to get used to, and you're right that it would effect someone's equilibrium and awareness.

I do like the angst potential that Simon hid it for a while until he simply couldn't anymore. Maybe he was still able to hear loud sounds, so he didn't think it effected him too badly until one op where he was too close to a detonation and the last of his hearing in his right ear completely left him. Price is the one that spots Simon stumbling when they return to base and forces him to come clean, at which point he undergoes a medical exam and they find the extent of the damage.

He's discharged and sent home, and he. Does not do well initially. Price keeps tabs on him the best. Soap and Gaz try to, but Price is the only one that can really manage to make it through to Simon and get him to talk. Mostly by force, let's be real here. But eventually, he comes clean about how much he's struggling, and how he feels completely lost without the SAS. So Price cuts him a covert deal. Once he adjusts, once he gets used to the hearing loss, he'll be put on reserve. Very, very far down on the reserve list, but still there nonetheless. Meaning as far as anyone else is concerned, he's still discharged, but if shit really goes sideways, Price may call him up.

It's a deal he takes. Better than nothing, he figures.

But in the meantime, he's left to sort of. Fend for himself. Until he lets you in, that is. When he calls you and rants and raves because he's frustrated and pissed off that he's still having issues with vertigo a full month after that last op. How he tries to distract himself, but he has trouble comprehending what's being said on the radio or television if the situation isn't just right.

How he knows one of his smoke alarms needs the batteries changed because of that goddamn beeping, but he can't fucking figure out which one because he can't properly triangulate where the sound is coming from yet.

And as soon as that one word - can't - comes out of his mouth, that's when you know he really needs help. Because Simon Riley never admits that he can't do something unless it's dire. So you go over and help him out.

I also do like the idea that he becomes extra protective over the hearing he has left. He's already got tinnitus in his good ear, he doesn't want it to worsen any further.

Mostly because he thinks he'd never recover if he could never hear your voice again.

#neighbor simon #i am already coming up with headcanons abt this lmaoooo #simon ghost riley #simon riley x reader #simon ghost riley x reader #ghost x reader #ghost scribbles

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i-guess-im-into-this-now · 12 days

Text

The Apothecary Diaries

S1E8 First Watch

Here's where I watch The Apothecary Diaries for the first time and give my thoughts, analysis, predictions, and occasionally I stumble into a joke.

If you want to start at the beginning:

Episode 1

My character cheat sheet

Luomen - Maomao's father

Verdigris House - brothel

Meimei - courtesan at Verdigris House

Lihaku - the military officer who took Maomao home

Jade Pavilion - Lady Gyokuyou's residence

Hongniang - head LIW at Jade Pavilion

Maomao wakes up at her father's house and is disoriented, her subconscious not having adjusted to the change. She comments on her oily hair, already missing the comforts of the Rear Palace. We are seeing a Maomao who wants to feel at home in her father's home, but no longer does. It's like that saying, "you can never go home again."

Maomao worries about her father's ability to keep working since he's becoming elderly. Maomao isn't there to tend the herb garden and help him. What will become of him if she remains in the palace?

A servant from a brothel comes to get help. There is an emergency and two people have collapsed. Maomao takes charge and is able to resuscitate a man who stopped breathing. Her medical skills truly are all encompassing.

She requests charcoal and sends the servant girl to fetch Maomao's father, but on the way out the girl glares at Maomao. Is she upset that Maomao saved the courtesan and her customer? Does she resent being sent on this errand? We shall have to wait and see.

And hmmm, I'm still leery of this father-daughter dynamic. Maomao saved two people's lives and all her father tells her is that she has done a "fair job." Maomao responds with sarcasm but I get the impression this is fairly common. Maomao striving to impress her difficult to please father. This really puts into perspective why she responds so well to the praise she receives it at the Rear Palace. She's craving validation.

Luomen is a medical genius, one that Maomao has been trying to live up to all of her life. In her time learning with her father, Maomao has absorbed a lot of knowledge and experience but doesn't recognize the greatness of her own abilities as she sees them only in how they compare to her father.

Maomao thinks there is something wrong with the story that the two people she saved were trying to kill themselves. She goes to check on the man and prevents the young servant girl who scowled at her earlier from murdering the man.

Turns out the guy Maomao saved was an ass who would lead on courtesans and break hearts. He's the son of a wealthy merchant who simply smooths away any issues with money. Attempts on his life had been made before and this is merely the latest. Maomao agrees to remain quiet on this issue since making it known would cause problems for the ladies of the brothel. Hoes before bros.

Maomao can't stop thinking about it though. She knows it was a murder attempt and she has figured out the clever way it was committed, but there are so many people involved. She questions who knew what and to what degree they played a part. Then she shuts down those thoughts.

Maomao's father scolds her for conjecturing out loud and later she scolds herself. Speaking her thoughts on a case was always something she was encouraged by Jinshi to do in the Rear Palace and it bothers me to see her feel like she has to silence her thoughts now.

While she is in the Rear Palace, Maomao's detective abilities are appreciated by Jinshi and she blossoms with his encouragement. Now, back in the Pleasure District, she is overlooked, literally paid to hush up, and scolded.

Maomao compares the Pleasure district to the Rear Palace. Something she did in episode one when she first arrived. Both are beautiful gardens and cages. She uses a poison metaphor, stating that the environment poisons the people that are trapped in it and they go on to poison others in turn.

She is probably thinking about the courtesan who attempted to murder her troublesome client, but it's worth asking, has Maomao herself been poisoned by her environment?

Does she think that the changes in herself are poisonous? Is that why she scolded herself for her conjectures? Does she think her time at the Rear Palace has poisoned her so that she feels at liberty to speak about conjectures when those thoughts are best kept silent?

Perhaps the truth is that Maomao's poisoning happened before she ever arrived at the Rear Palace. Her father's strict parenting style and theories about what should or should not be said have poisoned Maomao into silence. She literally lets a would be murderer walk free here because she won't speak her thoughts. This is drastically different from the Rear Palace. In the Rear Palace, Jinshi supports her both by encouraging her to speak her thoughts, and by handling whatever problem is revealed. She's supported and encouraged in the palace, here she is silenced and alone.

Maomao finally gets her bath and Meimei joins her. It is nice to know that the people here worried about her and missed her. Then Meimei asks hesitantly, if Maomao has been out to the annex. To which Maomao responds "not yet." My, how cryptic. Based on the emotions they are both skirting around it has to be something meaningful.

I haven't explored a wild theory in awhile. Let's go down a rabbit hole for a moment. Based on the level of emotion revealed by Meimei's question, maybe the annex has something to do with Maomao's mother? I'm remembering what Luomen said about how strange a twist of fate it is that Maomao is in the palace. And I wonder if "the annex" is part of the palace. Is Maomao's mother in the palace? Or maybe she was. If Maomao came out of the palace, is it possible that she actually does come from a higher social status? One high enough that she becomes a more appropriate match for Jinshi? I'm remembering when she asked him not to touch her because her status is so much lower than his, and I think my theory adds a delicious irony to her words. I've long wondered if she was hiding something but I was so focused on Jinshi being a royal/noble in hiding that I didn't spend time thinking that Maomao may be as well. Furthermore, Maomao ended up being raised by a doctor. Is Luomen even Maomao's real father? He is quite old to be her biological father. Was Luomen called upon to treat a dying child, or possibly deliver a baby at the palace? Was he asked to claim the child had died then smuggled her out of the palace? He does seem to be too good of a doctor to be working in the Pleasure District. Wait does this have something to do with her arm? Did she sustain an injury during the time she was in palace? Or have a distinguishing birth mark? Does she cover her arm to hide it? Would her identity be revealed if her arm healed? Have I gone way too far from the known facts and entered the realm of headcanon? Actually, I can answer that one: yes!

Okay, time to go back to the story.

It's time for Maomao to say goodbye. Lihaku had the time of his life and wishes they didn't have to leave. Maomao is indebted to Verdigris House and has a year left at the Rear Palace to come up with the amount owed, or she'll be paying in a different way. The Madame already has plans for her.

Everyone comes to greet Maomao when she returns, happy to see her and eager to hear about her visit to home. Except Jinshi. Oh he's there, but he's pissed. Gaoshun doesn't approve.

Maomao meets with Jinshi privately and he's simmering with agitation, not bothering to hide his feelings or try to act formally. And oh, he actually is trying to stay cool, and utterly failing. He's worried about Lihaku! Bwahaha! Good work ladies of the Jade palace!

And no one has yet explained the significance of the hairpins to Maomao. She describes receiving a hairpin from Lihaku as receiving a consolation prize.

Jinshi: In other words, I lost to a consolation prize, then?

He's hurt. If she thinks of receiving a hair pin from Lihaku as merely a consolation prize, and she turned to Lihaku for help, how much lower must she think of Jinshi?

She decides to soothe his ruffled feathers and declares that she couldn't have chosen Jinshi because she would have had no way to repay him. Jinshi can't believe this shit.

Jinshi: This Lihaku person... Did you give him something in return?

Maomao: Yes. I bestowed a night of blissful dreams on him.

Friends. The gasp, I gasped at this! For such a smart person Maomao is dumb as hell!

And the psychic damage she inflicted on Jinshi! 💋🤌 She left that man catatonic.

It's exactly what Lady Gyokuyou and I have been waiting for. Lady Gyokuyou is laughing so hard she looks like she might pee herself. She loves to see Jinshi suffer and so do I.

Hongniang, smacks Maomao. And Gaoshun looks deeply unhappy. Probably because he is going to have to deal with a moping Jinshi.

I do feel bad for Jinshi. He really cares about Maomao and wants to get closer to her, but nothing he does seems to work. He's rebuffed at every turn.

It seems she would prefer anyone over him. And now she is bestowing her favor on someone else (Also, is Lihaku going to be okay? Jinshi's, like, mad mad that the guy asked for some kind of repayment). As a prince palace manager, Jinshi's probably rarely if ever lost out to someone else. And now the lady that he's interested in seems to prefer a low ranked officer, who barely put any effort into getting to know Maomao, and she just gives herself to him?

It was just a couple of episodes ago when Jinshi tried laying his hand on Maomao's shoulder and was told that his status makes anything between them impossible. It has to rankle. I feel for him.

On the other hand. Jinshi began his relationship with Maomao by manipulating her and trying to seduce her so that he could control her. That his plan has backfired on him, feels like justice.

Jinshi has started to get to know Maomao better, and I think he's starting to really see her, but he has to learn how to respect her too. He's getting there bit by bit, but in the meantime he will suffer.

Because Maomao doesn't trust him. She's not ready to let him in. She's too afraid of being vulnerable in the way that love demands. She's not ready to face her demons, much less share them. Certainly not with Jinshi. Not the man who can and has manipulated her in the past. The man who doesn't share what he knows. The man who has the power to destroy her with a word if she missteps. The man whose status is so far above her own. There are just so many unknowns when it comes to Jinshi.

Not to mention the secret of his identity.

If Jinshi wants to be loved, he will have to let himself be seen, and that will involve some radical honesty from him. He's not there yet. He doesn't want it bad enough yet. So he will suffer in his desire until then.

If you want to start at the beginning:

Episode 1

Next Episode

Episode 9

#apothecary diaries #the apothecary diaries #maomao #jinshi #jinmao

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callsign-bunnie · 1 year

Note

MURDER MURDER MURDER MURDER KIDNAPPING AND MURDER GIMME GIMME GIMME

(I'm very normal about slasher party can we please have more pls pls pls pls)

I'm not doing anymore after this part. (Unless I get enough asks, then I may be persuaded or someone gives me a compelling idea.)

Rodolfo hugged himself as Soap came into the motel room and dropped the food he’d bought on the bed. They’d been in this particular motel for a couple months. “What did you get?”

“Just some freezer meals.” Soap shrugged and sat on the bed. “I found a kitchenette a couple towns over. Might switch to that one.”

Rodolfo nodded a bit and got up, going to microwave the meals. It was a bit of a silent agreement between them. Soap was working so they could afford the motel room and Rodolfo was taking care of it since he couldn’t work.

“How was your shift?”

“Exhausting. It’s still disorienting getting used to Mark as a name.” Soap mumbled and laid back on the bed. “But… We’re surviving so I guess it’s okay.”

Rodolfo nodded in agreement. No one had really asked questions about why two omegas were checking into a hotel and seemed to be hiding. Well, the possibilities were kind of endless, weren’t they?

Rodolfo had checked the news, he’d seen that they’d been declared missing persons. He’d wanted to call and explain that wasn’t the case, but Soap had said no and told him that it might lead… Them to them.

Them, being Alejandro and Simon. They’d figured out the second was Simon Riley shortly after managing to get away. Rodolfo winced as he was stabbing the plastic on the second freezer meal, getting a headache.

“Let’s go.”

Rodolfo looked across the jeep at Soap and then looked to his right as he saw movement in his peripheral. He could see another alpha was crossing around the jeep to get to Soap.

Soap met Rodolfo’s eye and then they both seemed to have the same idea because Rodolfo watched Soap yank open the door of the jeep and slam it into the alpha as he came around, right as Rodolfo jerked forward and then whipped around, kicking his leg out and connecting with Alejandro’s stomach. He reached behind himself as Alejandro stumbled back and grabbed the door handle, barely managing to get it open as Alejandro lunged forward.

Rodolfo tried to climb into it, crying out as his ankle was grabbed. He moved around to his back, hearing the other door slam and then Soap was grabbing him, trying to yank him into the car.

Rodolfo kicked at Alejandro’s hands until he managed to get him to let go and then he jerked forward as Soap started to drive, yanking the door closed. They peeled out of the parking lot and Soap got onto the road, his breath heaving.

“What do we do??” Soap asked. “Do we go back to the campus or?”

“Is the tank full?” Rodolfo asked, though he was already leaning forward and confirming that it was almost full. “Just fucking drive, Soap, don’t fucking stop until we are far fucking away from here.”

“Got it.” Soap nodded, grasping the steering wheel tightly. “Where will we go?”

“Any-fucking-where but here. Just… we’ll figure that out, later.” Rodolfo took deep breaths, trying not to let himself panic because if he panicked, he’d pass out and they couldn’t handle that. “Just… anywhere but here.”

“Got it.”

Rodolfo held his head, his vision feeling a little fuzzy. Fuck.

“Rudy?” Soap was over, immediately, making Rodolfo look at him. “Are you okay?”

Rodolfo blinked away the fuzz in his sight and then tried to smile, nodding. “I… I wish we could get my medication again…” He mumbled.

“I’m working on it.” Soap shook his head. “This alpha at my work, he said he can get his hands on any prescription medication, but… he doesn’t quite trust me enough, so I’m working on it. Okay?”

Rodolfo frowned but nodded. “Yeah, okay…” He tried, again, to smile, and then he went to turn around and work on the food, but instead, Soap nudged him to the bed. Rodolfo didn’t really want to argue with him over it, since his head was hurting bad enough, so he just headed that direction and climbed into the bed, listening to Soap microwave their food as he laid down. “This is exhausting… I wish we could go home.”

“Me too, trust me.” Soap sighed and then he was bringing Rodolfo over his food.

Rodolfo sat back up, sighing and then taking food and starting to eat. “Maybe they gave up?”

“I really doubt that.” Soap made a face and sat across from him on the bed. “They don’t seem like the type.”

Rodolfo wasn’t sure he disagreed, looking down at his food for a moment. “It’s not fair… Why us?”

“I don’t… I don’t know.” Soap winced. “But, they’re not going to get us, I promise. I won’t let them.”

Rodolfo hesitated before sighing and nodding, continuing to eat. “I trust you, Soap.”

“Good.” Soap nudged him.

Rodolfo teared up as he looked around, recognizing the hallway. No, no, not again… He couldn’t be here, again…

The doors swung open and he shook his head, sobbing. “Please… I escaped, I left…” Rodolfo pleaded, watching the alpha stalk forward and then crouch in front of him. “Please…”

“Silly Rudy…” The alpha murmured, trailing a knife down the side of Rodolfo’s face. He could feel it break the skin and he tried not to sob harder. “You’ll never escape me…”

Rodolfo hunched over as the knife was plunged into his stomach and he screamed, gagging on the sound of it. But he didn’t stop, he just kept screaming and screaming

and screaming

and-

“Rudy! Rudy calm down!” Soap was shaking him, looking down at him.

Rodolfo blinked open his eyes and looked around before relaxing and calming. “Sorry… I…” He touched his head and relaxed back into the bed. “Are you back from work already?”

“Yes.” Soap nodded a bit and sighed. “I… I figured out how to get your medication, but you’re not going to be happy…”

“Oh no…” Rodolfo sat up a bit.

Soap winced. “He… He wants us to come to this thing with him and a couple friends. There should be a couple other omegas there, too. It’s just at this old warehouse.”

Rodolfo did not trust that. “Soap…”

“It’s just for a few moments so we can get your medication! He said he’ll even bring it out to the car.” Soap shook his head. “Rudy, you need your medication and he’s managed to get his hands on it and… We’ll just go by and we won’t even get out of the car.”

Rodolfo hesitated. Well, he supposed it should be no problem if they weren’t getting out of the car… “Alright.” He nodded and relaxed. It would be really nice to have his medication. To not be dealing with his head feeling so heavy all of the time.

Rodolfo got up and went to the little bathroom that was in the motel room, running himself a bath. He got in once it was ran and pulled his knees up to his chest, not surprised when Soap came in and sat on the sink. “How long do you think we’ll have to run before it’s over?”

“I… I don’t know.” Soap sighed, leaning his head back against the mirror. “I… don’t think it’ll ever be over.”

Rodolfo looked down, Soap’s words hitting him square in the chest. “Oh…” He mumbled and rubbed at his chest before looking away and laying his head on his knees. “What if we went to the police?”

“They won’t do anything, I don’t think.” Soap snorted. “They are historically useless.”

Rodolfo knew Soap had a point. Soap was known around campus as promiscuous and Rodolfo was hispanic. The cops might help them, but… probably not. “I just want this nightmare to be over…” Rodolfo mumbled. “I would like to go back to school.”

“I never thought I’d say this, but me too.” Soap snorted. “I actually fucking miss the place.”

Rodolfo dipped his fingers into the water and swirled them around before sighing and closing his eyes. “When are we going to move on?”

“Let’s give it another month and then we will.”

“Okay..”

Rodolfo took a deep breath as he went around the grocery store. Soap was working a double so Rodolfo was having to do the very minimal amount of shopping that they do. They didn’t need too much, just things like shampoo and some food.

He made a frustrated sound at seeing the shampoo they used was on the top shelf. Oh, this was irritating. He went on tip toe, trying to reach and having to jump slightly. Even still, he was struggling since the bottle was pushed back a bit.

Someone came up and reached up, grabbing the bottle and getting it down. Rodolfo melted at the scent of alpha, leather and olive oil, hitting him. “Th-Thanks…” He mumbled, accepting the bottle and looking up at them before jerking back and hitting the shelf. Alejandro…

No. They stared at him with concern. A male alpha, but he had facial hair and glasses. And his actual hair was a bit longer. Facial hair was used, lightly, it was more of a light scruff. “Are you alright?” Considerably less of an accent, too.

“Y-Yeah… You just looked like someone.” Rodolfo mumbled and looked away, putting the shampoo in the basket. “Thanks…”

“Of course. Didn’t like watching an omega struggle.” He chuckled.

Rodolfo blushed dark, now shy. He bit the inside of his cheek. “I don’t understand why the top shelf has to be so high…”

“Me either. Honestly, it’s kind of annoying having shelves so low, too.” He nudged the bottom shelf with his foot. “I’m Daniel, by the way.”

“Oh… I’m Rodolfo.” Rodolfo smiled a bit and nodded. “I um… I should go. Sorry.”

“No, it’s fine.” Daniel shook his head. “It was nice to meet you, Rodolfo.”

Rodolfo waved and then turned and left, getting the rest of the things he needed before quickly leaving. He started to walk to the motel, a little annoyed since it was a close to thirty minute walk. “Hey! Hey!” Rodolfo frowned and turned around, seeing Daniel was coming up to him.

“Oh…” Well, that was a bit odd.

“Are you walking?” Daniel asked as he got closer.

Rodolfo frowned. “Uh… Yeah. My friend has the car…”

“Oh. Well, I could drive you.” Daniel smiled at him.

Rodolfo only frowned more. This felt… off. He didn’t like the sound of this. “No thank you, I’m fine.”

“Are you sure? I really don’t like the idea of such a pretty omega walking home, alone.” Daniel shook his head. “It’s a bit dangerous around here.”

No, this was definitely off. “Well, I walked here.” He joked, trying to seem lighthearted. “I like walking, I’ll be okay.” He went to walk away, yelping and jerking his arm away when it was grabbed.

“Woah,” Daniel frowned. “Hey, I’m just- Look, I won’t be able to sleep tonight if I didn’t at least make sure you got home safely.”

Rodolfo paused and then softened, now kind of feeling bad. “Oh… I… Okay… You can drive me home…”

Daniel relaxed and nodded. “Good, thank you.” He gestured for Rodolfo to follow and so Rodolfo did, following him to a black car. He got in when Daniel unlocked his door and hugged his bags to his chest. Then, Daniel also got in and Rodolfo told him the name of the motel he was staying at.

He blushed when he noticed Daniel kept glancing at him and he leaned into the door, biting the inside of his cheek. He really hoped Daniel wouldn’t try anything. He was not interested in… anything. He just wanted to go home.

It was a quick drive and Daniel parked in the motel. “There.” He smiled and then unlocked the doors.

Rodolfo gathered up his bags and then got out of the car, leaning down to thank him for the ride, before going to leave. “Wait-”

Rodolfo tensed and turned to look at Daniel. “You look familiar.” Daniel murmured and Rodolfo froze, immediately. Fuck, oh no.

Daniel narrowed his eyes and then he was getting out of the car and coming over. “You’re from the news…”

“News?” Rodolfo laughed, nervously. “I don’t think so. I’m not that interesting, though that sounds amazing.”

“No, you- You were definitely on the news.” Daniel shook his head. “Or… you look really similar to someone who was. Whatever. Could I… get your number?”

Rodolfo blinked and then cringed back. “I… I uh… No.”

“Oh.” Daniel looked disappointed and then nodded. “That’s alright.”

Rodolfo relaxed. “Bye.” He turned and went up to the door of his motel, getting out the keys. Or… trying to, because he couldn’t quite seem to get his hands to work right. He took deep breaths and wrapped his hand around the keys.

Someone approached behind him and Rodolfo tensed. He turned around, about to tell Daniel to fuck off or he’d call the cops, but he was surprised that no one was there, in fact seeing that Daniel’s car was running. It was too far of a distance for Rodolfo to see in it but… Well, he doubted someone like Daniel would leave their car running.

So, he just shook his head, turning around and unlocking the door, finally, and going in, setting his bags on the table by the door and locking it before starting to put them away.

“Hey, let’s go.” Soap nodded, sighing. “I don’t want to be late, in case he changes his mind.”

Rodolfo looked up from where he’d been laying down and watching tv and frowned before nodding, sitting up and swinging his legs over the bed and standing. He’d told Soap all about Daniel and Soap had been pretty pissed that Daniel had the nerve to pull that.

He stopped and pulled his shoes and then a jacket on, since it was getting cold, and he went over to where Soap was standing by the door, hugging himself as Soap unlocked the door and then they went out before Soap was locking the door, again.

Rodolfo followed Soap down the stairs to the parking lot, frowning when he saw Daniel’s car was still there, though it was turned off, now. He… didn’t like that, admittedly. He didn’t say as such to Soap, though, not wanting to freak him out.

Instead, he just stuck close to Soap, following him to the jeep and getting in. Then, Soap was getting in and driving. It wasn’t a particularly long drive, quiet and mostly uneventful.

Rodolfo scratched his arms, looking around as Soap parked. “I have a bad feeling about this…” Rodolfo mumbled.

“Trust me, I don’t have a great one, either, but we need your medication.” Soap leaned back in his seat, getting out his phone and texting him. If Rodolfo was assuming, that is.

“What’s his name?”

“Uh, Sean, I think.” Soap sighed and shook his head. “He’s kind of a douchebag, but I can verify that he does manage to get his hands on the medication.”

Rodolfo winced but nodded and then reluctantly settled back into his own seat. “What if we… What if after this, we left and went somewhere along the coast?”

“I like that.” Soap nodded and smiled. “I like that, a lot. Find a little beach motel. I’ll get another job.”

“Yeah…” Rodolfo relaxed and looked at Soap, biting his lip. “We could stay there for a while. It’d be winter, but I don’t mind the coast during the winter. It’s actually kind of pretty, if I’m honest.”

“Yeah.” Soap nodded and leaned his head back. “I was… actually thinking of trying to find some way to get our hands on fake identities and just fully disappear. Try our hardest to live a new life. I don’t think they’d find us, then.”

Rodolfo hoped they wouldn’t. He couldn’t keep running and he was terrified of them catching up to them. “Yeah… I think it’d work.” He bit the inside of his cheek and then looked out the window. “Shouldn’t he have come out by now?”

Soap winced. “Maybe.”

Rodolfo glanced at Soap, seeing he was also nervously looking out the window. “Stay here.” Soap sighed and got out.

“Soap- Soap-” Rodolfo tried to stop Soap, but he just shut the door and Rodolfo flinched back, his anxiety immediately spiking. So? He got right out of the car, rushing after Soap and up to the doors of the warehouse.

“Rodolfo! Get back in the fucking car!” Soap hissed and Rodolfo shook his head. “Ugh… You drive me insane.”

Rodolfo winced. “I didn’t want to be left alone…”

Soap looked at him and then softened, nodding. “Fine.” They fully went up to the doors and Rodolfo hugged himself as Soap knocked, carefully.

The door swung inward with a startling creak and Rodolfo swallowed. “Do you… Do you think we’ve been had?”

Soap looked pissed and shoved the door open, stepping into the warehouse. “We better fucking not have.” He growled.

The warehouse was dark. Eerily dark. Rodolfo followed Soap into it, trying his hardest to make out anything. There was a movement in front of them, but it was side to side if Rodolfo was making it out correctly.

“Fuck.” Soap hissed and Rodolfo heard a soft thud into something soft and wet. “Gross.”

Rodolfo cringed and backed up a bit, trying to find the wall to look for a switch or something, remembering most warehouses sometimes had a lighting system. He doubted Sean or whatever would have… a thing at a warehouse that had no light. Of course… he didn’t know Sean.

The wall didn’t have a light switch and Rodolfo took a deep breath. The swinging object behind him was making a deeply unnerving sound and made Rodolfo’s nerves high. He felt along the wall, but he was met with nothing but smooth metal.

“Rudy,” Soap spoke and Rodolfo turned in the direction of his face, jumping when a light was suddenly pointed at him, seeing that Soap had found a flashlight. “Come to me and we’ll look around, okay?”

Rodolfo nodded and carefully made his way over to Soap. There was a disturbing amount of mud on the floor, which Rodolfo could barely make out in the bare light from the flashlight. He finally made it to Soap and Soap started to point the flashlight around. It really was just a bare warehouse, having some high up platforms and a couple stacks of pallets, but nothing else.

Soap turned to the left and then a face appeared in the light and they both jumped back, screaming. Rodolfo tripped over something soft and landed in a puddle of mud. And Soap managed to stay standing.

Soap immediately helped Rodolfo up and he turned back around. The “face” was a man sitting on a couch and… Rodolfo felt nauseous as he stared over the body, Soap’s flashlight traveling down it. The face was in his stomach, poking out. “Well…” Soap’s voice was strained. “Meet Sean.”

Rodolfo hunched over, throwing up. “Oh god…” He teared up, holding his stomach and wiping his mouth.

Soap turned to him and Rodolfo couldn’t make out his face in the glare of the flashlight. “Rudy… Don’t look down at yourself.”

Rodolfo almost immediately went to but Soap yelled at him not to. “Don’t!” The flashlight finally moved off Rodolfo and Rodolfo could barely make out Soap’s expression as deeply terrified. “Let’s get out of here.”

Rodolfo nodded, having no problem with that. He turned to leave before getting hit by something and falling over. It couldn’t have been a person, it hit the top half of Rodolfo’s body. Rodolfo realized it had been the thing that was swinging and he almost didn’t want Soap to point the flashlight at it, but was unable to stop him as he did so.

His eyes went wide as he recognized Daniel almost immediately and he screamed, covering his mouth. Soap’s flashlight immediately moved to point at him and Rodolfo was able to make out red covering his hands, causing him to just scream louder.

“Rudy!” Soap rushed over and crouched down, helping Rodolfo up. “Let’s go, we need to get out of here!”

They both started to rush to the doors but then they were closing with a loud slam, plunging the warehouse into complete darkness, save for Soap’s flashlight. Rodolfo trembled, moving as close to Soap as he could.

Then, the lights turned on, and Rodolfo jumped back, flinching again. The first thing his eyes made out was just how much blood there was. In fact, there wasn’t any mud at all, just blood puddles.

The second was the five bodies in such disgusting displays of death, Rodolfo didn’t even want to think about it and he squeezed his eyes shut, pressing as close as he could to Soap and taking deep breaths.

“You ran away.” The voice was distant but loud and Rodolfo frowned, not recognizing it. The accent was different, the voice was deeper. “Why won’t you trust us?”

“You bastards killed people! Damn, why the fuck wouldn’t we trust a couple of murderers??” Soap yelled.

Rodolfo peeked a little, seeing the man who had rounded the jeep to Soap was on a balcony thingy, watching them.

“For you.” The second voice was much closer. “We’d only killed one person and that wasn’t our fault. But then they did that to you and- What choice did we have?? Besides, I’d seen what that bastard was doing to Rodolfo the year before, I wasn’t going to just let him get away with it. You knew what would happen if you said for Rudy not to forgive, and yet you said not to. You wanted it to happen.”

“No, no, I didn’t-” Soap shook his head. “I didn’t want that to happen… He sucked and he deserved to die but not like that.. Not… No.”

Rodolfo flinched into Soap as someone approached from his right. He wasn’t sure he agreed with Soap’s sentiment of Wayne deserving to die. He was a person… “Why are you doing this to us?” He asked, turning his head and seeing Alejandro was approaching. “We didn’t do anything…”

“No, no, we’re not doing this to hurt you…” Alejandro murmured, getting close to Rodolfo, though Soap didn’t let him get too close. “No, no. I… Ghost, get down here.”

The one on the top of the balcony thing seemed to hesitate before he was dropping down and coming over. Rodolfo flinched back, seeing he was wearing his white skull mask. His heart picked up in pace and his head started to feel heavy again. Oh no…

“Shh…” Alejandro took him from Soap and before Soap could stop him, Ghost had grabbed Soap, holding him back.

Rodolfo stumbled and then he fell into Alejandro, slumping. Alejandro moved to the floor with him and then he was getting out a water bottle and some pills. Rodolfo could make out his name on the bottle and… well, he didn’t really have any other choice. He didn’t think he could get away, this time.

They looked fairly convincing, too, and so he tilted his head, letting Alejandro help him take them. Vaguely, he was aware of voices, but he could barely hear, his ears starting to ring. Then, he slumped into Alejandro, again, and closed his eyes, trying to take deep breaths.

It was slow and then his head started to clear and he blinked as the ringing faded. “There you are… isn’t that much better?” Alejandro was murmuring, rubbing his back. “We’re not trying to hurt you… Either of you… We want to protect you, to keep you safe from the rest of the world. It’s too cruel, it doesn’t deserve you.”

Rodolfo teared up and shook his head. “No, no…” He looked up at Alejandro, closing his eyes as Alejandro cupped his face. “I… You’re a murderer…”

“No one I’ve ever murdered didn’t deserve it.” Alejandro’s voice was so gentle and sweet. Rodolfo couldn’t help but start to believe it, his head going fuzzy as the scent of honey and cinnamon washed over him.

“Please just let us go.” Soap’s voice became audible, again, and it sounded heavy with tears. “We won’t tell anyone it’s you… Please…”

“We can’t.” Ghost spoke up and Rodolfo looked over, seeing he had Soap by the arms. “Please just come with us.”

“You’ll live a content life.” Alejandro made Rodolfo look up at him, again, and Rodolfo sniffled. “You’ll never want for anything.”

“Yeah, and you’d have us barefoot and pregnant.” Soap hissed. “Perfect little wives for your sick fantasies-”

Alejandro visibly gagged. “Okay, let’s get one thing straight, kids are not happening. Disgusting. No.”

Rodolfo blinked, surprised. “I can’t have kids, anyway, Soap.” He reminded and then slowly, carefully, he curled into Alejandro, exhausted. He was sticky and he wanted to shower.

“Regardless, I-” Soap struggled. “Just fucking let us go.”

“No.” Ghost didn’t even look to be struggling that hard to keep him in his grasp.

Rodolfo sniffled. “Soap… They’re not going to let us go, I’m just… I’m sick of fighting… I… Let’s face it… I’m disabled, I can’t… I can’t do anything and do you really want to go back to that school? They sacrificed us. They’d do it again if they got a whiff that they wanted us…”

Soap looked at him and then his resolve seemed to slowly crumble. “I… You’re right…” He mumbled and he relaxed, though he did jerk out of Ghost’s grasp.

Both alphas seemed incredibly happy, however, and then Alejandro was peppering kisses all over Rodolfo’s face. Rodolfo whined and squirmed before relaxing as Alejandro stopped and then he closed his eyes and curled up into Alejandro again. “I’m sticky and covered in blood, I want to… I want to get clean.”

“Let’s go back to your motel room and then you can shower and we’re gonna take you home, okay?” Alejandro murmured, nuzzling Rodolfo’s cheek.

Rodolfo softened and nodded. “Okay…” He held on as he was carried, relaxing into Alejandro.

And then he was being carried out.

@Humanmilkerr @vergilnelosparda @cathsolos @caspertheassholeghost @midnighthunt3r @the-snarky-dragon @smadrawz @thegodofsleep @hufflepuff-hugz @bonesincatharsis @stardust-medic99 @a1bird1 @arwenprinses @bl-nk-sp-ce

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medusapelagia · 6 months

Text

Eddie's month day 12 + Whumptober day 12

written for @eddiemonth and @whumptober-archive

Prompts: Eddie’s month 12: Soulmates | Eight - Sleeping at Last | Perceptive Whumptober 12: I haven't slept in days, but who's counting? - Red | Insomnia | “I’m up, I’m up.”

Rating: Mature Relationship: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson WT: omegaverse, Omega Steve Harrington, Alpha Eddie Munson, Nurse Steve Harrington, violence, hospitals, medical procedures, medical inaccuracies, soulmates and soulmarks WC: 2284

"You got nice veins." the nurse tells Eddie while drawing some blood.

"Sorry?"

"Your veins. They are nice. Look how they pop out." the omega repeats, smiling at him so sweetly that Eddie has to fight with all his self-control not to pop something else right there.

"Are you worried?"

"A little." he confesses.

It's a minor surgery, everyone told him, but he is scared. He never had surgery before and he doesn't know what to expect.

"It will be fine. It's a very simple procedure and I'll be with you all the time." the nurse comforts him.

"Will you?"

The omega nurse nods "Yes. I'm in surgery today. And you are lucky I am, my partner, Robin, is not as delicate as I am. Done."

Eddie stares at his arm and sees the long needle "This is an IV access. I will remove it as soon as the doctor discharges you, ok?"

"How long?"

The nurse looks at the clock "We start at half past eight, you are the third so I think you'll be waiting for at least an hour." the omega replies, then he asks "Can you tell me where your soulmark is? It's not written on your file."

Eddie blushes, he knows that the skin around the soulmark is sensible but his soulmark is… "Oh... it's... it's on my hips. A crown."

The nurse smirks "Lucky boy, you find yourself a prince! Or is it a queen?"

Eddie shakes his head "No... I... haven't found my soulmate yet."

The nurse keeps smiling "You are young. You still have all the time in the world to find your soulmate. Some people do not even get their soulmark recorded to the register. I waited for years before registering mine. And I did it only because my family insisted. They said that it was not appropriate for an omega male to work if he was not bonded."

"So you found your match? Are they perfect for you as everyone says?" Eddie tries to take a look at the omega mating gland but it is protected by a tick collar like every omega in the hospital.

"Sadly not.” he replies “But there are a lot of people who find their soulmates by chance. Their soulmark starts to tickle when they first meet, and if they are fated mate they say it can even shine. Not that I have ever seen a shining soulmark, but you never know, right?.” he tells him while he keeps writing something on Eddie’s file “But I think that it is possible to find love even without the designated soulmate. Many people do that. I know some couples that even erase their soulmark once they bond."

"Really?"

"Of course. But I'm sure you'll find someone perfect for you, soulmark or not. Now. Here is the gown, put it on and tie it on the back, I'll call you when we are ready for you."

"Can I ask you something?"

The nurse turns, his hand still on the handle of the door "Do you have any doubt about the procedure? I could call a doctor if you need some explanations…"

Eddie blushes "No it’s… I... I'd like to ask you your name."

The nurse's smile is so bright that Eddie feels a little bit in love.

"Steve. The name is Steve."

***

When Eddie wakes up the kind omega is working at the computer.

He turns, as he could feel that Eddie is awake “Hey. How are you feeling? Are you in any pain?”

“Is it done?” he asks, still disoriented and sleepy.

“Everything is done. Now we wait for a little bit and then you can rest in your room.” The omega replies with a smile.

“Have I… have I done something stupid?”

Eddie has a very vague memory of having made a fool out of himself but he can’t really remember what happened.

“Hey, our lover boy is back! How are you feeling?” a blond nurse asks him, getting closer to his bed.

“Lover boy?” he asks, confused.

The girl's eyes shine “Don’t you remember? That’s such a pity. You made the most wonderful love declaration I have ever heard.”

“That’s because you never heard a love declaration before, Robin.” Steve mocks her.

Robin. Why is that name familiar to him?

“What… what are you talking about?”

“Oh. You promised our Steve to make him an honorable omega and to marry him soon. I think you tried to compose some kind of wedding song too.” She grins.

“Oh my god.” he roughly remembers that, now that she is pointing it out. Fuck. He proposed to his nurse in front of his partner!

“I’m sorry… I don’t know why I did it.”

“Don’t worry. It was the anesthesia. I know that you are not really attracted to me.” the omega replies.

“How no, you are definitely attractive! I just didn’t mean to make a declaration in front of your partner.”

Steve stares at him perplexed, wondering if they gave him too much medicine “Who?”

“Robin? Your partner?”

The girl starts to laugh “Oh, Romeo, I’m his partner in crime, we are not partners in real life.” she explains to him, taking his vitals “Even if our Steve is actually taken. How are the things between you and Tommy, by the way? Did he finally propose or is he still unsure between you and Carol?”

“Robin, that’s not professional!” Steve scolds her.

“Come on, lover boy here is so high he will not remember a thing.”

“I don’t care. Just stop it.”

“Ok, ok. Sorry.” she says putting a hand on Steve’s arm and the omega flinches.

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

“Steve Joseph Harrington, show me your fucking arm right now!” she hisses, tugging him in a corner, but even from his position Eddie can see a blue bruise that looks like a hand.

“How the fuck did this happen?”

“I argued with Tommy. I forgot to pick up dry cleaning, but he was right to be angry because he had a really important meeting today and I’m the omega of the couple…”

“What the fuck! He can’t hit you because you forgot something.”

“He didn’t hit me!” Steve protests “He just… Grabbed me.”

“So hard to leave a bruise?”

The omega lowers his eyes and covers his arm “Come on. We still have three more patients and I have to bring Mr. Munson back to his room.”

The girl sighs “But don’t think that this conversation is over.”

“Yeah, yeah…” he comes back toward Eddie who stares at him with more attention, the omega’s eyes are red and tired, and he seems dead on his feet even if he keeps smiling and cheering Eddie up.

“All done. So now you rest a little and when the doctor says that everything is fine you can go back home.”

Eddie nods, but before falling asleep he thinks about the sweet tired omega.

How is it possible that he is in a relationship with someone who grabbed him so hard to hurt him?

Someone who can’t decide between him and another person?

He feels a strange burning sensation on his waist, but he falls asleep before he can point out exactly where the pain comes from.

***

A week later Eddie is back in the hospital, he still has to do a couple of exams just to be sure that everything is fine.

This time it is Robin who draws his blood and he definitely feels the difference.

“Steve is not here today?” he says.

“Still in love with him, lover boy?” she asks, changing the vials.

“I just wanted to thank him for being so kind to me.” Eddie shrugs.

“Well, I do hope he is resting somewhere. He was here all night long covering an extra shift.” she replies “But if I know him I think you will find him in the pediatric ward. That omega loves children.” she winks at him.

Eddie thinks for a long moment, and then he goes toward the pediatric ward.

As Robin anticipated, Steve is reading a fantasy book to a couple of pups.

“And that’s all for today.” he says, closing the book.

“Come on! Steve! Read us another chapter!” a red-haired girl complains, glaring at him with her blue eyes.

“Next time, Maxine.”

“It’s Max.” she states.

“Ok. Max. Tomorrow we will read another chapter, ok?”

The pup doesn't seem happy but then the other one notices Eddie and says something in Steve’s ear.

The omega lifts his eyes and smiles at him.

“Eddie. Did you come for your last check-up?”

The alpha nods, too embarrassed to speak, but the omega is kind as usual.

“You know what? Why don’t we have a coffee? God knows that I need one.”

***

The cafeteria is nothing fancy, but the coffee is hot and strong.

“That’s exactly what I need.” the omega sighs, drinking his cup of coffee with oat milk and brown sugar “I was ready to fall asleep when I was reading to the kids.” he laughs.

“Are you having trouble sleeping?”

“I’m a nurse.” Steve replies with a smile “I haven't slept in days, but who's counting? Right?”

Eddie’s inner alpha would like to take him home, helping him make a nest in his room and keep him there until he feels better.

“Robin said that you were supposed to rest.”

“Yeah, I know. But I promised Max and Dust that we would read a chapter today and I’m not going to have any free time later on so…”

Steve takes off his collar and stretches his neck “Every omega that works in the hospital has to put a collar on during his shift, you never know what could happen with some alpha patients. Sometimes they get violent and try to bite the omegas. But god if it’s uncomfortable!” He complains.

“For real?”

“Yeah. You know. Pain is a strong emotion and sometimes it takes out the instinctual part of some individuals.”

“Steve?!” someone calls and the omega turns.

For a moment Eddie sees a black mark on Steve’s neck, but then his attention is all on the alpha that is growling at the omega.

“You are such a slut.” the unknown alpha yells, throwing a paper bag at Steve “I made you a fucking sandwich! Your favorite! Because I thought you were too tired after a night shift! And you are here?! Having fun with another alpha?!”

The omega mewls “It’s not like that, Tommy, he is a patient and…”

“Is that so? I thought that you were supposed to wear a collar when you were with alpha patients! Why are you not wearing it, uh? Are you offering him yourself? Is that what you do when you are at work?!” the alpha growls, but Eddie growls back, pushing Steve behind him.

“What the fuck are you doing, man! We were just having coffee!”

“You were having a coffee with my omega!”

“I see no bite!”

“Well, this could be arranged, you know?” and then Tommy pushes Eddie away and throws himself at Steve, trying to bite his mating gland.

The omega whines, but Tommy manages to scruff him and he is almost biting Steve when Eddie punches him in the face.

After that, everything is a blur.

When Eddie comes back to his senses he is tied in a hospital bed and a policeman is sitting next to him.

“I’m Chief Hopper. Nurse Harrington told us what happened but I’d like to take your statement too.”

Eddie nods and explains to him what happened.

“The omega is not going to press charges. Are you?”

Why the fuck is he not pressing charges?!

“Everyone in the cafeteria testified that you were protecting the omega so you could press charges if you wanted to.”

There is something in the way the police officer is talking to him that makes him think that he should.

But in the end, he decides not to.

It’s Robin who comes back to discharge him a few hours later.

“How is he?”

“Steve?”

Eddie nods.

“He is resting. It was a hard day but we are understaffed and he knows that.”

“Can I see him?” he asks and Robin seems unsure, while she bites her lip, but then she gives him directions toward the room where Steve is resting.

“I’m up, I’m up!” Steve says, jumping on the bed as soon as Eddie opens the door, ready to get back to work.

“Sorry. Just me. I wanted to be sure you were ok.”

“Oh, Eddie. Hi. I’m fine. Yeah. Thanks for the help…”

“When I see fragile things, helpless things, broken things… I see something familiar.” he tells him, sitting on Steve’s cot “My parents were junkies so I lived in a trailer with my uncle. I’m no Prince Charming but I know how you should treat a person and how you should not.”

“You mean an omega.” Steve clarifies.

“You are more than your designation, Steve. And you deserve someone better than that piece of shit!”

In the dim light of the room, something is shining on Steve’s neck.

“What are you looking at?” the omega asks.

“Your neck…”

“Oh, yeah, it looks bad but it’s just my soulmark.”

“It’s shining.”

“Is it what?!” Steve gets up and runs towards the bathroom. Now that Eddie can see it better he understands exactly what that is: a guitar pick.

He lowers the waist of his pants and sees something shining too.

“Are you a prince, Steve?”

Steve turns and looks at him astonished “At… at school. They called me King Steve. To mock me.”

“Well… I’m a guitarist. And I really think that I’m your fated soulmate.”

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yaksha-lover · 9 months

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I remember you saying that the bite of a vampire in your AU kinda gives the human a kinda emotional boost (?) Thing - idk happy chemicals - but is there any particular kind of aftercare for a bite that the guys would do? And how would they differ (e.g. Leona getting Ruggie to handle it, newer vampires getting the more experienced ones to lend a hand lest they fucketh up idk lmao)

I'm guessing cuddles are on the agenda? (At least, if their human is a cuddler idk haha.) Also would the human act kinda drunk? Or floaty in any way - idk if this makes sense lol. (I'm just sorta curious about your world building ig haha)

Yeah, I would say it’s kinda like getting drunk. They will feel good/happy and calm, but also a little disoriented. Thus, the human would need a decent amount of aftercare.

Physically, while it may feel good intially, as soon as the good feelings stop the human will feel all the negative things that have been held off. So they definitely need to eat at least something (just like after blood donation) and the human will not be in a state to cook, so it’s pretty much on the vampire to take care of them. Also just taking care of the small wound/cleaning it up.

Emotionally, the human would probably experience a huge drop once they come out of the happy/pleasurable state. They would suddenly be a lot more aware of things, and it can be a pretty vulnerable time, especially feeling so weak, that if the vampire doesn’t properly comfort them however they need it, they would have a pretty bad time.

Overall, cuddling or at least letting the human be comfortable and lay down to sleep/rest is the best thing to do for their recovery. The cuddling or some kind of act of affection is essential to mitigate the vulnerability and anxiety a person might feel coming out of this kind of state.

I imagine Leona may have a hard time being so openly affectionate at first, but he’d pay Ruggie take care of any food/medical needs thoroughly. He might have to start with just tucking you in to bed and leaving you for a nap with just a kiss to your head, but if you express to him you need more, he would eventually be comfortable enough to stay and cuddle/nap with you.

The newer vamps who are not prepared for this definitely seek the help of one of the more experienced vamps. I imagine Ace/Deuce/Epel/Jack would all be pretty scared to even try it for the first time because they’re scared of hurting MC, but Lilia would eventually take pity on them to teach them. Also, while the human may be disoriented, they’re still able to speak and everything, so as long as they listen to MC’s needs, they will be good to go.

Some of the others who have been vamps longer but are still inexperienced would just do a ton of research on proper care, like Riddle/Azul/Jamil/Idia.

Lilia/Malleus/Sebek/Silver are all pretty knowledgeable about these things for obvious reasons.

#thanks for the ask!#i had fun writing it #au asks #twst vampire au

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isfjmel-phleg · 8 days

Text

At the end of Young Justice 1998, the only other member of Greta's family who is still alive is her mother, Ellen Hayes. We find out in #54 that Ellen is in a mental institution and is considered to be not in any condition to be reunited with her daughter, even after Greta is restored to life.

We don't know exactly when or why Ellen has been institutionalized, but when Tim (as Robin) comes to tell her about Greta's defection to Darkseid and subsequent rampage of revange and to ask for her help, Ellen is presented as severely mental ill. She is kept in a straitjacket in a padded cell, she is disoriented and unable to focus on what Tim is telling her (and he proceeds to repeat his story for--it is implied--at least the third time), and she refers to being on medication. Tim attributes her institutionalization to her having "been through a lot." This is true. Her daughter has died from what looked like a horrible accidental electrocution, the morgue was unable to restore the girl's body to the family for some unknown reason, her son who already had a history of violence grew so psychopathic that she and her husband were afraid of him, her husband shot their son and never explained why, and she divorced him and moved out of their old house. That's a lot of tragedy.

(Young Justice 1998 #54)

Does a response to all that tragedy necessarily warrant measures on the mental institution's part that suggest she is considered a danger to herself? Hard to say. Since this is the last time we see Ellen, we don't really know much about what's going on with her. But I'd like to examine her case in light of the mother of another YJ member, who is similarly thought to be psychotic, and in light of some things we know about Burt Hayes in the aftermath of family tragedy. Bear with me, I'm going somewhere with this.

At the end of The Ray 1994, Nadine Terrill has been through a lot. Her house has been destroyed by her ex-husband's son from a previous marriage (Joshua, whose appearing to be eight when he should be nearly fifty is unexplained). She has suddenly become responsible for this child. They have been attacked by a sentient computer program that wants to kill her ex's nephew and had to flee for their lives. While staying the night with Nadine's friend, Joshua accidentally destroys that house too, killing Nadine's friend and injuring Nadine. At the hospital, her ex shows up and tells her that he cryogenically froze Joshua for decades after a similar accident killed his first wife, and that's why he was so against Nadine's having a child, who would inherit the same dangerous powers. This is too painful for her to hear, and she tries to leave.

Her ex's light-based powers mean that he can make himself selectively invisible and pseudo-telepathically make himself heard in her head. So he continues his story even after she leaves even though she begs him not to. From the perspective of bystanders, she appears to be yelling at someone who isn't there.

And when he tells her that he lied to her about their son being stillborn--her baby, her only child, whose grave she wept over while her husband watched remorselessly--she violently lashes out at him.

By the time the police arrive, he is invisible to them, so she looks like a madwoman delusionally attacking someone who isn't there.

By the time Ray (who's not really her ex's nephew but her longlost son) catches up to her, she is in a padded cell in a straitjacket, like Ellen Hayes.

Nadine is perfectly sane. She's been through a lot of trauma and heightened emotion, but she still has her grasp on reality. But thanks to the unusual nature of what's going on her family, her reactions are taken out of context and no one will believe the improbable-sounding truth.

(The Ray 1994 #28)

With that in mind, let's look at some things we find out about Ellen's family's situation.

Right before Burt Hayes fires the second shot that kills his son, he comments that "your mother's going to kill me."

(Young Justice 1998 #5)

A very natural and understandable response to one's spouse killing your child, and we later learn that Ellen left Burt because of this. Is it possible that in her grief Ellen might have lashed out similarly to Nadine?

Minus the seeming to interact with someone who isn't there, but...

While in prison, Burt Hayes gets possessed on and off by Billy, who is now a sort of evil spirit. Burt is unaware that this is what is happening; all he knows is that he blacks out occasionally and "sometimes I think I'm losing my mind."

(Young Justice 1998 #52)

Billy uses this possession of his father to convince Greta that her father no longer loves her, and presumably also to commit other evil acts. And since he targets his father in this way, it is entirely possible that he has done the same to his mother, leading everyone around her to conclude that she has lost her mind.

Her disorientation and inability to concentrate could be the result of being kept sedated, which could be the medication that she refers to. There is a possibility that, like Nadine Terrill, Ellen Hayes is simply a grief-stricken woman whose response to tragedy with explanations outside of normal reality has been misunderstood and not believed, resulting in her institutionalization (which would also function as a commentary on how issue of women's mental health have historically been mishandled, but that's another issue).

Or perhaps she is truly mentally ill. Perhaps losing both children and knowing that her husband killed their son was too much to handle. The last we hear of her in the narrative is from Tim, who tells Greta that he's seen her mother and "she's...not well." That hesitation before describing her state is very telling.

(Young Justice 1998 #55)

But at the same time, Tim presumably has only met with Ellen once and couldn't know the entire situation.

The narrative seems to want the reader to conclude that Ellen is simply severely mentally ill, too incapacitated to reach out to her daughter. And it's entirely possible that that's the case. But with the limited amount of information we have, there's also room for the possibility that there's more to her story than meets the eye.

#comicsposting again #GH: I'd give anything to be normal #RT: born with the light #(I don't have tags for either of these moms so I'm using their kids' instead)

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mad4turtles · 2 years

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I see that you're taking requests and after reading that adorable Leo & Mikey fic, could you maybe write Raph and Donnie bonding fic, going off that little pattern for the brothers?

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH let's do this!

(Set after the movie, because I like to feel pain).

----

Donnie is doing it again.

Woken by the sound of bare feet travelling past his bedroom, Raph rolls out of bed, disoriented (still half-dreaming of tentacles seeping through his skin and into his eyes, of his clenched fist reared back to impale his little brother struggling to breathe in his grasp), and gets to his feet.

His right eye itches something awful, and it's all he can do to keep from rubbing at it. It's a miracle he can still see out of it.

There have been a lot of miracles, actually. Not enough to outweigh the horror, but enough, and Raph is grateful. So damn grateful.

One of those miracles has their eggheaded genius awake at hell-o'clock in the morning. Again.

Raph slides his door open, peering along the row of subway cars. He doesn't have to squint to find Donnie. The artificial light cast from his wrist tech breaks through the gloom of the lair and bathes the purple turtle's face as he stares at the holo-screen. Bloodshot eyes trace lines of code, medical jargon Raph could never decipher, the lines of a steadily beating heart...

Oh, Don.

Raph lumbers over. He doesn't bother to mask his approach, Donnie knows he's there. He doesn't look up from the monitor, not even when Raph stands right over him, arms folded. “Donnie.”

“Have you taken your meds already?” Donnie's voice is a soft, lifeless monotone of exhaustion and barely hidden stress. It makes Raph's heart ache to hear it, the deliberate detachment of heart and mind.

Still, he answers. “Yeah, Don, I did. You saw me take 'em. Six hours ago.”

Donnie hums distractedly. “Mikey change his bandages?”

Raph shifts his stance, impatience brewing behind his plastron though he knows it's unfair. “Yep. You did that too. Six hours ago,” he says. “Right before I told you to get some rest and stay in bed this time.”

“Can't,” Donnie says shortly, “too busy.” His eyes don't leave the screen, watching Leo's heartbeat with an intensity that dares it to stop. It won't, they all know it won't, Donnie first and foremost.

Yet here they are.

Raph sighs, arms flopping to his sides. Donatello is a genius beyond his years, and everyone knows it. His brain is what's telling him to monitor Leo's vitals constantly as he sleeps off the worst of his injuries. His heart tells him to sit outside his door every night until his twin wakes up for a few hours before succumbing to exhaustion again. Then Donnie will come and sit at his door. Rinse and repeat.

It's taking its toll on him. He can barely walk in a straight line, his temper is shorter than ever and, when he's not at Leo's door, he's locked in his lab, working tirelessly on projects that will prevent this (alien invasions, possessed brothers and self-sacrificing twins) from happening again. Not impossible, but not feasible, not right now. Not like this.

So Raph drops to the floor beside his little brother, folding his legs. “You don't gotta do this to yourself, Donnie,” he says as gently as he can manage. Donnie's eye twitches, jaw clenching. He doesn't look at Raph. Raph shuffles closer, trying for a smile. “Leo's gonna be fine, we're all fine. I'm back, Pops is back on his feet, Mikey's hands are healin', and Leo's here. Turn that big brain off for one night and—”

“You don't—!” Donnie snaps and whirls on Raph with a rage he hasn't seen since he launched a mystic drill at Kraang's face. He's breathing hard, shaking, tears pooling the corners of his eyes unbidden and Raph can only stare. The fuse is burnt out and the canon has fired, smouldering and loud in a way only Donnie can be without waking everyone in New York (or the sleeping turtle in the car behind them).

A sob shudders out of Donnie before he turns away, hugging his knees. The hologram drops. “You don't understand, Raph,” Donnie hisses as tears drip like rain down his cheeks unchecked, and Raph knew this has been building, but not this much, and he feels like an idiot for not seeing it. “He—Leo, he—he could've died in there, Raph, he—stupid, brainless, dumdum just had to jump into the portal, didn't he? Just—just had to pull one last bullshit stunt to make my life difficult before fricking off into oblivion to save us like he couldn't have asked for help, like he, like he couldn't have portalled us up there with him to shove that asshole back to the shadow realm!”

Donnie's rambling now, working himself up. Raph shifts to his knees as Donnie hunches forward, fingers yanking his mask tails, breaths short and angry—“and yeah, sure, he's back, Mikey's the absolute goat with his mystic burnt hands, but I had to reset his leg, his shell was cracked in three freaking places, he stopped—did you know he stopped breathing once? Because—because he, he did, and, and I know you're the big—big brother, the brother who is the biggest, but Nardo, Leon, Leo, Leonardo he—he's my twin, my twin brother and I almost, we almost—!”

Donnie shoves his face in his hands, tucking his legs in and oh, Raph thinks, this is a bad one.

It's not been this bad since Shredder nearly tore Donnie's shell open, ripping through his battle shell like paper. Donnie had pulled the same stunts then—isolation, obsession, short fuse and all—and they'd pulled him back down together. Right now it's just Raph, and he prays he's enough.

Leader or not, he's still the big brother, the brother who is the biggest. He'd sooner let the city burn before he's anything less.

So he carefully wraps his massive arms around Donnie's heaving shoulders and pulls him against his plastron. Donnie goes rigid for half a beat before melting against him, still curled up and crying silent tears. He never sobs like Mikey does, heartbreaking cries that tear Raph in two, nor does he sniffle or weep like Leo does when he's trying to be quiet, hiding his sadness the way he hides everything else with jokes and showy stunts. Donnie has always worn his sadness differently, even now, days after his world was nearly ripped asunder by the loss of his twin.

The fact that he admitted it—Leo has always insisted, biology be damned—is a testament to how not okay they are. Miracles can only do so much, Raph supposes.

“I know, Donnie. I know,” Raph hushes as Donnie hiccups on another sob, biting down on his lip to muffle the worst of them. Raph puts his cheek atop Donnie's head and squeezes him a little. “I know. I was scared, too. Scared out my goddamn mind. But it's over. They're gone and Leo isn't. We're all here. And I'd let the world burn before that changes. Okay?”

Donnie sniffs, nodding. Looks like he's reached his limit. Raph adjusts him in his arms into a bridal carry and stands. Donnie doesn't fight him this time, wrapping trembling arms around Raph's neck instead.

Good, Raph thinks, relieved. It was enough.

“Want me to carry you to bed?” he asks, already turning for Donnie's room until Donnie shakes his head hard. Raph raises a brow. “I ain't taking you back to the lab—”

Donnie points to the living room. Raph looks over his shoulder and, really, he shouldn't be surprised to see Mikey and April halfway through making a blanket fort, but he is. More so when Casey Jr pops his head out from under one of Leo's weighted blankets and flashes a bashful grin, waving at Raph.

Raph can't help but chuckle. “And how long have you guys been in there?”

“About the same time you got up,” April replies, flicking the fairy lights on; they're Donnie's favourites that look like constellations when you set them up a certain way. “We figured it was about time if Donnie's up to it.”

Raph looks down at the turtle in his arms, not shaking anymore but mostly non-verbal still. He smiles wryly. “I think he is.”

“Room for one more, hermano?”

“Mother f—!” Raph jumps half a foot and sees Leo leaning against his doorway, lazy smile and all. He still looks like hell warmed over, favouring his left side with something rattling in his chest with every breath, and Raph opens his mouth to dish out a reprimand—

Donnie beats him to it, scrambling out of Raph's arms and marching over to Leo, anger and worry in every line of his face. “You—you—mmm, you—!” he pokes a harsh finger against Leo's chest as he fights to get words out. Leo keeps smiling and moves Donnie's hand out the way, stepping close enough to butt their foreheads together. Donnie stops, frozen.

“Thanks for looking out for me, Dee.”

Donnie deflates like a balloon, the tension leaving him as he holds Leo's left bicep in a grip that might bruise; a silent 'I love you but I'll kick your ass for this later.'

Raph lets the moment sit a little longer before reaching out for both of them. “To answer your question, idiot,” he says, and the twins look up, eyes red and watery and Leo with that damn smile that they'll talk about later, “there's always room. But don't think you're off the hook, Leo, I'm gettin' your ass for not resting like you should be. And I'm tellin' Pops.”

Leo pouts. “Bummer, but I'll take it.” He also takes Raph wrapping an arm around him and Donnie and hauling them off their feet to join their family in the blanket fort. Mikey must have dipped to the kitchen at some point, their leftovers and treats scattered across the cushioned floor.

They decide on 'Back to the Future', another movie among the infinite list that Casey Jr hasn't seen, and settle down in a cosy pile of limbs, pillows, blankets and meat-lovers pizza. Leo and Mikey doze off about halfway through, the slider's head pillowed on Mikey's lap. When Mikey lists too far sideways, April wraps her arm around him and brings him close. Casey pulls up a blanket to cover the trio before leaning back against Raph's arm, eyes fixed on Marty McFly. On Raph's other side, tucked snugly under his arm, Donnie shifts.

“Love you, Raph,” he croaks softly, low enough for his ears only. When Raph looks down, Donnie is already looking away, but Raph grins all the same. He gives Donnie a quick squeeze.

“Love you too, buddy.”

Miracles can only do so much, but for now, here with his family around them, alive and safe, it's enough. They can figure out the rest later.

---

Please keep sending requests! I love writing for these boys!

#rottmnt #rottmnt fic #fic requests #i love these boys so much #rise donatello #rise raph #tmnt 2k18 #rise of the teenage mutant ninja tutles

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