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vintagedolan · 4 years

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mixtape | track three

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Indiana was sure she’d never had a longer Monday in her life, and Tuesday wasn’t looking any better. Her lecture droned on and she did everything she could to stay engaged, from downing the rest of her water bottle to doodling on the side of her notes.

Just as her professor started to move into the brachial plexus, she saw a small message notification appear in the top right corner of her laptop screen. A text, from Grayson.

Wyd? :)

It took all her power not to scoff in the middle of the room. The fact that he’d actually sent her a ‘wyd’ was almost too much.

learning, what’s it to yah

She scrolled to catch up with her professor, trying to keep up.

I’m bored

You want a vanilla oatmilk latte later, right?

Or did I not remember that right

Triple texter, of course. She typed out a quick shhh, unless you can teach me about the brachial plexus I gotta pay attention. I’ll text you when I’m out and turned back to her notes, scribbling out the diagram that her professor was drawing on the board.

But she still smiled when she got a p sure you just made that up but okay :) from him.

Lecture sped up after that, her professor moving much too quickly through the nerves and innervations of muscles within the plexus that she could barely wrap her head around. She was going to have to review all of it again to even begin to fully understand. At least it wasn’t chemistry like it had been last semester - anatomy she could handle because at least it was interesting. Before she knew it she was closing her notebook and laptop, throwing them in her bag and heading out the door in a bid to get to the hospital faster.

Little did she know, Grayson was waiting in line at Jet’s already, having come to the city much earlier than he needed to, toe of his Air Force One tapping on the tile as his nerves ran wild. He caught his reflection in one of the windows and paused to double check himself, just like he had that afternoon in his mom’s hallway, looking in the mirror that was hanging on the wall. Ethan had caught him in the act, and he knew it wouldn’t slip past him.

“Alright, spill. You’re being sus.” Ethan’s words were garbled by the PB&J in his mouth, but it still made Grayson panic a bit.

“Am not.”

“Cut the shit Gray, you only wear belts when you’re trying to impress somebody and I highly doubt you’re trying to woo over the kids. What’s her name?”

“I hate you.”

“Interesting name.” That earned him a middle finger.

“Indiana.”

“Actual interesting name. She cute?”

“Very. And smart. And funny too. Good with kids.”

“And tick tick tick go the soulmate boxes. You gonna try to make a move?”

“We’ve talked one time bro. That’d be bold.”

“Yeah, and you’re you.You fall in love when somebody blinks at you right. Case made. Let me know when the wedding is.”

Grayson didn’t have a comeback for that, so he just huffed a bit and let out a “fuck off” before he turned to head for city an hour before he needed to.

“Next… Next.”

He pulled his head up, realizing the line had disappeared in front of him. He moved up to the counter, hoping he’d remembered her order right since she’d yet to answer him again.

“Can I do a large dark roast, and a large vanilla oatmilk latte please?”

Down the line, a man with an impressive beard and large gauges perked up as Grayson put his card into the reader.

“Wouldn’t happen to be for Indiana Cross would it?”

He wasn’t sure what the right answer was, so he just went with the truth. “Yeah, actually it is.”

Based on the way that the man squinted his eyes at him, Grayson realized it was apparently very much the wrong answer.

“And you are?” He asked.

“Grayson.”

“Grayson.” He repeated, obviously waiting for an elaboration.

“I uh… I volunteer with her at the hospital?”

Right answer. The man relaxed, going back to making coffee with a nod. He tried to run through the possibilities while he waited for the drinks. Brother? Probably not. Ex-boyfriend? Possibly.

“She’s a good egg, used to work here before school got to be too much. You’re lucky to have a friend like her,” he said after passing over the drinks.

Protective manager. Not what he expected, but he understood. He had a feeling it wasn’t just him who had gotten attached so quickly.

“Yeah, yeah I am for sure. Thanks, have a great day.”

“You too…” he trailed off, waiting. He didn’t know if he’d forgotten his name already or just didn’t want to admit he remembered it.

“Grayson.”

“Right. I’m Patrick. See you around.”

“Yeah man, see you.”

Grayson headed out the door, balancing one cup on top of the other so he could text her quickly.

You at the hosp yet?

no, I’m not at the ‘hosp’ haha I’m walking there now

You didn’t text me when you got out of class

I’m hurt

boo hoo

Lemme just

Throw this coffee away real quick

hey hey now those are fighting words

oh shit I never texted you about the coffee, but you were right, vanilla oatmilk latte

I’ll give you a pass this time since you were learning about the brachial whatever

You’re lucky im awesome and remembered

wow

the most awesome

love to see it

just wait outside of jets, I’ll be there in a minute

Okay :)

He did as she asked, moving out of the steady stream of people that were on the sidewalk to watch people who passed, waiting for her. Every time he saw a head of blonde hair he perked up, until finally he recognized her moving towards him. She was dressed more casually than on Sunday, with a baggy crewneck on with her jeans and Air Force Ones.

She noticed him a moment after he saw her, so by the time she laid eyes on him he was beaming, putting his phone away and moving towards her.

“A large? You spoil me,” she teased, taking the cup from him gratefully. It was delicious as always, but she was more focused on his outfit – a tight black long sleeve shirt tucked into a pair of nice maroon pants, a large belt buckle resting on his waist.

“We match,” he grinned, pointing a toe out to show off his shoes. It was about the only thing that matched – she felt frumpy next to him in her comfy clothes that she wore to class. Even her Air Forces were dingy compared to his, dull and dirty.

“Uh huh, right. I didn’t know that our first joint Buddies meeting was a fashion show, give a girl some warning next time, will yah?”

“Oh shut up, you look cute.”

Her eyebrows went up as she looked down at herself, then back at him. He threw her back the same look of disbelief.

“Did I stutter?” He asked, practically daring her to argue with him. She just blushed and shook her head, taking a drink of her coffee as they started towards Frazier. They walked shoulder to shoulder and Indiana was grateful – it was fractionally less common in the colder months, but she always got her fair share of cat calls on the streets. After getting to know him, she didn’t find Grayson even slightly intimidating anymore, but she still had the image of him on that bench, broad and serious, and she knew it was no coincidence that everyone fell silent with him beside her.

It was a new feeling, having to hold herself back. She’d never had the urge to wrap her arms around someone walking next to her, reach out and hold onto their arm, even just reach down to hold their hand. It made her giddy and skeptical at the same time as she tried to distract herself, watching the cars drive by, honking at each other.

“Where’d you go?” Grayson hummed, bumping her just barely and pulling her out of her head. Her heart swelled a bit hearing her signature phrase fall so easily from his lips, which seemed much pinker than she’d last remembered as he took a sip of his coffee and waited for her answer. A few moments later he quirked an eyebrow – a very well-manicured eyebrow. Did he get those waxed? She resisted the urge to reach up and smooth down her own that she knew were bushy and definitely not as nice as his.

“Indiana. You good?” He tried again,

“Hmm? Oh yeah, yeah I’m good, sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize, I was just checkin on you. Do we have a plan for this meeting or do you normally just go with the flow?”

“Depends on the mood she’s in. I’ve got some stuff in my bag – cards, my school stuff cause she likes to help me study sometimes. Other times she just likes to play 20 questions or hang out and talk. You’ll be the new shiny toy, so prepare for a bunch of questions. Especially about your teeth earrings.”

He balked as they got to the doors, following her quick steps into the lobby.

“I’m sorry my what?”

“It’s not everyday someone has diamonds in their teeth sir.”

“Okay but they aren’t teeth earrings, give me some fucking credit.”

“Definitely teeth earrings.”

“Jewels.”

“Teeth. Earrings. Oh my god, I’m gonna introduce you as teeth earring guy.” Her laughter filled the elevator as they stepped in.

“Oh god,” he groaned, letting his head fall back against the side of the little box as it moved up to the second floor. Indiana gave her most mischievous grin when the doors opened, walking quickly through the halls. It took Grayson a minute to realize that she was trying to beat him to Bekah’s room and he sped up his steps, trying to keep it casual as he passed rooms of kids and families, walking as fast as he could without full on running down the hall. They didn’t see the nurses laughing at their antics, but they didn’t care. Indiana side stepped into Bekah’s room abruptly, so fast that Grayson almost knocked her over trying to stop behind her.

Bekah was up walking around in a hoodie and leggings, and when she turned she immediately pointed over Indiana’s shoulder.

“Teeth earring guy!”

They couldn’t help it – they both busted out laughing, Indiana grabbing onto his shoulder to keep herself from falling over. When they finally got it together he spoke up first.

“My name is actually Grayson, but you can call me teeth earring guy if you wanna.”

“I’m Bekah Newcomb. Mandatory intro spiel, I’m 15, stage 3 leukemia. My parents aren’t pieces of shit, they just work a lot so they’re never here. No siblings because why mess with perfection. Any questions?”

Indiana bit her tongue – she had forgotten about the spiel, forgotten that it was Bekah’s favorite way to test new people, make them uncomfortable. Her eyes flickered over to Grayson, but he had the biggest smile on his face.

“Only one, but it’s very important. You ready?”

“Hit me with it,” she said, anxiously waiting.

“Is cereal a soup?”

Indiana couldn’t have planned a better intro for the two of them – they bonded so quickly right there before her eyes, debating the constituting factors of soup, and it had her melting to see him interacting so easily with the girl who meant so much to her. Bekah didn’t even attempt to put up her usual front, just laughed and joked with him as if she’d known him for years. The hours flew by, games of war and BS passing the time as Bekah sat at the top of her bed and Indiana and Grayson sat at the end of it, knees touching as they resisted the urge to peek at each-others cards.

The only hiccup came when Bekah got her meds at 7, but she put on her best show for Grayson, managing to keep her stomach settled enough to avoid puking. It was the most fun visit either of them had had in a while, and Bekah fought her drowsiness until visiting hours were over at 8. Indiana had to be the voice of reason, starting the goodbyes before the nurses came to kick them out.

“Are you both coming back on Thursday?” Bekah called out as they headed for the door.

“Hell yeah we are. Want us to bring anything?” Grayson grinned.

Indiana liked the sound of us.

“Cereal, so we can test our theories.”

“You got it. See yah Thursday Beks.”

“See yah Thursday, Earrings.”

His laugh was so loud that the nurses at the desk peeked their heads around to see what was happening – but they were smiling up at the two of them as they signed out and started down the hallway they’d come up.

As soon as they cleared the ocean hallway, Grayson turned to her.

“Was that okay? Like was that good?” There was genuine concern in his voice, and Indiana had to bite back a laugh.

“Are you seriously asking?”

“Yeah, ‘course I am.”

“Grayson she loved it. She loved you. I haven’t seen her smile that big since she’s come in for this round of treatment. Were you worried about that?” She didn’t stop herself from reaching out and holding onto his shoulder, squeezing lightly as they stopped walking.

“A little,” he admitted, relaxing under her touch.

“You’re a natural, I told you that. I promise you did great, I wouldn’t bullshit you.”

He stopped walking for a minute, and there was an intensity in his gaze that had her stomach fluttering.

She didn’t know what she expected, but it definitely wasn’t for him to say “Can I take you to dinner?”

“Now?” Stupid answer.

“Well, it is dinner time. But if you aren’t hungry I could wait a while. Or if you don’t want to go, that’s totally okay, I don’t want you to feel pressured or anything just cause we’re doing this together and we share a buddy and-”

“I want to go to dinner,” she cut him off, and he could see the hesitation on her face.

“I sense a but coming…”

“But -”

His heart sank a bit - he’d fallen into the trap he always managed to get himself into, falling too quickly, making his move too fast. But it was natural to be next to her, to talk to her, to have her hand stay on his shoulder. He liked the feeling of her there, the sound of her laughter and the brightness of her smile, and he couldn’t quite hold himself back it seemed. It made the rejection he knew he was about to get hurt even worse.

“But, I have to study tonight,” she sighed, and there was a genuineness to it that had him breathing a bit easier. She actually seemed disappointed, and the hope he felt rose up again.

“Oh yeah, the biceps whatever thing, that shit sounded complicated.”

“The brachial plexus, but A for effort,” she teased. “No but seriously, I gotta get that shit down or I’m gonna forget everything she said about it today. But I really do wanna go to dinner, I’m not blowing you off.” She rushed through her reassurances, dropping her arm and starting to walk again, towards the stairs this time.

“I believe you. How about Thursday, after we hang with Beks?”

“Yeah, I can do Thursday!”

“Gang.” Fuck. He’d been doing pretty well at hiding all the slang he’d picked up in LA.

“Did you… what?”

“Nothing, pretend you didn’t hear that. Thursday sounds great. Oh, before I forget, can you bring some non-dairy milk with you when you come?”

She paused for a minute, looking up at him from a few stairs below like he’d grown another head.

“You want me to bring milk… non-dairy milk… to dinner.”

“No! No no, for the cereal! I just have a long drive and I don’t want it to get all gross and hot on the way, and since you walked I figure you live close by. I can venmo you for it.”

“Oh! Yeah, I can bring some, you don’t have to venmo me for it, no biggie.”

“Okay cool. Yeah, I definitely wouldn’t ask you to bring milk on a da- to dinner. Bring it to dinner. That would be… weird.” His cheeks burned hotter than he realized they could. The fact that he’d almost slipped and said date had embarrassment and panic coursing through every inch of his body, and he could already hear the way Ethan was going to laugh when he told him the story later.

Of course Indiana heard it, but the way he was blushing to his ears had her pretending she didn’t.

“Thursday it is then,” she grinned, opening the door of the stairwell and holding it until Grayson passed through. The massive windows of the lobby were painted indigo, washed out a bit by the city lights but dark nonetheless.

“Damn it’s dark,” he muttered. Even though it was beginning to get dark earlier now with autumn on the horizon, it was still much dimmer than he was used to.

“It’s supposed to storm the rest of the week, probably just the clouds,” she shrugged. She looked small for the first time to him, headed towards the doors.

“Can I drive you home? It’s really dark out.” The words came out before he could think them over - that seemed to be the effect she had on him.

“Oh, it’s okay! I only live like three blocks from here, by the time you get your car I’ll probably be home,” she reassured him with a smile.

“Can I walk you then? I don’t like the idea of you walking out there in the dark by yourself.”

She paused at the door, and he half expected her to turn and remind him that she was very much capable of walking herself. But she surprised him, as she always seemed to do.

“Yeah, yeah that would be really nice actually. If you don’t care.”

��No, I’d love to. You ready?”

She nodded and pushed the doors open, hair blowing back in the wind as she walked outside. The temperature had dropped significantly, the true sign of a storm coming through just as she’d suggested.

He took his spot beside her, shortening his strides so he didn’t stray too far from her, standing tall and broad. Indiana felt small next to him, but in a good way for once. It was even more comforting than earlier, and she took slower steps than she usually did, trying to draw it out as long as possible. She tried to convince herself it was because she wanted to procrastinate studying, didn’t want to have to tackle her notes, but in reality she knew it was because she didn’t want the night to end.

It was a comfortable kind of quiet, the bustle of the city streets creating the perfect background noise as they weaved down the sidewalks. Indiana felt like if anyone looked at them they’d be able to see the little bubble of nervous energy surrounding the two of them - it had her feeling like she was back in middle school, giddy because the cute boy looked at her for two seconds.

Much too quickly, her apartment building appeared, tall and imposing in the dark.

“This is me.”

“Damn, that really was a short walk.”

For once, she wished it had been longer.

“Thanks again for walking me.”

“Yeah, yeah no problem, anytime. Um… have a good night.” He could hear the awkwardness in his tone, felt like it was palpable in the city air.

“Goodnight Grayson. Drive safe.”

“Goodnight Indiana. Sleep safe.”

That earned him his new favorite smile, but only for a moment before she disappeared into the lobby.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

“Bro, will you fucking focus?”

There were few things that annoyed Grayson more than his brother taking too long to finish his reps on the equipment, but that day he’d become his own pet peeve. In his head, distracted, constantly checking his phone - and Ethan was beyond annoyed.

“Alright, out with it. The fuck is goin on in there?” Ethan smacked Grayson’s head lightly, concern starting to overpower the annoyance.

“It’s nothing, let’s just finish this shit before it rains again,” he huffed, moving to the single pull up bar that he’d built last year and starting his reps. The sky was a dreary gray, the cold of autumn starting to come in and clinging to everything it touched.

It wasn’t nothing. Actually, it was much much more than that, and Ethan knew it too, but he didn’t pry. Yet. He did his best to keep his brother focused for the rest of their Wednesday work out, encouraging him to get more reps, to push a bit harder. It didn’t seem to clear his head at all, and Ethan held his tongue for a few more hours, waited until they were both showered, in fresh clothes and in the kitchen making lunch for him to finally ask again.

“Is it the girl? Indiana?”

Grayson didn’t answer, but the look that he threw Ethan from his spot in front of the stove told him enough.

“What’d she say? Lemme see.”

He passed his phone over, moving back to stir soup he was making as Ethan read the message. Grayson remembered exactly what it said, even if his twin didn’t mumble it out as he read.

“Hey, about dinner tomorrow. Turns out my sister and brother in law are moving out of my place (finally) because Charlie got a new photography deal and I promised I would help them move :( but we could do dinner on Saturday night if that works for you still? If not it’s okay. What’s wrong with that?” Ethan asked.

“She doesn’t wanna have dinner,” Grayson muttered, watching the soup spin in the pot as he stirred.

“That is so not what that means. Is this seriously what you’ve been pouting about all morning?” Ethan had to bite back his laugh. He hadn’t seen his brother this in his head about something in a while, and he didn’t want to make him feel stupid for being worried. “If she didn’t want to have dinner, she wouldn’t have asked about Saturday.”

“How do you know? You haven’t even met her.”

“Cause I’ve had a girlfriend for two years. You just learn what they mean in their texts even if they don’t say it.”

The last thing Grayson needed in that moment was a reminder that his brother was in a very loving relationship, but he let it slide. Eden had come into their lives a few years back, a fireball of take-no-shit and feminine power unlike either of them had ever seen. It was a learning curve, and Ethan was determined to ace the test. Grayson was glad that he had - she’d become a sister to him, and she brought fun and laughter to their life out in California.

“Call Eden, see what she thinks,” Grayson said, scooping soup out into bowls for the two of them. Ethan did as he asked, pulling up facetime and letting it ring through until she appeared on the screen, wide smile bright against her tanned skin, California sun bright in the background.

“Hey baby! What’s up?”

“Grayson’s having girl problems.”

“Oooo I love girl problems, hand him over,” she teased, still beaming when Ethan passed over his phone.

“Alright hit me with it, what’s the tea?”

Grayson tried to give her the short version of how he and Indiana had met, but he found himself elaborating with each detail that he remembered, from every word of the text down to the way she said goodbye the last time he’d seen her, only the night before. It felt like longer than that.

Eden was quiet for a moment after he finally finished the story, but by her coy smile he knew she was just trying to figure out how to word everything correctly.

“Okay, so first off, just to clear things up, she’s not blowing you off.”

He wanted to believe her, desperately, but the doubt must have still been obvious on his face, because she rolled her eyes before she launched into her explanation.

“She texted you today instead of tomorrow, which probably means as soon as she found out she told you. That’s a good sign. She’s nervous too, that’s why she said ‘if not it’s okay’, cause she’s trying to give you an out if you want it.”

He very much didn’t want an out. He actually wanted an in.

“The fact that she reached out at all shows that she cares, and she’s trying to set up another time which definitely means she’s interested. Most girls would just wait to see if you would set up another one, that’s what I would have done. Tested to see if you were invested. But if she’s willing to do it, that means she must be pretty sure of you. Or totally oblivious to the fact that you like her. Either way, you’re in good shape.”

“Who said I like her?” He muttered, getting a barking laugh out of both members of his audience.

He let them fall into conversation without him, the quick catch up of their day that they’d been doing lately since they were on opposite sides of the country. It was hard for Ethan, but he managed it well, with plenty of sappy texts and nightly facetimes that would have Grayson gagging but secretly wishing he had someone to talk to like that.

He wondered what Indiana was like on facetime while he ate his soup. He wondered what her favorite color was, why she took oatmilk in her coffee instead of regular, what her class schedule was. Wondered what time she woke up on the mornings when she could sleep in, what she’d want to do on a real date, what her room looked like. He never realized how much mental space he had for someone other than himself or Ethan, and he found himself obsessing the smallest things, trying to ignore the butterflies it brought to his stomach.

Ethan didn’t help once he finished his call and started devouring his luke-warm bowl of veggie soup.

“Bro you’re in deep, I can tell. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you get this attached this quick before.”

“There’s just something about her dude. It’s scaring me a little honestly. I’ve never felt like this about anybody, and I’ve literally only seen her twice. I mean, I barely even know her, but I can’t stop thinking about her. Is that weird?”

Ethan thought of about twenty comebacks that he could have used, but he bit them back. He could feel his twin’s anxiety, and he wasn’t about to add to it.

“Nah man. It’s not weird. It’s intense, but it’s not weird. And hey, if she ends up being the one someday it’ll make a cute story. You hear all sorts of people say they fell in love the first time they saw their person, who says that couldn’t be you, yah know? But hey, I gotta meet her before you go proposing or some shit.” He bumped his shoulder with a smile, turning back to his bowl of soup so Grayson didn’t feel like he had to respond right away.

He thought on it for a minute, trying to process everything his brother had just laid out on the table. And then he pulled his phone out, clicked on his new favorite thread to check, and typed out his reply.

Saturday date it is

See you tomorrow :)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Indiana Cross was never late. In fact, she was usually a minimum 10 of minutes early. But one too many outfits changes had slowed her down and she was cutting it too close for comfort - so close that when she looked out and saw the rain had started up again, she contemplated just running out into it and getting drenched instead of trying to make it back upstairs to get her umbrella.

She peered out into the street through the lobby doors, trying to decide if the drops would be enough to ruin her outfit, when something caught her eye.

A hand, waving quite cutely at her through the glass.

Grayson was outside, massive black umbrella over his head and a wide smile on his face as he walked up to the doors, waiting for her. He hadn’t said anything about coming to pick her up, but her heart fluttered at the sight of him anyways - she’d seen him just a few days ago, on Thursday, where they’d sat on Bekah’s bed again and ate cereal and laughed and joked. But it felt like it had been forever, and with the added stress of moving Charlie and Devin out, and the hard goodbye that she didn’t want to admit was hard, she hadn’t really relaxed since she’d last seen him.

He made sure there wasn’t a gap between the awning and his umbrella so she could duck under it without getting wet. As soon as she was under she made her move, if you could even call it that, and wrapped her hands around his bicep, trying not to gawk at how big it was. Instead, she looked up at him and scrunched her nose.

“Hi.”

“Hi there,” he beamed, and she could see the excitement in every single one of his features. “Figured I could walk you. You ready?”

She nodded, holding on to him as they started to walk down the sidewalks. His slow Jersey pace mixed with her short legs and quick New Yorker steps kept them perfectly in sync as they dodged puddles and soaked up the feeling of being together again.

The conversation flowed as easily as ever, Grayson asking her how moving Charlie out went, if she was sad to have her sister so far away. They talked about Cameron going to school in South Carolina, and how he and Ethan couldn’t spend more than a week apart without going crazy. She talked about school, the assignments she had lined up for the week, the exam she had already started studying for even though it was next Friday. Every time they got to a puddle that was too big for both of them to walk around he guided her to the dry part, walking lightly through the water so he didn’t splash her.

They got to the hospital much too quickly, and she let go of his arm reluctantly so he could pull the umbrella down and shake off the excess water before they made it in. Grayson led the way up the stairs and onto the unit, waving at the kids he saw, giving Andre a high five as he passed and asking the nurses how their shift was going. Indiana couldn’t help but notice the way the younger nurses - actually, all the nurses, seemed to be watching his every move, blushing and smiling at him as he passed.

She fought the urge to reach out and hold his hand, walking just a bit closer to him so their arms brushed against each other as they moved. It sent electricity through every nerve ending on her body, and she got so caught up in it that she almost forgot to stop him before they made it to Bekah’s room.

“Hey, one thing. I know we’re going on a date later, but let’s not have any… like us stuff, while we’re here. I don’t want Bekah to feel like a third wheel or anything, cause we’re here for her. Deal?”

“Deal.” There was a prideful look in his eyes that she couldn’t quite place, but she didn’t have time to analyze it before she stepped into the room.

Bekah was in her bed, curled up under the blankets on her side. Her head was wrapped in a light blue scarf - something her mom had brought her a few days prior, sweatshirts pulled down over her hands as she shivered.

Grayson’s face fell immediately, and he froze at his spot by the curtain. She looked sick, actually sick, for the first time, and it brought on a wave of memories and emotion that he wasn’t quite prepared for.

Indiana didn’t blink.

“Hey you. How are you feeling?” Her tone was soft, soothing as she moved to her bedside and laid a hand on Bekah’s shoulder, starting to rub against her cold skin.

“S’ cold,” Bekah mumbled, burrowing down further, so far that Indiana could only see her brown eyes and the dark skin of her forehead.

“Want me to go see if I can get you another blanket?”

She nodded weakly, resting her head back on the pillow as Indiana stood up and moved over to Grayson.

“You okay in here by yourself for a minute?”

Grayson nodded, half to answer and half to convince himself. She gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze before she disappeared out the door. He stood there in silence for a moment, hands shoved in his pockets, unsure of what to do.

Bekah peaked her head out just enough for her mouth to be visible before she spoke.

“I’m not contagious, Earrings, you can come over here.”

The tension in his shoulders released and he walked over, sitting down as gently as he could on the edge of the bed.

“You’re weird,” Bekah said, eyes still closed. He panicked a bit, trying to keep his voice calm.

“Yeah? Why am I weird.”

“You don’t like being around sick people, but you’re volunteering at a kids hospital. Weird.”

“I don’t think anyone likes seeing people sick,” he murmured, trying to word everything very carefully.

“Indiana likes being around sick people because she likes to help. I think you like to help too but it makes you uncomfortable.”

There was no malice in her tone, but it still made him let out a dry laugh.

“You’re an observant one, aren’t you.”

“Not much else for me to do in here but watch people. But seriously, why’d you sign up to make yourself uncomfortable? Did someone tell you to?”

“Yeah, kinda. Someone told me if I could help that I should.”

“Your mom?”

“My dad actually,” he corrected quietly, toying with his fingers. Anytime he said his name out loud, no matter the form it took - dad, father, Sean - it was like he could feel it in his heart, a little tug on the original wound, a finger picking at a scab that wasn’t quite formed yet.

“I’ll have to thank him for that some time. I like having you around, no matter how awkward you are.”

“Well thanks Beks.”

He was saved from his devolving thoughts by a very excited Indiana coming back into the room with not one, but three blankets stacked in her arms.

“I declare it movie night,” she said, passing both of them their own blanket and rummaging for a remote, pulling up Emperor's New Groove before settling down into a chair on the other side of the bed. Grayson pulled one up so he could sit back, and without the distraction of conversation Bekah was out within the first 15 minutes, breaths deep despite the winces that she couldn’t hide. Indiana just ran a comforting hand over her arm until she lulled down further, tired muscles finally relaxing.

“She’s gonna be out the rest of the night, we might as well let her rest. You ready to go?” She asked after another twenty minutes, a bit of excitement returning to her eyes.

He nodded, moving to fix Bekah’s blanket over top of her one last time before he clicked the TV off and left her to sleep.

As soon as they signed out, he couldn’t hold back his questions.

“Is she getting worse? It seems like she’s getting worse.”

“Not necessarily. Chemo is weird like that sometimes, sometimes she’ll have good days with her meds, sometimes she’ll have bad ones. It’s just her body trying to fight for and against her at the same time. Exhausting, I would imagine. But she’s okay.”

“She doesn’t seem okay,” he said, looking back down the hallway before they went through the first set of doors.

“Hey.” He turned back to her, noted for a moment that her eyes were the same color as the painted jellyfish on the wall behind her. It grounded him somehow. “Don’t carry all this out here with you, it’ll wear you down. She’s in good hands, she’s sleeping, she’s safe. They’re doing everything they can for her, you’ve gotta trust in that.”

He knew that sometimes it didn’t matter how much they did, but he kept that to himself.

“You want me to compartmentalize.”

“A little bit, yes. It’s the only way you can survive something like this, trust me.”

He did. And he knew she was right. So he closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, let himself let go for a moment and breathe a bit easier. Without a hesitation, he reached a hand out for hers as soon as he opened his eyes, linking his fingers with hers.

“Okay. Let’s go on a date then.”

“Let’s go on a date,” she repeated, squeezing her tiny hand against his as they started down the hallway again.

He’d hatched a whole plan, ran the whole thing by both Ethan and Eden. They were going to get dinner at a little vegan food truck that he had made sure would be close by, walk the High Line for the last hour that it was open, and finish off with a late night coffee from Jets.

“Do I get to know the details of this date?” She asked while he opened the umbrella up outside and offered him her arm, almost as if she knew he was running through the itinerary in his head for the entire walk.

“Nope, you’re just along for the ride.” He grinned, trying to keep his confidence up as he started walking down the sidewalk.

For the first block, everything was fine. The rain picked up slightly, but nothing too bad, and it only made her hold onto him a bit tighter, leaning into him to avoid getting wet. He reveled in the feeling, holding himself back from leaning over and kissing her forehead.

The second block, things got a bit worse. The wind began to howl, thunder booming so loud above them that they both jumped. It seemed to shake the buildings around them a bit, and Grayson bit his lip, scrambling to think of what they would do if it got worse.

By the third block, all hell broke loose. The rain was coming down in sideways sheets, soaking their shoes and pants as Grayson tried to angle the umbrella and keep Indiana dry. It worked for approximately two seconds before the wind inverted the umbrella, leaving them both entirely exposed.

“Sorry, fuck, sorry!” He yelled over the roar of the rain, trying desperately to fix it as their shirts became heavy and wet. Their hair stuck to their foreheads, and when he pushed his back he saw that Indiana was laughing, laughing so hard that she leaned back slightly, clutching her stomach.

“C’mon, c’mon!” She grabbed his hand, dragging him along as they ran through the downpour. He followed her blindly, holding tight to her slippery hand as she weaved them through umbrellas and past people huddled under stoops.

When she pulled him into the lobby of her apartment building they were both laughing, breathless and giddy, so loud that a few people turned to look at them.

They didn’t notice.

“Your teeth are chattering,” Grayson laughed, reaching out to rest a hand on her quivering cheek. He was cold too, but he didn’t care. He hoped the blush he got out of her warmed her up a bit. “Not to invite myself up or anything, but do you care if I get dried off?”

She rolled her eyes at him, just taking his hand and leading him over to the elevator.

Unfortunately, a perfectly dry woman in her 40’s stepped on with them, and all it took was the sound of the water dripping off their clothes onto the tile for them to both break into a fit of giggles, Grayson’s mouth going wide in a silent cackle that had Indiana having to cover her own to keep from being too loud. She felt like a middle schooler getting scolded in the back of class until they made it to her floor, stepping past the woman with a muttered ‘sorry’ and wide smiles. They stared at each other until the doors closed, and then they were laughing again, holding onto each other’s shoulders as they tried to make it down the hallway and breathe at the same time.

Grayson was wiping tears by the time they got to her door, still giggling to himself as he started to shiver, his clothes getting colder by the minute. He took his shoes off outside the door, not wanting to track even more water inside as she opened the door

Her apartment was a bit warmer than the hallway, a welcoming and simple space with a small kitchen to the left and a cozy living room in front of him. Without realizing that he had even done it consciously, he had imagined her in a place just like this, with the big windows on the other side of the room covered in rain.

“Nice place,” he murmured.

“It’s no house, but it’s nice enough,” she teased. “Let me see if Devin left anything here that you can wear, hold on.”

She disappeared into a room on the right and he made his way into the living room, showing himself around. The picture frames on the top shelf caught his eye for a moment, and he smiled at how cute she looked as a baby, how beautiful she looked in her dress with her sister beside her. The woman holding her hands in the last one looked just like her, and he was about to ask when he felt Indiana behind him.

“That’s my mom. Nicole.”

“She seems like a great mom.”

“Yeah, she was.”

Grayson froze. Fuck.

“Shit, Indy, I’m sorry I-”

She put a finger to his lips. “It’s okay. But let’s not talk about it tonight, yeah?”

He nodded, trying to swallow down his guilt. He knew what it felt like to have that sprung on you without a warning, and he wished he could pull the words back out of the air, back out of her mind.

“Try these.” She passed him a pair of pajama pants. “I’m still looking for a shirt, I might have something that’s big enough for you. There’s a bathroom in my room if you wanna change in there.”

“I can just go shirtless for a while, it’s no big deal,” he reassured her. Her eyes went wide for a moment, and he saw her swallow.

“Okay. I’m gonna change now.”

“Okay. I’ll wait until you’re done.”

They stared at each other for a minute before Indiana finally moved, going into her room to start rummaging through her own clothes. She changed faster than she ever had, throwing on a pair of leggings and a crewneck with some comfy fuzzy socks before she was back in the living room.

“All yours. Um, do you want anything specific for dinner? I haven’t gone to the store in a while, and I would feel bad making somebody deliver in this weather,” she mumbled.

“Well, I’m vegan, but don’t worry if you don’t have anything, I can make it till I get home.”

In all honesty, he was starving, but he wasn’t about to end the date early because of a lack of plant based meal choices.

“I’ll see what I have, go change so I can put your clothes in the dryer with mine.”

He did as she asked, moving into her room. It was similar to the living room - white bedding, simplistic artwork in wooden frames on the walls. But above her bed were an assortment of vinyls, and he actually gasped when he saw the one in the middle.

“You listen to Cudi?!” He yelled, running back into the living room. Indiana was in the kitchen with a cucumber in her hands, but he made her jump so hard that she almost dropped it.

“Yeah, do you?”

“I fucking love Cudi dude, he’s the best artist of all time. I can’t believe you listen to him too.”

“Do I not give off Cudi vibes,” she laughed, putting the words in air quotes.

“No, you definitely do not.”

“What vibes do I give off then? Or do I not wanna know.”

“You don’t wanna know,” he grinned, flinching when she raised the cucumber like she was going to throw it.

“Go change Gray.”

He went back in, headed to her bathroom. It was much darker than the rest of the house, with a dark gray shower curtain adorned with wildflowers. He locked the door and stripped down quickly - his underwear were still damp, but he wasn’t about to go commando, especially if he was gonna risk having to hide a boner later. He had no idea how far the night was going to go, but he wanted to be ready for anything.

Standing there in the mirror in his boxers, he contemplated it for a minute, and then pulled a very 2016 Grayson move of dropping to the floor and doing a quick set of push ups so that his bare arms were a bit more swollen than they had been.

He pulled the pants on, groaning a bit at how long they were, and how tight they clung to his ass. Worried that he’d spent too long in the bathroom he picked up his wet clothes and headed back to the living room with the ends of his pants rolled up three times so he didn’t trip on them.

“You didn’t tell me Devin was a fucking giant dude! How tall is that mans?”

“He’s 6’5”,” Indiana laughed from somewhere he couldn’t see her, popping up with a loaf of bread and putting it on the counter. Her eyes went wide at the sight of him, so much tanned skin stretched over thick bands of muscle that it had her mouth dry. She swallowed again before she spoke. “Just sit those down, I can put them in the dryer.” “I can do it, are yours already in there?”

“Yeah, it’s over there.” She smiled and pointed to the doors in the hallway. He put them in and turned it on before he finally made it to the kitchen and saw the assortment on the counter. But she wasn’t looking at the food anymore - her eyes were all for him, and he felt himself fall nervous under her gaze again.

“What?”

“Nothing. You’re just cute.”

“Oh yeah, these pants are what do it for you huh?” He gave her a little spin just to make her laugh.

“Did I stutter?” She tilted her head to the side just barely, and it took all his self control not to lean in and kiss her right then. Instead, he just shook the thought from his head and stood close enough to where her shoulder was against his arm.

“What’re we workin’ with?”

“Well. I’ve got apples, a few grapes, jelly, some lettuce, bread, peanut butter, a sweet potato and crackers. Sorry.” She was sheepish, and he just shook his head at her with a frown.

“Nothing to be sorry for. You trust my PB&J making abilities?”

“That depends entirely on if you cut it into triangles or squares.”

“Oh c’mon, it’s triangles all day,” he scoffed, getting a laugh out of her that had him floating.

“Then yes, I approve. Do you care if I study while you make them? I just have a few things to go over.”

“Do whatever you gotta do,” he reassured her, moving to open the bread while she went back to her backpack. She was back quickly, with a stack of flashcards in her hands.

“Here,” he cleared her a spot on the counter next to where he was working. “Sit up here, teach me some stuff.”

“It’s just vocab stuff, nothing interesting.”

“Just say it outloud, maybe I’ll learn something.”

And so she did, laughing at the way his brows would furrow and the incredulous look he’d give her when it was a particularly long word. He took his time on the sandwiches, moving to cut up two apples and split the rest of the grapes between the two plates that he found after looking through the cabinets.

He cleared his throat and held out the plate on the palm of his hand. “Bon appetit madam.”

“Why thank you,” she giggled, sitting her cards down and taking it from him gratefully. She stayed perched on the counter and he leaned back against the fridge, taking his own plate in his hands. She complimented the food as she ate, wiggling slightly in the cutest way. Finally, she spoke up.

“Since we’re here, do I get to know what the actual date plan was?”

“Nah, I’m saving that shit for the future,” he smiled, taking the last bite of his sandwich. Even he had to admit it was good despite the slightly stale bread.

“Oh the future huh?”

“Yeah. Like next week.”

“I’ll pencil you into my planner then,” she grinned, tossing a few grapes into her mouth.

“I can’t tell if that’s sarcastic or not.”

“It’s not. Writing everything down keeps me sane I think.”

“Hey, organization is sexy,” he laughed, biting down on an apple slice.

“Good to know.” Her words were a bit muddled around the bite she had in her mouth, and Grayson put his empty plate aside, content to sit and watch her finish her meal. It was so easy to be around her, and he didn’t second guess anything he did or said - he hadn’t realized until her how much he altered himself around everyone he met.

“10 outta 10 PB&J, I’m impressed,” she smiled at him, moving her plate to the side after a moment. He couldn’t help but notice the tiny bit of jelly clinging to her cheek, purple and sticky against her skin.

“You’ve got a little - here,” he stepped up to her, reaching a hand out and running his thumb over it to get it off. But he didn’t let go - not when she looked up at him with those bright blue eyes, just like the jellyfish on the walls, and then he watched her look at his lips once before he leaned in.

She tasted sweet, lips soft against his. They were both hesitant, not sure of how far to take it. Short and sweet, they separated and looked at each other. He felt like he could float away when she brought a hand up to his hair and pulled him back in for another. He moved a hand to the counter for leverage, leaning into her as she smiled against him.

“You taste like apples,” she whispered, and then they were both laughing like they had been all night, cheeks and stomachs sore in the best way.

“C’mon you, what do you wanna do with the rest of our date night?”

“We could finish Emperor’s New Groove?” She poised.

He moved his hands to her waist, pulling her off the counter as she squealed, sitting her on her feet and taking her hand, headed to the living room. Ten minutes later and he was leaned back on the couch, feet up on the coffee table so she could curl up against his bare chest under the blanket while she scrolled through the film, trying to find where they left off.

He hoped that she’d undershoot it - anything to keep them right there, in each other's arms; bliss, as the storm raged on outside.

#SHES HERE #I.... kinda love this chapter #mixtape #grayson dolan #grayson dolan fanfiction #grayson dolan fanfic #dolan twins #dolan twins fanfic #PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THOUGHT

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carpstan · 3 years

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hi @wasp-factor! i'm your secret santa. i just wanted to say how happy writing this fic for you made me - i love gakushuu too, even though i never had the chance to write about him before, hopefully it's in character. i know you like gakushuu/isogai, and i tried to include it in the fic (apparently i really like this ship, i never thought about it before). i hope you'll like it and, since we don't know each other, maybe we'll become friends. happy holidays!

Asano Gakushuu discovers the magic of Christmas

He had done it on purpose. There was no other possible explanation.

Winter holidays were approaching and the headmaster himself had given class A a social studies assignment about the influence of Christmas. Normally, Gakushuu would not have minded writing a paper on a topic that he deemed to be quite fascinating, but that was really not the case: the headmaster apparently thought it would be delightful to have everyone discuss a different aspect of the main theme, so joining all the students’ essays would result in a rich dissertation that would cover every little detail. The problem was the theme he got.

According to the instructions he received, his task was to understand what made Christmas so appealing to people in terms of improvement of their mood and behaviour; in easier words, he had to investigate the odd phenomenon known as “the magic of Christmas”. Oh, and he had to provide actual evidence to support his thesis as well. He had to go on the streets and interview people.

So, his father absolutely did that on purpose. Forcing him to reflect on a social event he considered not only pointless but plain out dumb, while also having him interact with random strangers who were likely just as dumb was an extremely clever way to torture him. Like that was not enough, he knew he could not complain about it with his friends, who he was sure considered him lucky and would have immediately said he got the best topic. The audacity.

It could have been literally anything else. And to say he was almost excited - no, not the right word. He was intrigued when the theme was announced. He had made some research on his own and he had stumbled upon an interesting article regarding the frailty of a consumist economy which revolves around a single month of extreme consumptions, he would have been ready and enthusiastic to write about it. Ren got that part instead. Now that was luck.

Well, he better start to plan out his actions. First of all, he was going to complain to his friends: they were not going to understand him, but he still needed to get rid of some frustration. Then he would start right away. The deadline was two weeks from then and he needed to get properly organised to avoid spending too much time on this project. The sooner he turned it in the better.

---

It was not going as well as he expected. He thought everything would have run as smoothly as usual, but he should have taken some factors into account. The problem was that for the first time in his life, he found himself in the unenviable position of talking about a topic he had no knowledge nor experience of.

His father and he never celebrated Christmas, or any holiday to be fair. Their house was the only one in the neighbourhood, or maybe in the whole city, which was completely missing decorations. Once he was asked how he felt about it, and the truth was he did not feel anything at all. His family was not religious, and not believing in Jesus Christ sounded like a perfectly good reason not to celebrate his birth to him. He did not mind his house keeping its sobriety either; being exposed to flashing lights for more than two minutes gave him a mild headache, actually. He never thought it was sad, or whatever people said about those who did not celebrate, it was just behaving like usual in a time of the year which was just like any other period.

Still, he was having some troubles doing his deed. He had decided to start off with the interviews, since he knew from the beginning he would have had to rely on other people’s experiences, and also he wanted to get rid of the most distressful part first. That turned out not to be a good idea too.

Well, to be fair he did not have a choice. He just seemed to be particularly unlucky with the people he met. He tried his best to select those who looked more likely to actually answer his questions, but these last days also did their best to remind him the one thing he’s not good at: understanding others.

He wanted to develop a good thesis, so his intention was to gather information from people belonging to different social classes, age groups, gender, occupation and so on; he had thought that, if he had been able to analyse the phenomenon through different perspective, he would have also found the key to see the whole picture. Apparently he could have not been more wrong.

Apart from being dragged down a rabbit hole of war stories and memories of a long dead man by an old lady, witnessing a college student have a full on mental breakdown and having a business woman tell him that her children were ruining her life and their expensive desires were driving her crazy - that would have been helpful, if only he had got the part about the economy - he received the same answers from everyone. And those were not answers he could work with.

A lot of his targets claimed that presents were the best part - both receiving and giving. It made sense, at least the part about receiving, because he really could not see the appeal of wandering all day through the streets - oh, the irony - looking for gifts and getting crazy while trying, and probably failing, to figure out what someone might appreciate. Again, it could have been an interesting take to explore for the economic aspect, but he should stop thinking about that.

No, the tradition of presents was actually a decent starting point, maybe it was kind of shallow and too closely connected with the intrinsic materialism of a consumerist society - okay, enough - and it was not completely clear to him why everyone was so obsessed with Christmas and not any other holiday if it was just about gifts, but he could make it work. What actually bothered him was the other answer he frequently received.

It was lights. People actually told him that they liked the little lights all over the buildings and all the other decorations. Lights. Was he supposed to say that what made the population radically change its habits and attitude in the month of December depended on lights? What is wrong with everyone?

Exchanging presents and “festive atmosphere” really was all he got. He could feel his average grade suffer. He was not going to let it happen, let alone because of a social studies assignment on the magic of Christmas.

---

It was his fifth day of scanning the streets for someone who would give him some good material to work on. He had been reviewing his notes and the night before he had had an idea: it was his last resort, but time was running fast. Reluctantly, he made his decision. He was headed towards the 3E building and he intended to make a truce.

When he did arrive at the building he could not find anyone. Class E was definitely odd, but how skilled each of them appeared to be at getting through that hell of a path down the mountain was beyond weird if you asked him. Maybe it was for the better, he thought. He would have found another way, he did not need any help, certainly not from them.

Just as he was about to head back he noticed someone walking out of the building and towards him. Isogai arrived at the spot where he was standing fast, stopping at an appropriate distance before speaking.

- Asano-kun, I didn’t expect to see you. Do you need anything?

He did not look too happy to see him there, but he was very polite, just like it was expected from him. Isogai also seemed eager to know what brought him there, which was legitimate; he swallowed down his pride and forced himself to do what he came for.

- Actually, yes, I do.

Gakushuu straightened his back before continuing.

- I’m writing an assignment for social studies about the social effects of Christmas and I need to interview some people. I haven’t received any satisfying answer so far, so, would you mind if I asked you a couple of questions?

Isogai was surprised by what he could tell. Fair, he thought. He was not aiming at him specifically, but any 3E student would have had the same reaction. Or a way less polite one. He had to admit, he was quite content having met him: he did not insult him and sent him away, which was already a lot, and Gakushuu did have some sort of respect for him, if he could call it that. He acknowledged he was smart and most importantly he was skillful enough to be able to use his intelligence to do a good job as class representative. He was from class E, so he mostly despised him, but a little less than he despised the others.

- Of course. What is it?

He had hesitated for a couple of seconds before pronouncing the words, and Gakushuu guessed he had debated whether he should indulge in their conversation or not until the very last moment.

- Do you consider Christmas important?

Isogai pondered his words upon answering.

- My family is Christian, but I’ll admit we don’t give much weight to the ritual celebration. Apart from that though, we do take Christmas seriously.

Gakushuu nodded slowly. Not religion then. He had already figured that bit on his own, religion might have been a relevant fuel in the past, but it could not get such an effect in these times. It was time to ask the infamous question then: he really hoped he was not going to hear presents and lights again; this really was his last resort.

- If not religion, what is it that makes Christmas so special? How is it different from any other holiday?

Isogai took yet another pause.

- Well, it is the only holiday that brings my whole family together. On Christmas day no one is at school, or at work, and even if it happened before that we had to spend it in the hospital, we still were all together.

A small smile was forming on his face as the words rolled out of his mouth; he may have not even realised the corners of his mouth rising ever so slightly.

- We also usually get to eat a meal that is a little more elaborate than our usual, and since we cook all together too it’s another chance to spend as much time as possible with each other without worrying about everyday’s problems. It’s the one day we can live completely carefree. And since everyone else tends to feel more generous, they leave higher tips, which is convenient.

Family. Was that the key? It was the message that also laid under those college students who mentioned some dishes that their relatives were going to cook and that they were looking forward to eating. He should have understood before, he told himself, but he knew he could not. He just could not. He was never going to understand what it really meant, he knew because he had forced himself to do it before. Even those times he had tried to picture a cohesive family, he still did not manage to get past the notion that the concept of family itself is supposed to be on a higher level than most things. Why would something one had no control over ever be so important? How could relationships decided by casuality alone be more relevant than those born out of mutual choice? It did not mean anything to him. He was never going to understand.

But at least he had enough material to write a good essay now. He could have just thanked Isogai and left, but there was that last sentence he had said. He did not think too much before opening his mouth again.

- Don’t you think that’s hypocritical?

Isogai now gave him a full, conscious smile, even though it had a shade he could not quite place: it looked almost sympathetic. He shrugged before finally replying.

- Maybe it is, but I’m not in a position to judge, if anybody is.

Gakushuu was not sure about what he should do with that statement. It was something to think about.

- Alright, that’s all I needed. Thank you, Isogai-kun.

---

Gakushuu did not write the essay right away. Instead, he took his time to adjust all the information he had gathered. He did not take any notes while talking to Isogai, but he soon realised that was not going to be an issue at all: he remembered all his words perfectly, he noticed, and he proceeded to write them down in the evening.

Later, he caught himself thinking about that conversation more than once. They did not even say much, and he wished they had taken some more time. Speaking with Isogai again was something he would have liked; they did not have much in common, but he still thought they might have some interesting discussions, if only they had the chance.

He actually ended up handing in his paper on the last day. It was not usual for him, or, to be honest, it should be said it had never happened before. He knew he had made excellent work.

---

It was not evening yet, but the sun had set long ago. The sky was clear and a soft yet glacial wind was blowing; Christmas lights seemed brighter when the moon was not high up in the sky, drowning the stars themselves with their overwhelming glow. After a careful analysis, Gakushuu was confident in confirming that he hated them, and the flashing ones still gave him a mild headache. How all those people could appreciate them was forever going to be a mystery.

Mindlessly walking through the city centre, he was still thinking about that assignment. It had kept him occupied for a good portion of time, and he was glad it was now something he did not have to worry about anymore. As he was passing close to a café, something at the corner of his eye caught his attention. He stopped by the side of the street, unsure of the reason, and peeked through the café’s window: there he saw Isogai serving a couple of elders with a warm smile on his face. He was working hard, probably, no, surely looking forward to spending the next day with his mother and siblings. The man he had just served handed him what looked like a very generous tip, and his mind trailed back to that one conversation again. He could not understand Isogai’s situation either, he had to admit it, at least to himself. At the moment, it felt okay. Realising he could not understand everything for once did not feel like a tremendous crime he had to atone for. It actually seemed to him that he could empathise with Isogai, just for a second, and despite knowing it was nothing but an ephemeral feeling that was going to be gone in a flash, it made him feel well. Maybe poor people deserved rights, after all.

Then Isogai noticed and his face went pale. Gakushuu did not immediately interpret that reaction correctly, but he soon became aware of what his presence there had meant in the past: he thought he was going to tell his father about it.

Isogai excused himself and rushed outside to meet him without even bothering to grab a coat and started talking before Gakushuu had the chance to clarify his intentions.

- Asano-kun, I know I shouldn’t be working but I really-

- I’m not going to report you to the headmaster.

Gakushuu interrupted him immediately. Isogai did look significantly relieved.

- I was just passing by. But since I’m here I wanted to thank you for helping with my assignment. It was an interesting conversation.

Isogai’s eyes were wide open - he almost looked like a deer caught in the headlights. But soon he started to warm up and reserved him a smile similar to the one he gave to the clients in the café.

- Oh, I’m glad I was helpful. It was interesting indeed.

Gakushuu could almost feel himself starting to smile in the moments of silence that followed, which he hurriedly broke.

- Well, it’s cold. You should head back inside.

He quickly said then. Isogai was almost shivering actually, but he looked somehow pleased. Gakushuu suspected he had seen him smiling, but he could not be sure.

- Yeah, that’s right. Merry Christmas then, Asano-kun.

He greeted him; his smile might have been brighter than those Christmas lights.

- Merry Christmas, Isogai-kun.

He really did not despise him that much.

---

After leaving the café, Gakushuu decided to head home. The walk was not long and he deemed it quite relaxing. He was not paying a lot of attention to the familiar buildings of his neighbourhood: everything was in place, just as it was when he had left the house in the morning.

Except there was a difference, a small detail that could have gone unnoticed and that most people had surely missed, but which appeared like a massive change to his eyes: on his house’s front door there was a Christmas wreath. It was small and quite simple, but it was there. He stared at it for what might have been a whole minute before snapping out of the shock and entering the house.

He found his father sitting on the sofa reading a book like nothing had happened, but he was the only person who could have put it there.

- What does it mean?

Gakushuu asked as soon as he arrived in the living room, without bothering to greet him first.

- What is it?

His father asked, his eyes still fixed on the book in his hands.

- The Christmas wreath on the front door, what about it?

- I don’t know what you’re talking about.

Gakushuu stared at his father for a handful of seconds, before huffing what sounded like a “whatever” and going straight to his room. There, he allowed himself to smile.

#assassination classroom #assassination classroom secret santa

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haddonfieldproject · 4 years

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<<PREVIOUS⏺<<CONTENTS>>

1.2.25 SATURDAY NOVEMBER 1st, 7:17 AM

Haddonfield, Illinois

“Oh my God I feel so much better!” Ophelia Tate said, leaning her seat back with a groan.

“Totally,” Jack seconded, pulling the station wagon into the parking lot of a Liberty Burger fast-food chain. “It's amazing how a shower can wake you up too, I hardly feel like I was up all night at all.”

He pulled the car into the drive-thru lane and rolled down the window.

“Now we can go check out the hospital first, and then sleep the rest of the day.” Ophelia said, sitting up straight to look over the menu board.

“So you’re saying taking a shower at the Truck Stop was a good idea?” Jack smiled.

“Maybe,” Ophelia rolled her eyes.

Jack threw his hands up in exasperation. “Come on? Can’t I get some credit?!”

“Even a broken clock is right twice a day,” Ophelia smirked

“Welcome to Liberty Burger, can I take your order?!” The speaker below the menu board squawked.

“Hold on one second,” Jack called out, rolling his eyes at his wife. He turned to his son, who was sitting in the back with his ear-buds in again. “Damon, do you want anything?”

“Not from here,” he groaned.

“Well here is where we are so if you want anything to eat for breakfast, here is where it's coming from.” Jack replied and looked at his wife. “Thanks babe. Do you know what you would like?”

“Number six,” she answered, “no cream or sugar for the coffee, I don't want to be too jittery when I meet all of the staff.”

“Okay,” Jack called out to the speaker, and then he looked back at his son, “Damon?”

Damon rolled his eyes, “I guess an egg and cheese biscuit is fine.”

“Go ahead with your order,” the speaker barked.

“Do you want OJ to drink?” Jack asked his son.

“What time is it?” Ophelia asked, she picked up her phone and swiped to see if it had gotten enough charge yet to turn the thing on.

Nope...still dead.

“Fine,” Damon sighed.

“It's close to half passed seven,” Jack said to his wife and then leaned toward the speaker, “OK I'll have a number six combo...”

“What to drink with that?”

“Coffee please.”

“Cream and sugar for the coffee?”

“No thank you.”

“Okay.”

“I'll have a number eight, no combo, I don't want any hash browns.”

“OK.what else?”

“And I'll have a number four combo.”

“What to drink with that?”

“Orange juice.”

“OK..anything else?”

“I'd like another small OJ please.”

“OK..anything else?”

“No, that's it.”

“16.42, please drive around to the first window.”

🎃

Jack did, and before long they were cruising in town, munching on their fast food breakfast.

“I wish it wasn't still raining so hard, we could see the town better.” Jack said.

“It's pretty though,” Ophelia said, “look there's a post office.”

“Whole town looks like a Norman Rockwell painting,” Jack said.

“Who?”

“Norman Rockwell...he's got all the paintings in the doctors' offices, I'd figure you'd know who he is.”

Ophelia shook her head and pointed to her right. “That's like the tenth church we've driven by.”

“You know the one of the kid who's looking over his doctor's degree while taking off his pants because he's about to get a shot in the ass?” Jack asked.

“Oh yeah, I love that one, it's cute” Ophelia answered.

“That's Norman Rockwell.”

“This is the turn right?”

“Yep,” Jack answered, flicking the turn signal on and turning left at a traffic light with a green sign that read: OLD RESERVOIR RD E.

On the right they passed a LITTLE EGYPT CREDIT UNION. It has an electronic sign with a marquee. The letters on the sign read:

HUSKERS HOME THIS SAT

...and then changed again...

VS WCHS ‪730P‬

Ophelia was reading the sign when Jack tapped her shoulder. He was pointing to the left. There was a white sign that read C.R. 4679, as in the designation for the county road, and next to it, one of those familiar blue signs with the big white H, under which was an arrow pointing up.

“The hospital is right up here, we'll be there in a sec.” Jack said.

Ophelia pulled the sun visor down and looked at her face in the mirror, inspecting her bleary looking eyes, she saw Damon dozing in the back seat with his ear-buds in. She turned around and smacked his knee. His eyes opened.

“Take those things out of your ears we are---”

“Whaaa?” He interrupted, taking the ear bud out of his left ear.

“Turn that off, we are almost there.” She said.

“There's the cemetery,” Jack pointed across Ophelia toward the left.

Damon and Ophelia looked that way. Indeed there was a cemetery

REINCOURT ACRES, a sign read.

“That's one spooky ass cemetery,” Damon said quietly.

“Language,” Ophelia hissed.

“It's only because of the rain and fog,” Jack said.

“It's pretty creepy,” Ophelia agreed. “Bet you could catch a ghost or too in there.” She added.

“Whole damn place is a ghost town,” Damon said.

Ophelia laughed at the pun in spite of herself, “Language,” she said simply.

“It's small, nice, and away from everything,” Jack remarked, looking at Damon in his rear-view mirror, “Which will be good for you.”

Damon rolled his eyes.

“There's the hill,” Ophelia said, pointing straight ahead, “and a sign.” She was referring to the fact that the road they were traveling on took a sharp right turn, disappearing behind the bluff of a steep and rocky hill. A gravel road cut to the left, essentially forming a T-junction. A white rectangular sign with a black arrow and black lettering pointed to the left reading: FRENCHLICK RESERVOIR.

Under that was a blue sign with white lettering and an arrow pointing to the right reading: HADDONFIELD CO GEN HOSP.

Below that was a yellow diamond with a black arrow pointing to the right, under which was another rectangular yellow sign with black letters reading: CAUTION SHARP TURN 15 MPH.

Jack let off the gas and pointed to the left. “Apparently, from what I read online, the old reservoir down there for which this road was named dates back to when all of this was a French colony back in the---”

“JACK WATCH OUT!!” Ophelia screamed.

This was followed quickly by a gasp from Damon, “What...the...fuck!”

Jack and Ophelia didn't bother this time to correct their son's language.

Jack stood on the brakes. The car skidded for a few feet on the wet asphalt and came to an abrupt halt about twenty yards from the turn.

A woman...or maybe a young girl, was walking---staggering to be more exact--in the middle of the road. The rain matted her hair over her face, and also soaked through what looked like a hospital gown. It was so saturated in fact that it had become essentially see-through, and in the soft gray morning light, the red of her nipples was visible as well as the dark patch of her pubic hair. One of her arms was in some kind of metal brace and cast which gleamed in the light of the station wagon's headlights. Her other arm was covered in blood, which ran down the side of her bluish gray skin, and dripped from her fingertips.

“Oh my God,” Ophelia breathed. The figure looked very much like a ghost.

Ophelia opened the door and hopped out. Jack un-clicked his seat-belt and opened his door as well. “Stay here,” he said to Damon.

“Yeah right,” Damon replied, and opened his door also.

“Ma'am!?” Ophelia bellowed. The girl had no reaction except which to stagger to one side suddenly, seeming that she was about to fall over unto the wet road but she corrected herself, swaying momentarily the other way before righting. They could hear she was muttering something.

Ophelia reached her first. “Ma'am what is your name?” She reached out to her hesitantly. The girl was young—older teenager. Her face was busted up pretty bad, her nose most likely broken and it had already been set and bandaged, but the rain was peeling some of the bandage off now. There was bruising around the eyes suggesting it had happened some time before. Ophelia put her hand on her shoulders and the girl stopped walking. Jack splashed up beside her, followed by Damon.

“She must have escaped the hospital!” Jack called out.

No shit, Ophelia thought, “Ma'am, do you know where you are?”

The girl had stopped walking, but she kept muttering, but now they could hear what she was saying.

“We blew his ass up....we burned his ass....he's on fire but he's still walking...burn fucker...burn...”

Ophelia felt a tightening in her chest. She reached down and lifted the girl's right wrist with her left hand, it was the one with the brace and cast. The hospital band was wrapped around her forearm above the brace but the rain had smeared all of the lettering, she couldn't make anything out.

“These damn county-fried doctors!” Jack began, “They never know how much shit they're giving these patients. First thing you're gonna need to do Ophelia is monitor their...” he stopped suddenly, cocking his head to one side. “Wait. Do you smell smoke?”

“...blew his ass up....burned that fucker....still walking towards me though...just won't die....”

Damon sniffed, “Totally...and look!”

Ophelia took a whiff too. Definitely smoke.

She looked up to where Damon was pointing. Straight ahead from the direction the girl had been coming.

At first it looked kind of like fireflies, dancing out from behind the steep bluff of the hill. Damon took off running towards them, his father followed. Ophelia didn't need to follow to know what they were, she had seen a sight like that before when she had been working a forest fire outside of Woodsboro, California about two years before.

Embers.

Ophelia looked over the girl's hand. It was all tore up, broken fingers, a broken wrist, her pinky fingertip looked like it had been surgically re-attached. All of the wounds that had been stitched were oozing blood, suggesting she had gotten quite a workout with the arm since it had been patched up. She looked at her legs. Her knees were scraped up, and the front of her gown was filthy, as if she had crawled through the mud on her belly.

“Can you tell me your name?” She tried again. The girl still muttered.

“kept coming....even when he was on fire....I hope the fucker burns...we blew his ass up...”

“Holy shit!” Jack called out.

Damon and Jack had come around the hill. There---just as the maps and the descriptions on the internet had told them---about four hundred yards away and across a gated parking lot, was the hospital.

Or what was left of it.

It was a white rectangular building, pretty typical of any hospital in any town in America. At the top of the building, spanning it's face in blue lettering read: HADDONFIELD COUNTY-GENERAL MEDICAL CENTER. In the front center of the building was a large overhang marked with red lettering that read: EMERGENCY.

Below that you would assume to see the front doors of a lobby or annex of some kind. Instead, Damon and Jack saw a jagged hole, as if a bomb had exploded there. Out of the hole spit the flames of the most hellish inferno the two of them had every seen. Thick black smoke rose up out of the hole as well as out of some of the broken windows nearest to the front entrance. The parking lot was void except for two or three cars. Not an ambulance or fire truck to be seen. The two could actually feel the heat from the fire hitting their faces, even though they were so far away.

“Do you have your phone?” Jack asked his son, raising his voice over the relentless sound of the rain.

“It's in the car!” He yelled back.

“Go call ‪911‬!” his dad exclaimed.

Damon turned and sprinted back around the hill.

When he came in full view of the car, and his mom, and the young lady she was trying to talk to, whose bare ass he could now see hanging out of her sopped hospital gown, he held up. In the far distance beyond them, he could see the lights of a firetruck.

Two firetrucks..and maybe a police cruiser.

He began to hear the siren as well. They were coming towards them.

Ophelia squeezed the young girl's shoulders. “Honey, I can't help you if you don't tell me your name!” She said more firmly.

The girl's eyes settled on Ophelia's face for a moment, then rolled up into the back of her head. She tossed her head back and bellowed, “STOP FOLLOWING ME YOU MOTHER-FUCKER!”

Ophelia's heart skipped a beat.

Damon caught his breath.

The sirens grew louder.

Ophelia felt the girl go weak at the knees and she caught her, moving her hands down to hold her up by the armpits. “Whoa...easy.” She said.

The girl tossed her head back again and screamed a second time—- a blood curdling scream that slowly morphed into a wrack of cries and sobs.

NEXT>>

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jamies-kpop-reactions · 5 years

Text

Seventeen Reaction To You Getting in a Car Accident

Hello Lovely's! The overwhelming vote was for a Seventeen reaction. So here you go. I hope you enjoy.

It had been one of those days. The days where you just wished that you were at home with your boyfriend resting. But no, you just had to go to work today. It started when you got your morning beverage and it spilled all over your shirt, then your boss proceeded to yell at you for accidentally deleting an important file, then it ended with you dropping your phone into the sink. Well, that what you though it ended with anyways.

You didn’t take your car to work today, because it was in the shop, so you got a taxi home. You were about five minutes away when you decided to call your boyfriend and let him know that you were almost home.

“Hey Babe! How was work today?” Asked your loving boyfriend.

“Actually, it went pretty horrible. I will tell you everything when I get home.” You responded.

“Ok. I am sorry to hear that. It it makes you feel any better we can have a movie night, and a cuddle marathon.”

“Yeah that does make me feel better. Anyways I called to let you know that.....”

Then there was a loud crash... and nothing.

S. Coups

“Baby? Are you ok? What Happened?” he said into the phone. When you didn’t respond he knew that something bad had happened. He figured that you called to tell him that you were almost home, so he immediately put his shoes on and ran out the door.

When he got to the scene, he saw them loading you onto an ambulance. He could tell that it was bad because you had paramedics all around you. He ran up to the ambulance and almost passed out. You had blood all over your body, he saw pieces of glass sticking out of your skin, and he also saw that your arm was crushed. He told the paramedics who he was and that he needed to be there with you. He got in the ambulance and gripped your good hand.

“Its ok sweetheart. I am here, and I am not leaving.”

Jeonghan

“Hello? What was that?” He asked in a very shaky voice hoping that you would answer him. When you didn’t he got scared and rushed out of the house forgetting to take off his slippers.

When he got there he saw you were sitting on the curb tears running down your face. He immediately rushed over to you.

“Baby!” He shouted running full speed towards you. You looked up when you heard him and started running at him as well. You met in the middle gripping onto each other for dear life. “ Don’t ever scare me like that again. I don’t know what I would do if I loose you.” He said running one had through your hair, the other gripping your shirt so tightly that his hands were shaking. He saw that you had bandages on various parts of your body, and that one of your arms was in a sling. He had immediately felt rage for the person who hit your car, but calmed down once he heard you crying and gripping onto him harder than he was to you.

You couldn’t say anything because you were sobbing so hard, but the both of you knew that you were not letting go of each other anytime soon, or maybe ever again.

Joshua

When Joshua heard the phone cut off, he was frozen with fear. He knew that he had to go and see what happened, and if you were ok, but he just couldn’t move. When one of his members shouted at him he finally came around. He rushed out the door not listening to the others shouting at him asking what happened. He knew that he had to get to you. When he finally did, he saw that you were sitting in an ambulance and they were treating you. He ran over and assessed the damage. He saw firefighters extinguishing the taxi, which caught on fire in the accident. He then looked at you and saw that you had burns on your face, arms, and stomach.

“Oh jagi, I am so so sorry.” He was speechless. He knew that probably nothing he would say right now would comfort you. He just climbed into the ambulance and grabbed your hand that wasn’t burned. He knew that this was going to be a long and hard recovery, but he was going to be there with you through every step of the way. He was not leaving.

Jun

“Hello? Baby? What happened?” He asked into the phone hoping that he was just hearing things.

“We just got into a car accident.” You whispered back. Thankfully it wasn’t that bad just a fender bender, but you knew that you were going to have to go to the hospital to get stitches. You hit your head on the seat in front of you, hard, and got a gash on your forehead, and probably a concussion. “I am going to have to go to the hospital to get checked out.” You told him.

“Ok. I am on my way. I love you.” He said already starting to put on his shoes and his coat. You were the most important thing in his world, and he was terrified that something bad happened, but hearing you talk to him calmed him down significantly. He would do any and everything for you.

“I love you too.”

Hoshi

Soonyoung was terrified. He heard that loud crash, then heard the phone cut off, and he thought that you were dead. He was the most terrified that he had ever been in his entire life. He knew he had to get to you, now. He ran out of practice and to where you were. What he saw terrified him even more.

“Soonie, baby it hurts” was all that you were able to say before you passed out. He saw that you had been flown through the windshield, had glass all over you, and your leg was caught in the glass. He immediately rushed into action calling for help, he got there before the paramedics did, he ran to you and started to try and get you to wake up. He knew that it would be stupid to try and move you, and it would probably hurt you even more, so he gripped one of your hands, and ran his other through your hair. he then whispered in your ears.

“I know it hurts my love, but you cannot die, because if you die then so do i. I need you here with me. You are my everything. Please don’t die.”

Wonwoo

As soon as Wonwoo heard that crash, he was out of the building and on his way to you. You already had a concussion because you are a gymnast and landed wrong during an event, and he knew that if you hit your head it could give you permanent brain damage. When he got there he saw you standing and talking to a police officer. He also saw that you had some blood on your head. He started to walk over to you when he saw your eyes roll back in your head and you falling. He got there just in time to catch you. He told the paramedics that you already had an injury. They immediately took you to the hospital. Wonwoo was with you the entire time.

“Don’t you dare leave me. Our story is not finished yet. If you leave me I will die, so you cannot leave me.

Woozi

“Hey, Y/N are you ok?” He asked into the phone. When he didn’t hear a reply just silence he got scared. He called you again to see if your phone just shut off, not believing the scenarios going through is head. When you picked up he was so relieved.

“Yeobo are you ok? What happened? Do I need to...” he rushed out until you interrupted him.

“Hey I am ok. We just got into a small accident. I think that I broke my leg so I am going to go and get it checked out at the hospital.” You told him calmly, not that that really comforted him any.

“Ok. I am on my way now. Please don’t get hurt anywhere else. I hate it when you get hurt because it hurts me that you are in pain and i really can’t do anything to help you. I love you. Stay safe, I will be there soon.”

Seokmin’s heart dropped. He was just talking to you and now he hears a crash and can’t get a-hold of you. He knew that this probably meant something bad, but he didn’t want to believe it. He put on his coat and shoes getting ready to go and find out what happened, when he gets a phone call.

“Hello? Y/N? Are you ok?” He rushed to ask you.

“Hello sir. This is not Y/N, but I am calling about her. She is currently in the hospital. She was in a car crash. She is in surgery right now to repair some internal bleeding that happened because of the accident. I see that you are down as her emergency contact. Could you please come to the hosp;ital right away?” His whole world stopped. He said yes to the doctor, but he felt like he was going to pass out. He knew that he had to get to the hospital right away because it sounded serious. He just hoped that you were ok.

“Hang on Y/N I am on my way.”

Mingyu

Mingyu grabbed his coat and threw on his shoes and left. He doesn’t know what happened completely, but what he does know is that he was on the phone with you, then he heard a loud bang. You are his main priority, and he is going to make sure that you are ok. When he got to the scene he immediately spotted you sitting in the ambulance crying. He rushed over to you and pulled you into his arms.

“Oh my love, are you ok?” He asked into your hair. He had you in his arms and he never want to let go of you.

“I am ok for the most part. They think that I probably have a Concussion and I am going to have to get stitches.”

After you said that to him he was relieved, yes that was still not good, but he was expecting you to be dead when he got there.

“I love you so much. Don’t ever scare me like that ever again.”

The8

“Babe?” He asked into the phone aster he heard the huge crash.

“I’m ok. We just got into a car accident. I can’t get out though my leg is stuck. Can you come?” After you finished asking the question you heard the car start.

“I am on my way babe, its ok. I will be there soon.” He said to you then hung up.

He knew that you were acting brave for him, you did it all the time when things got scary. He knows that he has to get to you soon, otherwise you will have a panic attack. When he arrived he ran straight over to you. The paramedics had already extracted you. He pulled you into his arms. He felt you grip onto him and start to sob.

“Its ok my love. I am here.”

Seungkwan

As soon as Seungkwan heard the crash he was out the door. You had been in two car accidents before and he knew that you panicked every time. He rushed as fast as he could to get to the scene of the crash. He got there before the paramedics did and se saw you rocking yourself on the pavement.

“Jagiya its ok. I am right here.” He said as he slowly got closer to you. Once you gave him the ok he pulled you right into his arms. He wrapped one arm around your waist and the other was stroking your hair. He knows that this was a traumatic experience for you, and he was prepared to stick right by your side through his entire recovery. He felt and heard you sobbing in his arms and he knew better than to shush you. “Just let it out baby. I am right here, and I am not going to go anywhere.”

(I couldn’t really find a gif, so just pretend that he is hugging you.)

Vernon

He slowly pulled the phone away from his ear. It was like everything was in slow motion. He felt his heart beating out of his chest, but for some reason it felt like he couldn’t move. He heard the boys yelling, but he couldn’t respond to them, he was too far in his head. He stayed like that for several minutes much to his members worries. Then he heard his phone ring, and he snapped back into action.

“Hello? Y/N? Is that you?”

“Hello sir, unfortunately it is not. I am currently calling from the hospital. Your partner Y/N had been admitted to our hospital following a car crash. She is ok for the most part, but she has a bad fracture in her leg. We have to perform surgery to repair it. Can you please come down to the hospital?” Asked the person on the phone who was apparently a doctor.

“Of course i will be there soon. Tell Y/N to wait for me.”

Dino

As soon as the phone call cut off, he was out of the room and running to you. This was Chan’s first real relationship and he was so scarred that something was going to happen to you. When he got there he was relieved to see you sitting in the ambulance with a blanket around you getting checked out by the paramedics. He waited patiently(not really) until the paramedics had finished their examination., The moment they did, he was pulling you against his chest and wrapping his arms around your back.

“Y/N I love you, you cant scare me like this. I felt like I was going to die.” He told you asking if something was wrong. Luckily all that was wrong was a sprained wrist and a few cuts that you had to get stitches, nothing major. “Thank god, if something bad happened to you, i don’t know what I would have done.”

#seventeen #seventeen reactions #jeonghan #seungcheol #scoups #joshua #jun #minghao #the8 #woozi #jihoon #dino #chan #seungkwan #vernon #hansol #mingyu #dk #seokmin #wonwoo #hoshi #soonyoung

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poppyknitt · 5 years

Text

Can’t Slip Now...- A JSE egos au story

(A Darkness and Desperation story)

TRIGGER WARNING/DISCLAIMER:

This story contains heavy mentions of CHILD ABUSE, PHYSICAL ABUSE, and a fair number of other things related to those, such as an abuser manipulating people into thinking nothing bad is happening, etc. Please do not read this story if you get triggered by abuse or anything related to it, regardless of how much of it is needed to trigger you. I don’t want anyone to have any issues with anxiety and/or ptsd-related panic attacks or episodes as a result of my story, so please, please DO NOT read past this warning, as, i kid you not, the abuse literally starts in the first paragraph.

Marvin woke up, and realized he’d slept past his alarm before his mind properly registered the sound of his mother yelling at Jameson drowning out the noise of his youngest brother’s sobbing pleas. As soon as he understood what he was hearing, he shot up out of bed, and quietly darted out of bed and down the hallway. Henry, Chase, Jackie, and Shenny were all huddled together by the corner of the hall, since Chase was clearly having a breakdown, and Henrik wasn’t really much better.

Shen exchanged a knowing look with him, and hesitantly nodded, giving him the okay to try to intervene again, even though they both knew Marvin’s concussion hadn’t finished healing. He ran into the dining room, and immediately started desperately yanking at his mother’s arm to try to get her to let go of James, as she was choking him.

“Mom! Stop! Leave him alone! Don’t hurt him!” He yelled, even though he knew he wasn’t going to stop the crazy bitch by trying to interfere like this. Jackie was peeking in through the doorway with eyes as wide as the moon, obviously wanting to join his younger brother, but being too scared to do anything.

His mother suddenly snapped her attention to him, and he realized all too late how royally he’d fucked up. Next thing he knew, he’d been flung across the room, and he smashed painfully into the glass cabinet his mother kept a lot of meaningless porcelains in for no reason other than wanting to look much better off financially than she really was. His head slammed into the back of the cabinet with the sickening noise of a skull cracking, and his hearing was overtaken by agonizingly loud ringing. It didn’t take long for him to start registering the severe pain ripping through his body, but it was short-lived, as he felt something he’d been unaware of slipping away.

…

….

… Was this what death feels like? Was that why everything hurt so much? Was that why he couldn’t hear anything, not even the screams and sobs of his brother? Was… that why his vision was slowly fading away?

…

….

Silence. Darkness. All his senses failed. He couldn’t even feel his body anymore.

So… This is it, huh? Just like that, this is how we die? A horribly failed attempt to save James… got us killed?

… Why? Why does she hate us so much..? Why… does she hate our brothers so much..? What did they ever do to deserve this..? I’m the only one who hurts people… I’m the only one who kills… Why didn’t she just abort us all if she didn’t want us..?

…

… This really is the end for us, isn’t it..? Killed by our own mother… God… We didn’t even get to say goodbye to our brothers…

…

….

…..

No.

Not yet.

We can’t give up.

We have to pull ourselves together! We have to get up from this! We have to survive. For James. Chase. Henrik. Jackie. Shen. We can’t let them down. We have to be strong for our brothers. They need us. They can’t go through this alone.

Get up. Get ready for school. Have Shenny drop Jameson off at preschool for us. We have to save our energy as much as we can if we want to survive this. We’re gonna be late, but that doesn’t matter. We can hide our wounds with magic. We’ve done it before. This isn’t any different.

…

….

He opened his eyes, making a very small noise of pain. He looked around, to see his mother gone- most likely off to work now-, Shenny trying desperately to wake him, as Jackie did his best to comfort their younger brothers, all of which were either having a panic attack, sobbing uncontrollably, or just entirely catatonic.

“Marvin!” Shen exclaimed when he saw his eyes open, and hugged him. He winced, and Shen quickly let go, apologizing profusely.

“...issokeh…s’okeh...don’ apol’gize… y’re scared…” he mumbled, his words slurred heavily, “...wh’re’s th’cr’tch’s…”

“Crutches..? N-No, M-Marvin, you can’t go to- to school like this! Y-You need to go to the hosp-” Shen began to protest, but he shut up when Marvin glared at him for suggesting he go to that cursed place that claims to help fix people.

“No. no hosp’tle. don’trus’ th’ docs… they’ll jus’ scol’me f’r bein’ weak...”

“...”

“S-Sean, just get the crutches… we don’t have much time left, we’re all gonna be late if you stall us by arguing with his stupid bullshit again-”

“Last time this happened, he stumbled into class and collapsed! This time it’s even worse than just a concussion, you know that, right?!”

“Sean! Seriously! We’re more likely to get help for all this if we just let him carry out with whatever ridiculous idea he has.”

Shen sighed in annoyance, and rolled his eyes, “Fine.” He summoned some strings, and they quickly zipped off, going to find the crutches and bring them back. It didn’t take long for the strings to pull them in, and soon enough, they were all heading out. Shen held James in his arms as he walked, while Jackie walked ahead of them with Chase on his shoulder and Henrik holding his hand. Shen had to separate from them halfway to school, since he was responsible for taking James to preschool today.

After about ten minutes, Jackie was a long ways ahead of him, and the distance between them only increased as they got closer and closer. By the time he arrived at school, Jack was in class, as were Chase and Henry. He was the last one to get into the building, as it was probably around 8:50 AM, and classes had already started. He didn’t make it any farther than passing the office door, though, and collapsed on the ground.

…

Thankfully, a girl he recognized (but couldn’t remember why, due to the loss of blood accompanied by a severe concussion) rounded the corner soon after he fell, and immediately noticed him lying on the ground, his body beaten and bloody, with quite a few shards of glass still in his flesh, because they were buried so deep that removing them without a doctor there would surely kill him. She screamed out of fear and concern, and ran off, probably trying to find a teacher.

She came back after a few minutes, and pointed the custodian she’d found to him, but by then he had lost his hearing to the screeching sound of ringing and false voices in his ears, and couldn’t tell if anyone was talking. He saw more adults come up to them, one of whom immediately called 911, while the others tried to figure out how to get him somewhere safer or something. He closed his eyes, knowing he’d failed to tough it out like he had all the previous times his mother decided to direct her aggressions onto him.

…

….

…..

He must’ve blacked out, because he woke up in an ambulance, with paramedics trying their hardest to stabilize his condition enough to get him into the ER before he died. He didn’t get to stay awake long enough to know if they managed to do anything, though, since he fell back into unconsciousness less than a minute after regaining it.

…

….

…..

Beeping. That was the first thing he registered. Slowly, but surely, though, his senses all faded back in, and he realized he was in the hospital, and there were nurses and a doctor or two in the room with him. Panic set in, and the first thing he did was try to tear out the IVs in his arms, but the nurses noticed immediately, and rushed over to him, restraining him from getting the hell out of there. He started crying, his mind a mess of panic and confusion, as he could no longer recall any events that lead up to him being here. As far as he was aware, they were holding him here against his will, hell, probably even holding him for ransom until his brothers found a way to give them money, and it was still two weeks prior, when he got the first concussion.

They wound up sedating him after he refused to stop thrashing around, even as the other nurses and doctors ran over to try to calm him down.

—————

The weeks he spent recovering in the hospital were hell. Every waking moment was spent either panicking, crying, or feeling nothing at all, except a burning desire to just run back home, and pretend none of this had ever happened. He’d regained the memory of trying to save his brother, but nothing else.

After the sedative they’d used on him wore off, he remembered sitting up in bed as one of the nurses kept an eye on him in case he tried it again, and bursting into tears, sobbing out that he wanted his brothers. He knew they couldn’t grant him that, but he couldn’t bear to be alone in the hospital room with a nurse. At this point he didn’t even remember why he was so terrified of hospitals, doctors, and everything else that involved medical attention. It had just become instinctive for him to try to get away from them by now.

He remembered the nurse coming over and trying her damnedest to comfort him, though.

“Hey, hey, calm down, sweetie, it’s okay… You’re gonna be okay…”

“I want my brothers- I-I wanna go home!” He’d sobbed, shaking uncontrollably as the nurse kept trying to calm him down.

“Your brothers are with your little brother right now, sweetie. They’ll be here soon, don’t worry.”

“W-Why are they with Jamie..? H-He’s not hurt, is he..?”

“... Your little brother was brought here due to serious injuries resulting from a couple of boys getting into a fight with him shortly after you were stabilized and put in this room. He’s okay now, but he has to stay in bed for a few days, and then he can go home, alright honey?”

“... N-No- D-Don’t let him go home with-without me- H-He- M-Mom might-” He started to protest, still sobbing, but a little less hysterically than before now.

“I know you’re worried about him… Your older brothers told us what happened. Don’t worry, we have it under control. Considering the overwhelming amount of evidence of abuse the officers who arrived at your school with the paramedics gathered from the statements they got from the adults on scene, and later from the staff at your brother’s preschool… I don’t think she has much of a chance of getting away with this.”

“S-She’s getting in trouble for this..?”

“Yes. You boys are going to be out of this situation soon, I promise. Now… Is there anything else you need, sweetie?” He knew she was changing the subject to get his mind off of the topic she knew was only bothering him more, but he didn’t care. He was too exhausted from crying so much to care.

“...what day is it..?”

“... Tuesday. You were out for nearly an entire day.”

“... okay…”

“You sure that’s all, sweetie?”

He nodded, though, he knew his expression and demeanor weren’t very convincing.

“... Okay… If you need anything, I’ll be over here by the door, okay?”

“... okay.”

After that, the head nurse decided that since the nurse who helped calm him down was the only person in the hospital he trusted, she would be assigned to keeping an eye on him, and helping him out with things like refilling the IVs or bringing him some food when needed. But, considering that he had a panic attack any time anyone else tried to interact with him in any way aside from bringing food, that may have been for the best.

… The trial was a whole other mess of a story, honestly. He remembered being brought out from the hospital to testify against his mother, but somehow, she managed to convince everyone that he was an ungrateful little liar, and all those reported injuries he and his brothers had gone to school with were just the result of them being wild little boys that liked to roughhouse. Ha. As if a fucking 11 year old boy would intentionally throw his little brother into a goddamn glass cabinet full of porcelain.

The trial wound up with the court siding with his mother, and she was allowed to go home with nothing but a stern talking to about ‘teaching her sons not to throw each other around’, while Jackie started lashing out and screaming that she was a fucking unstable psychopath and they should be arresting her for hurting his brothers, not letting her go with nothing but a slap on the wrist. The guards had to put him in handcuffs and drag him out of the courtroom to keep him from trying to kill the jury members.

Jameson was kept in the hospital for the trial, and Chase and Henrik stayed with him, since James was 5, Chase was 6, and Henrik was 7- all far too young to be allowed in the courtroom during such a heavy court case. And it was a good thing they were, since as soon as they found out that the court let their mother walk, and had instead wound up putting Jackie in juvenile for several months under the charge of attempted murder, Henrik had another panic attack, Chase had a mental breakdown, and Jameson went catatonic.

… God, this was all his fault, wasn’t it..?

-related topics, even if it’s only heavy shit. I do not want anyone to have any issues with panic attacks or ptsd-related episodes as a result of my stories, and I also don’t want you to suffer for any reason just to see this story, so please, please heed my warning, and do NOT read past this warning, as the abuse literally starts in the first paragraph.

…

….

…

….

Silence. Darkness. All his senses failed. He couldn’t even feel his body anymore.

So… This is it, huh? Just like that, this is how we die? A horribly failed attempt to save James… got us killed?

…

… This really is the end for us, isn’t it..? Killed by our own mother… God… We didn’t even get to say goodbye to our brothers…

…

….

…..

No.

Not yet.

We can’t give up.

Get up, Peter. Get ready for school. Have Shenny drop Jameson off at preschool for us. We have to save our energy as much as we can if we want to survive this. We’re gonna be late, but that doesn’t matter. We can hide our wounds with magic. We’ve done it before. This isn’t any different.

…

….

“Marvin!” Shen exclaimed when he saw his eyes open, and hugged him. He winced, and Shen quickly let go, apologizing profusely.

“...issokeh…s’okeh...don’ apol’gize… y’re scared…” he mumbled, his words slurred heavily, “...wh’re’s th’cr’tch’s…”

“No. no hosp’tle. don’trus’ th’ docs… they’ll jus’ scol’me f’r bein’ weak...”

“...”

“S-Seán, just get the crutches… we don’t have much time left, we’re all gonna be late if you stall us by arguing with his stupid bullshit again-”

“Last time this happened, he stumbled into class and collapsed! This time it’s even worse than just a concussion, you know that, right?!”

“Seán! Seriously! We’re more likely to get help for all this if we just let him carry out with whatever ridiculous idea he has.”

…

….

…..

…

….

…..

They wound up sedating him after he refused to stop thrashing around, even as the other nurses and doctors ran over to try to calm him down.

—————

He remembered the nurse coming over and trying her damnedest to comfort him, though.

“Hey, hey, calm down, sweetie, it’s okay… You’re gonna be okay…”

“I want my brothers- I-I wanna go home!” He’d sobbed, shaking uncontrollably as the nurse kept trying to calm him down.

“Your brothers are with your little brother right now, sweetie. They’ll be here soon, don’t worry.”

“W-Why are they with Jamie..? H-He’s not hurt, is he..?”

“... N-No- D-Don’t let him go home with-without me- H-He- M-Mom might-” He started to protest, still sobbing, but a little less hysterically than before now.

“S-She’s getting in trouble for this..?”

“...what day is it..?”

“... Tuesday. You were out for nearly an entire day.”

“... okay…”

“You sure that’s all, sweetie?”

He nodded, though, he knew his expression and demeanor weren’t very convincing.

“... Okay… If you need anything, I’ll be over here by the door, okay?”

“... okay.”

… God, this is all our fault, isn’t it..?

————————————————————

Oh wow, look, for once a DaD fic i could upload because timeline shit won’t be confusing if I do!

But, also, side note: Part of the reason Marvin called himself Peter in his thoughts at the beginning is that his middle name is Peter, and when he was younger, a lot of the adults and kids around him would call him that instead of his first name. However, the other part of the reason is related to a mental disorder that I found out he has back in February. I will not go into it here because the explanation I would have to give is very lengthy, and, well, the disorder itself is one of those things that can be severely hard to wrap your head around, and I don’t want to put it here in case anyone has any issues from reading about it in my words, as I’m not the best at explaining things, even when I’ve researched them as extensively as I have the disorder in particular. The only reason I understand it to the level that I do is because I’ve known about the disorder since at least 2016, probably longer, and have done a lot of research on it, both from looking into many articles written by experts/professionals, and from looking into accounts of what the disorder is like that were made by real people who suffer from it. I do not, however, claim to know everything about it, nor do I claim that I know enough to say I’m an expert. I simply just write Marvin’s struggles with it based on what I have come to understand about him and how he works with his issues. Obviously, I can’t go into depth about it either, but just know that his struggles with it are not universal for all who struggle with it, so even though how it affects him is why he’s so erratic, unpredictable, and even murdery at times, he is an extremely rare case in the disorder, and the majority, if not almost all of, the people affected by it irl are in no way as dangerous as he is. He is a fictional character, and does not represent reality, though, given that he has magic and can control people with little purple threads, I feel like that should be obvious.

... i will also say this in the tags, but since i know almost no one reads tags: If anyone wants me to make a post about the disorder he has, how it affects him, and the details about his specific case, I will. However, unless you outright tell me that you want it, I will not, because I am not going to force something no one/almost no one wants, especially not if it’s as heavy and complex as the disorder. The same goes for all the other things I have discovered about him and his brothers since the last time i posted any DaD content, but have not mentioned on Tumblr, but moreso because of the ‘not if no one wants it’ than the ‘too heavy’, since the rest of it isn’t anywhere near the risk factor of that specific disorder, and can be discussed freely and openly without risking triggering or causing anything negative in anyone. But, of course, as I said, all of that will only be delved into if you guys ask me to. Yes. That means responding, or inboxing. I’m sorry if that gives you anxiety, and I don’t expect you to do it at all, whether or not it does, however, those are the terms, and I will not loosen them for anyone unless you wish to discuss it in private, and do not share it with anyone without my consent first.

and as for why i even wrote about it if it’s such a big deal? Because I literally can’t write DaD! Marvin without factoring it in. That disorder literally shapes almost the entirety of his character and personality, since it’s a disorder that severely affects how the personality forms. If I took it out of him, he’d loose every single quirk and trait that we love about him. He’d most likely be a hollow, 1-dimensional character, especially when compared to how he was prior to having it ‘removed’. So, to keep him from loosing eveything we love about him, he has to keep it, and I have to write it.

@antis-loyal-puppet @rorald-brody @chaoticcrimsonrose @tiny-septic-puppet @startschantingpma @septic-dr-schneep @insaneangel18-blog @ihaveanunhealthyteaaddiction

(extra tags, as requested by duders on a few discord servers: @geewriter @abyssshifter )

I know I don’t normally do taglists in trigger-heavy fics, but uh,,, seeing as this is the first fic I’ve been able to post in so long... I figured I oughta do it. Also, I apologize a whole heckin lotta oopsies for the entire f--kin’ short story’s worth of an author’s note at the end, but uh,,, i knew i couldn’t leave all that out in the air without making it look like i have several major plotholes where I really, honestly, do not have any. I have worked my ass off on developing Darkness and Desperation for the past four months, so I really don’t want people to assume that I’ve made a story and bullshitted my entire way through both the backstory and the actual storyline-

#WritersOfJack #jse writing community #jacksepticeye #jacksepticeye egos #marvin the magnificent #Darkness and Desperation #abuse tw #physical abuse tw #abuse #physical abuse #in case you forgot- marvin peter reid is his full (legal) name #... if anyone wants me to make a seperate post about it... then you’re gonna have to send me asks for it.#because i’m not forcing something if no one wants it. especially not something as complex and heavy as the disorder #a’ight?#again sorry for the fifty fucking paragraphs of author notes #that was entirely unintentional #i intended to make the notes short n sweet but uh as you can see that didnt work out

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sunnydwrites · 7 years

Text

Writing Injuries

[ What a fitting topic, seeing as I’ve been inactive for almost a month now due to my own injury. ] Hey everyone, it’s Abby with a writing advice post! This week we’re talking about injuries, and we’re going a little in-depth.

So let’s get one thing down, real quick: Being injured sucks. But this guide isn’t anything close to comprehensive, and it’s definitely not the only thing you should be relying on for this topic. This is meant to help you get started and build a general base on injuries, treatments, effects, etc.

In this guide, we will not be talking about an injury’s effects on mental health; that topic on its own is extensive enough to be covered in a post of its own (which may very well happen eventually).

Actually Getting Hurt

This is arguably the hardest part to write. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly which event would realistically create the “desired” injury here, but there are general things to go by and things to pay attention to here. If you want to go more in-depth, I would highly recommend @scriptmedic‘s blog; injuries are kind of their thing.

Pay attention to anatomy.

Some things don’t have nearly as big of an effect as you’d think they would, and others are the complete opposite. Your anatomy knowledge will come in handy here; know the most easily injured parts of the body and how to avoid those injuries, and write them in. Some examples of this include (taken from real life experience):

I slammed my finger in a car door not too long ago (just above the first knuckle). I couldn’t use that finger for a day or two but there was serious bruising in that one knuckles; my nail eventually fell off and that’s about it.

Practicing a bit too roughly before my martial arts test is what got me inactive for so long. We’re still not sure what happened; we’re thinking it may have been a pinched nerve or a strained tendon.

But why are these effects so weird? They should be flipped, right? Slamming your finger in a car door should be a little more serious than practicing a little too hard, right? Wrong.

Now, I don’t know too much about anatomy in general. But just a glance above and you can pretty easily see there’s a lot going on there. That’s a lot of stuff you can pretty easily mess up, especially when it comes to tendons, nerves, and weaker muscles. With my finger, the injury was more of a contusion, where the bruise was just incredibly deep (albeit incredibly painful, but not hard to source).

So what was the point of this little section? It’s just a reminder that everything in your body is connected. When you’re writing your injuries, give the anatomy of you character a quick check and see what else might be affected, then plan accordingly.

Deciding on the Cause

This is directly related to the thing above; once you’ve determined what needs to be affected, it’ll be a little easier to figure out the big cause. It’s simpler to work backwards this way because once you know what needs to be injured, a quick bit of research should do the job for you. “Injuries that affect xx and xx” might even suffice, but I would highly recommend checking out a few different websites. This will do two things for you:

Fact-check - Because the last thing you want is an unrealistic injury, if you’re putting in the effort to research it.

Broaden the possibilities - One website might list three of the most common causes for wrist pain; another might give you fifteen.

Just to be sure, I would check with two or three different websites. If you’re still unsure, remember @scriptmedic referenced above.

If you want some ideas just to get you going, here are a few I made up off the top of my head:

Getting into a fistfight

Big fall

Sliced with a sharp object of some sort

Breaking or spraining something

Aggravating a previous injury

Any sort of bullet or stab wound

I mean, the possibilities are literally endless here. These are just a handful I came up with on the fly, but it just goes to show that pretty much anything could be plausible so long as it fits within the boundaries of your world.

The Injury’s Effects

Side effects are the things you’re going to want to pay attention to; that’s what your character is going to have to live with for the longest time while they heal. I’m going to split this into three categories: Making Sense, Short-Term Effects, and Long-Term Effects. Here we go!

Making Sense

This one could probably start off pretty obvious; naturally breaking your leg isn’t going to hurt your wrist unless you somehow injured your wrist in the process. The effects of each injury should relate to the injury somehow; if they don’t, I hope you’re creating a hidden wound for later.

Another thing you’ll want to keep in mind here is the idea that this is all relative. A bee sting will be a bit of a painful jolt to someone who’s never been stung, where someone who’s been stung a thousand times before will chalk it up to an annoyance. Someone who happens to be allergic to bees, however, will react in a completely different way.

What you’ll want to keep in mind here is your character. Is there anything they’re allergic to, maybe? Are they especially sensitive to anything? Do they have any pre-existing conditions? (Hint: that last one is definitely something you should be paying attention to.)

Short-Term Effects

Doing the research for this one, most of the results that came up were for brain injuries like concussions and such. This makes sense, seeing as injuries to the head tend to be pretty severe. But these short terms effects could easily be very dramatic, especially if you’re writing from the perspective of the person. A few of these can include:

Nausea

“Blinding” pain

Possible (temporary) numbness in the affected area

Shock

Inability to use the affected area

These are some quick things I thought of that will both add accuracy and a bit more “drama” to the story. (Either myself or a close family member has experienced each of these things.)

Short-term effects should fade after time, but it depends on the severity of the injury. For example, bruising could fall into pretty much any category; it can go wherever based on the injury. Short-term effects (in non-severe injuries) can usually be described as sharp and uncomfortable, where are long-term is usually more of a distant pain as the body heals itself.

Long-Term Effects

These are the ones you need to be paying attention to in your writing. They need to work themselves into your character’s life one way or another. Like literally every other part of writing an injury, this needs to be heavily researched. The long-term effects are going to be what will determine your character’s abilities for days, weeks, months, years, etc.

This one is going to take a lot of research, and I mean a lot. There are a lot of causes for different effects and these need to be kept track of. Having too many injures can lead to so many long-term effects that your character wouldn’t be able to function. A few examples of long-term effects could be:

Memory loss or a case of amnesia (for head injuries)

A constant, dull ache in the injured area

Not quite regaining full range of motion

Need of a support such as a crutch or cast

Inability to perform basic tasks (usually for more severe injuries)

Again, these are just a few examples; none of these go strictly with one injury, and one injury could create more than one of these effects. So I’m going to stress it again: do your research and keep track of everything.

For this one, because I have the experience to do so, I’m going to give a quick real-life example of long-term effects:

About five years ago, I was crawling around in the snow looking for something and ended up smashing my knee - hard - on a rock. For the rest of that day it hurt to move it, and that feeling continued for about a week. There was a slightly visible bruise there, but we went to the doctor’s anyway to get an MRI. When started off as a contusion quickly became something they described to me as “water on the knee”, but eventually that faded. But, like in the wrist, there are a lot of things in your knee that can be screwed up like that. So to this day it hurts to do too many impact exercises (like running or martial arts, both of which I do regularly) without a brace, and on the days I don’t wear I brace I have to be extra careful or I’ll be feeling it for the next week.

Moral of the story? Look at how long-term effects play into your story, how they can develop from a small bruise to a contusion to something different entirely and how that follows your character. (Also, don’t smash your knee on a rock. Just don’t.)

The Healing Process

Hey, things are starting to get better for your character! Yay! We’re into the healing process now, looking at different ways healing can be done and things to watch out for.

Different Healing Processes

There are many processes we know about, but this isn’t meant to be a comprehensive guide. We’re going to look at the two most common healing processes here: natural and surgical. This part won’t entail magic (but that’s totally cool if you want to include that).

Healing Naturally

As would be expected, healing naturally takes the longest time. If the healing process here is completely natural, there’s no medication whatsoever (with maybe the exception of a few painkillers). This is going to require your character is take it easy, and I mean really easy; any sort of vigorous exercise could lead to the aggravation of their injury, and then we’re right back to square one.

In this stage, your character should be focusing on healing and staying healthy; this option would presumably be the hardest for your daredevil or prideful characters.

Surgical Procedures

This one involves a lot more help from other people. Of course it wouldn’t be a magical cure to the injury, but having someone much more qualified might speed up the process a bit, don’t you think? This would involve a much more controlled environment and would follow a pretty linear schedule; hospitals usually keep their patients until the injury is more manageable and send them off with a list of things to be careful of (at least, that’s what happened for me).

Using this method might present a challenge for characters who find people hard to trust or hate any of the tools that would be used in the procedure with a passion, that kind of thing.

Facts & Common Misconceptions

In this section (also the last section) I’m going to cover a few common misconceptions that come with injuries and their healing, then give a few facts to pay attention to. (source)

“FACT: R.I.C.E. spells initial relief. While both acute and chronic injuries should be attended to by a qualified physician, using the RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) method for milder injuries like strains and sprains within the first 48 hours after injury occurs will help to initially relieve pain, reduce swelling and promote the healing process.”

“MYTH: “Rest is always best.” This is not entirely true. While rest may initially reduce inflammation and pain, it will not treat the root cause of a soft tissue injury (i.e., muscle, ligament and tendon sprains, strains and tears). It is important to seek a proper diagnosis and treatment plan beyond the initial rest period to treat soft tissue damage. Rest alone is not enough to heal and strengthen the affected area.”

“FACT: [Sports] Injuries are either acute or chronic. Acute injuries occur suddenly, like when you twist your ankle during a game. These types of injuries include sprains, strains, breaks and fractures and are characterized by severe pain and tenderness, swelling, limited motion, out-of-place bones and inability to put pressure or weight on the area. Chronic injuries occur after longer workout sessions or sports-related activities, and are characterized by pain during the activity and dull pain or mild swelling afterward.”

“MYTH: “Pop a painkiller.” We all admire the elite athlete who takes a shot before the big game and plays through the pain. While this may seem admirable, even a world class pro will tell you that it’s not the long-term situation. If you take a couple of Advil or the like before your next workout or game, guess what? The pain may subside, but it will return, and then it may be even worse. If you experience pain, listen to your body’s alarm systems and seek professional medical advice.”

“FACT: Never play through the pain. Never. This is a sure way to aggravate any injury. If you feel pain during a workout or a game, stop and seek treatment. Acute injuries should be attended to by a physician immediately. Less severe injuries—like mild sprains—may be treatable at home, but you should still consult a doctor before beginning any type of treatment.”

“MYTH: “Stretch away those injuries.” Not so fast. While stretching is an important component of any workout or pregame warm up, it is not a shield against injury. In fact, stretching an injured muscle or other affected area may cause further damage. Keeping your body strong, balanced and in shape through proper training is key to overall injury avoidance.”

“FACT: Don’t play doctor. If you are injured during a workout or sports-related activity, don’t try to treat it yourself. Yes, initial treatment measures you can take at home—like RICE—may mitigate the pain and reduce the potential for further injury, but they are not a replacement for sound, effective medical treatment unless indicated by a doctor.”

References

Wrist Anatomy Image (p.s. This website is really great if you’re looking for diagrams like the one above!)

@scriptmedic - Aunt Scripty is incredibly helpful and gives a lot of useful information, then usually continues with alternate suggestions if any are needed (or if enough information is needed). Check out their Before You Ask first.

Common Misconceptions - This page applies mostly to sports injuries, but is accurate to more than just those. Everything is quotes came directly from that page.

Please let me know if any of this information is inaccurate! Until next time, stay lovely <3

#writing tips #injuries #writing injuries

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lovelycheollie · 7 years

Text

Some Drunk Nights (Woozi)

“I miss that feeling of connection. Knowing he was out there somewhere thinking about me at the same time I was thinking about him.” ― Ranata Suzuki

Words: 3039 THAT IS A LOT I WANT TO FAINT

Okay okay many of you guys requested for part two and A Drunk Man’s Words received a lot of love from y'all. I was thinking of just letting your imagination work for the ending back then. But, you guys requested for it, so here it is~ I hope I mixed the angst and fluff well here.

Hope you like it! And thank you for reading!!

His gaze on the marbled table was never-ending, thoughts passing by and hitting him directly to his chest. The music couldn’t get him on his own feet and press himself at the middle of the crowd, along with the silly fools who danced around while holding bottles of beer. The room was full of people looking for others to lock their lips with for tonight, but with the hyung by his side, the room was just some hazy sky for Jihoon. He shifted his eyes to the left, then to the right, and chugged another glass of alcohol.

He was trying his best to leave everything behind with a swig of vodka or two. But to forget your smile and the sensation of your lips for the last time was impossible. The burn on his chest grasped on the memory of his drunk self in front of you who couldn’t stop the tears from falling on your cheeks. Those words, those words that he never wanted to hear from you slipped that night. Just by messing his own words and feelings, he made you break up with him. Regret was cold like the icy touch of the alcohol on his fingers, and all that Hoshi could do was watch him with dismay.

Jihoon took the alcohol in one straight gulp and signalled the bartender for another. His brown orbs were clouded with frustration as Hoshi shook his head to the man. He turned his head to the hyung’s direction and tilted his head, furrowing his eyebrows. “Hey, I want one more glass.”

“No, listen to me. You’ve had enough for tonight. We have practice tomorrow, so let’s stop here okay?” Hoshi said as he settled the glasses and gave them to the bartender. Fifteen, there were fifteen empty glasses, fifteen swigs full of remorse and disappointment.

“Shut up hyung. I still need one more,” he pointed at the view outside the window, dark yet full of city lights. “Look, the sun isn’t rising yet. And who cares about practice? You guys can do well even without me! But I can’t without Y/N!”

“Jihoon, enough drinking. You’ve had too much to drink,” he almost screamed at him, competing with the blaring speakers. His hands went to Jihoon’s arms and tried to make him stand, but he wasn’t budging.

He raised his hands and smiled at the bartender. “Hey kid! One more!”

“Dude, no.” The cold glass of alcohol was settled in front of him and he was left in disbelief. Hoshi’s eyes rolled and a sigh escaped his lips. “It’s been five days! Five days! Stop wallowing here! ”

“You don’t know what I’m going through so shut it.”

“Every time when practice ends you go here immediately and drink like there’s no tomorrow! Then what? We see you trying to sober yourself up on the bathroom floor, covered in sweat and tears.” Jihoon observed the bill under the glass and grabbed his wallet, exposing his cards and a few cash. Your picture was still there, like the memories, and he could only stare blankly at your smiling face.

He left some bills and took his coat from the hanger as Hoshi did the same. He walked with the younger one’s rhythm, slow and unsteady with a little sway here and there. The night breeze was discomforting while it brushed their flushed cheeks. The city felt distant to Jihoon, yet he was there, removing a scab on his own wound. It bled, but it didn’t hurt. And as he looked up to the night sky, he wished to the stars that he could live just like that, bleeding inside but painless as he realize that he was the reason of this mess.

“Just like before,” he muttered under his breath as Hoshi trailed behind. His breaths were hotter than the usual, skin reflecting that he was under the influence of alcohol. “I wish everything was just like before.”

“Jihoon,” the red-haired man said as he hid his lips on the scarf he wore. “It pains me to see you and Y/N hurting like this. But, don’t ruin yourself more. Please.”

His pace was quick and he was already two meters away from him. “I’m already ruined Hosh! What else can I do? I can’t be alright when I’m missing a piece of me. Everyone’s telling me to stop. Stop from what? Hiding away from reality? Accepting the fact that she’s gone now? I’m trying my best to forget her! I really am. But I just can’t seem to forget the only thing that was good in my entire life!”

“It’s over. We can’t go back and turn it to the way it was.”

“That’s the point! I can’t go back and change it! That’s why I’m still holding on to every single fragment that reminds me of her. I’m afraid of just completely forgetting Y/N. I don’t want to let go. It’s still her. She’s here in my heart and she already left but I still want her to stay!”

“Jihoon,” Hoshi stopped on his tracks and locked his eyes on Jihoon’s back as he went farther away from his grasp. He was in his worst condition, all because of simply breaking his heart.

“I loved her, I loved her truly. But because of a stupid mistake, I ended it all. She… She broke up with me.”

“She didn’t break up with you because of that. She didn’t want to be a burden on you.”

Tears welled up in Jihoon’s eyes but he didn’t care as it fell on the pavement. He continued to walk, not letting anyone see him in his misery. “But she isn’t. She wasn’t. She was my inspiration for every blessed day. She was the love of my life. Y/N was there, through my busy schedule and breaks. But she’s gone now. I want her back, I need her back but, what else can I do?”

An automobile dashed through the silence of the street as the two wallowed in their emotions. The friction of the cement and wheels made a repeated screech as it continued to move ahead. The man behind the wheel was sober, accelerating the speed now and then. Yet the light was red, and in the middle of the street a man who had his heart broken stood there, motionless.

“Jihoon, move,” Hoshi said as he walked faster, wanting to reach to him before something happens. How could he still be there while he was standing behind him all this time?

“Jihoon! Move!”

“Move! Jihoon! Please!”

“Jihoon! Damn it Jihoon please listen to me! Move!” He was pleading with tears in his eyes as his feet continued to run, knowing that he won’t make it in time. He prayed that somehow he would hear him from all the thoughts that rambled inside his head.

“What’s left out there for me Y/N? You were the only one that I’ve ever held on to.” Jihoon whispered as another breeze caressed his reddened cheeks. Across the short distance, headlights were warning him, Hoshi was choking in his own tears but all he could hear was your laughter.

“In the end, it was only you, Y/N.”

“Jihoon! No!”

—————

You were spending the night under Joshua’s rooftop, the third time for this week. You figured that being alone for the time being wouldn’t help you to move on, so you thought that it would be better if you were with someone who had clear intentions. And Joshua came into the picture, holding a cup of newly-brewed tea in the middle of a dimly-lit room.

You leaned on the sofa as you drowned in your own world, reminiscing the memories you had with Jihoon, or Woozi from now on. The night where you had chosen to leave it all behind was a nightmare that scarred you for the past days, and you could still feel him, like he was just there. You seared yourself from the flames you started that night, and it continued to burn through your chest, only leaving ashes behind.

Your relaxed shoulders flinched as the sound of clinking china tea cups disrupted the silence. Joshua had an apologetic look plastered on his face as he placed the tin of butter cookies and the rest of the cups in the middle of the coffee table. Cautiously, your hands wiped your eyes, brushing some tears off. But he noticed as he sat beside you, and he had the option to talk about the break up or not.

“What are you thinking about?” He asked while he took a cookie from the tin. You turned to him as you filled your own cup, steam escaping from the teapot. You gave a bitter smile and held the cup, the warmth enough to burn the thoughts away.

“Thinking. About that night.”

“Why? You said it’s for the best.”

“I don’t know. There’s a part of me that still wants to be with him.”

“It’s still Jihoon huh?” You stiffened at his words. It felt like someone had punched you on the stomach and the pain was an alarm waking up your senses. “If it’s still him, then why did you break up with him?”

“You were there Joshua. You heard everything, from the start up to the end. I was a nuisance to him, and that’s not what I wanted to be.”

“He was drunk Y/N, he doesn’t mean any of it. And even if he did, he apologized.”

“Joshua, an apology isn’t enough for a torn heart,” a ring inserted itself in the middle of the conversation and Joshua looked at his phone screen. “Who’s calling?”

He ignored your questions and left you hanging as he accepted the call and placed it near his ear. You watched him as you ate a cookie and another, sipping some tea to soothe your thirst while his voice had an unusual tone. “Hello? Minghao? Wait calm down, why are you crying? Jihoon? What?! Okay okay, calm down and listen to me. It’s going to be okay. Is there anyone with you? Where are you? Okay. We’ll be there, just calm down.”

“Who was it?” He stood from his seat and judging by his expression, it looked urgent. His fingers fiddled on each other as he shifted his head to his sides. “Josh, who was it?”

“Minghao, Hoshi called him and said that Jihoon got into an accident.”

“What? What… What happened?” You screamed on the top of your lungs while he took his wallet and keys from the counter. You couldn’t sit still, the thought of a lifeless Jihoon laying down on a hospital bed was killing you slowly. You felt your heartbeat stop as your breaths turned shallow. You couldn’t move an inch. You never wanted this to happen, you never did.

“Hoshi and Jihoon were about to go home after drinking from the bar when a speeding car hit Jihoon’s side. It was a hit and run and now they’re in the hospital.” he removed his coat and yours from the hanger and threw it to you. “Everyone’s there, let’s go.”

“I can’t. I can’t see him.”

“What? Because of the stupid break up?” For once, Joshua couldn’t believe the words that came from you. “Don’t be like this Y/N.”

“I’ve done enough to hurt him. I don’t want to see him suffer more. I can’t bear to see him wounded and covered in scars, hurt physically and emotionally. Please, Joshua. You have to understand.”

Joshua felt furious as he heard you. His hands grabbed your own tightly, and you were uncomfortable under his stare. “No! I will not understand! You’re not thinking for his sake. You’re just selfish! You just don’t want to see him because you just remember the mistake you did. You remember that night and you couldn’t bear the guilt!”

“Let me go Joshua, it hurts.”

“When will you accept the fact that it’s still him no matter what? When? When he dies on that hospital bed? It’s too late for another regret Y/N! You have to see him. You need him, and he needs you, especially right now. So come with me, please. I don’t want to see you two torn again.”

Joshua’s eyes were full of unexplainable emotions, and it seemed to plead at you. You hated yourself for dragging him in your own mess, making him feel the same misery you had. He was right. You had to stop running away from Jihoon.

You stared back at Joshua, eyes full of sincerity and determination. “Take me there quickly.”

—————

“Minghao!” Joshua’s voice echoed through the hospital corridor as he saw the Chinese man and the others. They were standing silently and still outside the room where Jihoon was resting. The aura was heavy and you immediately felt an emptiness in your heart. The two of you stopped and heaved for air, Minghao strolling in front of you, soon followed by Hoshi.

“I’m sorry hyung. I couldn’t stop him. If I was just beside him, this wouldn’t have happened.” Hoshi’s eyes were bloodshot, guilt eating him alive. You hugged him and made tiny circles on his back as he continued to sob on your shoulders. The boys gathered to you and comforted their dear member.

“It’s alright, you did what you could Hoshi. You did nothing wrong,” you told him with a gentle smile on your lips while you wiped his tear-streaked cheeks. Joshua then patted the younger one on the head and whispered that you should go inside and check Jihoon.

Your feet rushed to the door and without any second thoughts you pushed the door open, exposing an awake Jihoon laying on the bed. The room was dim, but you could see him there, drowning in his own company. His eyes stared at you, and in his mind, he had asked himself if he was dead. His forehead and sides were covered with bandages, and there were scars on his right arm. He looked awfully pale, and unknowingly a tear slid from your eyes.

“I thought… I thought you were gone. I can’t have you gone Jihoon,” you strolled beside him and sat, burying your sobs on the side of his bed. Jihoon was confused, but a small smile grew on his face and he found his hand rubbing your head, his fingers playing with your hair.

“Why are we the polar opposites? If I’m not the one who’s burdening you, you’re the one who’s burdening me.”

Once again, only the silence of the room responded to you. “Why Jihoon? Why do we hurt each other without realizing?”

“I have a lot of regrets in life,” he spoke to your delight, his eyes glued on the ceiling as he remembered everything at once. “Like not adding the melted cheese on the bibimbap like you told me before. Or that time when I didn’t buy the shoes I’ve been dreaming of ever since and discovering that someone else bought the last pair.”

You laughed at his stories. In those memories, you were there together with him. The face that he made back then was vivid in your mind, like it was just yesterday. And you stayed silent, wanting him to continue. “Or that night when I just let you leave like that, breaking up with the drunk me, not letting me tell you what I wanted to say. Within those moments, I knew the only thing that made me regret, and that was because I just let it happened in front of my eyes. Y/N, I shouldn’t have let you walk away that night. I should’ve stopped you, even if I were to trip and fall on my knees. I should’ve chased you and pulled you back to me.”

“Jihoon,” you lifted your face to see him stare at you with his brown orbs.

“Y/N, you’ve become a part of me. And seeing you leave that night have torn me apart from myself. You were the only good in my life. The drunk me was stupid, the real me was stupid. You’re not a burden, you’re everything to me. I should’ve been better for you because that’s what you deserve. Y/N I don’t care if you’ve fallen out of love with me. I am still, and always will, fall in love with you. I love you.”

The blankets had little droplets as Jihoon continued to express his feelings. It was now or never. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for my stupidity. I’m sorry for letting you feel bad for yourself. You’re worth my time, you’ll always be, so please, come back and steal me away from practices and breaks.”

You grabbed both of his hands and settled it near your face, spilling tears on his pale skin. The two of you had a heart-wrecking smile, and the boys behind you knew better. You two had to end up together tonight, or else they’ll be joining you with broken hearts as well.

“I’m sorry Jihoon, I should’ve listened to you first before I walked out the door. I thought that I would be fine, without you, without us. But I was stupid to think that way. You’ve become a part of me now, and I don’t want to lose you again. I love you, I love you Jihoon, and I’d love to steal you away from your practices,” the boys cheered and hooted inside the room, finally hearing the words from you. Jihoon wanted to jump right there, but with injuries like that, he didn’t bother anymore. Instead, he celebrated with a kiss with you, making you feel that spark again like it was the first time. He parted away, breathing, giddy, excited, and connected his forehead with you as the adrenaline got the best of him. This was it, the second time, the second love he’d wanted after the break up.

“Thank you Y/N! I won’t let you down this time! I love you!” He said with a cheery grin on him. His smile was a virus, and you got it on your face as well, wide and full of happiness.

“I love you too Jihoon! Just, lessen the liquors next time.”

“Of course. Who needs alcohol? I’m drunk in your love anyway.”

#seventeen #seventeen woozi #woozi #lee jihoon #svt #sebeuntin #seventeen scenario #seventeen imagines #seventeen scenario fluff #seventeen fluff #woozi imagines #woozi scenarios #woozi angst #woozi fluff #svt scenarios #svt imagines #svt fluff #svt angst

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emilypaul09 · 5 years

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Advocate So. Suburban Hosp SNF

If you have been abused or neglected at Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF, read about your rights below, and then contact Agruss Law Firm, LLC, for a free case evaluation.

Helping our clients is about counseling, advocating, and ultimately solving problems. With years of experience successfully representing the people, not the powerful, we will take care of everything, so you can focus on healing and getting your life back to normal.

Who is Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF?

Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF is an Illinois nursing home. Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF is owned and operated by the Advocate Medical Group.Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF is located at 17800 South Kedzie Avenue, Hazel Crest, IL, 60429 with telephone number 708-799-8000. Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF beds and staff members numbers are not published. The Illinois Nursing Home Care Act governs Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF.

Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF’s Address, Phone Number, and Contact Information

Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF 17800 South Kedzie Avenue Hazel Crest, IL, 60429 Tel: 708-799-8000 Website: Advocate South Suburban Nursing Home

Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF Overview

Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF is a nursing home. Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF is also a for-profit corporation. Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF participates in Medicare and Medicaid. Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF is not in a Continuing Care Retirement Community (“CCRC”). A CCRC offers multiple housing options and levels of care. Typically, a CCRC offers the most service-intensive options for residents. At a CCRC, residents may freely move from one level of care to another.

According to Medicare’s Nursing Home Care, Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF is not in their records. Altogether, Medicare does not provide Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF star ratings. We all know the more stars, the better.

Overall rating: no report found. Medicare assigns the overall star rating based on a nursing home’s performance on three separate categories: health inspections, staffing, and quality measures. Each of these categories have their own star ratings, with more stars meaning better quality of care.

Health inspections: no report found. More stars means fewer health risks.

Fire safety inspections: no report found. More stars means the facility is aimed at preventing fires, or protecting residents in the event of an emergency like a fire, hurricane, tornado, flood, power failure, or gas leak, etc.

Staffing: no report found. More stars means a better level of staffing per nursing home resident.

Quality of resident care: no report found. Once again, more stars are better. Nursing homes that are certified by Medicare and Medicaid frequently report clinical information about their residents to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS then assigns nursing homes a quality of resident care star rating based on their performance on 16 measures. These, and other measures reflect how well nursing homes care for their residents

Signs of Abuse and Neglect

If you notice that your loved one exhibits any of the following, you should act immediately:

Broken bones,

Bed sores,

Bruises,

Head injuries,

Medication overdose,

Dehydration or malnutrition,

Poor hygiene,

Soiled bedding,

Rapid weight loss,

Sudden agitation or emotional withdrawal,

Frequent crying, or

Complaints of poor treatment.

Illinois Nursing Home Statistics

When a loved can no longer live independently, a tough decision must be made about the best option for care. Such a decision often must be made during a time of crisis, frequently when your loved one is ready to leave the hospital after a serious illness or operation. Illinois has approximately 1,400 long-term care facilities, or nursing homes, serving more than 100,000 residents, from the young to the elderly. Sadly, nursing home abuse and neglect, also known as elder abuse, is far too common. The Illinois Department of Public Health’s 24-hour a day Nursing Home Hotline receives nearly 19,000 calls a year, and as a result, staff respond to more than 5,000 complaints per year.

Nursing Home Profits Over Patients

Elderly care is a complex and a delicate issue. We are dealing with one of the most vulnerable sections of the population some would argue than even more so than children. So how are non- and for-profit facilities dealing with mounting costs and infamous mishaps, ranging from filthy conditions to negligent deaths?

There is need for 24/7 specialized attention, which can become quite expensive, depending on the extent of every individual requirement. For-profit nursing homes claim to deal with scant resources, with many stating meager or non-existent earnings. This allegation has been used to explain chronic staff shortage, among other shortcomings. Medicare and Medicaid funds channeled into nursing homes have been increasingly redirected towards multi-million expenses, and most of the time, the recipients of these expenditures are subsidiaries of the same corporation running the centers.

Research conducted by the University of Illinois at Chicago highlighted an increase in for-profit nursing home earnings, with quality of service diminishing simultaneously. The researchers, who were led by Lee Friedman of UIC’s School of Public Health, concluded that “patients receiving care in for-profit institutions were diagnosed with substantially more clinical signs of neglect than patients residing in not-for-profit facilities”. This trend appears to be worsening over time, raising concerns within officials and organizations in charge of regulating elderly care services.

There is a case for alarm, and suggestions to break this cycle within nursing homes range from implementing better financial controls in order to check how money is spent, to expanding requirements, tougher punishments and more rigorous scrutiny when it comes to giving out licenses.

Nursing Home Staffing Problems

Problems due to understaffing in senior citizen home centers have reached such alarming levels throughout the U.S., it is now considered a crime to undercut personnel. The consequences of chronic staff shortage for patients in elderly care installations range from painful and uncomfortable conditions on a day-to-day basis, to wrongful deaths in extreme situations.

Many patients in these facilities cannot fend for themselves –physically, mentally, or both. Less staff means less help to set senior citizens in motion. This specific measure is essential, in order to limit or eliminate the chance of developing pressure ulcers –those terrible painful bed sores many geriatric patients disclose. Also, restrained patients are not moved that often; there is simply not enough help available to accompany them around.

Centers are faced with difficulties even to tackle simple tasks, like adequate hygiene procedures. Cases involving maggot-infested feeding tubes and insect-ridden installations have rocked the public conscience in recent years. Authorities need to place special focus on chronic staff shortage in nursing homes. The examples of how this situation causes pain, anguish, and death are undeniable.

Types of Abuse and Neglect in Nursing Homes

Nursing home abuse and neglect can take many forms. Know the warning signs, so you can better protect your loved ones. If you notice that your loved one exhibits any of the following, you should take action immediately.

Bed Rail Entrapment: Bed rails are commonly used to assist patients who may have limited mobility or a high risk of falling out of bed at night, and “bed rail entrapment” occurs when a patient becomes stuck between the mattress and bed rail, which can result in serious injury or even death. There are four main ways that bed rail entrapment occurs: in-between split bed rails; in-between a single bed rail’s bars; between the bed rail and mattress; and between the bed rail, mattress, headboard, or footboard. When bed rails are not properly implemented by the nursing home or particular employees, they may be legally liable if their negligence directly results in bed rail entrapment and injuries.

Bed Rail Injuries: Portable bed rails which are commonly used in medical facilities can be dangerous for elderly patients, and one study found over 150 fatalities involving these devices between 2003 and 2012; nearly 30% of these deaths occurred in nursing homes and similar facilities, and over 80% of victims were 60 years of age or older. The FDA identifies the main risks of bed rails as: suffocation or strangulation when the head or neck is entrapped; bruising, lacerations, or fractures in trapped limbs; severe agitation and/or confusion when entrapped in the bed rail; and death, in serious cases. When a nursing home resident suffers a bed rail injury, the nursing home, a particular staff member, the bed rail’s manufacturer, or a combination of these may be legally liable due to negligence.

Bed Sores: Bed sores are often called pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers. These sores originate at points of pressure. They develop inside-out, so that once the wound opens through the outer layer of skin, it is a full-blown ulcer and very susceptible to infection. These wounds range in severity from mild such as skin reddening to severe which are deep craters that go down through the muscle to the bone. Bedsores can develop quickly, and treatment is often difficult – especially among elderly patients. These ulcers tend to be very difficult to heal, requiring a continuous effort to relieve the pressure between the bone and the exterior of the body. Unfortunately, nursing home residents with limited mobility, who are confined to the bed or chair, are uniquely at risk for suffering these injuries.

Burns: While burn accidents in nursing homes are entirely preventable, nursing home patients are unfortunately at greater risk of injury when these accidents occur due to decreased mobility or diminished hearing or eyesight, which can potentially result in delayed reaction-times. Common causes of burn accidents include: smoking hazards, such as when a facility allows indoor smoking; unsupervised candles, which can increase the risk of a fire; flammable medical hazards related to electrical equipment, flammable gases, or pressurized oxygen; or even faulty or exposed electrical wiring in the facility itself. The nursing home and/or particular staff members should be held accountable when negligence directly results in a burn accident and injuries.

Choking: Choking accidents can occur with medications, especially larger pills, but occur primarily during meals when nursing home patients and/or their food intake are not properly supervised by professionals. Some patients require restricted diets due to difficulty swallowing, which can result from neurological damage or disorders, Alzheimer’s, cancer, and other conditions, and are at greater risk of choking when eating unsupervised, while choking can also be a general risk for many elderly patients regardless of particular conditions. The nursing home may be considered negligent when lack of supervision or proper restriction of a patient’s diet directly results in a choking incident.

Clogged Breathing Tubes: Nursing home patients who need assistance with ventilation typically use an “endotracheal tube,” which is inserted through the nose or mouth and connects to a mechanical ventilator. Maintaining these tubes requires quality nursing care, and negligence can result in clogged breathing tubes, which can have serious and even fatal complications. These include clogging by secretions or mucus plugs, which can potentially result in respiratory distress, arrest, or complete or partial collapse of the lung; hypoxia, meaning a lack of oxygen from limited airflow; and sudden death. As such, these cases can be serious and result in medical malpractice or wrongful death claims to hold the nursing home and/or particular employees accountable for their negligence.

Dehydration and Malnutrition: Between 1999 and 2002 alone, over 10,000 nursing home patients lost their lives due to dehydration and/or malnutrition. Nursing homes must ensure that all residents have proper access to food and water, and negligence can occur when nursing homes have insufficient staffing to address each resident’s needs in a timely manner, while deliberate withholding of food and water from a resident is considered abuse and also grounds for a lawsuit. Elderly residents are especially prone to dehydration and malnutrition, which can result in serious health complications and even death, and nursing homes should be held accountable when their negligence results in starving or thirsty residents.

Dropped Patients: Some nursing home residents need assistance when standing or walking, and accidents and serious injuries can occur when staff members use bad judgement or do not follow the facility’s protocols. These drops can occur due to negligence when transferring a patient from a wheelchair to the shower, bath, or bed (or vice-versa) or from one chair to another, and resulting injuries may include fractured bones, traumatic brain injury (TBI), damage to internal organs, or even death. In addition to not following protocols, other risk factors for drops include poor training, understaffing, lack of equipment, or faulty equipment, and the most common root causes are the negligence of one or more particular employees and/or the facility’s failure to properly assess the patient’s needs.

Elopement: Wandering in a nursing home is a common risk for patients with Alzheimer’s, dementia, or other psychological disorders, and “elopement” occurs when a wandering patient leaves the facility entirely. This can be very dangerous for patients who aren’t physically and/or psychologically fit to be by themselves, especially when unsupervised and out in public, and patients who have eloped due to a nursing home’s negligence have suffered serious injuries and even death. If a patient leaves his/her nursing home due to inadequate supervision, the nursing home and/or particular staff members may be legally responsible if an injury occurs.

Emotional Abuse: Emotional abuse of nursing home patients can come in many forms, including insults, harassment, threats/intimidation, yelling/screaming, and other behaviors. While emotional abuse is often the fault of one or more particular employees rather than the nursing home itself, the facility may also be legally liable for this abuse if inadequate background screening resulted in the hiring of an abusive employee who shouldn’t have received the position. Unfortunately, patients who are more vulnerable and/or require more care than others may be at greater risk of emotional abuse, and in all cases nursing home employees should be held legally accountable for their negligence.

Falls: Falls in nursing homes result in more than 1,800 deaths and many more injuries per year - among elderly patients, an estimated 10 - 20% of falls result in serious injury. Although nursing homes generally have “fall prevention programs” in place to mitigate these accidents, the negligence of nursing home staff can increase these risks in many ways. Common examples include: physical hazards, such as wet floors, inadequate lighting or security, obstructed stairways or walkways, or defective equipment; improper prescription or dosage of sedatives, depressants, or similar medications which affect the central nervous system; improperly-fitted shoes or walking aids; inadequate supervision; and failure to provide necessary assistance.

Fractures: Elderly nursing home residents - especially those suffering from osteoporosis - are more prone to suffering broken bones or fractures in accidents, and residents aged 75 years and older are at the greatest risk of any age group. These injuries include spontaneous fractures, stress fractures, and traumatic fractures, and common causes include improperly moving or lifting a patient, inadequate supervision for patients in wheelchairs, inadequate training for handling a patient’s mobility requirements, and hazardous conditions within the facility which can result in slip-and-fall accidents. Fractures can require months of physical and psychological recovery, even when treated as soon as possible, and the nursing home may be legally liable when its negligence directly results in an accident and injury.

Infections: There is an unfortunate epidemic of infections acquired not outside of medical facilities, but within them, resulting in over 1.7 million cases per year for infections acquired within hospitals alone. Nursing homes are also vulnerable to these infections, which often come from blood transfusions, catheters, patient-rooms, surgical incisions or hardware, ventilators, and other medical equipment. Nursing homes must have comprehensive infection-control policies to protect everyone within the facility, including patients, staff, and visitors, and these policies cover hand-hygiene, personal protective equipment, quarantine protocols, environmental cleanliness, and other factors. The nursing home may be legally liable for an infection acquired within the facility due to negligence.

Inadequate Supervision: Inadequate supervision in nursing homes is often caused by understaffing and/or improper training of staff and can result in a wide range of problems for patients, from dehydration/malnutrition and bed sores to medication errors, mobility accidents, bed-related injuries, and even infections or medical complications. Nursing homes must always be properly staffed to address patients’ needs and respond to emergencies in a timely manner, and serious injuries and even death can result when patients aren’t properly supervised by staff members. If a patient suffers an injury or illness as a direct result of inadequate supervision, the nursing home may be legally liable.

Medication Errors: Preventable medication errors result in hundreds of thousands of adverse drug events (ADEs) per year, and in nursing homes they can result in serious injuries/illnesses and even death. These errors include prescribing the wrong medications or dosages, mislabeling medications, failure to take a patient’s complete medical history, and failure to note patients’ reactions to particular medications. Adverse drug events cost our society an estimated 98,000 lives and $3.5 billion per year, and nursing home residents are especially prone to irreversible damage or death from medication errors: about 800,000 adverse drug events occur per year in long-term care facilities.

Overmedication: Overmedication refers to a medication error in which a nursing home patient is prescribed too much of a medication, either in quantity or dosage. Unintentional overmedication can occur due to understaffing or inexperienced improperly-trained staff, and intentional overmedication can occur when a facility wrongfully intends to sedate a patient for extended periods of time - also known as a “chemical restraint” - rather than address the root of the patient’s problem, which often results from a flawed caretaking philosophy which regularly resorts to overmedication. This practice can result in serious injury, illness, or death whether intentional or not and nursing homes should be held legally accountable for these errors.

Physical Abuse: Physical abuse in nursing homes involves violence or physical force and can come in many forms. Common signs of abuse of a patient include scratches, bites, bruises, burns, or even inappropriate restraints. Statistics show that citizens over 80 years of age are at the highest risk of physical abuse in nursing homes, and unfortunately much of this abuse goes unreported: only one out of every six patients who are physically abused report the incident afterward, according to some estimates, resulting in organizations such as the CDC and NCPEA labelling elder abuse an “invisible problem.” As such, it’s important to understand both the physical and behavioral signs that abuse may be taking place.

Physical Assault: Assault and battery is the most blatant form of physical abuse in nursing homes and is among the most egregious violations of patients’ rights. Physical assault may include punching, slapping, kicking, shaking, and other forms of force, and while most victims in nursing homes were assaulted by staff members, assault among residents of the facility can also occur due to the staff’s negligence, particularly inadequate supervision. There are many risk factors for physical assault in nursing homes: some facilities do not properly screen their employees and may hire individuals who are unstable or have violent tendencies; inadequate staffing can place great stress on employees who then act irrationally; and some residents’ physical or psychological limitations make them unfortunate targets for violence.

Physical or Chemical Restraints: Patients’ dignity and ability to move freely in nursing homes must be respected. Sometimes, nursing home employees may utilize physical or chemical restraints to handle an agitated individual, but this should only be a last-resort option that is absolutely necessary. Unnecessary or excessive use of restraints not only violates a patient’s rights, but can also result in injuries to the patient, ranging from head injuries to bone fractures and internal bleeding. Patients who have a history of falls, low cognitive performance, or are taking antipsychotic medications may be at greater risk of negligent use of restraints, and the employee and/or facility should be held accountable for the resulting physical and/or psychological pain and suffering.

Sepsis: Sepsis can occur when bacteria infect the bloodstream and often develops from bedsores and similar medical complications. Severe sepsis, also known as “septic shock,” can be fatal if not treated as soon as possible, so it’s important that these conditions are closely monitored, and the root causes are identified. A nursing home may be legally liable if negligence resulted in the condition which led to sepsis, such as bedsores, or if negligence directly resulted in sepsis or septic shock. If a patient passes away from septic shock resulting directly from negligence, the nursing home or employees may be liable in a wrongful death claim.

Sexual Assault: Sexual assault in nursing homes is a widespread and often-underreported problem. Common signs of sexual abuse of a patient include bleeding or bruising in the genital area; stained or ripped clothing, linens, or bed sheets; unusual fear or anxiety, especially in the presence of a particular staff member; and depression or changes in mood. While nursing homes and their employees are fully legally obligated to ensure that residents are safe, and their rights are protected, it’s important to maintain open communication with your loved one to determine as soon as possible if such horrendous abuse is taking place.

Wandering: Adequate staffing and supervision for patients is essential in nursing homes, and some patients suffering from psychological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, may be prone to wandering when left unsupervised. This can be dangerous, as unassisted patients may be at risk of falling, which can result in serious injury or even death. Other risk factors include unfamiliarity with a new environment, recent changes in medication, and unmet physical needs related to hunger or hygiene. If a patient wanders in a nursing home without proper supervision and suffers an injury, the facility and/or particular staff members may be legally responsible for the injury due to negligence.

Wheelchair Accidents: While almost all wheelchair accidents are entirely preventable, they typically occur when a patient is being transported from a wheelchair to a chair or bed (or vice-versa) and can result in serious injuries or even death. These accidents can occur when staff members are inexperienced, improperly trained, or in violation of the facility’s standard protocols for transporting patients, each of which may be considered negligence on behalf of the employee and/or nursing home itself. Other common causes include inadequate supervision, failure to apply brakes when the wheelchair is not in motion, or improper securement of the wheelchair in a vehicle.

Wrongful Death: Wrongful death in a nursing home is the ultimate negligence for which no compensation is ever fully sufficient. The most common causes in these cases are dehydration and malnutrition, which can also make patients more susceptible to infections and illnesses; and medication errors, which typically consist of prescribing the wrong medication, improper dosage, or multiple medications which should not be mixed, all of which can be fatal in certain cases. When a patient’s wrongful death was a direct result of the negligence of a nursing home or particular employees within it, the surviving family has a legal right to pursue compensation and hold the negligent party accountable for their wrongdoing.

Chicago Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Can Help You

If you believe a loved one has been abused or neglected at a nursing home, contact us for a free consultation. Agruss Law Firm, LLC, represents victims of nursing home abuse and neglect throughout Illinois. We will handle your case quickly, advise you every step of the way, and we will not hesitate to go to trial for you. This litigation strategy will provide you with the best possible compensation. Plus, we do not get paid attorney’s fees unless we win your case. Our no-fee promise is that simple. Therefore, you have nothing to risk when you hire our firm—just the opportunity to seek justice. Protect your rights by contacting us today.

See More Here: Advocate So. Suburban Hosp SNF

Agruss Law Firm LLC 4809 N Ravenswood Ave #419, Chicago, IL 60640 https://goo.gl/maps/5g8VjKMDr3k

from https://www.agrusspersonalinjury.com/advocate-so-suburban-hosp-snf/ from https://agrusslawfirm1.tumblr.com/post/182369117982

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agrusslawfirm1 · 5 years

Text

Advocate So. Suburban Hosp SNF

If you have been abused or neglected at Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF, read about your rights below, and then contact Agruss Law Firm, LLC, for a free case evaluation.

Who is Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF?

Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF’s Address, Phone Number, and Contact Information

Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF 17800 South Kedzie Avenue Hazel Crest, IL, 60429 Tel: 708-799-8000 Website: Advocate South Suburban Nursing Home

Advocate South Suburban Hospital SNF Overview

Health inspections: no report found. More stars means fewer health risks.

Staffing: no report found. More stars means a better level of staffing per nursing home resident.

Signs of Abuse and Neglect

If you notice that your loved one exhibits any of the following, you should act immediately:

Broken bones,

Bed sores,

Bruises,

Head injuries,

Medication overdose,

Dehydration or malnutrition,

Poor hygiene,

Soiled bedding,

Rapid weight loss,

Sudden agitation or emotional withdrawal,

Frequent crying, or

Complaints of poor treatment.

Illinois Nursing Home Statistics

Nursing Home Profits Over Patients

Nursing Home Staffing Problems

Types of Abuse and Neglect in Nursing Homes

Chicago Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Can Help You

See More Here: Advocate So. Suburban Hosp SNF

Agruss Law Firm LLC 4809 N Ravenswood Ave #419, Chicago, IL 60640 https://goo.gl/maps/5g8VjKMDr3k

from https://www.agrusspersonalinjury.com/advocate-so-suburban-hosp-snf/

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emilypaul09 · 5 years

Text

Abraham Lincoln Mem. Hosp. – SB

If you have been abused or neglected at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - SB, read about your rights below, and then contact Agruss Law Firm, LLC, for a free case evaluation.

Who is Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - SB?

Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - SB is an Illinois nursing home. Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - SB has no reported owner and operator. Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - SB is located at 200 Stahlhut Drive, Lincoln, IL 62656 with telephone number 217-732-2161. Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - SB has has no reported number of skilled beds and staffing members on the Illinois Department of Public Health website. The Illinois Nursing Home Care Act governs Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - SB.

Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - SB Address, Phone Number, and Contact Information

Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - SB 200 Stahlhut Drive Lincoln, IL 62656 Tel: 217-732-2161 https://www.almh.org/

Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - SB Overview

Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - SB operates 25-bed nursing home. Abraham Lincoln Mem. Hosp. - SB is also a for-profit corporation. Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - SB participates in Medicare and Medicaid. Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - SB is not in a Continuing Care Retirement Community (“CCRC”). A CCRC offers multiple housing options and levels of care. Typically, a CCRC offers the most service-intensive options for residents. At a CCRC, residents may freely move from one level of care to another.

According to Medicare’s Nursing Home Care, Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - SB has no overall rating in the site’s star rating system. Altogether, Medicare gives Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - SB no star ratings. We all know the more stars, the better.

Signs of Abuse and Neglect

If you notice that your loved one exhibits any of the following, you should act immediately:

Broken bones,

Bed sores,

Bruises,

Head injuries,

Medication overdose,

Dehydration or malnutrition,

Poor hygiene,

Soiled bedding,

Rapid weight loss,

Sudden agitation or emotional withdrawal,

Frequent crying, or

Complaints of poor treatment.

Illinois Nursing Home Statistics

Nursing Home Profits over Patients

Nursing Home Staffing Problems

Types of Abuse and Neglect in Nursing Homes

Chicago Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Can Help You

Original Post Here: Abraham Lincoln Mem. Hosp. – SB

Agruss Law Firm LLC 4809 N Ravenswood Ave #419, Chicago, IL 60640 https://goo.gl/maps/5g8VjKMDr3k

from https://www.agrusspersonalinjury.com/abraham-lincoln-mem-hosp-sb/ from https://agrusslawfirm1.tumblr.com/post/182315811357

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agrusslawfirm1 · 5 years

Text

Abraham Lincoln Mem. Hosp. – SB

If you have been abused or neglected at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - SB, read about your rights below, and then contact Agruss Law Firm, LLC, for a free case evaluation.

Who is Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - SB?

Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - SB Address, Phone Number, and Contact Information

Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - SB 200 Stahlhut Drive Lincoln, IL 62656 Tel: 217-732-2161 https://www.almh.org/

Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital - SB Overview

Signs of Abuse and Neglect

If you notice that your loved one exhibits any of the following, you should act immediately:

Broken bones,

Bed sores,

Bruises,

Head injuries,

Medication overdose,

Dehydration or malnutrition,

Poor hygiene,

Soiled bedding,

Rapid weight loss,

Sudden agitation or emotional withdrawal,

Frequent crying, or

Complaints of poor treatment.

Illinois Nursing Home Statistics

Nursing Home Profits over Patients

Nursing Home Staffing Problems

Types of Abuse and Neglect in Nursing Homes

Chicago Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Can Help You

Original Post Here: Abraham Lincoln Mem. Hosp. – SB

Agruss Law Firm LLC 4809 N Ravenswood Ave #419, Chicago, IL 60640 https://goo.gl/maps/5g8VjKMDr3k

from https://www.agrusspersonalinjury.com/abraham-lincoln-mem-hosp-sb/

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