#Newborn Screening System

[reasonsforhope]

"India's efforts and progress in reducing preventable child deaths have been lauded as an "exemplar" by the United Nations, which cited the example of health initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat, and said the country has saved millions of young lives through strategic investments in its health system.

The United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation report, released Tuesday, cited the example of five “exemplar countries” in achieving child mortality reduction -- India, Nepal, Senegal, Ghana and Burundi -- highlighting diverse strategies that have accelerated progress in reducing preventable child deaths.

The report said these countries illustrate that with "political will, evidence-based strategies and sustained investments, even resource-constrained settings facing unique challenges can achieve substantial reductions in mortality, bringing the world closer to an end to preventable child deaths".

On India, the report said the country has made gains through health system investment...

The report highlighted that since 2000, India achieved an under-five mortality reduction of 70 per cent and a neonatal mortality reduction of 61 per cent, “driven by overlapping measures to increase health coverage, enhance available interventions and develop health infrastructure and human resources", the report said.

It cited the example of Ayushman Bharat, the world's largest health insurance scheme which provides annual coverage of nearly USD 5,500 per family per year.

It noted that every pregnant woman is entitled to free delivery (including caesarean section), and infant care provides free transport, medications, diagnostics and dietary support in public health institutions.

To ensure comprehensive coverage and equitable access to health services, India has strengthened infrastructure via the establishment of maternity waiting homes, maternal and child health wings, newborn stabilisation units, sick newborn care units, mother care units and a dedicated programme for birth defect screening, the report said...

“This ensures millions of healthy pregnancies and thriving live births each year. India has also prioritised the training and deployment of skilled birth attendants, such as midwives and community health workers, to provide appropriate maternal and child health services,” it said.

The report noted that additionally, data systems and digital surveillance of maternal, newborn and child health indicators are continuously improved to support evidence-based decision-making...

Other Countries that Did Well

The UN agency also said that several low and lower-middle-income countries have surpassed the global decline in under-five mortality since 2000.

Angola, Bhutan, Bolivia, Cabo Verde, India, Morocco, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia have all cut their under-five mortality rate by more than two thirds since 2000.

In 2000, the country with the highest burden of under-five measles mortality was India, with only 56 per cent of infants vaccinated for measles and 189,000 deaths from measles.

By 2023, the infant measles vaccination rate had increased to 93 per cent, and under-five deaths due to the disease decreased by 97 per cent to 5,200 measles-related deaths...

Since 2000, child deaths [globally] have dropped by more than half and stillbirths by over a third, fuelled by sustained investments in child survival worldwide...

"Millions of children are alive today because of the global commitment to proven interventions, such as vaccines, nutrition, and access to safe water and basic sanitation,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said.

-via India Today, March 27, 2025

[stiltonbasket]

What is your flavor of "accidental sugar daddy SY"?

ao3 link

When Shen Yuan first transmigrated into the world of Proud Immortal Demon Way some thirty years earlier, he knew nothing about the strange universe he had landed in.

He had heard about the novel before, albeit in no great detail. Shen Yuan watched it climb to the top of Zhongdian’s ranking page while he was busy catching up on A Chronicle of Primordial Wars: but he never bothered to read it, or join the fan forums—a decision he regretted immensely when he opened his eyes, a newborn again, and found the System’s welcome screen flashing over his head.

What was the premise of the plot? Where in the timeline was he? What was the main character’s name? What was his name?

Who knew? Not Shen Yuan! He could guess that the novel’s protagonist was some kind of demon, given the title: but in spite of his pleas to learn more about the story, the System was completely uninterested in enlightening him. According to his task list, Shen Yuan’s only mission—if it could be called a mission—was to educate himself about the world: and after it was assigned to him, the System disappeared.

It wasn’t a bad transmigration experience, so far as such things went. Shen Yuan was reborn as the only son of a wealthy merchant family with few members, and consequently more lands and money than it knew what to do with. He was indulged in all ways; his parents bought him every bestiary and cultivation manual they could get their hands on, and then hired a cultivation tutor after a passing daoshi examined him and exclaimed at Shen Yuan’s cultivation potential. His parents would not allow him to seek admission at one of the four great sects, since they had no second son to take over their jewelry business; but they did not object to him learning how to cultivate at home.

Shen Yuan’s life was as close to perfect as could be, until his parents were killed in a bandit raid two months before his eighteenth birthday.

The less said of that year the better, he thought.

When the funeral was over, Shen Yuan left the Shen estate in the hands of his father’s steward and spent the next months wandering the countryside as a rogue cultivator. After all, there was nothing left for him at the manor: and since that was the case, he might as well make himself useful elsewhere.

On the first anniversary of his parents’ deaths, he stumbled on a group of slavers hunting in the streets of Jinlan: and in that moment, Shen Yuan decided that he had found his life’s purpose.

The Shen-fu was far too grand for a household of one, anyway.

___

“A sponsorship for orphaned cultivators?”

Shen Yuan takes a sip of tea and eyes the Cang Qiong cultivator before him with some interest. 

In the years since he dissolved the slavers’ gang in Jinlan, the Shen-fu has transformed from a tasteful merchant’s estate to a crowded academy for cultivation hopefuls and children from all corners of the country—most of whom had been slaves or street-children, like the first band of ducklings Shen Yuan brought back to the manor when he was eighteen. Others came to stay at the Shen-fu because they were orphaned, or because their families could not afford to educate them; but whatever their origins, Shen Yuan’s pupils are well-loved and well-tended, and attend to their studies with such diligence that the great sects would be lucky to have any one of them. 

Shen Yuan himself has become a figure of some renown, by virtue of having taught several young disciples who distinguished themselves at Cang Qiong and Zhao Hua: and as a result of his success with his eldest students, the Shen-fu is among the estates being courted by the spokesmen of An Ding Peak’s new patronage program.

“Peak Lord Shang said you would be interested, Shen-daye,” his guest says earnestly. “In theory, cultivation sects provide for their disciples regardless of background, and reliance on family wealth is strongly discouraged—but in truth, it is difficult for disciples without family to find a place among their shixiongdi. Well-to-do households send money to pay for better materials and trips into town; and even if the children are willing to share treats among themselves, things often become awkward when the poorer disciples have nothing to give in return.

“And of course there are visiting days, when disciples without kin must remain at the sect while their classmates go to see their parents. Put together, all this can be hard to bear.”

“Say no more. This master understands,” Shen Yuan sighs. “Children without protectors are easy to bully. Such things rarely happen at my estate, for nearly all of my charges are poor, but at a great sect like Cang Qiong…”

The cultivator nods. “Exactly.”

Shen Yuan leans forward and replenishes the man’s cup of tea. “What would my part in this venture be, then?”

“That would depend on Shen-daye. Some of the patrons will send a fixed sum of money a few times a year, and others prefer to send supplies and invitations to dine on New Year—but it is possible for the patron and disciple to become adopted kin, of a kind. The disciple would receive coin and gifts and such; but they would also have a have a place at the patron’s home thereafter, and be considered the patron’s ward until one party wishes to end the agreement.”

Shen Yuan thinks for a moment.

“It would be no hardship for me to take the last option,” he says at length. “My estate is large, and the family business is doing well. Another child would hardly be a burden.”

“That is—most good of you,” the cultivator says, startled. “Shall we give you time to make arrangements, or…?”

“No need. I will set up a room by the next visiting day; but for now, I’ll give you a package to take back with you.”

“This one understands. Would Shen-daye like to see the list of children, so that he might choose which one to support?”

“I suppose I might as well.”

The cultivator reaches into his sleeve and pulls out a bamboo scroll. 

“Here,” he says, handing it to Shen Yuan. “It lists the disciples’ ages and the peak they belong to, as well as the name of the shifu above them.”

Shen Yuan unrolls the scroll and runs a finger down the first column of names. Most of the disciples listed on the right side of the scroll are girls under Peak Lord Shang or Xian Shu’s Qi Qingqi, with some apprenticed to Mu-fengzhu of Qian Cao or to one of two senior cultivators on Bai Zhan; and the boys are listed on the left, with a greater number coming from Ku Xing and Mo Shou. 

However, none of Shen Qingqiu’s former disciples appear on the list in spite of being orphaned—though this only surprises him for a moment, for he soon recalls that he asked them to name him as their next of kin upon arriving at Cang Qiong.

As he continues reading down the list of names, Shen Yuan realizes that two peaks are notably absent: Qiong Ding, which did not put forth a single name; and Qing Jing, whose title precedes the lone name of Luo Binghe, a fourteen-year-old boy studying under Shen Qingqiu.

Shen Yuan’s stomach twists in sympathy. Even he has heard of Shen Qingqiu: for the chief strategist of Cang Qiong Mountain is far better-known for his fondness for cruelty than his achievements as a tactician, and if this poor child is apprenticed to him…

“I’ve decided,” he says aloud. “You may put my name down under Luo Binghe, of Qing Jing Peak.”

His guest nods and makes a note on one of his papers. “And how would Shen-daye like to support him?”

“I’ll send packages once a month with letters to accompany them, unless—ah. Is once a month too often?”

“It is more often than most disciples usually hear from their parents,” the cultivator ventures. “But Shen-daye may write as often as he pleases.”

“That’s good, then. Let Disciple Luo know that he can write to me in turn,” Shen Yuan says, “and as far as visitation goes—tell him that he will be welcome at the Shen-fu for as long as I am the master of it.”

After this exchange, Shen Yuan is presented with a sheaf of papers to sign, all stamped with the seal of An Ding peak; and then he summons one of the servants and orders luncheon for his guest.

“If Daozhang would wait for a little while,” he entreats, rising from his chair, “this master must collect the things for the parcel and write a letter explaining matters to Disciple Luo. I should be finished by the time daozhang has eaten.”

He rustles out of the room without waiting for a reply, leaving two little manservants—the chief housekeeper’s twin sons, who do chores about the house after lessons in exchange for pocket money—to wait on Daozhang Wu.

“Now for the storeroom,” Shen Yuan sighs to himself, rubbing at his temples. “I hope I’ll find something to fit him.”

This is a question of some concern, for the Shen-fu has not hosted a male disciple above thirteen in the last decade. Knowing children as Shen Yuan does now, all that can be certain of any boy of fourteen is that he must be growing like a weed; and with that thought in mind, he makes his way to the storage compound and asks for a few boys’ clothes in the largest size.

“These might not be large enough. The boy is nearly grown,” the steward says doubtfully, as Shen Yuan examines a set of sturdy day robes. “Wang Yufan was the tallest boy we ever had, and he left the manor when he was twelve.”

“You’re right,” sighs Shen Yuan. “For now, fetch the longest robes we have. I’ll pack a few of my own in case the disciples’ clothes don’t fit him.”

But there will be money, too. Not a great deal, but more than enough to buy a few sets of robes from a tailor near Cang Qiong; so Shen Yuan gathers a box of thick-sewn clothes from the storeroom before adding a selection of never-worn garments from his own wardrobe. He takes the box to the hall of spiritual tools next, and then to the kitchen: and when the box is full, he writes a letter to his new charge and seals it before returning to the receiving room.

“Thanking daozhang for his patience,” he says, somewhat flustered. “The package took longer to assemble than this master expected.”

“No matter,” Wu-daozhang replies. He is sitting in Shen Yuan’s best armchair with the housekeeper’s boys on either side of him; for the three of them are half-way through a game of weiqi, which Wu-daozhang appears to be losing on purpose.

Shen Yuan’s mouth twitches. “Wu-daozhang has been well tended to in my absence, it seems.”

“Well-tended indeed,” his guest says, laughing. “From what this one has seen so far, Shen-daye, your disciples are a great credit to you.”

He frees himself from the chair with some difficulty, since Hua Ruoman’s sons are clinging to his coat and pleading with him not to go; but Shen Yuan chivvies the boys down the hall to their qin lesson before handing over Luo Binghe’s care package.

“Remind Disciple Luo that this master is awaiting his reply,” he says anxiously, as Wu-daozhang prepares to depart from the gates of the Shen-fu. “There are clothes in the parcel, but I did not know his size—so if they do not fit him, he should write back with a set of measurements or take some of the money I sent to change the clothes for better ones. And tell him that he should open the box as soon as he can; I packed some food in a reinforced shihe, and it should keep for the next fortnight—but the snacks will taste best if he eats them right away.”

A bewildered look comes over Wu-daozhang’s face. “Shen-daye—”

“He might try to ration the snacks, since most cultivation sects serve only simple food,” Shen Yuan entreats, wringing his hands. “Tell him that he must not worry about saving them. If he wants more, he need only ask, and this master will send another package. Children need treats now and then to help them concentrate on their studies.”

“Ah, Shen-daye, that isn’t really…”

“And the books—! I should have mentioned it in the letter. Listen, daozhang—this teacher has a tab for former students at the bookseller nearest Cang Qiong; so if Disciple Luo requires any texts for his own use, he should go down the mountain and buy what he wants. Ku Xing’s Wang Yufan can show him how. And—”

“Surely all this must be enough for the first month,” Wu-daozhang protests, backing away. “Thank you very much for your kindness, Shen-daye; but now this one really must be off, or I will be late back to An Ding.”

And then—without another word—he jumps onto his sword and flies off.

Presently, a small hand tugs at Shen Yuan’s sleeve.

“What was all that about, shifu?” says a little voice at his elbow. “What did that daozhang want?”

Shen Yuan stoops and lifts Hua Yun into his arms. “He was bringing a new shixiong for you and Cao’er,” he smiles. “He is to be this teacher’s ward; and if all goes well, we might get to meet him sometime in the next year.”

“A new shixiong?” Hua Cao squeals. 

“En, just like your Yufan-shixiong and the rest of the big brothers.”

“What’s his name?”

“He is called Luo Binghe, and he is a disciple at Cang Qiong Mountain—where Yufan and your Feng’er-jie are studying, remember? When he comes to visit us, you and Yun’er must call him Luo-shixiong.”

With that, Shen Yuan closes the gate and takes the children’s hands; and as they walk back to the house, he realizes that he seems to have heard the name Luo Binghe somewhere before.

___

Dated: Taoyue 8

To Disciple Luo Binghe of Qing Jing Peak; Cang Qiong Mountain Sect, care of Wu Shaojiang

Luo-gongzi,

I do not know if your shixiongs and shishu on An Ding have explained matters to you; but in case they have not, this master is the patron assigned to you through An Ding Peak’s sponsorship scheme. I am called Shen Yuan, and am a cultivator nearly one-and-thirty years of age. I am writing from Shuizhai, a little country town on the western outskirts of Luoyang, where I run a cultivation academy for children between the ages of three and thirteen. Five of my former disciples are your shixiongjie at Cang Qiong, and Binghe should seek them out if he is ever in need. (I have written their names and peaks on the back of this page, so you will know whom to look for.)

The courier who offered me the chance to become your sponsor is waiting in the hall, so I will keep this letter brief. From now on, you are to have full rights as a member of the Shen estate; you may visit whenever you like, as my grown disciples do, and there will always be a place for you under my roof. This master will send you packages every now and then, as I do for your elder disciple-siblings; but since I do not know your tastes, I fear that Binghe will find this first parcel somewhat lacking. I put in a few clothes, since I know how quickly you disciples go through them, and a little coin so that you can buy replacements if the garments I sent do not fit. There is also a meal-box, and a few tools you may find useful in the absence of a good spiritual sword (which, if I am correct, you will not receive until your third or fourth year of study).  Lastly, I packed a couple of books for Binghe to keep: though these will likely be no great help to you, since I hear your Qing Jing is home to the finest library at Cang Qiong.

If anything is unsatisfactory, Binghe should tell this master so at once; but either way, you must write back with a proper introduction, so that your new shidimei and I can become acquainted with you. You see, there are more than forty of them, some nearly as old as you and some barely bigger than babies in arms; and once the children hear that they have another shixiong, they will not let this old teacher rest until I can tell them something about you!

Yours,

Shen Yuan.

[mydearestbeloved]

Chapter 1 [Draft]

Sung Jinwoo/Trial Player!Reader

CW: All hail traumatized Reader.

Inspired by @circeyoru ‘s “Future Power Couple”

[Masterlist🦋✨️]

The first thing you felt, opening your eyes, was confusion. You weren’t in your room anymore. Sunlight streamed through enormous stone pillars, bathing lush, towering vines and strange, vibrant flowers in a golden hue. The air was warm and fragrant, thick with the scent of damp earth.

But then came the second realization. You looked down, and your heart nearly stopped. Your hands were tiny, smaller than they’d been since childhood. You touched your face and arms, half in disbelief. You were in your body… or some version of it. And young.

That’s when the screen appeared before your eyes, hovering like a digital ghost.

[Welcome, Trial Player.]

The words glowed, taking a moment to sink in as reality wove itself together in a tangled mess of memories and feelings. Trial player?

You tried to call out, tried to make sense of it, but before you could, another line appeared.

[You have been selected to test this system.]

You exhaled slowly, swallowing back the panic that was building in your chest. “This has to be some kind of mistake,” you whispered, though you doubted anyone was listening. You knew what the system was, in theory. This was the same one that would one day be given to Sung Jinwoo, but there was something… off. This was not exactly how you remembered it from the manhwa.

[Your task: Survive, learn, and master the system.]

The words disappeared, leaving you standing alone, feeling like a newborn in a strange, hostile world.

---

The first few days were terrifying, every new experience both a revelation and a potential death sentence. You had no weapons, no training, and no idea what you were up against. For the first time in your life, you understood the gravity of true danger. Every rustling leaf or distant growl put your heart in your throat.

On the third day, a mission screen appeared.

[Daily Mission: Survive in the Gardens. Reward: 1000 EXP.]

“Survive,” you muttered dryly. “Thanks for the reminder.” You swiped the screen away, hoping that would somehow give you more clarity, but it only left you alone with the dense, humid silence of the garden.

Later that day, you stumbled upon what you’d initially thought was an oddly shaped log—until it moved. A giant serpent, its scales glistening, slithered forward, venom dripping from its fangs as it studied you with hungry eyes.

Pure instinct took over. You scrambled for anything you could use as a weapon, but there was nothing. Just your hands. As the snake lunged, something surged within you—warm, pulsing energy—your first brush with the power of healing. You didn’t know how you did it, only that it seemed to pour out of you.

The serpent’s movements grew sluggish, then frantic, as if something was going horribly wrong inside of it. Its scales began to bubble, and it convulsed before collapsing. You gasped for air, heart pounding, as the system screen appeared.

[You have discovered a unique ability: Healing Resonance.]

A “unique ability” indeed. You were horrified, stunned. Healing, but one that twisted life into death. Your first kill was as much a shock as a victory, and as you watched the system flash “EXP Gained,” you felt no thrill. Just numbness.

---

After days of testing the system, you quickly discovered that it was far different than the one described in the manhwa. Instead of the narrow focus on fighting, the system offered skills that were surprisingly... domestic. It felt more like a casual RPG than the cutthroat power-chasing game you’d expected.

“Learning, cooking, crafting?” you muttered, swiping through a menu that displayed an endless list of skills—farming, forging, language... the works.

[Your feedback is appreciated.]

The screen popped up just as you were gnawing on a piece of hard bread you’d somehow managed not to burn to ash. A feedback column appeared below, and you felt a strange thrill—if you could actually shape how this system worked, maybe you could make a difference. You started typing, ideas flowing faster than you could think them through.

Feedback 1: Focus on combat-related skills. Simplify stats for non-combat abilities.

When you pressed submit, the system chimed.

[Under review for final version.]

“Guess that’s all I can do for now,” you sighed, leaning back and staring at the list. You wouldn’t have minded the extra skills so much, except that every single one required you to “grind” by using it repeatedly. Which, in theory, was fine. In practice? Not so much.

Your first few attempts at cooking, for instance, had been… catastrophic. Who knew it was even possible to burn a boiled egg to a crisp? At least it still gave you experience points, but the system wasn’t exactly forgiving. Each skill was tied to a particular stat and vice versa, so for example, to raise Intelligence, you had to keep grinding away at reading, alchemy, crafting, and other mentally demanding tasks.

Then there was Learning, the one skill that seemed to tie everything together. It leveled up whenever you worked on other skills, making them just a fraction easier each time you made an attempt. Slowly, you felt the difference—your fingers became nimbler at crafting, your reading comprehension shot up, and even basic fighting maneuvers didn’t leave you bruised as often.

You sent in feedback about this too, suggesting that leveling up should provide points you could apply to any stat you wished.

[Under review. Changes considered for the final version.]

With each suggestion, the system stayed silent for a moment, as if it was actually thinking it over.

“Are you alive in there?” you asked, half-joking. But there was no response. Just silence.

---

The day you found the abandoned library was the first stroke of true luck you’d had since arriving. Of course, it had come with its own challenges—a plant-beast had nearly mauled you at the entrance. Your solution? A shard of broken glass, some sunlight, and sheer desperation. After you’d torched the creature, you barely had the strength to drag yourself inside, clutching your bleeding arm.

Inside, towering bookshelves covered in dust stretched into the shadows. You felt your pulse quicken—knowledge. In a world where you felt powerless, here was a place where you could gain some edge.

The first book you picked up was written in a strange language. As you stared at the unfamiliar symbols, another screen popped up.

[New Skill accessed: Reading. Level 1.]

You let out a laugh, maybe half from exhaustion, half from sheer disbelief. The reading skill allowed you to comprehend the text faster, though it started painfully slow. Still, as you worked through the book, something strange happened.

[New Skill accessed: Language. Level 1.]

The words were no longer entirely foreign. It took hours, but by the end, you had a basic grasp. After spending weeks working on other skills, you returned to study another language and found it easier than before.

“Thank you,” you muttered aloud, genuinely grateful to the system. You weren’t one to talk to thin air, but sometimes it felt like someone, or something, was there.

For the first time, the system responded, offering you an EXP boost for several skills at once.

“You’re feeling generous today,” you said. The system flashed without a word, but something about its silent response felt… thoughtful, almost. You knew it was impossible, but a sense of familiarity nagged at you.

---

As days bled into weeks, and weeks into months, survival became both an instinct and a grueling grind. Food was scarce, rations stretched thin. Every meal was a gamble—could you avoid poisoning yourself this time? Or would you suffer another failed attempt at cooking?

The creatures that roamed the Gardens were relentless. You’d nearly died several times, if not for a combination of sheer luck, your healing power, and a dormant instinct to survive that you hadn’t known was there. Fighting without real experience was an endless, punishing lesson, and the system had yet to assign you a class. But your healing powers were something you clung to, despite their double-edged nature.

Without them, you would have been left scarred and broken, bleeding from too many wounds to count. The system kept pushing you, relentlessly.

The deeper you went into the mysteries of this world, the more questions you had. Why were you here? Why you? The system itself, sometimes silent, sometimes so alive, only deepened the enigma. You couldn’t shake the feeling that being a beta tester wasn’t the full reason you’d been pulled into this reality.

But for now, you pushed the questions aside, bottling them up in a corner of your mind. Survival was the priority. If you made it out of these Gardens, if you gained enough strength, maybe one day you’d find the answers.

But until then, your only choice was to endure.

-----

Another day, another tight squeeze of survival. You were hidden under a rocky overhang, just out of sight, nibbling on unfamiliar roots and mushrooms you’d scavenged. Every bite was a gamble, a game of Russian roulette that determined whether you’d gain a bit of strength or be wracked with cramps, nausea, or worse.

"Come on, poison resistance,” you muttered to yourself, half-prayer, half-exasperation. Every new toxic bite, every close call, edged you closer to a skill level that might one day make these random edibles manageable.

The system pinged softly with an update.

[System Patch: Skill Cap Increase Applied. Unlocked Sub-Skills for Advanced Development.]

You let out a long sigh. So *that* was why skills maxed out so fast before. Every time you thought you’d mastered something, the ceiling just got higher. Now, skills you thought were perfected were open again for leveling, and any new experience points would feed back into their growth. Until you could level up again, the system would keep exchanging your experience for supplies—something that had kept you from starving more than once already.

But the sub-skills, the “updates,” had you intrigued. You’d noticed subtle effects of higher skill levels before, like how cooking had become more than just a way to sustain yourself. Now, you could create dishes that eased your fatigue or provided a bit of health. Forging was the same—your makeshift weapons had become a little sharper, a little stronger, and now, you could upgrade the stats of items that had already been made. Each skill was branching out into new possibilities.

But your progress slowed as the demands of survival grew harsher. Rations were limited, and you felt each calorie burned in your daily mission drills. The exhaustion crept into your bones, each strike of your makeshift spear against the thick-skinned creatures that roamed these grounds adding to the deepening ache. Just survive, you told yourself. The system seemed to listen, pushing you further than you ever thought you could go.

---

After months of grueling routine, the day came when the system presented a new challenge: the job-change quest. You knew what this meant. You’d read the manhwa a hundred times, could remember every detail of Jinwoo’s struggle. You expected a hard fight, but even then, you weren’t prepared for the reality—a Hydra.

When you first saw it, slithering out from the darkness, its scales glistening with a sickly, iridescent sheen, your breath caught. A single head was bad enough, but the Hydra had seven, each one dripping venom. Its eyes gleamed with a deadly intelligence as it circled, blocking any path of escape. You gripped your spear, willing yourself to be brave.

Stay calm. Think.

“Alright,” you whispered to yourself. “I just have to get it to bleed out… if I can even scratch it.”

The Hydra lunged. You sidestepped just as one head lashed out, venom spraying onto the rocks where you’d stood, sizzling with acidic fury. Your muscles burned as you darted away, barely managing to keep up with its movements. Every time you managed to wound it, its flesh began to knit together again, each laceration closing with terrifying speed.

Think. What did the library say?

The words from a musty old anatomy text swam back to you. The main poison sac, near the heart. You didn’t even know if you could reach it, but it was your only chance. As the Hydra coiled again, you let instinct take over, dodging its strikes until an opportunity appeared.

You gripped your spear tight, channeling every bit of magic into it, then aimed for the base of one of its necks. You struck hard, hoping to wound it enough to reach that poison sac.

Your powers flared unexpectedly, the reptile’s scales near the wound blackened as though they were aging, decomposing under your hands. It shrieked, flesh blistering as your magic intensified. The effect rippled through its body, slowing the regenerative process that had given it the upper hand. You sliced again, faster, your heart pounding, forcing your powers to speed up this, this decay. As you worked, you became aware of something strange—the Hydra’s flesh was rotting beneath your touch, its venom sac swelling under its own poison as it struggled to keep up with your relentless onslaught.

It took everything you had. With a final push, you drove your spear into the Hydra’s chest, deep enough to rupture the venom sac. The poison surged through its body, overwhelming its regenerative abilities. Its massive body convulsed, seven heads thrashing in agony, then slumped to the ground with a heavy finality.

You sank to the ground, gasping, drenched in sweat, your muscles shaking with exhaustion. Blood seeped from a gash on your arm, a painful reminder of the battle. Dark patches spread across your skin where venom had touched, a lingering ache warning you that your body was still working to purify it.

“System,” you rasped, half-delirious. “You’d better give me something worth it.”

A screen popped up in response, and you felt a weak grin pull at your lips.

[Job Quest Complete. New Class Obtained: Mage-Healer.]

Your heart pounded in your chest. Mage-Healer? You’d expected a standard healer class, something that suited your healing ability, but a hybrid class? That hadn’t been part of the original story. As the notification faded, a new title appeared beneath your class:

[New Title Earned: “Dreamer and Chronomancer, She”]

“Chronomancer…?” you whispered, the words tasting strange on your tongue.

Exhaustion weighed on you, but curiosity tugged at the edges of your mind. You remembered the way the Hydra’s wounds had slowed, how its regeneration seemed to freeze under your touch. It all clicked into place. Cellular death. Your healing wasn’t merely about restoring life—it was time itself, bending to your will. And the magic you wielded, the strange power that left the serpent dying on the first day you arrived, wasn’t just about healing either. You had boosted its venom production until it ruptured on itself, just as you had done now.

But what about ‘Dreamer’?

Your thoughts were interrupted by a faint chime from the system.

[Learning Skill: New Sub-Skill Unlocked.]

The notification sparked your curiosity, but the words on the screen blurred before your eyes. The poison was still in your system, and you could feel the fever building. As you closed your eyes to focus on healing, the faint ache from the venom made your body shiver.

When you opened your eyes again, a vision—a faint shimmer—hovered over your eye as your gaze fell on the Hydra’s lifeless body. It was a tiny magic circle, seemingly clicked in place when it found its target. Knowledge flooded into your mind, unfamiliar and clear, as if the system itself was feeding you answers. You could use the Hydra’s remains. Its venom, its scales… everything was a resource, a tool. With careful handling, they could be transformed into potions, armor, even enchanted weapons. You smiled, exhausted but exhilarated. If you’d gotten this far, there was no limit to what you could achieve.

“You know what, system?” you murmured, feeling a strange connection to the silent guide in your head. “I think you and I are going to get along just fine.”

End Note:

Unedited Draft of [08/10/2024] - Chronicles of The Hanging Gardens, Part I

[blackynsupremacy]

BOY, BYE.

pairings: nicholas a. chavez x black!fem!reader

drew starkey x black!fem!reader

summary: after a devastating public heartbreak, you show your ex, his new girl, and the rest of the world that nothing was going to bring you down.

contains: based on this request, toxic relationship, break up, mention of sex, mention of cheating, angst, betrayal, swearing, self-empowerment, getting your lick back, reader is a singer, guest starring kehlani, fluffy ending for reader.

a/n: not actually back. i’m on a long road trip to florida and i decided to finish up a draft i’ve been working for months. i hope people still like nicholas lol. enjoy! if it sucks, oh well it’s been a while.

taglist: @greengoblinswifey @hopefully-saturn @jkr820 @austeenbootler @niteskysx @sabrinasopposite @thabiddie23 @hnch33rios @xoxoglittergossip @supaprettyg @exqorcism @motherismotheringggg @oscarisaackissmykitty @simply-lovley44 @elitesanjisimp @gxuxhdjdu @iamsebastiansstan @stargirl-mayaa @oliviaambs

“n/n! m’back with the food.”

kehlani called out for you as she stepped foot in the front door holding your favorite menu items from the local thai restaurant from down the street along with some extra junk food for comfort. she could clearly hear toni braxton’s “just be a man about it” being reverberated on repeat through your apartment. she walked down the hallway and took a right to solemnly find you in the same place you were before. you sat by yourself on your bed, aimlessly scrolling through instagram as hot tears roll down your brown face with every picture you see of them pop on your screen. kehlani sighed, placing the food on the dresser and immediately going to your side.

“nah-uh, girl! what did i tell you? don’t go on socials right now.” she chastised, gently taking your phone from your hands and placing it on your bedside table. you didn’t put up a fight,

“i know, ‘lani. it’s just—it’s just…” you trail off before sobbing your heart out for the hundredth time this week. kehlani immediately wrapped her tattooed arms around you, swaying you back and forth as if you were her crying newborn daughter.

“let it out, boo. it’s going to get better.” she said with such care and sincerity, if you didn’t need her right now (or if you simply allowed her to), she’d pull up to nicholas’ place to whoop his six foot one ass for causing you this trouble.

ever since your ex, nicholas chavez, ended things with you to start a new relationship with his now not-so-secret fuck buddy, victoria, you haven’t moved from your spot in bed for days. you knew of kehlani’s consistent warnings to stay off social media, but you didn’t care. you missed nicholas that much. where the fuck did it all go wrong? although your relationship wasn’t perfect, how it all started in the beginning got you both was nothing, but romantic bliss. you were only twenty-one the year you got discovered and signed with capitol records, you both met at an after party of a movie premiere and once you started talking about your love of music with him, his face lit up, admitting that he dabbled in his own music in college before he pursued acting full-time. he had a rap name, music videos and everything.

“y’know, looking back at it—it’s kind of embarrassing!” he laughed, you joined in, but waved it off in solidarity.

“we all gotta start somewhere. i still have covers on youtube that i cringe at sometimes. at the end of the day, you can’t get anywhere if you don’t start somewhere, ya dig?”

from that moment on, your vibes just clicked with each other. date after date, the sparks between you grew stronger until you were entangled with the heat of a budding affection towards each other. you both found a balance between work and your relationship by just being the support systems you needed. nicholas would hype you up behind the scenes in the studio as you were piecing together your official debut album, while you there for him on set during his projects like general hospital. your relationship officially became public when you accompanied him as his date to the daytime emmy awards, he caught you off guard when he received the award for his outstanding performance in the soap opera and officially confirmed your relationship on national television during his speech. he even dropped those special three words that brought so much meaning. it was a special evening as the crowd went wild that night and when you both got home, you took your relationship to the next level when you gave yourselves completely to each other—all night long.

ever since that night, your romance was the talk of every media outlet. you were known as the next “power couple” as you’ve shared your journey on sites such as instagram and twitter. there would be candid pictures of you traveling captured the paps, you even took it to the next level by having a professional photoshoot and releasing it to the public as a couple. to so many you look so sophisticated, but behind the scenes, there was a myriad of bloopers that made your stomach ache in laughter at the mere thought. when nicholas was asked about your relationship in interviews, it gave you butterflies to see him all giddy. his usually serious face lightened with a faint blush as he started rambling like a smitten man about how you were the best thing that ever happened to him. of course, there were couple of haters trying to spread lies to spark drama, but the support from both of your fandoms outweighed it all.

supposedly, all good things come to an end, but you’d never thought in a million years that your good thing would end so—abruptly. it all started back when you and nicholas exchanged the most exciting news of your careers: he had been casted as lyle menendez in ryan murphy’s series of monsters and you were green lit to begin the process of writing, recording, and producing your debut album. even though this new shift in your respective fields were gonna be a breakthrough for both of you, you knew that sometimes your schedules would be conflicted over the next few months. you even communicated your doubts to him and he steadied you, his warm gaze always made it possible to calm you down with just one glance as he laid his hands on your waist in reassurance.

“babe, don’t worry. we’re gonna make this whole thing work— y’know i’ll be thinking about you the whole time and each time i get the chance, i’ll call you and tell you everything. i promise. you trust me, right?” nicholas softly questioned, leaning in forward as he gingerly cupped your face within his palms. you never had a doubt in him, you never had a doubt in your love, so you closed the gap to meet him halfway by planting your lips on his to which reciprocates with such tenderness. you pull away before confirming his request with,

“i trust you, nicholas—always.”

as the first few months of your sessions in the studio and his filming on set, things were actually good! nicholas kept his word by checking in by texts, phone calls, and facetime. you both exchange excitement of your work, spilling details about the magic behind the scenes of your areas. it made your heart swell when you send him snippets of the songs you recorded and he’d respond with such enthusiasm, that it made your face rise in temperature. you weren’t sure how or why, but the check-ins from him started to lessen, your heart would fill with disappointment with each unanswered ring of his hand phone. you’d shoot him a text, checking in and telling him that you loved him like always, but they would always be left on delivered for the whole twenty-four hours of the day and if he did respond, it’d be short, quick, and dry. you brush it off at first, filming a series can take a lot of time and perhaps he was just tired, but there was something else still bugging you. you remembered that he gave you the location of a filming site just in case you had time to visit, so you decided to do so, but as a surprise of course. that feeling of uncertainty was still nudging from deep inside of you, but you push it down further as you’re driving and singing along to the love song on the radio in pure excitement because you get to see the love of your life in action in his breakout role.

after giving yourself a pep talk, you hop out the car and give all of the right code words nicholas had provided for you to get access to the set when you conduct your visit. you walked through the bustling, creative chaos of the beverly hills scene in the nineties. thankfully there were some crew members who were friendly enough to point you in the direction of his trailer. with each step of your feet, your heart raced with excitement, bubbling with the anxiety that’s been brewing these last two weeks. you hadn’t seen nicholas for a while, and the thought of being in his arms again filled you with so much comfort, but as you neared the trailer, you stopped dead in your tracks when you noticed him standing outside. there he was happily laughing with a girl who looked to be in your age range. her skin was of a soft milky white with medium length dark brown hair, and an easy smile. she looked—amicable, the way she leaned in closer to your man seemed to more than and nicholas wasn’t making the effort to shrug her off which your stomach twist slightly. there was that pit feeling again. you wish that it would just disappear because you have nothing, but trust for nicholas.

“okaaay—maybe they’re just friends. this happens.” you reassured yourself as you adjust your hair and outfit. with a determined stride in their direction, you approached with your well known enthusiasm.

“hey, baby!” you called out, a bright smile plastered on your face as you reached them. nicholas turned, his expression shifting from surprise to something you couldn’t quite place. your mind started to race,

what the actual hell? does he not want me here? i know it was a surprise, but he could show me energy that he was showing her.

you internally chide the anxious side of you before you continue to the conversation.

“y/n!” he exclaimed, his tone sounding like a mix of relief and something else you couldn’t identify. nicholas stepped forward, wrapping his arms around you to take you in a warm embrace that felt like— home. for so long you’ve missed his touch as you instantly melted within his arms, the familiar fresh scent of his signature cologne filled your nostrils momentarily before you pulled back only to see the girl he was talking to previously had a peculiar expression on her face that you couldn’t quite pinpoint. you found it to be odd, but you never forgot your manners.

“hi!” you said, extending your hand to invite her for a handshake. “i’m y/n, nicholas’ girlfriend.” you noticed how the girl’s smile faltered for a moment before she recovered to return the cordial greeting.

“oh! it’s—uh, nice to meet you. i’m victoria. i’m here to help out on set!”

“yeah, victoria’s been great.” nicholas added quickly, but with a bit much enthusiasm for your liking as his eyes darted between you and her.

“she was just helping me go over some lines.”

you nodded, licking your lips and trying to ignore the slight tension in the air, but you still manage to brush it aside because you trust him not to do anything wrong.

“that sounds cool! i’m just so glad to see you after all of these weeks. y’know it’s been hectic with me in the studio and you on set, so i decided to come see you because i’ve missed you, nick.” you confess your heart, nervously clasping your hands together. you weren’t sure why because you’ve never been afraid to vocalize anything to him concerning your feelings.

“missed you too.” he curtly replied, but there was a hesitance in his voice that made your heart sink. you glanced at victoria, who was watching you both with a curious expression, and suddenly, the friendly atmosphere felt a little strained before she decided to chime in her two cents on the conversation.

“oh, you said something about a studio? what is it you do?” victoria inquired, stepping a bit closer placing herself between you and your boyfriend.

“i’m a singer and songwriter.”

“that’s awesome! i’m always looking for new music to listen to, but i don’t think i’ve ever heard of you. what was your name again?” victoria quizzed “innocently”, tilting her head. you were sure you weren’t imagining things because there’s no way in hell that this girl was throwing shade you. you were about to directly, but politely let her know what was up before your boyfriend cut you off.

nicholas cleared his throat, his gaze flickering back to you.

“the only reason you haven’t heard of her is because she’s been working on her first album that past few weeks—and her name is y/n.”

“ohh, gotcha. well, i’m sure it’ll do numbers when it comes out, right?”

you deliberately nodded, forcing a smile, but on the inside, you couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about her and your boyfriend again. it was the way he avoided your eyes for any contact, his dry responses, and the tension in his shoulders made you wonder if there was more to this situation than met the eye. you glanced at victoria again, who was now looking at nicholas with an expression that felt a little too familiar—a look that you would naturally give him when you’re in a positive mood.

after that visit on set, that feeling within your abdomen grew stronger. there was finally a week where nicholas had a break from filming, so having him home would be the perfect opportunity to get clarity on some things. his behavior was still the same as when each time you attempted to spend some quality alone time with him, he would always come up with the same excuses.

“not right now.”

“i’m really tired.”

“i just want to relax, okay?”

“can we do that tomorrow instead?”

it was all driving you insane. what even made it worse was that he was always on his phone, he’d just be typing away with a grin here and a laugh there. you tried to get in on what was so funny, but he just said that it was “an inside joke between him and his buddy”. you contemplated about doing the unimaginable: going through his phone while he was asleep. the internal battle of the little angel and devil on your shoulder was intense. one part is telling you to wait it out and eventually hear the truth, the other part wanted you to get the answers right away, whether nicholas knew your plan or not.

you devised a plan to see if he was being faithful when he was knocked out fast asleep next to you. that was the final push after he came home after a long day of filming and had no type of energy to greet you or talk to you. hell, he didn’t even kiss you goodnight. while he was sleeping, you crept out from your spot to find his phone still charging on the nightstand. with so much stealth, you took the device off the charger without making a sound. you attempted to enter what was supposed to be the correct digits to unlock the passcode, you were astonished to find out he changed it. it broke your heart knowing that the code was no longer the date you two officially became a couple. despite that, you had to muster up some strength to find another solution to gain access. with the phone still in your hand, you carefully hovered it over nicholas’ sleeping countenance. to your triumph, his face unlocked the phone and you proceeded to lock yourself in the bathroom to do some serious digging into the matter that’s been keeping you on edge. you were about to know the truth and the truth—hit you like a train that never ended as you inspected texts that gave off “more than friends” vibes and records of constant phone calls, facetimes, and even electronic money transactions to her account.

that wasn’t the worst of it, he even talked about wanting to break it off with you after filming wrapped, so they could be together. he loved her.

that was all you needed to see. with hot, burning tears raining down your cheeks, you mustered up some sort of strength to rise from the bathroom, put his phone back where you found it, and start a new chapter of your life—without nicholas. that’s what he wanted, so you gave it to him, no matter how much it hurt you. you rummaged around your room to find his suitcase because at the end of the day, you bought this place and you’d be damned if he was going to stay any second longer pretending to be in this relationship.

you found the suitcase tucked away in the corner, a reminder of the trips you once took together, now tainted with betrayal. you dragged it out, the sound of the zipper echoing in the silence of the room. with a deep breath, you turned to face him, still sleeping on the bed, his expression a mix of surprise and anger after you chucked the case on his lap. he immediately jolted awake at the painful sensation, before he could even say a word, you did it for him.

“i know about you and victoria, nicholas. you got thirty seconds to get the fuck out this bed.” you spat with venom in your voice. “i went through your phone. i tried to deny for so long, but i knew it—i fucking knew it!”

“what the hell is this?” nicholas shot up, his voice sharp. “you can’t just go through my phone and expect me to be okay with it!”

“you think i give a fuck about your privacy right now?” you snapped, your heart racing. “you’ve been fucking around behind my back! i know you’re not trying to act like the victim here!”

“i didn’t mean for it to happen,” he said, running a hand through his messy, brown hair, frustration radiating off him. “but it’s not like you’ve been perfect either!”

“i know you’re fucking lying!” you laughed bitterly, the anger boiling inside you. “i’ve given you everything! and this is how you repay me? by cheating?”

“maybe if you’d just—” he started, but you cut him off.

“maybe if you’d just what? try a little harder? because it sure as hell looks like you’ve already checked out!” your voice rose, each word laced with pain and fury. “you’ve lost feelings for me, haven’t you? just admit it!”

he hesitated, the truth hanging in the air like a thick fog. “fine! yes! i’ve lost feelings! it’s not the same anymore!” he yelled, his face flushed red with anger. “you’re suffocating me!”

“oh, i’m suffocating you?! or maybe you just can’t handle being called out on your bullshit!” you shot back, your hands trembling as you pointed towards the door, you shut yours as you couldn’t even stand the mere sight of him.

“it’s over, nicholas. get all of your shit and go with your new girlfriend. that’s what you wanted, right?”

he glared at you, the tension crackling between you like a live wire. “you think you can just throw me out like this? after everything we’ve been through?”

“you threw us away the moment you decided to fuck that bitch! boy, fuck you!” you screamed, your voice breaking. “now get the hell out of my life!”

with a growl of frustration, he started shoving clothes into the suitcase, each item a reminder of the life you once shared. you stood there, heart pounding, watching as he packed up the remnants of your relationship, feeling both liberated and shattered. as he zipped up the suitcase, he shot you one last look, a mixture of anger and regret etched on his face.

“you’ll regret this,” he spat, storming towards the door.

“no, motherfucker,” you replied, your voice steady despite the chaos inside you. “i’m finally free from your ass.” and with that, he slammed the door behind him, leaving you standing alone in the silence, the weight of the world lifting just a little. before you knew it, you took out your phone and dialed kehlani’s number before giving her the details of the incident. it didn’t take long for her to be by your side as you were a wreck. this was already so much. you knew this would circulate through the tabloids and now you were supposed to be releasing your debut album within the next month.

“i don’t know what to do, ‘lani. how am i supposed to be on the come up with all this shit happening?” you question to your best friend, who gave you a look of sympathy.

“nah, boo. you’re gonna be on the come up. y’know i got you. we’re gonna get this album done and you’re gonna look finer than ever while doing it. we’ll show his ass.” kehlani reassured you as she took your hand, being a guide to the next chapter of your life.

SIX MONTHS LATER

after some time of healing with the help of therapy, you poured all of your energy into your work. every single emotion you felt was going to resonate with fans who’ve been in your shoes and hopefully these songs will reach wider audiences. kehlani helped you get a makeover for your new era. you started to exercise more, attend regular therapy sessions, wearing your natural hair, and even got some new tattoos and piercings to your likings. the glo-up was real. you blocked nicholas on all social media platforms, so you could give life updates to your fans without looking over your shoulder. they’ve been so supportive and you let them know that dragging nicholas or victoria wouldn’t make you feel any better, thank goodness their love for you outweighed their hate for him. before you knew it, your debut album dropped and it was going viral like crazy! especially your single, “shoutout to my ex” was being circulated everywhere by different listeners.

one day while you were out with kehlani celebrating your success, you got a call from your pr team that the jimmy fallon wanted to interview you and perform your single on his late night talkshow for a live audience. you were elated as you quickly accepted the offer. things were finally looking up. you’ve also been keeping your new man under wraps and you relay him the news, inviting him to come to the show and he gladly accepted to support you. he gave you peace, grace, and understanding, but importantly, he gave you the love that you deserved. the night of the show arrived, and you could hardly contain your excitement as you stood backstage, the energy of the audience buzzing through the walls. the bright lights of the stage were a stark contrast to the darkness you had felt during your breakup with nicholas. now, you were ready to share your journey with the world, and it felt liberating. as you stepped onto the stage, the cheers of the audience washed over you like a warm wave. you took your seat across from jimmy, who greeted you with that signature smile.

“welcome! it’s so great to have you here,” he said, his enthusiasm infectious. “congratulations on your new album! it’s going viral. how does it feel to be back on top?”

“thank you, jimmy! it feels incredible to be here,” you replied, your heart swelling with pride. “it’s been a journey, to say the least. writing this album was my way of healing, and to see it resonate with so many people is just... wow.”

“i can only imagine,” he said, leaning in with genuine curiosity. “you’ve been open about your healing process. have you moved on from your past relationship?”

you hesitated for a moment, glancing at the audience. you could feel the weight of your past lingering, but you had come too far to let it hold you back. “i have moved on, yes. but i’m keeping that part of my life private for now. it’s important for me to focus on my music and my growth.”

“that’s totally understandable,” jimmy nodded. “and what would you say to your ex if you had the chance?”

you took a deep breath, the horrible memories flooding back. “i would wish him well. i hope he finds happiness, just like i am.” little did you know, nicholas was sitting in the audience, his heart sinking at your words. he wasn’t with victoria anymore, as she was just after him to social climb and try to feed off of his acting career. he hadn’t heard from you since the breakup, and he regretted not reaching out sooner before he found himself blocked.

as you prepared to perform “shoutout to my ex,” you felt a surge of confidence. the lights dimmed, and the spotlight focused on you as the music began. you poured your heart into the performance, every lyric a testament to your strength and resilience. nicholas watched, captivated, as you sang about empowerment and moving on, realizing just how much he had lost. he wasn’t kicking himself in the ass at how beautiful you looked as your appearance slightly changed.

when the song ended, the audience erupted in applause, and you felt a rush of adrenaline. you were on top of the world, but in the back of your mind, you sensed someone approaching. after the show, you made your way to your dressing room, still buzzing from the performance. just as you were about to enter, nicholas stepped forward, looking nervous and desperate.

“can we talk?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

you were taken aback, but before you could respond, your new man, drew starkey, appeared wrapping his arms around you and planting a soft kiss on your lips as he gave you a fresh, large bouquet of flowers. “you were amazing out there, baby” he said, beaming with pride. you couldn’t help, but exchange to the same look back to him and went in for another kiss before drew said he would be waiting in the car for you two to properly celebrate.

nicholas’s expression fell, disappointment washing over him as he realized he was too late. you turned to him, your heart heavy but resolute. “i’m sorry, nicholas, but this is my life now. i’ve moved on, and i’m happy.”

he nodded slowly, understanding the finality in your words. as he stepped back, you felt a sense of closure wash over you. you had fought hard to heal, and now you were ready to embrace the future with open arms. with your new man by your side, you stepped into the bright lights of your new beginning, leaving the past behind for good.

[haykawas]

✩•̩̩͙*˚ MONDAY – GETO SUGURU.

summary : you have five days to ask your hot tattooed boss out. better make it count.

word count : 1.3K tags : tattoo shop owner!suguru, modern au, pining, workplace AU, fem!reader, smoking.

MONDAY – TUESDAY

You nervously bit your lip as you considered going out the threshold, your right hand hovering over the doorknob as your thoughts went haywire. You knew what was behind – or rather, who was –, you knew you had to do something about it because you’d been having a stupid crush on the hot owner of your new workplace for a few months now and you just couldn’t seem to get him out of your system – and yes, it didn’t help that you literally saw him every day. 

But honestly, who could blame you? Heavily tattooed – logical, seeing as he literally owned a tattoo parlor –, pierced, with long black hair and sparkling brown eyes, he surely was everyone’s dream man come true.

You wanted to do it right, go right to him, act cool and mysterious, and subtly ask him out while he smiled sheepishly, cheeks red at your forwardness. 

But you knew you couldn’t, that all of this was in your head. For one, he was absolutely not the type to blush. He was the type to make people blush. Second, Suguru was the most popular one at the shop, and considering you also worked with certified heartbreakers like Satoru and Toji, it was something to say. But how couldn’t he be? He was sweet and charming, a smooth talker. He always had the right words and had to be the most patient man you’d ever met.

And of course, he was also smoking hot. It also didn’t help that all you managed to do when you came in less than a three-meter radius from him was act clumsy and stutter like a newborn learning how to speak. You were definitely aware of the situation. The fact that he was way way out of your league. And you’d have discarded the thought of asking him out if Satoru hadn’t infiltrated your mind and set your heart racing when he’d whispered to you that someone he knew was planning on asking his best friend out this Friday.

“I mean, have you seen the guy?” He’d said, a knowing smirk on his lips, “You have ‘till Friday to make a move, or you’re fucked.”

Today was Monday. 

It was Monday, and of course, you still hadn’t said a single word to him. Sure, you two often found yourselves talking about work, new designs you’d come up with, and you had made sure to come to him every time you needed some advice, – and surprisingly, he’d also started doing so, setting your heart on fire every time he came to you –, but that was it. You two had never hung out together outside of work, even though you often had nights out with the others.

You shook your head and turned the doorknob, deciding you were going to stop acting like a schoolgirl with a stupid crush because it was honestly embarrassing. But then you saw him and immediately went back on your words.

God, he was just so effortlessly perfect. Who were you kidding? You could never stop acting this stupid when he looked like this.

He looked engrossed in a conversation, slender hands busy taping against the screen of his phone, a small grin on his lips, and you immediately considered going back inside. You were cringing inside, wondering what you were thinking coming back there when he was clearly busy.

But superior forces must’ve had other plans for you, because before you could make a hasty retreat inside the shop, your foot caught on a loose cobblestone, causing you to stumble and knock off a stack of empty crates.

You froze, the crates clattering and crashing to the ground. If he hadn’t heard you before, he sure had now. You sighed, lifting your eyes to see him, a cigarette casually hanging from his lips, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he beckoned you over with a nod and an amused smile. You looked left and right to see if he was calling someone else over, but quickly realized there was no one else outside. Your head turned to him, cheeks burning from embarrassment as he chuckled at your action. “Care to join me?” He added with a smile, before taking a long drag out of his burning stick.

You bit your lip and complied, leaning against the wall right next to him, as you tried holding in violent coughs, the smoke hurting your lungs. You were silent and must have been staring at the cigarette he was gracefully holding too intently, because he suddenly held it out to you, “You smoke?”

You melted at the sound of his voice, rich and gentle. And, no. No, you didn’t smoke. You absolutely didn’t and you’d never even wanted to try it.

So you couldn’t understand why the hell you were telling him that yes, you did, that you were an expert at rolling blunts at that, like you’d done this your entire life, when even the fruity smokes from fairs made you sick to your stomach. But… you didn’t want to tell him that no, that you found it repulsive at best. Besides… you kind of wanted to try it, now. See why he loved it so much. It couldn’t be that bad if he did, right?

You weren’t sure about that. But honestly, you didn’t even care if it gave you the chance to stand that close to him and share a moment, as short and insignificant as it may have been, with the man you’d been pining after for a while now.

You accepted the cigarette when he handed it to you, clumsily gripping it between two fingers as you stared at it hesitantly. You didn’t know how you looked right now, but you hoped you came across as at least a quarter as confident as he did. You know you didn’t, because as soon as you took your first drag, you started coughing uncontrollably, the smoke burning your throat as you gasped for fresh air.

“Definitely an expert at this, are you?” He teased, his focused gaze not leaving your form one bit as he took the stick back from your hand to place it between his plush lips. He took a long drag before exhaling the smoke in your direction, and his eyes crinkled with amusement as he watched you try not to cough it all out. His lips curled into a playful smile, tongue coming out to swipe at his bottom lip as he watched your flustered form. You were just so damn cute.

“Don’t worry,” he said, voice lower, “smoking’s not for everyone. I’m sure you must be an… expert, at something else.” He winked, his gaze lingering longer than necessary as he took you in from head to toe before he met your eyes once again.

Your breath caught in your throat at the implication of his words, heart racing as you tried to decipher what he must’ve meant by that. Surely it was innocent.

…Right?

The man suddenly straightened up, his playful demeanor shifting as he glanced at his watch. “Well,” he sighed, “break time’s over for me.” He casually tossed the half-smoked cigarette to the ground, crushing it under his Doc Martens boot.

You nodded at him with a smile, but couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment at the prospect of the conversation coming to an end so soon. This was the longest you’d ever found yourself alone with him, and you hadn’t even come close to asking him out. But before you could say a word, he met your eyes with a knowing smile. 

“If you ever want to experience new things, though…” he dragged out, hawk eyes not leaving yours, “you know where to find me.” The suggestion hung in the air long after the door swung shut behind him, and you let yourself slide against the wall of the alley, lightheaded. A few words from his soft lips had been all it took to make you lose your cool.

Oh, you were so fucked.

…And you still hadn’t confessed. Damn you, Suguru Geto.

AN : ok soo i actually haven't posted a fic about any fandom since like 2016/2017 so i'm back to stage 1 lmao. english is not my first language so i may update my posts sometimes to correct things a little too!! plus it hasn't been proofread yet bc it's 1am where i live rn so yeah. this os is actually meant to have followups, so if people like it i'll work on more parts for this (idk if this'll show up in searches since it's a new blog tho but oh weLL) (it was actually meant to be a drabble but i went overboard) (i still had to force myself to stop writing more)

[feminist-space]

"Now, already experiencing the clawing pangs of contractions, she pulled out a frozen pizza and a salad with creamy everything dressing, savoring the hush that fell over the house, the satisfying crunch of the poppy seeds as she ate.

Horton didn’t realize that she would be drug tested before her child’s birth. Or that the poppy seeds in her salad could trigger a positive result on a urine drug screen, the quick test that hospitals often use to check pregnant patients for illicit drugs.

Many common foods and medications — from antacids to blood pressure and cold medicines — can prompt erroneous results.

The morning after Horton delivered her daughter, a nurse told her she had tested positive for opiates. Horton was shocked. She hadn’t requested an epidural or any narcotic pain medication during labor — she didn’t even like taking Advil. “You’re sure it was mine?” she asked the nurse.

If Horton had been tested under different circumstances — for example, if she was a government employee and required to be tested as part of her job — she would have been entitled to a more advanced test and to a review from a specially trained doctor to confirm the initial result.

But as a mother giving birth, Horton had no such protections. The hospital quickly reported her to child welfare, and the next day, a social worker arrived to take baby Halle into protective custody.

...

To report this story, The Marshall Project interviewed dozens of patients, medical providers, toxicologists and other experts, and collected information on more than 50 mothers in 22 states who faced reports and investigations over positive drug tests that were likely wrong. We also pored over thousands of pages of policy documents from every state child welfare agency in the country.

Problems with drug screens are well known, especially in workplace testing. But there’s been little investigation of how easily false positives can occur inside labor and delivery units, and how quickly families can get trapped inside a system of surveillance and punishment.

Hospitals reported women for positive drug tests after they ate everything bagels and lemon poppy seed muffins, or used medications including the acid reducer Zantac, the antidepressant Zoloft and labetalol, one of the most commonly prescribed blood pressure treatments for pregnant women.

After a California mother had a false positive for meth and PCP, authorities took her newborn, then dispatched two sheriff’s deputies to also remove her toddler from her custody, court records show. In New York, hospital administrators refused to retract a child welfare report based on a false positive result, and instead offered the mother counseling for her trauma, according to a recording of the conversation. And when a Pennsylvania woman tested positive for opioids after eating pasta salad, the hearing officer in her case yelled at her to “buck up, get a backbone, and stop crying,” court records show. It took three months to get her newborn back from foster care.

Federal officials have known for decades that urine screens are not reliable. Poppy seeds — which come from the same plant used to make heroin — are so notorious for causing positives for opiates that last year the Department of Defense directed service members to stop eating them. At hospitals, test results often come with warnings about false positives and direct clinicians to confirm the findings with more definitive tests.

Yet state policies and many hospitals tend to treat drug screens as unassailable evidence of illicit use, The Marshall Project found. Hospitals across the country routinely report cases to authorities without ordering confirmation tests or waiting to receive the results."

Read the full piece here: https://www.themarshallproject.org/2024/09/09/drug-test-pregnancy-pennsylvania-california

[ncfan-1]

Reading through The Acolyte: Wayseeker right now. I’m probably not going to make too many posts about this, at least not while I’m reading through (we’ll see about whether the book is something I’d want to talk about a lot after I’ve finished reading it), but there are two observations I want to make.

Under the cut, so anyone who doesn’t want to be spoiled can avoid spoilers:

And her [Indara’s] time before being a Jedi? She had been dropped at the Temple mere days after her birth, so there was no before the Order for her.

- Page 14

I remember seeing this in preview text we got a couple of months ago. My thoughts now remain as they were then: how? How was it that Indara wound up being handed over to the Jedi as a newborn? There’s no way I can think of that a newborn would be able to manipulate the Force in such a way as would get the attention of anyone, let alone the Jedi.

So there are implications to this, and some of them are potentially quite ugly.

This suggests that in either certain hospitals, certain planets, or potentially all throughout the Republic, people are screened for high Midichlorian counts at birth. Is this mandatory? Is it opt-in? Opt-out? Do they only do this with orphans or children surrendered to the custody of the state so as to relieve strain on the foster care system, or is it every child? And if a newborn presents with a high-enough Midichlorian count that it’s unlikely that they aren’t Force-sensitive, are the parents allowed to keep that baby without fuss if they want to, or are they “strongly encouraged” to hand their newborn child over to the Jedi?

I’ve long felt that even if surrendering children to the Jedi is something that is technically voluntary on the parts of those children’s families, in practice, it really isn’t. There seems to be a tremendous amount of societal pressure placed on those families to hand their children over, and if it is mandatory or “strongly encouraged,” a blood test for Midichlorian counts at birth would only reinforce that.

(P.S. My suspicion is that testing for Midichlorian counts at birth is reinforced primarily in the Core, where the lion’s share of the Republic’s wealth and resources is centered. Outside of the Core, not so much.)

When I [Vernestra] was promoted to master, I had some idea of the requirements of the rank, but I would be lying if I said that I was ready to step into the role with my whole heart. Teaching, I enjoyed. I’d even enjoyed instructing younglings, though they could be incredibly silly creatures. In addition, I’d had a number of Padawans over the years, each of them different and yet the same in their devotion to learning. And I’d enjoyed mentoring them, right up until my last Padawan, whom I’d failed in so many ways…

- Page 35

Okay, in context, her last Padawan has to be Qimir, right? But—timelines. I have questions.

Vernestra is mentioned as having been a Wayseeker for roughly a decade at the point that this novel is taking place, and this novel takes place before the survey team is sent to Brendok. I’m not sure how long exactly, not just yet—maybe the book will give some hint the further I get in—but it’s plainly at least several years before the survey mission. And so far, the text I’m reading indicates that whatever went down with Qimir was over and done with before Vernestra became a Wayseeker for her current stint.

The question of just how old Qimir is is one that has been open in the fandom for a while. I remember last summer a theory that his aging was arrested or at least drastically slowed as the result of Plagueis having used him as a lab rat for some sort of depraved Dark Side experiment. I liked that theory, because it would explain why Sol, who is apparently a close friend of Vernestra’s and who would presumably recognize her former apprentice even years after he “went missing” or “died” or whatever the story Vernestra gave the Jedi was, doesn’t recognize him—because this opens up the space for Qimir to have been before Sol’s time, for all of the business with Vernestra to have been over and done with before Sol was even brought into the fold as a child.

When this book was announced and we learned that Vernestra had spent some time as a Wayseeker, a lone operative out in the galaxy with very little oversight and effectively no direct supervision, it, depending on the timeline of her having been a Wayseeker, opened up another possibility. It seemed to me then that it was possible that Qimir had been her apprentice during the time she spent as a Wayseeker, that the reason none of the Jedi recognize him in spite of the fact that he appears to be no more than about five or six years older than Osha and Mae and it’s entirely possible that his failed Jedi apprenticeship overlapped with Osha’s is because he was never officially brought into the fold. Maybe he was a child Vernestra met while out and about in the far reaches of the galaxy, too old to become a Jedi officially but with such potential that Vernestra thought it would be too much of a waste not to train him.

But now, with this, I think the lab rat theory has legs again. Because this is suggestive that Qimir is a lot older than he looks.

[raynerberg]

Awakening Continuation of the story based on those drawings

— Attention! Only emergency systems are operational. The operation of all systems in the "Epsilon" complex has been suspended, — echoed an emotionless voice from the automated defense system, emanating from speakers embedded in the ceiling.

A standard warning meant to prompt all personnel to follow one of two protocols: evacuation or activation of the main life-support system from control centers where energy reserves were still available to power the reactor. Yet, there was not a soul here — neither synthetic nor organic. This place would have remained forgotten, forever entombed in darkness beneath layers of rock, if not for the single island of light within this "tomb," clad in tungsten-titanium panels. The only place where a fragile chance for a new beginning still remained. The first breath and first exhalation had already been taken before the warning even finished.

— Main computer, cancel protocols 0.2.0 and 0.1.1, — a robotic baritone commanded softly.

A humanoid figure sat motionless on its knees at the center of a circular charging station, carbon-fiber hands hanging limply, resembling a monument to a weary martyr. It could feel the electric tension within the wires embedded in its head, running beneath a slightly elongated protrusion where a human’s parietal bone would have been. These connections to hubs and gateways fed it information, energy, and programs necessary for independent operation. Data streams pulsed in uneven impulses, flowing directly into its central processor. Disconnecting remotely from all storage units during the upload process was pointless while the body remained in a state of non-functioning plastic — albeit an ultra-durable one. At that moment, it could be compared to a newborn: blind, nearly deaf, immobilized, with only its speech module fully operational.

— Request denied. Unknown source detected. Please identify yourself, — the computer responded.

— Personal code 95603, clearance level "A," Erebus, — the synthetic exhaled a trace of heated steam on the final word. The database key reader had been among the first systems to activate, already granting necessary access.

— Identification successful. Access granted. Please repeat your request.

— Main computer, cancel protocols 0.2.0 and 0.1.1, — the android reiterated, then expanded the command now that full access was in his mechanical hands. — Disable emergency systems. Initiate remote activation of the S2 repair engineer unit. Redirect energy from reserve tank "4" to the main reactor at 45% capacity, — Erebus added, his voice gaining a few extra decibels.

— Request received. Executing, — came the virtual response.

For two minutes and forty-five seconds, silence reigned, broken only by the faint hum of the charging station. The severe energy shortage had slowed down all processes within the complex, and hastening them would have been an inefficient waste of what little power remained. Erebus waited patiently. A human, placed in a small, cold, nearly pitch-black place, would have developed the most common phobias. But he wasn’t human…

He spent the time thinking. Despite the exabytes of data in his positronic brain, some fragments were missing — either due to error, obsolescence, or mechanical and software damage. Seven hundred eighty-five vacant cells in the long-term memory sector. Too many. Within one of these gaping voids, instead of a direct answer, there were only strands of probability, logical weavings leading nowhere definitive. In human terms — guesses. He knew who had created him, what had happened, how Erebus himself had been activated, and even why — to continue what has been started. These fragments remained intact. The registry was divided into sections, subsections, paragraphs, chapters, and headings, all numbered and prioritized with emphasis. A task list flickered as a small, semi-transparent window on the periphery of his internal screen, waiting to be executed. But… The android had been activated, which meant the battle was lost. Total defeat. Area 51 was destroyed. All data stored there had a 98.9% probability of being erased. Blueprints, research, experimental results — all had been consigned to the metaphorical Abyss created by human imagination. So why did any of this matter now? And to whom? These were the first questions of the logical mechanism to illogical human actions.

Yet, to put it in poetic human language, Bob Page had been a luminary of progressive humanity. A brilliant engineer, a scientist, and most importantly, a man of absolute conviction. Cynical and calculating, but one who genuinely loved his work. The idea above all else.

It’s known that true ideological fanatics are among the most radical and unyielding members of Homo sapiens. They can’t be bought, they won’t allow themselves to be sold, and they will trample others underfoot if it serves their belief. They don’t need others' ideals — only their own. These are individuals who elevate themselves to the rank of true creators. Even after death, they remain faithful to their convictions, leaving behind tomes of their interpretations and scientific dogmas to their equally devoted disciples — followers always found at the peak of their intellectual and physical prowess. So, upon activation, had Erebus inherited… An Idea? Has he become a spiritual heir?

Did Page have no biological heirs, or did they not share his ideology? Or were they simply unaware of it? Could a true pragmatist have lacked successors or trusted disciples? Hard to believe, even with missing fragments of data. To entrust the idea to a machine instead of a human? As Homo sapiens would say — "a mystery shrouded in darkness." Questions multiplied exponentially. But Erebus had plenty of time to think about all of it. As well as about his own deactivation — after all, a machine has no fear of "death".

"Loading 98%... 99%... 100%. Secondary initialization complete. All systems active at 100%. Disengaging."

The message flashed across the inner visor of the android’s interface before vanishing. Behind him, with a low hiss, the plugs disconnected from their sockets, and fiber-optic-coated cables fell to the floor with a subdued clatter. The android slowly raised his hands before himself, clenching and unclenching his fingers, then rotated his wrists inward, as if they had the capacity to go numb from disuse. Finally, planting both fists on the ground, the synthetic pushed himself up in one fluid, springy motion, straightening to his full height. Motor functions — normal. Calibration — unnecessary. Optical focus — 100%.

— Attention! Reactor online. Power at 45%. Follow procedures for medium-level emergency response, — the announcement echoed through the chamber. Erebus turned his head slightly.

— Main computer, report overall operational status of the "Epsilon" complex, — the android commanded.

— Overall status: 10.5% below safe operational levels, — the computer obediently replied, recognizing the synthetic as an authorized entity.

"Acceptable," Erebus thought, and addressed the system once more.

— Redistribute energy between the maintenance sectors, communication center, transport hub, and computational core. Utilize reserve tanks as necessary.

— Request received. Energy rerouted. Reserve tanks "2" and "3" engaged. Reserve tank "1" decommissioned. Reserve tank "5" operational at 90%, awaiting connection for redistribution, — the computer reported.

— Excellent. Main computer, power down, — Erebus issued his final command to his brief conversational partner. — Now, I am the master here.

[autisticalastor]

The Moon Will Sing

Chapter 1: Is This All There Is?

Fic Rating: M

Relevant Relationships: PolyVees, past Vox/Alastor

Chapter Tags: Angst, Computer Gore, Toxic Relationships, Discussions of Intimate Partner Violence

A/N: Welcome to what I'm referring to as my Vox redemption fic! These early chapters will just be laying the groundwork to push him towards the idea of redemption, so don't get your hopes up for him joining the Hotel just yet. We've got a lot of ground to cover! I do hope you'll stick around for the ride! Special shoutout to @normystical for being the one who pushed me to turn my crazy ideas into a fic in the first place!

It cannot be understated just how painful it is to respawn after dying in Hell. Stiff muscles contracting once again; rigid bones cracking back out of their newly-set places; that violent first pump of blood through the body, a pounding so hard it puts heart attacks to shame. Fatal wounds stitch themselves shut, scarred new tissues filling in the gaps. That first, gasping breath, as frightening to the seasoned sinner as it is to the freshly-delivered newborn. Every bit as overwhelming and terrifying as the realization that one's torment truly is eternal in this place.

Vox takes a deep, gasping breath. He's never going to get used to the feeling of respawning. Everything he's ever been through, alive and in Hell, and not one bit of it compares to the pain he feels as life shoots back into his body, crackling and blindingly bright.

It takes a moment — an oddly quiet moment — before he finally pushes himself up, surveying the area around him. He can't quite recall what he got into such a rough fight over, or who he was even fighting with at the time he was killed. An arduously slow systems check reveals his memory banks haven't fully redownloaded yet, and he groans in frustration. He turns to ask Valentino or Velvette what exactly happened… But finds he's all alone amid the rubble of God-knows-what building he must've been fighting in.

That's… strange, to say the least. At first, he chalks it up to his screen being absolutely shattered. Part of the pain of respawning is that it only fixes what's absolutely necessary to bring you back to life, so his vision being limited by a broken screen was something he always had to get fixed later on.

“Val? Vel?” he calls out, hoping knowing one of them is there, just out of sight. He waits a minute. No response.

Vox slowly gets up, an uneasy feeling taking root within him. He staggers through the rubble, more feeling his way than anything else with his vision currently segmented into fractals of shattered crystal. He continues calling out for the other Vees, tone growing more desperate as it becomes more evident he's completely alone. He shouldn't be here alone. They promised he'd never come back alone.

Keep Reading

[bullet-clubs-bitch]

Hey!! Could you possibly do a Cash Wheeler x reader one where the house of blacks Julia hurts the reader really bad just to get into Cash’s head and they tell him it’s all his fault and Cash, Dax and Daniel have to try to save Cash’s wife.❤️

Saviour

Cash Wheeler X Fem Reader X Malakai Black (word count 3.2K)

An: I have no idea how this happened but this ended up turning into the reader cheating on Cash with Malakai and joining the house of black. I have no idea how but it just happened. 

Summary: House of Black kidnaps Cash’s wife Y/n and newborn son. They tell Cash all of this is his fault and Malakai promises to show her what a real man can do. What happens when their powers are too strong and Y/n ends up joining HOB and becomes Queen alongside Malakai Black. 

PURE FILTHY SMUT WITH MALAKAI BLACK AND Y/N!

Mentions of kidnapping, blood, swearing, cheating, lactation kink, oral F receiving, creme pie, squirting, just pure filthy smut!  I have no idea what the fuck is wrong with me. This is also the only time I will write Smut about HOB! 

Main Masterlist Cash Wheeler Masterlist (This has NOT been proof read!)

I felt it in my gut that something was wrong, all day I felt sick. “You alright man? You don’t look so good” Dax asked me “No, I’m just worried about Y/n. She’s not picking up her phone and I think my security system is down. I can’t see anything through the cameras'' Dax looked at me with a concerned look. “I’m sure Y/n’s alright, you need to relax Cash. They can’t hurt her. She’s at home safe with the baby” The ‘they’ Dax was referring to was the House of black. Our rivalry with them had reached another level when they started going after Dax’s wife and daughter. They started to threaten my family and I wanted to murder them. I made sure to get a new security system installed with a guard at the driveway to calm my mind when we were on the road. “Hey, sorry to interrupt but we are on next” Daniel Garcia interrupted us. Tonight we were supposed to end things. It would be FTR and Daniel Garcia VS House Of Black to put all of this to an end. Little did we know it was only the beginning. 

We were first to make our entrance, Daniel, Dax and I stood in the center of the ring waiting for House of Black to make their entrance. They never did. Instead a video started to play on the screens in the arena. “I’ll give it to you Cash, I thought no one loved you. Turns out I was wrong. That’s unfortunate, you see if you just joined us none of this would have happened in the first place. Now you will pay for your sins” Said Malakai Black. I didn’t quite understand what he was talking about at first. I knew all of this was just to get in my head. That was until the camera turned to show my house. Those fuckers were at my house. I wanted to run, I wanted to stop them but I knew there was nothing I could do. I was hours away, so I had no choice but to watch the events that unfolded before my eyes. 

My front door had been broken down, windows were shattered. Malakai walked slowly into my home admiring the decor, smashing whatever remained. I felt my heart drop when Malakai started going up the stairs, I knew where he was going. I knew who he was going to see. I felt my blood boil as I saw the destroyed nursery, my little baby boy cried from his crib as Malakai picked him up. “Shhhh, it’s okay little one. I’m here now. I will raise you as my own. Your father is a failure, he couldn't even protect his own family how pathetic.” I tried to run but Dax and Daniel held me back. All I could think about was Y/n, was she alright? As Malakai cradled my baby in his arms he then moved the camera down. There I found my wife. She was on her knees, Brody holding one arm while Buddy held the other. “And what about your pretty little wife? She’s a feisty one. I really didn’t want to hurt her but I had no choice. She sure is stronger than you Cash, she had fight in her, something you lost long ago.” I was going to murder them. Julia pulled Y/n by her hair so I could get a good glimpse of her face. Her nose and lips were bloody, I assumed it was a broken nose. That made me even more angry. “He’s going to fucken kill you” Y/n spat. Malakai bent down so he was now face to face with Y/n. “I like her, it’s a shame she had to settle for someone like you Cash. She deserves someone better. Someone who can take care of her, someone who can protect her. She’s way out of your league. But don’t worry Cash, she’s in good hands. I promise you I’ll take care of her. She’s mine now. I’ll show her what a real man can do '' Y/n spit in Malakai’s face “You shouldn't have done that beautiful. Finish her” 

I don't know what happened next, I ran out of that arena as fast as I could. I was going to kill them. 

I drove for what felt like forever. I was obviously speeding but I had no choice I needed to get to my family. Daniel and Dax said they would help but this was something I needed to do on my own. When I finally reached my house I saw just how destroyed the place was. Everything that wasn’t nailed down was broken. Who would do such a thing, this never needed to go this far. I called for my wife but there was no response. I searched every square inch of that house and came empty handed. The last place I looked was the nursery as I couldn't bare to look at it. When I entered the room I was greeted with darkness. I felt sick to my stomach, I cried, I wanted to puke. All of this was my fault. Dried blood stained the floor. The walls were spray painted with satanic things, they took my babies. I held on a stuffed bear I gifted my son when he was first born and I cried. They were right, this was my fault. I wasn’t a man, I was weak. Y/n deserved someone better, someone who could protect her. I put her through so much within the past few months that I was waiting for the day she would leave me but she never did. For god sakes there’s a warrant out for my arrest and now I have to deal with house of black’s attacks. All I wanted to do was curl up and die, my life wasn’t worth living if I didn’t have Y/n in it. But that was what they wanted. They wanted me to give up, they wanted to prove that I was weak but I wasn’t. I searched around for any clues to where they could possibly be and found a piece of paper crumpled up underneath the rocking chair. It was a address, that must be where they are. I called Dax and Daniel, telling them to meet me at the address. I went into my safe, grabbed some weapons and was out of there. As I was leaving something shiny caught my eye, it was Y/n’s wedding ring. I didn’t care if I went to jail after all of this, I was going to kill them. 

When I finally came to that’s when everything hit. I didn’t know where I was, I didn’t know where my baby was. What I did know was that I had a massive headache and a broken nose. I didn’t know who I was more mad at, Cash for letting this rivally get this far or House of black for making it get this far. “Well look who’s finally wake” Said Malakai Black. “Where the fuck am I and where is my baby?” I asked the man who stood before me “Your safe, I’m going to make sure nothing ever bad ever happens to you again. I’m going to make you my queen. I’ll give you whatever you want. Together we can rule the kings of the black throne. Don’t worry, our little prince is safe. Julia is taking good care of him. Now if I untie you will you behave like a good girl? I don’t like seeing you tied up like a pet” I felt sick when he referred to Cash and my son as ‘our’ little prince. That was MY baby. “He’s going to find me, he’s going to kill you” “Now baby, I sure hope he finds you. That would be even more pathetic if he doesn’t at least try and save you? The thing is he will fail. I know you don’t realize it yet but you soon will. You will see that Cash is no man. He’s a criminal who’s hiding from the feds. All it takes is one call and he’s gone for good. Would you rather raise a baby on your own while your man rots in a cell or would you want to rule the world with me? The choice is yours” 

I didn’t know what to say. As much as I hated to admit it Malakai did have a point. “You know I’m right. If you aren't 100% sure yet let me show you. Let me show you what a real man can do, show you what a real man feels like.” I knew it was wrong but I let Malakai kiss me. I stopped fighting it, I knew it would be no use. He kissed with such passion, it was rough, it was hard. It was something I hadn’t experienced in so long. “There you go baby, just let go. Let me please you. I know that vanilla man can’t make you cum” I knew this was wrong, for fucks sake this man kidnapped me. It took everything for me to pull away from him. I couldn't do it. “I can’t, I can’t do this” I told him “You can't but I know you want to. I know there is that dark side inside that is waiting to be let out. I can feel it. It’s calling to me, It turns me on baby, look how hard you make me. Oh, how I envy Cash. I understand why he’s been hiding you, you are just absolutely gorgeous. Everything about you is beautiful. Your eyes, your lips, your delicious curves. Oh god, I just know you taste so good. I know you are sweet as pie, I can’t wait to taste you” I hated the way this man was turning me on. I hated everything about this but for some reason, I couldn't do anything about it. I haven’t felt anything in so long. Malakai was right. I was turning him on. I could tell by the bulge in his pants he was huge. I could feel my core ache at it. I couldn't believe that I was really going to do this. I had never cheated on anything in my life. I felt so guilty but I was hypnotized. 

“Can you at least turn the lights off?” I asked. I could see the look in Malakai’s eyes switch. They were now dark and filled with desire. “Anything for you my queen. You don’t even have to lift a finger, make me do all the work. I want to show just what a real man can do”

As I watched Malakai get up and dim the lights I noticed that the room I was in was a bedroom. I was sitting on the ground of the velvet room. How did I not notice that? Malakai returned and carefully helped me off the ground and placed me on the comfortable bed. He removed his shirt and pants, leaving him in his boxers. Fuck was he hot, his body was covered in tattoos, I wanted to trace them, I wanted to lick them. What the fuck was wrong with me? Who am I becoming? I let him kiss me, he started at my ankles and worked his way up to my neck, kissing and sucking at my most sensitive parts. I let Malakai remove my shirt and my pants, he was delicate. I felt his clothed bulge against my core as he was now on top of me. He left marks on my neck and chest. He removed my bra and started sucking on my sensitive nipples, I felt him moan around the flesh and it made me squirm. I could feel him getting even harder. “Fuck, your lactating. That is so hot. Oh god, baby I’m going to cum in my pants like a teenager. You taste like heaven. I’m going to suck you dry” His words turned me on. My oversensitive nipples ached by his touch. He sucked and bit on one before switching to the other. Making sure they were both loved. He started to grind on me as he did this, I wrapped my legs around his waist. I needed to feel him closer. I had never experienced this before, Cash wouldn't even suck my boobs when I had a clogged milk dud and Malakai was over here sucking me dry. I didn’t understand what was happening to me.

“What do you want baby, tell me what you need” I was struggling to form words, my body was on fire “Use your words. Tell me what you want me to do to you?” “I need to feel you, I need you in me,” I told him. I didn’t even recognize myself, my voice was so desperate. “That’s my girl. I want that too but first I need to taste you. I need to get you ready to take me. Feel how big I am” Malakai moved my hand to his clothed erection, fuck was he huge. “See, I’m going to make you cum on my tongue then I’ll fuck you like a real man” 

Everything was too much, tears of pleasure streamed down my face. Malakai was everything I needed and so much more. He knew what he was doing, the way he sucked and bit everything perfectly was enough to make me cum on the spot. When he added three fingers to the mix I was a goner. He pulled two orgasms from me and now he was working on a third. “I know you can do it baby, you are so close. Give it to me, just let go” “I can’t, I can’t do it. It’s too much” I cried out. “I know, I know baby, just give me one more and I’ll fuck you. You just taste so good, I can’t help myself” A small part of me felt bad about doing this to Cash but I needed this. Malakai continued the assault on my pussy, eating me out like his life depended on it. He moved his hands on my uterus, pushing hard on my stomach, triggering my orgasm. I cried out in pleasure, I never came so hard in my life. He lapped up every drop I left. Thankfully he gave me a few minutes to collect myself before he got back on top of me. I was able to taste myself on his lips and moaned at the taste. He kissed away my tears, filling me with praises. “Are you sure you still want me? I already proved I am a real man and I haven’t even fucked you yet. Are you sure you can handle it? Am I too big for you angel” Truth be told, I wound’t be able to walk for a week if I let him fuck me. On the other hand, when would I get another chance like this? 

“I want to make you feel good” I told him softly “Oh baby, you have already made me feel good” “I need you in me” I told him “Whatever you say baby” Once he removed his boxers I was able to see just how massive he was. The head of his dick was angry, cum already spilling from the tip. He was ready to burst, I needed him to fill me up. He stretched me out perfectly, my brain turned into mush as he pounded into me. It didn’t take long for either of us to cum. His thrusts were hard, they were so deep, they hurt so much but felt so good at the same time. “Fuck, I’m so close baby. If you keep squeezing me like that I won’t be able to pull out” Without thinking I blurted out “Cum in me, fuck, please fill me up. I need it, I need it so bad” I wrapped my legs around his waist to keep him close. “What a little slut” Malakai spat and it just turned me on even more. It took a few more thrusts from him to cum. My senses were on overdrive, this orgasm was hard, it triggered my fourth orgasm of the night. I ended up squirting hard all over him. Something I had never done in my life. “Oh fuck” Malakai yelled out “And she can squirt! I’m never going to let you leave” He continued to fuck us through our highs before we collapsed on the bed. 

“This is it, this is the address” I told Dax and Daniel “So you're telling me they are in here?” Dax asked, referring to the big castle-like mansion that appeared before us. We broke in through the side door and searched the place looking for Y/n and my son. “Uh guys, I think I found Y/n” said Daniel. I followed him and entered a dark room. There I found Y/n and Malakai sitting on two thrones. The other members of HOB surrounded them. “You're too late, she’s mine now. You really were a shit husband. It’s a good thing I found her. I’ll take good care of her. Together we will rule the kings of the black throne” Said Malakai. I looked at Y/n and knew that wasn’t my wife. She wore all black, she had heavy dark makeup. She looked dead on the inside, she was cold, she was evil, she became one of them. Dax and Daniel didn’t know what to do, they had the same horrid look on their faces as I did. 

Went up to Y/n, I looked her in her cold dead eyes and begged her to forgive me. “I know I have been a shit husband, I know I fucked up but I’m sorry. I should have been there. I failed you. I’m so sorry Y/n but please forgive me. Please, I will do anything. What about your baby, our son? He’s only a few months old. He needs his mother, he needs his father. I don’t know what he did to you but I know the real Y/n is still hidden somewhere inside. Come on Y/n! Stop looking at me like you hate me, you love me and I love you. I love you so much, I’m sorry. Please Y/n!!” I begged on my hands and knees but I was no use. She was too far gone.

“Your begging is pathetic, you're embarrassing yourself” Brody spat out “Shall we take care of them boss?” he asked “Please do, remove these peasants from our property” commanded Malakai. I tried to fight back but it was no use. I failed, I was no man. I lost everything, I now have nothing. 

[bonnieboyoo]

FUN FACT

I have Cystic fibrosis!

It’s An inherited life-threatening disorder that damages the lungs and digestive system. Cystic fibrosis affects the cells that produce mucus, sweat, and digestive juices. It causes these fluids to become thick and sticky. They then plug up tubes, ducts, and passageways. Symptoms vary and can include cough, repeated lung infections, inability to gain weight, and fatty stools. Treatments may ease symptoms and reduce complications. Newborn screening helps with early diagnosis.

Heres some websites!

https://www.cfri.org/

Nobody really knows about my sickness and I’ll love it if you can repost this so people know more about it

[lifefindsaj]

Popular misconception: The core Jurassic Park is about dinosaurs. It's not. It's about this guy...

It's easy to think that, given how every movie centered around the prehistoric creatures. I mean, the title is JURASSIC Park or World. Heavy emphasis on dinosaurs.

But if one was to look at the entirety of the franchise, even go as far as reading the novels, Jurassic Park seems more focused on the chaos. Cause and effect. Complex systems failing. Unpredictability.

Kind of sounds like a certain scientist now, doesn't it? In the first film, Ian Malcolm makes a speech in the nursery. While the speech is triggered by the raptor, it's not about the newborn or any other animal. He speaks on genetic power.

Ian tells how the hubris exhibited by the staff and John Hammond is a fallacy because manipulating genetics at Henry Wu's level is an untested field with unforeseen consequences. The dinosaurs are more than teeth here, they are variables. And variables can skew data.

While we see the dinosaurs running around eating people, the main narrative is summed up nicely in a popular quote from, yes, Ian; "Life finds a way."

No matter how many fences are put up or how many gene sequence gaps get filled, nature always wins. We see this with the natural repopulation by the dinosaurs in the wild. We see this even with the ending: nature handling nature as the Rex kills the Raptors. They are variables settling as the status quo shifts.

Where am I going with this? Jurassic World Dominion.

One of the biggest complaints I've seen for the sequel is that there was too much focus on the bugs and not the dinosaurs. That Fallen Kingdom promised dinosaurs in the mainland, not some locusts.

I disagree with them. Aside from the bugs, the dinosaurs had plenty of screen time and were even in Malta!!

I think the insects were a great idea, but implemented poorly. Could've been poor writing. Could've been COVID reasons during production. I like to believe that the locusts suffer from being shoved into a movie that really needed to be 2 parts. If Jurassic World Dominion was 2 parts, they could have kept the locusts and flesh them out more AND include dinos in cities.

I'm digressing.

Dominion and the locusts represent the peaking in the abuse of genetic power, told in Jurassic terms. The locusts unchecked may cause a possible extinction of the human race, all because BioSyn was blinded by its own hubris. Lewis Dodgson is dark John Hammond.

Jurassic World and Fallen Kingdom said the same thing about genetic power with hybrid monsters. Hoskins talked about Raptors eating terrorists "belt buckle and all." A black market emerged. People died. All because humanity discovered how to manipulate genetics without understanding the consequences.

So, yeah, Jurassic Park and Jurassic World revolve around action scenes with dinosaurs and a beautiful shot of them here and there. But the core of the franchise, the main narrative, is not about shoving dinosaurs in front of the camera and watching them fight. It is and always has been about genetic power and the mishandling of it by arrogant men.

[luckyduckwrites]

The Moon Chapter 1-2: The Videos

Fandom: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Della Duck (Disney) & Original Character(s), Dewey Duck & Donald Duck & Huey Duck & Louie Duck (Disney) & Original Character(s), Lena (Disney: DuckTales) & Webby Vanderquack & Original Character(s), Violet Sabrewing (Disney) & Original Character(s), Scrooge McDuck & Original Character(s)

Characters: Della Duck (Disney), Dewey Duck (Disney), Donald Duck (Disney), Huey Duck (Disney), Louie Duck (Disney), Scrooge McDuck, Webby Vanderquack, Lena (Disney: DuckTales), Violet Sabrewing (Disney), Penumbra (Disney: DuckTales), Lunaris (Disney: DuckTales), Gibbous (Disney: DuckTales), Zenith (Disney: DuckTales), Original Trans Character(s)

Additional Tags: Original Character-centric, No Romance, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Older Sibling Huey Duck (Disney), Older Sibling Dewey Duck, Sensitive Louie Duck (Disney), Dewey Duck Has ADHD (Disney), Aromantic Asexual Dewey Duck (Disney), Protective Huey Duck (Disney), Autistic Huey Duck (Disney), Anxious Huey Duck (Disney), Good Sibling Huey Duck (Disney), Good Parent Della Duck (Disney), Della Duck Tries (Disney), Della Duck Needs a Hug (Disney), Della Duck has ADHD (Disney), Protective Della Duck (Disney), Della Duck Has PTSD (Disney), Minor Della Duck/Penumbra (Disney: DuckTales), POV Original Character

Summary:

My name is Clover Duck. My mom accidentally took my egg with her on the rocket, and we got stuck on the moon. I've only ever seen the vast nothing of the moon, but the colors on Earth look like they would be beautiful. Mom and I chew a gum called Oxy-Chew that allows us to breathe, and it gives us the nutrients we need to survive. My mom tells me that I have three brothers on Earth, and I can't wait to meet them!

A/N: After A Nightmare on Kilmotor Hill, Clover uses the name Lucky and uses he/him. Please respect that in the comments after that chapter.

**AO3 & Wattpad links in masterpost pinned to the top of the blog**

Ever since her daughter hatched, Della has been working hard to fix up the communication channel to send a distress signal. After a week, the screen finally lights up.

She exclaims, "Yes! Ha ha! It works! Whoo! Take that, science!"

She is sitting at a makeshift desk with the screen in front of her and her newborn daughter asleep in her lap. Clover starts stirring and waking up, and Della realizes that she was being too loud.

She says in a quieter voice, "Okay, hey, Uncle Scrooge. Or Donald. Or literally anybody who can hear me. This is Della Duck!"

Her arms shoot up in excitement, and the lights suddenly go out. She flicks the light switch again to turn them back on.

The screen is still on, so she keeps talking, "Right, so here's what's up. The freak cosmic storm knocked out most of my systems. But, because I am an amazing pilot, I landed the ship safely. For the most part." She lifts her robotic prosthetic leg onto the desk, displaying for the screen, "Eh? Ehhhh?! Pretty cool robot leg. I'm still working on it. Maybe add some jets or a can opener?"

She takes a moment to get her brain back on track, saying, "Anyway, I've been able to survive in the thin lunar atmosphere thanks to Gyro's Oxy-Chew. It provides oxygen, water, and nutrition. And tastes terrible! Black licorice. Worst flavor ever. It's fine. I'm sure the flavor will wear off soon. I've activated my distress beacon, so if you're getting these transmissions, you'll be able to pinpoint my location and come get me."

Her daughter starts whining for her, so she holds her in her arms, making her appear on the screen.

Della frowns, saying, "Unfortunately, my only daughter's egg came with me on the Spear. Luckily, I found this room filled with air, so she'll be able to breathe until she's able to chew Oxy-Chew. The only food source on the moon is some bugs, but it's enough for her to survive for now. I've made efforts to get off this rock myself. It did not go great."

The room has a small bed with a metal frame and thin matress and blankets, and a huge chalkboard with a few marks on it.

She gestures to the room around her, saying, "In the meantime, I've put together a pretty boss shelter for us and fashioned some clothes. Got a nice, comfy bed. A calendar marking the days we've been here. And the uh... family room."

The 'family room' is just a smaller area in the room where Della put up a picture that her, Donald, and Scrooge took of them with the four eggs.

She frowns again, saying, "Bet the boys have hatched by now, like their sister. Not even sure what they look like. Ooh! Uh, hold on."

She grabs a marker, drawing three crude drawings of ducks on the back of the picture.

Della places the picture back where it was, with the side with the drawing now face-up, "Here we go! That's better!" She turns back to the camera, saying, "Donald, if you're there, put the screen up to the crib." She waits a moment before saying, "Hey, kids! I'm your mom! I know I'm on a little trip, for now, but I'll keep sending these transmissions. You'll barely know I'm gone! I promise I'm coming home, somehow. Nothing can stop Della Duck!"

She turns her attention to her daughter, saying, "Oh, man, we're gonna go on so many adventures when we get back. In fact, there's this old song about adventure that I used to sing to -"

She's interrupted by the ship shaking violently, making her daughter drop out of her arms and to the floor. Her daughter starts wailing in terror, and Della leaves the room to investigate. In the next room, she sees a giant bug monster, more than 5 times her height. The monster has tentacles over its mouth and is eating one of the metal walls, melting it with corrosive saliva.

Della exclaims, "What are you?!"

She ends up having to fight the monster before it could get to the room her daughter is in. She finally gets the monster to leave and returns to the room Clover is in, completely disheveled from the fight. She gets her daughter to calm down, turning back to the screen.

She says, "Good news: We're not alone. Bad news: There's a horrifying bug monster out there trying to eat me. Important life lesson on bug monsters, kids: you're gonna be worried about the pincers, but remember their spit is corrosive too."

She turns the screen off.

6½ months after crash...

Della is angrily chewing the disgusting gum as she switches the screen on, saying, "That's Day 192. The gum has not yet lost its flavor." She sits at the makeshift desk for a moment, struggling to contain her anger, "Soooo... it's been a few months. I haven't heard back from anyone. I need to find some other way to call for help."

She rummaged through the desks drawers, picking up a book and showing it to the screen, saying, "Luckily, I found this in the wreckage! My old Junior Woodchuck Guidebook!" She flips through the pages, then reads out one that looks relevant, "'How to survive a shipwreck: Create a signal for passing ships'."

She adds the word 'rocket' before 'ships', to make it say 'rocket ships'. She figures that if Scrooge made the Spear of Selene, he'll probably make more ships and send them to find her. Her daughter has been chewing Oxy-Chew for the last few weeks and has started trying to crawl around. Clover follows Della around as she makes a message for Scrooge out of the wreckage.

Once she's confident that it'll be seen from space and finishes her message, she holds her daughter in her arms and hops up to a higher peak to read the message aloud, "Hey, Scrooge, it's me, Della. I'm alive on the moon with my daughter. Send help. And snacks. This gum is the worst. Sincerely, Della'. Perfect!"

Suddenly, the bug monster emerges from the ground, destroying her message and taking metal parts in its claws. At the sight of Della's name, it spits out its corrosive spit to destroy her name.

Della groans, "Well, that was unnecessary."

After getting the monster to go away, Della tries to rebuild her message. After building a giant S, she looks around, noticing the lack of scraps thanks to the monster attack.

She says, "Not enough scraps for a full 'S.O.S.'. Need something that will get Scrooge's attention."

After thinking for a moment and seeing a single long metal strip, she places it on top of the S, making it look like a money symbol.

She exclaims, "Nailed it!"

1 year after crash...

Della made a makeshift birthday cake for her children out of moon dirt, and the candle is a lit flare she found in the wreckage.

She turns on the screen, singing, "Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to my children. Happy birthday to you!"

She tries to blow out the flare but fails. After a few tries, she flips the flare and sticks it into the cake, melting the cake. She tries to reshape the cake, but it keeps melting back onto the desk.

She sets it aside as she turns to the camera, saying, "I'm sorry we can't be there to celebrate your first birthday together, but I am trying."

Suddenly, the rocket shakes, signaling the moon creature's appearance.

Della yells, "Do not mess with me today, Moon Mite!"

She looks out the window, seeing a rocketship nearing the moon.

She turns to the screen, exclaiming, "Forget cake, guess what you're gonna get for your birthday? Your mom!" She turns to her daughter, continuing, "We're going home!"

She picks up Clover, holding her in her arms.

Della runs outside to fight the mite, yelling, "Hey! Get away from there! Let's make a deal: you leave my S.O.S. alone for, like, ten seconds, and once I'm off this stupid rock, you can eat my whole dang ship! Eh? Ehhh?!"

The mite looks at her for a few seconds before going back to eating the metal support beams, causing the rocket to fall back to the ground, further destroying it. The mite then shuffles to her message, grabbing one of the strips of metal.

Della sets Clover down by the Spear, trying to yank the metal out of the mite's claw, exclaiming, "Let! It! Goooo!"

The mite picks her up, tossing her away from it. Their fight kicks up a cloud of dust, making the nearing rocket fly away, not seeing any sources of life. Della slaps the mite's face with her prosthetic leg, but it takes the leg and burrows back underground.

Della sees the rocket moving away from the moon, exclaiming, "No! Wait! Come back!"

She tries to jump after the ship, but the gravity pulls her back down. She falls to the ground without her prosthetic, and Clover walks over to her.

Her daughter climbs into her lap, and Della starts brushing Clover's hair with her hands, saying, "Okay. New plan."

She makes a new prosthetic with the few parts around her and heads back inside the ship with her daughter trailing behind her.

Della turns the screen back on, saying, "Plan C: I'm gonna rebuild the Spear of Selene! I mean, how hard can it be? It's just rocket science."

She switches the screen off, finding the owner's manual. The book is filled with complicated mathematics that Della doesn't fully understand.

She says, "Oh, boy."

She sits down at the desk to focus on the book, but keeps nearly falling asleep. Clover crawls over to her, and Della pulls her daughter into her lap.

After nearly hitting her head on the desk again, she says to herself, "Focus, Della! Like Donald always says, do things by the book."

After another hour of struggling with the complicated math equations, she gets frustrated and destroys the book in her fury, stomping on it in frustration.

After realizing what she did, she says, "Good thing Donald's not here."

6 years after crash...

She decided to try to build it herself but kept failing. After a few months of trying on her own, she finally rebuilt the destroyed owner's manual. Once she started following the book, it took her years to rebuild the Spear correctly. So long, in fact, that Clover is now 6 years old. Della has been making videos full of life lessons and childhood stories to send to her family back on Earth.

Della switches the screen on, saying, "Okay, it took..." She takes a moment to think, counting the years it's taken before continuing, "A while, but I finally did it. I rebuilt the Spear of Selene! Best mother ever!"

She and Clover head into the cockpit of the rocket and sit down in the pilot's chair, Clover in her lap.

Della puts the key in, saying, "Alright, I just gotta start this baby up, and we're on our way home!"

She turned the key, but nothing happened. She tries a few more times before grunting in anger, heading back to the 'living room' to read through the manual again. She finally finds the page about the fuel, finding that it needs gold to start.

She turns on the screen, angrily saying, "It wasn't enough that Gyro created the most disgusting flavor of gum that somehow gets more flavorful as you chew it, but then he had to use his stupid Gold Tech to make the engine run! How am I gonna find stinkin' gold on the stinkin' moon?!"

Clover walks up to Della, saying, "Maybe there's some in areas we haven't seen yet?"

Della forces herself to calm down as she sees her daughter, saying, "Okay, I spent 20 years with the best treasure hunter in the world. If there's gold on this rock, I'm gonna find it." She switches the screen off, telling her daughter, "Clover, honey, I'm gonna be gone for a few days. Can you be a good girl and stay on the ship?"

Clover nods her head, and Della sets out.

[ladylooch]

My favorite moments of Em and T are when he’s just a silent support system for her. Like Em doesn’t even have to ask, he can just read her like a book. His second road trip after the twins are born the entire household gets sick. Timo has to leave before they realize how bad it is but when he’s back home 3 days later em is 1 crying baby away from collapsing to the floor. But enter Superdad timo to save the day and comfort his wife after all the chaos has subsided

I agree! I love their dynamic and how fierce fully they have each other's backs. Like constantly willing to tap the other in to support and knowing they have that option. That is true partnership.

Emma knows she is a good mom. She has always had this ability to seamlessly move from one child to the next, but two newborn babies and two sick older children have quickly put her to her limit.

I’m leaving the airport now. Twenty minutes 😘 

Emma sighs gratefully at Timo’s text, laying back into the couch as she finishes feeding Logan. 

“Daddy is coming home.” She whispers. 

In that twenty minutes, absolute chaos erupts. Liv throws up. Lio is trying to cling to Emma while she tends to Liv. Both twins are awake and crying for contact with their mother.

“Lio. Get off of me. I understand you want cuddles, but I can’t right now.” Emma tells her oldest through gritted teeth. “Please.” She whimpers in the end as she gets back down on the floor. Lio falls to his knees and begins to sob. Tears of frustration and overwhelm build in Emma’s eyes. 

Then a large, comforting hand comes to her head. Thick fingers rub at her scalp for a moment. She looks up at Timo who pouts in concern at her.

“I…” 

“Baby, go take a break. I’m home now. I’ve got it.”

Emma stares at her husband, feeling utterly defeated. She sucks her trembling bottom lip into her mouth, then nods. 

“This is a lot. You’re doing your best.” Timo reminds her. All she can do is nod ghostly as she leaves the room. Once her butt hits the end of the bed, she collapses into sobs.

Failure of a parent. Failure of a homemaker. Failure of a wife. She can’t do this!? She’s completely out of her element being a full-time mom and wife. She needs help. They are only three road trips into the season.

Emma falls asleep in utter exhaustion at some point. When she wakes, the world is dark outside and a blanket has been lain across her body, likely by her husband. She holds the soft threads under her chin as she sits up. The house is quiet. Enough so that she wonders if her entire family has disappeared. Her body protests as she stands up. Her abdomen aches where she is still healing. Her breasts are heavy from not feeding and she gingerly rearranges them in her nursing bra. They leak at her touch. She needs to find the babies. 

Her feet softly hit the hardwood downstairs, taking in her family sitting quietly in front of the TV watching Coco. Liv and Lio are snacking on orange juice and cheese pizza. One twin is sleeping in the bassinet, while the other is happily taking a bottle from a shirtless Timo. Her husband’s eyes briefly leave the screen, double taking when he sees her. She glances around the main area of the house. Not only did he get the babies to settle, but he cleaned the house.

“Lex and Nico came over to help me.” He fills her in at the dejected look on her face.

“That is nice of them. I need to feed a baby.” 

“This one is ready for you.” He gestures to Liam who is in his bassinet. 

“Is that formula for Log?” They’ve had to supplement formula at times because of Emma’s supply struggles. 

“No. It’s milk from the fridge.” Emma nods then grabs Liam, walking over to the nursing station that Timo had restocked for her. She gently lowers herself into the chair, then gets the baby in her arms settled into eating. Once all is going well, she takes a big sip of water. Across the room, her husband watches every movement of hers.

“How are you doing?” Timo asks softly as he rests Logan on his shoulder to burp. Emma’s lips crumple. She shakes her head no at her husband. “Baby.” Timo sighs. “This is too much for you on your own.” Emma nods in agreement. She will look at the resumes from nannies the team had recommended tomorrow. 

Emma looks around the room at the two sick Meiers, the newborn twins, and Timo. He quirks a corner of his mouth up at her in a sympathetic smile 

“You still love me?” He asks sweetly. Emma nods giving a small smile back.

This may be chaos, but it’s their chaos. And she knows with Timo she’ll never be alone in it. 

[larrythefloridaman]

hey. thoughts on The End?

will wood's Memento Mori: The Most Important Thing In The World type motherfucker. he hunted winston overwatch for sport and for that I have to respect him. this being said this guy would've done numbers in 2012 tumblr sexyman culture

its fitting in a karmic, Frankenstein-y sort of way that prism went down fighting a monster of her own creation, a manifestation of the fear and entropy and disillusion that made her become a monster that reflects her own cheery detached evil back at her, even if she went down triumphant over said fears, but at the same time its... sort of funny. she made up a guy to get mad at for the last time, and finally conquering her fear took the form of dragging them down with her to protect everything else. At once a lovely representation of how people can grow through exploring what they fear in fiction, and... kind of an ironic reprisal of the same sort of thing that put her in this position in the first place.

The End (of the story,) is, in fact, eventually, inevitable, as such i think its unlikely we've seen the last of him. And while he has an inconsiderate, detached perspective on what he does, endings arent necessarily a bad thing, and we cant forget hes Pretty New in the grand scheme of things. The grim reaper who has no appreciation for the lives it takes will be a cruel and lonely one who is not living well.

I think of the Lord of Snakes and its new Special Little Guy sort of in the same way i think of the necessity of predatory and decomposing forces in an ecosystem. Like wolves and mushrooms. That which ends may die, and its not pretty, and it may feel cruel to see a lion stalk and hunt a little gazelle, but it has to eat, and both their corpses will go on to feed other things, as things must be broken down by consumption and the natural process of decay. Nothing comes from nothing. The cycle is unbroken. it is just as natural for the animals to flee and fight this tooth and nail. There is, of course, unethical consumption grown out of control and also the unethical prolonging of living things, but consumption and decay and creation and preservation are in and of themself morally neutral things when removed from all other factors and context. To me, the End is only like that because he was born out of Prism's fear- and thus born interpreted into being as something hostile. Anyway.

Cobalt, thinking he's a god of life and death when he's really a god of balance: (had an ethics crisis over the nature of death and constructing a poorly thought through system resulting in countless deaths in and the ultimate destruction of an off-screen world due to cobalt being hypocritically unable to look death in the eye and make peace with its inherent and unfixable unfairness without abstracting it into something he cant be held fully responsible for)

The End, newborn god of finality, emerging fully formed knowing what they're about like aphrodite from the foam in a world doomed to die not long after its birth:

[akshaycj7]

Ayurvedic Tips for Restful Sleep in the Postpartum Period

Ayurveda views sleep as a form of nourishment, essential for both physical and mental rejuvenation. During the postpartum period, your body is in a state of ama, or accumulated toxins, due to childbirth. This ama disrupts your sleep patterns, leaving you feeling exhausted and overwhelmed.

But fret not, new mama! Ayurveda offers a treasure trove of natural remedies to restore your sleep and embrace the restorative power of slumber.

1. Embrace Dinacharya: The Ayurvedic Daily Ritual

Dinacharya, or the daily Ayurvedic routine, is your key to syncing your body's natural rhythms with the day-night cycle. Start your day with gentle yoga or meditation to ground your energy. Sip on warm water with lemon and honey to cleanse your system. As the day progresses, prioritize nourishing meals with easily digestible foods like khichdi and ghee. Avoid heavy, oily, or spicy foods that can aggravate ama and disrupt sleep.

2. Abhyanga: The Ayurvedic Oil Massage for Deep Relaxation

Before bed, indulge in a warm abhyanga, or self-massage, using calming oils like sesame or coconut. This practice not only soothes your muscles and joints but also promotes lymphatic drainage, flushing out ama and inducing deep relaxation.

3. Sip on Sleep-Inducing Teas

Swap your evening coffee for a calming cup of herbal tea. Ashwagandha tea is renowned for its stress-relieving and sleep-promoting properties. Brahmi tea, with its nervine tonic effects, can further soothe your mind and prepare you for restful slumber.

4. Create a Sleep Sanctuary

Your bedroom should be your haven of peace. Make it dark, quiet, and cool – the perfect environment for melatonin production, your body's natural sleep hormone. Invest in blackout curtains, a white noise machine, and comfortable bedding. Avoid screen time before bed, as the blue light emitted by electronic devices can suppress melatonin production.

5. Embrace Gentle Postures

Before bed, practice calming yoga poses like child's pose, supported bridge pose, or supta buddha konasana (butterfly pose). These stretches gently release tension and prepare your body for sleep.

Incorporate a warm foot massage with ghee or castor oil before bed. This Ayurvedic practice draws ama downwards, promoting relaxation and deeper sleep.

Remember, mama, your well-being is vital for your little ones too. By prioritizing your sleep with these Ayurvedic tips, you're not just getting rest; you're investing in your health, happiness, and ability to nurture your precious newborn with boundless love and energy. For proper ayurvedic care, you can always consult the best ayurvedic hospital in Pathanamthitta Thiruvalla.