#Avoid Kidney Disease

[power-supplements-health]

Empowering Knowledge: My Review of "Avoid Kidney Disease" E-book

Maintaining good health requires proactive steps, and educating yourself is one of the most important. Recently, I came across the "Avoid Kidney Disease" e-book, and I'm here to say it's been an empowering experience. This digital resource has equipped me with valuable knowledge about kidney health and how to prevent potential problems.

Understanding the Importance of Kidney Function

The e-book opened my eyes to the critical role our kidneys play in overall health. It delves into the science behind kidney function, explaining how they filter waste products and maintain a healthy balance of fluids and electrolytes in our bodies. This foundational knowledge highlighted the importance of taking proactive steps to safeguard these vital organs.

Practical Strategies for Kidney Health

The e-book doesn't just present the problem; it offers practical solutions. It provides a comprehensive guide to maintaining good kidney health. From dietary recommendations to lifestyle changes, the e-book outlines a clear path to promoting optimal kidney function. Learning about the benefits of a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as well as the importance of staying hydrated, were some key takeaways for me.

Easy-to-Follow Advice and Clear Explanations

The beauty of this e-book lies in its accessibility. The language is clear and concise, making even complex medical topics easy to understand. The advice is presented in a practical, step-by-step manner, making it easy to implement the recommended changes into my daily routine. There are also helpful visuals like charts and diagrams that further enhance comprehension.

Empowering for Long-Term Health

Knowledge is power, and this e-book has empowered me to take charge of my kidney health. Understanding the risk factors, learning preventative measures, and having a clear plan for maintaining kidney function has given me peace of mind. The e-book also emphasizes the importance of regular checkups and open communication with doctors, which I found particularly valuable.

A Valuable Resource for Anyone

Whether you have concerns about kidney health or simply want to prioritize preventative care, "Avoid Kidney Disease" is an excellent resource. It's a valuable tool for anyone who wants to learn more about their kidneys and take proactive steps to safeguard their long-term health. I highly recommend it!

[mosquitinho]

went through the (by far) worst 2 weeks of my life but im still getting out of bed and trying to do things. Rare mental health win

[ytmarketing001]

Welcome back to our channel! In this video, we'll dive into a crucial topic concerning kidney health. Our kidneys play a vital role in maintaining overall health, filtering waste, regulating fluid balance, and controlling blood pressure. 👉 Subscribe to my channel to stay tuned:    / @healthyhabitshub-zk9fz  

✅Want to create automated professional videos? Visit the following link: https://pictory.ai/?ref=healthy46

🚫 Avoid These 6 Harmful Foods for Optimal Kidney Health:

1. Processed Foods: Ready-to-eat meals, canned soups, and fast food items are often high in sodium, which can lead to high blood pressure and kidney damage.

2. Sugary Drinks: Beverages like soda, energy drinks, and sweetened fruit juices are loaded with fructose, contributing to obesity and diabetes, both risk factors for kidney disease.

3. Red Meat: While red meat provides high-quality protein, excessive consumption can strain the kidneys. Metabolizing protein byproducts may lead to kidney damage and increase the risk of kidney stones.

4. Salt: A high-sodium diet can elevate blood pressure, a major risk factor for kidney disease. The kidneys regulate sodium levels, and excessive salt intake can impair kidney function. Choose low-sodium alternatives and monitor salt intake.

5. Caffeine: Caffeine, a diuretic, can increase urine production, potentially leading to dehydration and stressing the kidneys. Moderate caffeine consumption and staying adequately hydrated are essential for kidney health.

6. Alcohol: Chronic alcohol consumption can be damaging to the kidneys, leading to kidney disease and impaired function. Alcohol can also disrupt fluid and electrolyte balance, causing dehydration. Consume alcohol in moderation and be mindful of its impact on kidney health.

[reallytoosublime]

Welcome back to our channel! In this video, we'll dive into a crucial topic concerning kidney health. Our kidneys play a vital role in maintaining overall health, filtering waste, regulating fluid balance, and controlling blood pressure. 👉 Subscribe to my channel to stay tuned:    / @healthyhabitshub-zk9fz  

✅Want to create automated professional videos? Visit the following link: https://pictory.ai/?ref=healthy46

🚫 Avoid These 6 Harmful Foods for Optimal Kidney Health:

1. Processed Foods: Ready-to-eat meals, canned soups, and fast food items are often high in sodium, which can lead to high blood pressure and kidney damage.

2. Sugary Drinks: Beverages like soda, energy drinks, and sweetened fruit juices are loaded with fructose, contributing to obesity and diabetes, both risk factors for kidney disease.

3. Red Meat: While red meat provides high-quality protein, excessive consumption can strain the kidneys. Metabolizing protein byproducts may lead to kidney damage and increase the risk of kidney stones.

4. Salt: A high-sodium diet can elevate blood pressure, a major risk factor for kidney disease. The kidneys regulate sodium levels, and excessive salt intake can impair kidney function. Choose low-sodium alternatives and monitor salt intake.

5. Caffeine: Caffeine, a diuretic, can increase urine production, potentially leading to dehydration and stressing the kidneys. Moderate caffeine consumption and staying adequately hydrated are essential for kidney health.

6. Alcohol: Chronic alcohol consumption can be damaging to the kidneys, leading to kidney disease and impaired function. Alcohol can also disrupt fluid and electrolyte balance, causing dehydration. Consume alcohol in moderation and be mindful of its impact on kidney health.

[scientia-rex]

I also spend a lot of time trying to convince people to prevent problems, because prevention still works better than cures. Don't fucking smoke! I would instantly become the best doctor who ever lived if I could just convince all my patients to quit smoking. Avoid alcohol! Don't do meth! Don't do fentanyl! Things that are poisons will poison you in ways you understand, in the short term, but also ways you can't really understand until you've watched dozens of people die from it thirty years later, struggling to breathe from their COPD or weak and nauseated beyond bearing from their end-stage liver disease. I watched a man take 3 weeks in the ICU to die from what meth did to his heart. Your heart isn't meant to beat 145 times a minute for weeks on end. Your liver isn't meant to metabolize 5 shots of gin a day. You aren't going to be able to use denial and willpower to repair the damage your own habits did.

I drink a lot less now than I did before I went into medicine. Lot of different reasons, including that I'm older and more settled. But I can't look at it the same way I used to; I can't brush off as a "fun quirk" what I know is alcohol use on a level that risks withdrawal seizures if they were to suddenly stop, like some of my family members do, nervously asking me about their loved one's drinking when we're alone because beneath the jokes they know it's a problem.

If you're having more than one, maybe two drinks a day on average, over a long period of time, you are damaging your body in ways you don't understand. You're setting up a permanent heightened inflammatory state. Your heart cells don't like alcohol; Google "alcohol-induced cardiomyopathy." Your esophagus and stomach respond to incessant bathing in poison by first developing wounds and then cancer. Your liver, of course, doesn't like it. Your liver not only converts poisons to harmless substances you can excrete, it also makes your platelets, so your blood can clot. It makes albumin, a protein that's essentially for keeping water in your blood vessels and not letting it leach into your tissues. So people who are dying of liver failure are in pain and weak and tired and sad the whole fucking time! And the only solution, a liver transplant, will come with a lifetime of medication and specialist check-ups and the knowledge that if you fuck up and kill this liver, too, no one is going to be eager to give you another try.

I don't guilt-trip my alcoholic patients with liver disease. I don't guilt-trip my smokers with COPD. They chose to cope with substances for reasons, even if I disagree with their reasons, even if those reasons are opaque to me. They will suffer the natural consequences of those actions whether I guilt-trip them or not. I want them to continue to see me, I want them to be honest with me. Other people will lay enough guilt on them. And nothing I can say or do would ever compare to the physical and mental suffering that goes with those diseases.

But if you can prevent these diseases in yourself, prevent them. Quit smoking. Do it now. Your lungs are going to look better starting almost immediately, with positive changes continuing for many years. Drink less alcohol. Sure, it's fun, sure, it's a longstanding human tradition, but it is also unfortunately a straight up poison and your body knows that no matter how persuasively you argue about the obvious failure of Prohibition. You can't argue with a cell. You can't convince your kidneys that high blood pressure shouldn't damage them. They are a system; they do what they do; they existed long before prefrontal cortex existed to justify what we want to do but know to be harmful.



[burningvelvet]

when most people see frankenstein stuff in stores during halloween season they’re totally normal about it. but when i see frankenstein stuff in the stores i get up on the shelves and start howling because i know that little green dude is the direct product of an angsty goth teenager writing highly intellectual prose in imitation of her historical philosopher parents while her groupie sister is being impregnated by lord byron in the next room after stalking him across the continent after his divorce and her boyfriend percy is tripping balls on his kidney disease medicine (opium) and hallucinating dead naked women while trying to avoid polidori the 20 y/o doctor who challenged him to a duel (also the inventor of the first vampire novel in the english language after a story he stole from byron told that very same night but made gayer out of revenge even thoug-

[promptsforyourwhumpfic]

The Grand A-Z List of Whump 2/3

This list contains ~174 items listed I to Q

As always, I heavily encourage people to research topics thoroughly when writing. Whump is generally a 'dead dove' sort of topic, however it is important to avoid stereotypes/misinformation. This lists intention is to not glorify/romanticise sensitive topics in any way.

This is a comprehensive list of injuries, Illnesses and tropes - including those from the Whumptober 2023 trope vote!

All submissions are listed in italics, and those who wanted to be tagged will be included at the end. If you have any more submissions: please send them via DM/my ask box.

[A-H] [R-Z] [NSFW List]

List below the cut:

I

ICU

Identity reveal

Ignorance is Bliss

Ignoring an Injury

Immersion foot syndromes (Prolonged exposure to damp and cold)

Immobilization

Immortal healed wrong

Immunodeficiency

Impalement

Improvised medicine/treatment

Indigestion

Infected (Blood, Wound, Tattoo etc)

Infested

Injured caretaker carrying an even more injured whumpee.

Injured whumpee instructs caretaker how to treat them.

Injury Discovery

Injury Revelation

Insecurity

Insomnia

Insults

Internal Bleeding

Interrogation

Interventions

Intimate whumper

Intubation

Involuntary whumper

Isolation

Isolation/Quarantine

Itching

J

Jailed

Jamais vu (The experience of being unfamiliar with a person or situation that is actually very familiar.)

Jealousy

Jet Lag

Jumping (to safety, forced to jump)

Just dying in general.

K

Keeping quiet because the enemy is nearby

Keeping the whumpee awake

Ketosis (body burning fat for energy)

Kidnapped by the opposing team

Kidnapping

Kidney Stones

Killed! (Again and again and again for the lovely immortal whumpees<;3)

Kneeling

Knife through hand and into wall/floor

Knocked Out

L

Lab Rat

Laryngitis

Late realisation

Left for dead

Leprosy

Lichenberg scars/Lightning strike

Limited Medical Supplies

Live-Streamed/Broadcast torture

Lobotomy

Locked Up and Left Behind

Losing a Bet

Loss of appetite

Loss of reality

Lost (In the woods, city etc)

Lost voice

Low Blood Pressure

Lumbago (lower back pain)

Lupus

Lured into a trap

Lying

Lyme's disease

Lymphoma

M

Magical exhaustion

Magical healing

Magic whump (using spells to harm someone)

Manhandling

Major Character Death

Makeshift Splints

Malaria

Malnutrition

Manhandling

Mauled

Measles

Medical trauma

Medieval Torture

Memory Loss

Meningitis

Menstrual Cramps

Mental illness after being kidnapping (and addressing it)

Migraine

Military lovers

Military whump

Mind control/Manipulation

Miscommunication

Missing

Missing Person

Mistaken Identity

Misunderstanding

Mono

Mopping a sweaty brow with a cool cloth

Mudslides

Muffled Scream

Mugging

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Whumpees

Multiple Whumpers

Mumps

Muscular Atrophy

Mute

Muzzled

N

Nailed to a wall or floor

Nails digging into palms

Nail marks left in the whumpees skin

Natural Disasters

Nausea

Near-Death Experience

Necrosis

Neglect

Nerve damage

Nerve pain

Nightmares

No anesthesia

No goodbyes

Non-responsiveness

Nonhuman whumpee

Not allowed to die

Not Realizing They’re Injured

Nowhere else to go

Noxious (gas/fumes)

Numb

Numbness/Paralysis

O

Obsession (with finishing the mission, the whumper obsessed with the whumpee etc)

Open Fracture

Orthostatic hypotension (low blood pressure when standing)

Osteogenesis Imperfecta (brittle bone disease)

Outnumbered

Overdose

Overworked

Oxygen Deprivation

Oxygen Mask

P

Packing a wound

Panic attacks

Paralysis (this could be temporary or permanent)

Paranoia

Parent caring for sick child

Parkinson's

Passing out from pain

Passing out in arms

Permanent injuries that affect them long term

Phantom pain

Phobias (could lead to character stumbling and hurting themselves in an attempt to escape their fear)

Photographs/Polaroids ( Especially if they're of the kidnapped whumpee)

Physical Therapy

Piercing ripped out

Pinched nerve

Pinned Down/To The Wall

Plague

PMS

Pneumonia

Pneumothorax

Poisoning

Polio

Possession/possession recovery

Post-exertional malaise

Post-ictal confusion/any other symptoms (after a seizure)

POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome)

Power Fatigue

Praise (especially if it's from the whumper)

Pregnancy (morning sickness, self-conscious, hot flushes, tired and sleepy, general malaise, swollen feet, weird cravings...)

Presumed dead

Prisoner Exchange

Protecting friend from the whumpees own team (bonus points if doing it while injured)

Psychological Torture

Psychological Whump

Psychosis

PTSD

Pulled Muscles

Puncture Wounds

Q

Q-Fever

TAG LIST: Thank you very much to the following people for submitting ideas! (I apologise if some tags did not work, I'm not sure why tumblrs not letting me tag you!)

@I-eat-worlds | @greygullhaven | @letsgowhump | @cyberwhumper @firapolemos05 | @originaldeerhottub | @whumpilicious | @drawing-dinos82 | @carenrose | @stellarinuscronicles | @gottheseasonalblues | @marvelflame2010 | @sowhumpful | @avamcu | @courtneygacha | @lordofthewhumps | @autismmydearwatson | @kuddelmuddell | @the-most-handsome-ginger | @whirls-and-swirls | @painsandconfusion

[appalachiananarchist]

The 15 minute clinic visit model should be considered a crime. Do you really think you can adequately address a patient's A1C of 11.5 (while they refuse to adhere to a diabetic diet or take their meds, so you have to explain why these things are important and that no, Metformin did not cause Uncle John to develop Rheumatoid Arthritis), blood pressure of 187/98, ongoing chest pains, chronic back pain, inability to sleep, explain to them what it means to have chronic kidney disease and what meds they need to avoid + go through their current meds to renally dose them, update their foot and eye exam, and talk about changing the medications for their bipolar disorder... in 15 minutes?

Keep in mind the patient keeps interrupting to tell you about their sister Shirley's birthday party and ask irrelevant questions like, "Hey doc, is it true going outside in the cold gets you sick? Is it true babies don't have bones?"

Oh, and the patient reminds you as you think you're wrapping up that they need you to check their shoulder because they fell on it yesterday and also they think they have a sinus infection...and then you remember you haven't reviewed their health maintenance gaps yet, either.

The above is not a hyperbole. This is the average patient I see in my clinic as a rural family medicine doctor. I have people fitting this profile scheduled every 15 minutes because it is our health system's standard policy. It makes me furious because these patients deserve to have all of their issues addressed, but it is not possible. They taken time off work, some of them driving over an hour, to see me. These are serious problems and serious misunderstandings that deserve my full attention for as long as is required, not to have me rush, half addressing their concerns or not addressing them at all.

We can't be doctors in this system. We are just little reimbursement machines.

And the icing on the cake: after you talk to the patient and finally compromise on medications the patient agrees to take, the insurance company denies them all.

[i-amusemyself]

PSA: Covid Effects and Complications

Alright fekkers this is how we’re doing public health announcements now that society is collapsing :))

This isn’t a post to tell you to avoid it, but to ask you to read the headings and make sure you make an informed decision if you wanna go out and get infected. If you do take risks, remember to avoid very young/old/pregnant/unwell/vulnerable people, test regularly and wear a mask (yes, they work).

Covid is Not Just A Respiratory Illness

COVID-19 routinely affects organs throughout the body, not just the respiratory system, including the brain, heart, liver, GI tract, endocrine system and skin (Gupta et al., 2020)

Covid can be seen as a blood clotting disorder masquerading as a respiratory illness. (Janardhan et al., 2020)

Covid Causes Brain Damage

Mild Covid infection shows significant orbitofrontal cortical atrophy (shrinking of parts of the brain) and cognitive decline (Crunfli et al., 2022)

Mild COVID-19 infection can cause impaired neurogenesis (nervous tissue growth), myelin and oligodendrocyte (nerve insulation) loss and increased neurotoxic molecules around the central nervous system (Fernández-Castañeda et al., 2022 *preprint)

MRIs of 401 patients done before and after Covid infection showed reduction in global brain size, grey matter loss (orbitofrontal cortex and parahippocampal gyrus) and cognitive decline. (Douaud et al., 2022)

COVID increases the risk of neurodegenerative disorders- Alzheimer’s disease risk is 3.5x increased; Parkinson’s disease risk is 2.6x increased; ischaemic stroke risk is 2.7x increased and intracerebral haemorrhage (bleeding in the brain) risk is 4.8x increased. (Zarifkar et al., 2022)

Risks of cognitive deficit, dementia, psychotic disorders, and epilepsy or seizures are increased for at least 2 years following Covid infection. (Taquet et al., 2022)

In 25% of mild Covid cases, visuocontructive cognitive deficits are seen, associated with changes in brain structure and metabolism. (de Paula et al., 2022)

Hospitalised Covid patients cognitive loss is similar on average to that sustained with 20 years ageing, and equivalent to losing 10 IQ points. (Hampshire et al., 2022)

People reportedly recovered from Covid show decreased intelligence and significant cognitive deficits. (Hampshire et al., 2021)

Covid Causes Alzheimer’s-like Pathology and Accelerates Existing Alzheimer’s Disease

Covid invades cognitive centers of the brain and induces Alzheimer’s-like neuropathology (Shen et al., 2022)

Covid is associated with accelerated progression of Alzheimer’s disease (aaic.alz.org) 

Covid produces proteins that form cytotoxic aggregates which damage neuronal cells, which parallels Alzheimer’s disease mechanism (Charnley et al., 2022)

COVID increases the risk of neurodegenerative disorders- Alzheimer’s disease risk is 3.5x increased; Parkinson’s disease risk is 2.6x increased; ischaemic stroke risk is 2.7x increased and intracerebral haemorrhage (bleeding in the brain) risk is 4.8x increased. (Zarifkar et al., 2022)

Risks of cognitive deficit, dementia, psychotic disorders, and epilepsy or seizures are increased for at least 2 years following Covid infection. (Taquet et al., 2022)

Covid Causes Kidney Damage

Mild Covid infection is associated with increased risk of kidney damage (Bowe et al., 2021)

Covid infection triples risk of End Stage Kidney Disease, requiring dialysis or kidney transplant (Bowe et al., 2021)

Covid Causes Diabetes

Covid patients have a 40% increased risk of being diagnosed with diabetes after first infection (Xie et al., 2022)

Covid infection is associated with an 81% increase in Diabetes incidence for 12+ weeks following infection (Rezel-Potts et al., 2022)

Mild Covid infections increase risk of Type 2 Diabetes development (Rathmann et al., 2022)

Covid infection leads to an average of 42% increased risk of Type 1 Diabetes across all ages. Risk increases most in pediatric patients- by 584%. (Quedan et al., 2022)

Covid Causes Cardiovascular Illness

Covid infection, even when mild, substantially increases risk of cardiovascular illness up to at least 1 year later (Xie et al., 2022)

Capillary density (how many small blood vessels are present) is reduced by 41% in sufferers of Long Covid 18 months after Covid infection (Osiaevi et al., 2022)

Acute Covid infection results in 6x increase in cardiovascular diagnosis; 11x increase in pulmonary embolism (blood clot in lung); 6x increase in atrial arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeat); 5x increase in venous thromboses (blood clot in vein). (Rezel-Potts et al., 2022)

A spike protein found on Covid-19 virus particles uses the body’s immune response to damage and inflame heart muscle cells. (heart.org)

People with Covid exhibited increased risks and 12-month burdens of incident cardiovascular diseases, including cerebrovascular disorders, dysrhythmias, inflammatory heart disease, ischemic heart disease, heart failure, thromboembolic disease and other cardiac disorders. Risk were evident even in those without prior cardiovascular disease. (Xie et al., 2022)

Risk of stroke more than doubles even with mild or asymptomatic Covid infection. Median time of stroke is 2 months after Covid diagnosis. (Tu et al., 2021)

Covid infection increases heart attack risk by 3-8x and stroke risk by 3-6x (Katsoularis et al., 2021)

Covid infection increases risk of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and bleeding in the months following acute illness (Katsoularis et al., 2022)

Long Covid is associated with presence of microclots throughout the body. (Pretorius et al., 2021)

Long Covid patients may face an increased risk of abnormal blood clotting. (uclh.nhs.uk)

Covid Accelerates Biological Ageing

Accelerated biological ageing is seen in Covid infection (Cao et al., 2022)

Covid Damages the Immune System

Covid causes T-cell exhaustion, meaning the immune system is less able to fight off pathogens (Loretelli et al., 2021)

Previous infection with earlier SARS2 strains can lead to impaired immune responses to Omicron (Reynolds et al., 2022)

Covid infects and kills T-lymphocytes (key cells of the immune system), causing low T-lymphocyte counts 1(Guan et al., 2020), 2(Shen et al., 2022)

Long Covid patients show reactivation of latent Epstein-Barr (can cause MS) and Varicella Zoster (can cause shingles and Ramsey Hunt syndrome) viruses (Klein et al., 2022 *preprint)

2.8% of Long Covid patients reported Varicella Zoster Virus reactivation, leading to shingles, following Covid infection. Primary risk factors for VZV reactivation are age and immunodeficiency. (Davis et al., 2021)

Covid infection causes immunodefiency in recovered patients by downregulating a specific protein on B Cells (a type of immune cell). (Jing et al., 2021)

Covid Causes the Body to Attack Itself (Autoimmunity)

Covid causes production of autoantibodies which target the immune system, vascular cells, coagulation factors and platelets, connective tissue, and organ systems, including lung, the central nervous system compartment, skin, gastrointestinal tract and other tissues. (Wang et al., 2021)

Asymptomatic Covid infection can lead to severe Ulcerative Colitis (an inflammatory bowel disease). (Mora et al., 2022)

Mild Covid infection can produce significant levels of autoantibodies for 7+ months. (Bhadelia et al., 2021)

Covid infection precedes new appearance of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. (Galleoti and Bayry, 2020)

Covid infection linked to development of vasculitis, arthritis, lupus and sarcoidosis. (Gracia-Ramos et al., 2021)

Autoantibodies linked to Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, immune thrombocytopaenia and autoimmune haemolytic anaemia found in patients following Covid infection. (Moody et al., 2021)

In a group of non-hospitalised healthcare workers with Covid, 54% tested positive for autoantibodies- these targeted skin, smooth muscle, neutrophils (a type of white blood cell of the immune system) and gastric parietal cells (cells in the gut). (Richter et al., 2021)

Covid May Affect Both Male and Female Fertility

COVID-19 virus can be found and continues to replicate in the testes even after death (Costa et al., 2022 *preprint)

COVID-19 infects the testes and damages spermatogenesis (sperm production) (Ma et al., 2020)

Covid virus particles found in penis tissue of men infected 6-8 months earlier, who later experienced erectile dysfunction (Kresch et al., 2021)

Study shows total sperm number lower in men infected with Covid at 3 month follow up (Best et al., 2021)

Testes of Covid patients show significant seminiferous tubular injury and reduced Leydig cells- cells that produce testosterone. (Yang et al., 2020)

11 of 26 (42%) men with mild/moderate Covid infection showed incidental (asymptomatic) epididymitis on Doppler ultrasound - a condition that can cause infertility (Carneiro et al., 2021)

A case of premature ovarian failure due to Covid infection (Madaan et al., 2021)

Another case of premature ovarian insufficiency in a 34-year-old following Covid infection (Wilkins and Al-Inizi, 2021)

Ovarian injury, including declined ovarian reserve and reproductive endocrine disorder, can be observed in a study of women in China infected with Covid. (Ding et al., 2021)

Study finds men who had seemingly fully recovered from Covid infection developed decreased sperm count and motility and abnormally shaped sperm. (Ghosh et al., 2022)

Covid Causes Erectile Dysfunction

Covid virus particles found in penis tissue of men infected 6-8 months earlier, who later experienced erectile dysfunction (Kresch et al., 2021)

A Long Covid survey found 15% of men reported sexual dysfunction and 3% reported a decrease in genital size. (Davis et al., 2021)

Prevalence of erectile dysfunction 3x as common in men after Covid infection (28% vs 9% in controls) (Sansone et al., 2021)

Prevalence of erectile dysfunction in Thai men reported as 65% following Covid infection (Harirugsa et al., 2021)

Another study showing risk of erectile dysfunction triples following Covid infection. (Katz et al., 2021)

Study finds that Covid infection leads to 6-fold increased risk of erectile dysfunction, which worsens men’s mental health. (Hsieh et al., 2022)

Covid Causes Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction

30% of 4000 Long Covid patients met the criteria for a diagnosis of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, a type of dysautonomia (Davis et al., 2021)

Dysautonomia (autonomic nervous system dysfunction) may be responsible for fatigue and hypoxia in Long Covid patients. (Barizien et al., 2021)

Covid infection frequently causes abnormalities in autonomic nervous system tests, as well as worsening pre-existing dysfunction. Abnormalities included orthostatic intolerance, fainting, heachaches, burning pains, excessive sweating and lightheadedness. (Shouman et al., 2021)

67% of Long Covid patients have moderate-to-severe autonomic dysfunction, regardless of severity of initial Covid infection. (Larsen et al., 2022 *preprint)

Covid infection could result in gastric dysmotility and paralysis (stomach and intestines become unable to move food through). (Coles et al., 2022)

Covid Can Seriously Harm Children

SARS2 causes increased hospital admissions, mortality rate and absolute numbers of deaths in children, compared to Influenza (Shein et al., 2022)

Asymptomatic infection in children can lead to a serious, multiorgan hyperinflammatory syndrome (Riphagen et al., 2020)

An epidemic of hepatitis in healthy children could be linked to previous COVID-19 infection (science.org)

Pulmonary dysfunction persists even in children considered to be recovered from Covid (Heiss et al., 2022 *preprint)

Covid leads to a 3x increased risk of psychotic disorders in children (Taquet et al., 2022)

Children are twice as likely to develop epilepsy or seizures following Covid infection, compared to following other respiratory infections (Taquet et al., 2022)

Children are at an increased risk of epilepsy, encephalitis, nerve, nerve root and plexus disorders up to at least 2 years after Covid infection (Taquet et al., 2022)

Intracranial (brain) bacterial infections have increased during the Covid pandemic, occuring during or just after Covid infection. One Michigan children’s hospital reports a 236% increase. (Khuon et al., 2022)

235,000 children in England have Long Covid symptoms lasting 12+ weeks that affect their daily life (ONS.gov.uk)

21% of Year 13 pupils missed 4+ weeks of school due to Covid for the 21/22 academic year in England (suttontrust.com)

Children and teens who’ve had Covid are at greater risk for blood clots, heart problems, kidney failure, and Type 1 diabetes (Kompaniyets et al., 2022)

5.2 million children have lost a parent or caregiver to Covid infection. (Unwin et al., 2022)

Covid infection leads to an average of 42% increased risk of Type 1 Diabetes across all ages. Risk increases most in pediatric patients- by 584%. (Quedan et al., 2022)

Covid Can Endanger Pregnancy and the Growing Baby

Covid infection during pregnancy increases risk of preterm delivery (Edlow et al., 2022)

Covid infection at delivery increases risk of stillbirth (DeSisto et al., 2021)

Covid infection during pregnancy increases risk of neurodevelopmental disorder diagnosis in babies by 2.17x during first year of life (Edlow et al., 2022)

Risk of severe Covid infection is higher in pregnant women. (Rad et al., 2021)

Newborns born to mothers who had recovered from Covid 10+ weeks prior to birth show viral mRNA and proteins in their stool and signs of intestinal inflammation. (Jin et al., 2022)

Covid infection destroys the placenta, starving the baby of oxygen, resulting in increased risks of stillbirth and neonatal deaths. (Schwartz et al., 2022)

Covid Can Lead to Development of New Allergies

Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) may be triggered by Covid infection, resulting in new allergies and risk of anaphylaxis. (Afrin et al., 2020)

Mast cell activation symptoms are increased in Long Covid (Weinstock et al., 2021)

Covid Worsens Mental and Psychological Health

Covid diagnosis associated with increased risk of mental health diagnosis and neurocognitive decline (Xie et al., 2022)

Risks of cognitive deficit, dementia, psychotic disorders, and epilepsy or seizures are increased for at least 2 years following Covid infection. (Taquet et al., 2022)

Covid Reinfection is Common and Increasingly Detrimental to Health

Reinfection with Covid increases risk of hospitalization, death and long covid by more each time 1(Al-Aly et al., 2022 *preprint), 2(World Health Organisation)

Covid reinfections are common. Mean time between 1st and 2nd infection is 79 days, and between 2nd and 3rd infection is 65 days. (Al-Aly et al., 2022 *preprint)

Covid reinfection is possible as soon as 19 days after initial infection. (Ren et al., 2022)

Long Covid is Common, Serious and Potentially Disabling

1 in 5 (20-30%) develop a new health condition following Covid infection (Bull-Otterson et al. 2022)

Just below 1 in 10 (9.3%) triple vaccinated people are not recovered 4-8 weeks after Omicron infection in the UK (ONS.gov.uk)

1 in 7 (14%) of 11-18 year olds have symptoms 15 weeks after COVID-19 infection (Stephenson et al., 2021)

Long Covid causes disability and unemployment (theguardian.com)

Two million days of healthcare staff absences were lost to Long Covid during the first 18 months of the pandemic in England (the guardian.com)

On average, healthcare staff absent with Long Covid are off for more than 80 days in England (theguardian.com)

A US Long Covid group reports that 44% of those affected are out of work (longhauler-advocacy.org)

235,000 children in England have Long Covid symptoms lasting 12+ weeks that affect their daily life (ONS.gov.uk)

21% of Year 13 pupils missed 4+ weeks of school due to Covid for the 21/22 academic year in England (suttontrust.com)

The proportion of people unemployed and not seeking work due to Long Covid has doubled in the past year in the UK (theguardian.com)

Long Covid survey of nearly 4000 finds 45% required a reduced work schedule and 22% could not work due to illness (Davis et al., 2021)

88% of Long Covid sufferers experience cognitive dysfunction and memory problems (Davis et al., 2021)

80,000 people estimated to have left employment due to Long Covid by March 2022 in UK (Reuschke and Houston, 2022)

2.9 million people of working age in the UK have had, or currently have, Long Covid (Reuschke and Houston, 2022)

Long Covid has over 200 symptoms spanning 10 organ systems. (Davis et al., 2021)

Graph via @davidsteadson on Twitter

Vaccination Does Not Fully Prevent Long Covid

16% of Covid infections lead to Long Covid after 3 vaccinations (Azzolini et al., 2022)

Just below 1 in 10 (9.3%) triple vaccinated people are not recovered 4-8 weeks after Omicron infection in the UK (ONS.gov.uk)

Vaccination only reduces risk of Long Covid by 15%. (Al-Aly et al., 2022)

Covid Persists in the Body after Initial Infection

Covid can persist throughout the body and brain even following mild/asymptomatic infections, for at least 230 days (Chertow et al., 2021 *preprint)

COVID-19 can persist within the gut for at least 7 months after infection 1(Gaebler et al., 2021), 2(Natarajan et al., 2022)

Residual COVID-19 virus has been found in the appendix and breast tissue, 175- and 462-days post-infection, respectively (Goh et al., 2022 *preprint)

COVID-19 virus can persist in the eyes after initial infection (Armstrong et al., 2021)

COVID-19 virus can be found and continues to replicate in the testes even after death (Costa et al., 2022 *preprint)

Covid virus particles found in penis tissue of men infected 6-8 months earlier, who later experienced erectile dysfunction (Kresch et al., 2021)

Viral Persistence Can Cause Serious Illness Many Years Later

We do not know the long term effects of Covid Infection and Persistence.

Persistent Hepatitis C infection increases risk of Hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) (Mitchell et al., 2015)

Persistent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection causes cervical cancer (Sudenga et al., 2013)

Persistent HIV infection leads to immunodeficiency and AIDS (Pauza, 1988)

Persistence of Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) can cause development of multiple sclerosis (Ruprecht, 2020)

Persistence of varicella zoster virus (VZV), which causes chickenpox, can result in shingles and Ramsey Hunt Syndrome (Gershon et al., 2015)

These effects of Covid are not easy to learn about, but it is essential that people know the risks. This is not fearmongering- it is not “what if”s and “maybe”s- these are events that are happening right now, around the world.

[sensualnoiree]

astro health notes pt.3

Libra: Balance and Aesthetic Charm

Ruling Anatomy: Libra rules the kidneys, bladder, veins, sense of touch, insulin regulation, and lower back. It embodies distillation, filtration, and balance.

Health Connections: Librans prioritize balance in diet, work, and relationships. However, they might face kidney ailments, skin breakouts, and lower back weaknesses when overexerted. They tend to have attractive features, yet might experience health issues related to kidneys and skin.

Distinctive Traits: Libra ascendants radiate beauty with glowing complexions, defined features, and symmetrical bodies. Their charm and symmetrical appearance draw people to them.

Challenges: Excessive blood, often linked to moisture of Sanguine humor, can lead to lethargy, high blood pressure, and cranial disorders like apoplexy and strokes.

Scorpio: Reproduction and Physical Vitality

Ruling Anatomy: Scorpio rules reproductive organs, genitals, prostate, rectum, and urinary tract, reflecting both procreation and elimination.

Health Connections: Susceptible to sex organ problems, skin eruptions, cystitis, and urinary tract diseases, Scorpios often face emotional health-linked illnesses. Their ruling planet, Pluto, ties to cell formation and reproductive function, giving them strong, voluptuous bodies with remarkable recuperative powers.

Distinctive Traits: Scorpio risings captivate with mesmerizing, piercing eyes, sharp features, and powerful physiques often exhibiting a serious demeanor.

Challenges: Scorpios may experience sluggishness, mental dulness, watery sinuses, and eye issues. Severe cases can lead to dizziness, vertigo, or faintness, reflecting the sign's vulnerabilities.

Sagittarius: Motion and Physical Activity

Ruling Anatomy: Sagittarius governs the liver, sacrum, hips, and thighs, orchestrating locomotion and movement.

Health Connections: Physical activity is crucial for Sagittarians to avoid stagnation and potential weight gain issues. They might suffer from chronic aches in hips and thighs, sciatica, gout, and hip-related problems.

Distinctive Traits: Open-faced Sagittarius ascendants, with broad foreheads and cheerful expressions, possess an athletic build, often showcasing expressive storytelling with their bodies.

Challenges: Tension in neck and shoulders, headaches, nosebleeds, and heat-related conditions like giddiness and nausea can affect Sagittarians.

[metalheadsforblacklivesmatter]

Today's contribution for Disability Pride Month

Obligatory "I don't have this disorder. I'm raising awareness because I'm so fucking sick of women that drink while pregnant bitching about how hard it is being an 'autism mom'". (Autism mom in quotes because a) it's probably not autism and b) the phrase "autism mom" to describe "mom if an autistic kid" is stupid.)

(I'm going to use the term "women" instead of "uterus haver" not to be exclusionary or transphobic. But because I have a severe headache effecting my ability to find words. I am trans-masc. Don't cancel me. I'm not a FART.)

(This is not to demonize people that suffer from alcoholism. Addiction is a very real disability. This is to raise awareness for one of the only known preventable birth defects and hopefully seek help.)

Thank you for the people at @bfpnola discord for checking my post to make sure this doesn't sound eugenics-y.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

FASD (previously known as fetal alcohol syndrome) is a disability that can range from mild to severe dependant on how much the mother drank while pregnant. It only takes one glass of wine while pregnant to cause this disorder

I already know what the fuck this is. Why are you talking about it?

Because your only know about the severe cases diagnosed as fetal alcohol syndrome. You THINK you know what it is. But the reclassification has only come up in like... 2003? Fetal alcohol syndrome is like... the far end worst severity of FASD. And since the new information of it being a spectrum disorder, estimates have the disorder as high as 5% of the population (and I really think it's higher based on some information I'm about to share).

Fine. So what is this... spectrum disorder?

Very good! So this disorder is HIGHLY misdiagnosed as autism. So all those boomers bitching about "the rates of autism going up?" Yeah they probably caused it. Symptoms include low body weight, facial differences, poor coordination, difficulty maintaining attention, poor memory, poor emotional regulation, slower development, poor reasoning skills, issues with the heart, bones, and kidneys, shorter height, shorter head size,

I have all of those things. How do I know it's FASD and not the autism?

That's kinda the issue. The only real way you can know is ask your mom if there's ANY possibility she's had a drink while she was pregnant. I can't stress this enough IT ONLY TAKES ONE DRINK. For instance I have a lot of those issues, but my mom was so paranoid she wouldn't even dye her hair or drink coffee. Like there's NO WAY.

Like what do I do about it?

Mostly get your accommodations met and raise awareness. Like people are still actively drinking while pregnant because they are still under the pre-2000 belief that just a couple of drinks are okay. It's really not. Not to mention most women don't know they're pregnant until 4-6 weeks in. So they shouldn't be drinking if they're actively trying to have a child. Because that increases the risk.

What the fuck. People are drinking while pregnant? I don't believe you.

Each of these claims are linked.

30.3% of all women reported drinking alcohol at some time during pregnancy, of which 8.3% reported binge drinking (4+ drinks on one occasion)

According to the Center for Disease Control, one in 10 (10.2%) of pregnant women in the United States reports drinking alcohol in the past 30 days.

Despite clear evidence that primary prevention of FASD is possible if prenatal alcohol exposure is avoided, up to 80 % of women drink during pregnancy, many before pregnancy recognition

What? Women are drinking while pregnant? That's fucked up.

This is not to say people with FASD are lesser than.

But all of this "curing autism" when most of this "autism" is caused by a pregnant person's ability to stop fucking drinking for literally 5 minutes. THESE WOMEN THAT ARE DRINKING WHILE PREGNANT ARE THE ONES CAUSING ALL OF THIS GIVING "AUTISM". IF YOU DRANK WHILE PREGNANT. IF THERE'S EVEN A SLIVER OF A CHANCE THAT YOUR DRANK WHILE PREGNANT? ITS PROBABLY NOT AUTISM. ITS PROBABLY THIS DISORDER.

I'm just really fed up with all of these "autism moms" that also make "wine mom" jokes and making light of literal alcoholism bitching about how hard it is to be an "autism mom" because YOU'RE THE PROBLEM. STOP LAUGHING ABOUT YOUR ALCOHOLISM AND PUT THE DAMN GLASS DOWN.

But my parents are literally autistic

So they don't really know the generational effect of FASD because the new knowledge is so new. But since FASD is literally genetic issues caused by alcohol while you're in the womb. It's assumed that it can cause issues that are passed down.

But like this diagnosis is SO NEW that we really don't know much.

-fae

[newhologram]

“I write this eulogy while looking across one of the ten-lane freeways P-22 somehow miraculously crossed in 2012, gazing at a view of his new home, Griffith Park. Burbank Peak and the other hills that mark the terminus of the Santa Monica Mountains emerge from this urban island like sentinels making a last stand against the second largest city in the country. The traffic noise never ceases. Helicopters fly overhead. The lights of the city give the sky no peace.

“Yet a mountain lion lived here, right here in Los Angeles.

“I can’t finish this sentence without crying because of the past tense. It’s hard to imagine I will be writing about P-22 in the past tense now.

"Biologists and veterinarians with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced today they have made the difficult decision to end P-22’s suffering and help him transition peacefully to the next place. I hope his future is filled with endless forests without a car or road in sight and where deer are plentiful, and I hope he finally finds the mate that his island existence denied him his entire life.

“I am so grateful I was given the opportunity to say goodbye to P-22. Although I have advocated for his protection for a decade, we had never met before. I sat near him, looking into his eyes for a few minutes, and told him he was a good boy. I told him how much I loved him. How much the world loved him. And I told him I was so sorry that we did not make the world a safer place for him. I apologized that despite all I and others who cared for him did, we failed him.

“I don’t have any illusion that my presence or words comforted him. And I left with a great sadness I will carry for the rest of my days.

“Before I said goodbye, I sat in a conference room with team members from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the team of doctors at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The showed me a video of P-22’s CT scan, images of the results, and my despair grew as they outlined the list of serious health issues they had uncovered from all their testing: stage two kidney failure, a weight of 90 pounds (he normally weighs about 125), head and eye trauma, a hernia causing abdominal organs to fill his chest cavity, an extensive case of demodex gatoi (a parasitic skin infection likely transmitted from domestic cats), heart disease, and more. The most severe injuries resulted from him being hit by a car last week, and I thought of how terrible it was that this cat, who had managed to evade cars for a decade, in his weakened and desperate condition could not avoid the vehicle strike that sealed his fate.

“As the agency folks and veterinarians relayed these sobering facts to me, tissue boxes were passed around the table and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. This team cares just as much for this cat as we all do. They did everything they could for P-22 and deserve our gratitude.

“Although I wished so desperately he could be returned to the wild, or live out his days in a sanctuary, the decision to euthanize our beloved P-22 is the right one. With these health issues, there could be no peaceful retirement, only some managed care existence where we prolonged his suffering — not for his benefit, but for ours.

“Those of us who have pets know how it feels when we receive news from the veterinarian that we don’t want to hear. As a lifelong dog and cat owner, I have been in this dreadful position too many times. The decision to let them go is never easy, but we as humans have the ability, the responsibility, and the selflessness to show mercy to end the suffering for these beloved family members, a compassionate choice we scarcely have for ourselves.

“I look at Griffith Park through the window again and feel the loss so deeply. Whenever I hiked to the Hollywood sign, or strolled down a street in Beachwood Canyon to pick up a sandwich at The Oaks, or walked to my car after a concert at the Greek Theater, the wondrous knowledge that I could encounter P-22 always propelled me into a joyous kind of awe. And I am not alone — his legion of stans hoped for a sight of Hollywood’s most beloved celebrity, the Brad Pitt of the cougar world, on their walks or on their Ring cams, and when he made an appearance, the videos usually went viral. In perhaps the most Hollywood of P-22’s moments, human celebrity Alan Ruck, star of Succession, once reported seeing P-22 from his deck, and shouting at him like a devoted fan would.

“We will all be grappling with the loss of P-22 for some time, trying to make sense of a Los Angeles without this magnificent wild creature. I loved P-22 and hold a deep respect for his intrepid spirit, charm, and just plain chutzpah. We may never see another mountain lion stroll down Sunset Boulevard or surprise customers outside the Los Feliz Trader Joe’s. But perhaps that doesn’t matter — what matters is P-22 showed us it’s possible.

“He changed us.  He changed the way we look at LA. And his influencer status extended around the world, as he inspired millions of people to see wildlife as their neighbors. He made us more human, made us connect more to that wild place in ourselves. We are part of nature and he reminded us of that. Even in the city that gave us Carmeggedon, where we thought wildness had been banished a long time ago, P-22 reminded us it’s still here.

“His legacy to us, and to his kind will never fade. He ensured a future for the entire population of mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains by inspiring us to build the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, which broke ground this spring.

“P-22 never fully got to be a mountain lion. His whole life, he suffered the consequences of trying to survive in unconnected space, right to the end when being hit by a car led to his tragic end. He showed people around the world that we need to ensure our roads, highways, and communities are better and safer when people and wildlife can freely travel to find food, shelter, and families. The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing would not have been possible without P-22, but the most fitting memorial to P-22 will be how we carry his story forward in the work ahead. One crossing is not enough — we must build more, and we must continue to invest in proactive efforts to protect and conserve wildlife and the habitats they depend on — even in urban areas.

“P-22’s journey to and life in Griffith Park was a miracle. It’s my hope that future mountain lions will be able to walk in the steps of P-22 without risking their lives on California’s highways and streets. We owe it to P-22 to build more crossings and connect the habitats where we live now.

“Thank you for the gift of knowing you, P-22. I’ll miss you forever. But I will never stop working to honor your legacy, and although we failed you, we can at least partly atone by making the world safer for your kind.”

[socialismforall]

Weekly COVID-19 Update for 2023-12-24

COVID is still airborne, and COVID still very much isn't over.

Northeastern and Midwestern USA SARS2 virus levels in wastewater are *soaring*, Northeast is currently at 1500 copies/mL (~750 copies indicates a strong surge), and Midwest is at 1300 copies/mL. Southeastern and Western USA are maintaining relatively lower levels between 600 and 700 overall, but both are still climbing. See https://biobot.io/data for county-specific data as results can vary widely between locales.

How to reduce your risk of infection? The SARS2 virus is airborne and can spread like smoke, so #MaskUp with an #N95 or better, avoid superspreader events and locations, and stay up-to-date on your boosters. Do it for yourself, so you don't catch SARS-CoV-2, and for others, so you don't spread SARS-CoV-2. Even if you're fully vaccinated, your risk of developing #LongCOVID following an infection is lower but not zero, and multiple reinfections increase your odds of negative health outcomes. Plan A always should be to prevent an infection from developing by wearing a respirator with a good seal around your mouth and nose (FFP2, FFP3, KN95, N95, N99, P100, etc.).

Holiday tips:

-If someone tells you that COVID is over, you might ask them why, if we didn't consider COVID to be over in 2020 or 2021, when the COVID wastewater levels were lower, why should we consider it over now, when the virus is circulating in even higher amounts?

-"Fewer cases" doesn't mean much when most of the at-home rapid tests don't get counted in official records, and the most accurate PCR tests are neither freely available nor given to everyone getting on a plane or attending classes.

-"Fewer deaths" also means less when you remember that about 1,200,000 of the most vulnerable people already have died from it, COVID-19 remains the #3 cause of death in 2023 (behind heart disease and cancer, the risk of both of which may be increased by COVID), and the risk of a Long COVID/post-acute COVID syndrome (PACS) disability or other potentially life-shortening organ damage (brain, kidney, lung, immune, etc.) isn't measured just by the death count. Also, the USA's life expectancy still hasn't recovered from the drop it experienced following the start of the pandemic.

source: https://biobot.io/data

source: https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/news/20231006/these-are-the-top-10-causes-of-death-in-the-us

source: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2022/covid-and-the-heart-it-spares-no-one

source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33914346/

source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/11/29/average-us-life-expectancy-increased-not-pre-covid/71738611007/

[mustainegf]

— Masterpost

— Chapter 4

Walking home from school on a quiet Friday afternoon, each step I took seemed to weigh heavier than the last, my dirty white sneakers scuffing against the sidewalk.

Thoughts of Felicity consumed my mind, particularly her health. Until now, I hadn't given much thought to the gravity of her situation, but the more I dwelled on it, the more concerned I became.

Was there something more serious going on with her? The way she had avoided my direct questions, the glimpses of sadness in her eyes—it all added up to a picture I hadn't fully recognized before.

The worry bit at me as I continued my journey home, the familiar surroundings of the town blurring into the background. I felt a growing need to understand, to help if I could, but seemed to want to keep it to herself, which was okay.

Walking along, my mind wandered back to the rumors Deanna had mentioned, each one more outlandish than the last. One in particular stood out: kidney disease. The very idea seemed absurd, the product of idle gossip and teenage imagination.

Still, left to my own thoughts, doubt began to creep in. Could there be a kernel of truth to any of those rumors? The mere possibility chewed at me.

But as quickly as the thought surfaced, I pushed it away. Felicity was vibrant and full of life, there was no way.

The rumors were just that; rumors.

Determined to focus on the Felicity I knew and cared about, I shook off the lingering doubts and continued on my way home, hoping to see her at our spot by the lake later.

Arriving home, I quickly stepped inside, tossing my bag down by the door. "Deanna!" I called out, my voice echoing through the hallway. Without waiting for a response, I started climbing the stairs, my footsteps echoing loudly with each thump.

My mind was still consumed by thoughts of Felicity, and I needed to ask, to see if Deanna knew anything more or if she had any insight that could help put my mind at ease.

Reaching the top of the stairs, I paused for a moment, taking a deep breath before continuing on to find Deanna.

I pushed open the door to Deanna's room, finding her immersed in her own world, engrossed in a phone conversation. I caught the tail end of her comment to her friend, "Sorry, there's a moron at my door."

Annoyed but determined, I interrupted her, "Deanna, get off the phone. It's important."

She shot me an irritated look, clearly annoyed at being interrupted, but something in my tone must have conveyed the urgency because she reluctantly ended her call.

"What's so important?" Deanna asked, her annoyance still evident, setting her phone on the receiver.

"What did you say about Felicity having kidney problems?" I asked, cutting straight to the point, my concern clear in my voice.

Deanna rolled her eyes, a hint of defensiveness creeping into her posture. "Oh, that? Just some stupid rumor I heard at school. You know how things get blown out of proportion."

Her answer only frustrated me further.

Taking a deep breath, I looked at Deanna, I could feel my concern evident in my eyes. "I think something might actually be wrong with Felicity," I admitted, not wanting to look her in the face.

Deanna hesitated. "Look," she began cautiously, "I don't know anything for sure. The kidney thing was just a rumor, but… I've heard whispers about her health being fragile."

My heart sank at her words, the weight of my worry intensifying. "What do you mean by 'fragile'?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. It wasn’t easy.

She shrugged, clearly uncomfortable. "I don't have specifics, okay? People talk, and sometimes there's truth behind the gossip."

Frozen with possibility, I turned and walked out of Deanna's room without another word. The hallway felt suffocating, each step echoing the uncertainty and concern that brewed inside me. I needed to see Felicity, then I’d feel better.

In the quiet sanctuary of the library, surrounded by rows of books, I found myself scanning titles and flipping through pages in a frantic search for information.

My mind was consumed by the kidney rumor, and despite knowing it was wrong to pry into Felicity's private matters, I couldn't help myself.

Each book I pulled off the shelf offered no answers, only medical jargon and complex explanations that left me more confused than before.

The weight of my actions began to settle in, it was childish of me to go snooping. That still didn’t stop me.

Frustration boiling over, I threw the book down onto the table, the loud thud echoing through the silent library. "Fuck," I muttered under my breath, I just wish I knew how to help her.

My face contorted in frustration, my thoughts a tangled mess, when I was suddenly interrupted by a frail-looking woman standing at the end of the aisle of books, her gaze fixed on me.

"Can I help you, sir?" she asked, her voice gentle but tinged with curiosity and concern.

Caught off guard, I hesitated for a moment before awkwardly apologizing, "Sorry for the noise."

The woman's frailty was evident as she moved, but her eyes held a warmth that seemed to sense my sour mood. As she carefully picked up the book, she looked up at me, her gaze inviting and compassionate.

"Are you having trouble finding something?" she asked gently, her voice carrying a soothing tone that seemed to cut through the turmoil of my thoughts.

I swallowed hard, my palms growing slightly clammy. The weight of my curiosity and concern for Felicity pressed on me as I tried to find the right words.

"Do you have any books about kidney disease?" I asked the woman, my voice wavering slightly with awkwardness. The library suddenly felt much larger and quieter, amplifying my discomfort.

"I don't have a book on that particular topic…” she paused for a second before looking at me. “But I could tell you what I know," she offered gently.

I felt a mix of gratitude and relief. "U-Uh- please" I stammered, nodding eagerly.

The woman found a quiet corner amidst the bookshelves, inviting me to sit with a gentle gesture. This was undeniably awkward, I could feel my face heating up with embarrassment. But I needed to know what was wrong with felicity. As we settled into the chairs. “Do you know what kidneys do?” She asked.

I was already uncomfortable, and not knowing what kidneys really did only made it worse. I shook my head, averting my gaze. My Sandy blonde hair falling in my eyes.

"Kidneys are the organs that filter waste from your blood," she started, her voice calm and reassuring. "If they aren't working properly, it can lead to a range of health issues."

Listening intently, I absorbed the information, my thoughts drifting to Felicity and the possibility of her dealing with such a condition.

I hesitated for a moment, gathering my thoughts before asking, "What happens to people when they have kidney problems?"

The woman's eyes met mine. "Symptoms can vary," she began, "people can get tired quickly, swelling, itching."

She paused for a moment, allowing me to process the information before adding, "Nausea, shortness of breath."

As she spoke, I couldn't help but think about Felicity and the times I'd seen her fatigued or seemingly lost in thought.

A lump formed in my throat, making it hard to speak as I asked, "Can it um... can it kill you?"

She paused, looking unsure whether she should tell me the answer. "Yes, severe kidney disease can. If the kidneys fail completely, the body can't filter waste and fluids.”

The weight of her explanation settled heavily on my shoulders, Felicity. The idea of her dealing with such a thing was unsettling.

I reminded myself it was just a rumor, who knows maybe I’m looking too far into things.

I wasn’t too sure what had gotten into me, why I was so wound up with this girl. All I knew is I wanted her to be okay.

Feeling the weight of time bearing down on me, I knew I had to get to the lake to see if Felicity was alright. The evening was drawing near, casting longer shadows and painting the sky with hues of orange and purple.

I shot up from my seat, my heart pounding with a mix of gratitude for the woman's help and concern for Felicity's well-being.

"Thank you so much, really, thank you!" I called out, my voice filled with genuine appreciation as I dashed towards the library exit. The sound of my sneakers echoed in the quiet space, bidding the last woman a final wave.

As I burst out of the library doors, the evening air hit my face, sharpening my focus as I ran down the street. I needed to see Felicity, to make sure she was okay, especially now that I had a deeper understanding of what might be going on.

Gasping for breath, adrenaline coursing through my veins, I bolted down the sidewalk.

Each stride was fueled by thoughts of Felicity. The setting sun cast long shadows as I pushed myself to move faster, the rhythmic pounding of my footsteps echoing in my ears.

After a few intense minutes of running, my pace slowed to a jog as I reached the familiar small path leading to the lake. My breaths were still rapid, but the sight of the serene water helped.

Gasping for breath, I trudged through the soft sand, my legs feeling heavy from the sprint. To my surprise and relief, Felicity was there once again, sitting by the water's edge.

Her figure was a comforting sight, and I couldn't help but offer a grateful smile as I caught my breath, grateful to find her there, waiting for me.

"Felicity!" I called out, my voice tinged with relief and exhaustion as I jogged up to the shore. The sound of my own words echoed softly across the water, blending with the gentle lapping of waves against the sand.

“What’s got you so out of breath?” She asks with a giggle.

Taking a moment to catch my breath, I looked down at Felicity, her eyes meeting mine. "I may have... run here," I admitted, letting out a light chuckle alongside her.

"I was at the library," I explained, my voice still slightly breathless as I tiredly took a seat next to her on the sand. The soft grains shifted beneath us. "I learned some things... wanted to make sure you were okay," I added, looking at her as I panted.

Felicity's eyes met mine. "You went to the library for me?" she asked softly, her voice carrying a certain gentleness that made the effort of the run feel worthwhile.

"Yeah," I nodded, taking a moment to gather my thoughts. "I wanted to understand..." I said, swallowing deeply.

"I heard some things, rumors mostly," I continued, my voice slightly hesitant as I tried to convey my concern without overwhelming her, though I doubt it was working. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay."

Felicity's eyes searched mine. "What rumors did you hear?" she asked softly, it seemed she may have known the answer without me even having to give it.

I hesitated for a moment, choosing my words carefully. "I heard some people talking about kidney… stuff," I admitted, my voice quiet. "I didn't know what to believe, but I wanted to understand, even if it was just gossip."

Felicity's gaze drifted to the water, her expression thoughtful and contemplative. After a moment of silence, she turned to me, her eyes searching mine. "Can I trust you, James?" she asked softly, oh shit, I was unsure of where this may be going.

I met her gaze, feeling the weight of her question. "Yeah," I replied earnestly, my voice steady. "You can trust me."

Felicity's smile was fragile as she began to speak, her words measured and hesitant. "I do have kidney problems," she admitted, her voice slightly shaky. "It's called CKD."

I listened attentively, my heart dropping the more she went into detail.

"That's why I can't go to school," Felicity added, her voice soft and tinged with a hint of sadness. I looked back on how she reminisced about school, wished she could be a part of those things.

"Are you feeling sick right now?" I asked, I was stuffed full of questions.

Felicity shook her head, a small but genuine smile on her face. "No, I'm actually feeling okay today. I had dialysis yesterday morning," she explained.

"What exactly is dialysis?" I added.

Felicity took a moment, gathering her thoughts before explaining, "it’s a machine that cleans my blood."

I listened attentively, absorbing the information and feeling a deeper sense of empathy for Felicity's situation. "That sounds complicated," I responded. "I’m happy it makes you feel better."

She nodded, the two of us falling quiet.

The evening air was calm and peaceful as we sat in silence, the soft sounds of nature surrounding us.

My heart raced with nerves, but I mustered the courage to make a bold move. Gently, I reached over and placed my hand over hers, our fingers intertwining naturally, as if we’d done it millions of times before.

We both continued to gaze towards the setting sun, our hands resting together in a tender moment.

I glanced over at Felicity, noticing her light smile and the subtle pink blush that adorned her cheeks.

Her reaction warmed my heart, and I couldn't help but smile back at her.

As I watched Felicity, I could almost see the gears turning in her head, her eyes brightening and her smile widening. "What?" I asked softly.

"Do you wanna swim?" she asked, her voice filled with playful excitement, taking me completely by surprise.

Caught off guard by her suggestion, I looked at Felicity with a mix of surprise and intrigue. "Swim?" I echoed, glancing at the calm waters of the lake reflecting the fading colors of the sunset.

She shrugged playfully, her eyes twinkling with excitement. "Why not?" she said, her smile infectious.

With a playful giggle, Felicity sat up, her grip still firm on my hand as she teasingly pulled me closer to the shore.

"Come on, scaredy-cat," she taunted with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. I laughed, feeling both challenged and excited by her playful dare, as we moved together towards the inviting water's edge, still hand in hand.

"But I've got my clothes on," I chuckled, a hint of hesitation in my voice. Yet, I let Felicity tug me along, feeling the chilly water slowly envelop our feet as we waded deeper.

With a sly grin spreading across her face, Felicity swiftly slipped her hand from mine and gave me a playful shove by the shoulders. “Oops!”

Caught off guard but quick to react, I reached out and grabbed her, pulling her down with me as we both splashed into the water.

The cool water surrounded us, the world going quiet for a moment as we plunged beneath the surface.

As I pushed up for air I was greeted by the sound of Felicity's laughter was infectious, filling the air and bringing a smile to my face. It was a sound I hadn't heard from her before, and it was beautiful. I brushed my wet hair back from my face, enjoying the moment.

But before I knew it, I was met with another splash, water splattering across my face. "You dick!" Felicity exclaimed, her laughter ringing out even louder.

Caught off guard but still laughing, I splashed her back, enjoying the playful exchange between us.

As our playful splashing continued, the initial awkwardness and tension from earlier seemed to completely vanish.

Felicity grinned at me, her eyes shining with a happiness I hadn’t yet seen from her. "You started it!" she declared playfully, splashing me again.

I laughed, raising my hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, you win this round," I admitted with a laugh.

I peered over at her, admiring her wet slicked back hair, a few strands sticking to her damp face.

Caught in the moment, I found myself staring at Felicity, captivated by her radiant smile and the way her eyes sparkled with joy.

As she caught me looking, her grin widened, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.

I hadn’t realized just how pretty she was until now.

Bathed in the soft, dark orange glow of the setting sun, I was struck by just how beautiful Felicity looked in that moment.

Her features seemed to be highlighted by the warm hues, accentuating her smile and the sparkle in her eyes.

It was a sight that left me momentarily speechless.

"What?" Felicity raised a brow, her smile teasing.

"I, uh, um, I..." I stuttered, my words tripping over each other as I struggled to form a coherent sentence. My face turned a shade of red, and Felicity couldn't help but giggle at my flustered state.

As Felicity swam closer, her hand gently cupped my cheek, sending a jolt of anticipation through me.

Before I could fully grasp what was happening, she pressed a quick, soft kiss to my lips. I was left utterly shocked, my mind racing and words failing me. A blush surged to my cheeks.

Sure I’d kissed a girl or two, but it hadn’t felt like this.

This was a feeling I didn’t want to go away, yet it's already passed.

Felicity pulled back from the very brief kiss, a mischievous grin playing on her lips. "There, that got rid of the stupid smile on your face," she laughed, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

I couldn't help but shake my head with a scoff. "Oh, shut up," I teased, sending a splash of water towards her, our laughter echoing across the serene waters of the lake.

[soft--dragon]

Bedtime Stories

This is a branching, alternate timeline where Crosshair went back with the others at the end of Season 1 after Kamino falls. He's settled back in well enough, he's having to adjust to a child running around on the Marauder with them now

This is all written to be PLATONIC. Shipping any of these characters together is disgusting as they're siblings, please don't interact if you're a shipper >:(

Word Count: 4,115

Warnings: None

This is a SFW tickle fic, if you don’t like that then don’t read :)

Crosshair was starting to develop a distaste for nine o’clock at night. It was slowly becoming more and more of a headache and for good reason. Nine o’clock; Omega’s bedtime. 

He was sitting in the cockpit, hoping to escape any shenanigans the small clone played to try and stay up later. Hunter had put the curfew in place after Omega had almost been shot on a job - her reflexes dampened by exhaustion - and practically gave the sergeant a heart attack in the process. So, he’d put the new rule in place, and he planned to stick to it. Omega hadn't been very accepting of the new rule, trying to find more creative ways to avoid her room and the bed in it. 

Usually, it was pretty easy to put her to bed despite her excuses, one of them able to herd her to the gunner mount at some point during the evening. She managed to really confuse them once, they’d spent fifteen minutes trying to find her, only to discover her in the air vents. She was a crafty little womp rat, Crosshair would give her that. 

Crosshair’s musings were interrupted abruptly as the kid skidded into the cockpit and hit the button behind her to close the door. She swung around and almost yelped in alarm at the sight of Crosshair sitting there. 

“Evening,” Crosshair greeted dryly, looking back to his book to try and make it clear he was not dealing with this. 

“Hi Cross,” Omega grinned nervously. “Could you do me a favour?” 

“No.”

“But you don’t even know what it is-”

“I am not telling Hunter to let you stay up. You’re a child. Go to bed.”

Omega put her hands on her hips and puffed out her cheeks indignantly. “I’m older than you. Why don’t you go to bed?” 

Crosshair had to bite his tongue not to smirk at the kid’s snarkiness. She was getting bolder with her sass, something that Tech, Echo and himself had been influencing shamelessly, but he’d rather be shot than say he was proud. Instead, he scowled deeper at her comment to save face and swivelled in his chair to face the doorway. 

“Hunter! She’s in here!” He called snidely, smirking at the look of betrayal on Omega’s face. 

“Crosshair!” she exclaimed. 

Crosshair flipped the page of his book. “Don’t sass me then, kid.” 

The door slid open, freezing Omega in place. Tech and Hunter stood in the threshold, the latter’s arms crossed and brow firmly set. “Omega, bed.” Hunter stated. 

“But-”

Hunter held up a hand before she could protest, his tone leaving no room for argument as he spoke. “I’ve set the curfew, you need to follow it. I’m not having a repeat of last time.”

Tech cleared his throat as he slipped by Hunter to enter the cockpit. “Might I add, sleep deficiency causes more than just a lower reflex rate, Omega. It also risks the chance of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, stroke and depression.” 

“Thank you, Tech,” Hunter sighed, rubbing a hand over his face tiredly.

“Of course.” Tech walked to the control panel and crouched beside it, taking out his tools to repair the wiring. “Someone has to catalogue the side effects of bad habits, considering how much you are all intent on picking up habits that damage your bodies, and in turn damage our efficiency on jobs. 

"For instance, Hunter’s inability to speak about his migraines, Echo’s lack of sleep from nightmares, Wrecker’s desire to hide injuries not to worry us, and Crosshair-”

“Yeah yeah, you badgered me so much about smoking that I had to quit just to shut you up.” Crosshair hissed, lifting his book higher to his face just to block out the other occupants of the room. He came in here for an escape from his family at night, not to be stuck in the middle of this. 

Hunter then cleared his throat, giving Omega a pointed look. Omega, who had been slowly sneaking towards the door to dart away while Tech was talking, whined slightly. “Come on, Hunter, ten more minutes-” 

“You said ‘ten more minutes’ fifteen minutes ago,” the sergeant countered - Tech muttering; “Technically, it has been sixteen minutes now.” from the control panel - and making Hunter wave a hand in his direction in agreement. “There, you see? Now come on, you’re gonna be exhausted tomorrow if you don’t get some rest.”

The blonde clone crossed her arms stubbornly. “I’ll be fine.”

Hunter’s frown deepened, then his gaze slid over to the other occupant of the room who looked completely done with the pair of them. He smirked, and crossed his arms too. “If you don’t go now, I’ll get Crosshair to put you to bed.”

Crosshair, who was sitting quietly on his chair, scowled and hid his face further behind the book. He did not ask to be dragged into this, thank you very much.

Obviously catching the sniper’s resistance to being pulled into the fray, Omega’s grin widened and she looked up at Hunter with a shit-eating grin. “He won’t do it.” She claimed boldly. 

Big mistake. 

“I will for some damn peace and quiet.” 

Omega yelped as she was suddenly lifted into the air and tossed ungraciously over a shoulder. She gripped onto the civilian shirt, eyes wide as she registered how far off the ground she was. It wasn’t as high as when she was picked up by Wrecker, but it was still jarring. Then they were moving, and she was passing by Hunter who was looking at her far too smugly. 

“Told you.” He grinned. 

Omega glared then raised a finger up at him.

Tech looked up from his data pad at Hunter’s loud noise of indignation and gave a small hum. “Well, I certainly recognize that hand signal.”

Hunter looked close to a panic attack as he called out after his brother. “Crosshair! What have you been teaching her?!”

“Sorry, can’t hear you, putting a child to bed.” Crosshair said over his shoulder and let the cockpit doors slide close behind him. He then hefted Omega off his shoulder to settle her on his hip, giving her a flat look. “I thought we agreed not to show Hunter what I’ve taught you.”

Omega giggled, gripping onto him firmly though she knew she wouldn’t be dropped. “Well I guess I just didn’t listen.”

Crosshair rolled his eyes, though there was a slight amused gleam to them. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

They passed by the bunks where Wrecker and Echo were sleeping, the demolition expert’s snores rumbling through the room. How it didn’t wake Echo was a mystery, Crosshair admired the man’s ability to somehow block out Wrecker’s noise without earplugs. Keeping Omega balanced on his hip, he hefted himself up the gunner mount ladder and dropped Omega unceremoniously on the blankets and pillows clustered on the floor like a nest. 

“There. Bed. Sleep.” He grumbled, moving to get back down the ladder.

“Crosshair wait!” 

Crosshair paused on the rails, looking at her flatly. “What?” He asked, “if you’re expecting me to tuck you in then you’re gravely mistaken.”

Omega shook her head, eyes bright as she asked, “Can you tell me a story?” Well then. That was an unusual request. Deciding to humour her, Crosshair leant against the ladder with a raised brow. “...What kind of story?”

“Anything you want.”

“Alright. Once upon a time there was a galaxy, it exploded, the end.”

The kid groaned, tipping her head back and rolling her eyes so hard Crosshair was surprised they didn’t roll right out of her head. “I meant a good story.”

“That was a good story.”

“No it wasn’t.”

Crosshair huffed, slipping his toothpick from his teeth. “Tough crowd.”

Omega sat forward in her blankets more, a hard set in her brow and… oh gods, she was pouting wasn’t she? Damnit. Wrecker had obviously taught her that one to manipulate Hunter. “C’mon, surely you’ve got some good stories? 

“I lived on the battlefield and survived a war. Not many good stories from that.”

Not deterred slightly, Omega persisted. “What about outside of the battles? When you were with the others? There has to be some good moments, right?”

Crosshair sighed heavily. Unless he wanted an earful from Hunter about Omega not being asleep, he was gonna have to indulge this little devil. She was stubborn, he’d give her that. “...I suppose there was the one time we visited a snow planet and Wrecker got his tongue stuck on Echo’s scomp link.”

Omega’s mouth dropped open in an excited grin. “He what?!”

“Did no one tell you this one?”

She threw up her hands in exasperation. “No. They barely tell me any embarrassing stories about themselves.”

Crosshair’s smile became downright wicked. “Oh? Is that so?” He hefted himself up onto the gunner mount floor, pressing his back to the wall and hiking a boot up on the rungs. “Well then, what a terrible thing it is for them to have a brother who remembers many embarrassing moments.”

Omega’s eyes were sparkling with mischief. The blankets fell around her lap as she sat up, an eager gleam to her brown eyes. “Tell me all of them!”

Crosshair, being the sweet and caring person that he is, placed a hand on her face and pushed her back down into the cushions. “Lie down and listen, womp rat,” he scoffed. “Or I’ll throw you out the airlock.”

Omega grinned, peeking through his fingers as she shoved off his palm. “No you won’t.”

“Really want to test that theory?” He asked, reaching out a hand only for her to it smack away with a bright giggle. 

“No! I’m meant to be going to sleep!”

“Shocking how you only use that excuse when it benefits you.”

“I picked it up from you.”

Somehow, dumbly, that comment made Crosshair’s chest swell with pride. The knowledge that he’d passed down some of his skill sets down to this little sponge of a clone was a weirdly good feeling. 

He settled back against the wall, crossing his arms and swivelling the toothpick in his mouth. “So, are you going to cooperate and let me tell my story?”

Omega grinned and snuggled down into the blankets, assured that the tall clone wasn’t going to throw her out the airlock of the Havoc Marauder. “Ready!” She chirped, cuddling Lula to her chest.

She was the picture of childish innocence. It made something protective rear up in Crosshair’s heart. Stupid feelings. Damn kid making him go soft. “Alright,” Crosshair sighed, and then somewhat awkwardly, he began to retell the visit to the planet.

His words were choppy to start with, not used to telling stories of their life outside of the war, especially not to a child. He’d given mission reports - though not willingly - and those were easier, they were facts of an operation. This was more like crafting a book in his head and telling it to someone that was very easy to influence. Crosshair wisely left out the bits and pieces that Omega might find concerning, and for the record, the avalanche was entirely Wrecker’s fault, not his. 

As the story went on, Crosshair found the words leaving him easily. His raspy voice was edged with mirth as he described the life or death snowball fight and attempts of skating on the frozen lake. It caused an assortment of ridiculous pictures - courtesy of Tech - of their very shaky forms on the slick surface. 

“Like new-born Tauntauns' they were,” Crosshair smirked. “Staggering around and falling over themselves constantly. I’ll have to ask Tech where he put the holos, there are some good ones of Hunter flat on his face”

“Are there any of you?” Omega asked with a grin. 

“Have you ever seen me slip and fall? I was fine.” Crosshair scoffed, looking half offended she’d even suggested such a thing. “I’m used to getting around sloped terrain by sliding down it, the ice was no different.” 

Omega giggled softly, hugging Lula closer to her chest and looking over the toy with her big brown eyes. “Do you think we could visit a snow planet sometime? I’ve never had the chance to really explore one before. We went to one a while back, but I didn’t get to look around properly, we were too busy being attacked by ice dragons.”

Crosshair blinked down at her. It was sometimes easy to forget that Omega had spent most of her life beneath the oceans of Kamino, stuck in a lab with Nala Se with no opportunity to explore the galaxy. 

“...I’m sure Hunter could be persuaded," he found himself saying. "And if he isn’t-”

“Then we ask Echo,” Omega finished with a knowing smirk. 

Crosshair hummed in agreement, turning his head to look out of the window of the gunner's mount, the stars blinking back at him softly. He took in a breath, not minding the staleness of the recycled air. It was peaceful and homely on the ship, that's all that mattered to him. It was far better than the suffocatingly cold and sterile air of the Empire’s ships. Crosshair repressed a shudder.

It was after staring at the stars for a moment too long that he realised it was too peaceful. He flicked his eyes to the kid, expecting to see her finally asleep in the nest of blankets, but instead, she was watching him closely. 

He narrowed his gaze. “What?” he snipped, though it was a far cry from his usual harsh snap. 

He always tried to soften his tone while speaking to Omega, not wanting to give her the wrong idea of him being annoyed with her. He just sounded grumpy most of the time, but thankfully she seemed to know his true emotions were hidden under the grouch.

Omega smiled in response to his question. “I’m just happy you’re here,” she answered genuinely. “Even if I didn’t know you all too well when we first met, something was missing without you on the squad.”

Crosshair stubbornly looked out the window again, refusing to acknowledge the warmth flickering in his chest. “How touching,” he grumbled. 

A tiny foot hit his knee, diverting his attention back to Omega. She was frowning slightly, but there was a twinkle in her eye. "Did you just kick me?" He asked dubiously. 

Omega ignored his accusation. “Would it kill you to be sentimental just once?”

“Yes. I would die immediately,” Crosshair replied dryly. 

“No you wouldn’t.”

“I’m not about to risk death just to appease your need for emotional reassurance.”

“Come on,” Omega sat up, Lula falling to her side. “It’s not that hard-”

“No, lay back down and sleep,” Crosshair leaned over to push her head back against the pillows. An annoyed noise weaselled out from Omega, muffled slightly by his palm. 

“Not until you say something nice!” Omega argued, her own hands came up to try and shove at Crosshair’s wrist.

Crosshair grumbled, and with his spare hand, he dragged his fingers over his face and scowled. “Aren’t you ever tired?”

“Nope.” Omega popped the ‘p’ for good measure, grinning at her brother smugly. “Now say something nice or I’ll never sleep!”

It was like making a deal with Satan.

“You’re a terrible child.”

Omega rolled her eyes. “You’re really bad at this.”

“Niceties aren’t my profession.”

“Clearly.”

Crosshair glowered at the kid. After a moment he inquired, "Are you always this infuriating?"

"We share the same DNA, I had to get some traits from you." 

Crosshair gave Omega precisely seven seconds to take back that statement. When no such words were spoken, he glared darkly. 

"Alright you little shit," he hissed, paying no mind to the small voice in his mind that sounded a lot like Wrecker telling him he shouldn’t be cursing around a child. "It's about time someone taught you to respect your elders." 

"I'm older than yo-"

"Nope, you're not allowed to use that argument anymore." Crosshair promptly scooped up Omega, blankets and all, and dumped her on his lap. Ensnared by the tangles of fabric, Omega laughed and struggled against the arm cage Crosshair had put her in. 

"Cross!" 

“Can’t hear you kid, you’re pretty muffled.” Giving into the more playful side of himself, Crosshair’s fingers delved into the blanket to prod around Omega’s torso, hearing her squeak and giggle wildly at the ticklish sparks of electricity jolting through her. He smirked at her reactions and continued with his snarky teasing. “Maybe if you didn’t have a blanket over your head I could hear you better. Oh well, maybe next time.”

Omega suddenly squealed when Crosshair’s fingers pinched up her ribs, her wiggling increasing as bubbly laughter spilled from under the blanket. “Nohoho! Crohohosshahair!”

He scoffed loudly. “Really Omega, didn’t I just say I couldn’t hear you very well? Maybe we should get Tech to check your ears.” Crosshair was fighting for his life not to break out a grin, but he couldn’t contain the mischievous note in his tone as he messed with the kid. 

Omega smacked him in the chest with a swaddled hand and hiccupped in laughter. “Yohou suhuck!” In a bid for freedom, Omega twisted in her blanket cocoon and pushed her own fingers into Crosshair’s stomach through the thick material. 

The strangled noise that burst from the sniper was high pitched and wildly out of character. He half curled up, arms tightening against himself in reflex. Omega gasped like she'd discovered the answer for Clone Rights. 

"You're ticklish!" 

Immediately, a series of rapid fire pokes sent shock waves through Crosshair's sides and stomach, causing another badly restrained yelp to pull free, followed by breathy titters that kept tumbling free despite the man's best efforts to keep them down. 

"Awww! You can laugh, Cross!" Omega's excited cooing made an embarrassed warmth flush in the sniper's ears. This wasn't the plan. How the hell did it go this awry? 

"S-Shut up-" he spluttered. He could've pushed her away easily of course, but with how close they were to the gunner mount edge, he didn't want to risk the nightmare scenario playing out in his head of Omega tumbling from the height and hurting herself. Though, with how much he was embarrassing himself with these dignity destroying snickers, he might have to let the child drop. 

"I've never heard you laugh like this." Omega carried on, never shy of speaking her mind regardless of how embarrassed it made her brothers. "It's really nice actually, you should do it more often." 

What the fuck. 

Crosshair would deny to his goddamn grave that Omega's genuine words were having any effect on his cold, dead heart. He was a soldier bred for battle, why was he getting overwhelmed by a kid complimenting his laugh? He couldn't even think of a proper reply with how much his brain had short circuited. 

"Yohou- goddahahamn-" 

Omega giggled at his sputtering attempts. "Huh, you're just like Hunter when he laughs too much to talk," she commented with a grin. 

Crosshair opened his mouth to argue against that, but Omega had begun prodding up and down his sides and getting lower the longer she did so and only making Crosshair's titters increase. When she got too close to his overly sensitive hip bones, Crosshair decided enough was enough. Both of his hands scratched and skittered all around Omega's shoulder blades and back upper ribs - a soft spot for Crosshair himself. 

Omega instantly ripped her hands away from him and burst into a fit of unrestrained squeaks, torn between pressing against Crosshair to evade the tickling or attempting to attack him again. 

"That was a bad move, kid," Crosshair grumbled, his soft laughter faded but his smile had started to finally crack out through his mask. "Don't start a fight you can't finish."

Omega tried to reach out to tickle him again, but Crosshair swiftly intercepted the move and poked rapidly under her arm, smirking at the surprised squeal that leapt from the blonde clone. She really needed to learn that he was the champion of tickle fights - his losses were few and far between, and there was little chance he was losing to her. He gave a grazing swipe at her neck with his fingernails just cause he could, and because it made her squeal endearingly. Huh, just like Tech. He pocketed that thought for a later time. 

“Ahem.” 

The sudden sound of someone clearing their throat made the two freeze. Turning around in sync, the pair were greeted by the sight of Echo standing close to the gunner mount, arms crossed and blearily glaring at them.

“Crosshair, Omega is meant to be asleep.” His voice was deeper than normal having just woken up, and it only made his stern tone more intimidating. 

Omega pressed herself back into Crosshair, as if to hide behind him, with a meek, guilty grin. “Sohorry Echo,” she apologised, giggles lingering in her speech. “we didn’t mehean to wake you.”

Echo’s stern expression wavered a tad at her giggly state, something Crosshair internally rolled his eyes at. Did this kid seriously have everyone wrapped around her finger? Unbelievable. He’d have to ask her to use that so they could win every argument against their brothers. Omega was going to flourish under his teachings. 

“Yeah, what she said. Go back to bed, Echo,” Crosshair waved off his brother. “I’ll put her to sleep.”

“To bed. You’re going to put her to bed.” Echo emphasised. “Don’t kill our sister.”

Crosshair planted a hand on Omega’s face and ignoring her indigent squark, he pushed her down on the bed roll. Gently of course, he wasn’t a total dick. “Yeah yeah, I got it, now go. Your night watch shift is in two hours.” 

Echo hummed and gave a small salute, turning back to the bunks with a tired slouch to his posture. “Night you two.”

“Goodnight Echo.”

“Night.”

When Crosshair heard Echo’s bunk creak and settle once more, he turned back to Omega who was rubbing at her eyes. “Finally tired, yet?” He inquired. 

“No.” Omega replied, ever the stubborn one, immediately dropping her fist. She clearly was exhausted, her rapid blinking and wavering form displayed that, but she was insistent on resisting. 

Crosshair pinched the skin between his eyes, mentally reminding himself it would be wrong to stun a child. “If I tell you one more story, you go to sleep immediately afterwards. Deal?”

Omega studied him with pursed lips as she thought over the offer. Then she smiled, and bundled up her blankets in her arms. “Deal.”

Crosshair didn’t get a moment to protest when she stood up and threw herself down in his lap, curling into his chest and snuggling close. All air left the man as he openly gaped, watching Omega cuddle into his scrawny form and nudge her head into his collarbone. “Ready,” she mumbled, eyes slipping closed and completely missing Crosshair’s rare moment of speechless floundering. 

It took approximately ten seconds for Crosshair to scrape up some semblance of his usual demeanour and pretend that this wasn’t melting his stone cold heart into a fond puddle. Eugh, this kid was going to be the death of him one day. The thought didn’t bother him as much as he assumed it would. 

Wrapping a cautiously gentle arm around the small bundle curled into his chest, Crosshair turned his attention back to the stars and began softly telling another story. Omega tried to stay awake by murmuring questions about the planet, but they became nonsensical and slurred the more she tried to speak. Crosshair wasn’t even halfway through his retelling when Omega had slumped into him fully and her breathing had evened out. Crosshair trailed off, and after a moment of consideration, wrapped both arms around her, securing her against him. He smiled softly at the tiny snores emitting from the girl. She really was Hunter’s kid, they had matching snore tones and everything.

Realistically, he should deposit her back onto her bedroll and go to his own bunk, but he couldn’t bring himself to put down the precious cargo in his arms. Instead, he shuffled down the wall, did a quick prayer for his neck in the morning, and dropped his head onto her mop of golden hair - letting his own eyes slide closed. 

The soft glow of the fairylights and steady weight of Omega against him soothed Crosshair into a deep sleep, his dreams circling around the memory of a frozen lake. He was with his brothers on the ice, but this time, Omega was with them, her laughter intertwining with theirs and sounding out across the cold planet. 

Unbeknownst to the sniper, he smiled in his sleep.