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Colgate Company Careers 2023 | Fresher Engineering Graduates Interview | Apply now

Introduction Colgate Company Careers 2023 :Colgate has Published notification for the vacancy of Analyst The educational qualification required to apply for this  Colgate Company is B.E , B.Tech ,PGDM Interested and eligible candidates can apply for Colgate Company Careers 2023. There is enough time to apply for any job. Read Colgate Company date, last date to use, and  full details of…

[stellar-constellations]

Star Patient: Chapter 1 (ONGOING SLOW BURN SERIES)

WARNING: This series will include; possible inaccurate medical procedures and medical setting, gore, toxic relationships that should NOT be replicated in real life, murder, yanderes, cursing, suicide mentions, implications of misandry (male misogyny), and possibly more.

Inaccurate canon-timeline (this is before Ashley and Andrew murdered their parents).

Reader has a small fear of adult men/rape and has a history of suicide attempts.

Incest is not Wincest.

Amnesiac! Obsessive! Patient! Andrew Graves x Yandere! Nurse! Reader:

Wordcount: 8,390 words (I am so sorry for how long the first chapter is).

Chapters: Current chapter, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, chapter 4, chapter 5, chapter 6, chapter 7, chapter 8, chapter 9 (in the works)

Want to listen to music while reading? Check out the Star Patient's Official Playlists! Multiple different playlists and genres!

         “Can you say ‘aaaaaah?’” (Y/N) drawled out.

        Her patient, little eight-year-old Lou, opened his mouth widely like a lion and ‘aaaaaah’ed for her as she shined her mediscope light down into his throat, checking his tonsils, uvula, throat's lining, gums, and tongue.

        “Mmm, I see. You can close your mouth now. Good job, Lou!” she cheered as the kid beamed. “He has enlarged tonsils. Do you hear him snore at night?” she questioned, turning her attention to the concerned mother.

        “He snores so loud he’s woken us up from across the house.” His mother sighed. “Is that bad?”

        “Does he have problems focusing in school because he’s tired. Taking naps that are over an hour multiple times a week?” (Y/N) asked.

        “Yes. His teacher complained just last week about him sleeping in class during a spelling test.” Lou's mother confirmed.

        “I see. Lou, do you have any problems sleeping? Like do you wake up multiple times a night?” (Y/N) questioned, looking over towards the small boy.

        “Maybe once or twice a night…” Lou muttered as he thought to himself.

        “And does your throat hurt when you wake up?” (Y/N) questioned.

        “Sometimes.” He responded.

        “How often do you get sick?” (Y/N) questioned.

        “Honestly, we’ve lost count. This past year he’s been sick at least three times.” His mother admitted.

        “And it’s June. I see.” (Y/N) nodded, grabbing her clipboard of papers and a pen. “Lou is experiencing obstructive sleep apnea due to his enlarged tonsils affecting his sleep, which is affecting his daytime behavior and is the cause of why he gets sick so often. I do recommend surgery to remove them. I’ll write down some children hospitals near your area that specialize in pediatric surgery, that way we can get the right surgeon for the job.” She explained, writing down hospitals, where they’re located, and doctor names specializing in tonsil-study.

        “Does this all sound about right, Doctor Ryan?” she questioned, turning her attention to the corner of the room where the doctor and her instructor stood, observing her performance. 

        “Absolutely phenomenal. You got everything right.” He praised, giving her a teethy smile that belonged on a Colgate commercial while a bubble of pride formed in her chest at his praise.

        “Oh thank you, Ms (L/N)!” Lou’s mother smiled as she clutched her hands together.

        “No worries. Here you go.” (Y/N) spoke, handing Lou's mother the papers. “Check out will be on your right when you walk out. There will be some ring pops too, go get yourself a reward for behaving so good today, Lou.” (Y/N) smiled as she rummaged through her cabinet for a sticker.

        She found one and handed it to Lou's open hand. 

        “You were my star patient today, bud! I’ll see you in a few weeks for your next check-up.” (Y/N) smiled.

        “Thank you again.” Lou’s mother smiled as she held Lou’s hand. "What do we say, Lou?"

        “Thank you! Bye bye!” Lou cheered.

        “Fantastic work today. We have one more patient before you can head out, okay?” Doctor Ryan spoke.

        “Yes, sir!” (Y/N) smiled, excited of who she'd be working with next.

        She loved kids and she loved helping them. It made her happy to be able to care for them and help them on their recovery to healthiness and happiness, hence why she's studying to become a pediatrician.

        “They’re a bit on the older side, but we’re really short-staffed at the moment so I need you to take care of them.” Doctor Ryan explained.

        “How old?” she questioned, noticing they were leaving the hospital’s pediatric branch and going to the elevators.

        They both entered the elevator and Doctor Ryan pressed the 4th floor button. The doors closed as (Y/N) held the handle, feeling a little nauseous at being in a closed space with a man. She doesn't mind Doctor Ryan, but she doesn't like being trapped in uncomfortable proximity with a male—just a fear that was installed into her when she was young. Th elevator moved up two floors before the ride finally ended.

        “Well… they’re twenty-two.” The doctor sheepishly smiled.

        “Sir, I’m training to be a pediatrician, not a regular nurse.” (Y/N) stated firmly as the elevator doors opened, allowing them to walk out into the psychiatric branch of the hospital (must to her relief). 

        “Yes, but like I said, we’re short staffed. We just need to you re-evaluate his wounds and do a check-up on his physical health. He’s on suicide watch.” Doctor Ryan explained.

        She opened her mouth to complain before hearing his last words.

        Damn it, suicide watch? I don’t want them dying on my watch. Not only that, but I have experience in that field so I’m decent help for it. She thought. 

        “I… Yes, sir. I’ll get him checked out.” (Y/N) sighed, caving in.

        "Thank you! You know it's been with the shortages of nurses and all, especially for the psychiatric branch." Doctor Ryan sighed out, in relief rather than reluctant-acceptance that (Y/N) did.

        "I understand..." She sighed again.

        Yes, I understand that the psychiatric branch is full of unstable patients with crazy-strength if set off. How do they expect me to hold up on my own against a fight with these guys? (Y/N) thought to herself.

        They walked to the branch's help desk, scurrying through papers before Doctor Ryan made a noise of acknowledgment.

        "Ah-ha! Here you go." He smiled, giving the paper packet to (Y/N).

        (Y/N) grabbed a chair with wheels and moved it behind her, sitting down and reading the information. 

        "Like I said, just quickly re-evaluate his wounds and do a check up on his physical health. If he has any information on why he tried to commit suicide, write it down. It can help us with finding a therapist or at least a hotline for him. I'll go and write a report for Lou's visit, get that off your plate." Doctor Ryan explained, turning and walking away. "It's sad how young these kids are when they think all hope is lost..." he sighed.

        Twenty-two? That's a pretty normal age for suicide. Try eleven, Doc. (Y/N) thought sarcastically. Well, no time to mope about. Let's get this over with and hope for the best. (Y/N) thought, dreading the interaction.

        She wanted to be a pediatrician not only because she liked kids, but because they were much easier than adults. Adults live in a world where they're made to believe their pain is insignificant because elders and children are much more vulnerable to pain and suffering, so adults constantly fight their pain and hide it from others. Adults hide their pain to avoid pity, to avoid the expensive medical bill they don't want to pay. (Y/N)'s morals may be questionable, but if there's anything she believes as a nurse and upcoming-pediatrician, it's that you can't put a price on life. Kids have no shame telling someone if they're in pain, adults act as if they're dishonoring their family's reputation and pride if they tell someone they have a cough.

        Not only that, but she doesn't want to work with adult men. It's been proven that some perverted adult men cause injuries to themselves so they can be in the care of gentle women, who they take overpower and advantage of. Of course, women can do the exact same thing too, but it's more prevalent with males. (Y/N) hates working with adults because she doesn't want to be apart of their sexual fetishes or apart of the statistics.

        (Y/N) read through her patient's information, gathering the details she needs to access the situation:

Patient: Andrew Graves, 22. Room 402. Reason for admission: Jumped from a third-story building and ended up landing on his legs. By miracle, no injury to spine other than minor bruises. Both legs and ankles are shattered, needs multiple surgeries. Stitches on ankles, change bandages every 4-8 hours. Minor concussion and possible amnesia.  Precautions: Patient isn't very cooperative. Use restraints if necessary. Has a sister that is extremely uncooperative and violent, has threatened other nurses. Use extreme caution with patient and sister to prevent any pain or stress that would worsen patient's condition. 

        (Y/N) put the paper packet down on the desk and sighed, shoving her hands into her face and groaning.

        Of course! Not only an unruly patient, but an unruly visitor too? God, if you're real, is this your way of telling me it was a mistake being a pediatrician? (Y/N) thought to herself. Let's just get this damn thing over with, after this, I can go home and rest.

        She walked to a medical supply closet in the staff room and took some bandages and anti-septic cream, along with checking to make sure her stethoscope and mediscope was all there. She grabbed two water bottles from the mini fridge and shoved it into her bag along with two mini-bags of pretzels from the snack cabinet. 

        She shut the staff room's door and locked it, shoving her key and lanyard under her lilac purple nursing scrubs in case some pocket-picker (or someone stupid enough) tries to steal her key. She made sure her bag's strap was secure against her firmly and walked towards room 402.

        (Y/N) stopped at the patient's door to collect her breath. She heard voices inside, only dreading the next few minutes once she realized how angry the voices sounded.

        "Damn it, Andrew! You just had to fuck shit up like you do with everything else, huh?" a girl's voice rang through the room.

        "Isn't this what you wanted? You make no sense..." a boy's voice, Andrew perhaps, sighed.

        "I didn't expect you to take me seriously, dumbass! What if you actually died? You'd leave me all alone to deal with the shit you caused!" the girl shouted.

        "Keep your voice down! And the shit I caused? You're the one that started it all! If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be on the run!" Andrew hissed.

        "Oh, so eating the neighbor was my decision? Is that what you're saying! No, you're the one that fucking said it!" the girl exclaimed.

        "You implied it!" Andrew retorted.

        "I did nothing! But even then, we would've starved in that damn apartment! Is that what you wanted? And you're the one that killed the warden, then the damn lady!" the girl claimed.

        "Hey, the lady was self-defense and you're the one that made me kill the hitman! I killed the warden because you got caught! We would've both been fucked at that point!" Andrew reasoned.

        "WE ARE FUCKED!" the girl screamed.

        "Ashley! Calm down!" Andrew spoke, raising his tone.

        "ME CALM DOWN? HOW CAN I BE CALM AT A TIME LIKE THIS?!" the girl, Ashley screamed, sounding crazy enough to potentially be pulling her hair out.

        "Well you're going to have to! Someone might discover we're on the run!" Andrew hissed through his teeth.        

        "Don't you realize, stupid?! If you died, you would've left me all alone in this shitty world. I can't live without you, Andy..." Ashley muttered.

        "My name isn't Andy, Andy is dead. It's Andrew." Andrew stated firmly.

        "Fuck you, Andrew! I hate Andrew! I want Andy back! At least Andy still liked me!" Ashley shouted, her tone sounded like she was close to breaking down in tears.

        "Ashley, come on... We've gone over this. I like you." Andrew sighed.

        "Yeah right! You tried sleeping with that lady at the apartment complex!" Ashley accused.

        "Damn it, Ashley! I already told you, she tried to kill me so I killed her! What part of that involves sex?" Andrew hissed.

        "I don't want to hear it, you bastard! The second you get a girlfriend, I become invisible to you!" Ashley complained.

        "As if! I was always ditching Julia for you! Even then, you fucking convinced her into breaking up with me!" Andrew huffed.

        "I was weeding out the whores that sprout their legs open! She doesn't deserve someone like you, Andy!" Ashley shouted, then took a deep breath. "I'm your sister, Andy. I know what's best for you! I know who's best for you! She wasn't shit!"

         "You're stressing me out, Ashley..." Andrew groaned, his voice muffled (presumably shoving his face into his hands). "I don't want to talk about this... I don't even know how we got on this topic but just shut up about it... We'll leave as soon as I heal up some." 

        "That'll take too long. We can leave now!" Ashley whined.

        "And what? You want me to run on two broken legs? Are you going to carry me?" Andrew spoke, verbally knocking some sense into her. 

        "I-I'll find a damn wheelchair! We'll put you on a wheelchair and run." Ashley spoke, suddenly not sounding as confident and aggressive as she was previously. 

        "Run where? There's no where we can go! Mom doesn't want us and we can't just live on the streets forever. This is a good opportunity for us to rest here and think about our next move." Andrew explained.

        "Says you. You get a nice bed and food provided to you while I'll be stuck outside, cold and alone while I rot away outside." Ashley snapped, exaggerating her voice on the last bit.

        "I'm sure you'll figure something out. You have a way with getting what you want." Andrew huffed.

        "Not all the time..." Ashley muttered. "I still think we should take a wheelchair and-"

        "Leave, Ashley. Visiting time is over." Andrew spoke firmly.

        "But-" Ashley started, but was cut off.

        "No buts, Ashley. Leave... You're just making me feel worse..." Andrew sighed in frustration.

        Good, stand your ground against her. I don't know their full story, but Ashley sounds really manipulative to me, but Andrew definitely doesn't sound like a victim either... (Y/N) thought to herself. 

        "Fine, I'll leave and I'll never come back! You can't live without me, Andy!" Ashley shouted before walking towards the door.

        Sounds like a threat... (Y/N) thought. 

        Damn it, she's infuriating. As expected of her though... Andrew thought to himself.

        (Y/N) realized that Ashley was coming her way. She didn't want to seem nosey so she quickly ran to an open hospital room, making sure to redirect her weight to her legs so her footsteps wouldn't make noise in case it alerted Ashley. She heard Andrew's door open before slamming close, then footsteps walking past the room (Y/N) was in.

        (Y/N) held close to the wall where the door was, hiding herself in case Ashley peeked into the room on her way out. (Y/N) waited a minute after the footsteps vanished, just to be sure that Ashley wasn't on her way back. She walked back to the door before stopping, realizing what the siblings revealed to her.

        They're murderers. Not only that, but cannibals too. They both confessed. I have to be careful about this guy, two broken legs or none, he's dangerous. (Y/N) thought to herself, then held her fist up to the door.

        She gently knocked three times, then opened the door, not caring for a response back. She saw Andrew staring out of the hospital's window (one without bars, (Y/N) believes that's a stupid decision since this is a known suicidal branch on the fourth floor). His reflection showed his eyes closed, his eyebrows pinched in frustration.

        "I said leave, Ash—" Andrew's head turned to look at the nurse and his eyes only hardened, as if seeming more mad at the nurse than at Ashley who ran off.

        Watch it, buddy. I can make your death look like an accident... (Y/N) thought inside of her head, only proving her dislike of caring for adults.

        "Expecting someone else?" (Y/N) spoke, forcing a polite smile on her face. 

        I'd rather not have to try and fight him into restraining him against the bed. She thought. 

        Andrew stayed quiet as he glared at her.

        The previous nurses that entered his room weren't very kind to him, they were old and seemed annoyed to care for their patients. They got an earful from Ashley. Not only that, but they sure were rough with re-doing his bandages, sloppy too. He didn't want to deal with anyone else today, he just wants to go to sleep.

        Maybe a permanent sleep like jumping out of this window... At least I wouldn't hear Ashley complain so much. Andrew thought to himself.

        To be honest, Andrew doesn't exactly remember much. For some reason, he only has memory of the past three months and that's it. All of his memories consisted of being locked in an apartment with little food, to no food, for three months with Ashley, rotting away. Then Ashley had the bright idea to eat the neighbor after breaking into his apartment and seeing him fail a seance to a... demon? As crazy as that sounds.

        Well, she didn't exactly say it, but she placed the thought into Andrew's head then forced Andrew to say it to make it seem like it was his idea. Then she started chopping the neighbor up to eat him, then the warden came and Ashley got caught, which resorted in Andrew having to kill the warden so the warden wouldn't contact any other wardens with his walkie-talkie. Ashley had the bright idea to escape the apartment complex by completing the seance and offering live human. Andrew eventually agreed to it.

        Then they ran from the place and ended up in a lady's apartment. Turns out she whored herself to get food from the wardens, so they used her to escape. While Ashley left to do the seance, Andrew had to hold her hostage so she wouldn't try to call for help from the wardens. He made the mistake of taking his clever away from her neck and letting go of her, but she got ballsy and tried to kill him with a nail gun, resulting in Andrew killing her. Then Ashley came back and started to freak out, saying that Andrew was trying to get in the girls pants (however she came up with that conclusion, Andrew is unsure). 

        They completed the seance by sacrificing a warden and escaped the apartment complex, finding themselves on the run as wanted felons. It was then when Ashley and Andrew got in a fight and Ashley told Andrew to kill himself, to make it easy for her and the police. Andrew was fed up of running and listening to his sister's idiotic (and borderline psychotic) ideas that he actually did jump (to which Ashley brought him here instead of just letting him bleed out, much to his dismay). 

        But before all of those events, everything else is blurry. He has no recollection of himself or his family after all the horrid memories trapped in his head.

        (Y/N) felt a little unsettled under his very judgmental gaze, remembering that he confessed to killing at least two people (possibly even more).

        Is he sizing me up to be his next victim? (Y/N) briefly thought before pushing that thought away. No, he said that they would've starved in their... apartment? What did they mean by that? 

        As much as she wanted to find out, she didn't really feel like wanting to die either. Her college debt would go to her family, and it'd be too bothersome to die. Too much time wasting on dying (she'd be too impatient to die slowly). 

        “I’m a student studying nursing, please call me (Y/N) despite the name tag.” (Y/N) smiled. 

        I'd rather not tell him I'm studying pediatric nursing. I don't want him freaking out or anything since I'm technically out of my field. She thought.

        “They couldn’t bring a real nurse or doctor?” Andrew huffed.

        Great, if she makes any mistakes, he might have to stay here longer than necessary, and Andrew does not want that.

        “Unfortunately, we’re short-staffed at the moment. No one here likes working the night shift.” (Y/N) sighed. “But, luckily for you, I happen to be a very good student. I even dare to say better than some of the other nurses here.” (Y/N) joked, a smile on her face to try and brighten up the murderous aura surrounding Andrew.

        Andrew stared at her in silence, unamused.

        “Tough crowd…” She muttered. “Alright, let’s get this over with first.” (Y/N) spoke, walking closer to Andrew (whose guard only raised even more at this). “How many fingers am I holding up?” she questioned, holding up two fingers.

        “Four.” Andrew huffed, crossing his arms.

        “And now?” she questioned, holding up one.

        “Two.” Andrew answered.

        “Last time.” She commented, holding up two fingers again.

        “Four.” Andrew spoke.

        “Okay, are you thirsty right now?” (Y/N) questioned.

        “I guess…” Andrew muttered.

        “Here.” (Y/N) spoke, digging into her medical bag and grabbing the bottle of water she shoved in there from earlier. “Hungry too?”

        “No.” Andrew answered, resulting in her placing a bag of pretzels and water on his nightstand.

        “They're for later. It’s important not to have them now even though you’re thirsty. Just trust me.” She spoke before continuing her little survey. “Feel any pain anywhere?”

        “My legs.” Andrew spoke, pointing out the obvious in a ‘duh’ tone.

        “Other than there?” (Y/N) added. “Such as a headache? Behind the eyes?” 

        “Both.” Andrew answered.

        “Have you vomited? Do you feel nauseous at the moment?” (Y/N) questioned.

        “Haven’t thrown up, but I feel sick” Andrew admitted.        

        “Have you or your sister noticed any gaps in your memory? From today to a few months or even more?” (Y/N) asked.

        “Yeah, actually…” Andrew muttered.

        (Y/N) took a few steps towards him, basically hovering over him.

        “What the hell are you doing?” he snapped, but didn’t pull away or shrink from her.

        “Calm down. Are your hands clammy?” she questioned.

        “A little...” Andrew muttered, not breaking eye contact from her.

        She broke the eye contact as her eyes swept through his face, looking at his disheveled black hair and electric green eyes, a beautiful combination, she noted. She also noted how pale his skin was along with the sweat running down it.

        “Andrew, open your eyes wide for me, please.” She spoke, reaching into her bag and pulling out a mediscope.

        Andrew complied with a little bit of hesitancy, allowing her to watch as his pupils shrunk from the light. She looked closely at his retinas to make sure there was no tear along with the hydration in his eyes. They did seem a little blurry, she noted.

        “Open your mouth, please.” She requested.

        Andrew sighed but listened as she did. She checked his tonsils, throat lining, tongue coloring, gums, and uvula. 

        He felt awkward having her do all these procedures and asking all these questions, whether it was her job or not. He wouldn’t deny it, she was pretty, prettier the woman at the apartment complex he murdered.

        Wow, nice thinking… Andrew internally scolded himself as he looked away from the girl. Comparing your nurse to a dead girl you killed really isn't a sign of insanity or detachment.

        At least he was self-aware?

        “And real quick, let me look inside your ears, please.” She requested.

        Andrew stood still as she shined the light in his ear, checking through the tiny camera to see if there was any ear infection or something out of the ordinary. Nothing.

        “Last thing.” She spoke, placing her mediscope in her bag and switching it for her stethoscope. 

        “Can I ask why you’re doing this? All these questions and procedures?” Andrew questioned, adverting his eyes from her as she started listening to his heart.

        There was a moment of silence as she focused, looking at her watch as she listened to his pulse.

        It's 102 beats per minute, a bit quick for his age, but it's not too worrying and it can be easily caused by the stress and trauma of his situation, she noted. 

        “Are you telling me the other nurses didn’t do all of this to you?” (Y/N) asked as she responded his question from earlier surprised and a little concerned.

        “Nope.” Andrew replied lazily. 

        “Ugh… elders.” (Y/N) muttered quietly, earning a small smile from Andrew (one he quickly hid with a cough as he adverted her gaze). “They’re supposed to check you for any possible illnesses or worsen conditions. I know you came in here because you jumped a three-story building, but it can be linked to serious health concerns. You can develop future problems we can identify and fix right now if we take the time to look.” She explained.

        “So what did you discover, doc?” Andrew questioned in a monochrome tone (she wasn’t exactly sure if he was making a joke or being serious or even sarcastic).

        “Well, you have internal bleeding.” (Y/N) spoke, not bothering to even try to sugarcoat it or break it to him lightly.

        “What? How bad?” Andrew grimaced, afraid of the reaction Ashley would give when she hears this. 

        “How much blood did you lose when you fell? Were you conscious when you hit the ground?” (Y/N) questioned. 

        “I mean, I was conscious till I hit the ground. After a couple of minutes I woke up and was in pain, understandably so, until my sister dragged me to a hospital. So I was probably out for five maybe ten minutes.” Andrew explained. 

        That’s not good, along with all the other symptoms he’s experiencing. She thought to herself.

        “How about this. On a scale of 1-10, how much blood did you think you lost?” (Y/N) rephrased.

        “Seven, maybe eight.” Andrew huffed. “I don’t really know.” 

        “No worries. It’s not a big deal. They said you shattered the bones in your legs so you’re going to need surgery for it. Luckily they were able to reposition and place back your ankles.” I explained. “You’ll be bedridden in the hospital for a couple days, then you're going home and being bedridden for six months, minimum.” (Y/N) emphasized the last word to show the most importance to it. 

        “Fuck... What about the internal bleeding?” Andrew sighed, dreading the lecture Ashley would give him.

        "For your severity, you'd need surgery. It'd take a couple weeks for you to heal, but your internal bleeding should be healed by the time you're discharged." (Y/N) explained. “Now, bear with me for a second. I’m going to level your legs and it’s going to hurt.” She spoke as she walked to the tall hospital cabinets, taking three soft and limbless pillows from it.

        “Ugh…” Andrew groaned, already dreading that part as she walked back to him.

        “Take a deep breath.” She instructed.

        She waited for Andrew to audibly breathe in. He did what she requested, his chest and shoulders rising (he ignored the shock of pain that came with it, but she noticed and figured it was due to the internal bleeding).

        “Hold it in.” She spoke, then lifted his heavily bandaged legs with one hand (with a bit of struggle) and placed the pillows under him.

        She gently rested his legs onto the pillows and looked at Andrew face, seeing his eyebrows furrowed and his fists clenches tightly.

        “Breathe, darling. You’re all done.” (Y/N) instructed, letting out a deep breath for him to mimic too in case the pain was too much.

        Andrew let go of his breath, regaining control of his lungs after a few manual breaths. 

        “You did so well, my star! Do you want a sticker?” (Y/N) questioned.

        Andrew adverted his eyes from her smile, his face red from what he wants to be because of holding his breath, but it was instead caused by her praise and pet names (or maybe both).

        “No…?” Andrew muttered.

        “Mm. What color do you want? Gold, pink, blue, red, purple, or gray?” she questioned.

        “Why do you have a gray star?” he questioned.

        “Good choice!” (Y/N) spoke, rummaging through her bag for her stickers. 

        She found them and searched for a gray star, finding one and undoing the paper back. She sticked it on Andrew’s chest, clothed with the blue hospital gown. 

        “Tah-dah! You were my star patient today!” (Y/N) beamed. 

        “Are you done?” Andrew sighed dully, adverting his eyes to hide his blush.

        “Nope! I have to redo your bandages. This’ll also hurt, but I’ll be gentle with you.” (Y/N) explained.

        “Hurry up.” Andrew huffed. 

        “So soon to have me leave, huh?” she sighed jokingly. “Hurts my heart.” 

        She reached into her bag and grabbed bandages, gauze, and anti-septic cream. 

        “So, Andrew. Kinda curious, what made you jump?” (Y/N) questioned, remembering her superior's words as she started undoing Andrew’s bandages on his legs.

        “Why would you need to know that?” Andrew growled, becoming defensive.

        Ah, I pissed him off. But this is important information for his health, murderer or not. (Y/N) thought to herself.

        “You know, I tried killing myself too. I was eleven. Failed multiple times. But you had the courage to jump. I didn’t do that.” She explained.

        “How’d you try?” Andrew questioned, a spark of curiosity in him.

        “I’m not giving you any ideas, mister.” (Y/N) laughed, giving him a playful yet stern expression before switching her gaze to study the stitching on his ankles. “But, I gave up and made an oath to never harm myself in that way again because it really affects the people you care about. Your sister was probably very sad when you jumped.” 

        At least the surgeons did that good, so no worries there. Luckily the swelling is just from the breakage and replacement of bones, so his stitches aren’t infected. She thought to herself. But let’s add anti-septic cream just to be safe.

        "How long ago was that?" Andrew questioned, ignoring her comment about his sister.

        "Ten years ago." She hummed.

        She must be around the same age as me. Andrew thought.

        “Did it get better?” Andrew questioned as (Y/N) applied the cold cream onto his wounds.

        The temperature of the medicine barely even got a reaction from Andrew since he was so focused on the conversation they were having. 

        “At the beginning? Of course not, in fact it spiraled downhill from there. Overtime I started picking myself up and it helped. It helps to surround yourself with people who cared about you. And if you have no one who cares, then learn to care for yourself. Your confidence in yourself will attract others to you.” (Y/N) explained. "We humans need to be there for each other, you know? We're social creatures after all."

        “Hm.” Andrew hummed in acknowledgement, not really paying attention to her optimistic speech.        

        It's not like he had anyone to turn to. He remembers his girlfriend breaking up with him on the phone while he was rotting away in his apartment. Ashley had verbally abused her enough that she didn't want to see him or Ashley anymore. He doesn't have any other family than his parents who rejected him because "he and Ashley were too close and had to learn independence" his mother said on the phone during their last phone calls in quarantine. He's not exactly sure what she meant by it (especially with his memory gone), but so far all Ashley's done is pissed him off these past months he's remembered, so he really doesn't want to see her again anytime soon. He doesn't remember if he has friends or not either.

        “Andrew, what do you like to do? What do you do in your free time?” (Y/N) questioned.

        Andrew thought about her question. The three months that he remembers, all he did was sleep, starve, and watch TV (all with Ashley). He read books from his parents room out of boredom before losing the energy to even try and keep acting like he was actually remembering the plot—it took too much energy remembering the events that happened in the book. 

        When Ashley and Andrew did talk to each other during the time, it was to bicker and complain to each other about food and the other’s company (Ashley always started it).

        “I don’t have any… None that I remember at least.” Andrew admitted.

        “Don’t stress it. Your concussion could be affecting your ability to remember. We’ll find some new hobbies for you.” (Y/N) reassured. “Maybe books, card games, video games? I’ll find something.” She spoke as she redid the bandages on his ankles.

        “Why are you even bothering?” Andrew sighed. “After some months I’ll be gone.” He pointed out.

        “Yeah, but I wouldn’t want you to be bored the entire time. Personally, I would hate being bedridden with nothing to do.” (Y/N) admitted.

        What a sympathetic girl... Andrew thought.

        “Whatever…” Andrew muttered, crossing his arms. 

        “Voilà! Whaddya think?” she questioned.

        “It’s tight…” Andrew admitted, it didn't hurt much, but it did feel a bit annoying.

        “That’s to keep your ankles in place. Your bandages aren’t bleeding much, so you should be ready for casting. I’ll leave a note for that.” She explained. “Any requests before I go?” (Y/N) questioned.

        “You’re leaving?” Andrew questioned, sitting up and straightening his back before cringing at the pain shooting up his legs (and the pathetic tone in his voice).

        “Yeah, my shifts almost over...” She paused and checked her watch. “It’s actually been over for 20 minutes now.” 

        Andrew muttered something under his breath, adverting his eyes as he looked away from her.

        “You’re coming back tomorrow, right?” Andrew questioned.

        “Ah… I don’t know. I don’t work in this branch, I work with kids in the pediatric branch.” (Y/N) smiled nervously.

        I hope I’m not upsetting him. She thought to herself.

        She tolerated Andrew’s company, for a man of course. It was surprisingly refreshing and the atmosphere is much more comfortable than it was when she first entered.

        Andrew huffed, looking back at her.

        “I like you better than the other nurses.” He admitted, crossing his arms and looking away again so she wouldn’t notice his red face.

        “Aw. I’m sure you’ll enjoy Penelope tomorrow, she’s a wonderful nurse!” (Y/N) smiled. “I’ll make sure to visit you tomorrow before I leave work and check in on you, make sure you’re still intact and dandy, okay?” she smiled.

        It’s like I’m making a promise to a child. She thought to herself. 

        Her thoughts were backed up by the spark in his eyes as he looked back at the nurse.

        “Okay…” he muttered, pushing down the urge to smile.

        “I’ll see you later, star!” she smiled, referring to his sticker on his chest. “Door open or closed?” she questioned.

        “Closed.” Andrew answered.

        “Alrighty! Click the button on the side of your bed if you need a nurse or need to ask something. In an hour you can drink a little bit of the water, but hold off on the pretzels until tomorrow. Make sure you get good sleep! Body’s natural way of healing.” She explained, flashing him a smile. “Goodnight, Andrew.” 

        She closed the door and took a silent breath in.

        That went surprisingly well… She thought to herself.

        She walked back to the staff room and unlocked the door, opening it to find Ruby, an old and stern nurse who worked day shift.

        “You’re clocking out late.” Ruby gruffed. “Heard they were understaffed tonight.”

        “Ah, yes. I had to go to patient 402’s room.” She smiled politely despite it being very draining to.

        It's hard acting so happy all the time with her patients and coworkers. She liked work, but her face wasn't friendly, so she had to resort to smiling a lot (as annoying as it was for her).

        “The moody patient with the psycho sister? How’d that go?” Ruby questioned.

        “How did you know?” (Y/N) questioned, sparing her a glance.

        Ruby’s day shift, so she comes in at 7 am and leaves at 7 PM. How would she knows about Andrew? she thought to herself.

        “Penelope was in near tears when she clocked out. Told me how closed off the boy was and the sister was screaming and yelling at Penelope, talking about how she’s trying to steal her brother away from her—something like that…” Ruby muttered the last part to herself.

        Psycho sister indeed. (Y/N) thought to herself.

        “The girl wasn’t in there when I entered. The boy is reserved at first, but if you keep talking to him he’ll respond. Just be patient.” She spoke, shoving her leftover medical supplies into the supply closet.

        “I swear, Penelope gets too butt-hurt about these patients. And I don’t understand how you can deal with those kids, snotty and crying all the time.” Ruby complained as (Y/N) snagged a computer seat and sat down, typing up her report on Andrew Graves condition.

        “The kids are just scared. Give them a lollipop and it’s like Christmas.” She laughed, straining a smile. “Good talk rubes, but I’m going to head out.”

        “See you tomorrow.” Ruby responded lazily.

        “See ya. Good luck on your shift.” (Y/N) spoke.

        She walked out of the staff room and locked the door behind her, taking the elevator to the first floor. She exited the elevator and walked out of the hospital lobby, walking to the staff parking lot to her car. She grabbed her keys from her scrubs pockets and unlocked her car, opening the door and buckling her seatbelt before driving off.

        The drive is longer than she likes from her apartment but at least her thoughts plagued her so she didn’t have to be bored.

        A murderer and a cannibal? Not one but two! Should I call the police? I mean, they must have reasons. They were locked in an apartment and resorted to eating their neighbor? Why would they be locked in an apartment? I’m sure if they went to the police they would’ve been understanding, I mean it was life or death and one dead is better than two. What am I thinking? I shouldn’t be thinking that at all, I’m a nurse. (Y/N) thought. 

        “Ugh…” She groaned. 

        She made it to her apartment and unlocked her door, opening it and closing it behind her, making sure it was locked before she walked into the kitchen.

        I don’t feel like cooking, I don’t have the time for it anyways. She thought, opening her freezer. 

        She grabbed a quick microwaveable meal and put it in the microwave, setting it at the box’s desired time before walking away and grabbing her computer.

        She checked her emails then started her medical essay for pneumonia and bronchitis. The microwave ringed and she grabbed her food and some drink, walking back her to computer and continuing her work while eating.

        She finished her dinner and the final touches of her essay before sending it her college professors at her university. She stood up and stretched, walking to the kitchen and cleaning her dirty dishes before going to her room and picking out a nightgown. She walked to her shower and undressed, washing her hair and allowing the water to relax her nerves and sore legs from standing all day.

        Check-ups tomorrow should be Rachael Gardener and Joseph Stall. I'll meet a new patient, Lily Wells, since she's switching healthcare. After that, it's walk-in's from there. I'll pay a visit to Andrew thirty minutes before my shift ends and check up on Hailey. (Y/N) thought in her head. 

        Andrew. He's sure a special case at the moment. Nurses are going to have to keep a watchful eye on him to ensure his condition doesn't worsen or cause any harm to himself or others. (Y/N) thought. Two broken open-fracture ankles and complete fractures in his legs. Just thinking of that pain makes me squirm. She cringed, stopping herself from washing her hair to shake the imaginary chills she created.

        Not to mention his internal bleeding from his brain, his concussion from his fall must've caused that. Luckily he doesn't have any other injuries otherwise I'm pretty sure he would've been dead. She thought as she stepped out of the shower, drying her hair and body.

        I should find some video games and books to keep him from being bored. I need to get some new books for Hailey to read too, my bookshelf is going dry for her. She thought as she started getting dressed. I'll also do a quick google search of Andrew and Ashley, get some information out of their situation (or at least the most of it).

        .

        .

        Andrew woke up and stared out of his window blankly, watching as people walked in and out of the hospital, some in wheelchairs and some in casts. In a while, that'll be him leaving this place.

        Or with the pace Ashley wants, tomorrow. Andrew thought, a frustrated huff escaping his mouth. 

        Who could blame him? He tries to kill himself and all of a sudden he lost basically all of his memory from when he was born to three months ago, that's almost twenty-two years of his life lost in just a flash!

        Ashley told me to jump too. I shouldn't have listened to her and her damn rants, it would've caused so much less trouble, but I was going insane listening to her. Andrew thought. 

        Andrew's been wishing a lot of things lately. He's been wishing he could remember everything about himself, wished he never drank that supposed contaminated water that got him locked in the apartment which got him here in the first place, and wished he could get up and walk out of here.

        Ashley visited him earlier. Something in him was happy to see his sister, but dread filled his stomach at seeing her walk into the room.

        "Thought you said you weren't ever coming back?" Andrew spoke, recalling what Ashley said yesterday.

        "I might've been a bit hasty... and inconsiderate" Ashley huffed, crossing her arms and glaring at Andrew. "I found a hotel nearby. I'm staying there until you get better."

        "How will you pay for it?" Andrew questioned.

        "Easy! I'll just kill people and take their wallets!" Ashley beamed, getting an glare sent her way.

        "Don't do that, idiot. You'll get caught easily without me." Andrew sighed, already finding himself frustrated at their conversation so early in.

        "Well, I could stay here! I'll stay in the bathroom when the nurses are in the room. I can keep you company and sleep in the same bed as you as we used to." Ashley teased.

        "I have two broken legs, remember?" Andrew pointed out.

        "I'll be extra careful." Ashley smiled, as he looked at her unamused. "Hmph! Be that way!" Ashley huffed, giving attitude as she crossed her arms. "Was it lonely without me last night? Did you have any nightmares?" Ashley questioned, her tone teasing with a hint of suggestion.

        Nightmares? About what? Andrew thought. And what's with her damn tone?

        He paused as he thought about anything the past three months.

        "No. Why would I have any nightmares?" Andrew questioned

        "Did you hit your head when you fell?" Ashley teased harshly, poking his cheek roughly. "Your nightmares! About that girl we killed back then? What was her name?" 

        "I don't remember." Andrew admitted. "Wait, we killed someone else?!"

        "Wow, you must've actually hit your head hard." Ashley spoke, a little surprised.

        "A nurse said I had a concussion and internal bleeding, so my memory isn't sharp at the moment." Andrew explained, still worrying about who else he's killed in his past.

        "Ugh. That'll only slow us down..." Ashley sighed. "Would you like to know?"

        "Might as well." Andrew sighed.

        "You killed that girl when we were young! She had an asthma attack in a box and it was hilarious!" she cackled.        

        "That doesn't sound funny. She was a kid, wasn't she...?" Andrew murmured.

        That nurse, (Y/N), she works in the pediatric branch. I don't think she'd be happy if she heard that. Andrew thought to himself. Why am I caring about her all of a sudden? I think I really need my brain checked out... hopefully by her... 

        "She had it coming though! She liked you and she was trying to separate the two of us!" Ashley tried to justify, noticing his reaction.

        "Whatever you say, Ashley." Andrew sighed.

        "I don't like this... I miss you, Andy! We were really close! You didn't need a girlfriend because you had me by your side!" Ashley whined. "It's because of one of these slutty nurses, huh? They're just holes for you to stick your dick into! You don't need them like you need me! I'm all you need!" Ashley started shouting.

        Andrew's really starting to think their sibling-ship is bordering to relationship the way Ashley's been acting and saying. 

        Gross... Andrew thought.

        He remembers the downright suggestive comments Ashley spoke in the apartment (and just a few minutes ago), along with the overprotectiveness he's experienced at times with her. Even if, just a bit, if their relationship was that (incest-like), it hasn't gotten physical since he places money that they would've done something while trapped in that apartment for three months. Andrew let out a sigh of relief, glad their relationship hasn't escalated to that point. 

        So there's still a turning point to get out of that. Andrew thought to himself.

        It's simple really, separate from Ashley. 

        That's all he has to do, but with her co-dependency, it won't make it easy. Unless, all he does is reject Ashley's advances towards stepping-up their relationship and trying to escape the hospital.

        "Andy, fucking listen to me!" Ashley shouted into his ear.

        Andrew was snapped out of his thoughts as the world around him spun. Ashley was holding his hair and shaking his head back and forth, creating a headache behind his head and eyes.

        "Ashley, let go! What part of concussion and internal bleeding didn't you understand?!" Andrew shouted, grabbing her hands as he fought them away from his hair.

        He succeeded in pulling her hands away, but she didn't want to let go without locks of hair in her fists.

        "I hate you, Andrew! I hate you! You and this stupid hospital and those stupid damn nurses! I hate it I hate it I HATE IT!" she screamed loudly.

        The hospital door opened and three nurses came in, their hair disheveled and bun's messy from racing down the hallway.

        "Ma'am, calm down. Otherwise I'm going to have to ask you to leave." One of the nurses spoke, their name tag reading Penelope.        

        "DON'T YOU TELL ME TO CALM DOWN, BITCH!" Ashley screamed at the poor woman, her finger jabbed into the nurse's chest. "I bet it's you! Yeah, you! You're the bitch manipulating my brother! I'll fucking kill you!"

        "Ashley!" Andrew sternly shouted, catching her attention long enough for the three nurses to tackle the girl.

        Ashley kicked and screamed as they got her, two nurses dragging her by her legs out of the room as the other nurse ran to go call security to escort her out (and keep her out).

        Andrew watched as all the women crowded out of his room, a little surprised.

        Well, she won't be coming back soon... that was surprisingly easy... Andrew thought to himself. Step one, separate Ashley from me. Complete.

        Ten minutes went by and someone stepped into his open-doored hospital room. It was Penelope, the nurse from earlier (and yesterday). 

        "M-Mr. Graves. Would you allow me to check--?" she was harshly cut off.

        "Get the hell out." Andrew growled, glaring at her with his vibrant green eyes.

        She nodded and quickly turned around, about to leave before he spoke up.

        "Wait." he spoke, effectively stopping the nervous girl as she turned around, fiddling with her hands. "When's that nurse coming back? (Y/N) (L/N)?" Andrew questioned.

        "(Y-Y/N)...? I don't know... She's not in our branch." Penelope muttered sheepishly.

        "Well, find out!" Andrew snarled. "I refuse to accept treatment from anyone else but her!"

        "Okay!" Penelope exclaimed all too quickly (glad to no longer be taking care of Andrew) and ran out of the room.

        He really meant it too. Any time a nurse tried to come into his room, he'd shout and throw anything nearby at them. It was a drastic change from yesterday's silence. Some nurses assumed he was scared as potential memories reappeared in his head, or perhaps he needed a higher dose of pain killers. They regretted entering the room after getting hit by pens and notebooks from the nightstands, he even threw his pillow.

        "I hate working in this damn branch! Where the hell is (Y/N)?" Ruby shouted in the employee's only room, the elder asking for her help from her inferior. 

The first chapter for this is done! This series will also be posted on AO3 and Wattpad! This series won the poll after a close tie, and I'm so glad it did because I was internally rooting for this to win! Don't worry, the other series' will be posted too after this one is completely posted for what I have so far.

Want more Andrew Graves content? Check out the Andrew Graves masterlist!

Inbox is OPEN for questions about the story and new plotlines/ideas, not for request!

Chapters: Current chapter, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, chapter 4, chapter 5, chapter 6, chapter 7, chapter 8, chapter 9 (in the works)

Want to listen to music while reading? Check out the Star Patient's Official Playlists! Multiple different playlists and genres!

[nilolemillion]

Let’s get one thing straight (very unlike me): Batman loves his kids. All of them. He’d die for each one in a heartbeat (of course not kill for them, cough cough Jason). But if you think for one second that Bruce Wayne, the guy who regularly dresses as a bat and fights crime at 3 AM (cough cough insomniac furry.), has a favorite BatKid, then clearly, you’ve never met his children. He doesn’t have a favorite, not because he loves them equally, but because none of these potatoe pie pumpkin cutie-headed chaos gremlins deserve to be his favorite.

Let me explain.

Dick Grayson (WOOP WOOP that’s the sound of that police. Yes Karen, I know he’s no longer an officer, NO KAREN I DON’T GIVE A FUCK.):

The first pancake. The golden boy. Everyone assumes that Dick has a special place in Bruce’s heart because he was the first Robin. He’s charming, he’s capable, and he smiles like he’s got a fucking sponsorship deal with Colgate. But let’s be real, this guy left the nest the second he could, started his own superhero gig in Blüdhaven, and still occasionally shows up to remind Bruce that he doesn’t need him (yes king, show your independence, love that for you.) And you know Dick is the type to throw that ‘you’re getting old, B’ line out there just to twist the knife. Bruce loves him, but how can he be the favorite when he’s busy playing Batman-lite with better hair?

Jason Todd (My personality favorite zombie, resuscitated character in the whole world, I love him so much and all the Outlaws.):

Oh, Jason. The problem child. The one Bruce failed, died, and came back with a vengeance (literally). You’d think after all that tragedy, Bruce might go a little easier on him. But Jason? This kid shows up at family dinners with guns blazing, ready to debate the morality of lethal force like it’s Thanksgiving dinner conversation (and it is, I did it and it was quite fun.) Sure, Bruce would die for him (again), but Jason pushes every button Bruce has like it’s his job. One minute he’s trying to be the better vigilante, the next, he’s making Gotham’s criminals wonder if Batman has gone completely off the rails. If Jason’s Bruce’s favorite, it’s in the ‘how are you still alive and not in jail?’ kind of way.

Tim Drake (DC DROP ANOTHER CANON ILLUSTRATION OF TIM BEING A CUTE LIL STALKER AND MY LIFE IS YOURS!):

Tim’s the brainiac of the family, the kid who deduced Bruce’s secret identity with zero help. Naturally, you’d think this would earn him some serious brownie points. But here’s the thing, Tim works way too hard. He’s got all the signs of a caffeine addiction (which is completely and absolutely understandable, he’s just a little silly and caffeine addicts are hot, yes I am too), zero concept of work-life balance, and is always trying to out-detective Bruce. Yeah, Bruce admires his dedication, but let’s be honest: Tim’s the kid you have to physically shove into bed because he thinks sleep is a myth. Bruce is just trying to prevent this kid from burning out before he’s 30. How can Tim be the favorite when Bruce spends most of his time making sure he doesn’t turn into an insomniac vigilante-zombie?

Damian Wayne (I’m literally making my birthday party theme of him, that should explain enough.):

Ah, Damian. His literal blood son. You’d think that alone would give him a shot at favorite-child status, right? Wrong. Damian is an adorable, pint-sized murder machine with a superiority complex the size of Wayne Manor. Bruce loves him fiercely, of course, but Damian’s idea of father-son bonding is training in deadly combat and arguing about why his assassination techniques are totally valid. Plus, he’s got that whole ‘I’m the heir to the world’s deadliest league of assassins’ thing going on. Sure, he’s Bruce’s kid, but you know he’s never going to let Bruce forget it. Not exactly favorite material when he’s constantly plotting world domination during family movie night. (Dw, he won’t act on it, Alfred made very clear that the batkid who dares dominate the world will be banned from his pastries. Besides, he’s too busy scratching Titus’ belly, he doesn’t have time to dominate the world. PRIORITIES BITCH.)

Cassandra Cain (I stan her more than I stand my own life. Help. I literally crocheted a plushy of her.):

Cassandra is probably the least rebellious out of the bunch, which should give her an edge, right? Wrong again. Cass may be quiet and respectful most of the time, but when she does go rogue, it’s on her terms, and it’s not just a small rebellion. No, Cass will disappear for weeks on end, take down a crime syndicate by herself, and then show up like it’s no big deal. Bruce can’t even stay mad because she’s so good at what she does. But Cass’s habit of ghosting the entire family and dealing with things solo? Yeah, it keeps her out of the running for favorite. Plus, she’s secretly the most dangerous one, and Bruce can’t play favorites with someone who could take him out without even blinking.

Duke Thomas (He’s was the sunshine I was midnight rain. DC DROP ANOTHER CANON ILLUSTRATION OF ISABELLA WITH DUKE AND MY LIFE IS YOURS!):

Duke the daylight protector of Gotham, which is cute and all, except that Bruce has no idea how to parent in the daylight. Duke brings this bright, positive energy to the BatFamily, which sounds great in theory, but this is Bruce we’re talking about. The guy who lives for darkness and brooding. Bruce loves Duke’s optimism, but it’s like trying to teach a vampire to enjoy the sun. Plus, Duke has a habit of questioning everything, and sure, Bruce appreciates his independent streak, but do you really want a favorite who keeps making you reconsider your life choices?

Stephanie Brown (My sweet dear and beloved purple queen, I love her so much.):

Not an adopted batkid, her mom is alive I think… But I don’t give a duck KAREN. Stephanie is the wildcard, the one who does whatever she wants, whenever she wants, and somehow gets away with it. She’s staged fake deaths, gotten fired from being Robin, and still keeps coming back for more. Stephanie’s whole existence is an exercise in chaos theory. Bruce loves her resilience and her ‘never-say-die’ attitude (literally), but how can she be his favorite when her middle name might as well be ‘Loose Cannon’? She’s the kind of kid who’ll fight crime while live-tweeting it. Yeah, Bruce loves her, but he’s not rewarding that kind of energy with a favorite child title. (I’m still confused about her age thingy.)

So no, Bruce doesn’t have a favorite. Because how could he? His kids are walking, talking disasters, each one a different flavor of chaos. Bruce loves them all more than anything in the world, but picking a favorite would be like trying to choose between different natural disasters. Earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, they’re all beautiful in their own destructive way, but you wouldn’t want to pick one to live through. In the end it’s about Bruce somehow surviving all of them.

[strawberryblondebutch]

Wait no I want your opinions. They announce a pick and I just go yay good job. I, anonymous hockey watcher, know nothing

I told myself I wouldn't lb the draft because I wanted to be a good wife or whatever but unfortunately I have hockey thoughts.

1OA. Sarah Fillier - Meh. It's the safe pick. I've talked at length about this in the past, I'm worried about how her game has regressed at the international level. She takes fewer risks than she did back at the Olympics, which I hope the new NY coach can fix. Given that their new coach is from Colgate, I was a little surprised they didn't take Serdachny 1OA.

2OA. Danielle Serdachny - Also a safe pick. I really wanted Ottawa to take Hannah Bilka for her speed and agility. OTT struggled with not having a game-breaking player, someone who could bring the game up or down to her speed, and Bilka is that. Her highlight reel? Fucking insane. Serdachny is good. I don't think she has that same X factor, but OTT also said they wanted to get more physical, and Serdachny has the edge there.

3OA. Claire Thompson - This is my big WTF! If Minnesota wanted defense, Cayla Barnes was the more obvious choice. In isolation they're both great players, but Claire's been off for a year in med school, so she has some rust she needs to shake off. I also anticipated Toronto would want her.

4OA. Hannah Bilka - I don't have anything to say here. Great pick. Boston has a slower average foot speed relative to other teams, which bit them in the ass in the finals. Look at how hard they had to work to try to catch up to Kendall. Bilka might actually be able to catch up to Kendall's acceleration.

5OA. Cayla Barnes - :( For selfish reasons I wanted her to go to literally any other team, but she will continue to vex and haunt me all my days.

6OA. Julia Gosling - The Gosling family flew under my radar for a while. Julia's good, that's all I really have to say. She got her first crack at the WWC this past year and held her own. Toronto's so fucking good that they can take bigger swings -- you're really just looking for someone to tide you over until Spooner comes back.

[punkitt-is-here]

I really want to like G5 whenever I see it around but MAN i just. do not vibe with those 3D models at all. part of the reason I like MLP is the art style is just so cute and expressive and fun and stylized and G5 just kind of feels mega bland looking. I don't like the weird...visible lips the ponies have. And im sorry but zipp just looks like a colgate mascot...i will say tho pipp, izzy, misty, and sunny have great designs, I think those would work fantastic in 2D.

I ALSO recognize i am a Grown Ass Adult Taxpayer with A Job so the show is obviously not for me, duh, but it's still kind of weird all the vibes i get from it just at a glance. Maybe when I'm done with G4 i'll give it a proper shot and come around on it! staying optimistic :D

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

The first question about January 6 was asked at minute 41.

Donald Trump replied with a barrage of crazy lies, ending by seeming to blame Nancy Pelosi’s documentarian daughter.

Then, just to be fair, CNN moderator Jake Tapper followed up with a question to President Joe Biden. Did he really mean to imply that Trump’s voters were a danger to democracy? Biden fumbled the answer, as he fumbled so many other answers. The octogenarian president delivered a fiasco of a performance on the Atlanta debate stage. But the fiasco was not his alone.

Everything about the event was designed to blur the choice before Americans. Both candidates—the serving president and the convicted felon—were addressed as “President.” The questions treated an attempted coup d’état as one issue out of many. The candidates were left to police or fail to police the truth of each other’s statements; it was nobody else’s business.

It may be no coincidence that the modern television presidential debate was born at a time of national political consensus. In 1960, John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon presented a choice very familiar to viewers in the days of three big channels and a limited number of mass-market products: You could choose Crest or Colgate, two very similar products to meet a similar need. One might be a little mintier, the other a little spicier, but both did the job. Now we live in a very different world, a world in which the choice is much more existential—and yet we retain the Crest-versus-Colgate format.

How could it be otherwise? We live in a political culture in which some of us think the supreme issue of our time was an attempted violent overthrow of the Constitution, while other Americans think it was Hunter Biden’s laptop. There are means and institutions to arbitrate those differences. That’s what elections do. But television debates cannot do it, because television debates don’t happen unless they get buy-in from both sides. Therefore, television debates are designed necessarily to ratify the concept of “both sides.”

Ferocious controversy will probably now erupt over Biden’s leadership of the Democratic Party. We’ll hear all kinds of plans to swap him out somehow. Maybe those plans will be workable, but probably not. Through the uproar, it will be important to keep in mind that this election is not about Biden. It’s about you and your commitments and your values. Biden is just the instrument. Like any instrument, he’s imperfect. But better an imperfect instrument than a would-be autocrat who demands a cult of personality.

A century ago, the socialist leader (and presidential candidate) Eugene V. Debs rebuked followers who idolized him: “I would not lead you into the promised land if I could, because if I led you in, someone else would lead you out. You must use your heads as well as your hands, and get yourself out of your present condition.”

Against the threat of Trump, Americans must save themselves. The job of doing so cannot be delegated to some charismatic savior—and anyway, that charismatic savior has yet to present himself or herself. Television always wants to reduce active human beings to passive viewers. The presidential-debate format has especially served this purpose: “Do I prefer the candidate in the red tie or the blue one?”

This most recent debate has taught the danger of spectatorship. The job of saving democracy from Trump will be done not by an old man on a gaudy stage, but by those who care that their democracy be saved. Biden’s evident frailties have aggravated that job and made it more difficult, but they have also clarified whose job it is. Not his. Yours.

David Frum is a staff writer at The Atlantic.

[colgatebluemintygel]

tag thingy

ty @pjxckson for the tag <333

name: tp toothpaste colgate cbmg call me whatever you want 💋

sign: taurus

time: 2:29pm

fav band: uhmm... this q should be banned...... what a cruel thing to require of someone...

last movie: come and see (faaaaaaak)

last show: sex ed s4 (no significant thoughts so far other than that the new school feels like a sims4 build. watching the first ep rn and i can literally hear the build/buy music)

when I created this blog: 2012 XD

other blogs: they're out there somewhere... in the abyss (i used to run a grand designs fan blog Lol (i just love a good build. a good reno.))

do i get asks: yes and i treasure each n every one of them even if i am awful at responding to them 🤒

average hours of sleep: like 6-7 hours

instruments: i can play money money money on the recorder

what i’m wearing: classic lazy day outfit (silk robe)

dream job: perfumer

np tags <3333 (but also im nosy): @maybebabyplease, @pancakehouse, @loseraccount, @kaaaaaaarf, @kaleidoscopexsighs, @munacy, @plecotusauritus, @polaroidcats, @a-fiery-fox

[violetmuses]

New Life - Tommy Miller

TITLE: “New Life” - Tommy Miller

FANDOM: “The Last Of Us” (HBO Series Adaptation) 

CHARACTER: Tommy Miller

MAIN PAIRING: Tommy Miller + Female Reader (Pre-Outbreak AU)

MAIN STORYLINE: When you join the neighborhood, Tommy notices… 

Author’s Note: Hey! Feedback would be greatly appreciated and thanks so much for reading as always. - V.  💜

Main Masterlist 💜

____________

2003

“Need to drop Sarah off at school before work. Still got food here. Don’t you dare burn my house down, all right?” Joel finishes coffee, pushing in his chair at the kitchen table and sits up, silently gesturing for Sarah to keep moving this morning. 

“Not much going on. I’m not five years old either, man.” Tommy casts both eyes towards the ceiling, still munching from his own plate. 

“Sure about that?” Joel then mumbles over his shoulder, still annoyed by his little brother after all this time. “Sarah, let’s go.” 

When that front door finally closes and Joel pulls his truck out of the narrow driveway, Tommy stands near bay windows, looking out towards his small but quaint hometown. 

Across that same street, a moving truck pulled in. Meanwhile, Tommy can’t even remember the last time that new folks settled here for long. 

Before long, this second vehicle rolls in behind the truck, parking soon after. 

From this particular angle, Tommy realizes that someone has been driving that sedan. As far as Tommy  knows, this person is alone, and presumably single. 

Workers carry items to the new house. Everyone there is currently instructed by a neighbor. 

Don’t step out, Joel would kick your ass. Tommy reminds his own thoughts. He needs to wait here until Joel comes back. Carpentry is hard work, especially on the clock. 

“Fuck.” Tommy whispers to himself. He can see the woman walking back and forth, calling out placement for each item or otherwise. 

Everyone in this town sweats through their clothes, but the stranger catching Tommy’s eye this morning seems ready for anything. 

Despite his niece Sarah beginning the school year, Tommy knows that summer down here doesn’t end for quite a while. 

A few minutes won’t hurt. Tommy perks up again, stepping out near the porch as a compromise. 

___________

Clean-shaven face. Light eyes. Dark swept hair. His bright over shirt settled with a dampened tee. Blue jeans covered his legs as dusted boots creaked along that porch.

You roll both eyes. It’s Tommy Miller. Even one food mart clerk had warned you earlier. At least his brother Joel calmed down antics. 

Before you can close the car’s trunk one final time and take a much-needed shower inside, he’s already walking towards you, beaming a Colgate smile. 

“Excuse me.” His Southern accent is charming, but the humidity in this place only makes you feel irritated. 

“Yes?” You know better, staying cordial regardless. 

“Hi, uh. I’m Tommy. It’s hot out here, so I’ve got some lemonade in a pitcher if you’d like.” He points back towards the house behind him, but you quickly shake your head. 

“No, thanks.” You introduce yourself, but refuse the drink, silently wishing that this man would go away instead of flirting up a storm. You need that shower, or else handcuffs would line up in your future. “Maybe next time.” 

“Yes, Ma’am.” It’s not long before Tommy steps back, lifting up both hands in the name of surrender. There’s no other choice with you. “Have a good one.” 

_________

“I heard. Come on.” Joel doesn’t even cut off the engine as Tommy settles into that passenger seat. 

“What’d you hear?” Tommy smirks, laughing after clicking his seatbelt. 

“Happens every time. New neighbor, more flirting.” Joel keeps grumbling with his eyes on the road. “Too old for that shit.” 

“30 ain’t old.” Tommy defends himself, thinking of you on his way to another job site. 

_______

Boxes unpacked. Shower done. Dinner finished. You’ve stepped to relax on your new wraparound porch.  

Across from you, the Miller household is silent. Few lights. No sign of Joel, young Sarah, or Tommy, out here either. No one’s even perched near the front door. 

Before you can think of going back in tonight, one car pulls back into the Miller driveway. 

Tommy. 

Those back lights cut off, meaning that he’s parked. Seconds later, he walks around and takes something from the backseat, piquing your interest as the heat finally cools down. 

His footsteps are moving back towards your house. 

What? 

He’s actually holding flowers, smiling this time underneath the brim of his own work cap. 

“Sorry for the rough start.” He meets at the door, genuinely happy to see you again. 

“Thank you.” You smile at him and can't refuse. Even more rejection would’ve outright deflated this moment. 

Only time would tell what the future holds. 

[lol-jackles]

Hi

I was wondering if you know anything about the two people that Dan Lin is putting in charge of Rideback “… newly installed co-Chief Executives Jonathan Eirich and Michael LoFaso.” Is the company, and therefore projects like Walker, being left in good hands?

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2024-02-28/netflix-hires-producer-dan-lin-for-top-film-job-replacing-scott-stuber

Rideback Productions is Dan Lin's baby so he's going to make sure it's in good hands because that Netflix job isn't forever, and he will eventually return to Rideback.

As for the chargees, I don't know anything about them outside of what IMDb says, but it's fun to speculate! Going by what Jonathan Eirich studied at Harvard, he clearly got into that school through the "affirmative action for rich kids" program. So he is the connection guy in the industry. His wife is a movie executive for Paramount.

Michael LoFaso, on the other hand, is clearly the money management brain of the two: he has an actual business degree from Harvard and a degree in Mathematical Economics from Colgate University and co-founded two tech companies.

How do you tell these two apart?

[coffeeandcalligraphy]

ppl in the house and I’m too intimidated to walk to my room so I’m throwing Jeremiah excerpts like bread ends to ducks:

It’s October in 2005 which means it’s cold in Maryland and still warm in Las Vegas. Jeremiah’s been watching the weather channel more frequently lately as a form of pure entertainment which seems like a strange thing to do, probably because it is but also more likely because the weatherman’s got a Colgate smile and hair like Keanu Reeves’ in My Own Private Idaho. He’s named after a flower or something of the like—Prim, Basil, Aster, Sage. Really, Jeremiah should know because he’s invested enough to know the man has a subtle lisp and a birthmark above his right eyebrow, but maybe the problem is that he’s paying too much attention to the man’s subtle lisp and birthmark. Still, he finds himself thinking of the man when he sits on the balcony with a mug of Ovaltine, the weather channel muffled through the closed door. When did he decide to become a weatherman? And is the job rewarding?

Sometimes the reality that he’s dreaming about a weatherman who doesn’t know he exists hits him so hard he goes back inside and turns the TV off right away

[chuuyascumsock]

DAMBI!!!!

so.... exams are done... but the post exam burnout is real....

how are you snookums? I hope you're doing well!! and make sure to keep smiling, i'm sure you'd put the colgate smile to shame!!! what have you been up to recently?

and... im doing a survey w my moots... by any chance... how tall are you? 😁😁

So real pookie, I am burnt out in a work kind of way though. The new job is great and all, but I feel so mentally checked out because I find so much mental anguish working in fast food (I felt like this working at my last job too which was also fast food) but I’m just trying to get through it till the end of summer so I can get a job closer to my house since I drive like half an hour to my job almost every day and my car is ass with holding gas so 😭 we’re struggling out here but we got this.

I’ve been wanting to write, but work has been keeping me busy to the point I feel too tired to want to do anything, but I’ve been trying little by little (I really want to finish that hurt/comfort Chuuya fic and I just have to write like the smut and I’m good to post).

And uhhh, I’m the same height as Kunikida 😏

Jk jk I’m not that tall, I’m Atsushi’s height but boy do I wish I was as tall as Kunikida 😭😭

[boltvolta]

Why the hell is there Vietnamese Colgate in an Ocean State Job Lot. What economics are they pulling to get this shit over here and turn a profit. Whatever, another New England dub I guess?

[opulvnts]

   •  •  •    middle child  by  j. cole :    spotted !    if  it  isn’t  malik  calloway  walking  through  the  streets  of  nyc .    people  say  he  looks  like  kofi  siriboe ,    but  i  really  don’t  see  it .    the  twenty-nine  year  old  sports lawyer  is  out  here  making  mommy  and  daddy  proud .    while  they  have  been  known  to  be  maverick ,    we’ve  all  seen  their  haughty  nature  come  to  light .    sources  tell  me  they  remind  people  of  charisma oozing from every pore , a colgate smile that can bring people to their knees , hustler mentality wrapped inside a himbo outer shell  .   /  cisman  /  he  &  him .

♡     ◞        𝐷𝑂𝑆𝑆𝐼𝐸𝑅  ,   𝗍𝗁𝖾   𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗌𝗍𝗂𝖼𝗌 .

official   name  :  malik anthony calloway  .   nickname  :  none  .   birthdate  :  march   22nd  ,   1994  .   birthplace  :  toronto , ontario  .   citizenship  :   canadian & american  .   current   residence  :  new york city  .   gender  :  cis   male  ,   he / him   pronouns  .  orientation  :   heterosexual ( closeted bisexual )  .   languages  :  english & some conversational spanish  .   occupation  :   sports lawyer  .

♡     ◞        𝐷𝑂𝑆𝑆𝐼𝐸𝑅  ,   𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 .

faceclaim  :  kofi siriboe  .   height  :   six   foot   two  .   build  :  athletic , muscular .   eye   color  :  brown  .   hair   color  :  dark brown  .   hair   style  :  finger waves or clean crewcut .   signature   scent  :  gucci guilty by   gucci  .   style  :  stylish , up with the current trends , elevated for professional meetings  .   piercings  :  left ear  .   tattoos  :  patchwork on both arms  .   scars  :  none  .

♡     ◞        𝐷𝑂𝑆𝑆𝐼𝐸𝑅  , 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 .

big   three  :  aries   sun  ,   scorpio   moon  ,   virgo   rising  .   mbti  :  entj  .    label  : the   suave  .   traits  :  maverick , vain , haughty , relentless  .   character   inspo  :  loki   (  marvel  )  ,   harvey specter   (  suits  )  ,   joey tribbiani   (  friends  )  ,   will halstead   (  chicago med  )  .

♡     ◞        𝐷𝑂𝑆𝑆𝐼𝐸𝑅  ,    𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘭 .

biological   father  :  tbd calloway  .   occupation  :  hockey coach  .   status  :  alive  .   biological   mother  :  tbd calloway  .   occupation  :  lawyer  .   occupation  :  alive  .    siblings  :  roman calloway  .    children  :  none that he knows of  .

♡     ◞        𝑩𝑰𝑶𝑮𝑹𝑨𝑷𝑯𝒀  ,   𝘵𝘩𝘦   𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 .

toronto was home to malik and his family up until his father got offered a job in new york city . with the job offer being accepted the calloway's made the move to queens .

the move was easier for malik than it was for his brother roman , so often you'd find him tagging along with malik and his friends . malik was fine with letting his brother hang out with him since they were so close .

unlike his younger brother malik didn't have much of an interest in the physical side of sports , he played hockey to appease his dad and understand dinner table conversation , was the star quarterback in high school which gained him a full ride scholarship and liked to mess around playing pick up on the weekends .

beyond hobbies malik wasn't as engrossed with the sporting industry like his father or brother , he had enough interest to make it by but also had interest in his mother's profession as a lawyer .

his parents never once pushed him into anything he didn't want to do and they were supportive the entire way . which made his personality puzzling to those who met him as an adult .

with a practically trauma free life and a silver spoon upbringing it was almost laughable he became a world class douchebag . of course , rarely in front of his loving parents .

college was practically his arena , fraternities , parties , the whole nine yards . malik thrived in every aspect of campus life . taking on studies in law and business .

today malik is one of the top sports lawyers in the industry with an unblemished winning streak and a six figure salary . he deals with all the best and has a reputation within certain circles .

♡     ◞        𝑴𝑶𝑹𝑬  ,   𝘵𝘩𝘦   𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘴 .

he has raging himbo energy ?? big brains in his career but truly a douchey himbo in every other aspect of his life .

love life ? non existent , very much believing in the bachelor philosophy . which is horribly obvious by his excessive residence and slew of one night stands .

gym bro for life sadly .... will 100% answer the phone while grunting between sets in the weight room . ( yes i hate him too )

if anyone messes with his family he'll bury you so deep that you won't even get mentioned on craigslist . big protective vibes .

is a closeted bisexual , not because of shame or his family but because of the toxic masculinity culture surrounding the sporting industry still to this day .

[geuedublog]

Job Opportunities After a BBA Course: A Bright Future Awaits

A Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree provides a strong foundation for a successful career in the dynamic business world. With a comprehensive understanding of various business functions, BBA graduates are highly sought after by employers across industries. This blog explores the diverse job opportunities available after completing a BBA course, with a particular focus on the prospects at Graphic Era University, a leading BBA college in Dehradun.

The Versatility of a BBA Degree

A BBA degree offers a wide range of career paths, making it a versatile choice for aspiring professionals. Some of the most common job roles for BBA graduates include:

Finance: Investment banking, financial analysis, risk management, corporate finance, and accounting.

Marketing: Brand management, market research, advertising, sales, and digital marketing.

Human Resources: Talent acquisition, employee development, performance management, and industrial relations.

Consulting: Management consulting, business strategy, and operations consulting.

Entrepreneurship: Starting and running your own business.

Operations Management: Supply chain management, production planning, and quality control.

The Advantage of a BBA from Graphic Era University

Graphic Era University, a renowned BBA college in Dehradun, offers a comprehensive program that equips students with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in the competitive business landscape. Here are some key advantages of pursuing a BBA from the Graphic Era University:  

Industry-Oriented Curriculum: Our curriculum is designed in collaboration with industry experts to ensure it aligns with current trends and demands.

Experiential Learning: We offer internships, industry projects, and live case studies to provide practical exposure.

Experienced Faculty: Our faculty members are industry experts who bring real-world experience to the classroom.

State-of-the-Art Infrastructure: Our campus boasts modern facilities and resources to support your learning.

Strong Placement Record: Our dedicated placement cell has a proven track record of securing top placements for our students.

Job Opportunities After a BBA from Graphic Era

Graphic Era University has strong industry linkages, which translates into excellent job opportunities for our BBA graduates. Some of the top companies that recruit from our campus include:

Financial Services: Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase

Consulting: McKinsey & Company, Bain & Company, Boston Consulting Group

FMCG: Unilever, Nestle, Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive

IT Services: TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL Technologies

E-commerce: Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra

Startups: Numerous startups and emerging companies

Career Paths for BBA Graduates

The career paths available to BBA graduates are vast and diverse. Here are some examples:

Finance: Investment bankers, financial analysts, risk managers, and corporate finance professionals.

Marketing: Brand managers, market researchers, advertising executives, sales professionals, and digital marketers.

Human Resources: Talent acquisition specialists, employee development managers, performance management experts, and industrial relations professionals.

Consulting: Management consultants, business strategy consultants, and operations consultants.

Entrepreneurship: Business owners and entrepreneurs in various industries.

Operations Management: Supply chain managers, production planners, and quality control specialists.

Tips for Landing Your Dream Job After a BBA

To increase your chances of landing your dream job after completing a BBA, consider the following tips:

Internships and Projects: Gain practical experience through internships and industry projects.

Networking: Build strong relationships with industry professionals and alumni.

Develop Soft Skills: Focus on developing essential soft skills like communication, teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving.

Tailor Your Resume: Customize your resume to highlight your skills and experiences relevant to the job you're applying for.

Prepare for Interviews: Practice answering common interview questions and research the company you're interviewing with.

Conclusion

A BBA degree offers a promising career path with many opportunities. By choosing a reputable BBA college like Graphic Era University, you can acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in the business world. With a strong foundation and practical experience, you'll be well-prepared to pursue your dream career.

Address: 566/6, Bell Road, Society Area, Clement Town, Dehradun, Uttarakhand PIN: 248002

Contact: 1800 270 1280

[mostlysignssomeportents]

A giant grocery merger will send "inflation" through the roof

Sometimes it’s hard to know why prices are going up. Between the oil shock, a tight employment market and the climate polycrisis, is it even possible to tell if companies are using the widespread belief in inflation to hike prices? Uh, yeah, as it turns out, we absolutely can.

Yes, it’s hard to peer into the minds of executives at large companies and know whether their price hikes are due to greed or necessity. But we don’t have peer into their minds! We can just dial into their investor calls, where top execs of giant companies brag about hiking prices under cover of inflation:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/11/20/quiet-part-out-loud/#profiteering

These guys can’t help but boast about their price-setting power, whether that’s Colgate-Palmolive CEO Noel Wallace boasting that his company is “good at pricing”:

https://www.fool.com/earnings/call-transcripts/2021/10/29/colgate-palmolive-company-cl-q3-2021-earnings-call/

Or Procter and Gamble CFO Andre Schulten saying, “We have not seen any material reaction from consumers, so that makes us feel good about our relative position.”

https://www.businessinsider.com/labor-shortage-customers-higher-prices-wages-jobs-staff-salaries-employment-2021-11

The grocery barons are particularly boastful. Here’s Kroger CFO Gary Millerchip explaining why higher wholesale costs have not led to an erosion of the company’s massive margins: “We’ve been very comfortable with our ability to pass on the increases that we’ve seen at this point, and we would expect that to continue to be the case.”

https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-companies-bet-shoppers-will-keep-paying-higher-prices-11635067802

Kroger is about to get a lot more pricing power, because it is merging with Albertsons, a company that already bought Safeway, Haggen, Acme, Jewel Osco, Shaw’s, Pavilions, Von’s and too many others to fit in here.

But there are some companies Albertsons definitely doesn’t own, because they’re owned by Kroger: Ralph’s, Dillon’s, Food 4 Less, Fre _Meyer, Harris Teeter, King Soopers, Mariano’s, and many more. As David Dayen writes for The American Prospect, “the illusion of choice in supermarkets masks the dominance.” and this the “preposterous” $24.6b merger will produce a price-gouging juggernaut:

https://prospect.org/power/proposed-kroger-albertsons-merger-would-create-grocery-giant/

The leadership of both companies assure us that they will not use their combined might to raise prices. These are, of course, the same leaders who have been publicly boasting about their ability to raise prices thanks to their existing scale. With five giant companies controlling nearly the entire US grocery market, it’s not really a mystery why grocery prices are up 13% in the past year, while eggs are up 30.5%, chicken up 17.2% and coffee up 15.7%:

https://twitter.com/ryanstruyk/status/1580539772212502530

As Kroger CEO told his shareholders: “a little bit of inflation is always good in our business” because it lets him raise prices and “customers don’t overly react.”

The architects of the deal are the resassuringly named PE giant Cerberus Capital, who stand to make $7b from the merger:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/brandonkochkodin/2022/10/14/here-are-two-less-known-winners-in-the-kroger-albertsons-merger/

These are the same motherfuckers who bought up local hospital chains, debt-loaded them, and then threatened to shut them down at the start of the pandemic if they didn’t get massive, no-strings-attached public subsidies:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/04/04/a-mind-forever-voyaging/#prop-bets

Cerberus is also behind Spain’s rental affordability crisis, having bought up innumerable buildings and jacked up the rent, while cutting maintenance and evicting the shit out of anyone who complains:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/11/24/no-puedo-pagar-no-pagara/#fuckin-aardvarks

As Dayen writes, this merger turns on a bet: that the FTC will not block it, but rather, rely on the tired, discredited idea of “conduct remedies” — where a the companies undertaking a giga-merger have to pinky swear that they won’t abuse their market power. This always requires a monumental act of credulity, but that’s doubly true with these companies.

Back in 2015, Albertsons merged with Safeway, and promised that it would lessen its control over groceries in western states by selling off 168 stores, mostly to Haggen, a company that was “woefully underequipped” for such an expansion. Nine months later, Haggen went bankrupt, and Albertsons bought them, along with the dozens of the stores it promised to sell off, at 80% off, turning a massive profit on the scam:

https://www.economicliberties.us/our-work/courage-to-learn/

Now, Albertsons is playing Lucy-with-the-football, promising to sell off 100–375 stores as a condition of the Kroger merger. Only an idiot would trust this promise. Luckily, as Dayen writes, FTC Chair Lina Khan is no idiot. She’s turned antitrust into a “shooting war” by declaring that the age of rubber-stamped mergers is over:

https://mattstoller.substack.com/p/the-antitrust-shooting-war-has-started

Fittingly, that age began with manufactured outrage by the business lobby and its priesthood at the University of Chicago School of Economics over United States v. Von’s Grocery Co, where a 1966 grocery store merger was thwarted.

https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/384/270/

Vons became the rallying cry of the pro-monopoly lobby and their cult of low-information voters, the “Beghazi” of its day. To hear them tell of it, the insistence that grocery consolidation was bad was a mere superstition, one that made life worse for everyone in service to an incoherent ideology.

But grocery mergers are bad. They produce monopolies who raise prices on the food we need to survive. Today’s “inflation” isn’t the result of sending out too much covid relief to ordinary people — it’s the result of monopolies:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/02/02/its-the-economy-stupid/#overinflated

And the lack of capacity:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/06/01/factories-to-condos-pipeline/#stuff-not-money

[Image ID: A brightly lit grocery aisle; at its terminus, looming out from behind the frame, is the upper torso and head of Goya's 'Saturn Devouring His Children.' In the foreground is a dancing 'Rich Uncle Pennybags' from the game Monopoly; he is brandishing a grim reaper's scythe and his features are skull-like.]

[hempclothing1]

Cultivate a Thriving and Inclusive Workplace Culture

At The Outcast Collective (TOC), we specialize in co-creating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) journeys that transform organizational cultures. Our expertise in organizational and people development empowers us to drive behavior-culture change management and policy consulting with a clear vision of inclusivity. We help organizations achieve Affirmative Action and Equal Employment objectives for individuals with diverse social identities, ensuring a truly equitable workplace.

Why Choose TOC?

Our approach goes beyond mere metrics and policies. We understand that the DEI agenda is about more than just numbers; it’s about genuine intent, actionable strategies, unwavering commitment, and cultivating a supportive culture. A diverse workforce and an inclusive environment are crucial for fostering innovation, creativity, and sustained growth. Our consulting services are crafted to build workplaces where every employee feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and skills.

Our Services

1. Climate Survey and Diagnostics: Gain deep insights into your organization's culture with our comprehensive surveys and diagnostic tools.

2. Inclusive HR Policy Consulting: Develop and refine HR policies that promote inclusivity and equity across all levels of your organization.

3. Inclusion Workshops and Leadership Coaching: Equip your team with the skills and knowledge to lead inclusively and foster a culture of belonging.

4. Diversity Councils & Employee Resource Group Setup: Establish and support groups that drive diversity and inclusion initiatives within your organization.

Our Focus Areas

Gender Equity and Inclusion:Women face significant challenges in the workplace, including higher job loss rates and gender disparities in pay and leadership roles. We are committed to catalyzing systemic change through:

Unconscious Bias Training: Equip your team with the skills to recognize and address unconscious biases.

Equal Pay & Opportunity Frameworks: Implement strategies to ensure fair compensation and advancement opportunities.

POSH Policy Consulting: Develop and enforce policies that protect against sexual harassment.

Gender Equality Training: Increase awareness and create actionable plans to address gender disparities.

Pride - LGBTQ+ Inclusion:Creating a culture of belonging for LGBTQ+ individuals involves more than just policies; it requires a commitment to allyship and understanding. We offer:

Custom Training and Coaching: Tailored sessions for leaders and employees to foster inclusivity.

Employee Resource Groups (ERG) Setup: Build supportive communities within your organization.

Integration with DEI and L&D Initiatives: Ensure alignment of diversity efforts with learning and development strategies.

Behavior Change Initiatives: Promote lasting cultural shifts toward greater acceptance and inclusion.

Persons with Disabilities (PWD):Despite growing awareness, PWDs are often underrepresented in the workforce. We partner with organizations to enhance inclusion through:

Role Identification and Fitment: Find and create suitable roles for PWD talent.

Training and Development: Design programs tailored to the needs of PWD employees.

Sensitization Initiatives: Implement initiatives to foster understanding and inclusion.

Advisory Services: Guide investments in technology and infrastructure to support PWDs.

Neurodivergent Inclusion:With 15-20% of the population considered neurodivergent, creating supportive environments is crucial. We assist in:

Role Identification: Match neurodivergent individuals with appropriate roles.

Training Development: Create training programs tailored for neurodivergent employees and their managers.

Accessibility Systems: Develop systems that support diverse neurological profiles.

Success Story: Pride Month with Colgate Global Business Services

We proudly partnered with Colgate Global Business Services (CGBS) for Pride Month 2022, focusing on gender sensitization and LGBTQIA+ inclusion. Our sessions covered topics from understanding gender and sexuality to celebrating Pride, contributing to a more inclusive workplace.

Get in TouchReady to transform your workplace into a hub of diversity, equity, and inclusion? Contact us today to start your journey with The Outcast Collective.