#radiation therapy machine

[theracs25]

[apeshit]

my job is such hell you guys don’t even know and this is coming from someone who loves what they do

[whumptober]

WHUMPTOBER 2024: PROMPTS LIST

Welcome to Whumptober 2024 — Seventh Time's a Charm!

Please make sure to read the Event Info and FAQ below carefully, as most of your questions will be answered there already. For everything else, you are welcome to come to our ask box or ask questions in our Discord server here.

This year’s AO3 Collection can be found here.

This year's playlist can be found here.

And the Anatomy of a Whumptober Prompt post can be found here.

We’re very excited to see the community come together for another year of Whumptober! Go wild with the prompts, and support your fellow creators - we wish you all the fun!

Best of luck and happy whumping,

Mods Vanne, Yenn, Kitty and Surro

(Text versions of the prompts, as well as event information, rules and FAQ are posted below the cut!)

Whumptober 2024 Prompt List

No. 1: RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK

Search Party | Panic Attack | "If only we could hold on.” (Icysami x Renegaderr, Strangers.)

No. 2: TRUST ISSUES

Amusement Park | Role Reversal | “You got away with the crime while the knife's in my back.” (Charlotte Sands, Rollercoaster)

No. 3: SET UP FOR FAILURE

Fingerprints | Wrongfully Arrested | "I warned you."

No. 4: HALLUCINATIONS

Hypnosis | Sensory Deprivation | “You're still alive in my head.” (Billy Lockett, More)

No. 5: SUNBURN

Healing Salve | Heatstroke | "If my pain will stretch that far." (Lottery Winners, Burning House)

No. 6: NOT REALISING THEY'RE INJURED

Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms | Healed Wrong | "It's not my blood."

No. 7: ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES

Unconventional Weapon | Magic with a Cost | "It's us or them."

No. 8: SLEEP DEPRIVATION

Isolation Chamber | Forced to Stay Awake | "Leave the lights on." (Coldplay, Midnight)

No. 9: OBSESSION

Broken Window | Bruises | “Frame me up on the wall, just to keep me out of trouble.” (Fall Out Boy, Irresistible)

No. 10: BLOW TO THE HEAD

Slurred Words | Passing Out from Pain | "I can't think straight."

No. 11: SEEING DOUBLE

Convenience Store | Loneliness | “Leave no trace behind, like you don't even exist.” (Taylor Swift, Illicit Affairs)

No. 12: STARVATION

Underground Caverns | Cannibalism | "Just a little more."

No. 13: TEAM AS A FAMILY

Familial Curse | Multiple Whumpees | "Death will do us part." (Set It Off, Partner's In Crime)

No. 14: LEFT FOR DEAD

Hunting Gear | Blackmail | “Because I want you to know what it feels like to be haunted” (tiLLie, kooL aiD mAn)

No. 15: CHILDHOOD TRAUMA

Painful Hug | Moment of Clarity | "I did good, right?"

No. 16: NECROSIS

Swamp | Wound Cleaning | "No, I can't feel anything."

No. 17: NOWHERE ELSE TO GO

Ruined Map | Shipwrecked | "We had a good run."

No. 18: REVENGE

Unreliable Narrator | Loss of Identity | “I see what's mine and take it.” (Panic! at the Disco, Emperor's New Clothes)

No. 19: BLOOD TRAIL

Abandoned Cabin | One Way Out | "Is there anybody alive out there?" (Bruce Springsteen, Radio Nowhere)

No. 20: EMOTIONAL ANGST

Shoulder to Cry On | Giving Permission to Die | "It's not your fault."

No. 21: BODY HORROR

Body Horror | Tattoo Gun | Spirit Possession | “Let the bedsheet soak up the tears.” (Apparat feat. Soap & Skin, Goodbye)

No. 22: BLEEDING THROUGH BANDAGES

Tourniquet | Reopening Wounds | "Oh that's not good."

No. 23: FORCED CHOICE

Public Display | Broken Pedestal | "I'm doing this for you."

No. 24: RADIATION POISONING

Collapsed Building | Equipment Failure | “I never knew daylight could be so violent.” (Florence + The Machine, No Light, No Light)

No. 25: SURGERY

Stitches | Being Monitored | "It's for your own good."

No. 26: NIGHTMARES

Breakfast Table | Parting Words of Regret | “I'm haunted by the lies that I have loved, the actions I have hated.” (Poe, Haunted)

No. 27: VOICELESS

Laboratory | Muzzled | “I have no mouth and I must scream.”

No. 28: DENIAL

CCTV | Exposure | "They caught me red handed."

No. 29: FATIGUE

Labyrinth | Burnout | "Who said you could rest?"

No. 30: RECOVERY

Hospital Bed | Holding Back Tears | "What have I done?"

No. 31: ASKING FOR HELP

Therapy | Making Amends | "I'm alive, I'm just not well." (Elliot Lee, Alive, Not Well.)

Alternatives List:

Body Swap

Communication Barrier

Finding Old Messages

Forgotten

Friendly Fire

Motion Sickness

No-Holds-Barred Beatdown

Regret

Secrets Revealed

Shivering

Survivor's Guilt

Time Loop

Used As Bait

Venom

Vermin

Event Info & Rules

WHUMPTOBER is a month-long, prompt-based creation challenge (think: Inktober, but whumpier). There are 31 official themes this year - one for each day of the month - which can be used, skipped, or combined in any way you’d like. They are meant to serve as inspiration without being taken literally (e.g. you don’t have to include the exact wording of prompts into your work). Feel free to run rampant on interpretation. For example, if the prompt is “flame", you could create something with reference to a candle/campfire, your character could have suffered a burn, or the flame could be a reference to an ‘old flame’ - an old relationship. It’s truly down to you!

In total, there are 4 prompts for each day. These are optional suggestions and can be used in conjunction with the theme, or as options/alternatives.  We want to give everyone as much creative freedom as possible, as well as increase event accessibility for folks with triggers and squicks. There is also a list of 15 alternative prompts that can be subbed in for any day, again to give participants as much creative freedom as possible.

Creators can PRODUCE work in any media they choose, including but not limited to: writing, visual artwork, photo/video/audio edits, paper crafts and elaborate recommendation lists (not just a list of links). Creators can PARTICIPATE as much or as little as they want (i.e. you don’t have to do ALL the prompts if you don’t want to) and prompts can be used in any order. They are also free to use even after the event ends.

When uploading Whumptober content to your blog, be sure to tag it with:

#whumptober2024 …..(the event tag)

#no.1, #no.2, #no.3, …..(theme number)

#bruises, #stabbing, …..(the theme or specific prompt you chose)

#altprompt …..(if you use an altprompt, tag the post with the number of the prompt you replace)

#fandom or #OC, …..(ironman, original content, oc, etc.)

#medium …..(gifs, fic, podcast, art, etc.)

#teeth, #etc …..(trigger warnings & any additional tags. Keep in mind not to add “tw” in front but only use the word/trigger itself)

#nsfwhump …..(only for nsfw content)

#your own tags go here

PLEASE BE DILIGENT WITH YOUR TAGGING. Only properly tagged posts are considered for archiving on the official @whumptober-archive blog. They must be tagged in the order above. An elaborate post about our tagging system can be found [here]

Unfortunately, due to the sheer number of participants in recent years, we cannot guarantee your work will be archived. A random selection of properly tagged posts from all genres will be reblogged each day.

Whumpers who produce content for 31 total theme days are considered event completionists and will be tagged in a masterpost at the end of the month. A form will be published at the beginning of November asking you to tell us if you completed. This is based on trust and we will not check this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please read this before you send an ask!

TIMELINE

July: Trope voting form released. Late August: Prompt list is released for at least four weeks of preparation time. Tropes cannot be posted earlier than August 25th because of Moderator obligations in real life. (But, you know, go ahead and start writing/drawing, and add the themes in later, if you want!) September: Do as much or as little on your works as you want. You can prepare everything in advance or let September go by with vibes and start working in October. It’s up to you. October 1st: Challenge begins! A storm of whump breaks upon us all! During this time, some posts will be reblogged to the whumptober archive blog. We open the yearly AO3 collection for posting (optional). November 1st: The challenge is officially over! Completionist form opens for those who want to be included in the hall-of-fame. Early November: We release completionist and participant badges, solicit feedback, and post a hall-of-fame list of completionists by the 10th.

PARTICIPATION AND COMPLETION

Q: What counts as participation? Create or continue at least one work inspired by one of this year’s prompts. Q: What counts as completion? Creating work(s) inspired by at least one prompt from each day (or alts), for a total of 31 unique prompts. Q: Do I need to create 31 works? No. You can, if you want. Or you can create one work that you add to every day with a new prompt. Or several works that combine prompts. You can also update an existing work by adding new material with the current prompts. Q: Do I need to post my works somewhere to be a completionist or a participant? No. Q: How do you know I actually completed the challenge? We’ll take your word for it! Q: Do I have to finish my work(s) to be a completionist? No, you can post WIPs. And you’re not obligated to finish them in October, but if you want it to count towards being a completionist, you must have completed 31 prompts by the end of the month. So for example, if you’re writing a long fic and you fit 31 different prompts into the writing you did in October, it’s okay if that fic isn’t finished by the time October ends, you’ll still be a completionist. Q: Is co-writing/illustrating allowed? Yes, absolutely, and it would count towards being a completionist for both/all of you. Q: Is there a min/max limit on word count for written works? No. Q: Is there a min/max limit of quality for art? No. Q: Do I have to do something each day to be a completionist? No. You can skip days whenever you want, and as long as 31 daily prompts (or alts) are in your works done in October, you can be a completionist. For example, if you wrote a 1000-word ficlet that covers prompts in days 2, 3, and 17, you can check all three days off your list even though it’s only one work. Q: Is this challenge just for fics? No! Artworks, GIFsets, headcannons, rec lists, poetry, moodboards, or any other creative work is encouraged. Q: Can I combine Whumptober with other creation challenges? Absolutely, as long as the other challenges allow it too.

PROMPTS

Q: How do the prompts work? There are FOUR prompts per day: a theme and three ideas. You can use one, two, three, or all four prompts for each day. If you don’t like any of the daily prompts, you can substitute one of the ALT prompts instead. Q: How strictly/literally should we interpret the prompts? As literally or as figuratively as you want. For example, if the theme is WATER, that could mean drowning, waterboarding, raining, swimming, take place underwater, be lost at sea, construct a metaphor about a character’s mood that changes like a flowing river, crying, or whatever else you can think of that fits that theme. Q: Can I combine prompts? Is there a limit on how many? No limit and combine as many as you’d like. If you create a work that checks off multiple prompts, that work will count for a fill of multiple prompts. You need to address 31 different prompts to be an official completionist, but you don’t have to produce 31 separate works.

WORKS

Q: What’s whump? Hurting a character, whether that’s physically, emotionally, intellectually, psychologically, or any other way you can think of. Comfort afterwards is optional. Angst is emotional whump, so it counts. Q: How do I know if it’s whumpy enough? If your character is just mildly inconvenienced, it probably needs more whump. However, no participant has to prove whumpiness to the mods. Whatever you write is up to you. Q: What kind of characters can I create for? Anything. Generic “whumpee,” OC, PC, NPC, major characters, minor characters, or whatever you want. There are no limits. Q: Does it have to take place in a specific fandom? No, you can create works for your own worlds or for fandoms or for both. You can also create more generic or pan-fandom works. You can do cross-overs or use OCs, whatever you want. Q: Can I create AI-created works? We will not reblog or promote any works we know to be generative AI-created. Q: Is there anything we’re not allowed to write? As long as it contains whump and is based on our prompts, it’s fine. Please courtesy tag your works if you post them so people who follow the #whumptober2024 tag can filter according to their preferences. Q: What about sex, minor characters, and potentially disturbing content? You can create whatever works are legal in your country and post them accordingly. Please courtesy tag anything you think might be objectionable if you post to Tumblr so people who follow the #whumptober2024 tag can filter according to their preferences.

POSTING

Q: Where can I post my work? Post where and how you want. You don’t even have to (cross)post it to Tumblr. Just keep in mind if it’s not on Tumblr we will not be able to add it to the blog archive. There is an AO3 archive for Whumptober 2024, as well as the parent collection for works completed outside of the event. Q: Can I start posting early? You can, but this is an October event and wouldn’t it be more fun with everyone doing it at the same time? We won’t be reblogging any work predating October 1st. Q: Can I post late? Yes. For the sake of our hardworking Post Fairies, only a day’s themes will be reblogged to @whumptober-archive each day of October. But you can post whenever. Some of us are still working on and posting Whumptober fics from years ago. Q: Do I have to use your tags? Only on Tumblr and only if you want us to reblog your work on @whumptober-archive. Q: How do I have my works reblogged to the archive? Properly tagged posts will be reblogged to @whumptober-archive. If you want the official archive blog to reblog you, post on Tumblr and tag correctly (see this FAQ link for more info on tagging). Please note not all posts will be reblogged each day. Q: Can we @ you? For questions and comments, of course. We’ll be getting a flood of notifications, so if you really want us to see something send an ask. Q: Can I cross post on other blogs? Yes, multiple platforms and blogs are perfectly acceptable, as long as they allow cross-posting (to us). You can also post different works to different accounts under different names, without posting them everywhere at once. If you post some works under your main and others under an alt blog, that’s fine for completionist purposes. Q: Can I upload/repost my Whumptober content to other social media platforms? Of course! We’ve created an AO3 Collection to archive any fics posted there, which can be found here. The blog is the official archive, so please respect the personal boundaries of any whumpers in your social circle (don’t out anyone as a participant who would prefer not to be outed).

Most importantly, have fun, create, and enjoy all the whump posted this October!

[bispacecadet]

hhhhh I am so overwhelmed

[osakanone]

Therac-25 is one of those things where, if it were in a novel, people would call it unrealistic. It’s horrifying in the extreme.

So the article is neat, but read the comments:

Yeah.

[rainwaterapothecary]

Luis Serra built a radiotherapy machine in a cave in Spain and I think I can prove it. (Long post warning!)

So I’m minding my own business, sanding a door, when all of a sudden the re4 lore video I have playing hits me with:

“The only way to survive infection is to rid the creature via radiation therapy.”

Snake Meal then went on to say that Leon “used Luis’ equipment to destroy the Plaga within Ashley and himself.”

…So wait a minute, did Luis build a radiation therapy machine in the middle of noplace with Saddler breathing down his neck?

Well shit, he did.

Let’s talk about that.

Quick Preface:

-My knowledge before researching came solely from Plainly Difficult’s YouTube breakdowns of when these machines go wrong, so I’m kind of reverse-engineering ft. Google. I am so far from being an expert it’s laughable.

-I’m narrowing down my search to 2004 and before, preferably 2002 or so. The game takes place in 2004 and Luis was kidnapped by the cult before then, so I’m gonna say he hasn’t had a chance to pick up a scientific journal in a while.

-There’s some info I’ve cut from this post because it read more like a scientific paper but if y'all want any of the dry stuff I can post the full paper on Google Docs or something.

Now, let the research breakdown commence!

Going into this I knew of radiation machines, but they were always the ones that rotated around the subject, like this one:

Turns out, there’s at least one type of radiotherapy machine that fits roughly what Luis had built and it was first built in 1991.

It’s called a Cyberknife, and this is what it looks like:

Consider me intrigued.

“CyberKnife is a small compact linear accelerator mounted on a robotic arm that moves around the person to give radiation from many different directions. Computers track a person’s position and movement. If a person moves slightly, the robotic system can adjust by repositioning before the beam of radiation is delivered.“ (cancer.ca)

TL;DR- The arm moves around the patient from different directions while a computer tells it where to shoot.

Luis really said ‘anything you can do I can do x3, under budget, and without internet’. His machine even sounds like the Cyberknife, it’s great.

The ability of both machines (Luis’ and C.K.) to ‘track’ the tumor/Plaga is interesting since it follows something called ‘Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT)’ which didn’t come into popular use until 2004.

Remember why 2004 was important but discounted from my research?

Because Luis was already on the damn island by then.

Luis either took this concept he’d seen in passing and built it, or he came up with the idea completely on his own, conceptualized it, and then built a working model in the middle of nowhere, Spain with a cult breathing down his neck.

In the same year scientists on the outside (where they can collaborate and consult other people in their fields) were able to build and release such a thing.

This, however, is one of the first places Luis’ machine differs from ‘official’ radiotherapy machines -

His imaging.

Here’s his screen:

Most radiotherapy machines these days use MRI or CT scans for imaging (and Cyberknife uses X-rays).

But that’s not what his screen looks like. MRI/CT scans are too clean.

You know what his screen looks like to me though?

It looks like an ultrasound. His screen has the little gray motion lines that waver as the machine searches around for the Plaga inside of Ashley.

^See? The gray lines move around and the Plaga moves around.

This is fascinating to me since CT/MRI/X-Rays all take ‘slices’ or ‘snapshots’ of the body. You have to hold really still when they are taken.

You know what doesn’t hold still when getting imaging done?

Babies. And babies are seen using ultrasounds.

I think he utilized some form of ultrasound technology beneath/inside the chair itself to ping upward and get images of the Plaga as it moves.

Then the algorithms begin to track the Plaga once the ultrasound has brought it into view, the beams ‘lock on’, and fire radiation into the Plaga (and the poor fuckers between the radiation and the Plaga).

In some other post we can unpack the fact that apparently Luis has enough mathematical and programing know-how to build tracking algorithmns from the ground up. Mechanics? Check. Maths? Check. Programming? Jesus Christ my dude, Mensa is about to pull you over for speeding.

…And yes, I know ultrasounds are touchy and shouldn’t work with that much air between it and whatever it’s imaging, but I’m giving it the ‘sci-fi rule’: it looks like it works, so it works. This will not be the only time I invoke this rule.

Now his robotic arms.

The Cyberknife has just the one, but it has similar flexibility:

Thus it would make sense for two of the arms on Luis’ machine to be for imaging like the Cyberknife:

But as we see from his display, they’re not.

All three of them are for firing radiation. When the circles all overlap, the system will fire. Luis wasn’t taking any chances with this shit. He’s hitting it fast and hitting it hard. (This will come into play later.)

Next up is his chair. Granted, the chair looks a lot more utilitarian (and sci-fi catchall) from other angles, but the very first time we see his chair it looks like this:

Following the concept that his lab is filled with things that are just a little to the left of what he needs, I would say that this looks like a surgical ‘beach chair’:

They’re meant to hold a person still while operating on an arm or shoulder. His chair looks like it has space for arm and head restraints, and the bottom of the leg rest flips up to hold the feet in place.

Et voila:

I think I’m onto something.

I also think he has a LINAC machine hidden somewhere in his lab. (We are now entering the 'way above my paygrade’ segment.)

A  “LINear ACcelerator uses microwave technology to accelerate electrons then allows these electrons to collide with a heavy metal target to produce high-energy x-rays.” (radiologyinfo.org)

TL;DR - it makes radiation go brrrr so it can be shot into things

How he got one or where it’s stored are completely beyond me, since if he had gotten one by just asking for it, he would have had to answer a lot of questions that the cult (that WORSHIPS the things he’s destroying) wouldn’t be very happy with the answer to… but he wouldn’t have to hide it.

However, I don’t see one when looking around his chair.

I DO, however, see a bunch of machines that could easily be hiding one.

(Sci-fi logic says ‘what if he built one!!!!’ and imma be real with you chief, I don’t think he has the space to build a nuclear accelerator from the ground up. Hiding one though, that I’ll believe.)

It would have had to be a relatively big object since the microchip-sized LINACs weren’t conceptualized until 2015 and were only built successfully in 2023:

^Very cool. Very small. Very not possible in 2004. :'(

However, here is the rough size of different radiotherapy machines available on the market from 1956:

1972:

And on the Cyberknife cir. 2019, just because that’s the model I’ve been referencing:

So while there are some LINAC machines that are ~3 km long, the ones used on radiotherapy machines aren’t super big. They're not microchip-size, but anything the size of a washing machine would suffice to mask this thing.

I think he could safely be hiding it somewhere physically nearby to where the robot arms come from before dividing its blast into three high-energy beams.

Which leads me to my final big difference between Luis’ machine and any market-available models:

The possibility of pain. (Told you it would be important later.)

My research says that radiation therapy shouldn’t hurt, even if sometimes local anesthesia is applied to the site before starting the treatment. (Location of treatment, type of cancer, etc.)(Sources are linked below!)

However, when radiology machines malfunction (which is rare!!! I only know of three (3) instances where a machine fucked up out of the decades we’ve been using this technology) they leave behind radiation burns and stabbing pains.

Which, ow.

But Ashley was in instant, screaming agony. Granted, I’m not sure if that was from radiation or from the Plaga embedded into her nervous system, but his machine applied three streams of radiation where traditional devices use one. Her treatment time was around 21 seconds total while traditional treatments take at least a few minutes per dose.

Personally I’m inclined to believe that it was the Plaga causing her pain, due to her scream not changing at any point (thus illustrating the source of her pain not changing from radiation to Plaga.) Even if it was a quick jolt of burning from the machine, switching over to the pain of a parasite hijacking her every nerve ending at once, there would have been some change (in my experience with chronic pain, at least).

But it can’t be ruled out. Ashley was in agony and a traditional machine would not have that effect on a patient.

At least if you’re paralyzed with pain you don’t have to worry about being held in place so the machine can do its job? Silver lining?

Sci-fi logic, my friends. Sci-fi logic.

In closing, Luis Sera MacGyver Navarro created a radiation device that not only functioned as he needed it to, but it could work repeatedly without a massive cooldown time in between uses or internal errors when operated by two amateurs who had no idea what they were doing.

And he made it out of the mechanical equivalent of paperclips, bubblegum, and the particle accelerator he’s hiding in a closet.

Sources:

Radiotherapy explanations/descriptions/history - [Siemens][MSK Cancer Center][Wikipedia][MD Anderson][Virginia Radiation][Canadian Cancer Society][National Cancer Institute][Standford Healthcare]

Surgical 'beach chair' - [hillrom.com][davidscottco.com][arthrex.com][Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation]

Linac info/images/articles - [Space.Com][RadiologyInfo.Org][Wikipedia][Google]

RE4R Youtube Videos - ["The LORE of ALL Resident Evil 4 Enemies" uploaded by Snake Meal][Plaga removal cutscene uploaded by CrispyBenoit]

Cyberknife Youtube Videos - ["How Cyberknife Works" uploaded by Mt. Miriam Cancer Hospital]["CyberKnife® Robotic Radiosurgery System Demonstration" uploaded by ThedaCare]

Ultrasound, MRI, CT images/info - [sciencedirect.com][Mt. Auburn OB/GYN][Desert Imaging]

[dfortrafalgar]

I'm Losing You... (But We're Filling the Cracks)

Having a family isn't always as easy as fairy tales make it seem. But now, it might as well be a dream come true.

Warnings: read chapter 1 for warnings.

Taglist: @phsycochan | @mirillua | @augustanna | @chaixsherlock | @whore-of-many-hot-men | @nerdisthenewcool | @lilypadmomentum | @1dkneo | @kitsunechan707

Chapter 31

[Prev] [Next]

“I… I feel like I need to push,” you grunted out.

Your doctor ran to your bedside.  “Okay, dear, okay, follow my lead, alright?”  She assisted in turning you on your side, adjusting your various tubes to better accommodate your position.  “Like we discussed, okay?  This position will help reduce the pressure on your pelvis and make it much easier to push.”

You nodded, your expression contorting in a grimace as a much stronger contraction ran through you in waves, lingering in your muscles like radiation. Your hands were curled up by your head, lacking anything to hold on to, so you resorted to fisting the white cotton sheets covering the mattress below you.  It felt mildly uncomfortable, but as soon as you were settled, you felt like your muscles were able to work much more effectively.  You breathed out a pained sigh, the pressure in your lower abdomen increasing in waves.

“You’re starting to crown already,” another nurse spoke up.  “Your body is already so primed for delivery!  It’s like you’ve been practicing.  If I didn’t know any better, I’d assume this was your third or fourth baby!”

“I’m going to hold your hand, alright?” your doctor asked, confirming with you on what would make you the most comfortable.  “How bad is your pain?  We can get you started on an epidural.”

“It’s…”  As soon as the contraction ceased, another one followed in its place.  You were outrageously close.  “It’s pretty bad,” you confirmed.

“I’m impressed, when I gave birth to my first, I almost passed out.  The pain was so bad!” one of the nurses at the other side of your room called out.  “You have quite the tolerance!”

You flashed a weak smile.  If only these nurses knew.

Your doctor rubbed your head reassuringly.  She really did feel like a mother in her own right.  “We’ll start that epidural.  Once that’s in place and you’re stable, we’ll begin pushing.  Can I get you anything?”

Your eyes wearily glanced up at her calm, reassuring face.  “I know it’s a long shot but… can you call my husband?”

—

The second lung was almost fully detached.  Over halfway through the surgery now, it had been much faster and more successful than anyone thought it would be.  Alongside a few breaks that were taken by the staff to relieve themselves and stretch their backs, sterile orange juice breaks sipped through plastic straws, and brief physical therapy for the unconscious patient to make sure his blood continued to circulate properly and his skin wasn’t damaged, the operation was going very, very smoothly.

And thank goodness.  Law needed some good news right now.

Among the beeping sounds of the patient’s heart monitor, the wrrr of the bypass machine, and the soft chatter amongst the team as they worked, a new sound infiltrated the space.  In the farthest corner of the room, Law’s hospital pager went off.

“What was that?” one of the nurses asked.

“My pager,” Law responded.  His voice was laced with anxiety.  He was barely keeping it together, and who knows why his pager might have been going off in the middle of an operation.

The circulating nurse took it upon herself to snatch up the small device, pressing the response button.  The best, or arguably worst, thing about the pagers was how loud they were.  Everyone could hear the voice that came through the other end.

[Dr. Trafalgar Law?  Dr. Trafalgar?]  It was a woman’s voice.

“I’m listening,” he shouted back.  The nurse stepped slightly closer with the pager in her hand.

[This is Nurse Kaya from Labor & Delivery, your wife is crowning.  Just wanted to let you know.]

Spoken far too casually for the news that made Law’s stomach drop like a brick.  He was missing the birth.

“FUCK,” he suddenly shouted, his hands still carefully working at the lung’s connective tissue.  It was as if his body and his mind were on completely different wavelengths.  So much for operating room etiquette.  The air in the room had gone completely cold as nervous glances among the team were shared.

“Doctor, I’m not opposed to relieving you with another on-call surgeon.  I know this is a huge ordeal, but we’re almost done and… this is a special case,” one of the head nurses spoke up.

He was clearly deliberating heavily in his mind.  He wanted to run, carry himself as fast as his feet could handle, and get to your side.  He needed to be there with you.  He was missing the birth of his first child.  A lump developed in his throat.  The protective husband side of him had the stoic, focused surgeon side pinned against the wall with a knife to his throat.

“Get the on-call surgeon here immediately and have him gowned and sterilized,” he finally barked, passing his tools off to his assistant and stepping away from the body.  A few relieved gasps were shared amongst the team as the circulating nurse brought Law out from the theater and into the prep room where she assisted in frantically undressing him from his surgical scrubs and passing his phone and pager back into his possession.  His operating room attire was quickly disposed of in a biohazard waste bin while he quickly washed his hands in the nearby basin.

“Doctor, good luck,” she said with a smile, her eyes crinkling under her mask.

Law could only pass her a faint grin as he shrugged on his white coat, stuffed his phone in the pocket of his slacks, and sprinted out of the prep room.  On the way, the on-call surgeon passed by and planted a reassuring smack to Law’s shoulder before replacing him.

Law was breaking every hospital rule there was.  Sprinting through the hallway, his feet hammering against the tiled ground as he fought his way through the hospital’s expansive campus, past patient rooms, nurses’ stations, and waiting areas.  Why did L&D have to be so far away?!  His eyes followed the signs on the walls pointing him in the right direction, his muscle memory leading the way.  He scaled two flights of stairs two-at-a-time, the muscles in his legs screaming at him to stop.  He was almost positive he would tear a muscle with how fast he was running.  But that didn’t matter.

Finally, finally, he pushed through the doors into the maternity ward, flashing his badge frantically at the nurse behind the check-in desk.  He was panting, barely able to catch his breath, one of his hands shaking as it supported his weight against the desk.

“My… Trafalgar… where… shit…” he panted, beads of sweat pilling on his forehead below his ragged bangs.

“Down the hall, take a left, then a right,” the nurse instructed, her voice pleasantly calm.  She must have seen this a lot.

He barely uttered out a ‘thank you’ before he was off again, pounding down the tiled hallways past delivery and recovery rooms, past the expansive NICU and small groups of families and doctors.  He had tunnel vision.  He needed to get to you.

Take a left.

Then a right.

He almost sprinted past the door to the delivery room you were in, only backtracking when he caught the pained sound of your voice from within.  He flung the door open, nurses surrounding you jumping from shock at the sight.

“Dr. Trafalgar?!” one of them exclaimed, her eyes wide.

Law ignored her.

Your eyes went wide, your hand being held by the doctor who had admitted you.  Tears immediately brimmed in the corners of your vision as a pained smile broke out on your face.  Law took the spot of your doctor instantly, almost throwing himself at you as he littered your face with kisses, grasping your hand and holding in his pain as you squeezed harshly against his bones, the force of another contraction gripping your body.  You were laying on your side, one of your knees tucked upward toward your chest as far as you could manage to allow the baby more room to come out.  You had an epidural tube sticking out of your spine, your upper body barely covered by blankets and the open-back hospital gown to accommodate for the birth.

“You made it…” you wheezed, torn between the attention on your husband and the baby coming out of you.

“I couldn’t miss it… I couldn’t…” he wheezed.  He was still very winded, his lungs shuddering for breaths.  Any longer and he would’ve been the one needing a dual pulmonary transplant.

“Ready for another push?” shouted one of the nurses at your bedside above the noise.

You nodded, biting your lower lip.  Your face was glistening with sweat.  Your body tensed up, gripping Law’s hand like a lifeline as you pushed, a pained groan emanating from deep within your throat as your eyes pinched shut.

“How is she doing?” demanded Law, gazing at the doctor who took her spot at the end of your bed where your legs were parted.

“She’s doing great, both babies are in cephalic position, her blood pressure is good and her heart rate is even better, it’s unlikely she’ll need emergency intervention.  I’m incredibly pleased considering her medical history,” the older doctor explained.  “Come over here.”

Law gazed at you, a fond smile on your lips as you released his hand so he could join his extended colleague at the foot of your bed.

“Delivering on her side helps lessen the pressure on her body as well as the baby’s,” the woman explained.

Law’s breath caught in his throat.  Emerging from you was a head of fuzzy black hair, slicked with amniotic fluid.  One of the nurses called for another push, and your lower body tensed up, your muscles clenching as hard as they could while you pushed the baby out more.  Law quickly returned to your side, grasping your hand once more.

“Baby… how are you doing?” he asked, desperate for your personal opinion, his lungs finally settling as he took in your exhausted appearance.

You grimaced.  “The epidural has been helping, but it hurt like a bitch going in,” you groaned.  “I’ve been having contractions since 2 in the morning.  I just want them to be out already.”

“Once the head is delivered, the rest will be easy!” one of the nurses called, a bright smile on her face.

Law felt himself smile as well.  Being a delivery nurse must have been incredibly rewarding on the best days.  He glanced at the clock on the far wall.  It was almost 10 in the evening.  His heart panged in his chest.

“You’re doing amazing, baby, you’re amazing,” he whispered in your ear, planting another kiss against the soft, sweat-soaked skin of your forehead.

“One more push, dear!” the doctor called.

Your eyes squeezed shut, your muscles contracting with all your might at the count of the nurses assisting you, your hand clamping down on Law’s.  He held in his grimace of pain, supporting you as best he could.  Some slight hand bruises were nothing compared to what you were experiencing.  How chivalrous of him.

A sudden rushing feeling emanated from your body, a wet sensation prickling your skin through the numbness of the epidural.  Your heart rate picked up, your eyes growing wide as you worriedly asked, “What was that?!”

“Your water broke, dear!  Everything’s alright!” a nurse responded.

You moaned in pain.  “It’s about damn time.”  Your grip on Law’s hand released slightly, and you watched as a small smile appeared on his lips.

With one more push, the pressure in your groin finally dissipated somewhat as a nurse pulled your first baby out of you.  With the collapse of the amniotic sacs, it was much easier to deliver the rest of its body, much to your relief.  As soon as the contractions stopped, however, they began again.

“Keep going, darling, just one more to go!” the doctor called.  “It’s right there!”

You barely had the energy to pick your head up to look, and you watched through half-lidded eyes as Law examined the nurses huddled around your baby at the foot of your bed.  It was placed in a small portable incubator, being hooked up to machines to assess its condition.  35 weeks was still pretty early, so it made sense.  Its umbilical cord was clamped about two minutes after emerging from your womb.  Law tried to keep his anxiety repressed as your body shuddered with another contraction.

“The second baby is always easier, darling, you’re already fully dilated from the first,” explained your doctor, giving a reassuring pat to your ankle.

“First baby’s stable!” called one of the nurses.  “It’s a girl!”

Law felt his chest clench at the news.  His eyes lit up as he gazed at you, a smile pulling on his lips.  A weary smile formed on your own face as you were instructed to push once again.  Much to the room’s relief, the second baby did indeed come out much quicker than the first.  The loss of the amniotic fluid from your uterus and the stretching that your pelvis had endured with the first made it worlds easier for your second baby to emerge into the world.  The process repeated- a quick cleaning, a clamp after two minutes, and a quick check of vital signs.

“Another girl!” one of the nurses called, assessing the second in another small incubator.  “Also stable!”

You were helped onto your back in somewhat of a hurry, the two boxes containing your babies pushed toward your bedside where they were quickly gathered in bundles of blankets and placed on your chest.  It was all happening so fast, the world was practically blurring around you.  As soon as your babies touched your skin, it was as if a deep-rooted instinct emerged from you.  Law watched with pride as you nestled your newborns into your chest, your gentle hands holding their backs as they took in their first breaths as living humans.

Holy shit.

The room had quickly gone quiet around the four of you, a few of the nurses cleaning you up and reviewing your condition while additional nurses left the room to prepare suitable beds in the NICU for your newborns.  Even though they were both healthy and stable, they needed some extra time to grow.

“Law…?” you asked weakly, turning your head to look at your husband.

Law’s golden eyes were wide, frozen, large, salty tears streaming silently down his cheeks.  His chin was quivering as he gazed over you.  His three girls.

His girls.  He had two daughters.

Your husband huffed out a laugh that sounded more like a weary sob as he moved closer to you, stroking your head with his hand as he gazed warmly over the two tiny bodies on your chest, making their first contact with their mother.  He wiped his eyes clumsily with the sleeve of his white coat, inhaling a gross-sounding sniffle through his nose.

“I’m sorry I’m crying…” he blubbered.

“Don’t be…” you replied, your own tears welling in your eyes.  “You’re finally a daddy.  I’m happy you’re crying.”  You quietly laughed as Law reached forward with his hand, wiping your tears away from your cheeks, followed by another tender kiss against your jaw.

A nurse quickly stopped by your bedside, slipping small white cotton hats onto the tiny noggins of your daughters before leaving the four of you alone for a few more moments.  The skin-to-skin time was crucial for their attachment to you, and once that was established, they’d be able to go into the NICU for their extra care.

Both of the girls, despite being only around 35 weeks, had near-full heads of hair.  It made you wonder what they would have looked like being born at full-term.  The one over your left breast had tiny black curls that still stuck to her head.  The one over your right breast had thinner, straighter wisps of a lighter brown color.  They’d come into their own in a few more months as they grew, but even just from first looks, they were both clearly their father’s daughters.

—

The minutes following the birth were quite nasty if one were to ask you.  Law thought they were an interesting few moments, but you weren’t listening to him.  He was biased.  And frankly, you hated the way it felt when two placentas ejected themselves from your body.  It was like having another two babies but slimier and worse.

Your epidural was removed and you were cleaned up and helped into a cotton gown to rest in.  Your legs were weak from your long labor, but you were rewarded with some light food that didn’t taste like hospital sludge.  The third best piece of news you received was that, by some miracle, you didn’t tear a bit, and your uterus had completely and successfully done its job.

Finally.

You passed out very soon after your placentas were delivered, exhausted and completely spent after delivering two babies.

Law took the opportunity to retreat to the NICU and oversee his daughters as they were hooked up to breathing tubes and heart monitors to ensure that their good conditions remained that way.  They had their hand prints and foot prints taken by gentle nurses who were cooing over how cute they were, a sight that brought a smile to Law’s eyes.

“Dr. Trafalgar,” the voice of the doctor who oversaw your delivery shook him from his blissful state.  “Congratulations.”

“Dr. Linlin,” he replied as he turned to face her, shaking her hand.  “It’s good to see you.  Thank you for everything.”

“No need to thank me, dear,” she hummed.  “I’m a veteran of the motherhood game.  It’s all in a day’s work for me.  I’m so glad to see you happy and healthy, and with a wife even.  I remember the first day I met you, that skinny, scared looking post-grad doctor forced to speak in front of a huge crowd.”

Law groaned, rolling his eyes as the memory.  “One of the worst days of my life, for sure.”

The woman laughed, a hearty, bouncy chuckle.  She hadn’t changed a bit in the 20-some-odd years, probably even longer, that she had been a doctor.  “But look at you now.  A huge, monumental surgery, and now twins.  All in one day.”

“I’m going to sleep for centuries after all of this settles,” he added with a small smirk.  “After helping my wife, obviously.”

Dr. Linlin gave Law a hearty smack on his back, right in between his shoulders, making him lurch forward slightly.  “Your daughters will stay in the NICU for 24 hours for observation, and then they’ll be transferred to stay with the two of you in postpartum.  Let me know if you need anything, alright?  In a few hours, I’ll be back in your room to help you two sign the birth certificates.”

Law watched as the woman walked down the hall, her own bright pink doctor’s coat trailing behind her.  One of the only things Law knew about Linlin was the amount of kids she had.  It seemed like she popped out one every year, and yet she still had the time to be a labor and delivery doctor.  He shook his head, trying to ignore the logistics of it, before walking back to the postpartum room you had been transferred to.

You were awake and staring at the ceiling above you, your hands clasped around your belly.  You were still quite swollen, having been told that it would take a bit for your stomach to return to its pre-pregnant state, but you were already trying to come to terms with the fact that you would most likely never look exactly the same ever again.  Not after carrying and shoving out two humans.  When Law entered your quiet room, you smiled, all your anxieties melting away at the sight of your husband.

He wasted no time in crossing the space between you, leaning over you to plant a loving kiss against your lips.  All the emotions he had been holding in throughout the day, all the tension that arose during his mad dash through the hospital, and all the worries that the two of you had shared during your pregnancy struggles flooded between your exchange.  One of your hands traveled up to caress his cheek, your fingers trailing across his sideburns and into his slightly greasy black hair, pulling him ever closer to you.

“I’m happy you didn’t tear, or need anything else, really,” he whispered, pulling away from you.  “After everything you went through, you needed an easy birth.”

You grinned.  “I like to think our two other babies, somewhere out there in the universe, wanted it to be easy for us.  For once.”

Law pulled up a chair and sat beside you, leaning against your bed and dropping his head onto your shoulder.  You gently caressed your fingers through his hair in the way you knew he loved, watching with a fond smile as his eyes closed.

“What did they say about the NICU?” you asked, your voice tired and weary.

“24 hours.  Then they’ll be transferred here to stay with us.”  Law kissed your hand cheek.  “They’ll be eligible for discharge after they’re able to eat, stay warm, and breathe efficiently.”

“Speaking of which,” you stated, slowly moving yourself to sit up despite the aches in your bones.  “I pumped for the first time when you were looking at them.”

“How quick were you?” he asked with a joking tone.  “I didn’t think I was gone for that long.”

“It didn’t take as long as I thought it would, but I also didn’t need to give that much milk.  One of the nurses helped me, and they’ll be able to feed them in the NICU.  At some point in another hour or so, though, she told me I’ll have to visit them there so we can make sure they can latch on their own.”  One of your hands traveled up to painfully grab at one of your breasts.  “I’m already feeling so achy in my chest.  It’s gonna be a rough few months.”

Law grinned, dipping his head back down.  “But you’ll have help.  Don’t forget that.”

You hummed in response.  “You’re right.”

After a few extra moments of silence, you added.  “Names?”

“Hm?”

You chuckled.  “Names.  We have to name our girls.”

“Oh shit, you’re right,” Law muttered.  He had completely forgotten one of the most important parts of being a new parent.  “What were you thinking?”

“Cora and Rose,” you said, matter-of-factly.  “I’ve been thinking about it for a while.  And now we know they’re both girls.”

Law smiled, a rare, genuine expression that reached his eyes.  A smile he only ever showed you.  “Cora and Rose… which one is which?”

“Rose is the one with those little black curls.  Cora is the one with the lighter hair,” you confirmed.

Another tender kiss was planted on your forehead.  “I couldn’t ask for anything better than that.”

—

You didn’t expect breastfeeding to be as euphoric as it was.  In less of an immense pleasure way, and more of a ‘holy crap, it feels like my breasts are losing 25 pounds’ kind of way.

Your girls were already so good.  Cora latched instantly, one of her tiny, weak hands curling slightly upward to grasp at your skin.  Both of them were still curled in a fetal position, and it would take them a bit longer to finally stretch out and look more like usual babies, but right now, they were the perfect size to swaddle and nestle into your skin.

The neonatal intensive care unit was a surprisingly colorful place.  You always imagined it would be rife with anxiety, desperation, and sadness, a bunch of little, sick babies fighting for their lives, but the second you and Law finally entered to see your daughters, all those expectations flew out the window.  Their corner was bright and colorful, with rainbows painting the walls and a fairly large window with a view of the surrounding city below.  It was pitch black out, just past midnight, but you imagined the daylight would flood the room with a warm, natural light.

Your daughters were already so warm, kept insulated by their little cotton swaddles they were bundled in, and their tiny beanie hats that covered their fragile heads.  The sight warmed your heart.

A breastfeeding specialist (which was a job you had no idea existed until then), helped situate you in a chair, accommodating your sore and spent body.  She assisted with adequately positioning your daughters, one for each nipple, and gave you tips on how to make sure they latch and stay on while nursing from you.

You had an additional blood test a few hours after the birth, when your girls were done with their first natural feed and were now sleeping calmly in their incubators.  It was looking like you’d be able to go home within the next 24 hours, if everything continued as normal.

While you were taking a light nap in the chair beside your daughters’ beds, Law used your phone to snap some pictures of Cora and Rose in their tiny beds side by side, smiling as he pulled up your text messages and sent them off to Shachi, Penguin, and Ikkaku.  He didn’t think they’d respond, with it being so late, but their messages rolled in almost instantly, bringing a fond smile to his face.

Ika-chan OMGOGMOGMGOMGOMGOGMOGMGOGMOMG

Ika-chan TWO LITTLE GIRLS

Ika-chan ARE THEY HEALTHY????????

Ika-chan ARE *YOU* HEALTHY?????????????

Shachiiii Still cant believe those things came out of you whatthefuck

Shachiiii Must have hurt like a mf

PenPen Shachi’s next to me sobbing his eyes out

PenPen I’m crying too.  But I’m stronger than him

PenPen Fuck no im not.  Im soaked over here.  

It was then that his pager beeped.  He forgot he still had it on him.  Technically, he was still on the clock.  He gently placed your phone on the small table beside you to not wake you up before reaching into his coat pocket and procuring his pager, stepping out into the hallway to not disturb his three sleeping beauties.

“This is Dr. Trafalgar,” he said into the small device.

Some slight static came through the speaker.  [Hey, this is Operation Triple Organ Replacement calling in from the OR!  How’s our best doctor doing?]

Law couldn’t fight the smile that formed on his lips.  “Before I answer, how was the rest of the procedure?”

Some small chuckles and a few mildly annoyed groans were heard.  [Patient did absolutely amazing.  He’s in recovery, stable, and is slowly being woken from anesthesia.  They’ll be able to take his intubation tube out in a few more hours, but that’s out of our hands.  Soooo…?]

Law felt relief fill his lungs.  A successful operation was everything he was hoping for, and now he felt he could finally rest easy.  “I have two daughters, Cora and Rose.  Everyone is happy, healthy, and resting.”

He needed to pull the pager away from his face as a cacophony of garbled cheering was heard.  A distorted [FUCK YEAH] echoed through the speaker.

“Are you guys still in the pre-op room?” he asked, lifting an eyebrow.

[Yeah, we’re all cleaned up and everything, but we were waiting for the right time to page you.  We’re abusing hospital equipment, we know, but this is CRUCIAL.]

Law couldn’t blame his team in the slightest.  It was past midnight on May 13th, and they had just completed the biggest surgical procedure of their lives, probably the most daunting surgery their hospital would ever see.  They deserved to rest and relax, and yet here they were, still in the pre-op theater, celebrating their lead doctor.  

The black-haired surgeon smiled, pressing down on the transmission button with his thumb.  “You guys go clean up, alright?  Treat yourselves.  Everyone did absolutely amazing today.”

[Copy that, Doctor.  Tell your wife we said congrats!]

Law slipped the pager back into his pocket before reentering the NICU room.  His stern, golden eyes softened instantly upon seeing you awake, leaning over the side of Rose’s bed and idly trailing your thumb softly over her chubby cheek.  Beside Rose, Cora’s arms were already outstretched far enough that she was almost encroaching on her sister’s space.  Soon enough, the small oxygen tubes taped to their fresh faces would be gently removed, and they’d be able to go home and sleep in their cribs, in your apartment.  Law leaned over you and kissed the crown of your head, rubbing his inked hand between your shoulder blades.

“Hey, baby?” he whispered, gazing down at you.

You leaned into his side, melting at his touch.  “Yeah?”

“I’m so proud of you.”

[pyrrhiccomedy]

I'm sorry that you're going through this. It sounds terrible.

How does a machine make your bones feel like jam? What do you mean, "like jam"? What helps while you're in the machine?

You lamented the lack of a "no downers" Tumblr option before. Is there any kind of fun internet thing your followers could curate for you?

thank you for actually asking me about the Big Machine

so a modern radiation therapy machine looks like this:

It is actually kind of hard to communicate the scale of this thing. It's the size of most people's living rooms, and the whole thing rotates around you. You feel like you're trying to dock with the international space station.

Actually being in the machine doesn't feel like anything. You lay down, they take your boob out of your hospital gown and align the lasers to these little tattoos they've put on your chest and sides, they leave the room, Vivaldi plays for about 5 minutes while things beep and buzz and the space station revolves a few times, and then you're free to get dressed and go home.

Then - in my experience, as someone who is, apparently, "a real outlier" in terms of how sensitive I am to radiation - about 30 minutes later, on the subway ride home, you start to feel extremely bad. Shaky, weak, exhausted, stabbing pains all over the boob, and just an overall feeling of, like...internal griminess. Like there's grit gumming up everything on your insides. You feel wobbly, like your bones have turned to jelly. It feels a little like food poisoning, but without the nausea, if you've ever had that experience. Just that jittery, feverish, whole-body feeling of something being very wrong.

That feeling persists for 4-5 hours, then starts to taper down; but it never tapers down completely, so every day (and you go in for radiation every day, except for weekends) it builds up a little bit more. So on Monday, you feel like shit for a couple of hours, but you shake it off by dinner time; but by Friday, you're dragging yourself through every step of the process and then you get home and pass out for 14 hours.

It's weird, too, because it's not like there's anything that the doctors can do to make it better. Like, they can't give you a different treatment, or give you less radiation. There's a set amount of radiation you need to receive over a set amount of time to be sure that they've killed all the cancer, and the alternative to radiation is cancer, so you're getting radiation. The radiologist was sympathetic to how hard I've been taking it, but all she could really do is remind me that it's temporary. All of the effects of the radiation will be out of my system a week or two after the treatment ends, so like. Knuckle down, camper, it is what it is.

Y'all are sweet to ask if there's anything you can do, but honestly, not really. I vent a bit about this stuff on Tumblr because I don't want my friends and family to have to hear about how tough this is. Sending the occasional nice message or little question is appreciated! It gives me something to think about that isn't cancer.

[gingerjolover]

Sweet Angel - Lucy Dacus x Reader

Sypnosis: Lucy's gf has chronic pain, so she wears many different hats - nurse, dog mom, and sweet angel from heaven above

G's notes: surprise shawtayyy (also I love my tens machine lol)

WC: somewhere around 2k (woweeee)

Warnings: RPF, tooth-rotting fluff, chronic pain, physical therapy marks, no fundamental physical descriptors?

The house is dark, way darker than it should be for the afternoon, automatically sending Lucy on high alert. She sighs softly, putting to the universe that you’re just napping and not having a flare-up. Trying to be quiet as she walks into your shared home, she sees your dog Murphy’s head rising from the couch, immediately knowing that you’re indeed having a flare-up and you've unknowingly shut the door on your poor Murphy in your pain-induced haze. Recognizing one of his humans, he stands up, stretching before wobbly walking over to Lucy, his tail wagging. ”Is mama sleeping, Murph? Hm?” Lucy asks, leaning down and scratching his chin. Lucy treads quietly, placing her keys down on the thrifted hall table. Toeing her shoes off, she puts a Trader Joe’s and her studio bag on the dining room table. 

She quietly pads up the stairs, her heart cracking when she sees you laying face down on your shared head, a heating pad on your back, an ice pack on your neck. 

“Hi, love,” Lucy says softly. 

You groan in response painfully; Lucy notices. 

"Hey," you exhale through clenched teeth. Your voice is raspy, and it takes a few tries just to say that one word. You slowly roll over on your side, keeping close to your heating pad and ice pack.

"Rough day, huh?" Lucy whispers, her heart aching as she sees the state you're in. The pain in your voice is evident, even when you say very little. Lucy’s hand lifts your shirt, checking on your skin, constantly wary that you’ll burn your skin in desperation for some relief. She immediately notices the deep bruised circles on your back, wincing when she realizes you went to physical therapy this morning. 

“Sarah did some cupping, I see… how was therapy?” she asks softly, trailing her fingers over the marks.

“F-Fine,” you slur, teeth chattering from the sheer uncomfortableness. “I was fine all day… had lunch and then I walked Murphy and got home and… it hurts Luce,” voice trembling, tears leaking onto the pillow. 

"I know, I know," Lucy whispers soothingly, reaching out her hand to gently rub your back as she speaks. "I'm so sorry, baby. Do you want me to bring you some ibuprofen or your tens machine? What do you need?" Lucy does her best to keep her voice and tone gentle to avoid triggering an even more intense flare-up. She doesn't want you to feel more pain than you already are and wants to take care of you.

“I don’t know,” you sob softly, rubbing your eyes furiously. 

"Okay, hang on, sweet girl," Lucy says, her voice still gentle and soothing. She leaves the room momentarily and returns with ibuprofen and your tens machine. She helps you sit up more and then puts the tens machine around your back, emitting a subtle buzzing sound. She gently squeezes your hand with her own, offering some support and reassurance. "Would it help you if I made dinner and did the dishes tonight?" she asks.

“I’m not hungry,” you sniffle softly, the pain radiating up your back, throbbing deep into your skull. 

"I know," Lucy sighs quietly. "But you have to eat, love. Let me make you something light, just a little bit of something, okay?" Lucy gently strokes your hair back with her fingers, her tone still soft and caring. "You want some sourdough toast? An apple with peanut butter? I bought those crunchy things from Trader Joe’s that you like…" she offers. 

Your whimpers are response enough, her hand rubbing the back of your neck, knowing food is the last thing you want right now. “Do you want your migraine cap?” Lucy asks gently. 

“No, not now,” you respond, slurring softly. 

“When are you due for another injection, my love?” Lucy asks, rubbing your scalp. 

“Uhhhh….” it hurts to think, your eyes squeezing shut. 

“Okay, okay… I’ll just look at the Google calendar; just relax,” Lucy says, cringing, reprimanding herself for asking so many questions.

Lucy gently pulls you to her chest, your face resting against her chest, cheeks smushed against her shirt. She rubs your hair gently, her other hand adjusting the pads of the tens. 

“I’m sorry,” you whisper, voice muffled against Lucy’s t-shirt. 

Lucy holds you close, her heart breaking as she listens to your words. She knows how much this pain takes a toll on you, the unpredictability always throwing you through a loop. She strokes your hair softly, her face frowning when she thinks of how you dealt with this while she was gone. She knows you’re capable, but there’s a part of her riddled with guilt when she’s away having the time of her life touring and traveling, knowing you’re home in a similar position to now. She has to commend you when you are up and moving around again. She’s been home precisely 11 days while on a break before the next leg of the tour, and this is your first flare-up, your commitment to pain management and self-care paying off. 

“What time is it?” you mumble groggily, cheeks wet and flushed, eyes puffy. 

"It's a little after 6:30," Lucy gently murmurs, holding you close. She strokes your hair and your back with her hand, trying to offer some comfort despite the numbness you often feel in your head. She could tell that the flare-up had been particularly rough on you, and she knew that the pain had only exacerbated your exhaustion. She wanted you to get some rest, even though you were likely to toss and turn from the pain. 

“Mhm,” you hum, eyes closing, the ibuprofen and tens finally kicking in. 

“When did you walk, Murphy?” Lucy asks softly to gauge how long you’ve been lying in bed. 

“I don’t know… 3:30… maybe,” you slur, words soft and quiet. 

"That makes sense," Lucy whispers, her eyes on you as you slowly begin to relax and your eyelids droop. She smiles lovingly, her finger trailing down your face. She felt a little better seeing the tension in your face release and the creases between your eyebrows start to smooth out. 

She lays down next to you on the bed, her legs wrapped around yours, wanting to be close to you as you begin to rest. She closes her eyes and whispers, "I love you."

“Love you,” you mumble back, the faintest hint of a smile on your face, eyebrows finally relaxed. 

Lucy smiles softly as you say those words, her worries and anxieties slowly dissipating as she watches you fall asleep beside her. She worried about you and was scared to see you in pain. But the tiny smile on your face and the fact that you were finally falling asleep and getting some rest was a huge relief. 

Lucy watches you sleep for a while, Murphy moving up on the bed and a little too close for comfort for Lucy. She stands, tucking you in softly, removing the melted ice pack from your neck, and adjusting the heat pad further up your back. 

She beckons Murphy to the stairs; he’s staring at you in bed, whining softly. “Come on, Murph, potty time,” Lucy calls, trying to get him out of your bed and out of the bedroom. 

Murphy slowly gets off the bed, his ears drooping a bit. He doesn't want to leave you while you're sleeping, his stance at the foot of your bed almost protective. “Murphy, come,” Lucy says sternly, her tone soft enough to not wake you. He whines again, not wanting to leave but knowing he'll get much-needed attention and love once he goes outside with Lucy. 

"It's okay, Murph," she tells him quietly. She strokes his head and gives him a few scratches behind the ears, trying to gently encourage him to go outside. After a few more moments, Murphy finally gives in and follows Lucy down the stairs.

While Murphy does his business, Lucy can’t help but admire the sun setting, the sky awash with shades of orange, yellow, and pink. The trees and buildings cast long shadows across the skyline, and the view from your back porch was stunning. Lucy couldn't help but snap a few photos to capture the moment, knowing that it was something that you would love.

Eventually, she and Murphy return inside, throwing him a small treat and watching him gulp water as she fills his food bowl with dinner. She returns to the dining table, finally putting away the groceries, wincing when she remembers her perishables, but it hadn’t been that long. She moves about the kitchen, putting dry goods into jars and boxes in the pantry. While cleaning, Lucy can see the exact moment the flare-up started based on the random assortment of things lying out in the kitchen and moving into the living room. 

Lucy makes a quick little snack plate, knowing fully well you will only touch some of it. She fills up your huge water bottle with ice water and walks up the stairs, Murphy at her heels, excited for your bedroom door to be open again. 

Lucy gently nudges the door with her knee, and Murphy rushes in, excited to see you after being out. She places everything on the nightstand before moving to the bathroom to run a hot bath with Epsom salt, throwing some towels in the warmer, a thoughtful gift from Phoebe last Christmas. She returns to the bedroom, greeting you by kneeling on the floor near the bed, kissing your nose and cheek softly, her knuckle gently brushing your cheekbone. 

“Hmm?” you hum, eyes closed, feeling a nudging on the bed, Murphy’s nose gently pushing the back of your knee. Opening your eyes, Lucy is in view, her bright eyes and wide smile, soft features. “You look like an angel,” you murmur playfully, eyes crusty and cheek squished against the pillow. 

Lucy chuckles softly as you call her an angel, her face turning a bright shade of pink as she smiles softly. She gently brushes some of the tears from your face, her thumb gently caressing your cheek. "You need a minute to wake up?” she asks, unplugging your heating pad and checking the skin of your upper back again. You shake your head gently, the position becoming uncomfortable. “Hold on, sweetheart, give me a second,” Lucy says, tapping your shoulder as she pulls off the wires from your tens. 

“Bathtime," she teases, her voice still soft and gentle. She knew you were still in pain, and the exhaustion was catching up to you, but she wanted to make you comfortable. 

“You ran me a bath?” you ask, words still slurred from sleep. 

"Yes, I did," she chuckles softly, her face still flushed as she gently helps you sit up. She takes your hand and helps you swing your legs off the bed, trying to help you get your bearings. "It's just about ready. Do you want some help walking to the tub?" she asks gently.

“Please,” you whisper, eternally grateful for your sweet angel of a partner. 

"Of course, lovie," Lucy says softly, heart aflutter at your softness. She wraps her arm around your back and helps you walk down the short hallway and into the bathroom. She gently supports you until you're sitting on the closed toilet, and then she starts to help you undress. She's careful to keep you comfortable and not push you too much, but she also knows that soaking will help with some pain. “Arms up…atta girl,” she teases, lifting your shirt over your head. 

Lucy helps you slowly into the tub, hissing at the temperature and then relaxing in the hot water. A small smile grows on your face, almost bashful to sit in front of Lucy this way, even though this is common. 

 “Thank you,” you say, voice thick with emotion. Lucy sits down next to the tub, Murphy lying at her feet. 

"You're welcome, my love," Lucy whispers, her voice still gentle and caring. She leans against the tub, rubbing your knee, her eyes on you as you settle in and relax. Murphy’s head lifts to look at you softly, sighing contentedly and enjoying the quiet moment with his moms. The combination of the warmth of the bath and the Epsom salt helps to soothe your muscles and help you relax, and Lucy and Murphy are thrilled to see you finally getting a break from the pain.

[old-daemon-farts]

I had once answered a question about how to open up the concept of daemons to someone on the more scientific/psychological side. It seems their account has been deleted but Tumblr threw this old post in my face and I think it still holds up pretty well. ---

Daemons are the internal personified version of the second half of someone’s mental dialogue or subconscious. They tend to fill in the role that is needed most. 

The mind is really powerful and a daemon is a powerful tool if cultivated. There is admittedly not much that I know of for reference from a purely psychological viewpoint. There are health benefits, growth benefits, and companion benefits.

Daemons tend to be dormant until needed or the time is right to cultivate. They are very similar to daemon software if thinking of the brain as a machine strikes your fancy.

They can analyze things from an opposite perspective or release frustrations to the world without any risk. That analysis or release will show you how you really feel rather than what you think you should be feeling. They are a way to get in contact with your subconscious and desires.

How about self-help and positive affirmations? Daemons used as a therapy technique is very common. If you read any self-help book you will start to see how easily the inner workings of a daemon match or work flawlessly with suggestions and techniques given. Your subconscious seems to have already been equipped and these people are telling you what you already know.

Then there are those who switch out with their daemons. Parroting or actually swapping between them and their daemon. Becoming your daemon is quite freeing for both parties involved. It helps get frustrations out or powers you through difficult situations or personal hesitations.

There are a few similar concepts, like the self-schema, that radiate daemon energy. But I’m afraid I don’t have those sources built up enough yet to share.

--- What are daemons?

Daemonism101

[dizaryswrites]

It's Whumptober time!!

I'm overflowing with ideas and ready to hear which characters y'all want to see!

I took out prompts I have plans for. The rest you can send character suggestions for if you have them! Or if you'd like to see a prompt happen in one of my existing series/AUs. As always, creativity is fickle and if I don't use your suggestion, it's not personal 🙏🏻

Available prompts below the cut!

No. 2: TRUST ISSUES

Amusement Park | Role Reversal | “You got away with the crime while the knife's in my back.” (Charlotte Sands, Rollercoaster)

No. 3: SET UP FOR FAILURE

Fingerprints | Wrongfully Arrested | "I warned you."

No. 4: HALLUCINATIONS

Hypnosis | Sensory Deprivation | “You're still alive in my head.” (Billy Lockett, More)

No. 5: SUNBURN

Healing Salve | Heatstroke | "If my pain will stretch that far." (Lottery Winners, Burning House)

No. 6: NOT REALISING THEY'RE INJURED

Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms | Healed Wrong | "It's not my blood."

No. 7: ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES

Unconventional Weapon | Magic with a Cost | "It's us or them."

No. 8: SLEEP DEPRIVATION

Isolation Chamber | Forced to Stay Awake | "Leave the lights on." (Coldplay, Midnight)

No. 9: OBSESSION

Broken Window | Bruises | “Frame me up on the wall, just to keep me out of trouble.” (Fall Out Boy, Irresistible)

Slurred Words | Passing Out from Pain | "I can't think straight."

No. 10: BLOW TO THE HEAD

No. 11: SEEING DOUBLE

Convenience Store | Loneliness | “Leave no trace behind, like you don't even exist.” (Taylor Swift, Illicit Affairs)

No. 13: TEAM AS A FAMILY

Familial Curse | Multiple Whumpees | "Death will do us part." (Set It Off, Partner's In Crime)

No. 16: NECROSIS

Swamp | Wound Cleaning | "No, I can't feel anything."

No. 18: REVENGE

Unreliable Narrator | Loss of Identity | “I see what's mine and take it.” (Panic! at the Disco, Emperor's New Clothes)

No. 19: BLOOD TRAIL

Abandoned Cabin | One Way Out | "Is there anybody alive out there?" (Bruce Springsteen, Radio Nowhere)

No. 21: BODY HORROR

Body Horror | Tattoo Gun | Spirit Possession | “Let the bedsheet soak up the tears.” (Apparat feat. Soap & Skin, Goodbye)

No. 22: BLEEDING THROUGH BANDAGES

Tourniquet | Reopening Wounds | "Oh that's not good."

No. 23: FORCED CHOICE

Public Display | Broken Pedestal | "I'm doing this for you."

No. 24: RADIATION POISONING

Collapsed Building | Equipment Failure | “I never knew daylight could be so violent.” (Florence + The Machine, No Light, No Light)

No. 25: SURGERY

Stitches | Being Monitored | "It's for your own good."

No. 26: NIGHTMARES

Breakfast Table | Parting Words of Regret | “I'm haunted by the lies that I have loved, the actions I have hated.” (Poe, Haunted)

No. 27: VOICELESS

Laboratory | Muzzled | “I have no mouth and I must scream.”

No. 29: FATIGUE

Labyrinth | Burnout | "Who said you could rest?"

No. 30: RECOVERY

Hospital Bed | Holding Back Tears | "What have I done?"

No. 31: ASKING FOR HELP

Therapy | Making Amends | "I'm alive, I'm just not well." (Elliot Lee, Alive, Not Well.)

[noforkingclue]

So I've decided to give my hand a go at Whumptober again.

So feel free to send in a request for one of the prompts- list

You can find all the fandoms the I write for on my pinned post.

Available prompts

Whumptober 2024 Prompt List

No. 1: RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK- 13th Doctor

Search Party | Panic Attack | "If only we could hold on.” (Icysami x Renegaderr, Strangers.)

No. 2: TRUST ISSUES- Merlin

Amusement Park | Role Reversal | “You got away with the crime while the knife's in my back.” (Charlotte Sands, Rollercoaster)

No. 3: SET UP FOR FAILURE

Fingerprints | Wrongfully Arrested | "I warned you."

No. 4: HALLUCINATIONS

Hypnosis | Sensory Deprivation | “You're still alive in my head.” (Billy Lockett, More)

No. 5: SUNBURN- Rory Williams

Healing Salve | Heatstroke | "If my pain will stretch that far." (Lottery Winners, Burning House)

No. 6: NOT REALISING THEY'RE INJURED- River Cartwright

Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms | Healed Wrong | "It's not my blood."

No. 7: ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES

Unconventional Weapon | Magic with a Cost | "It's us or them."

No. 8: SLEEP DEPRIVATION

Isolation Chamber | Forced to Stay Awake | "Leave the lights on." (Coldplay, Midnight)

No. 9: OBSESSION- 10th Doctor

Broken Window | Bruises | “Frame me up on the wall, just to keep me out of trouble.” (Fall Out Boy, Irresistible)

No. 10: BLOW TO THE HEAD

Slurred Words | Passing Out from Pain | "I can't think straight."

No. 11: SEEING DOUBLE

Convenience Store | Loneliness | “Leave no trace behind, like you don't even exist.” (Taylor Swift, Illicit Affairs)

No. 12: STARVATION

Underground Caverns | Cannibalism | "Just a little more."

No. 13: TEAM AS A FAMILY

Familial Curse | Multiple Whumpees | "Death will do us part." (Set It Off, Partner's In Crime)

No. 14: LEFT FOR DEAD

Hunting Gear | Blackmail | “Because I want you to know what it feels like to be haunted” (tiLLie, kooL aiD mAn)

No. 15: CHILDHOOD TRAUMA- Silver!Simm or Missy

Painful Hug | Moment of Clarity | "I did good, right?"

No. 16: NECROSIS- 15th Doctor

Swamp | Wound Cleaning | "No, I can't feel anything."

No. 17: NOWHERE ELSE TO GO

Ruined Map | Shipwrecked | "We had a good run."

No. 18: REVENGE- 8th Doctor

Unreliable Narrator | Loss of Identity | “I see what's mine and take it.” (Panic! at the Disco, Emperor's New Clothes)

No. 19: BLOOD TRAIL

Abandoned Cabin | One Way Out | "Is there anybody alive out there?" (Bruce Springsteen, Radio Nowhere)

No. 20: EMOTIONAL ANGST

Shoulder to Cry On | Giving Permission to Die | "It's not your fault."

No. 21: BODY HORROR

Body Horror | Tattoo Gun | Spirit Possession | “Let the bedsheet soak up the tears.” (Apparat feat. Soap & Skin, Goodbye)

No. 22: BLEEDING THROUGH BANDAGES- Thomas Shelby

Tourniquet | Reopening Wounds | "Oh that's not good."

No. 23: FORCED CHOICE- Dick Grayson/Nightwing

Public Display | Broken Pedestal | "I'm doing this for you."

No. 24: RADIATION POISONING

Collapsed Building | Equipment Failure | “I never knew daylight could be so violent.” (Florence + The Machine, No Light, No Light)

No. 25: SURGERY- Thomas Shelby (wartime)

Stitches | Being Monitored | "It's for your own good."

No. 26: NIGHTMARES- 10th Doctor

Breakfast Table | Parting Words of Regret | “I'm haunted by the lies that I have loved, the actions I have hated.” (Poe, Haunted)

No. 27: VOICELESS

Laboratory | Muzzled | “I have no mouth and I must scream.”

No. 28: DENIAL

CCTV | Exposure | "They caught me red handed."

No. 29: FATIGUE

Labyrinth | Burnout | "Who said you could rest?"

No. 30: RECOVERY

Hospital Bed | Holding Back Tears | "What have I done?"

No. 31: ASKING FOR HELP- River Cartwright

Therapy | Making Amends | "I'm alive, I'm just not well." (Elliot Lee, Alive, Not Well.)

Alternatives List:

Body Swap

Communication Barrier

Finding Old Messages

Forgotten

Friendly Fire

Motion Sickness

No-Holds-Barred Beatdown

Regret

Secrets Revealed

Shivering

Survivor's Guilt

Time Loop

Used As Bait

Venom

Vermin

[trainer-sean]

DPxDC Prompt: Pokémon Au

@stealingyourbones

@im-totally-not-an-alien-2

@new-revenant

pokemon au Dp x Dc

most of the ghost stuff is different, because its now the Fenton's studying The Ghost typing, which, they are now morally correct. due to studying it and have machines processing the Ghost Type Infinity energy, they've had alot of ghost types born from their machines, and alot collect around their home. Danny has developed a Ghost type alignment in his Aura(aura having wave lengths with infinity energy, which affects some traits a person has, like water type alignment are good at swimming and holding their breath) due to his parents studys letting the G.T. infinity energy radiating through the house influencing his aura development while it was developing.

the Fenton are the local professors in town, but mostly pass out Ghost, Dark, Fairy, and Psychic types due to their studys being connected to them.

When they find Danny has a Ghost Type Alignment, with secondary Ice and Psychic, they give him a Dreept they had been previously studying for his starter pokemon.

Jazz has previously been on a journey, with a Teddiursa, she caught psychic types and many pokemon good for Emotional support and therapy due to her developing her like of Psychology during her journey, she made it to 4 gym badges before deciding to head home for studying, splitting up with her traveling companion, Harleen Quinzel, a friend who shared similar likes. However, she would later be kidnapped and tortured by Joker, eventually becoming Harley Quinn, her pokemon have been confiscated, and given to Jazz, to keep them safe.

DC is still a heavy part here.

due to pokemon and pokemon league being a thing, Civilians will help apprehend criminals, due to pokemon training originally being a Crime deterrent. this has also turned away multiple invasions. also, Apocalypse(can't remember jow to spell that name) was destroyed long ago by Arceus, Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina, so no Darkseid. isn't it great when God's actually do their jobs.

starters: Danny with Dreepy, Sam with Bounsweet, Tucker with Togedimaru, and Jazz with Teddiursa.

when Danny goes on his journey at 14, he, Sam, Tucker, and Jazz, head out to travel Unova. Jazz here to mentor and chaperone. they ran into multiple incidents involving poachers and evil teams, and assisted Heroes, like many trainers. The League actually has a meeting every few weeks to talk about some of the notable trainers that helped them, and even watch the League Tournaments as team bonding. Batman is more approachable here, and he and the batfam use suits that have tech that allow them to use attacks, primarily based on the closest pokemon to their animals. regular animals still exist.

Diana actually uses Burst(from the manga, Pokemon ReBurst), which fuses a human and pokemon. She typically does it with a Braviary, but her people also can call upon Ho-oh or Lugia to preform Burst in times of need. Shes still a demi-goddess, this is mostly for situations where she needs a change of tactics or a boost in strength.

the DP team find a old Temple, one that was recently cleaned out and collapsed, when some ghost types were beckoning for help, after clearing the way they found a strange woman who'd look like she was trapped for weeks, she looked half feline pokemon, much like Killer Krok in Gotham.

Barbara Ann Minerva had been obsessed with archeology from a young age, sense she learned of all the pokemon that were artificially made by ancient civilizations and that Fossils could be revived. But while she was interning for a Professor on a exploration if a temple, she and the Professor were backstabbed, the professor killed and she shot through the back, thankfully not through the spine. They had blew up the pathway, Barbara was stuck, her mentor was dead, and she was likely to starve. she returned her pokemon so they wouldn't have to worry of starving, and started crying. her crying angered something. The Temple she was in was the resting place of the Legendary pokemon Cheeralah (chi-rah-lah), an Electric Fighting type, a humanoid and feminine cheetah pokemon, with bandages wrapped around her legs, arms, and chest, and Bronze markings along her body. Some human was whining in her Temple, she was angry, so she cursed Barbara, turning her into what was basically a Human Cheeralah hybrid.

when the Dp Team made it to Barbara, Cheeralah was angry enough that she showed up, along with two Zeraora. A Raid Battle occurred, with much struggle, from all the pokemon one Danny's, Sams, tuckers, Jazzs, Barbara, and the Professors teams, all three legends were caught. and then Danny accidently caught Barbara.

Gotham, the spirit, became a legendary pokemon along time ago, and still has no clue how to assist with everything, she became some variant of Lunala, but a Dark/Ghost type, and she just can't seem to exit the spiritual plan, which is probably the doing of some wizard or something to prevent city spirits that became pokemon from running around causing havoc. She eventually breaks out when Jason was kidnapped. She looks like a darker Lunala with a more pointed tail, she has a form change that makes her look like dawn wing necrozma, but not entirely, it does look like necrozma parts, maybe even make it an artificial form change made by Bruce, similar to the enhancement equipment Jessie and James sometimes use on their pokemon, maybe even a special batmobile that attaches power ranger style with a ride pokemon saddle part for Bruce. Called: Gothmala.

Something Similar to Metropolis, who became a Variant of Solagaleo, a Steel/Fairy type, who just watches from the sidelines as the superfamily protects his city, but his appreciation can be felt by the super family due to their lack of resistance to supernatural power. Maybe make its presence capable of breaking down green kryptonite and its radiation. Maybe Clark, taking a note out of Bruce's book, makes a armor mode for it using some Kryptonian tech. Called: Metgaleo.

Maybe make some of the other city spirits similar to regular pokemon, like like paradox pokemon, like star city(thats green arrows place right?) Is a Decidueye, but it has a pair of crossbow like structures floating beside it instead of being able to make a bow string, due to not being a grass type. Ghost/fighting type.

And in Amity Park, the Fenton's research has caused Amity Park's city spirit to develope into a pokemon, a variant of Hoopa, due to the form change and Desiree's mischief with wishes. A black and green Unbound form. Ghost/Fairy type.

The Fenton's also accidently made a Variant of Type:Null from digital blue prints and such of the usual species, combined with research files on Giratina and the distortion world, and went through the development program used to process and make Porygon, and went through the Transfer machine. Its built like a mildly serpentine Type:null, no hind legs, the head piece being more shaped like a Giratina head piece. Normal/Ghost type, with the primary type being changeable with the disks. Built like a Lindwyrm. The first one is studied by the Fentons and Aether to make sure its Healthy and stable, Danny is even brought over to help calm it due to his compatibility to Ghost types. Name, Type:Ghoul, evolved/unsealed form called Spectvally.

Cheeralah, The War Pokemon. a Legendary Electric and Fighting type. Cheeralah were once worshipped as Gods of protection and purity, but worshipped members began to enjoy fighting and conflict while protecting the innocent. Zeraora are believed to be lesser incarnations born from Cheeralah lust for battle being so great that they forcefully removed it and it became a pokemon.

(-Legendary pokemon(God or mythical types) can turn into human form.

-pokephilia might be a partially accepted thing here? Regular Supernatural species still exist like in regular DC, so maybe. So possible human pokemon hybrids running around, so laws about catching those types of people are probably a thing.

-possible Ultra-space shenanigans with alternate timelines, different dimensions, Pocket Dimensions, separate universes, etc. Aka Crossovers with different franchises.)

[fictionalstoryteller]

How the Main Characters of LMK Would Babysit Your Kid

Fandom: Lego Monkie Kid

Characters: MK, Mei, Sandy, Tang, & Pigsy

TW: none at all! Just wholesome fluff here ^^

Hello there new people! Yes yes, welcome to my first post on Tumblr. These are just some personal head cannons of mine, so if you have any critiques or questions please ask me about them in the comments. I also plan to do this for the side characters and antagonists of the show, so be on the lookout for that! Now let’s get this show on the road 🚗💨

MK:

With all due respect, why would you let him babysit your kid?! He’s the main protagonist! Something bad is bound to happen, no matter how good of a job he does

Ok but in all seriousness he’s probably going to take his job super seriously. So seriously, in fact, that he’ll swear off any crazy adventures for the day I doubt that’ll stop the antagonists from messing with him though

Knowing MK he’ll get slightly freaked out by the notion of letting you down

When you finally drop your kid off MK has already set aside some crayons and paper on the counter

They both do some doodling, order some noodles, and talk about how cool Monkey king is

If it’s a good day for it then MK might even take the kid to visit Monkey King! He’s got good connections man 

Mk gets distracted super easily so he definitely lost the kid at LEAST once

Overall I’d rate him a 6.8/10. He has an energetic and lovable personality, and he will definitely will give it his all. That being said he can’t focus to save his life. And he’s the main protagonist. So there’s a 50/50 chance that he’ll end up taking the kid on some wacky adventure of his on accident 

Mei:

Yes this is definitely a good idea. The hyper green skittle themed teen with parent issues will totally make a good babysitter! What? No of course I’m not being sarcastic! Whatever gave you that idea? 🤭

Mei probably volunteered for the job because she likes your kid, after all she definitely isn’t in need of any money 

You’ll have to drop your kid off at Pigsy’s Noodles since Mei wouldn’t want the kid to break anything at her parents place

She doesn’t really have a plan for the day, so they start off the babysitting session playing Monkey Mech, the arcade machine game in front of Pigsy’s noodles

Mei definitely offered to take the kid on a ride on her motorcycle. But don’t worry! I’m sure she had an extra helmet! Heh…

Ok let’s be honest, Mei gave your kid a crap ton of sugar. Like your kid is gonna need to brush their teeth at least three times before going to bed-

Luckily your kid ends up running all of the sugar out of their system before you pick them up thanks to Mei’s liveliness

No way your kids going to be bored. After all, Mei is super energetic and basically radiates cool older sister energy! But there are some negatives, especially because she does less then… responsible things at times. (Like letting a kid ride a motorcycle) she means well! She just doesn’t want to be as boring as her parents were. I’d give her a solid 6/10

Sandy:

Sandy couldn’t be happier that you chose HIM of all people to babysit your precious little angel. 

This overgrown Smurf already bought a ton of stuff for your kid to use while at his place, even though they’re only going to be there for a couple of hours

You’ll have to drop your kid off at Sandy’s houseboat for babysitting time

If your kid is allergic to cats then your out of luck, because he has 28 cats besides Mo. (and yes… this is canon…) BUT if your kid loves cats they’ll practically be in heaven. Especially since they’re all technically therapy cats, so they’re bound to be nice! Heh- Right?

This man has the best type of snacks for your kid, a mixture of salty and savory stuff! And if you want him to he can also pull out some tea for the kid. No one’s going home hungry today. No one.

If Sandy ever got distracted Mo would be there to make sure your kid wouldn’t do anything dangerous

Since Sandy’s house radiates calm energy there’s a good chance that they end up falling asleep on his couch at some point

Sandy is a literal icon. He has so many activities for them to do, like painting, yoga, and crafts. (And don’t pretend like he wouldn’t play all game they asked him to play) He also has delicious food that’s healthy, and he has cats! But for some kids that’s just not their cup of tea, hence why I’m not giving him a perfect score. After all, kids can be absolute menaces when cooped up in one place for a long period of time. Therefore I’m giving papa Smurf here an 9.5/10!

Tang:

Just to be clear Tang ain’t doing this for free. He’s either asking for some moola, sacred texts, or ramen. Tsk tsk, Tang is so greedy 😔 

Tang has so much experience dealing with MK, so he totally knows what type of stories your kid would love. Most of them are probably going to be about past legends and what-not

If he’s in a generous mood he might take your kid to see a museum! If your kid isn’t into that sort of stuff then he’ll consider some other fun activities. This could be exploring the town, visiting a library, things like that

Tang would totally take your kid out for some Pigsy’s Noodles when they got hungry, and he might even teach them a few tactics that’ll help them get some free food… (Pigsy would be LIVID)

If your kid is a bookworm Tang might share a few of his favorite books. And if he likes the kid enough he might even let them borrow the books until the next babysitting session

Tang is a simple man with simple needs, unlike most kids. He’s a bookworm who has a cool kid complex, clearly the most normal out of everyone in the gang. Because of this, your kid will be completely out of harms way! But that doesn’t change the fact that he might appear a bit boring… at least in the beginning of the babysitting session. But I have no doubt that as time goes on your kid will grow to appreciate his swindling ways and his logical thought processes! After all, MK practically idolizes him, and he’s practically just a kid in a teenagers body. That being said it’ll definitely cost you some pocket change to hire him. Anyways, Tang is getting a 7.5/10 from me!

Pigsy:

Pigsy probably has the most experience with kids out of anyone in the gang since he basically raised MK

I imagine Pigsy wouldn’t want to take a day off to babysit, and so he’d probably get MK to help work in the kitchen so he can focus on your kid without getting too distracted. And if MK is busy he’ll just ask someone else in the gang! Though, he probably won’t be happy about it-

After you drop your kid off at Pigsy’s restaurant he’ll have two options for them to choose from: Help out in the kitchen or hang out at a table

If your kid wants to help in the back he’ll teach them all the basics of noodle making! But if your kid is a slow learner he’ll probably just give ‘em some dough to play with while he works.

If your kid just wants to hang out at a table, Pigsy will bring them some of MK’s crayons and let them do some drawing. Don’t worry, he’ll occasionally peek out of the kitchen to check on them

Pigsy is kind but stern, so your kid should be prepared to get yelled at lectured at least once 😅 (I’m kidding ofc, I don’t think he’d really yell unless he was in a panic or REALLY upset. Something tells me he has a soft spot for kids)

Whoever is helping him work would also get to hang out with your kid during their breaks, so it’s like 2 babysitters for the cost of 1!

I love Pigsy, and I’m sure other people do as well! He has experience and is fairly responsible, he definitely wouldn’t let your kid get away with doing something bad. He can be tense at times, so if your kid is sensitive he might not be the best babysitter for them. But I’d like to point out HE DEFINITELY HAS A SOFT SPOT FOR KIDS which means he might be nicer than normal. Because of this I’m rating his babysitting services an 8/10!

[unbreakabledawn]

6, 31, 44 for the ask game :)

hi!

6. Age you get mistaken for

you know i don't think i've ever had someone wrongly assume my age before? i never get carded and no one seem surprised when i tell them my age lol. so i guess i look my age! (early-mid 20s)

31. What your last text message says

i don't really text, my last few were all boring work related stuff lol. so let's do discord DMs instead

I'll get back to writing my slightly overripe avocados

shoutout to Gement and the superbatweek server for injecting "write your avocados" into several people's vocabularies including mine 🥑 was the above msg to me or from me? i'll leave that a mystery

44. A random fact about anything

most people probably know about chemo and radiation therapy as cancer treatments, but there's also something called internal radiation therapy, which is when the source of radiation is placed inside the body (as opposed to conventional external beam radiation, where a machine blasts your body with radiation from the outside). i didn't know about this until i did a rotation in a cancer ward and got to observe a 177Lu (Lutathera) treatment! certain radioisotopes take to certain types of cancer cells, so the radiation is concentrated in the cancer cells despite circulating through the body. i love medicine <3

[ask game]

[virtualelectronicshub]

Radiation Therapy Explained: Benefits, Process, and Potential Side Effects

Radiation therapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumours. Radiation therapy works by damaging the DNA of cancer cells, which prevents them from dividing or growing. Radiation therapy can be delivered externally or internally, depending on the type and location of the cancer.

Radiotherapy is a rapidly growing technically advancing speciality.

The most advanced radiotherapy techniques include:

ETHOS, Linear Accelerators with Artificial Intelligence.

MR Linear Accelerators, where a MR imaging machine is used as part of treatment for better imaging and treatment position and precision.

Cyberknife:  A miniature linear accelerator mounted on a robotic arm, used for high precision radiotherapies to like brain tumors and recurrent tumors close to critical organs.  Cyberknife is used even in noncancerous brain tumors like schwannommas and trigeminal nerve roots alleviating the pain and suffering of trigeminal neuralgia.

Proton Beam Therapy.

3D conformal radiation therapy.

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)

Volumetric modulated radiation therapy (VMAT)

Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT)

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS)

Brachytherapy.

Superficial x-ray radiation therapy (SXRT)

Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT)

Benefits of Radiation Therapy

For many common cancers, such as breast cancer, bowel cancer, uterine cancer, skin cancers and prostate cancer, radiation therapy is highly effective in reducing the risk of cancer recurrence if delivered either before or after surgery. In some cancers (for example (prostate, head and neck, bladder, lung, cervix and skin cancers), radiation therapy, with or without drug therapy, can be used as the main curative treatment and in this way avoids the risks of surgery and the removal of organs.

For some cancers that are too advanced to be cured, radiation therapy is very effective for pain and other problems caused by cancer, such as bleeding from the lung or bladder. For example, pain in the bones from the spread of cancer can be improved significantly or be completely removed in around 75% of patients.

New technological advances in radiation therapy have made life better for cancer patients in recent years by making treatments even quicker, more accurate and effective.

Radiation therapy can help:

●      Cure cancer by destroying all the cancer cells in a tumour.

●      Control cancer by slowing down its growth or preventing it from spreading to other parts of the body.

●      Relieve symptoms such as pain, bleeding, or pressure caused by a tumour.

Process of Radiation Therapy

The process of radiation therapy varies depending on the type and stage of the cancer, the goals of the treatment, and the patient’s overall health and preferences. Generally, the process involves:

Radiation therapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses high energy beams to destroy cancer cells and shrink tumours.

The American Cancer Society notes that more than half of people with cancer receive radiation therapy.

Radiation damages genetic material called DNA inside of cancer cells. If the cancer cell cannot repair the DNA, the cell will not be able to produce new cells and may die.

The radiation may injure noncancerous cells, but most are able to recover.

A person’s treatment team will carefully plan radiation therapy to minimise damage to normal tissues and organs.

●  A consultation with a radiation oncologist, who is a doctor who specialises in treating cancer with radiation.

● A planning session is where a radiation therapist will keep the patient  immobilised in position with thermoplastic masks, then imaging tests such as CT scans or MRI scans are used to map out the exact location and size of the tumour and the surrounding normal tissues.

●  A simulation session, where a radiation therapist will position the patient on a table and mark the skin with ink or tattoos to guide the delivery of the radiation beams.

● A treatment session, where the patient will lie still on a table while a machine called a linear accelerator will deliver the radiation beams to the tumour from different angles. The treatment session may last from a few minutes to an hour, depending on the dose and type of radiation therapy. The patient may need to have several treatment sessions over days, weeks, or months.

Potential Side Effects of Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy can cause side effects that vary depending on the part of the body being treated, the dose and type of radiation therapy, and the patient’s individual response. Some common side effects include:

●      Skin changes such as redness, dryness, itching, peeling, or blistering.

●      Fatigue or tiredness that may interfere with daily activities.

●      Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, or constipation that may affect appetite and    digestion.

●      Hair loss in the area being treated.

●      Mouth sores or dry mouth that may make eating or swallowing difficult.

●      Headaches or memory problems that may affect concentration or mood.

●      Inflammation or infection of the bladder or rectum that may cause pain or bleeding during urination or bowel movements.

Most side effects are temporary and will go away after the treatment is completed. However, some side effects may be long-lasting or permanent, such as infertility, nerve damage, lymphedema (swelling caused by fluid build-up), or secondary cancers.

Radiation therapy is an effective and safe way to treat many types of cancer. However, it is not suitable for everyone and it may have some risks and limitations. Therefore, it is important to discuss with your doctor about the benefits and drawbacks of radiation therapy for your specific situation before starting the treatment.

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