#rhythm: fracture ray

[tsunagite]

Doodles pt 3

[kazooreal]

LETS GOO

[avocadoletters]

Bandages

Pairing: Matt Murdock x F!Reader (no mention of Y/N)

Trigger warning: Mentions of illness, but really just Matt and Reader both being fluffy and stubborn people 

Summary: Matt catches you trying to take care of an injury and wants to take care of you. Established relationship. 

A/N: This is my first posted fanfic attempt of Matt Murdock EVER, and then my first in over a decade in general. Please be kind *puppy eyes*

Word Count: 1,090

Damn it damn it damn it.

Freshly showered from the day’s worth of grime and general annoyance of working with the public while the right side of your rib cage hurt, your skin was finally dry enough to re-wrap your injury without tugging yet simultaneously defying your every attempt.

Of course normally you were able to wrangle your arms around, but in this particular case doing so pulled all the wrong muscles and you had specific instructions from your doctor to take it easy.

Easy would be easy if the stupid thing would simply stay put.

“Need a hand?” The deep voice behind you made you leap, and then wince simultaneously.

Matt Murdock may have been a Daredevil by night, and under normal circumstances he was risking his luck by sneaking up on you like that. Of course you missed how your boyfriend’s face imitated your own. Warm hands curled gently around your bare shoulders and damp hair as he pulled you into a soft hold through the latest spasm.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” He kissed your neck, cheek, and temple, the scruff a pleasant distraction as you came back to. “I didn’t mean to surprise you.”

“A little late for that Murdock.” You sighed, with unfurling fists to finally return his embrace and snuggle into his arms to accept more apology kisses as the two of you breathed each other in.

“You didn’t hear me walk in?”

Admittedly you’d been a tad distracted by your task, and now you were distracted by the rhythm of his chest breathing against yours as if you two hadn’t been apart a mere eight hours. “No, I was busy.” You teased, muffling into his shirt. “Plus you’re like a cat, always skulking.”

You could feel Matt grin, no doubt to the point of dimples, as he murmured darkly in your ear. “Or pouncing.”

A short laugh brought another sharp pain that brought both of you back to the present. “You couldn’t wait for me to get home?”

“Oh please, it’s not like I’m bleeding out Counselor. I can take care of myself every now and again.”

“Overruled. You’ve never had a fractured rib before. Those injuries take time.”

“Alleged fractured rib, thank you. My X Ray didn’t find anything.”

“And with respect to the medical field are you going to believe a blurry photo or a man who’s suffered his fair share of experience in the field?”

The two of you leaned away and with a huff you rolled your eyes and made what had been affectionately dubbed as your angry muppet face. “Fine. Sustained.”

Matt kissed your cheek again. “Are you going to let me help you now please?” Blind and handsome, he let you go and held out his hand expectantly.

With your left hand you dumped the roll of an ace bandage and sighed. Then as he pressed the initial end to your sternum just beneath your bra line, he began looping the elastic around and around, occasionally checking on the tightness to avoid more discomfort or agitating proper circulation. You hadn’t managed a shirt yet since your shower so all you could do in the meantime was hold your arms out.

“It’s not fair, you know. When you get injured it’s from rooftop fights and ninja battles, I crack a rib after coughing a few times.”

Matt tilted his head with a wry smile. “You compare walking pneumonia to ‘coughing a few times’?”

“Maybe…”You pouted. “Not like it’s anything attractive.”

“And now you think getting in hand to hand combat to where I come home covered in bruises attractive?”

You bit the inside of your cheek. “Well you sure do make it look attractive Matty. It’s not like getting a cold would break any bones for you.”

Matt completed the other end and gently placed each prong to hold it in place as you handed it to him from the sink.

“As much as I appreciate the compliment Sweetheart, anyone who coughed like you did would have definitely broken something. Even me. But–” He hooked his index finger in the top of the bandage and gingerly pulled you closer to where you held onto him by the biceps. “What was the lesson we learned from this?”

You hmm’d a noise of innocence which normally would have Matt chuckling, except not today. Not when every time you moved in the wrong direction too fast he had to listen as your muscles would tense and spasm causing you to clench in pain. Nothing was worth that to him. Not when you tossed and turned at night unable to find a comfortable position without aggravating your side more. Then certainly not when the site was inflamed to where icing did little and he had to watch where he held you.

But much like him, you weren’t one to make a fuss about being injured. If you complained it was either that the pain had gotten too much to handle after a long day, or that you were frustrated that you weren’t magically healed overnight. He’d tried having you meditate, but that had only gotten so far.

“It’s called ‘we go to the doctor when we’re sick instead of putting it off too long’.” Matt chided, pulling you softly to emphasize his words.

“Oh you’re one to talk Devil man!” You pointed at him. “Broken, bleeding, or concussed you never see a doctor.”

“That’s because I can handle myself.”

“--it’s because you’re stubborn. Pot, kettle, black.”

“I wouldn’t know technically.” He stopped teasing with another truth. “And I’m not the one with an asthmatic pre-condition thank you very much.”

You didn’t have a retort for that one, only a deeper frown. With a sigh he snuggled you in closer again and took in the freshness of your shampoo. “I didn’t like how every day you only got worse and worse. How you struggled to breathe despite everything. There was nothing I could do but feel that pain with you. I’d rather not do that again please.``

That at least the two of you could agree on. “Fine. But next time you’re grumpy because you have to sit still after a ‘hard day at work’ don’t forget that karma’s a bitch Murdock. “

Finally Matt’s chest filled once again with the warmth of his laughter as he rubbed a line down your back, stepping away to grab one of his t-shirts off the hook to help thread your arms through and loop over your head, sealing it with a firm kiss to your lips.

“I look forward to it, Sweetheart.”

[honourablejester]

Tagged by @theoutcastrogue to press shuffle on my general listening playlist 10 times and relate the results. Thanks!  

I don’t have spotify or what have you, I usually listen to music on youtube on my laptop. But I’ve got a couple of playlists I’ve made, and if I shake them a bit, what comes out is:

Konya Wa Hurricane, Kinuko Omori/’Priss & the Replicants’. (It’s the opening song for the Bubblegum Crisis OVA series, the cyberpunk anime series of the 80s. In universe, it’s a song by one of the main characters and her band, aptly named Priss and the Replicants, which I love).

Sin City, Meredith Brooks. (I’m pretty sure this was from/for a Nic Cage movie, let me look this up, yes, Snake Eyes. But it’s a good noir sort of a song. “Change the names to protect the guilty, you’ll never leave Sin City … where you are king”).

Short Change Hero, The Heavy. (I’m 90% sure I first heard this song on a TF2 machinima, but it’s such a cool vibe for a post-apocalyptic western sort of deal. “This ain’t no place for no hero, this ain’t no place for better man. This ain’t no place for no hero to call home.”)

Power of the Night, Terrence Mann/’Johnny Steel’. (I’m starting to realise I have a lot of songs from various soundtracks on my lists. This one is from Critters, supposedly from the in-universe rockstar the alien hunters take the shape of. It’s a pretty sweet rock song though, and I do love Terrence Mann).

Keep the Streets Empty For Me, Fever Ray. (An eerie, drifting track that I think is about urban emptiness. Great thing to listen to at 4am on a thin night).

Labirynt, Zbigniew Preisner. (Again, if you want something drifting and eerie and vaguely unsettling. I cannot for the life of me remember how I stumbled across this, but it’s beautiful).

Spanish Train, Chris de Burgh. (Spanish Train & Other Stories was one of the tapes that always came on car journeys when we were kids. Chris de Burgh is one of the things from my childhood that really stuck. I love his story songs. Spanish Train is a fabulous little folk tale about god and the devil playing poker for the souls of a damned train).

Splitting the Atom, Massive Attack. (I found this because of the video, because the video is wild. A slow pan through a fractured black glass city to find the bizarre source of destruction at the centre. But the song itself is also great, a slow, dark, threatening rhythm. I also like their song Angel, and it’s also on my playlist).

Fancy, Reba McEntire. (I do not, as a general rule, listen to much country music, but I do like a few by Reba McEntire. This one is dark, about a girl whose mother sells her into prostitution because they desperately need money, and the woman the girl became coming back later after she’s made a life for herself to forgive her for it).

Starlight Brigade, TWRP. (This one was, again, because of the video, but it’s such a fantastic video. If they made a whole damn show of this, a-la Galaxy Rangers, or an animated music video move a-la Daft Punk’s/Leiji Matsumoto’s Interstella 5555, I would absolutely watch it. And the song itself is a fantastic synthy cheerful unabashed sci-fi cheese, and I love it).

I'm too scrambled for tagging right now, but anyone who wants to showcase their weird music choices, feel free to blame me!

[neonponders]

For @billyhargrovebingo​ ​

~ read on ao3 ~

C1 - Android

• • •

A hospital was a strange place for quality time. Mostly, it was the carpool journeys there, since everyone needed regular visits after Starcourt. Tinnitus, concussions, and blood tests were just a few of the situations they were all dealing with.

And if Steve wasn’t available, it’s because he was already at the hospital. Max had a newly instated VIP seat in his car, much to the annoyance of Dustin (who wanted Steve’s time and attention) and Lucas (who couldn’t help but feel cast aside).

Max couldn’t really blame them for not caring about her brother. Hell, she didn’t understand her own depths of affection for him until recently. The shrinks of the hospital kept talking about the Five Stages of Grief as if she were supposed to give a shit about five processes.

Max was thoroughly stuck in the bargaining phase. And she’d stay there until whatever god finally delivered his side of the bargain.

Turns out, it did. Billy Hargrove was alive, and after a long surgery where Steve Harrington of all people held Max’s hand and gripped her shoulder during her erratic mood swings of crying, Billy woke up.

A pacemaker. The god keeping her brother alive was a little, man-made, battery powered device making sure the rhythm of his heart kept time with the right music.

Max could barely make out what the doctors were saying in the hallway. It was a load of information for her mom and stepfather - two people who seemed radically different after July fourth. Neil Hargrove was...just a man. A man who had been humbled down to his knees when he learned that his son was alive, but with a caveat. And her mom...Max could see her visibly overwhelmed with the steep learning curve for taking care of an intense trauma victim.

The device will need to be replace every five to seven years, but that’s routine procedure, nothing to worry about. I daresay, he’ll be able to live a normal life - so long as he stays away from cigarettes and anything more chemically advanced than food. He’s going to be a walking miracle. Four stomach pumps, almost a dozen blood transfusions, a scattering of fractures...that young man has a hell of an angel on his side. While the bones are recovering, I want weekly x-rays and monthly MRI’s. The physical stuff we can handle, but as for his psychological wellfare, that will be a tougher, longer journey...

Max blinked stupidly, because with the doctor’s voice droning out the background hospital noise, it was hard not to focus on Steve Harrington laying a big fat kiss on her brother’s mouth.

It was desperate, like Billy was his water in a desert...but gentle, like Billy were made of tissue paper and Steve was terrified of leaving a dent or wrinkle.

Max peeked at the window, worried her mom and stepfather might notice, but they were entrenched in the crash course for Billy’s new instruction manual -

“You don’t get to die,” Steve croaked. For some reason, witnessing Steve crying shook Max’s core more than her own parents’ tears. The guy just...didn’t do that. It was a little too easy to ignore an anchor like that until his rock was lying in bed with more injuries than a fresh eighteen year old had any right to have.

Steve’s hand cradled the junction of Billy’s skull and neck. Blue eyes blinked up at him, not fully conscious, but also not interested in anything other than a sky of big, doe eyes. “Not with a battery in your chest, you damn robot.”

The next day, Dustin chimed, “So he’s like Ironman?”

Lucas frowned at him. “It’s not a pacemaker in Tony Stark’s chest, dude.”

“But it’s protecting his heart. It’s kind of like a pacemaker.”

“It sounds more like a built-in defibrillator.”

“What the hell is that?” Dustin exclaimed.

Lucas pantomimed rubbing his fists together and then connecting them to Dustin’s torso with a jolt of his body. Dustin understood and nodded, “Oh, those medical electrocution things...Where are you going?”

Max sighed as she shouldered her backpack and swung her skateboard underneath her arm. “Turns out, the hospital has the best parking lots for skateboarding. Later, nerds.”

Under her breath, she remarked, “I’d rather watch two idiots make out than whatever this is.”

For better and worse, she got her bargain.

[robog55]

I was tagged by @selunites to shuffle my main playlist and post the first 10 songs that show up! (My main playlist is literally my Youtube Liked Video playlist but shhh)

彩る夏の恋花火 (Summer Fireworks of Love) - karatoPαnchii feat. はるの

Story - Rabpit, Apo11o program, SeraAmagi, and Yuukineko

Fracture Ray (pt. StaZyo) - Sakuzyo & Sta

Mayoizuki - onoken feat. Misaki

Greedy Girl - beco (Noiseless World)

Avenir - ampstyle feat. 花たん

The Battle of Award 42 - Pascal Michael Stiefel

Till It's Over - Tristam

Blessed Messiah and the Tower of AI - Hitoshizuku × Yama△

Lifill - Feryquitous feat. Sennzai

DAMN I really like game music huh! Especially rhythm games!!

Tagging @mhizzberry and @antihibikase if they'd like to do this too! :)

[skyloftian-nutcase]

Are you still taking snippet requests? I think it would be interesting to see a patient handoff from Hyrule to either Legend or Warriors.

Hyrule and Mo pulled the stretcher into the ED room where Legend was waiting. After aligning the stretcher with the bed, they unbuckled the patient and slid him over. Mo continued to help settle the patient and remove the stretcher from the room while Legend pulled out pen and paper and awaited report from Hyrule.

"Hey," Hyrule greeted cheerily. "This is Mr. Senno, 71-year-old male who was outside mowing his lawn when he collapsed and couldn't quite get up. He said he felt stunned when he initially fell, like he couldn't move at all, but sensation came back. No loss of consciousness, and he doesn't take blood thinners. He thinks his legs just gave out. He did land in the grass. He was acting a little weird at first, kind of lethargic and generally weak with seemingly more strength in one side over the other. We did a stroke check twice and it was negative, and he was getting progressively stronger as we went along. He was still pretty weak, though, we basically carried h im onto the stretcher. Glucose was 112. We did a 12-lead and it was normal sinus rhythm. He's got some tingling in his hands, but he says it's getting better. Pupils are PEARRL. Vitals were stable throughout transport. No allergies, past medical history of hypertension. Any questions?"

Legend shook his head after he was finished scribbling. "So stroke scale was negative both times?"

Hyrule sighed. "He definitely was weaker on one side the first time and then it resolved. I don't know if he has a head injury or he had a TIA or what. It was weird. The whole thing's just weird."

Legend gave him a reassuring smile and signed his computer. "I'll let you know what we find out."

Hyrule nodded in thanks and left to clean the ambulance.

Several hours later after dropping off another patient, Legend found the paramedic cleaning the stretcher since Mo had been the one doing patient care this time around.

"Hey, Roolie, found out what was wrong with your guy," Legend announced as he approached.

Hyrule perked up. "Oh?"

"C4 fracture in his neck."

Hyrule blanched, feeling the color drain out of his face. "What?!"

"Yeah," Legend confirmed with an apologetic shrug. "He went to neuro pretty quickly. Can't believe he had that."

"He broke his neck?" Hyrule repeated, staring off in the distance. "He broke his neck and I didn't treat it?"

Legend blanched. "Hey, Roolie, no--"

"No, don't defend me, I should have put a cervical collar on him!" Hyrule snapped. "He could've died at any point if the spinal cord got pinched or damaged at all! It was already slightly damaged if he was getting tingling in his hands!"

"Hyrule," Legend interrupted his rant. "You don't have X-ray vision, okay? You couldn't have known. The guy fell from a standing position into the grass. That's not usually how you break your neck. Mechanism of injury factors into your assessment too, you know."

"Numbness and tingling, weakness, those are all neuro symptoms!"

"Yeah, and you did a stroke scale and were concerned about a head injury! You were on the right track!"

Hyrule shook his head, frustrated. "I didn't treat him right. Don't tell me I did."

Legend bit his lip, growing frustrated and opening his mouth for some sort of remark when Hyrule cut him off.

"I messed up," Hyrule said as he dragged the stretcher towards the exit, narrowing his eyes in determination as he continued, "I'll do better next time."

[iggydabirdkid]

So! Finally finished! This took a while and I'll most likely be taking a short break to draw some silly things. But! I'm pretty happy with how it all turned out!

The idea to write the fic started with @just-a-tiny-goldfish and I discussing about how Julia needed to be taken down a peg. So, that's what happened!

Title: Bad Day

Word Count: 4252

-----

You wake up covered in a sheen of sweat.

Your heart pounds a fervent rhythm in your chest and you bolt upright as your eyes dart about searching for phantoms no longer there. A nightmare. Which is not at all uncommon for you. Remnants of fear cling to your shields like cobwebs and what fractured pieces you can remember of the bad dream sends your heart into overdrive and you clutch a hand to your chest. The thin fabric of the borrowed pajamas stretches beneath your grip as your fingers curl into claws and you can feel your nails dig into your skin.

You clamp your lips shut and breathe out hard through your nose, the air wheezing as it leaves you. Your hands feel clammy and cold and you don’t need the pulsating migraine you feel behind your eyes to tell you this will be a bad day. You sit there with your lower half covered by the comforter for what feels like an hour as you count your breaths and let your panic slowly fade into the half-dark that surrounds you. Your arm shakes as you lift a hand to run it through your mess of hair and the only thing that breaks up the monotonous silence of the after panic is the gentle snoring from the solid form beside you.

You can’t believe you didn’t wake her and you’re thankful you didn’t scream, pulled from nightmares holding truths you’re too scared to face. You hadn’t yet done that here at the Ranch though it was only a matter of time with the way your psyche tormented you near constantly now days. A familiar unfamiliar place haunted by shadows of your past.

Cooped up. A sitting duck.

Suddenly the static enveloped in cotton besides you becomes crushing in how it wraps around your skin and your mind and –

You push back the sheets and hear the snore stutter but you ignore it as you swing your legs from the bed and place your feet against the soft carpeted ground. Rising to stand you stretch your arms up above your head and keep your eyes on the rays of sun that shine through the shutter blinds even as a sharp pain shoots down your back and into your legs, causing you to wince.

You can feel the hum of Tía Elena’s mind from the heart of the house and so, careful not to wake Julia from her slumber, you grab your cane from where it has fallen to the floor (had you knocked it over whilst trapped in the murky depths of your mind?), slide on Julia’s spare slippers and start to leave. As you reach the doorway however you find yourself stopping and you look back over your shoulder at the unmoving mass of woman under the thin blanket. You had asked her to stay the night with you, fearing the arrival of a bad day and hoping her presence would be a comfort but if you had known… The pressure of the static is too much and you white-knuckle your cane before you turn and step from the room.

You’re filled with a sense of nostalgia as you lumber through the hall that not even the throbbing pain can chase away. It would be so easy to get lost in memories of happier, simpler times and you almost do until you catch your foot on the corner of the hallway table and stumble. You swear and fling your free arm out to steady yourself against the wall and your fingertips brush over a picture frame half-hidden by shadows. You take a breath to right yourself and gently nudge the table back into place before you turn to inspect the photo that hangs in the simple frame.

Julia stands slightly off-center behind a wooden table, her face looks ashen and the smile you see on her lips is definitely forced. It’s a party, you realize, if the balloons in the background and streamers in the foreground are anything to go by. A birthday party. Her birthday party. But what had made this one worthy of its framed position? You squint and lean close and in doing so are able to make out the numbers on the cake framed by Julia’s hands braced on the table either side of the treat.

32.

You hate that you struggle to recall exactly when that was and you don’t know if that’s the fault of the discomfort that the pulsing in your skull is causing, or that your mind is simply refusing to work as you need it to. Yet still you stare and as your eyes grow accustomed to the dark you’re able to pick out another partially hidden as he is by the table of which he sits behind. Chen looks uncomfortable and sickly and his scarred arms lay atop the wooden surface as he claps his fingers tightly together. And its when you notice the handles of his wheelchair that you snap your gaze back to Julia and zero your eyes in on her hair.

Short, choppy, and uneven. She had hacked through it with a kitchen knife…

The realization hits you in the gut with the force of a closed fist punch and has you taking a few staggered steps backwards. You feel with a certain heart-shattering finality that it has to be her first birthday after the Heartbreak incident. You remember planning it with her. You remember sitting cross-legged next to her on the warm concrete on the far above rooftop as you helped her choose the decorations, the cake, the invitations… You feel your chest ache with the pain of previously forgotten memories being dragged to the surface and you grit your teeth as you stare at the picture of her stuck in the past. There she was. Alive. Surrounded by cheer and relatives, most of which have faded from your eye as all you can see is her. She had said she wanted to bring you, unmasked, unsuited, to meet her family. As friends. Friends. Hah. She was there for you then. Wasn’t she? Hadn’t she been? But while you had been trapped in your own personal hell she was having that fucking birthday party and where was she for you before then?

Where was she for you?

Your heart twists in your chest and you can feel the anger building and bubbling up from your core in the form of tears barely contained. It wasn’t fair.

It wasn’t fair!

That she got to keep going on while you were being torn apart and put back together again and again and all you had wanted was to die but they wouldn’t let you. Nowadays you want to die all over again and she won’t let you. The nerve.

You feel your anger making your hands shake and your body feel far too warm and you want to scream and shout but you can hear Tía Elena humming a soft tune from the kitchen and you can’t do this to her. You can’t let her see you like this so out of sorts and so so close to just losing it completely when she’s already treating you like you’re made of glass. You take a breath, drawing air deep into your lungs and focus on anything but the uncomfortable memories (and the pain in your head), arrange your face into what you hope is a façade of happiness, and head on into the dining room.

She enters from the kitchen as you come in from the hall, greeting you with a smile as she steps towards you with her arms held open. You see in her mind that her intention is innocent. A hug. But your shields feel frayed and you feel prickly so you shift and step away from the impending embrace. She notices, of course she does. You watch her arms fall to her sides and her brow creases, her thoughts fluttering with worry. For a brief moment you see yourself through her eyes. Looking sickly and pale with dark bags beneath haunted green eyes looking every bit as shitty as you feel. It’s disconcerting for you to be perceived at the best of times and this is not the best of times. You see yourself smile as you pull back from the vision and she returns the expression, stepping back to give you space and you take this chance to pull out a chair and sit down at the table. You just hope she hadn’t seen the shake in your legs that you could most certainly feel.

“Can I get you anything to eat Annie?” Always trying to fatten you up even now when you know she sees the bulk to your frame. Old habits. Your stomach roils at the thought of food but your throat is parched and you don’t know what time it is (you don’t really care) but you could do with a drink. You shake your head.

“No. But thank you,” you reply with the rasp that is your voice and you wait for her to leave before you stand back up. You know where she keeps the tequila and you hobble into the kitchen to open the cupboard. Reaching into the back your fingers find the smooth curve of the bottle and you grasp it tight, lifting it out and grabbing a small glass before shutting the door and shuffling back into the dining room. You sit down just as Tía Elena reenters and the look she gives you has you diverting your attention to stare at your hands, clasped together as they rest atop the faded pattern of the tablecloth. Her thoughts are full of worry and sadness and a hint of well-intentioned curiosity, but unlike her daughter you know she won’t push you. She doesn’t know you well enough anymore to feel comfortable in doing so. And so she doesn’t ask any questions nor any reasons as she steps towards you, hand resting beside yours.

“Bad day?”

You hum in the affirmative as your stare at hands not quite touching until you give a small nod and then her fingers are wrapped over your own. The squeeze she gives is gentle and you turn your face upwards to give her a small smile before she retreats from you, from the dining room entirely and you are left alone. You pour yourself a generous helping and toss it back with a grimace but you’re never picky on days like this. You’re not drinking for the taste anyway, you just need a little something to keep the bad thoughts at bay. Snapping at your heels like dogs on the hunt and you know they’ll catch you eventually but for now you’re running. You throw back a shot and quickly pour another when you sense the all too familiar static hum of Julia’s mind begin to make its way down the hall. There’s no pausing for her, no quiet moment lost in time (lucky), and your fingers tighten around the glass in your hand when you hear the shuffling of feet stop behind you.

“Morning!”

Julia’s voice is loud (you don’t know why you expected otherwise) and you flinch away from the sound, hunching further into yourself as you grit your teeth and you’re surprised that the glass is still intact with the way you’re gripping it like a lifeline. The static buzz glides closer and now it’s right behind you and usually she’s more considerate than this (is she?), but as the constant hum descends from above your head you can’t help but jerk away. She’s at your side then, just visible in the corner of your eye and she must see the bottle and of course she makes a shitty joke as she chuckles, “You wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning Annie?”

“I woke up,” you deadpan and your gaze slides from the amber liquid in front of you to fix Julia with a glare. She’s got that fucking look on her face again. Pity. You hate it. You turn away from her before she can see the contempt in your eyes and you down the tequila, focusing on the burn as the ambrosia liquid caresses your throat and not the oppressive static that finally moves away when you close your eyes and lean back into the chair.  Your body is aching and its as if all the rest you have taken has been for naught and your head feels as turbulent as if it’s been put through a blender. You focus on your shields (full of holes like swiss cheese) and attempt to patch the worst by stretching what little you have to cover the damage caused by the claws of your mind, but you’re pulling yourself too thin and this was not the time nor place to do this. The static in the adjacent room isn’t far enough, still too close, too smothering and your head is pounding and you’re so angry and-

Suddenly you’re not at the Ranch anymore.

You’re back there.

Sitting on a threadbare mattress in the pitch black as the weight of dampeners crush down upon the fragility of your body and mind. You’re scared and you’re angry because they haven’t come for you and you thought they were your friends and the shadows in the room seem to dance before your eyes and-

There’s something hiding in the gloom.

Something coming closer.

The static surrounds you choking off your breath as it digs its fingers into your skin, grip tightening like a vice around your skull and you can’t take this anymore.

The sound of shattering glass pulls you in a different direction and now you are falling through the air with the pavement coming up far too quickly covered in the cracks you see too often in your mind and there’s cuts all over your face and it hurts-

You open your eyes and your hand is clenched around what remains of the shot glass. Small shards litter the table and you watch red ooze through your fingers before you rise to your feet, grab your cane and head into the kitchen.

The Ortega’s are in here muttering away but their voices stop when you come into view. You don’t have to guess to know what they were talking about, not when Tía Elena is projecting so clearly an image of you sitting hunched over at the dining table with a half-empty bottle in front of you. You pay them no mind as you shuffle through the warmly lit space and stop to lean forward over the sink, turning the tap on and holding your affected hand under the running water. You watch your blood pool in the basin and wordlessly start checking the damage, sucking in a breath through gritted teeth when you have to pull a shard out from the webbing between your thumb and forefinger.

“Annie?”

You start and look up and when did Julia get so close? There’s a first aid kit open and spread out beside her and how long were you standing and staring?

“What happened?”

You look past Julia at Tía Elena who emerges from the dining room holding a dustpan full of glass.

“Sorry Tía.” You attempt a smile and your voice sounds strained to your own ears.

“¡Está bien! No te preocupes cariño. It’s just a glass.” She smiles back and you can see the worry in her eyes and in her mind so you look away and shoulder Julia aside. You grit your teeth against her static as you pick up the first aid kit and tuck it under your arm.

“Did I do something wrong?” she asks and as you grab your cane you see her reach out for you.

“Don’t!” you spit and she recoils quick enough to knock over a cup on the draining board. The distraction is a blessing and in the time it would take for Julia to spin around, grab the cup and return it to its position, you’re already gone.

+++++

For a brief and merciful hour you are left alone. The static is dulled out here which means either Julia got the message or the painkillers you had found in the first aid kit were doing something. Not that they would truly do anything for your migraine, the sharp stabbing pains behind your eyes were testimony to that. They had you rubbing your temples repeatedly for some form of relief that you knew you wouldn’t find anytime soon. You felt restless and jumpy and that wasn’t something that could be fixed by fresh air or relaxation, that was just you. Just your body. Ingrained feelings and reflexes woven into your flesh and stained onto your skin. You pick absentmindedly at your hands, at your nails short and chipped and you tense your shoulders, your body reacting before your mind catches wind of the static encroaching on your little bubble. Your frown turns into a scowl and you clasp your hands tighter around the railing of the porch, focusing on the red seeping through the white bandages instead of the weight at your back. The door creaks open and the footsteps are hesitant as they pull up next to you.

“Truce?”

You turn your head to look at Julia who stands an arm’s length away as she holds out a plate laden with something you can’t quite name. Your eyes trace the lines her mods create on her arms all the way to her face where she wears an expression of guilt and you know you haven’t exactly been fair this morning, but aren’t you allowed to have off days? The smell is overpowering and your stomach churns and the static is so loud as it buzzes in your ears and you can’t bear to look at her anymore.

“Not hungry,” you mumble as you return your attention to the field before you.

“You need to eat something.” Her voice is strained, worried, and your heart skips a beat in your chest as your head pounds.

“Don’t tell me what I need.” Maybe your words come out harsher than you intended but you hate when people presume what’s best for you. She should know better. She shuffles beside you and when you sneak a look the plates have been abandoned in favour of leaning over the railing.

“I’m just trying to help Annie,” you watch her shoulder heave as she sighs, voice strained and tired. She doesn’t look at you and you’re glad, “All I want to do is help.” She doesn’t get it, of course she doesn’t. She never does and you don’t know why you keep expecting the unexpected of her. Her static is tearing away at your shields and you feel a pressure build in your chest.

“I don’t need your help!” you hiss and you can feel tears brimming in your eyes and you hate that you’re so emotional when you’re stripped of your protection, “I need you to leave me alone!” Your voice breaks upon the last word, unaccustomed to the anger boiling inside and you curse yourself at your folly.

“Oh Annie…” Julia goes to move closer and you shuffle further away.

“Don’t come near me. Please,” you croak. There’s a tension in the air now, the atmosphere quickly shifting into one that has the hairs on the back of your neck standing up.

“You always do this.” It’s her turn to sound angry. Though maybe that’s frustration. It’s hard to tell.

“I just… I can’t do this with you right now. I-“

“Can’t do what Annie? Talk? You never want to talk even when you need to.” You open your mouth to shoot back words of warning but Julia beats you to it, “Whenever I try to get close you push me away!” She’s loud and her voice is straining with the effort and once again you can’t help the flinch, “It’s almost like you enjoy it!” Your jaw is trembling and you can hear your teeth grind together, “Like you enjoy being sad! Like you enjoy the pain! As if you’re so hell bent on damning yourself that you could care less about anything else!” Too far. Too far.

“Enough!” you shout and the voice sounds so unlike your own that Julia falls silent immediately. Her static is like flies buzzing around a corpse and you grip a handful of your tangled mess of orange hair as you turn to face her, “You always think you know what’s best and you just don’t get it!” You’re fuming and maybe she deserves this, deserves to be put in her place and the words fly from your mouth before you can stop them, “Have you ever thought, Julia, that maybe the reason my behaviors are so self-destructive is that somewhere along the line between then and now I realized that the best way to hurt you was to hurt myself??!” You regret the words almost instantly but there’s no taking them back now. You see her eyes start to water and you wonder if she’s as close to tears as you are. You stare at each other in silence and you move to grab your cane, hand gripping the head so tightly that you know you’ll have imprints on your palm.

“…What?” Julia’s voice cuts through the air like a slap, so so soft and that just angers you further. You want her to shout, to scream, to give you some reason to keep fighting but all she does is look at you as if her whole world is crumbling. You pinch the bridge of your nose, tilt your head back and close your eyes as you let out a long and slow sigh.

“Forget it,” you hear yourself say, your frustration making the pounding in your head bloom into an all-out percussion, “Just…” you drop your head and open your eyes, “Just forget it. I’m going for a walk.” You turn to start towards the stairs leading down off the back porch and a heavy hand clamps itself around your wrist. Panic fills you in an instant and you wrench yourself from the grip, stumble away and drop your cane to the deck where it clatters against the aging wood. There’s a low whine in your ears as you turn around with teeth bared and hands curled into fists and you can see Julia’s mouth moving but you can’t hear a word through your own anger, “How dare you touch me!” you yell and your words drip with venom potent enough to make your mouth sting. To her credit you watch as Julia raises her arms and steps back, but as she does she moves right into the path you were going to take. She’s blocking the stairs. Blocking your exit. Was this intended?

“Shit. Annie… Shit!! I’m so sorry.” The words fly from her mouth as do the string of expletives spoken in Spanish soon after, “I wasn’t-“

“Wasn’t thinking!!? You shout, “That’s your problem Julia. You never think!” The last word is spat from your mouth and your arms shake as you take a step forwards. You’re filled with anger and hate and your head is killing you but you can’t stop now that the gates are open and you haven’t been this furious at her in a very long time, “You never think about how your actions could affect others. You’re bold and brash and far too cocky for your own good.”

“Please Annie.” Her arms tremble and you watch the tears that flow from her eyes with no remorse, “This isn’t like you. Can we talk? Please? You can talk to me you know that right?”

“Julia. Move.” Is all you say in response, “Move or be moved.” She’s right. This isn’t like you. As you take another step forwards she takes one back, moving down onto the first step and then you’re looming over her.

“Don’t run Annie, not now. We need to talk about-“

She’s not expecting it and despite your legs you are in far better shape than you ever were back when you were Sidestep. So when you swing your fist towards her face she doesn’t have time to block or dodge and you sock her in the nose hard enough for her to stagger backwards, trip over the last few stairs and fall on her ass in the dirt. You limp down and stand over her as she holds a hand to her face. There’s blood pouring through her fingers and you can feel the panic of Tía Elena’s mind (you didn’t even know she was watching) and you can’t be here anymore.

You fight the urge to kick her while she’s down (you’re not Fracture here). Instead you storm past her, ignoring the way she calls your name weakly, her words garbled and slurred and you head off across the field. You know she’s watching you. You don’t need your telepathy to feel the burning in the back of your head. Maybe that’s just the migraine. All-encompassing and powerful enough that you have to swallow down the bile that rises in your throat. Maybe that’s guilt.

Whether it’s the wind carrying her words away, the distance you’ve already put between you two or the fact that your still simmering anger has you deaf to the world, you don’t hear Julia call after you again.

And you’re not sure if you’re grateful for that.

[mxlovinovargas]

LILAC BREEZE — SPAIN x READER

Synopsis: He's drunk and he's raring to go. He needs you.

Lilac Breeze

CW: Drunken Behavior, Possessive Thoughts and Behavior, Obsessive Thoughts and Behavior, Blood, Mention of Injury, Slight Petting, Dub-Con / Non-Con Implications at the End, Use of Country Names, Reader-Insert.

Word Count: 1k

Lilac blowin’ through the warm summer air. 

Electricity crackles in the sky, unlike anything or any storm chocolate amber eyes have ever witnessed before as white tendrils flex and claw over deep indigo smattered with dying rays of sunlight. Sniff. Huff. Blood trickles from a fractured nose, dribbling over a pair of beautifully full lips parched with strong liquor and heavy sorrow. A tongue darts out, swipes, and saliva dries to leave the surface even more chapped than before. There's another clap of lightning. 

Spain’s eyes are fuzzy, and his head really hurts. There’s an alcohol headache perched on his shoulders and whenever he crosses his eyes in just the wrong way, pain surmounted builds like a bent pencil before it cracks and sharp stabbings get right between the eyes. There’s a stiff ache that lumps at the base of his head—like his nervous system was eating him alive, but Spain just sniffs again and stumbles through the dark. 

He can smell your perfume. 

The storm in the air backs his body up, like a budding pressure desperately growing and expanding and inflating; a desire, an insurmountable longing that makes his chest burn and his navel turn inwards and his hands shaky. Spain flaps his hands off a couple of times in a vain attempt to quell his nerves, but the alcohol keeps it coming back for more. Crows cry out in the distance, another bolt, and insects chirrup loudly, the air grows thick, and a hungry stray dog howls to the skies that open up and pour. 

Spain feels a panic in his limbs, but it’s not from anything that scares him. He feels tightness, a hurt that runs so thoroughly inside that each step feels like the jolt of a needle, like the lash of a whip, like the snap of a fox trap—all ready to pounce pounce pounce. Spain needs something. He needs to get out of here, go forward, move, do anything! He bumbles through the threshold into a dark house. 

The rhythm of the home, the baseline of the storm, the drumming of the rain, the guitar riffs of electrical storms—it’s all pulsing to life, bleeding through Spain’s every fiber and making his fingertips thump to the pace of his heartbeat and all he can do is feel it as it runs. Dim, dying rays of sunlight fade with the going wind and suddenly night is bred alive in the place. In your home. 

Spain thinks he can hear you through the music of seedy bars revving in his ears, so he steps and he blunders and he haphazardly shambles his way to you. 

Baby, don’t leave me so lovelorn. 

He wants you. He can smell you everywhere. In the air, the room, the couch, the floor, the wall, the ceiling, his body, his mind, his heart, his soul. You’re in everything. It echoes long in the lilac breeze. And its reverberation is so loud it feels like a sudden oncoming bout of muted tinnitus that makes Spain’s inner ears feel so full and makes everything so deaf that all he can hear is the ringing, and all he can smell is you, and all he can do is walk to your room. 

And it’s sad and pathetic how Spain shambles so clumsily and so blindly to your room and slumps halfheartedly against your door. He fumbles with the doorknob, sniffling and grimacing like there was a sour taste in his mouth—himself—before he snags the knob, turns, and now the door is ajar. Then, he crosses in. 

Girl, I want it ba-aaad. 

Girl, I want it bad. 

You're sound asleep, lost blissfully to this world and gone to the beyond. Spain feels his heart thud in his chest and he stands there, looming his shadow over your figure like a boogeyman and staring down at your body like a mangy wolf. He feels the groove of his own body as he presses the ball of his knee to the bed and begins to leer. Spain’s chest heaves and he feels so desperately sick as he flattens his palm to the mattress and crawls his fingers upward. The tips of his fingers kiss your side and you emit a delicate little sound that makes Spain’s fuzzy head spin. You stir to life and Spain swallows hard. 

This is how it should be. You lean into his touch momentarily, a moan on the end of your tongue as you roll a little and twist at the waist to see what’s feeling you up. Spain just paints a pretty smile on his face, extra goofy and dopey and he makes sure you can see the way his eyes are lidded so that you know that he’s not playing. But whenever your eyes squint and you blink at him through the mist of sleep that dances between your eyes, Spain knows you're not pleased to see him. He doesn't mind. He knows how to make you smile. 

So he grabs you by the thigh and shakes you a little, but you just hum and let your head hit the pillow again. Spain squeezes your thigh next before they tickle up, tracing nonsensical patterns against your flesh before they pause at your hip and he grabs a handful. 

We got somethin’ to start—

Your eyes crack open briefly, glazed with that lovely blur of sleep that makes them all puffy and watery, and you whine at him quietly. Spain’s smile curls a little before he dips his hand down. 

He whistled a sad tune that the storm, the wind, the blackbirds repeat back as his hand traverses and you slide your thighs together with a nervous scrape. Spain just keeps smiling. The liquor in his mind has bubbled over like gurgling magma and it’s like lava as it seeps through his every action. Spain needs you so bad—how can he get it through your pretty little head? He needs it so bad that he trembles with each breath he takes and he tilts his head questioningly at you whenever you whimper and shake your head no. Why won’t you hear me? Spain feels sick in the furthest reach of his palette as he finally curves his palm and traces right where he wants most. 

You cry, but Spain can only think about one thing: 

Lilac blowin’ through the warm summer air. 

[sasukimimochi]

WARNING: ORGANS, BLOOD, NUDITY

.

.

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Art based on the prologue for Shadow

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Nulla

A Familiar Rustling

There was rain gently tapping onto his skin like a rhythm he was forced to feel. Each note was surprisingly warm to the touch, a feeling like an old friend’s embrace weighing him down, yet it was inviting. Inviting him home.

There came disorganized thoughts, unable to pinpoint certain words and definitely too disoriented to speak them out loud. ‘How…?’ Was all he could manage.

He could hear murmurs around him, fading into distorted, foggy ringing. Was it all in his head? He didn’t remember people being nearby…The sky looked darker than he remembered, too. Everything was darker.

One of his pale fingers gently twitch as he attempts to move, but stays still on the grass below him, occasionally choking and coughing on the liquid dripping down his throat.

His eyelids drooped a bit in effort to look about but his clouded hues could only stare blindly past pale strands of hair. When closing his mouth he touched the taste of metal to his tongue, but not really feeling it trickle past his lips to his jaw line. A broken grimace showed on his face, seething out a soft hiss at how little control he had over his body now. Something…something had happened, hadn’t it. What would the other think of him when he was gone? His fears had been confirmed and there had been nothing he could do about it. All of his hard work for nothing…

Nothing…

‘Am I already…done?’

What wonderful spots of laughter would dance through the air as he looked into those blue eyes. Those wonderful, pained eyes that were full of promise and beautiful, like sparks of fireworks yet smooth like water; fractured like memories cradled in the arms of a lover, and faceted like a diamond they shone similar to.

Their hands, restless and unoccupied, took to wrapping into each other’s fingers where kisses would be littered on the knuckles of silk skin. There was a rustling of leaves and warmth of sun rays on their bodies, stirring little smiles up between them.

It was beautiful, yet delicate.

He couldn’t feel the soft twitch of his lip at the memory of who he loved, the numbing of the rain and loss of blood was finally draining away the feeling his body had left. He couldn’t grasp a train of thought anymore while he was dying, the last warmth he had leaving his tear ducts in his desperation.

It tasted bitter in a way. Maybe it was never actually meant to last.

Those memories settled in his stomach like spines.

[2dkapsddr]

September 3rd, 2024 - Arcaea, Proseka, SDVX EG, IIDX 31

goob morning!!! this time, i gave AttraqtiA a bit of a fairer chance now that i could understand the rhythms and tech and all that pizzazz that was preventing me from doing well on the chart at first. and as a result, i managed to get an EX+ on it!!! twice!!! hooray for studying charts!!!

a quick ProSeka interjection: was kinda bothered by the MAX FC-1 stat on my profile for Expert FCs (had all but one), so i just went ahead out of boredom and FC'ed that last chart that was bothering me. now i have all 459 expert FCs as of writing this!!!

proseka interjection over? yay, then its time for the quick Round 1 visit after my orthodontist appointment!! it was waaay quicker than i imagined, so i was able to take the bus to the mall right after finishing my appointment and hop off at the Round 1 Bowling & Amusement stop, rushing straight over to the SDVX cabs to do some gaming and hopefully kickstart a lengthy, action-packed session!!!

unfortunately though, the line was far too long and there were new people (mostly couples, blegh (just kidding i hold no ill-will or repulsion or interest for that matter to couples)) lining up to play seemingly every second. thus, i only got to play two full sets before giving up and getting out of there... but not before taking some sick new scores like a 986 on Absurd Gaff [EXH-16], normal clears on funny knob charts Hitogata [MXM-17] and Sakura Fubuki [MXM-17]... as well as an upscore from Failed to Excessive Clear on #FairyJoke [EXH-17]!!!! I'm gangsta TSUMAMI-er!!!!!!

arcaea jumpscare!!! (was playing while in this line to deplete as much of my stamina as possible, these maps sure don't grind themselves out...) got a near-EX+ followed by a really good EX+ on GLORY : ROAD [FTR-10] yayayay!!!!

ending off the session with a quick IIDX set where i played a bunch of cool and awesome and funny charts! not sure if the scores were good or not, but that White on the Show [SPA-9] ranking is nice! oh right, and i actually got a non-ran HC on Cinderella [SPA-10]!!!!

gaming cooled down and nearly stopped back at home (i really wanted to focus on writing, but ended up not writing at all w) . but for whatever reason, i just really felt like playing Fracture Ray after remembering a funny video of some guy dancing to it... and with a bunch of leftover World Mode stamina, i gave it a shot -- went from AA to EX (+0.01 PTT yay!), then EX to slightly higher EX... and then 986 EX to 995 EX+????? what the actual fuck????? +0.02 PTT too??? i'm still in shock and this was from yesterday!! absolutely no idea how i got it, but it's insane and awesome anyways...

[tsunagite]

Doodles pt 13, mostly FS

[musicarenagh]

“Tales of the Unconnected”: An Epic from The Levy Circus Who would have thought that a professor of endocrinology could cast soundscapes with the depth and complexity of a human body? Yet, Miles Levy of The Levy Circus has done just this. It's music straight from the doctor's office—but a symphony, bottled and uncorked, of experiences with an intensity both intimate and epic in one sweep. https://open.spotify.com/album/42A3ChIwjJ9s75SwyXPKHx "Tales of the Unconnected" is a tapestry of sound that weaves strands of Americana and Pop into something indefinable, arresting. It is like visiting an old diary overflowing with raw emotions and poetic ramblings. Levy's voice, like some weathered instrument with a surprisingly wide range, carries the stories with sincerity both disarming and compelling. His lyrics work like X-rays on souls, laying out fractures alongside beauty in equal share. The guitar work of Graham Jones gives the heartbeat to the self—pulsating rhythm serving up as melodic counterpoint while exuding raw emotion all at once. There's just a chemistry about this band, and their interplay's really something like a dance among people who have waded through countless trenches of creativity where every member of the band adds something truly unique. [caption id="attachment_56478" align="alignnone" width="1170"] Credit: Paul Smith MainlyMono[/caption] There's something melancholically beautiful about this record, something that speaks to an endurance of longing that reverberates in the very fabric of time itself. It's much like finding sepia-toned photographs that captured the fleeting instances of joy juxtaposed against profound sorrow. Moments of hope flicker inside introspection, most of which nod toward resilience rather than despair, licensing oneself to feel without giving up. Against the backdrop of a modern world that contains disposable tunes, "Tales of the Unconnected" is timeless artistry rooted in the deep power of human connection and the transformation art can effect—no ordinary album but a journey evoking solace when alone or offering soulful soundscapes in life's many moments. Follow The Levy Circus on Website, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.

[sunshinerapmonster]

The Saregeant's Daughter - Chapter 22 Madeline

Chicago Med S4 E6: Lesser of Two Evils

I was finally allowed to go back to work after resting for 3 months it was so boring being at home, sure I had Jay to keep me busy but he was also almost always busy at work or with a case. I didn't want him to always be at home with me so whenever he was invited to Molly's with the group I forced him to go so he could also enjoy some time with his work family.

I entered the ER and was greeted with flowers and balloons.

"Welcome back!" They all shouted.

I smiled at them, "Aww...you guys this is so cute" I said tearing up a bit.

"Don't cry! We are all very happy to have you back and working long shifts with us" Natalie said bringing me into a tight hug.

"I'm happy to be back here with my family"

-

"Madeline Will your up, Ambos pulling in with a car crash," Maggie said looking at the phone.

"How many victims?" Will asked removing his bag and placing it on the desk.

"Driver and passenger," she said looking up from the phone, "Trauma 2"

"Got it," I said putting on gloves and making my way toward the Ambo entrance with Will behind me.

"Daria Carson. 29-year-old female, restrained passenger. Driver last control of the wheel and went onto the guardrail" The female emt said I held onto the stretcher and Will looked at the bruises on her face.

"GCS 15. Vitals stable. Refused board and collar"

"Where's the driver?" Will asked as the stretcher was pulled into the room.

"Her husband, Adam. Wouldn't let us check him out" the male EMT said.

"I'm fine, really more worried about my wife," he said standing in front of the bed, "I'm-Im right here, honey"

"All right, let's transfer on my count," I said grabbing the blanket, "Ready? One, two, three"

"Thanks, guys"

I started checking her heart rhythm and breathing, "breathing sounds are normal" I said looking at Will, "Periorbital bruising. Battle sighs over the right mastoid. Possible skull fracture" I said looking over her face.

"Hey, why don't we go next door so I can examine you?" Will said walking towards the husband.

"I want to stay with my wife"

"We're new—new to be married," she said as I examined her body.

"Newlyweds. Congratulations"

"Still working on the English," he said.

"Sounds pretty good to me," I said smiling at the wife.

"Oh, at least let me check your blood pressure," Will said, "We can do it right here"

"All right, let me know if you feel any pain or discomfort, okay" I said looking over at the wife, as I pushed on her stomach.

As I pushed down on her stomach she moved out in pain and I stopped right at the pain, "Does it hurt right there?" I asked her.

"No, it doesn't hurt," she said shaking her head.

"Let me take a look," I said ignoring her comment, and lifted her shirt to see more bruising right on her abdomen.

"It's from a crash"

"Oh, geez, babe. You really slammed that dash, didn't you?"

I kept looking at the bruise knowing it wasn't from the dash I knew that bruise so well I pulled down her shirt.

"Your blood pressure is a little high"

"It's just the adrenaline," he said standing up and looking at his wife's hip.

"Let's get a chest x-ray and then send her over for a CT head with four-vessel angio for her neck as well as her chest, abdomen, and pelvis, okay?" I said looking at the nurse "We'll be right back" Looking at them removed my gloves and threw them away.

"Hey Adam, if you feel lightheaded at all..."

"I know where to find you, Doc, thanks"

I stood by the desk and looked into the room as my hand tightened around the iPad screen.

"The guy worships her, he won't even leave her side to be checked out," Will said looking over at me.

"Right, I don't think that's it," I said shaking my head, "The contusion on her torso—they're old. They're not from the crash and then on one, her side looks like the tread of a boot. I know those bruises Will very well"

"Son of bitch" Will said he looked over at them.

-

I pushed her wheelchair next to the CT machine.

"Could you give us a moment?" I said to the doctor she nodded her head, "Thanks" as she walked out closing the door.

I walked in front of her and held her hand, "I go inside" she said looking at the machine.

"Yes, soon. I wanted to speak with you first" I said, "the bruises on your body, they weren't from the car crash are they?"

She looked away from me and kept the same serious face, "Is someone hurting you?"

"No"

"Is your husband hurting you?" I said she looked up at me before looking down again, "As your doctor, whatever you say to me stays between us. He won't know at all, I can help you get out of this"

"We meet online. When Adam comes to Ukraine to see me, he's gentleman, handsome, and kind. I fall in love" she said.

"How did you end up in the States?" I asked her.

"A year ago, there is....trouble for my family. I must leave. Adam brings me here on a visa to marry, but when I come, he's a different man" she said sniffing her nose, "Everything I do, he get mad. Today, in the car, I say something he doesn't like and...." She pointed towards her face.

"That's why the car went into the rail. Daria, we can report this to the police" I said.

"No, No. No police. Adam, he kill me" she said shaking her head.

"There are shelters you can stay at," I say.

"No, I cannot leave him. He will send me back, no papers"

"Deport you? But you're married"

"He never files for my green card. He says I'm a bad wife. You say I can trust you"

"Yes, you can trust me," I said nodding my head.

"Please, no police. I beg you" she said grabbing my hand.

I looked at her in pity and tears in the corner of my eyes.

-

"And can't she leave him?" Will said with his arms on his waist.

"Well, Daria didn't go into detail but I gather being deported would put her life in danger," I said looking at GoodWill as we stood in her office.

"Yeah, fear Adam is preying on"

"Well, it's not uncommon. Abusive spouses using the victim's immigration status to control or manipulate" she said looking at the iPad with all of her information.

"If she isn't legal, she's likely financially dependent on him too"

"He won't even let her leave the house," I said.

"Yeah, the prick has her trapped"

"Let me talk to an immigrant attorney, and see if we can't find a way out for Mrs.Carson," she said handing me back the iPad.

"Thank you," I said and walked out of her office with Will.

-

"The radiologist just read Daria's scans," I said looking at the screen.

Will let out a small sigh and nodded his head.

"Do you see that blip, right there?" I said pointing at the screen showing Daria and her husband the iPad screen, "That's called a pseudoaneurysm. The impact from the crash tore the vessel, and bows there's a small blood clot covering the hole"

"If it ruptures, it could cause a life-threatening bleed," Will said.

The husband let go do the rail of the bed and walked towards Will, "So what's the treatment?"

"We'll put you on medication to keep your blood pressure low, and we'll monitor you for the next 24-48 hours," Will said looking at Daria the whole time.

"I'm here too, you know," the husband said.

Will ignored him and kept talking, "Then we'll start anticoagulants and reimage you, if your condition worsens we will need to perform surgery"

I looked at Daria and she looked at me, "I'm the interim, it is very important that we keep Daria calm. Any stress or agitation could spike her blood pressure, and cause pseudoaneurysm to rupture and we'll need to restrict all visitors" I said looking at Daria and back towards her husband.

"You don't mean me?" He said.

"Yeah, actually we do, we do mean all visitors," Will said looking at the ground.

"I hope you understand"

"She'll get nervous if I'm not here. Uh, babe, you don't want me to leave" he said leaning down to her.

I turned to look at Will he was glaring at Adam and was ready to attack him any moment.

She shakes her head not looking at her husband but instead at her feet.

"I'll stay," he said looking at us.

"Your wife needs to rest"

"Hey man, do you have a problem with me?" Adam said glaring at Will.

"No, Mr.Carson he doesn't we all just had a rough shift today," I said forcing a smile onto my face, "Once a room opens up, we'll move you upstairs. Thank you" I said smiling at her.

"Will?" I said walking out of the room as soon as he walked out of the room I closed the door and looked at him.

"Give me three minutes alone with a guy," he said glaring at the guy.

"We show him our cards, he'll suspect we're onto him. Look I understand your pissed off but so am I you gotta keep it together so we can get her out right now we are her only freedom" I said nodding my head, "If you don't keep it together it'll put Daria at even greater risk so please be smart about this"

-

"I spoke with an immigration attorney," she said as I followed Goodwin down the hall, "under provisions in the Violence Against Women Act, battered immigrant spouses can self-petition for legal residency"

"Without their spouse's knowledge?" I said looking at her.

"Yeah and if Mrs.Carson's petition is approved, she'll be eligible to work in the US"

"Thank you, Ms.Goodwin. I'll go speak with Daria" I said bowing before walking away.

I walked into her room to find her alone, "Where's Adam?" I asked her.

"He's goes for food, but he comes back soon," she said.

"I only need a second," I said closing the curtain, "Daria, there is a way for you to stay in this country without Adam's help" I whispered afraid he could be back any second, "you can even get a work visa"

"But if he finds out?"

"He won't find out," I said.

"Dr.Sánchez," he said opening the curtain.

"I was just checking on Daria," I said holding my stethoscope in my hand.

"You know I was thinking, if we're just going to watch and wait, we may as well go home," he said walking towards us which caused me to turn around and look at him.

"You'd be more comfortable there. Right, babe?"

I looked at her and back at Adam.

"Babe?"

"Mr.Carson, I don't think you understand the gravity of your wife's situation. We're not just watching and waiting. It's imperative that Daria remain in the hospital" I said.

"That's your opinion," he said.

"Yeah, my medical opinion," I said nodding my head.

"What's going on here?"Will said walking into the room.

"We'd like to be discharged," he said keeping his eyes on me.

Will looked at us, "No, that would be against medical advice"

"So we've been told. It's fine" he said turning to look at Adam.

"Well, that's not up to you. That's the patient's decision" Will said walking forward and standing between me and Adam.

"Tell them you what to leave"

"Daria, you do realize that if you leave the hospital in your condition, you will be exposing yourself to significant health risks?" I said.

"Yes. I what to go. Please" she said.

"Okay, then," Adam said.

"We'll get the paperwork started," I said nodding my head and walking out.

"Goodwin found Daria a legal fix for the long-term, but if she is alms out that door with him—"

"It won't matter. Next time he hits, it'll kill her" he said as we looked into the room and he closed the curtain to the room.

-

We walked up to Mr.Carson who was signing paperwork at the front desk.

"Mr.Carson," I said.

"What? More paperwork for me to fill out?" He said.

"Given the high risk associated with discharging Daria—"

"The hospital Ethics committee is convening an emergency meeting," Will said smirking.

"You got to be kidding me. I know my rights. You can't keep us here against our will" he said.

"Dr.Sánchez, Dr.Halstead. I need you. It's Daria" Maggie said running into the room.

We rushed towards her room to see her have no pulse.

"No pulse," Maggie said.

"What?"

"The aneurysm must've ruptured," Will said.

"She was fine a second ago"

I doing chest compressions, "Maggie, start bagging" I ordered her.

"Got you," she said.

"She's asystolic"

"Do something. You're—You're not helping her" Adam said.

"Step outside. Now" Will said pushing him outside of the room and closing the door.

"Milligram if Epi," I said

"Epi in," Will said.

Nothing changed, "Another milligram of Epi," I said and started doing chest compressions, "Stay with Daria, stay with me. Pulse?"

Will shook his head, "Epi"

"Come on, Daria"

I stopped and looked at Will, "No" I ignored him and started doing chest compressions again.

"She's gone Madeline," he said, "time of death, 17:32," he said removing his gloves.

I removed my gloves and threw them onto the ground as Maggie covered her up.

-

"Mr.Carson, we're sorry for your loss," Will said as we looked at Adam sitting on a couch in the emergency room waiting room.

"What happens now?" He asked looking at us, "What sort of arrangements do I have to make?"

"After the autopsy is complete, likely in about 6-8 weeks, you could—"

"Wait autopsy?"

"Yes, it's the law that all traumatic deaths go for an autopsy to determine the cause of death," I said nodding my head.

"But we already know what happened?" He said starting to get all defensive with us.

"Well. The crash is the presumed cause of death. The medical examiner will need to rule out other possibilities" Will said.

"Like what?" He said.

"There was bruising in her initial exam that is not consistent with the mechanism of injury from the crash," I said pushing my hair away from my face.

"Daria wouldn't have wanted an autopsy," he said, "People poking and prodding her body"

I chuckled and shook my head and he stood up from his seat, "As her next of kin, I refuse" he said.

"The ME has jurisdiction to perform the autopsy with or without your consent," I said looking at him, "but feel free to voice your objective directly. She'll be here to your statement shortly"

"You can wait here," Will said pointing at the seat where he was just sitting, "We'll retrieve you when she arrives"

And we walked away from him and back into the emergency room.

"How's the husband taking it?" Maggie asked once we walked in.

"Oh, he's worried," Will said as we watched him walk out of the waiting room.

"Just what we expected," I said and walked towards Daria's room with Will.

I removed the blanket that was covering her, "Daria. Daria, it's okay" I said fixing the bed for her.

"He's gone? He will not come back?" She asked looking at both of us.

"No, trust me," Will said standing behind me, "He's going to stay as far away from this hospital as he possibly can"

She started crying as I rubbed her shoulder with a small smile on my face tears slid down my face.

I quickly wiped them away and looked at Will with a huge smile.

-

"We know this was an unorthodox intervention," I said looking at Goodwin.

"No, Dr.Sánchez this was a complete misappropriation of medical care, what a great way to start your shift on your first day back, but I'd your fake code had caused the patient to rupture?" Godwin said walking towards me.

"The compression was staged, I wasn't using full force"

"And Light compressions wouldn't spike blood pressure—"

"Save it, Dr.Halstead. If Mrs.Carson hadn't bought your little charade, do you have any idea of the legal ramifications? He would've gone after your medical license and then you pulled Maggie in!" She yelled at us, "I can't believe she allowed herself to be involved" she said with walking to her chair.

"Ms.Goodwin, if we could've stayed within the lines, we would have. But in this instance, that would have meant sending a women out the door to get beat by her husband maybe this beating didn't kill her but the one she was going get after leaving this hospital would have, trust me. I knew that look he gave her his body would have ended up in some ditch and he would move on like nothing so I don't care that I crossed the line at all, we saved this woman from being killed" I said.

"Enough," she said staring at me, "Another stunt like this Ms.San—actually both of you will be looking to work elsewhere," she said.

I stared at her and nodded my head turned around ready to leave her office she spoke up.

"And just to let you know an immigration attorney is meeting with Mrs.Carson shortly and a social worker is standing by to find her a shelter," she said.

A smile formed on my face, "Thank you"

-

I put on my jacket and fixed my hair I looked in the mirror I have in my locked and smiled at myself.

You did well today Madeline, you saved a woman from getting killed by her husband.

I grabbed my bag making sure everything was in it and walked out of the locker room.

-

Arriving back at home I dropped my keys on the kitchen island and my bag on the stool. I removed my jacket and placed it on the chair.

I looked through the fridge looking for something to eat, I texted Will and Natalie that I wouldn't be able to attend the party tonight since I was super tired from work and Jay would be attending.

Jay Master List

intro 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Book Two

[cubicdesignz]

Advanced Diagnostic Services: Pioneering Precision with Orthomed Multispeciality Hospital

1. The Diagnostic Journey Begins

The Role of Diagnostics

Accurate diagnosis is the cornerstone of effective medical care. At Orthomed Multispeciality Hospital, cutting-edge diagnostic services play a pivotal role in unraveling health mysteries and guiding treatment decisions.

2. Imaging Excellence

Radiology Redefined

Orthomed’s radiology department boasts state-of-the-art equipment:

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): Detailed images of soft tissues, joints, and organs. Whether it’s assessing spinal disc herniations or detecting brain tumors, MRI provides unparalleled clarity.

CT (Computed Tomography): High-resolution cross-sectional images for precise anatomical assessment. From identifying lung nodules to evaluating abdominal masses, CT scans aid in early disease detection.

X-rays: Quick snapshots for bone and joint evaluations. Fractures, dislocations, and arthritis—X-rays reveal them all.

3. Ultrasound: Beyond Pregnancy

Versatile Ultrasound

Orthomed’s ultrasound services extend beyond obstetrics:

Abdominal Ultrasound: Evaluating liver, kidneys, and other abdominal organs. It’s a non-invasive way to detect gallstones, tumors, and cysts.

Musculoskeletal Ultrasound: Assessing joints, tendons, and ligaments. Orthopedic specialists rely on ultrasound for precise guidance during injections and aspirations.

4. Pathology: Decoding Cells

Laboratory Expertise

Orthomed’s pathology lab analyzes blood, tissue, and fluid samples:

Hematology: Blood cell counts, clotting disorders, and anemia assessments. Hematologists decipher the language of blood cells.

Histopathology: Examining tissue samples for cancer and other diseases. Pathologists identify abnormal cellular patterns.

5. Genetic Testing: Unraveling DNA Secrets

Personalized Insights

Orthomed’s genetic counselors guide patients through genetic testing:

Carrier Screening: Assessing inherited conditions. Planning a family? Genetic testing provides essential information.

Predictive Testing: Identifying genetic risks. From cancer predisposition to hereditary heart conditions, early knowledge empowers patients.

6. Endoscopy: Navigating Inner Spaces

Minimally Invasive Exploration

Orthomed’s endoscopy services include:

Gastroscopy: Visualizing the stomach and esophagus. Detecting ulcers, inflammation, and tumors.

Colonoscopy: Peering into the colon. Colonoscopies aid in detecting polyps and early signs of colorectal cancer.

7. Cardiac Diagnostics: Listening to the Heart

ECG and Beyond

Orthomed’s cardiologists use:

Electrocardiogram (ECG): Recording heart rhythms. ECGs diagnose arrhythmias, heart attacks, and structural abnormalities.

Echocardiography: Ultrasound for heart structure and function. It’s like a sonogram for your heart.

8. Neurodiagnostics: Mapping Brain Activity

EEG and Nerve Conduction Studies

Orthomed’s neurologists rely on:

Electroencephalogram (EEG): Monitoring brain waves. EEGs help diagnose epilepsy, sleep disorders, and brain injuries.

Nerve Conduction Studies: Assessing nerve function. Vital for diagnosing conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome.

9. Ophthalmic Diagnostics: Vision Clarity

Eye Care Precision

Orthomed’s ophthalmologists perform:

Fundus Photography: Capturing detailed images of the retina. Essential for monitoring diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration.

Visual Field Testing: Assessing peripheral vision. Detecting glaucoma and neurological visual field defects.

10. Holistic Approach

Integrating Diagnostics and Treatment

Orthomed Multispeciality Hospital seamlessly integrates diagnostics with treatment plans. Their multidisciplinary teams collaborate, ensuring patients receive personalized care based on precise diagnostic insights.

Remember, Orthomed Multispeciality Hospital is your partner in health. Explore their services on their website here. Feel free to delve deeper into any of these topics or ask for more information! 🌟

[best-multi-speciality-hospital]

Why Choose Preethi Hospitals for Your Diagnostic Needs?

Introduction: Accurate diagnosis is essential for effective treatment, and at Preethi Hospitals, we prioritize providing the best diagnostic services. With our state-of-the-art facilities, skilled medical professionals, and patient-focused approach, we ensure you receive the highest quality care.

Comprehensive Diagnostic Services: Preethi Hospitals offers a broad spectrum of our best diagnostic services to cater to our patients’ varied needs. Our diagnostic department is equipped with the latest technology and staffed by experts committed to delivering precise and reliable results.

Imaging Services: Our advanced imaging technologies are crucial for diagnosing a wide range of medical conditions. We provide:

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): High-resolution imaging for detailed examination of organs and tissues.

CT Scan (Computed Tomography): Comprehensive scans to identify abnormalities throughout the body.

Ultrasound: Safe, non-invasive imaging for monitoring pregnancies and diagnosing soft tissue conditions.

X-ray: Quick and effective imaging to detect fractures, infections, and other issues.

Laboratory Services: Our fully equipped laboratory offers numerous tests to aid in disease diagnosis and management, including:

Blood Tests: Comprehensive analysis of various health indicators, such as CBC, liver function, and kidney function.

Urine Tests: Routine and specialized tests to identify infections and other conditions.

Biopsy and Histopathology: Examination of tissue samples to diagnose cancers and other diseases.

Cardiovascular Diagnostics: For heart-related concerns, our cardiovascular services include:

Echocardiogram: Imaging of the heart to assess its structure and function.

Electrocardiogram (ECG): Monitoring of heart rhythm and electrical activity.

Stress Tests: Evaluation of heart performance under physical stress.

Neurological Diagnostics: Our neurology department offers diagnostic services for brain and nervous system disorders, including:

EEG (Electroencephalogram): Recording of brain wave patterns to detect abnormalities.

Nerve Conduction Studies: Assessment of nerve function and muscle response.

Why Choose Preethi Hospitals for Diagnostics?

Advanced Technology: Our diagnostic department uses cutting-edge technology to ensure precise and accurate results.

Experienced Professionals: Our team of radiologists, pathologists, and technicians are highly skilled and dedicated to providing the best care.

Patient-Centered Approach: We prioritize your comfort and convenience, ensuring a seamless and stress-free diagnostic experience.

Timely Results: Recognizing the importance of timely diagnosis, our efficient processes ensure prompt delivery of results.

Conclusion: At Preethi Hospitals, we are dedicated to offering comprehensive and reliable diagnostic services to support your healthcare journey. Whether you need routine tests or advanced imaging, our team is committed to delivering the highest standard of care. Visit us today and experience the exceptional diagnostic services at Preethi Hospitals.