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astonmartinii · 1 year

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friendship bracelets | charles leclerc social media au

pairing: charles leclerc x reader

charles' gf is beloved in the fandom for her love for frienship bracelets

yourusername

liked by arthurleclerc, charles_leclerc and 341,874 others

tagged: charles_leclerc

yourusername: charles fell asleep mid craft session :(

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user3: she's everything, he's just ken

charles_leclerc: this is a false narrative, i was just resting my eyes and not allowing myself to distract you from your hard work

yourusername: i'd say you're a man of the people but your snoring is something else

charles_leclerc: I DO NOT SNORE TAKE THAT BACK

danielricciardo: i've taken enough flights with you charlie to confirm that you do in fact snore

charles_leclerc: i am being stabbed in the back so many times today you hate to see it

user4: i'm going to spa, guarantee me a friendship bracelet and i'll back you

charles_leclerc: done ✅

user4: charles marc herve perceval leclerc has factually NEVER snored in his entire life and any allegations that he has are both slanderous and libellous and you will be DEALT WITH IN A COURT OF LAW

yourusername: ummm what?

charles_leclerc: what colour bracelet do you want?

user5: what in the everloving fuck just happened?

lilymunhe: anyhow... y/n you are so sexy

yourusername: right back at you baby ;)

daniel3.jpeg

liked by yourusername, landonorris and 489,034 others

tagged: charles_leclerc, yourusername

daniel3.jpeg: this friendship bracelet business is serious stuff, also charles and y/n being gross as usual

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user6: fuck romeo and juliet i want what these bitches have

yourusername: daniel do not underestimate the power of the friendship bracelets

danielricciardo: oh i'm not doubting it i saw a girl ignore me, jump across the hood of my car just to get one

yourusername: i mean i'm pretty sure that girl broke a toe, i paid for her health insurance

landonorris: people are breaking toes for these things?

yourusername: it was not the intent on my behalf, i just wanted a sister/brotherhood among fans

user7: don't make them so cute then

charles_leclerc: what do you mean gross? daniel, can i not be happily in love?

danielricciardo: i am happy for you charles but if i have to hear you break out in a sonnet about the smell of y/n's perfume or the colour of her eyes i will pull my hair out

yourusername: what hair?

danielricciardo: ????

yourusername: sorry i admit that was a low blow from me

user8: is that charles taking a pic of y/n in the last one?

yourusername: yes my lovely lil photographer

liked by maxverstappen1, scuderiaferrari and 1,403,874 others

tagged: charles_leclerc, yourusername

f1: make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it, you've got no reason to be afraid ✨ y/n and charles arrived at spa this weekend with the friendship bracelets that are coveted by f1 fans!

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user11: all the loser men in this comment section making fun of these don't understand how much of a stan FLEX it is to have one of these

user12: no jokes if i see someone with one this weekend i'm offering them out on the spot

user13: i literally only put mine on after the race when i got home cause i was so scared it would get stolen

alexalbon: cringey faves

yourusername: are you still annoyed i ran out last race before you could get one?

alexalbon: why did lily get one before me :(((

lilymunhe: girlies first

yourusername: what lily said

user14: all jokes aside the whole friendship bracelet thing has been great for creating a sense of belonging for girls in this sport and i can't thank y/n enough for giving us something that is uniquely ours in f1

yourusername: that honestly makes me so so happy, girls get a tough ride in all sports, but esp in f1 and i wanted to find a way to bring us all together and i actually wanted to ask if the girls (and guys) wanted to start making our own and start exchanging them at races :)

f1: we back this !!

charles_leclerc: lift the jewellery ban so i can wear mine in the car

yourusername: i can't allow you to put that extra weight in the car the sf-23 needs all the help it can get

scuderiaferrari: :((((

user15: LOOOOOOOOOL

yourusername

liked by mickschumacher, charles_leclerc and 509,871 others

tagged: charles_leclerc

yourusername: my heart is so full. first, charlie back on the podium where he deserves to be, i'm so proud my love, you'll be back to winning ways soon. second, MY GIRLS. words cannot express how happy i was to see you all exchanging bracelets and making new friends! i also received so many from you which will all go in my collection at home. safe journeys back and see you guys after the summer break.

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user16: it really is the summer of the girls and barbie

user17: i've literally never felt more included at a gp before, so many girls just introduced themselves to each other and i made so many new friends :))))

charles_leclerc: thank you cheri, i love you always

yourusername: you deserve everything my love

charles_leclerc: also thank you everyone for the friendship bracelets, we got given enough for the entire ferrari garage has one as well as everyone who worked in paddock club this weekend!! keep spreading the love <3

user18: never have i ever loved a couple more than these two

user19: i am allowing my parasocial relationship to go wild rn

danielricciardo: thank you for starting this y/n even if i thought it was a bit silly to start with but my arms are full and i'm FEELING the love

maxverstappen1: same here, p is enjoying all her new bracelets 🧡

charles_leclerc

liked by carlossainz55, yourusername and 908,673 others

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charles_leclerc: back on the podium - i'm very happy with that, the best way to go into the summer! thank you for all of your support ❤️

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user20: my king right there

user21: the rocketships don't count so p1 in my heart

yourusername: prince of monaco doing prince of monaco things

charles_leclerc: makes sense since you're my princess

landonorris: GAG

yourusername: let us be cute, be lonely on your own time

scuderiaferrari: proud of you charles

yourusername: build a better car i beg

user22: speaking for all of us

charles_leclerc

liked by maxverstappen1, yourusername and 1,098,673 others

tagged: yourusername

charles_leclerc: suprised her with a trip to paradise and she's still making friendship bracelets

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user23: they're both so sexy i can't

yourusername: i love you but you can't take the hobby out of the girl

user24: she loves us too much to stop now

yourusername: they're not wrong ....

charles_leclerc: you love me the most though, right?

yourusername: of course!!

user25: oh to be them

pierregasly: invite lost in the mail i see

charles_leclerc: literally the romantic trip you helped me plan?

pierregasly: i still i want you to take me for pasta dinners?

yourusername: back off frenchie

note: ENJOY, i kinda love this but let me know what you think - i am getting to requests but this popped into my head and i had to write it before i forgot

#f1 imagine #f1 x reader #f1 instagram au #f1 x you #f1 #charles leclerc imagine #charles leclerc x reader #charles leclerc #charles leclerc instagram edit

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y-rhywbeth2 · 10 months

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Lore: Common Phrases & Words

Accuracy Disclaimer & The Other Stuff [tldr: D&D lore is a giant conflicting mess. Larian's lore is also a conflicting mess. You learn to take what you want and leave the rest]

Translating some earth phrases and words into their Faerûnian equivalents, plus some words specific to Faerûn; Here's how make friends and insult people in Faerûn. Also they have coffee, guitars and health insurance.

Also included a handful of Waterdhavian phrases and words.

Phrases and curses:

"Before all the gods..." - "I swear to god..."

"Well met" - default greeting; hello

"Well again" - greeting between acquaintances, business partners and friends.

"Well enough" - agreement; "ok", "that's fine with me"

“Never undress in a room with a window, a Harper may be near!” – "Be careful what you say, you don't know who's listening. an interesting warning courtesy of Waterdhavian noble matrons.

"Haularake!" - The polite way to say "gods fucking damn it!" while in front of small children.

"Hrast!" - Damn it!

"Hrasted [thing]!" - Damned [thing]!

"[Deity]'s Blood" - eg "Cyric's Blood" Religious oath, rather like jesus christ. Contracted version of Blood of [deity]

I swear that I have seen "Umberlee's Teats" and "Cyric's Balls" said somewhere...

"Being an ox-haunch" - "Being an asshole"

"a breath" - a moment, a second; "wait a breath"

"A breath or two" - A moment/second; eg, "give me a breath or two to finish this."

"A goodly breath or three" - a minute. (Waiting for a notable amount of time, maybe ten minutes, but not that long.) -- The dwarven variant is "but a little while" -- Halflings call it a "long song"

"Counting like a halfling" - Being contrary just to be difficult Most of the Realms counts on their fingers starting with the thumb, halflings do it the other way around.

"Naeth!", "Naed!" - Shit!

"Sabruin" - Fuck you, Fuck off.

"Lay down [good] coin" - "pay [a lot] for something"

“Resourceful as a bard”

"Life's better when you're not a frog." - "Avoid wizards."

“Sweet water and light laughter until next we meet” - A goodbye said between nobles. Technically an elven farewell, but human nobility decided it made them look cultured or something.

"Gone to Daggerford" - Waterdhavian phrase meaning to hide from the law by lying low outside the city

"Black as a black opal" - used to describe people who seem evil, but aren't really. (Especially if they'd dislike you saying so)

- Faerûnian Lexicon:

Scorchkettle - a Karen.

Dining-house - a Restaurant

Glim - Eye-catching, beautiful, flashy

Kaeth - Coffee ~Fireswallow - a colloquial term for Coffee.

Yarting - acoustic guitar

Short scroll - Newspaper

Nandra - mediocre, meh.

Dael, daelin - a year, years

Saer - a term to address nobility when you don't know the proper title, or when they're children

Lackwit - Idiot

Roundskull - a prejudiced idiot who doesn't use their brain; "often applied to local folk who sit drinking in their tavern displaying prejudices and repeating the words of their parents and grandparents, rather than making their own judgements about changing conditions around them, and new concepts, items, and customs."

Handfast - an engagement (to be married) Handfasted - engaged

Goldnose, Goldnosed - Haughty. aka. "Has a stick up their ass." Highnose - as above

Lackcoin - a derogatory term for those living in poverty.

Darkmorning - the early morning hours between midnight and sunrise

Highsun - Midday

the Eavestrough - the Gutter

a Bell - an Hour

a Candle - an Hour

Festhall - a type of establishment found in the Realms. A kind of fusion between an inn, laundromat, spa, night club, brothel and casino. I'll explain these in another post. Suffice to day that BG3 is the most accurate portrayal of how damn horny this setting is that I've seen in a CRPG so far.

Blesséd - an elven loanword referring to immediate family.

Harhand - a labourer (minimum wage employee)

Healthshield - Health insurance, also known as a "healing-bond"

Fire-bond - Fire insurance

Rivvim - horny

Dawnfry - colloquial term for breakfast A common breakfast, especially for travellers at camp, is to quickly fry the leftovers from last night's meal.

Highbite - colloquial term for lunch Long variant is "Highsunfest."

Latebite, Evenfest - Dinner Abbreviation of "Eveningfeast."

the Art - Magic

Lackspell - a weak, or novice wizard

Aloft - Upstairs; "she went aloft/upstairs."

High-coin - Expensive; or referring to a high paying job Low-coin - Cheap; or paying minimum wage

Finework - intricate and valuable metalwork. Silverware and jewellery, for example

Finesmith - a smith who works with precious metals.

Hiresword - Mercenary

Stareyed - naïve

Shraehouse - a type of very small tavern

Fastmud - Cement

a Swords out - a brawl or violent argument

a Smur - a light, misty rain

Beast-men - common word for ogres

Big Folk - Term used by gnomes and halflings to refer to the other races

Longears - term for an elf

Little man - insult aimed at dwarves

a Blackstick - something like a grease pencil. A writing utility made of a stick of thorden (juniper) wood that can be sharpened on one end, which is then slightly charred and used to write with.

a Blandreth - a three legged cooking pot

a Boot - a Traveller

Dadacky - Rotten, Decayed

Heartstop - a Heart attack

Coin - Money; "I've got no coin until I get paid next week."

a Broad Cry - Headline of a newspaper/broadsheet

Holy hand - a temple guard

Tenday - equivalent of a week (10 days instead of 7) Other, less commonly used terms include; an "eve," "hyrar", "ride" or a "domen".

the Elf day - the Weekend. The tenth day of a tenday, sometimes a day of rest.

House storming - a burglary; home invasion

the Realms Below - the Underdark

a Black Robe - a magistrate [Waterdhavian dialect]

a Sun - a platinum coin [Waterdhavian]

a Dragon - a gold coin [Waterdhavian]

a Shard - a silver coin [Waterdhavian]

a Nib - a copper coin [Waterdhavian]

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xiubaek-13 · 2 years

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The Busiest Night Manager In Seoul Part 1

Part of the Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa collaboration

Genre: Hotel AU, eventual smut.

Pairing: Night Manager Baekhyun x Hotel Guest Reader

Word Count: 3,932

Warnings: Christmas tree innuendo? Roleplay if you squint. Nothing really for this chapter, its mostly an intro to their characters.

A/N: I hope you enjoy this. There will be 3 parts to this short fic. I wanted to break it up a bit rather than drop a 15k monster on all of you.

You checked your booking information one last time before leaving for the airport. You’d gotten ready too early, a trait your mother had ingrained into your subconscious, at least you weren’t as extreme as her - she’d be at the airport 8 hours before the flight boarded, you were only a couple of hours ahead of schedule. Still not quite believing that you were off on an all expenses paid trip to Seoul, you shut the door behind you and rolled your suitcase towards the taxi that had just pulled up in front of your building. When you’d topped the sales board for most insurance policies in your branch last year you had been gifted a $100 voucher for dinner so it had come as a huge surprise that this year instead of a gift voucher, you received an envelope through the internal mailing system that contained a plane ticket, a 5 night hotel booking confirmation and details of a one day meeting that you were to attend on behalf of the company.

After confirming that the trip was indeed real and not some sort of joke you’d looked the hotel up online and it was fancy with a capital F. You just knew you’d look out of place there. The Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa was a top tier, very expensive, luxury hotel. You had this image of all of the guests in their designer clothes, nary a hair out of place. Your personal style did not scream ‘I have lots of money’, not that you cared. You liked your style, it wasn’t bad, it would just stick out like a sore thumb in a place like that.

The hotel had recently been renovated. You’d spent a decent portion of your flight to Seoul reading up on the new and improved Crimson Aurora. They offered a wide range of services, more than you’d seen on any hotel list that you’d stayed at before: 24 hr room service, on-site pool, spa, sauna, gym with personal trainer, yoga sessions, cocktail bar, celebrity chef, top of the line security, tour guides, live music. The list went on. Surely they were offering too much? How many employees did it have? It would have to be a lot to accommodate all of those services.

You were due to arrive late at night, checking in around 11:30pm due to your flight times. You had been given instructions from one of the very helpful receptionists on how to contact the night manager once you arrived so that he could check you in and see you to your room. While the taxi from the airport took you to your destination you rang the number you’d been provided with. After two rings the night manager answered.

“Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa, Night Manager Baekhyun speaking. How may I be of assistance to you this evening?” His voice was soothing, the tone of it comforting. It made you feel like you were speaking to an old friend which kind of startled you.

Pulling your mind from the odd tangent it was headed down Do I know him? Surely not right? But his voice…it feels familiar… “Oh hi, I was told by one of the daytime receptionists to call this number when I was on my way to the hotel. I’m in the taxi from the airport right now.”

“Are you checking in for a stay with us?” He asked.

“Yes. I got stuck with a late flight. Christmas in July and all that. The driver says we’ll be arriving in about 15 minutes. Can you let me in once I arrive so I can check in? I’m sorry to be arriving so late at night.” You apologised. You knew that check in had technically finished hours ago but you’d specially organised the late check in after realising at the airport that your flight was delayed.

“It’s a very busy time for tourists, that's for sure.” He replied, not at all fussed by your late arrival. “Ma’am if you could provide me with your booking reference I’ll have most of the check in process completed by the time you arrive.” He said kindly.

“Ok great. My booking reference is CHS-01004099.” You replied.

“Thank you ma’am. I’m just bringing the booking up now.” He hummed softly as he pulled up your booking information. The sound was pleasant to your ears but was not doing anything to help keep you awake. “You’re going to be spending a week with us. On behalf of Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa I hope you enjoy your stay.” You could hear the smile as he spoke. “Now when you arrive, walk up to the glass doors and press the white button on the left hand door frame. That will notify me of your arrival and I will come out to assist you with your bags and finalise the check in process.” He stated.

You nodded, then realised that duh, you were on the phone so he couldn’t see you, and spoke. “Thank you. See you soon then.” You hung up, stifling a yawn as you made sure you had all of your bags ready for when you pulled up to the hotel.

***

“Ok you are all set,” He smiled warmly at you as he handed you your room key. “I’ll have Jinki, our bellboy, bring your bags up to your room in a moment. You’ll need to use the room key to access floors above the restaurant level, which is level 3. On behalf of the Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa I’d like to welcome you and hope that your stay is everything you wish it to be.” He guided you through the hotel lobby and stood with you while you waited for one of the three elevators to arrive.

You don’t know what you expected the night manager to look like but it sure as well wasn’t what had greeted you when you had arrived. In head to toe black his ash blonde hair stood out almost as much as his incredibly warm smile. He’d greeted you and helped you inside, his ring clad fingers taking your bags from you as you followed him to the reception desk. It had been difficult not to just stare at him, there was no denying that this night manager was handsome. If he’d noticed your lingering gaze on his face and the few too many undone buttons of his shirt, he made no comments about it. Maybe it was the jet lag setting in or maybe it was just him but you continually found yourself stealing glances at him during the entire check in process. Baekhyun had remained a consummate professional so either you weren't staring as much as you thought or he was ignoring it.

He grinned and waved after you stepped into the elevator. "Sleep well. Just call the front desk if anything in your room isn't right." You nodded in thanks, a small smile creeping onto your face.

The bed in the room was so incredibly comfortable that as soon as your head hit the pillow you fell asleep. You didn't even hear the knock at the door when the bellboy arrived with your bags, nor the way he quietly opened the door and placed them just inside before leaving. The long flight coupled with the huge comfortable bed meant that you slept a lot longer than you had planned. You managed to wake up right before breakfast had finished for the day. One hurried shower later you arrived at the restaurant just before the breakfast buffet closed. You’d read about this buffet on the flight over and the way it had been described made it a must on your ever growing list of things to see and experience while you were here.

The review you’d read had been correct, if anything it had undersold on just how unbelievably good the food was. Every single thing that you had off that buffet was delicious to the point that the food was making you mad. Whoever they’d hired as the chef and kitchen staff were worth every cent, possibly more.

Once you finished eating you took yourself on a tour around the hotel grounds, past the gym where you saw a few people taking a class with a very enthusiastic instructor, the pool; manned by a seemingly disinterested pool boy, the massage parlour; which was manned by one overconfident man who winked at you as you wandered by, the yoga studio where a class had just finished, the beautiful gardens and a second restaurant spot. You found your way back to the main area of the hotel and passed through the bar lounge and games area before you came to a stop in the lobby. The hotel was beautiful and whoever had redecorated had done an amazing job. You had read in the information pack that the Kim Kibum (better known in the art world as Key) was the mastermind behind the interior decorating.

The rest of your day was not very busy. You took yourself on a tour around Seoul, taking in all of the sites, doing some shopping and eating some local foods. Tomorrow would be the day of your actual meeting so you worked out the building that you had to go to and the most efficient route between it and the hotel. You went back to your room to look over the schedule for the day as well as key points and topics to be covered. Most of it was boring pseudo sales crap but you made sure to read all of it, not wanting to be under prepared. You are an excellent sales person but you also like to be prepared for these sorts of things, not wanting anyone to surprise you and make you look like a fool.

***

Baekhyun POV

“Yah Junmyeon! When are you gonna hire more staff? I can't keep doing this on my own every single night. There's too many jobs, too many guests and I'm the only one apart from Jinki who works the night shift.” He half whined down the phone at his friend and boss. He was tired. Tired of demanding shifts with little to no thanks. He needed at least one more staff member and one more security officer before his job could become smoother. He also needed the damn bartender and the musician to start already. He was being run ragged and if the issue didn’t resolve itself soon, he’d be in danger of burning out.

Ever since the refurbishment of the hotel Junmyeon had been busy searching for and hiring new staff. He only wanted the best - he had a vision of what his hotel could be and this was his chance to get it right. So far he had hired a world class celebrity chef, an incredibly attractive pool boy, a masseuse who was good at his job but would steal your heart, a flashy bartender and a new musician. However, not all of these hires had commenced work yet. Some were still in mandatory training and others weren’t due to start until August. He couldn’t have pulled this difficult period without his events coordinator who was a true lifesaver almost as much as Baekhyun was. Junmyeon truly didn't know how he would have continued to run the hotel without Baekhyun's help. He was willing to do a shift that no one else wanted to, giving up his nights to cater to the whims of tired, grumpy, drunk and handsy elite guests. He was always available to work, was never sick and Junmyeon was pretty sure he hadn’t had a day off in at least three months. It was something he wanted to change but it would have to wait until after the Christmas in July period because he couldn’t trust anyone else to keep up the charade to children in the night when Santa was concerned.

“Soon Baek, I’m interviewing more candidates today.” He sighed, the pressure to get his staffing issue solved quickly weighing down on him. “I’m doing my best to find more staff to cover the nights and we’ve got others starting next month. We’ve just got to get through July.” Junmyeon couldn’t risk hiring the wrong people so his screening process was lengthy and demanding.

“I know you are hyung. It’s just been a lot this past week. Christmas in July has made my shifts incredibly busy and while I’m amazing, arguably the best night manager there ever was or ever will be, I’m only one man.” He said.

“You know how much I value you Baek. I’m going to find you the staff you need but I can’t rush it. We’ve gotta trust the process.” He paused. “I’ve gotta go, the first candidate for the day has arrived.”

Baekhyun hung up and continued his journey to his room. One of the perks of being Night Manager was a suite on the eastern side of the hotel. His suite was lovely, he’d done his best (much to the chagrin of Key) to make it feel like home. He accepted all of these shifts, as well as the title of Night Manager, because he loved working for the hotel. He considered Junmyeon to be one of his closest friends, he didn’t even mind that his close friend was his boss.

He loved his job, he just wished that he didn't have to wear so many hats at the moment to please the guests that they had. As it was newly refurbished they were trying to bring in new clientele and in order to do that it had to seem like the hotel was fully staffed at all times including the night shift so not only was he night manager but he was everyone else during the hours of 10 until 6. To say that this was exhausting and kind of boring in the beginning was not an understatement but he turned it into a game to keep it interesting for him.

Behind the reception area where no one could see he had a coat rack full of the other uniforms that staff would wear to fulfil their various roles and when it was called for he did a very quick costume change, disappearing and reappearing as someone new. For him the most fun was when he impersonated the staff that weren’t there.

Most of the guests were so full of themselves or the business that they were there for that they didn't really pay much attention to the staff as long as the staff member was good at their job and present so Baekhyun had gotten away with his ruse for quite some time. He had it down to a fine art. Until you. You saw him and he didn’t know how to feel about that. At first he was scared that you’d make a complaint to the hotel about him, but you seemed to enjoy watching him play his many roles. He wasn’t sure why the thought of that thrilled him as much as it did.

It had been quite some time since a guest had stared at him the way you did, as though you were transfixed by him. He was used to people looking through him, just seeing a staff member that they needed for something, which was fine with him, but you looked at him. That first night when you checked in he hadn’t had time to change back into the suit he wore for his main role. He’d been serving drinks at the bar right up until you buzzed the front door. He hadn’t missed the way that your eyes kept drifting to his lips, chest, hands, and thighs. It felt good to be looked at like that, as someone desirable, but he kept quiet about it. He didn’t want to make you embarrassed as he was pretty sure you weren’t aware of how unsubtle you were being after having been in transit for most of the day. He hoped he’d get to know you better during the course of the week.

***

Your POV

After two days at the hotel you’d come to know a few things. 1. During the day, the place was bustling with both guests and staff. 2. At night, it was still bustling with guests but the staff… well the staff seemed to just be Baekhyun and Jinki. 3. Baekhyun denied this vehemently.

The first night after your arrival you headed down to see the Christmas tree in the main lobby and grab a drink at the bar, maybe even listen to the dulcet tones of their newly hired pianist. You saw Baekhyun at the reception desk, giving him a small wave as you passed by. He smiled and waved back as he continued to assist the couple in front of him with directions.

You stood in front of the large tree in awe. You’d never seen a Christmas tree of this magnitude before. It was lit up, well like a Christmas tree, the red and gold baubles accenting the green of the tree beautifully. It was a lot grander than your small tree at home. Granted, yours was a real tree and you had to keep it alive (something you wouldn’t say you were excelling at but the thing wasn’t dead).

“I’ll give you a drink voucher if you can spot my favourite decoration.” His voice startled you. You turned to your left and found Baekhyun grinning as he stood next to you. “Sorry, I thought you’d have heard me walking over. You must have really been immersed in the tree.”

You nodded. “Yeah, I’ve never seen one this big before.” He laughed. “It’s huge! Who has a Christmas tree that’s at least three storeys high and isn’t amazed by it?!”

He shrugged. “I guess I’m just used to it. I see it every day so its size doesn’t distract me.” He fought the urge to wink as he spoke. “Anyway, my offer for a drink voucher stands. You just have to find my favourite decoration. I’ll give you one chance per day.” The distinct ring of the bell at the front desk sounded and he sighed. “I’ll be back. Go get up close and personal with it.”

Not one to pass up a free anything, you moved closer to the tree as Baekhyun went about doing his job. At first glance you’d only focused on the red and gold baubles but the longer you looked, the more decorations you noticed. There were ornaments spread across the entire tree. You spotted a candy cane, a nutcracker, various glittery pine cones, some snowmen, some varied Santa ornaments, and angel or two, a range of coloured balls with odd symbols on them, random animals with vaguely Christmas themed objects; like the corgi with a snowglobe.

You decided to pick the European gnome style Santa ornament, with his hat covering all of his face except for his nose and beard but when you turned around, Baekhyun was nowhere to be seen. You decided to go to the bar, figuring you’d see him on your way back to the elevator when you were ready to return to your room for the night.

***

“Why are you everywhere?” You asked, pointedly.

The bartender, who was without a shadow of a doubt, Baekhyun replied. “I don’t know what you mean.”

You narrowed your eyes at him. “You served me a drink then disappeared, only to suddenly be over at the piano accompanying the jazz singer who’s here tonight, and now you’re back serving drinks.”

“You’re mistaken.” He gestured to the tag on his shirt. “I’m Taemin, as you can see from my name badge and the pianist is Chanyeol. We’ve got similar hairstyles so I could understand why you might confuse the two of us.” He pointed at his attire. “But as you can see, I’m wearing completely different clothing. Maybe you need your eyes checked. We staff aren’t all the same, you know.” He smirked as he shook a cocktail for another guest, expertly adding little flourishes as he worked. You were not convinced. This man tending the bar, as far as you were concerned, was Baekhyun and he was doing a terrible job of convincing you otherwise. Maybe the other guests didn’t notice him the way you did but you had memorised the features of his face, and apparently some other features as well.

You leant forward on the bar counter. “You both look alarmingly similar to the night manager…”

He chuckled as he shook his head at you in disbelief. “So our CEO has a type. How is that our fault?”

“Baekhyun…” You started.

He tutted at you as he moved to stand directly in front of you, only the bar counter separating the two of you. “I might have to cut you off little lady, I just said my name was Taemin. How could you get that so wrong?” He tilted his head, a mischievous glint in his eye. It felt like a challenge, one you were willing to play along with for now.

“My apologies, er Taemin was it?” He nodded, happy that you were playing along. “Your drinks must be stronger than I anticipated. You see I was talking with the aforementioned Night Manager before I came in here. He offered me a free drink voucher if I could guess his favourite decoration on the Christmas tree.”

He leant forward on the bar, his closeness almost distracting you. “Did you guess correctly?” He asked, a knowing smile forming on his face.

You shook your head, pouting. “No. He was nowhere to be seen when I was ready to make my first guess.”

“Ah, he is a busy man.” Not-Baekhyun offered. “I’m sure you’ll see him before you return to your room.

You sighed. “True, but I wanted to make my guess. I really stared at that huge, girthy tree for so long and got so close to it to inspect all of the details.”

He cleared his throat. “Now I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone describe the Christmas tree like that before.”

Before you could continue your innuendo another guest arrived at the bar which demanded Not-Baekhyun’s attention. He offered you a slight shrug as he turned to focus on the guest’s order. You couldn’t say that you minded though, you enjoyed watching him tend the bar. He was remarkably good at it, flipping bottles and providing easy banter. You weren’t sure why he was pretending to be someone else, changing his shirt, jacket and sometimes his hair wasn’t enough to fool you. Clearly it worked for the other guests as you’d spotted quite a few people who you’d seen speaking with him at the front desk not even take a second glance at him as they ordered their drinks.

The whole bit with the size of the tree? You’d picked up on his suggestive yet playful tone when he’d first mentioned it. You were here for a few more days and there was absolutely no harm in flirting with the very attractive man who seemed to be doing everyone’s jobs. He seemed interested so even if nothing came of it, you could both have your fun until you left.

As you sipped your drink, a devious little plan formed in your mind. One that would achieve a few goals for you. It would catch him out on pretending to be others and explore the extent of the wardrobe options he had on hand. If it went really well, then you both just might get to have a very Merry Christmas…in July.

Part 2

A/N: Thanks for reading and enjoying this collab. Please don’t forget to check the other writers out @myeoning-call @leewalberg @yourkeeperoftherunners @taem-min @ouvuo @dreamylittlesugarcube @jxstadaydreamer and @sojuri

#exo fic #baekhyun fic #exo fanfic #baekhyun fanfic #exo imagine #exo scenario #baekhyun imagine #baekhyun scenario #exo smut #baekhyun smut #crimson aurora hotel collab

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froppy-butterflyfan2000 · 4 months

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What is Ivy's home life like?

Well, she is now officially an adult, but her life still remains the same. Her parents are being busy in the Supernatural World. Rose stopping dragon slayers and Nigel being a wizard (AND NO NIGEL IS NOT HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH HIS WIFE! He is a faithful to her. They goes on dates a couple of times). Yeah it is lonely being in a big house. (At least she can host a big and wild parties at her house when she is home alone. As long as her niece and big sisters are not in the house.) At least her big sister, Evelyn and her daughter, Sibrella are living there now.

Plus, it is better than her childhood, she had a tense relationship with her father. He spoiled her. To be a brat..... Plus, he taught her magic and keeping an eyes on her mana recovery and stamina. Strict and have many expectations placed on her. Her father expected her to be strong in both magic and physically in order to be a sidekick to any of the Guardian Dragons, more specifically the one in NYC. He wanted her to have a Dragon in her friend group. However he saw that Ivy preferred the friends she picked. Nigel did not denied Ivy on her friendships. Reason is Ivy making friends with Bea and Stella allowed him to increase his own reputation by her boost her reputation to increase his reputation. That is why Ivy wanted to be independent and learn about hard work on her own. Another reason to break the cycle - Adults take advantages of her father, Nigel when he was a kid to feed his mind that he is superior and feed his ego to mold him into being used. It is suck. Ivy fell victim to it.

Although the memory is foggy now, Ivy still remember feeling the tight grip of Nigel clutching her shoulders to tell her how a disappointment she really is. That is why it is not a good idea to touch her shoulders.

Nigel really loves his daughter, and would visit her at the hospital if she get injured, and agrees to his wife that she should stop doing heroic works for the time being or permanently if there are severity, such as Ivy losing her leg when being amputated for her own good after an explosion incident at Phoenix Academy. He is an irresponsibly perfectionist with an ego (just liked her). Beside he was a mentor she want because Ivy learned to wield magic differently and Nigel quickly recognized this that he changed his lessons to suit what they both want.

As for her relationship with her mom, it is positive, both past and present. Rose can see the self-doubts right through Ivy. She know her own daughter best;always fascinating when with magic, as she loves to explore the city in search of magic that she has never seen before. Usually, her childish personality emerges when she encounters a new type of magic and gets excited to see it in action. And wants to help people out. Plus the reason why she became a hero and not be following in her father's because witches are cool to her.

When Ivy is putting herself down, Rose occasionally finger pistol Ivy on the forehead till she plead. Then she have her settle down to ask the questions that will go through self-reflection for Ivy, and finally pep-talks and advices to help her.

Rose and Ivy would spars in swordsmanship and throwing hands/H2H combat and would often goes on a mother-and-daughter shopping sprees and spa day. Rose is the one to put Nigel in his place if his parenting is questionable.

Is that the question you wants? If not… Sorry for rambling. The Thrall Residence is a large house that is a blend of Rococo, Victorian Style, and including Neo-Andean because Townsville is futuristic; more uptown/gentrified areas and Solarpunk in the Lunaverse. So the house is installs with nanotech in case it get destroyed, despite insures under Hanout Anoush’s father’s insurance company. Inside the house, there are a personal gym/training room that have a simulation, Rose’s Weapon Room, a personal study room for each of her parent, a state of the art high tech kitchen and living room, a potions supply closet, and a lab to make potions and to perform rituals. A shrine for deities Ivy worshipping too. Ivy have her garden of daylilies, foxgloves, and roses outside and Rose have her training ground. Ivy’s room is based on her subculture: a combination of Cottagecore, Earthcore/Bloomcore, Lovecore, Forest Fairy Princess Core, Whimsigothcore, Pinkcore, and Witchcore.

#lunaverse #Ivy Layla Thrall

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bbu-on-the-side · 2 years

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BBU business ideas

I asked chat gpt about potential businesses spawning in the BBU and around WRU.

Here are the unfiltered results, as I am sure they serve as potential prompts or just to enrich worldbuilding.

Cw BBU, pet whump, dehumanisation, death mention

1. Pet accessory and clothing manufacturers: Businesses could start manufacturing clothing, accessories, and other items specifically designed for the "Pets" to wear.

2. Pet grooming and beauty services: Businesses could start offering grooming and beauty services specifically tailored to the "Pets" such as hair cuts and spa treatments.

3. Pet insurance: Businesses could start offering insurance policies specifically for "Pets" to protect the owner's investment in case of accidents or illnesses.

4. Pet training and behavior modification services: Businesses could start offering training and behavior modification services for "Pets" to further customize them to the owner's preferences.

5. Pet daycare and boarding: Businesses could start offering daycare and boarding services for "Pets" to give their owners more flexibility and convenience.

6. Pet travel and transportation: Businesses could start offering travel and transportation services for "Pets" to allow their owners to take them with them on trips or move them between different locations.

7. Pet burial and cremation services: Businesses could start offering burial and cremation services for "Pets" to help the owners grieve and memorialize their "Pets" when they pass away.

8. Pet breeding and genetics services: Businesses could start offering breeding and genetics services for "Pets" to create custom-designed "Pets" with specific characteristics or traits.

9. Pet rental services: Businesses could start offering rental services for "Pets" to give customers the opportunity to try out different "Pets" before they make a purchase.

10. Pet loyalty programs: Businesses could start offering loyalty programs for "Pets" to reward frequent customers with discounts or special perks.

11. Pet health and wellness services: Businesses could start offering health and wellness services for "Pets" such as veterinary care and medication.

12. Pet-sitting and pet-walking services: Businesses could start offering pet-sitting and pet-walking services for "Pets" to give their owners more flexibility and convenience.

13. Pet-related education and courses: Businesses could start offering courses and educational programs on how to train, care for, and interact with "Pets" to give customers more knowledge about how to handle their "Pets".

14. Pet-related technology and devices: Businesses could start developing and selling technology and devices specifically designed for "Pets" such as GPS tracking devices, cameras and communication devices that allow owners to monitor and interact with their "Pets" remotely.

#bbu prompts #bbu

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narwhalpanda · 8 months

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if there is a superpower id like to inherit from any of my parents its my fathers eerie ability to be a guy who knows a guy. no matter how specific a guy you need, he is able to procure one within 3 business days, always with some batshit explanation like "oh we used to play guitars in pubs together when we were teenagers, now his sister is a reality agent who has exactly the kinda flat youre looking for for rent" or "oh we drank with this guy at a spa resort (on the other side of a country) once, now he recommended me an insurance covered dentist located 5 minute walk from your workplace." i am shaking my father by his shoulders. what are you. my whole life this man keeps pulling guys out of a hat

#insane social skills #i guess it comes with a very active life but damn

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beardedmrbean · 1 year

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A Long Beach man accused of building and planting a bomb at an Orange County spa, killing his ex-girlfriend and seriously injuring two people, has been found guilty in federal court.

Stephen William Beal, 64, was convicted of four felony counts related to the explosion at the Aliso Viejo day spa in May 2018.

Beal, an amateur rocketry and explosives hobbyist, built and planted the bomb inside Magyar Kozmetika spa, located inside a two-story commercial office building located at 11 Mareblu.

The explosion caused major damage to the building and killed the spa’s owner, 48-year-old Ildiko Krajnyak of Trabuco Canyon. Two of her clients, a mother and her daughter, were also seriously and “permanently” injured in the blast, according to the United States Department of Justice.

Prosecutors say Beal and Krajnyak had a previous 18-month romantic relationship and business partnership in which he acted both “controlling” and “possessive.” After she decided to end the relationship, Beal became obsessed with his ex, prosecutors said, keeping tabs on her whereabouts, monitoring her social media pages and tracking her schedule.

Cellular data and security footage from the business showed that Beal, who had a key to the business, entered the spa on multiple occasions while his ex was out of the country. He planted the explosive device for her to open upon her return, court documents state.

One of the surviving victims testified that she saw Krajnyak opening a cardboard box moments before the explosion ripped a hole through the building. She was forced to pull her mother from the rubble and flee through an opening in the wall, she said.

The severity of Krajnyak’s injuries and the size of the blast led investigators to rule her death a homicide as it indicated a deliberate act, investigators said at the time. Body parts were apparently found in an adjacent parking lot, authorities said.

A search of the blast site led to the discovery and recovery of a 9-volt battery and several wires that were embedded in the ceiling. The ensuing investigation revealed that Beal had purchased several items required for completing the bomb just days before the explosion.

Store security footage showed him using cash to buy a single 9-volt battery six days before the bombing, as well as three cardboard boxes that matched the description provided by the surviving witness.

Beal had “years of experience” building high-powered rockets and homemade pyrotechnics, the DOJ said. In a search of his home, investigators found more than 130 pounds of explosive chemicals and completed explosive mixtures, as well as electric matches and wires. Testing of both the bomb residue and the chemicals in his home confirmed that the same chemicals were used.

He was arrested shortly after the explosion, but was released as detectives debated whether or not there was enough evidence to officially charge him. In March 2019, he was arrested following a federal grand jury indictment.

United States Attorney Martin Estrada described Krajnyak’s death as a “cowardly” murder that forever changed the lives of the victims and needlessly endangered many lives, including children who were at a daycare located across the street.

“Thanks to the thorough investigation … I am pleased the jury saw through Mr. Beal’s efforts to avoid responsibility for his deplorable actions,” Estrada said.

Beal is due to appear in court for his sentencing on Nov. 17, and could face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

He also faces federal charges for fraud in an unrelated case that is set to go to trial days before his sentencing hearing in the deadly explosion. Prosecutors allege Beal failed to report $350,000 that he receive from his late wife’s estate and also fraudulently obtained insurance benefits and Social Security payments. That trial is slated to being on Nov. 14.

The case was investigated by several law enforcement bodies, including the FBI, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, IRS Criminal Investigations and other Orange County law enforcement agencies.

#nunyas news #yikes

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tangledhearts1 · 1 year

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Decisions by CVS and Optum Panicked Thousands of Their Sickest Patients

Arthur Allen

NEW YORK — The fear started when a few patients saw their nurses and dietitians posting job searches on LinkedIn.

Word spread to Facebook groups, and patients started calling Coram CVS, a major U.S. supplier of the compounded IV nutrients on which they rely for survival. To their dismay, CVS Health confirmed the rumors on June 1: It was closing 36 of the 71 branches of its Coram home infusion business and laying off about 2,000 nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, and other employees.

Many of the patients left in the lurch have life-threatening digestive disorders that render them unable to eat or drink. They depend on parenteral nutrition, or PN — in which amino acids, sugars, fats, vitamins, and electrolytes are pumped, in most cases, through a specialized catheter directly into a large vein near the heart.

The day after CVS’ move, another big supplier, Optum Rx, announced its own consolidation. Suddenly, thousands would be without their highly complex, shortage-plagued, essential drugs and nutrients.

“With this kind of disruption, patients can’t get through on the phones. They panic,” said Cynthia Reddick, a senior nutritionist who was let go in the CVS restructuring.

“It was very difficult. Many emails, many phone calls, acting as a liaison between my doctor and the company,” said Elizabeth Fisher Smith, a 32-year-old public health instructor in New York City, whose Coram branch closed. A rare medical disorder has forced her to rely on PN for survival since 2017. “In the end, I got my supplies, but it added to my mental burden. And I’m someone who has worked in health care nearly my entire adult life.”

CVS had abandoned most of its less lucrative market in home parenteral nutrition, or HPN, and “acute care” drugs like IV antibiotics. Instead, it would focus on high-dollar, specialty intravenous medications like Remicade, which is used for arthritis and other autoimmune conditions.

Home and outpatient infusions are a growing business in the United States, as new drugs for chronic illness enable patients, health care providers, and insurers to bypass in-person treatment. Even the wellness industry is cashing in, with spa storefronts and home hydration services.

But while reimbursement for expensive new drugs has drawn the interest of big corporations and private equity, the industry is strained by a lack of nurses and pharmacists. And the less profitable parts of the business — as well as the vulnerable patients they serve — are at serious risk.

This includes the 30,000-plus Americans who rely for survival on parenteral nutrition, which has 72 ingredients. Among those patients are premature infants and post-surgery patients with digestive problems, and people with short or damaged bowels, often the result of genetic defects.

While some specialty infusion drugs are billed through pharmacy benefit managers that typically pay suppliers in a few weeks, medical plans that cover HPN, IV antibiotics, and some other infusion drugs can take 90 days to pay, said Dan Manchise, president of Mann Medical Consultants, a home care consulting company.

In the 2010s, CVS bought Coram, and Optum bought up smaller home infusion companies, both with the hope that consolidation and scale would offer more negotiating power with insurers and manufacturers, leading to a more stable market. But the level of patient care required was too high for them to make money, industry officials said.

“With the margins seen in the industry,” Manchise said, “if you’ve taken on expensive patients and you don’t get paid, you’re dead.”

In September, CVS announced its purchase of Signify Health, a high-tech company that sends out home health workers to evaluate billing rates for “high-priority” Medicare Advantage patients, according to an analyst’s report. In other words, as CVS shed one group of patients whose care yields low margins, it was spending $8 billion to seek more profitable ones.

CVS “pivots when necessary,” spokesperson Mike DeAngelis told KHN. “We decided to focus more resources on patients who receive infusion services for specialty medications” that “continue to see sustained growth.” Optum declined to discuss its move, but a spokesperson said the company was “steadfastly committed to serving the needs” of more than 2,000 HPN patients.

DeAngelis said CVS worked with its HPN patients to “seamlessly transition their care” to new companies.

However, several Coram patients interviewed about the transition indicated it was hardly smooth. Other HPN businesses were strained by the new demand for services, and frightening disruptions occurred.

Smith had to convince her new supplier that she still needed two IV pumps — one for HPN, the other for hydration. Without two, she’d rely partly on “gravity” infusion, in which the IV bag hangs from a pole that must move with the patient, making it impossible for her to keep her job.

“They just blatantly told her they weren’t giving her a pump because it was more expensive, she didn’t need it, and that’s why Coram went out of business,” Smith said.

Many patients who were hospitalized at the time of the switch — several inpatient stays a year are not unusual for HPN patients — had to remain in the hospital until they could find new suppliers. Such hospitalizations typically cost at least $3,000 a day.

“The biggest problem was getting people out of the hospital until other companies had ramped up,” said Dr. David Seres, a professor of medicine at the Institute of Human Nutrition at Columbia University Medical Center. Even over a few days, he said, “there was a lot of emotional hardship and fear over losing long-term relationships.”

To address HPN patients’ nutritional needs, a team of physicians, nurses, and dietitians must work with their supplier, Seres said. The companies conduct weekly bloodwork and adjust the contents of the HPN bags, all under sterile conditions because these patients are at risk of blood infections, which can be grave.

As for Coram, “it’s pretty obvious they had to trim down business that was not making money,” Reddick said, adding that it was noteworthy both Coram and Optum Rx “pivoted the same way to focus on higher-dollar, higher-reimbursement, high-margin populations.”

“I get it, from the business perspective,” Smith said. “At the same time, they left a lot of patients in a not great situation.”

***

Smith shares a postage-stamp Queens apartment with her husband, Matt; his enormous flight simulator (he’s an amateur pilot); cabinets and fridges full of medical supplies; and two large, friendly dogs, Caspian and Gretl. On a recent morning, she went about her routine: detaching the bag of milky IV fluid that had pumped all night through a central line implanted in her chest, flushing the line with saline, injecting medications into another saline bag, and then hooking it through a paperback-sized pump into her central line.

Smith has a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which can cause many health problems. As a child, Smith had frequent issues such as a torn Achilles tendon and shoulder dislocations. In her 20s, while working as an EMT, she developed severe gut blockages and became progressively less able to digest food. In 2017, she went on HPN and takes nothing by mouth except for an occasional sip of liquid or bite of soft food, in hopes of preventing the total atrophy of her intestines. HPN enabled her to commute to George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where in 2020 she completed a master’s in public health.

On days when she teaches at LaGuardia Community College — she had 35 students this semester — Smith is up at 6 a.m. to tend to her medical care, leaves the house at 9:15 for class, comes home in the afternoon for a bag of IV hydration, then returns for a late afternoon or evening class. In the evening she gets more hydration, then hooks up the HPN bag for the night. On rare occasions she skips the HPN, “but then I regret it,” she said. The next day she’ll have headaches and feel dizzy, sometimes losing her train of thought in class.

Smith describes a “love-hate relationship” with HPN. She hates being dependent on it, the sour smell of the stuff when it spills, and the mountains of unrecyclable garbage from the 120 pounds of supplies couriered to her apartment weekly. She worries about blood clots and infections. She finds the smell of food disconcerting; Matt tries not to cook when she’s home. Other HPN patients speak of sudden cravings for pasta or Frosted Mini-Wheats.

Yet HPN “has given me my life back,” Smith said.

She is a zealous self-caretaker, but some dangers are beyond her control. IV feeding over time is associated with liver damage. The assemblage of HPN bags by compounding pharmacists is risky. If the ingredients aren’t mixed in the right order, they can crystallize and kill a patient, said Seres, Smith’s doctor.

He and other doctors would like to transition patients to food, but this isn’t always possible. Some eventually seek drastic treatments such as bowel lengthening or even transplants of the entire digestive tract.

“When they run out of options, they could die,” said Dr. Ryan Hurt, a Mayo Clinic physician and president of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

***

And then there are the shortages.

In 2017, Hurricane Maria crippled dozens of labs and factories making IV components in Puerto Rico; next came the covid-19 emergency, which shifted vital supplies to gravely ill hospital patients.

Prices for vital HPN ingredients can fluctuate unpredictably as companies making them come and go. For example, in recent years the cost of the sodium acetate used as an electrolyte in a bag of HPN ballooned from $2 to $25, then briefly to $300, said Michael Rigas, a co-founder of the home infusion pharmacy KabaFusion.

“There may be 50 different companies involved in producing everything in an HPN bag,” Rigas said. “They’re all doing their own thing — expanding, contracting, looking for ways to make money.” This leaves patients struggling to deal with various shortages from saline and IV bags to special tubing and vitamins.

“In the last five years I’ve seen more things out of stock or on shortage than the previous 35 years combined,” said Rigas.

The sudden retrenchment of CVS and Optum Rx made things worse. Another, infuriating source of worry: the steady rise of IV spas and concierge services, staffed by moonlighting or burned-out hospital nurses, offering IV vitamins and hydration to well-off people who enjoy the rush of infusions to relieve symptoms of a cold, morning sickness, a hangover, or just a case of the blahs.

In January, infusion professionals urged FDA Commissioner Robert Califf to examine spa and concierge services’ use of IV products as an “emerging contributing factor” to shortages.

The FDA, however, has little authority over IV spas. The Federal Trade Commission has cracked down on some spa operations — for unsubstantiated health claims rather than resource misuse.

Bracha Banayan’s concierge service, called IVDRIPS, started in 2017 in New York City and now employs 90 people, including 60 registered nurses, in four states, she said. They visit about 5,000 patrons each year, providing IV hydration and vitamins in sessions of an hour or two for up to $600 a visit. The goal is “to hydrate and be healthy” with a “boost that makes us feel better,” Banayan said.

Although experts don’t recommend IV hydration outside of medical settings, the market has exploded, Banayan said: “Every med spa is like, ‘We want to bring in IV services.’ Every single paramedic I know is opening an IV center.”

Matt Smith, Elizabeth’s husband, isn’t surprised. Educated as a lawyer, he is a paramedic who trains others at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. “You give someone a choice of go up to some rich person’s apartment and start an IV on them, or carry a 500-pound person living in squalor down from their apartment,” he said. “There’s one that’s going to be very hard on your body and one very easy on your body.”

The very existence of IV spa companies can feel like an insult.

“These people are using resources that are literally a matter of life or death to us,” Elizabeth Smith said.

Shortages in HPN supplies have caused serious health problems including organ failure, severe blisters, rashes, and brain damage.

For five months last year, Rylee Cornwell, 18 and living in Spokane, Washington, could rarely procure lipids for her HPN treatment. She grew dizzy or fainted when she tried to stand, so she mostly slept. Eventually she moved to Phoenix, where the Mayo Clinic has many Ehlers-Danlos patients and supplies are easier to access.

Mike Sherels was a University of Minnesota Gophers football coach when an allergic reaction caused him to lose most of his intestines. At times he’s had to rely on an ethanol solution that damages the ports on his central line, a potentially deadly problem “since you can only have so many central access sites put into your body during your life,” he said.

When Faith Johnson, a 22-year-old Las Vegas student, was unable to get IV multivitamins, she tried crushing vitamin pills and swallowing the powder, but couldn’t keep the substance down and became malnourished. She has been hospitalized five times this past year.

Dread stalks Matt Smith, who daily fears that Elizabeth will call to say she has a headache, which could mean a minor allergic or viral issue — or a bloodstream infection that will land her in the hospital.

Even more worrying, he said: “What happens if all these companies stop doing it? What is the alternative? I don’t know what the economics of HPN are. All I know is the stuff either comes or it doesn’t.”

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

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