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sobeautifullyobsessed · 15 days

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A Khan By Any Other Name

a prequel to Star Trek: Into Darkness

mystery, suspense, danger ~ romance & NSFW material to follow

summary: Seraphina DiPietro is wise in the ways of the world; she has to be, as she travels the California coast as a torch singer in pubs, bars, and nightclubs. She knows how to take care of herself and stay out of trouble--most of the time. When trouble comes, it's usually because she lets her kind heart overrule her common sense. Stopping to check on a handsome stranger stranded roadside in the Mojave Desert, her curiousity is piqued as much by his classic, mint-looking Mustang, as by its driver--a tall, dark, mysterious drink of water, whom she quickly learns is so much more than he appears.

characters: Khan Noonien Singh (aka: John Harrison), Seraphina DiPietro (OC)

words: 1.9k

Chapter Two

“Drop it now,” he repeated, with the sure authority of a man accustomed to having his orders obeyed, “And I promise I will not hurt you.”

Despite his iron grip, Seraphina struggled to pull her arm away, hissing through teeth gritted against the pain, “Won’t hurt me? You’re hurting me now.”

Harrison’s hold on her arm loosened some; she was still tightly caught, but the pressure of his grasp, the pain, had receded a fair bit—although she knew she’d find dark, finger-shaped bruises there in short order. If she even lived that long. “Forgive me,” he told her, his voice low and even, “I’d forgotten how fragile your bones can be.”

What an odd thing to say, she thought, straining for release from his clutch and realizing it was all too impossible; she was no match for his strength, and even if she could manage to trigger the mace, she had no sure way to aim it properly. She felt desperate, frightened tears well up in her eyes, but squeezed her eyes shut against them—for she would not give her assailant the satisfaction of her despair, nor would she beg for mercy.

He must’ve read that quiet resignation on her face, for he tugged her fist close and covered it with his free hand, urging her to see reason, “You cannot win this struggle, Seraphina. Your resistance is futile; surely you understand this?” Harrison’s voice was silk persuasion, rich and dark and seductive—at complete odds with the very real threat he presented. “I could easily break your wrist and prize your little weapon from your fingers—but I honestly have no desire to hurt you. Just let it go.” And then, to her great surprise, he added, “Please.”

Blinking through the tears that fell against her will, tears that betrayed weakness when she wanted to be strong, Seraphina met his eyes again. His beautiful, deadly eyes—and saw in them an unexpected sincerity that matched his gentle “please”. She bowed her head and opened her fist, leaving her key and the can of mace to fall onto the passenger seat.

“There—that wasn’t so difficult after all, was it?” Why was his voice so soothing? Fear of what he might do to her next coursed through her veins, yet Seraphina thought she could easily crumple to the ground, curl up into a fetal ball, and let his voice see her into untroubled darkness. The heat, the fear, the adrenaline, the struggle—all of it had sapped her of the will to face whatever might come next. She’d always believed it wasn’t in her nature to fall apart so quickly, but she felt that way now, all the same.

True to his word, Harrison released her arm, but Seraphina remained in place, braced against the passenger side door, shaking in the aftermath and considering her very limited options. She might try to make it to her hovercraft, but the stranger now held her key; and even if she had the strength to run and the speed to outpace him, to flee into the desert at her back would be equally as brutal as anything he might do to her. She'd have to make her stand right here, then--and though she was no match for his size and strength, she knew enough to leave him hurting before he took her down for good.

Taking stock of her condition--mentally preparing to fight him off as best she could--Seraphina flexed her left wrist carefully, wincing as she explored her tender forearm with cautious fingers. Nothing broken at least, though she felt a bone-deep ache; but it would not be enough to hamper any effort to defend herself.

Strangely, Harrison was ignoring her at the moment; having retrieved her keychain, he had torn the can of mace free with no effort, before hurtling it carelessly into the desert. Seraphina had a vivid image of her own broken, half-naked body flung just as easily and left upon the sand for carrion-eaters to feast upon. She shoved the idea down deep, knowing such fear would only cripple her--and was immediately dumbfounded when he held the key out to her.

"Did I not say I have no wish to harm you?" Harrison's eyes bored into her own, searching for calm and reasoned understanding. "In spite of how it appears, we are equally vulnerable in this place and situation. We must find a way to trust one another. " Sera only continued to regard him warily. "Take this," he insisted, "If I judge you correctly, simple concern for a traveler in need motivated you to stop. And in keeping with your nature, I believe that you will not deny me the help that I need."

Sera studied his face, looking for signs of deception, skittish to trust him but accepting his peace offering nevertheless. "You lied," she said, defiant yet holding her anger at bay, "This car isn't yours..."

Harrison nodded, his full lips pressed together against a small placid smile, "I never claimed that it was..."

"It's stolen," she fumed, irritated with herself for allowing him to so easily mislead her when her first instinct had been correct after all.

"An act of desperation, I assure you..."

"Just as this was," she exclaimed, extending her bruised forearm to him, "I have to wonder what happens to people who truly stand in your way, Mr. Harrison. "

Unruffled by her outburst, Harrison closed his eyes a moment and breathed deeply. When he looked to her again, he was the picture of patience. "I swear I have no desire to cause you--or anyone else--harm. But you must understand, I am in dire straits and as we linger here, my family is in imminent danger." He paused, weighing the effect of his words upon her. "Such a thing will make a man act beyond the measures of polite society."

Seraphina narrowed her eyes, skeptical of his revelation of a family, but suspending her disbelief for the moment, "How then? What sort of danger is your family in?"

"Their very lives hang in the balance, threatened by a powerful man who seeks to manipulate me into working for him." Embers of hate flashed in his eyes, and he gave a bitter huff as he added, "Forcing me to work toward the most nefarious of purposes."

Sera shook her head, clearing the double vision that had crept up on her; she cupped a trembling hand against her forehead, which came away slick with perspiration. It was the heat getting to her, obviously. She felt parched, although the thought of putting anything into her roiling stomach left her feeling even more nauseous, and her head was pounding in time with her racing pulse. She needed to get out of the goddamn heat before she collapsed from heat exhaustion--while the man before her looked completely unaffected by the desert climate. "And...and I suppose this mysterious man is so powerful that you can't seek help from the proper authorities?" Sera leaned all her weight against the car door, wondering if Harrison had noticed her current state of distress.

If he did, he gave no sign of it, a mix of pain and rancor coloring his strikingly handsome features. "So powerful that it would be in your best interest to remain ignorant as to his identity and position." Anticipating her next question, he warned her, "Do not ask--for I cannot reveal that information."

Though stymied by his vague replies--and sensing a much more complicated tale behind what he'd already admitted to--Sera read blunt honesty in his voice and body language. And the fact that he had willingly returned her key while asking for--rather than demanding--her help, seemed a testament to some underlying truth. She realized that she likely had only a few more minutes until she passed out, leaving her completely at Harrison's mercy. "Then how...how did you end up here, stranded in the Mojave," Sera asked, panting softly, "How does any of this help your family?"

He was watching her closely now, so that he had to aware that she was fading fast. "That is a rather long and complicated tale, Seraphina." His voice had again taken on a lulling pitch. "One which I believe would outlast your capacity to remain on your feet."

She held on to the window frame, white-knuckled but determined to remain upright long enough to learn his hidden agenda. "I'm fine...I...I'm just a little light-headed..."

"Step aside now, Seraphina." Again, that tone of a man whose orders were obeyed without question. "You have little time left before you lose consciousness." His hand was already on the door handle, and she stumbled back in time for him to swing the door open.

Then he was looming over her, a tall, cooling shadow, reaching out to brace her. His touch this time was firm, while surprisingly gentle. "We need to get you out of this heat." Unexpected concern in is stunning eyes, calming concern in his voice. The man was a beautiful enigma.

"No...please...tell me. If...if you want me to trust you..." Her world was darkening around the edges, narrowing so that only his face remained in her field of vision. "If you want me to help...I need...I need to know..." Seraphina felt herself going, and as her consciousness fled, so did her fear and curiousity; only one need remained. She sobbed against him as he scooped her up into his arms, "But you promised...you promised not to hurt me again..." Her eyes fluttered shut as she slipped away from awareness.

Harrison strode swiftly towards her hovercraft, cradling her as softly as he could, knowing that the cool, dark interior was the quickest remedy at hand for what ailed her. "Oh, pretty little Seraphina," he murmured, brushing his lips against her dampened hair, inhaling the sweet scent of jasmine and honey, relishing how light and easy she felt in his arms. "Hurting you is the least likely thing I have planned."

(to be continued)

If you enjoyed this, please reblog ~ it's the only way others can see this work.💟

tagging: @icytrickster17 @ironstrange1991 @strangelockd @groovy-lady @aphroditesdilemma @stewardofningishzida @battledress @mousedetective @dearmrsstephenstrange @lorelei-lee @mckiwi @shinebrightlikeafanbase @cumberbatchitis @doctorhelm @strangeflashholmes221 @prulock @stargirl-designs @hajile10 @dancingmushu @iloveavengersblog @fireonmybones @osugahunnyicedtea @brayleigh14

(There were a few more blogs that I tried to tag based on the response to chapter one, but tumblr's messed up url search function kept telling me 'no blog found'🤨)

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physical-manifestation-of-spite · 1 year

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No because I have such a visceral reaction to fanfictions that have the characters do something that they would never do. “He would not fucking say that,” actually causes a genuine physical ailment in my body. The world is caving in on me. I feel sick

#spiteful musings #i'm reading tma fanfiction and tim keeps... just forgiving jon bc jon looks a little pathetic #'he would not fucking do that' is a constant saying in my mind #tma #mp100 #the magnus archives #mob psycho 100 #yeah i don't know what else to tag this as #ao3 #archive of our own #fanfic #fanfiction #fanfiction.net

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twistedappletree · 3 months

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when you’re trying to get advice from your friends but you all share 1 collective braincell ✨🧠✨

#also this was for an idea given to me by #feralplantwife #where lsz intentionally kills jl with kindness to the point that he’s in constant crisis lmFAO #mdzs #the untamed #jin ling #lan jingyi #ouyang zizhen #fic wip #mdzs juniors #apple babble 🍎#zhuiling musings #it’s Zizhen’s time to shine in this scene fr lmaoooo #also feralplantwife tried to tag but tumblrs being weird #anyhooooot #i am WRITING THE TH ING #actually think i might break my fic fast with this one since i haven’t posted anything new since 2024 started 👀#junior shenanigans #i love writing junior banter fr it fuels me 😭

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starrysharks · 7 months

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zeno's ultimate pokemiku tierlist ⁉️(it's all his opinion and he loves them all regardless⁉️)

#like arrfgggdiakaktmcksmsama this was literally all for me like they knew what they were doing #i love character design i love pokemon i love miku. and then you put ALL THREE TOGETHER....#i will explain some of my choices here #poison miku is just too good but also i am a big sucker for freaky scientists with constant “worry” eyebrows #her design is just so out there and crazy (this is about the shoes. some understand the greatness of the shoes and some dont. and thats ok.)#every other miku in peak i think establishes their theme exeptionally well especially ghost bug and fighting #for ghost i already love spooky and gloomy looking characters and that miku delivers tenfold (of course shes designed by the GOAT take)#esp with the mix of ghostly and electronic/digital regarding the glitchy parts n the 01 hologram #she looks like shell invade my computer and give it a virus if i dont send the chainmail about her tragic file corruption to 10 friends #(in the best way possible)#for bug miku the big dress is a huge plus but also i just think shes adorable nuff said #for fighting - i love a delinquent character and she fits that really well. the half coat thing is a big highlight for me #also the leek theme is absolutely iconic #for the ones i didnt like as much - i honestly just think the koraidon one is a leeeeetle bit boring #dont get me wrong. it has really cool aspects like the hair and the koraidon like cape but idk #it feels like theres a lot going on but not that much at the same time? its still a really nice design tho esp the hair color #for the ones in yellow tier - i just dont like the color palletes very much . theyre still really nice designs esp fire miku #but all in all these are genuinely all amazing designs and i dont want to be too critical or mean to any of them esp seeing im not a pro #but this was really fun to see unfold!!! cant wait until the songs start dropping #in the topic of miku as well - hey muse dash where's my miku on the switch version....#please dont make us wait too long 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿

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godblooded · 1 month

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the way art imitates life and yall are obsessed with writing dudes obsessed with dudes and it shows.

#ooc. o kaptain.#[this is my annual you’re all ‘in love with female characters’ but this place is lip service central and yet it’s STILL overrun with #constant male attention. it’s hilarious to me how entirely performative the ‘I love writing with female muses!’ statement is. yeah. lmfao #people who write female muses and yet are OBSESSED with their male ships and fixate on them. and you can toss as many female muses at them #you want. it’s hilarious lip service because surprise! the page is always 100000 replies to dudes! and then the next time someone goes ‘no #one loves my female muse :(‘ they’ll respond with ‘GIVE ME ALL YOUR FEMALE MUSES’. literally. it’s hysterical and im a lesbian. and by #hysterical I mean it’s ridiculous it’s absurd and I’m 33 I no longer care what I say.]#negativity /

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misc-obeyme · 7 months

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Angst of lucifer with francis forever by mitski........

Anon, why would you do this to me??

Okay so I had to listen to the song because I thought I didn't know it, but it turns out I did know it! I just didn't know what it was called or who it was by. So thank you for that!

Anyway, sad song is sad. I think the lyrics are vague enough that you could interpret it a couple of different ways, but there is no doubt that the singer is somehow separated from the person they love.

Due to the lyrics about sunlight, I kind of imagined it as MC has gone back to the human world, leaving Lucifer in the Devildom without them.

Both of them miss each other, but it manifests differently. MC goes for little walks and gets melancholy. Lucifer buries himself in work and starts cutting himself off from everyone.

His brothers probably realize what's going on pretty quickly. They're not getting into trouble as often because Lucifer just isn't paying attention to them. He's withdrawn too much and they all find it very concerning. They don't know how to help, though.

Meanwhile, MC can't stop thinking about him. Maybe they're wondering if he misses them. Maybe they're not sure about his feelings. Maybe they think he's doing fine without them.

Until Mammon sends them a text on their D.D.D. which still works in the human world, thankfully. Even if Lucifer would never actually tell his brothers what's wrong, they all know. And Mammon is the one who understands him best. So he's the brother MC gets a text from. Lucifer misses ya so much he won't come out of his office. Please come back.

MC's heart nearly breaks at that. They understand what's going through Lucifer's mind.

I don't need the world to see / That I've been the best I can be, but / I don't think I could stand to be / Where you don't see me

Then they have to decide if they should go back. Did Lucifer and MC break up before MC left? If so, they have to be prepared to deal with that when they go back. If not, are they wiling to leave the human world and whatever reason they returned to begin with?

Will MC return to the House of Lamentation? Will MC move down the familiar halls, make their way to Lucifer's office, standing in the doorway? Will MC see him, hunched over his desk, buried in paperwork, the pain in his expression more evident than he realizes? Will MC call his name and will he look up to see them there, his eyes filling with something that's both tender and painful all at once?

Maybe not. Maybe MC is determined to stay in the human world. Maybe they tell Mammon that if Lucifer wants to see them, he will have to come to them.

Will Lucifer be able to set aside his pride enough to do that?

Oh dear. I seem to have gotten carried away. Well, anon, you initiated the angst muse in me. They don't show up very often, but when they do it's their ultimate goal to devastate everybody.

#my poor angst muse is underfed #while my fluff muse is an absolute unit but still craves more food #a constant struggle #anyway Lucifer just lends himself to angst #it's so easy because of his pride #obey me #obey me nightbringer #obey me lucifer #anon asks #misc answers

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biitchcakes · 2 months

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ROLEPLAY HISTORY !

The rules are simple! Post characters you’d like to roleplay as, have roleplayed as, and might bring back. Then tag ten people to do the same (if you can’t think of ten, just write down however many you can and tag that number of people). Please repost, don’t reblog!

CURRENT MUSE/S :

Jessica Drew / Spider-Woman — Marvel Comics

WANT TO WRITE :

Hera Syndulla — Star Wars: Rebels

Tess Servopoulos — The Last of Us (show)

GLaDOS — Portal 2

Eleanor Shellstrop — The Good Place

HAVE WRITTEN :

Jennifer Walters / She-Hulk — Marvel Comics

Bobbi Morse / Mockingbird — Marvel Comics

Alison Blair / Dazzler — Marvel Comics

Jan Van Dyne / The Wasp — Marvel Comics

Jessica Jones — Marvel Comics

Sam Winchester — Supernatural

Chell — Portal 2

Danny Johnson / Ghost Face — Dead By Daylight

Mikaela Reid — Dead By Daylight

Amy Pond — Doctor Who

Rose Tyler — Doctor Who

Legolas — Lord of the Rings

And a few OCs between The Elder Scrolls and Dragon Age Inquisition

WOULD WRITE AGAIN :

Probs just Jen and Sammy ( although - )

stolen from: @overclocks tagging: @hexsreality @danversiism @oceansfirst @silverjetsystm @neonwebs @revenantinflames @liiched @sxrgeantbarnes @raisedcold @watsonjackpot @webxfshame @gwenbiote @writteninscarlet @cosmicrayed

#i never talk about my other / old muses jgkdsg #are any of them a shock i'm so curious #i am also so curious about other people's muses #if it's Just The One:tm: or if there are many #i know there's quite a few listed there but i've been rping for like 15 years #so some of those are ones i haven't written in YEARS #like amy and rose..easily probs 11 years ago yk #really jess is the one like... consistent and constant muse i've had Since Forever #her and Sam Winchester but the spn rp fandom scares me ngl GJKSDS #( d a s h g a m e s . )#( o o c . )

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apollos-boyfriend · 8 months

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I think you’d like this guy

honestly atp it’s just a matter of time until i get into the turtles. it’s not an if but a when

#muse talk #genlossicle #from what i’ve seen. ur probably right #my hypothesis is that my constant switching between fixating on smps is a floodgate #or a dam ig is the more proper word #and the second one of those stops. the turtles will flood in #and i await them with open arms

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insurged · 5 months

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if you make people running multis feel bad about their muse fixations, just don't follow multis.

#ahem i'm probably going to add this to my rules #this applies to no one that's currently mutuals with me :)#but it's a constant run in with people sometimes #and i know i write characters some may be interested in #and some that people may not care for #and that's ok <3 #but making people feel bad about it is nasty #there's a reason why some people write multis #for me it's adhd brain AJILSDJFKSD #i'm done rambling but if my muse fixations #make you feel left out we can talk about it?#ok i'm done rambling have a good day <3333 #* ⟢ 𝐎𝐎𝐂 ━ ( clench your asshole super tight & scream it from your heart )

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futureforged · 3 months

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I want ships… but I alsoooo want to flesh and develop them all out and get invested, you know?

#Personally? I don’t like feeling like I’m just being snatched for a ship and with Jayce specifically he issss finicky.#I like fleshing them out and getting invested so I can make edits and art and just feel inspired by what we’re making #Gush over them too but know it’s a returned thing a hundred percent and sooooo #Dealing with the annoying constant want to nudge mutuals cause I would love to ship romantically but I’m soooo ackkkk #🗿#I am SCREECHIN into my pillow rn I am so anxious over attemptin it rn cause m worried about it #My headspace is at a weird space where I know for sure I have like zero energy to hold a convo for longer then a hello #but also I wanna chatter and screech HCS and plot but #NO ENERGY #and muse is annoyingly hard sometimes to do the actual decent interaction thing with before he annoys someone or YEAH #➤ ꜰɪʟᴇᴅ ᴀꜱ . . . // ooc rambles. | to be deleted.

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jennycalendar · 4 months

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shoulder stopped hurting and i had to resist the immediate urge to try and vigorously bend into lots of weird positions just to make sure it’s fine now

#musings #on par with my constant internal Celia Don’t Touch The Middle Of The Hot Pan To ‘’See If It’s Hot Enough’’

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sobeautifullyobsessed · 23 days

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'It's Not the Years, Honey - It's the Mileage'

a Whumped Doctor Strange one-shot

Inspired by a couple of pre Multiverse of Madness articles comparing Stephen Strange to Indiana Jones😉😁

genre: whump, hurt/comfort, light humor

rating: general audience

characters: Stephen Strange, Tess O'Neill (Healer of Kamar-Taj, OFC); established relationship; Cloak of Levitation

word count: 1.9k

It was supposed to have been date night, but Stephen was overdue. Three hours overdue. Again. Tess had taken these things in stride, right from the start. After all, you can’t be lucky enough to be the significant other of the Sorcerer Supreme without being incredibly patient, understanding, and flexible. Besides which, he was always so adorable when he finally found his way home, sincere in his apologies, and more often than not, presenting her with a fresh bouquet, which he managed to conjure even before he uttered a single word. Tonight’s transgression was bound to be a two dozen roses mea culpa--and she just knew he’d make them her favorite: pale pink American Beauties.

Not that he ever needed to. His company was dear enough recompense for any time he kept her waiting. Except for the worrying, of course, but Tess had quickly adjusted to that, and so far she hadn’t made any complaint, no matter how late her Stephen managed to show up. She’d rather spend their precious time on more pleasant pursuits--and on showing him however she could, how happy he made her simply by being...him.

And so, Tess had adjusted down their plans. First, from dinner out and a movie, to take-out and the latest blu-ray release. And then from that, to something she could whip up, quick and easy, in the Sanctum’s smaller kitchen. Stephen was bound to be hungry when he arrived, and she had a hearty pot of stew simmering on the stove and a batch of honey cornbread ready to pop into the oven while he cleaned up.

Tess had just given the stew another stir, when she felt a tapping on her shoulder. She turned to find Cloak looking battle singed and...well...harried. How this being without a face could express such a wide range of emotions was a continual wonder to her--but right now her immediate reaction was to ask if Stephen was alright.

Cloak’s collar shook a clear ‘no’, and then it tugged at her arm, to get her moving. She turned off the stove and moved the stewpot to another burner, and followed Cloak down the grand staircase. And there sat Stephen on the third step, head bowed and shoulders hunched, his bloodstained tunic rent in several places. Tess’s heart leapt to her throat, though she tried to remain calm, realizing that he needed her as a Healer tonight, far more than as the woman who loved him.

She dropped to one knee in front of him, noting that the shelf of his jaw bore a dark bruise, and that he had a nasty cut across the bridge of his nose, a black eye and a split lip. “Hey,” she said softly, reaching her sure hands towards him, studying his wounds with practiced eyes, evaluating which she should address first. Thankfully, the blood on his clothing was dried, so that Tess concluded he wasn’t actively bleeding. “What happened,” she asked quietly, concerned to see him breathe shallowly, as breathing any deeper appeared to make him wince.

“You don’t wanna know,” he muttered, as she placed both of her palms on his chest and closed her eyes, searching for any internal damage.

“Ow...ow...ow...owwwwwwww,” he grumbled, “Is this really necessary?”

Cloak was flitting back and forth, giving the closest approximation of pacing as possible. “It certainly is, as well you know...Doctor.” To that he only grunted, then followed with a heavy groan when she palpated his lower ribs and abdomen. “Stephen,” she informed him patiently, “You’ve got at least three cracked ribs...”

“I know,” he replied curtly, “Don’t you think I know that?”

Tess tried to placate him. “Of course you do--but there’s no need to be pissy about it. It’ll just take a simple healing spell to start them knitting properly together.”

“I...know,” he repeated through gritted teeth, attempting to stand. Cloak had to swoop in to keep him from landing hard on his bottom.

Tess rose and wiped her hands on her denim capris. “Cloak, can you get him up to the infirmary, so I can take care of him properly?”

Cloak nodded, but Stephen had other ideas. “No infirmary--just get me to my room...”

Honestly, doctors really do make the worst patients, she thought, although she held her tongue, telling Stephen instead, “Nope. It’s the infirmary for you.” He huffed, but didn’t speak up. “And that’s Healer’s orders, Stephen. I outrank you in this, at least for the moment...”

“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbled dismissively. He handed her his sling ring, “We can portal there--it’ll be quicker and a less bumpy trip than relying on...” He wagged his head in Cloak’s direction.

Tess had to suppress a chuckle, as Cloak’s reaction to that perceived insult was to turn its back to Stephen. “Alright,” she sighed, slipping his ring on and bringing the golden circle to life. She returned to his side and offered him a hand to help him stand up. “Just lean on me, and we’ll be there in a jiffy.”

She could feel his aversion to appearing so needy, even as he braced himself with an arm across her shoulders, but knew well that it wasn’t on her account. Stephen generally disliked showing weakness to anyone, although as their relationship had blossomed, his trust in her had been enough for him to reveal much of what he hid from the world behind sarcasm and bravado. Tess had always taken such precious trust as both a privilege and an honor. Stiff lipped against his pain and leaning on her heavily, they hobbled through the portal and Tess led him to sit on the nearest bed.

The infirmary was empty but for them, and she took a moment to close the portal, and then rushed to gather her supplies. Disinfectant and a basin of warm water, along with a washcloth and the softest, fluffiest towel she could conjure, for after she got him cleaned up. And bandages. Lots and lots of bandages. Tess returned to Stephen’s side to find him struggling to remove his tunic. She set down her things, telling him, “Here...let me...”

“I’ve...got...this.” he grunted, though it was clearly hurting him to raise his arms above his head.

“No. No you don’t,” she corrected him gently, “Please--just let me do my job, Stephen.”

“Alright...alright...” He did his best to relax as she worked the garment over his head and off. Tess gasped at the network of contusions across his shoulders and upper chest. “Dammit, Tess...that hurts!”

“I know, darling. I know.” To her relief, most of his bruises appeared superficial. “Let’s start by getting you cleaned up, okay.” Stephen nooded, and closed his eyes as she washed the cut on his nose, and several shallow scratches on his cheeks and chin, finally seeing to the split on his lower lip.

Next, she addressed the wounds on his back, circling behind him and perching on the edge of the bed. She was relieved again to find that they were rather shallow as well, and made quick work of cleansing them. Tess chose that moment to speak to him as his woman, rather than as a Healer. “You know--you’re extremely fit for a man your age, darling. But it wouldn’t hurt to be a little more careful out there.”

“It’s not the years, honey...” he snorted, “...it’s the mileage...” Stephen had stiffened despite her gentle approach, but when she applied the disinfectant, he hissed out a string of very un-Stephen-like curses.

“Don’t be such a baby,” she muttered, her patience beginning to strain.

“I’m not,” he responded petulantly.

Coulda fooled me, she thought, but bit back that retort. A few minutes more and she had his wounds properly bandaged. Tess set aside the basin and the towel, telling him, “Now let’s see about those ribs. Do you think you can lay back? It’ll be easier that way.”

“Of course I can,” he barked, “I’m not an invalid, you know.”

No, you’re just the crankiest Master of the Mystic Arts that I've ever encountered. Bravest and most selfless too, so I suppose I can forgive your churlishness.

He winced when she placed her hands on his shoulders, helping to ease him onto his back. Closing her eyes again, she skimmed her hands above the skin covering his damaged ribs, whispering the charm needed to bolster his body’s natural healing ability. Satisfied that she had succeeded once she could feel the spell take root, Tess pulled her hands away and opened her eyes. Stephen’s were closed, and his face had gone slack with a look of relief. Good enough, she concluded, hoping he would sleep a long while to aid in healing.

Still, she thought she could do a little something to speed the reduction in the nastiest of his contusions--and it would be best to try while he was asleep. She reached tentative fingers to Stephen’s right shoulder. His eyes flew open with a start, “Owwwwww...that’s still tender, you know!”

“I’m just trying to help...”

“Well...I don’t need a nurse anymore,” he groused, “I just want to sleep.”

“If you let me see to these now, you’ll feel much better in the morning...” Tess trailed her fingertips along his jaw, channeling her own energy into relieving his pain. “Any better?”

"A little,” he pouted, “But it hurts...almost everywhere...”

There seemed to be no pleasing him this way--but still, it was her nature to try. Exasperated, she blurted out, “Well, dammit, Stephen--where doesn’t it hurt?”

Looking defiant, he showed her his elbow, “Here.” Tess laid the softest kiss she could upon it.

“And...and here,” he added, pointing to his forehead, his whole demeanor softening in response to her tenderness. Cautiously, Tess leaned in and planted a loving kiss there. Momentum had turned in her favor.

Stephen pointed to his un-blackened eye, “Um...here?”

Tess smiled softly, watching his eyes flutter shut, and then brushed her lips as lightly as she could upon his eyelid. There was a moment as her face hovered over his, and the look when he opened his eyes made her heart start to melt--for within their mercurial depths, she saw both gratitude and an apology for his childish behavior. Stephen tapped his lips and murmured, “Here.”

She wondered if he felt her indulgent smile as their lips finally met, but before too long their kiss had gone from chaste to something deeper and more enduring, as he relaxed completely under her loving ministration. When she finally pulled away, Tess found that her kiss had worked a magic of its own, and her beloved Stephen was out like a light.

Tess arose and draped the sheet across him lightly, then levitated the next bed over and landed it flush against his. Her hunch was that he’d sleep through the night, but she wanted to be close by if he should need her.

Come morning, she awoke to find him gone--can’t keep a good Sorcerer down for long, she mused--but in his place, he’d left three dozen pale pink American Beauties, and a small piece of handwritten parchment. It was brief but to the point:

Thank you, honey. For everything. Love - your Stephen xx

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