#my dad's an infectious disease doctor

[vaspider]

My dad was an infectious diseases doctor who primarily cared for AIDS patients for thirty years, starting in the 80s. He's got some crazy, wild stories. But the majority of them? Are stories of just... people. Some of them were the big, flamboyant counter-culture queers. And some of them were the ordinary, boring queers. And they were all just people. AIDS didn't care what type of person you were. And they were, all of them, a loss to the world.

Please, and I mean this with all my heart, thank your father for his service.

Every person is a unique miracle, a self-contained universe, and we are less for the loss of each one.

[apphiarothowrites]

Hehehe Back on my bullshit

My Marco Cora bullshit to be exact

Here’s the plan

Marco is an ER doctor, Cora is.. well hes Cora and trips to the er is a frequent occurrence

So basically, Marco is working a double shift and he wanders in to the waiting room for the minute break he has plopping down beside a tall blonde who has a sleeping kid in his lap. Marco just closes his eyes for maybe- maybe 10 seconds when he feels a tiny hand tugging at his scrubs.

He looks down to the kid looking serious (or as serious as a kid can look)

“Hey are you a doctor.”

Marco blinks as the tinny applause erupts form the ancient tv.

“Yeah.”

“Cora-san needs help.”

Now that statement doesn’t get marcos attention, but the fucking stab wound in the guys arm the kid points out sure as hell does.

The presumed ‘Cora-san’ is hauled into a bed asap. The taller blonde muttering about ‘not wanting to be a bother.’ While the smaller blonde chugs an expresso before suturing the other up.

By the next day marco is convinced it was all some hallucination brought on by chronic stress

Two days later he is proved wrong as the giant of a man now wearing a flamingo pattern shirt and khakis awkwardly waves from the plastic chairs, his leg in a pink cast.

The third time Marco stops believing the other man is a hallucination (he’s still iffy on the tiny shadow that seems to follow the giant around, lecturing him about medical studies)

The fourth time he genuinely worries that it’s a domestic abuse case (it’s not, he’s just that clumsy the shadow stoutly assures him)

The fifth he gets a name Corazon

“Two bruised ribs, a fractured skull and mild burns on both hands.”

“Oh that’s better than usual.” Cora turns to Law, grinning with abandon “see I’m getting better!”

Marco raises a brow “at what?”

Law doesn’t even look up from his textbook already radiating disappointment “using the stairs.”

“He’s joking!” Cora waves his hands frantically “I can use the stairs just fine! Actually I was using the bbq!”

Marco can’t help it, he howls with laughter

Later that night after Law had been tucked into bed with a good story of infectious diseases and how they spread. Corazon laid in his own room staring at the ceiling.

A lazy thought of Marco floated into his brain, eyes crinkled as he gasped for air. His whole body shaking from laughing.

“Oh dear” he whispers to the empty space.

Outtake

“So I’m your favourite patient right?”

“No your my worst patient.”

oh my GOD this is good

marco hardcore worried for a bit there that Cora's legit in an abusive relationship but the kid keeps telling him "no, he really is just that clumsy, he's a goddamn disaster"

and marco still doesn't get it until he sees it for himself-Cora somehow manages to set a chair in the waiting room on fire despite having no lighter or cigarettes on him at the time (right before he trips over the flaming chair and it causes a huge Incident)

The BBQ comment sends him into hysterics because 1-cora's way too fucking tall to conceivably use any kind of grill comfortably (bent way over so he can do anything) and 2-marco's riding 3 hours of sleep on a 26 hour shift and boosting half a gallon of coffee and 2 energy drinks, man is Barely Alive but goddamn that's the funniest mental image he's ever had

takes them weeks to get over themselves and marco has to be the one to ask him out, Cora asks him "I'm your favorite patient right" on the first date and Marco

"No, you're my worst-my favorite patient is my father" and the two bond over having adoptive dads

this is too damn cute and somft for me afihujnkefdas

#AR answers #raccooon once again on that good shit #gdfsahjkdsa this is TOO CUTE AND SOOOOOFT

[team-science]

Fanfiction needs to be relevant to what matters to you. Let me say that again. People who say you shouldn't write about what matters to you need to shut up.

I found an old zine I read back in 1993. I was growing up in a mega conservative household and it was the height of the AIDS pandemic. Mom and Dad were fighting and I went to this zine to read some Doctor Who fanfiction. This story, "Farewell" was published that year. It is about the fourth Doctor going to Ryan White's funeral. Now, in my home, Ryan White---a child who had been infected with HIV during a blood infusion---was a scapegoat and a political speaking tool. In this story, the Doctor saw Ryan as a person, a child, and talked to Sarah Jane about it.

It changed how I saw victims of AIDS. Ultimately, that little fanfiction I read when I was nine ended up changing me. Now I'm a scientist who works with infectious diseases.

People who say your fanfiction or your book or your poetry needs to stay out of politics can stuff it. You can change people. Go do it.

Thanks, E. Michael Whitmore II. I would definitely give your fic kudos.

#good fanfic #fanfiction #fanfic #zines #politics #change the world #doctor who #the fourth doctor

[female-malice]

What's wrong with being squeamish? I'm easily get sick and scared of blood, wounds etc and I'll still be the same at 70. It is who I am.

My dad is an extremely squeamish doctor. He can't do blood at all. I'm serious! But there's even a place for squeamish doctors in the world. My dad works as an infectious disease specialist. Or a "germ cop" as we'd call him.

[mcatmemoranda]

I talked to an infectious disease doctor my dad connected me with. He said something I thought was helpful. You should think about your assessment and plan as if you're a lawyer presenting your case. "Here's what I think it is, this is why I think it's this. And this is what I want to do about it."

I think I get bogged down in the data collection, which is really not the hard part and the part that the medical assistant can do. The part that the doctor does is the medical decision making, where you synthesize all the data you've gathered into what the problem is and what you need to do for it.

I can do that because I do it when I go through cases on my own. So I have to get over my fear and be able to do that while inpatient.

#clinical reasoning

[neonthoughtsforever]

I don’t know me bitching and moaning I guess

It’s not fair. My dad is a good patient. He sees his primary care doctor twice a year. Gets blood work. Follows up with any consults his primary orders. Pays for expensive tests to be sure his health is as good as it can be for a 70 year old. Takes all medications as prescribed and never misses a dose. Then he gets fucking sepsis and everything goes to shit. He goes into a fib causing left ventricular heart failure. His abdominal aorta has an ejection fraction of 45%, maybe less, when just a year ago, he was between 60-70%. He’s in respiratory failure secondary to the heart failure. His kidneys shit the bed. He’s got septic arthritis in his knee that needs surgical debridement but the fucking bone bros haven’t come to see him ONCE despite being on consult since he was in the MICU. His appetite is still shit. He blames the hospital food but when we brought him food from home, he just picked at it and gave up. He’s exhausted and can barely keep his eyes open when we visit. He knows we are there, but he’s not getting sleep because of the pain in his knee keeping him awake and they can’t give him pain medications because his blood pressure and kidneys couldn’t handle it.

Good things: the cardiologist came by and ordered IV lasix to pull the extra fluid off his heart and lungs. Lauren said he peed out quite a bit (she estimated the urinal would have been full if she wasn’t emptying it, so that’s about 1L of fluid off) by the time she left. His work of breathing seemed to be less, but he’s still on 5L NC and tachypneic. His urine is no longer brown, but still dark. His kidney labs are getting closer to baseline meaning the AKI is clearing up so it doesn’t seem like he will have chronic kidney problems (thank fuck, dialysis is a fucking nightmare). He has an angiogram scheduled for Wednesday and if he needs a stent, will have it placed then therefore making it easier for him to breathe.

I just want the ortho guys to come. The sooner they can clean out his knee, the sooner he can get up to walk which I know will make him feel better because maybe then he could take a shower. Once he’s able to walk and they do the angiogram, he SHOULD in theory, be able to come home. The infectious disease doctor was saying it would be a 4-6 week process to clear the infection so that’ll mean IV antibiotics when he comes home, but I can take care of a PICC line and even teach him to care for it. A PICC is no big deal, and IV antibiotics are super easy to give. He doesn’t have to be in a rehabilitation facility or nursing home for that. And I could take him to physical therapy every week and Tyler said he would make sure dad goes on walks either with him and Roger or just him around the block. We have everything sorted out for him to come home. The doctors just need to do their jobs. I know it doesn’t happen instantaneously and I’m trying to be patient, but the bone bros have had 4, almost 5 days to come in and see him and they just haven’t. When I visit tomorrow I’m going to ask what’s the hold up because his bill is only getting bigger and all he’s doing is sitting there. I don’t care about the money. I’ll pick up shifts if I have to, I don’t care. I just want him healthy again and I want him home. I took him for granted and would get annoyed at stupid shit that I shouldn’t have let bother me so much. I just want him home.

[rise-uncalledfour]

WAIT WHAT? WHO IS IN THE HOSPITAL AND WHY? IS HE OKAY?!?!

OKAY OKAY OKAY

My friend Miguel is in the hospital, and the doctors said that he had some sort of infectious disease in his pancreas, and he is on pain meds rn. The doctors are still trying to figure out whats wrong with him, but he says he feels fine, apart from the pain of course. His dad took him to the hospital because his stomach hurt for a week, and was getting worried. He's not allowed to eat or drink rn, so he's on fluids and stuff. Doctors say in 2 or 3 days they should figure out whats wrong. Only two people are allowed in his room, so that's pretty much just me and his dad. His mom left the picture when he was a baby, so I've been filling that spot for him for the last 3 years, so I'm pretty dang worried, so I've been sleeping in the hospital for the past three weeks so I don't have to leave his side. I had to go grab some stuff from home, so I was able to bring my computer and some stuffed animals for him, and he's been using my Tumblr for a minute now. He's okay, but the doctors said don't get too excited, which is absolutely absurd they havent figured out whats happening after 3 whole weeks, but its a process I guess.

#im pretty POed #doctors suck #but its fine #hes okay #and he sasid thank you for all the love and support

[familyshrine2]

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#skin care #skin care routine #daily skincare #skincare

[sewergoblinfucker]

I have been so sick the last three and a half weeks. In four weeks I’ve literally lost over thirty pounds, which is good considering I’m fat and want to lose weight, but this is the unhealthy way to do. My dad, who’s a nurse, told me he’s concerned that I either have a gallbladder issue, an intestinal block, or a parasite. I’m going to the doctor tomorrow and I’m gonna explain my symptoms and then let him talk about suggestions and/or opinions. He seriously thinks I need to go to the ER and talk to a GI doc and an infectious diseases doc. He also thinks I need a CT scan and a shit load of tests done. I’m not going back to the ER unless I have to, cause I was just hospitalized four weeks ago

[radarsteddybear]

“We’re all healthy, so we should be fine, right?”

Sure, you should be fine, but my dad has previously perfectly healthy patients who die of the flu just about every year, so...I think Peterson should maybe have mentioned something like that.

#Under Pressure #The Crash That Ends the Night #Under Pressure spoilers #I guess #Allison listens to podcasts #original post #in case you're just tuning in #my dad's an infectious disease doctor

[skenpiel]

uururgrruur now i have to write a fucking list :(

#i like lists but im way too tired to write a good one #were (hopefully) having our mario party this weekend!! #and before you say anything my moms an infectious disease doctor so she will make sure this party is safe and within health regulations #and since they just got updated we will see how the other invited members feel about coming and if they dont wanna then well just do it some #other time #but im hoping for this weekend!!! #but i need to write a list of all the shit im gonna buy cause im gonna make a buncha mario sweets #cause its a party for the 35 year anniversary of mario!!! its important to all of us except dad cause he doesnt play games #but to mom and my sisters and moms gf and her kids and another family we know its very very important that we celebrate #im gonna dress up as luigi :} #but uh yeah. guess i need to get to that list huh? i really wanna eat a pear though im gonna go see if we have any pears

[whumpmatsus]

1C for Totty? Baby brother doesn't get babied enough!!

Ultimate Whump Writing Meme! / ACCEPTING!

1. Acute infectious diseases

C: Tonsillitis

funny story, I actually had something half-started with this concept from a while ago, before I even made that whump meme... and I've been itching to finish it lately, so I slapped some paint on it to make it fit the request, wrote the rest of it up, and WHAM-BAM THANK YOU MA'AM this one was done fast!!

Totty really doesn't get babied enough, he needs to be babied more! he's the youngest, after all <3

also inspiring Oso and Kara's suggestion of taking a doll in with him... when I had my gallbladder out in high school, I brought my Gaara plushie with me lol. they let me take him in and have him with me on the bed and he was still right there when I woke up. so I dunno if any hospital would do that, but the one I went to let me take my lil plushie dude into the operating room with me! (to be fair, they probably removed him after I went under anesthesia and put him back once they were done operating, but XD)

-

Sometimes Totty leaves for work early in the morning, when the manager at Sutabaa schedules him for an opening shift.

That means he has to be at work by 6 A.M., forcing him to get up around 5 to ensure he grabs something to eat and cleans up and in general prepares for the day. His alarm typically wakes his brothers up a little, not all the way but enough that he finds himself quietly shushing them and telling them to go back to sleep, he’s just leaving for work and he’ll be back in the afternoon.

Today Osomatsu doesn’t remember Totty even doing that much, and today, the absence of his youngest brother next to him makes it difficult to fall back asleep. So he gets up at the ungodly hour of 7 A.M., bleary-eyed and unable to rest further, to go downstairs to the living room. At least that way he won’t disturb any of the others, and he can always nap later once he’s sufficiently tired again.

For now he busies himself with grabbing some cookies and a magazine and settling in at the table. He can entertain himself until the rest of his brothers get up, can’t he? It’s still a bit dark out, and Dad’s gone to work. Mom isn’t up yet, though… he doesn’t remember being awake all by himself in the house since he was a little kid.

… Even then, he wasn’t usually all by himself. There was almost always someone else with him. He almost wishes he woke up alongside Totty and his youngest brother didn’t have to go to work so they could enjoy the morning peace together.

Still, it’s quiet and that never lasts in this house, so he starts reading. This is a manga he’s already read before, so he knows what’s happening, and it’s predictable; that’s not a bad thing, though. It means he doesn’t need to put in a lot of brainpower to read it.

He’s nearly done with his plate of cookies and almost halfway through the manga when the front door suddenly opens.

Totty seems just as surprised to see his big brother as Osomatsu is to see his little brother. A quick glance toward the clock reveals that it’s only just after 7:30, so Totty shouldn’t be home yet.

That said… a look at Totty tells him a lot more than the time. The youngest looks like shit. His cheeks and nose are red, the kind of pinkish red that’s basically a signal to everyone else that someone isn’t doing so well. There are lines under his eyes, and there’s a paper face mask in his hand.

All in all, Osomatsu can kind of guess what’s going on, and he feels a little guilty for not noticing something was wrong. “Hey, Totty… I thought you worked till noon today?”

“Ugh…” Totty sniffles thickly, walking over to where Osomatsu is sitting. Once there, he just sort of slumps himself down on the floor. His voice is congested and hoarse, sounding like it hurts to speak. “They sent me home. I’m sick. Sacchi told me I should go to the doctor since this is like the sixth time I’ve had a sore throat in the last couple years… but…” His fist tightens around the mask as if it’s his only lifeline right now. “… I don’t wanna go alone. I hate the doctor.”

Osomatsu shuffles closer and carefully runs a hand through Totty’s hair. “Well, fuck, I could take you.”

Totty turns his eyes up a bit. Though they’ve got their usual sparkle, there’s a marked exhaustion shining in them as well. “R-really?”

“Yeah, really, you’re my baby brother! Of course I’ll take you. I don’t have anything exciting going on today, anyway.” His hand continues to make long, slow strokes through Totty’s locks. “You’re not feeling good, huh? Does your throat hurt?”

Totty laughs softly, but it lacks any real mirth. “Gee, how’d you know?” He closes his eyes, pressing his head in against his older brother’s hand. “Mmm… yeah, it’s pretty bad. If I try to talk any louder than this, I start coughing and it feels like a bee sting in my throat. And I think have a fever… I’m all achy… God, I just wanna go to bed…”

Osomatsu gives a few more pets to his baby brother’s head, then tries to pull him up into a more… vertical position. “Here, let’s get you bundled up and we’ll head over to the doctor’s office. Think you can handle a train ride?”

“Mhm… as long as you’re there.” For the most part, he lets Osomatsu move him around, feeling too tired to move himself. “Can I sleep on the way?”

“Yeah, sure! We’ll sit together and you can lean your head on my shoulder.” This time Osomatsu is determined not to miss anything. He wasn’t paying attention this morning, but that won’t happen again. He doesn’t want Totty having to be in pain speaking for himself, so he needs to make sure to note down everything that’s going on. He reaches over to touch his fingers against Totty’s neck, frowning. “Hey, this looks kinda swollen, Totty, does it―”

The instant reaction is a yelp, or as much of one as the youngest can manage. There are tears in poor Totty’s eyes immediately, and as much as he wants to move away, his current malaise prevents him from doing so. “O-ow, Osomatsu-nii-chan!!”

Osomatsu winces in sympathy. “Ah, shit, I’m sorry. Well, there’s my answer… that hurts, huh?”

“Y… yeah… k-kinda like you just poked a sunburn…”

“Yikes, fuck. I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. C’mon, let’s get this taken care of.” He gently tugs Totty to his feet, and somehow manages to get him into his coat with a scarf wrapped around his neck. Loosely, just to make sure it doesn’t get bumped again. “Hey, this could be your new look.”

Totty lets out a raspy giggle. “I dunno… sick chic? I don’t think it’ll catch on. I’m sure I’m making it work, though.”

Osomatsu shakes his head. “Pretty sure you can make anything work, you priss. Let me grab my wallet and leave a note for the others, okay? Just in case they wake up while we’re gone, I don’t want anybody to worry.”

“Okay… I’ll just lean on the wall for a sec and try not to fall asleep.”

He grins before giving a kiss to Totty’s cheek and hurrying upstairs. It’s not a great idea to leave the house without some money, and he doesn’t want Mom or their brothers to panic if they wake up to find the youngest and the eldest nowhere to be seen.

He also doesn’t want to disturb them, though, so he tiptoes into their bedroom to get his wallet from the table, and scrawls a quick note before heading back downstairs.

Mom + little bros―

Totty got sent home because he’s sick. Another sore throat. I’m taking him to the doctor, so don’t worry if we’re not back when you guys get up. See you soon!

Love, Osomatsu

-

“Th-this isn’t fair, nii-chan! How come I have to do this? Why couldn’t they just give me a pill??”

“I dunno, but this is what they recommended, Totty… like you said yourself, this is, what, the sixth sore throat you’ve had in two years? And you admitted to the doctor that it hurts to swallow and you’re having trouble breathing this time.”

“Y-yeah, well… I thought she’d just say I should use my inhaler and take some painkillers… maybe give me a prescription for an antibiotic.”

“She might still have to do that; she put that swabby thing in your throat and said she’ll call with the results tomorrow.”

“And that thing sucked! It made me cough so hard my eyes watered…”

“Yeah, I remember, I was there. I almost thought you were gonna throw up. I hate to say it, little bro, but you’re in rough shape here.”

“I know… but… but surgery?!”

“Doesn’t your throat still hurt?” Osomatsu finally sighs as he helps Totty up the stairs now that they’re back home. “You should rest your voice so this shit doesn’t get worse. The doc said your throat was really red and irritated. Do you think bitching your little heart out is gonna make it feel any better?”

As usual, everyone is huddled up in the spare room, trying to get warm under the kotatsu, when the two of them open the door. “Hey, there you guys are!” Choromatsu pipes up from his spot, where he’s reading a book. “We got your note, but it’s almost one in the afternoon now… did you guys spend like five hours at the urgent care center??”

“Not exactly,” Osomatsu replies as he guides Totty over to the couch and carefully helps him settle in. “We spent like an hour at urgent care, then they sent us to the hospital to talk to a surgeon.”

“A SURGEON?!” Choromatsu’s book is immediately abandoned in favor of zooming over to grab at Osomatsu’s collar. “What do you mean, a surgeon?! How sick is he?!”

Karamatsu has drifted over toward the sofa and set a hand on Totty’s forehead as if to confirm that, yes, things are really that bad. “Well, our dear youngest has a fever, at any rate.”

“Ow! Get off me, Fappyski!” Osomatsu smacks the third eldest’s hands away and straightens his shirt out. “Fuck, he’s not dying or anything.”

“If only,” Totty moans, nuzzling into Karamatsu’s embrace. “I’ve got… um… a-ah, shit. Do you have the discharge paper, Osomatsu-nii-chan?”

“Yeah, it’s in my pocket.” He takes it out and unfolds it, handing it over to Choromatsu. He memorized most of it already anyway, having pored over it on the train ride home. “They’re still doing that test to determine if they need to put him on antibiotics, but long story short, seeing as this is over five times he’s had a sore throat in the last two years, he needs to have his tonsils out.”

Thankfully, Choromatsu’s initial panic flattens into anxiety as he takes the paper to read. “A-ah, okay… well… that’s not so bad… I-I mean, it’s a minor surgery.”

Totty starts to wail and presses himself into Karamatsu’s chest. Even doing that, his voice is barely a whisper. “Noooo, they’re gonna cut me open and take out part of my insides! Don’t let them do it, Karamatsu-nii-chan! Don’t let them!”

“I won’t, sweet little Totty! I won’t let them!” To his credit, Karamatsu commits to it, snuggling the baby of the family even closer like he can protect Totty from the surgery. It looks to be mostly for comedic effect to diffuse tension for everyone else… though nobody can be sure with Karamatsu.

“You have to do it, you dumbass,” Ichimatsu snorts, lying down with his legs still under the kotatsu. “That shit’s infected, so you need it cut out. If you don’t get it taken care of, you’re just gonna keep getting sore throats.”

Osomatsu settles down on the couch next to Karamatsu and Totty, patting the youngest on the head. “Not even just that. He told the doctor he was having trouble breathing and swallowing this time, and that when he does swallow, it hurts like a motherfucker. You’re not getting out of this, Totty.”

Totty briefly peeks out of his Kara-cocoon. “You’re all being mean. Peer pressure. I’m gonna tell Mom.”

Jyushimatsu laughs and launches himself over to the couch. He hits the bottom of it with his head, but it doesn’t appear to have shaken him much, because he’s sitting with his legs crossed and his back pin-straight in a second. “Whaddaya think Mom’s gonna do, Totty?? You’re her baby! If you tell her you don’t wanna get the surgery, she’ll probably grab a steak knife and do it herself!”

“… Oh, my God.” Totty whimpers. “Oh, my God, you’re right.” Tears well up in his eyes, and this time they’re genuine as he leans back in against Karamatsu. “B-but I don’t want surgery! I-I’m scared… they’re not gonna let anybody else into the room… they’re gonna stick some sleepy liquid into my hand and… and everything’s gonna get dark… and I won’t have you guys or Mom or Dad there…”

The three eldest share a concerned look between them, and Ichimatsu and Jyushimatsu do the same with each other. After a moment of Totty crying, Osomatsu scoots over to make room for Choromatsu to sit down.

“I-it’s okay, Totty. Um…” He slides his hand up past Karamatsu’s arm so he can rub his baby brother’s back. “Hey, hey, it’s… it’s okay that you’re scared, you know? You remember when I had to have surgery to take my appendix out? You remember how freaked out I was when you guys showed up, and how Osomatsu had to talk for me because I was crying so hard? That’s normal.”

Osomatsu somehow manages to put his arm around all three of them. “And he still did it anyway! He was really brave, ‘cause he knew it needed to be done. And you remember how it was before? Even when they take you to surgery, we get to hug you and kiss you and slobber all over you before you go in. I bet you could even take a stuffed animal or something in with you if that’d make you feel better.”

“I wish I could t-take one of you guys,” Totty mumbles. “Just shrink you down and bring you with me.”

Karamatsu hums. “When did they schedule the surgery? I could sew up a doll that looks like one of us!”

Choromatsu glances down at the paper again. “Ah, looks like two weeks. At least you have a lot of time to prepare, Totty! You can cry a lot and be super anxious in the next couple days, then you’ll have got it all out by the time you actually go to get it done.”

“There’s really no way around it, Totty.” Ichimatsu stretches his arms so he can flick Totty’s ankle. “You don’t wanna keep getting sick, right? A lot of throat infections can probably seriously fuck up your throat, and you’ve been getting a lot. Aren’t you tired of that?”

Jyushimatsu waves his arms in the air. “Plus, we’ll get to take you home afterwards, and you’ll get lots of ice pops and ice cream and we’ll get to baby you!!”

“Yeahhhh,” Osomatsu grins. “We know you like that even though you say you don’t. Now we’ll have the perfect excuse.”

“Exactly,” Choromatsu adds in, leaning to kiss Totty’s head. “You can do it, Totty. Even if we can’t be in the room with you while it happens, we’ll be right there in the hospital waiting for you. This really is the best thing for your health. Like Ichimatsu said, repeated sore throats like this could really hurt your voice.”

“Not to mention,” Karamatsu muses, “you could post about this on your blog. I can see it now… you’ll get so many comments… so much sympathy…”

“So many people wanting to nurse you back to health and kiss your stupid face!!” is Osomatsu’s contribution.

… Well. When they all put it like that, Totty supposes that there’s no getting out of this. After all, he’s sick (pun not intended) of constantly getting sore throats in the past couple years, and if this is the only way to make it stop, he can’t really act like a coward. He already got the surgery scheduled.

Plus if his brothers are all pushing at him like this, it’s almost definitely because they think it’s the right call. Even though it’s fucking surgery.

“You guys… promise you’ll be there when I wake up?” he rasps, leaning into Karamatsu’s shoulder. “That’s… that’s all I really care about.”

Of course, he didn’t really need to worry. As soon as he says that, he’s sort of engulfed in a hug of big brothers, with everyone surrounding him and stroking his hair and kissing his face.

Yeah. They’ll all be there.

#Osomatsu san #whump #Benimatsu #Totty #Osomatsu #Allmatsu #illness #tonsillitis #caretaking #WHAT GOOD BOYS THEY'RE SO SILLY #KARA SAYING HE WON'T LET THEM EVEN THO HE KNOWS IT NEEDS DONE IS KILLING ME #Totty being babied is fucking EVERYTHING ok

[unscharf-an-den-raendern]

Why my grandpa broke into a Hospital for Infectious Diseases

A few years ago, my grandpa told me the story of his life and I wrote it down. This is one episode from it (I might post some more, like the one with the drunk soviet soldiers or the story of how my grandma got two children even though her doctor told her she couldn't have any or that time my grandpa came home from a work trip only to find bloody tissues everywhere)

Socialist Republic of Romania, 1975: My five year old aunt was on a cure in Eforie Sud, a health resort by the Black Sea. Three weeks later, my grandpa went to pick her up again but she wasn’t there. They informed him that my aunt fell ill and was sent to a hospital in Techirghiol. When he left the clinic, he was approached by a woman in a blue gown. “Who are you looking for?”, she asked. My grandpa told her and the woman said: “In the three weeks, two children drowned.”

Still, my grandpa went to Techirghiol but the doorman wouldn’t let him it because it was Sunday and they didn’t allow visits on Sundays. Then my grandpa spotted a woman behind the gate. “Who’s that woman?”, my grandpa asked. “The director of the hospital”, said the doorman. My grandpa asked the doorman if he could talk to her and he agreed.

“Come with me”, the director said after my grandpa told her why he was there, “We’ll look into this.” They went into her office and she opened up a big book. My aunt was admitted in the second pavillon, room 13. They went there, the director opened the door - but the bed was empty. The director asked around and was told that my aunt’s condition had worsened and an ambulance had taken her to a hospital in Contanța.

After a one hour bus ride, my grandpa arrived at the hospital. It was surrounded by walls and a barbwire fence. Again, the doorman wouldn’t let in him. Not because it was Sunday but because this was a hospital for infectious diseases. So my grandpa walked around the wall and climbed over it. He landed in a big garden where a man in a white coat was sitting on a bench, reading the newspaper. My grandpa walked over to him and told him why he was there. “Where are you from?”, the doctor asked. “Brașov District”, my grandpa aswered. “I’m from there too”, the doctor said, “I’m a pediatrician there. I know about the child. It’s here.”

My grandpa then told him the “illegally climbing over the wall” part, but the doctor said it was no problem, he’d go and examine my aunt immediately. One hour later, he came back. My aunt had acute diarrhea but it was easy to treat. My grandpa asked him if he could take my aunt home and get her hospitalized there. “How long’s the way?”, the doctor asked. “I will be there at around 1 or 2 AM tonight”, my grandpa answered. The doctor said that my grandpa could only take my aunt home if he took full responsibility for everything that happened. My grandpa signed a note and then he was allowed to take my aunt home. Her first words were “Dad, how did you find me?”

My grandpa and my aunt went to a train station. The express train to Cluj-Napoca was scheduled to arrive soon. My grandpa bought two litres of water and the doctor gave him two tablets to give to my aunt after six hours. The train departed and my aunt kept asking “How did you find me?”. So he told her. After five hours, the train arrived in Bucarest. My aunt was hungry and wanted to eat oranges. My grandpa bought four oranges and let my aunt suck on them. But from Bucharest, there were still four hours left until the train would arrive in their hometome, Rupea. It got dark and my aunt fell asleep. Because it had rained heavily a day before, the train couldn’t go that fast. He was already two hours delayed when they arrived in Brașov. My aunt woke up again: “We’re not home yet?”. There was a flood and the railroad to Rupea was flooded, so the train could only go very slowly. Then, at 2 AM, they finally heard the announcement: “Next stop: Rupea”.

They got out of the train and waited for the bus. And waited. And waited. But it didn’t come. Nobody was there. Then a man walked by and my grandpa asked him, when the bus would come. The man told him that the first bus would only arrive at 5 AM. So my grandpa walked home for one hour with my aunt on his back, telling her stories on the way.

When they arrived home, the lights were still on in their apartment. My grandma had waited for them all night. My aunt was very hungry so my grandma grated some carrots. The next morning, my grandma, who was a pediatric nurse at the local hospital, took her to work with her where she got examined by a pediatrician. He told my grandma to feed my aunt carrots all day. The next day, my aunt was feeling better and she and my mum always wanted my grandpa to tell them the story about of he found my aunt. And so he told them, again and again.

#story

[lucy-268]

Don’t Leave

A/N – This is from an anonymous request to use prompts 37 and 64 from the Rookie Ramsey prompt list, here. The prompts will be in bold. The request didn’t specify series or pairing, so I assumed Open Heart with Ethan and Charley. My masterlist is here. This is separate from my chronological series.

Disclaimer: Characters belong to PB

Warnings: none, really

Series/Pairing: Open Heart - Ethan x f!MC (Charley Valentine)

Word count: 958

Dr. Charley Valentine had stayed an extra stop on the T to pick up coffee at Ethan’s favorite coffee shop, Derry Roasters. She ordered a Vienna for him and an espresso Romano for herself. She figured he would appreciate it, since his coffee maker had broken the day before. She enjoyed her walk back to the hospital and was looking forward to the day. Until she walked through the door of the diagnostics office, that was.

“Oh, Dr. Banerji! Hello.”

Naveen Banerji smiled at Charley. “Hi, Charley. How are you this morning? You’re early today.”

“Dr. Ramsey’s coffee maker broke yesterday, so I brought him coffee. Would you like an espresso Romano?” She set the Vienna down on the JHU coaster Ethan always used.

Naveen frowned. “I guess Ethan didn’t tell you he wasn’t coming in today?”

Charley was confused and shook her head. “When I left last night, he told me he was going to be in early today because we have a new case.”

Naveen sighed. “Yes, you do. He asked me to take over this case. I think he went to Providence.” Naveen opened a file on the computer. “I’m sure you have rounds. I’ll see you for our team meeting at 9:00?”

As Charley was leaving the room, she saw the older doctor making a call on his cell phone.

Charley remained busy all morning. She had texted Ethan to be sure his dad was all right, but he was driving at the time and got the auto message back sent from his car saying he was driving.

She met her roommates and Bryce in the cafeteria for lunch and figured she would try to reach Ethan again. She sat down with her tray and added dressing to her salad. She looked around at all of her friends who had gone suddenly silent and wouldn’t meet her eye. “What’s going on?”

Elijah dropped his fork on the floor and Sienna sprung up. “I’ll get you a new one,” she called taking of for the silverware area.

“Bryce?” Jackie looked at him.

Mitch, Sothy, and Gary walked behind Charley, “So apparently Ramsey is going to Africa for six months with Doctors without Borders,” Mitch was saying. “I don’t think he’s even coming into the hospital again before he leaves.”

As the interns walked away, Charley looked at her friends who were looking around at everything and everyone except for her. “You knew? You all knew?”

As Charley jumped up, Bryce reached out to grab her arm. She shook his hand off her. “Let go!”

She found Dr. Banerji in the atrium. “Is it true?”

When he nodded, she asked if she could take a personal day and leave early. When he agreed she left the hospital and ran to the T. She didn’t think she’d ever get to his apartment, but finally she was there pounding on his door.

Charley fell into his apartment when the door opened. “Please don’t leave me. I can’t do this without you.” She grabbed his hands. “You left me once and I can’t bear it if you do it again.”

Ethan stepped aside and let her in. He guided her over to the sofa.

The tears she had been trying to stop finally fell. She reached and grabbed his hands. “Please don’t go!”

Ethan sat next to her, his thigh pressed against hers. He gathered her to his side and pressed a kiss on the top of her head. “Charley, I’m registered with WHO and with Doctors Without Borders. They have a rotation of doctors but when they need extra help they’ll send out a request either in the form of a mass call asking for volunteers or specific invitations.” He grasped her chin and raised her face to him. He needed her to hear this. “With the WHO, they asked for volunteers and I volunteered to go. This is a request. The doctor running this is Frank Remington. I assume you’ve heard of him?”

Charley nodded. “He was the author of my infectious disease textbook. I went to see him at a lecture when I was an undergrad.”

“I’ve been waiting for him to call me back. He said I’d hear from him by 3:00 pm.” He checked his watch. “That’s still over an hour away.”

“So you have to go, you don’t really want to go?” Charley was holding his wrist and playing with a loose thread on his cuff.

Ethan smiled. “These trips are always interesting and you always bring back new ideas. They’re always valuable. And I do want to go.” When Charley looked up, he continued. “I did ask if I could bring a certain pesky resident along with me.”

Charley sat up straight and squared her shoulders as she looked at him. “I can go?”

“I don’t know. I wasn’t going to say anything yet. I asked. Frank was open to the idea, but Naveen has to approve it; the board has to approve it, and so does an approval committee. Fortunately, the boards generally meet quickly for these types of requests. I’m sure Naveen has already approved. The DWB board won’t turn down a request. Our board of directors is the wildcard.” Ethan smiled at her. “But I guess you still need to say if you want to go.”

Charley nodded her head. “I do want to go.”

Ethan pulled her into a hug and leaned back. “Then we wait to see if everyone approves.”

Charley rested her head on Ethan’s shoulder and smiled. “You think I can do this?”

“I wouldn’t have made the request if I didn’t.”

It was 2:45 pm when Ethan’s phone rang. He looked at the caller id. “It’s Frank,” he said as he took the call.

A/N 2: As this isn’t part of my chronological series, I don’t think the outcome matters. You can decide what the phone call says.

My tag list  @oofchoices  @openheart12  @jamespotterthefirst  @ohchoices  @catchinglikekeronsene @aylamreads  @nerdydinosaursweets  @eramsey28  @txemrn  @starrystarrytrouble  @queencarb @thegreentwin  @lion-ess24  @caseyvalentineramsey @mvalentine

@choicesficwriterscreations  

#ethan ramsey #dr ethan ramsey x mc #ethan jonah ramsey #open heart fanfiction #choices open heart #choices fic writers creations

[yikesharringrove]

maybe? 👉👈 steve taking a really long time with college (like on one year and off one yours year, on, off, on, off) and he still doesn't really know what he wants to do and he gets really frustrated bc billy just did college all in one go and steve is taking forever and he feels down on himself? idk im feeling the whump rn???

Steve had left high school having no idea what he wanted from the rest of his life.

That’s not true, he had some idea.

He knew he wanted to leave Hawkins, follow Billy wherever he was going. He knew he wanted to be with Billy for the rest of his life, he knew he wanted to leave the past behind and make new friends, people who were kind, and fun, and didn’t bat an eye when Billy pulled him into his lap.

But that’s about it.

So when Billy graduates high school, and gets a full ride to UC Berkeley, and they move into a cheap apartment in downtown Oakland, Steve is so happy that he got out.

He gets a job waiting tables at a restaurant down the street, pays half the rent and buys the groceries while Billy’s in class.

But then two years pass, and Billy’s soaring through college, working to his degrees, plural, because he just couldn’t decide between studying English Literature or Biology with a focus in research.

So he’s majoring in both and getting a minor in Italian because then I’ll know what you’re sayin’ when you start horny babblin’.

And Steve was at the same restaurant.

True, he was assistant manager now, and it came with a pretty okay raise, and he even gets dental insurance, but he feels so stuck.

So he enrolls in community college.

He starts with some general classes, still completely unsure of what he wants to study.

Billy said it was okay to just rule out things you don’t want to study, to nearly fail a math course and know that accounting is not for you.

So when Steve finishes his first year, he at least knows what he doesn’t want to pursue.

Meanwhile Billy has an internship at a lab through Kaiser Permanente. And he can read and write Italian than Steve can.

Steve is walking home from his job at the restaurant when it happens. He’s crossing the street, and gets hit by a car.

He’s taken to the hospital, where he’s informed of a fractured spine and another concussion.

He’s told his injury could’ve been much more severe, that he will not experience paralysis, but he needs physical therapy and walking will be difficult for a while.

Their finances take a big hit.

Billy’s internship doesn’t pay super well, and with Steve being unable to work for the foreseeable future, he’s fired.

Billy has insurance through the school, but because on paper, he and Steve have no real relation, Steve’s medical bills come out of pocket.

So Steve is bedridden for months. He can’t work or get groceries, or do fucking anything but lay there.

They can’t afford physical therapy.

But Billy has a friend studying to be a PT, and she comes over every Saturday, and practices her technique on him in exchange for ten bucks and a few beers.

And so the money Steve tucked away for school is rapidly diminishing.

By the time Billy graduates, Steve is a year into recovery. He still gets dizzy at odd intervals, and his back gets stiff when it rains, but Billy gets a job right away, doing research on flu vaccines.

And Steve goes back to work.

He gets a desk job, something he won’t have to be on his feet all day for. He works reception for a message therapist, which comes with free massages, which work wonders on his back.

So in the fall, he decides to give his education another shot.

He learns that history is not for him, and that his nutrition course was fine until they began looking into how the body processes nutrients, and he was fucking lost. He takes a few business classes, thinking, hoping genetics would take over and this is something he could do.

But his dad was right to take away the job opportunity at his own firm. Steve was not cut out for this.

After a year of research, Billy is promoted three times. He ends up working on some extremely important study that Steve does not understand for the fucking life of him.

But he sits and listens every time Billy explains what he did that day, even though Steve gets so sad when Billy mentions having to kill the lab mice to study their bodies.

So Steve is two years into community college, five years into living in Oakland with Billy, and he still is lost.

He takes a semester off, working more hours, trying to save up some money.

Because Billy is beginning to think about grad school, and that shit’s not cheap.

But Billy decides to postpone that, work for a few more years, and besides, he’s caught between studying something to put him in a research field, or just straight up going to medical school to study infectious disease.

Because Billy could. He’s smart enough for medical school, smart enough to research and be a doctor.

And Steve has a smushy spine and half a degree in nothing.

A semester off turns into a year.

A year and a semester.

Two years.

They’ve been in California for seven years, and Billy gets into grad school in San Diego. They move south and Billy spends late nights pursuing a Masters in Immunology.

And Steve works the front desk at a pediatrician’s office.

He’s flipping through a course catalog from the San Diego Community College when Billy comes home from his new job, the position he got after applying to only three labs.

He kissed the top of Steve’s head, moving to grab himself a beer from the fridge.

“You thinkin’ of going back?”

“I don’t know.” Steve slid the catalog closed. “Is it even worth it?”

“That’s something you have to decide.” Billy sat down, sliding the catalog towards him. Steve had crossed off the classes he had already taken, the ones he new he wouldn’t like.  “And you know, going to school isn’t the only option. You could get an apprenticeship, master a trade.”

“I can’t do anything where I need to bend over for really any length of time. So that rules out plumber, and car mechanic, and anything physical like construction, or landscaping or even general contracting is right out.”

Steve could feel the old shame, the doubt and the self hatred crawling up his spine.

“I have nothing to offer. I have no discerning skills, and in seven years I’ve only made it through two years of goddamn community college, and here you are, ripping through grad school like a fourth degree is easy.”

“Stevie, you’ve got a lot to offer. We just gotta find something that suits you.” He took Steve’s pen, turning to the back page of the catalog. “Okay, we’re gonna write down all of you strengths, and think of career paths that could fit those. I’ll go first, you’re extremely caring. You’d be good at any career where you care for people.”

“But I can’t study nursing or something, I barely understood my biology 101 course. Plus, nurses are strong. I can’t lift more than like, thirty pounds.”

“There’re way more caring fields than nursing, Pretty Boy. Although I would love if you were my nurse.” Billy smirked at him, leaning in to plant a sloppy kiss to Steve’s cheek as he rolled his eyes. “Another strength: your emotional intelligence is through the fucking roof.” He wrote it down. “Okay, I’ve said tow, so you say one.”

“Um, I think that I’m good at making people laugh?”

“Yes! You are. Perfect.” Billy scribbled it down. “You’re a good leader.”

“I’m pretty good at reading people.” Billy wrote Intuitive, can smell a douchebag from a mile away.

“You’re good under pressure.”

“Sometimes.”

“Every time I’ve seen. You’re good at keeping calm and keeping others calm.”

“I guess.”

“Nah, Stevie. Positives only. Say a strength.”

“I’m, uh, I’m good at, bilingual?” Billy stared at him. “Like, I’m bilingual.”

“Are you sure? I don’t think that was English, even.” Steve slapped his chest, Billy laughed. “I’m joking. You are bilingual. You’re also really good at making others feel safe.”

“I was always pretty alright at public speaking.”

“You’ve got a great eye for detail.”

“I’m good at teamwork, and delegating.”

“You’re really compassionate, too.” Billy drew a line under the strengths side. “Okay, so now we’ve got some of your strengths, think about what you’d want in a job, and we can match everything up and think about some careers that could fit.” Steve nodded, racking his brain.

“Um, I would want to work with kind people, I would kind of like to do something, you know, worthwhile. I’d like to be in charge of something. Like it’s fine if I have a boss to answer to, but I’d like to be fairly independent.”

“I already have so many ideas.”

“Lay ‘em on me.” Steve sat back, closing his eyes to try and picture everything Billy threw out.

“I’ve actually always thought you’d be a really good teacher. Especially if you did like, kindergarten. Just got to be around little kids all day.” Steve could actually see it. “I also think you’d be a could social worker, like to work with Child Protective Services, or something. Um, you’d be good at even planning. Or I think you’d be really good working at a nonprofit of some kind. Maybe you could be the event planner for a nonprofit.”

And Steve was sitting there, and suddenly, he had four career paths, just sitting right in front of him. Four super attainable career paths.

“Wait, wait those make sense.” Billy beamed at him.

“Yeah, that’s because I know you, Pretty Boy.” Billy opened the catalog. “So, I think if you choose to enroll, you should pick a few classes, like, Intro to Social Work, Early Childhood Education 100, and maybe like, Sociology, and see from there.”

Steve stared at the course descriptions for what Billy circled.

“Thank you for helping me. I’m sorry this has taken me so long.”

“It’s okay. Everyone is on a different timeline. And it’s not like you got to explore options in high school. You were told business until your dad decided that nevermind. So it’s understandable that this took you a minute. Plus, you went through hell with your back.”

Steve sat up straight, stretching out his back.

“But, I mean, the back thing kinda happened to you too, and you still made it through all your schooling.”

“Sure, I watched you go through it, but I was not in the pain you were. And like, emotionally, it fucking sucked to watch the love of my goddamn life go through something, and I couldn’t even afford therapy. Like, I felt so helpless, but that’s nothing to what you went through literally experiencing it.” Steve took Billy’s hand, linking their fingers together, pressing a kiss to his knuckles.

“You did the best you could. Everything was shit for like, that whole year.”

“I cannot telly you how many times I would go into an individual study room in the library and just like, sob for a while.And then I’d get so mad at myself, thinking of you at home, hurting and not even able to get yourself out of bed, and I’d race home feeling like shit.”

Steve scrubbed his fingers through Billy’s hair. He had cut it a while ago, kept it short these days.

“You were doing everything you could for me. I would just sit in bed all day, and think about how amazing you are. Like I would just think about all the good times we’ve had together, and how much I love you.”

“That explains why we didn’t fight for like, that whole year.” Steve laughed. Billy leaned to kiss him softly.

“And you know, even now we’ve done this, there’s still no rush on you. You don’t have to go back to school this year, of this decade, or anytime until you’re ready. Until you want to.”

“Well now, I feel like there’s a fucking light at the end of the tunnel. I’m almost, excited. Is this how you feel? Excited to go to school?”

“Welcome to the nerd life, Sweet Thing.” Billy drained the last of his beer. “You wanna go out tonight? Celebrate?”

“Like, go out to dinner, or go out?”

“Oh, just like dinner. Be home by eight thirty, in bed by nine, missionary with the lights off, and asleep by nine fifteen.”

“Sign me the fuck up.”

#billy is based a lot on my sister in this #and steve is based on her best friend #any life path is valid #there's kind of a lot of set up but yeah #also i live for them settling down and becoming a totally boring mundane couple but they're just SO HAPPY toghether that's my shit #yikes writes #steve harrington #billy hargrove #steve harrington x billy hargrove #billy hargrove x steve harrington #harringrove #harringrive #harringrove fic #harringrove ficlet #harringrove drabble

[glacecakes]

Alchemy Lullaby (2/?)

Of all the changes that came with living in the castle, becoming a father was not one he anticipated. When Eugene encounters a small child suffering like he did, he gives them the opportunity to grow up the way he never did... helping them both heal. (AU where Varian is 4 and gets adopted by Eugene)

Chapter 2: Varian meets Rapunzel, Cassandra, and a special friend.

I have decided to give this thing a plot, because I hate myself! I'm committing to a new multi-chap fic right before school starts! This will in no way backfire! :) Fic will be posted both here and on ao3! See previous chapters here

Varian wasn’t very chatty during the walk to the castle. He seemed almost nervous, hiding his face into Eugene’s shoulder whenever someone looked their way. The cracked cobblestone gave way to paved brick as they entered the grand gates. The sun gleamed off brass gates, reflecting the sun onto Varian’s face. It prompted him to peek out from his hiding spot.

He gasped. “It’s pretty…”

Eugene chuckled. “It is, isn’t it? Nice place to live, if I do say so myself.”

“You live here!?” Varian shouted directly in Eugene’s ear. He nearly dropped the child as he flinched. Sheesh, this kid could be quiet as a mouse one second, and loud as a lion the next.

“Yes, I do, I’m dating the princess, ok?” He whispered. “We gotta be quiet though, we’re going inside a fancy place and we need to act fancy.”

Varian nodded fervently, making a zipping motion to indicate his mouth closing. “What’s the princess like?” He whispered. Well, it wasn’t really a whisper. More like a quiet yell.

The man couldn’t help the lovestruck expression. His eyes softened as he stared ahead. At the end of the hallway stood Rapunzel, in all her blonde glory. Her hair seemed to catch the sunlight as it filtered through the window. “She’s wonderful,” Eugene said.

Rapunzel looked up, and her eyes brightened when she saw him. “Eugene!” She called, walking over. Her grin was infectious, and Eugene felt his own face lifting up. It fell pretty quickly when he saw Cassandra behind her.

“They seem nice,” Varian whispered, squirming a little in Eugene’s hold to get a better look.

Eugene grumbled, shifting his hold on the child. “One of em is,” He muttered.

Rapunzel’s bare feet barely made a sound on the floor. She stopped in front of them. “Hi Eugene, welcome back! Did you get everything you needed?”

“I did, and I even had time to get a little extra.” Varian blushed.

Cassandra gaped, unable to comprehend the child in front of her. “I’ll say.”

The princess leaned down. She stayed at Varian’s eye level, keeping her face kind and welcoming. Why Eugene brought a kid to the castle she wasn’t sure, but she trusted him. He had a reason, and whatever it was, she’ll help out however she can.

It didn’t help that the kid was terribly cute, it’s like Eugene went out and found the cutest one he could! She resisted the urge to coo at his big blue eyes. “My name is Rapunzel. What’s yours?”

She got a grin back. “Varian!” He sang, swinging his feet in Eugene’s grip. “Your hair is suuuper long, and pretty!” His eyes lit up in wonder as Pascal climbed into view. He wiggled out of Eugene’s grasp, landing on the floor with boundless energy.

“That’s a chameleon!”

“It is! You’re very smart!”

Varian giggled. His ragged clothes scraped against the clean floors. “Did you know they can change color?” He glanced over to Pascal, and the reptile began to shift colors, prompting excited squeals.

Oh, Rapunzel was head over heels for this child. He was so precious!  

Cassandra, on the other hand, marched straight up to Eugene. “Why is there a child in here?” She hissed. She didn’t care how cute this kid was, that was all Rapunzel’s field. Let the princess distract him so she could figure out why the child was here and get him back home. Eugene’s stolen a lot of stuff, but a child? Would he really do that? He’d been clean in the 6 months he’d been here, so to steal a child seemed a bit out of character for him. Wait, he technically stole Rapunzel back from Gothel, right? Did that count?

“He needs a place to stay,” Eugene responded coolly.

“And his parents are....”

A dark look took over Eugene’s features. “No. He’s not going back.”

Ah. Thief with an impulsive heart of gold. Great. Cassandra pinched the bridge of her nose, rolling her eyes. “If he has no parents, he should go to the orphanage.”

“Are you kidding?” Eugene hissed. “That place will just chew him up. Look at him, Cass,” He gestured to where Varian was rapidly describing how the sun was a star, like all the others in the sky. Rapunzel nodded as if she understood every word.

“I can’t send him back.” Eugene sighed. “I just can’t.”

She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “You? Taking care of a kid? Puh-lease. You’ll last a day.”

Eugene huffed. He knew it’d be a struggle to convince people to let Varian stay, but he was not willing to debate this with Cassandra. The king, the captain of the guard, maybe, but her? No way.

“I will watch him all of today, and when I’m done,” He hissed. “You don’t get to judge me for letting him stay with me. Got it?”

Cassandra stuck out her hand. “One day. Till bedtime. You’re on your own. But when you get overwhelmed and send him to the orphanage, I don’t wanna hear it.”

He took her hand. “Deal.” He looked over to where Rapunzel had taken Varian into her arms, swinging him around.

“Come on, Varian,” He called. “We gotta get you checked out by the doctor. And a bath.”

Varian gasped. “No! No bath!” He gripped onto Rapunzel like his life depended on it. The princess took it as an invitation to wrap him in a tight hug, and the little boy stuck his tongue out at Eugene.

Cassandra’s smirk grew. “Good luck, Fitzherbert.” And with that, she sauntered off.

He rolled his eyes. How hard would it be to take care of Varian? The kid was a delight.

-

The kid was no longer a delight.

Eugene groaned, rubbing his face in frustration. The doctor check-up had gone smoothly, with Varian sitting in his lap for the duration. But once it was over, it was bath time. The kid really needed it, too, he was covered in months worth of dirt and grime. Without anyone looking after him, it’s a miracle Varian didn’t die of pneumonia or some other disease.

“Come on, Varian, this is not up for debate,” Eugene said. He pointed his finger at the now lukewarm tub. “Get in the tub, young man.”

Varian hissed from his spot on top of the shelf. “No!” He cried.

“Varian, get down here now!”

“No! You can’t make me!”

The little kid may not have known much love in his short life, but now that he had it, his true personality was shining through. And that personality was sweet as pie to strangers, and a little shit to his family.

Though to be fair, Eugene wasn’t sure if he counted as family yet. Did Varian see him as an uncle, a brother, a dad? He couldn’t deny that he sort of hoped for the last one. How weird. Yesterday he hadn’t even thought about being a father, he had just failed at getting engaged. And now he was taking care of a small child he hoped to call his own.

Though, with how he was acting, Varian was more like a small raccoon than a child.

“Varian, come on. If you don’t get clean you’ll get sick, or worse, ugly. Get in the tub now .”

Varian simply glared. Why did he need a bath anyway? He’d been sick before, and that was when his mom was taking care of him. He’d been clean then. Clearly, Eugene was wrong in that baths = not sick. Baths were cold, and wet, and the towels were rough and painful!

Eugene sighed. He wasn’t getting anywhere with yelling. “Look, let me reheat the water, and then you need to get in the tub, ok? You need to get cleaned off before dinner, otherwise you won’t be allowed to eat with Rapunzel and I. Do you want that?”

“No…” The little boy bit his lip in thought. He liked Rapunzel, she didn’t wear shoes, like him! And she had really long, pretty hair. Maybe if he asked her, she would let him eat dinner without getting a bath?

The fire under the tub flickered to life, hot embers scraping the bottom of the wooden barrel, but didn’t ignite it. Eugene was paying full attention to the flickering light, letting his shoulders sag in relief. Man, Varian was just like him at that age… full of spunk and awe at the world.

His awe got crushed and snuffed out. His job was to make sure Varian’s wasn’t.

“Ok, Varian, let’s try this again.” He turned around. The shelf was empty and the door swung on its hinges.

“...Varian?”

-

The toddler fumbled down the hallway, taking delight in watching the sun dance through the windows. Maids stared in shock as the small child made himself at home in the spacious castle. Some cooed, others tried to call out to him, but he paid them no mind. The mission of finding Rapunzel disappeared from his mind. Now, he was taking in all the sights, pretty lights and fancy vases, the likes he’d never seen before. It was all so new! Can you blame him?

He turned a corner, and discovered this hallway was much grander than the ones before! In front of him was a massive double door. Its brass handles were far out of Varian’s reach, so that room was sadly off limits. But that’s ok! There was plenty of stuff to explore.

Man, wait till Eugene hears all about how incredible this castle is….

….where is Eugene anyway?

Well, Varian knew he was still in the bathroom, but he didn’t know where that was. He didn’t know where to find Rapunzel, either. This castle was enormous, she could be anywhere! What if he never found her? What if they never found him?

Where was Eugene? He wanted his Eugene! He’d promised Varian he’d stay with him! He said he and Varian would be together for as long as he wanted! And he wanted him now!

A few tears budded in his eyes, and before he knew it, he had sat down on the carpeted floor, crying small sobs. Soft hiccups escaped his throat.

“Oh, hello there. I almost didn’t see you.”

Varian looked up through blurry eyes to see the tallest man he’d ever met. His legs were skinny, but his arms were massive, covered in dark metal armor. He wore a red cloak, pinned in place by a circular pin. The man’s eyes were kind, but steely. He leaned down, pinning his gaze on the child. Varian was so surprised he nearly forgot why he was sad.

“Hello, little one. What’s your name?”

Varian blinked. “Varian…” he murmured, fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

“It’s nice to meet you, Varian.” The man smiled. “Now, what’s a fine man such as yourself doing here?”

“Eugene said this is my home now, and it’s really nice here! But I got lost…” The tears began anew. “I sorry, I didn’t mean to run off, I just really hate baths!” He wailed.

Quirin reached out, an armored thumb brushing away the tears. “Hey hey, no need to cry. I’m sure Eugene understands. Baths can be scary, but if you add soap, they can be a lot of fun! You can make shapes!”

Varian cocked his head. “What’s soap?”

“Varian!”

The boy turned around and brightened considerably at the sight of his new caretaker. “Eugene!” He cried, reaching his arms up and happily accepting the hug he was swept into.

“God, you scared me kid, gonna give me a heart attack,” The young man joked. He stood up, the tall man following suit. “Thanks for finding him, uhh…”

The man laughed. “Quirin. I’m a friend of the king’s. You must be Eugene? Varian has something to say to you,” He looked expectantly at the child.

Varian focused his big baby blues on Eugene. “Sorry for running… I take the bath now?”

“Sure kid, any requests?”

Varian looked back at Quirin, who gave him an encouraging nod. “Soap?” He asked. “You can make fun shapes with it.”

Eugene laughed. “I was fully planning on dowsing you in soap, you little trash possum, you.” Varian giggled. “Thanks again, Quirin, really.”

The man gave a final wave, before turning and opening the doors to the throne room.

“Come on Varian, let’s get you clean so we can eat dinner. Rapunzel asked the cooks to make you a real treat. You ever had pasta?”

“No!” Varian gasped, and they walked back down the hall.

Behind the grand oak doors, Quirin bowed for the king. “Your majesty, I am honored to return to Corona,” he said.

Frederick smiled. “Ah yes, Quirin of the Dark Kingdom. You have been tracking the black rocks, yes?”

“Ever since they left the Dark Kingdom’s borders, yes.”

“Good, then I assume you know about our… situation?”

Quirin nodded. “I have a plan, your majesty.”

The king leaned forward. “I’m listening,” He said.

-

After Varian let Eugene bathe him, the leadup to dinner went off without a hitch. He’d need to buy Varian his own clothes, but for now he gave Varian the smallest shirt a maid could find. He was drowning in it, but it was better than nothing.

Since the king was busy with formal affairs, dinner was just them, Rapunzel, and the queen, with Cassandra standing by.

They entered the dining hall, and Varian’s face lit up like a rocket. “Punzel!” He cried, letting go of Eugene’s hand and flying into the princess’s waiting arms. “Hi Varian!” she said, rubbing their cheeks together. “Ooooh, you are just the cutest thing ever! Look at you!”

Arianna looked mildly surprised. She’d been informed of Eugene’s new ward, but to see him in person was a whole other thing. “You must be Varian,” the queen said. “I’m Rapunzel’s mom.”

Varian gasped from his spot in Rapunzel’s arms. “Woah! You must be so old!”

Eugene choked on his breath, racing over to grab Varian out of Rapunzel’s arms. “Ok, bud, none of that, please and thank you. You’re gonna get me killed, I swear.” Honestly, this kid was a riot. Arianna, thankfully, seemed more amused than anything. “What makes you say that?” She prodded, curious as to the child’s reasoning.

“Well, hair grows when you get old, and Rapunzel has a lot of hair.” The boy spoke as if he was an ancient professor bestowing sacred knowledge to his pupils. “So if she’s old, you must be super old.” Anything else he was going to say was cut off by Eugene covering his mouth.

“Bud, lemme tell you from experience. Don’t call ladies old, they really don’t like it.” He whispered. Varian’s eyes widened and he nodded, taking those words very seriously.

They all sat down as dinner was served. For Varian, it was a simple spaghetti and butter, but to him it was a steak dinner. He’d only been allowed the food his mother didn’t eat, and once he was left behind, getting meals became even harder. He called having bread a good dinner. But now, it was as if it was a million loaves of bread, and butter! He’d only ever heard of butter! Momma had butter, but he wasn’t allowed to have any, she said they could only afford enough for one.

After that first bite, he was off to the races. He shovelled as much food as he possibly could into his tiny mouth. Spaghetti flew off his fork and into the napkin Eugene put in his lap, and butter smeared his chubby cheeks.

Eugene could only watch in shock. He knew Varian was living off the streets, but… wow. This kid could really eat. Here’s hoping he puts on a little weight now that he lives here. But he’s going to make himself sick!

Cassandra started laughing in the corner, and that snapped him out of it.

“Woah kid,” Eugene grabbed onto the fork. “Slow down or you’ll choke.” Varian let out a noise of complaint. “I won’t choke!” He cried through a mouthful of spaghetti. Some of it fell out of his mouth. Those words caused him to choke, though, and he coughed, sending spaghetti flying. A strand landed on the queen’s face.

Eugene winced. Ooh, he was in so much trouble.

Rapunzel covered her mouth to hide her own laughter. She’d only seen him a few times, but now she understood why Eugene was doing what he is. It warmed her heart that Eugene wanted to help a child, make sure he had the childhood Eugene had dreamed of. So much so that she’d asked Cass to give him the benefit of the doubt. Her boyfriend was totally capable of handling a child. But this one was a whirlwind, and a funny one at that.

Sure, they were both a little young, and not planning on getting married anytime soon, but if this child needed a place to stay and people to look up to, she was more than happy to do so.

Gracefully, she stood up and walked around the table to where Varian was still hacking. She grabbed a spare napkin. Carefully, she began to wipe off the tyke’s face.

“Do you want some water?” she smiled. Varian nodded, greedily drinking when the glass was handed to him.

“See, Varian, this is why I asked you to slow down,” Eugene chided.

“Sorry…”

“Hey, it’s fine, it was an accident, no one got hurt.”

Varian frowned. “Momma used to tell me I was an accident.”  It was more to himself, trying to connect the dots and understand what the word accident meant.

The room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop.

Finally, Eugene found his words. “No, you’re not an accident. An accident is dropping a cup, or coughing up spaghetti onto the queen. You being here was destiny, ok? You belong here. As long as you want to, you’ll have a home with me.”

Varian beamed. “Thank you, Eugene.”

The man wrapped the kid into a hug. “Anytime, kiddo.”

In the corner, Cassandra watched silently, thoughts racing a mile a minute.

-

They’d be setting up a proper bedroom for Varian within the week, but for now he was staying in the guest room next to Eugene. After stuffing his face, he was exhausted, falling asleep in Eugene’s arms as he carried him to bed.

“Goodnight, Varian,” Eugene whispered, raising the blankets up around the toddler. His heart melted at how cute Varian looked all bundled up and snoring softly. He blew out the candle and slowly exited the room.

Only to come face to face with Cassandra.

He frowned. “I’m not sending him back, Cass. I can’t. I won’t.”

For a moment, Cassandra gave him an unreadable look. Then, she sighed.

“Did you know I was adopted?”

Eugene startled. “Really? You and the captain sure have a lot in common. Like the stick up your asses.”

Cassandra rolled her eyes. “In fact, I was his age. Varian’s,” She said.

“I don’t remember my birth parents, the trauma of it all, I guess. My dad saw a kid in need and… he took me in. Sure, there are some things we disagree about but… Sometimes, I wonder. What would’ve happened to me if I stayed with my parents. Or if I ended up at an orphanage. Would I have ended up like you? On the streets? Or worse?” She folded her arms. “I guess what I’m trying to say is… I’d be a hypocrite if I judged you for taking Varian in. You’re doing a good thing. And… if you ever need help, you know where to find me.”

Eugene smiled. “Thanks, Cassandra. Have a good night.”

“You too.”

-

“Are you sure this is a good idea, Quirin?” Frederick sighed. “The last time you were in Corona… it didn’t work out well for you, did it?”

Quirin sighed. “No, it didn’t. But that was five years ago, I’m sure the people have moved on.”

“Let’s hope for everyone’s sake you’re right. Alright, you have my permission. I’ll have a room set up for you.”

Quirin bowed. “Thank you, your majesty. Rest assured, I will find the source of your kingdom’s rocks.”

#tangled #tts #tangled the series #varian #tts varian #tts eugene #eugene fitzherbert #tangled eugene #team awesome