#my week vacation started with a sore throat and a flu

[myhiraeth]

.

#my week vacation started with a sore throat and a flu #so that’s fun haha #I’m a baby when I’m sick so I’ll catch up with everyone once I kick this flu #ooc. /

[markliebrecht]

STATUS: 🍀03.17.24☘️ | 🌓 | -5°C | ☁️ | Resting 😌

It’s been a while, so let’s catch up:

We put an offer down on a house, and it was accepted on the condition it passed inspection. It did not. The immediate repairs could cost us as much as an extra $100k, so we walked away from it and are now waiting for our down payment to be returned so we can find another house.

On Wednesday we will be looking at another house that looks promising. I’ll also be seeing my accountant that morning, so it may end up being a really good day, or a day I wish I stayed in bed.

Next week I’m taking a vacation. My oldest is on spring break, so I’m going to spend some time with my family. Depending on the weather, we’ll hit up the zoo, the art shop and possibly spend the week looking at houses.

This weekend my daughter and I have been on antibiotics. She has been sick for almost two weeks. Her fever went away on Tuesday, I kept her home from school on Wednesday just to be sure she was fine, she went to school on Thursday but was sick again on Friday. The doctor thinks she was got over her flu/virus and picked up a new one at school on Thursday. I am seeing a reason for her to start wearing a mask at school again. Saturday afternoon the doctor called me with her test results: she picked up strep throat. Because I was coming down with a sore throat and a cough he wrote me a prescription too. I made it 40+ years without ever having it. I would have been happy to continue with my streak.

I saw that there is a small comic convention this upcoming Saturday. I may check it out to see if I want to apply for a table next year.

I’ve been watching a lot of art vlogs about opening art shops this week. I’m thinking I may start one in the near future. I figure if I’m making art anyway, I may as well have a place to sell some of it. I currently have a couple stacks of comics with my work in them that I need to sell, and I’m not quite sure how I’m going to sell them. Yet.

Oh! I almost forgot: I have fatty liver disease. I went for an ultrasound last month to confirm this. I’m not too worried. I’ve dealt with this before, and it can be reversed with diet and exercise. This past year my diet and exercise routine have gone to shit, so I am seeing a dietitian on Tuesday to help me put together a meal plan that I can maintain. Next, I start exercising for an hour a day, I just need to figure out what that will be. Possibly biking or walking/running. I may train for a marathon. That seems like it may be a good way to burn fat. Oh, and I have officially quit drinking. I never really drank that much in recent years. I just need to get rid of what I have. It’s almost funny, all the houses we’ve been looking at have bars in the basement. I’m sure I can convert those into coffee bars instead.

While they were looking at my liver, they found out I have something going on with my left kidney. Because of that, I’ll be going for a CAT scan sometime in the next month or two. Hopefully it’s nothing. 🤞 🙏

I don’t want to end this on a downer. So, I’ll just mention that someone reached out to me and asked that I ghostwrite their next book. I ghosted them. 👻 If you’re going to ask someone to help you with something, don’t be vague. Tell me your budget and what the book is about. Do not tell me to just look at your website. I don’t give a shit about your website. If you want to talk business with me, be a professional about it.

I’m not sure that was the happy note I had in mind. Uh…I got new shoes today? Maybe now my knee and hip will stop hurting after walks? Yay? Now you know!

#buying a house #house hunting #g.i. joe #knowing is half the battle #fatty liver disease #fatty liver #ghostwriter #diet #exercise #strep throat #streptococcus #st. patricks day #soberlife #sober #quit drinking #comics #vlog #art shop

[skiplo-wave]

I need a six week vacation. I do not feel good Skip. There is a bug going around my family. I'm pretty sure my niece started it. It's sore throats, runny noses, low grade fevers and upset tummies. I won't go into details but everything I eat just doesn't stick. I tried the BRAT diet. I ate shit load of rice and cheese. I don't have a fever anymore, so I tried going back to work today. I took pepto and that didn't work. I took another shot of pepto and I ended up taking 1 imodium an hour later. It stopped it for a little while, my tummy was still tweezing though. But now I am right back on the fucking toilet and I am so fatigued. My stomach is killing me. Now I wish I hadn't even took the stomach medicine. I need to schedule my flu shot but I think I will have to wait 2 weeks after being sick.

Get well soon :c

#asks

[littlelovingmouse]

ranting about being sick under the cut because it's kinda gross and you know me, i love a good long rant

sure excited for this syrup to finally fucking work after i tried tylenol, advil and buckley to stop coughing every five minutes; it's been an hour!!!

i have been sick for two weeks now, with what is apparently my first real flu since primary school

like

i usually (pre-pandemic) get two or three colds a year because of weather changes and a lower-than-average overall health

but it's NEVER this bad

i've taken 4 home covid tests so far and they all came up negative, so there's that, at least

but it still fucking sucks

my throat NEVER hurts when i get a cold, i always get, like, hay fever symptoms, basically, and exhaustion, but since monday my throat has been terribly sore and i have been coughing grossly

and my vocal chords have been out of order since thursday!!! my cat is sad because i can't meow back anymore!!! i can't go to work because my coworkers won't hear me in the loud as fuck restaurant's kitchen, i can't game on discord and roll20 because my friends won't hear me on my computer's microphone, i can't even call 811 to ask if should go to the hospital because the nurse won't hear me over the phone!!!!!!

and strangely enough i have not sneezed ONCE since i started coughing - it's like i have an entirely different disease than the week before

also my temperature has been staying under 36.5 the whole time, i even got 34 once, i was like 'okay but that is not physically possible, i should be dead' then i used the thermometer two more times and got 35.8, which is still weird but is at least plausible

i can't sleep because i have to get up every two hours to cough out a grape sized chunk of mucus the most disgusting green you have ever seen and then blow my nose non stop for twenty minutes

and after two weeks of blowing my nose constantly i'm starting to see a little blood in the tissues like, my nose has had enough

*i* have had enough

and i hate that i have to rely on my bf for errands because obviously even if i don't have a fever i'm not gonna show up to the pharmacy, the convenience store or the grocery store while coughing my lungs out, i hate it because i'm usually the errand person and i feel like a burden because i can't do much at home either, i barely have the energy to do the dishes, and i'm supposed to help my bf with his work for university but i can't focus on anything longer than a shitpost for more than five minutes

what's even weirder is that even after two weeks my bf is still not sick himself - like i'm a tiny bit bitter to be suffering alone but mostly worried because he usually gets sicker than me when we catch something...

also, what was the point of asking for my vacation pay as extra money if i have to take days off work anyway????

and on top of it i feel like an asshole for whining about this because my friend's 2 year old daughter apparently has the same illness and she's suffering because she's fucking TWO, like how hellish would all of this be if i was two and i didn't understand why it hurts to swallow my own saliva and why i keep coughing so bad i almost throw up every time????

(i probably got it from her, too, but i can't complain, she's been sick for a week longer and her parents are at their wit's end tbh)

i just hope i can at least go back to work on tuesday, though it seems unlikely at this point... i don't want to go to the hospital and wait for hours to see someone, or worse, actually catch covid

i keep flashing back to what little i remember of the whooping cough i got when i was 5 and the repeated laryngites i had as a kid, like, 'was it ever that bad??? i don't remember ever being this sick... but surely it was worse back then, right???'

meanwhile people are out there dying in droves while i'm sniffling and grouching on my couch like a wimp

at least those covid tests aren't as bad as people said, it just triggered a few sneezing fits (back when i was still sneezing)

okay i'm gonna try to at least wash the dishes before dinner so bf can cook right after he's done with work, whining over

#personal #hope that read more works because this post is a Wall Of Text #tmi #for... graphic description of flu symptoms i suppose? it's kinda gross sorry #i wish i felt better after venting like that but Unfortunately I Do Not

[1337wtfomgbbq]

Niki huffs: The adventure continues.

Niki: Join us at the pediatrican.

He smiles into the camera which quickly turns into a frown, and James doesn't look very enthusiastic either, as Nelson and Gilles run past them screaming bloody murder.

Niki chuckles: Huh the kids are a good thing after all.

Niki: You see *points camera at front desk* that lady over there *points at woman hauled up behind mountains of files and folders * Yeah, she's being awefully nice to us AND *snickers * those files weren't there when we got here.

Niki: Andrea doesn't want to open his mouth no matter what, even though he has had a sore throat for weeks.

James: *desperately trying to talk some sense into Andrea *

Chuckles from the side and Niki turns to René.

Niki: What are you laughing about? With all the cake you're eating you're up next.

René: 😶

Niki: Elio thinks I didn't notice that he "secretly" stole the bowl of candy from the front desk because Nigel said he was hungry.

Turns out Nigel is hitting a growth spurt.

Niki: Patrick is somewhere but I don't know where.

Niki: James is looking for him though.

Niki: I think he's scared *thinks of disney land, the train and ikea * Come to think of it.

Niki joins James in search for Patrick, who finally jumps out from behind a giant plant, almost giving James a heart attack. Good thing they're already at the doctors office.

Niki: Alain and Nelson are laughing at a poster of the male ... *whispers * If I say that right now everyone will laugh and be weird for the rest of the day.

Nelson declares proudly: Boys have penis and girls have a vagina.

Niki:

James:

James: We shouldn't have let them watch 'kindergarten cop' last night.

Niki lets out a long suffering sigh while Nelson won't stop telling everyone loudly that boys have a penis and girls have a vagina.

Niki: 🤦‍♂️

Niki: Bruno is sitting in the play area and I'm afraid what will happen once he notices that he has played with everything that is there.

Niki turns camera to his face: Boredom is your enemy I tell you.

James: Way ahead of you

He hands Bruno a tablet so he can watch spongebob, Niki nods approvingly.

A bit later:

Niki shows a sleeping Jacques who's spread out over three chairs, with his head hanging off the last one and snoring.

Niki: Seems like Riccardo also infected Jacques with the flu.

Gilles has just been called up and gets up, frowning at the magazine he's been browsing. He looks shocked once he closes it and realizes it's a magazine for teenage girls.

Niki: And before anybody asks, no we didn't forget Riccardo. We left him at home because we were just at the doctors with him a few days ago.

Niki: Don't worry Jochen is watching him.

Niki: He's still not quite over his flu. But Alain seems to be fine again.

Alain runs past yelling as Nelson chases him, threatning to draw him a mustache with a marker.

Niki: Didier was just called inside and *Didier yells something *

Niki: Excuse me.

Niki hands the camera to James and leaves to join Didier in the doctors office.

James starts filming the poster of the male and female anatomie that Nelson is now drawing on. Nelson has already succeeded in drawing the man a mustache and Alain's scribling flowers onto the woman's feet.

James sighs: I'm either gonna have to pay that or charm the front desk lady, eh? *bouncing Ayrton on his lap absendminded.*

On the way back home:

Bruno and Patrick have somehow turned to watching My Little Pony and won't stop singing the theme song.

Nigel wound up with a mustache drawn onto his face.

Didier is pissed that he's the only one getting a shot into his butt.

Jacques and Andrea are both sick as it turns out. Jacques having the flu and Andrea having tonsillitis. Nigel just has a stomach ache from gobling up all the sweets.

And Elio now also yells about boys having a penis and girls having a vagina.

Niki sighs: At least this time we didn't forget anybody *looks into rear view mirror and sees empty seat *

That sends them hurrying back to the doctor's office and it takes them half an hour until James realizes that the empty seat is due to Riccardo being at home, and that all their kids are in the VW.

James: We need a fucking vacation.

Elio yells: Fucking fucking fucking

Everyone else chimes in: Fucking fucking fucking

Niki glares at James.

#and the saga goes on #there's actually a little hint for the next misadventure #hidden at the very end #launt and the kids #incorrect f1 quotes #f1 #formula 1 #classic f1 #niki lauda #james hunt #launt #nigel mansell #elio de angiles #nelson piquet #alain prost #riccardo patrese #rene arnoux #didier pironi #gilles villeneuve #jacques laffite #patrick tambay #andrea de cesaris #ayrton senna #bruno giacomelli #feat: schwester rabiata #source: stuff felixa2728 and i said

[phroyd]

Delta Air Lines was hoping to restart flights next month from New York to Athens and Lisbon, two popular summer destinations, but it will probably have to wait a little longer.

The European Union is planning to bar most Americans even as it welcomes travelers from more than a dozen other countries next week, dealing a blow to Delta and other airlines hoping to revive their business as travel across the Atlantic Ocean typically peaks.

International flights make up a minority of flights for U.S. airlines but are typically much more profitable than domestic ones. And flights to and from Europe are generally the most important. U.S. and European airlines had reduced the number of available seats on flights connecting the two markets by about 75 percent next month compared with last July, according to the aviation data provider OAG. A travel ban on Americans, which European Union officials confirmed on Friday, will probably lead to even deeper cuts.

“It’s a huge deal,” said John Grant, a senior analyst at OAG. “It is by far the jewel in the crown for many major airline networks, in terms of both revenue and profitability.”

Last year, flights across the Atlantic, to Europe and other destinations, accounted for about 17 percent of passenger revenue for United Airlines, or about $7.4 billion. Such flights generated about 15 percent of all passenger revenue for Delta, or $6.4 billion, and about 11 percent of passenger revenue, or $4.6 billion, for American Airlines. They were particularly important to United and Delta, generating a quarter of passenger profits last year, according to the Transportation Department.

Tens of millions of people flew between the United States and European Union countries in 2019. Many traveled for business to and from cities like New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco and Amsterdam, London, Paris and Frankfurt. Many others fanned out farther to vacation, particularly in the summer, when international flights are often nearly full as American families jet off to Italy and Greece, and Europeans check out New York and California.

Of course, travel between the United States and the European Union has been restricted since March, when governments on both sides of the Atlantic barred most visitors to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, with exceptions for repatriations and “essential” travel by medical professionals.

At the time, the United States had just over 1,100 coronavirus cases as the virus spread extensively in Italy and Spain. Today, the United States leads the world with more than 2.4 million cases, and infections are surging in Arizona, California, Florida, Texas and other states. As a result, European Union officials have decided to keep Americans out — along with travelers from dozens of other countries — for fear that they could further spread the virus.

Because of the size of the United States, a vast majority of tickets sold by American carriers are for domestic travel. Those flights have led the industry’s recovery, as Americans slowly start to visit friends and family and make limited vacation plans, a pattern unfolding in countries around the world. Higher-profit business and international travel is expected to follow far behind.“I think international travel is probably going to lag domestic by up to 12 months,” Ed Bastian, Delta’s chief executive, told shareholders on a call last week, citing travel bans around the world as one reason.

The large difference in demand for domestic and international travel is also reflected in flight schedules. American, for example, plans to operate about 55 percent as many domestic flights next month as it did last July, but only about 20 percent as many international flights. The airline has delayed restarting service between the United States and a number of European destinations until August, a month later than planned.

The Coronavirus Outbreak

Frequently Asked Questions and Advice

Updated June 24, 2020

What’s the best material for a mask?

Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles.

Is it harder to exercise while wearing a mask?

A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.

I’ve heard about a treatment called dexamethasone. Does it work?

The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.

What is pandemic paid leave?

The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.

Does asymptomatic transmission of Covid-19 happen?

So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.

What’s the risk of catching coronavirus from a surface?

Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.

How does blood type influence coronavirus?

A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.

How many people have lost their jobs due to coronavirus in the U.S.?

The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April.

What are the symptoms of coronavirus?

Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.

How can I protect myself while flying?

If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)

What should I do if I feel sick?

If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.

“Demand is increasing, but those numbers, while they’re increasing, are still a fraction of what they were last year, particularly internationally,” Doug Parker, American’s chief executive, told shareholders this month.

The International Air Transport Association called on governments this week to avoid quarantine measures that can discourage travel in favor of less severe measures, like asking sick passengers to stay home and increasing testing.

After dropping to record lows in April, the number of people going through U.S. airport checkpoints is up to about 20 percent of last year’s levels, according to the Transportation Security Administration. That’s not nearly enough to sustain the nation’s largest airlines, which are losing tens of millions of dollars every day, but it has restored a sense of vitality to an industry ravaged by the pandemic.

And while international travel could remain subdued for months, airlines have found other ways to drive revenue, including operating cargo-only flights, which are in high demand.

“That’s going to stay in place until passenger demand starts to recover,” Scott Kirby, United’s chief executive, said at an investor conference last month. “So there’s an international hedge that cargo is going to stay strong until passenger demand recovers, and then passenger demand will take over for it.”

#united states #eu #travel #covid

[kristallioness]

Hey, dear followers! I hope you're all doing okay. 😁 I just wanted to write down some thoughts after the amazing day that I had this Friday. Long story short, in October, I took 3 vacation days (all of them on Fridays), and the outcome seemed to become better and better with each passing week:

The first vacation Friday was an utter failure, cause the day before I'd apparently caught my dad's cold (managed to avoid this for 1 year and nearly 2 months since the last time I was sick in 2019), so my throat was really getting on my nerves. 🤧 It wasn't as sore as it usually is when I have a cold, but still it bothered me enough that I wasn't in the mood to do anything. The good thing was that I did get to have a vacation, cause I would've been even more grumpy if I had to work (and talk a lot during meetings).

The second vacation Friday, as most of you could probably make out from my last personal update, I spent on watching and crying over Avatar-themed AMVs on YouTube (totally worth it), as well as finally continuing my rewatch (fingers crossed I'll continue this cycle this weekend.. the rewatch, I mean). 🤞

But the third vacation Friday was absolutely SPECTACULAR!!! 🤩 I accomplished so many things within a day and got to travel and see so much after a while...

I needed to go to Tallinn to run some errands at my nest (i.e. rented home) and at work. So in the morning, I took the train (I saw so many animals and birds along the way: 4 roe deer, an eagle, some horses, tens and tens of sheep grazing in the woods, a squirrel climbing on a tree..) and used public transportation for the first time after this emergency situation started in March (it ended in May, but I avoided public transportation like fire up until now). I really missed riding in them (the train and trams), but once I did, it suddenly felt familiar and like a regular day, as if nothing bad had ever happened.. 😌

Except that I wore several masks to protect myself (and everyone else around me), so I wouldn't catch or unintentionally spread the virus (Estonia hasn't forced people to wear masks anywhere yet, only recommended it). 😷 I had 2 notable, and completely different reactions: the conductor lady on the train gave me a bit of a suspicious look when she came to check my ticket (like, why would a healthy young woman like me be wearing a mask?), but another lady on one of the trams grinned when she saw my adorable Paw Patrol-themed mask. (Btw, I hold no grudge against the conductor and laughed about it later. 😄)

Why was I being extra careful? Simple: it's because I had to visit the health centre at the campus where work is located (and later visit my office, too), to receive my flu vaccination for this year. 💉 The visit with the kind nurse went really well, I got to explore around the new location of and the rooms inside the health centre (they moved some time ago, but now I know what it looks like and what to expect, so I won't be too nervous when going to my health check next time in 2021, I believe). 🩺

Afterwards, I went to visit my colleagues at work and had such a wonderful time chatting with them face to face. 🥰 Like I told them: it truly felt as if I was coming home as soon as I walked in, and I loved that feeling very much and I look forward to the day when we can all feel safe enough to come to work again. Also, I had some neat and very practical little gifts to pick up.. 😏

Once I left work, I quickly went through a shopping spree in the nearby mall and bought a small toy I'd written down in my notes of things to keep an eye out for / buy asap: the 1/43 model of the WRC Toyota Yaris that Estonians Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja drove with throughout 2019, when they first won the championship. 🏎️ Some time ago, I was searching the internet for a possibly bigger model, but I don't think there are any, so I decided it's a YOLO-type of situation and I knew I'd want at least one (1) model for myself before they completely ran out (there were like 3-4 left, in 2 different malls).

What made me feel even better was that the shopkeeper looked so happy when I walked in and asked to buy that specific item. 😊 Considering the price (60+ €) and the type of items they sell in that shop and the current pandemic situation, most people wouldn't walk into a store like that daily to buy such expensive stuff. I hope I helped boost their sales even by a little bit, and I sure made that nice lady's day.

Fast-forward to the evening when I was already back home, I couldn't contain myself, so I had to skim through "Katara and The Pirate's Silver". 🌊 But as I was following Katara's storyline, I ended up reading through the whole thing a bit later. And.. I.. LOVED IT!!! Will definitely write my review / notes down later, cause there were so many awesome things that stuck out.

All in all, I haven't had such an adventure-filled day in a long time, and as I said in the beginning, I had so many positive emotions throughout. The third vacation day was a complete success in so many ways. 🥲

#personal #shards of Kristal

[akitokihojo]

In Between: Chapter 9

Here we gooooooooooo! Chapter 10, the final chapter, is in the works. So, hold on to your butts, shit’s getting real y’all!

Previous chapters can be found in my fic masterlist, as well as on AO3 and ff.net.

-----------

Kagome grimaced, leaning over the counter to get a closer look at the bruise on her face in the mirror. Her cheek and part of her under eye were painted scarlet and purple, the intense darkness of the wound saved for the very side of her cheekbone where he'd hit her hardest, shaded navy and shadowed slightly with swelling. Swiveling her head, she pulled her damp hair away from her face, analyzing the cut just outsider her hairline. It was angry and tender, especially whenever she made any sort of facial expression, but it was easy to hide beneath her waves so long as she left them untamed. The marks on her neck, though, were an entirely different story. The splotchy bruising marred a portion of the center and the sides of her throat. She was grateful the marks weren't as dark as the one making up her left cheek; he was hitting her over and over in that spot, whereas on her neck he was controlling his strength so as not to choke her completely. The mauve and rouge colors blended and lined where his fingers had squeezed, hardly sensitive and serving as nothing more than a reminder that he'd had her pinned.

"You okay?" Inuyasha asked from the open doorway to the restroom.

"Why does it look so much worse today?" She moaned, lightly poking her cheek to test the soreness of it. She winced, instantly regretting her stupid action.

"It's usually worse the day after. Here." He held out a cloth-wrapped bag of frozen peas. 

"Thanks." Kagome smiled, happily planting the icy vegetables on the side of her face.

"Come on, I need to get a bandaid on your cut before you start oozing all over my clean floors."

"It's not bleeding, I can do it." She grimaced again.

"Shut up and sit." He pointed behind him to the couch, watching as she rolled her eyes but followed his order. Pulling open the cabinet beneath the bathroom sink, he fished out the small first aid kit and followed her out, sitting on her right and setting the box in front of him on the coffee table.

Kagome dropped the bag of peas on her lap to pull her hair over her shoulder, using her right hand to keep it held back just behind her temple. There was no need to clean the wound since she'd taken a shower less than an hour ago - her third shower since they'd finished cleaning the apartment, and second since they'd woken up this morning. While she was handling the situation well enough, it was understandable that she'd want to try and "wash" the violation from her skin. Carefully, Inuyasha applied some ointment to the cut with a q-tip, spreading it out evenly before grabbing a small butterfly bandage from the box.

"I'm surprised you have those. It's not the most common type of bandaid to see in someone's house."

"Pfft," Inuyasha scoffed, applying the bandage securely and ignoring her little wince. "I'm a cop. I'm a reckless cop. And I've got just enough demon blood to avoid the constant visits to the hospital for a scratch that'll disappear in twelve hours. Put the peas back on your face. How's your head?"

"It's okay." She shrugged, leaning fully back into the cushions of the couch as she did as he said. "I'm more concerned about my face."

"Is it sensitive? I've got some Ibuprofen."

"No, the way it looks!"

"It's not that bad." He tried to comfort

"Are you kidding? I can't go to work like this, I work with children!" Kagome flailed her free hand in the air in exasperation, giving Inuyasha a look like her ailments were common sense.

"Well, it was stupid of you to still plan on working in the first place! You need to take time off!" The half demon argued.

"I can't just take time off, Inuyasha!"

"You literally never take vacations, you've probably got P.T.O. up the yin yang!"

"It's not about how much time I have accrued, it's about the lack of notice I'm giving! I'm a teacher!"

"With a teaching assistant!"

"She can't make teaching plans!"

"It's a preschool, Kagome, have her recite the ABC's and give the kids some coloring books!" He rolled his eyes so hard his head lolled to the side. Kagome scoffed.

"These are vital learning years in a child's life, I'll have you know!"

"Fine, go to work." He shrugged, leveling his expression, a hint of arrogance in the cock of his brow.

"Hello! Have you been listening? I can't go to work!"

"Then it sounds like you need to take some damn time off, you idiot! Two weeks, just for cushion!"

"Two weeks!?"

"God, you just keep arguing." He drawled.

She threw the peas at him. "And tell them what? "Hi, I can't come into work because I've caught the fourteen day flu."" Kagome mocked, holding her finger-phone to her ear.

"How about, and bare with me because this is pretty out there, a family emergency." Inuyasha spread his hands out like he was drawing a rainbow in the air above his head.

"What?"

Inuyasha chuckled hopelessly, shaking his head as he picked up the wrapped-up peas and gently held them to her cheek. "Man, this knock to the head really isn't helping you think straight, is it? A family emergency." He reiterated. "Say you have to fly out because your grandpa's in the hospital and you'll keep them posted, call again in a week and let them know things are worse than you expected. Boom, two weeks covered and no doctor's note needed."

"That's-" Kagome looked slightly stunned, blinking as the tension in her brow faded. "That's actually a good idea."

"Imagine that." Inuyasha nodded.

"God, you're so full of yourself." She snagged the frozen vegetables and pushed the half demon away, ignoring his cocky laugh as she rolled off the couch to grab her phone from across the room. Before she could open her email to prep her excuse, Inuyasha's phone rang right next to her, Koga's name illuminating the screen. She tossed it over to him, unable to hear what the normally-boisterous wolf was saying on the other end, only able to gather that it must have been semi-good information being fed through the line from the way Inuyasha didn't ignite in curse words but only nodded and responded with a simple "okay."

Hanging up his phone, he looked over at Kagome from his spot on the couch, sighing out before speaking. "So, they may have caught your attacker from last night."

Kagome sealed her lips, trying to swallow the nerves that suddenly began to inflate.

"They need you to pick him out of a lineup."

"Right now?"

"Right now."

She hadn't imagined having to see that man again so soon, and the thought was intimidating. She figured it would be through a two-way mirror, just like the interrogation room she sat in last night, and he wouldn't be able to see her, but what if he picked up her scent? What if he gave her that thin-lipped smile like he'd already done so many times? 

"Will you be there?" Kagome asked.

"I can't for this one." He hesitantly admitted, looking half-ashamed. "I saw his profile in the system last night. I know what he looks like. They haven’t specifically told me I can't yet, but I already know Kagura won't let me ten feet near that room. This is just so no one can say I influenced your answer."

"Got it." She breathed with a nod, completely understanding the logistics behind it. "Then, alright. We've gotta do what we've gotta do."

"Come on," Inuyasha stood, walking around the room to gather his necessary belongings. "Let's get this over with."

SVU Precinct

Sango sipped her piping hot mug of coffee, ignoring the sting on her tongue so she could get the caffeine rolling through her system. It had been a long night and she'd only been able to doze off for a quick power nap in the cot room before her busy mind and restless legs demanded she move. It was hard to be still when they had a criminal detained, even more so when he was playing smug and abiding by his right to remain silent. Not once had he asked for a lawyer since they sat him in the interrogation room, though. As fishy as it seemed, it could potentially end up working out in their favor. No lawyer means they had room to play a little dirty.

She looked up from her half-drunk cup as Inuyasha's silver hair caught her peripherals. He walked in at a leisurely pace, dressed down in a thin, maroon hoody with a plain, white tee underneath, loose jeans making up the lower portion. The guy practically lived at the station with how busy he liked to keep himself, so seeing him dressed in his civilian wear was on the odd side of things for her. What was even more odd was how soft his features appeared as he shifted his body to let the woman behind him step in front, his hand not touching, but hovering at the small of her back to keep her near.

It was a suitable change for him, and one she hoped he got to permanently adopt this time around.

Sango rose from her seat, hoping the coffee would hit her sooner rather than later, her muscles feeling heavy and sluggish. Inuyasha's ember eyes landed on her instantly, and he led Kagome down the hall of desks to meet her.

"Hey, thanks for coming." She greeted. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, I'm okay. Don't worry about me." Kagome responded with a pleasant shake of her head. The thick bruise on her cheek crinkled slightly with her controlled grin, the smile appearing crooked so as not to anger the blue and purple mass. Her black, wavy hair was brought to the front of her shoulders, curving and covering most of the marks around her throat, and the only evidence of the nearly-shielded cut on her temple that would catch one's eye was the redness just outside of the swelling that traveled towards the outer tip of her eyebrow. She was wearing a charcoal pullover hoody with the brand name stitched across her chest, the bottom hem hugging the hips of her dark blue jeans.

"I'm glad to hear it, though." There was a brief pause before she continued. "So, I'm sure Inuyasha told you, but we have to have you pick the perp out of a lineup. Think you remember his face well enough to do that?"

"There's no way I could forget it." Kagome said earnestly. "Shouldn't be a problem at all."

Kagome was confident, but Sango couldn't help the pang of guilt she felt that a man's face was so unwillingly etched into her mind. She wondered if she was troubled with nightmares of his brutality as she slept last night, or watched him leap at her whenever she blinked. The way she held herself seemed calm and nicely put-together; there was no evidence of fear or lingering anxiety written in her body language, and Sango couldn't help but think this woman was fantastic at putting up a front in response. But that wasn't it. If Kagome was hiding behind a facade, Inuyasha's protective demeanor would give it away. She'd worked with the half demon for long enough to understand that he feeds off of the reactions of those around him; those he's closest to. Especially victims. If they wanted to shy back, he'd give them shelter behind his broad shoulders. If they were nervous, he'd compensate with his surety. Kagome was temporarily living with him, so it would be entirely too exhausting to keep up a lie all hours of the day until this mess was put to rest. And Inuyasha was undoubtedly synced with the woman at his side, standing close but not smothering, there for assistance if necessary but allowing her to stand tall without a crutch. If she was even slightly nervous, he'd pick up on that emotion like it was broadcasted clearly on a billboard. Sango watched him stiffen a smidge as Kagome took another step forward, a silent indication that she was ready. He was the nervous one.

Sango took Kagome's arm to guide her towards the back, letting Inuyasha know they'd return shortly as he plopped down in his own desk chair to wait. They walked through a small curve in the halls, coming up on an open room, greeted by Hojo and Kagura as they entered through, simple pleasantries exchanged as Hojo did his part to make sure Kagome was as comfortable as manageable. They stood before a two-way, illuminated from the opposite side, the room they watched completely empty aside from Koga standing next to a door on an adjacent wall.

"Koga's going to let them in through that doorway. Everyone will be holding a number, so if you see the man that attacked you, I want you to tell me which number he's holding, okay?" Kagura instructed. Kagome nodded, a note of hesitation finally crumbling her stature.

"He can't see me, right?" She asked, walking up to the window, placing her fingertips on the metal frame at the bottom of it.

"No, he won't be able to see you at all." Hojo steadily affirmed. Again, she nodded. They all stood there silently, giving Kagome a moment of composure. Her brown eyes didn't shift from the brightly-lit room they looked in on, and as she took in a deep breath, there was no more sag to her body, even her chin raising a hair. Hojo gave two deliberate knocks to the glass, and Koga turned to push open his door, ordering the row of men to enter without bark to his tone.

As each man passed through, Kagome quickly studied their faces, all looking slightly similar to the next. She immediately disqualified numbers two and three as they appeared for their five o'clock shadow. The man she'd been attacked by had such feminine features, she didn't think it'd be possible for him to grow facial hair. Number four walked through, shortly followed by number five. Neither were him. As soon as number six walked in, Kagome tensed considerably, her fingers gripping the frame.

"Number six." She announced, watching the man saunter to his spot, the number held just in front of his navel. His nose was slightly crooked, the bridge an off shade of magenta, green and yellow outlining and expanding to the inner corners and beneath his eyes. There was a cut on the side of his head that she swore was twice the size when she'd given it to him, little, angry nicks decorating the skin around the wound. That was her doing. That was the memento she was glad he was stuck with, even if his demon blood hastened his recovery. It didn't matter. She wasn't the only one currently standing marked.

"Give it one more moment." Kagura said, lightly placing her hand on Kagome's shoulder. As soon as all ten of the men were in the room - some detainees, some cops in disguise - and Koga had closed the door, she spoke. "Take a look at all of them. Are you sure?"

"Number six." Kagome stated again, more fervency in her tone. "That's him. He was the man at the coffee shop and he was the man that broke into Inuyasha's home."

Hojo gave six steady knocks against the window with the knuckle of his middle finger, and they watched as Koga emptied the room, the smile on the accused criminal's face growing wide and thin as he was personally led out by the wolf demon.

"You did great, thank you so much for your help." Kagura smiled.

"What happens now?" Kagome asked, turning around to face the lot of them.

"We interview him. Now's the time where we press him for any information he can give. He's our link to Naraku, so we're a step closer to tracking him down, and we're going to make sure this guy works with us." Sango replied assertively.

"Once we catch Naraku and trials begin, he'll be present. You'll have to testify against both of them." Kagura added.

"I'll do whatever you need."

"Good." Hojo grinned, watching Kagura walk off and in the opposite direction of the main office, lightly patting Kagome's upper back to lead her out the door. "Let's get you out of here."

"Wait," Kagome stopped in the center of the hall just outside the room, staring intently into the detective's blue eyes. Her determination took him back a bit as his fingers flinched away from her spine. "What's his name? I deserve to put a name to the face."

"It's Byakuya." He answered after a small moment of hesitation. "His name's Byakuya."

She swallowed the information, biting her bottom lip as she glanced to the floor, then darted her brown-eyed gaze back to him. "Thank you."

They walked out into the main office where Inuyasha sat, tapping his claws impatiently against the lining of his desk, his leg bobbing like a wind up toy bound tight. He jumped up at the sight of Kagome, quickly crossing the distance to meet her more than half way as she greeted him with a smile, her fingers loosely gripping the cloth of the arm of his sweater.

"Was he in there?"

"Yeah." She nodded curtly.

"Good, time for the interrogation?" He asked the detectives behind her.

"You know it." Sango replied.

"Let me see that fucker."

"Woah, woah, woah!" Hojo stepped in front of him, halting his path.

"Come on, I just want to look. I'm not gonna do anything." Inuyasha drawled.

"Why do you want to see him so bad all of a sudden?"

"Well, I had plenty of time to think out here and I've decided I'd get some nice closure if I got to see this man, too.” The half demon feigned innocence, the smile curving his lips only serving to disturb the detectives before him.

"No." Sango crossed her arms, planting her weight on one hip. "No way. You're gonna punch him."

"Just once!"

"Get out of here!"

"I can break him faster than you guys!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure you can!"

"I just have a few words for him!"

"Well, write him a letter and we'll make sure he gets it!"

"Let me through!"

"Go home!"

"I should be part of the interview process! It's a good tactic to bring it down to a personal level, and he could potentially start talking faster!"

"You know damn well you can't do that! You aren't on the case, Inuyasha!"

"So!"

"You'd compromise everything!"

"No, I wou-"

Kagome reached up, gently flicking Inuyasha on the tip of his white ear, watching the appendage jerk to the side in response as his entire body froze and his voice completely hitched in his throat. He didn't look at her, his eyes stunned while facing his coworkers. "Come on," She spoke, her tone simple and level. "It's time to go, Inuyasha. You're in the way." She spun around on her heel, traveling to the door, only stopping to wait for her companion.

Sango blinked, covering her mouth to block the amusement she knew was written so clearly on it. She sniffed and cleared her throat, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible as she noticed her partner struggling to do the same, his lips pressed into a tight line. Inuyasha straightened, his body language no longer radiating defensive but slightly awkward and put off, scratching his temple as was his particular ism, and fixing the sweater over his shoulders to line up neatly.

"So, I'm gonna go." He raised his brows, pressing his own lips together. A small popping sound came as he released them and continued. "But it's only because I don't want to hear shit from you two. Got it?"

"Yup, sure, got it." Hojo nodded, a smug expression foiling his casualty. The half demon squinted his ember eyes in a meager challenge, spinning around and allowing his silver ponytail to fly behind him, following after Kagome and promptly exiting the office.

—

Sango unbuttoned the ends of her dress shirt sleeves, rolling her left up above the crook of her elbow, then swapping sides to roll up the right. She looked in on the man beyond the two-way, his pasty forehead dampened with sweat, the fine, ungroomed hairs of his bangs sticking to his skin. It was an effective tactic of theirs to spike the thermostat in the room. It was one thing to make them mentally uncomfortable with loaded questions, it was another to increase their physical discomfort - all around aiding in their quicker crumbling. On top of that, Koga had gone through and removed some of the bulbs in the overhead lamps before throwing Byakuya to sit alone in the room over an hour ago, the setting dingy and humid and uninviting.

Perfect.

Hojo approached, his button up and tie entirely removed as he prepared for their routine in his black tee shirt. He faced his partner, the back of his right forearm held out to her. "Good cop."

"Bad cop." She winked, tapping the edge of her right elbow to his.

"How long do you think it'll take to crack him, doc?" Totosai asked from the sidelines. Miroku observed the perp before them. Byakuya was tapping his foot against the flooring at a steady pace, his lips curved down in disapproval, his chest raising as he heaved a heavy, throaty sigh.

"Hard to say until he starts talking. He hasn't said a word since he's been apprehended. My guess is he's testy. He's secure, but he's guarded. He hides behind his rooted confidence. Find his weak spot and he'll give. Or potentially snap."

Sango spared Miroku a brief side glance, smiling softly when she noticed their chief wasn't looking. His face was serious, violet eyes captivating her gaze as he discretely mouthed the words, "Be careful."

Hojo stepped through the entry first, expression straight, holding the door open with one hand and a notepad in the other as Sango followed through. It was incredible, she'd been told, how fast her demeanor could change; how she could step into any roll necessary for the part. Next to Inuyasha, who'd rightfully earned his place at the top as lead detective in the precinct - despite his unorthodox practices - she fell just below him for her strong abilities to make perps fold. She was versatile in her tactics, adaptable in the room, and justifiably a force to be reckoned with.

Byakuya tilted his head upward to face the two detectives, his skin glowing beneath the yellow light from the slimy-looking film of sweat on his cheeks. Without the slightest hint as to what anyone should have expected, Sango crossed the room, curved around the corner of the table and demanded the criminal to stand. He did nothing but stare at her, thin brows pinching together audaciously. Again, she told him to stand. There was no degree of malice in her tone, no aggression, no attitude. The order she spoke was with the sincerity of a ship's captain. What she said would be heeded no matter what, and as he chose to ignore her once more, wrists bound close together in his lap with metal cuffs, she flicked her foot around a leg of the chair and kicked it from beneath his seat.

He fell to the ground, clambering up to his feet with dangerous chuckles mixed with growls brushing past his thin lips. Sango made sure the chair was out of reach from him, turning to push the wooden table to the far wall and out of the way. Hojo stood back, leaning against the wall at the very edge of the mirror, his face unchanged.

"You don't want to talk, you don't get to sit."

He scoffed and rolled his eyes, leaning against the wall in back of him.

"You're not looking too good there, woman beater. You tired?" She baited, closing some of the distance between them, stopping with just a couple feet to spare.

Byakuya ground his jaw forward, the muscles at the joint flexing as he brought his teeth back where they belonged. 

"Had a long night?"

His upper lip twitched.

"Hitting girls take a lot out of you?"

His head shifted slightly as Sango took two small steps forward, damn near in his face now, eyes slanted dangerously as she spoke again.

"Or was it the pounding she gave you that wore you out?"

Again, he scoffed, this time hard enough for spittle to fly from his mouth as he dramatically rolled his dark eyes. "I'd hardly call this a pounding."

"Really?" She feigned curiosity.

"Have you seen her face? I'm sure the marks I left have set in nicely."

"Sure, she's looked better. But there's one small detail you're neglecting. She's human. She, like most of us, get bruises from bumping the corner of a table.”

"What of it?"

"Well, you're a full-blooded demon. Your kind is difficult to harm and heals at a ridiculously fast rate, and yet..." Sango took an obvious glance at his wounded face and gashed head. "You're looking pretty worse for wear."

Another eye roll, this time swiveling his head to the side to face the neighboring wall instead of her.

"What's even better is once we lock you in a cell, you'll be labeled a woman beater. A lot of men in there don't take kindly to that."

"What, because a bruised septum and a cut on my head is clear indication of my crimes?" Byakuya chuckled. "How the hell would anyone know?"

"Oh, I'll make sure of it." Sango grinned, cocking a brow. "You think I don't have pull beyond these walls? You think one slip of the lip to the right guard wont spread your little secret of assault like wild fire? You'll have an awful rep before you're even indicted. The moment men see you walk through those doors, you'll be targeted. Your prissy, feminine looks will be scarred and bruised, and your ego will rightfully be smeared in the dirt. Your broken nose will stay this way, because everyone in there will want you to hold onto the little trophy Kagome gave you. Out here, you think you're something big, don't you? You think you're invincible because you hurt an unsuspecting girl, right? You're nothing. Not out here and definitely not in prison, and you'll have plenty of reminders coming your way for years to come."

"You're not allowed to threaten me! I know my rights!" He hissed.

"Who's threatening? I'm only trying to be informative. Hojo, did you hear me threaten Byakuya?" She asked with a smile, irreproachably. Hojo shrugged and shook his head, grimacing as he pretended he didn't hear a thing.

"You guys out there, knock twice if you heard me threaten him." Sango called to her coworkers watching in. Nothing. She turned back to the perp before her, raising a shoulder as she dismissed his accusation. 

"You're all corrupt!"

"What, are you mad now? Are you mad because a woman's in charge? A woman's in your face and you can't do anything about it?" She badgered, finally beginning to raise her voice.

"You don't know shit!"

"Don't I? Enlighten me, then!"

Byakuya stared at her, violet eyes flickering over every inch of her face, studying as his chest rose with an unsteady inhale. As he dropped his breath, he let out an incredulous chuckle, shifting his sights to the side.

"Or, is the only way you know how to teach a lesson-"

"God, woman beater, woman beater!" He drawled, unamused, bobbing his head from side-to-side. Byakuya stood up straight from the wall, leveling her challenge. "Is that all the material you've got? Look, if you think this has anything to do with the "reputation" you're giving me, you're sorely mistaken." He'd made quotation marks with the index and middle fingers of both chained hands, lifting them between their bodies so she'd see.

"Is that so? So, what did it have to do with?"

"Is that a loaded question?" He smirked.

"No, a loaded question would be me asking how much Naraku paid you to attack her." She watched his conceit fade. "I was fishing for you to admit it yourself."

His discomfort notably increased as his Adam's apple bobbed with the thick swallow. He moved to step away from Sango, to create some space, but she clutched the front of his shirt and yanked him back, slamming him against the wall.

"Did I say you could move?"

"Sango-" Hojo calmly warned, dropping his pad of paper on the discarded table as he apprehensibly stepped up beside her. "Ease up a bit."

"What? No." She smiled, shaking her head, the collar of his tee still balled in her fist. "He's obviously the type of guy that likes being told what to do. All I gotta do is smack him around a little to show him who his new boss is, and he'll break."

"This isn't the way to do it. He's talking now, let's just keep the conversation going." He held up his hands, trying to break the two apart. Sango brought her other hand up to grab Byakuya securely, bringing his body forward only to crush him back against the wall, his head colliding with the cement.

"Here's what's gonna happen, princess,” She spoke low, leaning closer to hover inches from his face. "You're gonna tell us everything we want to know, or I'm gonna give you a glimpse of what you have to look forward to in prison! Got it?"

"Sango!"

"Get the fuck off of me!" Byakuya growled.

"Or what? What are you gonna do?"

"It's not even ground-breaking that you know who he is, don't act like you have the upper hand!"

"But don't we? We have his lackey in custody, and he's seconds away from giving us what we need." She patronized.

"Like hell!"

Sango stepped back, the hint of an arrogant grin pushing the corners of her lips up as she crossed the floor and grabbed the discarded chair, dropping it down in the center of the heated room. Hojo created his own space, backing away to the table's new home, his fingers landing on the notepad but not picking it up. She silently commanded their perp to sit with the shift of her eyes that dragged from his body down to the seat. His expression was clearly ambivalent as he stayed put, thin lips twitching, eyes untrusting, sweat crawling down the side of his face.

Finally, he moved, squatting into the uncomfortable chair that only worked to further unease him, eyes inside and out of the immediate area focused on him as one of the remaining working lamp lights flickered in and out three times before going back to burning yellow.

"So," Sango began again, pacing around the room to stand before Byakuya. "How much did he pay you?"

He rolled his violet eyes, cocking his jaw out and in, a small popping sound heard from the grinding motion. 

"Alright, we'll make this easy. We'll come up with scenarios and you can just confirm or deny. Ready?"

No response.

"You're having trouble paying your bills. Or, better yet, you're an addict - that explains the sweats you've got right now. Jonesing. Craving. Your blood must be boiling, poor thing. You met Naraku by pure coincidence, and he offered you money in exchange for your assistance. You had no idea what you were getting yourself into. Money means drugs, so you took the bait."

"No." He plainly refuted.

"You're right, that doesn't make sense. How would Naraku have even a dime to his name right now? It's not like an asylum-escapee could hold down a normal retail job. Unless he's selling-"

"No."

"What about blackmail?" Hojo asked, his tone kind and approachable. "You don't seem the kind of person that's capable of concocting something this dangerous just for the hell of it. I can see there's more to you, and if he's holding something over your head, now's the time to tell us. We can work with you, Byakuya."

"You don't know shit about me." He dismissed with a sneer. "I'm not in this for money, I'm not into hard drugs, if anything I'd be the blackmailer in this scheme considering the way this man's twisted mind works, and I have the sweats because you assholes turned the heat up to eighty-five fucking degrees!"

"Doesn't feel hot in here to me." Sango shrugged.

"So, you're saying he asked you to do his bidding and you agreed? Just like that?" Hojo inquired.

"Basically."

"Did you aid him in the murder of-"

"Oh, here we go again!" Byakuya rolled his head back and around dramatically, landing on his bony-looking shoulder as he laughed. "History's repeating itself, and you're about to chalk up the whole story of how Naraku's some sort of serial killer, aren't you? Don't bother!"

"What do you mean?" Hojo and Sango glanced at each other from the side.

"He didn't kill anyone!" He shouted, fervency in his beliefs, eyes glowing in his defensive hunch. "You guys had nothing, nothing, and you were only able nail him down by planting incriminating evidence that didn't exist!"

"You don't believe he's a criminal?"

"That's not what I said. He's broken some laws here and there, he's built a record. He's just not the criminal your system has painted him out to be."

"A murderer." Sango stated, crossing her arms where she stood.

"Exactly."

"How do you know anything about Naraku? What makes you so sure?" Hojo pulled up a chair, opting now to sit across from Byakuya, sparing five feet's distance between them.

"Let's just say we have history." The demon shrugged, sitting back in his seat.

"That's not the answer we were looking for." Sango declared.

"Well, that's the only answer you're gonna get, sweetie."

"Try again."

"Go fuck yourself."

She grabbed a chair for herself, swinging it around to straddle beside Byakuya who leaned away as she neared. "Big talk for a guy in your position. See, here's the thing, considering you aren't cooperating but have confessed to your affiliation with Naraku, you could be pinned for everything he's done, and the potential is strong here."

"Aside from the assault, you don't have a thing on me."

"How about aiding an escapee?"

"Alright, you've got one thing." He smiled. "I'll do my time."

"How about stalking on two accounts?"

"So he took a few photos. Big deal."

"How about the murder of Abi Phoenix and her unsuspecting mother?" She delivered with more vehemency.

"Now that's where I have to stop you, because he hasn't-"

"He shot her mother in the head and tortured Abi all night until she bled out, you piece of shit! And before you defend his innocence again, he personally left his DNA on Abi by biting her thigh! We have the strongest evidence necessary to prove it was him!"

"Do you have an eye witness?"

"We have his saliva!"

"DID SOMEBODY SEE HIM!?"

"Yes! You! Apparently, you're the only person since his escape that has had any personal contact with him! You seem to know his every move, so you must have known he murdered the two women! Maybe you even helped him! You think the men in prison will be hard on you for brutally attacking a woman, wait until they find out-”

"You're making shit up!"

"We have to work with what we've got, don't we!? This is what you could be indicted for! This is the fire you're playing with, Byakuya!"

"He didn't kill anybody!"

"Sure, he did! He did, and so did you! How strong do your roots run, huh? Did you help him back in the day, too!"

"You mean the crimes you incorrectly pinned on a mentally unhealthy man!?"

"I mean the murders he committed on women and children! He killed a little boy! He kidnapped and murdered him in the backyard of his family's cabin!"

"Our family hadn't been to that damn cabin in three years, and Naraku hated that fucking place!"

Sango's mouth hung agape as she straightened her back, allowing this new information to bleed through. His cheeks went a sickly pale, neck tensing as he stared at her, the hollow of his throat emphasized with his discomfort.

"Our family?" Hojo spoke, leaning in slightly with an air of caution. Their perp was breaking, sweat dripping from his jaw line and soaking through his dirty, white shirt. He was nervous, a noticeable pulse pumping at the side of his neck, breathing elevated and heavy.

"So, you're related. That's how you know so much about him." Sango said.

"So fucking what!?" He spat defensively.

"That doesn't make sense, though. We have both yours and Naraku's DNA in the system and neither were matched to one another." Hojo said, brows furrowed as he reached for an explanation.

"Use your fucking brain, dumbass." Byakuya responded, his confidence raising as he embraced the now-exposed truth. "We aren't biologically related. Naraku was adopted."

"You're his younger brother."

"Ding, ding, ding! My parents thought themselves sterile since they were two clashing breeds of demons. They tried and tried and tried to get pregnant until a professional diagnosed that their contrasting biologics were too unstable an environment for a fetus. Hell, for semen. My mother's uterus was a war zone, you see. So, they adopted. They got my brother before he could even talk and it was a nice few years before I came around. I was deemed the "miracle child," and my brother was officially in the shadows from that day forward. He didn't take it to heart, though. He was... indifferent, I'd say. Indifferent to almost everything, really, but if there was one thing he hated, it was being still. If the house was too quiet or he ran out of things to do, he'd grow irrationally angry; he always had to be doing something stimulating. My brother's mentality began to slip when he was around, I don't know, ten or eleven. I was young, only seven, but I still remember the depthless look in his eyes when he first hurt an animal. Sure, I thought it was terrifying. How could a person do that to a cute, little bunny, right? It didn't take me long to realize Naraku wasn't a normal person, though. He never showed a hint of remorse when he did something wrong, was the biggest pathological liar you'd ever meet, either lacked or neglected control over his behavior, but still managed to be the most suave motherfucker around. That guy could manipulate the pants straight off of someone, but he was so charming not a single person batted an eye. Not even me. He was arrested several times over his teen years for animal cruelty; not the best hobby he could have picked up, even I can admit that. But not once did he ever target people for his twisted gimmicks. Not to mention, the last few times my family went up to that stupid cabin in the woods, Naraku lost his absolute shit! And I wish I was exaggerating! He'd break things, and scream, and curse, and kick, and punch holes in the walls, and demand to go home the entire fucking time. He wouldn't sleep while we were there, and he'd wander off into the woods and disappear for hours on end, which clearly wasn't a good thing considering what he was notorious for. So, we stopped going. Simple as that. Who knows why the hell he hated the place so much; probably because there's hardly anything to do in a secluded area. All I know is, it doesn't make sense that he'd ever willingly go back."

"He was arrested in the woods near the cabin."

"Fake."

"The little boy's body was dug up in the backyard."

"That doesn't mean he did it." Byakuya shook his head. "Hell, my father was more likely to kill a kid before Naraku ever would! He and my mother treated him like he was nothing, even after paying good fucking money for the adoption! I didn't want the limelight! I didn't want my brother to be treated as he was just because I was the one sperm that survived her fallopian tubes' ruthless defenses! For all I care, they caused his mental instability or whatever personality disorder he was diagnosed with! They threw him out on the street when he was seventeen! They kicked him out and moved so he wouldn't be able to find his way back! I was the only one that thought he deserved a little leeway! He wasn't right in the head and wasn't getting any sort of therapeutic help! How was he supposed to cope!? He was accused of all these murders, and it drove me crazy how that ugly, half-breed cop pinned all this false evidence on him like all psychopaths are bad! They aren't! There's this stupid stigma placed on psychopaths, that they're all murderers, but they're not! My brother may lack empathy, but he's not stone cold! He has a heart! He's never done a single bad thing to me! Not once! He lied about a lot of shit he did as a kid, but never once placed the blame on me! He was a good older brother!”

"No, not all psychopaths are killers." Sango spoke. "Not all killers are psychopaths. You're right. But you're brother-"

"YOU SHUT YOUR WHORE MOUTH!" Byakuya heatedly rose from his seat, cutting her off as he kicked his chair away and raised his cuffed hands to strike. She jumped back, but Hojo was on him before anything could happen, spinning Byakuya around and pinning him against the cement wall. He was gasping for air, struggling to escape the hand Hojo gripped his untidy, black hair with, body weight applied to his core so he was effectively restrained.

Sango held up her hand to the two-way mirror, knowing someone was probably preparing to break up the scene in case things were about to get messy, which she wanted to prevent. That couldn't happen yet. He was finally talking, and if they ended the interview now, the next time around would be twice as difficult. So long as Hojo could calm the detained demon, they could continue.

"There's no need to get angry, alright? Take a deep breath. That's it. One more. Good." Hojo soothed, backing off of Byakuya as his temper diminished. He took the liberty of grabbing the thrown chair and placing it where it was before, allowing the demon to sit and wind down as the tension in the room dwindled.

"He didn't kill anybody." He stated again, staring at the floor. "Abi's just a casualty in your half-demon's twisted game. He wants Naraku back in that hell hole so bad, it's pathetic."

"And how do you suppose he got the saliva sample?"

"Oh, please. Like that's even real. All you guys have to do is say you got it, and the system would take your word for it."

"What if we showed you the proof?"

"Then I'd insist you attained the DNA from his stay at the asylum and planted it.”

“Why would they have his DNA?”

“Who knows, but it’s a possibility.”

"You're very adamant in your opinion. You're incredibly loyal to your brother. It's understandable that you'd fight for him now that he's free; even going as far as running his errands." Hojo leaned in from his seat again, playing up the empathy.

"He's been through enough. I don't blame him for wanting payback." Byakuya's knee started bobbing up and down, growing faster as he tried applying more weight into it to get it to stop. "He justifiably hates Inuyasha, and I'm on board with anything he has planned for him."

"So where does Kagome land in all of this?" Sango asked, her tone notably softer than any other time she'd spoken before.

"Just like Abi, she's a casualty." He smirked. "My brother can be... obsessive. He started following her to spike the half-breed's anxiety and paranoia, but then it evolved into something more. He had a reputation given to him by Inuyasha, kind of like how you tried to pin one on me, so he's decided to live up to it. Polaroids. Polaroids, everywhere. Quite frankly, it was annoying, but who am I to tell him how to get his revenge? In all honesty, though, Kagome deserves the backlash she's getting if she's choosing to stay with the guy."

"I thought he's never targeted people before." Hojo posed.

Byakuya shifted uncomfortably, handcuffs jingling as he brought his sweating palms closer together. "Well, yeah. Before now."

"That's a pretty big leap. And you were ready to kill for him?"

He half-scoffed, half-chuckled. "I was actually under strict orders not to kill the girl. He wanted her maimed, really. He wanted Inuyasha to see the damage he was inflicting."

Sango sunk into her chair a little lower. It made sense. Kagome had mentioned he wasn't cutting off her air supply when he choked her. He was only trying to leave his mark.

"And you still believe he didn't hurt a single living being, human or demon, before this?" Sango tried.

"God, are you not listening!? Your corrupt officer framed him!"

"But why?" Hojo asked. "For what reason would Inuyasha have an innocent man put in prison?"

"Probably because these crimes were really taking place, but you guys arrested the wrong man. Inuyasha seems prideful. Like the kind of guy that doesn't like to admit when he's made a mistake. He couldn't take the embarrassment since this was such a high-profile case, so he made sure all signs pointed to Naraku."

"Don't you think that's a little too coincidental? I mean, Hakudoshi's body was pulled from your family's backyard. If Naraku was falsely accused-"

"Planted. He was planted. Keep up."

"How could Inuyasha have had the time to plant Hakudoshi's body? We have tapes, plenty of eye-witness proof, that proves Inuyasha was here, at the precinct, interrogating Naraku the entire time most of the searches for evidence was happening. The only time he went on the field was when we drove up to the cabin and unburied Hakudoshi."

"Then he had a buddy working with him. All of you have partners, who's his?"

"I understand your stance on this, I do. You want to believe your brother. You probably feel like you even have to because of everything he's been through. There's guilt gluing you to Naraku's side." Hojo said, allowing Sango to pick up where he stopped, instinctively knowing they were riding the same wave.

"But you're looking at this all wrong. Believe us when we say we want to help you. We are not against you here. You need to think of us as deforesters, not landscapers. We're in the business of uprooting every fine piece of grooly evidence, not planting it. Inuyasha was here, and we can show you. Abi wasn’t just some casualty, she was the link that pointed to your brother's arrest. Hakudoshi was innocently slain. He was a little boy. You think your brother doesn't deserve this treatment, but what about Hakudoshi? What about all the other innocent people killed by Naraku? What about them?”

Byakuya’s deep eyes pierced the ground at his feet, face contorted and wet, stray hairs sticking to his cheeks and neck, breathing unsettled as he clasped his hands together but couldn’t seem to hold them steady. He began shaking his head, the rhythm small and barely noticeable, allowing his mouth to part, a drop of sweat flowing over his upper lip and meshing into the line where it met the bottom.

“Show me.” He whispered. “I want to see every piece of damning evidence you have.”

—

The room was sitting at a more comfortable temperature now, the thermostat adjusted accordingly and a water bottle delivered for Byakuya as he sat in the room alone once more. The table was put back in the center, his arms resting against the wood as he stared down at it, waiting.

Sango and Hojo reentered with manilla folders in their hands, choosing their seats opposite Byakuya and placing their items on the tabletop.

"Sorry it took so long." Hojo said.

"Just show it to me." He mumbled.

Sango opened the folder she held, dragging out a glossy, black and white, overhead photo of Inuyasha questioning Naraku almost exactly nine years ago, six days from the date, the timestamp printed clearly in the bottom, left corner. She placed that in front of Byakuya, turning it around so it was right-side up for him. The next was a photocopy of an incident report where evidence was found at Naraku's apartment, dated and timed only eighteen minutes apart.

"In the video, Inuyasha is trying to get Naraku to admit to Hakudoshi's disappearance. No one knew he was dead yet. He was consistently pressing him to get him to reveal his location. He was trying to save the boy. At the same time, Naraku had given just enough information to get a warrant to search his home. Detectives found polaroids on the walls of women and children he'd stalked, women and children that had active missing reports out for their safe return."

"That doesn't mean anything. The time on Inuyasha's picture could have been photoshopped in." He argued.

"You can believe that all you want, Byakuya. You can bathe in your denial for all I care, but this is it. This is the proof you asked for. Inuyasha was in this station, locked in a room with your brother for hours, all while other investigators searched his place. How could he have planted anything?" Sango asked, her frustration slowly hiking.

"Well, where was he before the interrogation began?"

"Arresting Naraku."

"And before that?"

"Oh my god." She could tell it was a never-ending cycle, the huff from her nose heated like a dragon's.

"Look at this!" Hojo instructed, his tone striking critical for the first time. He opened his own folder, slapping down image-after-image of the scene they'd walked in on at Abi Phoenix's residence. Pictures of her mother's lifeless body, of Abi sprawled on the floor, slightly decayed, closeups of her brutally-inflicted wounds, the contusions on her neck, the bite just above her knee, her dark hair matted in dried blood. "See that mark on her leg? That's where Naraku bit Abi! That's where he left behind his DNA! She was murdered by your brother!"

"Bullshit! What reason did he have to get revenge on Abi? They had no affiliation with one another, they-"

"She was his girlfriend nine years ago! She was the reason he was arrested!" Sango interjected.

"That doesn't make sense!"

"When she was questioned by the police, she told them the last time she'd spoken to Naraku, he'd said he was heading to his family's cabin with his nephew!" Hojo yelled.

"No, that's not right! Naraku didn't have a girlfriend, and he doesn't have a nephew!"

"Think about it!"

"I'm telling the truth!" Byakuya shouted, slamming his fists against the table. "He's never been able to hold down a relationship in his life! Hell, he even told me he finds the opposite sex repugnant and never felt any desire to be with them - sexually or what have you!"

Hojo sat back in his seat, the heat fading from his expression, though his lips pressed into a flat line as he allowed Byakuya's words to settle, to cool. He nodded, shrugging his brows as he spoke again, this time more levelly. "Think about it."

"E-even if he did have a girlfriend, we don't have a nephew - he doesn't have a nephew." He shakily said, eyes widened with unclarity. Hojo pulled another photo from his folder, placing it on top of the others in the center of the table. The little boy stood with a bright smile on his face, white hair falling over his shoulders as he held a large basketball between his hands.

"This is Hakudoshi. He was eight years old and his body was discovered in the backyard of your parents' cabin."

"Inuyasha worked for hours to make Naraku slip, and a warrant was finally issued for us to search the premises. He was young, and terrified, and alone when he was killed. You want justice for your brother, but what about him?" Sango added, watching Byakuya's shoulders tremble from the applied guilt.

"You honestly didn't know?" Hojo inquired.

"No, o-of course not. I always believed him when he said he was set up, I-I thought I knew him better than anyone." He replied, the breath heavy against his lungs.

"I find that hard to believe."

Byakuya's violet gaze instantly redirected away from Hakudoshi's image, colliding with Hojo's skeptical, blue eyes.

"You mean to tell me you had no idea what pictures were inside the envelope you handed Kagome?"

"H-he didn't let me see them. The envelope was sealed when he gave it to me, I figured they were the same old thing." He hastily opposed.

"Well, it was; you're not wrong there." Hojo smiled incredulously. One of the remaining items in his folder was the very same envelope, slightly wrinkled, pointed corners of polaroids poking out from the opening. He dumped the contents on the table, tossing the empty envelope down beside it all. "Same old thing, same old Naraku! These are old photos he managed to keep of past victims! Look at them, Byakuya! Take a look at all the people he's stalked throughout the years!"

He did so, spreading them out, confused, taken aback, not knowing what to say anymore, studying, looking through and stopping as he spotted the silver-haired little girl he remembered from third street. Bile was rising into his throat as his stomach twisted and lurched in his abdomen. The temperature was normalized in the room, but his cheeks felt clammy. She'd gone missing when he was nine. Naraku used to babysit her for a little cash. He remembered the sirens blaring as they raced around the bend to her house, he remembered the police coming to their door to question his parents and then moving on, he remembered the incessant rumors about her dad spreading throughout the neighborhood community, the pain he would see on her mother's face when she watched little children walk by, the hint of envy as they went to elementary school - something her daughter would never do. And he remembered them eventually moving away.

"What-" His breath hitched as his nerves began getting the better of him, fingers shaking against one another. "What do you want to know?"

"Is there anyone else working with you two?" Sango asked without hesitation.

"No."

"How did you get Inuyasha's spare key?"

"I have a detachable eye, it's disgusting but one of the quirks of being a mixed race of demons. Stole a uniform from one of your cops and my scent was masked enough to blend with the mess of detainees you have in this building. Set up the eye, saw his combo, came back and got it. I got lucky finding the key in the locker; I was beginning to think he didn't have one."

"And Kagome's?"

"Her landlord is a dumbass with multiple masters in an unlocked office in the basement."

"Your parents, we never located them." Hojo stated, waiting for Byakuya to fill in the gap.

"They live upstate on a ranch. They're fine."

"And your brother," Sango leaned inward, maintaining a careful tone. "Where is he?"

He hesitated, eyes slowly shifting back and forth between the two detectives. His throat clenched, and he didn't know what to do. Naraku was still his brother. How could he turn his back on him after everything - no, that was all a lie. Naraku was the one inflicting pain, not the other way around. He was a serial killer. 

The thought felt acidic on his brain.

Still, as he opened his mouth to speak, his throat clenched and held his voice captive. He tried again, to tell the truth, to give up the headache-inducing charade, but his abdomen tightened like a shockwave had coursed through the surrounding muscles.

What was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to say? What was right? What was wrong? He was going to be doing time in prison anyway, maybe if he willingly took the fall for his brother, Naraku could start anew.

That wasn't the way it worked though, was it? His brother had grown obsessed with Inuyasha, obsessed with his revenge. He was going to kill again whether Byakuya took the fall or not. His brother was sick.

He deserved a chance.

But he was going to kill.

"I," Byakuya's bottom lip trembled as he hung his head, staring at the wood between his forearms. "I want a lawyer."

Two hard knocks against the mirror behind them rang heavily throughout the dense room, effectively ending the interview.

Inuyasha’s Residence

Inuyasha stomped around the apartment, huffing and puffing as he made sure the windows were secure for the fifth time and counting, rushing out of view for his next task. Kagome sat on the kitchen counter, watching him travel through with his ever-prominent scowl, propped with one hand just behind her butt while the other held the strawberry she nibbled. She knew it would be irrelevant to point out how repetitive he was being. She knew how this time of the month spiked his blood pressure, and with Naraku still on the loose and his teammates hardly communicating anything with him, there was very little comfort in tonight's new moon.

She could hardly blame him. She'd tried calming him down a few hours ago, but he had every right to be high strung. If Naraku has been stalking the two of them for months now, there was a huge probability that he knew of Inuyasha's human night. Not that it would provide an inkling of consolation for the irritable half demon, Kagome couldn't help but hope Naraku had spent his time being more focused on her. He could rob her of every secret she hid from the world, just so long as he didn't take this one from Inuyasha.

He walked into the kitchen, stopping close by, ember eyes dulled with anxiety, staring at her legging-clad legs that dangled from the marble counter. Even though he wasn't looking at her face, she gave him a congenial smile, one she hoped would express her empathy for the situation at hand. With a tense sigh, he turned around and she knew he was about the repeat the entire process all over again.

"Hey," She extended a leg out, barely skimming his thigh with a toe but serving to halt his path nonetheless. "You've got it all, Inuyasha. Everything's locked up tight. We're gonna be perfectly safe."

"One more time." He grunted, still not looking at her.

"No more times." Kagome scooted her bottom closer to the edge of the counter, reaching her foot out to nudge him in her direction. He was reluctant. Rigid. Strained. She nudged him again and he finally gave, glancing at her with an unamused expression as he stepped his left foot back to open his front to her. Using the leverage she was granted, she pinned his hips between both ankles and pulled until he gave her what she wanted and came to stand between her knees.

"What?" He grumbled.

She grabbed his hands and gently placed them to rest on the tops of her thighs.

"Kagome."

She shushed him, the sound quick and gentle, tenderly raking her nails up and down his bare forearms. He huffed again, the sound clenched in his throat, but he didn't try to pull away. Kagome dragged her fingers up to the crook of his elbow, tickling slightly from the way he twitched, secretly enjoying how sensitive his skin became when he was on the brink of transforming, traveling up to his biceps and going inside the hem of his tee so she could skim the faded edge of the tattoo on his arm. He was beginning to ease, beginning to soften, his thumbs rubbing back and forth over the material of her leggings. Kagome leaned in, placing a small and playful kiss on his chin.

"I don't have time for this." He said. It was gruff, but wasn't the least bit convincing. He never moved away. In fact, his hands had moved up to her hips, thumbs now meshing between her pelvis and the softness of her thighs.

"You can check the locks as many times as you want, but it won't stop the sun from setting and I know that's what you're really trying to do."

"Don't get all philosophical on me."

"Then relax. Everything's gonna be fine."

"Not if he tries anything."

"Who says he will? Nothing has happened in the previous months on this night, right? Maybe he doesn't even know."

"I can't take that chance, Kagome. You know I can't take that chance." Inuyasha rebutted, shifting his head to the side, glaring at the drawn curtains of the closest window. "If anything happens tonight, I won't be able to protect you as well as any other night."

"I'm not worried."

"Well, you should be." He said earnestly.

"Well, I'm not! Look - hey, look at me!" Golden eyes shifted, landing on the bruise that had settled into her cheek. The last she'd seen it, which wasn't all that long ago, it was a nasty mixture of green and yellow, outlined with sprinkles of purple. It was healing, but he still stared at it as if it were freshly-inflicted and the bane of the Earth. "I trust you. Nothing will stop me from trusting you, not even the moon. Get that through your thick skull, Inuyasha, because I'm really not worried. And if it makes you feel any better, I'll double check everything for you so you can stop second guessing yourself. Alright?"

He rolled his eyes, giving her a small shake of his head as he ground his jaw outward.

"Alright?" Kagome tried again, this time with a little more fervency, moving her hands to grip the slant in his shoulder muscles, giving a warning squeeze so he'd take her seriously.

"Alright, alright. Whatever. It's your funeral."

"Make sure The Black Parade plays at it." She teased.

"That's not fucking funny." Inuyasha groaned, leaning down to bury his face in the curve of her neck. She wrapped her arms around the nape of his, welcoming him, allowing him to clutch her tighter than normal as he hissed a curse and shuddered. Through the curtains, Kagome could see the night resting in, the orange and pink hues of the sunset vanishing completely.

His hearing dulled incredibly, making him feel stuffed up, his equilibrium swaying slightly as he gathered himself against her. Tucking inward even more, he felt a swarm of gooseflesh travel over his body like tiny electric shocks thieving away his supernatural gifts. Everything was bland suddenly. Plain. Limited. He hated it. It was unsettling to be this vulnerable.

He felt the tips of her fingers caressing over the bumps of his spine at the base of his neck, and he finally blinked open his eyes. Her inner thighs were relaxed alongside his hips, her mouth pressed to the shirt on his shoulders, the hot exhales leaving her nose seeping through the cloth and gracing the skin beneath. She was being so patient, tender, as if the transformation was something painful for him. Of course it wasn't, and he was sure she was well aware. It wasn't the first new moon they'd spent together in all the years they've known one another. Still, that never stopped her from waiting him out, never saying a word until she was sure he was adjusted.

Inuyasha sighed defeatedly, stepping back and standing tall, unable to hide the way he avoided looking at Kagome. Maybe he was sloppy, or maybe it was because he was human for the next twelve hours or so - truth be told, probably the former; he couldn't blame everything on the night of the new moon, no matter how overwhelming his emotions became. -  but his shame was evident, as was his lack of confidence the darkness had graciously provided. He believed her when she said she trusted him, he had no reason not to, but that didn't stop him from thinking she was stupid. So fucking stupid. He had a horrible feeling pooling in the pit of his gut, bubbling, churning wildly, heating his core like his demon blood used to, and it put him on edge.

It had been six days since Kagome was attacked; six days since he initially failed to provide her the protection he promised. If something happened tonight while they were under the same roof and he failed again, he didn't think he could live with himself. But that was selfish, wasn't it? He was only thinking about the way he felt. She wasn't worried, wasn't scared, wasn't even bothered by the diminishing marks on her face. Yeah, she was stupid and he would argue that until the day he died, but she was also way more intuitive than he was. If her gut wasn't telling her to tread carefully, then maybe it was just his human emotions and the effervescent need to protect that was fooling him into thinking something may go wrong.

Kagome pulled Inuyasha's ponytail to the front of his shoulder, combing the stark black ends she'd always expressed she loved so much with her nails. He still hadn't looked at her but, god, did he want to. The sooner he looked, he realized, the sooner she'd stop her ministrations. Selfish, yes, but that's a degree of greed he could accept within himself. She shifted her head, he could see in his peripherals, and her hands slid up his neck, fingers gently massaging the lobes of his ears, the feeling foreign and slightly weird. He didn't stop her. Instead, he subconsciously leaned into it, effectively blowing his cover. There was mirth in her brown eyes as he caught her gaze, her smile scrunching her nose, and her fingers fumbled to the tops of his ears, still rubbing, still foiling his act.

"Move," She said, a giggle on her breath. "I've gotta check the house since you clearly didn't do a good enough job."

"Punk ass." He grunted, stepping out of her way. Kagome grabbed a strawberry from the bowl beside her and put it in his eagerly-accepting mouth before hopping down from the counter and working her way from window-to-window. She pushed up on the borders, making sure they were all stuck securely by the locks, readjusting the curtains she'd pushed aside and moving onto the next. Lastly, she checked the the door, unlocking and re-locking so Inuyasha had the satisfaction of the bolt clicking into place. 

"Everything looks good to me. What about your gun?"

"Loaded and on me."

"You can't sleep while wearing it." She grimaced.

"Makes sense since I'm not sleeping." He shrugged, discarding the top of the strawberry in the trash.

"Oh, that's right. It's the all-nighter. I'll stay up with you.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“There’s no need.”

“Four eyes are better than two.”

“You can’t stay up. You’re practically an old lady with how early you usually fall asleep.”

“Just because you have the unhealthy habit of doing it all the time, doesn’t mean I don’t have it in me!”

“I don’t need to sleep as much as humans!”

“And I’ve been reserving my energy just for tonight!”

“Bullshit! Ten bucks says you don't make it past two am."

"Twenty says you're the one that falls asleep first." Kagome challenged, laughing as he chucked a strawberry at her.

--

Her eyes were heavy as she watched one of the lesser-rated episodes of The Twilight Zone, making sure the volume to the chilling opening theme was low enough that it wouldn't disturb the sleeping man at the other end of the couch. It was surprising that he'd given in to the fatigue, despite how much she'd hoped for it from the beginning. All it took was some simple caressing and he was a puddle on the sofa, melting and dozing off until he couldn't fight it anymore, and she silently thanked his human night for making the guy substantially more sensitive than he’d ever willingly admit to being. Even under the illumination of the television, the black and white contrast bouncing off of his even skin, he looked peaceful. His scowl wasn't dominant, his brows were relaxed, and his lips were slightly parted as he steadily breathed in contentment. For his added comfort, she'd happily stay up all night. Plus, it would be fun to rub it in when he woke up that he owed her some money since it was hitting four-forty in the morning and she was still conscious. 

She leaned forward, minding that the motion was controlled to not alert Inuyasha, going for her glass for a sip of flat soda, fully relying on the small intake of caffeine to perk her up for the few remaining hours she had. As she reached, her phone vibrated against the coffee table, claiming her undivided attention as her hand snagged the device instead. It was the god-awful hours of the morning, who in the world could have been texting her?

The number was unfamiliar, though the area code was the same as her own. She opened the message, a chill rushing down her spine as she read the text three times over.

Kagome, is this still your number? This is Kikyo. I need your help...

The last time Inuyasha had spoken to her about his ex was when he was standing in her living room, telling her the truth she had been resistant to hear for so long. He was naturally worried about Kikyo's wellbeing, considering she'd disappeared from his place without a trace while fighting her addiction, and though he seemed to be masking it all well - maybe for Kagome's own sake - it must have been eating away at him. But why would she message her and not Inuyasha? What could she possibly do for Kikyo that Inuyasha couldn't?

Her phone buzzed again in her palm.

I'm sorry for texting at this hour. I don't know what else to do...

She needed help. That's what she'd said, she needed help. She was last seen in an unhealthy state, what if she never fully got better? What if she relapsed?

Even worse, what if Naraku knew about her too?

It's okay, I'm up. What's wrong?

It was only a small moment before Kikyo replied. Kagome couldn't help the sturdy beat of her heart thumping against her ribcage as she waited.

I got into some trouble, I can explain later. I think I'm by your apartment, will you pls meet me?

Yes! Where, exactly? Are you okay?

It made sense that she didn't know Kagome was currently staying with Inuyasha.

Near the old cafe and pancake house. Idk if you're still in contact, but I don't want Inuyasha knowing. Don't tell him.

She swallowed thickly, glancing over to his sleeping form. A guilt instantly washed over her. How could she not tell him? He's probably been so worried, so afraid. If there was anyone that deserved to know, it was him. Why wouldn't Kikyo want Inuyasha knowing? He would do anything to make sure she was safe. 

Nonetheless, it was her choice. She needed to respect that, didn't she? Maybe if she met with Kikyo, she could convince her to come back to Inuyasha's. Then it would be right on all accounts. Wouldn’t it?

The thought of the two of them together made it feel like a large, dense rock was dropped into her stomach, causing it to sink. It wasn't important, though. Her feelings weren't important right now. Kikyo was in trouble. Choosing not to help to spare her from the sting of jealousy was the worst thing she could ever consider. There was more than just herself involved in this. On top of it all, Kagome desperately needed to get to Kikyo before Naraku targeted her too.

Stay there.

She hit send. Stared at the virtual keypad beneath her hovering thumbs. Then began typing once more.

I’ll be there in ten.

As carefully as possible, she unfolded her legs from beside her, glad she was too comfortable to change from her leggings when they sat down to watch T.V. hours ago. As her bare feet met with the throw rug, she slowly rose, freezing as Inuyasha readjusted his position. Kagome stood in a semi-squat, her quads burning from the power pose as she waited him out, letting him settle, holding it until he gave that heavy sigh of deep sleep she’d been impatient to hear, then fully extended her legs in relief. She took every step with the intention of silence, clutching the notches of her shoes in her hands and deciding it’d be safer to slip them on in the hall. His car keys, thankfully, weren’t attached to an obnoxiously large set of keychains and rings like hers were, so folding her fingers around the three keys attached by a belt clip was easy to do while preventing a loud jingle that would no doubt wake Inuyasha. At a time like this, she legitimately didn’t know how to express how grateful she was that he kept his work set separate, as well.

Unlocking the door, though slow, was simple. The small scrape the chain gave hardly disturbed him, and the bolt was slid open right as a commercial flickered on the tv, so it masked the sound. Kagome twisted the knob, cracked the door enough for her to slide out, and pulled the door shut. She wouldn’t be gone for long - thirty minutes at the most. He’d, of course, be pissed when she got back, but seeing who she was with would hopefully provide some cushion. She had a legitimate reason for leaving.

As she got downstairs, Kagome dropped her canvas shoes to the ground without worry, sliding her feet in and adjusting the heels and tongues as necessary as she stumbled outside and to Inuyasha’s car. The vehicle came to life as soon as she twisted the key in the ignition, and she slid the seat forward and adjusted the mirrors as quickly as she could. She glanced at her cellphone one last time before driving off, checking to see if she had any other texts from Kikyo. Nothing. It wasn’t anything too abnormal for the woman, she was never very good at responding. Nonetheless, at a time like this, an “okay” or a “thank you” would have been nice.

The roads were dark as she stepped out of the car, sunlight still a couple of hours away. The street lamps were few and far between near her apartment, the neighborhoods slightly sketchy. She’d parked behind the coffee shop she used to frequent, venturing around the corner and to the front. The pancake house Kikyo mentioned was most likely the mom and pop shop a half a block down, but as she made her way closer, she realized there wasn’t a single sign of life around.

Kagome pulled up their texts, sending one saying she was here and waiting for a body to pop into her line of sight, but as the seconds ticked away, an uneasy and dreadful sensation made home in the pit of her abdomen. Something was wrong. Something was coming. She could physically feel the undoing taking place. It was getting increasingly difficult to swallow, to stand still, and her eyes were flickering over the streets around her until something told her it was time to go. Now.

Never in her life had she felt more like a sitting duck.

Kagome spun around, speed-walking her way up the street and back to the car, relieved when it was in view. Clicking the second button down on the remote, she unlocked the door so she could slide right in, but as she latched onto the handle and yanked it open, a powerful force slammed it shut, ripping the lever from her grip. The light from within had turned on from the initial open, bringing the face beside her into comprehensible view.

“Long time no see,” Onigumo grinned, the charming glimmer in his ruby eyes as evident as the day she’d first met him. “I’ve missed you so much, Kagome.”

“Shit!” She hissed, instantly running in the opposite direction. She’d made it three steps before a sharp yank to her hair stopped her in her hurried tracks, yelping more from fear than pain. He walked forward, holding her captive with the fist full of locks, pressing his torso flush against her back, curving his calloused, scratchy fingers around her throat, her head firmly tilted back to rest on his shoulder. His breath stank as he chuckled, the sound malevolent all on its own.

Naraku moaned, kissing the bruise on her cheek, his chapped lips lingering in place before the click of their separated moisture rang in the night. Kagome shuddered, gasping with every touch. 

“Thanks for coming to my rescue.”

#inuyasha #Kagome #Kagome higurashi #inukag #Inuyasha fanfiction #inuyasha fanfic #inuyasha fic #inukag fanfiction #inukag fanfic #inukag fic #sango #kagura #hojo #koga #totosai #naraku #my writing #akitokihojo #in between #chapter 9

[rizzoli-is-queen-of-sarcasm]

All Danish borders are closed as of today noon 14 March 2020.

Found this interesting article about the Corona/Covid-19, writen by a Danish medical doctor, Iza Alfredsen, Ærø. (For international friends reading it; this represents a Danish perspective with unusually high confidence in government.)

***

COVID-19 has broken out in Denmark. The outbreak is so massive that, contrary to other countries around us, we have given up on containing it. The battle is lost even before the horrors start. We know that we have to slow down the virus. We know that we are going to see more deaths that we can accept. We could maybe accept 6,000. However, if the virus continues at the current rate of infection, the death toll will be even higher. Unacceptably high. Inconceivably high.

STAGE ONE:

At first, all is well. No deaths. It is primarily the “young, rich, and beautiful” who have brought the disease home [from skiing vacations] that are being tested and taken care of by the health authorities – and who report that Corona is “just a cold.” And it is. For the most part. Snot, fever, and a sore throat. On Instagram and Facebook, we can follow a twenty-year-old’s unfair struggle against loneliness under quaranteen. Missing mommy and daddy and the unfairness of having to struggle both against the cold and the urge to drink beer with friends. The struggle against vaginal fungus seems tougher than Corona, and many young people are instigating rebellious anti-movements where they party and gather as a rebellion against the apocalyptic prophecies (those old assholes like me who have read books and not had an honest chlamydia infection in years). That was stage one.

STAGE TWO:

This week, we are entering stage two. We assume everyone who has a fever and a cold has Corona. And if they are otherwise reasonably normally intelligent and immuno-competent, then they are asked to stay at home and take care of their fever and snot, and otherwise stay indoors. It works fine in rural Denmark. But, the tabloid news papers are flooded by the Capitalist elite, that cannot cope with having a runny nose and not get tested. Be different! Wipe your nose, watch Netflix, stay away from others. Don’t go out among others until you have recovered. Actually, wait until 3-4 days after you have recovered. It is not because the health authorities not would like to send you a packet of kleenex and determine precisely the cause of the runny nose. It is because others are dying from what you are perceiving as annoying. Fever is annoying. Coughing is annoying. Snot is annoying. But, if you are young and healthy, the risk of getting severely ill from Corona is comparable to that of the Flu. Endure.

Everyone will get Corona, but we hope and pray for two things:

– that the number of ill does not exceed the capacify of the health care system; and

– that the really ill do not contract Corona before we have an effective cure.

The third hope is the vaccine.

The second stage is uncomfortable. Many will experience fever, coughing, snot, and general discomfort. One worries. Will I survive? If you are young, below 65, and otherwise fit, the answer is yes. Just as likely that you would survive a case of the Flu. The statistics are on your side. The numbers are working for you.

STAGE THREE:

Here, we, the health care personnel, and the patients will face hell before the onset of death. The time for stage three is soon. Two weeks after we reach 5,000 infected, we hit the abyss.

There are no more intensive care vacancies. Every day, we remove people who we would otherwise have saved from the respirators, because of the sheer number of people arriving. So many, so fast. Prioritization (the most important medical competence: who should we kick out) becomes number one. We put people to die just because their survival chances are a mere 25%, but the new ones arriving have a 50% chance. We sedate them a bit. It is very uncomfortable to suffocate in ones own secretion fluids.

But more are pouring in. Patients in the emergency units are beginning to remove their facial masks, they receive upon arrival, because they can’t breathe. They have been there for hours. Some for days. They have seen people collapse on the floor. Without anyone coming to help. There are no doctors. 20% have Corona and the numbers are rapidly increasing.There are no more facial masks for the medical personnel, so we go to work every day carrying the risk. A few infected patients fight their way to the uninfected unit, desperate for help. There, where infected cannot go. There lies traffic accident victims with open wounds, children with astma, and young people with appendicitis. And some of them will die. The twenty-year-old woman with the inflamed appendicitis. It burst without anyone noticing. All doctors were busy with those who were even more ill. But now it is too late. She has bacteries in the blood and there are no one to operate. She receives anti-biotics, but the intestines have stopped. Finally, she gets operated on, but can’t come out of the respirator again. She ought to. But it’s too late, because she contracts Corona in the chaos and Corona preys on the weak. And today that was her. Before hell broke loose, no one would have imagined it possible to die from appendicitis at the age of 20. But today is not any day. All illnesses one curable now carry a high death toll. But it gets worse. 40% of the doctors are now infected. And the ill are arriving so fast. At a nursery, 40 out of 66 residents have died from Corona. But they weren’t admitted, because there wasn’t room and it was hopeless. They were left dead for a week, before there was capacity to remove them. The smell on that warm morning in May 2020 was unbearable. So many, so fast. Two doctors have committed suicide. That is rather common for doctors, but two from the same unit is more than we are used to. The nurses are at 50% infected. They have closer contact with the patients. Everything is chaos. A few doctors and nurses have collapsed under the pressure. They are being put into the linen deposits to sleep. After two or three months it dies out. As sudden as it all started. 75,000 dead.

DOES IT HAVE TO COME TO THIS?

No. The Prime Minister gave us a unique opportunity to stop it. A unique opportunity to stand together, each of us. In a safe Corona distance of two meters. Most of Denmark have shut down. And life cannot continue as before. Nothing is as before!

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

We need to obey. Say “yes sir.” And take orders. It is estimated that the curve we are entering is too steep. It rises so fast, that we in no time will consume all available resources in the health sector, if it continues. The country does not shut down for two weeks because we are scared of a couple of hundred deaths and a snotty cold. The collapse of the entire health care system and the ordered conditions we have in Denmark are right around the corner. Number crunchers are calculating how much infection we can cope with (because we cannot stop it) over the course of a week, how much we need to shut down in order to achieve a slow down, that will yield just enough to make us make it. The guestimation landed on a total shut down of the public sector exceping safety-critical functions, a recommendation to stay at home, hasty legislation on increased mandates to uphold quaranteens, and, not least, the recommendation to stay at home.

Translated this means that in three weeks we will be in so much trouble that a twenty-year-old will die from appendicitis or a swollen finger, if we don’t obey. Not to mention all the cancer patients who will lack treatment. The ill children that will suffer.

We have to listen. Now.

And we are told: stay indoors. Avoid gatherings. Stay calm.

If all this Corona is too hard to understand, then memorize: Listen to the authorities.

STAY AT HOME

Even if you feel like visiting your friends, so that you can have a beer and discuss how wildly exaggerated all of this is, don’t. You can cause a chain of infection. You are young. You will live. But, you will contribute to many people suffering. Even if it only happens in three weeks. So, be responsible. Stay at home. Clean your halo. Play Counter-Strike or FIFA. It is healthy. Find fun things to do without visiting each other physically. Limit encounters with others. If you have to, go shopping at odd hours or order food online. It is almost like Robinson. Survive. Alone. But, with Netflix and modern toilets.

WASH HANDS, APPLY ANTI-BACTERIAL GEL, AND RELAX

If you do this, you have done what you could to contribute. Be introvert. Learn to avoid the attempts of contact from others. I, for one, hate when people want to hug. Normally, I just put out my hand, but in these Corona-times, I would consider a round-house kick, if someone initiated those kind of greetings. Ew.

YOUR PARENTS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR WORK

Stay at home with your family. Your parents are in the risk group. They should get into the first wave of infected. Spare them. And if you get layed off by your work? Then they are fools.

GO TO WORK

IF, you are part of safety-critical personnel, then, yes, it is your damned duty to come to work and contribute what you are able to. There are advantages and disadvantages for everything. While all others are at home, I sit and read directions from the authorities and are in phone conferences. These are hours I will never get back. And there is a risk by doing nothing about the Corona apocalypse. But, it is not so high, if you are under 65.

CANCEL EVERYTHING

Parties, family dinners, football practise, walks in the city. No. Just no. The curve is too steep. We have ONE chance. Cease it.

ORDER ONLINE

Easy, convenient, and breaks the chain of infection.

KEEP DISTANCE. SHOW CONSIDERATION

Put a note under the door of the old person living next to you. Should I shop for you? Help your friends who have contracted a cold to get the right amount of sympathy. Via the phone!

USE MEDICAL SERVICES CORRECTLY

Do not call upon the medical services, if you are neurotic about Corona and your runny nose; call your friend instead. You probably have Corona, but your doctor has other things to do. Everybody has a runny nose. Call if you are ill or have serious illness and have concerns. Do not use the doctor-on-call servicesas your personal psychologist who can help you endure a runny nose, sore throat, or joint aches. The health services are mustering and focussing on the really ill.

THE END

We write the end ourselves. What we are doing right now will be what we will harvest in two weeks and the deaths are in three. Choose wisely. Be heroic. It is the time for heroism. Never before. It is us between 15 and 50 who are propulsing the infection. We have a responsibility to stop it. Even if it does not hit us so hard, it will hammer the ill and old. Be the one who socially responsibly declines social gatherings. Be the one who obeys. Use social media. Spread the message. Start the wave now.

Even if I don’t know the end and can only see the contours, I will say “Never. Never. Again.”

Next time, we will have the experience. It is now that we are writing history. And we will. From today.

***

[I didn’t agree with the derogatory references to the “young, rich, and beautiful” or “capital elite”, and didn’t like the oversimplicity word “number crunchers”, but I found it exceptionally well written.]

#pandemic #coronavirusDK #covid 19 #Danish #Denmark

[empireofvultures]

I ubered to a friend’s place last weekend to car pool to a hike with a friend of ours who’s moving back to England. Walking the street to his house, I couldn’t stop crying. Neil Young and Joni Mitchell taking a principled stand against spotify was the first inspiring thing I’d seen in so long. One street down from me were dozens of car horns parading through downtown streets to protest lockdowns and vaccines.  Neil and Joni gave me hope about the human race. About people with power. I tried to think about the last time before this that I had felt hope. I couldn’t remember. The brain stump stopped me in my tracks.  It had been a dark few years. Tears welled and then flowed as if the dam on my emotions had burst.  He was late and I used the time to collect myself. When we got in his car, we bitched about the truck convoy. I felt the tears welling up again, and wondering if my face gave it away, I told him I’d just been crying. As I told him what about, it happened again. Silently streaming tears that took the tone out of my voice.  It’d been a while since I had to apologize for crying in front of someone. That awkward apology, you shouldn’t have to give, but you’re too afraid not to. My  memory of crying in front of others seemed like an exclusive list of exes and therapists. Angus was very sweet. He said he understood and he felt the same way. It felt validating. I wondered if he’d tell people about this. And I wondered if they’d think I was crazy. Or if they felt exactly the same.

Another friend had told me this week that his dad was born in 1930. I was shocked to realize he’d lived through WW2.  “Which was worse?” I asked.  “He said for people at home, this is absolutely worse.”  The idea fascinated me in a morbid way.

Angus and I picked up our soon departing friend Ben. We hiked, and the company was soothing, while bittersweetly nostalgic. Ben went home for dinner with his folks and we stopped in for food at a restaurant we both used to work at. The server, Matt, was an old friend and sat next to me to chat and catch up. 

We picked up Ben and went to a friend’s place. There were about 6 or 7 of us. The most people I’d hung out with in years. I cast a youtube video to the tv from my phone, and people kept telling me to play more so i went through a bunch of my saved. We laughed until it hurt, my friends telling me some were the funniest video they’d ever seen, and shazaming an 80s communist Russia synth pop song I’d fallen in love with in a half ironic, half completely sincere way.  Every great gathering makes you miss the bus, and the three of us shared a taxi home. Ben and Angus cried with their goodbyes.  Ben gave me an “i love you man,” which I reciprocated. After more goodbyes, he said it again in farewell, and I found my capacity for vulnerability tapped. I told him I’d see him soon, to travel safe. The thought that it hurt his feelings plagued my walk home. I’d already shown too much emotion in front of friends for one day. 

The next day, Angus texted me that Matt (also the singer in his band) had a sore throat and congested lungs.  I hadn’t seen my parents in more than a month. They are aging and mostly alone. I had been moving dinner to next week for more than a few weeks.  Again I called them and cancelled.  Angus texted me. Matt tested positive.  I thought back to how he had sat right next to me and taken his mask off for a conversation.  The last few months had been an isolated blur. I barely ate for weeks. Couldn’t exercise. Sleeping pills were the only way I got tired. I wrote so much music I started to feel like an insane recluse. Some of my best music in a long time. The news was nothing but stress. Work kept getting pushed back because of covid and we had just had our first two days back after two months of paid vacation.  A feeling of defeat and depression hit me.  Someone at work got covid at christmas and had an intense flu for four weeks. 

The next morning I drove to three different testing centres, but none would give any tests to anyone who wasn’t a healthcare worker. They said to just assume I have it and isolate for five days.  I was going to call in to work and see what their policy was, when they called me, telling me not to come in for a few days because someone else called in sick.  Three days in, my chest and head hurt.  I will be here for a while longer. Treading water alone in my room

[fluffyllamas-23]

Alright, my dudes.  I would like to thank @fevers-and-flus for helping me out with a very poorly worded paragraph. I’m also gonna thank @toosicktoocare and @itisasign for helping me with some ideas.  This came out to be about 4700 words, give or take so yeah. Thank you in advance for reading it, I really appreciate it. 

Shiro walked through the door of his practice, pulling on his white lab coat. “Hey, Hunk.” Shiro grinned, greeting the receptionist.  “How are you?” “Ohhh...It’s been a morning to say the least.” He chuckled, handing Shiro a small stack of files.  “Oh?” “Two parents called to cancel their kids’ appointments, and then three new parents called for appointments. Oh, and Pidge called.” Shiro was flipping through the files until Hunk mentioned his sister had called, and then he looked up quickly.  “What?”

“Pidge called.” Hunk repeated. He frowned.  “She never calls unless it’s an emergency. Did she say what about?” “No, she just said she wanted you to call her back as soon as you could. She sounded...weird, though.” “Alright, thanks.” He said, patting the counter lightly.  Worry was gnawing at the pit of his stomach as he walked to his office. He was just hoping it was nothing. “Hey, Shiro?” Lance, Shiro’s nurse, asked, walking out of the employee’s lounge, holding a cup of coffee. “Yeah, what’s up?” “Addy is sick.” He said, referring to his four year old daughter.  “I was wondering if it was okay if I brought her in and you could check her over? I know Allura is her pediatrician, but she’s on vacation, and I really want to get Addy in.” Shiro nodded.  “Yeah, absolutely.  Is she okay? What’s the matter?” “She’s just had this cold...well now I’m suspecting it’s the flu, that she hasn’t been able to shake.” Lance sighed. “I just want to make sure it’s nothing serious, you know? It’s been almost three weeks.” Shiro grimaced.  “Yeah, that seems to be going around.  Hey, Pidge called, I need to call her back, I’ll talk to you later, yeah?” “Pidge never calls, what the hell?” Shiro just shrugged.  “Not sure, but I’m gonna go find out.”

He walked in his office, shutting the door behind him.  He sat at his desk, spinning in his chair as he dialed her number.  

“Hello?” “Hey, it’s me. Everything okay? I got your message.” “Well you called back quicker than I thought.” She croaked, clearing her throat. He sat up straighter, eyebrows shooting up in concern.  “Shit...you sound awful.  Are you alright?” “Uh...I’ve been better.” She said, clearing her throat again. “Have you taken your temperature?” “It’s close to one oh two.” “Have you taken anything for it?” She laughed nervously, coughing lightly.  “Not...exactly.” “Pidge.” He said flatly.  “You got sent home from work, yeah?” She sniffled. “Yeah...the minute I walked through the door.” “If you get sent home from work and have a one hundred and two degree fever-” “-Um, for your information, it’s not one hundred and two.” He pursed his lips. “Alright. What is it, then?” “...One hundred and one point eight.” “Excuse me. If you get sent home from work and have a one hundred and one point eight degree fever, you need to take some medicine. I’m assuming you have a sore throat, too? Your voice is wrecked.” “Ugh, yeah. It doesn’t feel good...hurts to swallow.” “Go take some medicine, you doofus.” He sighed, shaking his head. “And get some water. I know you forget, so I’m reminding you.” “When are you going to be home?” She whined. “Not until six, I’m afraid.” He said, chewing on his bottom lip as he tried to think through how he could possibly get home earlier. Then it dawned on him, “Hey, isn’t it Keith’s day off?” “Yeah.” “I’m going to call him to keep an eye on you.” “He burns water.” She said flatly.  “He killed most of his childhood pets by accident.  He killed all of our plants because you thought he could be in charge of watering them. Do you want me dead? Is this punishment for something terrible I might have done? Shiro, I love the guy, but really?” Shiro chuckled. “Alright drama queen, I get your point.” “He burns water.” She repeated. “Yeah, yeah, I get it.  But, Pidge, come on, you know you spike high fevers.  You already have an almost one hundred and two degree fever, and it’s only nine thirty in the morning. Keith is better than nothing.” “I’m going to die.” She moaned, coughing miserably into the blankets. Shiro laughed. “You’ll be more than okay, I promise.” “If he kills me, I’m haunting you.” “Noted.  Now go take some medicine, get some water and sleep.” “Yes, sir.” She grumbled. “Call me if you need anything.  I’ll make sure to have my phone on me.” “Thanks.” “Love you, Pidgey.  Feel better, and please listen to Keith.”

Once she hung up, he called his brother, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I won’t kill her, I promise.” Keith said upon answering the phone. “Oh?” Shiro said, “Yeah.  I know you’re calling about Pidge.  I won’t kill her, I promise.” He repeated. “Okay good.” “So what...um...what do I do...like just hypothetically if...I didn’t know...what to do.” “Keith are you asking for my help?” Shiro teased. “Shut up.” He chuckled. “The most important thing is to keep an eye on her fever.  I want you to check it every hour. Make sure she takes medicine, too. She’s stubborn and doesn’t like to, but you can force it down her throat if you need to. Or, call me and I’ll talk to her.  Either one is fine.” “I’m taking you up on that ‘forcing it down her throat‘ thing.” “If her fever starts to get close to one oh three, put a damp washcloth on her forehead and take off all of her blankets.  If it spikes above one oh four, take her to the emergency room. She said it’s at one oh one point eight right now.” “Okay, I can do that.” “Make sure she drinks water and eats something.  She probably won’t be hungry, but anything is better than nothing.” “Anything else?” “I think that about covers it.” “Thanks, Shiro.” “Yeah, hey, text me updates. Let me know if you need anything. I’ll be home around six.”

Shiro walked through the door of his, two minutes before six.  Keith was sitting on the couch, playing on his phone when Shiro walked in and dropped his keys and wallet onto the table next to the front door.

“Hey, dude.” Keith looked at him, smiling tiredly.  “Hey.  How was work?” “Work was work.” He shrugged, taking off his black jacket and draping it over the back of the couch.  “How’s Pidge?” “I took her temp half an hour ago and it was just above one oh two.  She’s asleep upstairs. She wouldn’t eat anything, but maybe you’ll have better luck.” “You should go get some sleep.  You look exhausted.” Keith shook his head. “I’m meeting with some friends, but man, taking care of sick people is draining. How do you do it all day?” Shiro chuckled.  “Well when you don’t suck at it...” Keith rolled his eyes but stood up.  “There’s some sandwich meat in the fridge, if you’re hungry.  I’m leaving now that you’re home, I’ll be back late.  Don’t wait up.” “Have fun!” Shiro called after him, and as soon as the door shut behind Keith, Shiro walked up to Pidge’s room.

Her door was open slightly, and he nudged it open before leaning against the doorframe.  She was buried underneath a pile of blankets, only the top of her head was visible. Various bottles and boxes of cold and flu medicine were littering her night stand, and used tissues were scattered along her bed, nightstand and floor.  There were a few half-drunk bottles of water by the medicine, as was a cup of what Shiro assumed was hot tea at one point.  He walked over to her, grabbing the trashcan that was on the floor next to her bed as he cleaned up the tissues.  He set it back down and then sat on the edge of her bed.  

“Pidge.” He said softly, pulling the blankets down to get a good look at her. He tapped her forehead gently. “Hey, wake up.” She groaned as she woke up, and stared at him blearily, her eyes glassy from the fever.   “You’re home?” “It’s six, kid.” “Go away...lemme sleep.” She whined, shoving him weakly. He chuckled. “No can do.  I hear you were being difficult.” “Pfft.  I did no such thing.” She mumbled tiredly. “Didn’t I tell you to listen to Keith, hmm?” He scolded lightly. “Sorry.” She mumbled, tugging the blankets tighter around herself.  “I just...I really don’t feel well, Shiro.” He nodded, eyebrows knitting together in concern as he pressed the back of his fingers to her cheek.   “I know, I know.  But hey, we’ll get you back on your feet in no time. You do need to eat, though.” “No.” “Yeah, I don’t remember asking for an opinion.  It wasn’t a question, Pidgey, you still have a fever, and you need something in your system. What would you like? I’ll make you anything you want.” “Some soup, I guess.” She sighed in defeat.   “How are you feeling? Are you nauseous at all?” “No...I’m just not hungry.” “You don’t have to eat all of it I promise, a few bites at most is fine.” She nodded, her eyelids drooping.  “M’tired.” “Did you sleep much today?” She yawned, nodding.  “Mmmhmm...most of the day...I only woke up when Keith stabbed me in the ear with the thermometer.” Shiro chuckled.  “I’m just happy you’re not dead.” “Yeah, me too.” He ruffled her hair. “I’m going to go start your soup.  Are you feeling up to moving to the couch?” She shrugged.  “If it wasn’t so far away, maybe.” He hummed in disapproval, his eyebrows knitting together. “Lay it on me, what are your symptoms?” “You’re such a doctor.” She whined, stretching out and burying her head under the pillow. “I am by profession, yes. Now come on, answer the question.” “Uh...” She started, rubbing her aching forehead.  “Sore throat, congestion, headache, achiness...I just...I feel like shit.” “Did you get your flu shot?” She averted her eyes, suddenly very interested in the spot on the wall next to her door. “...Yes?” “Katherine.” He said, shooting her a flat look, and she winced at his use of her full name. “I’m sorry!” She croaked, going into a coughing fit. “Now do you get why I bug you and Keith to get it?” “Yeah, yeah, whatever.” She sniffled, her breath hitching as she went into a sneezing fit. “Here.” Shiro said, handing her a tissue. He kissed her forehead. “I’m going to go make your soup.  Be back soon.”

Shiro was on day two with very little sleep.  It was Friday, which meant he had Saturday and Sunday off from work, which he had been hoping he could use to relax and de-stress.  Now, he was using them to make sure Pidge didn’t die on him.  As dramatic as that was, he really was worried - she was too weak to get out of bed, and had been having horrible migraines off and on all weekend. Come Monday, he found himself calling out of work to keep an eye on her.

Shiro was sitting at the table.  He had spent thirty minutes convincing Pidge to stay in bed and email her professors that she couldn’t make it in. He was surprised she argued for so long, she felt a little better, but the fever she’d had all weekend had left her weak and exhausted.  He was scrolling through his phone when Keith came stumbling in. He was pale - save for the red flush - and had fever bright eyes. He was trembling, and Shiro wasn’t sure if it was because he was cold, or if he was just shaky.  

“Keith?” Shiro frowned, rising to his feet.  He walked over to where his younger brother was standing as Keith went into a coughing fit that sounded like it was scraping against his throat.

“Whoa there.” Shiro said, putting his hands on Keith’s shoulders. He pressed a hand to Keith’s forehead, and then sucked his teeth in disapproval. “You too, huh?” Keith nodded miserably, looking up at Shiro through a curtain of black bangs.   “Alright, go lie down on the couch. If you’re sick too, I think I’m going to move Pidge down here as well.”

So that was his life for the next four days.  He had Keith and Pidge on the couch - Pidge curled up on one side under a blanket, and Keith curled up on the other under a blanket.  It was much easier to care for them when they were in one place and he didn’t have to go back and forth between the two of them.  He had taken off two additional days when it became apparent that their fevers didn’t want to go away. Finally, though, Pidge’s fever broke, and Keith’s dropped down from 102 (which is what it had been for two days straight) to 100.5.

And that was when he decided it was time to return to work.

“Dude, take some more time off.  You look like you’re about to fall over.” Keith mumbled, watching as Shiro shuffled around, getting everything ready that they’d need for the rest of the day.

“I can’t.” He mumbled tiredly, trying to rub the exhaustion from his eyes. It didn’t work.

“You’re the boss, you can do whatever you want.” Shiro rolled his eyes. “That might be true, but I’ve taken four days off already, there’s a ton of paperwork I need to catch up on.” “Shiro.” Pidge rasped. Shiro walked over to them, and placed a hand on each of their foreheads.  “Yes?” “When’s the last time you’ve slept?” “Last night.” “For more than a couple of hours.” She said, shooting him a flat look.   “Oh.  Uh, it’s been a few days.” “Shiro.” She groaned. “You need to sleep.” He shrugged.  “It’s like throwback to my residency days.  It’s nostalgic.” “Whatever, you big weirdo.” Keith sniffled.   “I’m going to come back on my lunch break.”

Pidge and Keith both felt too shitty to argue that, no, he didn’t need to come check on them because, no, they weren’t children.  They were twenty one and twenty two, respectively, not children by any means.  However, being sick tended to bring back memories of when they were children and Shiro would care for them.  He was thirty three, eleven years older than Keith and twelve years older than Pidge.  Their parents had passed away when Shiro was twenty, leaving him guardianship of his then-eight and nine year old siblings.  

He had a soft spot for them, and it killed him anytime they weren’t feeling well.

Pidge sniffled, looking at him sleepily.  She had one very vivid memory from when she was about seven, that she always thought of when she wasn’t feeling well. She remembered waking up sick in the middle of the night, and then dragging her blanket behind her as she walked to Shiro’s room. Even before her parents passed, she still went to Shiro for comfort more than she did them.

“Shiro?” Pidge said anxiously, opening Shiro’s door.   “Pidge?” He mumbled sleepily, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.  He got out of bed, walked over to her, and crouched down to her level. He was half asleep, his hair sticking up everywhere.  “What’s up kid?” “I don’t feel good, Shi-shi.” Pidge whimpered, wrapping her arms around herself.   “Oh, Pidgey.” He cooed, wrapping his arms around his tiny sibling, and lifting her up.  She wrapped her arms around his neck.  “What’s the matter?” She just whimpered again, burying her face in his neck. Shiro brought her into his bed, and she immediately cuddled up to him and drifted to sleep.

As much as she knew he should go to work, because it was his job, she just wanted him here, letting her know she’d be okay.  

Shiro was always her safe place, but he really became her place of safety and protection once their parents died, because he felt a responsibility as the oldest to stay strong for them.  That was how he handled it - he buried his feelings and distracted himself.  It wasn’t hard to stay distracted: he had two young children to care for, and he was in college at the time.  He didn’t do it all on his own, of course.

Shiro could handle a lot, but there were only so many nights he could spend hunched over a desk, trying to finish his homework.  Half of him was expecting Keith or Pidge to come into his room, crying, or just wanting his attention.  Everyone has a breaking point, and he wasn’t able to raise two kids (an eight and nine year old for that matter), finish college and apply to medical school all on his own.  

Their parents had left behind a lot of money in their will, enough that Shiro never had to worry about bills or tuition.  Still, there were consequences if he burnt out.  It used to be that his penance for late night study sessions, and an overly structured schedule, was a poor test grade or a cold.  Now, he had kids to worry about - he had people who depended on him - and he couldn’t afford to let them down.

That was where Allura came in.  She’d known their family since before Shiro was born.  She was their for his birth, for Pidge’s and Keith’s, and for every milestone along the way.

Allura stepped in once their parents passed.  She hired Shiro at her practice once he graduated from medical school (at the top of his class), and quickly promoted him to being her right hand man.

Pidge and Keith, on the other hand, reacted much differently than Shiro, who just buried his feelings and trekked on.

Pidge really clung to Shiro, and had developed severe separation anxiety. She needed to be with him all hours of the day, and had the hardest time when she couldn’t be with him. He was her favorite person in the world, and had done a damn good job raising the two of them when he was so young.  

Keith retreated and withdrew.  He loved Shiro, and looked up to him, but his parents were two of his very best friends, so their deaths hit him like a freight train.  He was angry for years, and had taken it out on Shiro, but once he turned eighteen, their relationship slowly improved

Shiro shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He then yawned tiredly and looked at his siblings.

“Okay...I have to go. Call me if you guys need anything, I’ll have my phone on me.” Keith went into a coughing fit, and Shiro grimaced.  “If that gets much worse, I may take you to the emergency room.” “I’m fine.” He rasped. Pidge sniffled. “No you’re not.” “And you.” Shiro said, looking at his sister.  “Still got that sinus headache?” “Yeah.” She nodded, closing her eyes as she winced. “I think you may have a sinus infection.” “I’m fine.” “No you’re not.” Keith bit, looking at her and sticking his tongue out.  She kicked him roughly.  “Ow!” “Stop it you two.” He said firmly. “I know you guys aren’t feeling well, and you’re tired of being stuck in bed, but just hang in there.  You’ll feel better in a few days, just...don’t kill each other while I’m at work, okay?” “Yeah, okay.” Pidge muttered.   “Whatever.”

Shiro was bone-tired. His muscles were aching with exhaustion, and he knew he needed to get some sleep soon.

“I’m going.  I’ll see you later.”

They were sick for the next week and a half. Between work, and making sure they were okay, Shiro had exhausted himself.

“No fever.” He said sleepily, swaying on his feet as he looked down at the thermometer. “Shiro, sit down.” Pidge said. “As I told you, hundreds of times, I’m fine.  Keith is fine, we’re both fine.  You, however, really need to call out of work.” Shiro shook his head.  “I’m fine, Pidge.” She frowned.  “No you aren’t. Allura is gonna send you home when she sees you, you look like hell.” He refused, and Pidge sighed in defeat.  Nobody could make Shiro do anything, he was too stubborn for his own good, and arguing with him was going to get her nowhere.  

“Alright.” She muttered. “I really need to get to class, I’ll see you later.”

Shiro dragged himself out of the house and to work.   
He had been battling an exhaustion headache for the last week.  The throbbing pressure had become an uncomfortable, constant presence that he had just come to accept. He woke up that morning with achey, tired muscles, and it had taken all of his energy just to get out of bed.  He had been feeling run down for the last week, but he was finally starting to feel like he was getting sick. He was just hoping he’d be able to make it through the work day; he could sleep once he got home.

The minute he stepped into the practice, Allura, who was standing at reception, talking to Hunk, turned to look at him.

“Shiro.” She breathed, her eyes widening.   “You look awful, dude.” Hunk said, eyebrows quirking upwards as he stared at Shiro in concern.   “What-” “-Why are you here? You look positively miserable.” She chided, walking over to him. “I’m fine, Allura.” He said, rolling his eyes. “Why must you lie to me?” She sighed, pursing her lips.  “Come with me.” Shiro trailed after her, confused, as she walked into an exam room.  “Allura, what-” “-Sit.” She ordered, cutting him off. “Sit?” “Yes.  On the table. Sit.” “I don’t-” “-Now.  That’s an order.” Shiro sighed, coughing lightly as he sat climbed up on the table. The paper crinkled beneath him.  

She grabbed her stethoscope from around her neck, placed the earpiece in her ears and put the chest piece on his upper back.  

“Breathe in.”

Shiro inhaled.

“Breathe out.” 


Shiro exhaled. and promptly went into a chesty coughing fit.  

Once the fit passed, she moved the chest piece lower, and then repeated, a frown crossing her face.

She sighed, and once she had done the same to his chest, she put the stethoscope around her neck.  It resulted in another coughing fit, and she sighed lightly before shooting him a look of disapproval.

“There’s a lot of congestion in your lungs, Shiro.  That cough sounds really bad, love.” She said, putting a hand on his cheek, frowning at how hot his skin was beneath her palm. “Ngggh.” He groaned, and then broke off into another coughing fit. “How long have you been sick?” He sniffled, shrugging as he deflated and slumped onto his side. “I don’t know...Pidge and Lance have been sick. I’ve been busy taking care of them.” Allura grabbed the thermometer from the tray next to the exam table.  She stuck it in his ear, and then gasped lightly when she read the numbers.   “And it looks like you’ve caught it.  One hundred and three, Shiro. Why did you come in today? You should be at home in bed.” “I didn’t notice.” He muttered.   “Well, I’m not letting you drive home with this high a fever, and you’re not working. Can Pidge or Keith come get you?” Shiro shook his head.  “Pidge has class all day, and Keith is working until four.” She pursed her lips. “I would take you home, but I have a patient in ten minutes. Go lie down in your office.  I’ll bring you something for the fever and a pillow. You’re sleeping until it goes down and you can drive yourself, or until Keith can come and get you.” “I can-” “-If you finish that sentence with ‘work’ I will climb up there and throttle you.” She threatened. “Go lie down.” “Yes ma’am.” He muttered.

“Shiro.” Someone said, putting a hand on his shoulder.  He groaned into his pillow, rolling on his stomach.  “Shiro, wake up.” “Go away.” He croaked, going into a coughing fit.   “Nope.  Open your eyes.”

After a few moments, he forced his eyes open.   “Keith?” “You know, you really should consider having a couch in here.” “Don’t needa couch.” He sniffled, his sinuses prickling.  He sat up, and brought the crook of his elbow to his face. “You’re asleep on the floor.  Obviously you do need one.” “I don’t sl-ehh...heh... Hh'itschGNX! Hhh...Hh'itschGNX!! *Snff* Sleep in my office.” He sniffled, rubbing his nose.  Shiro squinted. “Why are you here?” “Allura called, said you were sick and needed a ride.” Shiro groaned.  “I’m fine.  She’s overreacting.” “Dude, you never take naps.  The fact that you were asleep on the floor at four thirty is worrying me.” “I’m just tired.” “Because you’re sick.” “I’ve felt worse.” He rasped, staring at the floor. “I really don’t think you have.” Keith frowned.  Shiro typically came down with head colds that didn’t do much other than make him sneeze and mildly inconvenience him. This was much worse than Keith had ever seen, and he was worried. “Come on, big guy.  Let’s get you home.” Confusion flashed through Shiro’s eyes as they became even more unfocused.  “But I...why aren’t you at work?” “It’s four thirty.” Keith frowned. Shiro’s eyelids drooped.  “I have patients.” “Shiro.” He said firmly, crouching in front of his brother.  He put a hand on Shiro’s forehead, and inhaled sharply as his skin burned beneath his touch. “You’re really sick.  Allura wouldn’t let you see patients, remember?” “I-” He frowned in obvious confusion, sniffling weakly before nodding.  “Oh yeah.” “Damn, how high of a fever do you have?”

Keith pulled him to his feet, grunting lightly.  “Come on.”

After he had gotten Shiro to his feet, he pushed him gently into his chair, and then walked out of Shiro’s office.  He returned a few minutes later with Allura.

“He just seems really out of it.  He’s burning, too.”

Allura crouched in front of Shiro, tucking a lock of white hair behind her ear. She patted his cheek lightly. “Shiro.”

He mumbled something unintelligible, and Allura stuck the thermometer in his ear.  

“104.” She said, alarm clear in her voice as she looked at Keith. “Right, so it’s time for him to take a trip to the emergency room.” “Shit.” Keith hissed, panic welling in his chest.  “What-what-what do I do? What do I do? What do I do?” “The first thing you need to do is relax and breathe. Panicking is doing nobody any good. Now help me get him to the car.  You and I will bring him there, and he will be just fine.” She said, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Shiro inhaled sharply, looking around bleary eyed.  His eyes were going in and out of focus as he fought to stay awake.  

“Shiro.” Pidge said softly, putting her hands on his cheeks and patting them lightly.  “You with us, finally?” “Wha’happened?” He slurred, blinking heavily. “Your fever spiked.” Keith scowled. “Why didn’t you tell anyone you weren’t feeling well?” “Before you fall back asleep.” Allura said, hovering over him and getting in his line of vision. “I’m giving you the next week and a half off, okay? Listen to me, though.  This doesn’t mean that you’re allowed to do housework or run errands.  This means you plant your butt on the couch, or in bed, and you rest.  I don’t care if you think you’re feeling well enough to be up and around, you have the flu and a chest infection. I’m going to be checking in with Keith and Pidge once a day at least.  If I hear that you’re doing anything but resting, you’re going to have to answer to me.” “But...my patients.” Shiro groaned. “I’ll be fine tomorrow...I can work.” “What did I say?” Allura asked sharply. He sighed in defeat, which sent him into a chest rattling, throat scraping, coughing fit. “Yeah, okay.” He rasped. She nodded once, her eyes softening in concern. There was something about someone lying in a hospital bed that made them look small and vulnerable, which was exactly the case right now.  Nobody liked it.

Allura kissed his forehead, and put a hand on his cheek, giving him the motherly comfort he was so desperately craving right now.  “I don’t like when you’re sick, get some rest and feel better, yeah?” He nodded, fighting back tears as he closed his eyes and drifted to sleep.  

#this took me so long to write guys #like so long #keith #pidge #hunk #lance #shiro #allura #sickfic #voltron au #shiro as a pediatrician makes me feel things #space husband is my favorite #allura is taking none of shiro's shit #lets just pretend that their parents wanted pidge keith and shiro all together #and thats why they didn't leave allura with the kids #pls let me know what you think

[neverisalongtime-ja-blog]

Chapter 28: A date?

Another week, another chapter. Y’all have no idea how much fun I’m having writing this thing and I really hope you all are having tons of fun reading it!

Thanks to everybody who send me DM’s on Instgram I love to meet RHCP fans all over the world! And of course I live for your comments and questions here on Tumblr so keep it up!

Remember to visit Anastasia’s IG profile:

Anastasia_Truman  ❤️️

Thanks to everyone who reads the fic, much love to you all! ♥

Read chapter 27

And just like that it was time to tour again. Anastasia was feeling anxious and confused about the whole Josh situation, one day she hated him for being a fucking cheating asshole and the next she was thanking him for singing Landslide to her in a concert. She couldn’t believe he involved something so holy like Fleetwood Mac was for her. Truth is, now she was stuck in two long weeks of seeing him every day. She could deal with that, at least she was preparing her mind for it. She wasn’t sure if his girlfriend would be there; she didn’t show up for the Los Angeles shows, which was a great thing because An didn’t want that to ruin those for her. She meditated a lot and then some more before taking the bus to Oakland.

For this part of the tour they would be traveling in amazing busses that looked almost like houses, each Chili Pepper member had one and all the Dead Curse members would go in one, it wasn’t something they hadn’t done before. At their first local tour they rented a black Chevrolet van and traveled all over California and the nearby states. Now, they had a huge bus for themselves. Dead Curse didn’t waste time and started the party right away. It was nice, just the four of them there, having drinks and talking about the first tours almost ten years ago. Eric, whatsoever, was looking at his phone a lot.

 -          Is there something wrong with Hannah? – Anastasia couldn’t help but ask.

-          No – Eric laughed – It’s Josh, he is bored and I told him we are kind of having a party here.

-          Well, that happens when you are too famous you’ve got your own bus – Mandy said.

 It was an almost seven hour drive to Oakland, so it was normal that everyone had to make a couple stops on the way there. With that in mind, Anastasia had an idea she never thought it would cross her mind.

 -          Why don’t you tell Josh to come join us the next stop? – She suddenly said and everyone looked at her.

-          Are you sure? – Eric asked with a derisive smile on his face.

-          Look, I’ll be stuck here with him for the rest of the tour, which is gonna take us a least two more months and before having whatever the hell we had, Josh and I were really good friends, why can’t we be friends now? – Anastasia said while the rest of her bandmates looked at her in disbelief.

-          That’s very mature of you – Nick was the first to talk.

-          Or very stupid – Mandy said.

-          I can’t get away from him, Mandy. We are both here – Anastasia said to her friend – Besides, I’m cool with the whole Josh issue, believe me. I’m ready for the next step. It didn’t even last that long, anyway.

 Mandy didn’t dare to say anything else, she always knew when to give Anastasia the space she needed and this was one of those moments. As much as they both loved and supported each other, they always respected each other’s decisions and they were always there for the consequences. Eric did what Anastasia told him and, apparently, Josh was more than happy for the invitation. And in the first stop next to Bakersfield, Josh came over to the opening band’s bus. He sure seemed happy to be there.

 -          I was so bored at that damn bus by myself – Josh said while Nick handled him a beer.

-          Welcome to the party, bro! – Eric said laughing.

-          Well, it’s not like a real party but at least you’ll have company – Nick said.

-          That’s what you get for being famous – Anastasia told Josh faking a big smile.

-          You are famous too, so… - Josh said smiling wider.

-          Who’s on the main band of this tour? – Anastasia asked

-          Oh yeah, I forgot you are just opening for me – Josh said laughing and Eric and Nick joined him.

-          Wow, Joshua is back at it again with the low curves – Anastasia said taking a seat in front of him at a small table where Nick and Eric were already sitting.

-          My name is not Joshua, it’s just Josh – He said with a serious face.

-          I’ll call you whatever I want to call you – Anastasia said.

-          What about Jak? – Josh said smiling sweet and looking through her eyes – That’s how I’m saved on your phone, isn’t it? – That was a real low blow for Anastasia, she wasn’t expecting for him to say such thing. It was a dumb thing but she then remembered that time at Moscow when they went out to eat and she told him that he was Jak on her phone because that’s how she wanted to call him when they met at an Eric’s birthday party in 2011.

-          Fine, Joshua – Anastasia said getting up from the table as Josh laughed making an eye roll – I’m gonna get some rest, you can continue the party.

-          I’ll go with you – Mandy said.

 There were four individual beds on the bus and a double one at the back, Mandy and Anastasia walked straight to that one.

 -          There is so much tension between you too – Mandy started to say lying in bed next to Anastasia.

-          Oh, shut up… - Her friend answered.

-          For real, An – Mandy said – You know I don’t like to stick my nose into your business but be careful, you promise me? – Anastasia looked at her fixedly.

-          I promise you – Anastasia said – Pinky promise.

 Both friends smiled and joined pinkies.

 They arrived in Oakland at night and everyone was very tired to do anything so they decided to go to their rooms and just sleep. Besides, Eric, Nick and Josh were a little bit tipsy from the ride.

The show next day was amazing, everybody bonded again; Anastasia and Mandy even joked a little bit with Flea and Anthony using two big cardboards with their faces on it. It was like they never left and everybody was having fun on tour once again.

 That night after the concert Anastasia started to feel a little bit ill, she felt her throat sore and started to sneeze constantly. She knew the flu was coming, and the universe added a bad allergy just to spice things up. Next morning they traveled to Portland and once there, Carl took her to see the tour doctor. She had visited him before, Doctor Ramos, because of her allergy issues. He was a sweet old guy with an incredible temperament and an answer always ready on his sleeve. But when she got to his consulting room she didn’t see him, instead there was a younger man; he was wearing a black scrub and his skin was tanned, his eyes were brown and big and the smile on his face was friendly and wide, he was a shocking view. Anastasia could see his well build arms behind that scrub; he had an undeniable Latin vibe.

 -          Hi! You must be Anastasia – The man said looking at a piece of paper.

-          Yes. Where is Doctor Ramos? – Anastasia could barely talk because of her sore throat.

-          I am Doctor Ramos – He laughed – But you must be asking for my dad – Anastasia could notice an accent on his voice – Sit here, please – He showed her the small bed on a side – Let’s see that throat. My dad told me you had a couple of serious allergies during last year’s tour – Anastasia nodded – But for what I see here – He was inspecting her throat with a small light – this is a case of the flu. I’m gonna give you a B12 shot, you’ve got tattoos so you aren’t afraid of needles – Anastasia said no with her head while he proceeded to give her the vitamin shot – Also I’m going to give you this, but don’t tell my father – He handled her a couple of small pink pills, Anastasia looked at him with a worried face – Don’t worry, these are ginger toffee, they will make miracles to your throat so you can sing tomorrow. The thing is that my dad doesn’t believe in natural remedies – He put one in Anastasia’s mouth and she felt instant relief – I’m Alex, by the way. Well my name’s Alejandro but Alex is easier for everybody around here to pronounce – They stretched hands. He smiled again and Anastasia felt she could stay there, watching him forever.

-          What happened with Doctor Ramos? – Anastasia had to ask.

-          He is on a well deserved vacation in the French Riviera at the moment, I’m gonna take care of everything around here for a while. I would like to recommend you not to ingest dairy nor any alcoholic beverage and that you come and see me tomorrow before the show – He smiled again.

-          Where are you from? – Anastasia asked not listening to what he just said; she was lost in his face and watched him get confused – I mean you have an accent.

-          Oh – Alex laughed – I’m from Venezuela, well my whole family are – She didn’t recall hearing an accent on Doctor Ramos’ voice, actually she never paid any attention to it, she was always sneezing on that consulting room – I’ve been living here for two years, well, in Miami, actually.

-          Wow! That’s so cool, we are going to Miami for this tour – She just wanted to stay there talking to him.

-          I know… - He said smiling.

-          Well, I think I should go – She said a little bit ashamed – No dairy, no booze…

-          And eat another ginger candy tonight before sleep…

-          And coming to see you before the show tomorrow – She was walking backwards to the door praying to not trip on any machine.

-          You got it.

-          Thank you very much – Anastasia talked fast and disappeared at the door.

 That guy sure made an impact in Anastasia’s day; she couldn’t stop thinking about him in all day. He seemed so sweet and looked incredible hot with his tanned skin, he had an amazing aura around him.

 -          We have Doctor McDreamy on tour now! – Anastasia said once in Eric’s Hotel room where Nick, Josh and Mandy were hanging.

-          How come? – Mandy asked.

-          Doctor Ramos is on vacation so his son is now the tour doctor who is also called Doctor Ramos, well his name is Alejandro – She said struggling with the pronunciation – The point here is that he’s fucking hot! – Anastasia said sitting on Mandy's legs.

-          Really? – Josh asked.

-          I mean look at me! Just by seeing him I feel so much better – Anastasia and Mandy laughed.

-          I gotta get sick too – Mandy said.

-          Back off. You got Peyton, I have nobody – The friends laughed again and Josh looked to the floor – But for real, I need some rest so I’ll probably sleep for a while, wake me up if you come up with plans to do something today.

-          We will – Nick said and Anastasia left the room.

 She had to admit to herself that the faces Josh made when she was talking about the new doctor gave her some rejoicing, but she wasn’t totally happy, it would be a childish move from her to make Josh feel jealous, but Alex did leave an impact in her. She went to her room, closed the curtains, took her ginger candy (which tasted terrible), and got in her bed. She felt asleep and dreamed about Alex.

 By the time of the show in Portland, Anastasia was feeling fine, her voice was back to normal, although she had to do more warming that she used to but in general it was an amazing show. The camaraderie backstage between both bands, Dead Curse and Red Hot Chili Peppers, was at its highest peak, everybody was having the time of their life and Anastasia was usually joking with Anthony and Chad or going out to eat with their manager, Nick, Eric and Josh and having girls nights with Mandy, all the things she didn’t enjoy before because she was always with Josh. This is the touring life she loved and surprisingly she was getting along with Josh scarily well. The two were always joking and making musical comparisons, Anastasia was always explaining new pop songs to him and he would always answer “I’m too old to know that group / singer”, but then Anastasia would play some 90’s pop and would sing it and dance it to Josh and he would laugh a lot watching her. She felt nervous at first but frankly being around Josh was so easy for her and he seemed to feel the same.

The band traveled to Canada and gave a show in Vancouver, they had a concert the night before too so everyone was kind of tired, but that morning Alex knocked on Anastasia’s dressing room at the venue.

 -          How are you feeling? – He asked once she opened the door for him.

-          Great! I can sing like angels again – She answered smiling.

-          Yes, I heard you, it was amazing – He said without entering the room, because Anastasia never told him to and he was a Latin gentleman – Listen I know that you have a show tonight and you had one last night also and you’re probably tired, but I have a friend who owns a Venezuelan restaurant nearby and I was wondering if you wanted to join me in lunch.

-          Of course! – Anastasia was enthusiastic about it – I love to try new foods all the time.

 And so they went. Alex took her to a small but picturesque place one block from the stadium, there he saluted a couple of guys behind the bar who looked shocked when they saw her and then the two sat on a small table at a corner.

 -          Do you know anything about Venezuelan food? – Alex asked giving her another smooth smile.

-          I know about arepas because there is a small place near my house that sells them. I always eat one with avocado, they are delicious – She answered and he looked surprised.

-          Well, I’m going to show you something more, even better than arepas – He laughed and walked to the ordering bar.

 Once there, he started to talk with the guys he greeted before, they were speaking Spanish and even though Anastasia knew some of the language they were far enough from her to properly understand, they were laughing now and Alex gave Anastasia a cute look. She wasn’t sure what this was, she definitely didn’t want to get involved with someone, her heart wasn’t properly restored after Josh but she was enjoying it, Alex was an easy going guy, relaxed and incredibly good looking. After a few minutes he came back with two trays.

 -          Try this first – He said handling her a plate with some kind of tortilla with cheese to her. She tasted it, it was sweet and the mix with the white cheese was perfect, she smiled as a sign of approval – That’s a cachapa, it’s made with sweet corn. And now taste one of this, my favorites – She picked a fried dough stick and gave it a bite, she felt like her life was making sense again, it was the most delicious thing she ever had. It was filled with white cheese again and tasted so, so good. Her smile must have been wide because he laughed.

-          What are these? – She said before take another bite.

-          That is a tequeño, it’s filled with cheese and it is the official Venezuelan party food – Alex answered while he was eating his own cachapa.

-          Guess this is a party then – Both laughed.

 Alex and An had the most varied conversation, they went through as many topics as they could. Talking and talking the hours went by fast and then she realized it was late and she needed to go back to the venue. Alex paid the check and he walked her back to the stadium. Once there, she realized she had the first date in a long time, or maybe she was unconsciously being expectant about this whole Alex deal.

 -          Where were you? – Mandy asked Anastasia when she came back to the dressing room – We take the stage in an hour. Nobody could find you for interviews.

-          Interviews? – Anastasia asked.

-          Yes, Eric and Nick had to take care of that – Mandy was doing her makeup.

-          Wow, for once? – Anastasia answered sarcastically – Poor guys, they had to do an interview. It must have been a pain.

-          You know they don’t like it

-          Welcome to the music business…

-          What the fuck is wrong with you? – Mandy asked angry.

-          Nothing – Anastasia looked to the floor – I’m just confused, that’s all. I had a date with Alex.

-          Doctor McDreamy? – Mandy’s face lit up.

-          Yes – Anastasia smiled stupidly.

-          How was it? – Mandy asked.

-          Fun. Easy.

-          Why don’t you invite him to your birthday party? – Mandy asked excited.

-          He doesn’t live in LA. I don’t know if he can make it – Anastasia said.

-          You won’t lose anything by just asking – Mandy got up from the chair – Now, come here so I can do your makeup. We don’t have enough time.

  The Vancouver show felt amazing, people there weren’t that familiarized with Dead Curse but that didn’t stopped them from having fun.

Read chapter 29

#joshklignhofferfanfic #joshklinghofferfanfiction #joshklinghoffer #josh klignhoffer fanfic #josh klingohoffer fan fiction #josh klinghoffer fanfiction #fan fic #fanfiction #joshklignhoffer #josh klinghoffer #redhotchilipeppersfanfcition #red hot chili peppers fanfiction #fan fiction #redhotchilipeppers #red hot chili peppers #rhcp #neverisalongtime #never is a long time #joshan #klinghoffer

[mysticmessingupmylife]

If you don't mind, could you write how RFA+ Saeran would react to MC having a really bad flu but hiding it from them until it gets so bad that she faints? Your blog is really good! I hope you get more followers and reblogs! 😍😍🙋

i’m so honoured to hear that, you have no idea!!! i started this blog just last week, and i’m already overwhelmed with all the positive response ^~^ also i’ve been sick in bed with the flu myself for the last 4 days, so i understand mc’s struggle (these turned out pretty long to avoid that they were repetetive, i hope that’s okay!)

Yoosung

Poor bby was stressing over exams, and you didn’t want to bother him just because you were sick

You decided that you should make some food for the both of you, as you both needed the energy, so you braced yourself with a blanket and wandered to the kitchen

When you had made a few sandwiches you figured you probably needed to stay hydrated as well, and orange juice was Yoosung’s favorite drink so you found it in the fridge

However, the glasses were just out of your reach, so you found the chair you had especially for this occation and climbed up on it

Bad idea

Due to the exhaustion your fever caused, you fainted as you grabbed the glasses, and came crashing down on the floor in a pile of blanket and smashed glass

Yoosung heard the crash and came running, screaming as he saw you laying there

Fuck exams, his MC was sick and needed care!

He ended up cuddling you so much he got sick as well, so he couldn’t take his exams (he didn’t mind)

Zen

The two of you had been taking a walk the night before when you got caught up in the rain

As the romantic guy he was, he insisted on kissing you in the rain, but it escelated and before you knew it you had been making out for several minutes and you were both soaking wet

Of course he didn’t get sick, while you had a sore throat, stuffed nose and a fever higher than the roof

Luckily he didn’t know, as he had left super early to practise the new play he had the lead in, that premiered the same night

He called you during lunch break, as he always did, but when he commented on your hoarse voice you just said that you just woke up

He went on and on about how excited he was for you to see this play from the seat at the very front that he had reserved, so you knew you couldn’t possibly ditch him

You survived the entire play despite your fatigue and your boyfriend’s constant eye contact, he was amazing as usual and deserved standing ovation, and you were going to give it to him!

As soon as you stood up, your entire world got black, and the last thing you heard before you fainted was that Zen had jumped down from stage in an attempt to catch you

When you woke up at home you were sorry you ruined his premiere by being sick, but he shrugged it off with “at least the prettiest girl in the room fell for me” this smooth fucker i stg

Jaehee

Hahaha did you really think you could hide sickness from mama Jaehee 

As soon as she heard even the tiniest sneeze, it was straight to bed with you

She offered to close up the café for the day to take care of you, but you refused and said that you could take care of yourself

The only way you could make her agree was to promise to stay in bed and call her if you needed anything

You got a few hours of sleep while she worked, but you got bored and lonely so you called her

Her voice almost made you forget your headache, but when you coughed she immediately said that she would close early and come home to you, no matter how much you denied

You sighed, hung up and decided that you needed to go to the bathroom

You almost made it, but within the time you reached the door you just fell over in exhaustion

When she found you a few minutes later she quickly figured what was wrong and cursed herself for leaving you alone

Expect lots of cookies and tea the next few days

Jumin

Jumin had brought you to an important business trip on Hawaii, but the temperature difference of outside and inside due to the aircondition made you sick (that happened to me once, my family just left me in the room for half of the vacation bc i was too sick to deal with)

You knew he had other things to worry about, so when he asked you just shrugged your headache off as dehydration, your fatigue as jet lag and your high temperature on sunburn

One evening he had a few hours free of meetings, so he rented the entire beach just so the two of you could take a walk

Of course you wanted to finally spend some time with him, so you agreed on going even though you felt horrible

You didn’t even last five minutes before you fainted and fell towards the sand

Jumin caught you and was just about to warn you to be careful of where you stepped, as the sand could be hard to walk in, when he realized you were unconscious 

He carried you back to the villa he had rented, called a doctor and delayed all his meetings a couple of days to take care of you

707

Usually the two of you would just stay home all day so being sick wasn’t too bad

But this particular day he wanted you to come to the convenience store with him

“This mission requires assistance! Calling agent 606, over! I repeat, this mission requires assistance!”

You weren’t gonna say no to this, as shopping with him was always an adventure and you needed to make sure he got some actual groceries as well

You dragged yourself to one of his cars, despite your nausea and headache

Seven noticed, and asked you if you were alright

“Yeah, I’m just tired, some fresh air should make it better”

He accepted it and started driving, while you realized that it might’ve been better to just stay home

As soon as you arrived, he jumped out of the car and opened your door (”as the gentleman he is”)

You stepped out of the car, and a wave of dizziness hit you

Suddenly you were unconcious in his arms, and he felt how warm you were as you had a high fever

When you woke up, you were laying in your bed with him dressed as a nurse

Saeran/Unknown

Despite everyone thinking he wouldn’t realize you were sick, he saw it as soon as your eyes became glossy because he was often sick as a child

Saeyoung always took care of him when they were little and he remembered it involving soup and rest, but as he wasn’t the best chef he would just tell you to lay in bed

However, he did want to try to make you soup but because Seven wouldn’t stop joking around and he didn’t understand the recipe, he had to suck it up and ask you for help

After all, you had slept at least 18 hours the last day, so you had to be better by now, right?

You didn’t want him to worry more for you, especially not when he was trying to be nice and domestic (which was rare, but extemely nice to see), so you agreed 

But as you stood up from the bed, you immediately fell back down

After a few minutes, Saeran checked on you because you weren’t in the kitchen yet

He thought you had just fallen asleep again, so he tucked you back into the blanket, kissed your forehead and let you rest (he is so pure okay can you tell I love him)

~jane

#mystic messenger #mystic messenger headcanon #mystic messenger jumin #mystic messenger yoosung #mystic messenger jaehee #mystic messenger zen #mystic messenger saeran #mystic messenger 707 #mysme

[ladystylestores]

Coronavirus Briefing: What Happened Today

The 5 rules of the pandemic

As cities and countries ease restrictions, public health experts are embracing the idea of “harm reduction” to help people lower their risk of infection while still living a full life. Our Well editor, Tara Parker-Pope, came up with five rules to guide you in making the best decisions for yourself:

1. Track your area’s health status. You want to know the percentage of positive tests in your community or state. When the rate stays at 5 percent or lower for two weeks, there’s most likely enough testing taking place to control the spread of the virus.

2. Limit close contacts. The safest interactions are with members of your household, but if you want to widen your circle, the key is consistency. Consider forming a “quarantine pod,” in which two or three households agree on safety precautions and socialize only with one another.

3. Manage your exposure. Think of your activities like items on a budget: You’ll have to make trade-offs, balancing higher-risk events and interactions, like a dinner party or a haircut, with lower-risk ones, like grocery shopping.

4. Keep riskier activities short. When making plans, think about how much open space there will be, the number of other people and the amount of time you’re likely to spend. Try to keep indoor events to under an hour, and always wear a mask during close conversations.

The reopening, announced on Monday, is rolling out in three phases and comes less than a month before a nationwide vote that would allow President Vladimir Putin to stay in office until 2036. The final phase is scheduled for June 23, the day before the city has planned a military parade — a grand statement that could help Mr. Putin drum up much-needed enthusiasm for the referendum.

“The speed with which everything changed is quite striking,” Anton Troianovski, a Times correspondent in Moscow, told us. “Streets are full; people no longer seem to be universally wearing masks as they were last month.”

Updated June 5, 2020

Does asymptomatic transmission of Covid-19 happen?

So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.

How does blood type influence coronavirus?

A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.

How many people have lost their jobs due to coronavirus in the U.S.?

The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April.

Will protests set off a second viral wave of coronavirus?

Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission.

How do we start exercising again without hurting ourselves after months of lockdown?

Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home.

My state is reopening. Is it safe to go out?

States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people.

What’s the risk of catching coronavirus from a surface?

Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.

What are the symptoms of coronavirus?

Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.

How can I protect myself while flying?

If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)

Should I wear a mask?

The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing.

What should I do if I feel sick?

If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.

Reopenings

Here’s a roundup of restrictions in all 50 states.

What else we’re following

Fourteen states and Puerto Rico recorded their highest seven-day averages of new infections since the pandemic began, The Washington Post reports.

A new Harvard Medical School study using satellite imagery found dramatic spikes in car traffic around major hospitals in Wuhan last fall, suggesting that the virus was spreading through China before it was reported to the world, ABC reports.

Some members of the D.C. National Guard who responded to protests in the nation’s capital have tested positive, McClatchy reports.

Testing nursing home workers can help stop the spread of the virus, but there’s a dispute over who should pay — insurers or employers.

Major U.S. airlines are starting to see business come back as Americans emerge from months at home and book summer vacations.

While many delivery apps say they are saving restaurants during the pandemic, many restaurateurs say the apps’ large fees are doing just the opposite.

What you’re doing

Every Tuesday afternoon, I read to my 5-year-old granddaughter on FaceTime. I order one book sent to her in Brooklyn and one for me in upstate New York, and we each turn the pages of our books while I read. Then we talk, and it is almost as if we are together, but not quite.

— Nora Staffanell, Monroe, N.Y.

Let us know how you’re dealing with the outbreak. Send us a response here, and we may feature it in an upcoming newsletter.

Sign up here to get the briefing by email.

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[kenobei]

i need to rant so excuse me..

here in finland, gatherings of over 10 ppl are prohibited, the schools are shut down, a lot of activities are canceled, yet still, i feel like we’re in the cusp of a disaster. it feels like ppl aren’t listening to italy and what they’re trying to warn everyone about. ppl still run around meeting each other. next week, children in 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades can go to school again if their parents want them to. doesn’t sound like a good idea to me. ppl are still having their vacations, traveling north to the ski resorts (which i think are shutting down soon) or to the countryside to their cottages, possibly spreading the virus to smaller towns. the prime minister has told us that traveling from helsinki metropolitan area to other provinces may soon be prohibited bc most of the cases are around helsinki, our capital. we had our first death today. we have around 400 recorded cases but we have no idea how many cases there actually are bc young and healthy ppl with only mild symptoms don’t get tested. there may be 50 times more cases which would bring the number up to around 20,000 cases.

there are two recorded cases in my province. my town is an university town so a lot of ppl move in and out of the town. it’s very likely the virus has made its way over here and is spreading. there may be hundreds of cases. my throat got sore yesterday evening. i have a mild cough and my head hurts occasionally. no fever. i have no idea if this is covid. there’s a lot of talk about how serious complications this virus can cause but it feels like no one is mentioning how mild this virus can be. can you have covid if you don’t have fever? or if your breathing is normal? WHO says some ppl have the virus without any symptoms, how likely is that? is there an estimate? if anyone has any reliable sources, please let me know. i’ve been googling stuff all day and found no cohesive information in any language that i know. yes, i know we don’t know enough about this virus bc it’s very new but i wish ppl were more informed how mild the virus can be, yet you can still spread it. that’s why i’ve stayed in my apartment since my throat pain started and i’m going to stay in until my symptoms are gone and you should too if you have any flu-like symptoms, even mild. just bc you have a mild case someone you could possibly pass the virus may get it worse and even die.

#covid19 cw

[gethealthy18-blog]

Natural Ways to Not Feel Like Crap During Colds and Flu

New Post has been published on http://healingawerness.com/news/natural-ways-to-not-feel-like-crap-during-colds-and-flu/

Natural Ways to Not Feel Like Crap During Colds and Flu

Table of Contents[Hide][Click to Show]

Once upon a time, or actually twice upon a time now, we’ve met up with several families for a week of vacation. With 20+ kids in one house for a week, what could possibly go wrong?

Turns out, lots of things, but one in particular:

All the kids getting sick. In a row. All week long.

It was super fun… or not so much.

Easy Natural Cold and Flu Remedies

The incident not-so-lovingly-known as “the great minor cold pandemic of family vacation” was not serious and passed pretty quickly, but we had a rough couple of days.

Thankfully, many of the moms were well-versed in natural remedies and collectively pulled out the herbs, spices, raw honey, garlic, essential oils, and supplements to get the kids through it pretty quickly.

Important…

Of course, it’s important to see a medical professional for any major or serious illness. Back then I didn’t have a doctor I could text, and in most cases would end up taking the kids in and paying a co-pay just to have a doctor tell me to give my kids water and soup!

Over time I learned and started turning to natural remedies. (And we do go to the doctor for anything major or serious or that lasts longer than a few days.)

For viral illnesses that conventional medicine can’t do much for anyway, I turn to these natural remedies. They won’t knock out all symptoms or provide the same pain relief of over-the-counter drugs, but they help ease the crappish feeling of a cold (super scientific term, eh?).

Kitchen Remedies to Ease Discomfort

Even if I don’t have access to my whole natural medicine cabinet, some simple grocery store remedies can make a big difference! These are my go-to kitchen remedies:

Lots of Water

I find that we all feel better when we stay well hydrated, but especially during illness. Doctors often recommend rest and hydration for minor illness and the advice is sound. At first sign of illness, we make sure to sip water all day to support the body’s natural healing process. This remedy is mostly free but super important.

Raw Garlic

One of nature’s most potent remedies is also one of the easiest to find in any grocery store. It has been extensively researched in over 5,000 studies for its natural ability to help the body recover. Raw garlic is available in many stores and relatively inexpensive. To take it, I mince it and drink with a small amount of water. For my kids, I’ll also mix with honey or maple syrup or add to food to tone down the taste.

Face Steam

I love this incredibly soothing remedy that is easily made with kitchen herbs. What I do:

Boil 1-2 cups of water in a large pot and remove from the heat.

Add 2 teaspoons each of thyme, rosemary, and oregano.

Cover the pan for 5 minutes with a lid, and then remove lid and let the sick person lean over the pot (careful not to touch it). The person covers his or her head with a towel to hold in the steam and breathes the steam to help ease discomfort.

We try to breathe in the steam as long as we can, or for about 15 minutes. This seems to help loosen congestion and soothe the throat and sinuses.

See the full recipe and method here.

Herbal Teas

Herbal teas can also be very soothing during illness. I keep my ten favorite herbal teas on hand all the time, but we drink them often during illness. Many herbal teas are now available in regular grocery stores. I personally like chamomile and peppermint for easing discomfort during colds and flu.

Bone Broth and Soup

Chicken soup is the age-old remedy for illness, and we also turn to broth and soups when we don’t feel well. These can be made with ingredients from a regular grocery store. Homemade bone broth and homemade chicken soup are soothing remedies during illness and a source of protein and minerals.

When I don’t have homemade, I buy this brand that is long simmered from grass-fed bones for the gelatin many other store-bought brands don’t have. I order online for the best price, but it is now easily found in most grocery stores.

Lemon Juice or Ginger

I find fresh lemon juice and fresh ginger in water especially soothing for illnesses involving respiratory issues or sore throat. During illness, I’ll squeeze an entire lemon and slice a piece of ginger into hot or cold water for a soothing drink. Lemon juice is beneficial in other ways too and many people drink it each morning. Again, this is something you can pick up quickly when needed.

Electrolyte Drink

When my kids really don’t feel well and don’t feel like drinking, I sneak some remedies in by making a natural electrolyte drink. They like the flavor and I’m able to get some vitamin C and minerals in. We also take our favorite electrolytes whenever we travel in case we don’t have the ingredients for homemade.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Certainly not a favorite remedy for many due to the strong taste, but apple cider vinegar can really soothe a sore throat and has many benefits. I’ll drink a teaspoon (or up to a tablespoon) in water during illness. Adding honey makes the taste more palatable.

Other Natural Remedies

A few of my other favorite natural remedies are not readily available in all stores, but I always keep them on hand:

Elderberry

Elderberry is a great natural remedy with a long history of use. I keep dried elderberries on hand at all times to make several different remedies.

Homemade elderberry syrup is my go-to during any illness. The homemade version is very similar to Sambucol, which is available nationwide in many places.

Vitamin C

Many studies show that vitamin C can really help battle cold and flu. We always have it on hand and take it every few hours during illness.

Detox Baths

A detox bath may not really speed recovery during an illness, but it certainly seems to help ease discomfort. I often turn to these detox baths during minor illnesses to help ease symptoms.

Herbs to Help Remedy Cold and Flu

There are many herbs that support the body when healing from an illness. I always keep these around just in case:

Nettle Leaf: It contains large amounts of vitamins and trace minerals and helps the body stay hydrated and remove toxins. In a tea with red raspberry leaf, alfalfa, and peppermint, nettle makes a powerful immune supporting and illness preventing remedy.

Elderberry: Well-known for supporting the immune system. You can find conventionally made elderberry syrups at many stores now, or to save money, make your own. Here is the recipe.

Ginger: Fresh ginger root can be steeped in boiling water to make a tea that is very effective against sinus symptoms and congestion. Ginger baths are a soothing way to stop some of the discomfort of body aches.

Yarrow: This is a common herb for children. Many children’s remedies include yarrow for its soothing properties. It is naturally bitter, so it is often good to include peppermint and stevia leaf (or raw honey) when making a tea. It is great for the liver and kidneys and supports the endocrine system.

Chamomile: An absolute staple for our kids. Chamomile is calming and seems to help children sleep. It tastes great and is easy to get kids to take. We use it in tea and tincture form. My kids always ask for chamomile tea with raw honey when sick.

Peppermint: Great for all digestive disturbances and for calming a fever. It can be used as a tea or tincture or rubbed on the skin to bring a high fever down. It is antimicrobial and antiviral and kids usually love the taste. Take as a hot tea or cold tea during illness in any amounts.

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Scott Soerries, MD, Family Physician and Medical Director of SteadyMD. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.

How do you keep from getting sick or remedy it naturally when you do? Share your tips below!

Sources:

Braun H, Von andrian-werburg J, Malisova O, et al. Differing Water Intake and Hydration Status in Three European Countries-A Day-to-Day Analysis. Nutrients. 2019;11(4). doi: 10.3390/nu11040773

Lissiman E, Bhasale AL, Cohen M. Garlic for the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(11):CD006206. doi: 10.1002/14651858

Ulbricht C, Basch E, Cheung L, et al. An evidence-based systematic review of elderberry and elderflower (Sambucus nigra) by the Natural Standard Research Collaboration. J Diet Suppl. 2014;11(1):80-120. doi: 10.3109/19390211.2013.859852

Mathes, A., & Bellanger, R. (2010). Herbs and Other Dietary Supplements: Current Regulations and Recommendations for Use to Maintain Health in the Management of the Common Cold or Other Related Infectious Respiratory Illnesses. Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 23(2), 117–127. https://doi.org/10.1177/0897190009358711

Source: https://wellnessmama.com/207/flu-remedies/