A jack of the trades (Requests Open!)

Hi I write things sometimes - Try and find my AO3/Wattpad accounts lmao

[jaxwritess]

Requests are open btw! I love to write, but sometimes I need something to the juices flowing.

I'll write pretty much anything, as long as I know the characters (or have some info on OCs) and am comfortable with the concept. I might write NSFW but who knows.

[sidesblogs]

goober central over here am I right?

[jaxwritess]

Feverish (Platonic JJ, Virgil, Roman)

A self indulgent sick-fic.

Despite already being bundled in a blanket, JJ shivered again, eyes closed against the dim lighting of the room. His sleep was fitful and sporadic, and his brief, feverish dreams didn't help matters.

A knock at the door startled him, and he peeked an eye open cautiously. When the door opened, light from the hall streamed in, and he was quick to shut his eyes tight again. Still, despite his eyes being closed, he recognized the soft voice of the younger Side.

"How are you feeling?" Virgil closed the door behind himself, leaving it open just a crack so he could find it in the dark room. When a small slide produced by JJ just indicated a groan, he hummed and took a seat on the edge of the bed. "Have you been able to sleep at all?" Gently, he placed a hand on JJ's forehead, gauging his temperature before brushing some of his hair back.

"... No." The text on JJ's subtitle slide glowed softly so it could be read in the darkness, though the small letters indicated the whisper that would have come with it, had he actually spoken. He peeked back at Virgil, though he couldn't make out much more than his shape in the darkness

The Side hummed again, cupping his cheek— he didn't bring up the fact that JJ leaned into the touch, aware that he was searching for more heat— before glancing back at the door. "Think you could stomach some soup?"

JJ grumbled softly, incoherent even on the slide, but it took him a long moment to actually decide on an answer. He had to imagine the process first but when the idea didn't make him queasy, he nodded softly. "I think so."

The Side smiled and nodded, moving to gently ruffle JJ's hair before standing up again. "I'll go make some, okay?" He could see the other's faint nod, though he didn't pick up on the disappointed expression in the dark. "Did you want anything else?" Again, JJ shook his head. "Okay," his voice grew softer, "Ro's gonna be here in a bit." And with that, he quietly slipped back out of the room.

Silence settled in the room, and JJ idly shut his eyes again. They stung from his lack of proper sleep, but there truly wasn't anything that he could do to alleviate that. Without rest, the best he could do was keep them closed and relax. With the room staying quiet save for a small clock ticking in the corner, it was fairly easy for the Septic Ego to get lost in his train of thoughts.

However, this only made it easier for him to be surprised by the soft knock at the door. Again, he peered towards it warily, though he was quick to relax at the sight of the creative Side. For a moment, he only stared, but then he reached an arm out towards Roman, a wordless way to beckon him closer.

Roman did the same as Virgil had just minutes before, leaving the door open somewhat so he would be able to find it again when he inevitably needed it. "Hey kiddo, I just bumped into Virge. How're you feeling?"

JJ was silent for a moment as he watched Roman put something down on the bedside table, mulling over an answer. Eventually, he settled on pulling the blankets closer. "... Cold."

The older Ego hummed, softly pressing his wrist to JJ's forehead. "Well, I've got something to help the fever here, but it won't warm you up..."

Before JJ could figure out what that meant, Roman was brushing his hair back again, then dabbing a cool, damp cloth to his forehead. He shivered, making a half-hearted attempt to push his head away, shocked by the dramatic temperature difference.

Roman smiled sympathetically. "Sorry kiddo, I promise it'll help." His hand shifted to card his fingers through JJ's hair, then pat him on the head gently as he took back the cloth. "Henrik suggested I get something else for you, too..."

JJ peered up at him, then followed the movement of his hand to the shape on the nightstand. He watched blearily, but he lit up when the owl plush was offered to him, and he was quick to hold it to his chest. "... Thank you."

The Side hummed softly to acknowledge the words, reaching to gently mess with JJ's hair again. "It's no problem, James. We want to be sure you're comfortable." He fell quiet for a moment before slowly standing, "I know Virgil's getting you soup, but how about some tea?"

His gaze moved from the plush in his arms back to the Side when he stood up, and automatically he reached to grab the end of Roman's sleeve. His grip was loose, but it was enough to make the other pause. "... Can you lay with me for a while?" He was embarrassed to ask the question, but he really didn't want to be left alone. Sure, it wouldn't be for terribly long, but both of the Sides had been in and out of the room all day trying to make him feel better. Right now, he just wanted to cuddle.

When Roman glanced at the door for a moment, JJ was worried he would leave, but he was pleasantly surprised when the other turned back and nodded. He sat on the edge of the bed, and JJ scooted over to give him more space.

"I guess this means you don't want tea?" Roman murmured lightheartedly as he laid down on top of the blankets, facing JJ.

The only response he offered was a silent hum as he moved closer. Roman was warm, and JJ couldn't help but shiver again before burying his face in the other's chest. He still hugged the plush close, but he couldn't help but feel more comfortable with the Side next to him as well.

When JJ didn't seem to be willing to give any other response, Roman settled on carefully wrapping an arm around him— tight enough to hold him close, but still loose enough that he could get away if he so pleased. The other snuggled into the hug though, and he let out a quiet laugh. "Get some sleep if you can, kiddo."

When Virgil returned to the room with a small bowl of chicken soup, he was surprised to see the two figures cuddled together. He laughed to himself, rolling his eyes as he set the warm bowl down on the nightstand.

Roman, barely awake, turned his head to look at him. "What's up, stormcloud?"

The younger Side sighed playfully, kissing him on the cheek. "You're just going to get yourself sick too, you know?"

[jaxwritess]

Other stories I have planned for the future!

- Confessions - Love Doctors (Dr. Schneep x Dr. Iplier)

- Unlikely Pairing - Yost (Host x Yancy)

- Sweet Dreams, Dear Prince - Prinxiety (Roman x Virgil)

- Flower Crowns and Letterman Jackets - Yaric (Yandere (Ayano) x Eric)

- Late Night Repairs - Google Blue & Bing (platonic)

There's a few other untitled pieces in my drafts, as well as a second part of my Early Morning story on the way! Feel free to give me some thoughts on these— I'd love to hear any theories about the titles.

[jaxwritess]

Bittersweet Memories (Darkstache)

TW: Angsty, Wilford briefly remembers the past, crying

Dark often found himself listening to Wilford's aura— usually, a barely-audible song, which most people might mistake as an earworm— without even meaning to. He did it for many reasons. For one, they often couldn't help it. Maybe they were just better attuned to the sound. Wilford's excitement sometimes made the music quite hard to miss. But on the other hand, there were some rare days when the fast-paced music would slow and distort, and those were the ones that worried Dark the most. There were a few reasons the usually bright music might sound grim, and frankly, he didn't like what any of them might be.

Today, as Dark was wrapping up a meeting, their own aura was ringing just a tad louder than usual, stress and annoyance building. Maybe that's why he didn't pick up on the shift in Wilford's music immediately. When they did, however, their stomach dropped. His partner (in crime, for life. Either worked depending on the day) had elected to stay downstairs and out of the meeting today but had refused to say why. For a split second, Dark wondered if maybe Wilford had stepped out of the building, but he stood from his seat when he heard a long, wonky note.

"Meeting dismissed. I don't have time for questions today; if anyone needs anything, reach out via Google Blue."

The android frowned and narrowed its eyes, but didn't say anything when Dark made eye contact. Instead, it folded its hands and nodded stiffly. Dark had something else to attend to. That didn't make him any less salty, of course, especially when several of the others crowded around to ask questions.

Dark didn't have time to dwell too much on the other's glare and instead retreated from the room, leaving their things to be packed up later. Something was going on with Wilford, and that took priority.

He followed the soft music to his office downstairs, and he felt a pinch more anxiety. Was Wilford looking for him? He didn't often spend time there unless Dark was working, so it was difficult to reason why else he might be there. He raised a hand to open the door but paused briefly to collect his thoughts as he picked up on another quiet, warped note. If he was visibly distressed, it would probably make Wilford feel even worse. They took a deep breath— technically, they didn't need the oxygen, but it helped ground them regardless— and felt their shoulders rise and fall. Wilford seemed to be less prone to reading the auras, so even as Dark's rang louder, his expression and posture would be what mattered most. He closed his eyes and repeated the process before finally letting his hand find the handle, and he cracked the door open.

He peered in, doing a courtesy sweep of the room before his eyes landed on his desk chair, which was turned away from the door. "Wilford?" They asked gently, cautious. When the other was like this, sometimes it was difficult to know when he would be sad or violent. Some days, it could be both. It depended on what it was he remembered on any given day.

Still, despite the lack of verbal response, he heard a loud sniffle. Quietly, they stepped inside and shut the door. As they moved closer, they made a point to walk a little louder, hoping not to surprise their husband. "Wilford, is everything alright?"

As they rounded the desk, Wilford span the chair slightly, just enough to look at them from the corner of his eye. He was still silent, save for a few teary sniffles, letting his gaze fall back to a metallic tin in his hands.

Dark took a moment to notice just how much brown was in both Wilford's hair and his mustache, leaving just the tips to be the usual bubblegum pink. If Dark had to guess, he was remembering quite a bit of their shared past. He took a moment to look at the box in Wilford's hands, and a lump formed in his throat.

They were both quiet for a long few minutes before Wilford weakly lifted the box. "I gave these to her, just before..." He stopped, letting his hand fall back to his lap. "Do you know the superstition behind these?"

Dark took a moment to compose himself as he drew closer, then gently put a hand on the other's shoulder. "A person's first tarot cards are meant to be gifted to them." He mumbled, watching as Wilford opened it and read the engraving on the inside.

"Mark wouldn't do it," he laughed, though it sounded bittersweet. "She didn't ask me to, but I found some during one of my trips to the East. I..." He paused, then moved to wipe away some of his tears with one of his wrists. "She was so happy."

"She was." Dark agreed softly, crouching down.

Wilford stared at the deck, though he closed the container again before doing anything else. He let out a shaky breath. "I can't believe she kept them." He thought, maybe, she'd have gotten rid of them after the truth came out.

"Of course she did." Carefully, he turned the chair, so that Wilford was facing him.

"She loved me, didn't she?" He finally made eye contact with his partner as tears welled up in his eyes again.

Gently, he took the box from Wilford's hands and placed it on the desk, then moved to gently grasp his hands. The other made no protest. "She does. They both do." Carefully, they guided him to stand up, then lifted his hands to kiss them softly.

Wilford was quiet for a few long moments, staring down at nothing in particular. Slowly, his gaze moved to meet Dark's, and he frowned. "Is it ever lonely? Being the only one to remember?"

They hummed, dropping their gaze to their hands. "Sometimes..." He paused to let go of the other's hands, instead opting to loosely hold his hips. "But I know you're happier not remembering."

He followed Dark's lead, letting his hands find a place on their shoulders. "You don't mind? Even if I'll just forget it all again?"

At that, he moved to kiss Wilford's cheek. "Of course not. It's not your fault."

He leaned closer to bury his face in Dark's shoulder, letting out another quiet sob.

Wilford didn't speak again, not for a few minutes, and by then, the pink was returning to his hair and the music in his aura was picking up again. He leaned back to look at Dark, confused by his expression, and lifted a hand to wipe away the tears on his own face. "Did something happen, Darky?"

He sighed, moving a hand to cup Wilford's cheek. When the other leaned into his hand, he offered a somber smile. "Nothing for you to worry about, Wil."

[jaxwritess]

Early Morning (1.4k words)

TW: Blood, brief violence, slight derealization/panic attack (?)

Original short story that I'm proud of that I wanted to post. I swear I'm not dead! Requests and comms are still open :)

When he awoke, it wasn’t due to the rising sun. Nor was it because someone woke him up for night watch— he had already done his shift for the night. No, when Leo awoke, it was to the taste of stale blood in his mouth. It was still distinctly metallic, but something about it was different than if he had just lost a tooth.

He slapped a hand over his mouth, gagging somewhat because of the thick liquid. His tongue throbbed, and he recognised numbly that he must have bitten it in his sleep. Clumsily, though still careful not to disturb the others still sleeping in the room, he pushed up off of the pile of blankets he had slept on and fled down the quietly groaning hallway.

Leo barely made it to the sink in the decrepit bathroom before he let himself spit up the blood, narrowly avoiding staining his own shirt in the process. He gripped the sides of the crumbling counter tightly, eyeing the dark liquid as it dripped down the drain. What the Hell? He coughed a few more times, shutting his eyes tight and trying to get rid of the taste.

When his coughing fit subsided, he gasped and slumped slightly, then peered up at the cracked mirror above the sink. Blearily, he noted that he could see a picture frame in the hall behind him where his face should be, but it took several moments for him to fully register what that meant. His brows furrowed and he stood up, eyes wide. He shifted, trying to catch any sight of himself in the reflective glass.

Even poking it proved fruitless as he tried to see if it was a trick mirror. Instead, he hissed quietly and drew his hand back as the jagged glass sliced his finger, but two consecutive realisations struck him. One was that he didn’t actually appear to be bleeding. In fact, he could barely make out the cut on his finger as he stared at it in the dim light. The second, however, was much more worrisome. He slowly bared his teeth again, mimicking the movement of his mouth from a moment ago. His gums almost seemed to shift away from his teeth, revealing a second set that certainly hadn’t been there before.

Cautiously, his gaze flickered back up to the mirror– though it was useless as it still reflected the empty hall– and he used his uninjured hand to poke at the new protrusions. They felt much sharper than any human teeth should be, and he winced as his finger was pricked again.

His thoughts buzzed in his ears, flashing to various ideas as he tried to puzzle together what was happening. Obviously, he wasn’t dreaming; the brief pain in his hands crossed that off instantaneously. But how else could he explain this new development? In the back of his mind, he registered the fact that he was now leaning against the wall. He didn’t notice the flakes of peeling paint as they fell away behind him.

Deep breaths— did he need those? He wasn’t sure. They didn’t seem to need to breathe much. He buried his face in his hands. Okay, logically? It would take a day at most to Turn, right? His group had run into a coven earlier, though he definitely hadn’t been bitten then. But it wasn’t always because of bites, right? Everyone knew that by now. Then what?

When had he sat down? He wasn’t sure. His chest heaved, but he still didn’t seem to be bringing in enough oxygen. Would it always feel like that? Would he get accustomed to breathing less?

Every single person in his group had been sure to clean off their blades after every attack. It was slowly becoming widespread knowledge. Blood-to-blood contact had a chance of Turning a human, too. Did he have a cut during the attack? He couldn’t remember.

Distantly, he knew he was moving again, but his head felt too full and too empty at the same time, and he wasn’t entirely sure where he was going before he got there. He recognized the sleeping forms of his friends, then the discomfort of the scratchy cloth he had laid on before against his knees. How long had it been since he was sleeping here? It can’t have been long. He just woke up a few minutes ago, right?

He stared blankly at the knife suddenly in his hands. It had been wrapped in his jacket; when did he get it out? One hand tightened around the handle and the worn blade glinted in the moonlight, shining in his eyes. His stomach gurgled. He blinked, then rose and darted back to the bathroom. This time, he made it to the shattered toilet before he retched and emptied his stomach. His head felt clearer, if only partially.

It only felt like a minute or so later that his things were packed up, either on his person or within the large hiking bag that he scooped up. He left his share of the rations where his pack and bedroll had been. Technically, he wouldn't be needing it anymore, but it only lightened his load somewhat.

Soon, he stood with the bag slung over a shoulder and the old knife in its sheath, looking over the small group that he'd been travelling with; they had only met a short while ago, but being with someone 24/7 for six or seven months kind of makes them grow on you. For that reason, he knew he had to get going before the Hunger kicked in.

He stifled memories of their time together as he turned away, adjusting the bag on his shoulder as he moved towards the back door. What Leo hadn't accounted for when he opened the door was the current guard preparing to turn in for the night, reaching for the handle at the same time that he cracked it open.

While he was able to stop himself from making noise, he still reared back in surprise, mouth opening in a silent gasp. He and Vinny seemed to reach the same conclusion at the same time. The foreign feeling of the fangs disappeared again under his gums.

"You… you…" The younger hunter backed away a few steps, eyes wide as the pieces seemed to click together in his head.

"Vinny, look-" Leo stepped forward, pulling the door closed behind him.

"You're a vamp!" Vinny whispered, glancing into the house over Leo's shoulder. In the back of his mind, Leo knew exactly what he was thinking

"Vin! Vincent, listen!" He spat quietly, and once again he felt his fangs pop out. That probably seemed more intimidating than it was supposed to be.

It took Vinny a moment to find his voice again after his throat went dry, but it wasn't long before he was stuttering and shouting into the house, hoping that one of the others might still be alive. "VAMPIRE!"

"Shh!" Leo's eyes were wide as he pulled Vinny away from the door, one hand covering his mouth. "Listen to me, Vincent. No one's hurt, I promise. I- I don't know what happened, I just want-"

Still, the damage had been done. Three of the others from inside were already at the door, glancing around the area wildly with weapons at the ready.

"What the Hell, Vin?" One of the girls, Maria, turned towards the two when they seemed to determine the coast was clear, brows furrowed as she glanced between them.

Vinny shook his head fervently, shaking Leo's hand from his mouth. "He's a vampire!" He exclaimed, wriggling out of the other's arms and immediately moving to the trio’s side.

The group stared at each other, expressing various levels of disbelief on their faces. Eventually, Maria shook her head, blinking owlishly at Vinny.

“Vin, it’s Leo! ‘Course he’s not!” She seemed shocked that the other would even propose the idea– Leo smiled sardonically. Of course she’d trust him.

“No, you-” Vinny’s panicked gaze turned back to Leo. “Come on! He’s got fangs and everything!”

Dahlia, one of the oldest members of the group, eyed the two of them. Leo’s gaze flitted toward her, and they made eye contact. She seemed to consider him for a moment. “Leo, show us your teeth.”

He froze. “Look, Dahlia, I’m just-” It felt like his mouth was full of cotton suddenly.

“Get it over with, Leo. Just show him and we can all get back to sleep, okay?” Lucas yawned, already getting over the brief adrenaline from Vincent’s shout.

Reluctantly, he offered a smile.

[youneedsomeprompts]

15 enemies-to-lovers prompts

requested by: anonymous

Feel free to use and reblog!

#1 - thinking the strong feelings they had for the other were feelings of despise but it turns out it just covered the even deeper feelings they had

#2 - talking bad about the other behind their back but feeling very strange when they find out the other heard it

#3 - they never saw the other as the person they are but only as the one thing they despise

#4 - everything tells them to give the other away when they've got the chance but somehow they just can't do it

#5 - thinking that maybe they really begin getting along well but then the other tells them it all wasn't serious

#6 - hating the other but not being able to get them out of their head anyway

#7 - only having heard bad things about the other so their relationship is off to a rocky start. it's easiest to ignore every nice trait the other shows

#8 - arguing all the time about everything and nothing (somehow love starts seeping into their arguments)

#9 - caring much more about the other than they even would admit to themselves

#10 - keeping their romance a secret at the beginning because how should they explain that they're in love with their enemy?

#11 - sending anonymous love letters to the other and the other never guesses right who sent them

#12 - not wanting to be reminded of the fact that they once hated the other (because they're so precious to them now)

#13 - not being able to believe that the other wants to do something nice for them

#14 - accepting that their feelings for the other are just a huge mess

#15 - realising that no matter how they label their feelings it will have a dangerous outcome because, oh, these feelings are so strong

bonus: #16 - and a classic: a heated argument turns into making out

[jaxwritess]

Gimme a number & some characters!

[jaxwritess]

Picnic (Bing Average)

Chase rolled his eyes playfully behind his blindfold as Bing continued to ramble about how awesome the place they were going to was. He had to admit that he was excited, but the android insisted on keeping their destination secret, so he had only the barest of details.

For one, this was much further from the Central than the skatepark... And secondly, lunch would be taken care of. He wasn't quite sure about the second point, seeing as their destination seemed to be within walking distance, but the only thing for miles around the house was the forest.

"Are you sure you can't give me a hint?" He turned his head slightly to face where Bing's voice had just been over his shoulder.

The Android hummed, wrapping his arms lightly around Chase's waist and making him stop in his tracks. "Why don't I show you?" He prompted, and Chase could hear his grin.

"Are we here?" Chase asked excitedly, reaching up to pull the blindfold off.

"Hold on," Bing laughed, resting a hand on Chase's and bringing it back down. "Give me a second, geez!" He hummed again, and the fans in his chest began to whirr louder as his nerves grew. Carefully, he let go of Chase and reached up to untie the cloth covering his eyes. "Count of three?"

The Septic chuckled, but he nodded. "Fine, fine. One?"

"Two,"

"Three!" As Chase cheered the last number, Bing let the blindfold fall. It took a moment for his eyes to readjust to the light, but then they grew wide and his jaw dropped. "Holy crap, dude..."

A small picnic blanket, along with a basket, were laid out next to what he would call a pond if it weren't for the fact that a tall, serene waterfall trickled into it.

For a moment, Chase wondered how he hadn't heard the water before, but then his brain registered the whirring of the fan in Bing's chest, just at ear-level for him. He laughed to himself, tilting his head back a little to rest against Bing, taking in more of the sight.

The waterfall and its pool - he must have mumbled something about it because Bing helpfully supplied the term "plunge pool" - were surrounded by the forest, and the greens that the water reflected from the trees took his breath away.

Bing's attention was glued to Chase rather than the area itself, watching for any hint of reaction that was offered. When it seemed Chase was rendered speechless, he wrapped him back into his arms, speaking softly. "What do you think?"

The shorter Ego shook his head slightly before he seemed to snap out of it. "It's... Amazing, Bing." He murmured.

The robot relaxed at the response, finally glancing up at the scenery as his chin rested on Chase's head. "I wasn't sure if it would be like... Too much? Or something? I know we don't usually-"

Chase rolled his eyes and smiled to himself before he turned in Bing's arms and reached a hand up to his cheek. "Hey, relax..." The android stopped talking, but Chase didn't continue until they made eye contact. "It's perfect, dude." He assured.

For a moment, the android searched Chase's eyes, but when he seemed satisfied, he nodded slowly. "Good," he mumbled, closing his eyes and leaning into Chase's touch.

Softly, he brushed his thumb over Bing's cheekbone - is that what it would be called on an android? - and hummed. After a moment, he leaned up and kissed the tip of his boyfriend's nose. "How about we go sit down?"

He broke into a grin, opening his eyes again when he felt the kiss despite the orange blush lighting his cheeks. "Sounds like a plan." Carefully, he took the hand still on his cheek and kissed the knuckles before guiding Chase to the checked blanket.

When they were both seated, Bing shifted to bring the small wicker basket closer. They sat quietly for a moment while he unpacked it, but it was Chase that broke the silence.

"So, what's all this for, anyway?" Most of the time, their dates took place inside - watching movies and playing pranks on the others - or at the skatepark trying to impress one another. Outside of that, they hadn't truly talked about changing it up. Honestly, the most that differed from before their confessions was a little more cuddling and a few kisses here and there. The surprise was appreciated, of course, but he couldn't help but wonder why.

The question made Bing stop mid-action, and for a moment, Chase worried that he froze. But soon, he hummed and shrugged. "You haven't seemed 100% lately, dude. I, uh, wanted to help you relax." He admitted, not making eye contact.

Chase's expression softened. "Really?"

The android nodded, the nervous energy returning as his fans buzzed again. "I didn't want to make a big deal out of it or anything, but I thought, maybe... A change of scenery would help?" He hesitated, then continued without waiting properly for a response. "It's been proven that being outdoors and being with loved ones can help drastically reduce stress and anxiety, and like, uplift a person's mood, so..?" He trailed off, suddenly sounding unsure again. Would it help Chase, though? He was always more of an indoor person, so maybe taking him out of his comfort zone would be worse. Or maybe he was reading Chase completely wrong and just assumed things. Should he have asked about how he was feeling first? He should have thought this through more. What if- His train of thought screeched to a halt when a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around his shoulders.

His visual sensors refocused, and he quickly picked up on the fact that Chase had knelt in front of him and leaned forward to hug him. The Septic's face was buried in his shoulder, and he mumbled something that seemingly wasn't meant to be heard by the 'bot.

"Chase?" He asked carefully.

Neither of them moved. For a long minute, it seemed like he wouldn't be getting a response either, up until, "thank you," Chase mumbled.

"Thank you?" He echoed quietly, brows furrowed. Why thank him?

He nodded into Bing's shoulder, then shifted to sit next to him. "Thank you for this... I appreciate it." He tucked himself into the android's side and hummed quietly, his pep suddenly evaporated.

Bing wrapped his arm around Chase and watched him worriedly. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

There were a few seconds where Chase hummed quietly, but then he shook his head. "No, just... You being here helps."

[jaxwritess]

Migraines (Love Doctors)

(Warning for mentions of pills/medication, and brief mentions of pain)

Henrik's ears were already ringing when he woke up, a warning about how the rest of the day would likely pan out. Still, he only allowed himself a few short minutes to lie in bed before forcing himself to prepare for the day. If he didn't get started on his work now, it would just continue to pile up and make it impossible to keep up with.

Soon, he found himself in his and Dr. Iplier's shared clinic, squinting against the bright light and shuffling towards his desk. Hopefully, today wouldn't be too busy, and he could just focus on his paperwork instead of having to engage with anyone. Of course, that couldn't last long.

When Edward came bustling in, he was already happily chattering, and all Henrik could offer was a quiet hum. He wasn't purposefully ignoring his boyfriend, but his mind felt far too sluggish to fully process the words. Still, the other doctor didn't seem to find it out of the ordinary, settling in his seat across the room and setting up his desk.

Henrik zoned back into the conversation just in time to hear a question about where his son was, and he glanced up with a small half-smile. "Still in his room, I think," he mumbled, his accent far thicker than usual. "Robbie doesn't tend to come down until he's ready."

His gaze fell back to the papers on his desk, and he shifted to rest his forehead in his palm as he continued to look them over. It took him several long minutes to realize the room had gone silent again, and hesitantly, he glanced up at the other doctor without moving his head.

"Are you feeling okay?" Edward asked when they finally made eye contact, brows furrowed worriedly. When Henrik shrugged despondently, he shook his head. "Don't give me that. You're pale."

"I'm always pale," Henrik pointed out with another tired smile, and Edward rolled his eyes.

The older doctor huffed and pushed himself out of his seat, striding across the room to crouch at Schneep's side. "You know what I mean. You don't look well."

The Septic shrugged, using the hand holding his pen to wave vaguely. "You know..."

"Henrik..." He sighed, then shook his head when they made eye contact again. "How's your head?"

Rather than replying, Henrik closed his eyes and grumbled inaudibly. He could already feel a full-blown migraine building up from the minor headache he had earlier, but he wasn't about to admit it.

Again, Edward rolled his eyes. "Right," he stood up and pat Henrik's back gently before he turned and made his way to one of the small freezers in the room. "Did you take your medication this morning?"

There were several seconds of hesitant silence, but just as Edward glanced back at him, Henrik huffed. "No, it's hard to focus after they kick in."

"Is it any easier without them?" He prompted, already knowing the answer. He listened, but when Henrik didn't reply, he continued to gather an ice pack and the small bottle of painkillers. "Look, you know you're allowed to take a break, Hen." He chastised, bringing both items back to the other's desk.

"And leave you to do everything here?" He grumbled, listening as Edward's steps grew closer. When they stopped, he cracked open an eye to squint at him - the world span, but he blinked it away. "You know how busy it is some days-"

He handed Henrik the ice pack, "but it isn't now. You should be resting."

Henrik frowned, but he took the ice without complaint and held it to his temple. "I can do my paperwork just fine, thank you very much."

"Can and should are different," he insisted, turning back to grab a cold water bottle for the pills, "and I know you know that."

Technically, he couldn't argue with that. He grumbled under his breath before reaching for the bottle of pills Edward set on his desk. He read the label idly, but when the other returned, he glanced back up. "So what's the plan then, doc?" He asked, a sarcastic bite backing his words.

"You," Edward emphasized, handing him the water, "are going to go lay down." Henrik went to interrupt him, but he shook his head. "If I need your help, we'll talk about it then. For now, you need a break."

The Septic doctor deflated, but he was quiet as he took the water and downed the pills. He stared blankly at the clear bottle in his hand for a few moments, but soon, he blinked and turned his gaze back to Edward. "Are you sure?"

Edward rolled his eyes and offered him a small smile. "What, you don't trust I can take care of the place?"

The tease made him crack a smile. "Maybe I don't?"

"Maybe you don't," he echoed with a laugh. "But hear me out, okay?" He paused for dramatic effect, rubbing Henrik's back. "Doctor's orders."

He snorted, then grimaced inwardly as his head span. "Oh, how could I ignore the doctor's orders?" He joked dramatically.

"Exactly." Edward nodded. "Now you go, take your ice pack and your water, and lay down."

Hen groaned and rolled his eyes, but after a moment, he complied. Carefully, he scooped the ice pack back up and stood. "I'm staying here, by the way." He lightly nudged Edward as he passed. "Before you argue, I'm keeping you company. I'll only go back to my desk if I'm feeling better, I promise."

Edward watched for a moment before he laughed, turning to trail behind Henrik. "You-"

"Should be resting, ja." He placed the water bottle next to one of the medical benches before he turned around to face him, leaning against the cool metal. "I know-"

"Have to be more careful." Ed finished with a hum, moving to sit next to him. "I'm fine with you staying up, but you have to take it easy." He couldn't imagine Schneep would be lucid for all that long though, considering the medication he took. "I pester you about it because I care," he reminded as he wrapped an arm around Henrik's waist.

He leaned his head against Edward's shoulder and hummed. "And because you're a doctor," he teased.

"And because I'm a doctor." He laughed, carefully resting his head on Henrik's.

Again, the silence stretched, more comfortable this time. Henrik's ears still rang, but it felt as though it quieted down too, just for a little bit.

[jaxwritess]

A Station's Crew (A teaser for a friend's upcoming story on AO3)

“Aaaanndd…” Cameron started, “we’re off.” He let out a breath.

Marshall’s grin fell and he let out a soft sigh as well. He turned to glare at the cameraman. “Do you have to angle the camera so the sun is directly in my face, Cyclops?”

Cam huffed, rolling his eyes. “Yes, I definitely meant to do that.”

The two began to bicker as Isaac looked over at Terry with a small grimace.

Terry shrugged. “Don’t worry. They never get along.”

“But… Haven’t they worked together for years?” The intern asked quietly, sitting next to Terry in the back of the van.

He nodded, smiling. “Ya gotta admit, though, it’s pretty funny.”

The reporter and his cameraman continued to argue as they packed up to head back to the station. The two previously in the back got out, and the techie clambered into the driver’s seat.

The four had decided long before that it would be best to separate Cam and Marshall as much as possible, so Cam normally sat shotgun while Marshall stayed in the back seat with Isaac. It was just easier that way…

Cam and Terry began to quietly talk about something or other. Maybe it was who would be paying for gas. They usually took turns. Isaac began to playfully poke at the silently fuming reporter, repeating the latter’s name over and over in a goofy voice.

Slowly, Marshall's glare shifted to a smile as he turned in his seat to look at Isaac. “Hm?”

“Hi.” The intern poked Marshall one last time as he grinned at the older male.

Chuckling, Marshall reached to ruffle Isaac's hair. “Thanks, kid.”