bring the bass back

my love, your love, your time machine.

[thestargazerlily]

── lilly

YOU SEEM PRETTY ANGRY FOR A GIRL SO FULL OF HOPE.

20s. she/her. stuck in a time loop (again). germany. of sunsets and earrings and unmade beds. something different bloomed, writing in my room. at the beach, in every life, through every door.

[🪩] my web weavings [🐛] my edits [🍀] my writing ⋆ ao3 [🎧] music recs ⋆ my spotify [📖] fable ⋆ reado [🩷] fav books/movies/shows/albums of... 2025

[keikomivra]

THE BEAR (2022 - 2026) 5.04: Ribs

Oh, also, if we're gonna invite people into our home, we are gonna look like a fucking family.

[detailspecialist]

Dr. Melissa King and Dr. John Shen in

THE PITT (2025- )

[boykavalier]

Ken Kirby as Dr. John Shen THE PITT 2.14 "8:00 P.M."

[robinavich]

KEN KIRBY as DR. JOHN SHEN The Pitt (2025)

[kodachromantic]

today is the last day mel king has to live without frank langdon LETS GOOOOOO

[marsbarstothestars]

AHHHHHHH

[lunarfuneral]

frank swiping away abbys notifications to keep texting mel frank muting abby but putting mel in his favorites and she’s the only one that can notify him when it’s on do not disturb frank making a special vibrate pattern for mels texts so he knows its her frank getting up early just to text mel good morning frank prioritizing mel in really small and innocuous ways that are more damning than if he’d just kissed her

[captainscurvyisajoke]

@kingdonmicrofic

Day 3: gala💎 (infidelity)

Word count: 467

“Oh, what a night, Dr. Langdon,” Mel sighs as they step out of the elevator into the hallway where their hotel rooms are waiting.

Exhaustion is clear in her features from all the small talk and slow dancing they did during the hospital gala.

He can only hum in agreement. It has been tiring in that particular way, forced politeness always is. He has attended it a few times before, but it is Mel's first.

There has been a little skip in her step the whole evening. Of course, she looks elegant in her long, satin green dress, her hair braided to one side, falling in waves over her right shoulder. But there is a sparkle in her eyes, something dreamy in her smile, the excitement clear for anyone who bothers to look.

And oh, Frank looks.

It isn't rare. He has had a soft spot for her since the beginning, after all. But tonight —lately— he can't make himself look away.

“Frank,” she whispers as they reach her door. A shiver runs down his spine at the sound of his name on her lips. The first time, she dropped the honorific. It’s something so small, it shouldn’t have that effect.

Her eyes, shimmery the whole night, suddenly seem darker and more inviting at the same time as they lock onto his. As if the shadows are trying to pull him in.

He sways slightly in his spot.

“I'm going to bed now,” she says, her voice soft as a secret.

Turning around, she places the card against the lock. The low cut of her dress catches his attention; he can't help but think her skin looks incredibly soft.

It feels like that, too.

The memory of all the times his fingers trace her waist lightly through the night to guide her around the ballroom makes his fingertips tingle, and he flinches.

Mel steps into the room, hands reaching up to undo her hair, and leaves the door ajar.

It feels like an invitation if he'd ever seen one. Or maybe it’s wishful thinking.

Frank should get a grip.

He should go into his room across the hallway, call his beautiful wife and talk to his perfect kids, take off the tuxedo that has been suffocating him all evening, and try not to think about the way Melissa King looked under the ballroom lights.

Instead, he stays and stares at the door as if it has personally offended him.

What the hell, exactly, is he doing?

He exhales deeply and reaches for the door handle.

He should close it.

A shadow moves inside the room. The soft rustle of fabric against the carpet reaches his ears.

The door clicks shut.

He has never been good at doing what he should.

The sound echoes through the empty hallway.

[kingdonmicrofic]

[craftclass]

@kingdonmicrofic july 3, gala (wc: 407/467) cw: emotional infidelity (+ possible implied physical infidelity. choose your own adventure infidelity.)

Abby rented her dress off of an app. It’s solid black, trendy and form-fitting, and it’ll go back in the mail on Monday. She looks incredible. All the women at the gala say so, and Frank says so too.

Mel's dress is a shiny emerald green. It puffs at the sleeves. It sags at the waist, hanging off her frame in an admittedly unflattering way. The skirt is a strange length, hitting somewhere between her mid and lower calves. He still has a hard time looking anywhere else. 

"God love her," Abby mutters. "That wouldn’t have even been cute in the eighties."

Frank knows she’s not being deliberately cruel. It’s just one of those inside thoughts that she feels comfortable voicing to him privately because they’re married and he knows her well enough.

And if it wasn’t Mel she was talking about, he might indulge her with a laugh or a yeah, it’s pretty awful. But it is Mel, so he doesn’t react at all - except for a brief, involuntary tightening of his lips. Abby looks at him and then away again. “Huh,” she says.  

So he waits until Abby is in the bathroom and Mel is on her own, far from the crowd, gently swaying to the music. 

"You look beautiful," he says. 

Mel flushes, smiles and then shrugs, looking down at the dress.

"Well. This was my mother's," she says. 

She picks at the skirt - maybe there’s a bit of dust there he can’t see, or maybe she’s just feeling uncomfortable. One of her sleeves slips off the shoulder, and she pulls it back up with a little awkwardness.

"It doesn't fit right," she says apologetically. "She was taller."

"It fits fine."

"It doesn't."

"It fits fine, Mel."

She looks up at him then - she has to crook her neck back because he's standing too close. Somewhere nearby, his wife is wearing a dress that she’ll have for a weekend, and Mel is standing in front of him in a dress that has been hanging in a closet for maybe thirty-five years. 

"Thank you, Frank," she says. “I’m really happy you said that.” 

He knows he should keep an eye out for his wife. But - fuck it - she always takes ages in the bathroom anyway, and Mel looks like she could use a breather. 

He asks her if she wants to get some air, and follows the shine of her green dress out the door.

[afriendstolovers]

For @kingdonmicrofic day 3: gala | 467 words

no warnings

For a handful of reasons, Mel doesn’t do most social gatherings if she can help it. Middle Hill Independent Living’s summer gala, however, is always inescapable, and only because she knows how much it means to her sister that she goes and spends some time there eating fancy food and making conversation with strangers she admittedly doesn’t mind being around.

From the moment Becca shows up with two tickets and begs her to please bring Frank, Mel knows she’ll end up in an expensive gown and that she’ll have no choice but to try and ask the closest person she has to a friend to go with her. Surprisingly, she doesn’t have to work on her poor convincing skills at all; as soon as she brings the subject up during a quick break they have together at PTMC, Frank is more than happy to accept the invitation.

That’s how she shows up in a green dress and gloves, wearing black ballet flats that feel like she’s got nothing on her feet, with her hair done in a half up-do and her facial features highlighted by little makeup (the permanent blush in her cheeks are a courtesy of Frank in a suit that looks like it was tailored especially to him. Every time Mel dares to glance in his direction for more than two seconds, she feels redder and hotter, forced to take another sip of the drink she’s been nursing ever since they’ve arrived).

“I’m coming every year from now on,” Frank says with a mouthful of mini bruschettas, bringing her out of her mind. She hopes it’s not too obvious that she’s suddenly quiet after an entire week of yapping about the event, though she suspects, by the way she sometimes catches his eyes on her, that she’s not doing a good job. “This food is insane, Mel, holy shit.”

She can’t help the smile that breaks the unconscious pursing of her lips. “I told you! Becca never tells me who they hire, she says they have to keep it a secret so that everyone has at least one reason to come.”

“Fair.” He nods, causing a single strand of hair to fall to his forehead and Mel to hyperventilate. She almost chokes on air when he goes to fix it, mouth starting to move and tell him to let it the way it is, but then light catches just wrong and she’s blinded by his wedding band. “Well, another thing that’s exceptionally good here is the music.”

“Right?! I think it’s–”

“Do you wanna dance?” And then his hand is outstretched towards her, so big and tempting she wouldn’t forgive herself if she denied.

With their fingers intertwined, Mel forgets everything that has to do with marriages – if only for the rest of the night.

[kingdonmicrofic]

[pansiesandposies]

@kingdonmicrofic Day 3: Gala (344) No warnings

It doesn’t feel like it’s been five years. Mel never thought she’d be back at a PTMC event after ending her residency last year, not with everything that’s happened, but this is important. Important enough to face every little thing that’s kept her up at night. Five years since her first day at that hospital. Five years since her life changed, even if she didn’t know it at the time. Five years since Pittfest and the grief that came in the aftermath. “Are you ready?” Mel asks, clenching her hands. She half hopes the answer is no. “We don’t have to go in. Not if you don’t want to.” Next to her, Frank squeezes her hand. He’s scared too, she can see it in his eyes, but he always tries to be brave for her. “Today’s important, Mel. You saved a lot of lives that day.” “We saved a lot of lives, Frank.” Mel knows her voice is tight, but she doesn’t care. “Say it.” He smiles at her, some of the tension in his face melting away. She hates that he can’t feel pride in the work he did that day. Not that she feels proud given… she just wishes he could see her the way she sees him. They both still have unfinished business with the other staff members of the hospital. Some of it isn’t bad, she’s excited to see some of the nurses again, but some of it feels like a sharp pain in the chest. She knows it’s worse for Frank, having to see Dr. Robby and Dr. Santos. It won’t be easy for any of them to see the families of the victims or the survivors who committed to come. But they’ll get through it. Mel knows they will. “Will you save me a dance tonight, Dr. Langdon?” He laughs, real and quiet, before running a hand over her loose curls. “Only if you promise not to get swept away by some handsome donor tonight, Dr. Langdon.” She smiles, still not used to hearing her new name. “Deal.”

[kmsk8r]

@kingdonmicrofic day 3: gala | 467/467 | rating: t

Mel leaves her heels by the door, grateful to feel soft carpet beneath her feet. She loves getting dressed up, she just finds much more comfort in her fuzzy socks and supportive shoes.

After her second work-mandated fundraising gala, she discovered that getting unready was much more fun than getting ready. The gentle weight lifting off when she unclasps her necklace, breathing once she’s unzipped her dress, letting her hair down.

It’s quiet tonight, eerily so, and she keeps listening for the noise of the front door opening.

Frank hadn’t followed her in instead running back to the car because he’d forgotten something, though what exactly remained vague. He left her with a dizzying kiss on the doorstep, but he still hasn’t come in yet. Whatever it is must really be hidden. She’ll give it another minute before checking on him.

Right as she drops her earrings into her jewelry dish, there’s a knocking sound… coming from the window.

Mel stares at it from where she’s sitting on the edge of the bed, frowning. Her bedroom window is on the second floor, there’s no way that was a knock. Right? But it happens again, louder this time.

Crossing the room, she pulls back the curtains and sure enough, Frank is standing on the small rusty fire escape waving at her.

“Frank,” she hisses, throwing the window open. “What are you doing?”

Unfairly, he looks delighted with himself and so handsome in his crumpled and now dusty suit jacket and fancy hair. 

“You said you wanted to sneak a boy in,” he says, shrugging a shoulder. It’s true, it was on the list of things she told him she regretted never being able to do in high school, she just never expected him to actually do it. Mel blinks at him, equal parts incredulous and impressed. 

“I meant like after prom or something, not— not right now.”

“Well, I hate to break it to you baby, but I think this is the closest we can get,” he leans against the windowsill, trying to kiss her, but the metal creaks under him and both their eyes widen.

Frank fumbles in through the window, only hitting his head twice during the whole ordeal and managing to pull a few expletives from Mel. After both feet are on the ground, she hugs him, squeezing with all her might. What a ridiculous, silly, extremely thoughtful man. His hands circle her, one slipping under the unzipped fabric.

Against her ear, he whispers, “You’re dressed up so pretty, c’mon baby.”

She hums, considering his romantic, albeit stupid, grand gesture.

“We have to lock the front door,” she mumbles into his chest.

“Can that be an after task?” He asks, pulling her closer, but she whines. 

He laughs against her hair, “Alright, alright. I’ll go.”

[kingdonmicrofic]

[langdonmels]

day 3: gala

for @kingdonmicrofic wc: 467 | rating: t | cw: discussions of addiction/diverting, cigarettes, emotional infidelity if you squint

note: it would please me greatly if you listened to the orbiter by noah kahan while reading

read on ao3

Mel finds him slouched over the balcony railing, twirling an unlit cigarette between his fingers. The position must be terrible for his back. “There you are.”

Langdon glances up at her voice, his lips twitching. “Hi, Mel.”

She approaches slowly, almost afraid to spook him, uncertain if she should continue closer. “Those donors weren’t very nice to you.”

“No,” he scoffs, “they weren’t.” He runs a hand through his hair. “Can’t blame them though.”

“Dr. Langdon…” She moves closer, leaning her back against the railing. “That’s not a very nice way to speak about my favorite colleague.” 

Another twitch of his lips, but still no smile. “Favorite, huh?” He studies the cigarette thoughtfully. “I don’t deserve to be your favorite, Mel.”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “Why do you think that, Dr. Langdon?”

Langdon looks over to her, as if considering. His gaze feels warm against her cheek despite the cool night, and she hopes she isn’t blushing. Sighing, he turns away.

“Because I stole drugs from the hospital.”

“Obviously.” 

Frank’s head snaps back in her direction, frown deep on his face. It’s just as beautiful as when he throws his head back in laughter. “What?”

Mel turns towards him, a sunflower blossoming towards the sun. “A healthcare worker suffering from substance abuse… of course you were diverting.” She resists the urge to reach out and place a hand on his shoulder. Or run it through his hair. “Anyone who cares about you would’ve preferred you were taking from the hospital rather than buying tampered medicine off the streets.”

A strange look crosses his face. It makes her stomach flutter. “Mel…I…” He clears his throat. “Thank you.”

She tilts her head. “What for?”

“For… being you.” He shakes his head, straightening, pocketing the cigarette. “I just… I really appreciate your friendship.”

Mel beams up at him, clapping her hands together. “We’re friends?”

“Of course we are.” His left hand, the one with his wedding ring, reaches out, hovering before balling into a fist and dropping back to his side. “Maybe even best friends.” His voice is hoarse.

“Then I really appreciate your friendship too, Dr. Langdon.”

“Frank,” he corrects easily. Finally, a real smile. “My best friends call me Frank.”

“Frank,” she repeats, before hesitating. “Do you want to head back to the Gala? You don’t have to if you’d rather leave…”

He stares at her for a long moment, and Mel feels warm. Slowly, he exhales. “Yeah, I’ll head back in.” Pausing, he nods to himself before circling her, his familiar grin back as he offers her his arm. “Stick with me?

As if she has a choice; Mel is destined to orbit his gravity. “Okay.” She settles her hand against her strong bicep. Frank hums, pleased. 

“With you, I think I’ll be okay.”

[kingdonmicrofic]

[schokoleibniz]

🍏🍎 @kingdonmicrofic day 3: gala (467 words) 🍎🍏

(can also be found here!)

Their first date is at an apple orchard.

Well, Frank hadn’t planned on it being a date. Gloria and the other hospital admins are adamant on boosting employee morale following the harrowing holiday weekend, so posters promising family-friendly activities for the whole staff litter the break room. He’d signed up for apple-picking as soon as he’d seen it, figuring Tanner and Penny would enjoy running around the orchard. Only later does he realize that the event is during Abby’s week with them, and since her parents are coming to town then, she’s not willing to trade.

So he can either go alone or stay in his sparsely-decorated condo for the weekend. It’s a no-brainer.

Mel had signed her and her sister up for the event, so Frank expects to see both King sisters loitering near the employee entrance to the emergency department. The employee lot is surprisingly empty given the number of names on the sign-up sheet. Admin’s push for employee appreciation didn’t go as far as arranging a charter bus for their staff, so the plan was for everyone to organize carpools the day of. 

Five minutes after the arranged meeting time, Frank and Mel are the only ones standing in the lot. “Where are Tanner and Penny?” Mel asks, her brow furrowed.

“With Abby and her parents,” Frank responds. “Their trip was already planned but I didn’t find out until after I’d signed them up. Where’s Becca?”

“Her favorite type of apple isn’t in season until later,” Mel says. “But Gala apples are my favorite, so I figured I’d still go.” She looks around. “Guess it’s just us, huh?”

Frank runs a hand through his hair, somehow missing how Mel’s eyes track the movement. “Do you still wanna go?” He understands if not. He hasn’t even been back for two months, and Frank’s not too sure if his and Mel’s easy work dynamic will transfer to events outside of the emergency department. 

Mel’s eyes light up. “I’d love to! But only if you want to, of course.”

It’s a forty-five minute drive to the orchard, but thanks to Mel’s roadtrip playlist the time flies by. It isn’t long until they’re sitting on a wagon, pressed up against each other amid excited families impatient to reach the rows of apple trees. Frank helps Mel reach the ripest Gala apples, but only after teasing her about her height. She rolls her eyes at him, but accepts his help anyway, taking a large bite out of the apple and nodding in approval. 

They stay in the orchard far longer than anyone else, passing the time by walking through the various rows. It takes a while for Frank to work up the courage, but he kisses her under the tallest tree in the orchard. The kiss tastes of apples.

[kingdonmicrofic]

[perriaeyjeve]

[free-my-mindd]

Y’all don’t ignore people enough. That’s why you stressed out.

[kingdoncrumbs]

kingdon web weaving <3