𼠠= NSFW đ§  = contains metaphorical penguin shenanigans đ§ď¸ = contains heavy angst
Ship: Matt Murdock x F!Reader
Summary: Itâs said that every soul is connected to another by a red thread, and that these two souls are destined to meet. The thread, though it may  tangle or stretch, will never break. Thatâs not your experience, lucky  or unlucky enough as you are to see the strings that bind people  together. A red thread is developed and grown, not born, and youâve  worked hard to weed out any semblance of crimson that might cling to  you. You pay your bills, you keep your head down, and you find whatever  lost people or items youâre hired to sniff out.
Then the Devil of Hellâs Kitchen tags along on a job, and your plan falls apart.
Now the longest Daredevil x Reader fic on AO3, so remember to drink some water before starting! Updates every Tuesday.
Rating: Mostly M, occasional E. Chapters that are E will be marked at the beginning of the chapter. NSFW.
Current tags and warnings: friends-to-lovers, eventual smut, slow burn, Â canon-typical violence, blood, kidnapping and rescue, guns, angst, hurt/comfort, no use of ây/nâ. More tags are listed on the fic itself!
For your added enjoyment: listen to the official accompanying playlist on Spotify! Â
Chapter 1Â |Â Chapter 2Â |Â Chapter 3Â |Â Chapter 4Â |Â Chapter 5Â |Â Chapter 6Â |Â Chapter 7Â |Â Chapter 8Â |Â Chapter 9Â |Â Chapter 10Â |Â Chapter 11Â |Â Chapter 12Â |Â Chapter 13Â |Â Chapter 14Â |Â Chapter 15Â |Â Chapter 16Â |Â Chapter 17Â |Â Chapter 18Â |Â Chapter 19Â |Â Chapter 20Â |Â Chapter 21Â |Â Chapter 22Â |Â Chapter 23Â |Â Chapter 24Â |Â Chapter 25Â |Â Chapter 26Â |Â Chapter 27Â |Â Chapter 28Â |Â Chapter 29Â |Â Chapter 30Â |Â Chapter 31Â |Â Chapter 32Â |Â Chapter 33Â |Â Chapter 34Â |Â Chapter 35Â |Â Chapter 36Â |Â Chapter 37Â |Â Chapter 38Â |Â Chapter 39Â |Â Chapter 40Â |Â Chapter 41Â |Â Chapter 42Â |Â Chapter 43Â |Â Chapter 44Â |Â Chapter 45Â |Â Chapter 46Â |Â Chapter 47Â |Â Chapter 48Â |Â Chapter 49Â |Â Chapter 50Â |Â Chapter 51Â |Â Chapter 52Â |Â Chapter 53Â |Â Chapter 54Â |Â Chapter 55Â |Â Chapter 56Â |Â Chapter 57Â |Â Chapter 58Â |Â Chapter 59Â |Â Chapter 60Â |Â Chapter 61Â |Â Chapter 62Â |Â Chapter 63
Requested Matt POVs of major events:
âŚThe goodbye letter from Chapter 9. âŚMattâs POV of that scene from Chapter 28. (NSFWđĽ) âŚMattâs POV/feelings on you wearing his mask in Chapter 32. (NSFW đĽ ) âŚLetters from the Road (letters sent to Matt, post-chapter 34): Letter 1 | Letter 2 | Letter 3 (Also collected here) âŚMatt dreaming of you while youâre away during the Away Chapters. âŚMattâs POV of the 10 day period in Chapter 41. đ§ď¸ ⌠Mattâs POV of the mind-whammy and grinding in Chapter 47  đĽÂ Â
What-Ifs:
Based on an ask: what would happen if Reader lost her memory just before coming back from her three months away? đ§ď¸
Fan Creations Because Yaâll Are Amazing:
⌠ Art by @electricmongrelâ of Beagle!Reader and Doberman!Ciro! ⌠ Art by @nerualianâ of Matt, including one of him with a red thread! ⌠ Art by @acrabbybishâ of Matt in an adorable penguin onesie! ⌠ A series of wonderful pieces by @phantomkindalikejaidenâ of Matt and Red Threadâs Reader: Art 1 | Art 2 | Art 3 | Art 4 | Art 5 | Art 6 | Art 7 | Art 8 | Art 9 | Art 10 | Art 11 | Art 12 ⌠ Art by ViviEkhart on Insta of Matt and Reader holding hands! ⌠ An awesome playlist by @moonyinthestarsâ on spotify! ⌠Badass art by @melodicmelâ of Matt with a red thread! ⌠Art by @vx-vexedvixenâ, who made this awesome collage!
Real Men Wear Tiaras || Iceman
summary: Olivia desires to hold a tea party with Iceman turning into the Ice Queen. It's fingernail painting, pink fluffy boas, and glittery tiaras for this fighter pilot. Tom will do anything to make sure his baby girl is happy.
pairing: Tom "Iceman" Kazansky x Wife!Reader
â§ Iceman masterlist || My Library
Olivia, the bright and bubbly little girl who had pretty blonde hair and crystal blue orbs, peered up at her daddy who was seated behind his desk, looking over a last-minute report an admiral sent over to him. With a doll in one hand, and a hot pink boa in the other, the four-year-old waited patiently.Â
Through his reading glasses, Ice could feel the stare of his baby. You and Icemanâs son, Riley, were out with a couple of your friends for a playdate with the boys, leaving Olivia at home with her father.Â
âYes, Angel?â Ice finally peels his eyes off the screen of his computer.
Olivia giggles to herself. Holding her boa and doll, she blinks. Long eyelashes fan along her sweet little cheeks, a light dusty shade of pink covering her skin from how hard she was running earlier.Â
âCan we have a tea party?â She asks him in the cutest voice. Ice feels his heart tighten, knowing that voice and those big blue eyes would do him in. Peeling his glasses off his eyes, he contemplates his daughter. Picking her up, he plucks at the pink boa.Â
âJust us? Or is Rosie, Snow White, and Maggie joining us?â He questions, referencing her three favorite dolls, one of which was Rosie, a blonde Barbie who was in her hands currently.Â
âAll of us!â Olivia proclaims. âThis is for you, daddy,â She puts the boa around his neck. Ice folds his neck at the light tickling, shaking his head.Â
âAlright, then. Letâs go have a tea party.â Ice declares, turning his computer off. Olivia shrieks with excitement, scrambling to get out of Iceâs lap.Â
âI have to go find your tiara!â She squeals.
âMy what?â Tom jerks his head up, but it was too late. Olivia was much faster, her legs pushing her toward her bedroom. She had a tea set that Tomâs mother gifted her for Christmas, and it was one that she swore by. Every tea party whether it was with you, Ice, or both of you, included this tea set.Â
Ice sighs to himself, moving into the kitchen to make actual tea. Olivia preferred the real thing. It was easy when she was two to make her believe that water served as tea, but now that she was four, somehow she grew much wiser. After Ice fixes it and lets it cool, he looks to see Olivia rushing forward with the teapot.
âHere, daddy!â She says, handing it to him.
âThank you, baby,â Ice responds, taking the teapot from her. He fills it up and soon, heâs being whisked to her bedroom where her table was. She decorated it with some toys and set her dolls Snow White, Rosie, and Maggie in their chairs, leaving two spots open.
âMaggie, Rosie, and Snow White â The Ice Queen is here!â Olivia announces, holding her sparkly tiara. Tomâs eyes double in size. She was seriously going to make him wear it. She marches over, humming loudly as she sets the tiara atop her fatherâs head.Â
âI dub thee Ice Queen Ka⌠Ka⌠Katanzsy!â She implodes. She still had a hard time pronouncing her last name.Â
Ice smiles. âRepeat after me, baby⌠Ka,â
âKa,âÂ
âZan,âÂ
âZan!âÂ
âSky,âÂ
âSKY!âÂ
Ice grins.Â
âThatâs it, Angel! Kazansky.âÂ
Olivia grins. âKATANZSY!âÂ
Ice exhales with a laugh. âYouâll get it,â He kisses her head.Â
As he pours the tea into the tiny cups, Olivia giggles. âPinkies out, daddy!â She reminds him. Tom smirks, sticking his pinky out as they share some tea. Olivia is babbling onto her dolls, telling them that they must respect Iceman because he was their Ice Queen.Â
Iceman couldnât help but wonder. If his little girl became a naval aviator like him, would she dub the nickname Ice? Would he lead a legacy that she could carry on?Â
It makes a lump form in his throat at the mention. As the tea party comes to an end, Olivia smiles. âDaddy, will you paint my nails, please?â She asks him.
How could he say no? Heâd give this baby girl anything she wanted. Heâd hand the world to her on a silver platter if it meant he would see that darling smile. Soon the father-daughter duo is on the floor with paper towels spread around. Iceman is holding a deep concentration on the tiny nails of Olivia, coloring them a hot pink. She loved anything hot pink.
And he did so while still wearing the glittery tiara and pink boa. After he successfully painted Oliviaâs fingernails, she erupted with giggles.
âYour turn!â She exclaims, taking the cap to the nail polish. Iceman rolls his eyes with a laugh, knowing he shouldâve seen this coming. So, without giving her any lip, he puts his fingers in front of her. One by one with a deep concentration that matched his face earlier, Olivia did a rather good job of painting his nails.Â
Iceman holds them up for his daughter to examine. âWell? Are these nails fit for the Ice Queen?â he questions with a smile.Â
Olivia nods her head. She puts her fingertips on his.
âWe match!â She squeals, throwing her arms around his neck. Tom feels himself begin to melt. He loved this baby so much.Â
When you arrived with a sleeping Riley on your shoulder, you were greeted by the sight of Ice donning his tiara, pink boa, and bright nails.Â
âWell, it seems you two had fun,â You say, putting your keys in the bowl. Ice grins, nodding his head.
âWe did.âÂ
The very next day, Ice went to work as usual. And when he walked in, Slider and Hollywood were the first to notice the pilotâs rather blinding choice of nail color.
âWhoa, Iceman. You got somethinâ to tell us?â Slider laughs.
Maverick walks around the corner to see the commotion.Â
âOlivia got you, too?â He asks with a slight gulp.Â
Iceâs eyebrows knit together. âWhat happened?âÂ
Slowly, Maverick holds up his own hands, but his fingernails were blue and pink.
âMaddie Mitchell,â He announces.
The two pilots smiled widely, Hollywood and Slider glancing between them.
âSo, thatâs what itâs like to have daughters?â Slider asks.
Iceman chuckles.
âWe do anything to make those girls happy. Right, Maverick?âÂ
Maverick nods.
âAnything,â He agrees.Â
Iceman and Maverick would wear their nail polish with pride.
Need more blogs to follow!
Umbrella Academy
Doctor Who
Brooklyn 99
Supernatural
Sherlock
Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts
Anne with an E
Shadowhunters
Parks and Rec
Gilmore Girls
All Time Low
Panic! at the Disco
Fall Out Boy
My Chemical Romance
Merlin
Riverdale
Glee
The Good Place
Sex Education
John Mulaney
Marvel
Prequel to Head in the clouds.
What do you guys think?
âĄâĄâĄ
Nick Bradshaw has been your friend for years. When he gets into the academy, it just makes sense to go and visit him. That visit changes your life forever. From that very first meeting with Tom Kazansky, your life becomes and unforgettable adventure.
However, you didn't realise just how hard it would be, and make a decision that changes everything. It's a decision that really makes Iceman live up to his name.
PAIRING: Nick âGooseâ Bradshaw x Pilot!Reader
REQUESTED: Yes!
SUMMARY: When a bet leads Goose to hit on a pretty little thing at the bar, he couldnât have imagined that she would be Bellatrix â the infamous ace with a masterâs in astrophysics, and his instructor at Top Gun.
CHARACTERS: Nick âGooseâ Bradshaw, Pete âMaverickâ Mitchell, Tom âIcemanâ Kazansky, Ron âSliderâ Kerner, Rick âJesterâ Heatherly.
WORD COUNT: 6.2k
WARNINGS: Some suggestiveness, but nothing beyond normal Top Gun behavior. Inappropriate language. Goose just wants a girl who talks dirty. Me using every opportunity to call Maverick small. A mention of fraternization.
A/N: To the one who requested this, thank you so much, I must admit I was giggling and kicking my feet writing this, this is my level of love for this man. The callsign âBellatrixâ is because of the star since she is an astrophysicist, and the name means warrior.
Keep reading
kevin feige: chris you canât keep pitching these scripts to the writersÂ
chris evans: why broÂ
kevin feige: on the last one you wrote âtony takes off his mask to share a heated kiss with steve on donald trumpâs grave. everybody cheers. facism is over.âÂ
saviors & healers- Robby x oc social worker! part one: the healer. - part two. - part three.
ęŤÂ á´á á´ slow enemies-ish to friends to possible lovers(?) trope- lol ęŤ age gap! ęŤÂ á´á á´ dr langdon certified hater. ęŤÂ á´á á´ warnings: swear count. panic attacks. violence. suicide ideation discussion. ęŤÂ á´á á´ word count: 4.9k.
masterlist:
__
Dr. Nina Wojicki was practically burning holes through Dr. Robbyâs skull. Noâscratch that. She was.
The tension in the Pitt was thick enough to scalpel, and it had been since the second she stepped foot inside. Her presence always stirred the air, but today it was sharper. Louder. Angrier.
And the number one name on her helllistâas the rest of the Pitt liked to call itâwas Dr. Robby.
She never called him that, though. No, she made a point to call him Michael, every time, no matter how many times he corrected her. It wasnât petty. It was strategic.
Her stubbornness had long become legendary in the Pittâequal parts intriguing and exhausting. And today, Michael could feel it in his bones.
Fresh from the University of Chicago with a PhD in Social Work and newly thirty, Nina had wasted no time making the ER her personal battlefield. Charm when needed, daggers when not. She wasnât here to be liked. She was here to do the damn jobâand she was damn good at it.
Michael knew that. Maybe a little too well.
Currently, she was scrolling through the system at the nursesâ station, eyes narrowing at the patient logs. Her tongue clicked once. Then again. Then a third time, sharper now.
âUnbelievable,â she muttered, mostly to herself. âOf course he didnât log him.â
Across the room, Michael didnât need to look up. He heard the click. Felt the shift. He knew she was coming.
He braced himself.
Langdon, ever the observant one, caught the look in Michaelâs eyes and turned just in time to see the ash-brunette stomping their way. Her hands were buried in the pockets of her coat, fingers twitching around a bundle of Flair pens.
Bad sign.
âGood afternoon, Dr. Wojicki,â Langdon greeted, arms folded and eyes dancing. âTo what do we owe this⌠delightful appearance?â
She shot him a look, then turned to Michael without skipping a beat. âYour incompetent doctor here didnât log in the psych patient from this morning.â
Michael didnât flinch, eyes still on the chart in front of him. He was already preparing for the storm. âOh no,â he said dryly. âThe horror.â
Ninaâs jaw tightened. Langdon chuckled.
âDonât even start, Jumpy,â she warned, pointing a finger at him.
He smirked. âRelax, Miss Fidgety. What earth-shattering crime did I commit this time?â
She cocked an eyebrow, sarcasm sharpened like a scalpel. âYou didnât enter the 8 a.m. patientâs info. The one I evaluated. I donât have access to his file, and now I canât input my follow-up diagnosis.â
Langdon stepped in. âHeâs not your patient, Nina.â
âExcuse me?â Her fire ignited. âHe has schizophrenia, Franky. That makes him my patient.â
âItâs not confirmed schizophrenia. Itâs a symptom cluster. We donât slap labels on one visit.â
âOh, please.â She scoffed. âYou wouldnât have paged me if you didnât suspect it was psychological and not physical.â
âI didnât make that call,â Langdon snapped. His eyes flicked to Michael.
Michael still hadnât looked up.
But he was listening. Every word. Every heartbeat.
Nina pivoted again, now arms crossed. âWanna speak up, Dr. Michael?â she asked, each word sugarcoated in attitude.
Finally, he shut the file with a satisfying snap and walked past Langdon, slapping the chart into his chest. âFollow me,â he muttered, not sparing either of them a glance.
Nina narrowed her eyes, growling under her breath as she stalked after him.
âSo it was you,â she hissed. âYou made the call. You looped me in.â
He didnât answer. Didnât need to. He knew sheâd follow. He always knew.
They reached the on-call room. He pushed open the door and stepped inside.
She shut it behind her with a loud click.
âYou gonna keep ignoring me, or are we going to have a grown-up conversation?â Nina asked, arms still crossed.
Michael turned, finally facing her. His shoulders tense, jaw tight.
âYou stormed into the Pitt like a damn hurricane, Nina. You wanna talk about grown-up behavior?â
âOh, Iâm sorry, would you prefer I just let bad patient documentation slide? Want me to play nice while someone falls through the cracks?â
His jaw twitched. âNo. But you could try not lighting the place on fire every time you find a mistake.â
She stepped closer. âMaybe if people around here actually did their jobs, I wouldnât have to play fire marshal.â
He laughed, but it wasnât mocking. It was tired. Honest. âYou always this intense, or do I just bring out your best?â
Her lips parted slightly, caught off guard by the way he said it. Not mocking. Not amused. Just⌠low. Real.
âYou bring out something, thatâs for sure,â she muttered. Her voice wavered. Just enough for him to catch it.
They stood thereâtoo long. The silence wasnât awkward. It was dense. Like grief. Like something was about to be said and neither wanted to be the one to break it.
He took a step closer. So did she.
Close enough now that he could see the slight tremble in her fingertips. The crease between her brows. The way her breath hitched before she spoke.
âI paged you because I trust your gut,â he said finally. âNot because I needed a lecture.â
Her breath caught halfway in her throat. âThen next time, say that. Donât leave me out in the Pitt to fight with Frank like Iâm the problem.â
âYouâre not the problem,â he saidâquiet. Fast. Like it had been waiting to leave his mouth. âYouâre just the only one brave enough to yell about it.â
That silenced her.
He studied herâevery flicker of emotion she tried to smother.
âYou act like everyone hates you here.â
âThey donât have to like me,â she muttered.
âNo. But I think some of us do,â he saidâand added, almost too quiet to hearââa little too much.â
Her eyes darted to his.
The air cracked.
It wasnât a kiss. Not even a touch. But his hand brushed the door handle like he needed to remind himself where the line was.
She didnât move. Neither did he.
Finally, he spoke. Voice hoarse. âYou should probably go document your follow-up. Weâll talk againâjust⌠maybe not in front of the whole ER next time.â
Her lips twitched, somewhere between a smirk and a challenge. âSure. If you grow a spine and back me up next time.â
He let out a dry laugh. âDeal.â
But as she brushed past himâshoulder to shoulderâneither of them said what they were really thinking.
__
Dr. Nina had just gotten in for the early evening and overnight shift, which she dreaded. But at least there was an upside: Dr. Abbot; who quite honestly felt like her dad in some ways.
Was her father a doctor? No, he was a lawyer. Was her dad a fisher? Also, no. Was he kind, empathetic, but also had a sarcastic side? Yes and yes. Was he also grey haired? Triple yes.
She hadnât turned on her pinger when her phone rang at her desk, just as she sat down. Her nostrils flared as her mouth clenched, and she picked up the phone.
âYes?â she spat a little too quicklyâand quickly felt guilt seep into her abdomen.
Dr. Robby on the other side was taken back for a moment before speaking, âDr. Nina? We need you down in the Pitt for a momentââ
She cut him off. âDr. Michael, I canât come down at this moment. Is Dr. Alfaro there? Or Dr. Murphy?â she questioned, pinching the bridge of her nose.
She thought of the other social workers who couldâve just arrived or were already there.
She heard Dr. Michael sigh. âWell, yes, butââ
She cut him off again. âI canât come down, Dr. Robinavitch. You need to find someone else.â
She stated his full name, promptly ending the conversation.
Dr. Michael stood there for a brief few seconds before nodding. âOf course, Dr. Wojicki,â he declared before hanging up.
He stood with his hand finally retreating from the corded phone, his eyebrows crinkled. He didnât think sheâd ever called him by his last name besides the first day they met.
Even though that attitude was a regular occurrence, it was never first thing when she got here.
She slapped the phone back into the receiver and stared up at the ceiling, leaning back in her chair.
God, she hated it when this happened. And she cursed herself for not staying on top of herself.
After moving here from Chicagoâfive months ago nowâsheâd definitely let her health and wellbeing fall to the back burner.
Now, it was beginning to take a toll.
She thought sheâd be okay moving to a new city. But no. Sheâd been wrong.
Again.
__
Twenty-five minutes later, there was a knock at Ninaâs office door.
She froze.
Held her breath. Slowed it. Willed her pulse to calm as she silently begged whoever it was to just go away.
âI know youâre in there, Dr. Wojicki.â
Damn.
She recognized the voice immediatelyâfamiliar and frustratingly warm. Dr. Michael Robby.
With a loud, dramatic sigh, she pushed herself up from her chair and made her way to the door, dragging her feet more than sheâd admit.
When she opened it, Michael stood there, eyes scanning her the way only someone trained in observationâand maybe something a little more personalâcould.
She looked like hell. Pale, drawn, and tense. Purple bags hollowed out her under-eyes, and her pupils were blown, uneasy. She stood there in front of him, arms crossed too tightly and confidence nowhere in sight.
Very unlike her.
âAre you okay?â he asked immediately.
She rolled her eyes. âIsnât that my line?â
He chuckled, and somehow it echoed in her chestâwarm, unexpected. Her spine tingled. Her cheeks flushed.
âI donât think Iâve ever actually heard you say that before. Not to me, and definitely not in the Pitt,â he teased, leaning against the frame like he had all day.
Nina exhaled and rubbed the bridge of her nose, eyes squeezed shut. Michaelâs gaze flicked downward, catching the faint bruises along her handsâhalf hidden, half colored by her naturally cool-toned skin.
âIs everything okay, Dr. Nina?â he asked again, this time softer.
Her eyes opened slowly, sharp and guarded. âPeachy,â she muttered before closing the door in his face.
She didnât slam it. But she made sure he heard the click of the lock.
Michael stood there for a beat, replaying what he saw, what he sensed, andâmore than anythingâwhat he believed.
Then he walked away.
Inside, Nina sagged against the front of her desk like someone had pulled the plug. A sob broke through before she could stop it, followed by another, and another, until silent tears carved rivers down her face.
Her body was exhausted. Her mindâshattered. And emotionally? She was drowning. Dried out and waterlogged all at once.
Sleep was a fantasy. Functioning was becoming one too. And if something didnât give soon, she would break.
No. She was breaking.
She laid a trembling hand flat against her chest, trying to still the panicked beat beneath. It felt like her heart was either going to burst or give out entirelyâand she wasnât sure which terrified her more.
She was running on fumes. And even those were poisoned with depression, anxiety, unresolved traumaâemotions she had battled her whole life, but now, without medication or support, they were winning.
Sheâd thought the move would bring her peace. A new city. A new chapter. A reset.
But it hadnât.
It amplified everything.
And somewhere along the way, sheâd started to feel abandoned, even though no one had technically left her. She had chosen this. Chosen alone.
But it still stung like rejection.
She felt unloved. Unlovable. Like no one would care if she just⌠disappeared.
Head tilted back, eyes locked on the dimmed ceiling light, she whispered into the silenceânot really expecting an answer:
Why me?
What did I do to deserve this?
How could someone so empathetic, so hardworking, someone who tried so damn hard to care for everyone else⌠be left to carry this much?
Her only answer was the weight in her chest.
And the silence. Always, the silence.
__
6:42 AM; the next morning.
She had exactly 18 minutes left before she could leave this hellholeâalso known as the Pitt. Sheâd been stuck down here with Dr. Abbott for the better part of her shift, dealing with one psychological patient after another as they rolled in throughout the night. Dr. Nina was now checking in on her last patient of the shift, and immediately, she sensed something was off. Call it spidey senses, call it intuitionâwhatever it was, the energy of the room shifted, and the hair on the back of her neck stood up.
"Good morning, Mr. Callahanâwhat brings you in today?" she asked as she approached the computer next to his bed. He didnât respond, only stared at her. She offered a soft smile. "Itâs early, I know. Thatâs alright."
She was about to speak again when his file loaded, but before she could, he snapped.
"You! Youâre the one who fucking poisoned me!" His voice screamed out, and Nina froze.
Me?
Sheâd never met this man in her life.
"I understand that youâre agitated, and the meds should be working soon, but I donât think weâve ever met before. Have you been hereâ"
He cut her off, suddenly lunging off the bed, his movements frantic. In an instant, he knocked her back into the wall, the sharp edge of a scalpel gleaming in his hand. His IV tore from his arm, blood spilling out and splattering all over her. Ninaâs gaze locked onto the scalpel, and her body tensed. Fear crawled down her spine as his face came dangerously close to hers. She turned her head, trying to escape his proximity, but he screamed in her ear.
"Youâre going to regret ever giving me meds, Matilda! Iâm gonna fucking kill you!" His words were full of rage, and before she could react, the scalpel pressed to her throat.
He didnât get far before he was suddenly yanked backward. Dr. Abbott, appearing from nowhere, put himself between Nina and the patient. He glared at the man, fury flashing in his eyes. "Don't you move another step," Abbott warned, his voice low but deadly. "I will gladly lose my license today if that means you don't touch her."
Nina coughed, the blood from her neck trickling down her skin. Her eyes dilated, her body still locked in fight-or-flight mode. But underneath it all, she felt like a little girl again, alone and helplessâberated by her parents with no one to protect her.
As soon as Dr. Abbott saw that the patient was restrained by other nurses, he turned back toward Nina. His concern grew when he realized she was nowhere to be found. He looked down.
She was curled into a ball on the floor, her body rocking back and forth, her head hitting the wall behind her with each movement. Uncontrollable tears streamed down her grey-blue eyes, her heart sinking as if it had fallen straight through her chest. She was in a daze, unsure if what had just happened was real or just a hallucination. Was she so dissociated that her mind had fabricated the whole thing?
Dr. Abbott kneeled in front of her, his hand gently resting on her shoulder. "Nina," he said softly, his voice full of concern.
Her eyes snapped up to meet his, and she flinched, pulling away. "Donât touch me," she hissed, her voice shaky.
"Nina, please, let me helpâ"
She shook her head violently, standing up in a rush. Her eyes were wide with terror as she scanned the room, desperate to escape the suffocating walls closing in around her.
Before Dr. Abbott could say another word, she bolted. Her footsteps echoed down the hallway as she ran past the nurse's station, where the Pitt crew was just arriving for their shift. They watched her, confused, as she sprinted toward the stairwell. Dr. Michael had just arrived for the day and caught a fleeting glimpse of her ash-brown hair disappearing into the stairwell in mere seconds.
Nina didnât stop to think. She just ran. She ran up six flights of stairs, her breath growing shallow, her vision clouded by the rush of blood and panic. All that could be heard were the heavy, ragged sobs and shallow breaths as she pushed herself onward.
When she reached the sixth floor, she staggered out of the stairwell. She was met with curious eyes, but they quickly dropped to the blood soaking through her white coatâher neck still bleeding from where the scalpel had grazed her skin. Fuck. She would need a new one. She groaned inwardly.
"Dr. Ninaâ" Kiara began, but before she could say anything else, Nina bolted past her, heading straight for her office.
She slammed the door behind her, too frantic to lock it. Her eyes scanned the room, searching for somewhere to hide. Her gaze fell on the wooden desk in front of her. She yanked out the chair and collapsed beneath it, curling up into a ball, pressing herself against the solid wood.
Her sobs grew louder as she rocked back and forth, trying to calm herself, but finding no relief. She felt completely undone, trapped in a nightmare she couldnât escape.
No one would help her. No one would ask if she's ok.
Yet. She didn't want anyone to. She didn't want to seem like a problem. A child.
__
It was a mere few minutes later, Robby going into saving mode, when she heard a soft knock on the door, followed by the gentle click of it opening. Footsteps padded softly into the room, and she immediately froze, her body tensing with unease.
Who was it?
"Dr. Nina?" came the familiar voice of Dr. Michael.
A sob escaped her before she could stop it, and she quickly clapped a hand over her mouth. His eyes darted to the deskâhe knew. He knew she was under there. Quietly, he shut the door behind him, walked around the desk, and pulled out the chair.
He looked down at the fragile woman who suddenly felt like a scared child. She couldnât meet his gaze, too afraid heâd be angry with herâfor being a burden, a problem, a mess. She curled deeper into herself, although there was no more space left to retreat.
He knelt down, gently setting the supplies Dana had brought him: gauze, saline solution, stitches, bandages.
"Did that really just happen?" she whispered, the question stopping Robby in his tracks.
"Did they really just attack me?" she asked again, her voice barely audible. She wasnât even sure her mind was telling the truthâit had lied to her before.
His brow furrowed. âWhat do you mean?â
She finally lifted her head, and what he saw confirmed his worst suspicion.
âDid that patient really attack me? Did he really hurt me?â Her voice cracked. She didnât feel itâher neck, her shoulder, her head. There was no pain.
She was simply numb.
âI think you may be concussed,â Robby said, studying her face. Her pupils were dilated. Her skin was paleâthough, with her, that was always the case. Then he saw the cut on her neck, and the blood staining her white coat and black work clothes.
âMay I check you? I want to rule out a concussion, Nina.â
Something about the way he said her nameâsoft, carefulâmade her heart ache. She nodded, inching just out from under the desk. He checked her eyes with a small light, guiding her vision with his finger. No concussion. Good.
He motioned toward her neck. She sighed and tilted her head.
âItâs beginning to clot. Thatâs good,â he said, cleaning the area with gauze and saline. Next, he examined the bruises already forming around her neck. She nodded, allowing him to lift her shirt slightly to peek at her shoulders.
Gods, she bruised so easily.
âAlready bruised?â she teased weakly.
He glanced at her, then back at the dark marks. A small chuckle slipped out as he reached for a bandage.
âSomething tells me youâre not surprised?â
She shook her head. âUnfortunately, with this ghostly complexion? I bruise if the wind breathes on me too hard.â
After securing the bandage, his gaze fell to her hands, marked with smaller bruises.
âMay I ask why your hands are bruised, then?â he asked gently.
She immediately tucked them behind her.
âNo, no. Weâre not doing that,â he said softly, reaching for them again. She didnât resist as he brought them forward.
She wouldnât lieâshe felt lightheaded. And she couldnât deny that her breathing faltered slightly when his hands wrapped around hers.
Another confirmation, he thought.
âIs there anyone at home, Nina, whoââ
She shook her head quickly. âNo. No, Itâs just me.â
He nodded, carefully checking her fingers. No breaks. No sprains. Just bruises.
âMay I ask why you show up with more bruises every time I see you?â he asked again, voice soft but sincere.
She met his eyes, didnât pull away. Her hands were still in his, even though he didnât need to hold them anymore.
She cleared her throat. âMy hands⌠are kind of my go-to when I get really stressed. Or angry.â
She looked down at them. âTheyâre my personal fidget spinner. I flex them, pull at them, hit them against things just to... feel something. To make my mind shut up for once. I don't know.â
She stopped, realizing what she had just confessed.
His chest tightened.
âAre you taking anything, Nina? Or speaking to someone?â
She shook her head. âWellânot anymore. I used to. Back at the hospital before I moved, I had weekly sessions, meds... but since the move, itâs all taken a backseat andââ
âWe have to change that, Dr. Nina,â he said, gently rubbing his thumb across hers. The smallest gesture, yet it made her feel... safe.
âIâI donât know, Dr. Micââ
âRobby,â he corrected gently. âCall me Robby.â
She looked up, her grey-blue eyes locking onto his warm brown ones. There were laugh lines around his eyes, but in this moment, they just made him look kind. Steady.
âRobby,â she said, almost tasting the unfamiliar softness of it. âI just... I donât want to be a burden.â
âAn inconvenience?â he asked knowingly. âNo. Nina, we as doctors can only do our best when weâre taking care of everything behind the scenes. Our mental and emotional health? Non-negotiable. We can't ignore it. Not in this field.â
She nodded.
âLetâs talk to Kiara. Iâm sure she can help,â he offered.
Before she could respond, a knock broke the moment. Both turned their heads toward the door.
Robby quickly pulled back, standing up and tidying the used supplies. Dr. Abbott walked in as Nina stood, straightening her clothesâand thatâs when she saw it.
The blood.
Her stomach turned.
Without hesitation, Robby held the trash can out in front of her. A reflex. She threw up. Abbott glanced between the two of themâhe knew heâd just walked in on something private. You could feel it in the air.
When she finally stopped, Robby handed her gauze to wipe her mouth.
âThanks,â she murmured.
Abbott cleared his throat. Nina turned to him, nervously.
âHi.â
âI brought you some clean scrubs so you donât have to drive home in those,â he said kindly. âJust wanted to check on you, kid.â
She smiled. âThanks, Abbott.â
Robby took that as his cue to leave. As he reached the door, she called after him.
âThank you, Dr. Robby,â she said warmly.
He met her eyes and smiled before stepping out.
When she turned back around, Abbott was already settled in her chair.
âSO. How can I help you, Mr. Abbott?â she teased, and he chuckled as she sat down.
__
The next morning, she was back.
Sharing a shift with Robby and the rest of the Pitt crew. Anxiety had followed her all night and clung to her as she walked in. Would he pretend nothing happened? Would everything go back to normal? She stepped into her office and saw a letter on her deskâno, two. And next to them, a Dunkin Donuts vanilla latte. She opened the first letter, from Kiara. It promised privacy. Off-the-books sessions. No insurance. The line made her laugh softly.
Then, her eyes landed on the other envelopeâpure chicken scratch. Robby. The letter was full of warmth, empathy, and gentle wit. He offered himself as a mentor, a sounding board, or even a brick wall for her sarcasm, should she need one. But most of all, the letter offered friendship. A knock sounded. Robbyâs head popped in. âHi,â she said, slightly flustered. She sat back in her chair as he entered, shutting the door behind him without looking away. She looked rested. For once.
âWhat do I owe this pleasure?â she teased, sipping the latte. He smiled at the floor, then sat in the chair across from her. âMorning, Nina. How was the rest of your day yesterday?â She smirked. âYou know I abhor small talk, Dr. Robby,â she teased. âBut wouldnât you like to know?â He chuckled lightly.
âAbbott got me some medical-grade melatonin before I left yesterday. Told me to take three and call it a night once I got home. My cat was very concerned when she woke me up screaming, because I forgot to give her her lunch,â she mused, sipping her coffee.
âA cat?â His eyebrow flicked up, curiosity growing.
âYes, a kitty. Youâd know that if you stopped trying to small talk me every day,â she hummed. âBut yeah, I have a six-year-old tabby named Kilo, whichâyesâyou can already guess why heâs named that. I just say itâs Australian when people ask.â
Robby smiled. âWell, good to know thereâs more to you than that wall you keep up,â he said warmly.
She tilted her cup toward him. âGlad to hear some not-so-rude humor from you today, Dr. Nina,â he added boldly.
Her mouth popped open in surprise. âYou asshole,â she mutteredâbut she knew exactly what he meant. She had been a bitch the past few months, after missing her medication refill.
âDr. Kiara already called UChicago, got your meds refilledâtheyâre sitting in your desk drawer,â he explained.
She sighed. âIâm gonna kill you all. Starting with Franky downstairs,â she chuckled.
âOh, wait now, I need him in the clinic today. Maybe after our shift ends,â he replied, sipping his coffee.
âI guess I can hold off,â she playfully sighed.
The two of them sat in a comfortable quiet for a moment, studying one another.
âI donât want youâor Kiara, or Abbottâto think Iâm some kind of weak child who canât handle this job,â she said gently.
Robby shifted in his seat. She continued, voice steady but low.
âI donât want you to think Iâm incapable of doing good work. My fuel and passion are what keep me going. The reasons behind what I doâtheyâre at the forefront of my work, every single day.â
He nodded slowly. âWeâve all got our reasons in this profession.â
âWellâŚâ She hesitated. âMy childhood wasnât exactly the greatest. I think I spent more time alone in my room than anywhere else, scared of which parent was going to scream at me next. The only time I felt seen by my family was when I was on my deathbedâfiguratively speaking.â
She stared out the window, her features softer than usual. Vulnerable.
âThe reason I am who I amâand why I do this workâis because I became the person I longed for as a child. The one I begged for. Screamed for. Until I lost my voice,â she said quietly. âEven then, no one came. No one helped. No one saved me.â
Her gaze dropped to her hands.
âSo when I get the chance to save someone elseâor just be there for themâit heals me. Little by little. Heals me without me needing to beg for assistance or worry if someoneâs going to care. So I donât have to ask for help or make someone worry about me.â
Robby watched the guilt start creeping back into her eyes. She was bracing herself for rejection.
But he leaned forward instead, his voice warm.
âWell⌠thank you, Nina. For opening up to me. I want you to never feel like youâre a burdenâbecause youâre not. Your reasons, your passion for this workâitâs admirable. You havenât let your trauma, your insecurities, or even your setbacks hold you back. Iâm incredibly glad to have you here.â
He held her gaze. Those words and his gaze, held something a bit more.
âAnd I want you to knowâeveryone else, even when youâre a complete bitchââ
She giggled, softly. A smile crept up on his face.
ââto everyone. Especially me. Weâre grateful youâre here. Today and every day. Youâre a damn good doctor, Nina. And youâre irreplaceable.â
She felt something warm and unfamiliar creep up her chestâbut all she could manage was a nod.
âThank you, Robby. I appreciate that,â she murmured.
He nodded and stood. âNow meet us downstairs when youâre sure you wonât tear Frankyâs head off.â
She giggled again, just a little.
âTell Franky to put me in the system,â she quipped.
He nodded. âWill do.â
She smiled a little wider, a little brighter than she had in weeks.
Robby left with a heart fullâand a smile that didnât leave his face the rest of the day.
Nina looked back down at the letter Robby had written, her eyes lingering on the number scribbled at the bottom.
But they flitted back to the line just above itâthe one that struck her the most:
You donât have to carry the weight of others or feel like youâre a burden. First, itâs not your weight to carry. And second, you will never be a burdenâto the hospital, to the crew, and especially not to me.
eeeeeek! hope you all enjoyed!!!
please like and reblog, if you enjoyed!
Ha me
I like cat whiskers
And
Tyler Oakley
And
Shane Dawson
Because I like YouTube
I like Fall Out Boy
And
Panic! At The Disco
And
My Chemical Romance
And
Twenty One Pilots
Because I like music
I like Sherlock
And
Doctor who
And
Supernatural
Because I like Tumblr
I like The Hunger Games
And
Divergent
And
Percy Jackson
Because I like books
I like a lot of things
That most people
Donât know very much about
Itâs like a disease
Once you like one
Itâs all over
OTPâs
And
Fanfics
And
Stalking
Comic Con
And
Vid Con
And
Meet ups
I like a lot of things
And
Iâm in a lot of fandoms
And
I have a very suspicious feeling
That it all started
Because
Mr. And Mrs. Dursley
Of number four
Privet Drive
Were proud to say that
They were perfectly normal
Thank you very much.
John Mulaney and Matt Murdock are one in the same. Two catholic boys who are fucking done with everything and everyone.
Think about it:
Karen, in Defenders: are you done with the vigilante life?
Matt:
âDidnât a building fall on you?
Matt:
âBut youâre blind.â
Matt:
Just Matt in general:
Ur welcome
So first off I would like to say that I really enjoy supernatural. I am currently on Season 12 episode 8. With supernatural coming up on their 14th season I was thinking about how they could end the show. Now they could probably go pass 14th season but I was still wondering. So hereâs how I think they should end it. Supernatural has to end with Sam and Dean dead, this is unfortunate but itâs true. Carry on my wayward son is a must. Standing in front of sam and deans house has to be Mary, John, Jo, Ellen, Bobby, and Castiel. Then we show each of their faces and each one of them say âSaving people. Hunting things. The family Business.â So it would go something like this:
Mary: Saving
John: People.
Ellen: Hunting
Jo: Things.
Bobby: The
Castiel: Family
Dean and Sam: Business
Then it ends with an acoustic version of carry on my wayward son showing everyone else they have loved as family and of course the Impala has to be there.
That is what I hope for.
I've got another Brock one shot I'll be posting on A03 want a tag?
Yes please