#back issues

How to lift. Our Human Body. 1962.

I hope that makes sense! If not just ignore this message :)

hello, anon!

i can definitely see protective cassie, especially with a reader who struggles walking. i hope i do this justice :p

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cassie manages to get the weekend off for the first time in a while, so the two of you planned to spend at least the whole of saturday together.

she had said if you were feeling up to it, you could go out for lunch and get in a quick walk. if you weren't she'd bunk up at home with you and you'd just binge watch tv shows and movies. "i just wanna make sure you're comfortable," she had said.

the latter sounded more appealing, but you ended up trying to get to your favourite restaurant—the place where you had your first date. despite her excitement and pride at your willingness to come outside, cassie felt pretty anxious about it. she showed up about an hour earlier than you agreed—looking possibly the most stunning you've ever seen her with a white linen dress shirt and light-wash jeans—and fussed over you until you were both out the door.

she made sure you had your mobility aid with you, she packed a bag (that she didn't even entertain the thought of you holding) with the portable heating pad she got you, a couple instant ice packs, a shit ton of water, and some painkillers (nsaid gel, codeine tablets, and muscle relaxants). she wanted to be ready for absolutely everything.

"drink up, alright? you need to have had at least two and a half litres by the time were heading back", "if you even think you're about to be in some pain, please tell me. immediately", "if you're uncomfortable, i'll take you right home, sweetheart". you were pretty enamoured by how invested in your health and wellbeing she always was; it made you feel safe. you were pretty apprehensive about an outing too, but you felt miles better knowing that cassie would be there to take care of you.

at the restaurant, you sat on the same side of the table. every once in a while cassie ran her hand down your back, silently checking in with you. but by the ends of the meal, you were worn out. cassie could see as much in the way your posture had stiffened and your hands gripped tighter on your mobility aid.

she wasted no time getting you home and into a warm bath. she dissolved some epsom salts for its anti-inflammatory attributes and threw in some lavender essence just to be fancy. her arms wrapped around you and eased you into the tub before she stripped down in climbed in behind you, massaging your shoulders and upper back.

she hoped that the way her touch melted into your skin helped to at least relax you—she wanted to make you feel as comfortable as she could. the way your head lolled back against her shoulder told her she was doing a decent job. you could just barely see her face in your peripheral vision, her faint smile and the way she looked down at her hands against your body.

after the bath, cassie insisted on getting you moisturised and dressed in this lush set of pajamas she bought you from victoria's secret. she told you it'd help you feel better in the morning if you went to sleep with the heating pad, so you fell asleep with a soothing warmth on your back and cassie's arms around you.

sure, the saturday outing hadn't lasted very long. but cassie kept you well entertained for all of sunday by cuddling you in bed and showing you some of her favourite movies on her laptop.

with cassie, you felt a little better about days spent indoors. you never felt like you were missing out on anything, or like you weren't doing anything. honestly, cassie was just as ready to hole up in your bedroom. but she still insisted on keeping you well-hydrated to the point you felt like you were more than ninety percent made of water.

in between episodes of interview with the vampire, she'd look down at you in her arms and murmur, "should i get you one of those hiking pouches? they're, like, three litres. you can drink from them in bed without having to get up." in the last twenty minutes of the devil wears prada, "or i could get you those electrolytes. they have good flavours, y'know? it'd help your muscles..."

you could just shake your head fondly. there was no end in sight to cassie's protectiveness.

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finally some good fucking representation :3

Actually does make my eternally fucked up back much better.

I'm horrified. I'm disgusted. How dare exercise help people who have desk jobs?!

I'm continuing the leg swings- 150 time forwards and back and then just lifting each leg to the side.