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“okay so i’m thinking of sculpting myself nude, like a self portrait but with clay.  the thing is, i’m kind of shit with clay, so i might turn out looking like a monster.  but then i thought- even better, right?”  mere talked as she nibbled on her celery stick like a guinea pig, her back to the cinderblock wall that lined the hallways of her former college.  “imagine that as an assignment, you know?  sculpt yourself as a naked monster, release your inner demons, i think i might really be on to something.  to think this all came to me in a post coffee vision, simple proof that i should never give up caffeine.”  ( @cvastals​ )

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“quit moving!  this is my finest work here!  truly a masterpiece,” meredith smiled as she looked down.  her eyes were currently focused on nyla’s leg where she was painting a messy version of starry night, except with tiny glowing dicks among the stars.  tiny flecks of paint sprinkled on the hardwood floor as she worked, adding to her collection of household paint splatters.  “you’re not gonna want to wash this off, i bet if you chopped off your leg and sold it you’d make a fortune.” ( @ncbodyshome​ )

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mere pressed her back against the wall of the scuba kitchen, letting out an exasperated sigh as she did so.  “i swear if one more caucasian dad in a hawaiian shirt hits on me in front of his wife, i’m going to lose it.  seriously, i might just lob one in his face.  you’re not on an island, you’re in carolina and it’s february.  this isn’t the tropical vacation you think it is.”  she grabbed the vodka soda she’d been nursing during her brief moments in the back.  “this is definitely a drink on the job sort of night.  how about you?”  ( @slversoul​ )

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the irving hospital was an all too familiar site for meredith.  she could remember running around this cafeteria as a child, her father grabbing the back of her shirt and telling her to sit still, but ultimately giving in as the white walls of a hospital are no place for a kid, he knew that.  her sister would often be off having tests, sitting through dialysis, getting infusions to help with the fainting.  her parents tried to keep the both of them happy, tried to give them some semblance of a normal childhood.  looking back, meredith didn’t feel any sort of loss.  she didn’t mourn her youth.  she had always been happy, and for every scary memory she had in these halls there was a memory of joy, of a kind nurse, of a funny joke from her sister, of trick or treating with doctors.  it was a mixed bag, and being there didn’t really phase her anymore.  walking through the cafeteria, she grabbed a tray, starving from an all night fast for her bloodwork.  she knew exactly where to go, knew to avoid anything barbecue, and knew that the green jello was secretly the best flavor.  she also knew the best spot in the house was the half shaded table in the corner - private and slightly warmed from the sunlight streaming through the skylight.  that was exactly where she plopped herself, her fork digging into her fruit cup as her other hand cracked open a can of soda.  pretty soon, she saw a shadow loom over the table, looking up to see someone had sat themselves at the other end.  she suddenly felt the need to claim her territory.  “oh sure, just have a seat then,” she said sarcastically, gesturing with the can in her hand.  the cotton ball taped to her arm crinkled as she retracted her hand, taking a sip.  “don’t mind me.”  ( @solitvdcs )

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plctitude​.

          ❝  I’M IMAGINING one of those sticks with , like , a steak hanging off or something .  you know , like in cartoons .  cgi would imply there is no real air bud and that’s just too sad of a thought , so i refuse to believe it .  ❞  her response comes quickly , too quickly , in fact – perhaps she’d thought deeply about this before .  ❝  that’d be sick .  maybe they’ll even put us in their little museum things .  i’ve been to one of those before , as a kid .  it’s a little bit like that movie house of wax , but somehow just a little bit creepier .  ❞  a shudder .   ❝  anyway , now it’s your turn to come up with something to make us a famous .  everyone needs a plan b .  ❞

“oh my god, you’re probably right.  air bud was definitely just jumpin’ for a fresh juicy lampchop or something,” she laughed.  “yeah, i’d much prefer to live in a world where air bud is a real, living, breathing dog.  you can’t pet cgi, that’s just disappointing.  when i found out aslan wasn’t a real lion?  i was crushed.” mere tucked a bit of hair behind her ear.  “you know you’re right, that would be pretty cool, immortalized forever in a waxy tourist trap.  definitely a new life goal,” she made a mental note. “hmm, maybe we need to just make a really good tiktok.  though i suppose viral fame is pretty fleeting.”

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@freddve

— perfect by ed sheeran ”but darling, just kiss me slow, your heart is all i own”

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solitvdcs​.

eyes adjusting to the light, a grin broke out across carson’s face when meredith’s face came into focus — though, admittedly, he still wore the exhaustion in his eyes. “you’re a godsend, mere,” he said, catching the bag without missing a beat. he was grateful for that, the fact that they were still the same, regardless of distance and time. they would be old and gray and yet still completely in sync. he couldn’t say that about anybody else in his life, not even his own sisters.

he followed her into the shop as though it were hers and not his, settling into the breakroom that had little more than a couple of chairs and an old microwave — another thing on his list of things to update, but farther down while he still read through his father’s old books and figured out the financial situation; maybe he should’ve taken at least one business class in college. “the universe already had me an hour behind schedule today, but hopefully it’ll work more in your favor than it has in mine.” he pulled a sandwich out of the bag, unwrapping it quickly and taking a large bite. he hummed in satisfaction, waiting until he swallowed the first bite before speaking again. “this is the freshest food i’ve had in weeks. that sounds really pathetic hearing it out loud, but you can’t deny the truth.” finally settling in next to her, he kept his ear tuned in for telltale signs of customers, a well placed patch of gravel sure to signal anyone pulling up — so long as the garage door stayed open. “have i mentioned that you’re the best lately? i really should tell you that more.”

“i know,” she replied in a sing-song manner.  mere was always one to take a compliment.  she took a long sip from her coffee as she settled down into the breakroom, remembering the time she got scolded by her mother for running through the very same room as a kid.  it felt odd now, being there as an adult, seeing carson in his father’s place.  they weren’t little anymore, twirling around in exhaust fumes and begging their parents for a few coins for the gumball machine.  “are you kidding?  what have you been eating, ramen and chocolate from the vending machine?”  she unwrapped her sandwich as she spoke, enjoying the pleasant smell of freshly fried eggs and ham.  “we gotta get you some groceries, do you have an oven here?” she whipped her head around, noticing the microwave.  she of course, understood why carson was here instead of his home.  though she didn’t lose her sister, she almost did, and the memory of certain places still haunted her.  the what ifs and the feelings she felt at the time still hung in her mind.  

“you know you’re always welcome at my place, right?  i mean, it’s nothing special but i’ve got a kitchen and it doesn’t smell like car exhaust, so, you know,” she smiled, finally taking a bite of her breakfast.  “i’ve heard my couch is actually pretty comfy,” mere wiggled her eyebrows in a hopefully convincing manner.  he deserved to be comfortable and cared for.  she figured sleeping in a car shop and living off granola bars couldn’t make the grieving process any easier.  but she also knew that she could be pushy, so she tried to pull herself back and not make him do anything he wasn’t comfortable with.  “you really should.  i’m pretty sure i’m like tinkerbell, if i don’t get my daily quota of compliments i’ll lose my sparkle.”

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plctitude​.

          ❝  WELL , i didn’t really check , but i’m pretty sure there isn’t . ❞   at the least she hadn’t heard anything about it .  ❝  but you know what this means , right ? it means that we can fulfill my lifelong dream of being in the guiness book of world records .  ❞

“now that i’m thinking about it, how did they make air bud do all that stuff?  i mean, did they really train a dog to play basketball?  was it really horrible cgi and i was just too young to notice?”  meredith took another sip of her drink as her mind began to spiral.  “we might be more likely to end up in ripley’s believe it or not.”

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solitvdcs​.

gray sweatpants and a well-worn “irving high school band” long sleeved shirt were the laundry day wardrobe of choice that week, coupled with an old beanie he’d stolen from his character’s wardrobe on the short-lived teen drama he’d been on. it was very much not a mr. novak look, and maybe that meant none of his students would recognize him. it wasn’t that he didn’t love his students, but laundry day was one of those times that he didn’t really want to be “mr. novak”. like honestly, he was washing his boxer briefs! some things he didn’t need his students to know.

the bell over the door rang, and his head tipped up, hands poised to hide the evidence if needed. he relaxed, though, when he saw meredith instead. “hey, stranger,” he said, smile creeping onto his lips. “i was starting to think you left town or something. you know, i’ve been to scuba multiple times in the past couple years, and for some reason you’re never on shift! what’s up with that?” | @saltedstorm​

a heavy basket piled high with dirty clothes, mere pushed open the front door of the laundromat with her back.  she heard the familiar sound of the bell ringing out as her sneakers tapped the cool tile floor, some 80s song softly playing over the worn speakers.  she heard a voice and her head popped up, brown eyes landing on a face she knew.  “oh, hey,” she said warmly as she wobbled inside, eventually setting her basket down on a neighboring machine.  “oh you know, i’ve just been avoiding you,” she teased, pulling the knit hat off her head and fluffing up her hair.  “god i’m so ready for spring.  i know it’s only february but i am done with winter.  as you can see, i’m protesting,” she looked down at her bare legs.  she pulled the jacket off her shoulders and tossed her belongings on a nearby table revealing her outfit: the only clean hoodie she had over a pair of shorts.  “i simply refuse to wear pants, for christ’s sake i live on the beach!  i shouldn’t have to!  i am meant to frolic in the sun, not wear boots and mittens.”  she shook her head.  “sorry, that was a lot.  how are you?  i like your uh-” her eyes briefly scanned him up and down, “outfit,” mere smiled.  “gotta love good ole’ irving high.  how is that going by the way?”

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plctitude​.

          A SHRUG .  jet sips at her drink .   ❝  mere , i just think that if the chicken from surf’s up can learn how to surf and win a whole competition , the two of us can definitely at least get a dog on a board .  ❞   they had to start somewhere .   ❝whaddaya think ?❞

mere almost spit out her beverage at the sudden comment from jet.  she quickly wiped her lip with her arm, her smile erupting into a giggle.  “are we sure there hasn’t already been a surfing related air bud?  seems like it would be the logical next step.  i mean, he did everything else right?”

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sorry i cant be her……… (the haunted porcelain doll at the thirft store) </3

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freddve​.

       braiding each other’s hair under the oak tree, running barefoot on sand, sharing secrets and talking about weird dreams; she’s a rather docile prisoner of nostalgia, their shared childhood memories flash before her eyes, the corners of her mouth instantly turning upwards with the girl’s decision to join her. “if all fails, i have my flask, we don’t need the stingy lemonade stand to have fun.” she swallows chilly air, regret is stuck in her throat like a week old stale bread, gauging meredith’s reaction with curious, hazel orbs. she fears her old friend will not like the new freddie, a downgrade, devoid of her childish charm and sweetness, simply a shell of the effervescent kid she once was. this’s the reason i’ve been avoiding you, she wishes to admit, instead a coy giggle erupts, disrupting the peaceful silence. “yeah, i guess so,” she muses, stealing a glance at her, cheeks growing reddish for no apparent reason at all, at least fred wants her to think so. skin has a tendency to go rosy in cold, that is a fact, and a brilliant excuse, if you ask her. “at first it was a way to kill time because i didn’t have friends, you know, even parks and recreation bore you after a while. then… then i don’t know, it made sense, like, having a ritual. oh, fred, she takes long walks at night by the pier, what a sweetheart she is!” a soft smile budding, she shakes her head, “n’ah, yours is way better… so what have you been up to? you look the same,” like what, still a pre-teen? her compliment not landing the way she indents to, operation salvage-this-friendship is a go, quickly adding “i meant like pretty, like you’re still pretty, hell, maybe even prettier, but like, doesn’t mean you weren’t pretty back then, it’s just… you look like how i remember you, that’s all.”  filling up her pretty quota, a shrug rolls off her shoulder, hand absentmindedly playing with a rogue curl. “sorry, haven’t had my night lemonade, brain’s not functioning properly… but yeah,  it’s been, what, ten years since we last spoke? not counting  the time we ran into each other the other day, i mean a proper conversation.” realisation washing over her, she freezes, eyes widening. “woah, merry, we’re… we’re old.” 

meredith’s eyes widened with delight, a sort of wicked grin spreading across her face at the mention of a flask.  “oh frederica!” she gave her a playful bump with her hip, “i like your style.”  it was quite an upgrade, she supposed, from virgin piña colada’s on the beach with their toes buried in the sand.  now they had flasks and cigarettes and trauma hanging over their shoulders.  but somehow the world still felt rosy and new with freddie.  perhaps it was the memories and innocence from when they were children that still swirled around in her head with the newness of having her back in her life.  whatever it was, walking with her now down the pier, the wind tickling their cheeks- it felt nice.  “oh yes, it makes you very mysterious, very sexy,” she smiled.  “you’ve made friends though, right?  i mean it seems like you and antonia have made quite the pair.  i’m sure it couldn’t have been easy more or less starting fresh in a new place.”  part of her wanted to ask what exactly drew her back to irving.  as far as meredith knew, she hadn’t been back since she was a kid.  “do i?  same childish charm?” she laughed.  “it’s okay, you’re probably right.  i’m not sure i’ve done much in the growing up department.  besides for like- paying rent and taxes, i pretty much just fuck around most of the time,” she shook her head, tucking some lose hair behind her ear.  “for the record, you look the same too. you’ve only gotten prettier with age.”  it was the truth, even if mere hadn’t seen pictures of fred throughout the years due to the glory of journalism and social media, she would have recognized her anywhere.  she had the same bouncy curls, the same hazel eyes.  “yeah lets get you that lemonade, wouldn’t want you getting scurvy out here or something,” she laughed, leading freddie in the direction of the lemonade stand.  “something like that i guess.  it doesn’t feel that long, does it?  seems like just yesterday we were running down this pier in flip flops.  though i suppose even then we had the same mission.  lemonade is pretty timeless.  speaking of which,” she pulled her wallet out of her jacket pocket as they reached the juice seller, “this one’s on me.”

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slversoul​.

she was on her best behavior for the night. it wasn’t a conscious decision, but having been so consumed by her makeup challenges, she was in a rather good mood. her best days were ones unlike any others. trouble started when she was bored. finished with her eyeliner, she moved on to her lipstick, listening to meredith. “why thank you. you just made my night. i was worried coming to a small town because i’m a big fish, but i’ve very much taken a liking to irving.” she tilted her head from side to side, making sure she looked perfect. perfect didn’t always mean perfect to her. antonia wasn’t vain and she wasn’t superficial, but how she looked influenced how she acted – whether she’d be sophisticated or sullen or spirited. “yeah, sure.” rummaging through her makeup bag, she pulled out an eyeshadow pallet and tossed it to meredith. “i think the dark blue would look good. mix that with a red and go for the american flag look.” a dramatic sigh escaped her lips. “i know, i know, but i don’t think this town is ready for that yet. i’ll be swarmed with paparazzi and people demanding to know how i got so cool. i’d disappear into a mob, and you might never see me again. i’m doing this for the good of everyone.” 

“this town is weirdly meant for big fish i think,” she replied earnestly.  irving was something of a parallel universe.  it certainly wasn’t boring, and seemed to be filled with interesting characters.  “of course, none of them as big and shiny as you.  you’re one of a kind,” she laughed, antonia a wink.  it wasn’t a lie, antonia just had something special about her.  even if they weren’t always completely on the same page, mere couldn’t deny her spark. “thank you,” she sat up from her spot on the bed and stretched out her hand to grab the makeup.  despite being a painter, meredith didn’t usually do much when it came to her face.  most of the time a bit of spf and mascara did the trick, but once in awhile something came over her and she spiced it up.  she took antonia’s advice- whether it was serious or not- and slid some dark blue shadow around her lash line.  she added a bit under her eyes to really bring out her dark circles.  “how patriotic, that might just come out purple though,” she smiled, clicking the palette closed before fluffing up her hand with her fingers.  “you’re right, it would be too much.  you made the right choice holding it back.  so where are we going again?  should we get you some sort of disguise?  i mean, even without the clown makeup you’re pretty iconic, we might still need to worry about all your adoring fans disrupting our fun.”

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