#BECAUSE GOD FORBID MY SKIN BE A SLIGHTLY DARKER SHADE OF BROWN

[queerestqueertoeverqueer]

do you ever just. realise something your parents do is Not Normal and have to sit and process it for a minute because What The Fuck

[hanistarxx]

Against Elysium - Chapter 3

A Modern Greek Mythology AU with Fem!Hades & Fem!Persephone

Summary: All Omisha ever knew was death. She has never felt the warmth of the sun or the breeze of a stormy wind. She has never seen beauty in her kingdom of desolation, or heard the soothing music of assurance. Seraphina wanted to change that. All in the name of love. And Gods forbid anyone who dared to separate them. For if anyone did,a war is what would become of it.

Pairings: Zoe Kravitz x Adria Arjona (Fem!Hades x Fem!Persephone)

Warnings: None, Slight mention of murder

Word Count:  3.4K

Against Elysium - Masterlist

“ABSOLUTELY not!” 

Seraphina yelled at her friend who had nothing but a cheeky smile on his face. They had only been driving for 5 minutes and she felt sick to the stomach already. 

“Fina, this is the one time you get to go out. Of Bronxville! The next time your mom gets high and lets you off the hook again, will be in another 300 years. Do you really want to live in your floral shack for another three centuries?” Jacob chuckled. 

“You call my mother a druggie one more time Kingsley and I will cut you.” Seraphina grabbed on to the seat belt, the material clutched tightly in her hands. She looked as if she saw a ghost, wide-eyed and mouth agape. 

“You can’t make me lie to Mama, Jacob. I’m a terrible liar!” she hissed, small beads of sweat dripping down her face. 

“Look we’re going to Illyana’s and then Xander’s. And then we’re going somewhere else. You can just tell your mom that we went to the first two. You don’t have to tell her everything,” Jacob replied, his grin wider than before. 

Seraphina squinted her eyes at him in anger. She was not about to get into trouble. If her mother found out she lied, her chances of ever going out again were implausible. 

“Technically speaking, omitting the truth, isn’t lying - “ Jacob said. 

“Yes it is!” Seraphina exclaimed.

Jacob jumped slightly at her outburst but laughed nevertheless. The one time his friend was given the opportunity to roam around the city, and she decides to spend her time panicking. 

“Will you at least tell me where we’re going?” she asked, twisting her head to face him. 

Truth be told, Seraphina was flooded with adrenaline. Sure she was given the green light by her mother, but going to some place that was not allowed of her, made her feel invincible. It excited her. 

Jacob hushed her, telling her that it was meant to be a surprise, one she would never forget.  

“You’ll see. I think you’ll like it.” 

---------- 

“THE portal to the Underworld is in Manhattan, New York?!” 

Seraphina pressed her face against the car window, in hopes to get a better view of the metropolis outside. She watched tall skyscrapers piercing through the clouds pass by. All her life, the tallest building she had ever seen was the five-story church at the corner street of Bronxville. 

She awed at the sight of the city. It was modern, advanced and nothing at all like she had imagined. She turned her head to face forward and noticed Jacob driving them into an underpass. 

As they slowly descended into the tunnel, she realised there were no other cars in front of them or following suit behind them. She stared ahead, taking notice of a slightly transparent veil. It shimmered, expressing a little bit of gold. Seraphina squinted her eyes as the veil came closer to them. 

The car sped through the veil. The metal surfaces of the regular Manhattan underway passage slowly morphed into brick walls with statues of gargoyles protruding out. Each of them carved with rose-coloured stone and marble. 

Seraphina undid her seat belt to move forward, anticipating the view that was always described by others but never seen for herself.

“Welcome to the Underworld.” Jacob brought the car slower than usual, as it drove away from the passageway. 

They drove through a windy dirt road, between a forest. Large green pine trees encompassed them, with dead brown leaves bunched at the bottom, around its roots. Light misty clouds seen through the leaves above.

Seraphina brought the windows down to gain a better view of the dark naturistic world. The sun was neither glaring down on them, nor was it completely hidden. The dirt below seemed wet, with puddles every here and there. The breeze as the car continued, was cool and serene, causing her to close her eyes in content. 

She opened her eyes when she felt the car bump. She looked down to see the dirt beneath had turned into a stone path. They were no longer between pine trees but instead, dead willow trees, its enormous roots, resembling the skeleton of a human hand.

She faced forward and that was when she saw tall gates, the colour of the night sky, stood between high brick walls. It’s metal framework showcasing a visible ‘M’ on either side of the gate. Vines and moss covering at its seams, and the entirety of the walls. 

Behind the ancient wrought-iron gates were rows upon rows of crumbling gravestones, their engraved epitaphs bathed in light split from an auriete sun. She let out multiple gasps of shock and amazement as they passed by a series of ancient mausoleums, porous trees hunched over most of the void, casting them in a healthy shadow. Cobweb covered grecian statues stood proudly among the sea of the dead. 

Seraphina noticed the plants and flowers among the tombstones. Dark flowering vines wrapped around the mausoleums. She frowned as she gazed upon them, wondering how something so morbid, can appear beautiful at the same time. 

“There it is. Morrigan Castle,” Jacob said. He drove them through another clearing, away from the cemetery. 

She had seen pictures of Moerani Manor, courtesy of Jacob. It’s elegance and class renowned for its crystal marble floors and white chandeliers. But Morrigan Castle was the total opposite. It allured curiosity and mystery and she wanted nothing more than to step foot on the obsidian floors of the home. 

The old castle stood like an old man of the hill, the sunlight shining on it, its windows dark and gaping. Moss clung in the shade of the ancient walls like a scraggly beard. Grey stone rose from the land, unapologetic and bold. This was more than a castle; it was a home to everyone living in these parts. 

Both of them exited the vehicle and Seraphina suddenly found herself hesitating to enter. Under her fingers the stone was rough and it left her skin cold, drawing dampness into her bones. 

They strolled among the empty hallways outside the castle, Seraphina occasionally gazing up to the ceiling to admire the finer details of the architecture.

“This place is amazing,” she whispered, in awe. 

“Pretty cool huh? It’s a lot darker than Olympus but you can’t say Omisha ain’t got style, even if it’s old,” Jacob replied. 

“It’s definitely not how I imagined it to be.” 

“Sorry to disappoint you then,” a sudden voice said. 

Jacob and Seraphina screamed as if their terrified souls unleashed a banshee from within. They turned around and found Saskia, all decked out in black, her halberd by her side. 

“Speaking of disappointments,” she continued, her gaze focusing on Jacob. 

“Right, yeah, no one comes into this realm unannounced,” Jacob solemned. 

“Good, you remember,” the Fury replied, “So why the hell do you keep coming unannounced?” 

Jacob scoffed at the blatant remark. He thought of an excuse but knew that if he lied his way through, his head would come clean off, with the way Saskia was holding on to her deadly contraption. 

“I’m a messenger-” 

“What up mailman?” Kiara hollered from behind him, happy to see the Kingsley man. Accompanying her was the youngest Lin sister, Thana. The both of them were similarly clothed in black and weapons tucked into their scabbards, attached to their hips. They walked towards the front, joining Saskia. 

“A MESSENGER!” Jacob shrieked, in a little girly voice. 

“As I was saying, I forget things sometimes, with all the messages I have to freaking pass around everyday,” he spazzed, his arms flailing around. 

Seraphina tried to control her giggle, while the sisters just looked at him blankly. 

“Just get a phone like the rest of us. You know those things exist right?” Thana remarked, her tone laced with sarcasm. 

Jacob rolled his eyes with a disgruntled sigh. 

“I know that but the old man insists on formalities,” he said. 

“Or maybe he’s just too old to even try and use a phone. I can’t blame him, he’s got a tiny brain,” Saskia seethed. 

Seraphina glanced back and forth between the girls and Jacob, thinking about who they were referring to as ‘old man’. 

She quietly raised her hand and spoke up, “Are you guys talking about Mr. Moerani?” 

Jacob pressed his face into his hands while the Erinyes’ stared at her incredulously. 

“Mister? Sweetheart are you lost?” Thana asked. 

Seraphina shook her head, the frown between her eyebrows increasing. 

“We don’t call him mister down here. That man doesn’t deserve an ounce of respect from us, not after what he did- ” 

“Saskia.” 

At the sound of a velvety yet powerful voice, Seraphina turned around to find its source. She found Naya Corvus and standing beside her, in all her royal glory, was Omisha Morrigan. 

The Erinyes’ dropped down on one knee, their heads bowed with respect for their Queen. With a hum of approval and a wave of her tattooed hand, she commanded them to stand.

Seraphina tried to break her gaze away from the Goddess but to no avail. She took notice of her raven hair tied in braids, loosely let out over her shoulders. She saw tiny freckles, barely visible, spread over her nose and her honeyed-brown skin that basked under the filtered sunlight.

She focused on her eyes which were curiously gazing back at her. They were a deep brown, like the color of the earth after a torrential rain. But there was something else in them, glistening like an old copper penny. They held secrets, the same way a pot holds deep soil because it is essential to keep the plant safe. The roots are held in place, the same way her dark eyes held so tightly onto her secrets. 

Omisha who held a curious frown towards the younger Goddess, turned to Jacob for an explanation. Having guests in the Underworld was a common idea but she had never met the hispanic beauty, standing in front of her now. Seraphina’s luscious brown curls and her soft hazel eyes, paired with her glowing caramel skin made Omisha wonder in enamore. 

“Misha, my girl!” Jacob started, his words stuttering out of his mouth, due to his nerves. No doubt he had been reprimanded more than once about visiting the Underworld without her knowledge. Omisha never liked anyone coming to her home uninvited or uninformed. He was afraid today she might as well send him to Tartarus for forgetting again. 

Omisha’s glare was the only message he needed. Her gaze fell on him like an act of violence and he visibly trembled for a second. He was about to speak up again before he was interrupted by her. 

“You girls can leave. Bring her with you,” she said, commanding her Erinyes’ to take Seraphina on a castle tour, far away from her, as she needed to discuss private matters with Naya and Jacob. 

The sisters nodded and with gleeful smiles, invited Seraphina and went on their merry way. Seraphina hesitated at first, looking back at Jacob who merely winked and nodded at her, encouraging her to explore the grounds with the girls. 

Jacob sheepishly shrugged his shoulders at Omisha, who rolled her eyes in reply. 

“Why are you here?” she asked. 

“Moerani wants you to know that he’s working on the murder cases. The police mortals have confirmed that they are indeed a series of murders, by poison.” 

“That’s why they all looked like they died in their sleep. The damage was internal,” Naya concluded to herself. 

“Yeah, and the victims were all infected by the same poison,” he replied. He pulled out his tablet, showing intel that he retrieved from the police investigators - a serial killer was on the loose.  

“Israel’s working on an antidote right now, but we’re still unsure of how this poison was administered and how long it takes to fully affect humans. He hasn’t gotten a prophecy or a vision as to who the murderer is though, ” he continued. 

Omisha walked between her advisor and her friend, nodding her head, her brain reeling in brand new information. 

“You know, you could have just sent a text to Naya about this,” she said, amused that the God of Travel came all the way to her abode, to spew a little murder mystery. 

Jacob nodded, “Yeah, that’s not the only reason I came down here. Moerani wanted to give you this too.” 

He dove his hands into his satchel, retrieving a sepia-coloured envelope, with her name written in cursive. She tore it open and took the card out, revealing an invitation to a grand party in Moerani Manor, in celebration of his and Genevieve’s wedding anniversary. 

Omisha let out a bitter sigh, “You’d think they’d get tired after throwing these parties for 500 years, but no.” 

Jacob laughed as Naya contained hers. Jacob reminded her that her presence at the party will be gratefully appreciated. Omisha did not reply with words but one look from her grouchy face, she meant to tell him ‘no promises’. 

It was Naya’s turn to speak up, her topic directing back to the young floral Goddess that accompanied Jacob. 

“Was that Isabela’s daughter that you brought here?” 

----------

“SO you live on Earth?” 

Seraphina nodded, balancing herself on a stone ledge. The sisters had given her the ultimate Underworld tour; from skipping around the graveyard to watching them train in the Arena. All she knew was this realm was far more magnificent than her friends described it to be. 

“What’s it like up there?” Thana asked. 

“I wouldn’t know. I rarely get out of the house. My mother doesn’t let me out,” she replied. 

“So you snuck away?” Kiara imposed. 

Seraphina jumped off the ledge to sit on it. She let out a heavy sigh and shook her head. 

“No. I kinda yelled at her for being unfair to me and I guess she felt bad, so she let me follow Jacob the whole day, to apologise, I guess.” 

“What about your dad?” Kiara asked again. 

Seraphina was taken back by surprise. No one ever asked her about her father before. She did once but only because the first time she brought the topic up, her mother made her vow to never ask about him again. She had always wondered why but knowing how her mother can get when no one listens to her, she’d rather stay in the dark. 

“I don’t know who my father is actually. I’ve never met him. I asked Mama about it once and she seemed dubious about it,” she shrugged. “I never asked again.” 

“Damn,” Saskia started, “Isabela Narvaes had a scandal with one of the Gods.” 

Seraphina shook her head, wanting to disagree with the beautiful Chinese girl in front of her. 

“Oh my Gods, that’s possible,” Kiara insinuated. 

“But which one?” Thana asked, her face displaying a sickening smile. 

As the sisters immersed themselves into the discussion of Seraphina’s supposed father, she stood up and quietly snuck away. Of course, she would like to know who her paternal figure was but she wasn’t quite ready to handle the hard truth, especially not in the Underworld. 

She found herself roaming around the hallways of Morrigan Castle once more. There was a vibe coming from the establishment that pulled her, like a bird to its nest. As she strolled along, she brushed her hands on the rough stone walls, electricity flowing through her veins. The tiny hairs on her hand stood, not out of fear, but out of misplaced belonging to the castle. 

She kept on walking and admiring the many paintings on the walls until she reached the end of the hallway, and laid her eyes upon a beautiful landscape. It stood right smack in the open center of the castle, an attraction displayed for its grandness. 

The Underworld was no doubt a place that reeked of death and despair but right in front of her was a square garden, filled with flowers and plants, even she had never seen before. She climbed down the few flights of stairs leading to it, her eyes never moving away. She walked in twisted bends around small trees, a different spring flower in sight at every corner. 

Through the maze, she reached the center of the garden. There stood a tree, standing at attention, its leaves forming a canopy slightly above her, shading her from the setting sun above. Its bark swirled like water, as if it had flowed from the earth rather than grown there. She followed the eddies and curls, half expecting them to move. She reached out to feel it upon her skin and felt her next breath go in a little deeper. 

Her gaze wandered up only to notice the extravagant fruit it bore, each branch spread out as if so proud of the bounty they held and the sweetness given within each one. Red and round, similar to apples but she knew they were anything but. 

Her hand moved gracefully from the bark of the tree towards it, ready to pluck it. Her fingers were inching closer and her fingertips were already brushing on the leathery rind of the fruit when her wrists were caught. 

She felt the cool pressed sting of metal rings on her bare wrist and she recognised from the tattoos on the hand that caught hers, that it could only belong to one Goddess of the Underworld. 

She trailed her eyes to the owner and for a moment she feared for her dear life. Omisha burned her gaze into Seraphina, literal embers of orange that could only represent fire, contrasted again obsidian black, had replaced her dark brown eyes. 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she asked, her voice, far from the velvety rhythm Seraphina heard merely an hour ago. She sounded terrifying, demonic even. 

“I was just looking,” Seraphina replied, her words stammering out of her mouth. She looked around and noticed Jacob, Naya and the Erinyes’ all looking at her with worry. She stopped her gaze at Jacob, silently praying for his help. 

“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay away from this garden and from this place,” Omisha grunted, her fingers still tightly wrapped around Seraphina’s tiny wrist. 

“You’re hurting me.” She tried to pry her hand away from the deadly grasp, tears falling down her cheeks, calling out for Jacob along the process. 

Jacob hurriedly went to her side, as Omisha let go of her. He ushered her to walk back to his car, wanting to bring her home immediately before anything worse could happen. Omisha frustratingly turned away and was confronted by a disappointed Naya. 

“Its her first time here. She doesn’t know anything about this place,” she stated, crossing her hands in front of her. 

Omisha disregarded her and turned her attention to the Lin sisters.

“I thought I told you to look after her,” she breathed out, making her way to them. The sisters audibly gulped. “You know what happens if anyone eats that cursed fruit.” 

They all but nodded, bowing their heads in regret and shame. 

“She didn’t know, Omisha,” Naya stated again. 

“Why are you defending her?” she muttered, slowly turning her head towards the elder Goddess. 

“She’s innocent.” 

“Exactly,” she hissed. “If she ate that fruit, she’d be stuck down here like the rest of us. I don’t know that girl, but I know she doesn’t belong here. She won’t last a damn minute.” 

With her final word, she dispersed, heading back to her office. She wasn’t about to argue with her friends over her actions towards a floral dress-wearing Goddess. Truth be told, Omisha was afraid. She was afraid of the very same mistake occurring again, resulting in another innocent soul to be sealed to the Underworld, without a choice. 

As the car drove back towards the tunnel leading back to her realm, Seraphina rubbed her wrists. The pain from the grasp was still very prominent and she could see the red outlines starting to appear. 

She was a mixture of emotions. Sadness, anger, fear all wrapped up inside her. But there was only one question that played on her lips. 

“What the hell was that fruit back there? Why was she so protective of it?” 

Jacob sighed and closed his eyes momentarily. 

“It was a pomegranate,” he said. 

“And she wasn’t protecting the fruit. She was protecting you.” 

----------

tag list: @futureauthor-mabye​ @artwriteanimationinspo​

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Chapter 4 (COMING SOON)

[mads-thehatter]

Teachers Pet part 1/2

Warnings: nsfw due to some strong language.

Hello everyone! This is my first ever rick x reader fic and I hope you enjoy it. Thanks to @kitten-wrath and @psychololitaxo for their support and help during the writing process. Part two will follow shortly.

You remembered it like it was yesterday. The warm summer sun that kissed your face and the sweet sounds of waves crashing onto the beach. The distant sounds of seagulls and the warm breeze that occasionally brushed against your skin. You weren't much of a fan of the beach, but once you were there you found everything about it very peaceful. In fact, it was one of your favorite places to sit and read a book. You laid on your stomach on a beach towel in the shade of the large umbrella you set up yourself. You propped your head up on one fist, while the other held open the new book you immersed yourself in. At least you were, until you noticed a darker shadow had covered the pages you were reading. You furrowed your brow and glanced up and noticed a figure. Your heart skipped a beat when you immediately recognized the slender man that stood above you. Your eyes traveled up his body. He obviously just walked out of the ocean, because his swim trunks clung to his frame and hung low revealing the light blue pubes that were meant to be hidden by his shorts. This was accompanied by water that traveled down his body and onto the sand in front of you. Your eyes moved to his face, which was framed by his wet, unruly hair. He was in the process of slicking it back in the fashion you had grown to love. You gulped when you noticed that damn smirk that always made your heart race. You sat slack-jawed for several seconds before shaking your head and regaining your thoughts.

“M-mr. Sanchez? What the hell are you doing here?” He crossed his arms before opening his mouth to speak. Except words didn't come out, a familiar inhuman tone did. Confusion spread across your face and a strange pull began to tug at your consciousness.

“What..?” He chucked and opened his mouth to speak once again, the same tone coming from his mouth a second time.

Realization sparked through your thoughts and you yanked yourself from sleep, quickly grasping for your phone that was on a nearby dresser. You glanced at the screen, which had two texts waiting to be opened from Mr. Sanchez himself. You unlocked the screen and read through them. Where the hell are you, do you have any idea what time it is?, the two messages read. Your eyes grew wide and you glanced at the time in the corner of your phone. “FUCK.” You jumped out of bed and immediately ran to your closet to round up some form of attire.

You had been begging Mr. Sanchez all summer to let you to be the teacher’s aid for his biology class. You loved the subject itself, but loved the way he taught it even more. Unlike many other professors, he was very passionate about the subject. The way he talked about it made you want to pay attention and learn more about it. That was one reason you so desperately wanted to be the teacher’s aid; so you could learn even more than what he taught in class. The other reason was because you just couldn't get over how sexy he was. Most of the girls in his class couldn't stand how arrogant or vulgar he was, but you? You couldn't get enough of that man. So when he finally said yes to you becoming his teacher’s aid, you were over the moon. He asked you to arrive to class early, around 6, to review the syllabus and discuss your tasks, but here you were on the first day, jumping out of bed at 7:30.

Once you had clothes on, you rushed to the bathroom, freshened up, and put your hair up in a bun. You then went to the kitchen, grabbed a granola bar and rushed out the door. The university was about a 30 minutes away, so you wasted no time pulling out of your driveway and driving away just below a speed that would catch the attention of a police officer.

Once you arrived at the school you checked your appearance in the rear view before jumping out of the car and rushed towards the building as fast as your feet could carry you. You bounded through the hallways and screeched to a halt in front of the classroom. You bent over slightly and placed your hands on your knees, remaining there until you were able to catch your breath and regain composure. You reached for the handle of the classroom and turned it, opening it to a silent auditorium of students that had turned their attention towards you. Your face turned a bright pink as you slowly entered the room. You glanced at the students momentarily before looking to the front of the classroom, where a clearly irritated Mr. Sanchez stood with his textbook and whiteboard marker in hand. You quickly made your way to the front of the room and took a seat in the front row. As you placed your things on the ground beside you, you could feel the daggers Sanchez bore into the back of your head. You gulped and hesitated, but you slowly straightened yourself and shot him an apologetic look. His features softened and he cleared his throat, continuing his lecture. Eventually, you began to relax and take in the lecture you were now hearing for the second time. The first week, the only thing that was being discussed was cells, which was the only subject in biology you dreaded. So you took the time to take in Mr. Sanchez over the lecture this time.

This year, Mr. Sanchez was wearing glasses, which to your surprise, made him look even more desirable than he was before. He was wearing the brown suit, plaid shirt, red tie combo that drove you mad and he had his hair slicked back in a semi-formal fashion. Needless to say, he looked damn good this semester too, and you couldn't pull your eyes away -- which he seemed to have noticed. He gave a quick glance in your direction and a smirk rose to his expression. He winked, and turned his attention back to his book, flipping the page. A blush rose your face once more and you bit your lip, feeling the warmth that grew in your loins. You quickly leaned down to your bag on the floor and pulled out the textbook you purchased last semester. You opened to the page you figured he was on and pretended to read to cover your sudden arousal. It was clear you pretended a little too hard though, because soon enough the class had ended, and students started pouring out the door. Your heart began to hammer in your chest, you couldn't imagine the harsh lecture that was sure to come from Sanchez at any second. You began to move your book back to your bag at the slowest imaginable pace to avoid eye contact with the professor for as long as possible. As you were still adjusting the book in the backpack, you could feel his presence in front your table and you sighed.

“Listen, Mr. Sanchez, I'm so sorry. I really thought I set my alarm last night, but I--” You were cut short by a firm hand gripping your chin that moved your head to face him. Your heart just about jumped through your chest when you realized his face was just inches from yours. Instinctively, your eyes darted to his lips, then to his eyes -- which were dominated by a stern look -- but they hinted at a cocky grin that was sure to follow soon enough.

“Y-you would think a-after 2 years in my class, some students would figure out that I can't stand excuses. Also, call me Rick.”

You bit your lip and sat silently. In the back of your mind you couldn't help but wonder when -- or if -- he would close the gap, but instead his thumb grazed the side of your mouth, presumably to wipe off remaining crumbs from the granola bar you failed to see while checking in the mirror of your car. He then released your chin and leaned back.

“Now, let's get to the business at hand. We n-(uurp) we need to go over the syllabus and discuss what you'll be doing this semester -- whatever the fuck that is...” He trailed off at the end and you giggled. He smirked and turned heel, walking back to his desk to gather his book and a few papers. “W-ere going back to my office. Get your shit and come on.”

He glanced back before reaching in his suit and pulling out a silver flask, which he unscrewed and brought to his lips. He took a single swig before placing it back into his coat pocket. He started for the door and you immediately grabbed your stuff and ran after him. He opened the door and exited the room, holding the door for you until you were clear of the door frame. He then began making his way towards his office. You followed in silence for a few moments, admiring his tall frame from behind and how it moved, before a willing topic crossed your mind.

“So, when did you get glasses?” You sped up to walk beside him and glanced at him from the side. He rolled his eyes.

“I'm getting old, babe. T-these eyes aren't 20/20 anymore. I didn't want to but my daughter insisted a-and she's just like her mother. God forbid if I didn't get some damn glasses.”

You blinked. Old? Yeah you guessed you could see it, but he didn't seem all that old to you. He didn't act or look a day over 50, but with everything he knew about science it wouldn't surprise you if he was over 70. What did surprise you, however was the mention of his family. You figured he may have had a daughter, but you hadn't even considered him having a wife. You quickly glanced down at his finger to check for a ring and found none. You returned your attention back to his face and asked without a second thought, “Is there a Mrs. Sanchez?”

You instantly felt embarrassed by your question and braced for an answer you weren't looking forward to. An unidentifiable expression snapped to his face for a few seconds before turning into a sly smirk; he gave you a sideways glance.

“A little forward, aren't we?” he chuckled. “It's almost as if you li-- have a little (uurp) crush on me.” He flashed you a devilish grin, which caused your heart to flutter and a blush to rise onto your cheeks. You began to protest, but noticed Sanchez’s expression fall into a hard line and he cleared his throat. “There was a Mrs. Sanchez, but we lost her many many years ago. No biggie, so don't give me any sympathy talks. I get enough of that shit from the other professors here.”

You nodded, a sense of guilt beginning to well up inside you, but your thoughts were interrupted when you both stopped in front of a door. Rick pulled out his keys and unlocked the door. He allowed the door to open and motioned for you to step inside. You thanked him before entering and you looked around. The office was well lit by over head lights and relatively packed with paperwork and books. It contained a desk covered with even more books, papers, writing utensils and a few empty mugs that seemed to have been used recently. You made your way to one of the two chairs in front of the desk and took a seat, placing your things beside the chair. You watched as Rick circled around the desk to the other side and took a seat, placing his stuff in front of him. He leaned back against his chair and pulled the flask from before out of his pocket, took another swig and placed it on the desk. He then took the papers from under his book and glanced at it, his expression turning to a frown.

“FUCK, I left the actual syllabus in the desk of the classroom. I-I’ll be right back. Don't move.”

You agreed as you watched him leave the room and shut the door behind him. You then glanced around the room, curiosity beginning to well up inside you. You wanted to know more about Rick, his family, his hobbies, his love life. You checked the door once more and rose from your seat and crossed to the other side of the desk. You stared at the many drawers in front of you and hesitated, reasoning telling you to not go through with this, especially since you just got the job. You quickly pushed the thoughts out of your mind and reached for the top drawer. What you found was very underwhelming -- just a stack of printer paper and some pens. You closed it and opened the next, which was much like the first -- just a bunch of office supplies placed in a drawer organizer. You immediately closed it and reached for the final, larger drawer below it. Before opening, you listened for footsteps. Once you concluded the coast was clear, you opened it and immediately found what you had been looking for.

You picked up a picture frame that had been in the desk and inspected it closely. You smiled when you noticed a much younger Rick with who you assumed was his wife and daughter. It appeared to be the child's birthday and they all wore their best, goofiest smiles to please the camera. Seeing Rick like that gave you an entirely different perspective on the usually grumpy man. Beforehand, you had been slightly intimidated by him, but now that you've seen him in such a silly state, you wouldn't be able to take him as seriously anymore.

You flipped the frame -- about to remove the backing -- when the door to the office opened. Sudden panic washed over you, and all the control to your body flew out the window. You lost your grip on the frame, and despite your best effort to catch it, it fell on the floor with a crack. Your heart raced and before you even looked at the door you fell to all fours and picked up the frame, inspecting the damage the floor had caused. Your eyes grew wide and dread overwhelmed your thoughts as the glass from the frame fell out onto the floor. You looked up just as Rick had made his way to your side.

The frustration on his face was evident and he reached down, snatching the frame from your hands. He stared at it for several seconds before looking down at you with rage. You felt your heart sink to your stomach.

“Y-you -- you FUCKING CUNT. What the fuck did I tell you, huh? Are you that fucking dumb that you can't even follow simple instructions?” You slowly rose to your feet and clutched your arms, staring at the ground. He grabbed your arms hard, forcing you to look up at him. “Why are you so fucking useless? You've been nothing but careless and--and irresponsible all day! Can't you do anything right in your Goddamn life? You..you fucking teens. I knew having you as a teachers aid would be the worst fucking idea.”

Tears began to well up in your eyes. You felt bad for dropping his family photo and this was adding to the cake. He was hitting right where it hurt. His eyes softened momentarily, but they quickly filled with anger once again.

“Get out of my office” he hissed and released you, moving past you to sit at his desk. You released a sob and quickly rounded up your stuff, heading for the door. You made one last glance at Rick, who was sitting with both hands threaded through his hair. His head was bowed with his eyes closed. You opened the door and walked out, letting the door shut behind you. You wiped tears from your eyes and walked as fast as possible out of the building and to your car. Once you were safely in your car, you allowed the tears to fall as you started the engine and sped out of the parking lot.

Thanks for reading!