#alyssa the coworker

[screamsofanoutlawbrain]

ANOTHER SILLY WTDW AU!!! LETS GO!!

Basically Ben and Alyssa (Pop and Glory) get released from the freezer through a series of unfortunate events (their animatronic bodies are basically lifeless husks), and regaining their memories. After being released, the two are forced to work at the facility as janitors, and are one of the few workers to work nightshifts (They barely interact with the animatronics, it's always a weird experience.)

Both of them hate it, but are basically being held at gunpoint to stay at this job. Also the building collapsed again and the virus came back, angst ensues.

[unitchiefs-blackbirdphoenix]

Unpopular opinion: it was a good decision to not show Emily’s personal life, as it made sense building the image of someone who has absolutely no life outside of work.

strongly agree | agree | neutral | disagree | strongly disagree

I’m somewhat neutral on this but leaning more towards agreeing with you. I think it was a good idea to not have shown Emily’s personal life. I also am personally glad we didn’t have to see Mendoza again. A brief mention would’ve been ok with me maybe but not anything beyond that. I wasn’t sure if this was including the original run of the show, but I’m assuming this is CME in particular. It makes sense to depict Emily working throughout the pandemic and focusing on that, and infer that it eventually led to her breakup with him because she was preoccupied with work a lot for the time, but I think that’s all we’ll get from that. And since Mendoza isn’t in the reboot, I don’t think it could be explained any further than a casual mention about her personal life. And because the reboot in particular has discussed other relationships, making a storyline for Emily would also mean having to focus on her and make time to build on it as well, and it was clear that the show was going to focus on the procedural side than the personal side like they promised us

[greenpaths]

remember how I watched puss in boots 2 like 4 times in the span of a month. that movie made me feral

[somanybookssolittletime1]

In My Mailbox (#65)

~Purchases~   These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan | Goodreads A Vow So Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer | Goodreads A Beast as Dark as Night by Jennifer Kropf | Goodreads   ~ARCs~ The Waking Forest by Alyssa Wees | Goodreads My Coworker Has a Secret! Vol. 1 by Mushiro | Goodreads Alius Academy by Lara Wray | Goodreads ~~~ I often post pictures of the books I purchase/ARCs received/am currently…

[lizzaneia-elizalde]

okaaaaaaay i think im now madly obsessed w yan player amor so what if barista reader noticed and slowly became uncomfortable w his uncannily nice advances and overly big tips and all that knowing he has quite the reputation? but i think that the gods also shot an arrow into my heart as i read abt yan player >< <33

Yandere! Male! Player x gn! Barista! Reader part 2

An order of Amor coming right up!

"He's here again."

One of your coworkers nudged your side, smirking at your deadpan face. "Aw, what's the face for? Aren't you happy that you got such an icon pursuing you?"

You want to gag.

Amor has been going here, everyday. Drinking the same coffee, eating the same cake. It's been like that to the point that you'll prepare the order beforehand.

He always come to the cafe at 7:30 in the morning, walk up to you and with that dumb smile on his handsome face, he would say "Hello darling. One order of caramel machiatto and a slice of red velvet please." And you would hand the order immediately just to minimize interaction.

But he would stay at the counter just to smile creepily at you.

It doesn't help that your coworker would gush about how lucky you are, how amazing it is to have THE Amor fawning over you.

But guess what, you didn't care. You wanted out.

And you made sure Amor knew about it.

You ignored him, always adamantly returning his ever so generous tips, and shooting him down whenever you had the chances.

On the other hand, Amor is getting quite... Pissed.

Why aren't you falling for him?

He made sure to wish for every person to fall for him in his next life, which is this current life. So why aren't you fawning over him? Even the god of love doesn't have an answer at all.

It was infuriating.

You were so close. So painfully near to his grasp but so far. You were like an unreachable dream to someone so selfish as him. Like a punishment for being so over himself.

But, he's the Amor. He gets what he wants.

So, begging to his family, throwing a quite embarrassing tantrum, he managed to...

"MOM! DAD!" You yelled at your parents as they stopped arguing. The dark circles below their eyes were a signal that something's wrong. Terribly wrong.

They looked at each other before your mother gave a pointed look at your dad.

"Do not tell them." Your mother seethed, but your dad groaned.

"They deserve to know!"

"But they don't live here anymore! They don't have anything to do with our debts!"

Debts? Your parents had debts?

You looked at them incredulously, not believing at what they're talking about right now. Your parents were pious, they never, ever had debts and always were good people. So what's with debts? And why haven't they paid it yet?

"Dad, mom, debts? You guys made sure to pay them always if you did get debts or favors or whatever." You raised your hands in disbelief. You had a bad feeling about this.

"It's just that, we somehow got debted to the Kim's." Your dad said, worried.

"Kim's?" You asked. "There's too many Kim's! Which?!"

Your gut feeling made you remember a certain playboy.

"You know, that Kpop idol Taejoon Kim. With his wife the miss Universe Alyssa Kim? Their son... Amor Kim."

Your eyes widened, a feeling of dread creeping up your back and making you shiver from the sudden chill. No way, right?

"How did you even get debted to them?" Your voice carried a humorless laugh that seeped out a bit of fear. Your parents looked at each other before your mom sighed.

"I work in that fancy hotel, right?" Your mother grimaced. "I apparently broke their pipeline? I swear I was only in the pipe system to investigate the rat problem but I bumped into a faulty pipe and now the whole hotel is flooded... That hotel was owned by Mrs. Kim..."

Your father fidgeted on the spot also, looking away.

"The company I work at, had this pipe system too, and as their main cleaning manager I manage the waterline. I thought I could fix the problem by myself... Ended up flooding the building also... Owned by Mr. Kim."

You shivered from the weird coincidence. Both pipelines? Really? How did that even happen?

"So? Both of you are going to pay for it?" You asked with a slight grit on your voice and they nodded.

They looked so defeated, it broke your heart into tiny smithereens. The anger flared up for Amor once more.

"Those rich people..." You seethed.

"It was our fault dear." Your mother cooed, hugging your frame. "I... I wasn't careful enough."

"Me too. I should have called for an expert." Your father frowned sadly.

You never felt so helpless in your entire life. If only there was a way to help them.

"How can I help..?"

This time, your parents froze and they coughed loudly, looking away.

Another bout of the twisted gut, you looked at them with worry in your eyes. "What is it?"

"I-it's nothing, dear." Your mother whispered, avoiding eye contact. "We will find a solution ourself."

"No! If I can help then I will!" You stepped up to them. Your body moving in order to meet their evasive eyes. "Please! Look at me! What is it?"

"Ah..." Your father looked at your mother before whispering something to your ear.

"No."

Goosebumps riddled your body as you froze from the sudden shock going through your form. "Marriage?! What is this?! The 17th century?!"

Your parents looked at each other before shrugging. "It's really weird, dear. There's so many other chaebols out there who's more rich than us. But why you? We're not rich at all."

The whole situation was so fishy.

And a flash of that lovesick look Amor slips through sometimes came up on your mind.

You're too smart for your own good.

You knew it was due to him.

You had enough.

You can't just let your parents suffer like this.

So, with a heavy heart and a defeated look, you held their hands and hugged them both. "Thank you for taking care of me for my whole life, mom and dad."

A loving whisper, and a touch affectionate, your parents knew of your plan. And they paled.

"No! Dear, this is not your burden to carry!" Your father shakily let out. "You... You have so much to live for!"

"Look at the bright side, dad! I will be... Uh, rich! We will be!" You reasoned, trying, scouring for the bright side to this situation. "It's okay dad. Rather than being homeless trying to find money to pay for such a huge debt. I would take this road for the both of you."

Your mother started to weep, and you inwardly died.

You can't believe Amor would stoop this low.

You don't even know him that well.

And as you, in an elaborate and extravagant wedding garment, reach your hand towards the extended ones of Amor, with that triumphant and obsessive look that you abhor, you cursed him inwardly.

You never stood a chance.

The gods are on his side after all.

You are now his, fully.

Now it's up to you if you want to make his life miserable, or melt into his arms.

[justagalwhowrites]

Halcyon - Ch. 1: Can I Buy You a Beer?

You run into someone you don't expect when out for a drink. A continuation of Halcyon, a modern no outbreak AU TLOU fic found on Tumblr here.

Yes it's a Javi gif but we're gonna say he's Joel because Joel is in his 30s for this fic, OK?

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female Reader

Warnings: Modern No Outbreak AU, No use of Y/N, Slow burn, 18+ only, Minors DNI

Length: 5.7K

AO3 | Prologue | Next Chapter

Austin, Texas

September 30, 2022

You were going to strangle Alyssa. 

It sure as hell hadn’t been your idea to go out drinking to celebrate the end of the first month of the school year. Definitely not your idea to do it at a bar that looked like it hadn’t been cleaned this decade. And it absolutely was not your idea to try to pick up a guy while out at said dingy bar. 

But it apparently was Alyssa’s idea of a good time. 

You sighed as you watched people go to and from the bar from your seat tucked in the corner. You tried to come up with stories for the people you could see in the dim light, like they were characters in a book you were writing. The biker in a leather vest, you decided, had been an accountant for 20 years when he bought a Harley during his midlife crisis. He’d become a mechanic when he became too obsessed with the bike to be satisfied behind a desk. His wife was pissed but his son thought he was way cooler now. The couple at the end of the bar were on a second… no, third date. She was deciding whether or not to fuck him. You thought it was going to go in his favor.

Alyssa had moved out of the seat next to the guy she’d taken up with and into his lap. You wondered if there was a world record for how far someone’s tongue could be down another person’s throat. It had to trigger her gag reflex at some point, right? Or maybe she didn’t have one. That must be nice. Maybe that was the key to being good at oral. Maybe you’d be better at it if you didn’t have a gag reflex. Maybe you’d still have a husband if you were better at oral. 

You downed the last of your Shiner and rapped your fingers along the side of the glass. That was one upside to being back in Texas, at least. Shiner Bock on tap was a nice perk. 

Next time you went out with Alyssa, you were driving yourself. If there was a next time. 

But you’d probably cave before too long. You didn’t have many friends and you liked her. Even though this night hadn’t been much fun and getting to know her at all had been awkward at first. Alyssa was a few years younger than you and the first time she’d stumbled into your office she had your book in her hands and a wide smile on her face. 

“I am so sorry if this is weird,” she said after a brief introduction. “But… I’m in love with your book and I am dying for you to sign it!” 

“Sure,” you laughed a little and she passed it to you. You flipped to the title page and scrawled “Alyssa, Thanks for reading. With love, your coworker” before you penned the signature you’d practiced a million times with your agent below and handed it back. She squeaked, a little giddy,  before offering to show you the best restaurants near campus. You didn’t have the heart to tell her that you’d grown up in Austin so you had plenty of favorites without any extra help. 

Still, you had this strange drive to have Alyssa see you as a normal person. Award-winning author famous was, thankfully, not the kind to get you recognized on the street but it still made you uncomfortable. Book signings and readings were exercises in misery. There was the acute agony of being observed and noted, the strange knowledge that, for these strangers, this brief encounter was going to be something they remembered. They’d remember if you had a mustard stain on your shirt or if there was lipstick on your teeth or if the stress you were under as you traveled from city to city while your marriage fell to pieces around you made you snap at someone. You never realized how keenly you valued anonymity until it wasn’t an option anymore. 

The very last thing you wanted was someone who was a fan with an office two doors down from your own.

So, you’d decided to have her be a friend instead. Make it so she saw you as a person and not someone from the inside of a book jacket. The two of you had gone to lunch a few times and out for a quick drink once, too. It had been nice and, ever since, it felt like she had stopped watching you like a pseudo-celebrity and started seeing you as a friend. Or, at the very least, a friendly acquaintance. 

So when she’d asked if you wanted to get some drinks tonight, you’d said yes, envisioning the lounge she’d suggested the first time you’d gone out, one with jazz music playing quietly enough that you could chat over it. 

That was not where she suggested this time. 

But you were already here and edging in on tipsy and if you were going to spend the night alone at a bar and, eventually, at home with your vibrator, you may as well be drunk doing it. 

You made your way to the bar and ordered a tequila shot and another beer, drumming your fingers on the bar top as you waited for your drinks. 

“Well hey there, beautiful,” a man who had to have at least 10 years on you sidled up next to you at the bar. “What’s a pretty thing like you doin’ getting your own drinks?” 

“No one else was volunteering,” you gave him a tight smile. “But I’m not looking for company so…” 

“Don’t tell me you’re here all by your lonesome?” He smiled a lopsided, cocky smile, looking you up and down. The accent felt a little heavy handed and the cowboy hat put it over the top. You wondered, idly, if he was hiding a bald spot under there. 

“I prefer flying solo, but thank you,” you said, peering around him to watch the bartender flirt with a girl who looked like she was newly 21 and probably here slumming it at this bar that was far from the school. You sighed and settled in to wait even longer for your drinks. 

“Girl as pretty as you shouldn’t be all on her own,” he said, leaning against the bar and blocking your view. “No way someone hasn’t snapped you up yet, a face like that…” 

“Oh my face has nothing to do with it,” you smiled, forcing your eyes to go wide enough that you looked a little crazed. “It’s because I’m a murderous sociopath with six bodies buried beneath my house.” 

The man just blinked at you, a puzzled look on his face. You could practically see the wheels turning in his head and you considered, for a moment, timing him to see how long it would take to piece it together. 

“She’s right you know,” a familiar voice from behind you made you stiffen. “There's a reason she's here alone. This one’s insane, she’d chew you up and spit you out, man. Best you find someone else to try n’take home.” 

“Sorry, man,” he said. “Didn’t know she was spoken for.” 

You watched the man shove himself back from the bar and prowl off to find another woman to try and bed before turning, slowly, to the man standing at your back. Your heart beat picked up in spite of yourself when you saw him, as tall and broad and somehow even more handsome than ever. 

Joel Miller smiled, one of his cocky, lopsided smiles that made his cheek dimple. 

“Hey, Goldie.” 

***

It was you.

Here, in this shitty bar in his corner of Austin on a Friday night was you. 

Joel froze when he saw you, sitting in a corner by yourself, watching the bar with a far away look on your face. 

It was a look he knew intimately, even though it had been 11 years since he’d last seen your face in person. You’d get that look when you were thinking about something important, something you wanted to remember. You’d have that look and then you’d open up that gold notebook of yours and write furiously for a minute or two before stashing it away. 

“You ever gonna let me read any of that?” He’d teased one day as you sat, curled up in the corner of his couch, your notebook on your knees. 

“No,” you scoffed. “Trust me, you don’t want anywhere near this disaster area. It’s basically just the word vomit version of my brain, it’s a mess up there.” 

Joel didn’t push you on it but, truthfully, he’d have killed for a chance to see inside your mind for a moment. He wanted to crawl inside your skull and look at whatever you’d let him see. He wanted to memorize you, carry you with him, wrap himself up in you at every opportunity. You felt like home, more than anything else he’d ever had. Of course he wanted to be close enough to you to see inside your mind. 

But that was a long time ago. Yes, it had been 11 years since he’d seen you but it had been even longer since he’d seen you when you weren’t pissed at him. In fairness, he was pretty pissed at you, too, but you’d started it. 

And he wasn’t even sure why. He didn’t know what set you off to begin with. One night it was prom and the next thing he knew, you were gone. Taking off across the country before graduation without so much as a goodbye. You changed your number and your mom wouldn’t give it to him and you were just gone. Like the two of you hadn’t spent every day together for the last three years, like he had all meant nothing at all to you. 

Joel saved up the money to buy a bus ticket to your fancy fucking college, intending to find you there and demand an explanation, but that hadn’t gone as planned. He just settled into not knowing and not understanding why the most important relationship in his life had been ripped away from him without a word. 

But it had been a long time. He’d moved past the resentment of it and now he was all but awestruck at seeing you again. 

“Hey, do you want…” Tommy’s voice trailed off and his eyes tracked where Joel’s were looking. “Holy fucking shit, is that…” 

“Yup.” 

“Did you know she…” 

“Yup.” 

Tommy was quiet for a moment.

“Know she was gonna be here?” 

“Hell no.” 

Joel caught a glimpse of his brother nodding out of the corner of his eye - he wasn’t about to stop looking at you, he was worried if he did you might disappear again - and sighed. 

“You gonna talk to her?” Tommy asked after a moment. 

“No idea.” 

“Shit dude,” Tommy clapped his hand on Joel’s shoulder. “Good luck with… whatever the fuck is gonna happen there.” 

Joel glared at him for a second but kept his eyes on you. One of the other guys on the crew went to get the first round, something he appreciated because it meant he could keep watching you at a distance. He wasn’t sure what the fuck to say to you and he wasn’t about to just go talk to you with nothing to say. 

But then you went to the bar and a guy was clearly annoying the hell out of you and, before he really knew what he was doing, he was heading for you. 

“Hey, Goldie.” 

You looked at him for a moment. You looked as surprised to see him as he was to see you. 

“Hey, Joel.” 

He smiled a little wider. 

“Can I buy you a beer?” He asked. 

“You’re a bit late, I’m afraid,” you said. “Already put it on my tab. But that’s assuming the bartender remembers I exist which seems like it might be aiming a bit high…” 

Joel hung over the bar and hit the top of it a few times.

“Hey, Jimmy!” He yelled. The bartender whipped his head around. “Stop fuckin’ around, get my friend her shit, yeah?” 

“Yeah, yeah,” he said, turning back to the woman he was talking to for a second before making you a shot first and then pouring your beer. He set both in front of you at the same time.

“Thank you,” you said, both to Joel and to Jimmy, and you did the shot, wincing as the tequila went down. 

Joel whistled

“Shit, you lookin’ to get fucked up?” 

“Well,” you coughed a little on the liquor before taking a sip of beer. “I already need to take an Uber home because the friend I came with is currently being devoured by that charming gentleman over there…” You nodded to a man at a table against the wall, a brunette draped across his lap who looked to be surgically connected to the man at the mouth. “So I figured, fuck it, may as well get hammered.” 

Joel laughed a little at that. 

“Since you’ve got no one else to get hammered with,” he shrugged. “Want to do it with me? Catch up a bit?” 

You thought for a second, taking a sip of beer. 

“Sure,” you said. “Yeah, that sounds good.” 

Joel got a beer, too, and followed you back to your table before he settled in beside you. Part of it felt so natural, being next to you, but it was so different, too. You were different, fuck knows he was different. 

“So,” he said, watching you. “You’re in town.” 

“I am,” you nodded. 

“Visiting Anna?” He asked, even though he knew the answer. It had made news, the fact that you were coming to teach at UT.

“Work,” you said. “Moved back a few months ago.” 

“So what do you do now?” He asked. “For work, I mean.” 

“Teach, mostly,” you said. “I’m at UT now. Literature and creative writing.” 

“Seems right up your alley,” he nodded. “Always liked that sorta thing. You ever write that book?” 

You nodded, taking another sip of beer. 

“Yeah,” you said. “Just one, though.” 

“Ever publish it?” 

“Yeah,” you nodded again. “A few years ago…” Joel laughed and you frowned. “What?” 

“You really think I don’t know you wrote a fuckin’ book?” He asked. “Course I know you wrote a fuckin’ book. Jesus, Goldie, your name is on fuckin’ posters and shit! You think I live under a rock?” 

You laughed. 

“You dick!” You shoved him playfully. “Look, you’re basically illiterate, I didn’t want to assume…” 

“Hey just because I do shit besides read does not mean I’m illiterate!” He laughed. “You’re just a nerd…” 

“You only finished high school because I’m a nerd,” you rolled your eyes. “Pretty sure your coach was ready to make me an honorary member of the team since me hounding you about homework was the only thing that kept your ass grade eligible.” 

“Oh, you were the MVP,” he smiled, watching you take another sip of your beer and you smiled that amused little smile, the one you had when you were humoring him, the same one you’d had since you were 15 years old. “No question about it.” 

“Since you know all about me apparently,” you teased. “What’s been going on with you?” 

Joel shrugged, taking a drink. Mostly to buy himself time. 

Did he want to admit to you that he’d all but taken his life and driven it into the ground since he last saw you? 

Not that he ever felt like he had much potential, anyway. You and his mom had been the only people who’d ever really seen anything in him. But then you left and she died and was he even failing anybody anymore? Certainly not himself. And everything he did now he did to make sure he didn’t fail his daughter who, for the last 10 plus years, had been the only thing in his life that made it seem like all the shit was worth something. 

But he wasn’t sure he wanted to tell you about her, either. It seemed cheap, to bring her up in a bar to you of all people, one of the only reasons she existed in the first place. 

“Kept busy,” he said instead with a shrug. “Workin’ construction. Roped Tommy into it about a year ago, too. His dumb ass kept getting into it with people, told him I wasn’t going to keep bailing him out of jail if he didn’t at least look like he was trying to get his shit together.” 

You nodded and took another sip of beer. 

“Do you like it?” 

He shrugged again. 

“Pays the bills.” 

“Not what I asked, Joel.” 

He looked at you. You were watching him in that keen way you had, your head cocked slightly to the side, your eyes looking at him like you could cut through everything, everything he ever had or was or would be, down into the lanky boy he’d been when he’d first met you. 

“Not sure why it matters,” he said after a minute. “But it’s fine, I guess. Crew’s good. Work’s steady.” 

“It matters because you deserve something that fulfills you,” you frowned slightly. “Don’t you think so?” 

He laughed once, looking at you for a moment. 

“Haven’t thought about shit that way in a while,” he said. 

Since you left, he added silently. He didn’t say it. Wouldn’t say it, even though part of him wanted to. Wanted to demand an answer, wanted to yell at you, wanted to cry at you and make you answer for the destruction that you left behind you. Destruction that Joel wasn’t entirely sure he’d ever really recovered from, just found a way to live in the rubble of it all. 

But you were here now, talking with him again. 

“When was the last time we did this?” He asked. 

“Did what?” 

“Talked.” 

You smiled a little. 

“You mean besides the time you decided to yell at me about my romantic choices at my mother’s funeral?” You asked, brows raised. “Been a while.” 

“Since prom?” He asked quietly. 

He watched you clench your jaw before nodding and taking a drink. 

“Since prom.” 

Joel picked at the label on his beer bottle for a moment as you sat with your hands between your knees and looked anywhere but at him. Eventually, you picked up your drink glass again with your left hand and Joel traced your bare ring finger with his eyes. 

“Thinkin’ I might have been right about the romantic choices,” he teased lightly and you frowned before he nodded at your hand. 

“Ah, right,” you said, extending your hand in front of you and running your thumb over the inside of that finger like you would if there was a wedding band there. “Yeah, it turns out going on a book tour when your marriage is on the rocks isn’t the best way to handle things…” 

“Shit,” he shook his head a little. “I’m sorry, Goldie, that…” 

You scoffed. 

“No you’re not,” you put your hand back in your lap. “You hated him. You said all of three words to Gale and you hated him…” 

“OK first of all, his name was fucking Gale,” Joel cut you off. “And second of all, he was a fucking douchebag.” 

You snorted into your beer, coughing and choking on it for a moment and Joel clapped you on the back as you held on to the table, trying to laugh and breathe at the same time. 

“You alright there?” He asked, leaving his palm in the middle of your back. 

“Fine,” you coughed, pounding your chest with your fist. “I’m fine, I just… It’s so funny, but Gale isn’t even his birth name.” 

Joel gaped at you. 

“You’re shitting me,” he said. “That asshole chose the name Gale?” 

You nodded, still coughing and laughing. 

“He did,” you said. “He did, he thought it made it sound him more authorial and academic, he changed it before he started teaching. His birth name is fucking Bradley - his mom still calls him Brad - and I only found out when filling out the marriage license.” 

“What a fuckin’ dick,” Joel laughed, his hand still on you. He was touching you. He hadn’t touched you in so long and he was touching you. “Jesus Christ… Sorry if you’re still hung up on the guy but shit, you can do way better than that.” 

“It’s fine,” you laughed, calming down a bit and nodding to yourself. Joel watched you, uncertain. “Really, it is. I’m not going to pretend like I entirely agree with you but… things look different once you’re outside of the marriage and not in it anymore… Anyway. You married? Kids?” 

“Not married,” Joel said, still not sure how he wanted to tell you about Sarah. If he even should, if the two of you were going to just go your separate ways after tonight and never speak again it felt wrong to share her. “Not even dating, really. At least, nothing steady…” 

You laughed. 

“Christ, why am I not surprised?” You teased. “You always had a way with the ladies. Haven’t outgrown that yet I take it?” 

Joel smiled a little. 

“Why outgrow what’s fun?” 

You smiled a little back. 

“Fair enough,” you said. “Don’t you want that, though? Something stable?” 

“Is anything stable?” He asked. “Shit, half the people we went to school with now are fuckin’ divorced, what difference does it make?” 

“Yeah, I guess I am one to talk,” you said, polishing off your beer. 

Joel winced. 

“Fuck, not what I meant…” 

“It’s fine,” you shrugged. “I just… it didn’t work out and that’s that, right?” 

“Right,” he said, watching you closely for a moment. “Hey, since you’re lookin’ to get hammered and I don’t got shit else to do tonight… shots?” 

You laughed a little. 

“I don’t know that I want to get that hammered,” you said. “I’m not a teenager anymore…” 

“C’mon, Goldie,” he teased. “It’s on me. Plus it was my birthday the other day, gotta do at least one with me for that.” 

“Oh shit,” you said. “It was, wasn’t it? You turned 33 on… Monday? Monday, right?” 

“Right,” he laughed. “So, you in?” 

You laughed a little back. 

“Alright,” you said. “You’ve sold me. But I’ve got the first ones, it was your birthday, after all.” 

The two of you moved to open bar stools on the end of the bar and ordered the first two shots - tequila - and clinked your glasses together before downing them, slamming them down on the bar top when you were done. 

“See?” Joel teased. “You still got it in you.” 

“If you say so,” you coughed a little and then laughed. 

“Another?” He asked. 

You looked at him for a moment. 

“Fuck it,” you said and Joel flagged down Jimmy and ordered another round. 

By the time it was last call, your friend had come over to say goodbye, her lipstick smudged around her lips and the mouth of the man she’d been draped across, and the bar had gotten quiet, just a handful of stragglers left even on a Friday night. 

It took a few shots but you’d given up on keeping any distance from Joel at all, your bar stool sitting against his, your body pressed against his side, your head on his shoulder. 

“Hey Jimmy!” Joel slapped the bar top a few times. The man came over and leaned on the bar, looking at you tucked against Joel. “Think you can get me a cab?” 

“Sure as hell not lettin’ either of you two idiots drive,” he replied, going to get the phone. 

“Hey,” Joel nudged you. “Where… where do you live? Need an address, gonna get you home.” 

You thought for a second and then devolved into half drunk laughter. 

“I don’t know,” your words were slurred. “Oh fuck, I’ve only lived there like… a few… a few… fuck. When did I move?” 

“Before the school year?” He asked. 

“Right,” you nodded. “Prob’ly right, that’s… that’s when. S’not long. I don’t know where it is, oh shit…” 

“S’OK,” he said, putting an arm around you. “Just… just come home with me, s’fine.” 

“Yeah?” You asked, raising your head slightly. “You… you don’t mind?” 

“Don’t mind, Goldie,” he said gently. “Never mind, not with… not with you.” 

You nodded and dropped your head back to his shoulder. 

Joel had to half carry you to the cab and you dozed off against him on the drive, pressing your warm, soft body against his, passed out enough that you were drooling on the shoulder of Joel’s t-shirt, soaking through to his skin. He didn’t mind. 

“She gonna be alright?” The cab driver asked as Joel paid him and nudged you awake. 

“M’fine,” you waved him off. 

“You know this guy?” The man asked, watching you in the rear view mirror. 

“Him?” You asked, brows raised. “‘Course I know him, this… he’s Joel, he’s my best friend, s’fine.” 

The driver nodded once. 

“Good,” he said. “Take care of her, alright buddy?” 

“Sure,” Joel said, setting you down in the back of the cab. “Always have.” 

He got out and went around to the other door, almost tripping on the curb, before tugging you out of the backseat and against his side. You laughed and then shushed yourself. 

“Sorry,” you tried to whisper but failed. “S’late, I should be quieter….” 

“S’fine,” he slurred. “The neighbors think I’m trash anyway, not gonna ruin my reputation…” 

You snorted at that. 

“Assholes.” 

He helped you up to the front door and fumbled with the lock, the two of you stumbling in. Julie, Sarah’s babysitter, shot up off the couch, a groggy look on her face. 

“Wha?” She blinked for a second. 

You yelped and Joel shushed you.

“Sorry,” you failed at whispering again. “But Joel… there’s a teenager in… you’ve got a teenager on your couch.” 

“Yeah, she does that,” he tried to whisper back. “S’fine. How’d it go, Julie? Everything OK?” 

“All good, Mr. Miller,” she stretched and got up, meeting Joel in the entry way. “She went down at 9:30 after trying to talk me into watching Coyote Ugly…” 

“Oh lord,” Joel sighed. “Last thing she needs is to get it in her head that she should be singin’ and dancin’ on a bar…” 

“Don’t worry, I said no,” she smiled. “But I think one of her friends at school is obsessed with it, not sure how else she’d know about it… Anyway. How about you pay me next week?” 

“Oh shit,” he said, going for his wallet. She laughed. 

“Seriously, don’t worry about it,” she said. “Not sure you’d remember paying me right now and I’m even less sure you can count.” 

“Thanks,” he said, grateful. “You drive safe, alright kiddo?” 

“Will do,” she laughed a little. “Night, Mr. Miller. And Mr. Miller’s… friend.” 

“Night!” You said, a little loud before clamping your hand over your mouth and laughing. Once the door was closed, you turned your attention back to him. “Ooooo you’re Mr. Miller now.” 

“Yeah, I’m gettin’ old,” he said, guiding you inside. “Here, I’m gonna put you to bed and then I’ll take the couch…” 

“You absolutely will not,” you snorted. “I’m… I can sleep on the couch, not… not letting you take the couch in your own house. ‘Specially not when you’re old enough to be Mr. Miller.” 

“Goldie…” 

“I will move and sleep on the floor.” 

He sighed and started moving you toward the couch. 

“You ever gonna be less stubborn?” 

“Nope,” you popped your lips on the p as he set you down. He got the blanket Julie had been asleep under and draped it over you as you snuggled into the couch. “Hey Joel?” 

“Hm?” 

“Who was that girl?” You asked, eyes already closed. “Why… why did you have a teenager in your house? This is your house, right?” 

“S’my house,” he said, tucking you in. “And don’t worry ‘bout it. Just go to sleep.” 

You yawned. 

“Thanks, Joel,” your voice was groggy. “For taking care of me. Missed you.” 

He stopped and looked back at you for a moment. 

“Missed you, too.” 

He went to bed, trying not to think of the last time you’d fallen asleep on him. 

***

The Morning After Prom

May, 2008 

The pink and orange of dawn woke you up. You were on Joel’s chest, his shirt unbuttoned so you could feel his skin on yours and your dress was still bunched around your waist from when Joel had slid the straps down your arms the night before. 

You enjoyed it for a moment. The feel of Joel’s skin, how his chest rose and fell with his breaths, how the early morning light caught in the curls that had broken free of the gel you were sure his mom had put in it the night before. He smelled good, like cologne - the kind that a man would wear, not the Axe shit that drenched the hallways of your school - and soap and a hint of sweat that just felt like the essence of him. You wanted to stay like this with him forever. Be this close, know him in this way. It felt right, it felt beyond just good. 

And then you remembered, you weren’t supposed to be here. 

“Joel,” you whispered, sitting up from him and shaking him gently but urgently. “Joel, wake up!” 

“Hm?” He mumbled, groggy, his eyes opening slowly. 

“We fell asleep,” you said, still whispering even though there was no one here to hear you. “We’re not supposed to be up here, we have to go!” 

“Shit,” he blinked the sleep from his eyes and looked you over and you were suddenly fiercely aware of how naked you were, how the light of day was creeping in and casting over your exposed skin. Joel reached out and cupped your cheek. “Sorry, didn’t mean to pass out…” 

“It’s OK,” you said quickly, clutching your dress over your naked breasts as you slid the straps back on. “But we should get home, we didn’t tell our moms that we were going to be out all night, I’m sure they’re pissed…” 

“It’s prom,” he said. “Think they expected it to be a late one. But… you’re right, we should get going.” 

Joel got up and offered you his hand, pulling you to your feet. It wasn’t until you moved your lower half that you realized how sore you were between your thighs, your skirt falling back down to your feet. Joel held your hand for a moment once you were standing and his skin felt hot against yours. You dropped his hand and cleared your throat awkwardly. 

“You should button your shirt,” you said quietly, nodding to his bare chest. “And… um… Zip up your pants.” 

“Oh,” he looked down. “Um… Right. Right.” 

He moved quickly as you looked over as much of your dress as you could see and Joel used the glass of the press box as a mirror to adjust his hair. 

“Do I look OK?” You asked when he was done, turning so he could see the whole dress. “Not like… not like we….” 

“There’s… um…” he cupped the back of his neck awkwardly. “I think we made a mess of the back of your dress, I didn’t think… should have moved it, I guess…” 

“Shit,” you twisted, trying to spot it. “Do you think…” 

“Just don’t turn your back to your mom,” he said quickly. “Should… should be OK.” 

“Right,” you said. “Yeah, that’s… right. OK.” 

Joel led the way to his car and the two of you sat in silence on the ride home. You kept glancing at him out of the corner of your eye, his elbow propped on the door of the car, hand on his mouth, his face drawn. 

What were you supposed to do now? You’d never done… this. You’d never been in this position and now you were here with Joel, the person who was your best friend, the person you knew better than anyone else in the world, the person that everything had felt so right with it had been impossible to stop. 

But what did you do now? 

He stopped in your drive way and sat there, staring straight ahead. 

“Thank you,” you said. He looked at you, his eyes a little wide. “For taking me to prom, I mean. It was… I had… It was good. I liked it. It was good.” 

“Yeah,” he nodded after a moment. “Yeah, I’m glad I… got to go with you. To prom.” 

“Right.” 

You looked at him. You wanted to kiss him. Wanted him to hold onto you and tell you that everything was going to be OK and that you were going to figure this out and it would be you and him together just like it always had been. 

Instead, he tightened his grip on the steering wheel. 

“I’ve got church this morning,” he said. “And then we’re goin’ to help my grandma in the afternoon so I don’t think I can see you until tomorrow…” 

“I’ve got that doctor’s appointment in the morning,” you said. “So… I guess I’ll just… I’ll see you at school?” 

“Right,” he said. “Yeah, right. I’ll… I’ll see you at school.” 

You smiled tightly at him and leaned in slowly to kiss him on the cheek, hoping that he would turn his head and press his lips to yours the way he had the night before. 

He didn’t. 

“Thanks, Joel.” 

“Yeah.” 

You went inside and got undressed in your bathroom, looking at the stain on your dress, hoping you’d be able to get the stain of your blood and his come out before your mother noticed and it ruined anything else.

Next Chapter

A/N: Eeeeeeee! I'm so excited now that this story is properly going!

I hope you enjoy exploring Joel and Goldie with me. I really love their friendship and the way they care for each other and I think there's so much to explore with the both of them.

I do have an updates blog. Follow it here and subscribe for alerts when I post.

Thank you for being here! It really does mean so much to me to share this story with you. Love you!!

[gailyinthedark]

It is not a ponytail*. It is a queue**.

*practical, versatile, worn by yoga instructors and your coworker Alyssa

**swashbuckling, debonair, worn by pirates and Allan Breck Stewart

[deceitfuldevil]

Uncharacteristic

Matt Murdock X Reader

Summary: You grew up with Matt Murdock, always crushing hopelessly on him. But from the day you met Matt he never seemed to so much as tolerate you. Nearly 20 years later and your offices are across the hall from each other and it’s safe to say Matt considers the worst part of his day to be when he has to pass your office in the morning. He clearly hates you, so why does everyone think he has this uncharacteristic soft spot for you? 

Warnings: angst, enemies to lovers, allusions to smut at the end, swearing, kissing, consumption of alcohol, being drunk, allusions to depression, not proofread.

Word Count: 3K

—

Hopeless, that was a good way to describe your love life. It can’t get much worse than having a childhood crush that still finds you irksome well into your adulthood. This little crush of yours only got you teased as a kid, because really, who has a crush on the anti-social blind kid? 

But now you’d pay for the teasing over the current situation, where your childhood crush has grown into a very attractive grown man, and everyone constantly reminds you of that fact. 

“Matt looks so dreamy today.” Your coworker, Alyssa, said with a far-off look. 

“How can you even tell with that split second glimpse you got of him walking into his office?” You grumbled, flipping over the top sheet of the pile of paper in front of you. 

“I just know, okay? Anyways I could probably get a better look if you’d let me keep the door open more than a crack.” Alyssa snapped back, matching your grumpy energy. 

“Leaving the door open more than a crack is inviting, and inviting means Matt will come in, and Matt coming in means he will be insolent towards me.” You said simply, looking up from your paperwork to eye her. But Alyssa just gave you a confused look. 

“Insolent, meaning he’ll be rude, arrogant, and show his lack of respect towards me.” You elaborated, thinking she didn’t know the meaning of the word. 

“I know what insolent means, thank you very much. But Matt has never been insolent towards you in the slightest.” She said, raising her eyebrows towards you. 

“Please, he hasn’t been able to stand me since I met him at the orphanage in 7th grade.” You said fully setting down your work and dividing your full attention to this conversation now.

“Whatever lie helps you sleep at night.” Alyssa said, finally dropping the conversation after you had immersed yourself in it. You scoffed and went back to the task on hand, disregarding her thoughts.

The rest of your work day went on as per normal, calling and conversing with clients and filing paperwork until it was five o’clock. You were out the door sooner after the clock struck five, hailing a cab to a restaurant uptown where you were meeting a longtime friend of yours for dinner. 

Your friend Leila had just moved back to the city after going back to college to get her masters degree, so you just had to meet up. She arrived at the restaurant shortly after you, immediately running over to hug you. “It’s been too long. How have you been?” you asked eagerly. 

“Oh, we need to sit down for this.” she said with eyes that screamed ‘I have so much drama to tell you about’.  Excited, you both sat down and talked through your entire meal. Leila didn’t even realize how long she had been talking until the waiter brought out the check, and her eyes widened with embarrassment. “Oh my god I’ve totally talked your ear off, please tell me something going on with you so I don’t feel as bad when I’m going home.”

“It’s not a problem, besides not much has changed with me. I’m still in that same tiny apartment, I’m still hopelessly single, and I still work at Atlas Investments.” you said in a relaxed tone, just glad you got to catch up with your friend and not caring to go over the details of your mundane life. 

“Still admiring Matt from afar?” Leila asked, poking at your clasped hands in front of you, you pulled your hands apart and soothed them over your thighs at the topic. “It helps if I pretend I don’t have a crush on him like we’re still in 7th grade. Besides, he still hates me just as much as ever.” you said, pulling out your wallet to put your card down.

“Hates you?” Leila said in a questioning tone.

“Don’t take that tone with me, my coworker gave me that same tone with that same look you’re giving me when I told her why I don’t like interacting with Matt because he’s so insolent towards me.” you said, getting a little sick of no one else ever seeing how horrible Matt has always been towards you.

Leila just stared at you for a moment, as if trying to read your face for any sign that you might be joking. You just stared back at her, waiting for some reaction. Then she burst out laughing, a light and awkward laugh falling from your lips in response.

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to laugh.” Leila said, pausing as one last breathless chuckle left her lips before she composed herself. “I just can’t believe after all this time you still don’t see it.”

You looked at her with furrowed eyebrows. “See what?” 

“Matt’s behavior towards you! As long as I’ve known you both, he’s always had this uncharacteristic soft spot for you.” You stared back at Leila with this incredulous look on your face. “...what?” 

“Jesus you’ve known each other nearly 20 years and you still haven't noticed? I guess that solves the answer to why you two haven’t fucked yet.” Leila said, also reaching in her wallet to put her card down as the waiter grabbed the bill; clearly trying to ignore your conversation. You shook your head, physically trying to erase the second part of her sentence from your head like an etch-a-sketch. 

“Matt. . . he’s always hated me. Never wanted to be around me. I remember how red and furious he looked the day I moved into my office at Atlas right across from him.”

“Uh uh uh, that is not how that day went.” Leila said, mouthing a small thank you to the waiter who returned with the check and handing you your card back. “Thank you, and please elaborate.”

“Gladly. Matt was bright red and frustrated because when moving some boxes left behind into the hallway, you backed up into him without realizing it.”

“Okay. . . and?”

“...and your skirt was short because you moved in the middle of July, did you not see the massive boner Matt popped after that?” 

“Boner? Please. That was the first time I saw him when moving in and realized we were work neighbors and upon realizing it was me is when he got all red, cut off the conversation super quick and locked himself inside his office. Probably because he was pissed to have to be around me constantly again.”

“So there’s not a chance in your head that your ass bumped his front, and once you made it clear that it was you, Matt was flustered because of his attraction towards you and shut himself off to hide that tent he was pitching?”

You rolled your eyes “Even if I did give Matt a boner, which I didn’t, guys get like 7 boners a day. So it was probably a fluke.”

“It’s actually 11, but besides the point. That’s not the only instance of Matt clearly having a thing for you.” Leila said informatively.

“Yeah sure, we could go on until this place closes going over the times where it was painfully obvious how much Matt can’t stand me and you could tell me how this is a textbook enemies to lovers story. But I’ll stick to my books, thank you very much.”

Leila let out a defeated sigh. “Let me just reiterate that if there’s one thing I’ve always noticed about Matt it’s his uncharacteristic soft spot for you. Just think about it for me, please?” she said with pleading eyes. “Yeah whatever, I’ll think about it when I’m getting drunk alone tonight at Josie’s.”

You and Leila both stood up and started to leave the restaurant after you made your promise to her, when hugging her goodbye she whispered in your ear “I’m so bringing up this conversation at your wedding during my maid of honor speech. You know, when you get married to Matt.”

“...and the moment is over. Taxi!” you said, pulling away from the hug and hailing a cab for Leila. “I’ll be manifesting it for you bestie.” she said with a smile, getting into the cab that pulled up. “Literally shut the fuck up.” she gave you a look as she closed the door and rolled down the window. “Love you too!” she said as she waved goodbye as the driver went on his way.

You took a sigh of relief, thankful that the conversation was over. But her words resonated in your head as you downed another shot hours later at Josie’s. 

‘He’s always had this uncharacteristic soft spot for you.’

There’s just no way you’ve known Matt for this long and everyone but you has seen him be soft and affectionate towards you when all you got from his behavior was raw unfiltered hate. The longer you sat on that thought, the more queasy you felt. Or maybe that was because of the rapid influx of alcohol you were putting into your system. You haven't been this shit faced in awhile.

Before you could gather your scattered thoughts enough to stand up and go home, you heard an all too familiar laugh enter the bar. You looked towards the door and saw Matt and his law partner Foggy entering the bar, mentally trying to sober up but only feeling more nauseous at the sight of your childhood crush.

Of course Matt and his blind luck, he appeared in the empty space right next to you, ordering a round of drinks without seeming to notice your presence. You were relieved until you felt a sneeze coming on, trying to suppress it but failing. A few slipping from your lips, not quietly either. Matt gazed over in your direction and you could see your very drunk reflection in his red lenses, thank god he was blind and couldn’t see how horrible you looked right now. “Bless you.” Matt said politely.

“T-thank you” you said with a slight stutter.” Matt was still looking at you, his brows now downturned as he parted his lips before speaking up again. “Y/n?” 

“Yes?” you said, a nervous feeling settling over the nausea in your gut.

“Oh, just seeing if it was you.” Matt said with a short tone. A silence falling between you two until Josie served him his drinks. 

“Soft spot my ass. . .” you trailed off as Matt grabbed his drinks, assuming he wouldn/t hear you or just disregard your words. But he stopped and turned to you. “What?” You stared at yourself again in his red glasses and let out a frustrated sigh. “I just don’t get you Murdock.”

“You don’t get me?” Matt asked, setting the drinks he had back down. 

“How-” you let out a high pitched hiccup “How do you fool everyone?”

“I’m afraid you’re going to have to be more specific than that sweetheart.”

“Oh drop the act, no one is around.”

Matt chuckled and stepped closer to you. “What act?”

“Acting like you don’t fucking hate me!” You said, raising your voice at him. Turning a few heads who were within earshot.

“Hate you?” Y/n I-”

“Oh please don’t stand there and try to deny it. Don't stand there and pretend you don’t get a sour taste in your mouth at the mention of my name, it’s always written across your stupid face. All my friends have this idea that you have this uncharacteristic soft spot for me but they must be drunker than me to think that you’ve ever even so much as tolerated me!” a few stray tears spilling from your eyes as emotion overcame you. Matt stood there speechless, you gave him less than a moment to speak up before grabbing your bag and getting down from the barstool you were seated at.

“You want to know what the worst part about falling in love with you was? Knowing that no matter what I did, you would never even like me. I am never going to be better to you than the dirt that you track in on the bottom of your shoes.” you spat bitterly, adjusting your purse on your shoulder as another hiccup slipped past your lips. “Let’s forget my drunken rant when we pass each other going to the office on Monday, yeah?”

You started to walk away, not able to hold back the tears any longer as you quicken your pace leaving the bar without even paying. “Y/n!” Matt called after you. “Goodnight Matthew.” you said, walking out the door and wobbling home. Looking at the time on your watch, disappointed with your state of being at only 9pm. 

You were so embarrassed by your drunken outrage at Matt that you stayed in all weekend, no calls or texts from him or anyone else. Come Monday morning you felt like no one would care if you dropped off the face of the earth, so you stayed home and didn’t even bother to call off work. Sleeping in until noon and moping around all day after that. At least before Friday you and Matt had some semblance of a fucked-up friendship, you did grow up together after all.

It was now 6:30 at night and you sat in front of the TV watching friends while having a brownie and ice cream for dinner. The healthy voice in your head said you should call your therapist, and the toxic one said you should call Matt. Before you could listen to either voice, there was a knock at your door.

You initially intended to ignore it until the knock came again and a voice called out to you “Y/n? It’s Matt.” you immediately froze, standing up and tip-toeing to the door. “I really think we need to talk.” still not responding, you placed your hand on the door knob and began to turn it. Only as you started to open the door did you remember you’d been walking around in a hoodie and underwear all day. No bra, no pants. Thank god Matt was blind.

“Hi.” you said quietly as you fully opened the door, Matt letting himself right in. “Matt, now is not really a good time.”

“How long?” Matt turned to you and asked as you closed your front door behind him. 

“What?” you asked as you turned to face him, little space left for you to distance yourself in the foyer of your apartment.

“”How long have you thought I hated you?” Matt asked in a demanding tone. You pressed your legs together anxiously, not in the mood for the conversation at hand. Opening the door again you spoke with an exhausted tone. “I am not having this conversation with you right now Matt, please leave.” but Matt startled you instead, bringing his hand up to the door and slamming it shut. Your brain didn't even have time to process how he could’ve done that, because now Matt was walking towards you until your back hit the wall.

“I asked you a question.” Matt said slowly.

“I. . . forever. I’ve thought you hated me since. . . forever.” you said softly, praying Matt wouldn’t get any closer and notice your missing garments.

“If I’ve hated you since forever, then why have I always wanted to do this?” Matt said in a tone barely above a whisper, leaning down as his breath fanned over your lips. But he stopped there, his lips mere centimeters from yours as if he was waiting for you to make the next move. You lost all resolve built up over the years as all you’ve ever wanted was right in front of you, a high pitched whine falling from your lips as you said “please” so quietly it was a miracle Matt heard you. Your eyes fell shut as a mere moment passed until Matt pressed his lips to yours.

Words can’t describe all the emotion that kiss conveyed, and yet that very kiss was a conversation you and Matt have been avoiding for decades. A conversation that said ‘I hate myself for ever letting you think for a second that I hated you.’ and ‘You have no idea how many times I’ve had this exact dream’. Apologies moved through your mouths, not even a word mumbled but all of it being understood. Both of you trying not to think about all the years lost by avoiding this kiss. A tear slipping down your cheek, Matt shifting his lips from your to your cheek, kissing it away. “I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how much I never hated you.” A soft smile grew on your face, that smile getting larger as you could feel something quite large growing against your bare hip.

“Then why don’t we start tonight?” You asked eagerly, hiking your leg up to allow Matt to press his growing bulge to your core. Matt chuckled in a primal way, leaning back down for a much more intense and passionate kiss.

It seemed Leila would be making that maid of honor speech after all.

—

A/N

Whew! Hello everyone! I have a personal goal this year to post at least one story a month so thank god I got to go home from work early today to finish this and get it posted! I have been incredibly busy with my new job lately but I absolutely love it. I now work for MAC cosmetics, my dream cosmetic company. I’ve been there for about three months and it’s a dream come true, really. I am also only 30 followers away from one-fucking-thousand! That's absolutely insane and also terrifying. I will try to do a big sleepover when I hit that milestone and I have the time! In the meantime, thank you all for reading and hope everyone's new year is going well!

Much Love,

—Skyler

[anthroposeen]

tmagp 14 relisten notes

(sorry this one is a bit late!!- spoilers under cut)

celia:

- says that sam can get intense, and seems to be down playing her feelings for sam (hesitation and lack of enthusiasm when telling alice the date went well)

- directly confronts alice about her relationship with sam, but with the intention of getting out of drama, not causing it. i think this goes to show she started this job with a mission, and isnt interested in anything that may derail it

- seems genuinely taken aback by alice flirting with her

alice:

- deflects when celia confronts her by flirting with her -> im a buzzkill, so i dont think this is a genuine act of affection on alice's part, though it does sound more nervous than usual. i think shes gotten worked up and its resulting in a change in her demeanor

- has a very awkward pause after celia says alice can "do better next time" (referencing her relationship with sam)

- says that when she first started the job, she also wondered about the cases legitimacy

sam:

- picked up on the letters of rejection from the institute, and was trying to talk himself out of drawing connections

- he grew frustrated with gwen, and got particularly agitated by her saying he wouldn't understand (rejection again) and that she doesnt have time for him

- this is the first time we've seen him drop the positive attitude he normally has with coworkers (other than alice), his walls are already coming down

gwen:

- very sullen, but still offers some minimal help to sam

- seems upset with lena (this checks out)

- shes exhibiting self isolation behaviors (not opening up about her problems or trying to get help from coworkers)

lena:

- looking for gwen, and not in a good mood (did gwen not follow up w the external she was supposed to email? was she actively on assignment?)

incident:

- jon chester narrating -> mentions an institute (hmmm i wonder what institute that may be) and is directed at sam. im not of the philosophical house that he's encouraging sam, i actually think hes using the incidents as a means of venting (bad computer pun) and warning sam, since the incidents are all about the doom of being involved with the institute

- incident occurs in 1995, 4 years before the institute burns down

- follow-up by the agency writing the report was post-poned due to the absence of the technician (assuming this is alyssa)

- the shop keeper was wary of a rat being in his shop and had various scratch and bite marks on his body-> interesting because he seems to have no issue with hygiene or contamination in the shop (and rats are commonly fed to pet snakes)

- the shop keeper had a "physical altercation" with the technician, and referred to "his burden" -> i can guarantee that this will be an important detail for future use, whether or not he becomes a reoccurring character, i expect that the "burden" will eventually be expanded on

- the description of the shop itself lists sickly traits: warm, likely has mosquitos, there is a sharp smell from the reptiles, there is old food left in the office space, strong smell from the bad food, ant infestation, squirrel droppings, and there was a hole in the wall

- the report ends in the midst of removing the squirrel, and resumes with the mention of waiting for police on scene

- the report becomes more of a personal log after this interruption, with alyssa speaking directly to her father. this is especially interesting since she says he will believe her, implying he has some paranormal experience

- the room shes locked in is a makeshift cctv room, which i find worth pointing out since it draws an obvious connection to the eye, though i dont think theres a real connection

- the shop keeper seems manic and aggressive, and wants to sell the snakes desperately

- the shop keeper began, well, Transformation (snake)-/-horde

- jane prenthiss

- the snakes seem to want to possess another person and wither their host, which is an interesting change to the themes of tma's corruption, which protected and embraced their host in most cases

- the shop keeper had pinned rejection letters from "an institute" (take a wild guess as to which one) to the wall -> this implies there have been others rejected from the institute even before sam, and that a rejection does not seem to be an indicator of inability to interact w the paranormal

glitches/lies:

- none

extra notes:

- colin hasnt been featured or mentioned by other characters in a while. i feel like this is particularly strange for alice, since we know they were the closest, but im assuming the characters are overlooking him because of their own distractions. but its still concerning

- i think this incident was chosen by chester specifically because of sam's rejection from the institute. ive interpreted it as a warning that continual obsession with the past (and the institute) will lead sam down a bad path. im also taking this as a potential foreshadowing to sam's arc, dealing with the shop keeper's burden/possession as a metaphor for what could happen to sam. the shop keeper eventually gets left by the snakes, allowing them to take up a new host, meaning these powers and horrors can be transmitted or given to others; so sam can just as easily turn into one of the monsters from an incident. he has to choose to stay away from this path

- im hesitant to draw connections between the fears of tma and whatever powers are at work in tmagp, since i believe theyre different (or, at least, theyre manifesting in new ways) but this was a garishly corruption-aligned incident. im unsure exactly what that implies, but im taking it as a hint that the tma fears are not entirely gone as we know them. (or this is a major red herring?)

[bradshawsvinyl]

Game Changer: Chapter Three

warnings: mentions of cheating, brad brad is adorable

Bradley Bradshaw woke up on Sunday morning with an aching headache. Thanks to the bottle of Scotch he had last night, he had also woken up with the urge to puke all over his San Diego condo. This has been Bradley’s morning routine ever since his very public divorce with Hollywood movie star Alyssa Moore.

Alyssa had cheated on Bradley with world famous actor Idris Elba. Their divorce was all over the tabloids and frankly, Bradley felt embarrassed and upset over the news being everywhere.

His conversation with Jake in the locker room last night made him realize something. The best way to get over one person was to get under another one. And who better to get under than the Padres new clubhouse reporter.

Bradley asked Alexandra out because he wanted to get over his ex wife. He decided to take a quick shower before hopping in his Bronco and driving to the address you had texted him last night.

Alexandra anxiously paced around her apartment while her roommate Giliana watched from afar. “What if this is just platonic and I'm making this out to be something it isn’t?” She pondered out loud.

Giliana placed a comforting hand on your shoulder. “You never know until you try.” She said encouragingly. “You look great and if it’s just platonic, so be it. At least you have an ally in the clubhouse now.”

Giliana was right, Alexandra realized. If things went bad it wouldn’t be the end of the world. And if they went good…well you’d think about that later.

As Bradley arrived at the address Alexandra texted him, he couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. It had been so long since he’d dated someone new and although he was trying to get over Alyssa he didn’t want to hurt you in the process. After all, Alexandra was going to have to interview him throughout the season. He climbed out of his Bronco and knocked on your door.

Inside the apartment, Alexandra’s heart skipped a beat as she heard Bradley knock. “It’s just drinks with a coworker.” Giliana reminded her “Just breathe.”

As she opened the door, her eyes met Bradley’s. It might have sounded silly but she felt like time had stood still. She could sense Bradley’s anticipation in the air. He offered her a soft smile.

“Hi Bradley,” She greeted him with a warm smile. Her voice tinged with excitement and nervousness.

“Hey Alexandra,” Bradley replied with the same amount of anticipation. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yeah let’s go.” With that, Bradley led Alexandra to his car. He opened her door and delicately adjusted her seat. As Bradley and Alexandra settled in the car, a comfortable silence enveloped them. Alexandra couldn’t help but to steal quick glances at Bradley, noticing the way the streetlights cast a warm glow on his sharp features.

Once they reached the bar, Bradley quickly went to open her door and lead her inside. Once they sat down and ordered their drinks, Bradley decided to break the silence. “So Alexandra,” he began, “how long have you been covering sports?”

“Professionally I've been covering sports for about five years now.” She answered, voice tinged with excitement. “How’s the season shaping up for the Padres?” She asked in return.

Bradley smiled grateful for her interest in his job. When he was with Alyssa, the last thing she wanted to hear about was baseball. Alyssa would not even bother to go to Bradley’s games or listen to his remarks about a particularly stressful game.

Even though Bradley had just met Alexandra he felt a strange connection to her. She was genuinely kind and caring and he had only known her for two days. Her interactions with his manager and his teammates showed that she actually cared not only about the sport, but about the players.

“Spring training was a rollercoaster.” Bradley laughed. “But I'm hanging in there. I’ve got a great team and great people around me to motivate and encourage me, you know?” He said while taking a bite out of your shared fries.

As Bradley and Alexandra continue their conversation, the dim lights around the bar cast a warm glow on them. The hums of chatter and the clinking of glasses seem to fade into the background. Their eyes meet, locking in. Filled with unspoken words and attraction. Bradley’s heart races with anticipation as he leans in, his breath mingling with Alexandra’s in the small space between them.

Gently, Bradley cupped her upper cheek and his thumb tracing her jawline. He closed the space between them. The moment their lips meet it feels as though time stands still.

reply to be added to tag list 🩷🩷

[stellar-solar-flare]

Okay I love your Steve fics to death but I’m so curious about your Tony fic you have in progress. Knowing you it’s amazing but I still would love a sneak peek into your brain!!

Thank you for the love for my Steve fics and for sending an ask! (Ask is referencing WIP Tag Game post.)

So, Tony fic is one of my favorite tropes aka fake dating! Information and an unedited 700-ish sneak peek under the cut.

TW: cheating on Reader (not by Tony), crappy friends, drunkenness, age gap (Reader is around 30, Tony is 43).

Reader is at a high-end night club celebrating her bachelorette, when she receives an email that has a picture of her boyfriend kissing his coworker in the car park of his job.

And turns out her friends knew about it.

🍾.

“I’m sorry you had to find out this way,” Alyssa’s [the maid of honor] sorrowful voice broke through your thoughts. "I don't know who this woman thinks she is."

No. No. That was not the right reaction. She was not talking about Jennifer. [the woman he cheats with] She was talking about the message. Why was she talking about the message? Why was she mad about that? Your gaze snapped up to her face. Where was the shock? Where was the anger? Where were the threats that no one would ever find Tristan’s body? It was conceivable that Vanessa [the person who sent the email], who knew nothing about you would think this was okay with you but not Alyssa, not after knowing you since middle-school, not –

“But I’m sure she means nothing to him.”

No. No. NO. You swallowed the bile from your throat, trying to get some air into your lungs as the music around you seemed to swell into a cacophony that no longer made sense. It was one thing to be betrayed by Tristan but if –

“Did you know?” you spat.

“Look, hun, it’s –“

You stepped back as she was reaching to hug you. No. She didn’t get to touch you, not before she cleared up her words, denied that she’d ever known about this and threatened to come up with a plan to humiliate Tristan so badly he’d never crawl out of the hole he’d dug himself. Your mouth tasted like salt, and you had no idea why until you realized the tears were already falling. Alyssa folded her arms back against her chest and sighed.  

“Look, you guys have been together since forever. You have a good life. He cares about you, I mean, he’s giving you the wedding of your dreams and look at that ring,” Alyssa gestured toward your two-carat rock. “We didn’t want you to be upset, we were trying to… Everybody wanted to believe in you two, and yeah, he has his faults but honestly, with everything else... You’re living the dream. You’ve always been together. We thought this wouldn’t tear you apart, either.”

You didn’t know which part of that statement was the most fucked up. Who the hell was this woman? How could you… How could she… We didn’t want to upset you? Your brain was refusing to process it all, grasping for something concrete, something you could address.

“He wanted the fucking wedding to impress his buddies,” you said, almost like you were just now realizing the fact.

We. We. We. You thought about the three other women sitting at the table reserved for you, people you’d known since high school, people who’d seen the beginning of you and Tristan, people whose names you refused to know anymore because clearly, you hadn’t known them in the first place. Snakes. All of them. Some random lady you’d talked to once at a party had cared about you more than your best friends. And fuck Tristan and fuck Jennifer but your friends? Your friends, who had sat there making delighted noises at your fucking wedding dress fitting, knowing that your loving fiancé was probably somewhere chasing a skirt.

“Did everybody know except for me? Jesus Christ, how many of you he’s fucked?”

People closest to you were turning to look as your voice climbed, and on some other day, you would’ve cared, but the look on Alyssa’s face drove the knife deeper into your chest.

“Not me,” she said, finally, without meeting your gaze.

Apparently, it was possible that at some point, you ran out of ability to be shocked anymore. All it took was your entire life crumbling down around you. With a very deliberate movement, you set the drink onto the bar. Apparently, Alyssa took your blank stare and complete lack of reaction as a sign to keep talking, and honestly, some sick part of you was dying to hear this. If not for anything else, to spit it all onto Tristan’s face once you saw him again.

“You know how it’s always been with Tristan. Everybody wanted him, even back in high school. He could have anyone, but he always comes back to you. That means you win. That means you’re better than any of them. They don’t mean anything to him.”

🍾.

So she finds out that both his status-oriented investment banker piece of crap of a fiance and her friends have betrayed her. The MOH calls the fiance, who comes over into the bar trying to get her to calm down and listen, and she throws her drink in his face.

Which is when Tony happens to come from the Avengers' VIP booth to the bar and sees that. He comments something along the lines of liking her style, and asking what's wrong.

She's a mess, so she spends the rest of the night spilling the whole sorry story, crying onto his shoulder, and drinking champagne in his VIP booth, and ends up in his house - absolutely nothing happens, since she's so drunk, but he wasn't going to abandon her and make her go back to the shared apartment.

In the morning, he gets her breakfast, and they come up with a plan: since his ex thinks he's all that shit, making money on the stock market, et cetera...

Then how about Tony showing him how a real rich guy treats his girlfriend. Obviously, it's all fake; Tony loves the drama and the idea of getting back at her ex this way, and she's in the mood for some righteous vengeance - and what's a better way to humiliate a status-focused idiot than to 'upgrade', so to speak.

It's all fake... Until it isn't.

[beardedmrbean]

LEA COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – A sergeant from the Lea County Sheriff’s Office has taken a plea deal over distributing a sensitive video of a now former co-worker.

Sergeant Sonia Estrada pleaded no contest to misdemeanor use of telephone to harass earlier this week. Estrada was one of four people facing charges for distributing the video.

The victim said the video was sent to her fiance, a male coworker’s wife, three chief deputies, and Sheriff Corey Helton.

Man linked to 2023 deadly hit-and-run with DNA, Albuquerque Police Department says

Charges against Lea County Sheriff Deputies Diana Juardo-Garcia and Ailleen Vizcarra, as well as Jal police Officer Alyssa Porras, were dismissed as part of the deal.

Estrada was given 90 days of unsupervised probation, with a conditional discharge upon successful completion. She is required to pay a $50 donation to Crime Stoppers or a domestic violence shelter and have no contact with the victim.

A lawsuit against the Lea County Sheriff’s Office is still pending.

[screamsofanoutlawbrain]

Out of their shell au stuffs!!!

Since Pop is basically dead, Lolli has complete control of their body.

Ben(Pop) has been avoiding Lolli for a while, he doesn't wanna have to come face-to-face with his sister if she doesn't know it's him.

Ben doesn't really talk with many of his coworkers, mostly just Wiatt or Alyssa. On rare occasions he'll make small talk with the animatronics(mostly just the triplets or Ribbon Dancer).

Alyssa(Glory) HATES being positioned in Seaadventure, she dislikes having to look at the empty shell of her own body whenever she has to clean the pools.

Alyssa is just a bit more chatty than Ben when talking with coworkers, but a lot less with the animatronics(she flat out can barely bring herself to exchange a few words with Rex, it breaks her heart).

Alyssa has babysat Hazel before(post revival), it was as chaotic as you'd expect it to be.

[jimcornflake]

READER: MANTIS

All similarities that a reader may have to a real life person are all coincidence. This is in no way an OC and please let me know if there’s any tips you have on making the reader more ambiguous. Thank you for taking the time to read my work, please check out the rest of my content if you enjoy yourself. Have a lovely day!

A/N’S

— READER LIFE BEFORE ASA: cheap apartment, partying, drug addicted, working two jobs: one as a gas station attendant, the other as a waitress. She makes music on the side, but due to her mental health problems, she doesn’t want to take the spotlight.

- READER FAMILY: She is afraid that she’s such a deep disappointment to them that she can’t show her face ever again.

- READER FRIENDS:

- Alyssa (Coworker)

- Hailey (Mutual friend)

- Jay (Mutual friend BF)

- This reader is a bit kooky, she’s a y2k!glam girl obviously, but she’s got a strong undertone of manic pixie dream girl. She gets caught up at a party one day and from then on, she is put in to the Collection.

- Reader doesn’t talk about her family. Asa doesn’t know what happened there but he doesn’t want to assume.

- Reader is like a crow. Likes to collect, sort, and loves a good shiny object. Is moderately/above-average intelligence.

- Reader is a recovering addict- or… trying to recover. Trying her best! Very important. Very good. She’s very prone to peer pressure and has poor judgement and impulse control, which makes people view her as fun and easy-going.

[designedbysantos]

[ … ] ❀ you’re not from around here , are you? i figured because you totally just missed { ADRIANA SANTOS } walking by. don’t tell me you don’t know who { SHE } is ? they kind of look like { CAMILA QUEIROZ } and i could be wrong but i think that they might be { 26 } years old right now. they’ve been living in palmview for the last { THREE YEARS }. and i don’t know if anyone has ever told them this before but they kind of remind me of { BROOKE DAVIS } from { ONE TREE HILL }. if you stick around the town long enough you might catch them in action working at { PALMVIEW FASHION HOUSE } as a { FASHION DESIGNER }. you see this town isn’t really that big of a place, some folks like to call them the { PRIMADONNA } of palmview! they took a liking to the name too after a while, go figure. oh crap, they must have heard me yapping. they’re coming this way. i got to warn you though, rumor has it they can pretty { VAIN } at times. i wouldn’t take it too seriously though, from the times i’ve spoken to them they seemed pretty { INDEPENDENT } to me. we see each other all the time since they live in that { FIVE BEDROOM } apartment beside me over in { CORAL COVE }. i better leave you to it. it was nice meeting you! 

Here's my more sociable, flirty, vain little broken angel!

Adriana grew up in a big house with everything she could have ever asked for, aside from not being alone. Her parents never really wanted a child, but were pressured into it by their own families, which resulted in Adriana being born and them having very little to do with raising her. Nannys raised her during her formative years until she was old enough to be able to order take-out and handle her own credit card. Then that big house was all to herself and she absolutely hated it. She was lonely with only the endless presents and money presented to her instead of love and affection from her parents.

No one would suspect that though. Outside of her house, Adriana was the over-confident, popular mean girl who everyone loved and feared. She was the party girl, the boy crazy cheerleader, and if you crossed her, you would regret it. Over time with the right friends, she showed her softer side, the part of her that hid behind all of that to hide her loneliness and desperation to be loved.

The only person at Palmview who knows all of this now is her best friend and coworker Alyssa. They met their first year at university, roommates there to pursue their love of fashion. They were quick to bond and were attached at the hip. Where one was, the other was sure to be close behind. They supported each other through everything and had big plans to create their own fashion line together some day.

Until that day comes, they are working together at the Palmview Fashion House. Adriana is constantly coming up with ideas on what their fashion line will be like and she refuses to think that they won't get what they want in life. But another thing that Adriana wants but won't hardly admit is to find that one person that will love and stay with her through everything. To have a family and be a mom and all that stuff.

Ever since senior year of high school, she's had a presence online. Her beauty and lifestyle lead to something people wanted to see and follow and she has definitely used it to her advantage. She is always showing off her fashion sense and things she creates. She hopes that her social media following can be beneficial to her future fashion line.

Adriana can be vain, overconfident, and self-involved. She loves herself and thinks everyone else loves her too. Or at the very least admires her. On the surface no one would believe she could be insecure and afraid of people leaving, but that's why she's so good at hiding it. In her head, it's only a matter of time before she takes over the world and shows everyone who ever doubted her, including her parents, that she is amazing and worthy of love.

[moondustlings]

open to: ladies muse: belinda "lindy" henderson plot: here; just silliness that'll lead to the dream coming to reality connections: best friend, acquaintance, coworker, neighbor, family member, go wild (t.aboo and non welcome) notes: can also be open to using chloe, alyssa, naomi, elise (muse list)

just the sight of them caused a bright blush to color her cheeks. she thought she had precisely planned her day to avoid them and yet ... "shit." the curse left her lips in a hushed whisper and just her luck, they had super hearing and glanced her way. "i—i gotta go," she rushed out, "i had a gay dream about you so please stay away from me." now she was even more embarrassed at her inability to keep her inner thoughts to herself when she was in fight or flight, so she turned on her heel to quickly walk away from this conversation.