#and thank you Mr Jenkins for everything

[orions-beltloops]

ofmd officially over everyone :((((((

[hannahhook7744]

got any coach Jenkins hc? i feel like we dont know much about him... just his relationship with the vks!

Someone does a survey to find out who the vk's favorite teacher is. The most common answer is Coach Jenkins (some from kids who never went to Auradon Prep). Not to say he's every vk's favorite. Just that not many (or any I can really think of) who'd not like him.

He takes his teams out for victory pizza.

He is one of the few people who can shut the heroes, villains, and sidekicks up with a single look (one that rivals Lady Tremaine's).

He is good with kids.

I read a fic once where Jay met his family. So I headcanon that Coach Jenkins has a husband and at least one kid because of it.

Ever wonder why we never see Mr. Deley after D1? It's because Coach Jenkins chewed him out when he found out about the mess with Evie (he also had Chad run laps at every practice until the season was over afterwards. Probably because he saw Lonnie's school of secrets web series not long before that).

I feel like he might have been abused/neglected as a kid or knew someone who was because he handled Jay (and Carlos) perfectly after their first tourney practice.

He loves his job and had a really good Coach of his own when he was younger who inspired him.

Coach Jenkins used to be apart of Auradon's big brother program.

He also once used to have a diabetic player on the tourney and fencing team so now he carries around a cooler with drinks and snacks at every practice and game.

His favorite colors are ironically the school colors.

He went to Auradon Prep when he was a teenager.

Also he's the jousting club's teacher and has known Ben since he was four because of that.

Coach Jenkins wasn't a perfect teenager (no one is, be honest. Everyone gets up to mischief) but he was always a good person. And unlike most Auradon adults we see, he's not a hypocrite and therefore isn't overly harsh to the kids when they fuck up.

He tries not to be judgemental when the adults fuck up but well. It can be hard sometimes.

He has a ton of baseball caps.

He was on vacation in d2.

He had a family emergency in d3.

Coach Jenkins remains in contact with many of his former students (especially Jay and Carlos).

He is friends and rivals with Tiger Lily (he went to high school with her).

He was a total hippie in highschool.

Can't dance at all.

Just wants absolutely all of his students to be happy and well adjusted adults, even ones like Mal and Evie that he doesn't interact with often.

Coach Jenkins used to have long hair.

His full name is Reese Alexander Jenkins (after his actor, Reese Alexander).

Man has a stress ball and lots of fidget/stress toys because he has a stressful job and his coworkers and a few of the parents certainly do not help that, thank you very much.

Also he was friends with Audrey Ramirez (Diego de Vil's mother and Milo Thatch's friend) too.

He's a bit older than Tiger Lily (in his mid 30s to early 40s).

Coach Jenkins has played videos games with the boys before.

Sometimes he has to stop himself from smacking his coworkers/the parents of the kids because they just make so many stupid decisions that it frustrates him. But he's excellent at self control so he's never done it.

He's a fun loving guy, like Jay, and way more laid back than his coworkers. But he doesn't play favorites with the kids and doesn't let them get away with everything because he knows that that will cause more problems than it will fix.

That's all that I can think of for now, sorry. Feel free to add!

[cybervesna]

Hello, I'm not sure if I missed it somewhere but what's the backstory between Wiosna and Kurt?

Hi! Actually! I haven't talked about them in complied way... Thank you for asking this, I will explain and ramble about them here 😅 At the start, I will say that my photo series Wires is telling the story of the two of them in chronological order (with the exception of Valentine's special cuz that will be set after a few that have to come at some point, I'm sorry Part 7 is so demanding...). However, Dogtown Nights are shorter bits of their life, in unspecified time points (unless stated otherwise cuz some will be follow-up/prequel to Wires) More under the cut

In early 2076 Wiosna became a netrunner for hire after her abusive fiance Arthur Jenkins died. She started small, but thanks to her experience (as she learned netrunning in Poland, where NetWatch is far more strict and only the best can survive (Thanks Eurosource Plus) and a death wish, she quickly made her way to The Afterlife. There, she was known under the nickname SPR1NG. People knew about her only what she allowed them to know, which wasn't much. But Rogue didn't complain, since Spring did all her suicidal gigs with utmost excellence. Happy client = happy fixer. With Wiosna's status increased she started being looked at by many organizations. Corps wanted to hire her to steal data from one another, cause global security breaches, and such things. She was picky with her jobs. Wiosna wasn't after money, nor she was after fame. It was the thrill. She wanted to feel something worth living for. She wanted to be scared to die. Which never really happened. So, when Rogue told her there was a special client from Dogtown who would like to hire her, but there were no deets about anything, she was intrigued. She agreed to the meeting, and from that point forward, her career was under the watchful eye of Mr. Hands. The meeting itself revealed that the client was no one else than Kurt Hansen himself, who needed a capable netrunner to build the lab for Cassels visit. Kurt was a figure everyone in Night City heard about. And Wiosna wanted to find out what was true. How the whole thing went can be seen on Wires: Part 1. But but but but!!! Dogtown Nights 4 is an indirect follow-up that happens between Part 1-5 of the Wires.

Wiosna had a life before this one. Life she ran away from, but that life made her who she is. And she was a highly educated psychologist. She liked to analyze people, trigger certain emotions in them, and make them what she wanted... And Kurt Hansen had something in him, that made her develop an unhealthy obsession. Especially, that he, just like her liked playing mind games.

And Kurt liked her, because she was pretty, smart and it was intriguing as hell she was not jumping to his bed the second she got a chance. In fact, she was cockblocking him.

Kurt and Wiosna were dancing around each other for weeks, and poor Kurt had no idea he was the one losing. Wiosna wrapped him around her finger, by letting him think he was winning, but in reality, she manipulated her way to his heart. Heart, he thought he didn't have. The stepping stone for them was the moment Kurt found out about Wiosna's past.

For Wiosna is was a test. She knew it wouldn't be easy since he didn't get any info on her the first time. All of this was to check if he was willing to bother, and what kind of reaction he would have to the truth. I made some of her files there (I should do more)

Wiosna always saw herself as flawed and unworthy of anything, due to her child trauma. She spent more time in psychiatric facilities, where they tried to "fix her" than she spent with people at school. Any free time she had, she spent in cyberspace or in ballet class - however alone.

Her files consist of dozens of evaluations, diagnoses, incident descriptions, and everything really negative that everyone in high-corpo society sees as "psycho" but in a - we can't make it useful for us psycho way.

Kurt in those files saw potential.

Of course, for him it wasn't really about love, but what he could gain from her. And sadly, Wiosna was naive enough to believe otherwise.

I don't want to say much, because it's in my upcoming stories, but I will say this: Aside from her terrible past, Wiosna also has a powerful name she doesn't use - Kochanowska. Her grandfather is Antoni Kochanowski, owner of LoveSky Space Mining Company. As of 2076 her family owns half of Earth's resources, and 90% of resources on Mars and Luna, they supply manufacturers like Arasaka with resources to make weapons, mechs etc. I want to be clear, that this is only my headcanon! We got that? Good, then to give you the level of importance LoveSky has on the market - Kurt's precious Chimaera was made from resources delivered by LoveSky to Militech. They're the fundamentals of any corporate force. Wiosna is the last of her line. Her parents died tragically (99.99% set up by their enemies) on launch to space where they were meant to start their new project, which makes her - their only child an heir to everything they owned. Which is half of LoveSky and a seat on the Arasaka Board. But Wiosna herself disappeared, despite her grandparents looking for her, and Asukaga & Finch lawyers ready to execute the will of her parents.

For Kurt she is a trophy. One that came straight to his arms at that. But well... remember what I said about Wiosna outsmarting him. They both were into each other, for their selfish reasons. What they found surprised them both.

I hope I satisfied your curiosity!

[supernaturalgirl20]

A Fate so Cruel

Pairings: Pero Tovar x f!reader

Warnings: Smut 18+, explicit, unprotected sex, fingering, past life lovers (sorta), witches, soulmates, mentions of soulmate mark, immortality, cursing (because it’s Pero 😏).

Summary: Pero’s greed cost him everything he holds dear. Now, he must search for a way to break the curse placed on him centuries ago and help the woman he loves to remember who he is.

A/N: this is my fic for the @pedrostories secret Santa. My secret Santa is @artemiseamoon 💕 I went with Pero on this one, I hope you like what I’ve written for you 🥰🥰 thank you so much @misspearly1 for the beta x

***follow @supernaturalgirl20-writes and turn on notifications for updates on my writing***

Peeping around the bookshelf at the chime of the bell, you catch a glimpse of who entered and a wave of disappointment washes over you. It was Mrs Jenkins, but you hoped it was a certain dark haired Spaniard.

To your displeasure, you greet her. “Good morning… I’ll just be a moment then I’ll be right with you, Mrs Jenkins.” You call out from behind the pile of books stacked in your arms. They’re a heavyset of books and you breathe a sigh of relief when you place the last one on the shelf.

“Pacing… outside.” She replies and the proximity of her voice startles you. She seemingly appeared out of nowhere when only a second ago, she was standing by the front door. However, you didn’t catch what she said and quickly turned to face her, your hand held over your chest as your heart thrums in your ears.“I’m sorry, come again?” You apologise with a quizzical expression.

“Are you deaf girl?” She retorts, “I said, that young man who has been frequenting the place is pacing back and forth like a mad man outside.” Her face is stern as she glares at you from behind her glasses, though a shy smile creeps onto your face as you look toward the window. There he was. The certain Spaniard you hoped for, and now you hope that he decides to actually come inside today.

The sound of Mrs Jenkins clearing her throat snaps you out of your thoughts and you turn your attention back to her. “If you’re finished ogling the man, I have an order to collect,” she says with a clipped tone before turning to make her way toward the cash register.

You diligently follow her with a slight roll of your eyes. Despite her snippy attitude with you at times, the woman is generally rather nice. “Here we go.” You place a large box onto the counter, which she studies quickly before handing over the money. “Do you need any help, Mrs Jenkins?” You ask, then move around the counter with your hands held out, offering your assistance.

“Nope,” she grumbles as she slaps your hand away. “I’ll manage just fine, thank you very much.” Oddly enough, you weren’t surprised by her actions and brushed it off as she grabbed the box and turned to leave. The bell chimes once again and you both turn your head to spot Pero standing just inside the door, looking rather… Nervous?

“Hm.” Mrs Jenkins mumbles, then proceeds to mutter incoherently under her breath as she shoves past him. He watches her leave before his eyes find yours. “I do not think she likes me very much,” he declares while walking toward you slowly, his hands nestled in his front jeans pocket.

“I wouldn’t take it personally. She doesn’t like anyone.” You smile brightly at him before jerking your head to the side for him to follow. “A few new books came in the other day and I had a quick read of them. Well, skimmed through them really, but some of them are extremely old and they’re from China too. Or at least that’s what Jerry said,” you say with a shrug of your shoulders. “You said you’ve visited the country before so I immediately thought about you.”

Looking up at him as you quickly rummage through the box of books, you find him staring down at you with what looks like adoration in his eyes. His gaze, intense and lustrous, made your skin heat up and you almost lost focus of the task at hand. Great, now he probably thinks I’m weird, you thought while clearing your throat awkwardly before continuing to search for the book.

“Ah. Here it is.” You beam with triumph as you locate the book and hand it over to him. The man matches your smile, evidently relieved that you had found it, until his gaze drops to the cover. Then his smile suddenly fades. Okay, not how I pictured this going. “Is everything ok, Pero?” You ask, slightly worried that you’ve upset him somehow.

“How… Where did you get this?” He questions, his tone slightly harsh making you flinch a little with surprise. You assume he didn’t mean to come across this way and that he was just astonished.

“Jerry brought it in,” You explain, “Said he found them in this old house he was renovating or something. Why? Is it important?” You’re curious now and unconsciously lean closer to him as he flicks through the pages.

He closes it abruptly and rummages through his pocket before handing you some cash. You stare down at the money in your hand and gasp. “Pero this is too much. Well, I haven’t even had a chance to price it but this is definitely too much.”

“It’s not enough, hermosa.” He shakes his head, “Trust me. This book…it may be the answer to my prayers.” The man takes another quick look at you before rushing out the door without another word.

Well, that went great… I think? You wonder silently as you stand staring after him.

***

Pero couldn’t believe his eyes. This was the book he has searched a lifetime for. How ironic it is that you were the one to find it. The gods must be laughing at him right now.

As he rushes out of the shop -albeit reluctantly - he thinks back to his time in china. The memories flood his brain and it’s as if he’s transported back in time.

“You are so beautiful, mi amor. The gods blessed me the day they brought you into my life,” he whispers into your neck. His lips peppering kisses and you groan as his teeth nip at the skin of your there.

“Pero my love, William will be back soon,” you say playfully as you try to push your husband off you. He pulls back, his gaze locked on you and a growl emanates from his chest as he grinds his hips against you. “That idiota will be occupied with general Lin, so we have all the time in the world, amor. Now, let me make love to my wife.”

He sighs at the memory. How he longs to have that again. To have you remember him. To be able to hold you and kiss you, he would give up his life for just a moment with you and your memory of him.

Turning the corner he almost runs into a young child dressed as a witch - Halloween is just around the corner - and he curses in Spanish at the costume. If there was anything on this earth that he hated, it was witches. After all, it was a witch that cursed him to live a lifetime without you. And all because of his greed.

William had warned him. Told him not to do what he was about too. That the woman he was about to rob was a witch, but when has he ever listened to his Irish friend?

The necklace was worth a lot of coin and he was going to sell it and finally build you that home he promised when you left China and the Great Wall behind you. A home that you could fill with his babies. The thought alone had him hard as a rock.

Why had he let his greed get the better of him. You had told him you were happy with the life you both had. Your simple life. Together.

He should have listened. He took the necklace right from under her nose but she soon found out and when she realised that he had sold it, she wasn’t pleased at all. Apparently, it was a much loved family heirloom.

She had cursed him that day. Cursed him to live a life of immortality which was bad in and of itself but then she had cursed you too, only you wouldn’t remember him or the life you both had. What he wouldn’t give to go back in time and change his fate.

The witch - whose name he had learned was Helga, made sure you were lost to him and he spent his life searching. Searching for you and for a way to break this godforsaken curse. His search had led him to the ‘Last Chapter’ bookstore where he finally found you. His Reina.

His body thrummed with nervous energy. Could this be the answer he has been searching for. Would you finally be his again?

He finally makes it home and throws the papers off the table as he places the book on it and begins to search for the right page. No. Not that. Where are you? Ah yes. There you are. His eyes scan the page quickly, searching for the words he hoped were written. Sure enough, they were there.

I’m almost there, my love, he thought.

***

In the days that followed Pero’s departure from you, he hadn’t once come back to visit. You grew worried, especially because of the way he left so hastily, and from the look of desperation he had.

Truthfully, you spent more time than you would like to admit thinking about him and that book. You’ve wondered what significance it has, or what importance it means to him. You only pray that he finds what he’s looking for without driving himself mad.

You also pray that he will pay you a visit again, preferably soon as you wish to see those eyes of his again. They’re so beautiful and warm, transcendent. Whenever he looks at you, it feels as though you’re welcomed in and wrapped up in something familiar. Something you’ve never felt before with anyone, but with Pero, you feel like you’re home.

However, lately you’re left with only the memory of his eyes as he remains unseen. The days pass at a leisurely pace and you bide your time by working the hours away in the bookshop, arranging the bookshelves or reading during your breaks. The tale you read today is a true love story. One of your favourites.

A Spanish soldier falls in love with a maiden from a small village and they travel the world together until they are torn apart by magic. Love conquers all though, and they meet again and live happily ever after.

There’s something so sweet and joyous about reading a love story, no matter how many times you have read stories like this, it never bores you. More often than not, you can guess the endings, but it’s as if you vicariously live through the characters, wishing that their story of love was your own.

As you sit behind the counter on your little cushioned chair, flicking through the pages of just one book out of hundreds in your store, you wait for a customer to ring the bell or something to tear your attention away. Business has been slow today, not that you mind, it’s nice to take a break from time to time.

You ponder in thought about what you’re going to do later, after work that is, and the first idea that sprung to mind was taking an exceptionally long soak in the tub, basking in the warm soapy water and maybe even indulging with a glass of wine.

However, your mind wanders back to Pero - as it always does - and you begin to think about him again. You even hear the sweet pet name he calls you, hermosa. The way it rolls off his tongue so naturally is attractive, and the language he speaks, fluent and smooth, is sexy.

“Hermosa,” You hear the pet name again, this time audibly in your ears and not in the depths of your mind, causing you to exit your train of thought and peep over the counter. There he was. The Spaniard you hoped to see was there once again, as if your prayers were answered.

Thank the gods.

You don’t even know how he managed to enter the shop without the bell chiming, but you don’t care enough to ask. Besides, you were probably too wrapped up in your own mind thinking about him to notice anyways. Quickly snapping your book shut, you lay it down and rise from your chair eagerly to greet him.

“Pero… Hi,” You say bashfully, then ask. “Is everything ok? You left in quite a rush the other day….I’ve been worried about you.”

“He steps closer, a smile edging at the corner of his lips. “Do no fret, hermosa. I’m ok.”

“Oh, good. That’s… That’s good, I’m relieved.” You stutter nervously, finding yourself losing your train of focus yet again as that familiar feeling from his eyes returns. It felt so comforting. It felt like home. “So, did you like the book?” You whisper softly as you walk around the counter, still holding his line of sight.

“It was exactly what I was looking for, hermosa.” Pero moves closer and you notice he’s nervously scratching the back of his head. The movement draws your attention to his hand where he is wearing a silver band. A wedding band. Of course he’s married. A man this handsome couldn’t be single, you think to yourself as you take a step back. How had I not noticed that before?

“Do you believe in soulmates, hermosa?” He asks, moving closer again.

“I - yes I do. I know that probably makes me seem silly but, it’s the hopeless romantic in me I suppose. To think that two people are destined by the gods to be together,” you say softly, a smile spreading across your face.

Pero is smiling back at you and that look of adoration is in his eyes again making you feel hot all over. “Did you know that when the gods fated two souls, they marked them with an identical symbol so that when they descended to earth, they could find each other.” He says, his voice soft and low as he stands directly in front of you.

His breath is hot on your face and you can’t help but look into those deep brown eyes, that slight golden fleck so familiar somehow. “I….is that….did you read that in one of your books,” you ask, your breathing becoming slightly more ragged.

“No, hermosa. I learnt that from my wife. I learnt that from you.” His proximity is causing your heart to beat faster and you can hear it thrumming loudly in your ears. Your vision begins to blur slightly and you feel like you’re going to faint.

“I don’t….how….” You stammer and you take a few steps back until your back hits the counter. Pero’s intense gaze is still set on you as he reaches out both hands, resting them on the counter beside you. He has you caged in, his body pressed against yours and you take this opportunity to really take him in.

He’s so handsome. Even with that scar across his eye. But he’s fucking delusional. Of course you fell in love with the crazy guy. “What are you talking about Pero? I’m not your wife. I’ve never been married. I don’t even have a boyfriend.”

His eyes drift from yours to your lips, where they linger for a moment, before meeting your gaze again.

“I have searched every inch of this godforsaken world looking for you. It’s taken me far too long, but I’ve finally found you and I am not letting you go. Not now, not ever.” He laughs, his head dropping slightly before he lifts it again and lets his eyes drift around the shop.

“Of course this is where I found you, hidden among your books. You always did love to read.” Something on the counter beside you catches his eye and his face lights up when he sees what you were reading.

“I see you are reading our book, hermosa. It is my favourite story of all,” he stands a little straighter as he moves one of his hands to rest on your hips. The heat from his hand permeates your skin and a shiver works its way down your spine.

“Our….our story,” you stutter as he moves his other hand to cup your cheek. “Si, nuestra historia. But the story isn’t over yet.”

His thumb caresses the skin of your cheek and you unconsciously lean into his touch. “Pero I don’t….”

“Do you trust me hermosa?” He asks, his voice soft and low as his eyes flicker between yours. You gulp loudly before nodding your head, suddenly unable to speak.

Without another word Pero begins to lean in, his eyes searching yours for any hint of hesitation and when he sees none, he continues on his course. His lips meet yours in a soft kiss and you can’t help but close your eyes. The feel of his lips on yours causing you to moan involuntarily.

Gods, he tasted so good. Like coffee and a hint of peppermint. Like home. The hand that’s resting on your hips squeezes you slightly. “Te amo, mi amor,” he whispers against your lips before he licks along the seam of your bottom lip.

It’s like a flash of lightning.

Like a film reel playing in your head and all you can see is him. Him and you and the life you had together.

Your eyes dart open and he pulls back as you gasp out a breath. “Hermosa?” He asks wearily as he waits for your reaction.

“Pero? What…what the hell is going on?” Your eyes look around as if you're seeing everything for the first time. Your gaze settles on the man in front of you once again and he’s stepped a little closer.

“Mi Reina? ¿realmente funcionó?” My queen. Did it really work? He asks as he reaches out for you.

A smile spreads across your face and your eyes gloss over with tears as you rush forward and hug him. “Oh Pero. I remember everything. It's been so long, mi amor.” You say with a strangled sob.

“How did you break her curse?” You ask as you search his eyes for the answer. A single tear falls from his brown orbs and runs down along his cheek.

“It was really quite simple. All I had to do was make you fall in love with me again. I should have known but I am a fool, always have been.” You caress his cheek and smile up at him.

“You’re no fool, Pero Tovar.” You say softly as you wipe his tears away with your thumb. “Si, I am but I will spend the rest of our lives making it up to you, amor.”

His lips meet yours in a passionate kiss that starts slowly but quickly escalates when he slides his hands down along your curves and pinches your ass.

He groans into your mouth grinding himself against you and you can feel his desire for you hard against your thigh. “You always did love my ass,” you say against his lips.

“Si. And now I am going to take you right here and now, amor. It’s been so long,” he says with a strangled groan.

“We can’t Pero. What if someone walks in?” You say incredulously. He smiles at you. That same devilish smile he gave you when he was up to no good.

“I turned the sign when I came in. No one is going to disturb us mi amor.” His hands run along your sides, caressing your curves before his hand wanders to the hem of your dress. His fingers slowly move up your thigh until they reach the lace panties covering your slick.

He pulls them to the side and runs his fingers along your slit and you groan into his mouth. “So wet, hermosa. Is this all for me?” He teases as he slowly pushes two fingers inside your aching cunt.

“Yes. All….all for you Pero. Only you,” you gasp, your body tingling with pleasure. The coil in your stomach tightens and just when it’s about to snap, he pulls his fingers out.

“No,” you groan and he smiles at you before taking his fingers in his mouth and sucking them clean. “Gods I’ve missed your taste, hermosa.”

A low deep growl emanates from his chest as he works to quickly undo his belt before shucking his trousers down to his knees. Gods, you forgot how thick he is. Well, of course you did, you were cursed.

He lifts your leg over his waist, holding it in place as he lines himself up with your core. Panties once again pushed to the side, you wait with bated breath as he slowly works himself into you.

“Mierda,” he cries out before burying his face into the crook of your neck. “I’m never letting you slip through my fingers again, amor. Not when you take me so well.”

You both moan loudly when he is fully sheathed inside you, taking a breath until you adjust to him. His lips pepper kisses along your neck, “ready amor?” He whispers into your skin and you shiver with anticipation.

“Yes. Please, Pero. Fuck me.” His hips pull back a little and then thrust into you, over and over again. His pace is slow at first but as soon as you moan his name it’s like a switch is flicked and he starts pounding into you.

“Eres tan hermosa, cariño. Nunca dejarte ir de nuevo.” You’re so beautiful, baby. Never letting you go again.

“Pero…oh fuck I’m….I’m gonna come,” you cry out, body shuddering as your orgasm washes over you. The feeling of your cunt clenching him tight, sends him over the edge and he comes with a loud grunt.

A gasp from behind him startles you both and you quickly fix yourselves before turning to find Mrs Jenkins standing there looking aghast.

“How dare you, and in a bookshop of all places. I knew there was something about you,” she says, anger evident in her tone as she points a finger at Pero. “Sick pervert. And you,” she turns to face you, disgust clear on her face. “I’m gonna make sure you get fired for this.”

She turns with a gasp and rushes out of the shop. You turn to find Pero bent over in laughter and you slap him gently on the arm. “Not funny.”

“Oh come on hermosa,” he says as he moves closer towards you. “It’s a little funny. She definitely doesn’t like me now though.” His eyebrow is raised in amusement and you can’t help but laugh. “Well if it makes you feel any better, she definitely hates me now too.”

“I don’t care who hates me mi amor, as long as I have you.” Pero gazed at you, his eyes full of love and adoration. He swore silently to himself that he was never letting you go again. Ever.

[wearingaberetinparis]

Fic Author Self-Rec

Thank you for tagging me @missgryffin and @kay-elle-cee! Those that know me, will recognise that I find it very difficult not to be critical of my own work, but I need to be proud of what I write more often, so this is good practice! (Also: how do you choose anyway? Every fic is my baby and there are so many memories attached to writing them.) Rules: When you get this, reply with your favourite fics that you've written. Then pass it on to fice other writers. Spread some self love.

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Lily Evans had been eleven when she and her family moved in next door to the Potters. It was the summer before she would start her year at Hogwarts, a prestigious school for gifted students. From their bedrooms, James and Lily witness each other’s highs and lows, watching the other grow as they go through life apart and yet very much together. A Jily Neighbours/Coming of Age AU LINK HERE

(Didn't I?) (Didn't I?) Didn't I See You Crying?

James Potter has fancied Mary Macdonald for as long as he can remember. Everything about her is practically perfect, except for – if he were being honest and he always liked to be – her choice in friends. For Mary’s best friend, Lily Evans, is a right shrew and, much to his dismay, the Head Girl to his Head Boy. Lily Evans had disliked James Potter with a passion after their first interaction on the Hogwarts Express. A dislike that turned into hate – never mind that she also has an infatuation going, but no one needs to know about that – as soon as he decided to make her life a living hell. Unfortunately for her, he also decided (a few years earlier) that her very best friend in the world was the worthy object of his affections. (Which was fine, really. She wasn't about to cry over it, for Godric's sake. She was a strong and independent young woman, thank you very much. And yes, perhaps she was a little in love, but it was all for nothing, so she had to keep calm and carry on.) Certainly, their complicated past would result in major disaster if common ground was not soon established. For the love of Merlin, though, why did either of them think it would be a good idea for Lily to help James woo Mary Macdonald? LINK HERE

The Very (Un)Ladylike Guide To Fortune-Hunting

"Without thinking highly either of men or matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it was the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want." (Jane Austen) Lily Evans finds herself wanting, or: so her sister seems to believe. While out on the hunt for a fortune - again: that would be Mrs Dursley mostly - the affection of a number of suitors is most welcome. Especially when a young Viscount's heart is set aflame. A Regency Jily AU. LINK HERE

Lily In The Sky With Diamonds

A series of interviews with the UK’s hottest band, The Marauders, and the singer-songwriter Lily Evans, conducted by Nymphadora Tonks, as they prepare for the UK Tour after the release of their album “Lily in the Sky with Diamonds”. Everyone worships The Marauders. Everyone loves Lily Evans. Together they make hearts bleed. Inspired by "Daisy Jones & The Six" by Taylor Jenkins Reid. LINK HERE

Tagging anyone that would like to do this, but @annabtg and @practicecourts as well. I'm sorry if you did this already. I was obviously MIA for a couple of days.

[chronicbeans]

The Suggestions Box

(an Abandoned by Playfellow AU short)

You are tasked to look through the suggestions box, a box filled with the suggestions and comments of your fellow employees, and clean out answered suggestions. It hasn't been sorted through in about a year.

TW: Depression/Anxiety, Threats of Violence/Death Threats, Traumatic Events, Abusive Work Environment, Death, Eating Disorders/Focus on Body Weight and Type, Vomit (Seriously y'all it gets gross-), Body Horror/Gore

Opening up the box, you sigh in disdain. There has to be hundreds of tiny slips of paper in here, with most not even being replied to. So, you have to read every single one just to get every suggestion that was replied to out of the box. Damn it.

You pick out the first suggestion, which is from a janitor who signed it C.M.:

"Suggestion: I need a fucking raise. I just cleaned up puke from a kid who ate a Poppy's Chocolate Sundae Cake, by the Painter's Isle. Took me three hours to get rid of the brown stains on the rainbow carpets, and even longer to get rid of the rancid smell. What the fuck are we even feeding the kids here to make chocolate puke smell like rotten chicken?

-C.M. Janitor"

There isn't an answer on the back, so you quickly place it by the box. What a great way to start the day... reading a vile description about puke! Fucking amazing...

"Suggestion: I keep seeing this one kid climbing over the fence of Wally's Road Trip. Sure, the ride is safe when you are in the ride, but he's climbing right onto the tracks! That coaster goes about 20 miles per hour! We need the fence to be taller or something.

-Sam Jenkins Security

Answer: Sam, we cannot afford to make the fences taller. You will just need to keep watch of the children. That is your job, after all.

-Management"

Well... Not the best answer, but still an answer. So, you place it by the bucket that was given to you to collect answered suggestions. Alright, next paper.

"Suggestion: Whoever the FUCK keeps puking in the Barnaby costume, I fucking hate you. You do know that other people here play Barnaby, right? You could at least warn a fellow by leaving a note or something before somebody else wears it. I didn't notice until I got in the suit, and my face was covered in it. Jackass. Others have started complaining, too. I suggest management gives us more breaks, so whoever the weak stomached bitch is doesn't keep puking everywhere.

-David Dwyer Suit Mascot

Answer: I apologize for the incident, Mr. Dwyer. However, we cannot give more breaks. We shall try to figure out who keeps getting sick, so we can have a physical done to ensure that they are still healthy enough to be a mascot.

-Management"

Again? AGAIN?! Why the fuck is there so much puke already...? Yeah, you expected it, but really? Thank God you aren't a mascot. Well, into the bucket.

"Suggestion: I'm worried for Angelo. You know, Angelo Dalisay? The guy who plays Wally Darling most of the time. He's been losing weight pretty fast. I think he might be sick. Maybe the food was bad or something? Can you have someone check the kitchens for sanitation? Please and thank you.

-Angelica Carter Julie Joyful Actress

Answer: Our kitchens are clean.

-Management"

Angelo... yeah, you remember Angelo. You've seen him from time to time. He has been getting pretty skinny, lately... Really skinny. Unhealthy skinny. The kids don't seem to mind, though, and he doesn't say anything when asked. What an odd answer... "Our kitchens are clean.", with no further comment on Angelo's health. Why doesn't he get a health check up?

You place the paper in the bucket. Next one.

"Suggestion: I keep seeing a Wally actor running around, not staying in character. His clothes are a mess. He's been scaring the kids. Whenever I get close enough to catch him, he finds a way to escape, then disappears around a corner. Please, do something!

-Security"

Okay... odd. You know what? Everything you've read so far is weird. It's only your third week here and you are already so confused. No answer... By the box it goes.

"Suggestion: SERIOUSLY, WHOEVER THE FUCK YOU ARE, I AM GOING TO BEAT YOU WITH A GOLF CLUB."

-David Dwyer Suit Mascot"

No answer. You don't want to dwell on this one. Into the unanswered pile.

The next one you pick up is covered in yellow paint... you are guessing face and body paint, since the actors for Wally and Sally ha e to paint their faces and hands yellow.

"Suggestion: I can't stop smiling. I don't want to smile anymore. My face is tired. I can't stop smiling. Can someone help me wipe it off?

-"

You don't find any answer, per say, but flipping it over to the back, you find a scribbled on note.

"I don't know who wrote this, but I found it on the ground by the body paint storage. I don't know why we keep the paints and foods so close to each other. There was a pile of used makeup remover, paper towels, and face cleaners next to it. Can whoever wrote this tell me? Does this have to do with that weird Wally Actor that security keeps talking about?

I don't feel safe, I might quit.

-Sarah Jones Cooking Staff"

Okay... back to the box, you guess?

"Suggestion: Can we please have a health check for Angelo? PLEASE? Something is clearly wrong! I just saw him eating some food, then he rushed to the employee restrooms and started puking! Then, he walked out like he was fine! Some of the things Miss Carter mentioned when I told her are concerning, as well. He's skin and bones right now! Clearly, he isn't fit to work, much less play Wally! What if his appearance scares the kids?

-Gertrude Stone Suit Mascot"

"Answer: We understand your concerns, Miss Stone, but we assure you that he is alright. His weight is still healthy enough for him to keep playing Wally Darling. When we confronted him, he said it was to make sure his weight stays within limits to play the character. He isn't sick. After all, for Wally Darling actors, the smaller the better! It makes him look more petite and closer to the puppet 's body type. The children adore him, as well.

-Management"

On the side of the answer box, you see that somebody has written "BULLSHIT" in big, red letters. Somebody must've gotten in here before you have. Once again, thank God you aren't a mascot. The answer is really alarming, however... Did they even have him check in with a medical professional? Healthy enough? You feel gross just reading it.

You... don't want to keep going through the suggestions box. Maybe just one more, so it looks like you tried? Your boss might send you to look through it again on a later date, but you are feeling like reading all of this is weighing you down. When you heard you were going to be going through a suggestions box, you expected things like "raise my wage" or "hire more cleaning staff"... Not whatever this stuff is. You feel like you've stumbled upon something you shouldn't be seeing, but still needs to be seen.

You dig into the bottom of the box, pulling out a slip of paper. This time, it seems to be covered in red paint.

"Suggestion: I can't stop smiling. My face won't come off. I can't stop smiling. My face won't come off. I can't stop smiling. My face won't come off. I can't stop smiling. My face won't come off. I can't stop smiling. My face won't come off. Please let me stop smiling.

-Where's Frank's attitude when you need him?"

You hesitate, before flipping over the slip of paper. More writing. It's all in frantic, shaky, scribbled handwriting, as if the person was in some sort of rush or panic.

"Julie can't stop smiling. Sally can't stop smiling. Poppy can't stop smiling. Barnaby can't stop smiling. Howdy can't stop smiling. Eddie can't stop smiling. Frank is the only one who never smiles. Maybe he can't stop frowning? It hurts to smile. It hurts to smile. I'm not happy and it hurts to keep smiling. WHENEVER I TRY TO FROWN I FEEL AND HEAR SOMETHING SNAPPING IN MY FACE. Do they hurt too?

The people around us can stop smiling. The people who aren't as bright and colorful. I can't help but be jealous. Do they hurt when they smile? I'll help them wipe it off."

You stare at the paper, wide-eyed and dumbfounded. How are you supposed to respond to this? What are you supposed to even THINK about this? Will the management even care about this? They haven't cared about Angelo's health, they haven't cared about threats in the suggestions box, they haven't cared about a possible imposter scaring the customers! Should you even bother putting it back into the box-?

"YOU... OPEN...?"

You whip your head around, seeing a yellow hand on the window by the door. You quickly shove the suggestion into your pocket, frowning. Maybe it's Angelo at the door? He clearly hasn't been well... What if he needs immediate help?

Opening up that door, you instantly regret it as a disgusting, rotten smell hits your nose. Looking up at the man, you can tell that it is NOT Angelo. He may be dressed as Wally, but it isn't Angelo in costume. His clothes and hair are a mess, much like in the suggestions talking about this imposter, but that isn't what you notice first.

His smile is too wide.

IT LITERALLY SPLITS FROM EAR TO EAR.

You try to close the door on him, only for whoever it is to grab it and hold it open. A monotone voice speaks, which you can only assume is from the strange person. He leans in as he speaks, only making the rotting smell coming from him more apparent. Is this what a corpse smells like?

"It... hurts... to smile.... It hurts... to move my face... You too? Help me... wipe it off?"

You frantically look around, trying to find something, anything to get this person out of the room. You unknowingly end up shaking your head as you look around the room, which the man seems to take as a "no".

"No...? O.... okay... I'll go... Find manage... ment. They'll know... what to do..."

He walks away. He walks away like nothing happened. You slam the door shut, dropping to the floor and taking a few, shaking breaths. Your arms are shaking heavily, alongside your legs. Scratch that, your entire body is shaking like a leaf.

You heard of that imposter Wally, but you always thought it was a joke. Now, however, you have been proven wrong. As much as you want to quit, however, you need this job... You have too many unpaid bills and debts, and if you quit, who knows when you'll get hired for another job?

Plus, as horrifying as that situation was... for whatever reason, that imposter didn't attack you... He seemed rather docile, actually.

Once you calm yourself down, you stand up, grabbing the answered suggestions bucket. Then, you book it out of there as fast as possible, hoping that you don't see that Wally again, today.

[darkmatter-nebula]

Colli gets jump scared by a Halloween decoration

Hi! Thank you for the request! And, of course, Happy Halloween!

Hunter comforts him, of course.

Drabble: The Jumpscare

It was a quiet afternoon in Gravesfield as the most inseparable pair of brothers took a stroll. The small starboy with otherworldly fluffy lavender hair and a heart of gold was floating next to his beloved big brother Hunter.

The young Grimwalker held protectively Colli's small hand. Colli's fingers were intertwined with Hunter's. Out of a sudden, the Halloween decoration that was standing in front of the house of a neighbour began to laugh manically.

"AAAAAAAAH!" Colli screamed as the decoration jumpscared him. The kind and sweet eternal little boy couldn't hold back his tears. Hunter immediately wrapped his arms around him and cuddled him close to his chest.

"Shhh, shhh. I'm here, Colli. No one is going to hurt you. Everything is going to be alright." The blonde boy whispered as he kissed softly Colli's tears away. Hunter definitely was going to give the neighbour an earful! But comforting Colli was more important right now.

Hunter showered Colli's adorable multi-colored face with lots of soft and loving brotherly kisses. Thankfully, Hunter's greatest treasure began to feel better. The immortal celestial boy intertwined his fingers with Hunter's.

.

.

.

"Mr. Jenkins, your stupid plastic skeleton scared my sweet little brother! I demand that you're going to apologize to him!" Hunter said with a very deadly glare. The old man didn't hesitate to say sorry. "I'm incredible sorry, Colli!"

"It's fine, Mr. Jenkins. No hard feelings." Colli had a forgiving smile on his face. His kind red eyes were filled with forgiveness. The cosmic little boy's heart was way too pure to hold a grudge. The former Golden Guard couldn't help but smile. Colli was too kind and sweet.

The End

[ginervacade]

Paramedic AU no one asked for

Here’s chapter one, and I did go ahead and make it PeterPatterLina.

Warning ⚠️: mentions of car accident

Reggie jumped out as soon as Alex stopped the ambulance, running right over to the site of the accident, Luke right behind him. Luke hurried to the older man standing outside his car while Reggie rushed to the beautiful young woman standing with her young son beside the other vehicle. She looked relatively unharmed but the boy had several shards of glass in his arm.

“ Hi there, I’m Reggie,” he offered his hand for the woman to shake, “ I’m a paramedic, and we’re gonna get you and this little guy here all fixed up.”

“ I’m Julie. Thank you.”She shook his hand, voice weak and frightened.

“ Nice to meet you Julie, though I wish it were under better circumstances. I promise you I’m gonna do everything in my power to make sure you’re both gonna be ok.” Then he bent down to her little boy. “ Hi there buddy, what’s your name?”

“ Sebastian,” the little boy replied shyly.

“ Hi Sebastian, my name is Reggie and I’m here to help you. It looks like you’ve got some glass in your arm. If you and your Mama can come over with me to my ambulance we’ll get you all fixed up, ok buddy?”

Sebastian nodded and Reggie flashed him a reassuring smile.

“ Perfect. Can I pick you up? I promise I’ll be careful of that arm.”

When the little boy nodded again he scooped him gently into his arms and lead Julie over to the ambulance.

“ You’re being super brave little guy, you’re not even crying! You must be really strong.”

He continued talking to Sebastian as he carried him, and Julie was impressed by how good he was at keeping him distracted.

Luke met them at the ambulance. “ Mr. Jenkins is going to be just fine ma’am. Can I go ahead and get you checked out?”

“ I’m really ok.” Julie replied, nervously watching Reggie and her son.

“ I’m glad to hear that ma’am but it’s standard procedure that we check you over to make sure of that, though if you would rather wait until we get done with your son first that would be ok.”

“ Yes please, thank you.”

“ Of course ma’am, and my name is Luke. I promise that you are both in good hands.”

“ Ok Sebastian, my friend Luke here,” Luke interjected a hello with a little wave and a bright, reassuring smile to match Reggie’s, “ is gonna help me get all the glass out of your arm, ok?” When the little boy agreed Reggie continued.

“ Awesome, so I’m gonna need you to be really brave for me. Let your mama hold that hand, and give me your other one, ok? Great, so I need you to keep your eyes on me, cause if you try to watch Luke it might get kinda scary. I promise you that he’s gonna be really gentle, all he’s gonna do is get the glass out and get your arm bandaged up. You ready to get started?” Sebastian looked wide eyed at his mom for a moment and Julie smiled at him. “ You can trust these nice guys sweet boy, they’re trained to help people, it’s gonna be alright carino.”

“ Ok.”

“ Alright that’s perfect buddy. If it starts to hurt you can squeeze my hand really really tight, as tight as you need, but try to keep that arm really still for me alright? That’s perfect.” Reggie nodded to Luke. “ Hey Sebastian I really like your Star Wars shirt! Is Han Solo your favorite character?”

“ No, I like Obi Wan Kenobi.”

“ Oh yeah? He’s super awesome, and really brave! Is he how you learned to be so brave?”

“ Yeah, I like his lightsaber.”

“ Ooo yeah, I do too. What color would you want your lightsaber?”

“ I want a green one.”

“ Me too little dude. Try and keep that arm real still for me. You can squeeze my hand as tight as you need buddy, it’s ok. You’re doing so good. You too mama.” Reggie smiled at Julie, lifting his other hand to brush a tear off of Sebastian’s face.

“ Sorry,” Sebastian said, a few more tears falling.

“ Oh sweet boy it’s ok to cry. We’re just almost done and you’ve done amazing! Let’s talk about Star Wars some more ok? Who’s your favorite droid?”

“R2-D2,” the little boy sniffled, as Luke wrapped the bandage around his arm.

“ R2’s my favorite too. And we’re all done, you did really really good! I think you would make a great Jedi Sebastian, can I get a high five? Yeah, there we go. I’m gonna give you a real quick checkup while Luke does the same for your Mama. Can you give her a big hug so that she can be brave too?”

Julie couldn’t help the smile on her face, she mouthed a thank you to Reggie who simply nodded at her, flashing a crooked smile that sat just right on his freckled face in a way that made her blush, noticing the way his green eyes sparkled. She smiled at Luke, noting that he was just as cute, though trying to ignore the way his rolled up sleeves showed off his strong arms. Luke asked her questions to make sure her cognitive function was in order, “ What’s your name ma’am?”

“ Julie Molina.”

“ A beautiful name for a beautiful lady. My name is Luke by the way.”

“ So I’ve heard,” she giggled, blush increasing.

He used a light to make sure her pupils dilated properly, checked her pulse, and made sure she could move normally, and once he was sure she was ok, flashed her a smile that almost rivaled the one from Reggie. Almost, not quite, she thought. “ Looks like you’re good to go. Is there anyone you need us to call? Your husband maybe?”

“No, it’s just us. My dad is on his way here. Thank you.”

“ Of course Julie. Hopefully if I see you again, it will be under better circumstances. Try and have a better evening, alright?”

She smiled back at him, shaking his hand. She turned to Sebastian who was holding an inflated glove with a smiley face and giggling with Reggie.

“ You ready to go, Amorcito?” She ruffled his hair, “ Papi is here,” she pointed toward Ray.

“ Yeah! Look mommy, Reggie made me a smiley balloon!”

“ Oh that’s so cool! Go show Papi.” She giggled, pushing the boy toward Ray who waved at her, smiling as his Grandson ran into his arms.

“ Thank you again, you were really great with him.”

“ Absolutely ma’am, this is my job after all. He really was brave, and Star Wars is easy to talk about.” Reggie shrugged good-naturedly, shooting her the same smile. “ You’re raising a good kid.”

“Thank you, that means a lot.”

“ Have a better evening Julie. Go be with your family.”

Julie nodded at him, then walked to her father and her son.

Reggie and Luke jumped back into the ambulance, letting Alex know they were good to go. They were both too distracted to notice Alex’s knowing smile, the dazed look in Luke’s eyes, or the pink tint of Reggie’s cheeks.

[jomiddlemarch]

Some options for you:

Emmry, Mulled Wine

Helnik, Come All Ye Faithful

Thank you!

Emma stood beside the window, looking out into the night. She could hear the sound of Mary talking and Dr. Foster’s low, delighted laugh drifting down the hall, the voices of the others harder to tell apart. She’d said she’d be along in a minute, uttering some nonsense that Mary nodded at before letting herself be led into the well-lit sitting room, her arm on Dr. Foster’s, his other hand at her waist, keeping her steady despite her lameness. Emma had wanted to be alone or so she told herself. She wanted something and being alone was something she could have.

“Emma?” Henry said, her name a question he must have asked a thousand times. How many times had he asked it lying sleepless in his bed, suffering over a sermon that he couldn’t write, muttered under his breath when he sat by a dying boy and there was no prayer he could remember? She’d never ask and he’d never tell.

“I’ve been here before,” she said, touching her fingers lightly to the windowpane. It was raining and the glass looked like it had been enchanted or she had drunk too deeply of the mulled wine Dr. Foster had poured out with a liberal hand. “Before Dr. Foster leased it for Mary, for Mrs. Foster, it was the Arden’s house. They had a ball and Georgianna had her mother get every last gardenia in Alexandria.”

“You miss it,” Henry said. He’d walked closer than she expected, standing near enough she could reach out and touch his cuff, as near as Dr. Foster stood to his wife, though without the doctor’s obvious eager fondness. 

“It gave me a sick headache, all that perfume,” Emma said, frowning a little. “It was another world. I can’t go back, I wouldn’t, even if I could.”

“Still, you may miss it,” he said. 

“It’s not what I want,” she said. “I didn’t want the mulled wine either, though I know Mary had it made for me, I’d mentioned it was something we used to have on these cold nights. It was costly, all the cinnamon and clove and Dr. Foster would only allow Bordeaux, and Mary would have served spiced cider or a rum punch if she hadn’t been thinking of me. I don’t want to be in ballroom, in a ballgown, and it isn’t that I envy Mary, she’s the dearest woman, the dearest friend—”

“She is,” Henry said. “She wouldn’t want you to be unhappy—”

“How can I be otherwise?” Emma exclaimed. “How can I be happy when everything is wrong and I don’t want what I have? When I can’t have what I want, when even wanting it is wrong?”

“I want you,” he said, shocking her into silence. He’d said it, the words hung between them, and he did not try to take them back or offer some explanation that would lessen them.

“You don’t—”

“I do,” he said, moving just that much closer, touching her hand where it lay on the window, then taking a finger and using it to lift her chin. “I want you, I want to taste the mulled wine on your lips. I want Jed to call out my name, Hopkins, not Henry, to remind me that I cannot take liberties, that’s he’s trusted me long enough and Mary is beginning to worry.”

“Henry—” she began, her voice uncertain, disconsolate. His hand moved to cup her cheek, his face moved closer to hers, so his lips were nearly touching hers. He held her gaze so she couldn’t bring herself to look away.

“Say it again. Like you know I’ll answer,” he said. “Like you know Mary should worry.”

“Henry,” she said, without the coquetry of a sigh, without anything but hope.

“Yes,” he said. And then he kissed her, the taste of the mulled wine all ginger and myrtle pepper on his lips, and distantly, Emma felt Mary worry and smile and squeeze Dr. Foster’s hand. No one called Henry’s name, nor her own, but someone, perhaps Miss Jenkins, began to sing “I Saw Three Ships” and the melody wound around her just as Henry pulled her into his arms.

*

“I’m not worried,” Mary said, her hands moving steadily, plaiting her unbound hair with a graceful rhythm Jed never tired of watching. “Now that they’ve declared themselves, they’ll find a way through.”

“You’re so sure he spoke, our diffident Reverend Hopkins? And that Miss Green answered in the affirmative?” 

“I see you’re in a mood to jest,” Mary replied. “As if anyone could wonder, seeing their faces—”

“I will admit we might have put out every candle and still had the house bright as noon,” Jed said, smiling himself in memory. “I could have operated on Sergeant McFarland’s orbital fracture far more efficiently if Henry had only proposed a bit sooner while Miss Green assisted on the surgery.”

“And Henry isn’t diffident, he’s got a New Englander’s proper reticence. You mightn’t be expected to recognize it,” Mary said, teasing him with her prim tone, her hands tying a bow in the ribbon at the end of her braid. “It won’t be easy for them, but it’ll come out right and I’m sure they’ll have all kinds of support, even from the most unexpected quarters.”

There was a moment of silence, as Jed rose to help her over to the bed, aware of how sorely her leg ached after a long day, a moment during which he must have considered her remark as well, for he laughed as he settled her beneath the patchwork quilt and soft white sheets.

“Nan Hastings shall finally reign supreme, without a challenger! Heaven help me, Mary, Mansion House under the thumb of Nurse Hastings—”

“You’re wildly optimistic, I believe. I should say, under her boot,” Mary quipped and then Jed laughed again, more quietly, as he joined her in the bed and gathered her into his arms to an untroubled sleep.  

[symmage]

Jaxon lifted Yasmine up off the ground

"Baby!" Yasmine squealed. "Did you get enough rest over at Mike's?"

"Yeah, we put in an all-nighter on the field and hit the gym for a few hours after. He's trying to outdo me, but you can't outdo the original." Jaxon boasted. "I had to show him who's the top dog."

"That's right! My baby is number 1, with the medals and plaques to back it up."

Jaxon heartily laughed as Yasmine egged him on. "My number 1 fan right here, that's what's up."

He lifted her up higher, getting a handful of her bottom. He squeezed it endearingly and whistled.

"Ooh shit, Yassy...is that ass getting fatter?! I've only been gone for a day."

"Stop it and put me down, silly!"

"Yes ma'am."

"I'm telling you that grip is getting out of hand back there." he grinned. "I like that."

"Focus, Jax. I have something to tell you."

"What's up, baby?"

"Me and the kids finally met the tenant in unit A. She's the new live-in landlord."

"Oh, she's taking on Nana Corelle's position. Is she an older lady?"

"No, she's young, maybe a couple years younger than us. She's really quiet and a bit distant, but she's nice. Jacoby has taken a liking to her."

"His eyes were so fixated on her," she giggled. "You should have seen them light up when she talked about having gatherings in the triplex like Nana Corelle used to do."

"Don't tell me my boy is crushing on the landlord." Jaxon cackled.

"Well, he's a growing boy. I just need him to crush on girls his own age."

"Ah, I know. He'll grow out of it, though."

"It was those damn hormones, girl, and like you said, talk. It was all talk to show off in front of the guys," he replied with a reminiscing smile. But seriously, you were always the one I wanted to claim in school. They all knew I had it bad for you."

"Like father like son," she shook her head. "I remember back in school, you and your buddies used to talk about how pretty and perfect Ms. Harley-Jenkins down the street was."

Yasmine chortled. "Look at you trying to smooth over your antics back in the day. You were a piece of work, Mr. Rogers."

Jaxon gasped. "A piece of work, huh?" He pulled her in close to his chest. "I mean...look at us now. I think I smoothed over a lot and won a jackpot, finally nailing your fine ass in the end. It was what I always wanted."

"You flatter me so much." she smiled.

"It's because I mean it. I love you, Yassy."

"I love you too, Jax." she blushed.

"Now come on," she interrupted their tender moment. "I want you to meet her."

Yasmine led the way into the lobby, hoping to find Kayna at home. Off in the corner near the laundry room, Kayna stood getting a snack from the vending machine.

"Is that her?" Jaxon asked.

"Yep, that's her." Yasmine happily confirmed. "Hey, Kayna!"

Kayna turned around to find Yasmine standing with a man next to her. Was that the tenant of the bottom unit she wondered.

"Kayna, come over here," Yasmine beamed. "You can finally meet Jaxon, my other half."

"Oh! It's wonderful to finally meet you, Jaxon." Kayna smiled as she extended her hand out to shake his. "Yasmine mentioned you briefly, but her face lit up when she did."

Jaxon grinned from ear to ear, listening to Kayna speak. "It's good to meet you as well. I hate that we haven't met earlier." he sighed, "My work schedule has been a bit hectic lately."

"It's alright. Better late than never at all, right?' she shrugged.

Jaxon awkwardly laughed in agreement.

"I've met your kids as well," she continued. "I must say that you have a beautiful family."

"Thank you. I hope my kids behaved well when you met them."

"Besides the ghost story, Briyana told me...everything was fine."

"Oh man , she got you with the story, too, huh?" Jaxon cackled. "She's been holding on to that bit for over two years! I don't think she's ever going to stop telling it." Jaxon shook his head. "I hope she didn't scare you."

"Well...at first, it was alarming, but I've settled on the notion that a child's imagination is quite powerful, and I'll leave it at that."

"I agree!" Jaxon nodded.

"Well, I hope we all get along going forward." Kayna smiled. "I may be your landlord, but I want a good relationship with you all here going forward."

"Yes...I would love that for us as well." Jaxon agreed, feeling a lump in his throat as he tried his hardest to maintain cordial eye contact.

<-Back Next->

[iviarellereads]

A Wind in the Door, Chapter 4 - Proginoskes

(THIS PROJECT IS SPOILER FREE! No spoilers past the chapter you click on. Curious what I'm doing here? Read this post! For the link index for the Time Quintet, read this one! Like what you see? Send me a Ko-Fi.)

In which we get a new-old word to use!

Meg wakes before dawn, suddenly. Still wondering if the previous night was a dream, she rushes to get dressed and go out to the rock where they left Progo. She promised to go to him before breakfast anyway. She doesn't encounter any fake Mr. Jenkins this time, nor Louise the snake, just Progo. He thanks her for not taking too long to come out, and when she says she has an hour before breakfast, he says they can do a lot with just an hour.

Progo guesses that if they're to work together, then Meg must be a Namer, too.(1) At Meg's puzzlement, he says last time he was with a Teacher he had to memorize the names of every star in the universe, just because. Some aren't known to many people, so the stars get lonely.

Meg asks if that's all a Namer does, and Progo thinks it's about making sure each name is distinct and unique to its owner in some way, and perhaps Meg's job is to make humans feel more human. Meg asks what that means.

Progo asks how he makes her feel, and Meg answers honestly with "Confused." Progo asks who makes Meg feel least confused, and she says Calvin, without hesitation. So, Progo says, Calvin makes Meg feel more like herself, that's the feeling he means. He asks who makes her feel the least like herself, and that answer is Mr. Jenkins, so Meg has to explain who he is to explain why she's so upset at the thought of him. Only, Progo says there's more to it than that.

Meg admits that something happened to scare her, and at his prompting that it might be important, she tells him about the fake Mr. Jenkins. He names it an Echthros,(2) and after confirming details, he's almost as sure of it as he is terrified of them. More, he's sure they have to talk to the real Mr. Jenkins as part of their trials. Meg says that's impossible, she doesn't go to that school and she can't exactly fit a cherubim with a ten foot wingspan in her backpack.

Progo maintains that having seen an Echthros makes everything different, and he can be invisible to go with her, no problem. He demonstrates this, and while he's out, she can feel him. He asks if she feels brave, and she says no. He says being brave should be easier together, then wonders if Blajeny knows there's an Echthros involved.

Meg finally asks what Echthros means, Progo mentally draws her into yesterday,(3) where they watch the cosmic scream and the rip in the galaxy. He explain that this is what happens when the Echthroi have Xed things from existence.(4) Meg finds it even more terrifying than the Mr. Jenkins Echthros.

She closes her eyes and tries to think of a happy memory, which she feels Progo help with, except she hears her father and mother talking about the phenomenon she just saw, and the way that even their own country, their own town feels less safe than it did ten years ago. Mr. Murry even posits, in the memory, that the wee farandolae might be related to the cosmic disruptions.

Mrs. Murry makes the connection: the same cry that the new instrument detected in distant galaxies is the one she heard in the ailing mitochondria with her micro-sonarscope.(5) She gets upset, and Mr. Murry says it's not like her, and reminds her of the good and the order in the universe. Progo says he's a wise man.(6)

Meg is a little surprised that Progo heard the memory with her, but he says she's learning to kythe, to communicate mind-to-mind directly. She asks if Progo would mind helping her to try and see the calculation Mr. Murry was doodling on the tablecloth, it feels important. They go back into the memory, together, and find he was writing the Greek characters for "Echthroi". She's astonished that he'd know that, but Progo points out that her parents know well enough the evil in the world.

Progo asks her to look at the rip in the sky again. She does so, reluctantly, and asks how the Echthroi could have done that. He says the Echthroi are like un-Namers, annihilating things from existence instead of firming them up. When Meg wonders what that has to do with Mr. Jenkins, Progo says he thinks that's part of their first task together. So, time to get going. He draws her back to the present in the real world again and asks what they do now. Meg hasn't the foggiest, and feels this is too much responsibility for a child.(7)

In fact, Meg is so resistant that Progo has to ask her if she's refusing the ordeal. She says she'll do it, she has to help Charles, but it's so much. He asks her again, what they should do now. She decides to go have breakfast, and get on the schoolbus, and asks Progo to meet her at the bus stop at the right time to leave.

Progo dematerializes with an acknowledgement, and Meg heads back to the house. She encounters Louise the snake on her way, but thinks the snake mostly wanted to wish her well, which is comforting. She eats her breakfast less enthusiastically than usual, and heads to the bus stop with the strangest feeling she won't see it again for a while. The twins, walking with her, wonder what will happen today, and decide it will be the usual: nothing.(8)

=====

(1) A very childlike assumption, that someone you're made to work with must be like you in some way, and not because your strengths are different and complementary to each other. (2) Ancient Greek, meaning stuff like, something hateful or hostile, or an enemy. Not easy for my fingers to keep spelling over and over, I'm using find-and-replace on this sucker to fix what my brain wants it to be. (3) Just a mental-power exercise, or are they Tessering somehow? Could Progo have some control over that ability? The vision of the rip seems distinct from the memory dive shortly after to me. (4) Wow that's such a readable term for this. [unamused face] (5) Gotta love a good goofy scientific instrument name or two in the same sentence. That's surely half of why Star Trek is so popular. (6) I feel a need to point out that chaos is not inherently evil and order not inherently good, those associations are things humans assigned to them to justify our preconceptions and biases. But, it does make children's storytelling easier to stand with the assumptions. (7) I'd tend to agree and apply that to MOST situations kids get into in children's literature, but that is half the point: learning how to have the big feelings so they don't feel so overwhelming. (8) Subtle setup, ma'am. Real sneaky.

[charmy-es]

THE SECRETIVE TREASURE MAP

Once upon a time, in a land gripped by the scorching heat of summer, there was a small town named Oakville that was tucked between rolling hills and willow trees. In this town, there lived a group of adventurous friends. They were Alex, who was always curious, Emma, who loved to laugh a lot, and Max, who was as brave as can be. The sun greeted the day with a brilliant smile, casting a warm, golden glow on everything it touched. In the attic of their grandmother's house, a place where time seemed to stand still, they stumbled upon a book. It was as old as time itself, its pages yellowed with age with a stinky smell and a fine layer of dust clung to it like a forgotten memory. The book held within its weathered pages a treasure map, as if it were a secret whispered by the winds and hidden within the ink-stained trails of forgotten dreams. Excitedly, the friends eagerly gathered around the map, feeling their hearts beat faster with anticipation. They were about to embark on an exciting adventure of deciphering the clues. The first clue pointed them towards the town's historic library. They knocked the door before they entered, they were greeted by the librarian, Mrs. Jenkins, who had been waiting for them.

"Welcome young explorers!" Mrs. Jenkins said with a smile. "To find the next piece of the puzzle, you must solve a word hunt, look for the following vocabulary words hidden in these book titles: adventure, quest, treasure, discovery and mystery."

The friends eagerly scanned the shelves, conducting a silent uproar in their minds as they searched for the hidden words. After a few minutes, they found all the books and arranged them in the correct order. Mrs. Jenkins says "i'm not really impressed" with a smile and handed them the next clue.

The second clue led them to the town's park, where the soft, velvety grass greeted their footsteps as they entered. They had to find objects in the park that matched the given vocabulary words: explore, ancient, valuable, uncover and enigma. Each time they found an object, they had to use it in a sentence to demonstrate its meaning.

As the friends completed the challenge, they said "I guess i kind of like it" but you could see the enjoyment on their faces. They felt their vocabulary skills growing stronger. They thanked Mrs. Jenkins for her guidance and eagerly followed the next clue.

The third clue led them deep into the forest, where they had to solve a riddle using vocabulary words. The riddle went like this:"I am a hidden treasure, buried in the ground, unearth me carefully, for I am quite profundity ancient markings and a gleam so bright, I hold the secrets of the past, shining in the light. What am I?"

After some brainstorming, the friends realized that the answer was an artifact. They dug in the indicated spot and found a small, ancient artifact that shimmered in the sunlight.

Excitedly, they returned to their grandmother's house, where they discovered a hidden compartment in the attic. Inside, they found a chest filled with gold coins, precious gems, and note that read, "Congratulations, brave adventurers! You have successfully completed the word hunt and found the treasure. Use your newfound vocabulary skills to continue exploring the world!"

The friends celebrated their victory, knowing that their vocabulary journey had just begun. They cooked spaghetti and enjoyed it together. The taste of spaghetti is a delightful medley of flavors that brings comfort and satisfaction to every bite. They thanked each other for their teamwork and promised to embark on more exciting adventures together.

Thermal- scorching heat of summer

Visual- tucked between rolling hills and willow trees.

Personification- the sun greeted the day with a brilliant smile

Hyperbole- a place where time seemed to stand still

Olfactory- with a stinky smell

Simile- fine layer of dust clung to it like a forgotten memory

Metaphor- secret whispered by the winds and hidden within the ink stained trails of forgotten dreams.

Metonymy- exciting adventure

Auditory- the knocked the door before they entered "knock, knock"

Synecdoche- next piece of a puzzle

Oxymoron- silent uproar

Irony- i'm not really impressed

Tactile- the soft velvety grass

Understatement- i guess i kind of like it

Gustatory- delightful medley of flavors that brings comfort and satisfaction to every bite.

[butterflyslinky]

Here is what ChatGPT gave when I told it to write a James Patterson novel:

Title: "Deadline" Chapter 1: Detective Jake Turner gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white as he maneuvered through the early morning traffic of downtown Manhattan. The call had come in just before dawn—a body found in an alley off 5th Avenue. Jake hated these early morning crime scenes; they always seemed to herald the start of a long, exhausting day. As he pulled up to the scene, flashing lights from police cars and an ambulance bathed the narrow alley in a surreal glow. Yellow crime scene tape fluttered in the early breeze, marking off the area where the victim lay. Jake stepped out of his car and was immediately greeted by his partner, Detective Sarah Martinez. "Morning, Jake," Sarah said, her voice tight with tension. "It's a messy one." Jake nodded grimly, following Sarah past the uniformed officers who were taking witness statements. The victim, a young woman in her twenties, lay face down on the pavement. Blood pooled around her, staining the cobblestones a dark, ominous red. "Any ID?" Jake asked, crouching down to get a closer look. Sarah shook her head. "Nothing on her. No purse, no phone." Jake cursed under his breath. Without identification, their job would be that much harder. He scanned the alleyway, noting the graffiti-covered walls and the dumpsters overflowing with trash. There was no shortage of hiding spots for someone who didn't want to be found. "Let's talk to the witnesses," Jake said, standing up and motioning towards a group of people huddled together near the entrance of the alley. Sarah nodded, and they began to interview the witnesses one by one. Most hadn't seen anything—a typical response in a city where people were more likely to look the other way than get involved. But one elderly woman, Mrs. Jenkins, stepped forward with a trembling voice. "I heard a scream," she said, clutching her shawl tightly around her shoulders. "It was around 3 AM. I thought it was just the neighborhood kids again, but it sounded different somehow." Jake leaned in closer, his instincts kicking into high gear. "Different how?" Mrs. Jenkins hesitated, her eyes darting nervously towards the crime scene. "It sounded desperate. Like someone was fighting for their life." Sarah scribbled notes in her pad, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Did you see anyone?" Mrs. Jenkins shook her head. "No, just heard the scream. Then silence." Jake thanked Mrs. Jenkins and turned to Sarah. "Let's get forensics in here. We need to find out who she is and what happened." Sarah nodded, already on her radio calling in the forensic team. As they waited, Jake surveyed the alleyway once more, his mind racing with questions. Who was she? Why was she here? And most importantly, who had wanted her dead? Little did Jake know, this case was about to take a series of unexpected twists and turns that would challenge everything he thought he knew about justice—and lead him down a path where the line between right and wrong would blur beyond recognition.

So yeah, he'll be using it and doing minimal editing and no one will notice a difference.

The phrasing of option #2 is mostly in jest, but I think it's worth mentioning that with the traditional ghost writer method, the writers are getting paid. If your actual vote would be something like "won't use AI because he supports newer/smaller writers' careers," vote for #2.

–

We ask your questions so you don’t have to! Submit your questions to have them posted anonymously as polls.

[allthingsdarkanddirty]

This biker Daddy takes protecting his Little very, very seriously...Meet Steele by Pepper North on June 13th!

Preorder on your favorite platform: https://geni.us/PNSteele

“Little girl, I’m only going to ask one more time…”

Things have not been going Ivy Jenkins' way recently–well, until Steele Mattson rescues her. Being thrown away like garbage does a job on a woman’s self-confidence and bravery. Add in scrambled memories from a head injury and Ivy knows she qualifies as a hot mess, even if she is the assistant bank manager.

Steele’s father established the Shadowridge Guardians MC. He’s as dedicated to protecting the good citizens of his city as he is to creating the perfect weld on an old-school chopper, and he doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty to take care of problems. When he finds the petite woman in a very bad situation, he dives in to help. What he doesn’t expect is to discover the rescued treasure is his.

He’ll stop at nothing to hunt down those who endangered her and make them pay.

Combining the sizzling talents of bestselling authors Pepper North, Kate Oliver, and Becca Jameson, the Shadowridge Guardians are guaranteed to give you a thrill and leave you dreaming of your own throbbing motorcycle joyride.

Are you daring enough to ride with a club of rough, growly, commanding men? The protective Daddies of the Shadowridge Guardians Motorcycle Club will stop at nothing to ensure the safety and protection of everything that belongs to them: their Littles, their club, and their town. Throw in some sassy, naughty, mischievous women who won't hesitate to serve their fair share of attitude even in the face of looming danger, and this brand new MC Romance series is ready to ignite!#teaser #teasershare #sneakpeek #bookteaser #bookpreorder #comingsoon #preorder #mcromance #daddyromance #bikerromance #outlawromance #kinkyromance #steamyromance #kissingbooks #hotreads #shadowridgeguardiansmc #shadowridgeguardians #steele #romance #romancenovels #romancebooks #books #reading #readers #booklovers #bookbuzz #booknews #bookish

About Pepper 

Ever just gone for it? That's what USA Today Bestselling Author Pepper North did in 2017 when she posted a book for sale on Amazon without telling anyone. Thanks to her amazing fans, the support of the writing community, Mr. North, and a killer schedule, she has now written more than 70 books! Enjoy contemporary, paranormal, dark, and erotic romances that are both sweet and steamy? Pepper will convert you into one of her loyal readers. What's coming in the future? A Daddypalooza! Stay up on the latest news and get insider updates and previews of Pepper's stories... http://BookHip.com/FJBPQV

Follow Pepper Online! Amazon -- amzn.to/3pJwbVw BookBub -- bookbub.com/authors/pepper-north Facebook -- facebook.com/4peppernorth Goodreads -- bit.ly/36ROTBL Instagram -- instagram.com/4peppernorth Pinterest -- pinterest.com/4peppernorth TikTok -- tiktok.com/@4peppernorth Twitter -- twitter.com/4peppernorth Web -- 4peppernorth.club YouTube -- bit.ly/3lPBAb3

[jmkemm]

MOM. (comes home) Hi honey, how did your day –

SCREEECH

MOM. Honey what was that?

LILY. Dad brought something weird home. He better not keep it in my room!

MOM. (Walking into the guest bedroom) Honey, what is THAT?

DAD. OH hi! I found this little guy while mike and I wer-

SCREEECH

DAD. .. while Mike and I were on our hike.

MOM. Okay, okay, yes, but what is it and what’s it doing in here?

DAD. Well I’m told its half reptile and-

SCREEECH  DAD. -half bird

MOM. I can see what it looks like! What is it?

DAD. Well I thought I would call it Kevin.

MOM. (pausing) Okay.. why is it so hot in here?

DAD. Well after doing some research I believe it’s cold blooded and its temperature runs a little hot.. I had to open the window-

SCREEECH

DAD.  -because it was so hot.

MOM. It’s so loud that I’m sure the neighbors will hear it!

LILY. (Yelling from the other room) Mom! Someone is here for you!

MOM. (Opening the front door) Oh hi Mrs Jenkins, what can I-

SCREEECH

MOM. -help you with?

MRS JENKINS. There it is again! I thought I heard the most unusual sound coming from your home and was wondering, how has everything been working out for you?

MOM. Oh yes yes thank you for checking in, my husband brought home another unusual pet again. Nothing to worry about, I’ve got it handled!

MRS JENKINS. Again?! Well if you need me-

(Door closes)

MOM. (Walking into the guest bedroom) Okay honey, I hope you understand this is your problem. I need to get up early to catch my flight, and just so you know, I don’t have much to eat for dinner today, so you’re on your own!

[thecountoflondonfansite]

When the door opened, Hugh looked up to see Patricia, Jenkins, and Archie come inside. He was surprised to see Victor come in through the door. “Welcome back everyone. How did the trial go?” Hugh asked. “It went surprisingly well.” Patricia remarked in a positive tone. “Thanks to Victor, it turns out what happened at the jewelry store was a mixup and huge misunderstanding like we figured. Also Hyde was framed for the fire because someone stole his cane and planted it there. He didn’t have any solid alibis because a lot of people were drunk at the time. So the EVA gave him another chance by making him train under Dr. Two Brains.” Hugh’s eyes widened at what Patricia told him. He honestly felt a bit bad for the man having such rotten luck. He was glad that Two Brains and the EVA were understanding. Jenkins meanwhile looked somber. “I still don’t know about whether to fully trust Mr. Hyde. He is innocent of course but why did he lie about the reason for coming to Fair City?” Jenkins inquired, recalling what Patricia and Victor told him and Archie. “That is suspicious, but the guy was honest when he said that he had no malicious intent by coming here. Besides, it did seem like Hyde had a good reason to lie about his motives since he looked freaked out when he realized I could tell whether his words were true or false.” Victor remarked. He did feel a bit bad for making the guy panic over that. Victor and his siblings knew very well the importance of lying to protect oneself from danger. “Yeah you’re right.” Jenkins reluctantly admitted. He was still salty about the Maddrix issue. Satisfied with Jenkins' response, Victor turned to Hugh. “So where is Becky now?” Victor asked the alien. Hugh looked a bit sheepish and embarrassed. “She’s up in her room. She used her puppy eyes to convince me to stay up a bit more until Dr. Two Brains returned. Unfortunately it worked.” Hugh admitted. Victor let out a chuckle. He knew that his niece’s puppy eyes were extremely effective mind weapons. Very few people could resist them. “It’s alright Hugh. I’ll go upstairs and see if I can get her to bed.” Victor offered. “Good luck.” Hugh commented. Victor nodded with a grin and then headed upstairs to Becky’s room. Once there, he knocked on the door. He heard footsteps come up to the door before it opened to reveal Becky. Her monkey Bob was already dozing off on his bean bag bed. “Hey Uncle Victor, what are you doing here?” Becky asked in surprise. “Hey kiddo. Patricia and the others drove me back here. Your dad had to stay behind to talk with Mr. Hyde because the EVA made your dad his new villain mentor.” Victor explained. “Really? I didn’t know they did that.” Becky commented. Victor nodded. “Yeah, so your dad might come back later than expected. You need your sleep since it’s a school night.” Victor stated in a paternal tone. Becky sighed in defeat. “I know. I just wanted to ask dad about something and I wanted to be awake when he got back to ask him.” Victor looked surprised at that. “What did you want to ask him?” Becky seemed a bit hesitant to respond as her eyes shifted around. This made Victor concerned and he was about to ask what was wrong when Becky finally decided to speak. “So in the past few days, I heard dad and the others talking about the issue with Mr. Hyde and what to do with him. I didn’t overhear everything but I heard dad mention another name along with Mr. Hyde’s. So…the question I want to ask is….who is Maddrix the Malicious?” Dr. Two Brains’ smug expression turned to one of confusion as he observed Hyde talking to Lucian and telling about himself. At first he thought Hyde was just getting flustered around this stranger because of the man’s attractiveness and up front flirting. Overtime, he began to notice how Hyde’s hands and feet twitched a bit. Hyde’s face seemed pale and bit clammy which appeared to be due to nervousness and apprehension rather than romantic tension.  @unhingedexperimenter

(You can tag me on my tgs side blog. I also apologize but I know a few Scottish words. So to anyone reading this I apologize for the inaccuracy.) Becky Boxleitner noticed a change in the atmosphere as she and her pet monkey Bob walked into the sixth grade classroom. All of the students were excitedly chatting with one another. Becky and Bob exchanged confused looks at the scene. 'What is going on?' They both thought. Becky walked to where her friends Violet Heaslip, Rose Franklin, and Todd Scoops Ming were sitting, also joining in the excited yet low volume chattering. "Hey guys what's going on?" Becky asked her friends. They each turned their heads to greet their friend. "Hey Becky guess what, we're getting a new teacher for our class!" Scoops exclaimed. Becky looked surprised at the announcement. Bob also mimicked her facial expression. "Wait really? What happened to Miss Davis?" Becky asked, wondering what happened to their old teacher. It was just a week only into the new school year so a sudden teacher exchange was a complete shock to Becky especially since there were no announcements about it beforehand. "Miss Davis had to move back home because of a family emergency." Rose Franklin answered. "The principal had to scramble to find a new teacher to fill in for our class. It was all last minute stuff." Becky nodded in understanding of her friends' answers. It was a nice perk to be friends who were upcoming reporters. Soon the final bell rang which indicated for every student to take their seats. Becky took her place beside her best friend Violet and Bob plopped down next to her. Soon a man who looked to be in his mid 30s walked in and towards the desk. He had curly brown air, an arched nose, and reddish brown eyes. He wore a tan button-down shirt with a red vest as well as brown slacks and dark suede shoes. The man gave a pleasant and warm smile to all the students there. "Hello my name is Dr. Henry Jekyll and I will be your teacher for the school year." Becky and the other kids ears perked up as they took note of the man's accent. Even Tobey became slightly interested in his new teacher. None of them were sure where their new teacher was from. Dr. Jekyll gave a light chuckle as if he could sense their growing curiosity about him. He lightly clapped his hands together to gain their undivided attention and focus. "Well since this is my first time teaching here, why don't we all play a little game so we can all get better acquainted with each other. Here's what to do. One at a time, say your name and share a wee bit about yourself. Likes, family, interests and all that. I'll go first to show ya what ah mean. Again. My name is Dr. Henry Jekyll. I was born in Glasgow but ah moved to London where I attended university. I have a five year old wee lassie or daughter named Amber. I enjoy chemistry and reading on occasions. Now who would like to go next?" @unhingedexperimenter

Of course Tobey had taken the opportunity to place attention on himself and to have a reason to boast about himself. “My name is Tobey McCallister the third and I will be the most intelligent student you'll meet here.” The others had rolled their eyes, used to this kind of behavior from their peers. Becky seemed to be the most annoyed by it. Having been forced to put up with his destructive tantrums in the past. Henry smiled just as warmly as before. Unbothered by the obnoxious behavior that the boy had been displaying. Tobey had been going on about himself for a good few minutes before the teacher finally spoke up. “Ahem, yes. Thank you for that Mr. McCallister. Would anyone else like to tell me a bit about themselves as well?” No one could tell that behind the facade, Dr. Henry Jekyll was becoming more irritated by the moment. Not by the child but by the pest that refused to leave him be. Scoffing within his head at what they just heard. He didn't share the disembodied voice's opinion but wanted to give the other children a chance to introduce themselves as well. To the others' shock, Tobey seemed to have taken this well. Quickly going back to his desk with no issues. Becky was relieved at that. Soon the other children had started to introduce themselves to their new teacher with little to no issues. He seemed genuinely nice enough to her. This new teacher didn't seem like most of the adults within this city. Some she had to define words repeatedly for. Dr. Jekyll knew what he was teaching and knew his vocabulary. It was Violet who had brought Becky out from her own thoughts, calling her name. Waving a hand in front of her face. “Becky?” The girl smiled in an embarrassed manner. “Huh? Yes?” Violet smiled, patient with her best friend. “Why don't you introduce yourself now? Nearly everybody else already did.” She had given a surprised expression. Becky hadn't realized that she was so lost within her thoughts until then. She stood up and began speaking. “My name is Becky Boxleitner and I also like libraries,reading and Pretty Princess.” The presence that was grating at the teacher's nerves had deemed this too dull to enjoy. Leaving Dr. Jekyll be to his teaching. Well, getting to know his students. He was happy to see that they were engaged in these activities that were meant to break the ice. Though one student in particular had caught his attention the most. Becky. While she did seem rather bright, there was something strange about her behavior at times. Pausing whatever she was doing at the time to listen in on something. Thinking it went unnoticed. Even once looking alarmed and she made an excuse to go to the bathroom. He had allowed it. Feeling that it would've been better to have let her. It seemed…oddly familiar. As if he had seen that behavior somewhere before but couldn't figure out exactly where from. When the school day was finally over, Becky had gone to go home like the others. Dr. Jekyll had of course stayed behind to set more things up within his new classroom. Making a plan on exactly what he'll actually start teaching the next day. Though, the grating voice had returned to be a thorn in his side. “Come on. Leave this boring stuff alone. Leave it until tomorrow. I've been pent up for far too long. Let's have some fun.” This had earned an eye roll and a loud huff from the teacher. “No, I've got to get this done now. You will have enough time tonight. Just be patient until then.” A shadowy figure formed in front of Dr. Jekyll. A frown on its face. “But this is so extremely dull. I want to stretch my legs. I want to make myself known already.” Dr. Jekyll glared. “And that is precisely why I'm so hesitant to let you out so soon. At least let us get acclimated to our surroundings first.” The figure let out an annoyed groan. “You know you want this as much as I do. Otherwise you'd never have any actual fun in the sad and pathetic life you call yours.”

@thecountoflondonfansite