#and this is the last week of class so no excuses its just games!!!

[all-thestories-aretrue]

Public accountability post!!!!!

So I don't waste the entire day writing four paragraphs of fanfiction again.

Grocery shop- must (being sick and having the worst period ever made my eating shit. I want chicken caeser wraps damn it!)

Cook!!! Food!!!!

Laundry (wash sheets??)

Dishes/counters/clean fridge

Fold up floor bed

Sweep

Lesson plan Mon/Tues/Preschool (and kindergarten if you have time/feel like it)

Prep character info for mini-vtm thingie AND send out time information

Dnd stuff- name, character sheet, backstory retype

Miles meta- i need these Thoughts™️ OUT of my head!!!!!! Finish the rough draft AND mark sources needed

Technically most of this stuff just needs to happen over the next two days but i need to do at least some of it today so tomorrow doesn't suck.

[shellshocklove]

wet nights | joel miller

pairing/AU: bfd!joel miller x female!reader – no outbreak

summary: getting beer spilled down your dress at your best friend sarah’s birthday party might not have been so bad– not when her dad can help you clean up.

warnings: this is an 18+ fic so mdni! reader is 25 and joel is 47, reader is described as wearing a dress, swearing, use of pet names, oral (m receiving), dirty talk, exhibitionism, praise with a dash of degradation kink, one small touch of your clit, soft dom!joel, use of sir, cum play, no use of y/n

a/n: mom said it was my turn to write bfd!joel lol. basically this is just me wanting to write joel getting his cock and balls sucked bc it's what he deserves 😌 as always thank you to @dustydaddyyy for reading through this for me! and happy reading <3

main masterlist / ao3

from the river to the sea, palestine will be free 🇵🇸 this account stands with palestine. the creator of tlou is a zionist, and the second game is largly based on israel/palestine. please, everyone who interacts, educate yourself about the genocide happening right now, and support/donate.

Nodding your head to the beat of the music you gulped down a cooling sip of beer. The bar was stuffed to the brim tonight for Sarah’s birthday. Every chair and booth occupied, large groups huddled together against the walls, and a growing crowd of brave, seemingly deep enough down their drinks, dancers moved across the makeshift dance floor. Leaning against the bar right at the end, you were shielded from the continuous line of people looking for a drink to sate their thirst on this hot summer night.

You’d missed Sarah since graduation. She’d moved back to Austin to be closer to her father – a man you had still to meet even after all these years of knowing Sarah. You’d met in undergrad where you’d had a couple of overlapping classes the first year. She’d been one of those people where you’d just clicked, like a hand in a glove, you two just fit together.

Now you had moved to Austin. It wasn’t exactly planned, but you’d applied to a postgraduate program at the University of Texas, not necessarily thinking you’d get in– but then you had. Sarah had been ecstatic when you’d told her. You hadn’t seen her in person in over a year, but you couldn’t wait to live in the same city as your best friend again.

But first, her 25th birthday party.

Tonight would be your first night out as a new Austinite. Sarah had invited all her closest friends and family to her favorite bar to celebrate. You’d dreaded it a little, you weren’t gonna lie. That nagging anxiety had bubbled under your skin all week at the prospect of being the only one at the party who didn’t know anyone already. Sarah had told you not to worry though when you’d voiced your concern to her a few days ago – she’d introduce you to everyone – nothing to worry about, and she’d been right.

All Sarah’s friends had been extremely friendly and nice, and you’d been taken under their wing immediately. Quickly, your anxiety had melted away, condensing into nothing as you’d started to have a good time.

It was deep into the summer, and Austin had shown itself from its hotter side the last few days. Inside the bar everything ran hot, even with the AC on blast and with the amount of people who’d made their way inside in the last hour, looking for a good time on a Saturday night, it never stood a chance.

Trying to cool off you’d excused yourself from your new group of friends to order yourself a cold beer. One of the ACs blew cold air directly towards the bar, keeping the frantic bartenders cool as they pushed out order after order of drinks. You watched them from where you stood perfectly in the wind of the AC, glass raised to your lips when you felt a hard bump against your shoulder.

“Fuck,” you cursed as your full glass of beer spilled all down your front, staining your white summer dress.

“Shit– sorry, sweetheart.” You didn’t have time to react as your beer was lifted out of your wet hand and placed on the rough wood of the bar.

Looking up from your ruined dress you took in your beer thief as he reached across the bar for some napkins. He was older, forties maybe, maybe older if you were to take the sprinkle of salt and pepper in his hair into consideration, but he was gorgeous. A strong jaw and sculptured nose. Clad in a t-shirt and a dark pair of jeans, you thought he looked casual– not like he belonged to the rest of the birthday party. The material of his t-shirt strained against his bicep as he leaned back from over the bar – a stack of napkins now in his hand. Standing to his full height before you, you noticed just how broad he was, and it made a drop of desire pool in your core. 

The man’s previous frantic movements came to a halt as he took you in for the first time; his dark brown eyes rolling down your body and leaving a trail of heat. His fist full of napkins stalled when his eyes landed on your dress, quickly diverting them with a loud clearing of his throat.

“Um– here,” he said, voice strained as he handed you the napkins.

Pulling your eyebrows together in a frown, you looked down at yourself again. The fabric was completely soaked through, and you felt a prickling heat tickle your cheeks as you realized you now looked like a walking ad for a wet t-shirt competition.

“Oh shit,” you muttered, taking the napkins from the man as you tried your best to cover yourself.

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart– bumpin’ into ya like that.”

Pressing the napkins to your dress you shook your head at him, “It’s fine– eh,” you looked up from your body.

“Joel,” he introduced himself.

“It’s fine, Joel. It was an accident. I’ll just go to the restroom and try to get the stain out,” you said with a grimace, and reached for more napkins.

“Let me help ya,” he offered as he placed a friendly hand on your elbow.

As Joel guided you through the crowd towards the toilets, hand hovering at a polite distance behind your back, he continued to apologize.

“I feel terrible– let me at least pay for it if it ends up needin’ replacin’.”

Inside the bar’s toilets, you jumped up on the stone countertop lining the wall, turning the closest sink on.

“It’s okay,” you repeated as you busied yourself with trying to clean yourself up, “This isn’t the first time I’ve gotten beer spilled all over me,” you said with a teasing laugh, trying to lighten the mood a little.

Standing beside you with his hip leaning against the stone and a knee popped, Joel huffed out a strained laugh, a laugh somewhere between embarrassment and relief.

“Yeah?” He questioned, eyes falling to your working hands.

“Tell you this much– I’ve had plenty of wet nights.”

A sound escaped Joel at your words, one he quickly tried to cover up with a cough, and you realize your innuendo a second too late. When you looked up from your hands, eyes wide, you noticed that Joel’s cheeks had flushed slightly, like he was embarrassed that he’d even caught onto the innuendo you hadn’t meant to make. 

“Oh! No, not like that–” you rushed, tone slightly mortified as your eyes met his, trying very hard not to stutter through the rest of your sentence, “I–uh... I only meant that I uh–... I‘ve had plenty of situations in which I’ve gotten wet–” 

At this sentence, Joel raised his eyebrows in a look that seemed half-surprised, half-amused, and your stomach dropped even further into your ass in embarrassment. 

“–with water!” you clarified quickly, before you scrunched up your nose in embarrassment, closing your eyes as you huffed out a laughing sigh, “There’s no way I’m getting out of this gracefully, is there?” 

You heard Joel’s chuckle to your side, deep and syrupy, like the stuff you’d liked to pour over your pancakes in buckets when you were a kid.

“You’d have gotten away with it if you hadn’t started explainin’, I think,” Joel told you, his tone joking, and you chuckled bashfully, nodding before you looked up at him. 

There was a moment in which you exchanged a look, before you felt the smile break over your face and you dissolved into embarrassed laughter, shaking your head as Joel laughed, too. 

“Off to a great start,” you muttered in between chuckles, “First week in Austin and I’m already making passes at handsome strangers in bar bathrooms.” 

“I never said I was complainin’,” Joel said jokingly, and you let out a chuckle, “First week in Austin, hm?” 

“Yeah,” you said with a nod, “Here for a postgrad.” 

“Smart and beautiful,” he mused, “Reckon I should spill beers more often if this is what I get in return.” 

Delicate wings fluttered in your tummy at his words as a feeling of excitement filled your chest. Looking up at him with a raised teasing eyebrow you said, “Not sure spilling beer on someone is the tried and tested formula.”  

“Well, that depends, really,” Joel answered back in a teasingly contemplating voice, “‘s it workin’ on you?” 

Your stomach dropped slightly at his words, and when your eyes moved to meet his, he was looking at you with a look that made your insides burn. 

“Maybe,” you told him with a teasing smile pulling at the corners of your mouth. 

You were never usually this bold, but there was something in the way he was looking at you and the syrup-y tone of his voice. You could tell he knew what he was doing, knew exactly what to say, and you wanted more. Biting down on your bottom lip coquettishly, you leaned backwards on your arms, giving Joel a full view of the soaked front of your dress, and more specifically, everything he could see underneath. 

“And what works on you, Joel?” 

You watched with some satisfaction as Joel's eyes ran over the length of your chest, before he quickly redirected them to your eyes.

“You’re making it very hard to be a gentleman here, sweetheart,” he almost whispered, his eyes as dark as the Austin summer night sky. You gave a noncommitted shrug as a teasing smile tugged at your lips. Then, you leaned forward so that you were closer to him, feet dangling slightly.

“I never asked you to be,” you told him, your voice low but not quite a whisper as you looked up at him through your lashes. 

Behind your rib cage your heart quickened with excitement as Joel’s darkening gaze bored into yours, and you knew you him right where you wanted him. His eyes danced over your face for a moment, before they flickered down to your lips. It almost made you stop breathing for a second, the tension in the air between you so thick you could cut it with a knife. There was just something about this man, something about Joel – and in this moment you wanted him more than you’d ever wanted anyone before. 

Maybe it should’ve scared you, the speed at which you’d fallen under his spell (or was it the other way around?), but right now, with Joel’s darkening eyes staring into yours, you couldn't bring yourself to feel any fear. You could only look at him, could only feel his breath fanning over your lips and the intensity of his gaze on your face.

“You’re trouble, aren’t ya?” Joel’s voice was low, not quite a whisper, but full of deep bass. 

You felt the expanse of his hand fall on your bare knee, rough and calloused over where your sundress had ridden up. 

“Nothing you can’t handle.” You batted your eyelashes semi-innocently, spreading your thighs slightly, which made Joel’s mouth twitch in amusement. 

“’s that so, darlin’?” He asked, taking his place between your legs, your face now only inches from his as he looked down at you with a raised eyebrow.

“Mhm,” you nodded slightly, your hand falling over his to guide it slowly up your thigh, “Don’t you wanna find out?”

As Joel’s index finger made contact with the side seam of your underwear, he closed the space between you and pressed his lips against yours. The hairs of his mustache tickled your cupid’s bow as he dove deeper, lips rolling over yours. You sat up slightly when his other hand wrapped around your waist and pulled you closer to him, your core rubbing up against his growing bulge. You whimpered against his lips at the contact, and Joel inhaled it, consuming every breathy moan and whimper.

His hand slid slowly downwards to your ass where he gave it a nice squeeze, pulling you even closer when your legs came up to wrap around his waist. He licked at your lower lip hungrily, and you opened yourself up to him to allow him to deepen the kiss. It was hot, and suffocating, and all-consuming, all at the same time. He was a great kisser, probably the best you’d kissed. His lips moved expertly over yours, soft and firm at the same time as he guided you through it.

The grip on your ass tightened again and soon you were half-way to hanging off the counter as he rocked his front steadily against your core, where your arousal had started to pool. The kisses turned needier then, shorter and desperate between quiet whines. You could feel the shape of him against you, hard and thick, and big. A wave of tickling arousal washed over you as you imagined yourself on your knees before him, the weight and taste of him on your tongue. He was so fucking hot, and you wanted him so fucking badly.

“Can I suck your cock?” you panted through frantic kisses.

Joel pulled back slightly, head tipped back to find your eyes. 

“You wanna suck my cock?” he asked, a hint of surprise in his voice. You only nodded, head tipping slowly with the bite of your lip.

Joel tsk-ed, “Dirty girl,” he said and rocked his hard bulge against your core, which earned him a moan. It made a wicked grin spread across his face, like he’d just proved a point.

His hands left your body as he slowly stepped backwards – that same cocky grin adorning his features as he nodded towards one of the stalls. Jumping off the countertop, you almost tripped over your feet to follow him inside.

“Relax, baby– ain’t no need to get on your knees until after we’re inside,” he teased, holding the door open for you, bicep bulging against the fabric of his t-shirt. Fuck, he looked so hot.

“Ha-ha,” you fake-laughed at him with a teasing roll of your eyes as you stepped past him and into the bathroom stall. When the door clicked behind him, followed by the unmistakable sound of the lock turning, you felt a pair of strong hands land on your hips as he pressed his body against your back.

“I’m only teasin’,” he reassured you in your ear, his breath fanning over the shell and sending a tingle down your spine. Turning around in his hold, your own teasing smile spread across your face as you wrapped your arms around his neck.

“Yeah?” you queried with the raise of an eyebrow, “Well two can play that game, sir” you teased as you slowly sunk to your knees, missing the way Joel reacted to the title you’d assigned him.

From above Joel watched you, body relaxed and composed like he wasn’t about to get his dick sucked, but the lust in his eyes gave him away. Your teeth caught on your bottom lip as you fumbled with his belt, the sound of metal clinking bouncing off the tiles as you focused on popping the button on his jeans and pulling the zipper down. You couldn’t take your eyes off the shape of him hidden behind the denim, and it made your mouth water, your thighs squeezing together. You were mesmerized as you let your pointer finger run over the covered length of him, the cotton fabric of his boxer briefs soft under your fingertips.

For a moment, you couldn’t believe what you were about to do – suck a man you’d just met less than an hour ago off in the bathroom stall of some dingy bar? But then again, something excited you about it. 

Maybe it was Joel? Or maybe it was the thrill of it all– of maybe getting caught?

“Go on, darlin’, it’s okay– be a good girl n’ take it out f’me,” Joel ordered from above, his voice dropping an octave. You looked up at him, caught the way he studied you, gauging your every move and reaction.

Then something shifted in his eyes, a flash of insecurity making its presence known, “Or don’t– we can stop f’you want– if you ain’t feelin’ it anymore.”

You shook your head before he’d even finished his sentence. God, no! You sure as hell didn’t want to stop.

“I wanna keep going, Joel,” you smiled, your fingers hooking into the elastic band of his boxer briefs.

A genuine smile bloomed across his face then, his rough hand coming down to cup your chin, “That’s good, baby,” he said, swiping his thumb slowly over your skin, before he leaned down to press a chaste kiss to your lips.

“Know you’ll be good f’me, won’t you?” he whispered against your lips, drawing a breathy whine from you at the praise.

“Yes,” you sighed, almost breathless as he kissed you again quickly before he murmured against your lips, “Yes, you will, darlin’– you’re gonna choke on my cock ‘n thank me for it, won’t ya?”

He was driving you mad with all these questions. In just a few minutes, this man had turned you inside out, pushed every button to turn you on– you were practically swimming in your panties, your mind clouded in hazy arousal. 

You didn’t know what to do, and not thinking clearly, you chased his lips.

“Nuh-uh,” Joel chuckled, pulling away slightly, “lemme hear you say it, sweetheart.”

“Yes,” you sighed again, “thank you for giving me your cock.”

“Thank you for giving me your cock, what?”

This manwas relentless.

“Thank you for giving me your cock, sir?” you tried, teeth nibbling on your bottom lip.

Pleased, a satisfied grin pulled at Joel’s lips. He rewarded you with a quick kiss before he pulled away, standing to his full height again.

You couldn’t wait any longer, you needed to touch him. Hooking your fingers into the elastic band of his boxer briefs again, you slowly pulled them down, revealing inch by inch of the base of his fat cock.

He was big, and the sight made your mouth water, but what excited you the most was the weight of his heavy balls.

“Fuck,” you whispered, eyes wide with fascination.

His hand found the back of your neck in a grounding hold as he guided you closer, your lips bumping against his tip. “Give it a kiss, baby… just like that,” he praised as you did exactly what he wanted, placing a kiss to his cock the same way you’d kissed his lips.

Over you, you could hear Joel release a content breathy chuckle, “That’s so good, baby, such a good girl.”

Egged on by his praises, you shifted a little on your knees, steadying your hands on his thighs as you pooled a blob of spit in your mouth that you let drip down the head. Joel watched you intensely as you used your dominant hand to slowly work the spit over his length, earning yourself a strained grunt. He grew even harder in your hand as you familiarized yourself with the weight and size of him in your hand. 

“Wanna taste it, sir,” you said and placed another soft kiss to the head, swiping your tongue over the slit to taste the precum that had started to pearl.

“Yeah?” he taunted, almost degrading, “You wanna taste my cock that badly?”

“Y-yes,” you whined, looking up at him through your lashes.

Joel watched you for a beat before he tapped at the hand wrapped around him, shooing it away as he fisted himself. “Open wide then, honey, ‘f you want it that bad,” he said, slapping his cock against the side of your face.

Your mouth dropped open in an instance as Joel stuffed his cock inside your mouth slowly. You opened up as wide as you possibly could, relaxing your jaw to accommodate the size of him in your mouth. It was a wide stretch, and the tip touched the back of your throat far too soon, making you gag around the head.

He pulled back to let you breathe for a moment, before he sunk back down your throat again, a large and grounding hand resting at the back of your head. The second time you were more prepared to take him, holding him in your throat for a few moments longer before you started to gag. Over you, Joel let out a strained grunt; the noise sending a bolt of arousal straight to your core.

After that, Joel let you take the lead.

You started out slow, taking the head into your mouth as you let your spit-covered fingers glide over his shaft in an experimental tug. Under your fist, a slick sound echoed off the tiles with every jerk of his cock. You made sure his cock was thoroughly coated in your spit as you set a steady rhythm. You let your tongue glide over the underside of his tip, his hips bucking when you dipped your tongue into the slit.

It was sloppy, and wet, and the noises coming from your throat were entirely too obscene as you started bobbing your head, taking him down your throat.

“That’s a good girl,” Joel praised you, helping guide his cock down your throat with the hand resting at the back of your head. “You love suckin’ cock, don’t you? Love havin’ a big cock fill up that tight throat?”

Suddenly, you heard the muted music coming from the bar grow louder before dying again at the sound of the door slamming shut. You stilled your movements in panic as you heard someone slip into the stall to your right. Your eyes met Joel as you slipped his cock out your mouth, but to your surprise he looked far from concerned about the new audience. 

Stretching his neck he turned his head in the direction of the occupied stall, while he wrapped his fist around the base of his cock. Even in his hands it looked big, and you started to wonder how you’d ever managed to fit it down your throat. A beat passed before he turned his head to look at you again, a wicked grin coating his lips as he bobbed his cock in your face, rubbing the head over your closed lips before he slapped it lightly against your cheek.

“Open up,” he mouthed with another light slap to your cheek. His actions made a tingle of arousal spread throughout your body, and you realized in shock how much the thought of getting caught turned you on.

You did as Joel said and opened your mouth for him to feed you his cock again. He watched you very closely this time, letting you ease yourself down his cock at your own pace, trying your best to be quiet. When the very tip of your nose made contact with the thatch of coarse dark hair at the base and your lips were snug around his cock, Joel couldn’t help himself. The grounding hand at the back of your head held you down as he shoved himself as deep as he possibly could down your throat, his balls bouncing against your chin at the movement.

To your right you heard the unmistakable sound of a toilet being flushed and a lock being twisted. Your eyes welled up with tears, your vision fogging over as you tried your best to fight against your gag reflex. Over you, Joel watched you with a proud smirk on his lips. When the sound of the sink turning on echoed through the restroom, you allowed a whimpering gag to escape you as you squeezed your eyes shut.

It shouldn’t have turned you on as much as it did, but the thrill of getting caught choking on an older man’s cock, a man who was essentially a stranger, made you wonder if you could come untouched. You were so close already, just a flick of your clit would send you off the edge of bliss.

Your eyes were about to roll back into your head when Joel finally pulled back. You gasped violently for air at the exact moment the door opened, filling the toilets with loud music for a moment before you and Joel were locked away again in your own little world. Like you were on autopilot, your hand slipped between your thighs to find your clit, and soon you were withering with your orgasm.

“Oh, there you go, honey, come all over those fingers f’me, just like that,” you heard Joel say, though the force of your orgasm made it seem like he was far away, like your ears were filled with cotton.

When you finally calmed down, you steadied yourself with a tug at Joel’s jeans – the fabric rough under your fingertips. Over you Joel fisted his cock as he watched you with a wild look in his eyes.

“Goddamn, baby, you’re so fuckin’ hot comin’ like that just from gettin’ your throat fucked.”

“Thank you, sir,” you managed to let out, your voice strained and hoarse.

Realizing he must’ve been close, you sat up straighter on your knees, ready to pull him off the edge too. Leaning forward, you stuck out your tongue, licking a fat strip up the seam of his balls to the underside of his shaft. His cock jumped in his hand as Joel let out a breathy laugh.

“Jesus fuckin’ Christ,” he muttered, “Look me in the eyes honey– look me in the eyes when you lick my balls.” Joel jerked his cock above your face as you continued to lick at his heavy balls – your eyes locked with his.

“Look so fuckin’ pretty like this,” he choked out through groans, “Suck on ‘em, baby, suck on my balls.”

Blinking up at him you tried your best to fit one of them in your mouth, hollowing your cheeks and sucking greedily and lapping at the skin, before you moved on to treat the other with the same amount of love.

Joel’s mouth dropped open in a gape, his breath coming out quicker and more staggered. He squeezed himself harder at the base with each jerk before skating his thumb over the swollen head, massaging it. 

“Fuck,” he panted, “I’m gonna come, baby, I’m gonna fuckin’ come.”

Popping his balls from your mouth you hurriedly sat up in front of him, the tip off his cock brushing over the plump of your bottom lip with every thug of his cock.

“Please, sir,” you begged, “Please, come in my mouth.”

Joel wasn’t one to deny your request, especially not when you were sat so pretty in front of him with your tongue sticking out.

A second later, Joel shoved his cock in your mouth and came – balls drawn tight as he shot his load down your throat. The force of it made you gag a little at first, the restriction around his sensitive cock only making him come harder. He groaned above you as you sucked him dry, before he pulled back when it was too much, and caught his breath.

“Say Ah,” he said, a gentle but firm hand cupping your jaw. The squeeze of his fingers made your mouth drop open to reveal the cum coated on your tongue and where it pooled at the back of your throat. “Don’t swallow– Let me see, darlin’.”

Your smile fought against his grip. Sticking your tongue out the best you could, you let him see the state he’d left you in; chin coated in saliva, tears starting to dry on your cheeks, mouth puffy and fucked, and marked in this stranger’s cum.

“Pretty as a picture,” he tutted before he let go of your jaw, and with a pat to your cheek finally gave you permission to swallow.

After that it was like the spell had broken between you. Joel helped you to your feet, both of you giggling when your legs wobbled like a foal unsteady on its feet. He held you upright with a strong hand to your waist, while the other one traveled up the length of your body to cup your face, and bring it closer to place a slow and sensual kiss to your lips.

“Would you believe me if I told you I’d never done anything like that before?” You asked him a moment later as he helped you clean your face by the sink.

Joel gave you a look in the mirror.

“You don’t?” you exclaimed.

Joel gave you an infuriatingly casual shrug, “It ain’t your first time suckin’ dick that’s for sure,” he teased with a pinch to your side which made you jump.

Giving him a playful shove, you said, “I’m not lying! I’ve never had a one-night stand.”

“Well, the night’s still young,” Joel joked, wrapping his arms around your waist from behind and dipping his head to place a soft kiss to the column of your neck.

You leaned into his touch, feeling the soft grip of his hands on your body, and the soft presses of his kisses as you watched the two of you in the mirror. You found that you liked the reflection looking back at you, and if you were lucky, you hoped he liked it too; maybe enough to want to see you again.

“I can’t go back out there like this,” you said after a moment.

Your dress had finally dried, but so had the beer – staining it yellow.

Joel lifted his head from your neck to rest his chin on your shoulder as his eyes scanned your body in the mirror. 

“I have a flannel in my truck I can borrow you?”

“More layers in this heat?” you questioned, already sweating at the thought.

A wide grin spread across Joel’s face, full of mischief, “I guess I’ll just have to take ‘em off of you later, then.”

Turning around in his hold, you wrapped your hands around his neck, your fingers toying with the hair curling at his neck as you met his eyes. “That doesn’t sound so bad,” you whispered, painfully aware of the wet stain of arousal soiling your panties and sticking to your cunt.

“No, it doesn’t,” Joel hummed, his eyes crinkling as he smiled. 

“Wanna get out of here?” you asked and brushed your lips over his.

A moment later Joel guided you out the restrooms with a protective hand resting at the small of your back. Weaving through the crowd, you’d made your way almost to the exit when you heard a shout of your name over the music.

“There you are!” Sarah shouted again as she moved through the crowd towards you and Joel, arms reached out to the sky.

“Oh! And you’ve finally met my dad!”

i hope this was okay and that someone liked this? as always feedback as a comment, in the tags, as an ask or reply is very much appreciated, and they make me super happy! <3 i'm very curious to hear your thoughts about this! <3

© shellshocklove, 2024 i do not give any permission to repost, translate, feed to AI or redistribute any of my writing, with or without credit!

[ziggyzolch]

Headache Ⅳ (Wanda Maximoff x Reader)

Summary: You're bored and Tony won't let you leave the building unless you bring a babysitter with you. Warnings: ig kinda mean wanda Previous Part

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A week with the avengers and you’re already bored. They haven’t let you go on missions or leave the building yet, so you’ve been relying on your friends’ class notes. All you’ve been doing is training, studying, playing video games, and attempting to prank Wanda. She was always one step ahead of you. Scaring you before you could jump out the corner to scare her, using her powers to flip the bucket of ice water and making you spill it all over yourself, and worst of all, predicting the punchline of your jokes before you could get to them.

You learned of her mind reading capabilities when you called her stupid in your head and she rid you of your blanket privileges. She was super sensitive to lame insults, you noticed. It was either that or shoving you against walls was just enjoyable to her.

The one time she was tolerable was during your occasional drinking nights with Peter, and sometimes Pietro. She was touchy, but not mean. Kind of. Last night was one of those nights, and Wanda had gotten the most wasted out of all of you, leading you to call it a night a little earlier.

You wake up to a gentle nudging on your cheek. Peaking an eye open, you break into a smile at the sight of your cat. “Hey, little buddy” You whisper to him, adjusting your position on the floor. He meows back, continuing to paw at you. Pain pierces through your head when you push yourself off the floor. You probably shouldn’t have drunk half your weight in vodka.

A groan comes from the bed in the corner of the room when the chair you were using to hold yourself up creaks loudly. Your eyes widen when you see Wanda gagging with her upper half leaning off the bed. Rushing to get the bin, you bolt towards her, placing the trash can under her before she could puke all over her floor. Wanda clutches the bin while you hold her hair back.

“Let it all out.” You attempt to comfort her while your own head’s spinning. She groans after emptying the contents of her stomach, rolling onto her back.

“I’m never drinking again.” Wanda groans while you laugh, taking the bin to the bathroom and dumping its contents into the toilet.

“Do we have training today?” You peek your head out of the bathroom while washing your hands.

“No practice on Saturdays.” She finally gets up, walking towards you.

You’re brushing your teeth as she looks in the mirror, fixing her hair. Spitting the toothpaste out, you ask, “Can I leave the building yet?”

She shrugs, making eye contact with you through the mirror, “You’re gonna have to ask Steve or Tony.”

You groan. Kate has been on your ass about your whereabouts the past 7 days, and you’re running out of excuses. Also, you missed her. The team is great, but you’ve only known them for a week. Plus, you’d rather not cross paths with Steve again. He’s lectured you more times than you could count.

Finishing up, you wash your face and leave Wanda to do her business. You bend down to take out a random black camisole and sweatpants out of your bag and place them on the desk, your back cracking as you straightened back up. Wanda refused to let you keep your clothes in her closet, so you had to make do until you got your own room.

You don’t really know where you stand with her, you haven't fully warmed up to each other yet. She still hasn’t let you sleep on the couch. Even drunk, she pushed you to the floor when she caught you falling asleep on her sacred sofa. You couldn’t be assed to argue at the time, but as you're twisting and turning your torso, attempting to rid the pain in your back, you wish you did.

Walking to the nightstand, you check the time on Wanda’s phone. She confiscated yours as a ‘security protocol’, but you think she just wanted to fuck with you. Ignoring the feeling of eyes on you, you sigh and lift your shirt over your head, groaning when you realize you left your clothes on the desk. When you turn, you find Wanda standing outside the bathroom. She looks you up and down, smirking at your blush as you walk to get your clothes.

“Uh, can you turn around?” You curl into yourself, attempting to cover up your body.

The brunette rolls her eyes, “This is my room, you can’t tell me what to do.”

Your blush deepens, “You can’t be serious.”

Wanda doesn’t move from her spot, shrugging. You groan and leave the room, closing the door behind you and taking off your pants. You’re mumbling curses under your breath when a gasp catches your attention. Peter and Natasha are standing at the end of the hallway. The former with his hand over his eyes, a deep blush covering his face. Natasha smirks as she drags Peter by his arm, walking past you and turning a corner. Sighing, you lean against the door, pulling up your pants when suddenly you’re falling forward.

Wanda looks down at you, flat on your face with your pants halfway up. “Fucking bit-”

You don’t even get to finish before you’re being lifted and pushed into a wall. “I dare you to finish that sentence.”

“Why are you always abusing me?” You pout, attempting to turn around and look at her when she pushes your face further into the wall.

“Apologize.” She grits out.

You’re about to retort when you remember you have to talk to Tony. Reluctantly, you mumble out an apology and Wanda turns you around to face her, smirking, “Good girl.”

She pulls your pants up, tapping your reddened cheek and walking back into her room.

What the fuck.

❅❅❅

“Come in!” You push past the door of Tony’s lab, taking in all the machines and holograms around the room. You hadn’t actually gotten a chance to get a good look at everything during your failed heist. “What’s up?” Tony turns to you, blowtorch in hand. Eyes widening, you slowly back up, “Uh, I just wanted to ask if I could leave the building-”

“Nope.”

“What! Why?”

“You’re not exactly the most trustworthy person.”

“Untrue! I saw Peter pick his nose once and I haven’t told anyone!”

“You literally just told me.”

“Please!”

You grab Tony’s shoulders, moving him back and forth and pleading, voice raising in pitch.

He groans, grabbing both your wrists, “Jesus, Fine!”

“Yes!”

“But you have to bring Wanda with you.”

Your face drops, “Peter can come with me.”

Tony shakes his head, “He wouldn’t be able to catch you if you ran, plus you’re all buddy-buddy with him.”

“Okay, fine, but on one condition,”

He raises an eyebrow.

“Can you get me an automatic cat food dispenser, or install one, or hire someone to feed my cat.”

He laughs, “Don’t let Steve find your cat, and sure.”

You internally celebrate, rushing out and back towards Wanda’s room. “Hey, Wanda-” Pushing open the door, you catch the witch sitting on the couch with you laptop on her lap. You grab your laptop and place it in your backpack before she could blink.

One hand on your hip, you stare at her, waiting for an explanation. After a beat of silence, you finally ask, “What were you doing on my laptop?”

Wanda’s eyes dart around the room, looking everywhere but you, mumbling something under her breath.

“What?”

“I wanted to play the game I saw you playing earlier.”

You tilt your head, eyebrows furrowing in confusion before she groans, “The one where you fight zombies and stuff.”

“Resident evil?”

“Not that one.”

“Call of duty?”

“No!”

“Left for dead?”

“No it was like, ugh I don’t know! Like, it had skeletons and I saw a pig.”

Your eyes light up in realization, “Minecraft?”

Wanda slaps her hands together, “That’s the one!”

You laugh, shaking your head and moving towards your bag to take out cat food. “I’ll let you play, if you come out with me tonight.”

Your cat approaches you when he hears the bag rustle, and you exit the room for a second to pour the food in his bowl. Wanda refused to let you keep the litter box and food bowl in her room, which was fair.

You walk back in, finding Wanda wide-eyed on the couch, “Like, on a date?”

Your eyebrows shoot up, “What? No! Tony said I could go out if you came as a babysitter.”

Wanda deflates, “Oh, sure yeah.”

You take your laptop out again, moving to take a seat next to Wanda. You’re explaining how the game works when you get an email from your roommate and best friend, Kate, jokingly asking if you’re gonna bail on the hangout. You quickly type out a reply, ‘im coming. bringing a friend,’ You pause for a moment before continuing, ‘best regards.’

Wanda’s lips tilt upwards at you considering her a friend despite her behavior towards you. “Why is she emailing you?” You raise an eyebrow, “You took my phone. Remember?” Her mouth forms an ‘O’ shape before reaching her hand behind the couch cushions, bringing your phone up and handing you it. You snatch your phone from her hand, rolling your eyes. “Asshole,” You stiffen, only relaxing when you realize Wanda hadn’t heard, “Uhm, okay, so you make these tools…”

Wanda was horrible. It took her an hour and a half to finally get used to the walking controls and crafting, kind of. “This is a stupid game.” She pouts as the respawn screen pops up for the millionth time. Glancing at the corner of the screen, you curse as you jump up. “We need to get ready. Can you call Peter and ask him if he’s busy?”

You change your clothes, not caring about Wanda seeing you. She had already seen you in your underwear so there was no point.

Wanda hums, makes no move to pick up her phone.

You roll your eyes when you catch her staring, “Can you stop being a creep and call Peter. Invite Pietro if you want.”

“Fine.”

❅❅❅

The silhouettes of your friends become clearer as you approach the location on your phone. Wanda’s bows furrow when she sees that it's an abandoned construction site, awkwardly parking the car. You and Peter rush out of the car, excitedly hugging your friends. Peter had invited Ned and MJ, while you had Kate Bishop. The twins weren’t as popular as the rest of the avengers, so you didn’t worry about your friends recognizing them. Wanda and Pietro stepped out of the vehicle and approached your group.

“Guys! This is Wanda, and this is her brother, Pietro.”

Exchanging pleasantries, you all start walking towards the building. Wanda turns towards you, “Why are we here? Is this just your normal hangout spot-” Her eyes widen when you shush her, placing a finger on her lips, “All will be revealed, little witch.”

You were all sitting in a circle inside the abandoned building, the flashlights of your phones illuminating the room. Ned and Kate sat on either side of you, with the twins, Peter and MJ sat across. “Silence!” You clap your hands together, continuing when everybody turns their attention towards you, “Rumor has it, this building was the site of satanic…occult? Cult? Whatever, you get me. Ritual!”

Wanda smiles in amusement, winking when you make eye contact.

Kate tilts her head at your blush, “Anyways! We will be contacting the spirits present here.”

Kate chimes in, lifting a bottle of water, “I brought holy water with me!”

You and her planned this thing together, and holy water was never mentioned. Taking the bottle from her, you pop open the cap and take a sip. Bishop laughs when you attempt to stop yourself from making a face, “Wow, okay. Glad you brought vodka to a fucking demon ritual.”

Ignoring you, Kate takes out a ouija board from her bag and places it in the middle of the circle. Wanda’s eyes light up as she turns towards her brother.

“Alright, everybody put your hands on the pointer thing.” You say while placing your hands first, everybody following after you. “Spirits, ghosts, beings, entities, and everything else, if you are here, move the…puck thing.” Kate is about to laugh when suddenly the pointer moves towards ‘yes’. Peter looks around, wide eyed, while Wanda and Pietro are oddly calm. “Uhm, okay uh. Jesus.” You wipe the sweat off your forehead, “Are you evil?” Everybody gasps as it circles around ‘yes’. Kate pushes on your shoulder, “Can we stop?” You roll your eyes, “No. Alright, what’s my name?” You all look in confusion when it moves to the wrong letters. You read them out,

“H-E-I-S-E-N-B-E-R-G? Heisenberg.”

Wanda, Pietro, and Kate all break out into laughter, removing their hands from the board while you and the rest look at each other in confusion until Kate explains the reference.

Kate gasps, “Weren’t we supposed to say goodbye before we took our hands off-” The phone lights flicker, and a banging sounds behind you. You screech, jumping into Kate’s arms, “What the fuck!” You tuck your head into her neck when the lights flicker again. Your friend wraps her arms around you in an iron grip, just as scared as you. You don’t catch the red mist dissipating off the board.

The banging stops, and the lights don’t flicker. You detach yourself from your friend, standing up. MJ slaps her hands on her thighs before getting up, “Let’s get the fuck out of here.” You all agree, turning to rush out of the building. 

Every little sound was making you jump as you exited. Wanda sneaks up behind you,

“Boo-”

A blood curdling scream comes out of you as you turn, your hand clutching at your heart. Your glare does nothing to the witch. Wanda fakes a look of pity as she pulls you into a hug, “Aw, are you scared? I’ll protect you, baby.”

“You literally are the reason I’m scared!” You whine, lightly shoving her off of you. For the rest of the night, you were attached to at least one person from the group. Wanda was growing irritated watching you hang on to everyone's arm except hers, and everybody could tell. Kate was holding onto your hand when she caught a glimpse of Wanda, jealousy radiating off of her.

She gave her a knowing look, “My hands are getting sweaty, hold someone else’s hand.” She shakes you off of her, ignoring your whine and pushing you towards Wanda. You didn’t want to hold onto her since all she did until now was torment you, but everybody else already got a turn.

Wanda beams when you hold onto her arm, smiling when Kate shoots her a wink. She blushes when she feels you squeezing her bicep.

After getting burgers and circling the area for a while, you land back at Wanda’s car. MJ and Peter continue the path alone as Ned bids everyone a goodbye.

“Hey!” Kate approaches you, “You coming back? I know you have that thing with your grandma but I miss your company.”

Deflating a little, you shake your head, “Not for a while, I’m sorry.” She was your best friend, your laptop wallpaper was a picture of her, “I’ll tell you if I do, though.” You add.

She leans in to kiss your cheek, “Alright. Stop ignoring my texts, at least.”

Your eyes stay on her as she walks away, slightly frowning. Wanda wraps her arm around your shoulder, ushering you to the back seat. “I miss my life.” You sigh, leaning against the window as Pietro and Wanda enter the car. She looks at you from the rearview window, “You’ll get used to it.”

Pietro twists his body to turn towards you, “Who knows, maybe you’ll get to go back to your dorm in like a couple months.”

“Maybe.” You pick at your cuticles. A couple months. Here. You could do that.

Just a couple of months.

❅❅❅

Next part

A/N: my new fic is depressing so i figured id update this cute little one, thank you for reading!

Comment if you wanna get added to the tag list.

Tags : @sgm616

[sugarandspisces-writes]

Kiss It Better Pt. I

Pairing: Melissa Schemmenti x reader

Summary: Melissa engages in a game of kickball with her students and takes a nasty tumble. With the help of her colleagues, she makes her way to you, the school nurse.

Word Count: 4.6k

CW/TW: Mentions of hospitals and injuries

Although Melissa was a seasoned teacher, sometimes it was challenging to get into the swing of things after a nice vacation. While she was used to instructing two classes, the job still came with its fair share of tough days. The holiday break was much needed, considering it gave her time to recuperate from the first semester.

Originally, she hadn’t planned on going anywhere, and was fully content with spending two weeks at home with her feet kicked up. That was until she heard you complaining about the brutal winter weather. You weren't native to the north, and though you'd lived there for some time, you hadn't adjusted to the seasonal changes.

The more you mentioned it, the more she realized the feeling was mutual. She decided it wouldn't hurt to ring in the New Year differently, so the two of you brainstormed destinations and settled on a spur-of-the-moment trip to Florida. She had a guy who could get her discounted plane tickets and a hotel room for little to nothing. Before she knew it, she was getting sunkissed on Palm Beach. She’d be making a ton of ziti to return the favor, but the bottomless margaritas and adrenaline-filled nights at the casino were more than worth it.

It was now a week later and with her mind still on island time, she hoped for a relaxed first day back. The class was rowdy when they arrived, but that was to be expected. They were excited to be with each other after a couple of weeks away, but luckily they could themselves down without much of her guidance. So far the day was going well, and she was teaching her last morning lesson before recess.

The class was reading silently, making it the perfect time to catch up on some emails. Most of them were from parents, but she had one from Ava with the schedule of upcoming meetings for the remainder of the year. The first one was tomorrow morning meaning she had to wake up extra early.

She rolled her eyes, and the expression only intensified as she skimmed through the rest of the message. According to the principal, breakfast would be provided. However, the last time Ava promised to provide food, the “breakfast” in question was fun-sized boxes of cereal from the cafeteria. She would definitely need her extra-large Stanley Tucci mug to get through tomorrow morning.

She had one last email to read and was delighted to see your name attached to it. The message was marked as a priority, declaring the content to be urgent. It was a reminder for all teachers, asking them to collect and return the forms the students received before the break. As the school nurse, part of your job was ensuring that the kids had updated health records on file.

As for Melissa's class, just about everyone remembered to have their guardians fill out your forms, and she planned to give them to you later today. That prompted her to text you so she could see what your schedule looked like.

M: Hey, I’ll bring those forms to you during my planning period

↪ You sure? I don't mind stopping by your class later

You knew someone was bound to forget to deliver the forms, so you’d have to snag them at the end of the day.

M: I’ll bring them, hon. One less trip you’ll have to make.

Truthfully, the redhead wanted an excuse to see you, and her planning period conveniently took place when your day came to a lull.

↪ Thanks! You’re amazing!! 

Melissa’s lips curled upward at your compliment.

M: I might sit with you for a few when I come down. Is that okay?

She was considerate of your job, and no matter how much she wanted to see you during the day, she never wanted to interfere with your work.

↪ Of course that’s okay. You’re always welcome. Just let me know when you’re headed down

For the most part, your relationship was under wraps. Everyone who needed to know was informed, and everyone else was left to assume. And assume they did, because your affinity for each other was a hot topic around the school. Abbott loved to talk, but Melissa had eyes and ears all over–literally.

She’d become acquaintances with a couple members of the camera crew, and their knowledge combined with Barb’s allowed her to obtain information from virtually every square inch of the building. Just about everything that was said made its way back to the source. However, it didn’t bother either of you. If anything, it was amusing, and you found fun in keeping everyone guessing.

Engaged in her reverie, Melissa didn't notice the child standing directly beside her until the small voice spoke. “Ms. Schemmenti.”

Startled by their presence, she nearly jumped out of her seat. A hand clutched at her chest causing the young girl to laugh. “Jeez, Mya!” 

“Sorry.” She motioned toward the clock on the opposite side of the room. “Isn't it time for recess?

Melissa looked to where her student was pointing and saw it was 11:20 AM. Crap. They were supposed to be gone five minutes ago. She thanked the girl for telling her, then stood up to alert everyone else.

"Alright, my little eagles, it’s time for recess! We’re a little late because I got distracted, but you guys aren’t surprised, right?” A unison of “no” echoed around the room. “That was a rhetorical question, but thank you for the enthusiastic responses.”

She answered queries about the meaning of ‘rhetorical’, while everyone got their coats on. It was considerably cold, but not cold enough for the school to cancel outside activities. Melissa didn’t mind since this was her kid’s way of getting their energy out and she always made sure everyone had enough clothing on to protect them from the chill.

Once everyone was ready, they walked down the hall in formation. Melissa’s class was large, and while it could be hard to wrangle them all, they did a pretty good job at keeping each other in check. 

“I can’t believe we lost a whole 5 minutes,” Daniel whined from the back of the line. It was quiet, but Melissa still heard, so she slowed her steps to meet him once he strolled by.

She wrapped an arm around his shoulder and said, “I’m sorry, buddy. I’ll make it up to you, okay?” When he didn’t respond she spoke again. “How about this? I’ll do a class vote, and then youse can decide what I owe you.”

Even though the boy accepted her apology, he still hung his head low. Melissa squeezed his shoulder for good measure, then let him free as they approached the doors that led outside.

��Melissa!” Janine shouted, waving the redhead over to her. “I was looking for you guys. What happened?”

“Hey, kid. I was reading emails and lost track of time.” Melissa explained as she walked over to the second grade teacher.

“I had a lot of those too! Did you see Ava sent that one email, like, three times? It was so weird,” she laughed and Melissa agreed. “I bet your kids were sad about being late, huh?”

“You shoulda seen their faces when I told them they lost some time,” Melissa shared. “I might as well have told them Santa wasn’t real.”

Janine stuck her bottom lip out in a pout, knowing the exact look Melissa was referring to. “If it makes you feel any better, I’m still getting used to the flow of things too. The first day back is always a little rocky for me.”

“I’m usually okay, but I don’t know what happened today.” Melissa shrugged, looking off into the distance (Except she knew exactly what happened, and it was you).

“Well, they seem pretty happy now that they’re out here, so that’s good,” Janine noted.

“Yeah, but I’m sure I’ll be making it up to them for the next few weeks.” Melissa sighed and Janine nodded in agreement, knowing how relentless kids could be.

“Oh, one of your students is coming over here. I spoke too soon, it looks like he has a bone to pick with you.” She nudged the woman in her side.

Melissa narrowed her eyes before turning toward the student. “Hey, Daniel. What’s up?”

“Can you please play with us?” The little boy asked politely.

She looked across the playground and saw a group of students eyeing her expectantly. She couldn’t deny that it tugged at her heartstrings to see them so eager. However, playing with them wasn’t exactly on the agenda today.

“Oh, I don’t know, hon. There isn't much time left, and I’m sure you don’t want me slowing your game down.”

“Please, we really want you to play. And you said you’d make it up to us, remember?” He reminded her. 

This wasn’t her ideal way of making it up, but when Melissa looked down at the boy’s big, hopeful eyes, she couldn’t say no. She looked toward Janine and of course, she was looking at her with just as much expectation as the kids. The next thing Melissa knew, she was involved in a lively kickball game.

“Ms. Schemmenti, Ivy’s cheating!” Tyler yelled as soon as Melissa stepped up to the makeshift base. “I caught the ball, so that means she’s out!”

“I’m not cheating! The ball slipped out of your hands, so I’m still in the game!” Ivy yelled back at him.

“Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater!” He teased. “You’re out!”

Melissa knew that it wouldn’t be an elementary school game if there wasn’t a little drama, but she had to hold her laughter back as she listened to their banter. “Okay, that’s enough, guys. Now, Tyler, tell me what happened again.”

“Ivy kicked the ball and I caught it, so that means she’s out.” He explained to her.

Instead of handling the situation herself, she decided to play the mediator. “Okay, How many people saw Tyler catch the ball?” Almost everyone raised their hand, so she turned to the girl to give her a sad smile. “Sorry, hon. You gotta follow the rules.”

“No fair!” The girl crossed her arms over her chest and began to stomp away.

Before she got far, Melissa gave the child a proposition. “Hey, how about I let you run the bases for me? That way you can stay in the game.” Quite frankly, she wasn’t in the running mood, and due to the cold, her joints were stiff. She also didn’t want the child to be in a bad mood for the rest of the day. This way, everyone got what they wanted.

“Deal!” Her mood instantly changed, and Melissa received a wide grin and a high five.

“All right, Ivy’s gonna run for me.” She announced to the group.

“I think that’s against the rules.” Someone piped up from behind her.

“Well, I’ve got a bad knee, so I ain’t running anywhere.” The teacher emphasized her point by wagging her index finger from side to side.

“Well, Ms. Schemmenti, you did say we have to follow the rules.” Ivy recited the woman's recent words.

Melissa closed her eyes and released a sigh at the girl's remark, now regretting using that exact phrase. “Alright, Alright.” The teacher relented. As much as she wanted to disagree with the girl, she was right, and it would be unfair to go against her word. “I’ll run, but go easy on me.” 

“Okay, everyone get into position!” Tyler yelled, alerting his classmates that the game was about to start. He rolled the ball down to the teacher, and the woman gave her best kick without using her full power. They were undoubtedly faster than her, but she was certainly stronger, and everyone needed a fair shot. 

She then ran to first base and was pleased with herself at how quickly she got there. She hadn’t played a game like this in a while, so it was gratifying to see that she still could. The confidence boost allowed her to make it past the next two bases. Tyler hurled the ball in an attempt to get her out, and she dodged it.

Melissa soon realized that was a mistake once she tripped. The heel of her boot got caught on an uneven patch of grass and she failed to regain balance. Her ankle rolled inward and she collapsed with a thud. A series of gasps filled the air, and within seconds she was surrounded by concerned children. They were too scared to touch her, but that didn’t stop them from getting help.

“Teacher down! Teacher down!” A shrill voice shouted at the top of their lungs.

While Melissa was thankful for the effort, she was unhappy about the attention she now received. Embarrassment was an emotion she rarely felt, but today it was warranted. Listening to her students' frantic chatter gave her something to focus on other than the blush burning her face. 

“Okay, let’s back up! Give Ms. Schemmenti some space, please!” Janine's voice of reason rang through all the chatter.

The kids inched away, but only far enough so Janine could have access. It was clear they were protective of their teacher, as they wouldn't take their eyes away for a second in case something were to happen.

Janine held her hand over her mouth as she kneeled in front of the woman. “Oh my God, Melissa! What happened? Are you okay? Can you get up?”

Once the crowd dissipated some, the woman felt she could move freely. She sat up, dusted her hands off, then brushed the debris from her clothes.

“M’fine,” she muttered in response to Janine’s frantic questioning.

“Are you sure? You fell pretty hard.” Janine noted her flushed cheeks and she could only imagine how she felt. Being that she’d embarrassed herself countless times, she had an idea, though she’d never been in this exact situation.

Melissa smoothed her hair back into place, ignoring the sympathetic look on the younger woman’s face. The expression made her want to crawl into a hole and never return. “Thank you for that riveting statement.” 

She reached out for Janine’s hand, a silent invitation for her assistance, and felt herself being tugged into an upright position. She hadn't felt it at first, but once she planted her right foot on the ground, a searing pain shot through it. Reflexively, her arm slung across the shorter woman’s shoulder to keep herself steady. She hissed, then hung her head low in an attempt to conceal the pain on her face. 

“What’s wrong?” Anxiety laced the junior teacher’s voice, but Melissa just ignored her, unable to simultaneously be in pain and answer questions. She took another step, thinking she could walk it off, but she was sorely mistaken. A groan slipped from her mouth and the sound shocked her as much as it did Janine. 

The latter's steps halted, almost causing the injured woman to topple over. “Okay, you’re obviously hurt. I think you should go see Y/N.”

At the mention of your name, the redhead straightened her posture. There was no way in hell she would go to your office and interrupt your day for something minor like this. She wasn't bleeding or dying, so she wouldn't have you fussing over her when you had students to care for. “I'll be okay. I just need to make it to my classroom.”

Janine bit the inside of her cheek, a telltale sign that her worry was increasing. “I don’t know, Melissa. I think you should let them take a look at it.” 

She tried to stand on her own to prove a point, but she simply couldn’t do it. The pain only grew with her efforts, and tears began to prick at her eyes. “Just let me sit down for a bit, okay? I’ll go see Y/N after lunch if it still hurts.”

Janine settled for the compromise and recruited a teacher to watch their kids while she got Melissa inside. It was a challenging effort, but miraculously, they made it back safely. They received a few strange looks from other staff members, but Janine warded their concerns away with a smile. Once they arrived, she helped Melissa get settled at her desk.

“Don’t worry about your class, I’ll bring them back,” Janine assured her. “Do you need anything while I’m here? I could get Barbara if she’s–”

Melissa immediately shook her head. The very last thing she needed was for Barb to find out. “That's okay.” 

Janine gave a wary look in return, as she wasn’t expecting her coworker to deny that offer. “Are you sure?”

She huffed, sick of the questions, and took a beat before answering. “Just bring my kids back, please. That’s all I need right now.”

She wasn’t in any position to argue with that, so she accepted the task. “Okay, I’ll have them back in no time.”

“Thanks, pipsqueak,” Melissa said, causing the woman to take on a disgruntled look. Though she wasn't happy about the circumstances, she switched her tone to show her true appreciation. “Really, Janine, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She smiled, happy that she could complete a good deed for the day.

Moments later, Melissa was reunited with her rambunctious class. They came pouring in, not even bothering to take their coats off as they filled the empty space around her desk. Despite the considerable change in climate, they were too invested in her situation to care. 

“We heard you fell.”

“Are the second graders in trouble?”

“Did you break your leg?!”

“Are you going to the hospital?”

“Who’s gonna take us to lunch?”

She broke her silence to address the last comment. “Really, Elijah? That’s what’s on your mind?” 

“I’m sorry, Ms. S, but I’m starving.” He rubbed his belly in broad strokes.

“Don’t worry, you’re gonna get to lunch on time.” While that was great news, it only answered one of their burning questions. They continued to stare her down and she caved at the sincerity. “I know I probably scared some of you, but I’m okay. My leg is not broken, and no, I will not be going to the hospital. Most importantly, no one is in trouble, capisce?”

When she received answers of understanding, she moved on to the next order of business. “Now, let me see who’s gonna walk youse to lunch.”

“Ms. Teagues can take us, or Mrs. Howard!” A student announced excitedly, waving in the direction of the door where both teachers were standing. However, Melissa was so focused on consoling her class and making sure they got fed, that she didn’t notice their presence.

She tried to roll toward the class phone, but it was on the opposite side of the desk. The feat was too large, so she grabbed her cell instead. She scrolled to Janine’s contact, internally swearing that this would be the last favor she asked of her. “Mrs. Howard might be busy, hon, so I think Ms. Teagues is our best bet.”

Elijah grabbed the woman’s attention again. “No, she's not. Mrs. Howard is right there.” He nodded toward the outskirts of the crowd. 

Barbara’s deep eyes shone with concern as they met Melissa’s, but the redhead could only scrunch her face in confusion. What the hell? she thought, but it all made sense once she saw Janine sporting a guilt-ridden expression.

Her lips thinned into a smile as she tried to keep her composure. “Ms. Teagues, do you mind taking them to lunch? I’d appreciate it so much.”

Janine knew what that look meant, so she was quick to speak. “Not at all! Come on guys, grab your lunches if you brought one today.” Once everyone was ready, they made a swift exit because she didn't want to face Melissa’s wrath.

As the last footsteps trickled out, quiet fell over the teachers. Barbara’s eyes never left her best friend, inspecting her from head to toe, watching as Melissa twiddled her thumbs. It irked Barb that she wasn’t paying the slightest attention and she would not tolerate being blatantly ignored. “Melissa Schemmenti! Are you going to tell me what's going on?”

Melissa proceeded to avoid eye contact. She picked up a pen along with a stack of papers as if she were about to grade them. Her petulance sent Barb over the edge. If she didn’t want to tell her, that was fine, but she was tired of this little game.

“You know, I was trying to give you a chance to tell me yourself, but it seems you would rather act like a child.” The woman smirked, knowing her next words would get a reaction. “Janine already told me what happened.”

“I told her to keep her mouth shut!” Melissa curled her hands into fists and banged them against the wood. “I’m gonna kill that girl!”

“Not with one working ankle, you won’t,” Barbara quipped.

“I'll find someone to do it for me.” She shot back, not in the mood for jokes.

Barbara just rolled her eyes, disregarding her friend's dramatic nature. “So what’s your plan? Are you going to roll around in this chair all day?”

“Just leave it alone, will you?” Melissa was getting tired of the third degree from everyone. If she wanted to sit in her room all day, why did it matter to them? It was her injury, not theirs.

“I will not leave it alone! Not until you go see Y/N.”

She looked the older woman directly in her eyes for the first time today. “I’m not goin’, Barb.”

“You will, or I’ll tell them to come to you. Better yet, I'll drag you to an urgent care.” Barbara crossed her arms and gave Melissa a daring look.

“Oh, now you’re out of your mind,” Melissa scoffed. Even though they were in her classroom, if she could get up and walk away, she’d leave Barb right there with her delusions.

The woman gasped audibly at the insinuation that she was crazy. “Trust me, you haven’t seen me out of my mind.”

“You sure? 'Cause that sounds pretty insane to me.” She twisted her pen in a circle near her head, showcasing how absurd the idea sounded.

“No, Melissa, what's insane is you sitting here with an injury, making no attempts to seek medical attention, when there's a perfectly capable nurse in the building!” Her hands moved fervently as she spoke, the pearls around her neck rattling from the action. “Since you won't go on your own, I’ll get someone to take you.” With that, she marched out of the room, having had enough of her obstinacy.

“Barb, don’t you dare!” She yelled, but there was no use as the woman was halfway down the hall due to the speed she was walking.

She groaned in frustration, not faring well with having one working foot. The dull ache was a constant reminder of what occurred, and though she knew it was in her best interest to see you, she wasn't in enough pain to seek your help. But leave it to her colleagues to put their noses into her business.

She reached for her purse and rifled through it before pulling out a compact mirror. If she was going to be seen in this state, she wanted to make sure she looked presentable. As she met her reflection, she frowned. Her hair was out of place, her eyelashes were wonky, and there were a few spots where her makeup had smudged. She fixed what she could, applying lip gloss to finish her look. As she ran a brush through her strands, footsteps approached her room.

“Oh, you have got to be kidding me.” She threw her head back as Gregory came through her door. “Why are you here?”

Gregory almost looked as confused as her, and as he prepared to speak, Barb cut him off.

“To escort you to Y/N's office.” She smiled kindly, directing her pearly whites in Gregory's direction.

Melissa side-eyed the man, adding a mean mug to show her dismay. “But Barb, I don't need—”

“Ah, ah, no buts." She held a hand up to silence her. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go teach, but I expect you to have your injuries mended when you return.” She didn't walk away until she received final confirmation from Gregory.

“Oh, yeah, I'll make sure of it,” he promised. Though he was content with minding his business, he'd only agreed to this because Barb wouldn't take no for an answer.

Melissa sighed as the man moved to stand behind her, in preparation to wheel her out. She turned around so he could understand the grave meaning behind her words. “Just take me there. Don't ask any questions and don't tell anyone what you saw.”

“Oh, I already know how you roll.” After receiving another dirty look from the redhead, he noticed his poor choice of words. He tucked his lips into his mouth, then bowed his head before saying, “I'm sorry.”

You didn’t expect the first day back to be so crazy, but it had been jam-packed with injuries. Nose bleeds, headaches, fevers, stomach aches, you name it. You didn’t mind though because it made the day go faster. You had one more student to tend to before your break, so you decided to clean your office before their arrival. You disinfected the cots and countertops, as well as your little waiting area, and then you took inventory of your supplies and stocked up on whatever you’d need for the last half of the day.

“Hey, nurse Y/N!” Melissa’s student, Daniel, waved excitedly as he entered your office. He gave you a quick hug before retreating to his original spot.

“Hey, buddy! How was your break?” You loved hearing about what the kids did during their time off. He told you about the trip he took to visit family in New York, and how he got to spend the holidays with his grandmother who he hadn’t seen since he was a baby. He also mentioned all the good food he ate and the presents he received. “That’s awesome! It sounds like you had a great time.”

“Yeah, it was pretty great. What did you do?” The curious boy asked.

“I went to Florida,” you said casually, hoping to get a reaction out of him. When he gasped in shock, you flashed a grin in his direction.

“No way! That’s so much cooler than New York.” Daniel was infatuated with Florida, on the account of Disney World, and he made it known that he would save every penny ever given to him in hopes of being able to afford a ticket to the attraction.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t go see Mickey Mouse without you.” You knew the question was on the tip of his tongue. “But it was a pretty cool trip.”

“Ms. Schemmenti went to Florida too!” He informed you, still looking at you with stars in his eyes. 

You smiled as he told you the bits and pieces that Melissa shared with his class, minus the details of her gambling adventures. However, you weren’t sure she left out 100% of the details, because Daniel recalled her saying that she would incorporate some new card games into their math lessons to “teach them some new strategies”. Leave it to Melissa to teach her students how to outsmart each other.

“It sounds like she had a lot of fun!” You exclaimed, taking in the events as if you weren’t there to experience them firsthand. Her students were ridiculously smart, so you were ready for him to catch on to the similarities in your story, but he didn’t. 

You busied yourself with preparing his medication so he could make his way to the cafeteria. Daniel had cystic fibrosis, so he took pancreatic enzymes to aid his absorption of nutrients. He took them before every meal and snack, so he was a frequent flyer in your office. “Alright, dude, I got your pills ready. You just need to get some water.” He gladly accepted the paper cup from your hand and walked toward the water fountain. 

You looked around the room as he took his meds, and the absence of another child caught your attention. Normally, Melissa utilized the buddy system to ensure that her students made it to their destination safely. “Did you walk here by yourself?” 

“No, Ms. Teagues walked us to lunch today.”

You scrunched your eyebrows in pure confusion. “Why was Ms. Teagues taking you to lunch?”

“Ms. Schemmenti hurt herself so she couldn't take us,” he explained.

Hearing Melissa’s name in the same breath as the word ‘hurt’ made your heart rate pick up, but you kept a poker face. “Really? How’d that happen?”

A guilty expression crossed his face, and he released a deep breath before speaking. “Well, we were playing kickball during recess and she fell. It was kind of scary, but then she got up and everything was okay. At least I think she’s okay.”

“What makes you say that?” You tried to get as much information as you could before the bell rang, signaling that it was time for the younger kids’ lunch. 

“She told us she wasn’t in pain, but I don’t think that’s true.”

You hadn’t assessed the woman yet, but you agreed with his statement because you knew how Melissa was. She worked hard to keep up her tough persona, but even the students could see past it sometimes. “You guys really roughed her up out there, huh?”

The boy shrugged sheepishly. “We didn’t mean for her to get hurt. She’s one of our favorite teachers, and we just wanted to have some fun.”

You could see he truly felt bad, so you attempted to cheer him up. “It was very nice of you guys to include her. I’m sure she appreciated that.” You smiled. “Don’t feel too bad, okay?”

He nodded, and with that, the bell rang. You walked him to the exit and sent him on his way, but now without a hug goodbye. “Have a good lunch. I’ll see you later for a snack.” 

Once he made it down the hallway, you focused on the sight directly to your left: Melissa sitting in her desk chair with Gregory at her side, standing against the wall, as if he were her bodyguard (though that would be a pointless duty because everyone knew Melissa didn’t need a guard).

You motioned them into your office so they'd be out of the crossfire of hungry kids. The pair looked at you with blank faces, and you stared at them with your hands on your hips. “Well, what do we have here?”

A/N: Hey, how are ya? It’s been a while and I’ve missed writing immensely. I'm a little nervous about posting again, but I hope this was worth the wait. Let me know what you think, and thank you for reading! P.S. Special thanks to everyone who voted on the poll <3

[lelengerine]

₊˚⊹♡ mixed orders

pairing. tokuno yushi x reader

synopsis. a silly mistake has yushi thinking about you for days.

tags. college cafe drabble, just a lot of fluff, in the member's pov bc i like writing inner dilemmas, mentions of food, reader uses she/her prns... i think that's it! (lmk if anything was missed)

wc. 0.8k words

notes. my first work for the year and its for the wishies (i hope u all don't mind me writing for them now hehe) 🥺 also what do we think of this new banner style 👐👐 likes and feedback are highly appreciated!

꒰ m.list ꒱

yushi thinks he’s losing it.

it started last week—when he met you.

his friends had begged him to check out a cafe near campus, throwing around excuses about needing a change of scenery to study. yushi knew better. studying was always the last thing on their minds when they were together. but when riku slung an arm around his shoulders and sion dangled the promise of good coffee in front of him, he couldn’t find it in himself to say no.

the cafe was warm and cozy, filled with the scent of freshly brewed coffee and pastries. yushi didn’t think much of it at first. it was just another cafe, just another outing with his friends.

but then he saw you.

you were standing behind the counter, adjusting the straps of your apron before glancing up at him with a small smile. the soft, golden lights of the cafe reflected in your eyes, giving them an almost starry quality. his friends wasted no time rattling off their orders to him, not even sparing a second glance before they darted off to claim a table. now he was left standing there, brain inexplicably stalling as if some pop up screen was blocking it from functioning normally.

“hi! what can i get you?” you asked, your voice bright and clear.

“um… uh, what was it… two raspberry lattes and a caramel soda?”

“i think you meant two raspberry sodas and a caramel latte,” you corrected gently, a small laugh slipping out as you tapped the order into the register.

yushi felt like sinking into the floor at that very moment. “r-right, those please.”

“that’ll be fifteen dollars in total. can i have your name, please?”

“my name?” he echoed dumbly, his voice cracking slightly.

you tilted your head, clearly amused. “so you can claim your drinks when they’re ready, silly.”

“oh- right.” his hand fumbled with his wallet, nearly dropping his card in the process. the tips of his ears burned, and he could already hear sion and riku laughing if they had seen this. “it’s yushi.”

“okay! here you go.” you handed him his change and a buzzer, your fingers brushing his ever so briefly. “you can pick up your drinks when it starts beeping.”

“i… i knew that,” he mumbled, gripping the buzzer tightly like it was a lifeline that would save him from his ever growing embarrassment.

“just making sure.” you winked playfully before turning your attention to the next customer.

yushi moved out of the line on autopilot, his heart thudding loudly in his chest. by the time he reached his friends, he realized he hadn’t even thanked you. the thought lingered even after he had already retrieved the drinks, silently gnawing at him as his friends started chatting about some new game release.

it wasn’t anything special, so why did his mind keep recalling the way you laughed? or the mischievous glint in your eyes when you teased him?

“hey, class ended like five minutes ago, and you’re usually the first one out as soon as the bell rings.”

huh?

yushi blinked, realizing he’d been staring blankly at his notebook. sion was leaning on his desk, one eyebrow raised, his messenger bag slung carelessly over his shoulder.

“your mind’s been absent all day,” riku added, tossing a pen into his backpack with a practiced flick. he nudged yushi’s chair with his foot. “whatcha thinking about, hmm?”

“nothing,” yushi muttered, shoving his notebook into his bag with a little more force than necessary.

sion crossed his arms, a sly grin spreading across his face. “oh, it’s definitely something. wait a second- this started last week, didn’t it? at the cafe.”

riku’s eyes widened as he snapped his fingers. “it’s the barista, isn’t it?!”

yushi froze, his ears instantly turning red and his friends could already tell what that implies without him needing to even speak.

“dude, you’re so obvious.” sion plopped down on the desk next to yushi’s, leaning in with a teasing grin. “you’ve been zoning out ever since we went there. what, are you gonna ask her out or just keep replaying that little meet-cute in your head?”

“i barely know her,” yushi snapped, slinging his bag over his shoulder as he stood. “and i don’t even—”

“you don’t even what?” riku cut in, blocking his path with a smirk. “like her? think about her every day? want to go back just to see her?”

yushi groaned, burying his face in his hands. “you’re both the worst.”

“well, lucky for you,” sion said, patting his shoulder with mock sympathy, “we’re heading back tomorrow. don’t say we never do anything for you.”

“wait- what?” yushi looked up, panicked.

“don’t worry, we’ll even order for you this time so you don’t embarrass yourself again.” riku laughed, dodging the half-hearted punch yushi threw his way.

as they left the classroom, yushi lagged behind, trying to quiet the flurry of nerves in his chest. it wasn’t much—just a thought. but somehow, the idea of seeing you again didn’t seem so bad.

[gabessquishytum]

Okay, divorce lawyer Hob has been rattling in my brain since you posted the original prompt. Gotta say I think he would make the best family lawyer. He's fiercely protective, worldly and street smart, and definitely has done terrible things for money.

I'm thinking he met Dream in college after the other kinda laughed at him getting his juris doctor at a mixer. Which lead to a highly competitive relationship of anything you can do I can do better when it came to grades and extracurriculars. Dream even joined the rowing team when Hob joined the swim team.

They've remained friends since. Hob is used to girlfriends and wives come and go. It was his idea to protect the Endless family money, which is most of Dream's wealth, behind a prenup. He's the one who drafts letters and notarizes things that need notarizing. He was also the one who set up a trust for Orpheus when he was born.

He comes over every summer to the annual family barbeque and has definitely helped keep Desire out of legal trouble when they've screwed the pooch. He also helped Destruction change his name and keep his portion of the inheritance when he left the family. He's just a damn fine lawyer and friend.

But he's not just a friend. What people don't know is that himself and Dream keep a relatively low key affair going on. It started in college when Hob came home drunk and interrupted a date between Dream and a girl from his art class. He scared her away with his gross manners and then started fighting with Dream. Things escalated from screaming to making out. They fucked that night with Hob being the one bent over the coffee table.

Every month since then they make their excuses and spend an extended weekend together. They go far for their little weekend getaways, so nobody sees them or knows them. They fuck all weekend long and then head back to live their boring, everyday lives.

That's not the only secret. Hob is also the one behind every break-up and divorce. It used to be just running the girls out of the college dorm. Then he had to use more indirect methods. Planting fake evidence of cheating, hiring men to seduce his friend's wife, playing mind games with Dream and telling him that he doesn't really love his wife/girlfriend. After all, why does he need them when he's got Hob?

Dream will never see his best friend, his other half, the smartest man he knows as he truly is and that's fine with Hob. Just as long as Dream keeps coming to him with messes to clean up. After all, he just loves his favourite client!

- 🤜 anon

Oh, Hob. You bastard. I love EVERYTHING about this. Law is the perfect profession for Hob (especially when he's breaking it).

The thing is, you can't feel too bad for Dream. The red flags are RIGHT THERE. Hob covers his tracks well in front of other people but with Dream, he doesn't even bother! So Dream knows every slimy, underhanded, down right nasty thing that Hob has ever done to him/for him, and he just... he's blinded ok. By platonic affection for his friend, or by sexual desire for the most fulfilling lover he's ever had, or maybe just dirty ole romantic love. He simply chooses not to see.

Its a weird, almost sadistic little game at this point. Dream finds a new obsession, a woman who is FAR too good for him but is unfortunately charmed by his passion. But even though the obsession never lasts, Dream insists on following through. This time the marriage will work, he insists. Hob doesn't even bother to hide the smirk. Sometimes he shows up at the wedding (they have absolutely fucked on Dream’s wedding day, more than once), sometimes he waits for Dream to come to him after a few weeks of wedded bliss.

Then comes the inevitable collapse of Dream’s relationship and Hob’s favourite part, the divorce. He's had Dream sign the papers while Hob is balls deep inside him. And he always likes to take a picture. Another one for his collection. And so the cycle begins anew.

They're awful. The only hope for decent society is that they'll eventually marry each other. But that wont happen for a bit - not before they've had their fun...

[wiredaughter]

@augustwritingchallenge 15: secretly alien

×××

Drake, Equated

michael×adam milligan ☆ au: no angels ☆ fluff and humour ☆ established relationship ☆ carnival date ☆ making out ☆ 1302 words ☆ ao3

As Adam stumbles backwards into his dorm, too busy kissing Michael it’s a miracle they make it to the couch without falling, he knows it’s time. They’ve had a great day at the fair and he’s sure he’ll love Michael no matter what. He’s been scared, but he’s past that now, unable to deny the connection he feels between them.

It hadn’t struck him at first, reeling as he’d been from their chance meeting the one night he decided to go for drinks outside his campus. They’d quickly fallen into what became a steady romance, but had started casual enough he didn’t think about it until he saw their reflection on a bar mirror at some cocktail party Michael had dragged him to. He’d been tipsy, but the realisation had straightened him right up. He looks just like me.

He didn’t say anything, and they didn’t look too similar; what with his facial hair and Michael’s glasses, but the features were there. He’d excused himself early that night and, unable to convince Michael he didn't need a ride back, had to wait until he was back in his room to call his mother and question her relentlessly about her family, to no avail. He was an only child, his mother had never even been pregnant again, and none of his ultrasounds hinted at twins. She was an only child as well, so if Michael was his cousin after all it must be on his father’s side.

That was a tad more complicated. He’d only seen his father a handful of times, and they’d unexpectedly lost contact. He was there for Adam’s fifteenth birthday, then next year he didn’t even call. He was hurt, and decided even if John Winchester was somehow related to his boyfriend, he was not about to let him ruin this too. Then again, if there’s a family John would fit even less than his, it would be Michael’s, he reasoned.

Back then all he thought was they might be loosely related, and the fact that possibility didn’t make his stomach roll made it easier to accept more wild theories, once stranger developments followed.

Michael doesn’t sleep. With his class workload this took Adam a little longer to register. Seemingly unemployed and without classes of his own, it made sense that Michael would be refreshed every time Adam crashed at his desk or on the couch, enough to get him to his bed. It was an innocent video he saw online of a woman showing her girlfriend talking in her sleep that made him realise he’d never even seen Michael sleepy.

The last thing he adds to his mental corkboard on the topic of Michael is how good he is at things. Accuse him of being smitten all you want, this is an objective observation. Whenever he’s stuck at some topic, or just needs a study partner he can always count on Michael to be there, and up to speed on whatever it is. It was bordering on annoying before Adam came to his latest conclusion. He’s not to compete with Michael, not only because they’re in love, but because he’s altogether something else.

He’d oscillated between guilt at not having earned Michael’s trust and plain spite at the secrecy for the better part of a week and today, after seeing him win at his sixth carnival game in a row, he understood it didn’t matter. Both Michael’s bewilderment at the concept of the festival and the way he immediately aced games that were surely rigged against him seemed natural to Adam. He snorted at the heroic pose Michael had struck in front of the ring toss stand and hugged the huge stuffed dog that his performance had earned them, and forgot even what he was, let alone whatever Michael is.

He practically dragged Michael to the drop tower, having been a fan since he was tall enough to ride, and it was the surge of energy that seized him through the firm hold he had in Michael’s hand as the gondola made its descent that convinced him they needed a chat. The lights on the tower flickered and there was a waft of ozone in the air, but the ride came to a stop as expected and, not wanting to call attention to himself or Michael, he’d lead him quickly away to a man selling candy apples.

Adam had wanted to go home after that, but the longing look Michael gave the carousel had stopped him. Staring at Michael’s red, sticky lips he’d asked if he’d ever seen one before, and Michael had earnestly answered negatively. So they finished their apples as Adam tried to put into words the mechanism and feeling of it, in a bid to prevent thunder striking it down or whatever. As it turns, it wasn’t necessary; Michael loved the carousel and Adam, who didn’t usually care for the slower rides, found himself enjoying it.

They’d kissed all the way home in the back of Michael’s car, and they’d kissed into the lift and through the dorm until they were falling, quite gracefully probably thanks to Michael, into Adam’s couch. He pulls apart now, staring into the eyes he knows as his own and shifting to straddle Michael. He sighs, rolls his shoulders in preparation, and then says it without thinking, so as to not lose his nerve.

‘I know you’re a vampire, Michael.’

Michael, who had been going in for another kiss, freezes under him; hands in Adam’s backpockets and all. ‘What?’

‘It’s okay! I really don’t mind it!’ Adam rushes to assure, placing a quick kiss on Michael’s parted lips. ‘I just wanted you to know I know, and it’s fine.’

‘But I’m not a vampire. We’ve been out all day, under the sun.’

‘Well, I don’t expect to know how this works. Isn’t there some sort of blessed amulet, ancient curse, originals and doppelgangers or whatever?’

‘Doppelgangers?’

Michael’s incredulous tone makes Adam blush, as if secondguessing what he knows. But the truth is in front of him, on Michael’s features. He blurts: ‘Well you do look like me. Or, we look the same.’

It’s Michael’s turn to blush now, eyes falling from Adam’s face to a place around the middle of his throat. ’I like the way you look. So I look like you.’

This happy, familiar feeling expands on Adam’s chest as the admision. Unexpected as it is, it’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever told him. He cups Michael’s face to look at his expression on his own face. ‘I like it.’

He’s leaning down to kiss him, tender and eager and Michael’s hands slide under his shirt. Adam kisses down to his jawline, then stops. ‘Wait. Vampires cannot shapeshift, can they?’

Michael grabs his chin, looking at him neutrally. ‘I said I’m not a vampire.’

‘But you can shapeshift! Are you like, a mutant? Like x-men?’

Michael kisses him instead of answering, and he humours him for a moment before turns his face, prompting Michael to speak. ‘I’m not a mutant. I’m… I’m not like you. I’m not from here.’

‘You’re a fucking alien? Like, you are an alien. You’re an alien.’

He doesn’t know what else to say. Michael is not green but he supposes he could be. Since he can shapeshift. And he chooses to look like him. It’s a lot of information, and he’s reexamining the truths he knows about the universe, and he has so many questions, but Michael’s eyes are keen on his face like trying to parse out his reaction. All that can wait. As he said, he just wants Michael to know it’s okay, so he leans in to press a kiss over his mastoid as he whispers his acceptance the only way he knows to.

‘I think aliens are really hot.’

[sirwow]

Hello once again RD tumblr. I recently went on an extreme discord ramble about Cocole in my au and its so long i feel it be a waste not to put it here! usual me warning of yeah its reallly long under the cut. anyways have fuuun

(PS im not editing this from the discord messages cus im eepy so might be a bit messy!)

So to start before rhythm doctor even starts some background on CC Cole and Nicole. Cole first:

Cole was a single child that grew up a VERY privileged life style. Rich neighborhood and spoiled rotten at the expectation that he would be like his parents. (be a CEO or high ranking individual like his dad n have a stay at home wife like his mother) Cole however ended up with a music obsession ever since he was 12 and started playing the piano. At first his parents encouraged this, giving him lessons and everything but when they realized music was the only thing he did care about, they were more hesitant on supporting him n tried moving him on a different path. This does work well on a rebellious spoiled teen so Cole just ended up becoming more obsessed out of spite. Spending all of his allowance on his electric guitar, synth and microphone. Cole was still being a freeloader off of his parents money by 22, never having actually gotten a job and just barely finishing highschool. His parents kicked him out when he refused to get a job n this lead him eventually to Middlesea after many long train rides across the countryside. Got admitted to the hospital basically as soon as he got to Middlesea due to a lack of sleep and an extreme amount of caffeine drinking. Doesn’t mind too much because it gives him company and he wanted to stay in Middlesea anyways since it was told to him by a chance encounter with miner that it was the capital of music.

Now Nicole:

Much less privileged growing up in comparison to Cole. Moved to Middlesea when she was just 1 from Norway since her dad got a job offer. Unfortunately said offer fell through and now they were stuck in North America just trying to make do. Nicole grew up with all brothers- 1 older, 2 younger. Picked up the guitar after begging for a full year for her parents to get her one for her 14th birthday. (which they did) Nicole grew up with dreams of grandeur- being a famous enough player to help her family and be know more then the awkward lanky gameboy girl in class. Her dreams of that were half crushed though when she entered a high school talent show that she was planning on playing at but when she was actually on stage she completely froze up and had a panic attack. Got bullied pretty relentlessly for it and the nail in the coffin was seeing how poor her family was in comparison to others and how she was just putting more stress on it trying to be a musician. Gave up on music at 20, moved out into a small apartment, got her barista job, and started getting check ups by 22 due to her sudden smoking habit from stress. Met Cole when he stumbled into the Cafe the same morning he was admitted n they started up their daily routine of chatting with each other

SO! Everything is basically identical to what happens in game till after act 5. When Lucia proposes the idea of a talent show, Cole reeaaally wants to get Nicole to play with him and Samurai. Nicole is pushing him off due to her past trauma of the last talent show she tried to preform at. Using the excuses that she got rid of her guitar and she can’t even play anymore anyways. Meanwhile only a few weeks before this, Nicole had started teaching Logan how to play the guitar to confess his love to Hailey with music. Nicole had been spending the whole day dealing with Cole coming in every 30 minutes to try and convince her but Nicole repeatedly shut him down. Cole was making a final plea to her at the end of her shift n just as she was gonna tell him one last time she didn’t have a guitar anymore- Hailey and Logan suddenly barged in. Turns out Logan had confessed to Hailey not more then 10 minutes ago and when she found out who taught him how to play guitar, Hailey wanted to return the relationship favor to Nicole. Handing her back the guitar right infront of Cole n thanking her for teaching Logan before running off dragging a very apologetic Logan behind her. Cole and Nicole were silent as she held her guitar before Cole asked if she could now that she had her guitar. Nicole put it away and told him to get out so she can close shop. Cole tried staying but got pushed out and locked out by a very flustered Nicole

Nicole was. Kinda mixed in her feelings. Angry that even happened, guilty that she was called out for her lie and wondering if she should take Cole’s offer. She was still thinking it through for the next 2 days n her completely ignoring Cole asking about it was enough to make him give up n just start planning with Samurai. Samurai came into the cafe when Cole admitted defeat to him n very roughly questioned Nicole if she still enjoyed music or not. When she said she did and had actually been playing more before this because of Cole, Samurai told her she should show him that. Nicole didn’t really respond but that night while Cole and Samurai were song writing- Nicole showed up with her guitar after work, ready to join them. Cole jumped up to quickly hug her excited before catching her up on what they were doing. She never had her heart jump so suddenly

So the trio started practicing for the talent show, writing a song together and practicing together. As the day of the show started approaching, Nicole’s nerves started getting the better of her and smoked more as a result. Smoking more made her SVT worse so now during practice she was even more fidgety and nervous then before. Cole eventually took notice when she kept getting pissed at missing her cords n turned a practice night into a gaming night with the three of them to calm her nerves. Over games, Nicole admitted to Cole and Samurai why she was so damn nervous about this and how stupid her first attempt at a talent show went. Cole offered to shove her if she froze up n though she laughed and pushed him calling him a dick, Cole meant it in a caring sense. They would be by her side in this dumb idea so if she felt embarrassed she could blame them for it. Nicole still laughed at the idea but felt some calmness in the idea. Regardless- the day of the show was there and Nicole still had a shift to finish so they were going last. It was a quiet day in the Cafe n so her thoughts were racing while watching the clock occasionally. She began drifting off into nervousness again by the end of her shift and only snapped out of it when an exhausted Lucia broke into the cafe sweating and huffing. She was surprised to still see Nicole there as she pointed to the clock showing it was only about 5 minutes before she played. Nicole FREAKED out n asked Lucia if she could close for her in a panic n as soon as Lucia said yes, Nicole handed her the keys and apron thanking her, before dashing down to the parking lot the show was being held at. When Nicole got there, she froze before the backstage seeing how many people where there to watch but quickly ran again when she saw Cole and Samurai signaling her over. Cole reassured her one last time it be okay before they went up there n to just keep her eyes on him. No other time was left for anything else to be said but Nicole gave a nod

Cole Nicole and Samurai all went up to the stage but right before they were going to play, got cut off by Richard waltzing in trying to use this massive crowd as a publicity stunt. Some shenanigans later and Insomniac running at Richard with his sword to scare him off, the three got to play their hearts out. Nicole and Cole sing together. N as she kept her eyes on Cole as he suggested, she realized he was looking right back at her just as they did in practice when it was just the two of them. Playing like no one was watching. The trio finished and ended up winning 1st place in the show with much cheering. Everyone afterwards headed back to the cafe for an after party n Nicole got to properly close up n got Lucia comfortable with a blanket. Cole sat back with Nicole behind the bar counter as the little party chatted about. Suddenly through a light whisper, Cole thanked her. Nicole was confused but Cole just showed her his still shaking hand. He was just as if not more scared of going up there but her looking at him gave him the strength to push on. Nicole didn’t say much in response but ruffled his hair calling him a doofus.

Now then it’s only gonna get rough from here!

Cole and Nicole return to their usual routine and banter after the talent show but something seems very off with Cole one day. He came in for the usual morning chat but in the afternoon he was far more nervous n off and tried to ask for some caffeine. Nicole declined of course, asking if he wanted to get himself back into an addiction n he obviously agreed he didn’t but seemed to be unsure of his own answer. Nicole did her best to try and burry the thought thinking Cole was just having an off day but then the same thing repeated the next 3 days. Him getting more and more pushy about getting some caffeine and Nicole getting progressively more frustrated with him. Nicole was planning on confronting him completely on the 4th day but he didn’t even show up that day at the Cafe. Nicole wondered if he was just going to a different Cafe to get caffeine but was much more shocked with the actual answer. Cole’s parents walked into the cafe that evening n spoke to Nicole if she had seen Cole. They told her that they had found out he was admitted here only a few days ago from a recording of the talent show n were coming to her after seeing her with him in the show. Nicole found out she hadn’t seen him today because he was hiding from his parents and refusing to see them even after they paid off all of his medical bills for his discharge. Nicole was flabbergasted by this. 1. That he was refusing to see what seemed like wonderful parents if they were just willing to pay off that debt and 2. This is how she found out he was attempting to get caffeine to avoid his discharge. Nicole couldn’t help his parents anymore and they had to get home for work so the conversation fell off quickly. Nicole however was PISSED

Cole meanwhile all this had locked himself up in his hospital room, petting Loafy to destress from the situation. He refused to be dragged back home by his parents and lose all the genuine friends he had gotten there. Besides he was so close to realizing his music dreams n giving in now would be ridiculous. Those friends he had made though were all now trying to talk to him since all of them had met n talked to his parents before they left n believed he was just being crazy and rash again. He didn’t let any of them inside either.

Night came n Nicole got off work. As soon as everything was closed up, she made a beeline for Cole’s room. Cole didn’t wanna let her in at first but didn’t miss a beat to when he realized that it was Nicole n gladly let her inside before locking it again. Cole immediately acted like everything was normal and fine to avoid the inevitable conversation but that just sent Nicole off. She called him for what he did to his parents n how she would of done anything to have something like that just covered instantly. Cole’s demeanor changed again into defensive annoyance with her. Cole still hasn’t told anyone his past at this point and he sure wasn’t now. Just called his parents out for trying to control what he was doing with his life and didn’t care what they tried, he wasn’t going back to them. This hit Nicole right in the heart with rage- she had given up her dreams to help her struggling family who never could help her much but he was just willing to throw that all away out of spite of not wanting to work. She knew he didn’t have a job n was broke but this was insane behavior. Nicole exploded at Cole, yelling that he was one hell of a selfish freeloader if he was willing to hurt himself just to get what he wanted. Cole backed off out of surprise but bit back yelling that she had no idea what he went through. They continued yelling at eachother for a minute-loafy hiding under the couch and a few other patients passing in the hall listening in

Cole snapped suddenly when Nicole refused to hear him out, telling her that at least he wasn’t a pathetic miserable minimal wage worker who gave up on his dreams because of other people dragging him down. Nicole stood still staring agasp at what he said and processing it. Cole seeing her expression immediately tried to back track his words but Nicole just told him to fuck off while stifling tears n left for the hospital balcony to cry and smoke. Nicole stayed up there for almost a full hour comprehending everything that just went down untill she got a grip on herself n lost her anger and just wanted answers from Cole. He might be an idiot but she knows he had to have some reasons. He always did.

Nicole headed down from the balcony after another 20 minutes of thinking through her words and finishing her second cigarette but found the janitor cleaning Cole’s room instead of Cole. Nicole, confused, asked where Cole had gone if he was cleaning out his room and Janitor told her Cole had taken his discharge early immediately after their fight. The one thing Janitor could point to where Cole had gone was seeing him searching up train times as he was packing. Nicole looked at the clock. 20 minutes till 11 pm. Nicole wordlessly walked out of the room and looked down the hallway. She broke into a sprint.

Cole’s feet dragged across the ground to the major train station platform. Hood up and hat spun back forwards, he was going through his contacts and deleting all of the ones he had. He hesitated with Nicole’s contact but ultimately ended up deleting it when he started getting notifications from her. Just shut himself down and pulled out his ear buds being sick of music. Wondering if his parent were right for a moment before shoving down the thought and just focusing on the train signs to look up what town he’d end up at next. He looked down the open track and spotted the lights of a train only a few minutes off so gathered his things in preparation to leave. A loud thumping and trip against stone caught his attention from the tracks though and saw Nicole standing there at the end of the stairs.

Nicole was horribly winded but regained her strength as she stumbled over to Cole and pulling him into a hug before he could say a word. Cole stumbled over trying to apologize to Nicole while she held him but Nicole just told him to shut it before falling into a ramble. She confessed everything openly to Cole, how he had gotten her into music again, how she had honesty been smoking less because of him, how brighter her days were with him around, ect. She told him she wasn’t angry anymore but was instead begging for him to stay- not just for her but for himself too. She was scared what might happen to him alone out there- and openly admitted her love for him and everything about him even if it was a mess sometimes. The train to leave rushed by while Nicole still held onto him and it left him to make the next decision.

Cole struggled to muster his words through tears but clutched Nicole back, swearing to her he’d stay. Telling her that he loved her too in much more plain words as his tears choked him out. They kept holding onto each other crying till the train was gone and they separated from their griphold. Nicole took Cole back to her apartment and both collapsed. They were too tired to talk that night and Nicole had another shift that morning so they agreed to talk about this the next night before Cole crashed on the couch and Nicole crashed in her bed.

SO! Cole stays at the apartment for the day while Nicole goes to work for the morning. Nicole wasn’t expecting much that day but it turns out most everyone Cole was close to have been thrown into a panic since they can’t get in contact with them and didn’t say goodbye to anyone. Hailey and Samurai especially aren’t doing so well after Cole disappeared. Nicole finds all this out through a distressed Samurai getting a caffeine drink with a shot or two in it. Nicole tells him that Cole is alright and at her apartment so Samurai immediately goes to tell everyone else. Hailey is pissed as hell that Cole was willing to scare them that badly n shows up to the cafe to tell Nicole that. Samurai is just sad, worrying that Cole didn’t actually care about him that much. Nicole swore that she’d bring Cole back tomorrow to sort things through n left after her shift with more questions for Cole.

Once Nicole does get home, she finds Cole actually cleaned the entire apartment while she was gone n was just sitting at the dinning table waiting for her and doom scrolling socials. He stopped as soon as Nicole came in n once she got herself comfortable they basically immediately started having the talk they said they would. Nicole demanded some fuckin context for all his actions at this point and Cole relented. Told Nicole how he didn’t want to be near his parents since all they wanted from him was to drop his dreams of being a musician and instead get a big business job like his dad. Nicole could understand that but then asked why he removed all the contacts of his friends because they were all distraught because of it n Cole just kinda sat back processing that. Cole admitted quietly he didn’t think he’d be missed that much before going quiet again thinking. Nicole stared at him with sympathy but sighed that was a can of worms they needed to sort another time- but for now there was something more pressing.

Nicole told Cole pretty plainly that if he was gonna live with her, he had to start paying rent too and that meant getting a job. Cole was still adverse to the idea, mumbling that he thought music was a job but Nicole pretty bluntly asked how much he was making. Cole said 30$ a month. Nicole stared at him unimpressed. Cole conceded and agreed he needed a job but frankly had no idea where to start. Didn’t exactly have connections or a great resume to use n him getting along with someone is a 50/50 coin flip of them getting along or them hating him. Nicole agreed that it was rough n buried her head in her hands in thought trying to come up with something. Both sat silently thinking till Cole sprung back forward from the wooden chair almost falling over with him in it. Cole warned it might be insane but maybe he could start working at the cafe too? Nicole could use another hand, he was already used to the layout of everything and it be alot easier for him to get in. Nicole called him crazy but when taking a moment to think about it she agreed it was kinda the best bet they had. A few calls later- Nicole was able to convince her mostly absentee manager to interview Cole in a few days much to his excitement and extreme anxiety of getting an actual job.

Nicole ruffled his hair assuring he’d probably be fine there n to worry about it when it’s actually time to. Cole agreed and both were suddenly left wondering what to actually do for the rest of the night. They still never properly had really thought of themselves in a relationship yet but the thought was now pressing on them. Nicole just excused herself to make them dinner and just told Cole to turn something on the TV. She eventually joined him on the couch n one attempted cuddle later, things felt a lot more natural now that they were past the overwhelming fluster of knowing they were in a relationship. They ended up passing out in bed together cuddling

Now then- next day Nicole dragged Cole’s ass back to the hospital to apologize to everyone. Hailey smacked him with a nearby magazine before hugging him, telling him with a bit of a shakey voice to never do that again. Cole swore not to and hugged back. Samurai on the other hand was more nervous to talk to Cole then Cole was to him. He was scared Cole didn’t actually enjoy his company but Cole spent the next 30 minutes swearing that no, he did really care and promising to play drums and base with him again to reassure him. Also got hugged by Samurai but Samurai wasn’t really paying attention to his strength and nearly crushed the boy. The rest was pretty much the same, angry at Cole in the moment but happy to have him back. Things move relatively quickly and in the background after this point for them- Cole got the job and learning how to work hyjinxs insue but things in the story for them settle for a little while after this.

The two mostly play a supporting role for the next month or so. Nicole also dropped smoking when they started dating. Cole understanding the plights of Ada Ian Nicole and Janitor now that he works himself and it acts as a major ego check for his usual antics. Cleans up after himself, thanking and uplifting Ian n Ada when he gets the chance (especially to Ada after feeling guilty for literally throwing hands in 2-2 when she was just helping) n having a general more respectful attitude to everyone. Only playing with samurai on free days and never at night, n being less of a genuine shithead. He’s got a good heart just not the greatest lessons learned from being spoiled rotten by entitled parents.

Nicole during this whole break though ended up in contact with Cole’s mom behind his back. She reached out to try and check in on Cole more but slowly got more and more info out of Nicole about his life- including them being in a relationship. Nicole was still kinda hesitant of believing Cole’s words completely after how much he lied before and his mother really did seem to just want the best for him so she continued contact. Eventually his mother asked Nicole if she could bring Cole back home just for the holidays to talk to him. Nicole was incredibly hesitant trying to figure out what to do about it. She eventually decided through her own values that it would be a good idea for Cole to make amends with his family. Nicole agreed to it before telling Cole n well. Cole was angry to say the least. He told Nicole that his parents were nothing but bad news but she defended herself that she spoke to his mother for a month and she saw no red flags in the slightest. Cole was even more elated at that admission but Nicole begged him to please just give them one more chance. Cole’s new mellowing out lead him to agree with Nicole just to keep the peace in their relationship as much as he hated it and quietly hoped maybe she was right.

So! Cole and Nicole get their holiday break n head out on the long train ride to his hometown. Cole was brooding most the ride but Nicole kept holding onto his hand as reassurance. After the 6 hour ride there they arrived and Nicole was a bit shocked. It was fancier then anything she had ever even seen let alone stepped foot in. Not exactly a neighborhood for a minimum wage worker to belong. Regardless they were able to be taxied to the house after Cole gave his Id for passage into the gated neighborhood and arrived at the house. A grand moderately sized home kitted out with everything you could imagine, Cole’s mother, Holly, came outside first to greet them. Cole accepted her hug hesitantly n Holly went ahead and hugged Nicole too making her just as awkward feeling. Shortly after Holly was his dad, Cresso (are these both coffee puns? Yes). Cole just backed up without interacting outside of a strained hi but Nicole shook his hand when Cresso offered it. Both were welcomed inside and told to just go ahead and make themselves comfortable for the night since it was pretty late. Cresso didn’t say anything exact but lead Nicole to the guest room while telling Cole he could stay in his own room for the night. Nicole didn’t wanna piss off his parents so just relented to sleep in the guest room without Cole even when Cole tried to push it. Cresso seemed satisfied with Nicole shutting down Cole’s rebelling n though that left a pit in Nicole’s chest she just blamed it on train exhaustion n went ahead to clonk out without another word.

Now I’ll be frank im still rewriting the details here but the important stuff: -Nicole obviously finds out how privileged Cole was -Cole when he gets the chance to speak to Nicole alone tells her he hates it here- not the comfort of money, but the social sense. He’d rather live on the streets then be stuck here -dinner the next day. Ohboy dinner the next day. Over dinner there’s essentially a blow up when they find out Cole is still doing music and Nicole is too along with encouraging him. It starts light but eventually devolves into Cresso calling Nicole a lowlife service worker n that Cole could do better then this. Holly tried to damage control but it was too far now and Nicole n Cole packed their things to leave immediately.

The late night train ride was tense to say the least. Nicole tried to apologize to Cole after a long silence but he just told her he didn’t want to do this right now but he was angry. Cole just cuddled up to Nicole’s side and fell asleep for the rest of the ride. Guilt ate her up on the way back n handled Holly texting her after the whole thing. Basically telling her off, Holly understanding n agreeing to not speak again. Nicole stayed up the whole ride just watching the stars and snow n they still didn’t talk once they got back home at 4 am other then Cole choosing to sleep on the couch that night. Nicole wanted to give him the bed but chose not to stress him more with a pointless argument.

Things do not go swell once they’re back. Cole and Nicole aren’t talking n everyone can tell so eventually someone (Ada) asks Cole what’s up n he vents the whole situation out bluntly. Ada asks Nicole if this is seriously what happened n Nicole didn’t even try to defend herself anymore n said yes. Ada was shocked and appalled what Nicole did all because she didn’t believe Cole. Ada told Ian, Ian told Cinny- and eventually the whole story got spread around the whole hospital. No one was happy with Nicole and frankly all became hesitant to confide in Nicole after that leading to silent shifts and nothing to break up the monotony of it all. The added social stress brought Nicole to start smoking again. Cole stopped being as cold with Nicole just wanting to move past now but the damage had been done to her by herself. Nicole wasn’t okay with just being forgiven quietly like this or forgiven at all.

A week into this when Cole finally said it outloud that he forgave her and just wanted to move on, Nicole refused it. Cole tried to get through to her more forcefully with yelling but Nicole just ended up misinterpreting it as her fucking up again- the combination of meltdown and smoking sent her into a really bad SVT attack making her faint. Cole rushed her to MSH for care and stayed by her side till she had to be taken back for urgent care. Nicole woke up the next day sore and breathless n a note left by her bedside. Cole was taking over her shifts alone but wanted her to know it was okay and to please just rest for his sake. Nicole didn’t have much choice in the matter anyways being bed bound but took his word to heart. Cole visited every break he got from the rush n though he looked exhausted n a mess he still told her it was okay. Nicole while he was gone started writing a song for him as some sort of apology. However when she did play it for him a week later n got to the line that she didn’t deserve him, Cole shushed her up.

Cole was already a bit teary from her being so thoughtful to write a song for him but told Nicole he was the one who didn’t deserve her. They went back and forth with sad laughs that they didn’t deserve each other but Cole eventually stopped it n made Nicole a deal. If he stopped saying it then she had to stop saying it too. Nicole thought he was still joking but when he wasn’t she gave an exhausted sigh n smiled before agreeing. Cole thanked her n hugged her tightly. Nicole joked that she’s glad he didn’t hear the rest of the song cause she wants to rewrite it to be perfect for him. Cole didn’t quite care if it was perfect but as long as it was her it was alright. Nicole called him a goof for that one n he just giggled saying he was being honest. They ended up cuddling n passing out again even if it fucked up Coles sleep schedule

After this mess part 3, they get back to their normal groove again n do their usual routine n chilling in the bg. Unfortunately this peace after the winter holidays would move into a blooming disaster in the start spring. The two were off work but over at the hospital after doing their morning baseball workout with everyone else. Cole n Nicole were just hanging out with loafy n after throwing a bone for him outside n watching him struggling to find it in a bone, the lights suddenly shut off, old metal gates shut on the outside door n emergency lights were the only thing lighting up the halls. Nicole and Cole ran down to the main hall hearing something going on n joining a group of other patients they saw CT dropping Edega and turning to them. Lucky yelled at them all to run so they followed without another word. Once they were able to get a safe distance away they all listened in on Logan’s phone to Ian explaining the situation. Frankly Nicole n Cole didn’t understand half of it other then they were all in danger and to protect Hailey n Logan the most. The call cut off as the phone’s screen shut off from Connectifia before Ian could help them get out. Lucky took command of the situation n told Cole and Nicole to get Logan and Hailey as far away from CT as possible. They didn’t hesitate, nodded, and took the kids by the hand to get away from this horrible situation.

Nicole and Cole course couldn’t go as far as they wish they could but honestly they were trying to not freak out from the distance screaming n keep Hailey and Logan calm. While Cole was trying to calm Hailey from a meltdown, CT began stomping towards them n they all froze. Cole watched CT with baited breath before telling Nicole to hide them without turning around. Nicole barely got out a whispered “what?” Before Cole asked her if she trusted him. Nicole looked at him, still turned, and back up at the slowly approaching CT and said yes. Cole told her to go then and started running down the hallway to distract CT. Nicole hesitated to go and stop him but turned away n ran to take Hailey n Logan somewhere safe much to their chagrin. Cole grabbed a left behind baseball bat and though he was no hitter, just used it get get CT’s focus on him before dodging for his life. He couldn’t run forever though in a place like this and inevitably got trapped in a room and tripped over equipment before CT got a grip on his chest and sent him straight into a paralyzing SVT attack with its electrocution. Cole was left on the floor of that room once CT left to find the last 3.

Nicole knew that scream. But it was twisted and mutilated from the fun moments she had heard it before. Logan n Hailey were clutching to her hand still but knowing what was coming, Nicole took both of them and put them inside a empty cabinet to hide before running out herself. What more did she have to lose anyways? She followed the same steps as Cole with CT to get them away but her running into a room was stopped by all the fallen over equipment making her hesitant to go in. The moment of hesitation gave CT enough time to pin Nicole against the wall by her back and zapped her without a second to react.

Nicole sat delirious, the repeating blaring of the alarm slowly deafening in her mind and was slipping away till she moved in the slightest and all the pain hit her again. A voice cut through the monotony of it all. Cole had crawled out on his hands from the room he got trapped in and was using what little voice he had left to call out to Nicole. They couldn’t see each other much at all in the darkness and slipping conciseness but kept each other company with their presence. Talking hurt too much so they just sat listening to each other’s quivering breath till they passed out entirely.

If utter darkness was the one thing Cole had seen before the soft florescent light he woke up to might as well of been a flashbang. It was definitely still MSH but everything seemed tidyer then when just Ian and Ada handled things. Cole sat up slowly feeling his breath still burning but looking around realized Nicole was right by him with her eyes still closed and laying on her chest. It took a bit of willpower to do but enough bugging her sleep by saying her name managed to wake up Nicole as well. Neither could really do anything once they were awake but seeing each other still there was enough reassurance.

They recovered relatively well after the incident other then being self conscious about their new scars but uplifting each other about them. Talked the most to the 3 kids when they couldn’t sleep n just wanted to make sure everyone was okay and were the first ones to start walking around on their own again. Mostly stuck together when they were recovering after that whole ordeal. Generally avoiding talking about all the heavy implications and thoughts that traumatic event caused n seemingly getting through it the easiest. (when in reality they’re keeping all that fear in the back pocket for later when it’s gotten worse )

and well. Honestly that’s kinda where they end off for the main plot of CC before they start going on their own life story together.

If you managed to read this far, thank <3 i hope you enjoyed the straights simplifed

[spacedlexi]

Tag 9 People You Want to Get to Know Better!

i dont usually do tag games but i'll take any excuse to have a reason to post wips lmao tagged by @foibles-fables

Favorite color: pink and purple baybee!! (my original fave colors ive come back to you im sorry i ever left...) green yellow and red are also nice (sorry i love colors)

Currently reading: nothing 😭 i keep trying to read books but i cant do it anymore the internet has brain broken me my attention span is non existent. tried rereading and then there were none last. couldnt find my murder on the orient express (i love mysteries)

Last song: shes not there - neko case

Last series: the walking dead but i had to give up i cant do it anymore 💀the games are better than the show im saying it. i got to S10E7 but i just cant go back i wont. currently mentally preparing myself to watch utena for the first time

Last movie: the lost boys :) its halloween time. been meaning to watch bound tho ive had the link up for a couple weeks now

Sweet/savory/spicy: savory > sweet > spicy honestly just depends on my mood. i like sour more than any of these tho wheres sour and salty >:( i eat lemons for fun

Currently working on: SOOOOO MUCH ALWAYS HELP ME heres just a small selection of my wips from the past month or so. i already want to re-draw half of them. dont be like me 😭

half of those notes are board scripts (other half comics) and that doesnt even include my unfinished fic (that ive been writing on the train i promise!!!!). started boarding the tower but we're about to learn storyboard pro in class so im gonna use it to help me get used to the program (no way i'll finish in time for clems bday 😔)

No-pressure tags: calling any and all mutuals who would like to play a little game feel free to say i tagged you :)

[dartagnantt]

Illusory Shinanigans

PDFs of this and more can be found over on at my Patreon here! You should also follow my new Kickstarter so you can be alerted when it goes live next year!

The last of my potential. How tragic! … err… I mean, the last of my "potential" theme. (saved it)

This week, I delve into my favourite school of magic, the one with the vaguest rules and is either awesome or lame depending on your game master. I've fortunately had some pretty rad GMs who run with my nonsense. So I get a lot of mileage out of illusions. I mostly play with phantasms this week AKA hallucinations but I also throw in some shadow magic for fun. The fleece is getting stretched very thin today.

Daydream

This one seemed like a lot of fun after all of the hallucinating I was doing. Literally trap someone in their thoughts. It's a bit of an advanced single target colour spray.

Mass Phantasmal Force

I couldn't figure out how to scale the power of phantasmal force, as a result it kind of became four spells. This was a version of of the original scaled for additional targets.

Phantasmal Force: Revised

This is the one closest to the original, however, this one is specifically attack focused, hence why it scales the damage. I did do an overall change where instead of just believing everything but still being able to use an action to escape, I make failing a check force the belief instead. As much as I call this revised phantasmal force, I kind of rewrote the entire spell so I could use it for other projects because for some reason, they left my favourite spell out of the SRD >:(

Phantasmal Image

This one is my primary use case of the spell, you'll note that you can be more vague with this. This is borrowed from audiovisual hallucination, a spell from pathfinder and my actual favourite spell. This is also how I both use and run the spell. Because the phantasm subschool is locked inside someone's mind, its weaker in that only a designated creature can see it, but because it taps into their mind you can force belief and use their own knowledge against them. But yeah, as much fun as harming creatures with illusions is fun, the diverse fuckery in funner.

This one scales in size, because I've had to abuse the notion of perspective more than I'd like in a hallucination to get around the size limitation. Tempted to make a 'phantasmal diarama' spell at some point, but that's kind of what the next one is for.

Programmed Hallucination

This I made mostly as a retroactive excuse for what I did to my players in my game (I do this quite often, feel free to judge me) I wanted a hallucination trap, because they needed to enter a crowded room, and needless to say, if they didn't feel the people, then this would fail immediately. But I wanted a more general use case, because fuck yes!

Shared Hallucination

And this is the last variation, scaling the non damaging version for more people. Because you really need to distract multiple people with one concentration spell.

Shadow Duplicate

Kage Bunshin no Jutsu! Not called shadow clone, because that would imply its related to the clone spell. But really this is effectively a lesser simulacrum. I was always disappointed that mirror image doesn't give you illusory doubles that can move indepenat from you, kind of like the trickery domain power, and I didn't really want to make a specific spell for it, because silent image and major image can kind of do that already. So instead, a spell that makes a copy, that you can cast from or attack, or whatever. This should probably be a higher level, but I REALLY wanted this is be available for bonus spell lists.

And now to plug my stuff. I release homebrews weekly over on my Patreon. Anyone who pledges $1 or more per post don't have to wait a month to see them, and also help fund my being alive habit.

At the moment, they have exclusive access to the following:

Concubus Patron

The Siren's Call

Satyr Ancestry

Sanguine Seeker Ranger Archetype

I also have three classes, and a splatbook over on DriveThrueRPG to check out:

The Rift Binder. A class specialising in summoning monsters and controlling the battlefield.

The Witch Knight. A class that combines swords and sorcery in the most literal way.

The Werebeast. A class that turns you into a half beast to destroy your foes.

d'Artagnan's Adventurer Almanac. A compendium of races, subclasses, feats, spells, monsters and more!

[thessalian]

Thess vs Valid Critique

For all I am still hugely excited about having Silent Hill 2 (and frustrated beyond all reason at some of the bullshit going on around it, which I will go into momentarily), I'm a little less mopey and a little more accepting, if grudgingly, of my various limits. I pushed too hard the last few weeks and I need an actual rest, so today was largely about putting together some homemade instant hot chocolate mix (because 'tis the season for the warm drinks to come out) and playing Wildermyth.

Part of those limits is the bloody flu vaccine. My left arm still hurts, mostly around the injection site, and while I'm feeling a bit better after way more sleep than I suppose most people tend to need, I'm still a little wrecked. I mean, don't get me wrong - if the vaccine hits me this hard, it's just as well to get it because a bad case of flu would probably be a nightmare. Just ... you know. Same old "everything bad is intensified and I hate it" complaint. So after measuring and sifting and cleaning various powders off my countertops, a game with relatively simple gameplay and still a reasonable amount of story was pretty much just the thing.

As to Silent Hill 2, obviously I still want to keep playing it, and I will, once I feel a little better. I don't know how long that'll take, but it will still be there. I think part of my grumpiness about it is wanting to in some way stick it to some of the aforementioned bullshit surrounding it. The neckbeards are one thing - even if "vandalising the entire Wikipedia page with false review scores and incel rants" just makes me roll my eyes so hard they're in danger of falling out of my head. Like, they're pretty clearly taking a leaf out of the current Republican Party handbook - if the facts don't match up with their beliefs? Lie your ass off. They're just getting louder and angrier lately because of how obvious it is becoming that they are no longer the majority, and honestly never were. While corporations are never going to be anybody's friends, they do at least acknowledge that half of the people doing the bitching about how "woke" gaming has become either had no intention of buying the game in the first place or will buy it regardless of how "woke" it is, and thus actually being inclusive will get them more money in the long run. The neckbeards tried a certain amount of lying with statistics in the form of, "Look at this huge percentage of people who don't really care about that DEI shit!" but the wording they're using makes it pretty clear that that huge percentage of people may not be desperate for it, but certainly aren't against it either - not the way the neckbeard assholes are. Most of us can put up with a game that doesn't go out of its way to be inclusive because we've been doing so for decades - we're used to the eye candy and the carbon-copy YAGWD protagonist, anyway. The thing is, most of us also understand that it's not "shoehorning in minorities where they don't belong" because ... y'know, people who aren't Yet Another Grizzled White Dude do actually exist, and seeing them shouldn't be the end of the fucking world.

Then there's the Guardian review. Now, I mostly trust the Guardian on reviews ... but I admit that a lot of those are for lesser-known indie titles. Whoever wrote the review for the Silent Hill 2 remake seemed to have been going out of his way to look at nothing more but the surface level of the game. Honestly, it's not that the reviewer didn't like the game that bothered me; it's that the review itself was apparently just an excuse to shit on a game from a great height and get paid for it. My old Theatre Studies teacher would have looked over his review and not only given it a failing grade, but read it out to the entire class as an example of what not to do. It was fairly clear that as someone who had heard all the hype but was "too young to play it at the time", that he had very different expectations of what "an excellent video game" looks like. If he'd talked at all about his expectations instead of "I don't care about Angela; I've got enough to do looking for my two-dimensional maybe-dead wife and for some reason doing busywork like gluing together records", or if he'd explained why he felt those elements didn't work, I'd respect it, even if I didn't agree. But for fuck's sake, if you're going to critique something, critique it; don't just lob a few insults at it and call it a day. Especially not when you're getting paid for it. You want to just insult a game you didn't like? That's your right, but go do it on Steam or Metacritic like everyone else.

I mean, is it wrong that the main reason I get upset about this type of behaviour isn't out of protectiveness of a game / book / franchise / even person I admire and more out of wanting a better debate partner than this? Like, I will hear you out all day if you give me some kind of explanation; I will be grateful for the new perspective, even if I don't agree, and then we can at least have a discussion about how our respective viewpoints affect our enjoyment of the ... whatever it is we're discussing. But just insulting it leaves no room for discussion--

Whiiiiiiiich is why they do it. It's harder to challenge a definitive but subjective-as-fuck statement. They don't want a debate; they want to be right. Well, fine. I like being right too. But things you like aren't things to be 'right' or 'wrong' about, and if I'm going to feel obliged to justify my enjoyment of something, I want a decent debate with a rational human being, not a kid on the playground using offensive language as an everything-proof shield against an opinion that wouldn't even really hurt them if they were as firm in their opinion as they make themselves out to be but which they can't even listen to for some reason.

Gods, some people's egos are weird.

[hawkesque]

Get to know you game! Answer the questions and tag 9 people you want to know better.

tagged by my beloved @theloopus thank you for giving me an excuse to procrastinate my readings <3

under the cut :)

Last song listened to: spotify says it was Anyone's Ghost by The National but i currently have that + several other songs stuck in my head so its like i'm listening to them all at once constantly. shout out to Back to the Old House, Fun, Fun, Fun, and Depression! Despair!, a lineup which may tell you exactly how my brain is functioning at present

Currently reading: i am getting through We Set The Night On Fire: Igniting The Gay Revolution by Martha Shelley extreeeeemly slowly because i am currently inundated with class readings. turns out when you take a class on theory you have to read a lot of dense theory. who knew. its been a good book so far though i can't wait to continue reading one page of it per week

Currently watching: nothing in particular :(! i just finished Fellow Travelers last week (bawled) and as usual i go back and watch episodes of MASH every so often, but there's nothing i'm actively watching, per say. i keep meaning to either rewatch DS9 or restart/subsequently catch up with Lower Decks but. well you know. the horrors (college)

Currently obsessed with: i will be so real i am in an awful nihilistic period and/or depressive episode at the moment so the answer is nothing. i am still rotating MASH in my mind quite often, uhhh thinking about star trek/quantum leap/scifi in general bc its been too long since i really engaged with it (my favorite genre ever), i've been enjoying my human osteology and geoarcheaology classes...? thats it. el oh el

tag 9 people agghhh sorry feel free to not do this (or to do it if i didn't tag you): @amrv-5 @mashbrainrot @honey--wraith @nedlittle @saltseashark @ds9mp4 @remyfire ahhh im running out of people who can be tagged LOL we'll call it at 7

[kazemi-archive]

okay for the writers ask game: 1, 13, 18, AND 39 ;3

Weird Questions for Writers <3

1. What font do you write in? Do you actually care or is that just the default setting?

okay aha you've seen at least one of my docs and i changed the font for ya i think. but usually dancing script or caveat on google docs, sometimes more script-y. started bc i would write in class and needed no one to see if they looked over my shoulder lmao now its just needed

13. What is a subject matter that is incredibly difficult for you write about? What is easy?

writing soft stuff is really hard, like my fluff sometimes feels too artificial for me because i dont have a lot to pull from. however, writing anxiety, like overthinking is decently easy for me

39. What keeps you writing when you feel like giving up?

my moots (lovingly) yelling at me. and also shoving new ideas into my little brain. also when someone finds one of my fics and leaves a lil comment about how they loved it. also spite

18. Choose a passage from your writing. Tell me about the backstory of this moment. How you came up with it, how it changed from start to end. Spicy addition: Questioner provides the passage.

“I don’t even remember tripping.” I mumbled my hands rubbing over my face like the motion and feeling would bring more consciousness into my mind. “How hard did I hit my head when I went down to forget that?” “You didn’t trip.” My coach said then, worry still etched into his face as he laid his hand gently on my head. “You were unconscious before you went down.” I shook my head lightly trying to figure out if I’d heard him correctly. “You did hit your head hard though, you have a light concussion. I’ll be talking to your school about excusing you from the rest of your final projects.” The nurse said again. “You shouldn’t be reading for the rest of this week, or looking at a screen.” She added when she caught me eyeing my phone on the table. “It was exhaustion.” She clarified. “Your body gave out on you.” “Oh.” I whispered lightly, now noticing the IV sticking out of my arm. “When’s the last time you ate?” I was silent as the nurse questioned me. When was the last time? “The last time you had a full night of sleep?” - From Succiduous

so the backstory is basically i did/do this to myself on accident (have been better recently) but i tend to push myself past my limits to the point of injuries. in high school i would do sports until i dropped or injured myself and then continue going even on the injuries. and until recently i did it with work, worked a full time job and two part time ones and went to school and basically gave myself no time to even remember to take care of myself, maybe 3 hours of sleep a night, forgetting to eat until it was like 3 days later... but basically so concerned with doing everything at top speed that i'd forget about basic needs (again... IM BETTER NOW)

[escapeaddict]

Anarchy

A shadowy silhouette stands in a dim room lit only by its one large window. A humanoid butterfly bobs up and down anxiously next to the tall specter, who is reading a passage from an ancient looking tome.

A conclusion is reached.

And a grin spreads across the shadowy figure’s face.

What better way to motivate heroes, than a villain?

Many stories begin the same way.

A threat. An attack. And a response.

But this one starts long before all that.

Yes, the Guardian of the Miraculous chooses Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste to wield The Earrings of the Ladybug and The Ring of the Cat, but in this tale that is the least of their roles.

This story commences with the birth of the Couffaine-Stone children to the world-famous Croco Duo.

You see, in this universe, while the same cannot be said for the couple, the band never broke up. This has far reaching consequences on subsequent events.

So, what follows?

Pure, utter, chaos.

“You really need to drop that utterly ridiculous habit.”

Juleka takes a final drag of her cigarette, leaning on the balcony banister, and ignores the blonde behind her.

Chloe watches in distaste as smoke curls out of Juleka’s mouth and she stubs her cigarette out, throwing the ashy tipped filter into the wastebin of the hotel room behind her.

“Disgusting,” Chloe mutters, lips curled. “I am merely here to inform you of Adrikins arrival. Feel free to not join us.”

Juleka turns her head just enough to make eye contact with Chloe’s icy gaze, lazy smile spreading across her face.

“Who else will give Roger another heart attack when he comes to pick up his daughter from her playdate?”

“If she were here today, your brother’s new tattoo would suffice,” Chloe sneers. “I swear his arms are a crime against humanity. As well as your face.”

Juleka sticks out her tongue, deliberately playing with its piercing.

“Tch,” Chloe spins on her heel, over-sprayed ponytail cutting a sharp path through the late summer air.

Juleka, mainly out of spite, follows her out into the hallway and into her suite.

“Jule!” Adrien hits the pause button on his controller and looks up from the TV screen. “You came!”

He crushes her into a hug as Chloe scoffs at the nickname, and Luka discreetly unpauses the game and beats Adrien’s level three mecha into the ground.

“How have you been?” Adrien beams, stepping back with a final squeeze.

“Decent,” Juleka answers, resolutely not thinking about their recent swimsuit photoshoot. “Skimping on schoolwork.”

“Oh!” Adrien lights up. “I'm not going to be homeschooled this year!”

“For real?” Luka finally stops restarting the game behind Adrien’s back, twisting around to rest his chin on the back of the couch in order to face everyone.

“Guess who got a new classmate?” Chloe strikes an exaggerated pose, flipping off Juleka while Adrien’s looking at her brother.

“Chloe Bourgeoise’s friend,” Juleka muses. “What a first impression. I feel bad for Adrien’s social life.”

“Fuck you.”

Luka sighs.

“Anyway, I was thinking,” Adrien rubs the back of his neck, ignoring the mini spat. “You could live full time at the hotel… I’m sure Andre will give you guys a discount… And you already know me, Chlo, and Sabrina…”

It didn’t take a genius to realize where this was going.

“Well, you could, um, join our class?”

“Excuse me?” Chloe says, whose face sours more the longer Adrien talks. “Are you serious?”

For once, Juleka somewhat agrees with her.

“I mean, the three of us have been taught by tutors our whole lives!” he continues, arms flapping. “Surely you want to try something different? Also, my dad won’t back out at the last minute if you do.”

“We do move around a whole lot,” Luka says.

Juleka stares at him flatly.

“Come on,” he says. “We’re only back in Paris this long because of your modeling contract. I mean, when was the last time we stayed in one place for longer than two weeks?”

Upset at being mildly tempted, Juleka looks away from Luka’s calm face, only to meet Adrien’s puppy eyes and Chloe’s grimace.

Staying would have the added benefit of pissing her off.

“Well, if it’ll make you happy,” she grumbles. “Could be interesting.”

“Yay!” Adrien does a celebratory spin and leaps over the back of the couch to face the screen once more, only to meet betrayal. “Hey, what happened to my mecha? I saved up my level four respawn!”

Luka presses his knuckles to his mouth, muffling his laughter.

“Juleka Couffaine?”

“Present,” she says quietly, anxiety drying her mouth and throat.

Whispers between classmates, which previously sprang up at Adrien’s name, increase. Juleka definitely overhears snatched fragments of conversations mentioning the Agreste summer line, as well as those cursed swimsuit photographs. She hides behind her bangs, which for once aren’t clipped back in public.

“They’re definitely dating,” some meathead mutteres.

“More like fornicating,” his nerdy friend responds.

They both snicker, as though she can’t hear every word they say.

She’s sitting directly behind them for fuck’s sake.

See, PR team? This was why she should come out publicly already, potential backlash be damned.

“It would be so romantic if they were together,” someone across the aisle dressed in eyesore pink squeals to her red haired deskmate. “The chemistry in those pictures is to die for!”

“You just like those photos because they're both hot,” he says, not looking up from his doodles. “Not that I can blame you for that.”

“Settle down class,” Ms. Bustier speaks loudly to be heard over the spike of noise in the classroom, thankfully cutting off any more mortifying tidbits from reaching Juleka’s ears.

Chloe, Adrien and Sabrina have their faults, but this much of a reaction from people who are supposed to be her peers now?

This was a mistake.

The universe seems to agree with her, as the left-hand wall explodes inwards, little bursts of plaster dust twirling through the air.

A stone behemoth roars at the sky.

Entranced, Juleka yells back.

The giant pauses and looks at her, confused.

“Come on!” Eyesore Pink grabs her by the hand. “Run!”

And Juleka’s yanked away from the chaos.

Eyesore Pink- Rose -is an obliviously bubbly but ultimately kind hearted person. Juleka decides to forgive her for her earlier statement, considering the girl braved a colossus for someone she didn’t know. She may have done it for fanatic reasons, but in order to stay sane, Juleka’s just going to treat her as a potential acquaintance.

“What is she doing here,” Chloe appears in the doorway of the Couffaine-Stone suite, nose wrinkled in distaste.

“You get back from being kidnapped by a supervillain,” Juleka says, “and the first thing you do is complain that I brought one of your classmates over?”

“They’re your classmates now too, loser.”

“I wouldn’t have worded it that way,” Luka interjects. “But yes, what she said.”

“I can just leave…” Rose inches towards the door. “But I'm glad you're all okay!”

“No,” Juleka says. “Unless you really want to, that is. You should know that my ulterior motive here is annoying Blondie, but we can still hang.”

“Yeah!” an out of breath Adrien materializes behind Chloe and nudges her into the room. “I’ve always wanted to have a movie night with friends from school.”

“It’s not night,” Luka points out.

“You're not friends,” Juleka adds.

“Yet!” Rose and Adrien say simultaneously, then exchange a high-five.

“So, movie?” he asks.

“We better pick a good movie, assholes,” Chloe scoffs, patting her hair. “Last time we watched The fucking Room.

“But consider; you have shit taste,” Juleka says. “Maybe you shouldn’t get to vote.”

Rose looks between the two of them, eyebrows arched.

“They’re just teasing,” Adrien tells her kindly. “It’s kind of a habit now, whenever we watch a movie.”

“Sure,” Chloe says. “Teasing.”

“Okay,” Rose shakes off her momentary confusion. “In that case should we weigh our options? I vote for Inside Out!”

“We already know we need therapy,” Luka says, ignoring the glares sent his way by a pair of indignant blonds. “Let’s watch something dumb.”

Juleka leans forward to pick up the remote and says “Birds of Prey.”

“How about a no?” Luka is quick to respond, snatching the remote from between her fingers. “Once was enough.”

Juleka crosses her arms and growls.

“You’re allowed to like whatever trash you want,” Chloe says. “Just don’t foist it on us. If we’re going for dumb, I vote Legally Blonde.”

“Once was enough,” Juleka echoes her brother. “The World’s End.”

“What did I say about therapy?” Luka says, raising the remote out of her reach when she attempts to swipe it. “Even the press knows you’re probably an alcoholic.”

“But Edgar Wright’s an amazing director,” Rose objects. 

“Maybe we can compromise?” Adrien speaks up for the first time since the debate started.

“On what exactly?” Juleka challenges. “None of the nominations are similar in any way.”

“Well, what else has he directed?” Adrien asks.

“I’m not watching Baby Driver,” Luka states. “It’s a matter of principle.”

“Tsk.” Chloe shakes her head. “Scott Pilgrim is obviously what we’ll end up agreeing on. Idiots.”

“It is hilarious,” Luka concedes.

“See?” Adrien smiles. “Compromise.”

“Hey, I’m the genius here,” Chloe tosses her hair. “It would have taken you knuckleheads half an hour to reach a decision without me.”

“Any vetoes?” Juleka asks, mostly to stop Chloe’s self congratulatory speech. “No? ‘Kay, Luka. Hit it.”

Music is blaring and a rainbow of strobe lights cut through the dark, blinking in and out of existence. On the refreshment table, behind the obligatory smattering of snacks, bottles line up, artificial fruit juices and six-packs of beer next to fizzing champagne and cheap vodka, while stacks of disposable red cups of the large, medium, and shot-sized variety teeter precariously at its very edge. Luka disappears into the crowd, no doubt in search of his fellow crackheads, though Juleka does her best not to think about that. The host shoves a shot into her hand and she downs it in seconds, grimacing at the taste and the flare of dry warmth on her tongue and in her chest, which climbs through her airways and presses behind her eyes. The initial overwhelming sensation quickly recedes into vague fuzziness, more a promise of future gratification than direct intoxication, and, guilty with pleasure, Juleka lets herself be pulled to the dance floor by someone she met minutes before.

[phoenyx-embers]

I literally cried for two hours yesterday. My school has a "daily grade" and basically it means "if you have an abcense this week then you get a fucking horrible grade in this class!". I missed two days this week because I was in the ER. They gave me a ZERO on my daily grade. The last time this happened, I was in the hospital and got a 60%, not a 0. I might need surgery soon. If I don't get this surgery to figure out what's wrong then its going to force me to miss the majority of my senior year because I am having very dangerous issues. I'm literally going to fail out of the class with these "daily grades". They told me they don't excuse abcenses for any reason. I'm going to be forced to attend a meeting about my attendance now, and technically I shouldn't have 4 abcenses either because one of them was only a half abcense meaning that I nearly passed out in front of the whole class while doing a group presentation (BY MYSELF because the teacher didn't enforce the rule about how many people could be in a group) because of how much of an emergency it was and had to go to the ER immediately. I'm so extremely frustrated. I went into this school year knowing there was no chance in hell I'd be able to avoid abcenses with how bad my health has been recently. I had a 106% in this class before my health issues caused me to be absent. I want my mom there if I have to have this meeting because I might be too nice about it. They aren't grading the other students in the class like this. Many of them have had to leave class for senior trips, football games, cheerleading, etc. There are no consequences for them not being there, but I'm about to fail the class just for needing medical attention. They let the other students make up any assignments they miss, but I got a 0% on a quiz I wasn't there to take. The same situation happened with another student the week before and they were allowed to take the quiz the next day and I was not. I LOVE this class because I am really passionate about the subject but this is really unfair. I can't tell my body to stop malfunctioning. I would ABSOLUTELY make up any work if given the chance. I haven't even brought up the fact that I need accommodations because I know there's a chance they could use my need of accommodations against me.

if a professor has a single digit (or ZERO) number of allowable absences that means they really really want to hear a grotesquely detailed description of every medical problem you have btw. your goal should be as much disgust on the face as possible

[inapat17]

THE AUSTRALIAN NEW WAVE ¼ : THE PLUMBER (1979) DIRECTED BY PETER WEIR.

This the first article of a series dedicated to the Australian new wave films of the 1970s. The Plumber is a movie that the renowned Australian director Peter Weir made for television (Channel Nine in Australia) in 1979, before he had a string of successes in the United States (including Dead Poets Society or The Truman Show). It is a very odd movie in Peter Weir’s career. After the two highly ambitious and atmospheric movies that were Picnic at Hanging Rock (a big hit in Australia in 1975) and The Last Wave (1977), Peter Weir returns to a more humble project: it was shot on 16mm over three weeks. The film was one of three movies that the South Australian Film Corporation had contracted to make for Channel Nine. The South Australian Film Corporation was a governmental body whose express aim was to develop a film industry in the 1970s, thus they gave money to a lot of young directors like Peter Weir, Bruce Beresford…

Director Peter Weir at the opening of the Cinémathèque française festival in March 2024

This movie belongs to a genre that we now call “Home invasion”, which displays the intrusion of individuals onto a private property: we can think of Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite (2019) or even Michael Haneke’s Funny Games (1997). Like Bong Joon-ho, Peter Weir is interested in satirising a particular milieu, here it is the academic and intellectual world. The film tells the story of a young couple, living in a campus apartment complex, and while the husband is at work, the wife Meg is repeatedly harassed by an eccentric guy, Max, who claims to be the “plumber”. It could be the starting point of a classical horror movie but it is rather a dark and disturbing comedy, which links it to Peter Weir’s first feature film The Cars That Ate Paris (1974).

The comedians are all complete unknowns, except maybe to the Australian audience. I think that the actor Ivar Kants who plays the intruder is brilliant: he is shameless, arrogant, funny and can appear truly threatening at times. The film can be viewed as a criticism of both condescending attitudes toward lower-class behavior and uneducated manners. Many questions arise during the film. Is the plumber dangerous or sympathetic? Or is Meg paranoid or just afraid of having to deal with a simple craftsman who does not see himself as part of her world? Like in Picnic at Hanging Rock, there are no keys given to the audience to make it easier to understand events.

The uninvited guest (Ivar Kants) and the serious student in anthropology (Candy Raymond)

There’s a claustrophobic atmosphere. The movie can be viewed as an infernal circle: the so called « plumber » always find an excuse to come back to the house to disturb Meg. The film can also be reminiscent of Hitchcock’s work with its direct (and maybe too obvious) reference to the shower scene in Psycho.

The annoying "plumber" played by Ivar Kants

The Plumber is a little-known film in Peter Weir’s work, but it is worth discovering. It can be representative of what the directors of the “New Wave” of Australian cinema did in the 1970s: bold and atypical movies.

Romain Dupeyras