#front foundation plantings

[gomioujo]

Pathway - Landscape

Inspiration for a large, contemporary, summertime concrete paver garden path in the front yard.

[rarasek]

Front Yard - Concrete Pavers

[aropride]

and even if someone’s doing nothing to improve their circumstances (either bc they can’t or they’re genuinely choosing to not do anything) there’s probably a reason for that and i think they still deserve respect

being the kind of anxious person tumblr users like to make fun of (can't go places alone, can't make phone calls, can't order at restaurants, trouble w setting boundaries/conflict avoidance etc) is really awesome and cool because it's genuinely disabling And you also have to deal with 24 year olds on the internet acting like you're an inherently annoying and cringe person. due to ur disabling condition

[wcnc]

Toronto Front Yard Natural Stone Pavers Ideas for a traditional, medium-sized front yard stone landscaping.

[bulletjournaling101]

Walkway - Transitional Landscape

Design ideas for a large transitional partial sun front yard walkway.

[fishervk]

Front Yard - Concrete Pavers An example of a mid-sized traditional full sun front yard concrete paver landscaping.

[macalaelliottphotography]

New York Concrete Pavers Front Yard

[savageorchids]

Asian Landscape

[notsureaboutnameyet]

Driveway in New York

[dinobxt]

Landscape - Transitional Landscape

[phone4pills]

COOKIES Matt x singer!Reader

no warnings apart from the fact that you can’t be nonchalant reading it, requested by anon

Matt’s head falls on your chest like rain falls on a flower. His soft curls tickle your collarbone as he groans into your skin, exhaustion coating his voice. Sometimes you guys have long days and all Matt needs is to fall victim to your tranquil embrace.

You giggle slightly when he tells you about the things he saw and heard that day. And he loves your giggle, he loves feeling it ripple through your chest before leaving your lips. Your beautiful lips that only ever brought joy to his face when they parted to speak. Or when they planted kisses along the top of his head.

The lights where dim, there was barely any sound in the cabin and the two of you lay in the bed, basking in each others heat. He’d always grace you with a few pecks on your body, wherever his lips could reach, whispers sweet nothings between each one.

You decided the getaway was necessary after your argument. When you two discussed it, you realised both of your anger was built over a foundation of nerves and stress so you agreed to put the devices to a side for a week and take a trip to the more scenic parts of the country. A forest with a couple cabins here and there for booking.

It was just you, Matt and the natural world. And so far, you’d been thriving. Next to you on the bed lay your song-writing book, in which you’d been brain storming the depths of the peace you felt. It was like a warm day after a month of damp showers. You knew Matt could relate when hugs warm breaths slowed to a steady pace. “Everything is so simple without social media. I feel like I can breathe without being called out for it.”

You chuckled, tilting your head to get a better look at his face. He hadn’t looked this relaxed in weeks. His eyelids were slightly hanging over his pupils, lips parted a little. The smell of cookie batter wafted into the room and your eyes widened. The cookies! Quickly sitting up, you started to get off the bed. Matt groaned as he was forcefully rolled onto his back next to you.“Matt, I can’t let the cookies burn. C’mon let’s go decorate them.”

“I put a bear’s face on mine. What about you?” You asked Matt, looking over to the boy who was on the other side of the island, his tongue rested on his top lip in concentration. You waited as he finished up. The second he glanced up to see the cookie you were holding next to your head, feeling proud, his lips parted. “So you’re a singer and a baker now?

You shook your head with a grin. “Well, let’s see yours.” Matt held his creation close to his chest with a frown. You begged and begged until he finally showed you. Slowly turning the treat to face you, the boy revealed a really adorable love heart iced onto the cookie. Underneath, he’d written ‘For my [y/n]’. Your own heart melted at the sight. “Aw Matt!”

He shook his head, putting it down on the plate in front of him. “Yours is so much better.” But you disagreed, hurrying towards him and wrapping your arms around his neck. You gave him a kiss of gratitude, pulling away only to say, “Nothing compares to that beautiful heart. The one on the cookie and the one in here.” You placed a hand on his chest before leaning in so your lips met his smile again. And kissing that smile was like embodying daylight.

Tag list: @hearts4werka @pvssychicken @sturnslcver @sophand4n4 @sofieeeeex @lovingregulusblack

Short little piece for you. Sorry this took a while, I was writing a lot for Chris but it’s about time I put some Matt stuff into the world. Thanks for the request from my anon. MASTERLIST is linked!

- ©phone4pills

[lyjen]

Permanent basis

Summary: When a firefighter transfers from the 226 to firehouse 118, Evan immediately doesn’t like the guy. He shares his opinion with his friends, who don’t agree. But when Evan catches him doing something, he loses it.

9-1-1 masterlist

My requests are open! So feel free to send your idea’s 🫶🏽

“Okay 118 let’s gather ‘round and settle in. We have some outstanding tasks from our last shift, and I have an important announcement.” Bobby’s voice sounded over the floor of the firehouse. He was standing in front of the lined-up benches, ready to start the briefing.

Evan was standing behind the last bench, with (y/n) sitting on the red coloured bench in front of him. Hen was sitting next to (y/n), Eddie and Chimney were standing next to Evan himself. He let his right hand fall on (y/n)’s right shoulder, and he plants his lips quick on te back of her head. As he straightens his back again and opens his ears to hear what Bobby has to tell.

Everyone in the firehouse knew Evan and (y/n) were together, all of the members knew they would end up together before Evan and (y/n) did. They were the kind of people that would say: “we’re just friends” And “that is what friends do”. But at least they knew for sure their relationship had the right foundation.

“I’m gonna start with the important announcement.” Bobby started off. “As you know, we’ve had a few floaters for Lucy Donato’s spot at the 118. But we’ve found ourselves a replacement on the permanent basis. Everyone, meet Wes Hargrove.” He continued to speak as he held out a presenting hand towards the newest addition. Wes stood up and took place next to Bobby. “Wes transferred from firehouse 226. So.. let’s not scare him off.” Bobby said as he firmly put his hand on Wes his shoulder, as he proudly presents the newest addition to his crew. “Well I doubt if you can scare me out of one of the best firehouses in the city.” Wes spoke up as he smirked.

It took a few months before Lucy’s spot on the 118 was being filled. There was a firefighter shortage, which is understandable. Because volunteerly running into fires and other dangerous situations wasn’t for everyone.

Evan’s stomach made a turn when Wes stood next to his captain. He couldn’t exactly tell, but something was going on with this guy. He wasn’t sure what it was. But it gave him the feeling that he couldn’t be trusted. Why was he being transferred to 118? What happened at the 226 what made him switch houses?

“Hm. One of the best firehouses in the city and permanent basis? We don’t know anything about this guy.” Evan stated as he leaned over to his side to Eddie. Eddie shook his head with a grin spread on his face. It was typically Evan to react the way he did. “Yeah, well.. you also said you didn’t like Eddie but.. look at you now.” Hen said as she looked to her right, to try and face Evan.

“That was different.” He answered as he folded his arms and leaned forward. A confused look morphed onto Hen’s face. “How was that any different?” She asked Evan. It took him a few seconds to think of an answer to that question.

“Yeah. That’s what I thought.” Hen said when she didn’t receive an answer to her question and turned back around to face the briefing of Bobby. Evan clicked his spine back in place as Hen turned away from him. Evan didn’t need to look at (y/n) to know that she was at this exact moment, was grinning at what just happened.

“Yeah.. okay that was a mistake.” Evan tried to defend himself. “But we all know you and Chim were right about Jonah. So.. what are your thoughts?” He continued as he looked at Chimney and back at Hen. But nobody answered Evan’s question. They were listening to Bobby’s story about the outstanding tasks.

“Okay so that was it. Let’s get to work!” Bobby ended his briefing. All firefighters stood up and spread themselves out into the station.

When (y/n) stands up, she turns around to face Evan. She offers him a small smile, “let’s just not.. judge a book by its cover okay?” (Y/n) spoke softly when she let her hand fall on Evan’s chest and her thumb rubbed softly up and down his shirt. Evan narrowed his eyes. “I’m telling you.. there’s just something about him, that doesn’t add up..” he says as he looked at Wes with a judgmental expression flooded over his face.

(Y/n) knew Evan wasn’t great with changes. Especially with new crew members. He had the same thing when Eddie joined the 118, but also when (y/n) joined the team. It was like Evan was scared to be replaced. As if the people who recently joined, were after his spot at the 118.

When (y/n) joined the 118 about a year ago, Evan wasn’t quite nice to her neither. She understood, a stranger interfering a trusted environment. But all of the attitude seemed to fade when Evan got hurt on scene and she took care of him.

(Y/n)’s hand slides from his chest up to his cheek, as she moved his chin back so he was looking at her instead of Wes. She let her thumb softly rubbing over his cheek. “I just don’t want anyone to get hurt because we let him into our firehouse.” Evan spoke softly as he lets his hand rest on (y/n)’s waist. “Oh Evan..” she sighed, when she cupped his cheeks with both of her hands now and continued to rub her thumb against his cheek.

Evan let his forehead fall against hers, their noses almost touching each other. “I don’t know what it is about him, but I’m gonna find out.” he says as he leaned into the touch and close his eyes for a second. It felt nice, just a moment of no sirens, no adrenaline rushing through their veins, just a moment of silence.

“Really?” Evan said with desperation in his voice as he looked up, pretending to speak to the gods. The alarm sounded through the 118 firehouse, as they called out the ambulance number and casualty. “That’s my queue.” (Y/n) said as she breaks free out of Evan’s grip, and turns around to run towards the ambulance.

____

“Trauma bag” Buck says as he laid his eyes on the clipboard which he was balancing on his left arm, while he checked off another empty space with the pen in his right hand.

Eddie pushes himself off the truck as he walks towards the trauma bag, which was lying on the truck next to the ladder truck. “Yep” he confirms as he grabbed the bag in his right hand and put it in the right compartment. “I’m sorry. What was that?” Buck says as he puts two fingers next to his ear, pretending he didn’t hear Eddie clear enough. Eddie’s face morphed into an unamused expression. “Check.” He corrected himself. “Yeah” Evan nodded in agreement as he checked the box next to the trauma bag on the clipboard.

Evan turned into a whole other person when he was handed a clipboard. Everyone at the 118 thought so, it was not just Eddie. Evan wanted to prove that he could be a leader. Yes he could be reckless and impulsive at times, but that is just who he is.

“AED” he said louder, as he let the pen hoover above the checkmark box. As soon as he heard the word “check” fall off Eddie’s lips, he checked the box. “The..” Evan stopped mid sentence, as he heard the ambulance rig beeping as they drove backwards into the station. He peeked around the truck which was blocking his view of the ambulance. While Eddie leaned his forearms onto the compartment door as he waited for the next thing to put back into the truck. “Okay, saws!”

(Y/n) opened the passenger door where she was sitting as Hen turned the engine of the ambulance off. A sigh rolled off (y/n)’s lips as she shut the door behind her. She put a strand of hair behind her ear when she and Hen both walked towards the rack where they hung their fluorescent jackets.

“How was your call?” Evan asked when she was passing by the truck they were working on. (Y/n) stopped in her tracks, as she spots her boyfriend with clipboard and all in between the trucks walking towards her. (Y/n) made a think-full sound.

As Evan came closer, he lay his clipboard with pen on the other truck. He placed one hand on her cheek as he curled the other on her waist, and planted a kiss against her temple. She sighs. “Could’ve been better” she answered shortly as she creates some distance between Evan and her.

A confused look spread across Evan’s face, normally she wouldn’t pull back that fast. She would just lean into his touch. Something happened on the call.

She shook off her fluorescent jacket, so her uniform was visible now. “Jesus, what happened?” Evan asked when he noticed the enormous stain on her uniform, which looked like mud. Completely understanding now why she pulled back that fast and why she was probably annoyed.

“We got a call that there was some drunk guy faced down on the street. We turned him over to treat him and then.. this happened.” She spoke as she held out her hands to present sent him the huge stain she got on her uniform.

On Evan’s face was an distasteful expression projected. When (y/n) took a look down at the stain on her uniform, she almost threw up herself. “Ugh, I need to shower and change before I’m gonna throw up all over this floor.” she said and turns around to resume her way to hang her jacket.

Evan just laughs at her reaction, as he turns back around to Eddie to go and get the next object. But when Evan turns around, Eddie is gone. “Eddie?” he looks around the station floor, when someone yanks the clipboard out of his hands. “Hen! Seriously!?” Evan yelled after her. “Yep!”

A smile appeared on (Y/n)’s lips as she heard Evan yell at Hen. She had just hung her jacket on the reck underneath her own name, and was continuing her way towards the locker room. She walked into the locker room, closed the door behind her and walked to her locker. (Y/n) yanked open her locker and unbuttoned her shirt as she threw the dirty one into her locker. She was gonna throw that one into the washing-machine as soon as she had a shower.

“Geez what happened to you?” An unfamiliar voice rang through the locker room. She flinched and pushed the towel she had in her hand against her chest as she turned to her left, and sees Wes stopping in his track. He was walking past the line of lockers (y/n) was standing in front of. “Oh.. just a little accident on scene..” (y/n) said, wanting to cut the conversation short.

She wasn’t expecting anyone to be in the locker room. But maybe Wes came from the restrooms. (Y/n) continued grabbing her stuff together, as she sees in the corner of her eye Wes coming closer. “I think we haven’t met yet.” (Y/n) pushed the towel closer to her chest as Wes reaches out his hand. “I’m Wes.” she looked up at him, and back at his hand as she shook it. “(Y/n)” she introduced herself. Wes leaned with the side of his body against the lockers. “Nice to meet you, (y/n).” he said as he smiles at her.

(Y/n) wasn’t interested in a long conversation about his life and hers. All she wanted was a shower and wash the smell off of her body. She turned back to her locker, while one hand remained on the towel she was holding to her chest. “So you’re a paramedic?” Wes spoke up as he saw her grabbing shampoo and a new button up on a hanger out of her locker. She nodded, along with an agreeing sound. She smashes her locker with a bang, trying to give him a hint.

(Y/n) turns to Wes, “Wes.. was it? Right?” she asks. Wes nods, confrirming that it was his name. “Can we talk later? I’m really looking forward to a shower right now, after this call.” she continued. “Yeah sure” he says as he gives (y/n) a gentle smile. “Okay Thanks” she says with a small smile as she passes Wes, who keeps on leaning against the lockers.

Maybe Evan was right, and there was something up with Wes. Or maybe he was just trying to make friends.

_______

“Ah shit, i forgot my phone in the rig.” Wes spoke up when he reached the top of the stairs. Everyone was sitting at the table, waiting for Bobby to fill their plate with some Mac and cheese.

While Wes walked down the stairs again, Bobby started to fill up plates while Hen passed them on to the other firefighters who were sitting at the table. “Where’s (y/n)?” Bobby asked when her seat was empty and she was nowhere to be found on the loft. “Oh yeah, she’s in the shower, she’ll be here soon. She had a little accident on scene.” Evan spoke up as he took a fork full of mac and cheese. “An accident hm? What happened?” Bobby asked on as he took place on his chair. “Some drunk guy puked all over her when we tried to treat him.” Hen answered for Evan, who was chewing like his life depended on it.

“You really can’t eat properly Buck?” Hen said as she pointed with her fork towards Evan’s shirt. Evan presses his chin to his chest as he takes a look down at his shirt, “shit. No.. not again.” He mumbles, as he tries to clean his shirt with a napkin. “You’re not getting that stain out with a napkin.” Hen says as she takes another bite from her food. He sighs, as he pushes back his chair and walks towards the stairs.

He walks into the locker room and opens his locker. He could hear the water streaming out of the shower head down to the floor in a distance. Evan unbuttoned his shirt, and threw it into his locker. He grabbed his other shirt from the hanger, he puts his clean one on and buttoned up his shirt again. As he reaches the last two buttons, he hears a door closing. Which was weird, because he could still hear the water running. His eyes narrowed, as his face morphed into a confused look.

Evan closes his locker and continues his way towards the bathroom, he has to go to the toilet anyway.

He opens the door to the bathroom, and walks to the toilets. When he lays his hand on the door handle, he could see a shadow in the corner of his eye. He lets go of the door handle, as he turns around and walks in the direction of the showers. When he rounds the corner, he could see Wes in front one of the showers, with his phone in his hand. Evan was sure he could see the camera app was opened and Wes is coming closer to the cubicle where the water was running. With his girlfriend underneath the shower.

Evan’s speeds up his steps and gives Wes a hard push to the side of the room. Wes his back falls hard against the wall of the room. But as he bounces back, Evan roughly grabs his collar and pushes him harshly into the wall. While his phone falls to the ground. “And what do you think you’re doing?” Evan’s voice sounded through the small room. His voice sounded dark, as if his inner demon could burst out of him in a second.

“Buck? What the hell are you doing?” (Y/n)’s voice asked when she opened the door of her cubicle with nothing but a white towel wrapped around her body. “Hey take it easy man!” Wes says with a trembling voice. “Are you kidding me?” Evan spoke up at Wes as he pushed him harder into the concrete wall. “Evan!” (Y/n) spoke harder, to get her boyfriend’s attention.

“I found this pervert lurking outside of your shower.” Evan spoke now even harder. “With, his phone in his hand.” He continued. Wes nervously laughed, but stopped when Evan pushed him again. “You think it’s normal? To stand outside someone’s shower? Right after I told you I was going to take one?” (Y/n) said as she tightened the towel around her chest. “I-.. i can explain” Wes said. Evan’s face came dangerously close to Wes his face. “Get out.” Evan said and pushed Wes towards the exit of the bathroom.

“Come on man-“ Wes spoke when Evan continued to push him outside the locker room, onto the station floor where the rigs were stalled. “I didn’t do anything wrong” Wes said. Evan’s face turned to thunder.

Didn’t do anything wrong? He was literally taking pictures of (y/n) while she was taking a shower.

Evan balled his fist, and lashed out his arm until his fist met his face. Wes his hand shot towards his hand as he screamed out in pain. “Fuck!” Evan hissed as he shook his hand, he had hit Wes so hard that his knuckles were bleeding and hurting from the impact. “Buck! What the hell are you doing!” Bobby’s voice roared through the firehouse. Evan pushed Wes against the fire truck. “I found this guy making pictures of (y/n) while she was in the shower.” He spoke up as Evan could hear multiple people running down the stairs.

“What?” Bobby said with a confused sound in his voice. “That is not true!” Wes said trying to get Bobby on his side. “You fucking pervert!” Evan yelled as he pushed Wes back against the fire truck again. Chimney and Eddie were trying to push Evan off of the newbie. “Buck let go.” Bobby warned him as he looked him stern in the eye. When Evan quickly connected with Bobby’s eyes, he roughly let go of Wes.

Evan put his hands up as he backed up from the firefighter and roughly shakes off the hands from Chim and Eddie, who were trying to stop him from attacking Wes again. “It’s true.” (Y/n)’s voice sounded from behind Evan. Evan turned around as he sees his girlfriend walking onto the floor. Her hair was completely soaked, she had her uniform on but her shoes were nowhere to be found. She was walking onto the floor with her socks on and a phone in her hand. “He tried to record me when I was in the shower.” (Y/n) said as she bit on her lower lip and waved with the phone of Wes as if it was some sort of price.

Her eyes stayed locked on Wes, when she handed the phone over to Bobby for evidence. (Y/n) folded her arms over each other. “Don’t worry, you won’t see me naked on that video. Evan came in just in time.” She said as Bobby looked at her with a questionable look. Bobby plays the video and you can hear loud and clear what was happening.

“Your shift just ended. Eddie, make sure he doesn’t run off. I’m calling Athena.” Bobby says as he gives (y/n) the phone and walks away, starting a phone call with his wife. While the rest of the group returns to the loft, (y/n) turns towards her boyfriend. “I’m sorry.” She spoke. “Don’t be” Evan answered.

How could she be sorry? Because she was taking a shower? “No.. I’m sorry i didn’t believe you this morning.” She went on. “God I feel so stupid right now.” She says as her eyes looked at her feet because of the embarrassment. “Hey, hey.. you were right, I shouldn’t be judging people because they made me uncomfortable, or I do not trust them.” Evan said as he put his hand on her shoulder.

(Y/n)’s eyes traced over his hand as she noticed something red on his hand. “Did you hit him?” She asked him when her eyes wandered back to his. “Would you be mad if I said yes?” Evan smirked. (Y/n) laughed as she grabbed his hand which had some blooded knuckles. She inspected his hand. “(Y/n).. I’m fine. I swear.” Evan says as he hissed when (y/n) applied pressure to see if he hurt his hand. “Let me at least clean your wounds.” Evan sighed. He knew she wouldn’t take a no for an answer. So he agreed.

They walked towards the stairs which led to the loft and a first aid kit. “Didn’t you forget something before you left the locker room?” Evan laughed while he put his right arm around her shoulders. “Yeah I know. I didn’t have time to put my boots on when I already lost so much time putting on my uniform, while I was still half soaking wet.” She explained. He put his mouth close to her ear. “You know I wouldn’t mind seeing you in that towel again.”

[just-zy]

Lost a letter (I)

pairing: Wednesday Addams x Fem Reader!

summary: You have a hard time trying to swoon Wednesday, but having her roommate be your friend? It doesn't always end well.. Maybe..

A/N: hello! been awhile, hasn't it? here's a little something, I've been having writers block for so freaking long, I have this pending Vada fic rotting in my drafts cuz ion kno how to finish it 😭, but I'll find the time to finish it sooner.. eventually.. Anyways! Hopefully you guys enjoy this for the meantime. (Werewolf Reader!)

Warnings!: cursing, I don't know, my writing, lemme know if I have a bunch that needs to be put on warning!

part 2 || Masterlist

It was a random Tuesday afternoon, nothing too serious. Well for Wednesday Addams, it wasn't. Considering it was her writing time, she had no care of her surroundings, no care for the world at the moment, no care at all. Unlike you, you were sprawling, whining, and succumbing into the sheets of your mattress as if it was eating you alive. Enid being with you in your room, wasn't much of a help to your problem.

"Enid! You can't just tell her that I wanna take her out on a date! That's Wednesday Addams, that'd be a total turn off for her.." I fuss with her about that fact. She knows I'm right.

Enid looks at me like I was some kind of stray, "But isn't that what you wanna do? Wednesday likes straightforward people more." The blonde shrugs with a smile. A smug one. "I wouldn't even dare say a word to her, Sinclair." I grumbled in the sheets I was in, gosh I was so done with being in love.

"You know, you have a chance with her. She likes you." I heard shuffling and thought nothing of it, I scoffed at the thought.

Feeling the bottom of my bed dip, I peaked out of the covers and saw Enid smiling at me with a raised brow. "You do know I bite, right?"

She rolls her eyes at me and begins shaking my covered foot. "Why not make a letter? Get your feelings out before asking her on a date! Seems good, no?", looking at me with such hope. I had no heart to say no.

★

"Who... can tell me, how plants convert light energy into chemical energy?"

I wasn't much of a botany student, I didn't like botany, but I do have knowledge about this class. It didn't come off as hard for me as I thought it was. So, I raised my right hand, I did expect a few to try and answer as well, although it was just us three. Wednesday, Bianca, and Me.

"Oh! Yes! Y/N, can you tell me how?"

"Uh– well, through the process of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is a critical process that sustains plant life and provides the foundation for the energy supply of nearly all living organisms on Earth.."

As I finished my answer, I heard a few whispers. I wasn't much of a talker, much more looked like I was a student in Nevermore considering I was a loner, so it was understandable. And, uncomfortable.

"Thank you for that, Miss Y/L/N."

Though, I couldn't help but avert my attention to my peripheral vision, Wednesday's desk was just right next to me. She was looking at me.

It might've caused me to shudder, just a bit.

★

"Botany class was something.." I said, chewing on the food I was eating.

Enid sat in front of me as we ate dinner. We were currently in the Quad, she insisted I tell her how I felt about what happened at Thornhills class earlier, even though she was present in the class.

"She was looking at you! I saw that!" She presses and starts eyeing me up and down. "Enid. You were asleep, how could you have seen that?" Chuckling at the thought of Enid just peaking at us and pretending to be asleep.

"I- uh- I felt it! I just know it. Honestly, you don't take my conclusions seriously!" She huffs and starts to chomp on her food so aggressively.

"But in all seriousness.. How's the letter going?" She leans to me a little closer, whispering as if what we talked about was something illegal.

"I– I don't know. I mean, I finished it last night, what about it?" I asked skeptically, I didn't exactly like where this question was headed.

"Give it to her!"

"Are you crazy?! You said nothing about giving it to her–!" I shrieked and felt my cheeks get warmer. I knew this girl was trouble. "But it is for her, right?.." She began straightening herself up,

"Enid. Sinclair. I swear to God you won't be able to see the light of day tomorrow if you satisfy that want of yours–"

"I'm sorry! She needs to know!"

She bolted out of her seat right before me!

Being both werewolves had its perks, we were faster, and stronger, compared to mortal strength.

But that doesn't change the fact that Enid's a werewolf as well! Idiot! Run faster!

"Sinclair!"

I didn't care how loud I was, I needed to get to my dorm first before she could. I was able to catch up to her on the hallways, thanks to the adrenaline, though it didn't help that she was a tad closer to getting inside before me.

My dorm was in sight, I pumped my legs faster and grabbed the back of her vest and she slipped to her bum. "Goddamnit Y/N! That hurt!" She stays in place and looks at me so hard I could feel my face grimacing.

I turned away from her and before I could run up to my room first, I felt her seize the opportunity by grabbing onto my left foot, making me fall forward and my face flat onto the wooden floor.

"Oh, fuck! I'm sorry!"

She apologizes and leaves me here? How sweet. I knew I lost, I couldn't move my body considering the painful aching on my face. I whined and winced at the pain.

She had a spare key, which was unfortunate. Although I didn't have a roommate, it was pretty lonely sometimes. Sometimes.

I heard shuffling, lots of shuffling. Does she not see the letter that was unluckily displayed on my desk.

Quietly but quickly standing up, I didn't even care how I felt my uniform started wrinkling. I went inside and saw her standing in the middle of the room, eyeing me menacingly. "Where is it, Y/L/N."

I thought about either telling her where it was or if I'd find it for myself... I fled to my desk where my letter was. Where the letter was supposed to be. Where it's placed. Which wasn't there.

"It's not here."

"I thought we've established that already.." I glanced at her, seeing her arms crossed.

"No– It's supposed to be here! I made sure I kept it here."

Oh no.

...

I've looked everywhere and decided to finally give up and wait until tomorrow. I'm sprawled onto my sheets thinking and recalling where I had last placed that damn letter, I didn't know where it could've went or how it could've been taken. Even Enid was worried about its whereabouts, I let out every emotion I felt for Wednesday on that individual letter. What would happen if someone took it and shared it publicly? I had my initials on that letter, and as well as Wednesday's!

Fuck my life. I should have never made that stupid letter.

I felt my eyelids drop slowly, maybe, tomorrow I'd finally grasp and tear that shit apart.

I'll find it before it finds Wednesday Addams.

★

A/N: bumbumbummm wadya think? I've decided to make this a series 🙀 I guess only a two parts series kinda thing... (I lost motivation and wanted to give u guys something before I lose my mind completely.)

[highhhfiveee]

Mike x reader, with reader who works long hours during the daytime and Mike working at night which results in them barely having time to see eachother besides from dinner and bedtime

oh, you wanted angst fr 🥲 i think it could go either way, but honestly angst is what stood out to me first. i’m going to make this sadder too, just because i can 💜

to crumble

pairing: mike schmidt x blackfem!reader summary: y/n and mike find their relationship at a dead end. wc: 2.3k tags: angst, pain, prescription drug mentions, fluff and cuteness in the beginning but not for long. mdni. part 2 here: 🏳️

all i can think ab is the unbearable pain that replaces the love in your hearts as time goes on.

you’ve been together for half a year. things were fun at first, but once you decide to move in to help with abby, you start to see the cracks in the foundation.

in this one, reader works two jobs (bc let’s face it, this is unfortunately realistic); teaching from 9-4 and cashiering from 5-8:30. mike doesn’t want you working two jobs and you didn’t want to, but you knew that your salaries combined wouldn’t keep you afloat. abby’s school is expensive, and so is everything else in life. the extra money you get from cashiering gives you guys flexibility. 

every morning at 6:30, monday to friday, you wake up alone. even though you know it’ll probably be empty, you still reach your arm over to run it over mike’s side. it’s always cold and flat, completely untouched. 

you brush this off at first; it's one of the things that comes with him working overnight and you know he needs this job so that he can keep abby. you want that for him and know that love is sacrifice. 

you wake abby up and start getting her ready in between fixing yourself up; brushing her teeth while you brush yours, letting her get a few more minutes of sleep in while you throw on your clothes, guiding her through packing her bag while you make breakfast. by that time, closer to 7:30, mike is finally walking into the house. 

his eyes are hooded and surrounded by dark bags and you can tell he's exhausted from the way he hangs his things up lethargically. he kisses abby, who's running around collecting things, on the head, then ambles over to you, wrapping his arms around your waist and kissing along your neck. 

they're soft, gentle actions that make you forget about not being able to do things like this at night. it doesn't matter when you have mornings with him, even if it's only 30 minutes before you have to go. you giggle and reach a hand up to his cheek, kissing him on his other one. 

"missed you," you whisper.

"missed you too," he mumbles back, planting a kiss on your lips before stalking away to ask abby something. 

you all eat breakfast together, and then you're slipping abby's coat over her shoulders before you put on your own. you usher her to the car and give mike one last kiss before you leave, a deep one that you hope he feels all day. when you pull away, you can see the affection sparkling in his eyes, low and tired but expressive nonetheless. 

"i love you," he whispers, his sleepiness masquerading as love-drunkeness. 

"i love you, mike. get some rest, okay?" 

you drop abby off, wishing her well, before you're alone for the next 12 hours. it often drags. at your teaching job, you feel as if it's just passing you buy in waves, everything whizzing past you at light speed. you're aware that you're in front of the kids, but then you just blackout. you're thrown into autopilot, and you do this over and over until your lunch break at 1. you text mike to pass the time.

sometimes it's something silly, like "god i do not get paid enough" or "a kid just ate glue /: send help", to which mike will respond "😂😂😂" or "lol you deserve millions (:". he makes you laugh, and it's enough to help you push through the end of the day. 

he picks up abby from school, asking her all about her day and what she wants for dinner. he'll text you what she says so you know what to expect when you get home, like "meatloaf 🍖🍞 (:" or "chicken alfredo 0: fancy". 

for you, transitioning from teaching to customer service was easy; all you had to do was maintain that same autopilot: smile on, eyes alert, prepared for anything. no one suspected a thing when you could keep up and answer their questions. 

mike helps abby with her homework, scratching his head with the eraser of a pencil when he draws blanks on a math or history question. abby only sighs, telling him about something off-topic. "art class is much more interesting." 

mike starts dinner while you're closing up at work, sweeping the front end of the store and counting down your drawer. he lets abby help sometimes, and they usually have it ready for you by the time you're home at 9. 

abby meets you at the door, and you hug her tight, picking her up and waltzing her back into the house. mike is setting the dining table, greeting you with a sleepy smile and, "the queen has arrived."

you all sit down and eat, and it's another one of those moments where everything feels okay. the last 12 hours didn't matter when you were able to have this at the end of it. 

you tell abby and mike about your day over spaghetti, spilling details about prideful parents and spiteful customers. abby laughs all throughout, asking questions about being a cashier. mike just listens, eyes and heart floating between the two of you. 

you clear the table while mike goes to get ready for work, and a wash of dread passes over you. your brain knows what's happening next. you'll kiss him goodbye, clinging to his hoodie sleeve for a second longer than you should, and then you'll settle down with abby, bathing her and reading her to sleep. then you'll be alone. it will just be you and the screech of infomercials until midnight, and then you'll be off to sleep, snuggling into a pillow that smells like mike. 

you push the feeling away, shaking your head and hands and doing just as you know. there's the kiss, the night routine with abby, and the moment you sit on the couch, surrounded by tv light and the croaking of cicadas. 

mike doesn't text during his shift unless it's an emergency. it makes you sad, but you understand. security requires focus, and you require sleep. 

for a while, this works. it's what you and mike have to do to make ends meet, and while you both think that it'll only get better with more time at it, it doesn't. 

you still wake up alone and go through the same rhythm, but when mike comes in around 7:30, it's not 7:30 anymore. it's 7:39, then 7:45, then 7:58. the latest he's ever been, so late that you're not able to eat with him. he shrugs it off when you mention it, kissing your cheek and retreating to the bedroom to sleep.

you drop abby off as usual, and go to work. work. work. work. 

mike starts missing your lunch break texts, sometimes dozing dangerously close to when abby's school lets out. while your class works, you bitterly stare at your text conversation. your unanswered "shaping america's future is kinda sick" message stares back at you until it's replaced by abby's school calling. your heart drops to your stomach as you step out of the room to take the call, answering the phone with, "is she okay?" 

mike didn't pick her up. she's out at 2:30 and it's 3:30 now, and she's crying and scared because he didn't pick up the phone, and she always calls him first. 

you leave work in a flurry, asking a fellow teacher to take over, and you speed to abby's school, not caring about tickets or police or anything. you only want to get her home.

mike is dashing out of the door when you pull up, wrenching a sobbing abby out of your backseat and clutching her close. "i'm sorry, i'm sorry, i'm sorry," he breathes, smoothing her hair and looking up at you with regret etched into every feature on his face.

you try your best to hide your upset, ushering everyone inside before changing into your work clothes. you were going to be late, but you shake it off. abby was home and that was all that mattered. 

"hey," mike reaches out to you when you're on your way out. his fingers graze their way down to your hand, and it makes you wish that you could stay home. "thanks for that. i've just been super tired lately and i overslept and---"

"it's okay, baby," you give him a tight lipped smile and a kiss on the knuckles. "just don't let it happen again." 

it happens again. and again. and again. it happens so many times that abby starts to think mike is forgetting about her, and you don't know how to get that out of her head. she cries about it more and more with each time you have to pick her up. he stops running out to apologize, still asleep inside. 

you rush into the bedroom. he's splayed out over the bed, snoring loudly with his arm hanging over the side. you find an orange pill bottle on his nightstand. an old ambien prescription. 

you argue with him before work sometimes.

"what do you need ambien for?"

"i can't sleep." 

"but every morning, you skip breakfast to sleep."

"i do fall asleep, but i started waking up out of it. i just take the ambien to help me fall again."

"what time do you take it?"

"i don't know, y/n."

"why are you lying to me?"

"i'm not." 

"what time?" you cry, grasping at your chest. a sharp pains thud through your ribcage, and you literally sob. it feels like your heart is tearing in two. "you stare at times, mike. what time do you take the ambien?" 

he doesn't answer you and he doesn't know why. it would be so easy to tell you that he takes it at 9 or 10, and that he believes he'll be able to wake himself up around 2 but he doesn't. he can’t sleep without the ambien. he needs it now because he kept himself up in the early days of this, mind toiling over their situation, the endless reassurance that this would work sending him into insomnia. 

you leave when he doesn't answer, wiping at your watery eyes and runny nose. 

you cashier as a shell of yourself. abby stops asking mike for homework help, and eventually he stops cooking dinner too, trading all that time in for extra sleep after picking her up. you have to explain the situation to your retail store manager, just in case mike forgets again, and start looking after abby more. mike only ever made time to spend with her on the weekends, content with awkward moments over lunch and low energy bickering.

the lunch break texts stop. the dinner texts stop.

he's dressed and ready to leave when you get home these days, prepared to exit as you enter. you don't know what to say as you face each other in the doorway, eyes focused on anything but each other. you don’t even kiss anymore.

"i think abby's asleep already."

you shake your head. "i think she's really sad. she hasn't been coming out of there like she used to. she misses you." 

"i miss her too, of course. i'm just busy." 

"all you do is work, mike," you deadpan, exhausted with him. you never thought you'd ever get to a point where you looked at mike, the sure love of your life, with disdain, but you felt it creep into you ever so slightly. 

"yeah, i know. it fucking sucks, but it's what i have to do to keep abby."

you scoff, scooting past him to take your coat and bag off. "as if you're going to keep her by leaving her at school everyday." it's supposed to be under your breath, but the disdain creeps onto your tongue, bitter and raging, and you say it aloud, to his face. 

his jaw clenches and his brown eyes burn, staring you down with an unrelenting severity. you hunch yourself over, dropping your head and sighing out, "mike, i'm sorry. i didn--" 

he leaves without another word. 

how it got to this, neither of you know. not even the weekends healed anymore. mike caught up on sleep, you caught up on grading, and in your downtime, you avoided each other. for him, it felt easier than being around you. you were irritable all the time, a quick fuse with any word he could think to speak. 

for you, it seemed like it was what he wanted. time away from you, from abby, from everyone; time to be alone and recharge for the only thing he ever did, the only thing that was keeping his sister in his care. 

you didn't even remember what his touch felt like, what he tasted like. the man that you loved had become but a memory, a ghost that passed through your plane. you’re able to imagine his fluffy hair, his perfect smile, his laugh, his rich smell, but none of it mattered. he didn’t feel like yours anymore. 

you suppose it was the same for him, with you existing in the same space but only tangible to him some of the time. he would catch glimpses of your smile, laughing at something on your phone, or talking to abby, meet your eyes when you shuffled back to the bedroom from the bathroom, rimmed in red from crying for the last 30 minutes.

he starts sleeping on the couch, unable to even lay beside you. 

mike does a lot of crying. a lot of screaming into his pillow, wondering why he fucks these things up so badly. you do the same, wondering why you stay in situations that hurt you.

this goes on for longer than you two would like, so long that you don't even celebrate your one-year anniversary.

the day passes without noise, mike sleeping and you working.

a prequel of sorts : x

THIS WAS SO FUCKING LONG MY BBBBBBBB OMG. i did NOT mean to go this deep in, i just felt SOOOOO MUCH! my little brain got sad ): i could go deeper into this too one day, breaking up moments into specific little blurbs or ficlets d: let me know if y'all even enjoyed this lmaooo off to write for Halloween lol

[rafesbangs]

maybe rafe finally seeing mermaid!reader's house and, like all her random trinkets and bobbles and clutter, and lowkey being on his kook ass bullshit, but secretly, he's actually really fascinated and intrigued by it all

౨ৎ ˖ ࣪⊹ mermaid!reader shows rafe around her house he acts a little judgey…

warnings: kinda some angst if you squint, fluff (yay) and a tad of classism unfortunately.

a/n: first fluff fic yayay also i adoreeee this req. this is so mermaid!reader and rafe. sorry it took so long to answerrrr & sorry its kinda short ahhhh, im not great at fluff i'll admit so this is good practice. (i hope this is what you wanted <3)

you nervously picked at your nails as you waited on your porch, swinging slowly in the crochet hammock that took you weeks to make. rafe's mercedes pulled into the little dirt driveway and your attention was quickly stolen.

"hey baby" he grinned as he slinked over, rolling his shoulders back to stand taller even though you already think he's the height of buildings. you hop out of the hammock and smile sweetly as he scoops you up for a hug.

"missed you" he mumbles into your hair before planting a kiss on the top of your head. a gesture, he knows, means the most to you. he releases you from the hug with a smile and you grab his hand softly, "missed you most. now come, i'll give you the tour"

he let your little hand drag him into your house. a sudden heat came over your face as you pulled him through the front door, realising how scared you were of rafe's kooky-judgment. you could see it in his demeanour, he was definitely thinking about how small the place is. how some of the wood is kinda rotted on the walls and how rickety the furniture looks. your little shack home was nothing like even the poorest of kook's homes.

you let go of his hand and put both of yours behind your back nervously, looking at the ground as you opened your mouth, "this is my living room kitchen area..." you stated. weakly gesturing to the room with an old tan leather couch that was fraying on the edges, adorned with crocheted, fluffy and wool beachy-themed blankets. the kitchen was tiny, 3 by 2ft and but the algae-green benches and the white black-splash with ocean themed detailing gave it some character.

rafe nodded curtly and glanced around, wordless for a moment, "its... small wow, you weren't really joking about it being a shack.."

your pursed lips turned to a frown quickly and you slowly crossed your arms in front of you, looking up at him disapprovingly as he continued to glance around. your jaw cocked to the side, "yeah some of us kinda pay for everything themselves which includes their house.."

his eyes went a little wide before he looked back at you, noticing your chagrin at his attitude towards your home. "no baby i'm just saying like- you don't deserve to live in a hole..." he quickly says, hands darting out in defence as he speaks but he only annoyed you further.

you roll your eyes, "come on. i'll show you my bedroom." you lead him up some open stairs to the left of the living room, bedroom was kind of a strong word, it was more like a half-loft situation since it technically had a door.

you swing it open and walk in, smiling proudly at your room, its completely filled with sparkly trinkets and decoration, your own little haven.

rafe cautiously followed you in, his eyes wide as he was clearly mesmerised by your cute little space. everything, from roof to foundation, was covered in things. crocheted 'fishing net' hung from the ceiling with little starfish and sparkles on it, jewellery boxes with coral and blues and greens sat all over the place, sparkly light pink and blue mesh fabrics hung from your ceiling above your bed, which was also adorned with whimsical bedsheets and pillows, like a canopy. every photo frame looked handmade with shells and little stones, all over the room dried coral and crystals sat in bowls or bunches. there was even a used tea cup on your dark stained wooden bedside table/cabinet (that was also spilling out all your mermaid-like clothing pieces) that was shimmery and shell themed.

"huh..." rafe began as he picked up a few things that intrigued him, you furrowed your brow, ready for more insulting words to spill from his lips but his face softened into a grin and he looked at you.

"your house is very you." he grinned, as he put the trinkets down carefully in their rightful spot, you looked at him with confusion in your eyes. "cute and mermaid-like, very... mmm, unconventional. but... i'm sorry for before, i... do like it here."

you tilted your head to the side with a forgiving smile before walking up to him and pressing your lips to his, he smiled into the kiss and held the small of your back and your chin, deepening it.

you pulled away first, "i know you're my big bad kook boyfriend but its okay to think my dingy little shack is cute, even for the cut." he chuckled a little and nodded before kissing the end of your nose.

"you're pretty cute, for a pogue" he smirked, his arms still around your waist as he leaned back, waiting for a playful smack.

and you delivered, scoffing and hitting him across the arm. he faked a wince and pretended all hurt as you rolled your eyes, "and you're pretty sweet for a kook."

[hellfirecvnt]

The Foundation of Learning

Lee Russell x Fem!Reader pt. 2

Summary: This school is unlike anywhere you've ever worked. Who's lying and who's just an idiot? You know how dreaming about a person can make you feel some type of way? That.

Read part one here. // Part three here. // Part four here. // Part five here.

Your first day was last Friday, meaning after that accidental acid trip, you had a whole weekend to decide if this is the type of environment you want to work in. Sure it's exciting, but you weren't even a whole day in before you were taking hallucinogens against your will. That's a bit more than the drama you're used to in a school.

Sunday night, you can't help but wonder about the two men you'd only just met. More so, you wonder about Lee Russell. A loud man who dresses even louder. His hair is stupid and you can't help but laugh every time his plans fumble, but you can't help but catch yourself developing a bit of a crush on this peculiar man.

You fall asleep peacefully only to find yourself in a dream about that same strange guy. Lee. He touches your cheek so softly, you're so sure you can feel it. The rest of the dream becomes a hazy fog of a childish feeling of infatuation. It lingers in your mind well after you wake up.

Monday morning, you're quick to rise, almost excited for whatever nonsense will be thrown your way this week. Last night's dream is still heavy on your mind as you enter through the front doors of North Jackson High.

"Ms. Y/L/N," Lee greets you with a bright, wide smile. You feel the heat rise in your face. You rely on your makeup to conceal that.

"Good morning, Mr. Russell," you beam, waving as you approach.

"You can call me Lee, darlin'. I'm not a fuckin' psycho," He says, referring to Neal's insistence on being referred to as Mr. Gamby during work hours. You return the favor, stepping into a first-name basis with him. It's nice. Like your first friend in your new town.

"Can I get you a coffee or anything, Lee?" You offer.

"No thank you, doll. I gotta get to-"

"Y/L/N, wake your ass up. I need you to hold any calls for me and Mr. Russell for the next," he glances at his watch. "45 minutes."

"Good morning, Mr. Gamby! No problem-" but he cuts you off.

"45 minutes, Y/L/N!" He exclaims, dragging Lee with him as they congregate outside in the woods by the train tracks.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Gamby? God damn." Lee pinches the bridge of his nose.

"Don't worry about it. I'm treating her like shit so she'll do better."

"She's been here for a day," Mr. Russell groans as they cross the empty field to get to their meeting area.

"Well, look at you, being at everybody's defense and shit for the first time in your life." Neal sneers at his cohort.

"I wish you would just shut the fuck up. For once in your life." Lee sighs, taking a seat on a large boulder. The two men bicker for a moment before breaking into brainstorming. Anything they can do to knock Dr. Brown off her throne. Eventually, and mostly to the credit of Lee's deranged mind, they hatch a plan to frame Ms. Leblanc, the meanest bitch in the school, for stealing and selling textbooks to a third party.

"I'll go plant the evidence," Gamby, stone focused on his objective, beelines for the school ahead of Lee.

"God damn... Idiot," he mumbles to himself. With Gamby occupied, he decides to stop by your desk.

"Y/N," he snatches your attention away from your duties on a dime. You quite literally drop everything when you hear his voice. You silently scold yourself for letting that dream get you bent so far out of wack.

"What can I do for you, Lee?" You wait for instruction as Russell just stares at you for a moment like he's considering something.

"Come with me to my office." He takes off down the hall. You round the desk and follow him with haste. Once you're inside Lee's office, he closes and locks the door behind you. You look at him with wide, curious eyes, trying your best to stifle back the heat on your face.

"We're going to frame Ms. Leblanc and turn her against Dr. Brown." Lee's words fill you with immense disappointment. Of course that's what this was about. You're embarrassed by how excited you allowed yourself to become, even if he's none the wiser. You furrow your brows and cross your arms.

"And how are we going to accomplish that one?" You ask, disgruntled. Lee gazes at you with a big smile, excited to hear you include yourself in his plan.

"Take a look at this." He grins, sliding an altered invoice across the table. In this convincing looking writing it says Leblanc signed for 600 books and no more than 60 have been accounted for within the school. "That bitch is fucked."

"Oh, wow. Is Ms. Leblanc a super bitch or something?"

"She's the super bitch, Y/N. And she is going to destroy Belinda for us. All Gamby and I have to do is sit back and watch." Lee revels in what he believes to be a foolproof plot. As if summoned by the sound of his own name, Neal appears. He steps through the door without knocking and looks at you quizzically when he realizes that Lee has just blown up their spot to you.

"What's going on in here?" Neal asks, hesitant to trust this new employee.

"Relax, Gamby. I'm just catching Y/N up on the details," Lee grins, pleased with himself

"Isn't this above Y/N's pay grade?" The mustached man does very little to hide the annoyance in his voice.

"Well, I'm trying to work her into the inner circle." Lee makes a circular gesture with his hands.

"Yeah, Gamby," you chime in, happy to be included in something that isn't reorganizing the incredibly fucked up records someone shoved into a box of papers before they switched to computers years ago.

"You can't just bring strangers into our plans just because she's an attractive person or what the fuck ever!" Gamby attempts to whisper, but it's just quiet yelling.

"Y/N, can we trust you, sweetheart?" Lee asks with big, shining eyes, grinning at you as he awaits your reply. And that name, "sweetheart." My God, you nearly melt on the spot. What's come over you?

"Of course you can. I only have time to talk to you two. Who am I going to conspire with?" You toss a hand up in confusion.

"Alright, but if I see you talking to any of the teachers after this, you will be fired on the spot." Neal wags a finger in your face.

"Fucking Christ, Gamby. Lighten up. You ain't firing anybody. Get your ass to the library." Lee snaps his fingers and points at the door.

"Am I really not allowed to talk to the teachers now?" You ask, a little confused.

"Don't listen to him, darlin'," Lee sweet-talks you, taking the falsified invoice in his hands.

"No. No, you do listen to me. I am your boss. If I see you talking to anyone besides me and Mr. Russell I will banish you from this campus." The pretentious vice principal stands firm in his decision.

"Okay, sir. I won't talk to the teachers," you sigh.

"Or the janitors and counselors," he adds and you nod. "No Para-pros either."

"Gamby come the fuck on!" Lee whines, rushing this interaction along so he can put his plan into action. The two men exit and Neal makes an "I'm watching you" gesture through the large, glass wall before disappearing around a corner.

You return to your desk and take a few phone calls, certain that Gamby's insane rule can't possibly include parents. After a while, a lady comes to introduce herself to you.

"Hey! Finally got over here during a planning period," she laughs. "I'm Amanda." She extends a hand for you to shake.

"Hi-" you stop in your tracks as you make eye contact with Neal way, way down the hall. He slowly shakes his head back and forth. You roll your eyes and return your attention to the woman in front of you. You begin to spell out a word in the ASL alphabet, hoping Amanda has even as little understanding of sign language as you have. You sign "Email" and she squints at your hands.

"Oh, I don't... Are you deaf? I swear I just saw you answer a phone..." She tilts her head. You sigh with frustration and begin typing out an email on your computer. Confused and feeling awkward, Amanda slowly walks away from the entire situation. You're quick to write her an email about Gamby's strange training practices, careful not to uncover their scheme.

You shake your head, hoping she sees the message soon so you're not blacklisted from making any friends besides these two maniacs in this new town.

"Hello, North Jackson High School," you answer the phone with a darling customer service voice.

"Oh, you're fake as hell, Y/N. That ain't what you sound like at all," Lee laughs through the phone.

"Hello, Mr. Russell-"

"Lee."

"Hello, Lee. How's the plotting?" You mindlessly twirl the telephone cord around your finger as you listen to him talk.

"I need you and Gamby's help tonight. We'll need a school bus."

"A school bus?" You ask, unable to fathom what you'd need a bus for.

"For the books, sweetheart. Stay focused," he scolds.

"My bad."

"I'll see you tonight," he says, hanging up right after. You could hear Neal calling his name in the background, otherwise you'd take that fast goodbye as an insult.

You attain the keys to a bus sitting out in the bus lanes. It was left to be cleaned after a kid pierced his own ear and bled everywhere on a field trip.

"Try not to touch any of the seats near the front. It's... Not good." You warn as you toss the keys to Gamby. "I'm not fucking driving."

You and Lee ride in his car, driving ahead of Gamby to the location to store the "stolen" books. Mr. Russell guides Gamby as he backs the bus up and you help the two men unload the boxes of extremely heavy textbooks.

"Holy shit, we fucking did it, Gamby!" Lee grins, self satisfied and hungry for confrontation. "And you too, darlin'. Thank you." He's quick to add.

"Nicely done, Mr- Oh, uh, Lee." You smile, hoping your newfound nervousness isn't too obvious. And to him, it isn't, only because he's distracted by his own infatuation with you.

The next day, shit hits the fan. Lee calls the front desk again and you answer.

"Hello, North Jackson High," you speak warmly.

"We're about to head straight to Leblanc's class right now!" You can hear his devious smile in his voice. "Brown is so fucked if she really tries to go against that stone cold bitch."

"Hey, do you think I'm allowed to talk to teachers now? Aman-" just as you're about to finish your sentence, Gamby swipes the phone from you and slaps it onto the receiver.

"No. And especially not Ms. Snodgrass."

"Why not? She's so nice and I don't know anybody in town besides you and Lee and I doubt you two are gonna want to go to bars and get drunk off fruity bullshit on Fridays." Your monologue leaves Neal pondering. He doesn't get invited to payday drinks, this is new for him.

"No. You'll let something slip. Snodgrass is wholesome. Too wholesome to get wrapped up in the shit we do," Gamby explains.

"Well then why the hell was I wrapped?" You raise a brow, questioning what he's insinuating.

"I don't know! I never would've done something so stupid and reckless like that." The broad man shrugs. "Russell has a thing for you or something."

"A 'thing for me?'" you repeat.

"Yeah. He thinks that you're an attractive person. And I guess he's not wrong, but... You're no Amanda Snodgrass." Neal shrugs as if delivering bad news he can't hold back.

"You're so right," you nod. "So when can I talk to her? I want friends."

"When I'm Principal." Mr. Gamby disappears to join Mr. Russell and Dr. Brown in pursuit of the books and you're left alone with Gamby's words. A thing for you. How delightful to know your little crush isn't as one sided as you thought.

"Ms. Y/L/N, could you come with me? I need you to take notes," Dr. Brown's eyes are narrow. It's clear she's on a mission when she makes the quick stop by your desk on her way to Leblanc's class.

"Yes, ma'am." You scoop up the board and a pen and follow her on quick feet. Just as she rounds the corner, you see Lee. You knew he was with her, and he smiles when he sees you.

"Mr. Russell," you smile, greeting him in a professional manner in front of the woman that holds reign over both yours and Lee's job. You follow the principal and vice principal down the hall and slowly you come up to a classroom with an involved teacher. She seems well educated and passionate about her teaching. Ironically, today's subject is about protecting your reputation with your life...

As you linger in the hall taking quick notes of the passive aggressive exchange, you see Ms. Snodgrass walking by. After a quick glance around, you're certain there's no Gamby.

"Hey! Ms. Snodgrass. Sorry about yesterday. Mr. Gamby has me on like... A vow of silence? I think I'm being hazed."

"Oh! That makes so much sense. I thought you were just kinda weird," she laughs, clearly relieved of the awkwardness.

"I emailed you about it," you chuckle, also relieved.

"Oh, I must've missed it-" Amanda's sentence is cut short as Belinda and Lee take off down the hall after the climax of the conversation. You wave a quick goodbye to Snodgrass and bolt after them.

Belinda is ranting and raving down the hall, all the while Lee cheers her on. He antagonizes every single time she seems to be calming down. It's eerie to watch the way he plays with her mind. You hope you'd be able to tell if he ever tried this sort of brain sorcery on you.

"I can't believe that bitch," Dr. Brown shakes her head, clearly fired up as she stomps into her office. Gamby follows her and closes the door behind him, keeping her on track and gathering information for later. Lee, laughing carelessly, leans against your desk as you take a seat. All you can think about is Neal's confession of Lee's feelings. Even if it was just a "thing." Whatever that means.

"Lee," you nervously call for his attention. "Do you want to get a drink tonight?" You're unsure where the nerve came from, asking your boss out, but it's not like he adheres to the rules very much anyways.

At first, he seems surprised. Caught off guard, mostly. He blinks a few times, knitting his brows for just a second as he calculates how to respond. Of course he's not worried about the rules, even if he plans on becoming Principal, the only thing he can focus on right now is you. His mouth hangs slightly agape as he carefully and regretfully makes his next statement.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Y/L/N. Maybe another time. I've got some stuff to handle real early tomorrow. I'll be a little late getting in, actually." He fidgets with his ringless ring finger, unable to keep meeting your gaze.

"Of course, sir. It's hard making friends here. You guys are... Different." You smile at Lee as best you can and turn your attention to the computer screen where you slowly and pointlessly sift through each individual piece of spam. Lee lingers for a moment, chewing on his lip in thought. After a short while, he's off to find Gamby and Brown to ensure she's still wrongfully fired up.

Immediately in your solitude your mind runs amok with rejection sensitive anxieties. You're heinously embarrassed, and the redness on your face only darkens when you replay it all in your head over and over.

"Jesus fucking Christ, why did I fucking do that? Who do I think I am? Where the hell do I get off?" You mumble to yourself, trying so hard to regulate past this visceral reaction. You begin to wonder if you've over valued yourself to this little team just because of your interest in Lee.

"What's wrong? Why are you doing that?" Gamby gestures vaguely to your whole being with his hand.

"Fuck, Mr. Gamby. You scared the shit out of me." You gasp, a hand placed on your chest in fear.

"You should be more aware of your surroundings and you won't get caught off guard."

"Hey, tomorrow's teacher work day, right? Do I need to come in?" You ask, hoping for a no so you can drink away the humiliation.

"At any other pussy ass school, maybe. But I need all hands on deck. You're coming in." Neal points at you with integrity and you groan to yourself.

"Are you sure? I'm going to drink the same amount regardless tonight. I might not be very useful tomorrow." You shrug, hoping the trust you've built allows for this sort of candid behavior.

"Something wrong?" He asks.

"You said Lee had a 'thing' for me, so I asked him to get a drink with me and he turned me down," you laugh, slowly accepting the embarrassment.

"Huh, well. That's just Lee, I guess. He's never made a lot of sense to me. All those fuckin' outfits." Neal shakes his head. "Guess he's not into you anymore."

"Oh, word," you say, swallowing the bluntness of his words. "Window closed, got it." You give a small salute gesture and turn back to your computer. "I'll be here tomorrow, Mr. Gamby."

"Well, yeah. I just said you would. I just told you that. I am your boss and you'll be here tomorrow." He nods and emotes as if he's repeating obvious information like 'the sky is blue.'

"Dude." You pinch the bridge of your nose.

•••

Taglist: @its-in-the-woods // @blackwoodtree (you didn't ask to be tagged, but you did ask for a part 2 ❤️)