#i graduated in the past couple of weeks and its just. holy shit

[autumnalfallingleaves]

Holy shit I'm done with college

Yeah it's just hitting me now. What

[glasvera]

Dungeons & DANG, Girl!

Eddie Munson x Fem!Goth!Reader

Description: You're visiting home from college and are having your best friend, Eddie, run a one-shot using a rather depraved and erotic adventure you came across. You roleplay one too many of your actions and it is having Effects™ on him.

Warnings: Smut (18+, Minors DNI), unprotected sex, oral (f and m receiving), swearing, no spoilers besides characters existing

A/N: Despite writing this as a reader insert I'll admit I very much had my own Stranger Things OC in mind while writing this. I hope she's still relatable enough and you still enjoy this!

Word Count: 5k

It all started as a joke. Seriously. You were coming back to Hawkins to visit the friends that hadn’t escaped it yet, and thought it would be hilarious to show the guys this D&D module someone had written in your group at college. It was something straight out of a prepubescent boy’s wet dream, so you were certain they’d get a kick out of it and you could collectively laugh at the utterly depraved horniness of it all. You’d sent a letter to Eddie Munson with a copy, and he’d already agreed to run it for you all as a one shot before you’d even left. Some people might shy away from such a thing, but you’d been one of the guys from the start and took part in all their weird conversations and rack oglings. Add a couple of beers and weed to the mix, and you were sure it was gonna be a good night.

You took your seat on the airplane, butterflies in your stomach with the anticipation of seeing them all again. You’d be lying to yourself if you didn’t admit your particular excitement of seeing Munson again. Before graduating, you guys were inseparable and were known for getting into all sorts of trouble. You couldn’t get enough of him and his Hellfire club, but things were strictly platonic. I mean, getting involved with your best friend would just be weird, right? Not to mention the potential of absolutely ruining the perfect dynamic you had, the freak and the witch of Hawkins High. An essential part of the school’s ecosystem, truly.

That didn’t stop you from putting on your best fishnet tights, your old Hellfire shirt tucked into a black mini skirt, and the black leather jacket you’d studded and spiked out by hand. Your style had changed quite a bit since going to college and leaving the stifling confines of your parents’ house, and you fully intended to show it off upon your return.

Eddie had agreed to pick you up at the airport and basically be your chauffeur for the week. He stood there, tapping his foot impatiently and crossing his arms as he bit his knuckle. You guys had kept in touch through letters and the like, but it had been a year since he’d last seen you. His eyes scan back and forth across the arrivals area as soon as he knew your plane was landing. He was expecting to find you in your usual jeans and jacket and was keeping an eye out for that particular ensemble, so when you came down the stairs wearing black on black with more makeup than he’d ever seen you in within the past 6 years of knowing you, it’s no surprise he had to do a double-take.

“Eddie!” you exclaim gleefully as you pick up your pace.

“Y/N? Holy shit!!” he laughs as he looks you up and down before pulling you into a hug. “I knew good ol’ mom and dad kept you from dressing up much, but I never imagined you were hiding the daughter of Satan in there.”

You punch his arm playfully and he pretends to fall back, injured as you giggle. “Don’t worry, it’s still me under all this leather and lace.”

His gaze lingers for a moment on your choice of shirt and he smiles at you. “Alright, come on, Y/N. Hawkins welcomes the return of its witch queen,” he quips dramatically with a broad sweep of his hands and a wink. “And your chariot awaits!”

--

Your friends were all pretty surprised by your new look, but none of them stared at you quite like Eddie did over the course of the day. Unbeknownst to you, he was taking full advantage of letting you walk in front of him as you stopped by all of your old haunting grounds. The way your skirt would ride up a bit as you strolled along was doing things to him that he’d normally rather not think about in regards to his best friend.

But I mean, damn. You were basically the best friend version of his dream girl before, and now? You looked like something straight out of a pin up. It wasn’t that he never found you attractive before, but it felt like he was finally seeing all of you, the real you, that wasn’t hidden behind grade school bullshit and societal expectations.

You’d all returned to his trailer late that night, beers in hand and character sheets laid out as you prepared for your ridiculously raunchy adventure. You were on a quest to retrieve the royal sex toys for a rather depraved black market fence.

“So, Phoebe Phatazz,” Eddie pauses with a snort after emphasizing your character’s name, unable to keep a straight face. “The guards have spotted you stealing the queen’s precious studded dildo. What do you do?”

Tension builds around the table as you scramble to react. “Shit, shit! Well I can’t fight them, my strength sucks-”

“Better hurry, Phoebe…” he teases as he leans towards you dramatically. “They’re getting closer…”

You’re not sure why, but your eyes dart around the room for an idea. Your gaze stops at your beer bottle on the table, contents mostly emptied. “Fuck it.” You grab the bottle, both hands wrapping around the bottom. “I take the dildo in both hands, stare directly at the guards,” you emphasize with a pointed look at Eddie, “and I…” you leave the sentence unfinished as you tilt the bottle back, tongue lapping languidly up the neck and swirling around the mouth as a few drops dribble out onto your chin before you wrap your lips around the bottle fully. You see your dungeon master’s Adam’s apple bob up and down as he gulps, eyes locked onto your lips and tongue.

You take the bottle out of your mouth with a pop and place it back down with a solid thud that makes Eddie jump. “While I do that, I’m gonna try to signal to the rest of the party to get the fuck out of there.” The other guys are laughing at the absurdity of it all; this was exactly the sort of thing you had intended to do and laugh at tonight, but Eddie remains still as if he was still processing what you’d just done. “Well, Munson?” you say with a smirk as you rest your chin in your hand, “does it work? Can I roll for it?”

“Oh it looks like it worked alright,” Gareth laughs. Eddie’s head snaps towards him with a squint of his eyes before regaining his composure and looking back at you, inhaling sharply. 

“You’d better make a damn good charisma roll, Y/L/N,” he warns with a raise of his eyebrows and tilt of his head.

You give him a cheeky grin and grab the d20. “Pass me another beer for good luck?” you ask Jeff and he nods, popping the cap off and passing it to you. You take a swig and give Eddie a wink before juggling the die in the palm of your hand and tossing it down onto the table.

“Ooh… a 14? Hmm… not sure if that’s gonna be enough, sweetheart,” he sighs with a shake of his head. The table erupts into a cacophony of groans and calls of “oh come on!!” Eddie chuckles and puts his hands up. “Alright, alright! In the spirit of this ‘adventure’,” he emphasizes with air quotes, “the guards show interest, and the rest of the party will be able to escape,” the guys at the table all sighed in relief, “but that doesn’t stop them from wanting to apprehend a criminal. One of them approaches you, sword in hand, and stares at you lecherously.” Oh boy, you did not have to imagine that part. As much as he tried to hide it, the lust in his eyes was apparent. “‘Halt, sinner and defiler!’ His voice booms and echoes off of the castle hallway’s stone walls. ‘Thou stealeth the majesty’s most valued possession! Thou shalt pay for thy crimes!’” he pauses for a second, looking to you for a response.

Your smile turns impish as you grab your empty prop bottle. You push off of your seat and land on your knees right in front of him as you look up at him through long lashes. “I kneel down in front of my oh-so strong and capable captors,” you coo as you punctuate each syllable with a tilt of your head back and forth, “and I hide the dildo behind my back,” you explain as you hold the bottle at the small of your back, “and ask them, ‘surely there’s another way we can figure this out?’”

Eddie’s eyes go dark at you kneeled in front of him. There was definitely a certain tension building between you that neither of you had expected at the start of the night. He coughs, clearing his throat as he glances across the table at the rest of the group. They’re all giving him knowing looks and chuckling at his disheveled state. “Come on, Munson! What are you going to do with her?” The direct insinuation of the two of you did not go over his head and he glares at Gareth who just throws his head back and starts laughing harder.

His nostrils flare as he directs his attention back to you. “Alright, Phatazz, what’s your plan here?” he gestures to the bottle she’s holding, “What are you trying to do with that?”

“Would a rather loud, messy face-fuck make enough noise for me to roll the dildo back to the rest of the party?” you ask him, rather nonchalantly, much to the amusement and boisterous laughter of everyone at the table. Eddie pinches the bridge of his nose and lets out another exasperated sigh both out of the absurdity of your request as well as the effect your rather vulgar language was having on him. He opens his eyes and looks down at you, giving you a “really?” look as he snickers at you. You return his look with a sideways cock of your head and the most innocent smile you could muster.

“Just roll dexterity, you fucking degenerate,” he finally says as the laughter continues.

You pop back up on your feet in an instant and grab the d20 again, planting a kiss on it before shaking it theatrically in your hands like a cheerleader would their pom poms on either side of your head. You’re not sure what’s gotten into you at this point, maybe it’s the beer or the weed helping you let loose, but you make sure to stand right next to Eddie as you bend over to throw it down on the table, jutting your ass out in your tight miniskirt. You can practically feel the way his eyes trace the bend of your back and the curve of your ass, and you’re almost too distracted by whatever the fuck this was to hear the cheers of your friends.

“NATURAL 20!!!!” they all exclaim, throwing their fists in the air and high-fiving each other. Munson snaps out of his daze to look down at the table and, lo and behold, a perfect 2-0 stood proudly upright where you’d tossed it onto the map he’d prepared. He was back in dungeon master mode in an instant as he threaded his fingers through his hair and grabbed the sides of his head, mouth agape as he leaned back on the couch. 

He throws his hands up in mock defeat and shakes his head. “You give the best head you’ve ever given in your life, and the guard is so into it he doesn’t notice the sparkle of the jewels in the moonlight as you roll your ever-so-valuable plunder back towards the rest of the party. I can’t believe that fucking worked,” he laughed.

The rest of the session went smoothly, aside from you remaining “distracted as a distraction” to ensure everyone else’s success, and you were all packing up your binders as you made jokes about what had happened and engaged in more jovial banter. You waved them all goodbye as they headed home, helping Eddie clean up the scattered cans and wrappers around the trailer.

You both were tidying up in relative silence, the tension between you building now that there was nothing and nobody else to distract you. Your hand brushed against his several times as you picked up, and the sparks you felt every time had your cheeks turning warm and pink. You steal glances at him here and there, admiring his arms and the way his fingers moved when he went to pick up a couple miniatures. You want to say you don’t know what’s gotten into you, but when you think of the history you share and now, with both of you being grown up and you recognizing just how damn hot he is…

“Y/L/N? Earth to Y/L/N?” He waves his hand in your face to pull you out of the stupor you didn’t realize you’d fallen into. You blink at him as you refocus and shake your head to clear your thoughts. “I said, I think we got everything. Thanks for the help,” he says as he plops back down on the couch and sinks into the cushions, throwing his hands behind his head. “You were right; that was a lot of really dumb, horny fun,” he admitted with a wide grin. He pats the spot next to him and you sit down, folding your knees up and leaning close to him. Wrapping his arm around your shoulder, he pulls you towards him as you rest your head against his chest. This is far from the first time you two had cuddled like this, but there was an uncertain stiffness to it this time.

A quiet moment passes before Eddie clears his throat. “I, uh, I missed you, Y/L/N. It’s good to see you again,” he admits, his thumb brushing your shoulder affectionately.

“You too, Munson. I can’t stand this place, but nowhere feels right without you.” You freeze as you realize how he might take that. “That is- I mean, you and I… we uh,” you scramble to regain your composure as your face lights up crimson and you silently plead with the earth to open up and swallow you right then and there. You pull away from him and shut your eyes as he leans back and studies your face, a coy smile returning to his features. He brushes a strand of hair out of your face and cups your cheek in his hand, his many rings providing a cold, stark contrast to your red complexion. You open your eyes to see his face very close to yours, gaze fixed on your lips before tracing them with his thumb. You shivered slightly and sighed.

“I know you did all that teasing on purpose, Y/N…” he chides you with a deep chuckle. “And if we’re gonna be candid here, I’ve had a very hard time keeping my eyes off of you since you landed at the airport.” He reaches his other hand up, carding his fingers through your hair as he inches closer to you.

You bit your bottom lip and decided to shoot your shot. “Well, Eds,” you began, placing a hand on his thigh and spreading your fingers across the rough, black denim. He raises an eyebrow and looks at your hand before turning his head back to you. “In the spirit of this ‘adventure’, I think it’s only fair that we roleplay what happens to Phoebe. I think she deserves her happy ending, you know?” Eddie’s throat suddenly felt very dry as his deep brown eyes bored into your own. You throw your leg across his lap, straddling him as you place your hands on his chest. His hands fly to your hips, gripping them possessively as he inhales deeply.

“Are we really doing this?” he asks you as he toys with the hem of your skirt and traces your fishnets.

You laugh as you look down at him, stroking his face gently with the back of your hand. He turns his head briefly to kiss it, and your gaze softens. “I’m thinking we should have done this a lot sooner,” you admit.

The way his face lights up is a mental image you’ll treasure for a long time, and as you lean down to kiss him, you can’t help but sigh contentedly as he grabs the back of your head and devours your lips with his own like a man starved. You brace yourself on his chest with one hand and run the other through his glorious brown curls as you grind yourself down against him, earning a rumble from deep in his chest. His tongue swipes across your lips and you part them, tasting the cheap beer and weed and him as you tilt your head and deepen the kiss. He grabs your ass, earning a squeak from you that he can’t help but smile at as he breaks the kiss and rests his forehead against yours, simply reveling in the feeling of you pressing down against him through the thin fabric of your panties. Your miniskirt was doing nothing to cover you as it had stretched up and around your waist when you straddled him, so he took full advantage to grope at the plush of your thighs and ass through your tights. You shuck your jacket off, letting it fall to the floor before Eddie untucked your shirt and helped you lift it over and off your head. He stops and stares at you, temporarily speechless.

“Fuck me, Y/N. You sure you’re not actually a witch? You’ve got me under some sort of spell alright,” he breathes, admiring you with a voice barely above a whisper. 

You giggle as his fingers ghost up your ribs before his hands come up to cup your breasts through your bra, sighing as he molds them like putty in his hands while kissing down from your neck to your chest. He places sloppy kisses along the edge of your bra, tracing his tongue just underneath the fabric and earning him a gasp from your pouty lips. “I-I thought we were supposed to be finishing Phoebe’s story here,” you teased halfheartedly.

“Mmm…” He shoves his face in the valley of your breasts while reaching around to undo the clasp of your bra. “I think I’m much more interested in Y/N’s story tonight.” With the soft whisper of fabric hitting the floor, his hands return to the newly exposed skin of your tits while claiming your lips with his. He rolls your nipples between his dexterous fingers as you moan into his mouth. Your hands travel along his arms and grip them tightly, relishing in the feeling of his biceps flexing beneath his shirt as he works his magic on you. But he was far too dressed for your liking.

“Shirt… hah… off… now…” you struggle to get out the words between kisses before he nods and leans back enough to let you pull his shirt off, only breaking the kiss to fully remove it and toss it on the couch. Your hands wasted no time exploring, running your nails down his chest and tracing his tattoos as he growled.

“As much as I’d love to take you right here, right now, perhaps a bed would be more befitting of my witch queen?” he chuckles.

You nod with a smile, absolutely love-drunk, “Bed sounds good.” As you stood up, taking his hands in your own, you couldn’t help but quip, “we can always do it again on the couch later.”

“You absolute minx,” he laughs as he kisses you again and again, slowly leading you back to his bedroom between makeout sessions. As soon as you get past the door he kicks it shut and flips you around, pressing you against it as he holds your wrists above your head in one hand and hikes one of your legs up with the other. He shoves his thigh between your legs and you moan, trying desperately to grind yourself down against it as he presses his body against you and attacks your neck, sucking and biting on a spot beneath your ear that makes you keen and your knees buckle. “So needy…” he teases and you can feel his damnable smirk against your skin.

“Eddie, please…” you whine, struggling against his hold in search of more friction.

He releases your wrists and you wrap your arms around his neck as he lifts both of your legs around him and carries you to the bed. He cradles your head as he lowers you down onto the mattress, his eyes staring into yours with such longing it makes your heart swell. He hovers over you for a moment like that, brushing your cheek with the pad of his thumb with the softest smile on his face you’ve ever seen. He laughs suddenly and it startles you.

“Sorry, sorry. I… I was just thinking about how stupid we both are,” he said with a shake of his head.

You quirk an eyebrow at him. “Speak for yourself, Munson. I’m in college,” you tease, and he scoffs at you and puts his hand on his chest as if you’d physically wounded him.

“Low blow, L/N!” he retorts and you laugh. “But seriously. This,” he gestures between the two of you, “has always been there, hasn’t it?” he asks, searching your face for the answer before you even speak up.

You blush at him and turn your head to the side, covering your face with your hands. “I was always afraid to ruin our friendship. You were,” you stop and correct yourself, “you are the most important person in my life. If I confessed to you and you didn’t feel the same way…” you trail off before Eddie pulls your hands away and grabs your chin, bringing you to face him.

“Do you have any idea how many times I tried to flirt with you? How many times I toyed with the idea of asking you out?” he asks you in an exasperated tone. 

You giggle up at him while he stares down with the biggest smile. “Oh my god, we are stupid.”

“Right?” he laughs as he rests on his elbows and holds your face between his hands. “I could have had you like this, this whole time. Loved you the way you deserved,” he finished, a tinge of pink now darkening his own features.

You reach up, brushing your fingers through his hair. “No time like the present?”

“Yeah, I think we can work with that,” he replies, leaning down to kiss you again.

You surprise him when you flip him over, reversing your positions so you straddled him once more. After looking up at you dressed in nothing but a skirt and fishnets, however, he accepts his fate and simply places his hands behind his head. You bend over, kissing his chest and traveling slowly lower while your fingers toy with his belt. You pause in your ministrations to look up into his hooded eyes. “For the record, I love you too, freak,” you smile with a wink.

He snarls playfully at you, “Oh, I’ll show you freak, my little witch.” Any further retort dies in his throat as you peel his tight jeans and underwear down, freeing his cock as you immediately run your tongue up and down the shaft. Repeating the motions you’d performed on the bottle earlier that night, you swirl your tongue around his sensitive tip while stroking your hands up and down. His eyes roll back into his head. “Fuck yes… I was right. Only the daughter of Satan could give head like this.” You swat at his thigh and he chuckles at his own joke before you take more of him in your mouth. He moans low and pushes your hair out of your face to better watch you work. Your cheeks hollow out as you suck him in deeper, whimpering at the feeling of his hand in your hair. He feels himself getting close far too quickly and sits up, pulling you off with a wet pop before bringing you back up to his face to crash his lips into yours. “Stand up for me, doll.”

You slide off the edge of the bed, confused but curious, before Eddie yanks your skirt, tights, and panties down and kneels in front of you in one fluid motion. Your clothing pooled at your ankles, you gasp as he dives between your legs and licks his tongue in a fat stripe up the length of your cunt. Your hands fly to his head as your legs tremble and he laps at your folds. He flicks at your clit and you moan the cutest moan he thinks he’s ever heard, and he can’t help the grin on his face. One of the hands that was gripping your hips snakes around before he parts your folds and inserts a finger into your now dripping pussy, focusing his tongue on making small circles around your clit as your mouth falls open into a permanent “o”. He curls his finger and you see stars, and you’re pretty sure you would have fallen over if not for him supporting you.

“Eddie! Fuck yes, right there!” you encourage him as you feel a knot building at the pit of your stomach. He adds a second finger and picks up his pace, and the moans are spilling out of your mouth as you shout his praise.

“Go on, cum for me,” he groans into your folds and the order as well as the vibrations send you over the edge, vocally alerting the entire trailer park to your activities. Eddie sits back and admires his handiwork, slowly pumping his fingers as you come down from your high. He pulls them out as he proceeds to clean them off with his tongue, holding eye contact with you the whole time. You didn’t think he could get any hotter, but you were practically dripping again already.

“I need you inside me, right now,” you demand as you flop onto the bed and pull him on top of you.

“As my witch queen commands!” he teases as he lines himself up with your entrance. He slowly sinks his length into you, watching your expression as you stretch to accommodate him. “Fuck me, you’re beautiful,” he whispers in awe as your eyes meet his. You wrap your legs around him and pull him the rest of the way in and he shudders, relishing in the feeling of you wrapped so tightly around him. He slowly pumps into you, bending over to kiss whatever exposed skin he can reach. Your back arches up at a particularly deep thrust and he captures one of your nipples in his mouth, sucking and nipping at it as you cursed and held his head in place. His thrusts quicken and he leans back, lifting your hips slightly. At this new angle you become a writhing mess, the sounds coming from your mouth reduced to nothing but expletives and his name. The bed creaks beneath the strain of your activities as your moans get louder and louder, drawing closer to your second orgasm. Feeling the flutter of your walls clamping around his cock, Eddie splays his palm across your stomach as he uses his thumb to circle your clit. You cry out, nails digging into the muscle of his arms. “You feel so good, baby. You’re doing so well for me.”

You keen at his praise and reach your arms up to his neck, pulling him down to kiss him feverishly as he growls into your mouth and moans low and deep. Your hands hold his head in place as he shoves his tongue into your mouth and pistons in and out of you even faster, his breath faltering as he chases his release. He lifts one of your legs over his shoulder, continuing to thumb your clit as you practically scream into the kiss, tossing your head back. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” You feel your second orgasm quickly approaching as he attacks your neck, marking it for all the world to see. His breath, hot on your neck, does you in as he whispers sweet nothings and encouragement into your ear, and you cry out his name as his thrusts grow even more erratic before he spills into you, panting and groaning out your name. He stills, realizing what he’s just done, and you chuckle. “Don’t worry about it, I’m on the pill.”

He breathes a sigh of relief and looks down at you, a sheen of sweat covering his forehead and abs. “Fuck, Y/N,” he laughs, “I hope you know we’re doing this again and again before you go back home.” He peppers kisses all over your face and you giggle as he pulls away and smiles softly.

“I’ll hold you to that, Munson,” you punctuate with a tap of your finger on the tip of his nose. He scrunches it up and gives you a toothy grin before sliding out of you and rolling off to lie next to you, still slightly out of breath. You lace your fingers through his and turn to face him, watching the way his chest rises and falls with his breathing before curling up to him, resting your head in the crook of his neck.

“I fucking love you, Y/N,” he proclaims as he wraps his arm around you and pulls you closer. “Fuck, it feels good to say that,” he sighs as he kisses your forehead.

You can’t help but smile at the emotion behind his voice. “I love you too, Eds.”

[worangetraveler-multiverseguide]

Looking at 315 with... probably no context?

It’s been a while... but between this episode being translated late AND having busy and chaotic week at work all was delayed to the point I’ll have to make 316 right after this (but since they dont seem to be connected lets have them in separate posts) with all that said? This is Future Worange checking 250 chapter into the future of Komi san can’t communicate cause I need the dating seratonin okay?

Although this time seems that won’t apply, only 1 way to find out

“Congratulations on graduation” as a Vtuber fan this is triggering me!!!! (JOKING... for the most part)

Oh new person? We have had moments in the past with new sidecharacters taking the spotlight for a moment so this should be interesting

Emotional crybaby? Can relate! Emotional over school graduation? ... meh

Okay I’m confused: are you trying to NOT get emotional or get SUPER emotional since this is YOUR graduation? Whichever the case interesting training sequence

So Shiki is the embodiment of 

Dance party during the Principal’s speech? okaaaaay? Rapping Principal? AWFUL AS HELL ROBOT DANCE?... why wasnt MY gradution like that? xD

We see who came up with this, and I dont know her but I love her already and can already feel bad since she might be gone :c

... WHY IS KOMI GIVING THE FAREWELL SPEECH!?!?!?!?!

And more importantly... can she do it? I know nowadays she IS more talkative, but still...

I forgot your name but I know you’re not Oda... WHO ARE YOU AND WHY DO YOU LIVE IN THE PROVERBIAL 4TH WALL!?!?!?!?!?!

But they’re right, Komi said nothing yet most students had an emperor’s clothes situation where they hallucinated whatever Komi’s speech was

Oh so NOW Shiki wants to cry at the right time... but the situation has been so ridiculous she is unable to... you can’t control the die YOU CAN’T CONTROL THE CRY!

HOLY SHIT NETSUNO IS STILL ALIVE!?!?!??! Also tanner for some reason? (also her hair is still on fire wtf?)

Internal struggle but denied and Netsuno is ready to give the speech

And suddenly an armwrestling match for WHO gives the final speech... because off course I guess?

Look Shiki I get those are the wrong tears but you can’t deny this shit’s funny and should make a heck of a parting memory xD

spent the last 5 minutes trying to search a graduation song in heavy metal... sadly I fail... this is not even close but is in my head now so take it

So yeah... the ceremony was weird af and poor Shiki now is dead inside (and outside probably)

And here is were my lack of knowledge makes me miss the weight of the situation... although at face value it is interesting to see... a passing on the torch (Past Worange, remember to give this scene the weight it deserves when the time comes)

(also I think I saw it mentioned somewhere but Agari is saying goodbye to the library gorilla lady... THAT is so weird yet slightly emotional with as little as I know)

And as Shiki is leaving the scene Komi comes crossing and by mistake blocking her exit, totally a coincidence as tiny corner dude says (WHO ARE YOU!?!?!?!?) But... heh... an oldie but a goodie. Reinterpreting Komi’s existence to serve your own story...

Shiki basically used the random situation to let her feeling come forth and admit this silly school was fun and she doesnt wanna leave (I can’t relate but good for her... I guess?)

And so all he 3rd years got emotional and cheered Shiki on...

It’s a perfectly fine chapter, I’m just probably missing a bit of its weight due to the skipping but even then it was a fun chapter with shenanigans and just that right amount of lingering melancholy

ALSO as much as I’m here for the TAKO, I AM GLAD we still gonna get more unrelated to that shenanigans (which this is the first since chapter 302 so...)

See you... in a couple minutes when we go to see if White Day becomes as long as Valentine’s (also this means Komi and Tadano have been dating for almost a month WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO--

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 265: Tamaki What Did You Eat

Previously on BnHA: The heroes began their invasion of the Ol’ Villain Marriott. Down in the basement, Re-Destro was all “what’s going my fresh villain citizens, what a beautiful day, well I guess we should start that meeting” and they were all “WE’RE UNDER FUCKING ATTACK” and he made a face and I laughed. Class 1-B, Edgeshot, and Midnight then jovially killed some people, and then we cut to Dabi and Hawks! Hawks was all “sorry it has to be this way Bubaigawara but I’m gonna have to arrest you” and Twice got all Harry Potter in that one scene from the Prisoner of Azkaban movie, and then he did the thing, and fucking Hawks just fucking stood there and DID NOTHING. So now he’s gonna have to fight 100,000 Twices I guess, and meanwhile Dabi is running up the stairs on his way to intervene and somehow make things even more chaotic. Also either Hawks or Dabi thinks heroes are scum, and I’m still not clear on which. But basically it’s safe to say that angst is on the way, friends.

Today on BnHA: Tamaki turns into a horse. I have questions. Dark Shadow fights fucking Re-Destro and fucking destroys him in like two seconds flat, like holy shit whaaaaat. Then Tokoyami just hops on inside of Fatgum like a goddamn marsupial, and spends several pages like this, during which I completely can’t focus the entire time but I do remember that we learned that Machia won’t be joining the fight because he apparently only listens to Tomura, so that’s convenient I guess. Then we cut to Twice and Hawks (I literally typed out “Dabi and Hawks” just now and had to go back and change it, so you can see where my mind is at), and Hawks defeats Twice and is all “guess I’ve got no choice” and is seriously going to kill him (hahaha what the fuck), but then DABI FUCKING BURNS THE ENTIRE ROOM DOWN WITH EVERYONE IN IT WHILE LAUGHING AND THEN THE CHAPTER JUST ENDS. I feel like I just got slapped in the face.

so before we start, let me just mention that I got a ton of asks and messages about the whole “HERO SCUM” line, and I appreciate everyone keeping me up to date on the twists and turns of our wild little fandom lol. so as you all probably know, in Viz’s translation of the last page they had Dabi saying the line (“Twice, this isn’t your fault. as always... scummy heroes are to blame”). so naturally everyone was either like “whaaaaat!” or “I KNEW IT!!”, but then Caleb went and deleted his original tweet saying that it was Dabi, and replaced it with a new tweet, the gist of which was basically “I don’t fucking know either” and admitting he wasn’t an authority on the matter. so to sum everything up, we basically don’t know and will never know until the anime airs this in about three years’ time, or until the only man who can actually clear this up decides to stop drawing weird mushroom men for five goddamn minutes so he can clarify for us

anyway, so in the meantime it’s time to see who’s having angst this week! probably everybody! let’s just assume it’s everybody and save some time

ohooo so we finally get to see why they had Tamaki and Tokoyami in the vanguard, eh?

(ETA: gotta say, “you” is an awfully impersonal way to address someone whose entire body you are shortly going to stuff inside your little quirk papoose and tote around like a fanny pack.)

honestly this isn’t much of a mystery though lol. Tokoyami is obvious, and with Tamaki it’s probably because of his kraken thing if I had to guess

...excuse me sir is this leading where I think it’s leading

sir. Mister Gum, sir. please do not tell me you are actually about to lead these children into the building and down into the basement. first of all the thought of you and Tamaki in yet another basement is already giving me PTSD so no thanks. and second of all, ???!?!?!?!?! [gestures incredulously to the two children] ?!?!?!???? [emphatically taps my computer screen with the wiki page showing their respective ages] ???!?!?!?!?!?! [gestures wildly toward a picture of Gigantomachia I pulled up just now in a google search. yeah that’s right. Gigantomachia!! you all forgot about him didn’t you!! well guess who didn’t forget about him?? that’s right. so you’d better explain yourself right the fuck now, Fatgum. oh wait I’m still talking in action brackets whoops]

holy crap is Tokoyami giving orders lmao

well look at you. a general, huh? somebody must’ve told them about his little maneuver at the Battle of Taanab

so now some generic villain guys are all “HOW’D THEY FIND OUR SECRET PATH” and “WE MUST DEFEND IT” and I sure can’t wait to watch them get their asses kicked three panels from now

OH LORDY

EVERYONE TAMAKI HAS JUST TURNED INTO A HORSE. I IMMEDIATELY HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS, THE MOST PRESSING OF WHICH ARE (1) WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO HIS PANTS, AND (2) DOES THIS MEAN TAMAKI ATE A FUCKING HORSE. PLEASE STAY TUNED AS WE URGENTLY INVESTIGATE THESE NEW DEVELOPMENTS

lol and the cow horns too. why though. just completes the look I guess

loooooool he’s all “apologies, but please remain still” who are you, Tuxedo Mask??

LOOOOOOL

by the way, I almost skipped right past this, but the text says Tamaki will be a sidekick at the Fatgum agency starting “next year”, which presumably means “in a couple of weeks because the school year is about to end.” our boy is graduating! I’m so proud, and also really pissed off about Mirio all of a sudden, just throwing that out there. how much longer must his dreams be put on hold. where is the justice. man I need a minute

okay! anyway so now Tokoyami is just running into the basement alone!! hooooo boy. I know it’s dark down there and that’s presumably why they’re sending him of all people, but still. hooooooooo boy

ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS NO WAY

IS TOKOYAMI GOING TO TAKE ON FUCKING RE-DESTRO AND IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING AND WHY THE FUCK IS NIGHT ON BALD MOUNTAIN SUDDENLY PLAYING

KDSFLK;L’LLL

AM I IN THE RIGHT MANGA. DID DARK SHADOW REALLY JUST GROW NINETY FEET TALL AND START WRESTLING THE SAME FUCKING GUY WHO ALMOST* BROUGHT DOWN THE ENTIRE LEAGUE OF FUCKING VILLAINS

*except he didn’t, let’s be real. didn’t even come close. but still, on paper the hype looks real good!!

AND DO RE-DESTRO’S ROBOT LEGS SOMEHOW FUCKING CHANGE SIZE ALONG WITH HIM. CHALK ANOTHER ONE UP FOR THE MYSTERY BASKET. PUT YOU RIGHT NEXT TO “BUT FOR REAL THOUGH DID TAMAKI ACTUALLY EAT A FUCKING HORSE”

OOOOOF

LOL DETNERAT’S MERCHANDISE REALLY IS TOTAL SHIT. CAN’T EVEN HANDLE A LITTLE CLASH WITH A GIGANTIC SHADOW DEMON

by the way, check out that one guy in the bottom right corner who just totally doesn’t give the least of fucks. he’s fresh out. he wants to know how much longer this is gonna last so he can go home and get back to playing the new Animal Crossing. did you know they added a new crafting feature. can’t believe he’s stuck here at this boring meeting. this man genuinely doesn’t seem to be at all aware of anything that is currently happening around him and it’s amazing. added to the box of questions

oh man. I don’t quite understand what is happening now but I keep expecting Gigantomachia to just pop up out of nowhere any second and I can’t fucking stand it. Horikoshi please stop showing us these close-ups of destroyed walls

OH GOD OH GOD!!!

(ETA: what a casual fucking line implying that Tokoyami genuinely believed that there was nobody in THE ENTIRE LEAGUE OF PLIFF who stood a chance against his latest super move. don’t mind him everyone, he’s just been lowkey biding his time to become the strongest member of class 1-A offscreen while his loser classmates were having dramatic family dinners. how many High Ends could Dark Shadow take out I wonder. why did I suddenly get a mental image of Toko losing an arm only to sigh and nonsensically quote Shakespeare or some shit before wrapping Dark Shadow around the stump and getting back to the asskicking.)

NO TOKO NOT THE ANGRY BALD MAN, HE’S TALKING ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE!! OH FUCK OH FUCK

LMAO

:) :) :) can we maybe get my solemn bird son out of this fucking DEATH BASEMENT right the fuck now. can we do that, please

holy shit!?

:) :) :) I can’t decide whether I trust these panels or not. why is he so confident. does this mean Machia really will be sitting out the arc, or is a trap. help

(ETA: I guess it’s okay for now. ... dammit I’m still suspicious sob.)

also, Tokoyami’s “?!” face is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen though. the fact that he’s physically incapable of altering his expressions no matter what is true comedy gold here

NEVER MIND, THOSE WERE THE WORDS OF A CALLOW YOUTH WHO KNEW NOTHING OF TRUE COMEDY GOLD

WHAT A FOOL I WAS. PLEASE PARDON MY IGNORANCE. SO HERE WE HAVE TOKOYAMI’S MONOEXPRESSION BIRD HEAD STICKING OUT OF FATGUM’S JOLLY BELLY FOR NO REASON, WHILE FATGUM IS ALL “DON’T YOU FEEL LIKE WE’RE KICKING TOO MUCH ASS AND SOMETHING TERRIBLE IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN”, AND SOME OTHER POOR GUY WITH SCISSORS HANDS IS JUST LYING THERE DEAD IN THE BACKGROUND. MY GOD. I’M IN AWE OF THIS

dfkjkjk oh noooo

“does this young man amuse you,” Horikoshi says as he darkly pencils in the disturbingly concave shadows of Fatgum’s ridiculous fucking quirk. “are his ‘magnificent fellow’ bird antics pleasing for you to watch. I guess it sure would be a shame if I gave him some... angst”

but for real y’all I genuinely can’t take this at all seriously when Tokoyami’s head is still stubbornly and persistently poking its way out of Fatgum like a goddamn baby kangaroo in every fucking panel

we are entering another Tokoyami+Hawks mentor flashback and this is still all I can think about. why is he even in there. why is any of this happening. Tokoyami really just flung Re-Destro into a wall and then climbed inside of Fatgum feet-first so they could run along to freedom. just fucking ensconced himself. do you think it’s cozy in there. do you think Aizawa would fall asleep

hey Toko please stop having ominous thoughts about my other bird son

have you ever heard of an announcer jinx. “now here’s a guy who the fans have loved since the moment he was first introduced. and if you look at the stats, fourth place in his first popularity poll, which was taken only ten chapters after his introduction. heck, he’s so popular they even went and gave him a role in the second movie even before he appeared in the anime! it’s undeniable that this young man has a bright future ahead of him, Al.” now you listen here. I don’t at all like where this is headed and it needs to stop right now

anyway so of course on that note we are cutting back to Hawks

so we’ve confirmed that Hawks has his hands full just melting all of the new clones as they come, and doesn’t have the speed or the excess feathers (or the conviction? :|) to go after the original and put a stop to all this

or you could just ignore everything I say ever because immediately on the next page Horikoshi is all “actually he’s winning lol”

anyway but it sure would be a shame if someone were to run in and set you on fire right about now. that probably sounds sarcastic but it actually would be really bad lol please don’t set Hawks on fire

(ETA: motherfucker. goddamn. fucking --)

and now Hawks is making clones of his fellow League buddies oh shit!! but right when I was about to scroll down I noticed that Hawks is carrying some sort of recording device?? or communications device?? in his hand very conspicuously in that last panel? and so what is going on here, exactly?

oh shit and never mind about those LoV clones

that’s all well and good Hawks, but I need you to please just be very cautious and aware and proactive about not catching on fire okay. watch your six

oh my god oh my god

“now here’s a guy whose rise in popularity was unexpected but just a real pleasure to watch. he just really cares about his friends.” “you said it; he really came into his own a couple arcs back. twenty-third in the most recent poll, and the fans all love him.” fffffff Hawks isn’t a killer Hawks isn’t a killer, I can’t hear you lalala

LA LA LA

maybe... he’ll just... punch a small hole through one of his lungs... ...

...

or... a large hole... ... ,,,

oh THANK GOD he’s jumping on top of him. so clearly he’s fine because Shounen Rules. that’s right, this is a manga where Toga survived blowing up from the inside out and Jeanist survived being murdered and stuffed into a tote bag. (right??) why am I so tense I hate this!!

HEY WHAT IS THIS

or you could just KNOCK HIM OUT??? ?????!??! did they not teach you that in peewee assassin league?! Hawks

I DON’T LIKE THIS I DIDN’T SIGN UP FOR THIS!!

STOP SHOWING US TWICE’S SAD THOUGHTS YOU BASTARD NO I DON’T LIKE THIS YOU’RE GOING TO MAKE ME CRY SO STOP!!

GODDAMMIT HORIKOSHI I FUCKING HATE YOU

“HERE’S A SERIES OF PANELS WITH TWICE CRYING AND THINKING ABOUT TOGA WHILE HAWKS HOLDS A FUCKING KNIFE RIGHT ABOVE HIS EYE,” HORIKOSHI SAYS WHILE IGNORING EVERYTHING I SAY AND DISABLING ALL COMMENTS ON HIS TWITTER, PROBABLY. WOW I JUST LOOKED IT UP AND APPARENTLY YOU CAN’T DO THAT? DAMN, TWITTER REALLY SUCKS, BUT ANYWAY

FINE THEN DABI YOU CAN SET HIM ON FIRE!!

JOKE’S ON YOU ASSHOLES, YOU CAN’T HURT ME IF I CAN’T SEE THE LAST PAGE OF THE CHAPTER THROUGH ALL MY TEARS

FUCK

[SLAMS HANDS ON TABLE] THE FUCK WAS THAT

DON’T YOU EVEN DARE, HORIKOSHI. I DON’T WANT TO HEAR ANY “BUT YOU GAVE HIM PERMISSION”, COME THE FUCK ON, YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THAT DIDN’T MEAN SHIT AND I WAS LIABLE TO CHANGE MY MIND YET AGAIN ONLY A PAGE LATER AS PER USUAL! WHAT SORT OF TWISTED MIND WOULD DECIDE THAT THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE TWICE WAS TO SET THE ENTIRE ROOM ABLAZE AND THEN HAVE DABI GLEEFULLY STOMP ON HAWKS’S FACE. WHAT KIND OF SICK MONSTER WOULD DREAM THIS UP. THIS ISN’T HOT AT ALL. HOW DARE YOU

ALSO WTF DABI, “HERE I COME TO RESCUE TWICE” WHILE BURNING HIM ALIVE AS WELL, JESUS CHRIST THESE FUCKING TODOROKIS I SWEAR TO GOD. DID YOUR BRAIN CELLS CATCH FIRE TOO

I CAN’T BELIEVE I WAITED ALL WEEK IN A FUCKING LOCKDOWN FOR THIS SHIT. THIS CHAPTER WAS A FUCKING TRAIN WRECK, AND I DON’T KNOW IF I WANT TO THANK ITS STUPID CONDUCTOR, OR PUNCH HIM IN THE FACE. it’s not the manga we need, but it’s the one we deserve. I guess

[8makes1cheese]

f2l with Song Mingi♡

Pairing: Mingi X Reader

RoommateAU, (and like High SchoolAU in the beginning and kinda CollegeAU?)

Tags: cursing, shitty attempts at comedy, fluff, kinda sorta suggestive?, ig drug use and drinking?(booze and weed)

Words: 2.5k

A/N: Okay so, this is my first bullet scenario thing? and its weird...like this is so weird but I tried XD it ended up this weird mix between bullet scenario and oneshot fic and i-

...............all I can do is practice and try to get better but yeah. SO HERES THIS :D (im srry don hate me T-T)

-Finding Your Best Friend-

this bb would be the best-est friend you would have in this world

probably why you fell for him in the first place, but let's not get to ahead of ourselves

you guys met freshman year of high school

your guys' mutual friend Yunho is really the reason why

you just moved to town, and since said town was small, it was clear to you that everybody knew everybody else

you felt pretty lonely on the first day because of that

second day of freshman year is where is all started to come together

you were looking for a nice spot to sit and have your lunch outside because you didn't want to look like the weird loner person eating by themselves in silence

you found a pretty spot under a big tree near the track field, you put a random cool cake making tutorial on your phone and ate your lunch

the video was at a part where they were placing intricate designs in frosting all over the cake when you hear "Whoa, that is so cool!"

you jump about 3 feet in the air and immediately gather up your phone and get up to spin around to see who interrupted your quiet time

a young man, not sure his grade, with peach colored hair and a worried expression on his face, raises his hands in a surrender pose

'okay but what the hell was he doing, watching my phone behind the tree?'

well reader, we'll never know

"I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to scare you that bad! Really, I am so so so sorry!"

you, still in shock, just nod at him

now you're both just standing in front of each other

not saying anything

....well

this is awkward

"I-I'm Yunho...by the way."

you clear your throat, not sure why, nervous habit

"[Y/N].."

"So, uh... Haven't seen you around here before.."

once you explained you were new, and new to the town in general. There was no escape.

you were now best friends with the giant teddy bear and there was nothing you could do about it

yunho immediately took you under his wing and showed you around the campus. Then the town itself after school was out.

but Ro this seems to be turning into a yunho x reader fic/ bullet scenario

stfu I'm getting there

what did this turn into even

so now you and Yunho are bffs

enter giant teddy bear 2.0

you and yunho are hanging out at lunch, it's become a usual for the past two weeks

and Yunhos other bff is becoming sus about why Yunho hasn't been eating with him at lunch or doesn't seem to have as much time after school for him

that's when giant teddy bear 2.0 (if you don't know that its Mingi then idek-) finds his bestie with some random chick

a really adorable random chick

"So this is where you have been?"

you and Yunho start, not expecting someone to find your guys' spot

Also, deja vu, amiright?

"Oh, hey Mingi!" Yunho greets the tall dirty blonde haired teddy bear

And you're totally not sitting there thinking, 'holy shit, he is...wow.'

and that's how it all started

he stayed and introduced himself and you hit it off just as well as you and yunho did

maybe even better..

he started showing up everyday, at the what was dubbed 'The Cool Kids Spot™️' by you all, with yunho

even tho we all know you guys were NOT the cool kids

then it went to him being at the spot before everyone showed up

so he could see you first

then it turned into him meeting you up after class so you both could grab your food together and meet up Yunho at The Spot™️

before you could even realize it, he became your person

you were the first person he ran up to and hugged after him and Yunhos dance group took home 1st place at a competition

he was the first person you called when you were told that your poem won an award

you were the person he'd come to if he needed any kind of advice

and he was the first person you went to if you needed to get out of your head or your anxiety was getting to you

the high school years went by so fast

a lot changed

but what never changed was Mingi, he may have grown

and damn he grew

but he was your constant (and yes, yunho too, we can't forget yunho bro)

-Knowing They're The One-

high school came and went

Mingi and Yunho were accepted by a prestigious performing arts school

you, however, were going to just a regular college

luckily, both schools weren't terribly far from each other

which is why, instead of suffering in dorms, you and Mingi decided to get a apartment together, not far from both schools

yunhos ass stayed with his parents because they live like right next to the school, lucky hoe

you all still make time for each other

but you and Mingi prefer to stay in, order takeout and watch random stuff on YouTube

whenever you or Mingi went out it was always together (unless it was classes)

Grocery shopping? Together. Doctors appointment? Together. Girls night? Together. Guys night? Together.

"So, you must be suffering right now" his friend Yeosang said to him on a rare guys night that didn't involve you.

Mingi looked at Yeosang perplexed, ignoring whatever Wooyoung was talking to him about

"What are you talking about?"

"You and [Y/N] are literally always together, the fact she isn't here surprises me."

Mingi laughed. "We're not always together."

A cacophony of "LIES" and "BULLSHIT" filled the air as all of Mingi friends called him out on his bullshit

Mingi could feel his face heating up

"W-well, so what if we are! Were best friends AND roommates."

"And lovers~" his friend San whispered in his ear from behind and laughed, dancing away before Mingi could hit him

"We're not together!" Mingi exclaimed, rolling his eyes.

"But you want to be."

Mingi turned to look at the owner of the voice. It was Yunho, leaning against the entrance of the kitchen everyone was gathered in

He was looking at Mingi with a smirk

Mingi knew Yunho knew how he felt about you

and not because he told him

well...he kinda did

FLASHBACK TIME

it was your guys' high school graduation

more specifically, the night of, and you were all partying and yunhos house

celebrating the fact that you all were officially adults now

lol you thought

and what better way to celebrate that than with underage drinking

be safe kids, don't drink irresponsibly

and Mingi. Got. Wasted.

by the end of the night, he was crying (and maybe puked once or twice...) in Yunhos arms about how beautiful you were, and how amazing and talented you were

wouldn't shut up about how soft and perfect you feel in his arms when he hugs you or vice versa

"She is my soulmate." After every other sentence mentioning how perfect you are

but wait, where were you while Mingi was crying and puking you ask?

That night you met Yeonjun, who is now one of your closest friends

  at first, a friend of Wooyoungs, who you all became friends with junior year, along with his best friend San

Yeonjun, who went to a different school across town, was invited along by Woo and San

you and Yeonjun hit it off so well, drinking and laughing, and talking about how much he loves his boyfriend Soobin, and maybe you drunkingly going on about how amazing Mingi is

however, Mingi didn't know Yeonjun

and what he saw that night was you, enjoying your time with someone who wasn’t him, laughing at jokes that weren't his, hanging all over someone who could never know you as well as he did (and that totally wasn't the reason that Mingi drank like 2 bottles of straight vodka, not at all)

and at that moment

he knew

he fucked up

he was in love with you

OKAY END OF FLASHBACK

Mingi wasn't sure what to say

he could deny it sure, but he knew it was useless

not after every person in the room gave him a knowing smirk after Yunhos comment

“She doesn't-”

“Oh, whatever. you guys are literally already a couple. And dont even try to deny that. If she was here right now, she’d probably be on your lap and you two would be sitting in some corner of the house whispering some weird drunk lovey shit to each other.”

well...

Mingi really didn't have a argument for that

that night he came home sober

but you didn't know that until months later when he told you he wasn't actually drunk

anyways when he got home you were sitting in the living room

music playing away on YouTube while you type away on your laptop

you didn't hear him come in, softly singing along to the song under your breath

he stood there for a moment and just..looked at you

your hair was a mess

you had on the same clothes as yesterday

probably haven't done a skincare routine in months

you were the most beautiful person he had ever seen in his life

he felt so much love swell in his chest

hes known it for a while now but at that moment all that was going on in his head was

“That’s my soulmate. I love her. I love her so much.”

“Hey.”

he wasn't sure if he had said it loud enough but apparently he had because you flinched and turned to see who the ‘intruder’ was

“Oh, Mingi! Shit, you scared me...” you laughed. “How was guys night?”

He made his was over to sit on the couch as you told him how your paper was coming along and then waited for him to answer your question

he sat for a good minute not saying anything

“Mingi?”

he looked at you

“you okay hun?” you asked, placing your hand on his cheek

and then he kissed you

it was so quick, you had no time to register that it was happening at all

and he left just as quickly

slamming the door to his bedroom and leaving you flustered and panicked

-So....Lovers?-

the morning after the kiss was the most awkward moment that you and Mingi had ever had

luckily it didn't last long at all

you two were silent, awkwardly making breakfast

then Mingi busted out with “Man, I’m so hungover! I barely remember anything from last night!”

“Do...do you remember anything from when you came home?”

“No, to be honest, I don't even remember coming home...”

-cue forced laughter-

-cue Mingi not trying to be disappointed when you looked relieved-

 he asked you if anything happened and tried not to feel sad about the fact you were going on about how nothing happened and he just came home and went to bed

why wouldn't you mention the kiss? maybe everyone had it wrong, you didn't feel the same. why else would you avoid it?

but everything went back to...normal

you two would cuddle every night on the couch

you showed up to every guys night like usual

(there may or may not have been more knowing smirks thrown Mingis way)

he showed up to the rare girls nights you'd have with your (like 2) girlfriends

(they literally just consisted of everyone chilling in some secluded spot and sparking up a blunt or two and bull-shittng)

but everything wasn't normal

because even though it lasted 0.0002 seconds long

Mingi cannot stop thinking about that kiss

neither can you for that matter

that's when you confided in your bestie Yeonjun

who knew all about your love for your other bestie

you went to Yeonjuns one Saturday afternoon without mingi

its been a month since the kiss and Yeonjun is only disappointed in the fact that you didn't tell him sooner

his solution was simple, just tell him how you feel

its so god damn obvious he feels the same

but who are you to do the simple thing right?

so what do you do?

you go with Soobins idea

and :) you:) go:) on:) a:) blind:) date:) with one of soobin and yeonjuns friends:)))))))

well

at least you were supposed to..

the night comes when you were supposed to meet at a nice cafe with their friend Beomgyu

you. were. lookin. FIRE BABY

slaayyyyy

you were in the kitchen grabbing your keys

and maybe prolonging the fact that your going out with someone who isn't MIngi

when Mingi walked out to heat himself up a noodle cup

and maybe one for you too because he didn't think you were going anywhere and was going to ask if you wanted to chill in his room and play mario kart

his jaw DROPPED when he saw you

he felt like he was just kicked in the gut, all breath left his lungs

and he may or may not have gotten an instant boner but-

he cleared his throat to get your attention

“You look...nice.” wow, Mingi, smooth

“O-oh, thanks, um... ill be back later okay?”

when Mingi asked where you'll be going and you said you had a blind date, he swears to this day he blacked out for a moment

next thing he knew he had you pushed against the counter

“Mingi-”

“No.”

“w-what..”

“You don't have a date.”

“But I do-”

then his lips were pressed against yours

and unlike the first, this one lasted a hell of a lot longer than 0.0002 seconds

it wasn't fireworks or butterflies or a sudden realization of unconditional love

it was rough and messy and filled with so many emotions including relief that your love for each other can finally blossom

you didn't say a word to each other when you parted

you stared at each other for a while, panting with big smiles on your faces

once your breathing returned to normal you gently pushed him back so you weren't pressed against the counter anymore

“I’m going to change in PJ's.”

Mingis smile lit up his whole face. “But I thought you had a date..”

“No, I don't.” you kissed his cheek and left to change.

-YES LOVERS FINALLY-

so you guys never really sat down and were like ‘hey so are we...?’

because you both knew you just....were

after that night you guys started acting like you had been dating for months

it was just like before

because of course, like always, Yunho was right

you guys already acted like you were dating

now kisses and a lot more were added to the mix

which just made everything 1000x better

everyone knew it was just a matter of time

you loved waking up to his arms wrapped around your waist and him softly snoring in your ear

he loved waking up to you peppering kisses all over his collar bones and neck

your loved bloomed♡

A/N pt2: Im sorry if the end seems so rushed as well, I started running out of steam and my mind blanked but I didn't want to prolong this and never post it...like i do with everything...

Thank you for reading!

[vickers-n-lickers]

Moonlit pt. 1

Warning: Contains explicit content and mentions of violence. ((BradxOC, Jill and Chris))

"We're going to see the flowers bloom, right?"

"Yeah, babe… We're gonna go. Delucia is real pretty this time of year," Brad bit back a sob as he held the compress fast against the side of the woman's neck. He didn't dare another look beneath.

The corpse of her attacker was laid out in front of the barricaded doors in a pool of its own filth. Blood and skin glistened between rotting teeth. The S.T.A.R.S. emblem of Brad's knife shined in gold and blood from where he had jabbed it into the zombie's skull.

"I don't think I'm going to make it though..."

"It's going to be okay, Joan. Just stay still. Help is coming."

She was too tired to laugh, fingers slippery in red reached to graze the side of his face. Blood came away as finger paint. "Nobody is coming. Jenna is gone and I'm…" She whimpered, tears glittering in her eyes.

His shaking hand slipped and gripped hers. Soft lips along her beautiful wrist, it took everything in him not to lose it right then and there.

Joan smiled. She smiled the way she always did in the dim light and tangled sheets; face aglow with it reaching clear to those green eyes.

Brad frowned. He frowned the way he had every night since July. Nothing Joan could say to him would ever spare him the guilt or shame. Not even the way she looked at him that moment could spare him.

The city was lost.

Soon she would be gone too.

"Hey Piper, if you're heading out to lunch can you drop this off at the airfield? New guy forgot his flight bag. S.T.A.R.S. is taking off a couple hours."

Swiveling around in her seat, Joan's brows rose high. "I can. Do I really want to?"

Marvin just made a face at the brilliant smile delivered toward him. "Alright then. You fly, I buy. Pick up something from Emma's on the way back, please?"

"Why, Sergeant Branagh that is awfully kind of you. I'll be sure to get the lobster." Badge tucked in a back pocket, the brunette woman slung her coat over a shoulder.

Shoving the bag and money into the woman's hands, he chuckled. "Burgers, Piper. Just burgers and fries. Bring something back for everyone else too. We're gonna be here late tonight."

Outside of the hangar, Joan slung the pack over a shoulder. The sun was in her eyes until she was in the shade of the massive building. Past a door to what stunk like a bathroom, she pushed one of the double doors open to the main hangar floor. The place was empty aside from yellow lines stenciling out a walkway, some grounding points, and one UH-1 loaded onto rollers and hooked up to a tug. Looking around, Joan was confused just where to drop this off.

Her answer came as a door from across the hangar suddenly opened. "Hey! Do you know where the pilot is?"

He was about her height, sporting a yellow jacket and trying to hurry across the clean white floor. "That would be me! Did Marvin send you?" Brad waved, letting out a sigh when the bag was in his hands. "Thank you so much. I'm having the longest week ever."

"I bet. Not like a pilot to forget his helmet and gear." His cologne was pleasant to her on the air so near one another.

Another sigh and Vickers fished out his helmet. "Yeah…"

"It'll get better. I'm Joan by the way." She offered a hand in greeting.

He took it and smiled. "Brad Vickers."

A beer bottle smashed to the floor. "Aw! Look what you did!" Chris said with a sigh, leaving the stage. Forest followed after, their usual boyish behavior resuming.

"Clean it up!" Joan huffed, presented them with a broom and dust pan. She just shook her head as they continued taunting and teasing one another. Spotting a familiar face in the crowd, she left them and the mess behind.

"How did those two graduate?" Joseph asked, wiping tears from his face as he laughed.

"Teacher passed them just to get them out of her hair, probably." Brad replied, sitting up as she approached. "Hi, Joan."

"Hey Brad, I'm surprised you came out tonight. I thought you were flying."

"Yeah, I did." He replied, nodding. Nervous as always.

Joseph looked between the two, shaking his head at Brad. "…C'mon man. She's trying so hard."

Flustered, Brad glared over at him. "What?"

"That sounds like fun." She offered to silence a potential argument, gathering up empty bottles. "Well, I'll see you around." Lips pressing to a thin line the beer bottles went into the trash can as she headed toward the back.

Forest's laughter filled the air as the two returned to the table. "'Oh Brad, I want you. Why can't you say anything that would let me know that you wanted me too?'" Speyer's impression of the woman only made the group laugh more.

"Brad, you just need to get a deeper voice around her. Nothing gets a lady going like a deep voice. Could tell her that you spent half the day in the john and her panties would still fly off." Ken said with a chuckle.

"Brad's balls haven't dropped. Stop taunting him, Ken." Joseph scoffed, finishing his beer. "You'll get there one day, Vickers."

The teasing was too much. Brad stormed off toward the bathroom before anyone could get another jab in.

Vickers doused his face in the sink, letting out a huff as water trickled off him. Drying off, he didn't want to go back out there for another roasting. Not now. Taking a left, he headed out the door poorly illuminated by an exit sign, doused in moonlight as he stepped outside. A familiar stink in the back alley filled his nostrils, the moon swollen full above. It looked pretty, too bad he was pissed off. "Assholes."

"Are they still harassing you?" A voice asked, Joan appearing as the door swung shut. Leather from her jacket clear to her boots, she was a black ink splotch against a brick wall.

Brad tried to play it off with a shrug. "Same as always…" When she took another drag, he cleared his throat. "You know that stuff is illegal, right?"

"Mhm…." Green eyes looked at him sidelong. "So?" She raised a brow when he dared to point at the joint between her fingers.

"You could be arrested for that." His eyes were enormous when she was in his space.

Joan blew smoke and air out, sad ivy eyes meeting his stare. "Is that what you think about when you go home, Brad? Cuffing me?" One last drag taken and she held the air, flicking the roach over the fence.

Alarm streaked across a normally glum face. Not even five minutes after being taunted by the guys here she was… "I- NO! No! I would never-…" His entire form stilled when her lips brushed against his. An eager tongue asking for entry had his jaw slacked, smoke and tongue rolling over the inside of his mouth.

He inhaled all of her, still lost in the moment when she released him from her clutches.

"Because if that's what you're into," Long fingers traced up and down the front of his shirt. "I'm interested." Lips a hair away from his, she spoke softly. "My apartment is just across the street, I have a few hours to kill before closing up…"

Brad blinked, coughing out the smoke from what she had shared, unable to form words let alone anything seductive enough to match. Through the glass where he hid so much of himself, she saw him. He knew that. It made him less tense. So did the pot.

"Wanna come up with me?" Joan never followed any rules but her own now.

He wouldn't have wanted her any other way.

Keys dumped on the table by the door, Joan shed the jacket from her shoulders. It dropped on a stack of old newspapers. She followed him, an arm slunk over his shoulder as they both looked at an article carefully tucked under fruit magnets on the fridge. Joan stared back at them in ink on paper, smiling brightly in her uniform.

"I remember that. You caught the guy who evaded S.T.A.R.S. for months," Brad commented, thumb tracing over the tight script of the headline. The heat of her so close was devouring his attention. Her touch; electric.

"Did I ever tell you what happened when I caught up to him? He tried to grab me from behind in his apartment when I was questioning him. Slung him like a sack of potatoes right through his glass coffee table." She smiled fondly when he chuckled.

"I never heard that part of the story before..."

"Probably had to get stitches in his butt. I don't remember anymore. Want a beer?"

A few more drinks and she was pulling him away from the island in her kitchen.

Holy shit... he's in my bedroom.

His hands went for her hips. She gave him a push onto the bedspread. In the dim light, the brunette's eyes drank him all in.

Leaning forward, Brad hooked a finger along the waist of her pants. It only took seconds for her to be left in nothing but a pair of filigree black panties. An interesting selection, it felt like window shopping. His palm wandered up the sheer fabric as she crawled into his lap and out of the pants puddled on the floor. The pilot was growing anxious under his surface to entice her with his touch. His experience was limited, but he was eager. So eager to play out what ran through his mind a million times when she'd bumped into him.

Teeth nipping at her bottom lip briefly, she couldn't help but imprint it all to memory.

His fingers pushing the fabric of her tank top up until she was tugging it overhead.

The outline of his girth under the material of his slacks.

He looked so untamed in her bed, under her, her fingers tracing his bottom lip.

Her eyes widened as his lips parted and a tongue drug against the pads of her fingers. Those fingers dipped and he sucked. His smile was an easy thing when her fingers retracted, tugging back a little more on one side than the other.

So beautiful.

Him.

Just like that.

She was as high as she'd ever been from the image alone.

His grin faded fast under Joan's gauging stare.

Fingers frisked through his hair, the rock hard girth pressed against her as their mouths fused. She didn't acknowledge it openly; he'd have to show want of his own. Tearing free for air, his mouth and tongue on her collarbone was such a pleasant feeling; it sent a tremble down her spine. She wondered how he would feel rigid against the roof of her mouth as she drug her nails to his belt.

He traced the interior of that annoying fabric she still wore. He barely brushed against the heat of her when his brows jolted. Zipper down, her hand snaked in.

He was thick and hard, and his nostrils flared as she rotated her thumb over the head of his member. There was some pride to be had in watching his eyes dial and desire scribble its name all over his features. His fingers pressured spots white and then staining red as his hands moved again. He couldn't look away. The pace of the stroke, the look on her face… The gentle bounce of her chest from breath and motion. She made him ache in the worst way possible and left him dripping. He hated how she made his member weep all over the skin stretched between her thumb and index finger. He loved it too.

Joan gasped as his wrist flipped, a crooked finger sliding in easily. She visibly shuddered, internally collapsed all around his digit as it slid to the joint before retracting over and over. Even the pad of his thumb rotated over her pearl. Everything in her quaked. She felt his stare even when her eyes where shut. She hated how a second finger sank inside and thrust. She loved it too.

His teeth sank into her side. A tongue bathed over the bruise and perfect mark of his teeth under her ribs. Cool breath made her mewl. He pushed in. Her walls pushed back. He knew she was building fast and fierce. Tongue drug between the mounds of her breasts, he panted hard against her skin.

Her grip on his girth finally released, both of her hands were behind her on his knees. Those fingers of his were about to be the end of her. She shamelessly begged him not to stop, dripping all over his palm. Such a brutal and starved animal she was under sad eyes and a smoky voice.

He could feel her legs trying to close on either side of his own. He spread wider, much stronger than she was.

The brunette was forced to tremble all around him, her hands on his chest. Eyes locked, her face was a flurry of emotions. His name leaving her lips, she cried out from a less than affectionate thrust of fingers. She pushed back against his digits, quivering.

"Cum for me." His voice was a low whisper.

It was too much for her to hold in. She never thought she'd live to see the day those words would escape his throat. It made her clench, entire form seized. Drenching his hand was an understatement, shaking uncontrollably.

Brad's free hand cradled the back of her neck, keeping her steady. "Are you alright?"

Her nod was not very convincing. Fingers drawn out, her panties slid back. Sopping wet, as wobbly as a fawn fresh to the world, she stumbled to her feet. His hand caught her forearm, she never hit the carpet. Eyes lifted to him as she slid the soaked undergarments off.

The crease of his lips parting, the glistening tips of his two fingers responsible for making such a mess, slid past teeth. His tongue lapped along them, heavy lids hovering over his eyes. He watched her watching him.

So carnal, somehow she could believe that this was him. His own veil was lifted, finally crawling out from under his rock. "That good, huh?"

His pearly teeth bit down on those digits until they ached, lips enclosing to suck the remnants off. Her taste was as close to being completely intoxicated as he cared to be. Dumping off his shirt, he wagged a finger for her to join him once more.

In his lap, she was done with hesitations. Hips rolling against him, she left his length slick in her honey. It took a dark and husky voiced confession in her ear before she slid back and then on him. All of him, safe inside, filled her right to the brim. Stretched wide, the brunette had plenty of experience.

Her tongue licking up a bead of sweat near his pectoral made him seize.

His hips met hers, buried so deep, fingers digging trenches, bruising and abusing her skin.

She whimpered, a pained tone echoing out while previously skittering fingers clenched.

He ceased, pulling back. Sat up, his arms encompassed her lithe form, fingers snaking down to her ample bottom. Gentle affections wrote silent apologies along her neck and then her mouth.

She set the pace with a gentle rock of her hips against him. He sunk back onto the bed. Under her wandering mouth he let out his air in a sigh. The slope of his shoulder, her lips drug and half-moon eyes watched his close. He pulsed as she ground down and swirled around, muscles bordering the tension of piano wire. His mouth hung open, something he was unaware of entirely.

Neither of them intended to get lost like this together.  Forehead to forehead, sweat slicked them both. His eyes refuse to tear away, hypnotized by her using him for her own needs. He was so close, and yet so far from his own end.

She could have ridden him like he was her own stallion to whip and spur right across the finish line.

Their roles reversed. Behind her, a hand in her hair, he tugged her head back. Hips bucking, he met her halfway. She was a vice around him, squeezing and pressing. Nose against her neck, he buried as much sound as possible when his end came. She could feel every throb of his release, thighs shaking. Her heartbeat was in her head and he was dripping out of her when he pulled away.

She gazed at him, blinking under sweaty strands of brunette.

Something seared in his chest, heavy and hot. He felt it more for her now than ever. It was an emotion that didn't deserve a name. He closed it away. He couldn't form words, panting heavily. He wanted to. More than badly he wanted to tell her everything that was going through his mind.

What she looked like.

How he saw what it all could be.

Brad looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, a hand gently rising to rest against the side of her face. His mouth found hers without warning.

He kissed her how he should have kissed her so long ago.

She expected him gone before dawn, another notch on a belt.

Dawn came and went. She found herself alone, sighing. 

Figures...

The sudden sound of water running in the bathroom made her heart thump hard.

Flipping the light off, Brad was all bedhead when he crawled back in with her, his nose burying against the hollow of her beautiful neck. He held her like all children hold their favorite toy.

The one that kept monsters away.

She allowed herself to relax after that. Assured of sincerity, she drifted back to sleep.

Metal door swung open, Chris led the way into the back alley. Salt scuffed with his tread, snow everywhere on the ground. "Freeze, pot head!" He pointed a finger at the woman sitting on the trash can next to the door.

Joan's eyes rolled, a middle finger presented. "Blow me, pig." The air around her was permeated with the stench of marijuana. "What's up?" Her voice was strained as she held in her air.

Arms folded, Chris glanced to the woman closing the door to the alley. "Jill hasn't heard the story about why you're the saint everyone at the RPD prays to when Irons is looking to wreck their day."

Jill gave the pony tailed brunette a small wave.

Snickering, Joan waved back. A plume of white smoke escaping her lips, she smiled. "Oh, the story of Joan of Raccoon against the tyranny of Brian the Fat is a tragic tale." She jumped to her feet, the trash can banging against the ground as it spilled open. Somewhere in the dark a dog began barking. "Ah, shit. Oh well, I'll make the bus boy clean that up. So, anyway… It goes like this: I joined the RPD in 1992 as a beat cop. It wasn't a bad gig, I was rising fast. I transferred to the K-9 unit and did pretty well with them. Then it came time again to consider me for promotion."

Chris took a seat on the stoop.

Another long drag taken from her joint, the woman paused. "Irons didn't want women to rise above sergeant, let alone ever becoming a figure with some pull in his police department. Sexist shit thinks women should be barefoot, pregnant, and unable to seek justice for violence. He used to beat on his old lady. There was some talk about him hurting two girls in college but Daddy's money made that all go away." She made a dismissing gesture with her hand. "Enough about that though. About three years ago was when I was being looked at for promotion. He canned it immediately. He did the same to four of my female peers too."

"That's blatantly sexist." Jill stated, pulling at the label lining the neck of her drink.

"Yeah, it is." The Piper girl retorted, hands reaching up to smooth away some unruly locks of brown. "Anyway, we started digging around. It turns out that Chief Irons had his hands in several cookie jars. You know the Cedar district? That crazy fuck was part of the land grab that put a lot of people on the streets. Categorized it as commercial land, Umbrella bought every inch and started throwing up building after building. They brought their own people in from elsewhere, so no new jobs. Crime jumped in Raccoon City, and it was all people just trying to feed their kids with no money to be made. He had the boys in blue loading them up, dumping them off in Stone Ville so the mayor would shut up. All their kids were taken to the orphanage, so who knows what happened to them. Two female prisoners claimed he did something to them… He's a heartless bastard and it's my fault that he's not behind bars."

Breath fogged, Jill finally dared to ask, "What happened?"

"She pissed hot," Chris answered from behind his folded hands. "DA didn't think they could prosecute him when the officer making accusations also happens to be one that was recently fired by Irons for drug abuse."

Piper flicked the remnants of her joint over the fence. Her voice cracked as she spoke, "Umbrella started hiring people as soon as the riots became violent. Everything started going back to normal. The other female officers managed to get promoted eventually. I think the threat of serious consequences for him and Raccoon City was enough to make the man submit." Her hands dug into the pockets of her jeans. "So, if Irons ever tries to talk to you about 'duty' or 'justice'… He's a fucking liar who only wants to control his little 'Pleasantville'." She looked to Jill with a hard expression. "Him, the mayor, all of these big shots…"

"They're all liars. Every last one of the top tier for city officials and in the PD…All of them are cheats and liars." Chris noted softly.

Jill sighed a bit, lifting her beer to her lips.

Joan popped her lips twice before replying. "One isn't." She could almost feel Chris rolling his eyes, and it caused her to snicker. "I know you two haven't ever kissed and made up, Chrissy, but why won't you even try? Sending flowers goes a long way."

"Ain't happening." He climbed up, already retreating inside. "I need to piss. Have fun this weekend in Delucia meeting Brad's parents, Joan."

The sun was bright on the morning of July 25th. Joan's feet were kicked up along the open door of her old red Sunliner. Alanis Morissette was on the radio, telling her what she ought to know while she filed at an uneven edge of a nail. The drone of a helicopter high overhead had the woman poking her head out from under the canvas top. "About damn time, Brad." File dumped in her purse, she killed the engine and headed up toward the RPD.

It was another forty minutes before a familiar yellow vest caught her eye through the windows. "Good morning! Did you guys…?" Her brows quirked as Chris and Barry stormed past her. Jill and Rebecca could have used some buckets for all of the tears they were shedding as they ducked past the woman as well.

Was Becca covered in blood?

Frowning, she looked back to Brad. "Did something happen?" A million thoughts ran through her mind. Only one helicopter came back.

Another crash? Oh no…

"Where's everyone else?"

The pilot worried at the stitching along his flight bag.

[beca-mitchell]

we are the wild youth (4/5)

chapter 4:  catch us in the mirror (it looks a lot like love)

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Summary:  New semester, new/old feelings. Same Beca and Chloe. Supposedly.

Usual warnings apply! Smut w/ a dose of fluff this time. chapter title from “Another Place" by Bastille ft. Alessia Cara.

Word count: 5k

Read below or on AO3.

Figuring it out in the morning doesn’t quite come right away. Though they spend the night together, Beca regretfully has an early breakfast with her father and stepmother—a breakfast promised to them many weeks ago. It is a tradition at this point—an end-of-semester breakfast with her father as she begrudgingly admits that maybe four years at Barden wasn’t so bad.

“I have to get breakfast with my dad,” Beca murmurs, pushing at Chloe’s arm. She gives up on that when Chloe rolls further into her and captures her lips in a messy, early morning kiss. Beca almost caves completely, debating how upset her father would be if she skipped out.

“You should go,” Chloe whispers.

But we should talk, Beca thinks. “I should go,” Beca reiterates. “But—”

“Don’t let me keep you,” Chloe says slyly, leaning back with a grin. Beca groans at the blatant way Chloe tucks her arms behind her head and lets the sheets slip tantalizingly low.

“You’re horrible.”

“I’m not doing anything.”

Beca scowls. “Yes you are, you’re doing too much.” With that, she scrambles to climb back on top of Chloe’s body, letting her hands fly up to cup her breasts possessively.

Her previous mild hangover is already a distant memory.

 - - x - -

 So she’s a little late. Whatever. She’s done with her second last semester of college ever.

Her stepmother shoots her father a knowing look. Beca tries not to think about what that means.

Chloe has already sent her a text.

Chloe i’ll see you tonight

“And tutoring?” Beca’s father is asking her. “That went well this semester?”

Beca shrugs, stifling a smile as she puts away her phone. “I can’t complain.”

What her father doesn’t know can’t hurt him.

 - - x - -

 “You look beautiful,” Chloe murmurs.

Beca blushes furiously under the intensity of Chloe’s gaze and the deep sincerity in her tone.

It wasn’t that Beca had never been on a date before—she had a small share of relationships over her past few years at Barden, but nothing had amounted to anything serious.

She mulls over how surreal her life seems now, especially as Chloe’s hand wraps around her own, soft and warm all at once.

“Where are we going?” Beca murmurs. She uses her free hand to draw the lapels of her jacket together as she shivers.

Chloe pauses immediately and slowly steps in front of Beca so she can gently pull up the zipper on Beca’s jacket. Beca shivers again, this time because of how close Chloe is standing to her; because of how softly Chloe rests her hands against her shoulders when she finishes zipping up her jacket. The act, in all its simplicity is incredibly intimate and so, so rife with gentleness.

It almost feels like Chloe is a completely different person, but the softness in Chloe’s expression is all too familiar. A gaze that Beca had grown accustomed to over the past semester, even amidst brief moments of tension and annoyance.

It is nothing new, simply just a fresh outlook for Beca.

“We’re going to get dinner,” Chloe says simply. “Then to celebrate you finishing your last exam for the semester, I’m going to let you have your way with me.”

Beca swallows.

Right. Nothing new.

 - - x - -

 Beca grunts, keeping up the vigorous pace she’s set. Her fingers, slick and dripping with Chloe’s wetness, slide easily through Chloe’s cunt as Chloe’s cries intensify in volume.

She keeps her eyes trained on Chloe’s face, tracing over the furrow in her brow, her parted lips, and the deep flush on her cheeks—all serving to make Chloe even more attractive than she already is.

Chloe’s hands, clenched and unable to move by way of being restrained, tremble with the force of each precise, deep thrust of Beca’s fingers.

“Good?” Beca rasps, concerned when Chloe makes no noise for a few seconds.

Chloe hums, a thick rattling sound from deep within her chest, before nodding shortly. She stares up at Beca with bright eyes, brighter than usual. Her hips arch up wantonly when Beca’s fingers slow to a stop, buried deep inside Chloe. Beca tries to keep up some degree of focus, but the fucking clenching Chloe is doing is kind of fucking distracting.

“Chlo, words,” Beca urges. They’ve already been in bed for hours. Beca knows they should have stopped a while ago, but the thought of being apart for a couple weeks during Christmas break hda been too daunting.

“Yeah,” Chloe mumbles. “Yeah, just a bit more, baby.”

As always, the newfound nickname sends a thrill through Beca’s body. She shivers even if the heat in her room is cranked and the windows are sealed shut. Outside, cool air all around and the slightest hint of rain.

It is a typical Atlanta December just outside her window, but Beca finds it hard to care that another semester has just up and gone like that. Not when her entire world zeroes into the beautiful girl unraveling in her arms.

 - - x - -

 It is incredible how much better Chloe is at waking up in the morning.

But somehow, she makes waking up horrendously early a more enjoyable experience. Somehow.

Maybe it has something to do with the way she presses a slow lingering kiss to Beca’s shoulder, mapping the edges of her tattoo. Maybe it has something to do with the way she makes no move to leave the comfort of Beca’s bed and instead wraps her arms around Beca.

“I have a question,” Chloe asks. “Do you think I passed?”

It isn’t what Beca expects, but it makes her laugh. “Can we not talk about school right now?”

“What should we talk about?” Chloe wonders aloud. She sighs and nestles her chin just over the curve of Beca’s shoulder. Beca tilts her head back to watch Chloe carefully while her fingers gently trace over place where Chloe’s wrists had previously bore red lines from the scarves tying her wrists to the bed.

“I don’t know,” Beca finally says when Chloe continues to watch her.

“I have another question,” Chloe murmurs, gently easing Beca onto her back. Beca allows Chloe’s to drape her body over hers, like a second blanket because of how warm and comfortable Beca feels then.

“Should I be charging for tutoring services right now?” Beca snarks before she can help herself.

Chloe smiles, beautiful and carefree. “Depends. Will you be my girlfriend?”

It is entirely not what Beca expects at all. Her eyes widen and she takes in Chloe’s sincere expression, bright-eyed and open. It is such a far cry from just months ago, the end of August. Chloe’s dark-eyed gaze hellbent on simply making Beca come against the dresser multiple times. Possession and lust.

This is so much more. Just a matter of months and Beca finds that she has uncovered an entirely new version of Chloe Beale. One that she has grown to care for; one that she might even admit to loving.

It is so, so frightening knowing that there is a very tangible pressure hanging over both their heads. Beca, as Chloe’s tutor and essentially her ticket out of Barden. Chloe...as Beca’s one-way trip out of Barden as well. Out of Atlanta, for good.

“I think we can work something out,” Beca murmurs. “But I think I can’t accept money for that. Ethics.”

“Good, I wasn’t planning on paying you anyway. Not in money at least."

Beca shuts her up with an eager, messy kiss, already looking forward to the rest of the morning; looking forward to the rest of their mornings. 

Chloe drives her to her father’s house later that day with the promise to message Beca while she’s away. Beca hates herself for the immediate thought that follows, that a family vacation to Paris and Nice for Christmas never sounded so horrible.

It is the oddest feeling to Beca. As she watches Chloe drive away, her lips still tingling from the kiss Chloe planted on her just before giggling and hopping in the car, she wonders where this feeling came from.

It is the feeling that she would rather be in Atlanta than anywhere else in the world.

 - - x - -

  Chloe <3 i passed calc :)

That is the message Beca wakes up to followed by a series of kissing emojis.

Beca calls Chloe immediately, cursing whatever Gods decided that Beca had to be across the globe in France of all places travelling with her father and stepmother on a fun family holiday. Emphasis on fun.

Chloe answers on the second ring. “Hey you. How’s Paris?”

“You did it! You passed!” Beca exclaims.

Chloe laughs. “Yes I did.”

“What’d you get?” Beca asks.

Chloe giggles. “I don’t want to tell you, you’ll let it go to your head.”

Beca exhales noisily. “Chloe. Tell me,” she whines, uncaring that it is probably too early in the morning for that kind of nonsense. She can’t help but smile at Chloe’s dramatic exhale.

“Fine,” Chloe sighs.

Pause.

“Chloe!”

“Beca,” Chloe drawls, clearly enjoying herself. Then, finally, “I got an A minus.”

Beca gasps, shooting straight up in bed. “Holy shit, I knew you were faking it.”

Chloe laughs. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yeah, you just casually got an A minus. Alright.”

Chloe laughs again. She does not comment on Beca’s sarcastic tone. The brief silence that passes between them is comfortable. Beca lies back on her hotel bed, smiling up at the ceiling and wishing she could just be back in Atlanta so they could celebrate together.

Beca takes a stab at expressing her emotions. “I miss you.”

Chloe’s smile is nearly entirely audible through the phone: she sucks in a breath and pauses for a one delicate moment. “I miss you, too.”

 - - x - -

 Just like that, winter break is over.

Beca finds herself stunned at how little time she actually has until graduation. Residual Heat rings in the new year and new semester for her by requesting more samples of her work. That first week back at school ends up being one of the longest weeks of Beca’s life and she spends the majority of the week holed up in her room except when she dashes out for class. It sucks, but she hardly gets to see Chloe except for a very brief study session in which Chloe had diligently completed a preliminary statistics assignment without much guidance from Beca.

It is not until Saturday that Beca realizes that Chloe is lounging on her bed reading a thick novel that barely looks like it is in English.

“What day is it?” Beca asks in wonder. She glances to her side realizing that there is a bowl of yogurt and diced fruit as well as a steaming mug of tea.

Chloe giggles quietly, putting her book down while scooting over to the edge of Beca’s bed. “You’re surfaced, finally. Happy with what you’ve been working on?”

Beca nods. “Want to listen?” She is so grateful for Chloe’s presence. Neither obtrusive or invisible, Chloe had simply waited for Beca to finish.

“Yes,” Chloe says immediately, eyes lighting up. “You still owe me music.”

Beca laughs, amused at her girlfriend’s antics.

“Come here and let’s listen to it,” Chloe declares, patting the space next to her.

“Excuse me,” Beca says haughtily. “This is my room.” She clambers up next to Chloe nonetheless, pulling her laptop up with her. “Save comments ‘til the end.”

“Don’t you want live feedback?”

Beca would respond—she has a response ready—but Chloe’s hand comes up comfortingly to rub Beca’s neck, the gentle curve of the top of her spine, and up again to her hairline.

It is ridiculously nice.

“Stop,” Beca warns.

Of course, Chloe just doesn’t stop. She simply switches to an even slower, even rhythm. Her hand remains soft, yet firm against Beca’s skin.

“Well?” Chloe asks, her voice low and quiet. It makes Beca want to kiss her. “Show me.”

Beca finds that she really does not mind sharing—it is incredibly easy to open up to Chloe after all. It is something she has had the privilege to learn.

 - - x - -

 It isn’t that she has stopped learning things about Chloe. She learns more about the freckles on her body, along her neck. The curve of her breast. She learns exactly what kinds of touches draw out the sharpest breaths or the gentlest moans.

Beca kind of never expected to be that person, but she ends up skipping a class or two just to lie in bed with Chloe, watching the sunshine dance across their skin. Where one begins and the other ends is a mystery that Beca has no intention on solving.

She learns—and she aches to learn—more about each breathless gasp. Each telltale sign.

It feels like they have all the time in the world, or more specifically, that they have all the time in their world between the stacks of assignments and between classes.

It is every college cliche rolled into one whirlwind romance and Beca has long given up trying to assess risks and calculate the trajectory of heartbreak.

And Chloe—Chloe continues to figure out how to unravel Beca more and more. Each touch of a hot mouth between her legs shatters Beca’s resolve. All kinds of words threaten to spill from her lips, each more dangerous than the last.

Be mine—

I love you—

I love you—

Stay—

Please don’t leave me.

And with every sure stroke of Chloe’s tongue against her wet, aching clit, Beca finds herself losing all semblance of the carefully-constructed path she had set for herself. She just has no idea when it was that Chloe tore down her walls.

 - - x - -

 “Before break, you, um, mentioned that your mom…” Chloe trails off hesitantly. “We don’t have to talk about her,” she says hesitantly watching Beca slowly close her book. “But I just wanted you to know that we could. If you want to.”

Beca observes how Chloe bites her lower lip slowly. The way her hands are curled into loose fists. “You can ask,” Beca allows, fixing Chloe with a gentle gaze.

The thought of talking about her mother is daunting most of the time. At least ninety-seven percent of the time. But Beca finds that it is something she wants to share with Chloe, if only to comfort both of them in that moment.

“I don’t really know what to ask,” Chloe admits.

“That’s okay.”

“I...when did she—?”

“I was probably five or six,” Beca replies, wracking her mind for some kind of memory. They are foggy at best. “She was sick,” she says simply. “That’s, um, all that I really remember. I have pictures of me with her, but that feels like an entire lifetime ago. My dad said that she liked to sing to me. Maybe that’s where the music thing comes from. I think about it now, you know? What it’d be like if she were still around. All of this.” You, Beca wants to say. She doesn’t manage to make it slip past the tip of the tongue.

Chloe nods with nothing but care in her expression. She reaches across the table to place her hands over Beca’s as the noise in the cafe fades to nothing but a dull nothingness. “I think she would be very proud of you.”

Beca marvels as that statement unlocks the floodgates of memories over the past few years at Barden. Yet another experience that she will not get to share with her mother, but the thought is comforting in how much Beca really believes Chloe when she says it.

“She would,” Beca agrees finally.

Chloe smiles at her and returns to her notebook.

“Why do you ask?”

“I’ve been…” Chloe licks her lips. “I’ve been coming to terms with what happened to Jamie and just how bad things have been at home. And I just...don’t know what I would have done without you last semester and this semester.” She smiles, a little shyly. “You’ve helped me more than you know, Beca.”

“I have?”

“Not just with the homework and the tutoring because I guess...I never really needed it. But what I needed was somebody like you to help pull me out from my own self-sabotage.”

“You did it all by yourself, Chloe. I’m just here to support you.”

Chloe’s lips twitch, this time neither sad nor happy. “You’re the first.”

Beca is quiet for a moment. “Jamie would be proud of you too, Chloe. No matter what you end up doing. He would be like...stupidly proud.”

“That sounds exactly like something he would say.” Chloe appears mildly amazed. “How do you always know what to say?”

Beca could say the same about Chloe.

 - - x - -

 “So New York, huh,” Beca’s father notes over dinner one cool evening. “That’s the plan.”

“Yes,” Beca says shortly because she doesn’t know what to expect.

He breaks into a smile. “I’m proud of you, Bec. You really stuck through it. And you’re almost done with tutoring forever. I assume it’s going well.”

That makes some of Beca’s previous elation dissipate quickly. “Yeah, it’s going well.”

It’s kind of hard to admit to her father that she’s kind of in love with the girl she’s tutoring. Not exactly dinner material.

 - - x - -

  Chloe <3 your original music is EVERYTHING I love it so much <3 And your voice!!!

Beca Glad you liked it :) I made it with you in mind

God, Beca knows she’s a sap, but she can’t help it. She can’t imagine what the freshman version of herself would say about all of this.

Chloe <3 Come over? I miss you

Beca supposes there isn’t much to say about that.

 - - x - -

 Somehow February flies by in a blink. Between tutoring and working part-time and the dawning realization that she really is going to move to New York at the end of the school semester, time is flying by far too quickly for Beca.

“Come with me to the studio today,” Chloe suggests. “I want to show you something.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a surprise, Beca,” Chloe explains, sounding very much like an exasperated adult lecturing a child. “Do you like surprises?”

“Not particularly, no.”

“I feel like you might like this one.”

“Will it involve sending your minion children to attack me?”

Chloe gasps. “No, but oh my God, that’d be adorable.” She smirks. “I’ll have to keep that in mind.”

Beca grumbles to herself. “Fine,” she agrees. “But one whiff of sabotage and I’m out of there,” she promises with no real bite.

“Deal,” Chloe laughs and pulls her in for a kiss.

Beca ends up learning exactly what Chloe had been teaching her little rascals all semester.

“I used your original song,” Chloe says shyly when the first notes reach Beca’s ears. She loops her hand around the crook of Beca’s elbow, tenderly stroking her skin while being ever mindful of young eyes. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“You choreographed a dance to my song.” 

Chloe nods. “I mean. Multiple," she admits sheepishly. "We started with your Rihanna remix. They love your music.”

“They’re ten.”

“Not that song. Your other remix. "We Found Love". I love that one," Chloe says in a dreamy tone. Beca knows exactly what Chloe is talking about. She had absolutely made it (as with most things recently) with Chloe in mind.

“Oh,” Beca murmurs, now entranced by the smiling, happy faces all around her. The dance is adorable and surprisingly complicated for a group of ten year olds.

It dawns on her fully that Chloe choreographed a dance to her music. Beca isn't necessarily one to really judge romantic gestures, but this makes something in her chest grow very tight. She can imagine the smile on Chloe's face as they had planned this little surprise over the previous few weeks. 

“This is what I want to do,” Chloe says suddenly and so quietly that Beca almost misses it.

“You want to do what?” she asks, leaning into Chloe’s side, eager to feel the warmth from Chloe's body.

Chloe’s arm comes up around her shoulder naturally. “Teach. Teach kids. Teach them how to be better like you taught me...well.” She trails off, shy for once. “Like how you taught me.”

“You want to be a teacher,” Beca clarifies.

“Yeah.”

“Chloe, I think that’s perfect.”

And it really is so amazingly perfect. Beca isn’t quite sure what to do with this new information. It hadn’t been something they had talked about, Chloe’s post-grad plans. Beca had (wrongfully, she notes) assumed that Chloe would just continue on to work for her father and then eventually work on something like a medical degree like her brother.

God, the thought of more years in school makes Beca want to die.

“You think I could be a good teacher?” Chloe asks, insecurity creeping into her tone. “I’m not...I’m not good at explaining things like you.”

“I’ve seen you with these kids,” Beca assures her. “You care so much about them and everything you teach them. And please, as if I could ever choreograph something and then teach it to somebody. Everybody’s teaching style is a little different.”

Chloe flushes, pleased by the compliment. “I mean...I guess it’s something to consider, right?”

“Right,” Beca agrees.

“Also,” Chloe begins, nudging Beca. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten that you’ve kept this whole singing thing from me. Imagine my surprise hearing your voice on that remix.” Chloe lowers her voice. “Surprise might be a loose word for it…”

Beca flushes this time, bright red. She can feel it on her face. “There are literally children around, Chloe. Shut up.”

“You can make me later.”

 - - x - -

 As expected, the lines blur between what they consider dates and Beca still keeping up the pretense that Chloe needs tutoring. With calculus well out of the way, statistics is an easier course to handle.

“We should study,” Beca murmurs, though she makes no move to wriggle out from underneath Chloe. She likes Chloe’s solid weight on top of her. She likes the feeling of Chloe’s soft curves pressed against her.

She likes knowing that Chloe is there.

“We should,” Chloe agrees. “I am paying you.” Her hand glides dangerously low down Beca’s belly before sweeping up again to gently grope at her breast, plucking at an already-stiff nipple.

Beca’s body is too easy.

“I don’t know if this was included in the lesson plan,” Beca breathes, though her hips have already begun to rock upwards against Chloe’s body to alleviate some of the pressure between her legs.

“Should I pay you extra?” Chloe asks, voice muffled by Beca’s neck. She begins to hum and whisper-sing into Beca’s neck, the opening bars to Titanium.

What a lovely voice, Beca thinks. She wishes she could have heard it more.

 - - x - -

 April comes too soon. After an extremely short spring break—thankfully spent along the coastal shores of Savannah at a quiet Airbnb (clothes optional)—Beca finds herself getting ready for a gala honoring Chloe’s father.

Beca knows that Chloe hates having to go to these kinds of events, but when she is the only daughter of the man who has buildings named after him on campus, it sounds like the kind of thing she has no real way out of.

“I think I am way too underdressed,” Beca complains, tugging at the fabric of her dress. “You look like a million bucks. I look like ten dollars. Maybe fifteen.”

Chloe laughs from where she is adding finishing touches to her make-up. The expanse of her back that is visible to Beca from where she is seated on the edge of Chloe’s bed sends all kind of dark, dirty thoughts through her head at an alarming pace.

Beca sits on her hands.

“You look wonderful,” Chloe says without even glancing in her direction.

“You didn’t even look at me.”

Chloe sighs, like she thinks Beca is being exceptionally annoying and puts down her mascara. Beca isn’t quite prepared for the heated, direct look Chloe fixes on her when she turns around. “I’m looking now,” Chloe all but purrs, stalking towards Beca with all the grace of somebody who knows exactly what she wants. “And I like what I see.”

“Oh,” Beca squeaks out when Chloe pulls at her hands so that they’re standing face-to-face.

“Stop worrying,” Chloe whispers, breath hot against her mouth.

Beca wishes she could just shut off her brain like that. “I’m not worried,” Beca murmurs, eyes trained directly on Chloe’s glossed lips.

“You’re worried,” Chloe singsongs before walking back to her vanity to again fiddle with her make-up.

Beca follows slowly. “You’re worried,” Beca says knowingly. Chloe rolls her eyes.

“No,” she replies. “I’m just annoyed that I have to go to this dumb event. Just to watch my dad get yet another award that he doesn’t need. A glorified paper weight”

“You don’t have to go,” Beca suggests even though she knows it’s a weak suggestion.

“Oh, yes I do,” Chloe laughs.

“What’s the worst that could happen?”

Chloe shoots her a look. “Are you sure you want to come?” she asks for the fifth time since she herself invited Beca.

Sighing, Beca reaches out so she can gently trap Chloe against the vanity. “Do you not want me to come?” she asks, trying to ignore the flash of pre-emptive hurt that rushes through her at the thought of Chloe not wanting her there.

“No,” Chloe says. Quick and urgent. Her eyes dart up to meet Beca’s in the mirror as she drops her make-up again. “No, I want you there,” she murmurs. “I just…don’t want you to be bored. It’s going to be boring and I don’t know how not boring I can make it for you.”

It is a reflection of Chloe’s influence on her that Beca’s first thought is something incredibly inappropriate for a gala, black-tie event. She stifles the thought, filing it away for when they return to Chloe’s apartment later that night.

“We can be bored together,” Beca suggests. “I downloaded like two episodes of The Office on my phone.”

Chloe relaxes, twisting in her arms. “Good episodes?”

“I guess we’ll see.”

“I like the idea of being bored together,” Chloe admits.

Beca nods, determined to brighten Chloe’s mood. “And there’s going to be free food.”

“I can’t promise it’s going to be good,” Chloe teases. “It’ll be that annoying fancy food that you hate. Just like in the movies.”

Beca reaches up to brush hair away from Chloe’s face. “Smoked salmon and cucumbers and crackers that I totally could have bought at the grocery store?”

“Yes.”

“I’m suffering through this for you so we’re definitely getting McDonald’s after.”

Chloe brightens, clearly charmed. She loops her arms over Beca’s shoulders, pulling her closer. Like each time Chloe pulls her into her orbit, Beca is breathless with how dizzying the force of her emotions are. “Carls?” Chloe asks eagerly.

“Pancakes it is.”

“Last chance,” Chloe warns. “You sure you don’t want to spend your Friday night with your friends?”

“Chloe,” Beca whines. “I want to be with you.” The words tumble from her before she has a chance to take them back or modify them to correct the course how deeply she actually feels for the woman in front of her. “I don’t want you to go alone. It’s final.”

“Beca,” Chloe murmurs. The heat in Chloe’s gaze makes Beca want to retract all her previous statements so they can spend the entire evening in bed. Beca’s sure she can convince Chloe.

Beca tries to smile innocently. “Is it working?”

Chloe sighs. “Is what working?” she asks with exasperation in her tone, but she is already stifling a smile.

“Making you feel better, weirdo.”

“I like the idea of coming home with you. That's making me feel better.”

Beca blows out a frustrated breath. She hates that Chloe can say impossibly sweet things but somehow make it completely dirty all at once. “Can I kiss you or will it mess up our lipstick?”

Chloe sighs exaggeratedly and finally sags fully into Beca’s arms. “I can fix it after,” she whispers before she is moving forward so that their lips can press together.

The event itself is nothing more than an opportunity for high-powered figures in academic and professional circles to schmooze with each other over expensive, endless alcohol and as Beca and Chloe had predicted, a surprising assortment of unnecessary finger foods.

“We should probably sit,” Chloe murmurs.

Beca startles, lowering her champagne flute from her mouth. She hadn’t thought about it before this very moment and it occurs to her that they’re probably going to be in plain view of Chloe’s parents. At the very least, Chloe’s father. Beca had tried to forget about that first dinner at Chloe’s parents’ house, but it was kind of difficult to shake Dr. Beale’s general intimidating force.

“We’re not sitting with your parents are we?” Beca asks in a panicked tone. She’s sure she has lipstick on her teeth.

“No, they get to sit with the other adults. I just get to be thrown into a photo later on.” Chloe smiles. “Why? Scared?”

“I mean, a little. Considering…” Considering we’re dating and now he knows I spent more time imagining you naked than tutoring you.

“Considering we have sex regularly,” Chloe finishes sagely. “Totally understandable.”

“No! Just...since I’m still tutoring you.” Beca hasn't necessarily considered their relationship like that in a long while. It is still jarring to think that other people perceive her and Chloe's relationship as being an entirely professional and educational one.

Chloe flutters her eyelashes. “You are?”

Beca swallows and quickly passes off her glass to a passing server. “Stop.” She glances around. “He could be anywhere.”

Chloe laughs and pulls Beca to sit down at their designated table. “You’re overreacting. He’ll probably be happy to see you. He thinks you’re a good influence.”

That eases some of Beca’s nerves for whatever reason. She supposes it might be something to do with the fact that her girlfriend’s father approves of her in some capacity (though not necessarily the right capacity). Beca allows Chloe to steer her into a seat.

Chloe politely greets the people seated at their table and makes small talk with some professors that Beca has no idea what department they’re even from.

It is a completely different world.

Beneath the table, Chloe’s hand moves to grip hers.

Beca never wants to let go.

/end ch. 4

read chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

[dreamerwithapen1]

may we know some more about tisiphone? 🤲

why of course you can ☺️

ok so fair warning, i got quite carried away with talking about her, and this is much much longer than i anticipated... sorry 😅

background: let’s start with her family! tisiphone was born on december 13, 1926, to hector and cassandra carrow. her mother died during child birth, and her father passed from cancer when tiss was four. so from then on, she lived with her aunt, asteria carrow, and her twin cousins, helios and selene, who were the same age as her. since a young age, tiss was always a bit timid and shy, something that selene mocked her about relentlessly. selene was definitely the most cruel and cold hearted of the family and viewed tiss as a waste of space and a useless member of the family. tiss hates the way that selene treats her but never has the courage to stand up to her, and their ‘relationship’ remains that way forever. helios is a different story. while he does share his sister’s views on muggles and muggleborns, he’s not as much as a fanatic about it as selene; nor is he as vocal about it. where selene is loud and brash and always speaks her mind, helios is quiet, observant, and always thinks carefully before speaking; however, he’s no pushover. he’ll put his sister and anyone else in their place without hesitation. which is a good thing, because the biggest cause of tension between the siblings is helios and tiss’ relationship, which can seem a bit odd to outsiders. to others, it appears as if the two are rather indifferent to each other, when really, they’re each other’s best friends. when tiss arrived at her aunt’s home, helios was the one that took her under his wing and showed her kindness. they share the same calm attitude toward things, the same dry understated sense of humor, and a natural affinity for magic, something that selene struggles with. that friendship carries on throughout all their years at hogwarts. and speaking of hogwarts...

school years: tiss, along with helios and selene, received their hogwarts’ letters and were all sorted into slytherin, the same year that tom riddle was as well. over the years, the twins and tiss became part of riddle’s “friend group”, though tiss was never impressed with riddle. because of her shyness and general lack of social interactions, tiss became very good at observing people, and from the beginning, she felt that there was something very wrong with riddle. she could see the emptiness in him, the lack of any genuine emotions other than a hunger for power, and she saw how easily he manipulated everyone around him- and it terrified her. especially when she started to get on his radar, and not in a good way. throughout the years, she rarely made her opinions known in the group, but the few times she did, it was with a timid show of sympathy for those with muggle blood and the thought that all humans- magical or not- were equal. most people just brushed her off, but not riddle. he noted all of those moments and started to become wary of her, because that unassuming and cowardly exterior of hers hid an incredibly smart mind and an exceptional talent for magic, particularly for creating her own spells. at the start of their seventh year, riddle branded his “friends” with the dark mark. and though tiss had never fully committed to his cause, she knew that she had no choice in the matter and received the mark as well. however, riddle still was not satisfied with her. she was far too friendly to the students with muggle blood, but more than that, he knew that she didn’t trust him as well. he saw the way her quiet, intelligent eyes would watch him, and while he would never admit it, he felt a very slight sliver of fear whenever her eyes were on him. and so, he decided that he needed to get rid of her- permanently. but he couldn’t do it himself, for dumbledore was keeping a very close watch on him during this time. instead, he turned to her own cousins for the job. at this point, selene was like the original bellatrix. utterly in love and obsessed with riddle and willing to do anything for him. helios was also lured in by riddle’s charms and agreed with him on his view of muggles and the sort. when riddle told the twins that they needed to be rid of tiss, that she was a threat to their cause, selene jumped right on board, while helios... did not. you see, the thing with helios is that he is definitely not a good person. like he has no qualms about the murder of muggles and mudbloods, thinks that those with pure blood are superior, and has already committed many little crimes for riddle. but, he is good to tiss. she’s his best friend. he truly does love and care about her more than he does his own sister. and in another life, maybe he wouldn’t have been a death eater, maybe tiss could have talked him out of it, could have made him see that his thinking was wrong... but she didn’t because she wasn’t strong enough in her own beliefs to convince him otherwise. and so helios tried to warn her. tried to give her hints of what riddle was planning, tried to push her away, tried to make riddle forget about her, but he didn’t. and tiss, for all of her intelligence, missed the signs. because she thought that she was safe. she thought that with dumbledore around, riddle wouldn’t dare do anything... and that was her mistake. on the night of may 2, 1945, only a few weeks away from graduating, riddle opened the chamber of secrets, and helios and selene convinced tiss to meet them there. and only shortly after arriving, selene went on a rampage about tiss’ muggle sympathies and how she was a disgrace to the family, and raised her wand to her. now at this point, tiss finally understood what was happening and should have defended herself; however, helios was there. and tiss was so sure that he would stop selene. that he would keep her safe, just as he always had. but she underestimated his devotion to riddle. and he did absolutely nothing, except look away, as selene cast the killing curse. and for tiss, the fact that he did nothing hurt far worse than if he had cast the curse himself. that was a betrayal that will stick with her forever.

after death: now, this is when things get a bit tricky (and i still need to flesh out all the details, so i only know the bare minimum at this point, but i’ll explain what i can). as i said earlier, tiss was a very strong witch and was gifted in the art of creating spells. it’s also important to note that her wand has the tendency to act on its own accord at times, is protective and loyal to its owner, and excels at defensive spells. the basic gist is that when selene cast the killing curse, tiss’ wand, which was on her person at the time, took it upon itself to protect its master; however, there is no spell that can stop the killing curse. so while it could not keep her alive, it chose to protect her soul/spirit, and created a spell so unique and complicated that tiss would not understand the full extent of it until decades later, and even then, she doesn’t understand how her wand possibly created something so complex. anyway, after her death, her body is hid in the chamber and never found. riddle and the twins get away with it scot-free and it’s assumed that she simply ran away. and from that day, tisiphone carrow is never seen again. meanwhile, tiss is living as a ghost, stuck on hogwarts’ grounds. and no one can see her. not people, not animals, not other ghosts. and she exists like this for thirty-one years, all alone, her murder going unknown and unsolved, and all the while, her fear of riddle is replaced by hatred. after all, when one has been killed, what is there to fear? so when we see her again during the marauders’ era, her personality is a bit different. she’s still very much introverted and sucks at social interactions even more so since she hasn’t talked to anyone for decades, but she’s no longer the scared, timid girl she once was. she’s more bold, fearless, and, most of all, vengeful. and that is how our dear fifth year sirius black finds her. a bitter looking girl in her slytherin robes sitting in the room where he’s supposed to serve detention. of course, he can’t help himself and makes some snide remark to her and becomes quite irritated when she ignores him. meanwhile, she doesn’t even look his way, knowing that he’s not talking to her. so imagine her terrible surprise when he steps in front of her, locks eyes with her, and demands her attention. she, rightfully, freaks the eff out and runs out of the room while having a panic attack because holy shit someone just SAW her. sirius, of course, is left incredibly confused, slightly put off (because since when does a girl, even if she’s a slytherin, run from him?)  and a bit curious. he spends the next few days keeping an eye out for her, but she keeps her distance and watches him instead, trying to figure what makes this kid different. eventually, they start having actual conversations with him having no clue that she’s, you know, dead. they start to enjoy each other’s company, tiss loving his devil may care attitude, the surprisingly sweet side that he hides, and the fact that he stood up to his family and chose the right side (something that she wishes she had had the courage to do). and sirius loves her surprisingly quick witted humor, her deep kindness (something he never expected from a pureblooded slytherin), and how wickedly smart she is. this goes on for a few weeks before the truth starts to come out. james happens upon, what looks like to him, sirius talking to himself in an empty room. and sirius doesn’t understand how james can’t see tiss sitting right across from him, and it isn’t until tiss vanishes through a wall that sirius puts the pieces together and realizes she’s a ghost. long story short, sirius does some digging and comes to find out the whole truth about tiss’ past. they spend the next couple years at hogwarts becoming even closer, and all the while, tiss begins to learn some new ‘abilities’ and restrictions in this form. eventually, there will come a time when tiss is no longer tethered to hogwarts but to sirius, so when he graduates, she’ll be able to leave the school and go with him, and she’ll help him with ootp business as best as she’s able. (i’m still debating if i want her to able to perform magic in this form or not)

anywho... i think that’s a good overview of her and her story lol i honestly could go on forever, but i think i should stop it here. however if you have any more questions about her, i’d be more than happy to answer them!

~dreamer

[itsgonnabe-brian-may]

when water pipes burst

// Requested: No

warnings: fluff, swear words

Gwilym Lee x Reader

4k words - whoops my hand slipped

AN: Okay okay I literally haven’t written in sooo long and I randomly started writing this and I actually really like it. It’s not the best but I think the idea is cute lol. Please tell me what you think!! I’d also like to thank @isitstraightvodka for choosing between gwil and joe for me! Gwil I think is the perfect fit for this!

Anyways, enjoy! 

//

A deep happy sigh slipped past your lips as you stared at the empty skeleton of your apartment. All your cheap furniture was packed up and in the process of being shipped across the world, or to the dumpster in all honesty. The pictures and decor hanging on your wall were neatly packed into boxes. The more precious ones were filed away in your suitcases along with articles of clothing that you were determined not to ruin or lose. 

As cliche as last looks are you swore you saw your life in the cramped and overpriced apartment flash before your eyes. 

The champagne bottle cap hitting and knocking out a ceiling lighting fixture during your christening party. Which was just an excuse to get shit-faced with your friends. It took you a year to get it fixed. 

Your first long term relationship starting in passion on the couch... and ending in the same spot. 

Movie marathons with your friends that ended in throwing popcorn and falling asleep halfway through the third movie. 

The coffee table that earned its name due to the ridiculous amount of coffee spilled on it. 

Sitting on the floor cross-legged in front of it as you studied for your final exams before graduation. 

Having sloppy and hilarious sex on it. Whoops. 

The doormat that was barely used with the words "Welcome" written in a neat script was still crisp. 

Getting a roommate when your ass of a landlord raised the rent by $300. She turned out pretty cool. Even though she refused to touch the dishes. Her decorating and wing-woman skills made up for it. 

Though eventually, your lease ran out, you graduated from school, she got a ring for her left hand and you got a new job. 

A new job in England. England. That's where your belongings were being shipped off to. 

"Shit! I have to get to the airport" you thought as the memories in your mind dissolved. 

One final final look around the place you closed the door and locked it. Taking the key off the key ring was painstaking but eventually, you got it off and placed it on the counter in the landlord's office.

Walking down the stairs, lugging your suitcase behind you. You heaved it into the trunk of your Uber and sat in the front seat. 

The drive to the airport was somber, at least at first. The downtown traffic caused conversation to blossom between you and the driver. It was a welcome distraction.

The distraction lasted as you sat next to a lovely older woman who was returning home from visiting her children. 

9 hours later you stood at the front door of your new home for the next 2 years, at least on paper. 

You fought the urge to knock. 

"This is actually my home" you laughed out loud and turned the key. 

This apartment, or rather "flat" now that you were in the UK, was nothing like your previous one. 

The walls were white and filled with windows that looked out onto a scenic view of the town's skyline of tree's and other complexes. You had a balcony that shared a wall with your neighbors to the left. 

The interior was a unique architecture, the kitchen was tiny but the living room was big and open with enough space for entertaining. 

Abandoning your suitcase at the entrance you went to explore. Sure you'd seen this apartment already online. But not everything is exactly what it seems on the internet. 

The master, and only, bedroom was gorgeous. The bathroom attached was small but it was only you, so you didn't mind. A spare room was a spare room and there was plenty of storage which was unusual for a single person apartment.

That night you ordered take out and created shopping lists and plans to execute before you had to start work in a week or so. You blew up an air mattress and tried to sleep in your new room. Unsurprisingly, you tossed and turned until you ended up staring at the ceiling. The small crack made you laugh. The crack seemed to be the only flaw that the apartment had. 

Sleep overtook you, the silence of your neighbors surely helped. 

If only you knew the storm that was your neighbor. Gwilym Lee. 

The tall and deadly handsome man was gentlemanly and sophisticated. His flat was farm from the usual bachelor pad of his friends. The man had linen curtains for Christ sake. Yet, he was a ball of uncontrollable energy when he hosted people at his house, which was as often and led late into the night. 

This time the lack of noise was mostly due to the fact that he was currently not home. He was currently off in Brighton shooting for Midsomer Murders. Though he was due to return within the next couple of days. 

His days coincidentally mirrored yours. 

Waking up at around seven in the morning, going for a cup of tea, or coffee in your case. Then showering and headed out to run errands, or in his case shoot a scene. Returning home, cleaning up, ordering or going out for food and laying in bed planning tomorrow. 

After a few days, his current shoot ended and he was headed home. First stopping at the grocer to pick up food for a dinner party. You were at the same grocer and gave the tall man a polite smile as you passed each other in the aisle.

His gaze lingered on you. For multiple reasons. One reason being he had never seen you before, and it was a small town with only one market, which mostly the people in his apartment complex shopped at. The other being you were quite attractive, even in your "I'm just going to the grocery store outfit". 

Your gaze lingered too. Again for multiple reasons. He was attractive, put together and it looked like he was going to throw one hell of a party. In a weird way, it made you hopeful for your future in England. 

A party would have to wait, your apartment was still in shambles. 

All of your furniture arrived in mostly one piece. The boxes full of pictures and kitchen utensils lay stacked and partially open. That was your date tonight. Decorating.

Grabbing a bottle of rosé on the way to the register was a spur of the moment decision, but a good one. 

Once you made your short journey home you put away the groceries and opened the bottle. Taking a small sip from the bottle before pulling out a glass and pouring yourself a generous portion. Finally, you pulled out your phone and connected it to your speaker. Putting your music on shuffle you began filing through all of the boxes.

Gwil arrived home and heard muffled music through his walls. 

'Sounds like someone finally moved in,' He thought to himself. 

Instead of rifling through boxes he looked through recipes and began cooking. With music of course.

When you heard the same artist but a different song come from the other side of the wall you laughed. Your new neighbor had good taste in music, you'd have to tell them sometime.

The sun slowly dipped under the horizon and moonlight drifted into your home. The hum of music was at a lower volume creating a peaceful atmosphere. Talking and laughing came from the other side of the wall. It didn't bother you. In turn, it made you feel more at home. Lulls in conversation created an ambiance that you couldn't explain. Your music filled those quiet moments. Even Gwil noticed it. 

He had been too preoccupied with his friends to notice that the music had continued into the night. Lucy was actually the one to notice first. The last time her, Rami, Joe and Ben had been over there was no music, no sound from the apartment on the right. Of course, her keen ear was always open to hear a song she loved. She had asked Gwil what song was playing. 

"Um, I'm not playing any music. It must be the neighbor," He laughed his face contorting with slight confusion. 

"Oh, haha, well they've got great taste," Lucy laughed before refilling her own glass of rosé and joining the others on the sofa. 

At around 11 Gwil hugged and thanked his guests goodbye. Sighing happily he began cleaning up. However, it didn't last long when a startled scream replaced the quiet. 

You had finally finished the living room when you went into your room and flopped onto your bed, exhausted. 

To your surprise your duvet was wet. You stood back up and looked up at the crack in your ceiling. With your luck the second you looked up the water pipe burst, spraying cold water all over you. You couldn't stop the scream that came from your now wet lips.  

"Holy fuck!" You yelped. 

A loud banging came from your front door. It was Gwil, who had rushed over as soon as he heard your scream. 

You swung the door open and looked at the man from the grocery store. He was dressed to the nines in a light blue polo shirt tucked into a pair of brown slacks. Of course, you looked a mess. You were soaking, your hair clung to your face, your mascara had definitely smeared under your eyes. 

"Oh my, are you alright?" He asked, not able to suppress the shock on his face. It certainly wasn't what he was expecting. 

"Um, yea, just a bit wet," you laughed, trying to move the hair from your face. 

"Well, I'm glad you're alright, but what happened?" He asked stepping past your door frame after you. 

"I guess a water pipe broke, I'm not entirely sure,"

What you didn't expect was for him to get under the stream of water himself and try and sort out the problem. With no avail, but it was a kind gesture. You quickly scrambled and found a plastic moving bin and put it under the stream to attempt to collect some of the water. 

"Let me call the landlord to shut off the water," Gwil spoke up, brushing his own wet hair back. 

"Oh god, I'm sorry I dragged you into this," You apologized profusely. 

"Hush, it's no big deal," He chuckled placing his phone to his ear. 

During the brief phone call, you grabbed your own phone, a bag and threw some dry clothes into it. You started looking for a hotel to stay at until the problem was fixed. 

"What are you doing, love?"  Gwil asked leaning over your shoulder. Your heart soared at the nickname, god he was cute. 

"Looking for a hotel, because I don't think I want to sleep in my flooded apartment," You laughed not looking up. 

"Nonsense, stay with me while it gets fixed," He responded with sincerity. 

"I can't intrude like that, It's alright, It'll only be a few days," You smiled up at him. 

"I insist, at least for tonight, It's nearly midnight," He challenged raising an eyebrow. 

"Fine, only for tonight," You said matching his gaze. 

"And because you're cute," You mumbled under your breath afterward following him out. You didn't think he heard you but he did and smiled opening his door to his flat. 

"This is awkward but I seem to have rudely never asked you for your name... I'm Gwilym, but call me Gwil." 

"Oh! It's nice to meet you formally Gwil, I'm Y/N". 

"Well, Y/N, I'm sorry it's such a mess...". 

"You've seen my apartment right?" You laughed.

"I guess your right," He laughed, his eyes crinkling at the edges. 

"If you want to hop in the shower or change, the bathroom is down the hall on the right. Just shout if you need anything," 

"Thanks," You smiled and retreated to the bathroom. You couldn't help but laugh when you were greeted by your mess of a reflection. Pulling off your wet clothes you wrung them out in the sink and hung them on the shower rod to dry. Grabbing a towel you dried yourself off and dried your hair to the point that it was a bit frizzy but it wasn't sticking to you anymore. You were slightly upset that you didn't bring anything cuter to wear. After putting on a pair of legging and a tank top you walked out. Gwil had also changed. He was currently wearing dark grey joggers and a long sleeve. You shivered slightly, not thinking to bring a sweater, even though you normally would've worn one at home. 

"Here," Gwil smiled handing you a hoodie. 

"That obvious huh?" You laughed pulling the warm fabric over your head, slowing down slightly to enjoy the faint smell of his cologne. 

His breath hitched slightly when your smile popped out from the hoodie. It had been a while since he'd seen a girl in his clothes, and he couldn't imagine anyone it would look better on. 

"Thanks, Gwil," You smiled. 

"It's nothing, love," He smiled back walking over to the couch with a pillow and blankets.

You could tell that he was going to try and sleep on the couch, that was arguably too small for him to sleep on so you took the chance and sat down before he could. 

"Y/N, what are you doing?" 

"Taking the couch," You smiled innocently.

"Take the bed, I insist," He challenged. 

"Nope, If you're so adamant about sleeping on the couch your going to have to share it with me," You shot back, blushing slightly at the unintended implications. 

"Oh, I see," Gwil laughed amused. 

"Thanks again," You yawned looking briefly at your phone which read 12:06. 

"It's no problem, love, goodnight," He smiled and turned to go to his room. 

"Goodnight Gwil," You smiled and leaned back until you were laying down. 

You stared up at the ceiling, there was no crack. It made you laugh before shifting and falling into a peaceful sleep. 

Of course moving meant a new time zone which you weren't totally used to so you woke up quite late. As soon as you woke up you sat up rubbing your eyes and checked the time. Your eyes widened and looked outside, it was raining. Great. What really was great was the fact that Gwil hadn't woken up yet. He was exhausted from filming all week and last nights wild activities. 

Gently you padded out of his complex into yours. You changed, brushed your teeth, and flicked on some mascara. Before leaving you made a cup of coffee and grabbed some newly bought ingredients to make a simple breakfast as a thank you. 

When you returned you could hear the water running. Smiling you began cooking. You had no idea what Gwil liked, whether he drank coffee or tea, liked blueberries or how he liked his eggs cooked. So you created an assortment of foods. Cut up fruit and toast with options of butter, cheese, avocado or eggs. All while humming quietly to yourself. 

Gwil stepped out of the shower and noticed two things. The humming and the smell of whole grain toast, which always smells better when your not the one cooking. Intrigued, he pulled on a pair of dark grey joggers and a maroon Tshirt and walked into the kitchen. It took everything in him to not wrap his arms around your waist from behind. 

"What's all this?" He asked, his voice still laced with sleep. 

"Just a thank you gesture," You smiled turning around to face him. 

"I already told you it wasn't a big deal," He sighed but couldn't get mad at you, especially since he was hungry. 

"Tea?" He asked walking around you to a cupboard.

"No thanks, I've already got some coffee."

His nose scrunched up, "Ugh, I don't know how you drink that stuff." 

"Well, I don't know how you can drink tea, its basically slightly flavored hot water,"  You laughed raising an eyebrow. 

He playfully scoffed. "You'll learn." 

"I'm not too sure about that," You challenged back before falling into a casual conversation. 

The next couple of mornings were spent the same way. Waking up on the couch with stiff shoulders, making breakfast, trying to get the other to drink your preferred caffeinated drink and falling into a conversation that sometimes led to sitting on the couch all day. You talked about your previous life and your new job. He talked about his acting and friends. Sometimes you would turn on the radio or a playlist and work side by side in comfortable silence. Most days ended with a glass of wine on the couch watching a classic British TV series or a movie. Though Gwil would not show you Midsomer Murders despite your begging. 

Each night you drifted closer and closer. Your knees touching, Gwil's arm around the back of the couch. Hands grazing when doing dishes or lingering touches when moving past one another. Both of you wished for more contact but didn't want to impose or assume the other felt the same thing. However, both of you agreed that you felt like you had known each other for ages and enjoyed spending time together. 

You got the call from your landlord that the pipe would be finally done tomorrow morning at 10. Meaning one more night with Gwil. In the beginning, you were anticipating and ready to get your flat back, but now you just wanted to stay. It was nice with a roommate. Especially with Gwil as your roommate. On the other hand, you definitely were ready to sleep in a bed again. The plan had been to alternate and every night Gwil tried to get you to sleep in his bed. Of course, you were stubborn and didn't. Sure his couch was nice but you awoke with stiff shoulders. You could handle one more day on the couch. 

However, after your first day at your new job left you exhausted. Letting yourself into the apartment with Gwil's spare key you sighed. Happy to be home.

As you kicked off your shoes and put your bag down you noticed that it smelled good. Really good. 

"Gwil, honey, are you cooking?" You asked with a wide smile, your question answered once you walked into the kitchen where Gwil was wearing an apron and mixing something on the stove. Two glasses of wine set out on the island where it had been set nicely with placemats and fancy napkin foldings. 

"Maybe," He said drawing the word out with a toothy grin. 

"God, you're the best." 

"Does that mean you'll try some tea?"  "NO" You laughed. 

You couldn't wipe the grin off of your face as you went and changed. 

Dinner was amazing and you found yourself thanking him and staring at him blissfully. Gwil noticed but didn't notice his own staring. 

After doing the dishes you ended up going to the usual movie on the couch. Halfway through the movie you still couldn't get comfortable. You were stiff and trying not to disturb the movie but Gwil, being the observant man he could tell something was off. 

"Are you alright?" He asked shifting his gaze, not having to do too much to look at you as you were already closed. 

"Yea, I'm just a little stiff and tired," You said with a reassuring smile. The last thing you wanted to do was make it a big deal out of it. 

"Anything I can do?" He asked. 

"No, but do you mind if we finish the movie another time?" 

"Not at all, love, to bed you go," He said smiling, not moving.

"Well, you kind of in my bed..." You laughed looking at him. 

"Oh no! I guess you'll just have to use mine," He teased back, not wanting you to sleep on the couch again. 

"Gwil, come on," You said raising your eyebrows and tilting your head. 

"Nope, I'll carry you if I have to," "Yeah right," You laughed. 

You were proved wrong because the next second a strong pair of arms picked you up. 

"Gwil!!" You squealed as you carried you to his bedroom. You protested as much as you could through laughter. As soon as you were put down you jumped up and tried to run away. His lean arms caught you around your waist and pulled your laughing self back to the bed. Gwil was laughing too, as he picked you up by your waist and plopped you down on the bed. 

"Stay." He laughed down at you. 

"Am I your dog now or what?" You teased propping yourself up onto your elbows. 

At the movement, Gwil put his hands on your shoulders. 

"If you don't I'm going to pin you down until you fall asleep," He said, trying to be serious but failing to keep laughter contained. 

"Oh really?" 

"Don't believe me?"

"Okay fine I do," You yawned 

Reluctantly he removed his hands and stood back up. However, it was your turn to stop him. You shot your hand out and grabbed his wrist gently. 

"Stay?" You blurted out. 

"I mean, I can't make you sleep on the couch, you can barely sit on it. This bed is big enough for the two if us.." You rambled trying to hide heat on your cheeks. 

"Alright," He yawned with a smile. His heart was beating out of his chest as he clambered into his bed after you. 

"Goodnight Gwil," You smiled turning your back to him, offering some space. 

"Goodnight Caridad," He mumbled coping your positioning. 

The new nickname made you fall into slumber with a smile on your face. The smile stayed as you shifted into Gwil's arms during your sleep. Your heads stayed on separate pillows but his arms snaked their way around your waist while your hand rested on his chest. 

When you woke, your first thought was 'This is nice, this is the best I've slept in a long time'. However, your thought was replaced by panic. 'Shit, this is definitely stepping over some boundary'. Instead of untangling yourself without waking up Gwil, you decided to drift back into a blissful sleep. Later, Gwil woke up just as surprised and happy. Though he had plans to make you breakfast this time, so he carefully and reluctantly unraveled himself from your limbs. 

Not much longer than 15 minutes after Gwil left you woke back up. You decided to not say anything as you walked into the kitchen seeing Gwil donning an apron again. 

"What's all this?" You asked, your voice still laced with sleep. 

"Just a 'you're welcome' gesture," He smiled turning around to face you, much like your first morning at his apartment. 

"Seriously, you're too good to me," You smiled happily up at him. 

"Does this mean you'll try some tea this morning?"

You laughed and looked like you were considering his offer. "Not in a million years," 

"Whatever," He laughed and gave you a plate with pancakes. 

Breakfast went by too quickly, of course, the intriguing conversation didn't help it go by any slower. Unfortunately, you had a meeting with the landlord soon and wanted to shower and change. Gwil shot down your offer to do the dishes and told you that'd he do them later. He picked up your bag and you both slowly made your down the hall to your room. Stopping in front of it. 

"Thank you for everything," You smiled up at him, gently taking you bag and placing it inside. 

"Anytime, It's not a big deal," He smiled leaning against your door frame. 

Something came over him at the prospect of you going back to your lives before meeting each other. He didn't want to lose what you had. In his mind, the only way to make sure was to kiss you. So he did. 

At first, you were shocked. Gwil was kissing you. Fortunately, your hands worked their way up to cup his chin as you reciprocated the kiss. Pulling away he was smiling like an idiot. So were you. 

"See you around?" He grinned and turned to make the 4-meter journey back to his own flat. 

"See you around, neighbor," You laughed happily. 

You shut the door to your flat and leaned against it, smiling like a damn fool. You were glad you had moved into your apartment. Burst water pipes and all. 

[logan-russo]

Growing up bouncing from one foster home to another, Logan learned early on that he was on his own. 

Unable to depend on anyone but himself, he did what he could to make money. He worked part-time at the bodega around the block from his house. There was even a short stint as a bag boy at the local supermarket. All he cared about was making enough money to save up for a nice enough place so he could become his younger sister Mia’s legal guardian and get her out of the system. When he was fifteen, along with a couple other guys from school, he started dealing. He started off small, selling weed and adderall to his classmates. Anything to get through finals week, right? Once he realized how much money he was making, he quickly graduated to stronger products. Cocaine, molly, benzos. The money he started making was more than he ever dreamed of seeing at his age.

Now that he’s been spending a lot more time in Los Angeles thanks to a certain blonde bombshell, Logan decided to bring his drug dealing talents to the City of Angels. Nothing wrong with making a little extra cash, right? He has enough contacts thanks to his connections in the art world to give him a steady stream of loyal clients always looking for their next hit.

Logan arrives at the shop right on time, awaiting his newest client. Some high school kid, wanting to stock up for the rest of the summer. Walking outside of the shop with his client after their “meeting,” they bro hug before parting ways. Logan has a mad craving for the Chinese place down the block, and he has a good business relationship with the owner. Providing them with the best coke on the streets has its perks. While he waits for his food he pulls his phone out, mindlessly looking through his texts. Replies to Faye that he’ll meet her at her apartment once she’s off for the night.

Leaving the restaurant, he stops in his tracks as he sees someone across the street. A literal ghost from his past. There’s no way.. “Wait.. what the fuck? What type of Casper shit is this?! Holy shit.. I’ve finally lost it.” Thinking all the molly he’s done over the years has finally caught up to him, he pulls his phone out to call Anthony. “Yo, I need you to come to the shop. This is going to sound fucking insane and I’m 90% sure I’m just tripping out of my mind right now.. but I swear I just saw Jane.” Logan pauses, listening to Anthony yell at him to stop joking around on the other line. “Ay! I’m not kidding you asshole, I fucking saw her. Get your ass here, now. Bring pizza,” he finishes, ending the call. Before he loses his chance, he takes a quick photo of Ghost Jane, sending it to Anthony. See??? I’m not crazy. Don’t forget the breadsticks xoxo. Crossing the street, he’s not too proud to admit he ran the rest of the way to the shop and triple-locked the door behind him.

[alley-cat-sunflower]

Status update!

Hello! Alley here, finally!

You may have noticed I’ve vanished from the face of the earth lately. In case my terse and sporadic update posts aren’t enough to tell you why I’ve been so inaccessible, I think it’s about time I give you something to explain what I’ve been doing, and maybe even a promise to come back online sooner rather than later. (But it’s gonna get a little long, so I’m throwing this under a cut. I apologize to those of you who can’t see it.)

As most of you know, I’m in my last semester of college. More importantly, I’m so far along in said last semester that I literally just have to take one final a week from today—the day before graduation, actually—and then I’m home fucking free after five years of torment!!!

Anyway, the whole semester has been super busy, what with holding down an internship and three classes all required for graduation (and that pressure has been real). One of those classes was “Math and the Human Imagination”, which unsurprisingly involved analyzing imaginary numbers. I’m ashamed to admit that despite my favorite professor’s best efforts, the course did absolutely nothing to help my understanding of mathematics. Another of those classes was “Bollywood and Globalization”, which is the one in which I still have a final. I have hopes that I’ll do well, if only because I’ve enjoyed the course enough to pay attention.

The last class was my “Senior Synthesis”, which purports itself the crowning experience of a Liberal Studies major, in which you can basically do whatever the fuck you want as long as you can present it to the class in the form of a speech/slideshow, a poster, and an essay. Because there are roughly three things I care about, I chose one of them and had an unironically marvelous time drawing a bazillion connections between BTS’s Bangtan Universe and Hermann Hesse’s Demian. I was scheduled to present in the first possible week, in mid-April, and spent 24 total hours out of the weekend before pulling together my presentation (because I’m broken and think that’s fun—I’d have spent just as much time on it even if I hadn’t had to for the project). As part of it, I made a six-minute video you can watch here if you like, which showcases some of the specific connections I examined.

Speaking of BTS in conjunction with April, though, that brings me to their new album. And can I just say, holy shit. I still wasn’t over “Intro: Persona” by the time the whole thing dropped, so every time I listen to the album, I’m shook all over again to this day. Thanks to timezone shenanigans, my mother the ARMY had me wake her at 1:45am on April 12 so we could be awake for the festivities. We saw the “Boy with Luv” MV the moment it came out… and then proceeded to watch it with and without subs about five times. While that was going on, I bought Map of the Soul: Persona on iTunes the second it was available and burned a CD. After that, my mom suggested going out to a deserted parking lot and blasting it in the car so we could enjoy it at a decent volume, since we didn’t want to wake the neighbors. So we did, and let me tell you, hearing “Dionysus” for the first time at full volume in the dead of night can’t be beat. That whole adventure is a memory I’ll cherish forever.

There have been a lot of those lately, especially in conjunction with BTS, and this brings me to how absolutely insane this past week has been. I’d like to lead into last weekend by stating in no uncertain terms that I owe @lightningswrath​ my very life for managing to land us tickets to not one, but both BTS concerts at the Rose Bowl this past weekend. They were both indescribably beautiful, though the second one in particular was perfect—not least because I actually remembered to eat that day, so I was no longer trying to process overwhelming emotions on an empty stomach. However, the experience wasn’t as surreal as I expected; I did feel elevated, but also oddly grounded. Despite their awe-inspiring stage presence and sense of showmanship, the members are also so genuine as people that I couldn’t help but accept their presence in front of me.

(Incidentally, if you’re an ARMY and haven’t looked up Namjoon’s speech on 190505, please do; the man is a true sage and I feel incredibly honored to have heard such profound words in person. The only reason I didn’t record it myself was because I was so absorbed in the moment.)

Alas, every silver lining has its cloud. This past weekend has given me an unforgettable set of experiences in the best way, but I am most definitely suffering the consequences of not being able to do any schoolwork. We couldn’t leave until after my class a week ago, and we had to come back early enough on Monday that I could make it to my last math class and explain two chapters of a book I didn’t understand. On Tuesday, I had to attend the last day of my internship and then design and construct a poster, which I finished on Wednesday morning before completing a three-page evaluation of my math class—which was supposed to have been due on Monday, but I completely spaced it out—and then presenting my poster.

But That’s Not All. Yesterday, I wrote and turned in another three-page evaluation, this time of my internship, before immediately heading home to work on my synthesis essay, which was supposed to be 15 pages. Thankfully, I actually enjoy writing about all the crazy-detailed connections between BTS and Demian, but I still only finished it in the nick of time today (at a whopping 24 pages, not counting the works cited, because I can’t be brief when I’m busy being passionate) before heading to class. I had just gotten home from that when I started writing this post, and I’ll have to leave in another couple hours to go out dancing with some friends. After that, as mentioned, I only have one final left, and then I’ll have a degree in Liberal Studies with an English minor.

Which begs the question several people have already asked me: what next?

Thankfully, my internship has provided me with a ready answer, because they decided to ask me to come in as a paid part-timer over the summer! So I can at least tell people I’m going to be continuing my foray into the field of editing and publishing. But aside from career-related stuff, I also have a lot of things I’d like to do now that I won’t have academia weighing me down anymore. Enough that I can honestly make an entire list of… uh, goals? wishes? for the rest of the year:

Finish some of my ongoing fanfiction

Work on some of my original fiction

Find more time to write and post in general

Dance more often (and learn some BTS choreography)

Get into more K-pop (VAV, Monsta X, SHInee, etc.)

Help my mother sell stuff on eBay and pay back the $500 I owe her

Buy more BTS albums/merch and FFXV’s Episode Ardyn

Play and/or replay more video games, esp. otome

Plan my move up north with @chibitorra​

Move all my stuff out of my dad’s house

Sort through everything I own and get rid of half of it

Pick up my Japanese studies again

Maybe start learning Korean???

Watch more Bollywood films

Read more Hesse, Jung, and Nietzsche

I also intend to resume some of my online activities and become more socially accessible again, but I doubt I will ever be as active or consistent in any fandoms as I once was, although I hope to compensate for this by writing more for them. Given that my former fever-pitch of online activity was born of a desire to escape reality, and by now I’ve finally found more of a place in the real world, this is most certainly for the best.

Anyway, that’s the tale of where I’ve been, where I am now, and where I’m headed next! I hope that gives you something to work with if you’ve been curious about what I’ve been up to. Thank you so much for reading, and I hope life has been kind to you too!

[five-wow]

to avoid extreme spam of anyone brave enough to follow me, i’m putting all of my 9.12 thoughts in one post. tl;dr: i loved it.

the (much, much) longer version:

the “previously on” starts with scenes from episode three or four of season one oh gosh

THIS IS A GRACE HIGHLIGHTS REEL. I’M ALREADY EMOTIONAL

first question of the night: rachel wakes up and finds that grace didn’t come home so she jumps in the car and races to danny’s, but where did she leave charlie in the middle of the night??? i’m assuming he was with her

i’ve already seen this very first bit in one of the previews but still: grace was driving a car that stan bought her two weeks ago and that DIDN’T HAVE PLATES YET and nobody told danny. there are so many things wrong with that

these actors are both so good in their despair though. the opening credits are just now starting and my heart has already been squeezed to a pulp???

steve!!! the very first thing we see after the credits is steve, sick with worry, half running into the hospital and speeding up when he sees danny to wrap him in a hug. he does this little hop thing?? that kills me??

so steve squeezes danny (and it kind of looks a little like danny was going for a handshake bro hug thing but steve just bulldozered over him and gave him the real hug they should be having? good steve) and then he rushes to rachel to hug her too, like a matter of course. i like that

oh noooo. the other girl’s dad turns up and blames he crash on grace (understandable under the circumstances but not helpful in the least) and as soon as steve realizes what’s happening he steps over to situate himself in between this guy and danny??? i love steve so much gosh

duke turns up with critical info and he tells steve about it??? not danny or rachel, and admittedly he maybe has a stronger bond with steve i guess but at least danny he definitely knows pretty well too (they’re ohana too, right?) but he tells steve about what’s technically danny’s daughter and there’s so many things to be read into that (the main thing obviously being that steve is as good as grace’s parent too and it’s canon fdjkfdjk)

i’m five minutes in at this point and i already have this much commentary. this is going to be long

i think i’ve said this before but: it’s not necessarily bad that stan bought grace a car. it’s not bad either that rachel didn’t tell danny, but if what rachel says and it’s because grace wanted to tell danny herself, then rachel should have put her foot down and not let grace go out with the car (that didn’t have plates yet??? that can’t be legal right?) until grace had actually told danny about it!!! rachel just doesn’t learn from her past mistakes about not telling danny shit about their kids that danny DEFINITELY should have been told and it’s a believable character flaw but it’s so painful

“there’s all kinds of things that happen that you should’ve told me about that you don’t tell me about, i’m used to it, alright? i’m used to it.” danny fucking knows and this is honestly the number one reason why romantic danny/rachel can’t ever work again as far as i’m concerned because it would be built on so much resentment and pain and pure shit that it’s just too much to put behind you, because they won’t ever be able to fully, completely trust each other again (and not all of it would be rachel’s fault, btw, i’m not saying that - it’s just that when she fucks up, she fucks up big time)

“i’m a cop now. i’ll keep it professional.” [cut to tani pushing her suspect out of his chair and onto the floor] well, you know, she’s got a point there. that’s exactly what professional looks like to five-0 (i like this secondary plotline a lot though! tani as protective and slightly violent older sister is super interesting)

danny is calling steve to update him even though there’s barely any knews because steve deserves to know everything (and probably because danny’s wants to hear his voice, lbr) and it’s good

this phone call between tani and junior is also super sweet!! (though it does kind of add obvious fuel to the fire of parallels they’re drawing between tani&junior and danny&steve, whether that’s something you like or not)

the whole team is so concerned about danny and of course they are but it’s still really good to see!!

of course grace can’t just get in a car accident, it has to be some kind of a crime. (i don’t even really mind but it’s just so predictable, gosh. they need someone to blame)

kamekona and flippa are bringing food to the hospital!!! that’s so thoughtful!

charlie! he exists in this episode! i’m still slightly fuzzy on where he was all night (because noelani comes in with him but the way she then asks charlie if he wants to hang out doesn’t seem like he’s been with her this whole time, so where the hell was he?) but it’s good to see him now, at least

also!!! noelani babysitting charlie!!! EVERYONE IS HELPING OUT. OHANA. <3

danny had noelani bring some stuff for rachel which is good and kind but the sweatshirt thing makes me... a little concerned... about romantic connotations. but i’m stubbornly deciding to read this as a purely platonic gesture to help out a sort-of-friend/co-parent

OOPS steve calls because they located a phone that grace received a threatening text message from at the hospital, but is leading danny to this person really a good idea right now? oh gosh

oh god grace was helping a classmate that got bullied and she dropped a girl’s phone in someone’s beer to stop her from showing around a picture and i love grace

the thing is, right. the thing is. I KNOW that grace is going to be okay because she’ll be in the next episode, eating pancakes at danny’s and laughing with steve, but i’m STILL almost crying watching danny and rachel wait with all this sickening tension without knowing anything and then watching them rush to get some news only to hear there’s been a complication and all they can do, AGAIN, is wait more

it’s GOOD but it’s SO PAINFUL

steve, junior and lou watch a security tape of zippy’s where some creepy guy keeps coming up to grace and katie’s table and then grace gets up and clearly tells the guy to go away and a) that’s really good on its own but also b) steve’s proud “atta girl”!!! yes!!!

danny apologizes for being mean about the car, holy shit. and yes, he was a little mean, maybe, but he was also incredibly stressed and he had a right to be angry, god.

“i should have been more honest with you. about a lot of things.” at least rachel had realized that much, omg.

rachel is playing the “what if” game and danny tells her that she shouldn’t and it’s actually a really nice moment. i like this.

THAT VIDEO. and both rachel and danny just crying and crying and the mutual forehead kisses and comfort??? i think i’ve made it pretty clear that i don’t ever want romantic danny/rachel again but this? i LOVE this. they can’t be a couple but they can still be a team and family in this weird way through their kids.

danny is just sitting on the floor in a hallway now and steve finds him and sits down next to him before they even say a single word and i’m already swamped with feelings just from that. i’m easy like that djfdkjf

steve says that grace is really taking after danny by going after bullies and standing up for the little guy and danny says “i think maybe she gets that from you more than me” anD I AM DECEASED. RIP ME. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO HANDLE THESE FAMILY FEELS??

i’m not going to quote their entire conversation about steve being in more of grace’s pictures than danny and steve saying they should throw grace a big graduation party in steve’s backyard and danny actually smiling about something but i COULD because this is EVERYTHING I EVER WANT.

rachel finds them with the news that grace is OKAY and FUCK YES but also???? danny and steve’s expressions of relief???? are the exact same??????? and then there’s THAT ONE HUG that involves danny and rachel and steve, all three of them, and at this point literally nobody can convince me that steve isn’t as much a parent to grace as either of these other two

ALSO. LET ME JUST TALK ABOUT THAT HUG FOR A BIT. danny and rachel fall into each other’s arms because duh, at this point, of course you’d hug, and danny kind of swings them around a bit and then REACHES FOR STEVE who’s standing there right next to them with his hands on his hips and just DIVES into it and rachel makes room for him too? and then they’re CLINGING TO EACH OTHER and steve has closed his eyes and wrapped himself around them and he has his chin on danny’s shoulder and danny is smushed between them and have i given of the vibe that I LOVE THIS yet because I DO

grace! we get to see grace in color for the first time this episode!

there’s a party for grace at danny’s home!!! and danny says he didn’t know about it and i’m leaning towards believing him because i can easily be 100% convinced that this was steve’s doing oh gosh

GRACE AND STEVE HUG. literally just the hug content in this episode is lethal to me oh shit

“we’re still here, okay. anytime you need us, we got you.” PRIME DAD!STEVE. FUCK YES.

djfdjkfd @ steve somewhere in the background when kamekona mentions the restaurant going “i still prefer the name steve’s”

koah’s thing about appreciating tani and appreciating being brought into this big weird family????? almost made me cry again

OH NO. yep i was bracing for this already because i’d seen enough people talking about this, but i’m at the end, with danny and rachel outside at a small table and danny brings her some food they ate at their first date and she points that out and he says that it’s on the menu because it was their first date meal and, uhhhh, no. nope. don’t do that, come on, guys, what the fuck

alright, so yes, there are pretty undeniable flirting vibes here, but i’m stubborn. i’m still going to deny them. i’m going to view this as a happy end where danny and rachel have been brought a little closer together as divorced parents of two kids and where they can share a moment again without it devolving into a fight and i’m choosing to let that be all it is. and steve’s look and smile at them? that would honestly be out of character if it was supposed to be “oh i’m happy that danny might be getting back together with his ex-wife” so obviously i’m going to interpret that as “oh i’m happy that danny and rachel seem to be getting along platonically because that’ll make danny and grace and charlie’s life easier”

okay, now that i’ve seen all of it, two things:

what happened to katie??? she was just as bad off as grace from what we heard but we never got to hear if she was alright??? and the thing with her dad was never resolved either???

MELISSA. remember, danny’s girlfriend??? i’m about 99.9% sure we never heard that she and danny broke up, unless i missed something, and i don’t think i did. so. what the fuck are we supposed to think there? i’m not certain they’ve mentioned her once this season but at the same time danny was definitely teasing steve about his lack of dates in 9.01 and that was a prime opportunity for steve to say something, anything, to danny about danny’s dating life as a comeback, but they didn’t take that chance so at that time i assumed he was still with melissa. but? now they seem to be doing this thing with rachel? and melissa has been forgotten? i see people in the fandom say that danny is single all the time and i get it because at this point it’s an assumption that makes sense, with how little melissa has been mentioned for seasons now, but we’ve never gotten confirmation of that and it bugs the hell out of me because she’s a character that supposedly played a big role in his life at one point and she was in multiple episodes and now they don’t even have the time for like, one line of dialogue that somehow tells us what’s what? the complete irony here is that i never really liked danny and melissa’s relationship (she is so young for him, and that’s just the start of it) and now i sound like i’m defending it when really i just don’t want this poor woman to be treated so ridiculously. i swear i’m going to file a missing persons report omfg where is melissa #melissadeservedbetter

aside from my bitterness about melissa though - i LOVED this episode. it was tense and painful and i’m as concerned about the danny/rachel hints as the next guy, but it’s not that explicit here and i do like seeing them together as friends so i’m good with it for the most part for now? and there was SUCH good dad!steve content and some amazing steve/danny and the steve-danny-rachel hug killed me as much as i’d hoped and there was a steve and danny hug and a steve and grace hug and the sideplot was great too and i loved seeing tani and koah together more, and i just??? really loved almost every second of it a lot

[imagodwithnodess]

Dance Partner- Park Jisung pt.1

pairing: reader x jisung

genre: fluff

warnings: strong language 

summary: You are the top of multiple categories at the idol school did you attend. Being of a darker skin tone and from America you obviously make yourself work harder than everyone else. Which results in you skyrocketing past you're very jealous arch nemesis. Getting the guy of your dreams and becoming a part of one of the most popular friend groups in the school. You do all of this with nothing but your winning personality and raw talents. With those friends, you proved your Worth to everyone including the people who doubt you.

(Thursday)

“Hey, freak!” I hear from behind me as I close my locker. I know exactly who it is, I turn on my heels to swiftly “hello ladies and gents, how can I help you on the fine day” I say smiling. This is pretty normal to see 6 people blocking my way. “you know what's in 2 weeks? I think you know why we're here” said...well pretty much my arch nemesis, Hwijin.

“Well if my calendar is correct, it's two weeks till the competition,” I say faking a thoughtful look. I go to an idol school. There are competitions every 2 months. You have to have like five songs that you can sing on a dime here, otherwise, you probably will be able to make it. The competitions are really big deal because you get them on your resume and your school record. As a student hear the huge thing.

“That's right y/n, so if you don't drop out of the comp by next Friday w-” she was cut off by the bell ringing “good talk! I think we covered a lot of ground today!” I push off my locker with my foot and shove passed them starting to run. “YOUR LUCKY I HAVE STUFF TO DO OR I WOULD KICK YOUR ASS,” Hwijin says while I'm running “YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THATS BULL SHIT,” I say as I push the door to the school open.

These things are pretty normal since...well let's be Frank, I'm an American on the darker side at a Korean school. Sure, it's an English school and I speak Korean, but that doesn't change the fact that I look like a piece of chocolate in a bowl of white rice. In this school they train you to be an idol, it's also a place idols can get there education, if they want.

I run outside to the parking lot. I put my hand over my eyes to see if I can find a particular car. I search for many 10 or 20 seconds before finding the car of my older sister. “Hey y/s/n!” I say getting in the car. “Hey boo” she says turning down the super junior she had playing. “You excited for the comp in 2 weeks?” She says as she starts driving “yup!” I say bouncing up and down in my seat. “You know what your gonna sing?” “Yeah, I dally” “by Hyolyn!?” she says surprised “mmhmm,” I say nodding slowly and smiling “are you dancing also?” she says smiling “mmmmmhhhhhmm,” I say drawing it out this time. “Omg yes, y/n!!” She says excitedly. I laugh thinking about excited I am about it.

~Friday~ 

“Hey, Mrs. H” I say walking into the my teacher's office “hello y/n!” She says getting up from her desk “ok so I'm not feeling well*fake cough* and I don't think I will be back until-” “next Monday?” She says chuckling “you know my immune system so well” I point the finger guns at her. She chuckles and reaches into her desk pulling out a stack of papers. “All of next week's homework my dear,” she says handing them to me “ good luck on next week's competition,” she says patting me on the shoulder “thanks Mrs. H!” I say putting the papers in my bookbag and heading to my locker for everything else I need.

“Hey! y/n” I hear from behind me. I turn to see who's calling my name. I see a guy, looks to be around my age maybe older “hi, I'm Jeno, Lee Jeno" he holds out his hand so I can shake it “hi Jeno, I'm..well how do you know my name?” I say shaking his hand and looking slightly puzzled. “I'm in your history class, I sit in the back though so you may have not seen me, I know your name, well cuz of the “y/n and Hwijin” thing,” he says putting air quotes around y/n and Hwijin part. “Oohh, okay that makes sense, how can I help you,” I say smiling “well my friend wants to ask you something but he's too scared too, his name is jisung” my eyes widen a but “park jisung, " I say baffled. He nods his head excitedly “is afraid to talk….to me” I say still baffled, Jeno nods his head excitedly once more. “About what?” I say chuckling as i close my locker. “Well he wants you to dance with us, Since we're down a person, our friend Mark graduated last year and he was a big part, jisung thought it would be cool if you danced and sang with us” my eyes light up “I would love too!” I say hugging him. “ wait but if you just asked me, why do I need to talk to jisung?” I ask leaning against my locker “well he….we just want him to talk to you directly” I squint my eyes at him “mkey” he laughs at my expression “gimmie your phone” I reach into my pocket and give it to him, unlocking it beforehand. “Wacha doin,"i say after a few seconds “I'm putting my name in your phone, are you free next week?” He says giving me my phone back “Yeah but I won't be in school all next week, I won't be back until after the comp, I always try to catch up on volunteering, when I'm out of school. And since we're all so busy I have a lot of volunteering to do” I say chuckling at the last part. “well text me, ok?” he asks in a tone that makes me think he believes I won't text him back. “I will promise,” I say walking away. I'm fascinated to hear what jisung has to say.

~next day~

I just got out of the theaters with my sister a couple of her friends, and a couple of mine. When I get a text from Jeno

Jeno😋

Hey!😁

Y/n

Hey, what's up my man🤗

Jeno😋

What are you doing Tuesday night?

Y/n

that night I volunteered to help out at school, since I'm not in school this week I'm helping grade papers and clean up the school, kinda like detention but I can listen to music, practice, and I'm getting paid, like 30 bucks🤣

Jeno😋

I wasn't with it up until you said you get paid😂 but I'm asking because we told just jisung that we were going to meet up somewhere on Tuesday night. The thing is he's actually meeting up with you. the plan is that he's going to meet up with one of us and then they are going to take him Wherever You Are, and then he'll have to talk to you. He's too nice not to😂😂

Y/n

That seems a tad cruel...but hey I'm not one to pass up a  scheme🤣. I'm down

Jeno😋

Ok good, you and he will get along great!

Y/n

I hope so! Otherwise, this will be really awkward🤣

Jeno😋

Trust me y/n👌

Y/n

Ok, I trust you😊

By the time our text conversation, I'm in the car with my sister and our friends. I close my phone and smile to myself. “Oooo, what are YoU smiling about” my friend Amanda says. “Just the competition”

I say laughing.

~Tuesday~

I get to the school and put in the password for the student workers door since it's a pretty big place the School hires student workers. We don't get paid much, but it goes toward our grades and things like that.

I put in my headphones and put dally on repeat. I work for 6 hours at a time, it's about 6 right now so I clock in and get to work, I know jeamin is bringing jisung at some point but i have preformed and fucked up so many times embarrassment isn't in my vocab anymore.

*time skip*

It's about 8 and I'm currently in the chem lab. i take a break to practice a bit pushing the tables back. The dance is a little teasing but still appropriate. I get to the chorus and start dancing my heart out, making sure I got this choreo and the singing, I take out my headphones at this point. Because dancing with those in is a nightmare. I put my phone on the table. And start performing for no one.

I hear the door open but at this point its 30 more seconds to the song so I decided to simply carry on until the song was over.

I turn around sweating and smile at jaemin, we met Monday to discuss the plan so that i would be more comfortable “hi min!” I say skipping over to him jumping in him, hugging strongly “heeeeyyyy!” he says laughing. “ Wheres jisung?” I ask looking around him “ he saw you dancing and when you were done he ran, he's probably in the caf trying to calm himself down and try to make his face less red” he says chuckling at the last part. “Okey, let's go then, oh wait, how did you do on your English test today!”I ask hoping he did well “well, I kinda got a C-.....this is a weird question but, isn't English your first language?” He asks scratching the back of his head “indeed it is my boy, would you like a new English tutor?” I ask knowing the answer “holy shit yes! That would be awesome.. we could all use a tutor really especially jisung" he says laughing as he laughs it makes my crack up as well.

After laughing for a while we made our way the caf. I see jisung sitting through the window the giant cafeteria and I start to open the door. Jaemin stops me by putting his hand on my shoulder. “ I'm gonna go, introduce yourself and just let the rest flow, you got this” he says knowing how nervous I am. I turn to him and hug him before nodding my head and putting my hand on the handle of the door. I open it and Jisungs head snaps around he smiles and gets and walking towards me. As he walks closer i see how much taller than me he is. “Hi" i say sticking out my hand “I'm y/n, y/n y/l/n” he shakes it while laughing “I know, it's really cool to meet you, I'm jisung park” I laugh as well “I know, and same” we bring our hands down and there's an awkward silence “so, what do you do now” I think for a second or 2 “well you could help me work while we talk, get to know each other” I realize how dumb and boring that sounds “actually let's not, you probably don't want to wo-”  “no no, I love that idea" he says smiling putting his hands on my shoulders reassuring me. I blush but thanks to my complexion he can't see it. “Cool! Let's go!” I say grabbing his hand and running where I put my cleaning stuff. We clean and talk for a while laughing and enjoying each others company. We find out that we both love memes and video game, guaranteeing that references will be made. As we are mopping one of the bigger classrooms jisung stops and looks at me. “What's up,” I say giggling at his expression. “Can I ask you a personal question?” He says leaning on the mop “sure!” I say stopping my actions and walking over to him, giving him my full attention “what's it like being in this school and being..uh” he stops trying to choose the right words. “darker than almost everyone within 500 miles?” I say laughing “yeah," he says chuckling “well it's not all bad, most people are pretty excepting, most people don't even mention it, but you do have certain people who, well are uncomfortable with me being around, but everyone goes through that” he nods his head. At this point, he is sitting at a desk and I'm sitting on said desk. “But I still meet people like, Jeno, jaemin, and you, I have met Renjun and Chenle couple times, we have some of the same classes, they have talked to me a bit about comps and stuff, haechen is in like 2 of my classes, people like you guys make me feel at home” I say looking straight in front of me.  “Ok last question I promise, “ he says putting his hands up “k, what's up?” I ask looking at him “what's with the “y/n and Hwijin” thing, I have heard it a couple of times, but I'm confused,” I sigh “iit's a long story, you sure you want to hear it?” He perks up “oh my God yes” I giggle at this “ok so Hwijin had been the top singer, dancer, and rapper, for our grade  she wanted to be a part of you guys friend group so bad, she worked pretty hard on it” I explain “our friend group?” He asks “yeah, every one of you is the top of a male category, or in the top three of the entire School. So naturally, she wanted to be in your friend group. Also I think she has a huge crush on Jeno” he scrunched his nose “them together would be so gross" he cringes “I know right!?”we both shudder “anyways” I continue “ when I got here two years ago, I knew that I had to work 10 times as hard and 20 times as good in order to be called equal to everyone else. So I worked harder than I ever had before for the first competition that I did hear” he nods understanding “ normally I would just dance, or just sing, or just rap. But in my first competition, I knew that I would have to do all 3 in order to be as good as everyone else, the thing that I didn't count on is winning the first competition that I ever did hear. Apparently, it took Hwijin  5 whole times to just be in the top three” he raises his eyebrows impressed. “ about six months after that I won my second competition. I had done about 2 in between but this time I stepped my game up, singing an American Korean mashup that I made myself, dancing to it, and rapping to it. That secured me being the top of all three of those categories in our grade sections, with that everybody started wondering not if, but when I was going to end up being friends with you guys” he insists stunned that all of this was happening and he didn't even know. “ so basically I dethroned her.” I laughed causing jisung to start laughing as well. He stops and looks at me with a serious expression “I need to ask you something else” he says “sure” I say also getting serious “ so I don't know if you want to do this, but our lead rapper, and Lead all around really. She graduated last year. And we need another person.” I smile knowing what he's about to say “ I was wondering if you would want to perform with us?” He says almost so quiet that I can't hear him. “I would love that,” I say getting up and holding out my hand. He gets up as well and I engulf him in the biggest hug I can conjure. I pull back to see Jisung’s face red as a tomato. “Sorry,” I say starting to back up. “No!-” jisung says pulling me back into a hug. “You give really good hugs,” he says, “thanks," I say embracing his tall frame. “Why do you always take a week off before comps?” I pull away and smile “Plain Jane and her goons always come after me about a week for competitions. To try to mess me up, so that I won't be able to perform” his eyes widen “are you serious!?” He says concerned “yeah, it's no biggie though, I'm used to it," I say shrugging “ well one thing's for sure, she will never be able to do that again,” he says petting my curly hair. I smile and we go back to cleaning. We finish up and it's time to go home. “I had a lot of fun tonight"i say clocking out  “me too, I know we just met but i feel like i’ve known you for ages” i smile at his words “i feel the same” i say walking to the door, “what are you doing anything on thursday” I open the door and realize he just asked me out “umm no I'm not actually why?” I say still with my back turned to him not wanting him to see my giddiness. “Well...uh..I.. just thought umm..” he stutters and fumbles over his words. I turn and hold his face in the palm of my hands. I just met him but I feel so close to him already “this is nice"he chuckles leaning into my hand. He sighs and takes my hands “uhh, wow this is so much harder then I wanted it to be” I giggle and reassure him. “How about this, we can go to the movies with the boys and we'll sit by ourselves and we can call it auuhh, hangout. That way you don't have to say anything"i smile at him “that sounds really nice,” he chuckles once again. I pull his forehead down and get on my tip toes, I kiss him on the forehead. “Okey, text me" I say running to the car where my sister is. “I will!”he says walking towards a the only other car in the parking lot. The window rolls down to reveal jeno is driving. “Hi jeno!!!"i yell across the parking lot “hi y/n!!!”he yells back. I hop in the car. My phone buzzes as I talk to my sister

Jisung😍😜

Hey, I'm really excited about Thursday!

I laugh at the name he put for himself

Y/n

Me too!

I smile to myself. This will be fun.

~Thursday~

I Wake up normally at about 6 knowing I don't have school I do a lot of the homework I have until about 3. I then spend the rest of the day up until that reading, playing video games, and looking at memes. I get a text from jeno

Jeno😋

Hey! Are you ready to leave, we'll be there at like 10

Y/n

Yeah, I'll be ready by then👌

Jeno😋

Kk, see ya!

I close my phone and head to the bathroom, i do my usual makeup, and usual hair routine, then go and pick my favorite “to the movies” outfit. After that i walk out of my room sitting on the couch. My sister and her partner are at work so i'm home alone. My phone buzzes

Jeno😋

Come outside!

I pick up my bag and run out of the door locking it, then running down a flight of stairs to get to the parking lot. I look around and see a car of rowdy boys. I smile and jog over to the car opening the passenger seat door. “Hey guys!” i say getting into jenos moms van, he borrows it when all the boys want to travel together. “Heey” jeamin says “how are you?” renjun asks “other then the fact that the comp is this week and i'm practically shitting bricks..i'm good!” you say making them laugh “hey i can help you practice if you want” you hear from the back knowing it's jisung “omg that would be great! I need a fresh pair of eyes on the routine to tell me if anything wrong i say turning around to face them “oh jisung would looove to be a fresh pair of eyes for you” chenle says jisung blushes and i quickly turn to the road ahead as jaemin is about to say something i plug in my phone to the aux and start playing music. “Ohhhh shit i love this song!!” i hear heachen say making my smirk at my genius save. I start dancing and having fun as well. We all sing to the lyrics and know all of the words. I see jeno shaking his head as i annoyingly sing to him, making him laugh. We get to the theater and i force jeno not to turn off the car as we park wanting to finish dancing to the song. I hop out as well as everyone else that was in the car dancing the choreography to shine by pentagon. I laugh as the song ends and take my phone off the aux cord.  All 7 of us walk to the ticket counter. Jeno walks up “hi can i get 7 for aquaman, umm 2 kids 5 adults” we all look at each other wondering who it's going to be that gets the kid tickets. He turns around and everyone looks at my and jisung us being the youngest\. He jives one to jisung then passes straight over me and gives the other to chenle. “What!? I'm older than her!” he says pointing at me “well physically..but she has more brain cells than the 2 of you combined” he says walking away making me almost fall to the ground in laughter. “The funny *wheeze* the funny thing is *gasp* i have like 4!!*laughing even harder* SO HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE!” i say dying with laughter making everyone else laugh just as hard. After that we make our way to concessions buying loads of snacks. “Ok so the movie doesn't start for a while so we can just sit out here and chill. We find a bench and about four of us sit down, i keep standing along with a couple of others dancing to the music in my heart slightly. Jisung starts dancing with me. “Hey y/n, i have an idea” jeamin says “shoot” i say telling him to go ahead. “Come to school tomorrow, we can protect you, i'm sure everyone want to see you before the comp “i cant” i simply say as i keep dancing. “Oh come on what's the worst that could happen” jeno says “i don't think you guys understand,” i say pausing my movements “she has damn near broken my jaw not allowing me to sing. She has sprained my ankle so that i can dance….” i pause and inhale and exhale “she almost broke my vocal cords” i say making them grow quite realizing how serious this is. I shake my head continuing. “She’s normally all talk, all bark no bite. But the week before comps puts her in this weird thing. Her moms a teacher so she has access to the roster. She probably knows that i haven't backed down. She WiLL come after me. I'm not putting you guys through that” i say smiling at them “well if you that uncomfortable..we will come over tomorrow night!” chenle says brightening the mood “i would love that!” i say jumping up and down making them smile. We talk more and go in when it's time.

I remember that this is a date and whisper to jisung as we are walking in “how are we going to get alone, without it being super obvious” “i got this.” he whispers back  “hey y/n and i have already seen this so we're going to sit somewhere else so that we don't disrupt with commentary” he says and starts walking. We find a place and sit down high fiving one another. We whisper extremely quite so that we don't ruin the movie for anyone. “What's your favorite part?” he whispers “the last 20 minutes of the movie” i say chuckling “saame” he says dapping me up. “Can i ask you something..outside?” he says “yeah sure” i say putting my stuff down.

Jisung holds my hand as he leads me to the hall. He turns to me “do you trust me” he aks seriously i star chuckling “jisung we ju-” “do you...trust me” he says stepping closer holding my waist. I nod my head yes “then believe me when i say this. Hwijin, will NEVER have the chance to even touch you EVER again. You gut that, i won't allow it” he says putting his forehead on mine i close my eyes feeling tears build up behind them, he cares so much, i can see the pain in his eyes as he thinks about what's happened to me in the past “your better then her, you always have been and you always will be, you don't have to be scared anymore” i wrap my arms around his neck and bury my face in his shoulder “thank you” i whisper “y/n, will you be my dance partner” i giggle and pull away. I wipe my tears and look at him in the eyes. “Yes. 100% yes” i say hugging him tighter. I pull away “i-” i'm cut off by a kiss, i have kissed someone before but this, this feels electric like a bolt of lightning struck, in a good way. He pulls away with his eyes still closed, smiling. He opens them and hugs me once more “wait so you're telling me, i can call you my boyfriend?” he blushes and nods his head. “And i'm extremely proud to call you my girlfriend y/f/n” he says putting his chin on the top of my head. “Omg i don't think anything could ruin my week...or year for that matter,” i say making him laugh. We walk back into the theater hand in hand and sit back down. I lay my head on his shoulder as he intertwines our fingers, making me smile even more. I put my chin on his shoulder looking up at him “if you want me to come to school tomorrow i will, now that i have a knight in shining armor” i whisper “i would love that y/n” he says kissing my forehead. We turn to the movie and keep watching and whispering to each other. The movie ends and we walk to where everyone else is keeping from holding hands until we were ready to tell everyone. “Omg that movie was so good!” heachan says. “Yeah this theater is really nice to, it's a little further but it's worth it” jaemin says “yeah, this was the best movie experience ever!” renjun says as they continue talking “funny he should say that” jisung leans over to whisper. “I was literally just thinking that” i whisper back. “So i have convinced y/n to go to school tomorrow!” jisung says to the boys. All of them are really excited, they know the fear of being bullied they all were once, then one by one mark protected them and took them under his wing.

We walk out of the theater and they drop me home i thank them and say good my goodbyes. Jisung and i try to keep our distance for now so that it won't be obvious. i unlock the door to my sister's apartment and slide down it. Thoughts of jisung and the competition swirled my mind, “holy shit” i whisper. It was all i could muster.

[artificialqueens]

Just the Game We're In - Chapter 10 (Ortega)

a/n: holy hell. this was a quick update (#triggered) and i don’t quite know how i’ve managed it, but i hope everyone enjoys it. In this chapter, three new interns arrive. They work quietly and keep themselves to themselves and nothing interesting happens.

Willam was never one to get dramatic, but she was pretty sure the last two weeks had been the worst of her life.

She’d tried phoning Courtney countless times to no answer. Texts went unread. She knew she was being a pathetic mess when she took solace in the fact that Courtney hadn’t blocked her number, as if being one level up from a random creepy guy at a bar was anything to be proud of. Still, to Willam it was the hope that maybe someday soon Courtney would text her again, or call her again, and say that she’d been thinking and the whole situation wasn’t one to lose their relationship over, and Willam would finally hold Courtney again and everything would be alright.

But it hadn’t happened yet, and it hadn’t happened at work either, and every day for the past two weeks Willam had felt as if she was walking into a chest freezer whenever she arrived at work. The icy stares from the comms girls, who of course had been told every last detail (probably over wine, Willam was guessing) compounded by the frostiness Courtney exuded from her from 8am until the day was over made Willam wonder how she hadn’t yet contracted hypothermia and died. Katya was the only one that attempted to see where Willam was coming from, one day when the entire atmosphere had become too much and Willam had had to sneak off into the kitchen - not to cry, because she wasn’t a crier, but just to compose herself in case she actually did happen to squeeze a few tears out. Katya had walked in by chance, and given Willam a sad smile and an awkward hug which had made Willam’s throat tight, and Willam had explained everything from her side of the story. Katya had listened as she’d made the office teas, and when Willam was finished she’d concluded that she saw where Willam was coming from, and she understood why she had lied to Bianca, but it didn’t excuse the fact that the actual act of the lying was a terrible fucking mistake and Willam should never have done it. Willam knew that, of course she knew that, but hearing someone else articulate what she’d already beaten herself up for about a thousand times made things seem even worse, and Willam went home at lunchtime that day. Not that Sharon cared. Not that Sharon seemed to care about much these days, even though her new policy was going well- house construction of the new communities had started already but it only seemed to serve to remind Sharon of Alaska’s good organisation in getting the contracts with the builders up and running and starting as soon as they could. Every time Sharon walked past Alaska’s empty chair in the office Willam could hear her sigh. Alaska’s bag was still there, and nothing had moved from where it had been left that fateful day. Willam found herself wondering how Alaska could afford not to come back and collect it, until she remembered the girl’s maddening habit of carrying everything important in her pockets instead of her purse, so she guessed that everything was fine for her.

She had to guess, because she didn’t really know. She’d texted Alaska, even tried phoning her countless times, but she only got left on read or sent to voicemail. Judging by the state Sharon would arrive most mornings- makeupless, hair not having even seen a brush, and wearing glasses in favour of her usual contact lenses, it made Willam think that Alaska didn’t have much time for either of them. And that was fair enough- she was obviously busy, but Willam still missed and needed her friend. Now more than ever.

Walking into work on a sunny Monday morning, it made Willam want to feel happy and upbeat. She still found herself absent-mindedly planning things for her and Courtney to do even though now they would never get to do them- After work we could get ice cream and go watch people get vertigo attacks on the Eye. Or hire Boris Bikes, cycle around Westminster and try to mow down members of the opposition. She didn’t know if it comforted her or made her feel even worse.

She arrived into the office to the radio silence of the comms girls and Courtney wearing a new baby pink trouser suit.

“Morning,” Courtney said first, her voice stony as it usually was these days.

“Morning. How are you?” Willam asked tentatively, sitting at her desk and switching her computer on. She looked up to see the tailend of Courtney rolling her eyes.

“I’m fine. I’m always fine,” Courtney said frostily, then picked up a folder from her desk and put it on Willam’s. “Bianca phoned and said she wants the figures of all new arrivals that have been granted British citizenship from 1985 to present so…here’s 1990 onwards for you to do and I’ll take the rest. I’ve got to go get Sharon from downstairs.”

Willam’s heart sank. Reduced to exchanging pleasantries that weren’t even pleasant with a girl that used to be one of her best friends, never mind her girlfriend. It was fucking depressing.

Sharon arrived mere minutes later without the spring in her step that she usually had. Willam made a mental note to check with reception if Ely, her bodyguard, had dropped her off at the door this morning and not simply the pavement outside work as he had done yesterday- which was far too careless, Willam had chastised him. Sharon seemed unbothered about the impending threat to her life, however, as she made her way to her office. Willam noticed that the black dress that she wore, which used to flatter her curves, now hung baggy in places it hadn’t before, indicating the amount of weight she had lost over the past couple of weeks through not eating. Her face was paler than usual due to the lack of makeup on it and her glasses had slid down her nose. There was one positive though- she seemed to have been to get a haircut and her hair looked neat and presentable, albeit much shorter than it had been.

“Morning, Sharon,” she smiled tightly. “Nice hair.”

Sharon turned and smiled softly. “Thanks. I had to get it sorted out, it was a nightmare. Apparently that happens if you don’t wash your hair for six days. No, I just thought- new hair for a new girlfriendless me. Sorry. That was a shit joke. Oh wait, it wasn’t really a joke. It was just me being sad. The real joke here is my love life. There, that one was funny,” she spieled, her voice deadpan. Straightening up, she cleared her throat. “Right remember, ladies, that these interns are arriving from number 10 today so make sure there’s space for them.”

“Should we, um,” Courtney asked hesitantly. “Should we clear, um.”

She gave a vague gesture at Alaska’s desk. Sharon frowned.

“Why would we need to clear Alaska’s desk, Courtney?” she asked, at once accusatory. Courtney’s mouth dropped open a little, taken-aback.

“No, I mean we don’t- I just thought-”

“Well un-think what you just thought. She’ll come back. She’ll at least have to come back for her bag, it’s got her antihistamines in it and the pollen count is through the roof today. And her special lip balm from Khiels is in it and she’ll get dry lips if she doesn’t put it on,” Sharon babbled, Willam’s heart going out to her. She was behaving a little bit as if she was bereaved, but Willam supposed that a breakup was a kind of grief. She’d not really had a chance to talk to Sharon about everything yet, too wrapped up in her own heartbreak to think much about Sharon’s. Perhaps today she should try to be there for her, Willam supposed.

“Of course, Sharon. I won’t touch anything on her desk,” Courtney reassured her, her voice soft and in turn making Sharon sigh.

“Just fuck Violet and Adore off, move them into Richmond Terrace. It’s only a week for Christ’s sake,” Sharon gave a blithe swipe of her hand as she turned and walked into her office. Willam shrugged, tuning into the figures in front of her instead. If she was being honest, she’d forgotten about the interns arriving, so much had been going on in her own life. It happened every year or so- Bianca would drop off a couple of graduate interns from Number 10 into different departments and let the ministers deal with them for a week. Sometimes they were good. Sometimes they were clearly shit and weren’t at all cut out for politics. Most of the time it was the latter. Usually Willam worked around them and didn’t really mind them being there, but this week she really could have been doing without them.

Sighing at her inability to concentrate, she looked up and briefly caught eyes with Courtney. Frozen, Willam gave a smile over to her. Courtney looked disarmed, as if she was about to smile back, then her face set into a stony glare as she looked away from Willam.

Looking back at the folder in front of her, Willam concluded she really could have done without work at all.

***

It was around 11 o’clock when Bianca finally showed up to the department, walking confidently into the department with three twentysomethings trailing behind her. The first walked with her head held high and with only a slight tremble in her step- a petite black girl with a huge mane of caramel hair and a daintily highlighted nose wearing an immaculate white pencil skirt and suit jacket combo. As Willam stood in front of Sharon’s office beside Courtney and Jinkx, she found herself becoming hopeful- this girl actually inspired some sort of confidence in her.

The second girl, not so much, Willam thought as she saw her go over on her heel slightly as she walked towards them. Her shining blonde hair was curled neatly and her navy blue shift dress with its white shirt collar made her look like a trained professional, but the anxious expression on her face and the red flush already hitting her cheeks suggested otherwise.

The third was a young man, early as opposed to late twenties, Willam guessed. He didn’t look as nervous as the girl in front of him, and appeared to be taking everything in from behind his thick-rimmed glasses. He had a sort of scruff of stubble but could get away with it in his smart grey suit and neatly-gelled dark hair. Willam had to acknowledge he was attractive, but only begrudgingly so.

As Bianca reached them, she motioned for the three to line up in front of the Dosac ladies and Willam felt momentarily as if she was on a weird TV dating show. Bianca turned to Sharon and immediately started talking.

“I’m afraid I can’t stay for long, Sharon, there’s a whole new world of piss going on at Downing Street regarding the by-election that I’m sure these three are delighted to be getting away from. But ladies, this is Blair, Vixen and Andrew. Treat them nicely, because they’re just babies really, and if they ask to go to the toilet let them go. Before they go home make sure they’ve got their jumpers and lunchboxes, and remind them when they have to bring in their PE kit,” Bianca deadpanned, the blonde girl laughing politely while the black girl beside her rolled her eyes. The man, or perhaps boy, he looked that fresh out of uni, wasn’t registering Bianca’s words, Willam noticed. Instead, he was looking at Willam. As Willam met his gaze however, she saw that he hadn’t been looking at her, but at who was beside her. Willam turned her head. Courtney. She felt her skin begin to prickle.

“I’ll be back to pick them up at the end of the day. Play nice, children,” Bianca said by way of a goodbye, as she swept out of the department and left the Dosac girls to meet the new interns. Trying to ignore the new guy, Willam made a beeline for whichever of the girls would talk to her first. Sharon had descended on Blair, so Willam introduced herself to Vixen.

“Hey. I’m Willam. It’s good to have you,” she smiled tightly, shaking the other girl’s hand. Vixen smiled back at her. Willam had noticed she hadn’t reacted well to Bianca’s words. “Don’t mind Bianca. She’s very…she’s very Bianca. You’ll get less bother from her here than you would have at Number 10.”

“I hate the bitch,” Vixen replied, her blunt tone taking Willam aback a bit. “Blair fucked up a bit of photocopying she’d made her do and the bitch went fucking crazy at her. Totally out of proportion reaction. I mean, she always seems like she has something to be mad about? I couldn’t go through life like that.”

“Well, that’s her way I guess,” Willam shrugged, torn between wanting to defend the spin doctor but also slightly agreeing with Vixen. “But as I said, you’ll see her a lot less now you’re here. And I’m sure you’ll be amazing here too.”

Vixen gave a guilty grimace. “Just to let you know…I have no interest in social affairs. I put down that I wanted to work with Shea Coulee over in Defence, but for some reason I got dumped here with that walking talking bag of smarm.”

Vixen motioned to Andrew, who was busy talking to Jinkx, his eyes darting every so often to Courtney. Willam narrowed her eyes at him.

“He seems…” Willam started, then remembered her professionalism and shut up. Vixen smirked and finished her sentence.

“Like a massive scrotum? Yep, that’s pretty much about the size of it. Oh, and the size of ‘it’ is little, by the way. Like, we’re talking pinkie toe when flaccid.”

Willam found herself exploding with laughter. She’d known Vixen for all of about one second, but she immediately warmed to her now that she knew she hated Andrew. Clearly pleased that she had Willam onside, Vixen carried on.

“Literally the only saving grace of my placement here is Blair. She’s great, you’ll love her,” she smiled over at the other girl, whose face was lit up as she spoke to Sharon. Willam did a small double-take as she looked at Vixen’s face, thinking that she could do without another workplace lesbian crush in her life. Suddenly wanting to tear herself away from the situation, Willam smiled.

“Well, I bet you’re both going to be really valuable here,” she said with an air of finality. “It was good to meet you, Vixen.”

Just then, she noticed Andrew making his way to where Courtney stood. Willam immediately launched herself towards the two of them as if she’d been physically catapulted. She instantly inserted herself between the two of them, holding out a hand that she hoped couldn’t seem accusatory.

“Willam. Nice to meet you,” she said simply, meeting the other man’s gaze. His brown eyes looked slightly surprised behind his glasses, as if he’d been met by a challenger. Despite his shock, he smiled amicably and took Willam’s hand.

“Willam? That’s an interesting one, never heard that before,” he said pleasantly, Willam’s hackles immediately rising at the fact her name was being met as if it was a new knock knock joke. “I’m Andrew, nice to meet you. And this is?”

To Willam’s dismay, he gave her hand a brief, tight shake and then shifted his gaze to Courtney, holding out his hand. Courtney was smiling in a sort of coy way, and Willam felt her heart sink. She’d never looked at her that way. Or had she? Willam couldn’t remember, and she hated herself for it.

“I’m Courtney. Good to meet you,” she smiled, her eyes widening a little as Andrew took her hand as if to shake it but instead used it to pull her in and give her a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Now, don’t tell me Bianca has you locked away in this office morning, noon and night? How come I’ve never seen you before?” he asked her, the light lilt of his Northern English accent only adding to the charm offensive and making Willam wonder if there was a company in existence that made personalised, face-shaped dartboards.

Courtney gave a laugh that didn’t have any hint of shyness or reservation to it. Instead it was self-assured and confident, and Willam felt as if she was in some kind of horrendous rom-com. “Because it’s probably hard to see anything with your head so far up your own arse.”

Andrew still hadn’t let go of her hand. Courtney hadn’t let go of his either. He was laughing in a mock-hurt manner. “Oh fuck, okay. A girl who gives as good as she gets, alright. I can deal with that.”

“What makes you think you’re going to have any dealings with me?” Courtney replied, flirtation dripping from every word she spoke. Andrew actually fucking winked at her.

“Because I didn’t get to where I am now without taking on a few challenges,” he replied, finally, miraculously, letting go of Courtney’s hand. For the first time since Willam had spoken to him, he looked back at her, giving her a quick up-and-down glance. “Well, I best have a chat with Sharon and see what she wants me to do here. But it was nice meeting you, Courtney. I hope I’m going to see you a lot more often while I’m here.”

Courtney gave him a cheeky smile as he turned to leave, then addressed Willam as if he’d forgotten. “Good to meet you, Willard.”

Willam actually felt as if her blood had been put inside a kettle with the switch flicked on. Courtney was smiling after him, then she gave a laugh.

“He’s confident.”

“He’s cocky,” Willam glared at his retreating back as he took Sharon’s hand and shook it. “With the emphasis on ‘cock’.”

“Hmm. Wonder why you didn’t seem to like him,” Courtney said coldly, giving her a side glance as she wandered over to Vixen to introduce herself.

***

It was only day two, and the interns were getting on Willam’s last nerve already.

Well- that was unfair. Not all of them. Vixen was great- she had already taken on every bit of advice that the girls had given her and read over her brief that Jinkx had supplied her with thoroughly, and she had taken to answering press calls and getting minor jobs done. She was clearly going to be a great success when she inevitably rose to the top.

And Blair wasn’t all that bad either, now that Willam thought about it. She was relentlessly upbeat even in the face of Willam’s horrific mood and tried her best to understand the workings of the department, even if Stevie Wonder himself could see that she hadn’t a fucking clue what was going on. Vixen would always somehow appear at her desk however, showing her how to do things and explaining things slowly and patiently, and in the short time Willam had known them both she had concluded that they surely must be together. Vixen wasn’t the only one that seemed to dote on Blair; Jinkx had taken a shine to the younger girl, almost seeing her as a sort of daughter-figure, and Blair seemed to be the only intern that had teas made for her.

No, it wasn’t Vixen or Blair that was pissing Willam off. That title went to the third intern, the one-man smarmy army himself, Andrew. She wished she knew why she’d developed such a strong dislike of him in the space of a day. It wasn’t because he seemed to spend every moment he could chatting to Courtney instead of doing work. It wasn’t even because every time she looked at Courtney, the other girl already seemed to be gazing over at Andrew on the rare occasion that he was working. It wasn’t either of those things. It was probably because he’d got her name wrong on the first day. That was definitely the reason. Every time she walked past his desk and got a whiff of the overbearing scent of Paco Rabanne that emanated from him, rage seemed to bubble under her skin and she couldn’t really pinpoint exactly why.

The rage wasn’t really going away now that they were all sat around the meeting table, ready for the interns’ first departmental meeting. Sharon sat at the helm of the table as usual, and Willam sat at her right side. Andrew filled the seat at her left, the seat that Alaska used to occupy, and Courtney sat in the chair close to his side. Vixen and Blair sat close together too on Willam’s side of the table, and Jinkx sat at the end, her notepad ready.

“So, Vixen, Blair, Andrew, I know you’ll probably have sat in on a million meetings in Number 10, but our departmentals are a bit different,” Sharon started, her face friendly and apologetic.

Willam smirked self-depreciatively. “Namely because nothing gets done, one of our advisors ran away to pursue a shit MP career in the by-election, our senior press officer is about as out the loop as you could get and-”

“- our other advisor’s an arse,” Courtney finished, giving Willam a look that she couldn’t quite read. If she squinted, she could perhaps have interpreted it as flirtatious. Or perhaps it was for Andrew’s benefit.

“Sounds a lot like Number 10 to me,” Vixen smiled lazily. Satisfied, Sharon continued.

“Okay, the main item on our agenda is policy. New communities is going well but, as Willam mentioned, there’s a by-election looming. If I can push just one more bit of policy through, it might help the party win some more voters. So, policy ideas. Let’s have them.”

“Um…pay the unemployed to drive ambulances,” Jinkx suggested, blithely waving her pen in the air. Willam glared at her then looked to Sharon, who was giving her a confused glance.

“Yes, that…I was really meaning ideas from advisors, Jinkx.”

Blair noticed that she looked put out and smiled at her. “I thought it was a good idea.”

“You once thought carrots were a fruit,” Andrew piped up, the comment blatantly designed to make himself look good. Willam could have sworn she heard a snort from Courtney, but when she turned to look at her, her face gave nothing away. Frowning at Andrew, she shrugged.

“I mean. They make juice with them, so it’s an easy mistake to make,” she said flatly, making sure to look Andrew in the eye in an attempt to assert her authority. A small gasp from Blair made Willam break the eye contact before she had a chance to suss out the expression on his face.

“That was exactly my reasoning too!” the intern smiled excitedly, Willam failing to miss the look Vixen was giving Blair which was affectionate bordering on loving.

“Policy ideas, people, come on,” Sharon sighed despairingly.

“Ringfencing of funds for primary school breakfast clubs,” Courtney suggested, Willam wincing in response.

“It’s very Phi Phi O’Hara-esque and extremely fucking questionable,” she explained, frowning and receiving a frown back from Courtney.

“Well at least I’m coming up with some actual ideas,” she muttered. Willam sighed.

“Okay, what about um…free tampons in secondary schools,” she shrugged, Courtney momentarily looking impressed.

“Something that doesn’t cost money,” Sharon raised her eyebrows and pushed her glasses up her nose.

“What about a partnership between nursing homes and maternity wards, where the elderly knit little blankets for newborn babies?” Blair suggested, an enthusiastic smile on her face.

“Christ,” Willam coughed out, looking for a moment at Vixen. She laughed.

“We always say Human Resources must have found her lost in Disneyland before she came to Downing Street,” she laughed affectionately, Blair pouting a little before Vixen took her hand and squeezed it, laughing.

“You always say that,” Blair smiled, her voice quiet as if Vixen was the only one meant to hear it.

“Free teabags,” Jinkx piped up again. Sharon pushed some hair out of her face in exasperation.

“Everyone has to carry a plastic bag? Oh fuck no, even Jinkx has to think that’s shit,” Willam exhaled noisily, surprising herself with how crap her ideas had become.

“Free bottle of wine for every new mother,” Vixen deadpanned, Willam struggling to tell if she was joking or not.

Courtney looked at the ceiling. “Free coffins to enable working-class families to-”

“The word ‘free’ is hereby banned,” Sharon put her head in her hands.

“Well, how about we go one better?” Andrew suddenly piped up, Courtney’s eyes immediately darting to him leaving Willam feeling like she’d been punched in the stomach. “Instead of something that doesn’t cost us money, how about something that’s going to make us money?”

“What do you have in mind?” Sharon questioned, her head tilting to the side in interest.

“Well, maybe something like…” Andrew paused, clearly trying to collect his words. “You’ve got all these rich buggers, right? Living in these massive houses. With all these rooms. Only there’s only ever one or two people that live there. Old fuckers that are sitting rattling about in what used to be their family homes, and they could be downsizing, but they haven’t? And there’s other families, ones that need those rooms, ones that could do with those houses, that are sitting with five kids sharing the one room. So how about we tax the people that have the spare rooms, make some money for us, and we could put it into funds for New Communities- or we could spend it on council houses or the benefit system to show the doubters of New Communities that we’re looking after our own and not just the little African kids?”

Willam frowned. It was a shit idea. It had to be. What the fuck did an intern, practically a foetus, know about policies like that? Immediately, Willam thought hard and racked her brain for holes to pick in the idea. Looking to gauge Sharon’s reaction, she was dismayed to find that she looked pretty impressed.

“That’s actually…quite good. I can see it working. And I love the idea of putting it into council housing funds, that’s fucking excellent PR for me,” she smiled at Andrew. He wasn’t looking at her though- his gaze had moved to Courtney, who had an impressed smile on her face.

“Surely that’s fucking ridiculous though, the idea that people have paid for these houses and now they’re getting taxed more for them?” Willam jumped in, the jealousy burning at her heart making her eager to find fault with the idea.

“Well if they can afford a house of that size they can afford a minute tax increase,” Courtney challenged her, Willam dismayed at the fact she was taking Andrew’s side. Her face softened as she looked at Andrew. “Which is what it would be, right? I mean we’re talking two percent, three percent? Or were you thinking of it as more of a one-off, Robin Hood type thing?”

Andrew smiled back at her. “God, I love a girl that knows her economics.”

“Well I do have a degree in it,” Courtney bit back playfully.

“Oh, she reads books too?” Andrew joked, Willam fixing him with what she hoped was a literal death stare.

“If we could steer things away from Take Me Out territory,” Sharon raised her eyebrows at the two of them, Courtney looking to the floor and blushing. “I would actually like to move forward with this, Andrew. It’s a good idea.”

“You can’t be fucking serious,” Willam’s mouth dropped open, ignoring Andrew turning in his chair and looking at her. “You’re just going to take the idea of an intern and actually make it into a policy?”

“Well, in the absence of any decent ideas from my actual advisors, it seems I don’t have much choice,” Sharon’s eyebrows shot up over the rims of her glasses as distaste coated her words.

Willam could have sworn she saw Andrew smirk.

“Right! I’m tired, heartbroken, and fucking starving, so I suggest we talk more about this after I’ve consumed a sub the size of a small child. Jinkx, can you go and get one of the girls out there to go to Subway for me? And actually get me a cookie or ten while you’re at it,” Sharon ordered, signalling the meeting was over. Willam’s heart panged at her joke-that-wasn’t-really-a-joke, and it reminded her to check her phone to see if there was anything from Alaska.

Still nothing.

As people started leaving the room, Willam felt compelled to stay and talk to Sharon, to see how she was coping. Maybe she could offer advice but it was more likely that she would just be listening to her pine. Looking out into the department, she saw Andrew leaning on Courtney’s desk as he spoke to her. All of a sudden Willam completely changed her mind, making a beeline for the desk. She could hear snippets of their conversation as she approached. Courtney was now the one speaking and Andrew was listening intently.

“…yeah, I did three years at LSE and then a postgrad at Cambridge so, as it turns out, I do read books.”

“Clearly,” Andrew smirked, then bit his lip. “This is going to seem forward, but do you want to tell me more about these millions of degrees you have over lunch?”

Before Courtney could answer, Willam had reached them both and was opening her mouth.

“Oh, shit, lunch sounds great! I’m down for lunch. Hey Vixen, Blair!” she called over, fully aware that she was behaving like a massive asshole and yet doing absolutely nothing to stop it. “You guys want to grab lunch with us?”

Twenty minutes of suffering under a permanent glare from Courtney later, Willam was standing in a busy Wagamamas with the three new interns and Courtney, waiting for a table. When approached by a waitress she asked for a table for five, which was met with a grimace.

“Ooh, I’m sorry, I won’t have one of those for another twenty minutes?” she said apologetically. Courtney immediately stepped in.

“Could you do a two and a three?”

“I could manage that for you,” the waitress shrugged, Courtney immediately grabbing Andrew’s hand and pulling him beside her.

“Great! We’ll take the two.”

Before Willam could speak, the waitress was leading the two of them away. Courtney still hadn’t let go of Andrew’s hand.

“Sheesh, what’s her fucking problem?” Vixen piped up. Willam turned to face her and noticed firstly that her face was screwed up, and secondly that she and Blair were holding hands.

“It’s…complex. I could tell you guys about it over lunch?”

Willam supposed it was character development, her opening up about everything that had happened between her and Courtney to two relative strangers that she’d known for all of two days. She found it cathartic, though, to talk through everything to two people who didn’t really know her and didn’t really know Courtney, and by the time she was finished she did admittedly feel a bit better. She’d watched with amusement as the difference between the two girls was displayed in front of her as they reacted to her story- Blair’s face like a comedy sketch as she gasped and ooh-ed and aah-ed at every new development while Vixen’s face very rarely changed.

“It probably all paints me as a total fucking idiot, but I guess if the shoe fits,” Willam shrugged, taking a sip of the iced tea which sat in front of her. With a pang she looked over to the booth that Andrew and Courtney were sharing, and the two of them were laughing loudly, Courtney tucking her hair behind her ears.

“I don’t think it’s idiotic at all. You were going after the job you wanted while trying to keep the girl you wanted. Makes sense,” Vixen shrugged. “If Courtney can’t see the situation for what it was then that’s her problem. She’s the one that’s being the idiot, not you.”

Blair had followed Willam’s eyes. “Do you think she actually likes Andrew or do you think she’s just flirting with him to make you jealous?”

“Hard to say,” Willam sighed, pulling her gaze back to the girls in front of her. “Whichever one it is, it’s making me feel like a total dick.”

“Oh, don’t feel that way,” Blair frowned, reaching forward and patting Willam’s hand.

“Remember, it’s impossible to be the biggest dick in the room when Andrew Brady is in there with you,” Vixen smirked, earning herself a scolding look from Blair.

“Vix, don’t,” she chastised her. “He has his moments, I’m sure he’s sweet underneath it all.”

“He’s a cunt is what he is.”

Willam was intrigued. Vixen’s dislike of Andrew seemed to be more than superficial. “What has he done to be so…hated? If you don’t mind me asking.”

Vixen rolled her eyes hard. “I arrived to the internship process. Got hit on by him immediately. Told him I wasn’t interested and became public enemy number one. Any opportunity to undermine me, he took.”

“Fuck. That’s shitty,” Willam’s eyes widened.

“When Blair joined, he moved on to her, although she wasn’t about to tell him to fuck off like I did, so she just politely did the smile and awkward laugh for weeks and weeks. Blair was the object of Andrew’s affections right up until he arrived at Dosac,” Vixen continued, looking protectively at Blair.

“Thank fuck,” Blair muttered, then suddenly backtracking. “I mean he was never creepy about it or inappropriate or anything. Just…fucking relentless, you know?”

“That is creepy and inappropriate. Thank Jesus he’s stopped bothering you. I was fucking exhausted from distracting him all the time so that you were safe from his advances,” Vixen said bluntly, taking a swift drink from her can of coke.

Willam smiled at the both of them. “So how long have you guys been together?”

Blair’s face blanched and Vixen very nearly did a spit-take from her coke can. Willam’s eyes widened.

“Sorry- I just assumed that-”

“Oh, no, it’s okay! But yeah we’re not…we’re not together! We’re just best friends,” Blair smiled sweetly, looking to Willam and then at Vixen, whose smile was only slightly forced.

“We’re the OG two bros sitting in a hot tub, five feet apart ‘cause they’re not gay,” Vixen said dryly, Blair’s face lighting up as she laughed. Willam wasn’t completely convinced, but she moved the conversation along anyway.

“Well, never get involved with anyone from work. It didn’t go very well for me.”

“Why have you just given up?” Vixen asked her, her eyes suddenly judgemental and making Willam feel awkward. “If you liked her that much, you should try to win her back. That’s what I’d do.”

“Oh, that’s so romantic,” Blair gushed, Vixen’s cheeks going slightly pink.

“Honestly, I’ve tried,” Willam leant back in her chair and stole another look at the table that Courtney was sitting at. It appeared that she’d gone to the toilet, probably to re-apply lipgloss or something similar.

“Not hard enough,” Vixen leant forward, her face suddenly conspiratorial. “You need to really fight. Get her back. If only just so that we can see Andrew Brady’s face falling when he realises that he’s not some fucking Greek God.”

Willam bit her lip as she glanced again to Courtney’s empty seat. “She’s at the toilet now. I should go and tell her about Andrew.”

“Yes! Tell her what he’s really like, she’s bound to be put off by that,” Blair encouraged her excitedly. Willam frowned a little, nodded, and stood up, making sure to walk past Andrew and glare as she made her way to the toilets.

He was playing with his phone and didn’t see her, but Willam was buoyed by her power move nonetheless.

Just as she’d expected, she found Courtney standing at the mirror with a mascara wand, her hand raised to her eyes which darted to the door and instantly narrowed as she saw who had come in.

“Court-”

“Don’t fucking ‘Court’ me,” she snapped, putting the wand back in the tube and averting her eyes. “You’ve been behaving like a grade A dick since Andrew arrived at the department, Willam. Or should I say even more of a dick than usual?”

Willam gave a small sigh. “I guess I deserve that.”

“Yeah. You do,” Courtney said awkwardly, looking at the mirror and then finally glancing at Willam. “What do you want anyway?”

“Okay look, I know I’ve been cunty to Andrew but he’s not what you think, Court, the guy’s a total fuckhead,” she heard herself pleading in desperation. Courtney gave a smirk and folded her arms, leaning back against the wall.

“Oh, this should be good. What, he’s responsible for war crimes in the West Indes? He’s wanted for animal abuse in seven countries? He comes up with better policies than you?”

“He’s a fuckboy,” Willam interrupted her, her voice measured but angry. How could she be so defensive of him after two days? “He’s gone after Vixen and Blair, and he was a cunt to Vixen when she rejected him. He only stopped pursuing Blair once he saw you! He’s a total leech. He’d be going after Sharon if she wasn’t publically out.”

Courtney tipped her head back and laughed callously. “You are so full of shit even your eyes are brown!”

Willam frowned. “Okay one, you stole that from Gordon Ramsay and two, they’re fucking blue.”

Courtney ignored her. “First of all, that is total lies. Andrew told me all about this situation and it was Vixen that came onto him, not the other way round! When he rejected her she turned Blair against him and they both totally hate him now!”

“Well he would say that,” Willam rolled her eyes, not believing a single word. “When did he even tell you this anyway?”

“Just now, over lunch. He also told me he’s a vegan, and he’s done business with Alan Sugar,” Courtney inspected her nails. Willam couldn’t help but laugh.

“Oh so that means what, he drinks soya milk instead of green label and he applied for The Apprentice but got rejected?”

Courtney gave a sarcastic laugh of her own and stepped forward, making as if to leave but ending up right in front of Willam. “Admit it- you can’t stand him because he’s shown an interest in me and I’m showing an interest back, and you can’t bear it when I’m not fawning over you.”

“No, I can’t stand him because he’s a smarmy dickhead who clearly bullshits ridiculous amounts and you’ve fallen for it all without even questioning it!” she scowled, sighing suddenly as she met Courtney’s eyes. She could feel herself starting to talk as if it was her last chance to ever get Courtney on her own. “But of course I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous, Court, I mean I still fucking…care about you. And I miss you, and I wish I’d never said all that shit to Bianca but you know that, and I just wish we could move forward and put all this crap behind us because it’s fucking killing me, Court.”

“Willam…” Courtney exhaled, looking to the ceiling and shaking her head. Sensing her moment of weakness, Willam continued.

“And I know you still care about me too. And I know for sure there’s a part of you that’s making all this effort with Andrew to make me jealous, and it’s working. I want you back, Court, and I know you want to come back, so fuck it, why don’t we just try again?”

They were so close to each other and Courtney’s eyes were lowered to the floor as if she really was reconsidering, and Willam was so caught up in the moment and truly believed she had a chance that she suddenly took Courtney’s chin, raised it and kissed her, hoping it would bring Courtney round, hoping it would make Courtney completely fall for her again, and Willam couldn’t measure the amount she’d missed Courtney’s soft lips on hers and-

The shove came out of nowhere. Although if Willam was being honest, she supposed she deserved it. Courtney’s face was thunderous as she glared at Willam, making her way to leave.

“The sooner you realise you’re not God’s fucking gift, the better,” she hissed at her, before opening the bathroom door and leaving.

Willam looked at herself in the mirror. Her pupils were blown from lust, and her face was beetroot red from the fucking embarrassment.

“Well that went well,” she muttered to herself, rubbing her neck and standing there, alone.

***

Willam arrived the next day with a renewed sense of fight. She’d spent the rest of yesterday embarrassed, not even able to touch her pad thai as she explained what had happened to Vixen and Blair, and she had gone back to the department with a red face and had quietly worked on the citizenship stats until she went home.

Not today, though, Willam resolved. Today would be different. Today was the day that she was back to bossing things at work. She had spent all night coming up with stats that showed why Andrew’s spare-bedroom tax was a fucking catastrophic idea, and she was prepared to land them on Sharon’s desk with a thud as soon as she got through the door. There was no way in hell that policy was happening, not if she could help it.

Her new-found determination didn’t just stop at work. If Courtney was allowed to flirt and make Willam jealous, then Willam was going to do it right back. She had stopped off at Oxford Street after work and bought herself a new black-and-yellow tartan jacket and miniskirt combo, taking advantage of the memory she had of when she and Courtney had watched Clueless together and Courtney had gushed about how seeing Cher Horowitz on screen for the first time had been her sexual awakening. Willam had blow-dried her hair out so that it was sleek and shining, and she’d woken up half an hour early to do her makeup. Courtney was right, she had been behaving like an asshole, but this asshole was not going down without a fight.  

She strode into the office with her head held high, despite the fact she was twenty minutes late and Sharon would almost definitely already be in. If there was ever a time to be late, however, it was when Sharon was pining after Alaska and cared about very little. On her way up to the office in the lift, she checked her hair one last time before stepping out and trotting her way inside.

The first person to notice her was Katya, the only one who still took the time to say good morning to her anymore, who lifted her head from her desk and stared at her with wide eyes.

“Holy fuck, Willam! You look hot as shit today!” she cried, Willam laughing a little at her lack of subtlety.

“Thanks, Katya. Figured I needed some new outfits for work, so I just treated myself last night when I got home.”

“You look like the bitch from Clueless,” Katya continued, Willam allowing herself to cast her eyes to Courtney’s desk. She wished she had her phone out to capture what she saw- Courtney, who had obviously just been talking to Andrew, had her mouth hanging open, her jaw slack, and her eyes almost staring out of her head. It was exactly what Willam had wanted to happen. Andrew, for his part, looked mildly impressed, if a little pissed off that Courtney’s attention had been taken.

Willam calmly walked to her seat and sat down, bringing out the massive poly pocket full of statistics and articles and firing up her computer. Looking out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sharon in her office, scrolling through her phone and looking bored. She decided to strike while the iron was hot. Jumping up from her desk, she grabbed the poly pocket and knocked on the door, hardly waiting for a “come in” before she burst in. Sharon looked up from her phone and raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

“You look like a 13 year old trying to get into a nightclub.”

“And good morning to you too. Jesus fuck, what is that smell?” Willam screwed up her nose, looking around the office for the offending odour.

“Most of the footlong sub from yesterday. It’s in the bin,” Sharon gestured lethargically. Willam frowned and sat in the seat in front of her.

“Sharon, you need to eat something.”

“What? I managed most of the cookies and I’m still drinking coffee. That’s like, vitamins, right?” Sharon rolled her eyes as if she was an unimpressed teenager getting nagged by a parent. “Why are you in here anyway, Willam?”

Just as she’d envisioned, Willam slapped the poly pocket onto Sharon’s desk. “That is about 26 A4 pages full of numbers and stats as to why that fucking spare room tax is the worst idea since…fuck it, it’s too early, I can’t come up with putdowns.”

“Willam, it’s too late,” Sharon laughed humourlessly. “It’s going ahead. Press conference on Friday.”

Willam had never been closer to flipping an actual table. “What the fuck, Sharon?!”

“I had my meeting with the PM this morning- not that you’d know because you were late,” Sharon gave her a stern look from across the table. “And I brought up the policy with him. He said it was exactly the kind of thing we should be doing. So it’s going ahead.”

“That is not a fucking green light, Sharon, and you know it. Should is not equivalent to yes.”

Sharon screwed up her face. “Yes it fucking is! If someone says to you, we should do this, it’s approval! It’s them saying yes!”

Willam threw herself back in the chair, irritated. Sharon’s gaze softened as she saw how annoyed she was.

“Look, Willam. Would I be launching this policy if I hadn’t spent all of last night researching it myself? I know what it entails, I know of the drawbacks. It’s a good idea. I know you’re pissed because Andrew came up with it and he’s the fucking devil incarnate to you right now, but I’m going ahead with it. Jinkx is phoning the treasury.”

Willam gave a heavy sigh. Just then, there was a knock on the door. She could see Bianca’s wide eyes staring in through the glass, and Sharon gave a call for her to come in.

“Morning, all. How are things? Please don’t tell me if anything’s gone wrong, I’m at the point where I’d rather not know,” she said, sinking into the chair beside Willam. Sharon seemed to wake up a little upon the arrival of her boss.

“Quite the opposite, actually. We’re launching a new policy on Friday. Cleared it with the PM. Treasury’s being phoned. It’s going ahead.”

Bianca raised her eyebrows, impressed. “Cleared it with the PM? Very nice. What is it?”

“It’s a spare room tax. Taxing the rich fuckers that rattle about in their big houses to raise money for less well-off families. Andrew thought of it,” Sharon shrugged. Bianca looked out at the office only to see Andrew leaning on Courtney’s desk as they both laughed.

She frowned. “Yeah, well I’m glad he manages to get some good ideas out there in between buttering up that jar of vegemite out there. Take it you two are finished whatever it was you had, then?”

Bianca had turned to Willam. Willam tried her best not to seem as if she’d just been stabbed in the stomach. “Yes, that’s done, Bianca.”

“Good,” she smiled easily. “How are the children, anyway?”

“Andrew is a fucking smartarse whose only goal is to stand about and talk to Courtney all day,” Willam immediately jumped in, feeling like a simmering pot. “Blair is pleasant but could do with some more training- she knows very little. If you don’t hire Vixen at the end of the internship then you’re an idiot. She’s far and away the most competent of the three.”

Bianca let out a laugh. “She’s also a hothead. You’ve not seen her lose the rag with anyone yet. I like her though, she’s fun. Any opinions, Sharon?”

“I don’t really have the energy to care much about three people who aren’t even going to be in the department come next week, to be honest.”

“I can see that,” Bianca said gravely. Her voice became quieter. “How are things with you, anyway?”

Sharon paused and looked at the ceiling. “Good days and bad days.”

“Are you eating enough?” Bianca then turned to Willam. “Make sure she’s eating enough.”

“I will.”

“This might cheer you up,” Bianca turned to address Sharon. “They’ve taken a man in for questioning regarding the threats. He’s being detained at Scotland Yard, so you should be safe for now. Ely is still going to shadow you at home as a precaution, but you should be able to rest easy for a while.”

“Oh! Hallelujah! Bring out the fucking confetti cannons! Thank fuck I no longer am being threatened! That’s something to really celebrate! Sorry,” Sharon sighed as she calmed down, the sarcastic tone in her voice melting away. “Just…lots of things are hard right now. But thank you for making something easier, Bianca.”

Bianca looked to the floor and coughed, as if she was embarrassed.

“Right then. I will be on my way,” Bianca said by way of a goodbye, standing up and tucking her chair in.

As Willam watched her retreat through the office door, she frowned at Sharon. “Hey. Be grateful. She’s doing as much as she can.”

“Have you actually become my mother overnight?!” Sharon snapped, scowling.

“Well if you’re not going to look after yourself, someone has to!” Willam bit back, shocked at herself over how defensive she was being. Thankfully, mercifully, Sharon had the good grace to look embarrassed before the conversation descended down a path Willam didn’t want to take.

“Sorry, Willam. You’re right, I should be happy he’s been put away. And thank you,” she sighed, finally meeting Willam’s eyes. “For looking after me.”

“Just…take care,” Willam frowned awkwardly, before a small smile spread across her face. “For what it’s worth, I’m proud of you. Who else would have the drive to launch a policy two weeks after a devastating breakup?”

“Anything to take my mind off the situation,” Sharon laughed dryly, suddenly staring into space. Willam looked at her, the woman that had once looked so powerful suddenly seeming so small in her chair.

“I’ll make you a cup of tea? It’s not food but it’s close,” Willam shrugged, hoping Sharon would say yes so that there would at least be something in her stomach. Sharon nodded wordlessly from behind her computer and Willam got up immediately, making her way to the kitchen.

She was just about to walk in when she stopped in her tracks as she heard a laugh she recognised as Courtney’s interspersed with another man’s- obviously Andrew’s. She could have walked straight in and made the situation awkward, but instead she paused. She didn’t know what she was expecting to hear.

“So, did you ever expect to get one of your policies launched when you turned up to intern here?”

“Well, I never expected to see someone as fit as you here, but here we are.”

Willam felt as if she’d been punched in the stomach as Courtney laughed again. “Shut up! You’re a dog. But seriously, you must be happy?”

“Yeah, I am. It’s a good policy. Shame not everyone could be convinced.”  

Immediately, Willam froze. It was obvious he was talking about her and now the conversation was going to go down a road she wasn’t sure she wanted to follow. Still, she kept listening.

“Oh, don’t worry about Willam,” Courtney said, with a sigh in her voice. “She’s everyone’s biggest critic.”

“Yeah well, that’s fine if you have the knowledge to back it up. Didn’t see her coming up with many decent ideas in that meeting,” Andrew laughed scathingly. Willam felt something inside her pop- this was the first time she had ever heard anyone question how good she was at her job, and it only made her dislike of Andrew more intense. Her heart hurt as she felt sure Courtney would jump at the chance to bad mouth her.

“No, she didn’t have many,” Courtney started, her voice somewhat hesitant. “But she is a good member of the team. She was behind most of New Communities, actually. And apparently Bianca is lining her up for a job at Number 10. Say what you like about her, but she’s good at her job.”

Willam stood frozen to the spot, a little stunned. She wasn’t quite sure what to think, or say. Courtney continued, the clang of a spoon against porcelain indicating something being stirred. “I’ll probably get forgotten about when she goes there, and Alaska hasn’t messaged me once since she walked out. Like, don’t get me wrong, I’m happy being an advisor, but…it’s just shit when your friends leave you on their way up the ladder.”

“I didn’t realise you and Willam were friends,” Andrew prompted her, his tone questioning and almost a little accusatory.

“We’ve…” the stirring stopped as Courtney paused. “We’ve had a bit of a falling-out. Things are a bit weird between us at the moment. But that doesn’t mean I’ve stopped caring about her.”

Willam felt as if there were tiny fireworks in her blood, her pulse so fast it seemed electric. Courtney still cared.

“What, she try to steal your man or something?” Andrew laughed. “She has that look about her.”

Willam didn’t even care about the jibe. Courtney still cared about her.

“How could she steal my man when he’s right in front of me?” Willam could hear the smile in Courtney’s voice, and Andrew at once barked a laugh.

“I don’t know why you keep telling me off for flirting when you’re just as bad.”

“True. You love it though,” Courtney was still smiling. “Come on, let’s get back. I think Bianca’s gone now so she won’t tell you off for chatting to me.”

“What a way to get fired, though.”

Willam felt panic rise in her stomach as she heard movement from within the kitchen, immediately sprinting as quietly as she could manage back down the corridor, back into the department and launching herself into her seat. She was at once hurt and overjoyed, hopeful and pessimistic, and she hadn’t a clue what to think.

It was only about an hour later that she remembered that she was meant to make Sharon a tea.

***

The two days leading up to the new policy launch had been the longest of Willam’s life. Watching Andrew and Courtney’s flirting become more and more frequent and watching Vixen and Blair continue to behave like Care Bears was taking its toll big time, and Willam had been quietly preparing for the new launch alone. At times, however, she was sure she saw Courtney watching her out of the corner of her eye, or passing by her desk as if she wanted to speak to her. She wasn’t sure if she was reading the situation correctly or just going absolutely mental.

Finally, however, it was Friday, and the nightmare that had been this week would soon be over. Willam just had a press conference to get through and she could wave the interns goodbye (well, wave Vixen and Blair goodbye and all but stick her heel up Andrew’s backside), go home and sit alone trying to get her head straight.

It was lunchtime, and the press conference was due to take place in only an hour when everything started to go to shit. Willam was working on the immigration figures when she suddenly heard a massive squeal from the comms team. Looking over, she saw Courtney standing by Trixie’s desk. She seemed to be frantically trying to shush her, but she was laughing and had a massive smile on her face. Willam watched as Katya wheeled her way over to the two girls, confusion painted on her face. Listening closely, Willam’s heart dropped when she heard Trixie stage-whisper to Katya.

“He asked her on a date!”

As Katya began squealing, Willam’s eyes seemed to stare into the paper in front of her. What the fuck? Only two days ago, Courtney had seemed as if she still maybe wanted to try again with her, and she had only known Andrew for five days. Now she was going on a date with him? Willam felt as if she’d been punched in the stomach. Rising slowly from her desk, she began to walk to Sharon’s office. Not bothering to knock, she instead flung the door open, the rage now showing on her face.

“Can you fucking believe that that fucking weasel-faced newborn baby prick out there is taking Courtney on a date? I mean can you fucking believe it?!” Willam immediately exploded, before stopping quickly. Sharon was on the phone, her face grave, and whatever it was didn’t seem good. Willam could only listen, and she recognised Bianca’s tinny yelling down the phone instantly.

“But it did really sound as if he wanted to…yes, I know what he said, I’m sorry….well we can’t cancel it, they’ll be here in an hour! Well I don’t know! Bianca-” Sharon looked at her phone as the other woman had clearly hung up. “Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.”

“What is it? What’s happened?” Willam asked, immediately anxious. Sharon shot up from her desk chair, making her way to the door. She was babbling the whole time.

“If someone says “should”, it means yes! “Should” is a positive thing, right? He said “we should be doing this”, so how the fuck was I supposed to know he didn’t actually want to do it?!” Sharon threw open the glass door and shouted out into the office. “My office, now!”

Willam could only watch as Sharon retreated back to her chair and Courtney, Andrew, Vixen, Blair and Jinkx ran in, their faces painted with identical expressions of confusion.

“What’s happening?” Blair asked nervously, brave enough to be the first one to speak.

“What’s happening is that Bianca has just phoned me telling me that the Prime Minister is absolutely livid with me, because allegedly “should” doesn’t mean yes, and when he said that he approved of my policy, he apparently didn’t approve it enough to mean actually launch it!” Sharon ranted, tearing her hands through her hair in distress. Willam exhaled loudly.

“I fucking knew we shouldn’t have gone with this policy, I fucking said-”

“Oh, shut up, Willam!” Courtney snapped, Willam immediately looking at her in shock. Courtney looked a little shocked too, as if she was surprised she’d said it herself.

“Hey,” Vixen suddenly opened her mouth, glaring at Courtney. “Don’t speak to her like that. You’re meant to be a professional, not a fucking child.”

“Says the woman who’s swearing in the workplace?” Andrew rolled his eyes, turning on Vixen. Willam saw the fire flash in Vixen’s eyes, and she seemed to be just about to bit back when Blair butted in.

“You absolute fucking hypocrite! Don’t start pretending you’re above swearing just because you want to impress Courtney!”

“Would you all just shut the fuck up and stop bickering like six year olds?!” Sharon suddenly exploded, the room immediately falling silent. “I have to completely invent a policy to launch at this press conference, which is now-” she looked at the clock. “- fifty minutes away, and my entire team of advisors are arguing?!”

Everyone looked to the floor, embarrassed. Silence fell as everyone racked their brains to come up with something to launch while Sharon paced nervously.

“Sharon,” Courtney began softly. “Weren’t you and Alaska working on a campaign at some point? The one about mental health for teenagers? It’s not a policy, but it could be the focus for the press conference?””  

Sharon stopped, sitting down and appearing at once to deflate. “We were, but it’s nowhere near completion. I suppose we could have used it, but she’s got it all on her memory stick.”

Andrew frowned. “Can’t you call her and ask for it?”

Sharon narrowed her eyes. “I’ve been trying to phone her every day for the last fortnight, I somehow doubt she’ll pick up now.”

“She’s not answered any of my texts either,” Courtney sighed, her shoulders slumping. Willam took her phone out of her pocket, suddenly angry at Alaska.

“This is ridiculous. She’s going to have to pick up for one of us sometime. I’m phoning her,” she said decisively, stepping out of the crowded office and into the adjacent meeting room to give herself some privacy.

The line began to ring.

“Come on Alaska. Pick up,” Willam whispered to herself through gritted teeth, the silence only amplifying how loud her heart was pounding.

Three more rings.

“Come on you fucking son of a bitch mother fucking-”

“Willam,” Alaska’s voice came down the line, a little weary but still very much seeming like her old self. “How are you?”

“Jesus Christ, well thanks very much for answering all my other calls and texts,” Willam began, exasperated beyond belief at how Alaska could just pick up the phone and act like nothing had happened.

“So still the same old grumpy bitch I know and love.”

“Alaska, this isn’t the time to joke with me right now, we’re in serious shit. I need you to come into Dosac and bring the pen drive with the teenage mental health campaign on it, it’s urgent.”

“Oh, that’s nice, so you’re only phoning because you want something?” Alaska’s voice turned cold down the line. Willam felt as if she was about to pop with anger.

“Well if you wanted to talk about our lives then you should have picked up the other fucking twenty times I phoned you!”

A beat of silence. “I’ve been busy. The by-election’s soon.”

“Well I’ve been busy too, but believe it or not, Alaska, my life’s still been crumbling apart and I could have used a friend!” Willam barked, only realising how loud her voice was when she tuned back into the silence of the room.

“I saw your texts,” Alaska started, her voice apologetic. “I’m sorry about what happened with you and Courtney.”

Willam sighed. “Yeah, well. Me too.”

There was a small amount of time where neither of them spoke.

“I can’t go back into Dosac, Willam,” Alaska said, Willam almost able to see her shaking her head.

“Oh Alaska, come the fuck on, swallow your damn pride. We need that campaign, please.”

“Does Sharon know I’m being phoned?”

Willam wasn’t sure what the best answer would be. “Yes.”

“Fuck,” Alaska groaned quietly, and Willam’s heart sank. “Could one of you not just meet me in the lobby with it or something?”

“Alaska, we’ve got a press conference in forty-five minutes that we need this campaign for. Act like a fucking adult and just come into work.”

There was a silence on the line in which Willam was afraid Alaska would hang up. She decided to hit her where it hurt.

“If you ever cared about Sharon, you’d bring the fucking stick in.”

“Willam, that’s fucking-” Alaska began, angry, then there came a sigh down the phone. “Fine. I’ll come in. See you soon.”

Before Willam could say anything else, Alaska hung up. Immediately, she dashed back through to the office, where everyone was waiting nervously in silence.

“She’s coming in with it,” Willam said, Courtney exhaling with relief. “Didn’t say how long she’d be but I hope she’s here before we have to start.”

“Holy fuck, right, okay,” Sharon said, her eyes darting around her desk in panic. “Um, interns, get back to whatever you were doing, I need you working hard when she gets here. Courtney, I need to borrow your makeup.”

“Can I do anything?” Willam offered. Sharon tapped nervously on her desk.

“No, you just stay here. I need two people to resuscitate me if I pass out,” she said, her breathing growing heavier by the minute.

So Willam did wait, as Courtney gently applied Sharon’s makeup and Sharon fretted and worried out loud that Alaska was probably not even going to turn up, and that they’d have to cancel at the last minute, and that they only had half an hour from now and it only takes five minutes to walk from Alaska’s flat to here.

But sure enough, just as Willam was beginning to panic that Alaska wouldn’t arrive and that they were going to have twenty minutes to invent a policy, there came a soft thud of footsteps from down the corridor. Sharon shot up from her desk quicker than Willam could turn her head to see who it was, and the Minister was out of her office door as fast as she could go.

Once Sharon had left her office, Willam watched with a sort of amusement as she immediately froze in front of her ex, seemingly completely unsure of what to say. Alaska, for her part, looked momentarily shocked as if she’d forgotten that Sharon would be present at work.

Willam watched as the two of them stood and looked at each other for what seemed like forever. The interns had clearly sensed the chance in atmosphere and were watching from afar, as were the comms girls. For a moment Willam wondered if she should say something to help either of them out, but luckily Alaska spoke first. She cleared her throat gently.

“Hello, Sharon,” she said, a small, tight smile spreading quickly across her face then disappearing as if it had never been there.

“Alaska. It’s good to see you,” Sharon returned the awkward pleasantries. The way they were speaking was more like work colleagues than girlfriends, although Willam supposed that they weren’t really either any more. “How is the, um. How is the by-election prep going?”

Alaska looked to the floor, even though Sharon’s question didn’t seem to be loaded. “It’s eh, busy. Busy but good, and fun. Meeting new people, making new connections, that sort of thing.”

“Of course,” Sharon smiled briefly, then looked at the pen drive in Alaska’s hand. “Thank you for bringing the campaign in. I know it’s not perfect, but it’s something- we had to scrap this other policy that we had because-”

Sharon suddenly seemed animated, but cut her own sentence off as she caught sight of Alaska’s face, an expression on it that Willam found hard to read- perhaps sadness, perhaps annoyance. She didn’t know. Sharon had stopped speaking and was now looking to the floor as if she had embarrassed herself. “Anyway, I won’t bore you with the details. We can definitely use a lot of what’s here. You had some really good ideas when we came up with this. You’ll be great at policies when you’re an MP.”

Alaska gave what seemed to be a genuine smile at the compliment, suddenly bashful. “I won’t know that until the election.”

“The public will love you,” Sharon smiled softly. Alaska’s gaze seemed to soften as she took a step forward, and for one moment Willam’s heart leapt as she thought Alaska might have been about to give Sharon a kiss, or a hug, but instead she gave her the USB. As their hands made brief contact, a look passed between the girls that made it seem as if both of their hearts were simultaneously breaking.

“You know, Sharon,” Alaska began quietly as she took a step back. “I didn’t have to bring that campaign in. I was going to use it as one of mine if I became an MP.”

“I know,” Sharon gave the tiniest of sighs as she looked Alaska in the eye. “Thank you.”

Alaska paused as if she was about to say something else. For a moment, it seemed as if nothing and nobody in the department moved, the whole room on tenterhooks. Just as Alaska opened her mouth, Jinkx appeared seemingly out of nowhere at Sharon’s side.

“Secretary of State, I’m sorry but I’m afraid I do need to know if- oh! Alaska! There we go, I don’t need an answer now. Pen drive sorted, campaign ready to go! Good to see you, Alaska,” she breezed, disappearing as quickly as she had arrived. Willam could have strangled her- it had seemed as if something was about to be said, something had been about to happen- but instead, Alaska gave a resigned smile.

“Well, good luck with the launch. It was good to see you all. Court, Willam. Sharon,” she gave a shy wave before slowly turning on her heel and walking out of the department, not once turning back.

Courtney was the first to speak. “Are you okay, Sharon?”

“I’m fine,” Sharon said harshly, Willam not failing to notice the rough swallow the other woman gave.

“Definitely?” Willam prompted gently, stopping when Sharon turned to glare at her.

“I’m fine,” she repeated. “Let’s launch this fucker.”

***

Willam came to on a familiar sofa with a soft blanket tucked around her shoulders and a clanking of cutlery and crockery slowly making its way into her stream of consciousness. Opening her eyes and blinking, she was relieved to find she had escaped the hangover that had seemed so impending the night before. Her gaze found its way to the kitchen in the other corner of the room, where the tall, skinny girl was busy spooning something slightly orange-y into two identical chipped blue bowls. Willam sat up gingerly on the sofa, suddenly worried in case the hangover hit her square in the face. Luckily it didn’t.

She frowned as she watched the other girl in the kitchen. “Sharon?”

The girl quickly looked up, smiling to reveal a gap between her two front teeth and brushing her yellowy-blonde hair out of her face. “Oh good, you’re awake.”

“Yeah. I don’t really know how I got here last night.”

“Meh. Same way you normally get here,” Sharon shrugged, cleaning her glasses on the oversized t-shirt she used as a pyjama top which were fogged up from the steam of whatever she had been cooking.

“I don’t remember shit,” Willam sighed, leaning forward and rubbing her temples as if it would conjure up any memories. “Fuck, I’m meant to have a group meeting at 12pm for this fucking project, I’ve got 3,000 words due for tomorrow and I took so much shit that I didn’t know the name of last night. Why is my life such a mess?”

Sharon smirked, bringing the two bowls towards her and sitting them down on the small coffee table in front of the sofa. She sank into the space beside Willam, snuggling under the blanket and resting her head against her shoulder. Willam shook her head as she picked up the bowl, a clean-ish silver fork sticking out of it. “What in the fuck is this?”

“Canned ravioli,” Sharon smiled, Willam screwing her face up in response. Sharon continued before she had the chance to protest. “Hey. Listen. It’s a hug in a bowl. It can fix everything. It is the ultimate fucking comfort food. Just eat until you feel better.”

Willam allowed the flash of a memory to play through her mind before she picked up the two mugs that sat in front of her, stuck a fork in each of them, and carried them through to the department. Most people had gone home after the campaign had been launched without what seemed to be too much of a hitch- certainly Courtney had left the building, arm-in-arm with Andrew as they chatted excitedly about their date on Saturday night. Willam was hurt badly, but she supposed that she was glad that Courtney had seemed to have found someone who could make her happy. If that person wasn’t Willam, then that was that. Willam wasn’t quite at the level of acceptance yet, but she was just relieved that Courtney seemed happy.

Sharon, on the other hand, didn’t look nearly ready to accept anything yet. Since her encounter with Alaska she’d been even worse than she had been, and had spent the hours after the campaign launch sitting alone in her office. So Willam had decided to do what had always seemed to fix things for them both at Uni, and had nipped out to the shop to get the remedy. She wasn’t sure that it would work, but it was worth a try.

She gently knocked on Sharon’s door, careful not to knock any of the contents of the mugs in front of her onto the floor. Without waiting for permission to enter, Willam shouldered the door open as Sharon looked up from her desk, confused.

“Willam, I don’t need tea.”

“No, it’s food. You’re going to eat it and like it,” Willam chastised her, placing the mug in front of her and watching as her face grew astonished. “And maybe it’ll fix everything in our lives that have gone to shit.”

A small, genuine smile crept onto Sharon’s face. “Holy shit. I haven’t had this in forever. Definitely not since Uni.”

Willam smirked as she sat down. “I could have guessed that much. I don’t think there’s many politicians out there who eat canned ravioli.”

“Why is it in a mug?” Sharon snorted a small laugh as she picked up the mug and brought it towards her. Willam rolled her eyes.

“There were no clean bowls- Sharon, what does it matter, just eat the damn thing!”

Sharon gave Willam a rueful look before stabbing a fork into one of the pasta pockets then eating it. Willam couldn’t help but look expectantly at her. Noticing her looking, Sharon let out a laugh.

“Are we gonna do the whole rigmarole around it too?!”

“Aw, come on. We have to, Sharon, it’s tradition,” Willam smiled, suddenly a little embarrassed. Sharon put her mug down and sighed.

“Okay, the love of my entire life has left me and I’m too proud or maybe too stupid to make a proper attempt to get her back because I know she’s better off without me, someone out there wants to kill me, and we’re definitely going to lose seats in this by-election,” Sharon reeled her problems off one by one. Willam picked her own mug up and leaned back in the chair opposite Sharon’s desk.

“Courtney hates me and she’s about to go on a date with a fucking asshole who she’s known all of one week,” she said, stabbing a bit of ravioli. She shrugged. “You definitely win this one.”

The two girls were silent for a while as they ate their first bite, both of them having to cope with how hot the pasta was. After Willam had swallowed, she frowned at Sharon.

“Alaska’s not better off without you.”

Sharon laughed. “Come on, Willam. She was right, my life is work and nothing else. All I have to talk about is work. Who wants that?”

“That’s not true,” Willam told her, pausing before adding to her sentence. “Anyone would be lucky to have you.”

Willam looked down into her ravioli to avoid seeing Sharon’s reaction.

“Hey. Why don’t we go for drinks tomorrow night?” Sharon said out of nowhere, causing Willam to look up and eye her somewhat suspiciously. Sharon shrugged by way of an explanation, then continued. “Courtney’s on her date. Alaska’s probably out having fun with all her new connections somewhere. Why don’t we go get drunk together?”

Willam hesitated. She wasn’t sure if it would bring back too many memories she didn’t want to think about, or if she’d have to talk about anything she really didn’t want to. But looking at Sharon and seeing her hopeful smile made Willam reconsider. It would probably be a decent laugh, and getting drunk really seemed tempting what with the condition her life was in right now. Willam returned the smile.

“Okay, yeah. That sounds good.”

They smiled at each other again, then ate the rest of their food in companionable silence, the worries of the day somewhat forgotten about at least for a little while.

[teruthecreator]

Who She Wants to Be

ummmmmm, so this was supposed to be a short lil’ thing based on @tazdelightful‘s blupjeans baby that i’ve had many a thought about because i needed a reason to start writing again

buuuuuuut then i made it 11 pages long and oops! pobody’s nerfect i guess!! (theres a brief mention of drugs/drug use, but its pot and its also like literally two lines but just thought id mention) 

She was born in a ring of fire. Ravens croaked and cawed, perched diligently all around the Raven Queen’s chamber, watching with beady eyes as she was birthed. Blessed by two powerful goddesses upon birth, she opened her eyes to a shadowy room and the teary-eyed faces of her mother and father. Her mother gasped at the sight, while her father could barely contain the tears that were flowing in streams down his face. A dark mass, looming past those faces, seemed to radiate a loving warmth from its being as it addressed the two:

“She is beautiful,” Her parents nodded in response, too overwhelmed to produce a verbal response.

“She’s our beautiful Marlena,” her father whispered hoarsely, and then a strange mass passed over her line of sight as he moved to cup her face.

She was born in a ring of fire, in the presence of two powerful goddesses, in the realm of the Raven Queen.

And all Marlena Bluejeans could do, in that exact moment following her birth, was scream as loud as humanly possible.

                                                             ---

At age four and a half (the half was extremely important), Marlena decided she only wanted to wear polka dotted corduroy pants, and only polka dotted corduroy pants.

“Lena, sweetie, please come back!” Her father could be heard shouting down the hall as Marlena races to the steps, giggling all the while. She reaches the stairs and clumsily bounds down them to the first floor, her father’s worried voice echoing through the large home. On the first floor, she makes a mad dash to the kitchen, where her mother was making lunch.

Upon arrival, Marlena immediately ducks behind her mother’s legs, still giggling like a madwoman. Her mother pauses her vicious stirring of something to peer at her runt of a daughter, a mischievous smile tugging on the corners of her lips.

“What’s goin’ on, lil’ stinker?” she asks, just as her husband rounds the corner and skids to halt. Marlena giggles even more as her father takes two steps into the kitchen, then leans over the island counter to desperately catch his breath. Not even her mother can hold in her laughter, as she lets out a snort and asks, “You good, Bear?”

He nods his head into the counter, taking a couple deep breaths before lifting his body off of the counter and presenting the lilac purple t-shirt he’s been clutching in his hands.

“Shirt. Please. Wear.” He pants, which prompts his wife to finally get a proper look at her daughter. And, just as her husband implied, she was most certainly not wearing a shirt. Her favorite pair of purple-and-pink polka dotted corduroy pants, yes, but definitely not a shirt.

Marlena giggles some more as her mother shakes her head.

“We’re not goin’ out anywhere, babe, just let her wear the pants.” She says, taking the few steps to reach her husband and kiss him on the cheek. “Let her be rogue for the short time she can be.”

“B-But, honey, she needs a shirt--”

“And you need a new pair of work pants because, if last I checked, somebody ‘accidentally’ burned a hole in his old pair. But you don’t see me dragging your ass out to the store any time soon, huh?” Her husband considers this, face tinted with an embarrassed blush, before conceding.

“Alright, alright,” he says, causing both mother and daughter to cheer. He smiles and shakes his head, scooping up Marlena and pointing a playfully-strict finger at her. “But when we go to dinner with Uncle Taako and Uncle Kravitz tomorrow, you are wearing a shirt.”

Marlena giggles and nods her head, though she knows well enough that her father will give up again; just like he’s done countless times before.

                                                              ---

At age eight, Marlena learns Magic Missile. Which is, admittedly, pretty great; figuring no one taught her Magic Missile. But it’s also pretty bad because that means no one is expecting her to know Magic Missile, which makes them finding out even more of a catastrophe.

“Pshaw, psh psh pew! Take that!” Marlena cries out from the living room of her uncles’ apartment, playing pretend-magic with her Uncle Taako’s Krebstar. She bounds over the plush couch and does a tuck-and-roll as she avoids shots from her invisible assailants.

Nearly ten feet away, in the kitchen, her Uncle Kravitz worries.

“Love, is it really safe for her to be playing with your magical focus?” he says, chopping a head of iceberg lettuce with practiced ease. “What if she gets hurt?”

Taako pushaws at his husband’s remark, cracking some black pepper into the sauce he’s been working on. “The most that kid can do with that thing is let off a few sparks. And if it keeps her busy, then fine by me. I only have so much energy to keep up with a direct spawn of Lup’s energy and cook a baller dinner at the same time.” Kravitz chuckles under his breath, careful to keep his knowledge of Taako’s legitimate love and adoration of his niece to himself. He knows for a fact that that girl could ask for anything in the entire multiverse, and Taako would find a way to give her it and then some.

“As long as you’re certain--” Kravitz’s sentence is cut off by a loud exclamation of “ABRA-KA-FLIP-YOU!” before an even louder boom startles the pair. Taako’s already five feet ahead of Kravitz before he can even turn and notice the charred remains of a few priceless paintings on the wall of their living room, as well as the hole burned clean through the wall itself.

And, standing a couple of steps away from the wreckage, is the culprit; Marlena, looking both triumphant and terrified, clutching the Krebstar in a battle stance.

Both adults gape at the scene before them, unable to parse what exactly happened, when Marlena drops the Krebstar and takes a giant step backward.

“I’msorryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorry,” she says as tears begin to build in her eyes. Before they have the chance to fall, though, her uncle lets out a wheeze of laughter.

“Holy shit this is fucking incredible,” Taako wheezes out as he waves a hand over the wreckage, mending the wall and extinguishing the flames in a matter of seconds. “Bubbeleh, you do not need to apologize for some sick-ass casting.” This seems to both confuse Marlena and alarm Kravitz.

“Taako, she just burned a hole through our wall.” Kravitz says, taking a step toward his husband. “Th-This is an obvious sign of that unkempt magical energy Barry kept saying he was detecting on her as an infant. We need to do something about that.” Taako looks back to his husband and rolls his eyes, walking the short distance to his forgotten focus and hefting it over his shoulder.

“Yeah, what we’re gonna do is invest in some targets and get this girl her own wand.” he says as he ruffles Marlena’s hair. “Ch’girl got some crazy skills already and we haven’t even taught her anything.” He looks down to address his niece with a lazy grin. “But starting tomorrow we’re gonna be holding Magic Day at your momma’s house.”

Marlena’s eyes light up, and she lets out a gleeful noise as she hugs her uncle. Taako instinctively hoists her up into his free arm to hug her properly, and Kravitz sighs fondly at the two. Before Taako can notice, though, Kravitz makes his way back to the kitchen; where a forgotten dinner needs to be finished, and a Stone of Farspeech awaits a call to his coworkers.

                                                                ---

At age twelve, Marlena sits her parents down for a talk.

“You want to do what now?” Her mother asks skeptically, setting her morning cup of coffee on the table.

“I want to stay with traditional schooling.” Marlena repeats, her tone serious and unflinching even as both her parents eye her with concern and bafflement.

“But, sweetie, just last week you were complaining about those boys who keep asking you about your mother! Wouldn’t homeschooling fix that?” Her father says, hands folded in the way he does when he’s too nervous to figure out what to do with them.

“Yeah, but it doesn’t bother me enough to make me want to leave all my friends!” Marlena says.

“But it’s not like they’re giving you any new information.” Her mother adds with an accusing jab of her finger. “I’ve seen you sneaking around with Ango’s college textbooks; I know you know more than what you’re letting on! And we’re already teaching you magic, so what’s the big deal about us teaching you everything else?”

“You would learn at your own pace, and at your own leisure,” her father continues. “And just because it’s called ‘homeschooling’ doesn’t mean we’re going to force you to stay here. The rest of the family are all on-board with taking you in for weeks at a time to teach you their own tricks of the trade. Uncle Taako’s already called dibs on you for the next month!”

“You could graduate in, like, a year; just like your cousin! Doesn’t that sound great?” Her mother finishes with an enthusiastic grin, much like the one her father is also sporting. All the joy they seem to have about this idea is cut short when Marlena slams her hand down on the table.

“No!” She exclaims, her half-elf ears twitching slightly in frustration. “Because what you don’t get is that I don’t want to graduate in a year!” This causes her parents to both freeze, glancing nervously back at one another to see what the other might say. But Marlena gives them no time to say anything when she stands up and gestures angrily at nothing.

“Look, I get it. You guys both want what’s best for me, you love me, yadda yadda. But I’m not like my cousin. I don’t have a family I’m desperately trying to avoid because of personal reasons, and I don’t have a career I’m desperately trying to pursue. I’m just a kid who wants to do kid things like play kickball in Gym and write essays on topics I think are boring! You just don’t understand that I hide my knowledge from you guys because I want you to keep me in school!”

“It’s hard being me! Every other week I’m getting kidnapped by necromancers looking to use me; if I sneeze too hard sometimes I let out a bolt of lightning because I still don’t have full control of my magic; and people publish articles about me if I decide to wear the same jacket two days in a row! I just wanna be like every other middle schooler and go to school! And play soccer with friends after class! And eat Cheese Wiz straight from the can on a dare, even though I know it’ll make me puke! I just. Want. A normal life.”

She’s panting by the time she finishes, and there are angry tears building in the corners of her eyes. But she’s said what she had to say, and so she plops back down in her chair and holds her breath for a response.

“We…” Her mother mutters, eyes still wide and mouth slightly agape. “I…”

“Aw, beans,” her father says as he leans over to hug his daughter. “Lena, we didn’t know.”

“Well, we did--we did know all that other stuff--about the kidnapping and the jacket thing--but uh, we didn’t, uh. We didn’t realize how you felt.” Her mother fumbles for the right words, standing to also hug her daughter. “We’re sorry we hurt you, Len-Len…”

“You didn’t--” Marlena sniffles. “You didn’t hurt me. I just...I didn’t tell you. It’s my fault…” Her father shakes his head and reaches around to pet her hair.

“No blame game, missy. If anyone is at fault for this, it’s us,” he says sternly. “We’re your parents, and we should know when our daughter’s upset.” His wife nods as she wedges herself into the hug.

“Yeah, he’s right.” she adds with a reassuring squeeze of Marlena’s hand. “So the next time you feel something this strongly, you come and tell us. Because we’re still, uh, sorta new at this; and we don’t always catch when something’s bothering you.”

“Y-You’re not mad, though?” Marlena asks, squished between her parents in an awkward tangle of bodies and limbs. Her mother guffaws.

“Mad? Bullshit! I would’ve felt worse if we had gone through in pulling you out of school!” She pulls away from the hug to look her daughter in the eye. “Sweetie, we love you. We want what you want.”

“Unless that ‘want’ involves drugs, alcohol, crime, necromancy, et cetra.” Her husband adds.

“Yeah, except that. But if it’s something like school,” she rolls her eyes. “Go buck wild, sweetcheeks. Go play soccer out back. Play pranks on the shitty subs. Eat a bug. We just want you to be happy.” Both of Marlena’s parents lean in to kiss her on the forehead, causing Marlena to gag and push them away with a laugh. The three of them share in this moment for a while before the morning settles into its usual routine.

About an hour after the fact, Marlena clears her throat to catch the attention of her parents.

“Uh, I know we just got done with the whole ‘I wanna stay in school’ thing. But uh, if Uncle Taako still has the offer open…” She trails off, looking nervously around the room. Her mother laughs and pulls out her Stone of Farspeech.

“I’m sure he can re-clear his schedule.”

                                                             ---

At sixteen, Marlena gets caught redhanded at the Spring Formal.

“It’s not what you think!” Marlena quickly exclaims, even though it is exactly what it seems. If this was her mother, it would all be over. Guns ablazing; fury absolute; no survivors. If it were her father, then it would be weird. A lot of awkward coughs, little to no eye contact, and a very stiff conversation to follow at home.

But, somehow, Marlena got the worst out of any of these options; her Uncle Merle.

“Uh-huh, suuuuure,” he says, surveying the scene before him. “It sure doesn’t look like ya were just mackin’ on this young lady, riiight.” He turns his attention to the nervous girl standing beside Marlena. “And what’s yer name, hun?”

“U-Uhhhh,” she stutters, cheeks a fiery red. “Isabelle.” Merle nods his head and runs a hand through his crunchy beard.

“Well, Isabelle, why dontcha just run on back inside the cafeteria so me and my niece can have a chat, alright?” Isabelle cannot nod fast enough, and she gives Marlena one final glance before racing down the darkened hallway and back to the dance.

The silence left behind by Isabelle’s exit is deafening, and Marlena looks far too wired to try and explain what Merle just waddled into. Merle, on his end, looks like he has all the time in the world to address the fact that he just caught his niece kissing someone at a high school dance.

“Sooooo, I’m guessin’ I don’t need to give you a talk ‘bout the birds and bees.” Merle starts off, causing Marlena to immediately shake her head. “Figured. But, uh, that girl. She, uhhhhhh, you two dating?” Marlena looks around for a couple of seconds, before looking at her heel-clad feet and nodding her head. “Figured that, too. How long?”

There’s a shift in the air around them before Marlena mutters, “Four months,” and then promptly slaps a hand over her mouth. Merle chuckles and shakes his head.

“You been around me for how long, kid, and you didn’t think I’d try an’ Zone of Truth ya?”

“I’m not exactly thinking right now, okay!?” Marlena blurts out. “I’m kind of experiencing my Worst Case Scenario at the moment, so if you could excuse my lack of oversight on you casting the same damn spell for the millionth time that would be great!” She slaps a hand over her mouth again, then drops it when Merle laughs some more.

“Geez, somebody’s feisty tonight…” Merle looks around, then shakes his head. “Come on, this is no place for a talk this.”

And then, just like that; they’re in a simple office with a long table, surrounded by cushy office chairs, overlooking a sunset-filled sky.

Marlena rolls her eyes.

“Parley. Really?” She looks at him with an uninterested stare. Merle huffs at her.

“What? I’ll have you know I’ve had some great conversations in here!”

“Yeah, and most of them ended in you dying…” Marlena points out as she walks to the table and plops down in one of the chairs. Merle laughs again and sits across from her, a chess board suddenly appearing between them.

“Hopefully this one won’t,” he gestures to the board, a silent offer that is met with a silent confirmation. He moves his first piece and leans back in his chair.

“So. Four months is a long time to go without introducing her to the family.” Merle says, watching Marlena tense before she moves a pawn. “You had any plans on having her meet us orrrr….”

“I did.” she mutters, moving another piece. “That all kind of just got ruined, though, and she’s probably never going to talk to me again, so that’s something.”

“Why do you think that?” Merle moves a bishop.

“Because people have this ill-conceived notion that you’re all these big, intimidating people; and she’s gonna get scared that you’re all going to come after her, or somethin’...” she moves another pawn.

“That’s kind of a stupid thought,”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because she’s your girlfriend!” Merle says as he captures one of Marlena’s pawns. “Listen, I may be no ‘romance expert’, but four months is a long time for relationships, at your age. If she wasn’t scared off by the thought of your family being the Seven Birds before, then I don’t think that’s suddenly going to change because one of them caught you two swappin’ spit in the Music hallway.”

“Gross,” Marlena mutters as she captures Merle’s knight.

“Listen, love is love. Once you love somebody, it takes a lot to change your mind about that.” Merle continues as he moves his rook. “Look, if Dav still hasn’t left me after alla my baggage, then I think there’s plenty of hope for you and your girl.” He captures Marlena’s king in one fell swoop and sits back again. “Now, I’m not saying you two are necessarily ‘in love’; but by the way she was lookin’ at you before she split, I think it’s pretty damn close. She wouldn’t let that go because of something dumb like this.”

Marlena stares at the board, a little dumbfounded, before letting out a little chuckle of her own.

“I guess you’re right…” She says, fiddling with her queen. “It’s just…”

“Just what?” Merle asks with a quirked brow. Marlena’s ears turn a little pink.

“It’s just I’m...afraid. Of what Mom and Dad will think.” At that, Merle snorts.

“Honey, you got several uncles and aunts who are in the LGBT community; and so are your own damn parents. No one’s gonna freak out at you liking girls.” Marlena huffs and shakes her head.

“Not about that!” She replies, her voice cracking. “About...the time…”

“About the fact that you waited four months to tell them you have a girlfriend?” Merle says, to which she nods. Merle pauses for a minute, running his soulwood hand through his beard a few times, before having an idea. “Well, how about I don’t tell anybody about this little fiasco, as long as you promise me that you’ll bring Isabelle to the next family dinner?” Marlena looks up at Merle in shock. “That way it gives you a coupla weeks to figure out how you wanna go about it. That sound good?”

“Y-Yes!” She blurts, this time without any magical prompting. “You got a deal!” She reaches over the table to seal the deal with a handshake, to which Merle complies. “And, uh, thanks. I guess. For being cool about this.”

Merle hops off the chair and shrugs.

“Eh, that’s what makes me the ‘Chill Uncle”. Now let’s get you back to the dance, so your principal doesn’t think I snuck off the property to smoke some pot.”

And in another blink of an eye, they were back in that dark hallway. Marlena smiles at Merle one last time before running off to meet up with her girlfriend, leaving Merle to linger in the hallway.

“Ah, young love.” He sighs wistfully, watching Marlena’s figure disappear around a corner. He stands there for about another two minutes before shrugging and reaching into his pocket.

“Well, guess no one’ll miss Ol’ Merle tonight.” He says, waddling towards the back entrance, joint in hand.

                                                              ---

At age eighteen, Marlena graduated second in her class. She claimed it was because of a class she struggled with her Junior year, but her closest circle of friends know it’s primarily because she didn’t want to seem like she was handed the title of valedictorian. And if that left her girlfriend of two years at the very top, then that was only a bonus.

At graduation, Marlena doesn’t look for her family in the seats, because she can hear them several miles away.

“THAT’S MY GIRL!!!” Her mother screams from her seat, much to the dismay of the security guard standing a mere two feet away. “HI BABY!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!” Not even her father, who is the more reserved of the two, is holding back his enthusiasm; screaming his fair share of positive words and firing off a few harmless sparks of magic.

Marlena rolls her eyes with a fond grin as she takes her seat in her row. Isabelle is beside her, reaching out to take her hand and give it a good squeeze. Marlena looks at her and gestures with her head back toward the crowd.

“If anybody asks, they aren’t my family.” She says, earning a small chuckle from her girlfriend.

“Then whose dinner did I crash last weekend?” Isabelle asks, earning herself her own giggle. The ceremony cuts their banter short as their principal addresses the crowd. After a performance from the Senior Choir, Marlena gets up to deliver her speech to the crowd. Isabelle shoots her a thumbs up as she reaches the stage, and Marlena smiles as she makes it to the podium. She’s never been one for public speaking, but this speech has been rehearsed enough times to where she could recite it without the paper in front of her.

“I was born in a ring of fire.” She begins, her voice echoing down the rows of families. “Ravens stood attentive around the room when I was born, and I was blessed by the powers of both the Raven Queen and Istus. When I was born, it has been said that both life and death stood at a perfect balance. And then, I screamed.”

“I screamed and screamed, and even when my mother tried to comfort me, I still screamed. My father told me that I screamed for an entire day, and it took being place in my crib to get me to stop. Now, I don’t know what this means entirely, but I can assume it means what I’ve always thought of myself: that I’m not special. I’m not special because, at the end of the day, I screamed like every other baby that’s ever been born does. I’m not special because I still slept in a crib, and I still wore diapers, and I still crapped my pants.”

“So when the world started telling me I was special, I was confused. Who decided I was special? It certainly wasn’t me; nor was it my parents. I was a kid, like every other kid on the planet. And I grew up, just like everyone else does. Now I’m graduating, just like every other kid sitting in these seats in front of me. I’m no different than your child, or anyone else’s child.”

“So I guess what I’m trying to say is: make yourself who you want to be. Set your own goals; follow your own path. Don’t let what others try and tell you be what you are if that’s not how you feel. Be the person you want to be. And if that person goes off to college, then that’s great. If not, then that’s great too. Because society doesn’t have the right to decide who you get to be. The only person who gets to decide that is you.”

“I was born in a ring of fire, in the deepest part of the Astral Plane, surrounded by goddesses with immeasurable amounts of power. But I still screamed, just like every other baby did when they were born.”

Her speech was met with thunderous applause, and a lot of erratic cheering from her family members. And, as she went back to her seat and watched the first solo performance of the ceremony, she smiled to herself.

Her name is Marlena Bluejeans, and she is exactly who she wants to be.

[skeletonscribbles]

26 from the prompt list for Ben/bev!!

my friend, I genuinely think getting to write this Benverly ficlet cleared my skin, watered my crops, improved my lifestyle, etc. etc. etc.

I wanted to give them a nice little coffeeshop AU moment, because it’s what they Deserve, so here they are in Face The Music, with the prompt “maybe not” :)

(and if you’d rather, you can read it on Ao3!)

Some days, Ben Hanscom felt like he was out of his mind for choosing architecture.

Sure, he was good at it - he always had been. The minute he’d stepped into his drafting elective in high school, he’d known that he had a talent for clean lines and physics and the necessary vision to design something beautiful, tasteful, and in synch with its surroundings. He was an architect. That was what he was going to do.

From there, his life followed a prescribed course of actions: down to hot, sweaty Texas to study at Rice University, then up to cold, meticulous MIT for graduate school so he could, at last, land a low-ranking job at a top-ranking firm in New York City. Ben wasn’t sure that he liked New York - he sure as shit didn’t belong there, coming in from ass-nowhere Kansas - but it was where he was supposed to be, career-wise, so…okay.

Well…not quite okay. It would be easier to ignore the parts of New York that grated on him if he actually felt like he was going somewhere with his career, but all of the big projects the firm took on seemed to be going to people (if Ben was to be bluntly honest) much less capable than he; Emma from New Hampshire, for example had been hired just after him, had put forward mediocre blueprints for a standard corporate building as the key piece in her portfolio, and had, within a month of being on the job, been pulled for the major midtown renovation that the firm had been commissioned to do. Ben was left to his paperwork and his resentment, and resolved to work harder, push himself further – but how much further could he go? He barely made it home most nights as it was. Last night, he’d been at work until 3:30 a.m., filing and sketching and re-sketching and thinking, and now, at 7 a.m., he was back to do it all again.

This is rewarding, he reminded himself as he shuffled his way down the sidewalk. This is what you’re good at.

Fuck. No pep-talk was going to be worth anything if he didn’t have coffee. He should have thought about that sooner, because at this point in the trek he’d passed most of his usual java joints - there was only the new place left between him and work, and it wasn’t a chain, it was an independently owned little corner market.

He wasn’t big on going out of his comfort zone, particularly where coffee was concerned, but…it was going to have to do for now. He hoped to God they’d grant him the extra espresso he so desperately needed.

“Hi, welcome to Maturin Coffee–” the barista began as he walked in (prescribed, he thought), and then they made eye contact and all of what was left of Ben’s coherent thought (which wasn’t much, to be fair, after about an hour and a half of sleep) went out the window.

There was a lot that could be said about the young woman before him - things that Ben could probably infer about her personality and the store as a whole based on her green turtle knit cap, mint green button-down with lavender stripes, and rainbow apron (that clashed with her red, red hair), but none of that mattered at all, because he was trapped in the pull of her jungle green eyes.

Shit, shit, shit. He didn’t have time for this. There was too much work on his plate for him to be falling in love with every manic pixie dream barista on the block. Shaking his head a little bit to knock himself out of his funk, he approached the counter.

“I need something with at least four shots of espresso in it.”

The woman raised an eyebrow at him, clearly somewhat bemused. “Four shots, huh? No rest for the weary?”

“Slept for an hour and a half last night,” Ben told her honestly, hoping the truth would make her speed up her work. “Not out of the ordinary for me. Espresso’s gonna keep me alive.”

The woman whistled, raking her eyes over Ben’s face with something akin to concern. Instead of asking questions about his personal life, though, as he’d feared she might do, she moved to grab a large cup.

“Any particular flavors you like?” she asked him, bringing his cup towards a disorganized jumble of what looked like flavorings and creamers. “Allergies, things I should know, etcetera?”

He racked his brain, trying to come up with something on the fly. Most of the baristas he’d  encountered would have just served him four straight shots of espresso in the bottom half of a paper cup, and he found himself almost grateful that this girl was trying to make things nicer for him. Very few people did that, these days (or ever, really, if he was being honest with himself).

“I like almond,” he told her, allowing himself one thin, quiet smile. “No allergies.”

Her returned grin was a revelation - it stretched her face so brilliantly that his heart couldn’t help but throw itself against the front of his chest like it was trying to get out and reach her and holy shit, did he have absolutely no self control whatsoever?

“Coming right up,” she told him, and busied herself with his concoction while he tried to pull himself the fuck together. Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried to focus on the residential project he was building a model for for that day, but found his mind was now completely devoid of anything that didn’t have to do with the spread of freckles across barista girl’s cheeks. Damn it, damn it, damn it. He’d have to try a new strategy for clearing his mind - what was that New Kids on the Block song that had been stuck in his head a couple of weeks ago? Said all that I wanted was you….you made all my dreams come true…..

He was so busy humming softly to himself, he almost didn’t notice her come back with his drink.

“Try this,” she said, and he flinched away from her, startled by her sudden reappearance. When he looked back down, she was holding a cardboard cup of coffee up to him with a knowing grin. “I think you’ll find that it has the right stuff.”

Ben bit back a groan. “Oh, jeez…”

“Nothing to be ashamed of,” she assured him, although the effort she was obviously putting into not laughing suggested otherwise. “We’ve all got a secret crush on Donnie Wahlberg, it’s fine. Take a sip.”

Not wanting to embarrass himself further, he took the cup and blew softly on the liquid to cool it down. He sipped slowly…and then sipped again and again and again as fervently as he could without burning the roof of his mouth.

The coffee she’d made him was INCREDIBLE.

“What’s in this?” he asked, wide-eyed, and the girl’s grin grew wider.

“It’s a secret,” she told him, eyes twinkling merrily.

He let out a surprised laugh at that, and promptly clapped a hand over his mouth in wonder - how long had it been since he’d laughed?

“Anyways, thank you,” he said, sounding more sincere to his own ears than he had in the past five years at his firm. “This is the best coffee I’ve ever had. How much do I owe you for it, because I’ll pay you twice that, it’s that good–”

“Maybe not,” she interrupted him gently, and he spluttered, staring down at her. Didn’t she need the business?

“Not…pay you?” he asked, dumbfounded.

She shook her head. “You look like you need that coffee more than I need your money. Do me a favor, though?”

“Anything,” he said, not realizing until the word was already out of his mouth how absolutely pathetic he sounded. God, she was going to think he was the biggest creep in the world.

“Well, two favors, actually,” she amended, and Ben steeled himself, waiting for her to drop the anvil: she had a boyfriend, she never wanted to see him in this shop again, she was filing a restraining order….

“Take a vacation or quit your job,” she said instead, and Ben couldn’t help the little gasp of surprise that escaped his lips.

“Wh…why?” he asked once he’d regained his bearings, frowning a little bit as he registered that her expression was sincere. She didn’t know what he did, or how hard he’d worked to get there. How could she ask such a thing?

“I’ve lived in New York for years, now,” she said, “and before that, I was in small town Maine, so I’m sort of an expert on groups of people that are really, really unhappy with their lives.”

“And?” he asked, cataloguing the personal information she’d just shared and wondering what her point was.

“You are without a doubt the most miserable looking person I’ve ever seen,” she said, and Ben felt an embarrassed blush sweep its way across his face, ears, and neck.

“Oh,” he said, not sure what else there was to say.

“And I don’t mean that you’re not attractive or anything,” she quickly backpedaled, mirroring his flushed face, “I just mean that you don’t seem….”

“Happy?” he asked, thinking quietly about his time at the firm and all the work he’d put in. He’d been trying for such a long time to convince himself that he liked what he was doing…but was he happy? Was convincing himself that he was happy something that happy people did?

“Yeah,” she agreed, looking at her hands. “Sorry if I overstepped, but.”

“It’s fine,” he assured her, still sort of reeling a little bit from all of the new thinking he now knew that he was going to have to do. “What was the second favor, quickly? I’m running late.”

“Oh,” the girl said, expression revealing that she’d forgotten that she’d asked for two favors. “Oh, it’s nothing. I was just going to ask you for your name.”

Ben’s heart did a quick backflip, and he couldn’t help but let that thin, quiet smile from earlier sneak back on to his face.

“Ben,” he told her. “Ben Hanscom.”

She seemed to weigh his response in her mind, as if assessing him anew based on his name…and then she smiled, letting him know that he’d come out favorably.

“I’m sorry for making you late, Ben Handsome.”

“Hanscom,” he corrected quickly, collecting his coffee and willing his blush not to reappear.

“I stand by what I said,” she told him with a wink. “I’ll see you around.”

Flustered, he stumbled over his own feet and almost spilled his coffee on the way out. He could hear her laughter echoing through the coffeeshop as he tripped his way out the door.

It took him another block’s worth of walking to realize that he hadn’t gotten her name in return.

He had half a mind to turn around, and he went so far as to stop in the middle of the sidewalk, frantically searching the cup for some sort of contact information.

It turned out that she’d been a step ahead of him the whole time. There was a note scrawled in Sharpie on the side of the cup that Ben had been holding.

-coffee’s on me whenever you need it. hang tough. love, Bev Marsh, aka the new (coffee) kid on the block-

She’d put a phone number (presumably her own) under where she’d signed her name, and Ben took a moment to stare at it, mentally committing it to memory.

Bev Marsh, he whispered to himself, and smiled quietly at how well the name seemed to match the girl he’d just met - the multicolored, coffee magician that saw right through him with her green, green eyes.

For once in his life, he had something to look forward to.