#just one random date we were discussing whether owning or renting is better

[canthandlethishit]

ive spent my 18th birthday at home, alone, and that night wrote an entry in my suicide journal and had a breakdown because i thought 18th birthdays in books and shows always showed such optimism in the future, such drive to throw themselves into the world with all their passion and dreams.

i dont have any passion or dreams, because i know its not allowed, its risky, its an opportunity cost. Its not a warranted stable job, its not a respectable diploma, its not okay to stop and breathe because you’re wasting time that is money that will provide comfort in your elderly retired years.

i follow the guidelines and the rules, i take the major im supposed to, i take the club activities that will provide me the skills my future job would require, and i make the connections necessary for my future job. a job that maybe allow me to live comfortably, enough to retire and have some left over.

only

im not going to retire, neither are most of my friends, we don’t think about retirement, we know the cost of being old, our life plans share the expiration date of 30 years.

Maybe this is the wrong platform to pose this question given the average tumblr user but

Is it just me or did our generation (those of is who are currently 20-30 ish) just not get the opportunity to be young in the 'standard' sense?

Like, everyone I talk to who's over 40 has all their wild stories about their teens and 20s, being young and dumb, and then I talk to my friends and coworkers and classmates, and we just... dont.

[z7rkive]

DHAU: What To Know

Hey! its what all of u have been waiting for: more dhau stuff :)

Also!! most of this is by the one powerful braincell @snaxarba and I share hhh,, we’ve both worked hard (lmao not rlly we just screamed at each other sksks) on creating the universe around dhau uwu she’s been a great help aaa please send her love through her inbox! She’s currently writing a fic for this au, so if u got any questions or want a snippet go over to her :))))

Now that that’s out of the way, get ready for a LONG post:

GENERAL INFO

DH = Deathly Hallows

5 members

Fandom name: Hallows

Ages: S.S (26), T.R. (24), D.M. (21), H.P. (21), C.D. (19)

Hyung Line (oldest members) : Prince (Severus Snape) & L.V. (Tom Riddle)

Maknae Line (youngest members) : Draco Malfoy, Seven (Harry Potter), & Zed (Cedric Diggory)

Visual Line (“Faces/Most Handsome” of the group) : L.V., Draco, & Zed

Rap Line (Rappers in the group) : Prince & Zed

Dance Line (“Best” Dancers) : L.V., Seven, Prince, & Draco

Vocal Line (“Vocals of the group) : L.V., Seven, & Draco

Choreo Line (Take part in creating choreography) : Prince & L.V.

OTHER RANDOM INFO:

They work under G.G. Entertainment (G.G.E.) with Dumbledore as the Big Boss

Drarry is the most popular ship among fans

Dispatch is a company that takes photos of idols and tries to expose dating scandals

Dispatch Boss: so r they dating anyone

the hallow stan twt is crazy as fuck lmao

theres so many memes

solo stans are fans who only like 1 member of the group (the person is their favorite) and don’t pay attention to the others/give hate to the rest of DH

antis are just hateful ppl in general, they send lots of hate to either Hallows, one specific member, DH, or just the whole group in general

one time Severus and Harry did a vlive (they haven’t done one in a long time so sevenprince fans were excited! :0)!! Harry’s like, “Sev and I have a great plan for this live! :D” and then someone in the comments just says, “Can we have a different member on vlive please :/ i dont wanna look at both yall ugly mugs lmao” :((

Harry, “Cedric? Ah no he’s not here. Draco? He’s not here either sorry :(. Oh ok, I’ll get Tom for you guys.”

big sad^ :(

ot5 = loving the whole group; EX: “No solo stans allowed!! only ot5 enthusiasts!!!”

it does not mean they all fuck skshs

but All7 means they all fuck harry lmao

there’s this super popular twitter account called “@Sevensfw” and it’s basically just an account that posts bottom harry moans ft other DH members

DH wasn’t that popular before, but a fancam of L.V. dancing blew up on social media, and that got them a lot of attention

there will be lots,,, and lots,, of social media in this fic

we get inspiration from u guys as fans so go off on ur reactions

INFO OF THE MEMBERS UNDER THE CUT :)

MEMBERS

Prince / Severus Snape

Oldest in the group

Prince Stans are called: Robins

Produces most of the songs

Unofficial leader; whenever Harry’s not there he’s automatically in charge and no one questions it

Bat Dad / Goth Daddy

Joined G.G. Entertainment to become a producer but then got stuck with DH

“Nation’s Prince 💞💞💞” - Robins uwu

GENIUS !!!

He’s usually very frowny and makes lots of mean remarks but he’s rlly a soft boy daddy

He, Harry, and Tom are the ones who speak most in interviews

People say he’s lazy because he stays indoors most of the time but!!! He works his ass off helping produce most of the tracks the band makes

AND helps choreograph their dances and help run their big ass dorm

Husband material 10/10

Deep voice mmmm

Big ass softie for their leader

Snape: *makes Harry dance & moan for no reason at all* “all in the name of music.”

He and Harry have been labeled the “Mom & Dad” of DH by Hallows

He and Harry usually discuss big decisions to see what’s best for the group

Only other person he’s comfortable with besides Harry is Tom since they’re closer in age, and work together with choreography

He and Tom are chill buds; the “mature ones of the group”

When he first got into DH, he actually thought Harry was a visual of the group ;)

Harry needs help? Whether it be to get away from Visual Line or just in general Goth Daddy got him 😌

one time he and harry went to another country and couldn’t speak the language, and the waiter thought they were a couple bc of the way they acted around each other so they got a couple discount sksksks

So,, so underrated,,, like please stan this whole ass man

Why wouldn’t you??? like,,, he know how to cook, he humble, he got the tongue technology, husband material, high ass IQ,,, tall, dark,,,, what more can u ask for tbh?

you could also ride his nose lmao but ig thats reserved for Harry

L.V. / Tom Riddle

Visual as FUCK

Has the biggest vocal range; king can go from Deep & Raspy to High & Angelic in 0.001 seconds

One word to describe his voice: soulful

used to be part of the rapline in their early debut days, but for some reason he hasn’t rapped recently?? kows r thirsty pls rap for us again tommy boy,,,

bc of that he’s not “part” of the rapline, so he’s just labeled as a sub-rapper, which means he’s like the backup-backup rapper.

Wanted to be leader and kinda resented Harry for a bit before he met him and now he too, is whipped for Harry

Does not care for personal space, literally just crowds around Harry whenever the fuck he wants

He’s labeled himself as Harry’s personal seat, and is always pulling Harry into his lap

Tom’s never been touchy with others but for some reason Harry is just,,, There. He likes that feeling that Harry gives him whenever he’s around; he’s fascinated about his own actions toward Harry so he’s always trying to explore their physical intimacy

HES GOOD AT EVERYTHING AND HE KNOWS IT; everyone’s just like, “wtf that’s not fair”

Yeah he’s good at everything but he watches anime sksksk 🗿🗿🗿

Lowkey-Highkey dislikes Cedric bc dumb bitch unplugged his computer while he was binge watching bnha & happy go lucky mf named Tom’s fandom KOWs (like cows 🐄), when it was supposed to be Knights of Walpurgis smh

His dance!! His dance sequences always look like fight scenes and it’s the B E S T

Very smooth & quick on his feet

Literally so many fancams of him body rolling

Takes no shit from antis,, they’re not relevant.. only DH & Harry are 😤

Adopts any brand with the initials L.V. And everyone just goes along with it

Tom stans (KOWs) clown pre-debut Tom bc he was gonna have his stage name as “Lord Voldemort” and no one will let him live it down skskks

Was scouted by another agency- that agency asked him to audition for their company but he thought it was a scam; he would’ve been in a diff group if he went

Originally auditioned to G.G. Ent. To become an actor, but changed his mind.

Since he’s also one of the choreographers he’s always trying to make it so he and Harry get lots of skin ship

Draco Malfoy

Harry’s/Ferret’s/Hallows’ sugar daddy no lie

KING OF FANSERVICE

Whatever the fans want? The fans get. Whatever Harry wants? He gets it too.

Draco appreciates his Hallows/Ferrets sm,, he’s always reminding them that they are the ones who keep DH going and that without Hallows they wouldn’t be where they are

He always tries to go on vlive (think: IG live, but better) every 2 weeks even with their busy schedules and just spends time talking with the fans :’)

During concerts he’s interacting the most with everyone, walking around the stage the most so the fans can see him from different views: he’s always trying to make eye contact with them

He’s rich enough he doesn’t have to be an Idol but he still wants to stay ,, he wouldn’t give up DH & Hallows for anything.

also helps with any financial problems the boys have!! they need a place to rent? he got their backs

Center of the group!! This means whenever they’re dancing you’d usually find him in the center/middle position. The center is the one who calls attention to them-self the most and has to make sure their formation looks good; they have to carry the group during a performance. If the center looks bad, then the rest of the group and performance is too.

STABLE AS FUCK VOICE. Do you know how hard it is to dance and sing? At the same time??? Draco makes it so effortless,, when he sings and dances his voice doesn’t shake or waver- It’s stable and whenever he’s doing a live performance his voice sounds like it’s from the actual track

HE LOVES DANCING. Dance dance dance. He joined DH because he really just wanted to dance, he didn’t think he’d be part of the vocal line lmao but ugh king got thru

He & Harry are both 21, and Draco’s always making it a point that he’s older than Harry (only by 2 months!); since they’re the same age, they relate and hang out with each other more. He and Harry usually go out and have “bro-dates”. He talks to Harry abt personal problems n vice versa.

He and Harry always support each other and have formed that bff bond and Draco’s always pulling Harry towards him on stage so Harry will get noticed more (since Harry’s one of the unpopular members, while he himself is veeerry popular)

Antis usually say that Draco doesn’t really have any talent and that he just bought his way into DH with his money and good looks, and that he doesn’t deserve his place as ‘center’ :(

The Confident Gay,,, always slapping that Harry booty.

Cheesy asf,, any chance he gets he always flirts w Harry

Seven / Harry Potter

Best leader 11/10

Always comforting members !! He sings to them to make them happy :)

Main vocal- king can hit that note 😩.

Voice is very calming/lullaby like. Relaxing uwu.

Mother hen lmao,, he’s always worried about his group and how they’re doing

Thighs

Duality king go from 0-10000000 real quick

What a caring bitch I love him

Gives special massages to his members when they feel stressed,, and in turn they help him when he needs to step down from all that leader work.

He’s not really one to do ‘cute things for the fans on purpose’ but when he does he gets really embarrassed,, flustered bb will hide his face behind his hands n cover himself. He’d hide his face in his clothes, on another member’s chest/shoulder, or look at the ground while he stirs in cute embarrassment

Knows the members have some type of fascination with him so he uses that as like a punishment/reward system- “First one to memorize all their lines And choreo gets to go with me to help pick out my clothes.”

Insult his group? Won’t hesitate to cut u with his long eyelashes + sharp tongue lmao

Reassuring Hallows that they’re fine even when they get hate because they have each other,, DH/Hallows is best ship

Blames himself when another member gets hate- he feels like he’s not taking care of his group and he’s trying his best to make them feel not excluded :(

Lil bun bun uwu 🐰Seven Nation !! Stay winning 🤩🤩🤩 Protecc this hard working baby 😩

On stage he’s a force to be reckoned with,, like ugh what a sexy boi hshsh,, but off stage!!! A literal cutie!!!!! Soft & pure

Second half of underrated duo

Built up muscle during debut, but throughout the years/eras he went a bit lax, and since he didn’t have as much muscles since before, he’s gotten a lot of hate :( The members love his squishy cheeks n thicc thighs but antis think he should have a sharper jaw line hhh

oblivious mf,,, he rlly went on a date with a female idol from another company without knowing it was a date hh this boy

actually got in DH because he lost a bet

Zed / Cedric Diggory

Sunshine boy!! ☀️ Literally a ray of happiness in the group,,, always smiling and keeping everyone happy

most popular boy

Chaotic mf,,, in this au he’s the equivalent of the shaggy meme 🗿

Joined DH bc of Harry :’)) He’s gotten offers of joining other agencies but decided to go with G.G. Ent and decline all those offers because he saw Harry sing n dance + had a taste of Harry’s sweet personality when he first met him!! 

Cedric joined when he just turned 15, so Harry and the other members have been raising him for like 4 years :(. He could be a manifestation of all their groups personalities.

Looks up to Harry so much?? He’s Harry’s biggest fan and will literally do anything for him,, Harry’s done so much for him when he was younger that he wants to try and repay his leader by also being there for him :(.

M U S C L E  M A N / STRONG boi

literally harry sat on his back while he did push-ups wtf,, like he doesn’t even get winded if harry runs and jumps in his arms

every hallow who’s been with them since debut (15) to present time (19 going on 20): WHY DID HE GROW UP SO FAST HE HAD CUTE CHEEKS HOW DOES HE HAVE A JAWLINE WTHHHHH

his fandom name: satans

ok like,, cedric used to be a rlly shy boy during the beginning years of debut days and like?? he’s been getting more comfortable and one day he just thought “fuck the agency i do what i want” and he’s so happy now

this is why he’s so chaotic,,, his fandom used to be named “Puffs” but after Cedric’s Big Awakening, the Puffs renamed themselves as “Satans”

“Oh you’re a Hallow, too? Cool! I’m a Robin! :D” “Nice! I’m part of the Satanic cult haha”

earlier i said he was a sunshine but uhhhh

When he’s on stage ohoho,,, damn what a M A N,, like??? spits fire and memes on a daily basis

h a t e s losing,,, “I’m never losing my virginity” “Why??” “BECAUSE I NEVER LOSE”

Harry meanwhile: but u could win me??? 

Cedric is just,, “...” “for the greater good” 

released a solo album called “Spared” (name idea was from L.V. bc Cedric ate his last dumpling; originally wasn’t gonna go with it but Harry liked it lmao)

Spared Title track - “Kill The Spare”

The seventh track on his solo album is called “Septem”, and its basically a song dedicated to Harry and how much he appreciates him as a person, how he’s so thankful to have him and his life,, blah all that mush

Septem = Hedric/Zedven shippers anthem

Cedric has a cool necklace that he always wears and he tells people, “Harry gave me the chain. It had a different pendant but I changed it for this one. It’s the Roman numerals for Seven.” :D

so,, much,, puns its stupid

a crackhead

his whole group is made up of crackheads but he’s the TRUE crackhead  ya feel

this boy is always active on social media im,,, like?? he’s just on vlive talking with the fans and then he’ll show the camera around to where Draco is helping Harry stretch before warm ups (surprise they’re in a compromising position) and Cedric just goes, “Haha! I love friendship :).” 

started his dancing career when he joined DH, so he’s the most behind with dance; many people criticize him bc he’s a “bad dancer” but everyone knows he’s a better dancer than any Hallow

but!! he has improved so much D: sunshine baby rlly went thru it

[night-filled-mountain]

For the Hozier ask thing: No Plan, Be, Talk

- No Plan - Do you believe in a pre-determined purpose in life?

No, but I think it can be helpful–for some people!–to think and act like you have a pre-determined purpose, as long as you’re not too rigid about it. Sometimes the random twists and turns of life just get overwhelming, you know? And you need to weave them into some sort of pattern–“A, B, and C all happened in order to lead me to D,” or “Despite X obstacle, I know I’m meant to accomplish Y.” Humans are pattern-finding creatures–that’s why we like stories so much. I can’t imagine getting through life without periodically making it into a story, whether you actually believe in some divine Plan and Author or not. (This is reminding me once again of that Brian W. Foster lyric I’ve become obsessed with: “And if it wasn’t designed, then I’ll be damned if I ever know why.”)

Though honestly, for me? The opposite is true. I’ve faced, and continue to face, so many mental-health barriers to having the kind of life I’d like to have, and I’ve fought (and continue to fight!) such a harrowing, hard-scrabble fight to make that life happen anyway. It’s a massive struggle, it’s ongoing, it’s every day. It’s exhausting and humiliating and entirely without dignity. So the thing that I like to tell myself about the life I want? Is that I wasn’t meant to have it. Some particularly nasty gods have played a trick on me since birth, crafting a person for whom friends/romance/productive work/artistic fulfillment/Happiness are impossible–and day after day, I’m fighting them, trying to prove them wrong. Clawing and biting at them with everything I have in me. Forcing my way out of their boxes, grasping at what I want, and spitting in their eye for good measure.

I’m sure my preference for this narrative says something about me as a person, but I leave that up to you, anon!

- Be - Have you changed much as a person in the last year? 

…I literally don’t know where to start.

In August 2018, I wasn’t married yet. I lived in a small town in New Jersey with my parents and sister, and was desperately terrified of moving (permanently) anywhere else. I had completed two master’s degrees just a few months before, but I’d never had a full-time job, and I was 250% convinced (for the aforementioned mental-health reasons, and a chronic physical illness to boot!) that I could never, ever have one. Oh, and I’d just gotten back from a visit to my former roommate (which remains the last time I saw her, not counting Skype), and I was suffering constant agony over the intense, passionate, mutually pining, emotionally needy, co-dependent mess that was that relationship.

And now?

I’m married. I live in Boston, in an apartment where I’ve paid 100% of the rent for the past six months (though that will soon be changing!). I have a full-time job that has challenged and transformed me in ways that I could not possibly have imagined six months ago. Like…literally could not have fathomed. Outside the scope of my brainpower. Beyond my wildest dreams.

I’m the head of my department…because I’m the entire department. I do heavy-duty customer service. I interact with dozens of strangers every day–children, teens, and adults–and I usually do it without a whisper of social anxiety. I pick up my desk phone when it rings. I make phone calls when I have to. I send and receive dozens of e-mails a week. I manage a budget! I place orders! I schedule programs! I answer reference questions! I operate and troubleshoot various forms of technology constantly, and teach others how to use them. I reason with, joke with, assist, educate, entertain, chastise, and discipline 20+ rowdy teenagers ON A DAILY BASIS. There have been many days, and once an entire week, when I was literally in charge of my entire workplace and everyone in it. And it was all still functioning when my boss got back.

…And it’s actually really timely that I should write about all this now, because I’m smack-dab in the middle of an extremely daunting work task, one that’s causing my ADD to kick my ass to hell and back. And I’ve spent the past few days wondering just how fucking desperate this place must have been to hire someone who’s been wretchedly sobbing over her utter lack of focus and organizational skills for almost 30 years. So it’s…quite the morale-booster to look at these paragraphs about just how goddamn far I’ve come in a year.

…Also, Ex-Roommate and I have gone no-contact, and most days, I don’t think about her. And if I do, it doesn’t hurt so much.

- Talk - What’s your best friend like? 

I have three (3) best friends, and they are MY WORLD, so get ready for this.

(1.) My husband. We’ll call him Kit, which is, in fact, a name he often goes by. He is a Gemini, which I mention only because he’s a very classic Gemini: bursting with curiosity, interested in everything, with a dizzying array of hobbies and interests that seem to change and shift by the moment. He teaches science, and used to teach history. He loves camping, sea shanties, Lawrence of Arabia, board games, and tabletop RPGs. Being a teacher, he’s had the summer off, and he’s spent it being a house-husband: cleaning our apartment, buying all the groceries, doing my laundry an embarrassing number of times, and cooking me dinner every single night. He loves being useful to people and making people happy. He’s terrific at long-term planning, but has no sense of time, and he’d be late to everything without my intervention. We have separate bedrooms, and mine is obsessively neat, and his is…not. He was once bitten by a squirrel that he was hand-feeding on the Boston Common. A few days later, he received a serious electric shock from a string of Christmas lights, and the bandage he’d placed over the squirrel bite was burned black instead of his hand. This perfect balance of cursed and blessed is, in a way, all you really need to know about Kit.

We love to watch movies and TV shows together and discuss/analyze them obsessively. We love to have looong philosophical discussions and/or debates. We take walks, we get Italian food and/or ice cream far too often, we go on jolly road-trip adventures, and we read out loud to each other. He’s currently reading me Charles Dickens’ Our Mutual Friend, which I have read before (twice) and he has not, because I love it so intensely, and I know that he will too. He’s the best person on earth to discuss virtually anything with, to be honest. He’s my DM in the best D&D campaign I’ve ever been part of. I’ve just made a new D&D character, although I don’t have a campaign for her yet, and Kit cannot stop lavishing praise on her and getting excited about her…even though she’s a hobgoblin, and he spent a significant portion of a recent car ride passionately arguing with me about the viability of hobgoblins as player characters.

He is absolutely extraordinary at admitting when he’s wrong, owning it fully, changing his opinions, pursuing personal growth, and just becoming a better and better person all the time. And I’m so damn honored that I get to be here for it.

(2.) We’ll call my second best friend Unicorn, which is a multilayered inside joke.

I met Unicorn during my freshman year of college. We lived on the same floor. I was the odd woman out among my suitemates because I had crippling social anxiety; he was the odd man out among his because he was gay. Somehow we started watching movies and TV shows together, and it became our Thing; I think our current marathon record is six or seven movies in a row. We’re both from New Jersey, and he still lives there, and there are few places in the world I feel safer than on his giant couch, in front of his giant TV, with snacks and glasses of Limeade close at hand, and his neurotic little dog nosing about. He has a pool, a massive movie collection, and an encyclopedic knowledge of state politics, because he works as a full-time environmental canvasser. His hours are absolutely terrifying, as are the physical and social demands of his job, but he still finds time to run a D&D campaign for his coworkers, and to visit the rest of us in Boston at every possible opportunity.

Unicorn is barely a month older than I am (a fellow Leo, though I think it suits him a hell of a lot better than it suits me), and he understands me in specific ways that the other two members of our little quartet just can’t. We get each other’s humor, we have similar tastes in men, we both love to swim. When the four members of our found family are all together, he is invariably the only person who notices all my little puns and innuendos, and laughs every time.  He listens to me, and asks me questions, in a way that no one else in the world quite seems to do. He made a speech at my wedding that reduced me to a blubbering mess. And, most importantly of all: He started inviting me to our college’s LGBT group when we were juniors (right after Kit and I started dating), which was how I met my third best friend, and how we all became a family.

(3.) I’m going to refer to Best Friend #3 as “Dragon,” because…he loves dragons, and because he was Unicorn’s roommate when I first met him, and it keeps the mythological-creature theme going. …And once again, I don’t know where to start, so I’m going to go dig up an old post I made about Dragon, copy and paste it below, and then figure out how to elaborate on someone who both my husband and I have identified as the best human being we have ever met.

This is a friend who invites the whole gang of us to his apartment for entire long weekends, and cooks for us, repeatedly. Who hosts “fake Christmas” every year, complete with a tree decorated with blue and silver ornaments because he is Jewish, and made all of us hand-stitched, personalized stockings, and fills them with gifts and sweets purchased specially for each of us. Who once baked me a cake just because I was coming to visit him. Who organized and directed my entire move from New Jersey to Boston because his Tetris-like car-packing skills and his utter laidback unshakable calm in the face of any task are absolutely unparalleled. Who is a goddamn wizard at literally everything, from cooking and baking and sewing to Photoshop and graphic design to painting D&D miniatures to putting together elaborate cosplays to theater tech to writing and research to courageous and tireless activism to law (did I mention he’s a lawyer?).

…That was my old paragraph, so let me add a few things. I can’t emphasize enough how much he carries that aura of calm and kindness and competence about him at all times. Never in my life had I had a cooking/baking experience that didn’t stress me out until Dragon let me help him make an entire dinner and various desserts for our friend group, and it was just…so chill. So well-organized and perfectly timed, but without ever feeling like those things took any effort whatsoever. He was so kind and patient with me, demonstrating each task step by step, then being entirely confident in my ability to perform said tasks, and never trying to nitpick at the way I did them or take them over himself. Part of his job involves teaching, and I know he must be fantastic at it, because no one else has ever been such a soothing balm and a stimulant (both at once, somehow!) to my poor, tormented ADD brain. Someday (maybe soonish!), our whole found family is going to live together, and the thought of being around Dragon all the time just makes me weep with joy. And did I mention his sweet, child-like enthusiasm for holiday celebrations and ghost tours and spooky TV shows and musicals and fantasy novels and text RP and all other Best Things? (Ok, he also loves dogs and Marvel movies, and I love neither, but I forgive him for this.)

Oh, he also officiated my wedding. And he also had top surgery today, and I have maybe never been this happy about anything ever, what an auspicious day to finish this post!

[avengers-nextgen]

We Are One IV

“You okay?” Penny questioned, sitting on the edge of Enzo’s bed. “I heard what happened. Must have been hard.”

“You don’t have to baby me.” Enzo mumbled.

“I’m not. As a friend I’m genuinely concerned.” Penny frowned.

“I’m fine. Just angry and confused.” Enzo blinked fiercely trying to keep from crying, “I thought Max was my friend, but I was wrong.”

“They’re as confused and scared as you are,” Penny sighed. “Having this burden is tough. It’s a big responsibility that not a lot of people want.”

“So now you defend them?”

“No! I just see it from Max’s perspective! I understand their point of view.” Penny stammered.

“I don’t want to talk about it okay?” Enzo croaked. “My sister already tried. She wants to throttle Max.”

“Sounds about right,” Penny laughed.

“Yeah. Real fantastic times going on.” Hugging his pillow Enzo stared angrily at the wall.

“Listen, maybe I’m not helping right now but I am here if you need me,” Penny assured him, anxious to leave. Enzo gave no recognition of what she’d said. Lost in thought, Penny shuffled back to her room.

“How’d it go?” Arthur asked, hanging upside down on her bed.

“Horrible.” Penny frowned. “He’s so...sad. I don’t like it.”

“It’s tough.” Arthur agreed.

“No kidding.”

“You tried though, and that’s what’s important.” Arthur assured, sitting upright at last.

“Thanks.” Penny smiled thinly. “I just feel like everyone’s on edge.”

“It certainly is an interesting atmosphere at the moment, but it’s understandable,” Arthur shrugged.

— — —

“You’re going to murder that poor training dummy,” Chloe noted dryly whilst taking a bite from her pear. She flipped the page in her book and glanced up to see Nathaniel pounding once more at the silicone mold. “Someone make you mad? Touch your pointy sticks?”

“They’re arrows,” Nathaniel huffed, “and yes, I’m mad.”

“About the Enzo thing?” Chloe took another bite.

“About all of it.”

“I think you’re just mad you’ve got a challenge for once.” Chloe leaned back against the bleacher stands designed to hold classes of twenty.

“Oh yeah? What makes you say that?” Nathaniel arched a brow pausing in his assault.

“Someone roughly your age, challenging your beliefs, attacking your family, and you’ve always been the protector. It’s no different than wolf packs.” Chloe shrugged.

“Are you insinuating I’m some sort of alpha running on animal instincts?” Nathaniel scoffed, resting his hands on his hips.

“Well, something like that. Nature doesn’t lie.” Chloe smirked.

“And what if you’re right?”

“If I’m right? Things will escalate until conflict boils down to one survivor. One alpha over another.” Chloe explained.

“I’m no murderer.”

“Under the right circumstances anyone is a murderer.” Chloe’s words sent a chill down Nathaniel’s spine. “Would your mother kill for you?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’m not wrong.”

“I suppose not.” Nathaniel nodded. “Why tell me this though?”

“Because you need to be careful. Some people around here care about you. You know that loss isn’t easily healed or forgotten. Don’t be the cause of someone else’s.” With that, Chloe collected her book and bag. Tossing the remnants of her pear into the garbage she left Nathaniel to his own devices. He didn’t feel angry anymore, and he turned away from the dummy.

— — —

“Your family ties you down,” Killian noted from where he leaned against the door frame.

“My family is the only reason I give a damn about anything anymore so can it Ben Franklin.” Harper glared, plopping onto the worn sofa. “You’re lucky I scrounged up enough to rent this shit hole.”

“Which we appreciate,” Max quickly remarked.

“All of this waiting is making me...” Drew frowned searching for the right word, “restless.”

Harper looked at the alien with distaste. The girl was odd, completely apathetic, and in her own world a majority of the time. Not to mention the random splitting headaches that practically incapacitated her. “If you even point your axe at me I’ll kill you.”

“I’m certain she would kill you first.” Kubu replied dryly. “But the alien has a point. I am restless too. I have an agenda to accomplish.”

“We know, your little diplomatic revolutionary mission.” Harper smirked, “but if I didn’t know better I’d say you’re just looking for an escape to America.”

“My mission is for my people!” Kubu glowered, “I wouldn’t turn my back on them.”

“Everyone says that until the moment comes to make a choice. I would know.” Harper replied coldly.

“Enough.” Killian’s voice echoed off the walls of peeling paper. “We have to be careful. They have the numbers, the experience, and the coordination.”

“How would you know?” Drew asked in genuine curiosity.

“I’ve grown up watching them come into themselves as heroes,” Killian explained, “I know each of them like the back of my hand. There’s only a few wild cards. The new acquaintances. Luckily, each of you is familiar with one of them.”

“So you need us,” Kubu stood straighter jutting out his chin.

“I said that the moment I gave my offer,” Killian reminded them, “we all benefit from this. Drew claims her bounty, Harper gets a good chance at life, Kubu takes down oppressors, Max gets a normal life, and I no longer have to watch my mother waste away at the hands of others.”

“As you’ve said,” Harper sneered, “but I don’t see results.”

“You would be wise to know patience.” Kubu suggested.

“I know patience!” Harper snapped, “I know patience better than any of you. Prison, prison makes you patient. You don’t have obligations like I do. People depend on me. What the hell do you know about family?”

“My people are my family,” Kubu growled, “the only one here who has no family is Drew!”

Drew arched a brow as everyone looked at her in curiosity. “What?”

“That’s if she’s even telling the truth,” Kubu continued, “for all we know she’s lying. How is it someone doesn’t remember where they are from?”

“It’s possible,” Max stammered, “I know someone. They’re not too different from Drew.”

Kubu regarded Max in silence before accepting the reply and leaning back against the wall.

“Thank you, Max,” Killian smiled kindly at the young boy, “but bickering gets us no where. I have a plan, but each of us needs to trust one another entirely.”

“Please tell me this isn’t some bonding exercise?” Harper frowned.

“It is.” Killian nodded with a glint in his eye both enchanting and terrifying. “Only one thing brings people closer together than anything else.”

— — —

“I don’t believe it,” Piper snickered, watching Thalia sharpen her sword on the couch.

“What?” Thalia asked, glancing about as if it were an obvious thing to notice.

“You got laid!” Piper cackled, tugging at Thalia’s tank top to expose some sort of healing mark on her shoulder.

“I don’t understand,” the blonde frowned, pulling away from Piper’s touch. She may not have comprehended the expression, but she was aware enough to feel thoroughly embarrassed.

“Of all people,” Piper whistled, “I thought you’d be the last of everyone.”

“For what?” Orion asked, moon walking into the living room to retrieve his shoes.

“Thalia got laid.”

“Nice.” Orion nodded, collecting his sneakers, “but I don’t think that’s something she wants you to brag about for her.”

“I still don’t understand,” Thalia stammered, “what did I do? Doesn’t everyone lay down? You make it sound like something unpleasant.”

“It’s okay, Thalia, don’t worry about it.” Orion gave her an apologetic smile and patted her on the shoulder. “Piper’s being nosy again.”

“Am not! I knew something was up when you two came back. You were more inseparable than ever and don’t get me started on other things.” Piper beamed. She’d noticed very quickly how Thalia and Siyanda had acquired the habit of subconsciously maintaining a form of contact with one another. Of course, Piper hadn’t pin pointed whether or not her suspicions were correct, but now she was positively certain.

“Ranting again? I’ll be taking my sandwich and leaving,” James sighed, immediately turning to the kitchen.

“It’s not ranting! It’s discussion.”

“About what? Some device you plan on blowing up?” James arched a brow.

“No, that Thalia got laid.” Piper shrugged.

“Seriously?” Orion looked incredulously at the youngest Stark.

“Uhm, okay.” James shook his head, “I didn’t need to know that. Uhm, congrats? Good job?”

“Good job? What did I do?” Thalia asked again, feeling her face heat up more and her heart hammer. She was beyond confused and frankly she was so embarrassed she wanted to cry. “Why won’t you explain?”

Piper pursed her lips in thought for a moment before coming up with as plain an explanation as possible, “You and Wakanda’s tech genius slept together.”

“That isn’t strange. We do that all the time.” Thalia’s brow furrowed.

“You what?” Piper blinked.

“I’m leaving!” James held his hands over his ears and abandoned his mission for a sandwich.

Glancing between Piper and James, Thalia decided she wasn’t understanding something key once again. Swallowing hard she abandoned her sword and went in search of the one person who’d set things straight.

“Did we do a bad thing?” Thalia blurted as Siyanda lifted her welding mask.

“That depends on what I am being accused of,” She replied vaguely. Thalia sat down across from her and explained everything in rapid succession leaving no room for a response.

“We did something wrong didn’t we? It was a bad thing.” Thalia wrinkled her nose to keep from crying.

“No, no it wasn’t a bad thing.” Siyanda shook her head. “Piper’s just teasing you. She forgets sometimes you’re not up to date on all of the slang. It’s not nice teasing or fair teasing, but you’re okay. No need to be upset. You didn’t do a bad thing.”

“Good,” Thalia nodded. “I don’t want to do anything bad. I want to be a good person. And I don’t want to be the reason you do something bad and be a bad person.”

“I know,” Siyanda smiled attempting to kiss Thalia only for the welding mask to fall down, “I should have seen that coming.”

“Metal mouth.”

“That’s what my dad said when I had braces.”

“Smart man.”

“Yeah,” Siyanda laughed, pulling up the mask again, “but do know-I won’t ever think of you as a bad person. Not ever. No matter the circumstances.”

“I won’t think of you that way either,” Thalia promised.

“Good,” Siyanda grinned, “now with that settled I have some ass to kick.”

[troublemakerfiction]

27. Part 2

Trouble

“How is she doing?” I asked Millz about Imani while we talked on Facetime. She had rushed out of here about two hours ago and she was finally hitting me up to let me know what was up even though I was caught up on the shit already.

We were at my crib chillin’ just watching movies and shit, she had the boys with her when Imani called her crying. I didn’t know what the fuck was going on, all I know is Millz grabbed the boys and said she had to go check up on her cousin. Twenty minutes after she was gone I get a knock on my damn door and it’s Kason’s stupid ass with bags and shit with him.

“She’s doing alright, still sad but she aint crying. Tell Kason I’m going to fuck him up for fucking with my cousin’s feelings.” She ranted.

“I’m not telling him that shit because you aint doing shit but minding yours.”

“Yeah aight, what are you doing for the rest of the night? Staying in with your new roommate?”

“Are you trying to crack jokes?” I asked with a chuckle. “Mani putting him out aint funny,”

“Hell yes it is, that’s what his ass gets. When my cousin on her Meredith Grey shit, running a whole hospital while that bitch Heaven is going to be doing nothing like she is right now and he’s going to feel stupid as fuck.”

“Baby,” I couldn’t help but laugh at the serious expression on her face. “Yo, calm down. Relax you’re acting like you’re the one getting cheated on. Why are you so hype?”

“I’m not hype I’m just saying; anyway. Tomorrow we have a meeting with the contractors to see how they’re coming along with everything in the lounge.” Millz reminded me.

“What time?”

“4 o’clock and no you cannot miss it. Keep playing with me and these meetings Trouble. Come opening night and you see everything decked out in pink you’re going to be mad while I’m cracking up.”

“You don’t even like pink so I’m not worried about it. I’ll be there, I missed one meeting why are you acting like I missed a lot of them?”

“You missed an important one though, that’s why I had to make certain decisions without you.”

“Oh you mean like knocking down a whole wall and expanding shit to the roof?”

“Knocking down the wall added more space which means more tables. More tables, more people and that means more money. The rooftop works because we have a clear view of the Hudson and the skyline, who wouldn’t pay to eat up there? Especially when it’s all decked out and ready to go. It’s perfect for dates and I bet people would rent the space out to throw their own private parties. I’m thinking of the bigger picture,”

“Okay so tell me your bigger picture then. Where do you plan to be in the next five years?”

“I plan to double my net worth, actually no fuck that I want to quadruple that shit. I want both of my babies be on the honor roll playing some kind of sport, I don’t know which one the little niggas better pick something because they’re doing something. Oh and I want a house built from the ground up.”

“From the ground up?”

“Yeah, that way it’s guaranteed to be exactly what I want. I want a neoclassical mansion on a gated estate somewhere like New Vernon or Saddle River. I want a double staircase in the foyer, the circular driveway with the fountain in the front, at least eight bedrooms because I do want more kids. I want a private gym, a tennis court, basketball court, pool, game room, movie room all of that. I don’t want to have to leave my house for a damn thing.”

“You want some MTV cribs type shit.”

“I do, and I feel like that’s completely fine. I deserve and I’ll be able to maintain it.”

“Mhm, about these kids how many do you want?”

“I would like to have two more but if I only get one that’s fine as long as it’s a girl.”

“So I take it you would want to be married then.”

“Yeah I guess, I don’t know. Sometimes I think about it but it doesn’t last long.”

“Why not?”

“Why are you asking me about marriage? Is it that point in the relationship?” She asked with a smile on her face.

“I don’t know, I just wanna know where your head is at on that subject.”

I’m curious to know what Millz feel about marriage because we don’t ever talk about it. Usually females find a way to make that shit apart of the conversation at some point but she never brings it up. I would think she would want it because she grew up in a two parent house, no matter how fucked up her mother was she still had both parents.

“I mean, I guess I want to be married one day I’m just not pressed about it. If it happens great, if it doesn’t oh well. You want to get married?”

“Yeah one day, I gotta have somebody to grow old with. Besides this other shit is going to be done for me in a few years. I’m 31, shit getting old quick.”

“That’s good to hear,” she laughed until we heard Darnell calling her name.

“Millz!”

“Messiah hold on…what!” She turned her head the other way she shouted.

“We’re about to leave, bitch are you staying here alone or what?” Darnell came walking over and snatched the phone from her. “Oh you over here cup caking with Trouble’s ass and shit.”

“What’s up D?”

“Hey Trouble,” Darnell smiled and waved at me. “Can y’all finish this conversation so we can go be some fat bitches with our baby cousin please?”

“Alright I’m coming damn,” Millz took her phone back and looked at me. “We’re about to go to a buffet so I’ll call you later when I leave there.”

“You’re taking the boys with you?”

“No, Darnell dropped them off with Cameron.” She said with a roll of her eyes.

“You know you’re going to have to talk to that nigga at some point right? It’s not like he really filed for full custody,” I told her.

She hasn’t spoken to that nigga Prophet since he made that threat about taking the boys from her. Of course he was bullshitting and only said it to piss her off but she’s not trying to hear that shit. They don’t speak at all, she’s been using some of her family members as the middle man.

“I know but I’m still pissed about it so to avoid punching him in his face I’ll stay away from him. He sees his kids so that’s all I care about. We don’t have to speak.” She shrugged.

“Stubborn ass, go ahead and do you I’ll hit you up later aight. Be good aight,”

“When am I not good?”

“No when are you good is the better question. Later fat mama,” I said with a big smile on my face while she grilled me.

“You are so not funny, it’s cool.”

“MILLZ!” Darnell shouted for her again.

“I’M COMING! Damn, quit yelling my fuckin’ name, shit. I’ll talk to you later,” We ended the call and I went back downstairs to the living room where Kason was on his phone. When he threw his phone on the other couch I laughed at him.

“Still aint answering your calls huh?” I questioned while sitting across from him.

“Man this shit aint funny, she really making it a big deal.”

“Nah nigga you just don’t get why she’s mad.”

“It’s not like I’m fuckin’ the girl, I’m not cheating on Imani.”

“Not physically but you are cheating nigga, the fuck you need to be around for anyway? You were spending money on hotels and shit to spend time with your girl’s sister. Does that shit sound right to me?”

“We don’t shit but talk,”

“Aight I see you’re slow as fuck. Look at it from her point of view aight. You’re busy working or whatever and she’s at the hotel with another nigga. Fucking or not would you be cool with it and before you lie remember who you’re talking to. I know you, you’re ready to break a niggas neck for even looking at her.”

“What’s your point man?”

“My point is you fucked up, you did cheat. The sooner you can admit that and cut Heaven the fuck off for good the better. Fuck is up with you anyway?”

“I don’t know man, Imani is just never around anymore and when she is she’s either studying or asleep. I knew med school was going to have her busy but damn, it wasn’t even that bad when she was in college.”

“Medical school is a whole different ball game and Imani is trying to be a surgeon. That shit takes a lot of time but it’s worth it in the end. If you can’t handle her being in school how the fuck were you going to handle her working? You know surgeons work like 60 hours a week or some shit like that?”

“I know that, we talked about all of that.”

“So what did you say?”

“I said I was cool with it; when we talked about that shit I knew it would be a lot of time but actually being in it is different.”

“So you don’t think you can handle it?”

“That’s the thing I don’t know. I can’t really complain about it without sounding like a fuck nigga because she’s in school. I respect that, I actually love that she wants something like that but damn,”

“I think y’all need time apart. It’s been you two on the daily for years. Give her some space and in that time you need to figure out whether or not you can handle the life she’s building for herself.”

“I hear you, thanks man.”

“You know I got you; you can stay here as long as you need to but you already know my rules.”

“Clean my shit up and no bitches,”

“Exactly, you aint about to get me cursed out or block my pussy. Millz will kill me and you if she come to this bitch and see a random walking around.”

“Look at you, King of Jersey scared of his woman.” He joked.

“Nah nigga I respect my woman, which means I know better than to have another bitch in my space. You need to take notes and dead that shit with Heaven.”

“I know, I can’t back track like that.”

“Fuck the back tracking, that’s Imani’s sister niggas. She’s automatically off limits so shut that shit down. I don’t care how long you’ve known her, I don’t give a damn about her feelings being hurt about their mother, fuck that shit.”

“How you just gon’ say fuck it like shit is that simple.”

“Nigga because it is, all of it became invalid the day y’all found out they were related. There’s nothing to discuss with shorty, leave that shit alone.”

“Alright I hear you.”

“I know you hear me but you better do it, nothing good is going to come from keeping that bitch around. I’m telling you that now, so listen to me and drop that bitch.”

“I got you Trouble,” He looked me in the eyes letting me know he was going to do it.

“Alright cool.” I got up grabbing my keys off my coffee table.

“Where are you about to go?”

“I’m about to head down to shop, chop it up with Vick about some shit. I’ll be back later. Don’t be in here just on some depressing shit nigga, go do something with yourself.”

I left my house and headed down to the tattoo shop. Vick and I had some things to discuss and it had to be done before Thanksgiving which is only a few weeks away.

When I got to the shop business was booming as usual. I went straight to the back office where Vick was sitting at his desk on the phone. Once he saw it was me he talked a little bit more then hung up.

“What’s up nigga?”

“Nothing man, you talk to Peterson?” I asked about the lawyer Millz got to work on her brother’s case.

“Yeah everything is all set up, he gets out in two weeks. You know she’s going to be pissed off at you for not telling her right?”

“She’ll get over it,” I shrugged. I wanted to surprise Millz by having her brother Dominic pop up on Thanksgiving. It turns out finding the witness to the so called murder he committed wasn’t too hard, making him disappear was even easier.

I paid Peterson good money to not say shit to Millz about it. She and his mother think he’s getting out some time next year. I had to tell Peterson to make sure Dominic didn’t tell anybody either. Millz is definitely going to be salty about me doing this and not telling her but she’ll be alright.

[mintypothos]

Reneé appreciation week: day 2

Angelica/Maria because it seemed cute and I haven’t seen a lot of fic for it.

[ Day 1   *Day 2*   Day 3   Day 4   Day 5 ]

Maria was over again to visit Peggy and Eliza, which of course meant she was over to visit Angelica as well. No matter what anyone else said, splitting rent three ways with your sisters that you got along with was a brilliant plan. New York rent was disgusting.

“I brought pudding and cake mix!” Maria waved the boxes around teasingly. Peggy laughed and grabbed at them, only for Maria to whisk them away again. “Don't tell me you're so desperate you can't wait a few hours? What've they been feeding you, Pegs?”

“Don't pin this on me,” Eliza crossed her arms. “I don't enforce my healthy eating on anyone. Even though I should.” She narrowed her eyes in a mock glare, scanning the other three.

“So? Oh great ruler of the house, are you to blame?” Maria grinned, full of warmth and promise and teasing. No one besides her own sisters ever teased her- or at least, not the good, kind sort of teasing. Angelica's heart fluttered. Crap.

“The only food rule I enforce around here is the 'snacks between midnight and breakfast', if I were responsible for diets around here, we wouldn't be here anymore.” Not that Angelica's eating habits were so awful- Eliza was the health-nut of the house, not her.

Maria nodded solemnly, like everything had slotted neatly into place. “Total Anarchy? I could get behind that.” The statement was ridiculous, the way she spoke like a wiseman imparting wisdom even more ridiculous. Angelica felt another warmth, a slight hint of affection. More crap.

Angelica was a woman in touch with her emotions. She was also in touch with social standards. If Maria were some random girl in a bar, Angelica wouldn't hesitate, she would walk up, call her cute, and ask her if she liked women. Angelica had seen other women, other men, whine and dally and dither over what amounted to high school crushes, and she liked to think herself above that.

But therein lay the rub. Maria wasn't some girl in a bar, she was Peggy's best friend- and a good friend of Eliza to boot. Good sisters did not pick up their little sisters' best friends. This was elementary grade common sense, and they were all adults here. Which led to the other thing- Angelica had a good several years on Maria. Not enough to normally be outside the range of possibility, but combined with the bullshit Maria was put through in the past- Angelica wasn't privy to the details, it wasn't her business- the situation became undeniably concerning.

Angelica considered her options. One, she could say something to Maria, likely upsetting Maria and almost certainly upsetting her sisters. Two, she could talk to Peggy or perhaps Eliza about it, get her opinion and discuss how to proceed- better, but they would still know Angelica wanted to date their friend, and that would be weird. Three, Angelica could say nothing, be craven like she always mocked the boys for, but no one would know.

Angelica hated herself a bit for the sheer level of hypocrisy, but option number three it was.

A week later, Angelica's phone rang. Maria's contact popped up, and Angelica hesitated just a second before accepting the call. “Hi Maria, everything good?”

“Yeah, of course! What's good with you?”

Angelica didn't bother suppressing the silly grin trying to work it's way up. “Work was a bit of a disaster. Hamilton and Jefferson refuse to leave each other alone.”

“Now Hamilton I can see,” Maria hummed knowingly. “But from what I've heard, Jefferson is supposed to be more professional than that?” It was nice. Most people didn't actually want an answer when they asked whether you were fine, but Maria always wanted to hear.

Angelica scoffed. “With anyone other than Hamilton, which is unfortunately most of the time. They're both children. But that was my day. Yours?”

“Oh, uh, fine,” A hesitation. So she was calling for a reason, not that Angelica was overly surprised. Still, she waited for Maria to speak again instead of interrupting. “Just, uh, you went to college and got a Bachelor's, right? I mean, of course you did, you work for a senator.”

It was Angelica's turn to hesitate. “Yes,” She spoke slowly, “I do. Do you have a question about that?”

There was a long pause, and then a short, nervous laugh. “Yeah, nothing gets past you, huh? I just, Pegs got her mechanics license, and I know Eliza got a diploma for ECE. I just.. wanted to ask a few questions about that.”

Angelica raised a brow despite herself. “Maria, do you want to go back to school?”

“I'm thinking of it,” Maria's words were quick. “I mean, I know what went wrong the last time, and I think I found a program I like better, and I know I can do it, just..” Quick, and defensive.

“I'm not judging you!” Angelica said, hurriedly. That was the last thing she wanted Maria to feel. “That's great news, actually! What would you like to know?”

And then, the flurry of questions. So many that even Angelica struggled to answer them all. But she couldn't stop the grin on her face. That Maria was making such a big decision was amazing, and her excitement was infectious. Maria had always been good at spreading her joy, that way.

“Sorry for that,” Maria apologized, when she was finally done. “I don't mean to take all your time. It's just, really impressive how you've gotten a degree already and in such a good job, and you always have the best advice.”

The compliment did more to Angelica's heart than she'd like to admit. “You can take as much of my time as you want!”, she found herself saying without thinking. Angelica clicked her mouth shut forcefully, thinking quick. “Rather, if I answer the phone, it's because I'm not busy. And education is important. So, I can spare whatever you need.” The save was acceptable, but Angelica cursed herself for slipping in the first place.

“Uhm,” Maria mumbled through the phone. Angelica cursed inwardly again for making her uncomfortable. “Sure thing. Thanks for your help again!” The sentence ended in a squeak. A pit of self loathing dropped down into her stomach, as Maria practically scrambled to hang up.

Angelica was not very good at this whole pining thing.

The next time Maria came over to visit, Angelica expected to not hear a single mention of school. Maria was clearly sensitive about it, with how hesitant she had been before nearly vomiting her questions. For the most part, Angelica was right. Then, at the end of the visit, Eliza left to bring the car around to the front of the apartment, and Peggy left to her room. Maria turned to Angelica and opened her mouth.

“Hey, thank you for the other day.” Her smile was strawberry-sweet, as always, but still Angelica was taken by surprise. “You're the one who inspired me to look at school again. It means a lot that you think I can do it.”

Angelica blushed. She thanked the heavens that her blushes weren't particularly visible, because otherwise she would have revealed everything here. Maria's eyes were bright, open and inviting. Her curls bounced as she shifted her weight back, waiting for an answer. “Right, no problem!” Oh god, her brain was turning to mush.

Maria's smile turned then, a shade less innocent and a touch more determined. Something flashed behind her expression. “Could I, maybe, pick your brain again, sometime? Maybe in person, instead of over the phone?”

“Yeah, no problem!” Angelica felt like hope, but squashed it. Maria only wanted to talk about school, for goodness' sake.

“Maybe.. one on one, sometime?”

Angelica hoped again, but wrassled it under control. Of course she wouldn't want to talk about the subject with more people than she had to. Still, Angelica nodded rather than spoke, just in case she spilled something she shouldn't.

“Um, do you,” Maria's eyes skirted Angelica for the first time, down and to the side. “Do you like cafe's? We could get a coffee sometime.” Her gaze flickered up to gauge Angelica's reaction, then back down again.

There was no killing that hope. “I'd love to!” Angelica found herself smiling, a bubbling giggle barely under her chest. “That would be- that would be great!”

Maria almost jumped at the words, something like awe in her own expression, before it transformed into joy. “It's a date, then?”

Angelica's heartbeat skipped and stuttered and stopped. “It's a date, then.” She was gone.

Maria nodded, grinning so wide it seemed like her face might snap apart. It was the best sight Angelica had ever seen. She flounced out the door, bouncing her way down the hall. The door closed behind her. Angelica didn't move.

“So, Maria finally asked you out? It's about time, honestly.” Peggy's smug voice rang from the hallway.

Angelica would never admit to the resulting shriek of surprise.