#rotpl fic

[sapphosclown]

got any lynthia fic recs?

yes!!!

but there was something in the static - a really fun modern au, lots going on, the lesbians are absolute disasters it’s so good

on fear and motorbikes - a really cute one ab lydia being scared of cynthia’s motorcycle and they have a cute lil date

a secret doesn’t always stay secret - it’s not finished yet but the first two chapters are so good and so sweet, it’s more cynthia centered though

(this nights a perfect shade of) dark blue - i have been absolutely eating up these “x times +1” fics and this one is so cute

masks of fable: season three - another really fun modern au. it’s currently on hiatus bc of the cancellation but i’m anxiously awaiting and ready for more chapters, and the ones that’s re out are so good it’s worth it i promise

bruised for you - the ANGST in this one omg. beautifully done hurt/comfort fic. i have dreamed of cynthia beating the shit out of a soc and lemme tell you. this definitely delivers.

once i had a secret love - secret lynthia dates i actually am so in love with this one they’re so important to me 🫶🫶

and i will shamelessly plug my own fics now bc i worked hard on them and am proud of them

dial drunk - very angsty, post dance drunk dial that doesn’t really go well for cynthia

big girls don’t cry - cynthia comes out to her dad. very angsty but very sweet

hear it in the silence - continuation of the previous one but can stand alone, is lydia meeting cynthia’s dad and feeling a weight off her shoulders

midnight love - the multi-chaptered fic i just started and am currently writing the second chapter to! starts off with some canon-compliance but will diverge off the rails into a lot of late night meetups and some self worth discovery

these are the ones i have bookmarked on ao3 but i’ve read so many good ones just from scrolling through the tag!!

[okaybut-merelyplayers]

I both hate and love small fandoms. I feel so close to y'all but also what do you MEAN I've read all the fics under this tag??

[nerdyvocals]

So I think we’re all in agreement that Cynthia is some flavor of trans, likely nonbinary, and keeps her hair short for Gender Euphoria Reasons, and I’ve already seen at least one fic in which she shaves her head in a bout of dysphoric panic, but given the little shred of info we got in the finale, I raise you this:

She originally cut her hair the first time she looked in the mirror and saw her mother staring back

[cyansadness]

do you know what i need?

i need rotpl fics about

-jane’s life when she first came to rydell/how she got the nickname brainy janey

-BABY CYNTHIA AND OLIVIA AND THEIR FRIENDSHIP

-richie and frenchy and their bond

-gil and jane being besties and bonding over their eldest sibling syndrome with potato

-pink ladies sleepovers with hazel

-susan becoming close with the pink ladies

-MODERN DAY AU’S

-how and when the t-birds were formed

-the t-birds being protective over the pink ladies

-the t-birds and the pink ladies making mr. daniels life a living hell

-(edited) faccivinos and lynthia double dates after frosty closes

i miss my girls and my boys

[sapphoscompanion]

i was rewatching episode 5 for edit purposes and i realised something.

here lydia is talking about the kiss, but it has a deeper meaning.

i can’t get out of my mind the fact that yes, she found cynthia annoying from the start, but it was the endearing kind of annoying. (or maybe that’s just my ship goggles.) because if you look back at episode 3, the first time they meet, and pay close attention to the expressions lydia makes in the background when the drama teacher is telling cynthia that she’s now a martian, there's no trace of hate or disgust.

like, hello?? that’s flirting. (or maybe i would just swoon if someone looked at me like that.) and what about their rivarly?

does this look like she’s angry at cynthia? to me, she seems mildly annoyed, but also interested. no one’s ever questioned her, and now this butch comes along and proves her wrong. but lydia doesn’t really understand how she feels about cynthia yet. she tries to re-establish her power in episode 4, but cynthia once again overthrows her.

and now yes, she is angry, and confused. ever since cynthia’s joined drama club she has brought nothing but chaos in the established hierarchy, and in lydia’s mind: why can’t she stop thinking about her?

is it hate, mere superficial attraction (see the “flirting” above), or something more?

she has to get it over with, quickly. “the quicker you get something over with, the less of a deal it becomes in your mind”. she needs to put a stop to these thoughts: what’s the quickest way to?

stage kisses are meaningless. she obviously isn’t crushing on cynthia, just like she felt nothing for all the people she kissed on stage. thus the straightforward scientific experiment: she’ll kiss cynthia, she’ll be sure she feels nothing, and all will go back to normal. she’ll stop obsessing over cynthia. right?

rehearsing romeo and juliet is the best excuse ever. because no one can convince me she didn’t follow cynthia in an empty room (where guests shouldn’t enter) to test her theory, and then jumped at the opportunity. (like why else would she follow them? if not to flirt? which to her means bullying them, because she’s a mean lesbian.)

but her plan backfired. and now she knows she’s got an actual crush. on cynthia.

while cynthia, sweet cynthia, thinks they just love acting.

[merely-a-player]

the URGE to write a fic of cynthia crushing on olivia before she even knows that she's crushing, of cynthia not quite understanding why she's so drawn to jane and her campaign, the pieces finally clicking when she kisses lydia

just...cynthia character study that's just her having the sort of hindsight realizations that i (and several of my queer friends) have experienced

[gods-favorite-autistic]

Taking a bit from @el-fandom-birb’s werewolf Lydia normal Cynthia idea cuz it gave me an idea for a fic prompt

Supernatural pink ladies + t-birds

They’re outcasts because they’re all supernatural beings on top of the other stuff

Jane is a witch on her mothers side so people start a rumor that she cast a spell on Buddy after they find that out

Olivia is a siren and she gets accused of trying to use her siren song on Mr. Daniels

Cynthia is a werewolf which is part of the reason why she became so attached to the T-Birds since they were the only other werewolves in town (minus Richie who is also a siren but is still head of the gang)

Nancy is a vampire coming from a very old vampire family who absolutely flaunts the fact that she is a vampire

Hazel is also a witch but she never does any magic outside of her home because she’s afraid of being hated

Buddys family used to hunt creatures until they became more ingrained into their society up when his grandpa was alive but there’s still that deep hatred running through them that Buddy was the first to question

Wally’s family never hated them but they had to hide that to avoid being persecuted more than they already were so he pretends to hate them

Idk if it would take place in modern day or in the same time as canon (I’m leaning more towards modern day and the creatures being part of that sort of wave of revolution and protests in the 1900’s) but if any of y’all write a fic pls tell me cuz I’m gonna have this on my mind for a whiiile

[deadsnothere]

Drunk Stable Girl

Synopsis - A heartfelt conversation in the dining room of the party.

Masterlist

WARNINGS! - INTOXICATION

Request - nope

Word Count - 1.5k

Speak Ali! - I'm boreeeeddd send in request for either Lockwood or Cynthia and i will try my best to get them done!!

Richie, who picked up the T-birds car, was now on the way to Jane's house with four of five Pink ladies in the car.

Apparently there was an emergency campaign meeting and it was their tias birthday, and if there's something I know about hispanic parties, they don't disappoint. Once we pulled up to Jane's house the two people in the front seats, Olivia and Richie both got out and started hitting her window with pebbles while Nancy, Cynthia, and I were sitting and leaning against the car. Once she opened the window, I threw Olivia Jane's jacket and she held it up to her. “You forgot this.” Jane looked sad from the window, but at the same time I forgot my glasses at home and couldn't tell. “You don’t have to give it back” Well now she sounds disappointed. “I know I let you guys down.”

“No kidding” Cynthia said from the cover of the tire to the T Birds car. “Exactly.” I spoke next, In Between Cynthia’s dangling legs. “That's for sure,” Nancy said last, leant on the car beside us. We all got a dirty look from Olivia before she turned back to Jane to try and cheer her up. “We can fix this! emergency campaign meeting, my house. Let's go.” she nodded her head towards the car while poor richie started to get antsy. Jane looked back into her room as if Olivia were crazy. “Now?!” Olivia looked back at her as if saying “Yeah!” Jane was now leaning halfway out of the window. “You want me to sneak out?!” Poor antsy Richie finally got a word in. “It's my Tia’s birthday! We're having a party.” I yelled out after. “Yeah! And this is a party you don't wanna miss.” He looked over to me, giving me an air high five before going back to jane. “Come on, you really gonna leave me hanging out here again?” AGAIN?? I looked up to Cynthia who looked just as confused.

Jane smiled at us and waved us away, saying “go” but we all knew she was coming with us. I grabbed Cynthia's hand, picked her up and threw her into the backseat gently. Knowing I’d have to sit on her lap for all of us to fit anyways. She looked surprised but accepted her fate. I took my jacket off and put my hair into a ponytail climbing in after her and sitting down in my rightful spot.

–

When we walked into the house there was Spanish music playing on a record player and people dancing on hardwood floors. Cynthia, who held my hands and closed the door behind me, was looking around the house, interested in the different decor. Finally bringing out attention back to the dance floor which I was killing to kick my shoes off and start dancing on. Cynthia had already started pulling me and Nancy away. “We're gonna grab some grub for this- business meeting.” she dragged me into the kitchen while I dramatically reached for Richie's mother who was my normal dance partner at these parties.

Nancy hung her jacket up on the door nob, while I kept mine over my shoulder, my skirt was flowy and perfect for dancing while being tight at the top and showing my curves off perfectly. “What are we going to talk about anyways?” Cynthia said while holding a plate filled with food. “I mean, I feel for her.” I snorted laughing. “I don't-” Cynthia gave me a soft glare before kicking me in the shin and continuing to talk. “she made us look like cowards!” I looked over to her with a raised eyebrow. “She made ya’ll look like cowards.” She glared at me, a bit more aggressively this time. “And I’m no coward! You're a singer, shut up.” Nancy agreed. “Me neither.”

Nancy, Cynthia, and I had finally spotted the holy grail of every hispanic party. “Ooh, mezcal!” Nancy had the idea first. “Let's chug it.” at the time it sounded amazing. I was nodding, while Cynthia looked a bit nervous. “Yeah..Ok.” Nancy picked up the bottle and put it out towards her with a smile on her face. “You first.” Cynthia looked offended, saying back. “You first.” World's greatest come back-

Nancy and Cynthia both looked down at the bottle nervously, Nancy who was practically saying, ‘Fuck it, let’s throw the god damn balls to the wall.” Popped open the bottle, slowly tilted it up against her mouth and started chugging. She drank a good bit of it before she finally stopped. I know it burnt the back of her throat and BAD. Cynthia was looking at her as if she was crazy. Nancy was groaning either in disgust or pain, as she slammed the bottle back down on the table making a face to tell me it was definitely disgust. Nancy looked to Cynthia in a “Your turn” kinda way nodding her head at her. “Well now your mouths been on it.” Nancy looked over to me, I put my hands up in defense, in the moment I couldn't do anything. “So you are a coward.”

Nancy taunted Cynthia, I hope that doesn't set her off “No, I'm not!” Cynthia was getting defensive looking away from me and Nancy. “Then do it!” I stood back watching this go down. They moved towards the other side of the small round table across from me. “Don't be a fraidy cat!” She kept taunting Cynthia, her hands wrapped around the bottle and Cynthia's hands in her pockets. Just to add fuel to the fire she started meowing and hissed as much as I want to say I didn't laugh…I did-

“Stop it?!” Cynthia wigged out on Nancy looking over at me to, for laughing. “I'm not afraid!” She practically cried. Nancy, who as much as she was aware was joking, looked surprised. “What happened?” she looked over at me, who didn't look as shocked as her but definitely more apologetic. “I'm sorry..” While Cynthia was rubbing her eyebrow, trying to make sense of whatever was going on in her head. She sighed “I just don't like being laughed at.” From the corner I reminded them I was there by speaking. “You like when people laugh with you.” I tried my best to cheer her up, hoping to redeem myself.

Cynthia looked up at me for a millisecond before trailing her eyes down. “Those stupid thespians!” Oh god here we go again- She’d spent 15 minutes complaining about the thespians at my house when she drove me home on her motorcycle. “With their stupid black shark eyes, Just staring at you, waiting for you to look like an idiot!” She went on ranting, while Nancy and I just stood there confused. “So?” Nancy looked dead serious. “Just be an idiot with them and they can't laugh at you.” I nodded towards Nancy as if it was obvious. Cynthia was really thinking about it. “Maybe that's what being fearless is anyway.” Nancy now looked dead serious, walking closer to Cynthia, I finally made my way to their side of the table standing in between them both. “Maybe that's what being a pink lady is.” Nancy said swaying. “Maybe I'm really drunk now.”

Cynthia looked down at the bottle with almost fear. I was confused so I looked at it too. “Nancy.” Oh my god- “The worm is gone-” I think I almost threw up- Nancy lifted the bottle up to look inside it. “I can feel it inside me.” EUH- NO. NO. Cynthia grabbed the bottle from Nancy and chugged about a shot and a half worths, while plugging her nose. For some reason Nancy did this little shoulder shimmy towards the floor while Cynthia struggled. When she put the bottle down, she made a disgusted face and groaned in disgust to, coughing her lungs up. I smiled laughing at them both, grabbed the bottle from Cynthia and chugged the rest of it with ease. wiping my mouth and I stuck my tongue out to try and get the taste off. Both Nancy and Cynthia were staring at me like I was crazy, because of the reaction I gave, or lack of.

Cynthia made an audible gulp before reaching up to kiss me with one hand and covering Nancy's eyes with the other. “MMMPH-” I was surprised by the kiss at first but didn’t pull away until Nancy got free from Cynthia's grasp and ran off into the living room. “That- that was hot.” She was stuttering and her face was blushing red but it was pretty cute. I pulled her lips into mine, pushed her against the wall to the left of us and grasped onto her shirt. “You taste like drunk.” She giggled out, in between heavy breaths.

“I think you're the drunk one-” She looked up and down my body, licking her lips and lazily trailing kisses down my neck. “I may be drunk, but I'm sure you’re pretty!” I laughed pushing her head away from my neck. “Than you'll also know that you can't do that here, come on stable girl we got places to go.” She laughed at the name, attaching herself to my waist. “Yay! I get to be with my princess..” I laughed back at her, my vision only a bit blurry but I'm also more tolerant than her, my poor poor stable girl.

[szept-sosna]

if i wrote a deep introspective fic about nancy and potato and their relationship with affection would i be burned alive? bc their tag on ao3 is barren! BARREN I TELL YOU

[sapphosclown]

It’s How Guys Talk

Cynthia is a virgin and a lesbian and lives in the 1950s. For better or worse, she decides Gil is her best bet for advice.

aka cynthia goes to big brother gil for a sex talk

This is not smut, they are simply talking about their feelings. Also Cynthia and Lydia are out to their inner circles.

———

Things were going good. Too good. Good enough that Cynthia was starting to understand that feeling Jane had talked about, waiting for a bomb to drop.

It’s been easier than she imagined, being with Lydia. During rehearsals they’d find ways to hold hands without making a scene about it, Floyd and Arthur would help hide it as well. Not that they thought the rest of the thespians would care, but they were afraid of chatter.

They’d go to the drive in, they’d meet up on the concessions roof and “watch” the movie from there. It’s surprisingly easy access and also weirdly private. They’d hangout on weekends. Sometimes weeknights when Cynthia’s dad gets stuck at the shop and Lydia’s parents think they have homework or rehearsing to do.

Getting alone time, weirdly, was not the problem.

It was easy being around Lydia. She laughed at her jokes, when she didn’t laugh she’s roll her eyes and Cynthia would bug her until she finally gave in and laughed at the dumb joke. Lydia would help Cynthia with her english homework, Cynthia would run lines with Lydia.

They would tell stories, secrets. Tell each other about their pasts. One night at the drive in, the movie playing was one Cynthia’s mom had liked. Lydia saw she had been acting weird about it, and to both their surprise Cynthia had opened up about it. Cynthia really hates vulnerability, but with Lydia, it wasn’t so scary.

So simply being with each other, also not the problem.

Eventually, all that other stuff ends up the same way. If Lydia is doing her homework, she’s not giving Cynthia attention. So, Cynthia will, very maturely, steal something from Lydia. Which, she will not return until she receives a kiss. And who’s Lydia to say no, she needs her pencils after all.

Rehearsing is always easier when fully committed as they both know, so they’re sure not to skip over any kisses. And sometimes they forget to go back to the play. Most of the time.

Cynthia could kiss Lydia forever, whenever. She’s got her trapped under a spell and she doesn’t even care. She’s a lovesick puppy and that’s fine by her.

So kissing, in itself, is not the problem.

No, the problem is that kissing is so good, and it has recently become… intense. Their contact becoming closer, their hands wandering further, and their layers getting less and less. And it’s all so good.

But Cynthia always stops.

She doesn’t want to. She really, really doesn’t want to. But eventually the intensity becomes overwhelming and she just, full stops. She gets lost after some point and doesn’t want to mess anything up. So Lydia goes home, and Cynthia lays in her bed kicking herself.

Lydia is always nice about it, but Cynthia can’t help but feel like she’s disappointing her. If she’s honest, she’s disappointing herself.

She doesn’t want to mess it up. It’s not like they give much sex ed about straight relationships, and there’s definitely nothing to help out a gay virgin. At least straight people have something to work with to figure it all out. For her, it felt hopeless.

But she had to do something, she was starting to go a little crazy. So, she called the only person she could think of.

***

“I want to have sex.”

“Jesus, Cynthia, my ears.” Gil cringed from behind the wheel of his car. Cynthia had called him up out of nowhere and said it was urgent. So, he got there as quick as he could. However, those were not the first words he wanted to hear when she hopped into the passenger seat.

“No, Gil, seriously, I need your help.”

“I’m not having sex with you Cynthia.”

“Ew, gross! Not with you, dumbass.” Cynthia hit him in the arm. “With Lydia. Obviously.”

“Okay? Then do it I don’t know what you want from me.” Gil held his arm where she had punched him and he watched her expression soften.

“It’s not that easy.” She said as she sat back in the seat and crossed her arms.

“What do you mean?” He shifted to face her more. She just looked out the windows for a second.

“You know what, this was stupid. I’m sorry—” She opened the door and started to leave but Gil pulled her back inside.

“Hey, kid, look I’m sorry, ok? What’s up, you can talk to me.”

Cynthia looked at him and sighed. She could tell her face was starting to get red but she hoped he would assume it’s from the heat.

“Things with Lydia have been good, great even. It’s just… Things have been starting to feel more… Intense. And it’s a good intense, don’t get me wrong,” They both chuckled. “But I feel like we’re wanting to go further but I just don’t know… how.”

Gil was looking at her and any awkwardness he was feeling he was hiding very well, which Cynthia appreciated because she knew she was not doing so herself.

“Cynth, I wanna help you, I do, but it’s different for you.”

“I know!” She covered her face with her hands. “I know that. And I know I tease but you know more about handling women than I do. You’re my best bet right now.”

He chewed the inside of his cheek as he thought it over. “Okay. How far have you gotten.”

Cynthia glanced at him and then shy’d back to the window. “Second.” She said, trying to suppress a smile. Gil chuckled and ruffled her hair.

“Not bad kid, not bad.”

She shooed him off of her and started fixing her bangs. “Yeah yeah, but what do we do after?”

“Well, you’ve got to keep it casual. You can’t put too much expectation into it or else it’s gonna fall flat. And you’ve got to make sure she’s okay with everything going forward. Hey,” He looked Cynthia in the eyes. “I’m serious about that. You make sure you’re both comfortable and if not you stop. You understand?” He pointed at her, she nodded. “Out loud.”

“I understand.”

“Okay. From there, you might not like this answer but, you’ve really just got to feel it out.” Cynthia groaned. “I know, but your body will know what it wants, and if you’re talking to each other, you’ll know what she wants.”

Cynthia sat with that idea for a minute. She knew she wanted more. She could imagine what that might entail, but there were so many what if’s, so many unknowns. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to risk it.

“What if I do it wrong.” She says quietly.

“I’m not gonna lie to you kid, you might.” He sighs. “You’ll probably be a little nervous, it will more likely than not be awkward,”

“You’re not building my confidence.”

“But. You guys have been together for long enough now, all of that is part of the magic. You mess up and then you guys laugh it off and try again. And, you can change your mind and stop at any point. It feels like a big deal, and I’m not saying it’s not, but don’t stress about it.”

Cynthia breathed out a laugh. “Thanks Gilliam.” She punched him in the arm again, playful this time.

“Don’t sweat it. It’s what guys do.”

She smiled at that. “Any other tips and tricks?”

Gil pondered for a moment. “A little teasing never hurts.” He says looking out at the road, a smirk forming. Cynthia nodded, trying to hide the awkwardness she’s feeling. He continued, “And you know… foreplay is—“

“Ew, gross, never mind don’t tell me I don’t wanna know.” She shut down and refused to look at him.

“I would say use protection but I don’t really know how you’d,”

“Ugh, Gil I said gross.” Cynthia shuddered as she opened the car door and got out.

“You’re welcome!” Gil shouted as she left, chuckling to himself.

***

Cynthia’s dad is working late. She knows he won’t be home for a while. So, she invites Lydia over. Currently, they’re both in her room. This is cool. Cool cool cool.

“So, what are your plans for the—“ Lydia starts but is quickly cut off my Cynthia practically pouncing on her and starting a passionate kiss. They eventually break apart and Lydia mutters quickly, “I can get on board with this.” They both chuckle and return back to each other.

It was heated and a little sloppy and desperate and fun, god was it fun. Cynthia could feel all her thoughts and anxieties welling in her head but she suppressed them as far as she could and just kept kissing and kissing and kissing.

She eventually found the courage to move her kisses from Lydia’s lips down to her jaw, then her neck, then her collarbone.

“Cynthia?” She heard Lydia’s voice but it sounded far away. “Hey, Cynth,” She felt Lydia’s hands gently pulling her face back to eye level.

“Why’d you stop? Did I do something wrong?” Cynthia asked.

“No, no not at all you were… It was very nice.” She giggled. “I just, wanted to check on you.” She said it calmly. A glint in her eye telling Cynthia she knows something.

“Yeah, no yeah I’m good I’m ready to go if you are.” She leaned in for another kiss but Lydia pulled back.

“Cyn.” She stroked her cheekbone with her thumb. “Talk to me.”

Cynthia looked at her girlfriend and sighed as she rolled off to the side of her and sat criss-crossed on her bed.

“Things have been going so good. I really really like being with you in ways I can’t even explain with words. And I really like kissing you. Like, so much.” Lydia smiled at that. “I just, when things start to get heated… I don’t know I panic. It’s not that I don’t want to do other things with you obviously, it’s just… scary.” Cynthia’s voice was small, she kept her gaze focused on the piece of her comforter she was picking at.

She watched as Lydia’s hand took her fidgety one and looked up to meet her eyes. “It’s scary for me too.” She said.

“It is?” Cynthia breathed.

“Yes! It’s scary to be intimate like that, and I’ve never done it before with anyone, so I don’t know what I’m doing either.”

“Oh my god.” Cynthia let out a sigh and rested her head on Lydia’s shoulder as the other girl laughed. “I was so worried I’d mess something up and you’d think I was terrible at sex and break up with me.”

“I would never.” Lydia chuckled. Cynthia giggled along side her.

They sat like that for a moment. Letting the comfortable silence wash over them as Cynthia embraced the comfort of the crook of Lydia’s neck. It was nice. She liked this.

“Hey,” Lydia broke their silence and turned her head to Cynthia, using her finger to gently guide her face up from her shoulder. “Let’s take it slow, alright? We’re not in a rush. Whatever happens, happens. Okay?”

Cynthia nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay.”

They both smiled into another kiss. This one soft and tender. A signature to the deal they’ve just made. Sweet.

Lydia pulled away first, leaving Cynthia chasing after her. “Why don’t we watch TV.” Lydia whispered, scanning Cynthia’s face before getting up from the bed and heading to the living room. Cynthia watched in awe after her girlfriend as she walked away. Turns out Gil was right, a little teasing didn’t hurt.

———

a/n: Gil and Cynthia friendship is actually so important to me they are so siblings. Our sweet thesbians don’t know a thing about sex but I’m sure they figure it out one day, not today though. They do make out practically the entire time they’re watching tv though. Cynthia does stop to sing along to the Ipana commercial and Lydia calls her dumb but let’s her finish.

ps if you read all the way through this you should check out this edit i made of them bc i really like it and would like if it got some more love that’s all thank you for reading <3

[remmixx]

so we all agree that Cynthia and Lydia would ride together with Dykes on Bikes at every pride parade, right?

(2nd image is of DoB founder, Soni Wolf, who passed away in 2018)

there's a long history of lesbians and motocycles and i love that Cynthia (and Lydia by extension) is a part of that

imagine Edward in their sidecar holy shit

[okaybut-merelyplayers]

God I LOVE FANFICTION. What do you mean there's a world where people can share their little stories about known characters and I can read them while I kick my feet over what canon never gave me?? HOW COOL IS THAT

[nerdyvocals]

I haven't been able to stop thinking about the line in Take the Wheel, the one about the mother-daughter brunch thing. And I just.

So Jane reinstates it, obviously. Like she wouldn't bring it up in a debate about the things she believed should be fixed if she wasn't intending on bringing it back. So a letter gets sent home with a date and time and dress code and all that jazz. And four things happen.

Mrs. Valdovinos remembers very clearly when Cynthia's mother disappeared. She remembers the food she brought over, the hand-me-downs Olivia had outgrown that she packed in a box and sent with the kids, the hair-braiding she did whenever the girl spent the night. She remembers the wave of relief she felt when she saw Cynthia in the group of girls that whisked her daughter out of the church. She knew the note went home with her as well and she knew there was no woman in that house to read it. So she makes a decision.

Mrs. Nakagawa doesn't know Cynthia that well. She knows her by her usual order at the diner. She knows her by her short cropped hair and boyish clothes. She knows her by the smile on her own daughter's face; a broad, genuine thing that didn't exist with her old friends. She knows her by the gossip that surrounded her when her mother ran off. Small towns, y'know? Nancy brings a note home, and she makes a decision.

Mrs. Facciano doesn't entirely know what to make of Cynthia Zdunowski the first time she meets her. She was unladylike and brash, unkempt and uncouth, and she learned somewhere along the way that she had started the flashing incident. She made a slightly off-color comment to her husband one night that whoever this girl's mother was, she wasn't doing a very good job at controlling her. Francesca must've overheard and told Jane, because the next morning her eldest scolded--actually scolded!--her about what she said. And she learned that, though Jane did not know all the details, the girl did not have a mother, and hadn't had one for a long time. So when Jane comes home one day, talking about her plans to bring back the mother-daughter brunch, she makes a decision.

Mrs. Robertson doesn't approve at all of this "girl-gang" business Hazel had gotten herself wrapped up in. But she does approve of the characters of the girls involved. They appear loyal and loving and strong. They are exactly the type of people her daughter needs in her life, and she approves very much of the way they support Hazel and how much they're brought her out of her shell. But she is a smart woman, and above all, she is a mother, and so she keeps a very close eye on these girls and what they get up to. So it doesn't take her long to find out that the one with the boy hair, the one who got Hazel on that stage in the play, came from a single-parent home. So when the school sent a letter home about a brunch, she can think of only one way to thank her, and she makes a decision.

The day arrives and McGee has countless women wandering in and out of her office in the hour before the brunch is set to start, and she's almost worried the PA system is going to fry itself out with how often she and her new assistant are having to fire it up to call girls down to escort their mothers to the buffet set up outside. She's a bit taken aback when Mrs.'s Valdovinos, Nakagawa, Facciano, and Robertson simultaneously (and separately, if the startled way they look at each other is anything to go by) ask for Ms. Zdunowski to be called down with their own daughters. It's a bit unorthodox, but, well, what isn't with those girls?

Cynthia doesn't cry over it. She might tear up a bit, but she doesn't admit to crying when she walks into the office, wondering what she did this time, and instead finds her friends' mothers, who hug her and kiss her cheeks and compliment her skirt and take her by the hand to lead her to the tables outside, decorated for something she didn't expect to have.

Cynthia Zdunowski is loved by many people. By the Pink Ladies, the T-Birds, the Thespians (one in particular, more so than the others). By her dad, most of all. But she hasn't felt loved like this in a long, long time.

(Maybe she cries a bit. Sue her.)

[cyansadness]

lydia would be fine loving a girl if it didn’t mean loving cynthia zdunowski, cynthia zdunowski, would be fine loving lydia if it didn’t mean loving a girl

olivia valdovinos would be fine loving a girl if it didn’t mean loving jane facciano, jane facciano would be fine loving olivia valdovinos if it didn’t mean loving a girl

[allthecastlesonclouds]

the pink ladies have taken over my brain. they go watch a movie. they hang out. they’re simply delightful.

“Girls,” Jane begins, slamming her lunch down on the table and immediately wincing at the noise that rings out, “do you know what movie they’re playing at the drive-in tonight?” She slips into her seat as the rest of the Pink Ladies look up with various levels of interest. - - - or, a fic in which Cynthia enjoys a musical, the Pink Ladies have a party, and they’re all simply friends.

!! :D beta’d by the most lovely @bat-on-read

[gods-favorite-autistic]

If I told y’all about my idea for a Cynthia-centric fic which revolves somewhat around her sister who she had no idea existed would y’all be interested in hearing the prompt