#the freshman experiment

[bacchuschucklefuck]

doing chibi is a good design exercise bc it forces u to think on shapes n essential details, essentially thumbnailing ur designs. its also a terrible design exercise bc it ends up looking cute no matter what

[jtl-fics]

Fluent Freshman - Part 26

PREVIOUS

Nicky can’t help but bounce his legs as they sit in the waiting room at the hospital. He’s had to leave the waiting room a couple times already because in Aaron’s effort to comfort him, and wow how far they’ve come he’s really raised Aaron to be such a thoughtful young man, the jackass has unknowingly made four more Miss Congeniality references.

This is a waiting room full of nervous families and Nicky is NOT about to be the guy who can’t stop laughing because Aaron mentioned World Peace in a snapback at Kevin.

Nicky is not going to be the one to explain FF’s jokes. He MAY already be planning a Miss Congeniality movie night. Neil, Aaron, and Kevin may not remember but ANDREW will and watching Andrew realize his friend was referencing an AMAZING movie when talking about how he took out one of the FBIs most wanted was all he wanted at the moment.

Another nurse comes in and calls out “Elias Smith?” But Wymack doesn’t get up from his seat still sipping his now lukewarm coffee. There’s been 14 different times she’s called for a ‘Smith’ family but Wymack hasn’t moved for any of them and different waiting families have gotten up to get updates and taken back to see their family members.

Maybe he wants to see Andrew’s face a little less than he wants to see FF’s right now. He has his flowers on a chair next to him and a get well soon card that he’d had Wymack also sign. He was waiting for Smith’s grandma to come to see if she wanted in on some card real estate

“Seriously, how many Smiths got stabbed yesterday?” Kevin marvels.

“At this point it’s at least 12.” Aaron remarks.

“I’m at 14 not including Smithy.” Nicky says.

“At least we’ll finally get to find out Smith’s first name.” Kevin crosses his arms and leans back heavily into the chair, “I’m hungry.” He whines.

“Yeah, at least there’s that.” Nicky agrees because not knowing FF’s name at this point made him feel like an incredibly BAD friend. Even mores than the fact that Nicky raised the man that stabbed FF last night. He turns his thoughts away from those thoughts, “You wouldn’t be hungry if you hadn’t bitched about the breakfast burritos I had us pick up.” Nicky argues.

“It was greasy! I’m already slipping on my diet after Thanksgiving and eating that pie.” Kevin argues back.

Nicky can’t help but think of Kevin as a pageant contestant in that moment.

Nicky looks heavenward for the strength not to laugh.

“Then go get something.” Aaron says from Nicky’s side, “There’s gotta be a cafeteria or something around here.” Aaron adds.

“I don’t want to go alone.” Kevin shoots back and Nicky can HEAR Aaron roll his eyes.

“Fine, whatever I need more coffee anyways. Let’s go find a cafeteria.” Aaron says getting up and Nicky looks at his cousin, “Text us if you get a room number.” He says.

“Will do.” Nicky agrees.

Then it was two.

It’s about five minutes before, “David Wymack?”

Nicky’s head shoots to Wymack and he sees the smug amusement on their coach’s face.

That motherfucker.

Nicky followed Wymack up to the doctor in question. “How’s he doing?” Wymack asks.

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about…” The doctor says and Nicky feels his stomach sink into his toes.

***

Neil has NEVER been more relieved to be out of a car and that includes the ones Lola had him in (though that might be because being out of those cars meant he was closer to his death by way of Nathan).

Granny Smith had not spoken a word unprompted since they had climbed into the car. Granny Smith had the exact same expressionless face as her grandson did but it is only now that Neil realizes that there was always some hint of emotion on FF’s face. Neil wasn’t great at knowing exactly what those emotions were but they were there.

Granny Smith’s rage was pretty hard to miss.

“I think she knows.” Andrew had said with his hands white knuckled at 10 and 2.

“How could she?” Neil questions. “Smith’s phone fell in that toilet before he got stabbed.” He says but he can feel the anger and can feel it directed towards them.

She had seemed so nice with Paul!

Though Paul didn’t have anything to do with her grandson getting stabbed. Neil could understand how that might sour any niceness.

Neil and Andrew had pulled into the parking lot and it was only then that Granny Smith leaned forward and pointed towards the entrance.

Words weren’t really necessary then.

Before Neil could even try and trudge through offering to bring her bag to her the woman was out of the back of the Maserati and through the sliding doors of the hospital.

“Maybe…maybe she’s just like that? Smith likes to sit in silence too?” Neil tries but Andrew doesn’t say anything as he turns the Maserati into the parking lot to find a space.

They walked in only to find the receptionist looking confusedly at Granny Smith as the woman spoke in rapid Polish but was getting nowhere.

Neil watched as Andrew squared his shoulders and walked up to her and tapped her on the shoulder. When she turned around she the fear and anger shown through in her expression. Neil could understand in a way. FF was her grandson and considering the fact that FF had likely gotten his interest in languages from learning Polish from her?

They’re probably close.

Neil is pretty sure that normal close family members worry like this.

Almost positive.

He may not have the best examples in his own life but he has watched enough television and enough movies to start to see what might be considered normal!

Really!

Anyways…

Andrew points towards the doors that would lead them towards the elevator that they could take up to the waiting room.

Neil watches as Granny Smith visibly struggles before nodding. Andrew holds out his hand and she stares at it before Andrew points at her bag.

She blinks, looking taken aback.

“I can carry it.” He offers.

It’s a few moments of looking between Andrew’s face and his hand before she hands over her bag.

Andrew puts it over his shoulder and the three of them silently made their way up. The elevator ride was slightly less excruciating than the car ride but only just.

They got off and saw Nicky, Wymack, and a Doctor.

“…so he may not wake up.” Neil hears and watches as Andrew’s shoulders go instantly tense and Neil feels his own heart jump into his throat.

Then Nicky laughs.

“Of course he’s sleepy!” Nicky throws his head back.

“Yes, he had a high level of cortisol, that’s the stress hormone, in his blood. He should wake up either late today or early tomorrow though.” The Doctor says.

“Oh thank GOD.” Nicky says with a relieved slump to his shoulders, “You really gotta work on how you start conversations like this Doc! I thought you were going to tell me Smithy died not that he’s just going to sleep like the dead for at least 18 more hours!” Nicky exclaims before his gaze slides off of the Doctor and onto their group. “Oh!” Nicky moves past the Doctor and stops in front of them. “You must be Smithy’s grandma!” He says and offers his hand like the sweet respectable young man that Nicky absolutely isn’t.

“Nicky, she doesn’t-“

“Ty musisz być Nicky! Jesteś taki przystojny, tak jak powiedział mój kurczaczek.” Granny Smith knocks his hand away and pinches his cheek. Nicky visibly melts at the warm tonę even if he doesn’t know what is being said to him.

“Oh!” Nicky says, “I hope I don’t butcher this, Dziękuję! Uwielbiałem Pani ciasto!” He says haltingly before pausing, “Nazywa go Pani swoim kurczakiem? Jakie to słodkie!” he says but this time his enthusiasm has the language come out more smoothly.

Granny Smith seems to light up even more. “Czyż nie?”

“Nicky, since when did you know Polish?” Andrew asks brows raised slightly in shock.

“What? You two aren’t the only ones who decided to learn a cute foreign language so you could have secret couple conversations.” Nicky huffs frowning at the two of them, “Erik’s company has an office in Poland, he thinks it might be fun to try living there for a while so we’ve been learning the last year and a half.” Nicky says, “Smithy’s been such a huge help on it too!” He adds.

Neil opens his mouth, thinks about it, and closes it.

That’s fair.

MASTERPOST FOR ALL PARTS OF FLUENT FRESHMAN AU

NEXT

EDIT: 6/8/23: Thanks @shirlai​ for fixing my janky Polish for Nicky!

@i-have-three-feelings @blep-23 @dreamerking27 @fuckyeahjeanmoreau @belodensetdust @rainbowpineapplebottle @yarn-ace @iwouldlikesometea @lily-s-world @obscureshipsandchips @booklover242 @whataboutmyfries @sahturnos @pluto-pepsi @dreamerthinker @passinhosdetartaruga @leftunknownheart @aro-manita-muscaria @hologramsaredead @Chaoticgremlinswishtheycouldbeme @tntwme @tayspots @nick-scar @crazy-fangirl2524 @blue-jos10 @stabbyfoxandrew @splishsplashyouropinionistrash @sammichly @the-broken-pen @bitchesdoweknowu @very-small-flower @ghostlyboiii @its-a-paxycab @bisexual-genderfluid-fan @cheesecookie @theoneandonlylostsock @foxsoulcourt @blueleys @adverbialstarlight @elia-nna @can-i-just-stay-in-the-corner @nikodiangel @foxandcrow-inatrenchcoat @hallucinatedjosten @satanic-foxhole-court @vexingcosmos @chalilodimun @insectsgetcooked @angry-kid-with-no-money @queer-crows @lillyndra @themundanemudperson @readertodeath @apileofpillows @mortalsbowbeforeme @hellomynameismoo @next-level-mess @youreonlylow @interstellarfig @notprocrastinatingatalltoday @percyjacksonfan3 @queenofcrazy27 @bsmr261 @ghostlyscares @spencellio @adinthedarkroom @harpymoth @sufferingjustalilbit @anxietymoss @oddgreyhound @ohno-myhyperfixation-itsbroken @ken22789 @atiredvampire @isoldescorner @not--a--pipedream​ @azure-wing @bushbees  @roonilwazlib-main @crumplelush @foldedaces-paperbirds​ @thesenseinnonsense​ @let-tyrants-fear @ketchupandfries​ @legowerewolf​ @deadlydodos​ @but-we-respect-his-craft​ @cariniqe @zanypersonapricotbiscuit​ @lesbian-blackbeard​ @lesbiansupernatural​ @silvermasquerade​ @thepeachfuzz​ @minniemariex​ @kazoo-the-demjin​ @gaypomegranate​ @ji-nk-ies​ @neilimfinejosten​ @omgrubelangel​ @itsyouitsmeorpheuseurydice​ @percabethotplove​ @cozyrosykay​ @foxyatlas​

The requests to be added to the tag list keep being spread out across a few different areas. If I missed you please just ask again in the replies I promise I just missed you.

As stated before if you’re up here and I spelled it right but you didn’t get a notification there might be something switched around in your settings that won’t let me tag you properly?

Also if anyone fluent in Polish wants to correct me on any of the Polish wants to correct me / sends smoother Polish please do! I am just using Google Translate for GS.

Translations:

Ty musisz być Nicky! Jesteś taki przystojny, tak jak powiedział mój kurczaczek. = “You must be Nicky! You're so handsome, just like my chicken said.”

“Dziękuję! Uwielbiałem Pani ciasto!” = “Thank you! I loved your pie!”

“Nazywa go Pani swoim kurczakiem? Jakie to słodkie!” = “You call him your chicken? That’s so cute!”

“Czyż nie?” = “Isn’t it?”

[deathsmallcaps]

I need advice.

I’m a white intern working in a mostly white southern(ish) high school. Students of Color number at under 2%, perhaps even lower. It’s a very white, rural community - I grew up in a fairly mixed, suburban northern community, and part of my family is Black.

Several of my white students say rude things to my Students of Color. I’ve told them to knock it off *as appropriately as I can* but I’m probably one of the few adults that actively discourage that behavior.

I don’t want to let this shit fly under the radar, but I also know that if an adult of authority *who will only be here for a couple more weeks* interferes, and then doesn’t stick around, it could make things worse. Additionally, I know these kids are probably very very very used to this ‘system’ and that making a short-term change could be more harmful than helpful.

I asked one of my senior students after a very racist incident *where she was laughing along with the perpetrator but I told him to stop anyway* that I can move him, or her, so she could be more comfortable (admin either does nothing or slaps wrists, especially for seniors). She said it was fine and that he was always like that.

I must emphasize, I think they were bantering (they talk so much I think they consider each other friends?), but it was also wayyy fucking out of line, especially in a school setting. And the guy says so much out of line shit I’m surprised he isn’t rocking a full set of dentures to replace the teeth he ought to have lost by now.

Another student took me up on my offer to move people, but I ended up moving him, which sucks because he was the victim in this situation. Unfortunately, I have to keep his aggressors in their spots, as they are highly rowdy in all the ways and require a lot more supervision than he did. And the class is really full. These were also all freshmen, so I wouldn’t be surprised if that affected the victim’s reaction.

So I’d really appreciate advice as to whether I should let it be, or continue as is, or step it up even more, from People of Color in largely white, especially rural, communities. Like any advice from current or previous educators, especially Educators of Color would be appreciated, but specifically southern/rural ones would be wonderful. I’m going to talk to my family members about it, but they’ve lived in more Northern settings their entire lives and they may have less … applicable (?) experience to the situation.

Again, I’m an intern, I’m going to only be there until winter break 2024, and I don’t want to fuck things up for these kids in the long run with my northern ally ‘sensibilities’. Thank you!

[incomingalbatross]

hlrngh

[sorllyne]

saw a post by @/cariocake saying smth along the lines of "i hope Bucky's adventuring party is patient with him"

and like!! fuckin please,,,

i hope Bucky's party sees him for the kid he really is

devout (ish?) follower of Helio, yes. crossing a line with the whole "conversion" talk, definitely.

but up to his neck in a religion cult that prioritizes lofty ideals over the individual, religious trauma he's yet to unpack, and experiencing a community completely different from the one he grew up with for the very first time (and supposedly "straying" according to one buddy dawn)

I hope they can see Bucky as the Bad Kids saw Kristen in freshman year. Fucked up, annoying, but with a good heart. And I hope that his party members help him overcome the parts of his childhood that he may discover he doesn't like. You can't pick your family, but you can pick your friends.

[smolandweirdwriter]

Hi I just think you're really cool so I have this suggestion for you

Adaine with POTS.

ok hear me out this isn't just "giving the character I'm obsessing over my chronic illness" I have a cool idea

adaine and ailwyn are fighting and adaine's feeling really shitty, like her hands are feeling limp and she knows shes gonna pass out, but she keeps fighting because she can't just give up and let her sister win.

she passes out, and wakes up laying on the floor, ailwyn gone. she reaches for the bottle of water and chips she keeps on her bedside table but she cant move enough to get them.

an unseen servant joins her in her room, and it looks different to the ones she normally has in her room. it gets the water for her, and helps her recover.

later when she goes into ailwyns room, she finds her book open to the chapter for summoning an unseen servant.

sorry if I phrased this really wrong I just don't really know how to get words onto a page

Adaine knows she passed out and wakes up with a jolt. She gasps, jarred; there are no hard tiles beneath her, no cold air against her body, she has not been left on the floor. She is... in her bed.

Alright, she reasons, she passed out and Aelwyn told Mother and Father who had Unseen Servants take care of her.

She blinks hard, expecting a headache, a bruise from having hit the floor. Nothing. There's no way Aelwyn could've summoned an Unseen Servant in time to catch her--and no way she would, either.

None of her family have healing magic.

It feels impossible, but she has the slightest sensation, maybe a flashing memory before she passed out, of Aelwyn lunging for her. Catching her. If she had the breath to do so, Adaine might have laughed at the absurdity of the idea.

Adaine's gaze catches on the clock across the room. Her mother has a conference and her father has meetings with the Council of Chosen. They won't be back until dinnertime.

That leaves...

An Unseen Servant slips into the room, holding a tray laden with a tall glass of water and pitcher, as well as salt tablets and some crisps. The servant is brusque, forces her to drink two glasses of water and take the tablets with sharp, condescending motions that Adaine recognizes so very well. The servant leaves the chips on her table and disappears.

Adaine wants to speak, but her blankets are comfortable, and she's tired, and, well... She fades back to sleep.

When she awakes hours later, she hears her family beginning down the stairs for dinner and rushes to join them.

She arrives in time to hear Aelwyn sneering, "--still asleep I think. She's been dawdling around in her room all day."

Adaine freezes on the landing.

Angwyn spots her and says, "Adaine. I hear you had a relaxing evening."

Adaine stammers, "No, I wasn't, I-I didn't, she- I'm- I'm not- I--"

"Very eloquent, little sister," Aelwyn purrs. "Truly, the benefits of being raised by a trained politician have not been wasted on you."

"First off, politicians aren't eloquent just because they lie convincingly," Adaine snaps.

"So you admit you're trying to lie?" Aelwyn raises a brow.

Bitch. Bitch, bitch, you fucking bitch, choruses in Adaine's head, drowning out any memory of her sister's Unseen Servant or kindness, squashing it down into nothing.

"No, I--"

"Girls," Arianwen breaks in from the table. "Sit and be civil. That means you, Adaine."

Adaine glowers at everything in her vicinity and slumps into her seat. Aelwyn does not look at her for the rest of the meal.

[we-are-inevitable]

i have a lot of feelings about frat boy jack and weird queer davey by the way. so so many thoughts and feelings. thank u pidge.

[vampirehizzies]

treech and lamina are that annoying/cute couple in high school that are always tying each other's shoes as some kind of courtship ritual/to show each other affection

[transmechanicus]

How to remove the words seratonin, dopamine, and oxytocin from the minds of people who take psych advice from unlicensed tiktokers. Bonus points if it takes the tattoos they got of the molecules bc they’re scientifically illiterate and think a chemical structure adds legitimacy to their pseudoscience.

[wutheringheightsfilm]

i don't think toxic semi-homoerotic friendship counts as a relationship but the red flags in that one were that she literally wrote a play about us (me and my friends and her because we were all in a friend group) and then proceeded to name me after the love interest in fun home and make me out to be a terrible shitty person because i had a crush on a boy and not her. she wrote this for her playwriting class and forced us to read it with her as our parts and then proceeded to read this out to her entire playwriting class. for a grade

[bacchuschucklefuck]

it just idea .......

[sufficientlylargen]

The US government has known about the existence of extraterrestrials for decades, the problem is that when we made first contact the aliens said "We come in peace" and the human responding said "Thanks, you too" without thinking and so the US built a giant signal jamming facility at area 51 and every other time they've tried to contact us we just pretend not to notice.

[you-get-me-closer-to-god]

[toxooz]

When me being horney for a sec for orc smut and orc boyfriends leads me to a the coolest art and artist i have ever seen and then that leads me to a lovely story that i binge read the whole thing and got super attached to the characters in less than 15 mins .... Legendary stuff ur doing here honestly!❤️❤️ Also you captured anxiety so well i have never seen anything so accurate to it in my life but i relate to abby so hard even thou im nearing my 30's (which in turn also makes relate to olli too) but listen if anything happened to abby im Gonna kill everyone in this room then myself itsg i will be a puddle on the floor 😭 (/j ofc)

GOOHH THANK YOUUUU!!!!

glad u resonate with the whole anxiety part its comforting tbh lmfao it means im doin somethin right and dont worry Abby may have yet to go through Horrible experiences (well *more horrible) BUT HE DOESNT DIE just gets character development HA

[echofive7567]

listened to the new twenty one pilots album and unfortunately i am once again fundamentally changed

[vivaciousoceans]

You would think Carisi would be the one sad/disenchanted with the outcome of last weeks episode, but it’s Olivia. She’s the one who is unsatisfied despite having very little personal opinion the whole episode. She’s basically a sounding board. I joked about it before but as someone who has worked with AI and creative writing in an experimental setting, this is giving AI.