#fandom: abbott elementary

[andipxndy-writes]

will you be my maybe

fandom: abbott elementary warnings: tw: injury; tw: blood; tw: hospital requested by: anon 1 & anon 2 word count: 2.4k

cross-posted to ao3

chapter summary: “Gregory, there hasn’t been a single year when I haven’t made it,” Janine pointed out, rolling her eyes a little at him. As though he was supposed to know that. “Not even when my car broke down and I had to pay, like, a thousand dollars to get it fixed up on the same day.” She decided to conveniently ignore the look of slight horror he was giving her. “Look, I’ll rest. I’ll get some sleep. But when I wake up, I’m gonna clean that carpet, and then we’re going.” He definitely looked like he wanted to argue, like he wasn’t happy at all with that ultimatum, but then he sighed. He sighed and closed his eyes and gestured for her to lie down. “Fine, but only if I’ve decided you’ve slept enough.”

Janine is finally on her way home from hospital, but Gregory isn't happy with her determination to keep going.

will you be my maybe? chapter 3: recovery

It took a few more hours before the doctors discharged her, and even then, they conducted more tests and made sure she was actually starting to recover and not getting worse. Janine, obviously, was getting a little impatient in this time, but she tried not to let it show.

All she wanted to do was get home and pack and probably convince Gregory that it would still be a good idea to head for that family barbecue this weekend — it wasn’t as though it would involve anything strenuous, and she would be so much better off seeing people she hadn’t seen in ages instead of just… sitting in bed and sleeping or whatever her doctor wanted to do.

And not just that, but she’d already agreed to going. She couldn’t cancel now. Not the night before, and certainly not when her mother and sister were going to be there. Someone had to act as the mediator. Or, at least, someone had to be there that would talk to them both when they were in the same room. And they were expecting two mouths to feed, and people would be calling her non-stop if she didn’t turn up.

She loved her family, but she didn’t want that.

When the nurse finally came by with the discharge papers, Janine was literally ready to jump off the bed and grab them from her, get everything signed so that she could go home. It was only because Gregory was still there that she didn’t, because she got the feeling that he would have plopped her back onto the bed to make sure she stayed there until all the papers were signed.

Or maybe she wanted him to do that.

Anyway, soon enough the discharge papers were signed (by Janine, not Gregory, and she did them efficiently and correctly so that he didn’t have to do them over for her so she could go home faster but anyway) and she was heading out of the hospital with Gregory slightly behind her. She didn’t know why he was walking slightly behind her, and she could imagine that his hand was hovering at the base of her back as they walked out of the hospital.

Only imagined, because his hand wasn’t actually there.

Eventually they reached the exit, and Gregory called her a cab to head back to her apartment.

Well, he called them a cab. (And she texted her mother to say that she wouldn’t be heading to the barbecue tonight.)

She leaned back in the seat when they sat down, closing her eyes briefly. “God, it’s nice to sit somewhere comfortable again. That hospital bed was the most uncomfy thing I’ve ever sat on, and my couch is hard as a rock.” She turned to Gregory with a smile. She wasn’t sure he’d even sat on her couch, or maybe he had and didn’t want to talk about it, but he only gave her a smile in return.

In fact, he was pretty quiet for the whole ride back to her apartment, not saying much of anything. Whenever she looked over at him, he was looking out of the window — or he was quickly turning away from her, as though he’d been looking at her just before she’d turned to look at him. It wasn’t exactly an awkward silence, not really, but Janine sort of wished that they spoke at least a little bit on the ride back to her place.

When the cab arrived, though, Gregory practically leapt out of the car, heading around to open the door for her before she could even get her seatbelt off. Pulling herself out of the car, she realised she shouldn’t have been surprised when Gregory held a hand out to help her out of the vehicle. She took the offered hand and used it to leverage herself out of the car, moving aside as Gregory shut the door behind her. It wasn’t long before he’d paid the driver and the two of them were heading back up to her apartment.

Stepping back in, she didn’t know what to expect. She supposed she shouldn’t have expected the place to look any different from the way it had been when she’d left it the last time, but it still surprised her that everything was in its place.

Well, until she got to her bedroom.

She stopped short at the door when she saw the mess that was her bedroom. Her suitcase on the bed, open with her clothes either folded inside or sitting on the bed. That didn’t surprise her, considering she hadn’t finished packing before everything had happened.

No, what surprised her was the blood that was now soaked into her carpet, and was probably dry by now. Blood that would be near impossible to get out.

She wanted to cry. Her landlord was going to kill her, she was so sure of it.

She didn’t know whether Gregory sensed her horror, or maybe she looked like she was about to cry or something, but he was putting his hands on her shoulders and slowly steering her away from her bedroom door and back towards the couch. She wanted to turn back around and head back to her room, look at the mess and try to start cleaning it because she couldn’t have her landlord finding out about that when he would absolutely charge her extra for not only cleaning it but probably replacing the whole carpet, but Gregory’s hands were firm, and soon enough he was turning her around and sitting her on the couch. She opened her mouth to say something — she wasn’t exactly sure what — but then he picked up her knitted throw and held it up, looking at her expectantly.

She pursed her lips. She knew what he wanted her to do.

“You should get some rest,” he told her, predictably. She didn’t know how she could have thought he’d say anything else, really. “You’ve got a concussion, you’ve had a long day, and your body needs rest to recover. And you can’t do that by standing at your bedroom door and staring at the carpet.”

She huffed out through her nose, even though she knew that he was right. He was very right. She couldn’t just stand there at her bedroom door and stare at the carpet, otherwise she’d just worry and worry and worry… and she needed to rest.

“We’re still going to my family’s barbecue this weekend, right?” Even if she’d planned on those words coming out of her mouth, she wouldn’t have stopped them. She’d planned to go — she’d told her family that she’d be there. She wasn’t going to skip out on it because of a little bump to the head. That was a minor inconvenience. She could get over the concussion in like a day, right?

The look on Gregory’s face told her that he absolutely was not going to give her the answer she wanted.

“You need to recover, Janine.”

“No, what I need to do is go to see my family and show them that I’m okay,” she responded simply, “and eat some killer ribs.”

“They don’t even know you’re injured.”

“But they will when they call asking why I haven’t turned up.” And she knew that they would. They all pried like that. Especially her mother. (And she’d already texted her to say that she wouldn’t be turning up tonight.)

Gregory sighed through his nose. “Then you can just tell them you’re busy. That you can’t make it this year.”

“Gregory, there hasn’t been a single year when I haven’t made it,” Janine pointed out, rolling her eyes a little at him. As though he was supposed to know that. “Not even when my car broke down and I had to pay, like, a thousand dollars to get it fixed up on the same day.” She decided to conveniently ignore the look of slight horror he was giving her. “Look, I’ll rest. I’ll get some sleep. But when I wake up, I’m gonna clean that carpet, and then we’re going.”

He definitely looked like he wanted to argue, like he wasn’t happy at all with that ultimatum, but then he sighed. He sighed and closed his eyes and gestured for her to lie down.

“Fine, but only if I’ve decided you’ve slept enough.”

She scoffed with a smirk as she lay down. “What, are you going to knock me out if I wake up too early?” It was only a tease, words that she didn’t really mean.

But the look on Gregory’s face at the suggestion made her wish that it wasn’t the last thing she saw before closing her eyes to get some rest.

***

As much as Gregory hated the smell of bleach, he knew for a fact that it was necessary. It was clean, yes, but it was strong and it hurt his nose.

The bleach had not been for the carpet.

In fact, the bleach had been for Janine’s sink, and the majority of her kitchen counters, which were far dirtier than he had expected. He’d only come in there for some dish soap and water to clean the blood out of the carpet (which was now gone, thank goodness) but coming back to the filth had made his skin crawl. He’d had to clean it.

And he didn’t blame Janine for being dirty. In fact, he didn’t think she was a dirty or messy person at all. She was just busy, someone who always like to be doing something, and had a lot on her mind. Some things just slipped through the cracks. Maybe she’d planned on cleaning the kitchen later. And if anything, the dirtiest part of the kitchen was on top of the kitchen cupboards, which she couldn’t reach anyway, so he couldn’t really blame her for that. The kitchen window was as open as he could get it, to let some fresh air into the apartment, but it didn’t really do much to get the smell out of his nose. It didn’t do anything at all, really.

Now that the kitchen was clean, though, he was just tidying it up, putting everything back where he found it. He hadn’t known how long it would take to clean the place, but it had taken quite a while longer than he’d anticipated, really. Maybe once he was done putting everything away, he could get some rest—

“Gregory?”

His head turned when he heard Janine’s sleepy voice by the kitchen archway, and he smiled a little at her. She was still wrapped up in the blanket, her eyes bleary and the band-aid still on her head, with her curls all over the place. And she looked absolutely adorable like that.

“Hey,” he greeted softly, turning to put away the last of the mugs and shutting the cupboard door before turning to her fully. He gave her a small smile. “You look rested.”

“I am.” Her voice was croaky and full of sleep, and he was almost tempted to tell her to go back to bed, but then her eyes were wide as she looked around the kitchen like she was suddenly fully awake. “Did you clean in here?”

He scratched the back of his neck, letting out a small laugh. He didn’t know why. It wasn’t as though he was embarrassed about cleaning her kitchen — it wasn’t like it was her bedroom or anything. “Uh, yeah. It was a bit of a mess and I needed something to do whilst keeping an eye on you…”

“And you used bleach?” He couldn’t quite register the tone in her voice as she blanket dropped from her shoulders, and she wandered around the room, looking at everything. “The counters look spotless! Like, cleaner than I could make them!” This time, when she turned to him, her eyes were wide and full of wonder. “Can I hire you? To do this for me? Like, regularly?”

This time he laughed genuinely. “Janine, I already have a job.”

“Extra cash wouldn’t hurt though, right?”

He pretended to think about it. “Yeah, you’ve got a point about that…”

Her laugh was cute. It wasn’t even something that Gregory had to try particularly hard to admit. He just thought it was cute, the way she giggled at his comment. And it led them into a few moments of contentment, just standing there, in her kitchen. Her kitchen that was now a whole lot cleaner than it had been just that morning.

The contentment only lasted until Janine spoke again.

“Anyway, I need to get back to packing—”

“I haven’t decided whether you’ve slept enough, yet.” The call back to their earlier conversation earned him a small scowl from Janine, but he was serious. He didn’t want her going if she couldn’t take care of herself. And he knew that if he refused to go with her, she would just go on her own — and that would be even worse. He took one good look at her face.

She still hadn’t slept enough. He could see it in her eyes, she clearly needed more rest. But he also saw the determination in her eyes that absolutely meant she wasn’t going to be backing down anytime soon. The band-aid on her head clearly needed replacing, and the wound probably needed cleaning as well. She, overall, did not look completely ready to be meeting people, especially her family.

“Gregory, I’ve slept enough,” Janine said, as though her saying it would convince him of what his eyes weren’t seeing. “Trust me, I really have. I feel awake, and refreshed, and ready to go. Just let me go. It’s only for the weekend.”

He let out a sigh through his nose, regretting it when the smell of bleach from the kitchen replaced the breath he’d let out. She had a point, though — it was only for the weekend, and then they’d be coming back and returning to their normal lives. Aside from the very obvious head injury, would it really be so bad to let her go and see her family?

“You can go,” he relented, and then held up a finger when she started cheering, “but I’m driving. The whole way. And the whole way back.” So that she could sleep in the car.

She visibly deflated. “Can I at least pick the music?” she asked quietly.

Driver picks. Driver always picks. Gregory pushed that thought aside. If that was the only way that Janine was going to be cooperative for this whole thing, then so be it. “Fine.”

That got enough of a little cheer from her to make Gregory smile, and he could only watch her as she ran off to start packing again, continuing from where she’d left off.

He could only hope that this time, everything went off without a hitch.

[shesgaymichaelscott]

melissa x fem!reader where reader is jacob's sister and melissa says it's ok if she stays with them while she visits but they catch feelings fast. bonus points if reader decides to stay at the end (and maybe work at abbott?)

Sister, Sister

(really no warnings/tags, this is just a cute lil thing😇, fluff!)

Word Count: 6k

taglist <3: @writerspirit @schemmentigfs

~

"Melissa," Jacob said, following her into the kitchen like a particularly nervous shadow, "do you believe in the spirit of generosity?"

Melissa didn't look up from her coffee. "Jacob. You're already living in my house."

"Exactly!" he chirped, trying for cheerful but landing somewhere between guilty and manic. "And it's been so generous of you. The way you let me move in—and may I say, I've felt so at home, especially once I got over the smell of Vicks VapoRub in your bathroom—"

"You used my towel, Jacob."

"I said I was sorry!"

She gave him a look that could blister drywall. "What do you want?"

"Okay. Hypothetically. What if someone else needed a place to stay too?"

Melissa narrowed her eyes. "If this is about moving more of your jackets into my closet, the answer is still no."

Jacob laughed nervously. "No! Nothing like that! It's not for me. It's for... my sister."

Melissa blinked. "You don't have a sister."

"I do!" he said quickly. "You've just never met her because she lives in D.C. and has this wildly impressive life and she's very kind and beautiful and calm and basically the anti-me."

Melissa raised a brow. "So she's imaginary."

"She's real," he huffed. "And she's coming into town for a job interview. For a teaching job. At a charter school."

Melissa immediately narrowed her eyes. "Strike one."

"Or—" Jacob jumped in— "possibly at a public school if she can get her foot in the door. Which brings me to the thing I need to ask."

She stared at him over the rim of her mug.

"She was going to stay with a friend, but they had a pipe burst and now she doesn't have anywhere to go and I thought, well, I already live in your guest room—"

"—against my better judgment—"

"—and since she's only here for a few days, maybe she could crash on the couch or bunk with me or something? She's neat. Quiet. Way too nice for this family. You'll barely notice her."

Melissa sighed. She already knew she was going to say yes, and that fact alone irritated her. "Christ. Fine. She can stay."

"Really?!"

"Yeah. I got soft somehow. Must be all the estrogen from your skin care products."

Jacob hugged her. "You won't regret this! She's grounded. She's calm. And she's very pretty. Like, in a classic, non-threatening way."

Melissa narrowed her eyes. "Why would that matter?"

"No reason!" Jacob squeaked, backing toward the hall. "I'll go pick her up from the train!"

An hour later, you showed up on Melissa's doorstep wearing a soft sweater, nice jeans, and a nervous smile. You had a rolling suitcase, a canvas tote full of books, and a voice that made Melissa freeze when you said:

"Hi! You must be Melissa. Thanks so much for letting me stay—I promise I'll be a ghost. A very grateful, polite, dishwashing ghost."

Melissa blinked. You were warm. Pretty. Calm in a way that made the world around you feel quieter.

"Uh, yeah," she said, stepping aside. "Come in. Shoes off, thermostat's sacred, and don't let Jacob near the air fryer."

You laughed. "Noted."

Jacob wasn't wrong. You were easy. You complimented her throw pillows, helped her plate dinner without being asked, and when you sat at the table between her and Jacob, you looked more like you belonged there than he did.

She was supposed to be annoyed by the whole situation.

Instead, she kept glancing at you across the table—and couldn't stop wondering what your hair would smell like if you leaned just a little closer.

Melissa kept waiting for the awkwardness to kick in—for you to say something weird, or ask too many questions, or knock over a glass and apologize sixteen times. But you didn't. You just... fit.

Jacob did most of the talking (as usual), bouncing between stories about work and whatever book club he'd temporarily joined this week, while you laughed in all the right places and added thoughtful little interjections that somehow made Melissa want to talk more.

Which she never did. Not at dinner. Not like this.

When the food was gone and Jacob finally excused himself ("I have a call with my therapist-slash-poetry coach"), Melissa didn't even try to stop you from helping with the dishes. You stood next to her at the sink like it was something you'd done a hundred times before—easy, companionable, quiet except for the soft clink of forks in suds.

She handed you a towel. You dried the plates without her asking.

"So," you said, your voice low, not prying, "do you like working at Abbott?"

Melissa paused. Most people asked if she liked kids. You didn't. You asked about the school. The work.

She nodded slowly. "Yeah. I do."

You glanced over at her, eyes kind. "Jacob says the kids love you."

She snorted. "Jacob says that because he's scared of me."

"I can see why," you teased, a playful glint in your eye. "You're very... intimidating. What with the apron and dish soap."

That made her smile. Damn it.

A few minutes later, you both had full wine glasses and had settled on the couch. Melissa curled into the corner without thinking. You mirrored her without hesitation.

"So," you asked, "what made you become a teacher?"

She didn't usually answer that question. Not really. But you waited, not filling the silence, not pushing.

"Kids get overlooked," she finally said. "Especially the loud ones. Or the ones with crap going on at home. I figured if I could be the one adult that sees 'em..." she shrugged, "that'd be worth something."

You were quiet for a beat.

Then, softly: "That is worth something."

When you looked at her again, Melissa saw it in your eyes. You weren't just being polite. You meant it. And somehow that was worse.

She drained the rest of her wine and stood. "Alright, enough sincerity for one night."

You grinned. "My lips are sealed."

She showed you where the towels were, muttered something about how Jacob stole all the good toothpaste, and tried not to notice the way you lingered in the hallway a little too long, looking around like it already felt a little bit like home.

And when she turned back toward the kitchen—just for one last glass of water—she passed the guest room with the door cracked open.

And you were there.

Not dressed up. Not tucked in. Just... you.

Standing near the bed in a loose, faded T-shirt, wiping off the last of your makeup with practiced, absent swipes. Your hair was soft now, not styled, just hanging around your face like you'd had a long day and stopped pretending it didn't wear you out.

You caught her watching.

She expected you to jump, to pull the door shut.

But instead, you smiled—gentle, quiet, warm.

"Goodnight, Melissa."

Melissa opened her mouth. Then closed it. Then opened it again.

"Night," she managed.

She walked away before she could do something stupid like ask if you wanted a cup of tea. Or tell you how nice you looked like that. Or admit that she didn't actually mind you being here.

That she liked it.

Instead, she lay in bed with the lamp off, staring at the ceiling, every soft part of her trying to win a war against the hard edge she'd spent years perfecting.

She was supposed to be annoyed.

She wasn't.

⸻

Melissa was already up when you wandered into the kitchen the next morning, your hair pulled half-up, eyes soft with sleep. You wore the same sweater from the night before, sleeves pushed up just past your elbows, and Melissa had to look away for a second because—Jesus—why was that so disarming?

"Morning," you said, voice still scratchy and gentle. "I didn't expect you to be up."

"I'm always up by six," she said, sliding a second mug of coffee toward you like it wasn't something she'd poured automatically the second she heard the floor creak.

You looked at it, then up at her. "You made me coffee?"

Melissa shrugged. "Didn't want Jacob ruining my ratio. He always adds too much creamer."

You smiled over the rim of the mug after your first sip. "This is really good."

"Don't tell him," she said, suddenly warm in the face. "He'll start expecting it."

You leaned on the counter across from her. "I already told him you're intimidating. But now I think I'm just impressed."

That made Melissa look up at you.

There it was again. That soft, real thing in your eyes. Like she didn't have to prove anything to you. Like you already saw her. And worse, like you liked what you saw.

"Do you always get this flirty before 7 a.m.?" she asked, trying to play it off, sipping her own coffee.

Your smile turned sheepish. "I'm only flirty when I'm nervous. I've got that interview this morning—remember?"

Oh. Right. The job. The possible move.

Melissa cleared her throat. "Charter school, right? In West Philly?"

You nodded. "Yeah. Not exactly my dream gig, but it's a start. Figured I'd try and move here either way. Be closer to Jacob. And—" You hesitated for half a beat. "I don't know. This place just feels... good."

Her stomach flipped.

She told herself it was the coffee.

"Good luck," she said. "You'll be great."

Before you could answer, chaos incarnate stormed into the kitchen (aka Jacob, wearing mismatched socks, a wrinkled button-up, and a righteous sense of urgency).

"Who touched my granola bar stash?!" he demanded, pointing wildly. "Melissa. Did you eat the one with the dark chocolate and sea salt? Be honest."

"I hid the one with the dark chocolate and sea salt," Melissa said flatly.

You held up your hands. "I swear I didn't touch the sacred snacks."

Jacob narrowed his eyes suspiciously but then noticed the coffee.

"Ooh! Did you make—" He took a sip from Melissa's mug and nearly choked. "Why is it strong enough to exfoliate my tongue?"

"Out," Melissa said, taking her mug back.

You grinned, grabbing your tote. "I should head out anyway. Wish me luck?"

Jacob launched into an elaborate two-minute affirmation ritual complete with finger hearts and a reference to Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Melissa just met your eyes and gave a quiet nod.

"Let me know how it goes."

You lingered for a second longer than necessary. Then nodded and left.

And Melissa stood there, mug in hand, throat dry, pretending she didn't feel like she'd just handed something important out the door.

⸻

"Wait, your sister is here?" Janine spun around so fast her curls hit Gregory in the face.

Jacob nodded, sitting on the edge of Barbara's desk. "Yep. She's in town for a job interview. Staying with me and Melissa."

Janine blinked. "With Melissa? And Melissa's okay with it?"

"I know, right?" Jacob grinned, proud and baffled. "I thought it'd be a whole thing. Like... Melissa would do that eye squint where you're not sure if she wants to kill you or just remove your spleen."

"She's very protective of her space," Barbara added diplomatically.

"I thought she hated houseguests," Janine whispered.

"She does," Barbara confirmed.

"Well, apparently not this one," Jacob said, pouring oat milk into his cup with a dramatic flourish. "She made her coffee this morning."

Janine's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "She shared her coffee?!"

"It wasn't just sharing. It was... intimate. They had, like, a moment. And Melissa didn't even threaten me."

Gregory shook his head. "Maybe she just likes your sister?"

Everyone froze.

Jacob slowly turned. "Gregory. With the dangerous ideas."

Barbara chuckled softly, then looked at Jacob. "Well, now I want to meet her."

Janine lit up like a lightbulb. "Yes! Bring her to Abbott! I need to see this mysterious Schemmenti-softener for myself."

You, meanwhile, had lasted approximately twelve minutes at the charter school before realizing it wasn't for you.

Maybe it was the cold tile floors. Or the way the front desk staff barely looked up. Or the framed quote in the hallway that read, "Rigidity breeds success."

Whatever it was, by the time the assistant principal used the word "compliance" for the third time, you were done.

You ducked into the parking lot and called the only person you knew in town with unfailing enthusiasm and a five-minute window between classes.

"Hey," you said, trying not to sound deflated.

Jacob answered instantly. "Did you get hired already?!"

"God, no. I barely got out. I think they wanted me to monitor bathroom breaks with a stopwatch."

"Yikes. That's a no."

"Big no," you sighed. "I still have time to kill before you're off. Should I just head home?"

There was a pause.

Then, "Come to Abbott."

You blinked. "What?"

"You're literally two blocks away. Come to Abbott. You can help in my classroom. We're doing paper mâché Egyptian tombs, and half of my students are allergic to glue sticks, apparently."

You hesitated.

He pushed. "C'mon. Janine wants to meet you. Barbara will adore you. And Melissa—"

"What about Melissa?"

"Melissa won't care," he said a little too fast. "Just come."

Twenty minutes later, you were standing outside the chaotic, sunlit doors of Abbott Elementary, tote bag over your shoulder, second-guessing every life choice—until the door swung open and Janine Teagues practically bounced toward you.

"Oh my god," she said, pulling you into a hug like you were long-lost family. "You're so cute! Jacob undersold you. Come in! Are you an Earth sign?"

You laughed. "Um, Taurus?"

"I knew it. Come on, I'll show you around before we go to Jacob's room."

The building was older, colorful, loud in the way that meant it was alive. Teachers ducked in and out of rooms, kids darted down the hall laughing, and everything smelled vaguely like crayons and possibility.

Barbara Howard greeted you with a measured nod and a warm smile. "Jacob's sister," she said, shaking your hand. "He speaks very highly of you."

"That's sweet," you replied, glancing at Jacob. "Though slightly suspicious."

Barbara chuckled. "You'll do just fine here."

And then—then—you passed her room.

Melissa was at her desk, arms crossed, eyes on something in her gradebook, red pen in hand like a weapon. She didn't look up.

But you felt her glance. Just for a second.

You smiled anyway. "Hey."

She looked up—briefly. "Hey."

Janine leaned in. "We'll be in Jacob's class if you need backup. Or a snack. Or a soul reading."

Melissa blinked at her, then looked at you again. "You here all day?"

"Just helping out," you said lightly. "Trying to stay out of trouble."

"Good luck," she muttered, eyes flicking to Jacob. "He's a magnet for chaos."

"I'll protect him," you grinned.

Something flickered in her expression—amusement? Fondness? She didn't answer. Just nodded and returned to grading, but her pen didn't move for several long seconds.

Jacob's class was... something.

You'd forgotten the raw chaos of middle school energy. These kids weren't afraid to test boundaries—or glue their tombs shut with Elmer's and an alarming amount of glitter.

But you handled it.

You redirected questions. You diffused drama. You helped one student design a sarcophagus lid while another asked if you were married, and when you said no, she whispered, "Miss Schemmenti is also not married," like she'd just discovered a critical piece of state intelligence.

At lunch, you sat with Janine, Barbara, and Jacob in the lounge while Gregory gave you a slow once-over, nodding politely.

"Jacob's sister, huh?" he said. "Didn't expect you to be so quiet."

"She's deceptively calm," Jacob added, mouth full of granola bar. "Like a duck on water. Serene on the surface, kicking like hell underneath."

"She's good with the kids," Barbara said warmly. "Very natural. I assume you're considering local options?"

You hesitated, and your eyes flicked—without thinking—toward the second grade classroom just down the hall.

"Maybe," you said softly.

⸻

That night, back at Melissa's, you helped with dinner again without being asked. Jacob flitted in and out, offering critiques from the sidelines, until Melissa swatted him with a dishtowel and sent him to set the table.

You sautéed vegetables. Melissa grilled chicken. You found a rhythm.

"You didn't mention you were good with kids," she said casually as she stirred something on the stove.

"You didn't mention you were watching me," you replied, teasing.

She smirked. "I wasn't."

"Sure."

There was a beat of silence.

"You made it look easy," she said eventually, a little quieter.

You shrugged. "It felt easy."

You turned and caught her looking again. Just briefly. But her expression had softened.

Dinner was relaxed. Jacob told an overly dramatic story about a student who tried to claim his tomb had been cursed, and you leaned into the table with a quiet laugh that made Melissa watch your mouth more than she should've.

Afterward, the three of you ended up on the couch, full and lazy, with half a glass of red wine each and Jeopardy playing low on the TV.

"Please," Jacob said, tossing a throw pillow over his face. "She's a human encyclopedia. I'm begging you not to buzz in."

You grinned, already sitting up straighter. "I can't help it. It's genetic."

"You're adopted."

Melissa snorted into her wine.

Ten minutes in, you'd correctly answered six questions in a row—without hesitation.

Melissa turned to you slowly. "You're a trivia nerd."

You nodded proudly. "Big time. My brain's basically 70% facts no one asked for."

She laughed—really laughed. "You're kidding."

"Nope. I used to run a bar trivia night back home. Thursdays were 'Obscure History' rounds. I got booed a lot."

Melissa looked at you like she was trying not to smile too hard. "You'd kill at poker."

"I'm terrible at poker," you said, dead serious. "I can't bluff for anything."

Jacob groaned. "Don't bond over gambling. You're encouraging her."

But Melissa wasn't listening to him.

She was watching you—with your socked feet tucked under you, your makeup off, a soft t-shirt that made your eyes look warmer somehow—and she was thinking about how easy it was to sit next to you. How you didn't fill the space with noise. How your laugh stayed with her longer than the punchlines.

Jacob dozed off partway through Final Jeopardy.

You and Melissa stayed up.

Quiet. Comfortable.

When she finally stood, stretching with a soft groan, she glanced back at you.

"You settling in okay?" she asked.

You smiled. "Better than okay."

And maybe she shouldn't have liked that answer so much.

The next morning, Jacob's class was knee-deep in paper-mâché chaos when you arrived—but instead of corralling middle schoolers again, he passed you a coffee and a sly smile.

"Change of plans. Melissa needs a hand today. Her aide called out."

Your heart thumped.

"Oh?"

"She didn't ask for you," he added quickly. "She just said she needed someone competent and not Ava. I filled in the blanks."

You sipped your coffee. "Did she... seem okay with it?"

"She didn't throw anything."

"That's your metric?"

Jacob shrugged. "She didn't throw something at me. So I figured we were good."

Melissa's classroom was calmer than Jacob's, but only in that it wasn't actively on fire.

She looked up from a spelling worksheet when you stepped in and didn't smile—but the slight softening of her eyes was just as good.

"You got drafted?"

"Apparently."

She nodded to the whiteboard. "We're doing compound words and then a read-aloud. And if Jacob asks about his pencil again, I told him you cast a protective spell on it."

You laughed and moved to her side instinctively. "Did I?"

"Clearly. He hasn't lost it all day."

By snack time, the kids were glued to your read-aloud voice. By lunch, Melissa had let you handle half the spelling review. By math, she caught herself watching you again—your hands, your patience, the way the students leaned toward you like flowers to sun.

She crossed her arms tighter and turned away.

She was not falling for Jacob's sister.

Barbara noticed. Of course Barbara noticed.

She stepped into Melissa's room during recess, leaned casually against the bookshelf, and fixed Melissa with that look—the one that could peel paint from the walls.

"She's good," Barbara said mildly.

Melissa didn't look up. "Mmhmm."

"Kind. Calm. The children like her."

"I noticed."

"And you like her."

Melissa finally looked at her. "She's Jacob's sister."

Barbara raised one regal eyebrow. "And you're a grown woman."

Melissa exhaled. "It's a bad idea."

Barbara's smile was faint but knowing. "Maybe. Or maybe you just don't want to admit you feel soft about something."

Melissa opened her mouth, closed it, then muttered, "I hate when you're right."

Barbara's chuckle was like gospel. "Then you're going to really hate what's about to happen."

Their staff meeting after school was supposed to be about art supply ordering.

It was not.

Because Janine, Gregory, Barbara, Jacob, and even Mr. Johnson had decided they were not letting you disappear.

"She's literally perfect," Janine was saying, hands waving. "She can teach, she knows kids, and she doesn't flinch when a second grader sneezes directly into her mouth! Hire her!"

Ava, on her phone in sunglasses, did not look up. "We already have teachers."

"We have a hallway ghost aide position open!" Jacob cried. "She'd be perfect!"

"She's from out of town," Ava said. "What if she's just here for vibes and brunch?"

"She applied to Liberty," Melissa said suddenly.

Everyone turned.

Ava squinted. "Why do you know that?"

Melissa shrugged, too casual. "She told me. After I said she was good with the kids."

Barbara sipped her tea smugly. Janine let out an audible gasp.

Gregory blinked. "So we all agree she should stay?"

"Yes," said everyone.

Ava groaned. "Fine. I'll talk to HR. But if she ghosts us after I start her paperwork, I'm sending her a Molotov in the mail."

Meanwhile, in the quiet kitchen back at Melissa's house, you were spooning pasta into a bowl and thinking about the kids who hugged you goodbye.

Thinking about the way Melissa's voice softened when she said, "You here all day?"

Thinking—maybe, maybe—you didn't want to leave after all.

⸻

The next morning started with rain, a stubbed toe, and Melissa offering you a mug of coffee with a gruff, "You good?" that sounded a little too much like don't leave for her comfort.

You nodded, hugging the cup. "I've got the Liberty interview after school."

She didn't look up from the toaster. "Right."

"They're big on tech integration, I guess. Lots of digital dashboards."

"That sounds like a nightmare."

You snorted. "Yeah, but at this point I need a job."

Melissa set the toast down harder than necessary. "Ava's supposed to interview you today."

You blinked. "What?"

"She's dragging her feet, as usual. But it's happening. After lunch."

"Wait, she actually said she'd do it?"

"She said if she had time between 'administering justice' and her lash appointment, she'd try."

You laughed into your mug. "That's promising."

Melissa didn't smile. Just looked at you—wet hair in soft waves, hoodie sleeves pushed up, sleepy eyes—and felt something crawl up her spine that she did not have time for.

"I'm just saying," she said, almost too casually, "you've already got people here who like you. That's worth something."

Your heart did a soft, dumb little flip.

But before you could answer, Jacob came crashing into the kitchen, soaked from the rain and ranting about a pigeon that stole his umbrella.

Melissa rolled her eyes and muttered, "Never mind."

⸻

At lunch, Ava finally remembered she was supposed to be doing something work-adjacent.

"Interview time!" she said, bursting into the teacher's lounge in a lime green tracksuit and sparkly slides. "Let's get this over with before I start reading your aura."

You blinked. "Wait, now?"

Jacob cheered. "Yay! You're gonna kill it!"

Barbara gave you a wink, and Janine practically dragged you to Ava's office, where a "job interview" was already in full swing. If you could call it that.

Ava had her feet on her desk and sunglasses on indoors. "So, tell me your name again. For legal reasons."

You blinked. "It's on my resume."

"Right. And what makes you wanna work at the greatest school in Philly?"

Janine popped up with a notepad like she was your agent. "She's good with kids, adaptable, certified in two states, and Jacob's sister but in a good way."

"I still say we make her co-assistant principal," Ava mused. "Then I don't have to attend meetings. Or answer emails. Or—wait, what's the job she's applying for again?"

You turned to Barbara, who gave you a rare, gentle smile from the seat beside Ava. "You belong here, dear. That's what we're saying."

You blinked. "All of you?"

A voice behind you—steady, low, familiar—answered.

"Yes."

You turned.

Melissa stood in the doorway, arms crossed like usual, but her eyes were soft. "You belong here."

And for the first time in a while, you believed it.

Back in the hallway after, Melissa walked with you in companionable silence.

"You're still going to Liberty?"

"I kind of have to. It's scheduled."

She nodded. "Right."

A beat.

"You know we'd take care of you here, right?"

You turned, a little startled.

Her eyes were dark, steady. "If you stayed."

You felt the air shift.

"Yeah," you said. "I know."

You didn't say it out loud, but you already knew the truth:

Liberty never stood a chance. You felt drawn to Abbott.

And maybe the people—one in particular.

Later than evening, Jacob left for a book reading at seven.

He hovered in the doorway with his tote bag and his excitement and his gentle insistence that you should come because it was "a very timely queer memoir and the author includes footnotes!", but you begged off, blaming a fake headache and an even faker yawn.

"I'll just stay in," you said, rubbing your temple. "Long day."

He bought it. Or pretended to. Either way, you waved him out and stayed behind.

With Melissa. Alone.

She didn't say much at first. Just went about reheating leftovers, her motions precise, practiced. You offered to help, and she handed you silverware and salad tongs without meeting your eye.

Dinner was quiet. Peaceful.

You sat across from each other, plates between you, the hum of the fridge filling the spaces where Jacob's chatter usually lived.

"I think I'm staying," you said eventually, voice low.

Melissa didn't look surprised. She nodded once. "Yeah?"

You pushed a piece of lettuce across your plate. "It's not just Abbott. Though it is that. I... haven't felt that wanted in a long time."

She looked up then. Met your eyes. "You should feel wanted."

You swallowed. "It's been a weird couple of years. I've moved around a lot. Never quite stuck. And I started thinking maybe it was me. That maybe I'm just not someone people... keep."

Melissa set her fork down.

"That's not true."

Your chest ached. "You don't know that."

"I know what I see."

You blinked.

Her voice was softer now, but steady. "The way my kids look at you. The way you listen. Like what they say matters."

You gave her a small, uneven smile. "Maybe I'm just good at pretending."

"You're not."

That stilled you.

She leaned back slightly, searching your face, like she wanted to say something more but didn't know how to get it past her teeth.

So you gave her a thread to pull. "Why do you care so much?"

Melissa's brow creased. "Because you matter."

Simple. Quiet. Like it had been true for a while now.

You didn't speak.

Just watched her, heart in your throat, as she reached for her wine and didn't drink it.

The air between you tightened. Subtle. Magnetic.

Your eyes dipped to her mouth.

And hers—to yours.

Neither of you moved. Not quite. But something shifted.

Her hand twitched like it wanted to reach across the table. Yours mirrored it without thinking.

Then she stood too fast, the chair scraping the floor. "I'll get dessert."

You blinked. "I didn't know there was dessert."

"There isn't," she said, already walking to the freezer. "But I got some stupid mini ice cream bars Jacob won't touch because they're not 'plant-based nostalgia.'"

You laughed, quietly.

She passed you one a minute later, sat back down. Didn't meet your eyes again for the rest of the meal.

But her foot bumped yours under the table and didn't move.

⸻

The next morning, you walked back into Abbott like you already belonged there.

Jacob met you at the front doors with a coffee and a proud older-brother smile that made your throat tighten.

"You look bright-eyed and extremely not-hungover," he said as you took the cup.

"High bar," you teased.

"Only the best for my beloved sister-slash-new favorite co-teacher. I told Ava you were coming in again, and she said, and I quote, 'Cool, free labor.' Which, honestly, is her love language."

You snorted, bumping shoulders with him as you followed him down the hall.

The school was warm. Familiar now. And terrifying in the way things are when you know you're already attached.

"I talked to Liberty," you admitted as you stepped into his classroom. "Told them I wasn't interested."

Jacob stopped short, eyes wide. "Wait. You—what?"

"I turned it down."

"You turned down Liberty for—" He gestured around you. "This?"

You looked around too. Paper mâché pyramids. Posters. Pencil shavings. Heart.

"Yes."

He stared at you. "Because of me?"

You smiled, soft and a little sad. "Because of you, because of the kids, because of Barbara and Janine and... because I didn't want to leave."

He caught it. The hesitation.

His eyes narrowed in a flash of older brother perception. "Because you didn't want to leave... who, exactly?"

You sat down at the student desk nearest you and busied yourself with straightening a pile of papers. "I'm not—"

"Melissa?" he said like a delighted accusation.

Your silence betrayed you.

"Oh my god. Oh my god," he whispered like it was Christmas morning. "You have a thing."

"I do not."

"You do. I knew it! I mean, it's classic. Grumpy redhead with a secret marshmallow center meets quiet, emotionally intelligent hot girl from out of town—"

"Jacob."

"You're basically a Hallmark movie."

You covered your face with your hands.

"I'm just saying," he went on, voice pitched with glee, "you two were literally staring at each other across the dinner table like you were in a period drama. I thought at any moment she was going to dramatically stand and declare her intentions."

"I nearly kissed her last night."

Jacob's jaw dropped so hard it may have unhinged.

"Are you kidding?!"

"No," you said quietly, cheeks warm. "But I didn't. She stood up. Got ice cream instead."

Jacob blinked. "God. That is the most Melissa thing I've ever heard."

"I don't know if I should tell her," you admitted. "What if I'm wrong? What if I misread it? What if I say something and ruin everything?"

Before he could respond, the door burst open.

"Did someone say romance?!"

Janine entered like a whirlwind of glitter and emotional intuition, coffee in hand, eyes bright.

Jacob pointed at you like he'd been waiting for backup. "She's in love with Melissa."

Janine gasped. "Knew it!"

You groaned, but Janine ignored it, pulling up a chair like this was an emergency meeting of the Abbott Elementary Love Council.

"Okay. We all see it. Melissa sees it. She just doesn't know what to do with it. Which is classic trauma response meets internalized tough-girl act. She needs a nudge."

You stared at them both. "A nudge?"

"Say something," Jacob urged. "Tell her. You don't even have to be weird about it. You could literally say, 'Hey, I like you. That's part of why I'm staying.'"

Janine nodded. "Boom. That's cute. That's honest. That's vulnerable."

"And if she doesn't feel the same?" you asked softly.

Jacob sobered. "She does."

Janine added, "But even if she didn't? You still belong here. You're not just Melissa-adjacent. You've got your own place here. We all feel it."

You stared down at your hands. Heart thudding.

You wanted to believe them. You wanted to believe that maybe this place—this person—could really be yours. But first, you had to stop dancing around it.

Before it passed you by.

Abbott's end of school day was always a kind of exhale. Students gone, halls quiet, the soft hum of the janitor's cart somewhere in the distance. Most teachers had packed up and left, or were hiding in their rooms pretending they had. You wandered the hall slowly, heart thudding in your chest like it had a deadline.

Melissa's classroom door was cracked.

You hesitated outside of it, one hand on the frame, willing your voice to work. When it didn't, you knocked gently and peeked inside.

She was alone, red pen still in hand, grading spelling tests with the same focus she gave her football bets and life in general.

"Hey," you said softly.

Her head lifted immediately. That unreadable look in her eyes again. "Hey."

"Can I come in?"

"Door's open," she said, but her voice had softened in a way that made it feel like more than just an answer.

You stepped inside, let the door close gently behind you. She didn't stand, but she leaned back a little, arm resting along the edge of the desk, like she was trying not to look too interested.

You cleared your throat. "I, um... I turned Liberty down."

She blinked. "Yeah?"

You nodded, stepping a little closer. "And Addington. And the other one."

Her brow furrowed. "You're running out of options, sweetheart."

"I know." You took a breath. "Except one."

That made her go still.

You moved to the desk slowly, heart in your throat. "Abbott was never the plan. But the last few days... it's felt like home. I haven't felt that way in a long time. Not at school. Not anywhere."

Melissa set the pen down. Didn't speak.

"And I think part of that is Jacob and the kids and the chaos and Barbara's very gentle judgment."

That made her smile, small and flickering.

"But part of it," you continued, voice just a little more raw now, "is you."

You saw her take a breath. Her hands flexed lightly on the desk.

"I feel something when I'm near you," you said. "Like I've found something I didn't know I was missing. And I don't want to go back to not feeling that way. So if I'm staying—if I'm really doing this—then I need you to know that."

Silence.

You swallowed. "Melissa?"

She stood. Slowly. Crossed the room like she was approaching a fuse that might spark too early. But her eyes never left yours.

When she stopped in front of you, you weren't sure what to expect—she was hard to read at the best of times—but her hand reached up and gently brushed a piece of hair behind your ear.

"I knew," she said.

Your breath caught.

"I didn't want to," she added, a little quieter. "Because it felt like too much, too fast. Like maybe I'd scare you off."

You gave a wet laugh. "That's Jacob's job."

She smiled.

Then, more serious: "But I don't want to scare you. I don't want to push."

"You're not," you said. "I'm here. I want to be here."

Her hand lingered by your cheek. You leaned into it, just slightly, and her thumb brushed your skin like she couldn't believe she was allowed to.

She leaned in—just a few inches—and stopped.

"Can I—?"

You kissed her.

Soft. Sure. Like you were making a promise.

When you pulled away, she looked dazed in the best way. Her voice was rough when she finally spoke.

"Jesus Christ."

You smiled. "That a good 'Jesus Christ' or a bad one?"

She kissed you this time.

Yeah. Definitely a good one.

Ten minutes later, you were walking side-by-side down the hallway, Melissa's hand brushing yours but not quite holding it. You couldn't stop smiling.

"You know," you said, "technically Ava hasn't even offered me the job."

"She will," Melissa muttered.

"And if she doesn't?"

"I'll threaten her."

You laughed. "You think that'll work?"

Melissa gave you a look. "You ever been threatened by a Schemmenti? Works every time."

As you turned the corner toward Ava's office, you glanced sideways at her.

"Thank you," you said softly.

She didn't ask for what.

Just bumped your shoulder and said, "Don't thank me yet. You still gotta survive picture day, parent-teacher conferences, and at least one fire drill where a kid pulls it because he forgot his homework."

You grinned. "Sounds like home."

She looked at you then—really looked at you—and nodded.

"It is now."

[miloscozycorner]

𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐄𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝☁︎︎

+ Some headcanons below the cut..

matching w/ @downinthehull <3

-> Only time he indulges his sweet tooth is when he’s teeny, because he doesn’t feel as guilty for it

-> Regresses between 3-5

-> Loves playing board games so much! His favorite board game is Monopoly >:b Not a huge fan of card games- he’s not very good at it. He plays against himself (and gets genuinely upset when he loses)

-> He finds gardening fun, but mostly uses pretend toys, not actually gardening

-> He’s pretty anxious about the idea of a caregiver, and would only be comfortable regressing by himself (janine might be the exception but he’s probably too awkward for it)

-> Not a big fan of stuffies. Instead he made himself a collection of pet rocks that he decorates and gives silly faces (and names, of course)

-> Not very verbal, but mostly because he’s just on his own anyways. Though if he was with Janine he’d probably be very quiet and not too good w/ words, but again, that’s a big if

-> Doesn’t like playing pretend or anything. He’s pretty content just sitting with his rocks and being silly by himself :3

[alittlespa-gay-ceforme]

A bit of a switch up from the regularly scheduled witches. Caregiver Melissa Schemmenti my beloved

(Pics from pinterest, pngs from tumblr)

[gardencactus]

Jack Griffin from A.P Bio would be Abbott Elementary’s worst nightmare but would be an average teacher at Greendale Community College.

[deconstructingintheblanketfort]

Little Gregory Eddie Moodboard

🪴🦖🚙🧸

[cissyenthusiast010155]

Mel’s Terms of Endearment Headcanons ~Melissa Schemmenti xFem Girlfriend!Reader

It struck me that since Melissa is Italian, there could be some great headcanons for nicknames for her girlfriend. I found this page, that was helpful on Italian terms of endearment. And so, I bring you these headcanons: (Also, this is by no means an exhaustive list of the nicknames I think Melissa would use)

Mommy… Master List

Requests & Prompt-List

Warnings: implied NSFW, lots of fluff, blushing, light teasing, terms of endearment, pet names, nicknames, kissing, PDA, jealousy, implied exhibitionist kink, implied strap-on fucking, body adoration, rough menstrual cycle, implied smut, quick heated kiss, comforting, little angst, fluffy fluff fluff, etc.

Enjoy (:

Hun’

Hun’ is for most public situations. This is Mel’s across the board term of endearment when there are others around.

“Hey Hun’…?” Melissa called out from her classroom to you passing in the hallway.

You feet immediately swiveled to the sound of your girlfriend summoning you. You popped your head into the classroom full of kids and your favorite red head.

“Yeah, what’s up, Mel?” You lovingly chirped.

The woman swayed over to you.

“I think I left some copies for my class on the printer… Would you mind watching my class while I go grab them?” She gently asked, batting her eyelashes at you.

You chuckled lightly and blushed.

You couldn’t ever deny this woman anything…

“I’m going to the office anyway, let me grab your copies for you…” you answered.

Melissa’s face lit up and a smirk plastered her face.

“Love ya…!” She cooed, quiet enough for none of the kids to hear.

“You too, baby…” you replied in a hushed tone, turning around and making your way to the office for the red head.

~~~

Babe

Babe is a higher level of Hun’. Mel uses it sometimes in public, and it’s a tad more affectionate. This her go-to if she wants to establish that your hers…

Barbara had a teachers aid this year. Not that’s he needed it, no, not at all. But Barbara had volunteered to take the sweet girl on, so that she could learn a bit about teaching first hand.

She was young, like you. She was actually younger than you, but closer in age than you and Melissa. And she immediately took to liking you.

A little too much in Melissa’s opinion…

Melissa was at lunch per usual, and she was taking rather harsh stabs at her salad.

“Melissa, Dear, now what has that salad done to you…?” Barbara teased lightly, but also genuinely curious and concerned for her colleague.

“Your new teachers aid…” The red head grumbled.

“What are you—” Barbara began, but her eyes got distracted at you in the hallway.

You were just trying to walk to the break room, when the young woman stepped in front of you. You yelped slightly. She began talking to you and very obviously flirting a bit.

It’s not that she was horrible… Your heart simply belonged to someone else. But she had taken you so aback and was talking so much, you barely got a word in. From the corner of your eye, you could see Barbara and Melissa watching.

You could feel Melissa’s hard and intent gaze…

And before you knew it, the red head was up from her seat and beside you. She linked her arm around yours and looked to you.

“Don’t mean to interrupt…”

She most definitely did.

“But I need your help, Babe… In my classroom. Now.” She gritted out with the most fake smile.

She practically dragged you back to her classroom, closed the door, and slammed you against it. Her lips smashed against yours. You moaned lightly at her fervor.

“Mel… we’re in public…” you panted.

“Don’t Care… she can’t have you… your mine…” she rambled into the kiss.

You chuckled lightly and took the woman by the cheeks, meeting her gaze.

“Baby, im yours. Only yours. No one else’s.” You reassured your girlfriend.

This seemed to calm her down a bit.

“Alright…” she sighed.

“Good.”

You smiled lightly and gave her a peck on the lips.

“But I get first dips on the strap when we get home…” she murmured.

You dropped your jaw for dramatic effect and swatted the red head. This led to both of you chuckling and laughing your way happily back to the break room.

~~~

Cutie

Cutie is reserved for Melissa’s sweet and tender moments or her term for you when she’s edging you in or out of your subspace. This one is not said in public as much, it’s more of a private, little nickname that never fails to make you blush…

You sat on the couch, cradling yourself, a tub of ice cream at your side, and the tv on. You had called out of work today, because of your cramps. They were the worst sometimes. At best, you were in constant, stabbing pains, but still able to walk. At worst, they completely incapacitated you.

At 6, your red headed girfriend walked through the door. Her eyes immediately met your hurting frame. She put her stuff down, taking her jacket off, and made her way over to you on the couch. She placed the ice cream on the living room table and you whimpered slightly.

But you sighed out in content as the red head moved you to lay in her lap. She began stroking your hair and moving down your frame. Eventually, your eyes moved from the tv screen to Mel’s. Your eyes were glossy and looked exhausted.

“Hey Baby…” Melissa gently cooed.

“Hi…” your hoarse throat managed to get out.

“Haven’t slept…?”

You shook your head. The red head hummed in response, continuing to caress your frame.

Another thing about your period… It made your hormones wild. It was like a heat…

You could feel your core already warming up in need, and your hips began to move instinctually into your girlfriends lap. You then felt her hands pick you up, so that you were sitting in her lap.

“Want me to take care of ya…?” She lovingly asked.

You pouted with your lips and eyes, nodding eagerly. Melissa chuckled lightly at how adorable you were.

“Such a hopeless Cutie, aren’t ya…?” She softly purred.

You bit your lip and nodded. She then began taking off the oversized hoodie, exposing your chest to the woman. Her eyes widened at your top naked half.

Damn, she would never get tired of your body…

~~~

Amore (love)

Amore is when Mel is feeling romantic or wants to express her commitment to you. This is to remind you and her of your partnership and her Italian roots. This is for more intimate, loving moments, and is used less, but on occasion in public.

It was date night.

Every Friday, you and your red headed girlfriend set aside everything for date night. With both of you working, you had found it tricky to get time with each other. Date night was one solution to this dilemma.

You walked through the front door and were immediately met with the aroma of Mel’s fabulous cooking.

She must have beaten you home…

You set down your things and made your way into the kitchen. The red head was standing by the counter, making a sauce of some sorts. You came up from behind and wrapped your arms around the woman. Melissa immediately relaxed at your touch.

“Heyyy Amore…” she hummed.

“Hi Baby…” you whispered, beginning to lovingly pepper kisses along her neck and shoulders.

“Watcha making…?” You curiously asked.

“Ravioli…” Melissa hummed.

You hummed in delight at the red heads words.

“I’ll set the table…!” You chirped, making Melissa chuckle lightly.

Once the table has been set, and Melissa had brought over the food, you two could properly eat. But before you both went to sit down, you stopped the red head by the side of the table, lovingly connecting your lips to hers. She caringly met your lips. You both hummed happily into each others lips. But as soon as the kiss was getting heated, your girlfriend pulled away.

“Later Amore, Let’s eat first…” she cooed.

You bit your lip, blushing lightly, and nodded in agreement. You both then sat down and enjoyed your meal, discussing each others days and such.

Later indeed…

~~~

Cucciola (cub/baby)

Cucciola is used by Mel for sweet, intimate moments where she somehow has the upper hand, power, something over you. It’s very loving like Amore. But also on the other hand, this is the nickname for her replacement for Baby. Melissa uses this in more private occasions and less in public, but when she does use it in public, it never fails to make you blush.

Melissa waltzed into the break room and sat down next to Barbara.

“Well you seem awfully chipper today, dear…” Barb hummed.

Melissa had a big smile plastered on her face as she nodded.

“Got my leftover lasagna from the weekend with me…!” She quipped.

But as the red head went to open her lunch bag, she realized it wasn’t hers… It was yours… She internally smacked herself in the face. A frustrated groan left the woman’s lift.

“What’s wrong?” Barbara asked.

“Accidentally swapped my lunch with Y/N’s…” she grumbled, packing your salad back up and standing up.

“Be right back…!” She sighed.

Melissa walked down the hallways until she reached your classroom. She knocked lightly, hating to interrupt you as you were finishing up your class. You came to the door, your face brightening at the sight of your girlfriend.

“Hey Baby… What’s up…?” You whispered.

“Our lunches seem to be swapped.” She spoke in a low tone, showing you your lunch bag, “Be a doll and grab mine, Cucciola…?”

Your breath hitched lightly at the nickname and blushed. You nodded and immediately went to your desk and grabbed Melissa’s lunch, bringing it back to the door.

“Thank you, Cucciola.” She sighed in relief, “You’re a lifesaver…”

She gave you a kiss on the cheek and left, leaving you light headed and flustered.

~~~

Cucciolina (little cub/baby)

Cucciolina is close to Cucciola, except it’s used at an even more extreme of when Mel wants to show her being above you in some way. It’s also a very soft term of endearment. This is rarely used in public, unless Melissa is purposely teasing you somehow.

You were cuddled up with your red headed girlfriend on the couch when the oven timer started blaring through the room.

Your face lit up with excitement and giddiness, and you practically jumped off Melissa’s lap, running into the kitchen. You could already smell it… Mel’s famous baked ziti.

“Wait, Amore!! Be careful, it’s hot—!!” The woman warned with a shout to you in the kitchen.

But you did not head her advice. No, you were too excited. Melissa got up from the couch with a chuckle. She heard a little bit of clattering and then silence. She made her way into the kitchen, only to find you sitting on the counter, your face contorted in pain and your hand cradling three of your fingers. Tears threatened to form.

The red head immediately rushed over to you, checking you up and down to see the extent of your injuries.

“Cucciolina, what happened??” She spoke, her tone laced with care and concern.

You looked at the woman with your lips trembling slightly. She then moved her focus to your face and fingers, watching a silent tear escape your eyelid.

“I… too hot… didn’t think… Mel…hurts…” you whimpered, in pain but also embarrassed that you hadn’t listened to Melissa, and a few more tears escaped your eyes.

She took your three fingers to examine the damage, and she wasn’t going to lie, you had burned yourself pretty badly. Melissa took you in her embrace lovingly, comforting you.

“I’m here, Cucciolina, don’t you worry… It’s okay to cry… I’ll take care of you.” She cooed.

You nodded with more tears falling down your cheeks and running down your chin. The red head proceeded to kiss your tears away. She then went to the oven, turned it off, and went over to the freezer to grab some ice. She wrapped the ice around a towel and wrapped that around your finger.

Melissa then scooped you up and carried you back to the couch, laying you in her lap. You snuggled into the woman’s embrace. Silence took the room, except for your occasional whimpers and silent tears. The red head eventually began caressing your form, running her fingers through your hair and stroking your spine lovingly.

“Mel…? Can I have some baked ziti…?” You eventually whispered.

This made the Melissa chuckle lightly.

“Sure, Amore. I’ll get you some.” She cooed.

~~~

Melissa Schemmenti Masterlist

[mephist00o]

desc: Sevika x elementary school teacher!reader random headcannons

tags: POC!reader, slow burn ish, Isha and Jinx mention

a\n: Im imagining this to be set in the abbot elementary universe bc crossover au's>>>> 🙂‍↕️, I wanna maybe do something more with this concept so lmk how y'all feel abt it. enjoy !!!

I wanna imagine you and Sevika first meeting at the school

She's dropping Isha off your classroom and sees you for the first time and gets all flustered 🤭

From that day on she makes an effort to always find a way to make small talk with you.

Also Ava is 10000% gonna be on ur ass about it 😭

At first you're completely oblivious to Sevika and her antics due to you being preoccupied with your students, but Sevika never stopped chasing you 🫶🏾

Days would go by and you'd eventually start getting feelings for her too.

Your heart would start to flutter and you'd stumble on your words whenever she was around.

Your students IMMEDIATELY clocked TF outta you 😭.

(you don't find out till later but a student eventually made a secret ship account for the two of you without you knowing).

during the time you and Sevika get closer, Isha and Jinx is y'all's biggest supporter.

As you guys get closer to being official, Sevika would send u "anonymous" bouquets of flowers while ur at work.

All your students would start giggling while "OOOOO's" circle around the classroom.

Whenever Sevika's coming to pick up Isha she makes it a POINT to talk to you for a good 6 minutes before actually leaving.

During lunch, Melissa and Barbara would be BEGGING for you two to finally get together 🤭 (for months you've been denying it).

Melissa bluntly telling you to just "get it over with because she clearly likes you too".

You can't even protest before the entire faculty starts agreeing 😔.

I can see the eventual confession going like this: Sevika is the last one at pickup this time and tell Isha to wait for her in the car. You on the other hand can't wait to just get this off your chest. You end up having nonsense small talk and just end up blurting out "I like you" at the same time.

Isha AND Jinx come out and there just relieved that the meaningless mutual pinning is over officially.

you and Sevika finally broke the news to the others (abbott crew) and they lowkey we're unfazed

Ava would say something like "Clap if we didn't see this coming" 😭.

and you lived happily ever after 😘

[andipxndy-writes]

will you be my maybe?

fandom: abbott elementary warnings: tw: injury; tw: blood; tw: hospital (in earlier parts) requested by: anon 1 & anon 2 word count: 2.5k

cross-posted to ao3

chapter summary:

“Well, that conversation was… interesting.” The snort that came out of Janine’s mouth in response to what he said made him feel that little bit better about actually saying it. Not that it was a particularly nice thing to say… especially about someone’s mom… “Honestly? I was afraid that would go a whole lot worse.” Gregory’s eyebrows rose. Worse? He didn’t want to know how that could’ve gone worse. Before he could make that comment, though, Janine was smiling at him. They've reached her cousin's house, and Janine is getting stuck in helping out as she usually does. Unfortunately, that leaves Gregory open for conversation with her family... and that includes her mother.

will you be my maybe? chapter 5: family

If there was anything Janine both loved and hated, it was being fussed over by her family.

It wasn’t as though she was the youngest of them (despite being the shortest by quite a long way), but she was always treated like that. Maybe it was because of the way her mom was, the way everyone treated her, but Janine was absolutely babied.

Her sister wasn’t, of course, but that was probably because she wasn’t around enough to get babied.

(Then again, maybe it was because Janine was absolutely short enough to be babied by the rest of her family…)

“I just can’t believe you went and got yourself injured before you even made it here, Janine,” one of her cousins was saying as she moved around, prepping one of the salads. “You couldn’t have at least waited so that we could blame it on Uncle Ron?”

The laughter that followed that statement made Janine roll her eyes. “I can’t let him get the blame for everything,” she pointed out… though, really and truly, she didn’t want him to get the blame for anything. She thought the old guy was nice, and he’d always given her sweets when she was younger. She wasn’t going to blame him for no reason when she was the one who injured herself.

Anyway, enough of that tangent. Moving away from the salad counter (where she’d been alternating between helping out and snacking on some of the salad), she turned towards the kitchen archway to see whether Gregory was out there.

She was more than a little surprised to see that he wasn’t still out there. Where she could see him.

She was also a little scared (she knew what her family could be like).

“Um, excuse me,” she said (to no one in particular, though there were plenty of people around her who probably would’ve heard her anyway) before heading out of the kitchen, in the direction she last saw Gregory. Glancing around, she very quickly realised that she couldn’t exactly guess where he’d gone… until she realised the door to the back porch was open and she breathed a sigh of relief.

It wasn’t like he would leave; he wasn’t the kind of person who would just leave her there… not when they had plans for the rest of the weekend. And not when he was her ride in and out of this place. Gregory wasn’t mean enough to do that.

Pushing the door open a little more, she stepped outside and was more than a little glad when she spotted Gregory outside, leaning on the porch railing. She closed the door until it was slightly ajar, just as she’d found it, before heading over to where he was a leaning on the railing beside him.

“Hey,” she greeted. She didn’t even bother stopping the smile that grew on her face when his head turned towards her, and he smiled at her.

“Hey,” he greeted right back. “What are you doing out here?”

“I could ask you the same question.” She almost thought that he was going to rebuff her, point out that he asked her the question first, but he seemed to pause and look thoughtful for a few moments before opening his mouth to speak.

“I just needed to think, you know?” His voice was soft, almost like… was he guilty that he was feeling this way? Why was he feeling guilty? He had nothing to feel guilty about.

That was, if he was feeling guilty.

“The place is real busy, you know? I mean, yeah, it’s loud and busy at school, but…” He made a gesture, a vague gesture, probably indicating to size or the school or the house or… Janine wasn’t sure. But, at the same time, she understood what he meant. She understood because sometimes her family overwhelmed her too.

“Yeah, I know.” She wanted to say more — she had to say more. “My family… you know, they don’t know any volume other than loud. I guess I grew up with it, so I got used to it over time, but it… well, it is loud.” She looked down at the dead grass out in the garden, before leaning over and nudging him gently. “I’m sorry if you’re really struggling. I didn’t mean to bring you somewhere that would overwhelm you.”

And she really hadn’t. All she’d wanted was to have someone to hang out with for the weekend, someone to chat with whilst with her family, and a friend to keep her company during any times that she was avoiding said family. And Gregory was perfect for that — it was so easy to be with him, so easy to talk to him and just hang out with him, that she was more than a little glad that he’d even agreed to be there with her. They had plans, they weren’t going to be around her loud family the whole time, and there were members of her family who were considerably quieter than the rest.

Plus, there were quieter places. Like the garden and the back porch (before all the food was brought out — then that place would be even louder than it was inside). Where they were right then was nice and peaceful for the time being.

“Hey, it’s alright.” He gave that little half smile that made Janine feel all happy and bubbly inside (because she really liked seeing that smile, it was really sweet). “Besides, it’s easier when you’re here.”

Janine had to try really hard not to blush at that.

“Anyway.” He straightened up, stretching his arms upwards before relaxing. “You said you’d show me around, and I couldn’t miss out on that.” The grin that he gave her excited her. “I’m looking forward to seeing what you have in mind.”

She couldn’t stop the grin that grew on her own face, reflecting his expression. “Oh, you should. Because I have this whole itinerary planned—”

“Oh, you know how I love itineraries.”

“—and this is going to be the best weekend holiday you’ll ever experience.” Just the way he was smiling at her as she spoke, the way he seemed just as enthused as (if not more so than) her about this whole thing settled her heart. Yeah, sure, he had been overwhelmed, and she was still ridiculously, completely sorry about that, but she’d planned something that she knew he would love and they’d get to hang out together and they’d see all new things and get to just have fun and—

“Janine, baby, are you out here?”

And somehow, her mother’s voice calling out to her brought her crashing back down to reality. Which… kind of made her feel bad. Because she loved her mom, she really did, but she also knew what her mom could be like…

Which she showed very clearly when the door practically slammed open, the older woman waltzing out onto the back porch like she owned the place. Which she obviously did not, but she didn’t have the heart (or the guts) to remind her mother of that.

“Mom!” Despite the fact that her other had interrupted her conversation with Gregory, though, she was still at least a little happy to see her. Or, more like a lot happy (because she rarely got the chance to see her). “I thought you were helping out with getting all the food ready?”

She laughed. “Janine, baby, you know I can’t be getting food all up under these nails! I gotta keep them fresh and beautiful!” She headed straight over to Janine, taking her cheeks in her hands. Now lemme get a good and proper look at you, I haven’t had the chance to see you properly since you got h— oh baby, look at your head!”

Janine (reluctantly) pulled away, feeling her cheeks heat up again. “Mom, it’s fine. The doctors said I’m okay, nothing serious.”

She pointedly ignored Gregory right then, because she was pretty sure that she could feel the look he was giving her at what she’d just said. But she wasn’t going to tell her mom what the doctors had said, or she would never let her leave. She might even make her live with her.

She loved her mom, but she wasn’t going to do that.

“Did he do this?” Her voice was low, but Janine knew that Gregory had heard her. She was offended on his behalf.

“No, mom!” She pushed her mother’s hands away again as she tried to fuss again. “I fell. That’s it. I fell. He didn’t do anything to me!”

“I would never lay a single hand on your daughter, ma’am.” Gregory’s voice was so earnest, that even if Janine didn’t know the truth, she would believe him. To her, Gregory didn’t look like the kind of guy who would take advantage of a woman like that.

Maybe he didn’t look like that to her mom.

“I fell whilst packing,” Janine explained. “I was trying to reach something high up—”

“And he didn’t help you?”

Janine could hear the accusatory tone in her mother’s voice, and she had to try very hard not to get defensive over Gregory. (Which was weird, really, because she didn’t even usually feel this defensive over herself.) “I didn’t ask for help, but he helped me get to the hospital afterwards.”

“He drove you?”

Internally, Janine cringed. “He called me an ambulance.”

She knew that those were probably the worst words she could have said right then, because then her mom was giving Gregory daggers and instinctively she moved to stand in front of him. Why couldn’t she just lie and protect Gregory from the obvious negativity that her mother was going to show. “I was unconscious!”

“A real man would’ve driven you to the hospital instead of making you foot the ambulance bill,” her mother snapped.

“He’s not making me foot the bill,” she argued, just as Gregory spoke up with, “I’m the one footing the bill.” Janine turned to look at him sharply, her eyes wide.

“You don’t have to—”

“I called the ambulance. That makes this my problem.”

Janine opened her mouth to argue again, but the look in Gregory’s eye told her that no matter what she said, he wasn’t going to listen. He’d already made up his mind.

“Baby, let the man pay.”

Her mother’s entrance to the conversation was jarring. Her hand on her shoulder was even more so.

“When a man offers to pay for something, you don’t question it,” her mother whispered into her ear. And then, she didn’t need to look at her mother to know she was smiling at Gregory — at that the smile was either fake or predatory. “Thank you so much for taking care of my baby girl. Sometimes she overestimates what she’s capable of, but we know she’s got the spirit.”

Right then, she wanted to ground to swallow her up whole. This could not seriously be her mother right then.

“You’re welcome, ma’am,” Gregory responded, and Janine knew for a fact that he was tense. She just didn’t know what exactly her mother had said to make him tense, but she’d just erased the whole reason he’d come out.

Her mother acted as though she didn’t notice how awkward Gregory was feeling — or maybe she didn’t actually notice at all. She simply turned to Janine, kissing her on the forehead as though that was something she always did.

It probably would have been if she actually saw Janine enough. (But Janine didn’t think that, oh no.)

“How about you come inside and help us with the cooking prep, baby?”

Deep down, Janine knew that her mother would have nothing to do with the food prep. If anything, she would be “helping out” with taste testing and not doing much of anything else. That was how it always was, every year.

Which wasn’t really a problem, in her eyes. (It was in Ayesha’s, though — every time.)

“Sure, mom,” Janine smiled at her. “I’ll be right there, promise.”

Her mother hesitated, and Janine was slightly afraid that she would say something to force her to come inside, but instead she smiled. “Of course, baby! Just don’t keep us waiting! You know how I love your salads.”

And with that, her mother headed inside, leaving herself and Gregory out on the back porch.

***

There were, honestly, a lot of things Gregory thought about the situation that had just happened. It wasn’t something he’d expected to happen, not really, but he didn’t know what to expect with Janine’s family. But he also didn’t expect to say anything about what had just happened.

It was just that the words unintentionally slipped out of his mouth.

“Well, that conversation was… interesting.”

The snort that came out of Janine’s mouth in response to what he said made him feel that little bit better about actually saying it. Not that it was a particularly nice thing to say… especially about someone’s mom…

“Honestly? I was afraid that would go a whole lot worse.”

Gregory’s eyebrows rose. Worse? He didn’t want to know how that could’ve gone worse. Before he could make that comment, though, Janine was smiling at him.

“Thank you so much for offering to help out with the hospital bill…” And then she was looking down at her feet, and he already knew what she was going to say. “Honestly, though, you don’t—”

“I’m going to help, Janine,” he cut in, his voice soft. “I’m going to help because that’s what friends do. Especially when said friends are part of the reason why the bill is so high.”

“The bill being so high is not your fault.”

“And you’ve got enough to pay for anyway without adding ‘riding in an ambulance’ to your list of things to pay for.”

When she stayed silent at that one, he knew he had her there.

“Anyway, we didn’t come here to think about that,” Janine brushed off the whole conversation with ease, as though she was avoiding it. Gregory didn’t blame her for wanting to avoid it. “Do you want to come inside and try my salad before everything gets started? It’s the best salad you’ll ever have.”

The temptation was more than a little cute, and also pretty funny. Best salad?

“It’s got to be pretty amazing to top my list,” he said, leaning on the porch as he faced her. “I’ve tried some pretty incredible salads.”

“But none like mine.”

“You sure?”

“Absolutely.” She grinned at him as she turned to head inside, looking at him over her shoulder. Like she expected him to follow. “Of course, you won’t really know unless you come inside and find out yourself.”

And even though they were just friends, even though it was platonic, Gregory couldn’t help but feel like there was some sort of… teasing tension there as he watched her head inside, her back to him. A tension that made him head straight inside to try her salad, whether he liked it or not.

[shesgaymichaelscott]

I really enjoy your writing! xx

THANK YOUU 🥹💕 the support makes me feel so loved, especially when i'm in my head/anxious!! i'm sharing another chapter from sweet cheeks 1) bc why not but really 2) bc i'm feral for jealous/bottom!melissa hehehe

Melissa Schemmenti x OC (Lilia Greenley)

(jealous mel {new teacher comes in hot}, teasing, smut, melissa may or may not get bent over her desk🤭)

Word Count: 2.7k

~

The first day back in January hit like a snowball to the face.

Lilia barely had one foot in the building before she was hit with a chorus of overlapping voices—kids screaming about winter break, staff grumbling about being awake before 10 a.m., and Ava skating past on her Heelys with a cup of whipped cream she was calling coffee.

Melissa was already holding court by the copier, arguing with the ancient machine like it owed her money. "You had two weeks to fix yourself, and you wait 'til now to jam again?"

"New year, same copier," Jacob said as he passed by with an armful of laminated activity sheets and a sense of fragile optimism.

Lilia laughed and leaned against the wall, breath puffing in the chilly air still trapped in the hallway. She clutched her to-go coffee in both hands like it was keeping her alive.

Barbara breezed in with an air of grace and only a hint of chaos in her eyes. "Children are still on vacation time," she announced. "I am spiritually unprepared for their volume today."

Lilia made her way to her classroom, only to find a sticky note taped to her door in Ava's handwriting:

"Welcome back, Room 204. Time to CRAM for those state tests. Also: if anyone left any snacks in their desk before break, don't eat them. They are now legally part of the ecosystem."

Inside, her students were buzzing, more hyper than usual and full of winter break stories, but surprisingly... sweet.

"Miss G!" one of her students called. "Is it true you're practically engaged to Miss Schemmenti now?"

Lilia blinked. "What?"

Another kid chimed in. "My cousin is in third grade and she said her friend's sister's aunt works here and saw you two kiss at the holiday party!"

Lilia flushed but grinned, setting her coffee down. "That is... very detailed secondhand information."

"Are you gonna get married?" a girl asked, starry-eyed.

"She already gave her a necklace," another boy pointed out. "That's serious."

Lilia tried to redirect, but the damage was done. They were off and running—half her students turning into gossip hounds, the other half drawing hearts around "Miss G + Miss S" in their notebooks. Honestly? She didn't mind.

She stole away during her planning period to sneak down the hall and peek into Melissa's classroom.

Melissa clocked her immediately and smirked. "You miss me already, Greenley?"

"Always," Lilia grinned, slipping inside. "You surviving?"

"Barely," Melissa muttered, nodding toward a kid who was currently stacking chairs for no apparent reason. "But my motivation is about five-foot-five, walks like a Disney princess, and sleeps in my bed, so I'm pushing through."

Lilia flushed, heart flipping even though she lived with this woman now. She wandered over, catching Melissa's hand and squeezing it. Just a little.

"I forgot how exhausting the first day back is," Lilia muttered, forehead pressed to Melissa's shoulder.

Melissa snorted and pulled her close. "I didn't. That's why I threatened to fake an ankle sprain."

By midweek, the dust of back-to-school chaos was just starting to settle—papers were finally in folders, the copier was (mostly) cooperating, and kids were sliding back into their routines with the sluggishness of molasses. Lilia was perched on her stool in front of the whiteboard when Ava strutted into her classroom mid-lesson, sunglasses on, sipping from what appeared to be a mimosa in a travel mug.

Behind her stood a woman Lilia hadn't seen before.

"New blood!" Ava announced, like she was introducing a contestant on The Bachelor. "This here is Miss Soraya Delgado. Fourth grade. Be nice to her, or don't—I'll still get paid."

Lilia blinked, sliding off her stool with a friendly smile. "Hi! I'm Lilia Greenley, eighth grade. Welcome to the chaos."

Soraya smiled back—and it was definitely the kind that lingered. Warm. Curious. Maybe a little flirty. "It's lovely to meet you. I've heard about you already."

"Oh?" Lilia tilted her head.

"Only good things. Mostly that your classroom has the best vibe and the cutest Halloween decorations." Her eyes sparkled as she added, "They left out how beautiful you are, though."

Lilia flushed. "Um—thank you. That's—"

A chair screeched in the hallway. Melissa appeared in the doorway two seconds later, eyes immediately locked on Soraya.

"Oh hey, babe," Lilia greeted, relief flashing through her smile. "This is Soraya. She's the new fourth-grade teacher."

Melissa's smile was tight. "Nice to meet you."

Soraya smiled with no awareness of the small lightning storm now crackling under Melissa's skin. "You must be Melissa. I've also heard about you."

"Bet you have," Melissa said coolly.

Ava popped her head back in, clearly thriving. "Oh good, all my favorite drama magnets in one room."

After the school day ended, the group found themselves loitering in the lounge—Lilia pouring tea, Jacob recapping his class's chaotic reenactment of the Boston Tea Party, and Janine buzzing in with end-of-day energy.

"Okay," Jacob said, watching Melissa stalk past the lounge window for the third time in ten minutes, "either she's pacing out a football play or she's jealous."

Janine turned. "Did something happen?"

Lilia sighed, fiddling with her tea. "The new teacher—Soraya—she... might've flirted with me earlier?"

Jacob screeched. "WHAT?! Did Melissa see?!"

"She walked in mid-flirt," Lilia said. "And hasn't stopped hovering since."

Barbara entered the lounge at that moment, taking one look at Melissa peeking into Lilia's classroom again and sighing. "Lord give me strength."

"I think it's cute," Janine said. "Melissa being all territorial."

"Until someone gets shoved in the parking lot," Jacob muttered.

Melissa eventually cornered Lilia in the library while she was shelving donated books.

"You like her?" she asked bluntly, arms crossed.

Lilia blinked. "Are we... in high school right now?"

Melissa scowled.

"Mel," Lilia said gently, walking over and wrapping her arms around her girlfriend's waist. "You are the only woman I've ever wanted to live with, wake up to, build a life with. No one else even makes the radar."

Melissa softened a little but still grumbled, "She called you beautiful."

"You call me beautiful and feed me in bed. She's not competition."

Melissa let out a sigh. "I know. I just... you're the best damn thing in my life. Can't help it."

"I know." Lilia kissed her cheek. "And you're mine."

⸻

The next day, Soraya appeared in Lilia's doorway before first period like clockwork, holding two coffee cups and wearing a soft gray sweater that clung a little too well to her figure. She smiled with that same lingering warmth.

"Thought you could use a little caffeine reinforcement," she said, offering the second cup.

Lilia accepted it with a sheepish smile. "Oh! You're gonna spoil me."

"That's the goal," Soraya winked. "Plus, I had to repay you for helping me find the supply closet yesterday. I was starting to think Abbott had some kind of Narnia layout."

Before Lilia could answer, a throat cleared sharply behind them.

Melissa. Again.

She was holding a stack of copied worksheets and very obviously not looking at Soraya. "Lils, did you take the red pen from my desk again? I can't find it."

"You mean the one in your back pocket?" Lilia said, hiding a smile.

Melissa blinked, reached back, and swore softly. "Right. Never mind."

Soraya chuckled softly and offered Melissa a friendly smile. "Nice seeing you again."

"Mm." Melissa walked off without responding, her jaw clenched tight.

Five minutes later, she was pacing in her own classroom, muttering under her breath about the "new teacher energy" and "unprofessional flirting" when Ava strutted in, Jacob trailing close behind.

"Okay," Ava said, sunglasses already pushed to the top of her head. "You need a sedative or a drink."

Jacob added, "Or both. We can mix it. Call it a jealousita."

"I'm not jealous," Melissa snapped, slamming a drawer closed. "I'm just observant. That woman has been in Lilia's room every day this week."

"She's new," Jacob said. "She's trying to make friends."

"With her lips?!"

Ava cackled. "Girl. You're like three seconds away from rolling up in a leather jacket and pissing a circle around Lilia."

Melissa glared. "I should've never let her wear that green sweater today. She's unfair."

"And you're unwell," Jacob muttered. "But we support."

Back in Lilia's room, one of her students leaned over with a knowing smirk. "Ms. Greenley, Ms. Schemmenti glared at your door again. That's like the third time."

"She does that," Lilia said, sipping the coffee Soraya gave her and suppressing a laugh. "It means she loves me."

By lunch, Melissa had cornered Jacob behind the vending machines.

"I don't like her," she said simply.

"You don't even know her."

"I don't need to. Her intentions are obvious."

Jacob squinted. "Is this jealousy hot for Lilia?"

Melissa paused. "Unfortunately."

The staff room was loud with microwave beeping, clinking mugs, and the usual lunchtime chaos. Soraya had just breezed in, complimenting Janine's hair and sliding into the seat across from Lilia with a flirtatious grin and a salad she definitely didn't plan on eating.

"So," she said, lightly brushing her fingers against Lilia's arm as she reached for a napkin. "Any plans this weekend? You seem like a winter hike type. Or maybe brunch and a bookstore?"

Jacob's eyebrows shot up so fast they practically hit his hairline. Melissa, on the other side of the table, paused mid-bite of her sandwich. Her jaw tensed.

Lilia, ever sweet, gave a soft laugh. "I'm actually pretty booked. But that sounds nice."

Soraya gave her a lingering look before standing and tossing her lunch remains in the trash. "Well, if you ever change your mind... door's always open. Literally—I teach across the hall." She winked, then headed out with a sway of her hips and a casual wave.

The second the door swung shut behind her, Melissa stood up, slammed her sandwich down on her plate, and stormed over to Lilia.

Everyone went dead silent.

Melissa leaned down, bracing both hands on either side of Lilia's chair, her voice low but heated as she said, "You're mine. Just so we're all clear. She's cute or whatever, but I'm the one who gets to take you home, undress you, and hear all those little noises you make when I kiss your neck."

Lilia's eyes widened, cheeks flushing immediately. Barbara nearly choked on her tea. Janine froze with a spoon halfway to her mouth. Ava whispered, "Finally."

"Oh my God," Jacob whispered. "This is the best day of my life."

Melissa didn't break eye contact as she added, "So if Miss New Hire wants to play friendly? Fine. But she lays one more finger on you, and I'll remind her exactly how serious I am about you. Got it?"

Lilia blinked, her mouth dry. "Yes, ma'am."

Melissa kissed her. In front of everyone. Full, possessive, slow enough to make Ava holler and Barbara mutter something about "good heavens."

When she finally pulled away, Melissa smirked. "Good girl." Then sat back down like nothing happened.

"Uhh—so, anyway, these budget cuts—"

Jacob screams, "No. We are not moving on like that didn't just happen!"

"Can we all clap? Because that was art." Ava applauds and bows to Melissa.

Lilia just sat there, dazed and red-faced, her heart beating out of her chest and her coffee forgotten.

And Melissa? She was finally satisfied—for now.

⸻

Melissa barely had time to settle her class back into their afternoon routine before there was a soft knock at the door. A familiar head peeked in—Lilia, glowing from lunch, eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Sorry to interrupt," she said sweetly, stepping inside with a folder in her hand. "I just had to drop something off for Miss Schemmenti."

Melissa sat straighter in her desk chair, already suspicious. "You did, huh?"

The kids—her precious, nosy, too-smart-for-their-own-good second graders—lit up.

"Miss Greenley!!" "You guys live together now, right?!" "Are you gonna get married?!" "I like your shoes." "Do you sleep in the same bed? My moms do." "Are you gonna stay forever?!"

Lilia laughed, soft and easy, perching on the edge of Melissa's desk. "Well, I hope so. I really like it here."

Melissa just stared at her, a slow, sharp smirk forming. Lilia in her classroom, surrounded by her kids, looking effortlessly gorgeous? That was dangerous.

"Alright, alright," Melissa said, waving her hand. "Y'all got math to finish. Stop flirting with my girlfriend."

"You flirted first!" a kid yelled.

Lilia leaned closer, lips near Melissa's ear. "I'll pick you up after school. You might want to lock your door."

Melissa swallowed, hard. "You're playing a dangerous game, baby."

Lilia smiled. "I know."

⸻

The bell had barely rung when Melissa's classroom door clicked shut again, this time with purpose. She didn't even have time to spin around before Lilia was already on her—backing her gently against the chalkboard, eyes bright with heat and mischief.

"So," Lilia whispered, pressing a slow kiss beneath Melissa's jaw, "you wanna make sure the whole school knows I'm yours?"

Melissa gave a low groan, her hands gripping Lilia's waist. "Not complaining, are you?"

"Oh, not even close." Lilia's voice dropped, sultry and breathy as she kissed behind Melissa's ear. "But now it's my turn to remind you who you belong to."

Melissa's knees actually went weak.

Lilia smirked as she slowly undid the top two buttons of Melissa's blouse. "You're mine too, Mel. Don't think I forgot that little show at lunch."

Melissa tried to bite back a moan. "You planning to make good on this revenge of yours?"

"Oh, baby," Lilia whispered, lips grazing Melissa's throat, "I'm just getting started."

Melissa backed up until her legs hit the edge of her desk, letting herself be guided with zero resistance. Lilia tasted like peppermint tea and sweet revenge, and she was not holding back.

"You think you can just whisper things to me in front of my kids like that?" Melissa murmured against her lips, hands sliding under the hem of Lilia's sweater.

Lilia just grinned, tugging Melissa's blouse open further, exposing the curve of her collarbone and the lace of her bra. "I think I can do whatever I want when my girlfriend's the hottest woman in the building."

"You're in trouble."

"I'm your trouble."

Lilia spun Melissa around, pressing her down over the desk gently, lips at the nape of her neck, fingers teasing along her waistband. "You wanted to remind everyone I'm yours?" she whispered. "Let me remind you why you keep coming home to me."

Melissa groaned low in her throat, grabbing onto the edge of her desk as Lilia dragged her teeth just barely down her shoulder, slow and possessive. "You're evil."

"You love it."

Hands slipped under her skirt, up her thighs, moving with intention. Melissa sucked in a breath as Lilia teased her, slow and deliberate, knowing exactly how to drive her crazy.

"You gonna be good for me?" Lilia asked, her voice pure heat. "Let me take care of you right here? Right now?"

Melissa's hands were already roaming beneath Lilia's blouse, tugging at the hem, desperate and impatient. But Lilia was in control now, pressing her thigh between Melissa's legs and watching her melt into the contact.

"You were jealous today," Lilia whispered, brushing her lips against Melissa's neck. "Watching Soraya flirt. Watching me smile back."

Melissa scoffed, low and dangerous. "Don't even say her name."

Lilia smirked. "Possessive looks good on you."

"You're mine," Melissa muttered through gritted teeth, grabbing Lilia's face for a messy, searing kiss. "Don't forget it."

Lilia bit her bottom lip, grinning as she leaned in. "Prove it."

She turned Melissa around before she could speak, bent her over the desk, and pressed in behind her with a dominance that made Melissa gasp. The desk creaked under the pressure, and somewhere in the back of her mind Melissa thought they really needed to reinforce it—but then Lilia rocked against her in just the right way, and every thought evaporated.

It was messy. Hands gripping the desk. Whispers that sounded more like growls. Lilia's name gasped into the air like prayer. Melissa had never been good at giving up control—but Lilia made it feel like worship.

"So good for me, aren't you baby?" Lilia curls her fingers inside of Melissa's dripping heat. Her back arches and her toes curl, the telltale sign that she's close. "C'mon, Mel. Come all over my fingers while I fuck you into your desk."

"God, Lils...Fuck!" Melissa clenches around Lilia's hand, her juices leaking down her thigh.

While Melissa came down, they stayed there for a second—foreheads pressed together, breath tangled, the hum of the empty school vibrating around them like static.

Melissa was the first to laugh, breathless and raw. "You really are trouble."

Lilia nuzzled her neck, smug and sweet. "Only for you."

⸻

By the time Friday rolled around, Soraya had figured out the vibe—especially after Melissa slung her arm around Lilia's waist in the middle of a faculty meeting and kissed her temple without breaking her stare when Soraya walked in.

"I'm so glad you two are happy," Soraya said later to Lilia, amused. "And that your girlfriend is scarily good at sending messages without saying a word."

Lilia laughed. "Yeah, that's kind of her thing."

[shaloved30]

As to not seem argumentative, I'm gonna make my own post about this... For those who feel that Ava with O'Shon is "not her" I counter your point with...how do you know who Ava is with someone when we have only seen her in a surface level one off episode "relationship" with a NBA star more for his appearance than her actual development as a character beyond finding out she has expensive taste and that they watched movies together once. Ava with O'Shon has continuously been about her growth, opening up, and being vulnerable, and her learning who she is and what she wants with someone, while we learn through watching her. (Barbara literally had that conversation with her tonight about communication. in relationships) Even tonight with the earrings, we see it was all this, and O'Shon responded in kind and even still planned to get something more to her taste. Inside of fandom shipping lenses I see these arguments about O'Shon with her and him allegedly "changing her" or causing her to conform..but ..where? What about her has fundamentally changed since meeting him and choosing to pursue him? Because she wants to open herself up to him and be vulnerable? Because she wants to know him like he wants to know her? That's not conforming, that's willingness to open yourself up to someone, and why not him? He's done nothing to warrant her not really wanting to know him more or be affectionate with him. He's been around since the start of season 4, for 7 episodes, and expressed his interest. She expressed hers, and we know they've continuously texted. Ava, just like Janine, Melissa, Barbara and Gregory and Jacob all should have the opportunity to have an on screen relationship.. Every other character has over these last 4 seasons, and Janelle herself has expressed the desire for Ava and happiness for it, so I just have to ask... What, beyond the ship not being the fandom one that you all out there want to be in canon, is the issue here?

[miloscozycorner]

𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞!𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 ..

Janine caregiving for Gregory for the first time and is so excited she might cry. Just squealing and cooing, thinking he’s the cutest little thing she’s even seen. Meanwhile Gregory is sitting on the floor with a collection of pet rocks and pointing at them and just saying their names before staring silently at Janine, who literally feels like she’s about to combust with pure excitement

^ Janine cging for Gregory

[appreciatemy-hyperfixations]

me eating up the scraps scenes of my favorite characters interacting 🥲

[lovesickems]

quinta needs to get in that writing room and hurry the o’shon and ava slowburn up. i cant wait as long as i did for janine and gregory.

[anewgayeveryday]

Today's LGBT+ Character is;

Jacob Hill from Abbot Elementary-Gay

Requested by Anon

Status; Alive