chrisfletchers-blog

[chrisfletchers-blog]

honeylevesque‌:

Abstract as affections were divulged, Honey knew that gestures of favor were to be noted in a certain way. But, they hadn’t meant anything by saving the prettiest cookie for Chris, the one with just the right ration of sprinkles to frosting. It didn’t mean anything that Honey’s heart danced happily in her chest at the line of approval, of praise. Praise was a perfume that Honey would bottle up and sell if given the chance, attention serving it’s purpose to ignite a dimming ego. A little smile wavered on their lips, “I made four batches. Two of each. It took six hours total to get them baked, shaped, put in the oven, cooled and plated. But it was well worth the extra effort!” To see your smile. Her nose wrinkled, “To uh, to see people smile.” Nice one.

“Well, with all of that work it’s no wonder it’s working,” Chris told them with a small grin. “I think this might be the best cookie I’ve ever tasted.” They told Honey with a little laugh, taking another bite out of it. “You know, next time you go on some crazy baking adventure you should give me a call. I’d be glad to come and lend you a hand. Or at least keep you company.” 

[chrisfletchers-blog]

westcfsalem‌:

              He didn’t make eye contact 0 no , it felt … wrong.  See , Cyrus was never emotional with anyone. Or , not necessarily like this. He had a very specific tactic : don’t let them see you’re vulnerable. Don’t let them KNOW they have ways to hurt you. If you open yourself up to anyone , they’ll only use you and crush your feelings like he did …

             … And that , that was a kind of pain Cyrus couldn’t let come over him again. Still shaken to his core years later , he had to keep up his FARCE. He had to keep everything HIDDEN. And now in front of Chris ?? He’d blown it. He’d blown his cover , cocky and unflinching exterior melting away in a mess of tears and emotions.

                A sniffle as he gripped at his knees , staring at the floor with a bite of the bottom lip. ❝ Uh … Uh … ❞ He sputtered. What was he supposed to say ?? Should he just … let it all out ?? Let it all go ??  ❝ … Miss home. ❞ It wasn’t a lie ; it was way more complicated than that , but it wasn’t a lie at all. ❝ Just got off of a phone call and , uh , had a bad day. Just started really missing home. ❞

Chris could relate to that - to an extent, at least. Frowning a little, they stepped closer and took a seat on the floor in front of Cyrus. They didn’t touch him or make any direct move to comfort him, but rather, just offered their company at the moment.  “Missing home always sucks.” Chris agreed, pushing a hand through their hair. How the hell did they get so bad at this? “Are you... Are you able to head back soon or something?” They asked curiously. “Like, could you go back home for a weekend or whatever?” It felt obvious - if Cyrus was able to do something like that, he probably would’ve, but what else was there really for Chris to say? They just wanted to help him - if only they had even the slightest idea how. 

[chrisfletchers-blog]

brennvns‌:

          there was something charming about the energy at lockwood. the air was stale and smelled like cigarettes. the cold wind pushed against his bare arms and legs, threatening gooseflesh and chattering teeth. the streetlights held an almost ethereal glow — it was beautiful, but lord was it lonely. lonely, cold, boring, itching for the familiar calm of a cigarette between his lips.                     ‘ you got a light ? ’           vincent tried to keep his voice from faltering, but even his eyes struggled to keep contact with the girl across from him. old habits die hard, but he’s glad he even got the words from his mouth. 

Who was Chris to deny the request? Especially with the state the poor guy seemed to be in. Wordlessly, they offered over a cigarette and their lighter. “You okay?” Chris asked him carefully - unsure if the guy would even want to talk about it. They had no idea what was bothering him, after all. But between the lack of clothes covering him... Chris was decently worried. “Do you want my jacket?” 

[chrisfletchers-blog]

maxsamvels‌:

it didn’t seem like the best idea, but lately being alone wasn’t doing max any favours. there were too many dark places for his mind to go to, and chris looked like they wouldn’t mind if he wasn’t at his chattiest, so he shrugged his shoulders. “i don’t have plans, so, sure,” he said, aware this would be the first time they’d ever hung out just the two of them, without tatiana. it was weird. everything about life after the event had been weird though, and this felt like not the worst kind of weird. “sure you don’t have a roommate who won’t want me there? i’ve got a history of getting kicked out by angry roommates.”

“I mean, as long as you’re not completely obnoxious and keep your hands to yourself, I think it’ll be okay.” Chris let themself smile a little bit towards Max. Friendly and warm - maybe they’d be better friends than Chris would’ve imagined. Tatiana seemed to like him well enough, after all, why wouldn’t they? “It’ll be nice to actually hang out for once.” 

[chrisfletchers-blog]

jvlietchoi‌:

juliet didn’t usually hang out around fidelis, but she did have one close friend there whom she visited when she needed to clear her head. lately, that happened too often. coming out, arms held tight around herself to try and keep some of the warmth from the inside before the freezing weather got to her bones, juliet’s attention was caught by the sound of a lighter clicking. “oh, hi,” she said, giving chris a hesitant smile. they’d never had much of a relation, but she’d known them, had seen them around during the periods she’d been in good terms with tatiana. “you alright?”

Chris was surprised by the question, blinking for a moment as they confirmed the fact that it was directed towards them and not some unnoticed person hanging around. They looked towards Juliet and found themselves considering how to respond. “I’m alright.” They decided with a nod. “Just... Having a smoke. Or two.” Why was it so difficult to lie? 

[chrisfletchers-blog]

westcfsalem‌:

                   Normally he’s more SOCIAL. Normally he spends time talking to as many people as possible , whether it be for the purpose of trying to get new customers or simply distracting himself from little everything but his current situation at hand. But it’s DIFFERENT this time ; he’s nowhere to be found , at least , out in the open.

                   Sitting in the back room with a drained and low expression , he holds the phone to his ear as a chipper tone rings from the other line. ❝ … How’s Mom ?? ❞ He asks with a deep breath , Beatrix’s words on the other end being taken in with every sound considered , deeply holding onto the little breath of home he hears on the other end. Desperately wishing he was there instead of here but knowing that couldn’t be the case.

                    Heart suddenly DROPS. ❝ … Oh , o-oh ; alright - call me later if you can , alright ?? … When spring break rolls around , I’ll be back in Salem. We can … we can catch up. ❞ And as the other line disconnects , he slumps down from his standing position , sitting against the wall and biting his bottom lip. He misses HOME ; he misses his mother , he misses Trixie , and every time he talks to either one of them he thinks about why he can’t be there right now since a secondary goal of attending Lockwood was to HIDE from that bastard in Massachusetts. … Doesn’t mean he’s spared from the heartache , however.

                     A surprised whimper as he hears the door open ; shit. Someone’s found him - no way to gather himself NOW. And the fact that it’s a familiar face ?? He doesn’t know if it’s for better or for worse. A strained voice as he pushes back the hair that’s sticking to tear-stained cheeks ,  ❝ … What’s goin’ on , Chris. ❞

                                                                          @chrisfletchers

All they wanted was to stop by and say hi-  They couldn’t have predicted to come across Cyrus in a state like this. Worry filled Chris immediately as they took in the state of him. The shock across his face. The tears were still shiny on his cheeks. The fact that he had been sitting on the floor in the back room all alone. Their heart broke for him ---- and for a moment, they were speechless.  What were you supposed to say in a moment like this? Sure, Cyrus was their friend, but they had never been particularly emotional with each other either. So seeing Cyrus on the brink like this was enough to shake Chris and leave them stunned for a moment.  “Shit.” Was their eloquent response to seeing him. They shut the door softly behind them, hoping that would deter anyone else from coming in and finding them. “What happened?” They asked gently, stepping a bit closer towards him. Should they hug him? Is that what he’d want? Chris wasn’t all too sure - they knew they didn’t really like being touched when they were at their lowest moments. Would Cyrus be the same way? 

[chrisfletchers-blog]

sylviezima‌:

Eccentric black platform winter booths scuff gently along the fresh snow, leaving tracks behind her as she pulled her gaze from her phone to investigate the Fidelis doors, eyes unexpectedly falling on someone stood there. Sylvie noticed the demeanour of the other and quickly felt a shiver of recognition, like a shock to the system. Anyone that Tatiana knew presented themselves as an animal of predatory tendencies, she being the prey. Though it was simply a notion in her own mind, she couldn’t shake the overwhelming desire to flee in the opposite direction. But she didn’t.  “Chain smoking’s meant to be picked up in your late forties. The moment the ‘fuck it all’ instinct kicks in,” she said, leaning up against the stair railing. “You doing okay? Seem a bit wigged out, but hey? Who isn’t, right?”

“I think my ‘fuck it all’ instinct kicked in around age 14,” Chris paused a moment, letting the absolute edginess of that sink over them. They wrinkled their nose towards their own words, shaking their head slightly. “You know what, I take that back. I sound like someones MSN quote.”  As for if they were doing okay... Chris didn’t really have a straightforward answer to that. A small frown settling on their lips and they gave a shrug. “I guess not. But as anyone really been okay since what happened? It’s...” They didn’t want to talk about it, they decided then. Inhaling the smoke and letting it out again. “It happened. And I hope it doesn’t happen again.” 

[chrisfletchers-blog]

lwood-rosie‌:

Being up late at night had always been a habit of Rosie’s, even when she was younger and still stuck to the confides of home. Often she would find herself laying in bed reading until she saw the first crack of sunlight began to peer in through her drawn curtain or even walking the streets of her stifling safe neighborhood well after most had see their good-nights, she’d found comfort in the nighttime, it was as if people showed who they truly were when they were out so late. It was very often that she ran into someone so late, especially if there was no party happening which is why she was so shocked to see Chris standing by the building, puffing away on a cigarette. “Have a spare one?” She asked them as she carefully approached them, pulling her simple pink cardigan tighter to her body.

Chris wasn’t inclined to pass a cigarette off towards Rosie - the relationship between the two of them being strained at best. However, they didn’t really have a reason to deny them the offer. Wasn’t it common courtesy to pass off a cig to anyone who asked? With a small nod, Chris offered one of the sticks out towards the other.  “Aren’t you cold in that?” They asked curiously, arching their brows as they looked over Rosie’s attire. February wasn’t really the time of year for thin cardigans to be your only protection from the elements. 

[chrisfletchers-blog]

mberkley‌:

Meredith had been making her way across the wide stretch of campus. A chill winter wind blew, relentless as droplets of moisture formed on her eyelashes like tears. If she didn’t make it inside soon, they’d surely freeze into icicles. She had just finished a grueling skating practice, more or less forced off the ice by one very tired night custodian on a zamboni machine. Marching along, she noted a figure out of the corner of her eye as they flicked cigarette ash onto the ground. “You know that’s heinous for the environment, right?” She informed like a self-righteous activist as the other put out their cigarette and lit another. “Animals come along and eat that toxic shit. And what if the embers catch on a leaf?” Meredith let out a disapproving tsk. “What would Smokey the Bear say?” 

Still, the girl was frazzled, her nerves all over the place. She hadn’t been able to perfect her quadruple jump, even with the threat of this weekend’s upcoming competition looming over her. Nicotine cravings hummed softly at the back of her brain, as they tended to do in times of stress. “But I won’t tell the EPA if I can bum one of those off of you.”

“I’d rather honestly pollute the environment than be a hypocrite about it.” Chris joked smoothly. They pulled the packet from their pocket and offered one of the sticks towards the stranger. “Guess I should get on the e-cig train, shouldn’t I? Least they’ll smell better.” They still hated the scent of smoke on their clothes - but it was something they’d certainly get used to in time.  Chris inhaled from their cigarette, lowering it from their lips after to continue speaking. “You alright?” They asked the stranger curiously. It did strike them as odd that someone who seemed to be so against smoking would immediately jump into smoking one. Chris couldn’t help but ask about it. 

[chrisfletchers-blog]

maxsamvels‌:

so clearly talking to someone who’d been close to tatiana was still a bad idea, even if it was someone like chris. he’d really needed someone to be comforting about it, and instead they were just saying all the things that were constantly on the back of his mind, making them real by saying them out loud. “of course she didn’t. but no one could’ve seen this coming, it’s an insane thing that happened,” he said, a bit harshly, just because he couldn’t quite put himself in the position to comfort anyone else over this. not when his own wounds were still so raw. “we all wish we could’ve done something different, but there was nothing we could’ve done to stop it. we couldn’t have known. it’s useless to even think about it.”

Chris knew he was right - both about Tatiana’s situation and the one that was constantly weighing them down in the back of their mind. Chris let out a heavy breath - there was no use in holding on. They had to learn to move on from this. They just weren’t very good at that part, not while they were still Chris. They looked towards Max curiously for a moment. “Do you wanna hang out tonight?” Chris asked. “We could... You could come to my dorm. We can get some pizza or something?” They offered. They weren’t much of a partier and certainly not a drinker, so the offer felt lame coming out of their lips - but they hoped Max would bite. Doing something normal would feel good. 

[chrisfletchers-blog]

Smoking was quickly becoming a vice.  It wasn’t a habit that Chris was proud of, but when their chest started to feel tight or thoughts of Tatiana grew to be a bit too much to bear, the tickle of smoke in their throat was enough to help calm their nerves and let them relax - even if only for a few moments. Chris wondered how they didn’t start smoking at a much younger age - why it took them this long to find the comfort that nicotine could provide.  They stood outside Fidelis, flicking the ash from the cigarette onto the concrete. It was a little after midnight and the night air was growing cold. Still, they only wore a light sweater and let the cool wind soothe their nerves. They put out their first cigarette and found themselves lighting another. 

[chrisfletchers-blog]

maxsamvels‌:

chris was deligthtfully easy to rile up, and max couldn’t help but take a little advantage of it, he’d always enjoyed it. “i mean, you are kind of small, you realize,” he said, managing to keep his smile on as he heard their words, nodding along. “yeah, i know what you mean. it always feels like something is out of place, like you woke up and forgot to do something but you can’t remember what that was,” he shrugged, all too familiar with the feeling. “it keeps me looking over my shoulder, it’s getting tiresome. but, you know. it shall pass.”

Part of Chris wanted to tell him no, it doesn’t pass because they knew first-hand. But, on the other hand, they didn’t really want to reveal that information to Max. Not yet, at least. As if there would ever be a time Chris would want to reveal all of that. They sighed, rubbing their eyes for a moment. “I just... I wish I could go back. Do something to protect her... She... She didn’t deserve it.” 

[chrisfletchers-blog]

honeylevesque‌:

Honey was enraptured by certainties - things that will happen rather than things that could have, or should have, or eventually might have. They preferred permanence - they preferred routine, and getting caught up in the negative energy that surrounded thoughts of betterment, was none of those things. They knew that, and apparently - so did Chris. A little nod, firm and assured. “I know, I normally don’t get caught up with … the if’s, but this is a peculiar situation.” Their brows furrowed, tea brought to their lips. “I understand.” They noted, leaving a crimson mark marring the lid. “But, perhaps we shouldn’t be the ones dealing with it.”

“I dunno if peculiar is the right word for it.” But then again, what would the right word even be? Chris didn’t have the answer for that either. She shifted uncomfortably for a moment, thinking it over.  “We aren’t the only ones dealing with it... Everyone who...” Knew her. Clicked her name? Everyone on campus? “We’re all dealing with it.” They continued, sighing softly. “Just... Some of us are better at it than others.” A pause. “Do you wanna sit down?”

[chrisfletchers-blog]

honeylevesque‌:

though often commercialized as a day of romantic gestures and hideously fake rose bouquets, honey found that valentines was a day of universal affection. with a giddy grin, they offered out a heart shaped cookie. there was an assortment - chocolate chip dipped in red, and sugar frosted pink. “happy valentine’s day! please enjoy a little sweet from me to you!” 

Giving your ex-girlfriend something on Valentines Day had to mean something, right? Chris couldn’t see this being anything else. Their cheeks flushed slightly and they accepted one of the cookies. “Thanks, Honey.” Chris smiled softly. “These look amazing. How long did it take to make them?”

[chrisfletchers-blog]

clearedwater‌:

                                he won’t lie. valentines did something to him. commercialisation ran rampant, but he’d be damned if he wasn’t going to buy into it. he had the money. it was more of a longing to fill some sort of hole with overpriced prettily-boxed chocolates , so perhaps that was where he was at . walking back to potentas at two am with a plastic bag stacked with chocolate boxes. benyamin took a moment to glance at whoever was , decidedly , talking to him  —  he’d zoned , as par the course . a blink .

                                “  .. what ? ”   his eyes slip to the overfilled bag in his hand , and he suppresses the eye roll ,   “ d’you want one or somethin’ ? ”   g-d , he just wanted to get back to bed .

Late nights out weren’t unfamiliar to Chris. It was just that normally they didn’t bump into anyone on campus ( well, except for Preston. But that was usually planned these days. ) Coming across someone, especially someone with such a huge back of chocolates, was enough to draw their attention.  Sleepily, they rubbed their eyes. Shaking their head. “What? No... Sorry, I was just... Kinda curious, I guess? Doing a late night surprise for your date or did you just like... Forget about Valentines Day until now?” 

[chrisfletchers-blog]

teddylawrence‌:

Raising a brow at the other, the last thing Teddy felt like he was in the mood for was jokes. And this was coming from the man who avoided any and all negative emotions like a child avoiding their greens with a witty quip at every opportunity. Probably just feeling sick putting him in a bad mood when he snapped, “You just had your first smoke this weekend? Well shit. Must’ve known from the giant congratulations badge you were wearing. You’re officially a cool kid.” He immediately feels guilty as soon as the words are out, not one to enjoy being all that mean if he can help it, but instead of apologizing and taking them back, he merely buries his head into his hands once more, “S’fine, whatever. Guess I’ll just go back inside and rot or something.”

Chris wasn’t bothered by the remark. They shook their head and brushed it off. “Are you like... Okay?” They asked Teddy cautiously. “I could like... Walk you to the convenience store? We can get you another pack or something?” They probably shouldn’t be fueling addiction, but Chris would also be lying to themself if they said they weren’t tempted to try it again. It did help calm their nerves, after all. 

[chrisfletchers-blog]

maxsamvels‌:

laughing at their remark, too used to chris to be affected by it, max took a sip from his coffee, prepared for the usual question. it wasn’t ever easy to answer truthfully, and after the past few days, he wasn’t quite ready to let anyone worry about him again, not for a bit. “you know, going through the motions,” he said with a shrug. “it hasn’t been all that easy, but time… time makes things better, i guess,” he sighed, clearing his throat and hoping that’d be enough of an answer. “you? how’s college life treating tiny chris?”

Chris wouldn’t push him for more. They knew all too well what it was like to deal with trauma and loss - and they knew that if someone didn’t want to talk about it, not to push it. Not unless they really needed to. And whether or not Max needed to was irrelevant to the fact that they were in public. Chris wouldn’t put him on the spot like that. “First of all, don’t call me Tiny Chris.” They wrinkled their nose. “Second of all... It’s going. About as well as it could, at least... I dunno. It’s just... Weird, I guess.”