#Cory used to tease Topanga too

[starlightsweetheart]

[multifandomingmess]

[with the teacher] cory matthews x reader

Y/N is over the age of 18 -- keep that in mind. This was requested so I hope you enjoy!

Y/N has been close with Mr. Matthews for a few months, spending time with him privately after school. She feels there's a connection, despite his marriage and commitment to his wife, Topanga - she knows he feels it too.

It's another day and another visit. Y/N is a student-teacher for him but still feels like a student, so it's an interesting dynamic. However, her stay at John Quincy Adams High School will end soon, so she's determined to end it with a bang. Both literally and metaphorically. Y/N dresses in a more revealing outfit, wearing a low-cut skirt. It seems like your ever-so-typical schoolgirl outfit but there's no plaid. It's not even really school-like but it fits the category.

It's after 4:00 PM, meaning he's planning, so Y/N joins him. She tries to note any possible reaction. "Hey, Y/N, go ahead and take a seat. We can discuss your duties for today." He removes his eyes from the papers, connecting his with hers. He seems to cock a brow up, watching the girl take a seat across from him. "Can I extend my stay?"

He leans back into his seat, taken aback by her question. "What do you mean by that?" He stands up from his seat, and walks over to the classroom door, closing it. Just in case the conversation got serious. "Mr. Matthews, we both can clearly feel what's going on." He knits his brows together, shaking his head, "You can't discuss matters like this during school."

"Or what?" She questions, purposely drooping down, letting her cleavage expose more.

"You're going to get us both in trouble. I think you're a great person Y/N and will succeed as a teacher..." "It's my last day, Mr. Matthews... I know that I haven't been imagining things." Y/N argues back, standing up from the seat.

"I'm married..."

"She doesn't have to know. She won't know. Your daughter won't know. Just one time." Y/N begs him, approaching him. Cory seems to think about it, turning to make sure the door is locked and closed.

He sighs, before shifting completely. "Get your ass on the desk."

Y/N slightly smiles to herself but is still surprised. She sits on the wooden desk, looking at him with nervous eyes.

He approaches her, connecting his eyes with hers. He cups her thighs, spreading her legs slightly, before leaning in and kissing her. He couldn't resist her. There was something about her. She was very compelling and mature but so naughty.

She kissed back, grinding up against him. Cory pulls away from the kiss, sliding his right hand inwards on her thigh. He tugs the rim of her panties, sneaking his hand in. She began to pant softly, trying to tease him.

The curly-headed teacher begins to rub her clit, a sharp exhale coming from her. He circles his finger around her bud, her feet beginning to curl. He slides his finger inside her, making her body quiver with lust and pleasure. "Fuck..." She mumbles, digging her nails into the wood. He adds a second finger, pumping it at a fast pace. She grinds a bit, wanting more than his fingers. Her head rolls back, and soft moans escape her lips. She begins to throb against his fingers, getting close to cumming. Her moans became more frequent but still barely audible. Suddenly, Cory leans down, adding his tongue. He begins to devour her practically, licking her clit, making her moans more audible.

He continued pumping his fingers inside of her but with the addition of his tongue, it was making her get closer. Her thighs began to twitch, her sensitivity hitting its peak. She cries out, orgasming against him. However, he doesn't stop going. He keeps going. She arches her back, leaning back against the desk, and papers began to fall from the desk.

She groans loudly, overstimulated by his touch. Just like that, he stops, feeling her insides throb against his fingers. She pants heavily, looking at him in awe.

He becomes serious, "I'll talk with your college about extending your stay to shadow."

Y/N sits there stunned, before pulling her panties back up, as she gets off the desk. Was that even real? She thinks to herself.

[imagine-that]

“Topanga, I really don’t think this is a good idea. I’m fine being single. You know that.” You protest, going through your closet to find clothes anyways.

“You need to branch out a bit y/n. You haven’t been on a date in a while and it’ll be fun!” She says as she hands you one of your cardigans and a camisole for underneath. Reluctantly, you pull both on and have to admit it does look perfect.

You grab a pair of jeans and pull them on, examining the outfit in the mirror. You turn to Topanga for approval.

“You look wonderful.” She says with a smile.

“Thank you but I don’t know who you could possibly know that I don’t. We always hang out together and we have like every single class together.” You sigh, running a brush through your hair.

“I never said you didn’t know him.” She says with a laugh. You whip around to look at her again, surprised.

“You mean to tell me I actually know the guy you’re setting me up with? How is that a blind date Topanga?!” You ask nervously.

She gets up off the edge of your bed and puts a hand on your shoulder calmly.

“Relax. He’s a very nice guy. I wouldn’t set you up with him if he wasn’t.” She assures you and you nod, taking a deep breath in order to calm yourself.

“Alright. I believe that, you’ve always been a good friend to me.” You say as you set the brush down. “But I swear if it turns out to be Minkus somehow, I’ll kill you!” You warn quickly and she laughs.

“No it isn’t Stuart, don’t worry.” She says with another smile.

Giving her one last look of scepticism, the two of you leave your room and step outside, getting into Corys parents car quickly.

“Cory I’m sure you know who she set me up with. Is it Minkus? Is it worse than Minkus?” You ask him from the backseat.

“God no.” He laughs a little. “Definitely not Minkus. It’s actually-“ He starts but Topanga gives him a look and he stops talking though his nervous laughter is still in the air.

As you arrive at Chubbies, Topanga and Cory are talking in hushed tones, making you even more nervous.

“Alright come on lovebirds let’s get this over with.” You sigh as you walk through the door. They follow close behind, Cory starting to do his nervous giggle.

You survey the restaurant and are confused to see only one other person your age.

“I’m thinking he isn’t here yet because the only guy in here who’s our age is Shawn and I mean-“ You start but stop abruptly when you see the smile Cory is fighting.

“You didn’t!” You groan, looking to them both for answers.

“Oh but we did.” Cory says with a grin.

“But I already know Shawn! I’ve had a date with Shawn! He doesn’t do more than two weeks per girl. Everyone knows that.” You ramble, biting at the ends of your nails nervously.

“For you y/n, he does. Now go. He’s waiting.” Topanga sing songs, pushing you gently in the direction of his table.

“Topanga Lawrence, you are a dead woman!” You growl and she holds up her hand to stop you, tsking a little bit.

“You only said I was dead if it were Stuart. Shawn is far from Stuart.” She reminds you and you glare between both her and Cory.

“Have fun.” Cory singsongs teasingly, waggling his fingers in a wave as Topanga pushes you over towards Shawn once again.

“You two schemers deserve each other.” You hiss as Topanga shoves you towards the table.

You quickly replace your scowl with a kind smile as you take a seat across from Shawn in his booth.

“Hey Shawnie.” You say happily, picking up your menu to busy yourself.

“H-hey y/n.” He stutters with a smile. You raise an eyebrow at him questioningly.

“I’ve never seen you stutter. What’s wrong? Lose your charm Hunter?” You ask teasingly.

The two of you had been friends for a long time. Even if you were a lot closer to Topanga, you were still always close to Shawn. The two of you talked about almost everything. Then when you went your two weeks of dating you started drifting apart a bit but powered through it for the most part.

“Oh did I stutter? I didn’t notice.” He shrugs. “So Topanga and Cory set us up huh?” He says, clearly wanting to change the subject.

“Yeah for some reason. I was surprised. Don’t they know we had our two weeks?” You ask.

“Oh yeah that’s right we did.” He realizes. You once again raise an eyebrow at him, crossing your arms.

“You forgot already? It was only a few months ago, should I be offended?” You ask dramatically, waggling your eyebrows playfully.

“No! I mean... I mean no.” He says with a nervous laugh.

“You’re very jumpy tonight. What gives Hunter?” You ask with a smile.

Before he has the chance to respond, the waitress comes with your food. Shawn, knowing you as well as he does, had ordered your regular for you. You however, are surprised to see he doesn’t even flirt with the waitress.

“You remembered, I’m flattered.” You tease with a coy smile as you bite into a fry.

“A burger, fries and a pop. Not hard to forget.” He shrugs but you note the bit of blushing in his cheeks.

“Ok I’ve never seen Shawn Hunter blush. Nor have I ever seen you pass up the chance to flirt with a girl. What gives?” You asks, leaning back with your arms still crossed.

“Nothing gives. I just wasn’t interested in the waitress. Not my kind of woman.” He says with a shrug and a lazy smile.

“You shush with that, shush right up.” You exclaim. He looks at you in pure confusion mixed with a bit of something else you can’t read. “We both know that’s absolutely not true Hunter. So you tell me, you tell me right now what is going on.” You order.

“Always the persistent one, huh y/n/n?” He teases with a smirk. You fix him with a glare that could kill.

Just then, you see Topanga leaving the table she was sharing with Cory and an idea pops into your head.

“Shawn.” You start with a sweet smile.

“Yes y/n?” He asks with a smile equally as sweet that makes you feel like swooning.

“Either you tell me right now why you’re acting so weird or I will go over and shake it out of Cory.” You warn and he looks at you in shock.

“You’re bluffing, you wouldn’t!” He challenges.

You lean in closer to the table, taking a sip of your drink. “I’m not and I totally would.” You tell him, watching his every move.

“He’s delicate! He’ll break under pressure! You wouldn’t do that to him would you y/n?” Shawn rambles and you suppress a laugh.

“I won’t have to if you just tell me what’s going on yourself.” You shrug, looking at him with determination.

“Alright alright jeeze.” He sighs in defeat and your eyes go wide in surprise. “I asked Corey to arrange this. Topanga was the brains though. Cory could not have pulled this off on his own, no matter how much he wishes he could.” He admits with another lazy smile.

“What? Why would you do that? We’ve already had our two week period.” You ask in confusion. For as long as you’d known Shawn, he’d never dated any girl for longer than two weeks. It was unheard of. Shawn was a self titled ladies man and it had been that way always.

“Maybe two weeks isn’t all I wanted this time.” He says with a shrug.

“Shawn... what are you saying?” You ask hesitantly.

“I’m saying that I like you as more than a friend.” He blurts, his quirky nervous giggle interrupting him mid sentence. “There, I said it. I blurted it right out.” He sighs, looking at you with hope in his eyes.

“Shawn...” You start and he perks up even more. “You can be such a nut sometimes.” You laugh.

“Huh?” He asks, clearly confused.

“You had Cory and Topanga ask me out for you.” You state, still laughing.

“Yeah and once again, huh?!” He asks.

“You should’ve just asked me out yourself you big dumby. I mean, it’s not like you don’t have the charm and good looks for it.” You giggle.

Shawn blinks at you a bit blankly.

“Oh my god. Ok I have to spell it out.” You sigh. “I like you too.” You say slowly, watching closely for his reaction.

“As a friend?” He asks, clearly worried.

“No you idiot! As more than a friend.” You explain.

He looks even more alarmed than he did before.

“Oh.” Is all he says, leaning back.

“Shawn? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. What exactly were you expecting to happen?” You ask, reaching an arm over the table to grab his hand.

He flinches away a little bit but still holds your hand. “I’m fine. Just... wasn’t totally expecting an actual positive response.” He admits.

You smile at him, amused. “Really? You had absolutely no idea that I liked you back?” You question.

“None. Actually, you should be proud. I usually notice when a pretty girl likes me.” He grins, regaining his usual composure with ease.

You giggle nervously, feeling a smile spreading across your lips and a blush rising in your cheeks.

“Well... she does.” You say coyly, fiddling with your fingers.

He does his nervous giggle again and you purse your lips, covering your own laugh.

“You’re truly adorable.” You tell him, the smile never falling from your face.

“So are you. Now say it again. I know I am, I just like to here it coming from your mouth.” He says with a ginormous grin.

“You sound like Cory you dope.” You giggle and he looks at you expectantly. “Ok fine, you’re adorable.” You add a moment later, shaking your head with a grin.

“How’d you do it anyways?” You ask thoughtfully as you take a bite out of your burger.

“Do what?” He asks, his eyebrows furrowed.

“Get them to arrange this.” You explain. “I mean, I get Cory but Topanga is a tough nut to crack. After the two weeks, she wanted you dead.” You add.

“Oh! That! It was actually pretty easy. All I did was go up to her and say I like this one, get a dopey, Cory like smile and then I started that weird, annoying laugh I get about you and she was basically begging to plan this.” He informs you with proud smile.

“Ah yes, I believe that’d definitely do it for her.” You respond with a small laugh.

Suddenly, your laughing and grinning are interrupted by Shawn quickly jumping to your side and pressing his lips against yours.

Your eyes are wide with surprise for a second before you recover and return the kiss. After a moment, Shawn pulls away with a big grin of his own.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for years. Without the two week limit, of course.” He tells you with a smirk.

You giggle again. “Well I’m glad you did because now I have the courage to do this.” You tell him as you grab his face in your hands and press your lips on his again.

When you pull away, he looks like he could faint.

“Well I’m glad you did.” He repeats your words and you break out in a laugh.

The two of you spend the rest of your date on that side of the booth, laughing and pelting fries at each other every now and then, both silently thanking your crazy schemer friends for doing what neither of you had the courage to do yourselves.

[littlejeanniebean]

A to Z, please! 😂

lmao i’m gonna be a tease and interpret this as dealer’s pick, so:

J for Jeannie! Write or describe an alternative ending to [insert fic].

So *rubs hands together eagerly* at the end of Up to No Good / Mischief Managed, Ginny is a morning show host and Harry is a teen idol actor, right? Everyone else pretty much has the same jobs they’ve always had in the main fic. But consider: 

Harry Potter Band AU Headcanons

The Weasley Family Band and they’re so freaking popular, they have their own TV show à la The Patridge Family, and every single episode is just like:

Bill (plays the banjo and harmonica, big country music guy) and his super hot gf Fleur try to get some alone time but Mama Bear Molly aka their band’s videographer is just not having it

“And what do we have... here?” Molly pulls the bunk’s curtain aside, handheld camera in hand. 

“Mum! Jesus H. Christ!”

“Language, William!” Molly and Fleur say at the same time. (It was the start of a beautiful friendship.)

Charlie (plays all the weird instruments - theramin, bongos, kazoo) tries to adopt a new pet and take it on the road with everyone

“Oh my god, there’s a mouse in the tour bus!” Ron gets up on the table.

“It’s only Scabbers!” Charlie holds up a fat brown rat.

“We’re not bringing a rat to France!” Molly snaps. “Ron, get off the table, for goodness sakes!”

“But he could be the next Ratatouille!” Charlie argues.

Molly looks into the camera like she’s on The Office.

Percy (classically trained pianist and flutist) doesn’t want to go on stage

“It’s embarrassing!” he whines.

“You’re embarrassing,” says Ron.

“Boys,” warns Arthur.

“And do I really have to wear this?” Percy doesn’t like their costumes for the Christmas special, thinks they’re too matchy-matchy.

“Yes,” hisses Ginny, “Mum knitted them herself!”

Percy scoffs, “That explains the lopsided —”

“How does everyone like their costumes?” Molly comes in, a beaming smile on her face.

“Love them, Mum!” Percy kisses her cheek and throws on his Weasley family sweater.

Ron rolls his eyes, “Kiss-up.”

Fred and George (guitar and bass, respectively) + sound system engineering intern Lee Jordan = PRANKS

Fred is stuffing Arthur’s filing cabinets with rubber ducks.

“Remind me why we’re doing this again?” asks Lee. 

“So that he’ll finally start digital record-keeping,” says George.

“Save the trees!” adds Fred.

“Yeah, but why rubber ducks?” Lee checks the finder app he put on Arthur’s phone to track him (he was still in a meeting down the hall).

“He thought they were bath scrubbers until he was like, eleven,” says Fred.

“It’s Aunt Muriel’s favorite childhood story to tell,” adds George.

Lee nods, barely containing a loud, barking laugh, and goes back to checking the app. “Shit! Shit! Shit! He’s coming!”

Ron (plays the keyboard and the drums and the guitar, just really good at everything, but he thinks that means he doesn’t have this own thing™️) and his bff, Harry, have a bucket list for every city they visit, but the showrunner tells them this isn’t enough for their story arc

“Is that just a fancy way of telling us, we’re lame?” Ron narrows his eyes at them.

“We’re getting you a love interest,” says the showrunner. 

“No, you’re bloody hell not!” Ron gets up to leave. “Come on, Harry!”

But Harry is enjoying this. “I happen to have a friend from my last acting job —”

“Harry!” Ron feels betrayed. 

“— Hermoine Granger,” Harry continues, a shit-eating grin on his face, “always knows her lines, very professional —”

“She’s a nightmare, honestly!” Ron tries to tell the showrunner, but they’re not listening. “She’s mad!”

“Okay, fine, you can go ahead and think she’s weird,” says the showrunner. “It’ll be like Cory and Topanga in Boy Meets World.”

“Great — Wait, no! They end up together!” Ron’s face is almost as red as his hair and Harry is falling off his seat in a fit of cackles.

“Oh, and Harry, if you could spend the next episode just hanging around in Ginny’s general vicinity, that would be perf,” the showrunner adds, almost as an afterthought.

“What? Why? Ron and I were going skiing!” says Harry.

“Well, bring her with you, then. The director thinks she’s hiding behind her drum kit too much. You’re good with people. Just help her come out of her shell a bit?”

Harry, honestly thinking he’s being helpful, agrees. 

Ginny spends the next episode in a perpetual state of despair because her actual celebrity crush from her favorite TV show is RIGHT THERE TALKING TO HER OH GOD SHE’S GONNA DIE

and now I really wanna write this, damn 😂

[doyelikehaggis]

I love the four of them in the bathroom, they're too Chaotic. Angela teasing Cory about Topanga using his razor, Shawn in the background saying, "trap trapy trapety trap trap" when Topanga says Cory can be honest about anything, Cory wearing his towel the full length of his body.

[myfandomrambles]

Maya Hart Character Analysis (Expanded)

Facts:

Kermit was an extremely neglectful father. He eventually abandoned them completely when Maya was about 6

Befriended Riley by running through the windows around age 5 or 6 and stayed friends throughout the show

Her mother, Katy, was emotionally neglectful, putting her emotional issues, fixations and jobs over Maya's needs

She grew up in a lower socioeconomic class then her friends

Befriended and became deeply connected and protective of Farkle at a young age

Struggled in school academically and behaviorally

She latched on to the Matthew family. Going to their house as a sense of stability going there for food and basing her schedule on theirs.

Openly expressed fear around being inadequate and broken. Also expressed hopelessness.

Befriended Lucas, expressed romantic interest in him later on which created an emotionally complicated situation with her friends.

Formed a strong connection with Shawn Hunter, bonding over a history of feeling abandoned and neglectful parents.

Shawn married her mother and adopted her.

Developed a strong crush of Riley’s Uncle Josh. He was old enough for the relationship to be inappropriate by a maturity gap.

While undergoing a lot of personal change she had what was perceived as a kind of identity crisis around trying to be more like “Riley”.

Expressed a stronger sense of hope near the end of the show.

Her parents had a toxic possibly abusive marriage 

Analysis:

Maya Hart loves her friends more than anything, has a habit of getting into trouble, and loved art. She was also deeply shaped by her father’s abandonment and her mother’s emotional neglect. She struggles with a fear of abandonment, anger, a sense of disconnection and views herself as a fundamentally broken person. This is established right away in Girl Meets World (1x01) she assumes Cory think she is not good enough for Riley and believes thinks he would be right to think that. Maya says on more than one occasion that she doesn’t get her hopes up, and doesn’t view the future as good. In Girl Meets Forgiveness Project (2x23) we see how much guilt, anger, self-blame and shame Maya had based on her Father leaving her and having not been there for her before he left

Maya is generally over realistic she believes her view of the world should be down to earth, practical and this often ends up as negative. This comes in a large part from her mother’s continuous inability to accept reality. Katy calls herself an actress when this has never been her job. We see how this affects their relationship and stresses Maya out in Girl Meets Maya’s Mother (1x07) and Girl Meets Master Plan (1x18). In Girl Meets I Do (3x11), she describes the aftermath of her father leaving them, “Just ‘cause I could always hear my mother crying in her bedroom. I’d try to go in and stop her from crying… but I couldn’t.” The fear of having to go through that again with the person who is meant to watch her falling apart, slows her ability to enjoy and move forward during Katy and Shawn's wedding.

However, her impulsivity and creativity often bump up against this practicality when she feels vulnerable like in the first episode or Girl Meets Hollywood (3x18) or when Riley and she get themselves wound up in some kind of scheme like in Girl Meets Farkle's Choice (1x19) or Girl Meets STEM (2x26). Her identity is linked to a fundamental level to her relationship with Riley. In Girls Meets Upstate (3x06) Maya explains how Riley��s family gave her a sense of safety and that she sees protecting Riley as her job. Maya pretty much always takes Riley's side even when she doesn't agree with her perspective. When Riley wants to take away the bay windows in Girl Meets Bay Window (2x29) Maya is deeply unhappy at the idea of losing this and multiple times through the show while she tries to be chill and realistic but when Riley tries to change their relationship she tends to get very emotional. In Girl Meets Yearbook (2x12) Maya tries hard to prove to Riley that they need her for who she is even dressing up as her, Maya loses herself in that identity though wanting to be things that Riley is that she doesn't know how to be.  

Maya is deeply protective of all her friends. The hard exterior she uses to protect her own friends allows her to not usually be as affected during fights like in Girl Meets Riley Town (2x17). With Farkle, Maya has a very "only I can pick on him" kind of approach, being very upset when others treat him badly but enjoy teasing him with their other friends. He is flirty with both her and Riley and they generally don't mind, Farkle also doesn't really mind when they like anyone else and dating Smackle himself. He considers them his girls stating he loves them both Maya seems to take great comfort in this. They are pretty different in a lot of ways but in general play off each other well balancing a lot of the others fears, a good example of their relationship is in Girl Meets Money (2x27) when she helps him understand that not having lots of money is fine because she knows how to be happy with what she does have.

Lucas is also one of the few people who can go toe to toe with her in trading jabs and sarcasm. He's not easily bothered by her and this annoys Maya a lot. In the beginning, I think it's trying to push him away to some extent as he drops into their life quickly and Riley and Farkle keep him around. He gains Maya’s trust through showing her he will protect her friends and him showing Riley and Farkle kindness. Their trading of jabs becomes a lot more friendly. She develops a crush on Lucas, later on, it's confusing as Riley also a crush on him. It causes a lot of emotions and confusion between all three of them. Maya later works out that her emotions were confused with overlapping feelings for him, Riley, and Josh Matthews. This is also tied to the plot about Maya's identity confusion.

Maya's relationship with Smackle is friendly throughout the whole show. They are never particularly close but they do like each other. She and Zay hit it off pretty well both being rebellious, she helps him put his focous on his friends. Her relationships with the other Matthew's are also deeply important. Cory acts as her first real father figure, and Topanga fills in a lot of the mothering gas Katy left. She cares for and likes Auggie a lot, but tends to have the same blind spots as Riley sometimes sees him as a bit annoying or doesn't take him into account. She also has a deeply moving scene of Ava helping her through her parents' breakup.   Her crush on Josh, in my opinion, is a bit unhealthy. While there are only four years between them they have a huge maturity gap. When they meet he is a junior in high school, Maya is middle schooler essentially a child though he doesn't explicitly say he likes her but does call her pretty. In Girl Meets Ski Lodge (3x12/13) he does return Maya's romantic affection which is creepy, he is in college and she is a freshman in high school.  From Maya's point of view, it's a natural crush on someone too old but because it ends in a "someday" I think is not a good way for her to move forward. It comes across too close to waiting until she's legal, and can stop her from fining a different partner. I also think this shows an odd pattern, her other major crush being Lucas neither of them is people she could have. They are also both very linked to Riley while not inherently bad it's interesting.

Shawn and Maya become close quickly, Riley notices that she and Shawn might be experiencing similar problems and quickly forces them to see this too. Riley was correct they both experienced abandonment, poor parental relationships and live in comparably low-income situations. They realize their the same, in the context of these shared histories and in reacting to it as being hyper-protective of their friends, impulsivity and anger. Shawn lets her know that he wants to stop anyone from growing up like that, and through his actions lets her know he wants to make explicitly her life better. They form a father-daughter relationship culminating in his marrying her mother and adopting her. Shawn helping her and caring for her I think is one of the pivotal aspects of her rising self-esteem and eventual ability to say “I’m not giving up hope just yet. I just got it.” in Girl Meets Hurricane (2x9)

In the third season Maya makes some real personal strides her outbursts decrease in severity, she starts preparing her relationships and does better in schools. However she also shifts her presentation to an “un-Maya” way, the others frame it as “becoming Riley” in Girl Meets Triangle (3x05), Girl Meets Upstate (3x06), & Girl Meets Real Maya (3x07). There is some truth, but there is also a kind of troubling implication that there isn’t internal personal growth that can come from multiple influences. I think the others probably are worried by the smaller changes she makes like say her clothes, but that Riley sees this in Maya doing better in school and behaviour I think is a little bit of Riley's own insecurity showing through. In Girl Meets True Maya (3x07) when Maya describes her impulse control as a version of Riley, this is slightly sad as the "good" in her for some reasons can only come from Riley and not be an integral part of who she is. Maya was able to have positive growth because of the influence of everyone, her friends at school, the Matthews, Shawn, and her semi-repaired relationship with her mother. Another huge aspect of this was her starting to have closure with her father, and being older. Maya is a deeply headstrong girl who loves fiercely and finds a lot of comfort in art. She shows quite a bit of growth and starts to work through her trauma in a semi-realistic model, though it would be important for her to continue to address head-on. Maya works hard to grow up and is an amazing friend and family member.

ADHD:

Trouble focusing

Struggles in school

Impulsive

Excess energy

Strong emotional reactions

Hyperarousal

RSD

Distracts easily

Hyperactive

Feeling broken

Hopelessness

Feelings of abandonment

Low self-esteem

Empty feeling

Trouble regulating emotions

Trouble with identity

Acts out because of feelings of abandonment and being inadequate

Fatigue

Oscillates between strong emotions and lack of emotion

Depression:

Feeling broken

Hopelessness

Feelings of abandonment

Low self-esteem

Empty feeling

Trouble regulating emotions

Trouble with identity

Acts out because of feelings of abandonment and being inadequate

Fatigue

Oscillates between strong emotions and lack of emotion

[somerandomwriter1234]

Riley and Maya: I Think I Wanna Marry You - Chapter 7 (Wedding Day!)

*Author’s Note - Attention! This is not a tease! This is the highly anticipated pivotal chapter that is all about Riley and Maya’s wedding day (and night). Enjoy and please like and share! ;)

Inside of a small room of a church, Riley was sitting in a room wearing a white mermaid lined dress with long soft white gloves and small earnings. She looked into in a mirror while brushing her hair when Topanga walked in. A smiling Topanga then said, "There's my blushing bride to be." Topanga then stood behind Riley and began to comb her daughter's hair while Riley said, "Aw, thanks for brushing my hair mom. You've always been the best at it." Topanga then said, "Thanks sweety. I guess this is the last time I'm gonna get to do this since you're probably gonna have Maya do it for the rest of your life since she'll be..." Tears began to appear in Topanga's eyes as she said, "I'm sorry. The wedding hasn't even started and I'm already crying." Riley then said, "Come on mom. It's my wedding today. I should be the emotional one." The two then heard a knock on the door and Riley said, "Come in." Cory then stepped into the room and said, "There's my baby girl." Riley stood up and said, "I'm not your baby girl anymore dad." Cory smiled and said, "Only for a couple of more minutes. Wow. Sweetheart... you look beautiful." Riley then said, "Thanks. So... are you ready to give me away?" Cory put his hands on Riley's shoulders and said, "No. But if you're ready to do this... somehow I think I'll manage."

In the church sanctuary, family and friends sat as they watched Cory and Riley walk towards the alter together with their arms locked. Cory then eventually let go of Riley and let Riley stand in the middle of the alter by herself. Near Riley were her three brides maids: Topanga, Smackle, and her Aunt Morgan. As they four girls stood still, Smackle leaned over to Riley and said, "I must say I'm surprised Riley that your wedding dress didn't have a purple cat on it or something like that." Riley made a little smile as she said, "I didn't want to do something Maya would think would be too weird. I mean, marriage is all about compromises right?" Then suddenly everyone saw Maya and Shawn enter the church as Shawn (whose arms were locked with Maya's) began to walk her down the isle. Maya wore a puff sleeved dress that went down to her feet but the first thing Riley noticed was a special bouquet of purple flowers in Maya's hands. As Maya got closer to her, Riley then realized the bouquet of purple flowers were cut and trimmed in a way that the bouquet looked like the shape of a purple cat's face, with four black stems glued to the top of the bouquet to look like whiskers and two small yellow flowers mixed into the bouquet to look like cat eyes. A huge smile went across Riley's face as she saw the bouquet. Then once Shawn let Maya step up to the alter by herself, Maya handed Riley the cat shaped bouquet. Riley then said, "Peaches. You..." Maya smiled and then said, "I know. I know what makes you happy." Riley then said, "But I didn't get you anythi..." Maya then put a finger on Riley's lips and said, "It's okay. You're about to marry me. That's more than I could've ever hoped for." Riley smiled as she handed the bouquet of flowers to Smackle and then used her two hands to hold Maya's.

Then suddenly Riley's uncle Eric stepped up to the alter and said, "Hello ladies and gentleman. My name is Eric's Matthews. And because I'm a senator and Riley is my niche, I've been asked to minister this wedding. Now as you all know, true love is rare. You can just ask the moose I met when I used to be the mayor of Saint Upid Town. We've been married for years and have never even needed counseling. Now even though I haven't known Moesha here for as long as Riley, I know that they're perfect each other. Why do I know that? Because of all of you people sitting here. Because you all wouldn't be here today if you didn't believe in their marriage and would be willing to support them today. Either that or you're all undercover agents from the Planet Glorkat that have taken human disguise and... Oh, sorry. Agent Coulsen told me I wasn't supposed to spill any of that declassified information to you. But with that being said, I believe our two brides have vows prepared for each other."

Riley took out a piece of paper and glanced at it while she mostly looked at Maya and said, "They say best friends don't fall out of thin air. And yet somehow you fell through my bay window and immediately were a perfect match for me. Sometimes my head would float into space like I was an astronaut. But like a horse that stubbornly wants its; rider back, you would keep me grounded on Earth so we could ride through life together. And I never want to stop going through life with you. I would call you the girl of my dreams, but I can't because my dream is a reality every day. And I can't wait to see what the rest of our life will be like together." Maya then looked into Riley's eyes as she said, "I was once a sad and lonely girl. And when I climbed through your window, you nearly instantly began to sprinkle my life with nothing but love and happiness. You did everything you could for me and more. You played a part in repairing my relationship with my mom. You even gave me an amazing new dad. You healed my family and then healed my heart. There's nothing I could do to completely thank you for all of you've done for me. But hopefully loving you for the rest of my life as your wife will be enough." Eric then said, "Ladies, will you both promise to love and care for the other, for richer or for poor, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" Riley and Maya looked right into the other's eyes and souls as they both said, "I do." Then Eric said, "Then I now pronounce you Moesha and Niche. You may kiss your bride." Riley and Maya then looked into each other's eyes, smiled and then each held one hand out and clasped them together. Maya then in a loving voice said, "Thunder." Riley smiled back as in a happy voice she said, "Lightning." Maya smirked and then said, "Done." Then Riley and Maya both grabbed a hold of each other and kissed the other immediately. Everyone in the sanctuary clapped and cheered as loud organ music began to play celebrating the start of the two young women's married lives.

Hours later, Riley and Maya both carried bags into a large hotel room. As they put their bags down Riley said, "Wow. Our first place." Maya then said, "Well technically our first real place is gonna be my college dorm we're going to move into next week but you know what... yeah... for a week... this is gonna be our place." Riley then fell on a large bed as she said, "Wow. Such a soft bed. And look. A hot tub and large shower. And an already stocked frig. This place has everything," Maya then fell down on the bed next to Riley and said, "If this room had nothing except you, then I'd still say it had everything," A smiling Riley said, "Aww. Thanks Peaches." Then Maya said, "Well, it's our first night together as a married couple in a luxurious room. What do you want to do first?" Riley then said, "Hmm. Oh, I know." Riley then began to whisper into Maya's ear. After a moment, a surprised looking Maya said, "Really?" Riley then said, "I know it seems really dirty. But you know what, we're married now... SO LETS DO IT!"

Minutes later Riley and Maya were sitting on the floor eating Reese's Peanut Butter Cups as Riley stuffed a few in her mouth. As Riley did this, Maya raised one eyebrow as she said, "So this is the most dirty thing you can think for us to do on our wedding night?" Riley then said, "Well I know putting extra peanut butter and chocolate syrup on the peanut butter cup makes this room dirty and health-wise it's so wrong but... I figured we gotta do something crazy on our wedding night." Maya smirked as she said, "Well when you're done eating, how about we..." Maya then leaned over and began to whisper into Riley's ear. After a moment, Riley's eyes widened and said, "What!? Are you sure we can legally do that!?" Maya smiled and said, "Yes Riley. Married couples are indeed allowed to do that." Then Riley said, "Well okay. But I'm not sure about doing this."

Riley laid on the hotel room bed with only a blanket covering her body as with a look of surprise and amazement on her face she said, "I can't believe I wasn't sure about doing that." Maya then appeared poking her head out from under the blanket and said, "I can't believe you giggled nearly the entire time." A smiling Riley looked at Maya and said, "I'm really ticklish down there. I know that makes me really weird and..." Maya smiled and said, "No honey. It just makes you adorable. So... you ready for round two in a few minutes?" Then Riley said, "But it's 9:53." Then Maya said, "Yeah. I want us to get started with another round at ten." A wide eyed and surprised looking Riley said, "You wanna start at ten?" Maya then raised an eyebrow and looked right into Riley's eyes. Riley smiled and then said, "Okay. I'll do it for you Peaches. For you, I'll stay up all night if I have to."

A clock in the room read: 10:03 as Maya lay in bed covered by a blanket looking up at the ceiling as Riley lay completely asleep next to her. Maya had a slight look of disappointment on her face as she said, "She passed out right at 10:01. Who falls asleep at the very beginning of..." Maya then turned her head and saw a perfectly innocent looking Riley curled up in a ball and sleeping with a smile on her face. Maya then began to smile as well as she said, "Oh, how can I stay mad at you?" Maya then curled up next to Riley and kissed her on the forehead. Maya looked into Riley's face as she said, "Sleep well Riley. Sleep well... my beautiful wife."

TO BE CONTINUED...

Upcoming Chapters For the Series:

-Chapter 8: Married Life Begins (Coming 3/22)

-Chapter 9: The Difficulties of Adulthood (Coming 3/24)

-Chapter 10: The Secret is Revealed (Coming 3/26)

*Note - To read the entire series in one convenient location, click here - https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13229693/

[weasleymama]

GMW Rewatch S1E1: Girl Meets World

I am going to focus more on individual episodes… but there is one broad generalization about the show as a whole that I really want to point out. As a single mother, I had a big problem with the mother/daughter relationships on this show. I feel like there is not enough between Topanga and Riley…but more between her and Auggie. Why is that? Why don’t we get to see those important mother daughter moments in this show about a teenage girl?

We have an episode called “Girl Meets Father” What about mother? I can understand a girl being closer to one parent than the other. But a lot of really important mother/daughter moments were missed here and it’s really sad.

The same can be said for Maya and Katy. I would have loved to see more positive single-mother moments. But you basically spend most of the first season thinking Maya’s mother is a flake who can’t be bothered to be there for her daughter. It’s not okay.

Yes, they explained she was working to buy Maya’s present on her birthday, but that’s still crap. No way she doesn’t wake up her daughter to say happy birthday, or call her… nothing? Just left alone to fend for herself? I don’t like it. Then comes the Christmas episode… where they invite Maya but no Katy? Yes I’m sure she had to work…but no mention of her mother?

The mother/daughter relationship is incredibly important to how a girl is raised and who she becomes. It should have been better portrayed, and I will never change my mind on that.

Now onto the episode!

One of the first things I notice as someone who has seen the entire show is that Maya knows a lot of people outside of the Core group (be it 4 or 6). You come to notice it in later episodes as well, but even in the pilot, she knows people in the subway by name and I like that there’s more to her. Also, I wish we’d get to see Weasel, the drummer on the subway platform, more often. He seemed like he’d be fun.

Like most TV shows set in NYC, the apartment is ridiculous. That apartment is at least 3 bedrooms along with a huge living room/kitchen space. An apartment, in a brownstone, in Greenwich Village would cost around 10 million dollars, give or take. Are you telling me that a lawyer and a middle school teacher have that kind of money? I have no doubt Topanga makes good money but come on!

Ship wars in this fandom are INSANE. I personally like Lucaya, Riarkle,  and Zaydora but I don’t deny other ships have possibilities. I won’t engage in ship wars… but I will discuss anytime with anyone how they feel about stuff. I like talking to other fans, so long as it’s a discussion and not a battle.

With that said… Maya spots Lucas first on the subway, but honestly, I don’t think she has any interest in him at this point. She can admit he’s cute, but beyond that, she’s just having fun. And I think he was amused by her as well, seeing she and Riley talking after their ‘break-up’ he had to know they were teasing him, and the look on his face seemed okay with it.

I do not think Maya pushed Riley on the subway to engage in some romantic moment between her and Lucas. They had no idea if they’d ever see him again. The whole point of this episode is Riley wanting to be like Maya because she’s so cool. Maya is okay with this at the beginning because she doesn’t see it being a bad thing for Riley (yet). I think she pushed Riley to talk to random cute boy, because it would push her to be more outgoing and ‘cool’.

But on that note… Riley, a girl who isn’t actually like that, who is shy and awkward, actually remains sitting on Lucas’s lap?! I don’t think so. She wouldn’t sit there and have some cute talk, she would stand or move to the empty seat immediately and likely blush and apologize. Then it happens again? We see how awkward she is with him in the next episode, can’t even speak to him without her phone…yet she’s chatting on his lap? Nope. Nuh uh. Not happening.

OCD Continuity Moment #1: Evelyn Rand. Okay, I get it, they liked Jackée and wanted her on the show beyond the pilot. If you’re anything like me, this doesn’t fly. She’s a billionaire who apparently needs to sit down after working a 12-hour shift right? Meaning she went to work at 5 or 6 at night…not exactly board room hours.

However, I love her character and she makes me laugh so whatever.

One of her lines that I love the most in this episode: “You ain’t got no hunk you ain’t got no story!” It really was a foreshadowing moment for this show and the fandom obsession with coupling. LOL

The first time Maya is insulted by Cory happens in the pilot episode. This really bothers me because honestly it happens a lot as the show goes on. It’s always laughed off, she always has some witty come back that makes her seem tougher than he is, but the truth is, she shouldn’t have to.

“Thank you, future Mini-mart employee of the month”

This is not okay to say to a 13-year-old girl. Not okay for a teacher to say this to any child, but especially not one that young and impressionable.  This is not how a good teacher should speak to his students (but of course, I am not totally sold on Cory as a good teacher to be honest).

Topanga (mockingly): Let’s get married, let’s have a kid, let’s have another kid

Cory: Well you listened to me, ya big stupid.

I actually love this moment between them, it’s light and joking and fun after dealing with a hormonal pre-teen. It was cute to see.

Side note, Topanga proposed to him.

I am going to use Farkle’s own words for the lunchroom scene, for the debates and the deeply discussed ‘Maya is sloppy Joe” craziness.

“Farkle’s just hungry, not everything is about you.”

I am sure people think deeply about the show and how they put it together, I have no doubt that there are small details that we may or may not notice. But the nit-picking that happens in the fandom over tiny things just wears me out. I hope that’s not what anyone is looking for here, because it’s just not me. Honestly, and no offense to anyone else, I find it hard to believe that someone who can’t be bothered with continuity in a show can be so set on things so little.

Let’s take a moment to imagine yourself as Riley… You’re talking to a boy at school for the first time, you’ve barely said hello to him, you were too nervous to even call him over to the table with your friends. And what happens next? Your dad come sup and literally pulls him away.

Now Imagine being a 14-year-old boy. Would you actually WANT to hang out with that girl after that? Would it not deter you from that group of friends, especially if you’re new in the school? I can’t image any boy at 14 not thinking it was the most uncomfortable, strange thing ever. Not to mention this dad who pulls you away is your teacher.

Cory is incredibly overbearing as a parent (the line in the next episode “do I go too far?” “always, sir” is very accurate.) It’s really inappropriate to me as a parent. 

“No homework, more freedom!” Honestly, I would have to give Maya ½ credit on her homework/not doing her homework because that’s what she’s fighting for.  (not counting the fire alarm situation yet to come)

I personally believe the moment Maya stands up to ‘gather the homework’ was actually her way to save Riley. Riley was telling Cory she was like Maya, that she didn’t do her homework. It wasn’t until Cory tells Riley that he’s not like Maya at all, that Maya raises her hand to interrupt him. I don’t see her planning to burn everyone’s homework (even if she knew Farkle had sparklers on his – which BTW, why does this kid have sparklers lit at school anyway?) I saw it more as a ploy to keep Cory from making Riley realize they’re not as alike as she thinks, that went admittingly ‘too far’. Notice how slowly she brings the sparklers to the paper.

Lucas: Why didn’t you stop your friend?

Riley: I don’t do that anymore.

Lucas: You’re better than that!

Is she though? You only met the girl a few hours before, how do you really know what she’s better than? But it gets better… not only does Lucas put the pressure on her to be responsible for Maya, so does Cory…and in an even worse way: “Because you didn’t do anything your best friend is in very big trouble.”

She is a 12-year-old girl, who wants to be like her best friend and feel cool and accepted… it’s way too much to put on her shoulders.

Maya’s admission of not having anyone at home to help her with her homework is heartbreaking. But what’s more heartbreaking is that she has to say it at all. Cory has known her since she was 5 years old. “As long as I can remember it’s been Riley and Maya” As long as he can remember. He should know by now what her home/family is like, or at least have some indication…not stand there in shock like she’s just revealed something he never considered. I don’t know if this is a continuity thing or just to put the point out there of what Maya’s home life is like, but it really just made Cory look like a clueless jerk.

“I go too far, and I don’t think that’s going to stop.” It’s the ‘I don’t think I’m going to stop’ part that really resonated with me in this moment.  She’s basically come to the conclusion that she’s bad, and she can’t change. This is quickly followed by her saying Cory doesn’t love her anymore. I feel like this needed more attention – but alas, it was about Riley’s inner struggle to be herself, not Maya’s. I connected more to Maya’s character, I think the show could have been really interesting if it were Maya’s story.

One more thing… if the creators of the show are SO picky that the tiniest little things matter, that the food on the plate really is a sign of something to come. Then someone please tell me why Auggie, a 5-year-old, is doing a peg puzzle made for toddlers. Seriously people…you can’t have it both ways, either everything tiny background thing matters, or it doesn’t.

All in all, I have some negative thoughts. I will have a lot of them. But I really do love this show. I love the throw backs to Boy Meets World, which I grew up with. I love the dynamics between friends. I love the lessons (mostly) that they tried to teach.

I love to discuss things, so please feel free to message me or send in an ask. I look forward to having fun chats with the fans still out there.

[bitchinlyras]

in your love, my salvation lies

part iii

read on ao3, read early parts

Riley doesn’t remember the rest of the week. She remembers moments, snippets. She doesn’t remember leaving the hospital but she remembers arriving at Maya’s. She remembers crawling into Maya’s bed with her. She remembers burying herself in Maya, in her scent, in her warmth, and falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.

She doesn’t remember eating, but she remembers sitting in Maya’s bed for long stretches at a time. Just staring, not moving, not feeling. Just staring.

She remembers showering. She remembers turning the water up so hot that it scalds her skin and fogs up the mirror, so that when she gets out her skin is pink.

She remembers her friends and family coming over. She doesn’t remember what they do or what they say, she just remembers they’re there, a source of warmth and comfort.

She remembers Maya. She remembers Maya brushing her hair and lending her pyjamas. She remembers Maya holding her at night, stroking her hair and whispering soothing words into her ears. She remembers Maya caring for her, loving her.

She remembers her father. She remembers him walking around Shawn and Katy’s apartment aimlessly. She remembers sitting with him in silence, their mutual grief some sort of ugly comfort. She remembers hugging him and him hugging her. She remembers him broken and defeated, just like her.

The funeral is just five days after Auggie’s death, and still Cory and Riley haven’t been home. They borrow clothes from Shawn and Maya. A suit and a black dress respectively.

Riley fiddles with the piece of paper that contains something she’d written for the funeral on the drive over. Maya’s hand rests comfortingly on her thigh, and Riley rests her head on her father’s side. There are so many other places she would rather be right now, and she wonders how, just a week ago, she never would have fathomed this. Never would have fathomed that she would be sitting in between Maya and her father in the back of car on the way to her mother’s and brother’s funeral.

The funeral is strange, somehow emotionless and overflowing with emotions, just like the ICU. Riley walks up the aisle of the church, hand in hand with her father and Maya. They sit in the front row, along with the rest of their close family. Riley’s friends and Ava and her mother sit in the row behind them.

Riley stares at the two coffins, one big and one small, only feet away from her. Both seem too small to contain the magnitude of Topanga and Auggie.

Riley listens as people stand up the front and talk. She listens to Mr. Feeny as he tells them that Topanga was the brightest student he’d ever had, and how he thought she’d be the one speaking at his funeral. She listens as Shawn tells them about the time Topanga tried to have his pig taken away, only to realise how much Shawn loved the pig, so she tricked Animal Control into giving him back, and about Auggie being born and holding him for the first time. She watches Ava stand up the front, her whole body trembling as she quietly tells everybody how Auggie was her best friend and Topanga was like her other mother.

“Riles,” Maya nudges her, “it’s your turn,”

Riley walks slowly up to the stand, pulling Maya along with her. She feels faint and her bones feel hollow. She unfolds the piece of paper, but her vision is to blurry to read it. She turns to Maya, pleading with her eyes; Maya gives the smallest of nods, and squeezes Riley’s hand reassuringly.

“T—Topanga and Auggie were two of the greatest people I will ever know,” Maya says, her voice echoing throughout the still church. “I’m not related to them, but they were my family, and I will always love them,” her voice breaks and she’s crying now. “They were the definition of good people. And they didn’t deserve this.”

Crying, Riley and Maya hug each other, before walking back down to the pews. Katy stands up and hugs Maya, pressing a kiss to her temple. “I’m so proud of you baby girl,” she whispers.

Maya hugs her tightly. “I love you, Mom,”

Riley stands in the middle of the church. It’s empty now, the funeral.

She looks around at the architecture, admiring in the stain glass windows.

“Riles?”

Riley looks up to see Maya standing in the doorway of the church. “We need to go now,” she says, approaching her, “they’re getting into the hearse.”

Riley nods, and Maya wraps her arms around Riley, resting her head on Riley’s chest. Riley hugs her back, resting her head on Maya’s. They stand there for a moment, listening and feeling their hearts beat together.

“It’s beautiful,” Riley says softly, and Maya looks up at her questioningly. “The church, don’t you think?”

Maya’s breath catches in her throat, and, slowly, she pushes herself up on the tips of her toes and kisses Riley.  It’s tender and cautious, and after a moment, Riley pulls away.

Maya looks at her, there’s a pained look in her face.

“I’m… I’m s—sorry,” Maya stammers, her cheeks turning pink.

Riley shakes her head, and gulps. “No,” she says, looking at Maya, “it’s okay,” and Maya’s heart flutters ever so slightly, “I just— not now, is that okay?”

Maya nods. “Of course, honey,” she says, and the ghost of a smile flickers across Riley’s face.

“We should go,” Riley says, slipping her hand into Maya’s. “They’re waiting for us.”

The burial is beautiful and sad. Riley watches, mostly silently, as others cry, as her father embraces his college friends, as her family places a handful of dirt atop the lowered coffins. She watches as people accept the fate of Topanga Lawrence-Matthews and August Matthews — to be dead; to decay in the earth and eventually become it. She watches with a stiffened jaw as she decides death is nothing but a huge cosmic joke, what kind of God lets an eight year old who once got up at four in the morning to go and pick plastic up off the beach die. She watches and she doesn’t let go of Maya’s hand once, not even when it’s their turn to throw some dirt in.

When she finally does let go of Maya’s hand, it’s as others are leaving, and she can see her father beginning to trip over the crumbling remains of his world as he as to thank people for coming to his wife and son’s funeral. Her hand slips out of Maya’s (feeling suddenly cold), and she rushes at him, hugging him as tight as she can.

“I love you, Dad,” she whispers, her tears smudging into his shirt.

He gives her a small squeeze. “I love you too, Riley,” and there’s the faintest of cracks in his voice.

She hugs him tighter.

They go back to the Hunters’ apartment that night — it’s an unspoken agreement between the five of them.

Riley turns the shower up as hot as she can without literally melting her skin off and steps in, gasping at the heat. She shuts her eyes and tries to focus on both the pain and comfort of the warm water. She tries not to think about their own empty apartment, Auggie’s bed still unmade, and Topanga’s dishes still in the sink; Auggie’s half built lego and Topanga’s unfinished copy of ‘The Goldfinch’ sitting on her nightstand, her spot marked with the folded corner of the page; Auggie’s spelling homework sitting on his desk, only half the words filled in, and Topanga’s bottle of perfume in the bathroom, which she’d just bought the day before.

Riley turns the shower up hotter.

Her skin pink and almost glowing from the heat, Riley slips out of the steamy bathroom in a pair of Maya’s pyjamas and her hair up in a towel. She passes Shawn and Katy’s room, which Cory is staying in; he’s sitting on the bed, staring into space.

“Dad?” Riley calls softly, and Cory looks over at her.

“Hey,” he murmurs, “good shower?”

“Yeah, hot,” Riley replies, walking over and sitting next to him on the bed.

The two look at each other for a moment, the empathy of mutual grief hangs in the air around them.

“Dad,” Riley says eventually, “I don’t want to go home.”

“Yeah, I get that,”

“I just keep thinking of all their… things, exactly where they left them, like nothing has changed.”

“We don’t have to go home,”

“Ever?” she asks, half hopeful and half fearful.

The smallest of smiles and briefest of chuckles. “One day, kid, but for now we can stay here, until… until we’re ready,”

“I don’t think I’ll ever be ready,” and it’s a confession of fear.

Cory puts an arm around his daughter. “Neither kid, but sometimes the only way to be ready, is to just pretend you are,”

Riley smiles, and puts her arms around him. “I love you, Dad,”

“Love you too, kid,”

“Goodnight,” she says, standing up.

“Goodnight,” he calls as she leaves, his voice floating like a ghost in the air.

The light’s off and Riley’s already in bed when Maya climbs in.

Riley rolls over to face her. “Good shower?”

“Nah, someone used up all the hot water,” Maya teases, but Riley gulps.

“Oh, sorry,” she says guiltily, wishing she could just roll back over and go to sleep.

Maya nudges her, grinning. “Riles, I’m joking,”

“I know, I know, I just—“ she sighs, “you’ve done so much for me, you don’t need to do all of this.”

“Hey,” Maya says firmly, taking Riley’s face in her hands, and bringing it closer to her, “I would do anything for you, just like you have and would do for me, and sacrificing some hot water, pyjamas, and a little space in my bed is nothing you haven’t already done for me.”

Riley wills herself not to cry, so, with tears blurring her vision, she closes the brief distance between her and Maya, and kisses her.

The kiss is warm and soothing; Maya’s lips are soft, and Riley can’t help but imagine peaches. Maya responds almost hesitantly, as if unsure if she is dreaming or not, but when Riley kisses her slightly more insistently, a bubble of laughter escapes her — and Riley can feel her smile against her lips — before she kisses her back softly.

Rain buckets down outside as they kiss well into the night, enjoying the new sensation of each other’s lips and tongues, of their noses bumping into each other, and their hands switching from caressing each other’s cheeks to be tangled up in the others hair.

At some point they stop, and they fall asleep facing each other, their legs tangled, and their chests rising and falling together.

Outside the rain continues to pour down.

[frankchurchillsaysrelax]

fifteen there’s still time for you

How do you make a comeback? Post a completely random Joshaya ficlet that’s been sitting in your drafts for months? Sure, why not! Well that’s what this is, have fun with it. 

Age is a funny thing. People never really seem to want to live in the present, to be the age they are right now. The young want to be older and the old want to be younger. 

No one knows this better than Joshua Matthews. When the sibling closest in age to you is still eleven years older, you tend to spend a lot of your time wishing you were more grown up. 

At home he felt like he always needed to catch up. His older brother was having a kid and graduating college at the same time that Josh was finally mastering the tricycle. He wanted to be just like Cory, so he worked hard to learn things he’d thought would impress him. But all of that catching up put him ahead of his peers developmentally and he was put in school a year earlier than normal as a result. 

It feels like a curse sometimes; always being younger than everyone else. His sister understands, she’s a lot younger than their brothers too, but she leaves for college when he’s seven and he’s left on his own. 

As he gets older his fixation with age grows. He hears the conversations people have about the Matthews: his mom and dad are too old to do the same things other parents do with their kids. His brother and sister-in-law are too young to be starting a family. 

He hates that these PTA moms think they can pass judgement on his family, but a small part of him knows there is some truth to the things they say. 

The other kids never tease him for not being able to do some of the things they can. He can’t go see the PG-13 movies in seventh grade and he doesn’t get his license until his junior year, but he’s got a quick wit and an easy charm that draws people to him and helps him fit in almost anywhere. 

It’s a gift from God, he’s sure, when he becomes friends with Andrew who is two years older and a grade ahead of him. The older boy takes him under his wing when he enters middle school and it makes navigating that new world that much easier. 

“Ok let us out here and then park the car down the street,” his dad tells him as they pull up outside his brother’s New York apartment. 

It’s Christmas and it’s the first one they’ll be spending in the city. His mom has been complaining about Topanga’s cooking the entire way up from Philly, and Josh is more than happy to let his parents go inside without him if it means avoiding that confrontation. 

He cherishes the few moments he has alone as he carefully parallel parks his dad’s car in a space he finds down the block. It’s still two months before he can take his driver’s test even though he feels more than ready and his patience is starting to grow thin. He takes in his surroundings as he backtracks towards Cory’s building and he can’t help but smile. With any luck this will be his neighborhood in another year and a half, sooner even if his application to the NYU high school summer program gets accepted. 

He tosses his dad the keys and greets his brother and nephew as he walks further into the apartment. His niece approaches him and he can’t believe how tall she’s getting, even without her ridiculous heels. The next thing he knows he’s got an armful of Maya Hart and he doesn’t really know what to do with himself. She’s taller too, although still a lot shorter than him, and she looks a lot different than the last time he saw her. Her golden hair is brighter and her smile even more dangerous than he remembers, but it’s her eyes that he notices most. They’re still endlessly blue and there is something about them now that draws you in and makes you not want to look away. He manages though. 

He likes Maya, it’s impossible not to like Maya Hart, but he can’t figure out why he suddenly feels nervous around her. 

It’s not until later that night when he’s laying on Auggie’s floor that he realizes he’s finally too old for something. 

He looks at her differently after that first college party. He’s spent the better part of a year thinking that she was too young and that her crush on him would have to fizzle out eventually, but he knows now that he was wrong. 

They are more similar than he’d ever bothered to realize. He first noticed it back at the beginning of the summer when he ran into her on the subway and she pointed out how he’d just been shot down in the same way that he’d been turning her away since Christmas. 

They both were misplaced and just trying to find where they fit. He didn’t know the full story, but he’d learned that she was older than the rest of her class. His niece, who’d apparently become more accepting of her best friend’s feelings, had impishly informed him that the age difference was actually closer to two years. 

Still, while Maya couldn’t care less what their ages were he can’t stop caring.

He’s sitting on a school bus for the first time in a few years and no matter how happy he is with how the weekend played out, he can’t shake the feeling of how amiss he feels. 

It really wasn’t that long ago that he was in the same place as these kids, but here he is chaperoning them like a real adult when he’s not even eighteen yet. How did Topanga swing that anyway? 

He glances over his shoulder to check that Yogi and Darby are behaving themselves, and finds himself caught up in a pair of hypnotizing blue eyes. He turns to face the front of the bus, feeling flustered and more like the high-schooler he no longer is than the adult he’s pretending to be. 

Josh hopes that there will come a time when he isn’t so preoccupied with his age. Someday.

[licenselesswriter]

From November to June CH7

May 13, 2018

- Maya? - Riley calls her best friend putting a hand over her leg.

- Yes, sweetie? - she replies still playing on her phone.

- I know you said that he was only being friendly with you, but why uncle Josh is saying this? - she asks and shows Maya her phone.

Maya takes Riley's phone and proceeds to read how Josh says to everyone on the Matthews family chat, that Lucas is the father of her kid. Fastly she gets out of WhatsApp and searches Riley's contacts and dial a very familiar phone - Hey, yep, care to get here a bit early? thanks, "Bedroom Floor" - she says and finish the call.

- So, it's true? - Riley asks looking at the floor.

- Just wait till' "Bedroom Floor" gets her so we can explain - she asks Riley to do.

And since Maya never hurt her, she finally does as she's being asked to do and wait.

20 minutes later, Lucas arrives, confident as always and with a gift under his arm, he greets Topanga and Cory, and reluctantly, he allows the Texan boy to get into his daughter's room.

- Hey - Lucas says opening the door. He takes a look at Riley's expression and his first thought is that Maya tells her what happened at the hotel when Josh got married.

- You sure take your time "Bedroom Floor" - Maya says to him.

Lucas just smiles to her - Didn't know you wanted to see me that bad - he jokes, noticing how atmosphere goes worse.

- Josh tells everyone that you are the father of my baby - Maya cuts him.

Lucas can't hide his shock, that fastly was replaced with anger - Son of a bitch - he says, completely ignoring how Riley started to cry - Sorry - he apologizes for calling Riley's grandmother a bitch.

- So, in the end, it's true, you slept with Lucas - Riley says to Maya.

- Just allow us to tell you the complete story - Maya asks again.

- No, this is too much, and I really don't want to hear it - Riley fastly replies.

- Ring Power - Maya says lifting her hand.

- Fucking ring - Riley curses.

- It all started in the ski lodge - Maya started.

Riley's face deformed - SINCE THEN? - she screams, not wanting to believe her words. Lucas put his hands on her shoulders, trying to calm her down, but only gets a slap on his face - GET OUT OF MY FUCKING HOUSE - she screamed at him.

- She's not talking about me, Riley - Lucas says hugging her - Calm down - he adds before putting a kiss on her hair.

To his words, Riley calms herself a bit - I don't understand what is going on - she says in the middle of her tears.

- Then shut the fuck up and for once, listen to your best friend - Maya snaps, making Lucas watch her with a recriminatory look - Ok, ok, I'm sorry - Maya says and gets up from Riley's bed and grab her hands - Sweetie, this is gonna be really hard to listen, and I really don't want you to judge me, or worse, talk about it, this is gonna be a secret between you, me, and Lucas, and yes this is I'm-calling-him-his-actual-name important - she continues.

Lucas takes Riley to the bay window and Maya follows - On that day, we decided to go with a "long play", and sometimes when we were alone, we make out, and it was really fun, and I felt really in love - Maya explains.

- Who is this guy? - Riley asks.

- You need to swear to me that you will never tell this to another person - she says.

Riley lifted her hand and Maya's - I swear on my ring - she replies.

Maya, nervous for the information she's going to expose, grab Riley's hand and hold it against her chest - The person who got me pregnant was Josh - Maya finally confesses, shocking Riley.

- No - Riley says in complete denial.

- Why would I lie about this? - Maya asks.

- No, that's impossible - Riley continues - You're just saying that because he caught you and Lucas - she says, trying to justify her denial.

- Honey, I would never lie about something this important - Maya says in the edge of a breakdown.

- Oh my God - Riley says and covers her mouth with her both hands - Then why... - Riley tries to asks, but then she takes a short look at Lucas, and then at Maya - He doesn't know - she states.

- Riley - Lucas tries to clean her tears, but she pushes him away.

- How did he get involved? - she asks Maya, not mentioning Lucas by his name.

- He was the first to connect the dots - Maya answers.

- The first? - Riley asks this time.

- Zay was the second - Lucas answers.

The 3 of them keep a mortifying silence that Maya decides to break - You're probably wondering why I keep this from you - she says and grabs her hands again, she put a little kiss on her hands before looking right into her eyes - Josh always has been your role model, I didn't want you to learn that one of the people you admire the most, is a cheater who impregnates a girl 1 month before proposing to his girlfriend - she says, letting her tears fall down.

Lucas takes her handkerchief and gives it to Maya, then unwraps the package that he brings.

- Seriously? Cookies? - Riley asks.

- Her favorites - Lucas says and opens a Tupperware, filled with mint-chocolate cookies.

Maya takes 2 and put them in her mouth - Fuck you both for giving me stress eating - she says to them, taking another 2 cookies.

Riley just stood there for a second, watching, analyzing, trying to crack, her best friend and her future husband relationship - Lucas - she calls him. He fastly turns his attention to the brunette - Can I talk to you for a moment? - she asks him.

Maya only snatches the Tupperware from Lucas' hands - Don't look at me, you go out, I'm pregnant, I don't have to move - she argues, making him give her a soft laugh.

- Stupid - he jokes.

- Asshole - she jokes back.

- Ok, I'm gonna take him for a few minutes - Riley says and drags out Lucas from her room by the arm.

- Where are we going? - Lucas asks noticing how they walk past the living room.

- Rooftop - Riley answers.

A pair of minutes later they get into the rooftop.

Lucas thanks his mother for forcing him to wear 2 layers when he noticed the cold air - Ok, so why we are here? - he asks Riley who sits in the bench that was there.

- How much of what she said is true? - she asks him, surprising him.

- Are you serious? - he asks back and Riley only nods - All of it - he replies. He will be sure that Maya will never find out about that doubt.

- Is she the reason why you and Josh drifted away? - she asks then.

- Technically, I was the one who drifted away, but yes - he answers, sitting next to Riley - Why you're asking so many questions? - he asks her.

Riley just look at the floor - One last question, why we haven't come back? - she asks him.

- Riley - Lucas softly says and put his arm around her shoulders - We break up 2 times, don't you think that's a warning flag? - he asks her back.

- Warning flag? That's all I am to you? a fucking warning flag? - Riley questions him getting up from the bench.

Lucas thought to himself, that maybe his word selection wasn't the best - I'm gonna go - Lucas says and tries to go back to get his coat.

- You've fallen for her - Riley says, like pointing a fact.

Lucas turns over, tired of all this Riley-Maya thing that he has been involved since he moved to New York - For fuck's sake - he says letting a bit of stress go out with his curse before walking to her and sit on the bench - I'm sorry I'm the one who breaks this to you, but, your parent's story, it's not something everyone can replicate, and honestly, we are not them - he adds, putting his fingers over his temples.

- That can be us if you dared to try - Riley argues back.

- Yeah, I'm gonna pretend you didn't say that - Lucas replies and walks down to her apartment.

When he opens the door to get his coat and get away from there, he was faced by Maya with a sweater on her hands.

- You know I can hear everything from her window, right? - she asks him.

- I know, I know - he replies and kisses her on the cheek - Go comfort your best friend - he adds taking his coat.

- Are you gonna be ok? - she asks.

Lucas just smiles - Don't worry, I'll be ok - he answers with half-smile.

- Awww, nobody can drag you down? - Maya teases him before walking to the rooftop.

Lucas just smiles at her and gives her the finger - Happy Mother’s Day Maya - he says before walking out.

- Love you too One Direction - she teases him again.

Riley heard the rooftop door opens and didn't have to turn her head to know who was - If you came here to say "I told you" I already know you told me - she says.

Maya just looks at her with a sad smile - I came here to give you a sweater - she says and put the sweater over her back before sitting next to her.

- Why can't Lucas try again with me? - she asks Maya before letting her head lands on her shoulder.

- Don't ask me, I got myself pregnant with an asshole who proposes to another woman a month from being with me in the same bed - Maya replies with a sad smile.

- At least we have each other - Riley says and hugs Maya.

- Yes, we do - Maya says and puts a hand over her belly - And next month, you're gonna be Aunt Riley, and you better be ready, because if you don’t, I'm gonna start panicking - she jokes.

Riley just smiles at her and put a kiss on her cheek before caressing her belly - Why didn't I fall for you; things would be easier that way - she says letting Maya caress her hair.

- Maybe in another universe honey - Maya consoles Riley.

[storm278]

Home is where the heart is CHAPTER 5

10 years after college, Riley has gained a reputation of being a flight risk. Her friends and family have tried to stop her from taking off but truthfully there is only one person that can make her stay for good. what happens when riley sees said person for the first time in 14 years. Rucas centric

Rated T

Cross posted to Fanfiction.net here

Prologue Ch 1 Ch 2 Ch 3 Ch 4

"Are you sure you guys didn't take this too far, she bought the freaking pent house and it didn't come cheap" Josh said with utmost concern for his baby sister. Him and his wife were hosting movie night for their friends while their son was spending time with his grandparents Cory and Topanga. Darby, Yogi, Farkle, Isadora, Zay and Vanessa were present at Josh and Maya's house.

"I get your concern Josh I really do" Farkle said "I mean the plan at first was for her to rent but she buying the place only makes it so much better because now it wouldn't be easy for her to just move somewhere else, they need this push trust me it's been fifteen plus years, there has to be a reason the both of them haven't found their other halves"

Josh understood were the genius was coming from but that doesn't mean he still wasn't concerned for his sister. She tends to react to certain situations in the worst ways behaviour and health wise. This little plan of theirs, even though it came from a place of love definitely fell into the category of situations that his sister never handled properly. He just wished their group would leave her to figure this out on her own.

"My concern with this plan is what if it doesn't work and it blows up in our faces, what if Lucas gets mad, I mean we're older now but he still scares me" Yogi muttered

"Oh common honey, the man knows better now he won't even hurt a fly" Darby tried to comfort her husband and put his mind at ease.

"Yea tell that to the hole he made on the wall of his office when he found out about Nathan" Zay just dropped a bomb on the group without even realizing what he had done.

"for the life of me I still can't understand why they went so long apart when it's so clear they still love each other, she loves him, he loves her so why drag the drama on for so long gees happiness is not that hard" Vanessa exclaimed while Zay smiled and threw his arms around her.

Obviously Riles is going to be pissed at first because she knows we go to his place all the time and then out of nowhere Farkle suddenly suggests the house right next door from him" Darby said while sipping her wine

Maya was more worried about her best friend's reaction to this whole plan fiasco "I'm still a little scared, I've known the girl my whole life, when she gets pissed she could take drastic actions, what if she decides to sell the home and move"

"She wouldn't do that Maya it would be too obvious she is moving because of him, she already admitted to all of us she loves that place. She's still bubbles after all; she would never want to hurt him like that. Even if they haven't seen each other" Isadora explained. Then everyone turns to Zay as he is tearing through a turkey leg

"what are y'all staring at me for, I agree with the Mr. & Mrs. Genius here" he huffs seeing some of the members of group still in doubt, then he moves to drops the turkey leg down on his plate "common guys its Lucas and Riley we're talking of here, we've seen this play out before it's not rocket science people. What those two have I can't even begin to explain it, just being in close proximity and they can't stop talking to each other. It's a little freaky if you asked me" Zay said earning him a smack in the head from his new fiancé

"and that's how they bond with each other" Farkle added and it was as if a light bulb went off in this head "You guys that's what happened, that's why they refused to see themselves"

Maya caught on "because they knew one of them was going to cave in and then they would start speaking again, that's why Lucas leaves when Riley comes home but why didn't he leave this time"

"Duh because he wants his girl back, Jesus, what part of Lucas loves this woman don't you people understand" Zay said in frustration leaving everyone dumbfounded.

Josh was particularly shocked with these new bombshells Zay has been dropping all night, because to be honest he never thought the alleged plan would work, he always figured if they were ever going to get back together it wouldn't be because of people meddling, it would be Riley and Lucas figuring things out themselves. Josh knew parts of the story that no one present knew, so he was particularly thrilled to hear Lucas wanted Riley back for the sake of his sister's happiness. Then he turned his attention to Zay "did he tell you this? Like with actual words? What happens to Nathan then?"

"When last did Lucas stay in New York for a whole year plus" Zay asked with raised eye brows "he has more than enough doctors to take care of his clinic here, he could have gone back to Texas if he wanted to. Riley has been back for what over a month now and he still shows no sign of going anywhere. He doesn't need to tell me he wants the girl back; his actions show it"

"and Josh, who cares what happens to Nathan" Darby spat "I mean he's a good guy and all but we all know that relationship doesn't hold a candle to Rucas" Maya smiled at this remembering when they use to tease the couple with the ship name back in high school.

"That's true I haven't even considered the Nathan factor in this equation" Farkle said

"Bubbles wouldn't want to hurt Nathan either hmm" Isadora thought for a minute and looked to her husband "Dearest it would appear we skipped out on that variable, so what do we do now, Nathan is a threat to our desired outcome but there are ways to eliminate him from said equation though" Smackle smirked

"SMACKLE!" everyone yelled

Zay looked at both of them as if they were crazy "hey! Mr. & Mrs. Genius, Lucas and Riley aren't equations from a textbook, like I said this isn't rocket science, we have succeeded in getting them to see each other again that's good so now just sit back and watch the magic happen"

"In a weird way I agree with Zay on this. I don't think there's any magic to it but they definitely have some kind of pull to each other" Josh said

All through their conversations, Maya was still confused in thoughts with all of this because she never understood why, why were things happening this way for those two. Lucas had once said Riley was his favorite person in the world to talk to, and that was one of the most honest things Maya had ever heard him say. One look into his eyes you could tell he meant every word of it and he proved it all through their high school years. The two would constantly sneak off to God knows where just to be alone with each other. Once Riley told her they drove out of the city at night just for the sake of the adventure of it and of course more of an excuse for them to be together.

So why would they be so willing to go so long without wanting to see each other, Riley didn't cheat Maya was sure of that, Lord knows Missy as hot and sexy as she looked tried to get Lucas but he wouldn't budge, it wasn't their spark; those two made fireworks just by linking pinkies, they didn't stop loving each other, nope very far from that, then it hit Maya like a ton of bricks. Their first real fight started after Riley got sick once at the beginning of senior year, she kept to herself for a while after falling sick. Riley had told Maya that her asthma was acting up so she had to stay away from school for a while, Maya knew it wasn't the whole truth but she decided to not push it because she figured Riley would come to her when she was ready to talk but Riley never did and she shrugged it off because Riley got better but her friend's relationship never did. So she decided to test her theory

"Sweetie remember when Riles got sick at the beginning of senior year" everyone turned their attention to Maya wondering what that had to do with anything "do you remember what happened to her" Maya asked Josh

Josh was alarmed by this question because this was not his secret to tell and he knew the hell his mother would raise on him if he spilled anything to anybody so he panicked and said the first thing that came to his head "Oh um yea I remember, she had this flu that wouldn't go away"

Lies! Why would Josh lie to me Maya thought to herself she said it was her asthma, so something did happen to Riley. Oh God something happened to Riley! Maya began to internally panic How could I not see this? She didn't tell Lucas and it must have been huge since it caused them to split up and Josh is lying to me over it. Maya got up from the table with haste to leave "I have to go see her"

Josh followed behind her outside of their home to get away from the rest "Babe it's late we have guests, Riley's fine trust me the flu has definitely passed"

"Sweetie please I have to go see her right now, something's not adding up"

"I assure you she's fine Maya; you can ask her about it tomorrow" Josh pleaded, he could sense Maya knew he lied

"If I don't go it's going to bug me and then I'm going to have to bug you all night" Maya was determined to get answers, something happened to her sister and her husband was trying to keep her away from finding out. This only made the wheels in her head spin faster

"Maya she is probably exhausted from moving today, she and Nathan are probably having some alone time for themselves and they wouldn't appreciate you busting in asking for answers to something that happened years ago plus I already told you what happened"

"You told me something alright but you and I know that's not what happened, I know you're covering for her or you feel like it's not your position to tell so I'll respect that tonight for the sake of the people in our house but tomorrow you bet your ass I'm getting my answers" Josh shoulders visibly relaxed themselves as he let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He was more than relieved that his wife was dropping the issue for this night because now he would be able to give his sister the heads up that her spit fire best friend knew something was up.

GMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMW

"Riley?" His eyes widen in panic "Oh my gosh Riles where is your inhaler" He rushed to her side again and put his strong muscular arms around her. Lucas didn't need to be told what was happening to her, he had been there with her when she badly struggled with it in high school.

She slid to sit on the floor of the elevator to create some kind of distance from him. His heart broke a little seeing her like this. Seeing that the doors to the elevator already closed shot and they had started moving, her heart beats sped up. Her breaths were only getting shorter so she pointed to the small cardboard box she dropped while she tripped. He didn't even think twice about it, he ripped the top off and saw a bunch of inhalers still in their packaging. He quickly tore one open, shook it and put it in her mouth so she could take the puffs. She sat calmly to relax for a few seconds before the doors opened to their floor.

Lucas squatted beside her "are you okay, Riley please talk to me, do I need to take you to the hospital" she shook her head slowly still staring at his emerald orbs that had tiny flecks of gold around them. She felt like she was in high school all over again, seeing Lucas take care of her when she use to have attacks back then. She kept staring at him as if she was looking at a ghost, her mind was running a million miles per second and her pounding heart did not help her current daze. She tried to get up but Lucas held on to her from the side to support her, she was shocked by his actions and furrowed her eyes at him but that didn't stop all the butterflies that were on a rampage in her stomach.

"Luke I'm going to be fine I'll just go home and lay down for a bit" she picked up the box to live. While Lucas was still stunned at what just happened, she called him Luke that's something he hadn't heard in years; he saw her and not in his dreams or imaginations and he physically touched her; he spoke to her; she still looked as amazing he remembered, her pictures never did her justice he always knew that but this was just mind blowing for him; she had grown so much more than his brain could currently comprehend and he didn't miss her blown out curves and long legs that did things to his insides. He paused for a minute to collect his thoughts on his way back to his house, did he just see her walk into the house right next to his, she said she was going to go 'home' where was her home, was Riley his new neighbour. He went into his place to go process what just happened.

Meanwhile on Riley's end she couldn't reach her home fast enough. She entered and slammed the door behind her then rested her back on it to take small breaths what is he doing here, how did he find me, why is this happening now, I'm happy with Nathan right? I love him right?

"Riley?" Nathan called from on top of the stairs "where do you need these to go" he said holding up two lamps

"Natan!" Riley called and ran up to him before he could say anything she wrapped her hand around his neck and kissed him. The kiss wasn't just for endearment sake, it was more of desperation, she deepened the kiss sliding her tongue into his mouth while he graciously accepted it, she held on to him so tightly for dear life and ran her hands through his brown hair. She pulled away looking into his eyes as if searching for something she was so sure for the past seven months she finally had.

"whoa, babe what was that for, I mean not that I'll ever complain but wow."

She huffed while her hands were still around his neck and forced a smile "I just wanted to say thanks, you know for helping me move, and being here with me"

"well if this is the treatment I get for helping you move, you just call me whenever you need a mover, you can call me mover man" he said with his hands on his waist pretending to be a superhero which made Riley giggle.

They got most of the boxes unpacked that day and after a light dinner of pizza and wine, both were too tired to do anything else. So they decided to call it a night. Nathan passed out immediately his head touched the pillows. Riley laid next to him but couldn't bring herself to sleep. Her mind was still on the events of the elevator; her brain had managed to memorize every detail of him. He looked so much better than he what he looked like the last time she saw him; he was much taller, her head barley reached his shoulders; and his arms only got bigger from his muscles. Her hands moved to the spot on her arms that he held, she remembered the moment he held her so vividly it was like she could still feel his arms around her. She turned on the bed to her sleeping boyfriend and felt guilt run through her, this man sleeping right next to her; a man who loved and adored her and has constantly showed her how much he cares about her, but here she was practically drooling over someone she hasn't seen or spoken to since she graduated 12th grade. She tossed when she heard her phone vibrate from the night stand

Text messages

Josh

Hey baby sis, how did the move go, I'll stop by tomorrow to check on you. Love you

p.s Maya has a hunch about your senior year if you know what I mean. I was able to hold her off for today but she's coming to get answers from you tomorrow so yea heads up on that.

[shebe67]

A Weekend In Paris

 Five months have passed since New Year's Eve on the roof. The group of friends had been so happy since then. Farkle was overjoyed to be with Smackle again even if it was long distance. In a couple of days that distance would be no more. He would be in Australia with his beloved and they could pick up where they left off the day she had left for Australia. Video chats and late night phone calls were ok, but nothing could compare to the moment he would see her in person for the first time in months. Everyone had come with him to the airport and he was glad they did. He knew he would miss a lot while he was gone but would see them at the end of the year. They all had plans for the summer. Plans that didn't really include the group as a whole. Maya and Josh would be spending the summer in Philly with his family. Zay and Sara would be staying in the city, as Zay was doing some summer theater and Sara was working. Riley and Lucas would be spending the summer in Texas and Lucas had some big plans for Riley. Lucas had mentioned his plans to Farkle and he couldn't be happier for them. Riley was about to have a summer she would never forget.

 Chapter 4

Chapters 1(X) 2(X) 3(X)

Posted to fanfiction.net (X) 

Sunday, June 4, 2023 at the apartment of Cory and Topanga Matthews

 Everyone was gathered at the Matthew’s apartment and enjoying the dinner Topanga had fixed. They had moved the table into the living room and brought another table in from their basement storage. Cory was sitting in his usual spot at the head of the table, to his right was Topanga and Auggie with Ava. To his left was Riley and Lucas. Next to Lucas was Zay and Sara, with Maya’s mother next to them. Josh was sitting next to Auggie with Maya to his right and at the other end of the table was Shawn.

Topanga loved nothing more than seeing everyone eating and enjoying the company of those around them. She knew that all too soon meal times would be just her and Cory with Auggie and the occasional visit from Ava. The apartment would be too quiet. She would have to find some way to occupy herself after the girls and Lucas and Josh were gone for the summer. Cory and Auggie had plans for evenings of baseball and whatever else they could find to watch on that big screen TV down in Josh and Lucas’ apartment. Maybe she would actually be able to enjoy a book. Maybe Lucas would take her up on her offer to help with proposal ideas. Maybe she could spend some time with Ava. Whatever the summer held for her she looked forward to a trip to Philly and Texas the most.

After everyone was done eating, the fellas all cleaned up the dishes and moved the tables out of the way and  the ladies all sat in the living room and chatted about everything from fashion to the latest celebrity gossip. Once the dishes were done and the guys joined them, Topanga realized they had forgotten about dessert. “Who wants chocolate cake? I almost forgot we had it.”

Zay was the first to answer, “Chocolate cake? Count me in. I need me a piece of Topanga’s triple layer, triple chocolate cake.”

Sara nudged him in the arm, “Is food all you think about? We’re sitting here with your best friends and this is the last time you’ll see them for the next 3 months. Aren’t you at least a little sad about that?”

Zay thought about what she said for a moment and said, “Yea, that’s why I need cake. I’m so upset the only thing that will help me through it is chocolate cake. Besides, I have all summer to spend with you my wonderful, sweet and beautiful girlfriend.”

She blushed a little and asked, “How do you do that? You make me go from laughing at you, to wanting to kiss you with one sentence.”

Zay just laughed and said, “It’s the Babineaux charm, baby. We keep our woman on their toes.”

Riley was helping her mother plate the pieces of chocolate cake and Lucas was talking baseball with Auggie, Shawn and Cory. Katy was delivering plates of cake to everyone. Ava had to leave just after dinner. Maya and Josh were both sitting in the chair across from the couch engrossed in their own conversation.

“So, are you going to keep Riley out long enough for me to confront Lucas?” Josh asked a very reluctant Maya.

“Why are you so determined to do this? Let them have some time alone together. They’re always surrounded by family or friends. Lucas is one of your best friends and you know that he respects Matthews way too much to do anything. They honestly just sleep when he comes up here. Maya explained. She didn’t understand why Josh just couldn’t let Riley and Lucas have their little secret about the fire escape.

“I honestly don’t care that he sneaks up here but, the guy is up to something and as Riley’s uncle and Lucas’ friend I want to know. You can sure bet that Zay and Farkle know.” Josh said, sounding just a little jealous.

“Oh Boing! You’re jealous that he still chooses to tell Zay and Farkle everything. Meanwhile, your left in the dark trying to figure things out for yourself. Is that it, Josh?” Maya teased.

“Yes!” He answered a little too loudly. He got the attention of Lucas, Cory and Shawn that time. He took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling, “Yes. I am a little jealous,” he said in a much quieter voice. “I tell you what, if you do this little thing for me and if I can get Lucas to tell me what’s going on, I’ll tell you. What do you say?” Josh held out his hand for her to shake.

Maya just stared at his hand for a moment, contemplating the deal. She finally took his hand and shook it, “Deal,” she says. ‘But just don’t push him too hard and for God sakes don’t scare him to death. If you do, he may just up and leave for Texas without Riley.”

“I promise, I will be on my best behavior.” Josh crossed his heart and smiled. He leaned over to kiss Maya and thank her for helping him.

Maya and Riley were going to spend some time together after everyone left. She knew Riley would want to be back by 10. That’s when Lucas was supposed to meet her in the bay window. She planned to keep Riley away at least until 11. That should give Josh plenty of time to interrogate Lucas. After dessert, Lucas excused himself saying he had to finish packing and to spend a little time with Zay, as well. Zay and Sara left with him. Josh stayed around to spend a little time with Cory and Auggie. He would then quietly go to Riley’s room to wait for Lucas.

Josh and Aggie spent the next half hour or so talking about baseball. Cory and Topanga had decided to call it a night. At 9:30 Auggie’s phone started ringing. Auggie answered and turned to Josh and said, “Sorry, Josh, it’s the wife, gotta take this. Lock up on your way out, please. Good night.” With that Auggie headed up the steps and down the hall to his room, leaving Josh alone. He turned the lights off and locked the door. He took his shoes off so he wouldn’t disturb anyone. He reached Riley’s old room and went in, closing the door quietly behind him. He tiptoed over to the bay window and unlocked it. He took his phone out and texted Maya that he was in Riley’s room and would text her when he was done.

Maya and Riley had returned to their loft to make sure Riley hadn’t forgotten anything she might need for her trip and then they went to this cool little juice bar near their loft. Riley kept checking her phone for the time and about 9:30 she started getting antsy. “Maya, can you please finish your juice, I really need to head back to my parents.”

“Riles, calm down. This is our last time to see each other until August. Can’t we just have a little longer?” Maya asked.

Riley always had a hard time saying no to Maya, “Okay, peaches, just a little while longer, then I really have to go.”

Maya suggested the two walk back to the Matthews apartment. She knew this should kill more time and give Josh the extra time he needed to talk to Lucas.

Lucas had finished packing his things and had carried his bags into the living room of his apartment. He had already said his good byes to Zay. He and Sara had left about 10 minutes ago. It was now 9:50. He went to change from the jeans and button down shirt he was wearing into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt that would be more comfortable to sleep in. Since Josh had never returned to the apartment, Lucas figured it would be safe to head on up to the bay window. He opened his own bedroom window and closed it. As he started to head up the fire escape, Lucas realized he had forgotten something very important, or rather someone. There was no way he would be able to propose to Riley without getting Maya’s blessing, along with the Matthews. Before he started his climb, he sent Maya a text asking her if she could meet him in his apartment at 11:00 tonight, he knew it wouldn’t take Riley long to fall asleep so he would head back down the fire escape and meet with Maya. It didn’t take her but a minute to respond. He chuckled when he read her reply, “This better be good Huckleberry. A girl needs her beauty sleep ya know. Yes, I will meet you at your place @11.” He replied a with a thank you and that he promised he wouldn’t keep her long.

After he texted Maya, he headed up the fire escape. Once he got to the bay window, he thought it odd that the lights were off in Riley’s room, she never turned the lights off until after he got there. He raised the window, glad it was unlocked, he climbed through the window not seeing Riley, maybe she was still in the bathroom. He turned to close the window and sat on the window seat. Maybe he should turn on a light, as he headed to the light switch by the door he heard the creak of the closet door, maybe she was in there changing clothes. “Riley, babe is that you?” he asked. There was no response. “Riley, baby, it’s me Lucas. What are you doing?” Still no response. That’s when he decided to turn on a lamp that was on the desk that Topanga used when she worked form home. After he turned on the light, he walked over to the closet door and put his hand on the knob to open it. Just as he did he could feel someone pushing the door open. Lucas stood back. To his surprise, it wasn’t Riley he saw come out of the closet, it was Josh Matthews. Startled, Lucas said, “Hey Josh, what are you doing here?”

Josh just stared at Lucas, trying to be mad at his friend, he said, “I could ask you the same thing, Lucas, honey.  Riley is staying here tonight and you shouldn’t be here, unless there’s something you want to tell me.”

Lucas trying to feign innocence, looked Josh in the eye and said, “Well, I had been calling and texting Riley and decided to come up here and check on her because she wasn’t answering. I got worried. What are you doing here? I thought you and Maya were out together.”

Josh struggling to keep a straight face, looked at Lucas and told him, “No, Maya wanted to spend a little more time with Riley tonight before you guys fly out in the morning. I’m here to talk to you?”

“What, why are you waiting up here to talk to me. My room is in our apartment downstairs.” Lucas told Josh. He was still trying to keep up his act, but was cracking fast.

“I know your little secret Lucas.” Josh said with an accusatory tone in his voice.

“What secret? I have no secrets.” Lucas answered. He thought maybe Josh had seen the ring and figured out he was going to propose to Riley.

“Your full of secrets, Howdy. I know about your little trips up the fire escape back between Christmas and New Year’s, when Riley was staying here when her parents were away.” Josh explained, still not cracking a smile. He was rather proud of himself. “I know you were spending the nights up here with my niece!”

Lucas was surprised and at a loss for words, “It’s not what you think, Josh. I would nev- “

“I don’t want to hear your excuses, cowboy.” Josh was trying to be quiet and not raise his voice. It was at this point he let a smile crack. “How could you disrespect Riley like that, and my brother. I just have no words for how upset I am with you right now.” He turned away from Lucas so he couldn’t see him full on smiling right now.

Lucas felt horrible, he had to make sure Josh knew that he would never do anything to disrespect Riley or her parents. “Josh, you have to know that I would never disrespect Riley, I love her and would never do something that would hurt her reputation or that of the Matthews.” Lucas said apologetically. He walked around to get Josh to look at him in the eyes. He couldn’t understand why Josh was smiling at him though when he finally could see his face. “What’s going on Josh? What do you find so funny?”

“I’m sorry, man. I had this whole speech planned and I just can’t do it. Look, I found out about the fire escape after the New Year’s Eve party. I don’t care. I know that you love and respect Riley and that you would never hurt her. I just wanted to make you think I was upset.”

“Seriously, dude, that wasn’t cool. I thought I had upset one of my best friends. I would never do that to you.” Lucas was relieved that Josh was just messing with him.

“Well see, I am a little upset with you, but not about the fire escape thing dude.” Josh admitted to Lucas.

“Wait, what are you upset about then?” Lucas was so confused.

Josh turned to the bay window and motioned for Lucas to sit down. “I’m sorry, Lucas. I cooked up this whole thing with Maya and I just wanted to make you think I was upset about the fire escape thing and what’s really bugging me is that I know you’re keeping something from me and I think Zay and Farkle know and I thought we were close, man. When I came into your room earlier today, you were looking at something and you hid it from me. You wouldn’t tell me what it was and I just got upset when I figured Zay and Turtleneck knew so, yea. I guess I’m a bit jealous of them. You did just say I was one of your best friends, well your one of mine and I can keep secrets too.”

Lucas smiled at Josh and asked, “Can you keep a secret from Maya though? I was going to tell her in the morning before we left so she wouldn’t get a chance to say anything to Riley. If I tell you, you have to promise to let me tell Maya. I’m supposed to meet her at 11 downstairs, I didn’t feel right not telling her, and you.”

Josh looked at his watch and saw that is was 10:15. “If you are going to tell Maya tonight then yes, I can keep a secret for 45 minutes.”

Lucas got up and walked over to the foot of the bed where he had dropped his back pack when he came in the room. He opened the zipper pocket on the front and pulled out the red ring box that was there. He walked back over to the bay window, took his seat. “This is what I was looking at today when you came into my room.” He handed Josh the box. Josh just looked at Lucas with a smile in his face. “Go ahead, open it.”

Josh looked at the red box in his hand and back at Lucas with a smile, “Is this what I think it is?”

“You won’t know until you open it.” Lucas said

Josh turned the box in his hand and finally opened it. The smile on his face just got bigger. “Lucas, this is beautiful. When did you get it?”

“It was my grandmother’s ring. I have the wedding band as well, that’s at my parents in their safe. My grandfather gave it to me when I was in Texas for Thanksgiving. I’m going to propose to Riley while we’re in Texas this summer. I already have her parents blessing, I just have one more person to ask.” Lucas said.

“Aww…it’s cool that you think you need to ask my blessing, but you don’t need to do that. You already have it anyway. My niece is very lucky to have you.” Josh said jokingly.

“Ha ha, very funny! It’s not you I need to ask.” Lucas laughed. Josh handed him the ring box.

“Oh, Maya! Yea, that would be a good idea. I don’t think you have to worry about her saying no. She actually tried to stop me from doing this tonight,” Josh informed him. “She said I should just let the two of you have your alone time. I’m sorry man. I was just being dumb.”

“It’s okay, Josh. I get it.” Lucas smiled at Josh. “I do have a question for you though. Once Riley and I get married, I don’t have to call you Uncle Josh, do I?”

Josh laughed at his roommate, “No, dude, you don’t have to call me Uncle Josh. Josh’s phone dinged with a message notification. He pulled out his phone and opened the message, it was Maya letting him know that she and Riley were almost there. He looked at Lucas who also had his phone out. “The girls are almost here. Why don’t you go on back down to our apartment and I’ll keep Riley company while you talk with Maya.”

“Thanks, Josh. I appreciate it. Tell Riley I’ll be here soon.” Lucas said as he stood and opened the window.

Lucas climbed back down the fire escape and just as he was closing his window he heard a knock at the door. He headed down the hall and into the living room. Once he opened the door he was greeted with a scowl on Maya’s face. As she was walking in she informed him, “This better be good, Huckleberry. It’s been a long day and I’m tired.” She waited for him to close the door and headed to the sofa to sit.

“Maya, thanks for coming by on such short notice. I know you’re tired, but I need to ask you something. It’s kind of important”. Lucas said with a smile on his face.

She looked at him, waiting for him to speak. She knew what was coming. Zay had let it spill a few days ago, Maya had been waiting for this conversation ever since. She understood that Lucas was afraid she would say something to Riley. This was one surprise she would never ruin for Riley. “Speak, Lucas!”

He sat there pulling on the hem of his shorts, he was suddenly nervous. “Well, I just need to ask you for your blessing. I want to propose to Riley in Texas this summer. I already have her parents blessing, I know that Auggie approves, so I just need to know that you approve.”

Maya’s look of pure boredom gave way to a smile. “It’s about time, Ranger Rick. Zay told me a week ago that you were planning and I got wind that you were meeting with Cory and Topanga.” She told him. “I was just waiting for my turn. You know I would never ruin a surprise for Riley, right?”

“Zay told you? I basically had to threaten his life and he told you, anyway. Geez!” Lucas couldn’t believe it.

“Are you really so surprised, Huckleberry? This is Zay we’re talking about. The guy never has been able to keep a secret. You know he told Sara, too.” Maya informed him.

“Yea, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. He’ll never change, no matter how many ways I threaten to hurt him.” Lucas laughed.

“So, you’re really going to propose to her? I guess you have a ring?” Maya asked.

“Yes, I have a ring.” He took the ring box from his pocket and handed it to her, “What do you think, is it good enough?”

Maya opened the box and felt herself start to tear up. The ring was beautiful and was perfect for Riley, just like Lucas. “Wow, it’s beautiful Lucas. She’ll love it. Hey, is this the same box you gave her the jellybean in?”

“Yea, that was Topanga’s idea. So, does the fact that you think Riley will love the ring, mean I have your blessing?” he asked, his voice filled with emotion.

She closed the ring box and grabbed Lucas’ hand and placed the ring box in his palm. She closed his hand around the box with her own hand. She kept her hand there for a few seconds. “You’ve always had my blessing, Lucas. You are perfect for Riley and she is perfect for you.” Maya let go of his hand and held her arms out for a hug.

Lucas accepted her hug and said, “Thank you, Maya. Your blessing means more than you can know.” He let go of her and stood, “I’m going to go on up to Riley’s room. You know, if you’re too tired to get home, you can sleep in my room tonight. There are sheets and blankets in the hall closet.

“Thanks, Huckleberry, think I will. Now can you get out of here and send my man back down here, I may be up for a little snuggling of my own tonight.” She laughed.

Lucas opened the window and headed back up to the bay window. Riley smiled at the sight of him coming through the window. Josh told them both good night. “Hey, Josh. I left a little something down there for you.” Lucas grinned slyly as he told Josh.

Josh just grinned and headed down the fire escape. Riley stood and held her arms open for Lucas. “Hey babe. What did you need to see Maya about?”

“Nothing, Riley. I just needed to ask her a question, which she answered.” Lucas gathered her to him.

“That’s not cryptic at all, Friar.” Riley said as she returned his embrace.

“All in good time, my love. Let’s get some sleep. Tomorrow is a long day.” He held her for a moment longer, not wanting to let her go.”

They got in bed and Riley turned off the lamp on the night stand. It took them all of five minutes to fall asleep. In the morning, they would head to the airport for their flight to Texas and the start of a memorable summer.

[girlmeetsrileyandlucas]

Coffee, Cleaning, and Clumsy Kisses

Pairing: Rucas

A/N: This is a continuation of a oneshot I posted last week that you can find here. I also combined two requests into one fic. Hope that’s okay!

Background: Riley and Lucas are in their senior year of high school, but have decided to just be friends until they figure out what they’re going to do for college and the rest of their lives. However, Lucas has only agreed to this to make Riley happy. Can he stay true to his promise? Or will they both give into temptation?

--

Riley scanned the mess that was the current state of her mother’s bakery. She was so used to seeing it neat and tidy that it was a little hard to believe it was capable of getting like this. 

“Thanks for helping with the cleanup, kids.” Topanga emerged from behind the counter with a broom and dustpan in one hand and a garbage bag in the other. She kicked her way through the plastic cups and crumpled up napkins strewn across the floor and handed the broom to Riley “I severely underestimated the amount of trash a teacher-of-the-year party could accumulate.”

“We teachers know how to party, Topanga,” Cory informed her, snaking around the cluttered stack of chairs by the front door to meet his wife in the middle of the room. “I mean, it’s almost 9:00pm. Do we go hard or what?” 

“Yeah, Dad,” Riley lied, raising her eyebrows at him in mock-amusement as she took the broom from her mother and began sweeping the trash into a pile by the counter. “You’re real wild.” 

“Are you sure you don’t mind closing up by yourselves?” Topanga asked, leaning over the plush chairs to hand Lucas the garbage bag. “We can stay if you-“

“Go home, Mom. Lucas and I can handle it,” Riley assured her, glancing back at Lucas for confirmation as he nodded in agreement. “Besides, you should probably get him home. He’s starting to do the too-tired-to-function head bobble thing he does when he’s about to pass out.”

“You’re right. Last time he did that, he had to wear a neck brace for a week,” Topanga grimaced at the memory, linking her arm with her husband’s and turning to head out the front door. “Let’s go, honey. Call us if you need anything, Riley.” 

“Goodnight, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews,” Lucas called to them as they left the bakery. Riley locked the door behind them and fell onto one of the chairs in an exhausted heap. Lucas took the seat next to her and slowly turned his head to meet her gaze before bursting into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. 

“I am never going to look at any of our teachers the same way again,” Riley giggled, throwing her hands over her face as the images of her father’s colleagues celebrating his winning a special award flashed through her mind. 

“Did you see Mr. Ramirez shove all those mini quiches in his mouth?” Lucas asked. “I thought he was going to projectile vomit them all over Mrs. Johnson’s sensible loafers.”

Riley closed her eyes as she let the giggles take over, turning in her chair to look up at Lucas. 

“It was nice to see my Dad so happy though,” Riley admitted, a sincere smile creeping up onto her face as the laughter began to fade away.  “He deserved that award after working so hard to accomplish it. I’m happy for him.” 

“Yeah, I’m really proud to call him my teacher,” Lucas admitted. “Listening to the stories of how he followed his dream and married the love of his life. It really...“

Lucas trailed off, breaking their gaze to look into the abandoned cup of coffee someone had left on the table in front of them. 

“It really, what?” Riley pressed, nudging his arm playfully to encourage him to continue. But instead of answering right away, Lucas stood from his chair and crossed the room to grab a coffee mug from underneath the counter.  

Without looking back in Riley’s direction, Lucas filled two cups with the leftover coffee from the party and handed one out to her from over the counter. Taking the hint, Riley joined Lucas on one of the stools and took the mug with a grateful smile. 

Taking a sip from his cup, Lucas finally pried his gaze away from the tile on the counter and met Riley’s curious gaze. “Seeing your Dad so happy gives me hope that I can have that sort of life one day.”

“Of course you can, Lucas.” Riley reached out to place her free hand atop Lucas’, rubbing her thumb across his skin reassuringly. “You can have anything you want, as long as you’re willing to work for it. I believe that. And I believe in you.”

Lucas glanced down at their hands resting on top of one another. “And what about us?”

“What do you mean?” Riley knitted her brows together as she attempted to decipher what he was trying to say. 

“Do you believe in our relationship?” Lucas swung his legs around on the stool to face her, his knees knocking together with hers slightly as he adjusted his position in his seat. “Past graduation, past college, past wherever our careers might take us?” 

“It’s a little early to think about that, don’t you think?” Riley mumbled into her coffee cup, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she struggled to avoid his gaze. 

“Riley, I know what I want for myself right now,” Lucas said confidently, shocking Riley into snapping her head up to look him in the eyes. “And of course there’s every possibility that in the future, everything could turn upside down and I could be flung onto a path I never would have picked for myself in a million years.” 

Lucas’ eyes were dancing wildly as he finally gained the courage to tell her everything he had been holding in for the past few months. 

“But right now I know three things. The first is that I’m staying in New York for college.”

Riley’s eyes went wide. “Lucas, but your scholarship to UT Austin-”

“The second thing is that I am going to become a veterinarian,” Lucas announced, although this was not news to Riley. “I’ve wanted that since I was a boy, and I know now that I can actually make it a reality even if it might be the hardest thing I ever do.” 

Riley waited for him to continue, but when he didn’t she nudged his knee with her own so that he would turn to meet her gaze. “And the last thing?”

“The last, most important thing I know for certain that I want,” Lucas began, hopping off the stool and taking Riley’s hands in his own. “Is you, Riley.”

Riley chewed on her bottom lip as she listened to him, her heart beating fast in her chest as he took a step closer to her. 

“Who knows what might happen five years, one year, or even six months from where we are right now, but what I know in this moment is that I believe we are meant to be together,” Lucas placed a hand on Riley’s cheek as he locked in on her gaze. “I don’t care what might have happened in the past. I don’t care what anyone else thinks about us. The only thing I care about is that you know me better than anyone else on the planet. What I care about is how I’ve been in love with you since you fell onto my lap on that subway ride all those years ago. What I care about is that I can’t see a future for myself without you in it, Riley, and I don’t want to.” 

Riley took a step back, tears beginning to well up in the corners of her eyes. She knew how she felt about the boy who made her heart flutter in her chest every time he entered the room. The boy she could talk to about anything. The boy she trusted more than anyone. But there was still something holding her back that she couldn’t put her finger on. 

“You gotta stop doing that,” Riley whispered, repeating the same line he had used on her a few days ago at her apartment. 

“What?” Lucas’ breath caught in his throat as he waited for her to say something, anything, that might tear his heart into a million pieces. 

“Saying things that make me wanna kiss you,” Riley teased, smirking up at him as she watched him breathe a sigh of relief. To keep his hands busy, he picked up his coffee cup from the counter and turned to quirk up one eyebrow at her flirtatiously. 

“Well keep looking at me like that,” he warned, leaning casually into the counter and taking a sip of his coffee. “See what happens.” 

Lucas set his cup back on the surface behind him and pulled Riley closer, letting her lean into him as she melted into his warm embrace. 

“Lucas, I’m scared,” she muttered into his chest. “I want everything that you want, but what if-”

“We can’t worry about the ‘what if’s’ right now, Riley,” Lucas reminded her, pulling his head back and tilting her chin up so that she would meet his eyes. “And I know that’s been hard for you lately, but you have to have faith that things will work out somehow, just like I know you have faith in all your friends, present company included.”

Lucas leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers for a moment before pulling back to place either hand on her cheeks. 

“What matters right now is that we are graduating high school in a few days,” Lucas reminded her. “And we’re lucky enough to have the best friends in the world to graduate with. Not to mention that we have supportive parents who want us to achieve our goals. And-”

“We have each other,” Riley finished for him, reaching up to place one of her own hands atop the one he had resting on her cheek. 

“You mean that?” Lucas asked expectantly, hoping that he didn’t sound too relieved or desperate. Riley gently pulled Lucas’ hands away from her face and held them in her own. 

“You’re right, Lucas,” Riley admitted. “Things might not work out the way we want them to in the future, but I have to believe that they will turn out the way they’re supposed to. I mean, I’ve always done that, especially with the people I love the most. So why should now be any exception?”

Riley leaned forward to brush the tip of her nose with his for a moment before taking a step forward to meet his lips with her own. However, as she leaned forward, her foot collided with a plastic cup, causing her to trip and fall into Lucas’ arms. 

“Whoops,” Riley mumbled, pushing herself off of Lucas to stand up straight once again. “Guess I can always count on you to catch me when I fall.”

“Always,” Lucas assured her, brushing her hair away from her face and leaning in to finally meet her lips with a kiss. 

In that moment, Riley was reminded of everything she had missed about being in a relationship with him, and she savored every second of it, never wanting it to end. 

“And in case it wasn’t clear,” Riley whispered into his ear when they finally pulled back from the kiss. “I can’t see my future without you in it either.” 

[seriestrash]

London’s Calling

1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 ||

Chapter Six: This is my life now

Word Count: 1486

☏ ☏ ☏ ☏

☼ 11:47am ☼  NYC         [Sunday]         LND ☽ 4:47pm ☾

Three hours later... 

Like clockwork Riley’s laptop rings with a video call request from Lucas. 

“Helllllooo,” Riley sings upon answering.

“Hello,” Lucas smiles at her chipper mood. 

“How was your day?” Riley asks, “What did you all get up to?” 

“Good,” Lucas nods, “We went to the bakery and then saw a movie.” 

“You know you don’t have to be brief with me?” Riley half smiles, “I like to hear what you’re all doing.” 

“I know,” Lucas gives her a small smile, “I just don’t want to upset you.” 

“I’m appreciative of that, but if I can’t be there with you I’d at least like to hear about it in great detail from you,” Riley lets out a quiet giggle. 

“Maybe later,” Lucas chuckles, “I cant believe we haven't already brought up-” 

“Don’t you dare tease me about my new uniform,” Riley buries her face in her palms. “Maya has been texting me jokes about it since I sent her the picture!”  

“I can see it hanging up behind you,” Lucas points to where he sees it on his screen. 

Riley tilts her head back to look at it in her room and groans. “I can’t believe uniforms are now apart of my daily life.” 

“Come on, it’s really not that bad,” Lucas says with a coaxed head. 

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better,” Riley squints. 

“Cross my heart,” Lucas brushes his index finger against his chest making an ‘X’. “You looked fine.” He says it sweetly, it’s not too much to make Riley embarrassed or send their conversation into an awkward down spiral. It’s just enough to make her feel better about it because she knew he meant more than ‘fine’ by the way he said it and she was right in thinking that because Lucas did know better than to say, “You look beautiful in anything.” 

“Thanks,” Riley says swaying nervously. Maybe saying fine was still enough to make her giddy. 

“So, do you know much about your new school?” Lucas asks. 

“Not really,” Riley shakes her head, “Just that it’s some fancy pants private school that my moms partner at the office recommended.” 

“Sounds posh,” Lucas holds out his pinky with a chuckle. 

“Positively,” Riley says in her best british accent and they continue to giggle together. 

“Are you nervous?” Lucas asks quietly once their laughter tapered off.

“Honestly, a little,” Riley stares at her hands in her lap as she fiddles nervously with her fingers, “It’s a completely new school in a different country and my dad won't even be there to look out for me..” 

Lucas knew already that Mr. Matthews got a new teaching position at a different school to the one Riley was enrolled in. Still, seeing her so nervous made his heart ache. 

“Kinda makes me sound like a baby doesn’t it?” Riley lets out a quiet scoff at herself, “That I rely on my daddy so much...” 

“Not at all,” Lucas tries to soothe her, “I was terrified on my first day when I transferred to John Quincy Adams...” 

“You didn’t look it,” Riley glances up at the screen. 

“I was trying to play cool,” Lucas folds his arms and gives Riley a wink. His attempt to make her laugh works and she lets out a giggle at his silliness. “We’re human, the nerves thing are apart of the package.” 

“I guess so,” Riley nods. 

“You’re loving London so far. Who’s to say you won't love your new school just as much?” Lucas continues to try and put the brunette at ease. 

“It’s starting to feel like less of a vacation now and more like my life...” Riley musters up a weak smile. “I mean... Sightseeing everyday, exploring, it was all so fun and exciting but now everything is slowing down and I’m realising that this is it now. This is my life. That’s scary.” 

Lucas gives her a sympathetic smile. He knows what she’s going through, maybe on a lesser scale since his big move was within the same country but he could at least sympathise with her to an extent. The two go back and forth for while. Riley showing obvious nerves about her pending change and Lucas does his best to comfort her. Eventually Riley says she should probably turn in and get some rest. Lucas understands and wishes her well. 

“Oh and Lucas..” Riley says and the Texan stops just shy of the end call button. 

“Yeah?” He matches her soft tone. 

“I just wanted to say that I miss you... With all the excitement the past few months I’m not sure I’ve said it enough but I just wanted you to know that even with the adventure, I still miss you.” Riley says quietly. 

“I miss you too,” Lucas smiles sweetly.

After the two hang up the call Lucas gets up from his desk and flops down on his bed. Riley was only being nice with her closing statement during the call but something about it made Lucas realise, for the first time properly since she’s left that they’re not together anymore. Not the physical kind of together, that he felt the loss of all the time, like the past week in school for example. Even the new History teacher sparked an ache in Lucas’ chest.  Riley’s ‘I miss you’, her fears about this being her life now, it made Lucas realise that they were broken up. He too just felt like she was on vacation, like she would be coming home soon. Lucas had almost been living the adventure with Riley the past few months. On a strange level he almost felt more connected to her with their calls then he had to her before she left. 

Lucas then worries that their conversations, their virtual communication the past few months was just two teens desperate attempts at holding onto something that no longer existed. Quickly, Lucas shakes his head at the thought. They were still them, even in different countries they were still Riley and Lucas. Nothing could change that, right?

The following morning Riley prepares herself for school. After dressing she combs her hair into pigtails on either side of her head. After nervously fidgeting with her uniform in the mirror a million times her phone beeping finally breaks her attention away. 

Topanga calls out to Riley saying it’s time to leave. Riley reaches her phone and checks the message. It’s Lucas. Grabbing her backpack she replies and keeps her eyes glued to the screen as she makes her way to the living room. 

Before Riley could respond to Lucas’ sweetness Topanga clears her throat. 

“Sorry mom,” Riley tries to contain her smile, “It was just Lucas wishing me luck.” 

“That’s very sweet of him,” Topanga says and Riley finally looks up from her screen and notices her mother is standing by a complete stranger. A boy around her age, also wearing a uniform. 

“Oh, sorry,” Riley is embarrassed she hadn’t noticed the unfamiliar persons presence. She slips her phone into her blazer pocket and looks to her mother for an introduction. 

“Riley, this is Finn,” Topanga says, “He’s Anne’s son, you know my partner at the firm?” 

“Oh right. You said she had a son that attends my new school.” Riley nods and turns her attention to the boy, “I’m Riley.” 

“Nice to meet you, Riley,” He wears a slight smirk and his accent - even though she’s been hearing them for months now - still makes the American giggle internally. 

“Finn is here to escort you to school on your first day,” Topanga says almost cautiously. 

“What?” Riley furrows her brows. 

“I’m taking Auggie to his school before work..” Topanga explains. 

“I know, I thought dad would take me,” Riley frowns. 

“It’s my first day too, kiddo,” Cory - whom had been flitting around the room getting ready - comes over to kiss Riley’s forehead, “I have to go. Good luck today.” After kissing his wife and son he disappears out the door. 

“Finn will ensure you’re taken care of this morning, honey,” Topanga says, “Come on, I’ll walk us all out.” 

Everyone exits the apartment and part ways on the street. Riley goes to walk towards her closet tube station but Finn stops her. 

“Where you going?” He asks with a raised brow. 

“To the station,” Riley pokes her thumb over her shoulder. 

“Not today,” Finn chuckles, “We’re taking the car.” 

Riley looks in the direction he’s pointing. She finds a black car across the street and a driver waiting by. Riley’s eyes widen in disbelief almost. Finn finds this amusing and nudges her arm with his shoulder. 

“We do things a bit differently here,” He says as he leads the way over. 

Different indeed. Better or worse? Riley couldn’t say, all she could do as she trailed behind Finn was remind herself of one thing, this is my life now.

☏ ☏ ☏ ☏

End Note: I don’t mean this is my life now as in Riley is smancy now. She’s just reminding herself that she has no power over what comes, it’s all new territory so she has to embrace it for what it is. 

As always I ask to review and let me know if you want more! Yes I do check reblogs and tags on the story so that counts ;) 

Next Chapter: Finn. Lucas. School. Time passes. The vacation is definitely over.

[mikeshanlon]

emma i want you to know its one of my fav things when you do this and i get to read all of them fkdhsgd but ok headcanon: in sophomore year lucas works at topangas as well after school and him and josh get to bond and serve coffee and wear dorky aprons #losers

omgggggggggg yesssssssssss

okay so lucas wants some extra cash (mostly for dates with riley and stuff but for himself too) and just like she did with josh, topanga offers him a job over family dinner

cory flips his shit like its bad enough lucas is dating his daughter now he has to pay him??!??!

anyways josh is pretty indifferent to lucas at the beginning

like hes a nice kid but he doesnt know him very well and hes a bit wary since lucas is dating his niece

when lucas starts the job josh is like ‘if you hurt riley i will make this job a living hell for you’

lucas is #shook bc even though he’s ‘strong as a horse’ josh is also kinda scary when threatening

but then josh tells a joke and starts cleaning the dishes and lucas is so confused (and now he understands why maya and josh click together so well a little bit more)

josh also controls the music in the bakery like sorry nope lucas josh is a pretentious music hoe

but lucas gets used to joshs music even though he thinks its kinda weird and starts to sing along off key

both of them are super charming and get like 100000 tips and sell way more food because girls order stuff just to talk to them sknglkng

riley and maya get so jealous lmao

speaking of riley lucas gets SO distracted when shes there and josh pulls him by the ear and is like.................... dude ik us matthews are irresistible but this panini aint gonna cook itself

they become bros and have inside jokes and they start to talk a lot more during family dinners

riley is really happy her uncle and her boyfriend are getting along so well bc they are two of her favorite people

meanwhile maya is horrified and betrayed ‘josh how could you i thought you would make fun of huckleberry with me’

dont worry josh teases him all the time but lucas does too

when its slow they do stupid shit like chubby bunny or throw grapes into each others mouths

they bond over being newcomers to new york and talk about all the weird things new yorkers do 

josh tells lucas embarrasing stores about younger riley

and also gives him advice if they are having a tough time (although he already gave riley advice before bc josh is king of advice tbh)

josh gives him random diner lingo in a new jersey accent that doesn’t even make sense like ‘get me a ornery bob with a hangnail and slap some magic dust on it like your powderin’ a babies bottom!’ just to fuck with him and lucas freaks out (he tries to research diner lingo but gets nowhere bc they are nonsensical)

send me your gmw headcanons and/or ask me about mine!