#I'm not quite in that age range yet but I sure hope this is my early Saturn's Return (look it up)

[darksideofthemamon]

More a vent than anything. I've opened up about this to some friends, but I feel putting it out here will help me heal somehow.

In both of my KH OC's post-timeskip designs, she's wearing something on one knee (it's actually the whole leg in her Departure outfit!), and on one ankle (though it doesn't show in the other pic).

This is because

1) I wanted her to look athletic (I have many concept sketches of her in gym clothes). I've always noticed how some athletes wear a sleeve for support on only one limb, and I find the asymmetry interesting. I wanted to emulate that look in her design. And

2) In her story, she eventually gets mentored by Terra who has armor on only 1 arm, and I wanted them to match. For him, it's an arm, for her, it's a leg.

I thought of these 2 designs separately. Then I guess it did that thing where a character writes itself. I looked at both of them and thought: hey they're on the same limbs in both designs. Right knee, left ankle. I wonder why? Did she get injured before during her time competing in fighting rings? Did an opponent do it on purpose to put her out of the game?

And then one day I woke up with a freaking overuse injury on my wrist that I'm still recovering from and this past year has been really shitty on me and I've had to mentally deal and just hang in there this whole time.

And it's not just the actual injury that's hard, it's also the mental part of it, the trauma from suddenly waking up with fucky wucky hand and the shitty months that ensued. It's being absolutely BLINDSIDED by this shit cus it hit so suddenly. It's the betrayal of the things you love, and the nature of the daily grind, being what fucks you over. It's the pain of having to choose between doing something you love and relaxing and being happy for 1 night, versus NOT being in pain or potentially worsening your condition. It's the struggle of being so cut off from your coping mechanisms (or heck, just feeling positive emotion) and having to somehow hang in there without them. It's the loneliness and frustration of having nothing to do because there's nothing you're ABLE to do.

And even when you start to recover -- so the splint's off, great! -- that doesn't mean you're ok yet, bcus now you have to face people's judgment. It's looking normal but not being able to do things other people can (cus you're still in recovery), and them looking at you funny (and they probably think you're just lazy or weak). It's having to explain the long ass nature of injury recovery again and again. It's acquiring resentment towards the things that put you in this position. It's hesitating to do a thing because maybe you can handle it now... or maybe it'll take you back to square one. It's the trauma of the seemingly harmless absolutely harming you. It's the anxiety of 'what if this happens again'? What if I'm doing something that will injure me again? What if doing a thing just this once injures me again? What if it's another x months of shit? It's the irony of "using your muscles will strengthen them" but also "if you do it too much, you get an injury."

And it's having to come to terms with the reality of all of it. It's hearing stories from other people and finding out that yes, while people can fully recover, others never quite do. There are those who retain some chronic pain, or cannot quite regain their full range of motion. There are those who are fine but had to give up an activity or hobby for good. There are things that can very suddenly destroy you.

And when the dust settles, what then? What's left after you lost things and now it's just blankness? Am I just temporarily burned out or is the fire out forever?

So I decided: my KH OC Lila has an overuse injury too. It's on one knee and one ankle, and she gained it over time from back when she was frequently competing in fighting rings for a living (I've yet to explain that part of her story). She's able to walk around fine, but needs some support/protection when she fights (hence the brace/armor). But it eventually gets to the point after the story where she has to give up fighting forever, and because of that, she never makes it to keyblade Master level.

[daytaker]

greetings from clown anon, adored the fic very silly <33

i apologise if i’m filling up your inbox but may i ask for an mc that’s a mortician? that or is just desensitised to death and knows a lot about it, like i imagine whenever the brothers in early season 1 used to do like very specific threats mc would be like “uh actually that’s not how that works” essentially acting like a bit of a smart ass completely glossing over the actual threat

thanksies in advance (´∀��*)

Clown Anon MCs - [ Clowncore MC | Death-Fixated Science Geek MC | LeVeyan Satanist MC ]

(I'll be real I have no memory of the specific threats and I was too lazy to go look for them but I will follow along the lines of the prompt anyway.)

I'm going to do this one in bullet point form. Hope that's okay.

(CW: a bit gross at times. not quite gore.)

Now I Am Become MC, Destroyer of Worlds: A Death-Fixated Main Character in Obey Me!

Read below the cut.

They're extremely curious about demon anatomy. And not in a kinky way. They want to see how similar the structure and layout of demon organs are to human organs. They want to get full body X-rays when those wings and tails pop up. They want to get it on video when they appear and disappear. Because what the fuck. Yeah, yeah, they get it, magic exists, but still, what the fuck?!

They fully expect Beel to keel over and die one day from overeating. There is no way any single individual can consume the way he does and survive. They're actually hoping that if he does, they'll be able to carry out the post-mortem and see what exactly was going on with that stomach of his. I mean, yes, they'll be very sad he's gone, but at least he'll have died as a martyr to science!

Dead shadow hog? Taxidermied. Dead fire newt? Taxidermied. Dead devil zebra? Brought home, dissected, taxidermied. The brothers don't really like to go to their room because of the constant dizzying stench of formaldehyde that comes from it.

Sometimes they'll just sit and stare at one of the brothers. If asked what they're doing, they'll simply say, "Observing." Reactions to this range from Beel's "Oh, okay," to Levi's "I'M GOING TO MY ROOM AND NEVER LEAVING FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE."

So Solomon's immortal, is he? How immortal, exactly? Is it just that he'll never die from old age? Could he die of a disease? Surely he could die from injuries, right? Has he tested this? Can they test it? Please?

....Please?

Wait, wait, wait. Satan came from where? How? Why? What the hell? Lucifer, take your shirt off, they need to do some investigating. Satan, you too. Lucifer, show them your back. No scars? Not even from ripping your own wings off? Hm. Satan, do you have a bellybutton? ...That's weird, you definitely didn't need an umbilical cord. And you're saying he came out full-sized? Stop telling them it's magic! Magic is just science that people don't understand yet.

Actually, all of you get in here and strip, this has been a long time coming. MC needs to figure out what the hell is happening here.

Why not?

Pleeeease?

Satan, let's talk about one of your murder mysteries! They do this exactly one time, and never again because MC kept interrupting to point out plot holes and inconsistencies. It was so annoying. It kind of ruined the genre for him for a little while.

Leviathan, MC wants to ask you about how you survive underwater. Levi--- Hey, where are you going? Levi?

They write their paper on comparative anatomy of demons, angels, and humans. Diavolo gets a little queasy after the first page and gives them an A. He doesn't want to read the rest, he trusts they did a thorough job.

[skzhua]

Episode six.

MASTERLIST

pairing: XO, Kitty's Min Ho x Female Reader

genre: Fluff, angst, enemies-to-lovers, slow burn, coming-of-age.

word count: 3.1k

warnings: A lot is happening in such a short time, mentions of deceased parents, drinking, teenage behaviour, suggestive.

summary: Transferring to KISS was the last thing you had asked for and, yet, a certain tall boy made it seem both worse and better than you expected.

note: Bold - Korean, Italic - Over the phone

(let me know by filling the form in my bio if you want to be added to the taglist!)

Min Ho walked out of his room to see you sitting at the counter, enjoying your morning coffee alone. He went to go grab his mist that stood next to your mug, passing in front of you in the process which exposed you to his shirtless figure. You groaned out of disgust.

"Can't you put a shirt on?"

"Not my fault you can't handle this?" he pointed to his muscular torso with a smirk on his face.

Misting his face with his eyes closed, he didn't notice you got off your stool to step closer to him. You eyed him up and down, checking out how hot he was.

"You're right." Your hot breath made him open his eyes. "I can't handle it."

"I'm right?"

Up on your tiptoes, you leaned closer to his ear. Min Ho felt his heart get faster and faster.

"You're too bloody hot." you whispered sensually

Taking the mist from his hand, you put it aside and slid your arms around his neck. He gulped and his eyes flickered down to your lips. He carefully placed his hands on your waist.

"I hope you're not joking." he breathed out in a low voice.

"Why would I be joking?"

"Because you hate-"

You shushed him and leaned closer to his face. Min Ho felt the pace of his heart quickened more and held you tighter. As your lips were about to touch, Min Ho shook himself awake. Sitting up on his bed, he felt the sweat drip on his forehead. Never in his life had he had such an explicit dream of someone he despised so much.

The week consisted of two things: school and Kitty's venting. As much you liked the girl, she had nothing else to talk about but her supposed-discovery that your professor was her potential brother and that Dae hadn't thanked her for giving him back her necklace. So, reading a book in the comfort of your couch was enough for her to understand you had other things to do and she continued to rant to Q. You hadn't read far because your phone rang to notify you that someone texted you.

Yuri: Sleepover tonight?

Y/N: What's the occasion?

Yuri: Nothing, I just need to get my mind off things.

Y/N: Sure.

Yuri: Are you going to Min Ho's party? We could go together.

Min Ho. Again. And again. The two of you had not talked since the accident. Not that you minded. In fact, you were quite happy to not have him around as much. Though he did start to act weirdly around you the day after. You didn't question it as he was probably getting sick of seeing you just as much as you were.

You weren't going to go to the party. He did add you to the list of guests but it wasn't your thing. Adding the fact that it was against the rules and that your aunt was the vice-principal, you didn't want to get in trouble.

Y/N: I'll see. I'll be at your place in an hour.

You packed pyjamas and clothes for the next day in your bag and went to grab your toothbrush and other necessities in the bathroom. Opening the door, Min Ho was already there putting on his night cream. As soon as he saw you, he stopped moving. You gestured for him to move aside so you can grab your things but he didn't budge.

"Min Ho." you said in a warning voice.

He cleared his throat and finally left you space. You looked at him weirdly while shoving your hairbrush in your bag. You accidentally touched one of his products as it was in the way and he gasped in panic.

"Don't touch that!"

"You're getting weirder and weirder every day." you sighed.

"What are you even doing?"

"Be glad, I'm sleeping at Yuri's tonight. A small break away from you is going to do me some good."

He forced a smile. "That's so thoughtful of you."

You arrived at Yuri's soon enough and she invited you in kindly, offering you something to drink. Walking to her living room, you saw your aunt discussing in laughter with Principal Lim. She got up as soon as she saw you and came to engulf you in a tight hug.

"I haven't heard about you in days, I was wondering how you were doing."

"I'm great. I'm sorry I couldn't spend Chuseok with you."

She shook her head vigorously. "I'm just glad you spent time with your friends."

"Y/N is among our best rising students. Her grades are impressive." Jina added. "And I'm more than happy she and Yuri get to bond."

"Mom." Yuri rolled her eyes.

"What?" she said innocently.

"We'll be in my room."

She took your hand and dragged you behind her before shutting her door. With a heavy sigh, she let herself fall on her bed.

"I'm sorry if my invitation was so sudden. I felt lonely and I'm sick of only having Dae around."

You sat next to her. "I understand. I needed a break from my dorm anyway."

She frowned. "It's not going well?"

"I was misplaced in the boys dorm." you admitted.

"Oh."

"Right, oh." you chuckled. "Don't rat me out."

She zipped her mouth to confirm you that you could trust her. "Who are you rooming with?"

"Dae."

She gasped. "No way."

"And Q, and Min Ho." you failed to mention Kitty since you didn't want to cause a fuss over it.

"Y/N, the hell?"

You shrugged your shoulders. "We manage. The guys are not that bad, I swear."

"You could have asked to change."

"I tried already but the girls' is full. It's all good, don't worry."

She didn't seem fully convinced but she didn't push it. "Alright, if you say so."

"How about you? Have you heard from Juliana?"

Her head dropped down. "I've seen her on the first day but she left to whatever school, away from me. She promised we would find each other again but I'm starting to lose hope."

You rubbed her shoulder in a comforting way. "I'm sorry you have to go through this."

She exhaled loudly. "It's okay, it's only a rough pass, right?"

You acquiesced with her. To take her mind off everything, you prompted you do some face masks while watching the movie of her choice. You definitely didn't think you'd be doing anything of that sort when coming to KISS, even less with Yuri. For once, you felt like the two of you were more than forced friends and that you genuinely were bonding.

You left with Yuri to go to school and went separate ways so she could join Dae. As for you, Q texted you to join him and Kitty before class.

The three of you went to get ice americanos and sat at a table while Kitty went on with her necklace story. You almost wished you had stayed with Yuri.

"While I would love to talk about this whole thing again, I'd rather shove scissors in my ears, no offense." you said after she moved to talking about Dae again.

Q sighed in relief. "Yes, thank you. Seriously, this whole week, all we've been hearing is Dae, necklace, Yuri, Alex, necklace, Alex, Yuri, Dae, necklace... You're like a robot that's malfunctioning, stuck on a loop."

You nodded. "Yeah, and didn't you come here to have new experiences and love your life?"

"You know what Min Ho's Madness Party is?" Q asked which earned him a look from Kitty and you. "A new experience."

"Ugh, God. I can't believe I was about to stay in on a Friday night, pouting about a boy." she grunted. "Oh, no. I'm turning into LJ..."

"I'm out for this one. I'm not going." you announced before sipping on your coffee.

Q's eyes went wide. "What? No, both of you have to come. You're going to go out into the great big world and be a new kind of yourselves."

"A new kind of ourselves who..?" you trailed off in confusion.

"Who'll find someone to kiss?"

You exploded in laughter but Kitty seemed to be in agreement with his suggestion. "I always thought Dae would be my first kiss, and now he's the only boy in the world who can't be."

"Yeah, I know, I know. But think of all the possibilities. Seriously, use that matchmaker skill on yourself. Switch it up!" Q beamed at her.

"Okay... I could kiss somebody tonight. Yeah, I will kiss somebody tonight."

"Yes, girl." he shouted, satisfied.

"You guys have fun boy-chasing." you chuckled but Q shook his head

"Don't think you can get away from this, my friend."

You groaned. "Do I have to come?"

"Yes, please. You could help me with finding a boy." Kitty begged.

"I don't have your talent with that sort of things."

It was Q's turn to beg. "Y/N, I never see you go out much. It'll be fun. Consider it as a night out with us only."

You bit your lip in hesitation. "I guess I can stay for a bit. I might leave earlier, though."

"Why is it that I have never seen you wear this?"

Kitty helped you with choosing what you were going to wear. Since it was supposedly the event of the year, she insisted that you looked your very best. While she picked a tight black top with an equally tight black skirt, she spotted your red sheer top with a V neckline.

You took it from her. "It's something Yuri forced me to buy when we went shopping together once, nothing extravagant."

She scoffed. "Are you kidding? This will look amazing with your black skirt. Oh, and your chain necklace!"

You bickered over it until you gave up and changed. You helped her with the makeup and hair before doing yours. Satisfied with your looks, you went to the event together. The place was gigantic, a good way for Min Ho to show off his wealth as he was the one renting it.

"Do you see Q? He told me he was going to be with Florian." Kitty asked and you shook your head, clueless on where your friend was.

After assuring her that you'd be fine alone, you went separate ways to find the guys. The crowd was already dancing like there was no tomorrow, leaving you close to no space to pass through. You ended up getting out of the pack of people and opted to go look towards the bar. A wave of relief travelled your body when your eyes narrowed down to your friends as they were exchanging hugs and laughs. You wanted to join them but a voice calling you out interrupted you.

"Can I offer you something to drink? It's on me."

You stopped on your tracks as you held your breath, slowly turning around. Coming face to face with Min Ho, you smiled awkwardly as he gasped in horror.

"That's how you pick up on girls?" you let out a laugh as he cursed at himself for hitting on you.

"Ah, my eyes! It's like looking directly to the sun." Min Ho grumbled to himself.

You didn't bother staying with him as Q saw you from afar and invited you to join the lot.

"Hey, guys." you waved at them and Q could only laugh as he watched Min Ho behind you.

"You're so hot, you even got him to stare."

You brushed it off and hugged Kitty instead. However, she immediately broke away from it and pointed behind you.

"Dae is here." she said and Dae smiled at her from afar. "Nope. I am here to meet a new boy to kiss."

She stole Q's mocktail and expected for it to have alcohol in it. After discussing liquor, you picked up another drink that Q ordered for you and asked Florian to put his strong alcohol in it.

"Need to get tipsy?" Florian asked.

"Terribly."

Kitty laughed and raised her glass. "To new experiences. Let's do this."

Dae walked up to her and began to say something but the three others walked away. Clueless, you stood still and gave him a sad look.

"Good luck with that." you tapped his shoulder before catching up to the others.

You all soon went on the dance floor and started to enjoy the party fully. You bumped into someone by accident and apologized quickly. The girl squealed when she saw you.

"Y/N! I haven't seen you around much." Eunice exclaimed.

"I wasn't out much either."

"Good thing you are here. I talked about you to this boy the other day and he's so handsome. He's here, you should meet him."

You shook your hands in refusal. "Please, no."

"Come on, I'm sure you'll like him."

You stopped your protests as she pulled you out of the crowd. She walked around for a bit, looking for the man in particular, and then rushed you to him. He was sitting at the bar and exchanging with some other guy.

"Dongmin, this is Y/N."

One of the two guys excused himself and left you while the other smiled at you warmly. He was much taller than you and was definitely the type of guy who knew he was handsome. Well, like Min Ho.

"It's nice to meet you. Eunice has told me all about you."

"I'll leave you to it." the girl in question whispered before disappearing.

You were uncomfortable but at that point, you didn't care that much. Florian might have put too much liquor in your drink since you could already feel the effects. Dongmin ordered one for you and pulled out a flask out of his vest. Although it was a bad idea, you let him pour some in your glass.

"So, your parents were the heads of a restaurant company?"

"That's right."

"It must have been hard when they died. Going from a rich environment to living with the middle-class."

You almost spit out your sip. "Excuse me?"

"Well, it must be different now, no? I've heard you needed a scholarship to come here instead of being able to pay for your studies."

"I did get a scholarship, but-"

He cut you off. "I'm supposing your parents left nothing for you? Wow, that sucks."

"What? How-"

"Dongmin." someone said as they stopped behind you.

"I'd be doing better if you weren't harassing my friend."

"Ah. The host of the event. How are you, Min Ho?"

You stopped breathing for a bit. Min Ho was coming to your rescue and you couldn't be any more thankful for it. But you didn't understand why he was doing this.

"Harrassing? We were just talking."

Min Ho gave him a sour look. "About her parents, yeah? I don't think she appreciates it."

"We're good, man." Dongmin defended. "Right, Y/N?"

You simply shrugged your shoulders, earning a huff from Min Ho. "Are you feeling comfortable? Really?" he asked to be sure.

You looked back and forth between the two men and slowly shook your head. That told plenty for Min Ho to take you by the wrist and lead you away from the guy. There was a spot away from the dance floor that was quiet enough to feel more cozy. He invited you to sit and took a bottle of water from behind the bar to give it to you.

"I thought you were better than this to defend yourself."

"Thank you for your concern but I was doing just fine." you argued as you took a sip of water.

"Fine? Y/N, you were almost shaking there."

"Well, now I'm good." you shot at him. "I'll find Kitty and Q."

You left him behind and rushed back to the dancing floor. Little did you know that Min Ho followed you from a distance. Only to keep an eye on you in case you had to bump into Dongmin again.

The night went on, more drinks were consumed on your part, third-wheeling Q and Florian was a good way to summarize the whole thing. You had lost Kitty along the way as she went away after she threw a fit at Dae, evidently too drunk to be in her right mind.

The boys were making out furiously next to you and you were growing more and more disgusted. Not that you didn't root for them but they were far beyond keeping it innocent. Eventually, you left and found Eunice again in the crowd as Yuri started her set.

"I'm sorry about Dongmin. Min Ho told me what happened." she said as she gave you a hug.

She focused back on Yuri but your mind went off somewhere else. Maybe, just maybe, you liked the idea of Min Ho caring about you. After all, he hadn't been so bad in the past recent days.

"I'll be gone for a minute." you said to Eunice before starting to look for Min Ho.

You didn't know what you wanted to tell him but there was this thing between you that needed to be cleared up. With people jamming to the music, it made it hard for you to search for him properly.

As you were about to give up, you saw him from afar by recognizing his green suit that fitted him way too well for your own sake. You walked towards him but stopped when you were close enough to see what he was doing. Holding her closely by the waist, his lips were on Madison's. Your heart fell and it felt like everything around you disconnected. He pulled away from the girl and finally noticed you were standing only a few feet away from him.

"Y/N." he said and let go of Madison.

"I didn't want to interrupt." you managed to say. "I just wanted to-"

You couldn't finish your sentence. The music stopped abruptly and you saw Professor Lee with Principle Lim on the stage with stares of disapproval. Everyone began to run out of the place in a hurry which made you stumble only to crash on someone. You were lucky to find out that it was Yuri and she helped you get out with her and Dae. As soon as you stepped outside, camera flashes were blinding you. Yuri pushed you away violently and took off with Dae. You'd usually say it was a bitch move but considering the fact cameras were capturing her, she was probably only trying to protect you.

Min Ho ran to you after seeing her push you. He held your shoulders and scanned your body for any injury.

"Are you sure you are okay?" he asked again.

"Can you leave me be?" you exploded at him. "Go back to Madison or something."

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Copyright © 2023 skzhua. All rights reserved.

[wamtorical]

Credits to @antiquatedplumbobs for the Antiquated Brindleton Bay save file! It's beautiful - all npc characters (Neighbours etc.) belong to her (Except one infant I added). On another note, my characters are based in England and having researched I realised non wooden paneling didn't and still rarely exists here so we'll consider that the only semi-unrealistic aspect since I really didn't want to remove it.

April 1890

Dearest Charlotte,

I trust this letter finds you in good health and spirits. Elmer and I are doing splendidly, and we hope the same for you. Is the house quieter without me? Do tell us any news.

With the generous sum we've loaned, we have been able to purchase not only the farm but also some farm animals. You must come see. They were all rather expensive but still worth every penny. Our cow we've named Bluebell, and our chickens - well, I simply can't keep track! Two of them are so alike, but our distinct and boisterous rooster has been named Willy by Elmer. It is such a relief to have a steady supply of milk and eggs. No longer do we need to worry about procuring them - do come over so I can lend you a batch.

The pace of life is delightfully slow, and I must say, I find it quite refreshing. I wake early to prepare breakfast and Elmer sets off to work. Meanwhile, I attend to our farm and animals, relishing in the peacefulness of the countryside. Later on I take a little time for myself, of course, before Elmer returns for dinner, after which we retire for the night. It's the married life I've forever longed for. Brindleton Bay is much different to Windenburg, though I'm sure you've formed an established impression on it from the glimpse of it you saw during the wedding. The streets are tranquil and overrun with more cats and dogs than people, mostly sad-looking strays putting on a face for scraps. The fresh, salty air from the sea is invigorating, I tell you - it is the nicest air I've ever had the luxury of breathing! We have settled into our new home with ease and pleasure.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, Elmer is training as a nurse at our local hospital. It came as quite a surprise to me, after all I've only ever seen female nurses. He says that the training is not as rigorous as that of his female colleagues. Nevertheless, I trust that he knows what he is doing. The money is slowly but surely coming in and the loan should be paid off soon enough.

In the greener areas I spotted many quaint looking cabins fit for individuals seeking a quiet, solitary life - remind you of someone? Specifically, there's an abandoned one in the very heart of the forest that I believe you would adore. I wish for you to come and see it soon, it's in a great need of renovation and I know you like a good challenge. I miss you so, Char, it's odd being here without you. You're like my other half. Should you could move there, we could see eachother much more frequently.

You'll be pleased to hear our neighbours are quite friendly as well. I've yet to meet them, but I've heard nothing but good from Elmer. They reside across the street from us and possess a farm that is quite grand in size, fitting for a family of their stature. Their brood is extremely sizable, with several children ranging in ages from infancy to adulthood. You wouldn't believe! It's bizarre. As for myself, starting a family has not crossed my mind. If I were to have children, I fear I would spoil them endlessly. However, Charlotte, you and I know the dangers that it risks. I simply cannot bring myself to face those dangers and Elmer thankfully understands.

I await your letter with bated breath. Continue praying for me as I pray for you. And Charlotte, please venture out and befriend some of the locals, I'd hate for you to be lonely - or perhaps, as I mentioned earlier, you could move here! it would be a considerable amount of work but you wouldn't need to go through the hassle of taking out a loan. Kindly convey my love and regards to our dear friends back home.

Claudia,

📜 next / previous / first

[divinekangaroo]

While "patiently" waiting for fic updates :) , was wondering what other stories you're working/will be working on? Will you be writing still when you go back to work?

No pressure btw, this is me trying to manage my expectations XD

lol, yeah -> my 8 hours of blissful 'do nothing but write idly' day has dropped to about 2 hrs in the evening. the increasing arc of life resuming. The writing is still ok in these 2hr bursts but getting it to a readable standard is agony. The one benefit is that these 2 hours are probably going to be the same 2 hours I'll have once back at work.

My past fandom experience is that I usually mono-play in a fandom for around 5 years -- but I've never had kids+work+other family commitments when writing before.

I do hope I still have the drive to keep writing once am back at work. I can already feel that anxious itch of pressure, though, and my way of coping with pressure is to aggressively prune everything (friends, family, hobbies, chores, self) that causes the slightest bit of peripheral friction so I can concentrate on the thing that I can't prune (work, money, survival). BUT, this time, I go back to a new area-director role rather than my past project-director role, which should have less crazy deadline pressure/inconsistent hours than most construction work, so I'm just not sure what to expect. It'll be the first time in my life when I actually have a desk job with consistent hours.

Of my current Last Second Ending arc, I really want to finish the Holford fic, the Diana fic, and the Charlie fic (the 'Churchill' vehicle, although I'm so many chapters away from Churchill it's nuts!), which are all the live and incomplete multi-parters-- but as multiparts they are more challenging to do. I have several other ideas/snips scattered through the timeline, but they're fairly short as drabbles, flash-fic or circa 10k standalones, so they will be less heavy to complete and easier to do around work hours -- but they do tempt me now because they're more easy and fun to produce. This timeline's list of ideas has stayed stable for a couple of months now, so at least I know what 'finished' looks like for this arc, even if I don't quite get there.

I do have two firm AUs which itch at me wildly (timeline arcs again). I'm desperate to write the first piece of both as an anchor/test, but keep deferring because I know I'll have to sanity-check my motivation after finishing (or hitting a motivational brick wall with) Last Second Ending.

The 'easy' AU is the 1990s AU which is Tommy x Lizzie, set broadly post S3 and to the end of S4 as an AU S4. It's easy because there's only a few scenes in my head but they're all pretty heavy/hardcore and I can't find an 'in' for framing them yet.

But the second is that weird-arse Dragon Age II fusion AU which is less pairing focused and more family focused, albeit a great deal of pairings and sex within - but it could be a fascinating little monster of a thing, so I'm letting that simmer in back of mind until well after I get back to work to see if there's sufficient motivational drive. It's likely to become a 'what if the PB version of the Real World also had five millennia of Blights, mages, the Fade and Circles as part of Real World history/currency?' idea (alternatively: magic is real but it's pretty fucking ugly what humans do with it).

I also have about five loose BUF-Britain AU list of flashfic sketch ideas, which are generally 'things and scenes that might happen if Mosley was voted into power and took over england', which is primarily Tommy and Alfie.

And I have one solitary sort-of crackfic sort-of-not-crackfic -- S5 from the 'My Property' scene onwards but with the addition of a male chastity device -- which despite the crack premise will actually be really difficult to write compelllingly with the amount of scene checking and chronology I'd need, and accordingly is so low on the list I only think about it in idle moments to amuse myself.

There were a range of other ideas (like a 28 Days Later AU, or a Butcher x Baker AU, or why can I not have these endlessly magnificent threesomes I desperately want to read) but mostly they were isolated 'wouldn't that be cool' scenes without any sustained continuity or theme, so with time limits, they've sort of withered away.

[9leaguesofmirrors]

My Favourite Steve Characters

It's September 1st, also known as Steve Pemberton's birthday! I did one of these lists for Reece's birthday, and I wanted to do one for Steve too because I feel like not enough people talk about his amazing acting

These are in no particular order

Tony Martin - The Interrogation Of Tony Martin

This film was originally on Channel 4 and can now be found on Netflix. It's a verbatim piece about the true story of Tony Martin and why he killed two young boys that intruded on his home. Steve manages to be both cold and unsettling and surprisingly sympathetic in the role, everything he does is subtle and refined to produce an incredibly realistic performance

Trevor - Love's Great Adventure

I don't think I'll ever stop singing the praise of Love's Great Adventure, people overlook it because it doesn't have a dark twist but it's honestly one of the best episodes of the entire series! Steve Pemberton delivers such a raw performance that it left me wishing there was a spin-off series! The entire episode is beautiful, and Trevor is a huge part of the reason; I could praise Steve's ability to dig up such pure, unbridled feeling in every character he plays for ages!

Dr Bessner - Death On The Nile (2004)

I'm a sucker for a good Agatha Christie, especially Poirot, so finding out that Steve Pemberton was in one of the remakes made me very excited - and, as always, he delivers. Dr Bessner is a character which may end up fading into the back of people's memories, but Steve Pemberton managed to make every scene he was in very entertaining. It goes to show that he knows how to pull focus without taking away from other cast members, a credit to both his dedication and kindness

Len - Bernie Clifton's Dressing Room

I mean, he won a BAFTA for this one, that says it all! When we first meet Len, he's portrayed as a sweet, funny man with plenty of charisma. However, as the episode continues, Steve manages to show this façade break more and more until we see to the core of a man that's ruined his life and lost his way. Steve managed to perfectly portray Len as a flawed character while simultaneously making the audience sympathise with him and want him to get the help he needs

Galen - Thinking Out Loud

NOBODY can deny Steve Pemberton's range, not after watching Thinking Out Loud. He's positively frightening as Galen, using stillness and a measured delivery to create an unnerving character - at one point, he leaned forward and I actually jumped backwards!

Pauline Campbell-Jones - The League of Gentlemen

This list wouldn't be complete with the iconic Pauline Campbell-Jones! Steve's comedic timing and delivery skills makes her one to watch, but there are also moments where we see another side to her that's unexpected yet surprisingly heartwarming. Yet another example of Steve's fantastic range giving even the most comedic characters depth

Joe - The Last Weekend SPOILERS BELOW

Like Thinking Out Loud, this episode has a very controversial ending. But I want to step away from that for a moment (might make a post about it at some point, I'm not sure) to appreciate how incredible Steve was in it

At first, you sympathise with Joe; he has to deal with having a terrible illness and, on top of that, his partner doesn't exactly treat him that kindly. Steve's ability to pull at the audience's heartstrings really comes into play here... but, even before the big reveal, there are subtle moments where you get the sense that something isn't quite right

And that ending! Steve completely transforms and we're left with a Joe Madison that we've never seen before - and hope we never see in real life! It's perfectly sinister and 100% one of his best acting moments in the series

Of course, these are just a few of his roles and, like Reece, he's a real chameleon that can truly play any part (even if, sometimes, it's just Pauline). Benidorm is on my watch list so I'll be getting to that as soon as possible! I hope Steve's career continues to be full of opportunities!

[equestrianequivalent]

- Arrival -

Is this island really located just above the British Isles? Surely it shouldn't have taken this long to get here. You would think I have travelled for years. Perhaps I'm just bored of sterile white walls and tourist chatter. Not that I can say much of the latter, I'm technically a tourist too, for now. Give it three months and I'll surely behave like I've lived here half my life. Man I wish, imagine growing up on Jorvik. Atleast the destination is worth the age long travel. Still, I really could do without the ferries and tourists and alcohol and half-proper food, and tourists drinking alcohol and ordering too much half-proper food. Guess I'm just tired of people in general huh, shocker. Genius of me to work at a riding camp then. Ah well, they accepted me, it's their problem if I suck at it.

Oh thank god. Announcement lady, my saviour. 10 minutes and I'll be off this thing. Or well probably 15 or 20 with queues accounted, but point stands, I'll be off soon. Couldn't have been more well timed. Jorvik next.

Yeah that ferry ride really took me out. Even my headphone music is starting to irritate me. It's just a quick bus ride left, I'll manage. A quick bus ride of… 20 minutes? So closer to 30 with stops and real life accounted for then. Just a bus ride left, indeed. I'm still on time though, that's what matters. Atleast the bus will have windows, aslong as I can sightsee it's fine. God I hope this stupid bus isn't too full. Am I even at the right stop? Surely. I'm the only one here so far, luckily. No way to sneakily fact check my location though, bummer. Guess I'll just have to trust that my streak of always being at the right place holds up this time too. Who am I kidding, of course it will.

Well that's definitely the bus to Moorland Stables. Good, wouldn't have the energy to deal with a wrong bus line right now. Quite empty too, lucky me. Not that I'm doing too badly, it's hard to stay irritated when the weather's this nice and the nature so fine. They weren't kidding, this island is gorgeous. No wonder equestrians pilgrim here year round. Guess I'm basic for picking summer, though. To be fair, I'm staying past summer, but I'm still arriving at summer. Me and half the world's equestrians with the funds to go, not exactly a contrarian pick. Still, some things are popular for a reason. Just because I'll run into half the world here doesn't mean it isn't warranted. Although, I guess had half the world really been here I'd have dipped before I even got off the ferry. Would've been a shame to call it quits before I even arrive, I could watch this scenery pass by for hours. Who needs horses when you can sightsee. Combining the two will be nice, the best of both worlds. Speaking of, that's the stable in the distance. Finally. I can switch sightseeing for horses for a bit, no worries. An entire quarter of nothing but horses here I come.

God what a thing. Atleast it didn't take too long, but really? The stable's legally threatened, the owner's at god knows where, and I'm getting my horse tomorrow? You'd think I'm starring in a new sitcom. Poor lad should be happy I didn't have the energy to say anything back. Not that he deserved it himself, but still, what a situation. Ah well, free range to check out the stable and "familiarise myself with the horses" is a fair trade for human shenanigans. I'll take it. They didn't say which one I'd have though. Actually, have they even decided that yet? Surely they've assigned their personnel horses by now? Or did the already lost legal case fuck with that too? Whatever, not my problem. Yet. By Aideen, girl, do you do anything but complain?

[multimagical]

The Ghosts of Melbrew

Book 1 of 12 in the Multimagical Series by Lillian R.S.

Emeline Orman was sixteen when she and her parents moved across the country to the coastline of Washington state. A small town known as Melbrew sat comfortably in the middle of thick woods, so tiny and unknown that it doesn't show up on any maps, making it the perfect spot for malicious activity to go unnoticed.

On her first day of school, she met some rather weird people, who all shared a strange similar interest. This little group had quite the reputation for their knowledge of the town's not-so-secret dark history... as well as all of the unusual things that have been reported to them. It all started with the rich Humphrey family tragedy back in the 1800s, where for years it has been speculated that the mother killed her husband and children.

Being very eager to get to the bottom of all the town's mysteries, one thing leads to another as discovery after discovery begins to pile up, ranging from random holes in the ground, to suspicious buildings in the middle of the woods. Secret doors, tunnels, and books that talk about nonsense seem like they lead nowhere, with no connections!

Though perhaps the most mysterious oddity of them all is the otherworldly gateway surrounded by old fences, tied back to the founding family.

CW: Strong language, murder, and descriptions of gore

34 Total Chapters!

Total Word Count: 142,450

For more information on the Multimagical Series, check my pinned post!

Chapter 1 - "Welcome to Melbrew"

6,025 words

My wattpad / main: @lillianrs

Friendly criticism is welcome for future reference!

Continue reading below the cut, and enjoy! <3

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     It's a dark evening as I begin writing this book. A night where the trees creak outside my windows, with harsh, howling winds in the forlorn wilderness. I'm not sure what finally possessed me to tell this story after all this time, but one thing I've learnt is that you should always trust your gut. So, I'm going where the keys take me, as I trace through my memories.

     It began back when I was only sixteen. So young, so unprepared, so naive, almost innocent. Nothing could've possibly warned me for the journey that lie ahead, for the things I've seen and the places I'd been. For then, in only my teens, my life changed in more ways than I could've ever imagined. I wasn't prepared to have my reality turned on its head, I wasn't prepared to see the truth, and I most certainly wasn't prepared to see the things that were not meant to be.

     I've stayed in this town my whole life. I've seen faces come and go, and am good friends with the ones who've stayed. This place is different than it once was, but it still has some traces of its cursed past, though now faded from time. Somedays it feels strong, like I can feel it through the roots in the Earth. Yet other times it feels distant, and unwilling to show.

     I've experienced a lot in my life, yet nothing has ever compared to the things that I had seen at the young age of seventeen. No one ever believed me, believed us. We never maintained solid proof, all of our camera evidence was destroyed during the ritual, but us seven know the truth... well, us seven, and the others silently involved who now refuse to acknowledge it. But those are all faces who have gone, to where, I'm not sure.

     So, I suppose I'm here now, the next Robert J. Wright, the next Lord Lutho, the next Jane Howell who will become a mere conspiracy in the darkest corners of a library, waiting to be discovered, and inspire the next generation of those who seek the truth. I work at the school now as the librarian, and I take responsibility in preserving the stories here. Though I feel that now in my present, the whispering warnings we've heard long ago are to soon reign true... I just hope that the message can reach others, before it's too late. There's only so much we can do.

--------

     My parents and I had to move across the country when I was sixteen years old. They are both photographers, and had gotten a job offer from a studio in Metalwood City. This studio in particular wanted them to focus on photographing both rural and urban life for usage in magazines and websites. Though we couldn't do this where we had previously lived, as the job specifically required the photos to come from the state of Washington. It had a much better pay than their previous job, and my parents were up for a change of pace, so they took them up on the offer.

     Metalwood was a short 40 minute drive from a small rural town called Melbrew. Living there was extremely cheap, and my parents figured that they could run between the town and city for their pictures. Unfortunately, they were unaware that cheap living often comes with a different type of price to pay.

     This town was founded by two brothers with the last name Melbrew, of course. It lay near the west coast of Washington state, with only a fifteen minute drive to the Pacific ocean. It was kind of in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by lakes and forest on all sides. That was the extent of my knowledge at the time of moving. I wondered if it would even be worth it to live there, but that decision wasn't mine to make. I never got to have a say in much.

     My parents had sprung the moving announcement on me out of nowhere, leaving me with only a few weeks left before the move, the process started immediately. I was mad and upset, but I knew that there was nothing I could do to prevent it. I had to suck it up and go along with it, however sad it may have been. It was hard.

     I enjoyed the last few weeks with my friends the best I could, however good it would be to say a final goodbye to people you would probably never see again. We all promised to stay in touch, but does anyone really? I'll move on and make new friends, and they'll soon forget about me, only to be brought up occasionally with a "Hey, remember Emmy?". It's not sad, it's just realistic. But sticking to the positives, they weren't really the best of friends anyways.

     My last day was depressing, but also quite terrifying, considering I would be moving all the way from western Pennsylvania to the state of Washington. That was on the complete other side of the country!

     My nerves those final few days were dreadful, I remember them all vividly. The rapid heartbeat, the feeling of leaving everything I've ever known behind... It felt like a clock was ticking down to my death and rebirth. In a way I felt I was dying, as overly dramatic as that sounds. I would be leaving everything and starting again, but as scary as the thought was, it also excited me. The death was the hard part, the afterlife is the easy one.

     It took us a about a week to get there, as we had to drive the whole way, but I'm not going to get into the whole moving process as it isn't important. Lots and lots of feilds out in the rural parts of America. Day after day, hotel after hotel. It was almost surreal and creepy, especially at night. A part of me almost wished we had stayed in some sketchy motel that's the only thing on a stretch of road. Now that's where the fun is!

      I sighed a breath of relief when I was finally told that we were almost there. Slowly the wheat feilds turned to forests and trees, that's all there was, just trees. After a few minutes a giant wooden sign appeared, reading, "Welcome to Melbrew". The letters were faded and it was hard to read, but still ledgebale nonetheless.

     I unbuckled my seatbelt and turned off my music as curiosity took its hold on me. Rolling down my window, I stuck my head outside and let the wind and rain hit my face. The smell of water and pine was strong in the air, and the town was rather grey. The clouds in the sky paired with the looming trees blocked quite a bit of sunlight, it was rather gloomy.

     The forest was now less dense as houses stood next to each other, all with their own areas, lawns, and garages, decently spaced apart from each other. Before I knew it, we were pulling into a driveway. With the car now in park and silent, raindrops could be heard pounding against the roof. Of course now is when it begins to pick up and pour!

     It rained for a full two days after we got there, which made moving in much harder than it already was going to be. We didn't have very much stuff though, as taking too much across the country wouldn't be easy. Nevertheless, I was in love with the scenery. All the trees, the rain, the near darkness in midday. It was very cozy, to me, at least.

      My cat was definitely not happy with the car ride, so I'm sure the old senior boy was glad to be out of his carrying cage. His name was Sir. Bennington the Fifth... there were no other Benningtons. Child me just thought it was funny. Nowadays I call him Benny.

     The house that I would now have to call home was of a decent size and stood on a corner street. Its outer panels were beginning to peel, and vegetation coated the lawn with various plants and grasses. When the rain died down afternoon had turned to evening, and the sound of birds, owls, and crickets filled the misty darkened air.

     There was a humble little farm across the road from us, and a few other houses nearby. Other than that, it was pretty vacant, lying near the northern outskirts of the town by wooded area, though the whole town was surrounded by woods, so it's not that special a detail. It felt very secluded.

     I wished we could've moved before the school year started, but I guess I'm also glad it was early on in the year instead of later. I tried to look on the positive side, instead of being pessimistic once I got there and had to confront this new life. There was no point in being sad about something I couldn't change, as much as I wanted to be. I got my sadness out the weeks before, now it was time to move on. Is it toxic positivity? Maybe. I'll get over it.

     That first night felt so... different. I'm not sure how to describe it. The sound of the rain falling on the roof, the wind outside, the eerie quietness of everything else. My practically empty room with nothing but a bed and a box of clothes. The yellow lighting and old-fashioned floral wallpaper, paired with the old, dusty wooden floors that would creak beneath your feet. That smell of dirt, and the ticking of an ancient clock that was left behind. It all made me feel stuck in time.

     It was very difficult for me to fall asleep. New environments paired with the fear of going to a different school kept me tossing and turning all night. I feel that Benny could sense my discomfort, as he nudged my door open to come sit on my chest. It was only then that my mind felt enough at ease to drift off to the realm of dreams.

     My parents walked me to school on my first day to make sure that I didn't get lost and knew the way. The town is very small and half of it seemed to be abandoned, so I didn't see a need for it, but hey, whatever makes them happy. Once the school was in sight, though, they backed off and waved me goodbye.

     The school was on the other side of the town from me to the south, so it was quite a long walk, about half an hour. The elementary and middle school were separate, but kept in the same general area. They were all brick buildings under the cloudy, grey morning sky that only just then began to brighten. The American flag waved in the wind, the eerie quietness absorbing me once more.

     It wasn't all that grand, in fact, it was quite the opposite. It looked rather decrepit and run down, but not to the point where it looked horrid and grossly unsanitary. Well, I mean, there were a few broken windows boarded up, and vines and grass growing up the sides, but it wasn't, like, dirty.

     Really, I doubt anyone around here even notices the appearance, but my fresh new eyes did. Though despite the vintage look that the town carried, I could still tell that it used to be rather well-kept, even though some areas even looked abandoned nowadays. There was a history to this place, I could just feel it. It was in the air, and on the scars the buildings carried. The stories they could tell...

     I pushed on the double glass doors of the highschool, which were smudged and slightly stained with dirt. They closed behind me in an echoed click, seemingly sealing the outside world away as the sound of wind was left behind me. The main entrance wasn't very spacious, unlike my last school. It made me feel a little confined and claustrophobic, but I was sure I'd get used to it. I was sure I'd get used to everything, though maybe that was still my want to be positive talking.

     The door to my left had a sign reading, "Main Office'', and the door to my right had a sign that read, "Guidance Office", which were both carved into golden plates that now looked brown. Okay, good to know. That was all that was in the entrance hallway.

     I wiped my feet on the entrance mat and made my way to the hallway, though my shoes still squeaked against the tiles. On the wall was a little red sign with directions, which I followed to my homeroom, which would be to my right. The voices of fellow students began to fill my ears, and for some reason unbeknownst to me, I began to feel anxious.

     "Hello, Emeline!" My teacher said as he saw me enter the classroom. I walked over to him and we shook hands. "Welcome to Melbrew High School! I'm Mr. Brown, and I'll be both your homeroom and algebra teacher. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask me or one of the other staff members."

     I thanked him and he told me where to sit, so I took my seat, and sat quite awkwardly. My bookbag sat next to me on the floor, my phone gripped tightly in my hands. People continuously glanced over to me, I tried my best to ignore them. The whole place felt off.

     Not just off, though, it was straight up oldschool. The whole town was. There were no smart boards, nor overhead projectors. Just an old, green chalkboard. The lighting was also pretty dim and more... yellow? Yellow seems to be a favorable lighting choice here, I suppose. I obviously assumed that the budget was pretty low, as I haven't seen just a chalkboard in the class since I was in the third grade.

     As I waited in my seat, I looked around the room to the other students, who thankfully stopped starting at me. Two came up to greet me for a few seconds, but the rest either paid me no mind or just looked over to me. Some gave off weird, creepy vibes with their stares. I felt really out of place, it was kinda giving me impostor syndrome, to be honest. I felt like I shouldn't be there. Just the feeling of being the new kid, I guess.

     I began to get lost in my thoughts, staring into the abyss. That is until I jumped out of them due the unnecessarily loud overhead speakers. We all stood to say the pledge, then the announcements began, spoken by an upbeat girl, which seemed almost humorous to me given the boring scenery... well, either humorous or creepy, but you can be the judge of that.

     "Good morning, Melbrew students! Today is Monday, September 26th, 2016! For lunch today, the cafeteria will be serving spaghetti, tomorrow will be taco Tuesday! The breakfast for tomorrow will be pancakes! If you are going on Ms. Hogg's field trip this spring, your permission slips are due before Christmas break! There are still a few spots open for the book and biology clubs, so hurry and claim your spot fast before it's too late! Speaking of clubs, sign ups for the brand-new history club will be on Thursday, and they will meet every other week! Have a great day, Melbrew!"

     The announcements cut off and students resumed chatting with one another as we waited for the bell to dismiss us to first period. When it finally did, I stayed seated for geometry, while everyone else left. I didn't like the looks people gave me as people walked in for first period. Definitely felt like an invader. God, I was so out of place.

     Once geometry was over, I had to head to my second class, which was a study hall. I wasn't exactly sure where it was, though. It's easy to get lost in a place where every hallway looks the exact same. Everyone fled out of the classroom, except for me and one other student who was taking his time to leave. I guess I'll just go ask him.

     I approached the student, "Hello! I'm new to this school. Would you mind directing me to the library?" I asked as politely as I could.

     He paused what he was doing for a few seconds and looked up at me, before shaking his head and continuing on with what he was doing. He zipped up his backpack, stood up, and answered, "I'm going there. Just follow me."

     He spoke in a monotone, nonchalant voice. He said nothing else, and threw his bag over his shoulder as he walked out of the classroom, not even waiting for me. I hurried to follow him, feeling a bit awkward at his lack of acknowledgement.

     He was Asian with dark hair and lighter skin, though his face looked tired as bags sat under his eyes. He wore an old, grey baseball team hoodie that was now stained with mud, and had a hole on the sleeve. His backpack looked like it was being held together by ductape alone.

     I attempted to make conversation, "Um. My name is Emeline Orman, do you mind me asking yours?"

     He didn't say or do anything at first, as he seemingly ignored me. Thankfully for my own self-assurance he eventually shrugged slightly and said, quietly, in the same toneless voice, "Kai."

     I observed the hallways a bit as we walked, which all had the same beige colored tiles lining the walls. This school's color palette definitely wasn't the prettiest sight for sore eyes, but then again it could always be worse. Gotta remember that optimism, look on the brightside. The brightside being that I felt like I was in a mystery novel, so I'll take it! The buzzing lights and lack of people definitely added a whole layer to the ambiance.

      When we got to the library, he walked off and sat down at a table in one of the more hidden sections of the place, tucked behind some bookshelves near a corner. He immediately pulled out an extremely old looking book from his bag.

     "What are you reading?" I asked curiously, but he just looked up at me, said nothing, and looked back down. I waited to see if he would say anything, but he didn't. "...Am I bothering you?"

     "Yes." he said, matter-of-factly, without taking his eyes off the book. He rested his head lazily against his hand.

     "Sorry, I'll leave you to it." I said, and walked away. I decided to go and look around, I really didn't want to upset people on my first day, that's a good way to make enemies and I was not looking for that, especially in a place that looks like a good setting for a horror movie. Next thing you know you'll be choked to death by a vampire, or something weird like that.

     It wasn't a really big library, but it did have a whole lot of stuff in it. Lots of bookshelves, tables, and doors leading to I don't know where. There were even a few computers, and that's saying something! Usually libraries have all sorts of them, but here there's only four, as it seemed. In a place that doesn't have smartboards, I consider it impressive. They were all already in use, three doing work, while another pulled up games.

     I spotted a little hallway near the back between some bookcases, and decided to check it out. It led to another room, with more tables, and a door with a sign saying STAFF ONLY. Standing against a wall was a large, moveable whiteboard on wheels. There were all kinds of papers on it, held down by magnets. Written in blue marker was a list of clubs, and what days they will meet. I read down the list, and then jumped a little when a teacher approached me unexpectedly.

     "Hello dear, I don't believe I've seen you before, are you that new girl? The Ormans?" The teacher asked as she entered the room. She looked like your classic, stereotypical librarian lady. She had glasses, her hair was in a bun, but she didn't look to be too old.

     "Oh, uh, yeah, that's me. I'm Emeline Orman." I said, and held out my hand to shake hers.

     "Well, Emily, I'm the school's librarian, Mrs. Robinson." She said, and looked to the club sheet I was just checking out, "Are you interested in any clubs? We hold most of the meetings here in this room. It's a good way to meet some new friends!"

     "I might be." I said, shrugging. "What do the different clubs do?"

     "Well, most of them are already full, but we're offering sign-ups for a new club, as you probably heard on the announcements, if you paid attention, that is." She said and chuckled, "Most kids don't. The history club is brand new and just starting out, but there are also a few spots still open for the book club. It's what you would imagine, we give you a book, and you read it, and talk about it with your peers. There's also the biology club, I believe there's quite a few spots still open for that one, if you're interested. Ms. Hogg runs that one. She does lots of expeditions in the woods to look for little critters."

     "Hm. Do you know what they'll be doing in the history club?" I asked.

     "Well, I'm not entirely sure just yet. This year is the first it'll be up. If I had to guess though, probably various activities involving history, I think specifically on the town. I manage the book club, but if you're interested in town history I would ask Mr. Marshall about it when you can. He's room 105."

     "Alright, will do. Thank you, Mrs. Robinson."

     "Anytime, love. If you ever have any questions, you can always find me here."

     I walked back out into the main part of the library and decided to look around a bit to get familiar with the layout of the place, and maybe look at a book or two. After getting bored of it, I went back to the little room with the whiteboard and sat at one of the white plastic tables that were lined against the walls. There was no one back there, so it made me feel more comfortable.

     The time dragged on since I had nothing to do, and I was actually happy when the bell rang for third period. It was time to go to English, which I had to find on my own. Luckily the English hallway was near the library, and all someone had to do was point down the hall. I stepped inside and greeted my teacher, Mrs. Palmer, and she showed me to my seat. Once English was over, I headed to my fourth period class, which was History. I went in and greeted Mr. Marshall. Once the period ended and the bell rang, I decided to ask him about the club.

     "Um, excuse me, Mr. Marshall? May I ask you about the history club?" I asked. "I heard about it on the announcements this morning, and I think that I might be interested in it."

     He looked a bit surprised, and turned to a kid walking out the door, "Dominik," he said, "Where are you heading?"

     "Computer, sir." He answered.

     "Tell Emeline here a bit about the history club. I think you'll be better at it."

     "Sure thing!" He said, and nodded his head out the door for me to follow.

     "Why couldn't he just tell me about it himself?" I asked once we were out of the class.

     "Well, you asked him at the end of the period, and it would take a while to explain. Plus, you're obviously new and I think that he thinks that this is the perfect way for you to make friends," he stopped in the middle of the empty hallway, and stuck out his hand, "My name's Dominik, but you already knew that, because he kinda said my name, but whatever. If you'd like new information on the name though it's Dominik with a K."

     I shook his hand, "Emeline, but you already knew that, too."

      We continued walking, "Did all your teachers introduce you today? I wouldn't doubt if people start calling you Emily, if they haven't already, I've never heard of Emeline. That's like Emily but with extra steps... no offense."

     "None taken. My parents just wanted to be different, but if it helps, you can just call me Emmy. Or Emma, or Em, or even Emily, really. They're all the same thing. Though usually I go by Emmy. Cute childhood nickname that just kinda stuck."

     "Well then, Emmy, allow me to give you a run down." He said, "First of all, NEVER drink from the water fountains after Douglass Bailey has touched them. Just- trust me on that. Secondly, there's a crap ton of weird stuff around here so don't freak out over something strange, it's probably normal. Oh, and third of all, you should DEFINITELY stay away from the northwest side of town. The abandoned part with the park, and the mountains, and the cemetery, and all that. That's practically begging for trouble."

    "Well, that's good to know, I guess. Why is the northwest bad?"

     "Oh, you'll see. Or more so hear. It's impossible not to. We are definitely going to be late for class, but that's okay. Not to brag or anything, but most of the teachers love me. How about my friend and I tell you a little bit about the club at lunch? The history in this place is... well, interesting, to say the least to a new comer." He said as we approached the class.

      "Dominik, you're late!" The teacher said as he walked in the class, but he didn't sound angry at all.

     "I was helping out the new girl Emeline, Mr. Adams. Sorry about that."

     "No problem, take your seats, and Emily, find a free one."

     Dominik whispered towards me, "told you." I smiled a bit.

     A kid with bright green hair started excitedly slapping an empty seat next to them, and Dominik gestured to it with his hand. I sat in it.

     "Who she?" The green-haired kid asked.

     "A new girl who is interested in the history club," Dominik answered.

     "Oh! That's fun, a newbie. I've always wanted to teach a newbie!" They said, and turned to me. "Hi, I'm Cameron! And despite what people may tell you, I am in fact a boy. Actually, I'm just straight up feral. I'm a menace to society. A man in the shadows. An enigma. Cameron Payne Johnson, certified local cryptid freak and proud!"

     "Oh, well, it's... nice to meet you? I think?"

     I looked between the both of them, and I wondered how they could look like they have completely different interests, yet be friends who apparently have common ground.

     Dominik looked like your typical smart person. He was decently tall, and had dark, curly hair that was pulled up into a little bun. A few short curls were falling down into his face, which he pushed back with his hand, then adjusted his glasses. He was black, but more on the lighter side. He was well-dressed, and wore a long beige lab coat over a dark red turtleneck sweater. He looked like the type of kid who would remind the teacher we had homework.

     Cameron on the other hand was short, and had naturally brown hair. Half of his head was shaved, and the part that wasn't shaved was dyed an obnoxiously bright neon green that felt like an assault to the eyes. He wore a black hoodie tied around his waist, and had ripped, black, skinny jeans. His shoes were dirty, old-looking converse. He worse a black T-shirt with a skull on the front, the black clothes contrasted his pale skin. He looked like a mix of punk and emo, and his nails were painted both black and green.

     Mr. Adams began teaching. Towards the end of the period, everyone began to chat again, "Did all of this school's budget go into this room, or what?" I asked.

     "Dude I don't know, man." Cameron responded, "I always see vids from other people and they've got like fancy tech boards and shit. Meanwhile I'm out here like what the fuck is a smartboard? And apparently libraries are supposed to have like, 30 computers in them? Fucking foreign, dude. These are like, our only computers. I have a theory that the principle is hording money."

     "It is way too early to start on your conspiracies, Cam." Dominik said.

     When the bell rang, class ended, and the three of us headed to the cafeteria together, as we three all had lunch 6th period. They took their packed lunches and sat down at a table, and I went up in line. Once I had my food, I took my tray and went to sit by the pair I just met.

     "Yo, I really wouldn't eat that," Cameron said, "That shit's prolly poisoned or sumthin." Dominik lightly smacked the back of his head.

     "Don't scare her, Cam!" He turned to me, "The food is just a little weird, and he's also like actually insane, so don't listen to him."

     "Oh, please. I'm not insane, I'm just eager for unexplainable shit to be real... and also the food is just one of the minor conspiracies about this place, and the poison is also just one version!"

     "Just let her eat in peace for her first day, she just got here! You can start on your rants tomorrow." He turned to me and whispered, "Though I definitely would advise to pack your lunch for the rest of your time here."

     "Um, okay," I said, laughing nervously. I then changed the subject, "So, about the history club..."

     "Oh, the history club," Cameron said, leaning back a little bit, his hands resting behind his head, and his legs intertwined with the poles under the table so he doesn't fall backwards, "whaddya wanna know 'bout it?"

     "Well, what will you be doing in it?"

     "Well, the question is," he said dramatically, leaning forward. He then slapped his hands on the table, "can we trust you?"

     "What? Why?"

     "It isn't just a history club, Mr. Marshall is just as interested in the weird stuff going on around here as we are. So, can we trust you with the secret of keeping the clubs activities classified?"

      "Of course, my life's boring, this sounds interesting." I said. Cameron narrowed his eyes at me.

     Dominik looked at Cameron, and signaled him to go on. "Keep it to a minimum, Cam, we don't wanna spill too much. Though chill out on the drama, man, it's just town history."

     "Oh, it's more than town history, Dominik!" Cameron exclaimed, "Okay, so, Mr. Marshall told us that he convinced the school that it'll be a club about, well, history, but, actually, we're gonna be divin' into the conspiracy theories of this place. He's a relatively young teacher, about in his 20s or some shit. He said he got an interest in all this because his grandfather knew the Humphrey family, you'll learn about them... If you join."

     "...Sooo, the school thinks it's just going to be about the town's history, but it's for town-centered theories?" I asked.

     "Yup! But there's evidence, oh believe me, there's evidence! It's just not widespread enough. Most people don't even know about the murders. Not to freak you out or anything. It was a long time ago."

     We went on to eat our lunch, having casual conversation... as casual as a conversation can get when someone like Cameron is leading it. Afterwards I was headed to my 7th period class, which was my language class. Soon before the bell rang to start class, a short, bored-looking asian girl walked in. She had to have been about the ages of twelve to thirteen, but visually appeared to be younger. She had bangs and two ponytails on the sides of her head, tied with blue bows.

      She slammed her books down on my desk, "Get out of my seat or I'll throw hands, freckle face."

     "Kimora!" The teacher said, coming into the class, "We will not be 'throwing hands' and calling names in this class. Emeline, could you please pick a different desk? Kimi came in late today, and she's very picky about her seat."

     "Oh, of course," I said, and she greeted me. Her name was Madame Martian. I went and took a different seat, and went on with the class. Kimi was apparently a smart middle schooler who got to come to the high school for language class.

     Finally it was time for my last classes of the day. My 8th period class was gym on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I had another period of my science class, which was my 9th and last class of the day.

     Since today was Monday, I had gym. We played badminton, which was fun. That fun didn't last for long though, as nothing could've ever prepared me for my biology class. Not the eeriness, nor the rumors or weird conspiracies. It was the final slice of my introductory cake of what I was about to be subjected to for the rest of the year.

     It was a classroom near the back of the school, and the walk there felt kind of... off. But it was a different kind of off than the off everything else was. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but it seemed as if all the other rooms in that hallway were unused. To the left, there was one final hall of doors, and it led to a dead end. At the end of the main hallway I was walking down, there was a pair of doors leading to an outside parking lot. Towards the end of the hall, I headed into the room on the right.

     There I was faced with an odd looking classroom, older than the others. As if the other rooms had touch ups done over the years but this one didn't. I noticed immediately that this was the class that had that one boarded-up window I spotted that morning.

     Unlike my other teachers, Ms. Hogg didn't come and greet me, and didn't really look too inviting on me greeting her, so I kept to myself. I sat down in a free seat, feeling very uncomfortable, even more so than before. The worst it had been all day. God, I could've puked. It was so off that it became physical, sickening.

     Ms. Hogg had a vibe to her, and not a good one. She looked both old and young at the same time, and gave me the impression that's she's killed someone before, but I have no idea why. It felt very strange, I was deeply unsettled by that teacher, she gave me a bad feeling in my gut, right down to her voice and physique.

     During class she talked about the anatomy of different animals, and briefly mentioned a project that we'll be starting tomorrow. This was a very biological focused biology class. I thought we were going to be learning about DNA or whatever, but okay, sure.

     I left the class feeling uneasy, and totally ready to leave that damn building and go back to my house. I was caught off guard and startled when I was suddenly pushed to the cold ground.

     "Move out of the way!" A tall blonde girl from my class yelled in a mean tone, "You should pick up the pace next time, I don't like to be slowed down!" She stomped away, laughing with two friends as her heeled shoes clicked against the ground, echoing throughout the confined halls.

●●●

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[typical-simplelove]

Center Point Road -> Tyson Jost

Summary: Based on Thomas Rhett and Kelsea Ballerini's Center Point Road, it's your and Tyson's story from meeting formally night at the age of 5 and onward. (Your classic childhood friends to lovers).

Author's Note: After almost a year later, I finally have the final part of the Kelsea Ballerini Series! I'm so glad that I got this one finished, and I hope you enjoy it!

Warnings: nothing much; probably not proofread; gender-neutral!reader (if I missed anything, please let me know!)

Word Count: 5.4k

We drink our beer in the basement So no one would know We didn't care where the days went Had nowhere to go, Center Point Road When everything was about a kiss and clouds just look like battleships And helmets crashing on the field And we thought every love was real

When the doorbell rang, you weren’t paying any attention to who was at the door. After all, you needed to find out if they found Nemo, and your mother always said never to open the door because, you know, stranger danger. 

“Do you mind watching Tyson for the night?” you hear a familiar voice from the door. “Kacey has a raging fever, and my parents are out of town. There’s no one else.”

“Hardly even a request,” your mother responds, and she ushers Tyson into the house. You turn your head and watch Tyson Jost walk into your living room. He’s nervously and shyly taking off his jacket and boots before he sits next to you on the couch. You smile at him before you grab the remote and rewind the movie. 

“We can start over,” you tell him, not sure if Tyson has seen the movie. He nods and turns his attention to the TV. 

It’s not that you don’t like Tyson. You barely know him, but you were both in the same kindergarten class. You’ve sat at the same table in class a few times, but mostly, you hung out with different people. 

“Are you okay, Tyson?” your mother asks, putting a bowl of popcorn on the coffee table ten minutes later. 

“Yes, thank you,” Tyson replies with a soft smile. He always was very polite, you recall. Even in school, Tyson had the biggest heart out of all of the other 5-year-old-boys. 

You look down at Tyson’s knee, noticing that he was taping it nervously. “Popcorn?” 

Smiling, Tyson puts his hand in the bowl and takes a handful. “Thank you.”

Throughout the first half of the movie, you and Tyson go back and forth between taking handfuls. By the halfway mark of the movie, the bowl is empty, and Tyson has slowly come out of his shell. You’ve noticed, though, that Tyson is still nervous and not quite comfortable. You’re not sure, though, what to do to make him feel better. 

“Let’s get you two into pajamas,” your mother interrupts and pauses the movie. You and Tyson follow your mom upstairs. You go into your bedroom while your mother urges Tyson towards the guest bedroom. Once you’re both in your pajamas and teeth brushed, you and Tyson are sitting on the couch again with the movie started again. 

Next to you, you watch Tyson slightly shiver, so you take the blanket that was sitting on your lap and unfold it and place it on Tyson’s lap. “Better?”

He nods with a cute smile. “Much, thank you.” 

Throughout the rest of the movie, you and Tyson sat next to each other under the shared blanket. You never thought of Tyson as a friend, but as the night carried on and the movie wound to a close, you knew that Tyson was going to be your friend, and during recess the next day, you were going to play with Tyson. 

When the movie’s over, you and Tyson are walking upstairs (he was to stay in the guest bedroom), and you say to him, “I just know that Kacey’s going to be okay.”

He smiles at you. “I hope so, too.” 

With that smile, your life changed. You didn’t know it yet, but you met the person who would be the focal point of the rest of your life. 

We wrote our own destiny in parking lots and empty streets Yeah, we got high on you and me Jumped over cracks beneath our feet

“Is the punch good?” Tyson asks as he walks up to you. He noticed the small cup in your hand. He didn’t have anything else to say to you at this current moment. There was something about the energy in the gym that was making Tyson nervous to talk to you. 

It was the seventh-grade middle school dance, and you were wearing a lavender shirt with a black skirt, and Tyson swears you’ve never looked more beautiful. Even under the darkness and very dim show lights of the gym, Tyson just knows you’re glowing. 

You shrugged at Tyson’s question. “It’s fine. Nothing too stellar.” 

“How much more do you have in there?” Tyson asks, inquisitively. 

“It’s empty, but I just don’t want to walk to the trash can or the table for a refill.” 

“Oh, cool,” Tyson says, awkwardly. He nods and bounces on his feet awkwardly. His mom and grandfather gave Tyson a pep talk just before the dance, but now that he’s come to use that pep talk, Tyson can’t do it. 

His hands were sweaty, his mouth was parched, and he was really, really warm. Who knew his best friend since the age of five could make Tyson this nervous? 

Ever since that first Friday night watching Finding Nemo on your couch, you and Tyson have spent almost every Friday night together. Sometimes, you’d watch movies or hockey games together. Sometimes, you’d go for ice cream together after one of Tyson’s games. Other times, you and Tyson biked around the neighborhood or played mini-sticks in one of your driveways. 

That’s how Friday nights went. 

This Friday night, though, you and Tyson were at your middle school dance, and Tyson has been waiting for this night for the past few weeks. He’s watched his classmates ask people to the dance. Although Tyson wasn’t brave enough to ask you to be his date, he knew he could ask you for at least one dance. One dance, Tyson’s mother said to him. It didn’t have to be something big, but as long as you knew Tyson cared, Tyson’s mother reasoned, then it would make a big difference. 

“Can I ask you something?”

“You don’t really have to ask,” you reply, a smile emerging on your face. 

“Okay, then, um, at the next slow song, did you want to dance with me?” Tyson asks, his voice barely audible with the loud music blaring through the speakers. 

Your eyes widen in shock, a good shock. You nod. “Yeah, I’ll dance with you.”

Tyson nods and stares ahead at the dance floor. “Good.” 

As you and Tyson wait for the next slow song, you both stand there awkwardly, side by side. It’s never been that way between you two, but the anticipation of the dance was getting to both your nerves. 

After what seemed like eons, a slow song began. Tyson looked at you, expectantly. When he looked at you, though, he discovered that you were already looking at him. He gestured his head towards the dance floor, and you both moved towards an empty space. Copying the movements of your classmates, you place your hands behind Tyson’s neck as his hands gently rest on your waist. It was an unusual feeling having Tyson’s hands on your waist. It was a feeling that burned into your skin through your clothes. 

As the song continued, you and Tyson awkwardly swayed to the song, not meeting each other’s eyes. When the son concluded, Tyson cleared his throat, and for the first time during the dance, your eyes met Tyson’s. You both nodded at each other before dropping your hands and finding your other respective friend groups. 

Standing next to another friend, you couldn’t concentrate on what they were saying. The feeling of Tyson’s hands on your waist was still burning. You liked the burning, though, it reminded you that your best friend was there, and he would always be there. No matter what. 

And we thought it would never end Then watched it go like summer wind When growing up was just a dream And Friday night was everything

Whenever you and Tyson would go to the movies together, someone else would be there. Sometimes, it was Kacey or your parents or Tyson’s grandparents or his mother. Sometimes, it was another friend from school. This time, though, it was different. 

You and Tyson wanted to go see the newest Spider-Man movie, but no one else was available to go. Your parents had to go out of town for a family function, so you were spending the weekend at the Josts. Kacey and their mother had a birthday party to go to, and Tyson’s grandparents were unavailable. For the first time in years, it seemed, you and Tyson wouldn’t have any plans for your Friday nights. 

However, to your surprise, Tyson’s mother said that you and Tyson could see the movie on your own. She felt that (and after discussing with your parents), at your and Tyson’s ripe age of 14, you and Tyson could sit in a movie theatre without adult supervision. When she told you and Tyson, wide smiles graced your faces as you thought of all the fun you’d have. 

The plan was Tyson’s mom would drive you and Tyson to the movie theatre before driving to and staying at Kacey’s friend’s birthday party. The movie and birthday party ended at around the same time, so you and Tyson would wait in the theatre lobby for Tyson’s mother to pick you back up. 

It seemed like a date, you told yourself. You knew it wasn’t technically a date, but you in your freshman year state of mind with a huge crush on Tyson thought it was a date. After all, that’s what all the other freshman in your grade did for dates—go to the movies.  

As you were getting ready to leave for the movie theatre, you paid special attention to the way your hair looked. You weren’t trying to make it obvious, but you wanted to look nice just in case it was a date. When you deemed yourself ready, you made your way to the Jost’s couch and waited for Tyson, Kacey, and their mother to be ready. You sat on that couch, sweaty palms running up and down your pants as you tried to calm yourself down. It was just Tyson, you kept telling yourself. There was nothing new to this situation. 

Except there was. You and Tyson would be going to the movies alone. You’ve never done that before. Most times, your parents or Tyson’s mother would sit in a different row and let you and Tyson sit on your own. If Kacey joined you, then she’d sit next to you because she claimed she “saw Tyson all the time, so why should she have to sit next to him?” You didn’t mind. It was a routine you enjoyed. 

Until it wasn’t. Until you and Tyson were going to the movies alone, and your heart was racing through your chest. 

As you and Tyson are getting out of the car, you hear Tyson’s mother say, “Enjoy your date, you two!” 

There’s a ringing in your ears at her words as you close the door, but the heat drains from your face when you hear Tyson say, “It’s not a date, mom.” His face was burning red, though. 

Your heart deflates. So it wasn’t a date. 

It wasn’t that you completely thought it was a date, but when Tyson confirmed that it really wasn’t a date, that just made your heart feel worse. You’d rather pretend that it might be a date instead of Tyson spoiling your fun and saying it’s not a date. 

As you and Tyson are buying your movie tickets and snacks, you’re quiet. Normally, you’d be chatting about the movie or nothing at all, but tonight, you weren’t in the mood to talk. The evening was going well until Tyson’s comment. 

Maybe he didn’t have feelings for you? All your other friends insisted that Tyson liked you, too, but now you’re not sure. 

You’re still contemplating these thoughts as the opening scene of the movie begins. You relax in the back of the seat when Tyson leans over to you. The scent of his Head & Shoulders shampoo is driving you insane, and when he gets closer to you, it’s intoxicating. 

“Ignore my mom,” he whispers. “She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”

“Don’t worry, I will,” you reply, your heart breaking. 

Yeah, Tyson doesn’t like you. It’s okay. You’ll just be his friend, then. 

Yeah, we didn't worry 'bout nothing But we had it all, yeah And being that fast was just something Running the halls, breaking the laws

“Okay, let’s try this again,” you say, looking down at your notebook. “What is the effect of temperature on resistance?” 

“Um,” Tyson stutters, trying to remember the fact. “If temperature increases, then resistance increases?”

“Correct!” you say, giving Tyson a high-five. With the touch of his hand, your face grows warm, but you’re able to hide how flustered it makes you. Tyson, on the other hand, is bright red and can’t look you in the eyes. 

Junior year physics was kicking your butt. Your Friday night study sessions with Tyson were making it better. It might entirely be because of Tyson. 

You’re about to start another practice problem when Kacey walks up to Tyson’s bedroom. “Tys, mom says it’s getting late.”

Tyson checks the time and curses under his breath. “Let me walk you home.”

You nod and begin to pack up your belongings. When you’re ready, you follow Tyson out of his bedroom and out the door after you say goodbye to Tyson’s mother and Kacey. 

“We have a quiz on Monday, right?” Tyson asks for clarification, turning onto the road. 

“Yeah, you can come over on Sunday after practice if you want, and we can study.”

“I’ll let you know,” Tyson answers, giving you a short glance. 

Since that night in Freshman Year when Tyson said the movie wasn’t a date, you ignored your feelings for him. You pretended that you didn’t have feelings for Tyson to let your friendship grow, and it has. In the past few months, though, Tyson has changed. He has gotten so handsome, and it was getting harder and harder for you to pretend you weren’t attracted to him. If being such close friends with Tyson and loving him as much as you do has taught you anything it was that you were really good at hiding things. You were really, really good at hiding how much you loved him. 

“Let me take your bag for you,” Tyson says, grabbing the strap of your backpack. 

“Tyson, I can carry my own bag.”

“Not the point, my friend.”

My friend. Those two words stung deeper than a bee sting. 

“Okay,” you relent, passing over your bag. He’s shouldering your bag, and as you and Tyson take the final turn down your road, the walk resumes in silence. That was happening a lot, the silence. It was as if Tyson was constantly contemplating something. You weren’t sure just what it was, though, and it felt like if you asked, you wouldn’t get a straight answer. Whatever was constantly on Tyson’s mind wasn’t something he wanted to or could share with you. 

When you and Tyson walk up the driveway towards your door, you wished that the walk was longer. You liked the times when Tyson walked you home. It was calm and peaceful, and you were able to pretend that Tyson just might love you, too. 

“I need my key to get inside,” you tell Tyson, gesturing to your backpack still on his shoulder. 

“Oh, right,” he says, shrugging off the bag and placing it at your feet. You bend down and grab the key. Just before you put the key in the lock, Tyson’s hand rests on yours. He’s holding your hand, and your breath stills. You turn to him and stare deeply into your eyes. “Don’t go inside, yet.” 

“Tys, I—”

He interrupts your sentence with a kiss. His hand was still in yours, but his lips were gentle on yours. It was soft, and with the first initial touch, it felt like you had fallen into a bed full of pillows and blankets. It was comfortable, it was familiar, and mostly, it was everything you wanted. 

When Tyson pulls away, you refrain from pouting. It was just one kiss, and you hoped it would lead to more. 

“Yeah, so, yeah,” Tyson says, awkwardly, running his hands through his hair. 

“I should really get inside,” you say, flustered. 

“Right, yeah, um, I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

You smile. “Okay.” 

Before you step into your house after unlocking the door, you lean into Tyson and kiss his cheek. You step into the foyer and lock the door behind you. Tyson, oh, Tyson. He really did know how to keep you on your toes. 

Life was about the party, who you are, and who you with Drinking 'til your head was sorry Oh, and dancing for the hell of it

Hanging your jacket on the chair, you look around the apartment for Tyson. After following Tyson when he was traded to Minnesota, you found a new home. It wasn’t a life you thought you were going to lead, but now that you’ve started to build the life, you couldn’t be happier. And you were with Tyson, so that was more than you could ask for. 

It was Friday night, and all you wanted to do was sit on the couch with your favorite comfort food and Tyson. 

Noticing that Tyson wasn’t in the kitchen, you turn to your phone to answer any messages you received while driving home from work. You’re leaning against the counter when you notice a huge box from a bakery around the corner. Needing something sweet to eat, you open the box and see cupcakes. The lid slips out of your hands when you see the icing on the cupcakes, though. 

The cupcakes in your favorite flavor have a light blue icing on top. The top of the icing on each cupcake is a circle made of fondant with a letter on each circle. The words spell out “Will you marry me?” and a small, velvet box is sitting in the center. 

Tyson was going to propose. 

Your heart begins to beat erratically. Although you thought Tyson would propose within the next year or so, you never thought it would be right now! If Tyson did ask you, though, you know you’d say yes. 

“Tyson?” you call out. You hear a muffled “yeah” from one of the bedrooms turned home gym. “Can you come here, please?” 

In seconds, Tyson is in the kitchen. He greets you with a kiss on your forehead and a smile. “What’s up?”

“I, um, might have opened the box,” you answer, directing your head towards the white box. 

Tyson’s eyes go wide. He pushes the box away from your grasp. “How could you ruin the proposal?”

“First, I didn’t know you were going to propose,” you say, defending yourself. “Second, I see a box from a bakery, I open it! Tys, you shouldn’t have left it out if it were super important.”

“Yeah, I know,” Tyson sighs. “I was going to do this whole thing, but I guess I can’t anymore.”

You giggle. “It doesn’t matter how you ask me; my answer will be the same regardless.” 

“I’m going to assume that because you called for me instead of just running away from the box I’ll like the answer, so I’ll just improvise,” Tyson says, running his hands through his hair. “I was going to make you dinner, first. And then, I’d clean the dishes and force you to sit on the couch and relax. Then, when I finished, I’d bring out the cupcakes, and you’d open them, and I’d ask you, and it would be happily ever after.”

You smile. “You can still do some of that.”

“Right,” Tyson replies, walking over to the box and putting it in front of you. “I have something for you.”

“For me?” you tease, play-acting. You open the box, and your eyes widen reading the words despite already knowing what they say. You still couldn’t believe this was happening. 

Tyson takes the velvet box out and turns to you. He gets down on one knee and opens the box. “Will you make the happiest man alive and give me the honor of marrying you? There isn’t a thing I’d want more in the world than to be by your side forever.”

You smile. “There’s nothing more in the world that I want.”

“So, yes?” Tyson asks, unsure, an eyebrow raised. 

You burst out into laughter. “Yes, yes! Yes, I’ll marry you.” 

Tyson smiles widely and slips the ring onto your finger. He pulls you in for a kiss and holds you close. After pulling away, Tyson rests his forehead on yours and breathes in your scent. “It’s you and me forever.”

Twenty years after watching Finding Nemo on your couch at the age of five, you and Tyson just agreed on forever, and you couldn’t wait for what that entailed. 

“It was always our destiny.”

We wrote our own destiny in parking lots and empty streets Yeah, we got high on you and me Jumped over cracks beneath our feet And we thought it would never end

“For the first time on this Friday night, I would like to introduce to you, the Josts!” the DJ announces to the ballroom, and you and Tyson walk through the doors, wide smiles on your faces. You and Tyson make your way around the guests, hugging and greeting friends and loved ones who were there to celebrate your marriage. 

After many hugs and handshakes and congratulations, you and Tyson make your way to the center of the dance floor in the ballroom. The lights in the room dim, and your wedding song begins to play through the speakers.

As the familiar tune of the song begins, you and Tyson begin your first dance as a married couple. You and Tyson have one hand clasped together while your other hand is resting on his neck. Tyson’s other hand is resting on your waist as your chests are close. Your forehead is resting on his shoulder as you sway to the music. There wasn’t any pattern or rhyme or reason to your dancing. All you wanted was to be there, with Tyson, and close to him. 

Although the song was just under four minutes, it felt like an eternity. The first time ever that something that felt like an eternity was not enough. You didn’t want that little bubble that you and Tyson formed to end. You wanted to be in that moment forever. 

As the refrain to the song begins, Tyson releases his hold on your waist and twirls you. You spin to the song and rejoin Tyson with your hand back on his shoulder. 

“Did you know that I’ve been thinking about this night for years?” Tyson says, close to your ear. 

“Were you now,” you murmur, a small smile covering your face as you think about Tyson thinking about you. 

“Ever since I first kissed you,” Tyson replies. “Ten years ago.”

“You’ve been thinking about marrying me since we were sixteen?” 

“I think even before that, but it was more like I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you,” Tyson answers, his face growing red. 

“Well, did you know that I’ve been in love with you since, like, middle school?”

“Middle school! Why didn’t you say anything?” 

“You told your mother that we weren’t on a date that first time we went to the movies together! I thought you didn’t love me back.”

“Oh, baby, I’ve been in love with you for so long, I couldn’t even enumerate it. You have no idea.”

You smile at his words and let yourself get lost in the music. 

As the final beats of the song play and the guests clap, Tyson places a kiss on your lips. Yeah, forever was looking pretty nice. 

Then watched it go like summer wind When growing up was just a dream And Friday night was everything

“She’s so tiny,” Tyson remarks as he’s holding Lydia, your newborn daughter. You’re sitting on the couch watching Tyson stand at the window. He wanted to “show Lydia the world.” Whatever that meant. Lydia could barely open her eyes at just one week old. “What if we break her? Do we get a new one of her?”

“You’re not going to break her,” you reassure, your eyes weary. 

“I never knew I could love someone this much,” Tyson murmurs, smiling down at his new daughter. Although he was very firm in his stance with holding Lydia, you can tell that Tyson is shaking. “I mean, I never knew I could love someone this much who I’ve only known for a few weeks. Sorry, I love you.”

You laugh, knowing the last “I love you” was for you. Patting the empty cushion next to you, you say, “Come here, I want to see my husband and daughter.”

Tyson does as you said. He’s holding Lydia close to his chest. “Are you 100% sure we’re not going to break her? I don’t know how we’re expected to raise this perfect little girl. We’re only going to ruin her.”

“We won’t break her, Tys. People have been raising children for eons and eons, and I think we turned out pretty okay, so I think we’ll do pretty good.” 

“What if she hates us one day?” Tyson’s mind was spinning. With you, he knew you would always love him no matter what, but with Lydia, he didn’t know. He loved her with his entire being, but it would shatter his heart if she didn’t love her father just as much. Already at such a young age, Lydia had Tyson wrapped around her finger. 

“We’ll still love her no matter what and hope she can see that,” you reply, resting your arm around his shoulder. Your other hand was resting on the little bundle of joy in Tyson’s arms. “Imagine, in like thirty years or so, Lydia could be having this very conversation with her partner and her child—our grandchild.”

Tyson’s head whips up at you. “Nope, this little girl is never getting married. No one on this earth is good enough for my little kid.”

You snort. “That’s why my parents thought, too, but they ended up liking you.”

“She’s so precious,” Tyson says, changing the subject. “I love you, little girl. Your Momma and I love you with our entire beings, and we can’t wait to watch you grow up. And one day, we’re going to spend every Friday night, just like this one, showing you all our favorite traditions because Friday nights are the best part about being a Jost.”

It used to be just you and Tyson, but now, it was you and Tyson and Lydia, the precious little baby who has her parents enamored and in love. 

Hold on forever (Hold on forever) Yeah, hold on to it (Hold onto it) Hold on forever (Hold on forever) And never let go of it (Ooh ooh)

“Remember, we have to be quiet when we go into the room, okay?” Tyson tells Lydia, currently four years old. 

“But why?” she asks. Typical of your young daughter to follow a comment with a “why” question. 

“Because Momma is probably tired and sleeping, and your baby brother is also probably sleeping,” Tyson explains. 

“Luca!” Lydia exclaims. She’s only seen a photo of her new baby brother, but she’s completely enamored and in love with him. 

Tyson smiles at his daughter. “Yeah, Luca, and remember—”

“We have to be quiet,” Lydia interrupts. “I know, Daddy.”

Tyson just nods his head and opens the door to the hospital room. As you got closer to your due date, Tyson’s mother flew into town to take care of Lydia if you went into labor overnight or when Lydia wasn’t at school. Tyson didn’t want to leave your side to get Lydia (Tyson’s mother didn’t have a car to use), but you insisted that your other child should meet the new child. It took much cajoling to convince Tyson to leave you and Luca. 

“Hey,” you say from the bed when you see Lydia and Tyson walk in. 

“Hi, Momma,” Lydia loudly whispers. 

“Do you want to meet Luca?” you ask, gesturing to the baby boy in your arms. Lydia nods emphatically, and Tyson places her on the bed next to you. Slowly, you lower Luca more to Lydia’s eye line. Gently, Lydia reaches her hand up to Luca’s face and strokes his face softly. At first touch, she giggles and looks at her father in excitement. 

“I’m a big sister, now,” she says, a wide smile on her face. She puts her hand gently on Luca’s hand and continues to watch him. “You made a pretty baby, Momma.”

You smile at your two children and continue watching them interact. 

“I’m going to have the best story to tell my classmates on Monday,” Lydia remarks. Going into labor on a Friday night meant that Lydia wouldn’t have to miss any school, and as she mentioned, she’d have the best story to tell her friends. She’s a big sister, now! “Can I bring Luca to school for show-and-tell?”

You laugh softly. “Maybe not on Monday, but you can take a picture of Luca; how about that?”

Lydia nods. “I’ll keep it in my pocket to show everyone!” 

Tyson looks down at his small family of four. He smiles. He couldn’t ask for a more perfect group of people he got to love every day of his life. 

Everyone says when you're younger "It's gonna go fast" It suddenly hits you like thunder And you're gonna wanna go back (Wanna go back, wanna go back, wanna go back)

Luca was sleeping on your chest after taking his bottle. You were stroking his back as Tyson’s hand was wrapped around your shoulders. The cushions of your couch allowed you to sink in comfort and fluff as you tried to keep your eyes concentrated on the movie. You think Lydia is awake. She’s sitting on Tyson’s lap with a blanket. If Lydia was anything like you, then she was probably knocked out. Being in Tyson’s arms for more than ten minutes is enough to make anyone fall asleep. 

After being married for eight years and having two children, you can’t imagine that life could get any better for you and Tyson. It was tough, some days, especially during the season, but nights like tonight made up for it. Nights where you and Tyson were on the couch with your four-year-old daughter and two-year-old son. 

A few weeks prior, Lydia asked what the first movie you and Tyson ever saw was. Although you couldn’t give her a straight answer on the individual answer, you and Tyson could give an answer about the first movie you saw together. Ever since you told her you and Tyson became best friends after watching Finding Nemo together, she wanted to watch it. So, on the first free Friday night that you and Tyson had in a while, your little Jost family was sitting on the couch watching Finding Nemo. 

Lydia managed to stay awake for the first half of the movie, but once the halfway mark hit, Lydia was knocked out. You were pretty sure Tyson was awake, but the only sign of life was his hand stroking patterns on your shoulder. If you glanced at Tyson, though, then you’d see his eyes mostly shut. Maybe he was asleep, too. 

Looking down at your sleeping family, you can’t help but see the irony in the situation. You and Tyson started your friendship together on a Friday night, and now, you and Tyson were spreading the Friday night tradition with your new family. Because you built your destinies on Friday nights and spent it growing in love. 

Being interrupted during Finding Nemo at age 5 was probably one of the best things to ever happen to you. 

We wrote our own destiny in parking lots and empty streets When growing up was just a dream And Friday night was everything

Taglist: @sorryjustafangirl, @joeljuice, @joelsfarabees, @shinyfalcon4, @ghostyjosty, @besthockeyfics, @fallinallincurls, @cinnamoncowboy, @ch-ristiane, @owenpowerstapejob, @barzyblogbabe, @2manytabsopen, @plds2000, @stars-canucks, @barzysandhughesbaby, @drei-mrssvechii, @rosesvioletshardy, @laurenairay (Join my taglist here!)

[anonymoussherlockandmarvelgeek]

MYCROFT X READER CollegeAU (part 1)

(A/n: this was an idea that @flynnsonlyfans and I thought about and thank you to @psychosociogentleman for helping me with some info, Love you both <3 and I'm not sure when I will post part 2 so if you have any ideas for part 2 please dm me)

Word count: 3758 (very proud of this)

Tags: @sourgrapes-aa @emaster875 @sherlockwatsons @eggzandshit

(Y/n - Your name, L/n - Last name, Y/n/n - Your nickname, F/c - Favourite colour, S/f/c - Second Favourite colour)

[the age difference between Mycroft, John and Sherlock is changed for the plot so Mycroft: 22 Y/n: 22 Greg: 22 John: 21 Aileen: 21 Sherlock: 20 Molly:20 ]

It has been our desire to travel to England and study there, and that dream finally came true when my best friend Aileen and I received scholarships for college there.

We are on our way to the principal's office to get our class schedule and dorm room key

"I hope we're roommates," Aileen murmured as she wheeled her suitcase and coat after her.

I said, carrying my bag with my possessions and my coat on top, "I hope so, and I wonder if their library is large."

As soon as we reached the principal's office, Aileen knocked on the door and entered, and I followed suit.

"Good Morning Ms Lawson and Ms L/n, Welcome to Oxford University," Mrs Richardson said.

She handed Aileen the two envelopes and added, "Here are your schedule, dorm key, and dorm number."

"Every day from 12.30 to 1.30 p.m., lunch is provided. A typical lunch menu consists of three courses. Most evenings, dinner is served starting at seven o'clock. A vegetarian option is always available, and we can accommodate most dietary preferences", she said, while Aileen passed me the envelope bearing my name.

While Aileen performs the majority of the talking, I simply nod and observe their interactions. Finally, we left the office and headed toward the dormitory.

"Which dorm are you in? My number is 272," she replied as she looked through her itinerary, and I grimaced as I opened my envelope.

Aileen quickly stopped and turned to me as I said, "We're not dorm mates."

"What? What was your dorm number? She questioned, and I can already see a frown forming on her face.

I mumble with straight lips, "221."

"That's fine!" In an effort to lighten the atmosphere, she remarked, "We'll just meet up for lunch and dinner."

I responded, "I suppose," and we moved on to the building.

We arrived at my dorm, and I gave her a final hug before going inside.

The dorm is pretty roomy, with two beds, a desk at the end of the beds, and a dresser under the beds. The other bed has a dark blue blanket and the same dark pillow, and the person's desk is nicely set up with a law book on display. They have no posters up, and their side is quite minimalist.

I walked to the vacant bed and put my suitcase on top of the desk and took the sheets I packed in it and covered the bed, its f/c sheets and s/f/c blanket and s/f/c pillow sheets after I covered my bed, I went to the dresser and placed my clothes in it, my phone suddenly rang and I stopped arranging my desk to answer it.

"Hello?"I said, continuing to set up my workstation.

"Hey, bestie!" She added, "I've finally gotten to my dorm, and I made a new buddy who's incredibly sweet." I hear bustle on her side, so I assume she's setting up her desk or bed.

"We just arrived, and you already had a friend?" I shook my head and sat down on the chair after setting up my desks.

"Have you met your roommate yet" She enquired

I sighed, "No, I haven't, they aren't here."

"I'm curious if you have a female or a guy as roommates," she thought.

"I wonder, too," I remarked as I stood up and sat on the bed, placing my phone on top of it and switching to speaker mode.

I took off my shoes and said, "Anyway, I'll hang up now, I'm still jet lagged and I can't keep up with your giddiness when I'm exhausted."

She added, "Okay, sleep well, and by the way, don't forget we will look around the campus once you wake up," and I remarked that she should contact me since I will probably snooze my alarm, and then we ended the call...

I crawled under the covers and activated my notification system, as well as setting an alarm, just in case. I'm so exhausted that I nod off right away.

A few hours later, I hear the door open and close, and I presume it's my roommate. I'd say hello, but I'm too exhausted, so I went back to sleep and made a plan to say hello when I woke up.

*Timeskip*

After snoozing my alarm a few times, I was startled to hear my phone ring.

"Hello?"I murmured drowsily, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Wake up, you sleepyhead!"I hurriedly withdrew the phone away from my ear as she yelled, sitting up and scratching my forehead.

I hissed, "I hate you," and noticed that the other bed was still nicely covered, so I assumed that I must have dreamed about the door opening and closing.

I went to put on my shoes after she replied, "I love you too, but get up, we have a tour to get to."

"You're outside the building, right?"I questioned as I made my way to the door after grabbing my wallet, keys, and coat.

"Yes, so please move quickly!" She cried out.

I hung up, hurried down the stairs, and put on my coat before saying, "On my way."

I spot her talking to a girl in an oxford sweater, and I presume she's the one who will show us around campus.

"I'm sorry if I'm late," I muttered as I walked over to them, trying to regain my breath after jogging down the stairs.

"It's okay, you're not late, your friend just made you rush, you're just on time," she remarked, and I scowled at Aileen, who just shrugged and grinned.

"Shall the tour begin? "Aileen enquired and put an arm around my shoulder. I jabbed her side, and she simply chuckled.

"Yes, we will. My name is Molly, by the way." She introduced herself to me as we started to tour the campus, showing us where the field is, the enormous, upscale lunchroom, where the classes are, and other things.

Currently, we are in the park enjoying some delicious food that we purchased from a stall.

"Where is the library located? I questioned while munching on a croissant that Aileen shared with me, "Because we didn't go there during the tour."

"I didn't show it because I assumed both of you wouldn't be interested," she said, adding that it's next to the history classroom.

I said, drinking a bottle of water, "Oh it's okay, Aileen clearly doesn't care about libraries, but I do."

I hear Aileen mutter to Molly, "That is accurate, you shouldn't have told them where the library is, now they will be there every break time."

"Hey! that's true, but STILL," I remarked, poking her in the side, and she chuckled.

I stood up and gave Aileen and Molly hugs before saying, "Anyway, enjoy your day. I'm off to the library."

I finally arrived at the library and it was enormous there are a lot of bookshelves and I see a few students working on the other side and a few pupils are staring at me which is odd but I shrugged it off and made my way to the librarian and grabbed a small paper on the front and a pen and wrote "Where is the law and government books situated" because I know that talking is not permitted. The librarian directed me to where those types of books are kept.

I went to the location the librarian indicated, and I could still see some students staring at me. I eventually found the book I was looking for, but as I reached for it, someone else reached for it as well. I put my hands on the book first, so their hands are on top of mine. I turned to the person and noticed the most attractive man I could have imagined having, along with the most alluring blue eyes. I quickly shook the thought out of my head.

I hissed at him and took the book, saying, "I got my hands on it first, so I'm reading it."

"I highly doubt your average brain would understand what is written on that book," he remarked, gripping my wrist that holds the book, and I attempted to ignore the tingling sensation of his palm on my wrist.

"Let me go, and my brain can understand this," I muttered, shaking his hand off, and walking up to the table.

He arrived a little while later and sat down in front of me with another book, but I ignored him and continued reading the book.

A few minutes later halfway through the book my phone vibrated notifying me that someone sent me a message, I got my phone out and I can see the guy in front of me glance up but continued reading

'Are you still in the library?'- Aileen

'Yes, Why?'- Y/n

'Dinner is almost near'- Aileen

'Ok, I'll just finish this book and meet you in front of the dinner hall' - Y/n

'Nope, I'm picking you up'- Aileen

'What? No! I'll finish this'-Y/n

'Aileen!' - Y/n

I put down my phone and continue reading; I can feel him staring at me but ignore him since I need to finish reading before Aileen arrives.

A few minutes later, someone snatched the book I'm reading, and I'm glad that I read the very last word before they took it, and that someone is Aileen.

"Let's go," Aileen said quietly to me.

I hissed, "You're an ass," and stood up, taking the book from her, moving toward the bookcase from whence I had taken it.

Aileen dragged me out of the library when I returned the book, and I could feel someone's gaze on us.

Aileen told me on our approach to the dining hall that she saw a guy staring at us, but I urged her to ignore it. When we arrived at the dining hall, we went to collect our meal, and when we finally got our tray of food, we looked for a place to eat. Aileen spotted Molly seated at a table with a grey-haired guy and headed toward them.

"Do you mind if we sit in front of you?" Aileen enquired, and Molly eagerly allowed us to take a seat before introducing the man with grey hair, whose name was Greg and who shared the same year as me. Molly and Aileen are both in their respective years.

We talked over dinner and got to know each other better. Greg is reportedly studying criminology, Molly is pursuing a career as a specialist registrar, Aileen revealed that she is pursuing a career as a lawyer, and I revealed that I am pursuing a career as a government official.

*Timeskip*

When I arrived at my dorm, I hugged Aileen and Molly goodbye before hanging up my coat. When I looked up, the same man from the library was sitting there, seeming equally confused upon seeing me.

I sighed as I turned to face him after placing my phone and keys on my desk.

"We got off on the wrong foot, I'm sorry for my attitude earlier, I'm Y/n L/n by the way," I said, waiting for his response.

He uttered "Mycroft Holmes" before returning to his book.

*Unbelievable, he's gorgeous but has a horrible attitude*

I sat on my bed, took off my shoes, gathered my pyjamas, and went to the bathroom to get dressed.

I returned to the room, crawled under the covers, turned off my nightstand, and tried to fall asleep while ignoring someone's piercing gaze.

*Timeskip*

All of my classes have concluded, and you won't believe it when I tell you that Holmes and I have practically identical class schedules, but he is still unpleasant, despite the fact that he is incredibly clever. I occasionally see him around campus, but I never see him eat in the dining hall, but I do occasionally see him in the library.

On my way to the library, I observed some Jocks gathering around someone. As I got closer, I saw that person to be Mycroft, and I caught their fist as they were about to punch him. All the other guys were shocked, but the Jock who was about to punch Mycroft was furious.

"Are you okay?' I asked Mycroft as I turned to face him. and all he did was nod.

"Leave now or I'll report you to the dean," I growled, dropping the guy's fist, and they all left.

Mycroft muttered a thank you to me as I assisted him in gathering his belongings, and we then proceeded to our dormitory.

*Timeskip*

Mycroft and I became closer after the incident, and we now hang out whenever Aileen is preoccupied with schoolwork or other friends that she's made.

Mycroft and I spent our time reading in the library, our dorm, or occasionally outside if it was quiet outside.

I am now able to drag Mycroft with me as we travel to the dining hall to have lunch.

When we eventually make it to the dining hall, we take our food trays and locate a table to sit at.

Although I can tell that Mycroft enjoys the food, I'm interested as to why he has never eaten here before. Mycroft questioned, "What's wrong? Why are you not eating?" as he looked up from his meal.

I murmured, "well, just thinking about something," and then I began to eat.

A familiar arm wrapped around my shoulder as someone unexpectedly sat next to me. Aileen questioned, "Who is this new buddy of yours? y/n/n"

When I turned to face her, I questioned, "Are your school assignments finally finished?"

"Yes, would you mind introducing me to your friend y/n?" she said.

"This is Mycroft Holmes," I said, motioning to him, "and this is Aileen Lawson, the friend I mentioned to you."

Mycroft said, "Nice to meet you, Ms Lawson."

Aileen greeted Mycroft with "Call me Aileen, and it's a pleasure to meet you too" before departing to get a tray of food for herself.

Mycroft and I carried on eating when Aileen returned a short while later to join us. We had a brief conversation and Mycroft and Aileen became acquainted.

*Timeskip*

While Mycroft and I were outside heading to the field, he suddenly stopped and approached a man with curly hair. I quickly followed and overheard their conversation.

Mycroft growled, "Why are you late? You were supposed to be here a few weeks ago!" I rushed over to calm him down, but that didn't work because the curly-haired man said, "Oh shut up and let me be," and then he left.

Mycroft followed the curly-haired man but I couldn't hear what Mycroft said, but I did notice that the curly-haired man's eyes appeared to be in pain as they parted ways. I stood in the hallway, confused by what had happened.

After I had recovered from the shock, I returned to our dorm and found Mycroft sitting at his desk reading. I went over to him and put my hand on his shoulder, and he unconsciously leaned toward me.

"He's your brother, wasn't he? you should listen to his reason before you scolded him," I replied, and he moved away from me, stood up, and sneered, "you have no right to meddle with this, so keep your inputs to yourself," he snidely muttered, and left the dorm straight after he saw the hurt in my eyes.

A single tear fell from my eye as soon as he left, but I quickly wiped it away and headed to Aileen's dorm.

I arrived at Aileen's dorm door and knocked; as soon as she answered it, I held her and cried on her shoulder, and she invited me in and we sat on her bed.

She rubbed calming patterns on my back, allowing me to cry before asking what happened. When I told her what had happened, she became enraged and wanted to beat up Mycroft, but I restrained her, and she stayed by my side instead, suggesting that we go purchase gelato, my comfort food.

Molly and she allowed me to sleep in their dorm after we returned from purchasing gelato and taking a walk in the park, and Aileen let me borrow one of her nightwear and sleep next to her.

*The next day*

I'm relieved that Mycroft wasn't there when I returned to my dorm to change after spending the night in Molly and Aileen's room. After that, I went to my lectures and he didn't sit next to me like he usually does.

I made several attempts to speak with him but he consistently gave me the cold shoulder. When I entered a room he was in, he would leave. This continued for a few days, and occasionally, I saw him and his brother bickering. I later learned that the curly-haired man's name was Sherlock.

I observed him and Sherlock talking in the dining hall one day; they weren't squabbling, and Mycroft seemed to be gentler to him; I once heard Sherlock comment, "Seems like someone abducted the brother I know," to which Mycroft gave him a look.

After a few days, Mycroft eventually came up to me and wanted to speak with me later tonight. At the moment, I'm getting ready while Aileen fuss over me.

Mycroft knocked on Aileen's door as I was putting on my shoes. When I went to open it, he was dressed in a dress shirt and pants, so I'm glad Aileen made me wear this semi-formal clothing.

After greeting Aileen, Mycroft asked, "should we?"

I responded, "We shall," and put my hand on the arm he was extending.

Mycroft guided me to a waiting taxi in front of the dorm building, unlocked the door for me, and helped me get inside.

I didn't hear him say where he wanted the driver to take us as he entered the car from the opposite side.

I questioned him, "Where are we going, Mycroft?" and he simply grinned and squeezed my hand in return.

A short while later, the car halted in front of a restaurant. Mycroft paid the driver, exited the vehicle, and came to my side to open the door for me.

He led me inside the restaurant once I exited the cab.

The host inquired, "Do you have any reservations, sir?"

Mycroft said, "Reservation under Holmes," and the host swiftly led us to the back of the establishment.

We are currently seated at a table with a lovely view of their garden.

I asked while keeping a close eye on him, "I must ask how did you get a reservation in this kind of place."

He said, "My uncle helped me obtain a reservation," and I smiled and nodded while looking at the menu.

When the server left after taking our order, Mycroft and I were left in awkward silence.

The awkward situation was put to an end when Mycroft said, "I invited you for dinner to make amends, I'm sorry for what I said, you were right, I should have listened to my brother's reasons... So will you forgive me?"

I smiled at him and took hold of his hand that was on the table, saying, "Of course, I forgive you, Mycroft."

He also smiled, and a short while after the waiter returned with our food.

We have a long conversation while eating and I learn a lot about him, including what happened to his brother and the reason he wanted to work for the government. He also learns a lot about me, including how I met Aileen, the difficulties we faced, and our desire to live in England.

As the owner of the restaurant had to force us out after several hours because we were the only patrons there, we decided to take a walk in the Park instead.

We stopped in front of a fountain to watch the water flow, but as I turned to look at Mycroft, I realized that he was looking at me instead of the fountain, and I blushed at that.

Mycroft gave me an odd look as I reached into my pocket for two coins to offer him one

He held up a coin, asking, "What's this for?"

I answered, grinning, "to make a wish."

He rolled his eyes and said, "This is silly Y/n," yet I could see the corner of his mouth twitching into a smile.

I begged, giving the most puppy-dog eyes I could summon, "Just do it, please."

Finally, he said, "Okay."

After making our wish, we each count to three and then throw the coin into the fountain.

I snatched his arm and started to return to the university, but he stopped me and headed in a different direction.

I asked with a pout, "Where are we going this time, Mycroft?" He simply smiled at me and kissed my forehead, and I flushed at that.

We come to a stop in front of a building, and he leads me inside. I can see that it is a chess club, and Mycroft directs me to a table with a chess board and pieces. He helps me sit down there, and he also sat on the other side.

He was gracious enough to let me play with the white pieces while he used the black ones.

After a few minutes, I succeeded. "It's a bad move for you to let me be the white Mycroft," I teased. He gave me a playful glare and requested another match, with him being the white this time.

He became really upset after I won again a little while later.

He was furious after I defeated him again a short while later, so I proposed another rematch with the intention of letting him triumph this time.

He eventually won, although he was still agitated minutes later.

"You went easy on me, didn't you?" He complained

"What are you talking about? I didn't, I hate losing and I just lost" I feign a pout

He shook his head, stood up, extended a hand to me, and I took it. He led me out of the building, and we continued on our way back to the university.

[jllongwrites]

State of the Writer: Marching into March

It's been a while, hasn't it? In so many ways, for so many people.

Some dear family friends lost their apartment back in spring 2022, and my spouse and I asked them to move in with us. They have kids, three of them who live with them fulltime, and it's been quite the experience living in a house with a bunch of kiddos ranging from age 12 to 16.

The same week they moved in, we all caught COVID (the 12 year old went down first, then the rest of us fell like dominos), I started a new job (working remotely, due to the COVID), and my car died.

We all recovered, and we're all doing well--housed, fed, safe, loved. But it's felt a bit like I'm only recently starting to catch my breath.

I did participate in NaNoWriMo in November of last year, rewriting and revising a scifi novella I'd initially written very many years ago. It was awful in it's original form, and now it is ... not awful. I'm still not happy with it, but I'm not sure yet whether I am being too hard on it, need to do more rewrites, or need to just set it aside.

The ghost story novella from prior years, however, I feel much more certain about. It is almost exactly what I wanted it to be, which is not something to take for granted when it comes to writing. It still needs some cleaning up, but I hope to publish it within the next year or so.

[mahoushoujoprincess]

Hiiiii I'm Princess Rin or Rinny! I'm new to Tumblr but not new to age regression :3c

I'm not quite sure how tumblr works yet and I'm very shy but I'm doing my best and I hope to make many lovely friends and mutuals!

A little bit about me:

🌸My big age is 23 but my small age ranges from 3-7 🎠

🌸I am autistic and chronically ill and often use age regression to cope ❤️‍🩹

🌸I love magical girl anime, cartoons and video games! 👾

🌸My pronouns are She/They 🎀

Thanks so much for sticking around and getting to know a little bit about me! It means so much! Stay cute! 🌈🖍️🍭

[agentsquirrelsgotrobots]

"Oh. Hi." Blades said, inching awkwardly towards the scary, scarred up bot currently sitting on the steps of the courthouse. "Uh, well, you see, you kinda can't have open engex here? It's not safe for the humans."

"Uh. Cool. Yeah, I will put a safety cap on." The bot grabbed a cap and straw out of his ragged duffel bag and twisted it on. Have a good one, officer...?"

"EMT Blades, but no, I just drew the short straw. At least you're nice? Are you staying here?"

The bot smiled, relaxing from his easy-going but cautious mood. "Yeah, I will be looking for work later on. Just wanted to watch people. You don't mind me using the stairs as a seat? I didn't see anywhere else I could rest for a moment. I'm Rattlegun, and i have a microcon named Squeak around here somewhere. Trust me, i don't like the name either, but he likes, and that's what matters. "

Blades noticed that Rattlegun's arms were covered in scratched engravings, scars that never quite matched in age. There were some dress paint, fresh from his retirement ceremony, including several for exemplary service and extended contracts. Blades wondered if it hurt to get them done. He just had to ask. "Did it hurt getting the engravings done?"

"Yeah, no worse than the autobrand, though. Better than engex after a battle, am I right? Huh, wait, no, you look too well fed. You must be someone recovered from some stasis pod somewhere."

"Yep. You got me. Ran into a sparkeater, had to rush into stasis, no time to signal for help."

"Eh, you didn't miss much." Rattke gun though for a minute. "A war, a couple genocides, war crimes, collapse of civilization, and the death of the planet. You're lucky you missed it, really. This town is nice. Got any recommendations for a warehouse rental and a local construction or shipping company looking for labor?"

"Unfortunately, no. Griffin Rock is too small for big construction. Try the docks? Warehouses are hard to get. Land is expensive here. You are better off renting a space in the underground overnight parking next to the courthouse until you save up a little nest egg to buy a more dilapidated one and just get some permits to rebuild it. I know that my buddies, Heatwave and Chase, can make sure everything is up to code and won't be a hazard to the humans, and my friend Boulder and I could help with construction. Also, thank you for your service. "

"Eh, to be honest, joining the army branch of the Autobots wasn't the greatest life decision. But at least we eventually won in the end." Rattlegun chuckled, and Blades flinched as the plating on Rattlegun's throat vibrated and shook. "You wh-eh-wanna get out, buddy?"

Rattlegun cleared his intake before lifting his hand towards his mouth, opening it as far as it can go, and coughing as a microcon the size of Cody climbed out of Rattlegun's throat. "Blades, this is my microcon friend Squeak. Squeak, this is medic Blades. Be nice to him. He seems to be good people, and we need to keep some of those." Squeak, well, squeaked, in that high pitched cybex that was just barely out of Blades's audible range without his translator.

"You better treat my amica right, medic. I'm watching you."

"Squeak, I promise Rattlegun will find nothing but allies here. You got an alt mode that's comfortable for the night? I can pay for parking? As a measure of thanks for your service, I noticed your exemplary service markings."

Rattlegun gave Blades a strained smile, fed up with hearing about the worse mistake he had made in his life yet again being framed as his greatest honor. "That would be lovely. It's getting late, I'm getting tipsy, and the walk isn't getting any shorter. Let's get going."

Blades paid for the parking spot, and Rattlegun folded into his humvee alt mode, his military badges morphing into bumper stickers proclaiming him a proud veteran. Squeak settled into the driver's seat, and the two of them settled in for the night, hoping to find work in the morning.

[insurrection-if]

heloo~ authorr i just reread the mechanics of the story and ajdfgrtbjhgd we can be MULTILINGUAL?! (⁠・⁠o⁠・⁠) OH! and can the ambitions mechanic lets the pc have more than one goal? that's all hehe(⁠◕⁠ᴗ⁠◕⁠✿⁠) stay safe and peace!

(＾ᴗ＾)b Yep! Since the MC has the potential for an international / does have a nomadic background, and their guardians have quite a linguistically diverse set of associates, it only made sense for the MC to optionally be multilingual.

The MC can choose to be monolingual, bilingual, trilingual, or so on . . . though I am currently capping their possible known languages at five maximum. Their age range is around ~25 (give or take a year or two), and five languages seems to be an appropriate cap in my mind at this age, maybe? That could allow for some languages learned in their home, some at their school(s), and some from tutored / taught by neighbors / family friends / personal interest / etc throughout their life thus far. I'm open to feedback that considers this too low a cap though. (´ω`)b

For the most part, the "Profile" of the MC in the Stats Menu will state that the MC is monolingual / "English Only" for Language(s), "Bilingual", or "Multilingual". As the game progresses and certain opportunities come, the player can specify if the MC if proficient in a specifically referenced language such as Russian (Fyodor, Gabriel), German (Sigmund), Dutch (Imka), Japanese (Kamiko), French (Elouan, Akil), Spanish (Curadora, Sigmund, Bacara, ~Retriever), Portuguese (Jae), and etc. with it also having the potential to be regionally triggered in relation to communication / eavesdropping with international locals.

There might be multiple opportunities to select proficiency in a 'specified' language, though I am not yet sure. It could be selected to make a character feel comfortable / familiar / receptive towards you, or to share something in secret, or to be a skill hidden to try and learn what others might be trying to say in secret. I'll have to see how it plays out in reality compared to my notes / thoughts. ┐(´ ∀｀)┌

Anywho, to share the gist of it, the Language(s) portion for an MC who knows five languages but only has two non-English languages specified would appear like:

Language(s): English (Spoken, Written), Spanish (Spoken, Written), Italian (Spoken, Written), and more.

I want to leave a bit of room for headcanon for the MC to still know languages associated with their heritage / birthplace, so the languages are a sort of "pick-up-as-you-go" to make their proficiencies seem to come up more naturally in the narrative rather than force specified options all-in-one-go in a long customization menu of a language choice list while leaving room for unnamed openings of unspecified / unmentioned language groups. Mm, I hope that makes sense, haha!

(；´∀｀) As for the ambitions . . . At this time, only one ambition can be chosen, apologies! It would be a bit difficult to code / write multiple ambitions for the MC being simultaneously held as their ultimate goal(s). Mm, two ambitions might be doable, but when it comes down to addressing all possible combinations of two ambitions / only one, well, the work piles up a bit quick! （；^ω^）I hope the game can be fun enough with one alone, sorry!

Thank you for the ask, and for your well wishes! (´∀｀)♡ I hope you all are also staying as safe as possible, and peace be with you too!

[justinmitchellfan]

MERCEDES VARNADO X ZENDAYA LOVE STORY SMUT WARNING ⚠️ PART 2 of the continuation of the after hours love story

Chapter 5

Kids had piled in and the last bell had rang, the famous bell that I usually would miss in my school days, the students for this period were seniors so I knew I would have some rebellion yet a bit of respect from a few students "hi there, I'm your new sub and my name is ms zendaya, I guess I can explain myself although I don't know how long I'll be here as I chewed on my bottom lip and calmly walked to the edge of my desk "I graduated only a year ago so I'm basically the same age as you so I'm hoping you'll respect me in a way as if we can relate, I grew up in Santa Ana, California and decided to make the most of it here in Seattle, there's not much to go by yet so if any of you have some questions... go ahead says zendaya and a few hands shot up and I decided to just call out people

"Yeah, you with the green shirt, what's your name as I laughed causing the other kids to laugh with me "Jake says Jake as he smiled cheekily "but is being a teacher what you wanna do says Jake "are you kidding says zendaya as she laughed hysterically "I was a goof off for 12 years so no but money is money days zendaya and another girl held up her hand with a pencil clutched in the other "yeah as I called on her "I'm Juliana sats Juliana as she smiled "so what happened to Mr fawkes, I mean I'm happy he's gone but I'm just curious says Juliana and I bit on my lip and looked back at the board for a moment "he uh kicked the bucket says zendaya

The kids shifted their heads left and right before cheering which honestly scared the shit out of me ,how could people be so cruel then Mr Robin came to my mind and I understood their happiness quickly "okay settle down says zendaya and they finally all quieted down "okay, one last question before I start the lesson says zendaya and a boy on the back with a Lakers jersey raised his hand with a confident smile and I called on him "sup, I'm Trevor says Trevor. Fuck this kid, "so are you single since you're our age says Trevor and everyone yelled out and giggled until I answered "no I am not single says zendaya

Guys groaned across the classroom which made me smirk Slightly as i turned around to grab the folder with today's date on it and a list of names "Sabrina as I said then looking up to see a sheepish small blonde girl pop her head up from her book "can you please pass these papers out for me says zendaya and she nodded with a half smile before getting up, she was younger than the rest of the kids ,I could tell even though her fashion sense was quite sophisticated and made up of a navy green army jacket, ripped jeans, and a short shirt, she couldn't have been more than 15, she seemed very out of place and I turned around to sit down at the desk and read over the lesson plan whole Sabrina passed out the papers

Recently mercedes has helped me with my dyslexia and I can read a lot better than I used to so that's a blessing and I looked up to see kids chucking papers at the blonde girl and she just ignored the threats "hey! Says zendaya in a stern voice "while I'm the head of this class, there will be no tolerance for bullying ,do you understand says zendaya and everyone straightened up as Sabrina finished passing papers out, when she handed them to me, she gave me this look almost as if she was thanking me from saving her, I'm sure this was the first time someone had even spok up, which is a shame

-------

Finally my first three periods of adolescents were over and lunch had begun but I didn't know where to go so I stayed in my room until I got a text from mercedes

Mercedes: where are you babe

Zendaya: I don't know where to go

Mercedes: lamo I'll come get you

Zendaya: aye aye Cap'n

The door opened three minutes later and mercedes popped her head in "come on hun says mercedes and I grabbed my phone and stuffed it into my pocket before following her out into the hall keeping my distance from her, it's not that she asked me to but I didn't want to be all over her in the workplace even slightly, I put my hands in my pockets and trekked into the elevator with her "you're being unreasonably quiet sats mercedes as she laughed as we watched the elevators close "long day says mercedes and I shook my head "nah, im just thinking says zendaya "about what says mercedes "there's this one girl in my class, her name is Sabrina says zendaya "we don't date students says mercedes as she bit at zendaya

"I'm not gonna date her, Jesus says zendaya as she groaned "can you let me finish says zendaya and mercedes got quiet "she was being bullied in my class today and she looked really thankful when I stood up for her, I don't know it just kinda got to me says zendaya "aw babe says mercedes as she leaned in to kiss my cheek "I'm sure she was, what's her last name says mercedes "carpenter I think says zendaya

"Oh yeah I know her says mercedes as she licked her lips as the elevator dinged and the doors opened back up "she's in my third hour, she's a wiz kid, she's skipped from 8th grade straight into being a senior, her father was a Nobel prize winner or something says mercedes as we began walking down a Hallway as she continued to give me more information "but I know what you mean ,I always have to make some kid shut up when she talks because she's so quiet or people will throw shit at her and she'll take it, I mean if it was me ,I would've gave those bitches a poly beat down by now but she's a nice girl so I'm sure she'd rather stay out of fights says mercedes "yeah as I smiled thinking about mercedes getting into fights "so are you coming home after school or do you have to stay says zendaya

Mercedes pulled on the handle and made her thinking face for a second "I may have to stay to grade a few papers but I'll be home soon says mercedes and I walked into the faculty lounge which was fitted with couches, tables, vending machines and every other teacher necessity you could think of, many older women and men scrambled to different areas but my eyes caught a man who was at a table eating some Ramen, coach Tandy waved us over and I made my way to that table with mercedes following close behind

Chapter 6

Mercedes point of view

I followed behind my girlfriend as we sat down at the same table as coach Tandy, I'm not going to lie, coach Tandy is a dream guy but he's not worth the work, he's a big flirt and very good looking but I'm already too deep in love with zendaya, the only reason I'm sticking so close to her is because I know he's going to try and flirt with zendaya and I will do my best to keep her away from fuck boys and I took a seat by zendaya and Tandy smiled to my girl "how's your first day at Seattle's finest says Tandy and she shrugged and leaned back in her seat to keep her cool facade like she always does "it was pretty good so far but thank God there's only one class left, I needed this break says zendaya "was my son good, don't lie says Tandy as he furrowed his brows at her but kept that striking smile

Zendaya shook her head "he was a flirt but I'm guessing he gets that from his father too says zendaya "ouch says Tandy as he laughed "you're starting to sound like mercedes varnado over there says Tandy and I pursed my lips at the man across from me "good, guess you know your flirts don't work on us says mercedes "I could change that says Tandy as he smirked at me which automatically caused me to roll my eyes out of habit "so anyways as Tandy was beginning to change the subject because he realized he was failing miserably "the track coach and I are planning to go to this bar tonight, apparently some of the teachers have a band or something and it's a riot says Tandy as his attention turned to zendaya when I started giving him a glare

"You think you'll wanna stop by, I mean you can't be older than twenty but I can sneak you a few drinks says Tandy and just as zendaya was about to reply, I spoke up "actually zendaya and I have plans says mercedes "we do says zendaya as she seemed so confused it was honestly cute but I didn't want her to blow my lie and I nodded "yeah, movie night, we were talking about it this morning says mercedes "I'm pretty sure that's not what we were talking about says zendaya as she smirked over at me which made me blush unintentionally "oh says Tandy as he seemed disappointed "well rain check says Tandy and we nodded respectively as his attention turned to a lady across the room with long legs and wavy hair "Natalie, wait up huuny says Tandy

I pulled zendayas Chair close to me as Tandy got out of our sight of vision and raised my brow "I think I can skip out of grading today, think you can stop by my class before we head home says mercedes "I just get tingles hearing you say that says zendaya as she smirked at me

----------

The final bell rang and I took refuge in my seat at my desk to blow out a long breath, today's excitement has had me beat all day not to mention the fact that there's two girls in my last hour that don't know how to shut up ,I swear, I get all the delinquents no matter where I go, except these kids aren't funny about it like zendaya, they're just annoying and two knocks sounded from the other side of the door and I began rubbing my temples in frustration before a migraine would start "come in says mercedes and my girlfriend walked in with a smile on her face and one of my bags on her shoulders "is that mine as I asked curiously and zendaya smiled proudly and flipped her hair "looks good on me huh says zendaya and I nodded "yeah it does but if you get it dirty, I'm beating yo ass says mercedes

"I like it when the fiesty poly In you comes out says zendaya as she took a seat on the table of one of the student desks like she did last year "it gets me hot says zendaya and I giggled softly and turned my chair "whatever, you wanna go as my voice was a little harsh towards her but not on purpose, I could feel the migraine begin "not with that attitude says zendaya as she hopped down off of the desk "what the hell did I do now says zendaya and I shook my head and picked up my bag from the floor to sit it on my chair and start stuffing the things I needed into it "nada, my head hurts says mercedes and as I looked down at the papers on my desk, I could hear her shoes slowly tap onto the hard floor beneath us and she made her way around the desk and pulled me in from behind by my waist "I know what could get rid of that says zendaya

I melted in her arms and slightly relaxed as her mouth began sucking on the flesh of my neck "not here as I whimpered lightly "you got a storage closet says zendaya as she joked and I smacked her arm which made her laugh "fine, I'll meet you at home says zendaya and mercedes nodded and zendaya turned my face so I could look at her and give her a proper kiss, our lips locked for a moment until she officially pulled away from me and licked her lips "I'll get a head start and take my clothes off by the time you get home says zendaya and I smiled slightly feeling my head start to throb and nodded her off once more

------

The whole time I was driving home, my head was killing me, it's been doing this a lot lately and I'm not sure why , maybe it's the climate or weather up here that's affecting me but I won't tell zendaya, I don't want her to get worried, she doesn't need that on her plate, she worried enough for the both of us last year, I'm sure this isn't something I want her to think about and when I got into the house about 45 minutes later, it was dimly lit with the soft sound of r&b music coming from the back of our place and I smirked and threw my bag down by the door and slipped my heels off to make my way towards the bedroom and when I walked in, I saw my girlfriend in a bra and boxer briefs standing at the stereo and fiddling with the iPad we used for music

Her body was unforgivable and so alluring I just had to get closer, I stepped up behind her and placed my hands on her hips to pull her body close to mine while my lips found her neck and a soft moan left her mouth as she pressed her ass into my crotch and slowly started grinding into me "took you long enough to get home says zendaya and I kissed up her neck to her ear to tug lightly on her earlobe "got distracted I guess says mercedes and the music in the room set the perfect mood as it's slow ballad began to play to our needs and zendaya turned around and put her hand on the back of my neck so she could pull me into a deep kiss, her tongue swiped over my bottom lip and entered in my mouth to fight against my tounge

I let her have her way since my head was still killing me and using my dominance would only make matters worse and her hands trailed down my shirt and she began unbuttoning my blouse while her mouth still continued to work against mine ,she pulled away with her brow raised "go lay on the bed babe says zendaya and I did what she ordered and decided to make it easier for her by unzipping my skirt and letting it fall down my ankles before climbing into the bed and zendaya followed shortly behind me and climbed on top to grind her hips into me while her lips met mine, I could feel myself get more turned on with each roll she made and soon zendaya moved down to my neck and adjust her body so that her legs were straddling me ,her hand went in between my thighs to rub me through my panties

I bit my lip to contain any stray nosies that we're building up inside of me and pressed my head back onto the pillow under my head and zendaya slipped my underwear to the side and just as she put in one finger, her teeth bit down harshly on my neck but it was such a turn on and one finger pumped slowly but in a waved motion and I craved the feeling "more as I begged zendaya and she continued nipping at the skin of my neck as she added another finger and pumped harder and faster, the pleasure and pain was beginning to overwhelm me "baby please as I begged letting my mind take over and become even more needy to what she was doing

This time she knew exactly where my pulse point was and met it with a rough pump and my nails clawed down her back roughly as I felt one wave build onto another in my stomach "fuck zendaya as I moaned out feeling myself begin to come undone until I finally did and my mind was everywhere as she slowly finished pumping as I began coming down and zendaya pulled out her fingers and licked them off carefully and after successfully cleaning me up ,she laid down beside my sweaty body and bit her lip while looking over me "what as I smiled and zendaya shook her head "nothing, just looking, did I help your headache says zendaya, in fact she slightly did "a little says mercedes

She kissed my cheek and responded happily "yay, then my work here is done says zendaya as she crawled out of bed and pulled her boxer briefs back up on her hips "where are you going as I raised a brow to zendaya "the shower, you weren't the only one working up a sweat over there says zendaya

Chapter 7

Zendayas point of view

My second hour class was doing their work properly and goofing off as usual, I didn't mind it, I told them that as long as they turned in good papers ,they could do whatever they wanted to and In the middle of grading some papers with the answer key, I looked over the students in the room and they all had group they were conversing and laughing in, well all except Sabrina who had her nose pressed into a book and her mind in another world, I actually enjoyed seeing that, growing up with dyslexia, it was so hard to have fun reading, Lauren and camilla always did it but it honestly made no sense to me, i guess it was because the words were so jumbled up in my brain that I was never able to create my own world in a story

That's why I wanted to write, though it was a quiet dream of mine because I had so many great ideas and thoughts but I was never able to properly put it down on paper, that's why I quickly gave up and moved on and soon into a moment of looking over Sabrina, Trevor began flicking paper footballs at the girl and cheering as they hit her or her book, at first Sabrina didn't mind, she just kept reading until one of the footballs hit her hand causing her to fumble with her book and get aggravated "quit it says zendaya as she yelled out "or what says Trevor as he challenged me with a raised brow making everyone 'ooo'

I smirked at the boy in the back "listen kid, I know your a daddy's boy, how embarrassing would it be if I called him up here to yell at you in front of all your friends says zendaya and his face turned soft "that's what I thought, now go over there, pick up the papers and say sorry to Sabrina says zendaya and Trevor slouched out of his seat to collect the papers that were scattered around the girl then told her quietly "sorry days Trevor and the final bell rang and kids started to pack up, as each person filed out, I noticed the shy girl struggling with putting her binder into her bag and I got up from my desk and hurried over to her "here, lemme help says zendaya and I yanked the binder out that was put in halfway to move a few things around and finally pushed it into place perfectly

"Thanks says Sabrina as she replied happily and as she started Walking out the door "wait says zendaya and her blonde hair flipped back as she turned to look at me and I pushed my hair out of my face nervously as I walked up to her "look I know it isn't cool having a teacher stand up for you or anything, but I just have a question says zendaya and Sabrina nodded "why do you let them do that to you, between you and I, I would've had these bitches on the floor with my foot to their face says zendaya and Sabrina chuckled lightly "I just don't want to fight about it, it's just one year and that's all plus I know the reason they're doing all of this says Sabrina "and that is says zendaya

Sabrina clutched her book close to her person and smiled happily "because I actually have a future when I get out of here unlike them, they're full of what ifs but I know exactly what I'm going to do and how I'll be successful says Sabrina and the bell rang and she looked worried "don't sweat it, I'll write you a pass says zendaya and she genuinely seemed happy that I was even speaking to her which was nice and I walked over to my desk to grab a pen and a slip of paper to write on it with my sloppy cursive "what class do you have next says zendaya "mercedes says Sabrina and that's when a fiendish thought came to my mind "well I don't have a third hour class, how about I take you over there myself, I actually need to have a word with ms mercedes says zendaya

Sabrina agreed and I followed her out of the room and down the hall to ms mercedes and I pulled on the handle to see my girlfriend writing on the whiteboard behind her desk like she did in my school, it was so serendipitous and sexy to me and I stepped in gor a moment yo look over the class and see most of the students endowed in her figure and I cleared my throat which turned her attention to me with a smile "may I speak with you for a moment as I smiled back at her and mercedes nodded in response and I stepped out of the room and leaned against the wall as she directed her class "go ahead and copy down this prompt and see if you can come up with something says mercedes

Mercedes carefully slipped out of the room and eyed down the halls before pushing one hip out and crossing her arms "whaddaya want says mercedes and I licked my lips and wriggled my brows at her "nothing just thought I'd pop In and say hello says zendaya "oh really says mercedes as she smirked as her eyes trailed down my body "is that all because I have a class to teach says mercedes and I tip toed closer and put one hand on her hip "thought you should know my inner mercedes broke out in my last hour, I yelled at a kid for bullying again says zendaya "seems like you learned well says mercedes as she laughed and I leaned in and pressed my lips to hers softly and she retorted with another kiss, finally she pulled away and wiped her lips "I have a class babe says mercedes

"Fine says zendaya as she pouted and mercedes pecked my lips once more before winking "I'll see you at lunch says mercedes and I nodded and watched her walk back into class before doing a little victory dance, she's whipped yes and I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and decided to check it to see who it was

Normani: how's my beautiful best friend, I haven't got to talk to you in ages, what's the matter, you don't know how to call

Zendaya: that goes two ways honey and OMG it's so good to hear from you, everything here is good but how Is college and Cali

Normani: Anaheim is great and so is Cali but you need to get back down here, the parties are wild and I need my partner in crime 😫

Zendaya: the good news is I'll be back for Thanksgiving.. any parties then

Normani: but of course, keggers almost every weekend, ally and I hooked up at the last one 😈

Zendaya: first of all, wow just wow, what happened to drug dealer Harry and second if all... how did you get her drunk enough for that 😱

Normani: drug dealer Harry was a good dealer but he was a terrible boyfriend and I didn't get her drunk, she kinda came onto me, saying something about how she kinda liked me

Zendaya: I'm speechless.... but tell me more please

Normani: there's not much to say, we just experimented

Normani: over and over and over again 😇

Zendaya: I should take away your halo, nasty, you corrupted our friend

Normani: nah, she corrupted me 😏 but anyways-- how's Seattle and our teacher, she still looking fine as fuck

Zendaya: Seattle is good, I have a job well temporarily and mercedes is always looking fine as fuck

Normani: still can't believe you pulled that over on me and WHATS YOUR JOB OMG

Zendaya: don't Laugh

Normani: no promises

Zendaya: I'm subbing at a school

Normani: trying.....to.....control

Normani: 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Normani: you a sub, I'm weak as fuck in my chem lecture 😂

Zendaya: wow mans thanks 😒

Normani: nah nah I'm sorry, its just funny because you hate school, that's all I mean you even dropped the chance of college out here for that woman so it's just crazy I guess

Zendaya: I could still go

Normani: and when you do, you'll apply to AU and we will fuck shit up k

Zendaya: ok 🙈

Normani: ok cute ass monkey, I gotta stop looking like a idiot right now, I'll tell ally you said ayyeee 😏💗

Zendaya: ew please don't, love you, bye ❤️

Normani: love you too ❤️

Chapter 8

I laid my head on mercedes shoulder as she flipped to another Netflix show, her hand went inside of the back of my shirt pulling me closer to her "so babe says zendaya as she spoke up and even though her attention was on the screen in front of us, she responded with a soft "mm says mercedes "my mom and dad want us to come to visit them in Santa Ana during Thanksgiving break says zendaya and it was a new piece of news even I just found out and my mom called me early one morning asking how everything was here and I told her everything except about mercedes, they never even found out during graduation, I didn't feel the need to tell them since I planned on sneaking off with her in the middle of the night to get away, all I said was I wanted them to meet someone and they were all about it

I was just hoping mercedes would be all about it "oh says mercedes as she still didn't even give me a bit of her attention "wow you sound excited says zendaya and mercedes paused the show and pushed me away "what the hell do you want me to say says mercedes "mercedes chill says zendaya. Why was she acting like this "I was just joking says zendaya "well how about you quit joking for one minute and be serious says mercedes "where's all this coming from as my confusion was only building "quit asking me questions and just watch the fucking show says mercedes as she leaned back on the bed and pressed play on the show again

"I'm not watching a show with you as I shook my head grabbing my blanket to get off the bed "I don't like angry mercedes, get some fucking humor and then call me back in here says zendaya "baby says mercedes as she whined and I flipped her off without looking back and guided myself out to the living room to lay down and cool off. Why the fuck did she get so mental over the thought of my parents, I swear she's good one minute and then she can turn into an utter bitch the next minute and I laid back and looked at the ceiling as I began counting back from ten to calm my nerves and I whispered to myself "10...9....8...7....6....5 as I felt myself begin to relax just a bit and I heard a voice who continued to count down with me from the hall "four..three..two...one as we said in sync

I looked over in the hall to see mercedes who now only had on panties and a bra and I wasn't amused because I knew she would use sex to weasel her way back to me, she knew she was wrong and this is how she made up for it but u didn't want it, I just wanted a plain apology and explanation, sex isn't always the answer and mercedes sat on the end of the couch to crawl and top and straddle me over my blanket, her lips met my neck and I just laid there stiffly, I didn't want to move or encourage her "I'm sorry baby says mercedes as she moved over to the other side of my neck "please come back to the room says mercedes "no says zendaya "why not says mercedes as she sighed out

I shook my head and looked into her dark brown eyes "because you just blew up on me, you've been doing that a lot lately if I annoy you just tell me, I'm tired of always feeling like shit when something bothers you says zendaya and mercedes pursed her lips and nodded pushing her thick blonde hair out of her face "I know it's happened a lot says mercedes "damn straight, it's a bad habit that you need to break says zendaya "it's just- as mercedes stopped "stress says mercedes and I could tell she was lying but I wanted to see how far she could take it "and I'm taking it out on you and I'm sorry says mercedes "I don't believe you says zendaya as she bit at mercedes "what don't you believe says mercedes

"The excuse or the apology, I've seen your papers and they're all graded, all of your lesson plans are in order and the house is spotless, I have a job right now and so do you, there's nothing to stress about unless our relationship is too much for you and the apology was so weak it made me want to shove you onto the floor" as I clenched my jaw, it all just spilled out of my mouth and mercedes nodded and licked over her lips "alright I get it, the real reason is just that my head hurts okay and it puts me in a bad mood sometimes, I'm sorry, I honestly do think it's stress though but I really am sorry says mercedes as she pouted down at zendaya "it's fine says zendaya as she sternly replied "but if it hurts that bad, go see a doctor, that's probably the only way it'll get better says zendaya

Mercedes nodded with a frown as she rolled off of me and leaned in to kiss my lips for a moment before pulling only inches away from my face "so will you come back to bed now says mercedes and I nodded and watched as she rolled off of me and she pulled me up onto my feet as I followed her into the bedroom, I held out one hand to quickly unsnap the back of her bra just because I could and mercedes let it drop to the floor and stopped automatically to cross her arms and glare back at me but I hurried into the room before mercedes could do anything

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So, the school finally found a permanent teacher for Mr fawkes class but luckily they didn't just drop me for my job ,I still go to school every day and sub in for some class that had a teacher who didn't want to be there ,it's honestly such easy money because all I have to do is get the class to finish one little worksheet while I go on Tumblr and I was walking into the elevator to head up to mercedes room when someone put their hand out to stop the doors from closing "almost missed ya says Tandy as he laughed walking in to stand by me "how's my favorite sub doing says coach Tandy "good I guess, how's the whole coach operation says zendaya and Tandy shrugged "it's a gig I guess but hey, buggers can't be choosers so money is money says Tandy "I agree with that says zendaya

"So where are you headed says Tandy as he curiously asked putting his hands in his pocket casually "mercedes room says zendaya "really me too, I actually just had to ask her about something says Tandy as he admitted "oh really says zendaya. Don't be jealous zendaya, he's not worth it "yeah, she had been wanting some court side seats to this basketball game says Tandy as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out an envelope "and guess who came through says Tandy and I bit my bottom lip to suppress my emotions, I didn't like showing that he was planning on doing this but I couldn't make a big deal about it "fascinating says zendaya as the elevator doors opened up to my floor and we both walked out

"Yeah, I think she'll really like it says Tandy as he gushed clutching the envelope and I rolled my eyes and walked down the hall beside the man and finally made it into her room "hey mercedes as I walked over to kiss her cheek before grabbing her bag from beside her desk, I've gotten into the habit of taking her gum and at this point she doesn't really care because my breath is always so fresh "hey says mercedes as she replied looking down at her paper to continue scribbling over the work with a red ink pen, when mercedes noticed the guy in the room, she looked up at him and smiled "hey Tandy, what's good says mercedes

Tandy made a short chuckle before responding "not much says Tandy and I could see a little nervousness peak out of him while I unwrapped a piece of gum and began rummaging through all of mercedes trash and knick knacks in her bag for fun "listen mercedes, do you remember how you said you wanted to go to that one game when it came to Seattle this weekend says Tandy "mhm says mercedes as she honestly didn't know where he was going with this and Tandy pulled out the envelope and took out two shiney tickets "guess who just got court side seats says Tandy "oh my God says mercedes as she exclaimed happily "how did- what did- what says mercedes

"One of the kids in my second hour heard me talking about this and bribed me to give him an A in PE says Tandy as he laughed "I told him I would anyways because everyone gets an A but he said he wanted to make sure says Tandy "why didn't I ever think of bribing as I said to myself quietly thinking about my past shitty classes "oh wait, I did bribe on of my teachers as I smirked over at mercedes but she was ignoring me and focused in on the game "so you wanna go says Tandy as he asked the tall woman as she stood up in excitement "of course says mercedes as she exclaimed and I shuffled through some receipts until I heard what he said "good it's a Date says Tandy as he hundred out of the room yelling "I'll see you tomorrow says Tandy

I didn't have to hear anything else because as soon as the word 'date' came up in my head, my gum went to the back of my throat and started choking me, I coughed and coughed and mercedes hurried over to smack my back a few times until my gum fell in her purse, which she deserved "babe are you okay says mercedes as she asked in a worried voice "a date says zendaya as she exclaimed

[outer-andromeda]

"Appropriate"

... Okay so I've let my partner know about how popular our human Beej and his kids were on here and she authorized me to share some of her writing so here's one of the many ideas she wrote!

Hope you enjoy!

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"Veda and Zeta get in trouble for causing disruption to their class, forcing the principal to call their only legal guardian to discuss their punishment."

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"Victoria and... Oliver Shoggoth?" Principal Sheen set two laminated sets of papers down on her obloid wooden desk. Veda and Zeta both look at the papers, which showed both of their school pictures, and then up into Principal Sheen's cat eye glasses.

"You two have... quite an interesting file-"

"Look, Vick didn't do anything okay-?" Zeta leaned back in her uncomfortable under-patterned chair. Which looked like it was older than her. Veda let out a small whine.

"I was there!"

"Yeah but you didn't start it-"

"I helped-"

"That's enough." Both girls looked back at the principal, who massaged her nose angrily. "Now. The next course of action would be to call your parents-" Both girls' pained looks turned into slight panic. Which made their principal smile slightly. "And decide what the punishment should be for you two."

"Mrs. Sheen- that uh—- really isn't necessary-" Zeta tried to speak up. Mrs. Sheen put her hand up.

"I'm sure once I explain your punishment won't be too severe. I'll keep things civil. No worries. Now. Let's see about your parents-"

Mrs. Sheen picked up the papers again- adjusting her glasses and reading down. The girls both gave each other a small glance.

"It uh—- hm- you— oh! The only contact I see here is uh-"

A hastily scribbled Lawrence B Shoggoth. In barely legible handwriting next to his name in print. At the bottom there was just a phone number in typewriter font.

Mrs. Sheen was a prompt woman. Very no-nonsense. She ran the school with a tight grip on rules and regulations. Things went under her nose which was inevitable- but when she could help it- she played the role of the bad cop.

She reached for her desk phone and punched in the number- each click of the keys made the girls tense more.

The phone rang a few times, a slow, deliberate, mind-numbing buzz.

Beeeep.

Beeeep.

Beeeeeeeeeep-

"Hello?" The voice over the phone was deep- darkened. Aged. Mrs. Sheen was taken aback slightly. But kept her cool- as all professionals did.

"Am I speaking to Mr. Lawrence Shoggoth?"

"Huh-? Oh. Yeah. That's me." It had a slight mumble to it. Veda and Zeta hissed slightly through their teeth- expecting the worst no doubt. Mrs. Sheen smiled smugly.

"Well. This is Principal Sheen from Jury High School. I don't know if you've heard yet but there's been an incident-"

"Are they okay-?"

"Yes. Your children are well. Not for long I'm afraid."

Mrs. Sheen smiled smugly again. There was a pause- and then a shuffle over the speaker.

"... Is this a ransom call or something?"

"What? No-"

"Okay. Great. Stop treating it like one and get to the point then."

Mrs. Sheen snapped her head to the phone.

"Well. Oliver showed up to her first period today with a skirt. A short one."

"...... Mkay-"

"And after repeatedly being asked to change- well- it created a disruption to the class. Which Victoria took a part in. And then the entire body of students in that hour began misbehaving. Well- heh- your girls were the match that lit the fire so to spea-"

"Why did she have to change?"

Mrs. Sheen paused and stared at the phone again. Stuttering slightly. The girls gave each other another look.

"Well- er- Mr. Shoggoth-it was far above the appropriate leng-"

"Right. So. Let me get this straight."

There was another shuffle and Mrs. Sheen found herself tensing slightly.

"You called me at 9AM. Pulled both of 'em out of their classes. To tell me that this kid's skirt was too short?"

"W- yes-"

"What is this, the 1940s?"

"The fishnet tights added to the problem-"

"What problem?"

"Well- it's! It's inappropriate dress for school!"

"It's a skirt, lady- She got it this weekend. It's a little more inappropriate that you decided- oh this is a great idea- let's punish the girl for wearing nice clothes instead of the perverted ass teachers for staring at it all goggle-eyed."

"I-"

"What's the real reason you called? Is this it?"

"There was an insurrection-"

"They're teenagers, just get rid of that dumb dress code. I got shit to do."

Mrs. Sheen's pursed face turned pink.

"You're okay with your girls dressing like- like- like flappers-??!"

There was a long pause. And Mrs. Sheen's face turned from pursed to terrified. There was another shuffle.

And then his voice turned into something different.

"My girls can dress however the fuck they want. And you don't have a right to say a word about it.

Put them back in their fucking classes. Thanks."

The phone went dead.

Mrs. Sheen stared up at the girls. Both of them looked at her- and then Zeta stood up.

"Well! You heard the guy! Looks like we're going back to class. C'mon Veda-"

Zeta took Veda's arm. Veda tried hard to fight back a smile. Mrs. Sheen watched- white faced- as the girls marched out of her office and shut the door behind them.

They looked at each other and then burst out laughing.

"Wow-"

"I know- I almost feel bad for her-"

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((Credit to @maddcelestial, my partner, on IG))

Comments and reblogs are appreciated!!