#The Janitorial Store

[glenn-silva]

Assessing the Efficiency of Robot Cleaners: A Comprehensive Look

[pikonv5]

Okay so the art museum wants to interview me tuesday, which job sounds better? 😭

Art museum

pros: fully knowledgeable and have been there, better chance of networking, good field bc I am an artist, more enrichment, more chance of guaranteed hours and consistent schedule, not loud, i am familiar with area, more space

Cons: likely only 2 days off a week, $1 less, more walking, need to interview still

Sex toy shop

pros: i know there are cool nd n queer people there, mild environment, $1 more and a little on commision, less people, a bit less enrichment but still neat things, job already offered

Cons: hours not guaranteed/likely less, more standing in place ( body physically can't do for long ), more masking needed for sales customer service (more exhaustion), less familiar environment, bad area

[polyamorouspunk]

Question:

[randompersonimettoday]

Group of teenagers who managed to somehow set off fireworks in our parking lot in a downpour.

They left before my manager found them, but the burn marks can't come out of the concrete. :(

[perfectlycleanvic]

Keep your shopping spot spick and span with our supermarket's super cleaning crew! We make sure everything sparkles for a safer, happier visit.

Get A Free Quote : www.perfectlyclean.com.au

#CleanShopping #safetyfirst #perfectlyclean #cleaningcompany #cleaningservice #cleaningbusiness #commercialcleaning #officecleaning #restaurantcleaning #commercialcleaners #janitorialservices #cleaning #cleaners #cleanersmelbourne #melbournecleaning #melbourne

[nullwork]

my job deadass "don't randomly doodle pls" mf im your artist you want me to head straight to painting?

[ultimate-chickennougat]

| Your Salaryman Husband | (Vol 3)

Vol 1 Vol 2 (not required) Vol 4 Vol 5 Vol 6 Vol 7 Vol 8 Vol 9

Salaryman!Kento x Housewife!Reader;

When Nanami works at home...

Word Count: 1.2k

CW: SFW, domestic fluff, fem!Reader, light teasing, mentions curses

A/n: Domestic life is calling (as per usual)! Maybe I'll try writing in the mornings...

Three months.

It had been three months since your marriage to Mr. Kento Nanami, the ex-Jujutsu Sorcerer, current salaryman, and the love of your life. 

And it was just last week your husband made a rather interesting decision, something that you were very happy about. At first, that is. 

Nanami, a senior manager at an investment firm, already conducted the majority of his work online. Many people went on calls with their advisors, and lots of paperwork could be handled digitally. That was all good in his eyes, cutting down on paper and increasing work efficiency. He could get home quicker with less things to throw in his bag, which at that time of day was the second most prevalent thought on his mind, aside from you of course. 

It was for those reasons, that his company started to encourage working at home part time, which included a one week trial period. Upkeep on a physical property was expensive, having to hire janitorial staff and keep snacks and coffee in the break room. 

The first three days were to be as usual, going to work, and the other two would be out of the office, simple enough. As much as he loved being at home, training new employees was best done in person, and many clients still preferred meeting face to face. Hence, Nanami considered this to be a temporary situation. 

And so the two of you embarked on your latest project, creating some form of a home office. A temporary work area, furnished with a simple desk in a well lit room, away from the noise of your actions that he didn’t want to disturb. Thankfully your house had extra rooms.

Nanami set himself up in the first floor guest bedroom. It had large floor to ceiling windows, and simple white and beige decor. He could put his desk near the window, and have a nice background of the garden you kept beautiful and thriving - something he didn’t get to appreciate all the time at work.

You were ecstatic all through the week since receiving the news, having two more days with your husband at home. Nanami was never a bother, and being the in the guest bedroom most of the time, he wouldn’t be interfering with your plans. Days one through three of office going had you almost wishing for time to speed up, for the first time in your marriage. The days you loved the most, were the ones where you could spend all your time with him, even if he was working, you assumed.

Finally, your dream four days in a row of Nanami began, it was almost like the weekend - just with work still occuring. The perfect time to show off your domestic skills. 

Though you saw him all the time on the weekends, he wasn’t working then, and didn’t require quite as much energy. He already looked tired, something you hadn’t noticed before when he came home refreshed seeing your face. So you, as his dutiful wife, decided to make him something special to eat.

A fresh salad was going to be prepared using produce from the small vegetable garden you had started cultivating, but that marked the first of your problems. Nanami’s desk was right in the front of the window… in front of the garden. 

You tied your hair up, and threw a light jacket before strolling out the door that morning. Nanami was already working, you could hear his busy typing and the rifling of papers on his desk as you walked by. He gave you a smile before you left, refilling his cup of coffee in the kitchen. Your bag was held tightly in your hands as you walked off to the grocery store and shortly returned with a bounty of items. 

Food was cooked, and you and Nanami ate comfortably. He informed you of his day so far, and you did of yours before he left again, lunch break being over. 

You missed welcoming him home. If there was one thing you had gotten used to most, it was the joy that giving him a hug and helping him with his things Monday through Friday gave that you couldn’t stand not having. Dinner, which was usually special after being apart, was the same as lunch. Mundane things were mentioned, most events already covered hours ago. No great office scandals to report, there wasn’t an important printer to jam at home, or a lunch to steal from the break room fridge.

The next day came quickly, and maybe it was lucky that it was the last. Tomorrow would be Saturday, and his work would be over. It was almost a hindrance. 

As Nanami was being perfectly considerate, never having the volume up too high and keeping out of your workspace, you tried to do the same. The only problem then, was that it was cleaning day, for all the rarely used peripheral rooms of the house, including the first floor guest bedroom and surrounding areas. 

The thought of interrupting your husband’s important work call was frightening enough as you pondered it in your mind, holding the vacuum as you rested against the door of the guest bedroom, having finished with the living room. You could hear him talking, his voice had a trace of agitation as he spoke through his computer, a difference intensified by the cheery voice. 

“Goodbye,” Nanami spoke quickly, shutting his laptop and standing up out of his chair, as you continued to listen. It was a few minutes after 5:00 PM, and Nanami was done with work. You quickly ran away to store the vacuum, before you two could eat dinner, which you finished early. 

“So how was it?” You asked, both of you seated with food on your plates. “It has it’s benefits, I see that now,” he responded, taking a bite. “First of all, I get to eat lunch here with you instead,” you smiled at his comment, knowing how much he enjoyed your cooking either way. “Then again, you seem more stressed than usual,” you swirled your spoon around the dish a few times, avoiding his gaze. “I like having you around more,” a truthful statement. “If I’m causing you any complication with your work, you should tell me, Y/n. Even if it’s just for a couple days.” he stated, putting his hand on top of yours. “I could hear you by my door, you know,” You opened your mouth, but were quickly interrupted. “Don’t even try to deny it, I am - was a Jujutsu Sorcerer,” the two of you let out laughs far better than the ones from yesterday. “Even a low grade curse is more stealthy, though I doubt one could cook as well… among other things…” He muttered, taking a drink of water.

“I don’t think I’ll be continuing this.” Nanami smirked watching your eyes light up. “The trainees were in sweatpants behind the screen,” you nodded, listening intently. “Anyways, we don’t have very soundproof rooms, now do we,” he added, “I’m sure it would make your work much easier.” 

“I’ll still miss you, my darling,” your frown came back. He moved your hand so he could hold it properly, lacing his fingers between yours. “We’ve still got all weekend, right?”

[yuurei20]

Hiiii!!

Okay, so question - Does Crowley give the MC any allowance? We're trying to figure out if MC has any sort of budget/need for one. I'm not sure if the cafeteria is just Lunch only (and if that's free for the students) or if it's all meals free, but then If all the school's food is free I feel like no one would use Azul's lounge nearly as much. I know in EN Chapter 2 Crowley threatens grim and MC with the cost of their living expenses - But I'm not sure if that translates to him handing them money or just a general cost of living there without tuition. If. NRC has a tuition...?

Basically - Does Crowley give MC any money regularly?

Hello hello!! Thank you for this question! :> This topic has kind of been touched upon before in response to a question about the novel prefect's allowance and NRC's tuition, but this is a great opportunity to put it all together.

In the prologue Crowley declares that Grim and the prefect are allowed to live in Ramshackle for free, but they will need to pay for their own food, clothing and incidentals. It seems the prefect has no money on them with which to do so, so Crowley hires them as janitorial staff.

(The scene above is almost identical in the novel, with the addition of, "Your wages, well, you will be compensated fairly according to the nature of your work.")

What the game is vague about is whether or not the prefect and Grim are monetarily compensated for their work, or if they are just working in exchange for meals and clothes.

But they do seem to have money from somewhere, purchasing various souvenirs for themselves and others throughout events, so it might not be impossible?

Trein has a line of, "You must be judicious with the funds the headmage gave you," but we do not technically know if they received money only for Glorious Masquerade or if he is referencing money that they receive from Crowley regularly.

The novels do answer this question, but the novels will sometimes change details from game (i.e. the retconning of Leona's introduction, the addition of multiple new scenes, etc), so while it might be ok to use them as a reference, we cannot emphatically say, "this is how it is in the novels, so the game must be the same."

The second novel begins with Yuuya, Ace and Deuce making repairs to Ramshackle, and Yuuya later compensates Ace and Deuce for their help, in cash, by buying them pastries on Bakery Day in the cafeteria:

"In response, Ace and Deuce smile as they place several white packages on the table. Here and there Yuuya can see thick slices of roast beef and vibrant green lettuce. There are round breads bursting with cream, baguettes topped with melted cheese, and more—it seems they were able to buy quite a considerable amount.

But they still have change leftover, which they pass to Yuuya, so the prices must be student friendly. It makes sense that bakery days are so popular.

Still smiling, Ace and Deuce sit across from Yuuya. 

‘Thanks for the food!’

‘Gonna dig right in!’

‘Of course. Thanks for helping with the repairs to Ramshackle.’” -Twisted Wonderland the Second Novel

So novel-prefect is being paid in cash, and seems to be budgeting accordingly. This is particularly significant because it happens in Book 2, after the prefect and Grim have transitioned from janitors to students. While their roles are different, it seems they are still being paid for repairs they make.

And this might be also happening in the game, although I don't think it is ever acknowledged aloud, with Ramshackle Dorm getting cleaned up between the Prologue and Book 5 (presumably because of the prefect and Grim working to earn their food and clothes etc.)

An argument against this theory might be Grim's line about not being a part of janitorial staff anymore in Book 2, but while novel-Grim is also no longer janitorial staff by Book 2, he is still helping with repairs, so this comment might not be applicable.

As you say, Mostro Lounge (and the school store) would probably not be as successful if they were competing with free cafeteria food, so it is possible that the other students at the school are also following the system that the prefect uses (free lodging only).

This would explain why Ruggie does things like wear Leona's clothes and eat wild plants: it is possible that he showed up without any money at all and is making things work day to day, exactly like the prefect.

Also as you point out, Crowley will occasionally threaten the prefect and Grim with how they're racking up expenses that he has never agreed to cover.

This might mean that game-prefect is living at least partially on credit, charging expenses to Crowley or the school? (Which is something we know the school store can do, at least, based on Azul charging costs for cleanup of a mess made by Jack to Leona.)

On the subject of tuition, it has also never technically been officially confirmed or disproved that scholarships or tuition are things that exist! I have seen comments that NRC is likely a private school that operates on donations and does not charge tuition, and Crowley does mention receiving donations from parents, but I do not think this has ever been stated outright in the game (or novels) and may just be conjecture at this time.

To answer the initial question: Maybe! :>

We know Novel-MC has money that they are receiving from somewhere, presumably Crowley.

And we know Game-MC is also receiving money from Crowley, but whether the cash they are being given is only for field trips or is something they are earning through repairs to Ramshackle is unconfirmed.

It is possibly one of the many things that the game is intentionally keeping vague!

(Also, I have received your follow-up question and am still hunting for info! :> Hope to answer soon!)

[piccolos-bigtoe]

Uglysketches but working on a fucked up and evil normalcore TF2 Grocery Store AU because I was bored at work and I want them to suffer from having a normal average life as much as I do…. Demo and Sniper are both cashiers, Engineer is HR (he has a comb over rn but all his hair falls out later from stress, there’s a whole arc about it just wait), Administrator is ofc the big store owner and Pauling is the manager. Soldier would definitely be a shift lead and a total hard ass. Tentative on what the other characters would be, Heavy would be like the guy that like is behind the deli ofc, I think Scout and Pyro would be on floor/stocking/janitorial (Scout would be high as a kite and take 15 minute bathroom breaks and pyro would be doing most all the work), Spy would probably like be idk security but the like kind thag just sits and watches cameras all day (im conflicted because that’s more so administrators cup of tea, wayching cameras, but like irl why would an owner waste their time doing that when they can hire some other asshole to do it for them), erm Medic would be, I’m not sure, probably also HR but the the completely useless kind, he’s just HR because he’d love the gossip.

I’ve put a lot of heart and soul of personal experience into this soulless corporatecore grocerypilled tf2 AU, yeah… *blushes and kicks ground twiddles thumbs smiles etc etc*

Fun fact the vests I drew on are the same as the one I have to wear

[octuscle]

Hey dude, I was looking at the costumes at your Halloween store and I can’t decide which one to get. I’m think of either the fire fighter, cowboy, superhero or werewolf. What do you think will look best in me? 😅

Dude, I think I have something very cool for you!

It's Friday morning. The package with the costume arrives. You look for the activation code and set in the app "Start immediately" "Transformation within 12 hours" and "Duration of the transformation until 01 November, 08:00 am". Bro, you will know what you are doing. This means that you will be in the costume from tonight until the end of the Halloween party….

The first thing you feel as you sit in the subway on your way to the office is that your English is getting worse and worse. You switch from the Washington Post app to El Nuevo Herald's. Your expensive suit begins to change into janitorial overalls. It still has your name on the nameplate. But the "M." no longer stands for Michael, but for Miguel. And you're no longer getting off the train downtown to go to work, you're driving on to the suburbs. You had an early shift. You're going home.

By the time you get to your little apartment, you're tired as hell. While brushing your teeth, you have the feeling that your blond hair is getting darker. And the shadow of your beard is also more pronounced than usual. You draw the curtains and fall into bed.

9:00 p.m. The alarm clock rings. Fuck, it's the weekend. You're not on weekend duty! Hermano, you need a few seconds to wake up. You're not on janitorial duty. You have to be on stage at 11:00. Miguel, the mariachi. Star of the strip show. You quickly put on some clothes, pack your stage outfit and run to the bus.

¡Ay, caramba! Your costume fits like a glove. Your concrete ass looks great in your pants. And it will look even better when you rip them off right away. October is a good month. You are booked throughout. On Halloween one more time on a private party. After that it's off to Mazatlan for a few days to recover. But now give everything on stage, Miguel!

Found your costume @maxx-magnum

[xxgoblin-dumplingxx]

Ok weirdkid!Bruce is just. So sweet. Yet another incredible verse your brain is amazing

It feels like soup... This isn't an ask but Imma treat it like one rn

Bruce leaned on the half-wall and watched you skate- he'd added a lot of amenities for his employees to use over the years. Including an ice rink. And he was a little surprised to find you alone. Usually, you had a cadre of little girls in dance store tutus eager for you to teach them to do all the tricks.

And why wouldn't they want to learn from an Olympic gold medalist?

But then, it was still very early. He'd told security and janitorial to let you into the gym or the ice rink whenever you liked- sometimes a workout or going through a routine helped you work through a problem.

He watched, trying to place what you were doing without the music. Enraptured even without the melody. Not for the first time, he regretted not being there to see you win your medal. And as you slid to a final pose, chest heaving, sweat beading one your forehead in the dim light Bruce applauded lightly. "Late night or Early morning?" he asked, proffering your water bottle.

"Early start," you confirm, skating over and hefting yourself up onto the half wall, taking a drink. "I got frustrated with a build yesterday and decided to come back to it today."

Bruce nodded, "New plans or-"

"Ressurecting one of Jackie's old designs- it was towards the end when he was getting a little... tin foil hatty but. I think there's something there if I can unsnarl some of the crazy."

"There's something about an abyss that springs to mind," Bruce said smiling a little.

"We'll see," you snort. "If I start hoarding foil and stocking up on MREs you can put me out to pasture."

"Nah," he said, "I'll just have Alfred sort you out."

[irkendogma]

tak is the main antagonist for this crossover fic im writing and due to the lack of canon content beyond literally that one episode and some of etf, sometimes i worry im not doing her any justice or it’s too ooc. what do you think would be the best way to write tak in your opinion? (if you happen to have any advice on the matter. just wondering! byeeee💃)

i'm genuinely so relieved at the specification of "in your opinion" because i have such a strange long-lasting attachment to tak that i think i would second-guess my thoughts on her in an objective vacuum to the point of just saying "she should be purple". but as it is i now have the freedom to go stupid crazy about it

i think there's a number of crucial elements to tak, but i think the one that people miss most in writing her is that she isn't just meant to be a more competent counterpart to zim - she's a direct parallel in terms of her ego, motivation, and backstory (the latter particularly as a result of treatment by irken society)

like zim, tak has an enormous ego and an audacity that places herself above anyone else, even the empire itself (see: her custom invader insignia. that's like drawing a crucifix but substituting yourself for jesus after being refused by the church), and like zim, in spite of her disregard for the empire's rulings she's striving for recognition both by it and within it (to quote her: "the plan i have in store for this nasty rock will so impress the tallest that they'll have no choice but to make me an invader"). the same way zim "quit being banished", tak "escaped" from the janitorial squad she was placed under as a stopgap job until the next elite test in seventy years

i've seen some people write her as tall, but in my opinion her being only very, very slightly taller than zim is not just a stylistic choice but an essential part of her character that draws her backstory together: technically that janitorial job wasn't even a punishment, it was just deemed the most suitable position for her in the absence of official imperial proof that she was capable of anything "better" or "higher" that would've been afforded to a taller more easily

that she made it so far in the elite course at all in spite of her height gives context and precedent to the competence and sheer refusal to admit defeat she exhibits in her attempt to destroy earth, a planet she initially believes is already undergoing an officially-sanctioned invasion judging from how bitterly she tells zim about what should've been "rightfully hers", down to specifically mentioning the great assigning - loops back to her audacity, in that she has zimlike degrees of ego regardless of how hard the circumstances logistically are aligned to stomp her back down (see again her quote where she confidently states her plan to hijack an official invasion will impress the tallest to the point they won't mind her flagrantly flaunting the rules). she would've spent so much of her life striving to meet her own exceedingly high expectations, not the exceedingly low ones assumed of someone her height, that this likely isn't far from her standard procedure of "show them i can do it better than the rules say"

what sets her apart from zim, i think, is in how much she's allowed herself to let those miserable expectations get to her and leave her pettier, more vindictive, less grandstanding speeches like zim than showing off everything she's capable of as often as possible, no matter how necessary (ALL the stupid parkour she does for no reason) - which i think is admittedly less her fault than partially being the result of her having actually experienced her confidence failing her when the entire future she'd set up for herself was pulled out from underneath her

unlike zim, who experiences failure regularly but never has it truly sink in, tak had the entirety of her progress wiped off the board in a single moment as a result of circumstances entirely beyond her control: i think a large part of the reason she resents zim so deeply and sincerely isn't solely because of the practical consequences of her missing her test (though it is in no way insignificant to it) but because he was the one who broke her streak - he was the one who made her brutally aware that no matter how she built herself up, no matter what proof she offered, she could still fail and be crushed into exactly the nobody she was expected to be

and she just cannot abide that, no matter what, because even if the memory of helplessness and humiliation will never go away (not that she'd acknowledge it wouldn't), if she can make him hurt the same way maybe that will give back to her some of the power and control over her life and her identity that she lost in losing her potential status as a real, sanctioned invader

also, i do think she should be purple. she seems to have a great attachment to aesthetics and individual style, given her custom pseudo-elite uniform (which we see her wearing even in training, on her test day), the fact she designed and programmed her hologram specifically to have the distinguishing marking of a beauty spot in the same place she has one on her actual face, and her penchant for making nearly every damn piece of her tech purple some way (minus mimi, who while being her own bootleg SIR unit still follows the same red color scheme as a functional one) - even the cockpit of the spittle runner she pilots is initially purple before it's ejected as an escape pod, and the magma pump's interior looks like this:

girl likes giving things her own little touches whether that's in terms of her trademark color, her near-blasphemous custom imperial logo, or her doing a tactical slide between bars of a railing instead of just stepping normally onto the floor

[pumpkincurryelote]

Furthering the world-building thought experiment of Midwives as an independent organization or governing body in a stateless/moneyless world: Imagine their purview extending not just to birth, but to abortion, women's health, women's history, and women's liberation by force where necessary up to and including the execution of rapists. Exclusively female membership, living in facilities akin to non-religious convents. In fact the most powerful of any large organization. How their services/protection might be engaged would vary depending on region. If this be a post-patriarchy world, they would be the first line of defense against the resurgence of said disease.

Farmers would be second most powerful. As permaculturists in a world where everything is locally sourced, and they would be responsible for protecting biodiversity of both flora and fauna in their biomes. There is no mass production of anything in this model. Wild animals are respected members of the community alongside domesticated ones. They monitor and survey the land, on guard for outbreaks and potential disasters, tending the food forests and keeping the biome healthy. They deliver non-human medical care to every creature in the land. Their voices are heard first on the floor of any development project and they can set hard boundaries or veto projects outright. While not explicitly stated to be female only, females would nonetheless outperform males in this field. Even in hunting.

Next up is Libraries. Librarians collect, organize, and administer all manner of public resource, not just books. Knowledge, tools, furniture, clothes, technology, seeds, genetic material, whatever is needful. They keep mundane records of everyone in their community, and community members can deposit personal logs for safekeeping here. Indeed anything the community deems of utmost value may be stored here. Every library is built to withstand assault, and to protect its contents-- a last resort lockdown would fully seal the library from the outside world for 100 years, killing anyone inside. The identities of chief librarians with access to sensitive collections (and the ability to lock their library down) are shrouded in secrecy. Field librarians go out on expeditions to collect data, specimens, etc where permitted by a region's Farmers (and always with a Farmer in attendance).

Hospitals are fourth, and we all know what they're supposed to do. Universities are arguably fifth, and bosom buddies with Libraries. Universities would be the only "large cities" you ever see, and are major transportation hubs. Any large scale project happens here-- rocket to the moon large. Trains occupy this status bracket as well, being the main arteries of civilization/transportation. Ocean cargo could be an extension or a symbiotic relationship.

Of equal influence are Mail and Sanitation. The postal service delivers through whatever means necessary. Any interference with another person's mail results in brutal application of force. No matter how isolated or alone you think you are, the post service will find you. If anybody at all sends you a message, you WILL receive it. They're the best trackers in the world. Many have working dogs as companions. Some have birds. All of them tend to be loners unless someone has done them dirty or behaves dishonorably.

Sanitation encompasses recycling/repurposing of non-compostable goods, composting itself (composting toilets are the norm), janitorial work, pandemic/outbreak containment, and burials (where applicable). If there's a landfill or old oil spill that needs remediation, they're there. Many have skill in repairs/fabrication, and choose this life to have first pick of scavenged parts. Many are also skilled at soapmaking, extractions (Greek oregano, eucalyptus, wintergreen, etc.), and distillation (vinegar).

[jitterbugjive]

I wanna make something clear about my stance on AI

Besides it needing regulations so people aren't allowed to misuse it, I have to say that I really REALLY hope that AI is the future. And by that I mean, I hope that AI can take over a lot of the jobs no one fucking likes to do, such as automated grocery stores (which exist now) or janitorial jobs so no one is being put at risk, labor jobs, all the stuff we really shouldn't be forced to do to get by.

My hope is, with enough automation, the idea of people NEEDING a job to survive won't be necessary any more, and we can focus more on hobbies and creating the things only a human touch can perfect. Imagine a world where people can just have a living wage without a job, everyone can just live decently comfortable, and if someone WANTS to make more money, they can do so by doing something they are good at and enjoy rather than whatever they can get.

But it's gonna be a long time before we can get to that point, and we'll just have to put up with this late stage capitalism hellscape where people will lose their jobs more and more as companies cut more and more corners and poverty and houselessness will be climbing and climbing because companies are considered more as people than actual people are

[hoetao]

in my flatmates from hell au qiqi would be a child that somehow does a lot of side jobs to the point that its nonsensical even if you forget that shes a 6 year old.

you go to your college and you see qiqi do janitorial work. the mop is too big for her.

after school you go to the convenience store for a snack and she's stacking the shelves. the higher shelves are empty.

you get lost in thought on your walk home (are child labor laws somehow nonexistant now?) and you nearly trip into a hole in the pavement. fortunately, qiqi caught you before you could fall. she's wearing a yellow safety helmet.

you decide to go to the local bar to unwind. you feel like this issue has been taking too much of your time and brainpower. you feel really drained though - you didn't buy that snack earlier, your leg throbs from that near-fall before and you have an exam to study for. you sit down at the bar and put your head in your hands in frustration. qiqi hands you a margarita. she's standing on a stool.

[indecentpause]

The Most Beautiful Puzzle: Chapter Five

cw: panic attack, blood, murder investigation

A few days pass. Nothing new on the case on your end. No news from Drake. He hasn't tried to contact you since you filed the paperwork, but nothing government official can move that fast, can it? Josselin gets calls and texts from the Inspector a few times a day, but he doesn't leave the apartment. You don't know what the Inspector is telling him, because Josselin keeps it close to his chest. Why? He was so open with you coming along until now, and suddenly he's so tight-lipped. What happened? Frankie doesn't come by. There's nothing on the case on any local news source you can find. It's like it never happened. You don't leave the apartment either, trying to use the downtime to let your ankle heal. The bruise on your wrist gets yellow and green and ugly, but it stops hurting so much when you bump into things, now. Small mercies. In the meantime, you start applying for work. You can only live so long off your savings, and you spent a lot of it on your motel and food. A lot of things are still closed. Grocery stores, medical jobs, most food service is still open. And while you quit your job for safety reasons, medicine is all you know. It's where you've worked your entire adult life. But you can't work with patients right now. It's too hard on your nerves. So you apply for things like housekeeping and janitorial and receptionist, where some of your knowledge might still be useful. You apply at every private ambulance but the one you just left, for call taker, for porter, for anything that doesn't put you on the street. No more paramedicine without proper PPE. Never again.

read chapter five on wattpad here

or ao3 here!

Current taglist: @abalonetea @only-book-lovers-left-alive @poore-choice-of-words @leadhelmetcosmonaut @jasperygrace @drippingmoon @athenswrites @magic-is-something-we-create @idreamonpaper @winterandwords @thelaughingstag @revenantlore