#i just want to know what excuse chandler used for it because

[blccmngs]

but also . genuinely . chandler taking a wholeass day off of work to watch the chick so joey can go to rehersal ??

[finalgirlfae]

touch, finn wolfhard

finn x female reader

summary: finn just can’t seem to get enough of his best friend :)

if you don’t like finn smut, don’t read this or comment on it. simple. i really don’t want anyone bitching and moaning in the comments because it’s annoying and i don’t give a shit!

if u do like finn smut, i hope u enjoy<3

finn liked to consider himself a respectable young man. he didn’t do anything that was too out of the ordinary or think any thoughts that any other teenage boy hadn’t.. until there was you. the great reckoning.

he couldn’t seem to control himself around you. you two had been friends for a while, and he always acknowledged that you were really pretty but thought nothing of it. he liked to look at you and admire your kissable lips, perfect hair and pretty eyes. the way your baby hairs fell or the purse of your lips you made when in deep concentration or thought. there’s nothing wrong with admiring your friend. finn thought, that was until the admiration turned into more of a severe sexual pining. everything you did made the boy absolutely feral.

“what do you think about this one?” you asked, turning as he watched the way the short green tennis skirt flowed around your hips. the open window allowed in a gentle breeze which made him narrow his eyes as a hint of your panties were flashed to him.

“i like it better than the pink.” he spoke. he was paying attention- truly. even if half the time he was looking at your hardened nipples and how they poked through your white crop top due to the cold temperature of the room.

you sighed. “i’ll just figure this out in the morning.”

finn watched with a tight jaw as your hands reached for your skirt, tugging it down to reveal your black panties again. your ass was just so fucking perfect. you bent down in front of the dresser, opening the bottom one and pulling out flannel night shorts to change into.

he was fully aware that you could probably feel him staring at your ass, but he couldn’t help himself. you stood up, putting on the shorts and turning around to him with a remote in your hand.

“wanna watch a show?” you asked, sort of snapping him out of his daze.

he only looked at you and nodded, lost in the trance of how good you looked right now. so pretty, he thought. and you were fresh out the shower too, so the scent of vanilla body scrub on your skin did him no justice.

you laid down on the bed facing the tv mounted on to your wall, your feet next to finn’s lap as she scrolled through HBO max beside deciding to settle on friends. it was one of the london episodes.

“would you ever do that?” finn asked, glancing at monica and chandler in bed together the next morning as he played with the anklet around your ankle, pulling at the little gems on it.

“sleep with my best friend?”

he shrugged, though you couldn’t see him, and tried to be nonchalant about it. but really, he wanted to know if it was ever even a possibility that you’d be together intimately- or romantically.

you thought for a second before nodding.,“yeah.”

finn felt himself freeze a bit. “yeah?”

you sat up and paused the tv before turning to face him, you noticed the look in his eyes and smiled a bit to yourself at it. “it’s just nice.. y’know?”

“yeah.” he said in agreement.

you moved closer. “it’s comfortable.”

“mhm.”

“you know them well,” he seemed to lean in closer with every word that fell from your lips. “you know they’ll be good because they know you better than anyone else.” the tomr of your voice was light and teasing, sultry in every was possible.

you watched the way his eyes fell to your lips as his mouth slowly opened and you enjoyed every second of it. you knew finn liked you, you knew it good and well. all the longing stares, the rosy cheeks and touches.

god. his touch.

finn used any and every excuse to touch you and you didn’t mind it the slightest bit. just a moment ago he was playing with your jewelry and before that he played with your hair.

finn would stand close behind you if he could, place his hands on your waist to move you out the way, lean close to you- just anything you get near you.

you enjoyed his affection, and you knew you would be ready to return it if he had just asked. you wanted him to kiss you, to touch you in the ways he’s spent nights dreaming of. you wanted it all. but he had to initiate it.

you turned away quickly and unpaused the episode. “i’m gonna go to the bathroom real quick.”

a small smirk formed on your lips as you reveled in the knowing that you had left him wanting more. you saw the way he was leaning in to kiss you, noticed the trance in his eyes and pulled away anyways. what was the harm in teasing a bit?

you couldn’t even close the door before finn was at it, pushing it open and making you turn around. he stepped closer to you, making you lean back against the counter. you could feel the warmth of his skin from how close he stood.

“it’s comfortable.” he spoke softly, continuing your previous conversation. “you don’t mind it when they look at you like this..’ his eyes swam lust. “or when they touch you like that,” one of his hands moved to your waist while he used the others to hold your chin. “or kiss you like this.”

his lips were warm. the kiss had been long overdue and you both nearly melted into it. his hands began to travel your body, first cupped on your face and then moving down to your hips, massaging them gently before gripping your ass and earning a moan. 

finn wrapped an arm around your waist and began to pull you backwards out of the bathroom and back into you room. he tripped over the bed which earned a laugh from you. as he laid there on his back, you took the opportunity to crawl on top of him, continuing the make out session.

the way his fingers traced over your back sent chills up and down your body, he pushed his lips up to yours and at the same time rutted his hips, trying to create some kind of friction between the two of you.

he sat up, pulling your thighs to make you sit on his lap before flipping the two of you over.

“where the fuck did you learn that?” you smiled, pulling away from his lips. he didn’t say anything as he moved off the bed and on to the floor, on his knees. again he pulled you by your thighs to the edge of the bed.

“can i?” he asked, putting his hands to the hand of your shorts. your heart thumped and you nodded eagerly. finn pulled down your shorts slowly along with your underwear and the urge to close your legs took over.

he seemed patient as ever, standing up to kiss you for reassurance before getting back down. he gently brought your legs apart, staring in awe at how your pussy glistened.

“i’ve wanted to do this for so long..” finn spoke in a breathless manner. he pushed apart your thighs and slowly kissed the inners of them before bringing his face to your pussy and taking the first lick.

your back arched at the feeling of his warm tongue on you. he wasted no time in wrapping his lips around your clit and sliding two long fingers into you.

a breathy “oh my god..” fell from your lips as you reached and grabbed a fist full of his hair, causing the boy to moan into your pussy. the vibration of the sound made your back arch.

he was so good. he curled his fingers in you, pumping them in and out quickly all while he sucked earnestly on your sensitive clit. when he pulled his fingers out, he was quick to replace them with his tongue.

your back arched even more as moans fells again and again from your lips. his nose rubbed against your clit end you felt the knot in your stomach tighten as you came on his face.

but he didn’t stop.

finn continued to tongue fuck your pussy, swallowing everything that you spilled with fervor.

“finn-” you managed to moan out. he seemed to take the hint and pulled away from your pussy slowly, kissing it one last time.

“fuck me. please.” you begged, gripping his arm. finn began to pull off your shirt as you undid his pants, everything moved so quickly.

soon you were both naked on the. he lined up with your entrance, pushing into your pussy with a moan.

“fuck..” finn moaned out. his gripped your hips steadily, setting in at a slow pace. “you’re so wet.” he spoke, peppermint breath fanning over your face. he leaned down, giving your lips and kiss before pushing deeper into you earning a moan.

finn lifted up your leg, placing it over his shoulder and setting one hand next to your head to support himself. with the other his moved it down, using his thumb to rub circles on your puffy clit. every way he touched felt so good.

his name fell from your lips like a prayer as he picked up the pace. this was all he ever dreamed over. looking down on your as your pussy clenched around him, seeing the look of ecstasy on your face as he slammed his hips into yours.

he couldn’t take his eyes off you. your moans were like a symphony to him and he loved that he was the one making that kind of music. when you clenched again, wrapping your legs around his waist and bringing him closer to you in a hug he nearly came then and there.

“i’m so close..” you moaned, biting his shoulder and digging nails into his skin. he groaned at the way your wet pussy pulled him back in. with every stoke of his thick cock he made you see stars.

another moan of his name spilled from your lips as you came on him for the second time that day. you breathed heavily, leaning back down on the bed and cupping his face and his continued to pound into your pussy.

“fuck, you feel so fucking good y/n oh my god” he closed his eyes, throwing his head back as he pulled out and came on you. finn took a breath before laying beside you on the bed, turning to look at your face.

“what are you thinking about?” he asked, placing a hand on your stomach.

“if i took my birth control today..”

finn laughed and leaned up, kissing your lips quickly before pulling you off the bed. “come on, let’s shower.”

•••

[ichorai]

blueberries ; one.

pairing ; joey tribbiani x gn!reader chapter synopsis ; the one with runaway brides, pregnant wives, and homewreckers. wc ; 8.5k warnings / includes ; talks of sex/suggestive content, mild cursing, mentions of cheating, reader is a physicist and also bisexual, literally everyone in the group is fruity other than ross lol

series masterlist. main masterlist.

The pretty waitress strode towards you with a sweet smile, your warm cup of tea balanced on one hand, and Joey’s slice of double fudge cake in the other. She dropped it by the table and you noticed a small piece of folded paper by the edge of your cup. 

Once she was gone, you picked up the paper and unfurled it, a smile growing across your lips.

“Whatcha got there?” Chandler asked, peering over your shoulder. 

“I think it’s the waitress’ number,” you replied, folding it back and pocketing it safely within your jeans. “She’s real pretty.”

Joey, already halfway through with his cake, teasingly spoke around a full mouth, “Too bad you never leave the house other than to hang with us. I can take that number off of you if you never end up using it.”

You shot him a half-hearted scowl, but remained quiet.

Just then, Monica and Phoebe strolled into the cafe, taking a seat on the large sofa beside you and Chandler. 

“There’s nothing to say, really,” the dark-haired woman told Phoebe in a defensive tone. “He’s just some guy I work with.”

“What’re you guys talking about?” Joey asked, having fully inhaled his cake in a matter of minutes. 

“Monica’s going out with someone,” you replied, wrinkling your nose in amusement and curling your legs up beneath you. You drank a sip of your tea as an excuse to hide away from her withering glare. “Isn’t that right, Monica?”

A roguish grin stretched across Joey’s features. “Come on. What’s the catch? You’re going out with a guy—there’s gotta be somethin’ wrong with him.”

“Does he eat chalk?” Phoebe queried, placing a comforting hand on Monica’s shoulder. “I don’t want you to go through what I went through with Carl, you know?”

The five of you grimaced at the memory of Carl.

“It’s not even a date!” said Monica, brushing her dark hair away from her face. “It’s just two people going out to dinner—and not having sex.”

Chandler scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. “Sounds like all the dates I’ve had.”

It was then that Ross came into the cafe, drenched from foot to toe. You glanced behind you to the window, surprised to see that it had started to rain without you realizing. It looked like your long-time friend was crying, but you couldn’t really tell if it was rainwater or tears that were on his face.

“Hi,” he mumbled, morose. 

You arched a brow. “You okay, Ross?”

He shook his head, squeezing between you and Chandler on the sofa. The two of you grimaced when his sodden clothes dripped all over you, and Chandler rolled his eyes before getting up and sinking into another chair. 

“Feels like someone reached down my throat, ripped out my small intestine, pulled it out of my mouth, and tied it around my neck.”

“Cookie?” Chandler offered. Ross ignored him.

Monica sighed. “Carol moved her stuff out today,” she offered as an explanation, knowing Ross would take well over an hour of moping to finally get to the point. “Let me go grab you some coffee.”

As his sister left, Ross crossed his arms, swatting Phoebe away when she tried to cleanse his aura, as she often did. “I’ll be fine—really, I will. I hope she’ll be very happy.”

“No, you don’t, Ross,” you quipped.

“No, I don’t! To hell with her, she left me!”

Joey snorted. “And you never knew she was a lesbian?”

“I knew—” you said pointedly. “Ross just never listened to me.”

“I didn’t think you were being serious!” he exclaimed. “I don’t know, sometimes you joke about things being gay and stuff so I just thought it was a joke I wasn’t in on. Because, you know, I’m not—”

Lightly punching him in the shoulder, you gave him a stern look. “I know you’re not gay, Ross. Why would I joke about your wife being gay?”

“I mean, you did say she was really hot once,” Phoebe chimed, much to your dismay. At your soured expression, the blonde spoke up again, “What? I think she’s hot, too!”

Ross buried his face into his hands, groaning loudly. “Why does everyone keep fixating on the fact that she’s a lesbian? She didn’t know—how would I have known?”

“Didn’t she tell you that she just kinda found dicks gross at one point?” Chandler asked, lounging in an awkward position on the chair. Ross grumbled quietly under his breath, clearly not wanting to continue the conversation of his wife being gay. “Sometimes I wish I was a lesbian. Being bisexual is exhausting—do I want a man to sweep me off my feet or do I want a woman to sweep me off my feet? I’ll never know.”

Monica came back with the cup of coffee, handing it to Ross before turning to you excitedly. “Hey, Y/N. The waitress was asking about you.”

“Oh, yeah? What did she say?”

“She wanted to know if you were single or not.”

With bated breath, you snuck a glance to the counter, watching the pretty waitress take another customer’s order.

“And?”

“I told her you were single,” Monica replied. “Unless there’s something you’re not telling us…?”

“I’m single,” you reassured them. Ross made a strange noise that sounded like Chewbaca choking on a stick at the reminder of being single. “Ross, listen. It’s not your fault that your wife is queer—despite me telling you multiple times that she was—so let’s look at the bright side here. She’s not leaving you because of you. It’s the literal definition of it’s not you, it’s me.”

With a frown, Ross pried his fingers away from his still-damp face. “Yeah, I guess…”

Joey clapped his hands together, bringing everyone’s attention to him. “Alright, Ross, look. You’re feelin’ a lot of pain right now. You’re hurting. Can I tell you what the answer is?”

Ross nodded, apprehensive.

“Strip joints!”

The rest of you groaned. 

Joey shrugged, genuinely confused as to why it wouldn’t be a good idea. “Come on, you’re single now! Gotta release those hormones somehow.”

“See, I don’t want to be single!” Ross exclaimed in exasperation. “I just wanna be married again.”

As if on cue, a woman ran into the cafe, wearing a rather large white wedding dress. She was soaked and breathless, and her dripping brown hair was a mess, and the white fabric was streaked with dirt and mud and city street gunk.

All of you blinked in surprise. 

Chandler gestured to the door in a pleading manner. “And I just want a million dollars!”

“A million dollars really isn’t all that much—ask for a hundred million,” you told him. 

“A billion dollars!” he shouted.

“That’s too much. Nobody should have a billion dollars.”

“A trillion dollars!” he yelled again, ignoring you completely.

You rolled your eyes, before turning your gaze back to the lost woman in a wedding dress.

Concerned, Monica stood up, expression twisted into one of part-disbelief and part-recognition. 

“Rachel?” she asked as she approached the woman. 

“Oh, my God, Monica, thank goodness!” She threw her arms around a stricken Monica, the white fabrics of her wedding dress just about slapping her in the face. She spoke quickly, voice crackling with emotion. “I went to your apartment and some guy with a big hammer said you might be here, and you are! Gosh, I’m just so happy to see you!”

The rest of the group watched the two of them with evident confusion, and Monica led Rachel to the couch. “Oh, everybody, this is Rachel, another Lincoln High survivor. Rachel, this is everybody—that’s Chandler, Phoebe, Joey, Y/N… you remember my brother Ross, don’t you?”

“Sure!” Rachel smiled brightly, strangely cheerful for someone in a ruined, soaking wedding dress.

To make space for her and her rather spacious dress, you got up from the large couch and moved to Joey, bumping his hip playfully to get him to scooch aside on his chair so you could sit beside him. The two of you fought over space for a bit before he relented, grabbing your legs and swinging them over his thighs. You sent him a smug grin as you leaned back comfortably and Joey only stuck his tongue out at you childishly.

“So, uh, are you going to tell us now or are we waiting for four wet bridesmaids, too?” Monica queried. 

“Wouldn’t be so bad, huh?” Joey whispered into your ear, and you jabbed an elbow into his side to shut him up.

“Oh, God,” Rachel started, gesturing emphatically with her hands. It didn’t slip your notice when Ross sat up straight, watching the new woman with wide eyes. “It started about half an hour before the wedding. I was in this room where we were keeping all these presents and I was looking at this gravy boat! This really gorgeous Limoges gravy boat, you see. Which led me to realize that… I was more turned on looking at this gravy boat than by Barry! And I got really freaked out, because how could I get married to someone I think is less attractive than a gravy boat? And I just kinda stare at him and I realize that he looks just like Mr. Potato Head. You know, I always thought he looked familiar but…” she trailed off, looking ready to burst into tears. “Anyway, I just had to get out of there—and I didn’t know anywhere else to go. I know you and I have drifted apart but you’re the only person I know who lived in the city.”

Pursing her lips, Monica eyed Rachel quizzically. “... Who wasn’t invited to the wedding.”

Rachel grimaced. “I was kinda hoping that wouldn’t be an issue.”

You stepped into Monica’s apartment, waving hello to the group of friends gathered on her couch.

“Hey guys,” you greeted, plopping down next to Rachel, still in her wedding dress. “Sorry I had to duck out at the cafe—work called. What’d I miss?”

“Rachel’s staying at Monica’s place now,” replied Phoebe. “I sang her a song to cheer her up!”

From behind the sofa, Joey curled an arm around you, and his other went over Rachel’s shoulders. “Hey, Rach, if you ever need a place to stay—Chandler and I live right across the hall. And Chandler’s away a lot.”

“Can you stop hitting on her?” you hissed, swatting his hand away. “God, Joey, it’s her wedding day!”

“Hey, don’t be jealous. I offered you the same when I first met you!” 

“Jo, honey, I had my own apartment then, and I still have my own apartment now.”

The man shrugged, pressing a quick, chaste kiss to the side of your head. “The offer still stands, sweetheart.”

Rachel raised her eyebrows, gesturing between the two of you. “So are you two… like…?”

“Oh, no!” you exclaimed, slapping a hand over Joey’s mouth to make sure he didn’t say something stupid. “He’s just flirty with everyone.”

Joey’s tongue darted out to lick across your palm and you quickly retracted your hand with an exclamation of disgust, wiping it over his jacket before shoving him. “You’re so gross.”

He trotted away to Chandler in the kitchen before you could hit him again, grinning like a fool.

Just then, the doorbell rang. Chandler peered through the peeping hole, and gasped in an overexaggerated manner.

“It’s Paul the wine guy!”

Phoebe tilted her head. “Monica, is your ‘guy from work’ date Paul the wine guy?”

With a smile, Ross placed a hand on his sister’s arm. “Oh my God, he finally asked you out on a date?”

“Y-Yeah, I was supposed to go out with him for lunch but…” Monica looked at Rachel on the sofa. “Rach, wait, I can cancel!”

“Oh, please, no, you should go, Monica! I’ll be fine!” the brunette assured her. 

“Do you want me to stay, Ross? Will you be okay?” 

Ross looked torn, but you sent him a nasty glare that clearly meant—stop being a whiny bitch baby and let your sister go. He straightened himself, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Yes, of course. You should go.”

Monica skipped to the door with a bright smile, slowly opening it to reveal Paul on the other side with—what do you know, a wine bottle. You pressed a fist to your lips to hide your laugh with a cough.

The man was quite the looker, and you had to roll your eyes to the ceiling when Phoebe started giggling with Monica like schoolgirls. As Monica said her goodbyes and strode out the door with Paul, Rachel and Ross had moved to the kitchen, where he began asking Rachel what her plans were for the night.

“Well, if you’re feeling lonely, you can always come to my place—Chandler and Joey are helping me put together some new furniture.”

Chandler held up a sloshing glass of orange juice he fished from the fridge. “It’s gonna be a blast! I just can’t wait to hit nails with a hammer like a real man!” he said, practically dripping with sarcasm.

“Oh,” said Rachel as she got up. “I’m flattered, really, but I think I just want to unwind here for tonight. It’s been a long day.” She excused herself, heading to the bathroom. 

Though Ross looked a little dejected, Joey and Chandler shrugged it off easily. “Hey, Phoebe, you wanna help out?”

The blonde pursed her lips in thought. “Mm, I wish I could, but I don’t want to.” 

You snorted in amusement, slinging an arm around her.

“What about you, Y/N?” asked Ross. “Could really use the company right now.”

“Oh, sorry, Ross, I can’t,” you winced. “I’ve got to run some calculations for work before tomorrow. I’ve got a presentation first thing on Monday. But call me if you need help, okay?” 

Apologetically, you leaned up to press a kiss to his cheek. 

“Bye, guys. Tell Rachel it was nice meeting her for me, will you? I should get going now.”

“What, and I don’t get a goodbye kiss?” Joey asked, stretching his arms out with an exaggerated pout. 

With a huff, you reluctantly gave him a hug, before swiftly pecking his cheek. “See you guys later, alright? You want a kiss too, Chandler?” 

“Would be nice,” he replied, scuffing the floor with the heel of his shoe. “I’m touch starved.”

“We know,” the four of you replied in tandem, before bursting into laughter.

You leaned over to kiss Chandler’s cheek too, and then Phoebe’s for good measure, before waving one last time and sliding out the door.

It wasn’t even two hours later when you got a call, with Ross yelling something about how he couldn’t feel his legs and how his life was crumbling apart because Chandler hammered a screw into his bookshelf instead of a nail. Joey was in the background moaning about how hungry he was, and Chandler was screaming at Ross to calm down, which obviously made Ross even more upset.

So there you were, standing outside of Ross’ door with two boxes of pizza and sleepy eyes. You passed out on top of your work an hour through, the ringing from Ross’ call being what shocked you awake. 

As soon as the door swung open, Ross immediately enveloped you in a hug, speaking so quickly that it all went in one ear and out the other. Something about his lesbian wife, you supposed. You patted his back lethargically. 

Joey came forward to take the pizzas off of you, somehow already managing to stuff half a slice into his face with one bite. “You’re a lifesaver, Y/N. I could kiss you right now.”

You wrinkled your nose. “Please don’t.”

Littered around Ross’ relatively empty apartment was a bunch of loose piles of wood and metal poles and silver nails and screws haphazardly strewn all over the floor. 

“You guys are a mess.”

For the rest of the time, the three men ate as they watched you tiredly read over the manuals, before slowly but accurately assembling together the furniture. They all clapped once you finally put together the bookshelf—amazed at the fact that it didn’t topple to the ground as soon as you put one book on top, as it did when they tried. 

“You’re good with your hands,” Joey commented slyly. “Wonder what else they’re good at.”

“I’ve been told I’m good at punching people,” you replied dryly, sitting on a single stool and leaning against Joey for support, seeing as Ross didn’t have a couch anymore. You closed your eyes sleepily, and he placed an arm around you. Quietly, you mumbled out, “If I fall asleep, just tell Ross it’s not because I hate him, okay? I have a feeling just about anything would set him off tonight.”

“What if there’s only one person for everybody, you know?” Ross blubbered to Chandler from across the room, proving your point exactly. “What if you just get one chance—and that’s it?”

Pulling a sour expression, Joey cocked his head as he said, “What the hell are you talking about, Ross? One person? That’s so… limiting. It’s like saying there’s only one ice cream flavor you like. Let me tell you something, Ross, there’s tons of ice cream flavors out there. There’s rocky road, and cookie dough, and Bing cherry vanilla! You can get ‘em with jimmies, or nuts, or whipped cream, if you know what I’m saying.” He winked down at you and you pinched his side. “Personally, I think I’m a mint chocolate chip. Chandler—you’re a raspberry sorbet. Y/N, I think you’d be somethin’ like blueberry cheesecake. And Ross… you’re a… vanilla. With nuts, if we’re going wild with it.”

Mildly offended that Joey called him vanilla, Ross opened his mouth to retort something, but Chandler beat him to it.

“You think I’m raspberry sorbet?”

Joey waved the both of them away. “Anyways, the point is, this is the best thing that’s ever happened to you! You got married when you were like, what? Eight? Welcome back to the world—grab a spoon!”

“Though, your options are a bit more limited seeing as you’re the only straight one in this room,” you chimed, lifting your head from Joey’s side with a sleepy grin. Ross shot you a dirty look. 

“Honestly, I don’t know if I’m horny or hungry.”

“Ugh, you’re gross,” you complained, letting your eyes slip back shut. 

Groaning in disgust, Chandler backed away. “Stay out of my freezer.”

 Ross sighed heavily, sliding down the wall and slumping against it as if he were a ragdoll. There was a beer can in his hand, one that he claimed was Carol’s favorite drink, and he took a long swig. 

“Grab a spoon, pfft,” Ross mocked. “Do you know how long it’s been since I grabbed a spoon? You know, even if I could get it together to ask a woman out, who’d I ask?”

Exhaling softly, you moved away from Joey (much to his dismay, he was just getting warm with you cozying up to his side), and sat down beside Ross.

“Hey, dude,” you said, nudging his arm. “It’s okay if you haven’t grabbed a spoon in a while. Grabbing spoons as quickly as you can won’t instantly make things better. Things like this take time—you don’t have to rush into anything. Whatever happens, happens man. You’ll be okay. I mean, it’s not like either of you did anything wrong. It’s just life, you know?”

Tears pricked the corners of Ross’ eyes. He ducked his head so you wouldn’t see, but you knew they were there nonetheless.

“Thanks, Y/N,” he mumbled, sniffling. Pursing your lips, you roped him into an embrace.

“Well, isn’t that nice?” Chandler said, biting down on a slice of pizza. He turned to Joey again with a furrowed brow. “Now back to the things that are actually important. Why on earth do you think I’m raspberry sorbet?”

The next morning, you found yourself having breakfast at Monica’s place, sitting between Chandler and Joey, who had just dumped the coffee Rachel made for them into your cup of tea while her back was turned. 

You kicked both of them underneath the table, but smiled sweetly when Rachel came back, surprised at how quickly the two boys had downed their coffee.

“Would you like some?” Rachel asked. “It’s my first time making it!”

“No!” you blurted out, embarrassingly quick. “Sorry, I’m just—trying to cut back on caffeine.”

“Suit yourself,” she replied, before leaning back against the sink. “I do have a question for you guys though—do you, uhm… all have jobs?”

Monica cocked her head, biting into her buttered toast. “Yeah, we all have jobs. See, that’s how we buy things.”

“Ugh, capitalism,” you muttered under your breath, taking a sip of your mug before realizing that it was full of the bitter coffee that Rachel made, and tried to discreetly spit it back out. Joey noticed however, and patted your back sympathetically.

“You and your fancy words, Y/N,” he said, as if you were just making the word up.

Rachel pulled the dark bathrobe tighter around her figure. “What do all of you do?”

“Well, you know I’m a chef,” said Monica. “Y/N is a physicist, Joey is an actor, and Chandler… uhm… Chandler plays with numbers and data and all that.”

“Wow! Would I have seen you in anything?” she asked Joey.

“Eh, mostly regional work—”

“He was in that Wee One’s production of Pinocchio,” you put in, earning yourself a pinch to the thigh. You grinned at him cheekily.

Chandler barked out a laugh, mimicking the line of, “Look Geppeto, I’m a real live boy!”

“I’m not taking this abuse,” said Joey, standing up to head to the door.

The two of you apologized quietly, before Chandler abruptly stood up and pranced out the door singing, “Once I was a wooden boy, a little wooden boy!”

Joey followed him back to their apartment, yelling out obscenities along the way.

You rolled your eyes. “Love to talk more, ladies, but I’ve gotta head to work.”

“What exactly do you do, though?” Rachel asked. It wasn’t often that you saw someone genuinely curious about your work, other than Ross. 

“I specialize in quantum physics—I do quite a bit of research for my field, and propose theories, and sometimes I lecture students working on their doctorate degrees. In fact, that was how I met Ross—we were both teaching at the same university for a couple months and became friends, and through him, I met the rest of the group.”

Rachel blinked at you with amazement. “That sounds amazing! Do you know how I could get one of those?”

“Er… what?”

“You know. A job. Like the rest of you have.”

Sending Monica a confused glance, you said, “Rachel, have you never had a job before?”

“Well,” she taps her finger against her lips, “I’ve babysat for cash before. Does that count?”

“Oh, honey,” simpered Monica from beside Rachel. “Good luck finding one. I’m sure there’s plenty of restaurants or cafes looking to hire a waitress.”

The memory of the waitress from yesterday flashed into your mind—with her pretty eyes and sweet smile… 

You shook your head, before checking the time. You blanched upon seeing that you were nearly late for your presentation. “Gosh, I gotta run. See you guys later!”

That night, the entire friend group sat around Rachel as she hovered over all the credit cards she had that were paid by her father.

“Come on, give her a break. It’s hard to live on your own for the first time,” Phoebe said.

Rachel frowned at the nice words, as if she was going to cry. “Oh, thank you, Pheebs.”

“Yeah, I remember I was fourteen and my mom had just killed herself and my stepdad was in prison! I didn’t know anybody, so I ended up living with this albino guy who was cleaning windshields outside Port Authority. And then, heh, what do you know, he killed himself, too. Then I found aromatherapy! So believe me, I know exactly how you feel.” The blonde smiled sweetly, and you couldn’t help but give her a one-armed hug from the side.

“Here,” Monica said, handing Rachel a pair of large orange scissors. “Just cut ‘em. You’ll feel so much better afterwards.”

The group began chanting ‘cut, cut, cut!’ as if it were some sort of cult ritual. Finally, Rachel straightened herself and cut through each of the cards, lips puckered in a pout.

“Welcome to the real world,” said Chandler.

“It sucks,” you chimed.

“You’re gonna love it!” exclaimed Monica.

The waitress was staring at you again. You could feel her eyes practically boring holes into the back of your neck. Apprehensively, you turned ever so slightly to meet her gaze, but she quickly pretended to be busy with wiping down the counters.

Joey snapped his fingers in front of your face, bringing your attention back to him.

“Are you even listening?” he asked. 

“No,” you replied easily, which made him snort out a laugh.

Monica gestured wildly as she explained again to the confused men. “It’s just, for us, kissing is as important as any part of it.”

“Yeah, right,” Joey scoffed. Once he realized that the three women were dead serious, he furrowed his brows. “Wait, you’re not pulling my leg?”

Nodding emphatically, Rachel said, “Everything you need to know is in that first kiss!”

With a shrug, Chandler put forth, “Yeah, I think for us, kissing is more like an opening act. It’s like the stand-up comedian you have to sit through before Pink Floyd comes out.”

Ross murmured his agreement rather sheepishly. “Right, and it’s not like we don’t like the comedian, it’s just that… that’s not why we bought the ticket.” 

“What about you, Y/N?” asked Phoebe. “Do you prefer the comedian or… Pink Floyd?”

With a hum, you traced the rim of your teacup with your pointer finger before sighing. “I don’t really have a concrete answer for that, honestly. Both the comedian and the actual show are great, but—sometimes I don’t even want the comedian at all, and sometimes I don’t want the show at all. It depends on the person and the situation.” A bit quieter, you tacked on, “Sometimes the longer the comedian drags on, the better the show’ll be after. And sometimes the comedian and the show perform at the same time—you guys gotta think outside the box, here.”

The rest of the group blinked at you owlishly. 

With a smile, Rachel whooped. “Y/N, you little devil! I didn’t know you were into foreplay! But you know what, you’re right. Maybe the comedian should never leave the stage!”

Heat flushed your cheeks at Rachel’s loud words. You wondered if the waitress could hear your conversation. “Woah, I never said that—”

“I’m confused,” Joey interjected. “Are we still talking about sex?”

You watched in amusement as Chandler and Joey began digging into Monica’s lasagne in search of Rachel’s lost wedding ring. A bit of sauce smeared over Joey’s cheek and you reached over to wipe it away with your thumb, muttering out how ridiculous they looked nearly elbow-deep in cheese and pasta.

There was a knock at the door, and when Monica swung it open, you were greeted with a forlorn Ross. Honestly, when wasn’t he forlorn these days?

“Hi,” he said, looking like he wanted a hole to open up in the ground and swallow him whole.

“Why the long face?” you asked, moving away from the pair rifling through the lasagna to the Geller siblings by the door. 

Ross’ voice cracked a little as he replied, “Carol’s pregnant.”

“I found it!” Phoebe exclaimed from behind you, which was funny because she didn’t have any lasagna on her hands while the other two boys held handfuls of the pasta. She held the ring up, covered in marinara sauce and small chunks of beef, holding it out to Rachel.

Monica’s face dropped in shock. “Wh-Wha—? Wh… What?” 

“Yeah. Do that for another two hours, and you might be where I am right now,” Ross said, walking into the apartment. 

Placing a hand on his shoulder, you led him to the couch for him to take a seat. “How do you fit into this whole thing?”

“Carol says she and Susan want me to be involved, but if I’m not comfortable with it—then I don’t have to be. Basically, it’s totally up to me.”

Phoebe called out from the sink as she washed her hands, “She’s so great! I miss her.”

They half-heartedly glared at her, but you stifled a laugh. 

“What does she mean by involved?” asked Monica.

“Presumably, the biggest part of your job is done!” Chandler added, which earned him a light punch to the shoulder.

Scratching his head, Ross loosened his tie, feeling like he was being suffocated. “They want me to go down to this sonogram thing with them tomorrow. I have no idea if I’m going or not. No matter what I do, though… I’m still going to be a father.”

Clattering from the kitchen made the group turn their heads to see Joey practically attacking the lasagna with a spoon that was far too big, shoveling the pasta into his mouth. At the incredulous stares, Joey flinched defensively. “What? This is still ruined, right?”

Ross stood beside the television as he showed everybody the sonogram of the baby, a smile etched permanently across his face. “Isn’t that just amazing?”

You were just about to chime in about how big they already look, but Joey beat you to it by asking, “What the hell am I supposed to be looking at? Is that its foot or its head?”

“If you tilt your head to the left and relax your eyes, it kinda looks like an old potato,” Phoebe said as she squinted in concentration at the screen.

Ross eyed her warily. “Then don’t do that.”

From beside you, Monica started tearing up, and you could hear her little sniffles. Man, do the Gellers cry a lot. You wrapped an arm around her waist and she leaned her head onto your shoulder as the two of you watched the sonogram. 

“How’d your date go, Pheebs?” you asked the blonde as she walked into Central Perk. 

She made a noise of discontent, tugging her light blue coat off. “Not so good. He walked me to the subway and said, ‘we should do this again’.”

The rest of the group grimaced, saved for Rachel, who appeared confused.

“What? He said they should do it again—isn’t that good?”

“Uh, no,” Monica interjected, raising a finger. “Loosely translated, ‘we should do this again’ means ‘you will never see me naked’!”

Rachel reared back. “Since when?” 

“Since always!” said Joey. “It’s, like, dating language. How ‘it’s not you’ always means ‘it is you’.”

Chandler nodded. “Or ‘you’re such a nice guy’ means ‘I’m going to be dating leather-wearing alcoholics and complaining about them to you’! Not speaking from personal experience or anything.”

“Or how ‘I think we should see other people’ means ‘hah! I already am!’” Phoebe added.

“And everybody just knows this? Y/N, you’re the smart one. Is this true?”

You shrugged a shoulder. “Well, I’d say it’s less about the phrase itself and more about how people use it nowadays. Nobody says ‘you’re such a nice guy’ without some sort of intention of friendzoning them, right?” 

Rachel still appeared miffed, so Joey piped up, “Yeah, it cushions the blow.”

“Like when you’re a kid and your parents put your old dog to sleep and they tell you it went off to live on some farm,” Chandler explained.

From opposite you, Ross’ eyes lit up. “That’s funny, because our parents actually did send our dog off to live on a farm!”

The rest of the group stared at him. 

“Uh, Ross—?” Monica started.

“Hello? The Milner’s farm in Connecticut? You don’t remember that? The Milners, they had this unbelievable farm and they had horses and rabbits that he could chase and…” The words died on his tongue as it slowly began to dawn upon him. “Oh, my God, Chi-Chi!”

The couch sank beneath your weight as you sat down, Joey’s script in hand.

“How could you do this to me, Tom? I thought we were best friends,” you read off the paper, trying your best not to laugh at Joey’s concentrated expression.

Joey was walking around with his hands perched on his hips, uttering the next line, “I was never only your friend. I loved you.”

The two of you looked at each other for a moment, before you allowed a smile to break through.

“That was great, Jo!”

“Yeah?” He cuffed you on the shoulder with a genuine grin. “Let’s keep going.”

It was then that Chandler walked out from his room, waving hello to you. “What’re you two doing?”

“Practicing,” Joey replied. “Got a big audition coming up.”

Clearing your throat, you read the next line, standing up so you’d be able to face Joey. “What do you expect me to say, Tom?”

Joey shook his head, shoulders slumping. You couldn’t help but be impressed at how quickly he could fall into character. “Tell me you love me back.”

“I…” You stared at him, watching the way his gaze would dart from your eyes to your lips, and back up again. Man, he was a great actor. “I can’t tell you that.”

He sighed, resigned. “Then I’m going out for a smoke.”

Brandishing a cigarette from his pocket, he used a lighter to set off the end, before inhaling sharply. Not a second later, he was coughing with a grimace plastered across his face. “Damn it! How am I ever going to get the part if I don’t know how to smoke properly? This tastes awful.”

“Relax your hand,” Chandler chimed, sitting down on the couch. “Let your wrist go. No, wait, not so much. Alright, good. Now try taking a puff.”

Inhaling softly this time, Joey looked to the side, white plumes falling from the edges of his lips. He coughed once more. “Nope, no. I hate this!”

“Okay, no, give it to me.”

“I’m not giving you a cigarette!” Joey protested, pulling his arm away.

“No, it’s fine. You wanna get this part or not?”

You sat back down, grinning. “If it’s any motivation, I think smoking is hot. I don’t find smokers hot because, you know—lung cancer and everything—but the act of smoking? That’s hot.”

Joey narrowed his eyes at you, before reluctantly handing Chandler the cigarette.

“Alright, don’t think of it as a cigarette. Think of it as the thing that has been missing from your hand. When you’re holding it, you feel right. You feel complete.” Slowly, he brought it up to his mouth to take a puff, and as soon as his lips touched the end, he let out a loud groan as he exhaled. “Oh, my God.”

You had to wrestle him to take the cigarette away before he could breathe in any more. 

Later that night, you were back at Central Perk, sitting by Monica, who had her hand extended out in front of her. “They say that it’s from the tip of a guy’s thumb to the tip of his index finger.”

The three men, Ross, Chandler, and Joey, began extending their own hands, looking at the distance with disdain. 

You chortled a laugh when Ross asked if he could use either thumb.

Rachel strode up to the couches with a tray full of drinks. “Alright, don’t tell me! Decaf cappuccino for Joey, black coffee for Ross, latte for Chandler, peppermint mocha for Y/N, and an iced tea for Monica!”

She handed out each drink with a proud grin, and none of you had the heart to tell her that she had gotten every drink mixed up—save for yours. You began nursing your mocha with a small grin to her.

“I’m getting pretty good at this!” she exclaimed. God, she was so cute, you thought fondly as she walked away to take another customer’s order.

When her back was turned, the drinks were finally switched around, and you watched in amusement as they hurriedly exchanged mugs. It was then that Phoebe walked in, making incoherent noises and hands fluttering about as she muttered.

“You okay, Phoebe?” asked Joey. 

She waved him away. “Yeah, no, it’s not even worth—okay, I guess I’ll tell you guys about it. It’s my bank!”

Monica leaned forward. “What did they do to you?”

“I open up my mail and look at my monthly statement, and there’s five hundred extra dollars in my account!”

“Congrats!” you exclaimed just as Chandler sarcastically gasped out, “Satan’s minions at work again!”

“Now I have to go down there and deal with them,” Phoebe moped.

“What’re you talkin’ about?” crowed Joey. “Keep it!”

Vehemently, Phoebe shook her head. “No, it’s not mine! I didn’t earn it! If I kept it, it’d be like stealing!”

Rachel came back around with a cup of coffee, leaning over to tell Phoebe, “Yeah, but if you spent it, it’d be like shopping!” 

“Okay, but I’d never be able to enjoy it, you know? It’d be like this giant karmic debt!” she cried out, clearly frustrated with the entire ordeal. 

You would’ve replied with something to comfort her, but the thought was torn from you when you noticed Chandler awkwardly bent over the couch, as if trying to hide something.

“Dude, what are you doing?” you asked, peering over to look. “Damn it, Chandler!” you yelled, grabbing him by the belt and hauling him upright. 

With a roll of his eyes, he sat up, white smoke falling from his mouth as he blew out, defeated.

“Gross!” Monica yelled.

“You’ve been so good for three years, I can’t believe you!” said Phoebe. 

“And this,” Chandler held up the cigarette, “is my reward!”

Shaking his head, Ross held a hand out. “Hold on a second, remember what happened the last time you quit?”

“Okay, so this time I won’t quit! If anything, you should be angry at Joey and Y/N, they were smoking it all up in our apartment this morning!”

The two of you gasped. “No, we weren’t! I hate smoking!” Joey yelled. “Y/N was the one that said smoking was hot!”

You smacked his arm. “The act of it is, actual smokers aren’t hot! Don’t you remember what I said about lung cancer? Chandler, don’t pin the blame on us, you chose to smoke!”

Exasperated, Chandler groaned. “Fine. I’m putting it out.” He threw the cigarette into Phoebe’s coffee, much to her dismay. 

“Alright,” Monica said, inching away from the group. “I gotta change—I’ve got a date soon.” You briefly remembered her mentioning that things hadn’t gone so well with Paul, so she was exploring the dating pool once again.

“Is this Alan again?” Rachel asked excitedly. “How’s it going?”

A smile spread across Monica’s features. “It’s going good! He’s nice.” 

“So when do we get to meet the guy?” asked Joey.

“Hm…” Monica tapped a finger against her lips. “Never. See you guys!”

“Come on!” the group exclaimed after her. 

“No!” she said. “Not after what happened with Steve!”

Snorting, Chandler shook his head. “What are you talking about? We loved Shteve. Shteve wash shexy!”

The rest of the group hid their laughter behind cups of coffee. 

“Look, I don’t even know how I feel about him yet. Just give me a chance to figure it out.”

“Then we can meet him?” asked Rachel, hopeful.

Monica grinned. “Nope! Bye, guys!” With that, she skipped out of the cafe. 

You drank the rest of your mocha, placing the mug onto the table and leaving a large tip for Rachel beneath the cup—you were honestly quite flattered that out of all the orders, she had gotten yours right. 

“I better get going, too.”

“What?” asked Joey. “Where are you going?”

“Uh…” You scratched the back of your neck. “Work.”

Ross arched a brow. “I thought you said you had the day off today. What’s going on?”

“Oh, my God!” Phoebe exclaimed. “You’re seeing someone!”

The group burst out into a dozen questions at once and you held your hands up. “Woah, woah! I’m not seeing someone, I just—” 

“Is it that waitress that gave you her number?” Joey interrupted, a bit less enthusiastic than everybody else. 

Heat crawled up your neck and festered into your face. “Yeah, but it’s not a date,” you sighed. “It’s just a casual meet up.”

“So… sex,” Chandler deadpanned.

You rolled your eyes. “Yes, sex. Don’t be such a child about it.”

“How long have you been doing this?” Rachel gasped, resting a hand on your arm. “And why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, a little whiny. 

“Around, uh, a week, I think? And I didn’t tell you because it just feels… I don’t know, embarrassing?”

“Oh, honey, you don’t have to be embarrassed around us!”

Joey blanched. “A week? How many times have you guys done it?”

“Oh, God, Joey, I’m not going to tell you about my sex life. I’m running late already—I’ll see you guys later!”

With that, you practically dashed out of the cafe, heart beating irregularly quickly and cheeks set aflame.

“Do you all promise?” 

Ross rolled his eyes. “Yes, Mon, we promise we’ll be good.”

You nodded with a sweet smile in hopes of quelling her growing anxiety of letting her closest friends meet a guy she was dating. 

Not a second later, Phoebe stormed into Monica’s apartment, sitting down right beside you and showing you a letter from her bank. 

“Dear Ms. Buffay, thank you for calling attention to our error. We have credited your account five hundred dollars. We’re sorry for the inconvenience, and hope you’ll accept this football phone as our free gift.” She pulled out a large brown phone in the shape of, what do you know, a football, looking so cross you could’ve sworn steam was coming out of her ears. “Can you believe this? Now I have a thousand dollars and a football phone!”

Blinking in astonishment, Rachel snatched the letter from you, exclaiming, “What bank is this?”

The door rang, cutting any further questions about Phoebe’s strange bank off. 

“He’s here!” Rachel exclaimed, throwing the letter away somewhere behind her, clapping her hands excitedly.

Before Monica opened the door, she clasped her hands together and addressed the entire group. “Please be good. Please? Remember how much you like me and try not to make fun of him too much.”

“So?” Monica started, anxiously brushing dark strands of hair away from her face. “Let the Alan-bashing begin. Who’s gonna take the first shot?”

The group awkwardly glanced at each other, strangely silent. 

If you had to admit, you rather liked Alan. He was funny, charming, and had real pretty eyes.

“I’ll go,” said Ross. “Let’s start with the way he kept… ugh, no, I’m sorry, I can’t. Can’t do it! We loved him.”

The rest of them chimed in their agreement enthusiastically.

“Wait a minute, we’re talking about someone that I’m going out with?” Monica asked, incredulous.

“Know what was great? The way his smile was kind of crooked,” Joey sighed, dreamily looking off into space. 

With a scoff, you slapped his thigh. “Watch it, Joey. Wouldn’t want you catching feelings for Monica’s boyfriend here.”

“Jealous, much? Want me all to yourself?” he asked flirtatiously, leaning down closer to you. You wrinkled your nose and shoved him away.

The rest of the group began chattering about Alan again, and how he did the best impression of David Hasselhoff.

You turned back to Joey. “Both of us know you can’t stick to one person, Jo.” Your words were meant to be teasing and light-hearted, but you couldn’t help but notice the way Joey’s face fell just a bit at your words.

“I can stick to you,” he said, uncharacteristically softly, fingers threading between yours. “You’re a pretty sticky person, you know?”

“Har, har, har. That’s funny, Joey,” you crooned sarcastically. “Also really gross. Don’t call me sticky ever again.”

Joey smiled at you, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. You decided not to say anything about it, and turned your attention back to the group and listened to them fawn over Alan.

Back at Central Perk, you had just come out of the bathroom in time to hear the gang berating Chandler for smoking again, and you sat down between Ross and Joey on the large couch. 

“This is so unfair,” Chandler barked, blowing out white plumes of smoke. “So I have a flaw—big fucking deal! Like Joey’s constant knuckle-cracking isn’t annoying? Or Ross, with his over-pronouncing every goddamn word! And Monica, with that snort when she laughs! Or when Y/N refuses to get Chinese takeout because they use styrofoam containers and they hate the sound of styrofoam! I haven’t had Chinese takeout in months! I accept all of those flaws, why can’t you accept me for this?”

The entire group pursed their lips and dejectedly hung their heads in silence.

“You can just order Chinese takeout on your own,” you grumbled under your breath. “You don’t always have to have me there.”

“Yeah, well, then I’d feel bad!” replied Chandler, crossing his arms like a child. “I’d be chewing on my pork dumplings and thinking—man, I betrayed one of my closest friends for this.”

“Does the knuckle cracking bother everybody, or just him?” asked Joey, hands glued firmly to his sides, as if he had to consciously remind himself not to crack them. 

Placing a hand on his shoulder, you faked a look of reassurance, before deadpanning, “We could live without it, Jo.”

“Is it just a little annoying? Or is it like when Phoebe chews her hair?”

As if on cue, Phoebe spat out locks of blonde that she was working between her teeth. You coughed to hide your growing smile. 

“Don’t listen to him, Pheebs, alright? I think it’s endearing,” said Ross.

Joey frowned, then spoke again, over-enunciating each word. “Oh, you do, do you?”

Monica snort-laughed, which made Chandler gesture erratically towards her. 

“There’s nothing wrong with speaking correctly!” Ross defended.

“Indeed, there isn’t!” Rachel proudly gesticulated, also poking fun at Ross with overstretched syllables. At Ross’ withering glare, she squeaked, “I should really get back to work!” 

“Otherwise, someone might get what they actually ordered,” Phoebe muttered quietly, but not quiet enough for Rachel not to hear.

The brunette’s jaw dropped. “Oh, so the hair comes out and the gloves come on!”

The entire group burst into a raucous argument, and you found yourself somehow defending and protesting against both Phoebe and Joey at the same time. From the corner of your eye, you could see Chandler get up and walk away with a skip in his step, and a lit cigarette in hand.

It was a little past two in the morning. You had barely thrown anything on except for a worn black hoodie and a pair of jeans that had holes in the pockets. But you just needed to leave—it felt like you couldn’t breathe in your own apartment.

A part of you considered going to Monica’s. 

But for some reason unbeknownst to you, you found yourself in front of Joey’s bedroom, having gotten through their front door with an emergency spare key they had given you. This wasn’t really an emergency, but you’ve used it for lesser reasons.

Swallowing down the lump in your throat, you knocked on the door.

A couple seconds later, a groggy Joey swung it open, dark hair messily strewn over his head. He was rubbing his fists into his eyes, muffling a yawn as he said, “Oh, hi, Y/N. You missed a lot this afternoon—Chandler quit smoking, Phoebe found a thumb in a can of soda and got seven thousand bucks for it, Monica broke up with Alan and I’m obviously devastated about it but—”

He immediately stopped in his brief recap of the day when he finally looked at you properly, noticing the way your eyes were puffy and red, as if you’d been crying. There were dried tear tracks on your cheeks, barely visible beneath the dim moonlight streaming through the window across the room. 

“Hey, hey,” his hands were on your shoulders instantly, roping you closer to him in a warm embrace. You buried your head into his chest, lips trembling as you staved away the burning urge to sob right into him. “Are you okay? What’s going on?”

Gently, he led you into his room, sitting you down on his bed. 

“I don’t even know… it’s not that big of a deal, I just… felt so overwhelmed,” you croaked, pulling your knees up to your chest. 

“What happened?” he asked, sitting down beside you and slinging a protective arm over your back. 

“You remember that waitress that I had a thing with?”

Joey hummed.

“Well, she’s married. And she’s got a kid. I didn’t know, obviously. I just… I don’t know. She told me while we were messing around, like—how fucked up is that? I mean, it’s bad enough that you’re using me to cheat on someone that you’ve got a kid with, but it’s even worse to bring that up while we were… doing it, you know? I told her to leave and she begged me to hear her out. She wouldn’t go, and got angry at me for some fucking reason, so I told her I’d leave the apartment and if she wasn’t gone by the time I got back I’d call the cops on her. I know it wasn’t really my fault but—I still feel terrible about it. I don’t want to be the reason a family falls apart, Joey.” 

You were shaking against him, and a stray tear meandered down your cheek. 

There wasn’t really much Joey could say. He was never very good at comforting people.

He pressed a kiss to your cold forehead, brushing away haphazard strands of hair. 

“You wanna stay over?” he offered, patting his bed. “I can sleep on the couch.”

Wordlessly, you pulled back his comforter and laid down, exhausted beyond relief. 

Joey patted your back one more time for good measure, before getting up to head to the living room.

“No,” you mumbled, hand loosely wrapping around his wrist. “Please stay here with me.”

Hesitant, he asked, “You sure?”

Joey never got a response—you had already fallen asleep. With a shrug, he slid into the bed beside you, winding his arms over you and cradling you from behind. His nose pressed into your shoulder and he inhaled sharply, noting with pleasant surprise that you smelled like blueberries. 

“Good night, Y/N.”

You shifted in his hold so that your arm laid over his that was thrown over your waist. 

Joey fell into an easy, dreamless sleep in no less than a minute.

[starshipsofstarlord]

Bing Bong Bing;

So I’ve seen a bunch of friends fics being written and I thought I’d give it a go so voila enjoy x

Summary - awaking in the middle of the night draws a fear to you, only for your best friend to find out your well kept secret

Pairing - Chandler Bing x Monica’s roommate!Reader

Warnings - dangerous use of frying pans, secret relationships

A racket reverberated from the kitchen, echoing through the hall and there was no doubt someone outside. You couldn’t help but walk out of your room which was next to Monica’s and plod through the living space through the dead of night, all to witness your roommate holding a frying pan suspiciously and Chandler cradling the crown of his head.

“What is going on here?” You groggily asked, screwing your eyebrows up at the situation, not knowing all too well how to intake the scene given the fact that you were still half asleep and wishing to god that all things remained sealed by any lips present. “Don’t tell me you hit Chandler with the pan Mon!”

“No I’m just holding my head for an entirely different reason and Monica hit somebody else on the head with it.” Monica had her arms crossed as she looked between the pair of you, her senses picking up on evidence of panic that was slowly growing from you as you awoke to an understanding state.

“Anything you wanna tell me y/n?” She asked, tucking her weapon of choice behind her elbow as she quirked a brow at you and crossed her arms. You could only imagine how her cooks responded to her but you weren’t ready to give in so easily, she’d have to cook you a little longer.

“I mean if it were Joey at least he wouldn’t be able to lose any more brain cells.” You offered with a sly smile, earning a eye roll from the younger Geller sibling. Chandler huffed, asking if anybody was going to fetch him something to ice his injury with before he walked to the freezer himself.

“About why Chandler was sneaking in at this time y/n? Got any ideas on that?” You bit your bottom lip for a second as you thought before the perfect excuse rang through your brain that hadn’t been rattled by a metal utensil or at least yet. You’d have to remember to leave your key at home if you went over to Chandler and Joeys otherwise you’d be caught red handed all again.

“Um I reckon he snuck in to steal food like he always does.” You shrugged causing Monica to silently turn to your male friend in question to see if that was really the reason.

“I’ve stolen food now to ice the lump that is gonna expand from my scalp.” He gestured to the bag of peas that he was holding to his head. “But yes I came here to get food because I love food, food is beautiful and I never want to spend a second away from food. I can’t sleep without food beside me because I worry about food and if I were in the same apartment as food I’d do the same thing to protect food if someone was trying to break in as Monica just did!” He exasperated breathing heavy from the metaphorical rant that he had just spoken.

“Food loves you too Chan.” You spoke, understanding all that he was putting across and as you had said that a weight was lifted from his very chest. “And food is sorry that Monica hit you with the frying pan.”

“Something tells me we’re not talking about food. I’m a chef and even I’m not this attached to it, I get it. You love him you love her, and you didn’t want anyone to know about this little affair behind closed doors, not even me…”

“Mon come on, it’s not like I didn’t want you to know, your my best friend of course I wanted you to. But-“

“Enjoy your food, I’ll see you guys in the morning.” She put the frying pan on the side and walked to her room leaving you and Chandler alone after the two of you had confessed your love for each other.

“Maybe next time I’ll get a takeaway at my place.” He suggested causing you to laugh as he walked closed and as he did so you grabbed the bag of peas and held them in place for him. “You know she’ll forgive you she’s just mad you didn’t tell her, all with pass and you’ll be as tight as magnets again.”

“Or as close as that frying pan was on your head.”

[dragonfly0808]

The Heathers Soundtrack Essay: You Only Have Yourselves to Blame for This

(I may not be wording this as well as I’d like cause I’m sick as fuck and I’m not sure I’m thinking very clearly but I’ll try to be cohesive)

Beautiful

So, Beautiful is such a good start to our story. It’s an 8 minute track but not a second of it feels unnecessary or boring. This is a perfect track not just to set the scene and the mood of Veronica’s high school and the people there, but it also does a great job at introducing almost every single important character in this musical.

For Veronica I personally get the vibe of someone who used to be, and may still want to be positive but has just been worn down by the cruelty of not ‘fitting in’ and being deemed an outcast. (As someone who was bullied for years for the stupidest reasons ever -being short and reading- I really feel every lyric from Veronica.) Veronica in this song tells us, we used to be so beautiful as children when we were innocent and we didn’t buy into steroetypes and stupid societal hierarchies, why can’t we go back to that? I am pissed that we can’t go back to that. I want to burn this place down because of all the pain I’ve been given for no real reason. At the end of the song, she seems to regain some of her hope and positivity at the chance of being one of the Heathers.

Martha feels like she’s trying to cling to her positivity. Like someone who indulges in the fantastical for some good old’ escapism (‘I’m a sucker for a happy ending’) she just gives me barely-holding-on vibes from what few lines she has here.

Kurt and Ram, I’ll only say, they’re asses and they sell it.

The moment when they’re all singing and lines overlap with each other is beautiful. Like, everyone is struggling in different ways, even if not everyone shows it.

Then… the Heathers. They’re moment in the bathroom perfectly sets each one of them up. Heather McNamara as the ‘softest’ of the Heathers and the most insecure as well as maybe a tiny bit ditzy. Her intro sets her up perfectly but also, later on we’ll see just how many layers she has.

Heather Duke, she cares ever so slightly about McNamara but is a bitch to Veronica, snapping at her for no real reason.

And of course… Heather Chandler, the icon. She’s just bitchy but in an almost classy way that I can’t really describe and I love her.

Also, quick note on the bathroom scene: I find it interesting the way the teacher, Miss Flemming speaks in this scene. Like, she’s almost giddy to have an excuse to put the Heathers in detention and very clearly doesn’t give a single flying shit about McNamara throwing up and in fact makes it a joke ‘Perhaps you didn’t hear the bell over all the vomiting-‘. That to me could be a nod to those teachers who just make high school/school in general worse than it has to be. Teachers that target specific students or that try and make themselves feel superior in weird ways. You know which ones I’m talking about.

Right now, I have a specific teacher that loves to embarrass students and it’s really fucking draining.

But yeah, Beautiful to me may be my favorite intro track to a Musical. It just works so well, I love it!

200/100

Candy Store

Do I have to say anything about this song? Come on, we all love it. It embodies the Heathers, especially Chandler perfectly. Heather Chandler is a grade A bitch. She’s unapologetic and she doesn’t really seem to have a conciense and if it is it is tied to a chair and gagged. Like, I think Heather Chandler would either never really see the error of her way (more accurately, she does know it’s wrong but she just never cares) or she gets to a point in which she realizes that she’s a bad person and tries to change for the better. But that obviously will never happen for her character so she’s stuck in this place in time/in her life when she truly did not give a single flying shit about anything or anyone. And that’s what truly allows her to shine.

Heather Chandler isn’t supposed to be a tragic character, that’s what Candy Store represents to me, she’s horrible and doesn’t care about even her closest friends. But she’s forced into being a tragic character with a sob story by Veronica and JD later in the story. And it’s this fake narrative that changes how everyone looks at her.

In the song we also see a bit of the dynamic between the Heathers. Like how Duke seems to want the spotlight but is literally shoved back by Chandler. How McNamara mostly goes along with everything but also her line ‘if she had your shot, she would leave you to rot’ gives me teeny tiny projection vibes from her.

250/100

Fight For Me

I love this song. It’s so… it’s almost corny and cheesy but in the best way possible.

I don’t have much to say other than listening to this with headphones truly just transports you to another world, you really get into it and it’s awesome.

(Though I will never forget that time it came up on shuffle during a car ride and my mom just kinda stared at me cause, the beginning is literally just ‘Holy shit’ x 20)

95/100

Freeze Your Brain

I love JD so much… his songs may be my fave…

Freeze Your Brain is just so amazing, it gives you a lot of insight not just into his character but also his mindset at the moment.

He’s just kinda given up in a way, why bother with making bonds with other people if he’s going to have to leave eventually?

He’s almost drifting through life, untethered to anything or anyone with no real purpose. At this point, he’s still a frozen lake.

He doesn’t see the point but he still doesn’t want to straight up die. So he does the best that he can to not feel the emptiness and pain inside this. ‘Happiness comes when everything numbs, who needs cocaine?’

And of course, the best line (and my fave) in the song:

‘And when the voice in your head says you’re better off dead, don’t open a vein! Freeze your brain.’ This is also the only moment in which we see his shield crack a bit, his voice changes, and we hear a tiny bit of the pain within him when he hits the high note.

200/100

Big Fun

Kurt and Ram are assholes, Veronica is way in over her head, Martha is too pure for this world, Duke is berated by Chandler and Heather Chandler is a menace to society.

What’s new?

Also, ‘There’s no alcohol in this, are you trying to poison me?’ Made me laugh way more than it should have.

And, ‘Showing up here took some guts, time to rip them out’ … Heather?! What the fuck?! She’s an absolute menace and I love it. STEP ON ME!

Just a fun song to reinforce what we already know about the characters and to exaggerate the high school experience.

90/100

Dead Girl Walking

…she’s an icon. We know her, we love her. She’s a legend.

A bop to lose one’s viriginity to (I’m Ace DO NOT take that seriously)

But in all seriousness I love this song. Veronica is just spiraling and truly decides ‘fuck it’ and goes to JD’s house.

‘So the world’s unfair keep it locked out there. In here it’s beautiful. Let’s make this beautiful’. These are two outsiders, two ‘others’ finding comfort in each other.

I think this: ‘I know it’s cause you’re beautiful, you say you’re numb inside but I can’t agree.’ Is when JD truly falls for Veronica, I think he was always attracted to her but I think this was his …oh moment.

Aside from deepening their relationship and being (in my opinion) the moment they both truly fall in love it’s just loads of fun and a bop.

250/100

The Me Inside of Me

This is when the chaos truly begins.

Veronica and JD accidentally kill Heather Chandler and now they want to make it seem like a suicide. So Veronica fakes a suicide letter.

I… love this song. Honestly more because of the… almost critisism of society than the actual song ajajjajaa

So, as I said earlier Heather Chandler isn’t really presented as a tragic or misunderstood character. But that’s exactly what she becomes when Veronica literally manipulates her narrative in the suicide note.

Now, Heather Chandler is suddenly this misunderstood girl that no one truly saw. She’s more of a concept for people to project their own pain and fears on to.

The teachers that thought she was the devil all of a sudden are saying ‘Oh, we just misjudged her. This is the loveliest suicide note I’ve ever read’.

She almost becomes a spectacle (which Heather herself seems to love ‘I’m bigger than John Lennon!’). All of a sudden everyone cares when before, everyone hated her.

Then there’s the line ‘Heather would be so proud of you!’ Which just makes me feel icky in the best way possible cause like… how the fuck would you know that? You are the one who said Heather was misjudged and never thought much of her but one read of the suicide note and you know her mindset?

Idk if I’m explaining myself all that well but let’s just say that I love how almost ironic this is and how everyone seems to see Heather as a martyr and someone to project their own feelings on to. Especially since we only really get the reactions of outsiders, not the Heathers or her parents who actually knew her and were (supposedly) close to her.

They only see her as someone who just maybe may have needed help after her death.

I just love it

200/100

Blue

This will be short. I’ll just say that this song had no right to be that fucking hilarious. You could take almost any lyric of this song out of context and it’d still be either hilarious or absolutely stump you.

Like, first time listening you’re just like… what the actual fuck is happening? Third time you’re screaming along cause you just can’t not do it.

100/100

Our Love is God

Welp, this is the start of JD’s unhinged arc…

First off we just have gorgeous, gorgeous vocals and I just die at the final high note every single time ugh!

Now. First part of the song (pre Kurt and Ram showing up) is beautiful.

It shows what we already know to be true. That deep down both Veronica and JD are incredibly vulnerable kids who just want someone to lean on. Someone to say ‘You’re not alone’, someone to understand not just the pain, but the rage that can come from years of being picked on, of being alone.

‘Are you okay?’ ‘I was alone. I was a frozen lake, but then you melted me awake see now I’m crying to.’ SOMEBODY SEDATE ME

We also get a tiny peek, a hint at what will happen later in the song from the very start ‘They made you cry. But that will end tonight. You are the only thing that’s right about this broken world. Go on and cry. But when the morning comes, we’ll burn it down and then we’ll build the world again.’ We already know that JD is depressive and maybe even suicidal. We know that he’s kinda given up on life and is just drifting through. Then he meets Veronica, who dissolves the numbness.

Of course she’s gonna be important to him and he’s going to be pissed when she’s hurt… but we don’t realize just how far JD is willing to go until later on.

Then… Kurt and Ram show up at the cemetery and what Veronica believes to be a prank… ends up being real.

She watches JD kill both of them and slowly realizes that, ‘I worship you’ ‘We’re what killed the dinosaurs, we’re the asteroid that’s overdue’ ‘they died because God said they must, the new world needed room for me and you’. Meant something a little different to JD than what it meant to her.

I think the last part of the song can be summed up by ‘And it was at this moment she knew, she fucked up.’

350/100

My Dead Gay Son

Another song more on the comedy side, I love it. Now, while Kurt and Ram also become a spectacle, this one is least about them than it is about why they supposedly died.

Are there a lot of stereotypes in this song? Yes, but it’s set in the 80’s and also it’s comedic so I pass it.

But there are also a few genuien moments that… not gonna lie get me sometimes. I really love the way that the dad’s are truly like, you know what? I don’t care that my son was gay, he should’ve been able to have a good life and that’s what I want the world to know.

Also, ‘Go forth and love each other now like our boys would’ve done’… ouch.

200/100

Seventeen

…I am just… *screams*

While my fave track changes every 5 seconds, Seventeen is probably my most listened to track. It’s just so beautiful.

From the very first lines of ‘Fine, we’re damaged. Really damaged. But that does not make us wise.’ I knew this song was gonna wreck me. And man did it wreck me.

This is just, Veronica imploring JD to not go down this dark path anymore.

This song is, I don’t want glory or a legendary life, I just want a normal life. I just want to be able to take a walk around the park and eat ice cream with you. Why can’t we have that?

I love the concept of Veronica being like, I thought my pain and trauma made me want to strike a match and set this dumb ablaze but now I realize that I just want a normal, soft life. With JD.

Also, the fact that JD doesn’t sing until the, ‘People hurt us.’ ‘Or they vanish.’ Hurts me in ways that I can’t quite explain.

And JD is really willing to try, he wants Veronica. A part of him wants revenge and pain but a part of him also wants that soft life. To be seventeen with her.

‘If you could let me in, I could be good with you’. I feel like that line sums up Veronica and JD so well and it hurts. If you could just let down your walls, show me who you are and I know that we could be so good together, that we could help each other so much. Ugh.

And then… the outro.

‘Yeah we’re damaged.’ ‘Badly damaged.’ But your love’s too good to lose. ‘Hold me tighter.’ ‘Even closer.’ ‘I’ll stay if I’m what you choose, cause you’re the one I choose’.

…Murder me right now that would hurt less.

This song is just too much!!!

400/100

Shine a Light

I think this one is a really fun song with an actual pretty good message. You know, ‘Why not shine a light on your biggest fears? If we show the ugly parts that we hide away, they turn out to be beautiful by the light of day! Shine and your scars and your flaws will look lovely because you shine, you shine a light!’

I have so much fun every single time this song plays, it’s just really upbeat and I love it.

Also, Idk why I always picture Veronica and JD just trading glances and smiles during this song and it makes me want to cry.

Also also, Pauline’s part slayed.

120/100

Lifeboat

…so… this is when Heather McNamara’s mask fully breaks and we see just how vulnerable and scared she is.

Every line of this song is just… wow. (Fun fact: My theater group back in high school was going to put on a Heathers musical despite none of us being able to sing and I was going to audition for Heather McNamara cause I really wanted to do this song but then… fucking pandemic ruined everything)

This song to me is one of the ultimate break-down-moment-song. You can truly feel Heather’s pain and panic and fear. She’s trapped in this role, has to play it to perfection or she knows that she’ll be replaced or left behind in an instant. She knows that Chandler never cared about her and would’ve had no problem kicking her to the curb. She knows that she can’t let people in without being torn down.

‘Everyone’s pushing, everyone’s fighting. Storms are approaching, there’s nowhere to hide. If I say the wrong thing, or I wear the wrong outfit, they’ll throw me right over the side!’ …I couldn’t even process this the first time I heard it.

I just love this song. In less than 2 minutes we get so much context and depth for Heather McNamara. I feel like McNamara at least to me is the most tragic character in this musical before Veronica joins the Heathers.

350/100 Will make you cry

Shine a Light (Reprise)

This song is… panic. That’s all I really have to say. This song is panic.

100/100

Kindergarten Boyfriend

This is definetely my least listened to song but I listened to it the other day and I wanted to slap myself cause like, why don’t I listen to this more often?

Along with McNamara, Martha is the other tragic character even before the story begins. (Though of course JD is THE tragic character of Heathers).

Martha is lonely and probably depressed, just really good at hiding it. Her best friend stabs her in the back to join the popular kids and she learns that her crush never liked her and was gay (or at least she believes that).

She looks back at the days before the kids learned about the ‘ideal man/woman’ before they started to care about that shit, when they were just kids. ‘Then he woke up.’ NO SWEETIE.

‘Now we’re all grown up and we know better… Certain boys are just for kindergarten. Certain girls are meant to be alone.’ Fuck me.

But yeah… this song in underrated and deserves more cause fuck is it sad.

200/100

Yo Girl

This one is just so much fun. And we get to see Chandler shine again.

‘Martha Dumptruck took a belly flop off the Old Mill Bridge last night holding a suicide note.’ Veronica horrified: ‘Oh my god is she dead?’ Mythic bitch Heather: ‘Just some broken bones! Just another geek trying to imitate the popular people and failing miserably’

I love Heather so much.

And Veronica sees just how much this whole situation has snowballed. She feels so bad and regrets so much.

‘You’ve earned that red scrunchie, come join Heather in hell’ have me chills.

And of course, this sets us up for another JD song…

90/100

Meant to be Yours

I think you already know what I’m going to say about this one… VERONICA open the- open the door please-

I’m getting ahead of myself…

This is when we truly get to see JD become just absolutely unhinged. He goes a little crazy… and it’s amazing, I love it.

JD has slowly descended into madness. I think he loved having control for once in his life. Having the power to control the narrative of other people’s life for, what he thinks to be for the better.

He truly believes that killing everyone in the high school will make things better. And he wants Veronica by his side to do it ‘Bring marshmallows we’ll make s’more, we can smile and cuddle while the fire roars!’

Because their love is god. Their love can change the world. And maybe it could have in another life if they’d taken very different paths. If he’d become the lawyer he teased Veronica she’d marry someday.

But that’s not what happened.

Instead JD wants to take out all the pain he’s felt and tried to keep numb for so long. And he’s going to take it out on the people that hurt Veronica and made her feel excluded for so long.

He thinks he found the cure for the both of them, what will make them both better. And he’s desperate to have her by his side once more, ‘They made you blind messed up your mind but I can set you free’ ‘Finish what we begun’ ‘I am all that you need’.

And the best… ‘You carved open my heart! Can’t just leave me to bleed- VERONICA! Open the, open the door’ … ‘Veronica, sure, you’re scared I’ve been there I can set you free! Veronica don’t make me come in there. I’m gonna count to three! One, two- Fuck it!’

And then… he thinks Veronica, the only person he can trust, the only thing that’s right about this broken world, the person that he needs to go through with his plan… is dead. And it fully shatters him.

He needed her for the plan, but now that she’s gone, he’ll still pull through.

500/100

Dead Girl Walking (Reprise)

Veronica knows that she may be in a way responsible for JD becoming unhinged. But she’s going to make things right.

But, even as she faces him down and tells him to stop… she still loves him. She doesn’t know how this night will end. But she knows that she doesn’t want a tragic ending. She wants a soft story… but that’s not what she gets…

‘I wish your mom had been a little stronger. I wish she stayed around a little longer. I wish your dad were good, I wish grownups understood. I wish we met before they convinced you life is war. I wish you’d come with me!’

But JD has made his choice, ‘I wish I had more TNT.’

And to me ‘I wish we’d met before they convinced you life is war’ is the most painful line in this song… maybe in my top 5 lines of the entire musical. To me this line is kind of like, Our what if will always haunt me.

Because truly, what would have happened then? Would they have gotten their soft epilogue? We’ll never know.

300/100

I Am Damaged

Veronica said she chose JD in Seventeen. Here… JD choses Veronica. To make sure that she is safe.

He realizes that his ideas were wrong. That they’re both damaged… that’s he’s far too damaged. But he can see that Veronica isn’t. That she could still have a soft life… a happy ending. Even if he isn’t a part of it.

So he tells her to step back, to let him try and correct at least a little of what he did.

‘Hope you miss me, wish you’d kiss me’ … ‘And once I disappear, clean up the mess down here!’

And while he sings we hear Veronica pleading in the background, ‘Not this way.’ She doesn’t want to lose him. Even after everything.

250/100

Seventeen (Reprise)

Veronica is done. She has watched enough pain and suffering at the hands of stupid ideologies. She puts her foot down. Listen to me, we are done. We’ll lay our weapons down. Because at the end of the day all of us are scared and freaks in one way or the other.

And what’s important is they stick together with the people that matter.

When Martha asks her ‘Are there any happy endings?’

Veronica doesn’t know. But she does know that right now, she just wants to be Martha’s friend. To make up for everything. She just wants to be seventeen. She wants to be a teenager.

Maybe that will be enough for now.

And then… ‘If no one loves me now, someday somebody will’ because ouch. Because it’s true. Sometimes we’re alone. But sometimes isn’t forever.

(Has nothing to do with anything but I headcannon that McNamara joins Martha and Veronica and they form their own little trio cause that line ^ is all them)

Because at the end of the day, they’re teenagers. They still have time to find love. To love and to be loved. ‘Still time to make things right. One day, we’ll change the world, but let’s kick back tonight!’

‘Act like we’re all still kids, cause this could be our final chance!’

Seventeen (Reprise) is about… we still have time. So let’s make the most of it. Let’s let go, have fun. Let’s change for the better.

Let’s make things beautiful once more.

500/100

Ooooooffff hope you liked that cause this was a lot… but it was a lot of fun!

[sawyerconfort]

The Other Side | Heather Chandler

If you get the time(writing request always feels like 3x the work then writing things for yourself.) do you mind doing "your heart is beating so fast" and "was that your first kiss" with duke or Chandler?

Hey! I’m back! Let’s do a request so, if you guys don’t mind!

Also, this comes from my prompt list, so, if you want me to do one for you, send me an ask or comment in one of my last posts! 

Here’s the list, guys! Feel free to request!

@fortythree-or-43​ I’m sorry for taking so long! Hope you like it! Thanks for the request!

Enjoy! 

You still couldn't believe you were on a date with Heather Chandler. You'd fallen for her lie, that she'd told you to meet her in a park alone, where the other Heathers would be waiting.

But you were taken aback when you found it was just her, sitting there on the bench, enjoying a strawberry ice cream as pink as her clothes.

“Did you got carried away, (Y\NN)?”, her voice snapped you out of your desperate thoughts. Your mind was still trying to process what was going on, but Chandler was looking at you with those clear and beautiful and cute and treacherous eyes and making it difficult. “(Y\N)?”

"Oh, yes?"

"What happened? You got a little thoughtful..."

Your eyes widened, running through your mind for a plausible excuse to give Heather, if an excuse was going to work. How do you explain to her that you've been in love with her since elementary school and were terrified to say it in front of people or her because Heather was always the most popular little girl in school?

“No… it's nothing,” you simply said, hoping that she would believe it and change the subject as quickly as possible, just to end your suffering. "And so Heather... I thought that... the girls would come find us, like you said..."

"Yeah, I think they forgot to come here...", her voice lacked confidence, and you were sure you heard a low chuckle rising from her throat. “But why this concern? Not enjoying my company, (Y\N)?”

“No, it's just that…”

Heather laughed, louder this time. A beautiful, musical laugh. “You don't have to worry, don't even try to say anything. I know exactly how you feel... it must be hard to have the most popular girl in Westerberg on your side and you just be someone unpopular, isn't it?”

Damn, she had quite an ego...

“But come on, (Y\NN), could we forget about it for a minute and just enjoy our date alone?”, she asked you, and you shrugged. “I've been waiting so long for the right moment to tell you this, but believe me, having so many people all over you all the time is exhausting... sometimes I just... just wish I was normal...”

You had to blink twice to find out if you weren't in a trance, if Heather had said exactly what you'd heard… and, well, she had. Your eyes widened, and you tried to think of the possibility that one day you might see Heather Chandler wishing she were a normal girl.

"You? A regular girl? Don't you think that's impossible?"

"I do, and I honestly hate it," Heather pouted. “Sometimes I wish I was normal, less popular and being able to do what I want to do.”

"But you can."

"No. you don't understand...”, the blonde's eyes suddenly looked at you. “That's exactly why I called you here, to this meeting, alone, on purpose, why I lied about the other Heathers coming… because I wanted you to tell me, at least once, how you can… be you, you know?”

You blinked again, confused. "I don't understand..."

“I wanted to know what it's like to like… someone real. Someone who was more…you,” she whispered that part so only you could understand.

"I still don't understand, do you want..."

“The truth, (Y\N), is that I'm in love with you. I have always been. And I really wanted to know how to deal with it because sometimes it feels like I'm going to explode with all this feeling, I wish that...", she touched your heart and her eyes widened. “Your heart is beating so fast… are you okay?”

Suddenly, you were seized with impulses, and you didn't hesitate for a second to kiss Heather Chandler. It took a while for you to understand and realize that she had kissed you back. Her lips were soft and small, but from what little experience you had, you could tell that Heather was more experienced at kissing someone than you were.

Your lips parted after a few seconds, and with her hand still resting on her heart, Heather smiled. It must have slowed down, although you still felt like you could let it out of your mouth and that your breathing was still a little weak.

“Wait…was that your first kiss?”, Heather laughed, making you blush with embarrassment. It had been the first kiss of her life, at least with one girl. “No, no, it's fine. I don't care, really, it was a cute kiss, (Y\NN), I imagined that from someone like you..."

My God, Heather Chandler must be crazy or on something, because you never imagined those things would come out of her mouth.

"Do you... like, do you love me, Heather?" you asked, just to clear the doubt. "Do you really? Like being in love?"

“Oh, why this question now? Haven't I told you enough already?”, she frowned, and suddenly, she climbed on the bench, standing up and looking at the whole park you were in. “You can't believe it, because then I'll prove it, if that's what you want: I LOVE YOU, (Y\N) (Y\LN)!”, she yelled, taking you by surprise. “AND I'M TIRED OF BEING THE POPULAR GIRL WHO CAN'T SHOW FEELINGS! BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I. FUCKING. LOVE. YOU!”

God, Heather Chandler was really in love with you… how crazy could that be?

[juniperhillpatient]

For the ask meme: 4, 7, 11, 30, 47 :)

4. what is the plot bunny you’ve been carrying for the longest? optional bonus question: do you ever wonder why you haven’t written it yet and experience deep existential dread?

Honestly? Before I started Scream AU, it was an ATLA Scream AU! I held onto that idea for YEARS because I wanted to make sure I could do it right - everyone is a suspect, everyone is in danger, & there's a lot of foreshadowing but also a lot of twists. I waited until I felt prepared to do the idea justice, so I've held onto it for a long time. Like, that idea festered in my brain for at least 3 or 4 years. I guess it doesn't count anymore though, since I'm doing it.

Hm... I have a million ideas at all times but one I've had for a pretty long time is Heathers ATLA AU with Katara as Veronica, Azula as Heather Chandler, & Zuko or Jet as JD. Unfortunately, I'll likely never do this one because it wouldn't have Azula/Katara endgame & Azula would die so I doubt anyone who reads my writing wants it.

7. tell us about the plot of the first fanfic you ever wrote

The first fic I EVER wrote? You guys don't need to know about 13 year old Rose's weird Family Guy fanfics, your minds aren't ready. (Also I don't remember & the parts I do remember are embarrassing as fuck lmao.)

Instead, I'll say the first ATLA fanfic I wrote. It's a mediocre high school AU that has Katara/Toph LOL. I was getting my bearings in the ATLA fandom, okay? Also, it is the fic that made the Katara/Azula dynamic take root in my brain even though it's not a focus & I didn't write my first Azutara fic until a bit later lol

11. what’s something neat you’ve learned while doing research for something you were writing? also, how much do you worry about doing research in general?

I learned a lot about fashion through the ages when I was writing the TVD Au & giving Vampire!Azula a fun wardrobe filled with fashion from the last century or so. Do I remember anything I learned? Eh. But I did a lot of research!

I don't typically do a lot of research though for writing. My laziest trait as a writer is that sometimes I just wanna say "go with it." I entirely based the football stuff in my college AU on the TV show Blue Mountain State. That's not to say research isn't important, that's to say I'm lazy.

30. most inspirational quote you’ve ever read or heard that’s still important to you.

Okay, I really live by the quote "if nothing we do matters, then all that matters is what we do" from Angel the Series which is funny because I'm barely a fan of that show. I've watched it all through once. I'm much more of a Buffy girl. But that particular quote has always stuck with me. I'm a nihilist but I'm also a compassionate person & I think this quote really sums up how I look at the world. I used to be an idealist but my belief that the world can be changed for the better has faded over time. Instead, I just believe in being kind & doing what you can & that's how I take the quote - doing what you can, even when it seems hopeless. That seems depressing but like, it's not to me. You know?

47. what story are you most proud of?

I honestly go back & forth all the time. I feel like it might actually be Happenstance (a modern university ATLA au with a sit com vibe. It takes place over the course of a school year.) I'm honestly just so proud of the character arcs, the balance of comedy & drama, & these versions of the characters & this version of the universe. I put my heart & soul into that project.

Thank you so much for asking! I love playing these games & having an excuse to ramble :)

[ofwittyardor]

Continued

@promqueengreen

Traffic; which wasn’t as lame as Rachel obviously thought. He did drive up here during rush hour; the airport got busy. But I knew I was drowning. Ross was very smart. But with Rachel she had the tenacity to make him squirm because she had a hold over him. She knew him like the back of her hand, just like he knew her. Did he think any of the excuses he told tonight would fly with her? No of course not but given our history deep down the brunette knew the why I was here. 

She’d gloss over the why because she didn’t want to talk about it. Obviously given her silence since I left that voicemail months ago. And if Adien wasn’t here dragging his feet behind us; I’d definitely have a lot to say to her. Even if it ended with the pending rejection. Ross normally walked away in fear, he didn’t want to be rejected but with Rachel he’d do anything for her. 

The way Rachel spoke she was making me out to be an idiot, a weak one too. It was a reminder of how far our history went. Years of knowing the other; her lack of gym activity, but I also wasn’t the one embarrassing the other right now. I felt unsure how to respond, I could hear Ariden chuckling behind us, I felt like such a fool to believe for one second that I could compare with this guy. Glancing to the pavement as we walked closer to my car, I found my voice. 

“ Yeah yeah, we get it, but you’d be surprised how much I’ve changed since you’ve been gone, I’m not the same Ross you knew,” Well I was still quirky, I was still an idiot sometimes, but I decided to keep those inner thoughts to myself. I wanted to make an impression. Upon settling myself into the drivers seat, I heard the retorts regarding my sister, she was a organized freak which means the female’s apartment was already fitted with her belongings, boxes undone, her clothes were inside the closet, her place would have the furniture before we arrive, it was kinda impressive about Monica. I had to release a laugh from lips as I aired out my reply. “ In other words we let Monica do the hard work, I’m sure she had Chandler there just to help with the boxes unpacking I mean, yet again it was probably her bossing him around.” What a poor fool I thought to myself; yet again I was the fool that was sitting in my car ready for the ride with Rachel and her new boyfriend. I was dreading this car ride; but for a second I managed to forget, upon hearing her confirmation that she was happy to see me, plus her hand on my knee. Eyes glanced to the contact as I responded to the dinner comment. 

“ I’ll see what I can do.” I never lied harder; I had no intention of going to this dinner, one I did want to pretend I had plans, and two to witness Rachel with her arms around Aiden all night now that made my stomach knot up. No thank you. But I kept that bit to myself as I nodded before I had placed my hand on the gear to put us into drive. 

Other hand moved to the radio letting some lame pop tune play; it would be a long ride for me, as I tried to focus on the road once we reached the parkway; let’s just make this painless right? It had already painted crap in my face; let’s just escape and prepared Aiden wasn’t in the backseat.

[sullina]

Part 3:

“Excuse me, Sir Meliodas? There’s something i’ve been wanting to ask you.” Meliodas turned around to look at her from where he was standing by the bar. “The Seven Deadly Sins, are you really that wicked? Are you all terrible criminals like the rest of the world says? And if you are, what awful crime did you commit?” She asked bringing her clasped hands up to her chest. Meliodas turned back around, folding his arms.

“My crime huh? Well…”

"He committed a lot but the crime he committed that cause him to be branded as a sin was destroying that human kingdom" Melascula said. "We witness it"

"It's really surprising for Meliodas to serve and then destroy the kingdom later on" Galand replied. "It really is. Meli's power is really destructive. Especially when his mad, he usually keeps his emotions in check which makes him a perfect candidate for the commandment of love" Zeldris chimed in

---

“If you answer my questions, I’ll make sure you get some food.”

“Nope, food first.”

Gloxinia smirked. “No one wants any of your food Mel.”

"He can't hear you, you know" Estarossa said which caused Gloxinia to burst out laughing while Estarossa looked at him. "I feel bad for the people who gets to taste his food" Zeldris sweatdropped.

"He should have been banned from the kitchen" Deriere added. "He already is but that was a long time ago" Grayroud informed him.

Meliodas looked over at him. A plate of steaming hot chicken being laid down on a table. “That looks great!” Mead said as he brought a drum stick to his mouth. “I can’t wait to dig into this!” He bit down, briefly closing his eyes before opening them in surprise and quickly spitting the food out. Meliodas looked over at him from where he was standing by the bar. “I never claimed it was gonna be any good.”

This caused the demons to laugh while some just smiled. "Good one brother" Estarossa chuckled. "What a scum" Melascula grumbled under her breath

"His cooking is horrible but for some reason it always looks so good" Monspeet uttered.

"He could kill unexpected people from the inside out" Drole said looking a bit green than he is right now. Still remembering the taste when he ate Mel's food during his stigma day.

"The only thing the sins and the ten commandments agree on" Gloxinia declared, laughing. The TC nodded their heads in agreement.

---

Meliodas swung his sword around in a series of short movements in the floor.

“Whatcha doing there?” Hawk asked. Meliodas smiled, “A little spell to keep him from coming inside.”

“‘A little spell’ my pork butt, since when have you been able to use magic?” Hawk asked. “Well” Meliodas replied, smiling, “How do you know I can’t?”

"Well he was trained by a mage and a wizard so you could safe to say he knows magic" Estarossa said. "He barely use any magic he was trained for. From what I can tell he only uses the magic counter vanish, and Full counter ever seen we have been watching him" Zeldris added.

---

Zeldris, Estarossa, Drole, and Gloxinia call Meliodas. Mel or Meli ever seens they have been watching him. The others do call him that time and time again

The first part here makes it sound like the TC are planning to re-recruit Meliodas into their ranks and give him back the commandment of love XD (poor Esta is gonna be out of a job XDDD )

Drole and Glox have a bit of a hard time laughing whenever someone eats Mels food, since they've also been the victim of it long ago.

In the manga, there was one question about why Meliodas never uses magic (or something along those lines) and the answer was that Mel just prefers moving his body. I don't remember it too well. But I also think it would be safe to say that Meliodas does know a few more spells that he uses, if only because Chandler insisted on teaching him for a well rounded education. I can also imagine demon Gowther teaching him a trick or two, not necessarily for combat, but just for fun.

[dollythesheepp]

A hunt with no violence doesn’t feed anyone - Chapter 4

AO3 

1989

Veronica

On Saturday, the day before their trip to Washington, Kurt and Ram decided to throw a party, as a way to commemorate the upcoming game, even though Veronica was sure they just used that as an excuse to get wasted.

Veronica wasn't in the mood for parties. The anticipation over the game, and over getting into an airplane for the first time in her life were starting to make her feel a bit uneasy; plus, the Riley incident was still fresh on her mind, and she felt bad about going out to party while the poor girl was stuck in a hospital room.

To Veronica's dismay, Heather Chandler reminded her that she had no choice but to come, since making herself present at parties was one of the many obligations she had as a part of the Heathers; Veronica obliged because that was easier than dealing with a pissed off Chandler threatening to kick her off the group, but Veronica made it her personal mission to be a menace and complain the entire time.

Two hours into the party, Veronica found herself sulking around, gobbling down her third beer (the alcohol and the headache that came with it making her even more grumpy), and wishing she was with JD instead. He was probably in his room, packing for the trip because he was the type of person to do things at the last minute; Veronica, on the other hand, had her bags ready a week in advance.

Veronica tossed her empty beer bottle in the trash and walked over to the table to grab another one, at the same time that Heather decided to emerge from the dance floor to do the same thing.

Aside from a quick call to remind Veronica of the party, the two girls hadn't spoken to each other since the game. Veronica didn't know if Heather was feeling guilty (or if she was even capable of that emotion) or if she simply didn't want Veronica to bug her about it. The fact that Heather hadn't had the decency to admit that what happened was her fault or to at the very least acknowledge the incident, made Veronica's blood boil, she was sick of Heather doing everything she wanted with no repercussions; this time it was Riley, a year before that it was her snide remarks at Betty when she entered the team, to the point where the girl almost dropped out, even though she was a damn good player, and before that it the constant bullying towards Martha for no reason.

"I admire your resilience, Heather," Veronica began. She wasn't as drunk as the night of Ram's homecoming party the year before when she puked all over Heather's shoes and had to grovel to be accepted back into the group, but she was drunk enough to say things she would regret later.

"What?" Heather looked up from the drink she was pouring to look at Veronica like she had only just realized her presence.

"You have to be really heartless to show up here and pretend like nothing happened," Veronica grunted, her low inhibitions making her run her mouth without thinking. "As if you didn't fucking cripple someone yesterday."

"What the fuck is your damage, Veronica?" Heather asked.

Like the good little lap dogs that they were, Duke and McNamara arrived at Chandler's side when they heard the commotion. The other members of the team, the ones popular enough to be invited to the party anyway, also began to loom over with interest.

"Just admit that you did it on purpose!" Veronica said, the words coming out of her mouth a little slurred thanks to the three beers she had that night.

"What are they talking about?" Courtney whispered to McNamara, desperate for a juicty gossip as always.

"Heather's plan."

"What plan?"

"This doesn't concern you, Courtney, " Heather growled.

"If it's about the team then yes it does," Courtney refuted.

"Heather wanted us to be rough with Riley," Duke explained. Veronica knew she wasn't trying to be helpful, she just wanted people to turn against Chandler. "Now because of her, Riley may never play again."

"Shut up, Heather!" Heather Chandler yelled, gripping her red solo with so much force that Veronica thought she was going to break it. "Go shove your face in a toilet bowl."

"Sorry, Heather..."

"Stop talking to her that way!" Veronica chimed in.

"Shut up, Veronica. I don't need you to defend me," Duke spat, her eyes burning with anger as if Veronica trying to stick up for her was offensive somehow.

"Yeah, I don't even know why I'm sticking up for you," Veronica bit back. "From what I recall, you were fine with the plan since the start, you fucking hypocrite."

"Guys, stop!" McNamara, ever the peacemaker, tried to dial down the argument (she loved to watch people fight, as long as she and her friends weren't involved) but her efforts were met with indifference from her teammates, who kept on yelling at each other.

Within seconds, the reason for the fight, Riley's incident and Heather's ludicrous plan, was forgotten, as the girls started throwing insults at each other that had nothing to do with the subject; Duke was called a hypocrite twice; Veronica was told by Chandler to shove her superiority complex up her ass and Chandler was accused of being a selfish narcissist, all while people chanted 'Girl Fight!!!' and 'Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!' in the background.

"STOP!" Mac yelled, her voice drowning out the others. Veronica, Duke, and Chandler stopped bickering at each other instantly, surprised by such assertive behavior coming from Mac. "You three, come with me! Now!"

Since she only had two hands, Mac grabbed Veronica and Chandler by the wrist, ignoring their complaints, and ordered Duke to follow in tow, constantly looking over her shoulder to see if Duke was indeed behind her. Mac dragged them to Ram's front lawn, away from the music and the teenagers talking loudly.

"What the hell, you guys?" she asked.

The other three girls started yelling frantically again, talking over each other and trying to defend themselves.

"Rottweilers!" Mac shushed them. "Come on, the most important game of our lives is happening in a couple of days, we can't be acting like this. We need to act like a team, otherwise, we might not even bother showing up."

"You're not going to give a speech, are you?" Chandler mocked, one eyebrow raised.

"No, but you three are going to apologize to each other," Mac demanded. When no one said a word, Mac put a hand on her hip, like a mother scolding a child. Veronica felt weird being ordered out by someone five inches shorter than her. "Now!"

Veronica huffed, awkwardly kicking the dirt with her boot. "I'm sorry for accusing you like that, Heather. Your plan was stupid, but I know you just want what's best for the team," she kept her head down, her eyes focused on her shoes, so she didn't have to look at Heather. "I'm also sorry for calling you a Satanic Barbie..."

"I really am sorry for what happened to Riley," Heather whispered, not looking at Veronica either. "I never planned for her to get hurt like that."

"I know," Veronica reassured her. "It's ok."

"Great, can we go now?" Duke asked, already starting to walk away.

"Not so fast," McNamara said.

"If I had to apologize, so will you," Chandler crossed her arms.

"Fine. I'm sorry for everything that I said," Duke complied. She was mostly talking to Veronica, because she would never dare to insult Heather Chandler, not to her face at least.

"Good," McNamara gave them a satisfied smile. "We should probably go home now. We have a big day tomorrow."

***

The next morning, Veronica was up before seven. She didn't get much sleep, her anxiety making her fear  she was going to sleep in and miss the flight.

When she got down the stairs, her parents were already waiting for her with freshly squeezed orange juice, pancakes, and teary eyes.

"There she is!" Veronica's mom greeted her with a proud smile.

"How are you doing, champ?" her dad gave her a small pat on the back. "Nervous?"

"No way! We got this," she said, faking her confidence. Nervous was an understatement.

"That's the spirit!"

As she ate and chatted with her parents, the dreading feeling roiling inside Veronica's gut started to dial down a bit, but it never truly left.

After they were done eating, her mom handed her a letter. "Honey, I forgot to give you this. It came in the mail yesterday."

Veronica opened it with curiosity and the content inside of it made her heart skip a beat, her smile growing with every word.

Dear Ms. Sawyer,

Congratulations! On behalf of the Admissions Committee, we are delighted to announce that you have been accepted to Brown University Class of 1990.

"Oh my god..." Veronica mumbled in disbelief before she even finished reading the letter.

"What is it?" her dad asked. Veronica gave him the letter, too stunned to utter a word. Curious, her mom leaned over his should to read it too.

"Oh my god!" Mrs. Sawyer ran to hug her daughter. "I'm so proud of you!"

A car horn interrupted their celebration. Veronica jumped a little at the sudden noise. "That's my ride," she said, grabbing her bags. "I gotta motor If I want to be there on time."

"Alright," her mom gave her another hug, this one tighter. "Be safe. We'll have a lot to celebrate when you get home."

"Bye, peanut," her dad whispered in her ear, giving her a warm hug, one she didn't want to let go of. "Bring home that trophy, ok?"

"I'll try," she chuckled. "I love you guys! Bye!"

She stepped outside, the warm morning sunlight, the gentle breeze, and the chirping of the birds greeting her good morning.

"Hey," Veronica gave JD a quick kiss on the lips once she entered Mr. Dean's Chevrolet Celebrity.

"Hi," JD smiled at her, but something about his demeanor seemed off, even though she couldn't put her finger on what it was.

"Is everything ok?" she narrowed her brows.

"I'm just tired. I finished packing at 3 a.m.," JD said. He grabbed her hand and kissed it. "I'm fine, don't worry about it.

"Ok," Veronica wasn't convinced. He seemed distracted, but she decided not to pry, the last thing she wanted was to make him upset and ruin their week.

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah. Let's go."

***

"Holy shit..." Veronica whispered when she entered the plane for the very first time. JD wasn't as impressed, given how much he traveled across the country with his dad, but to Veronica, who had only left her hometown once, it was undoubtedly cool. "I can't believe your dad paid for a private plane, Mac."

"He's been doing extravagant things ever since the divorce," her friend said with a meek shrug. "Guess I'll take it..."

"Well, thank you, Mr. McNamara..." Duke mumbled as she walked past them in the aisle.

Veronica put her luggage in the overhead bin and took a seat next to JD. Less than a minute later, Chandler showed up by her side.

"Take this," she said, extending a hand to Veronica, where a small, white pill rested in her palm.

"What is that?"

"Xanax. I stole it from my mom's medicine cabinet," she clarified. "I know it's your first time flying, this will help with the nerves."

"Hm, thanks..." Veronica said, taking the pill from her hand.

"Don't thank me, I just don't want to be stuck on a 2-hour flight with someone having a panic attack," Chandler said, then left. Veronica chuckled. Heather was a bitch, something that Veronica was even more certain of after being friends with her for over a year, but she did have a good heart, deep deep deep down. It was typical of her to do nice things while rolling her eyes and being unpleasant because God forbid if people thought she was capable of being kind; she reminded Veronica of her cat, who was an asshole but could be adorable sometimes.

Without thinking twice, Veronica swallowed the pill.

"Good morning, everyone. This is your captain. Our flight plan to Seattle has us going a little further north, to avoid a storm system that is coming in," said a male voice through the speakers, echoing through the small plane. "You should get some great views of the Canadian Rockies. Now sit tight and enjoy the flight."

Thanks to a practically sleepless night and the side effects of the Xanax kicking in, Veronica snuggled next to JD and fell asleep quickly.

Veronica didn't know how long she stayed asleep, but she woke up to the sound of screams and the plane shaking uncontrollably. She blinked, her heart racing and a million thoughts running wild inside her head, the first one being what the fuck is going on?

She looked around, trying to take in the situation, but everything was happening so fast.

Years later, the memories still haunted her. Sometimes, the scene replayed in her head in slow motion, and she could pay attention to every detail: the lights flickering, the plane shaking aggressively until she felt like throwing up, JD putting an oxygen mask on her face, dozens of bags falling out of their bins, Duke screaming, Mac crying, Sophie O'Cnnor praying, her hands clasped together in desperation, Ms. Fleming getting from her seat to help Stacey with her mask.

Other times, the memories came back fast. One minute she was asleep, then in the blink of an eye everything changed and she was in hell.

Veronica opened the window, and she saw nothing but trees. Trees that were getting closer and closer with each second. Shaking, she blinked back her tears and looked at JD, who was pale as a ghost, his eyes wide with terror. He held her hand tightly, his fingers clammy and cold.

Veronica closed her eyes and waited for the impact.

[giants-club]

Bigotry doesn't make a period piece authentic

On Twitter I wrote,

When authors writing today use racist/sexist/homophobic language in period fiction, they and their fans often protest it wouldn’t feel authentic if they didn’t. Writing a piece now in hardboiled 1930s vernacular, I can say that excuse isn’t just lazy—it’s pernicious.

And I got a little (good-natured) pushback, so I wanted to delve into this just a little more.

Even if you're writing a story set in the 1930s, you're writing it now, for audiences who are your contemporaries. Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett had ostensibly sympathetic protagonists acting like racist, misogynistic homophobes, but their audiences---and the writers, for that matter---wouldn't have perceived them that way.

Writing now, I couldn't do that even if I wanted to, because the context the work will be read in is not the 1930s. Characters can't be casually racist or queerphobic and be perceived as the good guys by most readers. Even if such behavior wouldn't be seen as a negative in the period the characters are in, your readers are here, now, in this period, and they are going to judge a hero who acts and talks that way. At best, you're giving them a character flaw, and at worst you're inviting reactions of "I just couldn't get past that." Taking your hero on an arc in which they learn not to be racist and queerphobic may not be a salve here, either; you run a high risk of making your story didactic in ways that really do break the period immersion, and even if you somehow pull it off, readers may not be inclined to stick out the protagonist's initial awfulness.

This isn't an argument that you can never have characters---even ones who are sympathetic---use bigoted language, behave in bigoted ways, or have internalized prejudices. Instead, it's an argument for intention, specifically your intent as the writer. If you're going to use that language, show those attitudes, you need to know why doing that improves your story. Just saying "well, people talked/acted that way in this period" is a weak defense.

The bottom line for me is making a clear distinction between what I include and what I leave out. Of course Nora, my 1930s hardboiled detective heroine, should have a narrative voice that's believable for her, not for a 2010s social justice activist. But at the end of the day, you, a reader in the here and now, are supposed to like her. As the author, I can choose not to have her use bigoted language. I can choose to have her be relatively sympathetic to minorities in her milieu. None of that has to break immersion. She can still be reminiscent of Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe.

Here's the thing: what kind of reader would truly stop and give Nora's story a 1-star "didn't finish" review because she's not queerbaiting or denigrating Chinese immigrants? Do you think that hypothetical lost reader is really concerned with historical accuracy, or do you think they're more concerned with stamping out the scourge of wokeness? I know where I'd put my money.

[goobergoeslive]

HeatherBlogging Part 12

We move on to the first part of JD’s big plan: blackmailing Heather Duke so she will take up Chandler’s previous position, at the top of the school social pyramid. Which wouldn’t really require much blackmailing for her to do, but he will need her to do him an additional favor later on.

He even gives Duke the red scrunchie, presumably having taken it from Chandler’s room on the day of her death. Duke is thus ready to become the Queen.

I want to point out that, although Veronica has her share of hypocrisy, JD really isn’t any better in that regard. He is going out of his way to encourage someone who will very likely be as bad as Chandler to take up her place, somehow convinced Martha to give him the photos of her and Duke when they were kids, meaning that he just used her as a footstool to get to Duke, and thus has treated her badly like everybody else, and I know that this is all just a means to an end for his Big Plan, but it’s still hypocritical of him to be enforcing the very things he said made the school’s environment so terrible, while supposedly wanting to stop them.

Ok, this is where I elaborate on what I said about the movie showing that there might have been another side to Chandler, way back in the college party sequence. In the current scene, Veronica approaches Chandler’s old locker and pries it open. She seems mournful as she looks through Chandler’s belongings, of which includes a photo of all Heathers + Veronica, as well a series of photos of just Veronica and Chandler.

I think this isn’t just Veronica feeling remorseful for what she’s done - I think she does genuinely miss Chandler and, on some level, maybe even cared about her. Even if Chandler did terrible things, she was still Veronica’s classmate, she was a person who had her own problems going on. I don’t say this to excuse Chandler’s behavior, but rather to say that, although we’ve been presented with this overall view of Chandler as just a flat bully, she was still another teenager and her own person, and her previous actions don’t make her death any less of a hideous and unnecessary thing.

I think that the scene where Chandler spits at her own reflection in the party and this scene with the locker are thus meant to show the audience that “hey, we know this is a weird and dark highschool comedy, but even shitty teenagers are people and their deaths can be horrible things”, but not in a sense of “oh, you should forgive all teenage bullies and just let them be terrible”.

And we are on the third croquet match, where I elaborate on what I had mentioned during the second one: in this case, Veronica manages to shoot her ball against Betty’s. This means that Veronica can either take two more shots during her turn, or opt to bump her ball against Betty’s to land it in a more disadvantageous position. And Veronica does go for the two shots, which surprises Betty, since knocking her out would be “the only way to win”, but Veronica says that’s not her way.

The remaining Heathers pop up, however, and indeed, Duke is now red! McNamara seems visibly bothered by something throughout the scene, and I don’t think it’s because of Betty’s presence, but rather due to Duke’s new redness. It’s pretty obvious that Duke is unsubtly usurping Chandler's place.

A simple shot, but effective. It really captures the isolation that Martha’s been facing. The decision to start the scene with a focus on her face whilst playing the sounds of a crowd, only to pan out to this shot and cut the sound to reveal that no one else was there works very well.

Oh sure, the cameras “happened” onto your path, and it wasn’t like an entire recording team was specifically hired to film it! Veronica doesn’t buy any of that bullshit either, and is understandably angry about it.

“Before a teenager decides to kill himself there are certain facts he should know. After all, this is a decision that affects all of us, and there’s only one chance to get it right.”

You also don’t need me to tell you how grossly insensitive this is. It is, however, factually incorrect: there are several people who have attempted suicide and survived, but who attempt to commit it again at a later time.

It is at this point in the story where we get an actual suicide (attempt) that isn’t a cover up for a murder, that being Martha’s.

The third scene with Veronica and her parents also comes up, and though there are a few similarities with the previous two, besides the difference in the setting, the most marked difference is how Veronica is no longer nonchalantly talking with her parents about what’s happening. They still seem pretty indifferent to the situation at school, but Veronica no longer plays into that indifference herself.

“”Treated like human beings?” Is that what you said, little Miss Voice-of-a-Generation? Just how do you think adults act with other adults? You think it’s all just a game of doubles tennis? When teenagers complain that they want to be treated like human beings, it’s usually because they are being treated like human beings.”

I really like this little speech from Veronica’s mom, not because I agree with her, but because there is something deeply revealing about it: so far in the movie, all the drama that happens to the characters is centered around highschool. These are teenagers that are having teenage problems, which only happen in this closed environment. But that’s not 100% true, is it? Being mocked and looked down upon, suffering anxiety and depression, feeling misunderstood, these are not things that exclusively affect teenagers, it’s something that can happen to any human being in any period of their life. It’s not teenagers who aren’t being treated like human beings, but rather human beings who treat each other this way.

Even when people manage to find their way out of highschool, what guarantees that some of the same problems won’t persist? Maybe they won’t resurface in the same way, and as a person grows older, they might be able to handle them better, but that doesn’t mean other people will stop treating them like crap. They could be treated like crap in college, or in the workplace, or just by walking down the street.

Shouldn’t we instead be seeing things the other way around? Rather, the terrible things that can happen during highschool are not always exclusive to that environment, but they are shaped by what happens in the society which the school is built into (and I hate to use the word “society”, because by now it’s become kind of a meme, but I don’t know what better way to describe this). 

[julianrchandlerx]

setting: jasmine’s rv featuring: julian chandler & jasmine st. claire @cantfightmoonlight

It takes a lot of bravery to admit when you were wrong. Julian repeated back the words his mother had said to him after a particularly lengthy call a few nights prior. It was a bit of a tradition, a weekly call home to check in, see how the family was doing, and appraise mom of how life in Lunar Cove was coming along. Not that he was incredibly truthful about what happened as of late — he was vague and discreet where it mattered, avoiding the whole scope of reality when explaining to his mother how things were going. Ralph the mid century vampire was the eccentric retro enthusiast he became friends with. Valentine’s Day was just another boring holiday where things were dialed back and lowkey (and to his mother’s dismay, dateless for the young artist) instead of the scavenger hunt from hell. And Jasmine, well… When she asked after his friend, he admitted they were not on the best terms. What his mother didn’t know was Jasmine was a witch, and so was her family, and Julian had not handled this new reality graciously. In fact, he’d been absolutely pigheaded in response. His fear and irrationality won the battle that day, and it seemed his best friend was the casualty. And that broke him up inside. He came to Lunar Cove to reconnect with his best friend, and during a dark and bleak time for her he pushed her away. And in a vague way he’d said as much to his mom. A two hour long phone call, compete with the softest delivered lecture, made him realize just how stupid he’d been, and he needed to fix that. He needed to fix it now.

For the second time since he’d found himself in that strange town, Julian Chandler stood before Jasmine’s mobile home with a gift in hand — this time a peace offering in the form of baked goods that were a little outside his budget from the local bakery and a couple beers because he wasn’t sure what else to bring along. Beer goes great with apologies. Taking a deep breath, and swallowing up any lingering pride, he reached out to knock on her door. He didn’t realized he’d held his breath until Jasmine opened the door. “Hi,” the greeting escaped him in a drawn out exhale. Blinking, because he almost forgot the words he’d practiced in front of a mirror earlier that day, Julian extended the hand holding the peace offering to her and stuttered out, “before you think to maybe close the door on me, I come bearing gifts in the form of alcohol and sugar.” A shy sort of grin formed on his face, dimpled and small. “And if it’s possible, I was hoping we could talk… like actually talk this time,” he sighed softly and gave her a truly apologetic look, “Because I owe you an apology.” Humble yourself and just admit you were wrong. “I’m sorry about the way I acted, after everything that happened. I just…” Don’t make too many excuses for why you lashed out, remember you are in the wrong here and you’re apologizing for it. “It doesn’t matter why, what matters is you’re my best friend and you’re going through something I can’t really imagine, and instead of being there for you I let my fear get in the way. This whole thing is so much bigger than anything I’ve ever had to face, and you’re in the thick of it. I wasn’t being very fair to you.” He let his gaze drop, feeling a bit ashamed but what else was to be expected when admitting you were being a real shit head?

“It would have been very easy to leave this town and forget everything, but I can’t leave things like that. You’re like… The closest thing to family for me around here. I can’t leave things sour between us.” He paused, before looking back at her. “I came to Lunar Cove because I missed our friendship. I missed you. Despite how I’ve acted… you mean a great deal to me, and I don’t want to lose you. Whether that’s because of some murderous maniac, a curse,” he paused, because that new revelation was still difficult to wrap his mind around, “or just because I’m letting my fear get the best of me. I can control that last one, and I don’t want it to get in the way of the longest lasting friendship I’ve ever had.” Julian sighed softly before shrugging. “Anyway, that’s what I came by to say. I get it if you need some space or something, but… I’m ready to be here for you, in whatever way I can.” No, he couldn’t stop this killer, and he had no power to reverse curses, but Julian knew how to be a good friend. Maybe he hadn’t been his best recently, but he knew he could do it now. He had to. There was too much at stake in the world now, and he had a part to play in it. At least, he thought so now. And if her words about a curse that would take the life of someone close to her were really true, well… There was so much to lose now. “…And while these gifts are technically yours, I request to have at least one of these drinks and maybe one bite of the dessert.”

[silly-mouse]

Handcuffed at a Carnival Challenge!!

“What’s up Jake Pauler’s, today I rented out this entire fairground and we’ve got a bunch of challenges for these guys to compete in, but with an insane twist! Everyone has one hand handcuffed to their partner for the challenge, so they’ve got to do everything one handed and work together! First challenge: hide and seek. I’m going to go look for them in thirty seconds… twenty-nine… twenty-eight…”

“This way, this way,” Karl whispered frantically, tugging you into the funhouse. You both giggled as you tripped over the same prop on the floor, shushing each other as you tucked yourselves into a corner hidden by a dark curtain. “We’re totally gonna win this,” he whispered to his go-pro.

“Oh yeah,” you agreed. “Chris is stuck with Chandler, who’s not gonna want to snuggle up, same with Jake and Tareeq- we’ve got this.”

“Jimmy really screwed up, he put the two cuddle bugs together,” Karl giggled, hoping the camera couldn’t see his light blush as you pressed yourself closer to him in an attempt to make you less noticeable.

“I feel like we should be being entertaining but I don’t want them to find us,” you whispered into his ear.

He nodded, giving a strangled noise of agreement as your hot breath fanned over his ear. You both stayed quiet for a minute. “Your hair smells really nice.” He wanted to bash his head into the wall he was pressed against as you giggled.

“Thanks, your body wash smells nice, too.”

He felt hyper-aware of the placement of his hands at his sides, fingertips of the handcuffed one occasionally brushing yours. No biggie, he told himself. You were handcuffed together, you were going to have to get used to being close… close enough to smell your sweet shampoo… close enough to notice the minty freshness of your breath… and the soft pink of your lips… no biggie, no biggie at all.

Just as he started to relax his walkie-talkie beeped. “Karl, we found everyone else, where you at?”

He fumbled to get the walkie out of his pocket. “We’re in the funhouse, about thirty feet down the main hall.”

“Alright, we’re on our way.”

“Now we wait,” you muttered against his ear. He shivered from your breath and blushed red as you giggled at him. “Do you need me to back up a bit? We don’t have to hide anymore.”

“…no… it’s alright,” he muttered back, resting his chin on your shoulder. “…I don’t mind.” He heard you give a soft hum as you rested your chin on his shoulder too, the two of you standing there peacefully until you could hear Jimmy’s voice approaching. You pulled back from Karl and he frantically tried to calm his pink cheeks before throwing the curtain open.

“BOO!”

You all laughed as Jimmy jumped with a high pitched shriek. “There you are! Oh wow, you guys found a good spot, you really had to squeeze in there!”

Karl’s eyes went wide for a second at the hinting tone in Jimmy’s voice but luckily you didn’t seem to notice. “We were saying the others would get found because they wouldn’t want to be so close together, were we right?”

“Oh yeah, Chandler was yelling at Chris we could hear him from like two buildings away,” he laughed, leading you two and the crew out to the front to film the next scene. Once everyone was in place Jimmy was ready to announce the next challenge. “Alright, everyone listen up! We’re going to make our way through the fair, so next stop: fair games! First team to win one of our totally not rigged fair games gets the next point, but since Chris and Chandler were found first the last round they have to sit out- go get some cotton candy, boys. Everyone else: go!”

You tugged Karl over to the darts game. “Here, I kinda stole your dominant hand so I’ll win for us!” He giggled at that, setting to work cheering you on.

“You can do it! I believe in you!” He made sure to keep the camera angled over your shoulder to watch your darts hit the board, despite the couple times he caught himself watching your concentrated face as you tried to hit the balloon taped to the target.

“Ooh, Jake made the shot! Jake and Tareeq win!”

Karl rushed to reassure you as he saw you deflate. “Oh, we almost had it! Don’t worry, we’re gonna get the next one!”

Jimmy came over just as you nodded. “Well, not this round you aren’t. You guys are sitting out and Chris and Chandler are coming back in-”

“Why are we even doing it this way,” Karl asked, followed by manic giggles from you both and the camera man as Jimmy glared at him.

“…anyways, I’m banishing you two to the ferris wheel for this round, we’ll come pick you up later. Have fun!”

Karl’s eyebrows raised at Jimmy’s mischievous grin. Oh, that was why they were doing it this way, he realised. He never thought Jimmy would use a video as an excuse to- he didn’t know, try and get Karl to ask you out maybe- but here he was. You both climbed into the ferris wheel cab, getting a friendly smile from the operator that told Karl that the man knew of Jimmy’s plan. Sure enough, the wheel teetered to a stop when you were at the top, giving you a wonderfully romantic view of the landscape around you.

“Whoa, why’d we stop? Is someone else getting on?”

Karl rushed to ease your nerves, go-pro forgotten in his jacket pocket. “He’s probably just making sure we get to enjoy the view. We don’t exactly have anywhere to rush anyways.”

You hummed, deciding he was probably right. “It is nice,” you admitted, leading your head onto his shoulder. Karl prayed you couldn’t hear his blood rushing through his veins as he settled his head on top of yours.

“Yeah… it really is.”

[ayoitspatricia]

The one with the adopted daughter

(Rachel Green x adopted daughter!reader)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

I cautiously unlocked the door to Monica’s apartment, quickly peeking in to see if anyone was there.

Nope... Brilliant.

I stepped into the apartment clutching all of my shopping bags as I was trying to not make too much noise. I placed my shopping bags down and took Ross’ credit card out of my coat pocket and placed it onto the wooden table.

What? I only stole it because of the argument he had with mom that made her very upset. This will show him not to mess with the Green’s again.

I picked up my bags and placed them into me and my mom’s shared bedroom, not caring if mom sees them.

I decided to pick up my most favourite magazine, which was (Y/F/M), and flip through the pages whilst waiting for the others to get back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been about 45 minutes when I heard the door open and people coming inside, hoping that Ross would notice his credit card.

“Hey Mon, why is my credit card in your apartment, I thought we already looked here?” I heard Ross say, I smirked to myself.

“How would i know? It wasn’t there this morning stupid.” I heard Monica reply.

I could hear the murmurs of the others in the background, trying to think of how the credit card had ‘mysteriously appeared’. I thought that it was the perfect time to go and join them.

I opened the door, stepping out of my room making everybody stop what they were doing and turn to me.

“Oh hi honey! I’m so sorry for leaving you this morning, I had to be somewhere.” Mom told me, walking towards me and giving me a hug.

“Oh it’s no big deal mom. Hey everyone!” I said cheerfully, trying to sound as innocent as possible.

They all looked at me suspiciously for a couple of seconds before Monica spoke up.

“(Y/n), perfect timing! You wouldn’t happen to know why Ross’ credit card has all of a sudden showed up here would you? He hasn’t been able to find it all morning.” She asked me curiously.

Ross gave me a hard glare, attempting to intimidate me. It didn’t work, like always.

I gave a fake look of confusion.

“Aunt Mon, why would you even ask me? I was in my room the whole time! I didn’t get much sleep last night.” I lied.

Pheobe met my gaze, “ Then how come you went to bed early last night?” She asked me, trying to get answers.

“Oh I stayed up late looking through (Y/F/M), which was dumb, I know.” I said whilst giving her a small smile.

“Somehow that doesn’t seem convincing.” Chandler spoke up, Joey nodding in agreement.

I gave a fake look of sadness and looked up at my mom.

“Guys! Stop harassing my poor daughter. It’s quite obvious she doesn’t know.” Mom said, putting her hands on my shoulders. “Now if you excuse us, I need (Y/n) to help me with something.” She exclaimed, lightly tugging on my arm, leading me to our bedroom.

After we both walked in, mom closed the door behind her and turned around. Looking me in the eyes.

“You stole it.” She whispered automatically.

“Well, of course I did!” I whispered back. “I can’t just let Ross treat you like crap and let him get away with it.”

Mom smiled at me. “Honey, feel free to use Ross’ credit card whenever you want.” She told me. “Now... show me what you brought!” She whispered excitedly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been about 20 minutes, me and mom heard Ross leave to go to the store. I smirked evilly. Mom saw this.

“Let me guess, you used all the money on that particular card.” Mom guessed, laughing when I nodded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As soon as Ross walked through the door he yelled:

“(Y/N) (Y/M/N) GREEN! GET YOUR ASS OUT OF THAT ROOM THIS INSTANT.”

I winced, realising that I was in for a massive lecture. Me and mom both walked out the room only to see the one and only Ross Geller with a mad look on his face.

“My card just got declined at the store. So I went to the bank to sort it out and they gave me a list of everything that has been brought through MY credit card.”

He pulled a list out of his pocket and slammed it in front of me.

“Would you like to explain this!?” He asked me rudely.

I quickly scanned through the list, smirking since everything on it was stuff that I brought.

“You disrespected mom.” I told him calmly. “I don’t take things like that lightly.”

Everybody looked at Ross with a ‘are you serious’ face.

“You’re lucky I didn’t do this a long time ago. You were practically asking for it this time.”

Ross facepalmed, “Rachel, did you tell (y/n)!? You were the one who specifically started the argument and I-“

I spoke up “Hey guys! Ive got some of Ross’ spare change so who wants to go get coffee with it?”

Everyone nodded except for Ross, who was spluttering words of disbelief.

“(Y/N) I SWEAR TO GOD-“

Pheobe interrupted Ross. “As long as its coffee, i don’t care whose money it is. The money could belong to a dying pigeon and I’d still spend it on coffee.”

Everyone turned to look a her. Joey and Chandler squinting their eyes at her confused.

“Oh no! Did that sound bad? Gosh! I feel so guilty now.” She continued, actually sounding like she did something wrong.

Mom linked her arm with mine and we walked out of the apartment, everyone except for Ross following us.

As we walked out of the building i overheard Chandler and Monica speaking.

“You can tell that she was raised by Rachel.” Monica told Chandler, laughing.

“Oh yeah. It’s painfully creepy.” Chandler shuddered.

“Are you sure Rachel even adopted her? She looks and acts too much like Rachel, perhaps she actually gave birth to her but doesn’t want us knowing.” Joey joked, joining in on the conversation. Pheobe laughing and nodding in agreement.

Mom overheard this and i saw her eyes widen, looking like she was panicking.

I was adopted by Rachel when i was 6, so of course what Joey said is not true.

Right?

Part 2??

[prettytoxicrevolver]

Explanation | Jimmy Donaldson

Requested? yes! I hope you enjoy it @banana-tree-freddiemercury and @classyunknownlover

Warnings? None?

Summary: After some wise words from Chandler and a lot of driving and thinking, you decide to give Jimmy an explanation.

Word Count: 1,007

Part one is here

You pull away, Chandler reaching up to push away your tears with his thumb and you offer a sad smile to the brunette. You hated always going to him like this, especially when you were crying over his best friend. It felt selfish and unimportant.

“I’m sorry,” you apologize, lifting a hand to wipe away the remaining tears.

“Darlin, have you ever asked Jimmy what happened that day?” he asks carefully and you look up at Chandler with a confused look.

He leads you inside his house, the two of you taking seats in the living room next to each other. You look over at Chandler as he tries to form the words for what he wants to say to you.

“Did you ever talk to Jimmy about what happened?” he asks and you shake your head.

“Baby, me and you are best friends. And Jimmy was always fine with it. Why didn’t you offer Jimmy the same thing? Or at least an explanation?”

You were pretty certain Chandler had held this back ever since your breakup with his best friend. It was a good question, after that day you saw him with that girl you just ended it and never really got an explanation. You knew deep down it was selfish and you were going for self-preservation but you couldn’t help it. You were scared.

“I was scared Chan,” you admit. “He’s practically perfect and I’m me.”

“Darlin, he loves you. Tell him everything and I promise you’ll feel a lot better.”

You lift your head and look over at the older boy, knowing he’s right and wishing you had heard this earlier. He knew Jimmy as well, maybe even better than you did and to know he had held this in the entire time made you feel even more selfish. You had been crying about his best friend when your best friend could have told you to stop being so dumb.

“When did you get so wise?” you ask and the two of you giggle lightly.

You leave Chandler’s house, deciding to drive around for a while. You try to distract yourself from the thoughts and memories flooded with Jimmy but to no avail, he was all you could think of. You decided to give yourself a few days to think through, not wanting to make an idiot of yourself if you did talk to Jimmy.

Over the next few days, you ended up driving a ton. Partially because you wanted the practice and partially because it helped you think. Driving had become such second nature to you so quickly it was easy to get lost in your town, listening to quiet music and thinking and re-thinking the situation with Jimmy over and over.

Chandler was right; you never gave Jimmy a chance to explain himself. He could have been filming a video, the girl could have been a close friend, you could have honestly thought of a million excuses Jimmy could have given you and you would have taken any of them. But it all boiled down to the fact that you were scared, and subconsciously you thought this was your way out.

But Jimmy was still your best friend, your first love, and he deserved better than this. You wanted to apologize at the very least, even if it couldn’t save your relationship you wanted him to know you reacted too quickly out of fear and hear him out.

As you continue to drive and think, you don’t even realize you’re headed towards Jimmy’s house until the street names start to look familiar. Your nerves grow as you make your way to his house, knowing there was no turning back now. You had to do this for him and for you or else you would never do it.

You pull up in his driveway and shut off your car. You stare up at the familiar house, a million memories flooding straight through you. Your anxiety spikes but you will yourself out of the car regardless. You make your way up the steps before knocking quietly on the door and waiting.

When Jimmy steps out, your heart sits on top of your sleeve, clear as day. It beats uncontrollably, yearning for your best friend but cowers at the idea of getting stomped on.

“(y/n)?” Jimmy asks as if he can’t believe you're here.

“I just wanted to apologize,” you start and you know the minute you start talking you’ll spill everything to him like you always have. He had always had that effect on you and the minute his blue eyes gaze over yours the same thing takes place.

“I should have asked you who that girl was. I should have stopped and listened and trusted you. I was terrified that one day you’d leave and break my heart and I guess I did it for you without any context and neither one of us deserved that but you deserved an apology from someone who fucked up prematurely and-“

“(y/n)?” Jimmy asks again, stopping you midway through your rant apology.

“Yeah?”

“You drove here?” he asks, his eyes drifting over to the unfamiliar vehicle behind you.

“Uh yeah, I got my license recently.”

“You drove all the way here to tell me this?” he continues and now you’re the one confused.

“Of course. You deserve an explanation as to why I ended things so quick,” you explain.

Jimmy drops his head, and from what you can tell a ghost of a smile appears on his lips. He shakes his head, before pulling you in by your waist taking you by surprise.

“You’re dumb you know that?”

Before you can respond, Jimmy dips his head down, pressing his lips against yours. The wind is knocked out of you, your heart soaring instead of falling this time. You pull away only when you’re both out of breath and Jimmy rests his forehead on yours.

“I’ll always love you, you know that right?” he asks.

“Always,” you repeat.

“Wanna go for a drive and talk?”