#karla’s spring cleaning ‘24

[splinteredmercies]

SPRING CLEANING ‘24 ␥ Phoebe Huynh (2/?)

fandom: stranger things

pairing: eventual and implied chrissy cunningham/phoebe huynh (oc)

author's note: originally written during the summer of '22, this hasn't seen the light of say other than a friend or two i've sent it to. it was also the time when i challenged myself to write in present tense. i planned it to be a one-shot like almost everything else i've written in the last two years. phoebe and chrissy are the definition of those middle school female friendships you never truly recover from, lol.

word count: 598

It’s the September of 1979. The Huynhs have moved from sunny California to dreary Indiana to open a nail salon in the heart of Hawkins, and Phoebe is entering sixth grade at the local middle school.

Phoebe’s schedule shows her first class is U.S. History with Mrs. Cassandra Callahan. Phoebe makes her way to the class—trying and failing to ignore how she’s the only Asian person in the building and how all the students stare and whisper.

The stares and whispers are worse when she’s one of the first students in the classroom. Her peers make a lousy attempt at sneaking glances at her while she is busy observing the classroom and Mrs. Callahan.

Mrs. Callahan is younger than the cluster of teachers hanging around their doorways in the Social Studies hallway. She’s newlywed, going off how she fiddles with the simple but shiny gold band on her left ring finger and stares at it with a sparkling gaze. Wispy strands of blonde hair fall around her face, and Phoebe can tell she has bright and eager blue eyes.

The bell rings, and Mrs. Callahan walks to her desk with a sunny smile. “Good morning, everyone! Since it’s the first day of school, we’ll do some ice-breakers before going over the syllabus and the class rules and expectations.”

Everyone is quiet except for the occasional shuffle as the kids move around in their seats. Mrs. Callahan brightens at the lack of groans and complaints. She picks up a clipboard with a pencil. “I’m going to call roll.”

Mrs. Callahan makes her way quickly through the list, but her confidence wavers through the H section.

“H-U-Y-N-H? I’m so sorry I can’t pronounce this—” Mrs. Callahan’s voice is high-pitched and hesitant when her eyes fall upon Phoebe. “How do you pronounce your last name, sweetie?”

Something about how Mrs. Callahan says “sweetie” aggravates Phoebe, but she swallows her pride, plasters on a saccharine smile, and gives her the correct pronunciation.

“Oh, I’m never gonna get that correct,” Mrs. Callahan mumbles, scribbling something down on the page.

In front of her, a girl turns around. The sudden motion makes the straw-colored hair in a ponytail whip around her face. “Hi, I’m Chrissy! I like your nail polish color!”

Phoebe looks down at her hands. The polish—a soft pink by the name of “Pink Almond”—had been applied by her mother during their mother-daughter bonding time she insisted on every Saturday night. Her mother had chosen the color, saying that neutrals and soft polishes on her natural nails suited Phoebe for the upcoming school year, and she promised they’d go back to experimenting with the bolder set of trendy colors during the summer.

“Thank you,” Phoebe replies with a clipped, polite tone. She looks back at Chrissy with the hopes the other girl understands she’s hesitant to talk to her and cools down the cheerfulness. It’s simply too early for this.

“Can I see your schedule? I want to see how many classes we have together.”

Phoebe feels like Chrissy is staking her claim on her. And, strangely, finds she doesn’t mind at all. She passes Chrissy her schedule and watches as the girl skims it.

“Sweet! We have basically all our classes together.” Chrissy seems excited at the thought but hesitates at Phoebe’s stony silence. “I was going to ask if you wanted to stick together, but if you—I mean, you don’t have to say yes—”

“No,” Phoebe interrupts. A smile tugs at her lips, one more sincere than the one aimed at Mrs. Callahan earlier. “We can stick together.”

[marcoacesabo]

GIVE ME ALL 100

Omg.

Okay I got this.

1. More milk than cereal. 

2. Not really, since it gets really windy here and it’s just biting cold slap at my face.

3.Usually, the first thing on my right that isn’t food. 

4. I don’t drink tea unless sick but I take my coffee with a ton of milk and sugar. 

5. Yes, I hate my smile. My cheeks left to high up and I look weird. 

6. Nah, I do have a garden at my house but it’s my mom’s. I’m allergic to them to be able to keep them.

7. Large.

8. Mixed between writing and gifs. But mostly writing.

9. All the time. All day every day. 

10. Depends, on my mood. I tend to twist and turn between all three. 

11.  Me and my friends gave each other stripper names and go by them sometimes in public. People's faces man. 

12. I got to say cilantro. I love how it tastes and how it smells.

13. My dad screamed this morning cause he didn’t know I was home and was singing and dancing in the living room when I silently showed up. 

14. A mess. The flat would be no higher than the second floor and I wouldn’t be able to remember the color of the carpet due to all the trash I have lying around.

15.  Neutron stars can spin at a rate of 600 rotations per second. Whoooooo! So fast

16. Ravioli! 

17. I always wanted to dye it a dark blue color or rainbow. 

18. This one time, a couple was making out in front of my buddy’s locker and she needed to get her books for class but they wouldn’t move. I elbow them apart while chanting “This is Sparta!” 

19. I do keep a journal and it’s a mix of fanfiction, ideas for short stories and my ranting space. 

20.  gray  (cough Ace cough) 

21. I don’t have a bag like that. I always lose bags.

22. No. Night owl all the way.

23. I write or surf the web. Maybe watch a movie or two. 

24. Yes my friend Bri. 

25. I’ve never broken into anywhere.

26. My black boots that are long but not to the knees. Like half way to the knees. 

27. Watermelon.

28. Sunsets. I like to take pictures of them.

29. One of my friend snorts when laughing too hard and I die each time. 

30. Scared for my life? No. Scared I can’t sleep for three days? Yes.

31. Me and socks have a love hate relationship. I don’t like wearing them around the house or to bed but I will if it’s crazy cold. 

32. Ha. You make it sound like me and my friends do anything besides watching stupid movies or play cards against humanity at three in the morning. 

33. cake. Anything cake.

34. I had this cow, that was the typical dairy one but kind of sock monkey like so I carried it everywhere. I don’t have it anymore, it was torn up by my dog.

35. I love pens! I can spend like three hours in an office supply store looking at pens. And yes I do, I write in multiple colors of ink. My favorite is my brown one.

36.  Intocable.  It’s so comfortable sounding. I love it. 

37. A bit of both. Some days I live in trash others I have to dust and vacuum the walls. It depends on how my week is going honestly. 

38. I hate it when someone flickers their fingernails. The sound of the nail is horrible. I also hate crowded places. Can’t stand it.

39. black or white. 

40. I have this glass heart neckless that I got the first time I went to Disney land. It means a lot to me because my older brother bought it to help calm me down since I was freaking out about the lines and a ride that scared me.

41. Tiger’s cures. That series made me so happy. I re-read it often.

42. No not really. Don’t really drink coffee. 

43. My mom. The stars are pretty here since we don’t live near a city and most nights are clear. 

44. Um...it’s been a while. I honestly can’t remember.  

45. No. My instincts are as good as Zoro’s sense of direction.

46. There is no such thing as “the worst pun” so have the best one.  “I was wondering why that baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.”  I love puns but this one is my favorite.

47.  Mayonnaises. hate the smell and it burns my throat. 

48.  needles and yes still is.

49.  Nope don’t really buy them. The last one was a Linken Park CD about five or so years ago. 

50. I collect blow up glass art! 

51. I can’t associate a song with real people but for characters? Yes. Ace is “there is no way out” from brother bear. 

52. Dude, I’m so bad with memes. I can’t tell when they are in style. 

53. no. no. yes. and no. I didn't care for the one I did see. 

54. My mom :(

55. I scratched both of my siblings while screaming like I was possessed. They said that they would take my phone away to rid me of my demons. I counteracted. 

56.  I really think it’s endearing when someone is hopeful shy. Or when they smile down at the ground or just seem happy but quite happy. 

57. Didn’t really react. Just hear it. 

58. whine mom is bri, vodka aunt is Karla.

59. La llorona. Don’t know why I get scared each time but I love hearing it.

60. No. Poetry and I are not friends.

61. I gave my brother a pair of socks with a sticky note “Cold feet” once. Tis a pun on his date and the socks.  He gave me a fully wrapped box that was almost as big as my chest that was empty besides a little note that read “A box of disappointment.” 

62. Yes and it’s either grape or apple.

63. I kind of leave them be but only in one area. They are not to be moved from that one part of my room. 

64. It’s  light blue 

65. Yes my friend bri. She moved away and I miss being able to just call her up and say “Meet me at the mall dude.” 

66. One that is roses. 

67. sleepy and lazy. I kinda like those days.

68. It can be either really  cold, never ending snow or “Are we in summer or spring?” “ dude, it’s winter.” “whaaa?” there is no in between 

69. I love the game of life, battleship and mouse trap.

70. no. And I never will.

71.  yerba buena often refers to Mentha citrata, a true mint sometimes called "bergamot mint" (I don’t know the english name so I looked it up. But it’s yerba buena that is my favorite.)

72. Yes I am, but I forget to note stuff down so...

73. Procrastinating. Daydreaming. Zoning out.  Skipping meals. Not sleeping.

74. They are kind and worry about you whenever they are away. They check up on you by sending you texts or random pics. They pack extra everything because they know you’ll forget but they don’t mind. They are the mom friend and you always feel better when talking to them. 

75. I got a dog named Lilly and a bunch of fish. I named one Yuki and the other Sombra. I have lost track of which one is which since they had babies. 

76. yup cleaning.

77. Neither. Hate lemonade.

78. I’m in “mehclub” 

79. One of my friends said a “thank you for being in my life” speech at my graduation party. It was so cute and I was a sobbing mess.

80. My room is white with a yellow ceiling. Yes, I did and the reason was that I wasn’t to paint a yellow tree around the edges of my walls but...never actually did it. 

81. chocolate cake with sprinkles.

82. I’ve been on the honor roll for three years but this semester kicked my ass. So I fell to a B average. 

83. I don’t really have none. 

84. Nope too scared to but I think they are awesome. Would love a rose or something.

85. I used to read batman and night wing ones. But haven’t in a long time. Mostly I read tumblr one. Like Kid n’ teenagers. 

86. Again don’t really have none.

87. Accepted, Sinbad, Master of Disguise and Spirated away. 

88. Don’t know if its a “movement” but I like blow up glass art or some tattoos.

89. Close to my mom. Dad is so and so even though I act just like him.

90. Don’t really have one. I don’t like crowds and cities have crowds. 

91. Nowhere I got no cash. I’ll be lucky to be able to leave my house.

92.  I drown it. I don’t let it see the light of day after the cheese is in my hand.

93. I cut my hair so I wouldn’t have to style it past brushing. So, short hair?

94. My big brother! 

95. Clean, sleep, read, write, visit family. 

96. I always press the “remind me later button” My computer had been needing an update for about three months now. 

97.  INFP,  Slytherin and Scropio

98. About a year ago, with the family. Yes and no since it was really pretty but I was having a hard time breathing.

99. I will not bow. I need a hero. And it’s over, isn’t it?

100. 5 years future. I want to see if she has her shit together. Besides, I already know the past, no fun that way. 

[splinteredmercies]

SPRING CLEANING ‘24 ␥ Catherine Willoughby (1/?)

fandom: the west wing

pairing: eventual josh lyman/catherine willoughby (oc)

author's note: this will eventually be a one-shot published on ao3, but for now, I'll post this scene. the following scene takes place during the '98 election cycle. at this point, bartlet and hoynes are on the ticket together. (want to imagine catherine with a face claim? kristin davis in sex and the city!)

word count: 239

Catherine resisted the urge to twiddle her thumbs. Her mother had taught her better. But Dr. Bartlet was not making anything easy.

“I do not need anyone to tell me how to dress! I know how to dress myself! Where’s Leo—?”

Catherine took her chance. She squared her shoulders and said, “Dr. Bartlet, I wasn’t hired to dress you. Quite frankly, you’re not the problem. It’s your husband.”

“My husband?”

“Governor Bartlet could speak all day about economics and theology and whether or not Notre Dame is doing well during the football season. He’s a smart man, but he cannot dress himself!”

Catherine paused to take a breath. She wondered if she would jinx the election with the words she wanted to say… She continued anyway.

“You’re doing well in the polls. The Bartlet-Hoynes ticket has a chance of winning. Your schedule isn’t going to allow you to be able to pick the Governor’s suit and tie for every event, Doctor.”

There was a begrudging acceptance in Dr. Bartlet’s eyes. The older woman assessed Catherine with a keen gaze. “You always address me as ‘Doctor,’ never ‘Mrs.’”

“You’re more than just a wife and mother, Doctor Bartlet. Pardon my French, but you’re a kickass thoracic surgeon. Anyone who calls you ‘Mrs. Bartlet’ should correct themselves.”

Dr. Bartlet stared for a moment before she said, “Catherine, you can call me Abbey. Do you go by Cate?”

Catherine smiled and laughed. “Oh, no, I’m Catherine—just Catherine.”