Grace Walker

[grxcewalker-blog]

[Marielle] [MSG:] what size shoe are you? I'm clearing out my wardrobe and have some things you might like :)

[TXT:] hey hun. how are you? and 9 xxx

[TXT:] its the middle of winter. why are you spring cleaning?? lol 

[grxcewalker-blog]

[Alice] [MSG:] The coupon book method of working out is very effective. I feel much more tired than usual.

[TXT:] uhuh! mentally as well as physically probably

[TXT:] you got so mad during that last session i really thought you were going to head over to helens to beat her up over figurative coupon books

[TXT:] you’re terrifying when you’re determined. i love it

[grxcewalker-blog]

(Octavia) "I killed him. I killed my father."

Octavia hadn’t spoken a word since the incident. Even when Grace had stood right in front of her, placed her hands to the tops of her arms and shaken her, said her name over and over, there had come no response. That is to say, nothing but a blank and pale stare. In the hours leading up to this moment, Grace had been there for Octavia. She’d guided the cold girl to a seat; made her sit; cleaned the blood from underneath her nails; washed away the red from her palms with a wet cloth, like she would a small child whose hands had grown sticky from a melted popsicle. Then had come the time to remove the body, wipe the floors, the splashes of vermillion, already congealing, up the sides of some of the walls, the cupboards. There had been so much of it. Too much of it, in Grace’s opinion. It had taken her hours to mop up, and a little less than half of that time to swap the smell of copper for bleach. She’d just finished on the final, white tile when a voice, very quiet, very robotic, appeared. Grace’s eyes lifted to the back of Octavia’s head, her face softening in pity; in care. She wiped her forehead with the back of a shaky hand and stood, wrapping her arms around the girl once reaching her, and holding her close. Octavia was so cold. Grace wanted to warm her up. Wanted her to know she was there.

[liviasxmmers-blog]

Livia nodded at her colleague’s request, the woman’s usual dramatics tugging a soft smile across her lips. There was a type of familiarity here that Livia had failed to find anywhere else after Cassia- a feeling of belonging that showed up at the most random of times, much like this. A sense of community. Pouring the rest of the milk from the pot, she mixed a second hot chocolate for Grace, leaning slightly forward over the counter. “I’m already having a hard time finding the motivation to go out, and the weather isn’t helping any. I’ll probably stay in here for hours doing nothing just to avoid the wind.” Tossing the spoon into the sink, Livia slid the mug across the counter to her colleague along with a bag of marshmallows and the last of the peppermint sticks, not sure how she’d want it. At the woman’s last comment, she leaned further across the counter as to peek inside the bags. “You just now finished Secret Santa shopping? Grace, it’s Christmas Eve,” she commented, the corner of her lips lifting ever so slightly. “Who’ve you got? If you don’t mind my asking.”

[grxcewalker-blog]

Grace, granted with the natural talent of making all silences comfortable, even with the most awkward of people (that wasn’t to say she thought Livia was one of them), said nothing as she watched Livia go about making a second hot chocolate. She briefly wondered if one of the other staff member’s had left some whipped cream in the fridge, then recalled Nathan Hunter having emptied it into his mouth a few days ago. She cursed her past self for having dared him to do so, because now she would have to go without. Her eyes lifted when her colleague spoke, still with a small smile across her face that, to anyone attentive enough, might conclude that it was her face’s natural resting position. It wasn’t. Grace simply felt better when she smiled. Consequently, sometimes, it made others feel slightly better too. Kindness costed nothing. “Huh.” She let out a short, agreeable laugh, turning her head to note the miserable weather outside. “I don’t think it would feel right if there wasn’t a snow storm on Christmas Eve. It’s a theme for New Hampshire, I’ve found. It’s done the same thing every year, for five years.” She hesitated, brows furrowing in thought, then lifting a second later. “It’s probably a weather manipulator now that I think about it. Thanks, hun.” 

Grace cupped the mug of freshly made hot chocolate, bringing it to her chest so that she could blow on it. She stopped, however, when her colleague grew blatantly curious as to what was inside of her bags. Grace gave the side of Livia’s leg a playful prod with the tip of her boot. “If you’re going to blame anyone for my tardiness this year, blame Alice! I think we might have spent a few days browsing the aisles of Bed Bath and Beyond. She loves that place. It makes her so happy.” She lifted her shoulders to the point where they touched the tips of her ears, as if to emphasise her friend’s happiness. Briefly pausing to take a sip of her drink, and not forgetting that there were also marshmallows and peppermint sticks to be added, Grace set down her mug to open one of her shopping bags. “Okay well you obviously can’t tell her...” She hesitated a moment before pulling out the gift(s), just to take a quick glance around the room for the person she was Secret Santa for. Seeing no sign of Marielle, Grace pulled out the scarf and small collection of fancy looking red lipsticks. “You could probably guess from the lipstick kit, really. There’s only one woman who wears so much of it out of all the faculty members.” She rolled her eyes. “Marielle. What about you?”

[liviasxmmers-blog]

Livia’s Christmas Eve had been going as well as could be expected, which wasn’t saying much. As a child she’d have a special dinner with her mother, reserved for her and no one else- it was the one night they had alone without whomever her mother’s toy at the time was, which, said out loud made her mother sound unaffectionate; however, she was very affectionate. She just tended to spread her affections fairly thin. Later, Livia would spend her Christmases in bed with her girlfriend, a copious amount of hot chocolate, and one carefully-thought-out gift each. But that… was no longer possible. Instead, she’d participated in the staff’s secret santa exchange this morning. She’d hung a generic Christmas ornament from the rear view mirror of Nathan Hunter’s car earlier in the week, simply for the satisfaction of his difficulty naming her as his secret santa. Even more satisfying was the news from Ollie Bushell that he still hadn’t taken it down. But now came the hard part, trying to stay in the spirit despite the lack of family; it was quite difficult, to say the least, trying to keep a smile on your face when the only two people you really want to see are nowhere to be found. 

Livia found herself in the kitchen, craving the comfort of hot chocolate. Maybe it wasn’t in bed and maybe it wasn’t with Cassia, but she’d still try her hardest to enjoy it. Hearing the wind rush through the doorway, she glanced up, a routine friendly smile flashing toward her new companion. “Would you like one as well?” she asked, lifting up an empty mug with one hand and dropping a peppermint stick into her own with the other.

[grxcewalker-blog]

Christmas was always fun here, and Grace had been at the academy long enough now to have experienced five in total. It was impressive how many teachers came and went in a matter of years. Some barely stayed a few months before going to work elsewhere, or quitting the profession entirely. She could understand. Teaching was a tough job; more so, if the students were mutants who’d more than likely suffered prior to their time here. Grace knew. She had to. She was the school’s counsellor. As was the custom for the faculty at Morgana, each had been given a name out of the Secret Santa box earlier in the week. Naturally, Grace had gotten Alice’s name, but after Alistair’s very persuasive proposal that she swap with him, she’d ended up with Marielle’s name. Not that Grace minded. Alice was very hard to buy for; Marielle was not. In fact, she’d just gotten back from shopping for her friend when she’d decided to make a detour in the staff room for some coffee, carrying a couple of small shopping bags as she proceeded. Grace was brushing off some snow from the shoulders of her coat when she saw Livia, and immediately offered the woman a genuine smile. Her mandatory “hello, how are you” had no time to get out before her colleague was offering hot chocolate, and it made Grace pull a face of sheer delight. “Ugh, I think I could murder for one -- thanks. It’s freezing out there, isn’t it? I think my fingers have frozen over the handles of these bags.” Walking up to the counter, Grace lifted up the bags she spoke of and set them down, rubbing her hands together, to warm them up, a second later. “That’s my Secret Santa done for another year.”

[grxcewalker-blog]

[Alice] [MSG:] That nice lady from the bar last night messaged me on facebook and said she was surprised to find out we're not actually a couple. You were right, I am an affectionate drunk.

[TXT:] of course i was right :)

[TXT:] she probably thought we were a couple because you kept saying “grace walker is mine and no one elses”

[TXT:] which i think could be very misleading, alice !!

[TXT:] did she only message you to tell you that?

[grxcewalker-blog]

(Octavia) [TXT]: I need your help. Hurry.

[TXT:] where are you?

[TXT:] octavia?

[TXT:] im coming dont worry

[grxcewalker-blog]

[Alice] [MSG:] Would you like to come with me and Gus to the Baby & Me Singalong Session at the library this afternoon?

[TXT:] i know you saw me just this morning but i’m suddenly horribly, wildly sick

[TXT:] i’ll have to give it a miss and stay home... so sorry !! xxxxxxxxx

[grxcewalker-blog]

[Alice] [MSG:] Marielle and I have decided that we need to set you up with someone. I need a list of all the qualities you'd like in a partner.

[TXT:] Oh really? How the tables have turned!!!!!

[TXT:] Usually it’s you and me trying to set up Marielle on a date

[TXT:] I’m not sure I like the shift in dynamics here haha

[TXT:] but if you’d like a list then you don’t need to look any further than your divine self xoxoxo

[grxcewalker-blog]

[Alice] [MSG:] Dress shopping next Sunday at 9am. Pencil it in and don't be late!

[TXT:] When am I ever late?

[TXT:] Don’t answer that. I can see you typing!!!

[TXT:] But why 9am on a Sunday? honey ....

[grxcewalker-blog]

[Alice] [MSG:] I have't slept in three days, all of my shirts smell like breast milk, Gus threw up all over our new bed sheets and a bottle of baby powder just exploded in the nursery. Seriously considering hiring a nanny.

[TXT:] Say what you want but you secretly love the mom life.... [kiss emoji]

[grxcewalker-blog]

[Alice] [MSG:] How many plaid shirts do you own? This is ridiculous. Hurry up with that coffee and be prepared to get rid of at least half of these things.

[TXT:] if you lay one perfectly manicured finger on any of my shirts then this friendship is over alice

[TXT:] i’d let you touch my bare ass before i let you touch my shirts!

[grxcewalker-blog]

[Alice] [MSG:] I feel empty. And lonely.

[TXT:] I’m coming to pick you up and you’re going to stay with me for a couple days.

[TXT:] Can you pack a bag? Or bags, knowing you. I can help when I get there if you need it xxx

[grxcewalker-blog]

[Alice] [MSG:] You know that saying, always the bridesmaid but never the bride? I have the opposite. I've been the bride but none of my friends are in a position for me to be a bridesmaid.

[TXT:] honey you’re running out of discreet ways of telling me you’re married and I’m still single

[TXT:] I know I’m still single

[TXT:] ...I don’t need no (wo)man! 

[grxcewalker-blog]

[Alice] [MSG]: When you licked the fourth stranger's cheek the bar tender pretty much ordered us to get you out.

[TXT:] that’s too bad. i was going to make the fifth cheek yours!!!

[grxcewalker-blog]

GRACE WALKER MOODBOARD [1/?]

[grxcewalker-blog]

[MSG:] hey quick question do you really definitely need one of those official reference things for someone to see you for counselling? and how opposed would you be to having someone like locked in the room with you until she spoke??

[TXT:] Not at all. The references are posted by faculty members (maybe a teacher or a nurse) who are concerned for a students wellbeing, at which point I’ll reach out to whoever has been recommended for some of my sessions. A student can come without a referral, but it has to be consensual.

[TXT:] That means no locking someone in a room with me until they spoke up, sorry.

[TXT:] But I think I know who you are talking about. Are you free to come to my office right now? You wouldn’t be the first to flag this up with me but I only have one referral slip for your cousin. I need three from different people on the same person before I can make sessions compulsory.