Cheer is Life

Christian was impressed that Drew knew the word metaphor. He’d need to tell Reg that the boy was getting closer to Winthrop-Khoo dating material bit by bit. “You know I can’t tell you that.”

“It’s all of our obligation, isn’t it? I just have more means than most. For now, I should say.” He lifted an eyebrow. “From what I hear, things are about to be leveled. But I’ll be honest.” (No, he wouldn’t.) “I can acknowledge I didn’t make things better before all this started. I wasn’t interested in it. I can’t help but worry that that inaction has contributed to this.” Perhaps there was a grain of truth to that. Just enough to hide the actual contribution. Hopefully.

This was a delicate question. A good one, even. He hadn’t expected them to think so globally, which was perhaps his own arrogance. “There is no action that is 100% without risk. But I truly believe the net danger is less.” He barely swallowed the notion that anyone who will be harmed deserves it, but he wasn’t allowed to say shit like that, was he? Even if it was true. “And Raleigh agrees that something needs to be done. She knows I can take care of myself. And other people.” And would say I’m being a pretentious dick, but that runs in the family.

@morganlittle

#with: drew #with: christian #phase: day twelve

"We think so," Morgan replied, nodding at Drew. She wanted to believe Christian was operating in good faith. Did she give him a chance to prove her right or wrong? She'd changed since this all began. Was it so hard to believe he had too? Apparently the answer was yes because Morgan struggled to view this as entirely genuine. She was sure parts were, but she didn't know which.

She looked at Drew, searching for anything in his expression that told her what he was thinking. Morgan could interpret a silent signal but she wasn't too practiced at reading him better than that yet. "That is why we're considering this," she admitted. "Less danger." The alternative was a lot riskier, especially for them. Was it enough reason to go this route or would it be selfish?

"If this happens, we will be sending someone with you. It won't be someone from CM, only because we think our presence will make things a lot more fraught for everybody."

drewrogersqb

Drew wasn’t proud of Morgan. He didn’t have any right to be, because it suggested a power/competence dynamic they didn’t have. But damn if he wasn’t very, very, very grateful. He had baggage when it came to pretty European boys very patiently gaslighting him, and it was all feeling a bit familiar, even if Christian’s features were less conventionally masc than Art’s. So he focused on trying to not screw this up for her.

He nodded as she pointed out the privilege of what he was saying. “Good point, Morgan.” He didn’t want to center himself in it, but if Christian argued with her, there was going to be a problem.

“I don’t want to be rude, or whatever, man, but this isn’t really news to most of us, even if we’re just talking about Tony. You heard what happened at his dinner party on Friday. You’re friends with Raleigh, right?” He was impressed he remembered that, to be honest. He just recalled Raleigh vaguely suggesting he could get talk to Christian about Cricket management back in January, saying he just needed to tell Christian ‘The White Witch says hi.’ to get some kind of discount. (What a discount meant in this context, he didn’t want to know.)

@christiandumotier

Okay. He’d walked into that. More than a little. He could hear Lou teasing him in his head (dumb white boy, she’d murmur, somewhere between exhaustion and affection. Or perhaps he just told himself that.), but he reminded himself that this all looked very predictable and clumsy. For once, he did need to be aiming to look like a little less of a threat than usual, if only to lull them into a false sense of security. “A more than fair point, Morgan. I apologize. I’ll admit I had not had to think about the implications of the Alessis’ actions well…” He took perhaps a little too long to think. “Ever.” His smile looked a little apologetic. A little.

“We don’t really travel in the same circles, and I have no interest in doing so, despite various overtures that have been made over the years.” This first tack was important to take. He was at risk of looking too connected, which could be very dangerous indeed. Connected was bad. Informed was good. “But I do have information they don’t want to get out. Consider it the threat of nuclear winter to counter his posturing on the border.”

He gave them a moment to process this before adding. “I appreciate your concern for my safety, but as I mentioned to Fern, I consider this information to be the best protection a person can have against the Alessis, even at their most volatile. Much as I appreciate you and Mx. Seraven volunteering to moderate conflict, when I see a situation where I am in a position to help, I feel it’s my obligation to offer. I’ll admit that wasn’t the case in West Ham. But we aren’t in West Ham anymore, as Raleigh explained to me on Friday night.”

It was a slight exaggeration, to be fair. She’d sent him a warning text, and he’d followed up. It was less consolation and more risk management. “Our families are close, yes.” He managed to keep the fact that her ancestors had helped to fund his forebears’ escape from the French Revolution to himself. “I hate to see her upset, and I find his threats to be in poor taste. Unfortunately, he and his sister have demonstrated the only thing they respect is a show of power. I have that. And community maintenance is fundamentally designed to avoid such demonstrations, as I understand it.”

#phase: day twelve #with: drew #with: christian

"Thank you," Morgan said in response to Christian's apology. It was more than most would give.

Morgan was conflicted. There was a little nagging voice in her head telling her that this was a risky path to take. She struggled to believe that Christian would do this out of the good of his heart. "Why do you feel it's your obligation?" she asked him. Morgan wished they had thought to ask Fern if she had agreed to some kind of payment for this. Her instincts told her she must have, Christian was not someone who did things for free historically. It seemed far fetched that he'd change his ways now. What did she agree to give him? And would she tell them if she did?

She knew asking what information he had on the Alessi's was going to be pointless. They were Community Maintenance. Enough said. "This information you have. Is there a risk of others being hurt?" Morgan wasn't sure about her wording. "I'm sure you can appreciate why we're feeling some reluctance. We won't want to go ahead if this could result in any harm coming to somebody else."

@drewrogersqb

drewrogersqb

It somehow felt like a little much when Christian said ‘Madam President’ out loud, even if Drew had been doing it in his head for over a week. “No titles necessary, at least for me.” (He never wanted to tell Morgan what to do.) He nodded gratefully, almost sleepwalking before adding. “Not sure that matters anymore.”

He suppressed the urge to ask Fern to come back. Morgan had this, even if he very much felt he didn’t. He was just there to be the dude.

Luckily or unluckily he didn’t really know how to be anything other than direct. Talking to the Quilters had proved that to him. And if they were a scrimmage, Christian du Motier was the freaking Super Bowl. And he really didn’t have a play. So he just said… “Same.”

@christiandumotier

Christian gave Fern a small salute as she left, more for Drew and Morgan’s benefit than for hers. Then he followed up with an appropriately aristocratic bow before adding “Morgan.”

He sat down on the most comfortable couch in the room, which left Drew and Morgan two rather imposing armchairs. “I understand your confusion, but when Fern explained what you were facing, I couldn’t help but worry. If Tony’s playing judge, jury, and executioner, I’ll admit I don’t feel safe.” He managed to not add I don’t have the capital you have, but only barely. “Do you?”

There was no point in a full lie. Not to them. They didn’t merit the effort of keeping the falsehoods straight. Half-truths were easier.

@morganlittle

#with: drew #phase: day twelve #with: christian

Drew's short agreement was all it took for Morgan to realise he was using their signal without directly waving it in her face. Which was fair and would have been weird if he chucked her a contextless deuce right now. Christian was a lot smarter than Dylan Quilter, they had to be more subtle.

Morgan listened to Christian, not really buying what he was saying. "Well. As a black girl coming from normal American society where things were already quite treacherous for people like me, not really." She shrugged as if that didn't weigh on her. They were still figuring out how things differed here, how they wanted it to work. What it was in reality. Felt a little like walking a tightrope trying to see which way they'd fall. A better society or a worse one. Who had the strongest push?

"If you don't feel safe why are you putting your hand up to confront Tony?" she asked him. "Surely that's not safe. And we want you to be safe, to be clear. That's not in question. I'm genuinely curious."

@christiandumotier

West Ham for the Holidays (Flashback and AUs)

“I’m very much looking forward to it.” Jordan could think of nothing more relaxing than cuddling up with Morgan on either of their couches and watching some of his favorite films. “Most of the good ones have already been removed from streaming, but I’ve never given up on our dvd player.”

He felt her squeeze travel through him and prayed that his cheeks wouldn’t get any pinker. He loved walking next to her, feeling her hand in his. For weeks, he’d dreamed of this. It was hard to believe that it was real. “I’m starting to grow fond of it.” He gazed at her adoringly before moving his attention back to his hot chocolate. He took a sip, but the warmth in the drink didn’t compare to the feeling of her skin against his.

“I do worry about that. I thought one fire extinguisher would be enough, but I’ve been proven wrong.” He shuddered not to think about it too much. The future was a much better topic. There was no clear sign of death on the horizon. “Cal Tech. If Wes is determined to visit space, then I want to make sure that the right people are getting him there. If I make it Cal Tech, I have a great chance at working at JPL. It would be my dream.” He shook his head slightly. “I apologize. It’s the Jet Propulsion Lab, they work closely with NASA. I’d never want to be involved in privatizing space. It’s a public good.”

"You're speaking my language right now. There will never not be a dvd player in my home." Morgan loved collecting them and rewatching them. Trying to find things that were still on streaming services without having to pay a monthly subscription for several different ones was too much. She'd been to a lot of yard sales to get them secondhand. And when the Blockbuster closed in town she got a lot there too.

Morgan looked over at him and the second their eyes met it was like her heart stopped in her chest. That. She wanted him to look at her like that all the time. He looked away and she ducked her head, trying to pretend like that hadn't just rocked her. "I think I am too," she agreed.

"That's amazing Jordan," she said, her own excitement growing. She hoped he achieved all his dreams, she didn't know anyone more deserving. "Cal Tech, I'm assuming that's California?" That was far. Across the other side of the country far. But that wasn't something she should be thinking about right now. And a lot of people moved away from home for college. "I think you'd be perfect for that. You have an incredible brain."

ingroj

“Well, yeah, isn’t that part of a manicure?” Ingrid raised an eyebrow at them. In fairness, she did need it. Who wanted to get that up close and personal with her cuticles? Not her. But if Sasha really wanted to, that was their business not hers.

Ingrid straightened her skirt. Her heart was going to beat out of her chest. Morgan Little at her wall, wanting to talk to her. This was a moment worth remembering forever. Why the fuck didn’t they have instagram? Oh well, she’d have to take a picture on her phone and then print it out like a total weirdo.

“Yeah, of course. Would it be too weird if I asked for a selfie with you? This is kind of a big deal for me.” Maybe that wasn’t the cool way to talk about things, but this was Morgan Little. There was no point in trying to outcool her. She broke up with her boyfriend through a threesome. That was a whole new level of legendary.

“Oh..um..so Sasha and I are…” she lowered her voice, “Involved. That means they can hear whatever you want to ask me. We don’t believe in secrets.”

sashaparnok

Well, at least Ingrid had some sense. Sasha really hadn’t been sure. Or perhaps was just more sure in the other direction. “I didn’t expect you to know.” They said, their voice clipped well enough to be in a movie from the thirties.

They wanted to melt into the floor as Ingrid fell over herself for Morgan. Perhaps Sasha had underestimated their own privilege in terms of hanging out with upper classmen, but between Blair’s connections to Jacks and their own association with Drama Club, Morgan was just a person. Really, they were surprised that Ingrid didn’t see her that way. She’d fitted her for costumes any number of times. But perhaps that was just it. When people viewed you like support staff, you thought that way. The only way Ingrid was going to get past this was if Sasha showed her.

So they interlaced their fingers tighter with Ingrid’s, really selling it with a slight squeeze of her hand to both encourage and to keep her from going for the selfie. Well. At least with this hand. “That’s right, mi amor. Ask away, Morgan.”

@morganlittle

#phase: day twelve #with: ingrid #with: sasha

A big deal? Morgan's eyebrows rose in surprise at Ingrid's reaction to her. What was that about? "Oh! We could take one after we talk if you want?" She suggested. She was a little worried if she didn't stick to the plan it would get derailed very quickly. And god she wanted to get home. Comfy clothes and something to snack on and maybe inviting Jordan over to torture her some more.

Involved? Interesting word choice. "Congraaaaats!" she said, hoping that was the appropriate reaction. "Is it new? Sorry, you don't have to answer that. I'm happy for you though. You're very cute together."

"Okay great. How does the wall situation work?" she asked. "Is there any kind of moderation or way of knowing who puts up what?"

@ingroj

drewrogersqb

There had been several times in the past two weeks when Drew found himself wondering how he’d gotten himself into this situation. Some had been good (getting to go home with Bronte). Some had been complicated. (Bronte potentially being pregnant, trying to connect with Adam.) Some had been very bad. (Nearly everything else.) But he still had never expected to end up near Christian du Motier’s weird little bathroom office, let alone his house. Not even in the depths of his Artemio derived paranoia. Yet here he was.

He watched Fern as she greeted Christian, still trying to understand exactly what happened between them. He didn’t want to make harmful assumptions, but Heli had made him sensitive to certain people’s unfortunate ability to see the best in people when it was definitely not a good idea to do so. But if it meant that he didn’t have to walk into a mafia compound? Well, sometimes you just wanted to let the offensive and defensive lines exhaust each other a little.

So he waved. “Hey, man. We really appreciate your offer.”

@christiandumotier

Bless Fern for texting, truly. It meant that Christian could time exactly how long he would need to switch into nicer pants than sweats. But he also planned to get this done as quickly as possible as a result. But not in a suspicious way. Just his normal amount of smug way. It was a delicate balance.

He leaned on the door as he opened it, smiling at Fern before turning. “Madam President.” He looked Morgan and Drew up and down. “I would use a title if I knew what to use, apologies. I don’t believe we’ve been introduced, but I know both of you by your enviable reputations. Go Catamounts.”

He did appreciate Fern letting him do the talking to a certain extent. His faith in her continued to be well placed. “Thank you, Fern. We’ll call if we need you.” He made a note to himself to find out about her other engagement. They did have an agreement after all.

Christian beckoned Drew and Morgan into the front living room, the one that only allowed them in deep enough for him to look polite without giving them sight on important things like his wine or Blu-rays. “I assume Fern’s relayed my officer, but I’m sure you have misgivings. Allow me to alleviate them.”

@fernbright

fernbright

“Of course,” Fern nodded cordially at Christian, and then gave Morgan and Drew a reassuring smile. She would dampen down her own curiosities and worries and fears and leave it in their capable hands. She’d asked Drew to take this on for a reason, she reminded herself. He was good at this.

For now, she was going to meet with her new friends and have a small break in the madness. Fern needed to feel like a normal girl again, to remind herself of the good that she was fighting for. If only for a moment. “I’ll see you later.” She waved her goodbyes and began her walk back home, the voice in her head reminding her she was breaking a promise to Nell. Again. Fern sighed, and took her phone out of her pocket to ask her sister for a ride.

@morganlittle

#with: drew #with: fern #with: christian #phase: day twelve

"My queen is good," Morgan joked. "No, my name is fine." She didn't know if she wanted a title, she got the impression it would feel too police-y. They were trying to avoid that.

Morgan followed them inside, trying not to appear too interested. She wondered if Claudia was here, she hadn't seen her much since their group bonding session at the church party. She wanted to say hi, see how she was doing. One of the downsides of being so busy now, it was harder to keep up with all the smaller things.

"She did yeah," Morgan replied, sitting to perch on the edge of the sofa seat. "I think we were a little surprised that you offered," she said, looking to Drew. She didn't want to take over or launch into any questions too soon.

@drewrogersqb

Phase : During (The Event)

claudiadunne

“I hope so. She’s such a lovely person, I would love to count her among my friends.” Limited though they were, they meant the world to Claudia. She was selective, like Christian, but in a very different direction. She wanted earnestness and heart from people. Carmen had both.

“Non, it was not a joke, but I will take the compliment.” She smiled at Mia and Mia grinned back at her. Her larp games were so strategy oriented that she was rarely considered funny, but it pleased her to know that someone thought of her that way.

Claudia clapped her hands together in excitement. “That sounds incredible. Y'know, I’ve never had a sleepover. It’s not a super European thing, but I’ve always wanted to know if they’re as fun as they look in Princess Diaries 2.” It was a secret wish of hers, but one she felt comfortable sharing here.

Her heart ached for Carmen. She knew all too well the outsized influence parents could on decisions and the helplessness that built up inside you when it wasn’t what you wanted. “She wouldn’t need to stay in anyone’s basement, my parents own several nearby properties. They wouldn’t be able to find you if you didn’t want, Carmen.” Just because she had more of a moral compass than Christian did, didn’t mean she hadn’t learned a few things from her cousin. “It’s your choice. As long as you have legal standing to be someplace, they can’t force you to leave. But I understand wanting to please them.” She didn’t necessarily feel that way about her parents, but she did when it came to Tante Sarah.

carmen-hayes

“WHAT!” Carmen was outraged at the idea. Sleepovers were a teen girl rite of passage. “We should for sure have a sleepover. More than one. Pleasepleasepleaseeee. We need to pop Claudia’s sleepover cherry.” A part of Carmen’s brain realised that was a wild thing to say, but she was drunk so it did not phase her. “Respectfully.”

“Wait.” Carmen was going to cry again. “You’d really let me stay in one of your houses?” Wow, Claudia must be rich rich. HouseS. Several. That was more than two, which Carmen felt was a normal yet excessive amount if you only needed one to live in. House math was hard. “That’s so kind. Ugh I love you girls. I feel so empowered and supported right now, you have no idea.”

@rothmia

rothmia

“You’re funny without having to try. That’s beautiful.” She grinned at Claudia and could practically see the lines connecting them, radiating warmth. Small beams of sunshine from one new friend to another.

Mia loved the idea of crowding Morgan’s house with laughter and pillows. “If you’re worried about seating, I can always carry a lovesac over. They’re huge and super comfy.” There was nothing like being high and cocooning yourself in one, trailing your fingertips over the fuzzy material. It was magical.

She nodded her head at Carmen. “I don’t think there’s anything stopping us.” Most of the people she knew were fine with sleepovers. And Carmen’s parents couldn’t stop them from the other side of the world. Claudia’s might, but it didn’t seem like her to suggest something she couldn’t do. “But it can’t happen at my house. My mom is way too particular about shared spaces.”

There was something magical about the fact that all of them were so ready to find creative ways for Carmen to escape. “You could even combine them, fake your death and live in Claudia’s house while you work on emancipation…. or maybe not because your parents might wonder why a dead girl is emancipating herself.” She laid down on the tapestry with a little giggle. The stars twinkled above her in an unfamiliar pattern, but she wasn’t sure if that was her eyes or the night. She wasn’t the most observant at the best times and even less so tonight when the air crackled with a new kind of energy.

#phase: during #with: claudia #with: carmen #with: mia

"All of you are always welcome at my house," Morgan told them. A house always felt more like a home when it was filled with people you loved.

"Yes, please bring it," she told Mia. "I've missed losing myself in one of those. Feels like lying on a cloud." Morgan had enough seating but it never hurt to have more options to spread out on. Whenever Fiona slept over Morgan would drag her mattress downstairs and put it on the floor in front of their sectional. Then she went to work on making a huge nest of blankets and pillows for maximum comfort. She wondered if Fiona would want to join them for this, but she wasn't sure. It might be too much for her.

"Imagine being haunted by the ghost of your daughter who just wants to be emancipated." Morgan laughed with Mia. "Whatever you decide, I think you know now that we've got you. Don't stress okay? If you decide not to stay, a girls trip to New Zealand sounds really fun."

@claudiadunne

West Ham for the Holidays (Flashback and AUs)

“Only one?” He rested his hot chocolate against his chest. “I’m sorry that you’ve missed out on such wonderful films, but I’d love the chance to show you the rest. They are truly in a class of their own.” At least she’d seen How to Lose a Guy. The only thing worse than one was zero, because it suggested that she might never like them. He’d had that problem with Viola and it had been difficult.

His ears were turning pink. He could feel all the blood gathering there as she continued to compliment him. He held his hand out for her gratefully. “It’s not just a nice feeling, you know, you’re also keeping my hand warm. It may be cold nearly half the year here, but I’ve never gotten used to it the way people say you should.” His mum was worse about it, griping about how he could never survive the gloom of England.

“It is and you’d be surprised how frequently firefighters are called to our competitions.” It had taken some getting used to for him. He knew very little about his dad, only that he was in a helping profession like firefighters and police. He could never stop himself from indexing their features, trying to map his own on them. That kind of distraction was dangerous in a competition. “I will be grateful when Cricket and I are in separate robotics programs. I’ve heard about his heart being set on MIT and I have no interest in that.”

"Don't worry, we'll fix it," she told him, beaming. The idea excited her so much. She'd invite him over when her mom was on night shift so they could be truly alone. They'd have popcorn and twizzlers and hot chocolate. She had a lot to look forward to with this smart, handsome, slightly awkward, sweet boy next to her.

"Hmm," Morgan said, examining their hands and giving his a squeeze. "Romantic and practical. We're already making winter better." She leaned into him so their arms were pressed together as well. Jordan was right, it was warmer like this. "It's hard to," she agreed. "The cold is brutal here."

"Would almost make sense to have them on standby if that wasn't taking away resources from other emergencies," she said. Something in her relaxed on Jordan's behalf. There would be an end to this rivalry when they were done with school. "You'll be freeee," she said, smiling up at him. "Where do you want to go?"

Phase: Day Twelve

The lights are on, but no one’s home. Noah’s house is still smoking, and the mysteries are piling up. Oh, and there’s that government thing to worry about. Might need a criminal justice system like now.

So press play, and go.

fernbright

The meeting with Community Maintenance had gone much better than Fern had expected it to. They had a plan, and a good one in her opinion. The team had been willing to tell her how they felt and they planned accordingly. The success of it was fueling her, she felt energised and ready for what was next.

She’d promised CM that she would come along and make introductions for this chat with Christian. Fern had checked in and made sure he knew they were coming, and they headed over together. She just hoped that nothing would come up during their talks that would change this plan.

Fern smiled when he opened the door, quite a difference to how she’d been when she’d left his house earlier. “Hi Christian. We’ve just met to talk about the idea we were discussing earlier.” Fern stepped to the side to let him see two thirds of CM with her. “Drew and Morgan have some questions they thought would be easier to bring to you in person.” She clasped her hands. “I won’t stay, I have another meeting to get to. But I will be available by phone until around 2pm if you need anything from me.”

#phase: day twelve #with: drew #with: fern #with: christian

Morgan had no idea what to expect as she walked to the front door of this giant ass house. It blew her mind that people actually lived in places like this. It looked really fucking haunted, but it wasn't going to stop her from being here to support Drew. This was going to be very different from the Quilters.

She had never used Christian's services before. Morgan hadn't often found herself in situations that she couldn't figure out on her own or with the help of her friends. She was lucky like that. But it meant she didn't really know what she was in for.

"Hi," Morgan waved after Fern introduced her. "Thanks for being available at such short notice. Could we talk inside?"

khanlailakhan

Ah. So Laila was potentially already mildly in trouble. Great. She gave Morgan a quick hug then sat down next to her, doing her best to look like her usual sunny self. She was probably succeeding by at least ninety-two percent. “No problem. I’m sorry to hear that. And I have absolutely been there. The picnic was an ambulatory nightmare. I thought platforms would be the play for grass and they were not. Amateur mistakes.”

“It does.” Laila admitted, almost in spite of herself. “But we get through it. We always do.” That was the Alessi way. By threat or by bribe. “How’re community maintenance things going? I’m so excited you’re part of it. Feels like I actually have someone I can approach with a problem. No offense to Del and Drew of course. You’re just my favorite.”

#phase: day twelve #with: laila

"Oooh ouch. We live and we learn hey?" She wiggled her own sneaker clad feet. "Platforms are way cuter than my Nikes but they save me from a worse fate." Morgan loved activewear. She could dress up any time but her casual go-to were always workout clothes. They were cute and she liked showing off all her muscles. She worked hard for them. Why not?

Morgan noted that Laila had avoided her question twice now. Okay, she clearly didn't want to talk about herself. Maybe she needed to be more direct? She really didn't want to talk around things for the next hour. "Aw thank you! I'm glad I can be here for you," she said, meaning every word.

"It's good! So busy. There's a lot of community to maintain apparently. I had no idea." She laughed. "Looting has been kind of a nightmare. Umm oh that fire last night, have to look into that. Figuring out where Noah got to is a big one right now." Morgan tapped her nails on the seat, watching Laila and pretending she felt more casual than she really did.

West Ham for the Holidays (Flashback and AUs)

Jordan’s brain struggled to narrow down the list when he had some many he enjoyed. “When Harry Met Sally, The Shop Around the Corner, How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, It Happened One Night, Dirty Dancing. Honestly, I could spend a lifetime watching only rom-coms and probably still never see them all. Not all of them are good. I find it perplexing that John Hughes, for example, is given a lot of credit in the genre when I don’t find the romances to be well done. But there are many incredible ones.”

He laughed softly, shaking his head. “I’m sure there are, but they seem like the kind of people I could have nothing in common with.” There was something about Morgan that made people gravitate to her. He didn’t trust someone who was immune to that spark.

“It is, in fact, like that. I do know that professional rivalries were commonplace throughout history, but it seems a bit much when we’re in a hobby club.” There were opportunities that could be born out from the club, yes, but it wasn’t life or death for any of them. And yet, when he saw Cricket he frequently had the feeling that they’d been locked in some sort of historical blood feud for generations. It was difficult to explain.

His cheeks reddened at her compliments. “Thank you. I don’t place as highly, but Derek and I also have fewer combustible projects so I feel like it evens out. We’re dependable.”

Morgan listened like she was studying for a test on all of Jordan's likes and dislikes. "I've only seen one of those. How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days. Will you show me the others?" she asked. It felt important. She wanted to learn what it was about those ones that made them his favourites. Collect these facts like little Jordan souvenirs.

Morgan felt like she was going to swoon on the spot. Wait. Yeah, she was. She scrunched her nose at him to hide it. "You are literally the sweetest." She looked down, realising she hadn't taken his hand back after his coughing spell. "Why did I let you go? Give me this," she said, linking their fingers again and sighing contentedly.

"I agree. It definitely does even out. Things not bursting into flames is quite important." He was so cute when he blushed. It made her want to say more things to make it happen.

khanlailakhan

The interview session with the Carlisle-Schuylers had been interesting to say the least. Interesting and disheartening, if Anu really was going to shut Laila out like that. Her annoyance had morphed into hurt and then annoyance at being hurt.

And then Morgan had texted her. Why had Morgan texted her? Was it truly beginning already? Morgan couldn’t be so naive as to think she would get straight answers from her. Could she be?

The truth was Laila could lie nearly effortlessly. She had to have so much practice because of her family that it didn’t feel any different from brushing her teeth or painting a perfect cats eye at the edge of her dark lashes. Perhaps some part of her was impatient to prove to Anu that she could keep a secret.

So she’d pulled on her workout gear and taken a run over to the school. Morgan looked dewy and put together as usual. “Hey girl! Laps while we talk or no?” She hoped Morgan knew she meant walking and that she was trying to make it harder for Morgan to read her.

#phase: day twelve #with: laila

Normally Morgan would respond with an eager agreement, but today it didn't feel like the best choice. "Do you mind if we sit for a bit first? I'm so tired, been on my feet all day." She stretched her legs out in front of her and pat the spot next to her on the bleachers.

"I haven't really caught up with you since everything happened. Feels like a different life," she started, not knowing how to lead into literally anything she needed to bring up. Morgan wanted this to be successful but actually making that happen felt so unlikely.

"How have you been?"

Phase: Day Twelve

So press play, and go.

#phase: day twelve #with: fern #with: drew #with: del

The President and Community Maintenance discuss the treacherous path forward. Can they get Tony to engage peacefully? And do they really have to involve Christian du Motier of all people? Surely there must be a better solution. Right?

Keep reading

Phase: Day Twelve

So press play, and go.

#with: laila #phase: day twelve

Morgan stared at her text thread with Laila, wondering how she was supposed to word the message she needed to send. She liked Laila, she was beautiful and friendly and knew everyone. She'd always been kind to Morgan, even if she wasn't sure that they counted as friends. Friendly, yes, for sure.

Morgan: Hey girl, can you meet me today? Around 3 at the field?

Laila wasn't officially a cheerleader, but she'd shown up to their practices to hang out and knew enough of them that she was kind of an honorary one. Picking a spot to talk was hard. She had to consider safety - not at her house and not at the Alessi's, privacy - who could overhear them if they were in public? She had to think about so much more now than she ever had before. It was kind of exhausting.

She'd shown up early, wanting a moment to sit. Morgan missed the normalcy of her daily life. She missed spending time here, getting to have fun and do what she loved with her best friend. Things were so different now.

Morgan saw Laila approaching and waved at her. "Hey!" she called, noting she looked... not as happy as she usually did. "How's it going?"

@khanlailakhan

Phase: Day Twelve

So press play, and go.

ingroj

Ingrid was more than happy on her bench. It was clean and it gave her a decent view of people who might be wanting to come close to her wall. They might not be able to reach it, because of the bench, but she liked gauging interest.

Sasha sat next to her. It had taken some effort to get them to come over, but how would they look like a couple if they didn’t do things together? She glanced down at their hands. It wasn’t fair that they were prettier than hers. “You should do my nails. Matching would definitely be a thing that I would do in a relationship.”

Also, she hated doing her nails and they were probably good at it.

She saw Morgan approaching and felt butterflies in her stomach. She wasn’t sure that Morgan had ever stopped by her wall. More of the popular kids wanting her input on things was a definite win. She smoothed her dress and grabbed Sasha’s hand.

“Hi,” she called out, “It’s so nice of you to stop by. Let me know if you have any questions about what’s up there. Some details are too juicy to put up there.”

@sashaparnok

sashaparnok

It was weird. Very weird. And Sasha had given up on hiding their weird a long time ago, so this was doubly difficult. There had been a time when sitting next to Ingrid and getting compliments on their nails would have been peak euphoria for them, but that had been the fucking sixth grade.

“Fine.” They agreed with more flatness than they probably intended. “As long as we can fix your cuticles.” It was one thing to choose a more basic look because you lacked confidence. It was another to not do all the steps correctly.

Still, they tried to commit to the ruse. They studied the way the sun made Ingrid’s skin glow, the way she seemed to smile regardless of whatever emotion she seemed to be feeling. It wasn’t a good poker face. It was just a good… face. Bitch.

Somehow Sasha hadn’t been aware that they were expected to act as Walmart greeters for the supposedly anonymous gossip wall. They were already doing a slight double take when Ingrid spoke to Morgan. But they were supposed to cover, weren’t they? That’s what boifriends did. Supposedly.

“Yeah. Um. Welcome to the wall.”

@morganlittle

#phase: day twelve #with: ingrid #with: sasha

Morgan was feeling both emboldened and discouraged by her very first interview this morning. The Quilters had given her and Drew an absolute run for their money. She felt okay about this next chat she planned to have. Mostly because she didn't think it could get worse than the siblings. But also because Ingrid was definitely less of a... challenge? Or maybe just a challenge in a different way. One she knew she could keep up with.

She'd decided to walk over to see this wall and find out if Ingrid had time to talk. The fresh air gave her a moment to get rid of the antsy feeling she had been carrying with her. And she got her steps in, which always felt good.

"Hey!" she greeted the pair. She noted their joined hands, wondering if this was a thing and how long it had been one. "How's it going?" She smiled warmly, hoping just being herself would make Ingrid more willing to talk to her. "I did have a few questions actually, yeah. Do you have some time to talk?"

@ingroj

West Ham for the Holidays (Flashback and AUs)

“Thank you. I’ve seen a fair amount of romantic classics, but I feel my theatrical education is limited outside of that.” Jordan gave a half-hearted shrug. “I have an interest and it’s difficult to deviate when so many of the other categories are so violent. And comedy’s out because my mother’s, well, British.” The sense of humor was very different and he’d grown up with his own strange sense of humor from being a third culture child.

He patted her arm softly. “I would prefer we not linger on you being injured. I hope it never happens.” The very idea of it made the nerves at the base of his neck tingle in unease. He didn’t handle seeing people in pain well.

Jordan couldn’t hide his smile. Hearing the words I like you from her mouth made him warm inside. It was something he’d started to imagine, but never dreamed would be real. The notion of dating was a difficult prospect for him after Viola and he hadn’t been entirely sure he was ready to take the step with Morgan until today. “I like you as well, but I also have a difficult time picturing anyone disliking you. You’re so friendly and charming.”

He nodded softly. “I don’t think he’d object to that. Rumi is a well known talent in our little corner of the world.”

He was so used to his feud with Cricket, that it surprised him to hear someone defend him against Cricket. People always believed that Cricket was in the right. He was personable and funny. He was good looking and not gangly. He had slept with many people. All things that could endear him to others. Jordan had… his quirks. “I appreciate hearing that. It’s alright with me that we have a feud, it does keep competitions more interesting. We’re both on the robotics team and he likes to insinuate that we would never win without him and Del. I disagree.”

"What are some of your favourites?" she asked him. Morgan saw a lot of time spent cuddling on her couch in their near future.

"Me too," she agreed. "Moving on now."

Morgan smiled brightly at him, her heart kicking up with newfound energy at his words. "Trust me, they exist. I'm not that way with everybody." She tried to be, but there were times when she'd messed up or someone else had, and relationships or friendships were ruined as a result. Morgan felt lucky that it was a relatively low number, but she knew she did not appeal to everybody. Some people were allergic to joy. It was fine.

"Ohh it's like that." Morgan nodded. "You're just as smart and capable. They're lucky to have you on the team." She wouldn't pretend she understood whatever was at the root of this, weather Cricket was feeling jealous or threatened. But it didn't really matter. "I'm glad it doesn't affect you though."

West Ham for the Holidays (Flashback and AUs)

“I will endeavor to be my best.” He kept eye contact with her while taking a drink, to prove that he could be responsible with the beverage. This did, however, have the unfortunate side effect of making his cheeks heat. He was going to ignore that.

“They can be.” He’d see a few that he loved and some he’d rather forget. “I think it was Bring It On Three or Four that made me question the series as a whole. But I would argue that the first is a true classic of cinema.” He would be willing to give others a shot though, should she ever invite him over to do so.

His eyes widened. The thought of something worse happening to Morgan was unfathomable. She was so strong and focused when performing her sport. But, accidents did happen. Apparently he did have a type. Daredevils. “Nothing that can’t be fixed with a quick trip to urgent care. I’ll cross both of my fingers for you.” He’d be lucky if he could watch her perform from between his fingers next time.

As flattered as he was by her assessment, he couldn’t let it stand. “I’m very much a nerd and not the kind that is currently in fashion. The kind that gets weird remarks from other nerds. It’s alright, I’ve made my peace with it, but you should know that dating me might have an impact on your social status.” He hoped that he wouldn’t be forever known as the guy who went to jail briefly to cover for his girlfriend, but he wasn’t sure that people would ever forget it. They hadn’t found it to be the romantic gesture he’d hoped it would read as. Then again, neither had he after several hours in lock up. “I’ll try and remember to keep an eye on him at the next performance, Rumi has that star quality that makes it difficult to not look at her.”

He couldn’t help but laugh. What an enviable goal. “She’s an excellent role model. As for Cricket, our animosity is mutual. He couldn’t possibly be hurt by anything I have to say, for he doesn’t respect me at all.”

Morgan pressed her lips together, hiding her smile and stopping herself from saying something ridiculous like good boy or I'm proud of you. He was too... she was so charmed by him and everything he did. She was in so much trouble but she'd never been happier about it.

"I agree. You've got solid opinions. I kind of want to see what you think about my other favourites." She'd happily show him. They could make a day of it, whenever she actually had a full one off.

"Thank you." She smiled warmly at him. "I won't tempt fate and ask what could go wrong when I have your support, but it's reassuring knowing you're there for backup."

Morgan frowned at his summary of himself. "Jordan that's..." she shook her head, trying to decide how to word what she wanted to say. "It might sound blunt but I don't care about that. I like you. The people who are meant to be in my life won't care either. If they have an issue, I will tell them where to go."

"She does," she agreed. "If they're sharing the stage, Luke doesn't hold a candle to her. Sorry Luke."

"Okay, I'm sorry," she told him. Though he didn't seem to be. She tried to ignore the fact that she'd had a threesome with Cricket and had used him (with consent) to publicly break up with her ex. That was way too much for this. "I'll say it though, he's wrong for that."