He'd love to have your lipstick mark on his cheek, or your lip combo transferring to his own lips when you kiss him. GRRRR GIVE ME THAT. Maybe even some of your foundation transferring to their skin if they have a wild kiss session. I need to draw this fr
hello hello!!! tysm for this req, the lippie idea is SOOOO CUTE! i wanted to include the widest range of reader i could, so i only did the lip combo getting transferred onto his skin <3
You paused in front of the mirror, doing one last check over your appearance before heading out. After touching up your perfected lip combo, you nodded in satisfaction and turned to call out over your shoulder.
"Lars, hon, I'm leaving now!"
He gave a low hum of acknowledgement from another room before standing up, the sound of his lumbering footsteps telling you that he was coming to see you off. Although it's not often, when you do go out by yourself, he never fails to cease what he's doing and send you off. Likewise, he always awaits your return home, standing by the window and making sure you come back safe. Always so thoughtful.
You unlocked the door, just passing the threshold as he rounded the corner. With a shy smile, Lars's big strides quickly closed the gap between you two, until he was leaning against the doorframe about a foot away.
He wrung his hands together ever so slightly, staring out past your shoulder at the icy roads. "Drive safe," he mumbled. His gaze returned to you, the look of soft, tentative adoration still plastered on his face.
"Don't worry about me," you smiled. Without thinking too much of it, you leaned forward to place a small peck to his cheek as a bit of extra reassurance. As soon as you pulled back though, you realized some of your lip combo transferred onto his skin, leaving a perfect, classic imprint.
"Oh!" You couldn't suppress the surprise in your voice before it devolved into giggles. Instinctively, you reached out to wipe his cheek with your thumb. "Sorry hon, let me clean that off—"
Before you could finish your sentence, his huge hand quickly caught yours, catching you by surprise.
He averted his gaze, a small blush creeping up his neck as he stumbled over his words. "I— I don't mind." He paused, but you could tell he had more to say.
You tilted your head slyly, "Go on."
Lars forced himself to meet your eyes again, clutching your hand a little tighter. "Can I, um… have more?"
He absolutely didn't need to ask twice. At his sweet request, your eyes lit up, and you wasted no time in gently cradling his face to kiss it— his lips, his cheek, his mustache.
Lars didn't say anything, but he really didn't need to. His dazed smile spoke for itself as he let himself melt into your touch. As everyone knows, normally, he's very averse to touch. But something about yours was different. Lars couldn't quite place it himself, but he knew it felt soft. Fleeting. So full of love. He didn't care to identify the specifics in the moment, but whatever it was, Lars felt like he could get drunk on it.
With one last kiss to his nose, you released his face and hurried over to your car after realizing the time.
"Sorry Lars, I'm running a bit behind. Love you!" With one last air kiss in his direction, you got in the car, pulling out of the snow-free driveway Lars had freshly shoveled.
He didn't even remember going back inside the house, but before he could register anything or form a coherent thought, Lars found himself face to face with his reflection. The same mirror you had used to apply that lip combo.
Unbeknownst to you, he stood in front of that mirror for who knows how long, softly tracing over the various outlines of your lips on his skin with a smitten smile.
Omg I read ur goslingverse crushing HC’s and all of them are so cute but I esp love seb’s and ken’s- they’re so sweet and thoughtful and I love ur writing !!
OMG THANK YOUUU this made my day!! i'm so glad you liked them! seb and ken deserve all the love frfr <3
guys i'm finally watching jjk season 3... WHY DIDN'T I WATCH IT EARLIER OH MY GAWHHH 😫😫 yuta and choso my lovesss
i fear my rygos obsession is slightly fading, and that's why i've slowed down on posting... it'll inevitably come back for his star wars and ghostrider roles, but for now i'm tryna get thru prev reqs and move on to jjk/xmen/any of my other interests when it comes to writing :P
hiii!! tysm for your req! i wasn't sure if you wanted general or reader insert, so i did some of both <3
- general -
⟣ Lars only agreed to the daily coffee run system with Kurt because he needed the caffeine while doing his office job. On any other occasion, he prefers tea !
⟣ He rarely goes clothes shopping for himself, and prefers to wear the same old sweaters because he finds comfort in the worn fabric. Any new clothing items he gets are from Karin as birthday/Christmas presents
⟣ He also loves doing puzzles! The methodic, repetitive process of sorting and completing a huge picture is really calming to him, and it’s a very grounding activity if he’s feeling especially anxious (shout out to @inthegalaxxy’s post of the goslings doing jigsaw puzzles, read it here!)
⟣ When Karin went into labor, Lars got so stressed that he got physically ill. Normally, even if he catches a cold, he still shows up to work. But this was the one time he didn’t go to the office, which made everyone worry
⟣ He finally calmed down and began to recover once Karin and Gus returned from the hospital completely fine, along with a healthy baby girl
⟣ After getting over his initial hesitance, Lars became the best uncle ever to his new niece
- w/ reader -
⟣ When Lars first brought you up, Karin and Gus were more than a little hesitant to meet you because like. Oh no. Is he relapsing? Are you another doll??
⟣ But once they confirm that you are, in fact, not a doll, they were so excited to meet you! Karin was ecstatic to welcome you, and Gus had a content, almost disbelieving smile on his face. He’s happy knowing his little brother will be in good hands
⟣ Lars loves having you watch him chop wood or shovel the driveway of snow. He knows what he’s good at, so he’s quite eager to show off his skills to you.
⟣ Although, he’s thoroughly unprepared for your cooing comments about how strong he is or how good he looks while doing these tasks, which brings a harsh blush to his face as he works
⟣When it comes to physical touch, you don’t rush him at all and you let him set the pace— he was a little anxious in the beginning to hold your hand and cuddle since that’s what a “normal” couple would do, but when you caught him feeling especially overwhelmed, you sat him down to reassure him that you’re in no hurry (if he was slightly tearing up before from stress, he’s barely holding his tears back now because of how loved and seen he feels)
⟣ The longer you’ve been together, the more often he finds his hand searching for yours, his knee bumping into yours during Sunday worship, and even resting his head on your shoulder while you guys are relaxing in bed after a long day of work
⟣ Since you assure Lars that there’s no rush for intimacy, you become cat parents instead ! Your cute new pet also acts as a comfort animal. During the winter season, the three of you will often cuddle up on the couch, a cuddly throw blanket draped over you guys as the snow falls gently outside
anonymous assumption: you like red bean/ice cream mochi(?)
OMG ANON, YES. one billion times yes. i don't think words can properly describe my love for mochi !! red bean mochi is delicious, but tbh it doesn't even need filling-- i'll literally eat plain mochi by itself any day <3
a/n: guys i lost the post but someone had the brilliant idea of using Too Little, Too Late for a ryland angst fic and it gave me so much inspo
word count: 1.6k
tags/warnings: angst no comfort!! elementary teacher!reader, established relationship, you’re alone and Ryland just got sent to space
Fwip.
You taped up the last paper onto your wall with a swipe of your thumb. The crude drawing, surrounded by a couple dozen others just like it, depicted a familiar figure: beloved, former teacher, Ryland Grace.
But to you, he wasn’t a middle school teacher. Nor was he an outcast scientist. He was just Ryland. Your Ryland.
The words “my hero” floated above him on every paper. Like a halo. A cruel reminder that he’d never return to you.
Your classroom in Grover Cleveland Elementary was quiet. With the scribbling of crayons and the kid’s chatter gone, your only company in the empty room was silence. All of your fellow teachers left an hour ago, and your third graders had scrambled to leave long before.
The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, bathing the room in warm, golden rays. Yet, you couldn’t tear your eyes away from the wall of papers.
Not when the man you loved, albeit poorly drawn, stared back at you from thirty different papers. In every single drawing, he had a huge smile on his face. You frowned looking at it.
Earlier today, you’d assigned this classic project to your students. The instructions were clear: “Who is your hero?”
In past years, most kids did their parents. Moms, dads, and the occasional superman or spiderman would fill the exact wall you stood in front of now.
But this year was different. The Hail Mary launch was only a few weeks prior, so you’d expected one, maybe two pictures of Ryland.
Yet, you greatly underestimated how enthusiastic your kids would be about space, and how a science teacher, who was formerly a part of Grover Cleveland’s staff, was on the mission.
You scanned the papers, wishing he were here next to you to admire the work. Normally, he would be, and you struggled to avoid thinking about the gaping hole in your life with him gone— No more pop in’s during your lunch breaks. No more texts in the middle of the day, asking if you guys should get takeout or cook at home for the night. No more returning home to a warm house full of life. Full of him.
You felt fresh tears springing up in your eyes, so instead, you thought about your class from today.
Excited gossip filled the room as your kids dutifully colored. You sat at your desk, grading last week’s vocab quizzes, trying hard not to think too hard about Ryland. Unfortunately for you, it was nearly impossible to ignore the rapid fire commentary happening around you.
“Mr. Grace is so cool! I want to go to space like him!”
“I wish I had him as my teacher!”
“He’s so brave, he’s definitely my hero.”
“I bet he was excited to help save the world!”
That last comment made you pause. You looked at the sweet little girl that said it, and how earnest her smile was.
She had already moved on, only meant it as a passing comment, but her words echoed in your head. Because you knew, deep in your soul, it was a lie.
Ryland had been acting strangely over the past few months. He would return home at unpredictable hours, the dark circles under his eyes progressively getting worse. All you knew was that he had been recruited as a scientist to help figure out the Petrova line problem. He couldn’t tell you much else, not just because of the NDA’s, but also because of how little he was home.
Most nights, you would try to wait up for him, but sometimes he wouldn’t even return. And when you’d wake up in the morning, bleary eyes meeting his vacant spot, your heart would twist with the bitter realization that he was barely there anymore.
You’d give anything for his side of the bed to be warm again.
When you eventually saw him a few days later, you knew something was wrong. He brushed it off as last minute experiments and late night meetings, and blindly, you’d accepted his words. You thought, surely, there must be hundreds of other scientists working on this sun dimming problem.
Ryland was just doing his part, rejoining the scientific community, and using his knowledge to help the world. And at the end of the day, he’d return to you like he always did. But never in your worst nightmares did you imagine him getting ripped away from you so suddenly and violently.
And that was the worst part. You had no notice. No time to prepare. Only immense, immediate loss and the soul crushing news that he was gone for good.
And without a doubt, you knew that your student's innocent words were false. You knew Ryland wasn’t excited to save the world, and that he didn’t sacrifice himself, because he would have come back to you. Just to hold you one last time and sear a final kiss into your skin so you’d never forget the feel of him. Hell, knowing him, he wouldn't have left in the first place.
Whatever it was, if it were truly up to him, he would have come back. That, you were sure of.
A knock on the door startled you out of your thoughts. You glanced up and saw a woman walking in, wearing all black and a grim expression to match. She had sympathetic eyes, but the weary lines of her face had clearly been an accumulation of stress over the years, hardening her exterior.
None of that mattered though. What immediately caught your attention wasn’t her looks, but what she carried— an all too familiar yellow raincoat.
You sucked in a sharp breath, eyes widening when you saw it. “Where did you get that.”
She dipped her head solemnly, wasting no time in answering despite your accusatory tone, as if she was already prepared for your harsh greeting. “Eva Stratt with the Petrova task force. This was Dr. Grace’s. He would have wanted you to have it.” Her voice was punctual, like she wanted to get straight to the point. She held the jacket out, but your body refused to move.
You eyed her, the tension in the air thickening by the second. The Petrova task force. What Ryland had been working on before he abruptly got on that cursed, one way ship.
A moment of silence filled the room. Finally, you slowly met her eyes, your voice barely coming out in a whisper. “It was you. You forced him to go, didn’t you?”
She closed her eyes, a quiet sigh escaping her, and it told you all you needed to know.
You shook your head, almost disbelieving. “You murdered him.”
Eva spoke softly, like she was trying to justify her actions. “You were the greatest factor in the decision. We— I tried to come up with another solution, but there was no alternative. Dr. Grace was our only hope.” A beat of silence. “I’m sorry.”
You scoffed. “You’re not,” you laughed bitterly.
She accepted your words, not even trying to fight back. It only made you angrier. Wordlessly, she held out the jacket again, gesturing for you to take it.
You snatched the fabric from her hands, desperate to preserve any remnants of Ryland you could. It still smelled faintly of him, and the jacket wrinkled from your vise-like grip.
“The pocket.”
You glanced up at Eva, who now had her arms crossed. As she said the words, her brows scrunched up ever so slightly, like she was fighting back from showing too much emotion.
Slowly, you reached into the right coat pocket, a feeling of dread suddenly coming over you. At the very bottom, your hands wrapped around a smooth, velvet box. Your stomach dropped.
With trembling fingers, you brought the small box out, delicately setting the coat down on your desk. You knew what it was, and yet you’ve never wanted to be wrong more in your life.
You popped it open. At the sight of the small object inside, you couldn’t contain the sob that escaped you.
A simple diamond ring twinkled up at you from its snug spot. It was one clearly bought off of a teacher’s salary. Not too flashy. Made with your favorite metal. Exactly how you’d like it.
Undoubtedly from Ryland, to you.
You weren’t sure when you crumpled to the ground, or when the tears started flowing freely, or when your ragged breathing turned into choked sobs. All you could think to do was clutch the precious band in your fingers, wishing with your entire being that none of this was real.
But all you felt was a gaping hole in your chest. He had been so close. So close to tying the knot and allowing you to take his last name, ensuring your lives would be intertwined.
But no. Your future, the one that included Ryland, had been irrevocably altered. By fate, the universe, Eva Stratt. It didn't matter who did it, just that it had been done.
Eva couldn’t watch anymore. She knew as soon as she found the ring that she would deliver it to you— it was meant to be yours, after all. Only the person meant to give it to you would be different. She'd decided the sooner the better, and now, the deed was done.
“Goodbye, Mrs. Grace.”
Eva dipped her head and left. She didn’t say anything more, and she wasn’t even sure if you heard her. She simply closed the door with a soft click, muffling your sobs from the rest of the world.
You’re not sure how long you sat there, grieving the man that got torn away from you before he could even propose. Really, it didn't matter how many hours you'd spend on the cold floor of your dark classroom, or how many times you could exhaust your eye sockets of tears.
All the time in the world would never be able to heal what you'd lost.
"whisper vows, I'll never say to you ... cause it's too little, all too late" ♬⋆.˚
featuring: ryland grace, colt seavers, holland march, court gentry, jacob palmer, lars lindstrom, officer k, sebastian wilder, henry letham, driver, and ken (11 whole goslings what whattt!)
a/n: currently at wdw and decided to bring the goslings with me :P sorry if these are too specific w/ ride names and stuff but i just love the disney parks sm so this was very self indulgent !
- Ryland Grace -
⟣ HATES roller coasters. Does not appreciate the drop feeling in his stomach (canonically)
⟣ The one exception he made for his roller coaster fear was Tron. He loves the franchise so much that he was willing to go on it… even though he was doing his high pitched scream and gripping the motorcycle handles for dear life during the entire ride
⟣ You tease him a lot while pointing out all the little kids going on the big rides, which riles him up a little. As soon as you look away, he throws a piece of popcorn at you, then acts like he doesn’t know where it came from (he’s literally holding the popcorn bucket)
⟣ He’d also really appreciate the slow, educational rides like Spaceship Earth or Carousel of Progress because of how they showcase human ingenuity
⟣ Ryland’s favorite is the Pandora section of Animal Kingdom! He’s a huge Avatar nerd and the whole immersive experience of walking into the area, seeing the floating islands, and riding flight of passage on the ikran is like his ultimate nerd dream come true. He’s geeking out and telling you random facts or background info as you ride the attractions
- Colt Seavers -
⟣ Unlike his twin, LOVES roller coasters and genuinely complains that they aren’t thrilling enough
⟣ Will try to make his restraint loose on purpose so he can get maximum airtime, and then gets caught by the ride operator who then shoves his restraint to the tightest level with a stern look
⟣ You guys will go on the most thrilling ride in the whole park, you screaming your head off, and then Colt gets off the ride like “yeah I prefer free falling out of a helicopter” 🙄
⟣ Colt’s favorite section by far is Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood Studios. Rock n Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror are two of the best rides according to him, and he’ll alternate between the two for as long as you’ll put up with it
- Holland March -
⟣ Screaming his head off on roller coasters even though he was acting tough a few minutes before
⟣ You and Holly tricked him into going on the intense version of Mission Space… he had to sit on a bench with his head down for ten minutes afterwards. At least the puke bag wasn’t used on the ride..!
⟣ Holland’s favorite is the World Pavillion at Epcot! He definitely participates in drink around the world… you’ll almost always see one of those yellow cups in his hand
⟣ For every drink Holland gets, you and Holly get a snack from the same location. Between the three of you, Holland’s wallet is taking some pretty heavy hits
- Court Gentry -
⟣ Unlike Holland, Court isnt fazed by any of the rides
⟣ You’ll drag him over to the photo section after riding a coaster, and he’ll be straight faced in every single picture. He’ll only crack a smile on a ride if you ask him to
⟣ Backpack KING. He’s so prepared— water, sunscreen, hats, he’s got it all. Court doesn’t want you to worry about carrying your own bag, he’s got you both covered so you can just enjoy
⟣ Court’s favorite is… leaving the park. Not that he didn’t enjoy it, but he'd much rather curl up with you at the hotel and sleep in. He likes pulling you close and keeping you there, letting the plush bed relax your sore feet from walking all day. This man just wants to catch a break
⟣ At the end of the day, if there’s only one seat on the bus back to the hotel, he always lets you sit while he stands in front of you. If there are no seats left, he makes you hold onto his bicep because the handrail is “too dirty for your pretty hands”
- Jacob Palmer -
⟣ Immediately bought you guys fast passes so you wouldn’t have to wait in long lines
⟣ Genuinely so good at maxing out your day while expending as little energy as possible
⟣ Jacob’s in no rush to ride anything, so he’ll follow your lead. As long as you’re happy, he’s happy. A yummy snack from a cart, shop browsing, or even sitting on a bench— anything you want to do, it’ll happen
⟣ He’s also a PRO at utilizing mobile order. No waiting in long lines to order food for you guys.
⟣ When he was young, his parents took him to Disney all the time before they died, and he likes to point out specific rides and memories he had with his parents as you guys are walking around together
⟣ Jacob’s favorite is Fantasyland. It might seem like a childish choice, but he has so many fond memories from when he was a kid, and he really enjoys revisiting those places with you
- Lars Lindstrom -
⟣ Slow/relaxing ride enthusiast
⟣ Also really likes parades! He enjoys watching from a distance where the characters won’t make eye contact with him or anything. He simply enjoys admiring them and the beautiful floats
⟣ He’d be a dino lover, and he’s devastated that Dinoland USA is gone forever in Animal Kingdom (me too Lars)
⟣ He’d also be a pin collector and enjoys browsing the shops on main street with you! He has a whole lanyard/backpack of them
⟣ Lars’ favorite is the Peoplemover! After a busy day amongst the crowds, he enjoys settling into the spacious car and quietly enjoying the tour of Tomorrowland with you
- Officer K -
⟣ Another one that finds comfort in the slow rides
⟣ He especially finds a deep sense of comfort in Living with the Land. He asks if its okay for you guys to go on it again because he loved it so much
⟣ Also, he thoroughly enjoyed piloting the Millennium Falcon and trying to get the highest score possible
⟣ At the end of the night, he was pretty captivated by the fireworks. The glowing bright bursts coordinated to the music made him unable to tear his eyes away
⟣ K’s favorite is the Kilimanjaro Safari at Animal Kingdom. Seeing all the live animals in their natural habitat fascinates him, especially if it’s springtime and they have young ones. He could spend hours just looking at the animals and admiring how full of life they are
- Sebastian Wilder -
⟣ If there’s any sort of performance going on, like a live band or an a cappella group, he’ll make you guys stop to watch the whole thing and then applaud enthusiastically when they’re done
⟣ He gets quite competitive with shooter rides that are score based. Get ready for harsh competition— he’s not going easy on you
⟣ Seb’s favorite is Tiana’s Bayou Adventure! He loves the storyline where she’s finding animals with musical talent to play for her mardi gras party. He’s SO into the New Orleans style jazz music throughout the whole ride, and will make you ride it over and over again just to appreciate the soundtrack. You guys get pretty soaked, but the only thing that matters is that you’re together and having a great time
⟣ He also lovesss the Happily Ever After fireworks show at Magic Kingdom. Something about ending the night with fireworks feels right to him, and to make it extra cheesy classic, he’ll pull you in for a kiss during the big finale
- Henry Letham -
⟣ Henry would be pretty chill at an amusement park. He’s not necessarily a thrill seeker. Rather, he's more of a wanderer that appreciates the decor and finer aspects of the park
⟣ He enjoys walking through the art gallery to look at paintings and sculptures in the Town Square Theater of Magic Kingdom
⟣ If you like taking pictures, then say no more. Henry has the unique talent of capturing all of your divine essence. Like literally every single picture he takes of you is magazine cover worthy, and you’re not sure how he does it. He claims you’re just very photogenic
⟣ He’d also appreciate the Epcot international festival of the arts if you guys visited during the beginning of the year, OR all the amazing topiaries during the flower and garden festival if you guys go during spring/summer
⟣ Henry’s favorite is to find a quiet spot away from others but with a good vantage point, just so the two of you can talk in private about how the day is going. He might also bring a sketchbook, and if you want to rest in comfortable silence, he’ll peoplewatch and do some sketching (or he’ll get distracted by you and draw you instead, which often happens)
- Driver -
⟣ There’s no specific agenda he wants to follow— if you’re happy, he’s happy too
⟣ He lets you drag him around the entire park, wait in the longest lines, stop for food, etc and he’s perfectly content as long as it means you have a huge smile on your face
⟣ The two of you went on Tomorrowland Speedway, and he was a little irked at how slow it was. Like he’s stomping his foot as hard as he can into the pedal, and you guys are going 7 mph max 😭😭
⟣ Driver’s favorite is Test Track at Epcot! He was caught off guard by the sudden acceleration and swerving, but he enjoyed it. He especially loves the fast part at the end. The ride has his stamp of approval because it’s the fastest one out of all four Disney parks in Florida
- Ken !! -
⟣ If you’re watching any kind of show that requires audience participation, you best believe he’s participating as hard as he can
⟣ Ken was very interested in visiting Frontierland because of its western themes, which he associates with horses
⟣ Also, he wanted to visit Bibidi Bobiddi Boutique and was extremely disappointed to find out it was only for kids
⟣ Ken's favorite thing to do is the character meet and greets!! He gets a little giddy around all the princesses and loves when they give him attention
⟣ His second favorite thing to do is wave to characters as they pass by on the parade. Like he’s waving to every single person. Huge smile plastered on his face the whole time. Turns to you and asks, “did you see that?! they waved back!!” even though you were watching the entire time
⟣ Would be VERY enthusiastic to meet Gaston— that’s his idol right there. The most manliest man with huge muscles on horseback to ever exist (the fact that he’s a villain flies right over Ken’s head)
⟣ He’s also obsessed with finding hidden mickeys. Ken will point out any three circles even remotely shaped like one, and you’ll have to nod your head and smile encouragingly, even though some of the ones he “finds” are definitely not hidden mickeys
a/n: next up is some ryland angst and then i promise i'll stop procrastinating on reqs....!
boooo ai isn’t welcome here and absolutely none is used in any of my works!! this blog is purely for fun where i can practice my writing and obsess over my fav characters, and i never have + never will use ai in my creative process
my insanely cluttered google docs is evidence of all my scattered thoughts... ai could never achieve this level of chaos 😭😭
summary: the four times Ryland’s students questioned his relationship with you, and the one time they got an answer
word count: 2.7k
warnings/tags: your students play matchmaker and love gossiping, ryland owns a car here, pureee fluff
The first time was what initially caught his students’ attention.
Teenagers, albeit being annoyingly nosy, were also incredibly perceptive. And unfortunately for Ryland, about ten heads snapped up in his direction as he emerged from your classroom five minutes before lunch was going to end.
He held the door open, his body halfway out the threshold, yet still thoroughly engrossed in whatever conversation he was having with you. Even from thirty feet away, his students could see as clear as day that he did not want to leave.
And then, you appeared at the door. You playfully shooed him out, lips turning upwards into a smile, making some witty comment that the kids were too far away to hear. He said something in response, eliciting a small laugh from you as you took yet another step closer, nearly toe to toe with him.
Now, even more kids had their full, undivided attention on you, closely monitoring your little interaction while their food went cold. To them, getting to witness their teachers’ love lives unfurl was infinitely better than eating a stale peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
The most peculiar thing was Ryland’s reaction to your close proximity. His students watched in amazement as their favorite clumsy, shy, nerdy science teacher who often tripped over his own two feet seemed entirely unaffected by the fact that you were a few inches away from his face. In fact, he might have leaned in.
Olivia rubbed her eyes and squinted, not even trying to disguise her blatant staring at this point. Before she could check again, Ryland was already speed walking back to his classroom, no doubt hustling to prepare the science lab he had planned for today before the flood of kids came back from lunch.
She turned back to her classmates, many of which were still watching his retreating figure. Others had their eyes trained on your classroom door, lost in thought.
She started the conversation everyone was itching to have. “So, we all saw that, right?”
A chorus of agreement echoed amongst the small crowd, quickly devolving into hushed gossip and frantic whispers.
“Is it just me, or did Mr. Grace have a little more pep in his step just now?”
“Oh totally— and he definitely didn’t want to leave her classroom.”
“What about her? Did you guys see the smile she gave him?”
“What about the smile he gave her?”
Before the debate could continue, the bell rang, forcing the chatty kids to trudge back to their classes in unanimous disappointment at their conversation getting interrupted. Unbeknownst to you or Ryland, this was only the first of many times this hot topic would be brought up amongst your prying students.
— - — - —
The second time was during a school assembly.
Students and faculty alike were gathered in the multi-purpose room, with the kids sitting to face the stage and the teachers lining the walls of the large room. The principal, an abysmally monotonous man, continued to drone on about rules, regulations, and upcoming events, much to everyone’s disappointment.
Your kids were supposed to be paying attention, but a large number of them had their heads twisted in awkward positions, trying to sneak a glimpse of you and Ryland.
The two of you were standing in the back with less than a foot of distance separating you. Periodically, Ryland would lean down to whisper in your ear, making you giggle at his words. In turn, you’d reach up on your tiptoes to whisper something in response, and he’d nod with a soft smile.
A few teachers nearby shot you looks of disapproval for being disruptive, and you mouthed a quick apology to your peers. Not thirty seconds later though, your head was inadvertently turning back to Ryland, and he did the exact same.
Despite being told off not a minute earlier, the two of you continued to talk in hushed voices, trying to be even more discreet than before. Honestly, you guys might’ve been worse than the children.
James, a particularly rowdy student in Ryland’s class, turned to Sarah, who could easily match Olivia’s smarts in your English class. Both of their watchful eyes never left the two of you at the back of the room. He murmured to her, “I get it’s cramped, but they definitely don’t need to be standing that close.”
“Agreed,” she muttered back.
Olivia wasn’t far, and decided to join in on the conversation. “Mr. Grace is totally blushing every time she reaches up to whisper in his ear.” She had no qualms about exposing her science teacher, which made James and Sarah unexpectedly laugh.
Before they could get out another word, the meanest, crankiest teacher to ever curse Grover Cleveland Middle School with her presence snapped her head towards them, shushing them ten times louder than they were speaking.
“If you three don’t stop talking, it’ll be detention for a week,” she snarled, beady eyes watching them like a hawk.
Regretfully, they clamped their mouths shut, but the three of them, along with everyone else that had been watching you and Ryland, were all thinking the same: you two seemed awfully close, both physically and socially.
— - — - —
The third time took place after school, during the murky month of December.
The San Francisco weather decided to attack the school with an onslaught of rain, making it almost impossible to walk in the open without getting assaulted by vicious pellets of water.
A cluster of students huddled inside the safety of the school building, waiting for their parents to roll up to the front of the campus so they wouldn’t get completely drenched on their way to the car.
Olivia, while looking through the window at the dismal conditions outside, noticed you standing under an overhang alone. You had your coat drawn tight around you, trying to keep the frigid air out and your body heat in, and your eyes periodically wandered to the screen of your phone, like you were waiting for someone. Perhaps someone was coming to pick you up?
Before she could continue that thought, a familiar teacher’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
“Hey kiddos,” Ryland waved to the small group as he approached. “Waiting for parents?”
He was met with a series of nods, making him crack a smile. “Alright, make sure you all get home safe, yeah?”
“Yes, Mr. Grace,” some students said in unison.
Ryland chuckled and continued towards the door, raising his hand as a silent goodbye. With his other hand, he carried an umbrella, well prepared for the harsh rain.
Most of her peers looked away as Ryland pushed the door open, but Olivia kept her eyes trained on her teacher. As soon as he stepped outside, he made a beeline for you, already starting to open the umbrella.
He must have called out your name, because you turned to greet him, perking up with a warm smile. An easy conversation flowed between the two of you as he made his way over, but the next part made Olivia’s jaw drop.
Like clockwork, the two of you set off towards the parking lot, sharing the umbrella without missing a beat of your conversation. Ryland’s larger frame made you seem small in comparison, and he was mindful to keep the umbrella lower and slightly more on your side, ensuring you were fully protected from the rain. His left shoulder, on the other hand, started to get slightly wet, but he seemed to pay no mind as he listened to you talk with a genuine smile.
“Guys. Guys!! Look!” was all Olivia managed to say before a horde of students rushed to the window, trying to get a better view of their favorite teachers recreating this classic romance trope.
“Move, I can’t see ‘em!”
“Hey you’re shoving me!”
Then, a collective hush fell over the group, and Olivia craned her head around her peers to get a glimpse at what they were staring at. A small gasp escaped her too.
It was difficult to see due to the far distance and the reduced visibility in the rain, but it was unmistakable. There was Ryland, covering you with the umbrella as you got into the passenger seat of a car. After closing the door behind you, the science teacher walked around the front of the car, got into the driver’s seat, and slowly reversed out of the parking spot.
He wasn’t just walking you to your car. He was driving you home.
The silence lasted a moment longer before the group erupted into excited chatter, each kid trying to talk over the other.
“What the hell was that??”
“He offered her a ride home, obviously! It’s raining hard, so he’s being a gentleman!”
“They seemed so comfortable with each other though, what’s that about?”
“What if they’re dating?”
That last question caught everyone’s attention. Sure, it had definitely crossed everyone’s minds, but most brushed it off. It seemed unfathomable. Could their beloved, klutz of a science teacher really pull someone as gorgeous as you?
“No no,” someone finally cut in. “Mr. Grace wouldn’t have the guts to ask her out in the first place.”
“Yeah,” another chimed in. “Maybe he’s just crushing on her!”
A chorus of awww’s resounded throughout the room, and the debate of your relationship status was momentarily settled.
— - — - —
The fourth time shattered all of their conspiracy theories of Mr. Grace merely pining over their English teacher, because it was clearly something more.
It was finally that time of the year— prom. Most kids stood in clusters with their friends, while other, braver souls worked up the nerve to ask their crush to dance. The low lighting provided a moody atmosphere despite the upbeat party music, and compliments were constantly getting thrown around over dresses, shoes, and hair-dos. A typical middle school dance.
Of course, all school events required supervision, so you and Ryland volunteered to chaperone this year. You guys were standing in the back of the room, looking like you were engaged in normal conversation. You in a modest black dress, Ryland in a simple dress shirt and tie.
What you didn’t know though, were the dozen or so pairs of eyes locked onto your figures from the opposite wall, hidden in shadow and whispering furiously.
“Dude, look at the way he stares at her!”
“He’s so in love.”
“Quit staring so hard, they’ll notice you.”
Meanwhile, you and Ryland were casually chatting away, completely oblivious to your students’ antics.
You sucked in a breath, a little hesitant to bring up something that’s been gnawing away at your mind for the past few months. Ryland, as always, immediately noticed. “What is it?” he asked.
“Oh, I dunno,” you sighed.
He gave you an expectant look, silently questioning if you really thought he wouldn’t notice something’s been bothering you. It was true— no one could read you as easily as Ryland.
“Fine fine,” you smiled, “it’s just… have you noticed our kids acting a little, um,”
“Weird?” he finished with a knowing look.
“Exactly. Recently, if we’ve been talking, I’ll turn away from our conversation and find a handful of students staring at me from across campus. It’s unsettling.” You shuddered just thinking about it.
“I get it,” Ryland agreed while surveying the area. His eyes met the small group of kids that had been staring at you guys, all of whom were now looking at the ceiling, the ground, each other— anywhere other than in your direction. It was painfully obvious. You shared a look with Ryland, both of you shaking your heads before bursting into laughter.
Suddenly, a slow song came on, and you turned to Ryland with a soft smile. He was quick to offer his hand, which you accepted with a mock curtsy. In your little corner, the two of you swayed to the soft melody, lost in your own little world. All that mattered in the moment was the feeling of each other’s arms and the warmth of your shared love.
As you let the rhythm wash over you, you turned to Ryland, voice barely above a whisper. “You think they’re watching?”
“Oh I know they’re watching,” he huffed.
You let out a small giggle, amused by how involved your students were in your relationship. Brushing off the thought, you decided to just let teenagers be teenagers, instead focusing your attention on the way Ryland’s strong hands held your own.
And your students on the other side of the room? They were going ballistic while watching you.
“So he really pulled her? They’re dating?!”
“This is insane.”
“Someone needs to document this.”
“Why are they so cute??”
— - — - —
The school year was finally coming to a close, and everyone agreed they simply couldn’t leave the case of you and Mr. Grace unsettled. After much deliberation amongst the class, they all came to the consensus that today was the day. They were going to get answers out of you guys, whether you liked it or not.
They went to great lengths to corner the two of you. Olivia planted a note in your class, trying her best to mimic Mr. Grace’s handwriting: Meet me in my class after school.
You didn’t think much of the forged note. Ryland often slipped you random things, so you folded it up and tucked the parchment away, packing up to head over to his class like you often did.
In Ryland’s classroom on the other hand, he was wrapping up a lecture on cell anatomy just as the final bell rang. He clapped once, starting to erase the whiteboard. “Alright kiddos, we’ll finish this up tomorro—”
As he turned around, he was more than a little stunned to see his entire class still seated, desks cleared and their full attention bouncing between him and the door.
“Oookay, what’s going on,” he said slowly, trying to follow their gaze. “Did I imagine the bell ringing, or..?”
And then, when you walked in, it all clicked for Ryland. He turned to his students, gaze sweeping over their smug smiles and looks of anticipation.
You gave a little knock to signal your entry, “Hey Ry, you wanted to see...” you trailed off, noticing about thirty kids staring at you when you entered. You slowly made your way to his side, watching the class with a glimmer of amusement in your eyes. “What’ve we got here?”
“This is a set up,” he sighed. Not a question, but an observation. He placed his hands on his hips and tilted his head, unsure of whether to smile or frown, so he opted for shaking his head in disbelief.
As the designated question asker, Olivia raised her hand, and Ryland nodded in confirmation for her to speak. “When did you start dating?”
They expected flustered denial, a poor cover up story, or for you guys to dodge the question completely. But to everyone’s shock, you and Ryland turned to each other simultaneously… and started laughing.
“Wh— What’s so funny?” James asked.
“Yeah, haven't you been trying to hide it this whole year?” another chimed in.
You waved your arms dismissively, shoulders still shaking with laughter. “Well, not exactly.”
Ryland just pinched the bridge of his nose, still in disbelief that his students thought you were dating.
“So, what’s your relationship then?” Olivia asked. Everyone leaned in, awaiting your response.
With a sly smile, you glanced at Ryland, then looked over the group of teens practically about to fall out of their seats in anticipation. “Well,” you started. “Let’s just say… I use my maiden name while teaching.”
Olivia let out a huge gasp, and the others whipped their heads toward her, clearly still confused.
“What?”
“Olivia, what’s that mean?”
Kids were clambering to get her attention, but Olivia just continued to stare at you in shock, and you just gave her a small nod of encouragement. Slowly, you reached to interlock hands with Ryland, and he squeezed your fingers with affection. He turned to give you a helpless smile, like he was silently apologizing for his students’ behavior. You just softly chuckled, choosing to lean your head on his shoulder instead.
“You— she—” Olivia could barely get the words out.
Her peers groaned in frustration, “what is it?!”
Then, you dropped the equivalent of an atomic bomb in the middle of the room— you raised your left hand, flashing a modest diamond ring adorning your finger.
Everyone was stunned, and Olivia confirmed what they were all struggling to believe.
“It means,” she said slowly, “Her last name is Grace.”
a/n: it might be kinda unrealistic for them not to notice your wedding bands but let’s just go along with it... as always, thanks for reading !!
