Requests are open but I’m kinda bad at requests… ask at your own risks lol
What I will NOT put in my works: smut, incest, r@pe, big age gap, anything non-consensual, or really anything I don’t want to.
My first language is NOT English, so please be nice and respectful about errors.
I write slowly!! Also, comments are always appreciated 😋
My Spotify, Wattpad and ao3 username : sun0moon0truth (same as here)
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Hiii!! You can call me Sun or Liv wtv u want, I like to think I’m pretty funny and I’ve been writing a lot since I was a kid, although not to this extent lol. Welcome to my page (blog?) I’m happy to be here and I hope you’re happy too.
I hate trump and ice and racists, sexists, mysoginists, homophobia, transphobia, mean people, when people cuts off someone when they’re talking and being cold. (Tell me if I missed anything)
And I love a lot of things come talk to me about anything pls
Disclaimers:
I will do rpf so I will say if anyone included in those fanfictions is uncomfortable and doesn’t want that kinda stuff about them I will take them down!
If I see any hate comments about me OR other people (that are not problematic) I will delete them.
Thank you and I hope you’ll like my writing!! Love yall, have a good day.
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" ♬⋆.˚
Rygos hcs going on a fishing trip 🎣 (my version of a fishing trip)
(Ryland, colt, Lars, driver and Courtland)
Words: 2.5k
Notes (important for the hcs): an ATV means an All Terrain Vehicle, it's a four-wheel (in the hcs, cuz there's also six-wheel) and it's made for bumpy and crazy places you want to go, mainly in the forest. It's great for going pretty much anywhere you want (where there's roads where people have been before). It can get scary at times but if you're good there's nothing to worry about. for the camp, it's like a cottage in the woods with a lake in front and a separate garage. the boat is one that can fit 1-3 people and has a motor. anyways thanks for reading :3
Finished this at three am so not proofread sorry abt that. Also, first time doing hcs how am I doing??
ᖭི༏ᖫྀ ᖭི༏ᖫྀ ᖭི༏ᖫྀ
Ryland
-did not want to go at first, because of the ATV and there’s too much mosquitoes everywhere, and also he’s kinda wary of the forest. you convinced him to go and said you’ll cook the fishes you caught for dinner (he's a sucker for your cooking)
-went on an ATV once as a teen, almost died and has been scared of them ever since, so he hangs on the handles or you for dear life but trusts you won’t kill them both
-knows how to fish because his dad took him some times as a kid, but never really has the chance to go fishing nowadays
-isn’t a fan of boats because they can make him dizzy, but will be okay if he can see the trees moving near the shore (you make sure he does)
-he catches a couple of fish and you want to take a picture of him with each to send to your family (who has been asking about your trip) but he’s making a weird face in everyone of them
-back at the camp, he’s exhausted but had a good time with you. After dinner, you make a fire and talk about anything, until he looks up and sees the stars with no light pollution and almost no clouds. His eyes widen and he smiles at you, then proceeds to tell you about every star you can see from here.
“Oh, oh! That right there is Ursa Major, and if you look a little further up there’s Ursa Minor. At the tail end of the Minor, you can see Polaris the brightest star you can see with your bare eyes from earth.”
“Did you know the closest star to earth is actually the sun? It’s 149.6 million kilometers away, and the next nearest star is alpha century about 4.37 light-years away.”
“The moon really is beautiful, isn’t it?”
-sleeps through the whole way back home, he wakes up drooling on his own shirt
Colt
-he goes fishing once a year, so he was pretty excited when you asked him if he wanted to come with you
- Colt has his own ATV hidden somewhere but didn’t tell you until you were already halfway through the drive to camp (he wants to ride on the same one as you and is really not subtle about it)
-he wants to see a bear so he can brag about it to Dan and Jody, in contrary you do NOT want to see a bear and make him know explicitly why
-you take a one-hour ATV ride with roads you couldn't believe even existed and almost toppled over twice if you hadn't used your body weights to balance the ATV, and both your hearts are racing with adrenaline (you both love it as adrenaline junkies)
-he tries really hard, but doesn't catch anything while you're collecting like it's the easiest thing ever (he asks to change fishing rods and he still ends up with nothing but curses thrown at the water), but even then he still has a smiles he's trying to hide when you catch something
-he's filled up to the brim with stupid and cringy pick up lines and is not scared to hurl them at you when he has the chance
-you're peacefully fishing in silence when he suddenly yells out,
"look, a bear!" he gestures at the shoreline. you quickly turn to where he's pointing, but all you can really see are tree, grass and some rocks.
"I don't- I don't see anything. where is it?" you frown, eyes searching everywhere.
he wiggles his hand further. "there! right there!" you try. you really try, but you just can't see it.
"I- okay, if you say so. but- are you sure?" you turn to him. "I mean, a bear's pretty big I think I'd see it and I just- it's not there, you know?"
he puts his hand down, still looking at the forest in front of him. he tilts his head and squints. "okay, maybe… maybe it's a tree…" he purses his lips and sighs. "it just, really looks like a bear." he raises his hand again and vaguely gestures to the tree. "you can kinda see the legs there.. and the head up there…" then, he seems to deflate on the spot, limbs going limp and his shoulders hunching down. he looks at you. "sorry, I really thought-"
"Colt, it's fine. you had me there for a second." your lips curl upwards as you focus back on your fishing rod. Colt's lips automatically do the same, and he looks away even though he knows you can't see him.
-when you're done fishing, he gets out first only to face-plant in the mud. he quickly gets up—almost slipping again— and he gives you that stunts guy thumbs up as you shake your head at him
-back at camp, he helps you unload the ATV and tries to look cool doing so— spoiler alert, it doesn't. but you gotta admit, he kinda looks hot— beats looking cool at least.
-you go inside to get changed and start dinner but he's all over you before you can utter a single word. he slides his hands up your waist and leans his head towards yours but you stop him abruptly by putting your hands on his chest and pushing him away a little.
"what do you think you're doing?" you raise an eyebrow.
he raises an eyebrow back at you. "kissing you. am I not making it clear ? maybe I can make my mouth look like a tiny asshole-"
"I know that. I meant it as you're not getting close to my face before washing away all that dirt you have… everywhere." you gesture to his entire body.
he glances down then sighs. "really?"
"yes. now go and you'll get to kiss me all you want after."
he smiles widely, the spark back in his eyes. "really?!"
you give him a look and he smiles even wider before sprinting to the bathroom.
-at night, he cuddles you under the pretext that 'it's cold', even though you have a heater in your room.
-insists he can drive on the way back, but you refuse and he all but falls asleep five minutes in.
Lars
-you were at work, talking about what you’ll do during vacation, when you mention your camp a couple hours away. He blinks harshly twice before asking if you’re going alone, which you respond yes. He looks really shy and hesitant, his eyes going to you, then the floor, the wall and back to you. you pick up on what he wants to say, so you ask him if he wants to come with you. He nods and leaves to the bathroom, his heart racing and his mind trying to catch up the fact he’s going to spend his vacation with you
-he’s quiet during the trip, but it’s a comfortable silence. There’s soft music on the radio that’s sometimes interrupted by small talk
-you don’t ride your ATV, you only go fishing with your little boat in the lake in front of the camp
-his dad took him and Gus fishing as kids, but he never really liked it
-went with you because he wants to spend time with you
-when you catch something he looks away for the time you remove the hook from the fish’s mouth
-the boat is a little wobbly but he doesn’t mind as long as he can keep talking with you or just sit in silence, listening to the nature around
-when you’re not on the lake, you’re reading on the porch, cooking a soft meal, hanging out around a fire and sometimes doing some work around the camp (chopping wood and stacking it or repairing things)
-you’re sitting together and talking softly, laughing and enjoying each others company, and he goes quiet, which is not unusual.
He looks at the calm water and it feels like all his problems wash away. The anxiety, the anger, the exhaustion, all gone. He feels good.
“Bianca would love it here.”
It's a thought that comes from the back of his mind, like it's always there but sometimes resurface, but it’s not sad anymore. it was for a long time, but seeing and talking to you at work helped him feel better. Of course, he’s not going to forget her, she was everything for him. But that doesn’t mean he should forget the other people around him, helping him after Bianca’s passing.
-at night, you lay in the same bed, centimeters away. your hand is in the middle and a smile breaks out on your face when you feel Lars' pinky intertwine with yours.
Driver
-after you ask him to come with you, he stares for a second before smiling and nodding, looking down.
-you give him the place and he drives to the camp while you doze off. He keep glancing at you, almost like to make sure you’re still there
-wants you to teach him how to ride the ATV, so you do and he drives to the lake ten minutes away. your hands are neatly tucked against his waist while he drives on the slightly bumpy road, softly sharing tips and instructions in his ear
-on the boat he's his quiet self, but you talk enough for the both of you anyway
-keeps staring at you and loses a couple of fishes because he's distracted
-each time you manage to catch something, even if the tiniest fish ever, he has this proud smile around his toothpick as has he helps you unhook it
-back at camp you relax and cook dinner together with music in the background, then eating while you talk about anything and he keeps sending you these soft looks
-he lights up the fire even against your insistence that you'd do it because he doesn't want you to hurt yourself in any way
-You both sit at the fire, exhausted but satisfied, and he gently takes your hand in his. you look down at your intertwined hands before glancing up at him, only to find him already staring in your eyes
"thank you." he murmurs.
you tilt your head. "for what?"
"for inviting me. for today." he twists his toothpick around.
you smile at him. "you don't have to thank me."
he just smiles at you and looks back towards the fire, slightly squeezing your hand
-the morning after, he wakes up way before you and does some work around the camp. he repairs the old motor you never got to fix, tidies up the garage so you won't have to and removes the boat from the ATV to put it away, along with your fishing stuff (you were too tired to do it the day before). when you wake up, you're pleasantly surprised by what he did, but he just shrugs and says it's nothing. you take him inside and make him a good meal for all his efforts. he tells you it's not necessary, but you shrug and tell him it's nothing. he gives a look before fondly shaking his head
-he drives back to your apartment block and walks you to your door. you unlock and enter your apartment before turning around to face him. you stare at each other for quite some time until a neighbor opens their door. driver glances down at his shoes before looking back at you, a smile blooming on his face.
his voice is almost a whisper. "I'll see you later."
you nod, smiling in return. "counting on it"
Courtland (post movie)
-you already live with him and Claire in a secluded out-of-society house in the woods, but you decided to go check out a lake a little ways out. you have a map of all the land and lakes a couple kilometers from here, so you and Court plan out the fastest but easiest route you should take.
-you take two ATVs, you alone on one and Court and Claire on the other. you're in front, so you decide to not go too fast and keep out of the more bumpy roads.
-as you get the boat ready, you don't let Claire raise even a finger. between an ex-sierra and an ex-federal agent, you were capable enough to do everything without needing help.
-on the boat, Courtland steers at the back, Claire in the middle and you at the front to balance the weight.
-when Claire reels in a fish, you catch it in the net bring it on the boat. you unhook it and give it to her to take a picture. in the back of said picture, you can see Courtland with a small, proud smile on his face while looking at Claire and you— looking at his little family.
-you're in the middle of reeling in a fish when you realize you really gotta go piss. the fish is almost at the surface when it suddenly removes itself from the hook and flees, stealing the worm that was on the hook. with a dejected face, you turn towards Court and let him know to go to shore because you just cannot wait any longer.
"are you serious?" he raises his eyebrows.
"what do you think? of course I am, I wouldn't fake that." you squint at him as he smirks, clearly amused. he hurries and gets you the closest he can to some land. you jump out and almost run deeper in the bushes to go without them seeing you. when you get back, they're waiting for you, talking lowly as to not disturb the calmness around.
-Claire initiates a competition on who can catch the most fish, and the winner won't do the dishes tonight. you and Court smile at each other before agreeing. in the couple hours you're fishing, you keep tabs on how much fish each of you catch, and after three hours Claire has twelve, Court has seven and you have ten. the girl cheer, mocking you both and bragging about her being better than ex-government.
-on the way back to camp, she almost falls asleep on Court's shoulder but the noise and bumps keep her awake.
-you eat a full, rich meal after the day you had, and Claire goes in the living room to watch TV while the two of you get up to do the dishes together. he cleans them and you dry them. in the middle of washing the dishes, Court speaks up.
"it was nice today, Claire had fun. we should do it again sometimes." he gives you a pot to dry.
"definitely. and it's not like we don't have the time to do it, we'll probably stay here for a while." you put the dry pot in its place.
"until someone finds us, at least."
"well, I doubt it. there's not a lot of places better than here, but if the need comes, we'll find them."
Stratt genuinely deserves so much more recognition than she gets. She's a scapegoat, she's a villain, she's a hero in all definitions of the word and I'm giving her all my money. Lets ignore how funky the Hail Mary looks. It's my first time drawing it..
Debated calling this piece An Unwilling Patron Saint but idkk......
I don't support Eva bashing that's emotional support environmental terrorist right there. What I'm interested in is the bad pr she is giving earth because the eridian ambassador is too invested in his flesh teddy bears life
synopsis. ryland grace is convinced he's hiding his new relationship perfectly. his students have a twenty-point evidence list that says otherwise (4.2k words)
note. part 3 of just confess but could also stand alone on its own :) idea was brought to life by @b3rry2pointo hihi lmk if any of u want a part 4 where you finally meet colt or anything else u want to be brought to life in this universe
part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4
Kids are… difficult. The beginning of teenhood? Even worse.
Ryland Grace, of all people, would know this. He’s been teaching Science in Grover Cleveland Middle School for almost four years now. And he loves the kids, he really does. And he likes to believe they carry a moderate amount of respect for him too.
But kids are difficult. They like to gossip, and they’re at that weird stage where they’re learning intensely about human reproduction. On top of that, they’re getting into their first relationships which would put Romance and Who’s Dating Who? at the top of their list when they’re gathering in circles.
Ryland normally doesn’t mind. They’re in the age of exploring themselves, and exploring who they like and who they don’t. So, normally, he really wouldn’t mind.
Well, until his name starts being dropped in conversations and gossip.
He isn’t aware at first.
(Bless him and his oblivious heart.)
And he really thinks he’s been really sneaky about his newly formed relationship with you, the school’s English teacher. But what are kids if not a little more clever and sly than the adults that supervise them?
Their first sign really was the smiling.
This wouldn’t have caused alarm to his students in normal circumstances, because their teacher has always been a little cheerful. Even more when he’s talking about topics that interest him, topics in his field of specialty. But the way he was smiling recently? It was different.
They would know. They’ve observed numerous victims with the same stupid lovesick smile—their classmates, kids from the lower grade, even their parents. It has been the subject in conversation a few times, used as evidence against kids who swore they didn’t have a crush on that person.
And their dear Science teacher? He had that stupid lovesick smile on his face if they’ve ever seen one.
Whispers immediately erupt mid-activity.
"Holy crap."
"What?"
Kevin lowers his voice. "Look at Mr. Grace."
The few rows of students behind him immediately turned their attention to their teacher, who was innocently sitting at the desk in front of them, staring at his phone while waiting for them to turn in their activities.
Oh, and he was smiling, alright. Grinning. Like a total idiot.
"Is he texting someone?"
"He has to be. It’s a girlfriend. Trust me, I know these things."
This prompts a few more students to maneuver their attention from the worksheet on their table to Ryland, who still remains unaware, thumbs moving across the screen of his phone.
And, if it wasn’t already obvious, his smile stretches a little more. Until, he abruptly locks his phone and places it in his jean pocket. “Alright, let’s—”
His hands are in the air, mid-action of a clap, but he freezes in place when he catches almost the entire class staring at him.
“Why are we staring?” Ryland turns around to check if there’s something behind him, eyebrows furrowed in confusion before he looks back at his class. They all have the same knowing grins on their faces, but they choose to say nothing.
For now, at least.
Ryland really doesn’t know what’s in store for him.
“Alright, that’s time. Hand over your papers, and don’t forget about the quiz tomorrow about photosynthesis and the components of the plant cell.”
Ryland really doesn’t know what’s in store for him.
Since then, his students have taken to spying.
Their loser of a teacher couldn't possibly have met someone outside of school. Sure, Mr. Grace wasn't ugly. Some of the girls in class even had harmless little crushes on him. He was smart, too. Funny in a dorky sort of way. He had enough charm that, theoretically, dating shouldn't be impossible.
The problem was that he was still, in his entirety, Ryland Grace.
He wasn't exactly the type to walk up to a stranger and start a conversation. So if there was suddenly someone in his life? It had to be someone from school.
A breakthrough seems to happen in their research right before their eyes when lunch period rolls along a few days later, in the form of the teachers’ lounge that was a little visible from a certain part of the courtyard.
Fortunately for Olivia, she had been walking past when a certain Science teacher caught her eyes. She immediately summons her co-authors to sit at the table with a direct view of the window peering into the space their teachers lounge in during lunch break.
“Look, look! Don’t be obvious.”
Half the people at the table turn.
Olivia hisses. “I said don’t be obvious!”
But low and behold, there it was. Mr. Grace and you. Sitting together, and talking, and laughing, and sharing the same takeout food.
“Holy shit.”
“Dude!”
As if the evidence wasn’t incriminating enough, Ryland has the audacity to steal one of your potato wedges which earns him a smack in his hand by you. And the smile that follows. Oh, that stupid lovesick smile they had seen from a few days ago.
Everyone at the courtyard is losing their minds. “That was flirting!”
“That was absolutely flirting. Did you see the way he smiled at her?”
“Ms. (Name) is the one he was texting!”
“And the way she laughed at him, too?”
“We’ve cracked the case.”
Olivia shakes her head. “We need more evidence.”
You and Ryland having lunch together, like you always do even before he had confessed, had unknowingly catapulted their investigation.
Their next piece of evidence would go down in history as The Cardigan Incident.
Almost cemented in Grover Cleveland Middle School as a school legend.
It had been a quiet evening in your classroom.
Most of the students had already gone home, leaving the halls unusually peaceful. Outside the windows, the sky had faded from gold to navy blue, the last traces of sunlight disappearing behind distant buildings.
Inside, you and Ryland sat across from each other, grading papers.
It was almost routine by now.
Every few days, one of you would wander into the other's classroom after the final bell with an armful of assignments and a complaint about how middle schoolers somehow managed to invent entirely new ways to get questions wrong.
Tonight was no different.
Ryland was flipping through a stack of science quizzes while you worked through essays.
The silence between the two of you was comfortable. Always easy.
Unknown to the both of you, just a few doors down, a group of students had stayed late to prepare for an upcoming mathematics competition. They were just finishing up when they headed down the hallway to meet their waiting parents outside.
And they would've walked right past your classroom. Really would’ve, had someone not noticed movement through the window.
"Why is there somebody still in there?"
Everyone freezes at the question.
The classroom lights are on, but the hallway is dark enough that all they can see are vague silhouettes moving inside.
For one horrifying second, somebody whispers, "Is that the ghost everyone keeps talking about?"
They immediately start to back away from the door. “Oh, no no no no. I am not about to become school history.”
But of course, in a group, there is always one brave soul. One kid who volunteers to check again, rushing past his peers valiantly and squinting through the small glass panel to hopefully catch a glance of Grover’s Ghost.
He doesn’t expect what he sees. It’s the last thing he expects.
"...Wait, that's Mr. Grace. He’s with…"
Everybody crowds forward. "What?"
"Move."
"Let me see."
"Get your big head out of the way. Some of us want to see!"
Meanwhile, entirely unaware of the surveillance operation unfolding outside your classroom, you rub your hands over your arms.
The school's heating system had apparently given up hours ago, so it felt like winter had come early in the four corners of your classroom. With teeth clattering, you try to power through. Though, not without making an offhanded comment to your boyfriend. "It's freezing in here."
Ryland glances up from his papers, red pen mid-air as he immediately shifts his attention to you.
He always does that. Always invests all his attention when you say something.
"Huh? Did you say something, honey?"
You tug your sleeves down over your hands. "I think the school’s trying to save money again. It’s like, really cold. Freezing cold. Deadly cold."
Ryland laughs at your accusations.
“I mean, freezing the teachers is definitely cheaper than fixing the school’s heaters.”
"Of course we’re the sacrifice."
Another laugh bubbles up from his throat, shaking his head as he pushes his glasses further up his nose with one finger. He only turns his attention away when you return to grading your essays.
Or, at least he tries to turn his attention away, but he can see you rubbing your arms again through his peripheral vision and it just won’t do.
Without looking up for more than a second, he reaches for the cardigan hanging over the back of his chair.
Outside the room, several students stop breathing.
Inside the room, however, Ryland simply stands. And before you can understand what he’s doing, he drapes the cardigan over your shoulders, helping your arms catch the sleeves.
The gesture is so casual it almost seems like it’s been done so many times before. A hundred times even.
"Ryland."
"What?"
"You're gonna be cold."
He shrugs, smiling at you so softly that you feel something squeeze your heart, sit on your sternum, constrict your diaphragm. "I'll survive."
You pull the cardigan tighter around yourself.
It's warm, and it smells like him. Coffee and dry-erase markers and the soap you bought him for his birthday last year.
"Thanks."
Ryland offers a distracted smile as he returns to grading. "Don't mention it."
Outside the classroom, absolute chaos erupts.
"He did the movie thing."
"What movie thing?"
"The jacket thing! The thing where the guy gives his jacket to the girl he likes!"
A collective gasp sweeps through the group.
"Oh my God."
"Someone take a picture."
"I'm trying."
"Hurry up!"
"Zoom it in!"
“My camera won’t focus!”
Inside the classroom, Ryland circles a wrong answer in red pen.
Outside the classroom, an entire investigation gains enough evidence to sustain itself for a decade.
Ryland Grace starts to notice his students acting odd on an unassuming Tuesday.
He's halfway through collecting the day's activity sheets when he spots a cluster of students gathered around Rekha in the back of the classroom, whispering with the kind of intensity usually reserved for scientific breakthroughs.
Now, Ryland isn't one to stick his nose into other people's business. Still, the final bell rang five minutes ago, and if they don't start heading home soon, their parents are going to start wondering where they are.
"Okay," he says, making his way toward the group, "what's got you guys so busy back here?"
A chorus of startled yelps erupts.
Someone immediately tries to snatch the paper away.
Unfortunately for them, Ryland catches it in his hand, and takes quite a long glimpse before it disappears from him.
He was, however, able to read:
Evidence:
(1) Smiling like an idiot.
(2) Shared an umbrella once.
(3) Eating lunch together.
(4) He carries her bag.
(5) The cardigan incident.
(6) Kevin swears he saw her fixing his tie last week.
(7) Said "good morning" to Ms. (Name) three times.
The students scatter, and someone throws the piece of paper in the trash. And within seconds, they're grabbing backpacks, muttering excuses, and practically sprinting out of the classroom.
Ryland blinks after them.
"What was that about?” He mutters more to himself than to anyone.
He assumes it's harmless gossip. Some kid probably has a crush, and the rest of them are playing detective.
Then a single word catches in his mind.
Tie.
No one wears a tie to school.
Ryland is already dismissing the whole thing when he passes the narrow glass panel in the classroom door and catches his reflection.
His hand instinctively rises to the tie around his neck.
The tie.
The one you'd absentmindedly straightened for him last week before a faculty meeting.
Ryland freezes.
"...Oh."
A beat passes.
"...Oh, no."
Ryland Grace is afraid.
Well, he’s afraid of a lot of things—heights, conflicts, public speaking, anything that could cause a physical injury. And above all, thirteen-year-olds. Specifically, his thirteen-year-olds.
Because they definitely know something, and it’s definitely (ninety-nine percent sure) your relationship.
He’s started to notice it. The staring, the whispering, the suspiciously innocent smiles, and that damn piece of paper with their own list of evidence against him.
Unfortunately, today's schedule is doing him absolutely no favors. You and Ryland had been paired up to accompany your students to the planetary exhibition in your school’s hall. Which means that’s several hours of supervision, and several hours of being under their observation, their lingering stares, their whispers.
Kids are menacing, even more teens. And it seems he had been the chosen victim to their gossip.
“(Name), honey?” He asks. He’s still trying to find ease in calling you a petname, because he honestly still can’t believe you’ve reciprocated his feelings. That you’re actually his girlfriend. It’s so new on his tongue, but it’s a welcomed change.
“Yeah?”
The pressing matter returns to him, and he has to stay on topic. It’s only been a few weeks since you’d answered his confession. How does his students already know?
Ryland lowers his voice. "I think the kids know about us."
You blink, looking up from the stack of papers with attendance sheets you’d printed out.
"Really? How’d you come to that conclusion?”
“They stare.”
You laugh.
"No, seriously. They stare like they know something. Trust me, I know that look.”
Your smile widens, and Ryland immediately loses his train of thought.
(Which happens a lot these days. A lot more than he'd ever admit. It’s definitely because of you.)
"You know.” You say, leaning forward slightly. “If they do know, it's probably because you're terrible at hiding how much you like me."
His eyebrows shoot upward. "I am not. I think I’ve been pretty slick, actually."
"You carried my coffee, my papers, my bag, and my projector all on the same day."
"Those were all separate situations."
“All on the same day though.” You repeat.
"That's still not enough evidence." A stubborn look settles onto his face as he shakes his head in denial. “For a research to be substantial, you have to—”
You lean forward and press a quick kiss to his lips.
His argument dies instantly. His words are forgotten, and he doesn’t know what point he’s trying to prove anymore.
"...Okay."
Your smile turns fond. "Okay?"
"I don't remember what we were talking about."
A laugh escapes you. “Want another one?”
Ryland’s face brightens up at the suggestion, but before you can kiss him again, another teacher pokes their head into the room.
"Grace? We need help finishing the setup downstairs."
Ryland sighs dramatically, and then he whispers—not very quietly—"I'm... cashing my kiss in later."
You snort. "You make it sound like a coupon."
"It is a coupon. I worked hard to get it.”
Thirty minutes later, after he’d gotten the kiss you’d promised him, you and Ryland are leading your class downstairs toward the exhibition hall, and the whispers begin almost immediately.
You understand Ryland’s sudden hypothesis now, and when you turn to your boyfriend, he looks like he’s really trying to ignore them. Mostly because you know he wouldn’t know what he'd do if he acknowledged them.
And before you can offer him any form of support, the same teacher calls you for a favor. You quietly excuse yourself as Ryland stops the group just outside the entrance.
“Okay, rules.”
Collective groans erupt the hallway.
"First rule, no running. Second, no talking loudly. Third rule, no eating inside the exhibit area.”
A hand shoots up.
"What if I'm hungry?"
"You should've eaten lunch by now. It’s…3pm."
"What if I'm hungry now?"
“You can eat after the exhibition.”
The student mutters something about oppression. Ryland ignores that too.
"Alright. Fourth rule—"
His voice cuts off as his gaze trails off in the distance. Across the hall, you've just emerged from a storage room carrying a large box filled with 3D glasses for the exhibition.
The box isn't enormous. But it looks heavy.
Ryland watches you adjust your grip.
"Fourth rule..." He repeats absentmindedly, still watching the way you struggle with the box, still seeing the way you refuse to bother anyone else to ask for help.
The students watch him expectantly.
Finally, he closes his mouth. “Just, wait one moment.”
He turns around, walking away after telling them to stay in place. And the entire class watches as their teacher crosses the room and reaches you.
"You should've asked for help."
"I can carry it."
"I know you can."
Still, despite his response, the box is already in his hands.
You roll your eyes affectionately, and Ryland can only smile at you. That stupid lovesick smile.
"The kids are staring." You whisper, and his shoulder bumps yours. A small gesture, playful and instinctive. The kind of habit that’s between two people who have gotten used to being near each other.
"They are not."
The students are collectively staring, mouths agape as they slowly start to turn towards one another.
Several silent nods are exchanged.
A few fingers point.
Someone mouths “I told you” to someone.
Olivia can’t believe their hypothesis is correct.
Meanwhile, Ryland continues carrying the box as if he hasn't just abandoned an entire class.
Tomorrow, they decide, will be the day. Tomorrow they'll get answers. And they know exactly how to extract that information from their beloved Science teacher.
“Lava, lava, lava, lava.”
Fists are bumping their tables in a coordinated rhythm as Ryland takes out the small, round Earth plush from the corner of his classroom. And then it’s tossed in the air, and immediately it lands on Olivia’s hands.
“Which two organelles are found in plant cells but not in animal cells?”
“Uh, uh.” She juggles the knitted ball in her hands.
“It’s melting your hands, Olivia!”
She suddenly sits a little straighter, voice significantly louder as she says, “The rigid cell wall and chloroplasts for photosynthesis.”
“Oh! Give her a round of applause. That’s awesome.” He smiles, catching the ball in his hand as Olivia throws it back at him.
And as he does, he fails to see the knowing smirk on her face.
“Mr. Grace?” She clears her throat, and Ryland gives her his attention, thinking it’s a follow-up question of what he’d just asked.
"Are you and Ms. (Name) really together?"
Absolute silence greets the room, lingering in the air and expanding as all his students lean forward from their desks.
Their brilliant plan was commencing, and Ryland can only stare with dawning horror. And then he’s scratching the back of his head. “That’s… not a lava question.”
“You said you have to answer all the questions!”
“Well, then I pass.”
“You can’t pass!”
“I just did.”
“Lava, lava, lava, lava.” Everyone starts chanting again, and Ryland is already running a palm down his face exasperatedly. This cannot be happening to him. There is no way that this is currently happening in real time.
He drops his head back dramatically, stares at the ceiling for a moment the way all students do when confronted with a difficult question. And like he had told them several times, there really were no answers there, nothing of help.
“Why do you guys care so much?”
"Because you're our favorite teacher. And she's our favorite teacher too. And if you guys are together then it's like one of those crazy crossover episodes."
A girl near the front chimes in. “Soooo, are you guys together?”
They really have him cornered this time, and they know it. They had perfectly thought this plan through, because lava rules existed, and Ryland could never break one of his own rules. It’d set a bad example to the kids.
"Alright, fine."
The room becomes so quiet that you could almost hear swallowing.
Ryland sighs, thinking his life decisions through, thinks of a way out, and when no opportunity presents itself, he finally nods. Once.
"Yes."
The reaction is immediate, and the entire classroom detonates in comments, one over the other and some people have gotten out of their seats, one kid nearly topples over a desk, and Ryland can’t hear everything at once, but he can hear:
“I knew it!”
“Let’s goooooooo.”
“That’s what I said!”
“Dude, I told you.”
“Five dollars! Pay up!”
Oh, what would their parents say about betting on their teacher’s love life?
Ryland points at them. “Alright, calm down. Everyone back to your seats.”
And then his hand is up. “My hand is up.”
Kevin immediately sits, and the others slowly follow suit. But not without a few more whispers cleared out.
"We're happy for you!" Olivia suddenly says, and everyone is smiling and nodding their heads.
“Jesus Christ.” Ryland mutters under his breath, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Another hand rises.
It’s Rekha.
Absolutely not.
"No."
"You didn't even hear the question yet."
"I don't need to."
"But—"
"No."
"Have you kissed?"
The room erupts in screams, and Ryland is starting to get dizzy, and just when he thinks his whole life is about to crumble in front of him… the bell rings. And Ryland can see salvation. Beautiful, wonderful salvation, and he swears he has never loved a sound more in his life.
His students groan. For the first time in their lives, they groan at the sound of the bell.
“Class dismissed!”
"We were just getting somewhere." Rekha whines, but still, backpacks are gathered and chairs are scraped back to their spot, and his thirteen-year-olds start filing out of the room. And finally, the door closes and Ryland can finally breathe. He has been saved.
He really needs to modify the rules of the lava game.
A knock immediately sounds from the classroom door, breaking him out of his trance.
Ryland already knows who it is. And he needs you now more than ever, especially after the most stressful moment of his life.
You slip inside, balancing your bag and a stack of papers against your hip. “Hey.”
His arms are immediately peeling away everything you’re holding, and in record time, he has his arms wrapped around you. Ryland’s head is buried in your hair, glasses askew and all over the places, and his hands are linked around your waist.
“You okay there, Ry?”
“You have no idea what I just went through.”
A laugh slips out of you. “Aw. Were they bad today?”
“They contrived against me.”
Your expression immediately shifts into sympathy. “Oh, no. What happened?”
Your hands are running down his back, following a trail up his hair before settling back on his hunched over back. Rubbing evolves into light pats as you wait for him to tell you about his day, and you can feel the tension in his shoulders start to undo.
The late afternoon sun filters through the classroom windows. The building is quieter now that most of the students have gone home, distant voices and slamming lockers echoing faintly through the halls.
And then he finally pulls away, and you reach over and smooth down the collar of his shirt absentmindedly. And Ryland can only remember that damn piece of paper and the evidence against him.
He should’ve seen this coming.
“Can’t tell you yet. It’s a long story.”
"It's that bad, huh?"
"I got through it."
You grin. "Good. Because I was wondering if you'd want to grab dinner later. We could still go home and freshen up a bit, rest if you need. I’m sure Colt would like to know what the kids did to you today.”
The answer is immediate. "Yes. Let’s get dinner."
Everything else is ignored.
You laugh again, and Ryland thinks he would gladly survive ten more student interrogations if it meant ending his day like this.
A sudden blur appears outside the classroom door.
Neither of you notices. Then another. And another. And now a cluster of students who definitely should have already gone home crouches beneath the little window in the door.
Inside the classroom, you continue talking.
Outside, Olivia is standing on tiptoe.
"I can't see anything."
"Move over."
"You move over."
"Shhh!"
Inside, you turn your head curiously after hearing what seems to be whispers. "Did you hear something?"
Ryland freezes. A horrible realization slowly dawns on him. It’s never over. And as Ryland looks over at the door, it suddenly starts to empty as his students dive for cover.
A loud thunk follows and a few muffled "ow”s.
Ryland closes his eyes. "Let's get dinner."
"Okay? I thought we already established that.”
"Right now."
"Right now?"
"Immediately."
You laugh as he takes your hand and starts steering you toward the door.
The second it opens, six students scatter down the hallway like they weren’t just eavesdropping. And this time, they’re not slick at all. There’s tripping, and pushing over, and running as they try to escape.
And as Ryland buries his face in his hands, you stand there completely bewildered.
"...What was that about?"
Ryland looks at the ceiling. Wow! Still no answers up there.
"I have absolutely no idea, honey. I seriously have no idea."
And Ryland eventually tells you everything over dinner, and you can’t help but laugh.
The case of Mr. Grace's mysterious girlfriend had finally been solved, and unfortunately for him, his students were very proud of their work. And he just knows, deep in his heart, that this wasn’t the end of their little conundrum.
Summary: Spencer’s going live in a minute, and you can’t keep your hands to yourself. (Fluff)
Word count: 737
Note: had this in my head and GOLLY I just had to write it down.
ᖭི༏ᖫྀ ᖭི༏ᖫྀ ᖭི༏ᖫྀ
It’s a friday night, you ate dinner with your boyfriend and you’re now reading a book on the couch. Relaxing is always great after a long work day– which was the case today. And for Spencer, relaxing meant live streaming a game he got last week. Unfortunately he’s starting pretty late, which means you’ll probably be fast asleep in your bed by the time he’s done. Speaking of the devil, Spencer calls out your name.
“I’m going live in like, two minutes, so be careful not to get in frame– or at least not your face.” Right, that. You actually haven’t revealed your relationship online yet, even after a couple of years together. You both work as cast members at Smosh, and your private life isn’t something you want out in the open for everyone to see. It’s been pretty easy to avoid revealing you’re together. People know you’re both in relationships– you’ve made it clear before– but they don’t know you’re in a relationship together.
You look at your boyfriend sitting in his computer chair, clicking left and right with his mouse. Then, you get an idea. You close your book and throw it haphazardly on the living room table. Getting up, you stretch out your arms as you’re walking to Spencer. You stop behind him, your arms draping over his shoulders and around until you’re basically hugging him with your cheek resting on the side of his head.
“You okay?” He says softly, his left hand coming to rest on one of your arms. You nuzzle even further into his neck.
“Yeah, just going to bed soon. Wanted to say good night.” You pepper kisses on his neck until he lifts his head up and around to face you. Sure, he’s craning his neck to face you and you’re bent over his desk chair, but your lips meet in a sweet and soft kiss. You lift one hand to put it at the back of his neck, your fingers tugging at his curly hair as he tightens his hand on your arm. You get lost in the kiss, but you eventually have to pull away. You don’t go far, only moving so you can look in Spencer’s eyes– which have a mischievous glint in them before he even opens his mouth.
“Can’t go two minutes without me, huh?” You try to hide the smile trying to make its way on your face, but it does regardless.
“Shut up,” a chuckle escapes you as you tighten your arms around him, squeezing him one last time before dragging your hands to his shoulders. His hand follows your arm until he has your hand in his. Spencer looks in your eyes, his cocky demeanour melting away. Your heart skips a beat– he looks so cute like that.
“Good night y/n.” You lean in to make your lips meet his again, this time for a short but meaningful kiss.
“Good night Spencer.” Smiles are etched in your faces as you let go of each other and you turn away to your bedroom. You could only go a couple of steps before Spencer calls out your name again, making you halt and turn to him.
“I love you.” His face softens– if it’s even possible at this point– making a warm fuzzy feeling go through your entire body.
“I love you too.” The smile that erupts on his face is breath-taking, and you have to force yourself in the bedroom before you ruin his streaming night.
Spencer stares at the door you closed behind you for some time before turning back to his screens. Going live is always a little tricky– he never seems to remember each step to successfully start a stream. Then, he looks to his right screen and– he sees comments flowing through? Wait, that’s not right, how…
He reads some of the ones he can see with the chat going wild.
WA STHAT Y/N????
Spencer could do better tbh
Okay but we all knew… the tension was so obvious.
HOLY WOW THIS WAS NOT ON MY 2026 BINGO CARD
No he could NEVER do any better tf you on
He can almost feel the sweat trickling down his forehead, an awkward smile on his face.
