#sugarᥫ᭡writes
Text
Kiss It Better Pt. I
Pairing: Melissa Schemmenti x reader
Summary: Melissa engages in a game of kickball with her students and takes a nasty tumble. With the help of her colleagues, she makes her way to you, the school nurse.
Word Count: 4.6k
CW/TW: Mentions of hospitals and injuries
Although Melissa was a seasoned teacher, sometimes it was challenging to get into the swing of things after a nice vacation. While she was used to instructing two classes, the job still came with its fair share of tough days. The holiday break was much needed, considering it gave her time to recuperate from the first semester.
Originally, she hadn’t planned on going anywhere, and was fully content with spending two weeks at home with her feet kicked up. That was until she heard you complaining about the brutal winter weather. You weren't native to the north, and though you'd lived there for some time, you hadn't adjusted to the seasonal changes.
The more you mentioned it, the more she realized the feeling was mutual. She decided it wouldn't hurt to ring in the New Year differently, so the two of you brainstormed destinations and settled on a spur-of-the-moment trip to Florida. She had a guy who could get her discounted plane tickets and a hotel room for little to nothing. Before she knew it, she was getting sunkissed on Palm Beach. She’d be making a ton of ziti to return the favor, but the bottomless margaritas and adrenaline-filled nights at the casino were more than worth it.
It was now a week later and with her mind still on island time, she hoped for a relaxed first day back. The class was rowdy when they arrived, but that was to be expected. They were excited to be with each other after a couple of weeks away, but luckily they could themselves down without much of her guidance. So far the day was going well, and she was teaching her last morning lesson before recess.
The class was reading silently, making it the perfect time to catch up on some emails. Most of them were from parents, but she had one from Ava with the schedule of upcoming meetings for the remainder of the year. The first one was tomorrow morning meaning she had to wake up extra early.
She rolled her eyes, and the expression only intensified as she skimmed through the rest of the message. According to the principal, breakfast would be provided. However, the last time Ava promised to provide food, the “breakfast” in question was fun-sized boxes of cereal from the cafeteria. She would definitely need her extra-large Stanley Tucci mug to get through tomorrow morning.
She had one last email to read and was delighted to see your name attached to it. The message was marked as a priority, declaring the content to be urgent. It was a reminder for all teachers, asking them to collect and return the forms the students received before the break. As the school nurse, part of your job was ensuring that the kids had updated health records on file.
As for Melissa's class, just about everyone remembered to have their guardians fill out your forms, and she planned to give them to you later today. That prompted her to text you so she could see what your schedule looked like.
M: Hey, I’ll bring those forms to you during my planning period
↪ You sure? I don't mind stopping by your class later
You knew someone was bound to forget to deliver the forms, so you’d have to snag them at the end of the day.
M: I’ll bring them, hon. One less trip you’ll have to make.
Truthfully, the redhead wanted an excuse to see you, and her planning period conveniently took place when your day came to a lull.
↪ Thanks! You’re amazing!!
Melissa’s lips curled upward at your compliment.
M: I might sit with you for a few when I come down. Is that okay?
She was considerate of your job, and no matter how much she wanted to see you during the day, she never wanted to interfere with your work.
↪ Of course that’s okay. You’re always welcome.
Just let me know when you’re headed down
For the most part, your relationship was under wraps. Everyone who needed to know was informed, and everyone else was left to assume. And assume they did, because your affinity for each other was a hot topic around the school. Abbott loved to talk, but Melissa had eyes and ears all over–literally.
She’d become acquaintances with a couple members of the camera crew, and their knowledge combined with Barb’s allowed her to obtain information from virtually every square inch of the building. Just about everything that was said made its way back to the source. However, it didn’t bother either of you. If anything, it was amusing, and you found fun in keeping everyone guessing.
Engaged in her reverie, Melissa didn't notice the child standing directly beside her until the small voice spoke. “Ms. Schemmenti.”
Startled by their presence, she nearly jumped out of her seat. A hand clutched at her chest causing the young girl to laugh. “Jeez, Mya!”
“Sorry.” She motioned toward the clock on the opposite side of the room. “Isn't it time for recess?
Melissa looked to where her student was pointing and saw it was 11:20 AM. Crap. They were supposed to be gone five minutes ago. She thanked the girl for telling her, then stood up to alert everyone else.
"Alright, my little eagles, it’s time for recess! We’re a little late because I got distracted, but you guys aren’t surprised, right?” A unison of “no” echoed around the room. “That was a rhetorical question, but thank you for the enthusiastic responses.”
She answered queries about the meaning of ‘rhetorical’, while everyone got their coats on. It was considerably cold, but not cold enough for the school to cancel outside activities. Melissa didn’t mind since this was her kid’s way of getting their energy out and she always made sure everyone had enough clothing on to protect them from the chill.
Once everyone was ready, they walked down the hall in formation. Melissa’s class was large, and while it could be hard to wrangle them all, they did a pretty good job at keeping each other in check.
“I can’t believe we lost a whole 5 minutes,” Daniel whined from the back of the line. It was quiet, but Melissa still heard, so she slowed her steps to meet him once he strolled by.
She wrapped an arm around his shoulder and said, “I’m sorry, buddy. I’ll make it up to you, okay?” When he didn’t respond she spoke again. “How about this? I’ll do a class vote, and then youse can decide what I owe you.”
Even though the boy accepted her apology, he still hung his head low. Melissa squeezed his shoulder for good measure, then let him free as they approached the doors that led outside.
“Melissa!” Janine shouted, waving the redhead over to her. “I was looking for you guys. What happened?”
“Hey, kid. I was reading emails and lost track of time.” Melissa explained as she walked over to the second grade teacher.
“I had a lot of those too! Did you see Ava sent that one email, like, three times? It was so weird,” she laughed and Melissa agreed. “I bet your kids were sad about being late, huh?”
“You shoulda seen their faces when I told them they lost some time,” Melissa shared. “I might as well have told them Santa wasn’t real.”
Janine stuck her bottom lip out in a pout, knowing the exact look Melissa was referring to. “If it makes you feel any better, I’m still getting used to the flow of things too. The first day back is always a little rocky for me.”
“I’m usually okay, but I don’t know what happened today.” Melissa shrugged, looking off into the distance (Except she knew exactly what happened, and it was you).
“Well, they seem pretty happy now that they’re out here, so that’s good,” Janine noted.
“Yeah, but I’m sure I’ll be making it up to them for the next few weeks.” Melissa sighed and Janine nodded in agreement, knowing how relentless kids could be.
“Oh, one of your students is coming over here. I spoke too soon, it looks like he has a bone to pick with you.” She nudged the woman in her side.
Melissa narrowed her eyes before turning toward the student. “Hey, Daniel. What’s up?”
“Can you please play with us?” The little boy asked politely.
She looked across the playground and saw a group of students eyeing her expectantly. She couldn’t deny that it tugged at her heartstrings to see them so eager. However, playing with them wasn’t exactly on the agenda today.
“Oh, I don’t know, hon. There isn't much time left, and I’m sure you don’t want me slowing your game down.”
“Please, we really want you to play. And you said you’d make it up to us, remember?” He reminded her.
This wasn’t her ideal way of making it up, but when Melissa looked down at the boy’s big, hopeful eyes, she couldn’t say no. She looked toward Janine and of course, she was looking at her with just as much expectation as the kids. The next thing Melissa knew, she was involved in a lively kickball game.
“Ms. Schemmenti, Ivy’s cheating!” Tyler yelled as soon as Melissa stepped up to the makeshift base. “I caught the ball, so that means she’s out!”
“I’m not cheating! The ball slipped out of your hands, so I’m still in the game!” Ivy yelled back at him.
“Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater!” He teased. “You’re out!”
Melissa knew that it wouldn’t be an elementary school game if there wasn’t a little drama, but she had to hold her laughter back as she listened to their banter. “Okay, that’s enough, guys. Now, Tyler, tell me what happened again.”
“Ivy kicked the ball and I caught it, so that means she’s out.” He explained to her.
Instead of handling the situation herself, she decided to play the mediator. “Okay, How many people saw Tyler catch the ball?” Almost everyone raised their hand, so she turned to the girl to give her a sad smile. “Sorry, hon. You gotta follow the rules.”
“No fair!” The girl crossed her arms over her chest and began to stomp away.
Before she got far, Melissa gave the child a proposition. “Hey, how about I let you run the bases for me? That way you can stay in the game.” Quite frankly, she wasn’t in the running mood, and due to the cold, her joints were stiff. She also didn’t want the child to be in a bad mood for the rest of the day. This way, everyone got what they wanted.
“Deal!” Her mood instantly changed, and Melissa received a wide grin and a high five.
“All right, Ivy’s gonna run for me.” She announced to the group.
“I think that’s against the rules.” Someone piped up from behind her.
“Well, I’ve got a bad knee, so I ain’t running anywhere.” The teacher emphasized her point by wagging her index finger from side to side.
“Well, Ms. Schemmenti, you did say we have to follow the rules.” Ivy recited the woman's recent words.
Melissa closed her eyes and released a sigh at the girl's remark, now regretting using that exact phrase. “Alright, Alright.” The teacher relented. As much as she wanted to disagree with the girl, she was right, and it would be unfair to go against her word. “I’ll run, but go easy on me.”
“Okay, everyone get into position!” Tyler yelled, alerting his classmates that the game was about to start. He rolled the ball down to the teacher, and the woman gave her best kick without using her full power. They were undoubtedly faster than her, but she was certainly stronger, and everyone needed a fair shot.
She then ran to first base and was pleased with herself at how quickly she got there. She hadn’t played a game like this in a while, so it was gratifying to see that she still could. The confidence boost allowed her to make it past the next two bases. Tyler hurled the ball in an attempt to get her out, and she dodged it.
Melissa soon realized that was a mistake once she tripped. The heel of her boot got caught on an uneven patch of grass and she failed to regain balance. Her ankle rolled inward and she collapsed with a thud. A series of gasps filled the air, and within seconds she was surrounded by concerned children. They were too scared to touch her, but that didn’t stop them from getting help.
“Teacher down! Teacher down!” A shrill voice shouted at the top of their lungs.
While Melissa was thankful for the effort, she was unhappy about the attention she now received. Embarrassment was an emotion she rarely felt, but today it was warranted. Listening to her students' frantic chatter gave her something to focus on other than the blush burning her face.
“Okay, let’s back up! Give Ms. Schemmenti some space, please!” Janine's voice of reason rang through all the chatter.
The kids inched away, but only far enough so Janine could have access. It was clear they were protective of their teacher, as they wouldn't take their eyes away for a second in case something were to happen.
Janine held her hand over her mouth as she kneeled in front of the woman. “Oh my God, Melissa! What happened? Are you okay? Can you get up?”
Once the crowd dissipated some, the woman felt she could move freely. She sat up, dusted her hands off, then brushed the debris from her clothes.
“M’fine,” she muttered in response to Janine’s frantic questioning.
“Are you sure? You fell pretty hard.” Janine noted her flushed cheeks and she could only imagine how she felt. Being that she’d embarrassed herself countless times, she had an idea, though she’d never been in this exact situation.
Melissa smoothed her hair back into place, ignoring the sympathetic look on the younger woman’s face. The expression made her want to crawl into a hole and never return. “Thank you for that riveting statement.”
She reached out for Janine’s hand, a silent invitation for her assistance, and felt herself being tugged into an upright position. She hadn't felt it at first, but once she planted her right foot on the ground, a searing pain shot through it. Reflexively, her arm slung across the shorter woman’s shoulder to keep herself steady. She hissed, then hung her head low in an attempt to conceal the pain on her face.
“What’s wrong?” Anxiety laced the junior teacher’s voice, but Melissa just ignored her, unable to simultaneously be in pain and answer questions. She took another step, thinking she could walk it off, but she was sorely mistaken. A groan slipped from her mouth and the sound shocked her as much as it did Janine.
The latter's steps halted, almost causing the injured woman to topple over. “Okay, you’re obviously hurt. I think you should go see Y/N.”
At the mention of your name, the redhead straightened her posture. There was no way in hell she would go to your office and interrupt your day for something minor like this. She wasn't bleeding or dying, so she wouldn't have you fussing over her when you had students to care for. “I'll be okay. I just need to make it to my classroom.”
Janine bit the inside of her cheek, a telltale sign that her worry was increasing. “I don’t know, Melissa. I think you should let them take a look at it.”
She tried to stand on her own to prove a point, but she simply couldn’t do it. The pain only grew with her efforts, and tears began to prick at her eyes. “Just let me sit down for a bit, okay? I’ll go see Y/N after lunch if it still hurts.”
Janine settled for the compromise and recruited a teacher to watch their kids while she got Melissa inside. It was a challenging effort, but miraculously, they made it back safely. They received a few strange looks from other staff members, but Janine warded their concerns away with a smile. Once they arrived, she helped Melissa get settled at her desk.
“Don’t worry about your class, I’ll bring them back,” Janine assured her. “Do you need anything while I’m here? I could get Barbara if she’s–”
Melissa immediately shook her head. The very last thing she needed was for Barb to find out. “That's okay.”
Janine gave a wary look in return, as she wasn’t expecting her coworker to deny that offer. “Are you sure?”
She huffed, sick of the questions, and took a beat before answering. “Just bring my kids back, please. That’s all I need right now.”
She wasn’t in any position to argue with that, so she accepted the task. “Okay, I’ll have them back in no time.”
“Thanks, pipsqueak,” Melissa said, causing the woman to take on a disgruntled look. Though she wasn't happy about the circumstances, she switched her tone to show her true appreciation. “Really, Janine, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She smiled, happy that she could complete a good deed for the day.
Moments later, Melissa was reunited with her rambunctious class. They came pouring in, not even bothering to take their coats off as they filled the empty space around her desk. Despite the considerable change in climate, they were too invested in her situation to care.
“We heard you fell.”
“Are the second graders in trouble?”
“Did you break your leg?!”
“Are you going to the hospital?”
“Who’s gonna take us to lunch?”
She broke her silence to address the last comment. “Really, Elijah? That’s what’s on your mind?”
“I’m sorry, Ms. S, but I’m starving.” He rubbed his belly in broad strokes.
“Don’t worry, you’re gonna get to lunch on time.” While that was great news, it only answered one of their burning questions. They continued to stare her down and she caved at the sincerity. “I know I probably scared some of you, but I’m okay. My leg is not broken, and no, I will not be going to the hospital. Most importantly, no one is in trouble, capisce?”
When she received answers of understanding, she moved on to the next order of business. “Now, let me see who’s gonna walk youse to lunch.”
“Ms. Teagues can take us, or Mrs. Howard!” A student announced excitedly, waving in the direction of the door where both teachers were standing. However, Melissa was so focused on consoling her class and making sure they got fed, that she didn’t notice their presence.
She tried to roll toward the class phone, but it was on the opposite side of the desk. The feat was too large, so she grabbed her cell instead. She scrolled to Janine’s contact, internally swearing that this would be the last favor she asked of her. “Mrs. Howard might be busy, hon, so I think Ms. Teagues is our best bet.”
Elijah grabbed the woman’s attention again. “No, she's not. Mrs. Howard is right there.” He nodded toward the outskirts of the crowd.
Barbara’s deep eyes shone with concern as they met Melissa’s, but the redhead could only scrunch her face in confusion. What the hell? she thought, but it all made sense once she saw Janine sporting a guilt-ridden expression.
Her lips thinned into a smile as she tried to keep her composure. “Ms. Teagues, do you mind taking them to lunch? I’d appreciate it so much.”
Janine knew what that look meant, so she was quick to speak. “Not at all! Come on guys, grab your lunches if you brought one today.” Once everyone was ready, they made a swift exit because she didn't want to face Melissa’s wrath.
As the last footsteps trickled out, quiet fell over the teachers. Barbara’s eyes never left her best friend, inspecting her from head to toe, watching as Melissa twiddled her thumbs. It irked Barb that she wasn’t paying the slightest attention and she would not tolerate being blatantly ignored. “Melissa Schemmenti! Are you going to tell me what's going on?”
Melissa proceeded to avoid eye contact. She picked up a pen along with a stack of papers as if she were about to grade them. Her petulance sent Barb over the edge. If she didn’t want to tell her, that was fine, but she was tired of this little game.
“You know, I was trying to give you a chance to tell me yourself, but it seems you would rather act like a child.” The woman smirked, knowing her next words would get a reaction. “Janine already told me what happened.”
“I told her to keep her mouth shut!” Melissa curled her hands into fists and banged them against the wood. “I’m gonna kill that girl!”
“Not with one working ankle, you won’t,” Barbara quipped.
“I'll find someone to do it for me.” She shot back, not in the mood for jokes.
Barbara just rolled her eyes, disregarding her friend's dramatic nature. “So what’s your plan? Are you going to roll around in this chair all day?”
“Just leave it alone, will you?” Melissa was getting tired of the third degree from everyone. If she wanted to sit in her room all day, why did it matter to them? It was her injury, not theirs.
“I will not leave it alone! Not until you go see Y/N.”
She looked the older woman directly in her eyes for the first time today. “I’m not goin’, Barb.”
“You will, or I’ll tell them to come to you. Better yet, I'll drag you to an urgent care.” Barbara crossed her arms and gave Melissa a daring look.
“Oh, now you’re out of your mind,” Melissa scoffed. Even though they were in her classroom, if she could get up and walk away, she’d leave Barb right there with her delusions.
The woman gasped audibly at the insinuation that she was crazy. “Trust me, you haven’t seen me out of my mind.”
“You sure? 'Cause that sounds pretty insane to me.” She twisted her pen in a circle near her head, showcasing how absurd the idea sounded.
“No, Melissa, what's insane is you sitting here with an injury, making no attempts to seek medical attention, when there's a perfectly capable nurse in the building!” Her hands moved fervently as she spoke, the pearls around her neck rattling from the action. “Since you won't go on your own, I’ll get someone to take you.” With that, she marched out of the room, having had enough of her obstinacy.
“Barb, don’t you dare!” She yelled, but there was no use as the woman was halfway down the hall due to the speed she was walking.
She groaned in frustration, not faring well with having one working foot. The dull ache was a constant reminder of what occurred, and though she knew it was in her best interest to see you, she wasn't in enough pain to seek your help. But leave it to her colleagues to put their noses into her business.
She reached for her purse and rifled through it before pulling out a compact mirror. If she was going to be seen in this state, she wanted to make sure she looked presentable. As she met her reflection, she frowned. Her hair was out of place, her eyelashes were wonky, and there were a few spots where her makeup had smudged. She fixed what she could, applying lip gloss to finish her look. As she ran a brush through her strands, footsteps approached her room.
“Oh, you have got to be kidding me.” She threw her head back as Gregory came through her door. “Why are you here?”
Gregory almost looked as confused as her, and as he prepared to speak, Barb cut him off.
“To escort you to Y/N's office.” She smiled kindly, directing her pearly whites in Gregory's direction.
Melissa side-eyed the man, adding a mean mug to show her dismay. “But Barb, I don't need—”
“Ah, ah, no buts." She held a hand up to silence her. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go teach, but I expect you to have your injuries mended when you return.” She didn't walk away until she received final confirmation from Gregory.
“Oh, yeah, I'll make sure of it,” he promised. Though he was content with minding his business, he'd only agreed to this because Barb wouldn't take no for an answer.
Melissa sighed as the man moved to stand behind her, in preparation to wheel her out. She turned around so he could understand the grave meaning behind her words. “Just take me there. Don't ask any questions and don't tell anyone what you saw.”
“Oh, I already know how you roll.” After receiving another dirty look from the redhead, he noticed his poor choice of words. He tucked his lips into his mouth, then bowed his head before saying, “I'm sorry.”
You didn’t expect the first day back to be so crazy, but it had been jam-packed with injuries. Nose bleeds, headaches, fevers, stomach aches, you name it. You didn’t mind though because it made the day go faster. You had one more student to tend to before your break, so you decided to clean your office before their arrival. You disinfected the cots and countertops, as well as your little waiting area, and then you took inventory of your supplies and stocked up on whatever you’d need for the last half of the day.
“Hey, nurse Y/N!” Melissa’s student, Daniel, waved excitedly as he entered your office. He gave you a quick hug before retreating to his original spot.
“Hey, buddy! How was your break?” You loved hearing about what the kids did during their time off. He told you about the trip he took to visit family in New York, and how he got to spend the holidays with his grandmother who he hadn’t seen since he was a baby. He also mentioned all the good food he ate and the presents he received. “That’s awesome! It sounds like you had a great time.”
“Yeah, it was pretty great. What did you do?” The curious boy asked.
“I went to Florida,” you said casually, hoping to get a reaction out of him. When he gasped in shock, you flashed a grin in his direction.
“No way! That’s so much cooler than New York.” Daniel was infatuated with Florida, on the account of Disney World, and he made it known that he would save every penny ever given to him in hopes of being able to afford a ticket to the attraction.
“Don’t worry, I didn’t go see Mickey Mouse without you.” You knew the question was on the tip of his tongue. “But it was a pretty cool trip.”
“Ms. Schemmenti went to Florida too!” He informed you, still looking at you with stars in his eyes.
You smiled as he told you the bits and pieces that Melissa shared with his class, minus the details of her gambling adventures. However, you weren’t sure she left out 100% of the details, because Daniel recalled her saying that she would incorporate some new card games into their math lessons to “teach them some new strategies”. Leave it to Melissa to teach her students how to outsmart each other.
“It sounds like she had a lot of fun!” You exclaimed, taking in the events as if you weren’t there to experience them firsthand. Her students were ridiculously smart, so you were ready for him to catch on to the similarities in your story, but he didn’t.
You busied yourself with preparing his medication so he could make his way to the cafeteria. Daniel had cystic fibrosis, so he took pancreatic enzymes to aid his absorption of nutrients. He took them before every meal and snack, so he was a frequent flyer in your office. “Alright, dude, I got your pills ready. You just need to get some water.” He gladly accepted the paper cup from your hand and walked toward the water fountain.
You looked around the room as he took his meds, and the absence of another child caught your attention. Normally, Melissa utilized the buddy system to ensure that her students made it to their destination safely. “Did you walk here by yourself?”
“No, Ms. Teagues walked us to lunch today.”
You scrunched your eyebrows in pure confusion. “Why was Ms. Teagues taking you to lunch?”
“Ms. Schemmenti hurt herself so she couldn't take us,” he explained.
Hearing Melissa’s name in the same breath as the word ‘hurt’ made your heart rate pick up, but you kept a poker face. “Really? How’d that happen?”
A guilty expression crossed his face, and he released a deep breath before speaking. “Well, we were playing kickball during recess and she fell. It was kind of scary, but then she got up and everything was okay. At least I think she’s okay.”
“What makes you say that?” You tried to get as much information as you could before the bell rang, signaling that it was time for the younger kids’ lunch.
“She told us she wasn’t in pain, but I don’t think that’s true.”
You hadn’t assessed the woman yet, but you agreed with his statement because you knew how Melissa was. She worked hard to keep up her tough persona, but even the students could see past it sometimes. “You guys really roughed her up out there, huh?”
The boy shrugged sheepishly. “We didn’t mean for her to get hurt. She’s one of our favorite teachers, and we just wanted to have some fun.”
You could see he truly felt bad, so you attempted to cheer him up. “It was very nice of you guys to include her. I’m sure she appreciated that.” You smiled. “Don’t feel too bad, okay?”
He nodded, and with that, the bell rang. You walked him to the exit and sent him on his way, but now without a hug goodbye. “Have a good lunch. I’ll see you later for a snack.”
Once he made it down the hallway, you focused on the sight directly to your left: Melissa sitting in her desk chair with Gregory at her side, standing against the wall, as if he were her bodyguard (though that would be a pointless duty because everyone knew Melissa didn’t need a guard).
You motioned them into your office so they'd be out of the crossfire of hungry kids. The pair looked at you with blank faces, and you stared at them with your hands on your hips. “Well, what do we have here?”
A/N: Hey, how are ya? It’s been a while and I’ve missed writing immensely. I'm a little nervous about posting again, but I hope this was worth the wait. Let me know what you think, and thank you for reading!
P.S. Special thanks to everyone who voted on the poll <3
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ahhhh azula x fem! reader who is a maid and azula’s secret gf and one day ty lee and mai are at the palace and while they are away azula calls reader into her room and they kinda make out and are all touchy because Azula hasn’t seen her all day, then reader has to go do her chores and when she opens the door mai & ty lee are there— reader bows; excusing herself and saying she was cleaning, but mai and ty lee notice the lipstick marks on her jawline and neck and are shockeddddd and it’s awkward around azula and idk maybe it gets out they are dating (js between the mai & ty lee tho) thank you!!
red lipstick stains
ᥫ᭡ gosh, i love this idea! azula forever! thank you for requesting for my atla/tlok event! hope you enjoy this as much as i enjoyed writing it!
princess azula x fem! servant! reader
ᥫ᭡ when the princesses friends come to visit, it leaves little time for her to bask herself in your presence. with their short absence, she replenishes herself with you— leading for something to leak from the cracks.
the boredness the princess felt was beyond horrific.
azula placed her head in her palm as she lazily held her eyes on ty lee, doing a contrast of many different athletic styles. Mai read a book beside the princess, and azula began to question why, exactly, it was that she was here.
Mai and Ty Lee had made a rather unexpected trip to the Palace, catching Azula off guard from their sudden visit and causing her to fall through with her secretive plans she held.
Today was supposed to be a rather calm day, her father was organizing a plan for something she frankly didn’t care for— which was one of the rarest occasions, but her attention was too occupied on you.
azula had planned on spending the day with you, alone in her room. but, her dreams were ultimately dashed with the presence of her sincerely unwanted friends.
the princess roll her eyes as she watched Ty lee do a handstand, walking around. her eyes trailed along the royal gardens— her heart pausing its pulse when the sight of you caught her eyes. She involuntarily and automatically straightened her back, removing her hands of its position in holding her head up. Her golden eyes glued to your body as you carried a tray of refreshments on your hands, keeping your eyes straight ahead of you as you approach Ty lee causiously.
Azula couldn’t quite make out your soft ofer to the circus member, but ty lee accepted your drink with a smile. Sweat embraces azula’s palms as you turned to her and Mai, approaching with your head down.
Azula felt silly— like.. a school girl, with a big, childish crush.
“refreshments?” you questioned with a low voice, clear like honey and soft like sugar. Mai declined, and azula saw you nod and bow, turning to her.
You always put on the perfect facade, acting like everything you two have done was for nothing.
“Princess?” your voice was different when you spoke to her, softer, kinder— more gentle, an offer for something more.
Azula forced down her smirk, nodding and accepting your offer by taking the drink from atop the tray. You didn’t dare make eye contact with her infront of her friends, only bowing and exiting the gardens.
azula watched you go from the corner of her eye, smirking into her cup as she took a sip from the fresh lychee juice you’d offered.
“Mm! This is delicious!” ty lee exclaimed, walking over normally to Azula and Mai, chugging her drink with no waste.
“yes, yes,” azula nodded, only replying to keep the girl at bay. Mai scoffed, “I hate lychee juice.”
Ty lee frown, putting her glass on small table by the chair azula sat on.
“But, it’s hot,” she expressed, waving her hand to cool herself down. “Aren’t you thirsty?”
“Not for lychee juice,” mai bit back, causing ty lee to huff. “Well, let’s get you a drink!” she grabbed mai’s arm, causing the girl to drop her book and loose her place. Azula sat up, fighting back excitement. “where are you two going?”
“To get mai some water,” said ty lee as mai fought her grip, groaning. Azula nodded, “very well.” she played casual, waving her hand to excuse them as she took another sip of the drink you’ve given her. Azula acted uninterested as the girls walked off, their bickering slowly fading away form her hearing as did their figures.
Azula stood from her chair, leaving her drink and set her destination to her room. She walked with quickened steps, hiding her smile with the facade of her furiously storming down the halls, keeping everyone else away from her. When she reached her dorms, she rang the servant bell— knowing you’d be the one she called for.
Azula crossed her arms when she closed her door, tapping her foot on the floor in impatience.
after waiting for what felt like hours, you finally arrived. As beautiful as always as you slowly entered azula’s room per her permission, only meeting her eyes when you realized she was alone.
Your mouth began to speak— but you were silenced by the slam of azula’s lips on yours. your voice muffled, fading out as you melted into her hungry kiss. Your hands instinctively wrapped around her neck, her own hands harshly gripping your waist.
Azula pushed you onto her bed, leaning over you as she bent down to continuously kiss you. Her chest met yours, her thick armor cold against your skin, feeling the roughness through the thin layer of your clothing.
You let azula devour your lips desperately, knowing how she becomes like this when you are away for long distances of time.
she pulled back only to allow you to catch your breath— thin, translucent trail of saliva the only remaining factor of your previous action, as azula waisted no time in training her kisses to your jawline.
You automatically shifted your head up, allowing easy access for her to retreat to the soft, bare skin of your neck. You caught your breath, your hands holding tightly to the bedsheets bellow you as azula moved down.
She kissed your jawline, trailing her way down to the skin of your neck, kissing a lightly sucking the sensitive area, basking in the sounds your mouth left for her to receive.
she began to unlace the band of your clothing— but was stopped by the guest bell that struck her door. She froze, and you instantly gasped— shooting up from underneath her and quickly re-tieing your maid-robes— fixing your messy hair.
Azula groaned, annoyed. “Why can’t mai and ty lee leave?” she asked aloud, causing you to lightly laugh. “They’re your friends, ‘zula. they want to spent time with you.” you replied, pulling few strands from your newly done bun, turning back to the princess, only to find her already looking at you.
“I don’t want to be with them,” she bit, reaching out to you. “i want you.” your cheeks heated up, preparing a response when the bell softly went off again. “I have to go,” you sigh, quickly bending down to leave a soft kiss on azula’s forehead, then her lips. You fixed your appearance one last time, with no mirror, and azula saw you smile at her before you left, closing the door behind you.
You turned a fast heal, hoping to not be seen leaving the princess room— alone.
Two approaching shadows halted your movements, your eyes flickering up timidly to see the two figures of azula’s friends. You bow, missing the scan of their eyes and the pure shock embracing not only Ty lee’s features, but Mai’s.
The girls were only a few feet away from Azula’s room, hearing through the grape vine that once they’d left she’d “gotten bored” and made haste in her bedroom. But now they know why.
You stood before them, red lipstick stains trailing kiss marks from your jawline, to your neck and down to below your robes where they could not see, leaving their imagination to fill in the blanks.
You automatically took their shocked faces as one of disrespect for you looking at them without permission- so you bow, getting on your legs and allowing your head to touch the floor in respect and apology, getting up quickly to scramble from their way and rushing back to the maid’s quarters.
Mai and Ty Lee’s eyes trail after you, jaws dropped and eyes wide. They make eye connect, “what was that?!” ty lee squealed, in shock, covering her mouth at the remembrance of the event. Mai let out a bothered sigh, placing a hand to her forehead and massaging her aching head. “I don’t.. want to know,” she splutter out, the thought of her friend being intimate was purely a nasty thought. Ty lee seemed more interested than Mai, who was blatantly uninterested and, frankly, grossed out.
“Should we go see Azula? or…” Ty lee seemed to need guidance, brows furrowing in worry. Mai rolled her eyes, placing a hand to her hip. “Obviously. we can’t just leave.” she waved her fan, walking ahead of ty lee to the familiar door of Azula’s room.
For once, they knocked. Permission from the princess granted their entrance, and they avoided the usually piercing gaze of Azula, who seemed to notice their sudden.. lack of words.
The princess stood from the chair she sat in infront her Vanity, leaving Ty Lee wondering what exactly she was doing with her makeup out…
“Well?” she placed both hands to her hips, raising a brow. Mai knew they wouldn’t get away with the obvious tension the the room because of how painfully obvious Ty Lee was.
“what?” Mai asked, avoiding to sit on Azula’s bed as she covered her face with the fan in her hand. Ty lee stood beside her, itching the dry skin of her bare elbow.
Azula scoffed, moving her arms to cross over her chest. she decided it was best to ignore the company in her room, walking past them and out to the hall. Ty lee quickly chased after; hoping to leave the room. mai was close behind.
Azula led them back to the chairs they previous sat in, the trio walking rather fast.
Mai covered her mouth with her fan, leaning over to Ty lee. “Don’t mention it.” she demanded, earning a nervous squeak from the girl, causing azula to give them a strange side glance before they officially made it to their destination, azula placing herself under the shade of her umbrella, mai doing the same. Ty lee nervously began rubbing her hands together as she sat on the grass, under a tree.
The silence was so loud, louder than any sound. the air was thick with an intense kind of awkwardness, it was so horrendous even azula began to break a sweat under her many layers of armor.
Mai clearing her throat, which made azula shift her gaze to the black haired girl, who seemed to be shaking her head at the circus member. Azula squinted her eyes in suspicion, following Mai’s gaze to see ty lee, who was sweating and anxiously chewing down her nails.
azula made a face, “What?” she bit, catching both girls attention. “what is this? what are you two doing?” she questioned with demand, wanting an answer.
She caught once more the sly shake of mai’s head as she peer to ty lee; who shifted her gaze between the two girls.
Azula was now almost fuming, steam coming from her ears— as she was about to shout demand for an immediate answer— her prayers were answered.
“We saw the kiss marks!” Ty lee shouted out, sighing in temporary relief before instantly slamming her hands over her mouth with wide eyes. Mai growled under her breath, putting her hand over her face in disbelief.
Azula was confused, the expression she held was quite an obvious one on the always tense face of the princess, and mai noticed.
“She doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” she barked out, glaring a deep stare at ty lee before acting like nothing happened.
Azula wouldn’t accept that, as Ty lee was still chewing off her skin.
One fierce glance from azula’s now settled face caused a shiver from ty, “The maid… we saw her leave your room—”
Her words faided out, and suddenly the realization had slammed azula in the chest.
You.
You’d left her room with the lipstick trails she’d left on you, ones she’s so clumsily forgotten to mention to you. This was her fault.
Azula must have looked as bewildered as she felt, as ty lee covered her face. As quickly as azula lost her composure, she gained it back. Clearing her throat and waving her hand. “Must—” she cleared her throat again, a pitiful attempt at getting rid of any lingering chances the fact might really be true. “Must have been the wrong room.” she tried her best to play it off, which, usually, would have worked, but the pair already knew the truth.
Azula’s secret was out.
dread overcame her like a tsunami, and fear tickled her bones. what if her father found out? what would he do? what would happen to her?— what would happen to you? the love of her life? the thought horrified her beyond comprehension.
she felt her façade threaten to slip, and the gaping eyes of her friends had her sweating profusely, like a child being caught doing something naughty.
once more, the silence followed. It was, frankly, agonizing. By far the most painfully awkward and tedious moments of Azula’s life.
She switched her hard gaze from mai to ty lee multiple times, almost daring them to mention it again.
“are you guys.. you know..” Ty lee almost cried from the peircing eyes of the princess and mai, a whimper leaving her mouth.
Azula felt sick. not just from fear, but embarrassment as well. Of all people, mai and ty lee? really?
She didn’t want to admit it, but what better would lying do. She could see it in their eyes that they both already knew the truth of the princesses relationship with you, a maid.
Azula huffed a furiously agitated gruff and massaged her temple in irritation, covering up any signs of fear she would have.
Mai let out a kind sigh, removing her hands from her face.
“We won’t tell anyone, Azula.” somehow, the princess found her words oddly comforting. But she didn’t dare show it.
“I think it’s best you two... leave.” Her words didn’t have the ferocious bite that they usually do, but instead a warning, something to ‘let them off the hook.’ Mai nodded, and ty lee shot up, clearly the pair had overstayed their welcome, and azula watched with heavy eyes as they left the royal garden, obviously fighting around the subject of Princess Azula and Her Mistress.
Once out of sight, azula allowed herself to groan into the palms of her hand. How could she let this happen? how? what has she become? under your gaze, your touch— she was like a pie, hard on the inside but so soft once you come around. You’ve weakened her— but she can’t help herself from staying with you.
the princess stood up, making her way down the halls and to her room, now with the understanding why her friends were oh so stiff.
she sat on her bed, staring at the ceiling. she’d rang the maid bell, calling you.
with a gentle knock and a hushed whisper, you entered the door to the princesses chambers.
The look on your face made her realize that you’d realized the issue.
“Princess,” you whispered in a hushed tone, and she fully sat up.
she hates the tension when you fear to talk of certain subjects. she hates the look in your eyes when you think she is upset. she hates how much you care.
before you could speak again, two familiar hands wrapped around your waist, pulling you atop the princess on her bed. in a swift motion, she held you under her. Kissing you again.
Your were surprised, this was most definitely not what you were expecting.
“Azula!” you gasp when she bit you, ignoring the warm feeling of blood trickling down your neck.
you’d thought she’d want to talk about it, but you suppose not. either way, this was wonderful.
#azula x fem! reader#azula x reader#azula imagine#azula atla#azula in the spirit temple#lesbian azula#fire lord azula#atla azula#azula avatar#princess azula#azula#azula x female! reader#lesbian#sapphic wlw#wlw fanfic#wlw sapphic#wlw fiction#wlw post#wlw love#wlw#wlw x reader#atla x you#atla x reader#fem! reader#avatar the last airbender x reader#avatar the last airbender
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ᥫ᭡. hi! welcome to my sugar fairy land! .ᥫ᭡
₊˚⊹ 𐦍༘⋆₊ ⊹ i’m Lene Pilar, let’s chat, hang out...currently obsessed with spring, chocolate, anything 2000s/early 2010's and the obx boys! some things i may write are 18+, i'll put a warning for those....anyways i’m always here lets be friends and remember to please be kind!🌸🪽🤍🐇 ₊˚⊹ 𐦍༘₊ ⊹ request anything/ideas!!💞
ᥫ᭡ about me!
ᥫ᭡ just chatting *:･❀⋆.ೃ࿔
ᥫ᭡ masterlist
ᥫ᭡ anon claims!
ᥫ᭡ sweet smelling
ᥫ᭡ the princess room ✶࿐
🩵 current song on repeat!: ray of light - madonna
🩵 current favorite movie: steel magnolias
🩵 current favorite perfume: viva la juicy glace
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— 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐞…
ᥫ᭡ bria or mommy, princess, angel, pumpkin or sugar.
ᥫ᭡ 22. she/her.
ᥫ᭡ 5’5.
ᥫ᭡ taurus. enfp. 7w6.
ᥫ᭡ black.
ᥫ᭡ 50/50 switch.
ᥫ᭡ plus sized.
ᥫ᭡ interacts from: @rekiri!
ᥫ᭡ main/writing: @planetsano! (url change!)
𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬!
ᥫ᭡ mommy/daddy.
ᥫ᭡ breeding.
ᥫ᭡ brat/brat tamer dynamic.
ᥫ᭡ voyeurism.
ᥫ᭡ praise.
ᥫ᭡ degradation.
ᥫ᭡ sadism/masochism.
ᥫ᭡ pet play.
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Hii, I saw your requests are open, I’m so excited!
So I wanted to ask a Melissa x reader where the reader is working at abbott maybe for 2 or 3 years and Melissa always talks about the reader on her family dinners. One day Mel takes the reader to one of those dinners and Melissa’s family think they are dating but they are not (although we all know they love each other).
Can you make it with a happy ending? Thank you!
Party Favor
Pairing: Melissa Schemmenti x reader
Summary: Melissa invites r to her birthday dinner and her family is convinced that they are dating. More details in the request above!
Word Count: 5.7k
A/N: Thank you for sending in this request, anon! I hope y'all enjoy!
Translation: Cara = Dear
You admired the glow of the afternoon sun as it peeked through your living room windows. You just finished doing some Sunday cleaning and you were now laying on the couch enjoying what was left of your weekend. You were happy that you were able to enjoy your free time now that things were slowing down at work. It was nearing the end of the school year and while you were ready for a break, you still felt bittersweet about it. You enjoyed your time at Abbott and you didn���t want it to come to an end.
As an aide, your job placement was unpredictable, so you weren't sure if you'd be working there next year. You went wherever you were needed, but if it were up to you, you would stay in Melissa Schemmenti’s class. You had grown close to the woman over the year, and that surprised you both. It took a while for you to build a solid relationship. Despite the fact that you weren't complete strangers — you frequently volunteered prior to becoming an aide — it still took you a while to warm up to each other's personalities. Once Melissa put her defenses down, you were able to see that you were quite fond of one another.
You attributed your closeness to the weekly dinners Melissa invited you to. This was something you two started earlier this year when Melissa found out you didn’t have family near you. You made a comment about how much you missed having home-cooked meals and Melissa couldn’t resist the offer. At first, she was hosting you out of the kindness of her heart. She believed everyone should enjoy a nice meal at least once a week. As time went on, she found that she actually enjoyed having you over. She loved your company, and you were always welcome in her home.
Tonight's dinner would be a change of pace because you were celebrating Melissa’s birthday. She originally didn’t want to have a birthday dinner, but her nana insisted, and Melissa could never say no to her. You speculated that Melissa wasn’t fond of big displays, but she definitely deserved to feel celebrated. She only agreed to it under one condition – the guest list had to be small. The attendees consisted of her nana, her mother, her sister, and to your surprise, you.
Earlier this week when you confirmed your plans, the conversation went a little something like this:
“Are you sure you want me to come?” You asked her one afternoon as you were cleaning up the classroom.
You were met with an incredulous look. She was never one to conceal her facial expressions.
“Of course I want you to come. It’s our Sunday dinner.” She leaned against her desk with her arms folded.
“Yeah, Mel, but it’s also your birthday. If you just want to spend time with your family that’s okay with me.” You assured her. You didn't want her to feel obligated to have you over.
That same look lingered on her face, but now there was a touch of disappointment. You could tell you stirred some feelings within her. You wondered what that was about, but you didn’t read too much into it. She she would tell you if she wanted to.
“Well, I want you there, so you’re coming,” she said.
"Okay, I'll be there." You nodded in confirmation.
And so, it was decided. You were attending Melissa’s birthday dinner.
You were taken from your thoughts when you felt the vibration of your phone. You looked at it to see that you received a text from Melissa. Your face scrunched in confusion as you read the messages.
SOS
Call Me
Without hesitation, you picked the phone up and dialed her.
“Hey, what’s up?” You asked once she answered.
“I don’t want to do this.” She said plainly.
“Don’t want to do what?” You asked even though you already had an idea.
She let out a huff at your question before saying, “The birthday dinner, Y/N. I don’t want to do it anymore.”
She was frustrated. You could tell from her tone of voice.
“Why not? What happened?” You asked calmly.
You knew Melissa lost patience quickly, and it was easy to get her in a bad mood. This was especially true if things weren’t going as planned.
“Kristen decided all of a sudden that she’s not coming, and now Nana’s upset.”
You could almost see her hands waving around in exasperation as she explained the current situation to you.
“Why isn’t she coming?” You asked, trying to gain a deeper understanding.
“I don’t know! Probably because she’s inconsiderate.” Melissa fussed. “It doesn't make a difference to me, but I'm upset because she promised Nana she would be here.”
“Well, that’s okay. We’ll still have a great time without her.” You tried to cheer her up, but you weren’t sure it worked.
“No, it’s not okay. Now Nana’s sad, but she’s gonna pretend she’s not for my sake.”
You could hear the dismay in Melissa’s voice. You knew she was hoping her sister would come, whether she admitted it or not.
“And my mom is about to drive me crazy because she’s making a big deal out of this whole thing.”
“Is she upset about Kristen too?”
“No, she knows how Kristen can be. She’s just making a big deal about this party. She wants to put up decorations and I just-” Melissa let out a disgruntled sigh instead of finishing her sentence.
“Do you need to me come over?” You asked, offering yourself without thinking twice. “Maybe I could give y'all a hand?”
“No, you’re the guest. You don’t have to do that,” Melissa said.
“I know, but I can if you need me to.” You assured her.
There was a pause before she answered.
“I guess it wouldn’t hurt.” She conceded.
You weren’t expecting her to agree that easily, but you weren't gonna complain. You happily took the win.
“Okay, I’ll see you soon,” you said.
“I'll see you soon.”
And with that, you ended the call.
You got off the couch and headed to your room to get ready. As you put your clothes on, you started thinking about the situation at hand. You wondered why Kristen was no longer attending. Melissa didn’t mention anything about them falling out recently, but maybe something happened that you weren’t aware of. Either way, you felt bad that Melissa was stressed out on her birthday. That was the last emotion she should be experiencing.
As you prepared to leave your house, you stopped in your tracks as a thought hit you. You were about to meet Melissa’s family. Melissa Schemmenti trusted you enough to have you around the people she cared about the most. You suddenly felt nervous because you wanted to make a great first impression. You shook your head and took a deep breath, trying to tamp down the nerves that were building within you. You assured yourself that Melissa's family would be lovely and that you had nothing to worry about. With that thought, you grabbed Melissa’s gift and your keys before exiting your home.
✦ ✦ ✦
Around 15 minutes later, you pulled up to Melissa's house. After you parked your car, you gathered your belongings and walked up to the door. You rang the bell, then smoothed your clothes down to get rid of any wrinkles that may have formed on your journey over. When the door opened, you were met with the sight of an elderly woman. She was short and had red hair like Melissa’s, except hers stopped at her shoulders. She wore a pink pantsuit and she was adorned in gold jewelry. She almost made you feel underdressed, even though you'd picked out your finest outfit.
“Hello. Who are you?” The woman greeted. She had an Italian accent that you were pleased to hear.
“Hi, I’m Y/N. I’m the teacher that works with Melissa.” You smiled at her.
“Oh, yes, Y/N.” She smiled back. “Come in, come in.” She waved her hand, beckoning you to join her in the home.
As you ventured inside, the smell of food filled your senses. Every time you came over, the house smelled divine, and you found so much comfort in that. Being at her home always brought up fond memories for you.
“Let me take your things.” The woman grabbed your belongings as well as Melissa’s gift before you could even protest.
The two of you then made your way into the living room to take a seat.
“I'm Melissa's nana, Teresa. I've heard so much about you.” The woman looked at you with twinkling eyes.
The expression held something you couldn’t place your finger on. She looked at you like she knew something you didn’t.
“Oh, really?” You asked, mainly out of surprise. "Hopefully all good things?"
“Yes, she speaks very highly of you.” Teresa enlightened you.
You didn't know Melissa talked to her family about you. Now, you were left wondering what tidbits of information she'd shared with them. You felt a smile creep onto your lips at the thought, but you stopped before it could fully manifest. You didn't want to think too much about it, so you decided to turn the conversation back to her.
“Whatever you’re making smells really good,” you complimented.
“Oh, I'm banned from the kitchen,” the woman laughed. “My daughter is using my recipes, though, so I guess a little credit goes to me.”
“I would say so,” you nodded in agreement.
Before you could engage in further conversation with her, you heard Melissa shout from across the house.
“Nana, did you get the door?” The Philly accent rang through the home.
“Stop yelling, Melissa. We have company.” The woman responded.
“Well, I called your name and you weren’t answering,” Melissa said as she walked into the living room.
“I was talking to my new friend. She thinks you should let me in the kitchen.” She eyed Melissa before looking to you. “Isn’t that right, Y/N?”
“Uh uh, don’t encourage her,” Melissa said, looking toward you. “Nana, I told you, you’re on decoration duty.”
“This one is so bossy.” She pointed at Melissa.
“Where do you think I get it from?” Melissa questioned her nana, placing her hands on her hips.
“How do you work with her?” Teresa looked at you in all seriousness.
Melissa rolled her eyes in your direction, so her nana didn’t see, and you laughed at their banter. Melissa walked over to you, and you stood from the couch to greet her.
“Hey, hon.” She said, before wrapping her arms around you.
“Hey, Mel.” You rubbed your hands along her back a few times before pulling away from the hug. “You feeling better?”
She put a finger up to her lips, signaling you to not say anything else.
“What’s wrong, cara? Are you not feeling well?” Her grandmother asked.
“I’m fine, Nana. I just had a headache.” Melissa fudged, looking at you with pleading eyes.
She didn't want her nana to know that she was having a rough day, and by the looks of it, you made a mistake by mentioning anything.
“I’m sorry,” you mouthed to her.
She shook her head, letting you know that it was okay.
You looked down and saw that you were still in your embrace. You weren’t hugging, but you were holding each other at arm's length. Her hands grasped onto your forearms and she held you in a steady position. You looked back up at her as you felt her fingers absentmindedly stroking your skin. She seemed to be unaware of what she was doing though.
“Did you take some medicine?” Teresa asked sincerely, oblivious to the moment (or so you thought).
That question snapped Melissa out of her thoughts and she stopped her movements. She looked at her grandmother and said, “Uh, yes, I did. It should kick in any minute now.”
“Why didn't you tell me?” The older woman asked.
“Nana, it's just a headache. I'm not dying.” Melissa laughed, trying to keep up her lie. “But thank you for being so concerned.”
Before her nana could ask anymore questions, Melissa turned back to you and said, “Let me introduce you to my mom.”
You walked into the kitchen with her and saw a woman hard at work at the stove. She had glasses sitting upon her head and it reminded you so much of Melissa.
“Hey, Ma,” Melissa said, capturing the woman’s attention.
“Melissa, I’m almost done. I just need to—,” She turned around, throwing a dish towel over her shoulders before looking directly at you. “Oh, you must be the famous, Y/N?”
“Ma,” Melissa said in a cautionary tone.
Clearly, you were popular in the Schemmenti world.
“What?” Her mother shrugged her shoulders before directing her attention back to you. “Hey, hon, I’m Maria. It’s nice to meet you.”
You could see where Melissa got her mannerisms from.
“Nice to meet you too, Maria.” You smiled.
A beep from the oven alerted everyone that something was done cooking.
“Alright, I’m all for talking and making conversation, but if you two don’t mind I’d like to have the kitchen back.�� She opened the oven to check on its contents.
“No problem. I just wanted to introduce you. Let us know when you’re done, okay?” Melissa said.
"Okay. Now goodbye." Maria shooed the two of you away. You could tell it was playful, despite the delivery.
You giggled as you exited the space.
“What are you laughing at?” Melissa asked.
“She just reminds me of you.” You shared.
“What about her?” Melissa asked, raising an eyebrow.
“The things she says, the glasses. You kind of look like her too.”
“First of all, I look like Nana,” she stated. “But what did she say that reminds you of me?"
“Telling us to get out of the kitchen.” You smirked.
“I wouldn't say that." She said, mouth opening in shock.
“Yes, you would.” You said definitively.
“Well, I might. I wouldn’t say it to you, though.” She nudged you with your elbow.
“Mhmm, sure you wouldn't.” You side-eyed her.
“I wouldn't,” she said. “You know you're always welcome in my kitchen.”
“Yeah, until I burn your house down.” You joked.
“Well, yeah. Maybe then I'd have to ban you like Nana,” She chuckled.
She placed a hand on your back, guiding you to walk in front of her. “Come on. Let’s go put these decorations up.”
✦ ✦ ✦
By the time you were done decorating, Melissa was in a much better mood. The living room was filled with balloons, streamers, and banners. Teresa was the creative director, telling you where to place everything. You tasked Melissa with blowing up the balloons. You gave her the most menial job because it was her birthday after all. She technically should have been relaxing, but she wasn’t going to sit around and watch you and Nana do all the work.
You made your way over to Melissa as you watched her blow up the last balloon. You stood against the wall with her, taking in the transformation.
“So, what do you think?” You asked, extending your arm toward the center of the room.
“I think you and Nana are quite the decorators.” Melissa smiled at you.
It was a genuine smile, one that met her eyes, and you felt a swell of pride fill you at the site. Your goal of making her feel less stressed had been accomplished.
“Why, thank you,” you grinned. “I just have one final touch.”
You held a gold crown in your hand that said “Birthday Girl”, and you moved to place it on top of her head.
“There. Now you’re all set.” You fixed a couple pieces of her hair before stepping back to take in her appearance.
“Y/N,” she scoffed, reaching up to grab the object.
“No, leave it.” You reached for her wrist to bring it back down. “It looks good.”
“Y/N, come on.” She laughed, freeing her wrist from your hand.
“Leave it, Mel.” You requested again.
From the look on her face, you could tell she thought the crown was a childish touch. However, you thought it was fitting for the occasion.
“Please.” You looked at her with pleading eyes. “Wear it for me and Nana.”
“Fine,” she said.
You knew that would do the trick.
“I’m gonna go get dressed. Try not to add anything else while I’m gone.” With that, she went in the direction of the stairs.
Deep down, you knew she liked the extravagance even if she didn't say it.
✦ ✦ ✦
A few minutes after Melissa disappeared upstairs, Maria alerted everyone that the food was ready. You all gathered in the kitchen and set the table while engaging in small talk. Once the table was set, everyone sat down at the table and waited for Melissa to come back. Melissa's seat was at the head of the table. Maria sat in the chair that was to the left of Melissa's.
“Teresa, would you like to sit next to Melissa.”
“Yes, if you don't mind.” She nodded before taking the seat. “And please, call me Nana.” She laughed, inviting you to sit next to her.
That made you feel special. You could tell she liked you but Maria, on the other hand, was a little harder to read. You would have to interact with her a bit more to gauge her feelings.
Melissa came back quickly, and you were pleased to see she was still wearing the crown. She donned all black, wearing her favorite leather pants to give the outfit a dressy look.
“There she is.” You greeted her.
“Hey.” She smiled as she sat in her seat. Her eyes widened as she looked at all the food on the table. They were fixated on one dish in particular, though. “Ma, you made chicken marsala?”
“I did.” Maria nodded. “It’s still your favorite, right?”
“Yeah, it is.” A look of joy filled her face. “Thank you,” she said before getting up to hug her mom.
You watched the interaction with a smile. There was something different about her demeanor when she was around her family. She was more reserved than usual which was contradictory to her typical behavior. When it was just you around, she was far more bold and playful.
“No hug for me? I’m the one who put the menu together.” Nana asked, throwing her hands up in the air.
Everyone laughed as Melissa made her way around the table to give the woman a hug and a kiss on the cheek for good measure.
She sat back down and you all enjoyed your meals after Nana said a blessing over the table.
Maria was the first to start the conversation back up. “So, Y/N, how's the school year been for you.”
“Oh, it’s been wonderful. I love working with Melissa.” You looked toward the redhead, “She’s really great.”
“Yeah?” Her mom raised an eyebrow as she lifted her fork into her mouth.
“Yeah, she’s a great teacher and I’ve learned so much from her.” You said honestly.
Maria and Nana made eye contact after you made your statement. You watched as Melissa’s eyes followed theirs.
“Don’t do all the bragging on her,” Maria said. “We hear you’re very hardworking too.”
“Oh, well, I try my best.” You smiled timidly.
“Don’t be coy. Balancing school and work must not be easy, huh?” Nana asked.
You averted your eyes to Melissa at the mention of your enrollment in school. Melissa had her gaze on her nana, but you knew she could see you looking at her. In that moment you realized just how much Melissa talked about you to her family. Being in school and working at Abbott was a huge challenge for you. You were working toward a higher degree so you could take a step up from your position as an aide. It was something that took a lot out of you, but Melissa made it a little easier. She was very understanding when your lesson plans weren’t your best, or when you were late on grading.
“It definitely has its ups and downs, but I think I manage okay.” You said to Nana. “I have to give credit to Melissa, though. You both must be very proud of her for handling two classes so well.”
“We’re very proud. I know that job’s not easy,” Maria said. “But she has a good head on her shoulders.” She pointed at Melissa. “And from what I’ve heard, you do too.”
“Thank you,” you took the compliment, having a feeling she didn’t give those out freely.
Nana placed a hand on your shoulder and said, “You keep doing what you’re doing. You’ll be just like our Melissa one day.”
For some reason, you felt yourself getting emotional at the comment. You grabbed her hand, squeezing it to express some of your gratitude. “That’s very kind of you to say.”
The conversation continued and Melissa was soon the topic of discussion. You enjoyed the rest of your food, chiming in here and there, as the family talked amongst themselves. When you were done eating, you excused yourself from the table.
“You need something, hon?” Melissa asked, not missing a beat.
“No, I’m good.” You assured her. “I’ll be right back. Finish your food.” You reassured her before exiting the room.
✦ ✦ ✦
After the conversation died down, and once she was sure you were gone, Melissa asked her burning question. “Why were you two looking at each other like that earlier?”
“Like what?” Nana said.
“Nana, you were the ringleader, so don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about,” Melissa said.
The pair made knowing eye contact again and Melissa was even more confused this time around.
“You just did it again! What’s going on?”
“We could ask you the same thing.” Maria retorted. “'Oh, Melissa is just so wonderful. She’s so smart and amazing.'”
Melissa watched as her mother did her best impression of you, over-exaggerating your voice and mannerisms.
“'I just love working with her sooo much.'” Nana laughed and joined in on the fun.
Melissa looked back at them with a blank look on her face. She was missing the joke. “Okay, I don’t get it.” Melissa laughed even though she was confused.
“Oh, come on, Melissa.” Her mom said dryly.
“What, Ma?” Her face the picture of bewilderment.
“You're telling me you're not together?” Maria raised a brow.
“What?” Melissa said in pure shock. If she was sipping on her drink, she surely would have choked. “You think we're together?!”
“You're not?” Nana asked, almost sounding just as shocked as Melissa.
“No!”
“Seriously?” Maria's voice going up in pitch, disbelief evident in her tone.
“No, mom!” Melissa shrieked.
“You may not be together, but she clearly likes you.” Maria said, as if it were a fact.
“No, she doesn't.” Melissa shook her head.
“Yes, she does,” Nana chimed in. “And I think you like her too.”
Melissa let out a loud laugh at that. “Okay, I’m officially worried about you two.”
“You’re the one making it obvious.” Her mom shrugged. “I saw your moment in the living room.”
“What are you talking about?” Melissa laughed some more. She couldn’t help herself, the situation was comedic.
“When she gave you your little crown.” Her mom motioned toward the top of her head.
“Mhmm. I may be old, but I'm not crazy.” Nana added to the conversation. “I saw the way you looked at each other earlier. When you were telling me about your headache.”
“Okay, I'm not sure what you saw, but we’re friends. More importantly, we're coworkers,” Melissa explained to the women.
“Love doesn't discriminate.” Her mom said.
“Okay, stop. I’m not talking about this anymore.” Melissa drew the line at that.
“Sweetheart, that was just a joke.” Her mom laughed, but she could see the effect it had on her daughter.
“Well stop ‘joking’ before Y/N hears you,” Melissa said.
It was as if you were summoned by the mention of your name, because you walked back into the room less than a minute later. You glanced around the table and saw a sour-looking Melissa.
“What’d I miss?” You asked.
“Nothing,” Melissa said.
“Just the fact that Melissa can’t take a joke.” Her mom informed you.
They spoke at the same time and you looked back over to the Melissa.
“Ma, please!” Melissa scolded her mom.
“Must have been some joke.” You said.
“I’m sure she’ll tell you about it later,” her mom winked at you.
You looked at her with a puzzled expression, but decided to leave it at that.
✦ ✦ ✦
You continued the night by singing happy birthday and eating cake until you were content. After that, it was time to open presents. Melissa wasn’t expecting to receive anything, but to her surprise, everyone came bearing gifts. Her nana gifted her a necklace to add to her expansive collection, her mom got her a book she’d been wanting to read for a while, and you gave her a bottle of wine she’d been dying to try. Before you knew it, the night was nearing an end. You were having such a good time that you didn’t realize it was half past 9. Her family kept you engaged and they were very entertaining.
You were currently helping Maria wash dishes while Nana told you stories. You found yourself laughing at all the things she shared about Melissa in her younger days.
“Hey, Ma, can I borrow your little helper for a second?” Melissa asked.
“Sure.” Her mom nodded. “Don’t let me keep you. I’ll finish these.” She said when you hesitated.
You walked out of the kitchen and followed Melissa into the living room.
“What’s up?” You sat down next to her on the couch.
“Thanks for coming,” she expressed graciously. “And thank you for the wine.”
“Of course, Melissa. I wouldn’t have missed it.” You smiled. “You brought me out here to thank me?”
She laughed, “No, no. That’s not why, no.”
You didn’t miss the way she was fumbling over her words. From that alone, you could tell something was bothering her. She was also avoiding eye contact which was unlike her. She had something to tell you, and she was trying to be subtle. However, she wasn't doing a good job – at all.
“Then what’s wrong?” You asked, preparing yourself to hear the worst for some reason.
“Nothing’s wrong, hon.” She looked up at you.
“Okay, so why are we out here? Your nana was in the middle of a very compelling story.”
“About me I assume.” She leaned back into the couch making herself more comfortable.
“About you and Kristen Marie, yes. How you used to fight over who got to lick the cake batter off the spoon.” You giggled as you imagined a young Melissa.
“I always thought I should get it 'cause I was the oldest.” She smiled at the memory.
You rested your head on her shoulder as she continued the tale.
“Nana told me I was being selfish for not sharing. And I cried like a baby because I didn’t want anyone to think I was selfish.”
“You just wanted your older sibling rights to be enacted.” You concurred.
“See, you understand.” She rested her chin on top of your head.
You sat in silence for a minute, just enjoying each other's company. You busied your mind by listening to the sound of running water and the clattering of dishes coming from the kitchen. It wasn't long before your mind began to wander again.
“Why are we out here, Mel?” You asked again, moving your head so you could look up at her.
She laughed and you figured it was at your relentless behavior. If there was one thing about you, you would keep going at a problem until you found an answer. You didn't give up easily. That was something Melissa liked about you.
“I just–,” She gazed at you. “My mom said something earlier and it got me thinking.”
“What’d she say?” You gave her your full attention, looking at her with all the curiosity in the world.
With you looking at her like that, it was the only time she found herself at a loss for words. You had to be staring at each other for a couple minutes with no words being exchanged.
“Melissa,” you urged, trying to regain her attention.
She appeared to be zoning out, but you failed to realize that you actually had all her focus. That was the problem – too many thoughts of you were taking over her brain. She knew what she wanted to say, but she couldn’t transfer those thoughts to her mouth.
“I’m trying to tell you, hon.” She sighed. “I just don’t know how.”
“What do you mean?” You asked.
“I don’t want to offend you or make things weird between us. But if I don’t ask, I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop thinking about it.”
“Okay, so tell me.” You felt your stomach flip with anticipation.
“They think we’re together.” She bit her lip, bracing herself for your reaction.
Your eyes widened. “Like, together together?”
“Yeah,” she nodded slowly. “Like dating.”
“Huh,” You sighed, slumping into the couch.
“What do you mean ‘huh’?” She asked, eyebrows crinkling in confusion.
“I mean, that's... something.” You looked toward her, a natural expression on your face. You honestly weren't sure how to react.
“Okay, um, a little bit of an underwhelming response.” She laughed before placing a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Well, shit, Melissa! You gotta give me a second.” You laughed along with her. “What do you have to say about it?” You asked.
“I-I don’t know.” She shrugged, leaning forward and resting her elbows on her thighs.
You knew that was a lie. She always had something to say. Plus, she wouldn't have commented on your lack of response if she didn't have one herself.
You tilted your head to the side and gave her a look that you thought would make her give up the act. When she didn't budge, you decided to ask her straight up.
“Melissa, do you like me?” You asked.
Her mouth gaped open at the blunt nature of your question. “I don’t know, Y/N. I–” She tried to explain, but you cut her off.
She knew. What she didn't know was if she could actually admit it.
You thought it would be a good idea to give her some encouragement. “Tell me the truth, Melissa. I just want you to be honest with me.”
At that, she seemed to kick into gear. “I like teaching with you. I like talking to you. I like cooking you dinner.” She trailed off for a second before speaking again. “I like making you laugh. I like being around you.”
With her last sentence, you could see the shift in her demeanor. It was like a lightbulb went off. She didn't even realize how she felt until she said it out loud.
“I like being around you too, Melissa.” It was now your turn to be truthful with her. “I like the thought of coming into work every morning ‘cause I know you’ll be there. I like eating the dinner you cook for me. I like talking to you and laughing at the jokes you make.”
“I really like you, Y/N.” She said finally, coming to her senses.
“I really like you, too, Melissa.” You bit the inside of your cheek as you tried to hide your smile. It was no use though because the expression fought its way onto your face.
You watched as she closed her eyes, trying to process everything you just said. You grabbed her hand after a moment, causing her eyes to flutter open.
“I wasn't expecting this to happen today.” She said, talking more to herself than to you.
“Are you sure it wasn't your birthday wish?” You teased as she focused her attention on you.
“Shut up.” She nudged your shoulder with the hand that wasn't occupied by yours.
“So... now what?” You inquired, still smiling like an idiot. You felt like a teenager, but you couldn't help it.
“I was thinking I could take you out on a date.” She smirked. “Would you like that?”
“I would love that.” You beamed.
“Perfect.” She gave your hand a gentle squeeze. “We'll figure out the details later, okay?”
“Sounds good.” You nodded.
“Alright, let's go back in there before they start to get suspicious.”
She moved to stand, but you tugged on her hand to stop her. She looked at you, sage eyes gleaming despite the low lighting of the living room. In that moment, you were overwhelmed with the urge to kiss her.
You threaded your fingers in the hair at the nape of her neck and pulled her close. You admired her facial features before making your move. You could see every freckle on her cheeks, and every line that adorned her face. From this angle, she was breathtaking.
You planned on kissing her, but she was eager to close the gap between you. Her lips claimed yours in a delicate manner. One, two, three pecks before her tongue grazed your bottom lip. You opened your mouth and allowed her tongue to slide against yours. You could taste the tangy sweetness from the remnants of the lemon cake she ate earlier. You hummed as she placed a final kiss to your lips. You pulled away and took several breaths to recenter yourself.
“I knew we weren't crazy.” A voice said from the distance.
You gasped and whipped your head over your shoulder, looking at the entrance to the kitchen. You didn't see anyone, but you knew you weren't hearing things. You looked back toward the Melissa for confirmation.
She rolled her eyes and stood from her seat. You may have been too stunned to speak, but she wasn't. “Are you two eavesdropping?!”
Your theory was confirmed when you heard footsteps scurrying along the tile floor.
She sat back down and gave you a sympathetic look. “Sorry about that.”
"It's okay,” you laughed, trying not to be mortified by the fact that they may or may not have seen the kiss. "They're quite the pair.”
“You can say that again.” She shook her head. “Hopefully they don't scare you away.”
“It's gonna take a lot more than that to get rid of me.” You stated firmly.
“Good to know.” She said, her eyes crinkling at the corners.
“Happy birthday, Melissa.” You said finally before leaning in to kiss her cheek.
“Thanks, hon.” She smiled, a blush rising to her face. “You gave me quite the gift.”
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Dating Melissa Schemmenti Pt. I
Pairing: Melissa Schemmenti x reader
Summary: Just a few sweet scenarios outlining what it would be like to date Melissa.
Word Count: 1.5k
A/N: Hello! This is my first time writing for Melissa. Hopefully you enjoy. Let me know if you'd like a part 2!
Early Mornings
For Melissa, teaching at a school came with the joy of waking up bright and early. Some days she even had to be awake before the sun came up. How she dreaded those days. While she enjoyed the days she was able to sleep in, she had become accustomed to being an early riser, so it didn’t bother her too much.
You, on the other hand, were not an early bird. No one could pay you to be up and out before 10 AM. Well, someone could pay you, but the price had to be right. You only woke up early if you absolutely had to, or if it was beneficial for your well-being.
So, when Melissa's alarm goes off at 6 o’clock sharp every morning, Monday through Friday, you do not appreciate it. At all. As a result, you always tried to keep her in bed for as long as you possibly could.
Your mornings usually went a little something like this:
She’d wake up and press little kisses to the back of your neck while wrapping her arms tight around your waist. This was her signal to you that she wasn’t fully awake, but she was getting there. Due to this, you knew you had at least a few more minutes left with her. Once her second alarm went off, or her third depending on the day, she’d attempt to untangle her limbs from yours. This would lead you to let out a groan of disapproval. You would muster the energy to hold onto her tighter, in hopes that she’d stay in bed just a little bit longer.
“Mmm,” she’d hum at the feeling. “I gotta get up, hon.” She would say in her raspy morning voice.
“I know, but you’re so warm.” You’d whine as you tried to nuzzle further into her.
“I'm sorry,” she’d say before placing a couple of kisses on your cheek. “Can’t be late.”
She would give you one last squeeze which was followed by her getting out of bed.
You’d lay in bed for a few more minutes while listening to her move around the room as she got ready for the day. Eventually, you would get up by the time she made her way to the kitchen. You’d complete your morning routine while she made her coffee and you usually made it to the kitchen in time before she left. She’d greet you with a hug and a kiss and if you were lucky, you’d be able to sneak a couple sips of her coffee before she noticed (by the way, she definitely noticed, but she never said anything). You always gave each other another hug, a couple kisses, and an exchange of sweet words to get each other through the day before parting ways. Your little ritual always left you feeling overwhelmed with love — in the best way possible, of course. You’d wake up early for her any day of the week. She always made it worth your while.
Lots of Affection
When you first met Melissa, you didn’t suspect that she would be as affectionate as she was. Due to her tough exterior, she often came across as standoffish and impersonal to those who didn’t know her. However, if you took the time to get to know her, you’d see that she was pleasant to be around. She didn’t confide in just anyone, and you had to prove yourself if you wanted to gain her trust. If she trusted you, you were special. You considered yourself extra special because she trusted you enough to let you see her soft side. At first, you were only allowed to catch little glimpses into the sweeter side of her. You knew she wouldn’t shed the hard exterior all at once, but she could only hold out on you for so long. Absolutely nothing compared to her affection, and she surpassed every expectation that you had for her.
In the beginning, she only seemed comfortable with light touches. She would brush her hand against yours whenever you handed something to her, or she’d give you a pat on the back and let her hand rest there for a moment before retreating. To her, there was something special about the intimacy of feeling the weight of a lingering touch, even after it went away. Most of the time, she would catch you off-guard with these gestures. She enjoyed seeing the (not so) subtle ways in which you reacted. It amused her to watch your poor attempts at holding back a smile or pretending you weren’t slightly flustered.
Over time, light touches progressed to more grand gestures like hand-holding, kissing, and cuddling. Holding hands was such a simple form of affection, but you both loved it. She wasn’t a big fan of PDA, but holding hands was an exception. It was a silent way of saying “I’m here” or “I’ve got you”. If she ever got worked up over a situation, you’d reach for her hand because you knew it instantly calmed her. You would intertwine your fingers with hers and it was almost like an automatic reset would occur. She often said she felt like her hands were made to hold yours, and you thought that was the sweetest thing you’d ever heard.
Cuddling was your personal favorite pastime. There was something truly satisfying about being wrapped up in Melissa’s arms. In your mind, nothing compared to the genuine safety you felt whenever she held you. You were known to snuggle up with her at any given moment, and she would always allow you to seek comfort from her. Initially, Melissa wasn’t too fond of cuddling. Even though she loved physical touch, she always complained that it made her way too hot. That was until she realized how much she enjoyed cuddling with you. She found that her favorite thing to do (especially after a rough day) was to come home and have you curl up in her arms. She loved having you sit with your back to her chest and her chin resting in the curve of your neck, so she could place kisses along your jawline. She would debrief you about the events of her day and no matter how good or bad things had gone, her only focus in those moments was you.
Kissing Melissa was an experience that you could only categorize, for lack of a better term, as magical. She was never hesitant to kiss you, and she didn’t have a preference. It didn’t matter to her if it was a kiss on the lips, your cheek, your neck, your nose, or your entire face. Either way, she was going to give you all the kisses. Your favorite types of kisses were the passionate ones that left you both breathless.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” You’d ask with a nervous laugh as you glanced up at her. You could feel her intense gaze on you from all the way across the room.
She’d steadily walk over to you and stand impossibly close. So close that you could feel the warmth from every breath she took. So close that you could see every line on her face and every eyelash on her eyes as she peered into yours.
Your breath would catch in your throat as her hand came around to rest on the small of your back to close any gaps between the two of you. She’d lean in and brush her lips against yours, not quite touching them together. Just enough to leave you wanting more.
“‘Cause I really wanna kiss you right now.” She’d say against your mouth before her lips widened into a smile.
“Then kiss me.” You’d say, smiling back at her.
Her pillow-soft lips would come into contact with yours, making your eyelids flutter closed. The kiss would be gentle, yet filled with so much passion that it almost made you want to cry.
Pet Names
Melissa was known for dropping the occasional “hon” in casual conversations. That word was naturally part of her dialect, but she used it a little differently when it came to you. You found that her tone was lighter and the look in her eyes was softer whenever she called you cute names. She knew what you liked to be called, and she always knew what to say, and do, to make you feel special.
“Hey, hon.” She’d say as she greeted you in the evenings after work. She would envelop you in a hug and speak the words softly into your ear.
“Thank you, sweetheart.” Was her reply when you complimented her hair and makeup or her outfit. Your words would leave her with a smile that reached her eyes and in return, she would cup her hand against your cheek and give you a kiss.
“What’s the matter, gorgeous?” The question would hang in the air for a few moments as you tried to string an answer together. You’d look up to find her already gazing at you intently with her chin resting in her palms. Green eyes staring back at yours saying every emotion her mouth wasn’t. She’d bring one of her hands down and reach out to grab yours. You’d meet her halfway and once she grasped you, she would glide her thumb across the back of your hand and give you a light squeeze letting you know your feelings were safe with her.
Next Chapter
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Damage Control
Pairing: Melissa Schemmenti x reader
Summary: You get into an argument with your parents and it brings up some tough emotions. Melissa helps you work through those feelings and thinks of a unique way to help you cope.
Word Count: 8k
A/N - Hi! I want to start off by saying that this fic is purely self-indulgent. I wanted to write something for those that don’t have the support of their loved ones in regard to their sexuality. If you’re currently going through this situation, I hope you can find a piece of comfort in this fic. My main goal with this one is to make you feel less alone. I hope you all enjoy <3
TW - Contains themes of homophobia and depicts interactions with unaccepting parents
It was a Saturday evening, and you found yourself at Melissa’s house. Over the past couple months, it became a ritual for you to spend the weekends with her. You found this was the only time you could enjoy her company due to the demands of the week. Things had been rough for her at school, but she was finally getting used to teaching two grades. She had more free time now, and you jumped at the opportunity to spend it with her.
You were currently sitting on the couch in the comfort of her arms. She was lying with her back against the arm of the couch, and you were sitting in her lap in the same position. Your back was against her front, and her arms were wrapped around your waist. Your head was settled on the left side of her chest, and you could hear the faint sound of her heartbeat.
It was a gloomy day and you didn’t plan on doing much. You originally wanted to spend the day out and about, but due to the weather, you changed your mind. You mutually decided that you would much rather have a lazy day in. You finished eating dinner not too long ago and you were now watching TV.
You recommended Melissa to start Killing Eve a while ago, but she never got around to it. You were glad about that because now you were able to watch it together. You were only on the first season, which you’d seen multiple times, so your attention was being pulled in another direction.
You turned slightly in her arms so that you were facing her. Her hair was up and her face was rid of makeup, so every feature was on display. She was absolutely stunning and you wished you could see her like this more. Your eyes roved over her face until they landed on the slope of her neck. You leaned in and placed a few kisses at the junction of her neck and shoulder. You watched her cheeks become pink from your actions. Her lips twitched as she tried to fight a smile and you couldn’t help but let your lips curve into a grin at the sight. You realized you were staring and tried to look away before she noticed, but you knew you’d been caught when she spoke.
“The TV is over there, you know.” She nodded her head in the direction of the entertainment.
“I know that, Melissa,” you laughed. “I just enjoy looking at you more.”
“Someone’s being very charming today,” she said before turning her head towards you.
You locked eyes momentarily and the twinkle in her green orbs was almost too much for you to handle. You couldn’t think when she looked at you like that. You shied away from her gaze before letting out a chuckle.
“Do you like the show so far?” You asked after gathering your thoughts.
“Yeah, it’s good. I thought there would be a little more action though.”
“Oh, trust me, it’s coming. I think the next episode is the one where Villanelle shows up at Eve’s house.” You said while reaching for your phone that was resting on the coffee table.
You heard Melissa groan and you realized that your movement shifted her out of her comfy spot. You gave her an apologetic look before turning your phone on. As you looked through your notifications, you saw that you had a missed call from your dad. The two of you usually called each other every weekend, mainly in the mornings. He didn’t call you this morning, so you thought he’d get to it tomorrow. It was strange for him to call you at this time, but you just assumed he missed you extra and didn’t want the call to wait.
“You can call him back if you need to,” Melissa said, knowing how much you looked forward to catching up with him.
“Yeah, I think I’m gonna,” you sat up and swung your legs over the edge of the couch. “It must be important if he’s calling this late.”
“Go ahead. I need to get up and stretch anyways.” She patted the side of your leg, signaling you to stand.
“Be right back,” you said before leaning over to kiss her lips.
✦ ✦ ✦
You made your way into the kitchen and sat at the table in a seat near the entryway. You pressed the missed call notification and held the phone up to your ear. You listened to three sequences of ringing before someone picked up.
“Hello?”
You brought your phone down and looked at the screen in confusion. It wasn’t uncommon for her to answer your dad’s calls if he wasn’t in immediate reach of his phone. It still caught you off guard.
“Hey, mom. I was just calling Dad back.” You said in hopes that she would pass him the phone as quickly as possible.
You loved your mother, but you didn’t have the energy to deal with her right now. You were in a good mood, and you knew she was bound to change that if you continued to speak with her.
“Now, don’t sound too eager to talk to me,” she said.
You knew she was being sarcastic, but she did have a point. Even though you weren’t in the mood, you were still curious about her well-being.
“How are you?” You asked.
“I’m just trying to enjoy the day, but the weather has been acting crazy.”
Are we seriously talking about the weather right now? You thought to yourself.
“Yeah, I know,” you nodded to yourself. “I was gonna go out today, but those plans got squashed.”
“Oh, honey, I’m glad you realized you need to get out more,” she said. “All you do is go to work, then go home. You need to have a little fun here and there.”
While her comment sounded like she meant well, you knew there was an air of judgment in what she was trying to say.
“I know, mom. You tell me all the time.” You let out a sigh.
“Yeah, well, every time I call you’re always at home.”
“You just happen to call me when I’m at home.” You rolled your eyes.
“You just happen to be at home every time I call you? I find that hard to belie–”
“Mom, where’s Dad?” You asked, trying not to sound too fed up.
“He’s upstairs. He’ll be down soon,” she said. “Why are you in such a hurry?”
You could almost hear the cogs turning in her head as she thought of the reasons why you wanted to get off the phone with her. You pulled your phone away to see that you’d only been on the phone with her for a little over a minute. Why did it feel like the two of you had been talking for ages? You could feel yourself getting a headache already.
“You can change the subject all you want, but I’m just saying it wouldn’t hurt you to get out more.” She said in a tone that you couldn’t quite place, but you knew that it rubbed you the wrong way.
Before you could speak, you heard her say, “Here’s your father.”
You had never been so thankful to talk to your dad in your life.
“Hey, kiddo.” Your dad said. “What’s up?”
“Hey, I was just calling you back. Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine. Why?”
“I dunno.” You shrugged even though he couldn’t see. “You usually call me earlier in the day.”
“Is it a crime for me to be spontaneous?” He asked. “Haven’t you heard the phrase, “Expect the unexpected?”
You could hear the smile in his voice and you couldn’t help but chuckle at him.
“It is a crime, considering you’re the most calculated man I know.”
Your parents were very type A, and they always followed some sort of schedule. They liked things to be a certain way, and they were always organized. Despite what it seemed like, they knew how to have fun – especially your dad. However, there were times when they could be stuck in their ways, and that’s why you often butt heads.
“Okay, maybe that’s true.” He laughed. “I just missed you, is all.”
“I miss you too.” You smiled to yourself.
Your heart warmed at his words. Your conversations were so much different than the ones between you and your mom.
“What are you up to?” Your dad asked, bringing the conversation back to you.
“Nothing much. I was watching TV when you called.”
You could hear your mom in the background making a remark about you not getting out of the house. For some reason, she couldn’t let it go today.
“Dad, can you put me on speaker?”
“Okay, you’re on speaker.” He confirmed.
You laughed at him before addressing your mom. “Mom, you know I can hear you in the back, right?”
“All I’m trying to say is that the men aren’t gonna meet themselves.” She said bluntly.
You let out a dry laugh. Of course, that’s what this is about. She’d wanted to say it all along, but she liked to bet around the bush for some reason.
“Mom, men aren’t the key to life. I’m fully capable of doing everything a man could do for me by myself.”
She laughed, and you could almost see the shake of her head that came with the action. “Of course, you would say that.”
“Honey.” You could hear your dad say to your mom in a warning tone.
“No, it’s okay.” Clearly, there was a deeper meaning to her words. “What’s that supposed to mean, Mom?”
It was silent on the other end of the line as you waited for an answer.
“I think your mother is just trying to say–”
“Dad, I wanna hear it from her. What’s that supposed to mean, Mom?” You repeated.
You could feel yourself becoming more defensive as the seconds went on.
“I’m not surprised you would say something like that. With you being the way you… are and whatnot.” She couldn’t even bring herself to say the words.
“The way I am? Wh–What are you trying to say?” You asked, but you knew exactly what she was alluding to.
You weren’t solely attracted to men, and that dissatisfied your mother more than anything. You knew it bothered your dad too; the only difference was that he wasn’t so brash about it. You had hope that he might come to terms with it in the future. Your mother, on the other hand, was a different story.
✦ ✦ ✦
Melissa was sitting on the couch as she waited for you to finish your conversation. For the past ten minutes, she had busied herself with looking at the pictures hanging on her walls. She couldn’t remember the last time she really looked at them. She had been so busy at work trying to keep up with two classes that she didn’t notice how long it had been since she took a proper pause. This was the first time in about three weeks that she was able to keep her head above the water.
It was also the first weekend that she had been able to fully enjoy in a while. When she realized she would have some free time, her first thought was that she wanted to spend it with you. It was very unlike her to want to spend her spare time with anyone, but there was something special about you. You made her feel at peace, and she craved having you around at all times.
She was brought out of her thoughts when she heard your voice coming from the kitchen. The sound was muffled from where she was standing, so she couldn’t make out what you were saying. Nonetheless, you sounded like you were in distress. She debated whether or not to go check on you. She knew you were capable of handling your own problems, but she still wanted to make sure that you were okay. She reasoned with herself and made her way over to the entrance of her kitchen.
She didn’t walk in yet out of fear that she might be interrupting something. Your relationship was still kind of new, and she didn’t want to seem like she was butting into your business. From outside the doorway, she could hear another woman’s voice. She assumed this was your mom.
She heard the tail end of the conversation, and she was a little stunned, to say the least. She knew about your weekly catch-ups with your dad, and she had been there to overhear some of them. To her, your parents didn’t seem like the type of people to participate in an argument with you. In her opinion, that was more her family’s style. However, she knew that it was presumptuous of her to assume such a thing without much context. She continued to listen to the conversation, curious to hear what would be said next.
✦ ✦ ✦
“You know what I’m saying, Y/N!” Your mother said, raising her voice.
You knew you’d struck a nerve. She wasn’t at her yelling point, but she was getting close. If she wanted to play that game though, you would play. If there was one thing the two of you were good at, it was yelling at each other.
“I like women, Mom! So what?” You raised your voice back.
“So what?” She said in disbelief, as if she couldn’t fathom what you were saying. “It’s wrong, Y/N. That’s what!”
“Says who? You?” You yelled at her. You didn’t mean to, but you couldn’t help it. You weren’t gonna sit there and listen to her talk about right and wrong as if she was a saint.
“Do not raise your voice at me.” Your mom said sternly.
You knew you were in the wrong at the moment, but you weren’t going to apologize. She was still your mom, but if she wasn’t going to respect you, you weren’t going to respect her.
“A little support would be nice every now and then, you know.” You said.
“I support you plenty. Or do you not remember me and your father loaning you money a couple of weeks ago?” She pointed out. “Did that slip your mind somehow?” She said in a condescending tone.
“That’s not what I mean!” You said in frustration.
Your mother thought that monetary support was equal to emotional support. In her mind, if you had all of your needs met, emotions didn’t have to be part of the picture.
“You did it to yourself, Y/N. If you didn’t make the choice–”
At those words, you lost it.
“It’s not a choice, Mom! I didn’t choose anything! It’s just who I am!” You shouted through the phone. Tears began to prick your eyes. You tried to blink them away, but they fell anyway.
You stood from your seat and walked around the table. You could feel yourself getting angry, and you didn’t know how that would end, so you tried to calm down before your emotions got out of hand.
“That’s not who you are!” She yelled back. “I didn’t raise you to be like that. Your father–”
“No, Mom, it's not who you are!” You interrupted her. You reigned your tears in and gained control of your voice. You wanted her to hear your next statements loud and clear. “Not everything is about you! And Dad can speak for himself.”
Since you came out to your parents, your mom had a hard time separating her identity from yours. She couldn’t bear the fact that you weren’t straight. To her, you were flawed, and she felt like she had done something wrong raising you. What she failed to see was that your identity had nothing to do with her. It was only about you.
“I’m not talking about this with you anymore,” she said.
You saw that one coming. Once you began talking about her image, she shut down. When it came to slander, she could dish it, but she couldn’t take it.
“Fine.” You said, and that was the end of that.
You plopped down in the chair and took a few deep breaths before speaking again.
“Dad,” you said, “are you still on the phone?”
Your dad had been silent the whole time. Not because he didn’t care, but because he knew better than to get in the middle of your and your mom's spats. He meant well, but sometimes you wish he would give his input. Confrontation wasn’t his strong suit though, so you knew it might be a while before you ever heard his side of things.
“Yeah, I’m here, kiddo.” He sounded dejected. “I’m sorry.”
He hadn’t meant for the phone call to go south.
“You don’t have to apologize for her.”
“Yeah, but I know she’ll probably never say it,” he said, sounding defeated for you.
“Yeah, you’re probably right about that.”
You talked with him for a few minutes longer before saying goodnight and ending the call. This was not the direction you expected the night to go in, but like your dad said, you should learn to expect the unexpected.
✦ ✦ ✦
Moments later, you found yourself still sitting at the kitchen table. Your mother’s words rang in your head as you tried to process everything. As you continued to think about the things she said, you felt your frustration resurface. The feeling had only intensified since then, and you began to feel red-hot anger creeping its way up your chest. It settled at the base of your neck and as a result, you felt suffocated. You couldn’t help but let out a scream at the sensation.
“Fuck!” You shouted before slamming your phone down onto the wooden surface of the table.
The sound must have startled Melissa because she appeared before you.
“You okay?” Melissa asked as she kneeled in front of you. She had a frown on her face as she tried to decipher the expression on yours.
You were embarrassed at your sudden outburst and the fact that she’d heard the conversation with your parents. You were also feeling a little helpless because your emotions were manifesting themselves and you had virtually no idea how to handle them.
You opened your mouth to speak, but all that came out was a breath you didn’t know you were holding in. You could feel Melissa running her hand along your back and that brought you down enough to muster out a reply.
“Yeah,” you said in a flat tone. You meant to be more convincing, but it didn’t quite work.
“You know, you can tell me if you’re not okay.” She said, continuing to rub your back.
You cleared your throat and shook your head as if you were trying to reset your brain to 30 minutes ago: when you were peacefully lying in your girlfriend’s arms and not having thoughts of taking your mother’s neck in your hands and–
“Hon,” Melissa said, pulling you out of your thoughts.
“Hmm,” you hummed before looking at her again.
You soon came to realize that was a big mistake. Suddenly everything was too much. Too real. How close she was to you, the look in her eyes, the hand on your back. You needed her to move, but you couldn’t vocalize that.
“What can I do?” She asked.
“Um, I don’t, I–,” You stumbled over your words.
You reached around to your back so you could grab her hand. She mistook the gesture as you seeking more comfort. She clasped her hand around yours and that gave you the push you needed to speak up.
“I don’t know, but you need to move.” You snatched your hand away as if her touch burned you.
She looked a little shocked, but she moved away as fast as her body allowed her to. Once she was gone, you realized how harsh you’d sounded and you instantly felt bad. She was just trying to help, and here you were snapping at her.
“I’m sorry. I just– I’m really hot and I can’t–” You stood up and started to frantically fan yourself.
Melissa continued to look at you. She was trying to figure out what her next move would be. She’d never seen you like this, and she wanted to handle this situation correctly. As soon as she realized that staring at you wasn’t going to help, she jumped into action.
“That’s okay. How about we start by taking this off.” She stepped closer to you before realizing she should probably warn you. She wanted to avoid your previous reaction at all costs. “I’m just gonna come closer, but I’m not gonna touch you.”
You couldn’t even focus on what she was saying because you were about two seconds away from freaking out again. You could only make out every other word, but it was enough for you to piece her sentences together. You nodded your head to show that it was okay for her to come closer.
Why the fuck am I so hot? You thought to yourself.
“I just wanna get your jacket off.” She said.
Jacket? What jacket?
As you watched her reach toward you, you looked down to see that you were wearing the hoodie Melissa let you borrow earlier. You were so scatterbrained that you didn’t realize you still had it on.
She grasped the zipper on the garment before pulling it down, causing the sleeves to fall off your shoulders. Once the item was off, you felt so much better and your thoughts started to become more clear. You sat back down and let out a sigh of relief as you leaned forward, resting your palms on your knees. You looked down at the ground in an attempt to focus your attention on something other than the anger and shame you were feeling.
“That feel any better?” Melissa inquired.
You thought about her question for a second. You felt better because you weren’t burning up anymore. However, you could still feel the remnants of ire in the pit of your chest.
“A little, but I feel like,” you paused. “Like I,” you trailed off before giving up.
Melissa reached out to gently grasp your jaw. She tilted your face upward so you could look at her. Her palm felt cool against your warm skin.
“Like what?” She looked at you intently.
“I don’t know,” you shrugged before removing your face from her hold.
It wasn’t a secret that you experienced emotions deeply. You felt more than the average person, and you were very in tune with other people. You were the definition of an empath, and it was a gift as well as a curse. You cared for others, but the weight of harboring their emotions in addition to your own was too much to handle at times.
You were also prone to burying your feelings. That’s where your difficulties with communication stemmed from. When you were hurting you kept it to yourself, and that made it harder for you to navigate situations like this. When you had a chance to express your feelings, you weren’t always sure how to convey them to others.
Melissa pulled up a chair and set it directly in front of you. To be honest, you were taken aback by the action. You fully expected her to leave you alone until you could figure out an answer to her question. As you looked at her, you saw through all the concern and found there was determination in her eyes. She wanted to figure out what was going on inside your head, and she wasn’t going to give up until she got an explanation.
“Can you tell me what you’re feeling physically?” She reached out to grab your hand, finding it hard not to show her affection. “Just one thing.”
“Um, kinda like I might… explode.” You looked toward her in hopes of receiving some form of validation, and without fail she gave it to you.
“Okay.” She nodded her head and began to stroke the back of your hand with her thumb. “Anything else?”
“My heart is beating really fast and I feel tense. Like, all over.” You took your free hand and motioned it in a circle around you.
“That doesn’t sound like a nice feeling,” she spoke softly.
To you, her tone seemed uncharacteristically gentle. It was unlike anything you’d ever heard from the redhead.
“What do you usually do when you feel like this?” Her eyes never strayed from yours.
“Nothing really.” You looked at her sheepishly. “I usually just push it away or try to focus on something else.”
The lost look in your eyes pulled at Melissa’s heartstrings. She could see the trouble you were having processing your emotions, and all she wanted to do was help you. She had an idea, but she wasn’t sure how you’d receive it. However, she knew it wouldn’t hurt to ask.
“Are you willing to try somethin’ for me, hon?” She bit her lip as she anticipated your response.
“Sure.” You were willing to try just about anything if it would make you feel better.
“Okay, give me just a sec.” She held up her index finger, then proceeded to walk out of the kitchen.
Melissa soon returned with something interesting in her hands: a baseball bat. You looked at her with curiosity as she came to stand before you.
“Come on.” She nodded her head toward the back door. “Let’s go outside for a minute.”
You followed her into the yard, where she walked you to a secluded corner. As she moved a few items around to create some space, you noticed her backyard was very homey. There was a couch decorated with pillows and blankets and it was placed near a fire pit. There was also a garden located on the opposite end.
Above you, there were string lights that were activated by the two of you stepping outside. They lit up the yard with a warm glow and you began to find comfort in the cozy atmosphere. She had a fence built well above your height that surrounded the area, and it made you feel completely safe.
When she was finished rearranging, Melissa came to stand across from you. “When I get upset, I take this and use it to do as much damage as I can.” She presented the bat to you.
You tried not to think too much into her statement, but you couldn’t help raising your eyebrows.
“I promise everything I’ve done was legal,” she said after seeing your reaction. “Well, mostly.”
“Melissa!” Your eyes widened at the thought of her committing crimes with the object.
“I’m kidding, hon,” she assuaged your fears. “I don’t have anything for you to hit, but I think the ground will do just fine.” She tapped with her foot, illustrating its firm nature.
You still felt unsure of what to do.
“You don’t have to try it if you don’t want to,” she assured you. She didn’t want to talk you into doing anything that made you feel uncomfortable. “We can always figure something else out, but I think this might help you release some of those emotions.”
If she thought it would help, what was the harm in testing out her theory?
“Okay, I’ll try.”
You reached your hands out to accept the bat from her. She handed it over, then stepped closer to the house to give you some space. You stood there for a second, those feelings of uncertainty coming back to you. You felt out of your element as you twisted the bat around.
You took a couple breaths before holding it up by the handle. Your arms lifted above you before swiftly coming down to slam the head of the bat against the ground.
Sightly alarmed by the loud crack that echoed around the space, you looked toward Melissa and let out a gasp. She was standing against the fence with arms folded across her chest.
“How’d that feel?” She looked at you expectantly.
“Good.” You nodded. “I wonder what your neighbors are gonna think.”
“Don’t worry about that.” She began to walk toward you. “If they have a problem I’ll handle it.”
You must have still looked suspicious because she spoke again.
“You just focus on letting those feelings go.” She squeezed your shoulder affectionately before taking a seat on the couch. “I’ll be right here if you need me.”
You stood there for a moment gathering your thoughts. The only thing Melissa cared about was making you feel better. She could care less about anyone else at the moment. With that in mind, you felt completely safe to express yourself however you needed to. She just wanted to be there to make sure you were safe. Your heart warmed at the thought, and your anger nearly dissipated.
Now all you could focus on was how much she cared about you and your emotional well-being. She looked after you so intently. No one had ever taken the time to truly listen to you and help you combat your insufferable burdens. That thought settled deep within you causing a twinge to flutter through your chest. The ache was so profound you felt it in every fiber of your being.
You closed your eyes and took another deep breath before smashing the bat into the grass for the second time. You repeated the action until you began to lose count of how many times you’d struck the ground.
All you could think about were the feelings your mom had brought up and the pain associated with them. When you couldn’t think about that anymore, you thought about every time you wanted to express an emotion, but couldn’t. When you’d exhausted that thought, you just focused on how free you felt at the moment. With each hit, you could feel yourself letting go of the pain you’d held onto for so long.
Then, something broke within you. You slammed the ground one last time, your body sagging forward from the force. You felt your chest heave as a guttural sound escaped your throat, and you let out a final breath in its wake.
The metallic bat dropped to the ground with a clang and you used every last bit of your strength to stand up straight. You filled your lungs with air and on the exhale, you felt a sob bubble in your throat. Your hands flew to your mouth to muffle the sound, but it was too late. You had already released an echoing wail into the open. Surrendering every part of the anguish, you let the sobs wrack your body. It was getting harder to breathe, but you didn’t care, really.
“Y/N.” She was gentle as not to startle you.
Upon opening your eyes, you were met with a worried look. She was maintaining her distance just in case you were feeling overwhelmed, but by the look in her eyes, you could see that she just wanted to comfort you. You pulled her closer and once the gap was closed, she brought her hands up to wipe your eyes. She gently held your face in her palms as you continued to weep.
“You didn’t mention that I would cry my eyes out,” you joked. It was an attempt to lighten the mood, but your delivery was pathetic. You were all choked up, trying your best to talk through broken sobs. “A warning would have been nice.”
“Oh, sweetheart,” Melissa said in a hushed tone. It almost sounded like she was fighting back her own tears. But you knew she hadn’t gone that soft on you— yet.
You were pulled into a hug, her arms wrapping firmly around your torso. You hugged back, arms hanging loosely around her neck, then brought your head down to rest on her shoulder. She pulled you closer before placing a kiss on your forehead. The action was so delicate that it caused a surge of fresh tears to fill your eyes.
Melissa could feel your chest quavering with each breath you took, so she gave you some encouragement. “Let it out, hon.”
You shook your head and released a whimper instead. You’d cried enough and there was no need to do it all over her. However, you should have known that wasn’t going to satisfy her. Your pain didn’t serve you any purpose, and she refused to let it weigh you down.
“Come on, love.” She murmured into your ear, voice so velvety you couldn’t help but give in. “There you go,” she praised as your cries got heavier.
You collapsed into her arms and let your body go slack against hers. She staggered backward, not expecting you to fall into her like that, but regained her footing and held you steady.
“I’m here, okay? I’ve got you.”
For a moment, all you could focus on was her. She rubbed large circles across your back and you nestled closer into the curve of her neck. Her scent invaded your senses; something spicy, sweet, and clothed in warmth. You could feel yourself calming down with each breath you took.
“That’s it. Just breathe.” She instructed.
She began to sway your body from side to side. The motion was so soothing that you felt your eyelids getting heavy. If she kept it up, you were sure you’d fall asleep. You willed yourself to stay awake so you could relish in the safety she was providing.
“You doing okay?” She asked after she was sure your sobs had ceased.
“Mhmm,” you hummed.
It wasn’t the best response, but Melissa took your even breaths and lack of tears as a sign that you had settled down.
She began to unwrap her arms from around you, but you weren’t ready. You held on tighter, which was physically impossible considering you were already as close as you could get.
She held you a little longer before deciding to ask for permission this time. “Is it okay if I let go?”
She hadn’t given you any indication that she was leaving, but a piece of you was afraid that you might not find that level of comfort again.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she said, sensing your hesitation. “I just wanna get you back inside.”
You obliged and she maintained her proximity by holding you by the waist. The gesture was tender and affectionate, and she kept her word leaving no room for doubts in your mind.
✦ ✦ ✦
“You gonna be okay by yourself for a second?” Melissa asked as you sat in the living room.
“I’ll be okay,” you rasped.
“Okay, sit tight,” Melissa said before venturing off.
You were grateful for her tenderness, and it was the first time you were seeing this side of her. Of course, she was always gentle with you, but something was different tonight. She was being so patient and loving—it made your heart feel so full.
She returned with a glass of water and took a seat next to you. You gladly accepted the beverage and found yourself nearly downing it in one gulp. The cool liquid felt nice on your sore throat. You set the cup down on the coffee table and let out a deep sigh. A familiar sting pricked your eyes, but you refused to do any more of that right now.
You could see Melissa watching you out of the corner of your eye. She was trying to be discreet, but even if you couldn’t see her, you’d be able to feel the intensity of her stare. You weren’t sure what she was trying to communicate to you, so you redirected your gaze.
She smiled at you, her lips gently curling, as she brought a hand over to rest on your thigh. You placed your hand over hers and began to play with her fingers. She had a singular ring on the middle one and you twisted it around to distract yourself.
She pulled you out of your head by locking your fingers together. You looked back up at her and she opened her mouth to speak before closing it again. Her eyebrows were knit together and she had a pensive look on her face. She looked like she was going through a mental tug-of-war.
You watched as she dropped your hand and changed her position so she was leaning against the arm rest. She waved her hand, motioning for you to come join her. You took your place in her arms and laid on top of her, tucking your head under her chin and settling in. You took a hand and rested it on her stomach, feeling it move up and down with each breath she took.
You closed your eyes as she placed a kiss to the crown of your head. She repeated the action before moving her lips lower and doing the same near your hairline. She slipped her hand underneath the fabric of your shirt and began to lightly trace her nails against your back. That had to be one of your favorite sensations, and you could feel yourself melting deeper into her touch. She was almost lulling you into a trance.
“Your mom seemed pretty upset earlier, hm?” She asked, switching the pattern she was making on your back.
Melissa knew what she was doing. She wanted to get you as relaxed as possible so that you could talk about the events that led to this moment. She knew it would be hard for you to get worked up if she was holding you close, giving you kisses, and rubbing your back. It was the gentlest form of persuasion.
“Yeah.” Your voice cracked as your thoughts wandered back to the conversation. You cleared your throat before continuing, “I guess you could say so.”
Not missing the hitch in your voice, she encouraged you to take a deep breath. Once she was pleased with your effort, she formulated her next response.
“We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” She didn’t want to upset you again.
“No, it’s okay.” You assured her. “I just don’t understand.”
Melissa waited for you to elaborate, but when you didn’t, she prompted you. “You don’t understand what, babe?” She asked, moving back a couple of inches so she could look at you properly.
“I’ve spent the majority of my life–” A lump made its way up your throat. You swallowed it down, determined not to let your emotions get the better of you. “I’ve spent the majority of my life trying to be perfect for her. I’ve done absolutely everything I could to please her.”
Melissa nodded her head in understanding as you peered up at her.
“I made good grades in school and I did all the extracurriculars. I went to college, navigated everything the way she advised me to. I sacrificed so much of my happiness to make sure she was content. It worked for a long time, you know? She was happy.”
“And because of that you were happy,” Melissa stated.
She knew how you were. People pleasing was part of your character. It was hard for you to grasp the idea that you wouldn’t be able to satisfy everyone. No matter what, there would always be someone who didn’t agree with you.
You nodded, taking a breath before continuing, “That all changed when I came out to her though. I mean, I knew what her reaction would be, but I wanted to take some of my power back from her. I had quite literally burnt myself out trying to do right by her.” You took a beat before saying, “I just felt like I wasn’t my own person anymore and that kind of scared me.”
Melissa moved a hand up to your cheek, as she continued to look at you. Her thumb smoothed across the side of your face and your eyes fell closed at the feeling. You hadn’t even noticed the lone tear escaping your eye until she swiped it away.
“So, I told her.” You laughed wryly. “I wasn’t even sure what my labels were at the time. I’m honestly still not, but I just knew that I wasn’t straight. I just felt so compelled to let her know that she didn’t have a say in every aspect of my life.”
“I’m proud of you for making that decision. That must have been really hard.” Melissa empathized with you.
Her sage eyes were glassy as she listened to you tell your story. Hearing about your relationship with your mother allowed her to gain a deeper understanding of your habits. She’d wondered why you were such a perfectionist, why you cared so much about what people thought of you, why it was hard for you to say no sometimes.
“Oh, it was a nightmare.” You looked off to the side as you recounted the day. “I told her right before I went off to college. I told my dad too. She didn’t speak to me for months. I think that’s part of the reason why me and my dad got so close.”
“How did your dad take it?” Melissa asked.
“Better than her. He wasn’t jumping for joy, but he was respectful of me. He understands that it’s not up to him to pick my life partner.” You looked back at her before saying, “That’s all I asked of them. To respect me. He just happened to be the one who could comply with my wishes.”
“There’s always that one person,” Melissa sighs. She didn’t know your mom personally, so she wouldn’t bash her. Not to your face at least. Instead, she opted to give you a piece of wisdom. “You can’t please everyone, hon.”
“I know.” You sighed, matching her tone. “It just doesn’t make sense to me. My dad can do it, so why can’t she?”
You looked at Melissa with sorrowful eyes. You could feel your resolve starting to crumble and that ache in your chest returned. “Why can’t she just love me how I am?”
You were directing the question at her but unfortunately, she didn’t have an explanation. She tried to compose an answer, but her words wouldn’t come. The way you looked at her made her brain lapse. She tried to think of something quickly because she couldn’t take the site of that sullen look. However, she didn’t have anything to say, and that was rare. Her lack of words generated a response from you, and it wasn’t one she was expecting.
“No matter how hard I try, nothing I do will ever be enough for her.” Your lips crumpled as the words left your mouth. “Maybe there’s something wrong with me.”
“Oh, honey. Come here.” She closed the small space between you by pulling you into her chest.
You cried, but it was mild in comparison to your previous round of tears. “I just don’t get it.”
“I don’t get it either,” she said, resuming her gentle back scratches, “but let me tell you something.” She pulled your chin up so you were level with her eyes. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with you.”
“There must be. Why else would she–”
“You are passionate, hardworking, and so damn smart. You always make me smile, and you are a joy to be around.” Melissa said with conviction.
“You are perfect just the way you are. Do you hear me? When you began to shy away from her words, she pulled your attention back to her. “I’m not sure what your mother sees when she looks at you, but I see a wonderful person who is kind and caring. You have a beautiful personality and a heart that is too pure for this world.”
“You mean it?”
“Yes, hon. Why would I say that if I didn’t mean it?”
You could only shrug at her question.
“No, don’t give me that. Talk to me,” she urged.
You could tell she genuinely wanted to hear your thoughts because she had that determined look on her face again. How could you possibly say no to that?
“I know you mean it. It’s not that.”
“What is it, then?”
“I don’t get to feel validated very often,” you disclosed. “So it’s just nice to hear those words.”
“I meant every single thing.” She punctuated her words with a nod.
“I know, Lissa. Thank you.” You smiled at her. “For everything you’ve done for me tonight.”
You leaned forward to wrap her in a hug one last time. You hoped you could convey every ounce of thanks into the embrace. She’d done more for you in a few hours than you could have ever asked.
“You’re welcome. But you don’t need to thank me. It’s what I’m here for.” She hugged you back with just as much enthusiasm, if not more. “I’ll always be here to listen to you and validate you anytime you need it.”
You pulled back from the hug just enough to see her face, and you leaned in to kiss her lips. It was delicate and sweet, but full of passion. You tangled your hand into auburn locks so you could keep her near as you exchanged a few more pecks. She pulled away and pressed a final kiss to your temple.
You ended the day the same way you started it: wrapped up on the couch enjoying each other’s presence. In that moment, you realized you’d found something special with her. In the midst of chaos, she had the ability to bring you back to center. She put things into perspective, and helped you see the bigger picture.
Sure, you wanted your mom to come around, but you couldn’t make her. That was something she would have to do on her own timing—you couldn’t force it upon her. Whether or not she would come to accept you was a mystery. However, what you did know was that Melissa would always be in your corner and that was more than enough for you.
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Hair Chronicles
Pairing: Melissa Schemmenti x Black fem!reader
Summary: r is preparing to get her hair done and Melissa helps her out
Word Count: 4.4k
A/N: Hiii! I've been having major writer's block lately, but I was finally able to get something done! This was purely self-indulgent and not requested, but I hope you all enjoy!
Warning/Disclaimer: While this was written for Black readers, everyone is welcome to read!! I wrote this for representational purposes, but I also hope it can be educational!
P.S. I embedded links of the hairstyles mentioned so you can have a better idea of what i'm talking about. Let me know if it was helpful!
Okay, that's all. Bye! <3
“Hey, sweetheart,” Melissa greeted you with breakfast in hand. She was helping you do you hair today, and you'd need all the energy you could get to make it through the morning.
“Hi,” you beamed in her direction. Butterflies erupted in your stomach as you laid eyes on the redhead. Hearing her call you sweetheart made you dizzy. It left you feeling like those cartoon characters with hearts spinning around their head.
You reached out to grab the food from her, and you two walked toward the kitchen. She made a pit stop in the living room to put her bag down, and you worked on setting the table up. You went to grab water from the fridge, and as you closed the door you felt arms wrap around your waist. The action was followed by her placing kisses on your neck. You set the pitcher down on the counter, scared you might drop it due to your faltering grip.
“Well, hello again,” you chuckled, turning around in the embrace. You were met with green eyes and a smile just as wide as yours.
“Hi there.” Her pillow-soft lips tenderly pressed against yours. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too,” you said in between kisses. “Feels like I haven’t seen you in ages.”
Being away from her made you feel like something was missing. She added to your life in ways you didn’t realize until she wasn’t there. Everything seemed sweeter when she was around.
“I know. I can't believe you tried to cancel on me,” she pouted.
“I believe my words were 'postpone', not cancel,” you corrected her.
A couple nights ago you were on the phone with a dejected Melissa. You'd called to discuss the agenda for the weekend, and she was not happy with your verdict. You had a hair appointment on Sunday which meant you'd be spending all of Saturday prepping for it. Because of this, you wanted to postpone your plans with her. You would be able to have your usual Sunday dinner, but your other ventures would have to be saved for another time.
Your complaint was that you wouldn’t be able to enjoy your time with her because you’d be too focused on your hair. You explained the hours that went into doing everything and how it would be unfair to make her sit through that.
While you thought your reasoning was valid, Melissa didn’t. In her eyes, she’d be missing out on valuable time with you. Time she could be using to learn about you and take care of you. She'd said, “Who said I'd just be sitting there? I want to help.” And when you began to protest she added, “What if you need me to do your hair one day? I don’t want to be clueless. I want to know how to do it.”
You hadn't been expecting her to say that, but you should have known it was coming. Even after you told her how much effort went into managing your hair, she was still eager to assist. She was kind in that way; willing to do anything to make your life easier. You admired her adamance, and you would have been a fool to cancel your plans after that.
“I’m sorry.” You laid your forehead on her shoulder, placing kisses over the expanse of skin not covered by her shirt. “I didn’t think you wanted to be involved in the hair chronicles.”
“Why not?”
“Because you could be doing so many other things.”
“Well, I specifically cleared my weekend to be with you.” She lifted your chin up, locking eyes with you. “You know I don’t care what we do. As long as I’m with you, I’m good.”
“Who are you and what have you done with Melissa?” you joked. She was forward with her affections today – giving you loving touches and sweet words. You hadn’t seen her all week and clearly, absence made her heart grow fonder.
“Oh, stop it.” She nudged your arm. “I can be sweet sometimes.”
“You’re sweet all the time.” You kissed her lips once, then again with the intention of stopping, but somehow you found yourself making out in the middle of your kitchen.
“The food’s gonna get cold,” she murmured against your mouth but didn’t make any attempts to move away.
“I have a microwave,” you took a moment to catch your breath, “and an oven.”
She laughed and tiny sparks jolted through your heart as the melody rang throughout the space. Oh, how you missed hearing that.
“Come on, let’s eat.”
You sat down in the seat across from her and began to open your box of food. “Oh, did you want coffee?” you asked, realizing you completely forgot to make some. You knew she’d say yes, so you began to stand.
“I’ll make some in a minute.” She grabbed your hand stopping you from making any further movements.
“Are you sure? It’ll only take two seconds.”
“I'm sure,” she insisted. There was a familiar glint in her eyes and you could tell she didn’t want to be out of your company – even if you were just taking a few steps to the coffee machine. “Right now I just want to sit down and eat with you.”
You squeezed her hand before sitting back down, unable to suppress the smile that snuck onto your face – honestly, it may have never left.
“Tell me about your week,” Melissa spoke as she took her silverware out of the packaging.
You chatted about each other’s weeks and you told her about the project you were working on. You even slipped in some workplace drama for her entertainment, and you two laughed over how silly some of your coworkers were. She told you about her students and how well they were doing with presenting their book projects. As you ate, you marveled at the way her eyes lit up. You respected the adoration she had for her kids. She genuinely loved her job and it showed.
“How’s Ashley?” you asked. The last thing you heard was that she wasn’t getting along with her aide.
“Actually, I’m growing to tolerate her.” She looked at you with a pleased look.
“Really?” You tried to mask your shocked expression, but your reaction was evident in your voice.
“Don’t sound so surprised.”
“I’m not. I just–,” you paused. “I don’t know. You just always complain about her.”
“Yeah,” she looked up at the sky as if she was reminiscing, “Jacob helped me get through to her. I just needed to see things from her point of view.”
“See, didn’t I tell you?” You’d also told Melissa that she just needed to be patient with Ashley and think about the young woman’s feelings too. Teaching a class was hard work, and it could be even harder if you didn’t have the support of your peers.
“I know, I know.” She held her hands up in defense. “You were right.”
“You should listen to me more,” you smiled.
She rolled her eyes, “I already said you were right. What more do you want?”
“I’m just saying,” you shrugged. “I’m glad you worked it out though.”
“You done bragging?” Melissa asked, giving you side-eye.
“No, not yet,” you smirked, “but I am done eating.”
“I’m never telling you you’re right ever again.” She stood and gathered your trash.
Your jaw dropped as you walked to the counter to make her coffee. “Whatever. The satisfaction of knowing I’m right will do.”
She came to stand in front of you as the aroma of espresso filled the air. She placed her hand on your hip and pulled you toward her, closing the gap. “I told you I’d make that.”
“You know I’m hard-headed,” you whispered, your proximity causing you to lower your voice.
“Oh, I know.” She brought her hand up to the hem of your shirt, fingers moving under the fabric and coming in contact with your bare skin. Her digits trailed up your torso until they were brushing against your ribs.
“Stop.” You tried to be stern, but the words came out softer than you intended.
“I’m not doing anything.” She leaned into your neck, her lips skimming the surface. She placed a kiss over the hollow space in the center, and your eyes fluttered at the sensation.
“Melissa.” You gently pushed her away. “I invited you here to help me do my hair, not to kiss my neck.”
“I don’t see the harm in doing both.” She draped her arms around your waist, feigning a look of hurt.
“Yeah, that’s the problem.” You laughed before shrugging her off. “Your coffee’s done. You know where everything is, help yourself.”
“Thank you.” Her eyes were fixed on yours, and you could barely hold the intense gaze.
“You’re welcome,” you smiled. “Meet me on the couch when you’re done.”
“Will do.” She finally moved to grab her mug.
“And stop looking at me like that. You’re gonna kill me.” You added before walking out of the kitchen.
✦ ✦ ✦
Once Melissa was done, she joined you in the living room. She was met with the sight of you sitting in front of it the couch. Your back was resting against the cushions and you had a collection of hair tools and products sitting before you. Sound from the TV filled the area as you searched for a movie on Netflix.
“What do you wanna watch?”
She sipped her drink before answering, “Something funny.”
“Okay, you pick. I’m tired of looking.” You passed the remote to her before slumping against the couch.
“You’ve been looking for like 30 seconds.” She took a seat behind you, pulling her legs up to rest next to her.
“Yeah, 30 seconds too long,” you sighed as you sorted through the items in front of you.
“What’s wrong?” Melissa could sense the sudden change in your attitude.
“I don’t feel like doing this,” you whined, tilting your head back and laying it against her thigh.
She paused her search for the movie to look down at you. “I thought you were excited?”
“I’m excited to get my hair done, but I’m not excited to do all the prep.”
“What all do you have to do?” she asked, settling on playing The Hangover.
You released a deep sigh as you let Melissa in on the plan. “First, I have to take these braids out. Then I’m gonna detangle my hair, wash it, and deep condition it. After all of that, I have to blow dry it.”
‘Okay,” she murmured into her coffee, preparing to take a sip, “just take it one step at a time.”
“Ugh! Melissa, you don’t understand.” You dragged your hands across your face in misery. “It’s gonna take me so long.”
“How long?” She moved her free hand down to yours, pulling them away so she could properly look at you.
“Like four hours. Maybe five depending on how lazy I get.”
“Five hours?” She raised her eyebrows in shock. Even though you'd told her about the process, she wasn’t aware of exactly how long it took. “Shit, babe.”
“Last time it took me longer,” you informed her. “But I also did everything across the span of a few days. I like doing it that way, but unfortunately, I don’t have time.” Your hair appointment was tomorrow and you hadn’t even begun, so you were on a bit of a time crunch.
“Relax, hon. You know I’m gonna help you.” She tried to encourage you, knowing that you got overwhelmed easy.
“It’s still gonna take so. damn. long.” You punctuated each sentence with a tap of your head against her thigh.
“The faster we start the sooner it’ll be over.” She brought her hand to back up to your face, laying her palm against your cheek. “What do you need me to do?”
“If you could help me take these braids out I would really appreciate it.”
She set her coffee mug down, then scooted toward the edge of the couch so she could reach you better. “Of course. Just tell me what to do.”
“It’s pretty self-explanatory.” You repositioned yourself so she could see you properly.
She looked at you, ready to take in your instructions.
“You’re gonna cut the end of the braid,” you took your scissors and demonstrated, “then you’re just gonna loosen it.” Melissa watched as you removed the extensions from your hair. “You think you can handle that?”
“Yeah, seems simple enough,” she nodded.
You passed her a pair of scissors and said, “The only thing I ask is that you don’t cut my hair off.”
“Oh, God.” She took the object from your hand. “Thanks for putting pressure on me.”
“If you’re not sure where my hair ends just overestimate, but it stops about right here.” You showed her an approximation on another braid. “No biggie if you cut a little bit off.”
“You say that, but I feel like you’re lying.” She held the scissors in her dominant hand, hesitant to make a move.
“I do it all the time believe it or not,” you assured her.
“Okay, but if you do it to yourself that’s different.” She picked up her chosen braid and squinted hoping that would help her to see where your hair ended. “Go in my purse and get my glasses, please.”
You burst out in laughter at that. “Really, Lissa. It’s not that deep.”
“Uh, it is that deep,” she mocked your words. “I’m serious. You know my eyes are bad.”
“You need a purse organizer.” You rifled through the bag in search of her glasses. “Actually, you need to clean your purse out. There’s so much stuff in here,” you said, pulling out a wrapper from a snack she must have eaten recently.
“You’re talking a lot of shit for someone who’s entrusting me with a pair of scissors.” She joked.
“You're not funny.” You gave her a stony look. “But you really do have a lot of stuff.”
You finally pulled out her glasses and passed them to her. She placed them over her eyes and motioned for you to come back to her, but you sat there for a second just admiring her.
“Stop being weird and come here. We’ve got business to tend to.” You watched her lip twitch as she fought the smile that was tugging at her lips.
You couldn’t help but stare, she was just so pretty. “So it’s only okay when you do it?”
“I’m not as obvious as you.” She justified as you took your place in front of her.
You gasped in shock, “You’re worse than me!”
She didn’t respond, instead choosing to grab one of your braids. You couldn’t see her, but you knew she was inspecting it carefully.
“Can you see it any better?”
“Yes, actually, I can.” She took the scissors and snipped the excess off of the braid.
Her actions were delicate as she moved her fingers through your hair. It was much different from the way you handled it. You weren’t afraid to yank at the strands, but Melissa seemed to be – almost like she was scared of hurting you.
Noticing that she was moving a lot slower than you, you decided to share a tip with her. “If you take the two outside pieces and tug on them a little, the braid will unravel faster.”
“Oh, am I going too slow for you?” she teased, stilling her hands.
“No,” you laughed. “I’m just trying to save you some frustration. I know it can be tedious.”
“It’s not so bad. Plus, we’re already halfway done.”
“Since you’re enjoying it so much, I’m gonna call you when it’s time to take out my next set of braids.”
She laughed at that, taking a moment to finish the last few sips of her coffee.
“This is only going by so fast because I have like 12 braids. If these were box braids we'd be struggling.” you explained
“Aren't these cornrows?” she asked.
“Yeah,” you nodded. “Well, they’re called feed-ins. They're similar to cornrows, but a different technique is used to create the braid.”
"Hmm," she hummed signaling she'd heard you but you weren't sure she understood what you meant.
Before you could explain further, you felt her hand run through a section of your hair. The action caused your head to jerk backward – the mechanics of you hair wouldn't allow her to easily glide through. Her fingers were caught in your strands and she let out an “oops” as she tried to untangle them.
“Yeah, you can't just... do that.” You winced as she fumbled with your hair, trying to extricate herself without causing any harm.
“Sorry,” she said sheepishly once she got free. “Did I hurt you?”
“It’s okay. You didn’t hurt me,” you assured her, turning to look at the woman. “We’ll dentangle everything in a minute, okay?”
“Okay,” she nodded.
“Personally, I hate it, but I have a feeling you’re gonna like that part,” you winked.
“Sorry, again.” You could sense some embarrassment as she let out a nervous laugh.
“It's fine, Mel,” you smiled. “You're learning.”
“Speaking of learning, I have a question,” she said, watching you work on the last section.
“About what?”
“You said there was a difference between feed-in braids and cornrows?”
“Yeah, so with feed-ins you feed in pieces of hair as you braid. Hence the name,” you clarified. “When you do a traditional cornrow, you only add the hair at the start of the braid. Does that make sense?”
“Yeah,” she nodded. “So what’s the reason for feeding the hair in?” she asked. “Is it better than doing it the traditional way?”
“Adding the hair gradually helps the braid become thicker and longer. It’s not necessarily better, but in my opinion feed-ins because they look more natural.”
She nodded as she took the information in. “I didn’t know there was a difference.”
“Yeah, I usually don’t get them, but I decided to switch it up.”
“What made you do that?”
“For one, I was tired of sitting down for a million hours.” You weren’t joking, but Melissa laughed at your exaggeration. “But I also just wanted to try something new.”
“You usually get box braids, right?” she asked.
You turned to face her once you were done taking the last braid out. Melissa had her chin in her palm, listening intently, and it made you smile. “Yeah, but then I saw everyone getting feed-ins with all these cute designs in them and I wanted to get them too. I’ll have to show you pictures so you can see what I’m talking about.”
“I’ve seen some of the students with them, and they have heart designs in theirs,” she shared.
“Yes, oh my gosh! Isn’t it so cute?” You tapped your hand on her thigh in excitement. “I didn’t get a design this time around, but I really want one next time.”
“Yeah, it is,” she smiled at your excitement. “I love when the girls come in with all the different color braids. Like right now Mikayla has pink and black braids. And the other day Aria came in with a haircut after she took her braids out, and she was so excited to wear her natural hair.”
“Aww, how cute!” It made you happy hearing about how the little girls at Abbott were embracing their culture. “I love how many new styles have emerged, and there’s so much versatility. Like I can truly do anything with my hair whether I have braids in or I’m wearing my natural hair.”
“I love your hair,” Melissa admired you, taking in your appearance now that you were void of your braids.
“I’m sure it looks a mess right now, but I love it too. Even though I complain about it a lot, I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.” You smoothed your hand along your curls. “I think I’d cry if I woke up with straight hair one day,” you laughed.
You spent the rest of the night talking while you finished up. As you suspected, Melissa was enthralled by the detangling process. You told her your curls would be fragile since you hadn’t touched them in a couple of weeks, and she took such good care to be gentle. After you dried your hair, Melissa was in awe seeing how much longer it got. She didn’t know your hair, which stopped at your shoulders when wet, would stretch to the middle of your back when it was blow-dried. You then had to explain the concept of shrinkage to her – how as your hair dried it lost its ability to expand and be elongated. It never occurred to you that she’d be so interested in the topic of your hair, but you were happy to impart your knowledge to her. You let her ask you questions until her heart was content.
✦ ✦ ✦
The next day, you woke up with a pep in your step. You were beyond excited to go to your hair appointment. Even though you knew it would be a long one, you had been going to your stylist for years and she always knew how to keep you entertained. You could talk to her for hours, never running out of things to discuss. If you ever got bored, you could always resort to taking a nap. It was a good way to pass the time, and you got lucky because she never complained when you fell asleep.
“Someone’s very happy this morning,” Melissa commented on your demeanor. You were practically skipping around the room as you were getting prepared to leave.
“I am! And you should be too.” You placed a kiss on your lips before flitting to the other side of your room.
“Why is that?”
“Because you don’t have to hear me complain about feeling dusty anymore,” you laughed. “Now I can complain about more important things.”
“Yeah, like what? How I don’t give you enough attention?”
She chuckled as you gave her a combination of a glare and a pout. “Come here for a sec.”
You waltzed over to her, taking a seat in her lap. “What’s up?”
“Just wanted to hold you while I talked to you.” She rested her palm against your back and began to rub circles over the area.
“You’re so cute.” You leaned in to press your lips against her cheek. You felt warmth under your lips as a blush rose to her face.
She bit her lip to suppress her smile. She didn’t acknowledge your remark, instead asking, “What time are you gonna be done?”
“I’m not sure, but sometime this afternoon. I’ll text you know when I’m almost finished.” You cupped her face. “Why are you blushing?”
“I’m not,” she said even though her face was clearly red. “What do you want for dinner?”
“I don’t know. I’m not craving anything in particular.” You rested your head against her shoulder.
“Okay, I’ll see what I can do. I’m gonna go to the store while you’re gone.”
“Ooh, can you get me ice cream?” You pleaded, standing up to put your shoes on.
“So I'm your personal shopper now?” She quirked her eyebrows at you.
“Don’t be mean.” You grabbed everything you needed and made your way to the door, Melissa following close behind. “I’ll see you later. The spare key is on the hook for when you leave.”
“Okay, I should be here when you get back.” She gave you one last kiss. “See you soon.”
✦ ✦ ✦
You left the salon at 5 pm, meaning everything took around seven hours to complete. Your neck and back were sore beyond measure, and your body was dying for some food. Nonetheless, your hair was finally done and that's all that mattered. You couldn’t wait to get home to shower and eat dinner with Melissa.
When you walked through the door of your apartment, your senses were filled with the delicious smell of food that instantly made your stomach growl.
“I’m home!” you yelled.
“In the kitchen!” the redhead called back.
You walked in that direction and saw the most domestic sight you’d ever laid eyes on – Melissa in casual clothes with her hair up in a ponytail. She was sipping on a glass of wine as she monitored the pan on the stove.
“Hi, hon,” she smiled, her lips hovering over the rim of the glass.
“Hello,” you walked over to greet her, enveloping her in a hug.
“I thought you were never coming back,” she joked.
“And you say I’m dramatic,” you laughed into her neck before pulling away.
You watched as her eyes wander to your head, and you could tell that she was formulating her thoughts. She set her wine down and tilted her head slightly, drinking you in instead. “Your hair looks so good, baby.”
“Yeah?” you said, trying to be modest even though you knew you looked good.
“Yeah, give me a spin,” she requested.
You spun in a circle for her so she could get the full view, stopping your rotation once you met Melissa’s earnest gaze again.
“I like the brown. It’s very pretty,” she complimented.
You decided to get a pop of color this time. It wasn’t anything crazy, just something subtle that would catch the eye. “Thank you,” you grinned. “Is dinner almost done?”
“Yeah,” Melissa wrapped her free arm around your waist, “it’ll be ready in 30 minutes.”
You opened your mouth to speak, but you were cut off by a series of kisses: one on your temple, one on your cheek, and finally, one on your lips. “What are you doing?”
“Kissing the pretty girl. Is that okay?” she murmured.
You felt your brain go fuzzy at that and you almost forgot what you were about to say “Yeah, more than okay.”
“Mmm, good.” She continued to kiss you until you both ran out of breath.
“Someone's hungry,” She asked once she heard your stomach growl.
“Hungry is an understatement,” you laughed. “Oh, did you get my ice cream?” Your burning question finally made its way out of your head.
“Yes. I almost forgot though.”
“Thank you.” You wrapped your arms around the woman, completing your embrace.
“You don't have to thank me for that.”
“Not just for that,” you murmured into her neck. “For helping me out this weekend. I really appreciate it.”
“You don't have to thank me for that either.
“I do.” You looked up at her. “'Cause you didn't have to do it.”
“What? You thought I would let you do it all by yourself?”
You shrugged. “I mean, that's what I usually do.”
“Right, but you had me this time.” She rubbed her hand along your arm.
“You gonna help me all the time now?” You were half joking, but also curious to know what she would say.
“Yeah, that's what I'm here for.” She looked down to meet your eyes.
“Wow, you must love doing my hair.”
“More importantly, I love you.” She kissed your forehead.
“How many glasses have you had?” you asked.
“I tell you I love you and that's your response?” she laughed incredulously. “Just one.”
“I'm just checking.” You threw your hands up in defense.
“It's not the wine. It's you,” she continued to chuckle. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Melissa.”
#melissa schemmenti#abbott elementary#melissa schemmenti x black fem!reader#melissa schemmenti x reader#sugarᥫ᭡writes
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for a possible suggestion/request: reader is being silly and teasing melissa, melissa gets playfully annoyed and threatens to "get" the reader; reader sees it as an empty threat because melissa would never hurt her and cheekily pushes her buttons further, which ultimately results in the reader losing a very one-sided tickle fight 😭❤️ (though perhaps still "winning" to the reader because 1) physical affection and 2) they got melissa to be silly with them too 🫠🫶🥹)
Speaking From the Heart Pt. II
Pairing: Melissa Schemmenti x reader
Summary: Melissa is trying to get some work done, and r just wants her attention
Word Count: 1.9k
A/N: Thank you for the request, nonnie. I hope I did your idea justice!
P.S. I'm just now realizing that I already wrote a physical touch headcanon. Oops. But this one is cute and fluffy and silly and I loved writing it. I hope you all enjoy reading it. Okie bye!! <3
Physical Touch
You were big on physical affection and luckily so was Melissa. It took some time for you to figure it out, but she was a huge softie. At any given moment, Melissa was likely to display her affection through touch. She was observant and enjoyed learning all the things that made you melt. At home, you loved when she would wrap her arms around you and place kisses on your neck. In public, she would be discreet with her actions, but she still made sure her adoration was evident. If you were walking side by side she would link your pinkies together. If you were in an unfamiliar place, she would place a hand on your lower back and guide you around. She always made you feel utterly safe and cared for, and while you appreciated the heartfelt gestures, you liked to have a little fun every now and again.
✦ ✦ ✦
The steady pitter-patter of rain held your attention as you sat on the couch. You watched the raindrops as they hit the window and made their descent to the ground. Sometimes one droplet became two, creating a large bead that would race down the pane faster than your eyes could keep up. The light rapping of precipitation on the roof was soothing and almost relaxing enough to make you fall asleep.
There was just one thing missing: Melissa. She was right there with you, sitting at the coffee table grading her students' worksheets. For some reason, though, it felt like she was miles away. Her back was facing you (maybe that had something to do with it), but you could almost picture what she looked like. Red reading glasses sitting on the bridge of her nose, eyebrows scrunched, and lips in a small pout as she deciphered messy handwriting. You watched as she tapped her pen on the stack of papers – something she did to help her think. She was deciding which encouraging note that student would receive.
“Oh, I know,” the redhead murmured once she figured it out. She was always attentive and deliberate with her feedback, firmly believing that her positive comments helped her students’ confidence.
God, she was so cute. You let out a sigh, becoming painfully aware of the space between you two. Maybe you could distract yourself for another thirty minutes. Her stack of papers seemed to be slimming down, and you were certain she’d be done soon. You picked up your phone, choosing to scroll through the messages you’d received. Seeing a Tik Tok from one of your friends, you clicked the link before remembering you’d sworn to a vow of silence. Melissa had been hesitant to let you keep her company, knowing she’d be running the risk of you interrupting her. You could only sit with her if you were going to be quiet because she’d lose focus otherwise.
She was already a week behind on grading, and you let out another sigh at that realization. Really, your only options were to sit there and watch the rain or to read your book (something you already grew tired of since you’d been doing it for the past hour). You truly just wanted Melissa’s attention at this point.
“Something wrong back there?” The woman asked as she scribbled dark ink onto stark white paper.
You startled at the sound of her voice piercing the quiet, “No, why?”
“You’re doing a lot of sighing,” she noted, not bothering to look back at you.
“I’m just bored.” You answered truthfully, a slight whine in your tone.
“I’m almost done,” she updated you before murmuring, “What the hell?”
You assumed that wasn’t directed toward you. She must have read a crazy answer on one of the worksheets. Her kids were known for writing down some wild things.
You decided to watch that Tik Tok after all. You came to the conclusion that it wouldn't bother her too much if the volume was low. However, as soon as the video began to play, the teacher noticed.
“Hon,” she said in a cautionary tone.
“Yes?”
“If you don’t turn that phone off, I’m gonna break it.” She huffed.
Any other time you’d feel the effects of her words, but that particular statement didn’t have her usual boldness. She wasn’t the best multitasker, unable to grade papers and be stern at the same time. She’d have to stop one thing to do the other and you knew that. So, you continued to play the video, turning the volume down lower in hopes that it would fix the issue. If she really wanted to stop you, she would.
“Y/N.” She whipped her head over her shoulder giving you a sharp glare.
“What?” you asked, a smile playing on your lips as your theory was proven to be correct.
She put her pen down and moved to face you. “Turn it off. I’m not kidding.”
“Okay, Mel.” You smiled sweetly, with the intention of not giving her any grief.
Then your finger slipped and you accidentally scrolled down to the next video. Your eyes widened and your mouth rounded in surprise. Unbeknownst to Melissa, you had meant to exit out of the app, but your phone seemed to take its own interpretation of your actions.
Melissa got up from the floor quicker than you expected her to, and before you knew it she was walking over to you. The same look from before took hold of her face, and you tried not to focus on how pretty she looked in her glasses. A smile planted itself on your lips as you admired her and that seemed to provoke the woman.
“Something funny?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.
“No,” you shook your head as she walked closer to you. “It’s just– that was an accident. I was trying to close the app.”
She’d made her way onto the couch, placing her legs on either side of your body and angling herself so she was leaning over you. Funny how a few minutes ago you were dying to be near her, but now you felt nervous under her gaze.
“Mhmm,” she nodded, “I bet you did.” Her hand reached out to snatch your phone.
You were quicker than her and swiftly moved your hand before she could catch you.
“Y/N, come on.” She tilted her head and reached out for the device again. “I don’t have time for games.”
“I’m not playing games.” You laughed. “If you want it, you’re gonna have to try a little harder.”
Moments later, you found yourself in a struggle trying to keep your phone safe. Once she realized where things were going, Melissa resorted to the only thing she knew would give her the upper hand.
“Melissa, I swear to God if you tickle me.” You gritted through heavy breathing.
She grinned at you before moving her hands down to grab at your sides.
“Melissa! Stop!” You tried to wriggle out of her grip, legs kicking and hands grabbing at her, but it was no use. She had you pinned down to the couch and you were too weakened by laughter to fight back.
“I’ll stop,” she paused when you looked at her with hopeful eyes, “if you apologize.”
“I-It was an acc–” you giggled and gasped through her attack. “An accide–”
She didn’t even give you the chance to finish what you were saying. If the words weren’t “I’m sorry”, then she didn’t want to hear them.
“Melissa!” Your eyes started well up with tears as you used your last bit of available breath to let out a laugh. “Stop, I can’t breathe!”
“Apologize,” she smiled, knowing that she was going to win this fight. Your phone was long gone, had dropped out of your grip once she laid her hands on you.
Your breathing troubles increased and the muscles in your stomach were burning, so you caved in. “Okay! O-okay! I’m s-sorry.”
After your confession, she stopped as promised. You were breathless with tears streaming down your face from laughing so much. Melissa was laughing nearly as much as you, and it was probably because you looked like a hot mess.
“That was so uncalled for.” You pouted as she loosened the grip her legs had on you.
“It was so called for,” she mocked. “You wouldn’t turn your damn phone off.”
“I tried!” You exclaimed. “Clearly my phone has a mind of its own.”
Melissa reached up to wipe your tears away. “You’re strong. I thought you were gonna fling me off of this couch.”
“I thought you were gonna let me die on this couch.” You looked at her with wide eyes.
She threw her head back in a cackle, “Don’t be so dramatic.”
“I couldn’t fucking breathe, Melissa!” You emphatically motioned to your lungs.
“Poor thing,” she cupped your chin with her fingers. “Maybe next time you’ll keep your phone off.” She moved to get off the couch, but you reached for her arm to stop her in her tracks.
“I think I deserve a few minutes of cuddling for my troubles.” You proposed the idea hoping she would give take pity and give in.
“Your troubles?” she looked at you quizzically. “I’m the one who has to spend the next hour grading.”
“Please,” you whined as she started to move off of the couch again. “Just for a few minutes.”
“No, because a few minutes always turns into a few hours.”
“Please, baby.” You gave her puppy dog eyes. “I’ll help you finish grading.”
At the sound of you calling her baby, her eyes softened and you knew you were about to win this debate. She may be the queen of coercion, but you were also pretty good.
“Fine,” she conceded, “but only for ten minutes.”
She laid back on the couch and held her arms out to welcome you. You happily took the invitation and snuggled up to her chest. You placed a kiss on her collarbone to show your thanks, a chuckle escaping your throat.
“What?” She asked, her fingers already making circles on your back to calm you.
“Nothin’.” You continued to laugh quietly.
“Tell me.” Melissa couldn’t help but join in on the laughter, finding it infectious.
“You’re such a softie.”
“No I’m not,” she grumbled.
“You are.” You looked up at her. Even though she disagreed with you, you could see the twinkle in her eyes.
“You sure you wanna talk to me like that? When my hands are this close to you?” She asked, alluding to the fact that she wasn’t afraid to start a tickle fight again.
“Hey, let’s not get crazy.” You eyed her cautiously.
“I’m not soft.” She scrunched her face in disapproval.
“Whatever you say, Lissa.” She was soft for you whether she admitted to it or not. “You know we're gonna be here for more than ten minutes, right?”
“Yeah, hon, I know,” she laughed. “If you wanted my attention you could have just asked.”
“Well, where’s the fun in that?” You winked at her. “Plus, you were busy.”
“I’m never too busy to cuddle.” She placed a kiss on the top of your head as you moved to rest on her shoulder. “I love being close to you.”
At that confession, you looked at her with raised eyebrows.
She rolled her eyes. “Okay, maybe I see what you’re saying.”
“You big softie.” You teased again.
“Stop it.” She poked your side. “Or I’m gonna get you.”
“It’s okay. I love you just the way you are.” You smiled, sealing the deal with a kiss.
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could you please write a fic of melissa trying to figure out the reader’s love language? thank u love ur work<3
Speaking From the Heart Pt. I
Pairing: Melissa Schemmenti x reader
Summary: r is having a tough time and Melissa uses her words as a source of comfort
Word Count: 1.3k
A/N: Anon, thank you for requesting this! I loved writing it. Also, thank you for the kind words <3 Enjoy!
P.S. I hope you this is what you had in mind. I decided to turn your idea into a series, and I plan on writing a piece for each of the love languages.
Translation: Cuore mio = my heart
Words of Affirmation
It was no surprise to you that Melissa Schemmenti was good with words. She loved to talk, and when she was passionate about something she would let you know. Some would criticize her, saying she was too loud and outspoken, but she had a voice and she wasn’t afraid to use it. This quality is what made her so good at expressing her admiration for you. She would never pass up an opportunity to give you a compliment, encourage you, or tell you how much you were appreciated.
✦ ✦ ✦
You climbed in bed, letting out a sigh as you sank into the cool sheets. After pulling the comforter up to your chin, you shut your eyes and took a moment to reflect on the day. As the events raced through your mind, you noticed there weren’t many high points. That had been a recurring theme for you lately, but you chalked it up to one simple fact: you win some, you lose some. You knew every day wasn't going to be a good one. Still, you found yourself weighed down by the challenges you were facing. The stress of work and your personal life were taking a toll on you.
You were released from your thoughts by the sound of Melissa’s voice. The noise was distant, but it became pronounced as you came to your senses.
“Hey, hon,” she called to you.
Her voice held a gentle lilt, and you would have melted on the spot if you weren’t feeling so far away.
Her eyes were fixed on your posture and she took note of a few things. You were curled up to the edge of the bed, your eyes staring off in space, and your breathing was shallow (not enough for her to worry, but she would keep an eye on it). She knew these behaviors were a recipe for disaster, and she wanted to intervene.
“Hmm,” you hummed, not completely free from your dazed state.
Melissa could tell you weren’t with her due to the lack of eye contact, so she moved closer to the middle of the bed. You listened to the sheets as they crinkled under her, and that seemed to pull you through your brain fog.
“What’s up?” Melissa asked, turning her body toward you as she moved her legs into a crisscrossed position.
“Nothin',” you murmured, wrapping the comforter tighter around you.
For some reason, your vocabulary consisted of short-syllabled words at the moment.
“Look at me.” Melissa prompted, her voice a bit more stern than before.
You could see her out of the corner of your eye. Her head was tilted in that endearing way she always did, and her face had a look you knew all too well. It was the one she gave you when she was trying to figure you out: Eyes heavy with concern, lips formed into a pout.
You didn’t have to look to paint the picture before you, but you did anyway just to satisfy her. Her gaze held yours, almost like she was daring you to look away. It was the softest threat she ever gave, but still a threat nonetheless.
“Mel, I’m fine.” You assured her.
You wanted to speak before she could utter anything else. You were trying to jump the gun, but you should have known she would be two steps ahead of you.
“I didn't say you weren’t,” she stated. Her voice went back to that soft tone and this time, you were done for.
You turned your body away from her and laid fully on the bed. You had a theory that she couldn’t psychoanalyze you if she couldn’t see you. However, that action just drew her closer. She curled up next to you, further enveloping you in the covers as her arms wrapped around your waist. She placed a kiss on your shoulder before resting her chin on the same spot.
“You were thinking it. That’s what you were gonna ask next.” Even though you had no way of knowing her next move, you were very confident.
“What?” She nestled closer into your side.
“That was gonna be your next question. You were gonna ask if I was okay.” You clarified.
She placed a kiss to the back of your neck before speaking. “How’d you know?”
Your eyes flutter closed at the gentle gesture. “I just know you.”
“Oh yeah?” She said. “Then you should also know that you can tell me anything.”
You nodded your head against her chest. “I know.”
“Okay, so, what’s up?” Melissa urged.
While she was eager to hear worries, she wasn’t going to make you talk about anything. She just wanted to initiate the conversation and make it known that you were in a safe space.
“Do you ever just feel… inadequate?” You asked in a low voice.
“Yeah, sometimes,” she murmured into your neck. “Why?”
“That’s how I’ve been feeling lately. At work and at home.” You released a breath you were subconsciously holding in.
Melissa ran her fingertips along the length of your arm, giving you a gentle reminder to breathe.
Once your breathing was regulated she said, “What's been going on, sweetheart?”
You spent the next hour spilling your heart out. You told her everything that was making you feel subpar, and she soothed all of your doubts with kind words.
“You are far from inadequate,” she said in a hushed tone. “You’re so special, you know?”
“That’s really sweet.” You smiled faintly. You weren't sure where she was going with this, but you liked what you were hearing.
She took your chin between her fingertips and turned your face toward hers “You mean everything to me, and I am so happy that you're mine.”
“Melissa, stop,” you chuckled, though nothing was funny. It was a nervous habit of yours that you couldn’t quite shake.
You tried to turn away from her, but she brought your focus back.
“I’m serious.” She stroked her thumb along your jaw.
You looked up at her olive eyes to see them dripping with honesty. In this lighting, you could see the flecks of hazel in them.
“I’m happy you're mine too, Mel.” You smiled, sealing your words with a kiss.
“I’m sorry you’re having a hard time at work,” she said sincerely.
“Oh, the joys of having a new job,” you said sarcastically.
“You’re doing great.” She kissed your forehead. “I’m so proud of you.”
Those words entered your ears and shot straight to your heart. Tears filled your eyes as you tried to recall the last time someone said that to you. You moved so you were facing her, then you engulfed her in a big hug.
“Thank you," you said, swallowing the lump that formed in your throat. “That means a lot.”
“It’ll get better. I promise,” she whispered with conviction.
✦ ✦ ✦
The next morning, you were met with a note on the refrigerator door. You almost overlooked the piece of paper in your haste to get out the house. The only thing that caught your eye was the lipstick print on the corner of the sheet. As you read the words, you couldn't help the smile that appeared on your face.
Cuore mio,
I hope you're having a good morning. You deserve it. I have a busy day, so I'm leaving this just in case we don't speak until later. I want to remind you that you are so intelligent and capable of handling anything that comes your way. I am rooting for you, and I will always be in your corner. Go kick some ass today. I love you, I love you, I love you.
- M
That morning, you left home feeling confident in your abilities to take on the day. You knew her words couldn't fix your situation, but they surely made things better.
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Dating Melissa Schemmenti Pt. II
Pairing: Melissa Schemmenti x Reader
Summary: Just a few more glimpses into what it would be like to date Melissa
Word Count: 2.4k
A/N: Hi, everyone! Thank you for all the support on part one. I kind of got carried away and wrote a mini fic at the end lol. I hope y'all don't mind. Enjoy!
Having Her Cook For You
If Melissa Schemmenti had to spend the rest of her life doing one thing, you were sure that thing would be cooking. She loved to cook. Even more, she loved to cook for the ones she loved. You were convinced she adored you just a tiny bit more than everyone else because she would rather die than see you go hungry. Any time you were over at her house, you were guaranteed to have a home-cooked meal. No questions asked. She was always cooking new dishes and force-feeding them to you (in the most endearing way, of course). She loved having a personal taste tester. It was a plus for her because she could improve her craft while learning your likes and dislikes. You found there was nothing she enjoyed more than preparing meals for you.
You found yourself laying on the couch listening to the low hum of the record player as Melissa’s home began to fill with the aroma of fresh tomatoes and basil. The sounds of Melissa chopping vegetables filtered in with the music that was playing, and you found it to be the most soothing combination. Normally you’d keep her company, but today you decided to give her some space. You could tell she was having a rough day and she was coping the best she knew how. You understood how therapeutic cooking could be for her, and you knew that the kitchen was her sanctuary. Something about being in that space healed her.
“Hon, come taste this,” she called out to you.
You walked into the kitchen to find her standing at the stove, swirling a spoon around in a large pot. It was the most precious sight, seeing her in her element. You moved to stand behind her, wrapping your arms around her waist and resting your chin on her shoulder.
“What are you making?” You murmured into her shoulder before placing a kiss on the area.
“Just some lasagna,” she said in a soft tone that matched yours.
You smiled to yourself at her answer. It wasn’t “just” lasagna. It was never “just” anything with Melissa. She knew her lasagna was your favorite and you found it very heartwarming that she would make your comfort meal even though she was the one having a bad day. You placed another kiss on her shoulder as a silent thank you. You wanted to call her out on her actions, but you decided you would save that conversation for another time.
“I did something different with the sauce.” She said while scooping some onto the wooden spoon for you to taste.
You removed your arms from around her waist and repositioned yourself so you were standing in front of her. You watched as she blew on the spoon to cool the liquid off before raising it to your lips.
She tenderly placed her hand under your chin in preparation to catch anything that slid off the utensil. Your eyes closed in delight as soon as the substance came in contact with your tastebuds. The flavor was the perfect mix of sweet and savory. You let out a hum of approval as the flavors settled on your tongue. You hadn’t thought there was any way she could improve her recipe, but it was clear that you were wrong and that she was full of surprises.
“You like it?” She looked at you expectantly as she took the spoon from your mouth.
“It’s delicious." You smiled. "I love it.”
Her body visibly relaxed at your words. Today, your opinion held a little more weight than usual and she was really hoping you would like the changes she made. Looking at her in that moment, it all made sense to you. The remedy for her bad mood was to make you happy.
You reached out for her hand as she was about to return to the stove. After pulling her into your arms, you pressed a kiss against her lips.
“I love you, and I love every single thing you make for me.” A little sweet talk never hurt anybody and she looked like she could use it.
You pulled back slightly to look into her eyes and saw that they were glazed over. She looked like she was trying her best not to cry.
“I love you.” She said before kissing your cheek and returning to her spot at the stove.
Sometimes your words healed her more than cooking ever could.
Stealing Her Clothes
Since you started dating Melissa, you developed a bad habit of stealing her clothes. You simply couldn’t help yourself. Every time you were over at her house, you found yourself leaving with an article (or two) of clothing. When you weren’t with her, you loved to lounge around in her sweatshirts and sleep in her t-shirts. It brought you so much comfort. You especially loved the items that were a little worn. It showed that they were her favorites and for some reason, they were always extra comfy. In the beginning, she didn’t notice but it became obvious once her wardrobe started to dwindle.
“Hon, have you seen my Eagles sweatshirt?” She asked you one day.
You had to pretend you didn’t know what she was talking about. You had to act as if the sweatshirt in question wasn’t laying on your bed at home. You had fallen asleep in it last night.
“Which one?” You asked, furrowing your eyebrows.
“Uhh, the one I wear all the time.” She laughed at your question. “I’ve been looking everywhere for it.”
“I don’t know,” you shrugged. “Maybe you’re not looking in the right places?”
“Yeah, maybe not.” She side-eyed you for a second before leaving the subject alone.
Over time, Melissa started getting more and more suspicious. A lot of her comfy clothes had gone missing and she was starting to figure out that you were the culprit. You were the only person other than herself that had access to her closet. If it wasn’t you, then someone was coming into her home and robbing her blind. She was almost positive that wasn’t the case though. She got to the bottom of the issue one night while on facetime with you.
“How does this look?” You asked Melissa as you tried on another outfit.
“Turn around,” she instructed.
You turned and it was silent for a second, so you looked at her over your shoulder.
“Are you checking me out? Or are you actually trying to decide if you like it?”
“A little bit of both.” She laughed. “Hmm… it’s okay.” Her voice sounded unsure.
“I know that means you don’t like it.” You turned around walking closer to the camera on your phone.
“It’s not my favorite. I like the other one better.” She stated.
You were trying on outfits for your cousin’s wedding and you couldn’t decide what to wear. You facetimed Melissa to get her opinion and you found yourself even more conflicted than in the beginning.
“Ugh, I’ll just figure it out later.” You huffed before taking the clothes off.
“Isn’t the wedding tomorrow?” She gave you a puzzled look.
“Yes,” you whined, “but I’m tired of trying on outfits.”
“Whatever you wear, you’ll look wonderful.” She smiled.
“Thanks, Lissa.” You smiled as you put your normal clothes back on. “I just hope I can figure it out befo–”
“You little thief!” Melissa interrupted you, pointing at the camera. "I've been looking for that!"
“What?” You looked at her in utter confusion.
“Don’t look at me like that.” She laughed. “You’re literally wearing my clothes!”
You looked down at your attire and realized that you were in fact wearing items that you’d stolen from her. Busted.
“I knew you were taking my stuff!” She shook her head.
“I can’t help it. Your clothes are really comfy.” You said in defense.
“I’ll let you off the hook with the pants.” She said. “But I want that sweatshirt back, got it?”
“Got it.” You smiled, giving her a thumbs up.
However, the look in your eyes told her another story.
She never got that sweatshirt back.
Curing Her Teaching Woes
While teaching had its ups and downs, Melissa loved her job. If there was one thing she enjoyed, it was being a teacher. She was fond of the profession and she found enriching young minds very rewarding. She loved watching her students grow and she was proud to be their teacher. She had a unique approach and not everyone understood it, so she relished in the moments when she was applauded for her skills. In all honesty, she owed it to the educators who impacted her positively when she was in school. She took what she learned from them and put her own little spin on things. She tried her best to make her classroom a safe and fun learning environment. As long as she accomplished that goal, she felt like she was doing her job right. Even then, sometimes her insecurities still got the best of her.
The beginning of a new school year was always nerve-inducing for Melissa. No matter how many times she’d gone through it, new beginnings were tough. She knew she was a good teacher, but sometimes she felt pressured to improve upon her methods. After many years of teaching, she didn’t want to get stuck in a cycle of giving the same lessons and assigning the same projects. She’d had these thoughts for some months now, but they became more prominent as she was setting up her room for the new year.
You decided to help set up her classroom since things were looking a little different this time around. She would be teaching two grades and that was a major change for her. Because of this, you wanted to help her out in any way you could.
You were tasked with organizing her bookshelf, so it would be easier for her students to navigate. You got sidetracked after finding a book that you used to love when you were younger. The two of you had made a lot of progress today, so you decided a little break wouldn’t hurt. You cracked open the book and let yourself indulge in reading through a chapter.
“Your kids hit the jackpot, babe. You have all the good books.” You said looking toward her.
You were met with the sight of Melissa staring off into space. She was supposed to be arranging her desk and getting rid of things she didn’t need but instead, she was just sitting there with her chin resting in her hands. Her eyes had a dull look to them and she was completely oblivious to what was going on around her.
You closed the book and placed it back onto the shelf before standing up and walking over to Melissa. You didn’t want to scare her, so you sat at one of the student’s desks that was placed directly in front of hers. She blinked lazily as if she was trying to refocus her vision. Once she recognized that you were sitting in front of her, she gave you a small smile.
“Hey, hon.” She said, her voice soft.
“Hey.” You smiled back at her. “How’s your desk coming along?”
She gave you a little shrug before leaning back into her chair.
“I’m kind of over it right now.” She said.
To just anyone, this would sound like a normal statement. The two of you had been at this for a few hours, so it was only natural that she’d be tired of it by now. However, you knew this was her way of admitting defeat. She wouldn’t come right out and say it, but you had learned to read between the lines when it came to her.
“What’s wrong?” You asked her straight up.
She would only beat around the bush for so long. If she knew that you could see through her, it would motivate her to be honest with you.
She looked at you for a minute and you could see her fighting the urge to say “Nothing” or "I'm fine".
She knew you'd figured her out, so she used her better judgment and decided to tell you the truth.
“Do you think my teaching style is a little… old-fashioned?” She looked at you with nervous eyes as if she was afraid of what your answer would be.
Your eyes widened slightly at her statement. You hadn’t expected her to say that.
“What makes you ask that?”
“I just–” She looked up at the ceiling as if the answer to your question would fall from the sky. “I don't know.”
You were quiet for a moment as you looked at her. The silence was helping you think so you could find the right words. However, for Melissa, it was too much.
“Never mind,” she waved her hand in dismissal, “I'm just overthinking things.”
The silence had given her too much time to ponder and she suddenly became very aware of what she just said to you. Vulnerability was not her strong suit and she was ready to pretend this conversation wasn't happening.
“Melissa.” You said while bringing the desk closer to hers.
You were now close enough to analyze how tired she actually was. There may have been more truth to her original statement than you thought. You reached over the desk to grab her hands. Additionally, you squeezed them to get her attention back on you. You needed her to be present so she could comprehend every word you were about to say.
“Even if you were old-fashioned, which you are not, whatever you’re doing is working. Every kid in your class is super lucky to have you. They’re gonna leave this room every day with so much knowledge and they’ll be insanely smart by the end of the year.”
When she didn’t answer, you kept speaking.
“I know this year is a little different from what you’re used to, but you’re gonna do great. You got this.” You ended with a smile.
She leaned over her desk until she was mere inches away from your face. “How do you do that?” She asked.
“Do what?” You lifted one of your hands up to brush a stray hair out of her face. You then brought your palm to rest against her cheek.
“I’ve been thinking about this for months. It’s been swirlin’ around in my head and making me feel like crap. I bring it up to you and in a matter of five minutes, I suddenly feel better. How?” She asked, looking genuinely baffled.
“I’m just too good.” You smiled.
She laughed before leaning forward and pressing her lips against yours. She repeated the action a few more times before settling back down in her chair.
“Thank you,” she smiled. She was grateful for your ability to calm her thoughts down.
“Of course, Ms. Schemmenti. Anything for you.” You said lovingly.
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hi, everyone!! long time no see, i know, but i have something special in the works to make up for it (yay! woohoo!!). the dilemma is, i encountered some writer’s along the way, so it’s only halfway finished. it can be broken into two parts, but i’m not sure if that’s something y’all would want. i’m really happy with it and i’m super excited to put something new out.
so….
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Down For You
"Uh...Is Barbara okay with this?" Gregory looked around.
“Oh, yeah,” Janine waved her hand in dismissal. When Gregory looked at her skeptically, she elaborated. “I mean, I didn’t really ask her, but I know she’ll appreciate it.”
“The last time you tried to fix something without telling anyone it didn’t turn out so well.” Gregory had heard the story of Janine’s attempt at repairing the light fixture in the hallway, and how it caused a schoolwide power outage.
“That was one time!” Janine threw her head back in exasperation.
Gregory side-eyed her as he took a sip of his coffee.
“Okay, and the other times after that,” Janine admitted. “But everything always worked out in the end.” Janine nudged the man’s arm when he didn’t respond. “Come on, Gregory. The district isn’t gonna give Barbara another desk chair and you know it.”
“So you want to take it upon yourself to fix it? Knowing your track record in fixing things?”
“That’s why I asked for your help!” Janine beamed. She walked over to the chair and squatted down to inspect it further. “Come on, it can’t be that hard.”
“I don’t know.” Gregory continued to stand in the middle of the room. “Remember the last time we did something without asking for Barbara’s permission?”
Of course, she remembered. She didn’t hear the end of it for weeks.
“She ended up with a broken classroom toilet, and then all of the other toilets in the school broke. And we had to wait for days to get them fixed. Remember?” Gregory prodded. “All because you said ‘Oh, Barbara wouldn’t mind.’”
“Yes, Gregory, I remember.” Janine huffed and rolled her eyes at the man’s detailed retelling.
“I’m just saying.” He threw his hands up in defense.
Janine stood from her position and walked back to the man. She placed her hands together as if she were beginning to pray. “Please, Gregory. Think about all the things Barbara does for the school for nothing in return.”
Gregory tried to ignore how cute Janine looked while she gave him puppy dog eyes. It was challenging for him to hold back his smile. He was fighting against every single one of his natural instincts, and he eventually lost the battle.
“Fine, but if this goes bad, I’m not going down,” Gregory teased. He continued to smile, amused by the way Janine bounced on her tiptoes in excitement.
“Well, I’ll go down for you any time,” Janine laughed. Her expression faltered once she realized what she’d implied. “I mean, um, you know, I just meant that–”
“Yeah, n-no, I know. You just meant, like,” Gregory couldn’t find the words to express his understanding, but he knew her intentions.
“Yeah,” Janine laughed nervously, taking a breath before she continued. “I will take all the blame if things go wrong.”
“You know I wouldn’t let you do that.” The pair smiled at each other before Gregory spoke again. “Come on,” He ushered Janine toward the chair. “Let’s hurry up before Barbara comes back.”
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A snippet of Beauty Marks MS x reader?? please and thank you!
Here you go! Thank you!
“Just pick something, please.” She reached into one of the drawers to pull her makeup products out.
“Hey!” you exclaimed. “I thought you said I could do your makeup?”
“Well you’re taking too long,” she huffed, slumping down into the chair.
“Stop being impatient. Just give me a sec, okay?” You disappeared back into the closet to make your final outfit decision. A few minutes passed and still, you found yourself unable to come to a conclusion about what to wear.
“It does not take that long to pick a pair of pants!” Melissa snapped.
“Oh, relax. I’m comin'.” You slipped your jeans on and strolled over to the grumbling woman.
“I swear, this is why we’re always late to everything.”
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MS x reader; Ouch! :)
Here you go!!
“I think I want a new piercing.” You turned to Melissa, waiting for her reaction. You'd been thinking about it for a couple weeks and it was finally time to bite the bullet.
She looked at you with a blank expression before a smile snuck onto her lips. “If I had a dollar for every time you said that, I would be so rich.”
Your mouth opened in shock, “I don't even say it that much.”
“Uh, yeah you do,” she confirmed.
“Whatever.” You rolled your eyes. “I can’t help it.”
“What do you wanna get?”
“Nothing major, just another ear piercing.”
She looked at your ears, gauging the amount of space left on them. “Do you even have room for more?”
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can i get MS x reader; Kiss it Better for the wip thing :)
Of course! Thank you for the request!
“Did something happen at work?” You sat down on the couch near her feet.
She watched you nervously making sure that you didn’t come near the lower half of her body.
“Nothing happened. I had a good day actually.”
You didn’t believe her, but you weren’t going to press the
situation. If she said she had a good day, who were you to argue with that?
“Really? That's good,” you smiled.
"Yeah," Melissa nodded. She shifted in her spot in an attempt to ease the ache in her ankle.
After discussing more about her day, you noticed there were gaps in her story. She may have had a good day, but there was something she wasn’t telling you.
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