fei

Lesson One: Who is She?

full name. fei cecilia davenport

pronunciation. FAY * sis-EEL-ee-a * DA-ven-port

meaning of name. fei means ‘dancing in the air’ in Chinese. her mother, cecilia, picked it. (and the middle name too, obviously). but she got her father’s last name.

aliases. sometimes ‘Miss Davenport’, sometimes ‘Nurse Fei’, depending on the student/patient/day.

age. 29

date of birth. July 9th

place of birth. Monterey, CA

zodiac sign. cancer

race. Mixed - Chinese/white

nationality. American

gender. cis female

sexuality. pansexual

profession. school nurse

—Starter for @feidavenport Location: Danse Macabre 

Work sucked, his father’s treatment has made the man more irritable than ever, and the one person Lachlan would normally go to to complain - the person he most desperately craved to talk to - was the very same one he couldn’t even bring himself to look at right now. And it was like she was everywhere… When he wasn’t avoiding Fei in the halls, he was hearing whispers about her behind his back. Carter in the English department had even tried to broach the subject once in the break room, but Lachlan had made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that he didn’t wish to discuss it and wanted everyone else to mind their own fucking business. 

He’d actually used that exact phrase, and spent the rest of the day kicking himself for his less than professional language. 

But the worst part about all of it was that in the few fleeting glances he could bare to spare her, he could tell how badly Fei was hurting. He didn’t want to know - in his angrier moments, he cursed her for making it so damn obvious when he was the injured party here - but it was hard to ignore. She was, had been, his best friend. It was hard to switch off caring about her… 

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Tonight wasn’t about rehashing old dramas - it was an opportunity to get out and make a new start. He had already spent way too much on overpriced drinks, and his mind was pleasantly foggy. If only it didn’t automatically steer back to one particular person, he’d be golden… Ironic, then, that he saw something gold flit past in the corner of his eye. He turned, but surely it was just his stupid mind that made him imagine it was Fei. 

The night had been filled with random people asking if he’d “caught the golden snitch yet.” He assumed it was a stupid joke because of the broom he brought as a prop (he was already regretting lugging it around, and if it didn’t belong to his niece, he definitely would have ditched it by now), but maybe… 

With the woman’s back turned, the golden wings where unmistakable. Her slight frame reminded him of Fei, and the alcohol convinced him this was the opportunity for the perfect rebound. I mean, the pickup line practically wrote itself… 

He sauntered over, a charmingly crooked grin affixed in place. “I caught you,” he teased, only for her to turn around, and his breath to catch in his throat. 

.

Most people thought she was an angel. Some sort of golden cherub. A fairy, perhaps. She supposed if she wanted people to get it straight away she’d have had to create some sort of spherical object to live inside of all night, and this outing was uncomfortable enough without the threat of rolling down the hill if she were to fall over. So she got used to explaining, or letting people believe what they wanted to, depending on how quickly she wanted to get away from the conversation. 

Most conversations tonight were dull. Most conversations overall were dull nowadays, but that was probably because (in her grumpy, sulky mind) there was only one person in the whole world worth talking to, and he was currently avoiding her at every turn. She’d seen him search for the nearest exit every time she entered a room, and she couldn’t blame him, but it didn’t make it hurt less. They used to be magnets; never apart for longer than they needed to be, never even a foot further away than was absolutely necessary. She used to joke that if she couldn’t hear his heartbeat, he was too far.

She hadn’t even seen him at all tonight, and she’d somehow managed to have a bit of fun. She’d seen people she didn’t hate, and met people she might even like, and she felt cute as hell in this costume. Overall, it was a good night, for a good cause, and she’d left her Airbnb for hours at a time, and that was enough. She wouldn’t allow herself to be disappointed, because she hadn’t even let herself imagine what she might say to him if she saw him.

But then, a voice in her ear. A hand on her arm. A joke - a pickup line? - from a man wearing round glasses and carrying a broom. And just as suddenly, a look of horror and regret.

You’ve got to be fucking kidding me, she thought.

He was Harry Potter? She’d come here as the Golden Snitch, and Lachlan, of all people was the Boy Who fucking Lived.

She couldn’t help it - she laughed. “Oh, I’m sorry...” she said, between fits of giggles, shaking her head and trying to stop. “It’s not funny, I know it’s not... it’s just fucking... ridiculous.” Taking deep breaths, she bit her lip to stop the giggles from bubbling back up. It had always been hard for her to stop laughing once she started, even nervous giggles like this. She was sure Lach remembered that. He knew everything about her. ...That thought did the trick, and she calmed back down.

“Sorry, I... I was just leaving. I’ll go. You caught me, so... the game ends. Right?”

.

Honestly, Erica had no idea why she was here. She wasn’t exactly the celebrating type, and had never really understood Halloween. It was for kids, to get candy. Adults celebrating it just seemed somewhat ridiculous to her. And yet — here she was. The tickets had been a gift, she’d gotten two of them, and had asked her son to come with her, but he’d had something on with his friends, and Erica couldn’t blame him for not wanting to come along. 

At least that meant she could drink without anyone judging her, other than herself anyways, and that inner voice was pretty easy to shut off with a few drinks. So it was almost like a self-solving problem really. 

She wasn’t exactly dressed up, unless anyone considered black jeans and a navy blouse any sort of costume. But Erica didn’t even own a costume of any kind, so at least her clothes were clean and tidy, which couldn’t always be said about the blonde. 

She’d only just ordered her drink, when another woman appeared next to her, saying she’d pay for her drink. To which Erica wouldn’t say no. A shake of her head, however, at the question. “Not unless they’ve got a really low standard for what they’ve got behind there.” 

.

“They might,” Fei smirked. “I saw somebody walking around with a mike’s hard lemonade, which is either the last resort of a really sad bar, or just a weird life choice. ...That’s not what you got, is it?” 

Fei had a way of doing this. Just completely putting her foot in her mouth within the first sentence of talking to someone. She remembered now why she’d avoided going outside for so long. She took a sip of the beer she’d ordered herself anf tried her best to shut up.

“What are you dressed as, anyway? Olivia Benson? Olivia Pope? Giving me Olivia Somebody vibes,” she smiled.

Hyunmin was always up for a party, no matter what kind. Dressed up as his favourite character from his childhood, he had strode into the Danse Macabre ready to see where the night took him. Squeezing himself into the first gap he spotted at the bar, he ordered himself a drink, poké ball clutched tightly in his hand. There was no way he was going to lose his prop - it was going to be his icebreaker for the evening.

As he reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet, the bartender waved a hand dismissively in his direction. With a confused look on his face, he watched them point to the space next to him, just as a voice piped up. Glancing over, he came face to face with a woman, smirking up at him. “The cheapest, actually. I should have gone for a bottle of champagne instead,” he replied, a grin spreading across his face. “Thanks for the drink,” he added, picking up his glass and clinking it against her own. “Geonbae,” he said, smiling warmly at her.

.

Of course she would find Ash Ketchum before she found anybody else. She considered this a good omen, as well as a nice nostalgic callback to her days wearing Pikachu scrubs - when she was a nurse at a much less pretentious school. Her fears (while not entirely eradicated) were lifted a little, and she smiled as she clinked her glass with his.

At first she thought he was telling her his name, but then she recognized the term. In Mandarin, it was gānbēi, which was similar enough for her to understand. Proud of herself for that, she beamed and countered with “bottoms up!” and after she took a drink, “we can totally come back for the champagne bottle later. I’m Fei, by the way. And I need to tell you how close I was to dressing like a pokeball tonight. So close.”

It had been almost two months at this point since Fei’s life had imploded. She’d been living in a sad little Airbnb since she’d been kicked out of her home, and only went to work and back, avoiding eye contact with literally everyone. But she wasn’t thinking about that, tonight. She was dressed in what was somehow the coolest and nerdiest costume she’d ever seen (a rather glitzy Golden Snitch), and she was determined to have fun, and move on, and not think about Nate, or about Lachlan, or about any of her own terrible choices. 

So she left her sad little Airbnb and didn’t look back. The streetlamps reflected off of her costume and drew more attention than she’d allowed herself to attract for months. It was uncomfortable, honestly, but everything worth doing often was. When she arrived at the Danse Macabre - the name always getting the spooky orchestral music stuck in her head - she fit in rather well. Everyone looked about as wild as she did, and if anyone was looking at her now, it was because she looked great. And not because they’d heard the rumors.

Like most people, she made a beeline for the bar, and decided the best course of action for re-entering society was to do a good deed. So she told the bartender she’d pay for whatever the person next to her was ordering. Then, thinking about it, she smirked at them. “You didn’t happen to order the most expensive thing on the menu or anything, did you?”

halloween ‘21 | danse macabre

It was hard to hear her over the roaring in his ears, but he did. There was a painful sort of heat in his chest that threatened to crack him open. He felt sick. Looking at her made him feel sick. And then–

Loved.

It was like freshly sharpened blade– one he hadn’t realized even had the power to cut him. He’d been stingy with his heart, had thrown up walls around it so that she’d never have the power he’d given Verity. Verity, who had shredded the fragile muscle with her own bare hands. His heart had been a wasteland when Fei wormed her way into it. 

He was only seeing now just how deeply her roots had grown.

Her nod had him rearing back as though he’d been slapped. Disgust burned to ash in his mouth and he found himself unable to grasp at a single thought. Things had never been great with Fei, he knew that. Maybe sometimes it was hard to even call it good. But he’d never been unfaithful. 

“Why?” He hadn’t even realized he’d spoken the question aloud, and wasn’t sure that he wanted an answer, anyway. But it circled around in his mind anyway. Why? Why was he not good enough? For his father? For Verity? For Fei? What was it about him that was so easy to write off? 

His hands balled into fists as he just looked at her, eyes dragging down a woman he’d shared his bed with only hours before. Who now looked like nothing but a stranger. He took a single step forward, eyes locked on hers. Gingerly, he reached out, his jaw clenching as he ran the back of his hand along her cheek. His voice was low, reverent, even as the words he spoke were coated in poison. Dropping his hand back to his side, he said, “I never want to fucking see you again.” @feidavenport​ @lachlan-peters​

**

Nate. It was a name he’d cursed from the very first time Fei brought it up. ‘I met this guy, Nate…’ She had said it so casually, full of feigned indifference the way they always talked about the romantic interests that came in and out of their lives. If Lachlan recalled correctly, he’d been two months into seeing a girl named Sarah he’d met at the gym at the time - they didn’t made it to a third…

Lachlan never set out to hate Fei’s boyfriends (not that he ever met them,) but the longer they stuck around, it just seemed to usually happen that way. He told himself it came with being Fei’s best friend, from hearing all the annoyances and complaints without witnessing the good to balance it out. He told himself that, but… yeah, he really hated Nate. 

And Nate was here. In Boston. Presumably also in Salem. And the way he wrapped his arm possessively around Fei… He knew it without even needing to seek confirmation. Fei hadn’t moved here for him. She’d moved here with Nate. And Lachlan’s name didn’t even seem to phase him. 

He felt sick. He felt like he might literally puke. His stomach twisted and he could feel his heart beating in his throat. The illusion of a world with only him and Fei was shattered, and as the shock wore off, everything around him flooded back in. The cheesy Frank Sinatra music. The garish, gaudy lighting. Distant laughter and worse, the hushed whispers of those closest to him. 

He had to get out. He had to… 

He burst out through the front door, gasping in air as he tugged at his tie, breathing like he’d just spent an eternity underwater. It was pointless, though, because what he hadn’t realized is he’d walked right back into their orbit - a front row seat to a lover’s quarrel. 

“…Fei?” He hated how pathetic he sounded, the way the word came out like a desperate plea, one last hope for an explanation. 

@feidavenport​

.

Fei was still physically here, she supposed. She could feel her feet in these uncomfortable heels as she tried not to slip on the linoleum floor. She could feel the cold metal of the locker she was leaning up against to keep from falling. She was breathing - stale, hot, rebreathed air, but air nonetheless. But she didn’t feel present. Her soul had left her body ages ago, and though she knew she should be crying or pleading or hyperventilating, it was as though her body was trying to protect her from that by ignoring absolutely everything. She probably looked psychotic as she stood there, just staring blankly as she watched the love that both of these men had once had for her disintegrate.

She’d been trying to hard to hold onto them both. To love them both. She’d done it, too, for a while; loved both of them completely, fully, without taking anything away from the other. But it was never sustainable. Both of them would always deserve more.

So at first all she could do, again, was nod. She understood. Honestly, she never wanted to fucking see herself again either, if she were honest. It didn’t hit her immediately that this meant she was both single and homeless now, but she’d deal with that when her brain was capable of comprehending it.

Lach said her name, and it almost brought her emotions back. Something stirred in her chest, more like a knife than a butterfly, now. She blinked, and turned to look at him. He looked back, like he wanted reassurance. Like he wanted her to tell him that this wasn’t really happening. That the three of them were simply sharing the world’s worst telepathic nightmare, and they’d wake up soon and everything would be fine. That she hadn’t been lying to both of them. But what could she say now? Anything that would ease the pain for one of them would inevitably hurt the other.

“I was going to tell you,” she said weakly. “I was going to tell you both. I was just trying to... to figure things out first. There was a point where I didn’t think either of you cared about me at all, so I figured what was the harm in waiting to tell you until I knew for sure? But that was fucked up. My choices were having neither of you, or having both of you halfway. But you deserve better than that. And honestly... so do I.”

.

When he– Lachlan– refused to shake his hand, it felt like all the confirmation Nate needed for a suspicion he hadn’t yet dared to give thought to. He felt like he might be sick, a fist-like vice grip on his insides surprising him as he dragged his attention away and cut his eyes to Fei.

Her shaking voice was the blade of a knife and his jaw clenched as possible scenarios to fill in this truth began to flood his mind. He let her question hang unanswered in the air for a moment as he just looked at her, searched her face for answers to questions unasked, searched for anything he could recognize, any bit of rope he could cling to that the conclusions he was beginning to draw were wildly unfounded. 

She gave him nothing. And that felt like everything.

Without a look back, he followed her, hands fisting at his sides because he felt like a scolded fucking puppy and for what? For trying to make an effort like she’d fucking demanded of him? That was really convenient, wasn’t it? 

Her words cleaved through the air and before he could stop himself, a dark chuckle escaped him. “What am I–? Are you fucking kidding me right now, Fei?” They were alone, save for some stragglers that he could see feet away, and he made no effort to lower his voice. Let them hear. Let them see her for what she was. “I’m doing what you wanted, Fei. I’m trying. I’m putting in an effort and all that other bullshit you tried to use against me.” His jaw worked as he looked her over, could physically see the guilt coming off her in waves, and before he could stop himself, the thought came unbidden to his mind and clawed its way up his throat. “Are you fucking him?”

@feidavenport​ @lachlan-peters​

.

This was a nightmare. And Fei had had this nightmare, many times. The setting had been different in her dream - the house, at night, Fei creeping in after dark, Nate glaring from a chair, empty bottle of scotch in his hand. He never spoke the accusation aloud in the dream, but he didn't have to. Like he didn't have to now. It was in his eyes, like everything else always was. She wanted to be angry, to yell at him, because at least that would feel normal. But he didn’t deserve it, and even if he did, she has no strength for it now. Her heart was pounding, desperately trying to keep her alive, and the rest of her body was a blur because of it. So when she finally spoke, it was almost a whisper.

“I didn’t... I wasn’t trying to use anything against you. I just... I've been trying, too, Nate. The move, the... the fucking bookshelf, that’s me trying... to make something with you. Something real, and strong, because I loved you, and I wanted that for us. I wanted us to be happy, Nate. We were happy, once. I wanted us to try... to get back to that.”

Wanted. Loved. Past tense. Whatever pieces of her heart were left intact shattered at the sound of the words from her mouth. She'd been trying so hard to hold onto both Lachlan and Nate that she'd been ripping herself in half, and bringing them down with her. Maybe the only thing left to do now was let go. He all but shouted the accusation down the hallway, and Fei could see in her peripheral vision the stares from her new coworkers. But she had no room left to care. This dumb job at this stupid pretentious school were the last thing on her mind. She couldn't take offense to the question. It was fair, and justified, and true. But the way he phrased it, like it was something dirty, made her stomach twist. 

Are you fucking him? 

She felt horrible for cheating on Nate. They fought all the time, but she’d never wanted to hurt him. Not really. Not in any way that would actually matter. But she had, and she knew that, and it haunted her.

But even with all of that tainting the memory of her night with Lachlan, she knew she couldn’t ever bring herself to regret it. It had been perfect, and beautiful, and she’d never felt so loved. She wasn’t fucking Lachlan, she was in love with him. She wanted to say that now, to finally speak it out loud, but it would only make things worse. She was walking the line here of too much truth vs. not enough; one tiny slip and she’d fall to her death.

So she nodded. She didn’t clarify that it was only once. That it was months ago. Because it didn’t matter. She’d lied, and concealed, and betrayed him, and clarification wouldn’t make that hurt less.

Trying desperately not to cry, her voice still broke as she said, “I’m sorry, Nate.”

@nate-blackwood . @lachlan-peters​

Nate hated shit like this. It was likely the reason why Fei hadn’t brought it up in the first place, and honestly? He’d almost been content to leave it at that. He could pretend he hadn’t seen the flyer, and if he never showed up, she wouldn’t have a reason to be angry at him for it. It sounded like a win/win.

But then it was her words that ping ponged around his head and refused to shut the fuck up. All she asked from him was that he try. Was it really such an inconvenience for him that she expected a little bit of effort? No. It wasn’t. And it never should have been. 

So that was why he’d found himself in a fitted black button down rolled up to the elbows and slacks– fucking slacks– as he made his way down the halls of the prep school. The place was stuffy, too full of itself in the way these kinds of places were and more times than he could count, he considered saying fuck it and just waiting for her at home. 

But he was trying. And that meant actually, well… trying.

Casino night was in full swing when he entered the auditorium and there was a tightness in his chest as his eyes swept the crowd. He’d never been a fan of crowds– or people, really– and this was no different. He felt out of place, several pairs of eyes meeting his as he searched for the only ones he’d recognize. 

And then he saw her.

Relief loosened the tightness in his chest as he began making his way across the room, his eyes locked on her until they moved to the person she was currently talking to. The tightness crept back in, his jaw working as some innate part of him seemed to view the scene as a threat. They were talking– only talking– but his hackles seemed to raise all the same. Long strides moved him closer and closer, but his eyes remained fixed on the way they watched each other. Had he ever seen her eyes look so bright? They sparkled beneath the lights, nearly blinding as he closed the distance. She hadn’t looked up, hadn’t even noticed him yet and something about that made his skin prickle with irritation. 

Sliding up beside them both, Nate slipped a hand over the small of Fei’s back, effectively cleaving between them and cutting off whatever conversation they’d just been having. He had only a moment to regret not listening in first before he leaned in to kiss her. It was quick but possessive, even in its chasteness. He squared his shoulders as he flicked his gaze over the man she’d been talking to, lingering there for a moment before a smile that did not at all reach his eyes stretched across his face and his eyes slid back to Fei. “Sorry I’m late.” His eyes hardened for a moment before the mask slid into place, some part of him shutting down against what he seemed to already know but refuse to acknowledge. “You look beautiful.” His eyes swept over her like a lover’s caress and he hoped the little fucker was watching. And understanding.

Nate pretended to suddenly remember himself and he shook his head apologetically, his grin too easy. “Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt.” He held out a hand towards the man. “I’m Nate, Fei’s boyfriend. You’re a coworker, I assume?”

@feidavenport @lachlan-peters​

**

The nerves in the pit of his stomach started to calm once she got talking, the warm familiarity between them enough to remind him he had no reason to be worried. This was Fei. It was them. They were, as he had thought so many times before, inevitable. Tonight was about giving her the fairytale she deserved - the perfect night that, god willing, they’d one day tell their children and their grandchildren about. It wasn’t a bad setting, he decided… 

Lachlan couldn’t stop his smile from quirking up involuntarily as she starting talking about work. He’d first fallen in love with her passion, after all, and would happily listen to every idea she’s ever had if it meant he got be to privy to that sparkle in her eyes. Would it be wrong to kiss her now? Before the heat of excitement reached her cheeks? So that he could be the one to put it there? She stopped herself before he could puzzle out the answer. 

A waiter walked by with champagne flutes, and Lachlan picked one up for himself as well before turning back to her. “To new beginnings,” he said, raising his glass for a toast. The butterflies were back, and he realized this was it - the moment he was waiting for. They’d clink, they’d drink, and in the entire room, there’d no one but them. ‘Speaking of new beginnings…’ 

He didn’t get that far. Because no sooner had he brought the glass to his lips, but someone else cut in. It happened in slow motion, like a car crash he couldn’t peel his eyes away from. At first he assumed it was a mistake - some guy too drunk to realize where he was. The hand was easy enough to dismiss, but then he leaned forward and… Lachlan felt the floor drop out beneath him. 

His face fell, a shock so overwhelming crashing into him he couldn’t hope to hide his expression, not even when the man unmistakably looked in his direction, pointed and possessive. All while his lips were locked with Fei’s. 

Lachlan felt physically ill. There was a pain in his chest he was sure was his heart literally breaking. He knew, even before the words came out of the man’s mouth. A numbing, shattering clarity swept over him. 

‘I’m Nate, Fei’s boyfriend.’ 

His eyes raced between the two of them, taking them in, every heart-aching detail he’d no doubt torture himself with later. He tried to look to Fei for answers, for some explanation that this was all a misunderstanding, but could only bare a couple seconds at a time, the sight of her enough to send another fissure of hurt down his crumbling composure. So instead he focused on Nate. 

The man cut an imposing figure, notably taller in a way that made Lachlan feel smaller than he already did. His easy manner and smug confidence reeked of privilege, as did his effortlessly elegant clothes, which made Lachlan feel completely underdressed in the blazer he’d bought at Macy’s. His hand was outstretched, but the gesture looked anything but friendly. 

In the end, Lachlan didn’t take the offer, sure that if he shifted his grip on the glass, it would shatter at his feet. He cleared his throat, blinked a couple times to collect himself, and managed all of a one-word answer: “Lachlan,” he replied, hoping against hope the name would ignite a flare of recognition in him. That his name might be enough to stand against what he’d just witnessed. 

@feidavenport​

Inevitable. It was the word that she'd always felt described everything about her and Lachlan. It had always seemed - no matter the obstacles - that the universe was conspiring to move them together and keep them there. Somehow, it would always be them, in the end. But the word was sour now. Bitter. It rose in her throat like bile, as its meaning shifted to something else - the consequences of what she'd done. No matter how far she ran, or how many lies she told, or how expertly she avoided the truth, it would always find her. This moment, this horrible, excruciating, terrifying moment... was inevitable. She wanted so badly to run. To just take off, and keep running, all the way to San Francisco, where she never should have left in the first place. She'd run straight to her dad, who would never say I told you so, even though he'd think it. But she was a grown up now. These were her consequences. The anger in Nate's eyes now and the heartbreak in Lach's were both hers to deal with now. She couldn't speak or breathe or even blink just yet, but she did her best to telepathically tell Lachlan she was sorry, as she took Nate's clenched fist in her small shaking hand. "Can I talk to you for a minute, please?" she asked Nate, her voice shaking along with the rest of her.  "Outside?" She began walking toward the door they’d come in, not looking back, not sure she could physically handle seeing Lachlan in pain like that. It was selfish, but it was pretty established by now that that's what she was. As soon as they were once again past the giant dice sculptures that guarded the door, she forced herself to look at Nate - however suspicious or angry or upset he was, she deserved to be punched in the gut by all of it.

“What... what are you doing here?”

@nate-blackwood​ 

**

This was it. Lachlan told himself that this was the night he and Fei would make things official. Wizard of Oz hadn’t exactly gone to plan - it was a fun night, sure, but a niece, nephew, and sister-in-law didn’t exactly make for the most romantic company. Sure, his stomach did stupid, silly flops as he watched her interact with Ava and Donovan, and Rebecca had ended the night with an approving nod and wink, but the timing hadn’t been right. But tonight… tonight he’d make his move. 

He couldn’t deny he was nervous, but he tried to channel all his energy into an excited flutter in the pit of his stomach. He didn’t need to worry, he reminded himself. She moved across the country for him… Their coworkers already assumed they were together, and Lachlan hadn’t done much to fight the assumption. When he’d showed up tonight without Fei on his arm, some even looked confused, but he shrugged it off with a simple explanation that she would be coming shortly. He hoped… 

He had managed to excuse himself from a conversation he was only half listening to, sneaking into the corner to try to text Fei to get an ETA. But almost as though the mere act of pulling his phone out of his pocket tugged at the psychic link between them, suddenly she was there, looking somehow more stunning than she had the day before. “You look incredible,” he said sincerely, a bit awed for a moment as he could take his eyes off her. But slowly, their surroundings seeped back in, and he took an obligatory look around again. “Yeah, crazy, right? Bit gaudy, but very on theme. I think they spent as much on decorations here as we had for our entire yearly sex ed budget in San Francisco…” 

@feidavenport or @nate-blackwood​ - whoever wants to take next! :) 

.

It may have been a reflection of the unnecessary amount of sequins on her dress, but something was making Lachlan’s eyes sparkle brighter than usual tonight. He was looking at her like she was a particularly breathtaking sunset, and she could feel her cheeks heating up from it. The last time he’d looked at her like that, she hadn’t been waring anything at all. ...Best not to think about that right now though, in a room full of their coworkers.

She was vaguely aware of the other people in the room. vaguely aware that they were once again looking and whispering and wondering whether she and Lach were together. Only vaguely because people had always looked at them like that. Since the day they’d met, people had asked questions, and assumed things, and they’d always been wrong, or the answer had been no, we’re only friends... but now... He was still her best friend, sure. But it was getting impossible to pretend that was all he was.

“Right? Where does one even purchase a set of four-foot-tall dice?” she laughed. “Ugh. Tell me about it. I had to buy my own bananas for the condom demonstrations, and someone kept vandalizing my anonymous-questions box. I’m going to ask about doing that online here, I think.” Then she shook her head, “Okay no, I do not want to talk about work tonight. I -”

She was cut off by the sudden appearance of a bowtie-clad waiter with a tray of champagne glasses - one of which she gladly took. As he walked away, she said to Lachlan, “We really are not in Kansas anymore, huh?”

“Anyway,” she smiled, shaking her head. “How are you feeling? What’s been going on in your world? Tell me everything,” she said, trying to quiet her conscience when it reminded her she couldn’t do the same for him.

@lachlan-peters​ @nate-blackwood​

This was not exactly what Fei wanted to be doing with her night. Usually she loved events like this - doing her makeup and her hair and wearing something fancier than scrubs for once in her life - but her nerves were getting in the way, now. It was meant to be a nice evening, for all the staff of the school to get to know each other, but if it was anything like the first week of school had been, it was bound to be at least a little bit stuffy and pretentious. The one thing saving it was that Lachlan would be there, too.

Of course, that was also the reason she hadn't asked Nate to come tonight, even though the invitation had said that significant others were welcome. She couldn't even imagine the disasters she'd averted with that choice.

Deciding that she'd hovered outside the doors for long enough, she pushed through them, and through her anxiety, and gasped at the difference between the school at night and during the day. If this was how they decorated for a casino themed staff party, she could only imagine the extravagance that happened at prom.

She knew she should branch out, and make friends, and find something in common with these people, but as soon as she saw Lach across the room, she made a beeline for him.

"You clean up nice,” she smiled, sliding into his line of sight. “Can you believe all this? Are we in Boston or Vegas?"