Monthly Poll - What Comes Next? (Patreon)

So... it has recently come to my attention that people would like a bit of warning before the official end of Midnight Rain - and this is the warning.

August will mark the official last chapter of MR, and in September there will be an epilogue. After that, I will continue MR in the same way I continue other stories (in bonus content).

This is marking the end of an era in the HCLU Patreon world... but as the saying goes: the end of an era, the start of an age.

And in the start of our new age (coming this October, which will also mark the 3 year anniversary of this patreon!) will be a brand new Sutton/Charlotte AU!

The fun of this one is that: you get to pick which one it is!

>>> let me tell you - all of these will be written eventually. What you are determining is the one that will be written first!

Sutton/Charlotte AUs -

Lavender Haze - (completely alternate universe - Sutton and Charlotte never met on sapphicspark)

Sutton Spencer is in the midst of a brutal divorce from Layla, is a professor at NYU, and the primary parent to an adorably precocious 2 year old daughter, Lucy. Trying to figure out the status quo in her life, she moves into her new home - a beautiful brownstone... with newly elected Senator Charlotte Thompson as her neighbor.

ft:

Sutton and Charlotte are in their 30s

Charlotte is a closeted senator who has never fallen in love or had her heart broken

Sutton being thrilled that this senator is willing to be a guest speaker in her classes

Charlotte shocked at how much she is able to feel for her single-mom neighbor

Neither are looking for anything serious...

Death by A Thousand Cuts - (Those Who Wait-universe, post-TWW au, a la Midnight Rain)

Charlotte never comes out in her interview and sweeps Sutton off her feet at her brother's wedding.

Instead, Sutton goes to Rome for her internship and works to get over Charlotte, while Charlotte becomes a congresswoman. Everything is going according to plan.

What isn't according to plan, though, is coming home to find that her two best friends are now deeply, madly in love. While Sutton is happy for Regan and Emma, she hadn't realized what it would feel like - once being the glue that held this group together, she is suddenly the third wheel.

While she escapes her apartment (the love nest), Sutton bumps into Charlotte. Charlotte, who asks Sutton if she'd like to have a coffee as a friend, sometime.

Sutton knows it might not be a good idea. But... she's worked to get over Charlotte for over six months. And, for better or worse, she likes Charlotte's personality, and she could really use a friend in her corner right now (a friend that isn't in the middle of a fresh relationship). Maybe a friendship with Charlotte could work out...

ft.

Charlotte being delusional that she and Sutton can "just be friends"

Sutton being delusional that she's over Charlotte less than 1 year post heartbreak

Jealousy is real

*Monica really wants me to do this one next

Guilty as Sin - (totally au - they have never met before!)

Sutton Spencer has finally finished her graduate degree, and - for the first time in her adult life - is out of school. She thinks that her next step is going to be getting her PhD, but... she's going to put that off for a year, take a little bit of time off. Unfortunately, that means she needs to find a job in the meantime.

Fortunately, freshly minted congresswoman Charlotte Thompson is looking for an assistant.

ft.

Charlotte being Sutton's boss

Charlotte in the closet

Charlotte "I've made a horrible hiring mistake" Thompson, as she stares at Sutton