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chuuyasnumber1simp · 4 years

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All I Ever Wanted- Karma x shy! Reader

ask: Heyyy can you do a oneshot with an karma x shy! Reader please

@anime-allover

a/n: hello! thank you for being my first request! this was fun to write, I had a lot of fun with it, as someone who was labeled ‘shy’ for most of my childhood, I think I got a lil carried away hehe

sorry this is so long! it's more like a mini fic now :/

if this isn’t what you had in mind or want something shorter let me know!

Warnings: A bit of violence at the end, like two curse words

also, this is highkey inspired by the song “Me and My Husband” by Mitski Mitski

People were often confused by your attitude.

Much to their confusion, you didn’t hate people- others often thought you did.

No, you hated the thought of all the stares, all the eye’s on you.

The thought of all those people judging your every movement, you’re very being, that's what scared you.

You never wanted to downplay your emotions, but the thought of being disliked for who you were was terrifying.

Whenever you entered a room, your skin would crawl with how the people there seemed to size you up, like lions looking for a meal. Unfortunately, you were the poor gazelle.

By no means were you helpless. No, you were far from it. It was simply a matter of finding someone who would accept you for who you were, for all your quirks and flaws.

The search for that person was what put you in the dreaded class 3-E in the first place.

Unable to click with anyone in your class, you became discouraged, causing your grades to slip. Going to a class where nobody liked you made you nauseous, and that was your breaking point.

So here you were. Three months into the first semester and you already dropped this low. You couldn’t even muster up the courage to go to the mandatory meeting where the teachers were supposed to brief you on your life in this class. You didn’t see the point of going to a meeting where all they would do was berate you for falling behind, so you simply did not attend.

That was your first mistake.

Mentally preparing for seeing all eyes on you, you opened the door.

You had prepared for a classroom full of kids staring at you.

You hadn’t however, prepared for a yellow octopus looking thing to look at you as well.

“Good morning Y/N! Welcome to Class 3-E, I am your new teacher Koro-sensei!”

Oh my god, it talks why is it saying it’s my teacher what the hell is going on wow I think the floor is coming to me wait no thAT’S ME FALLING TO THE FLOOR-

If you were conscious, you would have been absolutely mortified at the thought of fainting in front of the class, but alas, you were not. For now.

Unbeknownst to you, a certain redhead had doubled over laughing in the back row.

“She didn’t even scream! Just plop face down on the floor!”

The blue-haired boy he was acquainted with yelled at him.

“Karma! Leave her alone!” though, his reply went unheard over the uproar of laughter resulting from Karma’s comment.

Shaking his head, Nagisa walked up to the front of the classroom where you were still passed out, and lightly shook your shoulder.

“Y/N? Hey um, are you okay?”

Slowly regaining consciousness, you tried to look u and see who roused you from your slumber.

“Mom? What time is it-” The face you saw was that of your mother, but one of the kids in your class.

“Oh um I guess you don’t remember, but you just fainted after seeing Koro-sensei. I'm Nagisa Shiota, and uh-oh,” Nagisa paused before fishing a hanker-chief out of his pocket. “Your nose is bleeding,”

Nagisa seemed to sense that you were still in shock about the quick succession of events in such a short amount of time, so he gently took your hand and placed the white cloth in it.

“Your seat is in the back row, next to the boy with the red hair. His name is Karma,”

“And I’m your best friend, right Nagisa?” the boy -Karama- shouted back.

“More like my worst nightmare,” Nagisa grumbled, though from the look in his eyes you could tell he didn’t really mean it.

On shaky legs, you stood up and walked to your seat beside Karma, tears brimming in your eyes at how some of the kids snickered at your earlier display. Fainting had been the absolute worst way to meet your new class, and though Nagisa at least seemed very kind, you still had no idea what the octopus thing -Koro-sensei- was doing here.

Setting your bag down, you sat in your seat, folded your arms, and rested your head in them, hoping to block everything out, even for just a moment.

Something poking your arm roused you from your small mental breakdown, and you lifted your head to see Karma poking you with the end of his pencil.

Looking around the classroom, it was like your worst fear had come true.

Every single pair of eyes in the room was on you, some even pointing.

“Y/N? Were you listening?” Koro-sensei asked from the front.

You swore everyone could hear your heart by now, you ran your hands together in an attempt to calm yourself down.

“I-I’m sorry sir, could y-you repeat that?” At this point, the only thing that could make this day worse is if he made you introduce yourself to the class.

“I was asking if you would mind introducing yourself to the class?”

motherfu-

“O-oh okay, um, my name is Y/N L/N, and if I'm being completely honest, I have absolutely no idea what's going on,”

“Oh? Did you not attend the teacher’s briefing?”

It seemed that had indeed been a bad choice on your part.

“Um no? I didn’t want any more people to yell at me about my grades, so I didn’t go I guess. I'm sorry,” You cringed internally, hearing your voice get quieter the longer you spoke. You swore, whenever you didn’t know somebody it was like some weird nervous person took over and you turned into a stuttering mess.

“It is quite alright Y/N! It was actually required by the government for you to attend, as it explained my presence and your mission here in 3-E, but I’ll tell them you were sick and couldn’t attend,”

You were taken aback by Koro-sensei’s forgiving attitude, expecting a much harsher rebuke.

“T-thank you very much, sir,”

“You may sit down now, I’ll have Karma and Nagisa explain everything after class, they are the most knowledgeable on the subject. This will also give you the opportunity to meet your new classmates!”

You merely nodded from your seat, unable to will your voice to make a single sound.

The class passed fairly quickly, and you were quite surprised at how well Koro-sensei taught. You never excelled in math, but the way he explained things seemed to click in your brain. It was a pleasant change from the fast-passed, stressful lessons you were accustomed to before.

Light tapping on your desk roused you from your thoughts.

“Hey, it’s Nagisa again. Me and Karma are supposed to explain things to you. Do you mind if we do it while we eat?”

You nodded your head vigorously, eating always calmed you down.

“Alright, I’ll pull up a chair and we can share a desk if you don’t mind?”

You shook your head no, and turned to Karma, wondering what his lunch was.

You’re eyes practically leapt out of your head at the four bento’s filled with extravagant food he pulled out of his bag. You practically started drooling at the thought of eating all that delicious food, and you were tempted to steal one while he wasn’t looking. All you had was a sandwich, and suddenly the thought of eating it didn’t seem so appealing.

“Do you want one?”

The sudden question surprised you, you hadn’t known Karma for very long, but he didn’t seem like the type to share.

“Oh I'm sorry I didn’t mean to stare it just looked really good and you had a lot more than I thoughtandimsorryimtalkingwaytoomuchillshutupnow,”

Karma whistled at the sheer speed at which you spoke, and you tuned your now warm face towards your desk, hoping he wouldn’t notice just how embarrassed you were.

The view of the desk seemed very appealing, but what was more appealing was the bento that was slid across your desk.

“Just eat it. I highly doubt that little sandwich is going to keep you going all day. You looked so pale when I offered I thought you were going to face plant again,”

“You’re right I'm so hungrythankyousomuch,”

You ate the food with fervor, relishing how the flavors danced on your tongue.

You hadn’t expected fainting and being given a bento box to be the start of a friendship, but here you were.

It had been two weeks since you fainted in front of everyone, and you were finally started to warm up to everyone.

They were all honestly very nice, though a bit annoying sometimes, they didn’t seem like bad kids.

And ever since that first day, Karma had brought a bento, just for you.

It was different every day, but the fact that he cared about you from the small interaction to bring you food warmed your heart.

Now, you were animatedly discussing assassination tactics with Nagisa, Karma sipping on strawberry milk- like usual.

“You know,” Karma said, putting down his strawberry milk. “You do this thing whenever you get excited Y/N. Your eyes light up and you talk like a million miles an hour,”

You shrunk inside of yourself at his comment, thinking he was making fun of your habit.

“It’s cute,”

You snapped your face up to his, surprised. No one had ever referred to you as cute before. Sure, there was the occasional creepy guy that would catcall you or the pervy boys in your old class that tried to look up your skirt, but that was about it. Usually, it was always you’re such a weirdo, or you can’t even talk right, you must be stupid.

That thought played on loop in your head for days. Just that single comment.

Karma thought you were cute.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You had avoided it for long enough, faking illness, ‘accidentally’ rolling your ankle, conveniently getting a migraine, but you could avoid it no longer.

P.E.

It’s not that you were bad at it- quite the opposite actually.

You just didn’t want your classmates to think you were showing off, and you still weren't a hundred percent comfortable with the thought of killing Koro-sensei. Your parents stopped talking to you after you were transferred to 3-E, so he was the most supportive adult figure in your life right now.

But unfortunately, he had also seen right through your attempt and falling ill today, so here you were, lined up with everyone else, ready wishing this was over.

“Alright everyone, today we’ll be going over flexibility and acrobatics. Both are key aspects of assassination, especially for getting yourself out of sticky situations,”

Great. Now everyone will definitely think your showing off.

“We have bars, a trampoline, and mats to test your skills in these areas. Please begin stretching to prepare,”

Karma leaned over to whisper in your ear: “Dude, you look constipated. What’s up?”

You gritted your teeth in dread, completely ignoring Karma’s comment about your face. “I’m good at this,”

“What?”

“I’m good at this stuff. That’s the problem,”

“I think you need to go to the nurse's office because that doesn’t make any sense. If your good at it, then what’s there to worry about?”

Oh how you wished you had Karma’s attitude, but your brain simply did not work like that.

He sighed next to you, then reached out a hand to ruffle your hair. The action caused your brain to short-circuit, and while you previously were imagining all the different ways this could go wrong, the only thing you were able to process was Karma’s hand on your head.

“Whatever you're overthinking in that pretty little head of yours, I promise it’s not going to be as bad as you think it is, so stop worrying. You make an ugly face when you think too hard,”

“Y/N. It’s your turn,”

Karma retracted his hand at Karasuma’s voice, leaving your an anxiety-filled blushing mess.

You breathed slowly and stepped up to the mats, flexibility being the first test.

Looking back into the crowd, you noticed Nagisa giving you a thumbs up and Karma smiling at you. Seeing them silently root for you gave you a bit of courage, so you slid into the splits with ease, stood back up, the bent into a back-bend. Next was a kick over, then a handstand, all executed to perfection.

Not giving yourself time to overthink and panic, you turned to the bars and performed your moves with grace, just as you did at gymnastics practice.

Lastly was your specialty- the trampoline.

Usually, the trampoline was a tumbling mat, but you would just have to make do.

The trampoline was long, spanning about 20 feet. Longer than your usual routine, but that was nothing you couldn’t handle.

Getting a running start, you front flipped, then, using your momentum, did a front handspring. Jumping up once more you did four back handsprings in a row, backflipped, then as a final move, an aerial. You cursed internally, as your hands flew up in the air in the judges salute, something you did on instinct after doing gymnastics for so long.

Shocked to hear shouts and clapping, you turned to the crowd of students who rushed at you.

“That was amazing Y/N!”

“Who knew you were secretly talented!”

“Could you teach me how to do that no hands front flip thingy?”

“Alright alright, let the poor girl breathe,” Karasuma shooed the class away, then turned back to you. “That was very impressive Y/N. If you could coordinate that into assassination, I'm sure you could go far.”

You gave him a real, genuine smile. “Thank you very much, sir!”

Karma’s POV:

Karma didn’t quite understand the feeling in his chest. It wasn’t like the feeling he got when he attempted to assassinate Koro-sensei, or how it felt to break someone’s nose.

No, this was different. Something he had never felt before you.

The way his heart fluttered in his chest at how graceful you looked. Or how he wished it was him you had given that shining smile too.

And it wouldn’t go away.

He started to notice that after you came out of your shell, you smiled a lot more. Your eyes lit up, and he adored the way you chewed your lip when you were worrying about something.

Karma Akabane never thought he’d used the word adored to describe something he felt, but here he was, adoring a new aspect of you each day.

He would lay awake at night, inside his cold, empty mansion, thinking it would be better if you were in it.

Wondering if you felt the same way about him.

He couldn’t bear to think that you didn’t. This new feeling, one he’d never felt before, was both exhilarating and terrifying.

And he had no idea what to do.

Nagisa’s POV:

Nagisa had genuinely never seen Karma liked this before.

It was almost unnerving at first, the way he looked at you like he was stranded in the desert, and you were an oasis, calm and beautiful.

In all his time, Nagisa had never seen Karma in love before.

To someone who hadn’t known Karma along as he had, the way his eye’s got soft when he looked at you, or the way you could always bring him out of a bad mood would go unnoticed.

But Nagisa noticed.

The perceptive boy had also picked up on how you opened up when Karma was around, how you looked at him like he was the only person in the room. The way that whenever you bumped into each other, both of you would linger just a little bit longer than necessary. How when you dropped your pencil last Thursday, and Karma’s fingers grazed yours, both of your faces turned red.

It was almost hard to watch you both pining so obviously over each other, and then do absolutely nothing about it.

What he did not know, was that his annoyance would be short-lived, because no one was expecting what would happen the following week.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was all because of those Class B jerks.

They had been your old classmates, and you were just trying to walk to the bus, Karma and Nagisa in tow when they had to show up.

“Hey look! The freak finally found her place, among the other freaks!”

“It’s fitting for her. I mean, you can’t be that weird and not get put in 3-E. Forget about grades, they should have chucked her into that dump the second she arrived!”

To say you snapped would be an understatement.

Nagisa had looked over to you, hoping to provide comfort, but the look on your face would put Karma’s to shame.

You flew towards the two boys, faster than Nagisa thought was possible, and punched the first one straight in the face.

Nagisa flinched internally, watching the blood spurt from his nose, as he actually flew backward from the force of your fist.

The second one was already trying to get a hit in on you, and Nagisa could see Karma was about to step in, but he stopped when he saw you grab the second guy's face, and slam it into your awaiting knee.

“Shut up,” He collapsed on the ground, and you crouched down so you were eye-level with him.

“Listen. I’m in 3-E now. I cannot sink any lower than this, so there’s nothing for me to lose right? So I suggest you tell all your little friends that I will not hesitate to do to them what I just did to you. Got it?”

Both shook their heads, then scrambled away from you, clutching their respective faces.

Your POV:

Your knuckles hurt. Punching someone with that much force was much more painful than they showed in movies.

And, deep down, you were scared what the boys said was true.

You were quiet and reserved, and your interests never matched those around you, and now here you were, blood dripping off your knuckles, tights ripped, hair disheveled, and they were right.

You were a freak.

Karma probably only hung out with you out of pity, why else would he?

And Nagisa only did out of obligation, after all, he couldn’t be Karma’s friend and then not yours, right?

You weren’t even aware you were crying until the tears dripped onto the pavement below your face.

“Y/N? are you okay?”

It was quiet for once inside your head. Too quiet.

“It’s okay Karma. You don’t have to feel pity for me anymore. You can ignore me, and go back to how things were before. I’m okay with being alone,” Despite your words, your voice wobbled and more tears sprung from your eyes.

“Hey. Look at me,” Karma cupped your face with his hands, wiping away a tear with his thumb.

“I hang out with you because I want to. Those guys didn’t know what they were talking about. You’re beautiful and smart, and so devoted. I’ve always loved that about you,”

He said ‘loved”

“You looked badass just now. Don’t think you going crazy on those jerks is going to make me change the way I see you. If you think I’m that shallow, then you’re stupid.

I love the way you chew your lip when your worried, and I love the way you always try so hard in math even though you’re not that good at it. I love the way that you adore the weirdest things, like snakes and old music, and I love how you smile at me when you think I’m not looking,”

Crap he noticed-

“And finally, I love you Y/N. Will you be my girlfriend?”

You beamed at him, hearing the words you had always dreamed of hearing.

“Yes. Please,”

He hugged you close to his body, as he could protect you from all the bad in the world, and you relished the way his arms wrapped around you.

“Can I kiss you?”

Instead of giving him an answer, you leaned up and tilted your head so it fit perfectly against his.

Despite all the strawberry milk he drinks, he tasted like cinnamon sugar, an almost bittersweet flavor. He melted into your touch, and his breath tickled your nose when he pulled away.

A light cough from ten feet away reminded you that Nagisa was still here, and you instantly withdrew from Karma’s embrace, smoothing down your uniform.

“Nagisa~ Look who just got a girlfriend,”

“Shut up,” You lightly punched his arm, but you also let your hand entwine with his.

And this was all you ever wanted.

a/n: i read somewhere that Karma’s parents r like super rich so he lives in a mansion????

#karma #karma akabane #karma x reader #karma akabane x reader #assassination classroom #lol i got really carried away #sorry about that

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365days365movies · 3 years

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March 13, 2021: Kwaidan: The Woman of the Snow (1963)

Y’ever see Interviews with Monster Girls?

Absolutely one of my favorite slice-of-life anime from the past few years, and I genuinely want to rewatch it! Might do so after this, honestly. The conceit of the series is that the main character, a biology teacher named Takahashi, is trying to better understand and help with the issues of the “demi-humans” that attend the school. There’s the vampire girl, Hikari; the dullahan (best character), Kyoko; the math teacher succubus Sakie; and Yuki Kusakabe.

Yuki, as implied by her name is a yuki-onna, also known as a snow-woman. Now in the show, she’s a shy girl who’s always cold, and she’s great. But in mythology, the yuki-onna is...different. A tall woman with long black hair and blue lips, the serene snow woman appears to travelers in blizzards, and freezes them with her icy breath.

While the yuki-onna does have a soft side, she’s best known for her vengeful nature. The only stories that I’ve heard of come from the anime, honestly. There’s one with two woodcutters, an old one and a young one. Old guy gets frozen, young guy doesn’t. Don’t quite remember the reason for that. In another story, the yuki-onna is brought in by a kind young man, and she melts in the warmth. I know there are others, but those are the ones I remember.

Oh, and there’s a Pokémon based on this one, too. Pokédex entry says this about it:

Froslass, the Snow Land Pokémon. An Ice/Ghost type. Legends in snowy regions say that a woman who was lost on an icy mountain was reborn as Froslass.

Seeeee? OK, enough background, let’s get to the movie! Film ain’t gonna watch itself, y’know. The second of four tales presented in the film Kwaidan, listed here:

The Black Hair (黒髪, Kurokami)

The Woman of the Snow (雪女, Yukionna)

Hoichi the Earless (耳無し芳一の話, Miminashi Hōichi no Hanashi)

In A Cup of Tea (茶碗の中, Chawan no Naka)

Here we go again! SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Recap (2/4): The Woman of the Snow

We start, well...in the snow.

An eye glares at us through it, eerily, and we’re told of two woodcutters, Mosaku and Minokichi (Tatsuya Nakadai), an old and young man respectively. They travel from their village to the cold mountainside, and are one day beset upon by a fierce blizzard. As they trudge through it, eyes are watching them in the background. It’s extremely eerie, to be honest.

The old man is lost in the blizzard, but the young an struggles through it. As he does, he looks up and sees eyes in the sky, as if made of the moon itself. He finds himself trapped on one side of the river, and also managed to find the older man once again through it all. They make it to the hut of a boatsman, who’s already left down the river before the blizzard. But the wind is strong, and the door swings open as the wind wails, as if a voice were crying on it.

The younger woodcutter settles in for the night, and then OH NO

FUCK ME DUDE THAT’S GODDAMN TERRIFYING

The older woodcutter’s dead as SHIT, frozen by the breath of the Yuki-onna (Keiko Kishi). But she seems to like the younger man, smiling in a way that has scared him and me off of water for life. Like, it’s intense enough that even liquid water would remind me of this terrifying spirit. Same with the dude. But here’s the thing: I can tell you guys about this. He can’t.

See, she spares the younger woodcutter’s life on one condition: he can NEVER tell ANYONE about it. If he tells anyone, INCLUDING his mother (she specifies that), she WILL come and kill him. And odds are gonna be that that’s exactly what he’s gonna do, the great numpty.

She leaves, and the blizzard eventually subsides. The man is found and nursed back to health by his mother. A year passes, and Minokichi doesn’t say SHIT about what happened. One day, he’s cutting wood in the forest, against a sunset that is definitely a set-backdrop, but still looks gorgeous. He walks past a beautiful woman, and asks what she’s doing out there. The woman is on her way to the city of Edo, and is hoping to secure a job there.

However, the two get to know each other on the walk, and start to talk. He introduces her to his mother, and we learn that her name is Yuki, and I REMEMBER THE REST OF THIS STORY NOW. It’s from Tales from the Darkside: The Movie!

YEAH. I’ve seen Tales from the Darkside: The Movie, and I haven’t seen The Godfather, I KNOW. Anyway, the film adapted this story into a short called Lover’s Vow, and replaced the yuki-onna with a...gargoyle monster, I think? Its never made completely clear. Anyway, the same thing happens, where he witnesses the creature kill somebody, and it spares his life if he doesn’t tell anyone of the encounter. He agrees, then later on meets a woman with whom he falls madly in love, and THEN...well, hold on a hot sec, here. That’ll spoil the movie.

Anyway, just like the story, this woman is the yuki-onna. I mean, c’mon, her name is Yuki, for Chrissakes. The two fall in love, and eventually have sex in a field. We had friends over, and I was gonna watch this movie at the time, and it’s a good thing I didn’t because that’d be awkward!

They marry, have three kids, and spend about ten years together. However, soon after this, Minokichi begins to realize who exactly Yuki is. The light on Yuki’s face reminds him of the night that the yuki-onna came. Without thinking about it, he tells her about that night, which he’s never told anybody about.

Here’s the thing, even during the day, we’ve seen eyes in the sky. Because she’s always watching him. and watching his actions. And as he tells the story of the yuki-onna’s visit...well...

Yeah, it’s her. After that dumbass is done with his story, she revealed herself, and spurns him for breaking his promise not to tell anyone, in exchange for his life. And he just broke that goddamn promise. And how she’s gotta kill him, and take the kids away from him as they transform into snow children, but like in Tales from the Darkside: The Movie, right?

Well...no, actually. Because, to my surprise, their kids together is what stops her. Because he broke his promise, she can no longer be a part of their lives. But she loves the children, and also loves him. She tells him that he better raise them right, and with care. If he ever mistreats then, she’ll kill him. And then...

She’s gone. Minokichi leaves the sandals that he was going to give Yuki outside, heartbroken at the loss of his wife, and at his own idiocy. She accepts his gift.

And that’s The Woman of the Snow! VERY cool. Pun...lightly intended. See you for Number 3: Hoichi the Earless! That title worries me! See you there!

#kwaidan #怪談 #masaki kobayashi #the woman of the snow #yukionna #yuki-onna #Tatsuya Nakadai #Keiko Kishi #Yūko Mochizuki #usermichi #fantasy march #user365 #365 movie challenge #365 movies 365 days #365 Days 365 Movies #365 movies a year

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visndcaitswhore · 4 years

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Ephemeral|| FRED WEASLEY

Summary: Starting his first year at Hogwarts Hades Lestrange thought it was going to be peaceful and he would keep a low profile. But peaceful and low profile isn't in the twins' vocabulary, apparently.

ONE

Hades Lestrange was a quite boy who didn't like socializing. Well, its not that he had something against socializing. He just didn't like people and he preffered his own company a lot more, maybe that's why he would sometimes talk to himself, it was the only intelligent conversation he could have.

"In two hours" he whispered, his dark eyes following the tree line that disappeared at the speed of the Hogwarts Express.

It was his first year, he was alone and excited, even if it didn't show through the calm and apathetic expression on his young face.

It was weird that he was far away from his aunt and uncle, basically the people who had raised him along side his cousin, Draco. It was the good weird. His uncle and aunt, even if they never did anything to hurt him, where sometimes a bit too tiring with their pure blood beliefs that had reached a level of obsession.

It could be worse of course, he could be with his actual parents.

Two crazy murderers who were loyal followers of You- know- who. Especially his mother, Bellatrix, he had never met the woman but he knew two things about her:

One, they looked alike and two, she was bonkers and not in the fun way.

He followed the outlines of the mountains in peaceful silence and if he knew that those would propably be the only silent and peaceful moments of his school year then he woud have cherished them a lot more. Or locked the door to the comparment

But he didnt, and the twin red heads stormed in without a warning, slamming the door behind them.

Alarmed he watched the copies of the same person take a peek outside, they were obviously running from something. They exchanged a look, wide smiles adorning their features.

"Reckon they lost us, George?" asked one the other

"Probably" answered George as they moved to take the seat across Hades who kept following their movements, buffled.

The person who was not George finally acknowladge the dark haired boy "You don't mind, do you mate?"

Buffled, anxious and angry where three very strong emotions to feel at once and Hades feared he would overload. Which he probably had since he just furrowed his eyebrows at George and not-George, who copied his actions.

"I think he is broken" whispered George to Not-George

Oh, honey, you have no idea, he wanted to say but of course he would never say such a thing outloud since he avoided saying things altogether.

"Hi" Not George said a bit too loudly with an overexaggerated wave but Hades gave no reaction. Undaunted, he continued "I'm Fred" he pointed to himself "And this is George" he pointed at his doppelganger who gave a slight wave. "What's your name?"

In spite of himself Hades managed to say his name back, well, more like whisper it weakly. Too weakly for the twins to catch.

"What was that?"

"Hades" he said a bit more loudly, his nails diggings at the skin of his seat.

This time Fred smiled "Hades? Thats a cool name, right, George?"

His twin nodded.

Overwhelmed, Hades said a small thank you before gathering his hands on his lap, focusing all his attention to them.

The twins decided to let him be, or so he thought.

"What should we do for the dinner tonight?" laughed one twin

"Maybe smoke bombs?"

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea, what do you say Hades?"

He was naive, far too naive to think that they would just give him a few peaceful moments.

"Wh... What?" he stuttered looking up from his hands at the twins smiling, eager faces.

"You say smoke bombs as well?"

"For what?"

"The prank, of course!" they said in unison, kinda scaring Hades.

"Why would you want to prank someone?"

The twins exchanged looks before looking back at him incrediously "For fun, obviously."

That unison thing is something that Hades found really weird.

"Don't you-" started one twin

"-like pranks?" finished the other

Hades had to ask, How the fuck did they do that?

"I've never pranked anyone before, why do you do it?"

"Because we can"

"And because its fun"

"Now, smoke bombs, or not?"

And in spite of himself, he answered and that was the start of a great friendship that lasted a total of two hours, forty three minutes and eigth seconds.

The twins and Hades exited the now stoped train running while the candy lady screamed at them, yet they didn't care, for they were laughing and Hades couldn't remember a time where his stomach hurt so much from laughter, he had never laughed that much in his entire life.

The company of three came into a stop behind some students as a huge man was leading them. Exhausted, Hades realized something else, he had never run that much in his entire life either.

"Blimey mate, you seriously need some exercise" Fred said patting him in the back as Hades leaned forward, with his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath. The dark haired boy found the strength to raise his hand and flip him off.

"How are you fine after that?"

"Well, we obviously work out. I mean, look out those muscles" the twins flexed their arms trying to show their very non existant muscles to Hades causing him to laugh only to clutch his chest in pain

"Stop being funny"

"Impossible-"

"-its in our nature"

"Alright everyone, move along" called the huge man

Hades, who was now seeing white spots, whispered "Santa?"

"Okay, grab him" Fred instructed George. So, they grabbed him by his sides leading him to one of the boats.

"Put me down, gently"

They threw him in.

"I said gently!"

He got up mastering all the balance he could since under his feet there was a very unstable boat, and sat down on one of the seats as the twins followed suit, along with another boy.

"Oh, don't be angry, Hadie."

"Maybe he isn't angry, Fred, maybe he is afraid of the water."

"Ohhh" cooed Fred, taking the seat next to him" Don't worry, I'll hold you hand all the way to the safe, and stable earth."

And so he did, he took Hades hand to his own even if Hades threatened to throw him in the lake to drown. But Fred continued holding his hand without a care as he opened a conversation with his twin and the other boy who had very politely introduced himself as Lee Jordan.

"Hi" Hades greeted still trying to get his arm free from Fred's iron hold with no luck,

"Fred, let go this instant"

"Mmm, no"

And so, tired and angry as he was, Hades gave up and instead turned his attention to the water of the lake. It was pretty late so the water was very dark almost pitch black, and the only thing that broke the stillness of the waters where the boats that were occupied by students. And a tail.

Hades could have been mistaken but he knew he wasn't, he saw it.

"Fred" he squeezed his hand softly

"For the hundreth time, Hades, I'm not letting go"

"No, idiot, look" he motioned with his head towards where he had last seen the tail.

"Yeah, uh, looking...." he trailed off

"Just wait a second, will you?"

With an impatient huff Fred rested his chin on Hades shoulder as they both looked around the spot. And just when Fred started questioning his new friends sanity, he saw it too.

"Bloody hell..."

He turned to lock eyes with Hades who was giving him a 'told ya so' look

"And you thought I was crazy"

"Never said that" the red head smile, mischieviously

"Yeah but you thought about it"

"My bad"

"Hey, what are you two love birds talking about?" called Lee who was talking with George while Fred and Hades were on their little mermaid observation time.

"Nothing" they said, for some reason not really wanting to mention what happened not wanting to hide it. It's just wasn't necessary for everyone to know...

"See Hades? Told ya, you would be safe" said Fred as they got off the boat

"Yeah, yeah, can you let go now?"

Fred faked a pout letting go of his hand "You don't love me"

"Damn right I don't"

He made an overexaggerated gasp, placing his hand on his chest "That was just rude, young man"

Hades couldn't help but giggle, shaking his head at his friends antics "Come on, idiot"

"Can I hold your hand again?"

"No"

Being shoved away in a small chamber by a stern looking professor is defintely not what Hades had in mind when he heard of Hogwarts famous reputation. The first years were too many for the small chamber to the point where Hades was sandwiched between the twins. Trying to create some distance between them Hades took two steps behind only to step on somebody's toes

"Sorry" he hurriedly said, moving forward. This time stumbling into somebody else. Looking up he found Fred "Sorry"

"Don't worry about it" assured the taller boy putting his hands on his shoulders softly, to keep him in place and still create some distance between their bodies. The stern looking teacher, wh had been explaining Hogwarts' sorting ceremony finally mentioned the one thing that the new pupils where actually interested in;

"You will be sorted into your houses. The houses are, Gryffindor,"

The twins looked at each other in glee and excitement

"Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin"

Hades raised his chin, something the twins missed as they were too busy looking forward to be sorted in their house.

Finally, they moved in the great hall and Hades had to admit that maybe, Hogwarts reputation was well earned. It was a majestic sight with hunderds of thousands of candles guiding their way with the soft and warm flicker of their fire. But the candles that were floating in the air was not what caught Hades' attention, nor was it the size of the room filled with four large tables at where students were seatting looking forward to the sorting in anticipation.

No, what caught his attention was the ceiling, which didn't resemble any ceiling he had ever seen for this one reflected the night sky, filled with stars and the moon, not one cloud in sight.

He could get used to this, he thought.

"Man, I'm excited" he heard Lee Jordan say towards them, capturing the dark haired boys attention.

"Same"

"But we already know what house we will be sorted into" Fred said cockily

Hades arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms, a smile playing on his lips "Care to reveal, you highness?"

"It's classified information-" started George, putting a hand around Hades shoulders

"But since we like you-" Fred put his own arm around Hades shoulders

"We'll tell you"

Lee and Hades exchanged glances, seemingly tired of the twins' antics.

"There is no question about it," they continued " Gryffindor"

The youngest Lestrange scoffed "How so?"

"Well, its the best house, of course. Courageous, and they have a badass lion as a symbol."

"Not like those cowards in Slytherin" continued Fred, glaring at the Slytherin table, too occupied to notice Hades unfold his arms "They are horrible, mom says, full of snakes that one. Back stabbing selfish cowards who care about no one other than themselves"

Another thing he should have noticed, but was too busy to do so, was Hades slowly narrowing his eyes at them

"Wouldnt want to associate myself with these ones"

"They wouldn't want you, George, they have very high standards. You have to be as disgusting as them" the twins and Lee started laughing but Hades wasn't in the mood to laugh anymore, or be around them. Instead, he took notice of the arms the twins still had draped over his shoulders and with a swift movement he knocked them away.

Their laughter stopped "Oi, mate, what's-" Fred started but he was cut off when he found himself under Hades cold gaze

"Hades Lestrange"

Without breaking his stare Hades scoffed "Honestly" before making his way towards the stool where the professor was waiting with the Sorting Hat.

Confidently he took his place on the stool and the hat was placed on his head for no more than six seconds when it screamed "SLYTHERIN"

The Slytherin table started clapping and with the same hautly confidence that was almost natural in his family and house he started walking towards his rightful place but not before he looked at his previous companions who seemed shocked and betrayed. He smirked, flipping them off and didn't pay them any mind for the rest of the night.

A friendship that was made in a matter of minutes was crushed in a matter of minutes as well. For that was it's worth. Worthless, to be more precise.

12 notes · View notes

peachybowen · 4 years

Text

stupid • r.b

series masterlist

pt.1 pt.2

pairing: ricky bowen x reader

warnings: swearing? cliche things? My writing?

songs: I think you kinda, you know by Joshua Bassett, Start of Something New by Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron

words: 3.6k

A/N: this is my first time posting/writing on Tumblr! I hope u enjoy xx

italics= little scenes? (like the scene where Ricky says: „this is a nightmare. Love is dead.”) :)

crossed words is when they usually turn to the camera you know :))

There may also be a few mistakes but I tried my best! :)

Junior year. Another year sitting in a classroom full of teenagers. Also another year of creating memories with my two best friends, Ricky and Big Red. Ricky Bowen, the cutest boy you will ever meet. Trust me on this he's so cute I-

,,Today's the day guys. It's happening.'' Ricky stated excited while nudging my shoulder. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

,,Hell yeah. Junior year, baby'' Big Red replied just as excited as Ricky.

,,Might grow a mustache. Might do a lot of things.'' he continued with a grin on his face. I just kept on walking between the two idiots.

,,Dude, I'm talking about Nini.'' Ricky said with a smile. The smile on my face was now replaced by a frown. I grabbed my backpack straps and continued walking.

,,Today's the day we start over.'' Ricky explained.

While we were walking down the stairs of East High School, Ricky said something about him and Nini texting and her sounding mutual.

,,Nothing about bad news or needing to have a big talk. Just ,,Hey.'' That's good right?'' the boy continued and turned his head to me. I just shrugged.

,,Summers are no man's land, Ricky. I don't know what ''Hey.'' means and neither does Y/N or you.'' Big Red sighed and started to walk faster.

,,I think it's good.'' Ricky breathed out and sent a smile my way which i obviously returned. Soon after we actually found Nini by her locker talking to her best friend, Kourtney. We said our hellos and it was silent for a second.

,,Can we talk?'' Nini asked and turned to look at Ricky. He looked shocked.

,,I met somebody else at camp. I didn't plan-'' she tried to explain but Ricky interuppted her asking if it was a joke. They both didn't seem to care that we stood there watching the scene unfold in front of us.

,,Still talking here.'' Nini snapped and continued.

,,I didn't plan for it to happen but it happened. He was the Music Man, I was Marian, the librarian. It's called a showmance.'' she finished looking her, now ex boyfriend, straight in the eyes.

,,Wait, you went to librarian camp? That's a thing?'' the red headed boy beside me asked. I looked at him and nudged him so he would stop asking dumb questions.

,,Please tell me you're joking.'' Ricky wailed. I could literally see the hurt in his eyes.

,,I'm not.'' Big Red and Nini replied at the same time. I kicked Big Red this time to finally shut him up.

,,Come on, Ricky you know what you did! Or you didn't do.'' Nini pointed out. I knew what she was referring to. The night she told him that she loved him. Ricky came over that night explaining everything and that he wasn't ready to say the L-Word yet. It was the night where I realized how I really felt for him. We played 'Just Dance' all night and my goal was honestly just to make him happy. He was so stressed and worried. I just wanted him to have fun and forget about all that Nini stuff, even if it just was for 5 minutes.

,,Good morning, students. Please make your way to the gym for our annual back-to-school kickoff.'' a teacher announced trough the speakers. Nini was about to leave when Ricky spoke up again.

,,I don't belive this. You're blowing me off for some theater punk you met four weeks ago? At a lake?'' Ricky asked still in disbelief that he was getting dumped.

,,You kinda dumped me!'' the girl snapped back.

,,It was a break. It wasn't a break-up.'' he corrected. At this point it was hard to watch. It was awkard standing there, watching the drama onfold in front of my eyes but I didn’t want to leave Ricky alone.

,,I'm sorry Ricky but it is a break-up now.''

,,Pop off girl.'' Kourtney, Nini's best friend, commented. Me and Big Red turned to look at her.

,,Stay out of it, Kourtney.'' Big Red hissed.

,,I'm dismantling the patriarchy this year, and I'm not afraid to start with you.'' Kourtney threatend before Nini left with her. I turned to look at Ricky who was frozen in his place.

We were sitting in the Gym soon after the whole agrument. The kickoff was boring.

,,And I am also pleased to announce that this year, seniors will be allowed to wear baseball hats on Fridays.'' the principal announced. Everyone just looked at him not saying a word. Well besides that one girl who screamed: ,,Go seniors!''. The principal continued a few seconds later.

,,And now for a special introduction. This year, East High has a new drama teacher with an announcement that she swore, in writing, would not cost too much money.'' he said and gestured to a woman who was sitting in the front. Everything was silent again. Nobody clapped besides two students.

,,Why? Why do things have to change?'' Ricky asked staring at Nini who was sitting two or three rows in front of him. We turned our heads to look at a heart broken Ricky.

,,Some things never change.'' I replied in a whisper, smiling when he turned to look at me.

,,I've been wearing the same socks for three days.'' Big Red added with a shrug. I looked down at his feet for a second and gagged dramatically. Big Red just smiled and turned his attention back to the new drama teacher. I did the same.

,,My name is Miss Jenn, and when I heard that the high school where High School Musical was shot had never staged a production of High School Musical, the musical, I was shocked as an actress, inspired as a director, and triggered as a millennial.'' she explained. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion for the second time that day.

Millennial?

,,Auditions are tomorrow after school.'' Ms. Jenn continued and looked around.

,,This show could change your lives, and I'm saying this as a background dancer from the original movie. Third from the left, back row, red headband, and those are my real teeth.'' she exclaimed happily. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Nini nudging Kourtney to indirectly say that she was gonna audition. After that she introduced us to the student Choreograph, Carlos.

Sitting at our usual table at lunch and talking about Nini was one thing, but seeing Nini being all lovie dovie with my big brother was another. And if your wondering, no, he didn't tell me that he was dating Nini. Normally he told me everything but he just decided to not tell me that he started dating the ex-girlfriend of my best friend.

,,Dude are you seeing this?'' Red asked, looking at my brother and Nini, and then back to Ricky who was looking at them as well.

,,I'm seein' it, I'm hearin' it, I'm hatin' it.'' he replied and turned to me.

,,Did you know?'' he asked with a semi angry expression on his face.

,,What? No! And you know that I would have told you if I did.'' I replied looking at him.

,,I can't believe it.'' Red muttered still watching the couple.

,,She's dating my brother.'' I mumbled turning my gaze to them as well.

,,Yes. I have eyes'' Ricky growled, clearly being annoyed.

,,Co-captain of the water polo team. Senior class treasurer.'' Red listed eating his food.

,,That's correct.'' Ricky mumbled still annoyed as shit.

,,What are the odds that the guy she hooks up with at camp goes to East High?'' the red head asked not knowing that he is annoying Ricky more and more.

,,Apparently, the odds are exceptionally good.'' Ricky snapped and I decided to show a bit sympathy.

,,I'm sorry Ricky.''

The curly haired boy turned to face me.

,,What are you gonna do?'' I asked him.

,,I don't know.'' he sighed, stood up and left, leaving me with Big Red.

,,Ok is there something you wanna tell me?'' I asked as soon as I arrived at home. EJ was sitting on the couch and was on Instagram, as always.

,,What do you mean?'' he asked looking up from his phone.

,,Oh I don't know maybe you getting a new girlfriend who was the girlfriend of my best friend by the way. How about that?'' I hinted with a mad look on my face.

,,Oh that. Yeah I'm dating Nini.'' he simply said, turning his attention to his phone again shortly after. I went to the couch and sat down beside him.

,,Why didn't you tell me?''

,,Nini told me not to say anything. She wanted to sort things out with Ricky first, you know.'' he replied turning his phone off. My gaze softened.

,,Oh.'' I simply whispered.

,,Yeah, I'm sorry. Anyways, are you auditioning?''

,,Of course EJ.'' I answered with a smile.

,,For what part?'' he asked further.

I crossed my legs before answering.

,,Probably Taylor.''

My phone rang just as EJ was about to reply. I picked up my phone and saw that Ricky was calling me. I didn't think twice and picked up.

,,Hello?''

,,Hi, Y/N. It's Ricky. Meet me at Big Red's House. Now!'' was all he said before he hung up. I stood up and sent an apologetic smile towards my big brother before grabbing his car keys and my shoes.

,,I'm taking your car! Love you!'' I yelled before closing the door and running to the car.

,,Okay, I know it's crazy, dude, but she has to see me in a whole new light.'' Ricky explained while I was sitting on a chair and Big Red was playing a videogame.

,,But we hate musicals.'' Red argued, still focused on his game.

,,I don't.'' I chimed in, rolling my eyes at Big Red's argument.

,,I just think it's weird when people, like, burst into song in the middle of the street.'' Ricky stated, paching around in the room.

,,That is a musical.'' I retorted, looking at my best friend.

,,Okay, look. I'm auditioning for this thing tomorrow, and nothing is gonna stop me.'' he declared.

,,Do you even know the plot of High School Musical?''

,,Of course! It's about Zac Efron dancing with a basketball.''

,,Wrong. It's about the character, Troy, having to choose between being true to his friend, Chad, or following his heart with Gabriella.'' I corrected with a smirk.

,,The point is, you're out of your league here, man. You can't pull this off.''

Ricky looked at his male best friend.

,,Yeah?'' he asked.

,,Yes.''

And with that, Ricky grabbed his Skateboard and left without saying another word.

The next day was uneventful. I was nervous because of the auditions but I got through the day without having to throw up.

,,People make sure you audition number is clearly visible on your clothes. This isn't a game.'' Carlos yelled as he walked passed me. I looked down to see my audition number. Number 5. I smiled and went to talk to my brother.

,,You know, I'm actually kinda bummed that we don't have any competition here. It would make getting the leads all the sweeter.'' he said to Nini and I rolled my eyes playfully and sat down on a chair.

,,Could you stop tempting fate?'' Nini asked with a laugh and looked at her boyfriend. EJ looked back at her and grinned. I never felt more single in my life.

,,You know what? You're right.'' she continued turning her head back to the mirror in front of her. I was about to say something but Ms.Jenn knocked on the door.

,,Okay, theater people. Let's do this!''

Everyone started cheering and got up from their chairs. The smile on my face grew and I turned to my brother.

,,Good luck!'' I said and hugged him.

,,Good luck! I love you.'' he replied and hugged me back.

,,I love you more.'' was all I said before I left the room.

We all got on stage and Ms. Jenn told us to pair up with someone who wasn't our friend. That's when I realized that Ricky wasn't there. I sighed and paired up with Ashlyn. I know that Ms.Jenn said to not pair up with a friend but she did not say to not pair up with your cousin.

We all lined up and chatted till Miss Jenn started walking down the line of students. She stopped in front of a boy.

,,I'd love you to read for Ryan.''

,,You are giving major Taylor vibes.'' she said to the next girl. The next in line was Ashlyn.

,,You. You're giving me uncommon depth. Ms.Darbus?''

I looked at Ashlyn and she started smiling.

,,I'm dying. I'm deceased. Yes.'' Ashlyn replied, still smiling happily.

,,Oh. Your application says you play the piano.''

,,I dabble.''

,,You ever written a song?'' Ms.Jenn asked with a curios look.

,,Nothing I've ever shared with anyone.''

,,I always thought the drama teacher should have an Act Two power ballad. We'll sidebar.'' was all the blonde teacher said before she stood in front of me.

,,Gabriella.''

I looked at her and shook my head slowly.

,,No. I'm actually here to audition for Taylor.'' I answered a small smile forming on my lips.

,,Oh, ok.'' was all she said before she continued walking down the line.

Ricky still didn't show up and I really thought he just decided not to audition last minute. I was sitting on stage with the others. It was EJ's time to audition.

,,Okay, what do I need to know?'' Ms. Jenn whispered to Carlos.

,,EJ Caswell. Big brother of Y/N Caswell, most Instagram followers. Wakes up looking like that-'' was all I could hear from their little conversation. Soon after EJ started singing 'Start of Something New’ while Seb played the piano.

,,Well, excuse me. Armie Hammer called. He wants his jawline back.'' The female teacher joked with a bright smile on her face. I sent a smile towards him which he returned.

,,Moving on with the Taylor's and after that we're gonna continue with the Gabriella's!'' she announced while clapping, shortly after.

It was my time to audition and, boy was I nervous. I was trying really hard not to throw up on stage in front of everyone. Like, I auditioned for plays before but I wasn't like my brother who was really confident in the things he did. I'm the sibling that overthinks everything.

,,Ok Y/N start when you're ready.'' Carlos said and waited for me to start. I took a deep breath and started reading Taylor’s lines. It was the scene where she apologized for trying to manipulate Gabriella and Troy's relationship.

,,Gabriella, we were jerks. No, we were worse than jerks because we were mean jerks. We thought Troy and the whole singing thing was killing our chances of having you on the scholastic decathlon team.''

,,Thank you Y/N! Now let's hear your singing.'' Ms.Jenn instructed. My eyes grew wide and I gasped.

,,Hold on. Jade didn't need to sing and she auditioned for Taylor as well. Why do I need to sing?''

,,Just do it!'' EJ whisper-yelled. I turned my gaze to him and then back to Carlos and Ms.Jenn who smiled widely.

,,Ok.'' I mumbled and looked at Seb who started playing the Piano seconds later.

,,Livin' in my own world

Didn't understand

That anything can happen

When you take a chance

I never believed in

What I couldn't see

I never opened my heart (Oh) To all the possibilities

I know that something has changed

Never felt this way and right here tonight

This could be the start of something new

It feels so right to be here with you (oh)

And now looking in your eyes

I feel in my heart (feel in my heart)

The start of something new.''

In conclusion...I sang my heart out.

,,Great, thank you Y/N. Let's continue with the Gabriella's!''

I smiled and sat down beside Nini. She smiled at me and I returned it. My brother sent me the same proud smile as Nini.

Gina was incredible. She was a multi-talent. I was kinda jealous. I mean I knew she could dance but she could also sing like a goddess. It was Nini's turn after Gina. To be honest, I did not think she could take on Gina. I mean she mostly played Trees and animals in plays soo...you know.

Just as Nini positioned herself on stage, Ricky came running in with his guitar.

,,Am I too late?'' he yelled, totally out of breath. Nini looked not so pleased.

,,We're all set on Troys. We're low on Chads. You can read after the Gabriellas.'' Ms.Jenn stated and turned her attention back to Nini, who still looked mortified.

,,I only studied the Troy scenes in the movie.'' Ricky told her while walking up the stairs. My brother rolled his eyes at Ricky, which lead me to roll my eyes at him.

,,Troy would have arrived on time.'' Carlos commented.

,,Thanks. Let me do the talking.'' the blonde whispered to the young choreograph.

,,Okay Nini let's try this again.''

Nini looked so much more nervous than before. No wait. She looked terrified. I didn't blame her. Having her current boyfriend and her ex-boyfriend in a room while you're trying to audition for a lead role is kinda nerve-racking.

,,You got this babe!'' EJ literally screamed. The scream startled Ms.Jenn so much that she spilled her coffee over the sound system. All the lights turned off.

,,Nobody panic! Nini, let's wait for the lights to come back on. I don't want this to throw you.''

,,I'm not thrown.'' the brunette replied. Everyone looked at her (well as best as they could.) and she started singing. Not even a minute later, Ricky got his phone out and turned on the flashlight, literally holding it in Nini's face. And of course, EJ got up and did the same. Nini was really good. Like really really good. Just as she finished singing, the lights came back on.

,,Well, thank you Nini. I only needed 32 bars but I appreciate your commitment.'' Ms.Jenn said while Carlos held up his right thumb. She turned her attention back to Ricky.

,,You, late boy.''

He looked at her.

,,Let's do the Chad sides.''

Ricky nodded and grabbed the script. It was quiet. Ricky looked at me and i sent him a (hopefully) comforting smile. Big Red came in last second as well. He held his thumbs up and smiled.

,,Hey, there. I'm Ricky Bowen. I'm a junior. And here it goes.'' he said before he started. I smiled the whole time, trying to somehow lift his spirit. He started reading the lines but stopped a few seconds later. My smile slightly faded and I looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. He crumbled the script in his fist and I turned to look at Big Red who was looking at me with the same expression I had on my face.

,,I don't know. Maybe its the way Gabriella always had your back. And maybe you can't stop beating yourself up for totally blowing it with her'' Ricky began, looking at Nini who was sitting beside me.

,,And look, Troy. Even if you never said the L-word to Gabriella, 'cause that's, like, not even a word your parents say to each other anymore. That doesn't mean that you don't. Maybe it just means you were waiting for the right time to say it. So that everyone could hear it.'' he continued looking Nini. She was trying to avoid eye contact though.

,,No. That she could.'' he finished after a short pause. My smile was completely gone and I just looked at my hands.

,,Okay kiddo. Time to sing.''

Before Seb could even start playing the piano, Ricky asked if he could sing his own song. Ms.Jenn just agreed and he grabbed his guitar. And the next thing I knew was that he started singing the song Nini wrote for him. Don't get me wrong. I was so proud of him for being so damn brave but it still hurt a lot. I sighed and slowly got up, leaving the room. Just to clear my mind for a bit.

,,Clear!'' Carlos yelled as he ran past me with a blue piece of paper in his hands. I followed him, realizing that it was the cast list. Everyone was crowding around it so I didn't really get to see if I got the Taylor part.

,,"Chad"? She thinks I'm a Chad?'' EJ asked dumbfounded, his ego obviously hurt. I really thought he was gonna get the Troy part. Everyone stepped back and I finally got to look at the list.

Taylor McKessie - Gina Porter

Honestly the day couldn't have gone worse. First the Ricky thing and then the Musical. Big Red seemed to notice my sudden mood switch.

,,Y/N?'' he asked and I looked up to him with glassy eyes. He started smiling.

,,Look at the top of the list.'' he said chuckling. I did as he said and my eyes grew wide.

Gabriella Montez - Y/N Caswell

I turned to look at my best friend. I was so confused.

that's why Miss Jenn asked me to sing.

Big Reds' smile grew bigger and bigger every second. Mine did as well. But then I realized that Nini wanted the role and I practically just stole it from her. I looked at the list again.

Gabriella Montez understudy - Nini Salazar-Roberts

I looked at Nini and smiled at her. She flashed a sad smile my way and went to talk to EJ.

Big Red hugged me and, of course, I hugged him back. Ricky then stepped forward, searching for his name on the list.

Troy Bolten - Ricky Bowen

And that was definitely the start of something new.

115 notes · View notes

yurimother · 5 years

Text

Our Dreams at Dusk: Shimanami Tasogare - LGBTQ Review

Writing reviews is generally pretty simple for me. I set up the story of the work, discuss the characters and their dynamics, talk about the art, overuse the word “adorable” and then analyze about whatever romance or LGBT elements are present in it. However, Our Dreams at Dusk: Shimanami Tasogare deserves more than that. This is not some fluffy schoolyard romance, it is an honest, powerful, and stupendous work of queer literature. I spent almost a full day slowly working my way through the original volumes in preparation for the English adaptation’s release and words can hardly capture the sheer power and raw emotion contained in this series. I feel perfectly comfortable in saying that Shimanami Tasogare is the greatest manga I have ever read.

WARNING: this review contains spoilers for all four volumes of the manga

Our Dreams at Dusk: Shimanami Tasogare is written and illustrated by Yuhki Kamatani, who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community themselves and identifies as X-gender and asexual. Their illustrations are breathtaking. All the characters designs are distinct and the environments are detailed. But careful use of visual storytelling and employment of gorgeous surreal imagery is nothing short of artistic genius. These striking moments (literally) illustrate the characters’ emotions in ways far more complex and powerful than words ever could.

For example, the four pages which close the third chapter begin very minimally, with no background and only close-ups of character’s faces without words. Suddenly, it explodes into a visual representation of the protagonist's feelings, his realization, his fear, his overwhelming panic, and his confusion. Excerpts such as this are visceral, brutally effective, and hauntingly beautiful.

No matter how much praise I have to offer the remarkable illustrations, it is nothing compared to the commendations I give the story. It begins just as protagonist Tasuku Kaname stands over a bridge, contemplating jumping. People are making fun of Tasuku at school because of a rumor that he is gay and he believes his life might be over. However, he does not jump after he sees a strange girl in the distance leap from the window of a drop-in center.

Rushing over, he finds that this girl, called Someone, is the mysterious owner of the drop-in center. She tells him that the center is a gathering place for LGBTQ+ and that he can tell her anything, but that she will not listen. Soon Tasuku begins spending his summer at the center, working to fix up an old house with some of it other patrons, and learning everyone’s story. Each of the people at the center has an LGBTQ+ identity. In small arcs, which naturally cross and interweave with each other, Tasuku comes to better understand them and their identity as they work to navigate the world as a queer person.

One of the first stories told is that of Haruko Daichi and her wife Saki. Although they have not been able to get hold a ceremony, they consider themselves married. Haruko used to be guarded and quiet, lying to herself about being happy. When she finally came out and told her parents that she was a relationship, their relationship fell apart, a story far too common in the LGBT community. However, it is in this community that Haruko found solace and acceptation, thanks to participating in online forums and circles she accepted herself.

In one of these online groups she meets Saki, and they fell in love. Haruko’s greatest wish it to have a real wedding celebration so that everyone who knows her and Saki can celebrate them and their love together. Saki, however, feels differently. Although she is very much in love with Haruko, she does not want to risk starting fires by publicly coming out to her parents and relatives or holding such a brazen display of their love. This fear is held by many queer people, “how will I be seen if I come out? No one will accept me.”

Volume two of the manga follows the story of Shuufi Misora, a young child questioning their gender identity. At the center, Misora dresses as a girl, wearing dresses, makeup, and wigs, but outside they present as a boy (the gender they were assigned as at birth). They are initially somewhat hostile towards Tasuku, who is kind and compliments Misora regularly on their clothing while at the center, but one day asks to go to his house.

While there, Misora asks Tasuku some questions about being male and expresses their fear of their voice changing and getting body hair. Tasuku asks them, “do you want to be a girl?” Misora tells him that they do not know, but more than anything they feel so isolated and misunderstood. Before they can leave, Tasuku takes their hand.

After this, Tasuku encourages Misora to live as a transgender woman and eventually pushes them to go outside while presenting as feminine. The two go to a festival together and enjoy themselves. However, when someone gropes Misora’s butt, Tasuku remarks in an offhand comment that they did it because Misora looked cute. Misora, feeling angry, confused, and pushed by Tasuku explodes into a homophobic tirade, shouting at him before running away. After that, they do not return to the drop-in center.

Tasuku pushed Misora too much to come out, to take on the identity of being transgender. But, nobody can force a queer person to accept their identity or come out before they are ready and sure of their identity. Misora was still questioning themselves and Tasuku’s attempts to put them into a box and have them live a certain way was happening too quickly. I think that this is the chapter during which I broke down crying at the end, it resonated with me so deeply (it was two in the morning at this point and I had been up all day translating the Japanese text). I remember how much I struggled with my sexuality before coming out as queer. I think that the words a colleague once told me years later apply best, “ everyone comes out at the perfect time for them, there is no 'too early' or 'too late', just ‘ready’ and ‘not yet.’”

Volume three tells the story of Utsumi. He is extraordinarily kind, gentle, and charismatic. One day, while working the renovating the house with several volunteers, a woman comments that she knew him in high school, but that he presented as female back then, revealing him to be a transgender man. She asks him to attend a high school reunion, which he does and encourages him to speak at her daughter’s school. It becomes clear that she is a problematic ally, seeing queerness as a sort of illness and believes that he should work to teach everyone else about his identity.

Utsumi responds that she is reducing him to being only a trans man and that this is only one part of his identity, that he is so much more than that. Often allies want queer people to act as the voice and teacher of their identity and reduce that person to only being the token gay or token transgender person. They are not given the freedom to be their own person. This is what she is trying to do to Utsumi. However, he refuses and after that, she no longer interacts with the group.

In the fourth and final volume, the story of Tchaiko is told. He is the elderly visitor of the center and enjoys playing compositions by Tchaikovsky for everyone to listen to. He is gay, and his partner of thirty years, Agawa, is passing away. Agawa left his family, including his son to live as a gay man and be with Tchaiko. Unfortunately, he was not able to have both a child and live as who he was, and was forced to make a decision between the two.

Fortunately, Agawa’s son has begun to visit him in the hospital room, but while he is there Tchaiko stays away, as the son is not aware of their relationship. Tchaiko however, does not resent this, and loves texting Agawa and visiting while the son is not there. However, he acknowledges that, as he is not legally a member of his family, he cannot be there while Agawa dies. The legal rights of gay couples is a long source of grief for many.

I recall my friends getting ready to move to England with their two young children. They were married legally in the State that we live in (Massachusetts) but they had no federal rights and one of them was soon to be deported. Luckily for them, same-sex marriage was legalized across the country just weeks before they were to be evicted, and they were allowed to stay. The story I tell is a victorious one, but for so many people and their partners, they have so much tale. The law and discrimination keep them from experiencing every aspect of their life together.

Through Tchaiko, Tasuku learns of Someone’s past. He describes her as a person who wanted to live in isolation. In the past, before adopting the name “Someone” she tells Tchaiko and Agaway that she is most likely asexual, but that she is unable to find a place where she belongs, that whatever she does she cannot explain her identity.

The two men comment how strange it is that nobody is allowed to just live their lives in solitude, to live without having to explain, educate, and identify oneself, to just be “somebody.” It is at this moment that Somebody realizes that this is exactly what she wants. She takes the name Somebody and chooses to let go of labels and lives the way that she wants to.

I can hardly explain how much I identified with Somebody. I am not asexual, but I never found that labels worked for me, that I needed to be able to identify myself as straight or gay or fit into any of those boxes. For that reason, I do not identify my sexuality. I am queer, as a person who falls under the LGBTQ+ umbrella, but no more than that.

This final volume begins to bring about resolution to many of the conflicts and issues introduced in previous chapters but I will not go into detail about those here. Just know that I found each solution to be believable, well written, and satisfying. What I really want to talk about, is Tasuku’s journey and his relationship with Tsubaki.

Tsubaki is Tasuku’s classmate, whom he has a crush on. Tasuku struggles so greatly with coming to terms with these feelings and is helped greatly by his friends at the center. But these difficulties are exacerbated when he and Tsubaki become friends. His situation quickly takes a turn for the worse as Tsubaki starts to toy with Tasuku. Soon he begins making homophobic and transphobic remarks about the frequenters of the center. Tasuku stays silent, standing there tortured and wounded by his friend's hurtful remarks.

Things only get worse when Someone starts talking to Tsubaki about his sexuality, acknowledging that he is repressed and lashing out. Tsubaki angrily dismisses the idea. Finally, he confronts Tasuku, acknowledging that obvious fact that Tasuku is gay and verbally assaulting him and the center. And then, in what is absolutely my favorite moment from the wonderful manga, Tasuku stands up to him! He confesses his sexuality and affection for Tsubaki, tells him how much the center means to him and how much good it has done, and that what Tsubaki is doing is wrong. “I want you to know that what you’ve said has hurt me. It’s not like I want your sympathy or apology! I just don’t want you to hurt anyone else!”

My. God. YESSS!!

This is such an incredibly powerful moment, to see the struggling Tasuku stand up and tell off his friend, the person that he loves. To tell him that his actions are hurtful and wrong. This was such a triumphant moment for the character. The sheer number of people that I, that every queer person encounters in their lives that hurts us and that we want to tell off. Seeing this was cathartic and affirming for me in so many ways. Not only do we see Tasuku take this stand, but Tsubaki listens. He understands and realizes that his actions were ignorant, and hurtful, and cruel. After this, he begins to hang around the center more and become more accepting of the others and himself.

Our Dreams at Dusk: Shimanami Tasogare expresses so many realistic and relatable stories of LGBTQ+ people that are told so beautifully and fully. If you are a queer person you need to read this manga, if you are questioning you need to read this manga, if you are an ally you need to read this manga, if you are a parent you need to read this manga, if you have no idea what LGBT life is like you need to read this manga.

Yuhki Kamatani has created the most honest, emotional, and affirming portrayal of living as an LGBTQ+ person that I have ever read in a manga. My feeble attempts to analyze it and express my appreciation here are laughable. My advice, get your hands on a copy right away!

To try and quantify this work with categorical scores would be nothing but insulting so I will end with only the overall rating: 10/10

Our Dreams at Dusk: Shimanami Tasogare Volume 1 is available now in at major North American retailers digitally and in print and volumes 2-4 are available for pre-order

Support yuri and LGBTQ+ content, news, and reviews by funding YuriMother on Patreon

All images are used for review purposes only and are owned by Yuhki KAMATANi, Shogakukan, and Seven Sea’s Entertainment. Please support the manga’s official release

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hikhayat · 3 years

Text

The last time I went to our house in Ludhiana was 3 years ago, on a summer afternoon in 2017. The officials from The Partition Museum had arranged a meeting. I went there a day before the meeting, in that house which strangely still smelled of Dadi. She was all over the place, and I could still hear her; It’s strange how I could recollect her voice like she’d been there a day or two ago.

She had left us a long time ago. I was 19 then, numb on hearing the news of my 77-year-old best friend's departure. Maybe it wasn’t her death which made me feel so vulnerable, we were all expecting it. What was it then? Perhaps the feeling that the stories she carried with her that had lost its pages, the storyteller it truly deserved. Nobody could tell a story the way she did, A story with all its highs and lows narrated in a way that would make it stay with one forever. What about the stories? What about their struggles, What about survival? What about Love and Fate? What about it?

I shed no tears that day, Instead, I went around the house like a lunatic in search of lost pages which I hoped she’d left behind. I wished she’d left something: a record, a diary, some pieces of papers that I wished to hold on to. I found none: nothing, which I knew was going to be the outcome, but I searched anyhow, like a mad man who’d lost his all, searching for the last tint of hope in places he knew he was not going to find any.

Dadi always told us that no matter how hard you try, you can never tell a story more beautifully than the way it’s been already told: that first-hand experiences mattered.

When in school, our history teachers taught us about partition, and I bragged about how my grandparents came from Pakistan. I told my classmates these stories of how they’d come from the other side of the border and made India their home. They listened with glimmering eyes as I told them the story of my Dada and Dadi, their love, my parents, our life and eventually my existence, which all tracks back to the year 1947: The year of creation and destruction, the year of love, fate, faith and survival, the year of many unanswered questions, displacement and lots more that are yet to be addressed.

My Dadi came to Amritsar just as soon as they had announced which part belonged to Hindustan and which one to the newly formed country of Pakistan. There were riots all around, The country which was celebrating freedom a few days ago was now filled with images of bloodshed, displacement, separation, and everything worse one could imagine: The Feeling of being an outsider in one’s land. I’ve often heard her murmur, “How is this Independence? They took my home away from me. My family, My Village, My life, My Everything. They Took Pritam out of Pritam.”

Her Father put her onto this train to Amritsar, She was 22 and on her own. He said she would be safe there and promised to join her just as soon. That was the last time she saw her father, the streets of Gujranwala, and home.

Whenever I asked her about her home in Gujranwala, she would rapidly become her younger self and then describe it to me with picture-perfect details.

We were a family of six, Four children, The youngest was as young as 2 years old, and I was the eldest of all. My sister Nimrat was 3 years younger to me, but we were more like friends, We would roam around the streets and go to Gurdwara, spend most of our time in the langar room. Seva took up a good deal of our time, but we liked immersing ourselves in the activities within the gurdwara as we chitchatted all day long. Our house was right next to it and my father was always at service, he was a leader of sorts, was respected by all, he was at the forefront in bringing together communities and solving their issues. We had visitors every day, some would come from nearby places and others from far and wide. My Father had quite a reputation, but nonetheless, he always stayed humble.

Her eyes would sparkle as she described home, and all the things she loved, but would slowly settle on tears, and fall silent.

My Grandmother lived in this part of the border for more than half of her life, but every time someone talked about home, she was reminded of Gujranwala, and always wished to go back there, “at least one single time,” She would say.

“I never had enough of it and I don’t think I ever will.”

My Grandmother didn’t know anyone when she first reached Amritsar. She clung on to her bag and made way into the refugee camp at Khalsa College.

“Name?”

“Pritam Kaur”

“Age?”

“22.”

“Where are you from?”

“Gujranwala.”

“Is somebody with you?”

“No.”

“Are you looking for someone?”

“No.”

“Have you got any records and documents?”

My grandmother was all by herself at the age of 22. She lived with other women who found themselves there under similar circumstances. Some lost their parents, some their husbands, their children, the others were hurt, abused and raped. Some were mothers, others pregnant, there were women of all ages, young, old, all of them devastated. Some were crying, others numb, a few were narrating their experiences in the hope to get rid of their sadness. At some places were dead bodies of unidentified people, covered in white. Volunteers were distributing staple chapatis, others looking for lost families. It was in the long, winding queue for food with the hungry, weary and desolate refugees at the Khalsa college camp that destiny decided to change her life once and forever.

How? She met my grandfather. They got married, had my mom, got her married off, travelled the world and lived filthy rich in love for the rest of their lives. My grandmother, this loud cheerful woman and my grandfather, who was a calm and quiet man were so much in love. But that was not all, they had these moments from their devastating past that came to them every now and then, made them cry, and feel weak on their knees.

My grandfather would have nightmares and lose his sleep on most nights. He watched his three brothers being killed by the mob while trying to flee the violence and could do nothing about it. The violence of partition had a lasting effect in his life.

“This history was written with blood. Everybody was selfish!”, he would say. “And the others, they were simply manipulated.” Even to this day, a tint of blood would make him feel uneasy. He held on to his greatest possession when he came from the other side of the border: a leather briefcase alongside his education certificates. He was 30 when he fled Mianwali to come to Amritsar. There was little that he owned, but he knew this could help him start a little something of his own.

We lived with people of all communities, celebrated all festivals, ate and slept together, but there was this rising tension year after year. We knew Freedom was going to come with a price, but never in the worst of our nightmare did we think that it would take away so much from us. The people who until then lived in harmony looked at one another with suspiciousness. Jinnah wanted a separate land for Muslims, the leaders of congress weren’t ready to compromise, and for their selfish political gains, they bailed on 10 Million People. 10 Million lives were shattered.

Just as soon as I reached the Railway Station at Amritsar, I didn’t quite know where to go, So I followed the thousands.

We walked a kilometre or two and reached this camp at Khalsa College, Unsure of the future, I went in to fill in my details.

“Name?”

“Bhagwan Singh Maini”

“Age?”

“30.”

“Where are you from?”

“Mianwali.”

“Are you looking for someone?”

“No.”

“Show me your documents”

I didn’t know where to begin, but I knew I wasn’t going to stop. I took my Certificates to places, looked up for all possible jobs, slept with the refugees, hoped for better days, lined up for food with the others and it was in one such moment, in a never-ending line for food when your grandmother ran back to my life.

When I first met your Grandmother, she was young and blossoming, I was sure I was going to marry her the moment I laid my eyes on her. She was wearing a lemon yellow Kurti, all kohled. We didn’t speak that much, but I could see her eyes dancing. This was in July of 1947. I was 30 when we were first introduced to each other. We were engaged the very same day as expected from those times.

The tension and the never-ending violence kept us away from being in contact, and I was teaching myself to move on with life, crushing every dream that I’d dreamt with her in my mind. I wanted to take her to this Gurudwara at Mianwali, and to the Mela that happens here every year. I wanted to give her the best possible life, buy her all the colourful bangles and dupattas, I wanted her to be part of all my happiness and support me in times of despair, I wanted to build a home with her, but that looked like an impossible dream until fate took a little turn to bring us back together and restore hope in our lives.

I thought I had lost her to destiny, but the same destiny had perhaps brought us back together. The moment when I saw her again, I shed tears, I don’t possibly know why I cried, or why she cried. She came running to me, we didn’t quite know what to do or what we were feeling, she clung to my shirt tight and smiled and I held her face with my hands, a moment of relief, of being held by someone, of belongingness, how much I’d craved for it.

She was pale now, a little wrinkled, perhaps that’s the kind of effect that this turmoil had brought into people. Children had lost their childishness, young people their charm and charisma, everyone was out of their minds, and rightfully so. Whatever was happening was something none of us had expected and was equally devastating.

We spend quite a lot of time recalling the moments. My Brothers being murdered, and her sister being picked away, her fleeing from Gujranwala in the car of a Muslim man, hiding in a carpet, unsure of fate, and the stories we’d witnessed through our journey in the lookout for a safer space. We blamed everyone, Nehru, Jinnah, and all the leaders who were in no way affected by any of it. They were at the comfort of their homes, under all security, living their lives like every other normal day. The British too had left and we, the children of this land were barely making it, struggling to be alive, to be found, to live.

My classmates listened to the story with so much curiosity, but there was always this unsatisfactory feeling that dwelled in me: I will never be able to emote the exact emotions and the story will never feel complete, It’s not my story, and like how dadi would say, Maybe I will never do justice to the story.

“So, what do we do now?” She had asked me.

“I’ll get a job, we’re sure to get a house with the documents I’ve provided.” I stopped, and then continued, “Let’s get married?”

I thought it was the most sensible thing to say. Nobody wanted to be left alone in this world, and if all this wouldn’t have happened, and if we were still back there, in our homes, leading a life of normalcy, we were to get married sooner or later. Destiny had indeed brought us together, so wouldn’t it be the right thing to do: to go with the flow?

Pritam and I got married eventually. We reunited with her mother and her 3-year-old brother. I got a Sarkari job, and we all moved to Ludhiana. We were finally given space, our own space, this place that we now call home. “This is where you were born beta, and your mother too. This is where we learned to dream again and build ourselves up from the bone.”

We had left behind a lot of baggage, but this baggage of nightmares kept revisiting us on most days, we had to learn to live with it. There was no other way. Your grandmother had moments when she would break down remembering Nimrat, her father. “She was a little girl, how can someone rip her off? It should have been me instead. Why is life so unfair?” She would scream and wail and cry herself to sleep. It was tough, to begin with on the first place, but this storm too had learned to calm down. Her Phulkari Coat did a lot of help that way: they helped lift her spirit, made her smile, reminisce and gave her the strength to lead life.

“What is it about the Phulkari coat, dadi, what makes it so special?” I had asked her many times. She would just smile. It was my mother who told me what her grandmother had told her.

“This Coat was the first thing Pritam had made with her own hands, without anybody’s help. My mother was the one who taught her the Phulkari art. She would follow her day-in and day-out as a child and pestered her grandmother to teach her the tricks. My mother got her all the necessary materials and taught her the craft. She asked her to hold on to it close to her heart, and when she finally made this, my mother held her close and said that she’d never seen something as beautiful as this one. It has been with her ever since.”

The Officials from the partition museum joined me for the meeting the very next day. We finished up with all the formalities and I was ready to share the Briefcase and The Phulkari coat with them.

“Maam, Is there anything you would like to share, We would like to make sure you don’t miss out on anything.”

“That Briefcase was the first thing my Grandfather bought with his salary as a gift to his father, It contains this Guru Granth Sahib that his father owned, one written in Shahmukhi and The Phulkari Coat was a reminder for my dadi that she could do anything and make it beautiful. The rest is a history written with blood.”

It is time I go back there again.

// This is a story i wrote as part of my Partition Literature Assignment. It’s a work of fiction inspired from real life events. You can read more about the real story here: How a jacket and a briefcase shaped a partition love story

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revisionaryhistory · 4 years

Text

Three Days ~ 4

AO3

~*~Emma~*~

What in the hell is he doing with his tongue? He's licking his lips and flipping it around. Is he trying to drive me crazy? I'm not sure he even realizes what he's doing. Its like a nervous habit or he's thinking. Either option is sexy as fuck.

I'd wondered how and when the subject of him being The Winter Soldier would come up. It had to eventually. Like I'd said it's difficult to get to know him without hearing about his friends. It just so happens that his friends are famous people and super heroes.

I could make this easier. I could tell him a story to let him know I'm not starstruck or looking to attach myself to a celebrity. But that would open up a conversation I'm not ready to have and, frankly, he's not earned. Yet.

After I said to talk about his friends, Sebastian told me stories of dinners in Atlanta, nights out, and practical jokes galore. He used nicknames and told me about the people. I wasn't learning about a bunch of actors. I was learning about Evans, Mackie, Chace, Will, and Scarlett among others.

I must have had a look on my face because he stopped, "What?"

It took a second for me to track back to what I was thinking. "Just because I can match names with faces doesn't mean I know the people. Thank you for telling me about the people."

He smiled and his blue blue eyes lit up. It was like he was surprised he'd been talking so easily. He squeezed my hand and nodded once, "You're welcome."

Our dinner arrived and broke the moment. I'm glad. Like when the appetizer came and stopped the flirty comments. The interruptions kept us from going to far. A first date is like a dance. You flirt, you back away. You get into a deep conversation, then go back to a safer topic. Too much intensity and you run the risk of regretting what you shared in a moment. Out of control flirting just lands you in bed.

While we ate I took over telling stories about my friends. By the time they took our plates we'd built the foundation for future conversations about our days. I didn't doubt there would be those conversations.

We had to stop holding hands while we ate. Almost immediately I saw him shift and felt his leg brush mine and come to rest with his calf pressed against mine. With the plates gone, Sebastian reached across the table. I put my hand back in his and felt a frisson of energy travel up my arm. His hands made mine look tiny. Us holding hands wasn't a passive activity. We played with each other's fingers. Every so often we'd twine fingers and be still for a minute or two before the movement continued. Sebastian seemed especially fascinated by my finger nails. He’d run his fingers over the sides, push against the end, or almost pull on on them.

Another pair of beers arrived and conversation restarted. “You grew up in Georgia and now you're in New York. How'd that happen?”

I grimaced, “There's an ex in this story. You up for hearing the ex story?”

“If you're up to telling.”

“I went to the University of Georgia in Athens. About four hours away from home. First semester of my Junior year I took an elective in American Legal Foundations. Most of the class was taught by a second year law student named Jimmy.” I quirked an eyebrow to clue him in. He smiled. “He was handsome, smart, and very driven. We dated through graduation. Him law school and me undergrad. He got a job at a firm in New York City. I applied to NYU and started working on my Masters. You can work as a teacher in New York with your bachelors, but you have to have taken some prep classes, which I didn't have. So I worked as a server for the first year.”

Sebastian groaned, “I did too. I don't think I've ever been so tired in all my life. And is why I tip ridiculous amounts.”

I laughed, “I remember how bad my feet hurt.” He groaned with me. “It worked good with my school schedule. In the fall I got a job teaching Kindergarten. We had this one bedroom apartment in Brooklyn. I loved our neighborhood. There was always something going on. I got to be friends with this local musician and his wife. She taught first grade, which is how I learned I would prefer first grade. The next year I moved to first grade and we team taught. I thought I was set. A man I loved, job I loved, neighborhood I loved, friends I loved.” I paused to take a drink.

His thumb moving against my skin would have been soothing if I wasn't past all this. Still, it felt good. “This is where it falls apart.”

“Part of what I fell in love with was his drive. I didn't count on it turning on me. Somewhere he started to think I was less than him. He was better than me. His friends were better than mine. At his firm's Christmas party I noticed when he introduced me or if someone asked me about myself he would say “she's just a teacher”. We got into a huge fight that night. He hated my best friend and her wanna be rock star husband. My salary was always going to hold him back.” I smiled. “Hold him back. His phone rang and I saw the name of one of his coworkers. She was the one he'd been fucking for months.”

Sebastian hissed in a breath, “Ouch, sorry.”

“Ancient history now, but thanks. My parents wanted me to moved back. I just couldn't, but I couldn't afford our apartment either. I searched around and found a long term sub position near here for a teacher on maternity leave. They didn't have a spot for me the next year, but I found a first grade position in another school. I've been here three years now.”

“Very different from Brooklyn.”

I laughed, “Very. I loved the city. I'm not telling you anything you don't know. The energy is different there. You can walk around doing nothing and have the best time. I go back and visit friends, especially if Eli has a gig and I can see Angie. Most people come up here to get away from the city. I go to the city to get away from the peace and quiet. Where do you live?”

“Soho.” He looked uncomfortable. “When I first moved to the city I lived in the apartment with three other friends in a scary neighborhood right near the subway. Good times. Acting isn't a steady paycheck. I just bought a place last year. I put it off for a long time. Part of me kept expecting the work to dry up and be worried about making rent again. My manager had to practically forge my name on the mortgage. I shook for a good three days. Then it got fun. I liked decorating and picking out stuff. Everything was painted white when I moved in. I left most of it, but I painted a wall in my bedroom a blue gray. Evans told me I couldn't paint it black.” He shrugged, “I like black.”

“My kitchen is black.”

“Good girl.” He brought his beer to his lips and smiled, “So is mine.”

We talked about New York for a long time. Best places for people watching. Live music places. Hidden restaurants. Things we loved and things we hated. Somewhere in this I decided this was the best first date I'd ever had. Or maybe it was just him.

The place was crowded, noisy with conversation and the clinking of tableware. His attention was never pulled away from me. I felt like I was the only person in the place. If he had first date nerves they weren't showing. He seemed relaxed and natural, which made it easy for me to be relaxed and natural. Facial expressions showed interest and kept me talking. He became more animated as he told his own stories. It was like he focused all his energy on listening, but let it go when it was his turn. As we talked about New York we were talking over and around each other and reacting to things said. It didn't feel like a first date.

When that conversation died down he brought his other hand to the table and motioned for mine. He held both of mine and his face went serious. “Alright. You're stranded on an island.” I snorted a laugh. He shook his head and laughter filled his eyes, “Wait for it.” He huffed a breath and got back into character, “You're stranded on an island. All your needs are taken care of. There's shelter, food, water, indoor plumping. But . . . there's no internet. In the middle of main room, which has an amazing ocean view by the way, is a jukebox. It only has five songs. What are they and why?”

My eyes grew wide, “Only five!”

He sneered and nodded, “Only five. Better make them good ones. Who knows how long you’ll be there.”

“You're gonna tell me yours aren't you?”

“When you're done.” He stared at me while I was thinking. “Only five.”

“Shut up, I'm thinking.” The first three were easy. “Ok, first, foremost, and always is Black by Pearl Jam.”

He made a face, “Ooo, good choice.” He started singing. “I know someday you'll have a beautiful life. I know you'll be a star. In somebody else's sky. Why oh why can't it be mine.”

I had joined in after the first line and could feel the smile on my face. “That's the reason. The feeling and rip your heart out emotion is those lines.” I closed my eyes and thought back, “Seeing that live the first time when I was sixteen was incredible. Watching Eddie on stage with his eyes closed, pouring out the pain. Then it switches to that Doodoo-doo-doo-doodoodoo over and over, almost like a mantra or sitting in the corner rocking back and forth to comfort yourself. Start a Fire, by Ryan Star. It's memories of falling in love or maybe falling in lust. It's got an intense part kind of like Black. Probably because he's a big Pearl Jam fan. It says things like taking chances in the back of your car, give in to the beat of your heart as my hand touches your skin, and wake up dreaming and lie here with me.” I was on a roll now and kept going. “Shatter Me. Lindsey Stirling is a violinist and the lead singer from Halestorm does vocals. It's about being afraid and wanting to feel alive again. Starts kinda soft with the soothing violin in the background then works up to a frenzy. The first line is “I piroutte in the dark” so as the music builds I just picture spinning faster and faster trying to break free from the fear. There's an old song by Jefferson Starship. At least I think they were still Jefferson Starship. Miracles. It's from the seventies and it's one the dirtiest song I've ever heard. Not in the filthy I wanna fuck you like an animal way, but sexy dirty. Have you heard it?”

He scrunched up his face while he thought, “I think so. Something about if only you believed in miracles so would I. Is that right?” I nodded. “I don't recall the dirty part.”

“There's a short version they play on the radio that doesn't have it. It's almost at the end and says I got a taste of the real world when I went down on you.”

I watched a slow smirk form and his eyebrow quirk. “The seventies had lots of secret dirty parts. Afternoon Delight. That song by Donna Summer full of sex noises. When I went down on you isn't really hidden.” He held up a finger. “One more.”

“This one is new and I'm currently obsessed. Chances by the Backstreet Boys.” He snickered. I rolled my eyes and ignored him. I sang the first line, “What if I wouldn't have asked for your name and time wouldn't have stopped when you said it to me.” He just stared and I switched back to speaking, “It’s a simple love song about fate. All the what ifs that have to happen for two people to fall in love.” I shrugged. “Your turn.”

He threw his hands in the air, “I can't compete with yours! You've got all these intense songs about heartbreak, fear, love, and lust. I've got, I've got Jessie's Girl.”

I laughed at the way he threw up his hands, made faces, and collapsed back into his chair. His over the top level of exasperation was funny. “I like things that make me feel.”

Sebastian clapped his hands then rubbed them together, “I'm going to have to up my game.” He took a drink of his beer, shook out his arms, cracked his knuckles, and finally reached out and took my hand again. “I'm going to stick with Rick Springfield's Jessie's Girl as my number one. Playing air guitar and singing into a hairbrush. Good times. I love eighties music so I'll add INXS. Love lots of their music, but if I have to pick one and conserve my choices I'll go with Disappear. Love song about how the right person can make all the problems disappear. And it's got a great beat you can dance to like Molly Ringwald in Breakfast Club.”

“I'd pay money to see that.”

“The night is still young. Umm, number three. Sound of Silence. The Disturbed version. A classic made over. Could have been Careless Whisper, but they messed up the rhythm of the best part. I like it because it's familiar, but completely new. There's this group out of Vegas called Adelita's Way. Invincible is this high energy rock song. Never fails to get me up at the gym. Incidentally, it was also a WWE theme song and that was my fall back if acting didn't work out.” He hummed again and closed his eyes. A second later he was doing that thing with his tongue again. Must be him thinking. “And lastly, anything by Tool.”

I shook my head, “Nope.”

“I didn't think I'd get away with it. So I'll go for Puscifer and Rev 22:20.”

“Thought you said Tool.”

“Puscifer is one of Maynard's side gigs. It's got a line that say if I've got to sin to see her again then I'm gonna lie lie lie. Straight up sacrilegious filthy sex music. Intense too, so you might like it.”

“Your going to use that against me forever, aren't you?”

He nodded, “But you've got Jessie's Girl.”

#Sebastian Stan #fanfiction #fanfic #sebastian stan fanfiction

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bentaylorrogerhardy · 5 years

Text

Lily of the Valley - Part 2

Joe Mazzello! x Reader!

Summary: Being a young, single mom that worked full-time was hard. When you weren’t working, you were taking care of your five year old daughter, Lily. You had given up on dating after many failed attempts. That was until after a rough day of dealing with your ex boyfriend, your best friend introduced you to Joe.

Word count: 2,017

Warnings: cussing, mentions of drinking/being drunk/alcohol

A/N: next chapter features a certain somebody....enjoy!

(part 1 is in my masterlist in my description!)

You pulled into the employee parking lot of the hospital, parking the car and heading up to the third floor. Heading to the nurses station, you were greeted by Kristen and Jana, who were sitting at two of the computers behind the desk.

“Good morning, (Y/N)!” Kristen said cheerfully, a smile beaming on her face.

“Morning, K,” you said, returning the smile and setting your purse under the desk. You walked over to the other available computer and started reading through the reports, checking to see if the doctor’s left any notes regarding your patients, if anyone needed any medications, and checking to see if anything else needed to be done.

“So,” Jana said, wheeling her chair over to you, “how was Lily this morning?”

“So excited,” you smiled, pulling out your phone and showing her and Kristen the photos you had taken that morning.

“She is literally the cutest kid ever,” Jana laughed, “she’ll do great today.”

“I hope so,” you smiled, locking your phone and putting it back into your purse, “I have to pick her up from Chad’s when I get off.”

“Ugh,” they both groaned with looks of disgust on their faces.

“What?” you asked, “he’s still her dad whether we like it or not.”

“Unfortunately,” Kristen mumbled, turning her attention back to the computer.

“Hey, now,” you said, holding your hands up in defense, “he’s been stepping up lately.”

“Only because he doesn’t want to go back to court for child support,” Jana said, crossing her arms over her chest,

“Which he has yet to pay you,” Kristen added, “but it is hard to pay child support when you don’t have a job.”

“We can discuss all of this later, girls.” You sighed, getting up from the computer chair and grabbing your clipboard, “we all have a job to do.”

---

A few hours had passed and before you knew it, it was time for your lunch break. You, Kristen, and Jana all took lunch together and decided to go to a little restaurant near the hospital.

“So,” Jana said, taking a bite of her grilled cheese sandwich, “what are the plans for tonight?”

“We should go out!” Kristen exclaimed, “let’s go get dinner or something.”

“That sounds fun and all, but I think you two often forget I have a five year old and a bedtime of eight o’clock,” you laughed, taking a sip of your water, then setting the cup back down.

“Eight o’clock? Really, (Y/N)?” Kristen asked, “you work hard, you deserve to have a night out!”

“When was the last time you actually went out and enjoyed it?” Jana asked, turning her attention to you.

“I don’t know,” you sighed, fiddling with your fork, “a couple months ago?”

“You’re never gonna meet anybody staying at home watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians reruns,” Kristen said, “you have to go out and meet people.”

“I gave up trying to meet someone ages ago. After that last date I went on, it’s gonna take an awful lot to impress me. Plus, I have to look out for Lily, too,” you stated, “who all would be going out tonight, anyway?”

“Well, Oscar and I, and Jana and David,” Kristen said. Oscar and Kristen had been together since high school, around the time you and Chad started dating back then, and Jana and David had been together for almost two years.

“Yeah, see. I’m not for the whole fifth wheeling thing,” you sighed, “maybe another night.”

“Oscar can bring his friend Isaac!” Kristen stated. Jana turned to her with a look of disgust on her face,

“K, he smells like hot dog water,” she said, causing you to burst into a fit of laughter.

“I’ll just take a rain check,” you laughed, “I’ll come another night.” The three of you finished up eating and then headed back to the hospital.

---

“What about him?” Jana whispered to you, motioning to the attractive doctor that was walking past the nurses station.

“He’s married,” you said, flipping through your paperwork.

“How do you know?” She asked, putting a hand on her hip,

“I don’t know, I think the wedding ring gave it away,” you chuckled, shaking your head. You picked up the clipboard from off the counter and headed over to the computer to start filling out your patients reports. You glanced at the clock and noticed it was already four o’clock; only two more hours until your shift was over. Just then, the phone on the desk that Kristen was sitting at started ringing.

“UCLA Medical Center, this is Kristen. How can I help you?” she answered the phone, “Yeah, just a second.” She put the phone on hold and set it down, “(Y/N), phonecall.”

“Who is it?” you asked, turning around to face her.

“Lily’s school,” she said. Your eyes got wide, quickly getting up from your chair and walking over to her desk, picking up the phone, “this is (Y/N) (Y/L/N).”

“Hi, Miss (L/N). This is Mrs. Martin from Meadowlane Elementary. I’m calling to see if someone was on their way to pick up Lily,” she said, “carpool ended about 15 minutes ago.”

“Yeah, her dad was supposed to pick her up,” you sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose.

“We tried calling Mr. Prescott and got no answer,” she said, her voice almost filled with pity. Of course he didn’t show up.

“Okay, I’ll be there as soon as I can. Thank you,” you sighed, slamming the phone down, letting out a frustrated groan, “son of a bitch.”

“What happened?” Kristen asked, leaning back in her chair.

“Chad didn’t show up to pick Lily up from school,” you said, grabbing your purse from under the desk, rummaging through it to grab your keys.

“Typical,” Jana mumbled, “can’t wait to hear his excuse this time.”

“I don’t wanna hear it right now,” you snapped, throwing your purse over your shoulder, “cover for me?”

“Yeah, we got it covered. Go!” Kristen said, shooing you out. You speedily walked to the elevator then got in, pressing the ground level button. When you reached your car, you started it and headed to the hospital, all while trying to call Chad.

First time, it rang and rang. No answer. Second time, it rang and rang, again. No answer. Third time, it rang and rang.

“What do you want?” he said when he finally answered the phone.

“I really hope you have a good explanation,” you snapped, turning out of the parking lot.

“For what? I don’t have to explain myself to you,” he laughed on the other end of the phone.

“You do when you forget to pick up your daughter from school!” you yelled, “what the fuck, Chad?!”

“Oh, shit,” he said, followed by an exasperated sigh. “Look, I’m sorry. I forgot.”

“So now, I have to leave work early, go pick her up, bring her to my sisters, then go back to work, if I even have a job anymore; all because what? You got drunk last night, again? Spending all that money on alcohol, when you can’t even give me fifty bucks to feed your daughter!” you yelled, “I have no issue taking you back to court if that’s how you wanna do things.”

“I don’t have a job, how the fuck do you expect me to give you any money?!” he yelled back.

“THE SAME WAY YOU GET MONEY FOR BOOZE!” you yelled, turning into the school parking. It was empty, being that school was over and everyone was gone for the day, with the exception of a few teachers. You turned into a parking spot and slammed the car in park.

“Just let me know when you’re home, I’ll come by and see her for a bit,” he said, his voice calm now.

“No,” you said, “you can see her another day. Now, I’m gonna hang up, so I can go get Lily. Get your shit together.”

“(Y/N), I-,” he started, but you hung up, cutting him off. Shutting the car off, you got out and headed inside and to the front office and up to the counter by the secretary.

“Hi, I’m (Y/N) (Y/L/N), Lily’s mom,” you told the woman, presumably Mrs. Martin. There was a small window looking into one of the offices behind the desk, where you could see Lily was sitting. Her pigtails a mess from the day, she sat at a table doing what looked like some coloring.

“Let me go get her,” she smiled, standing up from her chair and heading back into the office. A few minutes later, she returned with her, hand in hand, while Lily’s other hand was clutching onto her artwork, and her little, pink backpack on her shoulder.

“Hi, mommy!” she giggled, running up to you. You smiled and leaned down, engulfing her in a big hug.

“Hi, my baby!” you said, kissing the top of her head, “how was school?”

“It was soooo fun, mommy. I love school!” she giggled, holding up the coloring sheet she was holding. It was a pig, colored in every color imaginable. “Look!”

“It’s beautiful,” you said, then looked up at Mrs. Martin, “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“No need to apologize,” she said, “I loved having the company.”

“Lils, what do you say to Mrs. Martin?” you asked, taking a hold of her hand.

“Thank you,” she smiled.

“Oh, you’re very welcome!” she smiled back at her, then the two of you headed back out to the car. You got Lily into her carseat and settled in, then got in drivers seat, then headed to your moms to drop her off.

“I’m sorry you had to wait, my girl.” you said, looking back at her through the rear view mirror, “but, I’m gonna drop you off at Aunt Casey’s, because I have to go back to work for a little bit.”

“Daddy was supposed to come get me,” she said, fiddling with a toy she had found in the back seat.

“I know, and I’m gonna talk to him about it later. Tell me how school was!” You said, quickly changing the subject, “meet any cute boys?”

“Eww, no!” She giggled, “boys are gross.”

“That’s my girl,” you laughed, pulling into your sisters driveway then getting out and heading up to the door.

“Lily!” She exclaimed when she opened the door, “how’s my girl?”

“Good,” she smiled, pushing past her and walking inside.

“Can you watch her till I get off?” You asked, “Chad was supposed to get her, but…”

“Typical Chad?” She asked, rolling her eyes, “wouldn’t expect anything else.”

“Yeah, I’m not getting into it right now, but I’ll pick her up when I get off,” you stated.

“Yeah, I’d love to,” she smiled.

“Thank you,” you sighed with relief, “I owe you.”

You made your way back to the car, then headed back to work.

—-

“Everything good?” Kristen asked when you got back to work and set your stuff down.

“Yeah, I guess so,” you sighed, plopping down in the computer chair.

“He have a good excuse?” Jana asked.

“Does he ever?” You scoffed, “he ‘forgot’.”

“Woooow,” Kristen said, rolling her eyes.

“Yeah, but it’s good now. My sisters gonna watch her,” you said, getting up from the chair and walking over to the counter, looking through your last patient files for the day, sighing, “I need a drink.”

“Come out with us tonight,” Kristen said, leaning back in the desk chair, “it’ll be fun!”

“I don’t know,” you sighed, resting your elbow on the counter, “I suppose I can get my sister to watch Lily for the rest of the night.”

“Yes! I’ll get David to bring one of his friends, Joe, for you,” Jana said, “he’s an actor, he lives here in LA, and he’s looking to start dating, too.”

“I told you, I kind of already gave up on dating,” you said.

“Just give Joe a shot,” she said, pulling out her phone to text David, “I think you two will really hit it off.”

Tags: @pietrorunsforme @okiegirl24 @joalsglasses @toger-raylor

#joe mazzello #joe mazzello fanfic #joe mazzello x reader #joe mazzello imagine #bohemian rhapsody #bohemian rapsody movie #borhap #fanfic #bentaylorrogerhardy

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purplesurveys · 4 years

Text

646

Name Eight (I’ll be using the last eight people I messaged because Facebook Messenger is where everybody’s at in this part of the world lmao)

One

What is their name?: Rita! Literally one of the sweetest people I know.

How old are they?: She’s a year younger than me, so that makes her 20.

How long have you known them?: A year and a half would be a safe guess. She applied for my org in mid-2018.

Do they have any siblings?: Yes, she has three sisters and one brother, and all their names start with R.

Do they work out regularly?: I’m pretty sure she’s not the gym kind of girl.

Are they a good singer?: Anyone’s a better singer than me so I’m gonna say yes.

Where were they born?: A wild guess would be Pasig.

What was the last thing you said to them out-loud?: I had a BAD migraine last night and she was asking me something work-related so all I remember is that I gave her a half-assed, distracted answer and then I immediately apologized and explained that I was having a rough headache.

Two

What is their name?: Laurice.

How old are they?: She’s also a year younger, making her 20.

How long have you known them?: We applied for our org at the same time so we were part of the same batch, and that was in mid-2017.

Do they have any siblings? Names?: Yep, a younger sister named Yana and a younger brother named Lorenz.

When did you last talk to them?: Online, an hour and a half ago. Personally, it was around 1 PM today when I had to leave for class and I was grumbling to her how much I hated that class.

Do they use Myspace often?: I doubt she was the type to get hooked to Myspace that early, or at all.

Do they go to your school?: We went to different schools in elementary and high school, but now she’s my coursemate in UP.

Have they ever lied to you?: I don’t think she knows how to, haha. She’s super wholesome.

Three

What is their name?: Jo.

How old are they?: These first three people are all 1999 babies, so the takeaways here are that they’re all 20, and that I’m hella old.

How long have you known them? Like Laurice, we were batchmates in applying for our current org and we all met each other mid-2017.

Do they have any siblings? Names?: She’s an only child.

What was the last thing you did with them?: We had a late lunch in Skywalk and exchanged Catholic all-girls school horror stories about how strict our high school teachers were about girls having short hair or being caught in a lesbian relationship.

Have they ever betrayed your trust?: I don’t remember ever being super pissed with her, so I guess not.

Do they play in a band?: I don’t think she’s ever been the type to be in a band.

What colour do they look good in?: Ooh I’m not so sure, I don’t usually observe her outfits. She has a chestnutty top that I like on her, so I’ll go with shades of brown.

Four

What is their name?: Aya.

How old are they?: Finally somebody older than me! She’s 23.

How long have you known them?: Also an org batchmate, so meeting her in mid-2017 would make it two and a half years. It certainly feel like I’ve known her, Jo, and Laurice for ages though.

Do they have any siblings? Names? She has a sister and *I THINK* a brother? I’m 100% sure she has an older sister though.

Do you ever talk to them on the phone?: On a cellphone yes. Not on landline.

What is their Zodiac sign?: Lmao this question is perfectly positioned considering of the four people I’ve listed so far, she and Jo are the biggest astronomy nerds. Aya was born December 5th, and that means she’s *let me Google it first* a Sagittarius.

Are you related to them?: Nope.

Do they own an iPod?: She’s not a big Apple fan so my best guess is that she had an MP3, but not an iPod.

Five

What is their name?: Kate.

How old are they?: She was born on the first day of 1999. Which makes a lot of sense because she honestly feels more like a 1998 person to me. But yeah, she just turned 21.

How long have you known them?: Org batchmate, again – two and a half years.

Do they have any siblings? Names?: She has a younger brother but I always forget his name.

Do they text a lot?: It’s not her preferred platform but she replies if she has to; I talk to her on Messenger way more.

Do they live near you?: A little bit. She’s the only other Rizal girl in our friend group while everyone else lives in Metro Manila, so there’s a level of solidarity in that hahaha.

Do you know what they’re doing right now?: She’s either on her way home from work, or is currently chilling at home. Or drinking out – who knows? I’m not super updated on her life now since she graduated, but I am seeing her tomorrow so yay.

Are they a sporty type of person?: Not at all, that girl’s a STICK haha.

Six

What is their name?: Gabie.

How old are they?: Same age as me, 21.

How long have you known them?: I have known her, technically, for 18 years; but we weren’t formally introduced until nine years ago, in 2011.

Do they have any siblings? Names?: Yeah she has two younger sisters.

What sort of phone do they have?: iPhone 7 Plus, if I’m not mistaken.

Are their parents separated or divorced?: Neither.

Can you tell them anything?: Of course. I’d be pretty scared about our relationship if there are stuff I can’t bring up with her.

Have you ever been in any of their classes?: We study in different universities. Back in high school, we only got to be in the same section once.

Seven

What is their name?: JM.

How old are they?: He’s currently 21, but will be turning 22.

How long have you known them?: Two and a half years. And it is in this survey that I realized that majority of the people I talk to are my org batchmates, hah.

Do they have any siblings? Names?: A younger brother, Gab; and a younger sister, Jana (but it’s pronounced as Hannah).

Do they live in a big house?: Yes. He’s pretty well-off, given that his dad is a lawyer/professor, and his mom is a judge. Their house is filled with paintings and antiques as well, which is super cool to me.

Who is their favourite music artist?: It’s all over the place I think. But when I played The Japanese House out loud once, he sang along so I’m guessing his music taste is pretty decent based from that lol.

Have you ever been on vacation with them?: Nah.

Are they allergic to anything?: I don’t think so.

Eight

What is their name?: My cousin, Jereth. He prefers to be called Gage, but to family he’s Jereth and more specifically, he’s Kuya to me.

How old are they?: Also 21 but turning 22 this year.

How long have you known them?: Ever since I got out of the womb.

Do they have any siblings? Names?: Yes, he has a younger brother, Elijah.

Are they online often?: Not really. He’s pretty busy with work so while he comes up every now and then on my Facebook feed, we communicate mostly through text.

Do they have pets? Names?: Nope. He’s crazy about my dog though, and he’s always looking forward to whenever I have to drop Kimi off at their place when my family goes on vacations.

Do you hang out with them regularly?: We lived under the same roof for the first nine years of my life, so that’s as regular as it gets. These days, I’ll probably see him once every 1-2 months.

Do they like Justin Bieber?: Not at all.

#survey #surveys

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vampirefreakism · 5 years

Text

The Scientist (Chapter 24)

Summary: In the events following Asgard’s destruction, Loki finds himself on Earth seeking refuge to await the inevitable. Much to his surprise, it comes from a source he would never have expected.

AO3 Link

The Soundtrack So Far

Warnings: some insecurity

Word count: 4.3k

A/N: We are here! Finally! And it's yet another long boi! Been waiting for a while to write this one so I'm happy it's here. I hope you folks like it. I did put some personal stuff in here so please don't hate it.

Masterlist

A comfortable feeling settled throughout the apartment space. Loki sat at the counter, enraptured by a book on jellyfish, and Luna stood at the stove, preparing a vegetable rice dish and swaying along to The 1975’s ‘Somebody Else.’ It was a brief time of bliss and peace for the two unlikely friends, and they appreciated each second they could spare.

“Did you know these creatures have no brain?” Loki spoke, too occupied with admiring the artist’s rendition of a Portuguese man o’ war to look away.

“Mhm. Nor do they have hearts,” Luna replied, glancing back at him.

Loki turned the page, revealing another for his enjoyment. “Amazing how they can be considered a living being.”

Deeming the food done, Luna turned the stove off and bent to get an insulated Tupperware container.

“From a biologist’s view,” she called to him, “an organism has to do three things to be considered alive: produce waste, expend energy, and intake some kind of fuel. For example, take a single algae cell.” She opened the container and carefully scooped the fresh food into it. “Though it is only one cell, it takes in light and carbon dioxide as energy sources, produces oxygen as waste, and expends energy through its cellular processes. Now, take a virus.” She turns around and places the filled container on the counter in front of Loki, pressing the lid down. “Even though it can infect its host and lie dormant for many years, it doesn’t do any of those three biological activities. So, it’s not alive.”

“Yet it can kill so mercilessly.”

“Yeah. Pretty freaky, right? I love it.” She grinned. “But don’t get me started on bacteriophages. I could go on and on about those, and we have somewhere to be really soon.”

Loki closed the book and folded his hands together. “You can tell me in the car.”

Luna nodded a little and let her smile fall as a strange sense of dread flowed over her.

“Do you think they’ll like this?” She asked. “I mean, I haven’t had or been to a proper Thanksgiving in forever, so I don’t know.”

“I wouldn’t know either, but by the look and smell, I think it would be appropriate.”

Luna leaned closer. “Do you really think this is a good idea? I mean, to go? I'm not family, and I'll probably be intruding on their good time. I'm basically the same as a teacher's assistant at Peter's high school, and the thought of me being at their table for Thanksgiving is just weird. What do you think? Is this weird?” She rambled, her nerves getting the better of her self-control. Loki tapped the counter and looked to where her hands rested.

“I will be honest, this is all new to me as well, but the boy did invite us to his home to spend time with the people he considers his family. He seemed rather confident when asking.”

Luna’s smile returned, albeit smaller. “Yeah, he’s getting better at that every day.”

Loki knocked thrice on the new apartment door. He and Luna didn’t have to wait long for their teenage friend to open the door and greet them with his trademark $100 smile.

“Hey, you guys! Come in, come in. May is the in the kitchen, and Ned's already here,” he chatted as he led them into the living room. “It’s so great you both could make it.”

“I’m just honored you invited us,” Luna said. She lifted the Tupperware in her hands. “I did bring something if that’s ok.”

“Oh yeah, awesome. You can put it wherever it needs to be.”

“Alright. I’ll go set it in the kitchen and say hi to your auntie.”

“Cool, cool. We’ll be here.”

Once Luna was out of earshot, Loki and Peter spared about five seconds of awkward silence.

“I must say, you have a lovely home.” Loki smiled down at him.

Peter chuckled lightly. “Aw, thanks, Mr. Loki. Here, let me introduce you to Ned before it gets weird.” Loki was ushered further into the living room. There, seated politely on the couch, was another boy around Peter’s age. As the two neared him, he stood and stepped closer, meeting them in the middle. He possessed an air of apprehensive excitement. Peter stood by his side and gestured to him. “So, uh, this is my best friend, Ned.”

Donning a charming smile, Loki put his hand out. “Ah, yes. Pleased to make your acquaintance, young Ned. I am-,”

“Yeah, you’re Loki.” Ned takes his hand. “Wow, so cool.” Loki looked to Peter, bewildered.

Peter held his hands up. “Ok, before you freak out, I told him.”

“Your hand’s touched space,” Ned breathed out, gaze locked on his hand still holding Loki’s.

Loki snickered a little. “In a way, yes.” He gently let go and straightened his posture. “Excuse me for one moment, please.” Keeping his composure, he hurried in the direction of the kitchen. He didn’t have to make a far journey as Luna was on her way to see him as well.

“Hey, there’s a bit of a situation here,” she muttered as she stared up at him.

Loki pushed his glasses and put his hands on his hips. “Make that two.”

Luna creased her brow. “Wait, what’s your situation?” Loki waved a hand.

“Come with me.” She followed him back to the two teens chatting quietly. They stopped once the duo was close enough to hear. Loki situated himself beside Ned. “He knows, about...,” Loki said, waving a hand at himself. Peter’s accompanying expression gave Luna all the information she needed.

“You told him?!” She whisper-shouted.

“Please don’t freak out!” Peter begged. Luna closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“How long has he known?” She continued calmer, keeping her sanity for the teens’ sake.

“Since the first day.”

“Oh yeah, it was so funny,” Ned chimed in. “It was, like, nine at night and I was finishing up my Spanish homework, and then Peter calls me up and in the sassiest ‘spill the tea' voice, he's all like ‘Ned, you will never guess what just happened.' But don't worry, we haven't told anyone else.”

Luna's eyes flitted between the two boys. "Nobody?”

“Nobody,” Peter parroted.

Ned held up a hand. “Scout’s honor, ma’am. And I’m amazing at keeping secrets.”

Luna sighed. “Alright. But nobody else.” The boys shook their heads fervently. “Four people breaking the law is bad enough. What about Aunt May? What does she know?”

“Not much,” Peter said. “Only that he’s your date and that he hasn’t seen Star Wars and if you come over, he does too.”

“Wait, Peter, what-,”

“Oh, you must be Luna’s beau,” May greeted, slinging a hand towel over her shoulder. “So pleased to meet you. I’m May Parker, Peter’s aunt.” She held her hand out for Loki to shake. “You’re more handsome than I thought you would be. I didn’t catch your name, though.”

Loki smiled, turning on the charm. “It’s Louie, and please, the honor is all mine.” He shook her hand firmly.

May placed a hand on her cheek, concealing her blush. “Peter didn’t say you were from England. What’re you doing here in New York?”

Loki released her hand and held them in front on him. “Work assignment.” She nodded in affirmation.

“Uh-huh, very cool. And what is it you do?” Loki glanced to Luna. He hadn’t thought about such a thing.

“Uh, hey, Aunt May,” Luna interjected. “Shouldn’t we check back on that turkey? I don’t want it to burn while we’re working on it.”

“Right you are.” She patted Loki’s bicep. “We can talk more over dinner, ‘kay?”

“Very well, Miss,” Loki smiled. “But may I borrow Luna for a moment?”

“Oh yeah, of course. Take all the time you need, you two.” May turned and left, tossing a wink to Luna over her shoulder. Luna quietly groaned and led Loki further from the other people.

“Ok, so what did you need me for?” She asked, crossing her arms.

“I told you my situation, so what’s yours?”

“Oh yeah, right. Uh, she’s preparing a turkey for dinner.”

Loki shrugged. “And this is a problem?”

"Yes!" Luna whispered frantically. "In all the time you’ve been with me, when have you seen me eat meat?” Loki put a hand over his mouth, trying to recall any memory. He came up short. “See? Save for the occasional fish, I’ve spent most of my life without meat, and if I eat it now, I'll be up all night throwing up and trust me when I say that is not something you want to be around for.”

“Then tell her you can’t partake,” he stated.

“But it’s rude,” she whined a little. “She spent so much energy and time making a nice meal for us, so I can’t just outright refuse. I’m a guest here. I can’t be insulting.” She looked at her feet. “They’ll probably think I’m one of those self-entitled vegetarians. Most people do.” She made eye contact with him and sighed. “Never mind. I’ll deal with it.” With a wave of her hand, she stepped away from him. “We should get back to them.”

Wordlessly, Loki followed back to the living area. Luna parted ways with him and headed back to the kitchen, leaving him with the two teens. May busied about with the bird, checking and rechecking the temperature, stopping only once Luna was in her line of sight.

May leaned in close and whispered. “My god, he is so firm!” Her incredulous smile made Luna flash a reserved grin of her own. She bent her head to hide it.

“Hell yeah, he is,” Luna hummed.

May gave Luna’s shoulder a gentle swat. “You better hold onto that. He does look kind of familiar, though.” Luna waved a dismissive hand.

“He just has one of those faces. He looks like a lot of people.”

“Yeah, but there's one guy, in particular, I'm thinking of. Super famous for a little while there.” May surveyed her array of fresh spices, ready to be used to their fullest. “Alright, change of topic. Since you made that amazing-looking rice dish over there, could you be a dear and guide me along with this? I’m not the best cook.”

“Of course, Aunt May.” Luna washed her hands. “It would be my pleasure.”

In the living room, Peter knelt by the DVD box and turned it on. As he concentrated on loading their movie, Ned sat with Loki on the couch.

“Hey,” Ned murmured, getting Loki’s attention. “Peter told me that you’re kinda stranded here. I’m sorry, man.”

Loki glanced down at him, surprised by the sentiment. “Thank you, young Ned.”

“Earth is such an awful place to be stuck on. If I had to pick, it’d literally be anywhere else.”

Loki tilted his head. “Mm, I’ve been on worse planets, stuck or otherwise.” From the kitchen, the soft chatter and laughter of the two women caught his ear and his attention. “This one is alright.”

Ned leaned back and followed Loki’s line of sight. He paused, regarding the relaxed expression on his new friend’s face. “So you’ve really never seen Star Wars?”

Loki whipped his head back around. “No, I have not.”

“Oh, you’re going to really like it. It’s one of my favorite movie series ever.”

“Series?”

“Mhm, yeah. They’re in the middle of the third trilogy right now, but for you,” Ned reached and grabbed the empty disc case, “we’ll start on the first one.”

Loki let Ned slip it into his hand for him to read. “‘A New Hope.’ How fitting.” Not five seconds later, Ned let out a loud gasp, remembering something he had mentally set aside earlier.

He held a hand out and waved to Peter. “Peter! Can we ask him the thing?”

Peter turned around. “The thing?” His eyes went wide. “Oh, the thing! Yes! Yeah!” He ran over and sat in the empty spot beside Loki. “Ok, so we’re having this on-and-off debate, and we were kind of hoping you can settle it for us.”

“About?” Loki asked.

Ned glanced to Peter. “If Thor and the Hulk got into a fight, who would win? Like, a real fight. My figurative money is on Hulk.”

Peter placed a hand on his chest. “And I’m for Thor. What do you think?”

Loki looked from one boy to the other and smirked. “You know, I did recently witness a fight between them.”

Both teens paused, taken aback at the new information, and proceeded to let out a series of “What?!” “No way! Awesome!” and “Who won?!”

Loki, beyond delighted, was more than ready to tell a new story. “It was rigged, but the way it was going, Thor would have won.”

“Wait, rigged?” Peter inquired.

Ned pushed for more, their film was wholly forgotten about. "Where were they? What was happening?”

Loki eased himself up from the couch. “Well…”

Luna stood beside May, sautéing fresh garlic and onions with olive oil as May finished the mashed potatoes with the seasonings Luna helped her pick.

Luna picked a bell pepper to wash and chop for the stir-fry. “Hey, how did that date go with sticky rice guy?”

May sighed and let her arm relax. “So Peter told you about that?”

“Well, when I asked him, I guessed it right, but I want to know how it was from you.”

“It was nice. We had fun.”

“You think it’ll go anywhere?”

May chuckled. “Oh no. It was fun, yeah, but there weren’t any sparks. You know?”

“Mhm, I sure do.”

With a clean knife in Luna’s hand, the two ceased their idle talk. Once all the vegetables were cooking in the pan, May resumed the conversation.

“So, what are you doing up in that fancy lab of yours? Anything I can’t know about?”

Luna smiled and laughed a little. “Just some genetic experiments to quell my curiosity.” She sprinkled in salt, ground black pepper, and dried basil. “At the moment, I can’t tell you much else, but as soon as I do, we’ll need to have tea together.”

“I’ll hold you to that, girlfriend,” May smiles and laughs. She was blissful. Luna was a comfort for her to have around. “You know,” she started back, “you’re the main reason I let Peter keep up his internship at that big compound.”

Luna couldn’t help the bright smile showing itself on her features. “Oh, Aunt May, you’re too much.”

May nudged Luna’s elbow with her own. “I’m serious! You help keep his head where it should be.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s all you. You’re his maternal figure, not me.”

“Who says a kid can’t have more than one?”

“Well, I must say I am honored to have your approval.”

“Oh, and how is he with the...you know,” May whispered, making a webshooter motion with her hand.

“As far as I know, he’s really good. I’m sure he would tell you if anything worrisome was going on.”

“I like to think so, but he still keeps secrets. You know, he still sneaks out sometimes.”

“Seriously?” Luna said, concerned.

"Yeah. I don't know what for, and he never looks hurt, but he still does it."

“Huh. Curious.” Luna turned the heat down and covered the pan. For the time being, her work was complete.

“You’re telling me.” A raucous of animated yelling and mirth erupted from the other room. May and Luna leaned over to view the trio of boys in the living room, the teens seated on the couch and Loki standing up, arms and hands moving this way and that. He seemed to be telling a lively story; one Peter and Ned thoroughly enjoyed. “They seem to be getting along pretty well.”

“Yeah. He loves to tell stories. Never shies away from an audience.” Briefly, Luna caught Loki's eye, and he drew a small smile. She mirrored him, thrilled he was enjoying the time.

“What does he do, exactly?” May peered back out. “Is he an actor?”

Luna looked at the floor. “I’m not sure how to word it. He explains it better.”

“Woah, so you can transform?! Into anything?!” Peter chimed as Loki sat back down.

“Anything I need at the moment I need it,” Loki said with a grin.

Ned tapped his shoulder. “So, you could make yourself into a dragon that actually flies and breathes fire?”

“It’s been a while, but yes, I could.”

Peter lay a series of taps to Loki’s other shoulder. “Can you do other people?” He patted his chest. “Like, could you do me?”

“Oh, easily,” Loki said as he adjusted his glasses, a little bit smug. Peter sat back and imagined two of him swinging around New York. It was beyond amusing in his mind’s eye.

“Hey, I didn’t know you needed glasses,” Ned said, indicating Loki’s.

“Oh, I don’t really need them.” He slipped them off. “They’re just a part of my disguise. I can’t use magic, so…these.” He put them back on and brushed back a strand of hair.

Ned nodded. “Right, right. Peter used to wear glasses, but that was before he got, uh…,” Ned’s voice died out as Peter, wide-eyed, violently shook his head, “before he got Lasik. Yeah. Laser eye surgery.” Peter let out a quiet breath.

“Yup,” he affirmed. “Perfect eyesight now. Yeah, they were terrible before. Blind as the proverbial bat.” Peter laughed nervously.

“Alrighty, boys,” May announced as she walked over. “Dinner is just about ready! Would you three like to eat at the table or while you watch your movie? I’m cool either way.”

“Yeah, she’s not a regular aunt. She’s a cool aunt.” Luna remarked from behind her, drawing a short laugh from Peter and Ned. Loki, missing the reference, looked to Ned for an explanation.

“It’s from a movie.”

He nodded. “Right.”

“Could we eat here?” Peter asked. “We’ve been so busy talking, we never started it.”

“Sure! Could you help me get some plates and utensils?” May asked Peter, and like the proper boy he was, he complied and got up.

“Ooh, I’ll help!” Ned called and followed the Parkers to the kitchen. He caught up to Peter and took hold of his arm. “I still can’t believe you got Loki to come to your house! Like, the Loki!”

Peter chuckled. “Yeah, he’s kinda scary at first, but he’s pretty cool when he’s chill.”

Ned let his head fall back. “Ugh, he’s awesome. But yo, your mentor? I think he likes her.”

“The doc?” Ned nodded. “Well yeah, he better. She’s really awesome.”

“No, like, like her, like her.”

Peter’s forehead creased. “What? Nah, he hasn’t known her long enough.”

Ned paused as May handed him a stack of plates. “Dude, I remember your exact face the first time you saw Liz and every time after that. I know a crush when I see one.”

Peter opened the silverware drawer and took out handfuls of utensils. “Seriously? I think you’re the one who needs glasses. There’s no way.”

Ned quirked an eyebrow. “Alright, I’ll make a bet with you. By this time next year, they’ll be a thing. For sure.”

“A ‘thing?’ What are we, in junior high?” Peter laughed.

“You’re just chicken because you know I’m gonna win.”

Peter stopped and faced his friend. “Ok, guy, I’ll take it. How much?”

“$10.”

Peter nodded. “That’s fair. And hey, if you’re right, which you won’t be, I’ll pay twice that.”

“Oh,” Ned rushed to the table and set down the plate stack, “can you say that again for the camera?” He pulled out his phone. “I’ll need proof when the time comes.”

Peter scoffed. “Dude, later. When they’re,” he tilted his head towards the couple in question, “not here.”

“Aha.” Ned put his phone away and tapped the side of his nose. “I got you.”

Peter set his handfuls of forks, knives, and spoons down with a clatter. May brought the turkey out first and surrounded it with the vegetable dishes she and Luna finished together, and the one Luna made for the house.

May clapped her hands. “Alright, everyone help yourselves so we can have a good star war.” Ned and Peter let out a low groan, knowing full well May couldn’t pass up the moment to make a joke for the kids.

Luna and May went first, taking a bit of everything. Hovering around Loki, Luna took her portions carefully, purposefully passing over the turkey, hoping no one would notice.

May, however, did. “Luna, aren’t you going to try some of the turkey? It’s really good.”

Luna stopped her movements, looking wide-eyed at her host. “I, uh,” she stammered. Was it so difficult to say ‘no?’ Obviously.

“She doesn’t eat meat.” Loki stepped in, speaking the words for her. “Never did so it does her no good in having it now.”

Peter extended a hand to her. “Doc, is that true?”

“Eh,” she managed, shrugging a little and tilting her head side-to-side. Peter took it as a ‘yes.’

“Oh honey, I’m sorry,” May said sympathetically. “You don’t have to have anything you’re not comfortable with. This is a liberal household. Well, you know what I mean.” She smiled kindly at her guests and received ones back from them.

Luna added a few more vegetables to her plate and moved from her spot, the tension slowly leaving her body. She came to a stop in front of Loki and planted her hand on the center of his chest. "Thank you," she whispered, and let her hand slip from him as she walked to the couch.

Loki’s gaze lingered on the back of her head. He could still feel the heat of her skin through the fabric of his shirt. It was tempting to lay a hand over the spot, but he shook it away.

Peter waited for Luna to situate herself beside him so he could speak to her. “How come you didn’t say you were a vegetarian?”

She set a napkin on her lap and placed her dish on top. “When I was around your age, my friends at the time bullied me for not eating meat. Thought I would shame them and try to change their eating preferences, but lo and behold, they were the ones to do the shaming.” She turned a few carrots around, avoiding eye contact.

Peter huffed. “No offense, doc, but your friends sucked.” He lay his own napkin and picked up his plate from the nearby side table.

“None taken, kiddo. Glad to be long rid of them.” Luna smiled, drawing one from Peter, glad he didn’t offend her. He started on his dinner, taking forkfuls of the different portions at random.

“Hey, this rice is really good,” he said, words muffled behind his hand.

“Yeah, it really is,” Ned affirmed from beside him. He spotted Loki advancing towards them and scooted over to make room. Peter moved along with him, and Luna did so in the opposite direction.

“Thank you,” she said. “I’m glad you two think so.”

“‘Think so?’” Loki quipped, sitting between them. “Dear, you weave magic in the kitchen. Even a mere fool would ‘know so.’” The words were out before he could stop them. Unnecessary flattery, but in his mind, it was genuine.

Peter coughed and grabbed the remote. “So, uh, I’m just gonna start…” He brandished it for his friends to see.

Luna nodded, thankful for the change in subject. “Mm, yeah. Do that.”

May joined her by her side, squishing her a little bit more. With Peter now having to sling a leg over Ned’s lap, the couch was quite cramped. Luna’s entire left side was pressed against Loki’s right. She still had reserves about him, as any woman would, but he kept his hands where they should be. Peter was less inhibited, allowing himself to lean more onto Loki. He may be half his size, but he’d put his fist through a brick wall more than once. He knew how safe he was and how to keep it that way.

Loki acted like a natural, but he was a stranger to the comradery. Being royal allowed him many privileges, but in a place where it got him nothing and his words didn’t help in any avenue, he hadn't a clue what to do with himself. Still, the teens to his left accepted him into their heart, and the beautiful women to his right gave him their house and home to occupy; though, one more so than the other. An odd scenario for the lost prince, but it was one he found comfort and a little bit of satisfaction in.

The mismatched quintet enjoyed the movie and the food, their hearts and bellies filled with warmth and good feelings. During the scene where Han and Luke were en route to save Leia, Luna separated from the group to put dishes away and refill any water glasses. May begged her not to, but Luna pleaded, saying it was the least she could do to thank her for inviting them. May relented and let her bus the empty plates to the kitchen. Ned took the pause to use the restroom, leaving Peter and May alone with Loki.

May was inspecting a cuticle at risk of splitting when she gasped aloud and looked at Loki full-on. “I know who you remind me of now!” She exclaimed.

Loki froze. “You…you do?”

May was elated. “Yes! That one actor from ‘The Night Manager!’”

Peter threw his hands up, groaning. “Really, May? That guy?”

May leaned forward to look at her nephew. “Don’t tell me you don’t see it, Peter.”

Peter glanced up at him, and they nervously locked eyes. “No, I do, but really? Him?”

“Yeah!” May nodded. “The voice is what really does it.”

Loki rubbed his hand. “Is he, uh, savory, at least?”

“I like him, but I have no doubt you’re better than his character on the show,” May smiled, patting Loki’s tense shoulder. Oh, if she only knew.

Taglist: @the-doctor-9-10 @pinkieperil @sherlockfan4life

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artbydip · 5 years

Photo

I first painted Sophie three years ago. She’s my most popular painting. She died young trying to protect people that needed to be protected. This painting is a two stencil piece on glass. Read below for more information on Sophie. Sophia Magdalena Scholl (9 May 1921 – 22 February 1943) was a German student and anti-Nazi political activist, active within the White Rose non-violent resistance group in Nazi Germany. She was convicted of high treason after having been found distributing anti-war leaflets at the University of Munich (LMU) with her brother, Hans. As a result, she was executed by guillotine. Since the 1970s, Scholl has been extensively commemorated for her anti-Nazi resistance work. Scholl was brought up in the Lutheran church. She entered junior or grade school at the age of seven, learned easily, and had a carefree childhood. In 1930, the family moved to Ludwigsburg and then two years later to Ulmwhere her father had a business consulting office. In 1932, Scholl started attending a secondary school for girls. At the age of twelve, she chose to join the Bund Deutscher Mädel (League of German Girls), as did most of her classmates. Her initial enthusiasm gradually gave way to criticism. She was aware of the dissenting political views of her father, friends, and some teachers. Even her own brother Hans, who once eagerly participated in the Hitler Youth program, became entirely disillusioned with the Nazi Party.Political attitude had become an essential criterion in her choice of friends. The arrest of her brothers and friends in 1937 for participating in the German Youth Movement left a strong impression on her. She had a talent for drawing and painting and for the first time, came into contact with a few so-called “degenerate” artists. An avid reader, she developed a growing interest in philosophy and theology. In spring 1940, she graduated from secondary school, where the subject of her essay was “The Hand that Moved the Cradle, Moved the World.” Scholl nearly did not graduate, having lost any desire to participate in the classes which had largely become Nazi indoctrination. Being fond of children, she became a kindergarten teacher at the Fröbel Institute in Ulm. She had also chosen this job hoping that it would be recognized as an alternative service to Reichsarbeitsdienst (National Labor Service), a prerequisite to be admitted to the university. This was not the case, though, and in spring 1941 she began a six-month stint in the auxiliary war service as a nursery teacher in Blumberg. The military-like regimen of the Labor Service caused her to think very hard about the political situation and to begin practicing passive resistance. After her six months in the National Labor Service, in May 1942, she enrolled at the University of Munich as a student of biology and philosophy. Her brother Hans, who was studying medicine there, introduced her to his friends. Although this group of friends eventually was known for their political views, they initially were drawn together by a shared love of art, music, literature, philosophy, and theology. Hiking in the mountains, skiing and swimming were also of importance to them. They often attended concerts, plays, and lectures together. In Munich, Scholl met a number of artists, writers, and philosophers, particularly Carl Muth and Theodor Haecker, who were important contacts for her. The question they pondered the most was how the individual must act under a dictatorship. During the summer vacation in 1942, Scholl had to do war service in a metallurgical plant in Ulm. At the same time, her father was serving time in prison for having made a critical remark to an employee about Hitler. Between 1940 and 1941, Scholl’s brother, Hans Scholl, a former member of the Hitler Youth, began questioning the principles and policies of the Nazi regime. As a student at the University of Munich, Hans Scholl met two Roman Catholic men of letters who redirected his life, inspiring him to turn from studying medicine and pursue religion, philosophy, and the arts. Gathering around him like-minded friends, Alexander Schmorell, Wil Graff, and Jurgen Wittenstein, they eventually adopted a strategy of passive resistance towards the Nazis by writing and publishing leaflets that called for democracy and social justice, calling themselves the White Rose. In the summer of 1942, four leaflets were written and distributed throughout the school and central Germany. Based upon letters between Scholl and her boyfriend, Fritz Hartnagel (reported and analyzed by Gunter Biemer and Jakob Knab in the journal Newman Studien), she had given two volumes of Cardinal John Henry Newman’s sermons to Hartnagel when he was deployed to the eastern front in May 1942. This discovery by Jakob Knab shows the importance of religion in Scholl’s life and was highlighted in an article in the Catholic Herald in the UK. Scholl learned of the White Rose pamphlet when she found one at her university. Realizing her brother helped write the pamphlet, Scholl herself began to work on the White Rose. The group of authors had been horrified by Hartnagel’s reports of German war crimes on the Eastern Front where Hartnagel witnessed Soviet POWs being shot in a mass grave and learned of the mass killings of Jews. Her correspondence with Hartnagel deeply discussed the “theology of conscience” developed in Newman’s writings. This is seen as her primary defense in her transcribed interrogations leading to her “trial” and execution. Those transcripts became the basis for a 2005 film treatment, Sophie Scholl – The Final Days. With six core members, three more White Rose pamphlets were created and circulated over the summer of 1942. he core members initially included Hans Scholl (Sophie’s brother), Willi Graf, Christoph Probst and Alexander Schmorell (Schmorell was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in 2012). Initially her brother had been keen to keep her unaware of their activities, but once she discovered them she joined him and proved valuable to the group because, as a woman, her chances of being randomly stopped by the SS were much smaller. Calling themselves the White Rose, they instructed Germans to passively resist the Nazi government. The pamphlet used both Biblical and philosophical support for an intellectual argument of resistance. In addition to authorship and protection, Scholl helped copy, distribute and mail pamphlets while also managing the group’s finances. She and the rest of the White Rose were arrested for distributing the sixth leaflet at the University of Munich on 18 February 1943. In the People’s Court before Judge Roland Freisler on 21 February 1943, Scholl was recorded as saying these words: Somebody, after all, had to make a start. What we wrote and said is also believed by many others. They just don’t dare express themselves as we did. No testimony was allowed for the defendants; this was their only defense. On 22 February 1943, Scholl, her brother, Hans, and their friend, Christoph Probst, were found guilty of treason and condemned to death. They were all beheaded by a guillotine by executioner Johann Reichhart in Munich’s Stadelheim Prison only a few hours later, at 17:00 hrs. The execution was supervised by Walter Roemer, the enforcement chief of the Munich district court. Prison officials, in later describing the scene, emphasized the courage with which she walked to her execution. Her last words were: “How can we expect righteousness to prevail when there is hardly anyone willing to give himself up individually to a righteous cause? Such a fine, sunny day, and I have to go, but what does my death matter, if through us, thousands of people are awakened and stirred to action?” Fritz Hartnagel was evacuated from Stalingrad in January 1943, but did not return to Germany before Sophie was executed. In October 1945, he married Sophie’s sister Elisabeth. Following her death, a copy of the sixth leaflet was smuggled out of Germany through Scandinavia to the UK by German jurist Helmuth James Graf von Moltke, where it was used by the Allied Forces. In mid-1943, they dropped over Germany millions of propaganda copies of the tract, now retitled The Manifesto of the Students of Munich. In a historical context, the White Rose’s legacy has significance for many commentators, both as a demonstration of exemplary spiritual courage, and as a well-documented case of social dissent in a society of violent repression, censorship, and conformist pressure. Playwright Lillian Garrett-Groag stated in Newsday on 22 February 1993, that “It is possibly the most spectacular moment of resistance that I can think of in the twentieth century … The fact that five little kids, in the mouth of the wolf, where it really counted, had the tremendous courage to do what they did, is spectacular to me. I know that the world is better for them having been there, but I do not know why.” In the same issue of Newsday, Holocaust historian Jud Newborn noted that “You cannot really measure the effect of this kind of resistance in whether or not X number of bridges were blown up or a regime fell … The White Rose really has a more symbolic value, but that’s a very important value.” Else Gebel shared Sophie Scholl’s cell and recorded her last words before being taken away to be executed. “It is such a splendid sunny day, and I have to go. But how many have to die on the battlefield in these days, how many young, promising lives. What does my death matter if by our acts thousands are warned and alerted. Among the student body there will certainly be a revolt.”

#sophie scholl #art #painting of sophie #painting

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softlyjackson-blog · 6 years

Text

polarity | yugyeom x reader; ii

pairing: yugyeom x reader

genre: smut

words in this chapter: 0.8k

one two three four five six

summary: life as a dance major in one of seoul’s most prestigious dance academies isn’t what you expected. from being constantly overshadowed by your beautiful, popular best friend to falling pretty hard for one of your teachers, your first semester is a wild ride from start to finish.

The next morning, the mysterious guy you’d met last night didn’t even cross your mind as you woke up, combed mascara through your lashes and headed to the studio, eating a granola bar while walking. Lisa was waiting outside for you, and as you approached she looked up from her phone.

“Y/n!” she yelled, excitedly.

“Lisa! It’s eight in the morning. Inside voice, please.” She covered her mouth with one hand to stop herself speaking, animatedly bouncing from side to side. It was clear she needed to tell you something.

“Fine. What is it?”

“We have a new teacher. Miss Park’s finally gone on maternity leave and I saw the new guy this morning. We’re in for a treat.” She winked before grabbing your hand and leading you inside.

You nearly dropped the remaining half of your granola bar upon seeing the man leaning against the mirror talking to one of your classmates. It was the same man you’d barrelled into at full force last night.

Lisa giggled at your reaction. Surveying the room, you quickly noticed that all female dancers in your class were clustered at the back, giggling and whispering. You weren’t the only one who he had this effect on, clearly.

“OK, everybody!” He called, and the chattering in the room ceased instantly. “My name’s Mr Kim, but you guys can call me Yugyeom. I’ll be taking these classes for the rest of the semester as your previous teacher has gone on maternity leave. I hope that’s OK with everyone.”

Someone at the back of the classroom whispered, “It’s sure as hell OK with me,” and a giggle echoed around the room. Wisely, Yugyeom chose to ignore it. “Right, let’s go around and everyone can introduce themselves.” He scanned the room, looking for somewhere to start. To your simultaneous shock and horror, his eyes landed calmly on yours.

“We’ll start with you.”

You quickly realised that everyone in the room was waiting for you to say something. “OK. Um. Hi. My name is y/n.”

Yugyeom smiled, his eyes never once leaving yours. “We’ve met before, I believe.”

You could feel your face grow warm as you slowly nodded. The girl standing next to you began to introduce herself, and his line of eyesight changed to settle on her. Suddenly you were no longer the focus of attention and you felt intensely relieved.

The second class was over, Lisa all but sprinted over to you while you were packing up your stuff, ready to leave. “How do you know Mr Tall, Dark and Handsome?!” she whispered.

“I don’t know know him. We ran into each other last night. Like, physically.”

Lisa gasped. “What does he smell like?”

You laughed, casting a quick glance around the room to make sure he wasn’t within hearing distance. Yugyeom was on the other side of the room, retrieving his iPhone from where it had spent the class, plugged into the sound system.

“That’s a weird question, Li. What’s the big deal anyway? He’s not even that cute.”

She raised her eyebrows, but you weren’t finished.

“Plus, he’s a teacher. That automatically makes him a million times less attractive.”

“He’s only a year older than us!” She protested. Then she smiled knowingly. “I bet you’re just trying to cover up your attraction to him. Odds on I find you two making out in a cupboard at the ball or something.” She laughed delightedly before skipping away, just before she could realise just how right she was about you attempting to cover up your attraction to him.

Besides, you’d completely forgotten about the ball. It was a tradition at your university for a ball to begin the first semester of the year. All students and teachers were invited for a night of over-dressing, drinking and dancing. It was where all the scandals of the year took place, and it set the tone for how your relationships with everyone at the university were going to pan out for that year. As it was your first year there, you’d never been before.

Shit. Yugyeom was definitely going to be at the ball. The thought of him in a suit made you feel slightly dizzy.

That being said, you realised that despite over-packing on ballet shoes, leggings and toothpaste before you’d left for that semester, a ball gown hadn’t been something you’d thought to bring. The ball had been advertised in the pamphlet about the school that had arrived through the letterbox in the weeks before you’d left for the academic year, but it hadn’t even crossed your mind that you’d want to go.

“Lisa!” you yelled, and the tiny figure in the distance turned around and began walking back towards you. Once she reached normal talking distance, you said it.

“Wanna go ball gown shopping?”

She raised and eyebrow, and you sighed.

“I have somebody to impress.”

#yugyeom smut #kim yugyeom smut #got7 smut #yugyeom #yugyeom scenarios #got7 scenarios #yugyeom x reader #yugyeom x reader smut

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aggresivelyfriendly · 6 years

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~Meet Me In The Hallway~

Chapter 30-Walkabout

Eternal gratitude to @nocontrolforlouis for making it readable and to everybody for being patient. I mommed hardcore this weekend, we did Disney, the beach, and rollerskating, plus LA traffic. I’m wiped, be gentle!

As Harry sobbed, I pulled him across my lap. I had heard his sadness and regret on his 10 -song memory trip. I knew we were all over it. I felt like I had a lot of answers to his questions. Not a one of them was good enough though.

"I'm sorry, Harry, I'm sorry, baby!" We were both saying it and he sat up and held my face.

"Im sorry. I'm sorry. If you ever thought I didn't love you, didn't think of you everyday.," he said."Didn't want you every bit as much as you wanted me. That you were less important than me."

I clutched his back, knowing touching him was a bad idea. "I'm sorry I ran. I'm sorry I didn't talk to you. You were my best friend, I should have just talked to you!"

He kissed me then. I think he was just caught up in the feeling of the moment, like I had been earlier. I let him, because we needed a real goodbye, a seal upon our lives and lips. Because I wanted to memorize him one last time, commit him to the mixtape in my head labeled 'Harry and Melly."

I pulled away after a few sips and stood, he needed to leave, before that wasn't possible. He tasted like sunshine and beaches and sausage rolls, and my mom before she got sick, like the home you can't go back to.

Harry let me pull him up and lead him to the door. I was surprised he didn't fight me about making him leave, that he didn't think we had more to say. Maybe he was sure this wasn't the last time. But he was leaving my island, a smaller one this time, and I knew better that it had to be.

I crossed my arms tightly at the door and said goodbye in the same tone. Collapsing back into myself, bringing her back home, the girl he set free.

"Can I at least call you sometime? I promise I'm much better about it now. Heartbreak is a good teacher," he said. The slice in his cheek appeared, his eyes shone through his drying tears and I thought that saltwater cured everything, except for love.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Harry."

His smile fell. "Alright, Alright Melly." He swallowed. "I...I love you, and for what's worth, I'm not mad at you anymore, ok? We're ok?"

I bit my lip and back my tears. "Mmhmm," was all I could get out with a nod. I couldn't cough up the three words he now seemed to say so effortlessly. Or the easy forgiveness, for him or me. I guided him to the threshold of my apartment and opened it onto the hallway. I couldn't even smile when he walked out into that place, our place. Though he was the one outside now, it felt backwards, like a mirror image.

I closed the door between us and sat down right there and listened to him walk away.

His footsteps echoed and I thought about how we don't ever really see our own faces, just reflections and pictures, but our lovers do. How they see us for who we really are. What face did Harry see tonight, when he had been looking at me? Did he see me as the 18-year old girl who he spent nights learning, of the 20-year old girl he knew in everyway, or the 23-year old woman who was a stranger?

I wasn't sure which one I saw either, what reflection would look back at me. I wasn't sure I'd recognize any of those people.

I was still there, on the floor, with a salty face when I heard Milo's footfalls and got myself up and to the bathroom. The girl in the mirror looked younger. So maybe today I was her, my 18-year old self. I'd cried off my makeup and I was in comfy clothes and my hair was up in the messy bun I had always worn at night three or four years ago. I'm surprised she wasn't screaming at me, for letting Harry walk into that corridor and away, onto another country.

It was time to put away childish things.

Milo loved my hair unbound, the waves down my back drew him out like he was a surfer at dawn. Most nights I wore it like that, now.

When we were young, Harry never made special mention of how he liked my hair, but he often gripped my bun. I wore a bun a lot then.

I didn't put make up on, but I washed my face and put my hair down and threw on a nightie before going to Milo.

"Corazon!" He greeted when I came into the kitchen and he was heating up yesterday's takeout. "Have you eaten?" He pulled down another plate and I felt a wave of guilt crest and crash.

"Yeah." I lied. Food sounded like sawdust. I sat at the table to chat like he liked me to do when he had been out late.

"Were you sleeping, Melody? Your eyes are puffy." His finger smoothed my eye and it reminded me of another swipe at the tear stained place too recently. My first instinct was to yank away from the confusing touch. I just adjusted myself slightly farther away.

"I nodded off, Buen Provecho." I nodded at his plate and watched him tuck in. He was always starved after these business affairs.

"I'm starving, How they all live off whiskey I do not know." He happily ate the Thai food I had called in, while we giggled on the living room rug and watched a film yesterday. It felt a lifetime ago. He was talking about his night between mouthfuls and I must have been feigning attention well enough because before long, while I was thinking about the sound of footsteps in corridors, he was pulling me up.

He hugged me and my body felt like I'd been in a car accident, black and blue all over. I was hoping my tiredness would convince him we should just retire. The idea of his hands on me tonight made me tender beneath my skin too. I wanted to word vomit over my shame and was trying to figure out how to tell him. How do you tell a good man he deserves more? When he wasn't touching me I could stay mum and numb.

I hoped he kept his hands to himself while I put on my courage like a poor knight's armor.

He was such a lovely man, I thought as I watched him round the bed. How could I do this? Milo got into the bed beside me and leaned over giving me a kiss on the head and taking my hand.

"Did you pack today?"

My confusion was plain on my face.

He chuckled, "Are you still jet lagged? Mi amor you are out of it." He made an up in space gesture.

I shook my head. Bigger things than sleep were wrong with me.

"No, Corazon, we leave in two days!" He's celebrating and I've forgotten somehow about the three week trip we are about to take. It has been an extremely stressful season at his work place. He's had to deal with some asset inquiries and he was up for review. When he'd been promoted to senior trader he had proposed that we make a trip to meet each other's families.

He picks up my hands then, and kisses the backs of them and then presses his mouth to the empty ring finger on my left hand. "After we tell our families, then you will have no excuse not to wear it anymore!"

He had also proposed.

And me in my delusions that I was over loving Harry Styles and all of the grief that had come with it, had leapt into his arms and accepted.

I'd be lucky to have him.

But we hadn't met anybody back home. I'd never been to Argentina and he had certainly never been to Australia. My parents and my brother were aware of our situation and happy that I'd found somebody after my unspoken, but apparent heartbreak. We had used the tools available to us and my mum had made a few calls where she had cause to make cheeky little comments about Milo because he was shirtless and I was disheveled.

They were happy because I was happy, or at least I thought I was.

No that is unfair. I was happy, and we were supposed to be getting married in six months. Smack dab in the middle of Harry's next tour. A shame I wouldn't be able to invite him.

I had agreed to marry my gorgeous grown-up man, but found a convenient excuse about why I could not wear his ring.

Milo had agreed, that our ex-patriot status made certain things complicated. What if our parents did not approve?

I could not imagine that my parent's would disapprove of Milo. And he assured me that his mother, the lone immediate family member he had, would love me at first sight, like him.

But I was well aware, having loved and lost a mumma's boy before, that her approval, Maria Luisa's approval, would be important. If she disapproved, however, that would be a deal breaker. I'm sure that Milo would not break up with me immediately, but it would be an eventuality.

Milo had been really nervous about this trip when we had discussed it originally. It was the youngest I had ever seen him appear, while he told me all about his home and all of the things he wanted me to see and eat. The friends that he couldn't wait to introduce to me.

It was more nerve wracking than meeting Harry's parents somehow. Maybe because of language barriers and cultural difference. Milo was totally sure that it would be a resounding success. I was his doll, everybody would love me as much as him, I would see.

Also, it wouldn't have been a deal breaker for Harry. No matter how much he loved his mother, if she didn't like me, he would just given her time and trust his own opinion.

Luckily we never had that problem.

For all of these reasons though, I had been hesitant to wear my ring until we actually met and it went smoothly. I could just imagine my mum catching the glint off the two carat skating rink Milo had presented me with and knowing her she would scream and cry and be happy. But she would also ask why they didn't know first and why Milo hadn't tried to talk to my dad before. I assumed that was because Milo had no father to speak of, and my parents were surprisingly old fashioned about some things.

Worse would be if his mother saw it and made assumptions about me before she met me. The guera from another world who kept her boy away.

These were the reason I gave Milo when he asked. And they were legitimate.

I felt the need to stall for time, but I had covered my hours of gut wrench by preparing for bed and pretending to be tired so I went to the bed and watched him round the room and close the bathroom door while I put my face into my hands and thought about the way Harry's face had looked while he'd begged me to tell him I didn't love Milo like I loved him. That I was meant for him.

His cheeks were drawn and he looked gaunt and like a cat caught out in the rain. Then he looked aghast that he had revealed himself so nakedly to me.

It reminded me of one of our first major conversations, when he had first stripped himself emotionally and admitted that the constant attention was exhausting and he longed for anonymity sometimes.

I pulled myself together when I heard the sink turn off after the buzz of Milo's electric toothbrush. When he walks out my feelings of guilt transfer to him.

He smiled at me so warmly and I remembered that he was my sun in a dark place. But I had betrayed him tonight, and would have betrayed him fully if Harry hadn't stopped me. Once again my thief's brain ran away with me, and my thoughts made a getaway from the righteous guilt I should be feeling to wondering about Harry's girl. She must be special if he turned me down.

Jesus I was a horrible bitch. I had no business with either of these honorable men.

Milo smiled at me, and came to his side of the bed, slipping in and flipping to his side so that he could run his fingers up and down my arm.

He wanted me. So I slouched down into the bed and tried to turn my brain off and my body on. Milo made me ravenous and desperate, it was his favorite thing.

It was a hard thing to fake, but I must have done well enough, as he nodded off after. "Mi Alma, mi sol!" he said into my long blonde hair.

Did all men fall asleep like this? Harry didn't even need to be horizontal or comfortable to fall asleep. Milo nodded off as soon as he met the pillow. They were the totality of my experience, so I guess men are better sleepers.

I was not tired. I surfed on my phone.

"Harry Styles girlfriend" went into the search bars without permission and I wondered how to punish my own fingertips, or mind.

There was nothing new, all of the girl's were from two or more years ago. So, she, whoever was standing where I stood and doing it better, was new or important.

Important? That was a weird assumption. And then I reminded myself, that voice who whispered important, that our names were never linked in ink. Only people who we loved knew. We were hidden far away from predatory eyes. I was hidden away.

Or it was new.

I sent up an errant prayer for the latter.

This was ridiculous! I was jealous of a woman I didn't know who got a man I didn't deserve and who I'd thrown away years ago. What I had now was real. And open. And I loved the one I was with.

I stared at Milo for a while and decided that I had to put Harry away. And that I would never tell. If nothing came of it and nobody came, the only reason to tell was to alleviate my own guilt. It was time to put away childish things.

I got up and located my engagement ring, stowed in the medicine cabinet for some weird reason. I closed the mirrored door and looked at the beautiful piece. I took off the ring that had adorned my right hand for years, with it's worn wish and held it.

I stared at myself in the mirror for a long moment and tried to decide who she was, the girl there reflected back at me.

And I put on my ring. But instead of the rock with all of its intentions, I slipped my past onto my wedding finger.

#harry styles #Harry Styles fanfiction #Harry Styles fanfic #Harry Styles imagine #mmith #meet me in the hallway #one direction #one direction fanfiction

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