#i actually did a mini study on orange some time ago in high school

[bokutosworld]

someday | kageyama tobio

a kageyama x f! reader one shot loosely inspired by iu’s ending scene.

wc: 2.8 words of heartbreak, regrets, and moving on. 

summary: kageyama returns home for a reunion he never asked for and gets the closure he has been hoping for. this takes place post-timeskip and has slight manga spoilers.

--

it took five snoozes on his phone alarm before kageyama turned on his back, opening his eyes to stare at his apartment ceiling. he came home late last night and the jet lag was certainly taking its toll on him. it was currently 10:01 am, and in two hours, he would be meeting up with his high school friends. while he wants nothing more than to stay in his bed for the whole day, hinata threatened him that he would spill all his dirty secrets if he didn't show up for the mini reunion. as if i am hiding anything, kageyema thought. he was going to give his orange headed friend a good smack when he sees him later.

at 11:30 am, kageyama was already making his way to their meet up spot. hinata, yachi, yamaguchi and tsukishima all agreed to gather at a subway station which was a 15-minute walk from his current apartment. the route to the station was more picturesque than ever, with the cherry blossoms in full bloom and the pink petals decorating the street like a red carpet. it didn't hit him until that moment that it was currently spring in japan, his favorite season. he admires the view and suddenly he feels as if he's being pulled back to seven years before. when he was a first year on his way to karasuno and saw you, glowing and smiling happily, under the beautiful sakura tree. he wishes now that someone could have warned him that meeting you was a mistake. spring was his favorite season, but for some reason, it's been tainted with memories he wishes he could erase.

by the time he arrives at the station, he saw that everyone was waiting for him. hinata saw him, looking almost frustrated, 'kageyama, you dumbass! you are late!' the other three simultaneously turned their heads to see him sprinting towards them. when he reached them, he crouched and was desperately trying to catch his breath. hinata was still shouting at him, while tsukishima and yamaguchi was laughing at the duo. yachi was watching over them, nostalgia hitting her faster then she wanted that she failed to stop the words coming out, 'you guys never changed huh.'

it's been three years since kageyama saw this crazy bunch. the last time being the one right before he flew to italy where he was joining a team. they all saw him off at the airport, giving him their best wishes and hopes for his success. it even surprised him that hinata, who would usually tease and give him a playful remark, teared up as he left for the departure gates. it was everything he could have asked for a goodbye, but deep down, he wished that someone else was there to see him off too, for one last time.

the four friends were now settled in a yakiniku restaurant. as always, food was the first in their agenda for the day. while waiting, they comfortably launched into a conversation, catching up on each other's lives and plans for the future. at one instance, kageyama teased tsukishima for pursuing professional volleyball despite lacking the interest in it back in high school. the blonde boy just laughed and took a sip of his drink before surprising everyone at the table, 'well, at least i had the guts to do what i wanted to do. unlike others here who knew what they wanted and already had it but chose to let it go.' to make his point, tsukishima sent the setter a smirk. 

an awkward silence enveloped the table. their food arrived and while the kind waitress was setting the different dishes down, the four people were dreading where the conversation will go after what tsukishima said. when the lady left, giving them one bow, kageyama spoke up, 'how is she?' everyone blinked, not knowing how to approach the topic. he repeated himself, while taking his chopsticks and getting a piece of the meat, 'y/n. how has she been doing?' he looked over at yachi, expecting her to have some kind of answer. he remembers how she was best friends with you. yachi smiled, 'she's great! the last time i heard from her, she was visiting her relatives in osaka. i haven't checked up on her this week, i sent her a message though.' she paused, gauging kageyama's expression. he was always difficult to read, yachi knew this from you. she continued, 'i told her about you visiting. she hasn't replied to me.' the conversation shifted to another topic when hinata, worried at his friend, told a story about his time in brazil.

unknown to his friends, kageyama has zoned out of the chat, his mind drifting back to the last moment that he shared with you. he remembers it vividly as if it happened yesterday. it was graduation day and you pulled him to the gardens to talk as soon as the ceremony ended. he had an inkling of what you were about to say, and he was terrified.

he recalls how you shyly looked at him during that time. the you back then was so different from your usual confident and playful self. he's been so used to you going up to him, initiating a conversation and letting you take the lead.

he's always let himself get carried away with your stories, your antics, and even your subtle advances. time seemed to stretch out as you debated whether to go through with your speech, so kageyama spoke up, 'it's finally over. we've graduated.' after a long while, you looked at him and his gaze looked so soft, so focused on you in that moment that you thought there was no other people in the world but the two of you. smiling, you replied, 'yeah, we did it.' shaking off your nerves, you let out a sigh and continued to speak, 'who would have thought that the kageyama, who's so committed only to volleyball, devoted all his time and effort to the sport, could actually get passing grades and make it through high school?'

he shook his head at your taunting statement, reaching out a hand to ruffle your hair. annoyed, you made a move to swat at his hand, but he got it first and intertwined your fingers, 'if it weren't for you, i wouldn't have made it.' he was telling the truth. when he saw you under the sakura tree that time, he wouldn't have imagined that you two would be classmates. he never thought you would be a fixture in his high school life. in first year, he saw you as someone he can rely on to help him with his studies and make sure he never gets a grade below 70 so he could keep his spot in the volleyball team. come second year, he was surprised to see you helping yachi in the gym. as it turns out, you were the new club manager that yachi was telling the team about. since then, his relationship with you evolved.

doubts and questions about your friendship started bothering kageyama on his third year. as focused as he was with practices and preparations for volleyball after high school, he often found himself yearning for your presence - whether it was on or off the court. speculations about your relationship, about him and you being a couple, began circulating around school. the rumors didn't help the emotions that was building inside kageyama, forcing him to look at you as more than a friend but as a lover. as much as he wanted you, kageyama has already set his mind. he felt sick, dizzy, whenever he thought of the dream that he'd carried since he was a child. it was a future without you.

so he doesn't know what to do or what to say when you finally gathered your courage and confessed to him. 'i love you, tobio.' he slowly let go of your hand. your palm felt empty, and you wished you could ignore the warning sign, but you persisted. 'us being friends for the past three years was not a coincidence. us being in the same place three years ago, under that sakura tree, was not fate. i believe that everyone is where they are because of the choices they have made.' you pause, giving him time to absorb what was happening. 'that day, i deliberately took a different route from home to catch the cherry blossoms in full bloom. i knew that street would be lined with pretty sakura trees. i wasn't expecting that i would see someone far more beautiful than the view.' he knows you were talking about him. and he wouldn't say it, but that day, he also took detour to see the beauty of spring. 'my mom always said that life is full of choices. and every day since that spring, my choices have led me to you.'

when you didn't speak for minutes, kageyama took it as his cue to talk. there were so many questions swimming in his mind but all he could ask was, 'why me?' you grinned, 'you don't really need an explanation to know that you are in love. you feel it. and what you make me feel is indescribable. you make me giddy, happy, excited, and proud,' you take a step forward and grab both of his hands. 'and there's nothing i want more in life than to be by your side, supporting you and seeing you achieve your dreams.'

he knows you mean no harm, and he would be lying if he said that he didn't feel moved by what you said. deep down, kageyama feels the same way and he wants to let you know. heck, he would have asked you to be his girlfriend if he didn't feel so confused. he was a simpleminded person and he thought, in all honesty, that he couldn't be a good boyfriend and give you all his time and affection if he was continuing volleyball after high school. so although he reciprocates your feelings, he thought it would be better to keep his love hidden and reject you now than disappoint you in the future. he really thought he was doing the both of you a favor.

'i'm sorry.' as soon as he said those words, your world felt like it was crumbling and you could feel your heart shattering, but he continued, 'you are too good for me.' is that even a compliment, you thought. 'your friendship means so much to me but you and i know having something more will not work.' you hadn't realized you were tearing up. you pulled away your hands, and started wiping at your cheeks. this was it for you two and the ending scene was becoming too much for kageyama. he wanted to hug you and take it all back, but then he heard you say through bated breaths, 'did i read the signs wrong? were my choices a mistake?'

'no, you didn't,' kageyama is looking at you now, almost pleading for you to forgive him. to forget him. 'but i've already decided my future long ago before you went into the picture.' nodding, you sigh, 'so there's no space for me in your future?' kageyama couldn't say anything but the words i am sorry.

it took a while before you calmed down, letting the rejection sit with you. kageyama still recalls the words you said to him before you walked away, 'i know i wish a lot of things, but right now, what i'm wishing for the most is that you don't forget me.'

the hurt expression on your face and the sting when you said those words still affect kageyama to this day. like a curse that was placed upon him since graduation, kageyama has indeed not forgotten you. the flashback that came and overwhelmed him ended when yamaguchi asked kageyama about his vacation plans in japan.

after eating, the group decided to stroll around the mall. each one had things to buy and tsukishima suggested that they went on their separate ways to run their errands and meet right after in the ground floor. kageyama had no other things to do, he could already buy souvenirs but the boy figured he was staying longer than usual and he could get them later in the airport.

deciding to take it easy and relax, he went inside a coffee shop. he didn't notice how he caught the attention of a particular girl who was sitting in the corner. after he placed his order, he sat himself in the available table in the center of the cafe. kageyama felt as if he was being watched, but he shrugged it off, thinking it was one of his fans. minutes passed and a barista gave him his order and soon after getting his drink, someone took the seat in front of him. he looked up, with furrowed eyes, and he swears he felt his heart skip a beat.

after all these years, you still had that effect on him. you excitedly beamed at him, 'so you still drink cafe latte. you haven't changed a bit.' he couldn't believe what he was seeing, he almost spat out his latte, 'i heard you were in osaka?' you laughed and went on to tell him how you returned home earlier than expected because of work-related issues. he didn't need to ask as you caught him up to your life, sharing bits and pieces of what you have been up to since graduation. you seemed happy, being able to do what you've always dreamed of as a manager for a well-known clothing brand. kageyama wishes he has been there to see you rise and be successful, but that would be asking for too much, especially after what he did to you.

sensing that he was feeling uncomfortable, you asked with the kindest tone he's ever heard, 'are you happy, kageyama?' he was speechless at your choice of words, but he knew there was no malice behind them.

'i've missed you.' he wants to say more. to say that letting you go was his biggest regret in life. choosing volleyball over you was mistake that he had realized when one night, after a terrible game, all he wanted was your presence to comfort him. there were moments when he felt so lost that he wanted to pick up his phone and call you. but this was a choice he made and he had to live with it.

'i know, i missed you too, kageyama. it's been way too long.' there were so many words begging to be said but left hanging between the two of you. but the look you held in your eyes was enough for kageyama to know that you have moved on. you glanced at the windows behind him and he noticed how your eyes lit up. he followed your line of sight, and he saw who he can only assume was your lover. you waved at him and before you can say goodbye to kageyama, he beat you to it, 'for what it's worth, i didn't forget you. not once.' you know he was talking about your last request to him and your heart warmed. 'thank you, tobio. i'll see you around.' finally, you turned around and exited the cafe to be welcomed into the arms of your boyfriend.

kageyama saw the two of you walking away, slowly fading from his line of sight. it was weird, he thought he should be feeling sad and broken as he has spent the past years after high school yearning for you from afar. he had selfishly hoped that you would be waiting for him. that when he returned, you would be welcoming him with open arms. but that's not how life works. he was thankful that time has been good to you and gave you the happiness you deserves.

just as he was letting the surprise reunion sink in, hinata came barging in the cafe and took a seat. he peered at kageyama, almost worried, 'you're creepy. why do you have this weird look on your face?' he sneered at hinata and threw a tissue at him. 'what took you so long? you didn't even buy anything.' at that, hinata goes on to complain about his shopping experience.

while he was listening his intently at his old friend, kageyama thinks back to you. the acceptance comes in slow but he was sure. he used to wish for you, but now, he hopes he would also find his own happiness.

[artificialqueens]

Pretty in Pearls, Chapter 3 (Jankie) - Plastiquedoll

read on ao3 💄| previous chapters

A/N: hi! I was going to update earlie but things happened...... so here's a new chapter. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading it <3

-3-

It was late when they went back to their room, Jan had only two classes in the afternoon but Rosé had one in the morning, yet, they talked for what it felt like hours and Jan only stopped speaking to read Jackie’s message. She was very happy. During that day she had made several friends –something she couldn’t have imagined a week before- she had met some of her professors and attended a couple of classes so she wouldn’t feel as nervous the following day.

In the morning she heard cursing in whispers when Rosé’s alarm went off announcing she had to get ready to go to class. After the girl left, Jan had the room for herself. She laid in bed watching videos on Instagram for a while and then decided it was a good moment to take a shower and get a cup of coffee.

Tuesdays were her lightest days and she could get used to it. She felt fresh out of the shower, braided her hair, and put on some clean clothes before walking out of the dorms.

On her way out she crossed paths with Nicky and who seemed to be her roommate. The girl had orange long hair and a great amount of makeup on but that worked perfectly on her. She also wore high waist pants with a turquoise loose blouse and dangling earrings. Nicky looked as great as the day before with a mauve off-the-shoulder mini dress and a high ponytail.

“Jan!” She waved at her.

“Hi, Nicky! How are you?”

“I’m doing good, thank you.” She smiled at her. “This is Crystal, my roommate. Crystal, this is Jan, the friend I talked you about.”

“Hi!” Crystal greeted Jan with a lot of energy. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too, Crystal. Well, I kind of feel like I know you through your room.”

“Oh, God…” She blushed. “I’m not taking the One Direction poster off, I already told Nicky.”

“I swear Niall’s eyes follow me whenever I’m in the room.” Nicky shivered.

Jan giggled.

“I have to go, I’m already running late.” Crystal said while checking the time on her phone. “See you guys later.”

“Don’t forget your keys…” Nicky reminded her.

Crystal pulled a key set with tons of colorful keychains. “Never again. Bye, Jan.”

“Bye!”

After the girl left, Nicky looked at Jan. “You missed a great dinner yesterday.”

“Oh, I imagine but I needed to spend some quality time with my roommate. But I’m still craving Thai food since it was mentioned.”

“There’s no choice, we’ll have to go back soon.”

“Please.”

“Are you heading to class?”

“No, I have my Tuesday mornings free. I was getting some coffee, actually.”

“Ugh, lucky you. I have a class in thirty minutes. Do you mind if I get coffee with you?”

“Sure, that’s great because I was going to google where the café is, I have no idea.”

Nicky just smiled. “I’ll show you the way.”

They walked for a couple of minutes; Nicky pointed to the café’s exterior when they got closer. As soon as they got in the smell of freshly brewed coffee embraced them. Autumn was around the corner and college students demanding pumpkin spice lattes prematurely were flooding the place.

Luckily for them, the line moved fast and the barista quickly took their orders. Jan ordered decaffeinated –because she wasn’t technically allowed to drink coffee after that one incident on St. Patrick’s day- but she compensated it with a lot of sugar and whipped cream. Nicky, on the other hand, asked for an iced Americano.

While they were waiting sitting at a little table, Jan recognized the familiar figure of the one person from her hometown she so badly wanted to see.

“Oh my God…” She suddenly felt coy when he started walking in their direction.

“Janie!” He greeted the girl but his eyes went directly to Nicky who was unimpressed while on her phone.

“Hi, Nathan.”

The name rang a bell for the blonde girl who looked up.

“How are you doing?” He rested half of his arm on almost all the table’s surface.

“Oh you know… just chilling before classes. I have Tuesday mornings free.” She tried to sound chill, smooth even.

“Cool…” He kept staring at the other girl a little too much. “Who’s your friend?”

“Ah, yes… this is Nicky, she’s in the same dorm as I am… Nicky, this is Nathan, he’s…”

“A friend from New Jersey.” He extended his hand to shake Nicky’s but the girl glared at him.

At that moment, their names were called by the barista.

“I’ll get the coffee.” Nicky rushed to leave the table. “Salaud…” She murmured before going.

Jan was thankful because now she had some time to speak with Nathan alone.

“So how’s the-”

“Janie, your friend is smoking and she’s French or something, right? That’s hot. Do you think you could set us up?”

Jan’s spirit sank. She should’ve guessed.

“Uh… I don’t think she’d be interested. She’s already dating someone.”

“What a shame because she’s one hundred percent eye candy.”  His gaze followed Nicky’s curves.

“Besides, I thought you liked that girl you met yesterday,” Jan mentioned shyly.

“Abby? She’s alright I guess but this is week one, I have to keep my options open, you know?” He shrugged. “Can’t wait to hit the baseball field next week again, huh?”

“Yes! I’m so excited about it, actually-”

He threw his backpack over his shoulder. “I gotta run, Janie.”

“Oh, okay… see you.”

“Tell your friend that if she ever needs a rebound…” He left, still looking in Nicky’s direction.

Jan tried to smile but she ended up with a weird grimace.

The blonde returned to the table when he was away.

“Here’s your drink…” She tried to put a real smile on the girl’s face but she failed. “Jan, what is it? Did he tell you something?”

“Oh, no… it’s nothing.” She took a sip of her sweet beverage but didn’t enjoy it as she intended. “It’s just Nathan being Nathan…”

Nicky bit her tongue to avoid telling her he seemed like an asshole.

Jan looked at Nicky, of course he’d be interested in her. She was beyond gorgeous and she was stylish as hell with her pretty dress and makeup while Jan had barely washed her face and put on the first pair of joggings and a graphic t-shirt she found in her drawers.

“I bought you a cookie.” She slid the little chocolate treat in front of her.

“Aw, Nicky… thank you.”

Nicky squeezed her shoulder.

“I have to go to class but I don’t want to leave if you’re feeling down.”

Jan shook her head. “No, I’m fine, really…”

“Are you sure?”

“Yep, I’ll go to the library or drop by the copy room to annoy Jackie a little.”

“She’s in class during the mornings, someone else is running the copy room in the mornings.”

Jan sighed. “The library is then.”

“Always exciting.” Nicky checked the time on her watch. “Now I really have to go. See you later, dear.” She blew a kiss in the air.

“For sure.” She smiled to show Nicky everything was alright even when it wasn’t.

But enough of being pitiful, she had a cup of coffee, a cookie, and the sun was shining outside. She had this.

The library turned out to be a great place to spend some spare time between classes. Jan met the librarian –Mrs. West- who was probably one of the sweetest people she had ever seen and she was kind enough to explain Jan the rules –besides keeping it low in the study and reading area- Jan walked directly to a free desk and pulled out her computer. She needed to check if she was registered correctly on her classes once again just to be sure and she had to revise if her teachers from the previous day had left some new reading –they did.

She read the two papers and prepared a little draft for the next class before she noticed, it was almost noon. Nicky had said Jackie had classes in the morning but maybe she was free already, so Jan pulled out her phone and typed a quick text.

To Jackie C.: Hi Jackie! Nicky told me you were in class I was wondering if you’re out already, I can drop by the copy room :D

The reply arrived a minute later.

From Jackie C.: I’m already out and heading to the copy room, I’ll be there in no time.

And with that, the girl picked up her things and walked following the map that was scribbled over. She rushed toward the copy room in a way that her former high school teacher would’ve scolded her for« running in the hallways». Finally, she opened the door of the room carefully.

“Hello…?” She walked in.

“I’m over here.” Jackie had a little closet in the corner open. “I’m picking some toner for the machine. I swear, every morning it’s the same, Yvie forgets to change it every time and I have to-”

Jackie smiled as soon as she saw Jan waving in front of her.

“Hi, there.”

“Hi! Thank goodness you’re out of class I was so bored… Well, I was being «productive» or something like that –I’m guessing it’s something college students aspire to be- but then the internet of the library started malfunctioning and I got distracted with the little T-Rex game –do you know which one? With his little jumps and tiny arms, it was so cute- and then I wasn’t being productive anymore so…”

“It’s so good to see you again.” Jackie shook her head.

“How was your morning?” She moved closer to the counter.

Jackie pointed at the chair next to her and Jan sat there.

“All of my classes are during the mornings; that’s how I get to work here after I’m done with them.” She explained while changing the copy machine’s toner. “On Tuesdays, I have this one class with a professor that absolutely despises everything I say because –and listen to this- «I try to push a gender agenda» on his classes.” She scoffed. “Only because they don’t mention women in art centuries ago it doesn’t mean that they weren’t there… it’s ridiculous.”

Jan listened to Jackie ranting for ten minutes about the class, the girl was fuming but there was something entertaining about seeing her mad and the way she gestured as if it was a Ted talk… not to mention she did it all while doing the maintenance work of the printers.

“I’m sorry, I really went off with it…”

“No! It’s okay. I don’t know much about art and listening to you is like actually taking a class… but more engaging because you’re pissed and it shows.”

“Yeah… I have to tone it down in class or that… professor… is going to fail me.” Jackie let a big sigh out of her chest. “Anyway, I’m sure Nicky told you about last night’s dinner…”

“Yes! I wanna eat Thai food so badly now… Nicky is great by the way, she’s very nice and helped me a lot with the dorm things. Thank you so much for introducing me to her and Jaida.”

“No worries. They all liked you the moment they met you anyway.”

Jan beamed and blushed a little.

“So, you met your roommate…”

“Oh, right! My roommate, Rosé, is great… we got along like, instantly and she’s a theatre major so now I’m sharing the dorm with a Broadway fangirl. It’s going to be fun.”

“Wait, isn’t that the girl with the pink hair? I’ve seen her a couple of times I think.”

“Yeah, she thought you were very serious.”

“Don’t tell anyone I’m nice, I have a reputation to keep.”

Jan giggled. “But you are nice! I can’t believe people think otherwise.” She snapped her fingers. “You know what, I’m having lunch with her right now. I have a class at one so I was going to head to the cafeteria, why don’t you come with me?”

“I’d love to but I have to stay a little longer before taking my lunch break. If you have a class at one you better hurry before it gets too crowded there.”

“Oh, that’s too bad… I’ll get going there but… text me later?”

“Sure.” Jackie smiled at her.

“Okay, have a nice day! See you later!” The younger waved on her way out.

“Bye, Jan.”

At lunch, Jackie sat with her friends and while she tried to finish reading a museum review of a new exhibition, she got a text message from Jan telling her how boring the class was. Jackie shook her head and replied back to her shortly after.

Widow was next to her chatting with Heidi, Jaida was sitting across the table typing on her phone until Nicky arrived so the quick smile that appeared on her face went unnoticed –thank goodness.

“Bonjour, mon rayon de soleil.” Nicky kissed her on the cheek.

“I’ll pretend I understood every word… hi, baby.” She kissed her back.

The blonde sat next to her and they shared a lovey-dovey look.

“I want what they have,” Heidi whispered while looking at their friends. “What does take to get a girlfriend here? I’m in the art department, it should be easier.”

Widow cackled.

“I thought you had retired from the dating world when Janelle Monáe blocked you on Instagram.”

“Okay, listen… I was nothing but respectful to Miss Monáe, I still don’t understand the reason behind that blocking but yeah…”

“Heidi you don’t want to date, you’re just horny.”

The girl gasped. “How dare you?”

“Because… you can’t keep your interest on one person for more than a week.” Jackie pointed.

“I think you’re better off single.” Widow agreed.

“Excuse me… I came here to have lunch and a lovely chat not to be attacked like this.” Heidi crossed her arms on her chest. “Unbelievable.”

They didn’t say a word.

“You may be right though…” She finally admitted.

“Oh! You know who should get a girlfriend…” Jaida glanced at the brunette in front of her.

Jackie sighed. “We’ve been through this yesterday… I already told you she’s out of the conversation.”

“I didn’t give any names though,” Jaida smirked. “You did that to yourself.”

Jackie blushed. “Whatever… I’m too busy to date anyway.”

“But you’d make an exception for a special someone, wouldn’t you?” Nicky pushed.

“She’s straight.”

“So it’s pasta until it gets hot and wet.” Heidi pointed.

“Heidi!”

The table burst into laughter.

“Enough with that, I’m serious. The last thing I want is Jan to feel awkward, she already has a lot on her plate.”

“Right, all jokes aside… I met the guy she pines after this morning…” Nicky started gossiping. “and my goodness he’s even worse than what I pictured… a jerk with capital letters. I think he was trying to get my number through Jan.”

They all made a disgusted sound in response.

“No fucking way…” Heidi’s mouth dropped.

“She deserves better and I don’t even know her personally.” Widow stated.

They agreed, especially Jackie who had seen the guy the day before breaking Jan’s heart in just a matter of seconds.

“Maybe meeting new people will help her seeing beyond his… spell?” Jaida raised an eyebrow.

“He’s not that charming, trust me.” Her girlfriend assured, basing her opinion on the –hopefully- only encounter they had. “But anyway… Crystal has classes until four…” She looked at Jaida with bedroom eyes. “would you like to take a nap with me?”

Jaida caught the hint instantly. “See y’all later, bitches.” She stuck out her tongue and both left the table.

“Maybe I am just horny.” Heidi reflected before sipping her apple juice.

“Be honest with me, do you hang out with us because you like us, or is it part of your sociology thesis investigation?” Jackie asked Widow.

“Bitch, you’ll never know.” She chuckled.

A week had passed and with that, Jan had established a little routine: in the mornings she would go to the library –sometimes on her own, sometimes with her roommate or one of her classmates-, she had lunch at the cafeteria in rotating schedules –as if she was the loving child of a divorced couple- during the afternoons she was at the copy room whenever she had some spare time and when Jackie was there and afterward she’d have dinner with her and her friends or with Rosé. They all ended up having dinner together on Friday night so Jan was secretly hoping the group would merge into one big supergroup.

She had also become close with Jackie’s friends including Widow of whom she had heard a lot but was formally introduced to a few days later and with Crystal, Nicky’s roommate who shared the struggles of being a freshman like her. Plus, she met one of Rosé’s friends from her musical comedy class as well, a girl called Lagoona that adopted Jan immediately and kept teaching her Spanish words.

On the weekend she watched cartoons wearing pajamas with the girls from her dorm in the lounge room and then completed some assignments for her classes with Crystal at the same place.

On Monday, however, she was extra excited –more than usual- because it was the day she was going to play baseball again. She could almost smell the grass of the field, the rubber of her sneakers, and the leather material of the ball… She could picture herself running around scoring like no other.

And because she was so thrilled, time seemed to pass slower than ever.

“Jackie…” She cried while sitting on her –now- regular reserved spot behind the countertop. “I still have to wait another two hours…”

“Two hours are almost nothing, c’mon.” The brunette was in the middle of copying a Shakespeare play for a group of students from the Literature department. “Besides, it’s not like it’s been years since the last time you played.”

“It’s been like two months.” She pouted. “Two long never-ending months.” She dragged the words to make emphasis on her sadness.

“But you survived.” Jackie pointed out before reaching for the staple on the shelf.

That day, Jackie was wearing a pleated plaid skirt with a knitted long sweater and mid-heel loafers. She moved smoothly in the limited space; Jan had memorized her moves by the time; she knew exactly when she had to lean back for the brunette to pass through while she mumbled something about Yvie not taking proper care of the machines or when she was fighting with the printer that didn’t mind for the students’ urgencies at all. She had also discovered that Jackie always hummed to California Dreamin’ no matter how often it played on the radio, that she liked gourmet jelly beans and that she had a stock of candy hidden somewhere -only she hadn’t found her secret spot yet.

“Hi, Jackie.” A girl hummed with a melodic voice as she rested her elbows on the countertop while batting her lashes overly.

Jackie, who was on her back stapling a final set of copies, took a deep breath as she recognized the owner of the voice right away.

“Hello, Vanessa.” She spun on her heels and faced the girl. “What can I do for you?” Her tone was deadpan.

Vanessa, the girl in question, was gorgeous with her long black hair perfectly curled, flawless makeup, and clothing; she was wearing a cropped pullover with the word «Angel» stamped on it a and pair of high-waisted jeans. She was tiny but she wasn’t scared of wearing high high-heels.

She flashed a dazzling smile as soon as Jackie turned around.

“Are you finally going to accept going on a date with me?” She blurted out.

Jan’s eyes got wide. Her type of courage was worth admiring, she was certainly fearless.

“No,” Jackie replied, coldly. “I’ve told you before; I’m not going to date you.”

Jan gasped but Vanessa didn’t even flinch. She just waved her hair and readjusted her pose.

Oh, she was about to say something, wasn’t she? Jan looked, expectant.

“Please…” She pouted. “Pretty please? You can’t say no to a pretty please.”

Jackie rolled her eyes. “There we go.” She shook her head and sighed. “Look, I’m not going to repeat the whole speech but if you have something for me to print or copy, I’m all ears.”

This time, Jan couldn’t keep it to herself. “Jackie!” She shouted and jumped off the chair.

The brunette turned toward her. “What? It’s Vanessa.” She said as if that was a fair justification.

Vanessa waved. “And who are you?” She looked at Jackie, then at Jan, and then at Jackie again. “Is she your girlfriend?”

“No.” Jackie blushed a little. “This is my friend, Jan. Jan, this is Vanessa she’s a sophomore that testes my patience since she was a freshman.”

“I worked very hard for that title.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Jan!” She shook her hand.

“Vanessa has an on and off long-distance relationship and she likes to flirt when she’s on the «off» side,” Jackie explained.

The girl shrugged. “Can you blame a girl for asking? I gotta try once in a while at least.”

Jan chuckled.

“Anyway, can you copy the marked pages of this textbook? I need it for class, you’ll be glad to know I didn’t come here exclusively to ask you out. Although…”

“Give me the book.” The brunette extended her hand to grab the object, Vanessa held it tightly for an instant but Jackie pulled it. “I’ll be done in a couple of minutes.”

“Thank you!” She smiled showing all her teeth. Then she turned back to Jan. “So Jan, is it…?”

“Don’t even try it!” Jackie yelled from the distance.

Once her shift was over, Jackie closed the copy room and walked around for a little before deciding to take a look at Jan’s baseball practice. She told herself it was okay to drop by, after all, she had been hearing about it all afternoon, she was curious now. But being honest, she had to ask around to find where the baseball field was –she didn’t even know their university had a women’s team before she met Jan- so she wandered through the corridors before finding the door that led to where they were playing.

The lights were on since their practice was after sunset and most students had classes during the day. The perimeter was surrounded by a chain-link fence so she guessed that was how close she could get to the field; she finally found a bleachers section -and she was one-hundred percent sure people smoked weed behind them.

She sat holding her purse against her chest. It seemed she made it just in time; it was Jan’s turn to bat. Even in the distance, Jackie had never seen the younger so focused on something as she was at that moment, it was like watching a completely different person. She moved into position and prepared.

She had the number eleven on the left sleeve of her striped uniform, purple socks on and a pair of shoes –already- covered in dirt. She adjusted her high ponytail under her cap before grabbing the wood bat with determination. Jan’s eyes were sharp as she tried to read into the pitcher’s moves.

Jackie had a shiver.

The pitcher threw the ball and she missed it, it went directly to the catcher’s glove. The brunette mouthed some curse. She had never been this invested in some sport.

Second attempt, she would get it this time. Jackie crossed her fingers, her heart was beating faster.

The pitcher threw the ball again and this time, it impacted against Jan’s bat making a thunderous noise that echoed everywhere. Jackie gasped, her eyes followed the girl’s figure as she ran as fast as she could before one of the players grabbed the ball from the ground. Now she knew her heart was about to break her ribcage, she couldn’t get herself to calm down. Jan was running and running like a roadrunner cartoon and she was about to make it when the players started passing the ball, maybe someone was going to catch her before she made it. But she was so close, just one more base to go. She ran, encouraged by her teammates, and drifted creating a cloud of dirt around the base.

She made it.

Home run.

“Yes! Yes!” Jackie cheered and raised her hands in the air.

Apparently, loud enough for the whole team to hear it.

Jan, who was bent over her knees, still out of breath due to her incredible race, grinned and waved as soon as she recognized Jackie. The brunette smiled back and clapped discreetly, even when she had just displayed such enthusiastic behavior.

The team -mainly the batter- had gained a new fan and the season hadn’t even started.

[versatilewindow]

A Night in ‘Las Vegas’ (its actually Daphne’s mansion)

Find it on Ao3!

Summary:Party at Daphne's, Velma experiences requited gay panic. Written for @scrubyjay<3

A/N: if u asked me a week ago what id be writing, scooby doo lesbian fanfic definitely wouldn't have been anywhere near my mind. im kinda surprised i even had this much to say about them.

In the past few years, the Mystery Gang had made a habit of meeting up before a new semester of college started to relax and hang out before their studies took over their lives. Daphne was hosting at her childhood home (as she called it, though most would consider the estate a real true mansion) as usual, (Her parents were off on their yearly honeymoon or what Daphne would call their regularly scheduled time for absolute debauchery among other acts that are certainly in a legal grey area.) and she had full reign of the staff and tonight's event. This semester’s theme was “A Night in Las Vegas”, meaning the gang would be dressed in their best cocktail outfits, and that there were actual slot machines and gambling tables, complete with dealers using rigged card decks to make sure no one would threaten the casino’s nightly earnings, not that they were actually gambling it’s all for realism.

This was the week before most the gang’s final semester, most as in Shaggy decided that he’d rather learn some cooking skills on the job rather than some pompous 75 year old teacher at the nearest cooking school, not realizing he would instead have to deal with an egotistical 40 year old going through what was surely the world’s worst case of mid-life crisis. The rest of the gang was spread around the country, Fred was at the local state college on a football scholarship, studying business and was the VP of the school’s biggest fraternity. Daphne was studying investigative journalism at Colombia, if asked she went to school in New York, and she was in fact related to the Blakes financially backing the new Blake scholarship for students studying journalism. Velma was at Stanford double majoring in Criminal Psychology and Forensic Science, and was set to continue her studies in a Phd program at Harvard. 

Out of all the gang, Velma was the most excited for the night, she rarely got to see the others because of the physical distance between them. She walked up the marble steps outside the front doors of the Blake estate, duffel bag in tow, (they always ended up absolutely sloshed at the end of these dinners, opting to stay in one of the many guest rooms with plush king sized beds rather than waiting for a taxi) and pressed the buzzer which linked to a pager on the butler’s uniform. It was only a few moments before Jenkins opened the heavy oak doors.

“Ah, Miss Dinkley, glad to see you’ve made it here safely, would you like someone to take your bag to your room?”

“No, thank you Jenkins, Daphne wanted to get ready together and I have some things I’ll need in the bag. Is she in her room?”

“Yes, allow me to escort you there.” With that Jenkins turned into the Foyer, walking under the first of many grand chandeliers, and up the grand blush pink marble stairs towards Daphne’s suite. Before she knew it they were in front of the door to the bedroom.

Jenkins knocked on the pale door, “Miss Blake, Miss Dinkley has arrived.”

“Oh Yes! Send her in please! The door’s unlocked!” A light rustling was heard behind the door as Jenkins opened the door for Velma, revealing Daphne moving towards her vanity in a silk lavender robe that ended mid thigh. “Velma! I’m so happy you could come early!” The taller woman changed her course towards the shorter one, who seemed almost frozen in the doorway. “Come on in! Thank you Jenkins, let me know when the boys have arrived.” Jenkins responded with a light bow before swiftly turning away, no doubt to continue the prep for tonight's event. 

Velma walked in the room, closing the door behind her, and setting her bag down on the loveseat in front of the room’s TV. “I’m glad I could make it too, I wasn’t sure if I would’ve been able to trade shifts with someone at the bookstore, but Sarah S., remember her from high school? She was trying to avoid a family event that was going on earlier today, her aunts are always setting her up on dates and she didn’t want to deal with that again. So it all worked out!” 

Daphne smiled at Velma, “Oh Sarah’s wonderful, I almost forgot she worked at the bookstore too during the breaks. There’s a robe for you in the bathroom to change into before we do our manicures.” Velma turned into the attached bathroom, quickly changing into the orange silk robe she usually used while at Daphne’s, the light geometric patterns reminding her of all the sleepovers the two shared in high school. Stepping out of the bathroom, Velma saw that Daphne had already set up the station to paint their nails. “So what’s tonight’s color scheme for you? I’m going with glittery hot pink.” Daphne had started with the base coat already.

“I brought an orange leather skirt, and I was thinking of a black top, but the options I brought don’t really fit with the cocktail dress code for tonight.” Velma sat down across from her friend in a dark luxurious chair, fiddling with the collection of polishes in front of her. 

Daphne grabbed a mid-tone orange from the selection, “Don’t worry about your top, you know I have a lot to choose from.” The smile on her face was audible, and she continued, “If it’s the leather skirt I’m thinking of, it would pair great with this sheer, flowy turtleneck I have.” Daphne’s delicate hands grabbed Velma’s, and with skillful light touches started applying the polish. The two took turns with the materials, falling into a comfortable silence finishing the task quickly.

“It’s make-up and hair next, right? I have some things in my bag.” Deeming her nails dry enough, Velma stood and made her way over to the aforementioned bag, pulling out a travel toiletries bag that had her small selection of make-up. It’s not that she was against make-up in any way, it was really more for special events than the day to day, also her college-student budget meant some luxuries were limited, and make-up was on that list. Adjusting her glasses, Velma turned to where Daphne was standing next to the vanity chair, she had a slight pout on her face, the one she used to get what she wanted from anyone.

“Can I please do your make-up? You know I love to do it and you love the outcome every time.” The pout stayed on her face.

“I suppose I could let you do my makeup Daph, seeing as you’re asking so kindly.” Daphne let out a light giggle at the fake sass in Velma's statement. (They both knew that Velma would never say no to Daphne, with or without the pout, not that Velma would ever admit it.) Velma sat down, leaning against the back of the chair, removing her glasses and setting them down on the vanity to allow Daphne full vision of her canvas.

Feathery touches moved across Velma’s face, applying the primer on to soft moisturized skin. “Are you wearing contacts tonight?”

“I brought them, but I’m not sure I’ll remember to take them off before sleeping tonight.”

Daphne continued with the base make-up. “Don’t wear them, you look cute with your glasses.”

A light blush covered the tips of Velma’s cheeks and nose, it certainly wasn’t her first time hearing that phrase, but something about hearing it from Daph’s rosy lips made it different. 

Working swiftly, Daphne made her way to the eyes, she grabbed Velma’s eyeliner, leaning in close to work on the wing. The controlled, concentrated breaths tickled the lightly covered freckles on Velma’s face, the flush from before continuing on strong through the powder pink blush Daphne already placed on the high point’s of her cheek bones. Daphne leaned away from her to examine the work done, hands lingering behind on Velma’s face, a satisfied smile appearing when she decided the two sides were even. “We’ll do lips after we change, you good on your own for hair?” Velma nodded while putting her frames back on to inspect the work Daphne had done on her face. It was simple, what she liked best, but it was better than anything Velma could do on her own. Daphne had perfected her technique in blending and choosing colors, if she didn’t know the other for years, Velma would’ve expected Daphne to enroll in a fashion and design school. 

The two made quick work of the rest of their prep work, gossiping about the town’s latest scandals. (The Adam’s were being investigated for tax fraud, and the Miller’s were going through a particularly nasty divorce.) Velma straightened out her hair, smoothing it from the usual halo of frizz, stealing glances at Daphne while she did her own make-up and hair. Their gazes met each other once, staring deep into the other’s dark eyes for a beat before looking away as though nothing happened. 

The evening drew to a close, night just beginning to settle in, the others would be here soon. Their attention was now drawn to the expansive walk-in closet in the room. Daphne pulled out the sheer turtleneck mentioned before for Velma, it had shiny glittery threads spread throughout, perfect for tonight’s event, and a hot pink sequined mini dress. They both changed in front of each other, as they had many times before, but something in the air was different, there was an unspoken tension between the two of them growing from the lingering touches and frequent glances from earlier. Velma looked up from her skirt’s zipper to see Daphne’s bare back in front of her, dress unzipped. She said a light ‘I got it’ before pulling the hidden zipper up the pale back, the dress tightly hugging the curve of the toned body before her. 

The tension dissipated as they walked over to the rack of shoes covering a wall of the closet, Daphne thinking out loud, wondering if she should go with boots or a strappy pump. She grabbed a chunky platform heel for Velma, one she often borrowed, before deciding on black suede thigh high boots. Daphne’s pink phone pinged, a text from the boys, they were five minutes away. As she pulled the boots over her long legs, Daphne saw Velma staring at her thighs, pinked nose, where skin met suede, and blushed herself, not mentioning that she’d caught the other. 

Shrugging this off, Daphne stood and walked out of the closet, to the door of her room, waiting for Velma. As the shorter walked to the doorway, fingertips touched the small of her back guiding her through. The two walked to the main room on the ground floor where it had been transformed to feel like a real casino, the lights were dimmed, 5 slot machines took up a wall, a dealer’s table next to the grand fireplace, tall, small tables with tea lights and stools took up the center floor, and two servants stood at the edge, one with a tray of hors d'oeuvres and the other a tray of champagne. Meeting the ladies at the bottom were their friends, and Jenkin’s informing them that dinner would be served within the hour. The boys cleaned up well, Shaggy’s usual mop of hair gelled back, with burgundy suspenders against a white button up holding up light green slacks. Fred opted for a more classic black and white suit, with a sapphire blue tie to add his own flair. Even Scooby looked prepped for a red carpet, his nails cut, a light almond scent from soap rather than his usual distinct dog smell. 

The forty or so minutes before dinner was served went smoothly, Shaggy, Scooby, and Daphne spent their time catching up at the slot machine; Fred and Velma playing black jack while laughing about funny stories from the past semester. The waiters did their jobs, handing out each person’s favorite snack before the meal, or snacks in Shaggy and Scoob’s case, leaving no glass unfilled, although they insisted they all have at least a glass of plain water for every couple of refills. 

Once it was time for the meal, the servants put their trays down to push the tables together, so the group could enjoy the dishes together. Daphne pulled her stool next to Velma’s brushing her hand against the smooth skin of the other’s thigh, and noticed how the seated girl’s relaxed, slightly tipsy posture tensed at the quick touch. The dinner continued with similar interactions, a tap of one’s foot against the other, a brush of knees under the table, dabbing away sauce at the edge of the other’s lips. If the boys had noticed these seemingly innocent interactions, they either didn’t care about the clear subtext, or were too drunk to even notice the tension growing with each lingering touch.

After they had finished eating, the ladies continued with their behavior at the table even though the others moved to the dealer’s table for poker. With a well placed hand on the other girl’s thigh, Velma took things a step further and gave a light squeeze, causing Daphne to get out her stool, pulling the other by the wrist to the nearest bathroom, offhandedly mentioning their destination to the hired boy bringing out chicken nuggets for Shaggy. 

In the bathroom, Velma locked the door behind them as the taller girl pulled her onto the granite countertop in a rushed passionate kiss. Contrary to popular belief, Velma was no stranger to Saturday night party bathroom hook-ups, but she was in her childhood best friend’s home having a bathroom hook-up, with her childhood best friend no less. The flutter in her stomach that was growing during dinner, turned into heat and a blazing fire at her core as Daphne’s supple pink lips trailed down the side of the other neck, lightly biting where the top of the turtleneck ended. A quick hand undid the button at the top of the sheer shirt, allowing Daphne more places to nip and kiss. Velma’s hands pulled the other closer as a soft moan left her lips, making Daphne continue the attack at her neck with more vigor. With a light squeeze on her butt, the orange haired girl looked up from the other’s neck with half lidded eyes before asking, “do you,” a kiss on the cheek, “want to take this” a kiss on the other, “to my room?” a kiss on the nose, “I have some things there that could make this even better” a kiss on the lips. At this, Velma hopped off the counter, straightening out her disheveled clothes as best she could before unlocking the door and rushing towards the stairs, Daphne close behind with a large grin on her face. The only thing that pulled them away from their mission of making it to the room was a quick stop telling the boys they were turning in for the night.

The next morning, Daphne figured it was a good thing her parents insisted the boy’s sleep on the other side of the house.

Bonus: after the ladies mentioned they were off to bed

Shaggy turned to Fred, he was drunk, but sober enough to notice the smeared lipstick on Daphne, or the trail of lip marks down Velma’s neck. "You're gonna have to pay up man, did you see them?"

Fred slumped down onto the table and mumbled, "Why couldn't they stick it out a few more months till after graduation, I'll have your money on Monday."

A/N: uhhhh, velma got RAILED, lets leave that as the description for the smut. I would also like to get dommed by Daphne Blake. Lmk if u liked it!

[mohtivations]

The last time I wrote something like this was probably two years ago, so I thought that I would give an updated overview of how I organize my bullet journal. I wonder how much my system has changed, but also I don't think it's changed that much because the way I set it up worked for me hm. You can find my first one here.

Once again, disclaimer, there are multiple ways to set up your bujo!! This is just what works for me, so I hope I can share some inspiration, but honestly the best system is the one that works for you !!

Here's v.02 of how I set up my bullet journal at the start of each month, college edition (but honestly not much has changed I just have less structure because college is definitely a lot LESS structured than high school).

Tumblr has also changed a lot in the six years I've been on the platform, but it's a nice record of my growth I guess.

Color Scheme

My months usually have two shades in a certain color. Flipping through my old spreads, they're usually a cool tone, I switch between blue, purple, and pastels. If I'm feeling adventurous, I might opt for a green or orange theme, but that depends on what the theme is. Previous ideas include: clouds, lavender, leaves, berries, flowers, etc.

Quote Typography

I usually grab a short and sweet inspiration phrase or lyric, most definitely by BTS. That hasn't changed. Before writing it out in my actual bujo, I test out a few different styles on a scrap piece of paper and scroll through Pinterest or IG if I need some inspiration. This page usually ends up having some washi tape, mini doodles based on the month's theme, and stickers (I have way too many from that one Japan trip).

Title

Just like for the quote, I'll test out a style on a scrap paper, add a few doodles, and also include a mini calendar on the lower half of the page. The calendar has important dates (birthdays, exams, breaks) circled in with one of the two accent shades. Pretty straightforward, but sometimes this page ends up taking the longest, as I try to doodle something fancy (my drawing skills are still very subpar).

Habits

I got these super convenient calendar washi tapes from Japan, so I've just been cutting them and using them to fill in my habits. I use to have WAY TOO MANY habits to track, including sleep. It started to feel overwhelming to maintain, and I did not have that much motivation in me. I narrowed down to eight habits that are pretty basic and essential for taking care of my mind and body. I'll switch out a habit if I realize it's not relevant or important anymore. For example, I removed taking Chinese meds when I finished my prescribed batch. Right now, my habits include: eat healthy, workout, read, save money, self-study finance, study Chinese, poop, and exercises for my scoliosis).

Favorites

Usually leave three or four shapes, based on the month's theme, blank, for me to eventually fill out throughout the month. Nothing too fancy about this page.

Intentions

Instead of goals, I "rebranded" this spread because I wanted it to represent something more long-lasting. In other words, practices and actions that I can hopefully incorporate and evolve into a part of my lifestyle. During quarantine, I know I shouldn't be too hard on myself, so a few of my intentions include:

Listening to my body and practicing intuitive eating

Staying in contact with friends. Don't shut yourself out and fall into a too well-known hole

Move your body when you feel like it! Take a walk in nature! Play badminton with the fam!

Read those books you've been forever putting aside because you were busy

Thoughts

Completely blank at the start of the month, this page is essentially a place for my rants/journal entries. It's nice for me to know that I have a designated space when I have a strong urge to just pour out how I'm feeling or what I've experienced. Cathartic.

Sentences

I write down a sentence each day, usually two lines per day in my notebook. I love rereading my sentences in my old bullet journal, it really transports me back to another era of my life. It's always nice to record whatever made me smile or memorable event on a certain day–I know I would definitely forget later down the road.

Eats

I basically record what I eat every day. I have two columns on each page, and each day has four lines: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack. This routine helps keep me accountable and conscious of what I'm putting in my body, which is especially difficult when we're cramped up at home all day...

Weekly Spread

So I don't actually set this up at the start of each month. I might paste in a few printed pictures or polaroids to spice up the week, but since I don't really have any foresight on what's to come in the following week, on a day to day basis, I let the spread develop as I check in with my bullet journal every day.

That doesn't mean I don't have another method of keeping track of events and assignments. For that, I use my computer, since it lets me adjust and modify if needed. I am a very dedicated advocate for Google Calendar to track my day's events, and for Notion to track my upcoming deadlines. Honestly love Notion–great and free for all students!! All you need is plug in your .edu email.

And that about sums it up. Since I'm in the engineering school, I haven't actually written properly in so long. I feel like I don't know how to write anymore LOL. Hope this was helpful!! 

[dcmiiniic]

wuddup, is mini ! again so dom needed a revamp since some people left and now some things don’t make sense. also i know jackshit about sports unless it’s soccer or basketball. i have bamboozled myself, so i switched things around to fit connections better and just how dom is. :)

❛ new york’s very own Dominic Parker was spotted on broadway street in  Off-White White 3.0 Off-Court Sneakers. your resemblance to Reece King is unreal. according to tmz, you just had your twenty third birthday bash. while living in new york, you’ve been labeled as being impatient, but also idealistic. i guess being a sagittarius explains that. three things that would paint a better picture of you would be reading a book by the beach, torn up runners, and neon highlighters & ( cismale & he/him )

LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANNA KEEP CONNECTIONS, OR FIGURE OUT NEW ONES. LIKE THIS AND I’LL IM YOU 🖤

(if not imma just assume) 

Basic Information

Full Name: Dominic Omar Parker

Nickname(s): d, dom

Age: 23

Date of Birth: December 20th 1995

Zodiac sign: sagittarius

Hogwarts house: ravenclaw

Ethnicity: african-american/white

Nationality: american

Gender: cis male

Pronouns: he/him

Orientation: bisexual

Religion: agnostic

Language(s) Spoken: english

Accent: american

Favourites

Weather: summer

Colour: orange

Music: logic, big sean, etc.

Movies: the lion king

Sport: track + field

Beverage: hennessy or red label

Food: oxtail soup

Animal: sea lions + turtles

Family

Father: henderson parker

Mother: cassandra parker

Sibling(s): 3 siblings ( 1 sister, 2 brothers WC? )

Children:  aaliyah strawberry parker, 1 yr. (stormi webster fc) 

Pet(s): a turtle named franklin

BIOGRAPHY

The Parkers are a family known for their businesses worldwide through import + exports - of what ? we don’t ask. It’s more or less legit, but there’s some shady stuff under it all that no one really talks about. So, Dom’s mom is from the Bronx, and his dad is from Brooklynn, the two met at a house party, and were street pharmacists for awhile, just to get things started. They invested the money they made from their business into a consumer goods company that arose in mid 90′s, it becoming known worldwide. 

Dominic was raised with his siblings, him being the middle child and they were primarily raised by his grandmother in The Bronxx. 

At 10 years old, The Parker’s moved from NYC to California for a few years, and in Cali, Dom mainly studied since that’s really all he could do.

He was really into books, music, and going for runs a lot. Studying came easy to him.

Out of all his siblings, Dom got the higher grades without even trying, and that’s why his dad had super high hopes for him. There was a lot of pressure on him once his dad saw he was able to get straight A’s without having to stress very easily. 

Dominic never rlly saw himself as anything besides average - he knows he’s smart, and he can get away with a lot, but he really never cared, but seeing his dad be happy just from his accomplishments made him want to please him more.

@ 15 years old, The Parker’s moved back to NYC bc Dom’s dad wanted his kids to go to Uni back in NYC. While Dom wasn’t responsible with studying, he did well, and he got a lot of beatings from his grandmother when he didn’t study, or stayed out late a lot before an exam. 

It was a wild ride but at 18, he got into Columbia University for Law, and did 4 years to get his degree. As easy as it was for him to get that piece of paper and please his dad - and Dom was being groomed for the business - It was something Dominic didn’t want. He didn’t even like his degree at all if he was being honest. 

After getting his degree, and during the first year of his Master’s program, Dominic dropped out to pursue other interests. 

Dropping out of school caused a strain in his relationship with both his parents. For awhile Dominic was cut off and had to make way for himself. Good thing his name was already floating between bigger collaborations.

He was a socialite for awhile, attending parties, going to fashion week, being sponsored by brands. His whole life was kinda to just show up, and be this influencer. 

He’s opened up Youth programs in different parts of New York city to help kids become dreamers for a better future. 

On top of being a program co-ordinator, he’s diving his hands on creative/artistic directing for different brands. Right now it’s with Louis Vuitton, Balmain ( So think of Olivier Rousteing or Virgil Abloh  ) AND Nike.

He did this in 2 years, mf is poroductive af ok

A year and a half ago, Dom had a one night stand with some girl, and that wasn’t serious except for the fact that she got pregnant. That’s when Aaliyah Strawberry Parker was born! There’s no bad blood between dom and his baby mama (npc), except maybe that they don’t agree on things but it’s fine, it’s cool. Dom still does his best to be a dad, and he doesn’t really talk about his daughter in public cos he’s the type to keep that part as protective as possible, y’know? 

And you know, he’s still a mfng fuckboy, out here doing dumb isht.

PERSONALITY + HOW HE IS

Throwback Dom and present Dom are two different people. When he was younger, he took things a lot more seriously, mainly because he was oppressed to do the things he actually wanted to.

Now, he’s pretty laid back, but he has really good resting bitch face, most people will probably think he’s serious since he doesn’t smile too much.

He’s kind of always analyzing things inside his head. He loves a good book, puzzle, challenge.

Really, once you know him, he’s a goofball, pretty dumb. Loves his face masks and old books bc he likes the relaxing life too.

Take him to a party or anywhere really and he knows how to work a room. his smile is infectious and once you get him in a meeting, interview, etc, it’s like game time.

He’s pretty honest and blunt, and cares a little too much without wanting to care but acts like he doesnt care which he can pull off. Feelings man, they do these things to you. fkdfghdfsjkg

He’ll go for 10k runs just to let out steam, or just find some kind of work to do. so yes, he still loves track + field.

Sometimes too chill for his own good wELP

CONNECTIONS (i took from my old intro, but these can spark other connections. )

some connections based off of muse posts :)

one

two

three

four

five

six

seven

eight

nine

ten

besides that, i’m down for anything !

unrequited connections

toxic relationship/friendship

brotps

give me a SQUAD

first loves

childhood friendships

sibling type friendships

exes on good and bad terms

all the fwb~

creative type friends

enemies plots pls

crossword puzzle friends pls

[texanredrose]

(pulls up to window) yeah, can I get some purruby with 'announcing relationship to family and friends' and a side of 'awkward'?

Consider this a refried, deep fried special, with extra headcanons, free of charge *ding* order up.

Ruby fidgeted, looking around at the interior of the limousine with about a dozen awful scenarios bounding around in the back of her mind. This could go really, really bad, which she didn’t think would happen, but the thought it might made her restless. After all, it wasn’t every day that she had the chance to interact with legitimate royalty- okay, so that wasn’t exactly true, since she was dating Pyrrha, but she had no idea until recently that her girlfriend was actually the next in line for a throne, or that Remyscira’s monarchy still stood after all these years! Whenever they covered it in history classes, the teachers always made it sound like the small island off the coast of Mistral had joined the mainland’s government, like the line of Queens ruling over it had ended about a century ago, but nope! Apparently, that was still a thing!

So now, here she sat, in a fancy limousine beside her girlfriend, being escorted to the royal palace by a motorcade with her own family ogling just about everything in sight.

“Ya know, I gotta hand it to ya, Pyrrha. Never would’ve guessed you’d be into this sorta lifestyle,” Yang said, opening up the mini bar and grabbing a little bottle, pulling off the top and taking a sniff. Her nose immediately crinkled as she shook her head, muttering a curse under her breath. “But… I could get used to it.”

“It was very nice of your family to invite us over.” Taiyang chuckled, pulling the bottle from his eldest daughter’s hand and replacing the cap. “A shame Blake and Weiss couldn’t come. I would’ve loved to meet them!”

“Yeah, hehe, real shame!” Ruby offered a weak smile. She took solace in the fact that they really couldn’t be there, since Weiss had opted to go to Menagerie for spring break, but they also… didn’t actually extend the offer. She’d rationalized it at the time- Blake and Weiss were dating, they would obviously want to spend a lot of time together, and meeting royalty probably wouldn’t surprise either of them enough to change their plans- but now she kinda wished her roommate was there to chide her about being nervous.

What did she have to be nervous about, really? She and Pyrrha had dated for the past few years, they really liked each other, they’d spent a lot of time together between schoolwork and practices, and they liked each other’s friends.

Of course, the little detail that Ruby might’ve forgotten to mention to any member of her family that she’d started dating the Mistrali princess could have something to do with her sudden bout of nerves but… well, it wasn’t like Yang had owned up to dating either! They were both playing this weird game of ‘I kinda know you’re dating someone but you haven’t officially told me yet so we’re just going to pretend like it’s not a big deal’ which… honestly, it was exhausting.

“I’m sure you’ll have a chance to meet them once the school year ends, Mr. Xiao Long,” Pyrrha said with a smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you myself and I’m sure my parents will be thrilled.”

“I’m not so sure.” He reached up, scratching at the back of his head. “I’m just a teacher from Patch. Not exactly suited to the blueblood life, though my daughters seem keen on making friends with them.”

“Hey, it’s not like we planned it!” Yang crossed her arms over her chest, probably just a little bit self conscious about the rough patches on her leather jacket. “We just happen to have a knack for getting uptight Princesses to relax. It’s a gift; you should be proud.”

“Well, I certainly am proud that you’ve both made so many friends while you’ve been away at school.” Taiyang glanced out the window as they pulled into the royal grounds, guards in shining metal armor patrolling the perimeter. “I was worried, ya know. A father worries about his girls.”

“Moms too; mine wasn’t exactly thrilled when I decided to study abroad,” the redhead said, sighing slightly. “She didn’t like the idea of me leaving home. Just… worries after me. And my sister.”

“Oh, she still lives with your folks, right?” Lilac eyes shone bright, a smile curling her sister’s lips. “Think she’d be up for a little arm wrestling?”

“You’re really going to challenge my little sister because you can’t beat me?”

“Hey, it’s not like you can beat me, either!” Yang chuckled, rotating her right shoulder. “Last time we arm wrestled, I swear you almost tore my arm out of socket.”

As the vehicle slowed to a stop, Ruby took a deep breath, watching as someone popped open the door. Yang was the first to move, never really liking being the passenger, and Taiyang followed, stretching out his back. She almost followed, but a hand grabbing hers stopped her, silver meeting emerald.

“We don’t have to tell them today,” Pyrrha said softly, giving her hand a little squeeze. “We can take our time.”

“No. I want to tell them, I do.” She sighed. “I’m just a little scared about how they’ll react. I mean… we’re not really good at this whole… royalty thing? If you hadn’t already noticed, which you probably had-”

“Ruby?” The redhead smiled wide, leaning closer and pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. “You’re doing wonderful. My parents will adore you, and your family. Just watch. Everything will be fine.”

She sincerely wished she could feel that sort of confidence but, really, how could she? When they were alone- just the two of them- it was easy; nothing whispered doubts into her ears. But around people, she’d always been a little more self conscious, a little more unsure, because people she could never understand the way she could machines. Nothing complicated about hydraulics or combustion- she could measure everything down to the smallest atom. That was easy!

Trying to predict how royalty would react to her family? How her family would react to her dating a bonafide Princess? Much different.

But the hand in hers reassured her, and she followed Pyrrha out of the limousine and up the literal red carpet. Into a building that looked like it hadn’t been changed in the slightest since the days when terrible creatures called Grimm roamed Remnant freely. She absolutely loved the architecture but it suddenly felt far more… imposing when also surrounded by fully armored guards.

“You know… Weiss would love to see all this,” she said, trying not to draw too much attention to herself as she clung to Pyrrha’s hand. “I think she’d appreciate the aesthetic.”

“Blake too; her own family maintains a similar estate in Menagerie, and they have guards posted more often than not, too.” The redhead chuckled. “I never thought I’d have so much in common with her. But I suppose that’s true with most of our friends.”

Our friends. Ruby swallowed as she tried not to imagine how that might change in the future. Honestly, she didn’t expect her family to object to her dating Pyrrha or for them to break up any time soon but… well, she also had to admit that her nerves were making those possibilities seem like real, tangible things.

What if Yang didn’t approve? Sure, her sister had only ever teased her about things before, and maybe she went overboard a time or two, but that was years ago. 

But what if she didn’t?

She was psyching herself out. Yang would probably be thrilled; she liked Pyrrha as a friend and teammate and they got on great. And Dad- he’d be super happy that she was actually dating, given how he’d worried about her not being able to make friends while away at college. This should really be nothing short of good news all around!

But what if-

Two doors were thrown open as they were escorted into a room with high rafters, a long table stretching from one end to the other and able to sit a hundred people easily but only two currently occupied the table.

“Oh, my, you’ve arrived early.” One woman stood- taller than even Pyrrha, with a more ornate version of the redhead’s tiara holding back burnt orange curls. But the eyes- she and her daughter had the same eyes, and they looked just as warm and friendly when she smiled. “Welcome to Remyscira. I am Hippolyta, Pyrrha’s Mom.”

The other woman stood- shorter, but with far more muscle, and that same set to her jaw that her daughter sometimes got when she was focused. And a sword at her hip, which was a bit odd, but considering they were effectively surrounded by people in armor, she supposed it didn’t look too out of place. “And I’m her mother, Antiope. Are you hungry? We can offer you some fruits, something light until the midday meal.”

“Oh, that’s very kind of you.” The man offered a hand, a wide smile on his lips. “I’m Taiyang, Yang and Ruby’s dad. I’ve heard so much about your daughter and she lives up to every expectation.”

“She does indeed.” Antiope accepted the gesture, turning her gaze towards Ruby- and Yang, briefly, but mostly those deep blue eyes rested on the smallest person there, and that didn’t make her feel intimidated at all. “And we’ve heard much about your daughters as well.”

“Yeah, I’m Yang!” The blonde cheerily greeted, waving a hand. “Thanks again for inviting us.”

“Well, of course,” Hippolyta replied with a gentle chuckle. “Pyrrha said she had something important she wanted to discuss and that she wished to speak with Taiyang as well.”

“Oh, really?” Tai glanced back at them, a furrow to his brows. “About what?”

Pyrrha looked at her then and she wouldn’t doubt that her girlfriend could find a way to steer the conversation clear of the topic if asked. But, this was kinda why they’d set up this whole trip, so they might as well let the cat out of the bag.

“We both wanted to, uh, talk to you,” Ruby said, trying to keep her voice steady. “We just… thought we’d let you know that Pyrrha and I are dating and we’re very happy so thank you for your support and please vote again next year!”

Silence fell upon the room until Pyrrha leaned closer to her. “Did you just quote an election campaign?”

“I panicked, okay, I’m trying.” She shot back in a low whisper, trying to ignore the irregular beating of her heart as her girlfriend’s parents exchanged a look.

“Well… if this is a serious courtship, we will absolutely respect that,” Hippolyta said slowly, blinking as she caught up with the information. “It’s a bit… untraditional.”

“How so?” Tai shrugged. “If you don’t mind me asking.”

“Here in Remyscira, we have certain… cultural expectations when one enters a relationship.” Antiope raised her hands in a placating gesture. “We realize that our traditions are unconventional elsewhere, so we of course take no offense, but it… is a little jarring.”

“I’ll say!” Taiyang laughed, though happiness shone brightly in his eyes. “Here I thought you’d go off to college and shut yourself in your room or your lab, but you have a girlfriend now? I’m proud, Rubes; she’s a very nice young lady.”

“I just can’t believe neither of you told me!” Yang started to chuckle, but the sound slowly died as her brows pinched together, and Ruby felt her dread flare up again. “Hey, wait a minute- two weeks ago, when I called you asking what you were up to and you said you were ‘studying anatomy’… you don’t take an anatomy course.” She raised a brow, the teasing inflection of her voice making her sister blush. “What were you really doing, huh?”

“I was studying anatomy!” She spat out the truth a bit too readily, because she could never lie under pressure to save her life. “Just not out of a book.”

Again, Pyrrha’s parents exchanged a look.

“Mother. Be reasonable.” The redhead tried to keep her voice level even as the two women seemed to be having a silent, private conversation.

“Oh wow, really, Rubes? Really?” Yang set her hands on her lips, clearly caught between teasing her further and letting it go, because on the one hand she probably thought it was hilarious how red Ruby was turning but on the other, not in front of the parents, come on.

Taiyang whistled. “Wow, my little girl’s growing up.” He lightly bumped shoulders with his eldest. “Looks like you’ve got some catching up to do.”

“Yeah, hehehe, about that…” She reached up, running a hand through her hair. “Um, maybe not as much as you think?”

“Ruby Rose.” Antiope’s voice rang out, clear as a hot blade sliding through snow. “Do you intend to continue courting our daughter?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” she replied, smiling when she saw the happiness shining in her girlfriend’s eyes at how readily she answered the question, without a hint of nervousness. She really did like Pyrrha… maybe even love her, because that little crush had turned into so much more over the years. “I do.”

“Very well then.” Without any explanation, the woman pulled her sword from its sheath, about five of the guards copying the motion. “You get a fifteen second head start.”

Eyes widening in shock, she turned towards Pyrrha. “You said they would be okay with this!”

“They will be, as long as she doesn’t catch you.” The redhead grabbed her shoulders, looking all too serious in that moment. “Trust me: run.”

“What are you-”

“Ten, nine-”

“Whoa, whoa, hey, what’s-”

“Yang, calm down, it’s cultural-”

“-eight, seven-”

“Dad, you’re just going to let this happen?”

“-six, five-”

“I’m being serious, Ruby, run, and don’t let her catch you!”

“-four, three-”

Without waiting for the rest of the countdown, Ruby turned and booked it back they way they’d come, knowing full well she didn’t stand a chance inside the home. She’d be just as likely to turn into those chasing her as away, and the open outdoors at least gave her some vantage. Idly, she thanked her father for taking them hunting when they were little. She might not enjoy the sport herself but she could certainly use that experience to help her as she heard a loud, rousing cry from behind her, like an army preparing to charge.

What in Remnant had she gotten herself into?

The sun sank low beneath the horizon, twilight finally giving way to nightfall as Ruby collapsed to her knees at the edges of the woods behind the royal estate. She’d spent all day ducking through the trees and running as fast as her legs could carry her, avoiding the literal hunting party sent after her.

But she really couldn’t run anymore, even as she heard footsteps coming up behind her.

“So… what… I… lose?” Struggling to catch her breath, she turned her head to see Antiope kneeling down beside her, sword once again in its scabbard.

“No, you won. You eluded us until sunset, as tradition states.” She offered a smile, equal parts proud and kind. “We firmly believe that love gives wings to those who feel truly feel it. When two people care for each other that deeply, they can outrun anything, but the true strength of love comes not to aid running away. It comes to aid facing the things that trouble us deepest… but I have a feeling you already know that.”

Rolling over, she laid down and stared at the sky above, still working on catching her breath. “I… I used to be really nervous around other people. Meeting new people… it just wasn’t as easy for me as it was for Yang.” She glanced at the woman as she sat down beside her. “But with Pyrrha… I dunno. It’s like I can face down anything.”

“That is love, Little One,” she said with a chuckle. “You come to a far away land, to the heart of its people, and you come bearing news you don’t know how we’ll receive. That takes a type of courage people think is all too common until they find themselves lacking it entirely.” She sighed, reaching out to clap a hand on Ruby’s shoulder. “I’ve always trusted my daughter’s decisions. I may not understand them, but they’ve never steered her wrong.”

“So… does this mean we have your blessing?”

Antiope laughed, reaching to undo her sword belt, gathering up the leather and holding it out. Ruby sat up, accepting the gift with furrowed brows.

“You may continue dating her, of course. I doubt we’d be able to stop her even if we’d caught up to you. She’s never been one for tradition.” The woman pushed herself to her feet and began walking away. “But if you intend to marry her, you should learn how to wield that. Betrothals are determined by duels.”

As Antiope walked back towards the royal estate, Ruby slumped back, still holding the sword belt.

“Well… okay…” she blinked. “I need to learn how to fight, I guess.”

While the thought itself worried her a bit, the idea that Pyrrha would be right there, cheering her on from the sidelines?

Worth it.

[purplesurveys]

897

Gonna take some liberties with bold surveys and elaborate on the ones I feel like talking about, regardless if it’s true or false; and I’ll leave blank the ones I don’t feel like touching on. You're nineteen and a vegetarian. I am three years older and eat meat almost everyday. You've been a vegetarian for over a year. You don't like John Lennon. It’s not that I don’t like him; I just don’t have an opinion on him. Of course what happened to him is very unfortunate. You are studying Mandarin Chinese. No thanks. You have blue eyes and white hair. Wrong. Dark brown and black, respectively.

People often mistaken you for sixteen or under. A few people would but I get mistaken for 17 or 18 most often. Either way everyone’s always shocked when they find out how old I actually am.

You enjoy reading and mathematics. I like reading. Mathematics not so much. You wish your family was healthier mentally. There are definitely underlying issues in there that most of them do not recognize or bother to do something about, which I find tragic because it just means that it gets passed on to future generations. Your favorite flavour of tea is mint. I mean it’s not that it’s not my favorite. I don’t like tea, period. I do enjoy other mint-flavored stuff though, like chocolate.

You listen to foreign music. Yes. I listen to American music. You watch the anime Naruto Shippuden. Other than Pokemon, I’ve never enjoyed anime. You prefer routine to your day. Yep. I like spontaneity to an extent, but when it comes down to it I find the most comfort in routine. I liked my everyday routine of getting up for school, driving, attending my classes, hanging out at Skywalk, and driving home, as monotonous as it would sound for others. It’s just more comfortable for me when things are predictable. You've never attended a concert. I’m not a big concert-goer but I’ve attended my share. I usually only go for the big acts because they’re the ones most likely to visit the country only once every few years. That being said, I’ve seen Paramore (twice), One Direction, and Coldplay. And it’s not a concert, but I also went to a WWE house show once. You're Chinese. As far as I know, no. But the history of Chinese people in our country is very extensive and I wouldn’t be surprised if I turned out to have like at least 0.6% Chinese ancestry. Your favorite sport is basketball. I tried getting into it at one point because basketball got really popular when I was in high school, but I’ve never understood the rules and as such I only watch games that my university’s team play in. Your favorite basketball team is the Lakers. When I was like, five. My dad bought an NBA game for the PS2 and the Lakers were the strongest team on that game, so solely based on that they became my favorite for a while. You basically want to marry Kobe Bryant. :( I had never felt this way, but it’s sad to come across this question now. You have a Samsung S4. Nope. I’ve never owned a Samsung phone. You hate English quite a lot. My grades in English were always good, but I just didn’t like what the class would take up. I never enjoyed analyzing literary works and cracking hidden meanings and symbolism and interpreting what characters do and say – so even though I’m able to do so, it doesn’t mean I enjoy the subject. You like playing card games. Whenever someone whips out a deck of cards at a party, 9 out of 10 times I’d stand up and move to another crowd. You think people who play League of Legends is stupid. I’m vaguely familiar with that but one thing I won’t do is shame people for what they like to do or play. You are often jealous of anything trying to take something away from you. I wouldn’t say it’s often. The feeling just pops out every now and then, and I wouldn’t describe myself as being jealous all the time. Your parents are scientists. (We are turning out to be nothing alike, my dude.) No, they are both in the hotel and restaurant industry. I secretly feel really bad because their industry is the one being hit the most during this pandemic. I’d love to tell them my concerns just so I can get it out of my system, but we’ve always been secretive with one another. You are really good at physics. I hated physics in high school, but my physics prof in college was very smart, a lot of fun, and made physics easier for me. Ended up getting a 1.00 in his class. You prefer noodles over rice. I love noodles, but no :( I never feel full from noodles and always need rice for me to feel like a meal is complete. You want to own a BMW when you're older. It would be a nice bonus, but I don’t really plan on being picky or too flashy with my cars. You were in choir in high school. I cannot sing. You like spicy food. LOVE them. I don’t have as high of a tolerance as say Koreans or Indians, but I still do like pouring chili oil or hot sauce on my dishes whenever it’s appropriate. You're short compared to your friends. I’m not dramatically short but I am the shortest out of everyone in each of my friend groups. You really like Hello Kitty and try to own a lot of it. Never liked it. I personally never saw the hype or found it adorable, but I do find it cute and fascinating when I encounter people who collect Sanrio things :) Your father is slowly dying. No, he’s in tip top shape fortunately. He plays basketball everyday and will go bike around the neighborhood sometimes. Your mother is studying in a university. She went to college in a university, but she’s not currently taking up a postgrad degree if that’s what you mean. You have a crush on someone who is younger than you. I mean, I guess. Even if she’s only a month and a half younger. You like to eat apples a lot. No fruits for me. I like certain apple-flavored things though, like juice. You've had braces and they were recently taken out. I did have braces but they were taken out around six years ago. You recently decided to have bangs for your hair. Yep and like only seven people got to see it when it was in its best form because the stupid lockdown happened righttt after. I feel like my time with bangs is definitely up but I’m not getting rid of them until I feel that enough people have seen them lmao.  You eat rice at least every other day. Yeah but that’s pushing it. I have it everyday. I need it with every meal unless I was having pasta or something. You live in a huge house. It’s not huge; it’s simple and cozy, large enough for five people. You have multiple strangers living in your house with you. Nope, I live with my family. You got a large amount of Halloween candy last year. I haven’t gone trick or treating in a whiiiiile, but I did have lots of alcohol at my last Halloween hahaha. You are really good at badminton. I’m not really good, but I can hold a racket and return the shuttlecock decently. I haven’t played since the 4th grade but I think I’d be better at it now given my experience with table tennis. You like to watch Asian reality shows. I looooove the Korean reality show Return of Superman. I watch at least one segment everyday even though I’ve seen most of them at least once. You have no siblings. I have two. You hate your name. I used to, because kids tend to be bullies. I kinda love it now. You are very aggressive. I’m more passive-aggressive but I do have my aggressive moments, usually when I’ve absolutely had enough. You overeat a lot and feel very guilty afterwards. I never feel guilty about it. Food makes me happy haha. You are used to being left out. Years and years of being an outcast in school has desensitized me to it. You hate missing the person you care for. I hate it in the sense that I always wish it were easier to be together, not because I’m not supposed to miss her. You are a slow learner. Only when it comes to kinesthetic or more hands-on learning, like how to do origami or crocheting. I can’t think of any one moment that I was able to catch up whenever those kinds of activities were being taught. You don't like your teeth. I hate my front teeth and I hate that I lost my retainers. I’ve said on many occasions that one of the first things I’ll spend on with my salary is to have braces reapplied on my teeth. You have dyed your hair orange before. I haven’t. Your friends think you have a great taste in music. Not really; my friends don’t look at me and think music recommendations. But it’s fine, I never claimed to have cool music taste anyway haha. You would chose food over love anyday. Probably, lol. You often swear too much. Either when I’m by myself or with a crowd that’s comfortable with swearing. You have an older sister. No, I’m the eldest sister. Your mother owns a beautiful car. My parents own beautiful cars. You are only nice to people you trust. I’m nice to everyone, just nicer to those I trust. You like mood rings. You obsess over Candy Crush. I get phases, honestly. Right now I’ve stopped playing. You have an iPad or iPad Mini. We have an iPad but it’s like the 1st- or 2nd-gen model so it’s sorely outdated. I haven’t used it since 2016. You prefer your hair in a ponytail more. Both because of the weather and because I get more compliments when my hair’s tied up in a ponytail

You have very noticable dimples. I get compliments on those, too. My left dimple is more noticeable though; I have to smile bigger if I want my right one to show up. You always use a cute voice with people. Only with my girlfriend, and I don’t use it often. You have a blue bicycle. Part of it is blue, yes.

[unoutan]

you still taking prompts? what about shindeku with some "i was randomly assigned a college roommate and he's actually super cute" AU 👀?

Also posted on my Ao3, so be sure to show me some love there there too! Enjoy reading and I hope you like this!

“Hitoshi-kun,” His mother’s voice raised to a higher tone from the phone squished against his ear with his raised shoulder. The damn key isn’t working for him, he’s struggling with trying to open it, and around both his shoulders and back are heavy bags. “Be sure to be wary of your surroundings at all times in the subway.”

That is an important tip.

“Yes mom,” The door opened and Shinsou held his phone again with his hand, rolling his eyes at the door and throwing his key on a bright orange chair next to a desk. Shinsou dropped his two hand carry bags, threw off his dark red backpack and wheeled his two huge suitcases into his empty room. His roommate didn’t arrive yet and that made him secretly happy since he could choose which bed and side of the room he wants first. “I will be wary at all times. I’ll even buy some mace.”

Even though his quirk will do just fine, but extra precautions are always great.

“And Hitoshi-kun, please don’t stay out too late or sleep too late or drink too much or something. Make sure to have a good nights sleep everyday.” The worry in his mother grew and he had to calm her down.

“Yes mom, please don’t worry too much. I’ll try to sleep well, not be out too late, and you know I don’t drink anyway…plus there is a strict age limit here and zero tolerance.” Also that the Asian blush is the bane of his existence since one drink for Shinsou Hitoshi and he’s a goddamn tomato three sips in.

“And eat well!” His mother scolded him and he could imagine her finger waving at him all the way back in Japan. “You’re tall and fit, but you still need to eat properly and not just one meal all the time like Katsudon! Oh! Find a good Japanese eatery there for a taste of home!”

“I love you, Mom and I will, but first I have to figure out how to use the subway! I’ll take this step-by-step. Talk to you later okay?” Shinsou tried to sound as cheerful as possible for his mother worrying for him on his phone, but his stomach was feeling funny. He’s nervous…or hungry and tired. It’s all three since he just arrived by taxi from the airport a few minutes ago.

“I love you too. Call me when you can! I miss you already! Be safe! Use a condo-”

“Mom!!!”

“You know I love you! Take it easy and be smart!”

“I will mom! I love you and I’ll visit during the end of this semester!” Shinsou hung up when his mother said her farewells again, dropped his phone on his desk and sighed the loudest sigh he has ever sighed. He was happy that his mother called him as soon as he managed to get a taxi, but he can feel it, he can feel his anxiousness rising.

He just arrived in a new country and he’s already having second thoughts on…everything. His mind is a building whirlwind of shit.

This was a spur of the moment for Shinsou Hitoshi: To go to college out of his home country. He didn’t expect to even get into the college since they didn’t seem too helpful with assisting him with transferring credits, despite being an international friendly University, and he almost missed the cut off point for applications, but in the end it worked out somehow. Dumb luck on his side. Now here he is…in a new country, a new city and in a new college working towards a degree in Psychology; The new country being America, the new city being New York City and the New College being the UA University, top University in Psych, The Arts and The Sciences.

How did he get here again? Shinsou Hitoshi is definitely having a mini-existential crisis right now as he’s laying down staring at the ceiling.

Shinsou is resting on his unmade plastic bed, the bottom of his legs dangling off the tall bed with drawers underneath. He’s staring up at the florescent dorm lights annoyingly flickering in his eyesight, blinding him and he wonders if this was a good choice to decide to study abroad like this. His high school had descent English classes so his English is fine, he’s not worried about that, but he is worried about…people.

And sure people are everywhere on this planet, but he cannot help his worries.

People have always been an issue with him due to his mind controlling quirk, so he has varied reactions from people. Their reactions consist of their nonchalant, insult disguised comments about his quirk being suited to be for a villain, fear for being in his vicinity or frustration with having someone like him exist. Other people do not click with him, but it’s not like he doesn’t want that. He tried before and no one has…as soon as they meet him they ask and…

He’s frowning harder now at the lights on his dorm cieling. So, he closed his eyes and lets out another big sigh to escape from his mouth, alongside all the feelings he has boiling inside him. Calm. He must calm down. He covered bother of his eyes and took another breath and counted to 10. He’ll be fine. He’ll be okay.

He transferred here to get away from people who see him as a villain to be and only that back home, but that is only one reason. He transferred here to meet new people, diverse people, people who…don’t know him from high school days and to excel in the selected field he has chosen.

And he will succeed in his field, he is determined with that. Howver, he also wants…a new beginning for himself. He didn’t like his origin story back home, so he has taken a chance, taken a risky step to create a new one.

It is then the door handle to his dorm room began to wriggle. It started off calmly wriggling and then more violently wriggling. Shinsou sat up on the bed he claimed on the far right corner of the room at the back, next to the window, and held his breath.

Oh no. He completely forgot about the random assigned roommate thing that every freshman is unable to opt out of no matter what. He just shrugged his shoulders at that before, but now he’ll be living with a freaking stranger. Only now did his brain register this, for even though he has people issues and people have issues with him, this was the least of his worries when applying.

The door handle rattled more, but he heard the muffled voice of a boy mutter, “Dang it, really? Of course, I get the room on the highest floor and a broken door.”

Shinsou’s mouth twitched with an aborted smile that disappeared immediately as he stood up quick and crossed the room to open the door for his new roommate. When he reached out to open the door, the door swung open and all he felt was pain.

He might have blacked out for a split second or more. He’s not sure what happened, but someone is gripping his shoulder tight, pinching his nose even tighter and all he can see is white clouds.

And blood. Ah, the door hit him and he has tissues shoved in his face.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m soooo sorry!” Shinsou felt the hand that was previously on his shoulder slide to cup his face near his jaw. The boy, his roommate that he didn’t even see yet, continued in a lightning quick jumble of words, breath brushed against his nose from their close proximity, “Oh my god, this is horrible, I’m the worst new roommate ever. Why did I open the door so quick? I-I-I am sooooo sorry, please tilt your head back ohh my god this must hurt so much!”

“…” Shinsou still has his eyes squeezed shut, blinking open occasionally to look at the ceiling obscured through tissues, trying to take this all in and he could not catch the rest of the guy mumbling panicked words. His nose hurts a lot.

There is a hint of an accent in his English and Shinsou recognized it to be Japanese. The world seems like a small one sometimes. What a coincidence.

“K-keep pinching your nose! And keep your head back! A-a-and I-I’ll go a-and find the RA! They might have more tissues! I saw a vending machine on this floor so hold on! Oh God, I’ll be quick!”

Shinsou Hitoshi managed to listen to the frantic voice of this boy, who apparently is his roommate, fuss over him since he slammed a door open on his face. He opened his mouth to say his delayed reaction, to try and calm the other person a little, to say that the door opening is also his fault since he was slow, but the other boy ran off.

Shinsou opened one eye to look, but only a blur of green is what he managed to catch running out the door and all he got out of his mouth to respond was an unhelpful, “Hahh?”

His foot touched an obnoxious looking All Might hero duffle bag when he moved to sit up on the chair he was pushed on. Head still tilted back and nose pinched with tissues, Shinsou swiveled slightly to see a big yellow backpack and a huge suitcase still by the door entrance keeping it propped it open.

“Ohhhh god! Ohhh god! Ohhh god!” The distant sounds of ‘Oh God’ grew louder to Shinsou Hitoshi’s ears and so he put his head down a little to see how his roommate looks.

And ‘oh god’ indeed.

Big emerald eyes wet with tears hovered over him, rushing close to him again, and Shinsou’s own eyes widened at the face so close to his own. Dark green, fluffy looking hair is a wild halo around his new roommates head and short bangs cradle his face. And the other boy has freckles. A sprinkle of freckles is all over his roommate’s cheeks, and his face is so round, soft looking, and Shinsou’s one eye twitched when he felt a hand touch him. A hand touched the back of his head, fingers confidently slipping through his blue hair, brushing against the back of his neck and he felt sweat fall down one side of his face.

The other boy is coaxing him to lean his head back more and so he does with the consequence of feeling his heart beat even harder in his chest. A cold can of some soda calmed a part of his face and he can picture steam flying from his face from the contrasting temperatures meeting each other.

A cute boy is holding him, touching and pressing themselves so close to him and Shinsou doesn’t know how words work. He forgot to breath, but luckily his mouth is wide open like a fish since his nose is KOed and bleeding. He blinked his eyes a few more times to see if the image would disappear and he’ll realize he’s just dreaming.

But no he’s not.

This cute boy is leaning over him, standing close to his body like an angel from all the best fantasies he’s ever had, and the bloody tissues he is holding in his free hand…oddly doesn’t diminish the overall image. The boy is still so cute, even though he managed to slam a door open so hard that it gave him a nosebleed.

Shinsou Hitoshi felt heat rush to his cheeks, the rise in his overall demeanor forced a bit more blood to drip down his face, but he stop it when another tissue was offered to him at just the perfect time. When the other boy asked him with a trembling pout, Shinsou clenched his fist and looked away from the boy’s face to stare down at his neck area instead, “A-Are you okay? I’m really sorry. This is a horrible first impression.”

And staring at his neck was a mistake because, the other boy is leaning over and his white shirt is a deep V-neck, so it’s showing his collarbones and a part of his chest. The cute boy looks pretty fit and…nope focus. Shinsou gulped. “N-No not horrible.”

“Huh?” The cute boy seemed confused now. And when this boy stood up straight from leaning over him, Shinsou noticed that he’s so short and that just adds too his cuteness! Oh god. His new roommate took a step away from him, to give him appropriate room to breathe, proper aquaintance distance, and Shinsou estimated that he looked about 5 feet 5 or 6 inches in height versus his 5 feet 11 inches height. Something like that…Shinsou has to get used to dealing with the different measurements in America from the rest of the world.

“I’m…alright.” Shinsou patted the tissues pressed on his face a few times more and saw that the bleeding is slowing down in his right nostril. “I-I’ve actually seen worse first impressions towards me.”

The boy wiped his tears away on his bright red hoodie sleeve and then looked at him with shock and disbelief, “R-really?! H-how? How can anything be worse than this?”

“Oh there are worse people out there.” Shinsou replied to the other boy who held out more tissues for him, which he politely declined since he seemed okay…

The corner of Shinsou’s lip twitched upward when the boy giggled slightly and then nodded saying, “I agree with you on that. I could have let you fall to the ground and left you to bleed out. I knew some people like that a while back in my childhood.”

“Well, good thing that’s past tense and you don’t know them anymore.” Shinsou smirked when he managed to lighten the mood and make the other boy laugh.

“I agree! Those people don’t need to be in my life anymore. S-So then…” The boy put a hand on the back of his head and rubbed his curly green hair nervously. “W-well, I guess introductions are in order, but first…are you Japanese? I don’t want to assume, but I had to ask since I’m Japanese too. Japanese American.”

Shinsou put down the bloody tissues from his face so that he could get a good look at his new roommate up and down slowly. He didn’t miss the other boy’s face slowly turning red, so he quickly answered him to cover his unintentional rudeness, “Yes I am. First time in America actually, I’m an international student.”

“Oh that’s so cool! I miss Japan. I haven’t been since my last year of middle school! I’ve been in America here in New York, for a while with my mommy and mom since then. Maybe you can meet them someday! Do you want to speak together in Japanese?” The boy’s smile is even cute and Shinsou prayed to the heavens that he won’t mess anything up. Though he won’t be surprised if the other boy is thinking the exact same thing by how he kept biting the bottom of his lip. He seems pretty nervous with him too…a natural response due to what just happened coupled with the fact that they shall be living together for year.

“Let’s continue speaking English.”

“Okay!” He took a mental note to buy himself a pair of sunglasses if this boy’s smiles were always going to be like this 24/7. He has a bad feeling that his roommate might be a morning person too, but that’s alright with him. Not everyone is perfect and if they were then they’d be the most suspicious, untrustworthy person in the world. “I’m fine with that! So…um…I have a personal question to ask you.”

Here it comes, the quirk question. “Sure and then I’ll ask you one too.”

The next question his new roommate he thought would make this conversation spiral downward, completely took him off guard, “So, um…where are you from in Japan?”

He obviously hesitated in his answer, but at least he answered as calmly as possible, “Saitama…prefecture.”

“My moms and I are from Shizuoka Prefecture.” Shinsou’s new roommate smiled a friendly smile at him when he exhaled the breath he was holding and he wondered if his nervousness was even more clear.

“My turn.”

“G-go for it!” The nervousness is still shared though and Shinsou feels a bit better at that.

“I assume you like All Might. Going by your merchandise bag there?” The All Might bag is on the floor and Izuku gasped to retrieve it away from the floor. He dusted his bag off. Shinsou immediately knew he has a fanboy as a roommate. He can live with that. It’s the morning person thing he is dreading to find out about in the future of their roommate daily lives together. Mornings suck and Shinsou’s semi-permanent eye bags agree.

“Yeah! He’s the ultimate best actor ever and his new superhero movie is amazing! He’s so handsome and his muscles are so defined in that outfit don’t you think? T-though Aizawa Shouta as his co-actor is amazing too and has that b-bad boy rugged look to him t-that I l-like a lot too. You like All Might films?”

His new roommate began to stutter again during the whole ‘bad boy’ declaration and he mentally pictured the clothes he is currently wearing: Fitted navy and white stripped shirt, grey salt and pepper hoodie, black skinny jeans ripped at both knees and leather ankle boots with pointed toe and studs. Shinsou felt his cheeks grew pink again and he willed the screaming in his head that he should not jump to conclusions!!! He’s not a bad boy!! HE-HE…okay he may have that image, but he’s far from a bad boy. He shouldn’t be thinking about irrelevant things like this.

Shinsou forced himself to focus, wipe as much dried blood off his face and answered, “I do like those two actors, but sadly I didn’t see his newest superhero movie yet.”

“Maybe we can watch it together! I don’t mind watching it again!” Those green eyes widened in excitement, but then he cleared his throat, took a deep breath and seriously addressed him, “Wait. Um, I’m getting ahead of myself. My name is Izuku Midoriya. I’m your new roommate and I’m an Illustration and Design major. It’s nice to meet you!”

Standing up from the chair he sat in so that he could greet the other guy properly, Shinsou threw his used tissues in the finished empty McDonalds paper bag he ate this morning and bowed. “Shinsou Hitoshi, Psychology major. And it is very nice to meet you too.”

“Nice to meet you too Hitoshi!” Shinsou’s face lit up like a traffic light again, his face is burning. He snapped his head up to look at this Midoriya Izuku with wide eyes.

“O-Oh I’m sorry! I mean, Shinsou-san? I’m sorry for just jumping ahead again a-a-and-” Midoriya Izuku’s face is red too and both of his hands gripped his hair as he apologized to him again, bowing quickly three times, “I’m so sorry! Again! Ahhh-”

“No no, please, it’s okay…” Shinsou’s eyes darted away from the short boy to look at the bare white walls of their dorm room. His roommate stopped bowing at him and froze low, head down practically 90 degrees at his waist. To break this awkward moment, Shinsou hesitantly said, “I-Izuku. I just…I’m just all-”

This Midoriya…well Izuku Midoriya, shot up straight with arms still stiff at his sides and stared at him with a determined expression on his face with his eyebrows furrowed and soft looking lips turned down into a firm pout.

Two hands then grabbed Shinsou Hitoshi’s hand, his hand not stained with dried blood, and that made him look back down at the boy that moved closer to him again. He’s on his tiptoes and Shinsou is screaming inside his head, pure blood curdling scream, and the other boy’s mannerisms are as cute as a kittens. He might die. He might actually die today and he just arrived in this damn country!

“It’s okay, don’t force yourself okay?” Izuku grinned up at him, his eyes closing from how happy an expression he has gracing his face. Shinsou wants to kiss freckled cheeks, so heavens do strike him down immediately. Shinsou internally said a prayer when the boy opened his eyes and tilted his head slightly, a smile still on his face and said, “You can call me whatever you want and I’ll call you the name you want to be addressed, it’s no problem. A-a-and since I hurt you before I even introduced myself, maybe I can treat you to an early dinner? There is this nice Japanese eatery and grocery called Sunrise Mart. It’s in Midtown and I go there all the time. They have good katsudon and ramen.”

Shinsou squeezed one of the hands that cradled his own and smiled at Midoriya, a calmness overflowing his mind and body by this warm welcome from this cute boy. He could get used to this. Tucking the soda Izuku Midoriya gave him to cool his previously bleeding nose, Shinsou welcomed the kind gesture given to him, “I’d like that.”

“That’s great!” Izuku then turned around and clumsily hauled his bags into the room and made sure he had his keys, school ID, phone and wallet, so Shinsou also did the same. In the back pocket of his black jeans, Shinsou double-checked that he had his ID there, keys and wallet too. He picked up his phone and shoved it in his hoodie pocket. Very important and would be so bad if they both forgot it on their first day in the dorms. “Let’s head out! B-But first…”

“Hmm?” Izuku pointed at his face and Shinsou raised his eyebrow at him confused at what he was insinuating, pausing while putting on his black jean jacket.

“L-let’s make sure your face doesn’t look like a crime scene or people will think I’m a bully on the first day.” Izuku chuckled, zipping up his red hoodie half way and then stuffing his hands in his light blue skinny jean pockets.

“You…” Shinsou looked Izuku up and down again, shrugging his jean jacket on, and held his hand an inch above the curly green hair that he really wanted to touch, but couldn’t. Not now. Maybe…later. He smirked when Midoriya Izuku’s face puffed up like an angry puffer fish, his face pouting up at him when he smacked his hand away. “You? Bully me?”

“You know size means nothing and I’m not that short!” Izuku turned his nose up at him, while locking their dorm door. But a smile is on his face for he accepted the teasing and Shinsou smiled as well, chucking under his breath at the other boy. “Okay, I deserve the teasing. I did slam the door on your face. I’m so sorry. I really am!”

“I know you are since you’re paying…” Shinsou and his new roommate, Izuku Midoriya, walked together to the common bathroom on their floor, so that he could wash his face.

“I am!” Izuku leaned against the bathroom entrance watching him wash his face, waiting for him. His voice echoed in the huge bathroom, “And it will be an ‘I’m sorry early dinner’! And-And I-I’ll buy you ice cream too! Next door is another Japanese place called Café Zaiya that has this popular Matcha and sesame ice cream!”

Drying his hands on a paper towel, Shinsou smirked at the boy treating him to dinner, “Lead the way then short boy.”

“I’m not short!” Izuku crossed his arms over his chest and stood up straighter, an attempt to seem taller in Shinsou’s opinion. “Did you know that men have two growth spurts in their lives? I still have time!”

“You do.” Shinsou held his hand out for the other boy to enter the elevator first and said with no emotion to his voice, revealing nothing, “Cute people first.”

“Don’t mind if I do!” Midoriya happily grinned at him and walked into the elevator, Shinsou following after. They both clicked the first floor button and shot away from each other when their fingers touched. “W-well, er, lets have you get a metrocard for your first venture out into the wonderful streets of New York, Hito…Shin…w-what would you like for me to call you?”

“…Hitoshi is fine.” Shinsou rubbed the back of his neck and looked away from the sweet looking smile directed at him again. “You can call me Hitoshi, Izuku.”

“O-o-okay, then H-H-Hitoshi.” Hitoshi felt something bubble in his stomach…he was probably hungry, but no, he knows he’s feeling things. Things he does not want to think about at the moment, but he can’t help it since people like Izuku Midoriya always make him like this. But…

They arrived at the first floor and Izuku stepped in front of him before the doors opened, preventing him from getting out first. When the elevator doors opened, Izuku stepped to the side and copied him, holding his hands out more dramatically than how he did it and bowing slightly, “Cute people first.”

Shinsou Hitoshi thinks he will be okay here…with this Midoriya Izuku as his roommate. He lightly knocked his arm against the other boy’s outstretched arm and the giggles that followed, walking next to him out of the building to the streets made Shinsou smile again. Yeah, he’ll be okay with Izuku here with him. He’ll be okay.

Thank you for reading! -Unoutan

[ficdirectory]

Blink (An AU Fosters family fic) Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

By the time Jesus calls back, Pearl feels exhausted.  Seeing as she’d be going out in public, Pearl had thought it prudent to take a shower.  Never easy, even with Gracie there in the bathroom with her.  Once done with that, Pearl had attempted to write out a grocery list, but her tremor wouldn’t allow it.

Instead, she’d used voice-to-text and texted herself all the items she would need, so as not to spend more time than she had to in the store.  Pearl glances at the clock on her phone as she’s walking out the door.  9:30 AM.  By now she’s usually connected with one of her safe people, but Pav hadn’t been reachable, and Char’s never up this early.

She struggles with her key, letting Gracie nudge the heck out of her hand to steady it.  When she’s able to successfully lock up, it hits her:

No, she didn’t touch base with Pav or Char this morning, but she did call Jesus.  Asked for help, even.  Time would tell if he was truly a safe person in all senses of the word.  (The fact that he’s still a minor has Pearl easing off on how much of her story she tells.  How much she leans on him for support.  Maybe in a couple years, she’ll feel differently.)

Pearl walks across the yard and spots Jesus, in his orange coat, backpack on.  Stef is there, too, calling out a greeting.

“Pearl.  Oh my gosh, how long has it been?” Stef wonders.  

“A while,” Pearl allows.  “Thank you for doing this.  I appreciate it.”

“Where do you wanna be?” Jesus asks.  “I’m not a huge fan of the passenger seat myself, but anywhere else works.”

“Anywhere but the driver’s seat,” she confides lowly.

“Hey, guys!” Frankie hollers.  “I got a service blanket!”

Pearl raises her eyebrow.  

“I  told her Gracie’s your service dog, and now she’s going on about how her blanket’s the same.  She’s only four, so…” Jesus shrugs apologetically.

“I’m four and three-quarters!” Frankie exclaims, apparently indignant at the idea of her age being incorrect.

Jesus gets in first, followed by Gracie.  Finally, Pearl takes a seat behind the passenger seat, buckling up. She turns to Frankie, buckled in a car seat in the middle of the back row of seats.  “My name is Pearl.  It’s nice to meet you.  What’s your name?”

“Frankie…” Frankie admits, suddenly shy.

Pearl glances at Jesus, who’s got a blanket around his shoulders and looks a little pale.  She can see Stef studying him in the rearview mirror.  

“Where are we headed, Pearl?  Super One, I assume?” Stef asks.

“Yeah,” she says, though her heart trips in her chest.

“Okay.  If I recall, it shouldn’t be too long in the car.  Maybe five  minutes.  You alright, Jesus?” Stef asks.

“Yeah,” he says quietly.

Silently, Pearl offers her hand.  He hesitates, and then takes it.

“Friends holding hands?” Frankie asks incredulous, taking a break from whispering to Gracie.

“That’s right.  Friends hold hands,” Stef confirms, sending a grateful smile Pearl’s way.  “Do you know I still remember how good you were with Brandon at my dad’s cabin back in ‘97.”

“That was so long ago…” Pearl says, trying to breathe.

“Not so long,” Stef smiles.

Finally, they make it to the store and without being asked, Pearl and Gracie walk around and meet Jesus, who is looking a little ashen.  She didn’t know riding in a car was a trigger for him, or she never would have asked his help with this.

“You could have told me…” she whispers, as Stef gets Frankie unbuckled from the car seat and they walk in together.  Frankie’s on Stef’s hip.  She must really not be familiar with ice.

“No, I couldn’t.  Not if I wanted to actually be here for you.  If you’d known, you would’ve said never mind.  And I wanted to come.”

They get inside, and Stef picks a cart.  Before she can pick Frankie up and put her in, she’s petting Gracie.

“Nice doggy.  Good doggy.”

“Buddy, remember what we said?  No petting Gracie right now.  She’s working,” Jesus says, looking to Pearl who nods her thanks.

“Can I ever pet her?  What about if she has to go on a break?” Frankie asks seriously, as Stef lifts her into the cart.

“Yes.  Then you can pet her,” Pearl says.  “I’ll let you know when that is,” she says, attempting to gentle her tone a little, for the sake of the girl.

“Okay, well, Frankie and I have a few things to grab.  When you’re done, just give me a call,” Stef says to Jesus.

“Okay,” he nods.

Pearl’s distracted.  One of the cashiers is already looking her way.  She’s worked here for at least twenty years and has a memory like a steel trap.  Every single time Pearl has to get groceries, she also gets accosted by this woman who feels compelled to tell her that if she had been working that night, she would have helped.  Nothing would have gotten so bad.

Gracie’s on the case.  Staying close and making herself a barrier to keep people back.

“You okay?”  Jesus asks.

“If we could avoid Lane 2, that would make my life infinitely better,” she insists.  She pretends she doesn’t hear the obnoxious call of “Pearl!  PEARL!” and just keeps walking.  Jesus pulls his hood up.

“Nah, we’re gonna check out all the way at the other end...unless there’s somebody down there to avoid, too…” Jesus tries to lighten the mood.

“Can you tell me what I need.  My hands are…” she trails off, and she knows he can see them shaking.

“Yeah, no problem.  He reads off what she needs and walks with her to each aisle.  They’re looking for Gracie’s brand of dog food when a strange male voice stops them:

“Excuse me…  You look really familiar…”

At a glance, Pearl realizes she does know him: an uncle of someone she went to high school with.  But he definitely knows who she is, which means…

Pearl’s mouth drops open as she realizes he’s addressing Jesus.

“Yeah, I get that a lot,” Jesus says, looking right at him.

“Aren’t you Jesus Foster?” he presses.

“Josh Mitchell,” Jesus says so easily it raises the hair up off the back of Pearl’s neck.

The man squints, incredulous.  “I guess on second thought you don’t really look like him after all.  Sorry.  My mistake.”

When he walks away and Pearl and Jesus are alone again, she gapes:  “Who’s Josh Mitchell?”

Jesus shrugs, uncomfortable.  “He’s sorta my alter ego.  I’ll tell you about it sometime,” he says, and reads off the next item on Pearl’s list.

--

Just like that, Jesus has a killer headache again.  It had been okay with water and rest and Tylenol from yesterday, but having to name-drop the name He gave him to hide in plain sight for four years was seriously intense.  And he’s at a store.

Ever since he put his escape plan into action three years back, to get himself arrested by breaking TVs at a Target in LA, he’s tried to avoid shopping in stores.  It gives him weird spikes in his anxiety, remembering Then and what he’d had to do.  How he had to be arrested (handcuffed) before the cops could know the real story and Stef could come.

Plus, there’s another problem.  And it’s embarrassing.  This morning, Jesus smuggled some bacon into his backpack and now Gracie won’t stop sniffing it.  She’s usually good and minds her own business but if she doesn’t stop smelling his backpack, she’s gonna give away what he’s doing.

On the way by the medicine aisle, Jesus picks up a bottle of Tylenol.  He never spends any of his own money, and he finds it beyond hard to take meds for anything because usually they have to be given to him.  His anxiety meds still give him anxiety to take.  Maybe if he buys his own Tylenol, he’ll feel safer taking it.

“Your head still hurt?” Pearl asks.

“Yeah, rando dude didn’t help…” he admits.

“People need to mind their own business, and so do dogs.  Gracie.  Nose to yourself,” she reprimands lightly the forty-fifth time (probably) she’s sniffed Jesus’s bag.

They pass free samples and Jesus can’t resist.  He asks for two and offers Pearl one, but she says no thank you.  They walk for a bit until they’re by themselves in an aisle where Pearl looks for oatmeal.

Jesus is so used to doing what he does next that he forgets Pearl’s watching.  Until she speaks:

“Did you just put that sample mini pizza in your backpack?” she asks.

He looks at her - this close to lying to her face - when he remembers he doesn’t have to lie to her.  He’s okay.  He’s not Josh.  Not really.

“Yeah…” he admits.  “I mean, it’s free, right?”

“I don’t know if you’re really allowed to do that.  I mean, I think it’s okay as a one time thing.  Like, since you didn’t realize…  But just so you know for next time.”

Jesus’s ears burn.  How embarrassing.  He’s managed to fly below the radar around Moms with this, but it just figures that Pearl would catch him at it the very first time he did it around her.

“Are you okay?”  she asks.

“Yeah.  You know.  Food issues.  Whatever,” he shrugs.

--

Pearl blinks.

Shopping with Jesus is nothing like shopping alone.  Apparently, he has an alter ego, and a level of recognizability so high that even people in other states know who he is.  And he has food issues so severe he’s hoarding the free samples in the grocery store.

She quickly finishes up, and they go through the checkout lane farthest away from Lane 2.  But a voice behind her in line pipes up:

“Miss?  No dogs allowed.”

Pearl turns, looking at the pimply faced (obviously new) employee.  She doesn’t recognize him.  Maybe a classmate’s kid.  His name tag reads NEIL.

“She’s a service dog.  She’s allowed,” Pearl insists, her voice shaking.  Jesus steps from ahead of her in line, to behind her, blocking the employee from her, while Gracie does the same, braced against one of Pearl’s legs.

“You need certification for that.  How do I know she’s a real service dog, and you aren’t just lying about it?”

“Dude.  Back off.  She doesn’t owe you anything,” Jesus says.  His usually gentle voice is low and menacing.  He takes a step toward Neil.  He’s at least a head taller and more sturdily built than the pipsqueak who’s suddenly an expert in service animals.

“Who are you?  Her bodyguard?” Neil asks.

“You are so gonna get fired,” Jesus insists.  “Seriously, where do you get off harassing people?”

“Let’s just go,” Pearl says, having finished paying.  They get outside, where she doubles over, gasping.

“You okay?” Jesus asks, as Gracie leans on her.

“Your thing is rando dudes….mine is entitled assholes...okay?” she gasps.  It isn’t until she’s able to stand up again that she realizes Jesus never once tried to touch her.  In fact, he’s done the opposite, trying to keep people back.

“Should I text my mom?” Jesus asks

“Yeah.  Please.”

In a few minutes, Stef and Frankie rejoin them and they all reload into the SUV.  Pearl hopes she doesn’t look too shaken.

“Everything go okay?” Stef asks.

“Yeah.  Pretty much,” Jesus answers for both of them.

They ride in relative silence, Jesus hanging onto Pearl’s jacket sleeve.  (This time, she’d offered it, not her hand.  He’s accepted regardless.)

“You know, Pearl, I was wondering if you’d like to come over tonight.  Celebrate New Year’s Eve with us?” she asks.

Pearl’s chest aches.  Stef’s tone is so warm.  So inviting.  She’s so just like the cool teenager Pearl wanted to impress and be just like.  It’s so hard to say no to her.  A million thoughts go through her mind:

Is Stef asking to be nice?  Does she expect Pearl to politely demure?

Is she asking genuinely and would it be rude to say no?  (Stef did just do her a pretty big favor by driving her here…)

Pimply-faced Neil fills her mind.  Her heart rate speeds up, and Gracie’s at attention.

“You don’t have to say yes,” Stef says, rescuing her.  “And if you do want to come and just stay for a while, you’re welcome to do that, too.  We’d love to have you.”

“Maybe,” Pearl admits, surprising herself.  “Is it okay if I just see how I feel?  I keep pretty early hours, so I might have to leave before the party really starts…” she says, apologetic.

“No problem,” Stef reassures.

“It’d be cool to see you there, but you don’t have to,” Jesus echoes.  He still looks pale.

“Yeah.  I’ll see how I feel.”

“Did you guys have those pizza things in the free sample level?” Frankie asks from the back.  “They were so good.”

Pearl casts a knowing glance Jesus’s way, but he’s looking out the window, and not at them at all.

[happysandwichparty-blog]

Japan - Day 3 (Akihabara)

Time to let out our inner weeaboos. We are going to Akihabara! If I was in Akihabara 5 years ago I probably would go more crazy than I will now, but I guess we will see!

We started early again today - woke up at 3:30AM. However seeing as most of Akihabara doesn’t open until 10:00AM we moved more slowly. We didn’t actually start getting ready until 6:00AM. I just spent my time browsing the internet, working on this blog, and moving video from the GoPro to the laptop; all while finishing up my milk tea from yesterday and chowing down on some melon bread we picked up at Lawson last night on our way back.

When I first woke up this morning and discovered that nothing opened until a bit later in the morning, I thought we could maybe go back to Ueno and around 9:00AM hit up the museum we missed and then head over to Akihabara. That plan was foiled as well, the museums are not open on Mondays. Damn.

In the end we decided to just get outside and start walking! I suggested we walk toward the Sky Tree, and so we did.

We made our way across the bridge and then through Sumida park. Once again it was super quiet, it was only about 7:00AM, we did find a small shine that had a great view of the Sky Tree though!

We eventually did make our way over to the Sky Tree. It opened at 8:00AM right when we arrived, however we decided not to go up, as there are other locations in Tokyo to get a great view of the city. And the sky tree was a bit expensive in my opinion. Having done the Eiffel Tower in Paris I know you pay a bunch of money and are up there for 20 minutes. So we opted out, but it was still really neat to see!

There is also an aquarium at the Sky Tree, which opens at 9:00AM and some shopping (including a Pokemon Center) which open at 10:00AM. Again we are cursed by being up so early, nothing is open. At this point we hopped on the train at Oshiage and head back to Asakusa.

This train ride was a treat as now we were in rush hour. Time to get comfortable with thousands of our new Japanese friends! I was so worried about falling over on someone, it was so packed I had one foot on the ground and nothing to hold on to! It was definitely an experience though, one I knew I’d have at some point, and probably will again over the next 2 weeks.

We decided to hang around our Air BnB for a little while to let things open up and then head over to Akihabara. I took this time to eat a second breakfast (what am I a hobbit?), I’ve been so hungry on this trip. Just a quick snack of some orange juice and another salmon onigiri, nothing too fancy.

Finally around 10:00AM we jumped on the Ginza line to Ueno and then switched to another line (Not sure what it was called, It wasn’t the JR Yamanote) for the quick ride down to Akihabara.

When we arrived our first stop had to be the Yodobashi store. There are (I believe) 9 floors of everything you can imagine! I specifically wanted to stop here to pick up film for my Instax Mini. I didn’t want to go through the hassle of hand checking twice on the way to Tokyo and I knew I could buy it was soon as we got to Akihabara.

I was content just picking up the film and then heading out, but the husband insisted I walk around every floor - I’m glad he made me. I didn’t end up buying anything because I was so overwhelmed, but I definitely saw some really neat items! And they really did have EVERYTHING.

Note this aisle of Gundam. There were 4 aisles just like this one. I never knew there were so many Gundam.

Tower Records is on the 8th floor, which I was excited to finally visit. High school me would be so proud! And the top floor was a food court, and let me tell you, it all smelled AMAZING. If we didn’t have other plans we would have eaten there.

After leaving the Yodobashi we head out in search of a maid cafe. I was specifically looking for @Home Cafe or Maidreamin. However I was leaning toward @Home Cafe, which we did find first.

I still think I may go back and try Maidreamin though, I’d like to see how the two differ.

Anyway!

We arrived at a good time, it got very busy right after we arrived. Everyone was definitely adorable! We both ordered set meals, which in hindsight, we probably shouldn’t have done. It was a lot of food. I ate all of mine, but the husband had a hard time finishing his. It was all well worth the experience though.

The set meal included a drink, meal, dessert and a picture with a maid of your choice. At first I felt bad because I didn’t pick the maid that seat us or took our order, but as our time there progressed the maids mingled with everyone so I didn’t feel quite as bad.

All of our food! Pink curry, beef curry, pancake dessert, cheesecake dessert and drinks (alcohol mixed drink & melon soda). The alcohol drink tasted blue, and you could not taste the alcohol. And I really mean that, I do not drink and can ALWAYS taste alcohol in drinks and even I took a small sip and couldn’t taste anything.

We received our pictures with the maids, and in the end a little loyalty card that looks like a credit card. You can rank up after so many visits.

After our visit to @Home Cafe (which I would definitely do again!) we finally ventured out into Akihabara and started to hit up all of the stores.

There were a few things I was specifically looking for - cute gachapon, neko atsume UFO machines, and a boob mouse pad for a friend.

I was only able to find the gachapon. But not to worry we only hit half the street and will go back a second day!

We did see so many neat things though, and I really wish that I could fluently read Japanese. 3 years of studying and then ignoring it for 3 years doesn’t do me much good. I digress, there was cute manga I wanted but I can’t read it so damn!

One really cool find, which I didn’t buy, but may go back and pick up - a Super Mario game for the Game Boy. I had it when I was a kid, it was one of my first games and unfortunately my sister lost my Game Boy on a trip one year and the game was in it. I’d never been able to find it again, until now!

After wandering around for a few hours up and down buildings we started to get tired and it started to rain - we decided to call it a day. We head back around 5:00PM.

Plans went awry again. We intended on going to dinner around 7:00PM. Jet lag caught up with me again and I fell asleep at 7:00PM. I must have been very tired because I slept through the night in my jeans. Oops.

I think one more day and i’ll be over the jet lag finally!

[dylanowhy]

After Set - Dylan O’Brien Imagine

Author: dylanowhy (me)

Summary: Deciding to follow your dream, you try out for a small role in a new upcoming movie. During your audition you end up practicing lines with none other than Dylan O’Brien, thus landing you the lead part. Now you’re getting your big break, while also falling in love with your co-star

Pairings: Dylan O’Brien x Reader

Warning: Language. Kissing.

Word Count: 2,049

A/N: This is part two of a mini series I am doing called Big Break, you can read the first part here. Will be possibly doing a part three!

You pulled up to a rugged looking place. Peering out from the windshield, yours eyes squinted as the neon sign flashed Ralphs in a painful tang of orange. This was the last time you were going to let Tyler pick the place of hangout after work. “What is this?” Emma asked beside you and for a split moment you almost forgot you were in the car together. Apparently, Emma didn’t drive, which made you feel a little uneasy since she was the age of twenty-three, but you decided not to question it. “I have no idea, but I am starving and I do not feel like driving any further than this.” Your stomach growled in agreement. It took almost thirty minutes just to get to this place and you’d be damned if you were going anywhere else.

You jumped as someone began to tap on your window – it was Tyler, eagerly beckoning you out of your car. You shot him a dirty look before turning your engine off. “Are we planning to get murdered?” Emma asked as you both got out of your car. Tyler laughed at her as they started to talk about his decision and how bad it was. You drown most of it out though, Dylan’s frame catching your eye. He stood to the back, hands deep in his pockets. He was looking at you with as much intensity as you were looking at him, and before you could stop yourself, you made your way over to him. Your feet came to a halt, trying not to get too close. You could feel his eyes dance over you, this was such a dangerous game.

“You know if I wanted to die at a young age, I would have told my parents about me quitting school.” You joked, but there was something in your voice, something you didn’t know was there. You were innocently flirting with him, and his eyes sparkled at that. “It’s not as bad as it looks – promise.” His voice was timid, shy and you found yourself smiling at his cuteness. With those words, he held out his arm to take, which you did possibly a little too eagerly as he lead the way into the building.

It wasn’t as bad on the inside as it was on the outside. Imagine your local sports bar but with a little more smoke. There were pool tables to the side, girls in short-shorts and giant TVs playing the latest sports game. It was totally a guy’s hangout, and it made you contort your face with a look of confusion.  “Okay, maybe it’s a little bad.” Dylan admitted. You laughed as you shook your head. “Food. I just need food.” You tugged him along, arms still linked as you went to find a table suitable for all four of you.

About an hour in everyone was finished with their meals, laughing and talking with one another, just getting to know each other a little better. You learned a lot more than you thought you would in the short amount of time. Emma was a stubborn person, but not in a bad way, it was obvious that Tyler had developed a little crush on her but she was not giving in. You admired her self-control, something you longed for. You also learned that you could read Tyler like a book, he was being more and more predictable, even when he was trying not to be. “I am going to whoop your ass in pool, I’m not even kidding.” Tyler said with a serious expression towards Emma. They were cute. “You’re on, enjoy guys!” Emma chirped as she slid from her seat, her and Tyler disappearing into the distance, leaving you and Dylan alone.

Dylan hadn’t been quiet, you didn’t think that was in his nature, but he also didn’t say as much as you expected, like he was trying to hold back some. You leaned forward on your elbow, resting your cheek on your palm as you looked at him in the most admiring ways. His leg was bouncing uncontrollably, you expected he was nervous and you heard yourself giggle at this. His eye found yours and the bouncing stopped, you brought your lower lip between your teeth biting softly. You were sure he was staring and it caused the heat to rush to your face, tainting you pink. “No one has ever noticed you know.” You spoke soft, his eye brows furrowing together in confusion. “—What?” He asked, voice rasp, tongue flicking out to lick his lips. “My eyes. No one has ever noticed.” You told him sweetly, and he ducked his head a small chuckle releasing from his lips. “I don’t see how, they are beautiful – You’re beautiful.”

There was that word again, beautiful. You never really heard that often and it caused goosebumps to rise on your skin, like your body was hanging onto his every word. “I think you’re a little delusional there O’Brien.” This caused him to smile, and really it should win an award with the effect it had over you. “You want to get out of here?” Dylan asked all of a sudden and you could tell it not only shocked you but him as well, however, you did not decline. “Yeah, I’d like that.” He was practically to his feet before you could finish your sentence. You watched as his body weaved around tables to get to Tyler, him talking to him in a quick manner when he got his attention. Tyler looked over at you and gave his friend a knowing smirk before nodding at him as dismissal. “I’ll drive.” Dylan said as soon as he was back at your side, before you could say anything he laced his fingers with yours and lead you to your car.

“I know of this place, it’s kind of like a hidden gem. I go there sometimes – To think you know? Things can become a hassle sometimes. It’s nice to have a place.” Dylan had been driving for about ten minutes now, you listened as he talked, the sound of his voice was calming like a lullaby. “I want to share it with you.” Would it be cliché to say this was like a movie itself. You were filming a romance as one was blooming – or so you hoped. There was still a part of you in the back of your mind denying everything, but you couldn’t help that. Going from your basic everyday life to somehow riding in your car with Dylan O’Brien, that’s not something that happened every day. Maybe your mind was playing tricks on you, maybe you were thinking too much into this.

Arriving at what looked like an abandoned beach with a smallish pier, you started to wonder how long you had actually been driving. “It doesn’t look like much, I know. But it gets the job done.” He said before getting out of the car, he walked quickly, coming to the passenger side of the car to open the door. As you got out, his laced his fingers with yours again. You realized then how much this place meant to him, his smile was bright and he looked at the washed down view with such longing it made your heart beat a little faster. “Honestly, if you brought me here a few months ago, I wouldn’t get it, but now I can truly say that I appreciate this. The quiet, the simple aspect of this place. It’s amazing.” You looked up at him and you could see the loving look in his eyes, as if you were the first one to ever get it, to understand why he loved this place so much. “Come on.” You two began to walk hand-in-hand down the creaking boards.

“You said earlier that if you wanted to die you’d tell your parents you quit school.” Dylan was walking close to you, so close that he was like a part of you keeping you warm. It felt so normal and you couldn’t tell if that was a problem or not. “Yeah –“ You laughed softly, “I had this big dream of going into scientific studies. All my parents ever wanted was to see their little girl graduate from a big college. But life hit, things are not always what they seem and I just was not happy. I’ve always had this underlying love for acting, so I decided to give it a shot.” You explained, you didn’t talk about your parents much, the topic never gave you joy. A lot of teenage rebellion and nonunderstanding had led to that, but talking with Dylan felt safe, like your secrets were his secrets and he would never tell a soul. “I’m happy you did –“ Dylan started, his steps coming to a stop and he turned to face you.

“I don’t know what it is about you.” His eyes scanned you, trying to search for something, anything to make sense to him. “I don’t even know you.” He whispered those last words, but they weren’t hurtful, they were hopeful. “You’re just down to earth, and I’m not use to finding that – like really finding that. And to top all of it off you give me this feeling like I’m still in fucking high school. I want to impress you, I’m nervous you’re not going to like me. It’s really messing me up.” He was rambling now, saying things that made your ears buzz with excitement. You blinked a couple of times, trying to find some reality since it all felt like a dream. “Dylan.” Was all you said as he instantly quieted. He blushed, you giggled, you felt seventeen again.

What happened next was expected, but you didn’t expect it to happen so slowly. He was so careful, his right hand coming up to caress the side of your face gingerly as his eyes searched yours, asking if it was okay to continue his movements. Of course, it was more than okay and your smile showed that, causing one to break out on his face as well. You would be lying if you said you hadn’t played this out in your mind. Even before you met him, you had imagined kissing him but nothing added up to the real thing.

He smelt faintly of smoke while his lips tasting of cherry and coke, a mixture you’d never expect to be so intoxicating but it had your head buzzing and your body numb. When his lips connected with yours you let out a soft hum of relief. As you expect his lips were soft, warm, and inviting, causing you to get lost instantly. Your left hand was placed gently touching his neck, pulling him down, closer, sweet seconds passed you by as your mind exploded with fireworks. He seemed to be enjoying it as well, his other hand had found your waist, holding you just as close while he kissed you slow, savoring and memorizing every moment and how perfectly in sync they were.

A shaky breath was released from you as you two pulled apart. He rested his forehead on yours and your eyes fluttered open slowly as you realized he was laughing. It was probably the cutest thing you’ve ever heard. “You don’t know how nervous I was to do that.” He admitted, his eyes were still half closed, the look he was giving was something else. It made you feel content like this was meant to be. “I believe I have somewhat of an idea.” You didn’t believe in the idea of love at first sight, but this was something and you couldn’t put your finger on what to call it.

“I should get you back, we have a big day tomorrow. I hear we are even shooting a kissing scene.” He gave you playful eyes before you two turned, walking your way back to the alone car that awaited you. “I have a feeling you’ll be ‘messing up’ that take a lot.” You said sarcastically, using air quotes were obviously needed. His fingers were laced with yours again, this time swinging his arm around your shoulder, pulling you in close to him. “Oh – You have no idea.” He said with a smirk as you filled his ears with laughter.

[ladystylestores]

That Old-School Runway Is Looking Pretty Good – WWD

https://pmcwwd.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/couture-stills-fall2021-1.png?w=640&h=415&crop=1

A thought crystalized clearly, before 9 a.m. New York time on Monday, less than five hours into haute couture’s first digital fashion week: The runway can’t reopen for business soon enough. The real, physical runway walked by real, live models in venues open to — hope against hope — live audiences.

This couture season was destined to be a learning curve, one necessitated by an unforeseen, cataclysmic global pandemic that attacked without notice, and certainly without respect for institutional events we once held sacrosanct, like fashion weeks. Thus, to critique fall 2020 haute couture’s creative output at all negatively may seem unfair and even small. But sometimes, “small” is reflected in the job description. The point here isn’t to criticize  — Oh, Lord, how pretentious are some of these film shorts (but, oh, Lord, how pretentious are some of these film shorts) — but rather to note that, early on, this digital fashion week is making the live show model feel plenty relevant, and even essential.

“I think [the week] won’t have the same splendor as a normal haute couture fashion week,” Bruno Pavlovsky, president of fashion and president of Chanel SAS, told WWD on Monday. He nailed it.

Technology has changed our lives with more power, speed and wonder than we could possibly have imagined 20 years ago. But fall’s early couture showings indicate that digital has a long way to go — light years — before it can replace the live fashion event. Oddly, watching these short films under the current forced intimacy — home alone — one was reminded of the genuine, enjoyable intimacy of actually “being there,” an intimacy borne of the gathering of a finite number of people in a finite space watching a one-time-only event, shared communally. It doesn’t get much more intimate than that.

To expect the short-films construct to substitute fully for fashion shows, immediately and seamlessly, is ridiculous; film and live performance are not the same, and this inaugural digital fashion week was orchestrated in haste. But who expected to be over it midday through Day One?

Since March, the haute houses have had to shift gears on a dime to try to make compelling brand statements for fall — perhaps inclusive of a real collection, perhaps not — in a medium not previously utilized for that specific purpose in a major way. At the same time, as a genre, fashion film/video is no longer special. It’s everything and everywhere, a 24/7 onslaught, from high-minded to cheesy and from mega-brand messaging to influencer/editor musings on topics from red-carpet winners to the best summer t-shirt. To be memorable, a fashion film must resonate with power. But watching back-to-back on Monday, the viewing got dull.

For some reason, fashion seems to have decided that “interesting” house-messaging must be capital-A artful, with moods registering between soulful and downright dark, sometimes to the point of skin-crawling pretension. That was the case with Monday’s first seven offerings. One by one, they’re fine; some are even beautiful. One after the other, they made for an exhausting litany of heartfelt, ethereal, introspective and sober — in too heavy a dose for one workday morning.

Schiaparelli opened the couture film festival with a mini feature on creative director Daniel Roseberry’s “Collection Imaginaire” — so titled because the collection won’t be produced. Rather, from his favorite outdoor perch — Washington Square Park in Manhattan, far away from the house headquarters on Place Vendôme — Roseberry sketches out the collection that’s in his mind. No words, just intense drawing scored with intense music against (happily) a beautiful blue-sky day.

Next on the schedule, Ulyana Sergeenko’s film takes the respect-for-craft route, highlighting the outside Russian lacemakers with whom the designer works before shifting focus to her atelier in Moscow. Reverential scenes of busy workers are spliced with photos of the Forties Hollywood sirens who inspire Sergeenko’s work. The film closes with a fast-moving take on a fashion show, a Busby Berkeley-type kaleidoscope of models, only digital, and one of Monday’s few overtly upbeat elements.

Maurizio Galante’s film is seven minutes of a woman walking downstairs. Stairs that appear to be elegant Haussmann-era Parisian stairs, but stairs nonetheless. She descends to voiceover incantations of color names delivered with great passion by a female speaker: “Bleu! Bleu! BLEEEU!” (Add 12 more “bleus.”) “Mauve! Mauve! Mauve! (Add nine more “mauves.”)

Iris Van Herpen enlisted filmmaker Ryan McDaniels and “Game of Thrones” actress Carice van Houten for her film, a mesmerizing study of a single dress — white structured petals with black center filaments — in her signature oeuvre of poetic high tech. Despite some dense accompanying show notes, the film itself is dialogue-free, a creative treatment shaping up as couture’s first bona fide trend.

Through much of the morning, the clothes’ screen time varied, from no real clothes at all at Schiaparelli (though Roseberry’s illustrations project a distinct power-woman attitude with dashes of house-proud surrealism) to Van Herpen’s single dress to Sergeenko’s mini collection, each look shown in full focus. Galante’s stair-walker has numerous costume changes which look lovely — what you can see of them, anyway. Given the moody-broodiness of it all — including the blurs of those passionately identified hues — the clothes were hardly the point.

By the time Maison Rabih Kayrouz and Ralph & Russo aired at 10 and 11, one couldn’t help but delight in sightings of their orange and hot pink dresses, respectively. Like Van Herpen, Kayrouz focuses on the creation of a single dress, his crafted entirely from strips of orange ribbon. The film highlights the dress’ journey from Beirut to Paris, against captivating music by the singer Shadia, which offered distinctive relief from the morning’s more tedious soundtracks.

Ralph & Russo’s Tamara Ralph provided a different kind of relief. She opted off the film artistry path in favor of speaking — yes, words — straight-on into the camera, for a while at least. She discussed her inspiration — the Seven Wonders of the World — before introducing her brand’s new avatar, Hauli, whose name “symbolizes strength and power.” Born of the necessity to find new ways to show clothes in the COVID-19 era, Hauli flaunts several form-fitting gowns against those Seven Wonders backdrops.

Yet, as always during couture, Monday was “Dior Day” — and a curious one, to boot, as once or twice the house’s visually exquisite film veered toward fashion satire. (See preening Narcissus, below.) Maria Grazia Chiuri commissioned Matteo Garrone — he directed last year’s Pinocchio — for “Le Mythe Dior.” In it, two handsome young porters carry a Dior dollhouse filled with miniature dresses through an enchanted woodland populated by magical creatures — nymphs, giant snail, living statue, mermaid, Adam and Eve (or some such naked couple kissing in a tree), Pan (or some such beautiful horned fellow) and Narcissus, whose Sophia Petrillo-meets-Horshack hairdo should have been rethought.

Along their route, the porters stop to allow the mythic types, some in states of semi-undress, to admire and select clothes. Now, the unwoke reality is that most of us look better in clothes than naked. But these young beauties are earthy goddesses (not to mention gorgeous young women in real life). The idea that they’d be so smitten with dresses from the human realm suggests unbecoming self-reverence by the house. Maria Grazia likely didn’t think of that, and she didn’t make the film, Garonne did — oh, well. A more difficult issue: the surprisingly un-diverse casting.

A fashion matter is less troubling. For this collection, Chiuri created 37 miniature looks — doll-size clothes, done to human scale. WWD’s preview featured mostly Fifties-inspired ball gowns. But the dresses chosen by the woodland lasses are more of the Mount Olympus peplos sort, a favorite of Chiuri’s, and nymph-appropriate. They’re beautiful, but the dichotomy makes the focus of the collection unclear. Film-wise, Garrone worked the no-dialogue approach, setting the non-verbal, spritely goings-on to the strains of monotonous music, with a running time of about 10 minutes. Though not at all sober, the lyrical-ethereal vibe at times flirted with tedium.

In aggregate, this sequence of films lacked a fashion “wow” factor, a film-short version of that instant when, at a live fashion show, a collection — or a single dress — just takes your breath takes away. Apart from that, while the productions weren’t downers per se, none delivered something that would feel great right now — a moment of full-on joyful fashion distraction from life’s current larger grim realities. Oh, for some haute joy. Or intrigue. Or something where the mind doesn’t wander for the duration. Or dialogue.

Still, be careful what you wish for. Morning session over, the time came for afternoon viewing. First up: Antonio Grimaldi’s film by Asia Argento, who also co-stars as the elder in an abysmal mother-daughter relationship. The work opens upon the ghostly daughter, clutching a bouquet of dreary flowers against her blood-stained white dress. She’s polite. She introduces herself: “My name is Ælektra, the Unhappy. My companion is grief.”

The runway can’t reopen for business soon enough.

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[plsdontfightme]

I Wrote A Thing

Hi, yes, hello. I wrote a thing for a creative writing class I took last year, and I thought I’d share it with you, the good people of tumblr. I’m hoping you might read it and tell me what you think! It would be greatly appreciated. 

Beautiful Memories

Art galleries were not on Daisy’s list of “Top Ten Places to Bring a Date,” and a small voice in the back of Alexis’s mind kept reminding her of that. She stood uncomfortably near the corner, studying a piece that looked very… something. Both the title and artist’s name were in a language she didn’t know, and, if she was being honest, the piece itself just looked like a bunch of criss crossing lines of varying shades of blue, green, and black.

She turned from the painting as she searched for her date, Matt. He’d gone to get them something to drink fifteen minutes ago, but Alexis was sure he was just looking for a chance to chat up the woman running the bar. Alexis couldn’t bring herself to be jealous, the woman was pretty, for sure, but it looked like she was about as interested in Alexis’s date as she was. Which is to say, not very. It was a blind date one of the girls from across the hall had set up. She hadn’t told Alexis what to expect, just his name, so she hadn’t dressed up very much. That was one thing she was regretting now, feeling very out of place in her simple pink and white sundress. It was a beautiful night for mid-fall, almost unseasonably warm, and she’d been hoping to do something outside. Dinner on the patio of that little Italian place she and Daisy went to whenever they could afford it, or a picnic on campus, she knew a great spot up behind the football field. She even would’ve been down for a round of mini-golf tonight, anything but a stuffy art gallery full of pretentious rich people.

Alexis moved from the piece she had been absentmindedly staring at to the one next to it. It was thinner and longer than the other and much lighter. The bright blues and reds splashed against a white and gray canvas made Alexis think she might be able to actually see something in this one. A fond memory rose from the back of her mind, causing a natural smile to grace her lips for the first time that evening.

~~~

“Come on, Daisy!”

Alexis grabbed her best friend’s hand, pulling her towards the door. The rain had finally stopped, the sky had cleared, and both girls were excited at the prospect of finding a rainbow. The fact that most of the other girls at their school thought that thirteen was too old to go chasing rainbows did nothing to deter either of the girls, both certain that her prince charming was waiting at the end.

“Wait a second, ‘Lexi,” Daisy laughed, struggling to pull on her other boot. “I can’t go out with just one boot.”

With an exaggerated huff, Alexis let go and waited for her friend to finish pulling her second bright yellow boot on. It matched her yellow rain coat, which her mother insisted she wear in case it started raining again. Alexis herself had matching red boots and coat, though her boots were patterned with ladybugs instead of the bumblebees on Daisy’s. As soon as Daisy had both boots on, Alexis had the other girl’s hand in hers again.

As they splashed through the puddles in the driveway, Daisy’s father appeared in the door. “Don’t go too far, girls,” he called after them, “and make sure you’re back by two!”

“Alright, Dad!” Daisy responded, waving over her shoulder as Alexis dragged her along. Alexis barely slowed as she also turned to wave before dragging her best friend off into one of the many adventures the two girls shared.

~~~

Alexis blinked, smiling at the memory. Daisy had never failed to make her smile in the past, and this was no exception.

Looking over her shoulder, she spotted Matt still leaning over the bar, chatting at the woman behind it. The woman looked up and spotted Alexis, sending her a slightly apologetic look as she glanced between the oblivious Matt and his “date”. Alexis just shrugged in response; it wasn’t like she was that into him anyway.  She turned back to the wall, ready to study another painting. The next piece on the wall had a bit more structure than the last, or maybe Alexis’s imagination was more active this time. It was darker than the other two, but not in an unfriendly way. It was dark reds, browns, oranges, and maybe a little purple. It reminded her of her old bedroom back when she was in high school. In fact, she thought she could see the outline of a bed off to one side, and there was stuff all over the floor. Suddenly, she wasn’t standing in an art gallery anymore; she was back in that bedroom.

~~~

They’re both supposed to be studying. They were sitting on the floor of Alexis’s bedroom, textbooks and notes mingled with the junk food wrappers spread out across the floor; mugs of now cold coco sitting dangerously close to both notes and elbows. Both girls have exams the next day and neither of them feel very prepared despite the many hours of studying they’d been putting in. Daisy’s head drooped onto her chemistry textbook while Alexis attempted to make sense of one of her practice calculus problems. Noticing her friend was falling asleep, Alexis poked her in the side.

“Wake up, sleepy head,” she whispered, barely restraining a yawn.

“No,” Daisy grumbled, burying her head into the crook of her elbow.

“Come on, it’s only-” Alexis grabbed her phone to check the time, eyes widening when she saw it. “Oh my god, it’s almost three. I guess we’re as ready as we’ll ever be, huh, 'Z?” Daisy made a noise that Alexis took to mean she agreed. “Come on, lets go to bed.”

She pulled Daisy off the floor and helped her onto the bed. They settled in and turned the lights off, but Alexis just couldn’t sleep. She tossed and turned for a few minutes before Daisy told her to cut it out.

“We’re more than prepared for these exams, 'Lexi, I’m sure we’ll be fine,” Daisy consoled her. “Plus, in fifteen days we will officially be out of high school, and then we’ve got the whole summer before we have to go to college, and you’re going to be just fine there too, because I’ll be right there with you, okay? Now, can we go to sleep?”

Alexis took a deep breath. “Yeah,” she whispered. “Thanks, 'Z.”

“Anytime. Now shut up.”

~~~

Alexis smiled fondly at the painting before feeling eyes on her. She glanced around the room and saw a woman in a tight deep purple dress staring at her. It wasn’t a nice kind of stare, either. It wasn’t a “Do I know that person?” stare, or an “I wonder where she got that dress, it’s nice” stare. It was a “She’s not good enough to be here” stare. Alexis felt her smile disappear. Unfortunately, this was a stare she had encountered before, around her college campus. It was a nice school, a really nice school, and she and Daisy didn’t really fit in with all the sophisticated rich kids. She shopped at thrift stores, they wore designer flipflops. There was a definite difference in lifestyles between them. Feeling a sudden chill in the room, she wrapped her arms around herself and turned toward the next painting.

She was met with bright greens and blues, rich browns, and streaks of white. Something about the brushstrokes told Alexis that this painting was moving. Or rolling, more like. She found her smile returning as she was pulled into another memory.

~~~

It’s a joint family picnic. Alexis, her older brother Dan, Daisy, her younger sister Lila, and both sets of parents had come together for a summer afternoon, one of the last before Dan headed off to college and the girls back to high school. They had spread blankets on the ground in the shade of an oak on top of a hill just outside their town. It was a popular hiking spot, and it was the perfect day for it. Ham and cheese sandwiches had been distributed once they’d reached the top, and the kids had quickly consumed theirs. The game of tag that ensued shortly afterwords could be considered childish by some, but Lila was only nine and therefore still a child, so that made it all okay.

“Bet you can’t catch me,” Lila had challenged her older sister before taking off at a run. Daisy had chased after her for a few minutes, then circled back to the blanket to tag her best friend instead.

“Unfair!” Alexis exclaimed, brushing crumbs out of her lap as she stood. Her brother took one look at her and took off after Daisy, and the game began in earnest. It continued until Daisy tripped over her own feet and ended up rolling part way down the hill. Alexis threw herself down the hill to join her, both giggling like they were five years old again. They lay in the sun for a moment before hearing Dan start to make his way down the hill after them.

Daisy grabbed Alexis’s hand and pulled her up. “Run!” She shouted, and they did.

~~~

What had started as a small smile had broken into a flat out grin over the last few minutes, and Alexis found she didn’t care what the other people in the room thought of her anymore. She watched the painting for a few more minutes, replaying the memory in her head. She was pulled back to the present when she felt rather than heard her phone buzz with a text. She would be lying if she said few moments ago she hadn’t been hoping for an excuse to leave, but she found herself enjoying the art a bit more now. She still wouldn’t protest a game of mini-golf and maybe something to eat, but the gallery wasn’t that bad.

Pulling her phone out of her pocket, Alexis smiled at the name that popped up on her screen.

Text from: Daisy-Doll

11/11/16 6:32pm

How’s the date going??

11/11/16 6:33pm

Do you need me to give you an out?

Alexis laughed softly as she sent a text back.

Text from: 'Lexi-Love

11/11/16 6:33pm

I haven’t actually seen him in a while, he went to get drinks

11/11/16 6:34pm

We’re at an art gallery, Daisy

Text from: Daisy-Doll

11/11/16 6:35pm

On a night like tonight?

It’s gorgeous out!

Text from: 'Lexi-Love

11/11/16 6:35pm

I know!

The arts cool, I guess

It’s super modern

Text from: Daisy-Doll

11/11/16 6:36pm

Sorry.

I know how much you like dusty old stuff.

Text from: 'Lexi-Love

11/11/16 6:36pm

Hey, you like “dusty old stuff” too

~~~

“I can’t believe my Dad roped you into this. Aren’t we supposed to be doing crazy stuff over Spring Break now that we’re college students?”

Alexis laughed at her best friend’s words, setting another box of junk near the top of the stairs. “Maybe, but I don’t mind cleaning, and, to be honest, I needed to get out of the house for at least an afternoon,” she said, moving back across the now much cleaner attic space to get to where Daisy was going through another box of what looked to be old toy trains.

Daisy looked up at her sympathetically. “Dan’s girlfriend?” She asked.

Alexis nodded. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I like her, but she’s very…” She trailed off, looking for the right word.

“Excitable? Peppy? Not Dan-like?” Daisy suggested, closing the box she’d been going through and labeling it.

“Yeah,” Alexis said with a sigh, taking the box Daisy held out to her, checking the label before putting it under the window on the far wall with the other antique toys and things. “This place looks good, 'Z.” She added as she looked around the room.

Daisy turned to observe their progress. “It’s better than it was,” she decided after a moment, looking unconvinced. Alexis rolled her eyes and grabbed Daisy’s hand.

“I think we deserve a break.”

Daisy laughed and allowed herself to be pulled towards the stairs. “Okay. But, we’re coming back up here after, right?”

“Sure,” Alexis agreed, “but first, lemonade.”

Shaking her head at her friend’s serious tone, Daisy smiled, adding, “I think we’ve got some cookies, too.”

Alexis’s cheerful squeal could be heard on the street below as she ran down the stairs.

~~~

Text from: Daisy-Doll

11/11/16 6:36pm

This is true.

11/11/16 6:40pm

You still there, or did your date turn out to be a serial killer?

The texts pulled Alexis out of her memories again. She seemed to be spending a lot of time lost in her own mind tonight. Looking up from her phone, she saw Matt heading back towards her, looking vaguely disappointed about his failed attempts with the woman at the bar.

Text from: 'Lexi-Love

11/11/16 6:41pm

No serial killers, just thinking

He’s coming back, I’ve gtg

Text from: Daisy-Doll

11/11/16 6:41pm

Okay, have fun!

If you need me to have a mental breakdown so you can come back and comfort me, let me know.

Alexis laughed, tucking her phone back into pocket. Again, she thought of how Daisy never failed to make her smile.

“Hey,” Matt said brightly, finally returning, but seeming to have forgotten her glass of water. “Come on, I want to show you something.” He reached to take her hand, and Alexis became unreasonably glad that this dress had pockets.

“Lead the way,” she said, forcing a smile and keeping her hands firmly in her pockets. It didn’t seem to faze him, though, as he simply looped his arm through her’s instead and lead her to a painting across the room. He was talking about the piece he was about to show her, but she wasn’t listening. Her mind kept wandering back to Daisy, and- Oh. They’d stopped in front of a painting that covered the wall almost completely. It was a square that stretched from floor to ceiling, splashed with brilliant oranges, reds, yellows, and rich light browns. It was beautiful. Though she didn’t know much about the world of art, even she could tell this was exquisite. Matt was going on about the time he’d gotten to meet the artist during his semester abroad in Italy, and Alexis was trying to pay attention to him, she really was, but she was drawn into the painting in a way she hadn’t expected.

~~~

Alexis was running. It always helped to clear her head, and it felt like everything was crashing down on her all at once. The dorm room she shared with Daisy had suddenly felt too small, and she’d just needed to get out. So, she’d changed into her running clothes as fast as possible, left a note for Daisy, and then she ran. There was no destination in mind, just a need to move that drove her further and further from the room she’d come to call home. She wasn’t even sure what she was running from, she just knew that she needed to.

Eventually, she found herself at her favorite little picnic spot up behind the football field, and she slowed down. There was a perfect view of the sunset from up here, and for a moment she got lost in the colors. Soon, though, she was brought back to the present and all her thoughts came crashing down on her again. It had all become real in the last few minutes. The fact that she was turning twenty in a few weeks; that she was in college, preparing to do the thing she was going to do for the rest of her life; that life passes in the blink of an eye. She could still remember being a kid, still felt like a kid sometimes. The idea that she’d never be nineteen again-

“You know, the whole existential crisis thing seems like more of a Dan thing than you, if I’m being honest,” Daisy spoke from behind her.

Alexis turned and gave a small laugh, unsurprised her best friend had found her. “I know,” she said quietly, “but it all just kinda hit me, you know?”

Daisy nodded. “Yeah, I know.” She grabbed Alexis’s hand and smiled. They stood in silence for a few minutes, watching the sunset, hand in hand. “Come on,” Daisy added, “they’re doing breakfast for dinner tonight in the cafeteria.”

And then Alexis was running, but this time she wasn’t alone, and she was running to something instead of away.

~~~

“Don’t you think?”

Alexis jumped a little at Matt’s question, not having expected it. “Hmm?” she responded, not wanting to say the wrong thing and make a complete fool of herself.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Matt didn’t seem bothered by having to repeat his question, he wasn’t even looking at her.

“Yeah,” Alexis agreed, the realization dawning on her slowly, “she is. I’m sorry, but I have to go.” Ignoring Matt’s confused protests, Alexis ran out of the art gallery. She needed to find her Daisy.

[purplesurveys]

726

Do you have any stuffed animals from Build-a-Bear Workshop? No. I'm not aware if they brought it to the Philippines when I was younger or if it’s been brought here at all, but I don’t feel like I missed out since I never liked stuffed toys. When was the last time that you ate fruit? I tried a California maki (which has mango instead of avocado here) when we bought a box of varied sushi a couple of weeks ago just to give it a chance. It’s always been my least favorite roll because after I’ve had a wide array of innovative and creative rolls through the years, California maki just tastes so plain – and because it has mango. My taste test that day didn’t change my mind about the sushi and I still hated it, so I gave the rest of them to my sister. Can you pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time? Yup. It got popular to try in school for a time hahaha so I practiced until I perfected it. Do you listen to country music? The only country song I really enjoyed was Need You Now by Lady Antebellum; otherwise I can’t stand the genre. Are you the generic person? I don’t think it’s fair to call anyone generic. I like to think there’s always at least one unique or interesting thing about everyone.

Have you ever had your palms read? No. Do you know what a fuzzy navel is? I wanna say a hairy belly button but I just looked it up on Google aaaaand...IT’S A DRINK HAHAHAHAHA   Do you like peaches? Nope. It’s a no on most fruits for me. Do you have in fruit trees in your backyard? We don’t but I think some of our neighbors do. I know for sure someone is growing siling labuyo, but I forgot which one of my neighbors it was.  When was the last time your lawn was mowed? I haven’t heard the village lawnmower being used in a very long time, honestly. Understandable, since a lot of people don’t have to work right now. Have you ever been hit in the face really hard? My brother did this to me last year, which is why I have made the decision to stop talking to him entirely. I haven’t talked to him since March 2019 even if we’re under the same roof. Do you hate anyone? Right now I hate our local police more than anyone in the world, but I don’t feel this way for anyone I know in real life. Do you like fingerpainting? I don’t think I’ve tried it. I imagine I would hate the texture though. Are you sick? Nope. Do you use flashlights when there is a blackout? We used to but with more modern phones having built-in flashlights, we haven’t needed to buy actual flashlights anymore. Do you like black coffee? Sorry, no. Some cream and milk is always the way to go for me. Have you ever stolen from a store before? Haha unintentionally. I once walked away from a bookstore with a box of crayons and that was in 2004 when security measures weren’t very techy yet and nothing alarmed when I got out of the store. I realized I hadn’t paid for it when I noticed I was still holding the box and it wasn’t in a paper bag. Do you like the color yellow? I like the current trendy shade of yellow, but that’s absolutely it. It’s still one of my least favorite colors. Do you like calm, pretty colors or wild, bright, flashy colors? Pastel colors, which to me are calm and pretty. Do you collect coins? No. I’d be such a clumsy collector if ever, because I lose everything I own that’s as small as coins. When was the last time you rode a bike? The first or second week of the lockdown when I made a goal to learn how to ride the bike while on quarantine. Of course, that hasn’t happened. Have you ever walked on stilts? I don’t think so. Is there anything orange on your computer screen? I have a Bzoink tab open and its logo is orange, so yep. Do you use Dial-up? Internet??????? Welcome to 2020, my dude. I mean to be fair this survey was made all the way in 2008 lmao, but even by that point we had upgraded from dial-up to cable internet. Who was the last person that you called? Gabie, who’s really the only person I ever call. How many letters are in your middle name? If you mean my second first name, it has 8 letters. My maiden name, which is more understood here as our legit middle name, has 5. Do you collect seashells? Nope. Beaches here prohibit taking seashells, and I’m glad such a provision exists. Have you ever been to New York City? I haven’t but I can’t wait. I have an uncle living in Manhattan who has promised to be my tour guide once I get to visit.  Do you like to bake cupcakes? I imagine myself loving the work but I never have the time to do it or anyone to do it with. How old were you 10 years ago? I was 12. Do you age well? If aging well means I still mostly look 18 and hardly like a 22 year old, then yes I have been doing that. Seeing reactions from current freshies when they find out I’m a graduating senior was one of my favorite parts of my final semester in college hahahaha. How many lamps are in the room that you are currently in? There are no lamps in the dining area. What color is your keyboard? The keys are black but the spaces between them are gray. When was the last time that you clipped your fingernails? Around a month ago. I’ve actually been reminding myself these days to cut them again since they’re quite long now, but I always forget. I’ll probs forget tonight too. What about your toenails? Around the same time. But toenails grow slower, so I don’t feel the need to clip them just yet. Have you ever had the chicken pox? I have not, which means I’m just waiting for the day it hits me D: Do you like history? Yep, quite literally in my blood. Give me all the articles, books, electives, workshops, museums, etc on history and I’ll gladly be all over them. Do you wear deodorant all the time? Yeah. Do you tend to tangle things up? Not really. I want things to be as smooth-sailing as possible, because disarray would just overwhelm me. Can you unknot knots? Just super basic knots. When did you first learn how to tie your shoes? This was actually one of the practical tests that they gave when I was in preschool so I had to have my lola teach me when I was five. To this day, I have to admit I’m still clumsy at tying my shoes and 8 out of 10 times I can’t do it perfectly on the first try :(( How different is the world today, than it was 5 years ago? I don’t feel like racking my head for global events but as for personally, these days, I no longer have my maternal lolo around; we’re in the midst of a pandemic that has disrupted life as we know it; I unexpectedly have had no fucking clue when I’m graduating now; and we are now under a dictator and murderer of a President. What kind of car would you like to have? My ultimate goal is to have a Mini.

How loud is the volume on your computer? It’s in the upper half but not completely all the way through. Name 5 things that are in your room. A certificate of appreciation from a school I recently taught at, my book stand, my coloring books, my mock college entrance tests, a couple of neck pillows and several unopened face masks. Do you like the number 46? It’s insignificant to me. Have you ever left your handprint in wet concrete? Nope. Do you vaccuum? I haven’t tried it, no. When was the last time that you graduated from a grade? 2016 when I graduated from high school. Do you have a nickname? My relatives call me Byn but that’s my only nickname. Can you wiggle your ears? No but one of my uncles can. It was his favorite ~party trick to do for my cousins, siblings, and I when we were kids cause it always made us laugh. For many years we tried practicing ourselves but none of us ever learned how to. Have you ever been in a commercial before? I have not. Have you ever built a castle out of cardboard? I don’t think so. Do you really ever get too old for certain things? High school drama, for one. Some people haven’t gotten over it and still like to stir up shit, but it’s almost always those who only peaked in high school and are trying to grasp and claw for their glory days back.

Do you like apple juice? Just the one from a local brand, Zesto.  Can you whistle? Yes. Do you celebrate Christmas? Only because it’s family tradition. Do you have a New Years Resolution? No. How thick is your hair? Quiiiiite thick. It’s a bit to handle especially when my hair is supposed to be styled into a very intricate and elegant bun... a lot of the hair always falls out no matter how many thousand bobby pins are stabbed into my scalp before the end of whatever thing I’m supposed to be at. Have you ever wanted to grow a beard or mustache? I was curious as most kids are, so yeah I guess this thought occured once or twice. I don’t wish for this now. Do you use highlighters? For studying. Are you a very traditional person? I still view some things in a traditional way, like how my ultimate goal is to settle down, have a house, and raise kids or that I wouldn’t let my future kid get a tattoo or have their hair dyed until they’re 18...but studying in UP and living in an age where I get to meet people from different parts of the world who may live differently and see things differently than Filipinos do has certainly widened my perspectives. Do you feel awkward around certain people? With people I barely know but am forced to interact with, yes. Do you like bananas? No. Do you like Febreeze? I don’t think we have it here. How many children do you want? One or two. How tall are you? Barely passed the 5′ mark.