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chaoticpuff17 · 4 years

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Suga, We’re Going Down

Part 1

masterlist

Because, my darlings, I have no impulse control and Yoongi demanded to be written. I’m going to see if I can balance between SW and this, alternate releasing chapters for each story, but we’ll see. The title is a working title. don’t know if I’ll stick with it. I’m open to suggestions. Enjoy, my lovlies! It was a blast to write!-- Chaotic puff

here’s a link to the song the MC plays in this chapter!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qrKjywjo7Q

Yoongi didn’t go to events like this. He was a professional, but even professionals got blocks sometimes, and he was having a block. He couldn’t seem to produce anything new. He had spent hours in his studio trying to come up with something, but the muse had abandoned him. He needed to get out of his head, to get out of the studio for a while.

That was how he ended up sitting through a university showcase watching young, aspiring musicians present their skills. It was a far more classical feel than he used in his music. He was a rap god. He didn’t really use Debussy and Mozart in his work. But there was something amusing about watching all the fresh faced youths taking their showcase so seriously. Most of them would never be serious musicians. They would never play for a national symphony, but the way they all looked it was as if they were playing for some great orchestra or symphony instead of a small college showcase was amusing. It was all so serious, all so insignificant.

He was bored with it. Bored with the overly perfect renditions of the same songs that people had been playing for decades. Where was the feeling? Where was the passion? They were all just clinically passing through the motions for a grade. None of them would make serious musicians, not playing the way they did.

He was about to leave when the first strains of the cello caught his attention. It was the first real emotion he had heard from any of them. His eyes snapped to the stage to see a pair of girls. One was seated at the piano while the other was sat on a solitary chair with a cello before her. Both of them were as perfectly put together as every other student that had gone before them had been, black dresses and not a hair out of place.

He ignored the pianist in the favor of the cellist. Her eyes were closed as she played the rest of her face serene. She was completely at peace even though the song she played showed a deep sorrow. The song was just as recognizable as every other piece that had been played that night. The only difference was the musician.

She was lovely, pale and fragile under the stage lights, but there was also something almost unbearably sad about her, and it showed in her playing. The piece itself was already melancholy, but the way she played it was nearly heartbreaking. Her hair was pulled back in a neat updo that left her face clear for his perusal. Even with her eyes closed her face was filled with emotion. The simple string of pearls around her neck highlighted its curve, its swan like quality. Everything about her was simple, classic, graceful as she played.

He looked through the program he had been given when he’d first arrived searching for the song, searching for a name, her name. There is it was. The Swan composed by Camille Saint-Saens played by Kang Y/N and accompanied by Guem Nina. Kang Y/N. The name rang through his head carried by the melody she played. Beautiful. Beautiful and sad just like the song she played, just like her.

The song passed by too quickly for his liking. Before he knew it she was pulling her bow across the strings for the final time. Both musicians bowed to the audience before disappearing backstage and out of his sight. The spell was broken, but Yoongi still wanted to know more. Who was she? Why was she so sad? Why had she chosen that song? Yoongi wanted to know it all. The thought of her sent inspiration running through him. The fire was lit again telling him to create, to compose, for her.

He wanted to know what she would think of his music. Did she listen to rap? More specifically, did she listen to him? Or did she prefer classical music like the kind she had just played? Did she play any other instruments? Did she sing? How would the cello sound intertwined with his own style of music? He wanted to know the answer to all of these questions and so many more, but first he had to find her. Kang Y/N. His new muse.

So he sent out a bodyguard to find out everything about her that he could. Perhaps he should have felt guilty sending out a man to practically stalk the girl and bring him information on her, but he couldn’t bring himself to feel guilty about the invasion of her privacy. She consumed him, filling his thoughts. He wanted her near him. He wanted to hear her play, wanted to wipe the sadness from her features, and he was determined to do just that. She was meant to be his, and he wouldn’t rest until she was.

Y/N was unaware of the thoughts coursing through his head as she was backstage tucked into a broom closet peeling herself out of her dress and the uncomfortable heels in favor of a pair of ripped jeans and a comfy sweater. She let her hair down from its tight confines and secured it in a loose pony tail. She loved playing, but stepping out on stage was always nerve wracking for her. The dresses and the perfectly put together faces never seemed like her. She wasn’t fancy or elegant. She was just… her. She didn’t even own the cello she had just played. She could never afford such a beautiful instrument. It belonged to the school.

She had had the cello on loan so long as she participated in the university orchestra, but that deal could no longer be upheld on her end. Family and financial obligations would no longer allow it. They were barely making ends meet as it was. She didn’t have the time to spend at rehearsals and practices when she needed to be focusing on her studies and working. Even her studies would have to take a back seat if their fortunes didn’t take a turn for the better soon.

It was just her, her grandmother, and her baby nephew, well no longer quite a baby. He was going to be three before she knew it. Her mother had taken off years ago. She flew in and out of their lives whenever it suited her usually when she wanted someone from them. Her father, bless him, couldn’t hold down a job to save his life. He was a dreamer. He sat at home most days contemplating the great questions of life like some sort of great philosopher. Most times he was drunk when he did this. She thanked god that he wasn’t violent drunk. His head was in the clouds more than else when he was drunk. Her sister, well no one really knew where Ha Jin was. She had taken off after the baby was born. She’d left Eun Jae with her and their grandmother, and she’d disappeared into the wind just like their mother had.

Part of her wanted to blame her little sister, to scream to the high heavens that it wasn’t fair that she was too young to be responsible for a child, but so was Ha Jin. She had been a child when she’d gotten pregnant, just seventeen when the baby was born. She was far too young to be a mother. Y/N couldn’t blame her for not being ready to raise a child, but she could blame her for abandoning Eun Jae.

Eun Jae didn’t know his mother. As far as he was concerned Y/N was his mother. She and Halmeoni were his whole world, his whole family. Her father couldn’t be counted as any sort of parental figure. He couldn’t be counted as one for his own daughters much less for his grandson. She’d heard her grandmother curse on more than one occasion that the gods had given her such a useless son. Y/N had cursed on more than one occasion that the gods had given her such a useless father. But they had to work with what they were given, and this was the hand that fate had played them.

She had been eight when she’d figured out that both of her parents were useless. She’d been sixteen when she’d gotten her first part time job to help support the family. She’d been nineteen when she’d had to become a mother for her nephew. It was a shitty life, but it was hers.

Despite all the chaos Eun Jae had brought into the world, she wouldn’t trade him for anything. She loved that little boy more than life. He was her little angel, her light, the reason she was willing to sacrifice anything, to sacrifice everything. She may not have birthed him, but he was her son. He was the reason that she was sitting in a chicken place late in the evening a few days after the showcase with Nina. The pair of them were huddled over a phone making a profile on an app called sugarbebe.

“Are you sure about this?” Nina asked as they finalized her profile. “Maybe you could get another job.”

“I’m already working two jobs, along with school and practice, and Eun Jae. I can’t take on anything else.” She shook her head tiredly, glaring down at her phone in distaste. “We need the money.”

“What are you going to tell Halmeoni?” Nina questioned brows furrowed worriedly.

“I’m not going to tell Halmeoni anything. She thinks I’m looking for another job to take the place of orchestra.”

“And she’s okay with that?”

“No.” She laughed recalling the look on her grandmother’s face when she had told her that she was quitting orchestra. “She’s pissed at me. Says I’m wasting my God given talent, and that I’ll end up like my mom and my father and my sister if I’m not careful.”

“Harsh.” The other girl cringed knowing full well just how scary Y/N’s grandmother could be. “I still can’t believe it was your last concert.”

“It was only a showcase. Forget orchestra. Halmeoni said all that, and I haven’t even mentioned the possibility of giving up school to help with the bills.”

Nina’s eyes widened almost comically. “She’s going to kill you.”

“Yeah. I know.” She shuddered thinking of what her grandmother would do to her if she did quit school to help. It would not be a pretty picture. “I think she’d beat me black and blue with her favorite soup ladle.”

“Then let’s hope she doesn’t find out, and let’s hope you find yourself a rich sugar daddy.” Nina raised her glass in a mock toast, and Y/N raised hers as well.

“Here’s hoping.”

They pressed the button submitting her profile on the app. It was too late to back out now. If she was lucky whoever chose her wouldn’t be too old or perverted. With any luck he wouldn’t be ugly either, but that was asking a lot and she didn’t hold that much hope. She’d be lucky if the guy wasn’t too much of a creep.

They both stared down at the phone in shock as it chimed, the banner announcing that she had a match on sugarbebe. Neither of them had expected anything quite that soon.

“Well, open it! What does it say? Who did you match with?” Nina asked excitedly eyes taking up almost the whole of her face with how wide they were.

She tapped on her phone opening the profile. MYG. No picture. Age twenty-seven. A producer. There wasn’t much information, but there was a message from the man asking to meet in person.

Nina looked over her shoulder frowning as she examined the profile as well. “He doesn’t have much information does he?”

“He wants to meet.”

“When?”

“Friday.” She gulped suddenly filled with nerves. It was all becoming so real. “He’s wants to meet on Friday at D-2.”

They both knew D-2. Every young person in the city knew it. It was the hottest club in Seoul at the moment, made even hotter by the fact it was owned by the king of rap himself, Agust D. To get into D-2 you either had to be rich, famous, or willing to wait in atrociously long lines and tipping the bouncer an outrageous amount of money wouldn’t hurt your chances either.

“D-2?” Nina gasped practically ripping the phone out of her hand to read the message herself. “Are you sure?”

“That’s what it says.”

“Do you have anything to wear?”

It was a good question. She really didn’t have anything that could be considered worthy of a place like D-2. Nothing she owned was really sexy. It was mostly comfy sweaters, jeans, and cute skirts. Things she could wear to school and work and were comfortable enough to chase a toddler around in. None of those would be appropriate for the club. Neither would any of the dresses she used for concerts. And the look on her face clearly conveyed that to Nina.

“You can borrow something of mine.” She assured gently patting her friend’s arm. “Maybe he won’t be so bad?”

“Maybe.” She agreed nervously.

“You can borrow that purple dress of mine. I can lend you some earrings too.” Nina offered sending her a reassuring smile. “At least you know if he’s meeting you at D-2 he’s gotta be rich.”

Y/N smiled back nervously. “I’m just hoping he’s not too much of a creep. Eun Jae is supposed to be with me at the apartment on Friday. Do you think you could babysit? If I ask Halmeoni to keep him at the restaurant she’ll ask questions.”

She had a small apartment close to campus that she stayed at normally. Eun Jae would bounce between the apartment and the family home with Halmeoni. It was good for him to be out of the house and away from her father sometimes, and it allowed her to keep Eun Jae close. She saw him often enough as she worked at Halmeoni’s restaurant, but on the weekends he would stay with her at the apartment. She’d take him back to Halmeoni’s on Sunday evening, and they’d both stay the night. Halmeoni would watch him during the week while she had classes, practice, and work, and Halmeoni lived closer to the preschool they were sending him to. She hated being away from him so much, but it was the best they could do for the moment.

“Of course I’ll watch Jae-ah.” Nina smiled. “You know I love the little guy. I’m his favorite auntie.”

“You’re his only auntie.”

“Technically, you’re his aunt.”

“Well unless Ha Jin suddenly shows up with a maternal instinct, I’m all he’s got in the mom department.”

“Poor kid.” Nina cringed teasingly.

“Hey.” Y/N shoved her shoulder playfully. “I’m a great mom.”

“You’re okay at it.” The other girl dodged another hit. “I mean, he does have a sugar baby for a mom.”

“First of all, rude. Second, it’s only until we get our heads above water again, and then never again. This will all be a bad memory.”

Nina squeezed her arm sympathetically. “Maybe you’ll actually have a good time.”

“I really don’t think so, but how bad could it be?” It wasn’t going to be forever, and she could put up with anything to help her family, for Eun Jae.

part 2

#bts #bts fic #yandere bts #bts yoongi #bts suga #min yoongi #suga #yandere yoongi #yandere suga #rapper yoongi #suga x reader #yoongi x reader #yandere #fanfic #bts fanfic

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sturchling · 4 years

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I Can’t Stand Liars

My finals are finally over, and I am finally done with college! I have some time to write again. This is another story based on a prompt from @silvia7272

Hope you all like this one!

Alice doesn’t get along with her family and starts to live with her Uncle Jagged. She meets Marinette and they become friends. When Alice notices Marinette becoming more and more sad, she decides to join Marinette at her school. And then Alice meets the local liar.

Alice’s family was perfectly normal. Her dad was a member of parliament and had been for several years. Her mother was a stay-at-home mom who spent all day cooking and cleaning. Her brother was the star of the rugby at school. They were picture perfect. Except for Alice. Alice was not perfectly normal. She loved rock and roll music, tattoos, and wild hair. It is safe to say that Alice and her family do not get along well. There was only one member of Alice’s family that she liked. Alice liked her Uncle Jagged. Uncle Jagged had started traveling the world, playing music, and having a great time. But Alice’s father would not allow Alice to see or even speak to Uncle Jagged. Any time she asked to see him, her father would say, “Your uncle is a degenerate. Just wasting his life playing that ridiculous music, not contributing to society. I will not have him taint your potential.” That answer always infuriated Alice. She never understood how her father could say that about his brother. As Alice grew up, she grew distant from her parents. They hardly talked to her anymore, and when they did, all they wanted was to make sure she was perfect.

When she turned 13, she had a massive fight with her parents. Alice had gone and gotten a small stud in the side of her nose. Her parents had blown up when they saw it, and spent hours yelling at her and telling her that she will be taking out that stud and never putting it back in. Alice stormed off to her room, absolutely furious. She was so tired of having to be perfect, she just wanted to let loose and have fun. It was her life after all. It felt like she was lying about herself. And she hated lying. So, she did something she promised her parents that she would never do. She looked for her Uncle Jagged. The most recent post on his official social media said that he was here in London. Alice wasted no time, packed a bag, and left the house to go looking for him. The different fan websites showed what hotel he was staying at, and one person had even found out what room he was staying in. She got to the hotel about half an hour later. She went straight to what was supposed to be his room and knocked. A woman with magenta hair opened the door. When she saw Alice, she got an annoyed look on her face. “How many of you obsessive fans am I going to have to turn away today!?” As she starts to close the door, Alice stammered out, “wait!” Alice grabbed the edge of the door to keep it closed and continued, “I am not a fan, I’m family. Jagged is my uncle, I’m his niece Alice.” The woman looked at her appraisingly and slowly opened the door a little more. Alice pushed it a little more saying, “Please, just let me see him. He will tell you who I am.” The woman thinks for a minute and reluctantly agrees, “Well, it can’t hurt. And there is a small resemblance.” The woman opened the door and let Alice inside. Finally, the woman then called out, “Jagged! You have a visitor!” A voice from somewhere in the suite responded, “Who is it Penny?” So that is the woman’s name. Penny calls back, “A girl saying she is your niece. She says her name is Alice.” A crash sounds from the back of the suite and suddenly Jagged came running into the main room. He stared at her in shock and said, “Alice? What are you doing here? It’s rock’in to see you, but I thought your dad didn’t want me to speak to any of you...” Alice dropped her bag and replied, “Well, me and dad never saw eye to eye on that. We had a major fight. I can’t take it anymore Uncle Jagged. They don’t care about me; they just want a perfect daughter.” Jagged, after hearing this, walked up to his niece and hugged her. “As rock’in as it is to see you, I need to tell your parents where you are. I am sure they are worried. Do you have their number?” Alice gives Jagged their number and he goes into the other room to call her parents. It was a while before he came back and Jagged was mad when he came back. Alice bit the bullet and asked, “So? I guess I have to head back home now?” Jagged’s jaw clenched and said, “No. They said the exact opposite. They said if you want to come to me then you can just stay with me. They don’t have time for such an ‘ungrateful daughter’. They essentially just disowned you. So not rock’in.” Alice was shocked. She knew she and her parents didn’t get along at all, but she didn’t think they would disown her. So that was how Alice started living with her Uncle Jagged and traveling all over the world.

Eventually, they started staying at the Le Grand Paris. Alice had been having a great time living with her Uncle Jagged. Alice got to be herself. She switched out her nicer clothes for an edgier outfit. Her typical outfit now was a purple halter top, ripped up black jeans, black combat boots, and a black leather jacket. Her hair was now dyed purple to match her uncle’s. During this time Alice was completing an online education. They had originally tried and public school when Alice first started living with Jagged, but when students found out who she lived with, they would say anything to be her friend. And when they found out that Alice wasn’t going to just get them into concerts for free and get them all of this merch they wanted, they ditched her. Eventually, Alice grew tired of people lying to her to get close to her and decided it would be better to just attend online school. Alice couldn’t stand to be around liars. Alice had just turned 14 and she was starting to want to attend an actual school, since they were most likely going to be in Paris for a long time. One day, the local school Francoise Dupont sent a class to the hotel for career day. That was the day Alice met Marinette. Marinette and Alice instantly clicked when she designed the glasses for Jagged. From then on, whenever Marinette came to speak with Jagged, Marinette would stay after her meeting to hang out with Alice. One day, Marinette seemed sadder than normal. When Alice asked what was going on, Marinette just said it was some minor drama at school. But Marinette just seemed to get more and more sad. Marinette would never answer Alice when Alice brought it up. Alice hated that Marinette was lying. After everything with her parents, after they made Alice lie about herself, Alice hated lying and liars. After a while Alice got more and more worried for her friend and decided to enroll in Marinette’s school. It was easy to convince her Uncle Jagged to let her attend that school. The night before Alice started school, Marinette came over and hung out with Alice until late, helping Alice get ready to start at the school. Alice didn’t realize that she was about to meet the liar responsible for her friend’s sadness.

Monday morning, Alice arrived to Francoise Dupont bright and early. She had found out the day before that she was in Ms. Bustier’s class just like Marinette. Alice walked to the classroom and saw Marinette sitting in the back of the class. Alice joined her in the back row. The two girls chatted for a while, until the rest of the class arrived as well. Two girls walked in, one who looked furious, and the other had a black eye. The angry girl stormed up to Marinette and started yelling, “Marinette! How could you!? Why did you attack Lila!” Marinette shrunk back a bit and tried denying the claim but this girl just kept yelling. Alice got fed up, stood up, and slammed her hands on the table yelling, “HEY!” That got the angry girl to shut up. “Why are you yelling at Marinette?” The girl turned to her and asked, “who are you?” Alice, who was still annoyed that this girl was yelling at her friend, replied “I’m Alice, I’m new. Now I’ll ask again, why are you yelling at her?” The girl with the black eye interjected and started crying, “Well, since you’re new, you wouldn’t know but Marinette is a bully. She won’t leave me alone. She is so jealous of me. She even attacked me last night after I left dinner at the VIP section of the Le Grand Paris hotel restaurant.” What? Alice was now thoroughly confused. Marinette couldn’t have attacked this girl. Marinette had been with her all night. Alice decided to ask a few more questions, cause to much of this story didn’t make sense. There was no way people believed this. “Wait, why were you at the VIP section? Why would she be jealous of you?” Everyone in class looked at Alice like she was crazy. The angry girl answered Alice, “Girl Lila is a super important person. She has helped Prince Ali with his charities, her dance moves were so good that Clara Nightingale has taken her dance moves, and she knows a bunch of famous people. She even knows Jagged Stone. She helped save Jagged’s kitten from getting run over on an airport runway. That is why she was at the VIP section last night; she was speaking with Jagged about the song he wrote about her.” Alice was shocked by what she heard. How does anyone believe this nonsense? This Lila girl is obviously a liar. Alice looked closer at the black eye and noticed now that it was clearly makeup. This girl isn’t even a good liar. So, Alice, ever the honest person, blurted out, “Wow, Lila. You are a horrible liar. Those stories are so fake.” The whole class immediately glared at her while Lila just cried out, “How could you say that?” Alice rolled her eyes. “Easily. Firstly, you are not even really crying. No tears. Second, I know Marinette didn’t attack you last night, because Marinette was with me all night.” While they were gapping at Alice and trying to argue with her, Alice reached down and grabbed her water bottle from her bag. Alice opened the bottle and continued, “Also, that is not a real black eye. And you know how I know that?” With that Alice threw the water in Lila’s face. The makeup she had used for the black eye immediately started smudging and dripping. Alice put the bottle down and said, “I know that because I have never seen black eyes drip before.” The class now turned to Lila and was staring at the now ruined ‘black eye’. “Finally, I may not know about those other celebrities you claim to know, though I can guess those are lies too, I know for a fact that you do not know Jagged Stone, he never wrote a song about you, and you never saved his cat” Lila started to show her true colors and snapped, “How could you possibly know that? Not like you know him. You just look like a super fan.” With that Alice smiled, and even Marinette started to smile as she realized that she was watching Lila’s downfall. Alice ended her spiel by saying, “I never fully introduced myself, did I? My name is Alice Stone. I am Jagged’s niece. He has never had a kitten; it is to normal for him. He does have an awesome crocodile name Fang. And Jagged has never mentioned you. You are just a terrible liar. Do not lie about my Uncle again, he probably won’t like that you are telling people he wrote a song about a minor.” With that, Alice sat down and watched the fireworks. The class realized the reality that their ‘friend’ was just a liar and began yelling at Lila. At lunch, Marinette turned to her and said, “Not that I didn’t enjoy watching that show, but why did you do all that?” Alice replied, “I may have been meaner than I meant to be, but I had to expose her.” Marinette looked at her confused and asked, “Why did you have to expose her. You could have just told Jagged and had him handle it. Not that I’m complaining.” Alice smirked like the Cheshire Cat and said, “I just can’t stand liars.”

#ml fanfic #ml prompt #ml fic #ml class salt #ml salt #ml #miraculous fanfic #miraculous ladybug #class salt #alya salt #lila rossi #lila salt #lila exposed fic #lila gets exposed #Lila exposed #ml salt fic #ml salt fanfic

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iknowyouthinkimbulletproof · 4 years

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18- Ashton Irwin

A/N: another 5sos fic! Ashton Irwin x y/n. Y/n’s gender is female for this fic, it just made it easier to write, my apologies to anyone it might upset, but you can always request. Feel free to correct any mistakes! Requested by @suchalonelysunflower for my writing challenge: Lizza my darling, for the writing challenge I shall ask the song 18 by One Direction and any of the 5sos boys ❤️ my heart needs fluffy/angst or whatever you chose to do 💕🦋. i was supposed to post it a while ago...whoops. *=song lyrics

not my gif

1535 words

*I got a heart and I got a soul

Believe me, I will use them both

We made a start, be it a false one I know

Baby, I don't want to feel alone*

For as long as they can remember, Ashton and y/n were always parts of each other's lives. Their mothers had become friends around their time of pregnancy since y/n’s mother had just moved in next door. Despite that, Ash and y/n barely talked. When they were 10, Ash had scared her off by bullying her. It wasn’t intentional, he just had a crush on her and like most young boys, he became slightly rude towards her till it progressed to the point where he was seen as a bully.

It wasn’t until they were 17 that they became close. y/n’s father, who wasn’t really in the picture, had passed. It hit her hard. Though they were never close, when he passed y/n realized that even if she wanted to fix her relationship with her father, it was too late. Ashton knew what it was like to grow up without a father, so he took her under his wing. The first couple months together Ash had tried to get her to go out more often and join some clubs at school, but she refused. Soon their friendship grew to the point where they felt most happiest next to each other.

When Ashton joined the band, 5 seconds of summer, he begged y/n to meet the boys. It took until their third performance together for y/n to meet them. Though she was closed off most of the time, she had grown slightly close to Ash's old band member in “swallow the goldfish”. She didn’t want to get close to them if they weren’t going to be in their lives for long. Seeing as the boys of 5sos were younger, she didn’t think that Ash would be there for long. Especially since Micheal had only asked him to join because they needed a drummer for their first jig.

After the band had taken off, Ash had asked y/n to go on tour with them. She did, and while there she grew even closer to Ash. she got to know him more, she helped him through everything and never questioned when he needed a shoulder to cry on.

*So kiss me where I lay down

My hands pressed to your cheeks

A long way from the playground*

Their first kiss was magical, but they pretended it never happened. Ash and the guys had just gotten to the hotel after a performance. It was their first concert for the Youngblood tour and the excitement had gotten to him. He wanted to see y/n, so he rushed his goodbyes to the guys and rushed to the elevator. Of course she had gone to the show, but she had some work to catch up on. She wasn't a teen anymore. She had a job, it was pure luck that when she went in to ask for a week or so off that her boss was in a good mood. He walked in on her lying in bed, computer open next to her.

“Procrastinating?” he asked, spooking her as he leaned on the wall.

“I guess you could call it that.” she teased “ i finished most of it, but i can’t seem to figure out the rest of it and i’d rather do it with a big cup of coffee in the morning.”

“Well, I'm happy you’re done for the night. Only because that means I get to binge watch criminal minds with you.” It had been a long day, nothing could be better than watching a show and eating a big meal with your best friend. “What did you want to order?”

“Well there’s room service, but i’ve been craving chinese food for a while.” she answered while pausing the Grey’s anatomy and looking up at him.

“Guess it’s chinese then.” he winked and pushed himself off the wall. Shoes were thrown off and a big jump was made onto the bed. “The usual?” He questioned, not noticing that she was staring.

“Yep, and-”

“-Don’t forget the egg rolls” he interrupted as he typed into his phone. She blushed. She knew that he knew her well, but sometimes even the little things can make her heart beat faster than if she were to go skydiving. Focusing her attention back onto the laptop, she figured now would be the best time to change the show.

After dinner they laid on the bed, computer in between them, season 8 of criminal minds playing. As the fifth episode they watch that night ends, Ash looks over at her. She felt the stares, so she looked over. Before anything could be spoken, he places his hand on her cheek and brings her closer. y/n’s breathing picks up speed. Once their lips met, their eyes shut. y/n leaned closer, fingers inching towards the back of his head and pulling slighting on the hair that was at the beginning of his neck. The kiss was passionate. In the movies, they always describe first kisses like fireworks. This was better. It was as if the whole world disappeared. Or as if they have finally been able to hold something that seems too far away, but just as fast as the kiss started...it ended. In a matter of seconds whatever it was they held in their grasp, it was gone.

They pulled away and Ash started mumbling to himself. He left the room, leaving his shoes and phone. That night y/n cried, all night. Her protector was gone and her heart was shattered. He shattered it.

The day afterwards, she went to Ash and Calum’s room. Ashton was still asleep, so Calum opened the door. She gave him Ash’s belongings and then went down to breakfast. When the band joined her, the pair of forbidden lovers acted like normal. They joked around and the boys didn’t suspect a thing.

*And all I can do is say that these arms were made for holding you

And I wanna love like you made me feel

When we were eighteen*

Now, in 2020, both Ashton and y/n were in quarantine….on opposite sides of town. It had been forever since they last saw each other. It had given them time to grow separately and to think about what they really wanted. y/n knew for years that what she wanted was Ash. she knew the moment he walked into her home asking if she needed anything. It was a lot of work throughout these months for her to figure out that what she needed was him. She had him, but not fully, not the way she wanted. During the months of 2020, Ashton had gone through a break up. It didn’t hurt him as much as he thought. As much as anyone thought. If he was being honest with himself, it didn’t hurt at all. Ash used his time off making music. Some of which anyone could listen to. Specific songs though, they were meant for one person. y/n. He had never been the best at expressing his feelings, unless it was through music.

That led him to where he is currently. Sitting at his desk, listening to the song he wrote for her, over and over again. He was going to send it, he had to. He wanted her completely. He wanted her in his arms, like she was meant to be. He press sent, then waited. He only took his eyes off the screen, to grab water. He waited, but nothing ever came. Nothing but the word “seen”. He sent another message to clarify that it was to her...and about her. After about half an hour, tears started to pour down his face, the anxiety won. He broke down.

When y/n received the text she just finished showering. It had been sent 5 minutes ago. She sat and listened to the melody that played after pressing the link he had sent. Going back to the messages, she wanted to compliment the song, she saw the new text he had sent. Tears started to fall down her eyes, but they were tears of joy. Instead of texting back, she rushed up and grabbed her keys. She needed to see him just as much as she needed air.

When she arrived, her legs became like that of a cat’s. Fast. she knocked on the door, listening to her thumping heart. The door opens. Everything clicks together perfectly, all initiated by y/n.. First their eyes, then their hands, and finally their lips. It took a second for Ash to realize what was happening and when he did the kiss took a turn. It turned sloppy and desperate, somehow the passion could still be felt. Ashton pulled her inside the house by her waist, closing the door with his foot and pressing her onto it. They pull away, still close with their breaths mixing together.

“I love you” y/n whispers tugging his hair again.

“I have loved you since we were 18”

#ashton irwin imagine #ashton x reader #ashton x y/n #5sos fics #ashton fic #@suchalonelysunflower #writing challenge

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p-artsypants · 5 years

Text

Longest Night (23) Rocking

And Marinette had thought Highschool had been hard. Right now, in this moment, she'd give anything to go back to those petty arguments and gossip fueled drama. But she couldn't. Instead, she and Adrien were trapped here, being punished, humiliated, tortured, for being heroes, all broadcasted for the world to see. At least she and her kitty were in this together. For now. Whump!Fic

Ao3 | FF.net

I’m very musically minded. I was voted ‘Most Likely to Break Out Into Song’ in Highschool. So it’s no surprise when I have a songfic chapter. I had a similar chapter in my previous ML fic ‘Nine Lives’ where Jagged performs. I’ve always thought Jagged Stone’s music would sound a lot like Radiohead, despite his name being a pun on the Rolling Stones.

Song list and link to playlist at the end of the chapter.

—

Four weeks earlier

Luka was four hours late coming home from work. As a delivery driver, work was often impeded by akuma attacks. As it was, Paris had yet to be given the all clear from the newest akuma, a wreck ball man who was causing absolute chaos through the town. As it grew later and later, Luka’s boss decidedly sent him home, with the warning to be careful.

So Luka biked home. In a city as big as Paris, as accustomed it was to Akumas, people were still out and about, rushing to get where they needed to go. There was no slowing down.

It helped keep life to some sort of normality.

When Luka arrived back home, he parked his bike and headed inside.

“Home, ma!” He called.

“Aye laddie! About time! I’ll warm up yer dinner.”

Luka sat on the couch, catching his breath from his rushed trip home. “Where’s Jules?”

“Oh!” called Anarka, with a gasp. “Her and Rose went off with their classmates! Seems Marinette’s gone missing!”

Luka was back on his feet and hurrying into his shoes. “Where did they go? I’ll catch up with them!”

“You’ll do no such thing! You’re going to eat your dinner, and then you’ll wait here. I was worried sick having you both out there with that akuma still on the loose!”

“The akuma hasn’t been seen in several hours,” he pleaded. “Come on ma, you know how much I like Marinette!”

“Butt! Chair! Now!”

Luka did as his mother instructed, but not without crossing his arms in protest.

As he waited, he flicked on the TV. The cooking channel was on. He didn’t much care about cooking, but he didn’t feel like watching anything else.

Any news about Marinette? He texted his sister.

Then it was back to waiting, his foot tapping too quickly, and his eyes darting between the TV and his phone.

Five minutes passed before Juleka texted back, ‘No, Adrien is missing too.’

He was already feeling sick to his stomach, but a knot coiled in his gut. He couldn’t help but feel like their disappearance wasn’t just a coincidence.

Think positive. He told himself. Maybe Adrien finally opened his eyes, and they’re together, and just lost track of time.

Luka knew what was going on at school. Juleka had told him, confessing that Lila’s story didn’t sit right with her. It sure as hell sounded like utter garbage to him. Marinette had been forced to confess her crush in front of her class, in front of Adrien.

That had to have been painful, and Luka bemoaned the fact he wasn’t in her grade. He would have protected her from this! He would have done something!

“Here ya go, boy-o. Hot soup!” Anarka handed him a tray with a bowl and a baguette.

“Thanks ma.”

Still not hungry, Luka stirred the soup with his spoon, unable to do anything else.

He felt useless. Utterly useless.

Suddenly, the TV turned to static, the show cutting out.

“Damn antenna…” he muttered as he lifted the tray off his lap.

The picture came back, but there was a woman with reflective sunglasses instead.

“Good evening Paris. Please excuse me for interrupting whatever pointless drivel you were consumed with. My name is Salo. I’m not an akuma, but you’ll soon wish I was. I have succeeded where all the others have failed.” She stepped back to show Ladybug and Chat Noir, bound and gagged.

That had been nearly a month ago, and the truth that Ladybug and Chat noir were Marinette and Adrien still hadn’t sunk all the way in.

Yes, Luka acknowledged it. Yes, he believed they were both more than capable.

But he didn’t want it to be true.

Because that meant he didn’t stand a chance.

And that was a very selfish thought.

Ladybug, Marinette, had entrusted him with a Miraculous of his own (on loan of course) a couple of times. That had to mean something, right?

If she trusted him enough for that, then that was enough. She did care about him.

But now it was time to move on from liking her, to supporting her. Things would get rough once they got out. And he was absolutely confident that they would! Ladybug and Chat Noir! Heroes!

Still, as he sat back stage, there a flash of anger that course through his veins.

How did he not notice earlier? Surely, Chat Noir was pretty different from Adrien, but he should have at least had a hunch about Ladybug. He was usually pretty good about reading people.

And yet, the girl he cared about the most…he hadn’t even suspected it.

He shook his head in frustration.

“Nervous?” A voice cut into his thoughts.

Looking up, Luka made eye-contact with Jagged Stone, who was wearing an outfit Gabriel designed to match their costumes. Another fact that he hadn’t quite gotten over yet. He was playing a concert with Jagged Stone tonight!

In front of millions of people.

“No…well, yeah, of course, but…I was just thinking about Marinette.”

“Ah, a young heart in love. A lot of pain, a lot of joy…a pain in the arse.”

Luka chuckled at that.

“Look kid, you’re not gonna be alone out there…for the most part. That solo was your idea.”

“I won’t even be alone for that,” Luka smirked. “I’ll have Adrien with me.”

Jagged gave a hard pat to his shoulder. “I know it’s a somber occasion, but try to have some fun, huh? I know they’d really want it.”

“Yeah, I’ll do my best.”

The city had set up a stage under the Eiffel Tower, one that had no curtains, so the crowd could surround it on all sides. Technically, the band was under the stage, until it was time to begin.

Luka was all ready to go, having tuned his guitars, one electric, one acoustic. He glanced around the space watching people scurry about. Jagged’s band, Kitty Section, Clara Nightingale, Alya and Nino, and a handful of staff. There were some other people he didn’t know.

When he was approached about the concert, he had enthusiastically agreed, though he was warned what could happen if the people who took Marinette found out he was close to them.

They hadn’t taken anyone else yet, but it was just a matter of time.

Still, Luka wasn’t afraid, and he wanted to do this for them.

“Luka?” A girl asked.

He blinked out of his reverie again. “Uh…Kagami, right?”

“Yeah, it’s been a while.”

“Yeah.”

She sat next to him, without another word.

Without much thought, he started to pick at his strings, a soft little melody hanging in the air.

“That’s nice,” said Kagami.

“Thanks…it’s not much.”

“You’re playing tonight, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Nervous?”

“Who wouldn’t be?” He shrugged. He really hoped he wasn’t coming off as short. He just didn’t feel much like talking. That was something Marinette was good about, just willing share her presence and allow herself to get lost in the music with him.

But now she was lost in silence. And even after all was said and done, she’d probably be listening for a piano.

He hit a bad chord, and winced. Then he sighed, and stopped.

“You are fond of her, aren’t you? You went on that double date with us, after all.”

He began to play again. “Yeah, you could say I was fond of her.”

“Did you love her?”

He paused. And then continued to strum. “You know, for all the love songs I’ve ever played and ever wrote…I don’t think I’ve ever been in love before. I think I liked her, a lot. But…”

“Knowing who she is, and seeing it in comparison…it’s not love, right?” She finished for him.

“Yeah…you—you got it right on the head. What about you? Did you love Adrien?”

She shook her head. “Same as you. Thought I did…but…Adrien was my first real friend. I think I assumed the admiration I felt for him was love, when it was just…well, love. But not in the way that I thought. I’m sorry, I’m not great at explaining my feelings. I didn’t mean to heap this on you. You’re about to perform and I’m bothering you—“ She stood.

“Hey, no, Kagami…you’re not bothering me at all.” And she wasn’t. Not anymore. “You put what I’ve been feeling into words, and I’m really thankful for that.”

“Really?” She asked, sitting back down.

“For sure! I’ve felt…kind of selfish lately. Like…really really selfish. I should be worried sick for both of them, and I am! Believe me! But…I’m also hurting. Knowing the feelings I had for her are nothing in comparison for how Adrien feels for her…”

“Hey.” She said sternly. “You felt for her. That’s enough. You’re allowed to be upset. Everyone in this whole darn city is upset. No one will judge your reasoning.”

His lip twitched in a smile. “Darn?”

“I’m not allowed to swear.”

“Well, I won’t tell.”

She glanced around and then finally uttered a soft, “…damn.”

Luka snickered. “That’s the spirit.”

“Thanks for talking with me, Luka.”

“Of course, any time.” And when she stood, he gently grasped her wrist. “I mean it. Any time. We broken hearts have to stick together, right?”

She smirked at him. “Just don’t expect me to fall for you right away.”

His eyes widened. “Right away?”

“Uh—“ She blushed. “Or at all.” She cleared her throat. “Well, break a leg.”

Luka felt himself missing her once she had left, even though she’d only been here for a moment.

Maybe he was just lonely. Despite his still conflicted heart.

“Five minutes!” The stage manager shouted.

And just like that, all of Luka’s frustrations and sadness disappeared to be replaced with total and complete nervousness.

He exhaled slowly, and put on his mask—the one Marinette had made—and got into position.

He was a few steps behind Jagged, surrounded by other band members, waiting on a hydraulic lift. Any minute now, it would raise up and he’d see the thousands and thousands of people that had come out.

He could already hear them. The crowd was talking, voices muddled together in waves and waves of humming garbage.

His heart pounded in his chest as he swallowed thickly.

Jagged looked over to Clara and nodded. Then they both looked to Luka, who nodded too.

He wanted to do this. For Adrien. For Marinette.

The floor started to move.

Oh god

Jagged strummed his guitar, beginning the first song. A favorite of Adrien’s, he was told. The whole set list was made up of their favorite songs from the three bands.

Including one that Luka wrote.

Jagged started to sing.

I do not

Understand

What it is

I've done wrong

Full of holes

Check for pulse

Blink your eyes

One for yes

Two for no

I have no idea what I am talking about

I'm trapped in this body and can't get out

Oh, oh

Now that the music started, it was a lot easier to breathe. If he just focused on his guitar and on Jagged and Clara, he’d be fine, totally fine.

Make a sound

Move back home

Pale imitation

With the edges

Sawn off

I have no idea what you are talking about

I'm trapped in this body and can't get out

Oh, oh

Feeling braver, Luka looked up and out into the audience. He almost stopped playing completely. It was an ocean of people, jumping up and down, cheering and singing along. They flooded the entirety of Champ de Mars, so far back he couldn’t see the end of the crowd. Speakers dotted the edge of the park, assuring that everyone could hear the music.

The concert of the century.

Has the light gone out for you?

'Cause the light's gone for me

It is the 21st century

You can fight it like a dog

And they brought me to my knees

They got scared and they put me in

All the lies run around my face

And for anyone else to see

I'm alive

I've seen it coming

The roar of the crowd was incredible. Thousands and thousands of people gathering together, to support his friends. It made Luka nearly weak in the knees.

“Thank you!” Jagged called, the crowd quieting down more. “Thank you all for coming out tonight. It is my esteemed honor to play tribute to the heroes of Paris…Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste…that’s Ladybug and Chat Noir, if you didn’t already know.”

More cheering, a sonic boom of devotion and praise.

It was touching to hear Jagged refer to them by their real names first, and not their titles.

“The first time I encountered Marinette was not too many months after she debuted as a superhero. She was helping out at Le Grand Hotel where I was staying, and she was assigned as my gopher. I tasked her with finding a pair of glasses with Eiffel Towers on them, nice and big and totally rock and roll. The first pair she brought back weren’t what I wanted, and I told her as much. She went away and returned an hour later with these glasses,” he gestured to his face. “She couldn’t find the ones I wanted, so she decided to make them herself. I was so thrilled with them! They’re still my favorite accessory! Of course, that same day, Ladybug and Chat Noir both saved my butt from an akuma. Since then, Marinette has designed two of my album covers, and Ladybug and Chat Noir have saved me from akumas, and from akumatization. The moment I saw what happened…I was devastated. Marinette’s become like a little sister to me. I appreciate all the things that she and Adrien do for Paris. And tonight I want to give back. I want to let the world know that we’re not giving up! We are looking! And eventually, we will find them!”

Again, the roar of the crowd was incredible. The sound made the strings of his guitar vibrate against his fingers. It almost hurt!

“This is a song—This song is called Lucky, and I wrote it for Ladybug the first time she saved me.”

The bass guitar started in, a rolling chord setting the tone.

I'm on a roll

I'm on a roll this time

I feel my luck could change

Kill me, cera

Kill me again with love

It's gonna be a glorious day

Pull me out of the aircrash

Pull me out of the lake

'Cause I'm your superhero

We are standing on the edge

The sun hadn’t quite set yet, but the light in the park was rapidly dimming. As the crowd sang along with Jagged and Clara, little lights flickered on in the throng of people. Lighters, cell phones, and candles were raised and swayed in time with the beat.

The head of state has called for me by name

But I don't have time for him

It's gonna be a glorious day

I feel my luck could change

Pull me out of the aircrash

Pull me out of the lake

'Cause I'm your superhero

We are standing on the edge

When the song ended, Luka had to take a steadying breath as he was overwhelmed with emotion. It was just too much.

Above them was a giant screen. Several others were on the edges of the park, with the speakers, assuring that everyone could see the band and the footage that was shown.

What followed was Clara Nightingale’s music video she had created for Ladybug and Chat Noir back when they started out. It was an edited version, instead of shots of Clara, it was B-Roll footage that was taken while Adrien and Marinette were auditioning for Ladybug and Chat Noir. It was almost startling to see them in the costumes without the masks.

Because it was so painfully obvious at that point, and yet no one had noticed.

Luka had gotten to be in the final product, wearing a Ladybug mask and dancing with Marinette and Adrien. That was an incredible experience, one he treasured.

He watched as there were pictures of Adrien and Marinette posing together in costume, looking to all the world like the happiest couple.

The ache in his heart started to subside the longer he watched.

Clara spoke as the video ended. “Such wonderful heroes, together they make,

Marinette and Adrien are truly the best.

To raise awareness for both of their sake,

And so with this concert, I just couldn’t rest!

I met them first one warm November,

Adrien was naturally the perfect cat.

Nervous at first, but his eyes full of ember,

he picked up the role in no time flat!

Ladybug was hard to cast,

My blue eyed, black haired beauty missing,

And Marinette auditioned next to last.

I was becoming dismayed spending the whole day dismissing.

Marinette wasn’t even auditioning for the role,

But Adrien batted his eyes big and green,

And tickled something deep inside her soul.

She was whisked off to makeup and we started the scene!

But alas, what a shame!

Both of their masks had completely disappeared!

It was hard to know who was to blame,

But in the end the video wasn’t even cleared!

How sad I was, and angry too,

For my tribute to be shattered.

My heroes then came to push through,

And finished the battle only slightly battered!

I’m thankful for them every single day,

And hope they come home soon.

But their trials have inspired me in a new way,

So I’ll say it all with a brand new tune.”

She had a ukulele, plucked out a little melody, and started to sing.

When I am with you

I feel naked

I can't hide my scars

Piece by piece

You put me together

Till I am no longer

Broken

In between shots of Clara singing, there were photos of Marinette and Adrien together, with friends, in costume, anywhere together. One such was them asleep together on the train to London, looking absolutely adorable.

When I am with you

I can be myself

I don't have to wear a mask anymore

You see who I am

Deep down inside

I grow by the light of your gaze

You fill me with wonder

Fill me with hope

You have opened up my mind

I see eternity in every little thing

When you're by my side

Luka took more calming breaths and tried to think about the concert, rather than his suffering friends. He had two songs coming up, and it wouldn’t do them justice if he burst out into tears in the middle of them.

He glanced over at his band mates for Kitty Section. Rose was standing by Juleka, and she looked like she was shaking like a leaf. Quietly, he went over and rested a hand on her shoulder. “You okay?”

“Yeah…just nervous, and I miss Marinette and Adrien. They were both really good at comforting.”

Luka sighed softly, noting that Rose had said ‘were’ and not ‘are’. Past tense.

“There’s nothing to be nervous about. Everyone here is here to support them. If you get emotional, they’ll understand.”

Rose nodded.

“Besides, this is a battle song. We’re waging a war! We’re fighting back.”

Rose nodded harder. “Yeah!” She said a bit too loudly, though the mics didn’t pick her up.

When I am with you

I don't fear silence

The voices in my head

Leave me peace

Piece by piece

You put me together

And now

I am no longer

Broken.

The song ended and the applause was much more subdued from Jagged’s songs. It was obvious that people had been moved, and not hyped. Still there were whistles and tearful cheers.

A video began to play on the screen, one that Alya had shot a while ago. It showed Marinette outside of school, a bright blush on her face as she clenched the bottom of her shirt.

Alya’s voice spoke from behind the camera, in a nature documenter’s voice. “Here we see the nervousous pigtailious, commonly known as a Marinette, as she prepares to attract a mate.”

Marinette’s head swiveled over to look at her. “Are you seriously recording me right now?”

“A Marinette cannot detect our camera’s if we stay still. Perhaps we can capture the Marinette’s mating ritual for the first time.”

“You are mean and unhelpful.” Marinette said flatly.

“The Marinette is not typically a hostile creature, but will, on occasion, protect itself with a verbal lashing.”

“Well, I’m officially not nervous anymore, but I am annoyed. At you. If this blows up in my face, purge the evidence. If I succeed…play this at my wedding.”

Alya giggled as she said, “The Marinette has targeted her perspective mate,” she turned the camera to lock onto Adrien and Nino, who were a few feet away, chatting by the stairs of the school. “Her target is the sunshinious handsomous, a gentle and docile creature, most commonly known as an Adrien. Here, we see him interacting with a dorkus maximus.”

“I’m telling Nino you said that.”

“The Marinette gathers her courage to approach.”

Marinette glared back, and then inhaled deeply, her shoulders heaving. Then she stormed over to Adrien and Nino, who both beamed at her approach. From this distance, it wasn’t possible to hear what Marinette was saying.

“And thus begins the dance,” said Alya. “The Marinette is a creature of vast ingenuity, and capable of many surprises, but when it comes to finding a mate, she has had no such luck this season.”

The shot showed Marinette flailing her arms, as she backpedalled over her words. She was now shouting. “Not falling for you! Falling here! I fell!”

“And now the Marinette begins her mating call. A different one to be sure, unlike any other in nature. The Adrien has responded to it, but not with a mating call of his own…”

Adrien had taken his bag off his shoulder, digging through it before he took out a little white bottle, and a bottle of water. He tapped the white bottle on her hand, and then gave her the water.

“It seems the Adrien has misunderstood the call, and has determined the Marinette is in distress. A common miscommunication between the Marinette and the Adrien.”

Adrien patted her shoulder warmly, waved to Nino and walked over to his car.

“Once the situation is rectified, the Adrien takes his leave.”

Marinette stomped back over to Alya, her face red and shoulders hunched, as Nino followed behind, laughing uproariously.

“I tried to do the old, ‘did it hurt when you fell from heaven?’ schtick, but instead I said, ‘it hurt when I fell for you. No, when I fell down the stairs, not falling for you. Falling here. I fell. I think I hit my head, and I’m loosing my mind.’ Then he gave me some ibuprofen from his bag and I love him so much!”

After Alya stopped laughing so hard, she finished the recording by saying, “Nature is beautiful.”

Luka watched the video fondly, having seen it earlier in rehearsal. But now it was his turn. Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale both nodded him on.

Oh god

Rose cleared her throat and spoke into the mic, with her incredibly sweet voice, “It’s been said a dozen times already, but thank you all for coming out tonight. We’re Kitty Section. Adrien played the piano for us on occasion, and Marinette designed our costumes. Tonight we’ll be performing a song called ‘Take Me to War’. It wasn’t originally written with Adrien or Marinette in mind, but I think it certainly fits. And they both really liked it too.”

Luka had originally written the song as a response to all the negative feedback they were receiving online. Metal heads didn’t take kindly to metal about glitter and unicorns.

But after watching the stream, Luka had tweaked the lyrics ever so slightly, and found it was a perfect fit.

He started out with a funky beat, before Rose came in on vocals.

I've earned myself a reputation

That my bark is much worse than my bite

But I keep snapping at Goliath's hands

With all of my tiny might

There are no stones at my disposal

There's no God to award me a crown

But I am always swinging at

Somebody I can't knock down

All of the fire I've swallowed

All of the sparks that went dark in my gut

I am always burning up

Luka tried to focus on the music, as his heart thundered in his ears. The sun had set now, and all he could see was an ocean of glittering stars, swaying in time with the music.

Dress me in red and throw your roses

And I'll rankle the beasts with words

It's a graceless dance of epithets

We learn to make someone hurt

They will consume your sweet resistance

And they'll carry your heart in their teeth

But I am always feeding them

The ugliest parts of me

All of the words I've swallowed

All of the sharp things I've kept in my mouth

I am always bleeding out

Up on the screen, between shots of the band members, there were photos and short videos of Ladybug and Chat Noir, fighting their battles. Whether it was akumas or the media, Paris was getting another reminder of the hard work and dedication the heroes always put forward.

Take me to war

Honey, I dare you

I'll be the sweetest thing

To ever scare you

Give me a fight I can't resist

Give me something to break with my fists

Take me to war

Oh, honey, I dare you

Distantly, Luka thought about the parents. Alya had told them that Tom, Sabine, and Gabriel wouldn’t be at the concert, for their own safety, but he at least hoped they were watching. He had seen Nadja Chamack somewhere under the stage, right? They were broadcasting this, right?

Oh god he was on TV!

I watched a weed usurp the garden

And it poisoned the rest of the crops

It would take days of fighting stubborn roots

To tear the whole damn thing out

So I will leave it where it's standing

And instead I will find me a match

I'll turn it all to kindling

I'll burn it all down to ash

All of the ire I've swallowed

All of the coals that still sit in my gut

I am always burning up

As they came back to the chorus, Luka pushed all other thoughts out of his head, and played his heart out. This was for Marinette!

Take me to war

Honey, I dare you

I'll be the sweetest thing

To ever scare you

Give me a fight I can't resist

Give me something to break with my fists

Take me to war

Oh, honey, I dare you

The applause this time was breathtaking. Maybe it was a little selfish, but he reveled in the praise, savoring it. He worked hard, practiced day after day, and wrote the words in his heart. This concert was for Adrien and Marinette, but the applause was for him, for his sister, for all of Kitty Section. It felt nice.

Another video began to play. One of a young Ladybug, right at the beginning of their run during Stoneheart. She stood on the beams of the Eiffel Tower, proclaiming to all of Paris:

“Nice try, Hawkmoth, but we know who the bad guy is. Let's not reverse the roles here. Without you, none of these innocent victims would be transformed into villains. Hawkmoth, no matter how long it takes, we will find you, and you will hand us your Miraculous!” Using amazing acrobatics, Ladybug proceeded to capture every akuma that had appeared, destroying the hideous mask that Hawkmoth had conjured. “Let me make this promise to you. No matter who wants to harm you, Ladybug and Cat Noir will do everything in our power to keep you safe!” She opened her yo-yo, a cloud of Butterflies bursting forth and disappearing into the sky, the video transitioning to black.

While the video played, Luka had switched out his electric guitar with an acoustic, and took a seat on a stool. The lights on the rest of the stage went out, bringing the focus to Luka.

The crowd settled down, to a small murmur.

Luka swallowed, and spoke. “I…I’m not much of gamer.” He began. “Of course, I like a round or two of UMS, but, I’m not the dedicated fan that Adrien apparently is.” He licked his lips as his mouth felt incredibly dry with ten thousand eyes staring at him. “I was watching the stream really late one night, just checking up on them, since I couldn’t sleep, and I saw this moment…well, you’ll see.”

Up on the screen, there was a clip of Adrien from the stream, in his dark cage. The film was green, being shot with night vision. He had his head rested against the wall, and looked up towards the ceiling. The word ‘chatte’ was perfectly visible on the side of his head.

Luka picked out the notes, before Adrien began to sing.

Alduin's wings, they did darken the sky.

His roar fury's fire and his scales sharpened scythes.

Men ran and they cowered and they fought and they died.

They burned and they bled as they issued their cries.

Immediately, people recognized the song, as Luka could hear little gasps. But no one sang along right away, just listening to Adrien. When the chorus broke, a murmur of voices rolled over the stage, in a cloud of harmony, as kindred spirits sang together.

Dovahkiin Dovahkiin naal ok zin los vahriin

Wah dein vokul mahfaeraak ahst vaal

Ahrk fin norok paal graan fod nust hon zindro zaan

Dovahkiin fah hin kogaan mu draal

As Adrien sang, he became a little more triumphant in tune, as his notes filled the silence he was suffocating with.

The crowd fell silent again, listening to Adrien’s tale.

We need saviors to free us from Alduin's rage.

Heroes on the field of this new war to wage.

And if Alduin wins, man is gone from this world.

Lost in the shadow of the black wings unfurled.

Adrien closed his eyes, rocking back and forth, letting the music transport him out and away. To a land of dragons and warriors. It was the best thing for him, pretending to be somewhere where he wasn’t.

But then came the Tongues on that terrible day.

Steadfast as winter, they entered the fray.

And all heard the music of Alduin's doom.

The sweet song of Skyrim, sky-shattering Thu'um.

And so the Tongues freed us from Alduin's rage.

Gave the gift of the Voice, ushered in a new Age.

If Alduin is eternal, then eternity's done.

For his story is over and the dragons... are gone.

When the song was over, and the video cut out, the cheers were deafening. People were crying and sobbing. Adrien was the least prepared to sing in front of an audience. His voice was raw and breaking, some of his notes a little sour. The mic he had wasn’t great, and his throat was dry. He was singing for himself only.

But it was him. He was here with them all. It was his voice.

And that was enough to make everyone that felt completely useless to feel just a little bit better.

“One last song,” said Jagged, with his own acoustic. “A favorite of Adrien’s…and a bit ironic, if I’m being honest.”

Wake from your sleep

The drying of your tears

Today we escape

We escape

Pack and get dressed

Before your father hears us

Before all hell breaks loose

Breathe

Keep breathing

Don't loose your nerve

Breathe

Keep breathing

I can't do this alone

Sing us a song

A song to keep us warm

There's such a chill

Such a chill

You can laugh

A spineless laugh

We hope your rules and wisdom choke you

Now

We are one

In everlasting peace

We hope that you choke

That you choke

We hope that you choke

That you choke

We hope

That you choke

—

Radiohead songs in order:

‘Bodysnatchers’

‘Lucky’

‘Exit Music’

Then I used ‘Piece by Piece’ by Eivør for Clara’s song.

Kitty Section’s song was ‘Take Me To War’ by the Crane Wives.

Then the song that Adrien sang was ‘Song of the Tongues’ from Skyrim.

I made a playlist of all the songs that are (or will be) in this fic, and those that inspired it at on youtube

#longest night #miraculous ladybug #ml #luka couffaine #fanfiction #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #adrinette #ladynoir #fanfic #jagged stone #clara nightingale #ladybug #chat noir #song fic

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klaineccfanficlibrary · 5 years

Note

Is there any fics happens includes a musical or some big show they have to perform? Thanks

There are 17 fic recs under the cut. Happy Reading! - HKVoyage

Broadway Babies by Gleek.Forever.Klainer

Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson were Broadway’s biggest young stars and each other’s best friends. Unfortunately, fate stepped in a tore the two boys apart. Neither knows what became of the other. But will that change?

~~~~~

Close To Home by sabriel81

Non canon, some similarities but completely AU : Blaine and his writing partner and best friend Wes may have the next Broadway smash on their hands, but if it means having to work with the infamous director Kurt Hummel, Blaine may decide that it’s not worth the trouble, or is it? They both have so many issues to work through, and they might have to do it together. R&R loves!

~~~~~

Every Word by pene

After years apart Kurt and Blaine have moved on from one another and built separate lives. Kurt is developing a quiet reputation off-Broadway. Blaine is a fledgling musical theatre writer and producer on the West Coast.

Then they reconnect - because of the music, because of the theater. Because of course they do.

"This show is Blaine’s baby. The madness is that the only person he can picture in the lead role is a boy he has been failing to forget for six years.“

Note: Part 1 of All I ever need is everything

~~~~~

Floorshow by neaf

Rocky Horror Audience Participation AU, Blaine is a law student, forced into a strict life by his father, but he misses performing. A chance meeting spurs his old desires, and he finds himself joining the cast of the local RHPS AP, where he meets the enigmatic Frank, and starts to remember who he used to be. But Frank is much, much more than he seems.

~~~~~

The Journeying by @flowerfan2

Freshly graduated from music school, Blaine is thrilled when he is chosen to stay in the cast when the production of Into the Woods he was lucky enough to be part of in Boston moves to Broadway. He knows it’s going to be hard returning to New York City – the scene of his epic breakup with his fiancé and the emotional meltdown which cost him his place at NYADA. But he’s determined that this time, everything will be different. Little does Blaine know that out of thousands of potential castmates, his director has chosen none other than Kurt Hummel to play the part of Jack. Blaine has worked hard to recover from their breakup three years ago, and struggles to find a new way to relate to Kurt and simultaneously protect himself, especially when tragedy strikes.

This story looks at what would have happened if Kurt and Blaine had reacted differently to the break up in 6x01 than they did in canon; if events hadn’t brought them back together as soon, and if forgiveness hadn’t come so easily.

Canon compliant through the end of season 5 (and the breakup as described in 6x01).

Note: Part 1 of the Woods series

~~~~~

Kurt and Blaine Wake Up Married by @seeroftodayandtomorrow

A drunk marriage in Vegas, a divorce temporarily out of the question and his new husband someone he’s been a fan of forever: Blaine Anderson’s week just got a lot more exciting. If only he wasn’t still so hung up on his ex…

Inspired by the ‘Wake up married’ -series by Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths

~~~~~

True Like by DualWielding

Kurt loves his job at the off-Broadway theater. As for Blaine Anderson, Kurt might have to work with him, but he doesn’t have to like him. AU. COMPLETE

~~~~~

Mr Congeniality by ifinallyfoundsomeone

Miss. Congeniality!AU

Bomb threats are being sent to the newly made Mr. America pageant and FBI Agent Blaine Anderson has taken up the position of being an undercover agent to save the pageant. With some extreme grooming and guidance from his pageant consultant, Blaine infiltrates the world of Men’s pageants. Making some interesting friends, and maybe he even winning the heart of his slave driver pageant consultant, the gorgeous and fascinating, Kurt Hummel.

~~~~~

Piglet and Pooh by Amberlovesocean

At the age of 8, Kurt is grieving for his late mother.

Blaine’s brother doesn’t want to be stuck babysitting.

Rachael’s fathers want her to make real friends.

Neither Kurt, Rachel, or Blaine wants to spend their summer at a community theater for kids. Each in need of a friend, the children gravitate towards each other and find a friendship that will last the rest of their lives.

~~~~~

Just Starting To Crawl by apropensityforcharm

After having no luck in the TV business for two years, Blaine jumps at the chance to star in a guest spot on his brother Cooper’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad show. Playing the romantic interest opposite one Sebastian Smythe, the fangirls immediately latch onto their chemistry - but Blaine would rather be with Kurt, the gorgeous guy working in costumes. Problem is, Kurt is already married.

~~~~~

Here I Am, Honey by luckie_dee

When Blaine Anderson visits Kellerman’s Mountain Home with his family in the summer of 1963, he isn’t expecting anything more than days in the sun and games of croquet, but when he and his cousin Rachel meet the staff dance instructors, his plans get thrown for a loop. Blaine’s family vacation might just end up being the time of his life. A Klaine Dirty Dancing AU. Title from Solomon Burke’s "Cry to Me.”

~~~~~

Private Message by @gleefuldarrencrissfan

Kurt never went to Dalton, and so that fateful meeting on the staircase never happened. And because Kurt never met Blaine, he has never been kissed, at least, not one that mattered. He followed Rachel to New York, but he soon found himself frustrated and lonely. And so, he turned to writing fan fiction about a hot new show called Partners, starring brothers Cooper and Blaine Anderson. Soon, Kurt’s life is turned upside down by a string of private messages from a mysterious reviewer, SEPartnersfan.

Sequel: Domestic Partners (WIP - last updated August 2019)

~~~~~

Act 1, scene 5 by gingerfic

AU in which Kurt and Blaine are NYADA students in the same acting class but haven’t ever talked to each other until they are assigned to be scene partners. It’s a kissing scene. They might have to practice.

~~~~~

Stop Loss by YourFairyGodfather

AU. Kurt Hummel never went to McKinley, developing his talents at Carmel as the protégé of Jesse St James instead. Everything is going according to plan, until the day a beautiful, damaged transfer student named Blaine throws his world upside down.

~~~~~

Make You Feel My Love by MrsCriss2012

AU. Blaine is seventeen, and never been kissed. Kurt is 27, and trapped in a loveless relationship. A chance encounter sets both on a path that doesn’t run smoothly, but takes them places they never imagined.

~~~~~

Beginner’s Luck by Corinna

D/s AU. At NYADA, he’s Blaine, a high-achieving student with lots of friends. At his part-time job, he’s Devon, professional sub at a clinic for doms. Kurt meets them both, but only falls for one.

Based on this GKM prompt.

~~~~~

The Fiddler and the Maestro by dahlstrom

Symphony AU. Kurt is the 27-year-old first violinist and concertmaster of the Oregon Symphony Orchestra in Portland. Blaine arrives in town to guest conduct their concert of Holst’s The Planets.

Note: Part 1 of the The Fiddler & the Maestro series

#klaine #klaine fanfic #klaine fanfiction #fic finder #anonymous #Broadway!klaine #actors!klaine #musician!Blaine #musician!Kurt #kid!fic

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noeliareads · 5 years

Text

Penpals? Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

November, 2017

After about 2 weeks of preparation (waiting for a paycheck) Arizona had almost everything ready for her box. All she had to do was write the letter.

*Dear Jinho, I don’t have words to express how grateful I am for everything you sent me. I actually feel bad because I don’t send as much. But here are a few of my favorite things from America. I really hope you like them. The SNSD mug? I use it everyday for my morning coffee. (she printed out a photo of the mug on her side table) The tea is incredible! Jinho, everything is incredible and I can’t thank you enough!

By the way, how are you? How is South Korea? I hope you’re doing ok as well as your friends. I am ok, just a little bit stressed with school. Our final exams are in about a month and believe me I am not ready. Oh! I haven’t introduced myself. As you already know my name is Arizona, I am 20 years old and I am a music major in college. That’s something we have in common, music. I wanted to become a music major because I would love to be a music teacher in a university. I feel like my acquired skills would be exploited there. I really don’t know what to say about myself. My favorite colors are moss green and beige. I cannot write with normal ballpoint pens. I know. It’s weird. Fountain pens are a blessing and they are the best thing in the world.*

***

Bang Chan was in his room working on some mixtapes when he heard Jisung yell.

“YA! We got a package for Bang Jinho. Who is Bang Jinho?”

Bang Chan threw his laptop on his bed and almost slipped on the wood floor, running to where Jisung was.

“Nae goesida!” It’s mine! He said. He yanked the… box? A box? And ran to his room, locking the door behind him, leaning on it as if one of his band mates were to break it down. It has happened before...

He clutched his chest regaining his breath. He took a seat on the floor and curiously examined the box, it had the typical shipping label. He didn’t spare a minute so he opened the box with his bare hands. Inside the box were a variety of American sweets. He found a mug with the american flag on it, post-its of the american flag… There were a lot of things with the american flag. Very.. touristy. Still, he thought it was cute. He saw a light blue envelope and grabbed it. It was time to read what she said.

Dear Jinho…

*I have no siblings, sadly. I am an only child so I grew up alone sometimes. But that’s ok. I don’t mind being alone sometimes. I find comfort in being alone. Oh! I listened to the songs you sent me. Ok, let me gather my thoughts.

Likey: It’s so catchy and I watched the video as well and now I can’t stop doing the hand movements from the beginning! My best friend Nick, laughs and teases me because I will do it without realizing it. I will have to check out more of Twice’s music, they seem very promising.

You Are by Got7: I have heard of them but never got into their music yet. This was until you told me to listen to this song. I like this song. It’s has a beautiful melody. I like how it builds up and I didn’t expect the chorus to sound like that! I know kpop involves a lot of rapping but that “IT’S A BEAUTIFUL SKYYY” Dude. That buildup. Wow.

Matryoshka: I don’t even know where to begin. Who are these people?? I mean, I downloaded Soundcloud because you mentioned it and I was blown away. They are amazing! The first rapper has such a chill flow. It’s like he’s not trying but it sounds good either way! The second one? He’s good, too good. And the third one? Oh Lord. I really hate you right now. Who the hell has that type of voice? I figured it was him who accentuated the MAAAAAAAATRYOSHKA. And wow, just wow. Thank you for showing me these amazing rappers. I have to look into them more!

Lastly, Be Lazy. I have like 2 things to say. THE BASS. THE BASS. Thank you. I like them so much. THE BASS.*

The letter was two pages long and Chan enjoyed reading all of it. She seemed like a very animated person. She seemed to be happy about the simplest things and that weirdly made him smile.

FAST FORWARD TO DEBUT ERA. Chan and Arizona have exchanged a few letters (shipping time and Chan’s schedule). But they became great friends in the short amount of time they’ve corresponded to each other. They kept trading on songs, Chan loved or dislikes the ones she sent and same went for her. In future v-lives, he would play some of the songs he told her to listen to. But, one thing was for sure. Chan converted Arizona into a newer generation K-pop lover. Chan told her that 3racha were actually part of a survival show that basically consisted of working hard to be able to debut together. He also never told her that he was Bang Chan. But, he did tell her that he was working hard in order to get a job as a backup dancer for idol groups.

March: Chan to Arizona (They just debuted)

*Zo, I am so happy! I GOT THE JOB! I wish I could tell you all about it but I can’t!*

Arizona to Chan

*No way! Jinho that is amazing! I am so happy for you! I know how much you worked for this! Whenever you get to dance on stage let me know so I can watch you.* Chan sighed as he read her response. She will see him, but she won’t know who he is.

Fastforward

Months go by and Stray Kids have won multiple rookie awards. Thanks to Chan, Arizona has gone head over heels for them. She will rant about them in her letters and fangirl with him.

*Jinho… I know I sent you your letter and you probably received it yesterday or a few days ago but this is an emergency. SKZ DROPPED ANOTHER VIDEO! BTW, You have to see the street version of Insomnia. THEY WERE IN THE US I MEAN WHAT THE HELL! This is why I hate being a college student. No money. And, 10 days later they release the street version of Question? Do they want to kill me. Changbin and Hyunjin body rolling killed me! They all killed me. I really can’t thank you enough for introducing me to them. #PROUDSTAY*

For the release of their album I Am Who, Chan sent her an album. He wanted it to be autographed but he couldn’t explain how he made that possible. Either way she has his handwriting in paper so that counts? The boys knew about her, not much but they did know he was corresponding with a girl from America. Either way, she has his handwriting. Arizona in return, sent him an ASAP Rocky album! That made Chan very very happy.

Life suddenly was brighter for Arizona. She always had a hard time seeing the bright side in life and being positive was extra effort. But corresponding with Chan helped her breathe with ease. He was her escape room. She could tell him everything and she knew that he wouldn’t judge her. He would always offer words of comfort and advice. There were times where she would vent about how hard her classes were or how her mental health deteriorates day by day. Chan wasn’t bothered by this. He wished for her to be happy and free in her own mind. He would occasionally send her various letters in the span of a few days or less. He knew she wasn’t expecting it and he hoped it made her smile, which it did.

They were so used to corresponding to each other that friendship slowly and silently became something else. Arizona once debated about it but she brushed it off. It can’t be possible and it won’t be. Letters were romantic and that is the stigma that is around it and that’s all. There is nothing more to it. Chan thought of her constantly when he wasn’t busy with producing, practicing or anything related to the group. He knew he liked her, did he have the opportunity to ask for a picture? He did. But he didn’t ask. He would feel obliged to send her one of himself and he couldn’t do that. It was enough with lying about his job.

FEBRUARY - 2019

“I am soooooooo tired.” Arizona complained as she walked into the same coffee shop she frequented with Nick over the course of their college years. Both were seniors now, graduating in May!

“All nighter?” Nick asked? She just nodded and smiled at the barista giving her their order.

“You’re a master procrastinator. What were you doing?”

“Working on my senior project and portfolio.” She mumbles taking a seat and resting her head on the table. Nick didn’t miss how she avoided his eyes.

“And probably writing J’s letter right?” Arizona looked up at her best friend and smiled. It was true, she was working on less than 2 hours of sleep, writing the letter and working on her project. “Zozo, you like him don’t you.” It wasn’t a question. It was an affirmation.

“Nick, stop.” She wasn’t ready to face this topic yet. Like him? Pff. She’s never seen him before. “We’ve never met and probably never will. Ok? Drop it.”

“You don’t have to like or love his looks.” Arizona knew that and she knew what danger she was in of falling harder and faster for Jihno. She just wasn’t ready for it.

Arizona arrived home after her evening lessons and collapsed on the couch. She was just dozing off when her mom threw some papers on her stomach. “You have mail” She said. The sleepy girl sat up and flipped through the envelopes. Phone bill, student loan information, a postcard?

“Australia? I don’t know anyone in Australia.” She turned the postcard around and smiled when she recognized the handwriting.

*Hey Zo, sorry this is going to be short. But, I am in aussie visiting family. I won’t be able to read any of your letters until I get home but I will write! Just make sure to send your responses to my normal address. I am so happy to see my family again, I actually came with a few of my friends and we are just touring around. I also heard Stray Kids are going to be here! I’ll see if I can go to their concert or spot them at the touristy sites. If I do, I’ll send photos. Take care.

Jinho.*

Her heart fluttered. He knew how much she loved Stray Kids that he would even look for them for her! The days flew by and she received an envelope. It contained a post-it and multiple photos. The note said, ‘Found them.’ The photos were of Stray Kids near the Sydney Opera House. Wait, he found them? The photos seemed to be taken from afar and the boys were with cameras? Filming a video? Arizona died right there. He went all the way to find them, take their picture, develop them and send them to her.

Chan’s Perspective

Chan asked his manager to take photographs of them as they filmed and as if they were fans who spotted them. Manager Kim (let’s say that’s his name) agreed without asking for a reason. Chan quickly developed them and sent them before going back to South Korea. He was dying to tell her who he was. After all, he was her bias. Not that it made any difference. Sadly he still couldn’t, Stray Kids were going to be extremely busy in the next month and he feared not to have time to write so he made sure he had conversations planned out so she wouldn’t feel lonely. He also had the feeling that this comeback was going to be important for their careers.

His last letter ended with; ‘Zo, I won’t be able to write as much because I will be dancing for a group for their comeback so we will be very busy practicing. But, I will try to write as much as possible. Don’t miss me.”

Hey guys this was more of a filler chapter. I hope you get an idea of how the story is going to go. There will hopefully be two more chapters, I still don’t know how I will space them out. Next chapter is going to be about the Miroh and Yellow Wood era. Arizona also graduates college and there is a big surprise that will lead to the last chapter.

Playlist?

Adios - Everglow

Teeth - 5 Seconds of Summer

Wanna Go Back - Day6

Mirror - Stray Kids

These are the pictures Chan sends to Arizona.

#stray kids #skz #stray kids chan #stray kids bang chan #stray kids imagine #stray kids imagines #bang chan #chan #channie #bang chris #bang christopher #chris bang #bang chan imagine #bang chan imagines

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thatfunkyopossum · 6 years

Photo

The 4400 AU

In short: Time Travel Shenanigans AU where Katsuki Bakugou is a first generation Japanese American immigrant who was born in 1936 and got sent to the future in 1952. Eijirou Kirishima is a gay american punk from new york living through the AIDs epidemic, born in 1970 and sent to the future in 1986. More information below the cut!

♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

Please Reblog & consider following! Buy me a Coffee? https://ko-fi.com/O5O36YKF

Do you know The 4400? Its a show where, over the last 50 years, there have been 4,400 specific disappearances. In the modern day, a ball of light is on a collision course with earth. Before it crashes it slows down, then in a bright flash it deposits all 4,400 of those people. Not one of them has aged a day since their initial disappearance. By all accounts, they were just at the spot and time of their disappearance mere moments ago, even though many occurred decades previously. They’re held for 6 weeks by the government before its determined that they and their families have the right for them to be freed, on the condition that they return for weekly check-ins. Interestingly, after their reappearance, the 4400 begin to display supernatural abilities....

My friend @albino-pony suggested this au! Its one I’ve gotten really into even though I’ve only ever seen the first episode of the show. I’m not entirely sure how to format this so its interesting, but I figure that if you clicked on the readmore and you’re still reading, then you’re ok with some info dumps. So here’s these boys individual timelines. TW For era typical homophobia and racism.

Katsuki

Mitsuki was born in 1914 in Japan’s Aomori prefecture. She was born with albinism, giving her blonde hair and blue eyes. In 1928 Mitsuki immigrated with her family to the United States at age 14, where they were processed at Angel Island, and moved into San Francisco shortly thereafter. She, her parents, and older brother all got jobs as soon as they could. In 1932, amidst the Great Depression, she met Masaru Bakugou and married him in the spring of 1934.

In 1936 Masaru and Mitsuki had their first child, a boy who inherited her albinism, and named him Katsuki. They do their best to provide for him, but it's the Great Depression and they're immigrants who only speak English so well. They scrape by, providing for their boy as best they can. They normally leave their son in the care of an Inko Midoriya, a fellow Japanese immigrant who is being supported by her fairly successful husband.

Then in 1939, things are stabilizing again. Life is getting easier. They still work themselves to the bone but they don't go to bed starving so their growing son can have his best chance. In 1940 life is pretty good. Katsuki's four years old. Mitsuki has a job as a seamstress, and Masaru has an office job. Life is looking up.

December 7th of 1941, Pearl Harbor is bombed. Americans die. Masaru and Mitsuki are scared about the possibilities of war and what it could mean for their little one. But they decide to do their part and work as hard as they can for their new home, because they're Americans, and they love this country and the hope it holds for their son.

February 1942, the Bakugous are detained and put in a Japanese Internment camp in southern California, where they spend the next three years. Katsuki is five years old when they’re forced out of their home, and he remembers the train ride. He remembers his father holding him as they walked. He remembers the cold. He remembers the three coldest winters he ever felt, and he remembers the burning blazing heat of the three hottest summers he ever endured. He remembers the scorching desert of Manzanar. He remembers the stuffy air of the tight quarters. He remembers.

September 1945, The Bakugous finally leave Manzanar. They’re among the last to go. They go home to San Francisco and try to move on. Katsuki is nine years old. His parents are disturbed at how bad anti-japanese sentiment has gotten in the time they were at Manzanar. Mitsuki finds an old magazine in a waiting room with an article on how to tell Japanese people from Chinese. Masaru is spat on and called various racial slurs. They're terrified for their son, and do their best to shield him from it. When Inko Midoriya’s husband is killed only a few blocks away because he was Japanese and his murderer talked about how his brother was killed in action by them, Mitsuki doesn't let her son play outside anymore.

December 1945, Mitsuki realizes she’s pregnant again.

September 19th, 1946, Tsubaki Bakugou is born.

February 27th, 1947, Tsubaki Bakugou dies of whooping cough at four months old, her family lacking access to the vaccine. Katsuki is eleven years old, and is the one to find her body after his mother asked him to check on her.

June 1947, Mitsuki pays closer attention to her remaining child, terrified of losing him too. She gets worried. Mitsuki starts to notice how fond he is of his friends, and how little he seems to care about girls.

1948, She starts to worry about the way he looks at other boys and the movie stars of his favorite pictures. She asks him one night if he likes boys better than girls, and when he says yes she cries and tells him that he has to learn to like girls, and that liking boys is bad and he can't do it anymore. She doesn't let him go to the cinema anymore, and doesn't let him go out at all with his friends unless Izuku is there with him, because she knows Izuku will tell his mom if anything weird happens, and that Inko will tell her. She doesn't tell Masaru.

1949, When Katsuki is 13, Mitsuki and Inko talk, and they end up sending both of their sons to military school. Inko hopes it will help her son to stand up for himself, and Mitsuki hopes it will teach Katsuki discipline and order. It helps Izuku. It tames Katsuki's attitude toward adults, but his treatment of the other kids only gets worse. The only thing he learns there is how to pretend.

1952, Katsuki is 16, he's visiting home. He fights with his mother. They call each other all manner of horrible things. He tells her he never wants to see her again. She tells him thats fine, and to go. Katsuki goes for a walk to clear his head.

He never comes home.

Eijirou

Eijirou is born on October 16th, 1970 in upstate new york. His timeline is shorter than Katsuki’s because I dont know as much about 70s/80s culture in new york that would have affected a young japanese american man, so theres only a few really important events in his life that I know for sure of.

July 28, 1982 - Eijirou is 11 years old and sees Queen live on their Hot Space Tour in NYC, and it blows his fucking mind. It instills in him a love of music, and whenever he needs to psych himself up for something he listens to those songs and remembers that energy.

1984 - He comes out as gay to his parents and is kicked out. He takes a bus to the city and ends up being embraced and taken care of by some members of the punk scene and NYC gay communities.

1985 - The man who took care of Eijirou, Taishiro Toyomitsu, better known by his stage name Fatgum, dies of HIV related complications.

1986 - On his way back to the shitty apartment he shares with his bandmates from a concert they were a part of, Eijirou stops to pee in an alley way or something, and disappears in a flash of light.

When the 4400 appear back on earth in the modern day, many experience small physical changes. For example, Eijirou and Katsuki have red eyes, and Izuku’s hair is slightly green. Todoroki’s hair is half white, and half red.

People Who Reappeared in the 4400 and When/Where

Touya Todoroki - 1923 - Japan

Tenya Iida - 1924 - Great Britain (London)

Shoto Todoroki - 1930 - Japan

Yagi Toshinori - 1946 - America

Katsuki Bakugou - 1952 - America (San Francisco, California)

Izuku Midoriya - 1952 - America (San Francisco, California)

Fumikage Tokoyami - 1961 - America (West Virginia)

Hawks (whats your real fucking name u shit) - 1961 - America (West Virginia)

Yuga Aoyama - 1968 - France

Tooru Hagakure - 1970 - New Zealand

Denki Kaminari - 1977 - America

Ochako Uraraka - 1985 - United Kingdom

Eijirou Kirishima - 1986 - America (New York, New York)

Momo Yaoyarozu - 1989 - West Germany (Berlin)

Shota Aizawa - 1992 - Japan (Tokyo)

Ashido Mina - 1996 - Japan

Hanta Sero - 2000 - China (Yunnan Province)

Kyouka Jiro - 2005 - America

Tsuyu Asui - Literally like a week before they reappeared - America

More will be added as they’re decided on!

#kiribaku #bakushima #Bakugou Katsuki #MHA #BNHA #Kirishima Eijirou #My Art

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im-just-having-fun-karen · 5 years

Note

any of the unusualish asks

Ill answer all of them also this is the first thing to ever be sent to this blog so congratulations! You're the first!

who’s your celebrity crush?

Donr have one

are you single or taken?

Single as of recent

rant. just do it

i suppose i could rant about a few topics.

COME BACK LATER

do you think its ok to separate the artist from the art?

Im not sure what you mean but if you mean removing a watermark or stealing credit then no.

how many accounts do you have?

3, this is my fanfic blog, my main is in my bio and a have a last one for an undertale au

how many pairs of shoes do you have?

3 if you dont count my one pair of slippers (1 pair was bought for me as a gift, 1 pair was given to my aunt who then gave it to me, and the last i share with my mom since they're technically hers but i just love boots)

opinion on… (specify to the person you’re asking to)

Well you didnt specify so ill just go with you!

Very kind and fun to talk to but we dont talk much and i wish we did more! You're willing to play the weird games i know of (the animal game ect) so thats fun and you're very open minded. You have some problems mentally and sometimes physically but i do too so we get along very well.

how many accounts do you follow?

I cant count them all

favorite brand of clothing?

Dont have one

name a dog

3B-027. Idk man id name a dog that

what unusual talent do you have?

I have sharp teeth and a strong jaw so i could bite a good chunk out of someones arm if i tried.

what’s the most interesting schools gossip you’ve ever heard?

Some bitch named megan liked the new kid who had been there for less then a day and claimed they were dating even tho she didnt know his name

ever prank called a store?

Nah

what’s your coffee order?

Dont have one, i dont usually drink coffee

what’s a question do you constantly get asked?

"Are you twins?" when me and my brother are in the same room

if you had to get a tattoo right now, what would you get and where?

I'd get a tattoo of my mothers name with cat ears and a tail as well as her birthday

google the top song from the year you were born

No One

Alicia Keys · 2007

rant about your favorite musician

Ok so they're called cosmo sheldrake and their music so weird but really cool and i like it so much its unreal because its super dooper catchy but its also really peaceful my favorite song is Pelicans We and The Moss

what’s your favorite teacher you’ve ever had?

Ms Mast from 3rd grade, she knew i was gay before I knew i was gay

describe your blog in 3-5 words

Sassy bitch rarely writes

what’s a conspiracy you believe in?

None

if you could see any concert tonight what would you choose?

Cavetowns next one

if you could break one of your bad habits which would you choose?

Over eating

can you dance? sing?

I can sing, cant dance tho, im willing to post a video of me singing if someone asked but no one does

what’s something you can’t stop buying?

Nothing, im poor.

crowds or small groups?

Small groups

how long before a trip do you pack?

Idk, a few days

what celebrity would you rate a PERFECT 10?

Tom holand, 10/10 man has a frog in his mouth

what quote or inspirational setting do you think is bs?

Think postive. I hate it when people fuckin say that bullshit.

if you had to dye your hair an unnatural color right now, what would you choose?

Shinso purple or todoroki white

you can change one thing about your life right now. what are you changing?

The universe i live in and the family

how old do you get mistaken for?

13-16

what do you think about a lot

My own death, ocs, fanfics, things i could of done better

do you like your hogwarts house or do you wish you were a different one?

Im cool with being a ravenclaw

what does home mean to you?

Its where you make it, sometimes its people and sometimes its just a town.

what do you think you’d be arrested for?

Vandalism or murder of pedos and nazis

have you ever been called down to the principals office?

Yeah, alot.

post a picture of the outfit you would choose if you could have any outfit you wanted

Soft irl but p sassy

Hair and all

describe your aesthetic

answer with one of your ‘school memes’ (inside jokes you have with your class/grade) with no explanation

Goddamn it mason stop eating the fucking spoons/what happened to your school assignment?

I ate it.

I-it was a 3 page homework assignment.. It was paper..

Yeah it didnt taste that good.

#answering the asks

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13thplaceswiftie · 5 years

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Wow...I’m sorry it seems I’m on here only once every month or so to do anything, but life’s been crazy! Still love coming on here to see how things are!

For those that know me, you probably already had at least an idea as to why I chose the username 13thplaceswiftie on here. For those that don’t know me as well, here’s why I chose this name as I dove into Swiftie Tumblr.

I’ve always seemed to be the one drawn towards music in general from a young age. When I was little, I sang in the local boys choir, participated in church musicals, and then in 5th grade, I discovered the trombone, which began a love affair with band really ever since then. Even to this day, I still love to pick up my trombone and play around with it some 16 years after I first decided to try it out as a kid. That eventually led to an interest in marching band when I was around 13 after seeing the marching band of the high school I would eventually be going to perform at a football game. I then went on to march all 4 years of high school before fulfilling a dream I had ever since I started following it closely as a high school band geek: I got the chance to march in the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps out of Dubuque, IA and participate in the Drum Corps International (DCI) Summer Tour.

Even though I could go on for ages about drum corps, the shortest way I can put it was that it’s a whole bunch of band geeks (up to 150 when I marched) that left home for the whole summer to perfect and perform an 11-12 minute long field show over the course of 2 and a half months while sleeping on buses and gym floors but also having the opportunity to perform in spectacular venues typically reserved for large sporting events (The Alamodome in San Antonio, the old Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis). Oh, and no woodwinds. Just brass, percussion, and colorguard!

I was extremely fortunate to have been able to participate in drum corps for 2 summers, both with the Colts, with my first being in 2011 and my last (my age out year, aka I’m too old after this season) in 2014. The 2014 season is where the origin of the 13thplaceswiftie username starts to take hold. For the past few seasons, the Colts hadn’t been in serious contention for the top 12 corps on tour. Being in the top 12 meant you got to perform in the finals competition of the DCI World Championships in Indianapolis, and the place was always packed that night. We’re talking between 25,000 to 30,000 people in one stadium to watch band basically. Our field show in 2014 was called “Dark Side of the Rainbow,” which took place in a dystopian version of Oz 10 years after the Wizard and Dorothy had left. In that time, the Scarecrow had taken control of Oz for himself, and we turned this story into something similar to a Shakespeare tragedy. The music selections were awesome to perform, including a huge bulk of tunes from Pink Floyd’s iconic “Dark Side of the Moon” album, “Everything In Its Right Place” by Radiohead, and a jazz number by Raymond Scott called “Powerhouse” that had been used prominently in old Looney Tunes cartoons. (I’ll link the show at the end of the post for any interested in watching) It was an incredibly fun show to perform, and we performed it well, surprising a lot of DCI fans with how strong a unit we had become and the fact we had beaten some corps that we hadn’t beaten in some time; we beat and ultimately finished ahead of one corps for the first time since 2010, and had completely erased a 5 point late June deficit (which was still at 4 points in mid July) to beat them on the last weekend of the season at the championships. We were in 13th place going into the semifinals of the world championships, one spot out from qualifying for finals...and we stayed in 13th...and missed qualifying for finals by just ONE TENTH of a point. And just like that, our season was done, so close to making finals, but not quite making it...plus it was my last ever show as a member in DCI. It was a very bittersweet end to say the least.

Fast forward a couple years, and I started talking on Twitter to this girl from Ohio who also liked band and DCI. Not too long after we started talking, I got dumped by my now ex, and despite being in such a low place, I always found myself coming back to her. We started talking more and more about what we liked, what music interests we had, so on and so forth, and we only got closer with time. That eventually led to us meeting in person one weekend in mid April 2016, and it was a great weekend finally being able to see each other and do things together as best friends! Shortly afterwards, she sent me a mix CD that was in essence her first love letter to me. Those musical interests I mentioned we talked about? She loves Taylor Swift. And I mean LOVES Taylor and her music. Nearly half of the tracks she put on there were Taylor’s spanning all the way back from her debut album to 1989. I had heard Taylor’s songs on the radio, in stores, on Wednesdays in cafes, but this was the first time I had been able to really listen to the songs that weren’t released as singles, and I started to fall more and more in love with Taylor and her music...and at the same time fell more and more in love with the girl that introduced me to those sounds I hadn’t heard before...the sounds that ultimately led us to be together and have stayed together for the past 3 years! And in about a week and a half, I’ll be moving in with her as I start grad school at the school she’s completing her degree at!

That girl I’m talking about is the cutie in the picture with me, @holycoffeegrounds13. And that picture was from our first ever concert together as a couple (and to be perfectly honest, my first EVER huge concert that wasn’t a DCI show)! Having introduced me to Taylor and her music and who she is as a person, she taught me a lot about Taylor in general from her love of cats and coffee...to 13 being her lucky number! And thinking back on everything, I can’t help but feel that this was absolutely meant to be. I first met Nikki through the activity I’d fallen in love with, and then we ultimately grew closer and then ended up together thanks to Taylor and her music. Maybe that 13th place finish back in 2014 was a sign...maybe the stars were aligned just right from that score announcement that at first crushed me...it eventually evolved into this wonderful thing. I’m a band geek. I’m a Swiftie. My corps finished in 13th...Taylor’s favorite number is 13...Taylor and her music ultimately brought Nikki and me together...what beautiful poetry. I’m a 13thplaceswiftie.

-Nathanael

P.S. @taylorswift if you somehow happen to come across this, I can’t thank you enough again for not only all the great music and great acts of kindness you’ve done for so many, but also for bringing me and Nikki together. I hope the day can come where we each can thank you in person. Either way, thank you, thank you, thank you, 13 times over!

youtube

#thank you taylor #taylorlurking

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thegizka · 5 years

Text

Say Cheese (fic)

The InoShikaCho Formation is a rising band currently on tour following the success of their first album. With some free time before their performance in Konoha, Ino meets her best friend Sakura for lunch to catch up on the wild twists their lives have taken.

Inspired by Ino Week 2019 Day 7: AU.

Note: I do not own any of these characters.

Read it on Ao3.

-----

Ino finished pinning the intricate braided twist of her hair before smoothing her long fringe. Donning a floppy, wide-brimmed hat, she did an outfit check in her mirror. High-waisted lavender capris hugged her hips, and a few inches of well-toned stomach peaked out beneath the scalloped hem of her loose white crop top. Chunky white sandals, a stack of thin bangles, and large ombre sunglasses completed the look. It was chic and anonymous without betraying her personal style. She was ready to go.

She sent a quick text to Asuma to let him know she was heading out before stepping into the midmorning sunshine. Pulling the motel room door closed, she descended from the second floor walk, noticing as she passed that Shikamaru’s curtains were still drawn despite the morning stretching into lunchtime. She had invited him and Chouji to join her, but they wanted to spend their day sleeping and playing video games before tonight’s show.

She walked across the gated motel courtyard and let herself out at the front gate. She could call for a car, but the weather was nice and she was familiar enough with the city to feel comfortable walking. Her only possible concern was paparazzi and fans swarming her on the sidewalk, but it was still a novel enough experience to be a minimal risk.

There were a lot of people wandering between the shops, taking advantage of the warm late-spring Friday. There were mothers coraling children on errands, businessmen discussing sales plans en route to lunch meetings, and young couples out on dates. There were also crowds of college kids escaping their studies to enjoy the beauty of the day.

Ino contemplated swinging by the Konoha University campus, but she found that other young adults were most likely to recognize her, and she wanted to preserve the time to herself. When she had convinced Shikamaru and Chouji to form a band four and a half years ago, she could only dream of signing a contract, producing an album, and going on a national tour. But somehow here they were, halfway through a tour playing venues that were nearly ten times bigger than the bars and music clubs where they had started and working on music for their second full-length album. It was a wild ride, and there were still a lot of elements of the industry she was learning to adapt to. Life on the road under the ever-increasing public eye was new territory, and she knew it would only get more complicated as their success and popularity grew.

For now, though, she could navigate this city with nearly the same anonymity and lack of care as she had the last time she’d come here. It felt like a lifetime ago. She and her best friend Sakura had been touring the university, which was renowned for its medical program. At the time, Ino had been entertaining the idea of becoming a neurosurgeon since the band was still working on gaining traction in the music scene. If Shippuden Studios hadn’t offered them a contract a few short months later, she would have joined Sakura in pursuing her medical degree. It was amazing how quickly the trajectory of her life had changed.

She had quite liked the university and city back then. Built on the shores of a beautiful, large lake, Konoha was always buzzing with vacationers and students, a hub of activity and modernity. She liked the balance of relaxing beaches and glowing nightlife. It could have been a place for her to flourish. She supposed it might still be, in a way. Tonight’s concert at Hokage Pier would be their biggest show yet and a potential test of whether they could handle even greater popularity and success. But she had hours before she had to take the stage, and she was looking forward to catching up with her bestie.

She was meeting Sakura at Cafe Konan, a lovely upscale bistro built above the beach with a patio overlooking the water. They had eaten there two years ago after their tour, excitedly discussing the state of the art medical equipment and decorated professors they’d get to work with if they went to school here. Ino arrived early and procured a table in the corner of the patio with a great view. The beach was already peppered with people spreading out blankets or wading. A few sailboats drifted further out on the water. Seagulls darted above the surf looking for food. If she had time, perhaps she’d join everyone for a stroll on the beach.

Ino spent the rest of the wait enjoying the fresh air and snapping pictures. Some days she’d take over a hundred, staying up late to sift through them and select the best ones to feature on her Instagram. She’d always had a good eye for composition and framing, and it had been a natural step to expand her personal account while spearheading the band’s. As stardom put increasing demands on her time, they’d hired a publicity and marketing manager, Kurenai Yuuhi, to help keep their fans updated and satisfied.

“Still attached to that phone I see,” a pleasant voice called, interrupting her study of filters and lighting.

“Still attached to that big forehead of yours,” Ino retorted, but she was grinning broadly. Jumping up from her seat, she embraced her best friend tightly.

“It feels like I haven’t seen you in forever!” Sakura exclaimed, returning the embrace. “How have you been? You look good.”

“So do you,” she observed, pulling back. As much as she made fun of her best friend for her large forehead, she really had grown into it. She stood before her as a mature young woman, sure of herself and free of adolescent insecurities. A form-fitting red shirt and white shorts flattered her figure and long legs. Ino was happy to see her so comfortable with herself.

“You’re growing your hair out again,” she observed as they took their seats. “It looks good.”

“Thanks. It’s a little easier to tie back now for labs and surgery.”

“And what does Sasuke think of it?” she asked, a teasing lilt to her voice. Sakura just rolled her eyes.

“We haven’t been together for more than five minutes and you already want to talk about boys? You haven’t even told me how the tour’s going! Boys can wait until after we order.”

“Fine, but I expect lots of juicy details.”

They worked through the obligatory topics of conversation as they ordered their food and waited for its arrival. Sakura groaned about the stress of school and the medical field, and Ino complained about the obligations of being a working musician. The venting, however, was more ritualistic than sincere, as both were excited about the opportunities before them and content with where they were.

“Will you have time to visit home before your internship with Dr. Tsunade starts this summer?”

“I’ll have about a week, but I might need that time to find an apartment.”

“You’re moving here permanently?” Ino asked, a bit surprised. Her friend shrugged.

“I still have a few years of school, and if I continue to get jobs and internships with my connections here, it’s not really worth carting my stuff back and forth for just a week here and there. Plus you’re on tour most of the time now, and Naruto’s always traveling for his international diplomacy degree. There’s not much to anchor me there anymore.”

“But there’s more here,” Ino probed, reading between the spoken words. “Like Sasuke?”

“You are relentless!” Sakura grumbled with a smile.

“Only because you’ve been dating the hot pre-law student we met while touring here two years ago for a whole six months, and I just found out about it last week! I’m entitled to more information as your best friend.”

“I know,” Sakura sighed. It’s just hard to talk about.”

“What do you mean? Is he super weird? He doesn’t mistreat you or anything, right?”

“No! Not at all! He’s wonderful, just a bit...complicated.” She swirled the water in her glass, smiling softly. Ino could see a blush brushing her cheeks. She’d never seen her best friend like this. They had always been bold about their crushes, at least around each other, but this was different. It was the delicate and deep feeling of mature attraction, maybe even love. Ino was a bit jealous. But she was also really happy for her.

“Sooo, how did you guys meet? And I don’t mean being in the same tour group as prospective students.”

Sakura rolled her eyes, then began her story as they began tucking into their food which had just arrived.

“I used to see him all the time in the library, and I was pretty sure I recognized him from that tour, but he was always super focused on his work so I never approached him or anything. But it was like every time I went to the library to study and get work done, he’d be there with that freakishly intense focus. It turned into a game I’d play with myself--‘where’s the cute guy going to be this time’?” She chuckled at the memory.

“Is he a nerd then?” Ino asked. “I figured only nerds like you would voluntarily spend that much time studying.”

“Ha ha,” Sakura laughed drily. “And no, he’s not a nerd, he’s pre-law, and he helps at his family’s firm part-time so he’s always busy working on something.”

“Ah, so he’s a rich boy.”

“His family has money, yes, but I wouldn’t say they’re rich. He had to take out student loans, same as me.”

“Have you met his family yet?”

“Hold on a second Miss Nosey. Do you want me to finish my story or not?”

“Fine! I’ll hold all questions until the end,” she smirked, spearing a scallop nestled amongst her linguine noodles. “Carry on.”

“I didn’t actually talk to him until right before winter break last year. Tenten, Hinata, and I went to this party that Tenten’s friend Lee was hosting, and Sasuke was there. I guess he and Tenten’s boyfriend Neji had a few classes together and became friends so we ended up hanging out a bit at the party and chatting a little.”

“And he was immediately smitten and declared his love the next day.”

“Not even close!” Sakura laughed. “We didn’t even exchange numbers! And for a while I thought he hated me.”

“What?!”

“I know!” She continued giggling. “I totally didn’t know how to read him! Sasuke exudes this effortless cool, but he’s actually hopeless with social cues half of the time.”

“So why did you think he hated you?”

“Because I’d never get the response I was expecting when I tried to be friendly! Our interactions would be great when we were hanging out in a group, but if I was talking to him one-on-one, he’d seem distant. He even stopped going to the library to work, or he’d leave shortly after I’d show up, which made it obvious that I was some sort of problem or annoyance to him.”

“Oh my gosh Sakura! And you’re dating this jerk?!” Ino leaned across the table. “Why didn’t I know about any of this? That’s awful!”

“It’s fine, Ino. It really wasn’t that bad. My feelings were hurt, but I still didn’t know him all that well, and I had plenty of school work to keep me busy.”

She studied her best friend’s face, reading the echoes of embarrassment and pain as she recounted this part of the story. She knew Sakura. If she was smitten with a guy, she went all in. She was too honest with her feelings to hold back. Ino felt ashamed that she hadn’t known her best friend was struggling.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t know you were going through all of that, and I wasn’t there for you.”

“Ino, it’s okay,” Sakura promised, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand. “I had my friends here, and Naruto visited a lot. It really wasn’t that bad. You already had enough on your plate with your album blowing up the charts and Asuma booking so many interviews and performances for the band. You didn’t need my drama on top of that.”

“But I could’ve handled it! I’m your best friend. I always have time for you.”

The promise tasted like a lie even though she willed it to be true. The band’s success had swallowed so much of her time and energy. Nearly every moment she was awake was spent working on music or travelling to some venue or curating social media posts. She hadn’t seen anyone outside of the band and crew in months. Realizing her new circumstances might make her inaccessible to loved ones in need was a painful reality check.

“I know,” Sakura assured her, trusting in the promise even if it wasn’t practical. “But this really wasn’t a big deal. I figured I just needed a bit of distance, and I was going to have all summer for that. I stayed on campus to help Dr. Shizune with some research, and it was kind of nice having the school and city to myself for a while. I didn’t have to worry about running into Sasuke at the library or while out shopping, until I did run into him on the beach one day.”

“I hope you didn’t literally run into him.”

Sakura laughed. “Of course not! I was looking for a spot to sit and read and suddenly there he was. Apparently his family doesn’t live too far from here, so he and his brother come her to swim sometimes. I don’t think I would’ve noticed him, but he recognized me and decided to say hi.”

“Wait, the guy who was ignoring and avoiding you approached you to say hi?” Ino asked, flipping disinterestedly through the dessert menu.

“I know, it totally caught me off guard! But he was really nice, even though it was a bit awkward. And his brother Itachi was really nice, too. So we chatted for a bit, and we texted each other once in a while after that. When he was visiting town, we’d try and hang out a little, and then we hung out more once the school year started up again, and now we’re officially dating.”

“Hold on, one minute he’s giving you the cold shoulder and now you’re dating? Seems like a dramatic change,” Ino said doubtfully, handing her credit card to their waiter before her best friend could protest about not splitting the bill.

“He wasn’t giving me the cold shoulder.”

“That’s what it sounded like to me.”

“I told you, it’s complicated,” Sakura sighed. “Sasuke is very driven. If he has a goal, he does absolutely everything he can to achieve it. It’s just how his brain is wired. So when I came around and was being super friendly and seemed to always show up where he was trying to get work done, he deemed me a distraction and tried to distance himself so he could focus on school and stuff.”

“He decided friends were a distraction? Seems awfully utilitarian.”

“Not friends.” Sakura shook her head, a blush forming on her cheeks. “Just me.”

“Oh my gosh, he was smitten!” Ino slapped the table in excitement. “This is some Mr. Darcy-level denial! Damn Sakura, you go girl!”

“Ino stop!” she protested, cheeks growing bright red. Despite the embarrassment, she was smiling happily.

“So what changed his mind?”

Sakura shrugged. “I’m not sure exactly. I think part of it was just the timing. We happened to run into each other during the summer when he didn’t have to focus as much on school or work or impressing his father. Plus I think Itachi liked me, and Sasuke puts a lot of value in his brother’s opinion.”

“And now that school’s back in session? I assume you’re not a distraction since you’ve been dating this whole time.”

“I guess not.” She shrugged again, but Ino could see the blush returning.

“Sakura,” she probed as they wove through the other tables to the front door. “You’re keeping something back. Come on, you can’t hide anything from me.”

“I asked him about it when he asked me to be his girlfriend officially, and he told me that everything else was the distraction and...now I am his new goal.”

“Oh my gosh!” Ino squealed. “That’s so cheesy but so romantic!”

“I know!” Sakura hid her embarrassment behind her hands, ears almost as pink as her hair. “He has no flirting ability whatsoever.”

“Good thing you don’t mind cheesy one-liners,” Ino laughed, pulling her best friend into a hug on the sidewalk. “I’m really happy for you.”

“Thanks.” She felt the joy radiating off of her, seeping into her own body and dispelling the simmering jealousy with love.

“So, do I get to meet him today? You’d better be bringing him to the show.”

“No, unfortunately,” Sakura sighed, pulling out of the embrace. “He has to help his family this weekend.”

“Bummer,” she pouted. “You have to promise I’ll get to meet him before you two get engaged.”

“Okay,” Sakura laughed. “Do you have much time before the show? There’s a great ice cream stand on the beach. We could grab some dessert.”

“Yeah, I should have time,” she confirmed. “Just let me update Asuma. He likes to know where we are in case anything happens.”

“Makes sense.” Her best friend linked their arms and leaned over her shoulder as she sent the text to her manager. If it was anyone else, Ino would consider it nosy. Instead she opened her camera in selfie mode so they could snap a pic together making silly faces.

“Come on,” Sakura chuckled, pulling her along with their linked elbows. “You listened to me jabber all through lunch. It’s your turn! What’s new with you, besides conquering the world as a chart-topping musician and fashion icon?”

She shrugged. “Not much.”

“Come on,” Sakura sighed,”you’ve been on the road for months and have nothing interesting to report?”

“Not really. It’s a lot of the same stuff every day--arrive at the next show’s city, maybe do an interview, practice with the band, write music, do the show, and then hit the road. It doesn’t leave much time for anything interesting.”

“But you get to travel all over the place and meet other musicians and famous people!”

“The famous people part rarely happens. We’re not at the level of fame to be recognizable. Like I’m not getting swarmed right now by fans so it’s not a big deal if we land a few late night interviews. People will forget who we are as soon as we leave the set. Which is fine, because my life still has a semblance of normalcy. I can go to the grocery store or have lunch with my best friend without worrying about paparazzi. I’m just so busy that I rarely get to do such things.”

“It sounds complicated,” Sakura observed, studying her friend’s face.

“It’s just the way things are.” Ino smiled to reassure her.

“How are Shikamaru and Chouji handling it?”

“They’re pretty much the same. Lazy, of course, but I think part of that is intentional. It’s part of their public personas. I don’t get it, but it seems to work for the fans. There’s always a crowd of girls screaming hysterically for them at every show.”

Sakura chuckled as they stopped at an ice cream stand, pulling her friend into the line.

“And what about you? Are there swarms of boys begging to see you every night?”

“There’s always a few, and sometimes some girls, too.”

“Really?”

“Mhm.”

“Look at you playing to both sides,” Sakura snickered.

“Hey, I can’t help it if I’m just so hot that everyone wants a piece of me.”

“Whoa there tiger, we’d better get you some ice cream to cool you down. What do you want?”

This time Sakura snuck her money to the cashier before Ino could. She protested a little but Sakura was already handing her the ice cream, and she had to stop arguing to eat it before it melted.

They wandered onto the sand, enjoying the sweet treat and beautiful weather. The sun danced on the lake, fracturing its reflection into diamonds while boats bobbed and seagulls wheeled through the air. The sound of waves whispering on the sand and happy voices murmured in the air. It really was a lovely day.

“Y’know, I think Sasuke’s a bad influence,” she mused. “‘We’d better get you some ice cream to cool you down’? Terrible.”

Sakura laughed, loud and carefree.

“It was wasn’t it?” she chuckled. “But really, between Sasuke and Naruto, can you blame me? They’re both hopeless at flirting.”

“And somehow they’ve both got girlfriends now. Isn’t life strange.”

“Maybe all girls secretly like cheesy pickup lines,” Sakura mused around a mouthful of ice cream.

“Or maybe we take pity on guys for being brave enough to use one.”

“Do your fans every give you silly pickup lines?”

“Nah. I can usually tell which ones want to flirt and which ones are simply fans. I find it’s best to avoid the former.”

“Would you ever consider dating a fan?”

“Nooo,” she groaned. “I mean, whoever I date would have to like our music, but I think it’s a little creepy for a person to pursue someone just because they really like what he or she does for a living. The band is just a small part of who I am, y’know?”

“But what if he’s genuinely a nice guy?”

“I can’t,” Ino declared firmly. “If I open up that possibility, I’d have to consider every fan begging me for a date, and I can’t do that. I need a boundary between my personal life and my professional one, for myself and whoever I might end up with.”

“It’s going to be hard to find someone with how much success the band’s having,” Sakura murmured gently. Ino could feel a hint of pity in her words. She didn’t want to be pitied.

“It’s just a little more complicated,” she said brightly, brushing her fringe back into place with her fingers. “But I’ll figure it out.”

“You will,” her best friend agreed with the total confidence of someone with complete faith in making her dreams a reality.

“I suppose it’s good we haven’t really made it big yet,” Ino used. “If I do meet someone, he’s not likely to be obsessed with me already.”

“True,” Sakura agreed. “And you won’t have to worry about gossip magazines or paparazzi scaring him away.”

“Hopefully not, though those photographers can be pretty sneaky. Take, for example, the camera that’s been trialing us since our ice cream stop.”

Sakura’s eyes widened a little in surprise. “What?”

“Mhm,” she hummed, crunching the last bite of ice cream cone.

“Where?”

“Sakura, don’t look for him! Either you’ll scare him off before I can yell at him, or he’ll take the acknowledgment as permission to set up a mini photo shoot right now. Just act normal.”

“I totally didn’t notice anyone,” Sakura whispered, trying to resist her curiosity to look around.

“Shikamaru has the best paparazzi radar, but I’m getting pretty good at spotting them,” she replied with just a smidgen of self-pride.

“So if we’re not supposed to look at them, what do we do? Try and shake them off?”

“If I’m doing something super boring I just ignore them until they go away. Knowing my coffee order usually isn’t tantalizing enough for their magazines to sell. But sometimes I do confront them and put the fear of Asuma into them.”

Sakura laughed at the thought of her friend’s laid-back manager being enough of a threat to scare anyone.

“Which will it be this time?”

“Come here.” Ino led the way to a pile of rocks wedged into the sand. The bank at this end of the beach started rising, eventually turning into a cliff. Several college kids were diving off the rock with shrieks of joy. There were fewer people at this end of the shore, which decreased the likelihood of her cover being blown when she confronted the paparazzi.

“Just relax. We’re going to lure him in,” she instructed, leaning back on her hands. She tried focusing on the warmth of the sun and ignoring the adrenaline building in anticipation of the confrontation, but she couldn’t keep a smirk from her lips. She rarely dealt with paparazzi on her own as usually her bandmates and Asuma were with her, but Kurenai regularly met with all of them to go over how to proceed. The guy following her today looked young, probably an enthusiastic new journalism graduate who couldn’t land a job at a reputable news company. She almost felt bad for the chewing out she was preparing for him.

“That’s a cute shirt,” Sakura observed as she finished off her ice cream.

“Thanks. It was a birthday gift from my mom.”

“She actually bought you a crop top? Willingly?”

“Apparently she has no issue with them now that I’m an independent adult. Plus they’re a trademark of my personal style. I think she’s admitted defeat in her efforts to keep me away from them.”

“Excuse me.”

Ino was surprised by the polite voice. She hadn’t noticed anyone approach, which was impressive considering she was on alert waiting for the photographer to come nearer.

“You!” she gasped, realizing it was, in fact, the very guy she had been waiting to ambush. Seeing him up close, he really was young. Maybe he was just an intern.

“Would you mind if I take your picture?”

“What?” She couldn’t believe the presumptuousness of this guy! His polite smile didn’t waver. Was he really acting like he hadn’t been stalking them, sneakily snapping pictures for the past several minutes?

“Yes I do mind!” she cried, rallying through her surprise to stalk as intimidatingly as she could across the sand to him. “I know you’ve already been taking pictures of us. You think I’m unfamiliar with dealing with paparazzi? I know exactly what you’re doing!”

“Ino-” Sakura began, but she wasn’t going to let her friend’s politeness stop her now that she’d started. She really wanted to see that guy’s unwavering smile crumble.

“No, I may be familiar with jerks snapping pictures of me everywhere I go, but you definitely didn’t sign up for this! And we have an exclusive agreement with the Hidden Leaf Times for all media coverage, so unless you produce proof that you’re working with them, which I doubt since this is such a shady way of getting content, you need to hand over all of those pictures you’ve taken and leave.”

“I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

It was unbelievable. That smile didn’t move. Did he think this was funny? Did he enjoy being this rude?

“Oh really? How about I get my publicity manager on the phone so she can explain in detail all of the legal violations we’re going to smack on you.”

“Hang on-” Sakura tried again, but Ino ignored her.

“And then I’ll call our connection at the Times so they can come after you. What right do you have to invade a person’s privacy by following them to sneak pictures and then pretend you’re innocent and ask for permission after the fact?”

“Ino!” Sakura grabbed the phone from her hand. “He’s not paparazzi!”

“What do you mean?” she snapped.

“He’s just a photography student from the university! Hinata’s had a few classes with him.”

Ino blinked at her friend for a moment, registering the laughter in her green eyes.

“It’s true,” the boy agreed. He still had that grin plastered on his face, but his eyebrows had edged up to indicate bemused confusion. “I really have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Ino, this is Sai,” Sakura introduced. “Sai, this is my friend Ino. She’s the lead singer and guitarist of The InoShikaCho Formation. They’re performing tonight at Hokage Pier.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he smiled. Ino wasn’t quite ready to make friends, though.

“If you’re not paparazzi, then why were you following us taking pictures?”

“I was practicing,” he claimed innocently. “My teachers are always telling us to take any opportunity we can to improve our skills.”

“Shouldn’t you ask for permission before you take pictures of someone, even if it’s just practice?”

“I’ve heard it can be better to ask for forgiveness after the fact than for initial permission.”

She didn’t understand this guy. No matter what questions she threw at him, his smile never wavered. It was annoying. But the more she looked at it and studied his face, the more she believed him.

“But why follow us? Surely it’d be better to practice with a variety of subjects.”

“You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve seen all day.”

“Wha...Huh?” Ino stammered. Sai blinked at her, smiling innocently. Was he being genuine? Sakura snickered behind her.

“What the heck!” she cried, feeling flustered. The prick of heat in her cheeks told her she was blushing. “You can’t just say that to someone you just met!”

“But I’ve been told that honesty is the best policy.”

She could only blink at him, dumbfounded, blush growing deeper. How was she supposed to respond to this? Was he just being smooth, or did he genuinely think she was beautiful? She couldn’t tell what he was thinking behind that charming smile.

“Say cheese,” he instructed, quickly bringing his camera up to snap a picture of her bewildered face.

“H-hey!” she stammered. “I never gave you permission!”

“Sorry, but if I always waited for permission, I’d miss too many perfect shots.”

She didn’t know why his words made her feel warm all over, but they did. Before she could gather her wits and come up with a reply, Sakura handed her back her phone.

“Shikamaru’s calling you.”

“Yeah?” she answered, eyes still glancing at Sai.

“It’s nearly time for rehearsal. Where are you?”

“At the beach with Sakura. Sorry, I must’ve lost track of time.”

“Do you need us to send a car to pick you up?”

“No, I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

“Okay, see you soon.”

“I have to get going,” she told Sakura, slipping her phone back into her purse. “I’ll see you later tonight.”

“I’ll be there,” her best friend promised, giving her a big hug.

“And you,” she said, rounding on Sai. “You can keep those pictures as long as you don’t post them on social media. And you have to give me a copy of all of them.”

“Works for me. Can I get your phone number or email then?”

Ino fought against another blush.

“Just give them to Sakura. She’ll get them to me. I have to go.”

“It was a pleasure to meet you, beautiful,” he smiled.

“Yeah,” she mumbled, turning and hurrying away before she lost her composure in another flustered blush.

-----

A few weeks later, Ino lay sprawled in her bunk on the tour bus scrolling through a folder of pictures. She had been surprised to see Sai again at the concert that evening. It turned out he was interning at the Hidden Leaf Times for the summer and was one of the photographers they sent to cover the band’s time in Konoha. They hadn’t interacted much, but Ino had been hyper-aware of his presence throughout their interview with the paper and the concert.

True to his word, he had passed on all of the pictures he’d taken both at the beach and Hokage Pier to Sakura, who in turn emailed them to Ino. She had to admit, he had a good eye. She found herself scrolling through the pictures a lot, not because she loved how she looked in them (though they were all pretty flattering), but because they were just that good. She thought she had a good sense of composition, framing, and lighting, but Sai seemed to have some deeper knowledge that elevated his work to art.

She’d used a few of the shots for social media posts, careful to credit him. She’d learned from Sakura that he didn’t have social media, but he did have a small photography website, so she linked to it at the bottom of each image. Sometimes when she was bored she’d check his website to see if he’d posted any new pictures. It was her way of keeping tabs on what he was doing without being obvious and bugging Sakura to tell her about him.

It was weird. She didn’t know him at all, and the fact that he’d followed her along the beach still gave her paparazzi vibes, but she couldn’t get him out of her head.

She opened a new window in her browser and logged in to her email. She found a draft that she’d started nearly a week ago and read through it.

Dear Sai,

Thank you for the photographs of our performance. The band was impressed by their quality! I hope you don’t mind, but we’ve used a few for our social media posts. We were sure to credit you and link to your website. We probably should have asked permission first, but since you’re fond of taking opportunities as they come and asking forgiveness later, I figured you’d be okay with this. If I was mistaken, let us know so we can take down the pictures.

I don’t know if you are aware, but our band is nearly finished recording our second album, and it’s time to start considering the design elements that will go into it. We don’t yet have a photographer for the booklet and album art. We were all so impressed with your work at the concert, we’d like to offer you the opportunity. I know you’ll be returning to school this fall, but once our tour’s over, our time will be more flexible, and I’m sure an agreeable arrangement could be made. Are you interested? Let me know.

All the best,

Ino Yamanaka

She reread the text a few more times, even though she nearly had it memorized. Technically the band hadn’t decided to ask Sai to be their photographer, but the few times she’d mentioned it, everyone else had been open to the possibility. She was confident she’d be able to get them to agree if Sai said yes.

She debated a few moments on whether to add her phone number, chewing her lip. That was the biggest reason she hadn’t already sent the email. She’d denied him her contact information at the beach; why should she give it to him now? But now they were discussing business arrangements. It’d be a little rude to withhold it...right?

With the sense that she was doing something risky, she quickly typed her number beneath her name and hit send, trying not to squeal. She was being so silly! All she’d done was extend a business invitation to another professional (even though he was technically still in school and may or may not have a photography license), yet she felt giddy like a little girl.

She closed her laptop and rolled out of her bunk, stretching a little. Maybe she’d go play Mario Kart with her bandmates to distract herself. Turning towards the common room, her phone pinged to alert her of a new notification.

Her heart jumped when she saw it was a new email. Sai had already replied! Why had he done so so quickly? Was he mad they’d used his pictures? With some trepidation, she opened the message.

Dear Ino,

I’m glad you liked the photographs. I do think they’re some of my best so far, though half of the quality comes from the subject being photographed. You and the band made my work far easier, and the results wouldn’t have been as good without you.

I’d be happy to work with you on the photographs for your next album. Perhaps we could meet to discuss your ideas. I know you’ll be in Suna next Thursday. Shall we meet for lunch? I’ll call you to work out the details.

Kind regards,

Sai

Ino bit her thumb to keep back the happy squeals that were trying to climb up her throat for some reason. He’d included his own phone number, which she saved to her contacts. Then she reread his message, paying special attention to his postscript.

P. S. I hope you come prepared with your beautiful smile. I’ll bring my camera with me.

It was a strange note to include, but it made her cheeks warm. Maybe he was flirting with her. She shook her head, trying to brush off the thought. No, they were simply going to discuss business, even if it was going to be over lunch and he was specifically calling her to arrange it. She could tell him to call Kurenai or Asuma instead, but she was capable of arranging a meeting on behalf of the band by herself. And if she happened to schedule it when only she was available, surely they’d trust her to represent them all.

She brushed her long hair over her shoulder and turned up the volume slightly on her phone before turning again toward the common room, grinning and excited for whatever was coming next.

#gizka #my words #yamanaka ino #inoweek2019 #naruto #haruno sakura #sai #saiino #band au #university au #nara shikamaru #inoshikacho #akimichi chouji #sarutobi asuma #yuuhi kurenai

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levihauser · 5 years

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十月の三週間

25 October, 2019

Sorry I have taken so long to write another blog entry! I have been a little busy with stuff here in Japan, so this entry should be filled with interesting events from the past three weeks.

On the fifth, my host niece and nephew, Yuria and Shuudai, came over for lunch. We had pasta (with thousands of tiny fish eggs mixed in-yum!) and crabs. My host mom said that the crabs were small, but they were larger than any I had ever seen. I was told to scrape the meat out of the legs and eat that, as well as the eggs for that. After having had eggs for breakfast, it was a pretty egg-cellent day. There. I hadn’t made a pun yet on this blog, but now you get to put up with one of the most cliché bad puns of all time. I went to our neighbor’s (Mrs. Takamatsu, I think I mentioned her in the most recent post) house to stay the night. I just learned a few days ago that her husband runs one of the 5 most profitable businesses in the prefecture.

The next day, I read in the morning and finished the last book that I had brought with me from the US. We had curry rice for breakfast, then I went with Mrs. Takamatsu to a temple for a Buddhist festival. It was quite a big temple, and very new. The festival was also interesting-everyone just sat in a central room and watched a recording of the same festival happening in a central temple in Tokyo, occasionally chanting, bowing, or clapping along to it. We left early to pick up her husband at the train station. He had just come back from Chicago (a few days later, actually, Mrs. Takamatsu left for Chicago. They have a daughter there, so they visit there a lot). I had my first Japanese-style pizza for lunch. It was very thin-crusted and crunchy, almost like a big cracker. I returned home, then my host parents and I went out for dinner at a nearby specialty restaurant called Nishide. I think they know the people there, and the like eating there, but it is expensive so they don’t do it too often.

The entire next week was midterms for the students at my school (their school year starts in April), so the school days ended at around 11 AM. I couldn’t take the tests, not understanding the language, so I was sent to the library to read and study Japanese.

On the tenth, I had a Rotary meeting. I have started taking Japanese lessons every Thursday at the Matto Cultural Hall near my school, so I have to go straight to the Rotary meeting without going home to change out of my school uniform. This one was in Kanazawa at a special restaurant. We had good food after a short meeting, and played host to a Rotary club that had come to visit all the way from Lake Biwa.

On National P.E. and Sports Day here in Japan (the same day as Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day in the US), I had no school, so my host mom and dad suggested that I take the train to Kanazawa. I have never ridden the train before, even in the US (unless you count subways and old-fashioned railroads where you pay a lot of money to sit in leather seats and get your ticket punched with an actual ticket puncher), so I was a little worried. I had no problem buying the tickets-the ticket machines have an option to use English-but I accidentally got in the wrong line (I am still not sure what it was for and I haven’t seen one like it since then) and wasted about 40 minutes there without moving before I asked someone and they pointed me in the right direction. I successfully got to Kanazawa Station. One of my classmates was on the same train by coincidence, so I followed them to find my way to the exit. I actually went out the one that my tiny tourist map didn’t cover at first, so I had to go around to the other side. It was raining and windy, so I had some difficulty reading the map and holding my umbrella at the same time. I eventually made my way to Oyama Jinja, a famous shrine just outside of Kanazawa Castle and near Kenrokuen Garden (which is a famous Japanese garden, for those of you who haven’t heard of it). I admired the shrine for a bit and bought a few good luck charms that were for sale there, then returned to the station and went home, since I had to be home before 5 PM. The round trip only cost ¥400.

On the 18th, my school festival began. My school’s festival is a small one, or so I’ve heard, but the Japanese certainly know how to throw one (no offense to anybody back at home, but PHS should take some advice from Matto High School. Those 2-hour pep rallies and shouting contests just don’t cut it). The first day was not at the school, but at the nearby Matto Cultural Hall, since they have an auditorium and the school doesn’t. There were several student presentations and performances, including brass band (I mentioned this earlier. It has won regional awards and is very impressive. They play music that sounds just like the original recordings. They did a specially arranged version of the alma mater as well as the Jurassic Park theme and a few other songs), choir (it is made up of only 7 members, but has beautiful harmonies and keeps in tune perfectly, while creating a huge amount of sound without microphones. They did a song from Sister Act and a few others), taiko (I performed in this one! We borrowed some drums from the Asano Taiko Company, the largest taiko company in the world. The owner and CEO is a member of my host Rotary Club and my school is the only one in the prefecture with a taiko club), and dance (it was very well rehearsed. There were only five members, but I think they created their own routine and it was fun to watch), as well as a short, corny play put on by the teachers in which one of the gym teachers, Mr. Higashi, had to go on a funny adventure to rescue Miss Matto High School 2019 from her kidnappers (either a gang or a group of devils, it was hard to tell without understanding the language) headed by the other gym teacher, Ms. Sawada (everyone loves Ms. Sawada and they were a little disappointed to see her defeated in the end). We returned to the school after the performances finished, then finished preparing and decorating for the next day (I say finished because we had been preparing for this after school for weeks, making paper chains, posters, placemats, paper flowers, etc.), before being dismissed. The next day was a Saturday, but the festivities continued. It was in the school, and was pretty much the “buy stuff” day. We had tickets that cost from ¥50-400 that payed for things ranging from waffles to games of bingo to weird, confined-space bowling to tea ceremony. It took up seven hours, in which I explored, ate lots of food, and went to various events including what they called a 4DX movie, which was essentially an English horror film translated into Japanese and played through tiny speakers while a few students made weird sound effects and threw things (e.g. whacking rulers on desks, throwing foam at backs, and spritzing water from spray cans) to make it “more realistic.” With all of the stuff going on and the voices, I really didn’t pay attention to the movie and instead collected as many of the little foam pieces as I could.

On the twentieth I had my favorite Japanese food for breakfast-hooray, inarizushi! I went to Kanazawa alone by train again and spent about 5 hours wandering about and seeing new things, but forgetting to eat lunch and getting kind of hungry. I returned home at around 4, and was almost immediately told that I was shortly going to a concert with a Rotarian, Ms. Ikemoto (I think she is going to be my third host mom too, but I am not sure). We went to an old, elaborate temple and watched an out-of-place-seeming amateur old folk and country music concert with a couple of English songs and one entirely about curry rice. The musicians were very talented. We went to an udon shop for dinner afterwards and stayed very late because Ms. Ikemoto didn’t want to leave until the match of the Rugby World Cup between Japan and South Africa had finished.

I had the 22nd off of school because of the enthronement of the new emperor of Japan. My host Rotary club counselor, Ms. Nagase, took me to Kanazawa (by train, because the roads were too crowded due to the holiday). She spent 3 years in England a while back, so she speaks fairly good English, which is good for smoothing out misunderstandings. She is a bit of an anglophile and is constantly asking me how to say things in British English. We briefly stopped in at the 21st Century Museum of Modern Art, but it was crowded as usual and we had to leave soon. There was a Moomin exhibition which I would love to have gone to, but the Japanese love Moomin and the entire floor it was on was packed (Moomin is 20th Century art, so how does that fit into the museum?). Next we went to the D.T. Suzuki Museum, which is a small, modern museum celebrating the famous Kanazawa-born philosopher that is its namesake. There were not many people and it was very peaceful. It was even free admission because of the Enthronement Day (upon seeing the sign, Ms. Nagase got very excited and took several pictures-apparently it is very rare at this museum). We went to a fancy sashimi restaurant near the train station for lunch-it was great food, and we got our own special compartment with sliding doors! After lunch, we went to a concert hall right next to Kanazawa Station for a piano concert. The Kanazawa orchestra has a weird mascot named Gargantua that is sort of like a caricature of a conductor. The orchestra was conducted by Keita Matsui, and the three piano concertos were Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, performed by Yukari Yamada, Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, performed by Rikono Takeda, and Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat Major, performed by Marie Kiyone. The performance was all very high-quality, and it was open-seating so we got second-row seats in the perfect spot to watch the pianists’ hands. At the end, all three pianists returned and played a piano trio all on the same piano, which must have been difficult. They were all wearing dresses that I would think would hinder playing (forgive me if I went a little overboard in description there, I am very interested in anything related to piano playing). Ms. Nagase and I returned to Hakusan City by train, then went to her house. Half of it is a 30-year-old addition to the other half, which is 200 years old and barely touched. She has a beautiful yard (a rarity in Japan) and back garden. She showed me around briefly, then we went to walk her dog. After we returned, her husband got home from work. Both of them are very friendly and kind. Ms. Oribe, another Rotarian, had been invited for dinner and arrived shortly, then we walked to a nearby restaurant and had tempura.

There was also no school the next day, to make up for the Saturday that we had come to school for the festival. I studied Japanese for a little while, then on a snap decision decided I wanted to go to Fukui, a city in the neighboring prefecture. I obtained permission, then left. It was only ¥1,100 for each way, and the train ride was an hour and ten minutes on the small trains that stop at every station. I arrived and got some maps at the tourist information center, then set out exploring the city. I walked past some animatronic dinosaurs (that seems to be Fukui’s big tourist attraction, as the prefecture is a paleontological hotspot) and the ruins of the castle (which is now the prefectural government office-what a great workplace! You get to drive across a moat every day). I eventually reached a beautiful mountain in the middle of the city that had been turned into a forested park. It was the closest I have gotten to nature since I have come to Japan. I stopped at a shrine and explored a little more before descending. I continued wandering some more in search of restaurants and candy stores, but the food map I had was either outdated or misleading, and I couldn’t find any of the shops I searched for. At about 4 PM, I settled for some rice balls and ice cream from a convenience store for lunch instead, then returned home. The sun sets so early here, it is difficult to stay much longer and still have a good time.

Yesterday was my school’s P.E. festival. I was told to study Japanese in the school library instead of participating, but all of the other students went to a big park and participated in races and other mandatory events for gym class. I had my Japanese lesson and watched a tea ceremony with a lady who was visiting from Germany who happened to be at the Cultural Hall at the same time before going to the Rotary meeting. This week, a delegation from Hakusan’s sister city, Columbia, Missouri was visiting, so they came to the Rotary meeting and presented in the first half before leaving for some other obligation.

Today has been a fairly normal day so far. I had an average school day followed by an average afternoon, as far as I am allowed to use the word average, being an exchange student to Japan. I have been studying my Kanji (Chinese characters used in Japanese) quite a bit lately and seem to be making some headway. I am looking forward to being literate! I feel like it’s about time, now that I have officially passed the two month mark. Thank you all for your patience in waiting for this long-delayed entry.

Oyama Jinja Shrine:

Kanazawa Station:

I would add more pictures, but it keeps telling me there is an upload error, so I will try again later.

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slbp-secret-cupid · 6 years

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Notes: I'm a fan of a band called Wagakki Band, which uses modern and traditional instruments and mostly play j-rock. That's what partly inspired me to write this since I love how they sound.

Also, to my Cupid recipient, @michverse, I hope that you like it ^^ Happy SLBP Valentine’s Day - @otome0heart

PEEBLES IN THE WAY

“Did you have fun, Miss?”

The young woman turned around to see her personal maid, Matsuko, close the sliding door of her room with a big smile on her face and a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, and she felt a light blush cover her cheeks.

“Yes, I did” she replied while she gave her her coat and bag.

It had been much more than just 'fun'. The concert had been amazing, the music and the singing reaching to every single heart in the hall, which answered with as much passion as the musicians gave.

“And I suppose your fiancé's performance was great...”

She side-glanced at Matsuko, feeling her face even hotter, and the young maid could not help a chuckle.

“Of course, it was” she muttered, starting to unbutton her clothes.

“You don't have to feel embarrassed for having such a gorgeous and talented fiancé, Miss. I'd be really proud to show him off.”

She took off the dress and put it on top of the chest of drawers on her left. Then, she put her arms through the sleeves of her sleeping yukata, which Matsuko held for her.

“I know, and I am” she tied a sash around her waist. “It's just that... things are complicated...”

She turned to look at the maid with a small wistful smile.

“I know, Miss, I know...”

She sighed. Yes, the situation could not be more difficult. Not only was he a famous wadaiko player but also, her family was not making things easy for them. She breathed deeply and then, went to the other side of the room, opening the sliding door which led outside.

“Is everyone sleeping?”

“Yes. Your aunt turned off her lights as soon as she heard you arrive home.”

“Good” he smile widened, showing her satisfaction. “I'll be back in fifteen minutes. Take out the bedding and then, retire for the night. Thanks for waiting for me.”

“It was a pleasure, Miss” the woman bowed her head. “Goodnight.”

She made her way across the garden with only the moonlight as her guide. She had taken that stone path which guided to the far end of the enclosure so many times that she did not need any lights to illuminate her way. There, she stopped in front of a small old storage room which nobody used now for its distance from the main house and its decayed state. She unlocked it with a key she always wore around her neck and entered, holding the door in a way to avoid the hinges making any noise. Once in the safety of the one-room house, she sighed, relieved. In the darkness, she touched the wooden wall, where she knew there would be a candle and a box of matches, and lit it. The tiny flame lit a clean space that she had tidied with the help of her brother Yahiko and Matsuko, slowly and taking turns to avoid suspicions, except for when most of the family was away, when the three of them could work there for some hours. There, she kept the things that made her happy which had been forbidden by her relatives because they did not suit someone of her status.

Status. She snorted as she entered the room, the tatami creacking softly under her bare feet. That was all that mattered to them. Yahiko's status as the heir of the restaurant chain their parents had founded. He own status as the heiress to be married to make connections.

Little by little, they had stripped her of hobbies, friends and feelings to mold her into the perfect wife for a rich man. And she had complied. Or at least, she had made them believe it. She still kept in touch with some of her dearest friends and she had gathered whatever precious memories she had been able to save in that little room.

She walked to the center of the room, illuminating one of her favourite dolls, trophies she had won in sports competitions during school and a few romance novels and manga that still made her heart flutter each time she reread them.

She left the candle on top of a low cupboard and rummaged in the folds of her sleeping robe, taking out the ticket of the concert. A soft smile drew across her lips. What her relatives had never suspected was that they had given her the person that her heart had wanted the most for so long. When they had told her that they had already decided on a husband for her, she had tried to rebel. Even Yahiko, her brother, had. However, when she had discovered the identity of her fiancé, she had had no more reasons to protest.

She put the ticket on top of the cupboard, next to a photo frame, smoothing it carefully and then, straightened, staring at the poster in front of her. Almost unconsciously, she lifted a hand and, delicately, traced the features of the man in it. She had become a fan of his group when they had started their music career, years ago, and little by little, she had fallen more and more for him without realising that what she felt was not only admiration but love, until they had been introduced to each other. In that moment, her heart had flooded with a million feelings, filling each single corner of her being, and deep inside her, she had simply known that she had given him her heart.

With a low purr rumbling in his throat, Takeda Shingen turned in his bed, seeking a few minutes more of sleep under the warmth of the covers. He put his arm around the pillow, burying his face in it, slightly frustrated because his much needed rest had been disturbed and the last threads of unconsciousness which fogged his mind were disappearing. Slowly, he opened his amber eyes, wondering what had made him wake up. The thick dark curtains were tightly closed, not letting the sunlight enter the room and he had made sure his mobile phone was muted so nobody could disturb him.

He lifted his head, looking around through heavy lidded eyes and then, something at the back of his mind told him the reason. He looked at the space beside him on the bed and sighed, letting himself fall on the mattress again.

After a concert, he always brought someone home, one of those friends who, as him, looked for a way to relieve themselves without any strings attached, someone who would disappear in the morning with not so much as a 'till next time' and did not ask for something in return.

However, all that had ended when he had got engaged. He sighed. As much as his needs were still the same, he now had a serious committed relationship and he planned to be faithful. He could not help a small snort as he laid on his back, his eyes staring at the white ceiling. He did not know from whom he had inherited such righteous feelings, since his father was not precisely the perfect example of faithfulness. Or maybe it was precisely that which had shaped him in that way. Seeing his mother suffer in silence the none discreet affairs of her husband had probably made him promise himself not to make the woman he chose and loved feel the same humiliation. Well, he had not exactly chosen her but that marriage was the price he had to pay for his freedom, the condition his father had stated to let him continue in the music world while contributing to the family’s prestige, and he was willing to pay it. Beside, his fiancée was a pretty girl and he knew that, if he made an effort to get to know her, he could end up liking her. He sighed. The only thing that irked him quite a lot was her shyness and her seemingly docile character. She talked when told to, and did as told too. She was modest and proper. He pictured her in his mind, her long brown hair tied in a low bun at the nape of her neck, her white skin and her pink lips, the perfectly fit kimonos she had always worn when he had visited her and... He furrowed his brows for a moment, trying to remember any other detail about her. And it was then that he realised he did not even know what colour her eyes were.

The screen of his mobile phone turned on, distracting him from his musings and, turning slightly, he picked it up from the top of his bedside table. As every morning, Kansuke, his assistant and best friend, had sent him the planning for the day. Fortunately, he did not have many engagements, an interview for a magazine with the rest of the band in a few hours and in the afternoon, a visit to his fiancée's household to have tea. He half closed his eyes, already dreading it. It was not that he did not want to see her, but they were never alone. Her family had guarded her closely since the first time he had stepped in the house, and they had not allowed even a short walk in their gardens in full view of all of them. However, he did not see anything bad in wanting to take up with her for a few minutes and he hoped that, as the wedding approached, they let him get closer to her. He had the right to do so.

But, as he had expected, once again, the situation was the same.

When he had arrived, he had been guided by a servant to the usual room where they received him. Her fiancée and her relatives were already there, waiting, and as soon as he had entered the room, the ritual had begun. The first time he had gone to that house, he had been surprised at the formality and ceremony he found, and had felt stupid, following every step after his parents and the rest of the people of the room, who seemed to know what to do. Now, his actions were almost mechanic. He had sat formally and bowed deeply in answer to their formal greetings. Then, he had answered courteous questions asked by the elders related to his family's health and, taking his place next to her brother, he had watched as her aunt performed once again the tea ceremony. Fortunately, those only lasted around an hour. It was not that he did not like them; he loved the ritual and how each action was performed with detail, following a specific procedure. However, instead of the quiet and relaxed atmosphere he had experienced in them during his life, there, the feeling was oppressive and he felt watched, judged by every single one of his actions.

Now, as he bowed formally at the end of the ceremony, not feeling thankful in the slightest, he stole a glance to his right. The young woman who was going to be his wife was sitting straighter than he had ever seen someone do it, with her head slightly bowed, as every single time before. He had to suppress a frustrated sigh and he straightened, looking ahead again. One more day that he could not talk to her. At that rate, they would be married without him knowing her favourite colour.

“I hope you forgive my rudeness” her aunt turned to him with a slight bow after all the utensils had been collected. “But I have a previous appointment in a few minutes, so I feel myself in the difficult position of shortening your visit.”

Definitely, she was a damned witch.

“Of course” he bowed his head too, briefly. “Please, rest assured that I'm not an- disgruntled at all” the old woman smiled satisfied. “However, I would like to request something of you before I go.”

It was obvious that nobody expected that, because the silence hung in the room a bit too longer than it had been desirable.

“Yes?” he had to suppress a smirk hearing her slightly displeased tone.

“I'd like to request your permission to take my fiancée out next Sunday.”

The silence was even heavier/thicker this time as he waited for an answer.

“Well, the engagement has already made official so I don't see any inconvenience for her to attend any event that your family organises...”

It was his turn to furrow his brows.

“It's neither a family gathering or a social event” he breathed deeply and lifted his chin proudly. “I would like to get to know her better so I had thought of us having lunch together.”

He side glanced at her, only to see her turn her head quickly, just in time to see her expression, a mixture of surprise and horror. Yahiko was looking at both of them alternatively, his eyes wide.

The elderly woman's hardened features and her tightly pressed mouth followed by a sharp intake of breath told him immediately he had stepped on a landmine.

“I'm going to be frank with you” she started, and her voice was cold like ice. “Even though I'm old and traditional, I am well aware of what young people nowadays consider “get to know better”, as I am of your reputation. I can't believe you're asking such a thing, expecting us to agree. No, I will not allow you to tarnish the immaculate reputation of this household. You will have time to 'get to know her' once the marriage ceremony takes place” she squared her shoulders. “I expect you to reflect upon your behaviour before your next visit. And now,” she bowed curtly and then, lifted herself up. “If you please...”

Shingen tightened his jaw until he felt pain and took a moment to stand up. In any other occasion, he would not have let her humiliate him like that, but the last thing he wanted to hear was his father berating him for offending them and risking the engagement. Dying to get out of that room, of that house, he did not look at anyone. He held his head high, proudly, before leaving the place.

How could things have gone so wrong?

The young woman had listened to the exchange between her fiancé and her aunt terrified. It seemed that she still had the power to destroy her happiness if she wanted to. Out of the corner of her eye, she had seen him bear stoically the old woman's harsh words, and though his eyes reflected the hardness of precious stones, she had seen his wounded pride in them too. That was something that her aunt knew how to do really well, being one of her victims herself. She attacked someone's vulnerable points until rendering them speechless and backing them against the wall, and she knew why he was willing to marry her and that he could not risk his chance.

She had sprung to her feet as soon as she had done it, at the same time as everybody except for him. As if challenging the old woman, he had stood up slowly, a second later than the rest, towering them all, his eyes never leaving her aunt's.

She had felt so useless at that moment, thinking that the engagement had ended, that he would walk out of her life that very moment leaving her broken forever without knowing it. And then, she would probably be betrothed to another without a second thought. A sudden wave of nausea at the idea overcame her and in that moment, she knew that she had to do something.

When she had come out of the room, trying to remain calm and at the same time to think fast about what to do, she had seen Matsuko, her expressive eyes worried. Then, it came to her mind what to do. If she could not speak to him or send him a message, as she had been denied his phone number, she could write him a note. She looked at her relatives, gathered around the main entrance, around him who was with his back to them, probably putting on his shoes, and with a quick gesture, she asked the maid for paper and pen. She looked around and then, a dawning expression lighted her face, as she brought her hand to her obi and extracted what seemed a supermarket receipt. She took them quickly, scribbling something just before her aunt's voice, calling her name, sounded in the hall. With a few short steps, she arrived at the line of people waiting. However, just before she could stop herself, she treaded on the step and lost her balance.

His hand was fast, holding her arm and steadying her before she crashed against him. His fingers were strong but strangely gentle in their grasp, and for a moment, she forgot everything around her as she perceived the sensuous, though faint, smell of his perfume and the slight warmth that was starting to seep through the layers of her sleeve. His eyes were even more beautiful than she had imagined, reflecting his surprise at the situation and a faint curiosity. After all, it was the first time they had truly looked at each other.

Her aunt's authoritative voice broke through her daydreaming and she jumped, snatching her arm from his hand and taking her place in the row of relatives, bowing to him when the old woman bid her farewell to him. Through her eyelashes, she saw him take a last reflexive look at her before disappearing through the sliding door.

A low murmur filled the hall when the five people next to her started to move to other parts of the house, and she could feel Yahiko's concerned gaze on her. She walked past him, her fingers brushing his softly, as a way to calm him.

“Clumsy child” her aunt's voice carried a disdaining tone, and she bowed her head in a submissive gesture. “I expect you to behave properly next time.”

She nodded, her eyes not leaving the floor. However, instead of embarrassment, all that filled her heart was the hope of him reading her note.

Shingen closed the door of his car with more force than necessary. How he hated them... If it was not for the advantages that the wedding would bring him, he would never go back.

He reclined his head back, letting it rest briefly against the seat, his lids fluttering close for a moment, trying to calm himself. As soon as they were married, he would take her out of that house and, if possible, they would only return to give their New Year greetings.

With a sigh, he grabbed the seatbelt with one hand while searching for his car keys in the pocket of his jacket with the other. However, there was something else in his pocket. Slightly confused, he took it out. It was the receipt of a convenience store, something he was sure he had never put in there. He turned it around and his sight fell on some hasty strokes written with a pencil.

I'm sorry.

Without realising it, a soft smile drew across his lips, knowing instinctively who the author of that note was. So, the fall had not been an accident, as she had made all of them believe. His smile widened, turning into a smirk. It seemed that the delicate submissive pretty flower he was supposed to marry was not so obedient.

A desperate knock on the window took him out of his thoughts abruptly and he saw a boy look at left and right quickly, a frantic expression marring his features. He lowered the glass.

“Yahiko... right?”

He nodded once.

“I have to show you something” his tone was urgent. “Park at the back of the house and wait for me there.”

Before he could reply, the boy started running and soon disappeared around the corner of the enormous stone wall that surrounded the compound. Shingen blinked a few times, a bit perplexed, but his interest had been picked between the note and the boy's promise so, he started the car, drove for a few minutes to avoid suspicions and then, turned around a street to go back to the house.

As he had promised, by the time he arrived, Yahiko was waiting for him next to a small wooden door. Without a word, he motioned him inside and guided him carefully, without barely making a noise, through a bamboo garden before finding themselves in front of a small deteriorated wooden storage house. Then, the young man turned to him, his face serious and his eyes shining with resolve.

“You see, I'm doing this for my sister's sake...” he straightened his shoulders. “So before I take you inside, I have to know... What do you think about her?”

He was left speechless for a moment and then, even though he tried to stifle it, a hearty laugh left his lips.

“What's so funny?” Yahiko crossed his arms and furrowed his brows.

“Nothing, kid but, do you realise that you're asking for an explanation to a guy who is more than twice your age, height and built? Who could lay you flat on the ground in this same moment?”

The boy did not change his attitude, neither seemed intimidated by him, and Shingen felt satisfied with that. He bent over, putting his hands on his knees so he could look at him eye to eye.

“I'm going to be sincere with you. She is my freedom to do what I like the most, if I marry her, I can continue my music career without my father meddling in my business and that's what I desire the most” the light in the boy's dark brown pupils wavered but Shingen knew that he had done right. “She's pretty and, though her docile character was not very appealing to me, it seems that there's more to her than that.”

Yahiko swallowed hard and breathed deeply. It had been hard to hear his reasons, but he also knew that his sister was aware of his feelings even though she had barely talked to him, and that she loved what he did, so he just nodded.

“Thank you” he bowed, and was slightly surprised when he saw Shingen return the gesture. “As I promised you, I'm going to show you something...” he took out a key from his pocket. “It's my sister's dearest treasure.”

The feeling of curiosity sparkled even brighter inside him as the lock slid back smoothly, a sign that, despite the run-down state of the whole building, it was used frequently. Yahiko opened the door carefully, stopping when the hinges squeaked.

“I think that's enough space for you to slip past...” he said, taking a look at his broad shoulders and muscled body.

His jacket brushed the frame with a whishing sound and he was almost sure that the fabric had been damaged in some way. Then, he found himself in a dark room, the scarce sunlight that entered through the crack only showing him a step and part of a light brown tatami mat just before the door closed quickly behind him. He heard some rustling of clothes beside him and a switch turned on, the beam of a flashlight crossing the room.

“My big sister always uses a candle because she usually comes at night and she wants to avoid anyone knowing that this place is being used. But now it's daylight and there's a lot of commotion in the house so I don't think the flashlight will be seen. And we have to be quick, so it's more convenient.”

The boy, who had been taking off his shoes while speaking, stepped in the room with a dull sound, turning to him with a small smile, the light dancing around the place with each of his movements. He followed him, looking around. By what he could grasp, it seemed that the place served its purpose of storing things but curiously, everything was tidy and clean. Also, there were pictures on the walls and objects carefully set on top of the shelves, as if they were there to be admired and cherished. His fingers brushed the flower patterned skirt of a western doll which was smiling widely at him and his eyes fell on the titles printed on the spines of a few books.

“Before our parents died in the plane crash” Yahiko's voice was subdued, and he approached him, his eyes still darting around, trying to absorb as much information as possible. “My sister was a normal teenager who read cheesy romance novels and went to the cinema with her friends. Even though our family was prestigious, mum and dad wanted us to grow up as ordinary children and enjoy life while we could. I remember that she was cheerful and kind and that I loved her bright smile.”

He smiled bitterly.

“However, when our relatives took us in, that ended. I was still a little boy so they mostly left me alone. However, she was already fifteen years old and they decided that she was old enough to start being trained as a wife and disposed of all her things” his gaze had wandered around, but then, it returned to the man in front of him. “What you see here is what we could save: a doll, a few books, her medals and trophies from the track and field competitions she participated in, photos...” he paused for a moment. “She was forced to leave all that behind. They tried to tame her and make her the perfect wife for a renown family and, after seeing that rebelling didn't bring her any good, she complied.”

There were some photos on the wall, and Shingen walked to them to see them better in the semi-darkness. The beam of light followed him and, lit them over his shoulder. There, different pictures of teenagers smiled back at him, and in all of them, an all too familiar girl he could barely relate to the demure lady he was engaged to stood out on her own.

“However, she's strong like my mother and she has managed to keep at least part of her spirit. Sometimes, she escapes from here with the help of her best friend, the only one our relatives approved from her past, and meet old acquaintances or do things that she's not allowed anymore.”

While listening to the story, Shingen had kept on wandering the room, finding small objects that were surely attached to a memory. Fleetingly, he thought that, once they were married, maybe he could get her to tell him about them. Lifting the lid of a box, he saw a small pile of Cds and, curious, he took one to see what type of tastes his fiancé had in music. His eyes widened in astonishment.

“I bet you didn't imagine she was a fan of your band...”

He lifted his head to look at the young boy. He was with his back to him, pointing the flashlight to a poster in front of him, one Shingen knew too well. It had been the promotional image of their first national tour. He walked to him, staring at the picture too. It was a bit flashier than he remembered, and he could not help a small smile seeing that he still had his hair short at that time. However, there was another one next to that and he pushed the light with his fingertips to take a better look at it. It was a recent one and he was alone in there. It had been taken at one of the concerts and on it, he was with his back to the watcher, his profile outlined by the spotlights and his hair braided in small plaits on the sides of his head and then tied up in a high ponytail as he played one of the enormous waidaiko around him.

“She had admired you for a long time, and she barely could believe it when they told her that you were her betrothed” Yahiko's voice had turned slightly amused. “I'd never seen her more bewildered than at that moment. However, she had to make an effort to recover so our aunt wouldn't suspect something. But her hands were trembling under the sleeves of her kimono.”

He turned to the man.

“Now you know a bit more about her” a smile made its way across his lips. “It's what you wanted, right?” Shingen could only nod absently, still looking at the posters in front of him, trying to reconcile all the information in his mind. “Now, let's go. Somebody could come looking for me at any moment and it would be bad if they caught us. Especially for her.”

He nodded once again, more firmly this time, and it was then that something caught his attention.

Yahiko took some steps towards the entrance and turned to see if he was following him. However, he was still in the same place, looking at something in his hand. He pointed the light to him.

“Your sister... was at last night concert...”

Yahiko chuckled. “Of course! I told you she escapes the house sometimes, didn't I?

After coming out of the building and making their way carefully to the wooden door in the fence, Yahiko rummaged in the the folds of his kimono.

“Before I forget, here's her phone number and mail”

“I already have those...” Shingen paused for a moment and glanced at the boy, feeling a bit troubled. “Though to tell you the truth, I've never used them.”

Yahiko moved his head.

“Those are my aunt's, she had to make sure you had as little contact with her as possible. However, she doesn't know she has a private one that only the close friends who they think she has cut ties with have. Maybe she'll take some time to answer, since she can't check it often but you can talk to her without them knowing about it.”

He took the paper and looked at it reflexively.

“Why are you doing all this? Am I not supposed to be the bad guy who's marrying her for his own benefit?”

The boy looked at him seriously, putting a hand on his waist.

“My big sister is my only true family and I want her to be happy. And I know her only way to that is getting out of this house. To tell you the truth, I hated you so much when you came for the first time. But I've watching you this whole time and you seemed interested in her as a person. And that became clear today. Beside, you didn't freak out when you saw all this and realised that she's admired you for a long time. Any other would've thought she was a creep. That made me trust you.”

For a moment, the memory of her panicked eyes, of a beautiful shade of brown, and the rushed apology on the supermarket ticket, appeared in his mind and he could not help a soft smile. Then, he lifted his hand and tousled Yahiko's hair softly. The teenager's eyes stared directly at his, a sudden wave of uncertainty shining briefly in them.

“You'll free her, right?”

Shingen smiled widely, feeling strangely proud of that boy he barely knew but who already felt like a little brother to him.

“Leave it to me, kid.”

It was late at night when the young woman got up from bed and crossed her room. Silently, she pulled at the lowest drawer of the chest where she kept her clothes, taking it out completely, and she introduced her arm in the space. She closed her fingers around the thin device hidden there, a smartphone Umeko, her best friend, had bought for her. She extracted it from the fabric bag she had made to protect it and she switched it on.

Umeko had sent her some photos of the concert and she smiled upon seeing them, a few butterflies coming to life in her stomach when she saw one of Shingen that Umeko had edited with some hearts and sparkles, and the text “Your Husband” at the bottom.

Silly, she typed on the screen, feeling the blush that dusted her cheeks even hotter.

Also, she had notifications from communities about the band, where the fans were going overboard about their performance, and other less innocent things.

The phone vibrated when she was about to turn it off and she opened a new mail that she had received, even though she did not recognise the address at that moment. She became stunned upon reading the greeting, her heart thundering in her chest painfully, so loud that she feared for a moment somebody else could hear it.

She breathed deeply through her mouth as her fingertips brushed the screen, her pupils absorbing his words as if they were trying to engrave them in her mind.

He had read her note and she did not have to apologise for anything.

Something broke inside her and she felt weak with relief, her limbs suddenly heavy.

But he insisted on having that date he had asked for...

She bit her trembling lower lip, letting her hands fall on her lap as they held the device tightly, and closed her eyes for a moment, trying to regain her calmness.

A part of her was dying to say yes. Until that afternoon, she had been convinced that he had no interest in her and that he thought their engagement was a bother. That he had a lover... But the tone of his voice and the solemnity of his expression had told her of his serious commitment. And that he wanted to know more about her said that he wished to look at her as a person and not just as his freedom to live his life as he pleased.

However, a small voice at the back of her mind told her that she would embarrass herself in front of him. Up to that moment, she had been partly relieved that she had barely had to talk during his visits, as she was sure she would get flustered and stutter so much that she would be scolded in front of him.

Her fingertips hovered over the keyboard. She breathed deeply and pressed her lips in a thin line. However, she could not go on like that forever. There would be a time where she would have to break that barrier. She could not become his wife without being able to look at him directly or talk to him. And she had the feeling that if she refused, things would become awkward between them and starting a life in common under such circumstances would only damage their relationship. She needed to be brave, however nerve wracking the experience would be.

In that moment, a creak was heard in the corridor and she jumped. Quickly, she put the smartphone in her sleeve, put the drawer in its place and ran trying not to make any noise. She covered herself just in time for the door to slide a bit. She buried her face in the pillow to calm her breathing. She had discovered a few months before that her relatives sometimes watched her at night, especially when they had any suspicion about her actions. And that day events had shaken them deeply. She felt the urge to snort. As if a fiancé asking for a date with his betrothed would be something so scandalous.

After she felt calmer, she sighed and turned to the other side. She had mastered the art of feigning sleep to its finest after so many times staying up surfing the internet or chatting with her old friends until the early hours.

The minutes ticked away in the antique clock of her room until she finally heard the sliding door close again and light steps walk off until they faded in the corridor. She breathed relieved and, after listening attentively for some more time, she rummaged in her sleeve to extract the phone.

Her eyes read his messages again and then, swallowing hard, she started to type.

They had agreed to meet the following Saturday instead of the Sunday he had requested at first, to avoid suspicions, and upon telling her their plans, her best friend Umeko had readily offered her help. And that day, as he had told her, he was waiting for her at the entrance of a park situated in one of the wards in Kyoto further from her house, where her relatives would not probably find them.

For a moment, she contemplated him as he checked his mobile phone. He was leaning against one of the pillars that formed the gate, obviously dressed as not to attract too much attention though she could see that even wearing dark blue jeans, boots, a dark grey sweatshirt with an orange motive on the chest under the black gilet and a woolen hat which covered his blazing-red hair, some people turned their heads to him, admiration clearly showing in their eyes.

“He's even more gorgeous when up close” Umeko's voice contained a mixture of amusement and admiration, and then, she felt a soft push on the shoulder. “Come on, go and show them that he's taken.”

She turned to her friend, a grateful smile dancing in her lips.

“Thank you very much, Umeko...”

The girl nodded and then winked at her.

“Enjoy your date, and send me a text when you want me to pick you up.”

She made an affirmative sound and then, opened the door of the car.

Umeko observed her as she made her way to her future husband, and how he lifted his face when he sensed her near and smiled. Maybe it was not the smile of someone in love but at least, it was the gesture of a sincerely contented man who appreciated what he was seeing. She smiled satisfied as she used her turn signal and, giving them a last glance, joined the traffic to leave them in their own world.

“I'm glad to see you again” he replied to her formal bow and greeting. “And with not so many witnesses around us.”

She nodded briefly and swallowed hard, not really trusting her voice. Her heartbeat was almost deafening and she was sure that if there was not so much traffic and people walking and chatting around them, he could have heard it clearly.

“Did you have any problems to come today? Did your family said something, or were suspicious?”

“N-No...”

She frowned and berated herself when the first stutter left her lips. It was as if his mere presence rendered her unable to think or move coherently. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to even her breath. He was someone she had never dreamt of being near of, a man who had meant the world to her since she was a teenager. However, he was also a human being, like her, and the person she would share her life with. She had to gather her thoughts and courage, and start treating him, not just as her idol, but as her future husband.

“Are you feeling okay?”

His concerned voice brought her back to reality and she realised that her fear of embarrassing herself in front of him was becoming a reality.

“I'm sorry...”

Shingen looked at her slightly confused, tilting his head to the side to get a better look at her face.

“I'm making a fool of myself...” she lifted her hand and with the back, she touched the burning skin of her cheeks. “I'm really nervous today...”

A tender smile drew across his lips, realising that what for him was something pleasant and quite common like a tryst, for her, it probably was a nerve wracking situation between breaking even more rules imposed to her than just merely escaping to see a concert and being with someone she admired deeply. He recalled her brother's words about his band and himself in the warehouse, and understood that he could not behave as always with his past lovers or friends with benefits. He would have to break her walls one by one, forcefully and at the same time, gently.

“You don't have to apologise” she side-glanced at him. “Just forget about all that, at least for a few minutes” she furrowed her brows in a delicate frown, wondering what he had meant by 'all that' but he continued. “I just want you to enjoy today and, as I told your aunt, to get to know you a bit better” he let out a little sigh. “We're going to get married and I don't even know what your favourite colour is.”

'Even though you probably know everything about me...' the afterthought that flashed in his mind after his own words

She watched him for a few seconds and then, a small, wistful smile appeared on her face.

“You're right” she straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin slightly. “I should probably relax a bit and appreciate what Umeko and you are doing for me. It's just...” she paused, giving some thinking to her next words. “I think I'm not used to unwind anymore...”

He observed her for a moment, having a slight suspicion about that pause she had made, but did not say anything about it. Up to that moment, she had not mentioned a thing about him being a famous musician and, even though it intrigued him, especially since he knew how she felt about him, he decided it was not the time to bring up the topic, seeing her finally at ease in his company.

“Okay” he said putting one of his hands on his hip. “Did you think of anywhere you'd like to go?”

“Not really...” her cheeks became a bit warm when he smiled, but she swallowed, reflexively clenching her fingers into fists to suppress the anxious feeling that was, once again, arising in her chest, focusing her thoughts on her words. “You told me that you wanted to take me somewhere special so I didn't really give it too much thought. I'm really fine with any type of food.”

His smile widened.

“I wasn't talking about any restaurants, but about another place I think you'll appreciate much more.”

For a moment, a flash of mischief played in his amber pupils and her aunt's words when she had refused his request of a date with her sounded in her mind. However, she shook her head lightly, refusing to think that had been his purpose since the beginning. She had decided to trust him when she had accepted to go out with him, and that was what she was going to do.

“There's a taxi stop at a short walk from here” he extended his hand to her. “Let's go?”

She stared at it for a moment and then, she pressed her mouth in a thin line, her fingers closing tightly around the handle of her small bag. A single word left her lips and Shingen stared at her curiously.

“That's my favourite colour.”

His smile was wide and sincere, and she found herself answering it with one of her own while she extended her arm put her fingers in his palm. His slightly calloused skin was warm and she felt a pleasant tingle when he took hold of hers, tugging so she would follow him.

They walked at a leisure step, Shingen asking her simple questions about her hobbies and tastes and answering some of hers. From time to time, she glanced around, especially when she felt someone staring at them. She chuckled silently and that drew his attention.

“What's so funny?”

She shook her head.

“Nothing really... I was just thinking that no matter how you disguise yourself, you attract people's attention.”

He grinned at the amused edge of her words and how she had lowered her guard against her own thoughts.

“I know it's not the best one but at least, it conceals my special traits” he brushed the red bangs which sticked out of his woolen hat. “It'll be too much of a bother if they recognised me right away, when all I want is to enjoy this day with you” he watched satisfied as her expression became somewhat disconcerted. “And,” he added. “how do you know that they're not looking at you” he gave her a side smile. “That kimono really suits you.”

A wave of shyness washed over her. It was true that, after thinking and considering clothes for far longer that she had ever done, she had finally opted for her favourite kimono, a tsukesage in shades of purple with a seasonal motive in the hem, the upper part of the back and the sleeves, and as Umeko used to say, it was obvious in every one of her gestures and expressions that she loved to wear it.

However, she had never faced such an open flirting, not even in the only relationship she had had in all her life. Her boyfriend in high school had been easy-going and fun, but he had always felt a bit awkward when they had been in a situation that could lead to a romantic outcome. He had never behaved in any remotely similar way to how Shingen was doing. And she did not know well how to react.

Before she could think of a right way to answer his comment, he stopped, pointing to the row of taxis next to them.

“Come on, let's be quick or we'll be late.”

Instead of a place where they could have more privacy, the taxi stopped at the entrance of a large venue. As she got out of the vehicle, looking at the building with open curiosity, Shingen started rummaging in the bag he carried. He, then extracted two passes.

“Keep this with you all the time” he said giving her one with the logo of his band. “Though... I don't know if the clip will damage your kimono...”

“Don't worry” she replied, taking it from him and observing the little clamp for a moment before securing it in one of the inner wraps of her obi. “The fabric is not very delicate and in case it leaves a mark, nobody will see it there.”

He opened his gilet and hanged it from the belt of his jeans.

“Now we're ready” he took her hand again, pulling her towards the entrance.

“But, where are we going?” she tried to remember if the band had any event that morning, in whose case, he could not have been there with her.

His only response was an enigmatic smile over his shoulder.

They entered the building through a glass automatic sliding door, being greeted by a security guard and some of the venue workers and finally, he stopped just in front of a double door with a small window at the top. He turned and his grin was even wider than before. She inhaled deeply, trying to regain her breath after trying to match his long strides across the hall.

“I talked to our manager so you could watch our rehearsal for tomorrow night's concert” her eyes opened, pure bewilderment flashing in them, regarding him, and her lower lip hung slightly open, feeling unable to react. “After all,” he lowered his voice to barely a whisper. “You're my most precious fan.”

His words sounded deeply inside her and her chin trembled a bit. It was impossible that he knew her secret, she had been extremely careful not to let a single word about him or his band, or her deep admiration for him out, and it was impossible that with such a short time together he could have figured it out.

“Ho... do you know that...?”

“A little bird who loves you dearly showed me a very special room where my lovely fiancee keeps her treasures...”

She was mortified. He had learnt all her deepest secrets without her realising and now she was sure he would definitely feel uncomfortable with her. However, at that moment, her racing mind registered two facts. He had already known by the time they had met, and also, he had just called her 'lovely'...

“Don't look so troubled” he bent over her a bit to take a better look at her face. “He did it because he adores you so don't be too hard on him when you return home.”

She blinked slowly.

“Yahiko...?”

He nodded and was about to add something else when a stingy voice interrupted them.

“Could you cut out the flirting so we can start the rehearsal?” both of them turned , finding a blond man watching them with a disgusted expression.

Shingen gave him a side- looped smile and then, glanced at her, who was still recovering her composure.

“I bet you didn't expect our little angel to have such a sharp tongue. He's always so polite and smiles complacently to the public, but it's better not to be on the wrong side in one of his bad days.”

“So?” he crossed his arms on his chest and glanced at her for a moment with apparent disinterest. “Who's the wrench?” there were murmurs approaching, and behind Ieyasu, a few figures appeared after turning a corner, chatting among them. “It seems that you forgot that outsiders are forbidden after the mayhem with Hideyoshi and his messy double-dating game.”

That comment gained the irated glare of one of the other men who had just stopped by them.

“Don't you dare talk about Hideyoshi like that!”

They both got into an argument immediately and the others groaned, except for a light-built man with short light brown hair, who just smiled.

“And before you ask,” Shingen murmured in a clearly amused tone. “Yes, they're always like that.”

She stared worriedly at them for a few more seconds and then tilted her head upwards.

“Is it really okay for me to be here?”

But before he could answer, a blond man with an almost ethereal presence, turned to them and peered at her with slightly closed eyelids and a pleasant smile.

“And who is this charming lady, little tiger? An acquaintance?”

“She's my fiancée” his expression softened as he glanced at her, watching her cheeks dusted with a soft colour and her fingers grasp the handle of her bag even tighter, as she introduced herself to them.

Silence hung for a long moment in the hall and then, all of them started to talk at the same time, alternating incredulous remarks, the loudest ones from a man with dark hair and a pink T-shirt, with some congratulations and skeptical looks. All those ended when another man entered the scene and put some order. After a new introduction, the man ushered them all inside, indicating the musicians to take their places on the stage and her, a seat in the third row.

Shingen took out his gilet and sweatshirt, under which he wore a dark orange sleeveless T-shirt, leaving all that on the seat next to her. Before straightening and going with his mates, a slow smile drew across his lips and his eyes gleamed with satisfaction, a small spark of untamed passion flickering in them.

“I hope you have the time of your life.”

It was difficult to recognise the meek girl he had met a few weeks ago in the exultant young woman who walked beside him at the moment. Shingen watched her almost fascinated. It was as if every cell of her body was alive and everything, her steps, her posture, her long hair swaying in the gentle breeze, radiated light.

“So,” he said, lifting his brows slightly and pursing his lips momentarily. “I assume that you liked my surprise.”

She turned to him, her eyes bright and her cheeks flushed with excitement.

“It was one of the most beautiful things someone has ever done for me” she stopped, facing him and bowing. “Thank you very much, I'll never forget it.”

“Come on,” he said putting a hand in his hip. “Don't be so formal now.”

“But it was something amazing, like a dream coming true. I've heard a whole performance, I've talked with you all and you even invited them to our wedding...” she covered part of her face, trying to hide her embarrassment. “I won't be able to return such an unbelievable gift, even if I had three lives...”

Shingen laughed, watching each and every one of the small changes in her expression. Something inside him wondered how many more layers and expressions she had, and if he would be able to uncover them all.

“You don't have to give anything. I knew it would mean so much to you and it was something really easy to achieve.”

But she was not listening to him.

“Hey...” he insisted.

“I know!” her little outburst startled him. “I'll cook for you.”

He lifted an elegant brow, looking doubtfully at her.

“Do you know how to cook?”

She frowned, her eyes flashing with an offended gleam.

“”What do you take me for?” she crossed her arms over her chest, lifting her chin defiantly. “My father was convinced that you can't manage a food emporium without knowing it in depth. He was a great cook and he taught me well” her eyes misted a bit. “He had started to let Yahiko into the kitchen when... he passed away.”

It still hurt. Even though years had passed, she still missed them dearly and in each step of her life, she wondered what they would do in her place, and if they would have been proud of her. Now that her wedding approached, she wished they would be there to see her become a bride.

Shingen watched the change in her with concern, though he could understand it. His parents were still alive but he had missed the warmth of a true family and she had had it but lost it under tragic circumstances. However, it was easier to live without it not having experienced it than having done it and then being deprived of it.

He touched her back softly, attracting her attention back to him, and offered her a small smile.

“Alright, if you're so convinced, I'd love to try your food.”

She breathed deeply and then returned his smile, nodding.

“Though I have to warn you that my fridge is almost empty. I barely eat at home and when I return at night, I either grab something to eat at the convenience store or buy some take-out.”

She frowned.

“That's not healthy at all” he shrugged lightly and she sighed, a small sound vibrating in her throat. “Okay, I'll make you something really nutritive to give you strength for tomorrow's concert, so first, we have to stop by a supermarket.”

Once they arrived at his flat, he took out his keys from his jeans pocket.

“Welcome to your future home, milady” he said half jokingly opening the door for her to see a spacious hall.

She doubted for a moment, suddenly becoming fully conscious of the place where she was about to enter, and a sense of trepidation overwhelmed her. Shingen gazed at her, expectant at first and uneasy later, as if he was suddenly aware of her feelings. His smile faltered.

“If you're having second thoughts about this, we can still go to eat somewhere. There are some good restaurants in this area that can take us without a reservation” he made a motion to take the shopping bag she was carrying. “Give that to me. I'll put everything in the fridge and Kansuke can sort it out later.”

She shook her head, lifting her eyes to him. Her pupils still showed a hint of insecurity but her expression was serene.

“I'm fine.”

And then, she stepped into the house.

She took off her sandals, putting them correctly out of habit, and then, glanced at him, waiting for him to show her the way. The flat was a luxurious one room duplex with a spacious living room with enormous windows from where they could overwatch great part of the city. On their left, there was a completely equipped open plan kitchen with breakfast bar and beyond, a staircase led to the bedroom. Under the second floor, a half opened Japanese sliding door let her get a glimpse of a large bathroom with an ample vintage bath in the centre.

Shingen watched satisfied as she looked around filled with curiosity, her previous apprehension seemingly vanished.

“This way” he guided her to the kitchen and, after leaving their bags on the breakfast bar, both of them searched through all the cupboards and drawers to find the kitchenware she would need.

“Is there anything you can't eat?” she asked once everything had been placed in an orderly way.

He shook his head and then, leant his weight on the counter beside her.

“Are you sure you don't need any help?”

“Do you know how to cook?” she answered with a question of her own, and then pursed her lips seeing him deny it again. “Then, it's better if I do it alone” she gathered her sleeves. “Do you have anything that could be useful to tie them?”

“Maybe.”

Shingen returned with a male obi tha he had folded in three.

“But I didn't-” she was interrupted when he started to fasten them expertly.

“I don't keep ribbons or anything like that here, so this must do” he saw her open her mouth to reply but was faster. “And if it worries you so much, it's an old one, and made of synthetic fabric, so it's easy to take care of it.”

She sighed, resigned.

“And now, since I only would be in the way, I'll disappear from here and make myself decent.”

And turning around, he took the set of clothes he had left on the breakfast bar and made his way to the bathroom, closing the door behind him and leaving her dumbfounded and with the thought of having her fiancé taking a bath just a few metres away from her.

“This is delicious” Shingen picked up a few more vegetables with his chopsticks and ate them almost greedily, enjoying every single bit.

“I'm glad” she could not help the proud smile as she watched him, picking up a piece of meat from her own plate. He had come out of the bathroom just in time for the food to be served. They were sitting at the dining table he had near the enormous windows that faced the city, the sky a light shade of blue with only a few clouds floating in the distance.

He had changed into another pair of jeans and a long sleeved T-shirt and his red hair, long and luxuriant, fell down his back except for a lock which fell across his shoulder and chest.

He seemed to notice how her eyes returned to it once and again and he smiled, letting his chopsticks on the rest and propping an elbow on the table, his cheek leaning on his hand, some of his tresses following the movement and hanging like a curtain behind his shoulder, the light spreading its reflection on it.

“Anything interesting you care to share with me?”

His smile was flirtatious again, like that morning and a small voice inside her warned her against him. The situation was completely different and now they were alone in his own territory. And he was like a tiger, as Kenshin had called him, elegant, fascinating, tempting and dangerous.

She turned her attention to her own food and took her time to answer, searching for a convincing reason.

“I feel envious” she finally said, setting for the most inofensive reply she had been able to come up in such a short time. “You have really beautiful hair while mine” she took one of her locks, “ is just... normal.”

Before she could drop it, he got a hold of it and slided it down between his fingers, twisting the end loosely in his index.

“It's soft like silk...”

The warning filled her mind again but before she could act on it, he let it fall from his grasp and resumed his meal.

“I hope you can come back to cook for me again soon... It's been long since I had such a satisfying meal like this.”

The young woman smiled, feeling disconcerted at the sudden change in his behaviour and not really trusting her voice at that moment, quickly eating something to fill her silence.

Some minutes later, they finished the main course and she went back to the kitchen to bring tea and some dessert. Shingen widened his eyes in surprise and delight as she put a small plate with a few pieces of kinako mochi in front of him.

“I can't believe you managed to make this feast and my favourite sweets in such a short amount of time.”

“A good cook knows how to organise themselves and their time” she replied sitting down again.

He did not waste a second to try it, and she felt pleased to see his expression of joy. Way before she finished hers, he had eaten everything, not leaving even the smallest piece.

After finishing the tea and, as she showed sign to stand up, he beat her to it and picked up the tableware.

“I can do this” he said with a small smile. “Even I know how a dishwasher works” she laughed softly. “Have some rest while you can.”

He finished tidying everything up quickly, not wanting to waste the minutes they could still be together, but when he returned to the table, he did not find her resting. Instead, she was looking through the window at the city that extended beyond, the outline of the old buildings and pagodas giving the skyline the appearance of a city from a time long gone. Her fingers were barely touching the glass and it was obvious that her mind was far from there. Frowning slightly, wondering what had absorbed her mind so deeply, he stood by her, studying her profile, her long hair falling freely from the hairpin that gathered the top half of her tresses at her nape and the sparkles that the sunlight brought to her eyes.

When he realised it, he had lifted his hand to touch her, but before he could lower it down, she turned her head to him, staring into his eyes, serene and relaxed.

“What were you thinking?” his voice was barely a murmur, low and quiet.

Her cheeks covered in a beautiful shade of pink, but her eyes never wavered.

“That I'll get to see this view and live this life every day once I become your wife.”

Shingen swallowed hard because he knew he was about to give a step forward and he felt slightly uneasy that she would not follow, because a marriage to him was not just a quiet moment and a gold ring and after hours of relishing in the company of each other, sharing what both loved, there was another way of getting to know each other that he wanted to try up to where she let him. His fingertips caressed her warm skin and, maybe reading in his pupils his intention, she smiled softly.

He bent forward slowly to give her time to step back, to stop him, but she did not and he was the one who, stopped just a breath away from her face.

“Have you been kissed before?”

Her cheeks burnt at his question, her eyes searching his questioningly.

“O-Only once... A long time ago...”

He blinked slowly, his golden pupils never truly leaving hers, as he brushed her lower lip with the tip of his thumb in a deliberate caress. Her eyelids fluttered closed and Shingen dropped his finger, replacing it with his mouth, reminding himself to be gentle in that first chaste kiss. Her mouth tasted like the dessert they had eaten a few minutes ago and he felt compelled to try it again. He had barely separated from her when he returned, pressing more urgently against her, his teeth gracing the plump flesh of her mouth. Their breaths mingled as they parted for just a fleeting moment, seeking each other again, his tongue delving between her lips to entice her to follow him without reserves. A small sound left her throat, her fingers grasping the sleeves of his T-shirt when she felt her legs shake and Shingen's arms held her tighter against him. She was almost out of breath, her chest burning when he finally released her, his mouth brushing her cheek, dropping feathered kisses along it.

“You're so adorable... so endearing...”

He nuzzled at her jaw whispering her name and venturing lower. His lips locked on her throat, his teeth gracing her skin. Her heart thundered in her chest, abruptly taking her out of the pleasurable bliss she had been drowning in, and her eyes widened, her hands pushing at his chest.

“No, please...” she begged. “I can't have any... marks...”

He stilled, his mouth leaving her neck. However, he did not move. Instead, she felt the tip of his tongue trace slowly, almost lazily, a small pattern on her skin, making her shiver. Then, he pecked the same spot and lifted his head to look at her. His pupils were darken than before, almost golden like the sunset, a wave of desire still lingering in them. She lowered her head, feeling strangely awkward.

“I'm sorry...”

He cupped her face, his thumbs caressing her cheeks softly.

“Don't” he kissed her once again, briefly. “I just got impatient...”

Shingen leant his forehead against hers as her fingers covered the back of one of his hands.

“If it's a must, we'll wait until our wedding night” a mischievous smirk drew across his lips. “But I warn you that after so much restraining, I won't be letting you sleep at all, so be ready.”

He laughed heartily when she pouted a bit, her cheeks as red as ripped apples, and then, he drew her closer in a loving embrace. Her fingers grasped the back of his T-shirt and she buried her face in his chest.

“I promise you that I'll do whatever in my hand to make you happy.”

“And I'll try my best to become a woman you can fall in love with.”

He kissed the top of her head.

“You're fine as you are now. Your sweet side is charming, as well as the fire and the strength that lie behind it. In your own way, you're a great woman and I'm starting to like her much more than I had imagined at first.”

Her only response was to tighten her hold around him and he thought that they would really be happy, despite the peebles that life had and would be putting in their way. After all, he had a admirable woman beside him, one that he felt he had already started to love.

#slbp #2019SLBPCupidExchange #slbp shingen #michverse #otome0heart #fanfic

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otheroutlandertales · 6 years

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Lindsey (formerly known as @lindseyylu17) said: maybe fergus and roger (or any other characters of your choosing) get paired up in a pen pals program in school and friendship begins and then romance ensues. xoxo

This is the first installment of a short multi-chapter - three installments planned plus possibly a short epilogue.

Reading You - Part One: The Letters

by @wunderlichkind

Roger was more nervous than he could remember ever being; not on his first day of school, not when he had played his first concert, not when he had first kissed a girl, not even when he had realized that kissing girls wasn’t for him.

He was standing in the high school’s parking lot, waiting to get into the minibus taking them from Inverness to Aberdeen airport. And to a plane, waiting to fly them out of Scotland to Paris, Charles-de-Gaulle.

They had prepared for the exchange program by writing letters – each of them to an assigned student, the one they would be living with during the week they’d spend in Paris.

„At least one letter,“ Mrs MacCarthy had said, dumping the address cards on their desks, reminding them that it was a privilege to take part in the exchange program and that they were supposed to take it seriously, yadda, yadda...

“That’s not a very French name, huh?“ Fiona had looked over, checking out Roger’s card. “Uh, nah... sounds rather Scottish, actually,“ Roger had agreed, studying the name written out in front of him. Fergus Callau.

Fergus.

It had taken Roger ages to write that first letter – he had wanted to make a good impression, to not seem a boring small-town boy. He hadn’t wanted to seem overeager, either, and after writing and rewriting the short paragraph several times, he had given up and kept it to the basics, choosing to add in a Soundcloud link to one of his own songs instead.

After that, it had only gotten easier. Mrs McCarthy’s “one letter“ rule surpassed without effort, Fergus and Roger had been exchanging letters for the better part of two months now, and Roger sometimes felt like a character straight out of a mediocre romcom, waiting eagerly for a new letter to arrive, barely containing himself long enough to take it to his room to read. And it really had a romantic touch, he thought - these letters made out of ink and paper, palpable, almost making you feel their writer’s secrets between your fingers in a way the harsh glow of a computer screen never would.

Fergus had a minimalistic way of writing, his letters never much longer than a single page, yet he always managed to make Roger feel heard and understood, and he never let the conversation die down by way of challenging Roger with intriguing questions.

I love how you describe the feeling of loneliness in your song. Why have you chosen that topic?

What is music to you? What do you need it for?

I like your picture.

When you’re here, we should find a guitar for you to play for me. I want to hear your real voice instead of its canned version.

Is your girlfriend coming to Paris, too?

Roger had questioned every one of his answering letters to the bone – had he understood Fergus’ intention right? Had he really discerned that one, possibly flirty undertone? Was that just the way French people wrote letters? Did he obsess too much? In the end, he had chosen to stick to honesty.

Aye, I sometimes feel lonely. I don’t really feel I can be all that open with the people in my life. Especially since my parents died.

Music is my lifeline. It’s the one part of my day, where I feel I can be completely honest, with myself and with anyone who wants to listen. That, and when I write to you.

I like your picture, too.

I don’t have a girlfriend. Never had one, never wanted one.

He remembered his stomach’s nervous flutters, quite alike to the vibrations running through the airplane now, before take-off, when he’d read Fergus’ answering letter – the last one arriving before their trip.

A boyfriend then?

It had taken all his courage to bring to paper what he’d felt bubbling up under his skin at reading the simple question. He hadn’t told many people in his life – he hadn’t actively hidden it, either, but he’d never wanted to run around advertising his sexuality, and there hadn’t been a good reason to let everyone know so far.

Haven’t met the right lad yet.

He had posted the letter four days ago. It should have arrived by now. They would touch down in Paris in less than two hours and he would get to see Fergus.

Fergus, with the long, wavy brown hair. Fergus, with the obscenely pretty eyelashes. Fergus, with the delicate swing of his nose. Fergus, whose picture Roger had stared at for an entirely embarrassing amount of time.

___________________________________________________________________

“Ye look a little tense, Rog,“ Fi stated when the plane started dipping in approach of Charles-de-Gaulle, effectively jolting Roger out of his nervous pondering. “Huh?“ he asked, gaze fixed on the city growing bigger below them.

“Are ye scared of flying?“

He made a non-committal sound in his throat, choosing not to explain to her what was really on his mind, but he felt the tense muscles in his forearm relax a little when she rested her palm on it.

And there it was – Paris – lying below them in all its glory, bathed in the early evening light of the autumn day. Roger caught a glimpse at best, before they were turning towards the outskirts of the city and flying too low to get a comprehensive picture. In his mind’s eye, it was enough – a quick flash burning an everlasting hologram into his retinas, the picture that would always cross his mind at the thought of Paris, forever shining with the expectant glow of his imagination of Fergus.

Twenty steps down the stairs to disembark the plane. Two-hundred and something steps to baggage claim – Roger had lost count over the excited chatter of his schoolmates at some point. Eight and a half minutes until their baggage arrived. Two minutes until the teachers had calmed them all down enough to remind them of the procedure; going out into the arrival area, meeting the exchange students and their families, going home with them for the first night and finally reuniting with the whole group at school the next day.

Roger’s nerves were pulled taut to the point of snapping, his mind racing between thoughts of Fergus and a nagging little voice at the back of his head chastising for being so desperately over-invested in this relationship already.

Ifrinn, Wakefield, get yer shit together and don’t piss yerself. Ye’re only meeting an exchange student – albeit a verra attractive one.

He stood in the doorway to the arrival area before he could finish internally talking himself up, stopping dead in his tracks for a split second, trying to gather his wits. Only moments now.

Roger made a conscious effort to bring his feet back to moving, only lifting his head to look for Fergus when he was sure his face wasn’t a pathetic mask of trepidation.

The hall was buzzing with people, greetings in different languages filling the air. Roger was briefly reminded of the opening scene of “Love, actually...“, a movie Mrs MacCarthy had made them watch before christmas break last year. Between hearty, emotional reunion scenes, Roger got to witness the first few of his classmates finding their exchange families and making timid acquaintances. He felt a little calmer for a moment, reassured, seeing their respective nerves on display.

“Roger.“

The nearly imperceptible French accent on the small word, his name, sent his nerves rushing back immediately. His stomach was in turmoil – especially after he finally spotted Fergus in the crowd, elbowing his way towards him – and his throat felt constricted, making him panic that he wouldn’t get out a word of greeting.

Damn ye, Roger Wakefield, the functioning part of his brain screamed at him, ye’re making yerself look like a bloody fool!

When Fergus reached him, there was no need for words, however. To Roger’s surprise, he found himself in a hug, two fleeting kisses pressed to his cheeks, Fergus’ smell (of apple shampoo and sandalwood) in his nose. He had to steady his knees.

When he eventually managed to speak, his voice sounded ridiculously hoarse to his own ears, the word a secret on his lips that he finally got to share after cherishing and guarding it for many weeks.

“Fergus.“

“Bienvenue à Paris, mon ami!“

#outlander fanfiction #otheroutlandertales #mod wunder #pair: fergus x roger #ch: fergus #ch: roger #ch: fiona #modern au #category: mm #queerlander #reading you #oot #*

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surveys-at-your-service · 6 years

Text

Survey #167

“everything he sees is just blue like him, inside and outside.”

Did the house you grew up in have a big yard? It was fairly decent. Have you ever worked over 50 hours in one week? No. What has been the most difficult class you’ve ever taken? Latin. Do you think teenagers should focus more on their education rather than on relationships? Well, yeah. I mean that as in you should pursue knowledge more than love, but it can of course happen and should be taken seriously. What’s your opinion on couples ‘staying together for the kids?’ Awful idea. Your children don't need to grow up on the sidelines of a dead relationship. It can give them such negative expectations. Did any of the classes you took in high school count towards uni credit? No. Do you think being born was a mistake? No. Have you ever been arrested? No. Has a relative ever been arrested? Don't believe so. Do you think the Fountain of Youth exists? No. How about in a parallel dimension? Maybe, idk. Do you believe humans are part of a giant alien experiment? Not necessarily aliens, but I'm *open* to the possibility that we're just a simulation of a future civilization to learn how their ancestors lived, like we're literally Sims. I lean towards that being false, but. There's astonishing evidence for the possibility we're not "real," though regardless, I stand by the "I think, therefore I am" quote, so I really don't care either way. Do you think your blood is sacred? Uh... no? Have you ever been suicidal? Yeah. Was it a passing phase or is it something controlled by medication? It was something corrected with the help of medication, LOTS of therapy, and a closure conversation with Jason. Do you hold any holiday special in your heart? Halloween and Christmas, particularly. Is there a holiday you wish no one celebrated? Which is it? Why do you feel that way? Eh, I don't feel like flipping through the list of holidays right now. What’s your favorite book? Why is that? Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo because it is a masterpiece of the needlessness for war, as well as The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, though by this point I don't even recall most of the story... I just know I adored it. Who is your all-time favorite author? Don't have one. What do you like about them? N/A Who’s your favorite poet? Poe, of course. What’s your all-time favorite band? How about all-time fave singer? I have too many favorite bands. Singers, Freddie Mercury and Brendon Urie. Do you think most mythological creatures exist? No. Have you ever had lice? No. What brand of dish soap do you use? Uhhhh idk, I don't wanna go look lol. Do any of your neighbors have dogs? Idk. Growing up, did you listen to country music? Yup, believe it or not. Have you ever dated someone on the football team? No. Do you like tomatoes? I'm not a fan. I can enjoy fresh ones in a small amount in a sandwich/burger, but that's it. What’s your favorite brand of bottled water? Essentia. Do you have any ceramic animals in your house or outside? No. What brand of makeup do you wear? I don’t wear a specific brand. What type of waffles do you like? (Plain, blueberry etc..) Plain or chocolate chip, depending on mood. Do you brush your tongue? Holy shit brush your tongue, dude. What kind of laugh do you have? It's loud and obnoxious as hell. What kind of cell phone do you have? (ex. flip, slider, or traditional.) Touch screen. Have you ever gotten searched by the cops? No. Have you ever been enrolled in private school? No. Do you know how to grill a steak? No. Would you ever use an online dating service? No, was on one v briefly and it was. Very much not my thing. I felt like I was hunting for a relationship when I'm way more for it just finding you. Do you like Gushers? YES. Do you have a large dog? No, Teddy and Bentley are both medium-sized. If not, are you afraid of them? Not at all. I love big dogs. What is more annoying: A sore throat or a headache? Headaches. Have you ever sent an X-Rated picture to someone? No. Have you ever gone out of state for a concert? No. When is the last time you went on a date? March. ;____; Do your parents know that/if you smoke? I don't. What is your favorite board game from your childhood? I hated shopping, so I haven't a clue how it was Mall Madness lmao. I also loved that carnival Cranium game, whatever it was. Have you ever gotten rid of something you shouldn’t have and then really regretted it later? Yeah, senior prom pics. There were some where I actually looked pretty fuck Do you beat yourself up when you make mistakes? Usually. Have you ever tried anything off the Starbucks secret menu? No. Do you have string lights in your bedroom? No, but I'd like them. What is your favorite flavor of tea? Tea is disgusting. Do you have an inspiration board? I have a Pinterest board of hair colors and styles I like. What is your favorite magnet on your fridge? Never paid attention to the ones we have. Do you like to sit in the grass? No. Are there popsicles in your freezer right now? Yeah, we got 'em for when I got my tongue pierced. Is there a lamp in your bedroom? No. Would you prefer eating jello or pudding? Pudding. After washing your hair, do you put any products in it? No. Have you ever crawled through a vent? No. Last time you rode a bike? Years ago. What is something you used to always do but don’t anymore? Uhhhh. Idk. Well actually, I used to always have soda like multiple times a day, but now I go some days without touching it. What is the last thing you broke and how did you break it? Idr. What is the best thing you have received when trick or treating? Reese's, ha ha. What is the worst thing you have received when trick or treating? I hate(d) tootsie rolls. What word do you hate the absolute most? Probably "the 'n' word" or the derogatory term for gays... idk. How many seasons is your favorite TV show in so far? Eight for That '70s Show, but both FMAs don't have seasons. Do you remember getting sung to when you were little? No. Have you ever felt a temperature below 0? No. When was the last time you had blood drawn? Couple days back for more tests. What color eyes does/did your father have? Brown. What do you daydream most about? The future. What names do you like? Alessandra, Damien, Josephine, Luther, Chloe, Evelyn, Evangeline, Vincent, Victor... At what age do you want to start working or at what age did you start? My first job was when I was about 19, I think. Where’s the best place to eat a romantic dinner? Olive Garden omlllllll. Who was the last person to piss you off? I don't know about pissed. Probably Mom. Has anyone ever told you that they loved you, and you didn’t say it back? Yeah. What’s your favorite hairstyle on the opposite sex? I like scene/emo hair too much fuck Has anyone ever played a prank on you? What happened? Probably. Which parent are you more similar to? Idk. I'm a pretty even mix of them both. Do you have a lot of self-discipline? Eh, depends. Have you ever been to another country’s capital city? No. What are some of your favorite qualities for another person to have? Compassion, kindness, an open mind, considerate, creative, difficult to anger, understanding... What smell reminds you of your childhood? Chlorine, gingerbread, rain in the air... Have you ever dated someone who had a child from a previous relationship? No, and I wouldn't. When was the last time you spoke to the first person you ever kissed? Second week of February '17. What’s a political issue you have a strong opinion on? Gay rights. Stopping that "oh if (s)he was raped ten years ago, why come out now?" bullshit that's been popular lately. What was the last fruit or vegetable you chopped/sliced up? Romaine lettuce for Kaiju. When you take a nap, do you nap in bed or on the couch? My bed. Have you ever done a Mason jar craft? No, but most of those that I see are so cute. What are you going to be for Halloween this year? Idk if I'm even dressing up. Do you decorate your front door for holidays? Mom puts up a wreath. What are all the costumes you remember wearing for past Halloweens? I literally remember none. Who is your favorite photographer? Check out mothmeister on Instagram. Cool as fuck. Don't know who takes the pictures exactly, but. Jovana Rikalo/thefirebomb on deviantART is also incredible. Were you shy in high school? Not very. Do you wish karma were real, or are you glad that it isn’t? I wish it was. What was your favorite Nick Jr. show? Rugrats. What school subjects are/were you the best at? English and science. What comes naturally to you? Spelling, usually. Bonding with animals. Do you prefer to call life a journey, a battle, a dance, or an adventure? Journey. Do you believe in the power of dreamcatchers or do you just like them as a decoration? They're just pretty decor to me. Who are the cutest babies in your Facebook newsfeed? I have two friends with young babies and neither are cute tbh. One's face looks like a grown man's with elephant ears, while the girl is just like, a month old, and I almost never find babies that young cute. What were your favorite mall stores when you were in high school? HotTopic. What time of day do you normally feel the most awake and alert? A while after I wake up. Have you ever searched for your house on Google Earth? Yeah. How old do you look? I guess my age? Do you like movie nights? Only if it's with someone. What would be number one on your bucket list? Pet a wild (well, habituated) meerkat. How old do you think you’ll be when you make your will? *shrugs* where is the fanciest place you have ever visited? Idk. Do you wear earrings on a normal basis? Ugh, I wish. Two reasons I don't. 1.) My first holes are stretched badly from wearing heavy earrings to much. Put one in the left especially and it almost looks like it's not even attached to my ear. Looks gross. 2.) I'm allergic to silver and like all my earrings are silver. Are your ears pierced more than once, if at all? Yeah. If you wear skirts, are you more likely to wear leggings, or go bare? If I was to wear them, I'd probably wear leggings. Ever stayed up all night on the phone? Jason and I did that (or almost did?) once early in our relationship. If you could move somewhere else, would you? Uh yeah. The one and only reason I won't move too far is because I'm unwilling to leave my psychiatrist; he's one of the biggest reasons I recovered and also gives me free samples of the medicine that saved my damn life, which costs over $1,000. No exaggeration. He knows that's absolutely outrageous. So it's like if I moved somewhere else, would my new psychiatrist do the same? Did the last guy/girl you kissed have any piercings? No. Do you actually love your parents? Yes. Have you ever had a school picture turn out absolutely dreadful? Like, all of them. I look high when I smile. What is the name of the last band you discovered? That I actually got into, Powerwolf. What happened last time you got drunk? Never been drunk, but on the occasion I got the closest, I was more outgoing and giggly. Do you know anyone autistic? I don't believe so. How about someone bipolar? Me. What do you want your job to be when you’re older? A photographer and also an out-on-the-field zoologist. I could bring my camera out with me, combine the two. Have you ever made your parents cry? Mom on sadly multiple occasions, and I could hear that Dad was tearing up when I called him wanting to make up. Do you always lock your door? Not my room door, but the front and back door pretty much always are. If I'm home alone, without a doubt. Have you ever been to Hooters? No. Do you snore in your sleep? No. Do you have a brother? What’s his name? A half-brother, Robert/Bobby. Do you believe in celebrating anniversaries? Year ones, yes. Have you ever driven without a license? I don't have mine yet, but I don't believe I've ever done so without my permit. What was your very first pet like? I'm pretty sure my first personal one was a long-haired guinea pig named Squeak. He was a total sweetie that loved attention and would do one of those high-pitched, four squeaks back at me if I did it lol. What kind of an old person do you think you’ll become? I hope I become a wise, more loving than ever, content person that does all she can for humanity and doesn't isolate like I do so much. I want to be out there with people, making memories and always maintaining a young heart. Which well-known person’s death shocked you the most, if any? Steve Irwin's above anyone else, but Chester Bennington was a close second. What’s the craziest color you’d dye your hair? I seriously want to bleach my hair to snow white and have it fade to a blood-red tip, but that'd probably destroy my hair. What’s the coolest hobby one of your friends has? Hm. I'm not sure. What’s the silliest thing you’ve believed, that turned out to be untrue? LOOK I stg I learned in school that thunder was clouds rubbing against each other and I only learned the truth THIS YEAR. Have you ever pet a cow, a sheep or a pig? A pig. Who’s the last person to make you laugh? GameGrumps. Ever been in a race? No. Favorite brand of color pencils? Crayola, I'm a basic bitch. Do you like the smell of peppermint? Omgggggggg yes. How many pieces did the last puzzle you completed have? Idr, maybe 150? It was at the hospital with my peers. In the end we were missing exactly o n e piece. What is missing from your wardrobe that you need to buy? I want a studded leather jacket pls I've wanted one since high school. When was the last time you witnessed a sunshower? A month back, maybe? Maybe sooner? Who was the last person to kiss your cheek? Mom, I believe. What temperature do you consider “too cold” to be outside? Comfortably, 40 F. Did anything bad happen to you in September? My knees became quite a problem. Had some rough streaks of depression. In your phone’s contacts, who is the first person listed under the letter ‘R’? When did you last see that person? No one under "r." If someone is sticking their nose into your business where it isn’t wanted, how would you deal with that? Would you say something to them? I'd like to think I'd say something. When your last relationship ended, how long was it before you felt ready to think about being with someone else? I realized I wanted to be with Sara while I was with him. It was one of the reasons I broke up with him. Think about your Facebook profile photo. What kind of assumptions do you think a stranger might make about you, from seeing that photograph? Would any of these assumptions be correct? (It's the same picture as here.) I obviously like a darker style, and it'd also be an understandable assumption I'm a bitch by my expression lmao. That one's not true, I hope. If you aren’t an only child, do you wish you were? Noooo. What is your birth order? I'm the middle child between my immediate siblings. What is your eye color? What would you want it to be? Blue/green/gray. I wish they were more sapphire. Do you like Victoria’s Secret, or PINK? I like their bras and undies, super cute, but other products, nah. What color highlighter do you prefer? Pink. What is the wallpaper on your best friends cell phone? Dunno. Do you like using big words when you talk? Don't hate it, but I avoid it when I can with most people. I wanna make sure they understand what I'm saying, no need to make it all fancy. What’s your favorite thing to do in the summer? Stay the fuck inside and wish it was fall. Eh, swimming. Do you like being tickled? NO. Are you loud when you’re having sex? I'd always try to be quiet even when home alone because I was worried about someone coming home and us not hearing or something. But it took effort to keep quiet sometimes, and even then I was a moaner. Are you a very open or private person? Depends on who I'm with and whether it's on or offline, but generally, private. What is your favorite Christmas movie? Jim Carrey's How the Grinch Stole Christmas. What do you get complimented on the most? My hair. When was the last time you were in a public setting and a stranger annoyed you? I'm not sure. Scariest storm you’ve ever had in your town? Um idk. Skill you wish you had? Drawing exactly what I see in my head ugh. How do you feel about raising minimum wage? FUCK-ING DO IT. NC's is $7.25 an hour, and you can't live off that shit. Humor me. What physical ideal do you imagine in a boyfriend/girlfriend/partner? It really doesn't matter to me, but I'd say I'm more quickly attracted to people with a dark style. What type of personality traits do you look for in a boyfriend/girlfriend/partner? Calm, open-minded, friendly, I like a bit more outgoing than me, compassionate, very passionate like myself, artistic, considerate... Any other essential quirks/interests/other you look for in a boyfriend/girlfriend/partner? The only thing I can think of as essential are some common interests to bond over. I don't think I could date someone totally different from me. Or someone heavily religious. Any romantic gestures you really like? Small, simple efforts just for the purpose of showing you care, more than anything. I appreciate the cliche of opening doors. What were you like when you were a kid? Outgoing, talkative as hell, pretty odd, big time creative. What is your definition of cheating? Flirting in a clearly non-joking manner. Have you ever been to a psychiatrist/therapist? Both since the 6th grade. Are looks important in a relationship? For me personally, no, but I don't shame people who feel it's at least a smaller factor for them. Sure, it'd be more difficult to be more sexually attracted to you, but not romantically, which is what I care about. What were you doing right before you started this survey? Another survey. I combine them into longer ones. Ever get mad at something that happened years ago? Rarely, and if ever, briefly. What do you order on your pizza? Jalapenos. I miss meat lovers. What the kind of soda you drink most often? Mountain Dew Voltage. Do you freak out if a bee/wasp flies near you? Wasp, I'm fuckin' outie. I'm uncomfortable with any bee, but won't spaz over most. If Facebook started making you pay, would you still use it? No. If you were dying and had to tell the last person you texted one thing, what would it be? Lmao we actually had a convo about this once, and it'd totally be, "I love you, and I'll see you on the other side." If you could have sex to one song, what song would it be? We playin' "Death of a Bachelor" by P!atD on our wedding night 100% 100% 100% 100%. Are you a forgiving person? Too forgiving. Who is the last person you told you loved them? Sara Jaaaane. <3 Do you have a specific gas station you usually go to? Or do you stop wherever? Mom tends to go to Sheetz or Shell. She gets bad mileage at Sheetz, but it's super close to our house. Do you have a place you go to a lot that you may be considered “a regular” at? The people at New Addiction (tat and piercing parlor I go to) are starting to recognize me lmao. I'll be there tonight again. Think of the last person you kissed, have you ever kissed them on a bed? Yeah. Do you like your girlfriend's/boyfriend's parents? YEAH. Why aren’t you with the person you first fell in love with? He couldn't stand my depression anymore. What’s worse, knowing you still love them, or pretending you hate them? THE FORMER. Do you own any television series box sets? All seasons of Meerkat Manor. What is your favorite band of all time? Ozzy Osbourne. Would you consider getting a tattoo any time soon? I'm getting one T O N I G H T B O Y S. Do you like candles? Yeah, but I prefer incense. Have you ever been diagnosed with a mental illness? More like seven lmao. And I'm 99% sure I have ADD, but I haven't been officially diagnosed. If you had to choose to have a different accent than the one you have now, what accent would you choose and why? British, 'cuz I love it. Have you ever or do you currently live in a Gated Community? No. Do you know how to use a DSLR camera? Yeah. Do you know anyone who is named after a state? Jason's mom. Miss that woman, she sincerely cared for me. I owe her so much for staying on the phone with me for legit like two hours a couple nights before my attempt. It was dead in the middle of the night, yet she was happy to be there. Have you ever had a “bad trip”? If yes, what happened? N/A. Do you enjoy learning about conspiracy theories? Y E S. Shane Dawson got me so into them omg. If you had a baby boy, what would you name him? Damien Alexander, maybe.

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