#also said they bunked every class at uni

[mysticfemme]

it's not often that you hear a priest say the words people come to uni to get pissed and get laid

but this is something I heard today

[raibebe]

Everlong - extended version(haven't read the latest chapter so idk if you mentioned some in it)

Mark - works in the shop where jeno got his guitar from. A shy sweetheart. Once, he was playing the self composed song in the shop when jeno heard him and since then, he has been converting Mark's acoustic songs into his high tempo, pop ones. they are best friends but who needs a tag?? Also mark has the best lollipops in the world! Bt jeno comes for music not pops(a lie)

Renjun - Jeno was goofying around in the park with a cat when that said cat somehow jumped on renjun and scratched him. Instead of apologising, jeno picked up the cat and vowed never to cross paths with him again. but fate! Cruel one! He was buying his fav band tee when he saw renjun glaring at him, standing across him with scratchy cheeks. Umm good thing they were buying the same tee. Not best of friends but somehow manage to stand shoulder to shoulder in almost all the concerts. (shoulder to shoulder like me n you would be🤣)

Jaemin - no alcohol. No cigarettes. No bunking the classes jeno! n blah blah. Kinda like y/n? His cousin who came from the sun? who occassionally visits him and throws at him a booklet that say - how to be a good boy! Jeno ignores. jaemin comes and goes, twice every year. In that short time period, jeno finds himself smiling more and more but no one's keeping a ledger of that. Ofcourse he pulls a let-me-drag-you-to-my-world on jaemin too but unfortunately, jaemin manages to draw both renjun and him out of the concert and into the mcdonalds bcs he's jaemin? Nevermind. Jeno hates(loves)him so much he never wants to see his face but would fix everyone's face who mocks him in the slightest.

Hyuck - the grp that y/n is friends with? Yes. Hyuck is part of it. He's just as same as jeno but just in a uniform clothes. He acts prim-prom but low-key wanna run to the places where jeno goes in the class time. If he wanna study music, then he have to do everything that his parents say! But he don't wanna!! So when he sees jeno and y/n walking out of her house, together, all smiley, he smiles too. "give me jeno's number and I'll complete the whole part of our project!" Rest is a history. Jeno hates you so much bcs the only clandestine meetings he wanted were with you and not a classmate he never knew existed!

Chenle and jisung - in the everlong universe, they are busy cycling and pretending they are underground rappers and dancers. Stress on pretending pweaseee. Y/n tutored them once bcs they live nearby. After that, nothing. Oh and they also see both y/n and jeno climbing up and down the pipes and trees, perhaps the only witnesses of this idiots to lovers scenario. Highkey prays that one of you falls so they can hve a good laugh. Huhuhuhahaahha

-waifuu

@sly-merlin

Simmi you wrote a fucking essay wooooow (No worries, none of the other Dreamies have been mentioned in Everlong yet)

I agree on Mark being that cute guy working in a guitar shop. I do get alternatives vibes from him as well...

For Renjun.... I am actually not sure... Could be part of the alternative gang but could also make him lean more into his artistic and sentimental side...

I'm also not sure about Jaem... (who is, really?) Like with his personality he'd 100% be against Jeno smoking but he's just such a wild card sometimes. I want to make him and Jeno best friends so bad just because I adore their bond but I'm not sure how Jaem would fit into the AU

Can 100% see what you said about Hyuck. Might need to introduce him as well because Nohyuck haven been LOUD these days...

Chenle and Jisung are just babies. I hate how their age technically excludes them from where I focused on in the parts I'll post next simply because they'd still be in school when the others (well except Jeno for now) are at Uni...

[sxfterhearts]

28. [1:31 am]

➳ pairing: youngjae x reader

➳ genre/warnings: angst, idol!reader, non-idol!youngjae

➳ word count: 1,378 words

➳ summary: 28. “Drive safely,”

➳ author's note: thank you to lyss, @strxwberri-milk for recommending the song that inspired this timestamp! also, this is the first week of proper uni classes so i’m getting a bit busier, sorry for the absence! hope you’ll enjoy my 1st proper angst timestamp 💕

➳ music: call button by ars (youngjae) & j.praize, 1:31am by jaebeom & youngjae

//

He clutched his phone tightly within his clammy hands, utterly nervous. Youngjae stared at the device blankly, or more specifically at his call log. He stared. He stared and stared and stared. The clock hanging on his wall mocked him with its incessant ticking, and still, he stared.

He stared at the most recent phone number on his call log, a string of numerals he committed to memory two years ago. Youngjae stared and he wondered how a number that used to bring him so much joy and excitement was currently the root cause of his sorrows.

If it wasn't for the box full of your belongings sitting idly by his feet, would you have called?

He couldn't deny the tiny glimmer of hope that sparked within his chest when his phone screen lit up and displayed your number earlier that night. 

Were you finally ready to come back home to him? Were you getting tired of sleeping and waking up without a good morning or good night call? Were you constantly thinking of him too? Did you see his face every single time you close your eyes?

Because Youngjae was. He did. He was sick and tired of this so-called break in your relationship that you suggested a month ago. He had enough of the gigantic, gaping hole in his heart caused by your absence. He was alone, and he was over it.

When he closed his eyes and focussed hard enough, Youngjae could still picture the memories you shared. The classes he spent passing you little notes back and forth instead of learning about the history of musical composition. The afternoons spent lounging on the rooftop of Korea Arts High School, sharing a pair of earphones while humming softly. The nights spent sneaking you out of your trainee dorms for a cheat meal - a supper of tteokbokki with extra fishcakes, extra cheese and a container of mozzarella cheese balls. The secret messages and phone calls you made on your hidden phone as you hid under the covers of your bunk bed in the wee hours of the morning. Even the stolen, longing, loving glances you would exchange when he came to watch your performances. He could relive nearly every single moment.

But he also remembered the jealousy burning his insides when he watched your music show co-host act all lovey-dovey with you. He recollected the arguments about your close relationships with other male idols and trainees, stemming from his deep-rooted insecurities. He recalled the tears of betrayal and frustration streaming down his face when you finally said you needed a break from your relationship, simply because it was too much for you to handle. He could still feel how your harsh words stung and punched and stabbed his heart. It still hurt beyond belief.

A series of light knocks announced your awaited arrival. Youngjae laughed to himself, humourless and emotionless and cold. You knew the passcode to his apartment. There was a time when he was sure you memorised it, just like how he memorised your phone number. You used to punch the numbers in with glee and burst through the door, greeting him with a big hug.

Tonight was different. Youngjae trudged towards the front door, the box he carried in his arms dragging him down like a ton of bricks. A part of him didn't want to open the door. That way, he could continue living in this stagnant middle ground where your relationship neither ended or continued. At least that way he could grant himself the privilege of hope.

He opened the door to reveal a completely worn-out version of your usual bubbly self. You were sporting an oversized shirt and sweatpants, an outfit that used to consist of his own clothing. Your recently bleached hair, an eye-catching shade of platinum blonde, was thrown up into a lazy bun. Your stage makeup from the earlier music show recording hadn't been wiped off. Youngjae was reminded of how he used to wipe your makeup off when you were so fatigued from your performances. He missed doing these things for you. He missed his boyfriend duties. He missed the secret, low profile dates. He missed being close to you. He missed you.

"Youngjae, hey." You greeted so nonchalantly that a part of him broke. You weren't hurting like he did. "Sorry for coming at such a late hour, I just got off from the recording studio. I managed to borrow my manager's car and came here as soon as I was done. Is that all of it?" You asked, pointing at the cardboard box in his hands.

"Yeah, yes. Hey, Y/N. Um, do you need help with this? I could like, take it down to the car for you. It's a bit heavy."

You shook your head quickly, not wanting to prolong this conversation. "No, it's fine. I can take it. Here, pass it over." You reached out towards him, grabbing the box with ease.

Youngjae parted his lips to talk and you waited. To both of your dismay, no words came out of his mouth. For nearly ten seconds, the two of you stared at each other silently.

"Listen," you started, unable to bear the suffocating silence any longer.

"Actually, I meant to ask, how have you been? Are you doing well?" Youngjae forced the words out of his mouth. He regretted it the moment he saw your eyes avert his piercing, pleasing gaze.

"I'm alright, same old. Work's busier than ever." You paused, searching for the right words to let him down in the most painless way possible. 

He didn't know this, but you had felt disconnected from him for a long time now. It wasn't just because of your busy schedules. This job as an idol was demanding. Having been exposed to the cutthroat industry, both of you knew that very well. However, it wasn't the lack of quality time together that you couldn't deal with. It was Youngjae's possessiveness over you and his irrational jealousy of any male who came within thirty centimeters of you that drove you to the brink of insanity. You felt so restricted.

"Have you been eating enough? Your arms are thinner, it looks like you've lost weight." He began to ramble in a hurry, afraid that you would leave at any moment. "Maybe you should take more vitamins, you seem really tired and pale. You have to stay healthy. Don't get sick, okay? I know-"

"Youngjae," you cut him off. "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry but I don't think I can continue with this; with us. This relationship has taken a huge toll on me and I'm sorry but it's best if we break up."

Those were the words. The dreaded words. Youngjae wanted to cover his hands over his ears so that he could drown out whatever you were saying. He didn't want to hear it at all. The two of you were going strong just a while ago, what happened? Everything changed so quickly. Or was there a gradual buildup? Did he miss the signs? Was he so blinded by his love for you that he completely missed the warning signs?

"Say something, Youngjae." You urged as the man in front of you fell into an internal conflict.

He snapped out of it at the sound of your voice. He hated to admit it but it was his favourite sound in the world. It could pull him out of the deepest, darkest depths. Ironically, it was now throwing him further into a bottomless pit. "Break up? Yeah. Yeah, okay." Youngjae forced himself to inhale a shaky breath. "Just, yeah. I hope you'll stay well."

"You too, Youngjae. There's someone out there who's better for you than me. I hope you find your happiness."

Inside, he refused to believe this to be true. You were his happiness. But he didn't say anything about that. Instead, he reminded you, "Keep doing what you love, and keep smiling. You know I'll always be here if you need me."

You nodded, unable to form a more appropriate response. 

Youngjae's vision began to blur. He knew he had to go before the waterworks started pouring uncontrollably. "Goodbye, Y/N. Drive safely."

He was still in love with you.

[denbroughbill]

hello friend, since you're taking requests, how do feel about head canons of the losers in uni? Like what they study and stuff like that :))

thank you friend! :)✿ bill and eddie are the only losers to share a dorm. richie (passive aggressively) joked “if denbrough was gonna steal my boyfriend, i might as well bunk with mike. ain’t that right, hanlon?” ben and beverly had been dating his high school and bill beat richie to asking eddie to senior prom, and the boys have been together since✿ beverly is working towards a degree in fashion, interested in working in theater design. she befriends a group of girls with tattoos and piercings who dye beverly’s hair a different color every week. she loves drafting and sewing and sketching. bev also gets eddie and stan to model for her, sticking pins in them whenever they’re free, she insists they both have the “slim figure any women would dream of,”✿ mike is majoring in history and plays college football! he has a whole ride scholarship and is interested in being an archivist. he works at a little book store right outside of town where the shelves of books tower over even him and the smell of old paper and dust clog his nostrils and it’s unbearably warm, but he loves it. all the losers wear their team colors while supporting mike at his games and beverly and eddie paint each other’s faces. he’s also part of the black student alliance! mike is a busy boy with a busy schedule but always finds a way to attend a party✿ rich is interested in video game designing. he’s played so many games during his 18 years, and stan said no video game in the world could be top down, a scroller, a shooter, a great soundtrack, challenging, or have the extreme and detailed violence and gore that richie was looking for in a 8 bit style. so richie decided he had to make it himself. he’s on the math club and he kicks ass at ping pong and ultimate frisbee in the quad. he skateboarded every where by the way✿ bill changes his major twice during college but sticks with writing. the work is very easy for him and he loves reading out loud, even with his stutter. he also works on the school’s news paper! and is part of the french club!✿ eddie wants to be an elementary school teacher! he didn’t have any siblings of his own, but he loved being around georgie while he was growing up, but the boy is much older now. eddie has miles of patience for everyone besides richie, so he thinks it’s a good choice. he’s well organized and visits class rooms and student teaches and plays with children and he loves it. he also studies spanish in his free time!!! ✿ ben is studying to be an architect!! he had an interest in art, drawing, mathematics, and this was the best he could wrap them up in. calculus was his favorite class and the work load was heavy so he didn’t really participate in any clubs, plus he liked beverly being the only one to see his poetry✿ stan is majoring in accounting!! he knows that keeping track of how well his favorite baseball team plays and predicting how will they do in the future is important for a big win,, so why not apply to same logic to his day to day life? of course his classes were boring, with creating balance sheets and practicing accounting information systems but the math came very easy to him and it wasn’t hard work. he also helped his friends with their monthly savings. he sits in at bill’s french club meetings when he is free but he is part of the photography club himself! he’s won little cash prizes entering his artistic shots of beautiful birds he’s found on campus ✿ bill works at a coffee shop near campus and got eddie a job there, too. they both always make sure to save a table for their friends to study at, and on sometimes on thursday nights, ben recites his poetry there. when their friends are around, bill and eddie speak to each other in french and spanish and the rest of the losers hate it✿ the first college party they attended was around halloween time, richie and stan arrived separately, both wearing masks, and ended up making out in the bath room✿ stan has so many interests and swears he’s gonna join the tennis club next semester but no one really believes him✿ richie has a room mate who always stays over at his girlfriend’s dorm and richie hates being alone, so after mike’s had a late night and ready to get some rest, he finds richie curled up under his blankets. he never asks him to move and tries his best to climb into bed without waking him up. or !!! sometimes beverly wakes up to hear her shower running and richie singing loudly✿ he always bought stan a cup of coffee in the mornings and a pastry of some kind✿ mike always sat aside books that he thought stan or ben would have an interest in or needed for a course, and he always gave them a friendly discountfeel free to add on! i would love to read what u guys come up w

[my-one-love-is-music]

These Wings Are Made to Fly ch. 7

Whew. So I actually had this chapter fully written by Monday night, but I literally haven't had any time to sit down and edit it until right now. Things have been crazy all week with getting settled into uni in Scotland and trying to get everything that I need for the semester. That also means that updates are going to start slowing down now because my classes start on Monday as well.

But here's an update for you!!! I hope that you enjoy it at least! :)

Cheers!

Also on AO3!

               Eggsy ran his hands over his suit nervously, trying to smooth out the nonexistent wrinkles. He was gripping tightly to the lead that JB was tied to, careful not to pull on it and cause the pug discomfort. He pushed through the door into Arthur’s office and sat himself down on the chair opposite him. JB obediently took his seat next to him, not making a sound. Eggsy turned to look at Arthur who was looking down at him over his nose.

               “Your last test is to see if you really have what it takes to be the next Kingsman,” Arthur began slowly. Eggsy watched him as he pulled out a gun and handed it to Eggsy who took it carefully. “Shoot the dog.”

               His eyes widened and he looked down at JB who was watching him expectantly. He clicked off the safety hesitantly and pointed the gun at his dog aware of Arthur’s expectant gaze. He took deep breaths and tried to relax enough where he could pull the trigger, careful not to fist his hands or show any other sign of nervousness or apprehension. The months that he’d spent training him flashed through his mind, the amount of work they’d done together and how far their relationship had actually come. It almost felt as though his finger was locked, preventing him from pulling the trigger and ending this.

               If this was the last thing standing between him and becoming a Kingsman agent, then why was it so difficult? What was the difference between his animal and another human being that he might one day have to kill? If he could kill a creature that he’d become incredibly close to, then a complete stranger would mean nothing.

               “What are you waiting for? Do it!” Arthur urged.

               Eggsy turned the gun on Arthur who stared at him as though he were mad. His hand was shaking slightly and he finally let out the breath that he’d been holding, letting the gun slip in his grasp so the handle was pointed towards Arthur and the barrel faced the floor. He winced when he heard a gunshot come from the room next door.

               “I knew you weren’t Kingsman material,” Arthur said, grabbing the gun. “Get out.”

               Eggsy stood with as much confidence as he could and turned towards the door, only dimly aware of JB trailing behind him. He walked calmly through the hallways back towards the barracks to pack his things. His calm demeanor not even hinting at the crash of emotions that were wrecking him inside. He took a shaky breath as he pushed through the doors to the barracks and walked over to his bunk, one of the last two that still remained occupied.

               He gathered the few things that remained and stuffed them into the small backpack that he’d brought on the first day, his belongings still not taking up much space. He slung the strap over his shoulder and bent to pick up JB’s lead, hurrying back through the door and to the underground train that would take him back to the Kingsman shop. Back to the city. Back to Harry.

               The halls were empty as he practically raced through them. No one in sight and no one to see his desperate escape from the headquarters that would probably haunt him forever. He pushed through the doors leading to the room and nearly collapsed into his seat. The doors shut after him and he was off, on his way back to London.

               Part of Eggsy was expecting to find Harry waiting for him, utterly angry at what had just happened. Ready to shove him away and claim that he wasn’t worthy to be his soulmate. But no one was there to greet him. The area underneath the shop was blessedly deserted. He hurried over to the elevator and rode it back up to the floor, stepping out of the dressing room to an empty shop.

               He gave a curt nod to the man working the storefront before hurrying out the front doors and turning down the street. The shop was only a few blocks from Harry’s home, but it felt like forever, giving his nerves and dread a chance to build and nearly suffocate him from how worried he was. He nearly sighed with relief and collapsed on the sidewalk when Harry’s home came into view, yet his pace slowed until he was standing at the bottom of the steps leading up to his door and staring at it.

               Eggsy relaxed and tightened his fist several times to keep the tension out of his shoulders, ready to turn around when the door was pulled open and Harry stuck his head out.

               “Well come on then. I don’t expect you to stand out here all night,” he said, clearly exasperated.

               Eggsy took a shaky breath and slowly climbed the stairs, his dread returning tenfold as he got closer and closer and closer. He walked through the door and Harry shut it behind him.

               “Merlin already called me.”

               And damn it all if those four words didn’t turn his insides to ice. He swallowed thickly and shut his eyes. “He did?”

               He nearly jumped when a warm palm came to rest on his lower back. “It’s okay, Eggsy. I told you that even if you didn’t become a Kingsman, I wasn’t about to let you go that easily.”

               Eggsy bit his lip. He wanted desperately to look at Harry, but knew if he did, he probably wouldn’t be able to get his next words out. “I’m sorry.”

               Harry’s arm encircled his waist and he placed a gentle kiss on the back of Eggsy’s neck. “There’s nothing to be sorry for, love.”

               Eggsy nodded and Harry gave his hip a squeeze before stepping back. “Come on. I’ll make you some dinner and we can have another relaxing evening.”

               “Okay.” Eggsy watched Harry walk into the other room and head for the kitchen as his shoulders relaxed from their tense position. He toed off his shoes and left them in the entryway, leaving JB’s lead coiled up next to it. He gave him a scratch behind the ears which helped sooth him a bit before walking further into the house. He heard the distant sounds of Harry moving around in the kitchen and decided to head up the stairs to stow his backpack. He decided to be bold and set it inside Harry’s room, hoping that he wouldn’t mind. They had slept together the night before, after all.

               He walked back through the house and admired the furnishings in a way that he hadn’t the day before, taking time to look at each picture and painting. JB greeted him when he made it back down the stairs, letting loose a bark from where he’d already made himself comfortable on one of the couches.

               “JB…” he chastised.

               “Oh, he’s alright,” Harry called from the kitchen. “I used to let my dog up on the furniture. It’s no bother.”

               “I didn’t know you had a dog,” he said, walking into the kitchen to join him.

               “Every Kingsman candidate raises a dog.”

               “But…” he asked, brow furrowing in confusion.

               Harry gave him a soft smile. “The last test where they want you to shoot your own dog. The bullet’s a blank.”

               Eggsy felt his stomach drop. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” he groaned, scrubbing his hands over his face.

               “Sadly, not.”

               Eggsy felt even more miserable than before.

               “After all, Arthur wouldn’t want to dirty the nice, ugly carpet in his office.”

               The unexpected comment startled a laugh from him that helped him feel a little bit lighter.

               “Thanks, Harry.”

               “Don’t thank me. I’m simply making an astute observation that any Kingsman agent has recognized during his time with the organization. I do believe the carpet was there when the headquarters were first built. Taken from the couches of one of the early agent’s grandmothers.”

               Eggsy chuckled and wrapped his arms around Harry’s waist where he was standing at the stove and held him close. Harry gave his hands a squeeze where they were clasped over his waist.

               “Alright,” he said, flipping the steaks that were in the skillet and nodding his head. “Dinner’s done. If you’ll hand me a couple of plates from the cabinet, I can put this together.”

               As Eggsy complied with his instructions, Harry slipped on an oven mitt and pulled some roasted vegetables from the oven. He plated the food quickly and handed it off to Eggsy.

               “Go ahead and take that into the living room and I’ll be there in a minute.”

               Eggsy grinned. “I would’ve thought that you wouldn’t be one to eat on the couch, keeping strictly to the table.”

               Harry rolled his eyes. “Shush.”

               He moved through the doorway quickly and headed to where they’d sat the night before, setting the plates down on the table. Harry followed him quickly with two glasses of water in his hands and cutlery gripped tightly in his fingers. Eggsy quickly moved to take something out of his hands to help him and they both managed to get everything situated without spilling water, cutting themselves, or dropping anything.

               Harry perched himself on the edge of the couch to eat while Eggsy made himself comfortable on the floor so he was leaning back against the front of the couch. JB came and curled up next to his hip, knowing well enough that he wasn’t going to get any food from Eggsy. The silence that descended on them was pleasant and not uncomfortable in any way.

               Once he was done eating, Eggsy curled up next to Harry on the couch, his feet tucked next to him and his head resting on his shoulder. He couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to what was playing on the T.V. Eggsy thought it was some movie or crime show, but he was more concerned with the soothing circles that Harry was rubbing into his side and the fact that he was holding him close. He sighed and let his eyes slide shut.

               “Tired?” Harry murmured, planting a soft kiss on the top of his head.

               “Mhmm.”

               Harry chuckled and Eggsy frowned as his shaking shoulders disrupted him.

               “I know just what you need.”

               Eggsy heaved an exasperated sigh. “Does it require me having to move?”

               “Yes, but only upstairs.”

               “Fine.” He reluctantly planted his feet on the floor and stood. Harry grabbed hold of his hand and pulled him along up the stairs. Eggsy’s steps were heavy, but he obediently followed Harry into through his bedroom and into the large bathroom. He furrowed his brow, confusion growing and not quite understanding what Harry was trying to do.

               Harry let his hand go and stepped over to the large bathtub, turning the knobs and letting a rush of water pour into the tub. He kept a hand under the spray, testing the temperature as it warmed. Once he deemed it suitable, he plugged the drain and allowed the tub to slowly fill. He turned back to Eggsy who was still watching him with a confused expression on his face.

               “Go on. Strip.” Harry said like it was the most normal thing in the world.

               “What?” he asked.

               Harry chuckled. “Get undressed so you can take a bath. Or it you don’t want me in here, I can leave and let you bathe alone.”

               Eggsy felt himself flush. “Umm. Okay.” He turned so his back was to Harry and began undoing the buttons on his uniform. When the top was undone, he pulled his arms from the sleeves and whipped the shirt over his head, letting it fall to the floor. Glancing to the side and not quite ready to take his pants off yet, he braced himself against the wall and pulled off his socks instead. He heard the water shut off behind him and glanced over his shoulder, relieved to find a generous amount of bubbles floating on the water, meaning he would be covered.

               “I’m going to go change into something more comfortable,” Harry said, leaving him alone.

               Eggsy breathed a sigh of relief and quickly shoved his pants and briefs down, leaving them in a pile on the floor. He moved over to the tub and stepped in, the water warm and relaxing. He sighed and leaned against the side of the tub, letting himself slide further into the warm water, and arms coming to rest on the sides of the tub. He heard Harry walk back into the room, footfalls soft and was welcomed with gentle hands running over his shoulders and arms.

               He let his head fall back and was rewarded with a kiss on his forehead. Eggsy smiled, letting his eyes flutter open to find Harry smiling warmly down at him.

               “I feel like I should be the one doing this to you,” he protested.

               “Nonsense. Let me do this for you. You’ve had a stressful day and should have some time to relax. Besides, I have to leave tomorrow.”

               “Where are you going?”

               “America. There’s a lead on the organization we’ve been tracking,” Harry said, reaching for a washcloth and the soap to work up a nice lather.

               “Valentine?”

               “Valentine.” Harry dipped the washcloth into the water and began to rub circles over Eggsy’s body.

               “As soon as you get back I’m going to give you a bath, Harry.” Eggsy could feel Harry’s smile when he placed another gentle kiss on his cheek.

               “Okay, Eggsy.”

               Eggsy continued to relax and all but melted under Harry’s ministrations. He was nothing but gentle and caring and kind and Eggsy was regarding the future with hope in that things could continue to be like this. As the bathwater cooled and Harry finished caring for him, he reached in the tub and pulled the stopper to allow the water to begin draining. When he returned to Eggsy’s side with a towel, Eggsy curled a hand behind his neck and pulled him into a deep kiss, trying to convey everything that he was feeling into the small contact.

               Harry smiled when they pulled apart and handed him the towel so he could stand and dry off. Eggsy watched as he gathered up his discarded clothes and bundled them in his arms. Eggsy stood and ran the soft towel over his skin quickly before wrapping it around his waist. He walked into the bedroom and watched Harry folding his things. He found the habit incredibly endearing and moved over to his bag, pulling out a clean pair of boxers and his pajama set.

               He slid his boxers on underneath the towel before unwrapping it and resting it around his neck. He quickly pulled on his pants and set the towel on the floor as he pulled his shirt on.

               “I’ll trade you.”

               He turned to find Harry behind him, holding his clothes. He exchanged his towel for them and packed them in his backpack as Harry returned the towel to the bathroom. Feeling relaxed and content, he slid underneath the covers and closed his eyes, taking the time to let the mattress pillow around him and support his tired body. He heard Harry flick the light off and it was moments later that the bed dipped as he joined him. A strong and comforting arm draped over his waist and pulled him close. He rested a hand on Harry’s chest and let sleep take him as a kiss was placed on his forehead.

               Eggsy groaned as he was jostled lightly. He forced his eyes open and found the room still cloaked in darkness. He looked up and saw Harry give him a guilty smile.

               “Sorry, love, didn’t mean to wake you.”

               “Is s’okay,” he mumbled.

               Harry tucked the blanket around him to try and keep the warmth around him. It wasn’t the same as having Harry next to him, but he’d accept it. However grudgingly that was.

               “I’ll be back soon, okay?”

               Eggsy sighed. “Okay. You better.”

               “Don’t worry.” He gave Eggsy’s shoulder a comforting squeeze and moved away from the bed. Despite the early hour, Eggsy listened as he moved back through the house, not content with falling back asleep until he heard the front door open and close. And even then, he couldn’t find it in himself to search for sleep, turning his face into Harry’s pillow to try and envelop himself in anything that would remind him of the other man.

               It wasn’t until the sun was high in the sky that he managed to pull himself from bed. He moved downstairs and made himself breakfast, finding a note and a key from Harry on the table.

 Eggsy,

 I hate that I was forced to leave you so soon for this mission, but we both know the importance of Kingsman. If you’re comfortable doing this, I’ve left the laptop in my office on and you’re more than welcome to watch my progress in America so you have a better idea of when I will be back.

 With love,

 Harry

                 Eggsy smiled and traced his fingers over the letters, certain that he had a ridiculously giddy expression on his face. He picked up the note and his plate of food and walked through the living room towards the door that led to Harry’s office. He made himself comfortable in the desk chair and turned to the laptop that was already playing the feed from Harry’s glasses.

               He watched as Harry carefully made his way into the church and took a seat amidst the congregation. He hardly paid attention since nothing was happening and the priest was simply droning on. That is, until Harry tried to get up and leave and all hell broke loose.

               Eggsy’s toast slowly fell from his hand as Harry effortlessly took out the congregation as they moved to attack him. On more than one occasion, he thought that one of the people was going to get in a lucky strike that would mean the end of Harry. The fight raged on for several minutes until Harry was the only one standing amidst the remainder of the bloodbath. He walked outside slowly to find Valentine waiting for him.

               Eggsy felt the bottom of his stomach drop out and gripped the sides of the laptop. He had a very, very bad feeling about whatever was going to happen. Valentine started talking about something and pulled out a gun, waving it aimlessly before pointing it at Harry and damn it that Harry was compelled to just stand there and take it. Eggsy didn’t even know what they were saying and he honestly didn’t care. He just wanted Harry to get out of there and be safe.

               His hands began to shake the longer the gun was pointed at Harry and he flinched when it went off. He was certain he was screaming, but he couldn’t hear it. Couldn’t hear it over the despair washing over him or the dread. Couldn’t hear it over the feeling his chest was going to rip itself apart thanks to his heart breaking.

               “You said you’d come back,” he whispered, collapsing back into his chair.

[buckner-in-australia]

Day 27: June 22, 2017

Guess what I have again?? Class (: But thank the Lord that we have the later session. Even though I don't like having classes in the evening, at least that leaves the morning and afternoon free until we have to meet at the Hyde Park Barracks.

Since Kayla and I are in the same Wallaby class, it was just us two this morning. We ended up sleeping in until about 10 o'clock to head out into the city by noon. We bought love the finer things that life has to offer, so in our free time we made our way down to Hyde Park and to their fashion square. I was immediately in love: Gucci, Louis, Prada, Tumi, any designer you could possibly imagine was there! Being the angelic and loving child that I am, I recalled that my dad had been looking for a particular all red Gucci belt. When he originally wanted it, it was sold out internationally and given that it has been several months since then, why not give it a shot? After moseying through the store, to much dismay, they too, all the way in Australia, did not have the belt either. I really wish they did, my dad would be so happy and surprised!

After shopping, we stopped in an underground food square called David Jones Foodhall and grabbed some takeaway sushi. In Australia, since everything is so grab and go, sushi even comes in a little mini burrito style. I ended up purchasing a chicken teriyaki burrito sushi and a roll with chicken, shrimp, and crab. Once we got our sushi we headed above ground to eat in the park across from the barracks. It was such a lovely day and as soon as we sat down our friends who had been in class came and joined us.

The Hyde Park Barracks are a very interesting heritage monument in Sydney. During this class activity, we had a well-guided tour through the building that used to house up to 700 men at a time. It was crazy how the curators reinvented the space and allowed "the building to tell its story." Between the information we learned and the layers we could see, the building was definitely before it's time. You would think that the ceilings would be short because people were shorter back then due to malnutrition but they were very high. We learned throughout the tour that after convict culture ended, the barracks housed immigrating women and children, and then acted as an asylum, judicial offices, and now a museum. The most interesting part for me was the amount of artifacts that were found from things falling in between the floorboards and the barracks themselves. Given that the convicts only had to sleep there, I would think there would be rows of bunk beds. Little did I know, the sleeping quarters were burlap hammocks lying side by side. We even got to lay in them for a little bit and BOY were they low to the ground!! You would have thought I was 95 years old by how long it took me to get back up, lol. Even more surprising, when the barracks ran out of hammocks men had to sleep on the floor between them. Bless every single one of their hearts!  

One thing I also liked about the barracks was their artwork and how interactive everything was. I particularly was found of the artwork because of it's display of the Aborigines. I have noticed since being here that there is very little diversity shown to the public about the Aborigines. Since the beginning of this trip I had been saying that it is like they are so similar to me yet so different. Just like media only shows certain perspectives or the stereotypical AA, the same goes for Aborigines. In the media they are usually very dark with very fine hair. Come to find out THEY'RE JUST LIKE ME! Kinks and Coils and all! I honestly don't see how people can argue that the first people didn't come from Africa. The Aboriginal people are a PRIME example. We are truly one and the same.

After the barracks, instead of the initial plan of going back to our classrooms on the other side of town for class, our professors made the decision to have class in the Royal Botanical Gardens. This was also very bittersweet. It was sweet because we didn't have to travel all the way back and we could see the garden, but it was bitter because we lead by the blind (we were terribly lost) it was getting cold and there were mosquitoes. Tons and tons of mosquitoes! They literally lit my feet up! They were huge!!! Though completely distracted my those blood sucking creatures, I was able to make contributions to the class discussion which is all that truly matters.  

Sidenote: On the way to class, I got approached by a local girl about my age who asked what we were doing. She said, "Are you here for uni? I love your accent!" After telling her what we were up to, we ended up talking about shopping and how I much more prefer Melbourne over Sydney. She was really cool. Unfortunately we had to part ways because she came to her street. It's good to know that they're still good people in the city of Sydney.  

After class, you know what time it was...TIME FOR THE SHOW! After the class discussion, I literally booked it to the hotel. Since I had my noodles left, I ate those quick fast and in a hurry so that we could head down the Circular Quay. Ash and Kayla hadn't eaten so we stopped by City Extra again so they could enjoy a nice meal before the show. Despite getting lost trying to get in the opera house, we made it! And the show was AMAZING!

The lights! The colors! The music! The cast! They were all phenomenal! "Fighting the power never taste so sweet!" The show touch on so many things. From cultural awareness to rape culture. The show was for the empowerment of women from all walks of life & what touched me the most the empowerment of women of color! No one in the cast was white, which is HUGE in the performing world. Nearly 99% of the time people of color are the minority because it is so hard for POCs to find roles that the director thinks they fit into. "Too heavy, too curvy, too dark, too ethnic" Those are all phrases that are used in performing way too much. My two favorite scenes were the "Don't Touch My Hair" and the "I'm Still Here." The "Don't Touch My Hair" segment really broke down what white privilege was for the white audience and joyfully informed them that our hair is not an open invitation to be touched. What was said in this segment is things that I have to face everyday where as my roommates informed me after that they never had a clue lol. Especially the line "if you can go into any makeup store and can easily find your shade of foundation." This is constant struggle for me (reasons why I don't even bother) where they didn't even notice because it has always been so accessible for them. The "I'm Still Here" piece was about how the monarchy and Australian society try to forget about the Aboriginal, aka the TRUE Australians, whose land was taken. It was so touching. The female that performed this piece walked out fully covered in the Australian flag in a bonded way. As the song progressed she back to tear away the shackles of the flag garment to reveal a tshirt saying "I'm Still Here." The old white couple beside me was super uncomfortable, but DJ BustyBeats informed us from the very beginning how the show was gonna play out.

The end was by far my favorite part! After the curtain call and presentation of the 6 person cast, there was a "dance party" where the audience could come on stage and dance. After listening to the music for a bit, I grabbed the girls and we hit the stage. It was like not having water for a week or not seeing a loved one for months on end. I was back where my heart and soul belonged. On the stage, spotlights, flood lights, and music. Oh how I miss performing! It was like my heart skipped a beat!  After dancing, the show was officially over and need I say I had the time of my life! I knew I definitely wanted to take a picture near the billboard and at least meet one of the cast. I got all of that and some! We had a little photo shoot! The girls were so nice and loving (because my first photo shoot was interrupted by a drunk couple lol). I will never forget this evening ever!

Things I've learned - All the coins still confuse me. The 20 coin is unnecessary just like our penny lol - Designed by convict architect & built by convicts - 1788 first fleet from England, 600-700 convicts - Barracks were opened in 1819 - "Important building worthy of the British Empire" - No permission, no money, but he had all free labor - Efficient use of convict labor. Streets roads bridges churches - 1788-1868 forced migration of people. - Barracks have seen 160,000 ppl - Responsible for making 500 bricks a day - Used finger tallying  to ensure correct numbers - Let the building tell you it's story - Convict barracks from 1819-1848 - Became a women's institute for immigrated and the destitute and old - 200 a floor, 70 men per room, 30 men per smaller men - When overoccuppancy, men would see under the house - Functioned as an asylum as well - Not all convicts were government owned, some were privately assigned - Can't have a will if you are not of a sound mind and judgement - Wouldn't waste nails on convict barracks (because they were saved for ships) so everything is made with wooden pegs like a jigsaw - Den of thieves - Come convict stories are brutal but some come full circle (Our guide and his ancestor had a very positive story. From 14 years of time to becoming a bake to having a land grant and building a factory