#and schoolwork simply does not care that i am sad because of something <3 | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

ptergwen · 4 years ago

Text

from one kid to another

w/c: 6.0k

warnings: mentions of drinking, lots of swearing, implied smut, and angst at times

summary: it was a mistake, a beautiful one that you didn’t make on your own

a/n: this genuinely is my favorite thing i’ve ever written :,) i say that a lot but this time i mean it, it’s really special i think and i so so so hope y’all do too <3 enjoy my loves

there’s only one thing in life that testing positive for is actually positive.

depending on the situation, obviously. yours isn’t ideal, or planned or a blessing or whatever people say. it’s a gigantic mistake that you didn’t realize you made until a minute ago.

you’d noticed something was wrong when your time of the month came and all you experienced was the symptoms. cramps, cravings, everything except your actual period. as everyone is pretty much taught to do, you ran to the closest drug store for a pregnancy test. what the hell else could it be? you messed around a few weeks ago, so there’s a possibility.

your heart felt like it was going to explode out of your chest the whole time you waited for the results. you’d thought of calling tom over for support, but there are a couple of reasons why you couldn’t do that. you realized you made the right decision when your timer for the test went off.

two red lines. you’re pregnant. you’re pregnant, and your best fucking friend is the father.

where do you go from here?

the test falls from your hand and hits the floor with a mocking clank. you slide down until your back is against the bathtub. well, you’re fucked. what an ironic word choice.

the fact that you aren’t ready in the slightest to be a parent when you’re still growing up yourself is one thing. it’s another that this could ruin the most important relationship you’ve ever had.

no, tom won’t be mad. he’s never once fought with or even raised his voice at you. in your times of need, he’s been the one to uplift you and kiss your puffy cheeks dry. no matter how he takes this, you know it won’t be out on you. he is half responsible.

but, with how you left things the last time you spoke, you’re not sure you’ll be able to get past it.

tom is alarmingly good at hiding how he truly feels. you always tease him that it’s because he’s a gemini. he’ll come back with shut up, i’m an actor and stick his nose in the air to give you the full image. in all seriousness, it does take a toll on how well he can communicate.

you’ve seen it in small ways, like when he brings you along for press days and uses unenthusiastic smiles to cover up his yawns. how he’ll be polite in a conversation with people he’d rather not speak to, then mumble about it once you’re home. he tries to put forward the “appealing” parts of himself even though he’s more than them.

tom’s biggest communication issue is that he’s been in love with you since year nine and hasn’t said a word about it. you’ve yet to figure that one out.

you two became friends while tom was starring in billy elliot. his schedule was so scattered between shows and school, so he struggled to balance both. he often had to stay late for extra help on the lessons. you’d also been there a few times. you worked better in the classroom, and he was grateful he didn’t have to be alone with the teacher.

most kids made fun of tom for his interest in theater, to his face and behind his back. not you. you thought it was just incredible that someone in your own classes worked at the west end. you’d told him on your way home one night.

he’d heard you before he saw you. “you’re tom, right?” you asked from behind him, the two of you making your way through the hall. the question sounded friendly, and it wasn’t every day kids were nice to him. tom stopped walking so you could catch up. “yes, and you are?” you gave him a small smile, books clutched to your chest. he instantly returned it.

“y/n. i heard you’re in billy elliot?” you laughed at your understatement, then corrected yourself. “that you are billy elliot, i mean. that’s so cool.” “oh, i am. thank you,” he chuckled back, a full grin taking over his face. you were both walking again, you by tom’s side. “i was hoping to come see you soon.” your voice got quieter as you told him, like you were nervous.

tom never had much luck with girls, not at this point in his life. this was an opportunity to change that. at the very least, to make a new friend. he offered something you said yes to without a beat of hesitation. “what if i got you the tickets?”

from then on, you began talking during class and not only when it ended. tom really knew how to keep the conversation going, telling story after story that left you laughing so much your teacher would shush you. you’d eventually moved to hangouts at either of your houses. harrison came into the mix at some point, the three of you forming your own group.

the difference between tom and harrison was that while harrison linked with other girls, tom was only interested in you. he’d gotten a crush on you pretty fast, if he was being honest. it might have been your shared sense of humor or the way you said his name.

thomas, when he was being cheeky. tommy, which took the place of a pet name. even regular tom. that might have been his favorite. he loved how it rolled off your tongue. he loved, and still loves, you.

you’d gone to all of tom’s performances you possibly could, the ones for school theater included. you also gave him the push to take his talents to hollywood. tom was afraid he wasn’t cut out for the big screen, that he needed more practice and experience first. you told him that if this was what he wanted to do, he had to start somewhere. why wait?

tom then landed his first movie role in the impossible at the age of fifteen. he’d received tons of praise and almost gotten nominated for an academy award, all because you convinced him to audition. you played a huge part in keeping him grounded when he was between films, and caught him up on whatever schoolwork he’d missed.

you practically zoomed to tom’s house when he was announced as the next spider-man. you’d been constantly refreshing every social media platform marvel was on since tom became a finalist for the part. that process was probably the most difficult experience he’s ever gone through. you’d know, having heard all about it from tom.

the two of you celebrated along with the rest of tom’s family that night. you kept giving him little proud of you squeezes on his shoulder or knee. tom is eternally indebted to you for being the most supportive of everything he does.

he of course sends the support right back. although he went down the movie star path, acting wasn’t for you. you’d gone off to university and studied hard as hell and aced all your shit. tom quizzed you on material whenever you needed. he wanted to help you somehow, and this was all you’d let him do.

he’d offered to pay off your loans and any other expenses necessary because he had the money to do that now. you refused every single time, not trying to become dependent on him. he admired your drive, yet hated it at the same time. everything you’d done for him, it was his turn to be the caretaker. it should’ve been.

whenever tom wrapped filming for the holidays and came back home, you were always preparing for final exams. he kept you company, content with simply being in your presence. you typed away on your keyboard and read over notes until your eyes burned. tom occasionally brought you snacks, tea, asked how you were and what he could do.

sometimes, he would have to cut your study time short. he’d say it wasn’t healthy or you were overdoing it and to come relax with him for a bit. other times, tom let you be. he didn’t want to get in the way of your already stressful assignments. those were the nights you’d fall asleep in front of your laptop. drool on your chin, hunched over at your desk.

tom made sure to tuck you in, press a light kiss to whatever part of your face wasn’t covered in spit, then let himself out. he knew where your spare key was, so he used that. you’d wake up to a “Fell asleep studying again. Rest today x” text the next morning.

when it came time for you to graduate, tom was on the first flight there. it was during another round of reshoots for chaos walking. he respectfully told doug that he’d have to work around his schedule or replace him, which couldn’t be done so late into filming. tom didn’t care that it made him seem like a prick. he was getting to you no matter what he had to do.

he’d earned plenty of stares and whispers from people as he took his seat in the crowd. he was a proper celebrity now, so he expected it. his solution was to ignore everything and chat with your family about how proud they were of you, tom the most. he saw you go from a kid attempting algebra equations to an adult at her uni graduation. you’ve really grown up together.

it was why he teared up hearing them call your name, seeing you beam as you walked across the stage. your mom grabbed his hand and nodded at him, like she could tell exactly what was going through his head.

you ran right up to tom after the ceremony was over, leaping into his arms. he let out a couple of chuckles as he spun you around. “i didn’t think you’d make it,” you’d admitted, happy yet sad tears in your eyes. tom put you down so he could pull you in for a real hug. “i’ll always be wherever you are, y/n,” he said into your ear, rocking you while you gripped at his suit collar.

flash forward to a year later, your career is finally taking off, tom’s is flourishing like it has been for years, and you’re pregnant with his child. you’re trying to recall the series of events that led you to this moment.

you were both drunk, blackout drunk because the only reason you remember sleeping together is that you woke up naked in the same bed. harrison’s bed.

he threw a housewarming party for himself, having recently moved out of tom’s and the other boys’ place. the three of them, sam, and you were all in attendance, along with a lot of others you hadn’t met.

neither you nor tom could figure out where he knew all those people from. he’d clinged to you two for the most part, more so you now with tom usually away. they could have been from work. harrison is breaking into the business himself, small roles here and there. tom actually met him in your school’s theater program, then he introduced him to you, ten years ago already.

sam entertained himself by making concoctions with the snacks harrison set out. harry got together a playlist for the party. harrison and tuwaine struck up a conversation with some of harrison’s actor friends. that left you and tom alone, out of stuff to do, and with one way to fix it.

“drink?” tom had asked you, a smirk playing on his lips. “love one,” you hummed back and set off for the kitchen. the two of you raided harrison’s liquor cabinet, grabbing his biggest bottle of wine. he’d dumbly pointed it out during the house tour he gave you before the other guests arrived.

you were about to search for glasses, but tom’s fingers threaded through yours. he gently tugged you away and nodded behind him. “let’s bring this upstairs. seems much more fun there,” he’d murmured over the music, a grin breaking across your face.

tom is big on clubbing and socializing, however, you aren’t. he comes up with ways to get you out of these events, just in case.

“we can break in harrison’s bed for him,” you said as a completely harmless joke, no intentions of that becoming your reality later on. spoiler alert: it did. “and how are we gonna do that?” tom quirked a suggestive eyebrow and breathed out a laugh as you dragged him towards the stairs. despite yourself, you’d giggled at his words.

not one drink in either of you yet, and you were stumbling and cracking up as you ran upstairs. you’d pulled tom by your still attached hands into what you remembered as harrison’s room. tom shut the door, locked it, saying under his breath that would be a “convenient investment” for him to make as well.

he took out a bottle opener that he must have put in his pocket at some point and got to work on your wine, you getting comfortable on the new mattress. the two of you passed it to the other after every sip, tom licking the taste of your lip gloss off his own lips every so often.

the equivalent of three drinks in, you were making out. both of you were just tipsy at this point, tom holding you by your hips as you lied down, your legs around his waist. god, he could’ve done this sober. he’d dreamed about kissing you, really kissing you since he was fourteen. you’d always felt like you two had something more. ah, there it was.

halfway through the bottle got you past the next two bases, and you were ready for the fourth and ultimate one by the time you shook the last few drops onto the tip of your tongue. tom groaned at the sight of that, drawing your half naked body in closer to his.

you two had forgotten to use protection in each of your drunken states. without a doubt, you both would’ve agreed to a condom had your minds not been everywhere but where they should have.

you’d woken up first the morning after, panic immediately coursing through your veins thicker than blood. a fully nude and sleeping tom had you in his embrace, arms secured around your middle, facing you. you gasped when you made the connection, loudly enough to wake tom up. his long eyelashes tickled your face, a confused pout on his lips. uh... um...

“did we fucking...” you trailed off, no words to describe whatever unfolded. “fuck?” tom finished for you. a very blunt explanation, but true nevertheless. “looks like it,” he rasped, pout changing into a smile. your face fell at the vague memories of how you spent your night.

you definitely wanted to do it. just, he’s your best friend, who’s seen you at your least sexy moments over the years. when you were sick, had breakdowns from stress, you name literally anything, tom was there. it took one bottle of cheap wine for him to forget that?

the real answer was no. tom is entirely in love with you, for a decade at that. you were beginning to discover you feel the same, only you had no idea he already loves you. you’d assumed this was meant to be merely a hookup. from the frown your face held, he’d thought you were regretting it. oh, were you both so wrong.

“um... we don’t have to talk about it,” tom told you halfheartedly, under the impression that’s what you preferred. you physically felt yourself get weaker in tom’s strong arms. he’s not interested. “yeah, that’s probably for the best. i...” you were lying. his heart shrunk, shriveled up inside his chest. she doesn’t love me like that.

“you have to go. aren’t you behind on some emails?” tom hoped you didn’t hear his voice strain from the tears pushing at his eyes. “right. almost forgot, thanks.” you’d plastered on a smile, slipping out of his grasp. a tear rolled down his cheek, so he wiped it away before you noticed. you’d already gotten out of the bed and begun picking your clothes up off the floor.

“i’ll drive you home, then.” he rolled on to his other side, you thought so he could give you privacy to change. it was that, and also because he was crying. he couldn’t hold it in. tom is naturally an emotional person. imagine finding out the love you’ve had almost half your life is unreciprocated. it’s soul crushing.

you two found harrison snoring and on top of tuwaine as you left the house. no silly remarks or shared glances for the first time in ten years. tom couldn’t muster anything up, and you felt numb.

the drive was painful. you’d said your goodbyes after tom pulled up to the curb, which held an odd weight to them. once you were out of the car, a sob wracked through him, banging on the steering wheel and not giving a shit about the loud horn going off. you collapsed face first onto your bed. hours passed by while you stared at nothing and contemplated everything.

since it happened, you haven’t spoken much. small talk over text every few days or so, both of you pretending things are normal for the other’s sake. about a month later, today, is when you found out you’re pregnant.

there’s no use wallowing in any of this. you need to figure out your next move, one that should probably involve tom. first, you want to talk to someone else. you want other opinions and a voice in your head that isn’t your own. harrison gets a text from you saying to come over now, the now in all caps. he does.

you let him in after the second knock, his eyebrows furrowing in concern. however torn you are, you must look it. shirt balled in your fists, lip quivering. he keeps his eyes on yours as he steps inside, pushing the door shut behind him. this is all becoming too real. “y/n, are you okay?”

you’re about to cry in three, two...

“haz, i fucked up,” you choke out, tears unable to stay at bay. he takes you into his arms for a hug. half your face is hidden in his shoulder, hands clutching at his back. he lets you cry it out, holding you until your heavy breathing steadies. “what’s happened?” harrison asks quietly, both of you leaving the hug.

“if- if i tell you, you can’t freak out. you can’t tell anyone else, either,” you instruct, searching his eyes for certainty that he won’t under any circumstances. “i won’t, y/n/n,” he assures you and puts an encouraging hand on your arm. your heart pounding abnormally fast, you spit it out. your first time saying it aloud. “i’m pregnant.”

harrison flinches and doesn’t even try to conceal it. he takes his hand off of you, worry swimming across his features. he blinks at you, unsure of what to say. you’d react the same way, maybe worse, so you don’t blame him. a discussion you, him, and tom had a couple years back replays in his mind.

the three of you were talking about your futures, seeing as you were close to living them. when tom asked you two where you stood on having your own families, you didn’t hesitate to answer. “nope, the factory is closed for a long ass time.” until you were in your thirties, you aimed to focus on yourself. harrison distinctly remembered because of how you phrased it.

“you’re... you... wow,” is all he replies with. you head over to the couch, more tears welling up in your eyes. do the pregnancy hormones act up this early? harrison follows you over and sits down next to you with an awkward clearing of his throat. “do you want to be pregnant?” he has to ask because he’s not sure if he should congratulate you or what.

“i don’t know,” you answer honestly, voice airy. your eyes are fixed on the wall in front of you. you haven’t given yourself time to think about it. there are so many reasons you don’t, and a single one you do. “do you, um, know who the dad is?” harrison glances over at you. “yeah.” your voice cracks. you’re both afraid for him to ask what he does next.

he shifts so he’s sitting up. “can i know?” a sniffle passing through you, you finally look at him. “it’s tom,” you say it before you lose the nerve to. harrison’s face doesn’t change this time. he isn’t surprised you and tom went there. he’d seen your friendship growing into more the older you all got. what he can’t believe is where it took you.

his best friend pregnant, and his other best friend responsible for it.

“when did you...” “at your party,” you explain, bringing your legs up so they’re criss cross on the couch. “i thought you were gone a little too long.” he says that to try cheering you up. you appreciate the effort, but it doesn’t work. you’re not in a joking mood. he’ll stick to the main issue. “so, have you told him?”

“clearly not,” you scoff, not at him but at what you two have gotten yourselves into. “y/n... i think you should tell him,” harrison sighs out, then adds, “whether you keep it or not.” “why? that would ruin everything, it already has.” you’re getting angry now, which plunges you into angry crying, voice unsteady as you go on.

“the last time i saw tom was that night, and i guess it meant more to me than it did to him because we haven’t talked about it at all. he didn’t want to.” you swipe the back of your hand across your eyes, gaze stern compared to harrison’s soft one.

he drapes an arm around your shoulders, you curling into him with another sniffle. he doesn’t say anything for a minute, then he tries again. “i know you, y/n, and i know tom. you’ll kill yourselves not talking about this.” he’s right, no shit he is. avoiding telling tom how you feel, and your pregnancy on top of that, it’s eating you up inside. it’s swallowing you whole.

“what if he doesn’t want to be a dad? or- or i’m a shit mum?” you croak out, your doubts getting the best of you. “i can barely take care of myself. what am i supposed to do with a baby?” you’re leaning forward with your hands pressing into your temples. harrison’s hand moves to your upper back. “i- i don’t think i should have them. i... we can’t,” you conclude.

“tom loves kids,” he gives you a gentle reminder. “why would his own be the exception?” another good point, yet you still have rebuttles. “right, he’s a godfather and he’s really good with them and all that, but i’m not the right person, and it’s a terrible time,” you tell him all at once, in a rush to get your words out before harrison’s sway you.

“he’s never around, i’m doing my own stuff. we’re not meant for this.” you lift your head out of your hands and sit back on the couch. harrison returns his hands to his lap. he’s frowning at you, which you see from the corner of your eye. “i’m not going to force you to have the baby. just saying you have options.”

yeah, really shitty ones.

“either way, talk to tom.” harrison says this more like a demand so you’ll take his advice into actual consideration. “at least about the hookup.” your teeth sink into your lower lip, eyes watering for the nth time already.

you have no choice because he’s right again. you’ll never move on from what happened unless you and tom address it.

the next morning, you do what harrison told you to and invite tom over. he replied saying he was on his way maybe a minute later. he’s nervous to see you because yeah, but more so looking forward since it’s been so long. you’re so nauseous you barely have room for nerves. it’s morning sickness with a hint anxiety.

it feels almost normal when he first gets here, no how’ve you been and what are you up to these days? being as close as you and tom are, you’re not capable of such a dry conversation. personally, you still feel uneasy while he recounts a golfing incident him and harry got into the other day. you know something he doesn’t.

“when i tell you we flew, we flew,” tom makes a pushing forward motion with both hands. “right into the tree. i think harry, like, dented part of his face.” he lets out a breathy laugh, you forcing out one of your own. you’d be more interested without the fact that you’re expecting a child, his child, at the back of your mind.

tom exhales, shifting to face you on your couch. it’s funny how different things were when you and harrison sat in these same spots yesterday. so much has and is about to change.

“they had to send another golf cart to come get us. it was wild.” “it sounds wild,” you hollowly agree. he can tell you’re not too invested in hearing about harry’s terrible driving skills, so he changes the subject. “anyway, harrison told me he came over last night?” your stomach drops, heat coming over your whole body.

“did... did he say why?” you murmur with a look of urgency in your eyes. tom shrugs a shoulder, and casually. there’s no way he knows. “no, was he supposed to?” his tone stays playful, which you can thankfully tell. that puts you more at ease. “no. no, never mind. i would’ve asked you to come, but...” you’re searching through your catalog of excuses.

thank god tom says something else because you can’t find a good one. “it’s alright. i actually, um, had a work call.” a small smile spreads across his face, a proud one. intrigued, you raise both eyebrows. “what’d you talk about?” tom twiddles with his fingers in his lap. “i’ve been offered an audition for this really amazing film. everything works out, it’ll be huge for me.”

you’re smiling back this time, putting a hand over one of his. “woah, that’s incredible. i’m so happy for you, tom.” you lock your fingers with his from the back of his hand. he looks down at them, humbly shaking his head. “when is it?” “a few weeks from today. it films in brazil...”

oh. you can’t tell him now. it’s not worth him missing out on a milestone in his career for a baby you’re not sure you should have. that would be so unfair of you to ask. what are you going to do, not support his dreams for the first time in a literal decade? and, you’d call yourself his best friend through it all?

you guess this also means the way you feel about tom is one sided. he’s okay with leaving you after the most intimate moment you two have ever shared. you’ll dance around it the rest of your lives. better yet, act like the night never even happened. that’s not so easy to do when you’ve got a permanent reminder of it.

the thought makes you sick to your stomach. so sick, you could...

while tom is talking more about what the audition entails, you suddenly bolt up from the couch. you run for the bathroom, a hand cupped over your mouth. his face twists up in confusion from your disappearance. tom calls, “y/n/n?” out to you, but you can’t respond because your head is in the toilet. he rushes in when he hears you retching.

he gets onto the floor with you. you’re bent over, puking your guts out, back in another place where your life changed forever less than twenty four hours ago. tom pulls your hair out of your face and into a makeshift ponytail with one hand, his other on your back. that’s all you have in you. you stay over the toilet just to be sure.

saliva drips from your mouth, making you cough roughly, the sound echoing. tom moves so he’s next to you, keeping his hand in your hair and not caring one bit about the smell because he loves you and he’s utterly concerned about what he witnessed.

“love, are you sick?” he coos, searching for your eyes. they water from the intensity of everything. “morning sickness,” you answer without thinking first. shit. shit, shit, shit. it came out of you like more vomit, word vomit. there’s no going back now.

tom lets go of your hair with his eyes still on yours. his hand on your back then leaves you, fingers trailing down your body as they go. “morning sickness,” he repeats, putting it together. “you’re pregnant?” guilt taking over your features, you sit across from tom. you’re once again leaning against the bathtub, him against the counter.

“this isn’t how i wanted you to find out,” you admit and bring your knees up to your chest. “i took a test yesterday. it was positive.” your arms wrap around your legs, you now tearing up because tom figured it out. a shaky breath passes his lips. “i haven’t gone to my doctor or anything yet, but i-“

“are you keeping the baby?” tom cuts in. not to judge you for your choice, to find out what the fuck is going on before he travels across the world. you tighten your arms around yourself, grabbing your wrist. “i haven’t decided.” he gives you an understanding nod and reaches out for you. you dodge him. he might not want to do that after what you say next.

“tom, i... there’s more,” you whimper out. “yeah. i’m... i’m listening,” tom croaks, unable to hold in his infinite amount of emotions for a multitude of reasons. he’s losing you a second time. more tears spill from your eyes as you break the news, the news that will destroy what he’s been working towards his entire life.

“the baby is yours.” his face relaxes, looking almost relieved when you confess it. “when we slept together, uh,” you’re sure it’s obvious enough that you don’t have to go over the details. he’s tearing up himself. you reluctantly continue. “if you still want to audition, i get it. we don’t have to do this.”

“fuck the audition. fuck the whole movie. all of my movies, really,” tom surprises you by blurting out. he moves in until your legs are touching. “i’m staying. even if you don’t have the baby, i have to be here.” you watch in disbelief as he wipes away what are actually happy tears. “really? i was scared you’d resent me for it, or hate me even,” you mumble to him.

“y/n, what? why would i ever do that?” tom places a hand on your cheek, touch gentle and filled with love. you part your legs so he can be closer to you. he takes the space between them, thumb brushing over your skin. “i didn’t think you’d want to deal with all of this. i thought that night was only a hookup for you.” your voice wobbles under his gaze.

“no, are you kidding? i thought that’s what you thought.” he’s smiling now, eyes twinkling along with it. what he’s been meaning to tell you since you were only kids finally comes out. “i’ve loved you as long as i’ve known you, y/n. i always imagined myself doing this with you.” his words draw a quiet laugh from you, a happy one. “i know we were drunk, but i meant it all.”

the sincerity in his voice, the warmth in his eyes, they make you cry all over again. you’re getting used to it.

“i love you, tom,” you lean into him with a sniffle and a grin, his forehead now resting on yours, using his thumb to catch one of your tears. “i really do.” “i love you forever. i always have,” tom speaks lowly, breath fanning across your face. your hands grab at his shoulders. “so, you’ll stay? you’ll do this with me?” he reminds you of what he said before, this time a promise.

“forever.”

you ended up having the baby, and tom held your hand through the entire labor. nikki was holding his other hand, your mom holding your other hand. harrison had originally been in the room as well. when you started to push, he got freaked out and had to leave. your support system remained strong either way.

despite his repulsion of your daughter’s birth, you and tom decided to make harrison her godfather. he eventually became the godfather of your other two children also, which you had a few years later.

tom took a paternity leave from the industry so he could be with you and jamie. he’d also used his time off to propose to you, something else he fantasized about since year eleven in school. it wasn’t anything too grand because the whole world was already buzzing about you two, and a big gesture felt too impersonal with everything you’d been through together.

he did it in the form of passing a note, something you often did in class to avoid being scolded by your teacher for talking. the note came with a pencil to check off either the yes or no box, “will you marry me?” written above them. anyone else would have found it so unromantic, but you giggled as you checked off yes before your lips crashed into his smiling ones.

you were married shortly after the proposal, jamie as your flower girl and all your friends and family in attendance.

to do what he loved and stay with the people he loved, tom created his own version of hollywood in london. he took it upon himself to assemble a team and make a production company. harry behind the camera, harrison and tuwaine in the films, and tom either starring alongside them or directing. they give so many young actors tons of opportunities.

you eventually went back to work, too. it was like you’d never left, coworkers offering endless hugs and going over what you missed, not that you struggled getting into it. tom was there to celebrate every promotion, every compliment from your boss, every part of your life. jamie was also there, then liam and lucy.

all three of them are running around the house right now, putting on shoes and collecting their supplies for school. you take a sip of the orange juice liam didn’t finish with a lighthearted eye roll. tom chuckles as he passes you in the kitchen, getting the kids’ lunchboxes for them to minimize the chaos.

“you have that pitch meeting today, right?” he slips his hands through the lunchbox handles and walks over to you. “mhm,” you hum, mouth full with juice. his lips press to your temple, giving your waist a one handed squeeze. “you’ll smash it. always do.” “thanks, tommy.” putting down the cup, you reach up to button whatever parts of his shirt he didn’t have time to.

“aren’t you doing a casting? for the new script they sent?” you wonder aloud and smooth down the cotton material. “me and harry. should be interesting,” he remarks, you giving him a quick kiss back on his chin. they tend to have their artistic differences. “good luck with that. you do drop off, i’ll do pick up?” you pat one of the lunchboxes around his arms.

“deal.” tom goes in for a kiss on your lips, then a chorus of dad, we have to go led by jamie rings through the house. with a knowing smile, you push at his chest. “see you later. love you.” “love you, holland,” he bites back a grin of his own. his last name, now yours, suits you perfectly.

#tom holland #tom holland fluff #tom holland smut #tom holland x you #tom holland x reader #tom holland x y/n #tom holland fic #tom holland fanfiction #tom holland imagine #tom holland au #peter parker #peter parker fluff #peter parker smut #peter parker imagine #peter parker x reader #marvel

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sinrau · 4 years ago

Link

I found this article on HuffPost and it speaks the truth:

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5f08d961c5b67a80bc07610e

One morning in April, I woke up to my son standing by my bed. He was carrying his backpack. His eyes were sad, and his little mouth was trembling.

“ School,” he said. “Time to go.”

This was heartbreaking because school had already been out for two weeks as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

When the schools first closed down, my son took it in stride. He thought the school-free days were merely another spring vacation. Then the weeks wore on, and there was no school. There were no friends, no teachers, no library, no movies, no bookstores, no restaurants and no playground.

My son began to realize that something was wrong. He was stuck all day at home with only an iPad and an increasingly anxious mother to keep him company. The happy socializing of his classroom and his patient teachers were gone, and he didn’t really know why.

My son is severely autistic. He is 9 years old but communicates at a 3-year-old level. He cannot express complicated emotions verbally, so he has to resort to other means, such as pointing, silently giving me objects that he wants me to fix or sometimes simply screaming.

It is very difficult to explain to him that school is going to be out for a long time because of a disease. He does not know why he cannot see the teachers he loves and be around the students with whom he adores socializing. Taking away school is to my son a random, cruel twist of fate that feels like it dropped out of nowhere.

My son couldn’t tolerate it when he first saw the kind face of his teacher, Mrs. Thomas, looking out at him from the computer screen during virtual classes. It was all wrong! His teacher belonged at school! He belonged at school! School stuff didn’t belong at home!

As his teacher continued to talk to him from the screen, he pointed to his teacher’s face, looked at me and said, “Go to Mrs. Thomas! Mrs. Thomas, please! Go school Mrs. Thomas, please.” The longing in his eyes broke my heart. He was desperately hoping that with that “please,” I could magically restore school and friends and teachers the same way I could give him an extra scoop of ice cream if he asked nicely.

Not only does my son like to go to school, he also relies on it. As with most autistic children, he is vulnerable to regression with even a short time off from his classes and therapists.

All children get a bit behind during long school breaks, but autistic children are at a greater risk of going backward in terms of not only their academic skills but also basic socializing, emotional development and overall day-to-day functioning.

Already parents in my Facebook support groups are reporting that their autistic children are becoming more emotionally volatile, less verbal, more self-stimulating and less responsive to directions. Mothers online are lamenting how their children are wetting their beds, weeping uncontrollably or simply no longer speaking. As the parents of autistic children, we can only watch helplessly as our sons and daughters regress.

Feda Almaliti is the vice president of the National Council on Severe Autism. Her son, Mohammed, is 15 years old and has severe autism. On May 22, Almaliti gave an emotional interview on NPR. She described what the lack of school was like for her son.

“Muhammed is an energetic, loving boy who doesn’t understand what’s going on right now. He doesn’t understand why he can’t go to school. And school is one of his favorite places to go. He doesn’t understand why he can’t go take a walk in the mall when that was one of his favorite things to do. He doesn’t know why he can’t go to the park, why he can’t go down to the grocery store,” Almaliti said. “So he’s incredibly confused, in this time when we’re all confused, but he really doesn’t understand it.”

I heard Almaliti’s voice desperately trying not to crack into tears, and my own eyes welled up because I know exactly where she is emotionally. It is hard enough to take care of neurotypical children, who are sad and anxious and frustrated during these closures. There is an extra layer of sadness when it comes to caring for autistic children during the pandemic, who simply do not understand what is going on. They only know that suddenly a whole lot of good things have gone out of their lives.

It has not escaped my notice that these school closures are taking place during an election year. Trump, an increasingly vulnerable incumbent in this race, is now demanding that schools open in the fall, going so far as to say he will “cut off” funding for schools that refuse to reopen.

Getting kids back to school, of course, means parents return to work, an issue that is crucial to a candidate reliant on a rejuvenated economy for reelection. It also should be noted that women, especially mothers, are a coveted voter demographic in the upcoming presidential election. Naturally, our grief during this national crisis has become a political bargaining chip.

But as much as I want to put my son on the school bus in the mornings with his backpack, I know that any return to school will be temporary without stringent measures in place to keep COVID-19 spikes at bay.

Unless the complicated apparatus of contact tracing teams, spaced-out school days and classroom rearrangement is implemented, we will pay for our one month of “return to normalcy” with six more months of closures. And the Trump administration does not appear to have the patience, infrastructure or political will to put together the complex administrative machinery needed to safely reopen our schools. Also, needless to say, threatening to cut off funding to public schools does not do a great deal to win the hearts and minds of mothers who desperately need these schools to help their children’s development.

As the days crawl by, I see my son wake up, eat breakfast and listlessly do his summer schoolwork while poking at his iPad. I watch the international news enviously. Across the world I see competent governance taking place as Canada, Europe, New Zealand and South Korea slowly, carefully reopen with their contact tracing teams in place and their COVID-19 infection curves wonderfully flat.

As our own infection rate climbs, and I see our government flail as people die in overcrowded ICUs, I see how necessary it is that we vote out Trump and everyone in his administration who have let us down so badly. Only by voting in a competent administration run by people willing to listen to health care experts can we finally send our children back to school.

I Am a Mom Who Desperately Wants Schools to Reopen. But Trump Isn’t Getting My Vote.

#IFTTT #WordPress

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margaritaris · 7 years ago

Text

(100 things) I have learned in my seventeen years of life.

1. Some of the people you think are going to be around forever, will not. Nothing in life is ever certain nor guaranteed. Cherish them and love them wholly and fully every single day that you can.

2. You are capable of just about anything. You can push your mind to unthinkable limits. You just have to keep pushing, even when you feel like you can’t. You are stronger and smarter than you think or could ever believe. You truly are.

3. If you view someone else’s behavior towards you as a reflection of themselves and not you, then you will truly learn to cease all.

4. Think thoroughly and check your surroundings before you say anything about someone else. Is it positive and will it benefit someone else to say it? If it’s not positive, it’s better to keep it to yourself in many instances

5. Schoolwork and college are not everything

6. Eat that damn taco

7. Your feelings are not irrational, you have the right to feel whatever it is you feel at any moment in time, do not let anyone tell you otherwise, as they do not take precedence or insignificance over or under anyone else.

8. You have to be hurt at times. It’s how you learn and experience and heal and grow.

9. Life is short but long. Life might be a happy medium of the two. Enough time for you to enjoy moments and remember them forever, but short enough to inspire you to live and experience it to the fullest.

10. There’s nothing wrong with being independent

11. There’s also nothing wrong with admitting that you need help, too.

12. Don’t ever be ashamed of the music you like.

13. Listen to your music as loud as fucking possible!!!

14. You don’t have to bend your morals for some else’s ideals.

15. Your pain does not have to be justified or simplified. You cannot compare your pain to someone else’s’ and say that you don’t deserve to be sad because someone else has it worse. That’s like simply saying that because someone has it better, you can’t be happy.

16. You can’t always control situations, but can always control as to how you react to them.

17. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health.

18. Just because someone is doing something differently doesn’t mean it is wrong. There is no wrong path to growing in life

19. Keep a journal or diary and write in it often. There will be seasons for remembering to write in it and seasons where you will forget. But you won’t regret coming back to it and seeing where you once left off, and seeing how far you have come in such time.

20. Jealously will get you nowhere. Learn to be happy for other people’s strengths, no matter how much you wish you had that certain strength or ability. Everyone is different. Be happy for their talents and happy for yours! Difference in people is pure diversity and that is what makes this world so colorful and abstract

21. Talk about the things you love more often than the things you don’t. It does no good to talk about things you dislike all the time and brings no peace to either person in the conversation

22. Say your prayers and pray often. Pray everyday. Pray before you make a decision, pray when you’re struggling, pray always. It changes things.

23. With growing up comes, of course, a stronger sense of maturity. Forgiveness, patience, and selflessness are three traits that are heavily learned, at least I had to learn and practice with through seventeen years of my life. I struggled with some more than others.. Some came naturally and others, took time and still take time to this day. Forgiveness is one of them that I had to work on because I can be pretty sensitive and stubborn at times. Don’t worry so much over quarrels or little arguments you may have with your sibling, dad, aunt, or even teacher or friend. They’re not worth sulking for hours on end over something so little unless it lies deeper and hurt a great deal towards a much larger issue. Otherwise, just rise and be the bigger person. Forgive those who trespass against you, as holding a grudge is one of the many poisons of life. Forgive and move on.

24. Your body does so much for you that you don’t even know about. You can either choose to be with or against yourself, and you are going to be in this same body your whole life, so try and treasure it as you can! It loves you.

25. Being stubborn all the time can lead to regret.

26. Don’t wish you were another age older than you are. You’re only young once, is it over yet? Because as much as you wish to be older, it still won’t happen until due time and you can spend this current time enjoying the age you are exactly and the things it has to offer instead, because soon enough you will be at that other age. So just enjoy what life offers you right now. Be present.

27. This is your life. Nobody else can be you, nor can you be them. Therefore, I’ve realized that you cannot dictate how somebody else chooses to live. You cannot tell them who to love, what to do, or what to believe in. This world is becoming such a diverse complex and people are voicing their opinions so often because times are changing and everyone clashes. What I personally believe is that everyone is entitled to love, and do whatever makes them happy, and by letting people do that, and live their life because you are living yours, is the right thing. You can’t force someone to believe in something. All you can do is encourage, not force. You must respect all people, even if you don’t understand.

28. When someone says, “Love yourself” it isn’t as easy as that to just “love yourself.” I’ve learned it takes, and will take, many years and tears and triumphs and mountains to climb and experiences to shape and to cause you to fully learn to love yourself. But you can. You can love yourself in the moment, just as you are, as little as you maybe be able too. It’s all in your mindset. Sometimes it’s quicker for others, and others much longer. Everyone takes things at different paces and there is nothing wrong with that!

29. Cut your hair the way you want to. It will always grow back at some point

30. No text or call is worth the risk while driving. Never.

31. When curious for inquiry for yourself, the worst someone can say is no. But you never know until you ask.

32. Take the leap!!!! You never know what could lie on the other side of fear or doubt!

33. Kids, and teenagers, should be heard and not just seen. I’ve been shut out, and not allowed to speak or voice my opinions or put in my input because of my age. I believe that age has no boundaries for knowledge or experience. You become wise with experience, not age. And experience comes to you at all different times and cornerstones in life. A twelve year old could have more experience with grief than someone in their forties. You never know. So listen to the little ones, for they deserve it just as much

34. Dress up for as long as you can on Halloween. It’s a hell of a lot of fun and pride or a certain reputation won’t give you memories to remember or cherish when you’re old and gray.

35. Whether you like it or not, life goes on. After a terrible experience… life will still go on. The people surrounding you will continue on, and you will soon get back into the flow of things. Mending doesn’t always run parallel with things moving forward.

36. Drama is worth nothing. You either create it, or let it escape into your life if you’re constantly surrounded by it. Sometimes it just comes out of nowhere, but there is always a way to avoid it somehow, even if you can’t escape the people around you speaking it you can simply turn a blind eye and ignore it all with other thoughts. Either way, you can cut it out completely. But you have to make the conscious effort and choice. Not to say it won’t appear again, because it will, this is life, but you will always have the choice to ignore it and stray far from it.

37. There’s always a bend in the road.

38. Read very often. I’ve just now as of recently have gotten back into the joy of reading books, (I have read fan fictions so much before) and I’ve re-fallen in love with it.

39. How many friends you have do not define you.

40. Having one single person who understands you to the core and simply just loves you for you and knowing they would do anything on this earth for you and being able to call them your best friend, is one of the best blessings life could ever offer.

41. Wear whatever the heck you want!!

42. The world is going to judge you anyway, so do whatever the heck you want too.

43. Don’t be embarrassed to dance in public

44. Even the most kind and down to earth people you could know and meet, still will have darkly flaws. Nobody is perfect. People lose their tempers and everyone says things they don’t mean. It’s life, and you have to accept that humans are humans and are bound to do things that could seem terrible at times and they make mistakes. But it doesn’t make them a terrible person. Seeing a flash of a different side to a person you care for and knowing that is not who they are, does not mean they are any different than the person you know and love.

45. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being shy. If this is who you are, take strength in it. Silence does and can speak louder than words at many times.

46. Just because people have bad habits, it does not make them a bad person.

47. Take numerous photos and videos of anything and everything but remember not to, too. Admire things without a lens.

48. Not everything about life needs to be shared online.

49. You can learn things, and know them, but it takes one step at a time and patience to incorporate and remember them in your life. As I know all these things I am writing, I still make mistakes and trespass over the “do not’s” so often. But that’s a human for you.

50. Don’t worry about what your feed or social media looks like so much. Don’t worry about the perfect selfie or aesthetic if you don’t want too. It’s energy being wasted on the most unnecessary thing.

51. Don’t let adults try and deprive you of this generation and age. They may try and say that the music they hear now is garbage, and that people are too self conceded nowadays, but that’s not true. We take pictures of ourselves because self love is important and something that has been shifted underneath the rug for all the generations prior. Your parents had their unique generation and trends, and your grandparents sure thought the same thing your parents might think right now, so you are allowed to have your own time to blossom. Enjoy this time and don’t care about taking a selfie in public or listening to music aloud. Delve into the uniqueness of this time period! You’ll have many stories to tell eventually

52. You should never outgrow imagination. It’s a gift, and if you are able to imagine things you are very lucky. Sometimes, imagination could be your only comfort during hard trials

53. You’re NEVER selfish for doing something for yourself that you need. Self care is often taken and perceived as the object of selfishness. Don’t believe that for one second of your life

54. Visit elders. Visit your grandparents and great aunts and uncles often. They were young like you once too, but try not to worry much about thinking that you’re going to be that ripe old age soon because you’re not at the moment, and you must enjoy how you are now. It is not boring if you’d open up your heart. But you will be an elder at some point and elders enjoy the company as many are always lonely. Just ask them of their old days and watch them smile. It always brings peace to my heart and I’m sure it will to yours as well. Even they can expand your mind too if you just let them.

55. You’re going to have as good of a time as you make your mind up to be.

56. Do the most random acts of kindness you can anytime you remember, and also always remember to remind the people you care most about how much they mean to you.

57. Don’t rush driving if you’re not ready and only want to do it because everyone else is. You’ll have so many years to drive later on. Your teenage years aren’t even but a fraction of your life.

58. You don’t have to do everything at once.

59. Also, there’s no point in trying to have perfect grammar and spelling all the time

60. Tomorrow will always be a new day, with no mistakes in it yet.

61. People do not think about you as much as you think, in the sense of they do not judge you every single second of everyday. People are busy with their own lives to think of this so much, so don’t worry. They could be looking at you but trust me, they’re thinking of themselves a lot of the time in that mind of theirs

62.No person is worth changing yourself for. They need to be able to accept you in the midst of your storm. Let them walk beside you as you learn to love yourself, but don’t give them the benediction or power to morph you into what they want you to be. Let them walk beside you and help guide you but not drive you.

63. Not one single person and their opinion of you defines you. Ever.

64. Social media is but pure and best vanity. It is mostly, only the good pieces and things in people’s lives. You want to share only positive things, of course. But even in the photos or paragraphs people can share, it could still all be a mask to hide the pain. Don’t believe everything you see on social media, please

65. You don’t have to be sixteen and on a hardcore diet with an even more straining exercise routine. But also, if you truly want to do it for yourself and yourself only, then there is nothing wrong with eating as healthy as you want or exercising. It’s your life, do whatever will make you happy! Just know you’re still young and you’re beautiful just as you are in any state.

66. Do things that are genuinely good for your soul.

67. Be honest, but know when you can spare someone’s feeling

68. Learn to be okay with your own silence and your own company. It won’t then feel so lonely when you are alone at times.

69. Everything happens for a reason, no doubt about that one. I can’t seem to contradict it as every good and bad thing that has happened to me has placed me to where I am now.

70. Fighting fire with fire will never amount to anything or make anything better. You will end up saying something you regret, and you will feel inevitably worse in the end.

71. Know that you won’t ever know everything you need to know in life

72. Do not cut yourself short because you haven’t dated anyone or kissed someone by the time you’re seventeen. Remember, your teenage years are but a fraction of your life. You have many chances ahead of you and just because you don’t have someone now, doesn’t mean you won’t in the future. But in the meantime, enjoy yourself. Take your teenage years to explore and learn about yourself and strengthen your relationship with God, before you can with anyone else.

73. Not every soul will agree or like you. Don’t take it personally

74. Celebrating your birthday is not a selfish thing. It’s a blessing to have lived another year, remember that!

75. Pay for someone’s coffee or drink behind you if you can sometimes.

76. Give a smile, if it’s the only thing you can give, to the homeless. There are many stories about them that make people believe they are untruthful, but I have learned to not believe that to be completely true. They have nothing but the biggest hearts sometimes. If you can, give them a few dollars or maybe a small gift near Christmas. I try so hard to do this even if I’m not able. Giving is one of the most valuable things I have learned in seventeen years. You gain nothing but the comfort of knowing you helped someone, and that is beautiful.

77. Pay people genuine compliments. I’ve learned there’s no sense in giving a compliment that isn’t sincere. Always be honest but truly do give compliments as often as you can! It could be the brightest part of that someone’s day, even if it is hard to muster up the courage to tell them.

78. Don’t try to grow up faster than you are. You will regret it many times in the future.

79. Take other peoples opinions and views with grains of salt. Just because a certain person believes this something doesn’t mean you have to, too.

80. You can’t be her/him. You can’t look exactly like them. You can’t ever have their nose, or humor, or smile. But you don’t need it. And there’s no point in downing yourself because you aren’t like them when it’s nothing you can control. There is nothing wrong with having idols or inspirations, but you must not try to be them. Be you in all your ways. Have faith in yourself. You’re imperfectly beautiful and there are no standards that you have to own up to.

81. You’re allowed to be proud of yourself.

82. Nothing will and ever could be perfect. And not everything will always turn out as you envision it to be, so don’t be disappointed! It’s life and life has to be lived.

83. Tell your best friend everything. From the littlest, and most minor inconvenience to the best or the biggest embarrassment. They’re the one person in this world who isn’t going to judge you and will love you the same after all is said and done anyway

84. But it’s also perfectly okay to keep some things to yourself from people too. You’re inclined to that.

85. You owe not one single soul anything. You’re not responsible for them or their actions.

86. No means no. If someone says no, its means no. Leave it at that. And if you say no, stand firmly by that.

87. Determination is a great thing. If you’re determined, nobody can take that away from you. Never. You will carry this through the rest of your life and will benefit you so greatly. If you want something and love it, dive in determinedly and give it your all.

88. Don’t let grief suck you in whole. If you lose someone, let yourself grieve, but not completely forever. You have to move on… and it can feel wrong many times, as you think, “How can I feel happy for a sliver of a moment when they’re not here anymore?” “How can I laugh when they’re not here to laugh with me?” It will feel like that for awhile. But they want you to be happy as soon as you can be, and you have to move on. You have too. And there is nothing wrong with that, it is natural and you need to do so.

89. There will always be someone who cares and loves you fully.

90. Don’t ever be ashamed of anything that you love. No matter if someone tells you that it’s wrong or different or strange to them, it is not. Never.

91. Not everything has to be taken so seriously!

92. Don’t push away the people who love you because you don’t feel worthy. You are worth more than enough. A thousand times enough.

93. Hiding your insult with the excuse that it is an opinion is not okay.

94. You need to do whatever it may be for yourself, and only yourself. Using all of your energy to focus on changing for other people will do you no good.You must have the geunine intention that you want to do it for you and only you

95. Dogs and cats truly do give the best cuddles sometimes.

96. EAT THAT WHOLE OR HALF PIZZA AND THEN A CUPCAKE AND SOME ICE CREAM AFTERWARDS ALL BY YOURSELF HELL YEAH

97. Always smile at strangers.

98. Living in the past or looking ahead into the future always will drain you. Practice and do things that take your time and cause you to focus on the present.

99. If you can, take time to spend moments with your family. Do not spend all your time on your phone or electronics. Just don’t do it all the time, trust me. Instead of choosing to watch Netflix for the rest of the evening, spend it with your family. You’re so busy growing older that you don’t realize they are too.

100. Always have hope. Never lose hope. Even when the hardest thing to do is hold onto hope. Keep hope sheltered in your heart no matter where you go or what may happen to you, as life is indeed uncertain.

These are just some things that came to my mind when I pondered on what I have learned these many past years. Obviously this is not all of them and just what I have personally learned. I haven’t been excited about turning a year older lately, because the truth is I don’t want too, but looking back I can see all the knowledge I’ve gained and how blessed I am to be turning another year older. God’s given me more than I deserve.. and I am extremely grateful and happy for it. Here’s to the year of seventeen, wow!! Yaaaaaaaay!

#seventeen #quotes #personal #inspiration

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quantumseahorse · 6 years ago

Text

Weird stories I wrote in college

1) A story about Hair

My hair is alive. I'm not saying that like it's 'vibrant and luscious' but I mean it's alive. It's moving on it's own and it bunches up into shapes. Sometimes I think I can hear it make noises. Now you may be wondering why I'm bringing this up. It's because it's weird! No one else's hair does this. My hair moves and purrs when I wash it or brush it. It gets sad and frightened whenever I have to cut it. I can't even sleep properly because my hair doesn't like being smushed into the pillow. I have to sleep on my side every night. It's something you'd think I be used to but I'm not. I wish I could sit down with my hair and just…talk it out, let it know that we share the same head and that her needs and mine are just as important. Don't I already use really nice conditioner for her? Don't I brush her everyday? The least she can do it stop going around smacking my classmates in the face or grabbing extra food from the cafeteria line. I wonder if it'll stop doing this if I shave it. Well whatever. My hair may be alive but I guess it's not that bad. Sometimes though, I really wish my hair was like everyone else's and just be on fire instead. It sucks being the only one in school who needs a flashlight to see at night.

---

2) A Story about a Cat

She was late for school again! No matter how early she goes to bed or how many alarms she sets, Kiniro was NEVER awake on time. She tore down the street, nearly dropping her backpack. Crap, crap, crap!

Why didn't her Owner wake her?! Wasn't that her job? Kiniro grumbled under her breath just thinking about the Human girl who was supposed to care for and raise her.

Kiniro was a Pet. Specifically, a Cat. Her Owner was a human girl who kept her fed and gave her toys. She also signed Kiniro up for school.

"With a good education you'll be able to find a good job." Her Owner had said one night, idly brushing Kiniro's fur.

She glanced ahead and saw that the bus was already slowly pulling out of the bus stop. No! She can still make it! With a heave of her paws the honey yellow cat leaped off the sidewalk and rammed the side of the bus.

The vehicle screeched to a stop and Kiniro could see the faces of her fellow students peering out and voices shouting for the bus driver to let her in. The doors opened and she trotted up the steps with a sigh.

"Cutting it a bit close today."

Kiniro looked up to see one of her neighbors, a medium sized white dog with long floppy ears, grinning at her even as he scooted over to give her room next to him.

"Sure, laugh it up Kuro…" She yowled but jumped onto the seat anyway. No sense in standing for the whole ride.

"Seriously, you actually have an Owner, why doesn't she help you get ready in the morning?"

Kuro didn't have an Owner. Not anymore. He and his 3 brothers had been abandoned years ago. Despite this the dogs had worked hard to earn a living, the eldest doing manual labor to pay for his sibling's schooling.

Compared to them…

Kiniro silently made a promise to work harder. Her Owner may be useless for school but at least she still had one. Kiniro often saw strays along the streets. They were thin, dirty and struggling to survive everyday. Compared to Kiniro's brightly gleaming coat and delicious meals of lightly seared fish the contrast was too much.

Education wasn't mandatory. Many animals couldn't afford to go to school. Jun, the llama never went and he makes his living singing at night bars. Kiniro asked him once if he ever regretted not going to school. Jun had laughed, ruffled her fur and told her that "One shouldn't look back and regret, there was only moving forward."

The bus pulled onto the high school grounds and Kiniro snapped out of her musings. A good education to get a good job huh? She may not know what she planned to do with her life, frankly she'd always thought her Owner would be there to feed and shelter her. But who knew what the future held. Kuro was trotting off to class, a ratty backpack slung over his back. Yeah. An education was best.

---

3) David

David didn't have a head. Not to say he was unintelligent or anything. He simply didn't have a head. He's never had one. His parents were a little surprised about their first born missing a head but they learned to live with it. The doctors assured the parents that aside from the missing part of his anatomy, their son was perfectly healthy.

David went through life much like all little boys. The only exception was that he was mute. This was obvious because he didn't have a mouth. What was odd is that David can see and hear just fine despite not having eyes or ears. In fact the eye exams showed he had excellent vision. He was a very bright child as well. Due to his lack of a mouth the family had him on IV drips for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Aside from these small disability issues, David was like any other boy.

His parents were often quite glad he had turned out as well as he had. He was a smart boy, doing well on his schoolwork and was very polite and respectful of others. David kept a notepad with him at all times so he could communicate with others.

As the years past David grew from a boy to a man and he had to look for a job. David graduated collage as a business major and was hoping to work at a small company for advertising and marketing. Unfortunately many interviews went badly due to the delay in his answering of questions and the fact that he couldn't look his potential employers in the eyes. They all told David that he seemed like a nice young man but without a face or voice to connect to they felt alienated by him. One told David that his lack of a connection to those he spoke/wrote to made it difficult to understand him. David sadly left each interview, wishing he had tear ducts with which to cry with.

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4) The black sheep of the family

"Where's my chainsaw?"

I looked up to see my father's younger brother rummaging through the cabinets. He tossed the items inside over his shoulder without much thought for the one who would have to tidy up later, which would be me.

"Uncle Kain…you won't find the chainsaw there. Father said that power tools must be put in the basement."

"Oh right, I knew that…" Uncle Kain sheepishly screeched his nose and pretended he knew all along where the chainsaw was. He stumbled over the books he'd tossed to the ground as he headed for the basement door.

With a sigh I knelt and began putting everything back in order.

"What does dad want the chainsaw for?" My cousin Ryan asked me from where he was lounging on the sofa. My other cousin Frankie (Ryan's older brother) just rolled his eyes.

"I haven't a clue." I mumbled despite knowing the truth.

My uncle and my father…have an odd profession. From what I can understand they are taxidermists…for humans…usually after they're been dismembered. Apparently it's easier for transport if they can be taken apart and reassembled.

My father once told me that they work on commission. That there are people out there who PAY them to do what they do. Frankly I've always wondered how such a job (and the skills necessary for it) came about in the first place.

I am the eldest child and as such my father has of course taught me his craft. I do not enjoy it. I faint every time even though I know that I'm not actually hurting the person (they're already dead after all). My uncle called me weak. Maybe I am, my younger brother Allen is already learning from father and he does very well.

Frankie's going to be learning the family trade as well once he's old enough. Ryan is still too young to be told about what the family business is but I feel like even he would do a better job than I have.

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