#as Silvia was talking to the two ladies standing next to me while I was nodding along and smiling 🙈

[tyttetardis]

Donmar Welcome Event 16th Jan 2024

Also went to a member's welcome event that the Donmar had, which was basically an hour where they served something to drink and told us a bit more about the theatre and the upcoming shows.

The invitation did say they'd have an exclusive tour of the place - on and off the stage - which I'd been quite excited about - but that didn't actually happen :(

Still, it was rather interesting! Learned a few things about Macbeth as well :)

Apparently, the stage stains very easily - which is why I'm baffled at how easy it apparently is to clean, but guess they must have some really lovely red dye that isn't as stainful as pretty much anything else that's dyed red. It also scratches easily - the movement on the stage can easily create little creases where the blood can get stuck.

I'd only seen the bloodbath on the floor once, so hadn't noticed, but was told that it comes up through the floor - probably why it differs so wildly each night how and where David is covered in it!

(As an aside to that - on the first night there wasn't a bloodbath - he was struck with the knife and there was a bit of blood on his shirt instead - now there's no blood at the wound)

Someone asked them about filming productions (not specifically about Macbeth - and they didn't say anything about it) and they told us about the process of deciding whether to record a production or not as it's a very costly affair to do so - which is why it's not something they just automatically do for everything.

They said that either the NT will ask them if they record a show - which means they do everything, and therefore is obviously the much cheaper option for themselves. The NT will let them know what benefits there might be in it for them - but as far as I understood they won't really earn much if anything from it.

So, the second option is for themselves to invest in filming a production by bringing in a third-party filming company that they pay for themselves. It's obviously a much more expensive way of doing it - but they'd also get more money back from it if it sells well in cinemas or online. Obviously, they have gone with the second option - so hopefully that's because they think it has really good marketing potential!

They mentioned that they are always very aware of the fact that not as many people get to see their performances as would probably like to see them - so it's always part of their considerations whether to film it or not when they create a new production.

One of them joked that they could probably keep up a production like Macbeth for three years and still sell-out - but that the theatre is known for putting on about 6 productions each year, so there's a limit to how long their runs can be - plus there's also the availability of actors to consider.

Someone asked if actors (I assume meaning, big name actors) takes a pay-cut to work with them - and yes, they do. Everyone is paid the theatre-standard no matter who they are. The only extra benefit they might offer big names is a taxi to get to the theatre and to escape back home afterwards.

Ah, yeah, think that was about it - everything else was more or less just about the upcoming productions, memberships, and other general things :)

Edit: Oh, forgot to mention that their focus will always be on the production as it's on, then on any potential transfers and then on releasing it for cinema/online - so if they filmed something it wouldn't be released until the live show is done - and sounded like they wouldn't necessarily say anything about it having been recorded (or not) until then as well. So don't think we will hear anything about the plan for it until the show is over.

[pensat-i-fet]

A home, not a house (Joško Gvardiol x Reader)

**I got this request a while ago and last night I finally came up with this idea and wrote it. I really like how it turned out so hopefully you all enjoy it too ❤️**

Word count: 2309

Masterlist

Wattpad

Football players had to move to different countries during their careers. Especially if their home league wasn't the strongest and their talent was too good for it. So one would expect them to become experts at it…but it wasn't always the case.

For Josko, moving to a different country to play for a different league wasn't a new feeling. He had already left Croatia to go to Germany. So now moving to England to play for City should have been very easy for him. And yet…

Josko met you soon after moving to Manchester. You had just moved into your own apartment with one of your friends from uni and wanted to celebrate. The plan was to go have dinner at a fancy place that you'd regret going to once you saw the bill and then go party. You'd regret the drinks for other reasons.

And it was there, at the fancy restaurant, that you met Josko. A few of his new teammates took him there to welcome him to the city and their table happened to be next to yours. But football had never been your thing so the only footballers you would have recognised were the ones doing adverts on TV that caught your attention. Not the ones on that table.

“We got a table full of hotties next to ours”, said Silvia, your roommate.

“Do we?”, asked Katie, turning to look at them and not caring about being caught.

You, on the other hand, blushed when you saw two of the boys noticed your friend. And so you refused to look at them.

But soon you needed to use the bathroom and on your way there, you bumped into Josko.

“I'm sorry”, you apologised and he smiled at you.

“Ladies first”, he said, motioning for you to walk in front of him.

When you were already inside the bathroom, you laughed. You were blushing again. This shyness of yours was ridiculous but every time you talked to someone you didn't know, your face went all red. And if you talked to a cute guy like the one you saw outside the bathroom…

“We meet again”, you heard when you got out of the bathroom and you saw it was the same guy standing there.

“Did you wait for me to get out or something?”, you joked but he surprised you with his answer.

“Yes. Sorry if it's too direct but I just thought you were really pretty and…”.

“Oh. Thank you”.

Now your face couldn't possibly get any redder. But the drink you had gave you a little confidence boost.

“Why were you waiting then? Just to tell me I'm pretty?”

“I was wondering if I could get your number”.

“Do you want to go to a club later instead?”, you suggested. It could be a good way to get to know him while you had your friends around.

“I have to work early in the morning. I can't”.

“Of course. I'll go with my friends then”.

“About the number…”, he insisted, but looked insecure after you refused him once.

“I don't give my number to strangers, sorry. You could be a serial killer for all I know”.

Josko burst out laughing when he heard you say that. And he confirmed you had no idea who he was.

“Fair. And probably smart”.

“Yeah…I'll go back with my friends to eat our overpriced food”.

“I'll go back to mine. It was nice talking to you even if you discovered my serial killer persona. It's the beard, right?”

Now it was you who laughed and you felt the urge to actually break your rules and give him your number. But you were interrupted by your friends calling you back to the table.

“I gotta go. Maybe I'll see you around. Not here though. I can barely afford eating here once”.

That gave Josko an idea and when your friends asked for the bill, they were told it had already been paid for.

“What?”, asked Silvia. “It must be a mistake”.

“No mistake and the gentleman left a note for…”, the waitress looked at the note again, “the pretty girl who didn’t want to give me her number”.

Your jaw dropped but you extended your arm to get the note, making all of your friends look at you.

“You don't give your number to potential serial killers but I'm not as careful so here it's mine just in case you want me to take you to eat somewhere else. I can pay for the fancy places for you if you want to. But I promised it's not with the money I get from killing people. I spend that on other things.

Josko”.

You were grinning reading his note. Josko. You could tell he wasn't English but couldn't place his accent. And now you had a name and a phone number.

“You flirted with one of the footballers from the other table? I didn't know you had it in you”, laughed your friend Joanna.

“Footballers?”

“Right. You're clueless when it comes to knowing famous people. Yeah. Those were Man City players”.

Even if the word footballer scared you a bit, aware of their reputation, your interaction with Josko made you pick up your phone to send him a text. And that was how you two stayed in contact for a few days before meeting again. It wasn't much later that you started to date.

Your dates had been mostly cute outdoor plans but you felt it was finally time to go to each other's places too. And what you saw at Josko’s surprised you.

“When did you move here?”

“Umm…two months ago? Almost”.

“Right. When are you planning on decorating the place? You barely have furniture”.

“It's not something I care much about. And I don't know where to buy things apart from IKEA. You got IKEA here too, right?”

“Yes”, you chuckled. “But we're not going there. We're going to make this house look like it's one from those renovation shows”.

“It's fine. Really…”.

“Josko”, you started, giving him a look. “You don't even have a sofa”.

“I…”.

“Like how do you expect to invite people over when the house looks like this? Silvia and I had to work our magic to make the apartment look half decent but you have unlimited money. This has to change and I'll help you change this house into a home”.

“You like decorating places?”, he asked, smiling at how eager you were to help him with this project.

“I do. Especially when I'm spending someone else's money and not mine”.

“And here I was expecting you to ask me for a Chanel bag and not money to buy paint for the walls”, he laughed.

“We'll save the bag for my birthday. Now let's get to work”.

The next few hours were spent checking what the house needed. And it needed a lot of things. But it still was a Sunday afternoon and you also wanted some cute time with your boyfriend. So you decided to leave the shopping for Monday.

“Ummm…where are we supposed to just watch a movie and cuddle? See how much you need a sofa?”

“I watch TV in bed”, he said, shrugging and you smirked at him.

“It's that why you refuse to buy a sofa? To take girls straight to bed?”

“You discovered my masterplan!”

On Monday, you were impatient about leaving work to go meet your boyfriend to go buy all the stuff his house needed. First, you picked up some paint. The walls looked fine but the colour picked for his bedroom was a bit…depressing.

“A room needs light! It needs a bright colour that you see when you first wake up in the morning and makes you want to leave the bed and conquer the world. Or win a match in your case”.

Josko laughed, also noticing the people staring at the dramatic way you spoke about paint.

“And that is achieved with…blue?”, he asked, looking at the blue colour in front of him.

“Too dark. How about this light green? It goes well with the furniture you got in the room already”.

“It's cute”, admitted Josko, trying to imagine how it'd look. “But I don't think it'd look good with the bed clothes so…”.

“Oh honey”, you said, patting his cheek softly. “We're buying stuff for your bed too. What you have now is too old looking even for my grandma”.

Two hours later, his car was full of bags filled with all the stuff you'd use for the renovations.

“Ok then”, you told him, clapping to get his attention. “Now it's time for the big one. The sofa”.

“I like taking naps on the sofa so it has to be big enough for that”.

“Noted”, you said, checking an imaginary list.

And it proved to be the funniest part of the shopping trip too.

“What are you doing?”, you asked, chuckling when you saw Josko touching the first sofa.

“Checking it's comfortable”.

“By gently touching it? Sit on it!”

“I can't. Why if they kick us out?”

It was so cute how worried he looked but you only laughed again.

“See the price tags? They know you'll spend a lot of money. You can sit on the sofa to see if it's comfy”.

“Ok…”, he said and sat down on it trying to be careful.

You sat down on the spot next to his and bounced a little to check it wasn't one of those sofas that breaks people's backs.

“Someone is coming to tell us off”, told you Josko, getting up from the sofa quickly.

But the sales assistant wasn't there to tell you off…but to help you.

“Do you need any help?”

“We do”, you said, standing up and leading the negotiations. “We need a big sofa. It's a big living room you see? And a big man”, you added, pointing at your boyfriend. “He's an athlete too so…we don't want his muscles to be hurt by a bad sofa”.

“Of course. Follow me”.

“Follow him”, you told Josko, taking his hand so you could walk together.

The sales assistant walked you to the area where the biggest sofas were and you felt like you were in heaven. Those were too big for your small apartment. Or any apartment you could afford.

“This one is our most popular”.

“We can sit down on it to try it out, right?”, you asked.

“Of course”, said the assistant and you turned to wink at Josko.

He just shook his head and sat down as well.

“It's really comfy”, he said.

“Lay down”, you ordered, standing up so he had the room to do that.

“What?”

Josko was looking at the sales assistant, not you. “It's ok, sir. We want you to be sure of the purchase”.

So, even if he felt a bit uncomfortable, he laid down on the sofa and felt the urge to just close his eyes and nap. It was so comfy…and running around all day shopping with you was more exhausting than playing a full match.

“It's incredibly comfortable”, he said and you smiled.

“So…this one?”

“This one”, he nodded.

The sofa was going to be delivered to his house two days later, which worked well for you. It'd take that long to get the rest of the house sorted and getting the sofa would be the cherry on top.

“Have you ever painted walls?”, you asked him when you were done getting his room ready to be painted.

“I don't think so…”.

“No worries. My dad is a painter and taught me how to do it. I used to go to work with him in the summer sometimes. And he gave me a little brush to help”.

Josko smiled imagining a little you doing that. And kept being fascinated by how many things you were good at.

“No no no. Like this”, you told him, grabbing his hand that held the brush and showing him the right motions to spread the paint properly.

“Thank you”, he said, leaning down to kiss your cheek.

“Do you like the colour? It'll look a little darker when it fully dries”.

“It looks amazing. I didn't know it could make such a difference but it looks like a different room”.

“I knew”, you told him with a cheeky smile on your face.

There wasn't much left of the walls to paint when you heard the doorbell.

“Go see who it is. I'll finish this”, you told Josko and he made his way downstairs.

“It's the sofa!”, he called and you finished painting the wall before running downstairs to see the sofa.

There were a few workers there placing the sofa where Josko wanted it to be and you smiled seeing how good it looked in the living room.

“I'm done”, you told your boyfriend.

“Thank you. Do you want to go take a shower while they finish this? And then we can see if it's as comfortable as in the shop”.

“Sounds good”.

You kissed him quickly and went back upstairs to shower and put on some comfortable clothes. You were a bit exhausted after the last few days. But so happy about the work done.

“It looks so good”.

Josko looked up to where you were standing and smiled at you. “It does. Thank you for making my house look like a home. I'm just useless at this”.

“Happy to help”.

Now it was his turn to go shower and you decided to test the new sofa while you waited for him. But you really were exhausted.

So when he was done showering and went back downstairs to be with you, he noticed you were sleeping already. He laid down next to you to be your big spoon and closed his eyes to take a much needed nap as well.

[jwillowwolf]

Magic and Miracles - Chapter 1

Sanders Sides Big Bang fic, Chapter 1!

< Prologue | Next Chapter | Masterlist

Summary: Roman huffed. “Anyone could have done that.”

“Well, if they knew the spells, then yes,” Logan agreed.

“He’s just jealous of the grand show you made of it,” Remus chuckled.

“I am not jealous.”

“Oh, then why are your eyes so green?”

“They’re naturally this colour, idiot.”

“Ah, but not in such a poisonous shade.”

Warning/s: food mention, fantasy racism.

Characters: Logan, Emile, Remy, OCs, Virgil, Roman, Remus, Patton, Janus.

Read on AO3

1 | A Whole New World

Logan had been figuratively buzzing with anticipation ever since Mr Ainmosni had come to the bakery and offered him the chance of a lifetime. Now, one week later, he was about to be picked up for his first day of school. Everleigh had come around to see him off, and Emile had made them both pancakes with Crofters jam for breakfast.

“Do you think you’ll get to meet the prince?” Everleigh asked during their meal.

Logan shrugged. “Probably not. He’s never shown his face in public since he was a kid, after all.”

“Why though.” Everleigh wondered. “He’s the crown prince after all. Aren’t princes supposed to be big public figures or something?”

“Perhaps he hides his identity for the sake of protection. Again, he is the crown prince.” Logan pointed out.

“I guess you have a point there. Ooh, you are going to get to meet some nobles though.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“You’re the first non-noble to qualify for a magic license, so your classmates must be from the nobility.”

“Hmm, that seems most logical. Though I will meet and study with them, I doubt we’ll become friends.”

“Again with the selling-yourself-short! You’re awesome Lo, anyone, noble or otherwise, would be lucky to befriend you. Just don’t go getting yourself a new best friend, okay?”

“I’d never dream of it. But if I’m going to be spending so much time studying, then I hope you’ll consider finding yourself more friends.”

“I’ve got a library full of books, I don’t need more friends than that.”

“Ev…”

“Okay, I’ll socialise, if you do the same on your end.”

“I still don’t think anything will come of it, but I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to try.”

“Hey, kiddo, did you make sure to pack enough underwear?”

“Dad!” Logan exclaimed in embarrassment while Everleigh snickered at the question.

“I’m being serious, Logan. You don’t want to run out.”

“I am positive that I’ve packed everything I’m going to need.”

“Even your-”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t finish my sentence.”

“I’ve packed clothes, books, hygiene products, spare clothes, and a spare binder.”

“Okay. Don’t forget to take a break from binding every few hours. If I hear anything about you neglecting to do so, then make no mistakes I’ll march over there myself to see that you do.”

“I know. I can take care of myself dad.”

Everleigh snorted. “If it weren’t for us, you’d have probably worked yourself to death.”

Logan looked at her with a you-are-not-helping expression, then turned back to his dad. “I’ll be fine. Besides, Mr Ainmosni is going to be taking care of us.”

Emile frowned. “I don’t doubt that Remy is a good teacher if he’s been put in charge of this, but I feel that he’s not completely… responsible.”

“He definitely fancies you if the constant flirting was any indication,” Everleigh teased.

Logan snickered. “Yeah, you went red as a tomato.”

“Oh shush,” Emile scolded, blushing at even the memory.

“I’ll be okay though, you really don’t have to worry.”

“You know I will either way, but I am proud of you. It feels like just yesterday you two were tiny tots running around the bakery. Now, look at you! A library apprentice and a wizard in training.”

“We have come a pretty long way, haven’t we,” Logan smiled.

Everleigh laughed. “I don’t think I’m anywhere near as accomplished as you.”

“I wouldn’t be where I am without you. How else could I have studied those library books for countless hours without you making sure to keep tabs on them.”

“It’s not like I had much to worry about when you read at the speed of light.”

“I’m going to miss studying there.”

“Well, you’re always welcome to stop by. It’s not like you’re going to the next town over or anything.”

“I suppose. Though I really won’t be able to spend as much time there as before.”

“Don’t go getting homesick already, Lo. I already miss you, but this isn’t a goodbye.”

“Definitely not. I’ll probably visit this weekend.”

“Then I’ll be here Saturday morning to hear all about what you’ve done.”

Logan nodded. He was glad that they would stay friends, even if they could only see each other on weekends. He’d known Everleigh since they were babies after all. Not having her around would be weird.

The bell above the shop door rang and the trio in the kitchen heard Remy call. “I have arrived!”

They went to the bakery and saw Remy standing there in the same outfit as before, however this time he had a strange flask in his hand.

Emile frowned. “What’s that?”

“Midnight elixir. My own special concoction. It’s a touch bitter but really helps if you need an energy boost. Want a try?”

“Oh, uh, no thank you.”

“Woah, are you guys riding in that?” Everleigh gasped when she saw the carriage parked outside.

It was a standard chestnut brown box carriage with white swirls and spirals decorating it all around, and a pair of beautiful cream coloured horses pulling it.

“Yep. Ready to go, Logan?”

Logan nodded. “I just need to grab my bag from upstairs.”

He quickly went and got his suitcase then paused a moment to look around his room. He wouldn’t see it again for a while. Honestly, he’d never been away from home for longer than an overnight stay at Everleigh’s house. The reality of leaving everything he knew behind was both exciting and frightening. He truly didn’t know what to expect at this magic school apart from that he’d learn magic. This was a huge step to take and he wasn’t entirely sure of his readiness anymore.

But when he got downstairs and saw his dad and Everleigh’s proud expressions, he knew that there was no turning back now. He had a goal after all, and this was going to help him achieve it. He wouldn’t freeze up and disappoint them now.

Farewell wishes and goodbye hugs were quickly exchanged, then Logan and Remy got into the carriage and were off. Logan looked out the back window as they drove away from the bakery, out of town, and to the location of the Srednas Magic School.

“Mr Ainmosni-”

“Just Remy, kid.”

“Remy, where exactly is the school?”

“The school is, for now, the Srednas Manor. The Prince wants to have a proper school built, but this first class is only the test run, so to speak.”

“Test run?”

“The council wants to be sure that a school would be a successful idea before the Prince can order a real one to be made.”

Logan nodded. “I suppose that’s why it’s not publicly known.”

“Yeah, getting ideas through the council is a pain, even for royalty. I’m surprised they let you obtain a learners license without too much fuss. Though you should be cautious about any interactions with Councillor Allen. He was not happy when he heard the Prince invited you to his school,” Remy chuckled.

“He wouldn’t really be able to do anything against me, would he?”

“With how you won the favour of his highness and Lady Silvia, not a chance. But you will need to be careful. Now that you’re practising magic, you will be interacting with nobility, and any mistakes made in their world can mean an end to your reputation and career.”

“I don’t know if I would do much socialising.”

“Kid, you are the first-ever wizard to come from a commonwealth household. Nobles are going to find a way to meet you and they’ll either see you as an opportunity or an opponent.”

“Opportunity?”

“You already caught the notice of the Crown Prince. They’ll want to take advantage of that. And at the same time, they might see that as a problem since you’re getting his attention over them.”

“I’ve never even met him.”

“They won’t care. They may even believe you have anyway.”

Logan frowned. “This is going to be harder than I thought.”

Remy nodded. “Yeah, but if you need anything then you can just ask.”

“Does social standing fall under your teaching duties?”

“Nope. But I don’t mind helping people, and honestly, I think that you have something… special. You’re forging a path for others who may want to learn magic themselves. I think that’s worth investing in.”

“So, this isn’t for anything like points with my dad?”

Remy laughed. “While that seems like a benefit, I truly didn’t think of it before you said something.”

Shortly after that conversation, the carriage came to the silver gates of the Srednas Estate. The driveway was paved with white stones and went all the way up to the large manor house which was built of brilliant dark wood and stone bricks. It looked to Logan like a small castle, with even a tower on the left side that stretched high above even the forest trees.

The carriage stopped just outside of the enormous front door, and Logan found himself staring up in awe as he followed Remy out.

“Well, I believe we are the last to arrive. Follow me to the classroom. The others should be waiting there for us.”

Logan followed Remy down the halls. When they finally arrived at their destination, Logan noted that there were seven small desks set in a sort of semi-circle. They were all facing one large desk with a big chalkboard behind it. As Remy had predicted, the other six students already occupied the room.

Two elves were sitting together by the two desks far left, talking about something animatedly to one another. They looked similar, with broad shoulders, long dark curly hair, and almond tanned skin. Their eyes however set them apart from one another, the one on the left having bright green eyes while the others were deep red.

Sitting on the desk of the red-eyed elf was a water sprite with a kind smile. He had a petit build, bright brown eyes and messy blonde hair with small variously coloured flowers braided in. His skin was a peachy hue apart from the blue-green splotches that identified them as being a sprite.

Standing by one of the large windows in the back of the room were two students. One a demi-wolf, the other a Dragonborn. The Dragonborn stood with an air of confidence and superiority. Paired with the scales that covered the right half of their face, they seemed quite intimidating. Their eyes were mismatched, the left one a normal brown while the right one was bright yellow with a black slitted pupil. Their blonde hair was nearly completely hidden by their ivy cap.

In comparison, their demi-human companion seemed rather timid or perhaps on edge, if their body language was anything to go by. Their tail hung low, slowly swinging side to side, and their wolf ears were focused forward, listening intently to the Dragonborn’s words, while their deep brown eyes glanced routinely around the room and out the window.

On the other side of the room, by a bookshelf full of large tomes, stood the last student. He was slender and pale, with black hair that faded into dark purple and hung slightly in his stormy grey eyes. He was leaning with his back against the shelves, eyes focused on the pages of the book in his hands, at least until Remy and Logan had entered. At that moment, the boy looked up through his fringe and focused his stormy eyes on Logan.

For a moment Logan felt frozen. Those eyes seemed to be reading him like a book. Searching his very soul for… something. But the feeling only lasted a moment as the boy looked back down at his book with a thoughtful frown. How peculiar.

“Okay, everyone, take a seat. Preferably at the provided chairs.” Remy said as he turned to take his own seat behind the large desk facing the semi-circle.

The sprite hopped off the elf’s desk and sat at the desk beside them. The Dragonborn took the next seat, and the demi-wolf sat beside them. The boy at the bookshelf returned his book to its place then sat at the desk on the far right. Leaving a seat for Logan between the boy and the demi-human, which he promptly took.

“Alright, class. I don’t expect you to become best friends or anything, but we are a small group so I hope you will at the very least get along with each other. For that, you’ll probably need to know each other, so we’re going to go around and introduce ourselves. I’ll start. I’m your teacher, Remy Ainmosni, my pronouns are he/him, and don’t worry this is not alcohol,” Remy said as he gestured to his flask. “Who wants to go next?”

“Oh, me!” The sprite said excitedly, jumping up. “Hi, I’m Patton Lilyhart, I use he/him, and I’m excited to get to know you all.”

Remy nodded. “I like the energy. Who wants to continue?”

“I shall.” The green-eyed elf declared, standing up from his seat with a confidant and regal air. “My name is Roman Elvar Goldheart Arthur Leafstone, and my pronouns are he/him. I am the eldest son of Lady Leafstone and heir of the Lyrecrest Ilse.”

“An impressive introduction, Roman, but next time you can just say your name is Roman Leafstone, we don’t need your full given name,” Remy commented, then gestured to the other elf. “Your turn.”

The red-eyed elf stood, though she held herself with a more casual air and wrapped an arm around Roman’s shoulders. “Sup, I’m Remus, he/him or she/her, and this is my less-handsome twin.”

“You’re wrinkling my cape,” Roman complained, only to have Remus stick out her tongue at him.

Remy nodded with an amused smile. “Okay, snake eye, you’re up.”

“I am not a snake,” the not-half-snake hissed. “My name is Janus Embyrn, they/them, and I am a Dragonborn.”

“Good for you, snake eye. What about you, Wolfie?” Remy asked, completely ignoring the fiery rage burning in Janus’s eyes.

“My name is Willow, um, Redrunner.”

“Are you sure?” Remus asked. “Cause you don’t seem so confident about that.”

Willow shuffled nervously in their seat. “I- well… you see- uh-”

“Demi-humans don’t use last names,” Logan declared.

Willow nodded gratefully at him. “Yeah, but if needed then we use the name of our pack. I hail from the Redrunner pack and use she/they pronouns.”

Remy nodded then turned his attention to Logan and the stormy eyed boy. “Okay, which of you two wants to go?”

“I’m Virgil Tempest, he/him,” the boy declared.

They all waited a moment for him to say more, but he simply gestured for Logan to go. Logan made a mental note of that and then cleared his throat.

“My name is Logan Picani and I also use he/him pronouns.”

Patton gasped. “Oh my gosh, you’re the star guy! Right?”

“If you are referring to the spells I cast at the license test, then yes that is me.”

Roman huffed. “Anyone could have done that.”

“Well, if they knew the spells, then yes,” Logan agreed.

“He’s just jealous of the grand show you made of it,” Remus chuckled.

“I am not jealous.”

“Oh, then why are your eyes so green?”

“They’re naturally this colour, idiot.”

“Ah, but not in such a poisonous shade.”

“Let’s not fight,” Patton intervened. “You did very well on your presentation Roman.”

“Thank you, Pat, but I am still not and have never been jealous. Especially of a human.”

“Watch your words, elf,” Janus growled. “You wouldn’t want us to think you’re racist.”

Roman glared darkly at them but was interrupted by Remy before he could reply. “Never mind presentations, and races, and titles, none of those things matter here so there’s no need to discuss them. All of you were chosen with equal faith in your abilities as competent mages who could better the kingdom. I hope you can appreciate this opportunity and act civil with each other for the duration of your time here.”

Everyone was silent but Logan could practically see sparks of violent tension between Roman and Janus. They were going to be a problem for each other but with any luck, they wouldn’t pull the rest of the class down with them. Logan doubted he had that much luck, but he hoped anyway.

“Now, the rules are as follows,” Remy continued, ignoring the tense atmosphere. “Firstly, you are to stay on school grounds, unless permitted by myself to leave. Secondly, lessons will take place in the late morning and early afternoon, whatever you do outside of that time is up to you. So long as it doesn’t interfere with classes then I don’t care what you do. You’re old enough to watch yourselves, and I am not a babysitter, so I expect you to keep out of trouble for the most part. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served in the dining hall, food is allowed outside of these hours, but not permitted inside of your rooms. Speaking of your rooms, you may decorate them as you like, but please remember to keep them moderately tidy as the cleaning staff will only come through once a week-”

“Once a week?”

“That’s what I said, Roman.”

“Do you expect our beds to go unmade for that long?”

Remy shrugged. “I would hope you could at least do that for yourselves. You’re not infants after all.”

Roman opened his mouth to protest further but was cut off by Janus. “What food is to be served, exactly?”

“Not sure. You can inquire with the chef for a menu and tell them of any dietary requirements too. If and when you interact with the estate staff, I expect you to be polite and respectful towards them. Any questions?”

“Can we explore the garden?” Patton asked.

Remy smiled. “Yes. The estate is yours to explore, apart from the tower.”

Remus’s eyes shone with curiosity. “What’s in the tower?”

“Nothing you need to concern yourself with. If that’s all, then I think I ought to show you all to your rooms to get yourselves settled in.”

Remy got up and walked to the door, not waiting to see if anyone followed him. Roman rose in a dignified manner and went after him with Remus walking beside him. Patton practically skipped behind them and Janus followed with their own nonchalant air and Willow beside them. Virgil got up too and looked over to Logan for a split second, almost like he wanted to say something, but decided against it.

It was barely the beginning of his first day and Logan already felt that this was going to be a stressful time. He really had no idea how he was going to navigate interacting with all these people. He didn’t have to do that when he was independently studying before. By accepting this chance he was entering a whole new world.

And he was more than ready to conquer it.

[trojansblr]

#FightOn! (04) | OT7

Summary: The University of Southern California is a prestigious school - only the best or the richest can attend. That means there will be a lot of spoiled brats. Two groups start colliding and the entire college shift alongside them. What will happen when sparks starts to flow between them? Drama will certainly be there.

Pairing: BTS with -eventually- female characters

Genre: Fluff, Angst, Smut (in the future), CollegeAU!

Word Count: 16k UNEDITED 

A/N: Thank you all so much for waiting. This chapter was taking his time to take form in my head. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy and thank you so so much to all the girls that joined our family and to the ones that are with us everyday! Also, a big thanks to @bunnybubkook for being our editor of this chapter (she’s helping us improve our writing since our first language isn’t English). I made so many mistakes, it’s a shame ooofff I’ll be waiting for your feedback on the asks ❤ Love you all 

The Characters • Day 3 • Day 4 • Day 5

The air at USC was electrifying, and it affected everyone. At the Flour Tower, Hyori’s alarm had just rang. To her surprise, her roommate was already awake. Deo was sitting on her bed, hair all over her face. Honestly, if there wasn’t light peeking through the blinds, Hyori would almost swear it was Samara sitting there instead of her best friend.

“Are you ok?” Hyori’s voice came out hoarse from having just woken up a couple of seconds ago. All she got from her roommate was a grunting sound and a nod. “What is going on? Did something happen?”

She jumped out of her bed and into the other, cupping Deo’s face in her tiny hands. The girl looked pale and her lips were more of a red-ish, compared to her usual lip color. It was either because of a cold, because she had been crying, or because she was on her period.

“Did you turn into a vampire or something?” Hyori joked, making Deo laugh.

“I’m on my period.” Deo finally spoke, letting her body fall backwards and into her soft mattress. “It feels like I’m dying.” She grabbed Hyori’s wrist dramatically.

“Do you know what’s good for cramps?”

“If you say exercise, I’m going to kill you.”

“C’mon, come run with me.” Hyori said excitedly. It was rare, but the times it did happen she had the best time running with Deo. The two of them were super competitive, so they would always end up racing each other to see who would win.

As the girls were getting ready for their morning run, everyone was still very much sound asleep.Hyori was used to mornings being quiet, only seeing one or two people on her way to the track field. Today, however, with her roommate tagging along, she could barely hear the birds chipper because they were talking and laughing too loudly.

“Ok, are you ready?” Hyori said, getting into her lane and kneeling into position.

“What? Wait! We have to make a bet!” Deo said. She’s picked up this habit with Jungkook of betting on everything and anything. ‘Bet you I can finish my drink faster than you’, ‘bet you I can take a better picture than you’, ‘bet you’ll be hungover the next morning’. Because of this, she would always try to make bets with her friends, just for fun.

“Fine!” Hyori said, straightening herself. “What about... whoever loses has to make the other breakfast?”

“Good enough for me.” Deo shrugged, and both kneeled down on their respective lanes.

“Ready...”

“Set...”

“GO!” They screamed at the same time and started sprinting.

For the sake of their breakfast, Deo lost. Or, being truthful, she quit midway because her cramps were bugging her too much, so instead of running, Deo just sat down on the track and Hyori returned to her normal pace.

Once they got back to their dorms, they took a quick shower before heading to the common kitchen where they usually ate breakfast. Deo ended up making enough pancakes to feed two girls that were their floor’s neighbors.

Not too far away, in apartment 203, everyone was awake except for Yoongi. He had stayed up until sunrise adding last-minute details to one of his songs. Today was a big day for him, which also made it a big day for his friends. They were their friends' number one supporters and if there was anyone who deserved love and support, it was Yoongi.

“Hey man.” Namjoon spoke to Jungkook, making him jump in his seat. He was too focused typing on his phone.

“Oh hey, good morning!”

“You’re up early. Going somewhere?” Namjoon asked as he took a bite of his apple.

“Yeah. I gotta help my friend set up a runaway for this fashion show they’re having.”

“Oh yeah, I think I saw a flyer around campus about that. You’re going to model?”

“Nah, I’m going to help backstage.” Jungkook said nonchalantly. Namjoon only nodded. “You’re going to the library?”

“I have an essay to finish, so, yeah. I’m gonna go now since everyone is still asleep, and once they wake up I know I won’t be able to focus.” Namjoon laughed lightly, grabbing his books and standing up. “I’ll see you later.”

“See ya man.”

Jungkook continued to stay glued to his phone. Ever since the volleyball party he had been talking to this girl he met there, Aashna. Usually, he would only open his social media to check on the million things his friends would post but recently he found himself excited to see the questions Aashna would send him. Their conversations were based on games like 21 questions or would you rather and he had a good time doing it. It stopped him from being bored. Right now, he was trying to decide if he would rather fly like Superman or travel like Spiderman. To him, this one was actually pretty easy. He liked Spiderman so much, it was an obvious choice.

Namjoon, was already in the library. Luckily for him, the crazy old lady didn’t hear him heading out today, so he didn’t have to waste two hours talking to her. It would take him a while to get in the mood to do his work but there was something that always worked. Scanning the books shelves. Namjoon’s love for books was a big one and just reading the books covers would make him ease into the state of mind he needed to focus and do his work. 

He had assembled quite the pile of books. In fact, it was so big that it created a wall, such that he was barely visible behind. After 45 minutes, Namjoon realized one book was missing, so he walked quietly to the front desk where a pretty girl was sitting. Her hair caught his attention due to how bulky it was. He cleared his throat before speaking.

“Sorry to bother but I need a book on lobbying. I couldn’t find it back there.” He said quietly, to not disturb the people that were reading close by.

“Yeah, give me a second.” She said and started typing on the computer she had in front of her. “If you want you can sit down and I'll bring it to your table?” She suggested.

“Thank you!”

Namjoon headed back to his table as Silvia, the pretty girl at the front desk, was waiting for the computer to respond. Considering USC installations, the computer in the library was a dump. Specially from Silvia’s point of view. Her close friend Tessa was majoring in Graphic Design, so she was used to the best computers the school had to offer. They basically only took one second to open an adobe program. This computer however, took five whole minutes just to search for a book, but thankfully, she had the patient of a saint. Once the computer finally managed to load the book Namjoon was looking for, she headed for the correct aisle and scanned it until she identified the book Namjoon needed. As she approached, she couldn’t help but hear Namjoon mumbling to himself. Curiosity hit her, and she stopped in her tracks.

“It’s just so hard, Celi...” He sighed hard, talking into his phone. “I don’t even remember who that was at the party. I remember that she was pretty, and tiny, and had this dark brown hair that was kinda wavy. It suited her so well... I was too drunk to remember her name though. This is so unlike me! And I thought I liked Najma, but if I slept with someone else, maybe I don’t?” He continued rambling. “Anyway, I'll see you at lunch. We can talk about all of this then, yeah?”

As Namjoon placed his phone down, Silvia was afraid that he would look back and catch her red-handed. So, she clumsily moved towards his table.

“I have your book right here.” She smiled kindly to him.

“Thanks! I’m sorry I had to bother you, but I really didn’t find it.”

“Oh, it’s not a problem. To be honest, I was almost falling asleep back there.” She said cutely, making him laugh lightly.

“Well, anyway, thank you!”

“If you don’t mind me asking... what’s your work about?”

“It’s about Interest Group Perspectives. It’s for one of my Philosophy classes.” He nodded his head.

“Oh, I won’t keep you any longer then. Good luck on that, and if you need anything you know where to find me.”

Silvia started walking back to her post but she couldn’t resist on looking back. Namjoon was scanning the book, a serious expression on his face. For the first time ever since she started working at the library, she thought her role was  being a mere spectator only, of other’s lives. She was done being the reader. She was going to become the narrator of Namjoon’s story and help him find someone he deserved. How? She didn’t have her plan all figured out quite yet, but what she did have was time. She was going to come up with something.

Somewhere around campus, Jimin was already rushing to meet Deo and Hyori. They had to go help Hobi arrange the space for his sister’s fashion show but Jimin fell asleep and so, the girls had been waiting for him for the last 15 minutes. He finally laid eyes on the two tiny girls and jogged to them.

“Hey babies! Sorry I’m late!” Jimin smiled big, so big his eyes seemed to shut.

“I hope you don’t keep all your girlfriends waiting like this every time you get a date.” Deo sassily said, hugging the boy.

“It’s part of his charm.” Hyori teased back, but also gave a quick hug to the boy.

“Let’s just go!” Jimin whined. “They’re waiting for us!” The girls gagged in disbelief to the boy’s audacity but decided it was best to ignore him and just walk.

Back in Jimin’s dorm, Taehyung was tossing and turning in his bed. His roommate had gotten up in such a hurry, that it almost felt like their dorm was under attack. He usually had a quick and deep sleep, but today it wasn’t cooperating with his laziness. He rolled around one more time, this time turning to his bedside table to reach for his phone and check the time. It marked 10:47, so he decided he might as well enjoy the day. He quickly got dressed, put his usual drawing notebook in his bag, and headed out. The sun was bright outside, so he decided to stop by the campus café to get something to help his inspiration run a little. His brain was still in sleep mode.

Once he got to the café, as he was waiting in line, already knowing what to order, he decided to take a look around to see if there were any familiar faces he could greet. He did find one. She was sitting on one of the furthest booths of the café, looking at something on her tablet. Once he got his order, he walked up to her.

“Hey! I think I recognize you?” He asked, not feeling so sure now that he remembered how drunk he was at the party. “Sana, right?”

“That’s me!” She smiled kindly to him. “You wanna sit with me?”

“Yes!” As he answered, the girl scootched to the side to give him space to sit on the booth. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m actually waiting for my friends. They should be here pretty soon.”

“Oh, you’re doing something fun?” He asked, excited and curious.

“We’re gonna have breakfast here, and then we’re going to buy tickets for an exhibition. I don’t know if you know the artist. It’s Benjamin Verhoven.”

“Oh? Benjamin...” Taehyung let his thoughts slip through his lips. “His name sounds familiar, but I can’t remember any of his works.”

“Well... you can join us if you want?” She offered with a sweet smile on her lips.

“I can’t say no to an invitation like that. I’m a sucker for art.” He smiled sheepishly. “Would it be ok if I invite some of my friends to join us?”

“Of course! The more the merrier!”

“Cool!” Taehyung let out a big smile. “I’ll talk to you later then?”

“Of course! I’ll dm you the details!” Sana said in a goodbye tone.

They had begun to talk a lot ever since the party about things like art, music, books – pretty much everything. Their tastes were very similar, so they always had a good time speaking to one another. Taehyung left the café looking like a little kid on a sugar high.

“NO NO NO! SUPPORT ME!” Jin screamed into his microphone. He had been playing LOL for the past 45 minutes, and to say that the game wasn’t going his way was an understatement. “Fucking noobs!”

AlpacaTower: wtf dude!! Support!! Noob

Otakupandasworld: omw!

AlpacaTower: no! You're a jungler!!

Otakupandasworld: we can still win this!

Jin couldn’t even care about his team chatting, as soon as the surrender popped up, he clicked on ‘YES’ and immediately left his computer. He was too upset to stay and see his screen light up with the word ‘DEFEAT’. He walked into the kitchen and straight to the fridge, and before opening it, he took a quick look at the kink list. Weirdly enough, it hadn't been updated this week. As he was about to open the fridge, the power was cut out. He immediately regretted not turning off his computer earlier and putting the garlic bread in the oven. Jin took his phone from his back pocket and turned on the flashlight. He walked out of his apartment and into the hall where the electric board was. 

“Oh shit! You scared me!” Esme, the girl that lived front door said, her hands covering her chest from the scare.

“Sorry about that.” Jin scratched the back of his neck, trying not to laugh. “And sorry about the power too.”

“It just went out out of nowhere!” She laughed, still a little spooked.

“Yeah, I had too many things on!” Jin laughed and made some space so that he could reach the electric board. “You just have to flip this switch up and it should be back on right...” He stopped, flipping the big red switch on the power board “now!” As he spoke, the corridor was filled with light.

“Wow, I almost got goosebumps.” She teased, making him laugh. “I’m Esme by the way!”

“Jin!” He let out his hand for her to shake, and she did. As he was about to turn his back on her, he stopped by his door, turning over. “Quick question, if two vegetarians have a fight, is it still called beef?” He said with an amused look on his face.

“It depends on what’s at steak.” She responded back quickly, making Jin laugh.

“I carrot believe you thought of that so quickly.”

“Lettuce rejoice over our puns, neighbor.” They both laughed.

Jin went back inside to eat his garlic bread, amused with the slight pun exchange he had just had with his neighbor.

Not so far away, Namjoon was finally leaving the library. One of his close friends from his first year in college had hit him up to have lunch with her, and he missed her so much there was no way he was going to say no. Once he got to their usual café, he noticed Cecilia was already there.

“Sorry, I had to walk all the way from the library.” He apologized with a sweet smile that she couldn’t resist.

“It’s ok. I already ordered for us. I ordered a large pizza, so we can share!” She told him excitedly.

“Pizza’s here are delicious!” He complimented. They used to go to that café all the time last year. “How are you? You said you wanted to talk to me?” He changed his expression from relaxed to concerned in a matter of seconds.

“Oh...” She was a little lost for words, not knowing how to explain her feelings. “It’s Mark. He keeps asking me for a second chance but... it doesn't feel right, you know? I get this sick feeling in my stomach.”

“He made you go through so much... You should think it through before putting yourself in a sticky situation again.”

“I know... it’s just hard.” Cecilia sighed, looking lost. “But enough about me, tell me about you. And that party!”

Namjoon let out a big sigh. “I don’t even know what to tell you. I was supposed to be on Taehyung duty. I don’t know how I got that drunk.”

“But what about the girl? Tell me who she is!” She pushed, excited to hear the gossip.

“So... you see...” He scratched the back of his head, kind of embarrassed. “I don’t remember.”

“Joonpiter!” She let out his nickname, shocked and excited. “That is so not like you!”

“I know!” He sighed. “Plus there’s Najma.”

“What about her?”

“I can’t get her out of my mind, even though she doesn’t seem to care that I exist?”

“Oh of course she cares!”

“Am I just wasting my time with her?”

“Of course not! You can’t just give up like that!” Cecilia tried her best to encourage her best friend, but his head was already hanging low. “What about your poetry?”

“What about it?”

“Have you been writing?”

“A little, here and there. I’ve been trying something new actually.” He said, his morale going up a little.

“What is it?”

“I can’t say yet!”

“Pretty please?” She bat her eyelashes.

“I can read you one of my poems?”

She pout at his recommendation but realized it wouldn’t get better than that, so she agreed. “Three poems.”

“Fine!” He finally caves in, making her smile big.

As they wait for their food, he gives her his little notebook where he usually writes down his feelings and poems. Cecilia reads them intently and with care. Namjoon can’t contain himself and asks what is her favorite.

Some days, we laugh so much that we end up crying It’s like the blooming flowers. Today I crave those moments The sun rays and the calming breeze  I feel lost and insecure I don’t like it. The gentle sea can turn into an unforgiving tangle of tears I wish I could turn back to those happy moments The orange sun in the horizon Slowly setting down Gently accepting it’s errors Skies turning shades of pink and pastel blue Suddenly the realization I changed and will change Just like everything going in the wind Where cherry blossoms bloomed and I... I was happy. And I will be again.

- RM

“No, no, no!” Hoseok’s sister’s voice echoed through the room, and everyone stopped what they were doing.

“What now?” Hobi asked, everyone could feel the attitude in his tone.

“The banner is all wrong!” She whined. “Who did that?”

“Jazzy you need to relax. You’re freaking everyone out.”

Hoseok sat down on the floor, tired from all the moving they had been doing in the store. They had been working for 3 hours straight. Jazmine had asked his brother to come and help with the store. At this moment, with all the damage of having hired a company to help finish all her clothes in time for the big opening, Jazmine couldn’t afford to hire a cleaning team to help put everything together. Instead, her loyal brother found a couple of kind souls that were more than ready to help. The only problem was that in those 3 hours, all that the stylist did was complain and order them around, instead of helping.

“She totally doesn’t know how to handle the pressure.” Jungkook whispered to Jimin.

“Right? I hope she doesn’t go this hard later because I won’t model for Hitler.” Jimin whispered back, cleaning the sweat off his forehead as he placed a chair down.

“What time is it anyway? I’m starving.” Jungkook said, and as if his belly had ears, it growled.

“It’s almost 12:30.” Hyori appeared out of nowhere. “Where are we eating?”

“I’m gonna eat with Tae. You can come if you want?” Jimin offered.

“Hard pass.” Jungkook said. He turned to Hyori. “Where are we eating?” 

“Hmm... I was thinking about burgers?” Hyori suggested.

“I'm gonna grab my stuff and we can go. I still have to run by my apartment to grab my cameras to take photos later.”

“Bring me my jacket please!” Hyori shouted to Jungkook who was already midway. “You’re taking her with you?” Hyori said to Jimin. nudging her head towards Deo who was trying her best to tie her hair with a hair band that was too tight for the amount of hair she had.

“I want to, but you know how she acts around Taehyung.” Jimin sighed. His only wish was to see his two best friends become friends as well.

“You should make her go anyway. She’s the youngest of our group, so she has little to no say in things.”

“Then why is it always the other way around?” Jimin couldn’t help but laugh.

“Because~~ she has good ideas!” Hyori articulated more with her hands.

“Ok let’s go!” Jungkook finally appeared, Hyori's jacket on his shoulder.

“Hey where are you guys going?” Deo shouted after the two.

“For lunch!” They screamed at the same time.

“Wha- wait for me!” The girl started running around to grab everything. “Where’s my phone?”

“Why are you running?” Jimin asked with an arched eyebrow.

“Because I’m hungry and- and they already left!”

“Then we can eat together yeah?” Jimin side hugged the tiny girl. “What do you wanna eat?”

“Grilled cheese?” The girl suggested after a long pause.

“Grilled cheese it is.” Jimin smiled sweetly to her. “Let’s go!” He made a weird cheering sound that made the girl laugh, and they both left.

Taehyung couldn't help his excitement, and that's probably why he ran as fast as he could to Carolina's cinematic department. Their buildings were pretty close, he could've just walked there, no need to hurry, but that was Taehyung, the happiness preacher... always planning new gatherings and being excited about it!

He barged through the doors and thanked mentally no one was around there on that Saturday morning, only the girl since she offered to help Yoongi with his art presentation for his mini show that same night.

"CAROLINA~~" Taehyung called while walking his way around the artsy corridors and looking frantically for her "Carolina where are you???"

"HERE!" he heard her voice once a door opened in the end of the corridor, loud music playing, and her head peeking through it, displaying a tired smile.

"For a second I thought you weren't here!" he chuckled while running towards her.

He entered the 'lab room' that was basically just a bunch of computers and mixing tables displayed all over the place. Carolina had returned to her chair and was now glancing at him doing an excited little dance while closing the door.

"May I ask why you're dancing like a weird penguin?"

"Hey- this is the pingu dance, I'm offended!" he said with a fake hurt look.

"Sorry Mr. pingu" she chuckled, always amused by his carefree nature "But why are you so excited on a Saturday morning?"

"I got tickets!!!!"

"Please say Oasis got back together, and you got tickets" she prayed with closed eyes and hands pressed together, mocking him "Please God!"

"I'm going to throw this weird hairy hobbit on you if you don't stop," he said, taking in his hand a little troll doll with purple hair.

"Hey! Not Mr. Junky!"

"He looks so ugly that it's cute" Taehyung laughed while he marveled the doll.

"And it's a troll by the way... Hobbit-" Carolina snorted, making fun of Taehyung, and turning around to focus on what she was making again.

"It doesn't matter! I'm sure Mr. Junky isn't offended- Now can you please pay attention!!!"

"I am" she said, not taking her eyes off the screen in front of her.

"I'm serious-" he went towards her chair and pulled it backwards, the little wheels of it making it easier for him to drag her back "I got us tickets for this new exhibition- I'm sure you'll like it, and I really want to go, so... What do you say? Isn't it 'yay'??"

"I'm in for sure!! What exhibition?" she asked, turning around much more interested.

"That Benjamin Verhoven one!"

"Let me google him, wait." she turned around again to open the web. Taehyung went right after her, leaning on the back of her chair.

"Woah~" he said, once a bunch of photos of the exhibition appeared "That looks so cool"

"Wow! Look at this installation!"

"It seems really cool right?" he said, poking her cheek "You can thank me now"

"Thank you, sir~" she mocked "The tickets are already with you? Or do we have to print them?" she looked up to meet his glance, and at that moment he smiled embarrassed.

"So... about that" he started "We... hum.. we have to buy them first" he quickly looked at Carolina, and she was blinking slowly, her mouth in a line.

"Do you wanna run now, or do you wanna meet Mr. Junky from a close point of view?" she asked with a poker face.

"WAIT! NO!" he said protecting himself with his hands "I was the one finding the exhibition!!!! CAROLINA"

"You clown!!!" she said loudly while tickling him all over.

"Wait- Wait I beg you!" He was kneeling on the floor, laughing with teary eyes "I BEG YOU!!!"

"This is the shock treatment for liars." She got up, sitting on her chair once again.

"I... I'm exhausted," he said while taking a deep breath and sitting on the floor.

"I'm buying the tickets on my credit card then - is Nam going too? Or just the two of us?" Carolina asked, ignoring the almost passed out boy on the floor by her legs.

"Buy for him too! I'm sure he will like to go!"

"Nice! Three it is..."

"Actually, we are going with a friend of mine too, so we're four - maybe more since she will probably be with her friends too," he explained.

"Wait - What? Who's she? Who are the friends?" Carolina looked down with intrigued eyes.

"No need to worry, she's nice, you'll like her! Her friends, I don't know... But she is nice!! Trust me"

"Still, do I know anyone?"

"I don't think so...? She helped me out at the volley party... When I disappeared" he remembered.

"Ugh, that party" Carolina rolled her eyes "Fine. Do I have to buy her tickets as well? Like - I don't even know the people and I'm already buying stuff for them, I'm such a nice person, wow."

"Of course not!" Taehyung laughed "Just buy for the three of us, she already bought hers"

"I like her already" she said and then looked at him "I'm kidding, I need to talk to her first to know that" and they both laughed at her honesty.

"Print them already! We always forget to do that-"

"True! I'm printing" she said looking at the screen focused and then pointing towards her left "Go get them there for me please"

"Yes, captain!" he got up and went towards the printer "Also, do we give it to Namjoon now?"

"No way, he always loses his tickets! I'm keeping his."

"Keep mine too?" he asked while returning to her side.

"You're supposed to be the older one!!!"

"I am! But you're better at keeping stuff," he admitted.

"Not really though... I always lose stuff."

"You're better at keeping things you like," Taehyung reformulated, putting emphasis on the 'like', making the girl point at him.

"On that you're right!" she said, making him laugh.

"I'll go have lunch with Jimin now, wanna come?"

"Ugh..." she rolled her eyes once he mentioned Jimin's name "I'd rather die here from work exhaustion"

"You know, you have to get over that hate you have towards him someday," he said, giving her a forehead kiss.

"Never is a nice day to do that," she answered making him chuckle.

"Where are you eating then?"

"At Ben's" she said simply, making him choke on air "Oh get over it!"

"See you later then! Don't forget to tell Namjoon about the exhibit!" he said, already hurriedly walking towards the door, wanting to hear nothing about that subject.

"I will! See you! Don't be late! You know it's important for Yoongs!"

"I won't! Now say 'I love you' so I can say it back and go!" He already had the door open, ready to leave.

"You're unbearable..."

"Say it"

"I love you, Teetee"

"Love you too! Stop fucking my teacher~ Thanks~ Bye~" and he left Carolina behind, laughing lightly about his awkwardness to accept she was a grown up now.

Yoongi was a nervous wreck. He already checked on his songs at least 5 times, and he had nothing to do but wait. It was a big night for him. It would be the first time he would be performing live, and, as far as he knew, it was going to be a full house.

He got the gig thanks to a friend. He wouldn’t be the only one performing, but he was supposed to be the big star of the night. He felt a little better knowing all his friends were going to be there, and this was an opportunity of a lifetime. However, this sickening feeling in his stomach wouldn’t leave him alone, so he thought it would be best to try distracting his mind with something else.

He opened his laptop one more time and entered his social media. He scrolled through the feed and saw some posts, but, still, his mind wouldn’t let him be. So he decided to dm someone he’d been getting to know for a couple of weeks now.

As Deo and Jimin walked their way to the café they were supposed to eat at, they kept on chatting about everything that came to their minds. Jimin had been telling her about this new friend he made online. He had no idea who she was, but she signed her messages as Cara, and he was intrigued by the strange connection he felt with her.

“What about Sarah?” Deo asked, wiggling her eyebrows at him.

“She’s like a ghost,” Jimin sighed. “I saw her maybe twice or three times, and then never again. How am I supposed to even start talking to her if I can’t even find her on social media?”

“Wish I knew baby. I'm sure she’ll appear when you least expect it.”

“Does that mean I have to be ready at all time?”

“What?” Deo chuckled. “You always look good, so you’re always ready.”

“Ah~ I don’t know what I would do without you.” Jimin’s arm wrapped Deo into a tight hug. 

“Wait- is that? Jimin!”

“Sorry?” He smiled apologetically.

“Dude! Did Hyori know about this?” Deo frowned. “I swear to god, this stupid plan of yours is impossible to handle.”

“What plan?” Jimin quickly blushed. He was a horrible liar.

“Don’t you dare lying to me Jimin!”

“Just come eat with us.” Jimin did his best puppy eyes. “He’s a lot of fun.”

“I’m not upset about him, I'm upset you didn’t tell me.” She rolled her eyes at him.

“Sorry.” He gave a side smile, but it was too late for his charms to work.

“Let’s just go.” She started walking in front of Jimin, but he grabbed her wrist.

“Don’t be mad at me.” He pouted. 

“I could punch you right now. You know that, right?” She tried to contain a smile from appearing on her lips.

“You never can.” He teased, launching his arm around her shoulders and squeezing her tightly against him.

The two got to the table, still bickering, but shut up once Taehyung lifted his head up from his phone and smiled brightly. Deo immediately tensed up. She was never very fond of the dude, and with her friends’ crazy scheme, it made it worse. She wanted to be as far away from him as she could, and in some weird way, Taehyung knew that. That made it fun.

“Hey guys! Oh you brought a friend Jiminie~” Taehyung said happily as he noticed Deo giving him a smile and a small wave.

“Yeah, you don’t mind, do you?” Jimin said nonchalantly while sitting down.

“Of course not!”

“You’ve been here for long?” Jimin asked.

“Not really. How’s it going?” He was referring to the fashion show.

“Good. Everything’s done, so all we gotta do is makeup and parade.” Jimin said excitedly.

“You’re participating too?” Taehyung asked Deo.

“Me? Oh, no. I’m staying backstage to help.” She said simply.

“Oh that’s nice of you!”

Before they would say anything else, the waitress appeared at their table, menus in hand. They discussed their orders for a couple of seconds, and then were ready to order. They all agreed on going for the same thing.

“Three grilled cheese and three cokes,” Jimin said nicely to the waitress once she got to the table.

“Is Pepsi ok?” The lady smiled politely.

“Can I have a Fanta instead? Orange please.” Taehyung asked.

“Sure thing Hun, and for the two of you?”

“Pepsi.” Jimin and Deo said at the same time, fist bumping right after with grins on their faces.

“So...” Jimin trailed off once the table got silent. “Did you finish your video?” He asked to Deo.

“No, I still have the last theory to see,” she said nonchalant.

“What is it about?” Taehyung asked, curious.

“Van Gogh!” Jimin said excitedly, knowing it was one of his friend's favorite artists.

“It's a conspiracy theory that says he was murdered and didn't commit suicide.” She completed.

“What? Really? By whom?” Taehyung asked, confused.

“His brother, or some kid that used to bully him? I���m not very sure, I didn’t watch the entire video yet.” Deo said.

“Theo?? No way! That’s like impossible!” Taehyung said, upset at such an accusation.

“I didn’t buy it either, but I also don’t think it was suicide. They explained that the place where he was shot was too low for a typical suicide attempt, and that it was most likely that he was shot from afar. The wound would’ve been much bigger if it was self-inflicted.” Deo made her point.

“Still... I don’t know... Where’s that video again?”

“Buzzfeed unsolved. You ever heard of it?”

“Yes! Namjoon watches it all the time.” Taehyung smiled. “I’ll check it out... Can’t believe he was murdered.” He said the last part more like a whisper.

“They also said that he used to say that suicide was a coward’s way to go. I guess it wouldn’t make much sense?” Deo continued, intrigued with the situation.

“I believe he had some mental problems... To be incoherent is normal in that case, so I don’t know.”

“Hmm maybe? I just think it is so weird that they never found the gun and his painting stuff out in that field,” Deo countered. She just couldn’t make up her mind about it. To be honest, she had been watching too many conspiracy theories lately.

“For the time period, it was normal to steal things, so that was probably the case,” Taehyung assured her.

“Maybe.” She wasn’t too convinced though.

“It’s probably that, trust me,” Taehyung insisted, feeling very sure of his answer.

Deo made a face, not wanting to start a whole debate with the boy. “Imagine a Gogh painting no one got to see because it was stolen. That sucks.”

“Right?! I bet it was a masterpiece!” Taehyung said, overly excited. “It’s a little sad,” he concluded and received a nod in agreement from the girl.

“So Taetae, what are your plans?” Jimin asked.

“For today?”

“Yes!”

“It’s Yoongi’s show tonight! Wanna come?” He looked happily between the two. “The more the better! He’ll be happy if he sees the place crowded.”

“I’m going to a fair later tonight, but I think we can go! Right?” Jimin looked excitedly at Deo

“Hmm, I think so! We’ll have to talk to the others though, but worst case scenario, we go just the two of us.” Deo smiled to Jimin.

“Please go! It’s going to be fun. Yoongi is really talented,” Taehyung spoke with pride in his eyes.

“What kind of music does he do?” Deo asked, intrigued. Yoongi was a mystery to basically the entire school. He was very reserved, and the only thing she knew about him was that he was the radio guy. That and some gossip Hyori would hear while tutoring, but some things sounded too crazy for her to believe.

“Rap mostly.”

“Oh~~ we’ll try,” Deo said excitedly. Rap was one of her favorite forms of music, and she was excited to see a new side of the mysterious boy. She was sure her friends would be excited as well.

“Sure, invite your boyfriend too,” Taehyung said with a wink, catching her off guard.

“Oh yes, Jack is going with us to the fair!” Jimin intervened as he noticed Deo’s expression, but he was entirely ignored.

“Oh yeah, we’ll be there.” Deo smiled sarcastically to Taehyung.

“So...” Jimin started, trying to lighten the mood. “Look! The food is coming!”

As those three started eating, Carolina was far from her meal. She didn’t mind it though. She was working her ass off to help her friend, and if there was someone who deserved all her effort it was Yoongi. To outsiders, their relationship would seem a little bit odd. They loved each other and would do anything for the other. They were family.

“Maybe we could add some holograms on the colab song?” Carolina suggested, not taking her eyes from the screen.

“I guess. All we have for that one is the background, so that would make it better.” Tessa, one girl Carolina could consider a friend, commented. They would spend most of their time together at the movies. What better way to bond than over that? Movie tastes say a lot about a person.

“A full moon would be nice...” Carolina adds. “And we can shine them with that white and blue-ish light from the stage. What do you think?”

“We can’t put too much white, but I like it.” Tessa smiled, satisfied with the results they were showing. “You never get bad ideas huh?” She teased, making Carolina smile.

“I can say the same about you, you know- and I agree, just a little bit of white.”

“And about time – We need to wrap this up so you can take it to Yoongi. What time is the event?”

“Eleven sharp! He’s probably dying with anxiety right now, my phone just beeped for the fourth time in a row, and trust me - that's a lot of texts for Yoongi, a record even.” The girl laughed dryly.

“Oh~ poor guy. You should tell him we’re almost done here!”

“I’ll send him an audio messing with him first.” Carolina let out her best impression of a villain's laugh.

“Don’t!” Tessa whined, but, also, laughed. “He’s gonna have a heart attack.”

“Poor Yoongs...” Carolina laughs as well. “I’m not doing that to him... at least not today! He’s too nervous already, and I want everything to go perfect.”

“It will, don’t worry!”

“Thanks for helping by the way, really.” Carolina turned serious. One thing she really appreciated was when friends supported one another.

“It was my pleasure, but if you ever wanna pay me back there’s this movie I really wanna see as soon as it comes out.” Tessa grinned.

“Say no more!” A week without going to the movies was a week badly spent. “What’s the title?”

“Send in the clown~~” Tessa sang the song. “Joker!”

“Bro!” Carolina chuckled. “Call me crazy but that’s like my childhood hero- villain- whatever!”

“I’d go with hero honestly. So you’re in?”

“Of course I’m in! I would be crazy if I wasn’t!”

“Alright!” Tessa said, excited. “I saw in the theater that it’s realizing a little after Halloween.”

“It is! I saw it too! It’s a deal.” Carolina pointed her finger at the girl with that ‘this is serious’ look.

“But... if you had to choose, who would be the best Joker so far?” Tessa asked, intrigued. This was something the two had never discussed before.

"Heath Ledger is forever my soulmate, and forever my favorite joker, but I have big expectations for Joaquin Phoenix! And Jared Leto is a fabulous actor, but the Joker he was attributed, the Gang Joker, is like the worst of them all, my least favorite so..."

"Oh thank god you exist. I'm so sick of hearing people say that Jared Leto's joker is the best one just because he's super-hot. I had such huge expectations for Suicide Squad, and it was a big flop."

“Same! I was so excited and well... Bleh.” Carolina did her best poker face. “Oh, and Jack Nicholson was pretty awesome as well! I used to watch him as a kid.”

“Yes!” Tessa said, overly excited with the conversation. “I don’t know if you saw Gotham, but they cast Cameron Monaghan to play young/teen joker and he was pretty good too.”

“I did, he’s pretty good as well.” Carolina nodded.

The two continued discussing their movie tastes and working hard to finish Yoongi’s concert effects as soon as they could. The boy was a pile of nerves, and everyone knew it. 

Someone who was also on the verge of having a nervous attack was Hoseok. His sister was driving him crazy, and he was trying his best not to lose it too.

Everyone was back at Jazmine’s store, and the last details were being made. Some people were getting their makeup done, some were curling or straightening their hair, and all were listening to the lecture of what clothes they had to change into.

“You look so so good! You’re making me regret not signing up too,” Deo sighed as Tori did a little spin to show her the outfit she was wearing.

“I told you!” The girl grinned. “You’re always like that. You need to stop that shy act of yours.”

“It’s not an act. I’m more of a potato than a supermodel,” Deo said, making the other sigh.

“You are not! Stop!” Tori said. She knew her friend was kidding, but still.

“You’re staying for the after party, right?”

“Of course! I wouldn’t miss it.”

“Good, you know I need my drinking buddy with me.”

“It’s just you and me, against the buzz,” The girl sassily said, making the other laugh.

Not very far away, Hoseok noticed his new friend, a girl that had recently joined USC.

“Hey Amber, I’m so glad you came! How are you?”

“Hey Hobi! I’m good. I’m excited, but also nervous. I'm sure I'll be ok though! How are you?” The girl asked, turning a little in the makeup chair to give him her full attention.

“I’m a nervous pill, there’s so much to do! But don’t be nervous, you look really pretty!” Hobi smiled gently. He was proud of his sister’s clothes and happy so many people came to help show them off.

“You’ve got this! The show will go super well.” The blonde cheered. “But, I’m clumsy so I’ll need to really concentrate, and thank you! I don’t usually wear this much makeup. I've never been good enough.”

A frown quickly appeared on Hoseok’s face. He hated to see people sad. “What?! Don’t say that! You shouldn’t think so poorly about yourself!” His mind raced for the right thing to say. “My sister is really picky, so if she chose you it was because she saw something in you! Believe in yourself!” He gave her a gentle smile, and squeezed her shoulder lightly.

“I just get nervous around certain people, and then I get clumsy.” Amber hinted. “But I know it’ll be ok. I’m glad she picked me, all the things from her shop are so nice! You look so good today. You know... In the makeup and stuff.”

“You think so?” Hoseok was used in being the one giving compliments, but he couldn’t deny that receiving them felt good. “This isn't really my vibe, but I can’t deny these clothes look sick. Do you have plans after this?”

“I do! You should wear more clothes like that. I’m not doing anything after this. Yourself? Did you want to do something after?”

“We have some champagne and cake hidden for my sister. You wanna stay to celebrate with us?” He offered.

“Of course! I would love to. It sounds fun. She definitely deserves it after putting this show together,” Amber complimented, looking around the room to see all the beautiful outfits.

“She does. She went a little Godzilla this morning, but she’s the best.” Hoseok’s gaze turned soft as he spoke of his sister.

“She is! She’s put in so much work, and it’s been so worth it. I can already tell this show will be amazing.”

“I hope so! I’m grateful for everyone joining, and that includes you! Oh - Duty calls! You’re gonna nail that ok?!” Hoseok encouraged one more time before turning away.

“I’m grateful for being invited! Thank you so much, I'll see you later. Good luck, you got this!”

Amber continued getting her makeup fixed. Meanwhile, Hoseok ran to his sister. They peeked through the made-up curtain that led to the runway.

“Look little bro, we have a full house!” Jazmine squealed excitedly.

“Of course we do!” He hugged her tightly. “You worked so hard, everything will go as planned!”

“Thank you!”

Lights started flashing and music starting playing loudly through the speakers. Everyone was amazed with the final results. It almost looked like a professional show. As soon as the first model left backstage and stepped into the runway, flashes hit her eyes from all different directions. Jazmine felt proud. Hoseok felt proud. Everything was taking form.

“What’s up nerd?” Jungkook’s head peeked in front of Jae’s lenses.

“Jesus Christ! I almost died. That angle does not suit you,” the girl teased, and Jungkook pretended to be offended by her snarky remark.

“What do you mean? All angles suit me,” Jungkook said cockily, but he quickly let out a laugh.

“Sure.” Jae rolled her eyes. “Are you taking any good shots, or are you just joking around?”

“I bet you my shots look way better than yours,” he teased.

“Pfff, you wish virgin boy.”

“Oh please.” He rolled his eyes.

“I’m just joking.” Jae loved to see how annoyed he would get at the sound of the nickname.

“Yeah, whatever nerd.” Jungkook chuckled.

“So I was thinking... we could pair up for the project for photography club.”

“Sure, the nerd and the virgin boy. Sounds like a bad superhero movie,” he said, making the girl laugh out loud.

“It sounds pretty rad.” She laughed. “What would be your superpower?”

“I would kick their asses and then hang the bad guys by their underwear. Yours?” Jungkook said after a little while of thinking.

“I’d probably throw them math books because everyone hates math,” she explained with a playful smile on her face, “and I'd have glasses, and they would shoot some deadly rays that’d turn them into dust.”

“Sounds like you’ve this all figured out,” Jungkook chuckled.

“So should you. We’re a team now.” Jae pointed her finger at his face, dead serious. “Or are you not worthy?”

The public was mesmerized by the incredible organization. The models looked stunning, and the clothes were a hit from the start. Sadly, that organization the people were seeing wasn’t happening backstage. Everyone was running around and trying to change into their outfits on time for their turn on the runway, where they give life to Jazmine’s pieces.

“Coming up I need Jimin and Alissa. Be ready because you’ll go in 2 minutes.” At the mention of his name, Jimin got up but immediately sat down.

“Oh my god! I’m so sorry!�� The pretty brunette girl almost screamed in Jimin’s face when they bumped into each other.

“Are you ok?” Jimin asked, filled with concern.

“Yeah! And you?” She examined him from top to bottom.

“I am.” Jimin smiled. “I didn’t see you around ever since the party, Laura” He gave her a quick hug. They were from the same dance crew, but they weren't that close. 

“I’ve been kinda busy” she chuckled. 

“Hey can I-” Jimin’s sentence was cut off by a scream.

“Next model c’mon! C’mon!”

“I guess that’s your cue.” Laura said, tucking the hair that had fallen in front of her face behind her ears.

“It is, but I'll see you around Delgado?”

“Sure- yes, you will!”

The runway continued, and after a couple of hours, all the outfits were shown. Jazmine walked down the runway with all her models as the last song played, and she even did a little speech to everyone there. She was very grateful, and it was getting hard for her to hold her tears in.

“Everyone!” She let her fork click into her champagne glass, already backstage. “I am so thankful to all of you. I appreciate you joining me in this little crazy adventure as well as all of you that woke up super early today to come help set everything up! To my lovely brother who always stays by my side... cheers!”

“Cheers!” Everyone held their glasses up and drank.

“So... did you have fun?” Hoseok sneaked behind Amber making her jump slightly.

“I did!” She smiled big. “You should feel proud of yourself!”

“I am!” Hoseok gave her a sheepish smile. “Thank you, again.”

“Anything you need, you can count on me ok?” The girl said with a sweet look in her eyes.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Hoseok gave her a wink.

 “BANG BANG INTO THE ROOM!” Tori and Deo sang out loud to the song that came out of the speakers, drinks in hand

“WAIT A MINUTE LET ME TAKE YOU THERE!” Jimin joined.

“Go away, this is girl’s fun only.” Tori jokingly pushed him.

“How dare you!” Jimin tried his best to sound offended, but he couldn’t help but laugh. Through Deo, he and Tori had become friends, and he liked teasing her a lot.

“Fight me Jiminie!” Tori teased back.

“I’m a gentleman. Excuse you.” Jimin laughed as he walked away from the two girls.

“Oh~~ Jiminie~~” Deo teased.

“Shut it! Dork!” Tori laughed out loud to Deo’s impression of herself. “Go see Jack!”

While everyone continued partying, the Y group had to leave the party. Jimin’s classmate and friend Jean, had invited them to some local market and they had to shower before going. They were tired from all the running around at the show.

Carolina, on the other hand, had just finished her job and was at her home, taking a shower. Jin was there too. After his pause earlier, he decided to go back to his games and when he noticed, it was almost 6 in the afternoon when his housemate peeked her head into his room.

"Is Dracula home?"

"Ha ha ha very funny" he said while stretching his arms, still sat on his gamer chair.

"Please tell me you ate something" she entered his room still wrapped in a towel, some droplets of water falling to the floor because of her wet hair.

"I ate some snacks while play-"

"Jin!!! For fucks sake, snacking isn't eating properly"

"Ya, you tell that as if I already didn't know!" he got up "I'll eat something before going"

"You better! If you drink on an empty stomach, I swear to my whole vinyl collection, I will leave you there" she threatened with a sharp look making him sigh.

"I will eat something, we both are. And stop treating me like a child"

"The fault isn't mine, you're the one that play games the whole afternoon like one" she said while turning around to leave his room making him follow closely.

"You game too you- you pillock!"

"Pillock?" she turned around and snorted with a smile "You're watching too much Sherlock Holmes for your own good"

"I'm afraid that's your british influence on me, my dear" he joked making her roll her eyes but chuckle nevertheless.

"And yes, I game too but I only like things like assassin's creed or god of war"

"You love Mortal Kombat too, don't lie"

"True, I do love it" she looked up too caught in her own head.

"We should play it sometime, there's a while since-"

"No time for that now! Go to your shower otherwise you're going to be late! I'll leave you something to eat here, go go!" she started pushing him towards the bathroom.

"It's still early!!"

"We both know you take ages in the shower Seokjin" she looked at him with that 'let's get real' eyes they always shared in moments like this, making him sigh again.

"Fine. I do." he mumbled going by himself to the bathroom now "You're being way too harsh today"

"No I'm not-"

"Yes you are~~ You're like Yoongi's manager" he said laughing.

"Yeah yeah"

"Is it because you want a song??" he wiggled his eyebrows before closing the door.

"TAKE YOUR SHOWER!!!!" she shouted making him fall in laughter inside the room.

Carolina texted her group in their usual chat after getting ready, wondering where everyone was and when she noticed that Yoongi was probably home alone, she decided it was time to go to the bottom floor and see how the boy was doing.

“So how did it go?” Yoongi sat down on his chair and as soon as he did, his nail immediately returned to his mouth. It was his coping mechanism. In his mind, he was looking cool but on the outside... that was a whole different thing.

“Oh so you’re pulling the chill vibe on me huh? That’s new.” Carolina let out a sympathetic smile.

“I tried but I guess it’s no use with you.” He let out a sigh. “But seriously, the effects... are they cool?”

“Relax! You know damn well I wouldn’t just do anything for you.” Carolina raised her eyebrow. “They turned out great, all of them in sync with the songs and matching the concept of them.”

“If there’s someone I can trust is you. But I was thinking of going in a little bit early so we could try them out and see how they look onstage?” Yoongi suggested. The more he thought, the more excited he was getting.

“Sure! I think the boys are already coming, I showered first to come here while Jin gets ready and Tae called saying he was on the way.”

“Good, that way we go together- any news on Namjoon?”

“He texted a while back saying he was waiting in the lobby- you know, because of the crazy neighbor.” Both couldn’t help but laugh. “He’s probably just waiting for her to leave so he can come up in peace.”

“Maybe we should invite her, so he can have a little fun tonight.” Yoongi teased, making Carolina laugh.

“He would be so disoriented that he most probably would ruin your show and when I say ruin I mean breaking the speakers, tripping on the cables etc.” Carolina said with a straight face but two seconds later was laughing out loud.

“Oh shit.” Yoongi couldn’t contain himself just picturing the situation. “Maybe next time.”

“Less nervous now?” Carolina said, a soft smile occupying her features.

“Yeah, I'm getting excited now.” Yoongi also smiled. He felt so lucky to have a friend like her.

“You’ll do great as always, Yoongs. And besides, we both know you’re the most talented musician in this place.”

“I know... But I just heard the place will be packed and I only ‘performed’ for you guys so that doesn’t count.”

“Once you step on that stage remember your dreams. And if you can’t, just look at us.” Carolina pulled him into a hug. “We’ll make sure you don’t forget how talented you are.”

“You’re making me all sappy. I need to channel Eminem to look bad ass.” Yoongi dorks around, showing his cute gummy smile. “But thanks.”

“Thank me one day with a song made specially for me.”

But before Yoongi could answer Carolina’s sassiness, there was a knock on the door and a head peeked into the room.

“Sorry to bother man but Taehyung is out in the living room. He said he was knocking on the door for the past 10 minutes so I let him in.” Jungkook said and right after that the door was fully open by a bored looking Taehyung.

“Jeez, I was starting to think no one was home.” Taehyung let himself fall onto Yoongi’s bed.

“It’s impossible that you’ve been there for 10 minutes. I've been here for 10 minutes.” Carolina arched her eyebrow and Taehyung showed a guilty smile.

“You know I'm dramatic.”

“Seriously.” Carolina sighed but laughed right after.

“Where is everyone?” Taehyung asked noticing they were hanging out at Yoongi’s room and no one else was there.

“They should be on their way.” Carolina shrugged simply.

“You guys want something? I have beer in the fridge. I need one.”

“I’ll join you.” Carolina answered, getting up from the bed and going to the kitchen.

Jungkook went back into his room to get ready. Meanwhile, Deo and Hyori were almost ready too. As Deo was still tieing her all stars, Jack called and Hyori took the moment to take some shots of the sky. It was almost that golden hour and she couldn’t resist to take them, even though her camera roll had maybe 300 photos of that already.

“Hey Hyori!” A girl called out from behind.

“Oh~ hey Emma! How are you?” Hyori said sweetly when she saw the girl that had called her.

“I'm good. I see we had the same idea.” Emma joked, pointing to Hyori’s phone.

“I’m a sucker for the sky, especially when it gets all pretty.” The girl confessed.

“Me too.” The two took a moment to watch the pretty sky one more time. “I was actually meaning to text you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I feel like the only time we get together is for school stuff. And that being said, it’s me asking for your help with bio.” Emma confessed, a little embarrassed.

“But I don’t mind helping you at all!” Hyori said kindly.

“I know! But I was thinking that we could do something fun one of these days? To relax a little for the class’s stress.”

“Oh sure!” Hyori smiled to the girl. “I’m going out with my friends now but I'll text you later so we can set something up!”

“I’ll be waiting!” Emma said, waving the girl goodbye.

“So are you ready?” Hyori asked, when Deo came to her.

“Yup, Jack will meet us there.”

“Why did you decided to invite him all of the sudden?” Hyori asked.

“What? Because he’s my boyfriend?”

“Uhu, I see.” Hyori gave her a lopsided smile.

“Don’t worry your pretty little head about it.” Deo teased.

“I don’t have to. I know you too well.”

“Whatever floats your boat.” Deo shrugghed. “Where’s JK meeting us?”

“Don’t know, I'm going to call him.”

As the phone rang, the two girls walked to the fountain where they had agreed to meet with Hoseok and Jimin. After the third try, Jungkook finally answered.

“Thank God!” Hyori’s voice sounded as soon as Jungkook answered.

“I was in the shower.” Jungkook said simply.

“How did me and Deo get ready before you did? You’re the worst I swear.”

“He’s still in the shower?” Deo’s voice could be hear through the line. “Put him on speaker.”

“I need to smell good.” He said simply and could almost feel Deo’s rolling her eyes. “Unlike some of you!”

“Shut up 5-year-old.” Deo laughed.

“Where are you?” Hyori asked.

“Still at home, I’m almost ready and I’ll be there soon.”

“Well you better hurry!”

“Yes mom!”

Jungkook hang up the phone and finished getting ready. Once he step foot out of his room, his living room was filled by the typical crowd.

“Is Namjoon coming up or what?” Yoongi asked.

“He’s probably waiting downstairs.”

“I bet he’s with that sweet lady.” Jin joked.

“Don’t tell him that.” Carolina laughed.

“Hey Jungkook.” Jin noticed the boy.

“What’s up?” Jungkook greeted. “Good luck later man!”

“Don’t you know it’s bad luck to just say it like that?” Carolina teasingly said.

“Thanks.” Yoongi intervened before the two could get into their usual arguments.

“You should drop by!” Jin said, with a grin in his face.

“Yes, I invited Jiminie later!” Taehyung added.

“Sounds like fun, I will!” Jungkook said excited.

“Hey if you see Namjoon downstairs tell him to come up?” Yoongi asked.

“Sure.” Jungkook replied, walking to the door. “See you guys later.” He said, winking to Carolina and seeing her reaction before closing the door, satisfied.

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

The night fell pretty quickly and both groups were having the time of their lives. The Y group was already with Jean at the 626 Market and the X group was already at Yoongi’s show. Before it was his turn, there was going to be other artists and that made him relax a little.

Once they got to the market, they didn’t expect it to be that big. The streets were filled with light and music echoed from all around the places. There was a little map at the entrance and everyone was mesmerized to see how big the space was. The food area was composed of 100 different chains and the variety of food and insane. But what really caught their eyes was how big the rides section was. It was a whole another world for them.

“So what do you guys wanna eat?” Jean asked when they made it to the food trucks.

“I think I wanna try that churro ice cream you suggested.” Jimin said, excited.

“That’s for dessert.” The girl laughed.

“Look! Corn dogs!” Jungkook pointed and rushed to the truck.

“What do you wanna eat babe?” Jack whispered behind Deo as he back hugged her.

“I don’t know. Hyo?”

“Maybe a burger? Those look good.” The girl pointed to a truck near them and took some steps towards it.

“I want a corn dog with JK.” Hoseok said excited, following the boy.

“You?” Deo asked, turning around to be facing her boyfriend.

“I’ll have what you’re having.”

“Wow, that helped so much.” She rolled her eyes playfully. “Burgers then?” The petit girl turned to Hyori.

“Burgers it is.” Deo managed to set free from Jack’s embrace and intertwined her arm with her roommate, ignoring his protests.

“What about you guys?” Jack turned to Jimin and Jean that were still looking around.

“I’m thinking of a kebab? Maybe?” Jimin asked, looking between the two.

“Why not? I’m in.” Jack said with a shrug.

“Me too.” Jean smiled widely to the both boys.

As everyone waited in line for their food, Yoongi and his friends had just arrived at his venue. It was a local club/bar that the locals and mostly college students would go to. They weren’t very strict with whom they would let in but when it came to serving alcohol, they always asked for ID’s.

“Ok, it's not empty but-” Yoongi started looking around.

“Yoongi relax, it's still early.” Namjoon pointed out.

“Yeah and we all invited some people as well, they will probably arrive a little later” Taehyung smiled sweetly.

“Thanks.”

“Nobody arrives early nowadays...” Jin commented while looking around “But I'm sure Jungkook will show with his friends, and I invited some people from my department-”

“Should we go to the front already?” Carolina asked impatient pointing towards the spot, not empty but still not crowded.

“Yeah, you guys should stay there, front sits are always the best” Yoongi chuckled.

“There's no sits...” Taehyung looked confused to the spot.

“It's just a saying, dumbass.”

“Oh...” he said only, making everyone laugh.

“Anyways guys, I think I'll head to the backstage-”

“Are you sure?” Namjoon asked.

“I'm sure you still have time...” Carolina tried.

“I'm sure. I'll prepare myself better inside.”

“We'll be waiting for you then! You'll be great, bro!” Taehyung cheered making Yoongi smile.

“I'll go check on you in a few.” Carolina assured him.

“I'll be waiting. Tell them you're a friend of mine, I'll let the guy know you're with me.” Yoongi said already leaving.

“Oh yeah, that's my friend!” Jin said to a guy who was passing by him “I'm friends with the singer!”

“Come, let's buy some beer.” Namjoon pulled him towards the bar “You two stay here guarding the spot.”

“Sure thing!” Taehyung said loudly.

“Sure thing.” Carolina mimicked Taehyung in a mocking manner.

“And may I know why are you so mad now?”

“Couldn't we just be in peace in Yoongi's thing???” she said furious.

“But we are-”

“No, you are! And everyone else! Stupid asshole- I don't even know where the friendship came from like-” she ranted.

“You won't even see Jimin, he'll probably be over the back with-” Taehyung tried.

“Who cares about Jimin, dude?” she looked at him with a confused expression.

“What...?”

Everyone had mostly finished eating and were just waiting for the slow eaters like Deo and Hyori and for the one who ate like he were three people in one, like Jungkook.

“Is it really a good idea to be eating before going on the rides?” Deo asked. She loved to go on roller coasters and crazy rides.

“I’m not bringing any sick people back into my car.” Jack laughed.

“Even if it’s me?” Deo did her best puppy eyes and the boy immediately soften.

“Don’t make my life harder baby.” Jack retorqued, making Deo make a funny face and give him a kiss right after.

“So Jean, how do you know Jimin?” Hyori asked.

“Oh you didn’t tell them?” She asked quietly to Jimin. “We have some classes together.”

“We’re friends.” Jimin smiled big.

“Yes!” Jean smiled back to him. It was hard for her to have social interactions like this and his answer made her relax a lot.

“So what do you wanna do next?” Jimin asked her.

“Oh whatever you want, is fine with me.”

“C’mon, you were the one inviting so we gotta do something you like!” Hoseok supported, making Jimin nod.

“Well, what about those churros ice cream?” She suggested.

“We better save that for after the rides.” Jungkook jumped into the convo. His eyes finally left his food and that was when he noticed the girl from the party coming towards his table. “I’ll be right back.”

“Hey Jungkook! I thought it was you!” the girl smiled as they were only a feet apart.

“Hey Aashna! How are you?” He smiled, stuffing his hands in his jean’s pockets.

“I’m good. You’re with your friends?” She asked, peeking through his shoulder.

“Yeah, you?”

“Too! We should go on a ride together!” The girl said excited.

“Yeah, what about the bumper cars? We’re lacking one person so I was just going alone.” He suggested.

“Sounds fun!” Aashna smiled excited.

“See you there Aashna?”

“Yes, and call me Ashi!”

“See you Ashi.” He chuckled, going back to his table.

Before Jungkook could even sit down, his friends were already teasing and he just shrugged them off with his hand, stuffing his last corn dog in his mouth.

The second artist of the night was up and the club was getting more and more crowded. This one had a bit of a more chilled vibe than Yoongi but he wasn’t as good. Still, he entertained the public quite well. In Carolina’s opinion, he would be a better host than a singer, although his lyrics weren’t that bad.

"This song is super good!" Namjoon said loudly "You think I can hear it online?"

"Probably? Maybe the guy has SoundCloud?" Carolina answered.

"MY FRIEND IS AFTER! SUGA!" Jin continued to look like a manager; he had a cup on his hands.

"Woah~ Look at that!" Taehyung pointed to the screen behind the musician.

"What I did for Yoongi is much better, trust me."

"You did him the art presentation?" Namjoon asked surprised.

"Yeap" her eyes were still on the stage.

"Should I record him once he performs?" Taehyung asked.

"Of course you should!" Jin answered "We have to keep some memories for him."

"I'll take some photos, you do the videos, you're taller anyways and that helps." Carolina added making Taehyung nodd "Be sure to record everything from Far Away, the holograms are amazing on that one."

"Holograms???" Namjoon exclaimed.

"I'm very proud of my kid." Jin back hugged Carolina peppering her with kisses, just to mock her.

"I swear to God, Seokjin!" she threatened but he was too hyper to let go, the other two just kept laughing.

As they had agreed, Aashna was waiting for Jungkook and his friends to ride the bumper cars. She rode with Jungkook, Jimin with Jean, Jack with Deo and Hyori with Hoseok. Useless to say the first ones of which team were the ones driving. Mostly, Deo kept screaming at Jack to hit everyone and he barely even had time to react because he was laughing too hard. On the second round, they decided to change the drivers. Jungkook had to hold himself to not get thrown out his car because Aashna was crazy for blood and wanted to hit every single person that would hit them.

“Shit, I’m all sore.” Jungkook complained. “You’re a terrible driver.” He said, making Aashna laugh.

“Hardly as bad as you are.” She teased, hitting his arm playfully.

“Pfff as if.” He said, before his arm being pulled. “Anyway, I had fun.”

“Me too, thanks for riding with me.” She smiled sweetly to him.

“I’ll see around campus yeah?” Jungkook said before waving Aashna goodbye.

“Where are we going now?” Hoseok asked, excited.

“We could go on the roller coaster?!” Deo almost pleaded excited.

“Yes!” Almost everyone said at the same time.

“I was thinking of maybe going on the ferries wheel?” Jean asked, tucking Jimin’s shirt, not wanting to be a party killer.

“I’d prefer it too. We can go together if you’d like?” He suggested.

“I’d like that!”

Once the third singer climbs up on stage, Carolina decides it’s time to check on Yoongi backstage. She wanted to go right away the moment he left but decided it was best to give him some space.

"Pssst, Agust D!" Carolina said in a whispery manner while peeking cautiously her head inside the backstage room.

"Nobody ever called me that." He chuckled.

"Well, soon enough everyone will know him." She closed the door "Still, I like Suga way better."

"Because he's not that angsty?" he joked. The girl crossed the room and sat right next to him before answering. His attentive eyes on her.

"No, Suga is angsty as well... But that's the thing... Agust D is only Agust D, Suga on the other hand is you and him. That's why I like him better." Her head now leaned on the back of the couch, waiting for his response, a small smile creeped on his face.

"I don't think I ever saw you getting this emotional." He looked down. "Is the british air doing you good?" Yoongi met her eyes now.

"Is this you thanking me for appeasing your mind?" Carolina chuckled amused. "And no, it has nothing to do with him... I'm cold but you're like- really important to me so... That's how I truly feel."

"Shit, I'll have to work on that song for you now." He smiled awkwardly. None of them were very open about feelings but they understood each other pretty well.

"Remember to look at us when you're up there!" She smiled back and got up to leave, not before he pulled her hand making her look back at him.

"Is it empty out there?" he asked, his front was confident but his eyes never lied, he was nervous, Carolina could tell.

"Yoongs... Trust yourself. We are right in the front, don't forget." She winked and he let go of her hand. Carolina crossed the room again, her hand on the door, ready to leave but not before looking at him again "It's crowded by the way." She left right before seeing his smile go wide.

Now at the top of the wheel, Jean and Jimin were sitting quietly, watching the full moon and the stars upon them.

“We got lucky it stopped here.” Jean commented after a while, referring to being on the highest point of the fair.

“We did! Everything looks so pretty down there.” He smiled big and took his phone out to capture the moment. “Wanna take a selfie?”

“Oh sure!” They posed with a smile and then a silly face before he placed his phone back in his pocket. “Make sure to send me those later.”

“I will! Are you having fun?” He asked, turning to face her.

“I am, thank you for coming with me.”

“Thank you~ for inviting me.” Jimin said sweetly.

“Oh stop it! It was my pleasure. You are a great friend.”

“So are you Jean, so are you.”

Back at the show, Carolina was back with her friends. The artist that had gotten up when she entered backstage was now saying his thanks and goodbyes.

"Is he ok??" Taehyung asked once he saw Carolina returning with a beer in hands.

"He was a little nervous, but everything will be ok."

"Who bought you that?" Jin asked coming close to her because of the loud music.

"Myself...?" she answered "I'm a strong, independent woman after all."

"The beauty of equal rights! Cheers!" Namjoon said clinking his bottle with hers overly excited.

"You forgot to add underage in that sentence." Taehyung said.

"It's fine, if anything the beer is mine." Namjoon added with an accomplice look at the girl who side hugged him.

"I just wanna know who's driving my car tonight because I'm a little busy with the vodka." Jin said loudly while dancing, as if he was in another world.

"I can't drive so..." Taehyung answered.

"Don't look at me, I myself don't trust me with a car." Namjoon shrugged.

"I don't have a license but I know how to drive-" Carolina was saying but got interrupted.

"NO!"

"You take the car then." Jin said not worrying too much.

"NOT-"

"Really?" she asked with a funny face.

"Oh boy...." Namjoon took a large gulp of his beer.

"What about Yoongi?!" Taehyung said loudly.

"He's fine I told you already." Carolina answered "I assured him we would be here waiting and-"

"Ya" Jin laughed "I think he was talking about driving?" Taehyung nodded agreeing.

"Oh..."

"Guys, let's decide that later... Let's enjoy first!" Namjoon pondered.

"Anyways I highly doubt anyone will get drunk, we're all here to see Yoongi." Carolina said.

"Agree!"

"I don't know about you guys, but as soon as Yoongi finishes off I'll start celebrating." Jin said still dancing "HEY! DO YOU KNOW SUGA? I'TS MY FRIEND!" he shouted to a bunch of people standing next to them.

Yoongi stepped on stage, a couple of people cheered but his friends were the loudest. They were screaming at the top of their lungs and Yoongi couldn’t help but smile. He presented himself as Suga. He started off with a song entitled “Agust D”. As the song started playing, everyone started jumping and moving their bodies to the sound of it.

Next up was “Give It To Me” and when that was already over, Jungkook and his friends arrived. After that, “The Last” started playing and then “So Far Away”, a collaboration he did with a girl he met online that used to do some covers. By that time, everyone had their phones out with their flashlights to fit the mood of the song and arms in the air swinging.

“He’s really good!” Deo shouted in Jungkook’s ear so that he could hear her.

He only nodded in response. He didn’t know this side of him. He knew he liked music and that he like to produce some things but it never crossed his mind that he’d have things this level, this good. He stayed glued to the words until the very last one and once it was over, everyone cheered.

"Ahhhhh!" Carolina exclaimed once she saw Yoongi coming in their direction, she went straight to a tight hug "I'm so proud of you!!!! You were so good, Yoongs!!!"

"Thank you!" he hugged back "Everyone's talking about the art work" he chuckled excited.

"Bro it was amazing!! Woah~" Taehyung came by excited as well "The songs were BAM! grrr" Taehyung let out a bunch of noises and expressions.

"Thanks!" Yoongi chuckled.

"And of course they're talking, I told you to trust me!" Carolina added.

"I wish I could see it as well but I was on stage so-"

"Oh we recorded it for you!!!" Taehyung said.

"YOU DID AMAZING BRO!" Jin came by with Namjoon, greeting Yoongi with his always playful manner.

"You did good, Yoongi!" Namjoon tapped on his shoulder congratulating him. "The lyrics were- Wow, really powerful!"

"Thanks guys!" He chuckled feeling proud of himself. "I see you all had a good time then."

"Of course we did! We'd be crazy not to!" Carolina added.

“Hey man, you were great! Congrats!” Jungkook appeared in the middle of the group giving Yoongi a quick hug.

“Thanks JK! Glad you showed up!” Yoongi showed a genuine smile.

“Of course! How did you feel up there?” Jungkook asked excited.

“Pretty great I must say.” Yoongi chuckled.

“JK MY MAN!” Jin screamed and immediately came in for a hug.

“JIN!” Jungkook screams back, laughing.

“Jimin came as well?” Taehyung asked.

“Yeah-” Jungkook said but before he could say anything, Jin spoke again.

“Wanna hang? Bring your friends, we’re celebrating here!”

“Yeah man, come hang!” Namjoon said, beer in hand, cheerful.

“I can go call them?” Jungkook kinda asked, he wasn’t really used to these hang outs between his group and his housemates but he couldn’t deny he was excited for it.

“He’s probably busy with his friends guys, let him be.” Carolina spoke but everyone ignored her.

“Yeah go grab them!” Jin repeated himself, probably because of the drinks he had already had.

“Oh really?? Bring Jiminie!” Taehyung spoke with a big smile.

“I’m gonna call them and I’ll try to find you!” Jungkook said before turning away to where his friends were.

“Jungkook left?” Yoongi finally looked back to the group, he had been talking to some people that were congratulating him.

“He went to get his friends.” Namjoon spoke from beside him.

“I’ll be right back.” Yoongi said. “You came.” He said in the girl’s ear.

“Yoongi! You were great! Of course I did! I wouldn’t miss it for the world!”

“Thanks Linzi.” He let out a chuckle. “You’re alone?”

“No, I’m with some friends. I was just about to leave actually, but I was trying to find you first.”

“Well, thanks for coming!” He let out a smile.

“We’ll talk later yeah? Let me know if you got home safe.”

“I will!”

“FRIENDS! WELCOME!” Jin shouted when Jungkook came back with his friends.

“Welcome where?” Carolina said, sarcastically.

“Oh! The stargazing girl!” Namjoon let out once he noticed Hyori.

“Hey guys!” Hoseok spoke to everyone in general.

“Oh~ hi!” Hyori said shyly.

“Let’s go grab some drinks!” Jungkook said, sliding his arm around Jin’s shoulders.

“I’ll go too!” Deo said. The whole situation was freaking her out. They were friends but they were hanging out and it was weird and awkward.

“Sure! Anything you guys want?” Jin asked, looking back at everyone.

“I’m good thanks!” Taehyung said, looking away from Jimin.

“Whiskey if you can.” Yoongi said.

“No thanks, I'll go there later.” Carolina said before wandering off to the dance floor.

“Bring me anything.” Jimin winked.

“Whatever you’re having ok?” Hyori said looking to Deo.

“I’m already served.” Namjoon showed his beer bottle. ”But thanks.”

“Want me to come with?” Jack asked Deo.

“No, you’re not allowed to drink today mr. Driver.” Deo snorted, pinching his cheek.

“Let’s go!” Jungkook said.

“I’ll be going with you guys! You won’t be able to bring everything back, I’ll help!” Taehyung said cheerfully.

“Nice!” Jin said before turning their backs and going.

Deo had her hands around Jungkook’s arm to not get lost and he was following Jin to the bar. Taehyung was hanging in the back. They had to walk in line because the place was so crowded. Once they managed to get to the bar, they did a little circle.

“What was it that they wanted?” Jungkook asked.

“Not a clue, everything is fine!” JIn laughed.

“Yoongi wanted whiskey and Jimin was anything...” Taehyung said right after.

“What are you having?” Deo asked, turning her attention from the shelves and to the boys.

“Maybe a shot... Can’t decide, I’ll ask the bartender for suggestions.” Jin answered.

“Nothing for me.” Taehyung said.

“For me and Hyori... hmm... can be two vodkas with coke.”

“I don’t know either. I’ll go with Jin’s.” Jungkook added.

“I like this friend very much!” Jin said to Taehyung while pointing to Jungkook.

“You have to order for us, they’ll think I’m 16.” Deo chuckled, talking to Jin.

“They do have a point.” Jin laughed, amused.

“I’ll help ordering because it’s pretty crowded.” Taehyung said, jumping to the bar. “Stay close.” He looked at Deo but she just shrugged him off.

“Swear to God!” Deo said in Jungkook’s ear making him laugh.

“Go away underaged kid.” Jungkook laugh, defendind himself from a punch she threw to his arm.

“So are you!”

“Leave it to us kids!” Jin laughed, looking back.

Once they manage to get all the drinks, they walked back to where their groups last were. Yoongi, Hoseok and Jack were chatting while leaning against the wall about music. Something in Hoseok sparked when he saw Yoongi perform and he was excited to explore that part of himself. Everyone gave them their drink and followed to the next group where Hyori was talking to Namjoon and Jimin was just flirting with some girl.

“Did you find your friend? From the party?” Hyori asked Namjoon. They were still on the topic of the party.

“I did, yes. It’s that blue haired one that went to grab drinks.” Namjoon pointed once he saw Taehyung.

“He seems quite hard to miss.” Hyori teased, letting a laugh fall out of her lips right after.

“Well you might find it surprising how many times we already did.” Namjoon laughed too, a little embarrassed.

“I get it. It was a super big house!”

“It doesn’t help that he’s a little unpredictable.” He laughed. “I never asked you thought but, what were you doing on that room?”

“Watching the stars mostly. That party was too loud for a second and I needed some air.” She said simply.

“I can relate to that.” He confessed, feeling a little shy.

“If you ever need, I know some points around campus where you can see the sky perfectly. Even some rooftops.” She suggested with a grin in her face.

“That would be nice! Thanks, star girl!”

“You having fun?” Deo creeped behind Hyori, handing her the drink she choose for her.

“I am thank you.” Hyori gave her a death glare.

“Hey do you know where Carolina is?” Deo asked, showing him the drink she had for her.

“Uh... She was just here?” Namjoon said confused. He wasn’t paying much attention.

“Jimin!” Deo tapped on his shoulder. “Did you saw Carolina?”

“Ye-” before he could say anything, Taehyung was already going off.

“We lost her???”

“She’s there.” Jimin chuckled while pointing to the dance floor.

“Oh~~ thank God!” Taehyung let out a sigh.

“Hey!” Deo tapped Carolina lightly on the shoulder. “Got you a drink.”

“Oh thanks! You didn’t nee-” Carolina finally looked at the girl, eyes widden. “-eed to...”

“It’s nothing! But you’re ok? You’re a little pale.”

“Uh... Yeah! Totally! Thanks!” She took a sip of her drink, confused with a million things running through her mind.

“Imma go back to the group but if you need to catch some air or go to the bathroom you can call me!” Deo said. She was 100% sure now that Carolina was the bathroom girl from the party, all she had to do now was figure out about which boy she was talking.

“Mhmm, sure thanks!”

The time flew by and the party wasn’t over yet. Once Yoongi ended his performance, the manager of the club announced that he was the last one but that everyone was invited to stay and have fun. With the regular radio music playing, everyone kept on drinking and dancing and laughing. The smoke from the cigars and dim light made the entire mood. It was going to be a good night. That was until...

“Take your hands off my girlfriend you piece of shit!” A guy yelled over the music and threw a punch.

“Fuck you man!” The other guy quickly stood up and threw another punch.

“What the hell is going on?” Jack called over, catching the group’s attention.

“Someone doesn’t know how to handle their drinks.” Jimin shrugged it off.

Soon the manager came in between the two guys and kicked them out. As it was usual policy, he would give a warning but if they didn’t stop, he’d have to call the cops. It was a bad image for the club to have drunks fighting right at their door. One of the man that was involved in the fight was a regular. Every once or twice, he would come to the club and would make a scene. The only reason the manager would still let him in was because he spent more in a night than most of his clients in a week. But of course, that would lead to fights.

“Knock it off!” One of the bouncers yelled but it was no use.

“Want me to step in?” The other one asked.

“No need, the police is already on their way.”

It took them a while, but once they heard the sirens, the two men stopped fighting and ran in different directions. One ran down the street to get away as fast as he could and the other managed to get inside the club.

“The cops are here! Run! RUN!”

Maybe it was the alcohol in their systems or maybe the fact that half of the people there didn’t have the legal age to drink but chaos installed quickly. Everyone was running out through the front door, some decided to use the emergency exit but it was already too late, cops were already covering both exits.

Carolina quickly exchanged looks with her group. She was underaged and there was no way she was going to get caught. She quickly grabbed Deo’s wrist and ran to the backstage area where she had been just hours ago with Yoongi. Hyori and Jungkook followed right after.

“Ok listen up, there’s no way I’m getting caught. We have to jump out of this window.” She peeked her head outside to see if there were cops there. “The coast is clear, let’s go.”

Carolina jumped first. “C’mon, hurry up!”

“There’s no way I’m jumping out of that.” Deo said.

“Would you rather get caught?” Jungkook glared his eyes to the both of them. He was a pile of nerves.

“That’s too high!” Hyori panicked.

“I’ll go first and I’ll help you get down yeah?” Jungkook sugested.

“Ok, but be careful!” Deo said.

“Ok c’mon!” Jungkook whispered.

“You wanna go first? If they get to us we’re dead Hyo, we have to jump.”

“AH FUCK!” Hyori flipped, climbing up the window.

“Ok Deo... keep your shit together, you’re a cheerleader. You’re thrown in the air higher than this fucking shit!” Deo talked mostly to herself. “Can I go?” She peeked her head out.

“Yes, I get you.” Jungkook told her.

Outside the backstage, the boys were trying to create a distraction to make the policeman that was looking for the agressor inside the club.

“We gotta do something!” Hoseok said, panicking.

“Chill Hope, let’s talk to them and keep them up.” Jack suggested.

“NO! Namjoon pretend to faint!!” Jin almost screamed.

“Me?! I can’t act for shit!” Namjoon said, panicking as well.

“Guys keep it down, you’re making it worse.” Yoongi glared at all of them.

“HERE I GO!” Taehyung embraced himself for a fall, closing his eyes as soon as he hit the floor and giving it a special touch my pulling his arm over his forehead. It was a 5-star acting.

“HELP! MY FRIEND FAINTED!” Jimin screamed, getting the attention of the policeman.

“What is going on here?!” The cop asked.

“OUR FRIEND FAINTED!” Jin said overly dramatic.

“What happened?” The cop asked, an eyebrow arched.

“The bad guy!” Namjoon started but felt flustered, not knowing what to say after.

“He pushed him and he fell!” Hoseok said, covering for Namjoon.

“That’s why he fainted!” Jimin added.

“Did you saw where he went? Which direction?” The cop said anxious.

“Into the bathroom.” Yoongi pointed in the opposite direction of the backstage.

“HEY! What about our friend!” Jin said, too excited with everything going on but thankfully the cop was long gone.

“Dude!” Everyone said at the same time.

“Oh yeah.” Jin said nonchalant.

“C’mon, we gotta get out of here to see if they need help.” Yoongi said.

“Everyone has their ID’s?” Jack asked, while him and Jimin pulled Taehyung up.

As the boys waited to leave – the line was super long because the police was checking ID’s at the front door. Deo finally managed to jump and they were hiding behind a dumpster, checking to see if they could move.

“Ok I think there’s a car there.” Carolina pointed to the side of the bar.

“Why the fuck they need so many cops for a fight?” Deo said frustrated.

“That doesn’t matter now!” Jungkook said, his palms were already sweating. He was tense and Carolina had to hold a laugh.

“Ok, be prepared to run if you have to.” The older girl told them.

“How are you so calm?!” Hyori said, freaked out.

“You don’t wanna know.” Carolina laughed dryly. “Ok, on the count of 3.”

The girl started counting. 1... 2... 3! They all started running and as soon as they hit the end of alley, it was exactly what Carolina suspected, there was a car and the two cops that were leaning against the wall noticed them immediately and started chasing after them.

“C’mon!” Jungkook grabbed Deo’s wrist so that she wouldn’t stay behind while Hyori and Carolina ran in front of them.

“HOLY FUCK!” Deo screamed, overwhelmed with the situation.

They could hear the footsteps of both cops chasing after them and they various attempts of telling them to stop were ignored. Quickly they got to a crossroad and Carolina took the left road and Hyori followed suit. Jungkook was ready to turn too but Deo pulled him to the other way.

“It’ll be easier like this! Hyori is fine with her.” She assured him.

“Keep up just a little longer ok?” He asked, seeing how tired she was already.

“We gotta find somewhere to hide.”

Once Carolina and Hyori noticed they were alone and they couldn’t see the cops, they decided to slow down their pace. They sat down on a bench. They noticed they were on a park but at this time of the night they weren’t recognizing it.

“That was close.” Hyori started, trying to normalize her breath.

“Yea-” Carolina stopped mid-sentence. “Do you hear that?”

“Wha-”

“We gotta hide.” Carolina quickly looked around, eyes scanning the place. “Are you good at holding your breath?”

“What?!”

“YES OR NO?!”

“I guess!!”

Carolina grabbed Hyori’s arm and pulled her with her to the fountain. She kept peeking a little but when she saw the light of the cop’s flashlight, she dove in, pulling Hyori along with her.

Deo and Jungkook continued running for what felt hours but really was 10 minutes since they got separated from the two girls. That was until they saw a convenience store.

“Let’s go there!” Deo pulled Jungkook.

“Wait, we need to control our breaths before we go in.”

“We don’t have time for that! Just smile to the cashier and then you can breathe normally!”

“Fuck, let’s go then.”

They immediately walk to the drinks area. Jungkook grabbed a power drink and Deo a water. They heard the doors slide and their hearts clutched a little. They tried to peek but didn’t see anything.

“Let’s grab some Doritos.” Deo suggested, telling Jungkook to calm down with her hands.

“I want pringles.” He said nonchalant.

“What? You always want Doritos.”

“And you always want Pringles.”

“Your point?” She laughed lightly.

“Hey kids.” They heard a voice from behind them and turned.

“Yes?” Deo spoke, afraid Jungkook’s voice was going to tremble.

“What are you doing here at this time?” The cop walked closer to them.

“We came to buy some snacks.” Deo said, showing the chips in her hands. “Is there a problem?”

“Where did you came from?” The cop pushed again.

“From campus.” Deo answered immediately with an eyebrow arched. “Why?”

The cop looked at them for a couple of seconds before relaxing his posture a little. “Make sure to make it there safe. Have a good night.”

As soon as he turned his back, Deo couldn’t contain the big smile on her face. “Let’s grab some gum too.”

“I swear, one of these days I die because of you.” Jungkook whispered to her.

“What did I do?!”

“You were giving him an attitude!”

“I was no- he was interrogating us for no reason!” She said teasingly.

“I- what?!”

“Relax Gguk. This will be the first of many times.” She winked to him and turned on her heels, heading to the cashier. The only thing she could hear was his sigh.

Back at the fountain, Carolina decided to be brave and peek her head out of the water. She couldn’t hold her breath anymore so between drowning and getting caught, it was a close call. Everything was quiet. She couldn’t hear the cop’s radio anymore so she decided it was now or never. They jumped out of the fountain, fully wet and trembling to the breeze of the night.

“Let’s agree to never speak of this again.” Carolina said, frustrated.

“Agree.”

DAY 5 [COMING SOON]

[twistednuns]

July 2020

Change. Transition and transformation.                                            

Feeling like a proud mum during my first graduation class’ final exam. They’re all gonna leave the nest so soon.

Meeting my colleagues at Michi’s own “Isar beach”. Ordering truffle pizza. Watching the storm clouds coming closer. Retreating to Michi’s flat. Talking to the dude with the guitar about life-changing travel experiences. Making fun of the stalkers across the street. Psychedelics-talk with Lorenz. Having a last drink at Rosi’s. My first time in a bar in many many months.

Tapas with Lena and Maike. Walking in linen shoes in the pouring rain. Listening to Knorkator on the subway.

New clothes. Loose, high-waisted pants, jeans shorts, a lemon print dress. A graphic, artsy Monki dress. A new hat and a bargain from COS (a sweater for only €5,85, wow).

My spontaneous meet-ups with Manu at the Asian take-away restaurant. Last time I started smiling brightly when a little kid walked past us very proudly with their brand new Schultüte.

Rest. A clean apartment. Cleaning in general (weird obsession atm; I even cleaned Manu’s whole kitchen when I was making veggie stew for him during his ear infection; but also I sang Soft Kitty for him). Gardening. Cooling down with water spray, après sun spray and cool-packs from the freezer.

Leoni’s essay actually made me laugh out loud. We had a bet going on. If she managed to use the word turkey in her essay I would have to give her €10. Well, she did it. Also, she invented and app called Teenage Mutant Karate Cats and signed off with Love, Karen. Such a gem.

That feeling when you put the pen down and the work is finally done. So liberating (after grading the final exams).

My blackroll. The only thing that helps after working at a desk for a few hours. My back hates grading papers. And using the kitchen as a temporary workspace. The smell of coffee, the humming of the dishwasher, sitting right by the window. Using all the colours to mark the essays. I love highlighter pens.

The smoke alarm lady’s charm. I only see her once a year when she comes to check on the smoke alarms but I kinda like her.

Staying late. Singing in an empty school. Not having to be quiet for once.

People standing in for gay rights and diversity. Which is why I loved the Circus of Books documentary. And the Netflix series POSE. Blanca and Pray are my favourite characters, of course.

I was satisfied with the Dark series ending. Couldn’t have hoped for more.

Raspberry plants for only 1€. I couldn’t resist.

Teaching some English lessons in other classes. Not actually facing any resistance, they really liked working with me. They asked questions and were interested, what the heck? In the final lesson with the 9d ladies we actually carved out some time to learn the cup song and sing karaoke on full volume. The girls showed my a Dua Lipa song I hadn’t heard before, I really liked it. And they wanted to hear My Heart Will Go On. Just imagine blasting the Titanic song and a whole group of teenagers singing along as dramatically as possible.

Manu feeding me with Toffifee while watching a brainless rom-com.

A day trip to Chiemsee with Sash. We were ON A BOAT, had Aperol Spritz in the sunshine right by the lake. Lots of walking, talking, inspecting flowers and eating good food. In the end we went swimming (for the first time this year?). How I had missed the water. Browsing magazines on the train. Talking about hair care and secret dreams. Coffee with ice-cream for dinner.

Making snack berries. Dipping blueberries in Greek yoghurt, rolling them in grated coconut and off to the freezer. A great healthy snack. (But of course I’m also obsessed with actual Raffaellos this month.)

A day at the lake with Verena, Silvia and Nicole. Great picnic lunch, 90’s revival music. Spotting huge fishies underwater. Taking photos of Verena in order to work on some ideas for her back tattoo. Low point: stepping into a bee and the worst sunburn ever.

The Karlsfeld train underpass. Lots of interesting underwater creatures that actually look like vintage illustrations.

Westpark. One of my favourite green spots in Munich. Lunch at Gans am Wasser (veggie seitan kebab), walking over to Rosengarten, ice-cream for dessert. Cycling home. Stopping to pick some flowers.

BBQ with some colleagues. Playing some weird trampoline volleyball game. Chasing Luise (the weiner dog) around. Being the DJ. In the end I sat there with Michi, Laura and Nicole. Drove home with a quite drunk Michi who didn’t stop talking.

A picnic with the kids and their parents to say our final goodbyes. Culinary presents from the parents, a graduation T-shirt from the students. Taking lots of photos, talking until it got dark. On the next day I had to go up on stage for the graduation ceremony. I was super nervous but so glad when it was all over. I went home with arms full of flower, wearing my constellation dress. On the parking lot Nicole and I even had a little fun with a helium balloon.

I went straight home to visit my mum on the last school day so I enjoyed a weekend there. Singing with my mum and my brother, healthy meals, inspecting the garden, making a gorgeous bouquet with some sunflowers I had brought with me and buddleja twigs from the garden. Walking through the neighbourhood with my mother, feeding chickens (my mother is just as crazy as me, the video I made of her talking to the birds is proof), going to the fleamarket (also for the first time this year). Meeting Michi U., Sash, Julia, Lena and Obi at Yvonne’s vegan cafe. Iced almond coffee, two full tables filled with vegan food. Talking to the owner about creative projects. Meeting Catrin and Andi at Brillengalerie (Birkenstock inspiration!).

Learning about resonant breathing, medicinal mushrooms and the psychological origin of illness.

Salt with smoky paprika and lemon-infused olive oil.

Harvesting pea pods on my balcony.

Talking to a body therapist. A morning walk through Schwabing. Treating myself to some Bircher muesli and fresh juice. Walking through some stores I had never been to before. Discovering a mirror gallery. Later some vegetarian sushi, Pho and a massage appointment. Lying in bed with Manu, right in front of the ventilator. Eating sinful cookies'n'cream magnum, talking about sex, health, music, life. Making late-night pizza.

Talking to Franzi on the phone. Reading a graphic novel set in Munich. Great drawings of the city. I loved the interior of Pimpernel club. Really well done.

Meeting Laura at her osteopathy practice for the first time. I really like her. Later it turned out that she’s friends with Becky! Laura taught me how to sit and stand and felt her way into my scoliosis.She has such a soft approach, let’s see how happy I’ll be with that treatment. But I obviously need to join her Cantienica class.

Hardware store, heavy plant transport. Finding a lot of cheap flower pots in the antique store.

Eating my first home-grown tomato. Just a little herbal salt. So nice. You can actually taste the sunshine.

Gute Laune herbal tea. In the middle of summer. With the doors closed to keep the heat out.

This tie-dye idea.

I sat on the balcony when a sudden thump made a tiny little bird fall right in front of me. It had collided with my living room window. Its wing was twisted so I put it right and the bird hopped off, resting in a dark corner, closing its eyes all the time. I looked up how to help and was really sad because the internet warned me that most birds would die a few hours after a collision but after ten minutes the bird hopped onto a twig, some more hopping, and flew off. I really hope you made it, little friend! Have a nice summer!

Watching The Expanse with Lena and Obi. Watermelon-Feta salad with mint. Drinking homemade lemonade, sparkly bloodorange wine and coffee with ice-cream.

An electric blue summer dress.

The Russian-themed Sjöden autumn catalogue.

Taylor Swift and Bon Iver - Exile. Such an incredibly beautiful song.

Making a fantastic Indian eggplant/chickpea curry with coriander, paneer and tofu. Delicious.

And the last crazy thing I need to talk about this month is Becky. She texted me during the graduation ceremony on the last day of the school year and told me that she’d be one of my colleagues from now on!! Crazy. The trio is back together. I met her at our usual Italian restaurant and we talked for hours. So much to catch up on. She is still a person I vibe and click with. However, I’m also a little scared because somehow she represents a chapter of my life I have closed. So she seems a little out of place in this new little corner of the world I have created for myself. But I’m sure it’s gonna turn out great!

[eceoncu]

Will fire inside music Ever Rule the World?

[What you have to know to get started on the working day: Get New York These days with your inbox.]

In May perhaps of 2002, Francesco Clark’s existence radically altered when he dove to the shallow end of the stranger’s pool. His neurosurgeon at enough time said he had a everlasting spinal twine harm, rendering Mr. Clark paralyzed and struggling to discuss.

Shortly, he had moved back again in with his mother and father in Westchester County. “After i noticed the clinic bed in my dad or mum’s property where I utilized to play the piano, I burst into tears.”

But just after decades of rigorous Actual physical therapy, Mr. Clark has proved Significantly of the original prognosis to get Improper, while also commencing a successful skin treatment business enterprise identified as Clark’s Botanicals. A countrywide ambassador for that Christopher Dana Reeve Basis, Mr. Clark, forty one, life together with his father, mom and an aide, Silvia Golle, in Bronxville.

Speak to ME Alexa wakes me at eight a.m. Voice-activated program has manufactured my lifestyle less difficult. I speak to her 50 times on a daily basis. Over the past seventeen many years I’ve regained my ability to talk and breathe by myself and use my arms. Sleeping is significantly less distressing because I got a Unique mattress that gently turns me while I’m sleeping. I also rest with splints on my hands and ft.

Staff Perform My mother can make me a triple cappuccino and will get my concoction of thirty diverse vitamins and health supplements arranged. I've a few aides and two distinctive nurses who help me. Silvia continues to be with us for eleven a long time. She’s part of the spouse and children. She allows me shave and will get my exercise routine clothes from the closet. Then a Hoyer raise and Web get me away from bed and into a water-proof wheelchair.

LAB RAT After the accident, I felt like my daily life was on pause although All people was going gentle decades forward of me. Apart from becoming paralyzed, my system didn’t sweat. My skin seemed awful and have become clogged And that i broke out. The last thing I wanted to do was glimpse inside the mirror. My father And that i started Clark’s from a hospital mattress. I’m the lab rat. I exam lots of the goods we make in the morning. I've a roll-in shower so after screening I clean every little thing off.

PROGRESS My work out uniform is Uniqlo pants, Lacoste shirt, navy blue Adidas sneakers. For the very first three several years I didn’t head out. I shaved my head. I wore a similar paper healthcare facility trousers everyday right up until Christopher Reeve passed away. That’s when I realized I required to just take obligation for my existence. By 10 I’m in my guide wheelchair and may use my arms to groom myself. At my desk I’ll read emails. In the final 5 years my wonderful-motor actions have come back.

Entire body Function The garage was once a horse steady right before we turned it into my training and perform space. I've a standing body that looks like an elliptical equipment, and my assistant and aide get me in it. It’s pleasant to become standing yet again and to defy what individuals explained I’d under no circumstances be able to do. This moves my hands and legs and prevents osteoporosis, relieves discomfort and stretches my muscles. My apple iphone is tied for the cope with bar. In the week This really is how I make lots of my enterprise calls.

ENDORPHINS For the next hour I do bicycle rotations on my back again for muscle and spine stimulation which allows for aerobic action. I utilized to operate 7 miles on a daily basis and was on the crew team, so it is a worry release. I’m around 3,000 rotations, that's 6,000 techniques. Then I return e-mails and review my day and the 7 days.

TRIP TO THE CITY My mom and aide get the van All set. Getting the very first van was a way to re-create my independence. It was a large stage in my Restoration and gave me a sense of self. I lately started off taking a look at townhouses around the Upper West Side. I’m all set to shift out alone yet again. I like remaining close to Lincoln Heart for the opera and also the Museum of Organic Historical past.

The largest problem might be getting a property exactly where I'm able to add an elevator and develop a ramp. If I’m not executing that, we’ll all Visit the Achieved. I grew up in Italy, so I like considering historical perform, Specifically from Van Gogh.

FAMILY DINNER My brother and sister and their people all Are living close by. They appear over for our Thanksgiving-like Sunday meal. I textual content Everybody what to carry and when to point out. My brother grills steak, my mom will make gnocchi and tagliatelle, my niece does dessert, my nephew tends to make and serves the cappuccino. An individual is placing the desk. Some other person is selecting the wine. There’s a sense of intention to all of this; that’s what’s transformed in my life.

THERAPY My physical therapist arrives over. I’m relearning how you can crawl. I do planks and moving about on my elbows. I adore it. I’m Hearing songs — Abba, Erasure, Lady Gaga, Donna Summer time, anything pop and upbeat.

THE CLASSICS By eleven:15 I’ve been aided back into mattress and may observe a Film. I like outdated types, Primarily Hitchcock, like “Dial M for Murder.” I much like the elegance, and will catch one thing distinctive when I look at it. It’s not simply Grace or Tippi, there’s this ingredient of suspense.

[mystery-moose]

FIC: Angus McDonald and the Flight of the Flying V (24/24)

[AO3 link]

They’ve come a long way, but even ten years after the world was saved, they’re still not quite where they should be. A whim, a missing painting, and a handful of near-death experiences help a flip wizard and his apprentice bridge the gap.

Taako does his best. Angus takes some risks. Introductions are made, bonds are tested, and lessons are learned — better late than never.

a/n: Thanks to everyone who read this far, who read from the beginning, who left kudos or a comment or just enjoyed this over-long self-indulgent nonsense. Y'all have gotten me through some tough times, and I appreciate it more than I can say.

And thanks most of all to @orchidcactus, without whom this fic would never have been finished, let alone been any damn good whatsoever. You are the shiniest diamond, and there is no better beta (or friend) in the world. <3

As he woke from a dreamless sleep, Taako reflected that for someone who didn’t particularly need it, he spent a lot of time unconscious. He’d wondered in the past if that was something common to elves, or if he was a particularly lazy example of one. Though to be fair, a good portion of that unconsciousness wasn’t exactly voluntary.

Alright, that’s enough introspection. Where the hell are we?

Taako wasn’t in pain, exactly, but he was sore literally everywhere, from toe to tip and skin to bone. He flexed his fingers and his toes (all accounted for) and tilted his head to work out a kink in his neck before he bothered opening his eyes.

Clean bed, with white sheets. Clean room, with no real furniture. Single window looking out at the city. Taako didn’t have to be a fancy detective to know what a hospital looked like, though this one didn’t look as fancy as the last one he’d woken up in.

He looked to his right, and found Angus asleep in a high-backed chair by his side. His arm was in a sling, and he was wearing his old glasses; Taako still recognized the places where eleven-year-old Angus’ makeshift mending spells had put them back together just a little bit bent.

Taako smiled and took a slow, leisurely breath.

Everything’s okay.

Then he turned to his left, and found Kravitz sitting in the opposite chair. Arms crossed. Glaring at him.

Or not.

Taako swallowed and chuckled nervously. “Hey, rabbit.”

Kravitz leaned over and twisted Taako’s ear.

“Ow ow ow ow—”

“Do not rabbit me,” Kravitz growled. “You nearly died.”

He let go and Taako rubbed gingerly at his ear. “Yeah, but… I didn’t? So—”

“I get a call from Angus, out of the blue. He put me on with a healer. I had to listen to them detail your extensive injuries, and the likelihood of your recovery, all while I was sitting in our living room reading Fantasy Home and Garden thinking everything’s fine because you didn’t call me!”

“Hey—”

“You should have called me,” he hissed, anger mixed with hurt. “Why didn’t you call me?”

Taako grumbled, noncommittal. “Didn’t really think about it.”

Kravitz scoffed and leaned back in his chair, looking away.

The sad part was, for once, Taako wasn’t bullshitting; he’d never considered calling Kravitz for help. Not once.

“It wasn't—” —your business, is what he had been about to say, but Taako cut himself off before he said something he might actually regret. “—I felt like I could handle it.”

“Handle it?” Kravitz whispered in disbelief.

“Yeah. Handle it.” Taako frowned. “I can take care of myself. Been doing it a long time.”

“Again.” Kravitz leaned in and tweaked his ear again. Taako winced and swatted his hand away. “You. Nearly. Died.”

“So I made a bad call!” he said quietly, holding his hands out. “It happens from time to time!”

“And what happens when you make another ‘bad call’?”

“Jeezy creezy, my dude, what is your damage?” he hissed back. “Even if I died, it’s not exactly 'so long and farewell,’ is it? It’d be like moving to another county for you.”

Kravitz looked actually offended, and for a second, Taako was legitimately confused as to why.

“You think this is about me?”

Oh.

Taako turned. Angus was still fast asleep. Thankfully.

“Contrary to what you may think, there are people in the material world who give a damn about your continued presence in it.” Kravitz crossed his arms again. “Think about that the next time you decide to do something monumentally stupid.”

Taako turned back with a sneer. “I’m not exactly in the habit of rushing in, Krav.”

“Oh, so this was a fluke, then?” Kravitz asked. “And what caused it?”

Taako opened his mouth to respond and Kravitz cut him off.

“I can’t believe you sometimes.” He raised a hand and gestured emphatically between the two of them. “You could have talked to me, could have tried to say something clearly for once in your life. Instead you go off and nearly get yourself killed because running away is apparently the only way you know how to communicate! And then when something happens to you, I have to live with knowing it was my fault—”

Taako reached out and grabbed his hand. Tight.

“Listen,” he whispered firmly, glaring at Kravitz. “Because this is important. Any stupid, callous, selfish decision I make? That’s on me. Not you. Not Angus. Not anyone. No one, and I mean no one, runs Taako’s life but Taako. Capisce?”

He let go and looked away with a scowl.

“Nothing I do is anyone’s fault but mine.”

Silence. Taako hated this kind of silence. It was absolutely miserable. Maybe that hadn’t been the right thing to say, or the kindest. But it was the truth. That ought to be enough.

“You really are very self-absorbed,” Kravitz said flatly. “You know that.”

Taako nodded, staring at the wall. “Yup.”

Kravitz sighed. Taako chanced a glance in his direction. He was resting his head in his hand, rubbing his forehead. He straightened and leaned back in his chair.

“Just call next time,” he mumbled wearily. “Talk to me. Please.”

Taako was about to insist there wouldn’t be a 'next time’ if he had anything to say about it, but decided against it. Instead, he nodded, eyes drifting down to the blanket.

“Sorry,” he said softly. “I know I’m… me. And that’s… it can be rough.”

“Yes. It can.”

Taako gritted his teeth. When he looked up, Kravitz wasn’t smiling, but he wasn’t frowning, either. He simply reached over and held Taako’s hand, ran his cold thumb across along the knuckles.

“But I don’t have any regrets.”

Taako felt his mouth twitch into a smile as he leaned back into his pillow.

“Cool.”

Taako dozed off again; he didn’t feel at a hundred percent yet, and didn’t feel like waking Angus if he didn’t have to. He blinked his eyes open to find the boy standing by the door, arm out of the sling and talking to Silvia.

“'Sup?” Taako groaned as he sat up. “What’d I miss?”

Angus rushed over and hugged him immediately. Taako winced.

“Okay, okay, still sore, thanks.”

“Sorry,” said Angus, pulling away. He looked beyond relieved. “Kravitz went to get food, you’ve been out for nearly a day and we were starting to get worried.”

“You kidding?” Taako rolled his shoulder. “I’m the picture of heal — ow.”

Angus laughed — it felt like an age since he’d last heard that — and rested his hand on Taako’s shoulder. “I’m just glad you’re okay, sir.” Taako smiled and pat his hand. “Likewise, boychik.”

He looked over and saw Silvia standing by the foot of the bed, hugging her elbows and smiling nervously.

“Angus filled me in on everything that happened,” she said. “Pretty crazy week you’ve had.”

“Eh.” Taako shrugged dismissively. “I’ve had crazier.”

“That’s… actually true,” Angus said, somewhat reluctantly.

“Oh, hey, uh.” Taako gestured vaguely in Silvia’s direction. “Sorry for, y'know. Thinking you were evil and shit.”

Silvia brushed it off. “It’s cool. I mean, I would have thought I was evil too.”

Taako nodded towards Angus. “He didn’t.”

She blinked. Angus quietly cleared his throat and looked away.

“Nope,” Taako said flatly, propping his elbows on his knees. “Never a doubt in his mind. Should have trusted him to begin with, but I’m a real stubborn asshole, y'know?”

Angus blushed and gently pushed his shoulder. “Taako.”

“What? It’s the truth, ain’t it?” He turned to Silvia. “Boychik’s always been an excellent judge of character. You’d think I’d know that by now, but here we are.”

He extended a hand.

“We cool?”

Silvia smiled and shook his hand. “We cool.”

“Good.”

Taako didn’t let go.

“You break his heart and I’ll destroy everything you hold dear.”

Angus’ eyebrows shot to the top of his head and his mouth fell open.

Silvia didn’t flinch. She leaned in closer.

“Likewise.”

Taako grinned and nodded, satisfied. He let go and turned to Angus.

“You should put a ring on it.”

Angus sputtered helplessly. Silvia started laughing.

Just then, the door opened and Kravitz walked in. He held up two large paper bags and grinned.

“Who wants Fantasy Panera?”

“Oh, hell yes!” Taako clapped his hands together. “Garbage food! Let’s go!”

Taako was halfway through his roughly-adequate approximation of a chicken club sandwich when the door opened again, and a tall woman in plate armor stepped inside. Silvia dropped her sandwich and shot to her feet with a salute.

“Lord-Commander!”

“Oh, sure, come on in,” Taako said through a mouthful of dry bread. “Not like I’m recuperating or anything.”

“At ease, Lieutenant,” the tall woman said to Silvia, amused. “You’re off-duty, remember?”

Silvia shuffled nervously, then sat back down. Her sandwich lay forgotten on the bed.

“Is something the matter, ma'am?” Angus asked curiously.

The woman shook her head. “Not at all. Simply an informal debriefing.”

She turned to Kravitz, still seated by Taako’s side, roast beef on rye in his hands. “Sir, if you’d excuse us?”

Taako reached over and rested his hand on Kravitz’s wrist. “Like hell.”

The tall woman frowned slightly, and opened her mouth to speak before she was interrupted.

“It’s fine, Dierdre. They’re all owed some answers.”

Lady Blisk walked in and closed the door behind her. This time, Silvia and Angus both shot to their feet.

“My Lady!”

“Lieutenant.” Lady Blisk nodded to her. “Dierdre explained how quickly you and your captain acted in the face of a, shall we say, reluctant chain of command. She’s recommending you for a civil commendation. You should be very proud.”

Silvia looked like you could knock her over with a feather. Taako sneered — both at her thrill at validation and at what he saw as a thoroughly inadequate reward — while Lady Blisk conjured a small floating disk upon which she sat. Silvia and Angus both returned to their seats. Kravitz, to Taako’s silent appreciation, had done nothing during all this but continue to eat his sandwich; working directly for a goddess made you a lot harder to impress.

“Captain Yates and his cadre have been sworn to secrecy about what little they know regarding the context of all this,” Blisk explained. “The only ones who know the full truth about the Door and its Key are the people in this room. I’d like very much to keep it that way.”

Angus nodded. “Of course, ma'am.”

“Yes, my Lady,” Silvia said.

“Sure, fine, whatever,” Taako mumbled, taking another bite.

“Where’s the Key now?” Angus asked. “Destroyed?”

“Sadly, the enchantment is too powerful to ever fully destroy,” Blisk said with a sigh. “But you have my assurance that the Flying V is as far from anyone who might use it as is possible.”

“And the Door?”

“Locked. Hopefully for good, this time.” Blisk crossed her legs and rested her cane in her lap. “Of course, this means that the Museum has been informed you were unable to recover the painting — its theft and subsequent destruction have finally made the news.”

Angus nodded. “Figured.”

“Rest assured, however, that the city of Neverwinter recognizes and honors your valor, and will richly compensate you for services rendered.”

“Oh, that’s not necessary—”

Taako slapped Angus hard across the shoulder.

“…but I’ll accept it graciously, ma'am,” Angus said, rubbing his arm. “Thank you.”

Blisk smiled. “It’s the least we could do. Truly.”

“What about Gavin?” Silvia asked. When all eyes turned to her, she shrank a bit. “I mean… what’ll happen to him?”

“'Gavin’ is an alias,” Dierdre explained. “His real name is Gabriel Vincent Stanton. Lady Blisk expelled him from the Guild of Magi some years ago after repeated offenses regarding misuse of magic and unauthorized experimentation. Apparently, he’d been operating under a number of different names before he arrived at your door, Mr. McDonald.”

Angus grimaced. “He was very thorough. I checked his background myself when I hired him, and didn’t find anything out of place.”

Blisk shook her head. “You couldn’t have known. I doubt anyone would have suspected.”

“Mr. Stanton will be spending the rest of his life in a cell,” Dierdre said sternly. “Somewhere isolated and very, very quiet.”

“Wait, wait, wait, hold the fucking stone.” Taako set his sandwich down. “He’s still alive?”

Everyone looked at him. Blisk and Dierdre nodded.

“What the fuck?” Taako threw his hands up. “I went through all that shit and he’s not even dead?! Fuck this!”

Angus closed his eyes, amused. “Sir.”

“No, for real! I am very upset! That bitch-ass piece of shit should be in the ground!”

“Death would be preferable, yes.”

Everyone turned to look at Dierdre, including Blisk.

She shrugged, nonplussed. “Well it would.”

Blisk gently patted Dierdre’s arm, and turned back to the group.

“Well then. Any other questions?”

No one spoke. Kravitz set down his roast beef and extended a hand towards her.

“Pickle?”

She considered it for a moment, then plucked it from his hand and took a bite, humming appreciatively.

“I suppose that’s that, then,” Dierdre said with a chuckle.

“Oh!” Blisk said suddenly, swallowing quickly and reaching into a small purse on her belt. “I nearly forgot. There is one last thing. More of a formality, really, though I’ll spare you the ceremony…”

“Y'know, I didn’t really think they gave these out anymore?” Taako said as he adjusted his hat and admired the large ornate key in his hand. It was as long as his umbrella and twice as heavy, made of pure gold that caught the sunlight as they left the hospital.

“They were meant to go to the city gates, originally,” Angus explained, hefting his own key in his arms. “But since the gates are always open these days, it’s more of a ceremonial thing.”

“Could fetch a lot of dough if we melted 'em down.”

Angus looked at him knowingly. “Or make a nice piece of statement jewelry.”

Taako’s eyebrows rose. While he reexamined the key in this new light, Silvia came up alongside Angus.

“So what’s the first thing you’re gonna do, now that you’re out of the hospital?” she asked.

Angus looked up thoughtfully. “I guess put an ad in the paper. 'Help wanted. Light office work. No murderers need apply.’”

“Make sure to underline that last part,” said Kravitz.

“Double underline,” Silvia added. “In bold.”

“Yeah, because the last guy was so forthcoming about his personal history,” Taako said sardonically.

Angus laughed. “Maybe I’ll swing it solo for a while.”

Silvia quirked an eyebrow. “Solo?”

He turned to her and grinned. “Well, not all the time.”

While the two of them made goo-goo eyes at each other, Taako slipped his wrist through the key and let it dangle from his forearm beside his umbrella. He leaned against Kravitz’s shoulder. Kravitz stuck his hands in his pockets and leaned back.

“Young love, Krav,” he drawled. “Ain’t it sweet?”

“Sickly so, dear.”

A loud horn sounded from the down the street. All of them turned to stare at the very large, very fancy wagon with the ornate side-plating and silver-capped wheels puttering down the street. It came to a stop in front of the hospital doors, and the driver, clad in fancy longcoat, goggles, and driving gloves, jumped down onto the sidewalk.

“A gift from the Lord High Steward,” he said, bowing to Taako. “With much appreciation to you, sir.”

Taako stared at the driver and blinked. He looked at the wagon and blinked again.

“You know,” he said, “I’m really starting to come around on that chick.”

“Brilliant,” Kravitz sighed. “Now we have to take the long way home.”

“Who said anything about home?” Taako wrapped an arm around his neck. “We need to take this baby on the road!”

“Taako, please. I’d really prefer to—”

“We could head to Goldcliff,” Taako suggested, wiggling his eyebrows, and drumming his fingers against his husband’s shoulder. “It’s not more than a week out. There’s nice hotels, fancy restaurants—”

“Really, dear?” Kravitz said flatly, unimpressed. “Restaurants?”

“—and a casiiiiinooo,” Taako finished in a sing-song tone.

Kravitz opened his mouth and froze. Nothing about his expression changed, but Taako saw the red in his eyes light up.

“You know, it has been a while since we’ve had a proper vacation.”

“Hell yes it has!” Taako stepped back and pushed Kravitz forward. “Now go and figure out how to drive that thing. I’ll be right there.”

He turned around. Angus had stepped back with Silvia, and was stowing his key in a bag of holding on his belt. As Taako sauntered over, Silvia touched Angus’ shoulder.

“I’ll, uh. Wait over here.”

Angus smiled and squeezed her hand. She turned away and walked back towards the hospital.

“Well, Ango,” Taako said with a tip of his hat. “Wish I could say it’s been fun.”

“Yeah,” Angus replied with a chuckle. “Me too.”

“Was good to see you, though.”

“You too, sir.”

They stood across from each other, within arm’s reach. Taako felt like there was something else he should say, but he wasn’t quite sure what.

“I told you I’m proud of you, right?” he asked, stroking his chin.

“Yes, sir.” Angus smiled and adjusted his glasses nervously. “It meant a lot.”

He nodded absently. “Right. Good.”

“And I’m glad you came. I… don’t know if I could have done this without you.”

Taako scoffed. “Please. This idiot wizard? All I do is drag you down.”

“That’s not true, sir,” Angus said firmly, shaking his head. “Not at all.”

Taako ignored him and waved dismissively. “C'mon, boychik. Don’t play. We both know it’s the truth. I taught you a few tricks, sure, kept you fed and clothed and shit, but everything you are now — every good thing, at least — that’s all you. Don’t know where you got it from, but it wasn’t me.” “Sir!” Angus exclaimed, gently taking Taako by the shoulders. “Stop.”

Taako shut his mouth and looked away for a moment — the boy’s gaze had gotten very intense. When he looked back, Angus was fighting tears. Taako felt a tightness build in his chest.

“Sir.” Angus spoke firmly, squeezing his shoulders. “You didn’t just teach me how to cook and cast spells. You taught me how to look after myself. You taught me about loyalty, and responsibility, and how there’s meaning in our mistakes. You were there when I needed you, every time. And all that because an eleven-year-old kid asked to come with you, and you didn’t hesitate for a second. I wouldn’t be half the person I am if it wasn’t for you.”

Taako stared at him. The tightness in his chest got worse. He blinked. Blinked again. His lip began to quiver. He sniffled, looked away, looked back. There was no escape.

Angus blinked back tears, smiled, and said, “I couldn’t have wished for a better dad.”

Ah, fuck.

Taako sobbed. Angus pulled him into a hug and held him as he cried into his shoulder. Taako shuddered and shook, clutching tightly at the back of Angus’ jacket as he rode out this despicably visible display of emotion.

“I love you,” Angus said quietly.

Taako sniffed loudly, and so softly he barely heard it himself, whispered, “Love you too.”

He spent a minute there, sobbing into the boy’s shoulder. As he got a hold of himself, he took long, shuddering breaths. Taako gently extricated himself from Angus’ embrace, and shook his head.

“Fuck you,” he grumbled, rubbing his eyes. “Ruined my makeup, you little twerp.”

Angus reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. Taako snatched it from his hands with a scoff.

“Of course you have a handkerchief,” he said snidely, drying his face. “What are you, eighty?”

Angus grinned. “Next time you can conjure one yourself, Mr. Wizard.”

Taako laughed, brief and watery. He wiped his cheeks and then pocketed the handkerchief without offering it back. Angus chuckled and pushed him gently in the shoulder.

“So,” Taako said, avoiding eye contact. “See you at Candlenights?”

In his periphery, Angus nodded. “Absolutely.”

“Cool… cool.”

He sniffed loudly and exhaled, forcing himself to look at Angus one last time. He looked as upsettingly vulnerable as Taako felt, but he was smiling, and that made Taako smile back.

“Take care, kiddo,” he said.

“You too.”

Taako tipped his hat, and turned away. He climbed up into the driver’s bench alongside Kravitz, who rubbed a hand across Taako’s back.

“We good to go?” Taako asked.

“Good to go,” Kravitz replied slowly. “Unless… you’d rather stay?”

Taako barked out a humorless laugh. “Hell no. I’ve had more than enough of this fuckin’ town. Let’s get goin’.”

He looked back while Kravitz started the arcane engine. Angus and Silvia stood on the sidewalk outside Neverwinter General, holding hands. Taako took off his hat and waved it.

“Adios!”

The wagon kicked on and started puttering down the street. Angus and Silvia smiled and waved as they left. As they turned a corner, Taako sighed and leaned against Kravitz’s shoulder.

“Good kid.”

Kravitz kept one hand on the controls and wrapped the other around Taako’s shoulders.

“That he is.”

Taako closed his eyes and smiled privately.

I did good.

“So when’s the ceremony?”

“We’re not getting married, sir.”

“Really? Because it sounds pretty serious to me, is the thing.”

“Sir.”

“Alright, alright, jeez. She’s coming up for Candlenights, though, right?”

“Yeah. She’s excited about it. So am I, actually.”

“She hasn’t met any of the Bureau before?”

“Nope.”

“Poor maydl.”

“I don’t know, I think she’ll get along great with everyone. Especially Magnus.”

“Yeah, sure, him and his rustic fuckin’ hospitality. But you know he’s gonna be asking about that ring too.”

“…shit.”

“Yep. Done fucked yourself, boychik.”

“…well, at least Merle will be there to preach about the evils of marriage.”

“Ha! If you’re lucky, he’ll be half-cut on Redcheek cider before dinner.”

“You’re cooking, right?”

“No, I’ll be there cheering Magnus on — of course I’m cooking! What kind of question is that?”

“Just asking! Thought I’d get there early and help. Make sure I’m not getting rusty, y'know?”

“I wouldn’t turn down my faithful assistant.”

“Apprentice.”

“Sure, sure, that’s what I meant.” “Right. Well, I’ll call again before we leave.”

“Cool. Keep it real, Angarang.”

“You know it. Love you!”

“…yeah, yeah, you too.”

[barddom]

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

I had never read Two Guys, A Girl, And Pizza Place – I mean, The Two Gentlemen of Verona (hereafter referred to as Gentlemen or Two Gents) before now. This is probably because it’s not one of the big, hyped Shakespeare plays (see: Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear), but upon reflection it could stand to be performed more often? Small cast, simple plot, neat – if completely ridiculous – resolution. 

��Anyway, I hadn’t read it, but I guessed, based on the title, that it was about two dudes from Verona. And I was right. That’s pretty much it. 

 Without even realising it, I’ve leapt straight from “Shakespeare’s Last Play” (Tempest) to this, which some people believe was “Shakespeare’s First Play”. It was definitely an early play, and an early comedy, written probably somewhere between the late 1580s and early 1590s. While I’m not usually someone who’s like, “Oh, it’s an early play, which is why it sucks!” it… might have something to do with why it’s not great. 

Don’t get me wrong. Gentlemen has friendship, passion, conflict, drama, loyalty, and cross-dressing! (And really, what else is there?) But after stepping off the ship from Prospero’s cell and landing in Milan, finding this scene on shore is a little underwhelming. Where are the harpy spirits and chess motifs? Why is nobody half naked and swearing at the sky? Also, Gentlemen is #problematic. But we’ll get to that. 

So many, so so many of Shakespeare’s plays are about, or involve intimate male friendships. This is because intimate male friendships were a Big Deal, at the time, and not just in a gay way, but in a totally heterosexual, platonic way. (But sometimes also in a gay way.) 

The difference between Shakespeare and other writers who lauded male friendships is that Shakespeare is… suspicious of them, or suspicious of the idealized versions of them. In all his plays about male friendship, these friendships aren’t perfect. I will talk more about this at length during my summary, I guess, but also when we read Hamlet later. (I feel a great many things about Horatio.) 

The first imperfect friendship we’re going to meet is these guys, Valentine and Proteus of Verona. (A part of me wants to already press pause and say, seriously? Valentine and Proteus? What kinda on-the-nose names are these? But then I remember that, as far as I know, while Chaucer had already somewhat popularised Valentine as a saint of love, I actually have no clue how widely that kind of language was used. And also “Proteus” doesn’t just mean “First” (first lover, first character, first play?) but is also, like, a god of the sea? So really I need to calm down about my etymological leaps.) 

Act One 

Here’s the deal. Valentine is about to leave Verona to go explore the world (see: Milan), but he doesn’t want to leave without Proteus. Normally, these two guys are inseparable! Amigos! Compadres! Guys being dudes, dudes being guys! But alas, Proteus can’t leave Milan. Why? Because he’s in looooove. He’s so gone for this chick Julia that he turns down an all-expenses paid gap year with his bff. In the next scene, we find Julia chatting with her friend Lucetta, and the conversation is basically this-- 

Lucetta: That Proteus guy totally has a thing for you. Julia: Oh my god, really? Lucetta: Uh, yeah! It’s sooooo obvious. Julia: I guess he’s… cute.  Lucetta: Julie… babes… you literally wrote I Heart Proteus in your notebook eight times since I walked into this room. Julia, looking down at her notebook: Oh shit, you’re right. I mean. What? 

Julia is so determined to deny that she likes Proteus that when Lucetta says she has a letter from him Julia literally rips it up! And then tries to piece it back together and kisses it? Like Helga Pataki or something. It’s the weirdest. (1.2.99-123) 

Meanwhile, Proteus’ dad doesn’t understand why his son would want to waste his time at home when he could go have bro-tastic adventures in Milan. (Also, I just checked: Milan and Verona are… very nearby each other. You could walk there in just a few days.) 

Proteus has received a letter from Julia saying she loves him back! They’ve traded vows! He gave her a ring! But he doesn’t tell his dad about that, because he is worried his father won’t approve. So Antonio – that’s dad – forces Proteus to go to Milan and have some fun, damnit. 

Act Two 

In Milan, we meet Silvia, the object of Valentine’s affections. He’s all over her like a rash, but he seems incapable of understanding how she flirts. Ironically, Speed – Valentine’s servant from Act 1 who is supposed to be dim as a rock – seems to be the only smart, funny character who Gets Stuff. (Unless I’m reading him as being too sarcastic where he is supposed to be sincere.) 

For example: Valentine writes a love letter to Silvia, and she tells him to keep it. He says, “Wait, no, it’s for you?” and she says, “Yeah, I asked you to write it. But it’s for you.” 

 “I’ll write you another one, then.” 

 “Then after you write that, read it, and if you like it, good. If you don’t like it, then think of ways to make it better.” 

 “And what if I like it?” 

 “Then keep it for yourself.” (2.1.109-123) 

Exit. 

Valentine is (I guess understandably) frustrated, but Speed, speaking in rhyme/verse (where he normally speaks in prose), makes fun of the situation, like, “Hahaha, you essentially wrote yourself a love letter, lmao.” Speed explains that Silvia is flirting by having Valentine write love letters and giving them back to him. She is giving him love letters: “Herself hath taught her love himself to write unto her lover.” (2.1.156)

I have a soft spot for the fools, especially the fools that make fun of love and romance. Maybe I’m giving Speed too much credit, and he’s not actually smart/witty, just mean and a foil for the lovestruck protagonists. Fools are pretty much always a case of the wisest words coming from the foulest mouths. ANYWAY.

Silvia’s dad wants her to marry this guy Thurio, who she’s not keen on at all. And when Proteus turns up, he immediately forgets all about Julia and decides that he also wants to marry Silvia. Men are so predictable. 

 See, Valentine’s busy ribbing Proteus about Julia, and while Proteus is like, “Julia’s not a goddess. I just like her, mortal flaws and all,” Valentine is busy espousing the holy divinity of Silvia. Something in Proteus’ brain flips. He must have that goddess. 

Back in Verona, Julia is coming up with a Flawless Plan to go see Proteus in Milan. She needs to see him again or she’ll die. (2.7.15)

But she can’t travel as a woman, alone, without a male escort! So, she does what any rational woman would do, and decides to disguise herself as a boy. (Worth reminding you again: Milan and Verona are about 93 miles apart. That’s about a 3 day journey on foot.) 

 As this is the first time we, on this blog, are witnessing crossdressing in Shakespeare, it is worth reminding you that women did not act on the Elizabethan/Jacobean stage. All female characters are played by boys in drag, essentially. So when crossdressing happens – and it almost always happens with a girl pretending to be a boy – what is actually happening on stage is that a boy is pretending to be a woman pretending to be a boy. Layers!  

Act Three 

Proteus is plotting against Valentine, because nothing comes between two best dude friends better than a sexy lady. He tells Thurio – the other suitor – that Valentine has been sneaking up to see Silvia at night and that they’re planning on running away to elope. 

Thurio is like, “wtf?” and dobs this in to Silvia’s dad. The Duke is like, “Yeah….. I know….. it’s an issue.” Doubly an issue because Valentine has been tryna play the Duke like a harp. The Duke is too quick for this and tricks Valentine into revealing all his wooing techniques, and through some sort of weird trick involving a ladder (the logic of this train of thought remains unclear?) finds Valentine’s love letter to Silvia and is like “AHA!!!! YOU FIEND!!!” 

Valentine is told to leave Milan and never return. Boom. (3.1.120) 

The Duke is all, “Gee, I’m so glad my new friend Proteus tipped me off to all this. He’s such a stand up guy.” 

 Silvia, who was really into Valentine, is super pissed at her dad, and also wants nothing to do with Proteus since he’s the one who screwed everything up for her. Meanwhile, Proteus is trying to play Valentine’s old game, and pretends to be in favour of Thurio marrying Silvia. (Hint: this won’t work out well.) 

Act Four 

 On “the frontiers of Mantua”, Valentine and Speed get attacked by outlaws. If Mantua sounds familiar, it’s also where Romeo get’s banished to in Romeo and Juliet, so it’s clearly where all the rejects from the Italian justice system get sent.

Valentine lies to the outlaws and says he was banished by the Duke for killing a man. And they’re like, “Oh shit! This guy is legit! Let’s make him our leader!”

 And that’s how Valentine becomes the leader of a pack of outlaws. 

 Meanwhile, Thurio is futzing up his wooing of Silvia, because Proteus is giving him really bad advice, like singing bad songs and generally being annoying.

 There’s also a bit here where Proteus says, “… Yet, spanial-like, the more she spurns my love / The more it grows and fawneth on her still.” (4.2.14-5). This is almost the exact same line that Helena says in Midsummer re: Demetrius. Just worth mentioning. 

 This is when Julia enters, in boy’s clothes. (So, I guess it’s been three days.) She hears this song about Silvia and is like, “Woooooow. Ok. So… this sucks.”

 Even worse, she overhears a conversation between Silvia and Proteus, where he says, “Look, I was in love once, but that chick is dead, so… I’m wide open.” And Silvia responds, “That’s sad and all, but you also stabbed your best buddy in the back like a total tool. So I can never trust you, let alone love you.” 

 Silvia plans to escape Thurio, Proteus, and her father, and head to Mantua where she and Valentine can be together. Also, she gets rid of the little dog that Proteus gave her. Because who needs that shit around. 

 When Proteus sees that his dog has been returned to him, he’s like, “Fine! I can up my game!” He turns to Julia, who for some reason he doesn’t recognise, a la Lois Lane not recognising Superman when he has his hair done a little different, and says, “Take this ring and give it to Silvia.” 

It’s Julia’s ring! She is… crushed. 

 When Julia goes to give the ring to Silvia, like a lamb, she basically bursts into tears and says, “I knew Julia. And this belonged to her. And he wants to give it to you. But if she knew… she would… probably die forever and ever.” 

 Silvia – who, in my opinion, realises that this boy is actually Julia – says, “Take the ring, and this purse of money. Look, I’m crying too. Wow. Ok, bye.” 

Act Five (i.e. when things deteriorate quickly). 

Silvia wants to get the hell out of Milan, and she and Sir Elgamour talk about their plans outside Friar Patrick’s cell. They’re gonna run away! That always works well.

 (A lot of conspiring happens in, or by, a friar’s cell – see: Romeo and Juliet.)

 Meanwhile, Proteus being grilled by Thurio about Silvia. Does she like me? Does she hate me? What is going on! What Proteus really wants to know is what Silvia said to Julia aka Sebastian. 

 But before we can get any answer – the Duke bursts in and announces that Silvia has disappeared! Dun dun dun. 

“She’s fled unto that peasant Valentine.” Clever dad. 

 In the next scene, we find Silvia in the forest, alright, but Sir Elgamour is nowhere to be found! In fact: Silvia is being held captive by outlaws. I’m sure you, who is not an idiot, can see where this is going. 

 In the next scene, Valentine gives a speech about how lonely being the inexplicable leader of a band of outlaws can be, and how all he really wants is Silvia. Who cares about unchecked power and the loyalty of violent criminals when the love of your life has been taken away from you? Sigh. 

 But then, there’s a suspicious noise – and lo and behold, enter Proteus, Silvia, and Julia! 

Valentine steps aside into the shadows to eavesdrop on their conversation. 

Apparently Proteus (and Julia) helped rescue Silvia from the outlaws before she could successfully be taken to Valentine. 

 “What do you mean you still don’t want to fuck me!” Proteus complains. “After me and my servant rescued you and everything!” 

 “Dude,” Silvia replies, “I would literally rather be eaten by a lion than have you rescue me from anything.” (5.4.33-34) 

 “It’s a damn shame when a woman can’t love when she’s loved,” says Proteus.  

“It’s a damn shame when Proteus can’t love when he is loved by Julia who, yeah, I know is still alive, you steaming pile of human garbage. Also, I love Valentine, who was supposed to be your best friend,” Silvia replies – though I may be paraphrasing a little. 

 This is when Proteus, and I shit you not, “seizes her” and says, “I’ll woo you like a soldier, at arms’ end / And love you ‘gainst the nature of love – force you.” (5.4.59-60) 

That’s right. Proteus fully intends to rape Silvia then and there. 

 Valentine leaps out of the shadows and goes to rescue Silvia from Proteus, rightfully calling him all sorts of despicable names that I’m sure would have been very insulting to someone four hundred years ago. 

Naturally, Proteus drops everything (‘everything’ being Silvia) and apologises profusely. 

 “Okay, cool,” Valentine says. 

 Wait, what? OKAY COOL? “Then I am paid, / And once again I do receive thee honest”? How? 

 Similarly shocked by all these developments is Julia, who swoons. 

When everyone rushes to her side, she says, “Oh, I forgot to give Silvia this ring…” 

“But… this isn’t the ring I gave you to give Silvia. This is the ring I gave Julia!” Proteus says, like a genius. 

“Oh, right. I meant this ring,” Julia corrects herself, taking out the ring that she had given Proteus that he had then given Silvia. (Lots of rings.) 

“But wait, how did you get this ring?” Proteus asks, still not getting it. 

This is when Julia gives up and has mercy on everyone, and reveals herself to not be a little boy named Sebastian but a grown woman! And a very specific grown woman! 

After a bit of blushing about being seen in such immodest attire, Julia and Proteus kiss and make up. So now instead of a very messy love triangle/square/octagon, we just have two happy couples! Yay, heteronormativity restored!

Thurio, the Duke, and the band of outlaws all then rock up, presumably for the closing song. Are there going to be any consequences for anyone’s actions? No? Does Thurio hold this against Valentine? Absolutely not! What about the Duke? Any issues with his daughter ending up with the leader of a band of murderers? 

 “Sir Valentine, / Thou are a gentleman, and well derived; / Take thou thy Silvia, for thou hast deserved her.” (5.4.158-59) 

Nope, and nope. 

Closing remarks? 

I think we can see why Two Gents isn’t considered a piece of High Art in the way a lot of other Shakespeare plays are. It’s essentially the Shakespearean equivalent of a sitcom, or a formulaic romantic comedy. When trying to look Deep into Two Gents, most people point to the gender relations and the complications that arise with crossdressing on stage. There are also grounds to investigate the role of forests in Shakespeare’s plays – if it happens in the woods it’s bound to be interesting. Then of course there are the all-encompassing questions about love, and the truth of love, and the relativity of that truth. Proteus was so in love with Julia that he almost couldn’t bear to leave Verona, and yet as soon as he saw Silvia, any love he felt for Julia went flying out the window. Shakespeare once said that love looks not with the eye, but with the mind. I would say that Two Gents preaches exactly the opposite. Absence doesn’t make the heart grow fonder; it just sets it loose on the nearest soft object. 

Things to accompany The Two Gentlemen of Verona 

Two Guys, A Girl, and a Pizza Place (1998- 2001) starring Ryan Reynolds. 

The Road to El Dorado 

“Same Girl” by R. Kelly and Usher 

I dunno, every sitcom ever.

[biofunmy]

How the Founder of Clark’s Botanicals Spends His Sundays

[What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.]

In May of 2002, Francesco Clark’s life radically changed when he dove into the shallow end of a stranger’s pool. His neurosurgeon at the time said he had a permanent spinal cord injury, rendering Mr. Clark paralyzed and unable to speak.

Soon, he had moved back in with his parents in Westchester County. “When I saw the hospital bed in my parent’s home where I used to play the piano, I burst into tears.”

But after years of rigorous physical therapy, Mr. Clark has proved much of the original prognosis to be wrong, while also starting a successful skin care business called Clark’s Botanicals. A national ambassador for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Mr. Clark, 41, lives with his father, mother and an aide, Silvia Golle, in Bronxville.

TALK TO ME Alexa wakes me at 8 a.m. Voice-activated software has made my life easier. I talk to her 50 times a day. Over the past 17 years I’ve regained my ability to speak and breathe on my own and use my arms. Sleeping is less painful since I got a special mattress that gently turns me while I’m sleeping. I also sleep with splints on my hands and feet.

TEAM WORK My mother makes me a triple cappuccino and gets my concoction of 30 different vitamins and supplements organized. I have three aides and two different nurses who help me. Silvia has been with us for 11 years. She’s part of the family. She helps me shave and gets my workout clothing from the closet. Then a Hoyer lift and net get me out of bed and into a waterproof wheelchair.

LAB RAT After the accident, I felt like my life was on pause while everyone was moving light years ahead of me. Aside from being paralyzed, my body didn’t sweat. My skin looked terrible and became clogged and I broke out. The last thing I wanted to do was look in the mirror. My father and I started Clark’s from a hospital bed. I’m the lab rat. I test a lot of the products we make in the morning. I have a roll-in shower so after testing I wash everything off.

PROGRESS My workout uniform is Uniqlo pants, Lacoste shirt, navy blue Adidas sneakers. For the first three years I didn’t go out. I shaved my head. I wore the same paper hospital pants everyday until Christopher Reeve passed away. That’s when I realized I needed to take responsibility for my life. By 10 I’m in my manual wheelchair and can use my arms to groom myself. At my desk I’ll read emails. In the last five years my fine-motor movements have come back.

BODY WORK The garage used to be a horse stable before we turned it into my workout and work space. I have a standing frame that looks like an elliptical machine, and my assistant and aide get me in it. It’s nice to be standing again and to defy what people said I’d never be able to do. This moves my hands and legs and prevents osteoporosis, relieves pain and stretches my muscles. My iPhone is tied to the handle bar. During the week this is how I make a lot of my business calls.

ENDORPHINS For the next hour I do bike rotations on my back for muscle and spine stimulation that allows for aerobic activity. I used to run seven miles a day and was on the crew team, so this is a stress release. I’m up to 3,000 rotations, which is 6,000 steps. Then I return emails and review my day and the week.

TRIP TO THE CITY My mother and aide get the van ready. Buying the first van was a way to re-establish my independence. It was a huge step in my recovery and gave me a sense of self. I recently started looking at townhouses on the Upper West Side. I’m ready to move out on my own again. I like being near Lincoln Center for the opera and the Museum of Natural History.

The biggest challenge will be finding a property where I can add an elevator and build a ramp. If I’m not doing that, we’ll all go to the Met. I grew up in Italy, so I love looking at historical work, especially from Van Gogh.

FAMILY DINNER My brother and sister and their families all live nearby. They come over for our Thanksgiving-like Sunday meal. I text everyone what to bring and when to show. My brother grills steak, my mom makes gnocchi and tagliatelle, my niece does dessert, my nephew makes and serves the cappuccino. Someone is setting the table. Someone else is picking the wine. There’s a sense of intention to all of this; that’s what’s changed in my life.

THERAPY My physical therapist comes over. I’m relearning how to crawl. I do planks and moving around on my elbows. I love it. I’m listening to music — Abba, Erasure, Lady Gaga, Donna Summer, anything pop and upbeat.

THE CLASSICS By 11:15 I’ve been helped back into bed and will watch a movie. I love old ones, especially Hitchcock, like “Dial M for Murder.” I like the elegance, and can catch something different every time I watch it. It’s not just Grace or Tippi, there’s this element of suspense.

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