#i could get magazines at the store however i think the next bus is the last bus so i wouldnt be able to get Back

[aropride]

im evilllll <- he's just unmedicated

[hinatastinygiant]

Chapter Two

Abaeis Nicippe

Pairing: Haikyuu!! x Fem!Reader

previous | next | 2099

You walk out of the forest and return to your bus only a few minutes after leaving. You're humming to yourself with your shotgun in one hand and the rabbit in the other, hanging by its legs with little care on your part, but you don't have the energy to care. It did steal from you, after all.

When you get back to your bus, you notice the gate to your garden is wide open. You're quite certain you didn't do that. You quickly rush over and find your carrots pulled from the ground, your tomatoes plucked. They weren't even ripe yet. You then notice your bus door is open.

"Hey, fucker! Get out here!" you shout even more pissed off than you were with the rabbit. You'd think humans would know better. However, there's no response.

You drop the rabbit onto the ground by the gate of your garden as a warning to anyone else looking to steal from you. You then pick up your shotgun and cock it as you step up into your bus. Inside to your left, you find a blonde man with glasses raiding your icebox.

"You! Stand up!" you order again as you point your gun at him.

The man looks over at you and slowly does as you say. You notice he's got a pretty deep wound on his left arm and cuts all over his body like he had been frantically running through the forest before he had gotten to your home.

"Is this your place?" he asks rudely.

"Of course it is. Why the hell are you raiding my shit?" you shout back.

"Some shit you got," he scoffs. "I know where there's way better food than the bullshit you've got here."

"Well then why not go there instead, hm?" you question, a bit curious as to where this good food is.

"What can I say, I'm a bit desperate for food at the moment," he then shrugs.

"Tell me where the food is," you interrupt, your gun still pointed at his face.

"Like I'd tell you that after the welcome you gave me," he chuckles as he fixes his glasses, getting a bit too comfortable.

You glance down at the wound in his arm before opening your mouth. "I can fix that," you tell him. "I'm a doctor. I can make sure that doesn't get infected or... anything worse."

"I can do that myself," he rolls his eyes.

"It'll save you a trip to get bandages and medical supplies and the danger involved with that," you attempt to convince him. "Besides, I've got this gun aimed at your skull."

The man sighs as he walks over to your couch and sits down with a sigh. He puts his legs up on the chaise and rests his wounded arm on the rest. He then pulls out a twinkie from absolutely nowhere and rips open the plastic seal. You sigh upon seeing the sight. This certainly isn't what you pictured yourself doing today but you could use some good food. Your garden is nice and all but wouldn't exactly be pictured on the cover of any gardening magazine. 

You walk over to your end table used for keeping your medical supplies. The stranger looks over and watches as you pull everything together. "How'd you get all that stuff?" he asks.

"My old office had it all. There was so much surplus it came in handy. I also collect some things when I take trips to the store. Or I have patients who bring me things when they come to visit," you explain to him.

"So you really are a legitimate doctor then? You know what you're doing?"

"I was. Now I just do my part to help others," you nod, causing him to laugh when you say that. "What's wrong with that?"

"Help others?" he repeats with a serious attitude. "You nearly shot me."

"You were stealing for me. What else would I do?" you scoff.

The man then turns quiet as you quickly slide your shotgun from over your shoulder to underneath the driver's seat. You then grab your needle and sutures, readying yourself to repair his cuts. You are admittedly a bit worried about how he saw where you put the gun, but you don't pay it much mind right now. You don't want to be too jumpy and cause him to make a run straight for it. He could be a criminal for all you know.

"Were you a good doctor?" he randomly asks you as you wipe his wound with an alcohol wipe.

"Of course, I was," you roll your eyes as you pour water from a plastic bottle to sterilize your needle as best you can. "But this is still going to hurt. I don't have anything to numb it with."

"I suppose it could be worse," he sighs as he braces himself for the worst. You then begin your work.

"Since I'm helping you and keeping you alive, you could tell me your name," you say to him as you slide the needle under his skin.

"Kei Tsukishima," he tries to say as calmly as possible.

When you get a moment to take a breath, you look up at him and smile. "Nice to meet you, Tsukishima. I am Y/N L/N."

"So, Doctor L/N?" he asks.

"That's right," you chuckle.

"And are you alone out here?"

When he says that, your brain thinks straight back to the gun. He isn't going to attempt anything, is he? "Right now I am, yes," you explain as vaguely as you can.

"Are you traveling with a group then?"

"No, I stay here and have patients who come to visit me so I see people but nobody else lives on the bus with me unless they have a serious issue and need to stay," you admit a bit hesitantly.

Tsukishima nods.

"And what about you?" you then ask him.

"I don't plan on staying in one place for long," he says. "I was with a friend but we got separated and the next thing I know I'm being sewn back together."

"So you haven't seen anyone since you lost your friend? Has it been long?"

"No, it was recently," he shakes his head.

You smile softly, hoping to ease the sad look in his eyes. "Well, hopefully we can make this partnership work while we're together." You then finish up the sutures and cut off the end. "You're all set."

Tsukishima picks up his arm and inspects it up close.

"No need to thank me," you roll your eyes as you clean up your tools and walk outside the bus. Ignoring him, you walk to your fence and lock it. However, you decide to leave the rabbit in its spot for now.

When you get back inside you quickly glance under the driver's seat and see the shotgun still in its place. "Alright," you say to Tsukishima with a smile, "Time to show me where this good food is."

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previous | next | 2099

[quiteanabyss]

Hello Love! Good morning, Happy Holidays, all that good stuff! Do you have any HCs for the boys buying pets for their partner for Christmas? Who would/wouldn't, what kind of animals would they get, things like that 🥰

Hi Desi!  Thank you for your request, and what a cute one!

As we all know, a pet is for life, and not just for Christmas.  So we’ll assume this has been discussed and pre-agreed.

Pets with ... Adam Sackler, Charlie Barber, and Paterson

TW: The second one has references to Daddy Kink.  The third one contains references to fertility issues.

Adam Sackler

You always had pets growing up, but the Brooklyn apartment you and Adam share is roughly the size of a shoebox, so a larger pet is out of the question

One afternoon a few days before Christmas you drag him to the pet store, with the intention of not coming home until you’ve chosen something.  After an hour of wandering around, you’ve almost given up, when you hear one of the employees yell “Ow!  Fucker!” and jerk their hand out of a small cage, with a small, furry creature attached to it.

It’s a hamster, and it looks just like the one you had when you were growing up.  

Adam doesn’t look convinced, but after you whisper in his ear exactly how you plan to show him your gratitude, he buys you the little fluffball, and spends a small fortune on various accessories.

You name her Nibbles.  She lives up to her name by attacking you every time you put your hand in her cage.

Adam calls her Nipples, and pretends to mishear you each time you correct him.

After the third time you both look up mid-fuck to find her holding onto the bars of her cage and staring intently at you, Adam insists that you cover the cage before sex can commence.

You tell him he’s being a prude.

He tells you you chose a hamster who’s a pervert, and she’s a furry little freeloader who contributes nothing to the household.

But he’s also the one who spends an entire day tearing the apartment to pieces when she gets out of her cage, finally finding her cowering behind the refrigerator.

“Fuckin’ asshole,” he growls, depositing her gently back in her home.  “You’re such a pain in the ass,” he tells her, as he makes sure the cage door is tightly fastened.  And then he gives her a couple of treats.

When you get home and ask why the apartment is in such a state, Adam feigns complete ignorance about the matter.

This is between him and Nipples.

Charlie Barber

Henry gets to choose the name, which is how you end up with a black and white female rabbit named Batman.

Although you and Henry had done plenty of research on keeping an indoor rabbit, you weren’t prepared for quite how destructive Batman turns out to be.

Charlie keeps right out of it at first.  He doesn’t not like animals, but he didn’t grow up with pets, so he doesn’t really quite get the point of having an animal in the house.

He does get involved, however, when she chews through his laptop cable.

Henry is at a friend’s house for the night, which is fortunate, because he would have learned a lot of choice new vocabulary.

You can guess what happened from the ranting coming from the other room, so you sit and wait until Charlie appears with his mangled cable in one hand, and an unrepentant baby rabbit kicking and flailing in the other.

“Your furry child is misbehaving again,” says Charlie, handing her to you.  She immediately climbs up your chest, and burrows her face under your chin.

“Poor thing,” you say in a sing-song voice to Batman, stroking her soothingly, and glaring at Charlie.  “Is daddy being mean to you?”

Charlie’s nostrils flare, but he just throws himself down onto the far end of the sofa in a huff, and orders himself a new cable from the Apple website.  He then sends you a series of messages, which all turn out to be links to recipes for rabbit on Pinterest.

“Daddy is a bad, bad man,” you murmur to sweet, innocent Batman, who has never done anything wrong in her life.  And who is now sleeping on your chest like a little baby angel.  “All this fuss over a silly little cable.”

You don’t look at Charlie at all.  But you can feel his gaze on you, and you know from previous experience just how dark his eyes will be right now.  

He hates that you’re ignoring him, and being a bit of a brat.

As soon as you put yours and Henry’s pet away for the night, your man is going to show you just how bad he is.

You smile.  

Paterson

There’s a fish tank in the waiting room at the clinic.  Every time you go for an appointment, Pat notices that you make a point of situating yourself near to it.  And rather than reaching for one of the months-old magazines provided, you sit and stare at the brightly coloured fish inside, your eyes following them as you track their movements with a little smile on your face.

“They’re so pretty,” you tell him, when he asks you about it.  “I like watching them.  It makes me feel calm, before we go in.”

The two of you sit side by side in that waiting room month after month, then year after year, watching the fish swim round and round in the tank.

Until finally, right before Thanksgiving, you hear the news it feels like you’ve been waiting your entire life for.

After only a few days of relief and happiness, the worry starts to set in.  Like a tap dripping slowly into a stoppered sink, it fills you up slowly but gradually.  After so much struggle and heartache, this all feels too easy.  What if something happens?  What if something goes wrong?  What if what if what if -?

A month passes, and Christmas is approaching fast.  You decorate the house over a period of three days, in between bouts of exhaustion and nausea that are, at least, symptoms that everything is proceeding safely and normally.  Well, you hope they are.

At the end of the third day, you put the star on the top of the tree together with Pat, and then stand back to admire your handiwork.  “It looks beautiful, honey,” he says, wrapping his arms around you from behind.  One hand strays to your stomach, where all of your collective hopes and dreams seem to currently reside.

This time next year ... you think.  And then stop yourself.  It’s all just too good to be true.

You burst into tears, and it takes Pat hours to console you.

The next day on his bus route, he doesn’t take his notebook out of his bag at all.  Instead, he thinks about you.  How anxious you are.  It can’t be good for you, or the baby.  He wishes he could be home with you all the time, but there’s plenty of overtime available at the moment, and you need all the money you can get. 

If only there was something he could do to help you calm down, he thinks.

Wait - 

The idea strikes him as he pulls in to the bus depot at the end of his shift.  That night he sits at the kitchen table long after you’ve gone to bed exhausted, figuring out a budget.  And on Saturday morning, while you are still sleeping, he creeps out of the house, and drives to the big pet superstore that just opened up on the other side of town.

By the time you wake up, he’s moved the furniture in the living room around to accommodate the new arrivals, and they are settling into their new home nicely.

“Morning,” you say, shuffling into the living room, still wiping sleep out of your eyes.  You rise up on your toes to kiss him, and lean into his embrace for a while, before stepping back, and looking around the room.

Your eyes immediately alight on the plant-filled tank he’s installed.  It’s quite compact, but has plenty enough space for the tiny, iridescent fish who now inhabit it.

“What’s this?” you breathe, both delighted and confused.  It isn’t quite the question you meant to ask.  You know what it is.  But you aren’t sure why.

But Pat understands.  He always understands.  “You’ve been feeling so stressed and worried lately, honey.  So I thought this might help you to feel calm, when I’m not here to make you feel better.”  He got it completely right, like he always does.  But he’s still looking at you with a nervous uncertainty that makes your heart melt.

“I don’t know what I did to deserve such a thoughtful man,” you whisper around the lump in your throat, welling up again for the millionth time this week.  But this time you aren’t sad, or worried, or feeling particularly hormonal.  Just incredibly, unbelievably happy.  And so, so lucky.  

Eventually, you sit down on the couch together.  

You can’t stop staring at the pretty fish.  And Pat can’t stop staring at you.

The way your eyes follow them as you track their movements.  And the wide, wide smile on your face.

[extremelyblackandwhite]

i wanna know what love is - 30

Pairing: rockstar! sebastian stan x writer!reader

Warnings: fluff

A/N: y/n’s exit is definetely inspired by peggy olson. the next chapter is the last one and i’m very emotional. enjoy xx

Last Chapter // Next Chapter

It had been the best first weeks of her life. She had her own little office space, had people who’d come to criticise her work instead of asking her to proof read theirs, people would listen to her, people would even allow her to decide what topic to write. It was her dream come true, somewhere she could grow without being stunted. However, her heart was still broken, she was doing everything to ignore thinking about Sebastian or even hearing about him. She had given her article to Rolling Stone, remembering that she had promised Sebastian to help clean up his imagine, he deserved that at least.

She returned to her flat around night-time, tired yet pleased with today’s work. Y/N opened the door to see her grandfather sat on her coach. Suddenly she regretted giving her mother one of her flat’s keys just in case. He was probably here to tell her that he was right about Sebastian and that she should have gone with who he thought was better for them. In reality, none of them sounded like a good idea right now.

     - Your mother told me you got the New Yorker job. - he started before Y/N could even close the door behind her. - I just wanted to congratulate you on it. I know you always wanted it.

    - I thought you were here to talk about how right you were about Sebastian. 

    - I’m actually here to talk about Sebastian. - he spoke, patting the seat near him. Y/N sighed, it wasn’t like she could kick her grandfather out, she wasn’t heartless. She took a place near him. - Your mother also told me you two aren’t together anymore.

    - You were right about Sebastian, he doesn’t want to be with me. I don’t think he actually ever wanted to be with me.

    - No, darling. I was wrong, I was wrong about him. He is a good man, a good man who loves you. Trust me, I really wanted him to be a bad guy because that meant I could introduce you to someone who could provide to you but the thing is, you don’t need no one to provide to you. You have your own home, you made it on your own. - he held her hands. - I heard him on the phone with the New Yorker back in Maryland asking them to look at your university articles.

    - But he said ... - her mind seemed to shut. It couldn’t be true, she had read the magazine, he had ignored her once they got back to the bus. He’d stopped calling her a day right after she stopped answering him, she’d even heard rumours he was back to his womaniser behaviour. - I read it in the magazine.

    - You’re a writer, not everything writers write is truth. - he patted her on the shoulder. - You don’t need a perfect relationship, those don’t exist, darling. You need a relationship where both parts love each other and push each other to be better. You’ve always pushed everyone around you to be better and by making that call, he’s forcing you to be a better professional. 

    - He’s not the man you want me to bring home.

    - But at the end of the day, he is the man you want to bring home. 

He hadn’t stayed longer but after he left his words were still tattooed on her mind. She had read the words, he hadn’t even tried to explain them to her but on another point of view she had also not tried to get into contact with him, she had been an impulse driven woman scared to get heartbroken again.

She picked her phone from her wallet, going through her contacts and finding Mary’s number. She still talked to her, messaging her ever so often under the rule that Sebastian’s name wouldn’t be mentioned. She pressed the phone symbol, hearing the phone ring until the very familiar voice of the redhead came through. 

   - Look if it isn’t the big shot writer. How are you, lovely?

   - Can I speak with Sebastian? - she said before she lost the courage.

   - Aw, darling. He’s not touring with us anymore, he quit early. 

   - Do you know where I can find him?

   - I don’t know. Fred thinks he might be in Brooklyn but we don’t know exactly where. 

   - Alright, thank you.

   - Wait, you are not gonna skim the entirety of Brooklyn to look for Sebastian. I know you live by the Upper Side which is relatively easy to navigate but Brooklyn isn’t.

   - We’ll I’m gonna try. It can’t be hard. 

Good thing about working for the New Yorker was that she had access to fact checkers who found it very odd that the new kid was already asking for favours but they decided to help her out. There were 10 people with the same name as him and same age range on the Brooklyn area. She quickly got into a taxi which drove her to Brooklyn. She decided to do the rest of the walk on foot as the addresses weren’t too far apart from each other. The first 9 ones had been a disappointment with people who definitely weren’t Sebastian. The final house didn’t even answer leaving her to sit on the sidewalk.

This had all been her fault, if she had been a rational being which she always had pride herself in being none of this would have happened if she had decided to maybe storm into his bedroom and demand an explanation. 

  - Excuse me, darling. - she tilted her head from the floor to see an old woman staring at her. - The second hand shop down the street, back when he was a kid he used to sell a lot of stuff to it, maybe they know where he lives.

  - Thank you. - she gave her a kind smile clutching down her wallet as she walked to the second hand shop. She opened the door, a bell ringing as she entered. A man standing behind the checkout looked at her, he was probably in his mind sixties, busy polishing a hunting knife. Y/N gave him her “I don’t mean harm smile” and walked up to him, eyes particularly fixed on a old beaten up guitar hanged on the wall. It wasn’t exactly something you’d hang there. - Hi, a lady on the street told me you could possibly help me.

  - It depends, sweetheart. - he stopped polishing his knife. - What do you need? 

  - She told me you could possibly tell me where to find Sebastian Stan? - she knew she probably sounded like a crazy fan but she didn’t mind. She was tired, all Y/N wanted to do was to find him so she could try and explain why she acted the way she acted. 

  - It depends, sweetheart. What can you give me? - Y/N sighed, opening her wallet, she only had 30 pounds which she slammed on the ground. - I know where his mum lives. 

She knew Sebastian and his mum weren’t in the best of terms but she could possibly know where his place was. Besides, he had met her family so maybe she could ask his mother about him. The man scribbled an address on a piece of paper, sliding it up to her. 

  - Why do you have that broken up guitar hanged on the wall? - she asked as she looked at the address, making sure she wasn’t being scammed.

  - Belonged to the person you’re looking for, sweetheart. - Y/N’s ears perked up. She should do something nice and she remembered how much he would smile when speaking about that guitar. - 100 dollars.

  - No way, it’s broken up besides I just gave you 30 dollars, that’s all I have.

  - Those are some nice earrings you have there. Real diamonds?

  - The earrings for the guitar and a bag. - Y/N negotiated, bringing her hand to her ears to pull the earrings off, placing them on the balcony. - That’s my last offer.

He shrugged, handing her the guitar on the bag. She placed it over her chest like a cross bag and rushed out of the store. Y/N put the address on her phone and started to walk to Sebastian’s mum’s place. She suddenly despised the fact that she had decided not to change out of her work clothes and looked like an absolute fool.

After a few minutes of walking in the most uncomfortable heels ever created, she reached a small apartment whose door luckily was opened by a man who was already coming in. She entered the lift pressing the 5th floor wondering about what to say to his mother. What was she supposed to say, “Hi I left your son because of my stupid behaviour”? No. 

Anyway, she didn’t have enough time as she found herself knocking on the door which was opened by a woman who had the same eyes as Sebastian’s, she would recognise those eyes everywhere.

  - Hi, darling. You’re alright? - she asked in a very soft and kind tone of voice.

  - I’m sorry to be bothering, I know it’s late. I just ... I really need to speak with Sebastian. Do you know where he is?

  - SEBASTIAN! There’s a girl here for you. - she turned her head to face the inside of the house, calling out for her son, surprising Y/N. Had they finally made up? - Quick, now. 

  - What? - Y/N saw his head peaking through the door. He placed his hand on the door, pushing it wide open, his expression tense. - Wiley, what are you doing here?

  - I need to speak with you. - she pulled on her nail, eyes on her heels as she didn’t dare look at him. 

  - Right, I’m gonna make some tea. - his mother interrupted, sensing the tension between them.

  - C’mon. - Sebastian gestured her to follow him. Y/N followed him through the flat and into what she thought was his bedroom. It was a simple bedroom, too simple for the persona she knew he liked to pretend he was. He scanned her up and down not believing she was here and not knowing what to say. - Where are your earrings?

  - What earrings? - she pushed her hair to cover her ears, taking the guitar from her back and handing it to him. He furrowed his brows, taking from her hands and opening the bag to see his old guitar, a smile stretching on his face. - I’m so sorry. I just, I read ...

  - Did you sell your earrings? - he interrupted her. - Y/N, you shouldn’t have sold you earrings.

  - I just, I needed to apologise to you. I should’ve at least started with you, like a regular girlfriend but then I read that you had said that we weren’t dating and I thought you only wanted to sleep with me and I ...

  - I told them we weren’t dating at the time the picture was taken because I didn’t want them to think you’d gotten the job because you slept with me. I know I acted like an asshole before but I didn’t want to jeopardise your career, I wanted you to be criticised for your writing not because you were with me. 

  - I’m so sorry, Seb. - she looked at the ground. - I feel so stupid. 

  - It’s okay. - he wrapped her arms around her. - I’ve done my fair share of stupid, pretty sure I’ll make even more stupid.

  - Wait! - she tilted her head to stare at him. - You’re forgiving me?

  - Well, yes. You are an heiress. - he chuckled, making her playfully slap his chest. - I love you, Y/N. There is little I won’t forgive you for. 

  - I know it was you who got the New Yorker to read my articles and I’m really grateful. I just have something bothering me.

  - What?

  - Did you sleep with my boss? Because if you did, you have to tell me or it’s gonna be really awkward during the Christmas’ office party. 

  - No. - he laughed, pulling her against him. All he wanted right now was to hold her and make sure she wouldn’t leave. - Me and Helena went to school together. She copied off me once, owed me a favour.

  - So you’re friends with my boss? That is somehow worse.

  - I see you got the job then. - he sat down of his bed, pulling her down with him. - Y/N, marry me. 

  - Yeah, alright. - she chuckled, rolling her eyes. Sebastian placed her down on the mattress, walking over to his bedside and pulling a small blue velvet box. He put himself in front of her, getting down on one knee. - What are you doing?

 - Look, I know that we haven’t been dating for more than a year but I love you. I can’t think of myself with anyone else but you and no one else knows me but you. We don’t need to get married right away, we can even stay engaged for the rest of our lives. I just want to wake up everyday next to you with the hope that one day you’ll give me the pleasure of being my wife. Y/N Wiley, will you please marry this dingus?

 - Did you just call yourself a dingus? - she crotched next to him, staring at him with loving eyes. - Yes, I will marry this dingus.

[chalkboardgirl15]

Credits page from the “Lunch Boxes & Choklit Cows” album that was released by Daisy Berkowitz (April 20, 2004)

Transcription:

I didn't think anything would come of it. No sooner did Brian Warner and I agree to "put a rock band together and make a million bucks" (an idea I did not take seriously) than I found myself looking out over a packed room wondering; "why are all these people here?" We had no drummer (just drum machine), we weren't particularly metal, not exactly techno and in no way pop. Our live show was a psychedelic cartoon with a good spatter-ing of horror movie. We used stage names combining a famous female for the first and an infamous killer for the last. Our show flyers were often bizarre and offensive. There was just no logical reason for people to like us - but they loved us - well, some hated us but even if they did they sure talked about us. We were a breath of fresh air for aging glam rockers and metal-heads and a torch of hope for industrial rock fans, I guess.

It was the early 90's and Seattle was still known only for software and rain - but not for long. In South Florida though, bands like Young Turk, Saigon Kick, Nuclear Valdez and the Mavericks were helping to put a place no one expected on the map. After a few years sweating it out, practicing in a dirty old warehouse, we were the next to "make it" -but getting signed is never what it's cracked up to be. Bands that never get signed just barely outnumber bands that get signed and dropped. Warner was a writer for the South Florida magazine "25th Parallel" and had interviewed Nine Inch Nail's Trent Reznor - who let us open for NIN at Miami's Club Nu July 4th, 1990 (just a few months after making our first demo Big Black Bus and three months after our very first show, April 28th 1990 at Churchill's Hideaway in Miami). The Club Nu show was also Brad Stewart's (Gidget Gein) and Stephen Bier's (Madonna Wayne Gacy a.k.a. "Pogo") debut performances. Despite rotting meat pinatas, nativity scene thefts, fire extinguisher fiascos and crowd-surfing paper mache' (or "choklit") cows we kept getting shows. We even attended a rally protesting then-sheriff Nick Navarro's bringing obscenity charges against 2 Live Crew and a record store owner for selling their album. By the end of 1990 Marilyn Manson and the Spooky Kids brought in live drummer Fred Streidhorst (Sara Lee Lucas) and had won Best New Band at the south Florida Rock Awards. This is when I started to get the feeling we would mutate into something much bigger that kids would love and parents would hate.

How did we do it? You could say that we had a wild show and that we brought theater back to rock. You could say that we had a distinctive and original sound. You could say we were a flash-in-the-pan that people wanted to keep on burning. I would sheepishly agree with all those assessments but then I would remind you of the most important reason. We developed a following of particularly loyal fans who we took to calling - very inclusively - "the spooky kids". Dressed in baggy black shirts, heavy eye liner, colored and spiked hair, striped leggings, and thrift store boots (among many other clothing combinations) they emulated the band not just in make-up and clothes but by carrying lunch-boxes (I, however did not - I chose to be the rebel among rebels and only occasionally carried a gas can). They bought our tapes and t-shirts and stickers and came to every show they could. I'd like to take this time and space to thank all of you for making us happen - a band goes nowhere without its fans and the more rabid, the better.

Daisy Berkowitz

[szopenhauer]

If money was no object, would you change your wardrobe? I would add to my wardrobe more than change

How do you/did you get to school? walk, then by bus

Have you ever been in trouble for something you honestly didn’t do? yep

Is the idea of having a secret admirer creepy or romantic? creepy

What was the last song you sung out loud? https://youtu.be/wycjnCCgUes

Were you excited to learn to drive, or scared? worried that I’ll waste my money

When was the last time you felt incredibly tired? today

In your opinion, who doesn’t deserve to be famous? many people

Was it hard for you to get up this morning? not really

When was the last time you colored with crayons or colored pencils? few months ago

Do you feel comfortable talking about your disorders, if you have them? depends

Where did you go on your last field trip? not sure which was last

Do you think you make a good first impression? no

Do other people’s first impressions stick with you? might

Have you ever had to give up on someone? sure

Would you rather break up with someone, or them break up with you? them break up with me (not my decision) but usually it’s the other way around

Do you think it’s okay to like a cover more than an original? umm...

Are you calm in emergency situations? depends

Who are you most attached to? my dad

What do you depend on other people for? money mostly :(

What goes through your mind when someone breaks up with you? depends

Do you match your shoes with your outfit? sometimes, it’s not that I have enough shoes to do that lol

Do you feel more comfortable with a male or female doctor/nurse? female 

What was the last thing you bragged about? not sure what was last

What’s the ugliest thing on your wall? umm...

Who’s your favorite philosopher? Schopenhauer because of all the memes

Do you think Freud was out of his mind? well I prefer Jung

Einstein? he was cool

Who’s your favorite painter/artist? I like many 

What day is it? Friday

Are you wearing anything blue?  nah

Do you know anyone named Graham? just bread :P

Are you sitting next to anyone? not currently

Do you dislike the last person you Facebook messaged? nope

Who’s the quietest of all your friends? K. always was 

Are you home alone right now? If so, where are the people you live with? my mom’s home, my dad is at work

Are you a chocoholic? noooo

Is there a song that reminds you of the person you love/like? Do you listen to that song often? one of them is t.a.t.u. - All the things she said

Do you listen to music while you fill out surveys? sometimes

In the past week, what song have you listened to the most often? not sure

While playing video games, do you prefer being first or second player? second 

How many people do you depend on? not many

How many people do you think depend on you? they could live without me

What is the worst color combination? brown and black?

Have you ever injured yourself walking around in the dark? yeah

What’s so scary about clowns, anyway? nothing to me and it’s annoying that they’re part of so many horrors

When was the last time you acted like someone you’re not? sigh...

How many hats do you own/wear? shitload

Do you ever receive comments on your weight? ppl are jealous of my weight so basically my illness :(

Is there anything that you do just to make other people happy? of course

What was the last thing that you wrote down [with a pen/pencil]? not sure what was last

Has anyone told you that you have a nice smile? my gf only

Are you uncomfortable with being photographed? yup

Do you like playing tic-tac-toe? I always win What about hangman? I played it couple of times Are you dangerously in love with someone? woah 

Are you cute or sexy? cute Is English your 1st language? it’s not Did you ever perform in front of your entire school? elementary - more than once Did your older sibling ever tell you freaky stories that you believed? one time she told me that school was flooded and there were fish and frogs and then I said that to my mom and she called me a liar and got mad even tho I explained to her it was my sister’s idea :(  Are you single and proud? you can be single and proud as well as be happy in a relationship too, I am in one now  Are you more happy when you’re with people or alone? 90% of time alone What do you think about guys shaving their legs? that’s their life Do you wear lipstick? nah Name something you lost or gave away that can never be replaced. I don’t wanna talk about it

What music album would be used for a movie about your life? soundtrack to my life would have to be a mix of songs from different bands/vocalists

Who was your first crush and what made them special? she was just adorable with her clumsiness and her perfect body and that face and voice and she was just a pretty cool friend to me and I wanted to take care of her so badly, she was the very first girl I ever had a crush on irl if not in general but she was hetero and she changed a lot (not in a good way in my opinion) Write about your first kiss. Was it everything you wished or hoped it would be? I... I never imagined my first kiss before it happened?...

Write about something you now know that you wish you knew earlier in life. How could this knowledge have helped you? blergh

Name one thing you feel brings out the good in people. there’s no such thing, it’s all about the person  If you invented a device that could fix one problem you are facing right now, would you use it? What problem would you like to solve? absolutely, my health issues Name something you found; what was it and where did you find it? I’ve found shitload of stuff but one thing was the most odd and that’s a taxidermy ferret shawl someone left on a bus stop - at first we thought with dad it must be alive but we came closer and realized someone lost their piece of cloth and we took it  Describe the longest amount of time you have ever been away from home. almost a month, I was in hospital Name a celebrity or famous person you wish would take you out on a date. - Have you ever seen a ghost? it seems, it was not just white but a little bluish, no legs and weird face - shaped like in a clay, mostly transparent, slightly glowing, it was in open doors of my room, I woke up with a weird feeling that someone’s watching me and I got really scared so I hidden under a blanket and didn’t look there again until morning, I was trying to convince myself it’s just a shirt that was hanged in the hall but mom said there wasn’t anything like that there at night, now I wish I could see that again hoping I would try to do something more brave about it, I kinda worry I was rude towards them whoever it was 

*btw my grandma said that after death some chemicals leave the body and fly like a fog through the cemetery if casket and grave aren’t blocking it too much Describe your note-taking style and habits. everywhere and usually not in line, can be even upside down, just random, different size, clue words etc. Do you believe that we are all here for a reason? What might the reason be? suffering to deserve heaven? Have you ever done something just to feel the danger, or to feel alive? I hurt myself today To see if I still feel I focus on the pain The only thing that's real What are all your thoughts on god? overthinking... What did you learn today?  for example - that explaining things to people make me realize more than just thinking about something What 5 traits do people first notice when they meet you for the first time? ask them Have you ever carved your name or initials into a tree or stone? poor tree :( In what ways have you traveled? car, bus, train, bike, even a little bit by ship What historical events happened the year you were born? nothing interesting

Do you watch really old tv shows or movies from the 1970’s or earlier? sure

What would you do if you saw a complete stranger dealing drugs in public? nothing If you don’t have to be up by a certain time, do you like to sleep in as late as possible? no longer than 11 am What are you wearing at the moment? Is it for any particular reason? pajama because it’s past midnight and I should be asleep but I have to finally finish this survey then dry my hair and drink some water first Are either one of your parents retired?  my mom is and my dad will be soon Do you buy a lot of DVD’s, or do you tend to just watch everything online for free? watch online, I have no money for buying movies that I’ll watch less than 3 times Does everyone in your household own their own computer? nope

Are you a good gift giver? I try my best and been told that I am despite not being rich 

Do you know what XOXO stands for? hugs and kisses

What’s the first person who comes to your mind when you hear the word blue? me

Have you seen any of the Harry Potter movies? first ones

Do you like your significate others siblings? I don’t know her brother

Have you ever recieved a singing birthday card? omg I loved those and I wish I got one :(

Do you remember who your kindergarten/pre-school teacher was? I liked her so much I’ve been sending her cards on holidays years after

Were you ever a girl scout or a boy scout? never

Do you own anything made of lace? hmm...

How many people do you share a name with? I don’t know anyone with my name

Imagine your dream home, does it have a fence around it? if it’s not an apartment then of course it does, highest possible and thick as I don’t want to see or be seen by my neighbors

Do you own any yellow shoes? yep

Can you type fast? very

In school were you bullied? I was

Are you sarcastic? yeah

Do you read the newspaper? nah

If you died today where do you think you’d go? hell :(

Have you ever been to therapy? few times, didn’t help

Do you use online dating? did

Did you miss alot of school? I was sick often

What was the last thing you got falsely accused of? not sure what was last

What was the last thing you ordered online? shirt, I’m waiting for the package now

Have you ever been kicked out of a store? no :o

Do you feel like you accomplished anything today? hmm...

What is/was your favorite teen magazine? trzynastka or however this shit was called

Would other people describe you as creative? I guess

What color are your slippers? grey and white

Are you haunted by memories of stupid things you’ve said and done? constantly

Did you like high school or college better? didn’t go to college

Who was your favorite Olsen twin? I didn’t have a favorite 

Do you ever listen to Celtic music? used to, with John

Do you know a lot of rich and spoiled and selfish people? had classmates like this and neighbors too

Do you enjoy mornings? rarely, not really

Have you ever feared going to jail or thought about what it would be like? thought

Did you know that the zodiac signs (the regular ones) are Greek? ok

Have you ever learned about Greek mythology in school? didn’t like it

Do you stay up late? as you can see

what do you hear right now? nothing

what is one thing in your life you feel truly guilty for? personal

have you ever been slapped in the face? I’ve been slapped without any reason, I was bullied

how about punched? hit with a ball only and my head was hit with a bottle too once

have you ever come up with a memorable quote yourself? I’ve been quoted 

what do you think about masturbation? personal

What color did you first ever dye your hair?: either red or black

What’s the color of the bath towel you use most often?: green

Ever eaten a piece of dog or cat food out of curiosity?: ewww, nooo

Can you name one song by Prince?: Purple rain for example

Would you rather paint or make pottery?: paint

Are you currently taking this survey before or after 9pm?: after, I started over 5 hours ago...

Is the sun shining bright outside right now?: it’s the middle of the night!

Would you rather watch a horror movie or a romantic comedy?: romantic comedy ^^”

[myinnersoul1412]

Hatori Yoshiyuki no baai short story 5

Hatori Yoshiyuki no Baai short story 6

I don’t own any of this…Edit from Google translate again

"It will definitely happen this time"

“Yes, it will.”

Hatori, who was holding the steering wheel, answered with a weak voice. Yoshino, on the other side, sat in the front passenger seat, holding a camera in his hand.

Now, they were on their way to a hotel where Yoshino said there were ghosts. Because the hotel was in the suburbs, it was difficult to take a bus there. Hatori had no way but to borrow his family’s car from home.

The origin of the matter was the plan of the magazine. The monthly Emerald August issue decided to attach an appendix booklet to the series, and several writers had received the agreement to draw short ghost stories. And Yoshino was among them.

Everything progressed smoothly, and it was troublesome that Yoshino suddenly proposed "to go out and get the materials." According to him, to draw a story of horror style, he must first experience it.

Because the main audience of this story was teenage girls, it would be a headache to draw horror stories that were too realistic. However, it would be bad if Hatori just casually dismissed Yoshino’s enthusiasm

As a result, Hatori had accompanied him to several places to take materials. But so far, there had been no significant results.

Although there were some things that were good for the story, but it seemed that Yoshino’s highest priority was "I want to see the supernatural phenomenon!". More than collecting materials, Hatori felt that it became more of a gamble for Yoshino. But as his editor, Hatori also had to accompany Yoshino to the latter’s satisfaction.

"Is it right to go here?"

After the highway, it should have been fine to drive according to the car navigation until the end. But the car navigation stopped halfway, probably because the data was relatively old. So they had to look at the paper map for the rest of the way.

"I think there's probably no problem."

"Probably?It wouldn't be funny if you got lost at night and had to sleep in the car.”

"So I said it’s okay! But this is all on the premise that this map is not wrong?"

"Forget it, this road does give people that feeling."

"Right!? It makes you feel that something will definitely come this time! After all, it’s according to my assistant’s sister’s boyfriend personal experience.

“…”

Since that was not completely a stranger and Hatori had finally tolerated the words of mouth up until now, it was a hassle to let Yoshino down then.

"Then, what are you going to do when you get to the hotel?"

"What are you saying? Since it's a hotel, you must be stay there first. Ghosts won't come out until midnight.”

“Is that so? You’re going to stay there”

"Otherwise, why do you think that I brought all these change of clothes with me? I even brought the pillows. After all, I can't sleep well if I change the pillow." (P/S: so Yoshino is sensitive…cough..cough)

Hatori felt a little uneasy about Yoshino, who was almost as emotional as if he had gone for a study trip. Does the guy understand what kind of place this hotel is, whether it is in the inaccessible suburb or it is still a place of the supernatural?

"Ah, I saw something like a roof! It really seems like something will come out!"

"??"

A cheap-looking building in the style of an ancient European city was emerging from the shadows of a tree. Yoshino didn’t seem to have seen the store's signboard yet.

"I feel that it will work this time. The camera is fully charged, just in case it is bought. After all, it is more reliable than a digital camera or film!"

"Give me a good photo of the background also. Don’t forget."

"I know! It didn't work before because the camera power was not full --"

Even Yoshino, who was in high spirits, was gradually becoming silent as he slowly approached the building and began to see the signboard of the hotel. It seemed that he finally began to understand the current situation.

Originally, there was no problem as they went together as friends of the same age, a big one and a lighter one. Hatori squinted and secretly looked at the people around him. Yoshino, who was unable to calm down, looked away.

The car navigation sounded a mechanical sound of "reached the destination". Hatori slowed down and deliberately parked the car in front of the hotel. Then, finally, Hatori asked again.

"You really want to come here to see it?"

“What.. nonsense! Of course we're going in!”

"If you are not interested, we can go back now."

"What a stupid thing to say! We have already arrived here, how can we go back down directly?"

"I know"

In fact, just a look at Yoshino told Hatori that this guy already had retreated in another aspect. but Hatori deliberately pretended that he didn’t know anything. If it weren’t for all these reasons, he probably would have never been able to go with Yoshino to a love hotel in his life time.

"I really look forward to the evening!"

"Yeah, it’s really exciting."

"??"

After the words of approval were spoken, Yoshino's face turned red to his ears. He gave a rare quick response today. Desperately endure not to let himself laugh, Hatori drove to the parking lot. (P/S: Toriii,,, you sly man LOL)

"It’s okay to walk in normally, right?"

"After all, it's a sacred place."

After they handed out their business cards and indicated the purpose of the material, the middle-aged hotel manager gave them the keys to the legendary haunted room. It might be because it was off-season, but today, this hotel room was all empty. According to the administrator, it was not uncommon for men to come here to try the supernatural.

The room was at the end of the dark corridor, and the old door was indeed very atmospheric. Or rather, there was an over-the-top atmosphere.

"You’re not going in?"

"Tori, why don’t you go in first?"

"This is your activity to get the material. If you’re afraid, let's go back?”

"I, I'm not afraid-of-

No matter how Hatori looked at it, he was already scared. But Yoshino, who still insisted on bluffing, was provoked by Hatori and immediately rudely inserted the key. He slammed the door open and yelled "Let's come over."

"This is a very ordinary room."

"It's just a love hotel, and that's what the room looks like."

Although the exterior looked very worn out, the cleaning inside was still done well. If the room looked too strange, it would be more of a common haunted house rather than a spiritual spot.

"I felt that I have wasted so much energy."

Yoshino was finally relieved and patted his chest.

"You're not really afraid of this?”

"No! It’s not to be afraid but to really look forward to it”

All Hatori had to say is to see how Yoshino tried so hard to make excuses, Hatori knew that Yoshino must have been guessed. (P/S: not very sure)

"It's going to happen, it's going to happen."

"It's been said that someone saw it, and that it’s going to come out!"

In short, Hatori walked around the room while observing and found nothing particularly strange. The pattern of the wallpaper was like a particularly old-fashioned style, but it should have been a part of the hotel's way of expression.

"The color of the water in the bathroom is normal."

"If the tap suddenly starts to fill with red water, then it's also too deliberate. Is there anything to meet the conditions for the appearance of ghosts? Time, temperature, position, etc.”

Hatori himself did not believe in the so-called supernatural phenomena. Even if something really happened, it was probably just some scientifically explainable phenomenon that accidentally resulted in an effect that could be mistaken for a spiritual event.

"Oh--According to the friend’s boyfriend’s sister, it’s about two or three o’clock in the morning, and the woman with long hair can be seen from the window. The window should be the one.”

It was a frosted glass window that could not be opened because it was embedded. The outside was dirty. Depending on the intensity of the light, it is indeed possible to see the figure outside the window.

"Two o'clock. It’s still a while before that.”

"Yes"

Yoshino picked up the TV remote and turned on the power. The reason why the signal is not good is also vague. After changing several channels in succession, Yoshino gave up and turned off the TV.

"I knew it, so I brought the manuscript draft” (P/S: Toriiiiii)

Before coming, I had to prepare for the accident, but I felt that the time for this negotiation should be enough not to leave the manuscript at home.

"This time, I still have to work?!"

Hatori glared at Yoshino, who mouthed his displeasure directly.

"Have you forgotten that we are here for work?"

"Ah, that's how it is."

In Hatori’s point of view, Yoshino showed a "finished" expression. He probably had completely forgotten the original purpose of his work and was immersed in the atmosphere of the test-of-courage.

"No way, let's discuss the theme for the next manuscript."

"No. I can't concentrate in a place like this.

It was just that no matter what, there was no way to switch to work mode.

"In this case, there is only one thing left to do."

"One thing?"

"Since it's a love hotel, isn't that one thing already long overdue?”

“!?”

Before Hatori said this, Yoshino did not seem to respond at all. It was definitely false to say that Hatori didn’t feel disappointed when Yoshino didn’t even have a little consciousness. But after all, his partner was Yoshino, there was no way.

This time, his partner was not aware of it and had to be forced by him. Hatori began to block Yoshino's retreat, who had been slightly red-faced by questions.

"What else can I do?"

"What about the theme for the manuscript?"

"Don't you just say yourself that you can't do it?"

"Think again and I feel like this is just a good opportunity! And you see, if we do that kind of thing, we might miss the ghosts’ appearance”

"It doesn't matter. We still have a lot of time before two o'clock. Or do you want to say that just that's not enough?”

"No, not awkward"

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,

After asking about the past occurences, Yoshino’s face was instantly reddened.

"So, it is a matter of decision."

"Ah ah"

Yoshino stood in front of the huge double bed in the middle of the room. Hatori just gently pushed his shoulder and the whole person fell. Because the bed was very elastic, the small body bounced off significantly.

"All of a sudden, what you're doing!"

"It's not sudden at all. Besides, who is it that invited me to the hotel?”

"It's me… But, but I didn't expect it to be this kind of hotel.”

"No matter what kind of hotel, since we are in a romantic relationship, it's normal to have some kind of expectation, isn’t it?"

"But, but, ah, this kind of thing, we can do it after we wait to see the ghost, can’t we?”

"It will be awkward then. I specially accompany you out on my rest day and drive the car for you for so long, so I am not wrong to get a little reward from you, don’t you think?” (P/S: lololol, slyyyyy)

"Reward, etc., etc."

I grabbed Yoshino’s foot, who was shrinking in the bed, and covered it. Yoshino, who was held from above, held his breath involuntarily. The eyes that looked directly at Hatori’s were faintly moist. It was precisely Yoshino who had been talking about that, and there was already evidence of that in his mind.

Yoshino's resistance is basically due to shyness. Inherently, the stubborn Yoshino didn’t make this look when he really hated something.

"So, are you there anything else you want to do now?"

"There is no such thing." (P/S: consent is great…)

After confirming it again, Yoshino answered reluctantly.

* * *

"Stupid Tori!! Why didn’t you call me up!!"

"⋯⋯⋯⋯"

Due to the lack of sleep recently, when the two wake up, it was already dawning.

Personal comments:

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Hatori and Chiaki’s spicy area 51 adventure

[carmenlire]

Higher than the Big Trees Ch. 38

read chapter one

read on ao3

Magnus takes a bracing breath as he rounds the corner. Columbia comes into view and he scans the edge of campus warily, looking for any eager paparazzi lurking in the bushes.

The first time he’d dealt with them, he’d been a snot-nosed teenager, equal parts terrified and furious at the intrusion into his privacy. His father-- Asmodeus-- had taken care of him as best he could, however, even when in prison and Magnus still sent a Christmas card to his bodyguard at the time, the man who’d kept paps from getting too close until he’d graduated and fled New York altogether for several years.

He’s older and wiser now, Magnus thinks. He was made of sterner stuff than he’d known back then. Plus, he's well aware that this was the last real barrier between him and Alec. If this thing between them is going to work-- if they have a real shot at this-- then Magnus needs to come to terms, finally, with just what it means to be Alec Lightwood’s boyfriend.

Out of the frying pan, he thinks wryly and strides across the street, checking his watch.

His class is due to start in a little over half an hour and Magnus is just set to step onto campus when he hears the shutter of a camera a few feet away. He doesn't startle. No, instead he stares straight ahead as though he doesn’t know what’s going on and wonders distantly if the paps will follow him onto Columbia's grounds.

“Hey, Magnus! Mr. Bane!”

Magnus debates for half a second before raising cool eyes to the reporter. “That’s Dr. Bane,” he offers with an arch smile.

Looking both surprised and exalted that Magnus had actually acknowledged him, the man holding the camera bounds forward, far too close to Magnus.

Magnus switches his gaze from the man-- who looked to be in his early twenties and in desperate need of a haircut-- to the closest entrance to campus. He can see a few students standing at attention in the grass.

They’re carefully not looking at the scene unfolding but Magnus knows he has their attention.

“Dr. Bane, then, okay. Sorry, man. Want to give me the inside scoop to your relationship with Alec Lightwood?”

“No comment.”

“Come on, Magnus. It’s front page news and all anyone can talk about. A professor is the one who finally snagged the hottest bachelor in the industry.” He throws Magnus a cajoling smile, one that says hey we’re friends, right?

Magnus scoffs internally. Vultures, he thinks viciously. They’re all goddamned vultures.

He doesn’t respond and he’s less than a dozen steps from campus.

It’s a little surprising but Magnus isn’t feeling the edge of panic. He knows that it would undoubtedly be worse if he were surrounded, if there were a dozen paps circling him and cameras were flashing in his face. He still remembers some of those very scenes from high school and they make his heart lurch.

Journalists don’t care about their very unwilling victims. They’re leeches, trying to grab all the information and notoriety they can-- bleeding their target dry-- before moving onto the next poor bastard.

At seventeen, Magnus had been furious and overwhelmed. Now, he’s just tired. He’s tired of the sensationalism. He’s tired at the thought of dealing with this for the foreseeable future until something else happens that causes a scandal grand enough for him to be left moderately alone with Alexander.

It’s with the thought of his boyfriend-- his fucking boyfriend-- that Magnus finds solace. He’s doing this for Alec-- for them-- and that gives him some much needed strength. The pap dogging his heels is an annoyance at best.

After last night, Magnus needs to trust in Alec, in this thing they’re building.

God, he thinks, a little dizzy with the wave of overwhelming happiness that washes over him. He’d been been so terrified and worried about Alec’s reaction. He’d thought they’d had more time-- that he’d had more time before everything would come crashing down and that news report had shaken him, badly.

He knew how it looked and he could almost see their relationship go up in smoke with every damning word he’d read.

But Alexander, that lovely, amazing man, hadn’t been turned off. There had been no disgust or reprisals or biting accusations. Alec had been everything Magnus could have dreamed of and while he’d admitted more than he’d meant to in an angry rush of words meant to shock Alec as much as let him in, his boyfriend hadn’t been cowed.

No, Alec had accepted him and supported him and for that, Magnus will never stop thanking fate or whatever the fuck is responsible for bringing such a wonderful man into his life.

And after the conversation? Magnus shivers a little, though his thoughts are interrupted at the persistent reporter.

“You and Alec are together, right? I saw that Instagram post this morning and it certainly looked cozy.” His voice is smug, like he holds all the cards, and Magnus wants to wipe that smarmy smile right off his face.

He doesn’t deign to answer, though, and he’s just about to step onto campus when he spots a few paps standing several yards away. They don’t come any closer but their long-range lenses make it obvious they’re getting footage of him.

Jesus.

A little surprisingly, the journalist doesn’t try to follow him onto the grounds and Magnus is a little too relieved when he says, almost apologetically, “Columbia is private property. I’m not allowed to step onto campus or I-- and every other reporter who tries-- will be arrested for trespassing. The dean issued the warning to all local press yesterday afternoon.”

Magnus smiles a little but doesn’t say anything and he’s just passed the brick entryway when the reporter calls out.

He can’t quite help himself and Magnus turns back to look over his shoulder with a raised brow, expectant.

“I don’t know if you’re just an opportunistic bastard or if there really is something between you and Lightwood. Whatever the case, I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

Lowering his camera, the man steps closer, just toeing the sidewalk between the street and campus. For a bare second his expression looks earnest as he continues, “Alec Lightwood’s my favorite artist and I hope to hell that you’re sincere. If you are, watch out. Not all reporters are as chill as me. If you’re not, don’t worry. You’ll be found out sooner or later and this business isn’t known for anything so much as it is at chewing people up and spitting them back out, more broke and lonely and bitter than before. See you around, Dr. Bane.”

With that, the journalist turns away and Magnus watches him leave for half a dozen steps before he releases a heavy sigh.

Well, shit. He doesn’t know what the hell that just was but he can respect-- barely-- any pap who seems to care about Alec at all. Magnus wonders what the world really thinks and even as he knows it’s desperate naivete, he hopes that most people are either overwhelmingly apathetic or that they genuinely hope for the best.

He makes his way to his office without delay and places his briefcase on the desk. Taking out a sheaf of papers, Magnus wonders dryly that at least he’d gotten all caught up on his grading and planning yesterday, in the uninterrupted privacy of his loft as he’d waited for Alec’s reaction.

Taking a few moments to straighten up his office from where’d left in a hurry the morning before, Magnus presses the button for his voicemail absently as he sees the blinking red announcement.

He regrets it almost immediately.

He has twenty seven missed calls, all but one from reporters. They’re by turns earnest and snide and Magnus erases one after another as soon as he hears their voice.

The one call that isn’t a pain in his ass if from his editor at the University Press. They want an update on how his revisions are going for his book and he resolves to call them back in a few hours, after he’s finished his first class.

With that decided, he grabs his folder with today’s lecture on it and makes his way down to the classroom. He has his freshmen this morning and as he walks into Lowery Hall, he wonders what the next hour and fifteen minutes have in store for him.

Entering the room with a minute to spare, it goes dead silent as soon as the students catch sight of him.

He pretends that he doesn’t notice and goes to the front of the class. Rolling up his sleeves, he’s just opened his mouth to pick up where they’d left off when a hand goes up.

“Yes?”

The kid has a high grade in the class even if he’s usually on his phone during the entirety of Magnus’s lectures.

“Is it true that you’re dating Alec Lightwood?”

Magnus sighs internally as everyone promptly looks up at the question. The kid has the good grace to look a little chagrined but he doesn’t take his question back. No, instead he stares at Magnus, a little defiance in his eyes.

Surveying the room, Magnus sees that today’s class will be woefully off track and he’s already planning how to catch them all back up as he sighs loudly and leans against the table next to the podium.

Half sitting, he wraps his hands around the edge of the table, crossing his legs at the ankle.

“Now where did you hear that,” he asks wryly and watches as the everyone rolls their eyes. Some try to be discreet but some are blatant, laughing at Magnus’s last minute attempt at deflection.

“It’s all over, Professor Bane. Magazines, the internet, it’s literally everywhere.”

Magnus might detect a hint of apology in Greg’s voice but it has nothing to do with anything so he ignores it.

Nodding slowly, Magnus lets the silence of the room draw out before he admits, “I am dating Alec, Mr. Pritchard. We’ve been together for a little while, though we were friends first.” He scans the room. “Is that all?”

Another hand goes up, this time by Julia who’s wearing one hell of a poker face. “Can you tell us how you met?”

Laughing a little, Magnus nods imperceptibly to her. She’d kept her secret and Magnus is both surprised and grateful. She hadn’t told anyone about walking in on the two of them in his office and he knows that it had to have been burning at the tip of her tongue to keep that particular secret.

Humming thoughtfully, Magnus crosses his arms over his chest and grins at the room. “I was grading everyone’s midterms at this diner across town when I ran into him.” He raises a brow. “We started talking about how difficult it must be to know France’s timeline during WWI and, as they say, the rest is history.”

A few students laugh and the mood in the room shifts from something uneasy and hesitant to warm curiosity. Magnus finds that he can’t begrudge his students their desperate desire to know. It’s apparently the hottest news in town and they have a first hand source standing right in front of them.

He answers a few more questions and thankfully none of them are too personal. They want to know how long he’s known Alec and if he’s even more handsome in person and if he can hook everyone up with tickets to his next concert or an autographed album. It’s almost pedestrian, their interest, and it settles something in Magnus to know that not everything has to change just because he’s dating Alec.

Thankfully, he resumes his lecture after another fifteen minutes or so and everyone pays the same amount of attention that they would have before his personal life blew up. The back row still does a piss poor job of concealing their snores and the front row still faithfully scribbles down every word that comes out of his mouth.

His students are still his students and that means the world to Magnus. While it would have been an adjustment, Magnus would have changed his approach to teaching if necessary-- shut down inquiries about his personal life and become a little sterner in his classroom demeanor or even shifted his focus more onto his administrative role in the department, if things had come down to that.

It’s nice to see that he can still teach and that academia is still the safe haven it’s always been for him.

The rest of class moves forward at its regular pace and Magnus waves everyone off at the conclusion of the lecture with a quick, “Remember, there’s a quiz on Thursday about the readings! And your final is rapidly approaching-- I suggest you start studying now, if you haven't already.”

No one acknowledges him and he huffs out a laugh at the predictability of sleep-deprived eighteen year olds.

Gathering up his outline, Magnus grabs his phone from his pocket and sees that his notifications bar is fit to bursting.

He’s gained several thousand followers across both Instagram and Twitter but his attention snags on a text message from Raphael that confirms their weekly lunch date at Basil’s Cafe.

Smiling, Magnus slides his phone back into his pocket and leaves the room.

He hears the whispers that follow in his wake and feels the stares of both students and faculty as they land on his back. Strangely, he doesn’t feel cornered or put on the spot. While it is overwhelmingly obvious that they’re watching him, there’s also a sense of comfort.

Magnus has been a mainstay at Columbia for years and he’s cultivated a careful reputation as an excellent professor and colleague. There’s nothing malicious in the attention, just awareness. It doesn’t set his teeth on edge and that’s all he can ask for.

Back in his office, Magnus settles down in his chair with a sigh. It’s almost noon and he picks up his phone and calls his editor.

She picks up on the third ring. “Magnus,” she greets warmly. “How are things over there?”

Her tone is noticeably oblivious and Magnus rolls his eyes. “Don’t tell me you haven’t heard,” he replies dryly.

With a little laugh, Dot merely offers, “I didn’t want to make you feel worse if you were having a time over the reveal.” There’s half a beat of silence before she says, “How are you doing?”

“I’m doing great. I’m in a relationship, the press haven’t been nearly as annoying as they could have been-- at least so far-- and my book is coming along quite nicely.”

“Is that so? You’ve finished the revisions, then?”

"I have,” Magnus confirms. “The ending is still a little rough but I’m throwing all of my focus onto the last third of the book next month. I expect I’ll have a finished final draft by the end of September.”

Dot’s voice is preoccupied as she responds, “With publication set for early spring, that works nicely. Send the latest draft via courier and I’ll have a look at it sometime next week. Is there anything else that I need to be aware of?”

“No,” Magnus says, eyes narrowed as he thinks back. “Everything is going very smoothly-- much better than it usually is at this stage when everything’s a dumpster fire and I seriously consider throwing my manuscript into the ocean and never thinking about it again. I’ll send it over to your office and you can tell me what you think, though.”

The two of them talk for a little while longer about shared acquaintances and life in general before wrapping things up.

“I’m happy for you, Magnus,” Dot says softly. “I hope Lightwood is the man you deserve.”

She sighs dramatically, “If only I hadn’t taken this job at UCLA. We might have gone the distance.”

Laughing, Magnus shakes his head as he leans back in his chair. “You and I were nothing but convenience in the city and you know it, dear. We would have killed each other if we’d kept at it. We’re too alike for our own good and our careers were too important to pay attention to anything else back then.”

“You’re right, of course. That doesn’t mean that I don’t have extraordinarily fond memories of our relationship a few years ago, though.” Magnus hears a distant knock before Dot rushes out, “I’ll talk to you later, Magnus. Send me any notes that accompany your draft and I’ll look things over soon.”

“Goodbye, Dorothea.”

The two of them hang up and Magnus sighs and takes a few minutes to stare up at his nondescript ceiling.

He and Dot had been like two ships passing in the night. They’d shared the same port a time or two but it had never been anything serious-- had never had the potential for anything more than a relationship of convenience. They’d both been running around New York back then, ready to take on the world, and neither had had the time-- or wanted to carve out the time-- to seriously make a go of whatever potential simmered between them.

Their relationship had slowly fizzled as they poured almost all of their energy into their careers and when Dot had accepted a position at the University of Southern California Press, Magnus had sent her an unforgivably extravagant bottle of wine as both congratulations and a send-off. Their working relationship had never deteriorated no matter their personal affiliation and at this point, the two of them were like a well oiled machine.

Magnus spends the next hour reading a few chapters in a book he’s peer reviewing for someone at Texas A&M before gathering his things and heading towards Basil’s Cafe to meet Raphael.

Campus is a little busier now that it’s August and the fall semester is set to start in just a few short weeks. Magnus only has two more weeks of summer classes left and as always, he’s struck with just how quickly time marches forward.

So much has happened this summer that Magnus doesn’t feel like he’s caught his breath in ages. It’s invigorating, though, exhilarating. His life is a bit of a whirlwind at the moment and now, at this point in things, Magnus feels on top of the world.

His career is moving along smoothly and he’s got a man across town that he’s head over heels for and he’s weathered his own personal hell. So far, so good and Magnus just hopes that he can keep his optimism afloat through anything else that’s thrown his way.

Basil’s isn’t quite so empty this afternoon but luckily Raphael had snagged a table in the corner, a little while ago it seems, if the papers spread out across its surface is any indication.

He doesn’t look up at Magnus’s approach, but merely offers, “Final projects are a pain in my ass,” as he writes something down in bright green pen.

Sliding into the booth, Magnus replies, “I know how you feel. My students have their finals in less than two weeks but they still stare at me, as vacant as ever. And then we only have a week until the whole thing starts over again.”

“Yeah, but we love it. God knows why but we do,” Raphael mutters and then tosses his pen to the side, next to the napkin dispenser, as he finally looks up at Magnus.

His look is remarkably disinterested on the surface but Magnus can feel the intensity. Sending his friend an arch look, he remain silent and finally Raphael speaks.

“How are you doing?” His voice is gruff but Magnus detects the edge of concern.

“I’m fine,” he says lightly and as he says the words, he scans the restaurant. Several tables are staring at him out of the corner of their eye and he watches impassively as a few phones hastily drop from where they were recording him.

Raphael sees the movement too and he scowls. “No one ever minds their damned business,” he grumbles before peering at Magnus, this time not hiding his intensity.

“Are you really alright? We can go somewhere else if you’d rather.”

Still feeling the focus of half a dozen camera lenses, Magnus just shakes his head, resolute. “I fear that wherever we go, I’d cause a spectacle. We might as well stay.”

With a fierce frown, Raphael mutters a curse under his breath.

Magnus can’t help but laugh, just a little, as he relaxes against the booth. “Oh, Raphael. Who would have thought we’d end up here.”

“Anyone with half a brain cell would put that together after the way you and Lightwood have been circling each other.”

Glaring halfheartedly, Magnus absently says, “Oh, hush you. You know what I mean.”

His gaze refocuses as it lands on one of his closest friends. He grins slowly. “Say,” he drawls. “I seem to remember Alexander mentioning something about you and Simon. What’s that about?”

His voice is innocent but Raphael, of course, sees right past it.

“Shut up,” is his only response, muttered under his breath and Magnus laughs, loud and bright.

“You and Simon,” Magnus muses. His eyes run over his friend, bemused. “He’s not who I would have picked for you but I suppose that it does make a kind of sense.”

“Whatever.” Raphael rolls his eyes but before he can say anything else, their waitress comes over.

They pass a lovely, uneventful hour in the middle of campus and Magnus lets himself relax.

The waitress has just taken their plates when a serious looks comes over Raphael-- which is saying something, considering his friend always looks perpetually dead.

“Really,” Raphael asks. “How are you doing?”

Magnus frowns a little as he thinks, gaze focused on his nearly empty cup of coffee.

“You know,” he says slowly. “I’m really doing okay.”

His gaze flips up to meet Raphael’s as he continues. “Yesterday was rough,” he admits. “I didn’t expect it to hit the news and I left campus in a hurry yesterday morning. I spent the day at home licking my wounds, though Cat and Ragnor both tried to talk some sense into me.

“Alec came over last night,” he quietly confides, looking around to make sure there isn’t anyone too close to overhear. “We talked things through and, well.”

He can’t contain his little smile at the memory of last night-- and this morning. “We’re good,” he says quietly. “Really good.”

He looks up, expecting to see Raphael’s face twisted into a sneer of disgust. He’s surprised then, when his friend is studying him with a warm expression.

“I’m happy for you, Magnus. If Lightwood makes you happy-- and if you can deal with everything surrounding that-- then I support you.”

“Thank you,” Magnus says, wry twist to his mouth. “Does that mean you’ll tell me all about you and Simon?”

“Not a chance,” Raphael replies flatly and Magnus laughs, something in him easing at the easy response.

The two of them leave soon enough and Magnus has just reached the door when he’s stopped by someone calling out his name.

Looking over into the restaurant, an older woman approaches him, hair dyed an unflattering shade of blonde.

“Magnus Bane?”

“Who wants to know,” he asks warily.

Sticking out a hand, she replies, “I’m a journalist for the New York Times. I wanted to know if--”

“Not interested.”

Magnus’s voice is cold, forbidding, and he shares a look with Raphael before they both turn away from the reporter and leave the cafe without a backwards glance.

“Shit,” Magnus mutters.

“I guess that’s the price for happiness,” Raphael says cryptically and they’re silent for a moment before Magnus blows out a breath.

“I suppose you’re right, Raphael. I suppose you’re right.”

All in all, it hasn’t been as bad as it could have been and Magnus is thankful for that. Still, he wonders when the story will die down, when he and Alexander will become old news.

There’s a piece of him that wonders if his life will ever return to its previous quiet or if he hasn’t just signed away his privacy for as long as his name stays linked with Alec’s.

He and Raphael head in opposite directions and Magnus spends the afternoon responding to emails and completing the regular mundane tasks that keep his history department running smoothly, including a few interviews for an open position as an adjunct professor and a meeting with a student he’s mentoring through their doctoral thesis.

He takes a break in the late afternoon and checks his phone, relaxing as he sees a few texts from Alec.

Recorded a few songs this morning and couldn’t help but think of you. Of last night.

I miss you.

I hope you're having a good day, babe :)

I’m about to walk into a meeting with my label. Wish me luck on the next three hours of demos and complaints and questions that they should already know the answer to, considering they work at a recording company

I know you can take care of yourself but call me if you need me-- if something happens with the paps.

Smiling at Alec’s rambling messages, Magnus replies quickly.

Good luck, darling, and try not to yell at anyone

I can’t wait to hear the demos…… :)

Let me know when you land in London?

Switching over to social media, he’s a little overwhelmed at the mentions. He can’t read all of them, but he scrolls through his feed, liking a few tweets before switching over to his notifications.

He’d read some of the comments on the picture Alec had posted that morning and they’d both been surprised at the overwhelming positive response. Now that Magnus is in his own account though, the reaction is much more mixed. As he reads through a few tweets that mention him-- he and Alec are trending-- he isn’t sure how to feel.

OMG that is such a cute picture!! Alec is a lucky man!!

Look at him, you can just tell he’s just using Alec for his money. He probably can’t even name a song by him

He looks like a gold digger tbh. I hope Alec’s smart enough to get away from him before he ruins everything

I thought more of Alec. I don’t even know what he could see in this Magnus guy wtf

I’m so happy for Alec and Magnus! I thought something was going on but I can’t believe they actually confirmed it! And that caption dfkghsdkfjg I’m dead!!!

Alec does love to make a statement dkfjghsdfg just catch me crying until the end of forever at the fact that he’s officially taken:((((

Magnus actually snorts a little at that last comment. He doesn’t interact with any of them but his mind is spinning.

He’d known that there would be a lot of backlash. Magnus isn’t stupid. He knows that to fans, no one is ever good enough for their favorite celebrity and when one added Magnus’s past? It was a recipe for disaster and vitriol.

There are some comments that make him wince and others that annoy the shit out of him. Some do make him smile though, and relax at both the fans' enthusiasm and creativity.

Everyone has an opinion and everyone believes themselves entitled to air it, no matter that the person they’re talking about might see it. No, Magnus thinks that most of the people hope that he reads their nasty comments.

Well, Magnus refuses to feel bad about being with Alec, not when he makes him so happy and not when they’ve reached a new understanding.

Last night had been everything that Magnus could have wanted. Alec had been so damned understanding and so hot and Magnus doesn’t remember sex ever feeling like that.

He’d been overwhelmed in the best goddamn way. Alec had been all around him, all he could think of, and he’d been glad that there hadn’t been any awkwardness this morning.

It still feels new. Alec was like a breath of fresh air and Magnus can’t help but think that he never wants to lose this feeling. He’d had a damned good life before Alec crashed into it but Alec brings something new to it.

Magnus doesn’t quite know how but Alec’s burrowed his way into Magnus’s chest in a way he half fears is irrevocable. Permanent. Most of his to bite his lip to keep his grin under wraps, though.

Losing himself in his meandering thoughts-- all of which center on Alec and last night and this new stage of their relationship-- he startles in the late afternoon sunshine when he focuses on the clock and sees that his senior seminar is set to start in ten minutes.

Thankfully, the class is just on the first floor of Bowman and as he grabs his notes, Magnus shakes his head ruefully to himself.

Alexander was proving to be one hell of a distraction.

He makes it to class right on time and sees that everyone’s on their phones, waiting on him.

“Good evening,” he greets and receives the usual lackluster response back.

This class was composed of ten seniors set for graduation at the end of the semester. They spent the entire term crafting a sort of miniature thesis. They were each responsible for a fifty page paper due the week of finals and they’re at the point now of peer reviewing and final revisions.

Magnus sympathizes.

The next three hours go by quickly as everyone works on their own papers and edits their classmate’s and come to Magnus for any questions. At this point, with only two weeks to go, Magnus is mostly taking a background role for revisions, answering questions about citing specialized primary sources, discussing ways to conclude a twenty thousand word historiographical essay, and generally making sure none of his students set themselves on fire in their frustration and sheer stress.

To his surprise, no one mentions the headlines and his place in them. It’s no different than any of their previous sessions and for that, Magnus is exceedingly thankful.

As a student comes over to him, asking about how she can incorporate a small piece of contradictory evidence to her thesis without undoing all of her previous research, something eases in Magnus.

He’ll always have this, he thinks. His life has been academia for so long and he couldn’t imagine it any other way. This is his lifeblood. He might have found something in Alec, but he can’t even contemplate losing this-- his students and research and place in the academic world.

It’s good to know that he doesn’t have to choose.

He gets to have it all and for that, Magnus is overwhelmingly grateful.

[beca-mitchell]

show me where my armor ends, chapter 2/7

Chapter 2: heart attack

ch. 1 | ch. 2 | ch. 3 | ch. 4 | ch. 5 | ch. 6 | ch. 7

Summary + a/n: okay, honestly before yall come at me for writing more jealous!Beca, this is a Beca-centric fic. Do not worry, jealous!Chloe will come in time, even if it’s not in this fic, though there's definitely still room. I only wrote an outline of this fic and each chapter is going come out day by day, soooo.

Beca and Chloe are both famous in their own right: Beca is an up and coming musician. Chloe is an adored movie and television actress. They meet one day, by chance, and find themselves very attracted to each other.

Also on AO3

Bechloe Week Day 2: Jealousy

Word count: 3,318

“Beca! Beca, look over here!”

Beca swivels, eyes trying to find some safe spot above the incessant flashing and jeers and nagging demands.

She turns her head when there’s a slight uptake in noise down the red carpet.

Chloe.

With a date on her arm.

Tall, Dark, and Handsome #10, Beca thinks scathingly.

Outwardly, she smiles, and lingers in her position as best as she can despite her publicist’s attempts to keep her moving.

“Beca,” she hisses. “Get a move on.”

“Give me a second, Jenn,” Beca says back, through clenched teeth.

She turns and Chloe is just a few feet in front of her, eyes already locked on Beca.

There’s a semi-playful smile on her lips even as she tugs her date into her side. She gives Beca a quick once-over - a glance that heats Beca up as quickly as it passes over her. Then, she’s turning back to the cameras like nothing ever happened.

Beca waits for it, then-

“Beca! Chloe! Will you take a photo together?”

“Us?” Chloe asks, a light laugh escaping her when the photographers nearly clamber over each other to get into a good shooting position. “I guess we’re friends,” she says lightly, though there’s challenge in her eyes that makes Beca’s competitive side rise.

“Sure,” Beca chirps. She can hear Jennifer growling already. She reaches for Chloe at the same time Chloe’s hand reaches out and their fingertips brush. Beca tries not to think about how Chloe has a date, ignoring him in favour of sliding a hand around Chloe’s waist. She ensures that she brushes over whatever available skin she can reach.

The moment Chloe’s hand and arm lock into place behind Beca’s back, she thinks the cameras nearly blind her at how fast flashes and shutters are clicking and going off.

“A date?” she mutters, keeping her eyes forward. “Who is he?”

There's a part of Beca that almost wishes she had taken up her publicist and manager's suggestion that she date people here and there, even if they'd primarily function as beards, if anything. Still, she can't imagine forcing herself to even act like she enjoys a stranger's company, which is where her and Chloe differ, she supposes.

They had also agreed that both of them dating would be excessive. It'd just have to be one of them - enough to throw off any suspicion.

(Beca's publicist's words, not hers.)

“Somebody didn’t want to come with me. Even as friends.” Chloe’s tone is still somehow light and cheerful, through her own clenched teeth.

“Somebody thought that somebody else wasn’t going to come after all,” Beca murmurs, shifting ever so slightly closer to Chloe.

There’s a gentle brush of fingertips against the nape of her neck before Chloe’s hand comes to her shoulder, holding tight while she leans in further into Beca’s side. “Somebody thought wrong,” she murmurs, tilting her head ever so slightly.

Beca shivers.

At that moment, Chloe makes as if she’s about to pull away. Beca does the same, dropping her arm.

However, Chloe’s hand comes up to catch her hand. “You look beautiful,” she says quietly.

The sound of shutters clicking nearly drowns it out, but Beca hears it loud and clear.

She can’t bring herself to say it back. Not aloud at least.

Not in public.

“We can’t do this,” Beca says softly. “I can’t do this to you.”

“Do what to me?” Chloe asks, removing her hands from Beca’s grasp. Her eyes flick to Beca’s lips, tenderness passing through them. She gently thumbs at Beca’s lipstick, wiping away a smudge. “I’m a big girl,” she murmurs.

“I can’t date you, you know that.” Beca squeezes her eyes shut. “But I also can’t just...kiss you in bathrooms and hide you away from the rest of the world.”

Chloe’s eyes roam over her, assessing her, piercing through her. Beca feels bare and vulnerable.

“I wish I could be strong enough,” Beca says helplessly.

“It’s not about strength,” Chloe says, finally stepping forward to cup Beca’s cheek. “It’s about what you feel is right for you. I think you’re one of the strongest people I know.”

Interestingly, what feels most right - especially at this moment - is this little quiet, secluded moment. Away from prying ears or eyes.

“This feels right,” Beca whispers, chest tightening at the admission. Chloe’s eyes light up.

“Let’s give it a shot?”

Chloe is hopeful and happy and she looks nervous, which is a first.

Beca can’t help but kiss her again.

That had been about one and a half months ago.

So, they’re not dating necessarily - not in public. Which is surprisingly fine to Chloe. It surprises Beca - and disappoints her a little - that Chloe is so easily on board. She supposes that they’re “exclusive” or “going steady” since “dating” would mean that they publicly go out on dates or something. Beca’s not too sure.

There’s a part of her that itches to be public with her relationship with Chloe because it’s the most refreshed she has felt in a long while.

Beca chews her nail nervously, flipping through tabloid after tabloid of Chloe with her latest co-star - some actor she’s starring alongside in an upcoming movie.

Beca isn’t quite sure she likes actors (though Chloe might be the only exception to that). She hates how she can never tell when they’re really acting - at least, the decent ones, of course.

It makes Beca kind of nauseous, actually, seeing the way Chloe’s hand curls into her co-star’s arm. Beca’s not even sure she remembers his name - Daniel something or another - because she honestly doesn’t see him.

All she sees is Chloe and she’s still coming to terms with that - whatever that means. All she can think about is how Chloe had felt in her arms - how it felt to kiss her.

Like the feeling of sunshine on her face after emerging from a dark, cold, and lonely cave.

She doesn’t want to go back.

She supposes, as Chloe’s arms wrap around from behind, gentle lips skirting lazily across her cheek, that she doesn’t really have to go back. She gets her own little slice of sunlight everyday, even if they’ve been meticulously keeping their relationship under wraps for the past little while. The way their projects have been ramping out however, it makes Beca nervous for whatever is in store for them for the future because she selfishly doesn’t want to give this up quite yet.

“Hi,” she greets, reaching for Chloe’s hand to tangle their fingers together. She tugs Chloe’s arm further over her shoulder. Chloe’s free hand roams mischievously under the collar of her shirt, gently scraping her nails against Beca’s suddenly hot and flushed skin. “What are you doing?” she mumbles, tilting her head to give Chloe better access to her cheek and neck.

Chloe pauses, eyes catching on Beca’s reading material. “What are you doing, babe?” Chloe says, voice still a little thick from sleep. “Gossip rags?”

“When were you going to tell me you were dating somebody else?” Beca asks lightly.

Chloe laughs it off, momentarily distracting Beca. She turns to meet Chloe’s lips in a kiss.

This can wait, she supposes.

InStyle Magazine

Chloe Beale and Daniel Harrison step out in matching outfits!

The two were seen enjoying a coffee break in downtown Los Angeles after filming a scene for their film “A Gift” set to be released in the summer of next year.

The days away from Chloe are some of hardest.

Chloe is filming in Los Angeles while Beca works on her album in New York with a new, popular producer.

Her rental apartment feels less homely than she’d like. There’s a part of her that kind of misses touring. She had loved her first tour - the rush and thrill, before retiring to her tour bus or hotel room, alone, but still thrumming on adrenaline.

It’s just - Beca kind of misses Chloe and wishes her obligations didn’t drive her so far from Los Angeles.

She wonders vaguely if her manager had planned it this way - to push her across the country from Chloe. To separate them and force some pressure on their young and fragile relationship.

It’s mocking, almost, the distance. Like Beca could fix this if she so desired. Everything.

In her mind, Chloe reminds her that nothing’s broken.

Her answering machine beeps.

"Oh. Hi there, Bec! It's me."

Beca feels familiar warmth at the sound of Chloe's voice. She lets it wash over her, opting to just recline on the couch and gaze up at the ceiling.

She resists picking up because she’s still a little hurt that Chloe wouldn’t tell her about this fake-dating publicity stunt.

She picks up her bottle of beer again, waiting for the message to continue.

“Hello? Are you there? Well…I’m just leaving a message for you because I wanted to see how you were doing. I know it’s a bit late there now, but I just missed you and I wanted to hear your voice.” Chloe pauses, then, shyly says, “Among other things.” Beca blushes. “I guess you’re busy with work,” Chloe says lightly. “I read something the other day about how you were working on a collaboration! Congrats!” There’s static and interference.

Beca waits.

“Oh, hey, sorry I have to go. Talk to you soon, maybe?”

Beca downs the rest of her beer.

TMZ.com

Chloe Beale and Daniel Harrison heat up their romance! See photos from the date night at Casa Vega!

The two held hands and exited the establishment together! Seems like romance is brewing on and off screen and we’re here to provide all the photos.

Insiders tell us that the two are very happy together.

RELATED LINK: See photos of BFFs Beca Mitchell and Chloe Beale on the Vanity Fair Benefit Red Carpet.

Beca When were you going to tell me you have a new boyfriend? Or was an insider supposed to get that information to me as well.

Beca I’m sorry...I don’t know where that came from.

Chloe If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re jealous. ;)

Beca …

Chloe Meet me for coffee? Now that you’re back?

Beca can’t, i have work.

Beca does have work, but she can’t bring herself to concentrate. She feels like she needs to convey everything building up inside her or she might very literally burst.

Chloe comes around to Beca’s house.

“Are we in a fight?” she asks the moment Beca opens the door.

Beca can only shake her head no because she’s so happy to see Chloe in person again.

(It’s something she does - she punishes herself and denies herself any happiness because she thinks it’s what she deserves.)

She pulls Chloe in and meets her for a bruising kiss.

“But why didn’t you tell me?” Beca asks, finger stroking up Chloe’s arm.

“Well, I wasn’t sure at first, if it was what the producers wanted to do. Then when it finally happened, like officially, it was too late and every news outlet picked up on it. I wanted to tell you in person, I really did. But you know that I’m only coming home to you,” Chloe says, pushing at Beca’s arm so she’s hovering over her again. She leans down to nip at Beca’s lip.

“I don’t like the way he touches you,” Beca murmurs, trying to get it out between kisses.

Chloe sighs, sitting up straight, astride Beca’s thighs. “I don’t like the way some of your fans hang all over you, but you don’t hear me complaining, do you?” Beca stifles a smile. She has heard Chloe complain many times.

“It’s part of the job,” Beca says without thinking. She groans when Chloe’s eyes light up.

Chloe grins triumphantly, doing a little fist pump. “Ditto,” she says, dodging Beca’s hands as she tries to grab at her arms. She leaps out of bed, laughing a little when Beca makes a grab for her again, missing dramatically.

It warms Beca knowing that this is a side of Chloe only she gets to see.

Later, Chloe is fiddling nervously with her phone as she wanders into Beca’s study where she’s working on a new song.

“What’s wrong?” Beca asks instantly when she catches sight of Chloe’s hesitance. “Is it what’s-his-face?”

Chloe doesn’t bother correcting her, which is both concerning and amusing. Instead, she shakes her head. “I have an idea, which I just brought up to Aubrey and she said it was a great idea.”

Beca holds back a comment and waits for Chloe to continue.

“Well, what if you...hung out with me and Daniel on a few of our...outings.” Beca hates it when Chloe uses the word ‘dates’ especially since their own dates are consistently fraught with sneaky handholds and hidden kisses.

“Hang out,” Beca repeats. “Like a third wheel.”

“Yeah,” Chloe says. “But...please don’t say it like that. I miss you and I feel like we don’t get to go out as often while I’m working on this movie. It’s just for a a month or so more, just up until we do post-production.”

"Yeah, and then there'll be a press tour," Beca says grumpily.

Chloe bites her lip, nodding.

It’s completely insane but Beca has learned that there are no limits for studios and producers when there’s money involved.

“Can’t get out of that part of the contract?” she guesses, and judging by the look on Chloe’s face, she’s right.

“We could run it by Jennifer. Aubrey thinks it should be fine. Besides, it has to look like you semi-approve of him, I guess, since we’re best friends and all,” she says, nudging Beca.

“Oh, well if Aubrey thinks it’s a great idea, it must be,” Beca says before she can help herself. She’s still bristling from the first time she met Chloe’s ruthless manager.

“Beca,” Chloe says. She grins, settling herself on Beca’s lap comfortably. “It’s a lot to ask, I know. But I’m just a girl, standing in front of my girlfriend, asking her if she’ll go on a date with me and my fake boyfriend.”

“Okay, you hear how ridiculous that sounds, right?” Beca asks, without any real bite. She reminds herself that secrecy is part of her own brand; her own insecurities. She had suggested secrecy above all, so long as it gave her a chance at Chloe Beale.

And Chloe has accommodated her all this while, even finding ways to include her in her ridiculous schemes and fake whirlwind romances.

“Try it once,” Chloe says, tangling her hands in Beca’s hair.

Beca hates how weak she is.

Beca We’re doing the date thing, i guess

Jennifer Yes, i got the heads up from Aubrey Posen. That woman is insane.

Jennifer Remember - your image is-

Beca sighs, clicking her phone off.

She tries – she really does.

Their first outing together is a near disaster. Beca can’t bring herself to do anything with her face except grimace. She tries to smile, but all she sees is the way Daniel’s disproportionately long arm is slung around Chloe’s shoulders, like he has a right to do that. Beca wants to put her normally-sized arm around Chloe’s shoulders in public.

The worst part is, this first outing is going to the fucking movies.

Beca hates movies and she especially hates theaters.

Still, the paparazzi get their shots as they enter the theater, which is enough. Beca watches with satisfaction as Chloe shrugs his arm off and stands closer to Beca, smiling at her comfortingly.

“What are we watching?” Beca asks begrudgingly.

In the end, she supposes it doesn’t matter because Chloe’s fingers tangle with hers in the comfort of the dark theater.

All Beca can think is that sunlight should never be smothered, holding hands with her favourite person.

Beca thinks she should be used to it by now - watching Chloe fake-date this ever-cheerful man. It takes a turn for the worst when she realizes that Chloe considers him a friend and that they might actually be obliged to hang out with him once Chloe is done with this movie.

The thought sends a shudder through Beca because they hang out with him enough already. She doesn’t know what would happen if they had to go to his house for dinner.

Well, she does know, kind of, because they’re invited to his home for a dinner party. She hates his matching cutlery and fancy dishware.

What she hates most is his music taste. She scoffs at everything on his shelf, taking pride in the fact that Chloe has once complained about his ridiculous fixation on country music. Beca would never do that to her girlfriend.

“So, you and Chloe are pretty serious, huh?” he asks, pouring Beca more wine. “What has it been? Three months already?”

Beca glances around. She’s still not used to talking about her relationship publicly, but she supposes Daniel should know just one reason amidst many as to why Chloe won’t date him for real.

“Yes,” is all she offers him. “Thanks for the wine.” She pauses. “And it’s been four months, thank you very much.”

She bites back the childish, it’s more than your zero, because you have no shot.

She hates him.

Beca feels both vindicated and disgusted when her hate is validated.

They’re on a ‘date’ at a coffee shop when Daniel tries to kiss Chloe mid sentence. He misses because Chloe turns her cheek in time, but the intent is there. Beca nearly drops her cup and Chloe looks like she’s torn between slapping him right on the spot or punching him in the face.

Consciously, Beca knows both would be bad for Chloe’s image, so she puts a hand on Chloe’s arm, soothing her, even though she knows she would love to be privy to that particular scene. Especially now.

Chloe, through clenched teeth, says “let’s call a car. I would like to go home now.”

They wait outside the restaurant, eyes facing forward. Beca feels rage build up inside her and she quickly stuffs her hands into her jacket pockets so paparazzi can’t catch the way her hands are balled into tight fists. She doesn’t want to see the news items splashed across the front page.

“What the hell was that?” Chloe demands, tugging her hand out of his grasp once they’re safely nestled in the car. Daniel wisely sits in the front, letting Chloe and Beca sit together in the back. “If you ever try to kiss me again, let alone in front of my girlfriend, I’m going to punch you straight in the mouth,” she says, taking the words right out from under Beca.

“Sorry, I got a little -” he gestures between them. “You two were just off in your own little world. I was…”

“Okay, but we’re not dating, so you don’t have any right to be jealous,” Chloe says and it’s so acidic and sharp that Beca has to do a double take and ensure that she’s still talking to Chloe Beale.

It fades as quickly as it comes however, because Chloe is sagging a little, her posture and stance loosening. She shakes her head as if to clear it.

“Of course I’m jealous,” Daniel says incredulously. “You’re - you,” he states, a little weakly, as if that’s enough to explain everything.

Beca completely understands.

Chloe is beautiful and charming and she never fails to shine no matter what room she’s in. Beca finds herself a little jealous of Chloe herself sometimes, with the ease with which she carries herself. Chloe has never cowered from the spotlight in any way, taking on indie roles and pay cuts when necessary in order to push forward a project she truly believed in.

Still, “that’s really inappropriate, considering I was right there,” Beca says, a little - okay, a lot - angrily.

He looks appropriately chastened, which surprises Beca because she had been expecting more of a fight. She appreciates him backing down, but she still hates him with every fiber in her being. It’s not like he and Chloe have ever kissed publicly before. Beca knows this.

She shifts closer to Chloe as best as she can on the leather seat, eyes narrowed on him. Before she can say anything, Chloe beats her to the punch - though unfortunately, not literally.

“Don’t even think about telling anybody as some weird form of revenge,” Chloe says softly, though her voice is dangerous. Beca shivers at the fire in her eyes. “Or I’ll tell everybody what you’re really like. I don’t think your career could deal with a devastating blow to it at this point.”

It’s the closest to condescending that Beca has ever heard from Chloe Beale.

She loves it.

(She loves her.)

TMZ.com

BFFs Beca Mitchell and Chloe Beale on the rocks?

The two starlets were seen out with Beale’s boyfriend, Daniel Harrison. This is not an uncommon occurrence, but we here at TMZ have noticed a trend. Mitchell never looks particularly happy and insiders tell us it’s because she wants Harrison for herself!

Insiders tell us that Mitchell is jealous of Beale and how easily she found love.

Well. If looks could kill.

Can their friendship survive or is there something more brewing under the surface?

tbc // ch. 1 | ch. 2 | ch. 3 | ch. 4 | ch. 5 | ch. 6 | ch. 7

happy bechloe week.

[asthemagpieflies]

How to Save Money for your Next Road Trip

We’re all dreaming of the next big trip. Sometimes even while we’re in the middle of the current one, we’re already planning the next one. The hang up that a lot of us have is that oftentimes our dreams exceed our pocket books. Here’s some tips for saving for your next trip.

1. CUT BACK ON EATING OUT

The fact of the matter is that eating out is expensive, and detrimental to any kind of eating out that you would like to do on your next trip. Think of it this way: Every drink or meal you eat out at home is one less drink or meal you can have on your trip.

Bonus Points: Every time you think of going to eat out or ordering a pizza, put $20 in your trip Piggy Bank, it adds up fast!  

 2. PARK THE CAR IN THE GARAGE.

Gas and wear and tear on your car on your daily commute is killing your adventure budget. Depending on your commute, try walking, taking the bus, or even making your bike your daily commuter. Even paying for gas for your bike is still gonna cut back the black pit of doom that is your daily commute.

Bonus Points: Do the math, how much money are you saving not putting gas in your car every week? Put the amount your saving in your piggy bank. For example I pay $56 every week on gas for the truck, if I commute on the bike that’s $11 a week, so put $45 a week into the trip Piggy Bank.

3. CUT BACK ON TOYS

This sounds counter intuitive I know. However, do you really need that new tablet, camera or phone? I’m not saying that you can’t buy new farkles for your bike that are going to make your trip more comfortable. I’m saying, stop and seriously consider every purchase that’s not a necessity. Do you really need new clothes, or are you falling into ‘fast fashion’?  Do you really need those new tools, or are your old ones just fine? Think about your priorities here.

Bonus Points: Put the money you were going to use to buy those toys with, into that dang trip Piggy Bank.

4.DO ODD JOBS

Google “Ways to Earn Money on the Couch”. Weed out the scams of course, but there are SO many ways to make a little extra cash in your spare time without even leaving the house. Got a car or a truck? Drive for Uber or Lyft on the weekends. Take surveys, write resumes for people.

5. PUT A LITTLE AWAY EACH WEEK

This is the most obvious one, but it’s important to remember. Put a little money away each and every week leading up to your trip. Break down all “necessity” pieces of your travel budget (gas, food, lodging and paperwork), add it up then divide it by how many weeks there are between you and your trip. That’s how much you need to put away each week to make it happen. Any extra you make from odd jobs etc, is more fuel for your ‘fun money’ or maybe upgrading your accommodations.

6. FOCUS ON YOUR GOAL

Make reminders for yourself or your goal. It gets hard to be ok with all of this saving, if you’re not constantly reminding yourself of your end goal, what you’re sacrificing for. Make a vision board. Print out or cut out pictures from magazines of the places you want to see and make sure it’s somewhere you have to look at it every day. Add to it!

Spend some time every week planning and adding to your trip. Make weird reminders on your phone’s calendar with notes like “HEY GUESS WHERE YOU’RE GOING IN A COUPLE WEEKS” Keep. the. Hype. Going.

7. BUY BULK GENERIC GROCERIES

Stop. Buying. Brand. Name. Food. You can save a ton of money just by buying the store/generic brand of your normal foods. In addition, you should be buying bulk in anything you can. Especially pasta, rice, flour, oatmeal, and nuts.

Bonus Points: Buy Groceries like you normally would, keep the receipt. Then when you buy the next round of groceries, do your best to purchase the same kinds of foods but only the generic brand or in bulk. Subtract the difference in your two grocery bills, and put that extra money into your piggy bank.  

  8. STAY AT HOME | DO FREE STUFF

You’re already paying to live in your home. Spend some more time there. Don’t cut yourself off entirely, but when your friends suggest going to the bar, meeting at a coffee shop, or going to a movie, suggest something a little less expensive. Go to a *free* park. Go hang out in a National Forest, or down by the river. Try to avoid places where you have to pay to park.  Take up hiking, not only will you get a great workout (that will help your stamina on your trip), but it takes up a good chunk of your free time without costing more than the gas to get to the trailhead.

Bonus Points: Put $5-10 in your Trip Piggy Bank everytime you leave the house and you’re not going to get groceries or go to work.

9. SELL YOUR STUFF

This isn’t always a viable option, but almost everyone has some stuff they could probably get rid of. Clean out the garage, clean out your closet and make a pile. Already have a goodwill pile? Try and sell it for a couple bucks before you take it in. There’s a bunch of different apps you can list your stuff on, Facebook (sell stuff in appropriate groups), Ebay more valuable items, Craiglist it, Letgo, Offerup, Decluttr or have a yard sale.

10. CUT AWAY EXTRA BILLS

Cut out every subscription bill you can. I’m talking about Hulu, TV/Cable, Audible, Pandora, Spotify, Google Play Music, Naturebox or any kind of Subscription Box, any subscriptions you have with Amazon for various products, or …. Netflix. I know I know, life without Netflix sounds like a nightmare, but you know what? Youtube is free.  Sony Crackle also has free movies.

[inthispagewestanikon]

First Encaunter <3 - a Junhoe scenario:

word count:1.2k

Ps: song: iKon - Only you

Ps²:If there’s any grammar mistake, I apologize!

Since a very young age I always loved books, any kind of books really and as I grew older I knew that whatever I did I should be connected to books somehow, maybe a teacher or Korean literature. However, life started showing me a reality I did not like at all, a reality where parents should shower their daughters with dolls and fashion magazines, rather than what they actually wanted, of course some girls could just really play with dolls and they’re free to do so because that’s what they like, but if they don’t then they don’t need to.

The stereotype embeved not only in Korean culture, but in all cultures, that girls have to grow up to fulfill this mother and wife role really bothered me to the point where I’d argue everyday with teachers and classmates.

One day at this random old library I used to go to, the old lady who owned it approached me after seeing the books I had been reading for the past weeks and I remember her saying loud and clear that  I should fight against the tide to stand my ground, she then gifted me a book called ‘The female Eunuch” by Germaine Greer and from that day on I always carry it with me, like a Lucky charm.

A year after this encounter my mom received a call from a friend in Italy saying that he got her a scholarship in this famous art course. I was fourteen then and because my dad had a ridiculous amount of working hours to do, my mom ended up taking me and my sister along with her and we lived there for two long and eye opening years.

Coming back to korea I felt like someone totally new, I learned so much about feminism and ways I could change little by little the society I’m a part of. I learned a lot about political and social Science and that brings me to where I am today.

...

My lectures for the day were all finished and I had to go to my mom’s gallery in order to help her with the new paintings that arrived. I took the subway since her shop was in Itaewon and Yonsei was about thirty minutes far away. As soon as I got there she greeted me with a big smile.

“Oh! You’re here” She said giving me a hug. My mom has always been a very loving person, but after living in Italy she was very much into skinship.

“Yes yes” I said smilling.

“Come here, you need to take a look at these amazing paintings that came in today” she said excitingly and grabbed me by my hand.

We reached the storage room and there were so much paintings spreaded out.

“Mom, I told you to wait for me” I shook my head upon the mess she made.

“Sorry honey, I was so excited” Sometimes she sounded like a little girl, but at least I know who I got my intense passion from.

The new paintings were beautiful and as the new season was approaching the shop would be crowed for the next few days, filled with very wealthy people who came to buy exclusives for their collections, that means we have to get everything ready by next week, however, dealing with paintings requires so much care and caution.

...

It was about nine p.m when I finished my part and my mom was still there finishing up some work. Don’t get me wrong, I would’ve stayed and helped her close but she pratically kicked me out. So, after taking a bus here I am at this convenience store getting ramen. As I waited in line to pay a tall person stood behind me, I knew she/he was tall because a shadow came over me, so I decided to peek to see who was it and once I did I swear my jaw dropped to the floor.

We both were staring at each other intensely not knowing what to say, I mean that guy standing right there was my childhood crush and oh God, I haven’t seen him in so long that now he feels like a stranger.

“Hi’ He said quietly while scratching his head.

“H-hi” I bowed.

“So long” He said trying to look unbothered but I still knew that expression and it meant ‘what the hell am I doing?’ It was hard to get him embaressed but apparently I did.

“Yes, you’re a singer now huh” I said casually, doing the same as him and paying for my food.

“Yes, what about you? You moved to Italy and I never heard of you again” He said putting his stuff in the counter.

“Well, I study at Yonsei now” I said. It was funny seeing us act unbothered and ignoring the tension.

“Wah, knowing you I thought you’d never come back” He said.

“I am here right?” Lots and lots of things might have changed but me and Jun Hoe would always be pulling each other strings. “Anyway, what’s with the clothes?” I asked after seeing his flannel shirt and adidas pants, he looked like a beggar.

“Oh, this? It’s style...You know it?” He asked with a dirty smirk and raised eyebrows.

“I do, but do you?” I said back and he just twirled around as an answer.

After that we just stared at each other a bit without saying a word, there was a lot to catch up but I’d rather just accept that we changed.

“I’ll get going now” I said breaking the silence.

“Ah sure, go safely” He said and I bowed.

I decided to just walk back home, I definitely had some thinking to do but I don’t know if I want to. It was crazy to think that my childhood crush is now an idol that still makes thirteen year old girls swoon, older ones as well. As expected from him.

This encounter got me feeling nostalgic and reminiscing the times where we would play together at school, we were a duo for sure, even though he was a year ahead of me. I quickly shook those thoughts away and entered home, I took off my shoes and my dad greeted me.

“You’re home! Where’s your mother?” he asked.

“She insisted in staying and finish up work” I answered while making my way to the kitchen.

“Oh, that woman, seriously” He said like he was mad at his little kid “Go put on warm clothes, it’s cold” He then scolded me, probably because he can’t scold mom for being sttuborn. In moments like these I miss my sister living here so we can share the burden.

I showered and put on comfortable warm clothes, I was in the bathroom brushing my hair when his image came to my mind.

“What the hell? Stop this now” I said to my reflection while pointing at it with my hairbrush.

I went to the kitchen and ate my ramen, after finishing I cleaned up everything and went to my room. I then read a chapter of my beloved book like it was a bible, and stopped when I heard the front door close signing my mom was home. Finally I could sleep.

A/N: So, first of all, I hope you enjoy this “scenario” and yes, there will be a continuation since it’s kind of a series/fic idk what to call it yet…

ALSO, very important, I try to be realistic when writing something, so, given that the characters are korean I wanted to showcase some sort of realness with the “wah” and other ‘slangs’ if you may. I am in no way trying to copy them, just give a more “real life” feel to it!!!

[matohasshittaste]

Paws instead of dust 2/? (EN)

Sorry for the delay... I’ve been suffering anxiety and depression these days and I can’t go to the computer unless it’s to study... 

Please do remember that I don’t own these pets, they’re @owosa ‘s pets. 

Bye.

Sans was sitting at the table in his room, pencil in hand, lost eyes and thousands of thoughts in his head. His two new pets were sleeping on a makeshift bed that Sans had made with old sheets and a couple of cushions covered and placed on the sides so that the pets could sleep as they wanted. He could have given them more comfort by giving them the old sheets from when he was a young (and great) skeleton, however NOBODY was going to touch his blankets of cars and rockets . They were well guarded in a place where nobody could ever find them ... That is, under his pillow. At the moment the slaves did not seem to complain about their new home, the dog was asleep with his tongue out while the rabbit used the dog as a bed.

 As long as they did not bother him, Sans could keep thinking ... Food. Bed. Medicines. Entertainment. It is true that Sans never had pets (except for his brother, of course), it was difficult for him to understand what they required to live. He was very new to that, but he was so hollow-headed that he was not going to allow two lives as simple and minor as those two to be finished. Now they belonged to him. Therefore, he had to show that he was the best at taking care of any two animals. Although for many, belonging to Sans was a torture rather than a blessing ... The small skeleton did not see it that way. He was so proud that he was even capable of facing himself in order to win.

 And that meant facing a whole town that was looking for EXP easily and for free.

 Look, another problem to add to the list: security.

 He had to write it, noticing then that his pencil had the end too bitten because of Sans thinking about his things while his hyperactivity was out of control. He growled, dropping his pencil, thinking of possibilities while looking at the ceiling. Should be easy to take care of animals, however it was not. If he already had to deal with a useless brother, two slaves would be more of the same. But at least these did not leave underwear on the floor, nor did the house smell of tobacco (and other things). Although it should be noted that his room smelled like a wet dog because he had recently been bathed, and since they did not have a hair dryer because they were skeletons, Sans put a warm blanket on the animals, changing them every so often so they would not get sick. He seemed to have done well ... But that led to discover that the dog was VERY thin, and his fur hid it masterfully. Therefore the word food was underlined, because the dog needed to eat more. And because of that, he did not cut the dog’s hair, to keep hiding that thinness, and keep it warm in his home.

 It was very good to think about that, but now he had to consider how to get everything he needed. Maybe in some store ...? But would there be things for pets? He had no idea. But staying still was not going to solve anything. And he hated sitting for a long time. So after deciding that it was time to go for a walk around Snowdin, he proceeded to get up. Hopefully the store near his house would be open. After taking his gloves and his scarf he gave one last look at the pets. They were asleep. If they were blind in the right eye, he would ensure that they were his brother's children, just as lazy ...

 -I'LL BE OUT FOR A WHILE. YOU ARE GOING TO STAY IN THE HALL WITH MY BROTHER. YOU'RE GOING TO BE GOOD OR I WILL TAKE YOU TO PAPYRUS’ ROOM.

 He obviously threatened to go to the most disgusting room in the house: his brother's. Or at least for Sans, of course. The thing is that he took the slaves in his arms, which only one complained, clearly the rabbit, while the dog took that as an invitation to the affection that ended in an unwanted lick in the face of the skeleton, who almost threw the pets to the ground for that.

 -DO NOT DO THAT AGAIN. IT'S DISGUSTING.

 He said, since it was well known that this skeleton did not appreciate affection. The dog just lowered its head, to which the rodent ended up grumbling. He did not seem to like anything , or rather nothing that had to do with giving the dog a goose bump.

 Ignoring that, Sans went down to the living room, carefully so that his pets did not have an unfortunate fall, being warned by his brother, who watched television in his underwear AGAIN. Disgusting useless.

 -YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THESE TWO WHILE I GO OUT. IT WILL BE SHORT.

 -no thanks.

 -I WAS NOT ASKING.

 - being both an obligation and a request, i refuse. they are not my pets, i already said it. and soon you'll get tired of them, i do not care what happens to them.

 Papyrus kept being A BIT negative with the theme of pets. For him they were only more expenses for the house. As if there were not enough already. But unfortunately Sans had a complex of spoiled even when Papyrus few things gave him in his life, so when he left the animals on the floor, next to the couch, he kept talking.

 -I'll NOT GET TIRED OF THEM, NOW THEY ARE OF MY PROPERTY, AND I HAVE MANY PLANS FOR THOSE TWO. SO JUST TRY NOT TO LET THEM DIE OR BREAK SOMETHING. AS WELL AS YOU WATCH TELEVISION ALL DAY WITHOUT DOING ANYTHING YOU CAN AND WILL LOOK AT TWO ANIMALS. THEY ARE EXHAUSTED SO THEY WILL SLEEP FOR A LONG TIME.

 -obviusly, you've bathed them.

 Papyrus hated the bathrooms. His foul odor was a clear warning of that. Sans narrowed his eyes, but once he checked in a quick glance that nothing in the house could be an escape for the animals, he let it be.

 - STOP CRYING LIKE A BABY FOR EVERYTHING. I WILL TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING.

 -pffft, it's you who cries for everything and for nothing in reality.

 Whispered Papyrus to himself. Sans put his hands in jar position.

 -WHAT DID YOU SAY?!

 -yeeeees, i'll be watching them. but if i fall asleep it's not my problem.

 -WELL, AT LEAST YOU HAVE TWO NEW COMPANIONS THAT SLEEP LIKE YOU. THE LAZY FAMILY.

 Although Sans had planned to train that dog to become the most fearsome of all the underground. It would be so strong that no one would dare to question Sans! Clearly that was something he dreamed, not that it was going to become real.

 Once the small skeleton made sure that everything was in order he proceeded to leave the house, facing the cruel snow of Snowdin who welcomed the flogging skeleton clothes, seeking to freeze him, but being a skeleton couldn’t. The skeleton closed the door, looking both ways to make sure there was nothing suspicious nearby. Nothing. Everything was quiet, or at least what was considered as quiet in that world, which was basically no wild revolt.

 He made his way to the nearest store there was: Doggo's house. He arrived at the shop shortly after walking, where he opened the door slamming it with his chest inflated and superior, as he always did to attract attention. He liked to make impactful entrances ... Ironic considering his height, but if someone came to comment on that, Sans ended up killing the subject who dared to say that.

 -Ugh, you again?

 Doggo said, lowering the magazine that he had to keep in constant motion to read, while smoking a bone for dogs. How was he able to smoke a bone? Magic. But Sans, just seeing the dog, smiled victoriously, because he realized that there he had answers for many questions that had been formulating at home. Doggo narrowed his eyes, watching Sans always move as he watched what the store offered. All under a yellow plastic to not be stolen without the dog noticing, of course. But the dog suspected the skeleton for other reasons.

 -I paid my taxes two days ago. I have ... five left?

 He said raising an eyebrow. The client shook his head.

 -I’M HERE TO ASK QUESTIONS.

 That, in that world, was never good news.

 - Come now ... I'm not a snitch. I'm sorry but from this snout I'm not going to drop any bones.

 Distrustful as always. Sans let him be.

 -YES. I KNOW IT VERY WELL. BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU THINGS ABOUT YOU ... AS A DOG. YOU KNOW.

 -Explain yourself.

 -WHAT DO YOU EAT BEING A DOG?

 -Things of dogs. Anything else?

 Sans clenched a fist at that answer SO OBVIOUS. But he had to restrain himself. For his sake and for that of the pet.

 -THIS IS ... TOO OBVIOUS. AND I NEED TO KNOW SOMETHING MORE SPECIFIC. MEAT, VEGETABLES, FRUITS. THOSE THINGS.

 -Are you going to manage what we eat? Are you so desperate to control us that you even resort to food? To another dog with that bone.

 -NO, NOTHING OF THAT. THIS CONVERSATION IS CONFIDENTIAL. I ONLY NEED TO KNOW IT FOR PERSONAL REASONS.

 Doggo smiled wickedly, moving his smoked bone to the other side of his mouth, leaving the magazine to focus directly on Sans, leaning forward to see it better.

 - Do you have a kidnapped dog or something? Come on, say it, I'll be a good boy and I will not tell anyone. I just want to entertain myself with something.

 Sans did not know how to continue. That dog longed to have a valid explanation about the reason for the questions. And staying a few seconds still, thinking, in the end he had to resort to a plan that he hated with all his soul, but seeing the circumstances there was no other choice ...

 "YOU DO IT FOR THE DOG, GREAT, MAGNIFICENT AND TERRORIFIC SANS. AS SOON AS YOU DO IT, THE BETTER ".

 The skeleton inhaled deeply, closing his eyes ... And then he raised a hand quickly, directing it towards the dog, who raised his eyebrows alerted, thinking that he was going to attack him. The fight was about to begin ...

 But the victory was clear from the beginning. Well, Sans did caress the dog. A few caresses with the tip of his bony fingers on the head of the dog, which only remained with eyes wide open for a few seconds, but as Sans caressed, the dog leaned towards those affections that were his great weakness. Slowly the dog was looking for the perfect position to be scratched: with the head lying on its objects to sell and with the skull to the side, allowing Sans to reach the ears, the neck, and so, slowly but surely the skeleton knew that already there would be no questions, no suspicion.

 The loyalty of that dog was easily earned with pampering.

 - WHAT DO DOGS EAT?

 -Hmmmeat ... Fi-fis... (uh, there, there, ahhh ~~~ yes ...) Fish ... Hmmm ~ rice too ...

 -ANYTHING ELSE?

 -We like ... carrots ... pears ... grrr, bananas ...

 - AND WHAT YOU CAN NOT EAT UNDER ANY CONCEPT?

 -Grrrapes, Can ~ dy, choco-chocolate ... Beer less! But I take it anyway hehehe ... Onions, garlic ...

 -GOOD GUY.

 - Very good b-boy?

 - VERY GOOD, NO DOUBT. AND WHAT DO YOU DO TO BE ENTERTAINED?

 -Bite things. Ropes in ssspecial ... Pursue others ... But that changes ac-according to the doooog. I love caresses, I love them! I love them with all my being! Give me more!

 Although that seemed reasonable, Sans did not seem to believe that the dog adopted was just to run, but to receive affection from the one who appreciated. During the short time he had him, he had dedicated himself to being in a corner with the rabbit, little else. Maybe because of fear? Who knows. He should find out eventually.

 -AND HOW DO YOU BATH? CAN YOU AVOID THAT ODOR TO WET DOG IF YOU DID BATH?

 -Sham-p-p-oooo special for dogs, I sell here some ev-ven ... And no! I hate fragrance, I never use them!

 While they talked, the dog had changed position, and literally on the table, he was turning around so that the other monster would scratch his belly. It would be fun if Sans was not solely focused on his goal of obtaining information and memorizing it.

 -MEDICINES? WHAT OF THEM?

 -Undyne, the scientiiific (owowowow so good ...) gives them to us. But they are very expensive.

 -LAST QUESTION. BED?

 -That depends on the dog a-again ... I sleep in a basket! I like baskets. I can bite while I sleep. It is nice. Like this…

 Then Sans stopped, feeling somehow a prostitute for having cared a dog that had enjoyed it too much, so much that he was still in the posture, in such a stupor of pleasure that he was not able to react. Sans wiped his hand with his pants, taking out some coins from his pocket to take two shampoos, depositing the money on the table next to the pooch. He could have stolen it, but he had honor ... Or he thought he had it after what happened.

 -THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. YOU'VE BEEN A GOOD DOG. SO, UNTIL NEXT TIME.

 The dog just wagged his tail in the middle of his enjoyment, without even articulating more words. Sans left the store with the two shampoos under his arm. He had everything he needed practically except for the medicines, which he would surely ask Papyrus to take care of that. He hated having to deal with Undyne, because she somehow put him on nerves ... And something had to be done by his useless brother.

 Thinking that his mission had been a total success, and anxious to erase unpleasant memories of his mind, he went to complete the second mission he had pending: to discover information about rabbits. Luckily that was as easy as talking to the royal guards, who were precisely rabbits, and as he considered himself the leader he could get information right away. Of them or Alphys. It was easy and simple. So, feeling his near victory, he headed towards the surveillance posts, ready to obtain information without doubt ...

 But better without having to resort to the physical. For the sake of your mental health

 01110000 01100001 01010000 01011001 01010010 01010101 01010011 00100000 01010000 01001111 01010110

 Papyrus was lying on the couch, watching television half-lying, one leg in the air and the other leaning on the sofa, his hands behind his head so he could be comfortable watching the television programs, which were mostly trash, but the skeleton just looked for something to keep his eyes and ignore his mind, which always tried to remember all the problems that happened in his life, but mainly in his home.

 In a world immersed in shit like that, the only good thing he had was to keep it at shore ... And even if it was ironic, that only thing of value that he had was his brother. The tall skeleton knew well that his brother was spoiled, impatient and demanding, perhaps even bordering on the psychopath considering his constant need to be above others, to the point of physically hurting. But for Papyrus he was still just a whimsical child ... Well, that's how he had raised him, and he had to endure it until his brother matured. Which he saw impossible. And that always led to his brother committing certain crazy things that the elder brother had to deal with from the shadows without anyone knowing. Maybe that's why everything tasted bitter, everything was lazy throughout the day, because he always had to pick up the shit his brother left behind. And since Sans was very Sans, that was constantly happening.

 In those moments his new adventure included two pets to which he was sure he had brought by force. Purpose? Neither did he know it. He supposed it was a whim like that of wearing armor, an idea taken from a comic book they found in the Waterfall dump looking for things for the house. And, of course, Papyrus now had to take care of those two pets, which he looked at from the corner of his eye from time to time, checking that they had been placed under the table almost broken, without stopping sleeping, or apparently sleeping ...

 Papyrus snorted, sinking deeper into the sofa, which had some broken springs and it showed.

 -i suppose that in a few days i'll have to leave you in the woods, when sans tires of you ... as always.

 He said out loud, rolling the light that was his only functional eye. The other stopped emitting light a long time ago, the reasons were unknown and only the most twisted part of Papyrus's past knew it.

 -until then we are going to have to live together as best as possible. if you want to survive my brother, of course.

 Papyrus already assumed that his brother would throw them away when he got bored, or when they tried to impose him and ended up killing them for insubordination, any possibility was viable. The animals, however, barely noticed, just moving a little in the safe place they had found. But even if Papyrus did a lot of speculation, he did not know how much his brother was trying to keep the pets.

 A little more time passed, with the television showing programs to each more stupid, until Papyrus was a little hungry. To be a skeleton without organs tended to suffer hunger every time, especially if it did not ingest anything magical with what to recover energy. Even skeletons needed to eat ... And when was the last time he ate something? Three days ago? He was so lazy to eat that he could even die of hunger to avoid having to move around a lot, speaking metaphorically, of course.

 Mumbling, he surrendered to the demand of his body, and ended up getting up to go to the kitchen, because he had little magic and he could tell by how his eye did not let him see all that well. He hated having to feed, it was tedious and fucking expensive. At least for a selfish rat like him. But he had to do it. If he left Sans alone in that world, he could never forgive himself. He was the reason why his bones remained united, although he never told his brother and he was always apathetic ...

 When he reached the kitchen he opened the fridge, scratching his tailbone as he knew, observing the little food inside. To save food they always bought what they needed every day, so there was only the essential in the house ... Which did not work. But as always, Sans left a plate of food in the refrigerator covered in clear plastic for when Papyrus deigned to eat. As many times that did not happen, at the end his brother finished having dinner, which was to kill two birds with one stone ...

 Speaking of killing things. When he opened the refrigerator, two heads peered into the kitchen. The rabbit and the dog stared at the skeleton, noticing smells that interested them very quickly. Papyrus noticed that, so he looked at them out of the corner of his eye as he was leaning in the fridge, seeing that dish so supremely appetizing.

 - are you hungry? i could give you something ... hopefully you will get fat and you will be a good feast for when he want to get rid of you.

 He said in a chillingly cold tone, chuckling at his little dark joke. Although for him that was going to be a very close reality. And the idea of eating rodent or dog ... It was tempting. It was meat after all, and when hunger lurked even a rock seemed appetizing. The animals however were not aggressive, just kept staring. The dog sticking out its tongue and the rabbit with half-closed eyes ... But due to the position they were in, Papyrus could assure that the rodent was on top of the dog, as if it were his personal horse. Strange. But he didn’t care.

 -Well, let's see what we have for you that is not harmful ...

 Papyrus, due to his visits to Undyne's laboratory, knew what some creatures ate and what they did not eat. Basically because among the many dirty jobs he had, some were to feed the ... "guests" of Undyne. And the possibility that they were two pets that fled from Undyne's laboratory went through the head of the tall skeleton several times. However, he was not going to deliver them to the scientist. Dying at the hands of skeletons would be better than dying at the hands of a scientist with serious moral problems. It was more dignified, and certainly less painful. Although with a good financial compensation ...

 The question was that Sans could have gathered information in a quick and simple way, which was asking his brother, but Papyrus never showed signs of knowing about those things. If he did not even know how to take care of himself, how the hell would he know how to take care of others? It was easy to think like that. And Sans sinned not to ask his brother, who would also have offered to help, but if his brother got things for himself he was in a better mood, and that was good, both for his self-esteem and Papyrus's migraines.

 The skeleton took Sans's plate out of the fridge. Stuffed burritos. For a long time he did them with everything he found, and with everything it means EVERYTHING. Earth, stones, flowers ... Once he even dared to bring garbage. After several days of unstable magic due to the intoxication with magical food, Sans learned to take care of what he was taking, and little by little he learned to cook better ... Although burritos were the only dish they managed to make. And since the vegetables were much cheaper than the meat, there was a plate of burritos with crushed vegetables and homemade salsa ready to be heated and eaten. Vegetables ... That was good. Not for him, of course.

 - In short, with this you can survive, I guess.

 The skeleton said, taking out the plate with no intention to heat it. It did not matter if it was hot or not, but the pets could feel dislike of the hot, so he decided to remove the clear plastic and go to the living room, where it was forbidden to eat but it did not care. The animals - actually the dog - followed him attentively, raising their snout, and in the case of the dog, wagging his tail slightly happy. Papyrus sat down, opening the burrito to see the food inside. And they were precisely perfect for pets.

 -lool, if poverty sometimes brings something good, hahaha.

 Mocking his own situation with acid humor, he took a first bite to check that it was good. A bit hard, because Sans had to perfect things, but it was edible. It was not considered a delicacy but it could be eaten.

 -u arg lugy gag gis is ogay.

 He was never a skeleton of refined manners, so after swallowing, he took out a piece of vegetables for each pet, throwing them to the ground where they were supposed to catch it. First the rabbit, which picked the food carefully, sniffing it and then proceeding to give small bites, distrustful, but in the end sure that it was good. Papyrus raised an eyebrow at that attitude. Maybe they tried to poison them some time? The dog in turn wanted to accept food by opening its jaws, however, seeing that it fell to the ground whimpered a bit, but ended up having to take it directly from the ground. After a few seconds of tasting he looked at the dog and made a strange gesture with his head. The dog then accepted the piece of vegetables, so happy that even his tail swept the ground gently. Papyrus narrowed his eyes with a drop falling on his forehead. Was it his impression or had the dog asked for permission ...?

 He shook his head, ignoring that fact, thinking they were just mere pets. Simple extra expenses for the house.

 The animals took very little time to eat, practically once they found that it was in a decent state (not extremely fresh but edible) they gave only two pieces to eat it. The dog seemed happy with that, but the rabbit ... The rodent continued to stare at Papyrus, who had already taken another bite of his burrito. As he felt the constant pressure of being watched, he directed his gaze to the rabbit's, which rose on its two legs sniffing.

 -do you want more?

 The rodent did not respond, it was obvious that he was not going to do it. It was an animal.

 - well, pay the rent.

 And he kept eating, watching TV almost on the verge of falling apart.

 The rabbit, seeing that the food was disappearing, looked at his companion, who returned his gaze moving his tail happier than usual. The white-furred animal made a gesture, a simple tug at his own ear, and the dog instantly responded by tilting his head. The rabbit continued to incite the dog to do strange things, catching Papyrus' attention just as the dog was already lying on the ground with his belly directed at the ceiling. The skeleton raised its eyebrow, thinking that innocently it wanted to play. Would he have to bother stroking his gut ...? It was not within his duties dictated by Sans. However, the dog insisted much more, staring at the rodent and the skeleton, looking desperate for affection.

 -i wish you knew how to play dead ...

 He whispered as he sighed, bending down so that this heavy dog would stop doing stupid things. He scratched a few seconds the dog's gut, with the plate still holding a couple of pieces that were missing the skeleton to eat. The dog moved its paw, twisting in taste, in such complete pleasure that it even closed its eyes with its tongue half out on one side. Papyrus rethought if that really gave him so much pleasure. But it was a can. Doggo had to have an insane taste for receiving cares ... And while scratching it he noticed the extreme thinness of the dog, which surprised the monster. Up to what levels of famine should a creature arrive to end up like this ...? It was similar to Papyrus, only that the bones could be seen from the skeleton due to its skeletal monster condition, but no creature should be like that animal ...

 -heh, I think we're both in the bones.

 But as soon as he released that joke he realized that he had let down his guard for a few seconds, which was strictly forbidden in that world. He left the caresses suddenly, leaving the dog in the same position, dazed and craving more. The monster did not say anything else about it, watching television.

 "if you love someone, it will hurt more when you lose it," he told himself daily. To avoid those harmful feelings, he turned to alcohol and ignored them for long hours. He was good at running away from his own feelings. So he decided to flee with the electronic device, ready to continue his burrito to end the meal, not caring that it was the same hand with which he caressed the dog ...

 But his fingers touched the plate directly, without finding any piece of food. The skeleton looked scared the plate, discovering that there was only a tiny piece of the burrito's wrapper. What the fu-

 Crunch, crunch.

 The lights of their basins were diverted to a corner, the one that was right next to the table, verifying that in it the rabbit was nibbling food with an air of tremendous pride. The rabbit, upon seeing it, laughed. LAUGHED PROUD. Papyrus could not believe it. But it was clear that he was not going to leave it like that.

 -damned elusive rat, give me my food!

 Pulling the plate to the sofa, he got up to go for the rodent. The aforementioned immediately placed almost all the food in his mouth, remaining with the inflated cheeks, proceeding to jump where he was going. Papyrus had not yet eaten well so his reserve of magic was low, forcing him to have to move to catch the elusive animal, which instantly went near the walls to hide behind the few objects that the house kept in a more deteriorated that decent.

 - come here, scum!

 But the rabbit decided to play with him, jumping then by the TV cabinet, the table, a bedside table, the couch, without changing rooms ... He was mocking the skeleton and both knew it very well. While the dog observed that lying on the ground, fun, the police and the thief began to break everything in the house looking for each his own goal. Papyrus tried to catch the rabbit as well as he could, but the animal was too cunning, so much that he even put objects in the middle so that the skeleton would stumble.

 -i'll catch you, i'll hang you with the rope!

 He said, tired of the situation, however during that long time of search and capture the skeleton gave a hug to the wall, his skull came in contact with various objects, and there was even a time when he tried to throw his arm to hit to the rabbit but in the end he ended up throwing his arm out the window. Papyrus then relived those moments when Sans was a baby and was running away with something in his mouth, having his brother to chase him for a long time until he found him asleep or demanding something else ...

 It was back in the old days, but now that bag of broken bones was not as patient as before.

 Nor so energetic.

 By the time Sans got home, he found the hall smashed, an exhausted Papyrus on the couch, and two pets on top of him watching television. It took several seconds for Sans to understand what had happened ... Although the final conclusion that clearly said that Papyrus had lost was present throughout the room.

 -WHAT ... THE HELL HAPPENED.

 - ... you have not brought pets ... you have brought two demons ...

 -PFFFT, TWO MERE PETS HAVE DEFEATED YOU? I BELIEVED YOU MORE INTELIGENT THAN THEM.

 -shut up, sans.

 But the minor skeleton found that very funny. In the end having brought the pets had been a good idea, just because they annoyed the useless of his brother. And even if he considered himself the only one with the power of that, he could allow those two to share such a funny hobby. And seeing how his brother was doing, the sacrifice was worth it.

 -ONE THING…

 He wanted to clarify before even ending that event. The small skeleton inhaled slowly, inflating his nonexistent lungs, while closing his eyes for a couple of seconds.

 -CLEAN THIS NOW GROUP OF GOOD FOR NOTHING !!!

 He shouted in such a way that the three pets of the house jumped off the couch, either because of the fright or by the force of the cry itself, falling inevitably from the couch, but without any injuries. It's true that Sans could laugh at that situation, but his house was a mess, and it would be better for those three to fix it, even if two of them did not even have thumbs to grab things.

 At least all four were on good terms -ignoring Sans' anger-. And that peace could be maintained if the four put on their side ... They could get it. That's what Sans was sure of. And he could bet all the bones of his body on it.

[paradoxicalpatton]

Coffee and Flowers

Title: Coffee and Flowers (This is temporary until I can think of a better one)

Summary: Patton is a father who runs a flower shop across the road from a small coffee shop. He decides to start getting a daily coffee every morning and immediately falls for the cute barista.

Pairings: Logicality, background Prinxiety. (Let’s ignore the fact I only ever write Logicality)

Trigger Warnings: None, will edit if necessary.

Chapter: 1

Word Count: 1956

Taglist: @my-happy-little-bean ​ @toujours-fidele ​ @preyed-llama ​ @a-valorous-choice ​ @milomeepit ​ @ironwoman359 ​ @painfullybisexual (Let me know if you’d like to be added or removed!)

Author’s Notes: So firstly I want to say thank you to my moon, @preyed-llama ​ for helping me come up with the plot and what not, and for generously agreeing to be my beta. I couldn’t have done this without her! I’m at a bit of a blank with Opposites right now, but there should be a new chapter in a few days.

Chapter Excerpt: “Sorry about that, $17.50 yeah? Here you go!” Honestly, this man made Logan jealous, how did he run across the road and back and not break a sweat?“Thanks, um, what name was that under?” Logan grabbed a permanent marker and a tall coffee cup, awaiting to her the strangers name.“Oh, just Patton will be fine!” Logan quickly wrote it on the cup, while trying not to stare at the beautiful smile Patton was giving him.

Master list || Next Chapter

Patton Sanders was an ordinary man. He was 28 years old, adopted a boy named Thomas, and ran the local flower shop ‘Once and Floral’. You could say that Patton lived a very normal life, both he and Thomas were happy, content with what they had. But Patton felt as if something were missing, and he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. That morning Patton had driven Thomas to school, usually Thomas would take the bus, but he was feeling a little ill- he refused to stay home because today his class was learning about bees, his favourite insect- so Patton drove him instead. This of course meant that Patton was a little late to open shop, no one was there but he still felt a little guilty. He unlocked the door and entered, quickly setting everything up that wasn’t ready the night before.

Patton owned a very small flower shop, so he was the only person working there, but he didn’t mind. On days that Thomas was too ill for school, he would come with Patton to work, earning extra pocket money for being his dad’s ‘Best Busy Bee’. The flower shop was indeed small, but it was very homely. The walls were painted a pale yellow, most of the paint having chipped off over the years, exposing the old wooden boards underneath. The front of the store had two large bay windows, these being the main source of light, that had soft pillows and blankets covering the ledge. Every wall was covered in flowers from top to bottom, the wall closest to the register had a tiny bookshelf in the middle; with all kinds of books about the types of flowers, the meaning of flowers, and what flowers you should use together to send a message. Every flower was categorised in colour order, red flowers on the wall to the right of the door, all the way to purple flowers covering the left side. Above the door were small white mayflowers, it only seemed fitting as they meant ‘welcome’. Throughout the centre of the store were miscellaneous plants, such as cacti or ferns, all planted neatly in cute little pots Thomas had painted- surprisingly or not they all had a bee on them somewhere- they were a favourite with all the elderly ladies that would come in. Behind the register was a long counter that was covered in ribbons, wrapping paper, cellophane and different shaped boxes and baskets. It wasn’t much, but it was his, he loved that flower shop just as much as he did Thomas.

Now, usually Patton would get a good night’s sleep, he’d make sure Thomas and himself had dinner by 6pm, they’d watch a movie together, and Thomas would be asleep by 8pm. Patton would tuck Thomas in and leave his room, making a round around the house, locking every door and window. He’d stay up for a little while longer, spoiling himself by watching a few animal videos on YouTube before heading to bed by 9pm. This was their every day routine, and neither of them had a problem with it. Last night, however, a customer had requested a large number of flowers for their wedding reception, and Patton had stayed up until 3am planning and sorting what flowers he should arrange for them. So, to say that he was tired the next morning was an understatement. He’d finished moving and setting up books and magazines, potted plants and ready-to-buy bouquets by 9am, moving over to the front door and turning around the hanging sign to say ‘Open’. He must’ve fallen asleep at the register because the next thing he knew was that Mrs. Davidson was shaking him awake.

“Oh, Mrs. Davidson, I apologise for being so unprofessional. How can I help you?” Patton stood up, stretching his back while stifling a yawn. Mrs. Davidson giving him a soft smile as he focused his attention solely on her.

“Dearest Patton, I’ve told you countless times, just call me Elizabeth. Anyway, I was wondering if you had any houseplants I could give to my sister? She’s visiting this weekend and I’d like to get her something.” Patton guided Elizabeth towards the centre of the shop, the potted plants organised neatly. Patton circled the stand, looking at each and every plant as Elizabeth described her sister, giving the friendly father an idea on what she’d like. He stopped in front of a small bonsai tree and picked it up off the shelf before turning to his lovely customer.

“How about this? It’s an Ulmus parvifolia, but most people call it a Bonsai tree. They generally signify love, balance and a calm peaceful energy. As well as inner strength, intuition, and wisdom.” Patton walked back to the register, confident that Mrs. Davidson would purchase it.

“Oh, it’s perfect. She won’t have to take too much care for it will she?”

“Not at all. It needs to be kept in a place where natural light will shine but shouldn’t be left in sunlight for more than 5 hours. She should only water it when the soil seems to be dry and must make sure not to over water it.” Patton wrapped a lavender coloured ribbon around the pot, explaining to Mrs. Davidson what needed to be done.

“My love, you are an angel to this world. Alright, how much do I owe you?” Mrs. Davidson pulled her purse out of her large handbag, leaning on the edge of the counter as she waited for Patton’s response.

“$25, I threw in the ribbon for free so don’t worry about that.” Patton placed the Bonsai tree next to the register as he kindly took Elizabeth’s money, making sure to thank her as he did so.

“Patton, is this one of the pots your son painted? Oh, what was his name again?” Mrs. Davidson picked up the plant, examining the ceramic white container it was in.

“Yes, it is, his name is Thomas. I can quickly change it if you wish?” Patton looked up at Mrs. Davidson once he was done. Patton was very good at reading people, and he realised that the thought of changing the pot hadn’t even crossed her mind.

“Dear, I wouldn’t change this for the world. You should sell the pots separately as well, they’re just the cutest. I must be off now, you should get a coffee from the coffee shop across the road, it’ll keep you awake.” Mrs. Davidson shifted the Bonsai tree, so it was sitting comfortably in the nook of her arm as she walked out the peaceful flower shop, smirking at the sign by the door that read ‘Leafing So Soon?’. Patton watched her leave, the bell atop the door ringing as it shut.

Maybe he should grab something to drink, he didn’t want to risk falling asleep again.

It was common knowledge that Logan Woods was the most attractive man in town. Dark mocha coloured hair fell lightly over his black glasses that covered his caramel eyes. He was fairly tall, his body thin yet still slightly muscular. And although he could have anyone he wanted, he stayed single, confusing everyone that met him. Logan ran the local coffee shop, it wasn’t too big, but it was welcoming.

‘C8 H10 N4 O2’ was a simple coffee shop, the walls a dark brown tone which complimented the light brown floorboards. Miscellaneous items in the store would contrast the dark colours with white accents, the small lounge chair in front of the fireplace being the best example. Throughout the shop were clear glass vases filled with white plastic flowers, most pictures hanging on the walls being the components that made up a coffee under a microscope. Just like Logan, his coffee shop was in fact very nerdy. A lot of people who knew him were surprised he’d wanted to be a barista instead of a teacher.

Virgil, his younger brother, was of course very supportive of him. Plus, Logan made amazing coffee, why wouldn’t he support that. Virgil was always the first customer in each morning, he was still in university and none of classes started until after lunch, so he liked to kill time at his brother’s shop. Logan didn’t mind this, it gave him someone to talk to until the morning rush started, plus he got to help Virgil with his studies. This morning, however, Virgil was studying contemporary music, which wasn’t Logan’s most knowledgeable area.

“I do not see why studying contemporary music is a necessity? What will it help you achieve?” Logan was busy cleaning up his store as Virgil read over some of his course work. Logan was moving swiftly around the store, collecting dirty plates and cups and wiping down the tables before preparing more coffee.

“Don’t ask me, as long as I graduate I don’t care.” Virgil took a sip from the coffee Logan had made him, his favourite white chocolate mocha. Logan moved back over to his brother, leaning his back against the counter to face Virgil.

“What time does you first class start today?” Logan picked up Virgil’s timetable he’d scribbled down in the back of his journal, checking what time he needed to leave.

“I think half past 10 but I don’t know anymore.” Virgil lent back on his chair holding onto the counter he was sat in front of.

“Virgil, you realise it is now 10 o’clock? You need to leave now.” Logan closed the journal, placing it in Virgil’s carry bag.

“Huh, I probably should go. Alright, I’ll see you later Lo.” Virgil jumped up off the chair, grabbing his bag and heading to the door. As he opened it he was met with another man on the other side of the door.

“You got another one!” Virgil called out to his brother before finally leaving the coffee shop, leaving Logan chuckling softly to himself so that no one else could hear. Logan walked around the counter as the new customer approached, quickly tightening his apron.

“Hi, welcome to Caffeine, what can I get you today?” Logan stood behind the register, looking up the man that stood before him.

“Hello! Um, could I-uh, could I please have a-uh, a tall caramel macchiato?” Logan stared in awe at the man in front of him. He was absolutely stunning, slightly messy chocolate brown hair and honey eyes behind black framed glasses.

“Uh yeah, that’ll be $17.50” Logan punched in the order, ringing up the handsome guys bill.

“Oh shoot, I left my wallet back at the shop!” The man glanced behind him, noticing that he was now the only customer there, “I’ll be one second!” And he was gone, in a blink of an eye, the man had sped out the coffee shop and across the road, before rushing back to the register Logan was standing behind. “Sorry about that, $17.50 yeah? Here you go!” Honestly, this man made Logan jealous, how did he run across the road and back and not break a sweat?

“Thanks, um, what name was that under?” Logan grabbed a permanent marker and a tall coffee cup, awaiting to her the strangers name.

“Oh, just Patton will be fine!” Logan quickly wrote it on the cup, while trying not to stare at the beautiful smile Patton was giving him.

“Alright, it shouldn’t be too long.” Logan got to work, making the drink before calling him up.

“Have a good day.” Logan handed him the drink, their fingers brushing ever so slightly.

“Uh- yeah, you too!” The barista watched as Patton walked out, placing his head in the palm of his hand as he lent on the counter. A content smile forcing its way onto his face.

Patton, that’s a nice name.

[unsp0ken-details]

Moments to Cherish (2)

"Its so funny how so much of 'Finding Yourself' in adulthood is simply getting back to who you were and what you loved as a child" I've often thought about this and a part of me believes in this. As one grows over the years, we are exposed to more complex truths of lives, newer experiences, and live in the 'grey' - we go on a little quest to 'find ourselves': our true interests, what makes us happy, gives us true joy etc. In agreement with the statement, one of the places to find that is our childhood. Childhood: to the times where we loved, experimented, experienced, indulged without reason all while we were yet to discover the meaning of 'regret' and before applying the concept of 'overthinking'. One of my 'Happy Places' to be when I'm particularly in a thoughtful mood is thinking about my childhood memories. The things my friends and I did in school, Aadarsh's new antics, things I gave importance to, tactics which I thought made me smarter than my parents and so much more! I'd like to write about a few of them in no particular order: 1) I always liked have long hair. However, I didn't know the difference between straight/wavy/curly hair. I remember an image I saw on a magazine of a girl much younger than me (I was in grade 6 or 7 at the time) and she had a particular hairband that I wanted to pull of that look. Since I'd wash hair on Sat's I remember, getting that magazine, and wearing a black hairband with dots (the one I bought) and making sure I wore in how it was shown in the picture and feeling proud and waiting to pull it off better to achieve the length of hair she had in that photo. 2) 9 years of my formal education was in India and a majority of it included memorisation when it came to tests and exams. For the most part since childhood, I've studied alone but there were the few times I would go to Amma when I couldn't memorise a long answer. Having her simply read out the answer and break it into parts would make it SO much easier for me to learn (the part I'm conveniently skipping here is that they also involved crying if she decided to test me on other questions..) but nevertheless the end result was that I always hoped for this question to come in the exam as I was the best prepared. 3) "I don't care". I can't pin point exactly where I picked that up from when I was younger, but it was a brief phase where if anyone said anything/commented, I'd respond I don't care. Never to be rude, but I thought that's how it is used. However, a quick full stop on that phase came when I saw that my younger brother was picking up on it. Anything you ask him/commented, his reply was I don't care. The effect of this stayed with me for long, I have after that never used that phrase in a reply to anyone (except to convince people - good context). 4) Middle school years were interesting schedule wise. I enjoyed school and doing well, participating, taking up responsibility/roles etc. Amma would wake me up in the morning, shower (sometimes we settled on a bargain), she'd comb my hair and with a shirt, skirt, tie, belt, socks and black polished shoes and a heavy bag - we were ready to conquer the day. Amma would come down with me daily to cross the road and wait till the bus came. That's were I'd meet, Garima and Reeta aunty daily (her mom) and began our friendship :) I'd be back from school, change, eat and get back to STUDYING?! voluntarily. I enjoyed going through the diary with homework tasks or revise what we learnt in class. Made me feel productive. Evening would go down to play with brother or with Garima depending on what we'd planned that day during our bus ride back home. Would come back home by 8, it was always between 5-7 or 6-8pm. Extending this time by 30 minutes excited me more than I can believe now. Evening is when, appa would be back and I'd be having dinner by then, while we watched TV/news and slept. On weekends, I remember, I'd wait to start having my lunch around 1:30 as that's when "Karishma ka Karishma" came on TV and would go to amma's room where she was sleeping and watch that and then from 2-2:30 watch Kya Mast Hai Life (loved this) and quietly switched it off and came out to play with aadarsh. I still don't know why I didnt watch these in the TV in the hall or why I had to wait to have my lunch at that time (something with amma sleeping helped -- in the case that I might have to leave out some vegetables I didn't like having). 5) When I was younger (primary school years) and during a visit to Chennai, appa once asked Sruthi and I if we wanted to go to the beach at 5/6am. I was fascinated by the idea (not the beach, or the timing) but that appa wanted to do something with me and asked me if I wanted to join. I remember waking up really early, taking an auto and going Marina beach. We went near the water and it was a beautiful sight. Not many people around and just us three. Appa and kids. That's where I remember my chappal or maybe sruthi's floating away. There was a sudden rush of feeling scared since something we owned was going away + the risks of going to get it (I'll admit I tried and didn't think about the depth of the water/waves). Then a fisherman uncle as I want to call him - went into to get that chappal for us. I was SO SO THANKFUL and amazed that he'd do that for us. Now that I share this, I realise it was sruthi's chappal as I clunched on to mine harder. 6)  One of the things I maintained for many years was that I didn't like when Appa went on office trips. I believed that he went on those trips because I 'allowed' him. He'd ask me and obviously first choice is no but a small little explanation and I'd let him go for no more than 2 days (anything longer was only allowed counting flight hours). Now I'm aware it wasn't my permission as much as his convincing but now also I'd like if and push that they go through me (they do). The last permission I refused might've been me saying - Jakarta?! I don't want to move there and leave Delhi (I'd finally settled after 7 years) but same year we moved to Mumbai.... Another example with trips is that on one particular instance, I didn't want appa to travel. He was going to Mumbai and we were in Bangalore at the time and he said he'd go and come back the same day. I thought my crying made that happen (I really thought I influenced him a lot) but its something I didn't believe. He said he'd be back at 8pm and I remember standing in front of the clock staring at the wall for it to turn 8. It was the very first time I saw the hour hand in a clock move (Was told you cannot see it move as obvious as a minute hand). And to seeing appa at 8 - I thought that was magic. When I was younger, I refused to go to sleep when asked/earlier - purely because I hadn't seen appa that day. I disliked eating without him and sleeping without seeing him. Amma would push to go to sleep and I'd give in and do first class acting of closing my eyes if amma opened the door (I'd flinch my eyes because of the light so she always knew) but I thought I'd fooled her. I'd wait for appa to come and wish goodnight even if sleeping and acted like I was woken up by him (had to sell the story). 7) I remember vividly telling amma (was very very young) denying paruppu saadham once. I don't know why or how that when I said so and she didn't push me (it gets mixed with rice that she thinks I didn't know). Around the time is also when I remember I didn't like milk very much (especially the end part/last few sips). I'd drink 3/4 and on the pre-text of washing the glass, would throw rest of the paal. Again, thought I was SLY as a fly. But I am very very nervous doing something  like this so when appa called/saw me, I freaked out. Either he guessed or I owned up to it and we made a deal to not tell amma (I am sure this was broken from his end). 8) I wanted glasses, braces, to have a fractured arm/leg. Don't question me on these. I only got to try amma's glasses from now and then but she would not allow. I also wanted bangs (flicks, what it was called then) but had no knowledge of hair type/style. I tried to cut a small part over a period of days thinking its not obvious and would pin them so amma didn't see and when she asked - I said its new hair growing. Don't laugh. Now I am a MUCH MUCH better liar - to the extent that I'd like the opposite person to figure out I am lying sometimes. 9) I loved wearing heels. Its not the height or design but the sound they make. So, more than heels, LOVED wooden floors. I wanted them so I could wear heels and keep walking back and forth and feel like an office woman giving presentations/writing on whiteboards (also, my favourite thing when I went to appa's office). I remember I had a Barbie set I think (Heels + jewellery) - I thought jewellery sucked in design/flashy but heels I wore over stairs as the next best thing to hear the sound. But I didn't use it often because it was pink. 10) I remember the first time I was introduced to English songs and it was Love Story & Tik Tok. I didn't know where to hear it but wrote down lyrics from what my friends sang and daily night would read and memorize the lyrics with aadarsh. He picked up tik tok faster even. This was pre-youtube so the English song I discovered by myself was Ibiza because it was on our itunes on a Sony Vaio laptop. (I used youtube AFTER aadarsh who used it before me in Vietnam). - I'd shared that I like getting gifts under the pillow. For NY's once, aadarsh had Rs 50 and we went to a store and he asked for Rs 20 more from appa because we were at a store and I'd mentioned I liked a notebook that had a button to open and close. I knew he was getting it for me but wanted to get after I sat in the car and called appa to come to the store. That morning I woke up to aadarsh eagerly waiting for me to be up and said look under the pillow - and there he had kept the notebook that he bought with the money he'd saved for me. - Aaadarsh, when he was younger had a phase with hearing problem when we had ENT visits and hearing tests. I am not good with anyone close visiting the doctor for anything more than what's a normal fever/cold. ENT was a fancy name and hearing that he has fluid in his head for which he'd need surgery, was not a good news. I remember rushing home, sitting on the study table where I had a small glass ganesha idol (I won this in a Tumbola - Jaldi 5 contest) and I sat in front of the idol - daily for weeks praying that I don't want him to have surgery. After a few weeks when the doctor said, the fluid reduced and he doesn't need surgery - I went to say thanks and never made a wish after. - Aadarsh calls me Akka. He's seldom called/used my name in a sentence. I can't imagine him saying Pavi. But when he was about 3-5 years, my favourite & precious gift is him writing - Happy Birthday, Akka with amma holding his hand and finding that in the morning. However, the habit to call me 'Akka; stuck because I said I won't talk to him if he doesn't call me akka. This tactic doesn't work now :/ - My most lasting impact on him was when I was disappointed at something aadarsh did/said (not acceptable behaviour) and I said I wouldn't talk. I didn't and just when I was to give up (I can't stay mad at him), he'd gone crying to amma and appa asking them to convince me to speak with him. He literally hugged it out with us both making promises. - I learn better when I teach aadarsh. I've taught him grade 10 math, economics etc in grade 5 to help me learn. But grade 11 and me struggling with physics was an interesting experience. I was trying to teach him different types of energy (Kinetic, potential etc) and was highlighting the differences when aadarsh drew something he learnt at school that explained the concepts better. Here's my understanding of Potential Energy (imagining his drawing, a stick figure - moving from atop a cliff to the bottom has displayed potential energy. Not sure who can confirm this for me but at the time, what he taught me helped me manage that unit test.

[grgop]

Day 22 | Visiting Koyasan-Okunoin, Kongobuji and Hojo-in (and night with the giant spiders)

Hey guys! I have 3 more days out of 29 left to describe adventures from my trip in Japan. I would like to continue with Day 22 when I was already in the camp, my fourth day with the campers, and our next locations were several temples and the traditional hotel somewhere in the mountains of Wakayama-prefecture. This includes going to the Okunoin temple which is part of Koyasan area, followed by the lunch and visit to the Memorial Monument of Lions Club, then a buse ride to Kongobuji temple and lastly to Hojo-in temple and the hotel which behaved literally like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Unfortunately I do not believe you will be able to read about this day with plenty of information as I will not have enought time, we visited so many places each with its own story and so many things happened I would have to break it into two posts. However, let me try to keep it short.

Visiting Koyasan-Okunoin

We left our hotel in Osaka after spending a day at the Universal Studios Japan. What it was like you can read and see in three of my reports. After breakfast we left for the temple of Koyasan where the trip lasted for almost 3 hours. What I remember while arriving there is that it is a part of the larger complex with several temples. It was all suggesting we were going to have an awesome time today, especially if you are a fan of the Buddhist temples, rituals and walks through the forest. Unfortunately, it was raining practically the whole day that even extra umbrellas were needed to survive. All of these places are located in Wakama Prefecture maybe just about on the half of the way between Osaka city and Wakayama (a bit closer to Wakayama though).

Okunoin temple (part of the Koyasan area) and the especially the area and the path leading to it are just amazing. I had to have a look at all of my photos and on the internet to remind me and there is just so much to tell you about.

The path that leads to it is maybe half an hour or more long and you are walking among thousands of little temples, shrines and the tombs throught the forest. All in gray and green. Here is where I learned about the red clothes put on the sculptures or columns at the cemetires that actually show that there was a baby or a child that died.

One of such places were several big pyramides of little sculptures and plenty of colorful rags or scarfs put aruond them. For a moment one would have thought to be in some other country as this with the pyramides was strange for me to associate with Japan. While walking through the forest of the very tall trees we end up across several smaller bridges in front of the stairs that climb on a hill.

Behind the enormous dark gates upon the stairs one finds the huge temple, also in dark colours, that was surrounded with so white stone that almost looked like snow!

We entered the temple and what I noticed was the ceiling full of hundreds of little lanterns. We had a priest there who showed us a little bit things around and we came across a book where you could write a message referring to the luck or wishing someone luck. It was not a guestbook of course and I saw that noone really wrote stupid messages there as we use to while visiting some places. Alongside the book were many of amulets or luck artifacts with kanji on it. On some of the wooden sticks even one could write a message but since we knew no Japanese except for few friends most of us did not touch it. There was also a donation box which is quiet normal for all the sacret places in Japan to have. Unfortunately, we were not supposed to take photographs of the interior...

Lunch and the Memorial Monument of Lions Club

We went then back for the lunch at the big restaurant house near the parking lot. There was some other large building close by that might have been a train station. After lunch (and this time meal was difficult for us) we were supposed to visit the Memorial Monument of the Lions Club when it started to rain heavily. We had to bring more umbrellas from the bus to help the others without it. It took us about 10 minutes of walking till we reached this cemetary and the Memorial Monument in the middle of it. We spent there several minutes and commemorated the dead members of the Lions Club. The Japanese cemeteries look a bit different from ours. While we prefer to have the horizontal epitahs with the name and the text written horizontally in Japan the columns are being preferred with the text (signs) written vertically. What I also noticed was that many of these columns had a hole at the top whre one could put a candle. And the top of it then was closed by a little roof that looked like a square or the roof of the temples.

Visiting Kongobu-ji temple

Our next destination was the temple of Kongobuji which is maybe the biggest temple we have been to and covers pretty large area. I remember the white sand aroudn the path after passing the huge gates and then the classic – taking of the shoes and leaving them at the wooden stairs. Walking then through the hallways that were connecting the rooms and halls (maybe everything on some kind of a platform) in the socks until we were asked to sit down in one hall and ... wait for the tea and cookies. That is what I remember more or less.

The last stop today was the hotel and the temple Hojo-in where I do not remember anymore the temple and whether we visited it or not but very much the hotel we stayed at. On our way there we stopped once at Lawson store to get some snacks which turned into a big shopping madness. Mr Toru told us we do not have to spend our own money and bought us everything! I also saw there the „magazines for the adults“ and was laughing. I could not pick inside as all of them are packed in the plastic foils and unless you buy them it is not possible. I did it for the purpose of journalism of course.

Hojo-in hotel

The rain started again as we were leaving with our bags from the bus to this temple. It was night already but the place looked big. Unfortunately no time to go around it even in the morning but the hotel and the temple had an enclosed yard with nice garden and rocks lying around. Oh, I forgot to mention that at all the Japanese temples have rocks lying around the yard but always somehow balanced. I believe they represent something with the energy and energy points forming some balance in the nature and among the architecture.

At the entrance of the house we had to leave the shoes again and put them into the wooden racks on each side of the racks. Then we got the number of the room...or just headed to any room we found. I was in the room with one of my best friends there – Ugur from Turkey. Now the hotel was pretty interesting, the whole compley actually. One half of this huge building had about 3 floors in total with many „hidden“ hallways that were like a labyrinth. There was one space where one could sit on the sofa and even catch wi-fi signal when lucky. We were walking with our smartphones in the air trying to catch the signal like the scene from the Lions King, haha.

The rooms here were of course traditional and the „locals“ (the priests) here were wearing their kimono I think the whole time we spent there. The walls of the rooms were pretty thin and you could hear the others several rooms away so talking here and secrets was not going to pass. There was a wardrobe with the doors that open to the left and right (and the doors of the room too) and had plenty of blankets. We had two mattresses on the floor and also a place to charge our electronics. There were large windows and we closed them both not wanting rain to get it. It proved to be a very smart decision that evening, as you are going to find out.

We had a dinner in a large hall on the first floor (next to the entrance) sitting in severalr ows on our knees on small pillows. I could not take it anymore and chose to sit in what we call in Croatia „sitting like  Turk“ posture with both legs crossed. We had now opportunity to eat Vegerian only meal as that was the practice at this temple. It was quiet delicious even without meat (I am a carnivore btw) and we did not feel hungry. Again a bit of everything on the plate. There was one problematic part that was impossible to stay still when using the chopsticks, something white that looked like a pudding, and always fell down in the bowl. It took me 5 minutes before it stopped falling.

We thanked the hosts for dinner and then had country presentations. One had to be careful not to lay with their back on the wall behind because it would get damaged easily. Another potential „danger“ and a problem were the doors to this large room or hall as some of us were much taller and could get hit in the head like Gandalf in Bag End.

We had now about 2 hours of free time before going to sleep and it was not boring indeed. What should I mention first? Let me see...getting lost around the building and discovering large halls in the basement (in the dark!), hunting down and running away from the spiders of a size of a tennis ball, going for the shower for the first time in the „public“ baths with other guys naked...

After roaming around with friends and checking every floor and the floors (and since there were very few other guests besides us it was pretty spooky to go walk around alone) we found those baths and probably the strangest toilets I have ever encountered. There were two doors – one for men and for women...but then instead of having a wall between each other the toilet in the middle (khm, for „the big need“) was shared by both! You could literally pass through the men's restroom into women's just by going through that cabin in the middle, insane! haha There was also a room with sinks where one could shave or brush teeth in peace. I did it, being alone on the whole floor waiting for the monsters to attack me. And right now remembered another toilet non of us did not want to use. The place where you are supposed to sit while peeing or the other thing ... was just a hole in the floor! I was wondering how that was even possible to do without falling on your back and rolling around. And there were sveral holes (or let's say these „sophisticated toielts“ ) in the row meaning you could have been with the others. No privacy, no toilet paper and no toilet bowl. Never iagined that. There was a pretty normal and modern restroom on our floor of course. But that downstairs is like walking through some museum.

Then my roommate and I decided to go in the last 15 minutes before its closing to the shower room as we thought „We are going to have to do this within few days at this Inunakiyama Onsen so maybe try it now when there is not many people around to break the ice.“. So we did there and it was first strange but once you stop caring nothing abnormal. We spent 5 minutes there and one of the campers was also there I believe (but could not recognize him without glasses) who asked us „hey guys, what are you laughing about?“ but he could not understand it from our point of view.

The last thing to mention were the hueg spiders that scared the *thing* out of everyone. You remember me mentioning it was a wise decision to close the windows in our room? Well, the others did not do it.

What happened and how we survived it (and if we did) coming soon.

Plans for the other day

There was an ascetic practice in the morning for the brave ones who wanted to wake up around 6am. I was sleeping. Then we went more to the south to famous Shirahama and spent the day at the Shiraham White beach, were supposed to watch the fireworks and have a karaoke evening in the hotel.

Thanks for reading.

Photo credits go to the Lions Camp Osaka counselors and the campers (Jesse Tucek).

[octranslations]

Haiiro no Ginka Volume 42

Haiiro no Ginka Volume 42 March 2009

Translation Credits:

Gansonaki Kaoru-ya - Nao Toshiya Aibiki no Mori - Risu Shinya Dr. Nemunemu no daigyakushi - Nao Die Meisho de meishu - Nao Mu no Koufuku, Sanretsusha to Kubi - Nao

Gansonaki Kaoru-ya

Is everyone doing great (genki)? It's me Kaoru who is doing great.

England's KERRANG! Tour is done. I am writing this after the live in Saitama, the first day of TOUR09 FEAST OF V SENSES. I have read all the mail that I received from Osaka-jo Hall and Namba Hatch. When I read everyone's feeling about UROBOROS, their expectation of the Osaka-jo Hall and the feeling after the Osaka-jo Hall, I felt a bit really touched. It's probably age. (Laughs). But a good age.

Osaka-jo hall was the best! I am sorry that it's loaded with much reflection but it was a great time. I saw a lot from people who were able to tell me that they were able to feel UROBOROS and enjoy it, it really made me happy. I was able to tell various magazines about my state of mind but I am really a happy person! To think there are so many great people exist! Recently, I am just always giving thanks but, Honma Arigatou! (REALLY THANK YOU!) Now I really want to make you guys see an even greater greater scene kind of live that I can think of.

Also, we will go to places we've never been and we will go to the places whose people who have have never seen us before, the Livehouse Tour has begun. In Livehouses, the microphone wires are few, (the drums are many so we can take a few...) which is why acoustic guitar songs and there are some songs that we can't play but this the only tour where you can taste this!

Also the dude limited live, you're men so it's okay to have some injuries right? The one we had few years ago was so quiet but this time you're guys so let me see your fighting spirit!

For this year, if we are able to carry out all the planned out things right now, we will make a really boastful number of lives, until we can still go for it, we go!

In the feeling of battle of 2009 to one's heart's content(rocking) DIR EN GREY, give me a big rampage! I am expecting it! Until you can do it, do it!

See you!

To the people in London who may see this, we will return so wait for it!

Toshiya Aibiki no Mori

What's up!? The previous article had such good reviews so for this time I will write the sequel (laughs). Here it is!

I think this was also posted on Boo-san's (VJ Boo) blog, but this is our bus during the US tour. This brings back old memories...

At the rehearsal studio, the day before the tour,  Mr. Shinya and I through the mirror. I think this mirror was in Mr. KAORU's previous page.

We went to UNIVERSAL STUDIOS in ORLANDO.

The weather was also nice, it was great! First, we went to SPIDER-MAN.

Next we went to JURASSIC PARK. My whole body was drenched wet! But it was fun (laughs).

Then, we went and rode on the Hulk. Making sure that Mr. chicken-kun doesn't run away, The 2 of us, Mr. Die and I, firmly held both of his sides and off we went to a fun journey (laughs). Mr. chicken-kun kept on screaming, "It's not yet over!? Not yet over!?" (laughs).

THE BLUES BROTHERS!? were there, that was hanging there, it was a fun time.

Page2

This is New York! I was happy that Virgin (records) had UROBOROS properly placed!

T-shirt of the band who did the OPENING ACT for the US tour, THE HUMAN ABSTRACT

It's been a long time since I wore an earring. The hole is something that shouldn't be closed.

At Boo-san's (VJ Boo) DJ event, SHELLAC's Akinori, Boo-san and I were...drunk...

At the meeting at Osaka Jo...its Masuda-san like always (laughs).

From the left, charisma hair and makeup, Yamaguchi-san, charisma trainer, Yooko-chan, charisma stylist Omiko (laughs). They are in a good mood?

Atsushi-san the DJ. I am indebted to him even from from before.

Bad adults (laughs)!!

From the left, its Mr. Sakano the crybaby, Mr. Okita of Shinki Music (Manager of the Sales Division), and Mr. Bandou of YOUNG GUITAR

To everyone at VISUAL TRAP. I am always really grateful, we will ensure that we pay by the due date!!

After the live on the 31st I went straight to the hospital. I came down with influenza (flu), and during the live I thought that I was going to die.... Due to the extreme physical activity, the drooling won't stop, because of the fever and the sluggishness my consciousness was fading away. At the hospital I got an IV drip, on the 1st I went back to my parent's home via Nagoya, I was in bed for 5 days and spent the whole New Year in bed... But, I want to praise myself since I think that I worked pretty hard if I do say so myself (laughs).

Well, the end of last year was like this. And at the start of the year is the KERRANG!tour. I don't know if I will do this journal for the next time but that's it for now! Until then!!

Shinya Dr. Nemunemu no daigyakushi

Hello Everyone. Nemunemu's corner will also start today. So, this time I bring you the diary on the November 2008 American Tour. I just appropriately picked out the days when there are things happening. And so here it is.

Nemunemu Diary ~America & Canada collection/volume~

11/4 Today, we are checking our equipment in the rehearsal studio in preparation for the real tour tomorrow. It's the same studio that we went to even during the past American Tour. It's the Myu- jin (place) where Dr.Nemunemu said that he Nia- (did something). I quickly checked my drums but the rototom didn't arrive. So, by car, we had to go to a music store to buy one. There was a rototom and I was able to buy it with no problems but they don't seem to sell adapter for the rototom. So when Dr. Nemunemu had to find something that can replace it inside that store, I found an exact adapter. The item found was attached to a snare drum then, when we asked the storekeeper if we could have the same one, he suddenly said that it's attached to the snare so you would have to buy the snare too. As we were having trouble, "I only need to buy the adapter, why do I have to buy the snare too?!" , a different storekeeper peeked out from the back area came out and handed us the same adapter and that is how I got the adapter in my hands. And at that I was able to do the setting with no problems.

11/6 Today is an off day so we went to Universal Studio. In the midst of going there my other name "chicken" was revived. (Refer to Vol. No. 33) Dr. Nemunemu has never been to Japan's Universal Studio but then, it most likely doesn't have those big rides. So I went there with much confidence. Just then as we arrived and saw the theme park, I suddenly saw big-looking lanes of Rollercoasters. Dr. Nemunemu thought secretly, this one is just impossible. However, I was able to ride the other rides with much confidence/leisure. And as the fun time just continued on, suddenly, the bassist said, "Let's go on 'that' next!". Of course, "THAT" meant the really big ride. I said, "Dr. Nemunemu will stay down here and wait." But the Toshiya & Die Combination were able to make Dr. Nemunemu take the ride by any means. They said, "If you are able to ride that we will never call you chicken again.", they also said, "it's a chance to remove that dirty name chicken". Even at that as Dr. Nemunemu is going to decline, suddenly, the 2 grabbed me up by both of my arms and I was dragged by force and made me get in the line. So while in the line, I tried running away during the unguarded moments but I would get quickly get caught by the two and was stuck in middle and then suddenly, I was on the ride. During the ride it was the most dreadful time. I was thinking that even I was able to ride it, and also even after that, just like before my other name is chicken.

11/9 Today after dinner, I went with Die, Toshiya, Nora, and the tech Kuroo-san, goods seller Jordan, for bowling. When it comes to bowling, Dr. Nemunemu was so into it a few years ago that he was able to write a lot about it at that time (very much like myself) but recently, I haven't played it at all. It can't be helped that I haven't played but we did 2 games and on both Dr. Nemunemu scored the lowest. Well as I said to myself it can't be helped since I haven't played recently,?I suddenly a heard a Japanese prattle from the rear. "Ma-ke-in-u". "Ma-ke-i-nu" (Loser) as I turned around, Jordan faced Dr.Nemunemu and said it. Beside Jordan, the bassist was doing a "I will try and teach you" face and grinned. In a few seconds, my other name is "Makeinu"(Loser).

11/10 Today's live is at Baltimore. When Dr.Nemunemu went in the dressing room, Jordan faced Dr. Nemunemu and said happily, "Mi-ki-inu". Instantly, it was a mistake but Dr. Nemunemu didn't correct him and rather left it at that. Today's first song is OBSCURE. So I came out, sat in my drumset and waited for the SE of OBSCURE to play. And suddenly, Kaoru-kun played the intro of HYDRA-666-. While I was thinking, "Oi, oi, Kaoru-kun it's a different song." I quickly decided that I should just continue drumming HYDRA-666-. But then, I looked at the members as if nothing has changed and we normally performed HYDRA-666-. But the song list placed at Dr.Nemunemu's area was undoubtedly had OBSCURE. Then I thought that "Then,  Dr.Nemunemu's song list must be wrong". While I was drumming, I was doing signals "it's wrong! it's wrong!" to the drum tech Kenji Fujieda but Kenji Fujieda had a dumbfounded face as if to say, "what's wrong?" In summary, I was able to tell him that the song list was wrong and we at least made it the second song. Why is it that Dr. Nemunemu was the only one who had yesterday's setlist?

11/13 Today is an off day in New York and everyone went to Manhattan. While walking in the city, Dr. Nemunemu asked Kenji Fujieda. "What is famous in New York?" "First, it's the Statue of Liberty." "Aah-" "And the World Trade Center Right?" "Aah-" "And the Empire State Building Right?" "Ee?! What's that?!" "He-?! You didn't know? It's the place where King Kong climbed up on." "He--So which place did King Kong climbed up on?" "...." it's Generation Gap. Then, after going around in various shops, we went to Virgin Records to check that UROBOROS was there. After taking a look around the shop and thought about going out, I knew that the Chikurin would come and even intentionally volunteered to watch the Dir Live in New York was coincidentally there also looking at UROBOROS. I knew that he will be here in New York but this is just really coincidental. When we called to him he was so surprised, "Wha? Why are you also here?" he said what I also wanted to say. And then we went out of the store and in the street in front of the shop. Since this morning, we went out separately but somehow coincidentally assembled there with Kuroo-san and then, we went out for food. New York is small.

11/16 Today is Toronto Canada's Live. After the performance, I think there were really good people that were there so when I though of throwing some sticks, I thoughtlessly bumped my head on the speaker that was hung there. It was so dark so I didn't see it. Luckily it was dark and I thought that unless only a few people in front caught me bumping my head. After that, there was the meet and greet, a foreigner who can speak Japanese said, "Shinya-san, Atama wa daijoubu desuka??" ("Shinya-san is your head okay?") At that point, Dr. Nemunemu has completely forgotten about hitting his head. And for a certain period I was thinking, "E?? Do I really look that weird(in the head; nuts)?"

11/23 While Dr. Nemunemu was eating chocolates in the dressing room, the Human Abstract's guitarist Tapley came. Dr. Nemunemu always seems to eat chocolates and Tapley asked him where is his favorite chocolate from? Since, Dr. Nemunemu likes GODIVA, I said GODIVA (go-di-ba). From that, Tapley said that he doesn't know it and asked me where is it from, I really didn't know but it was most probably from Belgium but it's pretty famous, I explained. So he asked me for the spelling, and when I said G.O.D.I.V.A. he said, "Ooh! GODIVA!" (goh-dai-va). So it seems in America the pronunciation of GODIVA is "GO-DAI-VA". So please everyone remember this little trivia (food for thought).

12/3 Today we are going to buy lunch so we went to the nearby fish mart. There was a flood of delicious-looking crabs, shrimps, scallops, and etc. And mixed among those was an angler fish that had a very stern face was placed there. The face looked really scary and I wanted to take a picture of it and went towards it up close. Suddenly, the angler fish was actually going to be moved by the storekeeper behind, it was a candid item, the storekeeper came close and with yelled(bellowed) with a loud voice and made the fish move and Dr. Nemunemu was really surprised (shocked/scared). Then, the almost forgotten other name, chicken, was again revived.

So this was how it was.

HAPPINESS OF NOTHING, THE ASSEMBLED AND [THE] NECK

For oneself, what is really needed? Precious things? How much does one person really understand one's self? How important is it? Actually, for those who look like they haven't noticed It feels as if 'there is a lot'

In everything one does, there is definitely a meaning in every action If you turned around these nonchalant actions and words, that person can feel it inside Do you understand the words that I just wrote and the things that I requested in the previous newsletter?

By all means, I want you to think about it Surely, this is connected to growth as humans

But I wonder if fun things, pleasure and escaping from reality are also good? However, there is surely something more important here But if even one person noticed (for me), isn't there a point as to why I am writing a newsletter?

There are people who would say that it's because I simply didn't want to answer it, but do I look like that kind of person? If you were those kinds of people then you won't write these hassle-some things I think that other people's growth can be whatever but...

Just for the record, all of the previous questions were already answered during the creation of the previous newsletter. Of course on answering, since the previous main purpose of my request will change and I think it will dim(fade) so I sealed up the answers.

But for the meantime instead of using it for leisure, use the time and your head for growth This time too, if I had the time to think about it or the opportunity change it as much as possible This time it seems that my corner has a meaning

January the 18th, 2009 18:30 from England.

Translator's Notes: Kyo was referring a lot to the previous Haiiro no Ginka (Vol. 41) where he presented all the questions that the people sent him with no answers. He was supposed to answer all of it in this Volume

Die Meisho de meishu Question: The chord Am, how many kinds of Am are there? What's different about them? Do you change the places you press when matching it with the song?

Die: For me, the sound of the Am chord has a unique atmosphere that no other minor chord has. You can feel painful loneliness and behind it a warm kindess. From there, what kind of feeling can you feel? Depending on the person who plays Am, when Am is sounded, it plainly pulls out the player's view of life. There is also an Am that is simply musically played with no feeling. Even pressed in that position, it's a simple chord that is not laborious(hard). Although I think that it being a simple chord, it's consequentially entrusted to the player for the chord's deepness. Well, put aside my view of Am, if it's about playing, the same Am's sound does change depending on the position therefore I change the position depending the song's atmosphere and the connecting chords before and after it.

For example ? is what we call the orthodox Am hold. In "Sajou no Uta" with this position you scratch while plucking(strumming) "Jyakajyaka". ? is high-positioned Am. This position is the base phrase for the cutting play of "audrey".

Question: What changes in playing the Electric and Acoustic for Die-san?

Die: With the Acoustic Guitar, the pressing power of your left hand compared to the electric needs more power and the picking nuance of your right hand. Because as a live instrument it brings out the natural sound so surely the way you play an electric changes. And for an electric the sound is distorted and in places where there is more or less a miss(mistake) you can sometimes not get caught. In the acoustic, if you made a mistake, you will immediately get caught. (Laughs) During acoustic guitar recordings, I get to use a number of guitars but each one has it's own definite character. Which is why while feeling the picking and the change of touch of each guitar, each has it's own best point and sound so, I try all the guitars. And if it is the best sounding one then I choose that one.

Question: In "Gaika Chinmoku Nemuru Koro"'s intro part, the tapping phrase you used is so painful yet beautiful but when I first saw it live, I always say too much, "It's like magic...". For me, who has never did tapping, wanted to copy it, but I doesn't really understand it. This time, by all means, please teach me. Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu. (Sorry for the trouble/ inconvenience)

Die: Actually, I thought up this song's intro phrase during the "UROBOROS" recording's very last day, this was really the last of the last recorded phrases. This phrase's, what you call tapping, doesn't use a pick. First, press with your left hand's pointing finger is on the 1st string 10th fret and 2nd string 10th fret, the ring finger(or pinky) is on the 13th fret.

(Continues to the right page)

RED 1: With your right hand's middle finger(or pointing finger) press the 15 fret like hitting it. (Hammering on) WHITE 1: When your right hand's middle finger(pointing finger) hammers on the 2nd string on the 15th fret,

RED 2: On the same string you pull it while letting go (Pulling off), WHITE 2: While still pressing on the string make it slide to the 18th fret. (At the same time, the middle finger of your left hand presses the 11th fret.),

RED 3: In the same manner with the left ring finger, let go while pulling (pulling off), WHITE 3: Pulling Off,

RED 4: With the right hand's middle finger(pointy finger) hammer on the 17th fret. WHITE 4: In the same way, the left middle finger, pulls off.

This is the phrase's basic play using both of your hands, the point is keep the rhythm of the hammering on and pulling off, not to cut the sound midway, and to keep the sound level even.

Well, I feel that I have explained it quite simply. At first, it may confuse your head (confusing) but slowly try to get it to sound one by one, once you get used to it you will be able to play it.