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poirott · 4 years ago

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This is the 2nd part of the "Riddle of the Spinx" interview with Death on the Nile cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos for British Cinematographer November 2020 issue (part 1 transcribed here). The full interview has now been released on the British Cinematographer website. I've included some of the text below!

In Part 2 Zambarloukos talks about shooting with the cast on location in Egypt and doing a particularly complex single shot of them on set, how they did the opening b&w sequence of young Poirot as a soldier, and built sets of Abu Simbel and the pyramids, the use of realtime footage projected on LED screens to make the studio sets look more realistic, what part of the Murder on the Orient Express set they recycled for Nile, etc.

Q: This was shot like Murder on the Orient Express at Longcross Studios with plates filmed on location in Egypt. Was it ever a possibility to shoot entirely on location?

Haris Zambarloukos: The issue is that 1934 Egypt barely exists today. For example, in the 1960s they moved the Abu Simbel temple 300 metres away so that the Aswan Dam wouldn't flood it. So, we built the entire four-storey high Abu Simbel at Longcross, complete with banks of water. The same with Giza and the Sphinx. In the 1930s the Nile went up to the feet of the Sphinx. Now all you see is the concrete expanse of Cairo.

Secondly, it's difficult to shoot complex shoots on a river while floating, taking all the cast down there and scheduling them, on top of ensuring everyone's safety on such a high-profile project.

Our whole design and research went into creating a set. We wanted to build a life-size boat inside and out; not to break it down into small sets but to shoot it as if we were on a boat. That’s a huge undertaking. Jim Clay built an amazing set to scale for the Karnak. It was so big we needed to build a temporary sound stage around it. We also wanted to use some real daylight when we got great sunlight in Longcross and use a little bit of water to basically film the boats carrying guests to the Karnak.

We recycled the railway from Orient and built the boat on that so we could wheel it in from outdoors to indoors. We built a very elaborate lighting rig that you could pull back and see the entire boat in one shot. You could step onto the boat and walk through all the rooms which were all lit for an analogue film f-stop. It was complicated and took most of our planning but I personally don't think you can tell the difference when we cut - even from a shot filmed outside in real sunlight juxtaposed with one in apparent sunlight on our sound stage. It's seamless because we took such great care and a detailed approach to our rig and construction.

In Orient you created some stylish direct overheads of the train carriage. You've told us of the Steadicam dance sequence in Nile. Were there other stylistic flourishes?

Inside the sound stage we went twice round the Karnak with the entire cast all choreographed for this one great reveal of a murder. It was really hard work to do. I understand why it was cut in the edit although they have kept a lot of other single long takes and there are lots of places where you see the whole cast in a single shot.

However difficult you might think setting up a long single is in terms of lighting and operating, it is equally, if not more difficult, to block a scene with multiple actors, keep the audience engaged and choreograph it in a way that is exciting and at the same time reveals things gradually. There's a lot of pressure on a lot of people in shots like that. Everyone's got to be on top of their game. Because we're all so interdependent, it's a domino effect in that the further you go in the take, the bigger the responsibility is for not getting it wrong whether that's the operator, focus puller, the actor saying the final line, the gaffer lighting a corner at just the right time. We always get excited about those shots but also very nervous.

You augmented the studio work with plates photographed on location in Egypt. Tell us about that.

We filmed on the Nile from a boat with a 14 8K Red camera array. We had a 360-degree bubble on top of the boat and two three-camera arrays pointing forwards and backwards as we travelled up and down. We specifically chose areas where modernity wasn’t present (or where it was, we removed it in post) and we also shot plates from the point of view of passengers onboard the Karnak.

VFX supervisor George Murphy edited the footage and stitched the plates together into an essentially very, very advanced virtual reality rig in which I could pan my camera. We did that before principal photography, so we never had to guess a month or so later what to put there. That’s a big help. Most shoots do their plate photography afterwards. It meant I could pretty much place the camera on any deck of the Karnak for any scene and know what the background would be.

As with Orient, did you play back footage realtime on LED screens outside the boat set?

I'd love to have done it live but on Orient we were only dealing with one wagon's windows at a time. It was still the biggest LED set-up ever done to that point, but the Karnak set is 20 time bigger than that. There aren't enough LED screens available – plus it would have been prohibitively expensive.

Instead, I went for a much larger version of a technique I'd used on Mamma Mia which was to hang back projection screens all around the boat – 200m in circumference, 15m high. We used Arri SkyPanels at a distance to create a sky or a part of the background. It could also be converted into a blue screen when we needed to. It meant that if I had a shot looking above the horizon line into the sky then it could be done in camera.

How confident were you of retaining colour and contrast from set to post?

I took stills on the recce and we used those to the create colours with this back projection for our skies. I take prints (not digital stills) so there is no misinterpretation. A still is a piece of paper that you can see. Once something is emailed across and seen by someone watching on another screen the information can get lost.

At the same time there were a lot more checks and balances put in place. We had a projector at Longcross and I watched dailies with (dailies colourist) Sam Spurgeon every lunchtime. With Kodak and Digital Orchard we have a very quick process to convert analogue filmmaking into digital by the next morning. Film is processed at night, they scan at 4am and by mid-morning those digital images are transferred to our dailies suite at Longcross. At lunch we’d watch it digitally projected, having been processed, scanned and graded at 2K.

I check that first and give notes to Sam and those get transferred onto our dailies which is what Ken, the editorial team, VFX and studio team sees. That's a major check. It's me with someone in a room, rather than me talking over the phone which is a big difference. I have a very good relationship with Goldcrest and (DI colourist) Rob Pizzey who also sees things along the way. I supervise the grade at the end. So, there's no need for anyone to interpret anything. It’s a collaboration in which we all look at the same images.

Did you shoot black and white for the opening scene or convert?

We shot colour for a couple of reasons. Although Kodak could manufacture BW 65, there is no lab in the world to processes it. Plus, there’s a certain skill to grading BW using colour negative and the added benefits are that that you can place a grey tone to a colour. For example, you could take red and decide it will look a very dark grey or a light grey, so you get very detailed tones. Ultimately, I get much more control in the DI this way. They were very monochromatic battlefield sets and costumes so it was quite limited in this case. The Germans wore grey and the Belgians wore dark blue and it’s a dark sooty gas-filled battlefield but you could manipulate the blue in the sky a little bit more and certainly manipulate the intensity of people’s eyes - especially if they had blue eyes (which Branagh does).

How did you handle sound sync?

To do sound sync work on Orient we used sound cameras that are twice as heavy as high-speed cameras, so I wanted to develop soundproof housing (blimp) for our camera on Nile. I took the problem to Stuart Heath at BGI Supplies at Longcross. They've made all sorts of props for us before, from Cinderella’s carriage to the furniture on Nile. I told him that I needed it really quickly. All my other attempts had failed. Stuart suggested using a material that they soundproof the interior of helicopters with. He brought a draper in who basically measured the camera as if making a dinner suit for it and quickly made a couple of versions for us. It was very effective and really opened up the Steadicam possibility for us. All from just wandering onto a workshop on the lot and asking a friend if he had any ideas about how to achieve something. In the old days that’s what everyone did – the answer was somewhere on the lot.

Finally, after six films and 14 years working with Ken Branagh, could you tell us what makes your relationship tick?

It is a fantastic friendship. To begin with you must be able to maintain a professional friendship with any cast and crew which is all about doing your very best and understanding where you have common aesthetics and shared thoughts about humanity. Ask what kind of world you want this to be, because that will come through in your filmmaking.

As you say, I've spent years working in close proximity to Ken and we have a mutual affection and admiration for each other otherwise we wouldn't be doing it for so long. He is relentless in pursuit of perfection and in his advancement of storytelling and is inspiring to work with. It means you have to be as relentless in your area of craft.

I think we both like making the same kinds of films. I'm a Greek Cypriot who grew up with Greek myth and tragedy. Ken's love of Shakespeare is legendary. You can easily see the lineage between Aeschylus (the ancient Greek creator of tragedy) that goes all the way to Shakespeare. Perhaps that appreciation for the human condition in its best and worst forms is the tie that binds.

Photo credit: Rob Youngson

Source: britishcinematographer.co.uk - February 4 2021

#death on the nile #agatha christie #poirot #hercule poirot #kenneth branagh #been waiting for them to release the rest of the interview! \o/#it goes into a lot more detail than the average article #great interview for fans of behind the scenes stuff #ken's brilliance strikes again :)#i'm fascinated by the 'going twice around the karnak' single shot #sounds like the 'figure 8' shot in MOTOE but even more complex #and they fragmented it?#and the LED screen tech is much larger this time #OMG poirot in dark blue belgian army uniform <3 #hope they release some promo pics of it so we can see it in color #the overhead pic of poirot on set has circular camera tracks around him #it's gonna be an awesome shot i'm sure

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sapphireglyphs · 4 years ago

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[ bangtan short fic series ] jjk (feat. myg)

» Yᴏᴜʀ Vᴏɪᴄᴇ | ᴊᴊᴋ sᴏʟᴏ ᴍᴜsɪᴄɪᴀɴ!ᴀᴜ (ғᴇᴀᴛ. ᴍʏɢ)

Gᴇɴʀᴇ/Tᴀɢs: sʟɪᴄᴇ-ᴏғ-ʟɪғᴇ, ᴛɪɴʏ ʙɪᴛ ᴏғ ᴀɴɢsᴛ, ᴍɪɴ ʏᴏᴏɴɢ�� ɪs ᴀ ʀᴀᴅɪᴏ ʜᴏsᴛ, ɴᴏ ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢs, ɪɴᴠᴏʟᴠᴇs ᴀ ʀᴀᴛʜᴇʀ sɪᴄᴋ/ɪʟʟ ʏ/ɴ sᴏ ɪғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪs ᴛʀɪɢɢᴇʀɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜ... ᴍᴀʏʙᴇ sᴋɪᴘ ᴛʜɪs ᴏɴᴇ?, ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜɪs ᴏɴᴇ ɪs ᴘʀᴇᴛᴛʏ ʜᴀʀᴍʟᴇss, ʏᴏᴏɴᴋᴏᴏᴋ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅsʜɪᴘ ғᴛᴡ

Rᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ᴘɢ

Wᴏʀᴅ Cᴏᴜɴᴛ: ~1.5K

Sᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: Jᴜɴɢᴋᴏᴏᴋ ɢᴇᴛs ɪɴᴠɪᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ʜɪs ʟᴏɴɢ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅ Mɪɴ Yᴏᴏɴɢɪ ᴛᴏ ᴘʀᴏᴍᴏᴛᴇ ʜɪs ɴᴇᴡ ᴀʟʙᴜᴍ ᴏɴ ʜɪs ᴡɪᴅᴇʟʏ ᴘᴏᴘᴜʟᴀʀ ʀᴀᴅɪᴏ sʜᴏᴡ ᴀɴᴅ ɢᴇᴛs ᴀ ᴠᴇʀʏ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇsᴛɪɴɢ ᴄᴀʟʟ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴀ ғᴀɴ.

Aᴜᴛʜᴏʀ's Nᴏᴛᴇ: ᴏʜᴍʏɢᴏsʜ, ᴏᴋᴀʏ, sᴏ ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴍʏ ғɪʀsᴛ ғᴏʀᴀʏ ɪɴᴛᴏ Bᴀɴɢᴛᴀɴ ғᴀɴғɪᴄ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ sᴏ ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ʙᴇ ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ. Iᴛ ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛʟʏ ᴡᴀs sᴜᴘᴘᴏsᴇ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴛɪɴʏ 500 ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ sᴘɪʀᴀʟᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪs ɪɴ ғʀᴏɴᴛ ᴏғ ʏᴏᴜ ɴᴏᴡ. Tʜɪs ɪs sᴛɪʟʟ ᴜɴᴇᴅɪᴛᴇᴅ; I'ᴍ ʜᴏᴘɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ɢɪᴠᴇ ɪᴛ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴡʜᴇɴ I ɢᴇᴛ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ᴛᴏᴍᴏʀʀᴏᴡ. Iғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴄᴜʀɪᴏᴜs ᴀs ᴛᴏ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴠᴇʀsɪᴏɴ ᴏғ "Sᴛɪʟʟ Wɪᴛʜ Yᴏᴜ" I ᴛᴏᴏᴋ ɪɴsᴘɪʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ғʀᴏᴍ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪɴᴋ ʜᴇʀᴇ! Pʟᴇᴀsᴇ ʟᴇᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜɪs ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ғɪᴄʟᴇᴛ ᴏғ ᴍɪɴᴇ... I'ᴍ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ʟᴏᴏᴋɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ɪᴍᴘʀᴏᴠᴇ ᴍʏ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ sᴏ ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ sʜᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴇ! Eɴᴊᴏʏ 💜

“We’re back on in 2 minutes.”

Jungkook shifted in his seat with a toothy grin. “I wouldn’t go so far as to call myself a ‘producer’...” the singer-songwriter trailed off bashfully.

“But that’s what this album was: self-produced. Your first, in fact.” Yoongi countered.

The young artist didn’t deny the fact, knowing that his old friend had already slipped back into his radio host persona, even before the one minute standby was called. It seemed that, at least for the time being, Yoongi didn’t press the issue but simply followed up with, “What’s something you’ve been working on that’s been giving you trouble lately?”

Jungkook tilted his head slightly as he thought. His overgrown bangs fringed across his bottom eyelashes, giving him a rebellious devil-may-care aura, which would have made Yoongi roll his eyes if the younger man was actually anything like that in person. The radio host knew that under that edgy haircut and emo hipster attire, Jungkook was still that soft, shy kid from Busan with big round eyes and an even bigger heart.

He was glad to see his friend was still the same guy in all the ways that mattered.

“There is this one particular track that I have a vague concept and melody for but-” Jungkook’s response was cut off by one of the producers calling the 30 second standby.

Yoongi, still relaxed as ever, pressed for him to continue, “But-?”

“Oh, uhm, but the lyrics are still eluding me.” Jungkook finally murmured, fidgeting with his bracelet absentmindedly.

The host nodded sympathetically as he pushed a few buttons on the console in front of him before turning his head slightly to the window where the staff members were monitoring the phone lines and the clock as the show returned from its commercial break. “Welcome back to the show, everybody. I’m your host, DJ Suga with the sweet voice from Honey FM 06.13. My guest is the one and only Jeon Jungkook here to promote his brand new, self produced EP “Mixtape 1”. His single “My Time” was released earlier today and it seems as though the response is already overwhelmingly positive. Producer Jungkook?” Yoongi pauses for dramatic effect before quickly continuing, “Would you like to take some calls from your fans? I can see the switchboard lighting up like fireworks. What do you say, huh? Shall we take some calls?”

Jungkook simply chuckled at Yoongi’s subtle ‘producer’ jab, ducking his head in embarrassment. "Yeah, let's get it."

“We have Minnie on the line. Hi, Minnie, you’re on the air with DJ Suga and Jeon Jungkook.” Yoongi said.

“Oh my gosh! Hi DJ Suga! Hi Jungkook!” a cheerful voice filtered in through the headsets, “I’m in love with “My Time”. The lyrics seem so sad even if the song sounds so upbeat. What inspired you to write a song like this?”

Jungkook replied, “Thank you so much for liking the song. It’s a very personal piece to me and it means a lot to hear that fans are reacting so positively to the track.” He took a deep breath before continuing, “When I had set out to create this song, I had wanted to be as honest and authentic as possible with the lyrics while still staying true to my original vision for the song which was basically a bittersweet look at the last few years of my life and what it means to me as a young musician. I believe instead of seeing the lyrics as something sad, I see it as simply living life. Life has ups and downs, there are sacrifices but even greater rewards. A give and take, if you will.”

“Poignant.” Yoongi responded, “Thank you for calling in Minnie. Next caller we have is Ken. Ken you’re on the air with DJ Suga and Jungkook.”

“Hi guys. I just wanted to say that I really love both of your albums, Jungkook. “Euphoria” is on repeat daily for me.” a warm, tenor voice insisted on the other end. “When will we be able to hear you live in concert again?”

Jungkook gave a grateful smile and bowed unconsciously, almost hitting his head on the microphone in front of him. “Thank you so much for your support. I’m hoping to go on tour very soon, so please look out for tour dates on the official website. Until then, please enjoy ‘Mixtape 1’.”

Yoongi efficiently thanked Ken for calling in and pulled up the next call in the queue, “Hi Y/N, you’re on the air with DJ Suga and Jungkook.”

There was silence on the other end.

Unfazed, Yoongi tried again, “Y/N? You’re on the air.”

The unnerving silence permeated the air and just as Yoongi was going to move on to the next caller, a soft voice pierced through the quiet, “Hello? I-is it really you, Jungkook?”

Jungkook scooted forward into his chair. “Yes, hello.”

“I wanted to let you know that I truly love listening to you sing. Your voice is so beautiful and full of emotion. You truly have a gift...” There was a pregnant pause before the fragile voice rasped, “But I’m not sure how much longer I can stay to listen to you.”

Both host and guest were taken aback by the peculiar response but Jungkook recovered quickly and said, “Why do you say that? It isn't that late. Are you getting tired already?”

“I’m always tired nowadays.” The silence was heavy. When the voice returned, it seemed strained, as though simply speaking was becoming too difficult a task to bear. “Your songs used to be a source of such strength for me… but I’ve come to accept that it isn't going to be enough anymore. You see… I'm not doing too well.”

As the weight of the words sat palpable in the studio, Yoongi could see the panic in Jungkook’s eyes as he began to piece together what the caller was implying. Before he could jump in to save his friend though, the young musician simply asked, “How can I help?”

The voice returned this time with a quiet strength that masked the slight quiver of desperation, “Would it be too much if I could hear you sing for me… one last time?”

Jungkook looked up at Yoongi, his mind racing with a million thoughts. His eyes flickered to the radio host’s black guitar that hung on the wall behind his booth. Standing to his feet with resolve, Jungkook strode over to the guitar and carefully pulled it down from it’s hooks. He turned to Yoongi. “Hyung? Would you mind?”

Yoongi didn’t even blink. “Go for it, Jungkookie.”

Nodding his thanks, Jungkook made his way back to his seat and spoke softly into the microphone, “Y/N, please forgive me if this song is a bit on the rougher side as it’s still a work in progress.”

“I understand.”

Upon hearing a reply from the other end of the line, Jungkook closed his eyes in relief. He didn’t realize he had waited for that response with bated breath.

He began strumming a few cords before tweaking the guitar just a bit. “Now here’s the deal: I’ll be happy to sing this for you but you got to promise me that you’ll listen well to the very end, okay?”

“I will.”

Jungkook closed his eyes. Giving himself over to the music, his calloused fingers found its rhythm and began to strum a simple cord before taking a deep breath and allowing the song to take shape...

That faint voice of yours that grazed me Please call my name one more time I’m standing still under the frozen light, but I will walk towards you, step by step Still with you

Yoongi sat back, too stunned to actually respond to anything that had actually transpired over the course of the next few minutes as Jungkook began to croon over the gentle strum of his guitar, an acoustic ballad of longing and loneliness. Despite the lyrics holding such sadness in its tone, the song ends hopeful of a day where the vocalist could meet again with the person they had longed for. Yoongi imagines the final studio version of the song would sound nice with a piano in the mix, brushed drums for a percussion piece and maybe even some tinkling synths for character. Either way, he’s pretty sure he had just witnessed the creation of another major hit for the younger musician.

The moon looks lonely Like it's crying in the bright night sky Even though I always know the morning will come I want to stay in your sky like a star

As the song wound down, the studio erupted into cheers, from the staff and Yoongi alike. Jungkook bowed politely before he spoke into the microphone, “So, Y/N, what did you think?”

There was no reply from the other end of the line. Yoongi looked towards the booth where the producers sat behind the glass window and took their nods as a sign that the line was still open.

“Y/N?” Jungkook repeated. “Don’t leave me hanging now. We had a deal. Are you still there?”

There was a beat of agonizing silence before a sniffle could be heard from the other end of the line. “Yes, Jungkook... I’m still here.”

#bts fanfic #jeon jungkook #jungkook fanfic #bangtan fanfic #min yoongi #my writing

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monkberries · 4 years ago

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Wait what's wrong with the AKOM How Do You Sleep episode? I remember it being fine but its been ages since i listened to it so if you've got any thoughts I'd love to hear them :)

Be aware, this is only about the first episode, not about the George-focused episode. If they resolve any of the issues I have with the first episode in the second episode, then I sincerely apologize.

First, there are some things they talk about that I agree with! Near the end of the episode, they discuss the dynamic between John and the people around him in a really insightful way, and in a way I’ve often thought about it; both John and the people around him were all kind of in this mindset of “oh, Paul rejected us? Well, we didn’t want him ANYWAY! So THERE!” They also discuss the fact that John was very easily manipulated, and nearly his entire support system (minus Ringo, and shame on them for not mentioning that) basically egged his anger and viciousness on. And they also play/read some interviews with John about the song and tangential subjects, and it’s always nice to hear primary sources.

However, much like their post about Lewisohn, I find a lot of this episode excessive, overtorqued, and generally far too exaggerated. They perceive an imbalance in narratives (which I do think is there, just not to the extent they say) and overcorrect, imho.

First, I want to get my opinion on the song itself out of the way: I listen to it a lot. It’s on my Fall 2020 playlist. I enjoy the musicality, the style; the mood it evokes is extremely strong to me. Sometimes it’s fun to indulge in feeling evil or mean without having to actually be evil or mean! Plus, I love playing it right before Jealous Guy, or Steel and Glass, or I Know (I Know), just to get that maximum John Lennon Mood Whiplash effect. I think George’s solo is vicious and perfect for the mood as well. However, the lyrics are pretty horrendous in terms of their effect on Paul and his feelings; they’re also horrendous in that they’re just not well-written lyrics. IMHO you can tell it was written by three different people all throwing insults at the wall to see what would stick and rhyme. Half of the digs don’t even make sense. “So Sgt. Pepper took you by surprise/You better see right through that mother’s eyes” Wut? “The one mistake you made was in your head” ??? The hell do these things even mean lmao

Anyway. Onto the episode itself.

Around 1 minute in, they say that there’s not a lot of check and balance in the Beatles fandom w/r/t this song, and that much of the fandom espouses that HDYS was “deserved” and “honest”. They reiterate this sentiment over in different ways throughout the episode, and I just do not see that kind of thing being a majority opinion in Beatles fandom spaces at all. Perhaps they are occupying different fandom spaces than I occupy (tumblr/Hey Dullblog/beatlebioreview), and it is true where they are? (In which case, my goodness, find some better blogs to follow, babes!) They talk about how they’ve never seen anyone pick it apart before, and that the discussion around it has not changed, that people have been saying Paul deserved it since it came out. Again, this is does not jive with my experience in the Beatles fandom.

From Shout!, a book with a well known anti-McCartney streak, published in 1981: “John’s Imagine album - despite the plea for universal peace and brotherhood in the title track - launched a thermo-nuclear strike back at Paul with ‘How Do You Sleep?’ a title suggesting crimes almost in the realm of first-degree murder. The McCartney references were unmistakable, and, often, cruelly unjust: ‘The freaks was right when they said you was dead... The only thing you done was Yesterday...’ There was even a two-fingered gesture of contempt for Paul’s new outdoor life with Linda on their Scottish farm.” Also, the RS review spends two paragraphs talking specifically about how heinous and unjustifiable HDYS is. You can definitely say that rock journalism takes some of the attitude of HDYS and runs with them, such as Paul’s music sounding like muzak - that sentiment certainly persisted. But I would argue that most of the shit journos are reacting to and buying into comes from Lennon Remembers primarily, where John says all the same crap and more, and worse, rather than HDYS itself, which they seem to balk at.

They make the claim as well that the Imagine LP has been elevated to some kind of untouchable, un-criticizeable status. In the years after his death, I think there is probably some truth to that, although again, untouchable is an extreme word. Even in 2003, the LP was number 80 on Rolling Stone’s top 500 albums of all time. However, it was 227 on NME’s list in 2013 and dropped to 223 on Rolling Stone’s new 2020 list, suggesting a waning in popularity over time and a willingness to look more objectively at the quality of it.

The thing that really bothered me about this episode is like... They talk about the need for nuanced discussion of the song, right? And that’s all fine and good, and I agree, nuance in any Beatles discussion is essential if you want to get close to any actual truth. However, they then go on to say, quite adamantly, that if you say the music of the song is good, even if you think the lyrics are awful, then they wouldn’t even bother having a conversation with you. It’s very “We want nuance! NO NOT LIKE THAT! YOU’RE DOING NUANCE WRONG!” Like, I’m sorry, the music is good, in my opinion! John is very good at evoking a mood! The fact that I think George’s solo is incredible, or that the keyboard riff gives me chills, or that I think the bass goes super hard, doesn’t mean I don’t understand how rough the lyrics are or the effect they had on Paul. In fact, imho, I think it’s important that we discuss how quality the music is because it underscores the calculated cruelty John exhibited. He worked hard on this song. He wanted to create a very specific feeling out of it, and he succeeded in spades. I think if it had been crappy musically, people would have been much more contemptuous of it than they already are. As I said earlier, some of the digs don’t even make sense; I think they’re bolstered and propped up specifically because the music underneath them is so good. Also, it’s not fucking wrong to enjoy a groove.

I also take some issue with them saying that HDYS was easily among the worst things John ever did. Like... equivalent or worse than going on anti-Semitic, homophobic rants? Yikes.

There are many instances in this episode where they will go “I often read things like...” or “Jean Jackets will say...” or “I see this a lot...” and then never actually talk about where they see these things or quote directly from them. One instance goes “I often read things like, ‘John Lennon is expressing years of pent-up resentment over creative differences’, as if John is some kind of, like, drunk art teacher doling out free advice to Paul on his music.” I’ve read a lot about HDYS and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that. Just about every discussion of the song I’ve seen says very clearly that it was an unjustified, deeply personal attack. I realize there is an aversion to publicly Naming Names when you’re calling out people who perpetuate a bad narrative. But I want to know where this stuff comes from. I want to actually see what it is they’re upset about.

Lastly, they talk near the end about music innovation and experimentation, and this is where I think things go much too far in overcorrecting a narrative. The well-known narrative for many years post breakup was that Paul was a boring square who wrote granny music. That is true; he was much maligned in the press about that. However, I think post-Hertsgaard, post-Revolution In The Head, post-Complete Recording Sessions, and post-Many Years From Now, that attitude has changed quite a bit. Most serious Beatles fans know now that Paul was the first one to really get into Avant-Garde stuff; most fans know about the fact that he made McCartney 1 basically alone in a homemade studio. Most fans have probably heard or at least heard of Temporary Secretary, lmao.

But it feels like these women are still living in the past where Paul was still being maligned for being a square, so instead they go way far to the other end and say “Paul was the musical innovator, not John.” And that is just flat out NOT true. They were BOTH musical innovators. The fact that Paul was the first to get into avant-garde art does not exclude John from also being incredibly innovative and experimental in his own way. Perhaps he wasn’t doing that on Imagine; they are right that Imagine is a collection of really good but fairly commercial songs. But they utterly discount the fact that he did Strawberry Fields Forever, and I Want You (She’s So Heavy), popularized backmasking, was one of the first if not the first to use amp feedback in a song in I Feel Fine, experimented with recording his voice differently with Tomorrow Never Knows and Revolution, and also the entirety of Plastic Ono Band!!! You don’t have to downplay or erase John’s experimental contributions to music in order to elevate Paul’s. You can elevate both of them. It’s fine.

Also, this is the episode where they say Lewisohn’s book is exactly the same as all the other Jean Jackets books except thicker, and I have a viscerally bad reaction to that for many reasons I have already outlined on this blog. Suffice to say, it is demonstrably untrue (not least because Lewisohn hasn’t published anything in his Tune In series that goes beyond 1962) and unfair to someone who has done an unbelievable amount of legwork to back up his writing. They also compare Lewisohn to Goldman (???????) and call them John and Yoko’s “fuckin bitch boys saying the same shit over and over again.” I have to imagine Goldman was a misspeak and she meant someone else, but still that jarred me lmfao

#about the blogger #Anonymous #podcast blues

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elleroodles · 4 years ago

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hello el :] i was wondering if you have any advice for someone wanting to start playing guitar with no prior experience!!

man oh man this is SO exciting!!! i love that you asked me this!!! i have so many thoughts!!! i hope i make sense!!! if you have any questions about anything at all do not hesitate to reach out!!! i’m!!!!

1) the guitar itself! (+ other equipment!)

so i started on what was quite literally a grocery store brand guitar my dad got when he was in his 20’s, and if you want to take up guitar as anything more than a fun little thing to dabble in every so often (which is completely fine!) then you might want to start saving up for a trusty brand.

i can’t remember the name of my first guitar since it was a hand me down, but you can literally get them for like. $25 on amazon. i’m going into this assuming you mean acoustic, i’m not entirely sure what the price points are for electric. fender’s the big name brand, but i vastly prefer guild. i love the wood and the sound, and some people at my music studio have said they work realllll good with amps. there’s also several different sizes other than the standard, which is very nice for my tiny little body

the reason i’d invest in a guitar early on if you’re looking into music for the long-term is because they’re super durable if you take good care of them. my guild will probably last me into my thirties, and maybe even longer than that. my dad’s old guitar that i started on obviously did last a long time, but it did Not sound very good. it’s also worth noting that i started learning music with a cheap uke and definitely don’t regret it, this isn’t to say that you Need an expensive instrument to play music, it’s just definitely something to consider if you’re looking for playing in the long term

other stuff i’d advise spending money on is a capo and tuner!! a capo is used to change the pitch of songs and can make playing easier if you need to transpose a song, i wish i got one earlier than i did. it opens up so many more songs!! having a physical tuner is moreso for convenience, phone ones work just fine, but i once lost my phone at a music festival and was Very thankful for my tuner. plus they can help you find the right notes if you’re fretting or singing!! the brand i use is snark

oh and picks!! i don’t really use picks all that often unless i’m live because they mostly serve to make strumming louder, but it’s really up to personal preference. i find fingerpicking harder w a pick but it’s something you gotta mess around with and see what works for you!! picks are incredibly easy to lose, so i’d buy cheap and plentiful packs. i like the nylon jim dunlop .46 mm ones, but picks are really something that varies from guitarist to guitarist

now for the FUN PART

2) actually learning lol

befriend ultimate guitar and never lose it. i would live and die for ultimate guitar, it is probably the best way to teach yourself guitar. there’s chords and strumming patterns you can actually play, and the community’s truly wonderful. there’s a premium option, but i’ve been using the free version for years now and i’d marry it if given the option.

after you’ve signed the marriage license to ultimate guitar, make a playlist!! at first i’d just put any old song you want on it, and then launch into the easy tabs on ultimate guitar (which i’ll just refer to as ug from now on). ug has a playlist system which i’d also ulitize! i’d recommend some guitar songs i started out with, but the best advice my music teacher has ever given me is that if you play music you’re not passionate about, you’ll lose interest so quickly. i have never taken a formal guitar class in my life, and i honestly would say i’m a better player because of that (though i did come from a few years of uke, so i had a pretty good grasp on fretting/strumming). find a song you love that’s easy and learn it!

before launching straight into songs, you probably want to learn some chords. the most common chords in western music are c, g, f, d, a, and e, so i’d nail those down as well as am (a minor) and em (e minor). if you’d like a lesson in music theory and chord structures, i’d be more than happy to help. same goes for strumming patterns, ug is great for listening to and learning strumming patterns but i also like listening to songs and just trying to figure out the strumming pattern. this may sound a bit like bragging and i apologize, but guitar came very naturally to me because i have a good ear for music, so i never really had a whole lot of those beginning struggles. that sounded really arrogant shdgsg but what i’m trying to get at is that i’m probably not the best person to go to if you can’t figure out the rhythm of a song because my brain just does it for me shdgdg

misc stuff:

tuning: standard tuning is eadgbe, another one i like is cgdgbe (a good chunk of wilbur’s songs are in this tuning 🙄🙄🙄🙄). i personally Hate retuning and try to avoid it at all costs so i’d recommend getting comfy with it

more string stuff: strings go out of tune really easily!! especially on new guitars!! it’s super duper important to keep your guitar in tune when you’re a beginner so your ear gets that muscle memory with sound (ie being able to hear an a7 as an a7 and not an out of tune a7)

little bit of vocab:

dim: diminished

m: minor

b: flat

maj: major

don’t be afraid of chords that are all wonky like fdim7!! they’re not scary!! most are very pretty!! but definitely get good at your basic before moving on the trickier stuff

barre chords: UGHHHHH most songs have a pesky little f in them which is a barre chord (a chord where you gotta stick your fretting hand over multiple strings). another scary thing i’d very much recommend getting used to!

oh god i feel like i’ve missed so much, like i said, i had a very unorthodox learning experience so i might make a part 2 to this sometime soon when i get my thoughts in a better order and some sleep but for now i’m so excited that you’re looking to learn guitar!! it’s so fun!! ty for reachin out and if you have any more questions don’t even hesitate to ask, i’d love to help :))))

#sorry for the multitude of essays shdgsgs #my heart has been beating at a mile a minute typing this i have so many thoughts #i’m so excited #ja he hdhshshdhdhs #violet tag #ask

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safetypinkerton · 4 years ago

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Hollywood Propaganda by Mark Dice

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hollywood-propaganda-mark-dice/1137833508

Christianity Under Attack

In order to destroy America, the conspirators are determined to eradicate faith in God and dismantle organized Christianity. Attacking Jesus and Christianity is a sacrament in Hollywood because the far-Left hates Jesus and everything He stands for. It’s not an overstatement to say that many in key positions of power in the entertainment industry (and politics) are Satanists who will someday openly embrace Lucifer as the rebel angel kicked out of Heaven for defying God.

“I’m glad the Jews killed Christ,” ranted comedian Sarah Silverman in one of her comedy specials. “Good. I’d fucking do it again!” she declares, as her audience agrees in laughter.158 While accepting an Emmy Award one year Kathy Griffin said, “A lot of people come up here and they thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus. He didn’t help me a bit…so all I can say is suck it Jesus! This award is my god now!”159

I’m not saying people shouldn’t be able to make fun of Christians, but no mainstream celebrity would dare make such insults or jokes about Muhammad because Muslims (and Jews) are vigorously protected against any criticism or mockery and only wonderful things can be said about them. Even a slightly edgy joke ignites a barrage of attacks with cries of “Islamophobia” or “anti-Semitism” and gears start moving in the well-funded and massive smear machines like the ADL and the SPLC which quickly move to destroy the person’s career before they can utter another word.

Hating Christians is almost as necessary as believing in climate change if you’re going to be a mainstream Hollywood celebrity. There are very few open Christians in Hollywood, most of them are has-beens like Kevin Sorbo and Kirk Cameron who have been basically blacklisted since being open about their faith.

Kevin Sorbo was banned from Comicon because he’s a conservative and “pals with Sean Hannity.”160 He and other Christian actors are stuck doing low budget films that get little attention. They’re allowed to exist (for now) as long as they never point out the Bible’s teachings on homosexuality. Only watered down and generic Christian messages are allowed to be said.

After Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and happened to discuss his “spirituality,” many online began attacking him for being a Christian and attending a church. Actress Ellen Page (a lesbian) from the X-Men and Inception tweeted, “If you are a famous actor and you belong to an organization that hates a certain group of people, don’t be surprised if someone simply wonders why it’s not addressed. Being anti LGBTQ is wrong, there aren’t two sides. The damage it causes is severe. Full stop.”161

Singer Ellie Goulding threatened to back out of her scheduled performance at the 2019 Thanksgiving NFL halftime show if the Salvation Army didn’t pledge to donate money to LGBT causes. She got the idea after her Instagram comments were flooded with complaints from her fans because the Salvation Army was sponsoring the game to announce their annual Red Kettle Campaign (bell ringers) fundraiser for the homeless.162 Since the Salvation Army is a Christian charity, Goulding’s fans freaked out, accusing them of being “homophobic” and “transphobic.”

They quickly bowed to the pressure and “disavowed” any anti-LGBT beliefs, which basically means they’re disavowing the Bible because even the New Testament denounces homosexuality in Romans 1:26-27 and 1st Corinthians 6:9-10. Many critics claim that only the Old Testament does, but the Book of Romans makes it clear that just because Jesus came to offer salvation doesn’t mean God’s law regarding homosexuality changed.

The Salvation Army also removed a “position statement” from their website that had made it clear “Scripture forbids sexual intimacy between members of the same sex,” and replaced it with one saying “We embrace people regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity.”163 One of the world’s largest Christian charities whose very name “The Salvation Army” refers to the salvation of Christ, cowardly bowed down to the Leftist activists out of fear they would be branded “homophobic.”

Christians are easy targets since they’re much more passive than Jews and Muslims when attacked, and Hollywood loves to stereotype them as a bunch of superstitious bigots who don’t know how to have fun. In the rare case that there is a movie favorable to Christianity that gets widespread distribution, that too is attacked.

Passion of the Christ was deemed “anti-Semitic” because it depicts the story of Jesus’ arrest, sham trial, and crucifixion.164 It was the most popular film about the events to be made and wasn’t a straight to DVD release like most others. With Mel Gibson behind it, the film became a huge success, which caused a tremendous backlash.

The ADL [Anti-Defamation League] denounced the film, saying it “continues its unambiguous portrayal of Jews as being responsible for the death of Jesus. There is no question in this film about who is responsible. At every single opportunity, Mr. Gibson’s film reinforces the notion that the Jewish authorities and the Jewish mob are the ones ultimately responsible for the Crucifixion.”165 That’s because that’s what happened!

Technically, the Romans did it, but at the behest of the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem at the time. The Bible makes it very clear what led to Jesus being crucified. Pontius Pilate is quoted in Matthew 27:24 saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” and “It is your responsibility!” meaning the Jewish Pharisees. They were the ones who conspired to have Jesus arrested and killed for “blasphemy” and being a “false” messiah. Pontius Pilate even offered to release Jesus, but the crowd demanded he release Barabbas instead, another man who was being detained for insurrection against Rome, and for murder.166

A critic for the New York Daily News called The Passion of the Christ, “the most virulently anti-Semitic movie made since the German propaganda films of the Second World War.”167 Many others angrily denounced the film when it came out in 2004. Some in the media even blamed it for a supposed “upsurge” in anti-Semitic hate crimes.168

When the History Channel miniseries The Bible was released in 2013, the same cries of “anti-Semitism” rang out.169 The New York Times opinion editor Bari Weiss went so far as to say that it’s a “conspiracy theory” that Jews killed Jesus.170

Even though most Christmas movies aren’t overtly Christian and instead focus of the importance of families reuniting and spending time together, that doesn’t mean they’re not going to come under attack. As the war on western culture continues, the Marxists have set their sights on Christmas too.

Online liberal cesspool Salon.com ran a headline reading “Hallmark movies are fascist propaganda,” and complained they promote “heteronormative whiteness” because there aren’t enough LGBT characters or people of color in them.171

“Hallmark movies, with their emphasis on returning home and the pleasures of the small, domestic life, also send a not-at-all subtle signal of disdain for cosmopolitanism and curiosity about the larger world,” Salon said, “which is exactly the sort of attitude that helps breed the kind of defensive White nationalism that we see growing in strength in the Donald Trump era.”172

The article went on to say that because the Hallmark Channel airs so many Christmas movies, it is promoting, “a set of patriarchal and authoritarian values that are more about White evangelicals defining themselves as an ethnic group, and not about a genuine feeling of spirituality…The very fact that they’re presented as harmless fluff makes it all the more insidious, the way they work to enforce very narrow, White, heteronormative, sexist, provincial ideas of what constitutes ‘normal.’”173

The article wasn’t satire. Salon.com has a deep-seated hatred of Christianity, conservatives and families, and is another cog in the Cultural Marxist machine working to destroy the United States.

Comedian Whitney Cummings was reported to the Human Resources department of a major Hollywood studio after she wished the crew of a TV show she was working on “Merry Christmas” when they wrapped up for the year. She made the revelation while speaking with Conan O’Brian the following December. “Last year, I was working on a TV show, [and] got in trouble with Human Resources for saying ‘Merry Christmas’ to an intern,” she began.174

Conan asked her if she was being serious and she said it was a true story, elaborating, “I was leaving, like on the 18th or whatever…and I was like, ‘Bye guys, Merry Christmas.’” When she returned from vacation after New Year’s she was called to HR and scolded. She joked, “I don’t even care how your Christmas was. It was just a formality. It’s what you say when you leave.”175

Conan O’Brien then replied, “In these times we’re in, that could trigger someone or offend them if it’s not their holiday.”176 She didn’t say which network it was, but she’s been involved with some major shows like NBC’s Whitney (where she played the main character), as well as the CBS sitcom 2 Broke Girls, which she created and was a writer for.

While today it may seem impossible that Christmas movies may become a thing of the past, nobody could have ever guessed that reruns of the classic Dukes of Hazzard would get banned after the Confederate flag was deemed a “hate symbol” in 2015, or that Aunt Jemima pancake syrup, Eskimo Pie ice cream bars, and Uncle Ben’s Rice would be deemed “racially insensitive” and pulled from production a few years later.177

Once someone reminds liberals that the word Christmas is derived from Christ’s Mass and that it is actually a commemoration of the birth of Jesus, they may finally go over the edge and deem Christmas just as offensive as Columbus Day or the Fourth of July. And with the Muslim and Sikh populations increasing in the United States, the American standard of Christmas music playing in shopping malls and retail stores all month long every December may one day come to an end because it’s not “inclusive” and leaves non-Christians feeling “ostracized.”

#hollywoodpropaganda

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butterbeeryuta · 5 years ago

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interview with me • lee taeyong

photo credits to owners

Niki: Good morning Mr. Lee and Ms. ______, thank you so much for taking your time off this morning to do this interview.

Taeyong: No, no, it’s not a problem at all.

________: This interview was bound to happen anyway, so it’s all okay.

Taeyong: Yeah…

Niki: Both of you attended the most prestigious high school in the island of Jeju, known for its socialite students and tremendously high standards. Can you please give us a bit of background from each of you.

You and Taeyong looked at one another smiling, knowing that the two of you will have to repeat the exact same story again and again.

________: Uh, well, my mother is the owner of NCT Kitchen, so I guess that it the main reason behind my current social status

Taeyong: We own Lee Industries, known for its, you know, agricultural production. Same reason as ________, probably the reason behind my current social status

________: Except that Taeyong over here is actually taking part in his family business, meanwhile I am working as my mother’s personal assistant.

Taeyong: Well you’re at least putting effort into working now, very different from the ________ that I dated back in high school.

________: That is true, I was quite a mess back in high school. Still am now, but less drinking and lashing out against people.

Taeyong: That was indeed one ________ experience. If you did not see ________ plot an evil scheme or sort against anyone, that was not this person sitting beside me.

You could only nod and smile at Taeyong’s words. There was no possible way that you could deny any of the things that he said since most of the shenanigans that you caused made it to the media.

Niki: Well from what I remember at least when I was reading the magazines and such during high school, you did come out a lot Ms. ________. Now that we are on the topic of your characters during high school, could you give us a bit more on how you two were during your time at Jeju for our readers here at Seasonies?

________: Well, as you said, I made a lot of appearances in magazines, newspapers, online articles, and so much more— and not all of them, in fact the majority of them, were either me being really drunk, or being pulled out of the car looking like I haven’t slept in decades. I put my mum under a lot of stress, and I do feel really terrible about the amount of money she had to pay to refrain the family business from being at risk, and most importantly, just putting up with me.

And you were being truthful, for the most part at least. There was no doubt of how much trouble you caused during your high school days. You deliberately sent a picture of your ex’s previous girlfriend sucking the soul out of your Biology teacher in the lab to the so called ‘Gossip Girl’ of your school, creating a huge scandal within the school, risking the school’s reputation. You also hosted a party at your own house, having three of your ‘friends’ calling the entire neighbourhood, only leaving a mess in your house; and not to mention, the smell of alcohol remaining for a good whole week. Your mother was disappointed in you in many things, but this was probably by far one of the worst things that you had done.

Taeyong: But don’t you think you improved a lot since then?

________: I hope I did, definitely tried to stay out of being the cover page of every magazine to be found in Korea.

You and Taeyong chuckled, looking back at one another knowing how many times you have been featured in every possible media-- both physical and digital.

Taeyong: I, on the other hand, was a perfect little boy—

________: That is complete bull, he always skipped lessons. I may have been a perfect epitome of chaos, but I at least got somewhat decent grades and did attend most of my lessons.

Taeyong: Honestly that’s probably the only reason why you didn’t get expelled.

________: Hey!

You two laughed again, his sparkly eyes being the same since the last time you saw them.

Niki: Well, I can assure that you two were the commonly talked about duo in that school, and it’s not only me who says that. But, I’m pretty sure the two of you already know that the point of this interview isn’t really to talk about how you were as individuals, but rather together.

Both of your laughter slowly died down, knowing to yourself that the interviewer was indeed not really that interested in who you have become. It was more of what happened between you and Taeyong.

Niki: It’s been 6 years since the two of you went your own ways to different universities. In fact, I believe that one of you went to Yonsei University, and the other went to University of Leeds. Many thought that you two were still together, but it wasn’t until 3 years ago when we saw ________ being with Nakamoto Yuta, a well-known Japanese rock star—

________: Which ended after 5 months of fooling around, thank you

Niki: Yes, sorry about that. So, what happened?

Taeyong noticed your sudden change in posture, the atmosphere of the room gradually darkening; he knew how much of a painful and serious topic this was for the both of you, especially you. It wasn’t that your relationship ended badly, you two decided amongst yourselves hours after the two of you threw your Oxford cap up in the air.

________: It w-wasn’t that that our relationship ended badly. Nobody cheated on anyone, nor was there hot ‘tea’ behind it.

Taeyong: It was more on the fact that we couldn’t—

________: Understand each other properly

Taeyong softly smiled at your words, somewhat proud of you for being brave to talk about this. You two may have decided amongst yourselves and thought it was best for you two part away, even though the two of you did not like it at all.

________: Yeah…

Taeyong: I guess you could say that I assume things too easily

________: Whereas I do things without thinking, which only led us to fights and disagreements

Taeyong: And although we were able to solve things and have our couple-y moments together,

________: it did get tiring…

Taeyong could only nod his head as memories of countless, petty yet intense fights rushed through his mind, clearly hearing the amount of frustration and anger you had in your voice. And it would be a lie to say that you were not thinking of any of your past arguments as well.

________: So I guess that’s what happened.

You gave a little laugh, hoping to lighten up the mood.

Niki: Oh… but I must ask about one thing, and I am really sorry but the company wrote these questions so, how do you still think of each other now?

Taeyong: ________ has definitely improved, from what I hear and see from media outlets at least. There are more smiles now, and I think that you should continue since you have a really great smile.

Taeyong wasn’t lying about this. Your smile was everything to him; it made him feel that he made you feel happy and vice versa, regardless of how cheesy that sounds. You immediately crouched your head down from the sudden compliment, only causing the person beside you to laugh. In his eyes, you haven’t changed at all. Maybe a bit more mature, but still the same.

________: T-thank you? Umm, the first thing I noticed about Lee Taeyong was his eyes. I think everyone can agree that he has one of the most beautiful sets of eyes, and my thoughts haven’t changed about that at all. And still now, despite the 6 years of us being away from each other, I guess you could say that there is still that sense of… umm…

Taeyong: Comfort?

________: Yeah, comfort… and warmth too…

Taeyong: Yeah…

Niki: Well thank you for joining us for Seasonies today, and I am really sorry to bring up such a serious topic. I hope the two of you for the best, and again, thank you so much!

You and Taeyong got off your the black stools, walking out of the studio set, feeling somewhat exhausted from the pretty short chat.

‘Even after 6 years, we’re still being contacted, huh?’ Taeyong asks you, cutting the silence in between the two of you.

‘Yeah I guess so, but I’m not surprised to be honest’ you answered, looking up at the boy, your first love. The silence and awkwardness between the two of you slowly developed back to its place, not a single word exchanged with one another. You said your goodbye to Taeyong the moment you got out of the building, wanting to leave the odd environment you were just in. Or perhaps, you were trying to not fall in love with him all over again. Then again, you would never admit that to yourself. Not now at least.

a/n: so my exams got cancelled which means that (1) this bish is done with high school 💅and (2) i have time to write YASSSSSSSS. omfg i’m actually so excited imma have another social media au coming up soon, and my plan for the ‘that guy’ series has JUSt been finalised, and imma start writing it later today. alright okay pls continue to stay safe and practice proper hygiene alright i wuv youuu <3 -niki

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fmstevie · 5 years ago

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* ╰ waddup y’all ruby’s back 2 annoy u all w a lil british fuckboi action . here’s stevie , inspired by matty healy n thinkin she’s a god among men . i don’t recommend u read on but in case u do i pray u forgive me enough 2 want plots w that like button . 🤡

new york’s very own 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄 ‘ 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐘 ’ 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐄 was spotted on broadway street in doc marten smooth leather chelsea boots . your resemblance to diana silvers is unreal . according to tmz , you just had your twenty - second birthday bash . while living in nyc , you’ve been labeled as being 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐬 , but also 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 . i guess being a cancer explains that . 3 things that would paint a better picture of you would be erudite inclinations informed by a god complex , melodrama as your magnum opus , & the world’s most secretive love life . ( i had a secret marriage that lasted 6 months but ended due to my fear of my family’s mafia ties getting in the way . ) & ( cis female & she / her )

𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆 : stephanie charlotte greystone 𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒔 : primarily stevie , although her stage name is ‘ grey ‘ which has caught on as a go-to nickname . takes little to nothing else wilingly 𝒂𝒈𝒆 : twenty - two 𝒛𝒐𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒄 : cancer 𝒐𝒄𝒄𝒖𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 : professional musician with a voiceclaim of lorde , on temporary hiatus to write grey3 . casual photographer 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒚 / 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒔 : cis female / she her hers 𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 : pansexual w strong female pref but tbh if u can handle her energy she’ll b down WKERWJER 𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 : 5’10 🤤 𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒔 : the hedonist , the aesthete , the opaque , the vainglorious , the prodigy , the intangible concept 𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒔 : rhiannon - fleetwood mac / WHAT U CALL THAT - chase atlantic / iceberg - borns / UGH - the 1975 / boss bitch - doja cat / elephant - tame impala / black hole sun - soundgarden / black madonna - cage the elephant / this charming man - the smiths / swim - chase atlantic / 1999 WILDFIRE - brockhampton

tw drug mention

𝒊. 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏.

there is perhaps no more a formidable surname in the organized crime circuit in all of europe than greystone , a name risen to fame through countless court cases and highly publicized trials . dubbed ‘ el chapo of the old world , ‘ liam greystone makes his reputation known as a ruthless and conniving leader of a million dollar cartel business , distributing to most of the UK and eastern europe . it’s perhaps an even greater shock to find even as public enemy #1 , he takes a welsh wife by the name of marissa and weds her in a lavish and very public ceremony , surmounting crowds not unlike those of the royal weddings . such a decision is a clear power move on his part , flexing the pure influence it would require to have such a public family life with no fear of repercussion from rivals or enemies .

it’s several months following their wedding that james is born , with nicholas taking a few years after . elite prep schools in the most posh london neighborhoods were abuzz with equal parts curiosity and concern to be sharing streets with the most feared mafia family in their whole country , though the elite nature of liam’s new societal presence meant he took to his ‘ dealings ‘ with a but more subtlety than before his rise to power . something of a media frenzy , it’s the talk of the town when marissa falls pregnant another time , nearly a decade after nicholas’s birth , this time with a baby girl , something that’s all the sun and mirror can seem to post about in their celebrity tabloids section for weeks on end . her birth raises questions of immense speculation : what will the world do with a greystone girl ?

as it would result , they’d worship her . stevie found herself raised in a world that sought her out at every turn , cameras pointed towards her at every outing . james and nick , now teens by the time she enters primary and just as big of terrors as their father , view their lavish lifestyle as the result of some bigger destiny for greatness , as their father had always fed to them , something they passed on to their baby sister who took it as her mantra . one of the earliest manifestations of a rather intense personality , stevie takes this to an extreme , turning her unwanted stardom into a fuel for an ever-increasing god complex to develop . the apple of her father’s eye and every bit as quick , her instructors note a dedication to perfection and an obsession with accomplishment , along with a natural intelligence that leads her to blast through her studies with relative ease .

she’s just 16 when she completes her schooling and already has a reputation that will precede her , just as her surname had before . relaxed and observant , her voice never peaks higher than a low alto with her charming londoner drawl , a facade never cracking from her knowing poker face . there’s something about being so above everyone ( even if it is a self-imposed superiority ) that leads stevie all but to the brink of isolation , finding solace only in the words of a self-deluded father and her own scribings in a leather bound notebook . piano lessons since early childhood lend themselves to melodies following melodies , and before she’s even able to legally drink , she’s released her first album under the moniker ‘ grey ’ titling it pure heroine as a cheeky nod to the inevitable accusations of it being her family ties that got her a record deal . but as streams of the melancholy tunes begin to pick up fans worldwide , the album’s themes of isolation , abandonment , and wasted youth hit harder than ever anticipated from the youngest greystone . she leaves home to tour the world with the album reaching #1 in countless countries , forging her own path with a maturity beyond her years and a vision beyond this world .

the tour ends and she’s smitten by the charm of new york , opting to move to continue to pursue her music away from the tangled complications of family life in england . barely 18 and perhaps intoxicated with the loneliness of a life spent in the watching eye of others , the semblance of privacy is something she takes to like an addict , exasperating prying paparazzi with her notorious refusal to comment on details of her personal life . she builds a wall between herself and the world , keeping out prying eyes with a tight - lipped grin . its at this time that she lets the first person into her life perhaps ever , a whirlwind romance so intoxicating it results in a courthouse marriage done in secret . never to be seen together , never a word spoken to anyone else , stevie relishes in the secret which is soon to sour upon the passing of their honeymoon phase . with her brothers expanding their reach into the US for their unsavory dealings , it’s not long after her marriage begins that the conflicts reach a breaking point , an annulment following barely 6 months after they had traded ‘ i do’s . ’

she takes to the studio with a new resentment of the concept of love and even more sequestered heart , producing melodrama which takes the world by storm , snagging her a grammy win for album of the year . fatigued from the constant go-around of keeping her secrets her own except for when they’re taken to radio streams , she does a limited tour for melodrama and lands herself right back in new york at 20�� , putting grey3 on the backburner as she takes to all the hedonistic engagements she had indulged herself in during her time on tour . she’s kept herself busy between mindless flings and days-long benders with hobbies such as photography and writing , the former of which is building her a rather impressive reputation in the arts world .

𝒊𝒊. 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 .

if y’all ain’t tired of me yet god bless u . .. . bc i straight up b tired of myself :/

anyways dis is stevie , also accepts grey the same way ppl talk abt lorde n switch between ella n lorde ! she’s not picky :~)

major inspos are matty healy from the 1975 n hayley kiyoko if she was less of a try hard . little bit of kristen stewart in there , big 2016 ruby rose energy n brie larson top me tomfoolery as well !

basically da fuckboi of ur dreams .. .. . lil devilish londoner who stays thinkin she’s the closest thing to a god on this green earth !

notably , she’s incredibly intelligent and profound , tends to take on a rather patronizing and condescending tone bc she straight up b thinkin she’s usually the smartest person in the room ( how annoying )

so laid back n observant , rlly has no need to raise her voice ever bc her arguments b runnin circles around ppl ! imagine the way harry styles talks low n slow n calculated. . . . . cameron from love is blind ,. .. . kristen stewart lowkey sometimes .. .. .. das grey . sexy ass alto monotone 🤤🤤

i dont wanna use chaotic bc she rlly isnt the WILDEST bitch but that god complex means she deadass thinks she can get away w what she wants n she usually does ? less of a chaotic evil n more like a neutral evil lmao she can follow rules just fine she jsut prefers whatever suits her better

on that note — OBSCENELY self obsessed . follows her own natural whims n impulses bc that’s just what appeals to her . is inclined to follow rules if she calculates itll work in her favor bc she also doesn’t like to look sloppy !

super secretive and OBSESSED w her presentation . every movement is calculated n she doesnt want anyone seeing a side of her that she hasn’t designated for them ! she doesn’t care what other ppl think but she DOES care abt what she sees herself doing n her vision . doesnt fit the vision ? will NOT happen in her book .

straight up a WHORRE lmao she likes 2 fill the void left by a lack of human connection w sexual intimacy n then is like nice imma have u leave now love LMAO . does not discriminate and is rlly inclined to follow any sexual impulse

this was implied but her relationships are super messy ? does the leonardo dicaprio thing where she will never fuckin discuss her love life in interviews or anything so ppl just gotta SPECULATE . she lets ppl post all they want abt her but she wont say a WORD abt them JWHEKJWH her socials r basically just abt her n her music we said SELFISH lads . she’s bad @ bein tied down n is probs polyamorous as it stands but im p sure she has cheated on every single person she has ever been with lmao

lowkey a shit friend most of the time lMAO she can b really unreliable bc u guys can have plans n then she takes someone home n misses yalls plans n then texts u 4 hours later after all ur missed calls n is like my bad bruv i got tied up AS IF THAT FIXES IT KWEJKWJEKWE

chain smoker n its nastie but lowkey sexy somehow :/ , will ONLY wear outfits that r equal parts thrifted n designer , always has her hands in her pockets n if her jacket has a hood its UP like a big ole homo , is rlly annoying bc shes good looking n KNOWS it so she uses it to her advantage , wants 2 get her motorcycle license , judges u based off the music u play in the car , judges u on everything tbh.

#wealthyhq:intro #* ╰ . 𝒔 . 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒆 . › introduction .#sorry 4 dis trash hittin the dash 🥰#just COULD NOT wait n format any longer

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timeless-hollywood-classics · 4 years ago

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Mickey Rooney (born Ninnian Joseph Yule Jr.; September 23, 1920 – April 6, 2014) was an American actor, vaudevillian, comedian, producer and radio personality. In a career spanning nine decades and continuing until shortly before his death, he appeared in more than 300 films and was among the last surviving stars of the silent-film era.

At the height of a career that was marked by declines and comebacks, Rooney performed the role of Andy Hardy in a series of 16 films in the 1930's and 1940's that epitomized American family values. A versatile performer, he became a celebrated character actor later in his career. Laurence Olivier once said he considered Rooney "the best there has ever been". Clarence Brown, who directed him in two of his earliest dramatic roles, National Velvet and The Human Comedy, said he was "the closest thing to a genius I ever worked with".

Rooney first performed in vaudeville as a child and made his film debut at the age of six. At 14, he played Puck in the play and later the 1935 film adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Critic David Thomson hailed his performance as "one of the cinema's most arresting pieces of magic". In 1938, he co-starred in Boys Town. At 18, he was the first teenager to be nominated for an Oscar for his leading role in Babes in Arms, and he was awarded a special Academy Juvenile Award in 1939.[4] At the peak of his career between the ages of 15 and 25, he made 43 films, which made him one of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's most consistently successful actors and a favorite of MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer.

Rooney was the top box-office attraction from 1939 to 1941 and one of the best-paid actors of that era, but his career would never again rise to such heights. Drafted into the Army during World War II, he served nearly two years entertaining over two million troops on stage and radio and was awarded a Bronze Star for performing in combat zones. Returning from the war in 1945, he was too old for juvenile roles but too short to be an adult movie star, and was unable to get as many starring roles although there are numerous inexpensively made but critically well-received films noir with Rooney playing the lead during the post-war period and 1950s. Nevertheless, Rooney's popularity was renewed with well-received supporting roles in films such as Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) with Audrey Hepburn, Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962) with Anthony Quinn and Jackie Gleason, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963), and The Black Stallion (1979). In the early 1980s, he returned to Broadway in Sugar Babies and again became a celebrated star. Rooney made hundreds of appearances on TV, including dramas, variety programs, and talk shows, and won an Emmy in 1982 plus a Golden Globe for his role in Bill (1981).

Rooney was born Ninnian Joseph Yule Jr. on September 23, 1920 in Brooklyn, New York, the only child of vaudevillians Nellie W. Carter, from Kansas City, Missouri and Joe Yule, a native of Glasgow, Scotland. His mother was a former chorus girl and a burlesque performer. When Rooney was born, his parents were appearing in a Brooklyn production of A Gaiety Girl. Rooney later recounted in his memoirs that he began performing at the age of 17 months as part of his parents' routine, wearing a specially tailored tuxedo.

Rooney's parents separated when he was four years old in 1924, and he and his mother moved to Hollywood the following year from Greenpoint, Brooklyn. He made his first film appearance at age six in 1926, in the short Not to be Trusted. Rooney got bit parts in films such as The Beast of the City (1932) and The Life of Jimmy Dolan (1933), which allowed him to work alongside stars such as Joel McCrea, Colleen Moore, Clark Gable, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., John Wayne and Jean Harlow. He enrolled in the Hollywood Professional School and later attended Hollywood High School, graduating in 1938.

His mother saw an advertisement for a child to play the role of "Mickey McGuire" in a series of short films. Rooney got the role and became "Mickey" for 78 of the films, running from 1927 to 1936, starting with Mickey's Circus (1927), his first starring role. During this period, he also briefly voiced Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. He made other films in his adolescence, including several more of the McGuire films. At age 14, he played the role of Puck in the Warner Brothers all-star adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1935. Rooney then moved to MGM, where he befriended Judy Garland, with whom he began making a series of musicals that propelled both of them to stardom.

In 1937, Rooney was selected to portray Andy Hardy in A Family Affair, which MGM had planned as a B-movie.[14] Rooney provided comic relief as the son of Judge James K. Hardy, portrayed by Lionel Barrymore (although former silent film leading man Lewis Stone played the role of Judge Hardy in subsequent pictures). The film was an unexpected success, and led to 13 more Andy Hardy films between 1937 and 1946, and a final film in 1958.

According to author Barry Monush, MGM wanted the Andy Hardy films to appeal to all family members. Rooney's character portrayed a typical "anxious, hyperactive, girl-crazy teenager", and he soon became the unintended main star of the films. Although some critics describe the series of films as "sweet, overly idealized, and pretty much interchangeable," their ultimate success was because they gave viewers a "comforting portrait of small-town America that seemed suited for the times", with Rooney instilling "a lasting image of what every parent wished their teen could be like".

Behind the scenes, however, Rooney was like the "hyperactive girl-crazy teenager" he portrayed on the screen. Wallace Beery, his co-star in Stablemates, described him as a "brat", but a "fine actor". MGM head Louis B. Mayer found it necessary to manage Rooney's public image, explains historian Jane Ellen Wayne:

Mayer naturally tried to keep all his child actors in line, like any father figure. After one such episode, Mickey Rooney replied, "I won't do it. You're asking the impossible." Mayer then grabbed young Rooney by his lapels and said, "Listen to me! I don't care what you do in private. Just don't do it in public. In public, behave. Your fans expect it. You're Andy Hardy! You're the United States! You're the Stars and Stripes. Behave yourself! You're a symbol!" Mickey nodded. "I'll be good, Mr. Mayer. I promise you that." Mayer let go of his lapels, "All right," he said.

Fifty years later, Rooney realized in hindsight that these early confrontations with Mayer were necessary for him to develop into a leading film star: "Everybody butted heads with him, but he listened and you listened. And then you'd come to an agreement you could both live with. ... He visited the sets, he gave people talks ... What he wanted was something that was American, presented in a cosmopolitan manner."

In 1937, Rooney made his first film alongside Judy Garland with Thoroughbreds Don't Cry. Garland and Rooney became close friends as they co-starred in future films and became a successful song-and-dance team. Audiences delighted in seeing the "playful interactions between the two stars showcase a wonderful chemistry".[27] Along with three of the Andy Hardy films, where she portrayed a girl attracted to Andy, they appeared together in a string of successful musicals, including Babes in Arms (1939). During an interview in the 1992 documentary film MGM: When the Lion Roars, Rooney describes their friendship:[28]

Judy and I were so close we could've come from the same womb. We weren't like brothers or sisters but there was no love affair there; there was more than a love affair. It's very, very difficult to explain the depths of our love for each other. It was so special. It was a forever love. Judy, as we speak, has not passed away. She's always with me in every heartbeat of my body.

In 1937, Rooney received top billing as Shockey Carter in Hoosier Schoolboy but his breakthrough-role as a dramatic actor came in 1938's Boys Town opposite Spencer Tracy as Father Flanagan, who runs a home for wayward and homeless boys. Rooney was awarded a special Juvenile Academy Award in 1939, for "significant contribution in bringing to the screen the spirit and personification of youth". Wayne describes one of the "most famous scenes" in the film, where tough young Rooney is playing poker with a cigarette in his mouth, his hat is cocked and his feet are up on the table. "Tracy grabs him by the lapels, throws the cigarette away and pushes him into a chair. 'That's better,' he tells Mickey." Louis B. Mayer said Boys Town was his favorite film during his years at MGM.

The popularity of his films made Rooney the biggest box-office draw in 1939, 1940 and 1941. For their roles in Boys Town, Rooney and Tracy won first and second place in the Motion Picture Herald 1940 National Poll of Exhibitors, based on the box office appeal of 200 players. Boys' Life magazine wrote, "Congratulations to Messrs. Rooney and Tracy! Also to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer we extend a hearty thanks for their very considerable part in this outstanding achievement." Actor Laurence Olivier once called Rooney "the greatest actor of them all".

A major star in the early 1940s, he appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 1940, timed to coincide with the release of Young Tom Edison; the cover story began:

Hollywood's No. 1 box office bait in 1939 was not Clark Gable, Errol Flynn or Tyrone Power, but a rope-haired, kazoo-voiced kid with a comic-strip face, who until this week had never appeared in a picture without mugging or overacting it. His name (assumed) was Mickey Rooney, and to a large part of the more articulate U.S. cinema audience, his name was becoming a frequently used synonym for brat.

During his long and illustrious career, Rooney also worked with many of the screen's female stars, including Elizabeth Taylor in National Velvet (1944) and Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)." With his appearing with Marilyn Monroe in The Fireball (1950) and with Grace Kelly in The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954), Rooney is the only actor ever co-starring with four of the greatest female screen legends ever. Rooney's "bumptiousness and boyish charm" as an actor developed more "smoothness and polish" over the years, writes biographer Scott Eyman. The fact that Rooney fully enjoyed his life as an actor played a large role in those changes:

You weren't going to work, you were going to have fun. It was home, everybody was cohesive; it was family. One year I made nine pictures; I had to go from one set to another. It was like I was on a conveyor belt. You did not read a script and say, "I guess I'll do it." You did it. They had people that knew the kind of stories that were suited to you. It was a conveyor belt that made motion pictures.

Clarence Brown, who directed Rooney in his Oscar-nominated performance in The Human Comedy (1943) and again in National Velvet (1944), enjoyed working with Rooney in films:

Mickey Rooney is the closest thing to a genius that I ever worked with. There was Chaplin, then there was Rooney. The little bastard could do no wrong in my book ... All you had to do with him was rehearse it once.

In June 1944, Rooney was inducted into the United States Army, where he served more than 21 months (until shortly after the end of World War II) entertaining the troops in America and Europe in Special Services. He spent part of the time as a radio personality on the American Forces Network and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for entertaining troops in combat zones. In addition to the Bronze Star Medal, Rooney also received the Army Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and World War II Victory Medal, for his military service.

Rooney's career slumped after his return to civilian life. He was now an adult with a height of only 5 feet 2 inches (1.57 m) and he could no longer play the role of a teenager, but he also lacked the stature of most leading men. He appeared in a number of films, including Words and Music in 1948, which paired him for the last time with Garland on film (he appeared with her on one episode as a guest on The Judy Garland Show). He briefly starred in a CBS radio series, Shorty Bell, in the summer of 1948, and reprised his role as "Andy Hardy", with most of the original cast, in a syndicated radio version of The Hardy Family in 1949 and 1950 (repeated on Mutual during 1952).

In 1949 Variety reported that Rooney had renegotiated his deal with MGM. He agreed to make one film a year for them for five years at $25,000 a movie (his fee until then had been $100,000 but Rooney wanted to enter independent production.) Rooney claimed he was unhappy with the billing MGM gave him for Words and Music.

His first television series, The Mickey Rooney Show, also known as Hey, Mulligan, was created by Blake Edwards with Rooney as his own producer, and appeared on NBC television for 32 episodes between August 28, 1954 and June 4, 1955.[46] In 1951, he made his directorial debut with My True Story, starring Helen Walker.[47] Rooney also starred as a ragingly egomaniacal television comedian, loosely based on Red Buttons, in the live 90-minute television drama The Comedian, in the Playhouse 90 series on the evening of Valentine's Day in 1957, and as himself in a revue called The Musical Revue of 1959 based on the 1929 film The Hollywood Revue of 1929, which was edited into a film in 1960.

In 1958, Rooney joined Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra in hosting an episode of NBC's short-lived Club Oasis comedy and variety show. In 1960, Rooney directed and starred in The Private Lives of Adam and Eve, an ambitious comedy known for its multiple flashbacks and many cameos. In the 1960s, Rooney returned to theatrical entertainment. He still accepted film roles in undistinguished films but occasionally appeared in better works, such as Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962) and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963).

He portrayed a Japanese character, Mr. Yunioshi, in the 1961 film version of Truman Capote's novella Breakfast at Tiffany's. His performance was criticized by some in subsequent years as a racist stereotype. Rooney later said that he would not have taken the role if he had known it would offend people.

On December 31, 1961, Rooney appeared on television's What's My Line and mentioned that he had already started enrolling students in the MRSE (Mickey Rooney School of Entertainment). His school venture never came to fruition. This was a period of professional distress for Rooney; as a childhood friend, director Richard Quine put it: "Let's face it. It wasn't all that easy to find roles for a 5-foot-3 man who'd passed the age of Andy Hardy." In 1962, his debts had forced him into filing for bankruptcy.

In 1966, Rooney was working on the film Ambush Bay in the Philippines when his wife Barbara Ann Thomason— a former model and aspiring actress who had won 17 straight beauty contests in Southern California—was found dead in her bed. Her lover, Milos Milos—who was one of Rooney's actor-friends—was found dead beside her. Detectives ruled it a murder-suicide, which was committed with Rooney's own gun.

Francis Ford Coppola had bought the rights to make The Black Stallion (1979), and when casting it, he called Rooney and asked him if he thought he could play a jockey. Rooney replied saying, "Gee, I don't know. I never played a jockey before." He was kidding, he said, since he had played a jockey in at least three past films, including Down the Stretch, Thoroughbreds Don't Cry, and National Velvet. The film garnered excellent reviews and earned $40 million in its first run, which gave Coppola's struggling studio, American Zoetrope, a major boost. It also gave Rooney newfound recognition, along with a nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

In 1983, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gave Rooney their Academy Honorary Award for his lifetime of achievement.

In addition to his movie roles, Rooney made numerous guest-starring roles as a television character actor for nearly six decades, beginning with an episode of Celanese Theatre. The part led to other roles on such television series as Schlitz Playhouse, Playhouse 90, Producers' Showcase, Alcoa Theatre, The Soldiers, Wagon Train, General Electric Theater, Hennesey, The Dick Powell Theatre, Arrest and Trial (1964), Burke's Law (1963), Combat! (1964), The Fugitive, Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, The Jean Arthur Show (1966), The Name of the Game (1970), Dan August (1970), Night Gallery (1970)

In 1961, he guest-starred in the 13-week James Franciscus adventure–drama CBS television series The Investigators. In 1962, he was cast as himself in the episode "The Top Banana" of the CBS sitcom, Pete and Gladys, starring Harry Morgan and Cara Williams.

In 1963, he entered CBS's The Twilight Zone, giving a one-man performance in the episode "The Last Night of a Jockey" (1963). Also in 1963, in 'The Hunt' for Suspense Theater, he played the sadistic sheriff hunting the young surfer played by James Caan. In 1964, he launched another half-hour sitcom, Mickey. The story line had "Mickey" operating a resort hotel in southern California. His own son Tim Rooney appeared as his character's teenage son on this program, and Emmaline Henry starred as Rooney's wife. The program lasted for 17 episodes.

When Norman Lear was developing All in the Family in 1970, he wanted Rooney for the lead role of Archie Bunker.[66] Rooney turned Lear down; and the role eventually went to Carroll O'Connor.

Rooney garnered a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special for his role in 1981's Bill. Playing opposite Dennis Quaid, Rooney's character was a mentally handicapped man attempting to live on his own after leaving an institution. His acting quality in the film has been favorably compared to other actors who took on similar roles, including Sean Penn, Dustin Hoffman and Tom Hanks. He reprised his role in 1983's Bill: On His Own, earning an Emmy nomination for the turn.

Rooney did voice acting from time to time. He provided the voice of Santa Claus in four stop-motion animated Christmas TV specials: Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970), The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974), Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (1979) and A Miser Brothers' Christmas (2008). In 1995, he appeared as himself on The Simpsons episode "Radioactive Man".

After starring in one unsuccessful TV series and turning down an offer for a huge TV series, Rooney, now 70, starred in the Family Channel's The Adventures of the Black Stallion, where he reprised his role as Henry Dailey in the film of the same name, eleven years earlier. The series ran for three years and was an international hit.

Rooney appeared in television commercials for Garden State Life Insurance Company in 2002.

A major turning point came in 1979, when Rooney made his Broadway debut in the acclaimed stage play Sugar Babies, a musical revue tribute to the burlesque era costarring former MGM dancing star Ann Miller. Aljean Harmetz noted that "Mr. Rooney fought over every skit and argued over every song and almost always got things done his way. The show opened on Broadway on October 8, 1979, to rave reviews, and this time he did not throw success away. Rooney and Miller performed the show 1,208 times in New York and then toured with it for five years, including eight months in London. Co-star Miller recalls that Rooney "never missed a performance or a chance to ad-lib or read the lines the same way twice, if he even stuck to the script". Biographer Alvin Marill states that "at 59, Mickey Rooney was reincarnated as a baggy-pants comedian—back as a top banana in show biz in his belated Broadway debut."

Following this, he toured as Pseudelous in Stephen Sondheim's A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. In the 1990s, he returned to Broadway for the final months of Will Rogers Follies, playing the ghost of Will's father. On television, he starred in the short-lived sitcom, One of the Boys, along with two unfamiliar young stars, Dana Carvey and Nathan Lane, in 1982.

He toured Canada in a dinner theatre production of The Mind with the Naughty Man in the mid-1990s. He played The Wizard in a stage production of The Wizard of Oz with Eartha Kitt at Madison Square Garden. Kitt was later replaced by Jo Anne Worley.

Rooney wrote a memoir titled Life is Too Short, published by Villard Books in 1991. A Library Journal review said that "From title to the last line, 'I'll have a short bier', Rooney's self-deprecating humor powers this book." He wrote a novel about a child star, published in 1994, The Search For Sunny Skies.

Despite the millions of dollars that he earned over the years, such as his $65,000 a week earnings from Sugar Babies, Rooney was plagued by financial problems late in life. His longtime gambling habit caused him to "gamble away his fortune again and again". He declared bankruptcy for the second time in 1996 and described himself as "broke" in 2005. He kept performing on stage and in the movies, but his personal property was valued at only $18,000 when he died in 2014.

Rooney and his wife Jan toured the country in 2005 through 2011 in a musical revue called Let's Put on a Show. Vanity Fair called it "a homespun affair full of dog-eared jokes" that featured Rooney singing George Gershwin songs.

In 2006, Rooney played Gus in Night at the Museum. He returned to play the role again in the sequel Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian in 2009, in a scene that was deleted from the final film.

On May 26, 2007, he was grand marshal at the Garden Grove Strawberry Festival. Rooney made his British pantomime debut, playing Baron Hardup in Cinderella, at the Sunderland Empire Theatre over the 2007 Christmas period, a role he reprised at Bristol Hippodrome in 2008 and at the Milton Keynes theatre in 2009.

In 2011, Rooney made a cameo appearance in The Muppets and in 2014, at age 93, he reprised his role as Gus in Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, which was dedicated to him and to Robin Williams, who also died that year. Although confined to a wheelchair, he was described by director Shawn Levy as "energetic and so pleased to be there. He was just happy to be invited to the party."

An October 2015 article in The Hollywood Reporter maintained that Rooney was frequently abused and financially depleted by his closest relatives in the last years of his life. The article said that it was clear that "one of the biggest stars of all time, who remained aloft longer than anyone in Hollywood history, was in the end brought down by those closest to him. He died humiliated and betrayed, nearly broke and often broken." Rooney suffered from bipolar disorder and had attempted suicide two or three times over the years, with resulting hospitalizations reported as "nervous breakdowns".

At the time of his death, he was married to Jan Chamberlin Rooney, although they had separated in June 2012. He had nine children and two stepchildren, as well as 19 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren. Rooney had been addicted to sleeping pills, and overcame the sleeping pill addiction in 2000 when he was in his late 70s.

In the late 1970s, Rooney became a born-again Christian and was a fan of Pat Robertson.

In 1997, Rooney was arrested on suspicion of beating his wife, Jan, but charges were dropped due to lack of evidence.

On February 16, 2011, Rooney was granted a temporary restraining order against stepson Christopher Aber and Aber's wife, Christina, and they were ordered to stay 100 yards from Rooney, his stepson Mark Rooney and Mark's wife, Charlene Rooney. Rooney claimed that he was a victim of elder abuse.

On March 2, 2011, Rooney appeared before a special U.S. Senate committee that was considering legislation to curb elder abuse, testifying about the abuse he claimed to have suffered at the hands of family members. In 2011, all of Rooney's finances were permanently handed over to a conservator, who called Rooney "completely competent".

In April 2011, the temporary restraining order that Rooney was previously granted was replaced by a confidential settlement between Rooney and his stepson, Aber. Christopher Aber and Jan Rooney denied all the allegations.

In May 2013, Rooney sold his home of many years, reportedly for $1.3 million, and split the proceeds with his wife, Jan.

Rooney was married eight times, with six of the marriages ending in divorce. In 1942, he married his first wife, actress Ava Gardner, who at that time was still an obscure teenage starlet. They divorced the following year, partly because he had apparently been unfaithful. While stationed in the military in Alabama in 1944, Rooney met and married Betty Jane Phillips, who later became a singer under the name B.J. Baker. They had two sons together. This marriage ended in divorce after he returned from Europe at the end of World War II. His marriage to actress Martha Vickers in 1949 produced one son but ended in divorce in 1951. He married actress Elaine Mahnken in 1952 and they divorced in 1958.

In 1958, Rooney married model-actress Barbara Ann Thomason. She was murdered in 1966 by stuntman and actor Milos Milos, who then shot himself. Thomason and Milos had an affair while Rooney was traveling, and police theorized Milos shot her after she wanted to break off the affair. Rooney then married Barbara's best friend, Marge Lane. That marriage lasted 100 days.

He was married to Carolyn Hockett from 1969 to 1975. In 1978, Rooney married his eighth and final wife, Jan Chamberlin. Their marriage lasted until his death, a total of 34 years (longer than his seven previous unions combined), although they separated in 2012.

Rooney died on April 6, 2014 of natural causes, including complications from diabetes, in Los Angeles at the age of 93. A group of family members and friends, including Mickey Rourke, held a memorial service on April 18. A private funeral, organized by another set of family members, was held at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, where he was interred, on April 19. His eight surviving children said in a statement that they were barred from seeing Rooney during his final years.

At his death, Vanity Fair called him "the original Hollywood train wreck". He struggled with alcohol and pill addiction. Ava Gardner was his first wife, and he married an additional seven times. Despite earning millions during his career, he had to file for bankruptcy in 1962 due to mismanagement of his finances. Shortly before his death in 2014 at age 93, he accused some family members of mistreatment and testified before Congress about what he said was physical abuse and exploitation by family members. By the end of his life, his millions in earnings had dwindled to an estate that was valued at only $18,000. He died owing medical bills and back taxes, and contributions were solicited from the public.

Rooney was one of the last surviving actors of the silent film era. His film career spanned 88 years, from 1926 to 2014, continuing until shortly before his death. During his peak years from the late 1930s to the early 1940s, Rooney was among the top box-office stars in the United States.

He made forty-three pictures between the age of 15 and 25. Among those, his role as Andy Hardy became one of "Hollywood's best-loved characters," with Marlon Brando calling him "the best actor in films".

"There was nothing he couldn't do", said actress Margaret O'Brien.[109] MGM boss Louis B. Mayer treated him like a son and saw in Rooney "the embodiment of the amiable American boy who stands for family, humbug, and sentiment," writes critic and author, David Thomson.

By the time Rooney was 20, his consistent portrayals of characters with youth and energy suggested that his future success was unlimited. Thomson also explains that Rooney's characters were able to cover a wide range of emotional types, and gives three examples where "Rooney is not just an actor of genius, but an artist able to maintain a stylized commentary on the demon impulse of the small, belligerent man:"

Rooney's Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935) is truly inhuman, one of cinema's most arresting pieces of magic. ... His toughie in Boys Town (1938) struts and bullies like something out of a nightmare and then comes clean in a grotesque but utterly frank outburst of sentimentality in which he aspires to the boy community ... His role as Baby Face Nelson (1957), the manic, destructive response of the runt against a pig society.

By the end of the 1940s, Rooney's movie characters were no longer in demand and his career went downhill. "In 1938," he said, "I starred in eight pictures. In 1948 and 1949 together, I starred in only three." However, film historian Jeanine Basinger notes that although his career "reached the heights and plunged to the depths, Rooney kept on working and growing, the mark of a professional." Some of the films which reinvigorated his popularity, were Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962), It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) and The Black Stallion (1979). In the early 1980s, he returned to Broadway in Sugar Babies, and "found himself once more back on top".

Basinger tries to encapsulate Rooney's career:

Rooney's abundant talent, like his film image, might seem like a metaphor for America: a seemingly endless supply of natural resources that could never dry up, but which, it turned out, could be ruined by excessive use and abuse, by arrogance or power, and which had to be carefully tended to be returned to full capacity. From child star to character actor, from movie shorts to television specials, and from films to Broadway, Rooney ultimately did prove he could do it all, do it well, and keep on doing it. His is a unique career, both for its versatility and its longevity.

#mickey rooney #classic hollywood #golden age of hollywood #classic movie stars #old hollywood #silent era #silent stars #classic cinema #silent cinema

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bluesfm · 5 years ago

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( park chaeyoung , twenty two , & cisfemale ) who ? these days , it’s all about blue hyong, who comes from los angeles & ca and is making headlines as a singer . she currently has a fan count of 42k , no thanks to the rumors of them being inflexible ! but , on the other hand , their most devout fans say they’re actually imaginative . last i heard , they caused quite a buzz when she publicly dissed her new record label and the misogynistic treatment she was receiving from their reps ! it’s no wonder they remind me of long rants in the notes app being posted to her twitter account , empty bottles of wine laying at recording studios’ floors & notebooks upon notebooks filled with lyrics she might never use but refuses to let go of .

well hello human friends !! n also hello to the non human friends too , wassup . i’m angie a dumb noodle from the middle of the south american jungle , and i’m here to introduce yall to this mess i call blue who’s a muse i have had for yrs now n carry w/ me wherever i go , with some minimal changes but she’s still the same messy bitch on the inside don’t worry folks ! so i will provide u w/ some background info on her n some possible connections under the cut . issa lil messy but we’ve been away for a while pls bear w me

blue is the only daughter to a couple of south korean immigrants that came to america when they were in their very early 20s n already expecting blue in order to chase the american dream n create a better life for themselves n their family . their life was pretty hard for a big part of blue’s childhood , while they were both studying n working odd jobs to pay for their education all the while taking care of a child . so blue didnt have the best childhood , not that her parents were bad or anything they just didnt have time for her . nowadays , they are a lot more comfortable in life , since her dad became a lawyer n her mom is a nurse , but they definitely didnt have an easy beginning .

ok so maybe bc they werent present durant most of her childhood they didnt notice a lol of signs that might have made things a lot easier for them , bc by the time they were available to emotionally be there , during her early teenage years , blue was already kinda a mess . she had grown up w very lil structure n refused the rules they tried to instill on her n was already used to doing things her own way . that lead to a lot of conflict between them , since they expected her to study hard n do well for herself in a nine to fiver when she was already sure art was the only way to go n while she did ok , she definitely wasn’t as good as her parents expected her to be .

so ... u know her teenage yrs were basic girl angsty she fought a lot w her parents n rebelled frequently n ran away from home like ... weekly , but she never rly had any real hardships . life was reasonably good but she always had something to complain abt ... just as she liked

[ MENTAL ILLNESS TW ]

but then she reached her late teens they all realized there was something going on other than the usual teenage angst she displayed all the time when she had her first manic episode . her parents thought it was a “ blue thing “ at first bc she was usually a very impulsive person n she rly didn’t have a habit of thinking before acting on her impulses , but her mom quickly noticed the signs of a manic episode when she realized how aggitated n restless she was , specially when blue described an hallucination she seemed to be having . they took her to a psychiatrist , she was admitted to a hospital n diagnosed w type 1 bipolar disorder n very quickly medicated . while the medication brought her out of her episode , n she was allowed to go home after her mood seemed to stabilize , blue also noticed it stunted her severely emotionally n decided ( against medical n parental advice [ pls dont do it fam !! take ur meds ] ) to quit her medication , falling into her first major depressive episode a few weeks afterwards . n for abt four years she’s been living w her disorder , n she doesn’t medicate at all . she’s super open abt her struggles n she has a Lot of them , specially w how much drugs n alcohol she consumes . i never said she was smart yall .

[ END OF TW ]

ok so as u probably assume , blue is an emotional mess . she has a very chaotic personality , n most of it isnt even from her illness or anything she just is a very chaotic person in general ? she is one of those artsy ppl who forgets to wash her own clothes so she ends up wearing the same dress for like , 3 days . she’s super outspoken n outgoing n rly easy at making friends if u can get past the dumbass energy she exudes 24/7 ? but yes just a very outgoing person n a outright mess most of the time . she is also soooo stubborn u will never get her to change her mind abt smth she believes to be right about in any way . u just cant . she loves a good time n loves partying n is the lack of impulse Queen soo if u got any bad ideas she is the one u should go for if u need any company . also .... so dramatic . she makes a big deal of everything n has 0 apologies abt that . just catch her crying over high school musical 3 or smth like that .

but yea on the bad side tho , blue takes up n gives up on projects so easily n she can be super fickle abt things in general . like , she will defend an idea for 7 hours but 2 days later she’s already onto smth else n doesnt even remember being so obsessive abt that other thing ? a mess . is also Quite abrasive ? if she thinks ur acting dumb shes not gonna be scared to call u out on it . can also have a Reaally explosive temper . not usually but specially during manic episodes she can be quite easy to annoy ngl . is very unreliable , especially if ur not too close .. tbh that is something connected to her disorder . when she’s on a manic episode , she will be too busy planning things she will never get around to doing or painting her entire house or spending 3 days awake n drunk writing 17 songs by herself . n during her depression is very hard to get her to do anything n even if she feels terrible , she rly cant be an available friend .

in regards to her sexuality , she’s an open bisexual and also is a crazy romantic n falls so hard for literally no reason . but like ... doesnt have the healthiest mentality for relationships ? not like in a toxic way but she will usually give 145% of herself at all times n honestly believes all of the ppl she falls for are the one (1) just wants to make things work no matter what . she’s v impulsive w/ meeting n falling for ppl tho so things dont rly end up working n she always ends up heartbroken over it . Well . At least she’s trying right ?

in regards to her career n art , she’s posted youtube covers n original songs for a couple years and gathered a decent following ? she wasnt huge or anything but she did get a record deal w an actual big label out of it a few months ago . blue was pretty happy abt it but then when the recording process started she realized they werent treating her as she thought she deserved at all ? which resulted on her taking her thoughts to some reps of the label n when she didn’t feel any difference in the way she was being treated she took it to the public ? which definitely caused quite a sitr bc she wasn’t a huge name but she was big enough ? so now she’s in some considerable trouble w her label but Also more famous than ever so they are choosing not to bury her for now ? she’s in some definite trouble though so it’ll be fun to see what happens next n what her moves will be ? spoiler alert : it’ll prob be smth dumb.

i still have so much to say but i’m so lazy wow . dont start ur intros so close to opening time folks thats my tip as an old internet auntie . OK SO ONTO SOME CONNECTIONS NOW

some label mates who she may or may not get along with ?

hookups !! she prob has a few she regrets too bc who doesnt am i right

best friends !! ppl who actually support her n she loves w no restrictions just love all around friends

exes </3 not gonna lie i have some sad ideas abt this one

good influence bc blue is a mess she needs one of those pls someone slap her head n make her drink some water

a fling she has feelings for but may not be requited ... i like my romantic connections to be angsty did yall notice

artistic soulmate !! someone her artistic bitch side just vibes with ? could be a songwriter or singer or anything tbh

some indecisive romantic shit where blue rly knows sh’s too messy n this person is too amazing ? but they still have feels so ... now what ?

this is p mcuh it ?? it has taken so long to finish this i hate myself but HEY if u like blue or dislike her u should hit me up so we can come up w some plot ideas ? i wish i had a quirky goodbye idea but my brain has just quit working guys so u get nothing from me other than a good old fashioned goodbye thanks for ur attention i love u

#cala.intro #sometimes i surprise even myself w how unorganized i can be #i am sorry this is so messy im trying to keep it on brand tm #also i cant believe i actually finished this

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trojansblr · 6 years ago

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#FightOn! (01) | ot7

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

Pairing: BTS with -eventually- female characters

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

A/N: First chapter is finally here! For more intel about who the boys are or what they study in this college universe go to my page, there’s real twitter accounts!!! For more information feel free to message me :) ALSO if you want to appear in this fic (I’ll make it as interactive as possible) send me your name and zodiac sign + what you do or want to do in college and I’ll make it happen!!! I really hope you guys like it :)

The Characters • Day 1 • Day 2

“Good morning South!” Yoongi’s voice echoed through the halls of the school and even though he should sound excited, his voice maintained in a monotone, a really, really, bored and sleepy one. Yoongi was the radio boy basically. Every morning he had to wake up extra early to be able to do all the announcements the university needed him to. It was his giant love for music that made him volunteer to take care of the station – that and he really enjoyed being alone, so he had a whole studio for himself. Plus, everyday the halls were filled with good music. “Today for lunch we will have pizza and don’t forget everyone, Saturday we have the volley’s male team game. You won’t want to miss it!”

He ended his morning announcements and started preparing the playlist that will play during the rest of the day when there was a knock on the door. He tiredly gets up to open the door that he usually locks to keep noisy and unwanted people out. When he sees Carolina, a smile immediately forms in his face.

“Oh my life saver!” He says tiredly as he swings an arm around her neck and pulls her inside, grabbing one of the coffees she’s holding with his other hand. “Good morning for you too.” She chuckles. “What’s good for today?” “Pizza for lunch.” He chuckles as well. “I’m getting too old to do this morning routine. Namjoon should put some pills on his dad’s coffee.” He complained. Every morning he had to talk with the director to receive the announcements and it was a headache every time. “You’re in your twenties Yoongs…” Carolina said rolling her eyes. “But yeah, that would be nice… maybe. I slept only three hours I think and I have volley practice yay!” She threw her arms in the air pretending to be cheerful but failing miserably. “So I really need the push.” “You’re also getting too old for that… see?!” He laughs when she yawns. “Do you wanna help me with the playlist? There’s still a couple of songs I can add and I always trust your taste.” “Team granddads always.” She smiles. “Sure! What vibe are we setting today?” “Well we have to go more ‘college vibes’” He said throwing air marks and mocking the director’s tone. “So help me out, no swear words either!” He jokes. “Oh god, we’ve gone preppy…” She let’s out a sigh and sits on the end of his lap, looking at the list he already had. “But ok, I’m here to help! What about cosmos midnight to cheer up our morning? Hmm the ‘Talk To Me’ one?” “Once again my lifesaver.” He squeezed her sides. Carolina and Yoongi would seem like boyfriend and girlfriend to everyone that passed by them. They were both crazy for each other, to the point where they would really take a bullet for the other, not just for the charm of Bruno Mars. But in reality, it was a genuine friendship. They were very similar and they were comfortable around each other to the point where not touching was weird – piggybacks, cuddling, hugs. The only thing that kept them from dating each other was the fact that they praised their friendship too much and Carolina now had her eye out to a mystery drawing guy. “Let me just add that one to the playlist and we are good to go.” “Where are we going and can you please take me on your back?” She asked making him let out a laugh. “We’re going to the cafeteria because I’m starving and yes, I’ll carry your lazy ass.” “Just kidding! You need to be in shape for your next game.” She said tapping on his back because he was already kneeling down for her to climb on. “It’s your loss. Come on.” He said and once again swung his arm around her neck as he closed the door of the radio station and headed towards the cafeteria.

By this time of the morning, the halls of Southern California University were starting to get flowed by people who had morning classes, which was basically all the freshman and junior. There were two juniors in particular that always were theme of conversation and caught a lot of eyes everywhere they went. Kim Taehyung and Park Jimin. They were childhood friends that were inseparable. Taehyung is majoring in Fine Arts and was the most eccentric it could get. He had blue hair and looked like a god. But he was the kindest person on earth too so that made him have a lot of girls swooning over him. As for Jimin he was majoring in Performative Arts and was head of the football team, he was the quarterback since his first year and that made him be the most popular boy in the entire university in a glimpse of eyes. Now, despite the both of them being the best of friends, when it came to their social circles, they didn’t belong to the same areas and even thought their interest were almost the opposite, they would always talk and support each other on everything.

“And then!” Taehyung almost screamed from the excitement of the conversation. “The little seagull just flew right from the under the barrel and next to the bigger ones and I was getting so soft but then the video stopped and it switched to that meme from Nemo where all the seagulls are saying fish!” “Fish fish fish fish fish!” Both boys started singing like it had happened in the movie. “Why did you stop?” Taehyung asked after a couple of ‘fish’ when he realized he was doing it alone. “Look, there’s Deo. Let’s go to her.” Jimin said cheerfully walking to the girl that was stuffing a book in her locker. “Good morning baby!” “Morning!” She said smiling widely, giving him a tight hug. “Oh… hi.” Deo added once she noticed Taehyung standing behind the other boy. “Hey!” He smiled awkwardly. “Oh c’mon guys, you already know each other, no need to be shy!” Jimin chuckled lightly, pushing his friends a bit closer together. “Hmm… sure! How’s everything going?” “Good!” Deo said almost immediately, as she turned again to her locker to grab her book. “Well, I gotta get to class. See you.” She said after slamming her locker door and throwing a death glare to Jimin, she left. “Ooooook! So are we seeing that movie tonight or what?” "That was weird... She looked weird don't you think?" Jimin basically spoke to himself. "But yes! We are! What movie?" He smiled sheepish lost in the conversation. “I don’t know, you are the friend not me.” Taehyung said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Bro! I told you about it five times already- the vintage one, noir.” "Ohh! That's right! Yeah, we can watch it tonight!" “Ok then, but don’t forget!” He said with warning eyes. “Gotta go, I’m probably late again.” “I’ll be there!” Jimin screamed and his friend was already walking so he decided to also go to his class. For the popular boy, he was suddenly left abandoned by his two best friends and one of them was clearly mad at him but to him it wasn’t that clear so he still had to do something about that.

Nearby, Hyori, Jungkook and Hoseok were sitting in the lounge. The morning sun was so pleasing that the latter made them sit outside to enjoy some vitamin C. This seemed like the perfect opportunity for Jungkook to vent his problems. He knew he could talk to his friends whenever, but sometimes they were too hyped to listen.

“I just don't understand the need for her to call me virgin boy. What's her deal after all? She doesn't even know me." Jungkook let out frustrated. The day hadn't even started and the words ‘virgin boy’ had already hunted him in the halls. "I don't know Gguk, maybe you just need to let it go. Focus on something else?" Hobi suggested. "She just started it out without no apparent reason?" Hyori finally said something. "Apparently. We have some classes together and I know she lives in my building but I don't remember any interaction we may had? She just started calling me like that after a class and when I noticed, it was running the college." He said in a pout. "Ok either you did something and you're just not remembering because boys never pay attention enough or she just likes to rile you up and it's working." Hyori added. “I don’t think I did?” Jungkook basically asked thinking of their interactions. “Maybe she has a crush?” Hoseok shrugged and Jungkook looked to Hyori. He needed her girl intuition. "That's an option yes! Who is she anyway?" Hyori asked already super curious. She loved and lived for a good gossip. "I don't know how to explain it to you. She has purple hair." Jungkook said like it was impossible for Hyori not to know who the girl was by that description. "Here, this is her social media." Hobi passed her the phone. "Really good description." He teased to Jungkook who huffed.

"Ok… isn't this the girl that dates that trouble maker? The radio guy? She seems bad news" Hyori said as she scrolls down Carolina’s posts. "I know for a fact they are always on that radio booth together, only God knows doing what." "So what should I do? About the whole virgin boy thing..." "I don't know… tell her to stop?" "He already tried that and failed..." Hobi sighed. "Maybe you just have to do the same. If she starts teasing you, tease back?" "That's a good option… I mean the worst that can happen is her boyfriend beating you up but he's way smaller than you so you have a chance. Or she will beat you up… either way, someone needs to teach them a lesson, it was about time" the girl said. "He wouldn't have a chance. He is way smaller than me." Jungkook said emphasizing in the smaller. "If she kicks my ass you and Deo have to step in, I can't hit a girl." Jungkook laughed. "Listen I would throw my chemistry books at her for you but if she runs for my head please do something! I'm not good at one on one and just by her face she seems like she would break my neck" “Guys! What violent nonsense is this?” Hoseok said getting up front his chair. “Off to class the both of you!” "Wha-" Jungkook started but was immediately cut off by Hobi again. "I'll see you at lunch!" "Let's go virgin boy! Can't arrive late and ruin my perfect academy life." Hyori said also getting up and let out a laugh once she heard Jungkook complain behind her.

As the group parted ways, Hyori walked in a fast pace to her class. She hated being late but the conversation with Jungkook and Hoseok took more of her time than she was expecting and she couldn’t afford to lose any word that left the teacher’s mouth. When she got to her biology class, there were only a couple of seats vacant and she took the one that were nearest to the teacher’s table. That way she could still record the class and take her notes. She was in the middle of a way too long sentence when someone tapped on her shoulder. When she turned around, she saw Jeonghan, a boy from her class she wished she knew a lot better but never had the guts to go and talk to him.

“Sorry, can I take a peek of your notebook? I can’t keep up the pace with her.” He smiled sheepishly. “Sure! Can you see like this?” She said turning her notebook a little to his side but at the same time trying to hide how red her cheeks already were. “Yeah, that’s perfect!” He smiled sweetly. The class continued but now Hyori was a little out of focus. She could still catch some words but the fact that Jeonghan was almost breathing down her neck was making her lose her senses and the only thing on her mind was the smell of his cologne. “Hey, it’s Hyori right?” He asked leaning against the table as Hyori was packing her stuff. "Yes! That's right!" "Thanks for the help during class! You were a great help really." He smiled as he scratched the back of his neck. "I was thinking, if you aren't too busy maybe we could study together or something? After class?" "Oh it was nothing!" She smiled nervously "Sure, that would be great! Just say where and when." "Can I have your number? I have practice after class but we can check our schedules and set a date?" He said already taking his phone out of his pocket. "Of course! I have some tutoring to do as well, but sure, we'll manage" She laughs and he hands her his phone where she types her number. "I already gave you a ring so you can have my number as well. I'll text you later Hyori!" He said grabbing his backpack and smiling widely to her, walking towards the door. “Bye!” Hyori called out and then she let out a long sigh she didn’t even realized she was holding. Boy, she was starstruck.

As Hyori left her class she immediately spotted Jungkook in the crowd and walked up to him. Hobi was probably already waiting for them in the cafeteria. It was pizza day. No one could push them away from there. But unlike them, there were another group that preferred to eat outside. Not because of the fresh air but because they enjoyed the quietness of the bleachers. It was unusual for people to have lunch there so they had maybe half an hour to eat in peace before the field would be filled with youngsters that wanted to lay down or play some ball.

“Hey losers!” Carolina said coming by alongside Yoongi. The boy had this tired look on his face like he had gone to bed too late, and he probably did. “Where were you this morning? I didn’t even see you” Jin - the oldest of the group and also Carolina's house mate - said. “I have class at eight remember? I don’t have your easy senior life” She replied sitting down next to Taehyung. He was currently sketching something on his journal, not really paying attention to the conversation. “After all this years i deserve a break don’t you think?” The oldest said chuckling. “Not really” “Well, talk in two years about that and you’ll see” “Where’s Namjoon?” Yoongi asked for the first time making everyone even Taehyung look around for their friend. “Is he sick or something?” Carolina asked. “I gave him a ride this morning...” Yoongi added. “He’ll probably show up in a few” Jin said returning his attention to the sandwich he was eating. “I saw him in the cafeteria earlier” Taehyung said still drawing “I think his class ends a little after ours” “Oh there he is!” Carolina pointed looking behind Jin. Namjoon had a fast pace and his hands were full with large books. And although he was a little clumsy, he was a true catch. “Guys!!!” He called out with his dimple smile “Did you heard it?!” “What? What happened this time?” Yoongi asked a little uninterested drinking his coffee. “Did you hear that rumor about JK being a virgin? Do you think it’s true? Like- he’s a nice kid but who is still a virgin in college?!” Namjoon said sitting down and almost falling down of the bleachers if it wasn’t for Jin holding him. “Really? I though he had a girlfriend or something... I think Jimin mentioned it once” Taehyung added to the conversation. “Ya, why do we even care? Let the kid be” Yoongi said taking a bite of Carolina’s sandwich. “What would Jimin know though?” Carolina said to Taehyung “And besides, he uses this purity ring on his finger all the time” “Like the Jonas brothers?” Jin asked incredulous. “Yep, he’s the fourth member for sure” “That was even a thing?” Namjoon asked a little lost. “And you seem to know a lot about the subject” Yoongi said with a smirk looking to Carolina “Odd” “I know because he has some classes with me that’s all” “Let’s ask him today on the way home!” Jin suggested “Maybe his father is a preacher” “No, his father is a designer, I know him” Taehyung said casually. “Oh” Namjoon let out like he was disappointed with the outcome. “Ok but guys-“ Carolina said cutting the subject “Can we discuss the fact that Jin was caught trying to wear my bra yesterday?!” “I SAID I WAS JUST DOING AN EXPERIMENT!!!” Seokjin bursted. “He was probably trying to open it with one hand only... you know, for practice” Yoongi said in a monotone. “Dude, you could have said that, I would help” Taehyung offered. “Wow” Carolina said. “That’s some... kinky shit right there” Namjoon pointed out eating his lunch.

The group can seem a little odd to the outside viewers but they all had a lot in common. Carolina and Taehyung had practically been raised together, their parents were friends for a lifetime and to top that they were neighbours. When she came to college though, her schedule didn’t match his, so she wandered around in some clubs trying to spend some time and also to try and find someone to share her apartment with. She would share it with Taehyung, but unfortunately to her he was already doing so with Park Jimin, his best friend. Already on her first week she got lucky to somehow end in a vintage game conference and ended up meeting Jin, a senior in the college who was desperate to get out of the campus dorm and that somehow knew Taehyung. She didn’t have to think much about it to rent her spare room to him, and yes, he was a guy, but her parents were pretty open minded and if he knew Taehyung... well that was a major plus. On her second week she met Namjoon, a nice and shy guy that was friends with Seokjin and usually would sit with them to grab some lunch. She only discovered he was the son of the dean a month later when her group ended up in a mess (a thing they would do a lot!). Yoongi was a different case... she met him because fate once more moved to her favor. In the building she lived, there were more apartments and one of them belonged to Namjoon, Yoongi and Jungkook (the virgin boy according to Carolina who may or may not have spread that rumor out). How she discovered that? Well, Jin asked Namjoon for a ride but turned out that Yoongi was the driver. He was a tough one to crack at first but once she discovered they had the same music taste, they became really close. She would mostly spend her days skipping classes at the radio station of the college, where Yoongi was the main dj. In college they would mainly hangout in the bleachers, because it was sunny and pretty far of the rest of the college population. If it was a cold or rainy day, well, they would go to the lounge area to chill and eat something. If it was after classes, always Jin and Carolina’s apartment since they tried it once at Yoongi’s (he isn’t much of going out of the house) but Carolina arrived and Jungkook was casually eating cereals in his pajamas and well, let’s just say she didn’t understood why he was there in the first place. Despite them being super tired already, the day continued on and they still had a couple of classes in the afternoon. The sun made them feel sleepy so when they had to get up to go to class, it seemed more like a herd of zombies walking down the halls. The boys had this protective habit of walking Carolina to her class and once she entered the door they would all disperse, going on with their lives.

Carolina had decided to take her usual trip to the broom closet. She gained this habit in her first week and it became more and more regular when some sketches started to appear on the walls and on the door. It intrigued her. As far as she knew, she was the only habitant of the broom closet in the arts department and those drawings felt like gifts and the smell of cigarettes made it more appealing each time. She was dying to find whom it could be. Unfortunately for her, she had to return to her class of photography. She wasn’t really excited today. What was the point of having a class like that and not photograph? She didn’t need to know how many pixels there were in how many centimeters so, inspired by the sketches in the broom closet, she scribbled on her own notebook. And everything was fine until she heard 'pop quiz next week' coming out from the teacher's mouth. Her mind began racing and she looked around to see from whom she could manage to get some info for the quiz. She really had no choice.

“Psstt, virgin boy!” Carolina called out to Jungkook. Despite unfamiliar, he was the more familiar face she had in that class. Once he turned around, she continued. “Can you borrow me your notebook real quick?” She whispered to him. “Why?” He asked, genuinely confused. They weren’t friends and for what he remembered not even once she was nice to him. “Dude, just help me out. I have zero things written down.” He looked at her not following why she would care and he was about to speak but shut his mouth. “Fine, but you owe me one.” He passed her his notebook that she grabbed firmly, not letting go of his gaze. “That’s not how it works virgin boy.” He couldn’t help but snort. He was so tired of the virgin boy rumor and he was 100% sure she was the one spreading it. He just didn’t know why. “Uhuh, just hurry up.” “If I want to.” Carolina teased harder. “So what? You’re keeping my notebook?” He arched his eyebrow, a smirk showing in his lips. “Why? Is there something here I can’t see?” She asked, interest and curiosity rising from what secrets she could find in his book. “Browse away, but if you just want to keep something mine, I can bring you a sweater. At least is comfier.” He teased. “Is that you flirting with me, virgin boy?” She pressed on his new nickname, making him snort once again. “You wish. Just hurry,” he turned back to the board. “or neither of us will pass the pop quiz next week. I need to write down what she’s saying.” “Here.” She said taking the last picture and handing him the notebook. “And hurry up writing it down cause I need the rest of it!” Once the class was over, Jungkook gathered his things and left. He had volleyball practice tonight so he wanted to go home and rest but as he was about to leave the main hall he heard someone call his name. “Hey, virgin boy! You forgot the rest of the notes.” Carolina said almost skipping to catch him. “Really? I think I got everything she said.” He played dumb. “No dumbass, you forgot to pass them on to me.” “Oh, I don’t think I did.” “But you did.” Carolina pushed back and he smirked. “Nope.” “Seriously, can you just stop this... thing and give me the notes? I really need them and you’re the most organized one so far” “Well maybe if you were nicer and stopped calling me virgin boy…” “Oh so it affects you that much huh?” She narrowed her eyes looking at him, trying to figure out if he was a virgin or not. "You are the one losing here sweetheart. Anyway, you still have a week." He turned around ready to leave but was stopped. “Woah!” Carolina held his arm. “First of all, you should work on that pet name thing virgin boy, ‘sweetheart’ is a major turn off... but anyways! Just-“ She let out a long sigh. “Borrow me your notes, I swear I’ll be quick” “Not today.” He got loose of her hold and started walking towards the exit. “Fine. Just know that I’m kinda resentful sometimes.”

As Jungkook walked off, Carolina was ready to punch someone into a locker but she knew there was no use in getting in trouble over him. Instead she was planning on wasting all her rage at the volleyball practice later on. The halls were all empty and Namjoon found himself wandering through the corridor he already knew like the back of his hand. He wasn’t in the mood for how the rest of his day was about to end but he also knew there was no use in postponing this any further, so he walked into the dean’s office – or better yet, his dad’s office.

“Son, you’re lat- what clothes are those?” Dean Kim frowned immediately as soon as he saw the clothes his son was wearing. “My going out clothes? Why? There’s something wrong?” He asked looking at himself, from head to toe. “I told you this dinner was important, I needed you in more formal attires.” He said sternly. “I don’t have anything more formal than this dad… I’m just in college.” Namjoon sighed, trying to contain his temper from coming out. “And besides, nobody will even notice me, I’m sure!” He added trying to lighten the mood. “Either way, we don’t have time to change now. Your mother is coming too so we’ll have to go pick her up.” He said without even looking at his son, already picking up his briefcase. “Mom is coming? Why?” ��Because it looks better in the pictures if she’s there.” He paused. “You already know these stuff.” “No, I don’t. I don’t know why you two have to keep pretending… Don’t you see it’s a burden for mom?” Namjoon said sadly. It hurt his heart to see his mom sad and for a lot of years, that was the only look he seen in her face. “I don’t think this matter really concerns you.” He said in a cold tone. “Yes it does dad. God!” Namjoon let out frustrated, sitting down on one of the puffy chairs. “I’m your son and I have to see this act go on and how it hurts all of us… This is not right. Can’t we just- I don’t know… Let’s just go the two of us.” “I already said. This is not up for discussion. Since when do you stand up to my word? Those friends of yours…” The dean basically spat. He didn’t approve of his son’s friends ever since the first time they all came into his office for a prank they pulled and the hole cafeteria had to be evacuated. “This has nothing to do with my friends. I stand up for what is right and you would know that if you paid more attention to the real me, not the perfect son you created in your mind.” “Why can’t you just have a good record, study hard so that you have a bright future?! I just want what is best for you. One day you’ll realize that.” “And I do that. I study hard, I have great grades. The only thing lacking for you is appearances.” Namjoon spat, hurt by his father’s words. “You could dress better. You look like a delinquent in those baggy clothes. I’ll ask your mother to take you out shopping soon. Now we have to go.” “Sure thing… dad.” Namjoon said in a quitting tone, following his father to the car.

He just wanted this night to end but it hadn’t even started. Ever since he was little, he doesn’t remember a moment where his mother was truly happy with his father. Since early, she decided it would be best to be a stay-at-home mom and take care of Namjoon and his little sister. Mr. Kim was making more than enough money being an university dean to take care of the whole family so why work? But that made Namjoon's mom become more and more unhappy and she didn’t have the strength to get away from the depending relationship she had with her husband. When she finally managed to find herself a job and ask for divorce, Mr. Kim found a way to continue controlling her. After all, what kind of strong and powerful family is one that isn’t able to hold a marriage? Namjoon just wanted to see his mom happy but it was still far from being capable of such things.

As Namjoon's continued to go disastrously, Jungkook and Carolina were already at their volleyball practice and coach decided it would be a good idea to mix the teams up. Boys and girls all against each other. Unfortunately, Jungkook wasn’t lucky enough to be put in the same team as Carolina and she had a lot of anger inside that she needed to let out and what better way than smashing some balls? Coach even said he wished she could play with the boy’s team this Saturday due to how roughly and determinedly she was playing. That was until she finally managed to throw a ball directly into Jungkook's face, that made him go straight to the floor with a bloody nose. He didn’t thought he could have such an impact on the girl. It were just some stupid notes... how would she react like if she was dumped? He thought that to himself and decided it was better to do some peace offerings after practice. So when the time came to hit the lockers, he got ready as fast as he could and waited for her to get out. In all ways, he found the situation funny that she could be so uptight.

"So I guess practice wasn't good enough to unload your rage?" Jungkook asked with a grin on his face, grabbing Carolina's arm since she decided to pretend he didn't exist. “Better take your hands off if you don’t wanna see what’s left of that rage” "Oh c'mon are you seriously mad because I didn't give you my notes?" He almost snorted. "Yes I am” She said serious. "I can give them to you if it would stop your hulk mode." “No need” "I see you also have a big pride" He teased harder. “No I just have an intolerance to bitchy people. Now if you’ll excuse me” She said, starting to walk away. "I don't actually." He grabbed her arm once more, making her spin back to him. "I'm the bitchy one? Really?" "What do you even want, virgin boy? Tell me cause I’m kinda losing my patience here” Carolina said. She was close to losing her temper and even closer at punching him in the face. "You are the one acting like a child and you have the guts to say I'm bitchy. You need to swallow that temper of yours. If you want the notes just tell me instead of this." Jungkook said, done with her way of talking, making her laugh acidly. "Listen, sweetheart, i asked you once maybe twice for the notes, i won’t ask for them again. And the one being childish is clearly you. You came to offer your notes, I said no, but for some reason you don’t let me go” She never once lost eye contact, done with his behavior. “I call that childish behaviour. Either you state what you want or leave me be” "Fine." Jungkook snorts and leaves.

Jungkook was pissed off so as soon as he got home, he got inside his room and decided it was best to just sleep. On the other hand, on campus, Hyori was trying hard to study for one of her upcoming exams but her phone and a boy was keeping her unfocused. Deo was on her bed, trying to read a book she had just bought but the constant beeping was making her stress and although she didn’t want to pry, she couldn’t stop herself from asking.

“Why is your phone always beeping?” Deo asked. Hyori’s phone had been beeping for the past half hour nonstop and it wasn’t the usual routine the girl would do when she studied. “Oh!” She says turning around to face her roommate, a blush already creeping in her cheeks. “It’s just this boy from my bio class.” “A boy?” Deo asked putting down her book and crossing her legs in the bed, paying full attention to the conversation now. “It’s no big deal so don’t make a big deal out of it! But yes, he’s cute and his name is Jeonghan.” “How can I not make a big deal out of this when you say he’s cute and you’re putting your studies on pause to answer him?” Deo said overly excited. “What are you talking about?” “Seriously, it’s no big deal. He’s just super friendly that’s all.” Hyori let’s out a laugh, a nervous one. “If somehow it happens to be something more, I will let you know, don’t worry.” “Do you have a date yet?” The smaller girl wiggled her eyebrows teasingly making Hyori roll her eyes but laugh right after. “What’s up with you though? I could see you furrowing your brows and thinking hard on your bed.” She said more serious now. “It’s just this book… so intriguing.” “I’m sure it is…” Hyori said eyeing the girl to see if she could figure her out. “You know what’s funny? I have like a million texts of Jimin asking me why you won’t talk to him.” “He is such an annoying ass.” Deo whispered more to herself. “You know his friend, Taehyung?” “The artsy one?” Hyori asked raising her eyebrow. “Yeah, the one with blue hair. You know I can’t stand him and today Jimin just came to me with him like ‘oh hey guys you are best friends!’ No we’re not!!” Deo let out a long and hard sigh. “It pisses me off. He already knows I don’t like him but he keeps pushing.” “And why is that exactly? That you don’t like him?” "I can't believe you're going to analyze me now... I think you should drop out of psychology” Deo said trying to ease the mood but Hyori’s face stayed still. “Well, first of all, he's a weirdo. Just the other day he came to Jimin saying that the light bill was getting too high that he needed to watch out for the lights he forgot to turn off. Bro, we live in the dorms!" She rolled her eyes, annoyed of thinking back to that moment. "And the real reason I think it is because I'm jealous?" “Jealous of Jimin or… Taehyung?” Hyori asked in a suggesting tone and made Deo snort. “Why would I be jealous of Taehyung?!” She asked confused. “Of Taehyung… for no big deal. Now, of Jimin… well, the way I see it, maybe you’re having a moment of ‘why this loopy head guy is messing with my emotional’?” “I don’t see it… I just don’t understand why Jimin likes him so much. I mean, I’m his best friend too! I should be enough… I know it’s not fair.” “Yes, he’s a little- how can I say… weird? Out of the box? Anyways, he can be that but he is kinda funny in his own way… And Jimin speaks highly of him, he’s always saying he’s a great friend and moral support, so even if you don’t like the dude, just maybe tolerate him for Jimin? You know you love Jimin.” “I smiled at the dude today!” Deo said in defeat. “I won’t be disrespectful towards him because that wasn’t how I was raised but I can’t stand his face.” “That’s either called love or pure ‘I want to have sex with you’ you know?” Hyori said with a big smirk in her face. “How- I don- Ok you know what! Just go back to studying and texting the cute boy.” Deo said sticking her tongue out to her and picking back her book. “Ok scratch that, it’s more ‘I madly want to have sex with him’” She laughs lightly. “But hey, I’m not judging! The dude is weird but is super handsome!” “I DON’T WANT TO!” Deo protested, throwing a pillow at the other girl’s head. "And you know what? The girls I'm tutoring said pretty good stuff about him too… his hands are THAT big for a reason" Hyori continued teasing. “DUDE!” Deo hid her face in one of her pillows, flustered. “Do you think he’s good at it though? Because he has the fame but you never know.” “Oh I’m pretty sure he knows what he’s doing.” “I think you are the one who has a crush huh? Loopy is your type then?” “Loopy is super handsome yes, but I’m more of a smartass kind of girl.” Hyori said, slowly in the last part, thinking of what her type would be. “Loopy is more your type really.” “Just… don’t ok! And don’t give Jimin any ideas. And stop having ideas too!” “Will you start talking to Jimin again?” “Yes… you know I can’t stay mad for long.” “Then it’s a secret.” She winked and laughed hard right after because Deo pretended to throw her book to her head like she did with the pillow.

But that talk really made Deo think. It wouldn’t be fair for Jimin to wait until the next morning for them to talk again and it shouldn’t be something done by the phone either. So she decided to drop by their dorms. Hoseok was the hall security so that wouldn’t be a problem for her to reach their door. She put on some sweat pants and went out with her pj shirt. Who cared? She knocked on their door and soon it opened. It was Jimin.

“Hey, sorry to drop by this late…” Deo started and Jimin immediately involved her in a big hug. “I should be the one giving the hug you know.” She chuckled. “Why were you mad at me today?” Jimin asked with a pout. “Can you…” she pointed at the door signaling him to close it and he did so. “I just- I’m sorry. I was being childish just because I’m jealous of all the attention you give Taehyung. I promise I’ll work harder to be nice to your friend.” “You could’ve just stopped at the sorry but I’ll make you keep the last part!” He gave her a big smile when she rolled her eyes. “You are an ass.” She said trying to maintain a straight face but failed miserably. “Do you wanna come in? We were just watching a movie!” Jimin said already opening the door and turning to Taehyung. Somehow they managed to hang an old projector in one of the walls over the bed and were watching the movie like they were in the cinema. They had popcorn and everything. “Oh no! I look like shit! These are my pjs!” “Hey Taetae, look! Deo is here!” “Hey there!” Taehyung gives a little wave with his hand. “Bro can I press play already? I hate to pause it in the middle of an important dialogue.” He looked frustrated to Jimin. “Sorry!” He turned to Deo once more. “Do you wanna watch the move with us?” “Oh I don-“ “Effort remember?” Jimin almost whispered to her. “Sure. Do you mind?” Deo asked now to Taehyung. “It’s ok, but please don’t make me back up to the beginning of the movie.” “I won’t!” She said almost rising her hands up. “I’m clicking play already! Shut the lights Jimin!” Taehyung said turning his attention to the screen. “Go sit!” Jimin ordered Deo, pointing to the bed but she stood still. She didn’t want to have to sit in the middle of the boys. “C’mon!!” “Popcorn?” Taehyung asked, pushing the bowl towards her. All she could think about was that silly conversation she had with Hyori about his hand and she found herself blushing from the thoughts that crossed her mind with the boy right next to her. “No, I’m good…. But thanks.” As someone who didn’t care much about hands and their beauty, she had to admit, his hands were just something. “I want!” Jimin said breaking the imaginary tension and shoving his hand down the bowl and taking a hand full straight to his mouth. For the rest of the movie, Taehyung kept on making comments about the hole aesthetic of the movie while the other two remained in silence, watching. Once it ended, they decided they would enjoy the final credits and the music that came in, Jimin already had his head on Deo's lap and was close to falling asleep because she had been playing with his hair for the longest time. "See? This is the kind of movies that make me regret chosing performative arts." Deo said after a big sigh, with a frown in her face. “Why?” Taehyung turned his body so that he was facing her directly. "Oh well... there's a lot of things I like to do and it gets hard to having to choose only one to do. It's like choosing between kids you know? I like photography, but I also like dancing and singing and I also really like movies so how am I suppose to pick one?" “It’s not that hard if you are open minded enough to be a lot of people at the same time. I don’t think I want to do just one thing for the rest of my life...” "I don't think that either but I meant more like in learning. These majors are too expensive for me to take every single one I like." “Hm.. you just have to choose the one you identify yourself most, not thinking you will be giving up the others. That’s what I think” Taehyung said after a long time of looking at the ceiling, thinking. "That's a good way of thinking" “Why are you so quiet?” Taehyung asked curious to Jimin. It wasn't much like him to be quiet. "Oh no reason! I was just thinking along with your conversation! When I was little I used to get picked on a lot by my family because I liked to dance but I also like football so anything is possible. I'm having the best of both worlds." He chuckles. “Yeah, I remember” Taehyung laughs along with him, thinking about those moments from their childhood. "So yeah, anything is possible" Jimin said getting up from Deo's lap just to pinch her nose right after. "As long as you work hard for it!" "That's also a good way of thinking. Never knew you could be that wise Jimin." Deo said teasingly. "But anyway, it's getting late so I should get going." “Working hard remembers me of the review I have to write due tomorrow” Taehyung sighed, making the others laugh. “There’s never a chill out moment without paperworks to do after” "Do you need me to walk you to your dorm?" Jimin asked to Deo. He didn't like it when she would wander around campus late at night. "Oh no! Thanks for the popcorns" She said to Taehyung as she got out of the bed. "Sure, anytime!" Taehyung showed off his boxy smile. "See you tomorrow babe." Deo put herself on her tiptoes and gave Jimin a tight hug, walking to the door right after.

> Day 2 <

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hollyhomburg · 6 years ago

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SANDCASTLES

♡ PART 1: DONT SMILE AT ME ♡ (OMEGAVERSE AU) (POLYAMORY AU) (SOULMATE AU)

♡ SERIES MASTERLIST ♡ MASTERLIST ♡

SUMMARY: In a world where omega/omega relationships are taboo, Your relationship with Park Jimin is doomed from the start. But can soulmates really ever stop loving each other? After all, All sandcastles must eventually fall apart.

PAIRINGS: Omega! Jimin x Omega! Reader x Alpha! Namjoon x Alpha! Hoseok x Alpha! Yoongi, Beta! Taehyung x Omega! Reader,

TAGS: fluff, childhood sweethearts, forbidden love, brief sexual harassment. hurt/comfort. TRIGGERS IN LATER CHAPTERS.

W/C: 4.9k

- Jimin and you grow up in houses next to each other.

- And from the first time Jimin takes your small hand in his,(to take you to meet his new puppy that he got as a moving present from his aunt) he knows he never ever wants to let go.

- You play after school with each other every day, you sit with him at lunch, and demand to be in his class too the point where the teachers just give up and let you transfer.

- You stage a play wedding every other week, inviting all of your stuffed animals and Jimin’s dog, and you and Jimin take it very very seriously. Your parents just shrug and give each other the side eye when you announce that jimin and you are on your honeymoon one Saturday morning when you come over for cartoons. they look at each other, shrug, and think that maybe one day.

- You hold his hand when you pass the scary dog that lives in the house across the street from your bus stop. And Jimin brings you things like a pet crow, for years you keep boxes of bottle caps, glow in the dark stars, and flowers that eventually dry with age.

- Neither of your parents is surprised when you and Jimin start sneaking in each other’s bedroom windows and snuggling at age 10. (when Jimin finally grew tall enough to reach your window with a chair from your front patio)

- Or surprised that they catch you kissing one day beneath your family’s oak tree at 13.

- But neither of you have presented yet when you finally get around to expressing your affection in words at 14. And you decide that it doesn’t matter, one of you will probably be a beta anyways- 60 percent of the population is and both of Jimin’s parents are.

- With 15 percent of the population being omega and the rest alpha.

- In true puberty fashion- you present first, at age 15 as an omega, no ones really surprised, least of all Jimin.

- You’re so mothering, so caring, you're always asking him for piggyback rides and hugging him close at every opportunity. The Neediness A hallmark of all omegas, omegas are empathetic like you, and affectionate like you.

- And Jimin loves you more for it- that’s why he’s convinced he’s going to be an alpha, because if he was a beta than he wouldn't care right? and if he was an omega he would find you behavior annoying right?

- That’s what his parents said about omega’s and other omega’s, that they never worked well with alpha’s, that they where a bother for their employers, and should just stick to raising kids and stay home and wait for their alpha or beta mates to come home.

- God forbid an omega actually love another omega, that was just plain disgusting and an abomination in your parent's eyes.

- Omega/omega couplings are Taboo in your society. In a world where only 40% of betas can reproduce, and only 15% of the population is regularly fertile.

- Alpha/alpha relationships where almost just as taboo as omega/omega relations, but beta/beta relationships where seen much like alpha omega relationships.

- Any relationship that couldn’t bear offspring was seen as useless and a waste.

- Despite the slander against your sex, Jimin is so lucky, his cute omega childhood sweetheart. And he finds himself hoping for the first time that he presents as an alpha and not a beta- so that he can give you the steadiness and comfort that all omegas crave.

- He wants to be strong to you and wants to stick by your side for as long as he can- the way it is in Jimin’s head- there’s no future of his where you aren’t there. you’re his soulmate for all intents and purposes of the word.

- You’re his soulmate, you’ve got to be

- But then Jimin gets his first heat- not a rut. Ruts, which usually last for just a few days, not heats that last for a week. Heats- which omegas get.

- Park Jimin is an Omega.

- And that changes everything for the two of you.

- Jimin’s parents don’t let him see you for the first 2 weeks after his Heat, they take him to stay at his aunt's house on the other side of town and take him out of school entirely. They take his phone away and his computer.

- he manages to convince his aunt to let him use their old desktop when his parents work late one night, and He sends you a text on aol instant messenger- the messaging system that you used to use as kids (you never uninstalled from your computer because you didn’t believe in deleting things). The two of you sneak out and meet at the park down the street from your house.

- His beta parents where thinking about sending him away to school in Seoul to a special school for omegas. Betas are always weighing costs and probabilities. They wanted him to have an easier time adjusting- but all he needed in the crazy whirlwind of emotions and new feelings was you.

- And at the moment you see him your heart lights up like it always does, but then the wind shifts and it wafts his flowery sweet omega scent towards you, he smells like citrus blossoms and honey. While your scent smells like roses and vanilla.

- Your parents made it very clear from the moment they had found out that Jimin presented as an omega, that they wouldn’t sanction a relationship between the two of you- and that you would find yourselves out on your Asses if you decided to pursue a romantic relationship with Jimin.

- Jimin’s parents even though it was better if you were just separated.

- But Jimin can’t let the only person who ever made his heart a home go. So he decides, that if you can handle it then he can handle being just your friend. having you in his life as that was better than not having you at all.

- Omegas needed to stick together after all- you never knew when an alpha would come into rut around them, or if they’d need guarding on their heats.

- Your parents relax infinitesimally in your last year of high school.

- You and Jimin don’t hold hands anymore, and the side of your bed that used to be his remains empty.

- You don’t talk about how you used to kiss him underneath the maple tree in your backyard. And you don’t tell him how much you miss the way his arms would fit around your body, perfect- like they were made for you.

- After some time apart, while he pretends that his feelings for you are purely platonic, he convinces himself that you really do only love him as a friend, that the first 10 years of your friendship where just that- friendship.

- The thought that you feel nothing more than that for him helps steady him in his weaker moments when all he wants to do is kiss you or touch you.

- The two of you move to Seoul to go to the same college where he majors in teaching and dance, and you major in languages to become a translator.

- Things get better- almost easier when you’re not under the eyes of your parents.

- You spend your evenings tossing grapes into each other’s mouths across the kitchen of your shitty and tiny box of an apartment.

- you cook dinner together after classes, lounging on the couch a little too close, snuggling a little too tightly on Saturday mornings.

- You touch Jimin casually more and don’t have to worry about who might be watching.

- He pretends it’s just platonic and shoves down his feelings when he brings you your favorite coffee during all-nighters.

- And you pretend it’s just platonic when you buy him flowers and go to watch his performances.

- And when you start to see other people, when he meets an adorable beta by the name of Taemin and you start seeing a handsome alpha by the name of Jackson you make yourself smile and try to enjoy Taemin’s company. And Jimin invites Jackson over even when he really, really doesn’t like him.

- The two of them and their giant personalities make your tiny apartment feel even smaller.

- You pretend it doesn’t hurt when you hear Taemin making Jimin laugh- the way that you used to. or get jealous when Jimin makes Taemin dance with him in your kitchen, the way he used to make you dance with him.

- And he lets his cold pillow swallow the few tears that leak out when he hears Jackson helping you through your heat for the 3rd night in a row, your moans and Oh god yes’s leaking through the thin walls like oil.

- Omegas are sensitive after all. Especially when it comes to people that they love.

- Every touch from Taemin starts to feel wrong, so wrong it makes Jimin’s skin burn. So Jimin breaks up with Taemin the next chance he gets and tries to move on with his life without being stuck on you so bad.

- He goes out more, spends more time at the school’s crappy dance studio- especially when he knows Jackson is going to be over. And tries to move on with his life.

- He goes to a competition one weekend with his class to see a classical ballet rendition of Don Quixote, and in his hotel bar, his eyes lock with a man across the room.

- He’s smiling and his mouth is heart-shaped, and when he walks over to Jimin and asks if he can buy him a drink, Jimin catches a whiff of his alpha scent, the smell of amber and peppermint that draws him in immediately.

- He calls himself Hoseok, Jung Hoseok, the name that rolls off of Jimin’s tongue in a way that makes him sigh already, especially when Jimin catches a view of his ass.

- Jimin falls a little further into him when he finds out that it’s Hoseok’s dance company that is putting on the traveling production, and that Hoseok’s the Ceo of it too boot.

- What makes it worse is the fact that he is a total gentleman, walking jimin to his hotel room when he has one too many mixed drinks. Gently taking off his shoes, ignoring Jimin’s wandering hands and tucking Jimin in. leaving the hotel room and shutting the door behind him.

- Hoseok tells himself that it’s just his alpha instinct, alpha’s naturally wanted to take care of omegas. And for Hoseok, who was an alpha that had more contact with other alpha’s than anything else- he thought that maybe it was just his genetics were getting impatient.

- In the end, all that’s left of him in Jimin’s memory is a gorgeous laugh and the scent of Hoseok that lingers in the hotel room. It’s strong enough for jimin to let out a tiny moan the next morning.

- He thinks that all that’s left- but then a day later he finds the note shoved into his jacket pocket- and it’s not a number but an address for a building in Seoul,

- Come by and see my studio some time- JHS

- The class trip ends and Jimin goes back to your apartment and finds you- immediately feeling guilty,

- It doesn’t matter that you’re with Jackson it still feels like betraying you. Because for the first time- Jimin has really felt something with someone who’s not you, what he felt like the night before was 1000 times more exciting and captivating as what he felt with Taemin.

- Hoseok’s modern studio takes up the lower 3 floors of a skyscraper in the student district of Seoul. Its windows on the two upper floors are tinted to make it harder for people to watch the practices but at night you can see clearly into them.

- Jimin shows up just as a ballet class is letting out, the 5 and 6 years meandering around the college student with a gym bag tossed over his shoulder. The instructor eyes him suspiciously, she’s a foreigner that’s for sure, and the beta’s tutu is flat and black. And makes her look menacing like a bird.

- He mutters out Hoseok’s name- hoping she understands Korean and wonders why the hell he decided to stop by after class when it seems like Hoseok wasn’t expecting him at all.

- “Oh! You’re here for hope- he’s in his private studio if you’ll just follow me” Hoseok’s private studio isn’t big- but what It lacks for in size it makes up for in the view- a perfect view of the street and the buildings that line it.

- It’s gorgeous, just like the man that sweats and pulsates to the rhythm of the music popping his body in the most fluid movements that Jimin’s ever seen.

- But then Jimin notices how reluctant Hoseok is to move his left leg. Like its still healing from something, Hoseok notices their entrance into the room through the mirror but finishes his dance,

- His smile is starlit as he bids hello to Jimin and walks over to him after grabbing a towel to clean his face of sweat.

- Hoseok gives him a short tour of his studio watching Jimin’s reaction to the nice studio spaces and the modern facilities.

- “I’ll admit my inviting you here wasn’t all fortuitous- you’ve been on my radar for a while.” Jimin’s cheeks pink when Hoseok confesses over a bottle of soju and some bibimbap for lunch.

- “Me? On your radar?” Hoseok laughs at Jimin’s perplexed expression. “I saw you dance at the winter showcase last semester- quite well I might add” Jimin fights the smile that stretches his mouth and curses himself for how flirty he was the other night.

- “You’re at the top of your class in one of the most foremost dance programs in the country Jimin- I wouldn’t be surprised if I was the only one who’d taken notice. Not to mention you’re absolutely adorable.” Hoseok adds with a wink, now Jimin really reddens and nearly chokes on the next bite of his food.

- Hoseok giggles good-naturedly, a little too pleased with himself that he managed to make the adorable blond omega so flustered so easily.

- Jimin listens to Hoseok’s story, of his history performing, his injury, and after that, his forays into choreography and his eventual starting of his own studio after he reached a settlement with the company that had caused his knee injury.

- The studio had started as just a place for Hoseok to try and get back on his feet and go back into competitive dancing- but he had realized his passion for teaching when his friends started asking for pointers.

- He started with 2 classes a week, and in the last 4 years, it had snowballed into a flourishing business that nearly ran it’s self, and was poised to become a legitimate dance academy.

- Jimin praises him briefly for his good business skills but Hoseok just laughs and humbly admits that he was likely just in the right place in the right time.

- “The studio is growing exponentially, but before I manage to turn it into an academy I need to remedy a certain issue that I hope you can help with. We have a ballet instructor from the Russian ballet academy, who you met briefly, and a few instructors that specialize in hip-hop and jazz, and I’m trying to get a work visa for a Latin dance aficionado from Peru, but We don’t have anyone who specializes with interpretive dance at the studio.”

- Oh, Jimin’s heart drops infinitesimally, so this was just a business meeting. Now Jimin understands.

- “I’m sorry Hoseok, I love the business your running but it’s always been my dream to perform” Hoseok nods, “That’s to be expected, let me rephrase it then.” he takes a sip of his beer. “I want to offer you a job to help start my program with me with the promise that you’ll be able to pass it off temporarily, when you need to perform, be hired for performances by other companies, travel, and use the space for practice when it’s not being inhabited by 4th graders.”

- Jimin smiles at this, and even he has to admit- the offer is good, excellent even “you really want me to work for you don’t you.” Hoseok smiles kindly, “I think it’s safe to say that I do.”

- “I understand that this is a lot what do you have? Three weeks left until graduation?”

- “2 till finals and then a week of exams yeah,” jimin says.

- “Work for me for the summer, see if you like it and if you don’t get a better offer- work for me.”

- He tries not to be a little disappointed as the possibility of him and Hoseok, and the little flirtation that he had with the alpha goes out the window. Because Park Jimin will not be the omega that sleeps with his boss no matter what his drunken brain might have wanted in the moments before he fell asleep.

- When Jimin comes home he finds You sitting against your counter sucking on cookie batter while your boyfriend whips cream, shirtless his thick arms bulging.

- Jimin can see the hickeys from your mouth that pepper Jacksons chest and he tries to quell the jealousy in his chest. He freezes when he see’s a hickey on your neck- so close to where a mating bite should be.

- You told Jimin everything, you always tell Jimin everything- and he was surprised and more than a little hurt that you hadn’t told him you were thinking about letting Jackson mate you.

- If he felt like he could leave hickeys on you there then your relationship must have progressed farther than Jimin realized. Last he had heard you said you wanted to live with your mate for at least a year before you let them mark you.

- Mating marks where sacred and a careful art in the world, something that a lot of people either took too seriously or not enough. It was stronger than a marriage bond; almost something of a soulmate bond. Your mate could tell when your body was in distress. People’s scents even changed when they got the mating bite.

- Jimin didn’t want to imagine your warm vanilla smell overpowered by Jackson’s deep sandalwood. He didn’t want you to mate with him.

- You scream in joy and jump off the counter into Jimin’s arms when he tells you the news getting flour all over his front but Jimin doesn't care at all. Jackson wishes him congratulations. But grumbles when the two of you make plans to go out for a celebratory ice cream at your favorite place across town.

- With your arms locked with Jimin’s, you try to ignore your boyfriend who’s trying to literally pull you out of Jimin’s arms. Glareing at your clasped arms.

- Jackson was always trying to do that, always trying to keep you all to himself. he was possessive as he was attractive. He wanted you stay over most nights and was practically trying to move your things into his apartment himself.

- But you were reluctant to leave Jimin alone in your apartment- you knew that he likely couldn’t afford the rent himself, but despite the fact that now that seemed likely to change with his new job you were still unwilling to move.

- Jackson tried to pressure you about moving in and had even left a fucking hickey on your neck of all places, too close to where you could get a mating bite. It was something you had told him time and time again that you where uncomfortable with and he never listened. And it had eventually lead to yet another argument.

- Jackson wasn’t even happy for you when you got a job as a translator for a video streaming company, telling you that he’d rather you find a job that wouldn’t keep you up so late- he wanted to be able to come home to his omega at the end of the work day.

- Snarky comments lead to disagreements, and disagreements led to arguments and arguments only lead to one thing with you and Jackson

- Sex was your common ground, you knew how definat and stubborn you where made him crazy, and not always in the good way but more often than not jackson loved putting you in your place, tying your hands togeather and reducing you to incoherent wimpers with the slow pull of his hips. he loved to draw it out and make you beg.

- You found yourself seeking out Jackson not because you loved him- it was bad, a bad practice, but every time he said it to you; you said it back.

- You would seek out Jackson every time Jimin came out of the shower shirtless or stood a little too close, or brushed your lower back in the wrong way.

- Because time hadn’t dulled the way you felt about Jimin at all, if anythign the closeness haad made you want him in keener hungrier ways, though you still wanted him to be happy more than anything elce.

- And you knew it, Knew in the depths of your soul that there was no way he could feel the same about you. You were his person, his bestfriend since forever and what was the point in risking that?

- So you tell Jackson you love him even when you don’t mean it because loving him physically made it easier to love Jimin from far away.

- Jimin is surprised how much he enjoys working at the studio- and when he gets his first paycheck he almost balks because Hoseok is paying him way too much, at this rate, he’ll have his student loans paid off in barely a year!

- He teaches 2 adult classes, 4 intermediate level classes, and 3 classes for elementary school students during the after school hours. Though sometimes adults end up in the child classes- the program that he, Hoseok, and Iskra (the Russian ballerina) designed on a Saturday morning is really it’s all based on skill level.

- He loves watching the 7-year-olds dramatically tip back their heads to Sam Smiths song- stay with me, almost more than he likes correcting the 20-year-olds on foot positions.

- The adults are often too tense to make the easiest of moves look fluid, unlike the children who might move clumsily but, with a freedom that Jimin has spent years trying to replicate.

- Jimin loves working with hoseok as well, Jimin picks up on how his system works faster than anyone elce before him, and they even strike up a bit of a friendship. Hoseok gushes about the drama of his privite clients- idols and such that are both a pain and incredibly lucritive to teach, and Jimin talks about his college days, and you. though Jimin tries not to mention you every time he gets a chance.

- Hoseok even see’s you one day, waiting outside the studio for Jimin to come out. and he watches longinly as Jimin slings a casual arm around your shoulder. and finds the misplaced envy puzling.

- Hoseok even starts to look forward to seeing Jimin at work, more than he should, he loves the quiet carefulness that Jimin helps he child classes and the way he slings his feed over the benches in the back as he sreaches his lithe body out before he starts.

- Jimin decides he likes teaching- loves it even. And other times he hates it.

- Especially when he’s teaching the adult class; alpha’s don’t like listening to omega’s, they’d much rather hit on them instead.

- “You need to adjust your front leg hyung.” Jimin says looking at the alpha in front of him. The class is mostly alpha’s today, though there are nearly just as many betas.

- Jimin’s soft hands adjust an alpha’s leg carefully, and from the bent, over position, Jimin feels the alphas fingers brush against his ass. Jimin flinches back and gives a shaky smile- worried about calling the alpha out in front of the whole class.

- The untoward behavior continues next class and the class after that. When he tells you about it you get so mad that he has to ban you from signing up for the class. Almost vibrating with anger as Jimin smiles inwardly, glad you care enough to be worried.

- A brush of fingers against his neck, on his side- even once on his front. Hoseok stops in on one of those days and sees Jimin flinch back. his mood darknes when he realizes whats going on his temper flares when he see’s jimin to scared to do anything about the harassment. Before he has a moment to interveen someone calls him away into another room- he himself has a class going at the moment.

- The alpha in question lingers behind after class, “you need help with your heat? I can tell that you’re close.” He says with a sickly sweet smile when all other patrons have cleared out of the room.

- Jimin respectfully declines, worried about disrespecting the patron and making to duck out before the alpha blocks his way and repeats the question in much the same fashion.

- Jimin is just starting to feel unsafe enough to make his pulse jump when the alpha shoves him, luckily, that is when Hoseok opens the door.

- “What’s going on in here.” his voice booms

- “I-I was just-“ the man stutters,

- “Harassing one of my employees?” Jimin nods and subconsciously moves closer to Hoseok.

- “Come on, can’t you smell how close he is to his heat? can you really blame me for soliciting an unmated omega? I was just trying to help,” Hoseok’s eyes flash darker when he realizes that yes, Jimin is close to his heat, but it only makes him angrier. “Unmated alpha’s need to satisfy their urges, it’s only natural for me-“

- Hoseok chuckles darkly and tugs at the color of his shirt, showing the man the fact that Hoseok is unmarked too, “do you see me harassing anyone? No? That’s what I thought.” His tone is biting and threatening, All propriety and politeness gone. “You’re banned from this studio from now until it closes, and if I catch you hanging around outside waiting for Jimin I won't hesitate to involve the police.”

- Hoseok grabs Jimin’s hand and tugs him out of the practice room and into the break room at the back, a smaller and odd shaped practice room that they’d repurposed with cubbies and a fridge.

- “Are you ok?” Hoseok asks, as Jimin exhales a sigh and shakily starts to put on his street clothes. “Thank you hyung, for sticking up for me.” Jimin says shyly.

- “Don’t thank me for treating you with the bare bones of respect.”

- Jimin smiles sadly, “I’m an omega, I’m used to It.” he tucks dance shirt into his bag, pulling on a black sweatshirt over his dancing shorts.

- And I hate that you are, Hoseok thinks but doesn’t say, instead of packing up his own bag and tugging on his jacket, before declaring, “I’m walking you home.” Jimin doesn’t argue.

- They make most of the walk silent, and Jimin is happy not to be leered at for once on his way home passed bars and clubs so late at night. With hoseok by his side Jimin feels safe, the way that only you do.

- “Sorry for being a bother hyung, I know that a lot of people don’t hire omega’s because of the trouble we cause- but thank you for taking a chance on me.” He says when they reach the front door of your apartment.

- If Hoseok is judging Jimin based on the location where he lives he doesn’t show it. Though Jimin finds himself suddenly abashed at how rusty the front door that opens up onto your steps is and the fact that his apartment is located on the bad side of town.

- “Jimin,” Hoseok says, tilting his face up to meet his with a careful and warm finger, it’s not often that anyone besides you touches Jimin so casually and it makes his cheeks redden. “never think you’re a bother, you don’t deserve that kind of treatment, no omega does.”

- Jimin pouts a little turning his head out of hoseok’s hands. “You probably think we omegas need to be coddled and protected,”

- “Not at all!” Hoseok says, a little indignant. Hoseok looks for the right words “my… significant other put it in a good way the other day,” Jimin’s shocked- because he’s never heard of Hoseok being attached to anyone before, never seen a beta or an omega stop by at Hoseok’s studio. and he dosent have a mating mark either. He’s never even mentioned having someone to love in his life. Not like Jimin, who practically mentions you every moment he gets.

- “Everyone should learn to stand on their own two feet, regardless of if they’re an alpha beta or an omega, A person shouldn’t need to be protected or coddled, they just need a space that’s safe enough to reach their full potential. And a pair of arms to catch them when they feel like falling, And that can be in anyone’s arms-”

- Hoseok’s eyes flash up to meet Jimin’s, and he adds even quieter, “whether those be in an alpha, beta, or even omega for you I hope you have it.” Jimin flushes and looks away, your face flashing in his mind. Hoseok was right- that was what love was suposed to be like. That was always what love felt like when he was with you and Hoseok had caught jimin tonight.

- “I’m not- attached to anyone right now.” Jimin lies because he is very very very attached to you and he knows it.

- “You have a…” Jimin searches for the right word. “Modern way of viewing it.” Hoseok laughs, says goodnight to Jimin and disappears in the opposite direction of where they came. Jimin wonders where Hoseok lives, and if his significant other is waiting for him.

- You have no idea how modern it is Jiminie Hoseok thinks when he finally catches sight of his two Alpha boyfriends. Namjoon brushes the hair off of Hoseok’s forehead and leans down to kiss him as Yoongi grabs his hand, his thumb running back and forth across his knuckles. “How was your day sunshine?” Namjoon asks.

- “Enough with the pet names hyung you’re going to make me gag,” Yoongi says, surprisingly awake for it being so late at night. Hoseok Tisks inwardly, he must have had coffee, and now he won’t sleep for the whole night. Namjoon and Hoseok had been getting on him about having more regular sleeping habits recently.

- “I thought you liked it when I called you baby though Yoongs?” Namjoon says with a small smirk, leaning over to wrap run a large hand through his hair. they all both laugh when Yoongi flushes.

- But the corners of his mouth turn up at the edge. And Hoseok feels the tension inside his body relax slightly. Around the two of them he can never find it in himself to feel tense.

- They bring out the best in him; every bit of happiness and joy comes up unfiltered by anxiety. Hoseok knows he’s lucky, so lucky too have two people love him. Thoughts about Jimin plague him though; plague him enough that he confides in Namjoon and Yoongi late that night.

- “You did the right thing” Namjoon says while yoongi plants a kiss on Hoseok’s bare shoulder. “Would it be wrong if I felt like I wanted to protect him?” “There’s nothing wrong with that at all” Yoongi grumbles his- eyes already closed.

- That night you curl up with Jimin on your chest while you lie on your threadbare couch - a romcom humming in the background. Jimin always marvels at the fact that he feels absolutely 100% safe in your arms, your fingers card lazily through his fair hair, as he slowly falls asleep listening to the sound of your heartbeat.

- But when Hoseok looks at him, Jimin feels almost just as safe.

→ PART 2: LOST IN LOVE MAZE →

A/N: So the good news is that I’ll be posting this FIc extremely often because 70% of it is already written. There’s noting really angsty in this fic, but be warned- this is the angstiest shit I’ve ever written and that’s saying something!

♡♡♡ Hope you enjoyed it ♡♡♡~ M

1K notes · View notes

maiakana · 6 years ago

Text

Accent - Lee Felix

Stray Kids

masterlist

Key: fluff, humor, honestly some ranting haha

Characters: reader x felix

Count: 3.1k words

Part: 1 2 3

Description: who knew a late night run to the grocery store also meant running into a boy with a peculiar voice, literally.

Note: this was my first chapter of a fic I wanted to write but I kinda liked it as a one shot so here we go! I’m still learning so bare with the writing and mistakes! most likely will make a part 2 or 3 but no promises segrtergsefb

GIF Originally Posted by @felixeslee

You tugged your scarf closer to your face as you walked down the streets of Seoul. You were creating a mental map in your head of the area surrounding you.

Although you've been living in Seoul for 3 years already, you haven't quite gotten the hang of going around. Having almost no other connections in the country has also been making it more difficult.

The words were ringing in your ears, the lingering chill that spiked down your spine, as if they were just spoken.

"Y/N I forbid you, I swear you better come back here before you regret it."

Old news you didn’t need to think about, baggage you were still letting go.

It was later in the night, most residents and tourists have retreated into their homes and hotels by now.

However, a good handful of people were still milling about, friends hanging out, adults having late night drinks, or late night shopping. Specifically grocery shopping, which was where you fell in the categories.

The streets were illuminated by golden glows and neon colored signs, advertising hole-in-the-wall restaurants and tourist attractions. Instead, what caught your eye was everyone's fan favorite: the 24 hour convenience store, it indeed deserved that name.

A breeze from outside rushed behind you as you entered the store, your brown hair flew around your face, along with your scarf. You grabbed a basket with one hand as the other is busy trying to tame your airborne hair.

You started down the aisles, picking out the cheapest food items and ingredients you could find. The life of a student.

There was no one else in the store but the cashier, an old man who was busy watching the small TV monitor on the wall and counting money at the register, most likely his earnings from earlier in the day.

You hadn’t gone grocery shopping in a long time, living in a small dorm by yourself didn’t really prompt a lot of needs that needed to be replenished often. Not to mention your lack of eating, sometimes remembering mealtimes was easier said than done.

You filled your basket with the last few snacks that your hands could grabbed before striding towards the register. You politely greeted the cashier, reaching into the pocket of your long coat and pulling out a few coupons and cash, ready to hand them over.

While the old man scanned your items, you noticed all the posters and pictures plastered all over the wall behind him.

Idol groups: boys and girls alike, all very beautiful, a little unreal you might add. Many of them were group photo shoots but some had members individual headshots.

You recognized many groups displayed, from the big-shots like BTS, EXO, and Twice. To upcoming phenomenons like NCT's 18 member super group, just to name a few.

A sad smile curved on your lips, you had a push and pull relationship with idol groups, never quite cemented your opinions on them.

You've never had a issues with the idols themselves, in fact you used to be a huge fan, following so many groups, listening to their music, and even learning their fanchants, the whole shabang. That was the pull towards the appeal. Idols used to be your role models for as long as you could remember.

Repeat that: used to be.

The industry that produced Idols was what killed your appeal. That's the push. When you were younger you had no idea what it took to be in the limelight of the idol industry, of the trainee life.

But who could you blame, a majority of the world never knows that it takes to be successful, you were no different.

Over time, the idea of boys and girls your age being subjected to their looks and physical appearance, whether their voices were deemed alright, and collapsing from over exerting their bodies dancing. It was all too much for you, even as someone on the side lines.

Don't even get yourself started on the negatives of the fans and fandoms. However, the only light to shed on this was that at least Kpop isn’t the only industry that had extremes among those that enjoy it. Western music fans that were toxic over there, were just as extreme too.

You knew that most fans were regular people and just enjoy the music and the bands but sometimes the polarizing few become too much. Maybe it's human nature to have bad apples everywhere.

One incident you remembered a few years ago was the Shinee’s Taemin and APink’s Eaeun situation. A perfect example of the viciousness of fans and their hate and outbursts whenever they saw their idols do something they don't like.

They'd stalk, harass, and belittle anyone that was even in a 10 ft vicinity of the star. Following them around saying disgusting insults, hammering the nails even further. You don't think you’ve ever seen two people in such distress before.

It was such a shame really, for all we know Shinee's makane may have really loved her like he said on the show.

Now years later, the two are left to only avoid each other on stages and music shows when their groups cross paths. Minimizing contact at all cost to protect Eaeun from further harassment for just being around him.

And that wasn't even a scandal, some fans just couldn't stand their oppa being potentially happy with another person.

to be honest that whole section was me being emo after I watched so many videos about it and for all i know none of it was true or real or it was real and they were hurt because of it, either way i don’t feel like deleting it so sorry to anyone annoyed by it lmao

Although idols weren’t on your radar anymore, you would always know of them, it's inevitable. You were living in the time where they were growing the most international.

Music has always been a love of yours and that's all you’ve been focusing on ever since you came to Seoul. That's probably the last connection you had to idols, your love for music, your love for what you do.

The old man finished ringing you up, bagging all of your groceries and handing you the receipt.

"Hold on dear," the elder said, as he crouched down and shuffled with something under the desk.

Restlessly, you tapped your fingers against the counter. Looking around at all the idol merchandise, your eyes were drawn on to the TV monitor.

"N E X T W E E K O N M N E T!"

On the TV screen, many different clips of a few boys wearing dark clothes in a dance studio flashed by. There was a voice over, by an older man, explaining the tasks the trainees had to overcome. It was an idol survival show.

In some flashes they were sitting in a half circle talking intensely, in others they were dancing to choreography as one person sat out giving thorough feedback. However, the last clip showed a lot of the boys individually, either writing lyrics or practicing the lines.

You had barely caught the large strikingly red S and K at the end of the clip before the old man bounced up from searching below, stealing your attention again.

"Aha I found it!"

He brought out a small booklet, as if it was a manual you’d get along with a new speaker you'd buy. A manual it was not. You looked at the cover featuring a subtle sky blue with the Hangul lettering in white.

SCOUTING: COMPANY AUDITION & EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION

"You, young lady, look like these idol kids that are hung up on this wall," he gestured behind him while placing the small book into one of the bags. "We're given these little things all the time by a handful of companies to 'scout for rough potential.’ We only give them out during the day but since you're here so late I figured why not give you one eh?"

You stared oddly at the bags full of your food and now with a book that's basically a catalog of idol company hotlines. Looking back and forth between the wall of posters and the old man's kind smile you felt your cheeks blush at the gesture as you hesitantly smiled back.

"Uhh . . . thank you sir you are very generous," you stiffly bow, thanking him for the bags, still slightly baffled by the idol comment.

Ironic. You still remembered being told the same thing once, but that it’d be the only thing you’d be known for.

How superficial.

To save yourself from further embarrassment you briskly headed for the door. The chilly fall air brushed against your cheek, the bags in your hands slightly swaying due to the quick pace. Walking only a few feet away from the convenience store, you looked down at the bags thinking about what the man said.

Yeah right, become an idol your ass.

Before you could look up you felt your right shoulder collide into another figure, earning a loud yelp from the both of you. You dropped your bags as you stumbled slightly losing your balance while the other person, who you realized was a guy, stumbled on his step too.

The guy reached his hands out and gripped your arms on both sides steadying you. Because of the small tug from his motion, you had accidentally taken a step towards him, slightly closing the space between you guys.

"Are you alright?" a deep voice asked, filled with concern. Shocked, our eyes flickered to meet his. English?

He had ebony brown hair parted on the left side of his face. It was a tad longer than most of the men’s hair you see around but the way it flowed just to his eyebrows perfectly framed his sharp pale face.

He was decked in all black clothing, sneakers and all. He was only maybe 3 or 4 inches taller than you yet his dark hoodie and jeans seemed to make his figure tower over you. His jaw was angular, skin a little paler than yours and lightly dusted across his nose and cheeks were freckles.

bahaha apparently he is 5' 7 rn its okay tho because i’m hella short

"Yeah I am," you mumbled back, stunned by his dark eyes staring down at you.

He grinned at you showing of a white smile. He gently let go of your arms and crouched down to pick up the fallen bags. "I think we're both going to run into something worse than each other someday if we don't pay attention to where we're going."

You quirked up an eyebrow. "You speak English?"

"I don’t know, does it sound like I'm speaking Spanish?" he chuckled at his own joke.

His voice was like the ocean itself. A deep flowing tone, miles under sea level, it was a complete contrast from the pretty face it was coming from.

Your ears seemed to ring listening to his voice. An accent of some sort? It wasn't an American accent like your own, nor was it European, it was distinct. You couldn't really put a finger on it.

"Don't take offense to this but are you a foreigner too?" you questioned.

"Hmm I wonder what gave it away," he flashed you an amused look, carefully handing over the bags full of your groceries. "But yes I am, you?"

"I guess we're both in the foreigners club here," you said looking up at him. "I'm from the States."

"Ahh so I got an American on my hands."

You furrowed your eyebrows at him half amused and half curious.

"And what's that supposed to mean huh?" you shot back. He laughed at your counter, the happy sound echoing through the street.

"I knew you couldn't have been another Aussie," he shoved his hands in his pockets, tilting his head a bit, as if thinking about how he wants to form his next comment. "Your accent made that clear, love."

You couldn’t help but giggle at his words, him following suit. So he's Korean Australian, that's new.

You thought it was only the British that said love.

An electronic ding rings out of the boy's jacket. Quickly pulling his hands out of his pocket with a phone in grip, he opened up the device to view a message he just received.

Sighing, he typed a quick reply to the other person on the other end. You noticed the slight bags under his eyes as his faces was illuminated from the phone. His posture was relaxed but slightly rigid in some movements.

He was clearly exhausted.

When he looked back at you, you took a step back putting some distance between each other, bending down and respectfully bowed to him, greeting him in Korean.

He bowed and greeted you back.

"I'm sorry for bumping into you, I didn't realize it was possible to bump into someone in plain sight," he said, shyly scratching the back of his neck.

You waved him off. "It's okay, I should've been watching where I was going but thank you for helping me."

"It's the least I can do after I sent you spiraling," he replied. He flinched as a few more buzzes went of from his phone, clearly whoever was texting him wasn't willing to wait much longer.

Time to go.

"Looks like my fellow foreigner has to go," You said, tilting your head to the side. "Seems urgent."

"Just my hyungs," he sighed, rubbing his eyes a little. "It was my turn to get snacks for home. Didn't realize I was on a time frame though."

"Lose a bet?"

"Something like that," he said. He held a hand out with the same grin on his face from before. "Well Miss America it was nice bumping into you."

You reached out to shake his hand.

His big hand I'm sorry I snorted writing this haha was warm, delicately holding onto your smaller one, they seemed to tingle at the touch. "I could say the same thing too, Aussie."

You let go of each other hands and exchange a small bow again. The brown haired boy started a step towards the convenience store until he paused and turned back to look at you. He seemed to be debating if it was worth to ask you something.

"Are you busy tomorrow?" He asked.

"Haven't even known each other for an hour," you jokingly raised an eyebrow at him. "Straight forward I see."

He laughed while taking off his beanie, running his fingers through his hair a little. He played the edges of his sweatshirt looking a way a bit, fidgeting.

"Well if you aren't doing anything tomorrow night you should come to Sinchon. I heard there's a lot of busking in the streets since it'll be Friday," he rushed.

"And you want me to come watch with you?" you pressed back. It was an interesting hang out choice for sure, but he's sparked your curiosity. You wanted to mess with him a little longer. "How will I find you? Doesn't seem safe to just give my phone number to a stranger I met on the street. I mean come on we haven't even exchanged names."

His face perked up. Clearly surprised that you were playing along with him. "It's Felix, Lee Felix. And what does my favorite foreigner call themselves?

"Ha ha ha you think you're so witty don't you? I'm Min y/n."

His eyes glistened under the city lights, you felt your heart pound faster at the way his face changed into content after learning your name. "So what do you say miss y/n? Care to join a night of fun with your favorite foreigner?"

"Hmm, maybe you'll see me there," you joked sarcastically. "How am I supposed to turn down the offer of a lifetime?"

You weren’t lying to be honest, even though the idea of watching some buskers was interesting, you weren’t completely sure if you could go. You had a long schedule for tomorrow but you didn't have the heart to ruin his excitement.

Felix's hand shot down back into his pocket to fish out his phone again before handing it to you looking away quickly, avoiding your eyes.

"Maybe you'll feel better if we had a way to let each other know when we'll be there," he mumbled, his cheeks tinting a bit pink.

"Is that how you're going to ask for my number?"

"If it's working then yes."

Laughing at his honestly you gingerly took the phone out of his hands and put in your number. His fingers lightly brushed against your own causing tingles to travel up your hands.

Ignoring the flutters in your stomach, you frantically typed in your info, becoming very embarrassed every time you made a typo. Feeling a heavy gaze watching you, you had barely missed the small comment that slipped out of his lips.

"Cute," he muttered under his breath.

You felt like digging yourself in a hole while you waited for him to put in his own number on your phone, openly spamming in some middle school emoji choices for the heck of it.

His cheeks raised up as a smile lit up on his face. "Can't wait to see you there!" You nodded happily at him trying to calm the nerves that were spreading through your body.

What kind of trouble were you getting yourself into?

You urged him to finally head towards the store, it was like you could hear more message alerts already coming of his phone from a mile away. Waving goodbye as we walked away from each other, you couldn't help but feel the excitement building up already inside. You haven't had a light hearted conversation like this in a long time.

You closed your eyes seeing the painted image of his dark eyes looking down at you, hearing his deep voice that hilariously did not match his face.

His voice.

You whipped around from where you were, only a few feet further from the store and where you just spoke. You spotted the same boy right in front of the store, just about to push the door in.

"Hey Aussie!"

Your shout echoed through the empty dark street. The sky was clear and the moon was out, a perfect chilly day in November.

He turned to your direction surprised at your call. Doing the same head tilt like before, he was about to reply until you beat him to it.

"I like your accent."

His eyes twinkled a bit as he smirked back, amused.

"I like yours too."

#stray kids #felix #lee felix #stray kids felix #fluff #kpop #humor #sorry for the rant #bad grammar #junior year sucks #one shot #idol #kpop idol

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takealottodragmeawayfromreddie · 6 years ago

Text

Filling the blanks - Chapter 6

Pairing: Richie x Eddie x Bill (Reddie at the start).

Summary: During his last moments, Eddie realized he had something to say, but before he could finish the sentence, he was gone. Now he’s stuck between life and death and he knows he won’t be able to rest until he takes care of what he started. The only person he trusts enough to help him is Bill.

Or: The ghost AU where Eddie’s spirit can get inside of Bill’s mind to ask him for help to tell Richie he loved him.

Warnings: Canon Divergence (IT actually kills Audra) and, of course, death of major character. Some really heavy internalized homophobia in this chapter. Like, really heavy. Even some use of the F word that isn’t “fuck”. So, yeah, please be careful, the whole point of this fic is to make y’all have a good time, not triggering you <3

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

AO3 link

Playlist on Spotify (mostly songs about Heaven and duel related stuff and 1980s hits)

Special thanks to my stunning beta @golden-marauders. I know you’re going through busy times and I just wanna say you’re doing amazing, sweetie. This thing would be nothing without you. Or at least pretty hard to read xD

Eddie can’t say he didn’t think about canceling the date. Actually, canceling the date has been the only thing on his mind since he and Bill left the bed. He spent the whole morning contemplating the idea, trying not to be too loud, since his friend needed to put all his effort into looking wrecked and lonely for the eyes of the producers. He didn’t even hear the conclusion of the meeting, and he felt afraid of asking. The last thing he wants is to make it seem like he doesn’t care about Bill’s problems.

He built up a few excuses, too. Lying to Richie shouldn’t be that hard, and he was already reluctant about the ‘new scary, weird thing’, so he wouldn’t insist or ask for any further explanation. Bill could get sick, or devastated after discussing his wife’s death, or Eddie could simply have come to the conclusion that he doesn’t love Richie. At least not as he thought. He was confused, that’s all.

He doesn’t even need to cancel. He took care of his unfinished business, he’s allowed to leave whenever he wants. And, to be honest, he could use an eternal nap after everything he’s gone through. Richie will wait for him and, when he finally realizes Eddie won’t come, he’ll go home and start to forget.

Richie said he wanted to forget. He said he wanted to get over Eddie’s memory and death. Eddie not attending their lunch would be the best thing that could happen to him.

And, damn, this is not just about Richie. Eddie himself isn’t sure if he wants to go back into the dating scene. He thought he would get away from it forever when he got married, and he can’t help but think he shouldn’t be doing it at his current age. He went out with a few girls when he was younger —always during his short seasons of ‘I’ll become strong and independent and I’ll show my mother I can live without her’— and everything he can recall from that dark era is awful.

All different from the others: tall, short, blonde, brunette, curvy, skinny; but all of them with the same demanding, enthusiastic voice, going on and on about their lives and wanting to find out more and more about Eddie’s. Asking, digging, questioning. Did he have lots of friends while growing up? He couldn’t remember. How many ex-girlfriends? None, they never lasted enough to earn that title. How could someone like him still be single? Sonia Kaspbrak, that’s how.

The most voluptuous ones would lean towards him, their giant breasts spreading all over the table, making him think about cows and lose his appetite for the rest of the night. The most demonstrative liked to casually play with his pinky ring and put their hand on his shoulder while acting like his jokes were super funny and bat their eyes while smiling sweetly at him. The shyest ones barely made any eye contact and they usually had a friend who called pretending a relative of them had a car accident, just in time to save them from the silence when it became unbearable.

But all of them had something in common. They expected to be taken home, and held, and kissed, and, sometimes, made love to. That was the concept Eddie couldn’t stand. And God knows he tried to explain it without hurting anyone’s feelings. Some took it well, but the ones who would cry and tell him he didn’t like them were the worst. He ended up putting his hands on their cheeks, making them look at him in the eye and talking about how they were amazing and deserved better for hours until their ego was restored.

Yeah, you deserve better, he thought. Preferably anyone but me.

I’ll call you, he’d say, and he’d never call. He didn’t give them his number because he was too scared of his mother picking up the phone. The only time he felt like he could trust someone with such personal information, was a ginger girl he met in college. She was nice and funny, and Eddie felt randomly willing to keep seeing her. Of course, he later concluded he only liked her as a friend, but the connection was there. He always connected with ginger girls, even though he couldn’t put his finger on the reason behind it.

When Sonia found out about her, their house almost exploded. She accused him of not loving her anymore, of trying to leave her. She cried and screamed that he had changed, that he felt like he was too good for his mother.

“You use people and then throw them away,” she sobbed, “I dedicated my whole life to you, to keep you safe and healthy, and now that you think you can take care of yourself, you want to get rid of me as soon as possible. But you’re wrong. You’re sure you can make it on your own but you’re wrong, Eddie. You’d be nothing without me.”

That was their biggest fight and the only time he decided to remind her about the fake meds. He was convinced it would make him win the argument and his whole life. However, it only made it worse. By the time she was crying in his arms, telling him she loved him and she didn’t want to lose him, he had already promised he would never date someone without letting her know again.

And he kept that promise. The next one was Myra and their relationship barely touched the dating phase. They got married by inertia and he acted like he loved her till the very last day.

So Eddie isn’t a professional on dating. He didn’t enjoy it, and somehow, going out on a date with Richie doesn’t seem right. What would they do? Sit down and eat their meal and pretend they don’t know everything about each other? Will Richie try to flirt with him like he would flirt with the random, hot women he’s used to date? How does a first date work when you already admitted you’re in love with the other person? Does Richie expect him to hold the doors open for him and pay the bill, like his previous romantic interests? Or will Richie do that for him? If that’s the case, how can he make it clear that he doesn’t want to be treated like a lady?

Fuck, how does gay dating work, anyway? Eddie hasn’t even considered that word yet. He just knows he likes Richie, he’s attracted to him and he doesn’t like women, which, by default, should make him gay. But the term isn’t something he’s accustomed to. He tries to act like an expert for Richie, because he understands that Richie is going through a lot and he needs someone to guide him. He makes an effort because Richie needs him, and that’s what finally convinces him that he can’t just cancel their date.

Richie needs him. Yes, Eddie loves him and wants to be with him, but that’s not the most important part of the deal. If he leaves the world and Richie falls for another man —or even a woman— and gets married and completely forgets about him, it won’t matter. Hurting and mattering aren’t the same thing. Essentially and most significantly, he will be happy for him. He doesn’t mind if the true love of Richie’s life is someone else. The only thing he cares about is that Richie accepts himself.

The confusion on his face and in his voice the night before, made Eddie’s heart shrink. He knows that doubt, that guilt, and he doesn’t want that for Richie. He wants him to look at himself in the mirror and, regardless of who’s in his bed that morning, feel no shame about liking both men and women and realize nothing can change that. After years of denial, Eddie knows the best gift he can give to someone he loves, is helping them to get to that point of awareness and freedom.

No, he won’t cancel. He can’t. His unfinished business might be completed, but he still has something to do. He won’t let Richie down.

“Okay,” he nods decisively, fixing the collar of his shirt in front of the mirror, “How do I look?”

Bill chuckles.

Y-you look amazing, if I do say so myself.

Eddie smiles too. He has spent the last twenty minutes wandering through the bathroom, looking for lotions and deodorants and hygiene products that Bill didn’t even know existed. As soon as they left the studio office, Eddie concluded they had to shower, and despite the insistence of his friend on how they were clean enough, he took that decision to its most extreme consequences. To the point where Bill is starting to think they might never leave the room.

Bill tried to be understanding and supportive. He gets it; life hasn’t been nice to Eddie, principally on the romantic department. The best thing he can do is play along and do anything he can to make it easier for him. But when Eddie resolves that their hair just doesn’t look good enough and that it’s probably because of the shampoo, so they should shower again, Bill knows it’s time to stop.

Okay, w-wait a minute… What’s wrong with my h-hair?

Eddie freezes with his hand inches away from the shower faucet.

“Oh, nothing,” he quickly clarifies, scared of Bill taking it the wrong way, “It looks good, really, but—”

Then why would you c-change it?

“’Cause… ‘cause it doesn’t look good on me, alright? It looks amazing on you, but not on me.”

Bill releases an exasperated sigh.

Eddie, we’ve literally got the same f-face.

Eddie opens his mouth to reply but, sooner than later, he realizes he doesn’t have any argument to what he wants to say.

Also, we’re gonna be late if we—

“But there’s so much I need to do,” he answers immediately, alarmed, “We… we haven’t shaved.”

W-we shaved this morning! What are you t-talking about?

“I know we did, fine? But I’m not convinced. Your skin feels weird and… and I’m sure it doesn’t look just-shaved enough… Maybe with some lotion…”

Eddie, s-seriously, you’re gonna leave America without lotion for three years if you k-keep that up. I’m telling you it looks fine. The only reason why you think it’s w-weird is ‘cause you’re not used to facial hair. I p-promise you Richie won’t notice the fucking d-difference!

Bill catches Eddie’s expression on the mirror and recognizes that maybe he went too far. Eddie looks shocked and almost betrayed. Perhaps they’re arguing about something insignificant, but with the emotional rollercoaster that the previous days had been, it makes sense that it affects him. Bill thinks about how to apologize without sending him a ‘you’re right’ message.

Sorry I s-snapped at you.

Eddie nods, saddened.

“It’s okay. Guess I deserved it.”

He forces a little smile and shrugs, and Bill panics at the misunderstanding.

N-no, Eddie, of course not. You… you didn’t deserve it, alright? I just really d-don’t want you to be l-late. And I’m scared that you might be…

Eddie stands back in front of the mirror and looks into his own eyes, searching for the other person that lies behind them.

“That I might what?” He softly asks.

T-trying to… back off.

At the start, he just looks confused, like he might had heard wrong. There’s no way Bill is implying what he thinks he implied. Then, shock hits him; Bill did say that. And after a fleeting moment of fear —what if it’s Bill who’s trying to back off?—, he’s plainly hurt.

“What the fuck?”

I-I just—

“No, really, the fuck are you talking about? Backing off? Why would I be backing off now?”

I d-don’t know. You’ve tried to back off b-before. Maybe you got scared or—

“Oh, sure, I forgot I’m a fucking pussy. Of course I’d get scared and try to back off. Of course I’m not an adult who can decide for himself and—”

Wow, c-calm down, Eds. You’re being d-defensive. I never said you were a coward. I don’t think that.

Eddie rubs his dead arm and looks down, suddenly demoralized.

“Well, Richie thinks that.”

W-wait… what? What did I miss? When did he s-say that?

His friend exhales a breathless laugh.

“You know, last night… He went on and on about how he wished I was more like when we were kids and how disappointed on me he was. And you can’t tell me it’s not true, ’cause I heard it and it was exactly what it sounded like. Guess that’s one of the things he wouldn’t say to my face, huh?”

Eddie, I—

“But I can’t really blame him. I would have been disappointed in me too, if I noticed how… how I was letting my mother and Myra tame me.”

B-but they didn’t! E-Eddie, can’t you see? They couldn’t tame you. If they did, how… how could you have come back? How could you have r-returned to Derry and… and… S-she was begging you to go back to New York. She would have done a-anything to make you stay. But you decided to do what you t-thought was right, no matter what she s-said. She didn’t have full control over you, and neither did your m-m-mother.

“Then I guess Richie just doesn’t see it that way…”

Of course Richie sees it that way! L-listen, the only reason Richie was d-disappointed was ’cause… ’cause he wanted his friend back. And so did the rest of us. It’s true, we wanted the old Eddie back, but not because he was b-brave or strong… we wanted him back ’cause he was happy. ’Cause he wanted to keep moving f-forward, and overcome his… his fears, and travel the world on his… on his train or w-whatever.

And when we saw you again after almost t-thirty years, sad and defeated, it hurt. But not in the way you think. It didn’t hurt like it does when… I don’t know, when a war hero d-dies. It hurt like it does when you realize your best friend is living an u-unhappy life.

B-but you proved us wrong! ’Cause you still had the same fire in you. You still have it, E-Eddie. You r-re-rekindled it when you came back, even if your wife didn’t want you to. And when you… k-killed Bowers. And when you gave your life for… for us. And by coming to me now and letting me know… by letting R-Richie know… Man, you’re made of stone.

Bill means it. Eddie knows Bill means it. And the comforting feeling of the person he admires the most talking about him like that, it’s almost unbearable. He never thought something as reassuring as what Bill just told him could be this overwhelming, this physically hurtful. But even when it feels like dying all over again in the best way possible, there’s still a shadow of doubt in his eyes.

Bill breathes out.

Hey, it’s okay if you’re mad at R-Richie. Really, what he said was just horrible and you s-shouldn’t ever let anyone talk about you like t-that. So I just want you to f-forget about your feeling for h-him, about your cosmic mission, about It, about e-everything, and allow yourself to feel hurt. ’Cause the people you love can be assholes, too… especially Richie. And they can say shit they shouldn’t. And if that shit m-makes you sad or angry or any other f-feeling… it’s alright. But maybe you… if you’re still mad, you shouldn’t…

“Bill, I’ll go,” Eddie clarifies, “I already said I would. And I’m not doing it just for myself. Richie needs me now. He’s confused, he’s scared, he’s—”

He’s an adult. He’s my b-best friend and I love him, but he’s an adult. It’s not your job to… to figure out his life for him. That’s s-something he has to do by h-himself. Please, just… stop trying to be deep, stop trying to be existential, stop trying to… s-save him. You already did that. What he does from now on… it… it’s up to him. You’re not his ticket out of the c-closet, you’re not his spiritual guide. You’re just his friend who wants… who could start a r-relationship with him. That’s all you’ve got to be. And you’ve got to a-ask yourself if you… if you still want that. ’Cause if you don’t and you f-force yourself… well, someone will end up hurt.

Eddie nods his head thoughtfully, lips closed.

Please, just… think it over. Rich’s not a bad guy. He doesn’t d-deserve your resent just because you held on to something… s-something you weren’t ready to do. And you don’t deserve it, either.

“I understand what you say, but I still wanna do it. Not because of Richie, not because I just want to go out with a guy… I want to do it for myself. I know he said some shitty stuff… and I’m not gonna act like it didn’t hurt. Fuck, it still hurts a bit, but that’s not the point. I’ve been letting everything get in the way of… of what I want. And down there, with my arm gone, bleeding to death, all I could think about was how nice it would be to leave that place like nothing happened and simply… be with him. I won’t miss this chance. I wanna take it.”

Bill sighs and takes control of his right arm to rest a hand on Eddie’s shoulder and give it a sympathetic squeeze.

T-then I’ll be with you in every step of the way… l-literally.

Eddie can’t help but chuckle, but the laugher fades away when he rationalizes everything.

Are you okay?

He blinks a few times, shocked.

“Yeah, I just noticed… this is the first time I got nervous before a date… for the right reason.”

Bill laughs, too.

It’s what you d-deserve. And it’s how it’s g-gonna be from now on.

Eddie raises his left hand and puts it over Bill’s, a soft smile on his face.

Yes, this is how it’s going to be. This is how it always should have been.

They’re supposed to meet at a small cafeteria that Richie chose. Eddie is sure he wanted it to be in such an unknown place because he didn’t like the thought of people finding out about it, but since this is Bill’s body and the last thing Eddie wishes is for his reputation to be affected by this experience, he can’t get mad. Richie and Bill are both very famous people, and a picture of them going out on a date —especially when Mrs. Denbrough has been gone for such a short time— would break the internet. They can’t take risks.

Also, he doesn’t mind privacy. After all, Richie is not the only one who’s trying to get used to the gay thing. Even though they already held hands and kissed, doing it out in the open world feels different. None of them are ready to take that step.

So he goes to this little bar, full of colorful murals and artsy details here and there, and stands in front of the glass door, building up the courage to open it, knowing what’s waiting for him on the other side. Once he does it, he doesn’t have any trouble to find Richie. He’s not far away from the exit, and is being loud enough while picking up his jacket and phone, prepared to leave. Eddie can hear him mumbling, talking to himself.

“Uh, Eds, sorry I couldn’t go I just…” Richie practices, “I had to… I had to check on my… No, that sucks, he’s not gonna buy that… Eds, sorry, I should have called but my grandma is in the hospital and… No, fuck, no, he knows my grandmother is dead… Okay, Rich, you can do it, one more time… Eds, I’ve got syphilis… Damn, what the hell I’m thinking? Ghosts don’t give a fuck about STDs… On the other hand, is Eddie who we’re talking about, so maybe…”

He starts walking to the door while saying this, so immersed on his monologue that he doesn’t notice Eddie’s presence until they’re face to face. His expression when he sees him is so priceless that Eddie can’t even get angry.

“Do you have to be at somewhere else?” He grins, maliciously.

Richie opens his mouth and shuts it, his index finger raising as if he had something to say, even when he doesn’t have a clue.

“You were trying to leave, weren’t you?”

He gulps and nods without a word.

“I really want to say I can’t believe this, but actually—”

“Eds, it’s not what you think,” Richie quickly explains.

“Oh, what is it, then?”

“Listen, Eddie, I… They’re gonna send me to… I’ve got… I’ve got gonorrhea, okay?”

“Didn’t you have syphilis like… thirty seconds ago?”

“That one too… also my ex is pregnant.”

“Let’s sit down and order the fucking food. I’m starving.”

He’s walking to the table, chuckling and shaking his head, before Richie can throw another excuse, and he doesn’t have any option but following him and taking a seat.

Here they are, only a dark wood surface and two menus between them, forced to have every conversation they’ve ignored since this madness started. Richie secretly wonders if the serious conversations will ever end, and Eddie kind of wants them to stop, too, but they know they’re necessary. It’s what they have to do.

“I really didn’t want to stand you up,” Richie says, and he sounds honest.

“It’s okay,” Eddie cuts him, “You’re scared, that’s all. I was scared, too.”

“Did you think about standing me up?”

“Uh… well, maybe not that scared, but definitely nervous. Bill said I was gonna leave America without lotion for three years if I kept that up,” he laughs a bit, “Just wanted to smell good, honestly.”

Richie nods, surprisingly solemn, and after a few seconds he seems to realize it was supposed to be a funny moment and not a transcendental one, so he makes one of his pathetic attempts to be smooth. They usually work… with twenty-something-year old girls. But Eddie is not a twenty-something-year old girl begging him to sleep with her. So it comes off forced and teenager-like.

“Oh, you… you do smell good, I guess?” He stutters, “Shit, I didn’t mean to say that. I mean, I wasn’t putting a lot of attention into it and it’s not like you don’t smell good all the time or anything… I mean, you have smelt better… No, wait, I really didn’t mean to say that. What I’m trying to say is… It’s not Bill’s lotion, I guess? Like, it’s you, your last body smelt nice, too… Well, probably not right now, but—”

“Beep-beep, Richie. I get the picture.”

Richie groans, frustrated, and looks down.

“Sorry, this is a bit weird for me. This doesn’t happen often.”

“What?”

“Well… this!” He makes an exaggerated gesture with his hands, “C’mon, you can’t tell me this isn’t weird.”

Eddie frowns, but the amused smile remains on his face.

“I thought you were used to go out on dates and talk to people.”

“Oh, yeah, I sure am.” He takes a breadstick from the basket between them and gives it a bite, “But this isn’t a… normal situation, you know?”

“Because I look like Bill or…?”

“No, I don’t care ’bout that… It’s just… Argh, it’s hard for me to talk to guys.”

“Richie, what the fuck?”

“I know it’s stupid, okay? You don’t need to tell me...”

“But you’re a guy, too!” He exclaims, trying not to burst out in laughter.

“Yeah, but you’re not just any guy. Like, there’s normal guys and there’s you! I mean…” Then he notices what he said, “Fuck, I know what it sounded like but it wasn’t supposed to sound like that. It’s not because of the… the thing.”

“The thing?”

“Yeah, you know…” He leans towards Eddie and whispers, “The thing.”

“Do you mean…” Eddie imitates him, still making an effort to control his chuckles, “The gay thing?”

“Yeah, that’s exactly what I mean.”

“Hi, may I take your order?” A waitress who neither of them knows where she came from suddenly asks.

That’s when they remember they’re in a public place and they’re so close their noses almost touch, so they both jump away from each other and stridently clear their throats while opening the menus.

“Billy, I was thinking of ordering the Philly cheese stake sandwich, what do you think?” Richie says, a little too loud.

“Uh… yeah, it sounds like a good idea.”

“Would you like to have one, too, Bill Denbrough, my best friend?”

“Just order whatever,” Eddie groans, rubbing his temples.

“Okay, so that will be, please,” he tells the waitress.

She nods, takes the menus and walks away. Their relieved sighs when she’s gone can be heard in the whole restaurant.

“You’re over-acting,” Eddie warns.

“Over-acting? I’m a fucking actor!”

“If you act like that in your movies…”

“Well, my fans don’t seem to care.”

“Do your fans know you can’t even have a normal conversation with a guy?”

“I already told you you’re not just some guy! You’re… Eddie!”

“Oh, right, the thing.”

“It’s not about the thing.”

“Sure it isn’t…” Eddie rolls his eyes.

“I’m getting a sense of déjà vu with this talk…”

“Yeah, we already had it, and you still can’t say the word ‘gay.’”

“Ugh, man, give me a rest. This ain’t easy.”

“Richie, we only have two weeks. You said you wanted to say it back, but you weren’t ready. I’m giving you all the time I can, but I think you just don’t want to be ready at all. Do you even like me?”

“Of course I fucking like you, asshole!” He snaps, remembering to keep his voice low, “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. I wouldn’t have kept that stupid, fake aspirator around if I didn’t. But this is hard for me, okay? It took you forty years to come to terms with… with the thing! And you still expect me to be all over you in less than 24 hours. At this time yesterday I was the straightest guy in town.

”I love women, alright? I love how they look and how they smell and how they run their nails down my back.” He sighs, “But… but looking back, I also liked how you looked and your smell and I… I’ve spent the whole fucking night thinking about your nails running down my back. And it’s so confusing and frustrating.

”I’m not gay, Eds! I know you want me to say I’m gay, but I really don’t feel like that. You’re the one who makes me feel this way. And I want it to stop but not really at the same time. Just… See? This is why I can’t say it. I’m sorry, but as soon as you’re gone, the feeling will be gone and I’ll go back to normal. There’s nothing we can do. So what’s the point of thinking it over? This goes nowhere.”

Once he finishes, he’s surprised to find out Eddie doesn’t look mad or done with the drama at all. Instead, his eyes are sad and understanding, like the only thing he could conclude from his rant was that Richie is unhappy and he doesn’t want him to feel like that. The waitress stops them from continuing talking when she comes back and puts their sandwiches in front of them, but when she leaves, they know they can’t ignore everything that’s been said.

“Then why are you here?” Eddie quietly asks, before giving his sandwich a bite.

“Why am I here?” Richie questions, puzzled.

“Yeah, why did you come if you thought it went nowhere? Why waste your time?”

“It’s what I do, Eds. I make out with someone and my mind goes all over the place, and I think ‘damn, this could be good’, so I give them a try ’cause this time could be different and I might prove I’m not just the funny guy on T.V. Then we get to know each other and they realize they don’t want just sex. They want you to undress your soul and tell them about your childhood trauma and have a lot of meaningful conversations that go on for hours. They want you to get married and have babies and buy a nice little house in the suburbs.

”Then they find out you can’t give them those things and try to change you. And when you realize you’re just the fantasy of the emotionally inaccessible guy… you tell them to put their dress back on and leave your house, and the next weekend you make out with someone new.”

Eddie remains mute.

“Sorry, I’ve been watching BoJack Horseman,” Richie apologizes, tearing off the bread’s crust, “But, hey, that’s fine. We’re just two old friends hanging out and…”

There’s an uncomfortable silence. The kind of silence Eddie desperately wanted to avoid. However, it isn’t like the ones he used to share with his previous dates. Those were terrible and scary, full of ridiculous attempts to restart the conversation, even when it was already dead. This silence feels like something needed, natural. They don’t want to rush out of it for the sake of stop being awkward. They want to work it out once they have something to say.

“Well, at least you don’t have to tell me about your childhood trauma,” Eddie shrugs, and Richie smiles, “I’m sorry if I pressured you. I didn’t mean to—”

“No, Eds, I’m sorry. I felt so bad about you being gone, and there was nothing I wanted more than you coming back… And when you do it, I just decide to be an asshole and call you names and act like you wasted your whole life, ’cause you didn’t throw everything you had away for things you didn’t even remember. It wasn’t fair.”

“Hey.” He looks around and puts his hand over Richie’s, “It’s okay if you like both, you know?”

“What?”

“Men and women. Seriously, it’s fine. You don’t have to pick a side… at least for me. I’m okay with it.”

Richie lets go a small, bitter laugh.

“Yeah, you say that now—”

“And I’ll say it again later if you need me to. I’ll say it every day ’till I leave: there’s nothing wrong about it.”

“Oh, c’mon, don’t make it a coming out story. We kissed and I liked it. I never wanted a guy before, just you. When you leave, this leaves with you.”

“What if you meet another man?”

“It took me forty years to meet you, and we’ve known each other since before I could even read. I think I’ll be fine.”

“You can’t say that. You don’t know that.”

“Listen, Eds,” he starts, firm, “I know one thing: I’ve been treated like a freak almost my whole life. I’ve been punched and kicked and thrown into trash cans. My glasses got broken so many times I ended up buying contacts. And look at me now.” He opens his arms, “Sorry, but I can’t go back to be a freak again.”

Eddie leaves his sandwich on the plate and stands up. Despite how tears are doing everything they can to fill his eyes up, his face stays impassible.

“I never thought you were a freak, Richie,” he says, “And the other Losers didn’t think that, either.” He grabs his coat from the chair’s back, “We used to be enough for you. I’m sorry you need everyone else to love you now. I’m sorry you gave up.”

Richie’s eyes are wide-open.

“Wait, Eds, where you going?”

“I’m leaving, Rich,” Eddie answers, already walking to the door. He hears Richie’s steps behind him, but he doesn’t stop, “Call me when you make up your mind.”

“Man, what the fuck? C’mon, you know I… Eds, please, I… You know how I am, you know I say stupid things…”

They walk out the restaurant, Eddie first and Richie a few steps after him.

“So I have to sit there and be your punching bag, just because you can’t get your shit together?” Eddie demands, face on fire as he turns around to look at him, “You’re fucking forty, Richie, and you still act like a child. I can leave whenever I want, you know? I could have left yesterday if I wanted to. But you said you wanted me to stay, and now it’s like you’re dreaming of the day I’m gone so you can go back to being straight or whatever you are. I felt like a freak, too, but I got over it because I love you. And I grew up in the same town, with the same people and going to the same church. You don’t have an excuse. Next time you’re not sure about being ready for something, just fucking say ‘no.’ Maybe you like losing time, but I don’t have time to lose.”

Putting his fingers against his lips, Eddie loudly whistles to call a cab, which is parking next to the sidewalk within a matter of seconds. He’s about to open the backseat door, when Richie yells.

“And I can’t lose you again!”

Eddie lets go of the handle and looks at him.

“Really, man, what the fuck have you done to me?” Richie continues, “I keep thinking I’m on a nightmare or a bad acid trip, ’cause I can’t believe this shit. I’m… I’m going crazy. This can’t be happening, you can’t be back from death, I can’t… I… I’m not gay!”

Eddie takes a few steps closer, gaze still reluctant. The fact that Richie doesn’t go back isn’t surprising enough to distract him of the topic. When he talks again, his voice is soft, comforting, as he stares into Richie’s eyes.

“No, you’re not gay.”

“I’m not…” Richie mutters, lips trembling.

“You aren’t.”

“I’m not,” he repeats, with more confidence, “I’m not gay. I… I’m… I like… both. I like both, Eds.”

“You like both,” Eddie nods, a smile blossoming on his face as he cries at the same time.

Richie can’t help but laugh out loud. Normally, Richie’s exaggerated reactions would piss Eddie off, but, with this one, he feels like it’s justified. When he figured out his own sexuality, he couldn’t even finish a sentence, when all he wanted to do was shout it at the top of his lungs. He’s just glad Richie has the opportunity to celebrate it as noisily as he wishes.

“Shit, I’ve been such an idiot with you, I’m sorry,” Richie laments, “But this time for real.”

“It’s okay,” Eddie assures him, “You were very confused, I should have been more understanding.”

“Oh, don’t worry, you waited your whole life to get some, it’s fair that you wanted it as soon as possible.”

“Beep-beep, Richie.”

“So, let’s get this one thing straight—”

“We’re not,” he jokes, rolling his eyes.

Richie looks shocked.

“Wow, Eddie Spaghetti gets off a good one!” He exclaims, taking Eddie’s dead hand and giving it a hi-five, “But, seriously, I wanna make sure I got it right… You… like me… in a gay way.”

“True…”

“And I…” He points at himself, “Like you… in a bisexual way!”

“You’ve got it,” Eddie smirks.

“And that means we… you and I… are on a 75% gay relationship.”

“Last time I checked we were just having our first date.”

“Oh, yeah, almost forgot,” Richie coincides, scratching the back of his neck, “I guess I kinda ruined that, didn’t I?”

“Well, not yet… our table is still there. Maybe we could… still have lunch together?”

“You’re okay with that?”

“Sure… Are you okay with that, too? It’s not just about what I want and you’ve been through a lot, so...”

“It’s alright for me.”

“Then let’s go.”

They laugh again and walk inside, playfully bumping into the other’s side, chuckling all the way back to their table.

“I know this is fucked up,” Eddie says, taking his sandwich, “I mean, me coming back, Bill and I in the same body. I guess I focused so much on my own feelings I didn’t think about yours. So, if you have any questions about this—”

“I’ve got a few, yeah.”

“Just ask me. I promise I’ll tell you everything I can.”

Richie takes a sip of his glass of Coke and nods thoughtfully. He puts it back on the table and starts rubbing his own chin.

“I have one…”

“Anything you need to know.”

“If one of you gets a boner—”

“Okay, okay, okay,” he interrupts, “Do you have any non-sexual questions? Something that doesn’t have anything to do with body reactions at all?”

Richie thinks it over.

“Actually… No, not that many.”

“Well, that saves some time.”

They both giggle.

“Hey,” Richie mumbles, “thank you for dealing with me. I know it’s hard.”

“Deal with an arm getting bitten off your shoulder and then talk about hard stuff,” Eddie grins, “But really, don’t thank me. You don’t need to. I’m glad things went this way.”

“You know, I… I think I changed my mind. I do have a question.”

“Tell me.”

“If you survived… if you finished that confession and miraculously didn’t die… what do you think would have happened?”

Eddie gives it a thought.

“I’m not sure. What do you think?”

“Oh, fuck, I think that probably… I would have gotten scared and told you I didn’t feel the same. And we’d have gone back to our everyday lives and forget about each other.”

Eddie nods, contemplatively.

“Well, I don’t think that. I mean, I guess you could have gotten scared or too confused. Maybe you would have rejected me. But I don’t think I could go back to Myra… I wasn’t happy with her and I knew I’d never be. I found out what I wanted when we met again, but I always knew what I didn’t want.”

“Yeah, you’re right. But what if… I don’t know, if actually looking at your face and hearing your voice made it easier to process? What if I said it back and I brought you to California with me and… we got married? Like, big Hollywood wedding? Happy ever after and all that jazz?”

“Maybe,” Eddie chuckles, “But we’ll never know that.”

“No, we’ll never know…”

It’s Richie’s time to take Eddie’s hand. When he feels the pressure of his fingers over his, Eddie freezes.

“I’m glad things went this way, too, Eds.”

Dating is not that bad at all.

Tag list: @trippy-alexissss

I know there was more people who wanted to be tagged, but I lost the list with their urls so, if you want to be tagged, please let me know and I’m so sorry for these problems.

#reddie #tozenbrak #kaspbrough #bichie #richie tozier #eddie kaspbrak #bill denbrough #it #fanfiction #filling the blanks

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heavensentfanfic · 6 years ago

Text

Chapter 23 - Family Reunion [COMPLETE]

Jaclyn (face change)

Chris thought it’d be a good idea to invite me to dinner before my flight back to LA tonight. He said it’d be “good for me to see them together” and maybe I can be “genuinely happy for them” — some bullshit like that. He knows I’m bad at playing nice.

My pink off-the-shoulders dress blew in the warm wind as I waited for someone to open the door. I prayed it’d be Chris, but of course…

“Hey!” She answered so cheerfully. Fuck! She’s even prettier in person. “Chris is upstairs doing...I have no idea...” She probably didn’t know about my little act with Chris a few days ago. If she did, there’s no way I’d be inside of her house right now. Unless she was planning to kill me where I seduced him.

I was greeted with comforting smells that I haven’t sensed in a long time. Fried chicken, greens, cornbread, and monkey bread baking in the oven. My heart wanted to burst from my chest. Could she get anymore perfect? “Would you like something to drink? Water? Long Island? Pink moscato?”

“Long island will do just fine,” I smiled. I needed something strong that would hit me quick in order to get over the fact that I actually love Chris’ girlfriend. She’s making it impossible for me to dislike her in the slightest.

I took a seat at the bar in a swivel bar stool and swallowed about a quarter of my drink. I also swallowed my pride and decided to start conversation. “How’d you and Chris meet?”

“Through some friends whom will be joining us later...” she washed dishes as she continued her story, “We all went out to a club together — my first night here — and he and I just hit it off.” A shrug.

“Hm...” I smiled a bit. “He’s always been the type to be so...nice.” I took a sip of my drink and the doorbell rang.

“Chris!” Nohea yelled. Her accent is beautiful too. “Ty and Ari are here!”

Wait a minute. Did she just say...?

I swiveled the chair so it’d face the front door.

“Heeey!” Her voice rang in my ear and brought back the worst memories in high school. The couple, and Nohea, met me at the bar stool.

“Jaclyn, this is Ty and —“

“Ariana Taylor.” I faked a smile, but she, however, did not. Her face was as annoyed and stale as it could possibly get. “We’ve crossed paths before. Nice to see you again.”

“Mm...” was all that left Ariana’s mouth. She walked around me and sat at he nicely set dining table.

“Okay then.” Nohea let out an awkward laugh and I chugged the rest of my drink. “I’m gonna get Chris. You two just...catch up.”

Fuck catching up. I need another drink

Nohea

Dinner was more awkward than I initially expected it to be, but less awkward that I thought after Ari and Jaclyn’s re-introduction. I still had no idea what that was about, but as long as everyone was enjoying the food, I was okay.

Ariana

I can’t believe this bitch wanted to play nice with me. I was so glad that I would never see her again after graduation. But boom -- here this hoe go. I’ve had to put up . with her bullying and bullshit for seven painful emotional years. She made my life a living hell for my brother and I. My whole fucking family. Chris knows it too, so I don’t get why he still hangs around the bitch.

“You good, Ari?” Nohea asked. I nodded slow, staring at Jaclyn as she engaged in conversation with Tyler. That made my blood boil. How dare you talk to a bitch that you know I hate? And how dare you talk to my nigga when you know I hate yo’ ass?

She can keep it up if she wants to. This time, it’ll be her blood shed on the damn ground instead of my brother’s.

Chris

Dinner was over and Jaclyn was about to go to the airport. She’d said her goodbyes to everyone, except Ariana, so I was outside walking her to her car.

“Did you enjoy yourself?” I asked. She leaned her back against the car as I stood in front of her.

“Other than that one little thing in there, yes I did.” She laughed.

“Aye, chill out. You konw Ari is like a sister to me. Y’all both are. Y’all gotta talk about what happened and fix that shit. Fast.”

She rolled her eyes, “okay, dad. I hat to admit, but I love your girlfriend.

“Oh really?” I smirked. “What about her?”

“Everything!” She fake cried. She told me how much she loved her cooking, how she decorated the house, how she treats me, and how beautiful she is.

“Thank you, Jay. That means a lot. I told you you’d love her. No matter how much you didn’t wanna believe it.”

“Yeah yeah.” Jaclyn rolled her eyes. “I gotta get goin’. I’ll see you in a few days?”

“Of course.” I gave her a hug, wrapped him around her neck and kissed her head. “Call me when you get back.”

“Okay, Simba. Love you.”

“Love you too.”

Nohea

Ari and Ty left a little after Jaclyn did. I tried to talk to Aria bout Jaclyn while Chris was outside, but she wasn’t going for it. I decided to ask Chris about their history once he got out of the shower.

“Babe, I have a question.”

“Wassup?” He slid on some basketball shorts and laid next to me.

“What’s going on between Arianna and Jaclyn?”

“Ah...” he scratched the back of his next, “...just some drama from high school they never got over. Nothin’ major.”

“Hmm, okay.” I pushed the thought of the pair actually having problems to the back of my head and cuddled under Chris. I was ready to beat Jaclyn’s ass once I saw how she looked at Ari. My girl always knows how to spot a fake bitch way before I do. But, out of respect for Chris (and his name being on the deed of the house), I let her stay.

“What you got goin’ on this week?” Chris asked while playing in my hair.

“Meeting on Friday at two and a lounge appearance Saturday night. Why?”

“We ain’t been on a date in a minute.” I immediately looked up at Chris. I was grinning hard as hell while he was trying to his his smirk.

“Where we goin’?” I asked. He shrugged his shoulders. “Tell meee!” I quickly sat up and straddled his waist.

“You gotta wait.” He laughed.

“Gimme a hint,” I pouted.

“Aight, uh...you’ve never been there before.”

“That doesn’t help at all, Christopher!”

“You’re beautiful. I love your accent.” He said, trying to change the subject.

“That’s not gonna work. Give me another --” He sat up and kissed me slowly, tightening the grip his palms had on my ass. “Chris...” I moaned.

“Hm?” His lips moved from mine to my neck.

“I hate you.” I bit my lip and let out a light moan.

“Mm...I know.”

Then I shut my ass up and let Chris have his way with me.

Tyler

Ariana was quiet as hell on the way home. She wasn’t even tlaking when we got back to the loft.

“Baby, talk to me.” I said to her. She stayed quiet and continued to walk into our bedroom. “Taylor!” I yelled.

“What?” She spat. “What the fuck do you want? You already know why I’m mad, so don’t fucking as me no dumb shit, Jones.”

“Who the fuck are you talking to?” I exclaimed. I grabbed her arm and turned her around so she was facing me. “Yes, I know why you’re mad. I also know that we should talk about it instead of you actin’ like a damn child.” I let go of her arm and sat her on the bed.

“You were being nice to every-damn-body tonight and now you wanna be mean to me?” She yelled. I took a deep breath before I said something I’d regret.

“What are you talking about, Arianna?”

“You were havin’ a whole conversation wit’ the bitch at dinner and you wanna act like shit is okay!”

“Ariana can you think for a minute? Nohea don’t know shit ‘bout Jaclyn. If I wouldn’t have talked to her, then all the business woulda been out and it woulda’ been hell for everybody. You know that.”

“Ty, I don’t give a damn. At all! You know everything that went down -- you were there. You should feel the same way I do about her lying ass.”

“Ari, you just being bitter. That shit happened two years ago.”

“I’m being bitter? Are you serious? She almost ruined my while family. Don’t tell me I should forgive and forget. It’s fuck her forever -- I promise you that.”

The Next Day - Ariana

I woke up with some bad nerves. So bad, my hands started sweating. I needed to tell Nohea about everything that happened between Jaclyn, my family, and I.

I showed up to Nohea’s Cascade Falls crib, unannounced, at 9 AM. Early, I know. I rang the doorbell over and over until I heard the door unlock. Thankfully, it was my pretty ass friend and not her tall ass boyfriend.

“Ari? W...” she yawned “...what are you doing here? It’s 9 AM.”

“I know. We need to talk.” I let myself in and immediately walked down to the studio. Nohea hesitated at first, but she eventually followed me.

“What’s going on?” she asked once she was finally seated in her chair. There was another seat, but I couldn't bring myself to sit down. I was so anxious.

"Jaclyn isn't the sweet girl she was last night. She's a bully and a fucking liar!" I blurted.

"Ari, where is this coming from?"

"Jaclyn and I went to middle school together. She was popular and she would always bully me. My brother was a sophomore at Mays so he couldn't protect me." My heart raced thinking about what I had gone through with her. "One day, I decided to fight back. I beat her ass but she was so embarrassed; she decided to hate me forever."

"What? She doesn't like you because of a fight in middle school?" Nohea asked. She sounded confused and acted like I was wasting her time.

"Let me finish..." I took a deep breath and continued, "It was 2013, senior year, two weeks before graduation. Everyone from our side of the city went to this party near the AUC..."

*2013 - Graduation Party - Ariana*

This house was way too packed. Niggas from Westlake, Mays, and every other school in the SWATS pulled up. Everybody was either drunk or high, so I'll let someone else do the math. Westside niggas with alcohol don't mix very well. I was outside, being patient, waiting for shit to go down. It was almost 1 AM when I head commotion coming from the front yard.

"Aye, T..." I said to my friend, "...let's go." We got up from the couch and followed everyone toward the house. The closer I got, the more I could hear my brother's voice. Him and Tremaine must be ready to fight some nigga from the Southside...again. "D!" I yelled, pushing through the crowd. "Dez what the fuck y'all get into now?"

"Ari not right now." D said to me. I looked passed Dez and Tre to find the dude they were arguing with. Of course, it's this hoe Jaclyn's boyfriend, Isaiah.

"Why the hell are y'all always getting into some bullshit? Especially with this nigga!" I yelled. Of course, Dez and Tre ignored me. "Come on, T." I rolled my eyes and started walking down the street to my car. I was so tired of Dez and his antics, he never knew when to let shit go.

About 30 seconds later, the gun shots rang out. There were four. My thoughts went straight to my brother. I couldn't think about anything else. "Dez!" I screamed. I turned around and started hauling ass toward him. Everything moved so slow. My heartbeat. My breathing. Everything.

"Ariana!" I heard T yell from behind me. "No!" She grabbed my arm and started running with me toward my car. At this point, I was furious. Didn't even know if my brother was dead or alive...

*Present Day - Ariana*

"So where does Jaclyn come into all this?" Nohea asked.

"After the shots went off, everyone ran. Even her. The next day, she found out that her boyfriend was the one that got shot. He died at Grady an hour later. Everyone that was there knew who shot Isaiah, except Jaclyn and I. But of course, no one wanted to speak up. So, Jaclyn thought it'd be cute to be the only witness even though she didn't see shit. She accused my brother of being her boyfriend's murderer."

"Ari...wow..." Nohea pulled me into her arms and hugged me. It was the best thing I could get in that moment.

"My brother spent one and a half years in Fulton County Jail before they saw that he was innocent. She almost ruined my family. This shit has been bothering me for so long. I haven't seen her since the vigil we had for him at Westlake. And then she shows up here playing nice?"

"I had no idea, Ari. If Chris had been honest with me, I would've never agreed to her coming."

"Don't be too hard on him when you kill him." *Chris*

I got back from the gym with Ty around two o'clock. A nigga felt tired, hungry, and so ready to lay up with my girl. And take a bomb ass nap. "Babygirl! I'm home!" I yelled. Walking up to the room, I could tell that the vibe was a little off. Usually, Nohea would open the door and greet me with her gorgeous ass smile, but she didn't do that.

As soon as I opened the door, I knew I was in trouble.

"Chris, please sit down." Nohea said.

"Damn. No kiss? No hello?" I let out a sigh and sat at the foot of the bed. Standing in from of me, she looked so good in her crop top and Nike sweats. I wanted to eat her up right there, the fact that she was mad at me made it even worse.

"Ari told me everything about her and Jaclyn." I sighed, rolled my eyes, and put my head in my hands. "My best friend, Chris..."

"My best friend, Nohea..."

"Oh bullshit. I've never even heard you speak of her until you wanted to invite her over. Ari'a brother almost got life because of her! And you stood by her the whole time?"

"I'm saying I don't have to be loyal to Ariana. I only have to be loyal to you and Jay. That's it."

"Chris, being loyal to me means being loyal to my friends and the relationships I have with them. You knew Jaclyn was wrong and you lied to me about knowing!"

"So can you do the same for me? Can you respect my relationship with Jaclyn? And don't you dare bring up shit about lying," I demanded.

"Chris..." she sighed, "...you don't care, so fuck it." Nohea waked to the closet and grabbed her purse and keys.

"What, Okalani? What do you wanna talk about? I'm sorry I lied to you, but Jaclyn has been there for me since day one."

"You need to think about how you treat people, Chris. You're so selfish. As long as it benefits you and the people you fuck with it, it's okay. But if it has something to do with your fucking girlfriend and the people I love, you don't give a fuck. I'm starting not to give a fuck about you." With that, she walked out of our room and downstairs. I heard the front door open, close, and her car start in the driveway.

"God damn, bruh..." I said to myself. To destress, I took a shower and played 6lack's newest album throughout the room. After my shower, I decided to lay down and take a nap. As soon as my touched the pillow, Jaclyn called me. I took a deep breath and answered. "Wassup?"

"Nothing, " she said. "I kinda wanted to hear your voice. How are you?"

"I'm tired."

"That's it? You sound like you going through something."

"Nah. Lemme call you later." I hung up without letting her say another word.

I need to do some self-reflection after this nap.

#chris brown #love #chris brown fan fic #romance #chris brown ff #fanfic #fanfiction #chris brown fanfic #ff #chrisbrown #jealousy #jelly #aiyanna #please read #please #read #thank you #i love you

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