#A few doodles can not compare to the 9 chapters they wrote!

[queerchoicesblog]

The Birthday Party (SC Titanic, Zetta x Adele Series, Ch. 10/2)

Here it is the second part of chapter 10!

Guys, I'm gonna be honest with you: I'm not sure when the next one will be out: it could be Tuesday next week or in weeks from now. So consider this series on potential hiatus. I'm struggling to find words in my everyday life and writing feels quite pointless atm. Hopefully if will change soon but that's the situation atm, I'm sorry.

Little disclaimer-favor: if you do enjoy it, please consider supporting the author & sharing this. A little gesture that means a lot!

Word Count: 3000+

Zetta x Adele Tag: @storyscaped@storyscapefanficarchive@marmolady @animus-and-anima @hayley-carter19 @escako@everlastingchoices @andrxrneda @aestheticsayeed@indescribablechoices @ahrielstuff@bornonawdnsday @nazario-sayeed  @h-doodles @adele-serda@marlcasters@brightpinkpeppercorn @nightwhite13@ramenwithaspoon@michelleconnoly @charliejane-blog @ghost-of-yuri@choicesgremlin @shadeofangelus @mistressofspiesxenia@orange-elephants​

Zetta x Adele Series Tag: @eternal-langdon @nydeiri

➡️ Ch. 1, Ch. 2/1, Ch. 2/2, Ch. 3, Ch. 4, Ch. 5, Ch. 6, Ch. 7, Ch. 8/1, Ch. 8/2, Ch. 9, Ch. 10/1

_____________________ 

Returning to the party still in full swing after my stolen moment with Adele is disheartening. I guess going back to our miseries in this crazy world after experiencing a glimpse of Heaven is pretty much the same feeling. I wonder how poor Dante coped back then. A smiling waiter hands me another glass of sweet alcoholic poison and I put my mask back on, even if I struggle now. I try to distract myself and be entertained by the chirpy conversations and gossips of my guests but my mind keeps running back to her. "I know, I wish this moment didn't have to end" "We'll make our own plays. Whaddya say?" I giggle at their silly jokes and outrageous stories, I retort with witticisms out of a script but I can't hear them, not truly. I'm not here. The Zetta is, not me. I am still in my lover's company. I can only hear her soft voice, our words of love. I don't have time nor will to hear that hilarious improbable story I'll absolutely have to tell Richard or that marvellous recent scientific discovery. I smile, I fake interest and thank God -and myself- I am a great actress.

As I move to another table where Lucille is beckoning me over I look out of the window, taking in the starry sky. I'm surprised but a quick smile cross my lips when I spot Adele hanging in there with a steward I saw around the lifts. They're leaning on the railing and chatting. They look like close friends: maybe they were accidentally reunited on board or is it true what they say? Ships make fast friends. I'll ask her about him. Not out of jealousy, even if I wish I could neglect my party more and run at her side where he stands. Even if I wish I could be the one making her laugh now. I just smile at the two of them, grateful that my troubled love is in good company tonight. God knows if she doesn't need a friend and some happiness after all she went through. And I'm afraid the worst is yet to come...

I do my best to lose myself in the complicated story about a common acquaintance my friend is sharing with the ladies and it works, to some extent. At least until when Sabine comes find me and invite the whole group to stand as the waiters pick up the table moving then toward the wall to clear space. Oh, we'll have some dancing! Even the musicians are now moving to the center of the far wall to be heard best. The crowd, myself included, is delighted and in awe. As the first chords of my favorite waltz start playing, everyone is looking for their partners and hurrying to finish their drinks. I drain mine, trying not to think of how much I would love to have this dance with my love no matter how inappropriate it would sound to many here. I ditch the Baron though -that lovable shark isn't fast enough this time!- and a couple of other hopeful admirers to hold Lawrence's hand. "Shall we dance, darling?" I smile encouraged you at him. We both long for a partner we can't pick out in the sun: let our shared sorrow fade away on the note of The Blue Danube, my dear friend. Lawrence understands or so it seems by the bittersweet yet thankful smile he offers me. He reads the unwritten and hears the unspoken words too. My poor dear Lawrence... We chat like old friends as we sway among the crowd. He's not only a brilliant director but also one of the finest dancer I've ever met. He blush a little when I sing his praises and just shrugs saying he has loved dancing. Typical, humble Lawrence... He lowers his voice a little when he thanks me for inviting him to the party, "well, me and Felix". He looks touched when I assure him that I wouldn't have had it any other way, I deeply value our friendship. "Me too, Zetta. You can count on me" he beams before his melancholic smile reappears. "If we close our eyes, we're in a fancy ballroom in Vienna" he whispers, leaning close and guiding the two of us into a graceful turn. I'm about to share a memory of my youth there with him, when I was blinded by the beauty and luxury of the imperial aristocracy there when ruckus erupts from the other side of the room. Surprised cries and laughter ring as the guests stop dancing and the music ceases. "What? My party is not over yet" I playfully protest, pouting. I'm suddenly nervous. I fear the time has come: time for the squalid yet hurtful family theatrics, time for James's show. I try to find out what's going on but I can't make my way through a crowd of ladies and gentlemen stretching their necks and whispering to each other. My fears are sadly confirmed when I catch the baritone voice of the Baron saying "Good show, Miss Carrem. Getting smart with you, was he?" "I'm afraid I cannot stand overfamiliarity. I apologise for making a scene" My love's voice is a bit shaken: is it anger or fright? Concern and fury take hold of me and I shutter my jaw. Lawrence squeezes my hand and I am grateful. "It is I who should apologise, on behalf of those who call themselves gentle..." the Baron continues but James interrupts him. "Oh do be quiet!" His tone is harsh, pure drunk rage. The crowd seems to lose interest in the argument and the music resumes but I'm still wary. I know James is up to something and it's just a matter of time. "I'm sure it's nothing, Zetta. A little misunderstanding...and Miss Carrem knows how to take care of herself" It's Lawrence. I turn to him and he's smiling reassuringly down at me, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze. I feels so grateful for his lovable kindness right now, an anchor in a troubled sea. I nod and try to shake my bad gut feelings away. "Why don't we take a break and enjoy the waltz with a drink?" he adds, gesturing to the drink table near the window. I compliment his idea and let him guide me through the crowd. The cold her of the night cools me down and I take a long breath to soothe my nerves. Maybe I was wrong, maybe I'll be spared the drama. Unlikely but I can still hope right? I almost sink the glass of sherry Lawrence hands me, triggering a concerned look that I dismiss, claiming I'm perfectly fine. I just needed a break, I'm not twenty anymore, I grimly joke. "True Beauty never ages, dear Zetta. A beautiful soul defies the cruel compass of time" Lawrence proclaims with a smile. I ask him what poet wrote that line because I can't recollect it in the moment but I'm not surprised in the least to hear that he is the one behind that sweet thought. I pull him into a hug whispering thank you into his ear. When we part, he encourage me to make a wish. "It's your birthday, after all: isn't it a tradition in America?" he asks. I'm still considering and rambling when Felix and Sabine approach us. The party is going well and the guests are enjoying themselves. They just wanted to check in on the honeree, Felix says. Lawrence shows our empty glasses making a funny face and we all laugh. I ask about the little incident before. Felix assures me once again that it was nothing. I turn towards my little Napoleon for confirmation. "Oui, Madam. Nothing more than a quid pro quo. You know how it is. Youth" Sabine says but the look in her eyes tells a different story. "Miss Zetta, any chance you'll make an appearance in our documentary?" Felix intervenes, quickly changing the topic. "We would be most honoured" Lawrence adds, beaming. "A little tribute to one of the finest passengers of the liner" I give a soft laugh, playing with the idea. Maybe I could, after all. A quick cameo. It wouldn't take too much time. I playfully brush them off calling out their flattery but they assure they had considered it over the last few days on board. "It would be a pleasure and an honor" Felix bows. I sigh contently, my eyes wandering from one admirer and friend to the other. "Very well then, my dear friends: I'm in! Why don't we meet...let's say over breakfast or lun-" I start but I stop mid-sentence. Behind my back, an hysterical laugh echoes through the café, drawing the general attention. Conversations and music fades away and an awkward tense silence settles. Cold runs down my spine and I fear my face suddenly goes pale as I recognise the voice. Jamie. It's time. I must endure this bad farçe. I inhale sharply. You can do this, you are a great actress and you survived worst days. You survived Franz. Get ready, Zetta. On scene in three, two one... When I turn, he's stalking towards me, shirt stained with wine and an hysterical light gleaming in his bright eyes. He's dragging Adele along like a puppet. A disheartening picture compared to my fondest memories of him. "Excuse me, Aunt, I merely wished to offer a toast: my salutations on this glorious occasion and-" he exclaims, raising his glass and sloshing wine over the edges. "You interrupting to chew the cud, here, James? Get to the point" I sound a bit harsh, as if annoyed of another interruption. I roll my eyes as I would do with a problematic kid throwing a tantrum and forgetting his manners. Ironically, it's what he's doing, even if he's no longer a child. A weird, unpleasant smile crosses his face. Maybe he was expecting my reaction? "And a fond farewell to your secretary" he adds menacingly as I take a sip of sherry. I narrow my eyes at him over my glass, half annoyed, half amused. Bring it on, Jaime dear. "A farewell? And why might that be?" I see Sabine tensing up at my peripheral. James looks so pleased of himself as he takes the stage like a practiced professional. He doesn't realise he's just behaving like a pathetic buffoon to my -and most guests's -eyes. "To put it simply: Adele is a confidence woman who agreed to come abroad the Titanic to help me destroy you" "Come again?" I fake surprise as the crowd gasps and starts whispering. The attention and the look on my face renew his foolish fervor. "I brought Adele to help me ruin your marriage to Richard King, to keep him from ruining our family... For the price of her freedom, your secretary was to get close to you, discover your worst secret, and deliver it to me." He stops, making a dramatic pause. And now I know: it's the moment of truth. Time of Adele's choice. I stand, concealing my inner turmoil and fears, as the crowd basks into this unexpected juicy coup de theatre. When he speaks again, his mouth twists with a rage I've never fathomed he could hide inside. "She failed!" She...protected me? Even knowing at what cost... My eyes instinctively search Adele's but James is not done yet. "And now she'll go back to jail, where I found her" he shouts, spiralling out of control but loud enough to be heard by everyone. At the word "jail", the crowd utters a collective gasp. He wants to publicly humiliate her since he can't get what he was looking for. Because she dared refuse him the key to my ruin. I wish I could just drop the act and slap some sense into him. What pains me most is seeing him succeeding, to some extent. Adele is frowning under that low blow. I throw glares at everyone taking a step back from her as if she suddenly turned into a criminal or an insect. Miserable bastards... My love proves herself to be superior to all this, again. She straightens up and addresses the crowd, providing explanations she doesn't owe to any of us" "I was arrested for public disruption at a protest for women's rights. I'm not proud of having been jailed, but I'm not ashamed of what I was fighting for" she says, grimacing. Then she looks at me and I smile at her, hoping to convey all my respect, deepest affection and admiration for my sweet brave revolutionary. Let me help you now, my angel. I turn towards James and my smile loses all its warmth. "Bravo, James. You're quite the schemer" I knew he would be confused. I'll deny you something too, Jaime. You won't get an ounce of the despair you wanted. You won't see me crying and crumble under your betrayal: I'm not a Julius Caesar stumbling underneath your dagger. "That's all you have to say? You've been played. She was hired to ruin your marriage-" "She was, wasn't she?" I cut him short. "But she has a conscience, and a lot of courage" I take a pause before smiling again, cold and victorious. "Adele told me all about your terrible plan" His jaw drops and his rosy cheeks pale. He grabs Adele's arm and starts drunkly ramble again. "You - what? No. This doesn't change anything. I'll take you back-" This time Adele interrupts him, spitting the harsh truth right in his face. "Your only power was your wealth, and now that's gone. Along with the trust of your only relative" He releases her and I wonder if he finally realised what a fool, what an ungrateful fool he has been. Adele's right, James. When he turns to me, a desperate look on his face, I brace myself for his tears. Him begging for a forgiveness I'm not sure I will ever be able to give him. Apparently, I haven't learned my lesson: men can't be trusted. Men will always lie to you. "She's the one blackmailing me" Adding insult to injury, Jamie dear? "No, James. She's not" I'm cold and firm, despite the heartbreak I feel growing inside me. "You'll value the word of this secretary over your own blood?" His disbelief quickly turns into rage again. "I value my own sense, James; your plotting was plain as that smirk on your face" My voice is sharp: yes, I want to hurt him just like he hurt me. I want him to feel ashamed and sorry for what he did to me, to Adele. My sharp retort provokes some nervous giggles soon silenced in our audience. I sense fury building up inside him until it explodes. He bangs on the table with his fist, making everyone jump. "I'll get to Hileni, then, I'll hold her, I'll make you tell Zetta's secret-" Is he even speaking to Adele or...to himself? Honestly, I cannot tell. And I'm grateful to Matteo for intervening. I don't know what he's whispering into his ear but it seems to work. James seems to remember himself. For a split second, sadly. He straightens his cuffs and gives us all a tight, cruel smile. "Off to send word to the authorities, then" he says and turns to Adele and me. "As I said before, say your goodbyes" Then he walks away as the unabashed crowd part the way for his supposed grand exit. When he's out of the room, the guests are puzzled, unsure of what they just witnessed. They look at each other asking the neighbour or their partner what our family farçe was. I'm afraid this is just the beginning of another sorrow but the worst is gone. For the night, at least. I let out a long, exhausted sigh: God knows if it wasn't tough but I can breathe now. We can breathe again. And plan a counter attack to his pathetic scheme. I instinctively reach for her hand and take it into mine, uncaring of the crowd around us. "I didn't think the boy would actually do it" Yes, I tried to convince myself of that. I wanted to believe that he was apparently better than he actually is, that he wouldn't stoop so low...but what is my life if not a collection of disappointments from men? "Should I be worried?" There's a hint of concern in Adele's voice. I can't blame her: I don't recognise my nephew anymore, I can hardly tell how seriously we should consider his threats. "I doubt it, but he's not to be underestimated when his pocketbook is in peril" I know my answer offers little comfort but I continue, squeezing her hand to prove my loyalty to her: "Whatever he tries, though, I'll be by your side" Adele smiles down to our hands before meeting my eyes again. "I have faith in you, Zetta. Thank you" Despite I can see more than understandable concerns and fears written all over her face, she squeezes my hand back. I take a deep breath. The weight of the latest events is washing over me. "I'm going to retire to my room and prepare a message to my lawyers. If anyone can figure out a way to  keep you out of jail, it's them" "Are you certain?" I give my love a sad smile. "There's little certain in this life, sweetheart, but lawyers with a high hourly rate? They're as close as we'll get" We just smile at my little mot d'esprit. "This wasn't exactly the soirée I wanted, but I suppose the truth had to come out sometime." I continue. I look at her in the eye as I add: "You're a true friend, Adele" I lean towards her so only she can hear. "And I'll wait up for you tonight, if you'd like" Please come find me later, my love. We will find a way to keep you out of trouble, we'll meet the dawn if need be and forget our sorrows and the unpleasantness of this soirée in each other arms. To my surprise, Adele wraps her around me, pulling me into a tight embrace. It takes me a moment to process it but I've never felt closer to tears. Surrounded by the familiar warmth of her body. I know someone is probably, surely staring with a bit of curiosity and malice after the melodrama we offered for free tonight but I don't care. Not now. So I hug her back and give a quick gentle stroke to her cheek as I part. After one last lingering weak smile at her, I gesture Sabine that it's time for our retreat. With the last ounce of strength left in me to keep my act on, I wave diplomatically at the gossiping guests and take my leave, my little Napoleon in tow. The show's over, lads. The show's over...

#titanic storyscape #zetta serda #adele carrem #zetta x adele #zetta x adele series

[athyrabunlord]

KanaRiko AU

Well further to this post, I’ve dug out this incomplete messy outline I have for this KanaRiko fic. It’s loosely inspired by the movie Kimi no Namae wa (which I highly recommend) when I watched it back in December. It would’ve been a decent-sized fanfic (8-9 chapters?) but no energy/time to actually write out OTL

Ramblings/outline for the 7 chapters below::

Riko waking up, feeling odd; she had toned muscles and felt taller… and had bigger bust too. She was also stunned by the scenery outside; she thought back on the last thing she remembered, that she had trouble playing her recital piece on piano, and the viola wasn't much help either so she tried painting for inspiration It didn't work... Or did it? She must have passed out and was now having this oddly realistic dream. She might as well take the opportunity since the scenery really was amazing She then learned the girl, whose body she now resided in, was called Kanan and lived with her grandfather at a diving shop on Awashima, an island near the small town of Uchiura. Kanan was currently taking leave from school since her grandfather was injured and there was no one else to look after him or the shop she made miso soup, one of the few dishes she was confident at, yet Grandpa was able to tell that it was different than usual. The kind elderly man only asked if she was feeling alright, which made her feel a bit more at ease in this foreign environment, dream or not. She tried to understand what her usual routine around the shop is, but she really had 0 experience about such things. Grandpa patiently went over her chores (he was even going to do it himself seeing she was confused, but Riko stopped him since he had to use a crutch) Later afternoon, two girls came to visit. You and Chika were very friendly, a different kind of friendly than Riko was used to. Sure everyone at Otonokizaka was incredibly kind and accepting, but they lacked this special warmth You & Chika were showing. Or perhaps they were only this kind because they were close friends with Kanan while Riko wasn’t especially close to any of her classmates? Either way, Riko truly enjoyed this dream, the sea was beautiful and she wanted to dive but can't because she didn’t know how; dream or not she didn’t want to endanger this body's rightful owner. She woke up the next day in her bed, confirming the fact she truly did dream. Her mom teased her “You’re not running to school today?” Riko was puzzled, even more so when classmates gave her strange looks at school, something about her playing with alpacas. A fellow art club member asked her if she was ‘back to normal’. She opened her sketchbook to find a simplistic and rather cute/chibi sketch of the sculpture. (Think of Suwawa’s art style) Riko didn’t remember having to sketch this yet though. She flipped to next page and was stunned to find “Wow, you're really talented, Riko-san! Sorry about that pic, but that's the most I can draw."

Kanan staring blankly at the canvas. Last time it was a sketchbook so she could at least joke about her doodle and get by, but how was she supposed to paint!! Her thoughts on Riko, who seemed to be by herself, no close friends which confused her because Riko was pretty, feminine and incredibly talented. This was also Otonokizaka too, the famed school that μ's attended, the holy land Dia always talked about. Also, it felt really nice to have a wholesome family meal with parents. She was slightly envious of Riko. The classroom atmosphere also made her realize that she missed school. “Well, you won’t know unless you try, like Chika’s always said!” She squeezed out a myriad of colors from the tubes and just went with her instincts. At the end, the advisor praised her for her new style of impressionist painting. She could only chuckle dryly. -------- Kanan waking up in her own body again, wondering about this phenomenon. While she had fun, this was really odd in the long run. Gramps did comment about her oddness yesterday again, meaning this Riko might have switched to her body. Kanan worried this might happen again, since Riko seemed to have a piano recital coming up and, well, she had absolutely no idea how to play it!!!

Riko reading the small paragraph in her sketchbook, agreeing with Kanan's concerns and was grateful that Kanan had written a few things to make note of at home. Apparently Kanan added a lot of seaweed and fish pieces in miso soup, the way the Matsuuras enjoyed it. It was a secret recipe so Kanan asked Riko not to tell anyone. Riko was flustered by the thought of ‘secret just between us’ but was then saddened by how she didn’t have anyone to share secrets with anyway. She would like to become friends with Kanan but quickly brushed away the idea. They needed to figure out a way to live as normally as possible until they figured out how and why this weird switch happened. She was bewildered at PE that she was selected to be basketball team captain?!?! And learned that apparently Kanan pulled quite a few… handsome moves yesterday, some even called her ikemen, much to her exasperation. A classmate even told her that Kanan (while in Riko’s body) accidentally kabedon’d someone. Riko had very mixed feelings about this. When she went home, she wrote down a few pointers on sticky notes at the door so Kanan would see them the first thing when she woke up after the switch. They needed to properly correspond and keep each other updated, and perhaps stop doing ‘extra things’. ---------------- Next day, Riko was back in Kanans’ body. She was much better with the chores around the shop today. She was pleased when Gramps didn't comment on the miso soup this time, since she cooked it the way Kanan instructed. A black-haired girl came, Riko thought she was a customer, so she smiled at her in greeting. The girl however asked "Who are you?" right off the bat. Riko stunned and nervous but tried to play cool. However the girl was adamant. "You are not Kanan-san." Gramps peeked out of the shop, smiling at her. "Oh Dia-chan! You've come to drop off notes for Kanan again? Ahh so much effort, I'm really grateful she has a friend like you! Come in for some tea!" Dia politely declined and pulled Riko away to the side and kabedon’d her. “Who are you? Where is Kanan-san?”

Kanan reading Riko's notes, and groaned. Apparently Dia scared Riko so much that she got teary, but at least that surprised Dia so much that she let the matter drop; Riko barely managed to convince Dia that she had a cold, so that was why she was acting weird. As if on cue, Dia called her just after her tea ceremony lesson. Kanan was really glad that this body switch thing is never consecutive otherwise the secret would be out for sure. Kanan really in a dilemma. She won't be able to play piano as Sakurauchi Riko, and Riko won't be able to take in customers who wanted to go diving. This can't go on for long, they must find a solution. ------- Riko blinking at the question in her sketchbook - Kanan asked to meet up, asking her if it was alright for Kanan to use her body to come to Uchiura the next weekend, so they can talk face to face, and finally meet for the first time.

Riko nervous but also excited about coming to Uchiura. Kanan met up with her at the Numazu Station, and unlike her, she seemed perfectly at ease. Riko admired how Kanan easily diffused the tension between them and introduced Uchiura to her as they rode the bus together. The scenery felt foreign yet also familiar. Riko found that they were similar in the way that they preferred not to stand out, yet Kanan had a special presence whether she wanted to or not. If she had to, she would compare Kanan to the sea - gentle, calm and accepting, yet with grand presence that captured her attention. Riko found herself hanging onto the taller girl’s every word as she talked about the various landmarks and about the sea. Even then, perhaps it was from the stress of all the body switches, Riko drifted off against Kanan’s shoulder -------- Kanan was nervous and tense. She hasn’t felt this uncertain for a long time. She tried to keep things as light-hearted as possible between them yet she couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable around Riko. Not in a bad way, at least Kanan didn’t think it was a bad thing. It’s just that Riko was a fashionable city girl, pretty and dainty, while she was this country girl who probably broke all rules of decorum by being so friendly and forward with Riko even though they were technically strangers. And now, Riko has fallen asleep against her shoulder and she has no idea what to do. Still, Kanan truly admired Riko’s courage to come down all the way from Tokyo. To be honest, Kanan has mixed feelings about finding a resolution to this body switch. She rather enjoyed getting to know Riko and didn’t want their connection to end. Carefully, she pulled Riko against her so that the latter’s head would rest more comfortably against her shoulder. Kanan indulged herself in feeling Riko’s presence beside her and decided to let Riko sleep until they reached their stop.

Kanan showing Riko around Awashima and took her diving. Kanan iwas very pleased by how much Riko enjoyed it, in spite of how nervous she was of the sea at first. She felt proud to be able to make Riko smile. Kanan then took her up to the Bentei Shrine, and explained that she would come here every day even though she didn’t avidly pray. Although, she did pray for her Grandpa’s recovery. She also confided in Riko that, when things got really rough one day, she actually came here to sulk, and fantasized what things would have been like if she had been born in a city, where everything was convenient. Riko could relate. She went to the Kanda Shrine too to pray for success from time to time. The last time she went there, she was so stressed from preparing for the piano recital that she fantasized about taking a vacation at a nice countryside with beautiful scenery. Kanan and Riko then concluded that their similar wishes might have caused the body switch; unbelievable, outlandish, but that was what actually happened. However, even with this discovery, they have no idea how to fix it.

Riko felt guilty - she actually felt relieved that this situation would have to continue on for a while until they somehow figured out the solution. She’d have an excuse to keep communicating with Kanan. After discussion, Riko agreed to stay overnight at Kanan’s place to see if they could witness something about the body switch. It was the weekend the next day, so it shouldn’t be a problem. At least, with Kanan around, the chores around the diving shop should be easier if they really did switch. After a nice dinner with Grandpa Matsuura (who teased Kanan about having a pretty ‘friend’ who came all the way from the city), Kanan took Riko back to the mountains but she took a different turn this time, to take Riko stargazing. (The telescope is named ‘Hainan 1’, given by Chika) It is during the stargazing that Riko realized that she has fallen in love with Kanan.

That’s it, I didn’t have more to this outline _(:3」∠)_

#athyra rambles #kanariko #athyra writes #AU outline #kimi no namae wa