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the0doreslover · 1 year

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Cooking class | t.n x fem!reader

“Miss mcgonagall you cannot fail me!” You protested walking into her class which, unfortunately for you was full of students. “Oh, hi Hermione”

“Miss y/l/n maybe instead of interrupting my class you can come up to my desk and speak to me quietly” she sighed

“Sorry” you said walking up to her desk ignoring the eyes and laughs of the gryfindors and slytherins

“Right what have I failed you in?” She asked

“This one” you pointed to the subject called “clubs and activities”

“Miss y/l/n I’m not sure if you are aware but that’s not a subject more so an option”

“My fifth year report card is almost perfect I just need anything but an F in this” you said

“I see, well the first year cooking club is probably the only club accepting new members at the moment. If by the end of the month you show great effects in cooking club I’ll see what I can do” she smiled

“Thank you miss! This is why your my favourite” you said hugging her before making your way out the classroom and waving bye to Hermione.

“We’re sorry sir!” Draco said to a very angry mr flitwick

“You should of thought about that before you boys thought it would be funny to play a cruel prank on me!” The man replied angrily

“You’re not going to tell our parents right?” Blaise asked

“That is exactly what I’m going to do”

“Please sir, we won’t do it again my dad will kill me if you tell him” theodore begged

“I see” the teacher sighed

“How about you let us go with a warning?” Draco said with a smirk

“You’re pushing your luck mister malfoy… actually I have just the right punishment for you boys” flitwick said making the boys share a confused look

“Cooking club! My father will hear about this. Isn’t that for girls” Draco huffed as they walked towards the classroom they were told to be at.

“Believe it or not I’m a great chef” theodore laughed as they neared the door to the cooking club

“Well at least it’s only for three days” blaise sighed pushing open the door.

As they walked inside they noticed all the first years plus you looking up at them

“We thought you were the teacher” you said going back to writing on your hands

“Where is she anyway?” Draco asked annoyed

“It’s a He actually and i don’t know” you replied

“Well I guess it a free period” theodore said High fiving blaise

“why are you three here anway?” You asked them

“Punishment from flitwick” blaise replied

“Why are you here?” Draco asked

“Extra credit” Theodore answered for you “you should of seen the way she came into the room this morning” he laughed making you roll your eyes

“i didn’t know you spoke” you raised your eyebrows “i don’t think i’ve ever seen you even open your mouth”

“well you’ve caught me on a good day” he grinned

“Um excuse me” you looked next to you and saw a little girl tapping you “the teacher is terribly late and we’ve already wasted 20 minutes do you know if he’s coming?” She asked

“Oh um I’m not sure sorry”

“Oh” she looked down with sad eyes

“Oi theo didn’t you say you were a great cook?” Blaise asked

“No I didn’t” he lied

“Yes you did, if i remember correctly your exact words were, Believe it or not I’m a great chef” Blaise smirked

“Well y/n is a girl who probably should know how to cook why don’t you teach the class” Draco said

“would you do that?” The little girl said looking at you with her soft eyes

“come on l/n have a heart” draco smirked

you kissed your teeth before lifting yourself from your chair. You went to the teachers desk and read the recipe “banana bread muffins” before levitating the ingredients onto all the desks

“If you lot aren’t going to do anything move to the back” you said to the three boys who moved straight away

“Um I think your meant to partner up” you said watching all the kids go into pairs “okay so um first I think you add vanilla extract?” you questioned yourself aloud

“no you don’t” theodore said watching you with an amused expression on his face.

“oh you add the eggs”

“not yet” he said

“Okay um, you add apple?”

“That’s not even part of the ingredients” he laughed

“So help me?”

“Only because it’s pathetic seeing you try to cook” he sighed walking towards you

“First you add the bananas” he gave you a pointed look while putting an apron on

“Nice apron, pink is your colour” you said as Draco and blaise started laughing

“Shut up I’m helping you aren’t I?” He groaned

“Fine” you said throwing Draco and blaise aprons too

“This isn’t my job” Draco made a disgusted face

“If I’m doing it your doing it” Theodore said rolling up his sleeves as they complained.

“Okay next melt 1/3 cup of butter” theodore said melting it with his wand “and mix it together”

“I know what’s next!” You grinned “flour”

“Well done, you’re not that clueless then. You can measure 1 and a half cup flour for me then” he smirked

You grabbed the packet of flour and pulled both sides causing it to open everywhere covering you and theodore while all the children laughed

“I take back what I said why would you open flour like that” he said blowing flour off his arm

Once the mixture was made you, theodore and the rest of the pairs were putting it into cupcake cases. While you were filling your last case you noticed some flour on theodore’s shoulder, you reached out to wipe it. As your hand came in contact with him he stopped what he was doing for a minute

“You had flour” you said quietly pointing to his shoulder

“Oh Thank you”

“Your welcome theodore” you smiled

“theo”

“what?”

“call me theo… please”

“Okay”

The cupcakes were in the oven and everyone was sitting down waiting, “how comes you can actually cook” you asked breaking the silence between you and theo who were sitting on the floor with your backs against a cupboard

“My mother used to cook for me while i watched, I loved watching her cook so much it was probably the best part about my childhood” he said smiling.

“aww notts a mummys boy” you teased

“yeah i was” he laughed

“wh-"

*DING*

you both jumped at the sound

“that’s loud” you stood up

“um well take your cakes out of the oven now before they burn” you said awkwardly rolling on the balls on your feet.

Once the cakes were cooked down the kids stuffed them into their pockets, seeing as there weren’t any containers (that they could find)

“Well come back tomorrow” you sighed “hopefully the teacher will show up”

Once all the children left you grabbed your bag and walked towards the door before turning to the three boys at the back of the class

“thank you for helping me today” you smiled as nott stared at you. “i’ll see you tomorrow” you left.

“Are you okay theo?” blaise asked the boy who was still staring at where you were moments ago.

“yeah, yeah she just reminded me of someone for a second”

#harry potter #hogwarts #fanfic #slytherin #x reader #theodore nott #theodore nott x reader #blaise zabini #lorenzo berkshire #pansy parkinson #draco malfoy #theodore x you #theodore nott x you

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brf-rumortrackinganon · 10 months

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Meghan’s Lies

by request of @britishroyalfamilyvideos

Not comprehensive - this is just what I’ve tracked and they are not in any order. If I’ve missed any, add to the comments.

Meghan grew up an only child, never had any kind of relationship with Sam or Tom while growing up.

Meghan grew up in near-poverty where the $5 Sizzler buffet was a splurge.

Meghan didn’t know who Diana or the Royal Family was.

Meghan didn’t know that Diana did the Panorama interview.

Meghan told a television production she was union when she actually wasn’t.

Meghan’s character was being written off Suits because she was marrying Harry. (She was actually written off because Patrick Adams wanted out and her character was tied to his storylines.)

Meghan doesn’t have any family except Doria.

Meghan paid for college herself with her own student loans. (Thomas did; has receipts.)

Meghan has degrees in international relations and theatre from Northwestern University. (It’s actually a degree in communications, according to the commencement booklet.)

Meghan hated Britain because they were racists.

The Sussexes were more popular in Australasia than the Cambridges were.

Meghan didn’t want to serve newborn Archie on a silver platter to the British media.

Meghan wasn’t allowed to do a photocall at the hospital after Archie was born.

Meghan never talked to Oprah before Megxit.

Meghan wasn’t working with UK Vogue on a special edition.

Meghan couldn’t wear the same color of clothing as anyone else.

Meghan could only wear neutral-colored clothing.

Meghan was never going to dress her children like Kate’s Victorian ghost dolls.

Meghan was going to get her UK citizenship.

Meghan gave up her Hollywood team.

Meghan didn’t want a big public wedding and was forced into the big public spectacle by the royal family.

Meghan and Harry eloped three days before the Windsor spectacle with the Archbishop of Canterbury in their garden at Kensington Palace.

Meghan loves her engagement ring.

Meghan and Harry received permission from The Queen to name their daughter Lilibet.

Meghan loves Africa.

Meghan is committed and passionate about charity work and philanthropy.

There are no tabloids in the U.S.

All Americans have a rude, demanding, and 5am work ethic.

Paparazzi car chases

(All the times Meghan plagiarized quotes from others in her speeches)

Meghan frequented Korean spas in L.A. as a child.

Meghan didn’t collaborate with Scobie on Finding Freedom.

Meghan didn’t expect Thomas to publish her private letter.

The royals were the family Meghan never had.

The royals never welcomed Meghan into the fold.

The royals never gave Meghan any kind of help or training.

Meghan gave up everything for Harry.

Meghan didn’t announce her pregnancy at Eugenie’s wedding.

Meghan loves kids and couldn’t wait to be a mom.

Meghan’s dog was too old to fly overseas.

Meghan wasn’t allowed to decorate their home with items from the Royal Collection.

Kate made Meghan cry.

Meghan had a warm, friendly relationship with The Queen.

Meghan is the best boss ever.

Meghan made her own banana bread in Australia. (It was the Governor’s House chef.)

Meghan had suicidal thoughts the night of the Cirque du Soleil event and couldn’t stop crying at the event.

The royal family never helped Meghan with her mental health.

Meghan is being advised by the Obamas post-Megxit.

The children were refused titles by the BRF because they were racist.

Meghan refused titles for the children.

Meghan had a fish tacos lunch with Michelle Obama.

Meghan was pen pals with Hillary Clinton. (We know now that Thomas intervened on this.)

Meghan witnessed the LA riots.

Meghan supports independent grassroots journalism.

Meghan was going to hit the ground running in Britain after the wedding.

Her height. (She claims to be 5′6...maybe in heels.)

Meghan worked at the US embassy in Argentina. (She did a summer study program and ended up dropping out.)

Meghan didn’t know she had to curtsy to The Queen.

The BRF took her passport and car keys after the wedding and never let her travel.

Meghan wasn’t allowed to leave Nottingham Cottage or Frogmore Cottage unless it was for a work engagement.

They were evicted from Frogmore Cottage. (Netflix docuseries shows they were moving out June 2022.)

Meghan was concerned for her privacy in London and wanted to move back to L.A. because there were no paparazzi.

Archie was denied 24/7 protection by the royal family because he didn’t have a HRH and wasn’t a prince.

The family gossiped about Archie’s skin color and made racist comments to her about him.

The palace forced Meghan to take her name off Archie’s birth certificate. (Archie’s first birth certificate had his mother as Rachel Meghan, HRH The Duchess of Sussex. This birth certificate was later amended to have his mother as HRH The Duchess of Sussex.)

There was egg in the wedding food.

Meghan wasn’t allowed to have scents in St. George’s Church. (She wasn’t allowed to spray perfumes, but could have candles.)

The palace has Archie’s birth certificate locked under file and won’t give it to Meghan, so she can’t register him for school.

Meghan wasn’t allowed to do hair trials with her wedding tiara by Angela Kelly.

Meghan was the new Bond Girl.

Fire in Archie’s nursery in South Africa.

Meghan said titles are not important - people should be linked, not ranked.

Archie was too young to fly to Balmoral after he was born. (And yet they took him on 4 international private flights with Elton John...)

Meghan lied about her age. (This was while she was a working actress in Hollywood. Her age has been corrected so it’s not really a lie anymore.)

Belly padding during the pregnancy with Archie.

Sussex Royal had organic innate popularity on social media. Absolutely no bots were involved at all!

Circumstances of the miscarriage. (There are four different stories out there.)

Zoom calls with the Cambridge children during COVID lockdowns.

Zoom calls with The Queen during COVID lockdowns.

Flowers on Philip’s casket were from the Sussexes.

The Sussexes were invited to the Beckham wedding.

Lili would have a royal christening with The Queen.

Lili was christened.

The Sussexes were invited to the diplomatic reception held before The Queen’s funeral.

Meghan is best friends with Jennifer Aniston and they walk their dogs together all the time.

The children’s appearances are often edited/Photoshopped in published photographs.

Edit: More from the comments - credit to the blogs

Meghan didn’t have friends in school. (@rosesandmoonstones)

Meghan was prom queen. (@rosesandmoonstones)

Circumstances of the “racist royal” remarks (@scorpiotwentythree)

Meghan received a standing ovation at the UN, led by Ban Ki Moon (@scorpiotwentythree!)

The type of ambassador role Meghan had for the UN pre-Harry.

Meghan met The Queen in Balmoral over tea just after starting to date Harry in mid-2016. (@scorpiotwentythree)

“No one asked me if I’m okay.” (@rosesandmoonstones)

Meghan didn’t know racism till she arrived in the UK. (@jillydillypickles)

South Africans danced in the streets for the Sussex wedding. (@jillydillypickles)

#time flies Meghan lies #anon #lies

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avenging-fandoms · 1 year

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My Guy, My Angel

This is a part 2 of this fic I wrote and a second part was requested immensely.

tags: @wonderheartz @aphrcdites @hazehepburn @ssacharcoalgrey @hereforpedritopascalito @soulbounded-bylove @jessieisinafunk @auberosier @hrrhrr @one-sweet-gubler @sydney-1209

Pedro started to hate Starbucks. It wasn't your coffee. Any coffee or coffee shop. No matter what brand, flavor, anything he tried. It wasn't from you. It wasn’t made with your love, your touch. Your smile made the coffee taste better, as he always told you.

He painted a smile on his face every camera he was in front of. He put on a good front that he was okay, but he was hurting. He walked out on the one person who made him feel safe, all because his brain made him worry.

Pedro thanked his driver and headed into his house, throwing his suitcase on the floor and falling on his couch. He laid in the dimmed room in silence for a few minutes before pulling out his phone. He found a flower store and a big bouquet of roses to be delivered to you the next day.

Your first full day back at work after everything happened with Pedro, and you still didn't want to go. But you owned the place, so you had to go in.

As soon as you walked in, you noticed the flowers on the counter and smiled. "Guys, this is so sweet. Thank you"

"These aren't from us" Danielle smiles and your stomach drops. You grab the vase and practically run into your office, locking the door. You search through the petals for a card, and you finally found the small son of a bitch.

"My angel. I'm sorry for everything. Call me."

You fell slowly in your chair, a smile on your face as tears fall down your cheeks. You laugh into your hand as you stare at the card, wiping your cheeks and grabbing your phone. Your thumb hovered over the call button under Pedro's name, but you accidentally pressed it while violently shaking.

It rung once. twice. And a third time.

Pedro's knuckles softly knocked on the metal door, keeping his head down until you opened your door. "Hi"

"Hello Pedro" you nod and step aside, Pedro coming in. "Anything to drink? Wine, water?" he slid off his jacket and hung it up, kicking off his shoes at the door.

“A wine sounds great, actually” he half smiles and you nod, turning around and grabbing a glass. You stood on your tip toes to try and grab another glass, but it was no use. “I can grab- oh okay” you climbed on the counter and Pedro stood behind you, helping you get down and letting his hands linger on your hips.

“I got it, Pedro. I’ve been getting things myself for a while now. Couple weeks” you kept the passive aggressive comment at a low tone, but it still stung Pedro. He deserved it.

“Right.. sorry” the room fell silent and the glugging of the wine splashing into the glass. You gave Pedro his wine, and he brushed his fingers against yours. “Thanks”

You pick up your glass and held it out to him, and he clicked it with a smile. You tried to hide yours but you let it slip when you took a sip.

“You know I am a baker, not a chef. So unless you want to eat banana bread, cupcakes and cookies for dinner with wine, I’d say let order something out” you head to the couch and Pedro turns his body and leans his elbow on the island as he watches you.

You take out the menus and open them, looking at Pedro. “Are you going to come pick something out?” you ask and he nods, sitting next to you.

He was almost a cushion away. He was nervous. He was scared. His eyes had a permanent puppy dog look where he already hurt you once, he was petrified to do it again.

"You can come closer, P. I know you can't see that well" you wink and he moves closer. Your thigh was touching his. This was all you got after weeks and weeks of silence. You wanted more, you needed more.

"I'm feeling.. hmph" you smile and lean back in the cushion. "What?"

"Always so picky, Pedrito" you sigh and he hits your knee. He looks at all the menus, picking up menu from the burrito place a couple streets away. "Good choice"

You ordered the food and Pedro watched every second. The way you played with your necklace nervously as you talked on the phone. Chewing your lip and letting your sentences fade.

You hung up and put your phone on the coffee table, grabbing your wine and laying back on the couch with Pedro. The room was quiet. You were waiting for someone to break it. You knew it had to be you.

"So.. 45 minutes for our food. What should we do in the meantime?" you ask and he inhales.

"We should.. talk about what happened" you raise your eyebrows as you swallow the rest of your wine, putting the glass down in the table rather aggressively. "But I'm not going to talk to you when you're angry"

"I have every right to be angry" your head whips in his direction and he sits up. "You left me. Not an explanation call, text. Nothing. 3 weeks I watched you on my tv. Phone. Laptop. The tvs in my coffee shop!"

Tears were falling. From the both of you.

"You left me, Pedro. And that hurt me.." you inhale and get up, wiping your face. You turn 180 and look at Pedro who was still sitting on the couch. "I have never felt a pain like that before"

You looked at him with a trembling chin as he set his wine glass down slowly and wiped his face, looking at you and standing up. "I know. I know it hurt you. Instead of telling you what was going on, I just left"

"And didn't speak to me for 3 weeks" you crossed your arms and he walked past you, sitting at the seat against the island.

"A guy my age has experienced.." he raised his hand as he tried to get the words out, but tears came out of his instead. He dropped his hand and lightly slapped his thigh. "A great amount of loss. People leaving me. And.. and that night, the finale, you looked at me and all I saw was every way I could lose you"

The air was thick. His words were letters swimming in the air. His tears couldn't stop. You slowly stepped towards him, opening his legs and stepping in between them. Pedro immediately leaned his head on your chest and wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you tightly into him like you could melt into his skin.

"Calm down, Pedro. Breathe. It's okay" you whisper as you rub his back, your breaths becoming synced as he listened to your words. "Thank you for explaining why, Pedro" your hand held his cheeks, his teary puppy eyes watching you in awe. "But I would never.. ever.. leave or abandon you. You are someone I met for the first time and knew you would be a big part of my life. And you are. I am in love with watching you do what you do"

Pedro smiles, hugging you again. "Thank you for not hating me"

"That's ridiculous. I could never hate you, my Pedrito" you hold his cheeks again and rub your thumbs over his beard, feeling his breath on your mouth. "Friends can kiss, right?"

Pedro smiled, hand rubbing over your chest and holding the side of your neck. "I think we're past that" his thumb laid on your jaw under your ear as he pulled you in, the other arm wrapped tightly around your waist. "I've missed you so much, my angel"

You smile, pressing your nose against his as you wrap your arms around his neck. "I missed you more, my guy" he smiles and pushes his head forward, finally connecting your lips together.

Pedro's fears and worries seemed to fade as he melted into the shape of your mouth. He saw bright colors and his brain only saw the good parts of life with you. And it was all he ever dreamed of.

You.

#pedro pascal #pedro pascal x reader #pedro pascal x you #pedro pascal x y/n #pedro pascal imagine #pedro pascal imagines #pedro pascal blurb #pedro pascal blurbs #pedro pascal fic #pedro pascal fanfiction #pedro pascal fluff #pedro pascal angst #rpf #real person fiction

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manias-wordcount · 2 months

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View of Paradise (Satoru Gojo x Reader) PART SIX

[𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙍𝙇𝙄𝙀 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘾𝙃𝙊𝘾𝙊𝙇𝘼𝙏𝙀 𝙁𝘼𝘾𝙏𝙊𝙍𝙔 𝘼𝙐]

𝗔/𝗡: 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗮 𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲. 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗸𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁, 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗷𝗷𝗸 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 "𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱" 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗶 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗶 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗲. 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝗹

𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁𝘂𝘀 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗽: 𝗨𝗶 𝗨𝗶 𝗩𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱: 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗼 𝗩𝗮𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗮 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝘁: 𝗬𝘂𝗸𝗶 𝗠𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗲: 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗽𝗲𝗶

𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁: 𝗼𝗻𝗲 || 𝘁𝘄𝗼 || 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 || 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗿 || 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲 || 𝘀𝗶𝘅 || 𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 || 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲…

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚? ⇒ 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧?

𝙗𝙪𝙮 𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚?

For the next week, the sun rises and sets as if things were normal. But you, your co-workers, your family, and pretty much everyone in this town know that it is anything but.

“ Hmm ,” You let out a thoughtful noise that does very little except fill the silence in between you and your brother. "Are we there yet?"

" Nope."

" Ugh."

You roll your eyes with a huff, and your brother just lets out a bit of a snicker at your response. Tonight you’re walking home with Yuuta after a long, long shift. You managed to scoot out of the diner right as the sign flipped to close, but even then, you don’t think that was soon enough. You can’t remember how long you’ve been up, and you can’t exactly remember how long you’ve been on your feet too. But you know that your whole body aches and your soul feels tired and drained in a way you truly hadn’t felt since you first started working at the diner.

And who can blame you?

The diner has been busier than usual, and everyone knows it. Still, it doesn’t stop people from forming a line out the door under the guise of coming here for lunch or dinner because they were simply “in the neighborhood.” They’re all adults and elders who act like they wouldn’t be caught dead in a candy store. But too, too many of them have dared to get offended when you have to be the one to tell them that no , you can’t just sell them a Gojo Bar here- that’s just not how this all works.

So to no one’s surprise, more deserts are being ordered than usual. Every shift, you have seen the chefs working long and hard while someone is always on hand, shilling chocolate bars. Your boss had the genius idea of adding more dessert items that use Gojo Candy Products in them too. So now everything is chocolate puddings and chocolate cakes and Sundaes Supremes with Gojo Chocolate Chunks. You’ve even heard from your co-workers that it’s becoming rarer and rarer that they have someone coming in and asking for a cinnamon bun or a muffin or even a slice of Zenin Diner’s once-famous banana bread.

Everything is Gojo Candy this, Gojo Candy that. And honestly, you too, are a part of that craze. Just a little bit, at least. You rarely get a chance to enjoy things this sweet. But candy doesn’t fill your stomach. Candy doesn’t pay your bills. But it does make you so, so happy and so, so jealous of everyone who is able to buy and eat it freely. It makes you want to be someone else. Someone who didn’t have to share such a small room with her little brother. Someone who wasn’t in shoes that were far too worn down to be good for you. Someone who didn’t have to smile and nod alongside their parents as they lie to everyone and say that they’ve already eaten. When the truth is that they're starving.

Someone who wasn’t dirt fucking poor.

But with the increase in sales comes an increase in your pay. Slightly, anyways. Your boss is at least kind enough to ensure that. But for the most part, you’ve had self-control. You keep saving your money for things that are important like materials to fix holes in the house and a couple of other groceries that aren’t just cabbage, cabbage, and cabbage. You did almost freak out when Nobara managed to sneak you a chocolate bar from the kitchen, though (and made you promise to split the winnings with her if you scored a ticket). And you are fiddling a little too much with the wrapper of another Gojo Candy Bar that’s burning a hole in your jacket pocket as you walk down an empty sidewalk on the way home. But this one isn’t for you.

It’s for the boy in front of you. For Yuuta.

Although he’s quiet right now, you can tell that he still has quite a bit of energy left in him. He’s smiling as he walks. Taking every step confidently as if he knows exactly where he’s going. Which at this point, you truly, truly, truly hope he does. Because he was the one to tell you that he wanted to show you something. And on most nights after a long shift, you wouldn’t entertain him. And you certainly wouldn’t let him take you on a different, much longer path to get home on most nights either. Especially nights that are as chilly and as breezy as this one. But tomorrow is his birthday. He’ll be another year older. He’ll have completed another trip around the sun. And he'll have reached another milestone that you’ve long since passed.

But he’s still your baby brother. Your baby brother who still smiles. Your baby brother who still walks with a skip in his step. Your baby brother who seems way too comfortable walking along an empty sidewalk with way too few streetlights for your tastes- even with the lack of cars on this road. But he's the same baby brother who never complains, never cries, and never is ungrateful. Your baby brother who still holds onto hope. Even despite all the news.

To put it simply, tickets two through four have been found in the span of a week since the kid in Germany got the first one. Time is running out. And yet, he still has hope.

Ticket number two went to a particularly posh-looking little girl from somewhere in Great Britain. The story broke on your shift the day after the first ticket was found. Everyone crowded around the TVs in the diner again (including you) to watch a little girl dressed to the 9’s in her Sunday Best show off the shiny golden ticket in pristine lighting with a sickly sweet smile. She had a proud set of parents behind her. Equally as prim and polished and posh-looking as the little girl was. And saying all the right things for the interview. As if they knew that they were going to end up with a ticket all along.

You remember clicking your tongue as the feeling of irritation bubbled up inside you at the sight of the little girl and her parents. Although hearing that the only reason she managed to get a ticket in the first place was because her father’s peanut shelling and sorting factory switched to candy bars to appease her was a big source of annoyance too. You remember going to school with girls like her. Although they were probably nowhere near as rich, you have no doubt in your mind her character is exactly the same as the girls you grew up with. Spoiled rotten .

But you didn’t say any of this out loud, even though part of you wanted to. As you grew older, you grew wiser. And you realized that behind every brat was one of the worst types of parents that can raise a kid- the ones that never say no.

However, you didn’t really need to say anything at all. The outrage from the other patrons watching the TV screen at the diner was loud enough to drown out your thoughts. Even Yuuta looked a bit pissed off when you told him about the second ticket winner as the two of you walked home from your shift that night. Not to mention, it was the hot topic of your household when you got home later that evening. Everyone was up in arms about her- including your kind and sweethearted Grandpa Aibara.

And the next ticket winner? Well, that girl wasn’t much better.

This story broke three days later- around dinner time at your house. The third ticket winner was a girl from America. And her interview took place in a nicely decorated home filled to the brim with large, shiny trophies. All the trophies that she won.

Including one for holding the current record for competitive gum chewing. Whatever that meant.

But all throughout dinner, you joined your bedridden grandparents and your bone-tired parents around the TV, watching the news on the tiny screen. And all throughout her interview, the little girl talked confidently with her smiling mother standing just behind her. She answered questions matter-of-factly. And she almost had a charm about her. Almost. You could tell from the get-go that she was conceited and arrogant. She chewed gum the entire interview. Wet smacks and the slight grinding of teeth could be picked up in the microphone they had her speaking in, but it seemed like she didn’t care. Or maybe she did, but she cared about her record-breaking a bit more than a measly interview.

Though she did say she managed to spit out the gum and keep it behind her ear long enough to switch to Gojo Bars. Just so she could win a ticket.

And once again, it looked like everybody else could sniff out the bad manners of the newest ticket winner. After every question she answered, someone (usually Grandpa Kusakabe) always had something nasty to say about her even nastier attitude. It always earned a few loud laughs from some of your family and poorly hidden chuckles from the other half.

But even so, watching this interview made the cabbage stew sit worse in your stomach than it usually did. Maybe it’s because you were the only one who noticed how sad Yuuta would get when he would look at the girl’s house and all her shiny trophies before turning and looking at your house’s barren walls. Maybe it’s because you knew deep down inside that if you were as accomplished as this little girl was, you’d be full of yourself too.

That was all three days ago. Sales for Gojo Bars were going quicker than quick after more and more winners were announced. And your little brother? Well, he was looking more and more defeated as the days went by- knowing that he’d need a whole lot more than just luck to land a ticket after hearing how the winners found theirs.

That was until, an hour and a half before your shift ended today.

The diner was still on the busier side, but there were enough seats open at the counter that Yuuta didn’t have to feel bad about popping a squat at the edge seat so he could do some of his homework before you walked home with him.

Though, for the most part, things were quiet. Enjoyable even, as you made some light chitchat with some of your regulars while the diner began to ease out of the dinner rush. But out of nowhere, you hear all too familiar jingle of the breaking news segment coming from the TV. As a natural reflex, your eyes turn towards the screen- as did everyone else in the diner.

And sure enough, there he is- winner number four.

Although, this kid manages to stick out in a major way. Like all the winners so far, winner Junpei Yoshino (who is, so far, the only one you managed to remember by name- or maybe just the only one haven’t forgotten yet- Whoops!) is just about Yuuta’s age. But unlike the other winners, Junpei does his interview with an expression so bored, you would have thought the kid was forced to watch paint dry.

If you could even consider what he did to be ‘doing an interview' at all!

No, instead of smiling big and bright and talking animatedly with the newsperson sent to his house, Junpei was looking at something other than a camera. He was looking at his own TV as he did nothing but play video games during his interview.

Behind him stood an exasperated mother- one who at least had the decency to look horrified at the monster she had created. Questions were almost always redirected towards her, save for an occasional one that Junpei was able to answer with a few short words (so long as they didn’t get in the way of whatever violent video game he was playing on the latest console).

You remember feeling so surprised that a child could have such a dead look on his face. The bags sitting beneath his eyes were dark. And the only time he really showed emotion was to curl up his lips at his screen and snarl at something happening in his games. It was a teeny bit frightening to watch. And all you could do was thank your lucky stars that your grandpa Kusakabe was nowhere as near as unpleasant as that kid was.

Even the people in the diner were disenchanted by the little boy's apathy. You heard some elders in booth nearby call him rude and all sorts of things while parents with young children shook their heads at the screen and muttered to themselves about how they could fix his attitude. And you swore, even Yuuta was intimidated by the scary look and disrespectful attitude of the guy. That was until Junpei was asked the question ‘ How many candy bars did you open?’

‘One,’ The little boy had said, eyes never once moving away from the screen. ‘ I hate chocolate.’

If Yuuta heard the second part of his statement, he didn’t show it. Because he was far stuck on the first part- the fact that someone had won by opening only a single Gojo Candy Bar. It reminded Yuuta that there was such a thing as a little bit of luck left in the world. Just a little bit, at least. But he doesn’t care about how much. And frankly, neither do you.

Because you know that every birthday, even before the candy craze, Yuuta has asked for the same thing: a Gojo Candy Bar. And you know that it was after pooling together what meager money you and your parents were able to spare, they went out and bought him one. But that candy bar was at home. The one sitting in your pocket is an entirely different one.

But it’s a chance of upping his odds. And it was worth spending your tip money on. Well worth it. Because that's just the kind of older sister you are.

So you don’t say much of anything as your little brother leads you down this empty sidewalk with just enough street lights to lead his way. And you don’t say anything when you notice from afar that your brother just so happens to be taking you past a tall, tall fence that blocks the world’s access from a big, big, big factory just on the other side. A factory that has a nice, fancy Gojo Candy painted on the side.

No, even then, you still don’t say anything. You just follow close behind as your brother leads the way. Still full of energy. Still full of smiles. Still full of hopes and dreams and, maybe just a little bit of luck.

So you think about that. You think about hopes. You think about dreams. You think about your little brother. And most importantly. You try not to think about the cold. The harsh, the biting, the growing cold.

Because it only serves to remind you of the tights that you just didn’t have enough money to buy when all was said and done.

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