#alas I don't think his outfit is very good either but I do have the excuse of having drawn this mid-lecture | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

suugrbunz · 29 days

Text

౨ৎ 𝐕𝗈𝗅 005. ; 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬 ˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚ ﹗

Tag List : @xxluckystrike @groovin2beats

The Shakarov family lived less than five minutes away from the Qamar family. It was strange to think Zosa had grown up so close. Yet, their paths had never crossed until recently. The road their house was situated on wasn't very wide, in fact, if there was more traffic, there'd surely be a traffic jam. Alas, they were the only ones travelling this late on a Sunday. Vines of ivy climbed along the brick walls that line the streets, it even climbed atop some of the houses. The row of houses were rather charming— except for the fact they all faced an old graveyard. Something seemed so wrong about living across the street from a graveyard, don't you agree? Rising from your slumber to look out a window and there you see a graveyard, is it greeting you? Inviting you to be the next burial? Oh, well, who knows? Either way, across the street from the graveyard, nestled between a row of Victorian era brick houses was the Shakarov house. There were notable differences between the Shakarov house and whoever lived next door. The wall that acted as a fortress of privacy against prying eyes was covered by ivy. Completely. Truly it looked as if they'd chosen a hedge for a fence. Along the walls of their home were more vines, but they were bare. Must've been vines of a flowering plant. What a lovely sight it must be in spring and not late December. There were two entryways— a gated arbour and a driveway also topped off by an arch covered in ivy.

The sun had been threatening to fall below the crest of the horizon. It'd grown tired, it needed a rest. A good night's sleep, even if his light shines through the moon. Amir’s pupils remained stagnant. Staring at the short row of cars in front of his own. They were simple colours, colours that made the metallic finish of his car’s paint look strangely over pronounced. As if a bottle of glitter had been spilled by some child on a black carpet. Tugging the keys out of the ignition shut the car's headlight off and the engine fell mute. Everything was silent. The only noise amongst the boys was the sound of their breathing. Something fearful had hung in the air between them. Showing up to the house of a family you'd never met was irrational behaviour but she was his friend. So, somehow, that'd rationalise the behaviour, right?

“Have you ever met her parents?” questioned Rami, his eyes narrowing on his older brother.

“How would I have ever met her parents?” questioned Amir.

“I don't know, I was hoping somehow through the ballet company you'd have met.”

“No.”

“Will they think we've crashed their Sunday roast?”

“They’re Jewish, they probably don't do Sunday roasts. Their Sabbath falls on Friday night, I think.” Amir looked towards their front door, silently questioning if he had made the wrong decision. He continued, a faux confidence lacing itself into his words. “Come on, we'll be fine.”

Leaving behind the imported car, Amir and Rami stood in front of their front door. Rami watched as his brother's hand shook, it was a subtle shake. If he didn't know better, he'd think his brother was simply shivering. It wasn't that at all. There were only a handful of times Amir had shown his inner fears to the outside world. A few seconds would pass before the door would open. Till then, Amir's breathing remained still— fearing rejection. His stomach tied itself up, his knees became unstable.

When the door swung open it unveiled just who he wanted to see; Zosa. She hadn't a bit of makeup on her face. There wasn't a necklace around her neck, a bracelet on her wrist, or rings adorning her fingers. Nowhere near the girl he'd met the night before. Even further from the one seen on stage, admiring from afar. She stood in an outfit she had labelled casual enough to be loungewear. Yet, she wore an off-white blouse, untucked, sort of a creamy colour. Like vanilla ice-cream Amir used to eat in his days of youth, in Paris. Below, a satin navy coloured skirt barely clung to her hips— grasping onto what it could. Through the satin, he saw her hip bones appearing through her paper thin skin. Confusion contorted her face, her eyes full of hesitation and her brows slowly came together.

“Amir?”

“I can explain why I'm here.” he began, it was hard to speak with mouth dry as a desert. The words couldn't quite come together for a sound explanation, still he tried. “Rami and I got into a fight with our parents over dinner and-”

“Do you feel unsafe at home?”

“No, just, mmmm, unwelcome. That's the word.”

“They insulted Amir’s career choice and you were also somehow insulted.” Rami interjected, bluntly explaining their situation.

“How did I come up as a topic?” Zosa glanced over her shoulder, debsting uow her parents would feel. They had never turned down feeding her friends. Quickly turning back to the two brothers, she motioned for them to come inside. “I don't think my parents would mind you joining us.”

Stepping through the threshold of the doorway, the smell of a spiced candle greeted the brothers. The entryway was rather small, a simple place— an entryway table, coat rack, and a stash of shoes on the pear-coloured floral ornately patterned rug. Some rooms away, the voice of Zosa's father sang a lively folk rock song. It was in a language Amir couldn't identify. Somewhere in the background, quieter than his voice, the record played along as his backing track. In the air, a warmth could be felt. It was a radical change to the stifled aura that hung within the Qamar house. Slipping off their shoes, Rami and Amir slid them beside the other shoes situated on the rug. Like a host of a party, Zosa retrieved their jackets and Amir's scarf, hanging them on the coat rack. Rami spoke again, finishing his explanation of their earlier argument.

“You came up on topic because someone mentioned the Royal Ballet and the Orchestra of The Royal Opera House. The girl mentioned going to the ballet to watch Don Quixote, saying how she must've heard him playing violin during that performance. In turn, he mentioned you. Only for her to say how you're a bit too skinny for her liking.”

Months prior, Zosa's psychiatrist had explained to her how to handle such commentary on her body. They both understood it was an unavoidable evil within her career. There was once a sculpture made of a ballerina. Upon the unveiling of the wax sculpture, everyone shamed her body. That was in Paris during the 1880s. The girl was fourteen. Body shaming pushed upon many girls during their career was nothing new… After all, to be a girl is to perform. To perform is to be judged. Your flaws laid out for the eyes of evil to feast upon. Like ravaged ravens, they feed upon your flesh and all its flaws. These thoughts danced around Zosa's mind. Her eyes filled with sympathy but not for herself but for the girl she once was and for Marie van Goethem.

“To be a ballerina is to be judged, isn't it? The rich idly sit in an audience, paying your wage, only to express discontent with your performance. Too bad they've already paid part of your wage.”

Amir nodded. He knew all too well what she experienced. To a certain extent, he had experienced it.

Now, he and Rami followed Zosa into a library, or maybe it was an office. Amir couldn't tell. There were shelves all along the wall and nestled in a corner was a desk. Hanging from the walls was a wide array of family portraits. Some of the portraits were of a family in a distant country; Their clothes colourful and ornately patterned. A particular portrait stood out to Amir— she bore a resemblance to Zosa. From the shape of their grecian noses to the wideness of their lips. Passing by the portrait, they left the room behind and entered the dining room. The singing had grown louder, but now Amir spotted paintings on the walls. Amir's eyes began to study the paintings he saw. Landscapes captured by oil paint; Stormy oceans they'd never see, nameless streets somewhere in the Mediterranean, flowers the artist had been given, and swans. Swans being the most important. There were multiple swan portraits.

“Who made these?” asked Amir.

“Me.” answered Zosa.

“They’re lovely.”

“Thank you.”

“When did you get into painting?” questioned Rami.

She had started painting at a young age— but all of these paintings on the wall were made in the psych ward. Another form of therapy they'd put her in. She didn't mind. Although, the quality of their paint was rather questionable. Especially compared to that of the paint she owned.

“Long ago.”

It was vague enough to get by. Vague enough to not divulge into a conversation about herself.

“Cool.” replied Rami.

In the embrace of the kitchen, the sight of her parents' antics unfurled; It was her father singing and dancing around the kitchen. Minah giggled at the sight of Lev’s less than aesthetic style of dance. Lev was never a dancer, he was too clumsy for such a hobby. Minah had learnt that rather early on; He stepped on her feet the first time they ever danced, it was at some dance hall in central London. Laughter fell from her lips as they danced the night away— she'd never met someone so truly uncoordinated. He laughed as well. Admittedly, he didn't know how to dance. Amir's eyes studied them, wondering if fate promised him a loving marriage as well.

Between Zosa's parents, the brothers detected a genuine love, raw and unfiltered, a sentiment they had seen in their parents' marriage as little kids— they missed it. It used to create such a welcoming environment. Now, it seems as if their parents had begun to censor it. It was a new development, one that only began after moving to London. Matching the others in their conservative congregation. As if they'd forgotten the foundations that built their love. Neglecting it. Being an observer of their marriage, it filled Amir with dread; Would he live a life devoid of love? As an artist— a romantic lens painted his world. Filling him to the brim with a sense of hopeless romanticism. He loved the concept of devotion. Devoting himself to someone. Surrendering to their every shared desire. So Amir fought His parents. Tooth and nail he'd fight.

In the warm embrace of the kitchen, Amir glanced around the room; studying the cabinets that'd been painted a hue of sage. Around the kitchen, there had been countless plants. Some were flowering. The others were herbs. Their fragrances filled the room alongside the food Lev had been cooking alongside his wife and daughter. How unorthodox it was to see a man cooking for his family. With another glance around the room, Amir noticed a feline sitting on the windowsill. Upon spotting Zosa, a meow left the cat, gracefully she leapt from her perch, reclaiming her usual spot beside Zosa's bruised feet. Following her every step. Words, unfamiliar and foreign, flowed from Minah's lips, phonetically mimicking shades of Arabic. Amir's eyebrows had risen, trying to listen to their words. Still Lev continued to sing his song, though he now stood by Minah. Zosa found a spot, or rather pushed her way, between her parents, her eyes filling with curiosity as she gazed at the food they'd been cooking. Hesitantly, her lips parted:

“Can my friends join us for dinner?” Her voice lowered and she explained. “They got in a fight with their parents and didn't feel like they could stay home for their dinner. Um, they insulted my friend for being a musician.”

“Who insults their child’s career?” asked Lev, his forehead wrinkling as his eyebrows snapped together.

“His parents didn't insult his career. Someone at their dinner did but their parents allowed it.”

“How is that any better?” huffed Lev, his eyes rolled at the explanation.

“I didn't say it was, I was just telling you what I was told.”

“Are they already here?” asked Minah.

“Yes, sorry, I didn't know they were coming… They just suddenly showed up.” explained Zosa.

“Where are they?” mumbled Minah.

“In the kitchen.” replied Lev, his eyes studying the pair of brothers. They stood close to each other, bracing themselves for another poor reaction.

Lev’s eyes quickly softened, the pair reminiscent of a life he would never forget. For a moment, he could imagine his own older brother standing beside him. As if they were teenagers once again. Shaking from the cold that nipped at their malnourished bodies. No matter the day, Lev could be found by his older brother, Yuval. A heartwarming smile tugged at the man's lips, chasing away the fears of Rami and Amir. Turning around, Minah’s sympathetic eyes met Amir and Rami.

Near their dinner table, against the wall, was a stereo and record console. That's where the music had been emanating from. Filling the room with music, it was like a siren in the ocean, luring Amir's attention to its beautiful melody. It was in that same foreign language he had heard Minah speaking in. Passing by the table, Amir stood in front of the record playing. All the while, Rami had taken a seat at the table, his eyes darting between his brother and Zosa's family. Then he looked towards the tiled floor— they were plain white. A soft contrast to the sage cabinets.

With gentle voices, Zosa's parents continued speaking to her; Familial love spilled over into every word they uttered to each other. As if they only knew love, not hate. They'd been ushering her away, telling her to remain by the side of her friends. Only furthering Amir's blooming envy; He didn't want to admit it openly. Not even within the confines of his thoughts. Dinners at their house never felt so warm. Amir remained silent as he listened to the words of a song he didn't know the name of. Yet, it engulfed him, he hadn't taken the time to notice Zosa crossing the kitchen floor, finding a spot by his side.

“What are your names?” asked Minah.

“I’m Rami.”

“And I am Amir.”

“Zosa has never told me about you two!” exclaimed Minah.

“Oh, we only recently met… That's why my brother and I were afraid you'd-” Amir turned around, his statement coming to a temporary halt as his eyes fell onto Zosa. A demure but uncontrollable smile spread across his lips. “Reject us… It wasn't entirely fair to show up the way we did.”

Wrinkles formed on Lev's aged skin as his eyebrow cocked at the sight of Amir's behaviour. It had been the same shy behaviour he had displayed as a young lad around Minah. Years into their marriage, that timid feeling never truly faded away. Surely, that was how he knew his love would never die. The butterflies in his stomach made a home there, fluttering around whenever Minah appeared. Speaking of, Lev had found himself leaning closer to his beloved wife. His voice falling to a mere whisper:

“Amir fancies her.”

“And how have you come to such a conclusion?” asked Minah.

“The way he looks at her.” explained Lev.

“He seems like a nice boy; Well-spoken and gentle. It doesn't hurt that he is handsome.” Minah lifted the lid off of the pot, checking on the osh sovo. It’d been slowly cooking in vegetable stock all day. “I wonder if he is Jewish?”

Lev glanced at Amir.

“He doesn't look Jewish but… I don't think we should worry about that. If they are happy together, they're happy together, yes?” posed Lev.

“Agreed.” Minah paused, a slightly mischievous grin tugging away at her lips. “They looked rather lovely together, a pretty couple.”

“Minah, I wouldn't go that far.” grumbled Lev.

The table was set and the aroma of the osh sovo filled the room— it was a savoury dish mixed with a hint of sweetness. Traditionally, it is beans and rice paired with other fruity additions, wrapped in linen to cook for upwards of twelve hours. In this recipe, made by Lev's mother, there was raisins, apples, prunes, carrots, tomatoes, and apricots. As for the seasoning, they used tumeric and ginger with a pinch of salt. By the end of the twelve hours, it turned into a flavourful stew. It was one of their daughter's favourite meals, before the disordered eating took hold of her habits. Using a ladle, Lev served everyone a portion of the stew. Looking at it, well, it wasn't particularly impressive. A simple stew, a rich brown in colour but the smell was another story. It smelt like home. It made Amir’s eyebrows come together; It tasted similar to the food his mother cooked but there were distinctive differences. Glancing across the table, his eyes met Rami, he'd been intently peering at the steaming dried fruit and rice stew.

The music of a foreign record had faded, now the room was filled by the sound of silence. Something in the air was awkward, a tension waiting to be broken. Grabbing his soup spoon, he lifted a spoonful of stew to his mouth. It was perfect.

“That is amazing.” complimented Amir.

“Isn’t it?” asked Rami, his eyes lifting from his bowl of stew.

“From now on, you're welcome to join us for dinner anytime you'd like.” stated Lev, he didn't mind the boys’ presence in their household.

“Oh, thank you.” said Amir, a smile pulling at his lips.

Looking at Lev, Amir couldn't help but notice a string of numbers on his left forearm. For a moment, he pondered its meaning but by the next moment his heart had fallen to his stomach. Averting his eyes, a gust of sympathy was breathed into his body.

“May I ask what started the fight between your parents and you?” asked Minah, jolting Amir from his thoughts.

“Um, well.” Amir had stiffened in his chair, he stumbled over his words as he tried to confess the words he hadn't told Zosa. “My parents want to arrange my future marriage and they invited over a girl, specifically for that purpose.”

Staring at her food, Zosa's eyebrows wove together, she couldn't imagine getting married at their young age. It didn't seem responsible. Nor could she imagine her parents choosing someone for her to love; They'd never do that, right? Before another thought could be formed, she fed herself another spoonful of osh sovo.

“You don't like her?” questioned Lev.

“She isn't someone I could see myself falling in love with.”

“I know someone you could see yourself falling in love with.” teased Rami, sending a knowing look in Amir's direction before lifting his glass of water to his lips.

“Shut up.” said Amir, returning to their native tongue— unaware of how much Zosa and Lev could understand.

“Can’t make me, Amir.” rebutted Rami.

A muffled ripple of laughter echoed from Zosa's throat, capturing the attention of Amir and Rami. In an instant, Rami adorned a smug grin, a quiet proclamation of his amusement. Meanwhile, a subtle flush of red coloured Amir's cheeks. Across the table, Lev silently sat, his pebble-coloured eyes narrowing as he continued to piece together the dynamic of the newly formed friendships.

“So, Amir, what is your job?” asked Minah, distracting everyone from the brothers’ impending argument.

“Violinist for the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, but I want to become a recording artist one day.”

“And your parents allowed someone to make fun of that?” scoffed Lev, shaking his head with a pair of pursed lips.

“Well, um.” Lev's irritated tone had taken Amir by surprise; He hadn't expected unconditional support from a practical stranger. Amir continued, though he didn't want to paint his parents in a bad light. “They’re not quite aware of the latter half and the first half they've supported. They wanted me to become something else but, they know I excel at what I do and I am paid well.”

“What type of music would you create?” murmured Zosa.

“Mmmmm, some sort of dreary rock mixed with shaabi.” replied Amir, not realising he'd started leaning closer to her.

The chemistry between them had become overwhelmingly obvious. Lev’s earlier observation must've been soaked in the truth. Amir fancied her. Despite that, Zosa had remained innocently oblivious to her growing feelings. She hadn't experienced teenage love. Even if Yulia had tried setting her up on countless dates. Instead, she'd stay at the dance studio for longer hours. Or perhaps, her nose would be glued to a book. If all else fails, she would paint, anything to keep away feelings of romance. Eyes of cloudy grey shifted between observing Amir's each and every feature. His eyes. Lips. Nose. Everything. She spoke again, her voice equally subtle as before.

“I’d add your record to my collection.”

“You would?”

“Mhm.” hummed the girl.

Before another reply could pass through his parted lips, another voice chimed into the conversation. Taking away his attention from Zosa, his head pivoted, looking towards the source of the voice.

“What instruments do you play?” asked Minah.

“Violin, piano, oud, guitar, and bass…” Amir fell quiet for a second but was left unsatisfied by his own answer. Dragging more air into his lungs, he spoke again, maybe the latter half of his words could satisfy him. “I’ll be purchasing a drum set soon enough. I'd also like to learn to play the trombone, I like how it sounds.”

Minah nodded, though her attention had left Amir and laid upon Rami. Of the two, he had a softer face but his tongue was sharper. No matter the time, he hadn't an ounce of hesitation when it came to speaking his mind. The trait couldn't be observed in either of his parents, though Yasmine once said that her father was like Rami. The elder’s tongue got him in trouble. More than once. For some portion of the supper Rami had been listening to Minah speak to his brother. Growing up, it had always been this way. Amir garnered attention for being a prodigy whilst Rami went under the radar. The attention never changed his perception of his older brother. It changed his perception of adults and how they could become obsessed with some child’s talent.

“Rami, do you have any career you're pursuing?”

“I want to be a photojournalist.”

“That would be so amazing!” exclaimed Minah, her eyes had widened as she snapped her attention to Lev. She spoke in that same foreign language, quicker than before. “How could any pair of parents not feel unconditional pride in such sons?”

Lev, still chewing on his food, shrugged at his wife’s question.

“What inspired you to take interest in such a career path?” inquired Minah, her eyes full of an attentive curiosity the brothers had seen before in Zosa's eyes.

“Magazines… I love reading magazines and the photos you can spot inside of them speak to you more than the articles themselves, right? When we came here from France, I didn't know English, so I'd look at photos in books and magazines. That was my way of reading until I learned English. A photo captures more than words, you know?”

“He’s taken many home videos and photos of our family. He's talented with a camera.” bragged Amir.

Rami grinned.

“What was it like coming here from France?” asked Lev.

“When we first came to England, I used to get beat up for not knowing English.” sighed Rami, his gaze falling to the plate below.

The imagery of their forceful punches to his gut filled his mind. They'd never hold back. Words full of prejudice were thrown at him like stones. Stones he couldn't throw back. Not that he would. To sink to their level was below him. He wasn't them. He never wanted to be them. Even if it meant swallowing their words but their actions didn't go without consequences.

“And I used to beat up the people that hurt him.” pointed out Amir, a lopsided smirk tugging at the right side of his lips. Amir shifted in his chair, readying himself to admit the actual circumstances. “We are actually from Egypt and it was becoming unsafe for us in Egypt. Our father and mother are both educated at some university in Beirut, so they both had jobs. Which meant we were upper class. So, we left the country. Initially, our father decided that Paris would be the city for us. I am unsure why but at some point, he decided he was wrong. Perhaps, it was because of the growing tension in the city, but, mmmm, who knows?”

“Paris was the best.” whispered Rami.

“Alexandria was the best. Paris was close, but it wasn't home. London is nice, I appreciate the city for who it has brought into my life.” replied Amir.

“What about you?” Rami asked, his inquisitive eyes looking toward Lev.

Lev sat up, deeply breathing in as he thought of what to say. His immigration story was always terribly long. It was a reminder of the darkest times in Europe and he didn't like telling it. Especially as a dinner story. Setting down his spoon, he began to speak;

“Well, to start, I was born in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, it's part of the Soviet Union. My family moved into Europe for my father's job. Uh, by the end of the World War, I was a displaced orphan. I lived in a displaced peoples camp in Tashkent for many months… Then, somehow, I ended up in England.”

“You lost your whole family?” question Amir.

“All except for my brother by the time I was fifteen.” answered Lev, unwilling to discuss more of the topic. The longer the topic would last, the louder the memories would become. Again, Lev spoke, changing the topic before anyone could continue it. “I assume you two must miss Egypt?”

“I think anyone that leaves their homeland, at heart, yearns to return.” replied Amir.

“That is very true.” Minah joined the conversation, willing to explain her own immigration story. “I came to England after the Korean War… My country was deeply scarred and I feared starvation, I'd seen many others die that way. My sisters and I managed to leave the nation shortly after the war. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don't miss those I left… Ah, but this is dinner, we should have happier discussions!”

All was quiet except for the sound of silverware clanging against ceramic bowls. As if no one knew what positivity they could speak of. Lev looked towards the silent record console and then to Amir and Zosa, he had an idea.

“Amir, Zosa, would you two like to pick out the next record we listen to?”

Amir looked up from his stew, swallowing the spoonful he had just fed himself. His eyes darted to Lev and then to Zosa, she was enthusiastically nodding; Seeing it as an opportunity to learn more about Amir's music taste. Amir's golden eyes returned to Lev, a smile tugging at his lips;

“I’d love to.” replied Amir.

Zosa set down her spoon and slid her chair back, she remained composed— despite her growing joy. Leaving her chair, she began to walk out of the kitchen. Trailed by Dasha, whose walk was rather leisurely. From afar, she spoke, her voice barely above her normal volume:

“Come on, Amir.”

Everyone's gaze was watching as he left the room, grinning to himself. All the more confirmation of what Lev suspected. Behind Zosa, Amir and Dasha followed her every step. Through the library, to the stairs, down a hallway— into her bedroom. He paused, observing its state. It wasn't messy but it wasn't exceptionally organised. On the floor he saw a pile of books, they had been the same books from the bus ride. She must've been reading them. Near the books was a sketchpad, flipped open with a sketch of someone's face— someone he didn't know. Nor did Zosa know them. She simply imagined them. The walls of her room were painted plain white, the curtains in front of her windows were lace and a similar shade of white. Propped against one of the walls was another painting, half finished. Returning his gaze to her, she'd crossed the room.

“Which record?” asked Zosa.

Amir walked over, peering over her shoulder as she shuffled through each record from her collection. Most of which were rock. For some reason, he didn't expect her to like rock. Jazz would make much more sense. He must've not noticed the fender guitar tossed on top of her bed— she'd been playing it half of the day, practising riffs she hadn't in years. Only to realise how much she missed playing the guitar.

“Mmmm… I like… The Doors or, um, Black Sabbath.”

“Which Black Sabbath album?”

“Any.” Amir paused, his eyes faltering from the albums. Now, he looked at her, pondering something. He practically mumbled into her ear, though he hadn't noticed their close proximity. “So, your parents are okay with you playing music like this, in front of them?”

Sifting through her albums, she searched for a Black Sabbath album. Although she didn't want to face Amir, her fingers slowly flicked past each album. Buying time. Unknown to Amir, her pale cheeks had been shaded by a subtle hue of crimson. She couldn't understand why he stood so terribly close to her or why her face felt so… So warm. A radiating warmth.

“Mhm, my father especially loves rock. Let me guess, your parents hate rock?”

“Amazing guess.” mumbled Amir, a bitter laugh escaping him. Again, he looked around her room, this time he spotted the electric guitar. Amir left her side, walking to her bed. “You have a Fender?”

“Yeah.” whispered Zosa.

“That’s surprising, Zosa.”

Zosa looked over her shoulder, watching as Amir picked up her guitar. From afar, he looked mesmerised by the instrument.

“That means you play guitar, right?” asked Amir.

“No, I own it purely for it to collect dust.” mumbled Zosa.

Amir laughed.

From the selection of Black Sabbath albums she had— she chose Master of Reality. Her favourite Black Sabbath album.

“We need to play together at some point.” stated Amir.

“Oh, that'd be fun.” replied Zosa, walking to the door. Carefully, she carried her album by her side. “Come on.”

Setting down the guitar, Amir followed Zosa, pondering what else he had yet to learn about her.

Within seconds, the duo reappeared in the kitchen, switching the old record with Master of Reality. Zosa gently moved the needle, dropping it onto the record. She stood, watching as the needle slowly moved inwards. The music faded in, filling the room with a metal sound. Amir, remaining by her side, also watched the record.

“What did you two choose?” asked Rami, twisting his body to face Amir and Zosa.

“Master of Reality by Black Sabbath.”

“Best album by them.” mumbled Rami, turning back to eat his stew.

“Agreed.” nodded Zosa.

“I think Paranoid is better.” replied Amir.

“Definitely is.” interjected Lev, speaking between bites of his food.

“See, your dad agrees with me.”

“Am I supposed to be impressed?” questioned Zosa, turning towards Amir.

“As a matter of fact, you should be so impressed.” asserted Amir, holding back his laughter.

“Oh, sorry.” Zosa’s lips threatened to pull back into a smile, an equally sarcastic remark in store for him. Remaining unphased, she passively shrugged him off. “I forgot to feel impressed.”

To the amusement of Zosa, Rami began to laugh.

“Sit back down and finish your meals, please.” inserted Minah, wanting her daughter to finish dinner. Zosa promised she would.

Zosa nodded and shuffled back over to her chair, quietly followed by Amir. Before he began to eat, he glanced at Zosa, observing her features once again. A smirk pulling back the corners of his uneven lips.

“May I ask what religion you two are?” asked Lev, sitting back in his chair. He had already finished his stew.

“Coptic… Rami and I have the tattoos to show for it.” answered Amir.

“Tattoos?” questioned Lev.

“Coptic tattoos are a tradition, they have been for hundreds of years.” mumbled Rami.

Amir promptly tugged the sleeve of his sweater above his wrist, showing the small onyx cross on his right wrist. Looking down at his wrist, Zosa's eyes traced the shape of the tattoo. It wasn't like the cross she'd seen most often. The cross was equally armed, each of which ended with three different points. Despite his waning warmth for the Coptic Church, the small etching on his skin remained, a constant reminder of his immutable identity.

“Why does it have three points at the end?”

“It represents the Trinity.”

“Who?”

“The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”

“Oh…” mumbled Zosa, still unsure if she understood who or what he was talking about. It must've been a concept outside of Judaism. A sense of shame had filled her, she hardly knew anything of his religion.

“What age were you when you got your tattoos?” asked Lev.

“I was six.” Rami looked towards Amir, who hadn't heard Lev’s question. Rami shouted at his older brother, “Amir, what age were you when you got your tattoo?”

“Mmmm, seven.” answered Amir, temporarily tearing away his gaze from Zosa.

“Six and seven?” repeated Minah, eyes going circle as she looked at Rami.

“Yeah, it only took around five minutes.” shrugged Rami, sticking another piece of fruit in his mouth.

“How painful was it?” asked Lev, he had been given a tattoo during the war— he hid it well… It was painful in ways he couldn't begin to describe. It didn't hurt his arm. It pained his heart. He was a number, not a name, like livestock.

“Extremely.” mumbled Rami, remembering his shrieks as a child. Rami's eyebrows came together as he added. “It’s weird because after the pain subsided, I went to my friends, bragging. I was so prideful about this little mark on my wrist and somehow I still am.”

“Right.” started Amir, taking a sip of water before continuing. After swallowing the water, Amir motioned with his hands as he explained his thought process. “We actually went to Jerusalem to get our tattoos done by this family that has been doing these tattoos for hundreds of years. Our father had his tattoo done by the same artist.”

“Ah, that must've made it extremely special.” commented Minah.

“At the time, it was.” mumbled Amir.

Khalil and Amir had a rather complex relationship; Khalil wanted Amir to be the perfect son— an example for Rami. Amir never was. He had a naturally mischievous streak, further fueled by his friends. Repeatedly scolding his son throughout the years drove their relationship apart.

“Not anymore?” asked Minah, sympathy filling her eyes.

“My dad and I don't get along.” shrugged Amir.

“Do you get along with him, Rami?”

“I don't think he really likes me…” Rami sat back in his chair, his bowl empty as he lifted his gaze. Staring toward the white ceiling, pondering his words. “Growing up, Amir was the golden boy. Until he wasn't but that didn't mean I'd take his place. It just meant he wasn't good enough nor was I. Mum is nicer.”

“Mum is more gentle, she tries to understand us.” grumbled Amir.

Rami nodded.

“Question, which you don't have to answer if it is too personal but; Were your parents an arranged marriage?” posed Minah.

“No.” stated Amir.

“Oh.” replied Minah, nodding to herself as she began to digest their hypocrisy.

It was strange— two people who hadn't been arranged in a marriage, forcing their son into one? Hadn't they broken some old traditional rules by their union? What would it matter if Amir followed their footsteps, marrying someone he wanted. See the matter was the suspicion Khalil held in his mind; Amir wasn't religious enough. He didn't appear to enjoy mass like he once did. Leading Khalil to believe a good Copt girl would set him on the righteous path. Like a sheep that was lost, found by its shepherd and taken home. All that to simply say; They didn't wish to arrange him into a marriage but rather force one upon him.

“What about you, Rami?”

“Hm, I only turned eighteen this past January, they're probably getting ready to start ramping up matches.”

“All the while, I am twenty, practically an old man…” Amir began to grin, laughter bubbling through his words. “An old man who hasn't married, I'm a creature of sin.”

“You looked good for being an old man.” mumbled Zosa, lifting her glass of water to her lips.

“Don’t lie to him, he's practically bald and saggy. You don't like bald and saggy men, do you?”

After setting down her glass of water, Zosa looked towards Amir, carefully weighing her next words. On one hand, she could take up for Amir. On the other hand, of equal appeal, she could join Rami’s taunts. Looking her in the eyes, Amir raised his brows, questioning her intentions; In her eyes, he could see she was stuck processing her thoughts… Debating.

“I’m not lying to him, he looks good.” reiterated Zosa, staying the course.

He smiled. That lovely smile. She couldn't get enough of it. How genuine it appeared. Tugging his lips back. Crinkling the corners of his eyes. Deepening his smile lines.

“Thank you, Zosa.” replied Amir, his voice full of a sing-song tone.

“You’re welcome, Amir.” breathed Zosa.

Unbeknownst to them, Lev and Minah shot each other knowing glances. Minah even had to push back the snickers that threatened to leave her body. The trio was rather entertaining, but her main focus was the romance she saw. It was blooming. Amir appeared to surrender himself to his feelings, as if he'd already come to terms with them. Allowing them to settle in his heart, their new home for now until… Who knows. As for Zosa, being their daughter, they could see in her eyes what lived within her. Her soul was poured into her expressive eyes, anyone could know what she felt just from a simple glance. It made both Lev and Minah wonder if Amir noticed it. After all, they did.

By the end of the dinner, Amir and Zosa had gone back to her bedroom; It was the perfect time to give him the books she had promised. All the while, Rami sat in Amir’s car, waiting in silence. Scanning each shelf, she retrieved some of her favourite books; The Trial, The Brothers Karamazov, Crime and Punishment, and Invitation to a Beheading. He looked down at the unfamiliar books he now carried, wondering if they'd have any reflection upon her own personality. Amir always assumed that the books you read meant something about the reader's personality. Like how science-fiction is deeply associated with nerds and its culture. Perhaps, he'd find some common ground between all these books and create a connection to Zosa.

“Thank you, Zosa.”

“You're welcome, I truly hope you enjoy them, like I have.”

“I hope so too.” mumbled Amir, heading towards the door.

She smiled, following him out of the room and down the stairs. By the next minute, they stood outside, Amir holding onto the books she'd given him. The moon had risen above the horizon, her borrowed light shining on the city below. Against the wall of her parents' house they leaned, quietly enjoying each other's presence. With lowered eyelids, she stared at her feet, pondering what silence between them meant. A rosy tint painted on her cheeks, he couldn't tell if it was from the winter air or her emotions. Silence. Neither of them wanted to break it. Breaking it meant bidding each other a final farewell for the night. For some inexplicable reason, she felt a rush of sorrow return. Now she knew— the night they met, she was okay to part with the world outside her room. It was him she wanted to bring along. Disappointed filled Amir's voice as he said;

“I have to be heading off now, Zosa.”

“What a shame, it's been nice to have you join us tonight.” sighed Zosa.

“But, I’ll be seeing you tomorrow?” asked Amir, he already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear her say it.

“You will.” through her eyelashes, she began to look toward Amir. A playful grin spread across her lips as she joked. “And I will be seeing you tomorrow?”

“You will.” confirmed Amir, a quiet chuckle leaving his lips.

“What a lovely thing we have to look forward to.” whispered Zosa.

“Truly, ah, well, good night, Zosa.”

“Good night, Amir.”

Thoughts swarmed Amir's mind as he trudged towards the driver's side of his car. He didn't look back but he could feel that Zosa's grey eyes followed him. They followed until she could no longer stand the cold air. It was then she retreated back inside, her heart fluttering around her chest as she shut the door behind her. Amir sat in the driver's seat, retrieving the keys from his pocket. The engine roared in some loud American manner as he switched on the ignition. There was much to think of. It wasn't as if his life was falling apart at the seams that he'd taken time to sew together like a dedicated seamster. Even if it felt like it. Perhaps, he was stupid for running out of the house in the midst of some disagreement. Yet, Rami joined him. Rami knew there'd be ramifications for their actions. They both did. Still, Rami’s loyalty glued him to his brother's side. His parents would fly into another rage if they knew whose house their sons had been at. Any girl who wasn't Coptic wouldn't be considered pure enough. Amir knew that.

“Do you genuinely love her?” Rami asked, it was if he knew who Amir had been thinking of.

“I think it’s too early to call it love, but, I know it's something more than a simple feeling.”

#౨ৎ Zosa Shakarova #౨ৎ Amir Qamar #౨ৎ Rami Qamar #౨ৎ Lev Shakarov #౨ৎ Yoon Minah #౨ৎ Postcards from Paris #౨ৎ (i luv them)

0 notes

daegall · 3 years

Text

[21:15]

pairing: boyfriend! renjun x reader

genre: fluff, like a little bit of angst but thats for like 2 seconds in the beggining, high school! AU

warnings: uhhh there's a mention of a fight i think

word count: 967 words

a/n: OH MY FUCKING GOD I HAVE 4 DAYS TO FINISH MY RENJUN FIC UHHH WISH ME LUCK IM PULLING ALL NIGHTERS

networks: @neoturtles @knet-bakery @kokonomi @twozeronet

You sit upset and disappointed on your bed, scrolling through your feed on your computer, sighing at all the photos and videos your friends posts at the dance they are right now, looking down at your very inelegant outfit compared to their beautiful dresses.

You only had one reason not to go, your boyfriend. Renjun didn't want to go, claiming it would be a waste of time and super stupid, to which you wanted to counter back with an argument, but didn't want anything to break out.

But alas, an argument broke out just a few hours ago after you simply asked him if he was sure if he didn't want to go. It was too late already anyway, you had no preparations. No dress, no shoes, no plans at all.

And you really regret it as you stuff your face in a pillow and groan.

Just a second later you hear a rustle from out your window, but ignore it, thinking it was just another raccoon scavenging for scraps. A few moments beat by, before there's a literal beat playing outside, followed by music.

In confusion and curiosity, you climb off your bed to peek outside, surprised at the sight of your boyfriend, looking all adorable with his nervous smile and his hands twiddling with each other.

You open your window with a raised brow, looking left to right to see if there were anybody nearby. Nothing, just an empty street with your beloved loved one standing there with a radio.

"Renjun?"

"H-hey,"

You can't help but snort at his nervous tone, "What are you doing here?"

His smile falters, gaze dropping to his slippers, before he looks back up with a completely guilty look that shakes you in a way. "I've been a real ass."

Surprised, you open your mouth to sat what's on your mind, but Renjun raises his hand up to stop you. "Wait! Let me finish, please," his eyes plead as they meet with yours, it twists something in you, so you gesture him to carry on.

"I haven't been the best boyfriend. Or a good boyfriend, at that. I only thought of what I wanted, when your wants are also a priority too. I'm sorry I made you miss such a big part of high school, and I'm sorry for what I said earlier, I was being selfish."

You gape in awe at the softness that drips from Renjun's words, melting in how genuine he sounds, how he actually means the apology.

"I uh," He scratches the nape of his neck in embarrassment, sticking the radio in his hands out, "I thought we could have our own dance? You don't have to dress up, really. I mean I'm not that dressed up either." Your boyfriend grows shy upon realizing he suddenly sprang up from doing his nightly routine just to go to your house, only throwing on a jacket.

"You can wear anything you'd like! A dress, an ugly Christmas sweater, anything! You'll always look stunning to me,"

This time, it's you who breaks out into a flustered smile at his words, feeling truly stunning despite just wearing your normal pajamas. You beckon Renjun closer, "Shut up and get in here."

A few minutes later, you have your boyfriend successfully hauled into your room, although he is panting on the floor. "I think I'm about to pass out,"

You nudge at his stomach, setting the radio on your bedside table, "Oh stop it, you're being dramatic." Renjun grins weakly at the way you seem to glow with the soft moonlight hitting your skin, you look absolutely beautiful and he's so thankful he came to apologize tonight.

He quickly joins you on his feet (which still has slippers on), fumbling for the radio to turn on and go to the right station that plays the slow music from before. You laugh when he struggles, noticing the small pink in his cheeks as he constantly tries to change the channel.

After a few moments of him nervously smiling and mumbling out gentle apologies, soft music finally emits from the radio. It's quite fascinating, how the music comes out a bit muffled and it has a soft feeling to it.

Renjun's always been attached to the radio, you often see him turning it on when he's painting, or when you two were simply hanging out, it's a small detail you love about him. It's incredibly endearing to you that he brought it tonight, it causes you to grow soft.

Renjun sets the radio back down, before he waddles back a few steps, and does a bow with a small smile. "May I have this dance?" You follow along, bowing with your head down, though that's just to hide the ridiculous smile on your face. You mumble a small 'yes' as you gain the courage to look up into his eyes, though now you are unable to look away from them, you're afraid you might just stare at them forever and forget about reality.

Softly, your lover takes your hand in his, intertwining them together affectionately, as he rubs small soothing circles on the back of your hand. Slowly, he takes your waist in his other hand, and starts moving.

You dance across every corner of your room, laughing when you accidentally bump into something, playfully twirling each other around with sweet smiles.

The night seems so short when you spend time with Renjun, dancing to any song that plays, whether it's the same slow song, or some random EDM music Hyuck and Taeil listen to. You dance crazily along the night, unbothered by the constant updates of how the dance was going, or who was crowned queen or king, you simply don't care when you feel like you can rule the world in Renjun's arms.

174 notes · View notes

sanstropfremir · 2 years

Note

Hey! I know that seventeen isn’t really on your radar but have you seen/heard Woozi’s solo Ruby? I really liked the music video especially the scenes with the models like they really leaned into the fact that he’s super short by putting him in a sunken part of the set and having models (I think they’re actually a dance group but they’re supposed to be models so same same) in heels walk around him. I think you’ll really like the outfits he wore in the mv! The zebra striped suit is just *chef’s kiss* and I love the jacket he wears in the yellow set with the flowers.

i have! i do watch svt releases when they come out because i'm casually hoping something will hit as hard as don't wanna cry but alas, perhaps it wasn't meant to be. and when i heard there was gonna be another solo debut from them i was looking forward to it at least for the production design alone, and i wasn't disappointed in that regard! the mv looks really good and i do love the styling! my favourite is the red velvet suit, because i'm a sucker for velvet (it's one of my favourite textiles), but the zebra stripe suit is excellent also! i don't love the branded stuff as much because it's not any of the interesting luxury branding. i didn't like that particular line from balenciaga and i don't like that logo print from gucci either; it's so specific to like....equestrian club aesthetic and old money that seeing it in any context other than that just takes me right out of it.

obviously it's got that hybe money so the production looks really sharp and i like the set design a lot, especially the fact that designer+director actually took his height into account for framing, which is VERY uncommon in kpop because all these boys are so insecure about being average height. i also really liked the shot with the lasers on the bedazzled guitar strap, even though it probably blinded a few people while they shot it. i did also watch the special stage he did on mcountdown and they built such a great replica set for it and then just.....didn't use it. like it really screams that they they didn't have a performance director who understands how proper stage blocking works. choreographing movements for dance on stage and choreographing like, 'normal person movements' on stage are two different skills and they aren't totally interchangeable. there's a lot of weird little things about where you stand and what direction you face and why and how you make movements in order to maximize the gesture, whereas with something like kpop dance it's self-contained unit that can be slapped onto any flat surface. like they had him stand up centre, and then walk down centre, and then walk back up centre only to change to another location where he also stands centre? c'mon. if you want him to look like a rock star get him to move like one. they built runways onto the damn stage, let him use them! i also don't like that they had a location change? like it's neither earned nor used. the whole appeal of a music show is to see the performer like, actually do the thing? in one go? obvs music show stages are edited together from the best takes but they still release fancams where you can see the long division. when you have a location change AND an outfit change it basically tosses that illusion out the window, and they don't even pay off the change for a climatic moment! like he goes from a huge set to a tiny one! why!! so they can show him not playing the guitar solo??? again, if you want to style him as a rock star, just do the rock star set up for one stage; let him bounce around and scream!! where is the character!! and if they want to do a proper stage like they did for the first two thirds then have him do more interesting movements! they had a great setup for having him walk the paths in between the dancers that would have been so fun and playful, but instead they just recreated the mv but with a lower budget and less interestingly. i know that music shows are tv programs but deep down it bothers me greatly that they overuse crazy camerawork to 'make it interesting to watch' when they could instead be showcasing actually good blocking and charismatic performances. it really does disappoint me to no end that sk has such a huge musical theatre industry and there's SO little crossover into how idol performances are constructed and supported. sorry not sorry i'm going off about this but this is the first non-dancing solo debut i've seen in a while and i get to yell about theatre stuff for once instead of dance choreo. also like. they have hybe money now. we saw what hoshi did with it. you don't have to be relegated to having boring movements if you can't dance.

#kpop questions #seventeen #svt w #woozi #they really only colour graded the SHIT out of that gucci jacket because its original tone would have ruined the vibes of the mv #which i know its a valid solution if you really like a piece but the colour is wrong but like..to use it JUST to shoehorn a luxury brand...#imo its a poor design decision do better #kpop stylists truly do NOT know what to do with brown its terrible #the whole skin lightening thing has made it so stylists will do anything to not put an idol in warm colours #but cool brown r ugly and warm tones look so nice PLEASE #this is why cix's cinema mv made it into my top stylings for 2021 bc it used brown so well!!!#brown is a perfectly fine colour y'all have just set yourselves up to make it hard!#also i dont like the song. its so short and feels half finished. why is it only chorus #my apologies to svt fans i think this makes it seem like i dont like ruby but the reality is. yes i don't like it but in a disappointed way #like i can see the potential it was SO close and yet. i get the most wordy about stuff i think could be so much better #text #answers #im not talking about actual idols being musical theatre actors because god knows only a fraction of them could hack it #i mean directors/choreographers/designers etc. the people doing the work to actually make the performances #although maybe i think we should make idols do musical theatre. it would certainly thin the herd #someone a while ago wrote a tag on a reblog of a xiumin post wondering how musical acting would influence his idol performances #and i have an answer for you: yes its a good thing and also junsu #i really should have included the pit a pat choreo on my fave choreos list because goddamn #it really is just a stunt on all the other boys #you can absolutely have well-theatrically blocked dance choreo (see above) but also hala hala #ateez pls bring back whoever did hala hala #am i still having a junsu breakdown? yes. i just think that he. yanno?

3 notes · View notes

camelotcinematicuniverse · 3 years

Text

About Harry and Maple

Well, this is gonna be a really strange little thing that I write, but I'm still excited nonetheless.

In a Mario Golf 64 Twitch stream clip, the awesome speedrunner MetalYoshi ProGamer (yes, that's his alias. No, it's not lame, shaddup) asked the following question to his chat:

"Do you think that Maple has some kind of relationship to Harry?"

And that got me really thinking to the point that this very blog was made. So thanks, MetalYoshi. If you ever read this, I really needed that boost to put my thoughts out there.

Anyway, I actually have a few headcanon theories relating to Maple and Harry, but first we need context. Both Harry and Maple are the final characters from the Camelot OC bunch to be unlocked (without the Game Boy Color Mario Golf save file), thus making them the "best" of the Camelot OC golfers as character progression is measured through how far you get in the various modes of Mario Golf 64. Harry is the final Camelot Character unlocked through Get Character, while Maple happens to be the first character unlocked through earning 50 Birdie Badges. Technically that makes her the weakest of the four final characters (Maple, DK, Bowser and Metal Mario), but out of every Camelot OC she's probably the best alongside Harry.

Metal Mario may topple everyone else in stats and control alone, but don't let that discourage you from checking Harry and Maple out either. They have their own little quirks and low points, but they're still really good choices if you want something different from Bowser and Metal Mario.

Now for the fun part: my headcanons! I have three ideas to throw out in the ring, so you can decide for yourself which headcanon you'd like to go with. Hell, make your own and let's see what we can all come up with! Now then, let's begin!

_________________

Headcanon #1: Maple is Harry's daughter/little sister/family member:

This is an extremely cute idea to me because both of these characters look similar in a way, but they definitely have a difference in behavior with their mode select screen idle poses. Here we see Harry, with his alt colors, doing a semi serious crossed arms look. Like he takes himself a bit too seriously, but you can tell he loves the game of golf:

As for Maple, the screenshot wouldn't be enough, but she's dancing and just generally being cute:

Do you all notice anything about these two? How they have almost the exact same alt colors, how Harry's older, more seasoned presence kind of trickles down to Maple's eagerness (due to her dancing)? They're both blonde, and even the small things like the structure of Maple's nose kind of seem like a natural feminine version of Harry's being smaller and a lot less prominent, but it's still more than Plum's to me.

All this to say I have the theory that Maple could be Harry's daughter or even younger sister. It's just something about Harry that gives me this "older and wiser" vibe to Maple, and with some of the similarities pointed out, I like to imagine that Harry is a proud dad or brother to a young lady (honestly have no real idea of Maple's age, but I go with young adult/older teen vibes) who is as interested in golfing and competing to get even farther drives than before -- Maple. She looks up to him heavily and even starts to wear some of the same things as him but in her style. Note the first (1st) and third (3rd) alternate colors on the pair: the former is an orange shirt, and the latter is a red shirt. Hell, Maple goes so far as to change her shorts color to red as well, instead of the usual blue/purple. Look also at the hair color from Maple to Harry's hat color. The second (2nd) alt on Harry has an auburn-esque color, and Maple has her hair color changed to Auburn too!

I know that the more practical response would be "that's just how the game works in alt colors," but in universe, why else would Maple go out of her way to change her hair color and wear similar color coded outfits to Harry? Could she be extremely happy to emulate his behaviors and style from the extremely healthy bond the two have shared? Could he have been the closest thing to an exceptional male role model she had in her developmental years, so she trusts him and loves him to the point of having the same colors as an alt? That's something I like considering. Imagine if we had Harry console Maple on things that she's going through in her personal life, giving her a man's perspective on relationships and friends, and them enjoying their time together and being super close. When it comes time to golf, though, they are both competitive!

Headcanon #2: Harry is Maple's mentor:

A lot similar to the dad/brother one, Harry still is able to give Maple advice and pointers on her life, but it's about as much time spent as an average evening of golfing practice, typically a few hours at most. This is really the one I spent the least amount of time thinking about as it's not as interesting as the other two points, but I still thought this would be cool to share alas.

Headcanon #3: Maple and Harry are dating:

Ok, ok, here's the one I think MetalYoshi was hinting at with the way he worded his question. "Do you think Maple has some kind of relationship with Harry?" is probably something I figured he meant as a romance thing...well, I'll explore this one here.

From the first headcanon, we can see they have things in common physically and hobby wise, but what else do they like to do? Maybe Harry secretly likes cooking and Maple does too. Maybe he takes her out when she's upset. They would cuddle every night with a glass of wine (dare I say...Sherry?), and for Harry, Maple is what he needed in his life to keep him from taking everything too seriously. Loosening up to let her in after he puts up his own barrier to his emotions and probably has some puppy eyes thrown in.

Maple really likes Harry in this case because it gives her a sense of security, safety, a feeling of trust and realistic love that no one she had ever been with had before. She's unafraid of letting her walls come down and being more social and being herself around Harry. Her cute, tomboy, dorky self is what he truly cares about.

Hell it even goes through to golfing. Maybe the fact that they foil from each other and compliment well together is what makes them strong as golfers with a good drive and above average control. (Clearly not the best, but for them, that's ok)

________________

When it's all said and done, I do really like the idea of Maple and Harry together in some way. I think it's all too coincidental for them to nearly match in their alt colors, have some of the best stats of all the Camelot OCs, and how much they really do seem to mesh well together. In my eyes, the headcanon I do like the most is the familial one, but the romance option is such a cute option as well, and not to mention in my personal fanfics all three headcanons are interchangeable. The mentor/family friend one is used more often in my writing blurbs, but I liked the other two so much more that I'll have to implement them a lot more!

Ay, thanks for reading this. I really appreciate the traction since I don't usually share a lot of my headcanons on Tumblr...ah well. Enjoy!

#camelot cinematic universe #mapleXharry #mario golf #unironically #golf harry #golf maple #headcanon

3 notes · View notes

nadango · 4 years

Text

Alela Grora: an analysis thingy

Good day to the funamusea fandom that has neglected my beautiful angel (joking. Maybe.) I offer you sea urchins a collection of observations concerning the eccentric lady: Alela Grora.

I'll be breaking down her personality and interpreting every scene and official art she's appeared in, and even include a couple of theories to fill in the gaps, if you find that interesting.

Note: I believe seichiinara did this before when she was active, but I sadly never got to read it. Therefore, everything here is based on my own observations.

First of all...Who is Alela Grora?

Grora is an angel that serves as Etihw's subordinate. She's an archer and a war veteran, and now destroys Wodahs' garden full time.

Based on canon appearances, she is described by Yosafire as "a weird lady looking for her eye"...Perhaps it's because Yosaf isn't too familiar with Grora (which I kinda doubt) or Grora simply doesn't get too close to others, keeping her cool and mysterious appearance.

To the player, I'm sure she seemed like a cool and laid back adult, contrasting Wodahs because opposites attract. She only ever loses her cool when Ater is involved because of the eye incident, which I will talk about later.

But, other than that, we don't know much about her. Being chill isn't an entire personality, especially when we're talking about a literal soldier who lived through the dark war era. Yet, what makes Tgg and dsp's storytelling magnificent is the way they make their stories more than what they seem. During the game, you have a group of cute main characters who are facing danger, but slowly you start to feel something darker creep in the background, not the angry flame demons, but the guardians of their peaceful world hide a lot more than you think.

Therefore, important characters such as Grora, Kcalb, Etihw, the cats and Wodahs-- who is this big question mark-- aren't going to reveal themselves just like that. No, a good writer will drop subtle hints in their mere actions.

Grora literally lost an arm and nearly blew to death for --ah, a certain group of girls. Reincarnations of Etihw's past subordinates. Grora's previous colleagues she had witnessed their deaths and their burial.

She encourages Macarona and is close to Froze for a reason (she hasn't interacted with Chelan as of now, probably didn't have a chance to) ...because of the guilt and the pain she has felt as she saw her previous world fall apart, she wants the descendants of her colleagues to enjoy this new world a d have a wonderful and peaceful life, a life their ancestors would've wanted. And this would make sense, since she's the only character to not explicitly talk about the past, but also the only one to directly compare Froze to Sherbet.

To sum this up, Grora is a very chill individual who is loved by all, a bit odd sometimes, but still friendly. She is selfless and will fight for what is right, probably due to her past experiences during the war, which she is trying to forget and move on, unlike the rest of the crew. Alas, she can't, for everything reminds her of the terrible old world.

Character Design

Hands down, dsp did the Blancblack crew's designs justice. When it comes to Grora, we could note a few things:

Her current outfit resembles Sherbet/Froze's a bit too much. This may indicate that Sherbet might've had a certain impact on her. I can't say for sure that they were close or not, but he did do something that'll make Grora act the way she does towards Froze.

Missing halo: She is close to Etihw and works under them, no? So why doesn't she wear it? We know it's an accessory, but someone in Grora's position would wear it. For example, Taffy, who is the Head Angel of his world, doesn't wear one because he's not fond of Fumus to begin with, and that includes Olive. All the other Angels don't mind their gods, so they keep the halo. Dsp doesn't need to tell us that, it's logical. Something might've happened between Grora and Etihw, but it's not necessary huge. It could've just altered her point of view or something.

Now, for the war outfit. It is, simply, inspired by Etihw's diamond themed robes. Another thing to note is the tired expression she wore is VERY similar to Etihw's. This might mean that Etihw had a large influence on Grora, and we'll get to their relationship later on.

Grora's color palette is exactly the opposite of Wodahs', which is a good choice considering that they drastically contradict each other. But it's important to note that Etihw and Kcalb also have opposite color palettes, black and white, dark and light, two past enemies who's mentalities are totally different. It's quite curious of Dsp to design Wod and Grora this way too, no?

Ater and Grora's eye

Grora's grudge against Ater isn't simply a grudge. If she is truly trying to heal and let go of the past, why couldn't she just forgive Ater and heal her eye like Wodahs suggested?

Grora was most likely a fierce warrior, an archer, and having her eye taken out must've been humiliating. A strong and pure being torn down to pieces. That incident was proof of her cowardice. Therefore, the lost eye resembles her lost pride. Finding it again means redeeming herself, but of course, the eye has nothing to do with pride. It's just a distraction.

I may be looking way into this, but it DOES make more sense that way. Same thing goes for Wodahs' eye, but I'll talk about that some other time.

Speaking of Wodahs...

Eyepatch Angels

Whether you ship them platonically or romantically, they're still the best duo and work perfectly together either way.

Based on the events of the game, Wodahs and Grora are close colleagues who always bicker and fight over the most mundane things (Grora is usually the one who starts) yet they make a great team. Grora has a bit of a crush on him because who doesn't but these feelings don't seem reciprocated (Small note: That doesn't mean he doesn't care for her at all, and we barely know what Wodahs is thinking most of the time, so we're not really sure. He's also very dense sometimes)

There isn't much to say about their current relationship for now. What's more interesting is their relationship during the war, and boy oh boy, do I have some news.

I'm sure we all know this infamous art, the only art featuring them so badass and, so far apart too. They're also facing each others backs, and considering their close relationship, this is bad news. Only enemies are positioned like this, and the high gap resembles how distant they are from each other. That being said, Wodahs and Grora have quite the history. If only dsp could reveal more about them.

Oh, a wild theory has appeared!

Using these observations (specifically Grora's relations to Etihw and Wodahs, and the missing halo) we could come up with some context.

Grora respected and looked up to Etihw, remaining true and loyal to them. At some point, Grora became/was going to be head angel, only for her position next to Etihw was taken by Wodahs, and it angered her.

Etihw most likely paid more attention to him, and ignored Grora. Perhaps they've hurt her in some way, which resulted into a shattered relationship. Sure, everything was fine after Kacalb nuked the world, but memories and past experiences stay.

Well...this speculation is farfetched, but I wanted to share an abridged version of it with you

And that, ladies and gentlemen, includes the analysis thingy. If you've made it here, thank you so much for reading!! And I hope this helped you in some way!

Also, looking at how hard I tried to summarize this, I'm kinda anxious about the Wodahs analysis, since there's a LOT to cover...Haha.

#funamusea #the gray garden #mogeko theories #海底囚人 #alela grora #wodahs (the gray garden)#etihw (the gray garden)#kcalb (the gray garden)#ater (the gray garden)#poison bugs #obsolete dream #mogeko castle #oounabara to wadanohara #wadanohara and the great blue sea

93 notes · View notes

punkscowardschampions · 4 years

Text

James & Ava

James: I can't see you today Ava: Oh Ava: Well, that's a shame James: it is Ava: What are you up to? James: my dad wants me in the office Ava: Ahh, okay Ava: Well no worries, Monday then James: I won't let anything stop me Ava: I understand Ava: It's cool James: if I can find time to call you later, hearing your voice would make me feel better about a lot of things Ava: That'd be nice Ava: really nice James: missing you is the nicest cliche I think I've experienced James: for a long time Ava: I can't stop thinking about you Ava: so it's good to know you've thought about me too James: of course I have James: I am James: it's what's going to get me through today Ava: Oh James Ava: I'm going to talk to you all day, in my head James: I was going to take you to [insert a cute date location that wouldn't take very long to get to because he wouldn't have had long] so make sure you tell me what you think Ava: Would it be entirely too tragic for me to go alone and pretend you're with me? James: no more tragic than if I ask you to take enough pictures for me to be able to pretend that I'm there Ava: Of course Ava: I owe you for my picture of you 🥰 James: you don't owe me anything James: I'd give you so much more if I could Ava: Me too, I wish I could take pictures just for you Ava: Have to get old school and get a P.O. box James: or keep them on your phone & show me when you can Ava: That I can do James: but will you? Ava: If you tell me how much you want it James: the only thing I want more is to see you in person Ava: I really, really miss you Ava: It, I can feel it James: I'm really sorry, darling Ava: It's not your fault Ava: and it reminds me it's real James: It's my fault James: I could stand up to my dad & say I don't want to work there Ava: If it were that simple, you would've Ava: it's security for your family Ava: you can't just do it without a backup plan in place Ava: least of all for me James: I should have a backup plan James: it's bullshit that I don't Ava: You can make one Ava: you'll have a degree and experience now Ava: you can at least apply to other places with that, get out from under your dad, then think about what you want longterm after that James: Oh Ava Ava: You can, and you will Ava: You're like just finished with Uni now Ava: who knows what they're doing before then, you only have to front you do because children James: I want you to be right Ava: I am Ava: You're smart and driven and good James: how do you know? Ava: Because I said, you can't live like this forever Ava: and you won't Ava: what's the alternative? James: that actually she's right James: everything she says & thinks about me Ava: She's not Ava: She's not right about anything and she knows it Ava: that's why she has to go so hard James: you're right because you said I need you & I do Ava: I'm right because it's true Ava: you're worthy of good things, James James: I'm not a good person, Ava James: I'm barely a person at all Ava: But you are, James Ava: You're a person Ava: whether she wants that or not James: Jay can start boarding school in a year, I've already made that plan Ava: Is that what you want? James: it's what she needs Ava: Okay, so that's a start then James: I don't want to send her away but I don't want her to stay here Ava: Once you've sorted the rest, you can bring her back Ava: She's young, kids are so resilient James: It was so much easier when she was too young to understand what was being said or done Ava: Yeah Ava: I see that, with my family Ava: it's all okay until it needs to be explained Ava: because it can't be explained, or isn't James: exactly James: what words am I ever going to be able to find to make it okay? there aren't any Ava: Actions count Ava: and you love them Ava: that counts for so much James: will it count for enough? James: my actions certainly aren't good enough Ava: Almost definitely Ava: I can't say 100% but a good 99% James: you don't have to say anything James: I'm in my wet clothes today, that's all Ava: You don't have to excuse yourself, ever James: don't I? Ava: Not with me James: that wipes out well over half of my current vocabulary, just so you're aware James: it won't be an excuse that I'm speechless around you Ava: We'll work it out together Ava: I don't mind not talking for a while and just James: I'm going to be here until it's very late but if you can get away, I'll say I'm staying even later Ava: Yes Ava: I can make it happen Ava: People are here but I can get out James: me too then Ava: I don't care if it's five minutes Ava: well, I do Ava: but I'll take it James: I definitely do James: but it won't be James: the girls will be asleep before I'm done, I'm not rushing home for her Ava: Then rush to see me James: I promise James: I know you don't want me to, but I do Ava: As far as promises go Ava: that's a pretty good one Ava: they're like cliches James: I'll work through lunch for the possibility you'll be awake by the time I'm allowed to leave Ava: I can catnap if necessary James: oh, well now that's a mental picture I wish I had Ava: Sadly I can't take photos of myself sleeping Ava: and I don't think I can promise I'll waste any time with you napping Ava: 🤔 James: I'm so very conflicted James: what a dilemma James: but we'll be able to solve it when my dad decides I can be trusted on business trips Ava: 🤤🤤🤤 Ava: Please come through for me J I James: knowing him it'll take a while but I'll come through so he'll have no choice but to do the same Ava: All the faith Ava: and Monday when you come over you can have a preview of what to expect Ava: for motivation James: in order for you to keep it & for him to begin to harbour any, I should go James: but I feel very motivated at the thought, so thank you Ava: You've got this Ava: Later, love James: [let's skip then chicken, come at me drunkenly lol] Ava: You probably can't reply Ava: but I wish you were here James: [a dramatically long pause because imagine how extra weekends would be] James: but you're having fun? Ava: Hey ☺️ James: hi Ava: It's alright Ava: everyone's going a bit hard James: I'm sure your brother would happily throw them all out for you Ava: That may be Ava: but he is not invited James: that wouldn't stop him if he's still anything like I remember Ava: 2 kids and a wife might Ava: ha James: from being a protective older brother? I don't think so James: you either are or you're not Ava: yeah but my cousin is here Ava: so no need for the 'adult' supervision Ava: it's cool James: I'm happy to hear it James: there's no opportunity for me to drag Teddy home if he's there & he wouldn't thank me for it Ava: that's a bummer Ava: though I've already sacrificed him once tonight so rude of me James: to who? Ava: said cousin Ava: he isn't actually who I had in mind but you know Ava: be weird if I ❌ James: it sounds very romantic, I have no doubt he'll be thrilled Ava: Yeah it's like Paris in here tonight James: it's like Venice here, by which I mean flooded Ava: ??? James: 🛁 Ava: ahh Ava: awh Ava: 🐥🧼🧽💙 James: so yes, I'd say I wish you were here too, but I can't Ava: that's fair Ava: someone is in my bath alas James: theirs was meant to be hours ago so the chaos is somewhat relatable Ava: uh-oh Ava: I did think it was more like 💤🛌🌃 James: it's actually really far past that time too Ava: yeah Ava: you must be knackered James: if only I could join you in a drink Ava: There's still plenty 🍾🍾 Ava: I'll leave a full one out on the step Ava: for the milkman, like James: 😂 thank you, Ava Ava: my curtsy is so real James: that reminds me, I like your outfit Ava: 🥰 Ava: you're always nice Ava: are you wet? James: drenched, of course James: but actually not in the metaphorical sense Ava: Yay Ava: I'm happy James: are you smiling? Ava: cheeeeeese James: 📷 Ava: I'll take a real one for you Ava: but not right now James: [the longest pause ever like is he gone or what? but no he's just trying to sort the chaos out of course] James: later is an undeniably tempting prospect Ava: all dry Ava: what are you doing now Ava: a story James: well guessed James: would you like to pick it for us? Ava: You have to make one up Ava: a happy ending, naturally James: & there has to be a dog involved or Jay will be very angry indeed Ava: Frank! James: Oh right, I forgot you have one Ava: He's very angry indeed Ava: 😡 James: about the party? Ava: No Ava: about being forgotten Ava: he isn't actually here he's been dogknapped James: he'll forgive you Ava: me! James: yes Ava: you forgot him Ava: he's devastated James: you haven't taken enough selfies with him Ava: are you questioning my love James: I'm not but he could be, that's what I'm saying Ava: this is a sad story James: I'll do a re-write Ava: good idea Ava: he's on holiday James: working on his tan James: you two are very competitive about it Ava: well we've gotta be summer ready Ava: his diet is going awfully though James: he's lucky he doesn't need to go on one James: it was purely hypothetical Ava: he likes baked beans with the lil sausages in James: what do you like? I can't picture him happily sharing Ava: 🤔 Ava: that's a big question Ava: chinese food James: [when you know he's gonna send her some tomorrow for the hangover bye] James: can you use chopsticks? Ava: yes Ava: v dexterous Ava: shame that's not a sexy skill Ava: like cherry stems James: it could be James: you doing it Ava: 🥢 grab your tongue with that boy Ava: 🤭 James: it could work to shut me up James: but it's only making me laugh right now Ava: I like when you talk Ava: and laugh James: I used to be able to do that cherry stem party trick Ava: you'll have to show me Ava: we'll get some, see if you can do it James: It's been years, I probably can't Ava: you don't lose skills like that James: it's not a real skill, it's a boast Ava: yeah Ava: an implication of other skills, I know James: we all tried it out to mock the girls over how 'easy' it was but only a few of us could do it actually Ava: wink wink nudge nudge is how boys do Ava: 'course Ava: don't always have to back up a boast James: especially when it's one you made in another life Ava: nah Ava: i'll judge you and be so disappointed James: Ava! that's outrageous Ava: that's me James: you're supposed to not even be hypothetically disappointed by me Ava: I'm also not meant to lie to you James: okay, I'm backed into a corner, now what? Ava: what I would do to you if I had you in a dark corner right now is not suitable bedtime story-telling Ava: unless you wanna be up all night James: some stories demand to be told regardless James: & I wouldn't be upset about being kept up for as long as this one takes to be told Ava: You're the storyteller Ava: I'm a journalist, I like to report what happens James: [writes her a very sexy essay right here and right now about the life they should be living in the dark corner, like soz Jimothy you've been usurped as the writer & poet in residence] James: well then, you can tell me what's happening to you Ava: I don't know if I can describe that Ava: how you make me feel Ava: like you're here Ava: the only person here James: I think you've described it perfectly Ava: you are perfect James: no Ava: yes James: Ava Ava: James James: you're not meant to lie to me Ava: I'm not James: it's not true, it can't be Ava: opinion can't be wrong Ava: you can say i'm not well-informed if you wanna Ava: but i'll still think it James: I'm not at your party, I won't ever be able to be there Ava: you don't have to be at my party James: but you wish I was James: that's compromise, it can't be perfection Ava: only 'cos I'd rather be with you Ava: because you're so perfect James: if I don't give you what you want, I'm not perfect Ava: i want you Ava: as you Ava: i can miss you and i can wait Ava: i don't need anything else from you James: I don't know who I am Ava: i see who you are Ava: who you could be James: but I could become someone else James: like my dad wants James: like my wife wants Ava: you can't change who you are Ava: even when you try really hard James: you can lose who you are though James: & I have Ava: I'm telling you, I can see you Ava: even if you can't James: when you stop looking at me, it's going to be really hard Ava: I'll only stop if you tell me to Ava: no other reason James: if I tell you to it'll only be because I have to James: for your own sake Ava: you don't have to worry about me James: it's not the 1st time I've done this or had to stop doing it James: I know I have to worry about you Ava: i don't think i'm special Ava: but i know you like me too James: I think you're very special Ava: but i don't care if you can't be with me Ava: well, i do Ava: but i mean i'll be your friend no matter what Ava: you need me and no one can stop me Ava: not your wife or my brother or anyone James: the problem isn't who my wife is or who your brother is, the problem is that I don't care James: that's dangerous Ava: i said i wouldn't cause trouble Ava: and i won't let you get into any either Ava: not 'til you're ready to face it James: I've never met anyone like you before James: it's the most ridiculous cliche Ava: i know Ava: and I've never felt like this before Ava: so there we go two for two James: it's none of my business & you're under no obligation to answer me, but is that because you've not dated a lot of people before or in spite of everyone that you have dated? Ava: you're so cute Ava: I've dated plenty of people Ava: I liked a lot of them, some of them I thought I loved but then it was easy to be friends with them so I don't know, I think it was just that Ava: this is different, whatever it is and whatever they were James: understood Ava: did you date much James: I wasn't looking for that when I was in school & I'm not allowed to seek it out now James: I had a lot of sex before I got married & after but it's far from the same thing Ava: sure Ava: you weren't getting to know them as well as Ava: that's how lots of people operate James: I didn't intend to get to know you, Ava James: I don't know how it happened Ava: I'm not going to apologize for it James: please don't Ava: can i ask you something though James: of course Ava: did you just wanna sleep with me 'cos you thought i was cute or was it anything to do with who my brother is James: why would it be anything to do with him? Ava: i don't know Ava: 'cept i know him and i know there's history there James: I don't hold any grudges against him, we were all liars & fakes then James: all I cared about was my expensive drug habit & sleeping with as many girls as possible Ava: okay, i just had to ask Ava: things can be confusing enough without worrying about shit that ain't even real James: there's history for you too, it's not about any of that, is it? Ava: no Ava: it isn't James: my wife & your sister have so much history James: honestly more than me & her have Ava: i know Ava: but i'm not gonna exact revenge on her behalf via you James: I doubt she'd want that, she's not Chloé James: I don't believe there's anyone capable of holding onto something for as long & as tightly as she can Ava: I don't know Ava: I'm sure her therapist would tell her grudges are pointless but I don't reckon she can live that truth James: at least she has a therapist Ava: hooray for her James: I should probably get one, instead of talking to you like you are Ava: its what you should do Ava: talk to people Ava: work it out together Ava: nancy can't talk to anyone James: all my adult conversations are carefully overseen & orchestrated, it's only her laziness and the inescapable necessity of my parenting that has stopped the way I talk to my children from being put under the same restrictions James: what she did to Nancy was James: & that's only what I can remember Ava: its fucked James: it's already started with Jay James: if I can't find a way to stop it Ava: you have to James: I know Ava: you know its abuse don't you James: It doesn't matter what I know if nobody else knows it James: believes it Ava: how can they not, everyone knows what a total insane bitch she is Ava: sorry James: you don't need to apologise for telling the truth Ava: i'm not trying to make getting out sound easy though when it so clearly isn't James: it wouldn't be that hard for me to get out Ava: with the kids, or access to, though James: she says Jay's not mine whenever I criticise anything she says or does regarding her James: maybe she isn't James: her sex life was as active & varied as mine was Ava: wait Ava: what James: it's what she says if my bags are packed & nothing else has worked James: because I'd never see her again if she's not biologically my daughter James: but she can't say it about Matty, the dates line up too well Ava: are you on Jay's birth certificate? James: yes Ava: then you either are, and you have rights, or she knowingly lied on an official document but also, gave you full parental rights in the process Ava: if she really is lying then she has to incriminate herself and there's more than a case in your favour James: I don't know Ava: she got you to marry her under false pretenses, she stole years of your life James: it'll just be more of her bullshit James: of course she's my kid Ava: she'd do that? Ava: jesus James: she'll say & do anything to stop me from leaving James: in other circumstances it'd be flattering Ava: does she love you James: does it sound like love? Ava: no think she loves you then James: she thinks she's come this far James: not many of my friends would have agreed to marry her if they'd been put in the same situation James: if any, from the ones I had at the time Ava: i just wanna know what she gets from it Ava: she doesn't work or go to school, right? Ava: you seem to do most of the parenting James: isn't that the answer then? she gets a lifestyle that started out easy financially thanks to my parents & has been made easy by me in every other aspect James: I told you, it's my fault Ava: okay, granted but like she's happy to settle for not being crazy in love, just tolerating her kids and having no ambition of her own? at 22, 23? its not as if her parents would let her starve, Christ.. it'd be sad if she weren't evil and happy to take down you and the kids with her James: as I also told you, I've given up trying to figure her out Ava: sorry James: no, I am James: you don't need to worry about this Ava: yeah i do James: no James: you're a 17 year old at a party, Ava James: you shouldn't be worrying about anything Ava: don't patronize me James: that's not how I mean it James: I like you & she'll take you down too if you aren't careful James: I don't want that Ava: no she won't James: if you think that we shouldn't do this Ava: do what James: see each other as much as we are Ava: why not Ava: because i'm not duly afraid of chloe James: because you don't understand the risks Ava: again, don't patronize me James: do you want to end up like your sister? Ava: that won't happen James: it could happen James: & I'm not worth it Ava: it won't Ava: if you don't want to see me then that's your choice Ava: i think you're making a mistake but you're entitled James: I do want to see you James: I so badly want to Ava: then don't put a stop to us James: just please be careful Ava: I'm not afraid to like you James: Ava Ava: I'm just not, okay Ava: and even if i were, i couldn't stop myself and i won't so there James: you're really gonna age me horrifically, aren't you? James: 👴 Ava: well i do only like you 'cos you're older, obviously James: well, the back cover of the book can be all my worry lines Ava: 😂 Ava: sexy James: I can't make everything I do sexy like you do, darling Ava: don't joke i'm trying so hard to seduce you here 😏 James: I'm not joking James: you are & everything you do is Ava: Monday needs to be here now James: will you dance with me when it is, because we can't now Ava: only if you hold me really close and even tighter James: that I can do Ava: come on Ava: say you will James: of course I will Ava: James James: yes? Ava: I wish I could call you James: I'll go outside to smoke, wait a minute Ava: me too Ava: can't hear myself in here James: [another dramatic pause] James: okay Ava: the perks of being one of the only smokers Ava: and its warm out still Ava: i love summer James: it's a bad habit, but I've had worse James: & I still like winter the most somehow Ava: sorry it looks sexy and I've got a rep to maintain Ava: when were you born are you a winter baby James: January Ava: knew it Ava: awh its not your birthday for ages James: & you only like me because I'm older, I remember James: you must be truly devastated Ava: mhmm Ava: hurry up and hit 30 so we can really make it a moment James: you'll have me looking 30 soon enough James: all these smoke breaks Ava: not if you get to talking please and thank you James: you're supposed to be calling me James: as you wished it Ava: oh Ava: wanna facetime Ava: assuming 🥴 this is not my face James: you could still 'make a moment' I'm sure James: & I probably look better blurry Ava: shut up Ava: you're beautiful James: so you don't want to talk to me, you want to look at me? James: understood Ava: I wanna listen to you talk Ava: [ring him bitch] James: [telling her a story of everything he wants to do on Monday & it's hot & cute & funny & a mood] Ava: you're so so lovely Ava: stick around please James: you're quite drunk Ava: if I was drunk I'd say lots more James: you are so you can James: I'm listening Ava: no Ava: 🙈 James: you're not afraid of my scary wife but you're afraid of me? Ava: no Ava: but I'm scared of feeling crazy, being Ava: a little madness is key but James: I don't think genuinely crazy people are that self-aware typically Ava: maybe James: You're not crazy, Ava Ava: thank you Ava: probably not curtsy worthy but still James: you've devastated me, but I'll hide it expertly Ava: 😞 nooooooo James: I'll dedicate a suitable amount of book pages to it James: but otherwise, be utterly unaffected Ava: as long as that's the only conflict you're planning Ava: know it propels plot but I'll be very sad James: you'll get your happy ending, that means more to me Ava: you too James: that'll require a very long re-write Ava: maybe Ava: the middle can be shit though Ava: think that's writing 101 James: 😂 Ava: come on Ava: reluctant hero is a great trope James: I'm more of an anti-hero James: it's less about reluctance & more that I lack the necessity attributes, like courage or a trustworthy nature Ava: there's plenty different ways to be a hero Ava: there's plenty different ways to be heroes Ava: it isn't all capes and a misplaced sense of authority and vigilante justice James: I'm aware of that, but isn't the advice to write what you know? I'm hardly surrounded by viable examples James: you can't play every role, darling Ava: or write for the life you wanna have, the person you wanna be Ava: usually advice reserved for making you buy shit suits but I think it applies James: that explains why I've never heard it, in that case Ava: 😏 you were born in a tailored three-piece right James: if my parents were authoring the story, absolutely Ava: as much as parents love me Ava: probably not result in my happy ending James: or mine Ava: no Ava: we'll save that meet-cute James: thank you James: though it's unlikely I'll curtsy either Ava: shame James: I can add it to Monday's to-do list if your heart is set Ava: Your Monday sounds very busy as is Ava: I wanna help you relax and feel good not run yourself into the ground with curtsies etc James: you're sweet Ava: come taste me James: your party guests are bound to notice me Ava: I know Ava: I'd make them all leave if you could though Ava: but you can't James: no, I can't Ava: it's not long to wait Ava: just feels it James: it'll go faster for you, half of it spent in bed Ava: ha Ava: actually will have to entertain children too, worst of all my brother Ava: he's as annoying as he is protective etc and will definitely make me spend time with him before he leaves so we can have Monday James: it's a shame a playdate is out of the question Ava: even if I stole his Ava: can imagine your wife's joy to bump into us at the park James: she'll be far too busy shopping or having brunch with her friends Ava: then tell me it's still not feasible before I think it actually is James: it's a bad idea James: isn't it? Ava: it must be Ava: it's too good James: your brother wants to see you, he'd probably invite himself anyway, right? Ava: Probably Ava: but what if I show up really early and annoy him all day Ava: hype the kids up too James: 😈 Ava: there is one problem James: is there? Ava: my cousin will probably wanna come Ava: idk how I'm telling her no James: you said you'd already sacrificed my brother to her once James: how did that go? Ava: I've not been 👀 on 'em Ava: but I see 😈 what you're saying James: if get Jay to insist that he brings himself & a jumper for goalposts, he might Ava: oh Ava: no we can't James: you don't think it'll work? Ava: I told her some stuff Ava: not about you specifically Ava: but she can't meet you, obviously, she's not daft James: why would you do that, Ava? Ava: I didn't tell her anything James: that's obviously not true Ava: well she has no idea who you are James: you can't tell anyone about us James: I shouldn't even have to be saying that Ava: I haven't Ava: I told her about a boy Ava: I'm sorry but it's not going to affect anything Ava: she's not from here, she's not gonna say anything and she's got nothing to say anyway James: if you've told her enough that she could figure out who I am from seeing me at the park, you've told her too much Ava: I'm saying if your brother is there, it's just obvious Ava: I'm trying to be careful James: it doesn't matter, I'll see you Monday as previously arranged Ava: Well it does Ava: I'm sorry Ava: I'm just saying I don't think I can pretend you're just Teddy's brother, there's no point James: I agree Ava: I can tell her it fizzled out soon okay James: like you said, it won't affect anything Ava: you're still angry James: it's a frustrating situation Ava: yes James: I'm not angry at you James: I shouldn't have done this Ava: Be angry at me Ava: it was stupid but I'm not Ava: I won't tell anyone anything James: I know you're not, how smart you are is one of the 1st things I noticed James: but I obviously need to be smarter Ava: You don't want to do this James: I think we should slow down, you won't have to lie to your cousin & I won't get so carried away Ava: okay James: it's for the best Ava: alright, so what does that look like James: I don't know Ava: just let me know then James: I'll call you Ava: 👍 James: okay Ava: later then

1 note · View note

likemesomesalads · 5 years

Note

I know I keep reblogging ask games from you from my GW2 blog and I always feel guilty about not asking you one of them. I just don't know anything about your characters, but I want to. Might I indulge you to tell me about the lovelies?

This will be a Long one since I have many of them and not all of them is fully flushed out, but here I go!

First up my main: Thoernen:

He is a thief, literally, his occupation in his first 8 years was a thief. He ran away from his Wyld Hunt in fear of death and for years he tried to avoid any contact with undead or other dragon minions (not always successfully but always letting others solve the problems). Alas, in the end, he got baited into joining the Vigil and from there as a vigil soldier he worked against Zhaitan, eventually (following the personal story) forming the Pact with Trahearne and becoming the Commander. After defeating Zhaitan he got a bit more confident in his work so continued to be the Pact Commander, forming a brotherly bond with Trahearne. Which made it really hard for him once he had to kill him in HoT. In the jungle, he also lost sight in his left eye and got several scars which made him look as miserable as he felt. Also in Maguuma, he saved an ex-mordrem, Dau who later ends up being his dear heart. Personality wise as a sapling he is cheerful and keeps up the sight of that even after he runs away from the Grove and becomes Soundless, though as he fulfills his Wyld Hunt he gets more serious and broken even, especially after All or Nothing. He can’t take Aurene’s Death and steps off as Commander. he also loses his left arm because it was hit by a blast of Kralky’s and started to turn him branded, which he cuts off himself, not having anyone around. After he retired he and Dau moves back to the Grove to try and live peacefully.Aevelyhn:A helpful, tiny sylvari roaming Tyria and helping where she can. She doesn’t have a specific Wyld Hunt, rather she follows what she was in her Dream, which was helping others. She is often found in Divinity’s Reach, with her friend, Jaquline Du Ciel. She enjoys shopping for pretty dresses, dancing and practicing her elemental magic in her free time.Ainlon:A necromancer who awoken from the Dream with the face of Trahearne in his mind. He took it as a sign that he had to help him so after a few months of training himself, while Trahearne was in Orr and he waited for his return, Ain joined the Firstborn. It was a rocky learning curve to get used to living in Orr but he and Trahearne had a really good mentor-student, then a sort of brotherly relationship. He has a boyfriend, Quinlan back int he Grove who he always love to return to.Quinlan:Ainlon’s boyfriend and a gardener in the Grove. Mildly jealous of Trahearne being able to spend so much time with Ainlon, but knows Ain loves him and he trusts him.Sheara Swiftpaw:The leader of a Warband and member of the ash legion. Very skillful ranger has a pet stalker called Jul and loves hunting trips. She is very tomboyish and not very friendly, however, she does indeed have friends. A norn, called Rhaevee and an asura, Eaxxy.Eaxxy:Crewe leader in the college of dynamics. She loves to come up with new ideas which she usually forgets about as soon as she has the next, so her lab is full of half-finished projects and ideas. however, if she indeed finishes something than it’s the best it can be. She is rather sarcastic and loud. Has an unlikely friendship with Sheara and Rhaevee. Rhaevee:A journeywoman, who loves to travel and collect strange animals as pets. Has a big family with seven younger brothers. She is the only girl in the family which made her the protective big sister. She loves her family very much. They own a pub up in Shiverpeeks and make their own beer as well. Besides collecting animals she also loves to collect recipes from all across Tyria (and later Elona) and shares them with her mother who then tries to make them in the pub and home as well. She follows the Spirit of Raven yet her companion is a white wolf, called Morrigan. She saved Morrigen when he was a pup and his pack was slain by Sons of Svanir. She was led to the pup by a white raven. She is loud and strong, a true norn woman.Jaquline Du Ciel:A second born child in a noble family. She aspires to be a Shining blade member, currently a recruit, to be able to spend more time with her all-time crush so that she can live up to her idol, Countess Anise. Her best friend is Aevelyhn whom she loves to invite to tea and chat about the happenings in Tyria. She is a big lesbian and she does not hide this fact.Aeris Moonsong:Priory researcher and hobby gardener. She lives in Queensdale, near Divinity’s Reach and loves researching ancient artifacts. She also loves gardening but deadly scared of spiders.Cayde:Nightmare Courtier, Duke of Peonies or more commonly known as Dog of Faolain. He and his pod twin, Soléine were lured in a trap pretty much right after their awakening, by Inquest asuras. They both were curious and naive and paid the price for it. They were separated and experimented on. From the painful, torturous experiments Cayde turned to Nightmare and Faolain was there to welcome him. He has quite murderous tendencies and anger issues, resulting in him murdering many other courtiers and captives, for which Faolain had to assign a special ‘sapling sitter’ beside Cayde who can keep him in control. He is obsessively trying to turn her sister to Nightmare and kidnaps her from her loving home. Despite all of his flaws he has a boyfriend, @ascalonianpicnic‘s Aselif who he loves dearly and for whom he would do anything.Soléine:Cayde’s pod twin. She suffered the experimentations as well but was strong enough not to turn to nightmare, barely. She was saved by a group of soldiers, including Canach, who was the only one who could convince her to leave with them and the only one she actually sees as her savior. After she is rescued, she clings to him closely and they grow to love one another. She saves a half-dead fern hound in the human city and decides to take it home and heal him. and since then Isonos is by her side and she finds a passion for healing animals, learns more and becomes a vet. At the time when Canach is in Maguuma Cayde kidnaps her ( or more like commissions @mystery-salad‘s Aezlin to do it for him) and tortures her, trying to turn her. That nightmare ends when the Court falls apart and she can escape, having again zero trusts in people and clinging to Canach just as she did in the beginning. She is shy and soft and loves animals and Canach.Lusus Naturae: They are Cayde’s 'sapling sitter’. Their pod was taken from the tree by the Inquest working with the fresh Nightmare Court in 1307. The name of the project and the one they ended up having was: Lusus Naturae (aka. Freak of Nature). Their pod was just freshly sprouted so it had a lot of growing to do. Since they were severed from the Tree at such a young state they have no connection at all to the Dream, to the Pale tree or to other sylvari. It also caused them to take much longer to bloom. It took 16 years for them to be ready and when they were born, due to the lack of connection to the Dream, had the mentality of a newborn. The Inquest rectified the problem with connecting their brain to a computer and uploading the needed data which had them very confused for a while. (The implant which they used to do that is still embedded in the back of his neck.) After they were deemed to be a somewhat successful experiment, not counting that it took them way too long to awaken, and another series of tests, in which they tested their capabilities and discovered their fast regenerating abilities (tested for limb loss, high blood loss and many more which caused their Nociceptors to shut down, thus they are unable to feel pain.), the Court took them over and they worked for them ever since. First, they worked under a Duke who was a Mesmer and learned from them (eventually broadening their abilities and learning Chronomancy by themselves), but a few years later they were assigned to keep another Duke, Cayde in control for his murderous tendencies. They work with him ever since.Tristrham:A revenant who is not at all proud of his abilities. He got his revenant powers by letting his guildmates die in the Mists when they accidentally found a way there. He actually had to kill one of them himself to be able to escape. (He killed more but didn’t want to think about it and we don’t talk about it. They basically were killing each other due to illusions.) Since he is out of there and once he got used to the voices in his head he went on about in the world, working as a mercenary, ending up in the Heart of Maguuma, where he was fighting to not give in to the voice of Mordremoth. He pulled it off for quite a while and giving in practically just before he died, so he has a short mordrem past, of which he doesn’t remember nor he wants to. After the jungle, he took a little break, trying to relax and heal but eventually ended up joining the Pact and is there ever since.Xeneviev:A spy in the Grove for the Nightmare Court. He joined the court because he has a HUGE crush on (again) @mystery-salad‘s Aezlin and he didn’t have much of a love for his supposed to be purpose either. In the Dream, he saw himself in nothing more than endless fields and mud and he really wasn’t about that. He hated it to the core so it wasn’t hard for him to throw that away for something more intriguing. He loves fashion, Aezlin, doing his job right, Aezlin, designing outfits, Aezlin, looking good and, you guessed it, Aezlin.Dau:His full name is Daulion but he doesn’t like that, so just Dau. He was in an abusive relationship with a courtier, named Alvanil and it took him years to be able to run away. But as soon as he did Mordremoth awakened and he was too weak to not give in, so he became a mordrem. He doesn’t have a lot of memories from that time but he still fears that he’ll turn mordrem again even after the dragon’s defeat. Thoernen saved him in the jungle after he successfully killed the jungle dragon and he fell for him at first sight. He joined the Pact and started to follow around the Commander, lending him a lot of emotional support in the desert, during PoF and they slowly formed mutual feelings and got together. Alvanil:Dau’s cruel, abusive Courtier ex-boyfriend. He loves to make others suffer, especially if they are weaker than him. Not many characteristics, only that he is an asshole. Gotta work on him more.Saberlily:Naive little sapling turned to Nightmare by Gavin, who is her mentor now. She kept her cheeriness even in Nightmare as she thinks there is nothing wrong with how the Court thinks. They want to free the sylvari and anyway, other sylvari do bad things too for no apparent reason. She loves sharp and shiny things. Has a very weird obsession with sharp weapons.Asteracéa:A soundless sylvari courtesan, living in Divinity’s Reach. He had to use his body as payment once he was stuck up in the mountains with no money or anything. (Not like he really had to have to but that was the first thought he had and it worked.) He ended up there by hiding from the Nightmare Court in a caravan. Ever since then he hasn’t returned to Caledon Forest and is a greedy, but highly requested courtesan. He loves to be fancy and even figured out a way to change the color of his body without much hassle. Has a roommate I am yet to name but he loves to hang out with him in his free time. He also obviously very much likes his job and the activities coming with it.Philix:A sweet, furry teenager, raised by two lesbian salads in Lion’s Arch. Works on the docks and as a part-time tour guide. Loves to get in trouble out of work and flirts a lot around. A true teenager.This two is not yet up in my character list, because I am lazy but:Endellion:You can call him En, Endy or Lion. Anything goes with him. He is a hairdresser/foliage dresser? He loves his job a lot and doesn’t just excel at sylvari foliages he is great with hair or fur too. Residential in the Grove or Mabon Market from time to time. A cheerful sunshine salad.Dhealaichte:He is Trahearne but not really. He is his reincarnation. Looks and sounds alike has his memories as well, but not his abilities. He bloomed a few years after the defeat of Mordremoth with the name Trahearne but he decided to change when he had enough of being compared to his previous life. He has no memory of his Dream this time though so he doesn’t have a Wyld Hunt. Once Dheal was full of everyone wanting him to be someone he isn’t he left to discover Tyra for himself and then stayed in Lion’s Arch for a while, working and eventually learning to be a doctor. As the elonian refugees’ numbers grew he decided to go to Elona and help there, so as of now he is in Amnoon doing his best to help people.

#I started writing this last night but I was too tired to finish so..here it is now #all my children so far #there are a lot of them that needs some more thougt put into but I'll work on em eventually

11 notes · View notes