#middle tennessee state university

[acsn-network]

#2023/2024 ncaaf season preview #conference usa #coastal carolina #jacksonville state #james madison #liberty #middle tennessee #sam houston state #utep football #western kentucky university

[ilikeit-art]

Ellen Everett is a poet, author, illustrator, and graphic designer from Tennessee with a passion for storytelling through both language and art. In 2018, she published her first collection of poetry, "I Saw You As A Flower" at the age of nineteen. In 2022, she released her second soul-stirring collection of poetry, "If Hearts Had Training Wheels," a book she designed, illustrated, and formatted from the cover to the interior. She graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a BFA in Graphic Design with a concentration of Illustration and from Roane State Community College with an AA in Mass Communications. Ellen has always been captivated by the process of taking an idea and turning it into something tangible and accessible. She finds something magical about creating something out of nothing and bringing an idea to life. She continues to express herself through language, art, and videography on her social media platform.

Instagram / TikTok page: elleneverettpoetry

I love her page, you might too

#poem #ellen everett

[jinwoosungs]

{ 113 }

give me love.

akira kurusu x fem. reader

12 months to fall

general notes: unedited; both akira and the reader are in their 20s; the story takes place in roughly the south-eastern part of the united states (think north carolina, tennessee, virginia, etc)

{ caught in a river of records and dreams | oh, will you keep up with me? | everyone's looking for someone to hold | but i can't let you go... }

{ 2019 }

september

the fresh scent of autumn was in the air, and there was an excitement felt coursing through your veins. you were eager to start your first milestone here, your university life at the ripe age of 20.

your university was well-known, despite it being in the middle of a small town. it accepted thousands upon thousands of students each year, and you were proud to be one of them. the campus was gorgeous, and you found yourself being distracted by the various trees planted throughout it and they way the leaves changed colors. as you looked around, your breath was immediately taken away at the sight of a grand oak tree settled a few feet away.

it was as though you were drawn to it, the colors reminding you of a fiery sunset as you seemed to gravitate toward it without even a second thought. the moment you stood beneath it, you allowed your hands to gently touch at the orange leaves, not realizing such beauty could exist.

you were stuck admiring the tree for an unknown amount of time, becoming aware of someone who stood in your periphery. you said nothing to the stranger, just continued to admire the branches of the oak tree when a soft voice was heard.

"i did not realize it would be so beautiful here."

what caught you off guard was the faint traces of an accent beneath his tone. being filled with a curiosity, you look to your right to see what had to be the most beautiful young man you had ever laid eyes on.

he had wavy, ebony locks of hair and wore a pair of glasses that covered his stormy, grey eyes. he was tall and lanky, but you had a hunch that he was much stronger than he looked as you trailed your eyes down his form before looking back at his eyes. his full lips were halfway parted as he met your gaze, not once breaking eye contact with you, and the intensity of his stare was enough to make your cheeks heat up in response.

your heart was pounding, and you felt shy suddenly, unable to hold his gaze as you looked away from him. "y-yes, i've seen the leaves changing colors before, but not with such bright intensity."

you wanted to talk to this perfect stranger some more, but was cut off when your alarm went off from the confines of your bag. with a gasp, you hastily take your phone out to see the time read 9:00am, meaning you had fifteen minutes to get to your first class of the day.

letting out a tiny curse, you were about to say your goodbyes to this perfect stranger when he stops you, placing his hand on your wrist. "w-wait, don't go, i-i'm a bit lost and am unsure of where to go for my first class of the day."

you ask him what class he had, and when he says the same name of your first class of the morning, you gave him a wide smile and take a hold of his hand.

"that's perfect, we share the first class together then. come with me, i'll take you."

without giving it a second thought, you take a hold of his hand and interlock your fingertips together with his, unaware of the way the slightest dust of pink was seen settled against his cheek.

october

akira kurusu was his name, and you found out that he had come to your university as an exchange student, where he would spend a year learning about what being a student was like here in the u.s. he tells you about how he spent most of his life growing up in a small town and how due to certain circumstances, he had to spend his second year of high school in the big city.

when you asked him why he had to move at such an odd place in time, a strange look of discomfort fell over him, with akira telling you it was just something he had to do. his tone was closed off, and it was clear that he didn't wish to talk about it.

wanting to change the subject for his sake, you asked about his desire to come here to the states and was relieved when you heard him perk up once more. you spent some time enjoying a warm cup of coffee at your university's café, wishing to get to know akira better as he spoke about his interests. you felt awkward, trying to determine how akira wanted you to address him as, since you knew that in japan, many people referred to there peers by their last name. for the past couple of weeks, you have been referring to akira by his surname, but the strange glint in his eyes each time you called him kurusu made him feel too distant from you.

when you told akira about this concern, akira simply smiled at you, "you may call me akira, since i see you as a friend... well, my only friend here, really."

he was truly such a sweet and intelligent young man, telling you about how he held an interest in learning and taught himself english when he was a teenager.

you compliment him on his drive and how flawlessly he spoke. "seriously, english is a really tough language to learn, so i'm so proud of you and your hard work ku- i-i mean, a-akira."

you found yourself stuttering when you said his name, tasting it on the tip your tongue for the first time. akira's eyes widen the moment he hears you say his name, and you could have sworn you say a light tinge of pink against his cheeks.

seemingly embarrassed, akira lets out a cough before holding his cup of coffee, taking a sip of it so as to distract himself. he was acting a bit...strange- flustered was more like it. and with akira being so flustered, it made your own cheeks heat up in response.

"i-i'm so sorry, did you prefer me to call you kurusu instead-"

"no!" akira begins to vehemently shake his head, setting down his cup of coffee as a genuine smile paints his soft features. "i-i actually like how my name sounds against your lips..."

akira keeps his grey eyes on you while murmuring your own name in response, the syllables being enough to make your heart pound in response, not quite getting used to the sound of his smooth voice saying your name.

and it was in that moment that you realized you liked how your name sounded against akira's lips as well.

november

"akira sounds like such a wonderful friend, sweetheart. you should invite him over for thanksgiving!"

"m-mom!" something about her suggestion makes your entire face heat up in embarrassment.

you were nearly done with the semester, and thanksgiving break was only a few days away. after you completed your exam, you would be free to return home and enjoy the holiday with your family. but your mother's suggestion made you consider inviting akira along.

"you said that your best friend is originally from japan, right? so it doesn't seem likely that he'll go back home for just a few days. me and your father would not mind if you invited him over."

the offer was truly tempting for you as you chewed on your bottom lip, considering it. it didn't feel right to leave akira all alone when at least 90% of the school would be leaving to go back home to their families. just picturing akira all alone in his dorm room made your heart ache, and with your mother's permission, you figured having akira join you for thanksgiving would be needed.

you spend a few more minutes talking to your mother before hanging up the phone. going through your messages, you click on akira's name, the pad of your thumbs poised over the keyboard as you thought of what to say to him. as if akira himself had read your mind, you see a new text pop up from him that reads:

akira 🤓 📖 : [ hey, are you free right now? i just bought some hot cocoa for us! can i come over? ]

you 🌅 : [ YES! my roomie just left yesterday since she didn't have to take any exams. i'm all alone rn and it's kinda freaky here 😭 ]

akira 🤓 📖 : [ alright, i'll be over in a minute ❤️ ]

you felt butterflies erupt all across your abdomen upon seeing his little heart at the end, with you seeming to read his text over and over again.

you would be lying if you said that you hadn't developed a slight crush on akira kurusu. after all, he was just so soft and sweet. he gave off the aura of being the classic boy-next-door, and you wondered why he wasn't seeing anyone or was already taken.

recalling the moment you had studied with him just a few weeks ago, you brought up his relationship status out of pure curiosity (ignoring the fact that you were beginning to catch feelings for him) and was shocked to find out that he was still single.

"i was seeing someone when i was 16 and at shujin, but when i had to move back home, we had to end it. we're still on good terms though, and i consider them to be a great friend to this day!"

the familiar sensation of butterflies was felt coursing through you at the thought of akira being single, making you feel like you truly had a chance with him. however, a part of you was reluctant to truly tell him how you feel, not wishing to destroy this perfect friendship you had already developed with him.

so despite how you felt, you held back your feelings for him, wanting to cherish what you already had with such a sweet guy like akira.

a sudden knock at your door breaks you out of your prior reveries pertaining to akira, with you alerting your guest that you were coming. with an excited bounce in your step, you unlock your door to see your goofy and cheerful best friend holding up two warm cups of hot cocoa with a warm smile on his face before coming in.

"hey tr- i-i mean..." akira coughs, clearing his throat before referring you to your name. the strangeness of it all was enough to make your head tilt in question, but you ultimately decided against it. with a smile on your face, you take the hot cocoa from akira's hands while taking a sip of it. with you sighing dreamily at the taste, you beckon akira to follow you before settling yourself on the couch.

you fall into easy conversation when akira joins you, being so comfortable around each other that you had no reason to hide your true self from him. as you listened to akira speak, you felt the burning sensation creeping up against your throat.

you really wanted to ask akira if he would join you for thanksgiving, but you weren't sure if he would accept. he seemed like a very reserved person, and you didn't wish to scare him off with the plethora of family members that were bound to be in your home. but at the same time, you didn't particularly enjoy the thought of akira being all alone, either.

a soft voice calling your name coupled along with a hand being waved in front of you breaks you out of your thoughts as you see akira looking at you with concern. "are you okay? you seem out of it. is something bothering you? you know you can always talk to me about it."

the reassuring smile on akira's face was what finally gave you the courage to ask him. so, taking a deep breath, you clenched your eyes shut and told him, "m-my parents said that this was okay, but, if you can, would you like to come back home with me and spend thanksgiving with me and my family?"

the silence seemed deafening, and you were still feeling too anxious to open your eyes and meet his gaze. only when you heard the melodious sound of his laughter did you open your eyes.

the expression akira was giving you was making your heart race, with his eyes looking at you with such fondness that you found it harder to breathe. his gentle chuckle continues on for a few more seconds before he leans forward, reaching out a hand to softly grace at your cheek with the back of his hand.

"are you sure i won't intrude on your time with your family?"

you shake your head in response, feeling as though the air was sapped from your lungs the moment you witness his smile once more.

"then... if you'll have me, i don't mind spending thanksgiving break surrounded by you and your loved ones..."

december

letting akira experience thanksgiving at your household was a bit chaotic, yet so much fun at the same time. during the entire day, your parents and extended family welcomed your friend with open arms, and they had a blast learning about his culture with akira doing the same.

you were incredibly happy that akira enjoyed a lot of the foods that were piled high upon his plate, and the amount of leftovers that were still available the next day. it was so refreshing to see akira smiling so much while genuinely having such a great time.

after your finals were completed during the second week of december, you were shocked to find how quickly time was passing by, with your first semester already completed and christmas just a few days away. your parents had decided to spend the holidays up north where your grandparents resided, and you decided to stay back and spend it with akira.

when you broke the news to your mother over the phone, she seemed to understand why you wished to spend some time with akira and not leave him all alone on christmas day. she tells you how sweet he was and that she was happy for you, which in turn made you break out into a wide grin when you told her that you were only just friends with him.

yet the slight trill heard in her laughter let you know that she did not believe a single word that you said.

but truth be told, you didn't believe yourself, either.

when you told akira that you would be staying on campus, too, he gave you the brightest smile while giving you an unexpected hug. you could feel your eyes widen, taking in the scent of his cologne mixed in with coffee and something slightly spicy and sweet, like cinnamon, while returning his hug.

after a few seconds, he lets go of you while placing his hands on your shoulders. "that means we can spend christmas in my dorm. when midnight hits on the 24, come on over and we can celebrate together."

akira's excitement was palatable, and you found yourself smiling along with him while giving him an eager nod. "yes, i'll come over when midnight hits. should i make anything, or...?"

akira shakes his head before giving you a tiny smile. "there's no need, i've got everything covered. all you need to do is come by my dorm at midnight, got it?"

"got it."

you and akira still spent some time together up until the day before christmas. because he wanted to 'surprise' you, you did not get a chance to see him today, which gave you some time to wrap your present for him.

for some odd reason, akira had a deep fascination and love for arséne lupin, the gentleman thief. he often told you that his interest in learning english was to read the translated works of maurice leblanc, and that the surname leblanc held a deep meaning for him. so before finals began, you explored your local bookstore and was excited to find a leather bound copy arséne lupin, gentleman burglar.

knowing that this was the perfect gift for akira, you began wrapping the novel with a wide smile on your face. as you continued to wrap his gift, you slowly began to realize just how deeply you felt for akira, and the feelings you harbored for him were beginning to morph into something stronger than just a mere crush.

you were beginning to fall for him... hard.

once the present was completely wrapped, you looked at the time on your phone to see a text from akira:

akira 🤓 📖 : [ hey, so good news! i already completed my preparations. do you want to come over right now? ]

you found yourself smiling as you looked at the time on your phone.

you 🌅 : [ it's only 8pm. isn't it a bit too early?? ]

akira 🤓 📖 : [ yeah, i know lol but i really want to see you right now... ]

your heart was felt palpitating again, filling you with a warmth after seeing akira's text. as you chewed on your bottom lip, you began to grin before replying:

you 🌅 : [ i'll be there in 10 minutes. ]

akira 🤓 📖 liked your message.

since it was a bit cold outside, you threw on some tight fitting sweats along with a shirt and your favorite sweater, completing the look with your worn converses as you grabbed your bag and akira's present. placing the present within the confines of your bag, you fix your hair and grabbed your keys before making your way towards his dorm.

arriving in just a few minutes, you knock on akira's door, hearing some shuffling from behind as it opens just a few seconds later, revealing akira himself.

his face seemed flushed as he let out a breathless sigh of your name, welcoming you inside as he quickly beckons you to come closer. "here, come in and warm up. i've already got some dinner ready, too."

"oh wow, did you make me some curry? or omurice?" you giggle, taking off your shoes as you admired the cute cut out snowflakes hanging from the ceiling and the string of christmas lights strewn throughout the apartment.

as you admired the decorations, your eyes trail down towards the dining room table to find a bucket of fried chicken and a pure white cake settled on top of it. "what? fried chicken and cake?" you begin to giggle as you set your bag on the couch before following akira into the kitchen as he grabbed some plates.

although you knew that both of these foods were delicious, you wouldn't say that this was your typical christmas eve / christmas day meal. yet akira seemed excited all the same, "oh trust me, back home, when me and my old friends are able to spend christmas together, we would eat this and just have a good time."

the eagerness heard in his voice makes you smile, and you take one of the plates before settling yourself across from him on the table. you take some pieces of chicken while akira does the same, biting into it as you moaned at how good it tasted. "hmm, maybe you're on to something, akira. having fried chicken on christmas eve is pretty tasty."

"right? truly, i can't get enough of this."

you spoke to akira about his friends and family, and despite how he seemed to share so many fond memories with them, you could sense that he was keeping something hidden from you, something that would make his stories feel a bit more complete.

even though you held some suspicions about what akira was telling you, you allowed it to slide again since you were certain that if he wanted to tell you more, then he would do so when he was ready. you weren't going to be a bad friend and demand things from him that he wasn't ready to give.

after your delicious dinner of fried chicken, akira shares a thick slice of cake with you as you enjoyed how soft and fluffy it was. the frosting was addicting, and you were filled with so much happiness that you wanted akira to feel the same.

"hey aki?"

"hm?" akira looks away from his cake to see you getting up to take your bag. as you rummage through it, you brought out akira's gift. the two of you were completely silent as you sat back down and slid the gift across the table for him to take.

"i-it's not much, but today has been so much fun that i...i wanted to do something for y-you, too."

you watch with bated breath as akira takes the gift and carefully unwraps his. his fingertips work meticulously, and it was as though he didn't wish to tear apart the wrapping as he slowly revealed the leather bound copy of arséne lupin, gentleman burglar.

his grey eyes displayed no emotion, and you were afraid that he hated your gift. your heart was torn now, reaching out to him when he suddenly stands to walk away from you.

an iciness was felt coursing through your veins, and you felt the contents of your food swirling within your stomach, making you nauseous. your breathing became labored and you swore that you wanted to do nothing more than to get out of here, to run far away as you possible could-

yet that impulsive sensation dissipates into thin air when akira comes back with his own wrapped gift in his hands. he says nothing, simply returning to his seat settled across from you before sliding the present towards you.

all you could hear was the blushing rushing through your head as your shaky hands take the present. with careful movements, you unwrap the gift to see a slender velvet box settled on the palm of your hand. as you open up the box, you gasp upon seeing a glittering silver necklace with a snowflake pendant glimmering beneath the light.

"a treasure for my treasure." akira's voice was suddenly heard directly beside you, and you watch as his slender hands take the necklace out of the confines of its box.

you tried to keep your breathing even, yet you couldn't stop your heart from racing within your chest. you were becoming flustered, and when akira finished fastening the necklace around your neck did you finally turn around to look at him.

he wore a wide smile before leaning down closer to you. "c-can i kiss you?"

you could only manage a nod, sliding your eyes shut when you felt akira's soft lips press against yours in an achingly gentle, but sweet kiss. your first kiss with him wasn't demanding or forceful, but something that was soft and oh so giving.

after sharing a few more kisses with him did akira finally rest his forehead against yours.

while shakily saying your name, he asks, "will you be... mine?"

you would be a fool not to accept his confession.

january

time truly does go by so fast when you're having fun-

or when you're in love.

the moment you and akira became a couple on christmas eve was the best moment of your life. you had been so drawn to akira from the start and you were truly floating on cloud 9.

despite his departure looming above you, you decided to ignore such feelings of dread the moment akira must return back to japan in august. all you wanted to do was bask in the moment and spend as much time as you could with akira.

it was the evening after your first day of classes, the start of your spring semester when akira came over to your dorm to watch some movies with you on your laptop. you had a quick meal of instant ramen and put on a light, comedic film to enjoy.

you could feel akira cuddling you from behind, playing with your strands of hair briefly before softly calling your name.

"do you still want to know why i spent a year at a different school?"

you furrow your eyes a bit, reaching over towards your laptop to pause the movie. wanting to give akira your full attention, you turn around so that you were facing him, eyes glimmering with love while giving him a nod.

"yes, of course. if you trust me enough to talk about it, then yes."

he sighs before placing a kiss against your forehead. "i was sent to a different school because i was put on probation for a year, and my old school had kicked me out due to my then... criminal record."

your eyes were wide at this point, not believing that someone like akira could ever have a criminal record. akira knew what you were thinking and decided to hold you even closer to him. "i know i know. it's crazy, right? but all i wanted was to help her."

he then tells you the reasoning for his arrest, which involved a corrupt politician forcing a woman to go home with him. he didn't want the woman to do something that made her uncomfortable, and when he tried to move the man away from her, he fell due to his inebriated state.

because he was so powerful, no one believed akira when he told the cops the man had fallen by himself and was promptly arrested on the scene. you hear the way akira's voice cracked, knowing how traumatic it must have been for him as you slowly reached out to comfort him.

"oh, akira... i'm so sorry. it must have been so hard on you..."

you feel akira embrace you tightly while letting out a humorless laugh, "trust me, treasure, i've been through so much worse."

not wanting akira to be in pain, you gently frame at his face, making him face you as you could see the tears glimmering within his grey eyes. not saying a word, you leaned in to kiss him, tasting the saltiness of his tears against your lips, allowing akira to cling to you for comfort.

february

you never believed in celebrating valentine's day...

that is, until now.

you knew that it was customary in japan to make chocolates to display your romantic interest in a boy, but would it hold the same meaning if you were already in a relationship with akira?

in the end, you decided that it didn't matter, that as long as it made him happy, then you'd do something as ridiculous as making homemade chocolates for the first time just for him.

after sending akira a text that you were busy doing a project with one of your classmates (a complete lie), you spent the whole day gathering ingredients to make some chocolates for akira on this special day. while everyone else was spending it by going out to a dinner and a movie, you wanted to give akira a more traditional experience.

he told you valentine's day was kind of a big deal back where he was from and that there were many ways to celebrate it. anyone could celebrate valentine's day in either a platonic or romantic manner.

when you teased akira, asking if he got a lot of confession chocolates back when he was younger and you saw the way his face lit up in a blush was when you began laughing before kissing his cheek, commenting on how cute he was when he suddenly tackled you to the couch and began littering your face with kisses.

with the memory of that day fueling you, you put your entire heart and soul into the chocolates, following the recipe you found to the best of your abilities. a few hours later, you were able to make a decent amount of chocolate squares before individually wrapping them in cellophane and ribbons.

"whew." by the end of it all, you were sweating a bit, looking down at your basket of chocolates wrapped in a variety of different colors. it sure looked pretty, and you just hoped that it tasted even a little decent.

wishing to surprise akira, you take your basket and begin making your trek towards akira's dorm. with your heart pounding in anticipation, you knock on his door, hoping that his roommate was out and that you could spend some time with akira.

within a few seconds, you saw the door unlock with akira giving you a shocked expression. "i thought you had to do a project?"

you shake your head while holding up the basket of chocolates for him to take. "happy valentine's day, akira!"

he takes the basket of chocolates with an awed expression on his face, and you were in the midst of explaining, "now normally, i don't celebrate valentine's day at all, but i figured this would make you really happy. so, i tried to make some homemade chocolate and-"

you were cut off when akira takes a hold of your hand and crashes his lips into yours, kissing you with such fervor that it takes your breath away.

even if your chocolates may not be as sweet as you wanted it to be, akira's kisses made up for it by far.

march

akira 🤓 📖 ❤️ : [ meet me at our usual cafe, i have a surprise for you. ]

today was march 14, and you had just got out of your last class for the day when akira texted you. excited to see him again, you tell him that you were on your way and began walking toward the café with a bounce in your step.

upon entering the café, you saw akira settled on one of the tables in the corner and immediately went over to greet him. he sees you and takes you in his arms, giving you a quick kiss before gesturing at you to take a seat.

"i've got a surprise for you." he slides your favorite drink over to you, and you took a sip while basking in the warm flavor of your favorite coffee.

"mhmm, go on."

"you know the planetarium exhibit that just opened recently? well, i got us some tickets for it." akira was brimming with excitement now, completely and utterly excited for your date.

"wha- no way! that's so amazing aki! i've been dying to see it, too!" you talk about the rest of your plans for the night before akira quickly ushers you out of the café, "come on, let's get ready together, and we can enjoy our date."

with one last kiss, you tell akira that you'd meet him in the next couple of hours before heading back into your dorm to get ready. deciding to take a quick shower, you do so and make sure to clean yourself thoroughly, wanting to feel refreshed during your date with akira.

when you were done with your shower, you kept the towel wrapped around your body as you rummaged through your drawers and closet for something cute to wear. your roommate heard you pacing back and forth in your room and decides to check on you.

she knocks on your wall, catching your attention while smiling at you. "hey there, what's gotten you so jittery?"

"akira just planned the cutest and most thoughtful date for us, and i'm having trouble deciding what to wear."

you listen as your roommate lets out a hum, looking through your closet before picking out a single article of clothing. one by one, she settles the pieces on your bed before gesturing her hand out, "there we go, i think if you go with this style, it would suit you extremely well."

she gives you a wink before heading out of your room, "have fun on your date, and you can thank me later!"

you look down at all the clothes your roommate had chosen for you, only to realize that she was right-

this style was perfect for your date tonight.

you would definitely need to find a way to thank her someday.

{ ... }

when it was time for your date with akira, you met him outside of the café while dressed in the outfit your roommate had picked out for you. he seemed stunned upon seeing you for a brief moment before snapping out of it. "you look ravishing, my love."

akira meets you halfway to press a kiss against your lips, earning the widest smile from you. you wrap your arms together with his, remaining close to him as you both made your way towards the planetarium.

the walk was uneventful, but calm, with a small crowd forming outside of the building. you stood in line with akira, remaining close by his side as you rested your head against his shoulders, ready to enjoy this night with your beloved by your side.

{ ... }

after exploring the planetarium exhibit, you were left in a dreamlike state, completely mesmerized by all the beauty the universe had to offer. it was incredible to be surrounded by a sea of stars, and you were so happy akira shared this experience with you.

before you left the exhibit, akira told you to wait for him and that he'll be back in a moment. you give him a nod while standing off to the side of the exit, not questioning where akira needed to go as you browsed through your phone to pass the time.

about ten minutes later, you saw akira approach you, and that's when you lifted you head while letting out a gasp.

settled within akira's arms was a grand bouquet of roses that held a plethora of colors as its petals. a wave of emotion goes through you upon seeing the bouquet of rainbow roses, the sight so lovely that your heart ached.

"a-akira..."

"happy white day, treasure. you've made me so happy on valentine's day that i knew i had to do something equally amazing, just to show you how much i love you."

you gasp upon hearing those three special words, hands shaking as you reached out to take the bouquet or roses from his grasps. with tears streaming down your face, you grip akira from the collar of his shirt, pulling him closer as you shared yet another kiss to celebrate this amazing night.

when the need for air proved to be too much for you, akira pulls away while gently caressing at your cheek. he places one final kiss against your forehead before taking a hold of your hand. "come on, let's enjoy our night together and have some dinner. i reserved a place and would really like to try it..."

you were so incredibly happy, hugging your bouquet or roses close to you while praying that this night would never end.

april

the semester seemed to take a turn for the worst as you began to feel even more stressed out than usual with your upcoming finals as you struggled to stay afloat while amidst all the assignments.

it felt as though you were drowning, becoming so overwhelmed with everything you had to do before your spring semester ended.

and this afternoon was no better for you.

as you tried to look through your notes while typing out your study guide for one of your classes, you felt a sharp pain at the front of your head. you could feel the pinpricks of a migraine beginning to form, and you were so tired and stressed- but you needed to get this done.

letting out a shaky sigh, your hands were poised against the keyboard of your laptop once more, ready to continue typing when a sudden presence standing in front of you stops you.

"akira? what are you doing here?"

he says nothing, simply closes your laptop shut as words or protests begin forming against your lips. before you could say a word, akira ends up taking you away from your laptop and textbooks, leading you back to your room and on top of your twin sized bed.

it was a tight fit, but akira manages to lay in bed with you, holding you against his chest while gently playing with the strands of your hair. "your roommate texted me, telling me how much you were practically killing yourself with your studying."

"ugh, she's being dramatic." you groan while burying your face within his chest. "i just... have so much to do and so little time. i can't afford to-"

"you need to rest, love." akira brushes his lips against your hair, "and i will not take no as an answer."

"but-"

akira then pulls away from you, placing his lips on yours, successfully silencing you with a kiss.

"no buts, either. this is the plan... you are going to take a much needed nap with me, and when we wake up, i'll order some takeout, then we'll study together, okay?"

"okay..." was your weak reply, letting out a yawn as you fell against him, allowing your heavy eyelids to finally close. with the exhaustion felt coursing through your veins, you shut your eyes and bask in akira's warmth, feeling all of your stress melting away whilst in his arms.

may

akira's birthday was coming up, and you wanted to surprise him with a scrapbook of some sort, one that contained all of his beloved memories.

akira had no idea what your plans were, and he was currently away from his dorm to work on a group project at the library. he trusts you enough to leave you alone in his room, and you were happy for that fact.

but you wanted to make something as a type of memento for him. you had already printed out most of the pictures you had saved on your phone, but wanted to include some pictures he had of him in his hometown, if at all possible.

as you were rummaging through his room, your eyes fell onto his desk as you opened a random drawer. in it, you were surprised to find what looked like a diary with a bunch of pictures and online articles settled beneath it.

you open the diary, but could not make sense of anything that was written due to the fact that it was entirely in japanese. with a shake of your head, you place the diary to the side and look through the stack of papers beneath it.

in it, you could see a few printed pages of what appears to be an online forum called the PHAN-SITE. you caught a few other english phrases here and there, but the vast majority of it was in japanese. fueled by curiosity now, you continue rummaging through before coming across a few pictures that depicted the same group of people.

upon seeing akira standing amidst what you assumed to be his friends, you pick up the picture to admire it. they seemed to be standing in the middle of the city, and a black cat was seen settled on akira's shoulders as they were all smiling at the camera.

keeping the picture to the side, you saw something else that catches your attention. it was another article that you couldn't make out and read, yet it was the grainy, black and white photo that caught your attention.

picking up the article to get a better glimpse of the man in the picture, you saw the familiar waves of messy, black hair with a bird-like domino mask that covered his eyes. your heart was racing as goosebumps were felt all across your skin.

your hands were shaking now as you trailed your eyes over to the bolded letters settled at the top of the page.

THE PHANTOM THIEVES OF HEART STRIKES AGAIN!

the headline was enough to make you feel a bit unsteady, landing on akira's bed as you stared blankly at the online article. you were well aware of this strange phenomenon, of corrupted adults in japan having their lives changed because of this strange group of thieves.

you always found it odd that this phenomenon only occurred in japan, and was even becoming excited at the thought of the phantom thieves coming here. they were all everyone was talking about, even yourself.

so, why did akira have so many articles pertaining to them? was he once an avid fan like you were?

or could he possibly be-

that was when an epiphany hits you, with you realizing that perhaps, akira was once part of the phantom thieves of heart. you did a double take and look back at the picture featured on the article, and it was no denying of the fact that this had to be akira back in his youth.

why else would he hold on to these articles?

"hey treasure, i'm home. sorry if i kept you...waiting?"

the moment akira sees you holding on to one of the articles pertaining to the phantom thieves, he takes quick strides and rips the page out of your hand, nearly giving you a paper cut in response.

akira does not meet your gaze, and you could feel the guilt coursing through your veins at upsetting him. "i-i'm sorry, i was just trying to find hints on what to get you for your birthday and i got... carried away."

your boyfriend appeared to be close to breaking down, unable to meet your gaze as he bites down on his bottom lip.

"i... i really was going to tell you... i didn't want you to find out like this."

you stand back to your full height while brushing back his strands of hair, revealing his grey eyes to you. "you can trust me; you can tell me anything, and i'll still love you."

akira clenches his eyes shut before bringing you into his arms. he crushes you against him before laying down in bed with you. it was then that he spent the next several hours telling you everything, how his unjust arrest lead him and his friends to start a revolution of sorts in order to change the corrupt world around them.

the moment akira finishes telling his story, you felt your heart grow, filled with an unconditional love for him. kissing his own forehead in response, you tell him how proud you are of him for remaining so strong and for fighting for what he believed in.

akira remains silent with tears running down his face, holding you close to him as he buries your face within the curve of your neck, finding comfort in your warmth and mere presence.

june

it was finally summer break and today was akira's birthday, the day you were looking forward to celebrating the most with your beloved boyfriend.

you decided to keep this day simple and sweet, with akira staying in the dorms for a few more months before he had to go back home.

you didn't want to think about his homecoming, knowing that you would be in tears the moment he had to leave.

so instead, you focused on making this the perfect day for akira, baking him a small cake mixed in with some sprinkles in the batter. because you wanted this to be a relaxing and intimate birthday, you already had plans to order his favorite food and have it delivered around dinnertime.

with his cake finished, you spent the day spoiling him, singing happy birthday to akira while watching him make a wish before blowing out the candles.

"so what did you wish for?" you ask him with a teasing smile on your face. akira responds with his signature laugh, bringing you closer to him as he presses a kiss against your lips.

"sorry treasure, that i cannot tell you, for if i told you, then it wouldn't come true."

you roll your eyes at him, but relent, giving the tip of his nose a kiss before spoiling him even more with cuddles.

when evening came, you and akira were in the middle of enjoying your dinner. you had given him his first gift earlier, another journal and a sleek looking watch that he was currently wearing. you hadn't given him your last gift yet, wanting to wait for the perfect moment to do so.

and now, you finally had the perfect chance to give him your last gift.

as akira places all the empty takeout cartons in the bin, you called out to him, holding the last present behind your back.

"aki, can you come here?"

"of course, love."

he wipes his hand on a towel, placing it to the side before stepping closer to you. "what is it?"

not daring to speak for fear of bursting into tears, you slowly reveal the last present to him. akira's eyes were wide and he tries to tell you, "babe, the journal and watch was more than enough-"

you shake your head, silently beckoning akira to take the final gift and open it. with a nod, he does so, accepting your final gift. as he carefully unwraps it, he unveils the scrapbook you had taken some time to make for him.

as if mesmerized by the captured memories, he sees on the very first page the group picture of he and his friends that you had seen within his desk. and as he flipped the pages, that's when he saw all of the pictures you had taken together with him ever since you first started dating.

while akira flips through the pages was when you finally gathered the courage to speak,

"i made you this album consisting off all the pictures we took together... it took some time to extract them from my phone and print, b-but i truly wanted to give you something in hopes that you won't... that you won't ever forget about me."

when akira looks away from the scrapbook, he meets your gaze, and you could see the unshed tears glimmering within his steel grey eyes. he says your name, filled with emotion as he hugs you closer to him. "i could never forget you. i thought i had already felt love before, but that... that feeling is nothing to how i feel for you now."

he sets the scrapbook off to the side, framing your face with his two hands as you both began to cry. not caring about the tears that streamed down both of your faces, akira begins to kiss you deeply, crushing your body to his while holding you so tightly.

"whatever the future brings, it doesn't matter to me. because deep down in my heart, i know that i'll only love you and you alone."

akira begins to smile through his tears, using the pad of his thumb to wipe away at the moisture that streams down your eyes. "i promise you, i promise you that i'll never forget you, and that i'll always come back to you- always."

july

there were tears streaming down your face when you realized that akira had to return back to japan soon.

even though akira did everything he could to distract you from the inevitable, you still harbored such deep feelings of hurt.

you spent every day together, never once growing tired of each other. akira still cherished your gifts for him, making new memories with you as he filled the pages of his journal with details about you.

and despite how happy you felt, spending so much time with akira-

you were also feeling so hurt and miserable as well.

it was one of those nights where you began to feel sad once more, crying in akira's arms as he gently comforted you throughout the night.

"ssh, it's going to be alright. we'll see each other again, and i promise i'll text you and call you every day."

"i k-know that, aki, it's j-just." you could feel the tears brimming against your eyes again, "i can't let you go."

that was the final straw as you cried again, clinging to akira as a defeated sigh escapes from his parted lips.

"i can't let you go, either, treasure. ever since i met you, i feel as though my life has become so much brighter."

he whispers your name, catching your attention when your eyes met with his. wanting to do all he could to make you happy, he leans in and kisses you, not stopping as he wraps his arms around you, becoming a tangle of limbs in response.

you spent the whole night kissing and cuddling, basking in his whispers as you talked yourself into believing his promises of forever-

that what you had with akira was real, and that he would always come back to you.

august

you had no idea how you functioned without akira.

he had gone home on the exact date he was meant to leave, before the new semester began, and you did not wish to spend these final few weeks of summer alone. so, you went back home while trying to pretend that akira's absence didn't absolutely devastate you.

you hated the thousands of miles that stood between you and akira, and despite everything, you were glad that akira kept his end of the promise. even though there was also a huge difference in timezones, you did your best to make things work.

he would send you pictures in the middle of the night, and you could see how bright everything looked back at his hometown. he seemed happy in those pictures, being back with family and friends, yet even you could tell that his smile never could quite reach his eyes, always remaining tiny with the same glimmer of sadness in his gaze.

today, you woke up feeling groggy and admittedly, a bit upset. you texted akira first thing in the morning-

and had yet to get a reply back.

now, normally, you were able to brush it off, thinking he was busy doing some things with his family or friends. when this happens, akira always made sure to text you back within the next few hours, telling you about his day as you both fell back into an easy conversation.

so you waited...

and waited...

and waited...

but there was still no reply from akira.

around dinner, once he finished eating, your father suddenly excused himself, telling you and your mother that he had a quick errand to run, and that he'll return in the next hour or so. you barely heard him, still picking at your scarcely eaten dinner. you weren't even aware of how your father had just left, making your mother worry a bit.

"sweetheart, is everything alright? you've barely eaten today, and it's so clear that something is upsetting you."

you trail your eyes towards your phone currently settled on the counter, still with no text from akira. "it's stupid, you probably might get mad at me for feeling upset."

"i won't get mad, honey. you can tell me what's bothering you."

you felt your mother reach out a hand to you, placing it on top of yours as you sighed and relented. "it's about akira. i texted him a few times, and he still hasn't replied to me. and i just- i'm worried that i may have done something to upset him."

your mother gives you a sympathetic expression, bringing you closer to her as she embraces you fully. "don't worry, my dear. i'm sure he'll get back to you soon. just think positive, okay?"

feeling pathetic, you refuse to allow the tears to fall as you angrily began to wipe the dampness away from your eyes. heeding her words, you follow her into the living room to take your mind off of your boyfriend, putting on a random show to pass time as you both waited for your father to come home.

roughly an hour later, you hear the sound of the door unlocking as your father enters your home with what looks like some luggage. you were frowning with confusion now, "dad, what's with the luggage? who's here?"

he merely smiles at you before gesturing outside. "it's your surprise, that's who's here."

you could feel the feelings of hope coursing through your veins, making you stand from your seat on the couch as you ran barefoot out into your driveway-

only to see akira standing there, smiling brightly at you.

letting out a sob of his name, you ran towards him and threw your arms around his neck, feeling the tears of joy streaming down your face as you embraced him tightly.

"y-you idiot! i was so worried about you..."

you listen to his soft laughter once more, feeling his lips press against your hair, "i'm sorry, i'm sorry, but i wanted to surprise you."

you pull away from him with a pout painted against your lips. "b-but, how? how are you here?"

akira continues to smile at you, leaning down to press a kiss against your lips before explaining, "i had your parents help me prepare for this surprise. despite how arduous the process was, i'm able to continue going to university with you."

"b-but-"

he cuts you off with another kiss, "no buts, and honestly, didn't i already tell you?"

akira basks in your presence, closing his eyes while keeping you in his arms, "i will always come back to you."

epilogue - present day

you were the first to awaken when you heard the sounds of your baby crying in the next room. filled with a panic only a mother would feel for her newborn child, you throw back your blankets and quickly rush towards her room.

you call out your daughter's name, only to see that her cries had become quieter the moment akira held her whilst rocking her back and forth. his tired grey eyes meets your gaze, and he manages to send you a tiny smile all while comforting your daughter.

the sight of akira pressing gentle kisses against his daughter's dark curls was enough to make your heart melt as you tiptoed into the room. you bask in the beauty of your husband and child cuddled together all while playfully frowning at the sight.

"i'm so jealous, our princess prefers you over me."

as if reacting to the sound of your voice, you watch as your daughter lets out a soft whine, her legs and tiny arms kicking as they desperately reached out to you. not wanting to upset her, you lean down to give her your finger, watching as she automatically relaxes within her father's embrace.

"don't be ridiculous, it's so obvious that she loves both of us equally."

akira lets out a soft chuckle, beckoning you to come closer to him. when you lean down is when akira gives you another kiss, making your heart flutter with excitement as you found yourself falling in love with him all over again.

after pulling away from akira, you both look down at your precious daughter, who was already asleep now that she was in the comfort and warmth of her father's arms, a sensation that you knew of all too well.

"akira kurusu, i am so happy to have met you all those years ago. you have been my soulmate from the start, and i will never take what we have for granted."

akira's eyes were seen becoming brighter, filled with a love and adoration that you were so used to seeing as he beckons you closer to kiss you once more.

"you took the words right out of my mouth, mrs. kurusu. you have given me the greatest treasure i could ever ask for, and for that, i am eternally yours."

a.n. - it has been so long since i have written a story for akira, and i really wanted to try this new oneshot format with the best boy in the entire world. this story was truly a labor of love, taking me around 8 hours and 9k+ words to complete this entire story. please forgive me for any mistakes, as it is still unedited 🥹 and please, do enjoy the long read ❤️

all stories are written by rei; reposts, translations, and plagiarism are not allowed.

#akira kurusu x reader #akira kurusu fluff #akira kurusu x you #akira kurusu imagine #akira kurusu #kurusu akira x reader #akira x reader #joker x reader #ren amamiya x reader #.stories

[elierlick]

Aleshia Brevard was a trailblazing Tennessean trans woman. She left home at 15 and quickly became a drag star in 1960 at the legendary Finocchio's. After performing her own surgery, she joined major Hollywood films and even became a Playboy model.

Aleshia's book, The Woman I Was Not Born To Be: A Transsexual Journey, is insightful and uniquely hilarious. This woman should have done comedy because she was brilliant. She even had a great sense of humor over being forced to perform her own castration (excerpts above). You can read it at transreads.org/aleshiabrevard/

Aleshia is a great example of why people believe trans is "new." She wasn't out most of her life. After transitioning in California, she returned to Tennessee under a new name and attended Middle TN State University. She didn't learn there was a trans community until the 1990s!

In 1962, the young trans woman's Tennessean parents became extremely supportive of their trans daughter! Even her minister showed support. According to Aleshia, her husband soon became "the son my daddy never got."

Aleshia passed in 2017, age 79. Like other white women of the midcentury, she left a complex legacy. Her story provides an important window into 1960s trans life. However, she also had a deeply troubling relationship with the Black and trans communities. Regardless of how we feel, her life reminds us of how the trans movement emerged.

I colorized and restored the 1960s images above in her honor. Click on them for more details.

#`1trans history #lgbtq #lgbtqia #education #tennessee

[presleybutlervsp]

March 14, 1974

Elvis performed at the Middle Tennessee State University Athletic Center, Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

#elvisaaronpresley #elvispresley #elvis #graceland #elvis history #elvishistory #tcb #elvis fans #elvis presley #elvis the pelvis #elvis concert #elvis music #elvis the king #70s elvis

[mybeingthere]

Danielle Winger was born in Reno, NV and has spent her life moving throughout the US. She received a Bachelor of Science in Textiles, Merchandising and Apparel Design from Middle Tennessee State University and a Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art: Painting from East Tennessee State University.

"My work is about Place. There has always existed within me an urgency to define myself through place that stems from an upbringing full of uprooting and re homing. In the absence of the traditional childhood home, I developed a unique relationship with space, one that aims to retain memory in its purest form by utilizing nostalgia to visually explore only that which was pleasant."

[jup1ter-moon]

i realise i haven't given an update on this in a while so !! the jane doe painting digitalised a wip!! (ignore how my art style is constantly changing) i'm a little over halfway through the original painting, but i'll also be trying to add every jane ever to this painting, but i can't really measure that :-) (list of janes under the cut)

from left to right, bottom to top middle tennessee state university, imagine productions of columbus, legoland penny lamb, mccarter theatre, eureka high school my own jane design, valencia high school, canada (sarah jane pelzer), jungle theatre, ohio university, uniform theatre boston university, university of arkansas, american tour (emily rohm), spinning tree theatre, chance theatre, ofc productions magic repertory theatre, performing institute of minnesota, university theatre arts, rgc theatre

#ride the cyclone #mars does art #jane doe rtc #jane doe fanart #ride the cyclone jane doe #rtc jane doe fanart #ride the cyclone fanart

[asaflowerblossoms]

Hi tumblr it's my birthday and it also happens to be bandcamp Friday so to commemorate I (finally) updated my name and pronouns on my bandcamp page. Go check it out if you feel like it! Maybe someday I'll have the money to record some new music.

(the pic was totally just to get you attention. hope it worked!)

#jazz #music #saxophone #baritone saxophone #transgender #girlslikeus #me #trans positivity #art #bandcamp friday #bandcamp #queer artist #trans musician

[ao3feed-irondadspiderson]

Stranded In This Lonely Place (But You're Here With Me So I Know It'll Be Fine)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/55369600 by occasional_author The Academic Decathlon team are on their way to an out-of-state competition, but some plane trouble and a healthy dose of Parker Luck leaves them stranded in Tennessee in the middle of the night, is all hope lost? Words: 3283, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: M/M Characters: Peter Parker, Ned Leeds, Michelle Jones (Marvel), Harley Keener, Betty Brant, Flash Thompson, Roger Harrington (Marvel), Abe Brown, Charles Murphy (Marvel), Seymour O'Reilly, Sally Avril, Cindy Moon Relationships: Academic Decathlon Team Members (Spider-Man: Homecoming) & Peter Parker, Harley Keener/Peter Parker, Harley Keener & Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Michelle Jones/Peter Parker, Michelle Jones & Ned Leeds & Peter Parker, Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Avengers Team Members & Peter Parker Additional Tags: Light Angst, Friendship, Ned Leeds is a Good Bro, Michelle Jones is So Done (Marvel), Michelle Jones Is a Good Bro, Breaking and Entering, Peter for some reason knows how to pick a lock, he's very suspicious at first, Boyfriends, Fluff, Tony Stark is Good With Kids, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Other Additional Tags to Be Added read it on AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/55369600

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #iron dad and spider son #spider son #iron dad #peter parker #tony stark

[eptodaytommorowforever]

Rare Live Candid Photo’s Of Elvis Presley Here Performing Here At The Middle Tennessee State University Athletic Center, Murfreesboro, In Tennessee 8:30 pm In 1974 The crowd was 12,200 and Elvis Presley wore the sparkling blue starbust suit with the original belt and it was standing room only and sold out like all Elvis Presley shows performances concerts the three rare candid photos here taken by fans

[glycerineclown]

I'm helping organize this fundraiser for a good friend who's in a major bind. Her van, which was modified to be wheelchair accessible, has failed. It costs upwards of $75,000 to replace, upfront.

Right now, she has no transportation. Please donate and share this post to help spread the word. Thank you!

NEW WHEELS FOR HANNAH

Back in August 2022, Hannah’s van shut off by itself in the middle of a busy street. The computer system that allows her to drive the van with hand controls had failed. She was stranded.

Hannah has Muscular Dystrophy, and uses a power wheelchair full-time, meaning that she needs a wheelchair-accessible vehicle to commute or travel anywhere. For the past 12 years, Pequod, her fully modified van, has allowed her to get anywhere she needed to go. Hannah drove it through college and grad school, to and from her teaching position at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, and across state lines to her new house in a small town outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she lives with her husband, Jared, and a ridiculous shepherd-corgi mix named Pumpkin.

Despite the van's most valiant efforts, these vehicles are only designed to work for 10 years, and while Hannah and Jared were grateful to see it last an additional two years, they now find themselves without reliable transportation. They do not live in a city with public transit, so without an accessible van, Hannah is essentially homebound.

As her friends, we have decided to help her ask for help, because a new van with the modifications she and her chair require (a lowered floor, a ramp installation, and EZ-lock restraint system) costs upwards of $75,000. The vast majority of that will have to be paid upfront. For a variety of reasons, Hannah and Jared have decided not to get a van with the computer system and hand controls this time, which would have added another $35,000 to the total cost. This will not be one she can drive, but they have weighed the pros and cons and decided they can make it work.

The service that helped Hannah get Pequod 12 years ago said they’d only ever finance one vehicle. Another won’t help because she is married and her husband is able to go out for groceries and necessities. Medi-transit services can take her to the hospital and nothing else is considered a necessity.

Hannah has dedicated a huge part of her life to disability advocacy. Her heart is enormous and through knowing her we have all come to see how much of her desire to help others informs her everyday life. Much of our time together is spent discussing ways to open eyes to a new way of seeing the world, the realities of living with a disability, and how the system has failed others less fortunate than herself.

When we heard about the dire straits Hannah was in with her van, we knew we had to do something. Unfortunately, we cannot do this alone. Your donations would change Hannah’s life, and would also allow the people who care about her to stop worrying so much.

#disability #new wheels for hannah #op #mutual aid

[immanuelchu10]

I'm Immanuel Chu from Los Angeles but originally from Atlanta, Korean American, pastor for 8 years, played football for University of Illinois and Middle Tennessee State University.

[beautyandthenovels]

Princess of the Night // eddie munson x fem! OC

THIS FIC IS ALSO PUBLISHED ON MY AO3, LINK BELOW!!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/40050807

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Female Original Character

Summary: Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Montgomery is stuck in Hawkins, Indiana after a family tragedy shakes her world upside down. Done with the overbearing pressure to be popular, the senior ex-cheerleader finds solace in Hellfire Club, especially their Dungeon Master.

Navigating falling in love for the first time, overcoming grief and getting thrown into a supernatural world where something or someone seems to be hunting her down, Gabby has a lot to deal with during senior year.

Notes: First fanfic ever. *scared* I am sorry if there are grammar errors (English is not my native language) or if it simply is a piece of shit. I am very sad about the Eddie ‘situation’ in Stranger Things so I decided to write my own version of what that sunshine fluff ball deserves.

Please show love or guide this padawan through the fanfiction universe.

CHAPTER ONE

The sunlight across the window burned her eyes, causing her to close them aggressively. The bus drove fast, making her sweat from the scorching heat but also from anxiety. They were about to cross the Indiana state border, all the way from Tennessee, where she had hopped on. Gabrielle glanced at the clock in her right wrist, confirming seven hours spent inside that smelly bus. She felt movement at her side, from a middle aged woman enthralled by a magazine containing the latest gossip, ultimately pressing Gab’s body harder against the window, much to her dislike.

Gabrielle was traveling down to Hawkins, a small town in Indiana, to live with her Grandfather August for her senior year, although she lived - or had lived - in Tennessee, alongside her parents and older brother. Tears threatened her eyes, not unusual these days, but she successfully contained them, not wanting to cause a scene inside the bus.

It was now mid-August, which meant she should have been enjoying the long days of summer, helping her mother with her veterinary work… or maybe they would have gone camping or she could have been helping her brother settle down in New York. She remembered afternoon sweet tea on the porch, neighbours coming for barbecues, horror movies with her Dad and Aaron.

A memory from the crash jolted her senses, driving her momentarily incapacitated. She performed the breathing exercises her dad taught before for panic attacks. ‘Gabby, inhale slowly and exhale…Don’t let it dominate you, you’re the one in control.’ He reassured her every single time. But sometimes it was difficult to remain in control, especially when the accident reminisced inside her head.

In the beginning of July, her parents, herself and Aaron had decided to go on a trip to New York to search for houses for him to live in, since he was going to college there. They left for the airport on a Saturday afternoon, after her regional cheerleading competition, when a truck hit them sideways full speed, not stopping at a stop sign. Time seemed to stop during the strong impact. She couldn’t remember much else, besides spinning several times, ultimately awoken by Aaron, who unfastened her seatbelt, and pushed her body towards the broken window, while he remained with his legs smashed against the seat and the truck’s weight. Her parents seemingly had died instantly, but her brother’s suffering haunted her, conscious, not able to escape or be released. He finally passed away on the way to the hospital. Gabrielle was just recollecting his crying while she screamed outside the car, when the bus suddenly came to a stop.

“Hawkins, Indiana. All passengers for Hawkins, Indiana may leave now. Thank you. Next stop:…” Here she was, in this hell hole of a town, away from home. She got up, obligated to push the lady aside to get off, extended her arms to grab for the huge duffel bag and made her way down the stairs, glad to breathe fresh air after a long time. The bus stop was located on main street, where she looked around and spotted a diner, a clothing store, general store, the post office, among other small services. Her grandfather was nowhere to be seen. She walked around, noticing people’s stares, conjuring ideas of who she was and what she was doing in Hawkins.

She walked through the suburban neighborhood, all very similar to the last time she had come here to visit, when she spotted her grandpa’s house at the end of a cul-de-sac. A charming white picket fence house with a porch engulfed in flowers, still there after Grandma Jean had passed away 2 years ago. On the swing there was a tall man seated, with a newspaper spread out on his hands. He turned right as Gabrielle’s sandals approached, a sad tired smile forming over his thin wrinkled lips.

‘Honey, you’re home!’ Gab welcomed the warm familiar feeling of her Grandpa as he hugged her. She quickly noticed the sharp pain in his face as the one she identified on her own when she stared at the mirror.

‘I’m here Grandpa.’ she sniffed, unable to control herself much more.

‘I am so sorry for driving you out of Tennessee but I am so old, this has been my house for decades… Don't be angry at me for making you come here please. ’ She cleaned the tears forming in her eyes, entering the house.

‘I’m not angry, I just… It’s weird leaving Tennessee, Dad’s farm.’

‘Are your other grandparents taking care of it?’ She nodded affirmatively. Her mom’s parents were very different from Grandpa August and Grandma Jean, they had a lot of money so they employed people to keep the farm running and decided it was better for Gabrielle to spend a year away, but since they lived in Maine they thought it would be best to live closer with Grandpa August in Hawkins, until Gabrielle finished high school and became independent.

‘How are you holding up? Have you been sleeping?’ No, she thought. She frequently relived the accident when she tried to sleep throughout the night so she normally spent hours ravaging Aaron’s metal cassettes on her walkman, or reading her brother’s D&D’s campaigns and fantasy books until eventually succumbing to an extreme state of tiredness there is no way she would dream.

‘Much better actually.’ Liar. ‘And you, how are you?’ Her grandpa kept his stoic face in place. ‘Better than yesterday.’ Both liars and both knew it.

After some time talking a bit more, an effort Grandpa played out since he wasn’t much of a talker unless Grandma Jean had been around, she was taken to her new room or, in other words, her dad’s old room. She unpacked, organized her clothes, toiletries, the cassettes and notebooks she brought from Aaron’s room. Finally, she took out a picture of the four of them standing in front of their farm, smiling, content, happy. She paid attention to her stupid face, all sunshine and careless, dressed in a baby blue dress her mom had bought her. She had been so stupid, worried about being liked by everyone in school, partaking in every single club, being class president. She regretted everything now, especially cheerleading. Aaron was so right about everything, how cruel her friends were to poor, unpopular people. How they used to act out in school like they were part of some VIP club, so above everyone else. How she got along with everyone, polite and nice just for her perfect image. It had been for nothing, got her nothing. None of her friends cared enough when her family passed away, they came around once or twice for condolences but quickly went on with their summer activities and parties. The ones who kept her company and made sure she wasn’t alone or had food were Aaron’s friends, whom her ‘friends’ absolutely disliked. Some people spoke behind their backs because Aaron and the rest of the gang had a peculiar style. But, in reality, they just hang at Gab’s house, listening to metal, play cards and Dungeon and Dragons.

‘Hey, brunette Barbie, wanna join us in our deadly quest against the zombie army of popularity?’ They knew her since she was a baby so she knew they weren’t being mean, they understood she was different from them. But she enjoyed their D&D campaigns the best and hung out with them, listening to the wonderful stories and characters they created, always with the purpose of letting good prevail over evil. It haunt her that the popular crowd at school asked her if she was turning into a weirdo like her older brother, her best friend Sheila even dared pushing her into one stall in the girls bathroom one day and warn her that she needed to give Aaron and the boys the cold shoulder because people were starting to notice and it would jeopardize all she had ‘accomplished, especially cheerleading’. Gabrielle felt numb and had no idea how to respond to that, what had one thing to do with the other? When she arrived home that day and stepped into Aaron’s room, listening to her secretly favorite song by Iron Maiden ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name’, she brought up what had been happening and the conversation earlier with Sheila.

‘So, you’re going to pretend you don’t know me and the guys? That’s it?’ He kept playing with a pencil, turning it round and round over his two fingers, his green eyes feral and hurt.

‘No! I would never do that but I just don’t understand why…’’ He brushed his mid-shoulder dark brown hair backwards, frustrated.

‘Listen Gabby, I am not going to tell you what to do because you’re a big girl. These people, they suck, they don’t know anything besides being a bunch of snobs who hang at the country club. They see themselves as the norm and anyone who lightly deviates from that line, from their so-called perspective of normality is a danger solely by existing. I know you have good friends like Sheila, who’s worried about you in her own way, but is this all you want? To be pretty and shake your pom poms, have a perfect GPA, be known as Miss Sympathy? You love D&D and hanging out with us, I know you do, you actually even like some music I listen to, right? ’ He chuckled at the last bit when she rolled her eyes.

‘I mean, you can be a nice girl, a cheerleader and still love Judas Priest. Those fuckers are the ones who simply decided you have to be A or B. Don’t let them shape you, that’s my advice.’ Gab got up from his bed and hugged him fiercely, so happy she had him for a big brother. It was the last time she ever did.

An accident that never would have happened if she didn’t go to that stupid cheerleading competition. Sharp pain ate her in her when she thought how it all could have been prevented hadn’t she go, had she never been part of that cheer squad that she didn’t even like. It had all been her fault. They were all dead because of her.

Gabrielle woke from the memory, realizing she had been sitting on the bed for quite some time, noticing it was dusk outside, the last few rays of sun piercing the window, dust particles flowing around the room in a disorganized dance. She glanced one last time at the family photo, vowing in Aaron’s name that this time it would be different, she would remain true to herself and strong, whatever or whomever came in her way. ‘I love you’.

#stranger things #eddie munson #eddie munson fic #eddie munson x reader #eddie x reader #eddie munson x fem!oc #eddie munson x female original character #eddie munson x female oc #stranger things 4 #st4 #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson x female character

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Mike Luckovich, Atlanta Journal Constitution

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

March 1, 2023

Heather Cox Richardson

Drugmaker Eli Lilly announced today that it will cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month, bringing costs for people with private insurance and those without insurance who sign up for Lilly’s copay assistance program into line with the $35 cap for Medicare recipients Congress imposed with the Inflation Reduction Act last August. Republicans all voted against the Inflation Reduction Act and explicitly stripped from it a measure that would have capped the cost of insulin at $35 for those not on Medicare. They continue to oppose the measure. On February 2, 2023, newly elected House Republican Andy Ogles (TN) introduced his first bill: a call to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, claiming it “took a gigantic step toward socialized medicine.” The bill had 20 far-right cosponsors. At the time he introduced the bill, Ogles presented himself as an economist with a degree in international relations from Middle Tennessee State University. Since then, an investigation by NewsChannel 5 in Nashville revealed that he took one course in economics and got a “C” in it, and that his resume was similarly exaggerated across the board. Ogles won a seat in Congress after the Republican state legislature redistricted Nashville to make it easier for a Republican to win there. Lilly’s announcement in the face of Republican support for big pharmaceutical companies is a bellwether for the country’s politics. Biden has pressured companies to bring down the price of insulin—most notably by calling for such legislation last month during his State of the Union address—and is claiming credit for Lilly’s decision. But there is more to it. The astronomically high price tags on U.S. insulin compared to the rest of the world have become a symbol of a society where profits trump lives, and there is growing opposition to the control pharmaceutical companies have over life-saving drugs. A number of other entities, including a nonprofit company in Utah called Civica Rx, the state of California, and a company run by billionaire Mark Cuban, have all promised to produce generic insulin at a fraction of what pharmaceutical companies are currently charging. Lilly's announcement is likely a reaction to the changing moment that has brought both political pressure and economic competition. The company’s leaders see the writing on the wall. The administration continues to work to create positive change in other measures important to ordinary Americans. This month ends temporary increases in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, previously referred to as “food stamps.” At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Congress boosted SNAP payments, keeping as many as 4.2 million people out of poverty. Congress ended those extra benefits late last year through the Consolidated Appropriations Act that funded the government. About 42 million Americans receive SNAP benefits, and the end of that boost will cut those benefits by $90 a month on average. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack wrote an op-ed at CNN today, promising that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers SNAP, will do its best to protect families losing the expanded benefits. It will work to adjust benefits to rising prices, expand school lunch programs, and promote access to the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. “Our country was founded to support the prosperity and potential of Americans in every corner of the nation,” Vilsack wrote. “Under President Joe Biden’s administration, we’re making good on this promise.” Yesterday the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing about the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex. Congress passed the amendment in 1972 and sent it off to the states for ratification, but they imposed on that ratification a seven-year deadline. Thirty states ratified it within the next year, but a fierce opposition campaign led by right-wing activist Phyllis Schlafly eroded support among Republicans, and although Congress extended the deadline by three years, only 35 states had signed on by 1977. And, confusing matters, legislatures in five states—Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Tennessee—voted to take back their earlier ratification. In 2017, Nevada became the first state to ratify the ERA since 1977. Then Illinois stepped up, and finally, in 2020, Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the amendment, putting it over the required three quarters of states needed for the amendment to become part of the Constitution. But now there are legal challenges to that ratification over both the original deadline and whether the states’ rescinding of previous ratifications has merit. The Senate hearing was designed to examine whether the deadline could be separated from the amendment to allow the amendment to be added to the Constitution, but it was far more revealing than that. Faced with the possibility that the ERA might become part of the Constitution, right-wing leaders insisted that the ERA has “just one purpose left,” as the Heritage Foundation put it: “Abortion.” They claim that since, in their view, women are now effectively equal to men across the board in employment and so on, women’s current demand for equality before the law is simply a way for them to capture abortion rights. Catholic bishops of the United States have written to senators to express “alarm” at the ERA, warning it would have “far-reaching consequences” with “negative impacts to the common good and to religious freedom.” They claim it would require federal funding for abortions and would prohibit “discrimination based on ‘sexual orientation,’ ‘gender identity,’ and other categories.” “We strongly urge you to oppose it,” they wrote, “and any resolution attempting to declare it ratified.” This fight highlights that the attempt to stop government protection of individuals is really about imposing the will of a minority. A piece by Megan O’Matz in ProPublica today explored how an anti-abortion law firm has been sowing doubts about the 2020 presidential election as part of a long-term strategy to end abortion rights. Led by former Kansas attorney general Phill Kline, whose law license was suspended a decade ago for ethics violations, lawyers at the Thomas More Society worked to restrict access to the vote and to stall President Joe Biden’s inauguration in order to keep Trump in office. Their efforts thrived on disinformation, of course, and the echoes from the testimony released recently in the defamation case of Dominion Voting Systems against the Fox Corporation continue to reverberate in the fight against public lies. In that testimony, both Fox News Channel hosts and top executives admitted that they knew Trump’s claims of victory in the 2020 presidential election were lies but spread them anyway to keep their viewers from abandoning them for another channel. Now House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has given exclusive access to 44,000 hours of video from the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, to one of those hosts, Tucker Carlson. Today, Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) did an end run around McCarthy to address the problem of disinformation directly at the source. They sent a letter to Rupert Murdoch, chair of the Fox Corporation, and other top Fox executives, reminding them of their damning testimony and reminding them that “your network hosts continue to promote, spew, and perpetuate election conspiracy theories to this day.” They wrote: “We demand that you direct Tucker Carlson and other hosts on your network to stop spreading false election narratives and admit on the air that they were wrong to engage in such negligent behavior.” It is an important marker, and if the Fox Corporation can read the writing on the wall as well as Eli Lilly can, it might shift the focus of the Fox News Channel, which already seems to be trying to pull its support for Trump and give it to Florida governor Ron DeSantis. But that protest is unlikely to change the behavior of right-wing members of Congress. Yesterday, Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Mark Green (R-TN) blamed the Biden administration for the deaths of Caleb and Kyler Kiessling from fentanyl poisoning after their mother, an attorney and conservative activist, testified before the House Committee on Homeland Security. But the young men, along with 17-year-old Sophia Harris, died in July 2020, when Trump was president. When senior CNN reporter Daniel Dale asked Greene’s office why she had blamed Biden for the deaths, her congressional spokesperson, Nick Dyer, “responded by saying lots of people have died from drugs under Biden and ‘do you think they give a f*ck about your bullsh*t fact checking?’” Dale also asked him to comment on Greene’s lies about the 2020 presidential election yesterday. Dyer answered: “F*ck off.”

—

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

#political cartoon #woke #Mike Luckovich #Atlanta Journal Constitution #Equal Rights Amendment #equality #lies and the lying liars. #liar in congress #faked resume #FAUX News #Rupert Murdoch #democracy

[presleybutlervsp]

March 19, 1974

Elvis performed at the Middle Tennessee State University Athletic Center, Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

#elvisaaronpresley #elvispresley #elvis #graceland #elvis history #elvishistory #tcb #elvis fans #elvis presley #elvis the pelvis #elvis concert #elvis music #elvis the king #70s elvis

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) is facing criticism following an investigation by a news outlet in his home state that claims he ― much like Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) ― embellished parts of his résumé.

The probe by Nashville’s WTVF-TV found that Ogles, who was sworn into office last month, has a background “filled with exaggerations,” such as his claim on his congressional website that he’s an economist and “studied policy and economics.”

There is little evidence to back up such a claim, according to the TV station, and his alma mater, Middle Tennessee State University, declined to confirm the nature of his degree from there.

A look back at Ogles’ website over two decades ago shows a claim that he studied foreign policy and the Constitution at Middle Tennessee State University and Western Kentucky University.

Western Kentucky told WTVF that Ogles majored in English and allied language arts in the 1990s.

Ogles’ résumé from two years following his graduation from Middle Tennessee State University in 2007 mentioned that he got a degree in international relations with minors in psychology and English, the TV station reported.

Ogles’ inconsistencies between his website biographies and his résumés aren’t the only questionable parts of his past.

Ogles also claimed he held a role as an “executive director” for author and economist Arthur Laffer’s supply-side economics center, however, Laffer told Insider that Ogles primarily worked in fundraising.

“I didn’t know he had that title. The titles aren’t really important for the office. We all clean the dishes,” said Laffer, who added that an economist is someone who works in economics and that Ph.D.s aren’t a requirement to be called an economist.

The Republican also said he was a former member of law enforcement. In one debate, he said he’d worked in fighting international sex crimes, specifically child trafficking.

Ogles, however, was a volunteer reserve sheriff’s deputy in the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office and lost the role after two years “for not meeting minimum standards, making no progress in field training and failure to attend required meetings,” according to WTVF.

The spokesperson for the sheriff’s office told the station that Ogles’ training or personnel file doesn’t show any involvement in international sex trafficking.

The news outlet reported that those connected to the anti-human trafficking nonprofit Abolition International, where he worked in 2011, dispute how he has referred to his role.

Ogles served as chief operating officer, a part-time role at the nonprofit, and told Washington Watch that he “didn’t really intend to set out to be so heavily involved in the fight against human trafficking.”

A press secretary for Ogles did not respond to a request for comment from WTVF.

You can read more of WTVF’s report here.

Ogles’ spokesperson responded to Insider following a subsequent report on the Republican and referred to the site’s story as “another attempt by the liberal media to make something out of nothing.”

“It’s a simple case of condensing a resume for the sake of brevity on the campaign trail, and partisan hacks are trying to turn it into a headline for clicks,” the spokesperson said in an email.

HuffPost has reached out to Ogles’ office via email for additional comment.

#us politics #news #huffington post #2023 #republicans #conservatives #gop policy #gop #Rep. Andy Ogles #Tennessee #WTVF-TV #republican lies #republicans be like #conservatives be like #us house of representatives #118th congress