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myjunkisyuzuruhanyu · 1 year

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So this is more to be answered after WTT but I wanted to ask now: thoughts on the 2022-23 season overall? How did you feel about scoring overall? The various skaters? Did any skaters catch your eye? How did you feel about the lack of Russians (please don't bring them back, ISU)? Yuzu and Nathan weren't competing, how did the men's field feel without the two titans? And any other thoughts on the season (and also Shoma's season in particular if you want)

So WTT is over...time to answer I guess 😉

Are you in for a long read bc there are a lot of questions 😅

Thoughts on the season overall?

I think there was long time no season as unpredictable as this one. All disciplines were quite unpredictable in almost every competition. You obviously still had favorites for the events but still the winner was not clear when in last seasons you could predict winners most of the time especially in ice dance. I think probably most predictable for wins was Shoma as even with mistakes he was far off the field and results do tell the story. Can you imagine that Shoma finished the season undefeated and actually never did his full layout? Crazy huh? Kaori was not the clear favorite you could have expected, she had a lot ups and downs. Same was for Loena Hendrickx. Ladies was as interesting as ever and for the first time in years I had lot of fun watching ladies competitions. Kihara/Miura were in constant battle with the US team, they won the comps but also profited from their mistakes. In the GP series I was kinda disappointed with the Pairs competition and perceived them as quite boring, but Worlds actually surprised me with the variety of good Pair skaters. I think you can see the development of this discipline. I thought it was an enjoyable season. I like chaos 🔥. I like when it's exciting who will win.

How do you feel about scoring?

Actually over the years I care less and less for scoring. The system is too rigged to be completely fair. I think the judging overall was mostly as fair as it can get in the season, means scoring was as expected with all the shortcomings it offers, nothing too out of the box besides that WR scores for Chock/Bates because wth? I was actually quite surprised that Ilia's PCS score didn't rise as much as I feared. I take the little victories at this point. Y'all know I am not one to be too rigid with technical stuff in scoring as I also see the shortcomings in the rulebook with too much freedom for interpretation, but let's say I was not too pissed off by the scoring most of the time, which I take as either "a victory for my nerves" or "a process of scores are meaningless anyway" 😅 I think overall the right ppl won the events with some few exceptions.

Did any skater catch your eye?

Actually mostly juniors: Hannah Lim/Ye Quan in ice dance. It's been a while I was this excited for an ice dance team. Minsol Kwan - her performance level at 13 years of age is extraordinary. Jia Shin and Mao Shimada also impressed me. But also the Australian Pair who competed in Juniors most of the season and had a fabulous debut in seniors at Worlds.

As for seniors Kao Miura definitely catched my eye. His energy and jumps are stunning to witness, especially live. I think his energy is sometimes a bit too much, but once he learns to control it he'll can be the full package.

Nina Pinzarrone is a skater I really adored first at Euros and especially when I could see her live at Challenge Cup. She's sweet.

Then there are a couple of skaters I long know or like but who got me on a new level of being their fan: Two are definetly Junhwan Cha and Haein Lee. At this Worlds and WTT they were on fire. They really did find their best at the end of the season. In general I really love Team South Korea, their comradery and their programs.

Keegan Messing - I always loved Keegan but now that it was clear that this would be his last season I cried many times over Keegan, the most just today. It made me realize how much I really adored him and how much I will miss him.

Adam Siao Him Fa is another skater I really like more and more. Sadly he had not the best ending to his season but he brings something special to the ice.

How did you feel about the lack of Russians?

I think banning the Russians is the right decision. Russia is using sport as a propaganda tool and sadly a lot of Russian coaches and skaters do support their agenda in words and actions. I think it's unimaginable how you can welcome them back to competitions. I for one would not know how to react when I suddenly face the Russians again at competitions knowing how they will be used for promotion. This war against Ukraine is a crime and as long as the war is on I don't want any of them back on international stages and I seriously hope that the consideration of letting them compete under neutral flag will not happen. Did the Olympics not teach anyone a lesson? They do not care for sanctions such as a neutral flag. Sports and politics cannot be separated and everyone saying it's not a conflict is lying. This all being said I liked or still like a lot of Russian skaters and despite the awful scoring at times - which the athletes themselves are not at fault - so it would be lie to say that I am not sad to not see one or the other, but tbh I didn't see any of the Russian competitions and I did not look at any of their programs. I just cannot watch it. I do not support it. I am not even sure how to follow those I am/was a fan of. I cannot suddenly unlike them, but I also do not feel good about supporting any of them like I used to. (Personally the skaters are not at fault for the war and I do understand why they don't take action against it, but still saying nothing doesn't mean they don't agree on what is happening. They were at the roots of the propaganda, it would actually be logical if they would follow the general Russian mindset.)

So to say I was completely unaffected would be a lie, BUT I don't miss Russian skaters at competitions especially in ladies it was so much more fun than all these years before where unfair rooftop scoring and predictability made it just unbearable at times. I would even say men and ice dance were hardly affected overall by their absense. It's not like they were the top notch only. In Pairs I thought about the Russians because this discipline especially in the GP series had a lower level than what we were used to. But I'd rather take empty fields than Russians back on a big stage. I do not want them back at any cost before the war in Ukraine is over.

Continued in Part 2 because this is already very long...

#replies #figure skating #season recap #shoma uno

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becaeffinmitchell · 3 years

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Fic: what i have (is who i carry home) (1/1)

Summary: Chloe, as it turns out, loves Valentine's Day.

Of course she does. Beca can't say she's surprised in the least.

aka, five Valentine's Days Beca Mitchell's had.

Note: After ten thousand years, I’m free! Or, you know, after eight years, I’m finally posting my first Bechloe fic. Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone 🥰 Gif credit goes entirely to @evenstars (thank you so much again!)

Words: 4,954

Read below or on AO3!

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i. 2012, Freshman Year, Barden University

There are so many other things Beca would rather be doing.

Like go to the dentist. Actually show up for class. Spend time over dinner with her dad and the step-monster.

Okay, maybe not that last one. Nothing in the world would make her choose that.

But here she is, in that stupid red hoodie, holding that stupid bow and arrow, standing in front of people, refusing to sing that stupid song with Amy.

Later, back at the auditorium where they have Bellas practice, Aubrey's voice is shrill and loud. (As always, Beca thinks.)

"Beca, you really need to be picking up the slack. We need every dollar that we can raise so that we have enough to cover our journey to the semi-finals, and you're dead last in our fundraiser right now."

Amy mutters something under her breath, soft enough for Beca to hear something about — the bus? The Trebles? She doesn't really know. Whatever it is, it's not something she wants to get in the middle of.

"Maybe we can think of something new to do." Beca's tone is dry, and she schools her expression into something neutral on her face, her head tilted slightly, knowing that Aubrey has to know she isn't just talking about the fundraising activity.

It's just — she can feel the potential of these girls, okay? And it's such a shame that they're stuck doing the same three songs, over and over. If she could at least try, show them her arrangements, maybe they'd have a fighting chance.

"I have the pitch pipe, and I say we do this exactly how we have been doing it."

Beca is about to say something snarky, something she knows is going to get under Aubrey's skin, when Chloe's voice rang out beside her.

"It's okay. I'll do it with Beca tomorrow."

She hasn't even noticed Chloe approaching them in the midst of this, so her head whips around so fast at the sound of her voice.

"Don't you have a class during that time, Chloe? That's the whole reason why we couldn't pair you up with Beca." There's something about Aubrey's clipped words that is super careful and controlled, like there's more that she wants to say but isn't.

Chloe shrugs, before turning to Beca with a beaming smile. "It's okay, skipping out on one Russian Lit lecture won't make a difference."

Chloe, as it turns out, loves Valentine's Day.

Of course she does. Beca can't say she's surprised in the least. She thinks she doesn't know anyone who's more enthusiastic about everything and anything.

There's something about Chloe that feels like embers starting at the base of Beca's dead, cold heart, warming it up and turning itself three sizes larger.

It's not a thing she wants to unpack right now; she's not the type to get attached to people, and especially not when she's going to go through with her plan, and leave at the end of the school year. It doesn't matter if her dad helps her or not.

"Do you have any plans for tomorrow?" Chloe's voice, melodic as it comes, breaks the silence as they walk towards the south quad. She looks ready to go through the entire residence hall, her angel wings bouncing behind them.

"It's a day corporations literally invented to convince everyone to buy cards and chocolates and flowers at jacked up prices, so..."

Chloe lets out a happy sigh. "Maybe so. But it's also a day to celebrate love! And love is so awesome. I love love. And I'm not just talking about romantic love, though that is nice. You can also celebrate the love from all relationships in your life. Like your best friends, or your parents, or your siblings."

Beca raises an eyebrow, because Chloe is just so goddamn earnest. She tugs at her hoodie. "Let me guess, you and shower guy have a date?"

"Who, Tom?"

"How many shower guys do you have?" There's a beat. "Actually, don't answer that."

So here she is, still in that stupid red hoodie, still holding that stupid bow and arrow, standing in front of people, and singing a duet with Chloe Beale.

The next morning, Kimmy unceremoniously drops a box at the foot of Beca's bed, a loud thud waking her up.

There's a sleeping mask, a whole clip of flash drives, two huge jars of peanut butter, and cans of Red Bull in the box. There's also a card, and her name is written carefully in the middle of an envelope.

Happy Valentine's Day, Beca!!!! I've said this before, and I'll say it forever: I'm SO glad that I met you. I LOVE that you love music like it's the one thing you can't live without. It's something that really resonates with me, too. You make us better. :) :)

xoxo,

Chloe!

Beca drifts off to sleep that night, the music still playing in her headphones. She's wearing that sleeping mask across her eyes.

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ii. 2014, Junior Year, Barden University

The thing with Jesse is, he really loves these grand gestures of romance.

Sometimes Beca thinks that that's his favorite part. It's almost like he's in love with the idea of being in a relationship.

Worse still, in love with the idea of her, like she's this perfectly scripted character who exists for him.

Last year for Valentine's Day, Jesse had shown up at her dorm. Well, outside of her window actually, boombox on his shoulder. She'd tried not to wince, her lips pressed together into something resembling a smile (she hopes) to the strains of In Your Eyes, at the ungodly hour of dawn.

It isn't even that she had just gotten to sleep like, two hours before that. Or the very clear and enunciated "fuck off!" that her neighbor gave them, complete with a dramatic slamming of her window. At least she doesn't have to deal with that now, now that they've all moved into the Bellas house, newly renovated.

It was just a lot, right? And maybe she should have been a better girlfriend to anticipate it this year, or at least match some of that. Rise up to his level, or something. She just has a reservation to a fancy Italian restaurant in Midtown, and she made that way in advance. So maybe she gets points for that?

January rolls into February, and she dreads it. Every day is a countdown to The Fourteenth.

Here's the more pressing thing: Chloe seems sad. Not all the time, but Beca catches it occasionally.

She presumes she knows her best friend pretty well by this point, until she's doing things like failing a single class on purpose so that she doesn't graduate. For the second year in a row.

And Beca gets it, at least on an abstract level. If she starts thinking about what comes after graduation — and that's in a year and some — she gets nervous, too. But in no version of her reality does she get so paralyzed with fear, that she would opt to repeat her senior year like it’s groundhog year.

She wishes she could know why, for certain. She can't help if she doesn't know what's going on in Chloe's head, but for the first time, it's Chloe's turn to clam up and switch the subject.

So Beca doesn't push. She hopes it's enough to keep her afloat as she works through whatever it is. She doesn't really know what that entails, but music? Music she can do.

She pours her energy into putting together a really solid mix for Chloe; it's all the songs that remind Beca of her, and their friendship. She picks songs and arranges them and removes them before she puts them back in, because it has to sound right.

Beca feels like the world's biggest dork for giving it to her the morning of Valentine's Day.

Well, second biggest dork, because she intercepts Chloe leaving the gift boxes in the room, for her and Amy.

"Hey, uh. Happy Valentine's Day," she says, handing her the flash drive — one of the many that Chloe has gotten her over the years, like she's her supplier — and hoping she doesn't look as awkward as she feels. "It's not anything like your, like, super thoughtful gifts." She gestures in that general direction. "But you're my best friend, so... here."

She gets pulled into a hug, and Beca can't be sure, but it sounds like Chloe's 'thank you' is strained and she's about to cry.

Beca hopes it's enough.

"So, Jesse gave you just the one earring?"

Beca's back from the dinner. It was... nice? There was a string quartet and Jesse made them play John Legend's All Of Me, and Beca didn't actually die of embarrassment when he started singing along, so she'll chalk that up as a win.

"Yeah, it's like — symbolism, I guess. From the movie." Beca shrugs, chewing on the popcorn she's made that Chloe is currently stealing. She thinks about lightly smacking her hand away, but ends up shifting the bowl so that it's nearer to Chloe.

Does she regret putting Don't You (Forget About Me) in their setlist? Maybe.

Probably not, all things considered, because it worked well together with the other songs, and they did win the finals that year. But it elevated the movie to mythical and legendary status for Jesse, and if he does that arm raising motion one more time during squabbles he wants to get out of? Beca might lose it even harder.

"Is it symbolism or a metaphor? I could never tell the difference."

"I think it was a metaphor in the movie," Beca starts, a thoughtful expression on her face. "But more of a symbol for like, me and Jesse? Oh my god." She presses her free hand to her eyes. "You're such a nerd. Stop making me think deeper about this than I need or want to."

"I just think it's nice," she hears Chloe say.

Beca hums, tone neutral. "It's something, for sure. Wait." She whips her head to face her best friend. "You didn't go out tonight? Ms. 'I Love Love'?"

Chloe chuckles lowly, quietly. "I have all I need here in this house, anyway."

When Beca goes to the kitchen in the middle of the night for a glass of water, she thinks she hears the soft strains of her mix playing from Chloe's room.

------------

iii. 2017, Brooklyn, NY

It's apparently the warmest February in New York on record, but Beca is still fucking freezing.

The incessant chill envelops the air, and she pulls her coat closer to her. She's bundled under layers, but the radiator in their tiny little apartment is, as most things in it, almost completely busted.

Jesus Christ. It's cold.

Amy is convinced she's cold because she's moping, because she's sad about breaking up with Jesse.

Beca knows she isn't, and it's not just the long distance thing.

They'd given it a fair go, and it sucked that he got busier with classes and she tried to solve all of the music industry's problems as an associate producer, working hours trying to make tracks sound... sonically unrotten.

It's not just the long distance thing, because if Beca was honest with herself, it was probably a sign that when he told her that he was thinking of completing his studies in California, her immediate response was that of neutral indifference.

So, she is totally fine.

Beca hears Chloe singing softly before the door even opens, and she can hear it swing open too, and she knows Chloe is about to shrug her coat off —

"Don't bother, it's also cold in here," Beca says, from under the covers.

Then, her eyes track Chloe as she walks to the radiator —

"I checked, it's working. Supposedly."

"Aww." Chloe strides the distance — not that it's that long — and sits down on their shared bed. "You're so cute when you're grumpy."

"Aren't you freezing?" she chooses to deflect the comment, hugging herself petulantly. "Hey, how was your date with that guy at the clinic?"

Chloe hums noncommittally. "We went for coffee and he double-booked me with another girl."

"Dude. What a dick." Beca feels a flash of — annoyance? Chloe deserves the world. Chloe deserves everything she wants. "I'm sorry."

"I know. It's okay though." Chloe smiles at her. It's that smile that Beca catches that she thinks it's just for her, but she's also a logical person who knows that Chloe has that ability to make people feel like they're the most important person in the world. "I've got all I need right here."

Warmth pools at Beca's stomach, and honestly. It's a nice change from the freezing.

It's 2 AM, and they're cuddling, because of course they are; because Chloe is warm; because Chloe is an embrace personified; because... Chloe.

Beca stirs awake, and she feels Chloe's breath tickle at the base of her neck. She shifts, not uncomfortably. Then, Chloe's hand drifts sleepily, and lands somewhere on Beca's hip.

And then.

There is a sudden, startling clarity in Beca's mind, knocking the figurative breath out of her. Her eyes fly open.

She loves Chloe.

And not in the same way where she loves the rest of her found family in the other Bellas.

Oh no, a voice sounds in her mind.

Oh, this is very bad, she thinks.

She can't believe how still she is right now, feeling the entire weight of Chloe's body in contact against her. Feeling her slow, steady breathing against her back. She's not even cold anymore.

Okay. So she loves her best friend. Cool, cool, very cool. That's totally fine. She can handle this.

Chloe's been such a fixture in her life, at every turn; in every note in between the downbeat and upbeat that is her life. Music is in Beca's veins, her whole life, but music flows right through Chloe. She's tucked warmly in the melody, a motif throughout the entire song.

Holy shit, Beca thinks. She's been in love with Chloe for so long, she doesn't even know when it started.

Okay, so. There's a weird spot on the ceiling, right? And Beca just keeps staring at it, because if she closes her eyes, she will feel Chloe's presence so keenly, pressed next to her.

She can't do anything with this knowledge. She can imagine it now, Chloe giving her a comforting hug but tells her, sorry Beca, I love you but not in that way.

It's five whole years of friendship, of Chloe by her side no matter what, and that is the one thing that she's got that she doesn't want to risk, just because she had this stupid revelation.

God. It's so stupid. It'll pass. Right?

------------

iv. 2018, Los Angeles, CA

What is really fucking weird, even in the grand scheme of things, is journalists asking her if she's doing anything for Valentine's Day.

Which, like. First of all, Beca's not stupid, she knows it's a way to suss out her personal-slash-love life.

She's kept that pretty close to her chest for now.

But also, there's literally nothing to tell. She's not being defensive because there's something to hide away. Beca is knee-deep in work all the time, and she goes home to an apartment that feels too big for just herself. It's a big change from the entirely too cramped apartment in Brooklyn.

Sometimes she finds herself missing that very specific part of her life. Not the struggling and being unhappy doing work with no integrity, obviously. But Chloe is now a message and three hours ahead, instead of being a daily fixture in her apartment, and it leaves Beca feeling off-kilter.

But maybe that distance is a good thing, after... you know. Revelations.

Anyway.

Her work ethic doesn't stop rumors. She's linked to every guy available — and some not — every single time one of them likes her Instagram posts. She's pretty sure she's had at least two full relationships, according to the National Enquirer.

Theo gleefully sends her screenshots. She tells him to fuck off.

Chloe Look out, super star! I'm going to be in LA for a good friend's wedding in February!! If you think we're not going to hang, you're sorely mistaken.

Beca is busy, but she sure as hell isn't going to miss Chloe coming to LA.

Beca You have good friends outside of the Bellas? I am shocked, Beale.

Chloe Don't be jealous 😉

She's not. Not because of that, she catches herself thinking, and frowns at herself. Not because of anything, she decides. It's also exactly how she decides she doesn't have feelings for Chloe anymore, because Chloe is happy with Chicago, and Beca has work, and honestly? Best outcome out of every outcome possible.

Still, Beca offers up her apartment for the long-ish weekend that Chloe would be in town. She's not a monster, and Chloe has like, a mountain of student debt.

It's the least she could do.

(Beca thinks back to that first performance at the Citadel, just under a year ago. Thinks of all the nerves she's never felt before, while she's walking to the microphone. She's always had the girls on stage with her, but not this time. Her family would be seated in the front row, supporting her no matter how far she goes.

She gets to bring them up on stage this time, of course, but it's also a temporary balm and she knows it. But that's fine, she can figure that part out.

It's the after that smarts a little.

After the performance, after the event, after she feels that pit, growing and clawing from her stomach when she sees Chloe lock lips with Chicago.

After she walks away with Theo, trying her level best to carry on a conversation as if she's not affected by what she'd just seen; trying not to think of all the what-ifs.

After, on the plane back home, when she directs a small smile at Chloe's direction. If she's happy then she's happy for her.

It's the least she could do.)

Chloe's flight reaches the airport at 7 in the evening, and Beca's right there at LAX, waiting for her to emerge. She can see a couple of people with the big paparazzi cameras, training their lenses at her, but she doesn't care.

There's a flash of red as she sees Chloe running to her, and thankfully she catches her.

"Oh, I've missed you," Chloe says, so earnest and sincere as always; always, and Beca can hear her own heartbeat. She's almost worried that Chloe can too, like a traitorous Tell-Tale Heart.

"Yeah, well, regular sight for sore eyes, that's me." That's good, right? She hits jocularity right in the bullseye with that, as if she can't feel the top of her ears growing hot.

Chloe just laughs; like another kind of warmth. She draws her in again, hand rubbing up and down Beca's back.

Beca thinks she's stupid, for feeling like she's home.

They get to Beca's place, Chloe appraising the place appreciatively as she wheels her luggage in.

"This is already at least fifty times nicer than our little shoebox in Brooklyn," she observes, and Beca shrugs, a little embarrassed.

"I mean, the label's paying for it, and it's like, it's — it's ridiculous." There's a voice at the back of Beca's head repeating, our little shoebox, and she wants it to shut up.

But it is ridiculous. She has so much space, and two rooms; she sleeps in one and the other one is where she works. She's pretty sure she spends more time in the latter than she does the former.

"Anyway, uh, so here's my sort-of office, it's a bit of a mess right now." She waves her hand around (god, why is she using her hands so much) at the room with her equipment and instruments, before stepping to her bedroom door. "And here's the bedroom, which, like. You should take the bed. My couch pulls out and it's really comfortable?"

"Don't be silly," Chloe tells her, looking back at the king-sized bed. "We've slept in way more crowded spaces. This will be perfect."

Beca swallows, hard. Perfect.

Falling back into a routine with Chloe is scarily easy.

She's been here for less than three hours, and Beca's already back to being attuned to her. They put on some music in the background, she listens to Chloe talk so passionately about school and all the stuff she's learning, and Beca is so proud.

She brushes her teeth and changes into her pajamas after Chloe does, exactly like how they used to, and climbs into her bed.

"Oh, shoot, I almost forgot," Chloe's saying, and Beca cocks her head curiously to see what she's forgotten. Her best friend comes back with a box, and hands it over to her.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Bec. Also, I don't think flash drives are in fashion now," she winks. "So your Google Drive storage has been renewed, for all the audio files you need to back up. Don't worry, I didn't look at anything else."

"Wh — oh. Oh, right, Valentine's Day, gifts and all," Beca says, and looks at the box in her hand. "Wait, is this —"

"Chocolate from your favorite place in New York? Yessss," Chloe says, a laugh coloring her tone. She settles back into bed. "Not that you have a shortage of chocolate places here, but Amy reminded me of the time she ate most of the last box after how you were saving your favorite pieces, so I thought I'd bring some here for you."

Beca's heart clenches.

"Thanks, Chlo." She's pretty proud of how unwavering her voice is. "I miss it."

"It's been tough for me too, not having you in my orbit," Chloe says, bumping their shoulders together.

"Yeah? Must be extra tough, because Chicago's not around either." Then she's scrambling. "Not that I'm like, comparing myself to your boyfriend in any way."

She sees Chloe's mouth twist to the side. Beca's eyebrows knit together.

"Chlo?"

"He's not my boyfriend anymore." Chloe's words are slow, measured. Like she's afraid of setting something off.

Beca pauses, as she takes it all in.

"Oh. I mean — Are you okay?"

"Yeah. It's been..." Beca sees Chloe's furrowed brows as she thinks. "Three months, almost. Just right before Christmas."

Beca thinks back to Christmas; to the group messages, the online gift cards and food deliveries made in each other's names. Nowhere in her memory exists this piece of information, and she's pretty sure she's not been that shitty of a friend to miss this.

It feels a little bit like being hurt, actually.

"Oookay," she says, licking her lips a little, letting the air out of her slowly. "Okay. Well. Good night, Chloe."

Beca can't fall asleep, and she's pretty sure she knows why. It's been an hour of staring at the ceiling, and she tries to will her stupid mind to shut down for the night.

She thinks Chloe must be asleep by now; her body clock must be three hours —

"Bec?"

Beca pauses for so long that she thinks Chloe might actually think she's asleep.

"Yeah."

She feels Chloe shift. "I want you to ask me."

Beca wants to be obtuse and frustrating; wants to pretend she doesn't know what she's talking about. Instead, the confusion and hurt win out.

She pushes herself up on her elbows, then into a sitting position. It doesn't feel like a conversation that they should have lying down. She waits for Chloe to do the same, before finding her voice and words.

"Why didn't you tell me that you and Chicago broke up?" Dimly lit by the street lights outside, Beca sees her shift in place, and she feels Chloe's hand reaching for hers. "I thought — well. You know. That we tell each other things."

Which is slightly rich, coming from her, she knows. But still.

Chloe sighs, just quietly. "Because I have feelings for someone else."

Beca blinks, taking that in. It's a weird feeling because she's simultaneously crushed and hopeful, and maybe it's the hour, or maybe it's Chloe's hand in hers, but as her eyes sweep across Chloe's face, Beca is emboldened.

She leans in, and time feels like it's slowing down as she closes the distance and presses her lips on Chloe's, roughly and then temperately.

Beca's not the most impulsive person. In the moments, though, when she is, they always leave her wondering if she'd done something stupid — like punching creepy middle-aged a cappella guys, like leaving in the middle of a fight, like pulling the girls up on stage during her solo set.

Like kissing Chloe Beale in her bed.

So she pulls back suddenly, as quickly as she had started it, an apology already stumbling out. "Fuck, I'm sorry, I just assumed, I'm so sor—"

Chloe makes a noise; something that sounds like no, her eyes so startlingly blue even in this light, and Beca freezes. She's sure her brain is working out some sort of rambling apology or excuse, maybe pass it off as a joke somehow?

But Chloe pulls her back in, both thumbs lightly touching Beca's cheekbones as she meets their lips again.

This second kiss is deeper, slower, more connected. It takes her breath away, as her hand curls at the back of Chloe's neck. Chloe tastes like mint and sweetness and sincerity, and a little like hopeless optimism on Beca's part.

A soft gasp escapes, and Chloe pulls away this time.

Beca has a tentative smile on her face, as she takes in a breath heavily; the questions written so plainly on her face.

Chloe's eyes shine.

"It's always been you, Beca."

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v. 2020, Los Angeles, CA

Having your anniversary on Valentine's Day is good. And bad.

Mostly good, because it means that Beca has that to help keep herself honest and not forget it, because it's impossible to.

Also, she won't forget, but, you know. Just in case.

Bad, especially last year, because it fell right around the Grammys weekend, and apparently when you're nominated and win pretty much... every single category you're in, that's kind of a big fucking deal.

(It started with Best New Artist, and by the time she's on that stage a fourth time, she literally had no other words and nothing but so much gratitude.)

But yeah, so last year's Valentine's Day-slash-anniversary was overwhelming. People contacting her from all corners, wanting to congratulate her and get some sound bites; the internet pouring both support, and scathing critique on her and her music.

Beca wishes she could say she rose above it, that she was as cool as her publicist thinks her to be.

Instead, Chloe had to deal with her, a stressful human ball of anxiety and nerves. Amazing, wonderful, sweet Chloe, just happy to be around her during these exciting and utterly vulnerable times.

This year, though. This year she's older and wiser.

Hopefully.

This year, the day falls on a Friday, but they've decided to celebrate it the next day and through the weekend instead, because Chloe has a seminar she needs to attend for school, and Theo had packed Beca's entire day with a long meeting.

Key word: had.

At 7 AM, as she wakes up groggily and checks her phone, the invite has disappeared from her calendar, presumably rescheduled for some other time. She vaguely notes the message from Theo about entire teams not being available, and Beca's not going to question the reason why, because she's immediately looking up flights to Ithaca and books the first one out.

(I'm not private jet rich, dude. Also, carbon footprint. Text to Amy, because of course.)

Here's her plan:

She'll make a beeline to Chloe's apartment (Beca's been here plenty of times, in the past couple of years; met her friends here in Cornell, hung out with them, appreciated that they're her support circle while she's here), and she'll say something incredibly dorky, and Chloe will kiss her, and then, they will properly celebrate.

God, the things Chloe can do with her mouth; the sounds Beca can get her to make.

Beca doesn’t even bother squirming in the plane seat.

Chloe I have a surprise!!!

Whereeee are you? 🥰🥰🥰

Here's what happens instead:

Beca has to fly back home — noun, the place where she lives; noun, Chloe — because while she was spending six hours flying east, Chloe had done the same in the opposite direction; her seminar being canceled (something about the professor being sick?).

She can't believe it.

Okay, she can maybe believe it.

God, the Bellas are going to have a field day with this.

In the group chat, Chloe's taken a selfie of herself in Beca’s apartment and captioned it: I flew here a day early to surprise Beca, but she flew to Cornell instead to surprise me too 😂

Emily OMAG YOU GUYS that is SO CUTE!!!!!!

Beca reads Emily's text, shaking her head, knowing that this is the younger girl's version of restraint.

Flo One time I thought a guy was going to propose to his girlfriend on the plane, but turned out he was having a heart attack instead.

Jessica&Ashley #justsoulmatethings

Rush hour in LA is so horrible, and it's nearly 8 PM when she finally gets back to her apartment. She jogs all the way from the Lyft to her door.

Beca never jogs.

Her own door flings open, and she sees the smiling face of the woman she loves.

"Flying cross country for me is so romantic."

"You did that too," Beca points out, a small smirk on her face.

"Yeah, but you did it twice." Chloe beams, and kisses her again, and again.

#bechloe #pitch perfect #bechloe fic #beca stupid mitchell #and her working through her feelings #kinda #(also please validate me)#my fic

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nako-doodles · 3 years

Text

get to know me 💖

tagged by @bisexualrapline @kithtaehyung & @taehyungsupremacy thank you darlin's 🥰🥺

tagging: @gimbapchefs @butterful @tae-bebe @jiminslight @mintagust @taehyungq @calicooky @bonsaipapi @taemaknae @honsool @jinbestboy @thatredwine @taejinnies @jung-koook & anyone who wants to tbh ✨

when is your birthday? oct 26th spooky season scorpio aka the best scorpio

what is your favorite color? pinks and blues

what's your lucky number? a palindrome

do you have any pets? i had a russian blue maine coon mix kitty duchess moondust and i still love her grace very much. i want to adopt a husky or eskimo or malamute but i dont have the funds or the space or the means yet :(

how tall are you? to the utter terror of my ill-equipped knees, 5'7

how many pairs of shoes do you own? enough to make hotel management think im housing more than one person in my suite, and for me to rue the day i finally pack all my shit up

favorite song? ive been listening to yoohyeon's cover of secret love song and dreamcatcher's whistle on LOOP lately that youtube has just put the songs side by side on autoplay for me. my fbi agent Gets me.

favorite movie? my emotional support trilogy howls moving castle, a silent voice, ernest and célestine

what would be your ideal partner? im going to steal ryen's 'kim seokjin, next'

do you want children? teaching them has inoculated me for the next decade thanks

have you gotten in trouble with the law? no, but i HAVE plenty of problems w some of them

what color socks are you wearing? pastel pink to match my grey tiger sneakers

bath or shower? jin didnt make a whole shower dance playlist for me to succumb to big bath???????? (im watching you lush)

favorite type of music? as long as its not just incoherent noise, i would probably like it

how many pillows do you sleep with? uhhhh............5?

which position do you sleep in? wow this quiz is not fucking around. i sleep burrowed in pillows and blankets while cuddling said pillows and blankets like a hibernating bear

what don't you like when you're sleeping? when its stuffy and humid and hot

what do you have for breakfast? sichuan spicy rice noodles with fish and crab balls and mushrooms

have you ever tried archery? i had a brief semi professional moment in elementary and i have tinie bracers and two junior recurve bows to prove it

favorite fruit? mangoes, mangosteens, strawberries, grapefruits

favorite swear word? "the owner of no one good quality"

do you have any scars? living for a quarter of a century in the modern world does mean one tends to obtain scars of the emotional and physical kind yes

are you a good liar? not sure you would believe me either way

what's your personality type? god i get a different result each time but i think i oscillate between istp-a and infj-a most? basically im a chaotic introvert.

what's your favorite type of girl? there are no hierarchy of girls; they're all great. men on the other hand..........

left or right handed? right handed but i be situationally (re: food) ambidextrous

favorite food? anything warm homey soupy hearty umami-y....dim sum, noodles, hot pots, currys, stews.......

are you clean or messy? clean with a chaos misc closet where i dump everything in it

favorite foreign food? now that im stuck in a foreign country i miss good breads and cheeses argh

how long does it take for you to get ready? 10 minutes in the mornings and like. 2 hours in the evening.

most used phrase? HAHAHAHHAHAAIOGJOAEHJIAOGJIFAO

are you a good singer? enough to have been a mezzo in collegiate choir so. not really.

do you sing to yourself? well i gotta provide a soundtrack for all this chaos and its not like i have the money to hire min yoongi to do it

biggest fear? how to tell you were raised by asian parents without saying so: being a disappointment and bring shame to the family

do you like long or short hair? medium? i keep my hair around shoulder length usually

are you into gossips? only if its about people i dont know irl and also dont like

extrovert or introvert? introvert

favorite school subject? the subject of 'not going to school'

what makes you nervous? when i think something i want to happen probably wont happen but i really FUCKING WANT IT to happen

who was your first real crush? inuyasha's big bro cardcaptor sakura's touya

how many piercings do you have? the usual earlobes ones but i want more

how fast can you run? juuuuuuuust fast enough to wrangle wily demon spawns from leaving the classroom

what makes you angry? willful and malicious ignorance

do you like your own name? yes

what are your weaknesses? food.

what are your strengths? i can carry about 3 squirmy toddlers before the situation gets dicey

what is the color of your bedspread? depressing hotel whites

color of your room? my old bedroom had sky blue walls with clouds and forests painted on it, but the hotel suite has like brown black and white thing going on

#being stuck aboard sucks usually but it extra sucks during plaguetimes #fun fact i watched ernest et celestine in hs french when our french teacher took us to the film festival #and i change my french name to celeste bc the movie was so touching :(#yes ive loved the moon before jin was the moon it was Meant To Be #anyways thanks for providing me w a+ distraction at work its been a slow molasses day #hash tag games

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solarwindswriting · 3 years

Text

Oh, The Places You’ll Go

Chapter 2

Previous Chapter / Next Chapter

Loosely inspired by the song Greek Tragedy by the Wombats

Pairing: Scotty x FemalePresenting!Reader

Word Count: 3313

Summary: The Enterprise welcome party is in full swing, and our two main characters finally meet each other!

Warnings: excessive alcohol consumption (I think that’s it)

A/N: So, I didn’t notice how long this part was until it was too late. I wanted to slip it into two but I couldn’t find a reasonable place to do it. So instead you get over 3k words. Sorry lol. Also, thank you so much to those who showed interest in being tagged, you have no idea how big that is for me!

Tags: @mournthewicked @damalseer

“Oh my, does this dress make my butt look bigger?” Sara asks, standing in front of the mirror in a shop.

“Is that what you want? If so, yes. Why do you need a new dress anyway? You have so many beautiful ones already.” Y/n wonders out loud while looking through the racks.

“Because I want to make a good first impression. Besides, I heard the crew of the Enterprise are all quite attractive. I’ve got to live up to that.” Sara responds, walking back into the dressing room.

“Sara, you are one of the most attractive people I know. Neither of us would have a problem if we went in something we already owned.” Y/n laughs, pulling out a flowing deep blue dress off the rack. “What about this?”

Sara pops her head out of the dressing room, watching as Y/n holds the dress up to her body. Sara’s eyes widen and shake her head frantically in agreement before her head disappears back into the dressing room, “absolutely. Go try that on right now.”

Y/n walks into a dressing room with the dress in hand. The dress was made with elegant royal blue tulle with embroidered stars speckled over the top layer. It fell over Y/n’s body perfectly, off the shoulders and stopped to about mid-calf, and whished when she moved. Stepping out, Y/n looks at Sara who was now sitting in a chair with the black cocktail dress she had tried on previously.

“You look like a greek god in that dress, Y/n,” Sara mused.

Y/n walked in front of the mirror and twirled. “Is it too much? If I get this, you have to pick a more exciting dress than what you’ve got.”

“It’s not too much but if it takes me getting that dress that makes my butt look good for you to buy that, I’ll do it,” Sara responds while walking over to the rack where she found the aforementioned dress.

With both dresses paid for, the friends left the shop and headed to Y/n’s apartment to pick up the things she needs to get ready at Sara’s.

“So, Let’s see what we’re getting ourselves into,” Sara started, looking at her datapad with photos of the crew while she walks.

“Sara, we’ve looked at these photos thousands of times. We know what they look like,” chuckles out Y/n, weaving their arm with hers.

“Yes, but that was different. Now we’re performing reconnaissance for the party tonight.”

“And what does your reconnaissance tell you?” Y/n glances at the pad.

“That Lieutenant Uhura is very attractive and only one rank above us.” Sara giggles as she reads Uhura’s personnel entry. “She’s also incredibly smart.”

“And very taken by Commander Spock,” Y/n points to the relationship status on file.

Sara deflates slightly before swiping through the next few personnel files. She stops on Commander Spock next.

“And this is the Vulcan you’ll be working under. Good luck with that, Y/n. I hear he’s rather cold.” Sara comments before continuing to swipe.

“He’s not that cold if he’s in a relationship. Also, isn’t he half human?” Y/n stops Sara before she walks into the busy street.

Sara ignores the potential harm she could have caused herself, and next stops on Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott, better known as Scotty.

“Cheif of Engineering. I hear he’s basically married to the ship,” Sara laughs and restarting to walk once the crosswalk is open.

“Next,” Y/n chuckles bad.

“Lieutenant Commander Leonard McCoy, Chief Medical Officer. I heard he has a cute accent but is a bit of a hardass. Remind me not to get hurt a lot.” Sara side-eyes Y/n while she talks.

“Good to know. Bet he knows how to make a good drink though.” Y/n speculates as they enter their apartment building.

“And Lastly, for the head of different groups, Captain James T. Kirk. Quite the looker.” Sara smirks to herself.

“And quite the flirt,” Y/n laughs at her friend as she unlocks her apartment. “I’ll be right over. I just need to pick up a few things.”

Living in the same building as your best friend had its perks. Getting ready for events was one of them. After picking up her makeup and a pair of heels that match her dress, Y/n walks over to Sara’s apartment and opens the door.

“Hey, why didn’t you wake me up this morning?” Y/n questioned, setting her makeup down next to Sara’s.

“Oh, I tried, you wouldn’t budge. I figured you’d make it eventually. And you did! So points for Sara.” She muses as she grabs two hard ciders from her fridge.

“I could have missed graduation!” Y/n fakes anger as she takes the cider from her dear friend.

Both get to work on their makeup and hair. Sara loosely curls her auburn hair, whereas Y/n does her hair in her favorite style. Once they were both ready, they left Sara’s apartment towards the location of the welcoming party, an old-style bar reminiscent of old San Francisco. The two stood in front of the main doors, peering into the windows, unsure if they should just walk in or not.

“Lieutenants! Very nice to see you two could make it.” A strong hand falls on Y/n’s shoulder, causing them and Sara to turn towards the voice to see a hand outstretched. “How about a proper introduction? I am Captain James T. Kirk. You’re welcome to just call me Kirk when we are off duty. And this is Commander Spock.”

Y/n takes Kirk’s hand to shake then trading with Sara to shake Spock’s. “I am Lieutenant Junior Grade Y/n Y/l/n. I just go by Y/n when off duty. And this is-”

“Lieutenant Junior Grade Sara Conners, Sir! It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Well, we should probably get inside and join the party, yes?” Kirk suggests, holding the door open for the other three.

The music playing was just above a comfortable volume, but quiet enough where you could hold a conversation without yelling. Sara and Y/s walk up to the bar to order drinks when a young man approaches them with a wide smile.

“Hello, I’m Pavel Ch-”

“Chekov. Navigation right?” Sara finishes for him, reaching out her arm. “Sara Conners. A pleasure to meet you!”

Pavel chuckles shaking Sara’s hand, “Did your research I see. And you are?” He finishes with a soft Russian accent, looking at Y/n.

“Y/n Y/l/n.” She says, shaking his hand. “Got any suggestions on what to order from here?”

“Well, the midtier brandy is spectacular here. But they do have a wonderful mint julep.” He states before waving over the bartender and ordering himself a brandy.

“We’ll take two mint juleps please.” Sara catches the bartender before he’s able to walk off.

“So, are you two in a relationship? You seem very close.” Pavel questions, sipping from his glass.

“No, just really close,” Sara answers, reaching for the newly arrived drinks and handing one to Y/n.

“Ah, cool,” Pavel beams. “Have you met the rest of the bridge crew yet? I can introduce you!”

Pavel leads Sara and Y/n to a table where Kirk and Spock were sat with two others.

“This is Nyota Uhura and Leonard McCoy. You’ve met the Captain and Spock already, yes?” Pavel introduces the crew with a bright smile. “Everyone, this is Y/n Y/l/n and Sara Conners.”

Hello’s and handshakes were exchanged. Pavel is pulled away by a few other ensigns towards what Y/n now notices a karaoke machine.

“So, Lieutenant Y/l/n, You will be working under me. Is there a particular area of study you wish to work on while abroad the USS Enterprise?” Spock questions.

“Oh, um yes. I’m looking specifically for new worlds with large deposits of Bio-mimetic Gel. It has many wonderful medical applications but very-” Y/n is cut off by Leonard.

“Regulated by the Federation. Do you have the proper paperwork and training to be handling such a hazardous material, young lady?” Leonard questions.

“Hey, we’re here to celebrate and have a good time, not to discuss work. Give the girl one more night of freedom.” Kirk interrupts and chuckles. “Also, call him Bones, he hates it.”

“I would love to answer your question, Lieutenant Commander McCoy. My last two years at the Academy majorly consisted of training and research with Bio-mimetic Gel under the supervision of Erika Biordi. My research has been in stabilizing the gel for transport and more widely used medical purposes. I have papers signed by President Kenneth Wescott and the proper containment materials that should already be aboard the Enterprise. This could be major for doctors all over the Federation. Also, I wouldn’t be able to do this work unless the Captain has approved it.” Y/n smiles thinly at the doctor.

Kirk, Spock, and Uhura all look impressed by the confidence in which Y/n spoke. Bones looks more apprehensive about the situation. Kirk broke the silence, “Y/n have you met Scotty yet?”

Y/n shakes her head no and notices Sara slinked off at some point to talk with Pavel more. Kirk leads Y/n towards the back corner to a table with three chairs. At the table sat a gentleman in a brown leather jacket and a Roylan both embroiled in a heated conversation about… power converters?

“No, Keenser, that will overload the Warp Drive, she won’t be able to take that kind of power without the proper energy suppressers.” A thick Scottish accent talks tensely between sips of whatever is in his glass.

“Can no one on my ship take a day off?” Kirk laughs, clapping his hand onto Montgomery’s shoulder.

“Ey, not when you have a potential explosion risk due to Keenser, Sir,” Montgomery responds.

“Well, I’ve got bad news then. I’d like to introduce you to Lieutenant Junior Grade Y/n Y/l/n. One of the newest graduates from Starfleet Academy. She will be studying Bio-mimetic Gel.” Kirk pulls the third chair out and motions to Y/n to sit. “She’s not getting along so great with Bones and thought you two might get along better.”

And with that Kirk walks away. The three are quiet, Y/n sipping on her mint julep that She’s about half done with.

“Sorry, I didn’t know I’d be interrupting a conversation. You can act like I’m not here.” Y/n said just loud enough to be heard over the sound of Sara and a couple of ensigns poorly singing Africa on stage.

“Why did you decide to study Bio-mimetic Gel?” The question from Montmonery surprised Y/n.

“Oh, um, when I was younger, Bio-mimetic Gel saved my mother’s life while out on a five-year mission. Her ship shouldn’t have even had any onboard, but they had just commandeered some from a smuggling vessel. If they hadn’t found that ship when they did and the doctor on board willing to take the risk, my mother would be dead and I would never have been born. So, when I heard they were wanting to do more research into it to potentially make it a commonly used substance by Federation doctors, I jumped at the chance. Sorry, that’s probably a lot more information than you were asking for.” Y/n found herself rambling.

The Cheif engineer just shook his head slightly, finishing off his drink. “No, I asked, Lass. I rarely get full explanations of why someone joined Starfleet. It’s refreshing. I’ll be right back, I’m going to get a refill. Can I get you anything?”

“Yeah, Sure. I’ll take one of whatever you’re getting. Thank you, Montgomery.”

“Please, call me Scotty.” He said, before walking off towards the bar.

Keenser and Y/n sat in more silence as they finished their drinks waiting for Scotty to return. Peering towards the bar, Y/n notices Scotty being stopped by some ensigns to chat.

“So, how long have you been on the enterprise?” Y/n asks Keenser.

Keenser babbles in his native tongue something along the lines of “not very long.”

Y/n nods in acknowledgment, “very cool. Do you like it?”

Keenser simply nods as Scotty returns, placing a glass in front of Y/n.

“Thank you, Scotty.” Y/n smiles at the man now sitting across from them.

“No problem, Lass. This will unfortunately be my last drink for the night. Going to head up to the Enterprise tonight to get a head start on some undocking prep. Coming with Keenser?” Keenser huffed in response, Finishing his drink and hopping down from his chair.

“Oh, okay. Have a goodnight then. Don’t overwork yourself. It’s supposed to be a night off.” Y/n waves goodbye to Scotty and Keenser.

Almost as soon as they leave, their spots are taken by Sara and Pavel.

“Y/n! You HAVE to get up there and sing!” Sara’s words slur as she waves her arm towards the small stage in the bar.

“Yes, you should take her advice, Lieutenant,” Pavel smiles towards Y/n.

“No, I’m perfectly fine here. And call me Y/n, Pavel. When do you want to go home, Sara?” Y/n looks with a soft smile towards her friend. She isn’t feeling the alcohol as intensely as Sara but she assumes that’s because she’s had significantly fewer drinks than her friend.

Sara looks at Y/n like they’ve just committed the most heinous crime. “What do you mean you don’t want to go up and sing. You have the most beautiful voice! And I bet your dress would look stunning under those lights.” Sara leans further into Y/n, head now resting her head on her shoulder, and whispers, “You can sing that old Earth song you like so much.”

Y/n chuckles at her friend while shaking her head. “You’re going to have to get a lot more alcohol into me before I’m willing to sing in front of the whole crew.”

Before Y/n could finish talking, Pavel was already up and at the bar, ordering a double round of shots. After a couple of minutes, he returns with a tray of purple shots. The trio cheers the first round to their health and quickly follows it with another to their safety aboard the ship. The trio continues to drink and after about an hour, Y/n is successfully sloshed. Sara convinced Y/n and Pavel to sing Sara’s favorite song that her grandmother loved called ‘Shut Up and Dance’. This was not a song to sing well, but more to just yell the word to. They even got a few of the old crewmates to sing along. Y/n was having a blast and finally thought she couldn’t wait to be working with these people. A group of nurses went on next and sang some modern rock anthem.

Y/n cut themself and Sara off after that song and convinced Sara to drink some water and eat some more food. Both slowly started to sober up, Pavel never seemed very drunk though. People begin to leave back to their homes or hotels for the night. It was starting to get late. Y/n shivers.

“Are you cold, Y/n?” Pavel asks.

“A bit, but I’ll be fine.” Y/n smiles at the kind man.

“Um,” Pavel looks around and spots something on the back of Sara’s chair and grabs it, “put this on.”

‘Scotty’s jacket? When did he take that off?’ Y/n wonders to herself as she slides the jacket on. ‘I’m sure her wouldn’t mind. I’ll just bring it to him on the ship tomorrow.’

“Y/nnnnn, come ooon. Barely anyone is left and I got you drunk like you said I had to. Go sing a solo song.” Sara nudges Y/n elbow towards the stage again.

“Fine, but I’m not happy about it!” Y/n laughs, walking onto the stage after the current song ends.

Sitting on a stool on stage, Y/n adjusts the mic to her sitting height. ‘Take Me To Church’ starts playing.

***

Scotty left earlier than he had planned. But talking with the new science officer made him feel odd and he didn’t want to be rude so he lied about needing to work on the ship. She’s much too young for him he thought. She has her whole life of research ahead of them. He couldn’t be with someone who dressed so elegantly, he was a bumbling fool and could never compare. She didn’t need him, some old Scotsman pinning for her. So instead, he and Keenser walked around the surrounding area until they got tired. About an hour had passed when Scotty realized something.

“Keenser, where’s my jacket?”

Keenser looks at Scotty and responds in his native tongue, “you left it at the bar.”

“Damnit, why didn’t you say anything?” He huffs out, turning around to walk back to the bar and get his Jacket.

He had walked further than he realized from the bar and took him about half an hour to return. As he entered the front doors, he watched Y/n walk onto the stage with his jacket on. Confused, he walks up to Kirk who now sat alone at the bar.

“Y/n said you went back to the ship,” Kirk prodded at the engineer.

“Yeah, but I noticed I forgot my jacket.” Scotty’s accent was unmissable.

“I noticed.” Kirk glances knowingly at Y/n who has started singing on stage.

Most people continued to talk but a few people stopped to listen to Y/n sing. Sara and Pavel sat at their table swaying dramatically to the song. Sara even started waving her arms slowly above her head, causing Y/n to chuckle as she sang. Scotty became enraptured in Y/n singing and began swaying lightly to her voice.

On the last line, “Good God, let me give you my life,” Y/n makes eye contact with Scotty, making her instantly blush.

Hopping off the stage, Y/n shuffles towards him while taking off his jacket.

“Sorry, Pavel found your jacket. I planned on giving it to you tomorrow on the ship but I got cold and put it on. Sorry.” Y/n talked fast, face beet red while shoving the jacket into Scotty’s arms and running back towards Sara before he could get a word out.

“Thanks,” Scotty whispers under his breath, looking down at his jacket.

He slides his arms into it, still warm from Y/n wearing it. Her song had entranced him. It wasn’t a song he was familiar with, must be old. He doesn’t usually care for music, but he thought he would listen to music for hours if she was the one singing it. Scotty shook his head free of those thoughts. By the time he came back to reality, Y/n was gone.

“What are you thinking about, Scotty?” Kirk prodded.

“Nothing, Sir. Goodnight” Scotty straightened out his back before leaving the bar and walking to his hotel room.

***

“Sara, it’s time to go,” Y/n spoke quickly

“What? But I’m still having fun.” Sara huffed.

“Yeah, and we both need to be up and on the transport shuttles at 0700. Let’s go, Rockstar. Goodnight, Pavel, we’ll see you tomorrow.” Y/n pulled Sara to her feet and waved goodbye to Pavel.

The cool, damp air was refreshing on Y/n’s skin. The walk wasn’t long to their apartments, which Y/n was thankful for. She helped Sara into her apartment and bed, setting their friend’s alarm with plenty of time to get ready before going to her apartment to do the same. Y/n quickly fell asleep with oddly invading thoughts of one Montgomery Scott.

#scotty x reader #montgomery scott x reader #montgomery scott imagine #montgomery scott aos #star trek aos #solarwindswriting

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lonelypond · 4 years

Text

Idol Protection Program: Breakfast With Mari

NicoMaki, Love Live/Love Live Sunshine!, 1.1K

Summary: Dia brings home a new friend. Very early in the morning.

“Mama, wake up.” Maki felt a tug on the blanket and forced her eyes open. Green, curious eyes, very familiar eyes stared at her. Nico had come home yesterday after a quick book tour, Dia was staying with the Matsuuaras, Ruby was in Tokyo with Maki’s parents, why was Dia here.

“MAMA!” Dia stomped. How had Maki given birth to anyone who had this much energy in the morning. Someone giggled. Maki didn’t recognize the note. She quickly checked to make sure she was entirely covered, kicked Nico gently, and answered her firstborn.

“Why are you here? We were going to pick you up later.”

“I told Mari Mom makes the best breakfasts.”

“Mari?”

Dia pointed, next to her, sandwiched between Dia and Kanan was a small blonde child with a too knowing glance.

“Ohara Mari. Our new friend.”

Kanan nodded, as serious as ever.

“Dia, your Mama’s carino e carino, but we eat at 5 star restaurants all the time.”

“I don’t cook.” Maki said.

“Mama’s not allowed to use the burners.” Dia announced.

Kanan decided to defend Maki, “Dia’s Mama knows all the best takeout places. They always give us extras.”

Maki needed to wake up Nico, get the children out of the bedroom so clothes could be found, and figure out how they all got here from the island. It was post dawn, but it must still be early. Probably pre ferry. Nico’s arm flung out, hitting her on the back, while Nico started snoring loudly.

Dia turned to Mari, “Mom came back from a tour for her Number One Best Selling Spy Romance yesterday. She’s exhausted from signing so many autographs.”

Maki knew that was not why Nico was sleeping so soundly, but…no distractions, children present.

Dia was never distracted, “We have to eat breakfast and go to Tokyo, Mama. Ruby misses Mom.”

“Maki?” Nico’s hand started to stroke Maki’s hip. That had to stop.

“Dia’s here.”

“What?” Nico shot up, Maki only barely grabbing enough of the sheet to remain PG-13. Mari giggled. Maki frowned.

“Bun, why are you here.” Nico always understood what the most important thing to ask was.

“I told Mari you make the best breakfast.”

“Of course, Nico does.” Nico refused to be distracted and spoke slowly, “But, Dia, how did you get here?”

“Kanan piloted her boat.”

Kanan, like Dia, was eight.

“Dia, you and Kanan are not allowed on that boat alone. We talked about this.”

“My grandfather came along.” Kanan smiled, “He needed some things from Numazu.”

Maki could feel Nico relax. “Oh good, make sure you tell him Nico’s going to stop by for some fish to make sushi now that she’s back in town.”

“Sushi’s easy.” Mari scoffed.

“That’s not breakfast food, Mom.”

“No, but Nico is talking to Kanan, who actually understands being respectful to adults.”

Kanan gleamed. Dia rolled her eyes.

“So what does your new friend like for breakfast?”

Mari smiled. “We have a chef from Italy at the hotel. Delizioso, frittatas, cornettos, light like angel wings, and coffee.”

“Dia, no coffee.” Nico snapped instantly.

“Or espresso.” Maki added, having a sudden vision of letter-of-the-law Dia caffeinated, issuing dictates at hyperspeed.

“Hotel.” Nico muttered, then turned her attention back to the children, with a blast of a Nico forcing it smile, “You girls go play in Dia’s room while her Mama and I put on our best breakfast outfits.”

Or any outfit, Maki thought, becoming increasing uncomfortable with Mari’s stare.

“Right. Mama’s going to help Mom change. It always takes awhile. C’mon.”

Nico sounded like she was choking, but Maki had suddenly found a need to smash her own face into a pillow. No one warned you about this part of parenthood.

The line of earnest faces trooped diligently out of the room, following Dia. As soon as the door closed, Maki leapt out of bed and grabbed her robe.

“Nico came back for this.”

“Dia bringing new friends home at...” Maki glanced at her phone, “7:37 a.m.”

“No, your pajamas.”

“Can we skip the flirting.”

“Nope. Nico never skips flirting with the sexy mother of her serious daughter.”

Maki groaned, “So serious. How did that happen.”

Nico had her hands on Maki’s hips and there was a pause for serious kissing. “I blame Umi.”

Maki’s thoughts were scattered, Nico always smelled so good in the morning, even after goopy mask nights, but especially after...Maki felt a pinch. “What?” Why was Nico mentioning someone else in the middle of kissing.

“We let Umi babysit Dia too often.” Another kiss.

“Better a junior Umi than a junior Nozomi. Besides,” And here Maki stole a kiss of her own, “She takes after you. We had to have Santa bring her a whiteboard for Christmas so she could rank and rate Idol groups for Ruby.”

Nico put one hand over her heart, “Nico’s proudest moment as a mother.”

Maki frowned. “Well, now Nico, Jr. expects you to make the Number One Breakfast in the universe. For an Ohara. What are you going to do?”

In like 5 seconds, Nico was suddenly in a cooking mom outfit. Nico hadn’t lost her knack for quick costume changes. And this, once Nico put her patchwork pink heart apron on, was definitely a costume.

“They’re Italian, right? And American?”

“I think so.”

“Then Nico is going to pull out every Russian recipe Eli ever gave her and make sure to sweeten it. I’m betting sweet tooth.”

“Well…”

Nico’s phone went off. Dia’s ringtone. “Hmmm...maybe not a sweet tooth.”

“Huh?”

“Dia informs me that Mari likes lemons.”

“We are going to make sure no one feeds Dia limoncello.”

“Obviously.” Nico agreed, face racing through her frantic thinking expressions. Maki had missed this show. “Did you get all the groceries on my list?”

Maki nodded, deciding now that kissing had stopped and menu picking had started she would get dressed.

“Put on the lacy ones. Nico wants a treat.”

Maki pulled out more practical underwear, “We’re heading to Tokyo remember.”

“Pack ‘em.”

“Breakfast, Nico-chan?”

“Blini, buckwheat blueberry, probably. Eli and Nozomi are supposed to bring the twins down next weekend, so Nico stocked up on Eli favorites.”

“I hid the chocolate from Dia.”

“Good idea. Now go and check on Dia before they decide to head back to the Ohara for breakfast.

“Oh yeah.” Maki pulled a tank top over her head, “Love you, Nico-chan. Welcome home.” Maki kissed Nico on the cheek as she raced to check on the children.

“Everybody missed Nico.” Nico announced to the universe, as happy as any audience had ever made her. She picked up her phone to text Ruby a good morning snap. Ruby would love this smile.

A/N: Just watched the Love Live Sunshine! movie and I continue to be fascinated by the third years as small children vs. NicoMaki as parents. So here you go. My ongoing AU's are still ongoing, I'm halfway through a chapter in most of them, Stay-At-Home Shakespeare just wrapped up so I'm a little exhausted, I'm doing a few AU Yeah August prompts to get back into writing mode so hmu if there's something you want to read. Stay safe.

#NicoMaki #Nishikino Maki #Yazawa Nico #Idol Protection Program #parenting fluff #Kurosawa Dia #Ohara Mari #Matsuuara Kanan #fluff

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katewaliss · 4 years

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1x1 plot list!

hello girls, gays and theys! my name is crissy, i’m 21, go by she/her pronouns and live in the PST timezone. i am celebrating bullshitting my way through my junior year with ( copious amounts of tequila but also ) make a list of 1x1 ideas / plot bunnies because i need something to do during this Borentine and what better way to spend it then making myself cry with ships!

i primarily send really long keysmash head cannons through discord and the ims, but i am also down to do replies ( on tumblr or discord ) and ask memes are my most favorite. i am introverted af but very excited abt ships so i really like having rp partners who like want to stay up all night and write and scream with me, so if that sounds like u, come thru!

if u like any of these please don’t hesitate to shoot me an im!

also my discord is daddy devito#2918 ( & yes, i do hate myself )

were starting with mermaids bc i love mermaids

ALSO YES I LIKE OPPOSITE PLOTS DONT @@@@@ ME!!!!!

ALSO ALL OF THESE PLOTS CAN BE GAY! BE GAY DO CRIMES!

i’ve always kind of wanted one based loosely on these pictures x, x, x. im thinking ponyo meets enchanted meets h20 little mermaid AF realness! like maybe hes this lil regular boy high school college student taking pictures and stuff and sees this girl wash up on the shore looking very confused. so he helps her and you know, shes a little hysterical and cant walk very well, takes her into his apartment puts a towel over here bc she like keeps talking abt how shes a mermaid and hes like oh my god shes crazy ahh. she keeps saying her dad is king of the ocean and hes like???? do u have a last name? and the police dont know anything abt her she has no file, no id, no finger print in the database?

basically the mermaid is staying w the college student in his apartment and he like teaches her what the microwave and the tv is and its very soft they fall in luv maybe drama he has a girl friend who sucks a lot who is angry abt mermaid girl idk maybe the government realizes and tries to steal her! fun THAT FIRST PIC? MAYBE HE SAVED HER WHEN HE WAS A KID ONCE FROM DROWNING!!! AHHH

alternatively i found these pictures were are in the same vein very aquamarine x, x, x, lifeguard off duty surfing and he gets stuck in a gnarly wave and almost drowns but this mermaid saves his life! and he comes to see her a lot on the beach and they hang out and fall in love he teaches her how to speak english shows her his phone!!! MAYBE THE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO POACHING HER WE LOVE DRAMA

ok last mermaid plot? BUT ITS A SIREN PLOT!!!!!!! these sirens/a siren wipes out this sailors entire ship with the sirens song they all get drowned/eaten .... but plot twist! this one sailor homie lives bc he is DEAF and therefore IMMUNE TO THE SIREN SONG!! so this siren keeps tryna sing at him and its not working and u know they fall in love good stuff MORE POACHES MORE PIRATES MORE GOVERNMENT TRYNA KILL THE AQUATIC AMERICAN BC I LOVE SUFFERING modern or maybe set back in the day???? spicy

anthour or a sculptor that writes a book w a main character or makes a statue and it comes to life and has no perception of human stuff and is like a big alien

also literally all of these plots can be made gay as the flyest bi i ENCOURAGE it!!!! i will play either character in any of them pls tell me which one u like if u like one

pls the clown clown valedictorian plot

ok speaking of giving the gays everything they want

damn i just want a cheesy wlw 1x1 plot where the first girl is a famous celebrity hella spoiled very purse dog paris hilton type and her fancy convertible sports car breaks down smack dab in a small ass hick nowheresville town and this flannel wearing mannerless tomboy mechanic comes to fix her car but rich girl is stuck in town a few days while they order the part she needs for her car bc it’s a small town they don’t have it and they get closer and the celebrity girl is humbled by the town and learns a lot abt the world and herself just ,, good times LISTEN!!!! zendaya and kristine froseth ???? SPICY

ok maybe a period piece lady knight / princess plot where she was personally assignment to the princess but maybe its a whole mulan thing where no one knows the night is a girl and is posing as a man bc women were allowed to be knights and the princess is betrothed to some loser prince once again ill play either

princess body guard plots always smack

ok princess protection program BUT GET THIS instead of that its my boy dmitri who is the heir to the russian throne or some made up european country but theres an assasination attempt so hes told he has to go into witness protection. and this dude or girls dad is head of cia/fbi and dmitri has to pose as a foreign exchange student at y/ns college and be shown around/baby sat by them. they hate eachother. probably bc dmitri is obnoxious and entitled and sleeps w everyone. he was a matthew daddario fc but not that necessary!

cheerleaders on opposite squads who got the sexual tension!!!!

plot based off hollywood the netflix limited series where its 1940s-1950s hollywood and maybe actors falling in love, an actor and a director? OR omg even better an actor falling in love with some sort of stage crew, lighting, camera person............SPICY!

a beauty / makeup youtube influencer and a pranking rant gaming sort of youtuber and they have to collab and hate it points if its gay

that cliche plot where ur friends older brother is hot

ok kstew / naomi scott .....that is such.....a wave

UGLY BETTY PLOT BITCH!!!!!! REVERSE THE ROLES OR MAKE IT GAY

i saw this gifset of margo robbie and michael b jordan talking abt how they are eachothers celebrity crush and it got my brain turning

a very whimsical hopeless romantic artist who finds a muse in a no nonsense american college student studying law studying abroad

PERCY JACKSON BITCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE HUNGER GAMES BITCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

business man/prodigal son who falls in love with a stripper/escort

harry potter......next gen................please.............scorose............but like can i play ravenclaw soft boy nothing like draco scorpio BUT ALSO ALL THE HP i also really like ocs also BEAUXBATONS DRUMSTRANG ( if anyone wants to help me w a not hogwarts but other wizarding school rp let me know )

not to b cliche but uh....pastors son bad boy plot yes!

alternatively bad girl good boy/girl plot yes! ( can i pls play bad girl seulgi its Dire )

horror until dawn stuff

soul eater? death note? OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB BITCH!!!! ANIME!

the epically cliche popular person failing math and is gonna get kicked off cheer gets tutored by biggest loser in school and only agrees to tutor her in math if she teaches them how to be cool to impress crush (popular persons friend) and they do that, they start to bond, she gives nerd a makeover the whole school falls in love with them and the popular girls real jealous and wHEw

a disgruntled detective whos wife cheated on him with his partner and he drinks everyday (also could b a lady) throws himself into work and this waitress at the diner he works at who is the opposite of him and very sunshiney

OKAY HANNIBAL but like the hannibal is a lady!

superhero x villian plot! spicy maybe theyre exes! or they went to the same super power school?

SPEAKING OF SUPERHEROS I WANT A MIRACULOUS LADYBUG PLOT RIGHT FUCKING NOW SOMEONE PLAY CHOU TZUYU AS MARINETTE!!!!!!!!!

also every disney plot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i think this will get added to but for now this is the gist HIT ME THE FUCK UP!!!!!!!!!!

#1x1 rp #1x1 #1x1 plot #plot bunny #discord rp

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artificialqueens · 4 years

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Girls Interrupted, Chapter 2: She Wants To Dance Like Uma Thurman, But She Can’t (Vatya) 1/2 - Maeve

A/N: Hello! It’s me, Maeve, again. This is the first part of the second chapter of Girls Interrupted, and I can’t believe it. You won’t believe how much time I spent trying to learn cheerleading terms for this (it was a lot). It makes me so happy to see that we aren’t letting this drought get the best of us. So many prompts! The world could always use some more Vatya, and I’m more than happy to provide because their dynamic is so fun to write. Hope you enjoy it!

P.S. Part two is going to be wacky

Neil deGrasse Tyson would have good pickup lines—or at least Katya thought he would. Sharon was taking an exceptionally long time to change into her gym uniform, and not wanting to walk back to the gym alone, Katya was forced to wander the landfills of her mind.

“Boo,” Sharon smirked, emerging from around the corner.

Katya rolled her eyes. “Some of us have limited lifespans,” she tutted. “How long does it take to put on unisex activewear?”

“Fuck off,” Sharon laughed. “I had to take my face off. As much as I enjoy an irritated Phi Phi, I’m too hungover to hear about my ‘cakey Ben Nye’. Clown white, of course. It’s a real pain in the ass to find foundation, you know?” Katya’s head whipped back as she cackled, and Sharon was quick to clamp a hand over the blonde’s mouth. The abruptness of the action shocked Katya into silence. “What part of ‘hungover’ did you not understand, Zamo?” She snapped.

Katya’s sheepish smile was hidden underneath Sharon’s cold, clammy hand. In a moment of poor judgement, Katya licked the offending palm. “Tastes like soap,” she stuck out her tongue. The spooky teen pulled away in disgust. Sharon was about to retaliate when the blonde fell to her knees. “There is no need to spite me, Mistress of Darkness, for I am currently paying for my actions with the acrid taste of ‘Generic Brand’.”

Sharon wiped her palm on her shorts. “Get up, pussyfart,” she instructed. “It’s too early in the year—even for me—to become Coach Rice’s sacrificial lamb.” Katya did as she was told, and the two hastily descended the stairs that lead to the gym.

Utter chaos had taken over the gym. Coach Rice was nowhere to be found, so Katya and Sharon joined their classmates on the bleachers and watched the madness unfold. A group of cheerleaders in green and white skirts and halter tops practiced stunts across a series of large, green mats. The Back to School Pep Rally was due to begin in less than half an hour, and the throbbing vein on Coach Calhoun’s forehead told Katya everything she needed to know.

In the center of the floor stood a red-faced Violet Chachki. Even when raising the fires of Hell, she looked immaculate. Her uniform was pristine (likely freshly laundered), and not a hair in her high ponytail was out of place. The form-fitting material hugged her body in all the right places, and if Katya didn’t know whose head was attached to it, Katya’s mouth might’ve watered.

Violet towered over the frightened Junior Varsity girl, reducing her to a sniveling mess. Ouch.

Bianca, who was watching the drama unfold from the other side of the gym, finally spotted her friend through the forest of cheerleaders. She snuck her way over to Katya and plunked down next to her.

“She’s been like this all day,” Bianca informed them. She pursed her lips, “It’s nothing new, really. Chachki can’t get it through her thick skull that we can’t all be as perfect as her. Their routine is sloppy and the stunts aren’t clean.”

“Bummer,” Sharon quipped.

Katya frowned. “But that’s not her fault, right?” She turned to Bianca, “Couch Calhoun can’t really blame her.”

Her friend shot her a pitying look. “You’ve clearly never met Coach Calhoun,” Bianca said, standing up and excusing herself to go put the Spartacus the Spartan costume on.

Katya frowned, Can one girl really be expected to carry the weight of both squads? Violet Chachki was by no means her favorite person, but the blonde could still recognize an unfair situation. She returned her attention to the mats where Alyssa and Coco tried and failed to perform a routine lift.

“That was the most offensive thing I’ve seen in twenty years of coaching!” Coach Calhoun Bellowed. “You’re pathetic! All of you! You’ve made me want to stab myself, congratulations! Now get your sorry asses cleaned up because my girls are not ugly!”

Even Sharon flinched at the severity. The two shared a nervous glance. Pep Rallies were usually optional, but since their 7th period was in the place where the pep rally would be held, they didn’t have much of a choice. It was going to be painful to watch.

The cheerleaders weren’t the only issue with the pep rally, either. Coach Rice had been forced to send three members of the football team to Principal Charles’ office due to a locker room jockstrap incident. The man re-entered the gym just before the pep-rally looking rather disheveled. He stormed into the coaches office and slammed the door behind him. School spirit, am I right?

“You sticking around for this shitshow?” Sharon asked Katya. “I need a smoke.”

The blonde took a moment before shaking her head. “Why try new things when you can try nothing?” Sharon gave her an exasperated look. “Stay and watch the show with me?” She begged.

With a dramatic sigh, her friend caved. “Fine, but you owe me one, Zamo,” Sharon grumbled.

Despite all of her complaining, Katya knew that Sharon wasn’t upset about sticking around for the circus. She’d probably get a kick out of the mess to come. Katya, however, found herself compelled to remain on the bleachers by different forces. There was something about the gruesome and horrific that made you want to look when you knew you shouldn’t. Katya would certainly regret it later.

The pep rally commenced with a speech from Principal Charles: school spirit and all that crap. The football players paraded in after, pumped for their game that evening. Next, the Spartanaires performed a lackluster, borderline raunchy dance in their usual out-of-sync fashion. Finally, it was the cheerleaders’ turn.

Fallout Boy’s Uma Thurman was an appropriate cheer remix for the scene unfolding in front of them. She wants to dance like Uma Thurman, but she can’t. Katya grimaced as all of the girls jumped into a double hook at slightly different times than each other. She scanned the rows for familiar faces, finding Alaska first. Her smile looked more like a grimace as she jumped into a hurdler. The clump peeled off into two groups and proceded to butcher an axel turn canon into a drop. Alyssa and Coco were clearly competing for the best leg height in the toe touches that followed. A series of back handsprings, cartwheels, and walkovers later, Katya finally spotted Violet front and center. She was lifted into a scorpion hold cradle for the conclusion of the routine.

Is there anything she can’t do? Katya wondered.

The raven-haired cheerleader remained in the air for a glorious second before she began to wobble. Immediately, the blonde knew something was off: Courtney and Willam kept shifting their grip. Katya watched in horror as Violet plummeted towards the ground moments later. Roxy, who was supposed to be her back spot, stumbled backwards to avoid being crushed, and the cheerleader hit the mat with a loud thud.

Katya couldn’t breathe. It was impossible to tell if Violet landed on her back, her head, or her ass. Her fellow cheerleaders continued to hold their positions, knowing full well that they’d be flayed by Coach Calhoun for breaking formation. Suddenly, there was movement, and the cheer captain pushed her way through Willam, Courtney, and Roxy. Her face was flushed and her high ponytail had seen better days. Violet raised her arms in a V shape and gave her head a sharp nod, concluding the routine.

The other fliers dismounted and the relatively unphased squad began to roll up the mats. Violet slipped away in the crowd of exiting students.

Is no one going to make sure she’s okay? Katya wondered. She didn’t notice anyone chasing after Violet, but Katya had been wrong many times before. Katya poked Sharon. “Did anyone go after Violet?” She asked

“Don’t think so,” Sharon commented. “Betcha she went home like the rest of the bimbettes are going to Thanks for the good time, Kat. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Sharon hopped down from the bleachers and slunk off to the locker room, leaving Katya to find Bianca.

Bianca exited the mascot’s private dressing room just as Katya made to open the door.

“Just the assclown I was looking for!” Bianca exclaimed, “There’s a back to school party at Alaska’s tonight. She wanted me to invite you. Something about it coming from a non threatening face. Gotta run, bitch! I have dogs to put through college. Just remember that I refuse to associate with losers!” Bianca sprinted off in the direction of the junior lot.

Don’t be a loser. Got it. Katya made a mental note. She was both over the moon and wholly mortified that Alaska invited her—Katya, “Bozo the Cunt”, your average run-of-the-mill Russian bisexual transvestite hooker—to her party. Katya’s skin felt warm and tingly, and it was in a good way for once! Suck it, Susan, I am putting pants on tonight, she grinned.

The blonde practically skipped back to the locker room to collect her things. At the base of the stairs to the girls’ facilities, she stumbled into a cloud of cigarette smoke. “Sharon Needles, you are one rotten girl,” Katya tutted. Sharon was perched on the third step with a cigarette in hand.

“The most sickening ghoul you know,” she affirmed. “Cancer sticks wait for no woman, babe. Pop a squat?” Her friend offered her a toothy smile.

“I’m all for soaking up your secondhand smoke like a sponge, but I only have a few hours before the ball to turn myself into a biological woman,” Katya apologized with a pout.

Sharon nodded, “Suit yourself, Zamo. If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

“The Harris County Morgue!” Katya bounded up the stairs two at a time. High school was shit as a whole, but she couldn’t help but smile at the thought of making two new friends in one week.

In the locker room, Katya peeled off her gym clothes. She was slipping into her custard yellow mom jeans when she heard a yelp from the bathroom area. Because it was a day for stupid decisions, Katya zipped up her pants and set out to investigate. She padded across the cold concrete in her bright blue rubber duckie socks. The bathroom area was made separate by the abrupt switch to peppery tiled floor. There was a series of exposed sinks, and bathroom and shower stalls were on the left and right of the sinks, respectively, and separated from the rest of the locker room by brick walls.

When Katya turned the corner, she was brought face to face—well, face to back—with a half-naked Violet Chachki. The cheerleader was examining a scrape on her forearm.

Katya felt a lot like she’d pressed that ‘I’m Feeling Lucky’ button on Google in that moment. She hadn’t known what she was going to find in the bathroom, nor had she developed any expectations for the result. She had said ‘sure, why not?’ and was presented with something (a surprising something) that she now had no idea what to do with.

Thanks, I guess? Fuck. Katya grimaced.

Violet’s quick recovery on the floor had masked the true damage done by the fall. There were claw marks on her sides and down her back. Either she fell on someone or her bases tried to catch her, Katya deduced. A small first aid kit was perched on the side of the sink. The blonde decided to dig her hole even deeper.

“Violet?” She called softly. The last thing she wanted to do was startle a wild animal. Violet’s head whipped around, and Katya found her ocean blue eyes connecting with piercing brown ones yet again.

“What?” Violet snapped. Her words were merely a gut reaction to being disturbed; it took her a moment to process that it was her cretinous lab partner doing said disturbing.

Katya froze. “I-um…are you…you know? Okay?” She stammered. “I saw the fall, a-and then you got up, so I thought maybe…but then you just now did the, and I heard you. Now, here we are, and your back lo—”

“It’s none of your fucking business!” Violet interrupted. The cheerleader crossed her arms over her sports-bra-clad chest. This was not good.

She tried again, “Are you sure you don’t want help?” Katya was no Dr. Ken Jeong, but she could still tell that it was going to be a real pain in the ass for Violet to dress the scratches on her back by herself. The raven-haired girl hissed. Literally.

“I get it. I’m a bitch. But in no way should that discourage you from believing the goddamn words that come out of my mouth. I don’t need your help. I don’t want your help,” Violet’s voice was cold and laced with venom. Katya turned tail and ran back to her locker. She didn’t dare look back.

Katya leaned back against the cool, green metal of her locker and sank down to the floor. Fuck. Just, fuck. That’s what you do, Katya you fuck everything up. She dug her face into her knees. You can’t show your face in biology now. She’ll make your life a living hell. Is that what you want, Katya? Do you want to run away? Do you want to be pathetic? The blonde’s breaths were labored and heavy. Her wet palms grasped for purchase on the fabric of her jeans. Katya needed to calm down. This couldn’t happen here. She frantically grabbed for her ‘birds aren’t real’ shirt and pulled it over her head. Next, shoes. It was difficult with her shaking hands, but she managed to lace up her high tops. Katya was almost out the door when one of her worst nightmares came true.

“Shit!” Violet’s voice echoed through the room. Katya pinched the bridge of her nose. Why did it always have to be her? She couldn’t just leave Violet—even if she was a raging cunt.

I’m not gonna panic, because I don’t do that anymore, the blonde steeled herself. She marched with purpose back to the sinks and put on her sternest face.

“Look, Chachki, I’m going to need you to put your feelings towards me aside for right now,” Katya began. Violet once again whipped around, still unamused. “I’m going to help you whether you like it or not. This might come as a bit of a shocker, but I don’t get off on watching you struggle. I don’t want a leg up. I don’t want to be friends. But if you don’t cover some of those nastier ones up and irritate the hell out of your skin, it’s sure as hell going to be my problem when you’re extra rotten in class.” Neither of the two girls were expecting that to come out of Katya’s mouth. There was no turning back now.

The blonde approached the sink, and with all the courage she could muster, placed her hands on Violet’s shoulders and gently turned her around. Her patient tensed under her touch. “Sorry,” Katya apologized, “I tend to forget they’re usually cold.” The first aid kit on the sink contained a small tube of neosporin and some gauze. She quickly washed her hands before picking up the tube from where Violet had abandoned it. It looked like the girl’s sides were taken care of, so she moved on to her back.

Violet’s skin was smooth but firm under her fingertips. Katya gently traced the red marks until each one was taken care of. She then began to unroll the long spool of gauze just enough to give Violet one of the loose ends to hold at her hip bone. Katya skillfully guided the roll around the girl’s body until there was only a bit left to tuck into a fold. Without making eye contact with the cheerleader, she washed her hands once more and returned to her bag. If anyone saw Katya sprint to her car that afternoon, they never said a word.

Ironically, Katya felt like she could finally breathe in her stuffy car. She was too scatterbrained to remember to put up her sun visor in the mornings and was doomed to regret it later. But the heat didn’t matter now. Katya had given orders to Violet Chachki—orders the cheerleader had obeyed. Violet Chachki. Violet fucking Chachki.

Oh shit! You manhandled God’s gift to this world! What were you thinking? Katya plugged her phone in and put on some tunes to drown out the potential consequences. Elton John couldn’t solve her problems, but he could make the drive home a little less shitty.

#rpdr fanfiction #katya zamolodchikova #violet chachki #sharon needles #vatya #bianca del rio #high school au #lesbian au #slow burn #fluff #angst #enemies to friends #enemies to lovers #drama #girls interrupted #maeve #tw anxiety and depression #concrit welcome

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virtuemoired · 4 years

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VM get to know me!

since i finally made a blog after years of lurking, here goes!

What does your @ mean?

it’s a play on virtuemoir i know mahler =/= moir but just let me be okay? i thought it was genius at the time but now i know it was just 3 am and i was exhausted and wasn’t thinking clearly.

Any nicknames you go by?

you can call me keesh!

Favorite VM program?

i’ll do one for each segment of ice dance since choosing just one should be illegal:

short dance: either prince or dream a little dream of me!

compulsories: argentine tango, golden waltz, finnstep, tango romantica

original dance: farrucas (sentimental faves: tears on my pillow, call me irresponsible)

free dance: mahler. if you asked me to choose my favourite ice dance program ever, this would be it.

Least favorite VM program?

dark eyes probably! i watched it once and never again.

(edit: i went back to watch it, because i was feeling some old school v/m. it isn’t as bad as my mind made it out to be, and it makes me wonder if maybe i should go back and rewatch everything and see if any of their programs grew on me, i know seasons did.)

Which VM program has made you cry the most?

mahler (i think you get the idea by now), and i think umbrellas gets me in the feels too. moulin rouge makes me cry tears of pride because i can’t believe everything they had to go through to get to that point. but also, crying to roxanne really isn��t a vibe and i need therapy probably.

Favorite VM costumes?

i feel like a fake fan saying this but i just would die for the moulin rouge dress!!! it’s the perfect dress i love it so much omg. i also love her mahler dress at TEB even though i think there was a costume malfunction (can’t remember if it was an earring deduction or something but tessa virtue looks great in anything to be honest). for scott, i would say either the mahler costume, latch costume, or the black shirt in long time running.

honourable mentions: TEB green seasons dress, prince outfits, MAHLER!!!! and latch (even though something about the mesh not matching tessa’s skin tone just doesn’t sit right with me, especially when the mahler mesh exists).

Least favorite VM costumes?

dark eyes or the original great gig in the sky dress. also that russian medley program when they won their first junior nationals, and honestly some of their junior costumes were questionable, but i will excuse them because let’s face it, fashion in the early 2000s was WHACK. for the modern era, i think my least favourite was the seasons dress tessa wore during the individual event at the olympics. i think i just really liked the green dress she wore at TEB and the pink one was just lacklustre in comparison. again, i repeat that tessa can pull off anything so the bar was really high for this one.

Favorite off-ice moment?

i’m interpreting this as when they aren’t performing so i guess it’s when tessa got injured during 2013 4cc and scott was so supportive because it would’ve been so easy for him to lash out at her? and every time they hug pre-performance/bucket of rice. i think i’ll think of something else in the future and add it here there are too many moments.

(edit: go pro canadian nationals 2015, i know they were on the ice but like it wasn’t competitive ice so i’m counting it here. and i guess i wouldn’t be a fan if i didn’t say their pre-skate hugs! but also post skate hugs and kiss & cry moments. okay i need to stop before this becomes a whole thesis.)

A song that you wish VM had skated to?

lover by taylor swift (specifically the first dance remix can you imagine them skating to the lyrics “Have I known you twenty seconds or twenty years?” and “Can we always be this close forever and ever?”), mary’s song (aka the song written specifically for vm and no one else) and maybe movement because they liked it. also i know mfd and patch fans are going to come @ me but i really wish they had skated to somewhere in time, but i know why they didn’t. and maybe pride and prejudice because tessa really seemed to like it!

Which program would you most like to see VM skate to again?

the great gig in the sky! it was so innovative at the time and they never performed it to it’s full potential. but for my own selfish pleasure: mahler or umbrellas.

What is your favorite picture of them?

the mahler one because, in kate virtue’s words, they got their dream. but also anytime they are hugging! i also love the pictures of them in sochi, they looked genuinely happy and i know, i know we don’t talk about sochi but really i think it’s so bittersweet and sometimes i feel sad but they did say after pyeongchang that their favourite olympics was sochi and so i’m happy for them. i also like the one in my profile pic, they look so happy!

How long have you been a VM fan?

my love for vm started since 2008 after watching umbrellas. i wasn’t a huge fan like i am now because it was just me rooting for them every time there was figure skating as they were the only team i knew and supported. they were a huge deal and every time figure skating was on i’d always watch them and cheer for them (also because i didn’t actually know any other team that well). it eventually evolved to an obsession but umbrellas was what introduced me to them, i remember being so proud of them after seeing mahler at the 2010 olys because they were my team (weird, i know). i wasn’t that into figure skating after that but i got back into it around 2012-13 ish. a true fan though? i only started watching their non-skating related things i.e. interviews etc post 2012, so i guess that’s when i started becoming a “fan”. as for when i found fan threads, let’s just say it was around 2015 because i was curious as to whether they would continue competing, and i also didn’t know who to root for in ice dance.

#virtuemoir

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anti-pasto · 4 years

Note

for the 200 ask thingy, i actually dare you to do all of them. :D

delgaskarthalexhere we go, anon:

200: My crush’s name is: I don’t have one right now, I don’t get them often (if I ever had a crush at all)

199: I was born in: 2003

198: I am really: A 2005 emo kid x a 2008 scene kid x a 2014 tumblr fangirl x Kyle himself

197: My cellphone company is: Apple

194: My ring size is: Honestly? No idea. Propose to me with a sword.

193: My height is: Somewhere between 5′7″ and 5′8″

192: I am allergic to: Nothing I’m aware of

191: My 1st car was: 94 Station Wagon, by request

190: My 1st job was: being this funny is a full-time gig

189: Last book you read: Bone Gap by Laura Ruby

188: My bed is: “made”

187: My pet: I have a cat, I love her very much and I will show her to you if you dm me a cursed image

186: My best friend: We don’t use “best friend” for personal reasons, but they’ve been with me since I was 5 so, my one and only Bro

185: My favorite shampoo is: anything with “silky smooth” or “strawberries” on the bottle. i’m not that picky anymore.

184: Xbox or ps3: xbox or ps4 xbox

183: Piggy banks are: really useful

182: In my pockets: wallet, keys, phone, earbuds, black pen/pencil, earplugs, mini flashlight

181: On my calendar: i’m meeting a friend for smoothies tomorrow

180: Marriage is: something we shouldn’t push so much onto people. it’s a declaration of love, not an end-all fix-all to your life. i can’t ever see myself getting married but who knows!

179: Spongebob can: continue to be a relevant meme

178: My mom: i mean. we function. i can’t really complain about my family at large but i am defiantly looking forward to living literally as far away from them as i can.

177: The last three songs I bought were? psh, you think i pay for music? (folie a deux, lake effect kid, believers never die volume two) (those are albums but its okay)

176: Last YouTube video watched: I watched Markiplier play Uno

175: How many cousins do you have? 11? 12? I lost count

174: Do you have any siblings? I have a brother

173: Are your parents divorced? Nope!

172: Are you taller than your mom? Yes, I have been for a while

171: Do you play an instrument? dude HECK yeah! i vibe on piano, guitar, ukulele, clarinet, and im a drum major

170: What did you do yesterday? I went on a drive by myself.

[ I Believe In ]

169: Love at first sight: Nope.

168: Luck: Yes, but luck is something that can be engineered

167: Fate: To an extent

166: Yourself: I’d say overall, yeah. I still have doubts tho

165: Aliens: Mmmmmm yeah

164: Heaven: Yes

163: Hell: Yes

162: God: Yeup

161: Horoscopes: without an ounce of truth, they would have died a long time ago

160: Soul mates: the greeks had seven words for love. i think we have multiple soul mates to fit each of those categories. there are definitely people we’re just meant to vibe with

159: Ghosts: i want to say yes but i really dont know

158: Gay Marriage: yes. its 2020. grow up.

157: War: in theory? no. war is kinda messed up. in reality? not everyone is going to be down to nice diplomatic conflict resolution, and not everyone is just gonna leave people *countries* they don’t like alone, so...

156: Orbs: ??? energies are real

155: Magic: vibes are real

[ This or That ]

154: Hugs or Kisses: hugs

153: Drunk or High: i am a child of jesus

152: Phone or Online: online

151: Red heads or Black haired: irdc but black hair bc i am Emo

150: Blondes or Brunettes: blonde?? ig?? easier to dye

149: Hot or cold: hot weather + cold rooms

148: Summer or winter: summer

147: Autumn or Spring: autum (screw spring)

146: Chocolate or vanilla: vanilla

145: Night or Day: night

144: Oranges or Apples: oranges (better to share with homies)

143: Curly or Straight hair: i dont care but curly

142: McDonalds or Burger King: mcdonald give iced coffee

141: White Chocolate or Milk Chocolate: dark chocolate

140: Mac or PC: pc for vidgya gaemes

139: Flip flops or high heals: ...converse. please. i cant walk properly in either of those

138: Ugly and rich OR sweet and poor: sweet and poor

137: Coke or Pepsi: pepsi

136: Hillary or Obama: this is kinda outdated but obama

135: Burried or cremated: cremated i aint watch spn for nothin

134: Singing or Dancing: singing. at least that gets better with practice

133: Coach or Chanel: chanel (thank u mr frank ocean and also the neighborhood)

132: Kat McPhee or Taylor Hicks: whomst

131: Small town or Big city: big city and if you say small town you’ve never lived in a small town

130: Wal-Mart or Target: target

129: Ben Stiller or Adam Sandler: who tf is this

128: Manicure or Pedicure: idk dude probably pedicure i don’t like people touching my hands and i use them for too much to get my nails done

127: East Coast or West Coast: hnngggggggg west coast has more to do but east coast has better beaches and

126: Your Birthday or Christmas: birthday

125: Chocolate or Flowers: chocolate bc then i can give u some

124: Disney or Six Flags: ive only been to disney so disney (though i AM a HARDCORE rollercoaster stan so it wouldnt take much for me to say six flags)

123: Yankees or Red Sox: what

[ Here’s What I Think About ]

122: War: unfortunately sometimes necessary but not as a first resort i went over this already

121: George Bush: is that the shoe guy?

120: Gay Marriage: be gay. do crime. kiss wife. or husband. or partner. basically, hell yeah

119: The presidential election: america need 2 b single and focus on herself

118: Abortion: pro-choice and that choice should be made by the one carrying the baby

117: MySpace: tumblr’s dad

116: Reality TV: don’t talk to about abt this

115: Parents: disgusting. go to therapy.

114: Back stabbers: if you’re gonna stab me in the back, pull my lungs through my ribcage bc that’s what my ancestor’s ghosts are gonna do to you (thanks great (x a few times) grandma viking ily thanks for the hair:) )

113: Ebay: good for merch and selling books

112: Facebook: zuck my dick, data-theif

111: Work: i like doing work? like- i enjoy completing tasks and seeing my hard work pay off? it’s not that bad?

110: My Neighbors: old. boring. want me to babysit for free.

109: Gas Prices: i cant really complain rn they’re kinda low and im a little broke so

108: Designer Clothes: i vibe to them, honestly

107: College: not for everyone but definitely for me

106: Sports: marching band is a sport marching band is a sport marching band is a sport marching band is a sport marching band is a sport but only technically speaking though you can make fair comparisons to sports such as cheer, and gymnastics where the idea is to put on a show and receive a score in the form of competition.

105: My family: disgusting

104: The future: the future doesn’t exist

[ Last time I ]

103: Hugged someone: god, don’t ask me this

102: Last time you ate: uhhh like 9 hours ago? it was dinner and i had pizza

101: Saw someone I haven’t seen in awhile: three or four weeks ago by best bro came to visit and we vibed

100: Cried in front of someone: i finished twist and shout at school at the end of a very bad week. it was only a few tears but that’s as close as i get to crying

99: Went to a movie theater: whenever the last star wars movie came out

98: Took a vacation: last year i went to dc over summer break to see the Smithsonian, it was a lot of fun. i was supposed to go to altanta and florida this year but that didn’t happen for reasons

97: Swam in a pool: last week

96: Changed a diaper: never

95: Got my nails done: never

94: Went to a wedding: its been at least 6 years dude

93: Broke a bone: never, somehow

92: Got a peircing: nope

91: Broke the law: technically, yesterday. 55 is too slow

90: Texted: just now

[ MISC ]

89: Who makes you laugh the most: the person in my snap named “junior”

88: Something I will really miss when I leave home is: my cat

87: The last movie I saw: probably into the spiderverse

86: The thing that I’m looking forward to the most: things going back to normal. or somewhat normal. i need school to have a schedule bc i absolutely cannot force myself to function without outside influence

85: The thing im not looking forward to: ironically, school in the fall. the way we’re going back is going to wreck me more than lockdown already has

84: People call me: i only ft one of my bros and they know who tf they are if you ask to ft you’re getting fuckin blocked mate i dont do that shit video calls are for WORK and SCHOOL thats IT. but ppl call me by my nickname irl, i go by screech on here.

83: The most difficult thing to do is: listen to my parent’s political opinions? live in a small town? force myself to be productive without a physical influence and reminder? put up with that one dude?

82: I have gotten a speeding ticket: nope

81: My zodiac sign is: scoprio/leo/gemini

80: The first person i talked to today was: the potential bassist for our potential band?

79: First time you had a crush: uhh im still not sure if it was a crush but i wanted them to myself and they wanted (and got) someone better. we were just friends so it doesn’t really matter

78: The one person who i can’t hide things from: the person on snap named “the great oracle”

77: Last time someone said something you were thinking: yesterday, it was my brother

76: Right now I am talking to: in order of snap names, “vibin ~[^.^]~”, “russian umbrella”, and “mom” (not really)

75: What are you going to do when you grow up: hopefully, a job that makes me happy

74: I have/will get a job: as soon as i know what’s going on with school. but like as an adult? wherever will hire me and pay my fairly. being a barista would be fun, but at a local place (not in my current town)

73: Tomorrow: ???? time for bad poetry: tomorrow i will see my friend/ admist this lasting chaos/ we will be each other’s solitude/ while sharing fruity drinks/ and when we both come home/ a smile we will bring

72: Today: idk what this means so more poetry: today i will be sleep deprived as always/ i will think of them and weep/ but no tears will fall from my eyes/ for i know there is a reason/ we went our own way

71: Next Summer: i fr dont know whats goin on so: next summer i will be/ as happy as can be/ because i will be in pain no longer/ the earth is sure to heal/ and i will heal with her/ so i can enjoy/ the heatwave of next summer

70: Next Weekend: next weekend i will spend/ my days wasting away/ maybe ill finish hannibal/ again/ not that serial killers make the dopamine stay/ i will not see my friends/ or talk to my family/ i will seldom eat/ and live off coffee/ this has been my life/ all quarintine/ god someone please help me

69: I have these pets: i have four cats, three chickens, and a dog

68: The worst sound in the world: my dad and grandpa talking

67: The person that makes me cry the most is: Them

66: People that make you happy: snap name time: the great oracle, junior, vibin ~[^.^]~, russian umbrella, mom, hero, booby-king 48, go to bed, son, pooper trooper, mac&cheese, plain egg biscuit, apple pie

65: Last time I cried: i dont cry bitch (last week over officals that cant make up they gottdamned mindes)

64: My friends are: my family and i would die for each and all of them

63: My computer is: an old hp but it play gaemes real good so it okie

62: My School: is trash but the band pops off

61: My Car: old, fast, clean

60: I lose all respect for people who: are my dad

59: The movie I cried at was: i cried over big hero six

58: Your hair color is: blonde

57: TV shows you watch: supernatural, good omens, hannibal, parks and rec

56: Favorite web site: this hellsite or youtube

55: Your dream vacation: out of the country with beautiful beaches, amazing food, and my best friend

54: The worst pain I was ever in was: the time i split the back of my head open, the time i split my chin open, and the time my then best friend said they didn’t want to talk to me anymore. i’ll let you guess which one hurt the most and which one i think about every fucking day

53: How do you like your steak cooked: medium or medium well.

52: My room is: clean and a reflection of myself, or so i’ve been told

51: My favorite celebrity is: i do not engage in celebrity worship. ill follow them and reblog gifs/interviews but i dont really have a favorite. the less i know abt them the better.

50: Where would you like to be: my own apartment in nyc

49: Do you want children: FUCK THEM KIDS BRO

48: Ever been in love: i dont know if it was love. i dont know if it was a crush. what i do know id that i was attached and they didn’t feel the same, and why would they?

47: Who’s your best friend: we dont really use best friend bc but “the great oracle” “junior” and “vibin ~[^.^]~”

46: More guy friends or girl friends: its 50/50

45: One thing that makes you feel great is: goin fast, the beach, playin video games

44: One person that you wish you could see right now: them

43: Do you have a 5 year plan: go to college, earn degree

42: Have you made a list of things to do before you die: commit arson

41: Have you pre-named your children: FUCK. THEM. KIDS. BRO.

40: Last person I got mad at: they do not understand that they do not know everything about something they’re not even involved in yet

39: I would like to move to: new zealand

38: I wish I was a professional: artist? musican? youtuber? who knows

[ My Favorites ]

37: Candy: nerds

36: Vehicle: 1970 mustang gt

35: President: jfk only bc his assassination is the only good thing abt american history the rest of it is fucked up and shouldn’t have happened. also jfk’s song in assassians the musical goes hard

34: State visited: california

33: Cellphone provider: verizon? apple? idfk

32: Athlete: what is sport

31: Actor: i don't watch shows or movies

30: Actress: i do not consume media

29: Singer: alex gaskarth or alexander deleon

28: Band: fall out boy

27: Clothing store: hot topic (i will not apologize)

26: Grocery store: okay harris teeter fucks but lidil’s has aloe vera juice and target at 9 pm energy so idk man

25: TV show: supernatural...

24: Movie: big hero 6

23: Website: tumblr or youtube

22: Animal: snow leopard

21: Theme park: busch gardens bc roller coaster go fast

20: Holiday: christmas

19: Sport to watch: snowboarding bc its like skateboarding but on snow

18: Sport to play: anything with havy footwork (marching band is a sport)

17: Magazine: i do not condume media

16: Book: the ranger’s apprentice series as a whole makes up my all-time one favorite book

15: Day of the week: friday bc its game day baybey

14: Beach: cocoa beach in florida but also i have so much left to experience

13: Concert attended: i havent been to any notable gigs but i was supposed to go to hella mega

12: Thing to cook: pancakes

11: Food: pizza or shushi

10: Restaurant: chiplote

9: Radio station: i like my local rock station and my local edm/top 40 station

8: Yankee candle scent: anything smoky or vanilla idc

7: Perfume: chanel no. 5 if i even wear it

6: Flower: Hydrangea

5: Color: orange

4: Talk show host: cecil palmer

3: Comedian: john maulaney

2: Dog breed: yes

1: Did you answer all these truthfully? ;)

That was a trip. But it was fun, please do things like this more often. Also, I don’t consume media by choice. I’m not sheltered I just can’t be bothered, and I have enough going on. That being said I will now be sleeping. Thanks again, Anon, I hope you have fun reading this :D

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missweber · 5 years

Text

Here’s the final part of this story for Day 7 (Free Day) of @lardo-week! Please excuse any typos, but I am falling asleep as I type. AO3 version goes up tomorrow. I had good intentions, but Benadryl.

Read the entire thing on AO3

Chapter 7 - to arrive where we started

"We shall not cease from exploration

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time"

–T.S. Eliot

A year after Lardo graduated, her bà ngoại moved into a retirement community. It wasn't quite assisted living, but assistance was available.

At first, Lardo's mom looked at it as a failure on her own part. As a dutiful daughter, she should be the one to look after her mother in her old age just as her mother had looked after her during infancy.

Lardo knew all too well what it was like to struggle with the idea that what you thought you should do wasn't always the right thing to do.

Bà ngoại had laughed aside the idea as she patted mom's hand. "We would murder each other, my precious girl. Besides, I'm going because I want go and before I have to go. And all of my friends are there. I'll be able to play cards every day, if I like."

Oh, yes. Cards. Lardo had seen bà ngoại at the card table. Bà ngoại at the card table was like Lardo at the pong table.

It didn't take much imagination to see a younger bà ngoại kicking everyone's asses at flip cup.

Scratch that. It didn't take much imagination to see bà ngoại kicking everyone asses now.

"What are you smiling at, child?" Bà ngoại asked with an innocence that fooled absolutely no one.

"The way you're going to totally dominate the canasta table. So, do you need any help moving? I know some big strong guys who owe me a favor or five."

And so it was that all four foot ten of bà ngoại led a procession of current and former hockey players down the halls of the Fern Hill Retirement Community. Lardo wasn't sure what grapevine had been called into play, but all of her bà ngoại's friends had found some reason to pass through that part of the building.

Later, Lardo would swear she saw one woman fan herself like she was Blanche from the Golden Girls.

If the smugness radiating off of bà ngoại could be converted into energy, all of Boston would be shining like the sun.

Bà ngoại had few enough things that none of the guys had to make more than two trips. Ransom and Holster took their leave as soon as they were done, as did Snowy, but from the look of things, Tater had gotten himself adopted by a couple of elderly Russian widows, while Bitty had locked in on the community's most avid bakers as if he were a butter-seeking missile. She wasn't sure where Jack and Shitty had gone off to, but they could look after themselves.

The larger pieces of furniture had been set where they needed to be with little fuss (except for one carved wooden table which had to be set just so), and all the boxes were placed in the appropriate spots as decreed by Lardo's clipboard.

"Do you need any help unpacking, bà ngoại?"

Bà ngoại waved her off even as she dug into the one box that she had carried herself. "No... actually yes. I would love it if you got my bed made up. I have a few things I need to do before I can call this place home, and then I think I will take a nap."

It didn't take long to find the sheets and make the bad, thanks the clearly labeled boxes. When she returned to the living room, she smiled to see the old photo of her ông ngoại already set up on the carved wood table, right where it belonged, surrounded by the familiar vases, bowls, and incense burner.

But bà ngoại wasn't done with whatever it was she needed to make this place a home. She held a large framed picture to her chest and was clearly deciding between two possible walls.

"There, I think," bà ngoại said, pointing to the wall next to the kitchenette. "Can you help me hang this?"

This was a framed picture of a blobby, spiky animal—supposedly a triceratops—in faded pinks, yellows and oranges. It was an unskilled drawing, but Lardo could see the beginnings of a sense of color, of form, of light.

"Yeah," she said, voice thick. "Let's do this."

There was measuring, and marking, and squabbling, and a couple of bent nails, but eventually the picture was up.

"There. Now this is home," bà ngoại declared. Her late husband's photo and her granddaughter's drawing were both where they should be, and apparently that was all it took.

Lardo hugged her gently, remembering when bà ngoại had been the taller one and she was the smaller one.

Lardo had been Larissa back then, a little girl who had loved dinosaurs almost as much as she loved her bà ngoại.

"Do you remember how you always said you wanted to be a paleontologist when you grew up?"

Lardo sort of remembered that, but what she actually remembered was—

"You always used to get so mad when your parents told people how you used to pronounce it!" bà ngoại said gleefully.

"Arrrgh!" Lardo cringed in embarrassment and tugged at her hair. "They said it was cute! I hate being called cute!"

The way bà ngoại smiled said that she knew damned well just how much Lardo hated it—and found it cute.

"I remember how much you loved making up stories with your toy dinosaurs. Do you still have that big plush one?"

"Mr. Steggy?" She scoffed. "Heck yeah I still have him!"

"Good. I thought it was a little sad when you stopped being so interested in dinosaurs."

"Mr. Steggy is forever. And now I'm into ducks, which are, like, stealth dinosaurs."

She still remembered the little thrill when she learned that dinosaurs were still around in the form of birds.

They hadn't gone extinct.

They just weren't what you expected them to turn out to be. But they were still there.

She hugged her bà ngoại goodbye and went to collect her boys.

The others assumed that her thoughtful mood on the way home was due to the idea of moving her grandmother into a retirement community, but that was only part of it.

She thought about all the times her family asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up.

At first, she had wanted to be a paleontologist the way other kids wanted to be astronauts, back when it wasn't the reality of the job you wanted but the cool factor of ACTUAL MONSTERS or SPACESHIPS.

Then, there was the dream of being an artist.

And fuck it, she was an artist. She just also happened to be an equipment manager for a professional hockey team, a job that wasn't in any way, shape, or form on her list of dream jobs at any point ever.

But, via a 'happy accident,' George had mentioned something to Thirdy about needing to train up a replacement for Stu, and Thirdy had said something to Marty, and...

And because a previous 'happy accident' had led her to Jack and a job that got her away from that miserable deep-fryer, here she was.

She had taken to the job like a duck-billed dinosaur to water. It hadn't taken long for the team to take to her. Of course it helped that Jack already loved her, Tater already adored her, Snowy already admired her, and Poots already (rightfully) feared her.

She was jolted out of her musings when Jack pulled up in front of Haus 2.0.

"Later, gator?" Shitty asked. Lardo didn't say anything, but gave him a lingering kiss.

With training camp starting up soon, it made more sense to crash with Jack and Bitty during the week. In another year, she and Shitty would probably be ready to find a place of their own, so it didn't make sense to move into our out of either place completely.

Jack and Bitty had to go on a grocery run, which Lardo suspected was an excuse to give her some alone time.

Jack was a good bro, really he was.

Lardo let herself into the condo. The picture hanging next to the kitchen pass-through was familiar enough that she didn't usually notice it anymore, but now she stopped to look at it.

Bitty had declared that Still Life With a Fuckton of Jam was one of his favorite graduation presents, and the fact that he hung it by his beloved kitchen said more than a 'thank you' ever could.

She passed by her Junior Show sky-scape as she cut through the living room. She loved that it was owned by someone who saw it being made and who wanted to hang on to the memory of the making of it.

No, this wasn't what she pictured when she thought about being an artist when she grew up, but that dream was still very much alive. Just not in the way she had expected it to be.

It was better. She would never say this out loud, because it would completely nuke her cred, but it was all tangled up in love.

Even when she was doing work for hire, it was still about the people. She still went to the Macey's used bookstore where the steps she had painted enticed young readers up to a nook furnished with cushions and hidey-holes. And every time, Macey still gushed about how she had wanted a staircase like that in her bookstore ever since she saw one as a child, and now she had the store of her dreams, and wasn't it wonderful?

She was halfway through another commission, this one for a friend of Snowy's who needed a re-do on his mask after getting traded to the Aeros. Jukes was super-psyched about the retro-futurist space-themed design she was doing in the Aeros' silver and red, so psyched Lardo half-suspected that kid-Jukes would have said he wanted to be an astronaut when he grew up (possibly a hockey-playing astronaut—he was Canadian, after all).

Snowy had taken one look at the design and had declared that by the end of the season, Lardo would have a three year waiting list, and that if he weren't so superstitious about his current mask, he'd be next in line after Jukes.

Having another job (one that she loved) gave her the freedom to pick and choose the art she wanted to do the way she wanted to do it and for the people she wanted to do it for. One day, she might be able to do it full time and she really hoped she would get there.

The important thing was, she was an artist. It was an essential part of who she was and who she would be, just like Bitty didn't need to own a bakery to be a baker.

She flopped down on the bed in Jack's guest room (which was already halfway to being 'her' room). She was exhausted enough to want to nap, but too keyed up to do so.

So, she picked up her bedside sketch pad, flipped to a mostly empty page, and began doodling.

She started with a triceratops.

#omgcp #omgcheckplease #lardo duan #shitty x lardo #my fic

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icedanceupstarts · 4 years

Text

Cup of China 2019 Preview

We’re officially halfway through the Grand Prix and no closer to knowing what any of these numbers mean. There are some rather interesting head to heads this week, including the Grand Prix debut of the reigning World Silver Medalists, so maybe it will all finally make sense this week!

Laurence FOURNIER BEAUDRY / Nikolaj SORENSEN CAN

Age: 27/30

Started Skating Together: 2012

Coach: Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, Romain Haguenauer

Season's Best: 201.00

Rhythm Dance: Bonnie and Clyde

Free Dance: Cry Me A River

The Canadanes have been having a wonderful season so far, winning Nebelhorn and following it up with their first ever GP medal, all while posting scores high enough to make some top teams a little nervous. Their Bonnie and Clyde rhythm dance especially has been a hit with the fans, with their commitment to the performance and characters as well as that distinctive twizzle sequence. They bring all the drama in their FD with more strong tech and well placed elements. They look good to turn their first season medaling on the Grand Prix into their first season medaling at both of their Grand Prixs, with their biggest competition for the bronze being Hawayek/Baker who they already defeated at Nebelhorn. They have the higher scores thus far, but with the unpredictable scoring trends thus far, that might not mean as much as it has in the past. The flipside of that is that if they bring the levels and the performance, they just might be able to aim higher than bronze, particularly if the top teams here have an off day. Regardless of the outcome here, they have put themselves in an excellent position looking ahead to Canadian nationals high placements at championship events.

Hong CHEN / Zhuoming SUN CHN

Age: 25/24

Started Skating Together: 2018

Coach: Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, Romain Haguenauer

Season's Best: 159.94

Rhythm Dance: It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing

Free Dance: It's All Coming Back to Me Now

YouTube has failed us, I'm sorry. Tracking down videos that don’t get pulled from existence almost immediately remains a dire struggle, but we can say these two had a solid Grand Prix debut a few weeks ago at Skate America. Particularly in the free dance, they showed off the immense progress they've made as a fairly new team. They still have a lot to learn, but they have a certain appeal to them that make them a team to keep an eye out for after a few more years of high level coaching and competitions. Plus her dresses are already gorgeous, so there's that to look forward to as well.

Yuzhu GUO / Pengkun ZHAO CHN

Age: 20/22

Started Skating Together: 2013

Coach: Hongyan Xi, Xun Zheng

Personal Best: 114.41

Rhythm Dance: Quickstep

Free Dance: A Thousand Years

Fresh off the junior circuit, the opportunity the host spot brings is invaluable to any young up and comer, and this team is no different. They’ve had some international competitive experience at both the junior and senior levels already, and now they're getting the chance to compete with some of the best teams in the world. They're probably going to be last, but there are things more important than results, especially for such a young team from a country still developing it's dance program. They actually have a really nice chemistry and emotional connection that is shown off in their lyrical, emotional free dance, as well as a good feel for the music. With more opportunities to grow their technical abilities, they may become another step forward for China's ice dance program.

Shiyue WANG / Xinyu LIU CHN

Age: 25/25

Started Skating Together: 2010

Coach: Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, Romain Haguenauer

Season's Best: 184.72

Rhythm Dance: Charlie Chaplin

Free Dance: Swan Lake

Following their silver medal at Finlandia, Wang/Liu will be starting of their Grand Prix season at home. Their Charlie Chaplin selection for the rhythm dance is honestly super cute. Just a really fun and funny concept that these two and their massive height difference pull off amazingly well. For their free dance - love both Swan Lake and a drama program, do not so much love the structuring of this Swan Lake drama program, but they skate their hearts out. While undoubtedly one of the most warhorse-y warhorses, this type of program is a departure from what Wang/Liu have done with their free dances the past few seasons. We might quibble with the placement of their twizzles but it's a rather charming touch that they're placed them to the part of the music where Odile famously does her 32 fouettes. They’ve had a number of sixth place finishes at Grand Prix events over the years, but this could be their year to break into the top five.

Misato KOMATSUBARA / Tim KOLETO JPN

Age: 27/28

Started Skating Together: 2016

Coach: Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, Romain Haguenauer

Season's Best: 142.09

Rhythm Dance: Dreamgirls

Free Dance: Lord of the Dance

Komatsubara/Koleto have had a rough few months, to say the least. In July Misato got a concussion so bad she couldn't move the lower half of her body, had issues speaking, and her life was in danger, but is competing here now for reasons beyond us?? It's hard to hype a team when all we want to do is shriek at them to GO TAKE A NAP IN THE HOSPITAL but we'll try our best. They competed at Asian Open Trophy last weekend, and while they were far from their best, they're still appealing performers. The biggest problem at the moment is that both programs were choreographed with the intention that they be skated with a certain amount of energy and sharpness that is currently beyond them, particularly in the steps which, understandably, look a little under trained at the moment. Even if it's a while before they're at full strength, it's always a delight to see them skate, even if this week that delight is undercut with concern.

Sofia EVDOKIMOVA / Egor BAZIN RUS

Age: 22/24

Started Skating Together: 2007

Coach: Oleg Sudakov, Valentin Kuziaev, Artem Kudashev

Season's Best: 167.39

Rhythm Dance: 42nd Street

Free Dance: Schindler's List

Following a bit of a disappointing start to their Grand Prix season, Evdokimova/Bazin will be looking to improve on their results. They had decent levels at their first event but low GOEs kept them at the bottom of the field finishing ninth overall. 42nd Street is one of the more popular choices for the RD, and you can see why. It's perfect for a Finnstep and would carry the program even if their performance ever faltered. Their free dance isn't quite there for us yet-- it's fine, but the program doesn't carry itself the way their rhythm dance does, and it's very easy for this kind of program to dissolve into aimless angst. Their interpretation is evolving, though, and maybe if they hit the right notes this time the judges will see fit to reward them. Their experience together helped carry them to Europeans last season, but they’ll need to keep growing their performance and minimizing errors to try and maintain this advantage over the newer and younger teams they’ll once again be up against at Russian nationals next month.

Victoria SINITSINA / Nikita KATSALAPOV RUS

Age: 24/28

Started Skating Together: 2014

Coach: Alexander Zhulin

Season's Best: 198.14

Rhythm Dance: Singing in the Rain

Free Dance: I Giorni/Songs My Mother Taught Me

The reigning Russian National Champions and World Silver Medalists are looking to cement their reign as Russian #1 as well as close the gap to the top of the world podium. They competed at one Challenger event this pre-season, which they won, though their seasons best from that event sits quite a bit lower than the other top world competitors. We expect to see that increase to a much more competitive number this weekend. While most of their competitors are increasingly going for more modern looks, Sinitsina/Katsalapov have thus far preferred to keep it classic. Their rhythm dance, while perhaps not quite as astoundingly perfect for them as their tango from last season, is still an excellent program and vehicle for their talents. They've excelled at dramatic programs more recently, so they surprised many fans with how light and charming they can be in this program. Their free dance plays on their classically Russian skating, elegant and stately, making great use of their long lines to hit striking positions. When they last performed it several weeks ago, their free dance lacked some narrative cohesion but they've had time to tighten up the program and rework their interpretation. Given that unlike Chock/Bates, they aren't just coming off a competition, one might tentatively declare them the favorites if they can keep their twizzles under control, often their nemesis in the past.

Anastasia SKOPTCOVA / Kirill ALESHIN RUS

Age: 19/22

Started Skating Together: 2013

Coach: Svetlana Alexeeva, Elena Kustarova, Olga Riabinina

Personal Best: 179.78

Rhythm Dance: Bonnie and Clyde

Free Dance: Never Tear Us Apart/ Earned It

Happy Birthday Anastasia! These second year seniors have once again gotten off to a bit of a slow start this season, missing the free dance at test skates and only competing at one small domestic event prior to the Grand Prix. But fortunately their GP assignments are on the later side of things so we are excited to finally see them at a major event! It will never fail to astonish that a musical as little loved as Bonnie and Clyde has found so much traction in the figure skating community. It works pretty well for them, and we especially like the opening step sequence. Their new free dance kind of builds off last season's while still being different and feeling fresh. They already have a mature feel to them as a team, and have surprisingly acrobatic lifts for a team with a fairly small height difference. Having a good placement here could be essential to staying afloat in the crowded Russian dance field.

Madison CHOCK / Evan BATES USA

Age: 27/30

Started Skating Together: 2011

Coach: Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, Romain Haguenauer

Season's Best: 204.84

Rhythm Dance: Too Darn Hot

Free Dance: Snake Charmer

After last week Chock/Bates will be looking to clinch their place at GPF with at least a silver medal, if not the gold. Their technical display was not as strong as it was at the beginning of the season or performances they've had in the past, but they've made up for it in other ways. They have a lot of showy highlights in both programs that help keep their marks high even when their levels are low. Their lifts and performance quality especially have always been a strong point for these two. You can say a lot of things about their free dance, but it's a program that easily allows the judges to separate them from other teams and displays their growth in several areas. They're going to be fighting jetlag but they'll want to give stronger performances than last week if they want to make GPF, and especially if they want to win. More lackluster levels could even put them in danger of slipping out of the top two if they make a mistake, but Chock/Bates have been skating with more passion and confidence ever after their coaching change, and the judges seem to be responding accordingly. A strong result here and ideally doing enough to punch their ticket to the GPF would set them up very well to battle for the US national title this season.

Kaitlin HAWAYEK / Jean-Luc BAKER USA

Age: 23/25

Started Skating Together: 2012

Coach: Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, Romain Haguenauer

Season's Best: 194.77

Rhythm Dance: Disco

Free Dance: Beethoven Flamenco

The reigning US National bronze medalists have had a bit of a bumpy road this season, and they've only had two competitions. They barely hung onto the silver medal in their season opener at Nebelhorn where they were not as competitive as they no doubt would have liked. They posted much higher scores at Skate Canada a few weeks later, but ended up slipping off the podium. They've got another shot at the bronze here, but they'll have to fight their training mates Fournier-Beaudry/Sorensen for it. Hawayek/Baker have made a noticeable effort this season to imbue both programs with their offbeat, irreverent personality that hadn't been shown off in their more lyrical programs they became so known for over the past few years. The slow section in their disco RD could use a little more sparkle, but it's a fun program even so. Their weird flamenco with Kaitlin as Marie Antoinette stands out nicely from the rest of the field, but might be a little too weird for the judges? Honestly hard to say, because what is score. If they can convince the judges of their program concept and get another GP medal, it'll put them in a better position to hang onto the National bronze and maybe even move up, especially if the top teams here falter.

#ice dance #season: 2019 2020 #gp 2019 #preview

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austerlitzborodinoleipzig · 5 years

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that’I see y’all discussing the russian girls and the bloodbath that’s going to be RusNats, and I raise you... Russian pairs! Because they were on this week-end and they brought their A game.

So my thoughts on each pair. I think I may do a follow up post about what to expect during the season, what to look for.... And aaah, in general I just want an excuse to rant about pair skating which is my absolute favorite type of figure skating (you guys don’t know what you’re missing). So if you want to rant with me, just hit me up !

Efimova/Korovin

SP - Carmina Burana (O Fortuna)

FP - Sound of Silence (cover by Disturbed)

Okay so the SP is nice enough. I’m not a big fan of Carmina Burana, but the program in itself is well made. The skaters are experienced enough not to get drowned by the intense music and the costumes are cute. The FP is not that great. Imho, they’re making a big mistake with that music choice because James/Ciprès’ FS is still on everybody’s mind, and the comparison is not in E/K’s favor. Right now they lack the power this piece of music requires. All in all they had wayyyy better packaging last year.

Mishina/Galiamov

SP - Je Suis Malade, by Lara Fabian

FS - The Master and Margarita OST

Fresh from the juniors. They’re keeping last year’s FS, which makes sense. For a storytelling program, it’s decent. Good moves, intricate. Last year, you could see while they skated that they were really committed to the performance, so that’s another good point. The SP is meh. Also Je suis malade is becoming a new warhorse among Team Russia and I am not pleased.

Pavliuchenko/Khodykin

SP - The Storm by Havasi

FS - Tron OST ??? (looks like it judging by the costumes)

Okay hear me out, last year P/K had one of the worst programs ever made in the story of figure skating. Yes worse than Candyman (Unpopular Opinion n°1: I don’t think Candyman is the absolute worst. It did not suit T/M at all but the program itself skated by another team could have been okay, and even fun in a trashy way. Also I love polka dots ). Also that program required a minimum of acting skills which they did not have and it was painful to watch. And this year... They have good packaging?!! I like them more than B/K ??!! WTF happened during the off-season ?

Anyway, P/K made lots of progress in terms of flow, skating skills, performance, lines and postures... It’s actually impressive. Their SP is a bit like last year’s. It’s a moody instrumental piece of music, but I like this year’s music better. The program is well made and they have some great elements. I’m glad they kept their SBS spin, because that broken-leg position is gorgeous. I dig the costumes. The FS is pure drama. Finally, after two seasons of funny/lighthearted programs where they never were relaxed enough to pull it off! It’s weird? There are some strange voiceovers at the beginning, the music is bit monotonous, but it creates a certain feeling, and that program certainly makes them stand out among the others and in a good way

Boikova/Kozlovsky

SP - My Way (Instrumental)

FS - James Bond (Writing on the Wall from the Spectre OST)

Unpopular opinion n°2 : I don’t like B/K that much. They’re great, don’t get me wrong, but I do think they’re being a bit overrated/overhyped right now and I just can’t get into their programs. There’s just something about them that screams “old-fashioned”, and even “soviet-era Russia” to me... Probably because Sasha Boikova reminds me of my piano teacher when she was young, there I’ve said it. Again I don’t really like their SP nor their FS this year, though the former is much better than the latter. They have some really nice choreo elements. The final pose in the SP is great, so is the entrance into the death spiral. The final lift in the FS is awesome... And yet I don’t like the music choices. The programs themselves are not particularly inspired... I don’t know.

Stolbova/Novoselov

SP - I’ll Take Care Of You, by Beth Hart and Joe Bonassa

FS - Moonlight Sonata remix (sigh)

I did not know how much I needed Stolbova to come back until I saw her at the test skates. It was such a pleasure to watch. PCS are up there, of course, Sui/Han’s level. I love the SP. It’s elegant and sophisticated. Not sure about the FS tho. I just don’t like the music. The choreo feels a bit empty but well There’s such an intensity in it that it makes me overlook those annoyances.

Tarasova/Morozov

SP - Boléro

FS - Te Amo (opera version)

Dear God, what happened to T/M ? Bland, uncharismatic T/M ? They have good programs. In fact I would even say great ? They have charisma and chemistry on ice ? Morozov is emoting ? I thought the move to Zueva might be beneficial, but to this extent... Anyway they’re great. The new lift is stunning. The dismount is one of my faves, ever. The transitions are beautiful (especially those into the spins and death spiral). I’m really looking forward to watching them this season and see how they’re going to polish these progs.

#figure skating #pairs skating #tarasova/morozov #russian test skates 2019

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ambitionsource · 5 years

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character takeover - asher garcia & dylan orlando

So I’m gonna write with this pen, and then you’re going to use the slightly thicker one. This one? Yeah, that one. Okay. I am writing with the bigger pen. Do we always have to write with these? Well, I guess if like, you get asked a specific question and I don’t need to answer, then it doesn’t matter. Why would someone ask me a question and not you? I don’t know, I -- it was just an example. You know I don’t know things, Ash. You know plenty. ... stop, you’re making me blush.

Introduce yourself. Asher Garcia, junior A class. Dylan Orlando, junior A class, kissing expert. (Stop putting that on everything) Am I wrong?? That’s not the point

What is your creative focus? Production design I’m sure someone will tell me eventually

What from the previous school year are you most proud of? I did the production design for our spring production, Les Mis (or more fondly known as “The Miserables”). It was really challenging because we had to find a cost-effective and compelling way to complete the barricade set, i.e. one of the most iconic set pieces in the history of musical theater. So we had to find a way to pay homage to the classic, but also put our own spin on it. I also wanted to make the stage crew’s job easier when it came to transitions, so I devised a way to sort of make pieces of the set be multi-functional depending on the side but come together to build the barricade in the second act. I mean, it’s not that big a deal since people far smarter than me have done it before, but it felt cool to pull it off for myself and have it come together so well. I actually submitted samples of it to a scholarship program counselor Matthews showed me and won some money for my college fund, so that was really cool. Definitely when I managed to hit Maya Hart with a paint balloon. Oh, also, I finally beat the current standing student record for most cafeteria enchiladas consumed in one lunch period without throwing up, which I think is pretty cool. You also like… continued to grow a pretty popular Youtube channel. And also didn’t get anything below a B in second semester. Oh, yeah! But I still think the Maya paint thing wins.

What about the previous school year would you like to improve upon or change? It was really nice when the techies weren’t at war with the performers. Not because they’re like great friends, but it was just nice to be able to work cooperatively. Everyone was in a better mood. I’d like for that to continue, but just knowing how this summer has been… I don’t know. I’m not optimistic. Yeah, it sucks because Lucas was like way hyped at the end of last year but then all the shit with the Insta page happened and it’s been kind of a mess. But I would also like to see Asher perform more. Not happening. Well… we shall see...

How do you best receive praise? Um, I guess verbally. Like it’s great to hear it expressly stated to me rather than ambiguously, but at the same time, it has to be like… subtle. Like one-on-one. Or else it’s just embarrassing. Like I appreciated when Miss Moore pulled me aside after opening night of The Miserables and told me the set design was really good. She doesn’t pay much attention to the techies a lot of the time, so that was a really nice moment. You guys are getting praise?

How do you prefer to receive criticism? I think constructive criticism is important, but it has to be… well, constructive. It’s all in the delivery. Like when Lucas comes to me and has an honest conversation about my suggested set design and limitations that he thinks we might have in building or implementing it, that I can take. When the performers just shoot shots at each other, it makes me break out in hives. By mail. Written in the blood of the gods, with a feather quill. Must be nearly illegible. If it’s not sealed shut with one of those waxy things that look like Play-Doh, I’m not opening it.

You have an important engagement at 5PM. What time are you arriving at the place? Well, you have to consider a lot of factors. Where is the engagement? How are we getting there? Is it a more casual thing where you’re expected to show up late (although whoever invented the term “fashionably late” owes me emotional compensation), or would being late cause us severe penalty? Either way, I’d aim for us to get there around 4:30, and then we can wait in the parking lot if need be until around 4:50. Whenever Asher says we’re getting there.

Favorite AAA faculty? Counselor Matthews does a lot of work to watch out for us, and I don’t think that can be overstated. But still, I think I have a lot of respect for Principal Hunter. He does not have an easy job, and so much of what he does goes on behind the scenes and in this understated way where it’s not flashy so people don’t notice, but it makes a huge difference. I feel like I get how that feels, and so I hope he knows he is appreciated even though everyone is just complaining to him about how something didn’t go the way they wanted it to again. Also, he totally let Lucas derail the school for a week during the techie revolution, and that was pretty neat of him. Have you met Janitor Harley? That man is the bomb. He knows so much dirt about the school and also has all these wild stories. He has this pretty obvious scar on his eyebrow where the hair doesn’t grow, and he told Dave and me it’s because he got burned by a Russian spy in the 80s. Also, he like, cleans and stuff. I’m surprised he’s not your favorite, Asher. He cleans, yes. But I’m still sneezing during class because of all the dust in the auditorium. Oh, yeah. I forgot about your Vendetta. THERE COULD BE MITES, DYLAN.

Who are you most excited to see when school is back in session? It’ll be nice to get the whole techie crew together again. We usually do group hang outs during the summer, but things have been kind of… well, people have been busy. Lucas isn’t exactly in a social mood -- except for us -- and Isadora has been changing her social circle a little. Then Dave was in Europe for some reason. I think it was a family trip. They went to Belgium because that’s where his grandparents live. And they like made a trip out of it. I didn’t know Dave’s ancestry was Belgian. I guess. I don’t know, he just kept talking about how excited he was to eat waffles for every meal. Of course he did.

Who are you most hoping to avoid? I’m not really hoping to avoid anyone. There are people that we like… have agreed we should probably not engage with, but I’m not all that pleased about it. I think we’re being kind of rude. And Lucas isn’t making things better by refusing to acknowledge what happened. But it’ll make him feel better. I guess. Also, Farkle. After how things ended last year, I dread something else similar happening. Yeah, I think just avoiding any of that energy is priority. Farkle, Maya. I already had a stress dream about some sort of tantrum video where he tears me to shreds and the whole school sees it. It’s scary because he doesn’t know me well enough to say that stuff, and yet he hits every single insecurity. Oh, and like, Wyatt. Wyatt was expelled. Already on track, then.

What are your goals for this year, personally and professionally? I want to start putting together my design portfolio for college applications, so that will take a lot of my professional focus. Personally, I just… really hope things calm down. I know Lucas is going through a lot right now, and I want to be there for him. He’s been my best friend at AAA since the first week. I just hope things improve once the structure of school comes back into play rather than… the other direction. I just want everyone to be happy. I want us all to be chill again, and then I want to whomp Nate’s current record for most sticky notes stuck on Mister Shawn’s back without him noticing. Oh, and more performances for Asher L. Garcia!!! Again. Not happening. Mm… we shall SEE.................

#S2 countdown #character takeover #ct: dylan x asher #asher garcia #dylan orlando

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