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dong-hyucks · 7 years

Note

Hi! Can I request prompt 23 for Choi Minho? Please? Thank you!

Choi Minho ; “I’ll wait.”

Prompts hereMasterlists

alright so i was supposed to finish this yesterday

but, if you’ve noticed on my blog a certain snek™ (ily baby anon) was exposing me

so i got sidetracked

p.s baby anon i have a new bias it’s @trashforyugyeom she posted a cover teaser on her blog and i am shookt like go check it out lee donghyuck who

also, most of the information about school is just based off of mine, i have no idea if it’s like that elsewhere

anywho, you were in high school freshman year when you first met minho

he was captain of the soccer team, straight a student, and there were even rumours circulating around that he had become a trainee at some big label

he never really talked about the rumours, but he didn’t deny them either

needless to say, he was very popular

everyone loved him, students and teachers alike

you, on the other hand, were just a regular student trying to get by

you weren’t popular, but you weren’t exactly a loner either

you had friends that you hung out with regularly, so interacting with minho was a rarity

the only time you’d utter a word to the other was in the mornings when you’d greet each other

despite having lockers beside each other, he always went to his just as you were leaving yours

you didn’t have any classes together either

so you never really talked other than that

as the school years began again, students would be given new lockers

surprisingly, you and minho had managed to get lockers close to each other’s every time they changed

you thought nothing of it, other than thinking it was just pure coincidence

you didn’t even notice the lingering looks minho would send your way as you closed your locker and walked off every morning

by the time you two were seniors, the rumours had been confirmed

minho had been a trainee under S.M since he was fifteen

you had been slightly amazed he managed to keep it a ‘secret’ for so long, but otherwise you didn’t really care

for once, you actually did have a class with minho

AP art history, to be exact

you liked art history but you detested the idea of AP classes because of their difficulty (you’d rather sit home and watch tv honestly), but having taken an AP class looked good to the college/university you wanted to get into so you just dealt with it

plus the other AP courses were full

you sat in the front, not by choice – the teacher had assigned seats

minho sat two rows behind you and to the left one desk

so you never really noticed him

that is, until you were partnered up together

one morning, your teacher came to class in a giddy mood

she was apparently really excited about something

after taking mandatory attendance, she’d clap her hands happily

“alright, class, this is my favourite part of teaching this course!

“you and a partner are going to be given a fortnight’s time to put together props and costumes to recreate a given painting from any of the time periods that we have discussed. you will be presenting these in the auditorium downstairs for the ninth to eleventh graders taking history.”

a collective groan settled from the back of the class

you felt tempted to join in, considering how much time that would take out of your time for your other classes, but since you were in the front you held your slight vexation in

she told the first two rows to come stand up front, which you begrudgingly did, and told everyone standing to pick a paper out of a straw hat

“these will be your partners, please state who you’ve gotten once you pick.”

you were at the end of the line, so it took a while to get to you but by the time she reached you there was only one paper left

when you pulled it out, your breath caught in your throat

“choi minho”

you looked up, quickly making eye contact with the aforementioned male

after realizing you were blatantly staring, you looked away

you’ve never really thought about it before, but minho sure did mature – appearance-wise anyway

he was no longer that slightly dorky looking kid you had first met in freshman year, nor was he the same soccer captain from your sophomore year

your teacher then proceeded to get yet another hat, this time a simple black fedora, and went to the remaining students

“and in this hat will be your assigned paintings”

you watched minho, as the first one in the third row, pulled out a slip of paper

“read them aloud for your partner, will you?”

and so, minho did just that

“The Mourning of Christ by Giotto di Bondone”

you easily remembered the painting, both by name and artist

there had been numerous depictions of the lamentation, but the class had studied Giotto’s version mere weeks beforehand

time went on as your teacher managed to get to everyone

it was a short day that day, being wednesday, and passing out the slips and explaining the entire project plus answering curious questions took a whopping half hour and now there was only have of the class left

does anyone else have short days or is it just me

so your teacher gave you all time to discuss with your partner

you awkwardly stumbled back to minho’s desk

you nearly fell over when he smiled up at you before you sat down in the empty seat in front of his desk

me too [Y/N] me too

“so,, when are you free?”

you guys made plans, which happened to be every other day (he had club activities and as did you)

your first meeting would be that very day

you guys basically spent the rest of class talking about your club activities instead of the project

oops

you learned that he started losing sleep over being a trainee, school, et cetera.

to which you scolded him (kind of) because sleep is important to function properly

says me lol i’m such a hypocrite

anyway the bell rang before you knew it

and you were off to your last class of the day

which happened to be in the same direction as minho’s

so he walked you to your class

before you could enter, he smiled over at you and waved before moving along to his next class, disappearing within the crowd of high school students

you just stood outside the door because wow that was so cute

it took your friend nudging you to go in for you to actually move

anywho, timeskip to later

minho was already waiting at your locker

which you thought was odd considering his class was a bit farther away from the lockers than yours was

and you had booked it out of your last class

weird you thought

after grabbing your things you guys headed to a small cafe (how many times have i mentioned cafes in past prompt posts istg) to plan

he ordered your drink for you despite your numerous protests

“alright!! so what do we do”

you started laughing because of how eager he sounded

the tips of his ears went red but he laughed along with you anyway

you thought getting the costumes out of the way first was easier and minho agreed

the two of you were free so you decided to go out and buy cloth for costumes

after finishing your drinks you guys went out to a secluded shop a few blocks away that sold sewing supplies and such

after buying the appropriate cloths, you guys headed to minho’s house since it was closer

you didn’t miss the teasing grin minho’s mom sent him when she saw you walk in

you guys spent a few hours putting together the simple costumes, talking and listening to music in the midst of it

you had to go home before seven so he offered to walk you home

you didn’t have a choice really because he was already slipping his shoes on before you could kindly refuse

the walk home was in silence, unlike how you had been mere minutes before

but it was a comfortable silence

not many people were about, with it getting colder and darker faster as the winter season approached

he noticed you were shivering and did the cliche move of hanging his jacket over your shoulders

when you looked over at him, he pretended as if he hadn’t done it

you just shrugged, face warmer than it was before, hugging the jacket to your cold body

it didn’t take long for you guys to reach your house

“here,” you moved to shrug off his jacket but he quickly stopped you

“keep it”

“but–”

“you can just give it back tomorrow,” and with that he sent you the same smile that had been killing you all day long before jogging back into the darkness

you stared at his back as his form slowly got smaller as he got farther and farther away before chuckling in amusement

what a dork

the next few days went like that

you did most of the work at his house since it was closer to the school

you guys progressed well, finishing making the costumes and collecting the necessary props a few days before d-day

now all that was left was to gather people to help you do it

your teacher was strict about you not having the help of peers in your AP art history class

she very strongly insisted that you have people outside of art history help you

because it should be you and your partner’s grade alone

so minho gathered some ‘friends’ outside of your school and you got together some of your friends as well

before you all met, minho brought you to the side to inform you of something

“my friends are other trainees”

“… what”

he then explained that he was put into a group with four other people (when was shinee actually put together??? idk) but he wasn’t that close with one of them yet

as in

they argued

and bickered

a lot

he basically told you to brace yourself for the tension between him and that person, who was apparently named kim kibum

alright so you guys all met at the park

one by one everyone arrived

until the eleven of you were kind of just standing around

minho was right, you could really feel the tension between him and kibum

minho had also told you that it had taken him an entire two hours to get him to agree to helping

and even then he was losing fifty bucks

so you explained the project and the painting to everyone and gave them their jobs

everyone else would be the mourning friends/family whilst you would be mary and minho would be Christ

kibum ended up snickering after seeing how much minho would have to be lacking of clothes

he got hit upside the head for that

anyway everyone agreed to to go out and buy wigs and beards for their characters because damn you and minho couldn’t pay for everything

timeskip again oops

on the day you were to present it

it had suddenly dawned on you that you would literally be leaning over minho’s face

sure, his eyes were closed and he’d be wearing a beard (not to mention his lack of clothing, as kibum said) but you were still going to be leaning over him for a number of minutes

why it had only just come across to you that it would be like that, you had no idea

needless to say, you felt flustered

over time you had grown to like minho

it wasn’t too serious, but you could definitely see yourself falling for him and his little quirks

which was why you were now shaking backstage wearing blue robes and a light brown wig that you had tied back (if you already have brown hair you’re not wearing a wig then)

minho had come up to you, asking you if you were okay

as much as you wanted to yell no you just smiled and said you were nervous about being on stage

“don’t worry, it’ll only be for a second! besides, you won’t be looking at the audience anyway, if that’s what you’re worried about

you just nodded, internally grateful that minho had the consciousness to wear a robe of somesort before you guys went up

then, you heard your teacher call you and minho up

you and your group scrambled onstage, hiding behind a stand of what was supposed to resemble a picture frame – but really just looked like a plain rectangle – and a drawn curtain

some backstage helper drew the curtains open after everyone had gotten into position

you could hear cameras going off and subtle chatter going on in the rows of chairs before you, but you tried your best to ignore them and your pounding heartbeat

holding minho in your arms whilst staring at him was enough to make you feel more nervous than any presentation could

you heard your teacher’s voice thanking your group, along with the applause of all the students and other that were littered around the auditorium

the curtains closed once again and everyone relaxed

before you could let minho go he opened his eyes

you froze, your face burning up

minho noticed this and chuckled, pulling himself into a sitting position

you were trying really hard to focus on his face and not on the fact that he was only wearing shorts

“good job”

and with that, he stood up

you willed yourself to stand, thanking everyone who had helped you before scurrying off the stage, half because of nervousness and half for the next group that was waiting for their turn to go up

you could barely untie your hair/wig before a man came up to you, a look of astonishment on his face

“are you two [Y/F/N] and choi minho?”

“yes?”

to your surprise, he began to gush over how amazing your presentation had looked and how detailed it was, from the clothes, to the props, to the painted background – everything

minho chuckled awkwardly, obviously feeling as confused as you were “sorry,,, who are you, sir?”

the man then apologized before pulling something out of his coat

he gave you a business card, one that left you gaping

‘mr. yoon jungmin ; scouter for – university’

the university wasn’t even in korea, but you could recognize it because it was just that big of a university

it was really well known for its variety of courses as well, including art history

“i’m the university’s international scouter and your teacher and i talked about it and i’d like to offer the two of you possible scholarships” –lmao if only it was this easy but let’s pretend okay

you were in straight up awe because you got noticed by a scouter for putting together a few costumes

“you don’t have to talk now, but do consider”

then mr. yoon walked away

leaving you and minho just :o

minho obviously wasn’t going to accept, he had a huge opportunity staying in s. korea, but you on the other hand

you kind of just went quiet because you were confused

you would love to go to the university, it’d open up great job options for you, but at the same time you’ve never left home really

(if you’re not korean you were born there after your parents moved??? idk i’m tired nothing i say is making sense sorry)

minho noticed and ruffled your hair

“hey, we don’t graduate for another few months, you’ll have time to think it over”

you didn’t miss the sad tone he spoke in that he tried to hide under his smile

“you okay?” you asked

minho just nodded before excusing himself to talk to the boys (shinee)

timeskip to graduation

you and minho kept in contact after the project and became really close friends

you never really brought up the scholarship again so minho had assumed you turned down mr. yoon’s offer

but in reality you had accept a month and a half prior you just had no idea how to tell him

you had already discussed it with your parent(s)/guardian(s) but you had no clue on how you were going to break the news to minho

he had started flirting with you sometime after the project, but he never acted on anything, but you assumed he liked you to some extent

and you really did end up falling for him

because how could you not, he was funny and incredibly sweet to you

after he started flirting, he basically cemented that in stone

before you knew it, graduation had snuck up on you and you still hadn’t told him

you were kind of freaking out because ‘what if he gets mad at me?’

of course, you’d still go to the university if that happened but you’d go with a heavy heart

you tried to find him before the ceremony but you couldn’t

you only saw him standing in line to get his hs diploma

you silently cursed the world because now minho was going to find out you were going to be going halfway across the world via master of ceremonies

you dreaded the moment your name got called, along with the scholarships that had been offered to you

the mc decided to make it worse by announcing that you had already accepted one of the scholarships, the one mr. yoon had offered

you looked over the stage and noticed how gobsmacked minho looked

not to mention how hurt he looked

after shaking the principal’s hand, you stood next to the others who had gone before you, looking down the entire time

you didn’t want to look at minho just yet

too soon after, the ceremony was over and parents and friends alike were rushing over to congratulate the graduates

minho had tried to find you, but you had seemingly disappeared within the crowd

an hour later, while you sat on a secluded staircase within the school, you got a text from minho

‘where are you’

you started freaking out, but you told him anyway

you couldn’t run away from this forever

you didn’t get a response, which made you dread the seconds that passed by insufferably slowly

you heard footsteps nearing you from behind, coupled with someone’s winded breaths

you didn’t stand up and bowed your head, knowing very well who stood behind you

“you accepted the scholarship”

“…”

“and you didn’t tell me?”

you lifted your head ever so slightly and glanced at him over your shoulder

“… yeah.”

there was a moment of silence before he walked closer and sat down beside you

he sat as close as ever, a habit he had gotten after spending loads of time with you

…

“i didn’t know how to tell you”

he didn’t answer

his silence scared you, so you willed yourself to look at him

when you did, he was already staring at you

you couldn’t tell what he was thinking – something that was strange to you, you had grown to be able to read his emotions like a book over the past few months

without saying anything, he leaned forward, pressing a fleeting kiss against your lips

your eyes widened, you didn’t have time to react before he was pulling away

“i really like you, [Y/N],” he’d whisper as he bore into your eyes

now, you could see the fondness that shone in both of his irises

you wanted to shy away, but instead you kept looking at him

“minho… i’m going to move.”

“i know,” he smiled gently, a broken smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “i’ll wait for you.”

four years later, you were graduating yet again

you smiled, shaking the mc’s hand gratefully as he handed you your degree

as you stopped to smile for pictures, just as every other graduate had done, you noticed a certain someone standing in the crowd

despite his ‘disguise’, what with a cap and a medical mask, you could easily recognize him, having seen pictures of the very outfit numerous times before

upon seeing him, your smile widened

after the ceremony, your eyes searched the crowd for that certain someone

suddenly, arms wrapped around your torso, a familiar scent invading your olfactory sense

he had long since had his debut, but he was still as kind as ever, something you noted after hearing him whisper dozens of congratulations to you

you turned around, pulling minho’s mask down (and covering your faces with your hand; a precaution he had joked about in the past) and kissing him square on the lips

he didn’t hesitate to kiss back, grinning into the kiss as you stumbled back from the amount of force he had used to hug you

pulling away, you grinned at him

“hey”

he grinned back, playing with your graduation gown

“hey back, love”

i highkey want to rewrite this as a detailed imagine ngl

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cw-guzman · 5 years

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Yesterday was incredible! ¶ Spent half my day at work (writing 0 words) and met my wife @_neveendingjoy on the way home to ride the train together. We planned on attending a new book release ceremony later that night but didn't want to hang out in the city in the freezing temperatures. ¶ We knew the risks of first going home, changing into comfy clothes, and waiting out the afternoon before dressing back up to go out again—bout 90% of the time this doesn't work out. 😂 It's so much easier to stay home, stream some shows, and snuggle under some blankets ('tis the season). ☃️ ¶ But we did make it back out to the book release! The ride there was easy and we arrived earlier than most. As others began arriving, including poets who were in the book, I realized I'd become a writer in a room full of writers! 😃 ¶ Eventually, @robleswrites arrived and picked me right out of the crowd to say Hello! 🤩 She remembered me from Instagram and reading my NaNoWriMo posts that inspired her last week. I tried not to look star-struck (and probably failed) as I introduced her to my wife, Joyce, and she went on to find a seat in the reserved section. As the night went on we got to hear each of the poets read one of their poems from the book and have them sign it afterward! ¶ The greatest part of the event was when I got to chat with Peggy again after she signed her poem for us. It is so powerful when those you look up to say *you* are an inspiration to *them!* It was incredibly motivating to me—realizing that I had a lot in common with those on stage. They, admittedly, have much more experience than I do, but we're all on our own journeys in the same medium. While they have published work (and a new anthology under their belt) it felt incredible to be treated as an equal in the art form and it inspired me as much as I hope to inspire others. ¶ Thank you all for staying curious, following my journey, and sharing feedback—I appreciate it all so much. 🥰 ¶ P.S. barely got a few hundred words written on the train ride home, but it was all worth it! ¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ #NaNoWriMo #Day8 #datenight #challenge #writer #writing #amwriting #writerslife #poetry #writingcommunity (at David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center / ‘Wichcraft) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4qjyQ5gjcn/?igshid=v93khmcy2qu9

#nanowrimo #day8 #datenight #challenge #writer #writing #amwriting #writerslife #poetry #writingcommunity

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peace-coast-island · 7 years

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#ChoicesCreates: Friendship

Title: Quaintrelle (The Royal Romance) Summary: Quaintrelle - a woman who emphasizes a life of passion, expressed through personal style, leisurely past times, charm, and cultivation of life’s pleasures. Enid Zuberi (MC) writes to a dear friend.

Dear Seraphina,

It’s still hard for me to accept what happened but I’m trying my best. Your mother stopped by a few days ago with a box that you left for me. I didn’t get the courage to open it until last night.

The first thing I saw was the handmade sketchbook you got at an arts and crafts fair a few years ago. I remember you telling me that you wanted to use it someday but you were also afraid of ruining it. You always wanted to save it for your masterpieces. It makes me sad to think of all the wonderful art you could have drawn. I always wished that I could draw as well as you.

The sketchbook was kept on your self, waiting for the right occasion to be used. You wanted to open it on a towel laying on the sand with your art supplies spread out, ready for inspiration to strike. A relaxed breezy day on the beach with just the two of us. Funny how we took days like that for granted until time starts running short.

We never thought the sketchbook would be opened in a dreary space that became your second home whether you liked it or not. instead of being surrounded by paintbrushes and pens, there were IVs and equipment. It hurt seeing you struggle with holding a pencil, those once fluid lines turn wobbly and unsteady. That was the summer that marked the beginning of the end.

No matter how hard it was, you challenged yourself to fill one page with your art. I always admired your determination, even when things were bleak. During the time you stayed at the hospital, you sketched whatever came to mind and when I visited I would bring some of your art supplies. Looking through your sketchbook, I have to say that a lot of these are masterpieces.

I don’t know why you left this for me though. I understand the pictures and your camera as you were an avid photographer. And that nautical keychain I helped you win at a fair after spending several tickets trying. Your jar of paper stars we made the night after we graduated high school with our wishes written inside them.

But why your sketchbook? You left a letter for everyone in an envelope but you stuck mine in the book. In the PS, you told me to keep making masterpieces to fill it up. I wasn’t sure what you meant since my drawing and art skills are nowhere near yours. I guess that’s why it took me over a week to finally respond to you. It feels weird doing this so I can’t promise you that I’ll keep up with this but it’s worth a try. At least I’m feeling a little better getting my feelings out like this. So that’s what I’m gonna do with your sketchbook.

To quote you: “Someday we’ll meet again in the far future and you’d better have a lot of stories to tell me. Hell, I’ll come back to haunt you if you’re just sitting around mourning for an eternity. Promise me, you’ll live, Enid. Not just for me, but for you, for us.”

That was the last thing you ever said to me and I’ll never forget it. So I’ll fill these pages and when we meet again, I’ll share my stories.

From your best friend forever, Enid

P.S. - If you are gonna haunt me at least give me a sign so I know it’s you!

Today would’ve been your twenty-second birthday. So for you I’m rowing a boat and releasing a balloon in the air for you. It’s light blue, your favorite color, and I tied one of your favorite ribbons at the end, the light pink lace one that you like to wear in the spring. The balloon actually reminds me a lot about you, a free spirit letting the wind carry her away.

Remember the hidden cave at the beach where we often spent our summers? Hard to believe that it’s been a few months since we last came. It feels strange being here without you. Of course I couldn’t come alone and took Ollie with me. We couldn’t stay long, it was too much for us. That’s why I suggested that we spend the rest of the day on the boat. Ollie also wrote a message for you on the balloon, I didn’t see what it was though - keeping that a surprise for you!

We were out until pretty late, so late that we almost didn’t notice it was getting dark and the boat was going in the opposite direction. Instead of going down memory lane, we just sat and watched the world around us. If you were there you’d be pulling our your paints and a canvas to capture the scenery. I kept an eye on your balloon until it faded into the evening sky. Now you can wander the stars at your heart’s content.

Happy birthday Sera.

I never thought I’d end up back in the waiting room of the hospital so soon. This is the sixth time I’ve been in this position.

First my grandfather, who I barely remember. I think I was around two or three and blissfully unaware.

Second time was my aunt, around the time I was able to understand that sometimes it doesn’t get better. A year later I attended a funeral for the first time.

Third was my grandmother and by then we knew it before the doctor told us. She kept her head up until the very end.

Fourth was my father after a long battle. You and Ollie were there for me and my mother from the diagnosis to his final moments. I can’t thank you two enough for helping us through a difficult time.

Fifth was Seraphina Castiglioni, my best friend. You fought twice before, triumphant each time. But after years of remission it came back stronger than ever and your days were slowly fading away. Still, you lived every day to the fullest and left the world with a smile while holding my hand.

Now I’m back in the waiting room, sixth time with my mother. It’s been a few weeks and she’s gone through a lot of tests. I’m afraid but I have to stay strong for her, for us. At least Ollie’s here with me so I won’t be so alone. I really hate being in this room.

Sera, I miss you so much. Please give me the strength to get through the next few days.

I did it. I went out to the cave alone. And I’m glad I did.

I can’t remember the last time I was at the beach, it feels like such a long time ago. But I guess that happens when your life changes at an instant. Ollie’s doing well in school, I insisted that he’d go back instead of taking the semester off like he wanted. I feel bad for him since he’s close to Mom but we didn’t want him to drop everything for us. Mom made him promise that he make the Dean’s list again. I promised to keep him updated on her condition.

Mom’s doing as best she can. Still, there are days when she can’t do anything at all and I feel terrible for her. You know how I hate being helpless. It hurts seeing her like this. And the same for seeing you and my father go through the same. Why do things like this happen to people? Why?

At least today was a good day for her. She insisted that I go out and treat myself. I think the new medications are helping out a lot but her doctor says it’s too soon to tell if things are getting better. I’m glad that she’s able to spend the day out of bed and doing stuff. When I left, she was working on her garden, which looked more lively now that she was there. I told her not to wear herself out and she laughed and said that it’s a mother’s job to worry about her daughter, not the other way around. Then she told me to be back home in time for dinner.

It took a bit longer than expected to reach the cave. The sky was a bit cloudy and it got sort of windy later on. Finally after some difficulty, I made it to the cave. Walking in there alone felt like I was going down memory lane. I can still see us running around and hear us talking about things like it was yesterday. But at the same time it feels like a lifetime ago.

Remember how we used to go treasure hunting? You always knew the best places to find sea glass and seashells. What about the first time we went cliff diving? Ollie and I were nervous while you just dove right in. And how we’d have picnics in the cave? I noticed that there’s a basket left in the back where we hid stuff.

Then I found a small box hidden behind it. I opened it and saw a note that was in your handwriting. It said “To Ollie, with love, Sera.”. Underneath was a silver bracelet with our names engraved on it. This was your present to Ollie, something you meant to give him when he came back from college. I remember seeing you stop by a jewelry store to pick something up.

Was that why you wanted us to go with you to the cave last summer? I know you told me not to dwell on the past too much but seeing that box, I wished that we went out that day. It still wouldn’t change much but still, I’d give anything to have one more day with the three of us hanging out.

With all the things going on later that summer, it’s no surprise that you forgot about it. There’s a few other things we left in here like some old pictures, a few treasures we found, and some notes that are too hard to read now. It’s hard to believe that a year has passed since you left the box in there and the last time the three of us spent the day in the cave together.

You were always stubborn, you know that? By then you could barely get out of the house but you insisted on going to the cave. Possibly for the last time, like you were saying goodbye to an old friend. Despite your frail appearance, you looked as bright as ever. That was the last time you stepped outside.

The next day you thanked me and Ollie for one of the best days of your life. For as long as I live I’ll never forget that day. You wanted us to remember you in a way that makes us happy. That’s why I want to hold on to that day, to remember the bright, lively Sera who lives by the wind and sea.

#ChoicesCreates #choices #playchoices #The Royal Romance #headcanon ramble #Enid Zuberi #hospital mention tw #death mention tw #wow this went a bit longer than i thought but i had a lot of ideas #idk this could make for a longer fic #was thinking of ending it with an entry that takes place early in trr but it didn't feel right for a good ending

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ladystylestores · 4 years

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When Jail Becomes Normal – The New York Times

Want to get The Morning by email? Here’s the sign-up.

Good morning. Protests continued late into the night, without the destruction of recent days. George W. Bush offered praise for the protesters. Let’s start by looking at how mass incarceration has shaped black Americans’ lives.

For most white Americans, interactions with the police happen rarely, and they’re often respectful or even friendly. Many white people don’t know a single person who’s currently behind bars.

In many black communities — and especially for black men — the situation is entirely different. Some of the statistics can be hard to fathom:

Incarceration rates for black men are about twice as high as those of Hispanic men, five times higher than those of white men and at least 25 times higher than those of black women, Hispanic women or white women.

When the government last counted how many black men had ever spent time in state or federal prison — in 2001 — the share was 17 percent. Today, it’s likely closer to 20 percent (and this number doesn’t include people who’ve spent time in jail without being sentenced to prison). The comparable number for white men is about 3 percent.

The rise of mass incarceration over the last half-century has turned imprisonment into a dominant feature of modern life for black Americans. Large numbers of black men are missing from their communities — unable to marry, care for children or see their aging parents. Many others suffer from permanent economic or psychological damage, struggling to find work after they leave prison.

A recent study by the economists Patrick Bayer and Kerwin Kofi Charles found that 27 percent of black men in the prime working years of their lives — between the ages of 25 and 54 — didn’t report earning a single dollar of income in 2014. “That’s a massive number,” Charles, the dean of the Yale School of Management, told me. Incarceration, including the aftereffects, was a major reason.

The anger coursing through America’s streets over the past week has many causes, starting with a gruesome video showing the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. But that anger has also been building up for a long time. It is, in part, anger about incarceration having become normal.

An explainer podcast: How has mass incarceration happened? “Justice in America” — hosted by Josie Duffy Rice of The Appeal — tries to answer the question. The Times’s Caity Weaver recommends starting with the first episode, about bail. “I learn so much from this freaking podcast,” Caity tweeted yesterday.

FOUR MORE BIG STORIES

1. Less violence on Tuesday night

The amount of violence, fires and looting declined last night, relative to the chaos of previous nights. Instead, peaceful protesters in many cities defied curfews and remained on the streets late into the night to protest police violence.

Other protest developments:

Minneapolis police used force against black people at a rate at least seven times that of white people during the past five years, city data show.

In his first speech outside his home since the coronavirus lockdown, Joe Biden likened President Trump’s language to that of Southern racists of the 1960s. “We cannot let our rage consume us,” Biden said.

Former President George W. Bush praised peaceful protesters. He said that he and his wife, Laura, were “anguished by the brutal suffocation of George Floyd and disturbed by the injustice and fear that suffocate our country.”

2. Fears of ‘autocracy’

Attorney General William Barr gave the order to clear the square across from the White House on Monday night, The Times explains, in a story reconstructing the incident. The order led law enforcement to use smoke and flash grenades to scatter peaceful protesters so that Trump could appear at a church for a photo opportunity.

Former military leaders and democracy experts condemned the use of force against citizens. Retired Adm. Mike Mullen wrote in The Atlantic that Trump had “laid bare his disdain for the rights of peaceful protest in this country.” Kori Schake, a former Pentagon official and Republican policy adviser, said, “If we were seeing this in another country, we would be deeply concerned.” Gail Helt, a former C.I.A. analyst, told The Washington Post: “This is what autocrats do. This is what happens in countries before a collapse. It really does unnerve me.”

3. Voting in a shaken country

People in eight states and Washington, D.C., cast ballots in extraordinary circumstances yesterday, and it seemed to go more smoothly than some people feared. “If Tuesday’s vote-by-mail primaries were a test for November, elections officials have reason to be encouraged: a few bumps but no major disasters,” said Stephanie Saul, a Times reporter.

Among the results:

Steve King, who’s represented an Iowa House district for nine terms and has a history of racist comments, lost his bid for renomination.

Theresa Greenfield, a real estate executive backed by the Democratic Party establishment, won Iowa’s Democratic Senate primary. She will face the Republican incumbent Joni Ernst

Ella Jones became the first African-American and the first woman elected mayor in Ferguson, Mo., where the 2014 killing of Michael Brown helped fuel the Black Lives Matter movement.

Find the latest election results here.

4. Zuckerberg defends his approach

In a tense company meeting, the Facebook C.E.O. Mark Zuckerberg stood by his decision not to remove or flag Trump’s inflammatory posts.

Some Facebook employees have been in open revolt over the policy. “Mark always told us that he would draw the line at speech that calls for violence,” said one engineer in a resignation note this week. “He showed us on Friday that this was a lie.”

Here’s what else is happening

A Times’s investigation explains how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fumbled its response to the coronavirus, leaving the country without adequate testing early in the crisis. Here are five takeaways from the reporting.

Republicans said they were moving Trump’s convention speech out of Charlotte, after a stalemate with Democratic officials in North Carolina about virus restrictions.

The College Board is postponing plans for an online version of the SAT because of technological challenges, further complicating the college-application process for students stuck at home.

Lives lived: Elsa Dorfman used a 200-pound Polaroid camera to create a brand of photographic art all her own, making instantaneous giant, natural-looking portraits of celebrities and everyday people — even while Polaroid, outpaced by technology, was fast going out of business. She died on May 30 at 83.

BACK STORY: WHAT SCIENTISTS REALLY THINK

“A lot of people are reading scientific papers for the first time these days, hoping to make sense of the coronavirus pandemic,” Carl Zimmer writes in his latest Matter column. Unfortunately, many scientific papers are hard to read. They’re full of jargon and aren’t intended for a general audience.

But when Carl speaks to scientists on the phone, he often finds that they can tell a riveting, clear story about their research. Of course, most people aren’t going to cold-call scientists — but there is still a good alternative to trying to muddle through academic research papers: Follow the scientists on social media.

“Leading epidemiologists and virologists have been posting thoughtful threads on Twitter,” Carl writes, “laying out why they think new papers are good or bad.” I asked Carl for a list of scientists that people should follow, and he sent me 19 names. They include the virologists Florian Krammer and Angela Rasmussen, the epidemiologists Marc Lipsitch and Caitlin Rivers and the immunologist Akiko Iwasaki.

I’ve created a list of all 19 on Twitter. And if you have ideas for other scientists to follow on social media, send an email to [email protected], with “virus scientists” in the subject field.

PLAY, WATCH, EAT, ROAST

Kitchen nightmares: Home edition

Not everyone is using extra time at home to cultivate a sourdough starter. The food writer Priya Krishna has documented how necessity has forced fledgling home cooks to confront their biggest fear: using their kitchens. The result is a lot of blackened pots, smoke-filled apartments and frozen pizza disasters — but also some victories, like fried eggs and a decent carbonara.

For even the most hapless cooks: Make this roast chicken. It requires salt, pepper, olive oil and a whole bird.

N.B.A. takes Disney World

The N.B.A. is in talks to resume its pandemic-shortened season by hosting the league at Walt Disney World in Florida. Players would live in Disney hotels, and all games would be held at the nearby ESPN Wide World of Sports complex.

Why Disney World? Well, it doesn’t hurt that the ESPN facility is already wired to broadcast games on its network — and that Disney, its parent company, pays the N.B.A. more than $1 billion a year for the right to air them.

Brush up on some history

Three years ago, Ibram X. Kendi, a National Book Award-winning-author and professor, compiled a history of race and racism in America through 24 books for The Times Book Review. He highlighted influential works about the black experience for each decade of the nation’s existence, including the poems of Phillis Wheatley and Toni Morrison’s Pulitzer-winning novel “Beloved.”

Together, he writes, the books “tell the history of anti-black racism in the United States as painfully, as eloquently, as disturbingly as words can. In many ways, they also tell its present.” You can revisit the list here.

Diversions

Games

Here’s today’s Mini Crossword, and a clue: B, on the periodic table (five letters).

You can find all of our puzzles here.

Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. — David

P.S. The word “coronavirologists” appeared for the first time in The Times yesterday, as noted by the Twitter bot @NYT_first_said.

You can see today’s print front page here.

Today’s episode of “The Daily” includes an interview with Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis

The Times is providing free access to much of our coronavirus coverage. Please consider supporting our journalism with a subscription.

Ian Prasad Philbrick and Sanam Yar contributed to The Morning. You can reach the team at [email protected].

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