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daisyvstheworld · 1 year

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Day 14 - Jan 14 - Salzburg

Oh dear god lmao

Some girl checked in to stay in the bed below me at midnight and she was making so much noise.. I woke up at 4am obviously and I think I did a stinking good job at being quiet. Although on the train I realized I forgot my underwear that I washed and left to dry on the bed. Oh well, it was an old shein pair.

I remembered in the early of the morning that I needed to remove the sheets which was a whole process - THAT was what was so loud when that girl checked in, freaking crazy

Anyways, I started walking at 4:30am to the Neubegasse U station and I almost panicked bc I thought it was closed for construction.

Anyways, I eventually found it and then I got to the Wien Westbanf train station and took the train no problem to Salzburg. It wasn’t super comfortable but I fell asleep for an hour or so and got to Salzburg on time!! I walked to the hostel and put my stuff in the locker. The hostel had free coffee so I had some and charged my phone. I realized I had time to walk around a bit so I walked around the east side of the old town area and ended next to Mirabell Palace where The Sound of Music tour stop was.

The tour bus was fairly full (mostly Australians, some English, and just a handful of Californians lmao) but I sat at the front so I could be closer to the tour guide, who I initially thought was fun but she ended up giving me a weird vibe.

We started driving around the city and then went to the palace hotel where the lake scenes and back of the house was filmed. It was a BEAUTIFUL sunny day, everything was perfect. She told us a bunch of great fun facts about the movie and how it compared to the actual Von Trapp family story, which I knew some of bc I read the wiki page the night before lol.

Our second stop was the -insert- palace where the bodega from “16 going on 17” was and the yellow long wall is from the song “I am Confident” also very pretty

Our third stop was this viewpoint in Mondsee that was LITERALLY ONE OF THE MOST GORGEOUS VIEWS IVE EVER SEEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. I’m soooo grateful it was sunny!!!

After that we drove into the town bc that’s where the church where they filmed the wedding ceremony was and it’s so interesting how editing makes a place look soo different. This church is PINK! It looks so dark and emo in the movie. The town is cute and I bought a goat HAHAA

I tried apfelstrudel too but they served it cold so I was like meh it’s aight. People seemed to give me a really cold shoulder for traveling solo for some reason.

When we got on the bus tho some Australian asked the tour guide if the nuns actually sabotaged the Germans cars and like of course not lady they didn’t even run away from the Germans like that, that part is entirely made up. Except the guide said it in a nicer way and then the lady responded “Yeea naur yea naur ok” HAHA Australians are so funny I was dying

Anyways; after that we watched this doc that Liesl the oldest sister filmed a while back revisiting Salzburg and Mondsee.

The tour was just absolutely everything. It was amazing and I cried.

After we got back to town, our last stop was the Mirabell Palace and Gardens where they filmed Do Re Mi except in the winter it looks quite depressing bc the flowers aren’t in bloom, its not very green, and it’s blocked off. Sad. So I just rushed to old town to see the museums and fortress before everything closed. The town was bustling which was very cool. I started with the Mozart House and it was interesting to learn about him and his family. He died super young but composed so much in his time. I didn’t realize his dad was the talent that shaped him into a prodigy and that his sister was also a super talented pianist and composer.

Afterwards, I walked up to the Salzburg Museum which was super empty and much bigger than I expected. The history was quite interesting to learn about bc music and art is such a huge part of this town, especially with Mozart being nearly synonymous with Salzburg, but the political powers have also been trying to transform the town into an economic city beyond the tourism. I remember seeing the town when I first arrived and thinking it was far more modern than I expected.

I was starving after the museum, so I ran to Billa and grabbed another Mediterranean chicken sandwich and literally SCARFED it down while hiking up to the Fortress. I probably looked like a homeless person who hadn’t eaten in days.

The hike was brutal - I was sweating, but I caught the most BEAUTIFUL sunset. I was in AWE. This whole day was incredible. Panoramic views of the city. Missed the museums though lmao. I thought it closed at 6pm but it actually closed at 5pm. Thank god I left the museum early and made it for most everything though.

After that, I just went back to the hostel, showered, and decompressed. It was only like 6pm so I was like I should be social..

so I messaged on the Hostelworld app and a girl Lana said she was down, and then I was chatting with this guy in my hostel and he also was down to come out. He ended up being kind of weird. A big of a prick if I do say so myself. Lana was super awesome though and her suite friend was also super chill - both from Australia, different parts. We ended up spending the whole night together chatting, walking from one place to the other. We didn’t stay out too late but it was like 4-5 hours together! They both had pretty cool lives

Oh- we ran into other yoho mates but they was weird

One guy who lived in Italy from El Paso, lived in Korea who was dating this girl from Guam who “looked asian but isn’t” like wtf yes she is if she looks asian. And then he kept ripping on the US and I was like ok

So we ditched them

Went to a wine bar in old town

Walked into a 50th birthday by accident

Went into another wine bar

Dog loved my cuddles

Went home

Went to sleep

Awoke remembering I forgot to book my Swiss trains and realized they’re twice the price now and cried

#europe2023 #winter2023

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wolint · 2 years

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POSITIVE PROOF

Matthew 16:1-18 AMPC Now the Pharisees and Sadducees came up to Jesus, and they asked Him to show them a sign (spectacular miracle) from heaven [attesting His divine authority]. [2] He replied to them, When it is evening you say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red, [3] And in the morning, It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and has a gloomy and threatening look. You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. [4] A wicked and morally unfaithful generation craves a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. Then He left them and went away. [5] When the disciples reached the other side of the sea, they found that they had forgotten to bring any bread. [6] Jesus said to them, Be careful and on your guard against the leaven (ferment) of the Pharisees and Sadducees. [7] And they reasoned among themselves about it, saying, It is because we did not bring any bread. [8] But Jesus, aware of this, asked, Why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? O you [men, how little trust you have in Me, how] little faith! [9] Do you not yet discern (perceive and understand)? Do you not remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many [small hand] baskets you gathered? [10] Nor the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many [large provision] baskets you took up? [11] How is it that you fail to understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But beware of the leaven (ferment) of the Pharisees and Sadducees. [12] Then they discerned that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. [13] Now when Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, Who do people say that the Son of Man is? [14] And they answered, Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. [15] He said to them, But who do you [yourselves] say that I am? [16] Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. [17] Then Jesus answered him, Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. For flesh and blood [men] have not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven. [18] And I tell you, you are Peter [Greek, Petros— a large piece of rock], and on this rock [Greek, petra— a huge rock like Gibraltar] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (the powers of the infernal region) shall not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or hold out against it].

Many people set standards of behaviour for God as a condition for their faith. “If God would just solve this one problem for me, I’d have no trouble believing.” Usually, it involves a miraculous appearance or deed. Many people have set such conditions for God, but few have tried harder than the Pharisees and Sadducees. We see how they make their demands for a miracle quite plain to Jesus. But Jesus just declined. As the disciples pledged their belief in Jesus, they couldn’t cope with the predictions of his death, and they even squabble over who will be the greatest in his kingdom. As you read, ask yourself, “What kind of proof would convince me of Christ’s divinity?” No miracles will convince sceptics; they’ve already committed themselves to not believing. Many people demand proof of God’s existence or power, but their demands hide the real issue that they have already chosen not to believe in God. Until we believe that God can do miracles, we won’t even entertain the possibility that something we saw was a miracle. When Julie Andrews as Maria in the sound of music was sent to the Von Trapp family as a governess was thinking about what challenges and adventures lay ahead, she sang about confidence: "I have confidence in springtime, I have confidence in fall she declares, “I have confidence in confidence alone!” While Maria may have had confidence in confidence alone, we don’t have faith in our faith. To have faith in one’s faith is an empty faith. We have faith in Christ. Our faith is more than wishful thinking. It is trust and reliance on a real person - Jesus, about a real event – His death and resurrection. It is trust and reliance on the real promise of a real God about a real future. A future, which although it is yet to come, is just as real as today or yesterday. John 20:19 sees Jesus come into a room without using the doors. Some interpreters understand the doors being locked to imply that Jesus miraculously passed through the door or the walls of the room. Since Jesus had a real physical body with flesh and bones after he rose from the dead, it is possible that the door was miraculously opened so that Jesus could enter just like Peter and the Angel in Acts 12:10. The resurrection is of utmost importance to the Gospel and without the resurrection, the Gospel message is powerless to save. The resurrection of Christ means that we can count on God to keep His promises. It assures us that His Word is True and Faithful. If you doubt Christ because you haven’t “seen a miracle,” ask if a miracle would really convince you or just entrench your scepticism, then remember that the cross is all the proof needed to sustain our faith in Christ, not an outward show of power. Jesus said, in John 20:29 that “Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” Seeing God’s work in your life begins when you simply step forward in faith and believe in Jesus as God’s Son who rose from death as the only way of salvation. Positive proof that Christ is risen is the hope of glory in you. Shalom Women of light international prayer ministries.

#devotional biblestudy christianpost women's ministry

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aquato-family-circus · 3 years

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Having a lot of thoughts about Helmut's life before Ford recruited him. I feel like he might have come from a family of musicians, except the more serious orchestral/opera type like how his original concept was. I think he's also the only psychic in his family, like Loboto was. He definitely stuck out, being not only psychic but so energetic and flamboyant and resistant to conformity. Probably got into trouble a lot especially as a kid, not because he was bad on purpose but because he didn't understand rules. Whether his strict parents kicked him out or he left on his own, he'd been living in his van/motels since.

I've definitely had the same vibe that he grew up in a stuffier/formal enviroment, there's a reason I drew baby Helmut in a dorky little proper coat and hat. The idea he had a big sound of music von trapp type family is really appealing to me, with the music lessons and the sheet music and the family dinners that he could never quite gel with

Helmut not understanding rules and social conventions his family valued has big autistic energy which like he just does already but man yeah he'd get in so much trouble and never understand why because no one really took time to explain it.

I like thinking his Van is one of the first things he really managed to either scrape the money together for or get through odd jobs and favors and he's so proud of that bad boy. It feels more like a home a few years on the road than his childhood house felt, even if it's much less comfortable, bc it's all his babey

#asks #o lanterns

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grasslandgirl · 3 years

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I think one of the most powerful things in the storytelling of the Sound of Music is their use of silences (which is counterintuitive for a musical, but hear me out). There’s such a desire for a constant stream of dialogue and music and sound in modern film it feels like, every moment has to be filled with something to hold the audiences’ attention, otherwise they’ll get bored and you’ve lost them; but SoM doesn’t have that fear- it stretches out it’s silences, it languishes in them. I haven’t seen enough movies of this era to know whether it was a standard of the time/genre or simply a facet of this movie in particular, but it’s fascinating and really adds to the energy of the movie. It feels the same way a lot of studio ghibli films do- it breathes, it rests for moments and allows the audience to rest with it. There aren’t any hard jump cuts or rushed dialogue just to keep the movie going at a clipped pace, and the result is something relaxed and deeply familiar and natural. You get scenes like when Maria first arrives at the Von Trapp house and she’s left in the foyer to wait for the captain and she kind of wanders around for a moment, and stumbles into the old unused ball room and dances a little with herself until she’s caught- a moment that in a contemporary film either wouldn’t exist, would’ve been far trimmed down, or would have been bogged down by unnecessary dialogue or heavy music. The captain doesn’t even speak at first, letting the slam of the door opening and his silent reproach speak for itself, causing Maria to scurry out of the room as this tense silence of uncertainty stretches between him, her, and the audience. You get moments of awkward silence at the dinner table, where the actors aren’t afraid to let something sit, to look amongst each other in silent understanding, to let the uncertainty fester in silence like it would at a real dinner table with any other family, until someone finally breaks it. When the children find out that the Baroness and their father are engaged, there’s a huge, painful silence where they all stare at their father in disbelief, and you can see as the eldest children finally put together what has happened- and more importantly, what is expected of them- and silently approach to press a kiss to their new mother’s cheek, one by one. The silence hangs, pained and stilted, a thematic tool as much as the musical reprisals, including the audience in the children’s pain and discomfort. The scene where Georg and Maria confess to each other is full of little silences, they watch each other, they listen to each other, they wait and hope and try to read between the lines- trying to finally see if they understand each other. There’s the faintest music in the background- slow and romantic and hopeful- and the quiet chirping of crickets, making the whole scene feel private and secluded. Even the kiss is slow and quiet, they both inch closer, leaning in little by little and you can feel the characters think finally as they meet in the middle. How Georg presses another kiss to her forehead and they fall into each other’s arms, and there’s this dreamy silence between two people who finally know the trust of their feelings for each other. One of my favorite things about this movie is how it takes its time, how it moves naturally through scenes, letting the audience breathe and discover and hope along with the characters.

#anyway I LOVE this film #som lb #sound of music #not to mention the scene at the end when the Nazis are looking for them and the family are hiding behind the huge stone plaques behind the #metal gate and the ONLY sound for like a full two minutes is the sound of their shoes on the gravel and the slow #meticulous way the one guard rattled the gate every time they stop and stare through it looking for the von trapps and shining their #flashlight around to try and catch a glimpse. the silence is so pointed and heavy and you can feel your heart beat in your throat right #alongside the Von trapps- as terrified for them as they are

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medea10 · 3 years

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My Review of Trapp Ikka Monogatari

Chances are you are quite familiar with the story of the Trapp family of Austria. Whether you read the memoirs of Maria von Trapp or if you watched any version of The Sound of Music…

More than likely, it’s the latter. Yes, The Sound of Music is one of those musicals just about anybody has seen. Even me! Whether on stage, the Julie Andrews & Christopher Plummer smash hit movie, or that abomination live for TV with Carrie Underwood, you more than likely have seen something along the lines.

But did you know that Japan had its own take on the story? In 1991, Japan’s World Masterpiece Theater released “Trapp Ikka Monogatari” or The Trapp Family Story. World Masterpiece Theater had several animated stories loosely based on books like Anne of Green Gables, The Swiss Family Robinson, and in later years Les Miserables.

Maria Kutschera arrives in a little Austrian town to become a nun and asks to be put in the strictest abbey there is. At Nonnberg Abbey, Maria was a bit of an odd-duck there (and that’s putting it lightly). Maria’s a bit of a wild child and is constantly getting in trouble with the head sisters of the abbey. And worst of all, she whistled! Gasp! How do you solve a problem like Maria? Well, the sisters decide to have Maria stay with a family for nine months to a family with seven kids. Maria is to be a governess to one of the children but she eventually hits it off with all seven kids. That’s right, Rupert, Hedwig, Werner, Maria, Johanna, Martina, and Agathe.

Oh, I’m sorry! Do those names sound foreign to you? Well unlike The Sound of Music, this adaptation found it necessary to use the REAL names of the von Trapp children.

BETWEEN THE SUB AND THE DUB: As it turns out, only a few animes part of Japan’s World Masterpiece Theater has been dubbed and released in North America. And this was not one of them. On top of which, this anime is not available for streaming purposes. Not even on Retro Crush. Sigh. Someday, dammit! The sub cast, holy shit I am familiar with literally the entire cast. Yes, it’s because most of them were from Pokemon or Sailor Moon. I know many seiyuus are able to sing, but there were several people I was blown away with, especially Masako Katsuki. Here’s what you might recognize these folks from.

*Maria is played by Masako Katsuki (known for Cassidy on Pokemon, Michiru/Neptune on Sailor Moon, Tsunade on Naruto, Cecile on Kyou Kara Maou, and Sheffield on Familiar of Zero)

*Georg is played by Katsunosuke Hori (known for Fu on FMA: Brotherhood, Fersen on Rose of Versailles, and Tsuneyoshi on Tokyo Ghoul)

*Rupert is played by Shinobu Adachi (known for Aunt Daryl on Little Witch Academia)

*Hedwig is played by Maria Kawamura (known for Dr. Fennel on Pokemon BW, Eudial on Sailor Moon S, Mamiya on Revolutionary Girl Utena, Naga on Slayers, and Asuka’s mother on Evangelion)

*Werner is played by Yuuko Matsuoka (known for Bertha on Pokemon DP, Madame Christmas on FMA: Brotherhood, Queen Metalia on Sailor Moon: Crystal, and Alvida on One Piece)

*Maria (von Trapp) is played by Yuri Shiratori (known for Roxanne on Pokemon AG, Charlotte on Berserk, Yukina on Yu Yu Hakusho, Noriko on Golden Boy, Sayo on Negima, Tsubame on Rurouni Kenshin, and Mei on Love Hina)

*Johanna is played by Hiromi Shikawa (known for Bugsy on Pokemon)

*Martina is played by Saori Sugimoto (known for Sanae on Green Green)

*Agathe is played by Naoko Watanabe (known for Chi Chi & Pu’ar on DBZ)

DISLIKED CHARACTER: Well folks, at the beginning of the series I had quite a few characters that left a bitter taste in my mouth! I let Hedwig go early on. I can’t blame her for her disgust and distrust of new adults.

Then we go to Matilda! I’m on a half and half with her as she wants the children to be safe, but she’s often looking out for her own best interest than what’s best for the children. She does mean well. Except for a few times! One is when she’s telling the children what’s best and whenever Maria intervenes, Matilda constantly brings up that Maria is nothing more than a governess and to butt out. She brings it up at every opportunity. And then there was this sucking up to Lady Yvonne (who we’ll get to in a second) to a point where she’s literally forcing the children to do this and that for this woman.

And now let’s talk about Lady Yvonne. The atypical soon-to-be step-mother to children who put their birth mother on a pedestal! Rightfully so! No matter how much Yvonne looks like the von Trapp children’s dead mother (because they are blood cousins), no way in hell could she ever replace her. Yvonne has no interest in being tied down by Georg’s seven children. I’ll betcha anything she has no intention of having any of the children live with her if the marriage is to go through. Probably ship them off to a boarding school knowing her! Several episodes down the line and I was right. Believe it or not, there’s something worse than Hedwig on the rag, Matilda on her high-horse, and Lady Yvonne. That answer is…

The Nazis! Worst characters in damn-near every show, book, anime, or what-have-you!

SHIPPING: Much like the real life account of Maria Kutschera, they’re definitely going to cover her eventually marrying the patriarch of the Von Trapp family, Georg.

But before that, we’ve gotta get through this engagement between Georg and Lady Yvonne. Because Georg isn’t after her vast wealth, her father approves of this marriage. The deal-breaker was unfortunately the seven children. Yvonne has no interest in being a mother and even gives the children extravagant gifts to win them over. She really wants a nanny to take care of all the children or send them to a boarding school and just have an empty house with Georg. But kudos to Georg for sticking with having all 7 children decide for themselves and not be sent off against their will.

Another strike against this match came when Yvonne tried to get on the youngest Von Trapp child (Agathe) good side. That went as horrible as you would expect. Yvonne even tried to show Maria that the children think nothing of her. That went even worse! All of the children love Maria. And as for Yvonne, they never really warmed up to her and she finally noticed it. Finally, Yvonne confronted Georg on what we started noticing after episode 20. Does Georg love Maria? Come on dude, she’s like 20 years younger than you, she’s barely an adult, she’s like four years older than your eldest son! But yeah, he admits it! Surprisingly, Yvonne accepted it. The engagement was called off and she ends up with some random wank.

Okay, we’re finally going to get Georg x Maria happen, right?! Throughout these nine months together in the house, they really didn’t have as many ship-worthy moments as one would think. After all, Georg was engaged throughout that time. But they both had some blush-worthy moments that make you think, oh yeah, they’re gonna hook up. After Yvonne and Georg called off their engagement, it was around the time Maria was supposed to head back to the abbey as her nine months at the Von Trapp household were going to end. But the kids were all in an agreement that they don’t want Maria to leave and that they love her. Georg felt the same way and he ends up asking for Maria’s hand in marriage. But did Maria really love Georg? It sort of felt exactly like what the real Maria wrote in her memoir. She stated that she loved the children the most and she learned to love Georg later on. But I didn’t see Maria upset or angry during the wedding ceremony. Whatever!

HEY! IT’S A MUSICAL: Don’t expect to hear the songs from Sound of Music or anyone to have the voice of Julie Andrews. But what we’re given isn’t half bad! Maybe it’s the over two decades I spent watching anime that I’m fine with any Japanese songs. When I say that it’s a musical, I don't mean the characters suddenly bust out singing like in the Sound of Music. Usually, all the singing was just Maria and the children bonding and later it became something bigger.

Now, here’s something you might not know. When Japan was first broadcasting this series, there was an opening sequence featuring Do Re Mi. You remember Julie Andrews teaching those kids Do Re Mi? Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to locate an actual video of the opening and just the audio. In later broadcasts and releases to the anime featured the song “Hohoemi no Mahou”. But Do Re Mi still ends up on the CD release. I do believe that’s the only song that is similar to the musical.

ACCURATE OR NOT?: Here we are again! The crappiest spot in the world where we nitpick people’s works and compare it to the original sources.

*The children’s names! If you’re a big Sound of Music fan and watch this, you might be thrown off by the names of the children. That’s because all of the children have the correct names of the real von Trapp children. Again, they are Rupert, Hedwig, Maria, Werner, Johanna, Martina, and Agathe.

*The children’s names might be all correct in this version, but the ages and positions are changed a bit. Hedwig and Agathe are kinda switched around. Agathe, the baby of the family is really the eldest Von Trapp daughter. And Hedwig was actually the fifth child (just ahead of Johanna and Martina).

*The dates are severely different from what they were in real life. I wasn’t entirely sure of what year the anime was in with this retelling until episode 36. That’s when we were all certain that this is 1938 with the annexation of Austria and Hitler’s takeover. Now if the anime stayed true, all the kids would be much, much older. Because originally, Maria came to the house in 1926, was married in 1928, and had her first child with Georg in 1929. The children might be a year or so older than when the anime began by the time we reach March 1938, but that’s it.

*Lady Yvonne exists! In the anime, it was clear that Georg was procrastinating or putting off meeting with her. In real life, it was the other way around. But everything else was pretty accurate about her as she was indeed a cousin of Georg’s late wife Agatha. I’m not sure if the anime said anything about her status in the world. In Maria’s memoirs, she referred to her as a princess. I just think she was a socialite of some sort.

*This is more of a swipe at the musical, but Georg was not a hard-ass on his children who hated merriment, fun, and singing. Yes, he does have some PTSD of losing his first wife and seeing things that brought her joy give him misery, but that’s just normal. Surprisingly, the only time Georg snapped in the anime was when Maria found his wife’s old sewing machine. It was more of the Baroness of the house that put restrictions on the children, telling them they must be quiet, not make a ruckus outside, and do what they are told. Despite Georg having status in the world, he doesn’t act like it because he was not born into that status, he was given the status after serving in the military. So he still believes the children should be children to an extent.

*Maria actually had three children with Georg. In the series finale, we see a baby. Now I’m not sure which one it is as the series doesn’t say. Every place I looked online says the baby was Johannes. And that does make sense as it is 1939 at the end of the series and that’s when the real Johannes was born. If that’s the case, Johannes is actually the youngest child of Maria and Georg. But in real life, they actually had two daughters before Johannes. Eleonore and Rosmarie were not featured in the anime. It would make sense due to the dates lining up as the Von Trapps escaped Germany in 1938 and Johannes was born in 1939. Then again, the anime doesn’t really follow year protocols until the 1938 incidents.

ENDING: The Von Trapp family experienced some hardship shortly after Georg and Maria got married. The bank Georg’s money was in went bankrupt and he had absolutely no money. They decided to turn their huge home into a boarding house. Mostly students and men of the cloth were the ones stopping by. But it wasn’t until the visit of famous opera singer Lotte Lehmann came to stay and noticed Georg’s children singing and suggested they enter a choir contest [true story btw]. This was kind of a domino effect for the family as they kept getting gigs. Georg was highly against doing this for money and that singing as a family is a thing they liked doing but wasn’t going to make a career out of it. But we all know how that’s going to go! Things started looking up for the family and then March of 1938 happened!

Austria had been taken over by the Nazi’s. Georg was loyal to Austria and hoped that one day Austria would break from Hitler’s grip. Everyone was frightened at what was happening. And everyone had to assimilate to their new overlords or risk being imprisoned or sentenced to death. Seriously, it was illegal to sing Austria’s national anthem. And the kids had the worst time back in school. All of their teachers were replaced with Nazis who are teaching the children that they must salute “Heil Hitler” every morning. I do find it funny that Werner had the rest of his siblings say “Tail Hitler” when they’re forced to do the salute.

But yeah, the Von Trapp family was uneasy about everything happening around them. Georg’s anger was visible to all the children involving this situation. And to make matters worse, there is a traitor in the household. Georg’s head butler Hans is a flippin’ Nazi! He was downright giddy when Hitler took over Austria. Things were getting harder for Georg and his family. Certain liberties they’ve taken for granted were suddenly taken away by secret police. Especially when Maria gets ill and the doctor they’ve relied on for so many years was taken away by the secret police. Because he was Jewish! Add to that, the secret police came to Georg’s home several times. Once because he didn’t hang the Nazi flag outside his home, another time to give him a special request from the German army to man a special submarine, and finally to have the Von Trapp children sing for Hitler’s birthday.

On the plus side Maria’s pregnant. There is no plus side. There’s never a plus side when Nazis are involved. Georg, get your family the fuck outta Austria!

Georg had to be careful planning as Hans couldn’t be trusted anymore and he could have spies. That also means leaving Franz the farmhand and Rosy the cook behind. Those two were very nice characters and you just wish they could have been saved too. So the story goes, they tell Hans that the family is going to go hiking in the mountains. Not too suspicious as that’s something they normally do. The family packed their things, gave their goodbyes to Franz and Rosy and head off to the bus station. Trouble did arise when meeting up with Rupert (who’s been away at a medical school) as he missed the connecting train. But everyone was able to meet up again near the Swiss border. The family stayed with Mimi (a former maid for the Von Trapp’s) and her husband.

Their escape was a nail-biting experience to watch. Mimi’s husband borrowed a funeral hearse to transport the family across the German border into neutral territory. And wouldn’t you know it, the secret police came searching and asking questions. Good on Georg to speak in Italian as he was in real life an Italian citizen at one point in his naval career. Good on you, anime! I was scared they were going to open the casket as a lot of the kids were hidden. Thankfully, they eventually made it to neutral territories and eventually the United States before war broke out all over Europe. During one of the singing competitions, they made a connection with a gentleman from New York. And that was their destination. Their escape was successful and in 1939 Maria gave birth to…I’m pretty sure it’s Johannes. The end.

Love it. Love everything about the story (minus the animation). Hey, Japan’s World Masterpiece Theater is great and all, but the character design isn’t the best. That was one of my criticisms of Les Mis and even then that was still in the top tier category for best adaptation. Now do I like it more than the Julie Andrews musical?

*groaning*

I can’t bad-mouth the musical. Julie Andrews is a bleeping goddess. Her voice brings the sunshine in every room. Music wise, it’ll hands down go to Sound of Music. You just can’t beat Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. In terms of the story itself, I do like this adaptation a smidge more than the musical. A three hour musical vs. a 40 episode anime series! Let’s just say, I really liked how Maria was able to connect to ALL of the kids on a deep level. In the musical, yes Maria did connect with the children, but I felt there was more of a connection between Maria and Lisel than any of the other kids. Not only that, but there were several episodes where we delved into Maria’s past.

The anime however had a lot of episodes so that Maria was able to learn more about the seven children individually. Originally, she was there to only be a teacher to Maria Von Trapp, but she also became a teacher to Johanna. Despite being only a Governess, she was able to help a lot of the children with their problems. Yes, these episodes are technically fillers, but some were worth it. In one episode, Maria helped Rupert decide what he’s going to do in the future and ends up wanting to become a doctor. Perfect choice as the real Rupert Von Trapp really became a doctor. In another episode, she’s stuck trying to help Agathe through a rebellious phase which connected to the arrival of Lady Yvonne’s surprise visit. Those episodes showed us who the children love and trust and who was trying too hard to become their new mother. And we even get an edgy episode where Hedwig gets her first period.

Oh yeah, this anime went there!

If you are able to find and/or download this anime, I say take a chance and watch it.

Okay, now we go back to my list of unlicensed gems…which is filled with unwatchable hentais! Be kind to me, Randomizer-kun!

Oh, thank you God! It’s another story from World Masterpiece Theater. Although, it’s a story I know absolutely nothing about. Wish me luck!

#anime review #trapp ikka monogatari #trapp family story #maria von trapp #georg von trapp #hedwig von trapp #johanna von trapp #agathe von trapp #maria kutschera #werner von trapp #sound of music #martina von trapp #rupert von trapp

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tthankstoyou · 3 years

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Your brain, with the gay awakening ask!!! I'm amazed! I must know more! Can you do the Newbies?

I'm so happy that you liked them! Omg yes here are the newbies, I hope you enjoy them <333

(Here's the original post if anyone hasn't seen it and wants to check it out)

- Marley: Based off of how in love with Marley is with 'The Sound of Music,' I think Liesl Von Trapp would have made her realize just how pretty girls are. She'd watch the scene for 'Sixteen Going on Seventeen' over and over again, low-key jealous of how Rolf danced with her. Marley would day dream about how she wanted to dance in Liesl's arms.

- Unique: Looking at how Marley and Unique are girlfriends, I think it's safe to say that Unique likes women who have a strong head on their shoulders. This is why I think Unique's first gay thought would be somebody badass like Buffy.

- Kitty: For her, it's not a specific character, but a scene. I could so imagine Kitty's guilty pleasure movies being early 2000s teen romcom's. Kitty would replay the scene from 'John Tucker Must Die' where Beth and Kate make out in the car, especially that casually without a second thought. Before watching that, she didn't realize girls could kiss each other. Based off of the transphobic comments Kitty made towards Unique, I'm guessing that she was raised in a very very religious Christian household where she was taught that being trans or gay wasn't.

- Jake: Danny Phantom... Jake gives off major vibes of being a whore for that cartoon ghost. He'd watch it everyday after school and claim it's because "it's just a really good show"... but he wouldn't be able to keep his eyes off of Danny Phantom the whole time he was on screen.

- Ryder: I imagine this man being a superhero fanatic. He'd be super into comics, especially the Superman ones. Ryder would have a poster of Superman on his wall and look at it whenever he needs a pick me up... totally not because Ryder was in love with him, what would make you think that *nervous laughter*. He'd have dreams where he was Lois Lane... which would slowly morph into daydreams too.

- Madison: Madison's very obvious crush on Jane show's that she's into smart women who won't stand for any bullshit. I can see her watching 'Legally Blonde' and being head over heels in love with Elle Woods... and by the end of the movie she was also in love with Vivian. Women who are powerful make Madison weak in the knees.

- Jane: I can just imagine Jane seeing Lavagirl on the big screen and being entranced by her character. I cannot tell you why, I just feel like Jane wouldn't be able to take her eyes off of Lavagirl.

- Mason: Freddy Mercury!!! Not questions asked!!! The home screen on his first phone would be Freddy wearing the wife beater and little leather spikey thingy around his bicep. The reason why he sung 'I Want To Break Free' was because he was tired of Madison controlling him BUT ALSO because he wanted to impress Jane. And like what is a better way to make a girl think you're hot than to sing a song by someone that you think is hot and dream about making out with.

- Roderick: I can't explain this, but Roderick gives off vibes that he finds Dylan O'Brien hot. Roderick watched 'The Maze Runner' and left the theatre with images of Dylan O'Brien running through his head. He wouldn't realize these were gay thoughts and not "I wanna be like you thoughts" until he decided to watch Teen Wolf... and thought very non PG thoughts.

- Spencer: I have literally never watched Modern Family so I can't give you an exact character, but it would definetly be somebody in the show. Like that's based off of how he talked about how Spencer talked about 'Modern Family' to Kurt. It helped people become more accepting of LGBTQ+ people, but I also imagine it might have had an impact on him and Spencer realizing he's gay.

#asks #nonny #headcanons #marley rose #unique adams #kitty wilde #jake puckerman #ryder lynn #madison mccarthy #mason mccarthy #jane hayward #roderick meeks #spencer porter

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suzey8888 · 3 years

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“I cannot tell you that Hitler took Austria by tanks and guns; it would distort history. If you remember the plot of the Sound of Music, the Von Trapp family escaped over the Alps rather than submit to the Nazis. Kitty wasn’t so lucky. Her family chose to stay in her native Austria. She was 10 years old, but bright and aware. And she was watching. “We elected him by a landslide – 98 percent of the vote,” she recalls. She wasn’t old enough to vote in 1938 – approaching her 11th birthday. But she remembers. “Everyone thinks that Hitler just rolled in with his tanks and took Austria by force.” No so. Hitler is welcomed to Austria “In 1938, Austria was in deep Depression. Nearly one-third of our workforce was unemployed. We had 25 percent inflation and 25 percent bank loan interest rates. Farmers and business people were declaring bankruptcy daily. Young people were going from house to house begging for food. Not that they didn’t want to work; there simply weren’t any jobs. “My mother was a Christian woman and believed in helping people in need. Every day we cooked a big kettle of soup and baked bread to feed those poor, hungry people – about 30 daily.’ “We looked to our neighbor on the north, Germany, where Hitler had been in power since 1933.” she recalls. “We had been told that they didn’t have unemployment or crime, and they had a high standard of living. “Nothing was ever said about persecution of any group – Jewish or otherwise. We were led to believe that everyone in Germany was happy. We wanted the same way of life in Austria. We were promised that a vote for Hitler would mean the end of unemployment and help for the family. Hitler also said that businesses would be assisted, and farmers would get their farms back. “Ninety-eight percent of the population voted to annex Austria to Germany and have Hitler for our ruler. “We were overjoyed,” remembers Kitty, “and for three days we danced in the streets and had candlelight parades. The new government opened up big field kitchens and everyone was fed. “After the election, German officials were appointed, and, like a miracle, we suddenly had law and order. Three or four weeks later, everyone was employed. The government made sure that a lot of work was created through the Public Work Service. “Hitler decided we should have equal rights for women. Before this, it was a custom that married Austrian women did not work outside the home. An able-bodied husband would be looked down on if he couldn’t support his family. Many women in the teaching profession were elated that they could retain the jobs they previously had been required to give up for marriage. “Then we lost religious education for kids “Our education was nationalized. I attended a very good public school.. The population was predominantly Catholic, so we had religion in our schools. The day we elected Hitler (March 13, 1938), I walked into my schoolroom to find the crucifix replaced by Hitler’s picture hanging next to a Nazi flag. Our teacher, a very devout woman, stood up and told the class we wouldn’t pray or have religion anymore. Instead, we sang ‘Deutschland, Deutschland, Uber Alles,’ and had physical education. “Sunday became National Youth Day with compulsory attendance. Parents were not pleased about the sudden change in curriculum. They were told that if they did not send us, they would receive a stiff letter of warning the first time. The second time they would be fined the equivalent of $300, and the third time they would be subject to jail.” And then things got worse. “The first two hours consisted of political indoctrination. The rest of the day we had sports. As time went along, we loved it. Oh, we had so much fun and got our sports equipment free. “We would go home and gleefully tell our parents about the wonderful time we had. “My mother was very unhappy,” remembers Kitty. “When the next term started, she took me out of public school and put me in a convent. I told her she couldn’t do that and she told me that someday when I grew up, I would be grateful. There was a very good curriculum, but hardly

any fun – no sports, and no political indoctrination. “I hated it at first but felt I could tolerate it. Every once in a while, on holidays, I went home. I would go back to my old friends and ask what was going on and what they were doing. “Their loose lifestyle was very alarming to me. They lived without religion. By that time, unwed mothers were glorified for having a baby for Hitler. “It seemed strange to me that our society changed so suddenly. As time went along, I realized what a great deed my mother did so that I wasn’t exposed to that kind of humanistic philosophy. “In 1939, the war started, and a food bank was established. All food was rationed and could only be purchased using food stamps. At the same time, a full-employment law was passed which meant if you didn’t work, you didn’t get a ration card, and, if you didn’t have a card, you starved to death. “Women who stayed home to raise their families didn’t have any marketable skills and often had to take jobs more suited for men. “Soon after this, the draft was implemented. “It was compulsory for young people, male and female, to give one year to the labor corps,” remembers Kitty. “During the day, the girls worked on the farms, and at night they returned to their barracks for military training just like the boys. “They were trained to be anti-aircraft gunners and participated in the signal corps. After the labor corps, they were not discharged but were used in the front lines. “When I go back to Austria to visit my family and friends, most of these women are emotional cripples because they just were not equipped to handle the horrors of combat. “Three months before I turned 18, I was severely injured in an air raid attack. I nearly had a leg amputated, so I was spared having to go into the labor corps and into military service. “When the mothers had to go out into the work force, the government immediately established child care centers. “You could take your children ages four weeks old to school age and leave them there around-the-clock, seven days a week, under the total care of the government. “The state raised a whole generation of children. There were no motherly women to take care of the children, just people highly trained in child psychology. By this time, no one talked about equal rights. We knew we had been had. “Before Hitler, we had very good medical care. Many American doctors trained at the University of Vienna.. “After Hitler, health care was socialized, free for everyone. Doctors were salaried by the government. The problem was, since it was free, the people were going to the doctors for everything. “When the good doctor arrived at his office at 8 a.m., 40 people were already waiting and, at the same time, the hospitals were full. “If you needed elective surgery, you had to wait a year or two for your turn. There was no money for research as it was poured into socialized medicine. Research at the medical schools literally stopped, so the best doctors left Austria and emigrated to other countries. “As for healthcare, our tax rates went up to 80 percent of our income. Newlyweds immediately received a $1,000 loan from the government to establish a household. We had big programs for families. “All day care and education were free. High schools were taken over by the government and college tuition was subsidized. Everyone was entitled to free handouts, such as food stamps, clothing, and housing. “We had another agency designed to monitor business. My brother-in-law owned a restaurant that had square tables. “Government officials told him he had to replace them with round tables because people might bump themselves on the corners. Then they said he had to have additional bathroom facilities. It was just a small dairy business with a snack bar. He couldn’t meet all the demands. “Soon, he went out of business. If the government owned the large businesses and not many small ones existed, it could be in control. “We had consumer protection, too “We were told how to shop and what to buy. Free enterprise was essentially abolished. We had a planning agency

specially designed for farmers. The agents would go to the farms, count the livestock, and then tell the farmers what to produce, and how to produce it. “In 1944, I was a student teacher in a small village in the Alps. The villagers were surrounded by mountain passes which, in the winter, were closed off with snow, causing people to be isolated. “So people intermarried and offspring were sometimes retarded. When I arrived, I was told there were 15 mentally retarded adults, but they were all useful and did good manual work. “I knew one, named Vincent, very well. He was a janitor of the school. One day I looked out the window and saw Vincent and others getting into a van. “I asked my superior where they were going. She said to an institution where the State Health Department would teach them a trade, and to read and write. The families were required to sign papers with a little clause that they could not visit for 6 months. “They were told visits would interfere with the program and might cause homesickness. “As time passed, letters started to dribble back saying these people died a natural, merciful death. The villagers were not fooled. We suspected what was happening. Those people left in excellent physical health and all died within 6 months. We called this euthanasia. “Next came gun registration. People were getting injured by guns. Hitler said that the real way to catch criminals (we still had a few) was by matching serial numbers on guns. Most citizens were law-abiding and dutifully marched to the police station to register their firearms. Not long afterwards, the police said that it was best for everyone to turn in their guns. The authorities already knew who had them, so it was futile not to comply voluntarily. “No more freedom of speech. Anyone who said something against the government was taken away. We knew many people who were arrested, not only Jews, but also priests and ministers who spoke up. “Totalitarianism didn’t come quickly, it took 5 years from 1938 until 1943, to realize full dictatorship in Austria. Had it happened overnight, my countrymen would have fought to the last breath. Instead, we had creeping gradualism. Now, our only weapons were broom handles. The whole idea sounds almost unbelievable that the state, little by little eroded our freedom.” “This is my eyewitness account. “It’s true. Those of us who sailed past the Statue of Liberty came to a country of unbelievable freedom and opportunity. “America is truly is the greatest country in the world. “Don’t let freedom slip away. “After America, there is no place to go.” Kitty Werthmann ***Re-read the part where she says “everything was free” - healthcare and so on. Very much worth reading twice.****

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laprincesaelena · 3 years

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EOA Ship Appreciation Week Day 5: Meeting/Farewell

a/n: hi guys! thank you all so much for the positive feedback on my day 4 poem, i’m so glad everyone liked it!! as i said, i know every ship wasn’t included, i ended up having enough time to only do the ones that were requested! but, i’d definitely consider making a part 2, so if your ship wasn’t included this time, it may be another time..

anyways, on to day 5! you may notice i included both prompts here instead of just one..you’ll find out why ;) this story is inspired by an au @procrastinateland (s/o for the beautiful art once again!!!) i came up with together, based on the sound of music! but, this fic in particular doesn’t have much to do with the musical you probably know. my obsession besides elena this summer was researching the lives of the real von trapps who inspired the movie and musical, and through it, i found the adorable love story of the parents of the seven children (georg and agathe, maria wasn’t in the picture yet!) that i knew would be so sweet for gabelena. so that’s what this fic is inspired by! quick historical note, the events that this fic portrays happened in real life in 1910 and 1922, but the years have been switched to 1912 and 1930 for the au, since we decided to place our au closer to the movie’s timeline than the real story. also hi please talk to me about the von trapps i’ve been driving my gf crazy with my useless knowledge lmaooo

and that’s about it! hope you all enjoy this, and let me know what you think!

fic is below the cut!

February 10th, 1912

Lieutenant Gabriel Núñez was amazed as he entered the venue of tonight's celebratory ball, Villa Castillo. He had never been inside a home so grand before, he almost felt as if he didn't deserve to be there. But, regardless, he was invited to attend, along with all of his friends from the navy. He couldn't wait to get away from the structure and seriousness of the military for a night, and to just have fun.

This was the first ball Gabe had been invited to since he became a lieutenant, or ever for that matter, and he was loving it. It was hosted by the Castillo Flores family, a rich family whose inventions had earned them quite the fortune over the past century. As more guests began to make their arrivals, Gabe and his friends hung around together, mingling with other guests or testing out a drink or two. Then, the ball was to officially begin with a musical performance by the hosts.

Now, Gabe wasn't much of a believer of love at first sight, but with one glance, his mind was instantly changed. Standing beside her mother and grandparents, ready to perform their opening song, stood the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, and Gabe knew he was in love. Sure, he knew he had no chance with her, as he was just a lieutenant from a humble family of bakers. She was the daughter of a rich family, and most likely the heir to their fortunes. But, there was no harm in trying, right? He knew that at some point tonight, he just had to talk to this beautiful girl.

Elena Castillo Flores, however, was different. She wholeheartedly believed in chance of falling in love at first sight, but she never thought it would happen to her. She had grown up around these balls, her family had been hosting them for as long as she could remember. And being 17, she had met plenty of men who hoped to marry into her family's fortune, but none of them seemed quite right. That was, until she was about to perform with her family.

She looked out into the crowd, and caught the eye of a handsome naval officer. She smiled softly in his direction, but didn't have time to do anything else, before she picked up her guitar, and began to perform alongside her mother and grandparents.

Gabe couldn't help but keep his eye on this girl the entire time she performed. She was a beautiful singer and guitarist, and Gabe loved hearing every word she sang, and each note she strummed. Before he could snap out of his romantic trance, the performance had ended. Gabe looked up to the stage to see if he could approach the girl, but she her family had left the stage, and were out of sight. So, it was back to just talking with his friends for now. Maybe a good laugh or two could keep his mind off of this girl. In between their backgrounds and the chances that she would choose him out of many much more qualified suitors, Gabe had a feeling this crush was bound to end in disappointment.

Eventually, Gabe stepped away to go and get his mind off things, but as he was walking, he accidentally bumped into someone. He was about to apologize, but when the person he had bumped into turned to look at him, he realized who he had bumped into: the host's daughter.

Finding his voice again, he said, "I-I'm so sorry for bumping into you, I should have been watching where I was going."

Every once in a while, as she sang and played her guitar, Elena would look out at the man she had seen earlier. He was quite handsome, and she couldn't help but notice the way he smiled at her. But, once the performance was over, she wasn't going to go looking for him. She knew it'd probably be hard to find him in such a big group. Besides, he was probably going to turn out to be like any other man she'd met, and would only take interest in the prospect of inheriting her family's money. So, she carried on with her night, accepting that she'd probably never see him again. That was, until someone bumped into her. When she looked at the person she bumped into, she couldn't help but freeze, it was the lieutenant she had seen earlier. He was the one to speak first, which snapped her back into reality.

“Oh no, no, it's okay! You're fine!" she assured him.

"Oh, alright" Gabe said. He mentally hit himself for not saying more than he did, but whenever he looked at her, he was at a loss for words. He could at least introduce himself, he thought, but every time he did, the words would be at the edge of his tongue, and he'd end up saying nothing. But, he was determined not to blow the only chance he'd ever have with her, so, he gathered up his courage to speak to her once again.

Elena too, would be so, so close to saying something, even just introducing herself, but before the words could come out, she'd freeze. She so desperately wanted to get to know him better, and she knew the only way to do so was to just say something. But, luckily for her, he said something first.

"This has been a wonderful ball so far." Gabe finally said.

"Oh, well, thank you.." Elena replied with a smile. "I'm glad you're enjoying it so far."

"I am" Gabe said, returning the smile. Finally, he decided, he was actually going to introduce himself. "I'm Lieutenant Gabriel Núñez," he said. "but you can call me Gabe."

Elena quietly sighed with relief, she was glad he introduced himself first, it gave her the confidence to do the same. "I'm Elena Castillo Flores," she introduced. "but you can just call me Elena."

"It's very nice to meet you, miss Elena," Gabe replied, with a bow of his head to her.

"It's very nice to meet you too, lieutenant," Elena responded. "Oh, I mean Gabe, it's nice to meet you too, Gabe." she added, and shook her head at herself. Hopefully she didn't blow her chance with him right then and there.

Gabe smiled and laughed softly, he couldn't help but fall deeper in love with the girl the longer he talked to her. He had managed to find her, talk to her, and introduce himself, but there was one more step with her he wanted to take.

"I hope this isn't too soon, but would you like to dance?" he asked.

Elena's face now lit up with a smile, it most certainly wasn't too soon, she was so excited he asked her to dance with him! She nodded, and held out her hand to him. "I would love to dance," she said.

Gabe took her hand with a smile, and lead her to the center of the ballroom. With one of his hands tightly in the grasp of hers, his other hand wrapped around her waist, the two began their first dance.

As the pair glided effortlessly across the floor, Elena still couldn't believe that this was happening. How did she ever get so lucky? But, she also knew that there was a possibility that he might have happened to only attend this ball, and she may never see him again. She truly hoped this wasn't the case, she wanted to get to know him better and spend more time with him, because she knew for a fact she was falling in love.

Gabe could barely believe this was happening either. This beautiful girl had really said agreed to dance with him, and now they were actually dancing? Gabe truly hoped that he wasn't dreaming, for he never wanted to wake up. He wanted this dance to last forever, so he would never have to say goodbye to Elena, and go back to living his life without her in it. There was hardly a chance he would see her again after the ball ended, but he kept a glimmer of hope that tonight was not their final encounter.

Elena wasn't paying attention to anything else around her, for all that mattered to her now was that she was actually dancing with Gabe! She planned to dance with him for the entire night, if it meant she'd be able to spend as much time as possible with him. She knew that once the ball ended, there was a high possibility of her never seeing him again. So, she was going to make sure to spend as much time with him as she possibly could, while she had the opportunity.

After a couple of hours of guests talking, eating, drinking, and dancing the night away, the ballroom began to empty out a bit. Elena brought Gabe outside to a balcony, so she'd be able to talk with him and get to know him better without any sort of distraction.

"So, being a lieutenant, I'm assuming you're in the military, the... navy, correct?" she asked him, to start some conversation.

"Yes," Gabe answered. "I joined as soon as I was able, I've always wanted to be a part of the navy. My parents, especially my father, aren't too happy I chose this path instead of joining their baking business, but this is what I really wanted to do."

"Oh, your parents have a baking business?" Elena asked him. "Not too much of a baker, are you?" she joked.

"No," Gabe replied. "and I'm not much of an olaball player either, to the dismay of my father."

"It certainly seems as if your father isn't too thrilled with your life choices... but do you love what you do?" Elena asked.

"Yes, I do." Gabe responded with a smile. "Besides, if I hadn't made the decision to go against his wishes and join the navy, I probably wouldn't be talking to you right now."

Elena smiled as she felt her cheeks warm up at his sweet response. She was so, so glad that Gabe decided to follow his own path in life instead of listening to his father, because if he didn't, they may have never met.

"Well, I guess you're right," she said. "and I'm glad that you're doing something that you love, that's what should really matter."

Gabe nodded in agreement. "What's your family like?" he asked.

"Well, there's me, my mother, my younger sister, my grandparents," Elena answered. "we're all pretty close, and we love to make music together."

"I can tell, you and your family sounded amazing tonight," Gabe said. "and not to be biased, but I think I liked your singing the most."

Elena smiled, and put a hand to her cheek, she was definitely blushing now. "Thank you," she said. "but I wouldn't say I'm the best of them, they're all very talented.."

"I would," Gabe responded, and reached down to take her hand in his own.

"Well, thank you.." Elena replied, holding Gabe's hand tightly back. "and I may be biased, but I'd say you're my favorite lieutenant, because I totally know all the others." she said.

Elena laughed nervously for a moment after that attempt at flirting. 'what was that, Elena?' she asked herself.

"Thank you," Gabe said with a smile.

"You're welcome," Elena responded, a similar smile never leaving her face.

"So, what do you like to do other than make music?" Gabe asked her.

"I love just getting out with my family most times, of course. We'll go on hikes, go sailing, go to one of our vacation homes or visit someone else in our family's home, we're always somewhere or doing something." Elena told him. "How about you?" she asked.

"I like fencing," Gabe replied. "We sometimes have competitions between my friends and I, and not to brag, but I usually win."

"I'm sure you do," Elena responded, definitely believing him. "and I'd love to learn to fence sometime, it actually looks pretty fun!"

"Well, I'd be happy to teach you," Gabe offered. "I'm sure it'd be considered "unladylike," but if it was just us, it wouldn't really matter."

"What my mother and grandparents don't know won't kill them," Elena replied with a wink. "I'd love for you to teach me sometime!"

"I'd be more than happy to teach you," Gabe responded.

"And hopefully you can sometime," Elena said, before sighing as she remembered the reason why she was so hesitant to find him in the first place. The chances of the two reuniting were slim to none. "I hope we see each other again..."

"Me too..." Gabe replied, looking down with a sigh as well. "Maybe we could write to each other? To keep in contact?" he suggested.

"I'd love that." Elena said, smiling once again at the thought of it. "We definitely should."

Gabe smiled. "Alright," he said. "I'll give you my address."

"And I'll give you mine as well, which is right here, but I'll still write it down so you'll always have it" Elena said.

"Thank you," Gabe replied. "I look forward to writing to you, and seeing you again, Miss Elena."

"And I look forward to writing and seeing you again as well, Lieutenant Núñez." Elena responded with a smile.

Gabe laughed a bit and rolled his eyes, but still smiled. "Please, you can just call me Gabe," he said.

"And you can just call me Elena," Elena insisted. "No 'miss' necessary"

"Alright then, Elena it is." Gabe said, smiling over at her.

"And Gabe it is." Elena replied, sharing the same, loving smile.

At that moment, the both of them knew that they had met the love of their life. Though they'd have a difficult road ahead, in between having to communicate with letters for a while or with Gabe often traveling with the navy, they were determined to make it work. Gabe was not going to let his beautiful Elena go, and Elena knew that tonight she had met the man she was going to marry. They were going to spend the rest of their lives together, no matter what.

September 3rd, 1930

On Christmas night of 1929, Gabe and Elena's oldest daughter began to feel unwell. It was simply strep throat, they were told, she should recover in a matter of days. But, by the time eleven year old Catalina had recovered, five of her seven siblings had fallen ill as well. The sudden illness turned out not to be a simple case of strep throat, but the highly contagious scarlet fever, which was currently spreading through the city.

Of course, Elena was always there to care for her children, even if she was risking contracting the illness herself. For the next few weeks, she was constantly visiting her children and checking in on them, while still trying to stay healthy herself. But, when her youngest daughter, Martina, who wasn't even a year old yet, came down with a severe case, Elena had no choice but to step in and care for her, twenty four-seven.

By the end of January, Elena's caring and motherly nature had led her to catching scarlet fever herself. In children, the illness tended to be fairly mild, but in adults, it could often leave behind serious side effects. Gabe knew this, and insisted that his wife take the time to rest in order to recover. But, Elena insisted that her children came first, wanting to be there for each and every one of them as they recovered.

But, even when all seven children were happy and healthy once again, Elena's symptoms had not subsided. Now, she could rest and recover with a sound mind, knowing that her children would be alright without her for a couple of days. Those couple of days turned into weeks, those weeks into months, and by the end of August, Elena still had a long road to recovery. She was now bound to a wheelchair, she would have to learn to walk all over again due to the toll the illness had taken on her body. She still tried to spend as much time as possible with her children, and be the happy, loving, and healthy mamí they had always known. But, deep down, she knew if scarlet fever had already taken so much from her, it could continue to do so.

Over the next week, Elena's condition quickly deteriorated, and it seemed as if only a miracle could heal her. Gabe had visited his wife each and every day for the duration of her sickness, but for the past day or two, he hadn't left her side at all. He knew that at any time, her condition could take a turn for the absolute worst, and he didn't want to take the chance of not having a chance to say goodbye. While Gabe tried his best to stay somewhat positive, and hope that his wife would miraculously recover, he knew Elena's time left was short.

Gabe's eyes were heavy as he sat at his wife's bedside, having stayed awake the entire night with her. He held Elena's hand tightly in his, even though Elena barely had the strength left to hold his. It broke his heart to see his wife in this condition, he would do absolutely anything to bring back the bright light of his life that was Elena.

Gabe's heart would sink as he noticed his wife's breathing become labored. He had been mentally preparing himself for the worst, just in case, but he knew that no matter how much he had prepared, he would never be ready if that moment arrived. He felt the slightest bit of relief when he noticed Elena slowly turn her head to look over at him, using all of her strength to do so.

"Elena.." he began to say, even saying her name brought tears to his eyes. But before he could say anything else, his wife managed to speak up.

"Gabe.." she said, her voice in a whisper. "Please..tell our children how much I love them.."

"Elena, no..no, don't talk like that.." Gabe said to her. Though he was trying to preserve his wife's positivity, he was also in denial about all this.

"Tell each and every one of them..each and every day..how much I love them.." Elena said. "And that I'll always be with them.."

Gabe held Elena's hand tight as he fought to hold back his tears, but even then, a tear or two would manage to fall down his cheek. He looked over at his wife, he still thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world, even with a scarlet red rash covering her cheeks, and her hair sticking to her fevered forehead. If it were possible, he would do anything to end all of her pain and suffering, but he knew that at this point, there was only one option for that.

Trying to clear his mind of these thoughts, Gabe nodded. "Of course I will.. I promise.." he said.

Elena smiled as best as she could, but to Gabe, it was the brightest smile he had seen out of her in a while. "Thank you.." she said. "A-and I love you..so, so much.."

"I love you too.." Gabe replied, and leaned down to kiss his wife. Thankfully, Elena was no longer contagious, but even if she was, Gabe would take that chance if it meant kissing his beloved Elena one last time.

Then, it looked as if Elena were about to speak, but she was unable to get any word out. Finally, a moment later, she managed to say, "And.."

Gabe patiently waited as his wife struggled to say a second word. He would wait for as long as it took her, he'd take any opportunity to hear the voice he loved so much.

"I'm..a-always.." Elena said, now needing to take multiple labored breaths between each word. Though it was a struggle, Elena managed to complete her sentence.

"I'm always with you.."

A moment later, after months and months of fighting to recover, Elena's body gave in, and her eyes slowly closed.

Gabe could feel his wife's grip on his hand loosen, and his heart immediately dropped. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't lose her.

"Elena? Elena! Elena, no! Mi amor, please!" Gabe desperately cried, hoping that his wife's beautiful brown eyes would open again. But no matter how many times he called her name, they remained peacefully closed, as her body grew paler.

Now, Gabe's denial began to truly set in. He lightly shook her, he held her hand tight, he kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her lips, all in an effort to wake her, even though deep down, he knew that his efforts were in vain. Finally, it all became too much for him, and Gabe just broke down. he couldn't picture his life without Elena, he never thought everything would end this way.

He thought of his wife, she had so much more to live for. she was a loving wife, a caring mother, his best friend. Then he pictured their seven children, who would now be growing up without their mother. He thought of their identical twins, though they were already quite different, they shared a similarity, devotion to their family. Catalina and Carolina absolutely adored their mother, and looked up to her, along with being her best friends. He thought of Luis, their oldest son, he was a mamí's boy. He loved cuddling up with his mother and listen to her play guitar, he wanted to learn from her one day. He thought of their youngest son, Marcelo, their bundle of energy, who sometimes even Elena couldn't keep up with. He thought of Luciana and Adelina, aged only five and two, who would be too little to understand why their mamí had suddenly disappeared. And finally, he thought of Martina, their baby girl who would grow up without a mother. She would never get know her mamí, or even remember her. In fact, he didn't know if any of their younger children would be able to remember their mother.

Gabe found himself growing a bit dizzy, since this all seemed like he was living a nightmare. His hands shook as he held Elena's tightly in his own, and his vision was blurred from his tears.

As his final moments with Elena played over and over in his head, he was reminded of his wife's dying wish. To remind each and every one of their children each and every day how much their mamí loves them. If Elena could see him now, she'd hate to see him this distraught. She'd encourage him to keep his head up and stay strong, but how could he ever move on in life without his Elena? His children. He knew he needed to stay strong and carry on for them. Though, of course, carrying on could take weeks, months, or even years, Elena would want him to be happy. But most of all, she'd want her children to be happy and loved as well.

So, then and there, Gabe dedicated himself to fulfilling Elena's wish. For the rest of his life, he would make sure his children are happy, healthy, and loved, just as Elena would do. Though it would be difficult to carry on without her, the Núñez Castillos still had each other, and that's what matters most.

#eoa ship appreciation week 2021 #gabelena #elena of avalor #my fics #sound of music au #i’ve been looking forward to this one lol #anyways as i said i’ve been pushing my von trapp knowledge onto my gf for months now so now you guys can have some too :)#also please let me know what you think if you read it bc i need to know if i’ve made you suffer™️#also also gabelena kids are mentioned here #seven of them this time!!#yeah they have a lot of kids what about it

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jae-canikeepyou · 4 years

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| serenity in us | j.jh | ch. one

word count: 2.9k+ ( putting this now yay :3 )

a/n: hey hi hello~ i’m back with another series! i was gonna wait until my semester’s done but my patience’s killing me and i don’t wanna keep you all waiting so here you go! ♡ enjoy! ~j

“serenity is found somewhere between the sky and the sand.” you read the font words on the minimalist frame. it was a quote you heard in an ongoing, constant dream that you thought was needed to be drawn and remembered. in it, the quote was a voice as if a narrator spoke those words to begin something new. the scenery you ask? every place was different but there was always a horizon. the dream was vague and raised a lot of question marks in your mind the moment you wake up.

you hung the item on the wall, marking the end of unpacking your things since moving in days ago. the mess was finally cleared out and the boxes were emptied and folded briefly, lined on one side of the wall. you slouched low in exhaustion, sliding your home slippers across the white marbled floor. it was squeaking even, that only explained how much of a neat freak you were. a new apartment, simple furniture and man oh man, you have an automatic vacuum with a sensor that you didn’t have to worry about the dirt at the annoying, impossible corners.

independence was something you were blessed with despite being an orphan as early as two. uncle caleb; a friend of your father’s and aunt jenn; your mother’s half-sister, gladly took you in as their own.

honestly the mention of your beloved felt like they were still alive and just working abroad, because they were always reminded and talked about from your uncle and aunt. you had a striking resemblance with your mother, but the ways were your father’s. ‘a perfect combination of the two’, was how they described the child they never wanted to leave behind.

the door bell rang and the small screen showed your childhood— and best friend, eunha. she waved at the super tiny camera and had some flowers and bento boxes with her, all packed and nicely decorated. you pressed the button for her to enter. whilst you waited, you played an hour long track list of soothing, chill, instrumental songs to make the apartment a little noisy. one thing’s for sure, silent cleaning was not a good habit since you tend to procrastinate, oops.

eunha greeted you a hug so tight, placing down the things she brought with her. “y/n! i’m so glad we’re living so close to each other!” she hugged you and fanned herself as if that would stop her eyes from welling. “how’s everything with you? you should’ve called me honey! you know i’ll be coming straight away to help! i have a hotline like the powerpuff girls has.” she winked.

“i’m great! i crossed out the things i completed and now free from the stress. i’m ready for the new semester.” you gestured her to sit, inviting her for the meal you prepared. “well i am the bubbles to your blossom~ but it’s really okay! i managed and here we are talking freely without stressing over things.”

her hands held yours and swung them with excitement. “after we eat, do you want me to bring you around town? there’s a vinyl record store i think you’ll like.” her voice beaming as she singsonged, chewing on the pancake with whipped cream and blueberries.

“it’s still 9 a.m. we have loads of time in the world.” you showed your watch.

the leaves began to fall and you twirled around the sidewalk’s lamppost. eunha took pictures of you, happiness written on your face. you both entered the said shop. records displayed and hung on the wall, posters of legendary artists and worldwide singers encouraging customers to come in.

your hands trailed along the shelf that had new and limited turntables. as much as you were itching to pull out your wallet, there were other important things you needed to worry about and independence meant discipline too. your fingers curled and hesitated, just inches left before you could touch the surface of the one thing you’ve always wanted to purchase.

eunha giggled at your whiney, surrendered self. your back turning away from the product and walking towards her. “y/n.” she called your name, but this certain tone was serious and was more of a reminder.

“i know.” you smiled as you wiggled your phone with the ever precious wallpaper of yours.

“oh! your aunt’s calling you.” she hopped and pointed at the device, making you sliding fingers on the screen a second later. she gestured that she’d head out and wait for you.

“hi aunt jenn.” you greeted on the phone, only to extend your arm slightly at the baby’s cry on the other line. “aw he’s crying again?”

“yes y/n. i’ll be heading to work soon. can you come here?” she chuckled, though it was obvious she had the baby in her arms.

you exited the store and pulled eunha, crossing the pedestrian. “alright, i’ll be on my way.”

the office was dead silent and not one soul dared to speak. three figures stood in front of the angered woman; their continuous fiddles of the fingers and tapping of the toes became faster as they tried to come up with a reason to tell. just one. only the ticking of the clock on the table was heard. it was getting harder and harder to breathe even in a hundred square meter room.

“where is he?!” she yelled. the three flinched and were taken aback, hands either behind them or wrapped around an arm. the door then flung opened, revealing the said guy.

“young man, how can you be so inconsiderate?!” the woman asked again, this time it was in an annoying range of decibel that the listeners had to endure the volume.

jaehyun brushed past the ‘meeting’ and sat in one of the leather chairs. his legs rested on the centered table, obviously not bothering to listen. “so, being a minute late concludes my actions in general?” he chuckled bitterly, spinning the chair around before standing up again.

“i couldn’t care less,” he now glared at the woman. “about this damn meeting. what is it for, anyway?! wasting my time!”

he left the room and the woman rubbed her temples, swinging her palms to tell the rest of the three to follow the young man. “jaehyun.” yunho called his brother, reaching a hand out to grab him, successfully turning the lad around.

“what?” jaehyun snapped, removing the grip onto his body.

krystal rolled her eyes, the pungent smell entering her nostrils. “you reek, jae.”

“you went drinking again, didn’t you? i could smell the moment you came into the office.” yunho asked, pressing the button of the lift to head down.

“when will you learn, honestly?” jessica fixed her bag on her arm. “grow up.”

jaehyun clapped his hands, applauding the expected words that woman instructed his siblings to do. “me? learn? i already did. i just won’t follow orders from that silver digger.”

“gold*.” they corrected him.

“see you’re still drunk.” krystal meddled with her new manicure, earning a nudge from jessica.

“whatever, noona. you get my point either way.” jaehyun fished out his car keys to toss them up high, whistling his heart out at his favourite tune.

they exited the building and got on the car. he dropped off his sisters at the blanc and eclare flagship headquarters, then drove to a nearby restaurant for lunch with yunho. they entered the place and went to the reserved table. jaehyun sat and loosened the buttons of his polo, removing the neck tie and sat back.

yunho stared at his carefree little brother, he put the menu down so he could maybe give him a little serious talk. he understood why jaehyun acted the way he did earlier. even he himself could do the same but given the circumstances of his standing in the family, of course he’d be the mature one. he was the first child anyway.

“got anything you want?” yunho asked, removing his sunglasses then placing them in its case. “i’ll pay.”

“nah, let me pay for my own meal, hyung.” he flashed a small smile. “i got my pay check.”

“so you still do have a heart.” yunho jokingly stated the overseen fact.

“c’mon you’re smarter than that doctor jung.” jaehyun said the occupation title in a childlike tone. “you should know why i’m filled with hatred towards the woman.”

“hatred is such a strong word, offensive even. but seriously jae, how long are you going to keep up with this behavior? the next thing you know it, you’re out of the penthouse.”

yunho raised his hands to order. the young lad didn’t dare to answer and he sighed at the usual unresponsive manner whenever they hit this certain topic. “look i know for the longest time she treated us like how captain george von trapp did to his kids. i get it. you hated how she uses out-of-the-world discipline and i totally understand that-”

jaehyun scoffed, disbelief clearly written on his face. “i was six when she entered our lives. a kid that age couldn’t handle being shoved around just because he thought there was no difference between boxers and pajama shorts. the sound of music is cool reference by the way.”

“you did have confused mind back then. and what else can i compare it with? she probably took the idea from there.” yunho laughed as he handed the utensils and handkerchief. “but still though, i suggest you man up and act like you do with dad. just be yourself.”

“easier said than done.” jaehyun began slicing his steak and popping one bit into his mouth.

“what makes you so stone cold towards her anyway?” he asked, fixing the handkerchief by his lap.

“simple.” jaehyun stated the obvious even if he knew that yunho knew the answer.

“she’s not mom.”

eunha brought you to the restaurant that opened not long ago. the interior was eye-catching yet even with its simplicity, it was able to attract customers from outside. the smell of dishes that were yet to be served was luring and probably the reason why eunha chose the place. the waiters led you to the a table and soon came back with a baby chair. you placed the little un in it and he smiled with pearls trying to peek out.

you fixed the bib around him and booped his nose. gurgles of his hoarse laughs made everyone at your area turn to him. “ooh you sure are the spotlight stealer, aren’t you? these people are already taking a picture of you.”

“gosh he has the cutest smile.” eunha melted at the sight of him grabbing the tissue. “looky here!” she aimed her camera at him. “y/n, what’re you getting?”

you pondered for a while before your eyes landed at the name your stomach was craving for the past week. moving apartments had a toll on you— that resulted in you unable to cook your favourite meal. up until this morning were you finally found the time to do that. hence the breakfast eunha devoured within seconds.

“i’m getting fish & chips, and the classic steak.” your stomach growled at the picture beside it.

“alright, i guess i’m getting the same as yours.” eunha raised her hand.

the waiter came to your table to kindly ask for your orders. when you did so and thanked the man, a wallet fell from your right side. picking it up to give it to the owner, a large hand lightly touched yours and you looked up to see two men smiling softly.

“thank you.” the man in a suit said, taking the wallet from you.

“you’re welcome.” you answered. the man looked awfully familiar, as if he was on every commercial the screen had offered to show.

you and eunha shared a look. the telepathic words exchanged between the both of you had your eyes agreeing with what you saw, confirming his identity.

“he’s that celebrity doctor.” eunha mouthed. “dr. jung yunho, a paediatrician.”

“he seems a happy child. how old is he if i may ask?” he waved at him.

“this little guy here, just turned one few days ago.” you said, wiping off the drool with the bib.

“oh precious. belated happy birthday buddy.” he greeted.

you turned to the little one and carried him in your arms, waving his hands to thank the man. as you continued have your lunch and taking turns in feeding him and yourself, you noticed some movement where other children would approach the child on your lap. they would pinch his cheeks lightly and made faces they thought would make him laugh.

then the two men beside you stood. but before they left, yunho took a something out of his pockets and handed it to you.

it was a business card of his own practice office with an address and contact information. “if there’s anything you need help with, just give me a call and this guy-” he pointed at jaehyun and pat his back. “-will pick you and birthday boy up and head to my office.”

“hyung!” jaehyun gasped loudly, later covering his hands at the volume of his complaint. “sorry, i don’t mean it in a negative way.” he smiled awkwardly at you.

“no worries.” you gave him a sincere smile and he swore he felt like the world slowed down. everything else blurred where the only focus was you; how your hair length waved below your shoulders and your eyes sparkled with the sun’s reflection.

this young fine man though, whom you thought wasn’t paying attention or interest to, was now staring at you like he had a thousands of questions to ask to fill in his curiosity. “see you around.” yunho bid you goodbye, and the other trailed from behind.

eunha poked your shoulder with an intention of a tease. she grinned and you knew where she would go from there. “i know what you’re gonna say.” you rolled your eyes, yet a faint smile was evident in your lips.

“really?” her tone was very challenging. “i’ll test you. go ahead.”

“‘dr. jung yunho is so handsome! he’s so dreamy in real life! i should’ve asked for his photograph and boast it to my friends!’ yeah, i guess it’s somewhere along those lines.” you mimicked her voice and expression, not to mention gestures as well, especially the hands.

“yah i don’t act like that!” she defended, but there wasn’t any denial as she said that. “well, maybe. you’re not wrong though.”

“hmpf. and here you went ‘test me’.” you giggled, giving another piece of fish fillet to the one-year old. “and for the record, i’m always right whenever i’m proving you wrong.”

“fine you win.” she sipped her juice from a straw. “oh! hey, the guy he’s with is also handsome.”

you nodded in agreement at the obvious fact, although he did have tiny temperment. but that was only due to dr. yunho’s sudden suggestion. “he looked young. maybe his younger brother perhaps?” you wondered.

“hm. i haven’t seen him before. not on screen at least.” eunha chewed on her food. you raised a brow since you have no idea what she was talking about. “that doctor we conversed with, is from a family of good looking people. he has two younger sisters; jessica and krystal jung. the older one is the founder and endorser of blanc and eclare, while the younger one is an nationwide actress.”

“wow.” your eyes grew at the far/fetched level of these people. “sounds like an ideal family out of a manhwa.”

“egg-xactly.” she pointed at you with a hard boiled egg by her fork.

“that guy called him ‘hyung’ though. looked like to me they know each other. plus they have resemblance too.” you wiped your lips clean from the possible stain.

“oh dear ms. y/n.” eunha called you, her palms touching her chest as if she was surprised. “you have the hots for guys like him, which was why you-”

“ah-ah.” you glared at her, making her shush and zipping the imagination by her lips. “don’t talk about that.”

“bummer, i wasn’t even gonna.” eunha pouted but held your hand anyway. “i’ll always be here for you, y/n.”

“thank you.” you gave her a warm smile.

jaehyun waited by the entrance while his brother paid their meal. although he was bummed out that he wasn’t able to pay for his, he was somehow relieved. because once that cash was out of his pockets, he’d be broke the next time he goes to drink again.

at the corners of his eyes, he could still see you and your friend, as well as the adorable child seated on your lap. you were giving him a spoonfuls for airplane feeding.

yunho gestured jaehyun that they were leaving the restaurant. “hyung, why did you say that i’d pick her up?” he asked as he took a quick glance at you.

“c’mon i’m just playing around.” he nudged jaehyun.

“by matchmaking me to some random girl?” he scoffed. “you sure got a lot of time in your hands.”

“don’t take it too seriously jae.” yunho went ahead, leaving his brother flabbergasted.

he then shrugged it off and looked at you before stepping out. his ears perked up at the three second long conversation exchanged between you and the child.

“jaewon, look! mommy’s got an airplane~”

jaehyun stopped in his tracks by the entrance. his head quickly turning to you again. your lips mouthed the one word that shock hit his entire body. you weren’t just some random girl,

you were the mother of that child.

#serenity in us jjh #jaehyun scenarios #jaehyun imagines #nct 127 #jung jaehyun #jung yoonoh #nct jaehyun #jaehyun x reader #jaehyun fanfic #jaehyun series #jaehyun au

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tingthings · 3 years

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The Last of the Von Trapp Musical Family: The story of Maria Franziska von Trapp

Featured in many films and in the hearts of many worldwide, the iconic film ‘The Sound of Music,’ touched the hearts of many. However, the famous film was indeed based on the lives of the Von Trapp family.

The Von Trapp family consisted of 7 children, their father Capt. Georg and mother Agathe Whitehead.

Agathe sadly died from the scarlet fever in 1922 as their third eldest daughter, Maria, recounts her family’s life.

Maria Franziska Von Trapp came from a family that loved music, “Sometimes our house must have sounded like a musical conservatory.

You could hear us practice piano, violin, guitar, cello, clarinet, accordion, and later, recorders. We would gather in the evenings to play Viennese folksongs on our instruments with Father leading on the violin.”

The illness that took the life of Agathe, Maria’s mother, also crept its way into Maria’s life, “but I didn’t die, as a result of the illness I was too sickly to walk three miles to school every day. The doctor advised that I stay home,” as Maria wrote.

Seeing how ill her daughter had become, Maria’s father brought in a young governess to teach and to look after Maria and her other siblings.

Maria Augusta Kutschera was a young aspiring nun who became very close with Maria and her other siblings, “my condition brought Maria to teach me gymnasium. She came to us as my teacher and after three years she became our second mother,” said Maria in a post on the Trapp family website.

Capt. Georg Von Trapp fell in love with her second wife Maria Kutschera, they both had three children, Rosmarie, Eleanore and Johannes.

However, several key aspects of the real Von Trapp family were filters and altered, “this was due to the cinematic-lens,” as described by a Journalist on Biography.

Maria at her home (left) and ‘The Sound of Music,’ the film based on the lives of the Von Trapp family (right).

A depression that had plagued the economy in the early 1930’s, which had destroyed the wealth of the Von Trapp, “causing them to send away their servants.” Capt. George, with his 7 children (from his previous marriage) had now resorted to turning their family passion into a method to make money. However, as described by Eleanor Von Trapp, “it almost hurt my father to have his family on stage, not from a snobbish view, but more a protective one,” said Eleonare during an interview with the Washington Post in 1978.

Still in the 1930’s, the Von Trapp family fled the Nazi-driven Austria for the US, not through the mountains as portrayed in the film, but on a train and whilst on a singing-tour.

Whilst in the US, Capt. Georg, “who did not know if we should go back to Austria, he took the bible and said, we will see what to do,” said Maria. Capt. Georg opened the Bible on a page where God tells Abraham to take his family and leave. That was reassurance for him to migrate.

As described by Maria, Capt. Georg was also a lover-of music, a stark contrast from the father-role played in the film, “he loved singing with us,” as described by Maria.

The Von Trapp’s continued their singing careers and later purchased a 27-room family home in Stowe in 1950.

Maria later travelled to the island of New Guinea as a lay missionary where the recounts of her life was told by close and dear friends Eddie and Ute Haring.

“We knew our Maria for many years in Port Moresby. She was our son’s godmother,” said Ute.

Whilst in Port Moresby Maria led a very religious and charitable life, “Maria always had prayer meetings in her house and would always be called to break-up fights in the villages around Port Moresby.”

“We always warned her not to drive out there, but she said that she was protected by her faith.”

“Maria visited us in Madang once for several weeks and stayed on our yacht, which brought back happy memories for her. I was teaching that time in the International Primary school and she taught the kids dancing and singing.

We had a special ‘Maria Day’ where we invited all parents and presented the dances while she played the accordion.”

Maria Agatha Franziska Gobertina von Trapp lived a long and happy-life, “it was a surprise that she was the one in the family to live the longest, because of the illness that she suffered when she was young, she had a very weak heart,” said Marianne Dorfer, who runs the Trapp Villa Hotel in Austria.

Her final days were spent playing the accordion and singing songs, songs that carried the Trapp family ‘musical’ legacy till her final passing on February the 18th -2014. She was 99 years old.

Story from https://tinyurl.com/37hv3b3v

#sound of music #music #von trapp family #history #papua new guinea

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ivystjamess · 4 years

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[ ODEYA RUSH, CISFEMALE, SHE/HER ] who’s that? oh it’s { IVY ST.JAMES }. i hear they’re { SIXTEEN } and a { JUNIOR } at {CARMEL HIGH WMHS }, have a voice like { LAURA OSNES } and are part of {VOCAL ADRENALINE NEW DIRECTIONS, CHEERIOS, AND THE TITAN TIMES }. they’re known to be { CHARISMATIC and DETERMINED } and { ARROGANT and INSECURE }. some people say they remind them of { CURLED PONYTAIL FLYAWAYS, CLEAR LIPGLOSS, & A POUT TO DIE FOR. }. only one way to find out! [syd, 19, she/her, est]

BASICS

Full Name: Ivy Marilyn St.James

Birthday: August 3rd

Age: 16

Place of Birth: New York, New York

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Education: High School Junior

Voice Claim: Laura Osnes

Former Activities: Vocal Adrenaline

Activities: Titan Times + New Directions Captain + Cheerios

ASTROLOGY

Sun: Leo

Moon: Cancer

Rising: Aries

LIKES/DISLIKES

Likes: flirting, praise, saved by the bell reruns, cats, attention, performing.

Dislikes: school, coffee that isn’t loaded with sugar, losing.

MUSICAL THEATER RESUME

Annie! - Annie (Lima Players, 5th grade)

Mary Poppins- Jane (Lima Players, 7th grade)

Romeo & Juliet - Juliet (Lima Middle School, 8th Grade)

The Sound of Music- Liesl Von Trapp (William Mckinley High School, Freshman Year)

Little Shop of Horrors- Audrey (William Mckinley High School, Freshman Year)

Footloose - Ariel Moore (William McKinley High School, Sophomore Year)

RENT- Maureen Johnson (William Mckinley Highschool, Sophomore Year)

Mamma Mia- Sophie (Lima Players, Summer 2040)

Grease - Danny Zuko (William McKinley High School, Junior Year)

Into The Woods - Cinderella (Lima Players, Junior Year)

TL;DR BIO

Ivy St.James is her mother’s daughter with all the more ambition and all her father’s unfiltered mean energy. Ivy thrives in the attention she gets from excelling in the performing arts. She also thrives under the lifelong pressure put on her to be the cream of crop. ICY St.James is not one to mess with. Despite this cold exterior, she has a soft heart, and is trying to find a way to show that to the world.

BIO (tw: abortion)

IT WAS ONLY NATURAL THAT IVY ST.JAMES WOULD GROW TO HAVE A PENCHANT FOR PERFORMING despite being only seven when her parents packed up her and her sister and left new york forever to settle down in, lima the big apple left quite an impression on the little girl. that being said, she’s clueless where her athletic streak came from. she grew up attending performing arts camps and apart of a gymnastics team, seeing as her parents saw it to be similar enough to dance.

ivy has a deep love and appreciation for her sister and parents alike, but she can’t help but rebel at times. though at heart, she is secretly the biggest people pleaser. the unintentional but undeniable pressure put on each of the st.james children is enough reason for ivy to act out mostly harmlessly sometimes.

ivy is undoubtedly considered a ‘ cool kid ‘ or a ‘ popular kid ‘. upon hearing all the horror stories her mother had about losing friendships or being generally disliked and lonely, ivy took them to heart. from a young age, she saw a lot of her mother in herself and vowed that she would never feel that hatred from other people nor the loneliness that accompanied ambition. other than being athletic, and loving performance, that was her sole motivation in joining cheerios. when she put that uniform on freshman year, people seemed to like her. despite, like her father, having minimal filter, and thinking the world is obligated to her brutal thoughts, ivy likes people! she likes partying with them, flirting with them, being around them, but she doesn’t like taking responsibility for herself or others for that matter. what more to expect from a spoiled child than basking in attention?

the youngest st.james might have a tendency to not try her hardest academically, but she puts in enough effort to meet grade requirements for her activities. as a member of new directions, cheerios, mckinley’s rampant social scene and most theatrical productions, she has a lot on her plate. ivy doesn’t really see it that way, to her, she’s capable enough to handle it all without batting an eyelash. it makes her parents proud, and when people are proud, or fawn over her, she feels good.

it may have to do with the fact that her athleticism and prowess for performance always came easily to her, or that her family never really struggled with money, or that being the younger sister of the family disappointment allows her to get away with a little more, but still her parents always go a LITTLE harder than necessary when it comes to primping and preening her as the family performer ( hence the dancing and vocal lessons and acting camp in addition to the gymnastics she talked them into letting her do up until middle school. ) , but ivy sticks to what she knows and what she’s good at. as she calls them, her four p’s: “people, partying, pompoms, and performing.”

all of these things combined have garnered her quite the reputation, well that and semi-famous parents. some of the rumors and impressions outsiders are equally good and bad. yes, she can be a mean girl, but only when she feels threatened (which is way more often than one might think for such a stuck up girl) deep down, ivy really is a sensitive soul who constantly over compensates. no, she doesn’t always sleep around, in fact it's rare. having only slept with a handful of guys, but also having spent her fair share of time behind closed doors with boys at parties has produced conflicting reports about her being a tease or lies about her always putting out.

that being said, ivy’s carelessness with her heart got her into a bit of trouble over the summer. she and her ex-boyfriend leo mccarthy just so happened to face the massive repercussion that is teen pregnancy. one break up, one terminated pregnancy ( much to leo’s influence ), and a couple of bad choices with one julien schuester later, ivy is now both learning to protect her heart and how to empathize more as an individual. ( she'll just have to let down her rather intense walls first. ) as summer draws to a close, ivy continues to mature and understand more everyday that it hurts to become.

IN GAME PLOTS

after feeling alienated by her fellow new directioners, one davis goolsby seized the opportunity and convinced ivy to transfer over to carmel high and join vocal adrenaline.

PLAYLIST x II PINTEREST x

#crhq:intro

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sunsetstudiesx · 5 years

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Film Recommendations!

I thought I’d recommend some of my absolute favourite movies, because I love sharing my love of movies and just things in general with people. So, in no particular order, here is my list of recommendations:

1. Tombstone (1993)

So I just watched this movie a couple days ago and absolutely loved it. Yes, it is a western. Do you need to like westerns to watch it? Nope. That’s why it’s great. And, it’s based on real people/real events. I sobbed hysterically at the end, but I’m also a huge sap. Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday is perfection. I love love love him.

Here’s the plot summary: Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) and his brothers, Morgan (Bill Paxton) and Virgil (Sam Elliott), have left their gunslinger ways behind them to settle down and start a business in the town of Tombstone, Ariz. While they aren't looking to find trouble, trouble soon finds them when they become targets of the ruthless Cowboy gang. Now, together with Wyatt's best friend, Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer), the brothers pick up their guns once more to restore order to a lawless land.

Quotes:

“I’m your huckleberry.”

“Why, Johnny Ringo, you look like somebody just walked over your grave.”

“You gonna do somethin’ or just stand there and bleed?”

2. Fight Club (1999)

Okay. Okay. I just watched this one, too, and let me tell you. If you haven’t seen it/haven’t been spoiled for it, you have no idea what it’s really about. Honestly. It’s so fuckin’ weird and it blew my mind which is something I thought only M. Night Shyamalan could do. Wow, just. . . wow. Watch it, I implore you. I think everyone essentially knows the basic plot, but here it is if you want it, straight from google:

A depressed man (Edward Norton) suffering from insomnia meets a strange soap salesman named Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) and soon finds himself living in his squalid house after his perfect apartment is destroyed. The two bored men form an underground club with strict rules and fight other men who are fed up with their mundane lives. Their perfect partnership frays when Marla (Helena Bonham Carter), a fellow support group crasher, attracts Tyler's attention.

Quotes:

“You met me at a very strange time in my life.”

“The things you own end up owning you.”

“It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.”

3. Unbreakable (2000)

Speaking of M. Night Shyamalan. While every one of his movies I’ve seen (Split, Glass, Lady in the Water, The Visit) have all been fantastic and mind-blowing, Unbreakable still has my favourite premise and my favourite Shyamalan twist ending. I love this one, even though I don’t really care for Bruce Willis.

Plot summary: A security guard, having been the sole survivor of a high-fatality train crash, finds himself at the centre of a mysterious theory that explains his consistent physical good fortune. When news of his survival is made public, a man whose own body is excessively weak tracks him down in an attempt to explain his unique unbreakable nature.

Quotes:

“Do you know what the scariest thing is? To not know your place in this world. To not know why you’re here.”

4. This is the End (2013)

Seth Rogen. Jay Baruchel. James Franco. Jonah Hill. Danny McBride. Craig Robinson. Playing themselves. The apocalypse. Hilarity ensues. Cameos from Emma Watson, Kevin Hart, Michael Cera, Rihanna, Paul Rudd, Channing Tatum, Aziz Ansari, Jason Segel, Mindy Kaling, and the Backstreet Boys. It’s so funny, I absolutely love it.

Plot summary: In Hollywood, actor James Franco is throwing a party with a slew of celebrity pals. Among those in attendance are his buddies Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson. Suddenly, an apocalypse of biblical proportions erupts, causing untold carnage among Tinseltown's elite and trapping Franco's party in his home. As the world they knew disintegrates outside, cabin fever and dwindling supplies threaten to tear the six friends apart.

Quotes:

“I don’t want to die at James Franco’s house.”

“Oh, no, no, no. I’m drinking and smoking weed. I’m on a cleanse, I’m not psychotic.”

“Take it easy, Dumbledore.”

5. You’ve Got Mail (1998)

Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. This might be my favourite romantic comedy, and I watch a lot. They’re adorable, and Meg Ryan is everything. This one made me cry twice. Once from sadness, once from happiness. Also it has Dave Chappelle in it, who I absolutely love.

Plot summary: Struggling boutique bookseller Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) hates Joe Fox (Tom Hanks), the owner of a corporate Foxbooks chain store that just moved in across the street. When they meet online, however, they begin an intense and anonymous Internet romance, oblivious of each other's true identity. Eventually Joe learns that the enchanting woman he's involved with is actually his business rival. He must now struggle to reconcile his real-life dislike for her with the cyber love he's come to feel.

Quotes:

“There’s the dream of someone else.”

“But I just wanted to say that all this nothing has meant more to me than so many somethings.”

“I love daisies. They’re so friendly. Don’t you think daisies are the friendliest flower?”

6. A Hard Day’s Night (1964)

For anyone who loves The Beatles. Here they play themselves, and show what their lives are like. It’s ridiculous and hilarious and god, if I didn’t love them before I loved them dearly after watching. It’s such a fun, easy watch and I adore it.

Plot summary: Over two "typical" days in the life of The Beatles, the boys struggle to keep themselves and Sir Paul McCartney's mischievous grandfather in check while preparing for a live television performance.

Quotes:

“How did you find America?” “Turned left at Greenland.”

“Hey mister can we have our ball back!”

“You’re a swine.”

7. Dazed and Confused (1993)

My favourite movie to watch at the beginning and end of the school year, and let’s be honest, every month in between. I’ve seen this movie more times than I can say. I love the ‘70’s setting, the actors, the plot. Another wonderful, easy watch that just makes me happy. Killer soundtrack, too.

Plot summary: The adventures of high school and junior high students on the last day of school in May 1976.

Quotes:

“You just gotta keep livin’, man. L-i-v-i-n.”

“It’d be a lot cooler if you did.”

“I just wanna look back and say that I did it the best that I could while I was stuck in this place.”

“I’d like to quit thinking of the present, like right now, is some minor, insignificant preamble to somethin’ else.”

8. Dirty Dancing (1987)

Anything with Patrick Swayze is wonderful, and this is no exception. Johnny and Baby are perfect. This movie also has the best soundtrack of any movie I’ve ever watched. Fantastic love story, fantastic movie. Watch it.

Plot summary: Baby (Jennifer Grey) is one listless summer away from the Peace Corps. Hoping to enjoy her youth while it lasts, she's disappointed when her summer plans deposit her at a sleepy resort in the Catskills with her parents. Her luck turns around, however, when the resort's dance instructor, Johnny (Patrick Swayze), enlists Baby as his new partner, and the two fall in love. Baby's father forbids her from seeing Johnny, but she's determined to help him perform the last big dance of the summer.

Quotes:

“Nobody puts Baby in a corner.”

“Fight harder, huh? I don’t see you fighting so hard, Baby. I don’t see you running up to daddy telling him I’m your guy.”

“You’re right, Johnny. You can’t win no matter what you do.”

“Go back to your playpen, Baby.”

9. The Sound of Music (1965)

This is such a beautiful movie, and I love it so much. My mom and I try to watch it every Christmas as our little tradition. Julie Andrews as Maria is so wonderful, and all of the songs are so, so good. I love all of the children dearly, and oh, do I love Captain VonTrapp.

Plot summary: A tuneful, heartwarming story, it is based on the real life story of the Von Trapp Family singers, one of the world's best-known concert groups in the era immediately preceding World War II. Julie Andrews plays the role of Maria, the tomboyish postulant at an Austrian abbey who becomes a governess in the home of a widowed naval captain with seven children, and brings a new love of life and music into the home.

Quotes:

“You cry a little, and then you wait for the sun to come out. It always does.”

“God bless Louisa, Brigitta, Marta, and little Gretl. Oh, I forgot the other boy. What’s his name? Well, god bless what’s-his-name.”

“I want you to stay. I ask you to stay.”

10. Gladiator (2000)

“Are you not entertained?” I think everyone has heard that line, from this amazing movie. One of the many that has made me cry, it’s such a beautiful story. Also, gladiators. That immediately sells it for me. All of the performances by the actors are top notch as well.

Plot summary: Set in Roman times, the story of a once-powerful general forced to become a common gladiator. The emperor's son is enraged when he is passed over as heir in favour of his father's favourite general. He kills his father and arranges the murder of the general's family, and the general is sold into slavery to be trained as a gladiator - but his subsequent popularity in the arena threatens the throne.

Quotes:

“My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius. Commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, and loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance. In this life or the next.”

“What we do in life echoes in eternity.”

“Falling down is how we grow. Staying down is how we die.”

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ofwizardsandmen · 5 years

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I like me better when I’m with you

Characters: Tara Lee, Mark Yang, Tyler Lee (briefly).

Word count: 3,9k

Genre: angst, fluff

OST: Ed Sheeran - Hearts Don't Break Round Here

A knock on the door interrupts Tara from staring soullessly at the screen of her laptop. It’s only been a couple of hours since she left the Yang Residence and yet she has completely lost track of time. She can’t remember how long she’s been sitting on her bed, wrapped in a duvet, but the memories of her conversation with Mark are all vague and hazy, like scenes from a Frank Capra film.

Yet, it is probably the hopeful melodies or the fact Julie Andrews’ sweet innocence in The Sound of Music always manages to put her in a good mood, but Tara almost feels like she’s been transported to some benevolent alternate universe where she’s just a regular Oxford student chilling at home on a summer night and procrastinating her summer school paper for Medieval Literature.

There are no boys.

No magic.

No famous ex-boyfriend or fake fiancé.

It is just Tara and her muggle musical.

“I’m fine, Ty” Tara whines as Captain von Trapp walks into Maria’s room and finds his children singing along My Favorite Things. “Go to sleep!” Mentally cursing at her brother for disturbing her hardly-found peace of mind, Tara pulls the fluffy duvet tighter under her chin.

Another knock

Tara lets the duvet fall to her shoulders, feeling as though she doesn’t have the strength to deal with anything right now.

“Ty, seriously…” she utters wearily. “I want to be alone-”

“I’m coming in” A voice that definitely doesn’t belong to her brother announces.

A second later, the door gapes open and Tara’s ex-boyfriend walks in, closing the door behind him.

Mark’s presence catches Tara off guard. From all the people she could’ve expected to see, her ex looking aggravatingly good was definitely not on top of her list, so she nearly chokes in her inhale.

With her heart picking up, Tara pauses the movie and then holds on to the duvet tightly. Almost as if her life depended on it.

And yes. It is a life-threatening situation if you consider that Tara can’t imagine a greater humiliation than letting Mark see the sweatshirt she’s wearing beneath. It is one of the many clothes she had raid from his closet during her last visit to Seoul, claiming that she would use them whenever she missed him.

Why did she have to be so freaking ridiculous? That is beyond Tara understanding, but now, letting him see that goddammed sweatshirt on her would be yet another moral defeat on the same day. Not to mention it would be downright mortifying.

“Hey” Mark stands at the door, his hands shoved in the pockets of his favorite bomber jacket as Tara holds on the duvet for dear life.

“What are you doing here?” She turns her head in the other direction as if her vanity was the most interesting piece of furniture she’s ever seen.

At her sour expression, Mark’s expression falls. For a split of a second he seems to be unable to form a coherent sentence or push himself to do anything at all, but eventually, he quietly steps towards Tara and without saying a single word he sits on the edge of the bed.

But Tara avoids his eyes. She can’t bring herself to look at him because his presence is suddenly reliving the embarrassment and humiliation she felt during their conversation earlier that day.

“I saw the album,” Mark says, his breath hitching as Tara blinks twice without really understanding what he means. “Jae said it was a present from you”.

With the trauma of facing Mark, she has almost forgotten about his birthday gift. Of course, she now regrets spending so much time putting together a photo book with pictures of the two from childhood up to the months previous to their breakup. If she had known Mark was going to behave the way he did, Tara would’ve accepted Enzo’s invitation and instead of the comfort of her bed, she would be on a luxurious yacht sailing the Greek Islands. Or she would’ve asked Tyler to lock her in her room so there were no more chances to land on the cover of scandal-hungry tabloids and gossip sites. Yes, she likes the second idea better.

But no, against her better judgment, she went to visit her ex-boyfriend so he could shatter her pride in pieces and humiliate her.

“And I’m truly sorry” Without another word, Mark reaches to pull Tara to his chest. Initially, he meets resistance from her part. She briefly struggles to free herself, but when her name escapes from Mark’s lips in a soft whisper that makes her feel a wonderful sense of loosening inside, she gives in with a sigh. Too exhausted and emotionally drained to fight him back, she also lets go of the duvet in favor of letting Mark wrap his arms around her.

“I’m so, so sorry, T” He repeats as his hands move to stroke her hair and pat her back gently, slightly desperate to show he how apologetic he truly is. “I am sorry”

There’s a brief moment of silence before Tara speaks, her voice breathy with a contained chuckle.

“I know”

Mark is so thankful when she wraps her arms around him and buries her face against his chest that his heart races embarrassingly and his throat moves when he swallows. Yet, Tara seems unfazed, wrapped in her own thoughts and the scent of oolang and bergamot from Mark’s signature perfume combined with the faint smell of Febreze that Taeyong uses religiously in their clothes.

Mark smells like spring and his embrace makes Tara feel like home, so she stays that way for a few minutes, eyes closed, easily sinking into his arms and basking in the familiarity of it all. It is just a simple hug, but it conveys their feelings with much greater clarity than words could have; it is almost a reminder of easier days when everything was less tangled and a simple hug could put everything back in its right place.

Now everything seems as it could be fine.

That is, of course, until she pulls away and notices Mark’s eyes brimming with tears.

It’s probably too soon to draw conclusions, but for some reason it makes Tara’s former optimism deflate.

Not like this is the first time Tara sees Mark cry. Oh no, she has seen him cry plenty of times before, although when she tells those stories to other people, they believe she’s making them up because Mark is a strong man by any standard and he has never shown any sign of weakness in front of anyone else. Particularly not in front of his bandmates or his fans.

People regard Mark as always cool and collected, that one person who always knows what to say and what people expect from him. He didn’t cry when his group reached the Nº1 spot for the first time in the South Korean charts, nor during his first concert or that time he injured himself in a rather foolish fashion and subsequently skipped a whole round of promotions with his group. If you were to ask anyone, Mark is described as a hardworking young man with a somewhat detached and serene outlook on life.

But that is Mark, the rapper of NCT. The Mark Yang sitting next to Tara cried when she went to Hogwarts for the first time and when their first bunny died. Mark cries over a sad movie plot and whenever he misses his family. The Mark Tara knows is anything but detached. He is loving and slightly clingy, although he always justifies himself claiming that he barely spends time with his loved ones.

That’s exactly why doubt wings through Tara when her eyes fix on Mark. Granted, her concern is slightly unreasonable given the circumstances and their unspoken reconciliation, but she knows him by heart and he looks merely appalled.

“What’s wrong?” She asks, eyeing him suspiciously

“Nothing” He musters dismissively. Tara doesn’t know he’s fighting hard to keep the tears at bay, but she can guess, by the way he bits on his lower lip, that there’s something he wants to tell her. And she simply expects the worst.

“Then what’s with that expression?” she says, forcing a soft laugh. “You look as though you’ve murdered someone.”

Mark doesn’t respond. There is silence and then a simple head motion

“I don’t know how bad this actually is or if Jane will be able to fix it before it goes out, but…” A frustrated breath slips from Mark’s lips and he moves to grab Tara’s hand “Earlier today I kinda told a reporter we had broken up.”

“What?” Tara’s eyes narrow in confusion.

“Listen T, I am really sorry, I just…” Mark runs his free hand through his hair “I got this question about you and the rumors and I-“ he tightens his grip on her hand “I just lost it. I saw that article on the news and I don’t know what got into me. Please, forgive me, I didn’t mean to-“

Amusement swirling in her chest, Tara doesn’t even attempt to hold in a laugh.

“Mark, people have been speculating about our break up for weeks and if they couldn't tell yet after the pictures of you and Mindy walking by the hand late at night” She said the last bit with the tiniest bit of accusation in her voice “They probably did after the headlines of this morning, so unless you had told them I cheated on you or that you hated me, I think we’ll be ok”

“No, I would never” Mark says softly, once again wrapping himself around Tara “I only said that we broke up and I wished not to be asked any more questions about the topic”

“An answer straight from the idol book. Well done” Tara laughs, but still, that emotion written on Mark’s face —that she recognizes as guilt— doesn’t seem to go away. “Oh, come on, Mark, change that expression! What’s wrong now?” Tara rolls her eyes, looking at him over her shoulder.

“I…” He falters “I also made you cry”

“When did you?” Tara asks, moving away from the hug and turning so they’re finally face to face. “I haven’t cried” She frowns, although her slightly puffed eyes aren’t painting the most convincing picture.

“Tyler told me” Mark smiles with a swift rise of his cheekbones. If Tara didn’t know him better she would assume that he is amused.

“Oh, don’t flatter yourself” Tara scoffs, but Mark is still smiling at her with a sort of smug twinkle in his eyes.

“I hate I made you cry, I really do.” He says solemnly “But the fact you did…” Mark finds the auspicious moment to caress Tara’s face with his thumbs, making her huff once she notices his cheeks going all squishy and his eyes crinkling in a smile.

She would definitely be offended if she didn’t know there’s no malice to it, just Mark’s attempts to lighten up the mood.

“I swear I will never make you cry again” He says, interlacing their hands “Please, don’t ever cry again” Mark places a gentle kiss on her cheek before adding “Plebeians like me don’t deserve the tears of a princess”

Tara cringes and laughs, smacking Mark’s arm softly

“That’s so cheesy” she complains, faking a retching noise. “Please never repeat that”

“Why?” Mark catches Tara’s fist before it lands on his chest, pulling her towards him for the umpteenth time. It almost feels like he wants to make up for the lost time and Tara is not in a position to complain or criticize him because the longing is mutual so she only throws her arms around his neck, shaking her head. “Yo, it’s true though…” Mark says, his boyish manners coming out in full force when he speaks.

“That you’re cheesy?” Tara jokes.

“That I am a plebeian and you are a real princess… my princess”

“Ugh… cheesy” Tara’s face contorts into what could be disgust, but a split so second later she bursts out laughing. Mark chuckles too, but he becomes solemn as his hands slide under Tara’s —his— sweatshirt and his fingers glide up her sides until they reach for the curve of her waist.

“No, but seriously, T… I’m sorry” he repeats as Tara plays with his hair distractedly “I was rude to you and that was just off-limits. Nothing justifies the way I behaved.”

“True” Tara concedes with a nod and a small smile spreading on her face.

“You didn’t deserve any of that and I apologize for it”

“True again. You were acting stupid” She replies simply, looking away as she removes her hands from Mark’s neck, a noticeable frown on her face “But I guess I can take that apology”

A hearty laugh fills the room when Mark realizes Tara is just faking the angered expression and seconds later she ends up throwing him a poorly executed wink.

“Thank you, T” The guy’s amusement quickly vanishes, a warm feeling of elation coming over him. It is the kind of feeling that makes you believe an enormous burden has been lifted from your shoulders and you can finally be at peace.

He beams, his smile so bright that it almost makes Tara feel blinded by it. Then, a teasing glint fills his eyes “Though now that I remember, you did call me an idiot…” he dramatically places a hand over his heart “That hurt”

“Should I even be sorry? You were acting like one” Tara states matter-of-factly. She raises a brow, trying to ignore the way Mark’s hands have returned to hold her at the waist pulling her closer.

“What?” Mark opens his mouth in an exaggerated fashion, pretending to take the offense.

“It’s true, you were acting like a di-” Tara stops midway, giggling as Mark tickles her sides. “Oh, come on!” Laughter escapes from her lips abundantly. “Mark... please…” She twists, fighting desperately to escape from his attack, but Mark continues to dig his fingertips on her sides, chuckling and occasionally letting out a full laugh.

“Please what?” He asks, watching amused how Tara tries to push him off with her knees.

“Stop!” She giggles “Please, Mark, stop!” She smacks his hands away when they reach her ribs and then places both her hands against his chest to stop him from ambushing her again “I’m sorry. Ok?” she says, catching her breath. “I’m sorry.”

“Are you serious?” Mark’s doe eyes flutter open as though he can’t believe his ears and Tara only nods, still focused on regulating her breathing pace. “Oh T. Don’t be.” Mark places a hand over one of hers, squeezing it and pulling it to his lips to kiss it briefly “I actually deserved it because what you said back then was true. I was just trying to get back at you.”

“I know” Tara replies, wondering if Mark is aware of who he’s talking to. Of course she knew, even if he wasn’t fully aware back then, Tara knew. She always knows. “But that’s not what I’m sorry about. I also owe you an apology for the Mindy misunderstanding and the whole Darius scandal. Although it shouldn’t be a big deal, considering we had broken up, you still deserve to know nothing ever happened between him and I”

Mark blinks not fully sure of what to say next. He remains quiet, letting go of Tara’s hand but a grin —that he had dumbly tried to suppress— slowly makes its way onto his lips. Tara laughs because Mark, as always, is transparent as glass and the happiness that her statement causes him is not even close to been hidden.

“So you’re telling me nothing happened with the perfect Darius Black?” He questions skeptically, smug grin still plastered across his face.

“First of all wipe that grin off” Tara rolls eyes, her hand smacking Mark’s shoulder playfully “Don’t be such a smug jerk”

Mark could be offended, but he ignores that last part on behalf of attending a more urgent matter, which is finding out what Tara has been up to since their breakup. It is a question that has been torturing him for weeks, so he jumps in as soon as the opportunity presents.

Of course, Mark is not generally the jealous or possessive type, but watching the pictures of —his— Tara walking by the arm of another man —a man who had always shown more than just a casual friendly interest in her— had awoken something inside him.

“So?” Mark begins to feel the worm of jealousy squirming in his guts as he imagines Darius' hands roaming Tara’s body, his lips pressing against hers, hot and urgent, an image practically etched in his mind since the morning when he saw that goddamned picture of them looking like lovebirds on the news. “Nothing?” He has no other choice but to pretend to be ok, so he lets out a sigh, easing his chest from that emotional hell.

“Nothing” Tara says, shaking her head from side to side. “I’m offended you even ask.”

“You are a beautiful woman, Tara” Mark ignores her weak attempt to hide the smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Men hit on you all the time and that Darius is shamelessly obvious about want-“

“I know how to say no, Mark” Tara says seriously.

“Oh, so he did try to hit on you” Mark insists predictably, causing Tara to chuckle. “I knew he did. I mean, of course he would, you got all dressed up and looked so fine. He would’ve been stupid if he didn’t”

“Mark, seriously nothing happened” Tara interrupts, her voice a mixture of amusement and weariness. “He was just trying to be helpful” She speaks as though she is trying to explain a hypersensitive 4 year-old that 1 plus 1 equals 2, but Mark does nothing but to repeat her last word with a questioning eyebrow. It makes Tara aware of all the explaining left to do, but also gives her the urge of kissing away the furrow of his brows. “Listen” Tara swifts on the bed to reposition herself “I drank too much and he was just trying to keep me safe.” Tara admits, looking everywhere but at his face.

“What?” Mark’s voice suddenly goes harsh and Tara turns to find an unexpectedly tense-looking man staring at her. “Are you sure he didn’t try anything weird-?”

“No, he didn’t.” Tara places a hand on Mark’s thigh reassuringly, but can’t deny the odious thrill his protective side makes her feel. “Trust me, Mark. Enzo or Adela would’ve already killed him if he had”

“Ok” Mark’s face relaxes and he goes back to looking at Tara with the same smug grin from before and eyes alight with mischief “So?”

“So what?” Tara rolls eyes “What now?”

“So why did you reject him? Because I’m not gonna believe he didn’t ask you out” Mark speaks naturally, as though he had just formulated a question about something like the time or the weather. “As far as I know all your friends fawn over him and Jane keeps reminding me that he is one of the most eligible bachelors of... your world” He adds that last bit hesitant.

Tara makes a mental note to scold her friend later “He’s just not my type”

Mark huffs “Tall, blonde, green eyes and handsome is not your type?” He asks incredulously.

“Why are you being so annoying, Mark?” Tara moves until she’s leaning her back against the pillows and crosses her arms over her chest. “What do you want to hear? That I got drunk because I missed you and I already made out with most of Enzo’s friends at previous parties so I knew, as a matter of fact, I wasn’t going to get over you going out with someone else and acting like some immature teenager? Is that what you want to hear?” Tara snaps, but surprisingly, her voice is warped and tiny, twisted beyond recognition.

For a second Tara holds her breath expecting Mark to snap back at her. She watches his body stiffen, his face tense up, his eyes looking away from her. Then silence overcomes the room and she mentally smacks herself for every single decision she’s made that day.

“Hey” Mark pushes Tara out of her self-chastisement moment offering a hand a pulling her closer. “I’m sorry. I was just joking” he says, arms wrapping around her tightly “I didn’t realize what you went through.” Tara opens her mouth to say something, but Mark shakes his head and goes on. “That picture on the news… oh, God, T. It’s been driving me insane. I never knew how scared of losing you I was until this morning and I don’t want to feel like this ever again-“ Tara’s hand on his chin, silences Mark and when he looks at her, he’s surprised to find Tara smirking at him.

“Shut up. You have nothing to worry about” she pretends to pick inexistent pieces of fuzz from his jacket. “You know why?” Mark only shakes his head, making Tara scoff at him “Because you are the only person I’ve ever loved.” She says simply. “And I only have eyes for you”

"Hmm" Mark stares at her thoughtfully, almost as though he has been left at a loss for words, but between the smile on his face and the greedy way his hands clutch around her waist, Tara knows he has plenty of words to say. “You know what I really think?" He asks.

"No, but I bet you're going to tell me"

"I think maybe you’ve figured out no one can top me" It is impossible for Mark not to burst into laughter right after pronouncing such cringe-worthy words, his cheeks going a light hue of pink.

“Shut up” Although the muscles of her leg refuse to kick him to shut him up, Tara pushes him slightly.

“I’m kidding” He smooths down Tara’s hair, “But here’s a fact” He looks at her adoringly, clutching onto her with force “I love you, Tara Lee.”

“I love you too” Tara places a hand around his neck “Only you, Markie”

The two exchange a moment as they look into each other’s eyes, none of them daring to move, afraid to ruin the perfect harmony they’ve fallen into. Until Mark decides to break the silence, looking extra worried.

“Did we just miss the perfect timing to kiss?” He asks, dipping his head down to murmur into Tara’s ear.

“I think so” Tara is moving to press her lips against Mark’s when the door flies open.

“Absolutely not under this roof” Tyler barks, eyes throwing daggers at her sister’s boyfriend. “What does make you think I will let you kiss my sister right after you made her cry?”

Mark pulls away from Tara’s arms with such urgency that he nearly falls off the bed. She could’ve found it funny if she wasn’t so busy glaring at her brother.

“Were you listening to our conversation?” Tara forces a laugh, free of any true amusement. “Why are you acting like some creep?”

“Creep? I’m just protecting my little sister from-“ Tyler splutters, catching the way Tara is looking at him. “From some hormonal guy trying to take advantage of her”

“Just get out!” Tara reaches under her pillow for her wand and points it directly at her brother. There’s not even an ounce of hesitation in her eyes “I swear Tyler Lee…”

==============

“I’m sorry my brother is such a jerk” Tara says minutes later, apology evident on her face as she snuggles her head on Mark’s chest. They’re currently cuddling on his king-sized bed, surrounded by dozens of ridiculous pillows Mark has accumulated over the years. The Sound of Magic is playing on his state-of-the-art movie system; an unnecessary waste of money, as Jane had described it since he barely spent time in London, but one of the very few things Mark never hesitated to splurge on. After all, Tara liked watching movies and he enjoyed cuddling her on any normal day.

“You don’t have to apologize for that. He was actually kinda sweet earlier when he threatened to turn me into a toad if I didn’t go there and apologized to you” Tara gaps at that, looking at him with through slit eyes, so Mark is quick to add “which I was going to do anyway without angry brother involved. Well, Jae was already angry and involved, but you know what I mean...” He corrects himself, rambling about his older brother and patting Tara’s shoulder.

Both of them laugh at that, but then Mark sits up slightly and looks down at Tara.

“Speaking of what, Jason told me to look at the last picture in the album, but I forgot to. What’s so important about it?” Marks inquires, an eyebrow going up.

Tara’s eyes widen “You didn’t watch it yet?”

Mark shakes his head a “no”.

“You have to” She rolls eyes at him, moving to pause the movie just before Julie Andrews teaches the Von Trapp children how to “Do Re Mi”. “Now” She orders, pushing Mark off the bed.

Mark groans, but he ultimately gets up and crosses the room. Heis wearing plaid pajama bottoms, a white t-shirt, and rounded glasses. He looks so soft, Tara wonders how she ever believed, even for a second, that he could do anything that hurt her.

“I can’t believe you didn’t see the picture” Tara clicks her tongue when he picks the photo album from the bookshelf. “I thought you went to see me after recalling the good old times”

Mark says nothing, he only shifts the pages as Tara comes behind him and wraps her arms around his chest, tiptoeing to rest her chin on his shoulder. When he reaches the end of the album, he finds himself laughing shakily and blinking rapidly.

“Yo, where did you find this?” He turns to see Tara smiling brightly. “I thought your mother- wow, T. I can’t believe-“ Mark rambles barely making sense. He can’t believe Tara had recovered the first-ever photo they had taken together. Particularly because they had been convinced Tara’s mother had gotten rid of it when she attempted to erase all of Tara’s childhood memories. “I-” Mark’s fingers run over the photo, memories of that day suddenly surfacing in his mind. The picture had been taken on a day trip to the local zoo when they were barely four. Tara is sitting on a bench kicking her legs in the air, dressed in a tomboyish outfit that contrasts with the girly bag hanging from her shoulder. At her left, Mark is holding her hand, standing next to a monkey cage. Under the picture, in neat capital letters in pink ink, Tara had written: “Forever yours”.

“Forever yours” Mark recalls those words. They were part of the confession he’d made on their first trip to the beach together. It was the summer before he moved to Seoul and the first time he saw Tara in 6 months. They had carved a huge heart into the sand and decorated it with shells and pebbles, embossing their initials in the center and promising to love each other for eternity.

Tara says nothing. She waits for Mark to make a move and predictably, seconds later he places his hand on each side of Tara’s arms, rubbing small circles. “I am forever yours” In normal circumstances, Tara would be ready to clown the cheesiness of his words, but she only giggles, wraps her arms around his waist and lets Mark press his lips against her own.

It’s like coming home.

***

#tara #mark #story #tyler #otp #oc

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noona-clock · 6 years

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iKonic Fairy Tales: Snow White

A modern fairy tale series in collaboration with @cramelot - stay tuned next week for the next story featuring a new member! ✨

Genre: College/Neighbor!AU

Pairing: Donghyuk x You

By Admin B

🍎Part 1, 2, 3, 4

Once upon a time, a few years ago, right at the beginning of your freshman year of college, you had been in desperate need of a job.

Your parents had both tragically passed in an accident within the past year, and while they did leave you with somewhat of a comfortable sum of inheritance, you had to use most of it to pay off their debts as well as your school tuition.

So for the first few weeks of the semester, you searched the newspapers, you searched CraigsList, you walked around looking for ‘Now Hiring’ signs. But no luck.

Finally, a girl you sat next to in your History of Music class mentioned she was a nanny but couldn’t keep working because she needed to take extra classes and wouldn’t have time.

You immediately jumped on the chance, and she gave you the family’s contact number (though she was strangely hesitant, but you decided not to worry too much about that).

Fast forward to a couple of weeks later, and you were officially able to call yourself a nanny for five children.

Now fast forward to the present, and those five children had turned into seven.

Yes, seven children.

You liked to think of yourself as a modern-day Maria Von Trapp.

So, let’s introduce the little ones, shall we?

First, we have the oldest, and the smartest, Roy. He was, naturally, the leader of the bunch and liked to give orders to his younger siblings.

Second, we have Piper, one half of the first pair of twins. Maybe it was because she was so close to being the oldest but wasn’t and she was bitter about that, but for some reason, this girl was always in a pretty foul mood. There was a perpetual pout on her lips and a constant furrow on her brow.

Third, we have the other twin and Piper’s exact opposite, Otis. You had never seen this kid in a bad mood; he was always smiling and laughing and cracking jokes and looking on the bright side. Piper hated him, of course, so you always made sure to keep those two separate.

Fourth, we have Penelope. You... kind of weren’t sure what Penelope’s personality was like because she always seemed to be sleeping. Or wanting to go to sleep. You were forever having to hang her homework up to dry because she would drool on her paper.

Fifth, we have Eddie. He was probably your favorite (if you had to pick) because, while he wasn’t the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, he was incredibly sweet and very attached to you.

Sixth, we have one-half of the other pair of twins, Scotty. You were thankful you had already been around when he was born because, if he’d had to meet you when you started as the other kids had, you probably never would’ve gotten to know him. You’d never met somebody so shy and quiet, but you also had never met somebody so caring and kind.

Last but not least, we have Scotty’s twin, Billy. Ever since Billy was a baby, he suffered from severe allergies. The poor kid was always sneezing, and no amount of Benadryl or Claritin seemed to help. You had learned to always have a large box of tissues on hand whenever you were at their house.

It would be remiss of me not to mention the children's’ parents, of course, for they were your bosses. The father was somewhat -- kind of -- out of the picture because his line of work called for almost constant travel.

Why they decided to have seven kids when the father was basically always gone, you would never understand.

But, anyway.

The mother was around, though, and while she was very polite and one of the most elegant and graceful women you’d ever met, she...

Well, to be quite frank, she wasn’t the most nurturing of mothers.

She was fairly strict with her children, and she could sometimes get snippy with you if she felt you weren’t living up to her standards as a nanny. In fact, you and the kids called her The Queen when she wasn’t around. (Piper even called her The Evil Queen sometimes, but you always hushed her instantly.)

But she paid you quite well, and you’d come to dearly love all seven children, so you never even thought about leaving.

Suffice it to say, The Queen and her husband made more than enough money for a family of nine, and they lived in an incredibly large, incredibly nice house in one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in the city. You always felt kind of weird getting there by bus, but you couldn’t afford (or even really needed) a car. Plus, at least three of the kids would always run down the driveway to greet you as you walked up. It filled your heart right up, even if you’d had a bad day at school.

Since you and the kids hardly ever ventured out of the house (except for some playtime out in the backyard every once in a while), you had never met any of their neighbors. You’d barely even seen any, in fact; it seemed rich people were either never at home or never left the house.

This afternoon, though, as you were strolling down the street toward your place of work, you noticed a moving van in front of the house next door.

It was still a wonder to you how anyone could afford such a huge house, but that didn’t stop you from being nosy. You glanced over as you approached The Queen’s house, your eyes widening as you watched the movers carrying in the most beautiful, most expensive-looking furniture you’d ever seen.

Wow. Were these people even more loaded than The Queen?

All of a sudden, a high-pitched voice calling out your name interrupted your thoughts.

“Eddie!” you greeted, your lips pulling into a huge smile when you saw his sweet face. No matter what, Eddie was always one in the group coming out to greet you.

Eddie ran up to you, flinging his arms around your middle and squeezing you in greeting.

“We have new neighbors,” Otis pointed out as he skipped down the driveway toward you. Piper was following behind him, her arms crossed tightly over her chest and practically stomping her feet.

“I can see that,” you replied, reaching out to ruffle his hair. “Have you met them yet?”

“Well, only the son,” he told you. “But he’s a lot older. He said he’s in college, so he’s probably old like you.”

“Oh?” A rich guy about your age? Okay, you couldn’t stop yourself from being just a little bit jealous. You would give anything to be able to live with your parents and not have to worry about paying for college.

“He was super nice!” Eddie told you with a somewhat dopey grin. “His name is...”

“Donghyuk, you dodo,” Piper spat.

“Piper,” you warned, giving her a look which clearly said she shouldn’t be calling her brother that.

“Right! Donghyuk,” Eddie nodded. He was still hanging onto you, making it a bit difficult for you to walk down the driveway, but you could manage. “He said we can go over and play with his pinball machine any time. And the bowling alley!”

What?! A house which had a pinball machine and a bowling alley?! You almost couldn’t comprehend it.

“He does seem nice,” you replied as you rubbed Eddie’s back. “You’ll have to ask your mom about going over there, though.”

“Oh, great,” Piper muttered with a roll of her eyes. “We’re never going.”

“Come on, guys,” you chuckled as you all approached the walkway to the front door. “Let’s get inside and start on your homework.”

You greeted the other four children once you walked in and hung up your jacket, and they also proceeded to tell you about their new neighbors. All of them, even Scotty who barely spoke, were basically gushing about how nice and cool (and cute, according to Penelope) this Donghyuk was.

It made you very curious to meet him, to be honest.

But not even half an hour after you’d arrived, and thoughts of the new neighbor had already floated from your head.

I mean... you were watching seven kids, after all. Your focus tended to be on them and making sure nobody got injured in some way.

When the clock finally struck 7, and you saw the headlights of The Queen’s car coming down the road, you scrambled to get all the kids looking neat and put together; she did a daily inspection when she got home from work, and you’d learned quickly to make sure none of the kids had even a hair out of place.

“All right, friends,” you said with a clap. “Time to line up, your mother is pulling into the driveway. Eddie, come here, your hair is a mess.”

You licked your palm and smoothed the wild strands down, your brow furrowing. And then your heart skipped a beat when you heard the key in the front door.

You quickly pressed your index finger to your lips before clasping your hands in front of you and turning to face where The Queen would be in just a few seconds.

“I’m home,” she called out, sounding far more serious than any mother arriving home you’d ever heard.

“Good evening,” you greeted her, a smile plastered on your lips. “Homework is all done, dinner is prepared, and the children are ready for inspection.”

Honestly, you were so used to this little routine by now, you didn’t even think about the fact that it was really, really weird The Queen had her kids line up for an inspection.

Like... really weird.

“Good evening,” The Queen replied, returning your grin with a tight-lipped one of her own. Her heels clacked as she sauntered down the hall, arriving in front of Roy. She patted his cheek before moving on to Piper then Otis, Penelope, Eddie, Scotty, and finally, Billy.

“I assume there was no trouble with your teacher?”

The kids were homeschooled, taught by the most sought-after, exclusive, expensive private tutor in practically the whole country.

“No, ma’am,” all seven kids replied in unison.

“Good,” The Queen nodded. She then turned to you, nodding once to signal your release for the evening.

You quickly snuck a wave to the kids before tiptoeing down the hall, grabbing your jacket, and slipping out the front door.

You let out a soft sigh, breathing in the cool, fresh air and beginning your walk down the driveway. The bus stop was down by the entrance to the neighborhood, and on nights like tonight, you were glad for the walk. It gave you time to think and remember everything you had to be grateful for.

But just as you passed the family’s mailbox, you heard a voice.

“Hey,” it said.

You jumped a little, your heart suddenly pounding in your chest at the surprise.

“Sorry!”

You turned to see who the voice belonged to, your eyes landing on a very nice and sweet-looking guy.

He could only be Donghyuk, the new neighbor the kids had been telling you about earlier.

“Hi,” you replied with a polite smile. “It’s okay, you just startled me.”

“I’m Donghyuk,” he told you, holding his hand out toward you. You shook it and introduced yourself back.

“Actually, the kids told me about you,” you revealed with a bit of a smirk.

“Oh? Are you --”

“I’m their nanny,” you explained. You’d interrupted him before he could ask if you were their sister; you didn’t want to make him feel awkward by telling him you were, in fact, far too poor to ever live in a place like this.

“Oh, wow,” Donghyuk chuckled, looking rather impressed. “That’s a lot of kids.”

“It is,” you agreed with a little nod. “But they’re good apples.”

It seemed Donghyuk had a sudden thought because his brow furrowed, and he began looking around for something.

“Are you... how do you get home?”

“Oh, I take the bus,” you told him, gesturing over your shoulder in the general direction of the bus stop.

He immediately looked a bit wary, and you couldn’t help but think he was just too adorable.

“It’s getting dark... are you sure you feel safe out here on your own?”

“Yes, I’ve done it plenty of times,” you assured him with a slight smirk.

“I can give you a lift if you’d like.”

“I appreciate the thought, but I don’t make it a habit to accept rides from strangers.”

Donghyuk nodded, his worried expression morphing into an impressed one. “You’re smart. I totally understand.”

You nodded in agreement before letting out a little sigh and lifting your shoulders into a shrug. “I... should probably get going. My bus comes in, like, five minutes.”

“Oh! Right, sorry,” Donghyuk said with a bashful chuckle.

“It was nice to meet you, though,” you said, eyebrows raised.

“Nice to meet you, too.”

And then his shy smile turned into a full-blown one, and wow.

He was quite possibly the cutest guy you’d ever seen.

“See ya around,” he said as you slowly turned on your heel to leave.

Yeah. You sure hoped he did.

Part 2

Tagging @sun-shinee-world @leilaammartin @daelicious-jongbulge @sweg-imsorrywhatwasthat @baekinmylife @xiusmybeautifulnightmare @lost-girl-inc @brie02 @peach-sm @jong-yixing @haveanotherkpopblog @sundropsoo @constellxtion @akutagawahakuryuunosuke @lazypostfandomer @cupcakemintylash @smut-wars @mistressoflight22 @veryhotkpop @chanyeolol @shawoltzen @garlandcrowns @lostintheendlessvoidthatislife @nicht-so-schnell @jinhuwuan @dark-changbin @lafilleestmorte @tokyoseo @prettywordsyouleft @digitalizeduniqueness @this-song-thats-only-for-you @zhangjingyou @hmyzone55 for updates! Readers, let me know if you would like to be added to this list!

-Admin B

Master list // RULES // Submit a Request! // Read About the Admins

#ikon #ikon scenarios #ikon imagines #ikon au #ikon fluff #donghyuk #kim donghyuk #donghyuk scenarios #donghyuk imagines #donghyuk au #donghyuk fluff #kpop #kpop scenarios #kpop imagines #kpop au #kpop fluff #admin b #collaboration series

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notbecauseofvictories · 6 years

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Reading Recs

Because studying for the bar is terrible, all the time, I have been reading a lot of fic to make up for how terrible it is. So have some (completely random, no two fandoms alike, plus some journalism) recs!

AN EVER-FIXED MARK by AMarguerite [pride & prejudice, elizabeth/darcy, elizabeth/colonel fitzwilliam] \\\ One would think that having the name of one's soulmate appear on one's wrist on one's sixteenth birthday would make matrimony much less complicated. It mostly does not. And not at all for Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourne.

why you should read it: This is a full-fledged novel, clocking in at 190k, and delightful from start to finish. (I started reading at 11pm and didn’t stop until 6am---screwing up both my sleep and study schedules. It’s just that good.) The author calls it a deconstruction of the “soulmate mark” trope, but it’s more of an imaginative exploration, lovingly done. It deftly interweaves British history, Napoleonic politics, and a healthy dose of Austen-like humor, as well as a cast of characters from both the Austen canon and history. (Not to spoil anyone, but the appearance of the Duke of Wellington is fucking delightful.)

There are a couple places where it feels a little too postmodern (mostly dialogue in some of the later chapters) but overwhelmingly it’s a fantastic love letter to Elizabeth and Darcy, the era, Austen, and both friends-to-lovers and soulmarks.

THE LADY AND THE KNIGHT by Jack Hawksmoor [labyrinth, sarah/jareth] \\\ Sarah's made a great life for herself, but Jareth has a problem. Will Sarah help him? What will it cost her if she does?

why you should read it: I read one of this author’s other Labyrinth stories first---“Sanctuary” which is also very good---but this is the fic that came out of nowhere and roundly punched me in the teeth. The Jareth/Sarah dynamic is so fey, so distinctly fairytale, with all the strangeness and grasping connotations of that. (I’m a sucker for a love that is profoundly selfish.) It also balances perfectly with the worldbuilding, which is done so well. There’s absolutely no dull expositional explanation just....the world and the stories therein, the way Sarah interacts with it as a Hero.

It is a decade old now, and there are places where it reads very....00s-era fic, but since I was around reading fic back then it was a fun trip back into nostalgia.

HERMIONE GRANGER’S HOGWARTS CRAMMER FOR DELINQUENTS ON THE RUN by waspabi [harry potter, harry potter/draco malfoy, ensemble] \\\ ‘You're a wizard, Harry' is easier to hear from a half-giant when you're eleven, rather than from some kids on a tube platform when you're seventeen and late for work.

why you should read it: Another alternate universe novel, though this is more canon divergence than fusion. Honestly, the best part is how the author portrays the ensemble---Hermione, Ron, Malfoy, Neville, Ginny, and Luna, all interacting with each other and with a Harry they don’t know is fantastic, and the sense of warm humor is very much J.K. Rowling in her “schoolboy antics” prime. Obviously the stakes are considerably higher in this fic, since the gang has left Hogwarts and is on the run from the Death Eaters, but it still manages to be quippy, and intimate.

Also, Hermione is wonderful.

LET ME LOOK AT THE SUN by telanu [the good place, michael/eleanor shellstrop] \\\ They’re eleven months into attempt 801, and Michael thinks this might be the reboot that finally takes.

why you should read it: I freely admit to getting on the Eleanor/Michael train (trolley?) purely because Ted Danson and Kristen Bell act the crap out of their scenes together. Also because it amuses me, but that’s my reason for everything. Either way, this fic takes the dynamic of “human garbage fire, on the verge of redemption” Eleanor Shellstrop and “not human, but maybe not completely evil” Michael and dials it up to eleven, underscoring both how similar and how different they are.

It strikes completely the right balance between cruelty and kindness, and also there is discussion about monsters. My kind of thing.

THE HILLS ARE ALIVE by MirasolAbeille [discworld/sound of music, susan sto helit/georg von trapp] \\\ Captain von Trapp and his children get rather more than they bargained for with the new governess.

why you should read it: Crossovers have never been my cup of tea, but I love a somewhat-ridiculous premise taken very seriously, and that’s what’s happening here. Half the fun of the fic is Susan’s internal narration, which imports all the uncompromising pragmatism and irony of the character, and neatly skewers some of the....more twee aspects of a very twee musical. It also brings out a much more interesting depiction of Captain von Trapp---with a more formidable governess, he’s allowed to be smarter and harder, enthralled with Susan’s will and cunning rather than innocence.

This is a work in progress, but I’m definitely keeping my eye on it. Mostly because I have to know how it ends.

LIVE IN THE QUESTION by valeris [marvel, darcy lewis, some darcy lewis/bucky barnes, ensemble] \\\ In which Darcy is the Alpha child of two famous Omega Rights activists.

why you should read it: I honestly just love the worldbuilding on this. Darcy’s mother and father, her friendships, the dynamics complicated by designation, are all extremely interesting---ironically, the best way to get me interested in A/B/O fic seems to be lots of discussion of fictional gender roles and gender politics! Who knew.

ARCANA by rosa_acicularis [sherlock, f!john watson/sherlock holmes] \\\ Sometimes, her grandmother has said, in the simplest, strongest of magics that’s all that’s required – a sacrifice and an intent. Her blood, and his words: I want to forget. (In which Joanna Watson is a witch, Sherlock Holmes is himself, and every spell has its price.)

why you should read it: Hey, we were all there in 2013, okay. Sometimes, you just want to return to the warm bosom of fandoms-gone-by, and this is one of my favorite Sherlock fics for a reason. Rosa_acicularis has been doing fairytale fusions since the Doctor Who days, and they’re always effective and interesting. Joanna Watson is wonderful, and her witching is wonderful, and it’s just....good.

THE REAL BANISHMENT IS THE FAMILY WE MADE ALONG THE WAY by scioscribe [thor: ragnarok, loki & hela] \\\ Hela did not ask for company in her sealed-up world, but evidently Odin is economical in containment strategies for his misbegotten children.

why you should read it: Loki gets punted into whatever terrible pocket of space Odin kept Hela in. They kill each other, and awkwardly bond over being a murderous family disappointment. This fic nails the dynamic, and even when they’re getting along, Hela and Loki are mocking and prickly and hateful. It’s exquisite.

+PLUS

I’ve mentioned before how much I love the nosleep reddit, and I finally found the time to sit down and catch up with the last.....couple months. Has anyone heard of the Left/Right Game? has to be my favorite since the Search & Rescue story, or maybe the Florida Pill Mills. I’m just a sucker for a sense of “further up and further in” where our everyday awareness is a thin layer of normalcy laid over the profoundly weird and deeply horrific.

Finally, in journalism, Chicago Magazine’s Journey to America made me homesick like crazy. A really good depiction of the midwest, in all its wonderful small-town weirdness.

#there's no way I'm going to be able to tag all these fandoms so I won't #fic recs #I'm terrible at comments so @ all these authors pretend I left comments instead of raving about you randomly on the internet #from the bookshelf

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