#pardon my photography surface | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sailorportia · 5 years

Text

Luna Nova Cafe

Fandom: Little Witch Academia

Pairing: Diana Cavendish x Akko Kagari

Femslash February 2019 [Index post] Day Four: Cafe

approx. 1,000 words, rated T

also available on Ao3

In which your average run-of-the-mill coffee shop AU stuff happens. No big deal.

"Your favourite customer is here," Hannah said, grinning.

Diana perked up. She smoothed out the apron she wore over her uniform and checked out her reflection in surface of the cappuccino machine.

"Making sure you look cute for Akko?" Barbara said, matching her best friend's expression.

"If she's coming all this way to see me, I'd be embarrassed for her to see when I'm not at my best." Nobody believed Diana's excuse; her smile gave her away.

The Luna Nova Café had a slew of regular customers. Some of them came for the coffee. Some of them came for the atmosphere. One regular customer in particular came time and time again to see Diana. Atsuko "Call me Akko!" Kagari tried to be subtle about why she got her coffee at Diana's workplace, but it didn't take Sherlock Holmes to figure out why she only came in during Diana's shifts. And it wasn't lost on Diana's co-workers that she looked forward to Akko's visits.

"You know, you can just ask her out on a date," Hannah said. "She's busting her broke-ass student wallet just to see you."

"Akko's a student?" Diana was surprised that her friends knew something about Akko that she didn't.

"You'd know that if you didn't get distracted by that winning smile of hers," Barbara said. "Speaking of Akko, she sure is taking her time getting to the counter."

"She's talking to her friends," Hannah said, her tone shifting not-so-subtly. "The St. Woodward crowd."

Diana peered across the café. Sure enough, Akko was chatting with a group of university students who were regular customers: Lotte, Sucy, Jasminka, Constanze. And Amanda.

"Did you remember to put extra love in Amanda's latte?" Barbara elbowed her best friend.

"If only Amanda came in as often as Akko does," Diana said slyly. "You would've won her over by now." Diana wasn't the sort of person to concern herself with the love lives of others, but at the moment she was eager to shift attention onto Hannah's long-standing crush.

"Uh-oh," Hannah said. "You shouldn't have teased me." She pulled out her phone and read out the text she was composing: "Hey Amanda, tell Akko to get her cute, little butt over to the counter and order already."

"Wh-what did you do!?"

Hannah gave Diana a look. "I practically narrated what I did."

"Cute that you have Amanda's number," Barbara said, never one to let anything slide.

Hannah ignored her. "You better get to the cash register and take her order," she told Diana. "Or take her to bed," she added.

Diana hurried over to meet Akko at the counter before her so-called friends could embarrass her any further.

Akko was waiting when she got there. "Diana!" Her joy at seeing her crush was inescapably apparent. "I'll have the usual."

"A caramel macchiato cappuccino and a chocolate chip muffin, correct?" Diana had memorized Akko's order in the first week of her visits.

"Yup!" Akko gave her a dazzling smile.

Before Diana could so much as take a step, Barbara was at her side. "I'll take care of her order," she said. "That way you two can talk."

"Wow! Thanks, Barbara!" Akko blew Diana's traitorous friend a kiss. Barbara made a show of catching it and returning one of her own.

Akko returned her gaze to Diana. The barista feigned indifference in front of her coworkers, but with Akko right in front of her it was impossible to deny that the girl was charming and, dare she say, attractive. Her dead-tired college student aesthetic was somehow endearing. Diana felt an overpowering urge to take care of Akko, tidy her up, get her out of those dishevelled clothes and...

Alright, Diana conceded. Perhaps I am interested in Akko. She cleared her throat, unsure of how to proceed. "So..." she said. "I hear you're a student."

Akko's eyes widened in surprise; Diana wanted to know something about her? "Yeah, I study pretty girls!" Akko winked at her.

"I beg your pardon?" Diana blushed. She could swear that she heard the shutter sounds from Hannah's and Barbara's phones.

Akko giggled. "I'm studying photography at Woodward U. Photographing people, mainly. And pretty girls are the most fun to take pictures of. Maybe you could model for me sometime."

"I'm afraid I'm too busy these days for such distractions," Diana replied. Wait, she thought, was she asking me out on a date? I should've said yes.

Akko changed tracks instantly. "Busy with what? What else does my favourite barista do with her time?" Her obvious intent was figuring out how to squeeze her way into her crush's schedule.

"I'm studying English at St. Beatrix University."

"St. Beatrix?" Akko looked aghast. "You go to that stinky school? Maybe I don't want to date you after all. Wait, uh, pretend you didn't hear that."

Despite the insult to the university founded by her ancestor, Diana found Akko's accidental admission and subsequent blushing to be positively alluring. She stifled a chuckle as she watched her admirer fumble the cash she used to pay for her order. Diana couldn't resist brushing Akko's fingers with hers as she handed over her change. There was no missing the shiver that ran through Akko's hand and down her arm.

"Just a moment," Diana said. "I forgot to write something on your cup."

"But Diana!" Akko said as Diana stepped away. "You don't need to put my name on the cup!"

Diana intercepted Akko's order from Barbara and grabbed the marker they used to write down a customer's name on their cup. With only the slightest hint of hesitation, she wrote her phone number on the cup.

"Here you go." Diana handed over Akko's order. "Have a nice day."

"What did you write? What did you write?" Akko's face lit up when she saw the number written on the side of the cup in Diana's delicate handwriting. "Dang right I'm going to have a nice day! I'll text you later!"

Diana smiled. "You better."

#femslashfeb2019 #little witch academia #lwa #diakko #diana cavendish #akko kagari #hannah england #barbara parker #hints of hamanda #my fanfiction #femslash #yuri

42 notes · View notes

alexteltevskiy · 5 years

Text

Why I take photos

Hey everyone, how’s it going?

I’m back. Been taking a break from social media this past year. Recently moved to SoCal from Chicago and was busy settling in. Also, I took this time to step back and look at where I’ve been and where I want to go with my photography, as well as how I present it online.

I’ve got a lot of fun new content planned and will slowly start rolling it out. Meanwhile, to make up for my lack of updates, this post is chock-full of awesome photos and interesting thoughts on photography. Climb aboard and enjoy the ride!

Throughout this past year I continued taking photos, but I left social media entirely, feeling that it was becoming a bit too much. Too much of a time investment and mental drain, researching & following, using all those silly hash tags… Too much attention being eaten up by a constant bombardment with a never-ending flow of imagery. Too much bots, too much spam & too much noise. Too much “for the likes”. Too much stuff I couldn’t care to care about anymore. Instant gratification and desensitization were the new norm. Even the quality stuff didn’t matter anymore. I knew it was time to jump ship.

But I did miss the things that were actually good about it. There weren’t that many, but still… I knew that it was only a matter of time before I plugged back in again. And… here I am. Meanwhile, my sabbatical allowed me the luxury to think about my photography from the ground up, and think I did. In this post I’d like to share with you some of the fruits of all that thinking: I’d like to share with you the 10 reasons why I take photos.

1. Exploration & adventure

Photography allows me to explore new, unfamiliar places, as well as see the old and familiar places in new light, over and over again. Back in the olden days I used to call it a “Passport to adventure” (pardon the cheese). And I still feel that way.

Nothing else gets me out the door as quickly as a camera and a fresh new roll of film, and not much enriches a life more than travel.

2. Meeting people

Meeting new people is always fun. It’s a life-enriching experience and helps one feel connected to the greater world. It’s not always easy to connect with strangers on the street, but a camera usually helps break the ice in more ways than one.

Since many of my interests lie in old mechanical objects, having a vintage camera with me actually sparks a lot of conversations to happen entirely by themselves. And at the end of the day, 9 out of 10 people actually feel honored to be able to tell their story and have their picture taken.

3. Family and friends

I don’t need 691 snapshots of what we ate for breakfast every year. I need just a few quality photos that are engineered to stand the test of time and will always bring back the fondest of memories spent with my family and friends.

Quality photography, where I put in the time and effort to make each shot count (ahem, film, not pointing fingers, ahem). It’s rewarding and it makes my relationships feel that much more special (sorry for the sentimental cheese).

4. Recording milestones

Speaking of family and friends, the moments that we cherish most are the ones that deserve their own dedicated photo shoot. Being a photographer transcends into being a historian and keeper of family history and even tradition.

“Production values” are high, trips are planned, adventures are had and lasting memories are made. Photos serve as testament to us and the big advancements in our lives - a big move, getting married, having children…

5. Fueling curiosity

To be curious is to be human. It’s what defines us as a race that’s able to advance and grow. There would be no fire, no wheel, no semiconductor and no landing on the moon and (gasp) no Instagram.

Taking photos for me is a continuation of that fine tradition of discovery. I see, I like, I take a photo. I obsess over the photo and object that lies herein. I learn more about it, wiki-ing about the design decisions on that olive green ’67 Cutlass or the impact of that historic Main St. movie theater on the town or how surfboards are shaped. Or why the moon is sometimes red. Or why Dingbats have such a funny name.

Photography helps me learn more about my world. Always a nice thing.

6. Imagination exercise

Every once in a while I’d take a photo and it would entertain my mind in many not-so-obvious ways. Could happen with a picture perfect landscape or a failed Holga long exposure. It would mysteriously linger in memory for a while, prompting repeat viewing. Often times the effect would be immediately after seeing the photo, other times it would surface years after the fact.

I would be drawn to the photo, get lost in it, imagine myself in it. All sorts of metaphorical thought would crawl into the picture, all sorts of things would form in the shadows and bubble up. Sometimes nostalgia would paint the skies a dull yellow and I’d feel warmth in my toes that I haven’t felt since 17. Sometimes at night, the skyline of Port of LA turns into Port Town from F-Zero and at midday, the sand dunes on the beach turn into a romanticized version of early 20th-century Arabia.

Humans are visual creatures, and photos have the power to play all sorts of tricks on the interplay between imagination, memory and all the 5 senses. Photos help me tie my mindscape together.

7. Giving back

It’s only natural to want to share with the world something that you truly, honestly love!

Photography is a craft that has lots to do with understanding fundamentals, repetition and learning from your mistakes. It also has lots to do with many other things that are not so immediately obvious due to the exceedingly esoteric nature of what makes or breaks a good photo. Not to mention that there’s a very complicated technical side to photography as well, film or digital...

The answers to all of these come with time and experience, and as always, with a little help from our friends. As such, it’s always a humbling and enjoyable experience when I can offer my friends a little help of my own, based on my personal experience and observations.

8. Experimentation and happenstance

Photography has always been about experimenting - seeing what works and what doesn’t. Every time I try something new I am faced with fresh and, dare I say, invigorating challenges.

Sometimes I learn something cool that I’d like to continue doing (redscale or Pen-o-ramas). Other times I find a format that completely changes the kinds of shots I’d do for long stretches of time (half frame or a 6x9). Or I would find a camera so unpredictable that I wouldn’t know how the shot will turn out at all (pinholes, Holgas, solarcams, old soviet cameras, etc).

In the world of film photography, there is absolutely no shortage of film, formats, cameras and techniques to try out. We have, after all, more than a hundred years of photographic legacy to fall back on and tinker with. It keeps things interesting and the perspective - fresh.

9. Getting lost in the moment

This is a big one, especially with film photography. A craft so diverse and expansive that condenses down to a singular moment when the shutter goes off. There’s so much to love, so many details to enjoy.

Starting with the obvious - not having to chimp or preview the photos and being limited by a scarce, diminishing resource (film) allows more time to bask in the surroundings and bond with the moment rather than just keep popping off the camera like a machine gun. Waiting for the moment (or setting up the shot), anticipating the scene, watching it all come together. It’s meditation.

The gear, so varied and spanning such a breadth of generations, each with its own intricacies, procedures and character. The mechanical, tangible nature of control manipulations. It’s all very tactile and ASMR-ish. Come on, all you Leica fans out there - tell me you don’t go through an elation every time that cloth goes sssssshwick, haha )

10. Feeling the passing of time

Photos are like a quality wine - they get better with age (I actually don’t know if that’s true, but that’s how the saying goes). A lot of photos we admire today were received completely different when they were first presented to the world. We look back at the photos from the 60’s, 70’s and go through a portal to that time. How people lived their lives, where they lived, what they drove, how they had fun. It’s all put through the context of history. Same goes for movies, music - any cultural item.

It’s important to understand that your photos, if you choose to keep them around for that long, will be viewed many decades down the line and will offer a glimpse into those times. Viewers from the future will look at the cars and marvel at how people got around in these dead-dinosaur-powered vehicles, or how everyone on the street was stuck staring down at tiny glass screens, or even the fact that the very photo they’re looking at is static, isn’t an immersive 3D experience and has limited resolution.

Things get especially interesting when the photographer himself is the subject of the photos...

11. Cars

Wait, didn’t I say it was 10 reasons? Well, there’s always room for cars! Awesome, timeless automotive examples, each with its own personality and style. As they say, there’s always room for cars...

Conclusion

Sorry if that was too wordy! A lot of reasons, huh? And everybody will have their own… That’s the beauty of this thing called photography - everyone makes it their own. Hopefully this post presented you with some interesting food for thought, or maybe inspiration for your next photo project. Thanks for reading, everyone.

Stay awesome!

#film photography #analog photography #filmisnotdead #ishootfilm #film #fujifilm #kodak #35mm #120 #4x5 #believeinfilm

3 notes · View notes

crewhonk · 6 years

Text

Glovebox

Warnings: Swearing, Fluff, bad poetry (w the first poem, not the second)

Pairings: Billy X Reader

Words: 4,000

AN: There’s a little bit of reference to the brain storming convo the Gorilla Gang had on Friday, and theres a specific reference to the thing that makes Annie (@dacre-thotgomery) want to die, so theres that! Enjoy! xx (shoutout to Rupi Kaur for Y/N’s poem)

Tag List: @veronica-lodge-photography

Billy Hargrove had moved into Hawkins in the beginning of October. He rolled in with cold fall air, and the smell of Camel cigarettes, and with the motivation to dominate everyone in Hawkins high school. He started with Steve Harrington, belittling him in the hallways and on the basketball court, later beating him near death in later November and facing three months of community service in the soup kitchen. He also dominated most of the girl in Hawkins, minus a few and the few consisted of one girl in junior year who looked a little too much like his little sister, Max, Nancy Wheeler- as she was dating Jonathan Byers, the rest of the girls in happy relationships and then there was you. You, who was the Pom team captain, decathlon leader, and tutor of physics. You had healthy hair, you had a gorgeous smile, you had a sparkle in your eye and you volunteered on Saturdays at the soup kitchen. You weren’t exactly a stranger to him, you volunteered on the same days and he gave you rides to and from the kitchen. So why did Billy seem to almost avoid asking you to do anything? Literally, if he even wanted to hold hands you’d be down.

You pushed your tray away from you and smashed your face into the lunch table. The cool surface of the lunch table froze your face and you kicked your best friend, Jo when she laughed loudly at you. You straightened up after a few minutes and wiped away the forehead-shaped foundation mark from the table with your sweater sleeve.

“I mean, why doesn’t he even look at me outside of the Kitchen. I don’t understand? I’m hot, I’m talented, I’m fun, I’m down to make out and let him grab my butt I don’t understand.” You whined quietly. You didn’t want anyone outside of this table section to hear about your low-key obsession with the King.

“Honestly, I don’t know why he hasn’t even spoken to you because he’s literally undressing you with his eyes right now.” She laughed, sucking on the straw to her orange juice box. You turned around on the bench and caught Billy’s eye before his head whipped his gaze away from you.

“Oh, whatever, Joanne. You slept with him what? Two weeks ago? He’s obviously hung up on you.” You wrinkled your nose at her and held your apple in your hand like a Shakespeare skull. “Where for art thou is Joanne’s self-respect?”

“In my vagina-crevice.” She smiled back, taking your apple from your hand and biting a chunk out of it and slamming it back on your tray, making sure to bruise it.

“I hate you.” You sighed, shoving a handful of Goldfish in your mouth. Joanne laughed at you and swung her legs over the bench, slinging her backpack over her shoulder and pointing behind you.

“Incoming, dude.”

You were forced to turn around and came face to face with Billy Hargrove’s belt buckle. “Eye’s up here, Y/L/N.”

You felt blood rush to your neck, ears, and chest quickly and the room became very hot very quickly. You looked at him through your lashes, and he parted his lips at the angle he had of you.

“What do you want, Hargrove?”

“I want you to make coffee for us tomorrow.” You looked up at him, craning your neck to look fully up at him. His hand came up to hold your chin in-between his thumb and the crook of his pointer finger. You grabbed his wrist and shoved it away from you. “You can pick me up early and we can get coffee on the way— I’ll buy.”

“Well, I can’t let you do that the girl is never supposed to pay for the man.”

“First of all, that’s sexist. Second of all, you need to save for rent if you ever want to get out of that god-forbidden house. Third of all, I want to pay.” You said, standing up and pushing him away from you. He only smiled down at you and he picked your books up from the ground, leading you to your next class and walking in, placing the books down on your desk and ruffling your hair.

“See you tomorrow, then?” He asked, walking backward and biting his bottom lip while he smiled at you.

“I expect you to be half an hour early.” You confirmed. You sat down and twirled your pencil between your fingers and smiling to yourself. Carol, however, hadn’t looked away from you since the moment you two walked into the room. She popped a large bubble and chewed on the gum loudly.

“Finally, he got the balls to ask you out?” She asked, leaning over and kicking your calf muscle. You looked at her, brows furrowed and blinked slowly.

“Pardon?”

“He finally asked you out? He’s been planning to ask you forever, he just loses his mind whenever he sees you. He’s so freaked out because he doesn’t want to just fuck you.” She said, twirling the string of gum around her finger. You felt as if your heart and stomach dropped to your feet, leaving cold caverns in their place.

“He— um, he didn’t? We have uh, we have to volunteer tomorrow at the soup kitchen downtown. We didn’t start anything.” You blanched, feeling as if your eyes were going to fall out of your head. Carol’s eyes widened in fear and regret before she turned her body fully towards the front of the class. “Carol, what the fuck are you talking about?” She didn’t reply, only gripping her pencil harder in her hand and clenching her jaw tight.

When Billy showed up at your house the next morning half an hour early, you would have liked to be more prepared. You were trying your hair into a ponytail at the nape of your neck and no matter how hard you looked you couldn’t find your left shoe. Billy honked the horn once more and with a loud groan you gave up and shoved your foot in a similar shoe, hoping to any higher power that was out there that Billy wouldn’t notice.

When you got into his car, you had to look over at him and remind him that he needed to drive the car to get anywhere. When you looked at him, however, you were struck speechless by the look on his face. His mouth looked like there had been a smile carved into it so wide it showed all of his teeth. His blue eyes were shining with laughter that had yet to burst from his chest and there were wrinkles sprouting from the outer corners of his eyes like roots from a tree. As you caught your breath, he reached over and wiped a bit of toothpaste from the corner of your mouth.

“Who knew that someone who was so well put together and who was as cute as you could also be such a hot mess.” He laughed, pulling out into the street, not looking over to gauge your reaction at his compliment. Your jaw hit your toes, and you directed your attention out of your window to hide the giddy blush that was spreading over your entire body.

The drive to Starbucks was a quiet one, but the silence that you two sat in was anything but uncomfortable. The soft sounds of whatever pop radio station Billy was playing crooned words you didn’t bother paying attention to and the windows had been rolled down, letting the fresh late-spring air flood through the car. It smelled like water, and dew, and blooming flowers and smelled more and more like fresh coffee the closer you got to the cafe. The sun was shining down on the blue paint, and it glittered in response, shining in your eyes and warming your skin.

Billy pulled the car over and asked you what you wanted, grabbing his wallet from the glove box and dashing into the store— the desperation for caffeine making him rush. You waited for five minutes before he came back empty-handed.

“They’re just grinding the beans, and warming up the pastries for us— they said it would be about ten minutes before we get everything. Apparently, they’re technically not open yet-- but only a select few can resist the charm of Billy Hargrove.” He laughed, leaning on the driver side window. “You good out here while I make sure they get our orders right?”

“Yeah, I’m good in here. Be nice to the barista’s, William.”

“Okay I told you my full name in confidence and you’re using it against me, Doll?”

“I’m not stupid enough to believe that your mother signed off on a birth certificate where your name was Billy.”

“Billy is a perfectly fine name, you know!” He retorted, his tongue slipping past his teeth and running across his bottom lip. He tapped his hand on the car twice before straightening up and sauntering into the cafe, making sure to swing his hips just enough for your eyes to drift down to them. God, you were whipped and he didn’t even know it. Sure, you had found out yesterday from Carol that he apparently felt the same way, but she was known for stirring the pot when things got too quiet. She saw the way you reacted to Billy being in the room, and she especially saw the way your eyes sparkled when he talked to you. You were a smitten kitten and Carol was just shitting around, right?

You pondered the way your life was in Carol’s hands for another five minutes before you got restless and began seeing what you could entertain yourself with for the duration of your stay in this car. You picked the dirt from under your nails, but that only took fifteen seconds tops. You checked to see if your mismatched shoes (god help you) were tied, and you re-tied them. Then, your eyes drifted to the glove box. Billy made sure to always keep his favorite and most dear things to him in there if the need to flee ever came up. You knew opening it was a breach of trust and privacy and he had told you that if anything went missing from the box, he would probably die. (“jesus, who raised you to be so dramatic?” “mom watched a lot of soaps— it’s basically bred into me.” “please don’t say it like that.”)

Your fingers brushed along the handle of it, one final chance to turn back on your decision. You pulled on the handle, and the hatch swung down so quickly you thought that would have all spilled onto the floor. (you’d have to run away then, probably move to Canada or some other far away place so he wouldn’t kill you). The contents, however, stayed tucked into the nook and you reached forward to root through the contents. There were a few developed pictures, one of Max and The Party sleeping in the basement of the Wheelers house. There was one of a younger and much chubbier Billy smiling next to a woman, his mother you assumed (they were spitting images of one another) on a pier in California. There was another one of the same woman— now bald with skin almost clinging to the bones underneath— sitting in a hospital wheelchair as Billy (now filled out, but still soft around the edges) rode on the back of the chair, smiles wide over both of their faces as the breeze from the speed of the chair racing down the hall blew his hair back. There was another picture, of him and the basketball team after they won championships this year— Billy had a thick arm wrapped around Steve’s shoulders and Steve was laughing as the flash went off.

Underneath the stack of pictures, there were three large packets of Marlboro cigs laying still in their plastic, you laughed as you moved them aside, revealing a pack of hair ties, a pair of scissors and finally, a thick leather journal.

It looked like it had seen some hard days. The spine of the book was missing, having detached from the cloth underneath. The revealed spine had a handful of staples and duct tape holding it together— as if someone had offhandedly tried to fix it, not caring too much about how it looked. There was a cut on the back, slicing the leather in half and revealing the back page. You opened the book and flipped through the pages that had flowers, and leaves and grass taped to the pages. There were tiny words scrolled between the flower-frames Billy had made, complete with a title, and the date at the very top of the page. You flipped the pages slowly, not wanting to break any flower stems or lose any pictures he had taped on the back of the poems he had written. You flipped until you reached the last page he wrote on, because holy shit, there was a picture of you. It had been a cutout from the local newspaper, and it was from the Christmas Eve meal you had volunteered for, and Billy was beside you, smiling down at you as if he was the sun itself. The article was talking about the philanthropic demographic that was raising its head in Hawkins, and you had known that there would be a piece done about the Kitchen, but you had never expected to be the main article picture and you certainly didn’t expect your picture to be in Billy’s journal. On the adjacent page, there were some yellow wildflowers you had picked one day and given to Billy as he filled the car up with gas. You had tucked them into the mirror above his head and he had only commented about how they took away from his masculinity. You had told him to suck it up and enjoy them, as one's masculinity was fragile if he was put off by the sight of wildflowers.

Your fingers barely traced over the indentations his pen made, feeling the pressure of his hands, and feeling the way the pen tore through the page as if he was writing it down in a hurry. There was a poem there.

“I can see you running around your house, Your hair resembles something like a nest and you have a blush on your cheeks that makes your skin glow. And I wait. You tie your hair into a rubber band that I know you’ll complain that it's going to pull every strand of hair from your head as I drive you home. I will wait. You turn around now, one foot in your front door and you wave your hand back at me, the shadows from the front porch light casting shadows over your face that I want to memorize. I will always wait. I wait until I see your silhouette against your white curtains. I wait until the light goes out in your room. I wait until I can catch my breath, and I wait until my heart stops racing. And I’m still waiting.”

You felt as if the air had been knocked from your lungs. Your fingers had since grown cold, and you struggled to breathe for a hot second. It was as if the world around you had melted away, and the only thing in the world that existed were the flowers on the page and the words that he wrote. You noticed a movement from the corner of your eye, and your head whipped up to see Billy with a handful of coffee and muffins and bagels and yogurt.

You slammed the glovebox closed, and shoved the journal into the bag in your lap without thinking. He opened the driver's side door and you gave him a nervous smile. He was waiting. He was always waiting, and so were you and now that you had read the poem he had written about you, and you had forgotten how to even interact with another human being.

“Blonde caramel latte, and a cheese danish for the Princess. Oh, and I got a yogurt for you— it’s strawberry, but I wasn’t sure if you like strawberry yogurt, so if you don’t I will trade my vanilla.” He said, handing your the paper bags and putting the coffees in their cup holders. He didn’t even bother to hand yours to you as he had been reminded multiple times that you were afraid of burning your tongue— you only drank lukewarm coffee. It was a detail you hadn’t realized he had remembered or even noticed.

When you didn’t respond, he nudged your knee with his fist. “You okay?”

“I’m perfect.”

You had kept the journal. You knew it was bad, and you knew that Billy was probably losing his god damned mind about not having it in his glovebox. You knew he wouldn’t talk to you about it, and you knew he wouldn’t come over until the following Saturday morning because you still weren’t friends. You were volunteer buddies, and holy shit you’ve stolen Billy Hargrove’s poetry journal and there was a poem written about you in it and you were pretty sure it was literally burning a hole through your side table.

It was Sunday night when you took it out the first time. It looked innocent enough, its stapled spine pressing into your palm and the weight of it not enough to make your hand sink. The crinkle of the stale pages echoed around your room, and you almost wanted to shove it back into your drawer like it was something dirty you needed to hide. You placed it at the bottom of your bed, and you sat for some time curled up at the head of it, staring at it like it was a severed hand.

It was one in the morning when you finally reached for it, flipping through the pages to a new one— the page after the poem where he said he would wait. You taped a few scraps of lace you had found in your mother's sewing kit, and secured it with some hot glue you had found in your old craft drawer. The white lace bordered the middle of the page and you picked up your favorite (it was lucky) purple pen and began writing. You didn’t know what you were writing until it was finished, and when you tried to re-read it, the words didn’t sink in until you forced yourself to read them out loud.

“The universe took its time on you Crafted you precisely, so you could offer the world Something distinct from everyone else. So when you doubt how you were created You doubt an energy greater than us both [Do not doubt that energy It’s one smart mother fucker].”

You left school the next day early. You ignored the look your teacher gave you as you stood up in the middle of class, and you ignored the way Billy watched you leave. You ignored the way his expression shifted from boredom to interest, then from interest to worry when you didn’t look back. You pushed your shoulders back and walked out of the class and down the hall. You walked out of the school and into the parking lot and stopped in front of the iconic Blue Camaro.

You thanked whatever God was out there when you tried to open the front door and it opened without the alarm blaring. You placed the journal on the seat and you let out a frightened squeal when a polished hand smacked the top of the roof.

Carol.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Returning something that doesn’t belong to me.”

“Mmhmm.”

“To you happen to have any nice perfume?” She responded to you by digging through her bag and handing you an old bottle of something. You opened the book to your lace page and spritzed the perfume across the page.

“Okay, so do you like him back or somethin’?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Alright then.”

You left school after that, choosing to walk home and enjoy the chill in the wind that reminded you it was not quite spring, but the promise of something warm around the corner was on its way. You didn’t live too far from the high school, so you knew your walk would be short. You took your time today, however. You pondered if this was about to change the last three months of your high school life— or even how it wasn’t. You kicked a rock on your way home, even stopping to kick it between your feet as if it were a soccer ball. You were stopped when you heard a familiar rumble ignite in the distance, followed shortly by a silence, and then a sound that resembled the of a Nascar tearing down a dirt pathway. Billy.

You picked up the pace, suddenly afraid of the consequences you had brought upon yourself and just as you turned the corner to your tiny cookie-cutter cul-de-sac Billy’s car pulled over in front of you, almost knocking you out by the knees. You didn’t know what Billy’s intentions were when he stormed around the car, a pin on his jacket catching the rays of the sun and glinting in your face. He didn’t slow down when he got closer, and he forced you to take a few quick steps back for fear of him bowling you over.

You were pleasantly surprised when his hands wrapped around the back of your neck and pulled you to him. He pressed his lips hungrily to yours and they danced messily with yours. He grasped at your face, head, and neck desperately trying to get you closer to him as if he wanted to drink you in. When his arm wrapped around your waist to pull your torso closer to his, you let out a surprised gasp which allowed his tongue to snake into your mouth and lick the back of your teeth, only wanting to finally get the chance to taste you. And boy, did you not disappoint. To Billy, you tasted of mint gum, and coffee and warmth— and he knew that you needed air but there was no way he ever wanted to pull away from you.

You pressed your hand against his shoulder, pushing him away just enough so you could breathe. You gasped for air when his lips popped away from your swollen ones, and you looked up to his face. His cheeks were redder than usual, his lips were swollen from the hard kiss he had given you seconds before and were glistening in the golden sun from spit. His pupils were large, making the blue of his eyes stand out more in a thinner circle. His ears were red as well, from nervousness, or attraction, or adrenaline and his hair was mussed from your hands. His shaking breathe hit your face, and he leaned in once more to press his lips gently to yours, pressing you onto the car behind you and cradling your face softly his rough hands. Your lips danced together, barely touching but enough to take both of your breaths away. You let your hands drift— from his waist to his chest, over his shoulders where you cupped his neck briefly. They then drifted to his sticky-outy ears where they traced the shell of them briefly before your arms wrapped around his shoulders in one of the softest hugs had ever felt.

Before you, his glovebox was where he kept his most important items. Where he kept his addiction, where he kept his thoughts and his heart.

You were his new glovebox.

874 notes · View notes

aion-rsa · 3 years

Text

15 Best Pokémon Featured in New Pokémon Snap

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

There are over 200 Pokémon in New Pokémon Snap, and finding all of them is going to require you to explore every possibility in the long-awaited follow-up to one of the best Pokémon spin-offs ever: 1999’s Pokémon Snap.

Of course, while you may want to take pictures of some Pokémon in New Pokémon Snap because you’re trying to catch (photos of) them all, there are undoubtedly some Pokémon you’ll find yourself endlessly snapping pictures of for the simple fact that you just can’t help but fall for their looks, charms, and undeniably photogenic nature.

But which Pokémon in the upcoming sequel is the most photogenic of them all? That’s the question we’ll try to answer as we take a look at the best Pokémon in the game on the basis of which are the most camera-ready.

15. Murkrow

You know that feeling when you buy a new hat and someone compliments you on it? With his unique head shape, Murkrow basically lives in that feeling. Bonus points also have to be awarded in this instance for the fact that Murkrow’s witch hat-style dome doubles as a built-in Halloween costume that never goes out of style.

14. Meganium

Yes, Meanium’s spot on this list is really all about the petal. Not since Mr. T introduced suburbia to the stylistic benefits of wearing multiple gold chains has a neck accessory made us look at the mirror and think “my neck could be so much more than the thing that connects my head to my torso.” Then again, who among us could wear it so well?

13. Liepard

In the Pokémon remake of To Catch a Thief (which, in a just world, would be the crime epic starring the foils to that narc, Detective Pikachu) Liepard would play the Grace Kelly role. Maybe it’s the patches around the eyes or the fact the character could escape a sticky situation quite fast, but there’s something about Liepard’s design that screams “stylish thief” in the best way possible.

12. Toucannon

Oh sure, Toucannon is really just a Toucan, but don’t sit there and act like that’s somehow not impressive. This bird’s might multi-color horn is a nature photographer’s dream, but it’s that sneer that always seems to grace this Pokémon’s face that lets us all know that he’s aware we want to take pictures of him and, in true supermodel fashion, isn’t about to smile for our benefit.

11. Bidoof

I’m sorry that Bidoof’s giant buckteeth don’t conform to your traditional standards of beauty. I apologize that this dentist’s nightmare has to constantly gnaw on hard surfaces to keep his monstrous teeth from growing. Pardon me for recognizing that this king of beavers is the kind of Pokémon that can fill the space on your digital camera as you desperately snap pictures of everything it is.

10. Florges

I’m a little bothered to think that Florges is the kind of Pokémon whose looks help ensure that they could murder someone and get away with it, but I’m not going to sit here and pretend that this won’t be one of the most photogenic Pokémon in New Pokémon Snap. Just be aware that this Pokémon protects beautiful gardens, so if you get too close to one, there’s a not-small chance they will murder you and get away with it.

9. Hoothoot

It’s a small crime that Hoothoot’s eyes get smaller as the Pokémon evolves. I suspect its eyes are a defensive mechanic designed to protect it from predators while it’s young, but those eyes do nothing to protect it from the gaze of wandering photographers. While the fact that Hoothoot cries and tilts its head in rhythm at the same time every day doesn’t technically impact its rating on this list, I can guarantee you it doesn’t hurt.

8. Lapras

One of the original Pokémon remains among the series’ most photogenic creations all these years later. Lapras size and imposing stature made it feel like a legendary Pokémon before we even knew there were legendary Pokémon. Watching one emerge from the water was a Kodak moment in the original Pokémon Snap, and it seems like the perfect picture of this creature will be just as momentous in the new game.

7. Stoutland

Coming to you from out of left field is a little love for Stoutland. While not necessarily one of the Pokémon that you think about when you start thinking of the Pokémon you can’t wait to take pictures of in New Pokemon Snap, this creature’s giant mustache, canine-like features, and wise nature make it a stealth star of some truly great photos. I’m a little worried that the fact its social status is partially determined by the length of its mustache secretly means it’s secretly a 2012 hipster, but Stoutland is hard to hate.

6. Comfey

Comfey’s colors will surely draw any photographer’s eye, but the thing that really impresses me about this Pokémon is the idea that it could have starred in a direct-to-video ‘80s Japanese ghost movie that you rented from Blockbuster based on the absurdity of its cover. I don’t truly trust this flower spirit, but I do respect it and suspect I’ll end up taking quite a few pictures of it even if it is out of some kind of Fatal Frame-like defensive instinct.

5. Primarina

Maybe Primarina is clearly designed to grab your attention, but when you’re talking about photogenic Pokémon, it’s hard to ignore the creature that looks like it’s constantly ready to walk the red carpet. Bonus points in this instance are awarded to Primarina’s operatic attacks which are not only appropriately theatrical for a game about photography but remind us that the sweetest revenge of all is taking someone to the opera.

4. Sobble

Yeah, Sobble is cute, but most Pokémon are. The real draw of this creature in New Pokémon Snap is its camouflage abilities which should ensure that taking a truly great picture of Sobble will require a little more work. Yes, they also mean that Sobble is pretty much the Predator of the Pokémon universe, but since it’s never done any harm to Carl Weathers so far as I’m aware, I hold no grudges against it.

3. Torterra

If you were expecting this list to end without a shoutout to the Pokémon that practically carries the world on its shoulders, you were tragically mistaken. Yes, this 700 lbs of awesome creature is largely immobile, but who among us can cast the first stone on that one? As the Detective Pikachu movie proved, Torterra looks great on-screen and should still the show in many New Pokémon Snap photos.

2. Sawsbuck

Due respect to Eevee, but when you’re talking about photogenic Pokémon with evolving looks, then it’s hard to beat Sawsbuck. As a Pokémon whose looks change with the seasons, Sawsbuck is the rare creature in these games that actually updates its fashion over the course of the year. It’s called style, folks, and Sawsbuck has it. Now, we just need to see how Sawsbuck’s looks change in New Pokémon Snap…

1. Pichu

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

I remember fans debating whether or not Pichu was just a cheap Pikachu cash-in when the creature was first revealed. All these years later, though, it’s clear that Pichu is like when Batman gets a new suit in the movies. Was the decision partially inspired by someone’s desire to sell additional toys without needing to come up with a new design? Absolutely, but I still want one.

The post 15 Best Pokémon Featured in New Pokémon Snap appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3aOiJKd

#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

0 notes