Beatrice has read this letter at least a dozen times since she woke up two days ago and found it in the empty spot on the bed next to her where Ava was supposed to be.
It was such a strange experience, to wake up to a letter, because as soon as she saw it - Beatrice knew exactly what it was.
Because Ava had always felt a little bit fleeting. Like a dream you’re trying to remember right after you wake up. You can remember the way it made you feel, but the details keep evaporating.
Ava was…is an enigma in a lot of ways. She’s so connected to the world, to the people around her, but she’s also very good at keeping everything at a distance.
For as much as Beatrice learned about her and understood her, she also knew very little.
Her leaving didn’t make Beatrice mad. It was sad and disappointing, it’s strangely kind of devastating how much she misses her - but everyone has something going on and Ava is no different.
The hardest part was explaining to everyone why she was suddenly gone. Beatrice didn’t want to make Ava a villain, didn’t see the point in it. She didn’t want to give her parents ammunition to say ‘we told you so’.
So she told them all that Ava had an emergency and had to go back home and take care of it. That she was sorry to miss the wedding and that she had a great time.
Beatrice isn’t sure if her parents believed it, she doesn't really care if they do or not.
She just knows that Josephine didn’t believe her.
She made it through the wedding, the one time she was really able to escape the sinking feeling in her stomach and the emptiness of how quiet and lonely this whole place felt without Ava.
Beatrice stood up there and watched her cousin get married and saw the joy on her face and shared a few warm smiles with her and it was wonderful.
The reception was quiet, she couldn't stop thinking about how much Ava would have loved it. Beatrice felt so disconnected through all of it - like her mind was wherever Ava was, even though she had no idea where that was.
Her stay didn’t last much longer than that, she had to get out of there - get away from them.
81 notes
·
View notes
Ride 756: The third Inter High!!
Pag 1
1: The Inter High starting line is impartial
2: Those aiming for victory
3: Those filled to the brim
4: Those who are scared
5: Everyone who put on their number bib
6: The line calls everyone to a new path
Pag 2 / 3
1: No2, Onoda Sakamichi's last Inter High!!
Pag 4
1: “Kyushu” was once divided into nine countries, and that's why it has that name*
(NdT.: The “kyuu” in Kyushu means nine)
(Currently is divided in seven prefectures: Fukuoka, Ooita, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Kagoshima)
2: It has a lot of active volcanoes, and people coexist with the harshness of nature while enjoying hot springs, geothermy, and tourism
3: Trade with the continent has been active since ancient times
4: Formerly, the distribution of goods by ships, which was the mainstream
5: Passed through the Kanmon Straits, separating Honshu and Kyushu
6: And transported to Osaka, Edo, the Japanese cities by the sea, and every corner of the country
Pag 5
1: Even today, the Kanmon Straits, which passes through Shimonoseki, and Kitakyushu City, and Moji, is the shortest route that connects the Inland Sea and the Sea of Japan, and is a key point for the shipping through sea
2: 1000 ships a day pass through the complex strait, which is 500m wide in its narrowest point
3: As for the land route
4: An highway crosses the Kanmon Strait with a huge bridge 1068m long
5: Ordinary national roads and railroads pass through specialized tunnels
6: As for bicycles and people... they use the “pedestrian bridge tunnel” at the bottom of the huge bridge
From Honshu to Kyushu, they can cross over the Kanmon Strait by walking
Pag 6
4: Waaa
We're at the bottom of the sea here?
That's right
5: So above us is the sea?
Yeah
And we can walk to Kyushu?
That's right, it's around 400m from here
Amazing....
6: There's even people with bikes
Yeah
7: Look! There's a line!
It's the prefectural border
8: One, two-
9: Yes! I landed in Kyushu!
Pag 7
1: The entrance to Kyushu is in the northernmost town, Moji, in the prefecture of Fukuoka, Kitakyushu City
Pag 8
1: This is where this year's Inter High will start
Pag 9
3: Where do I put this baggage?
Put it in the tent for now
Thank you, senpai
4: Look, The bikes are all lined up
So pretty
Pag 10
1: I took a picture
So cool
2: Two portions of Mijiko curry, please
Yessir
3: A pressure of 6.5?
Six, please
4: Do you have an allen key?
Yes
Pag 11
1: Ohhhh
2: There's so many huge buses!!
Teh!!
3: Nara
4: That one is from Miyazaki
5: Na-Nagano!!
6: And there's so many people, too, teh....!!
7: Are they participants in the race!? All of them!?
You're kidding, they look so strong!!
8: The attendance!! Is on this scale!!
So this is....
Pag 12
1: A national competition!!
2: Teh?
3: Ohh.... suddenly my knees started trembling, teh
Ho- how do I stop it, teh, Ki....
4: Kinaka-kun!!
6: Ki.....
7: “The competition is in Kyushu, so there's no way we can bring everyone along”
8: Kinaka.... kun
Pag 13
1: I'm here!!
Ah, you're here....
2: I'll be a mechanical help for the next three days
And I was entrusted to be your lucky charm
De-he.... oho, ohoho, fuhoho!!
What's that enigmatic way of laughing!!
3: Don't act like I didn't come!!
No... I just wanted to reaffirm again how grateful I am that you came, Kinaka-kun...
Ah!? That doesn't make any sense
4: It does!!
Pag 14
1: Because I really am grateful to you, Kinaka-kun!!
3: And I think this jersey is for the both of us!!
5: Don't say you're grateful so directly
It's embarrassing!!
6: Let's go to the tent!!
Yeah!!
You
7: It's your first Inter High but you're not all that nervous!!
That's somehow incredible
8: Yeah!!
After all
Pag 15
1: We have the strongest senpai!!
Pag 16
1: Ohhh
Waaa
2: It's Sohoku!!
It's Sohoku, the two-times in a row champion!!
Sohoku is in Kyushu!!
3: What a terrific aura!
Waaa
Onoda.... Naruko, Imaizumi!!
They look serious!!
Are they aiming for the championship again this year!?
Pag 17
1: They're going to get their number bibs
They're heading straight for the reception!!
Yes, all the participants are lining up in a row there
2: Oi, you're interrupting....
3: Sorry-
Ah
Soho-
Waa
Waaa-
5: -ku's...... bibs....
Pag 18
1: ….. please
2: Is he..... nervous....!? The reigning champion, Sohoku!?
Did he have a nervous aura?
Maybe the two guys behind him.... were supporting him?
3: They were supporting him, but the jersey came off
5: They're going back to their tent....
So that's Sohoku... right
7: So-so- sorry, I got nervous!!
Yeah
Right
8: La-la-la-la-la
La?
La?
Pag 19
1: I was thinking it's the last Inter High!!
3: For us
Pag 20
4: Yeah
5: That's right
6: That's right, Onoda-kun
We're third years
7: It's our third and final
8: yearly grand stage
Pag 21
1: Once this is over, we'll retire
This Inter High is our last race!!
Pag 23
1: Honestly speaking, I my heart too was pounding when we were on the ship coming here
I was really nervous
2: Naruko-kun....
3: Naruko
4: But then I thought
When we were first years and ran in the Kanagawa competition..... maybe, at the starting point in Enoshima
5: The old man, Kinjou-san, and Makishima-san, too, were as nervous as we are now
Pag 24
1: They must have been
3: But they didn't show it at all to us kouhai
4: Well, we can't afford to show it, either
5: That's why, Manager, we talked and decided to go back to our beginning!!
6: We chased and caught up with those people's back, but this time we're gonna surpass them!!
7: Huh
8: We're changing our numbers from last year!!
Pag 25
1: The old man carried number 172, so I'll take number 2!!
Hotshot will take the number Kinjou-san wore, number 1!!
Pag 26
3: And Onoda-kun....
I....
7: The number Makishima-san carried
Pag 27
1: I'll run wearing the number 3!!
118 notes
·
View notes
Fluent Freshman - Part 24
PREVIOUS
“What do you MEAN Smithy is in the hospital with a stab wound to his stomach?!” Nicky’s own voice is agony for his hangover but honestly, how the fuck else was he supposed to respond when he had asked Andrew where FF was and gotten that as a response.
“Calm down.” Andrew says and he looks tired, looks stressed, and maybe even just…a touch nervous?
Nicky isn’t as good as Neil at reading Andrew Minyard. He doesn’t think anyone will ever be as fluent in the language of Andrew Minyard as Neil Josten but Nicky has picked up some key phrases.
He can see when he’s making a joke that is a step too far. He can see when his cousin wants to kiss Neil but is holding back. He can see when his cousin is stressed.
He can see a guilty curve to Andrew’s spine.
“Andrew, answer me honestly, did you stab my sweet baby freshman?” Nicky asks and he’s not sure if the nausea he feels anymore is from horror or from the sheer number of drinks he had put in his system the night before.
Roland usually cuts him off before he gets this level.
Roland also has a habit of pouring heavier when he’s stressed.
Roland also also tends to make complicated fruity drinks that Nicky likes when he’s stressed.
Andrew’s jaw tenses but it’s Neil who speaks up, “It was an accident. It happened during a fight.” Neil says and Nicky throws his hands up in the air.
“You got into a FIGHT with my sweet baby freshman? Sweet little Smithy? The boy who made brownies that made me feel kinda straight for a dead woman?!” Nicky exclaims and sees Andrew and Neil open their mouths to say something but, “I promised him that if he wanted I’d get him something hard that’d mess his GUTS up but this isn’t what I MEANT.” He lets himself collapse dramatically over the table.
“Nicky, shut up!” Kevin hisses from his spot on the couch.
“When the fuck did Kevin get here?!” Because seriously, how fucked up was Nicky last night that he doesn’t remember Kevin coming on this Columbia trip? Where’d he sit? He couldn’t really remember coming over after Thanksgiving. Had Andrew put Kevin in the trunk? Had Andrew put Nicky in the trunk?
“He came with Wymack.” Neil cut in before Nicky started testing reality. “Wymack is at the hospital since he’s…uh…he’s the…”
“Medical Power of Attorney” Andrew answers.
“Yes! Thank you, the Medical power of attorney for Smith. He needed surgery and Wymack wanted to be nearby in case he had to make any pressing decisions.” Neil explains and yeah that tracks, he knows a little bit about FF’s family and knows that aside from his grandma on his dad’s side the rest can go take a long walk off a short volcano observation platform
“Okay, that explains why Kevin is here….how?! Despite all of the unwarranted advice, Kevin is not a medical professional.” Nicky says before turning to Kevin, “So Kevin, what insane Exy-related reason are you here? Don’t lie and say it’s because you want to sign the get well soon card.” He hisses.
“Fuck you!” Kevin spits, “I need to know how long Smiths is going to be out of commission and what his PT is going to look like. He was supposed to be starting during the spring season.” Kevin growls.
“There it is!” Nicky throws up his hands.
“Nicky, just calm down!” Neil pleads.
“How can I stay calm? Andrew stabbed Smithy! So not only is my favorite freshman in the hospital Andrew’s going to end up back on those god forsaken meds again!” Nicky shouts and buries his face in his hands.
“Smith isn’t going to say that.” Andrew’s voice is calm but Nicky can hear the slight edge.
“Oh yeah?” Nicky asks because he could see FF promising to never mention who stabbed him if Andrew would just spare his life. FF was going to be even MORE of a disaster when it came to his anxiety around Andrew. Nicky wouldn’t be surprised if his friend just straight up dropped out after this. His cousin is safe but he’s absolutely going to lose his friend.
“Because he’s saying Romero Malcolm stabbed him.” Andrew finishes.
Nicky sits up.
“Wait, what?” Nicky asks.
“Last night Romero Malcolm was at Eden’s.” Neil says voice even in a way that lets Nicky know that he’s trying to stay calm, “Smith recognized him, heard he wanted to grab,” Neil swallows thickly, “…grab one of my friends and saw them looking at…” Neil trails off and looks to Andrew who shakes his head, “…around for someone to grab.” Neil seems to decide and Nicky knows when something is being hidden from him but he’s more interested in the story than what Neil is hiding at the moment, “He got Romero’s attention so that he wouldn’t do anything bad in Eden’s and let Roland know to call help. He went out alone into the alley but Romero didn’t follow him.” Neil explains.
“Oh thank god.” Nicky sighs.
“Because he’d alerted Jackson Plank was lying in wait to ambush him.” Neil continues.
“Oh dear god.” Nicky exclaims.
“He uh…” Neil looks to Andrew who shakes his head again, “okay we don’t know exactly HOW Smith managed to do it but he beat Jackson up pretty bad.” Neil explains.
Nicky feels his brain stop working.
He has watched FF trip over his own feet, walk into four different trees, and almost sprain his ankle walking across a flat surface. He knows FF has been watching self-defense videos and had even gotten some pointers from Matt but even Matt had told him his better bet was probably just to yell “WOW WHAT’S THAT OVER THERE?!”, point behind the attacker, and run as fast as humanly possible away from a fight.
Neil is still talking.
Nicky boots back up quickly.
“…a gun. He tackled Romero into Andrew and Andrew’s knife ended up in Smith’s stomach on accident while they were wrestling for the gun. Smith is the one who said he’s going to tell everyone who asks that it was Romero. He even said it to me.” Neil says with an awkward laugh.
“And you believed him.” Andrew says and there’s warmth in his cousin’s eyes as he looks at Neil and teases him.
“And I believed him.” Neil confirms.
“Okay, so you swear to me that you did not INTENTIONALLY stab my BFF?” Nicky asks looking at Andrew seriously.
“BFF, seriously?” Kevin asks.
“Best Freshman Friend.” Nicky answers quickly, “Don’t worry Kevin, you lose out to Matt in all regards for my Best Senior Friend.” He says.
Kevin just flips him off but Nicky turns his attention back to Andrew, “Andrew, I need to hear it.” He says .
“I did not intentionally stab Smith.” Andrew confirms.
Nicky lets the horrified nausea leave him with only his hangover nausea.
“Okay, we can work with that.” Nicky leans back. “Have you heard from that Agent?” he asks looking at Neil.
Neil nods but then looks nervous and shoots a look towards Kevin, “The FBI is sending Browning and a field office agent to talk with us but…Ichirou also contacted me.” He says and Nicky watches as Kevin perks up.
“He did?!” Kevin squawks looking around like he expected the head of the Moriyama family to appear from the shadows.
“He wants to make sure we do our part to keep the Moriyama name out of this. He is going to deal with Romero and Jackson himself.” Neil says looking nervous.
Nicky clenches his eyes shut, “Well you’re not going to mention them right?” he hears Kevin ask.
“Of course not Kevin.” Nicky hears Andrew hiss.
“Good.” Kevin says.
There’s silence in the wake of Neil’s statement.
Nicky takes a deep breath and wishes his head was a little less agonizing. “Why aren’t we at the hospital to see Smithy?” he asks because he has nothing he can do about Ichirou so he may as well put it out of his mind.
There is some grumbling.
“Wymack said that he’ll just make us sit in the waiting room without any updates.” Neil says. “We’re picking up Smith’s grandma from the airport and she’s our ticket to getting an actual update beyond ‘not dead yet’ from Wymack.” He adds.
“What, you really can’t get updates without Wymack?” Nicky asks.
Andrew looks at Nicky and Nicky can’t read a single thing his cousin is thinking.
“What’s Smith’s first name Nicky.” Andrew asks.
“Oh God fucking Dammit.” Nicky’s head hurts too bad for this.
MASTERPOST FOR ALL PARTS OF FLUENT FRESHMAN AU
NEXT
Per your requests:
@i-have-three-feelings
@blep-23 @dreamerking27 @andreilsmyreligion @belodensetdust @rainbowpineapplebottle @yarn-ace @iwouldlikesometea @lily-s-world @obscureshipsandchips @booklover242 @whataboutmyfries @sahturnos @pluto-pepsi @dreamerthinker @passinhosdetartaruga @leftunknownheart @aro-manita-muscaria @hologramsaredead @Chaoticgremlinswishtheycouldbeme @tntwme @tayspots @nick-scar @crazy-fangirl2524 @blue-jos10 @stabbyfoxandrew @splishsplashyouropinionistrash @sammichly @the-broken-pen @bitchesdoweknowu @very-small-flower @ghostlyboiii @its-a-paxycab @bisexual-genderfluid-fan @cheesecookie
@theoneandonlylostsock @foxsoulcourt @blueleys @adverbialstarlight @elia-nna @can-i-just-stay-in-the-corner @nikodiangel @foxandcrow-inatrenchcoat @hallucinatedjosten @satanic-foxhole-court @vexingcosmos @chalilodimun @insectsgetcooked @angry-kid-with-no-money @queer-crows @lillyndra @themundanemudperson @readertodeath @apileofpillows @mortalsbowbeforeme @hellomynameismoo @next-level-mess @youreonlylow @interstellarfig @notprocrastinatingatalltoday @percyjacksonfan3 @queenofcrazy27 @bsmr261 @ghostlyscares @spencellio @adinthedarkroom @harpymoth @sufferingjustalilbit @anxietymoss @oddgreyhound @ohno-myhyperfixation-itsbroken @ken22789 @atiredvampire @isoldescorner @not--a--pipedream @azure-wing @bushbees @roonilwazlib-main @crumplelush @foldedaces-paperbirds @thesenseinnonsense @let-tyrants-fear @ketchupandfries @legowerewolf @deadlydodos @but-we-respect-his-craft @cariniqe @zanypersonapricotbiscuit @lesbian-blackbeard @lesbiansupernatural @silvermasquerade @thepeachfuzz @minniemariex @kazoo-the-demjin @gaypomegranate @ji-nk-ies @neilimfinejosten @omgrubelangel @itsyouitsmeorpheuseurydice @percabethotplove @cozyrosykay @foxyatlas
The requests to be added to the tag list keep being spread out across a few different areas. If I missed you please just ask again in the replies I promise I just missed you.
As stated before if you’re up here and I spelled it right but you didn’t get a notification there might be something switched around in your settings that won’t let me tag you properly?
370 notes
·
View notes