KIROKAZE
The Bright Sessions
Fai_Ryy
NASA
★
art blog(derogatory)
Doug Jones
Color Me Curious
EXPECTATIONS
let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
shark vs the universe
No title available
🩵 avery cochrane 🩵
occasionally subtle
tumblr dot com
hello vonnie
Cookie Run:Kingdom Official!
No title available
Interview Vampire Daily
oozey mess
seen from Malaysia
seen from Brazil
seen from Singapore
seen from Italy
seen from United States
seen from Egypt
seen from Malaysia
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from Singapore
seen from Thailand
seen from Türkiye
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Türkiye
seen from United States
seen from Argentina
seen from Germany
@joe-mckenzie-blog
Loud dorm neighbors.
Definitely not on my list of favorite things.
Trust me, it's better than mine. I don't know how they do it, but there are definitely girls sneaking into this building in the night. You don't wanna know what kind of noises I hear.
Sharing || Joe & Amber
Amber nodded and looked up at the tree above them. Sunlight streamed through the leaves and cast patterns on the grass below. Everything about that moment was picturesque and if Amber could capture that moment she would have. “I think that sometimes you have to take a step back and just… not think," Amber said. “You just have to take a step back from the world and all the shit that goes on and actually open your eyes to everything around you." Though she mainly had a pessimistic outlook on life Amber had always appreciated the beauty around her and she wished that others would do the same. Life was simply too short and unpredictable to ignore the good things around her and the only good in Amber’s life was the Dead Poet’s Society and the beauty of nature.
She lazily took another puff of the joint and closed her eyes as she exhaled the smoke. Amber felt light headed as though her soul was trying to release itself from her head. She ran her hand along the soft grass before sighing and resting her hands on her stomach. She could feel her heart beating in her chest and her breathing was quicker than usual, just as it usually was whenever she was high.
"Perfect…" Amber repeated slowly. She opened her eyes and turned to look at him. “Why’s it perfect?" She asked. Like Joe, Amber didn’t want to have to leave. She was perfectly content just laying there and trying to forget about everything. Though she wasn’t too fond of all of the people at Welton it was definitely a nicer place to be than back at her home. Classes and extra curricular activities offered a great distraction from her own mind. Keeping herself busy allowed Amber to forget, at least temporarily, how lonely she was in a world full of people that didn’t care about her.
Amber laughed softly and shook her head. “You’re not being weird and if you are then… I like it," she shrugged. She smiled and passed Joe the joint. “Weed is good, weed is great," she chuckled. Amber leant her head back against the soft grass and looked up at the sky. She sighed softly and let her eyes relax so that everything came out of focus. She was content with silence but it made her fear that Joe was growing bored of her. There was always a little voice in the back of Amber’s mind that pointed out how the smallest of actions were an indication of people’s dislike of her. “What do you want to do Joe?" She asked.
"How isn't it perfect?" Joe asked, eyes still closed. There was something beautiful about the way his breath moved in and out, in and out, smooth and silent. The fact that he was alive on that beautiful day, with the grass around him and the trees above him, put a smile on Joe's face. "Nature, man. Nature is perfect."
And he believed it, too. Always had. When he was younger, his favourite place had always been the park at the end of the street, the dead-end dropkick park with the graffitied slide and twisted swings; he could spend hours there alone, playing and laughing, lying on the soft, dewy grass when he ran out of breath. Sometimes a friend would meet him, but they never stayed as long as he did. To Joe, the park was home.
As he grew, Joe found other outlets for his outdoor craving. He went through the sports until he found football, knowing his father expected him to be naturally good, anyway - and it turned out he was. It turned out he could kick a ball as well as his old man. Maybe even better.
And so, Joe spent his afternoons throwing the ball to his teammates and letting the grass and the breeze take him over. He wanted to feel the rush of being on an expanse of green, a pocket of sunlight in an otherwise man-made town.
"What do I want to do?" It was an open-ended question - something he wasn't sure how to answer. But he was buzzing and honest, excited to talk and be talked to. He tilted his head towards Amber, inhaled, and smiled. "Truth or dare," he said, exhaling. "Let's play truth or dare."
Sharing || Joe & Amber
Amber knew that a lot of students at Welton would be forced into a career of their parents choosing and she too was glad that she was good at something her parents approved of. She loved numbers and her parents encouraged her so that in the future she could become an accountant or something similar. It wasn’t a career she thought she’d be happy with in the long run but it pleased Amber to be able that maybe, just maybe, she’d be able to please her parents.
She laughed as Joe showed off his muscles and she shook her head. “You don’t sound like a dickhead," she laughed. Amber reached out and gave Joe’s arm a small squeeze. “They’re definitely bigger than mine Joey boy." She had no idea why she called him that but Amber couldn’t help but laugh and rub at her forehead. “I tend to say some weird shit too," she admitted.
"You don’t have to write poetry but sometimes talking can be easier than… hitting," Amber said. “I don’t think it made you a bad person if they deserved it." She wasn’t too sure what Joe meant but she assumed that he was referring to using intimidation to keep people away from the society so that it would still be kept a secret. “I think I know," Amber said. “I’m more of a wordy type of person. I don’t like fights. I tend to not hit back."
"If there was a smart people’s club then I don’t think I’d really want to be a part of it," Amber said thoughtfully. “I mean, if everyone’s smart in the same way then things would just be… boring," she shrugged. “There needs to be a bit of a mixture, you know?" Amber happily took the joint from him and inhaled slowly before watching the smoke dance about in the air. She sat there for a few more seconds as she debated whether or not she should lay down next to Joe. Amber ran a hand over her hair before laying down next to Joe and looking up at the sky. “What are you thinking about?" She asked.
Joe let the sunlight seep in through his closed eyelids as he lay against the grass. He could feel each blade through his thin t-shirt, the cool dirt against his spine. He lay still and silent, absorbed in the timelessness of nature, the gentle sway of earth and sky. There was weed smoke in the air and a companion beside him and he was warm and comfortable and everything was perfect. Time seemed to stand still for just a moment, before a gentle breeze blew his thoughts away.
Feeling Amber lie down beside him, he turned his head and smiled. "It's beautiful," he said emotionally, gesturing to the greenery in front of them. "The great outdoors. My favourite place. It sucks we have to be holed up in those classrooms all day..." he sighed, "but at least I'm experienced in the art of ditching class." He laughed softly and closed his eyes, swallowing as he lay his head against the dirt. He could hear Amber inhaling and exhaling beside him, and it made him remember that he could breathe, too, and that he could sigh and listen and watch as the world revolved around the sun.
"What am I thinking?" he asked, smiling at the question. "I'm thinking about how perfect this is. I never want to leave. I never want to go back to class." The reality of the situation hit him suddenly, as if it had only just occurred to him that life went on and time moved just like the waters. Joe realised that, within hours, he would be sitting in a stuffy classroom with a lined workbook and a grumpy teacher whose coffee was cold and whose temper was short. No amount of words could allow him to explain to Amber how much he hated school, but he knew, somehow, that she understood - at least to an extent.
Joe also knew the weed was making him think more than usual - about everything. And it was a good break from, well... not thinking. But something in the back of his mind, something that was slowly creeping up his spine, told him he was embarrassing himself. He opened one eye to squint at Amber and grimaced. "Sorry if I'm... being weird. Drugs tend to do that." He laughed. "Y'know."
He has no grasp of the English language, it’s shocking he’s still teaching.
Well, he's better than me...
Nico Mirallegro: Coat
Hiding || Joe & Lucille
Lucille beamed. “Haven’t I always been your biggest fan? And mind you, I will indeed be offended if anyone took my place." She chuckled and this time, it was genuine. The sun’s incandescence had begun spilling out more prominently onto the grass and the blonde found herself humming at the feel of warmth between her toes. It was good to wear sandals, she thought.
One after the other was all it took for her feet to carry her from her original spot, it was that easy. It was magnificent in a sense that no matter how one chose to travel, it was always their feet who carried most of the burden yet—for most people—their feet never gave in, or failed to do their task. Lucille wanted to be that for Lachlan, she wanted to carry him to where it was peaceful and great, she wanted to take him away from harms way. For most of their life, Luce had acted as feet for both of them. Suppose it would be lying if she said that she didn’t feel the burden, if she didn’t feel like failing and giving in but she wanted this. She wanted the best for Lachlan, even more than what she wanted for herself, therefore she would never give up— not on her brother.
Joe’s voice broke the through her thoughts. “What? Oh, umm..yeah. Yeah, I am. Don’t worry about me, Joseph." Another reassuring smile curled up at her lips, the sound of his full name rolling oddly off her tongue. “I don’t remember Bent leaving, but we came here together. I was too caught up with the game, I guess?" Lie. Lucille was caught up in her thoughts, not the game and perhaps her brother whispered something of him leaving but she didn’t notice.
Reaching into the back pocket of her denim shorts, Lucille took out a joint and placed it in between her lips. It had been previously lit and it showed through the burnt edges but it was still a joint, and it would still help keep her anxiety from building up. “Dare I light this in the open?" She smirked at him.
Joe smiled and squinted into the sunlight. "Guess you have," he said. "I really appreciate it - you know that, Luce?" He turned and kept walking, dawdling, stopping every now and then to make sure the girl was still beside him. "It's warm today. We haven't had weather like this in days."
Joe knew he was making small talk, something he wasn't used to doing with Lucille, but he felt awkward around her today, as if she was hiding something from him, as if her smile was fragile and her bones too easily broken. He half-smiled and stuck his hands in his pockets. "Come on, we have to get back. I need a shower, and we both have homework to do before dinner. If you wait for me we can do it together."
The game had left Joe feeling oddly deflated, as if a victory wasn't enough for him anymore. He knew he should have been happy, should have been celebrating with the other boys, but he wasn't feeling it. He felt as if winning was mundane, as if people came only because they thought they had to, not because they wanted to. He sighed and raked a finger through his damp hair. "Sorry, Luce, for being a bit of a Debbie-Downer. I'm just feeling a bit... I don't know. Moody. Didn't get much sleep last night."
Joe's eyes widened and he grinned, leaning over to tap Lucille's shoulder with his own. "Rebel," he mocked, snatching the joint out of Lucille's mouth and taking a long puff. Exhaling slowly, he passed it back and smiled. "That's more like it."
A Bit of Sun || Alice and Joe
TAGGING → Alice Nguyen and Joe McKenzie.
TIMEFRAME → Late morning/early afternoon.
LOCATION → Alice’s favorite spot, behind a rock in the back of the boys’ dormitory.
AUTHOR’S NOTES → :)
Sharing || Joe & Amber
Amber listened to Joe as he spoke and she nodded. “Ah," she said. “The coach’s son has to be the best player or else… then what good is he as a coach?" She asked rhetorically. Though Amber’s own parents pushed her to excel academically they’d given up on her pursuing extra curricular activities unless Amber herself chose them. They didn’t show much of an interest in her participation in the school choir but they did think that the exercise swimming provided would do her some good by helping her stay away from drugs. “You’re a great player though," Amber added. “I mean, everyone says you’re a good player and you… you look like you’d be a good player," she chuckled. looking down at the grass.
"Well I guess it is a better alternative than beating people up," Amber shrugged. Subjects about violence always made Amber feel uneasy, as though one slip of the tongue would reveal the truth about her and her family. She hoped that people never noticed her uneasiness or the way she winced at the mere mention of someone else getting hurt but it was something that, no matter how hard she tried, Amber just couldn’t control. “You’re not a bad person," she smiled at him. “Just remember though," Amber chuckled, “the pen is mightier than the sword."
Amber laughed and shook her head. “No you don’t," she chuckled. “Nerdy’s weird. Nerdy is what makes people have some weird thing against you." She leant in closer to Joe, as though she was about to tell him a secret. “Apparently people are intimidated by intelligence," Amber whispered before pulling away and chuckling to herself. She shook her head and smiled. “Definitely not," Amber said, a small laugh escaping her lips. “How about… you can sing and I’ll listen so that I don’t kill you with my horrible voice. Sound good?" She laughed. “I play the guitar too but… not very well. I’m sure your songs would be good," Amber smiled at him and watched Joe curiously. She liked it whenever people spoke about things because she always loved listening to people talk. “You really don’t have to apologise when you didn’t do anything wrong," she chuckled. “I like swimming because when I swim it’s just me. Nothing else matters except for me and the water. At that point in time everything just… fades away." Amber shrugged, unsure of whether or not her answer made sense. The feeling that she got whenever she swam was hard to describe and even attempting to say it out loud made Amber fear that people would find her weirder than they already did.
Joe shrugged. "Yeah, guess so. Not saying I don't enjoy sport... I mean, I love it. It's my passion. But sometimes I wish I could play for fun instead of having the pressure, you know?" He shook his head and inhaled. "Not that I should be complaining, of course. I'm lucky I'm good at what my parents want me to do."
Joe laughed and flexed his biceps. "What, these?" he asked mockingly, sticking the joint in his mouth and shaking his head. "Is that what makes me look sporty? My bulging muscles?" He leaned over and nudged Amber in the shoulder. "I'm kidding, by the way. Wow... weed really makes me sound like a dickhead. Please don't take anything I say into account." He laughed awkwardly and ran a hand through his hair. "Oh dear."
"I have been a bad person, but I'm getting better. And yeah, I get what you mean. The poets got all their emotions out with words. But I can't write poetry, so too bad for me." Joe crossed his legs and itched his knee thoughtfully. "I guess I'm just a physical person, you know? But I've learned to do things... positively - like, in a good way. You know?"
"Intelligence is definitely intimidating," Joe said, nodding. "It's like all the smart people in the world are in this club that I'm just not a part of..." He shook his head to clear it; he could hardly form coherent sentences. He listened to Amber describe the way she felt about the water, mimicking exactly what he felt when he was on the field, rolling in the grass and focusing on the ball. He sighed and lay down on the soft green ground, inhaling and exhaling and refraining from speech. Somehow, he knew Amber knew he felt the same about sport.
Closing his eyes, Joe let the balmy air fall on his face. "This is some good shit," he said quietly, passing the joint to Amber and resting his hand on his stomach.
Brilliant.
*laughs* Then English it is.*holds out her hand* Shake on it?
Hey, you gotta spit or it's not a real man's handshake.
[INSERT LAUGHING GIF - I'M SORRY, MY GIFS AREN'T WORKING]
Kidding. [He shakes her hand.]
Brilliant.
Maths would have been easier but I like a challenge. It’s a deal. Do we shake on it or…?
I don't do maths. Dropped it like a hot potato and ran the fuck out of there.
Yep, I think we do. It's a deal.
Brilliant.
If you say so but… Seriously don’t be afraid of asking for help from me. I really don’t mind.
Well you do have one up on me. I can’t play sports very well, at all.
Okay, you know what? Let's strike a deal.
You teach me how to pass English, and I'll teach you how to kick a ball around. I know it's unfair, but it's the best I've got to offer you.
Brilliant.
I think if you’re failing everything else then you definitely need my help.
Do you need convincing?
One, you probably don't have time. And two... you'd probably tear your hair out.
Nope. I'm comfortable with my abilities.
Playing the Game || Joe & Dani
Dani tilted her head back towards the retreating backs of the other footballers, watching them in their various states of dishevelment. “Kurt must have thought it would be funny to let me run around in a state of panic when he tells me the date two days before hand." She leaned forward again, narrowing her eyes. The last one stepped through the door and it shut with a soft thud that resonated against the walls.
"So, first meeting, Saturday. And I’d tell you who it is except I have no freaking clue." She restrained herself from layering onto the story by telling him some made up person, or worse, a real person. “I’ve heard, and I will never reveal my sources, that one of our own members has a plot to bring us down. But I have no idea who, and if it’s a new inductee or someone of importance, and that’s why I need your… skills."
Dani glanced around once, despite knowing the room was empty, before leaning in again. “I don’t like playing detective, but I’m out of ideas. Perhaps you have some?" Her entire priority now was to make him believe her ideas where his, and hopefully, this was more than enough. She attempted her best look of resignation, and put on the best performance of her career in lying. “I adore this club so much and I would hate for anything to happen to it."
"Ah, Kurt. Always the prankster." Joe rolled his eyes and wiped his face with a towel. "I don't think a meeting has ever been properly organised. I don't even know why Kurt runs them; he couldn't organise his way out of a paper bag." He fixed his eyes on Dani for the first time. She appeared to be sharing a secret with him, something she hadn't told anyone else. He leaned in, subconsciously mimicking her body language, excited to be let in on something no one else knew.
He was disappointed.
"You don't know who it is?" Joe shook his head. "I don't think anyone in the society would... Come on, Dani, you can't be serious." He sighed. "My skills are limited. I can't figure out who it is for you. I do what I get told to do, you know? And I don't want anything to happen to the society, but I don't know if anyone in it would want to take us down."
He flung his bag over his shoulder and headed for the door, beckoning to Dani. "Do you have any ideas?"
Brilliant.
Really? The only one? Well if you ever need some help Joe then my door is always open. Well, you know, metaphorically speaking.
You’re not dumb.
I couldn't ask you to help me; there's too much I need help with. Really, though, I'm failing everything else.
Sounds like you're trying to convince me.
I don’t have it with you, but I have the same professor, I think? Williams?
Yep, that's the one.
What an absolute asscrack.
Brilliant.
But come on, do people really think that because it involves the English language then literature is automatically easy? *chuckles* Extremely wrong Joe.
Too bad you’re not in my class. Now I’m not saying that all cheer leaders are dumb but Jesus Christ…
Obviously, yes. The only subject I'm doing well in is P.E.
I think that's exactly what you're saying... and I'm inclined to agree. Don't worry - I'm dumb, too.
