Aqua Utopia｜海の底で記憶を紡ぐ
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@oldcardign
continuously updated important links pinned here !!
rules + verses , also linked in the description , found here.
interest tracker found here.
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where else can you find katie?
@riveir : river barkley of netflix’s the politician , headcanon / au - based ( primary )
@frnknteen : finn hudson of glee , headcanon / au - based & canon divergent ( secondary )
@worldsalight : multi - muse ( low activity )
feelslife :
❝ just think, we’ll be out of this place eventually. ❞ the promise of the future was something that always kept astrid going. one day. one day this school would be in the rear-view mirror and she’d be cruising to some glorious future, hopefully a future that took her far away and allowed her to start her own life. ❝ as much as i would love trying to enlighten the board, i’m sure that it would be a waste of time. i mean, like i said, we’ll be out of this place soon enough. there’s no point in wasting our energy with a futile battle. i think high school is just meant to be shitty no matter what way you slice it and that means dealing with teachers who refuse to get off their high horses. ❞ she points out before shrugging dismissively, lips pursed before the consternation flits away from her features as a cloud disappears on a sunny day. ❝ we just have to grit our teeth and bear it. ❞
“right.” betty nodded once, admittedly taking some solace in knowing that their time here would be limited. she’d yearned for the day that petty, superficial high school drama would become irrelevant long before a summer affair had made her the subject of hallway chatter. now, graduation day really couldn’t come soon enough. she daydreamed about boston with increasingly pinker rose-colored glasses every day. in fact, for a moment, she thought about taking the school board idea seriously, thinking it might potentially look good on a college application and might increase her chances of actually getting out there. astrid’s view on high school was decidedly much more cynical than her own, but betty couldn’t totally dispute it. “ ... i think you’re a little better at gritting your teeth than i am,” betty noted, thoughtfully. “haven’t quite nailed that skill yet, i guess.”
“ betty , right ? ” steve’s things are a mess in his hands —— he’s all but sprinted to catch up to her after class has finished . maybe he should have looked for his lab partner before the bell rang . “ i think we’re doing the next lab together ? i’m steve . ”
@oldcardign
“oh — ” betty had been pretty quick to skip out of class at the bell, but the way he was sprinting to catch up with her made her feel a little guilty for not hanging around a moment for an introduction. “yeah, right,” she confirmed politely, sheepishness in an otherwise friendly and gentle smile. “sorry, i should’ve hung back a minute, but — nice to meet you, steve.”
feelslife :
❝ well, be careful what you wish for because with all the drama that goes on around here, you know one minute you’re in the spotlight and the next, you find yourself the very definition of anonymity. ❞ of course, astrid couldn’t quite relate to the observation she had just voiced for she always seemed to be under one microscope or another. there was no escaping the attention of others. ❝ no body of adults ever takes kindly to an intrusion from the ‘youths’ but they’ll get used to it. after all, we students have rights, don’t we? ❞ she pointed out, sarcastic words emphasized by the peal of laughter that succeeds them. ❝ it’s good to shake things up every now and then. ❞
“well, i’ve more or less already been the former,” she muttered, arms tightening just a bit around the textbook she was carrying out with her. news of her former significant other’s infidelity had gotten back to her through the grapevine rather than from the actual source, and much to betty’s chagrin, it had taken some time for the whispers to quiet. “and i think i might prefer the latter, if just for a little while.” but of course, she knew astrid’s own experiences informed her own perspective; while betty had never heard anything particularly intense or insidious about her, she knew that several factors had made her subject of some level of scrutiny, her wealth being at the very top of that list. betty returned the laughter, expression actually genuinely brightening up a bit. “oh, sure — i’m sure the school board would have a field day with that. they think we have plenty of rights as it is.”
stagcharmed :
❝ huh . yeah , – i get it ❞ he really did . he liked mornings too, though they were generally not so peaceful for him if he was up for quidditch practice . he liked nights better, loved the long stretches of empty silence, how different the castle looked with no one else around . ❝ not that I condone rule breaking - ❞ a pause, short laugh to himself over the small joke in that . ❝ but you should go out at night . after curfew , it’s really quiet then . ❞
he could have taken her explaining she liked peace in the morning as a sign for him to leave . he was clearly not a part of that peace . but he was intrigued, so instead head cranes, a nod toward her book ❝ whats in there ? ❞
“noted,” betty answered with an appreciative sip of her head. she’d never considered a nighttime visit to the gardens, always instinctually favoring morning light, given that she snuck out in order to get some sketching in. she could, of course, just generate her own light, but there was something familiar and comforting about early daylight — though the objective was, overall, peace and quiet, a breather from the hustle and bustle and relentless chatter within the walls. if it came recommended, she could risk breaking some rules to come and sit beneath the stars, and the look in her eyes contrasted her polite smile and communicated interest in taking his advice.
“oh, it’s — nothing.” she gave a shake of her head, setting the notebook beside her. “i come out to just ... draw, i guess,” betty dismissed with a shrug of her shoulder. it wasn’t that she was embarrassed of her art, but she was unaccustomed to having someone ask her about it. “but it’s just for fun.”
declaire :
❝ if only. trust me, if i knew the solution i’d be more than happy to share it though i don’t think there’s any one right answer. i’m an only child so even once i graduate, i’m sure my mother will still try to treat my like a child since she doesn’t have other children to focus on. ❞ not that her mother had ever been the sort of doting type but avis had always been attentive in her own ways even in moments of discord between mother and daughter which were undeniably frequent. ❝ i think it’s more of a bide-your-time situation which is unfortunate because personally, patience has never been a virtue of mine. ❞ she confessed with a sheepish laugh as she turned ever so slightly so that her side leaned against the counter as she shrugged. ❝ someone should really come up with a manual on how to deal with all this growing up stuff. ❞
“mm, that would be useful, wouldn’t it?” betty mused, tone light but still dripping in sarcasm, exhaling a light chuckle through her nose at the suggestion. normally she might’ve encouraged a customer whose transaction she’d completed to move along, but there was no one else in line behind her — and no one else actually in the store at all. plus, the conversation was nice. or at least, it was nice to hear someone who shared similar perspectives and opinions. many of the people she knew, particularly those from home, had been more optimistic about it — and perhaps had been a bit too optimistic. but that was, of course, because many of them grew up with new england silver spoons in their mouths and summer trips to martha’s vineyard and beach houses in newport. it was never much of a concern for many of her peers. “i think part of the problem with that, though, is that every adult in the world has a different philosophy. and they all think everyone should be listening to their philosophy, because they think — or, they feel like they know that their philosophy is the best. not sure they’d be able to even come to a consensus to get the manual actually made.”
bigartiste :
jack appreciates her effort to comfort him —— he looks down at his hands , fingers on his left hand start to pick at the ones on his right just for a brief moment before he mentally scolds himself for doing so . so , to occupy his hands , he reaches for a rock and begins running his thumb over the gentle ridges that populate its surface . “ they would’ve liked you , y ’ know . my mom and dad . ” it’s true —— his mom would have loved sitting and talking about . . . well , whatever girls talk about and his dad would probably try to teach her to fish if she didn’t already know . jack sets the rock down and turns to look at her again . “ . . . you’re a good friend to me , betty . i mean that . ”
she didn’t think she was any noteworthy friend. good, perhaps, but not anything that would ( or should ) have necessarily warranted any kind of higher praise. and that was just because she didn’t think she was doing anything that a decent friend wouldn’t have done. it was sort of like the friendship bare minimum: listening, being empathetic, showing basic kindness. but she’d seen first hand how even the bare minimum could be difficult to find, and it seemed like maybe jack had, too. or maybe there was just something about her that couldn’t quite make sense of someone telling her she was just simply a good friend — she didn’t quite feel like it was praise she could accept. “you deserve a good friend,” betty answered simply, with a single shrug of her shoulders. “good people deserve good friends. not saying i am, and tooting my own horn, or whatever. but i try my best.”
shesheltered :
❝ Nah, ❞ A sheepish smile was offered to the other, fingers absently drumming against the padded handle of her cane. ❝ I can’t see anything that isn’t right in front of me, but I could tell what I’d run into was, y’know, person-shaped. So I assumed I’d just wandered into somebody’s personal space without realizing. And then here I am, apologizing and feeling bad, and the person I bumped into into isn’t answering, like a jerk, and finally my mom goes “Uh, you’re talking to a mannequin.” I swear, I almost died of embarrassment. ❞
“oh — i’m sorry.” betty softened up immediately, feeling guilty right away for not putting two and two together and for responding rather insensitively, in retrospect. “but ... at least you weren’t that far off in your assumption,” she tried, hopeful she wasn’t making another misstep. “i mean — i’m sure you would’ve figured it out on your own, anyways. not like you would’ve gotten any kind of response, or anything...”
feelslife :
❝ you know, one can only live under the radar for so long before they fall off the grid altogether and though i can’t speak from experience, is that really how you wanna live for the rest of the school year? ❞ she pointed out, brow knit in amused bewilderment. ❝ maybe a teenage girl alone but what about the two of us together? you and i would be quite the formidable duo. plus, my parents have an in with the school board. ❞ of course, astrid had bigger fish to fry than a handful of out-of-touch teachers but the promise of such a distraction was too big of a temptation for the young woman to resist.
“well ... i dunno if i’d really mind that,” betty mumbles with a conciliatory shrug of one shoulder. “at least — for a little while,” she corrected after a moment. “there’s something about feeling like you started the school year under a microscope that makes people forgetting about you for a bit seem a little appealing.” she said it like she was joking, levity in her tone and giving a teasing smile, but there was some sincerity to the notion. “although, i will admit, we would make a pretty good team,” she added, smile widening into a bright grin. “not sure how well the school board would take a couple of students crashing their meeting, but who cares about them anyways, right?”
bigartiste :
“ isn’t it ? i knew you couldn’t resist . ” his tone is teasing , and he gently nudges her with his elbow . “ i just wanted to show you my favorite way to see the town —— just before the sun sets , when there’s just a few people around . ” jack gazes around , taking in the view of the setting sun peeking over the tops of the trees before he sets off slowly , hands inserting themselves into his pockets . “ how are your folks , anyways ? still doing well ? ”
his teasing got a gentle chuckle, head dipping forward as laughter released. but the sentiment that followed was sweet, and when betty looked up again there was gratitude in her smile once she tucked the strands of hair that had fallen loose behind her ears to reveal it, at least. “sounds very nice,” she answered, both a way of voicing her approval and the bit of excitement she actually felt about it. “i’m all for peace and quiet.” it was a joke, mostly, or at least was a sentiment light-hearted in tone, though the appreciation was entirely honest. betty shrugged her shoulders when he asked about her family, tucking her hands into the pockets of her jacket. “yeah, about the same. dad’s stressed about work, mom’s stressed about dad being stressed about work, siblings are all over the place ... standard fare."
bigartiste :
there was that look that most people gave him —— the oh , i’m so sorry jack , now let me show you how bad i feel look . at least she doesn’t seem to dwell on it like most do , such as asking how it happened or how he felt about it all . it was . . . refreshing . once again , betty continued to pleasantly surprise him . “ yeah , i like to think so too . ” jack grins , turning to face her . “ i wonder that sometimes . what they’d think about how i live now . ” he turns back towards the pond , watching the sun reflect brightly off the gentle ripples in the water . this place is quite calming to him , the ripples are satisfying and calming and the gentle breeze hitting his face keeps him in the moment . “ i’m not ashamed of the way i live —— in fact , i quite like it —— but i’m just curious , y ’ know ? ”
“that’s good.” it was a simple response, but she spoke gently and with a warm little smile, an indication of respect. so many people had complaints about their lives these days. it seemed like nothing, or even no one, was good enough. it was sort of refreshing to hear someone express that they were content with the way they lived, and that their parents’ opinions about it were just something to be curious about, rather than be concerned. betty’s own family wasn’t necessarily controlling, and they were more or less the stereotypical supportive suburban parents on the whole, but she did feel this sort of underlying, innate drive to make them proud, regardless of how she actually accomplished such a feat. “and ... i mean, i didn’t know them, so ... i can’t exactly convincingly fill the encouraging friend role that’s usually customary for this kind of conversation, but...” she shrugged, taking a bit and letting the corners of her lips lift just slightly. “if you’re happy ... that’s what matters. right? that sounds like a parent thing to say, at least.”
❤ : 〚 i. @oldcardign. : betty gardner. 〛
❛ 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘪𝘵, it looks better on you. plus, i’ll know you’re thinkin’ of me if you’re wearing it and, 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚊 𝚕𝚒𝚎, ————— i kinda like the sound of that. ❜
she smiled a bit, now unable to tell if the warmth in her chest was more due to the comfort of james’ sweatshirt, protecting her from the increasingly chilly october night air, or from james’ words alone. “okay,” betty acquiesced, a bit of shyness in her expression but a light in her eyes that made it a bit more clear just how she felt about that. “and i’ll owe you. if you ever find something of mine you like, it’s yours. quid pro quo.”
bigartiste :
“ well , that’s all surface level , you see . ” despite the heavy topic at hand , jack’s posture is relaxed . his arms relax on the back of the bench they sit on , his head tilts back slightly . he could go into detail about his abandonment issues , about the reason why he’s always opted to travel around , rarely staying in one place for more than a year at a time . “ maybe i’ll tell you one day . the whole story , hm ? ” and what were the chances she’d hang around once she realized all the issues he dealt with ?
“i don’t think kindness and decency are surface-level,” betty answered, brows knitted, perplexed. she glanced to him after a beat, some level of curiosity in her gaze despite a slightly sardonic response: “unless you’re secretly a huge asshole, or something, and you’re putting on some kind of show for everyone.” it was half a joke, light enough that he could take it as such but with an undertone of slight curiosity and perhaps a bit of suspicion that could easily go undetected. besides, he moved the conversation along pretty swiftly, hinting that perhaps some day she’d earn enough points to gain access to the full details of his backstory. not that she could fault him for wanting to maintain his privacy, of course. she felt similarly about her own stuff, sometimes. “well ... guess i’ll just have to bide my time and wait that out, then, huh?”
declaire :
❝ oh please, don’t be sorry! it’s nice to find someone who commiserates with me. ❞ claire had no siblings to which she could complain about such subjects and her parents certainly wouldn’t have been receptive to her lamentations but in this girl, she seemed to have found a kindred soul. ❝ it’s funny because in some situations, people are always telling me that i’m an adult and so i ought to act like one but then in other situations, they insist that i’m still a child and i can’t be trusted to make informed decisions. ❞ she added with an exasperated shake of her head before she managed an amused grin. it was rather comical when one took a step back to look at the situation but it was also constantly annoying to be treated in such a condescending and inconsistent manner. ❝ it seems like we’re both out of answers but it’s nice to hear that there’s someone else on the same page. ❞
betty hummed agreement as she finished up the rest of the scanning, setting the books carefully into a paper bag for her. “it’s not that i’m glad to hear that someone else gets treated like a child,” she began, lifting the bag up into the counter. “but i guess it proves that misery does love company.” she exhaled a short, sardonic little chuckle as she shrugged her shoulders in resignation. eyes lifted from the register as she punched some buttons to wrap up the process, one brow lifting just slightly in curiosity. “ ... any wisdom on your end as far as dealing with it?” she tried. even if the other didn’t have anything to offer, at least it could be decent fodder for conversation. it had been a slow day, anyways; betty could spare a few extra minutes to chat, as long as the store remained empty — and even if a few customers happened to trickle in. “cause ... i dunno, trying to prove them wrong hadn’t exactly worked out too well.”
feelslife :
❝ I say we start giving them condescending nicknames and we’ll see how they like it. ❞ astrid had never been particularly fond of any of her teachers throughout her academic career but she had a special disdain reserved for those who treated her as if she were an aimless ten year old wandering from classroom to classroom. ❝ They need to get off their high horses. ❞ the blonde concurred with an irritated shake of her head before she raised a brow questioningly, ❝ I’m surprised you don’t have some petition floating around already. I’ve always thought of you as the proactive go-getter type. ❞ Such words would have been intended as an insult to most but in this particular conversation, she meant to praise Betty.
“maybe if i wasn’t working on trying to keep a low-profile,” betty muttered, following a short, mirthless little chuckle. being at the center of the student body gossip and rumor mill hadn’t exactly been the way she’d wanted to start off her year, but luckily things had finally ( hopefully ) started to taper off, and she was more than content to fly under the radar, perhaps until the end of the year. although, at least ruffling some feathers in response to sexism and condescension was a more noble cause for alarm than who had cheated on her over the summer. “and maybe if i wasn’t so unfortunately convinced that a teenage girl pushing back against a grown male authority figure wasn’t a futile fight.”
