Sienna

@sienna--turati

Double Major in Creative Writing and English, Dance Minor Editor of The Scroll & Writer for the Today's Sea Breeze News, Conscious & NOW member Vivi e lascia vivere. username: thedancingwriter

658 posts

“Just let me read it!” The hands that tried to grab the stapled group of papers in her hands failed miserably as Sienna pulled them back against her chest.

“Absolutely not.” Gabe let out a whine and fell down onto the couch, disturbing Bene’s comfortable place against the pillows. The corgi let out a grunt of displeasure before using Gabe’s lap as a pillow.

“Why not?”

“Because it isn’t finished yet.”

“So?”

She let out an exasperated sigh, “You know my rule.”

“Yea, but you know I don’t care.” His tone was matter-of-factly, causing Sienna to toss a pillow in his direction. Truth be told, she was already on her second read through and there were barely any marks on the page for correction. Yet, she was hesitant to share this particular piece with him. Her paper had required her to put in more emotions than normal, and no matter how close they had gotten in the past year, Sienna still had trouble opening up completely to him.

Her pen made another slight mark on the page as she flipped to the next one, only pausing to push her glasses back up her face. The room went silent again and Gabe decided he’d much rather nap than move from his comfortable position once more to bug her.

One hour later and Sienna had entered her changes into the word document. As she went to close her laptop, finished for the day, she glanced at Gabe who, in his sleep, had shifted to spoon with Bene. Her expression softened at the scene. A shift inside her mind made her smile and she printed out the story she had been working on.

Walking back to the pair on the couch, in true Sienna form, she flopped the stack of papers onto Gabe’s face. He sputtered awake, only barely stopping the papers from falling all over the floor. “What the—what’s this?”

Unable to acknowledge that she had changed her mind, and that she was now willing to share her writing with him, Sienna only smirked as she went to the kitchen for a snack. As she reheated her food, she watched his face as he realized what it was and as he read further on. The tenderness and focus he held entranced her that she nearly burned the food—a rarity for her. As she was finishing up reheating food enough for both of them, two arms wrapped around her waist and silently pulled her back against him; head tucking against her neck.

It was the silent moments that felt the most meaningful to her; which was why she had written all about their moments for her assignment.

zander-churchill

I am happy about both things as well. Having others around is okay but I appreciate having my own space this year. Now I can work as long as I like without keeping someone up. And you can stop by at any time, of course. The door is always open for you. The refrigerator too.

Plus you can doggysit for me now! Was that a not subtle hint to drop some food off into your fridge?

zander-churchill

So? That does not mean that I miss you any less. Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all.

Alright, that’s fair. I’m just happy to have you back around me again so close on campus. And we’re both out of dorms!

zander-churchill

That is the point, Enna!

It’s so good to see you!

You just saw me last week for lunch. But I’ve missed you too!

zander-churchill

Excusez-moi! On your left!

Zan! You’re going to run into me again.

aliadler First day of production ice cream. Tomorrow will be second day of production ice cream. @melissabenoist @supergirlcbs @sarahsowitty #Supergirl

Sister Time

Who: Cleo, talk of Gabe and Zander Where: Sienna’s Apartment When: idk

Finally...Progress | Gabienna

One minute he was smirking into Sienna’s annoyed face, and the next their lips were smashed together, her hands fisted in his shirt. To say he was taken aback was an understatement of the highest order- he was too surprised to even close his eyes. Inhaling sharply, his arms flailed for an instant, hands flying to her waist again but hovering an inch over them uncertainly. At the exact moment he was ready to really grab her and kiss her back, suddenly she was pulling back.

Dazed, he just listened to Sienna ramble nervously with a vague sort of expression, reaching up to run a thumb over his bottom lip, which was complying with every cliche there was and tingling. He felt off kilter, and the first words out of his mouth were blurted without thought. “Did you seriously just kiss me to shut me up?”

He cleared his throat and started again. “So, I appreciate you’re kind of-” he made a vague panicking gesture at her, talking to her like a easily startled animal and edging back into her space. “-and we can talk about it. But let’s just put that on the calendar for later, okay? 3:30 PM - Freak Out About Kissing, 3:45 - Afternoon Snack? Now, I’m just gonna-” he cupped her face with one hand, the other going to her back. He paused just long enough for Sienna to tell him to back off before he kissed her firmly, trying to convey ‘stop freaking, that was awesome’ nonverbally.

When it came to the guys Sienna chose to kiss--at least while she was sober--she was far more prepared and usually better dressed. Really though, donned in her lazy shorts and old high school tank, spots of flour on the fabrics; Sienna wasn’t feeling all that attractive. As Gabe began to talk she had to force herself to stand still but even then her body felt like it was vibrating.

Her gaze was still startled and slightly guilty as he talked and the mere fact that he wasn’t outright rejecting her nearly made her fall over. Which would have seemed impossible considering her dancer’s grace. Suddenly, though, his hands were on her again and she was too shocked to really do anything still. Not that she wanted to move away at all. Not one bit.

She was grateful to not have to lean up again since there was a low chance that she’d be able to balance. He was kissing her again and it only took her a brief second to process that it was happening. Her vibrations of panic from before mellowed down to a lull--or at least it transferred to her fast paced heart beat. Her hands went to his waist, at a loss of what to really do at the moment with them. Deciding without much debate, Sienna fell into the kiss and didn’t try to think of the consequences.

#finally progress

Finally...Progress | Gabienna

The hug wasn’t something he thought he needed, but as soon as Sienna had put herself in his arms he knew he really probably did. His shoulder, which he hadn’t even realized we tense, relaxed, and he hugged her back a tightly as she squeezed him. He sighed, resting his cheek against her hair. “You’re short.” he mumbled, falling back into his default teasing and poking her side. “Adorably tiny. Seriously you’re losing terror points with me here.”

He was shocked by the solemn look on her face and stared back with curiosity, his hands flying automatically to cover her own when they touched his face. A surprised sort of smile touched his face at her words. Hearing Sienna’s story, telling her his own, and realizing that he finally had someone in his life who wasn’t going to get awkward, or pity him because of it… it made him feel lighter than he had in a long while.

He didn’t notice her standing up on her toes until she was inches from his face, putting a hand on her waist to steady her as she raised up on tiptoes. For a moment he thought she intended to kiss him, and he hardly breathed. He smiled as her lips brushed his cheek, and when she pulled away a moment later, he let his hand slide off her waist only a little reluctantly. “I’m not sure because I don’t speak your pasta language, but I’m pretty sure you just complimented me. A lesser man might make a big deal of it, you know. But I’m a humble, gracious gent, so I’m just going to bring it up every time you insult me in the next week.”

His smile made her own grow a little bigger and she was grateful that she wasn’t overstepping any boundaries. Honestly, she had no idea what was happening between them and she was far too afraid to ask. Dropping down to her normal height, Sienna glared at him. She wasn’t sure if it was because of his earlier comment on her height or because he tended to ruin a perfectly decent moment, but Sienna felt a seed of annoyance appear inside her chest. Her hands landed on her hips as he continued to speak and by the time he was done, Sienna was fully prepared to slap him.

However, slapping was not what her body decided to react with. In fact, being caught up in such a moment and standing so close to him after sharing personal histories was exactly the type of mood that apparently had her body moving closer to him. Though her actions were a bit more forceful than a lovers and her fists were clenching his shirt not only to hold her balance but also in a sign of frustration, Sienna leaned up on her toes once more and pressed her lips against his. Her mind was completley blank and really she had no idea what was happening until suddenly it hit her.

Pulling away in shock, Sienna clasped her hands over her mouth and took a step back. “Merda.” Her word was mumbled and she began shaking her hands in the air as a slight pace began in panic. “I shouldn’t have done that, I’m so sorry. Really I was just caught up in the moment and you wouldn’t shut up and, damn it, I crossed the line and I’m sorry.”

#finally progress

Finally...Progress | Gabienna

Noticing her gentle mocking of his word choice, he made a face at her before an answering smile tugged at his mouth. A warm feeling settled in his chest, despite the story he was about to tell, and for a moment he was tempted to do something crazy like kiss her, even though he knew it wasn’t the time. He really was honored that Sienna had told him, and hoped that this meant that maybe she was fonder of him than she even let on, but he also meant when he told himself that he’d be content being Sienna friend if it turns out she did start dating that Zander guy who came around almost as much as Gabe did. Not the time. He reminded himself, and sucked in a deep breath.

“Well, about a month after my tenth birthday, my mom died. Brain aneurysm.” he explained, in the distant sort of way he did, as if it had happened to someone else. “I was a total mama’s boy, and my dad was crazy for her, all that jazz. So, naturally we were pretty messed up. We didn’t really have any family to help us out. He was completely checked out, obviously neck deep in depression and sinking. He went to work some days, was in bed all day more often than that, and sometimes he was just gone, for days at a time. I tried to just stay out of his way, and not bother him. Like,” he huffed out a strangled sounding laugh. “I’d be sitting on the kitchen floor eating jelly out of the jar because there was nothing else to eat and he was off God knows where and had been for the past two days.”

“So after about a year of that, I came home and my dad was sitting on the couch with this lady in one of those pencil skirt business suit things, and my first wild thought is that my dad’s been dating again, and maybe he’s going to start- functioning again.” He rolled his eyes skyward, inhaling sharply before he continued. “Then she explains that she’s a social worker, and that I’m going to stay in a foster home ‘for awhile’.” he finger quoted. “And I completely flipped, and started shouting and crying. My dad already had a bag packed, and he handed it to the social worker and told me a bunch of the same- bullshit, pretty much. ‘It’s just for awhile Gabe, I’ll get you back soon.’ Which, implies that he didn’t have a choice in the matter. But I found out a few months later it wasn’t that he lost custody, he just signed over his parental rights to the state.”

“And foster care, I mean don’t get me wrong, there were a couple of families that were nice, but there were plenty that didn’t care, or didn’t have enough money for all of us, and I mean-” he cringed. “Every Dateline ABC horrible thing you’ve heard about foster care I either experienced, saw with my own two eyes, or heard about from another kid who had been in the system as long as me.” He was surprised at how serious and grim he’d gotten. He didn’t normally experience the reliving as much as he just had. He shrugged as if he was trying to shake the entire conversation off and smiled and spread his arms, . “Seven years later though, I’m here, and I guess I’m alright. Most of the time. I don’t know, I think I’m pretty cool. You think I’m pretty cool, right?” he teased.

Sienna didn’t really know where the conversation would lead but it certainly wasn’t that. Instead of any type of reaction, Sienna continued to walk with him. Though her grip did tighten on occasion throughout the story. The brunette glanced up on occasion at him and noted that she hated how detached he sounded. Her free hand played with a strand of hair that came out of her half up do and there was a brief moment where she remembered she barely looked presentable to the world based on how much flour went around that morning for pancakes.

Her protective side was trying to burst forward, a part of her that really only showed when those she cared about were involved. And if there were ever a moment to let herself admit that she cared about Gabe, it was that moment. Even though they were walking and his open arms weren't for a hug, Sienna still found her body propelling towards him to squeeze him as tight as he had before.

She stayed that way for a period of time that she couldn’t comprehend--though really it wasn’t all that long. His question, while in a playful tone, was one she thought of seriously as she pulled herself backwards enough to look up at his face in deep thought. The expression that rose up, however, was not one that both of them avoided. There was no pity or sadness. “Sei incredibile.” Her words were slightly muttered and seemed more of a thought accidentally spoken out loud. However, her hands went up to his face in order to keep him looking at her as she continued, “Gabe, I know you want to ignore that pain, and you’re allowed to, but you can always come to me about it. Alright?” Her compassionate side which didn’t often appear was very strong at the moment. Which was partially why she leaned up high on her toes and placed a lingering kiss on his cheek. “

#finally progress

Finally...Progress | Gabienna

He sighed, squeezing his eyes shut for a split second. Yeah, he knew. He’d been there before, for eighteen years a folder told everyone everything he wanted to keep to himself. He knew how heavy the sympathetic looks and unprompted hugs and uncomfortable stares and whispers could feel when everything else was already just this side of bearable. And he knew absolutely that there was nothing that could be said that made anyone actually feel better. Still, saying nothing was worse. So he gave her shoulder a squeeze and said simply “I’m sorry Sienna. I know there’s nothing anyone can say that’s not cliche or well meaning but horrible. So, I’m sorry that happened, and I’m touched you’d share that with me. And for the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.”

It was maybe unfair to think, but knowing that about Sienna, suddenly things bout her made sense. Certain personality traits made sense, the same way it made sense that he had trouble taking anything serious for more than a few minutes, and had no brain-to-mouth filter after his own childhood. He admired Sienna though, if he was being honest she seemed more well adjusted then he could ever be. (A very small, bitter part of him was jealous that she had a sister and a family to take her in, but he knew that their situations were equally horrible in a variety of different ways.)

Feeling like he wanted to give Sienna something in return for her trust, he put her arm through his again and started walking again. “So, would you feel like I was trying to dismiss your horrible parent situation if I told you about mine? It’s intended in a bro-I-totally-understand way.”

Sienna would have flinched at the hand on her shoulder if it had been nearly anyone else. Gabe, however, had earned more of her trust than she expected considering her reaction wasn’t to close herself off. She wondered if Gabe now understood why she was the way she was. If all her antics made any sense at all. Granted her parents’ deaths only played a part in why she was so guarded and Chris was one of the people that had scarred her more than she wished to admit.

But she felt that of all people, he would understand her. She’d heard a little of what his past was like but never pushed for more even if he seemed to be open about it. A small smile stayed on her lips, one far more delicate than before, as she followed his lead. Though there was a brief moment of grimace at him calling her a bro--the same effect of when he’d called her a friend over the past couple weeks too.

Nodding, she looked up at him with a playful smile, hoping it would alleviate the seriousness of their conversation a bit. “I would be honored.”

#finally progress

#dance portfolio

Finally...Progress | Gabienna

Gabe resisted the urge to lift her off the ground with the force of the hug. He felt like Sienna wouldn’t appreciate it. He placated the urge by offering her and extra tight squeeze before he let her go. He couldn’t imagine what this must feel like for Sienna, it was true that he had his own family issues But he didn’t know them, not really. He imagined it was like the pain of moving away from his friends, which he had far too much experience with, only a thousand times worse.

Caught up in these thoughts, he was under the assumption that he and Sienna would share a mostly silent, contemplating walk, and so was shocked when Sienna spoke suddenly. Tensing automatically at her words, he shook his head frantically, an emotion almost like alarm taking over. Cleo had said something several times akin to ‘after mom and dad died’, or ‘before we went to live with our aunt and uncle’, but Gabe had determinedly not addressed it- though he had wondered.

“Nope!” he almost squawked. “That’s-” he sighed, actually pausing to think about what he wanted to say, for once. “It’s not my business. We’re friends and everything, and if you ever wanted to tell me of course I’d listen, but until then it’s absolutely none of my beeswax.” he said bluntly, though he tried to keep his voice gentle. “Everybody’s got their stuff- emotional baggage or whatever, God knows I have plenty. Your sister is obviously- well, she’s a kid. So she’s more open about it, and that’s great. But I don’t want you to feel obligated to explain anything to me. So I have no questions.”

His tenseness only made her feel more guilty for keeping something so big from him for so long, even Zander knew about the mess that was her life early on. Then again, Zander had always been an exception for her self-rules. They’d made it enough inside the park that she was willing to stop him from walking by placing her hands on his chest and standing in his way.

She was silent for a bit after he finished speaking, staring up at him in deep thought. On top of it all, an emotion she had always--or at least most of the time--kept concealed was threatening to appear. And at that moment she didn’t want to keep it down, but there was a different, more important matter, that needed to be cleared up. Her hands stayed on his chest but she didn’t notice. “I wasn’t going to tell you, at least I wasn’t ready to until...” Her head had turned down but she forced herself to look up at him. “But then I saw you with Cleo and, I don’t know, I’m willing to trust you with it. Honestly, I know people out there would probably see it as ridiculous to keep the fact that my parents are dead a secret but...I didn’t want that look anymore, you know?”

Her hands fell to cross over her chest, “Cleo was only two, so she doesn’t remember much of them or of Italy. It was a little easier for her. It’s why she’s open about it. Anyway,” she shook her head to gather her thoughts, “It was a drunk driver. They went out one night and--the rest is history.” A shrug formed on her shoulders but she didn’t really know what else to say, so she pushed down what she could and looked down at the ground.

#finally progress

Finally...Progress | Gabienna

Gabe was normally no stranger to barging into Sienna’s life, and apartment. It was just what he did, and no matter how many times she rolled her eyes or commented on it, he suspected that if Sienna ever did have a problem she would let him know very clearly that he needed to scoot his butt back over to his own apartment and leave her be. Thus far, their system of her locking her door when she wanted to be alone had worked very well. However today was the first time he actually felt like he was intruding. He’d made several offers to leave, but Sienna hadn’t taken him up on it and so here he was.

He smushed Cleo’s face as a goodbye and told her to send him a picture of the pyramids. She really was a sweet girl with a wonderful sense of humor, and Gabe would have thoroughly enjoyed her presence even if he wasn’t attempting to subtly wheedle her sister into dating him. Glancing at the Sienna in question, he nodded. “Yeah, sure.” he said easily, before slowly, giving her enough time to tell him to screw off, put his arm around her shoulder and pull her against his chest in a bear hug “But I’m going to hug you first, ‘kay?”

Sienna didn’t really know how to proceed that morning. Her entire emotional balance was off kilter and Cleo had certainly talked at least a little sense into Sienna while she was there. With barely any time to really process the things that the Turati siblings talked about, Sienna decided to throw caution to the wind and just go with however the morning would. That included talking to Gabe about some things she’s held back from telling him.

The hug was surprising enough that she held off from putting her arms around him as well. But once she did, a small smile of affection appeared on her lips and she let him hold her against his chest for more than a normal amount of hug. With a solid intake of breathe, she pulled away and looked up at him silently. “Thanks.” Pulling away completely, she forced her arm through his and gave a short tug. She didn’t speak again until they had reached the entrance to Ocean Park Garden. “So....I know Cleo mentioned some things and you may have some questions...or at least be curious about it.”

#finally progress

Finally...Progress | Gabienna

Sienna gave her sister one more tight hug before she climbed into the backseat of her aunt and uncle’s car. Sienna and Cleo had been exceptionally quiet that morning and it had everything to do with the fact that her younger sister was leaving for Connecticut again. Gabe had joined them for an early breakfast--though she was sure the smells of pancakes woke him up--and she was welcoming the company during a time when she just wanted to cry.

As she waved off the car, Sienna didn’t feel like returning to her now lonely apartment. In fact, she wished she was in the car with them. Her sister--besides Zander--was the one person who completely understood her, though with the way Gabe was being surprisingly silent, perhaps he was beginning to catch on to her. Her fingers toyed with her keys in her hand and she looked down at them silently. Looking up at Gabe, she held off as much emotion she could but knew it was futile. “Want to go for a walk?”

#finally progress

Sienna Turati Moodboard --> {8/?} + Zander

“You will always be my family, Zan. No matter what you’ll always be my best friend."

Sienna Turati Moodboard --> {7/?} + Gabienna (textless)

“If you cuddle me, I’ll give you food."

Sienna @sienna--turati - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag