What, like it's hard?

[therealamaranguyen]

youngachillesjang​:

Phase: Day Nine

“That sucks.” His eyes widened, “Not the being woman a part, just that these things are so heavily gendered and unfairly punish women.” He was definitely a feminist but he always felt so out of place in these discussions. He was cis, this wasn’t a huge thing he could relate to.

But Amara pausing was more unnerving than anything that had happened in the past few days. He never trusted her silence, it’s where her worse ideas popped up like a surprise final boss when you thought you cleared a level.

“I…but you just said to be patient with him. I can handle this. I’ve been handling this, Mari. It’s gonna be okay, I’m going to talk to them.” If he could work up the nerve to do it. Might take him a day or two because he didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. “We don’t have to do this,” but she was already moving to the front door. He wasn’t sure he could stop her.

“Exactly.” Amara said, offering him a literal and figurative cookie. 

She was proud of him, kind of. He was standing up to her. It was cute. In a cat barking kind of way. “Fine. You have twenty-four hours to handle Tee and Leo, but we are going to bother Regulus. He has been neglectful of late, and we can’t eat all of this by ourselves.” She shoved some baked goods into glass tupperware and shoved that into an Ikea shopping bag. 

Then she marched towards her mother’s Camry, not bothering to check if Young was following. She unlocked the door and got into the driver’s seat, adjusting the distance to the pedals and checking her mirrors. She turned the car on and gripped the steering wheel with purpose as she shifted into reverse. Who cared if she only had her learner’s permit? There were far worse crimes being committed. 

[therealamaranguyen]

youngachillesjang​:

Phase: Day Nine

“I’ve literally never heard of that spectrum before.” Where did she come up with these things? It wasn’t something that most people would think of. But maybe that was part of her um…unconventional charm. That was the right way to put it. There was some sort of charm involved in it. 

Young gratefully took the cookie and bit into it immediately. It was a bad move. He nearly choked as she dissected the situation. He needed water and maybe to not be having this conversation. Curse Reg from running away from everyone. He didn’t have the best advice, but he could temper Amara. Somewhat. 

He wanted to say something. But he also wanted Amara to have the floor while he finished eating and figured out what to say. He didn’t expect her to drop quite the bomb on him. 

“Um…so…fun story….Leo’s in hiding in my house.” If he’d known that Leo had threatened Amara of all people, he wouldn’t have accepted him into his home. Tee knew that. Had they lied to him too? His stomach hurt. Really hurt. “He left the Alessis, I don’t know the full story.” He should have asked, even if he didn’t want to hear it. “I’m gonna talk to Tee about it. That’s not okay. I’m sorry.” 

“There’s considerable literature on it on the citizen detective forums. I’d send you a link but...” Amara sighed to make her point. “It’s an entirely informal system but maps onto many things quite well. It’s very gendered, obviously. Really, the greatest crime a woman can commit is not behaving like a woman.”

She paused. Then she paused again, making sure she’d heard what he’d said. “Yung-taek. What.” It was rare for Amara to be rattled. Even with Tony Alessi in her face, she’d been more infuriated than intimidated. But the idea of her sweet, silly, and highly vulnerable friend being in the company of someone who had upset an Alessi was not something she could tolerate. She’d only wanted to stake her claim as the most important person in his life and to force Young’s hand because he could be so very indecisive. But now she was rattled. And Amara hated being rattled. 

“No. Please.” Had she ever said please in her life? She wasn’t sure. “Don’t tell Tee. Just... get them out. Or you get out. Someone get out. You know what? We’re going to go talk to Regulus. Right now. He hangs out with them. He’ll fix this.” Or, rather, she would tell him how to fix it and he would do it because that was how Sandbox Squad worked. It was the natural order of things. Even in a very unnatural situation. 

[therealamaranguyen]

youngachillesjang​:

Phase: Day Nine

Well that wasn’t exactly what he expected Amara to say. Who would think that? “I don’t think Sera’s a serial killer. She seems more like the kind of person who would faint at the sight of blood.” He was not going to over think this. He didn’t want to be considering if his friends could be killers. That was too much for his brain right now. 

“Yo-you don’t need to do that.” He laughed uncomfortable. “It’s a big house. I thought it would be fine. They cleaned up the cake. It’s just weird to hear them giggling and being in love when…” he wasn’t going to say it again, “y’know? They haven’t crossed my boundaries, I just feel awkward.” Yeah, his stomach hurt but he didn’t know what his boundaries were here. He wanted to help them out. And he could. It just might be simpler if he was somewhere else. 

Young took what was probably the biggest breath of his life. He could feel something like adrenaline surging in his chest. It was like the start of a professional match. But worse. Much worse. “No. They have no idea. I think it should probably stay that way. I was just telling you because you’re my best friend. And I haven’t been able to say it. So, yay you.” He’d probably just made a terrible mistake. 

“Of course she’s not a serial killer. I said that. But there is a spectrum between Princess Di and Aileen Wuornos. You never know where people fall until you do.” Amara didn’t think this was complicated but she frequently made that mistake. It was the only one she allowed. 

She leaned forward to give his shoulder a supportive squeeze. Then she held out a cookie. “You shouldn’t have to feel awkward in your own home, Yung-taek. That’s non-negotiable. If you want to move in with Hye, you should. But you are also allowed to change your mind about them being there. You’ve said Tee is conscientious. I wouldn’t want people to stay in my house if they were having cake fights, clean up or no. You don’t have to say why either. There are many empty houses.” Amara had started to venture out to do her own exploring on that front and had found out many interesting things. And objects.

She could tell he didn’t trust her to react well. But no one ever expected her to react well. It was a calculated decision, really. But it also gave moments like this more weight. “I respect your decision. I’m sorry that it didn’t work out as you hoped, and I’m honored you told me.” She meant every word. “And I wish they had far better judgment.” She meant that too. 

Amara took a deep breath. She hadn’t expected to say this, but he was offering her a secret and wanted to know what was bothering  her. This was it. “You have been very candid with me so it’s only fair that I be candid with you. Leo and his cousin came to my house to threaten me three days ago. They were upset that I interacted with Finn Beaumont’s little sister and decided I needed to be told to not do it again.” 

[therealamaranguyen]

youngachillesjang​:

Phase: Day Nine

Young didn’t like when he knew more than Amara did. It felt wrong. He was enjoying his scone too much to want to talk, but he had to say something. Right? “Sera’s cool. I don’t know that you two will get along, but like she’s not gonna hurt Reg. She’s the next leading lady of West Ham. They all have charm built in.” 

He sighed. He should have expected this from Amara, but he wished there was someone he could really talk to. He had issues and he couldn’t handle tummy aches for ever. Especially when Raleigh was one of the only doctors in town. “Leo. They dated last year. They’re dating again.” He pushed down his own memories of finding out at the party. “He defected and they needed a place to stay and I have a big house but it’s awkward because…..” To say it or not say it? Well, this might be the only chance he got. “I’minlovewithTee and they’re like having cake fights and stuff all over my house which feels worse than if the Alessi’s were pounding on the door but they might be at any minute so I’m thinking of staying with Hye for awhile. I don’t know.” 

“Charming people hurt people all the time. Most serial killers are very charming. Not that I think she is. That’s just a not at all constructive criteria.” He could be so naïve sometimes. Him AND Regulus. The latter she was never prepared for. She usually chalked it up to rich people nonsense and moved on. 

“Whoa. WHOA.” This was more emotion than Amara was used to dealing with, even from Young. Still, this was a lot of information at once. Some of it was much more important than others. Namely Leo. Leo who had been in this house. Who’d stood outside her mother’s office when Tony Alessi had... Well. Amara wasn’t a fan. Still, Leo didn’t know what was said. No one did but her and Tony. She’d come out of the interaction without evidence of Charlie and Rin’s wrongdoing but with a clear deal to protect herself. If Leo had defected, was that deal still intact? 

“You should make them leave, Yung-taek. It’s your house. I wouldn’t agree to cake fights in my own house regardless of my feelings for anyone involved. It’s a waste of cake and boundary crossing besides. I can tell them for you, if you like.” There was something very pleasing to her about the idea of walking up to an Alessi with a glint in her eye. I know who you are. I can hurt what you care about. Even if you hurt me. He hadn’t taken that from her, even if he thought he had.

Amara had never really bought into the “empowerment” side of true crime. She found the My Favorite Murder girls to be in terrible taste, and she knew that sometimes bad things happened to people, regardless of how they held their keys between their fingers or ignored hitchhikers on the road. But still, she felt like she’d survived that interaction with the Alessis. She’d come out of it feeling braver and more sure of herself. She hadn’t buckled entirely. Maybe she was her father’s daughter. 

“But no matter where you end up putting them, we need to address the larger part. Have you told Tee you love them? Because if you have and they’re still doing that, they’re going to have a very different fight on their hands.”

[therealamaranguyen]

youngachillesjang​:

Phase: Day Nine

“It was at least five out of two hundred.” Young had made sure that Tee and Gabe knew the deal. “But I get your point.” They couldn’t have made it happen for him. He thought that Reg was more popular, but maybe that didn’t matter as much when it came to politics. 

Did she actually know his thoughts? He grabbed for a scone and took a big bite. It was delicious, like always. Talk about a real power up. “Yeah, you’re missing a lot. He was out with her, like, holding hands and kissing her cheek and stuff. It’s serious.” Okay, maybe he was projecting a little bit. “I mean, he hasn’t told us so it’s not serious yet but it seems like it might be. I dunno.” He stuffed more scone into his mouth. That was a lot better. 

“I just messed some stuff up with Tee, but it’ll be fine.” He was going to keep telling himself that it was okay. “And I guess I opened my house up to an Alessi mobster to make them happy, so I don’t know how that’s going to work out but I’m trying.” 

“Okay. Five. Negligible.” Amara had never been the type to split hairs. She looked very closely, yes, but she didn’t split hairs. And looking too closely could cause you to lose track of the bigger picture, the large map of red threaded lines. 

Amara’s eyebrows raised until her forehead was almost half its size. There was a lot to unpack there between Regulus and Yung-Taek’s own perception of him. But she wasn’t in a position to poke. Not yet. “I will reserve judgment.” she said diplomatically. These things were delicate in a way she didn’t always fully understand. She blamed her mother, whose reaction to such delicacies was to aggressively not care.

Amara almost choked on her food. The Tee stuff she only marginally cared about beyond how it might hurt him. His...whatever that was was Yung-Taek’s business. But the other part. The other part was dangerous. Dangerous for her in particular, in fact. Amara tried to cover her choking with a swallow and a smile. But she was still probably too insistent when she followed up with “I’m sorry. Which mobster does Tee know?”

[therealamaranguyen]

youngachillesjang​:

Phase: Day Nine

“He got my vote.” Young wasn’t sure if he was supposed to vote for him now that Amara wasn’t happy. “Did he…were we not doing the friend thing?” They may have been friends since they were little but Young still didn’t understand all the vaults that Reg and Amara used to keep people locked out. 

He took his own seat at the breakfast bar and glanced around the kitchen table. He hadn’t been here since their last talk about Reg when she was on the cusp of breaking. But Amara never fully cracked, she just wobbled. She’d make a hell of a boss in a from software game. 

“I don’t think those two are back on track.” He might not know a lot about the equation but Raleigh did. And she’d shared enough that he thought something else was happening. “Cricket is with someone else. I think. I doubt Reg has really heard about it though since he’s been burying his head in the sand.” Or, he had been until he’d made a public showing. “Reg was making eyes at someone at the picnic but I’m still not sure how to talk to him so I can’t tell you more than that.” 

It would be easier if Amara was baking cookies. She had such a steady gaze. Young wasn’t the most tight-lipped guy to begin with but it was hard to stay cool when someone looked at you that deeply. “I think I messed a few different things up and I’m still working on my game plan for fixing things. What about you?” 

Amara didn’t bother to hide her offense. Of course they were doing the friend thing. “I voted for him too. It just didn’t help. Two out of two hundred isn’t enough.”

She edged a plate of mung bean cakes and rosemary scones towards Young. Then she wrinkled her nose at the mention of the name. “There is no track. There is a bridge to nowhere. Fast & Furious style. And Reg makes eyes at every girl. Am I missing something?” 

She bit into one of the cakes, savoring the taste of the purple yam. This was what she needed. A problem that was bigger than hers. Even if Young’s wasn’t, she could trust his anxiety to make it so. “Alright spill.”

[wewerechildrenwerenotnow]

Phase: Day Nine

Everyone’s playing nice. Nicer than can perhaps be expected. They’re all back to their respective corners. Laws are drawn up, logistics planned. And the Alessis are holding a dinner party. 

Lots of meetings of the minds. Let’s just hope that the kids remember a mind is a terrible thing to waste. 

So press play, and go.

[youngachillesjang]

@therealamaranguyen​

Young didn’t like to think of himself as a coward. He loved to rise to every opportunity. In a match, he relished the opportunity to show off. He lived for the moment when he was standing on the payload and the crowd (real or metaphorical) was roaring in his ears. 

But, life with friends was a little different. He’d already been in a tailspin with Tee, who had always been his barometer for other relationships. Without them, he was feeling more lost than usual. It wasn’t that they weren’t around, they were just so busy with Leo that he didn’t want to bother. 

Reg needed time and space. Young didn’t want to push there. That left one other cornerstone of his life that was out of balance, the one that he could maybe do something about. Unfortunately, she was also the most intimidating friend he had. 

He knocked on the door and waited for her to open. The second she did, he went into overdrive. 

“Hey.” 

“I don’t mean to pressure you, but I didn’t see you at the picnic. Are you okay? Can we have a talk? I really need a strat for Reg for the very least.” 

[therealamaranguyen]

For three days, Amara had been on simmer. Ever since Tony Alessi and his little minion broke into her kitchen and messed up her organization. It would not be allowed to stand, but she needed to bide her time until she got her bearings. She’d attended the election and done his little dance. She didn’t have the heart to ask how many votes she’d gotten. She didn’t much care anyway. 

Young was in familiar form, so she didn’t comment on the speed. “I’m fine.” she said, with just enough authority for her (and hopefully him) to believe it. “Regulus needed a ‘strat’ before he gave that non-committal speech. He wasn’t under the Alessi umbrella but he didn’t step out from under it either, which meant he didn’t even get the Jimmy Hoffa vote.”

She paused and softened (as much as she could soften).

 “And I won’t tell him that, of course. He knows it, which is why he’s hiding. So we’ll go over and call him on it ever so gently.” She paused, her finger to her lips in thought. “Perhaps with cake.” She waved the thought away as she sat down at the breakfast bar. “Plus, he and that weird servant boy were making a fair amount of eye contact at that meeting, so we might be dealing with that again.” She sighed, heading for the kitchen and trusting him to follow. “So how are you?”

[wewerechildrenwerenotnow]

Phase: Day Six

Britt didn’t wake up. Up to you how you feel about that. Or if you expected it. Some might’ve. Would’ve made about as much sense. 

But she’s in the ground. The party’s over. Secrets are out. The work’s begun. But some started early, and others don’t like that very much. 

But Fern doesn’t know that yet, and she’s about to invite everyone and their mother (if there were any adults) to the table. 

So press play, and go.

[leograviano]

Tony brings Leo along to clear things up with Amara, but Leo starts to have doubts about his role in everything.

(cw: coercion, threat)

Keep reading

[wewerechildrenwerenotnow]

Name: Amara Nguyen Face Claim: Lana Condor Played by: Lil Birthday: Feb 14 Family: Lành Nguyen (Mother - Ali Wong), Dechen Nguyen (Father - Deceased) Friends: Reg, Young (from preschool) Romances: Busy, thanks. Hobbies/Clubs/Social Circle: Loner, High Honors, Forensic Psychology/True Crime

If people paid attention to Amara, maybe they’d find her strange or unnerving or intimidating. The makeup is a little too perfect, the smile a bit too studied. She’s a great project partner, very helpful, if a little cold. You might mistake it for shyness if you didn’t look too closely. She keeps people at a distance, not because she dislikes them, per se, (that would require a commitment of energy but spent on research) but because she understands them. She knows what they’re capable of. Not from some trauma that Stephen King or Tina Fey could pen. No. She’s far too smart (and far too small) for that. But she sees things. She notices. But no one seems to notice her. She likes it that way. She likes setting up the dominos and watching them fall. 

Amara’s supposed to be figuring out her future, but in truth, she’s always been more interested in her past. Her workaholic mother was always too busy to do anything other than tell her her father was great, but she can’t help but wonder if knowing his true self will make what she is make sense. What is she? Well. 

Lots of kids just try to get through school. They try to remind themselves that the sharks are just big fish in a small pond. Amara likes to stand outside the pond. Far enough, in fact, to realize it’s an aquarium. 

And she does enjoy sushi. 

Follow Amara here!