- Location:my head
- Mood:
worried - Music:Merlin Fanmix - Bright Futures
- Location:my room
- Mood:
annoyed - Music:house/wilson fanmix - about to happen
Fandom: Natsume Yuujinchou
Rating: G
Pairing: None
Characters: Fujiwara Shigeru and Touko, Natsume Takashi, mentions of Nyangoro (AKA Nyanko-sensei, Nyankichi and Madara!), Nishimura and Kitamoto
Spoilers: all episodes just to be safe
Disclaimer: I don't own Natsume Yuujinchou
Notes: Ishiyama is a name I chose for whoever it is that organises where Natsume goes to live since we're not given a name in the manga or anime. This is only the second story I've ever written (and the first in this fandom) so any feedback is welcome even if I doubt I'll write anything again. I'd love to see someone re-do this idea though and add all the details in that I just don't have the skills to write (conversations are so not my thing!)
Fujiwara Shigeru had lived in the same house since he was a child. He had left briefly for university but had soon returned to settle into a job. His marriage to Touko had been a good match and they lived happily, although sadly they had never had any children, so when Shigeru received a phone call about a young relation Natsume Takashi that needed somewhere to stay Shigeru after discussing it with Touko had said yes. His relation Ishiyama had explained that they needed him to promise to keep Takashi-kun for at least a year. Shigeru had questioned Ishiyama as to why it sounded like such a hardship to look after Takashi-kun, was he a boy off the rails perhaps? It had been explained that Takashi-kun had been a known liar as a younger child and he was a little creepy at times but the family thought that being more in the country might help Takashi-kun. Shigeru noticed that they didn’t say what it would help Takashi-kun with, but as he’d already said that he’d take the boy he wouldn’t renege on his word.
Touko had been excited about looking after Takashi and had made sure that the upstairs room was clean and fresh smelling with everything ready to make up the futon. Shigeru in his own way was excited about receiving the boy into his home. He felt a little sorry for Takashi, that he’d lost his parents at such a young age and glad that he could help him.
Takashi was due to arrive a few days after the end of the school year and would start the new school year at the same school the Shigeru had attended in his own adolescence. Takashi had a couple of boxes that were to be sent down early before he’d arrive with the rest of his belongings. He was coming by train and would arrive late afternoon. Both Shigeru and Touko were looking forward to it and had told their neighbours in the area about the relation that was coming to stay with them.
The day of Takashi’s arrival Shigeru drove to the station to pick him up, Touko fairly buzzing in the passenger seat. They arrived at almost the perfect time, the train was to arrive in a few minutes. As they watched the passengers leaving the gates pushing their tickets into the slot on the gate they spotted a young boy weighed down by two heavy looking bags. He was a slender but a good looking boy with brown hair. He made it through the gates and began looking around. Shigeru and Touko moved forward to greet him and introduce themselves when he spotted them and started to move towards them also. After introductions, “Touko-san and Shigeru-san are fine Takashi” they set off. Touko was talking up a storm pointing out things to Takashi as they drove home. Takashi seemed a nice lad, he spoke to them in polite language, not keigo but not slang either. He responded carefully to Touko’s enquiries as to the journey on the train and what activities he enjoyed but Shigeru noticed he didn’t volunteer information and he didn’t ask questions. As Shigeru looked in the rear view mirror to catch a glimpse of their new charge he saw the boys’ expression pale, his eyes going wide. His eyes which had been focused out the window where very hurriedly averted to back into the car onto the back of the seat Touko was seated in. Shigeru saw no more than that glimpse as he shifted his eyes back onto the road. When he glanced again in the rear view mirror Takashi seemed back to normal and Shigeru could almost believe he’d imagined the expression he’d seen on the boy’s face. Back at home Touko had watched Takashi easily and efficiently unpack his bags of clothing quickly deciding places for things and emptying his bags. Shigeru had retreated to his study to do some work and didn’t see either Takashi or Touko until it was time for dinner.
The next morning after breakfast Takashi followed their suggestion and went out and about the neighbourhood to acquaint himself with the area. He’d been greeted by neighbours and introduced himself repeatedly, wondering how he was supposed to remember new names again for more new neighbours that he would only know for a year at the most. Takashi didn’t hold any hopes for longer than a year. More moves than he cared to count had taught him that. He recalled the youkai he’d seen yesterday from out the car window and shivered. He really hoped that he could keep the Fujiwara’s from thinking he was creepy, but to do that he needed to make sure that he didn’t say or do anything that would lead them to think strange things about him. He really wanted a whole year and they seemed so nice. Their house was warm and he hoped against hope it remained that way. He wondered what his new school would be like and how long it would take before he’d be labeled as ‘creepy’ there. His last school hadn’t been too bad. The other students had stayed away and he’d never tried making friends with any of them. He hadn’t joined any club and just focused on school work and trying to remain unnoticed, because if they didn’t notice you, they didn’t notice the odd things about you any more.
The weeks slipped by and Shigeru realised Takashi had been with them around a month already and he barely knew the boy still. He found that essentially Takashi seemed like a really good kid, but reluctant to show his true self to them. He didn’t ask them questions about themselves or the area they lived in but Shigeru realised it wasn’t a lack of interest, it was a fear of overstepping his bounds. When Takashi brought Nyangoro home and asked if he could keep him it was the first time Touko had seen such a hopeful look on his face and it was also the first time that Takashi had reached out to them. Touko and he had readily agreed to keeping the cat hopefully encouraging Takashi to be more open with them.
More months passed with the slow turning of the seasons, spring had moved into summer which had had Takashi fainting from the heat. He seemed to spend days with friends Nishimura and Kitamoto from school. Shigeru and Touko were both pleased that he’d gained the two boys friendship so easily. It wasn’t easy moving into a new area and they had both noticed that Takashi had no correspondence with friends from his last school. Summer slowly moved into autumn and Touko had been concerned the night of the festival when Takashi stayed out without letting them know where he was. Shigeru felt far more comfortable with that behaviour. It was something he would have done as a boy, too caught up in having fun to remember to tell your parents where you’d gone. Shigeru hadn’t had a chance to meet Natori but Touko assured him that he seemed a responsible young man and they had both again been happy that Takashi had friends. Winter saw more illness for Takashi with a number of fevers. Each time the boy was sick Touko would worry and make nutritious soups and teas for them all.
They had been looking after Takashi now for nearly a year and apart from the occasional odd thing that he would do they had never seemed to have run into the reasons why his relation Ishiyama thought that they wouldn’t keep Takashi for at least a full year. He was a good boy, he’d made friends and settled into life here. He wasn’t a very open boy and when asked he was always ‘fine’ and ‘nothing’s wrong’, even when he looked tired, sick or exhausted. Touko had a few times given Takashi a telling off for his thoughtlessness, but whilst such moments were worrying at the time he always remembered with them with fondness. Boys will be boys after all.
One afternoon he found himself finishing up his work early and packing the rest into his bag to take home with him making a beeline for meeting Takashi on his walk home from school. He knew Takashi’s schedule pretty well now and sure enough there was Takashi walking with his two friends Nishimura and Kitamoto. He hoped he hadn’t interrupted or embarrassed Takashi by meeting him on his walk home and as he was so reticent it was hard to tell. He’d been so pleased when Takashi had come to him the next day asking about the girl he’d mentioned the previous night. Anything that would draw Takashi out and let him realise that this was his home and he was allowed to ask questions and be himself was a good thing. As he remembered the girl in his story to Takashi he was struck by a number of similarities in Takashi’s and her demeanor. They both seemed to be lonely and a little strange. Late that afternoon after hearing such a loud noise from upstairs and then seeing the destruction of the room the image of the girl and Takashi almost seemed to overlap. The similarities of the situation were obvious as were Takashi’s lies about what had happened. Shigeru’s heart constricted at Takashi’s desperate lies and promises to pay them back for the damage. If only he would realise that there is no need for a child to pay back for damages - damages are expected! And that Touko and he just want Takashi to be himself and tell them when things bother, upset or make him happy.
Ishiyama’s call was almost a year to the day. It was the start of March and he said that he thought he’d found someone who could take Takashi off their hands. Ishiyama seemed amazed that they wanted to keep Takashi “for as long as he wants to stay” and had asked to speak to Takashi to see whether or not he truly did wish to stay. Takashi’s eyes had widened with shock, his jaw dropping slightly at the question and realisation that they wanted him to stay. He looked up at Shigeru eyes still large with surprise not saying a word. Shigeru could hear Ishiyama on the other end asking if Takashi was still there. Takashi stammered out that he was and that he wished to stay on with the Fujiwara’s. Shigeru had watched with some amusement as Takashi had wandered dazed from the room with Nyangoro following after him. Well, Shigeru thought, maybe one day he’ll tell us his worries and problems, but gaining Takashi’s trust would never happen overnight but if the tears he had seen in Takashi’s eyes were any indication asking him to keep staying with them had been a definite step in the right direction.
- Location:my place
- Mood:
creative - Music:yoshida brothers
My French exam didn't go very well and I don't think I passed the paper. It was first year French and it was the first semester of the paper but seriously I don't think my brain works in French at all. Perhaps if I lived there for awhile?
My head is again pissing me off today with another headache. Seriously I'm so over getting headaches, what's this about 15 years or so now? But I am thankful that I very rarely get migraines. Maybe once a year at the most and they tend to be quite mild (compared to people who can't bear light/noise/touch etc)
Although trying to study when you have a headache is pretty hard, when I concentrate on something for long periods I tend to block out the pain but then when I come back out of that concentration I find that I've been clenching my jaw and now not only does my head hurt worse but my jaw aches as well (trying to read a book for pleasure also has this problem). It's annoying as hell.
Anyways was talking to Y-chan the other night and am super duper excited about going to see her in about 5 weeks! JAPAN! How I've missed thee let me count the ways (probably to start off with grape chuhai!)
P just picked up the aerobics costume that mum and I made for D. Looks pretty sweet - black shorts and a white top with two mid-blue panels. The panels have Japanese written on them the one on the front reads 蛟龍 (kouryuu) and means hidden genius or rain dragon and the one on the back 功夫 which is actually the Chinese for Kung Fu. D's routine/theme is Kung Fu and he should look good. He's a skinny little thing (seriously we took his measurements and his chest and waist are the same! Also we cut out the size for a 6 year old and he's 10!) and the whole costume is lycra and looks really clean and fresh and bright. I'm bummed that I'm going to miss the competition this year thou as I'll be working. I asked P if anyone's going to video it. I hope so *fingers crossed* cause I really want to see G's performance as well as she'll be doing a group routine and a solo.
- Mood:
sleepy - Music:good omens fanmix - temptation awaits
In other news I told my sister A about something my other sister AM had said (cause I don't want WW3 at AM's bloody wedding) so they could sort their s**t out now. Sister A didn't tell sister AM who told her so when sister AM called mum on mother's day she blamed mum for telling sister A (on Mother's day! selfish much?). I had told mum if she got blamed to tell sister AM that it wasn't her it was me and mum did so (cause why the hell should she get blamed?!). So now I guess I'm probably getting cursed about by sister AM but I really couldn't care less (although I do hope M is being reasonable. She usually is to me). AM's being SUCH a PRINCESS about her wedding. Yes I know it's an important day, but remember we are coming halfway around the world for it and our money is basically divided by three to get to the pound, so why exactly are you making us go to some out of the way little place where we have to pay 65 pound per night ($195!!!!!!) and we need to stay there for about 3 nights... and then she has the gall to be annoyed that family time is not our number one priority. I've paid $2700 for the return flight to London via Japan. This is a holiday for me. Yes her wedding is important and yes my family is important but that doesn't mean I want to spend my entire time over there doing things only with family! We'd drive each other madder! I want to see a lot of places that I missed the last time I was there, but that people in my family have already seen. I also want to go to Paris to visit my friends. There's not much point in going half way round the world and not going across the channel to visit is there?! Get a grip honey!
Another whine - I'm videoing the wedding, which I offered to do because J and P can't make it to the wedding and now she's asked if I can make it into a DVD for them...ok fine. Then can I look at the editing on their friends DVD wedding and try to do it like that because they liked that DVD. Greeaaat. Excellent because I want to watch some random person's wedding. Nothing could please me more in fact. Have you noticed I'm quite sarcastic when I'm annoyed?
Oh and we've got P's kids E and K to look after for the next few days while P's husband is away. Just for while she's working. That means at at godawful 8:30 or so in the morning. I love em but seriously I hate getting up early!
F*** gotta finish my French assignment and start studying for exams in 2 to 3 weeks. Crap.
- Location:my head
- Mood:
aggravated - Music:Dr Who Soundtracks
crappyY-chan is going to sort out the bus in Japan for me - yay! and I've got to ask her if she'll go to dinner with me and my parents when we meet with A-chan, H-kun and their family. I don't want to be the only one translating! My parents don't speak Japanese and A-chan and her family don't speak English, which would make me the only go between, which isn't too bad but I know that A-chan's dad will drink and when he starts drinking I can't understand him for 2 reasons, 1) he slurs and I can't understand him and 2) he speaks really difficult Japanese when he's been drinking (and I can't understand him) and even Japanese people can't always understand what he's on about!
I can't wait to see F and S again in Paris - that's going to be so cool! F told me today that I can read his new book soon but he won't tell me anything about it since it's not published yet...
- Location:my room
- Mood:
excited - Music:The Mentalist fanmix - In Sympathy
These are the first icons I've ever made and posted so please tell me what you think even if you don't take any.
Original images taken from
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
shockinblue's post and tales_fan's post
Please don't modify the images
If you take please comment
Please remember to credit
![[info] - personal](http://s.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
seventh_sister or ree_rhea- Location:home
- Mood: creative
- Music:when you're evil - voltaire
It's just that I keep forgetting the vocab and when I'm reading it I have to check the dictionary way more than I do with Japanese. To be fair Japanese is probably easier since I lived there for 3 years, but it's still frustrating you know?
*sigh* I'll have to try to study it more... (It's only bloody 1st year uni level surely it can't be as hard to remember as 3rd year Kanji surely?!?!)
- Location:games room at home
- Mood: worried
- Music:kutner fanmix - the emptiness and the calm
The image that I copied from is here
- but you have to search through the images to get to the right one. If anyone is amused enough and wants to see more of this silliness there are two more pics I'm considering doing - yes/no, stop the weirdness?Now gotta go and catch up on the millions of other things I put on hold until after this year's study was finished. (Although I am doing a summer paper so I'm not really finished...)
Click me for a bigger view- Location:my place
- Mood:
relaxed - Music:somebody more like you - Nickel Creek
I was muchly amused when I was creating them both so I hope that others will be too. The images that I copied from are here and here to give credit where credit is due (the second link is from the Arthur picture). If anyone is amused enough and wants to see more of this silliness there are two more pics I'm considering doing - yes/no, stop the weirdness?
- Location:my place
- Mood:
silly - Music:I Hope I Never - Spilt Enz
I love this icon - I saw someone else use it and immediately had to have it to use! I gotta send it to my sisters (2 of them studied Library Science!)
Anyhoo I'm going to finally finish the two pictures that I've been waiting to do for the Merlin community (had to wait till my exams were finished) and hopefully finish putting together the Spock/McCoy fanmix that I started a while back. Gotta get some cover artwork together for that...
Yay exams are finished. But I really wish my laptop would stop randomly beeping!!! *grrr*
- Location:my place
- Mood:
chipper - Music:Boomdeyada
Your result for What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test...
Simple, Progressive, and Sensual
23 Ukiyo-e, 1 Islamic, -12 Impressionist, -19 Cubist, -16 Abstract and 12 Renaissance!
Ukiyo-e (浮世絵, Ukiyo-e), "pictures of the floating world", is a genre of Japaneseand paintings produced between the 17th and the 20th centuries. it mostly featured landscapes, historic tales, theatre, and pleasure. Ukiyo is a rather impetuous urban culture that has bloomed in popularity. Although the Japanese were more strict and had many prohibitions it did not affect the rising merchant class and therefore became a floating art form that did not bind itself to the normal ideals of society.
People that chose Ukiyo-e art tend to be more simplistic yet elegant. They don't care much about new style but are comfortable in creating their own. They like the idea of living for the moment and enjoy giving and receiving pleasure. They may be more agreeable than other people and do not like to argue. They do not mind following traditions but are not afraid to move forward to experience other ideas in life. They tend to enjoy nature and the outdoors. They do not mind being more adventurous in their sexual experiences. They enjoy being popular and like being noticed. They have their own unique style of dress and of presenting themselves. They may also tend to be more business oriented or at the very least interested in money making adventures. They might make good entrepreneurs. They are progressive and adaptable.
Take What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test at HelloQuizzy
- Location:my room
- Mood: worried
fireopal_fic and were talking about his idea - Arthur International Man of Action, and that he would have tights and a cape and that Merlin would be his trusty sidekick.The idea wouldn't leave my head and this is the craziness that I cooked up. I shameless stole the pose and basic outfit from an image I found online (I slimmed down the body thou) and I will credit that image if I can find it again. (It was a comic cover and I had never seen the hero depicted on it before). Anyways this is the first time that I've coloured on the computer before so please excuse the lack of shading. Also the dragon on Arthur's chest was also taken from a still from in the show and played with. I'd like to do a Merlin image to match but I really should be concentrating on exams not doing this!
<<< click me- Location:my room
- Mood:
amused - Music:inside a boy - my brightest diamond
fireopal_fic wrote a wonderful fic from Arthur's POV about the reveal of Merlin's magic and I tried to convince Firopal_fic to write one from Merlin's POV and was challenged back to try it too. I really don't write fics (this bears repetition) but thought well I'll give it a go since I get to read great fic all the time, I'll try to give back. Now I'm rambling mainly 'cause I don't want you to get to the actual fic...* * *
It is perhaps fair to say that while I don't want people to know I'm a warlock I don't exactly want to keep it a secret either, but most importantly I don't want my head chopped off or to be burnt alive.
Today had been a pretty normal day, things going smoothly remembering to do all my duties. Although I had forgotten what order Arthur had wanted the duties done in, but really if they were all done what difference did it make? Now while sitting here polishing Arthur's helm I wonder about Arthur's pacing. Arthur had been unusually tense lately, but when I thought about it properly I'd say it had nearly been a week. It was not like Arthur to brood on something for this long. Whenever he feels that I've done something wrong or something isn't up to his standards he is quick to say so. Maybe it's not to do with me then? But what could get him so worked up?
Suddenly he stops directly in front of me. Rats it seems my stealthy watching while working has been discovered, but oh well hopefully he'll get the problem off his chest and stop annoying me with his tenseness.
"You can do magic."
A blurted out statement of fact not a question. I laugh uneasily and try to defuse the situation,
"M-magic? I can't d- I mean, I don't -, I don't have magic."
"I've seen it. You can do magic."
"Is that what's been bothering you this week?"
Deflect. Deflect and maybe he'll forget about this.
"Yes, you can do magic. There's no use denying it. There's always been something about you and..."
Slightly embarrassed.
"I saw your book."
"No, no, no."
Each no punctuated by a furious shake of my head. Oh god this can't be happening.
"I have no magic."
"Don't lie Merlin. You have magic. Just admit it to me and stop this nonsense."
Oh god, I'm going to die.
"Merlin."
Commanding and cold. I'm dead. Hands shaking, heart pumping and breaking.
"Yes."
My voice barely above a whisper.
"Will you let me flee? I've never performed any dark magic. I never will."
I look into his uncomprehending eyes.
"Please, I saved you. I'd never hurt you. Please."
"I don't want to die."
My voice breaks. His eyes clear. He looks hurt and surprised.
"You can't leave."
Oh god I'm going to die.
"No-one will ever know. I'm not going to let you die either."
* * *
- Location:my room
- Mood:
anxious - Music:apologise (remix) - one republic
- Location:bedroom
- Mood:
surprised - Music:saying I'm sorry now - Billy Piper
I had a couple of fanmixes and then someone pointed me to fanmix and I find all these brilliant fanmixes! I am a little sad thou as I can't find one for Spock/McCoy... however I've got ones for House, Dr Who, Holmes/Watson, and Star Wars (Obi-Wan Jedi Apprentice Era).
The other obsession - Jedi Apprentice *sigh* Obi-Wan... I haven't even finished reading the books but I've read so much fanfic now that I know what happens in all the books! I will finish them soon thou once my next set of assignments are finished.
Maybe I'll try my hand at a Spock/McCoy fanmix...then again not sure I'm very good at that sort of thing. ^_^
- Location:home
- Mood: excited
- Music:Obi-Wan fanmix
- Location:my room
- Mood:
happy - Music:talking to my sister online
The Olympics - GO NZ - I went to the TVNZ website and looked at the message board where I believe you're supposed to post messages to the Team, but what I find instead is a group of people whining and complaining about the Olympics coverage. Seriously people get a life! All these messages saying "this and that countries coverage is so much better i wish I could watch the BBC and NBC coverage" so I thought well if these people are whining I bet overseas people are whining too...so I did a google search and lo and behold, Yanks are whining and so are the Brits, so you have to ask yourself - is this the human condition? Is that all we can do? Complain about things??? (well I believe I'm complaining too...)
Well I should go and do something that's not sitting in front of my laptop!
- Location:living room
- Mood: annoyed
- Music:tv add music?
