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eirenicalIt's amazing what the idea of a week off will do for your creative juices...
*chibi runs around the room cheering* I'm free of the job-from-hell for the next 9 days! *sobs with relief* Thank you! Thank you!
It's a funny thing that I've noticed about myself, but when I am at my most stressed and unhappy, I find myself utterly unable to write or create. It's not a condition I enjoy. For the past several months now, I've noticed a dry spell. I've tried more than once to break it and more than once, I've failed. Why? My job, pure and simple. I've been utterly miserable there. I don't like most of the people I work with, I'm stressed all the time, I'm not learning half the things I should be, and my boss believes in the "spare the rod spoil the new graduate" method of teaching. Needless to say, I've been somewhat less than flourishing.
I am more than happy to announce that in 2 weeks time, I will be leaving said job. Also, for the next week, I'll be in Las Vegas, Nevada with my good friend from vet school, attending the Western Veterinary Conference. ((Thunder From Down Under, here we come! *cheers* What? Chibis are allowed to have hormones... aren't they?)) I am very excited, very relieved and so very badly in need of this de-stresser. *nodnodnod* And once it really sank in that I was not going to be at work for a whole week and that one week past that I was never going to work there again... an amazing thing happened.
I felt the desire to write.
((*chibi idly wonders if the shiny new desktop had anything to do with it...* *shrugs* Nah.))
It's not much and boy is it weird, but it's writing. And it's mine.
Let us all rejoice. ^_^
Objects in Motion
by Renee-chan
Object in motion meets immovable force. That had been their first meeting. A young Atobe and an even younger Kabaji had met on the playground in elementary school during a game of tag. Looking back on it now, it was almost impossible to imagine Atobe Keigo ever having played such a game, but Kabaji Munehiro (unbeknownst to most) had a good imagination and had the benefit of having been there.
Kabaji had been six and large for his years, Atobe seven and small for his. Atobe, always the center of attention even at that tender age, had organized this game of tag between the second and first years and then proclaimed himself “it”. Kabaji swore that he caught half of them by force of will alone. That was how he had fallen, anyway.
Frustrated with being unable to catch the larger first year, Atobe had commanded him to stop. Kabaji had never heard such a forceful voice in his life. Even his own father tended to cajole rather than command, ask rather than take. This was no gentle plea. This was an order. Kabaji had been no less able to ignore it than he was able to fly. He stopped. Rather abruptly. Atobe, unfortunately, did not. To Kabaji’s utter horror, Atobe crashed right into him and what energy of their impact was not absorbed by Kabaji repelled the second year directly into the dirt. Kabaji couldn’t drop to his knees and apologize fast enough.
Fortunately for him, Atobe was not nearly as volatile at that age as he would become later on. He was, however, just as self-possessed and arrogant. The second year calmly reached out his finger and tapped the larger boy’s noise. Kabaji would remember that sly grin and self-satisfied voice for years to come.
“Tag. You’re it.”
Kabaji was so shocked to have been chosen, among all the ones caught, to succeed Atobe that he froze for one precious moment. Atobe was up and running before Kabaji was even sure what had happened. But it didn’t take him long to rise up and follow.
Amazing how some things never changed...
“Kabaji! Let’s go!”
“Usu.” Kabaji lifted the two tennis bags onto his shoulders and followed his captain off the courts. It was hard to believe that it had been nearly 6 years since the two had met, hard to believe how little had changed between them in all that time… hard to believe how much *had*.
To the rest of the team, he was a hulking giant, their captain’s bodyguard and loyal servant, a boy in the body of a man, an ape with the form of a human. They should really have known better. Atobe Keigo did not collect people he considered useless or stupid and he especially would not have allowed such a person to stay so close.
Look beneath the surface. So few people did. Even many on their team believed him to be somehow sub-human -- capable of great feats of mimicry and speed, possessing great size and strength… but still less than they. It would bother him more were it not for his captain.
Atobe understood him in ways that not many could. Though on the surface, they couldn’t be more different, deep underneath they were cut from the same cloth, both suffering the same… both only viewed by the surface face they showed to the rest of the world. Atobe Keigo’s might be more complex, more difficult to see beneath, but the true similarity between they two was that so few people even tried.
To most, Kabaji would never be more than Atobe’s overlarge shadow, the giant Saint Bernard that traveled around behind him and carried his belongings. To most, Kabaji was a collection of one word answers and guttural grunts. To most, Kabaji was only passing his classes because Atobe wanted him on the tennis team and the student council president would make sure that the teachers didn’t fail him. They didn’t see what Atobe saw. They didn’t see the gentle nature underneath his wall of strength. They didn’t see the tender touch that raised so many delicate flowers to full blooming glory. They didn’t see the quick mind that embraced the intricacies of physics as its favorite subject. They didn’t see because they didn’t look.
And then there was the captain. Everyone knew how very much Atobe loved himself, but almost no one knew how deeply he cared for those around him and how far he would go to protect the ones he loved. Everyone knew how intelligent, talented and graceful Atobe was, but so very few knew how hard he studied, practiced and groomed himself to appear thus. Everyone knew how Atobe Keigo excelled at tennis, but only Kabaji knew about the few precious moments each day that his captain would steal for another passion -- his music. Kabaji figured that Atobe showed him these things because he felt it was safe. Kabaji would never betray him, was so grateful for his friendship that he wouldn’t risk it just to prove that he knew something no one else did. And he was right. But there was more to it than that.
They complemented each other well, Kabaji and Atobe. Atobe shone. Kabaji lurked in the shadow. Atobe led. Kabaji followed. Atobe dared to create. Kabaji felt safer copying the skills of others. But if, in the quiet of his own mind, Kabaji considered Atobe Keigo to be the most brilliant of the flowers he had helped blossom… who was to know?
The soft look that his friend tossed over his shoulder would have made Kabaji blush had he been that sort. Of course… of course *Atobe* would know. But then, they understood each other. And what difference did it make if no one else ever did? At that particular moment, Kabaji couldn’t bring himself to care.
Eiji: *clinging to Oishi* Well... at least she didn't go after us, this time, ne?
Oishi: *clinging to Eiji just as tightly* But... she's going to spend all day tomorrow on planes and in airports with her laptop and an itch to write.
Eiji: *wails* No!!
Atobe: *flips his hair* Ore-sama certainly doesn't see what all the fuss is about. That was almost disgustingly mild. Aren't I worth more? *turns to the fic author* And, by the way, Ore-sama does not appreciate being -- what were your words? -- ah yes. "Repelled directly into the dirt." Please try to avoid such actions in the future.
Eiji: *boggles* You... you may not want to taunt the fic author that way... She... she's a bit scary when riled.
Nuriko: *snorts* Boys... You ain't seen nothing yet. Just wait until she hits her stride, again. *leers* I foresee much angst in your futures...
Tasuki: *sighs* And much lack of sex in ours. When on Earth is she going to get around to that, anyway?
Nuriko: *heavier sigh* Maybe the "Thunder From Down Under" show will inspire her...
Tasuki: *slumps* We can only hope...
R-chan: *blushes hotly* *slinks away*
*chibi runs around the room cheering* I'm free of the job-from-hell for the next 9 days! *sobs with relief* Thank you! Thank you!
It's a funny thing that I've noticed about myself, but when I am at my most stressed and unhappy, I find myself utterly unable to write or create. It's not a condition I enjoy. For the past several months now, I've noticed a dry spell. I've tried more than once to break it and more than once, I've failed. Why? My job, pure and simple. I've been utterly miserable there. I don't like most of the people I work with, I'm stressed all the time, I'm not learning half the things I should be, and my boss believes in the "spare the rod spoil the new graduate" method of teaching. Needless to say, I've been somewhat less than flourishing.
I am more than happy to announce that in 2 weeks time, I will be leaving said job. Also, for the next week, I'll be in Las Vegas, Nevada with my good friend from vet school, attending the Western Veterinary Conference. ((Thunder From Down Under, here we come! *cheers* What? Chibis are allowed to have hormones... aren't they?)) I am very excited, very relieved and so very badly in need of this de-stresser. *nodnodnod* And once it really sank in that I was not going to be at work for a whole week and that one week past that I was never going to work there again... an amazing thing happened.
I felt the desire to write.
((*chibi idly wonders if the shiny new desktop had anything to do with it...* *shrugs* Nah.))
It's not much and boy is it weird, but it's writing. And it's mine.
Let us all rejoice. ^_^
Objects in Motion
by Renee-chan
Object in motion meets immovable force. That had been their first meeting. A young Atobe and an even younger Kabaji had met on the playground in elementary school during a game of tag. Looking back on it now, it was almost impossible to imagine Atobe Keigo ever having played such a game, but Kabaji Munehiro (unbeknownst to most) had a good imagination and had the benefit of having been there.
Kabaji had been six and large for his years, Atobe seven and small for his. Atobe, always the center of attention even at that tender age, had organized this game of tag between the second and first years and then proclaimed himself “it”. Kabaji swore that he caught half of them by force of will alone. That was how he had fallen, anyway.
Frustrated with being unable to catch the larger first year, Atobe had commanded him to stop. Kabaji had never heard such a forceful voice in his life. Even his own father tended to cajole rather than command, ask rather than take. This was no gentle plea. This was an order. Kabaji had been no less able to ignore it than he was able to fly. He stopped. Rather abruptly. Atobe, unfortunately, did not. To Kabaji’s utter horror, Atobe crashed right into him and what energy of their impact was not absorbed by Kabaji repelled the second year directly into the dirt. Kabaji couldn’t drop to his knees and apologize fast enough.
Fortunately for him, Atobe was not nearly as volatile at that age as he would become later on. He was, however, just as self-possessed and arrogant. The second year calmly reached out his finger and tapped the larger boy’s noise. Kabaji would remember that sly grin and self-satisfied voice for years to come.
“Tag. You’re it.”
Kabaji was so shocked to have been chosen, among all the ones caught, to succeed Atobe that he froze for one precious moment. Atobe was up and running before Kabaji was even sure what had happened. But it didn’t take him long to rise up and follow.
Amazing how some things never changed...
“Kabaji! Let’s go!”
“Usu.” Kabaji lifted the two tennis bags onto his shoulders and followed his captain off the courts. It was hard to believe that it had been nearly 6 years since the two had met, hard to believe how little had changed between them in all that time… hard to believe how much *had*.
To the rest of the team, he was a hulking giant, their captain’s bodyguard and loyal servant, a boy in the body of a man, an ape with the form of a human. They should really have known better. Atobe Keigo did not collect people he considered useless or stupid and he especially would not have allowed such a person to stay so close.
Look beneath the surface. So few people did. Even many on their team believed him to be somehow sub-human -- capable of great feats of mimicry and speed, possessing great size and strength… but still less than they. It would bother him more were it not for his captain.
Atobe understood him in ways that not many could. Though on the surface, they couldn’t be more different, deep underneath they were cut from the same cloth, both suffering the same… both only viewed by the surface face they showed to the rest of the world. Atobe Keigo’s might be more complex, more difficult to see beneath, but the true similarity between they two was that so few people even tried.
To most, Kabaji would never be more than Atobe’s overlarge shadow, the giant Saint Bernard that traveled around behind him and carried his belongings. To most, Kabaji was a collection of one word answers and guttural grunts. To most, Kabaji was only passing his classes because Atobe wanted him on the tennis team and the student council president would make sure that the teachers didn’t fail him. They didn’t see what Atobe saw. They didn’t see the gentle nature underneath his wall of strength. They didn’t see the tender touch that raised so many delicate flowers to full blooming glory. They didn’t see the quick mind that embraced the intricacies of physics as its favorite subject. They didn’t see because they didn’t look.
And then there was the captain. Everyone knew how very much Atobe loved himself, but almost no one knew how deeply he cared for those around him and how far he would go to protect the ones he loved. Everyone knew how intelligent, talented and graceful Atobe was, but so very few knew how hard he studied, practiced and groomed himself to appear thus. Everyone knew how Atobe Keigo excelled at tennis, but only Kabaji knew about the few precious moments each day that his captain would steal for another passion -- his music. Kabaji figured that Atobe showed him these things because he felt it was safe. Kabaji would never betray him, was so grateful for his friendship that he wouldn’t risk it just to prove that he knew something no one else did. And he was right. But there was more to it than that.
They complemented each other well, Kabaji and Atobe. Atobe shone. Kabaji lurked in the shadow. Atobe led. Kabaji followed. Atobe dared to create. Kabaji felt safer copying the skills of others. But if, in the quiet of his own mind, Kabaji considered Atobe Keigo to be the most brilliant of the flowers he had helped blossom… who was to know?
The soft look that his friend tossed over his shoulder would have made Kabaji blush had he been that sort. Of course… of course *Atobe* would know. But then, they understood each other. And what difference did it make if no one else ever did? At that particular moment, Kabaji couldn’t bring himself to care.
Eiji: *clinging to Oishi* Well... at least she didn't go after us, this time, ne?
Oishi: *clinging to Eiji just as tightly* But... she's going to spend all day tomorrow on planes and in airports with her laptop and an itch to write.
Eiji: *wails* No!!
Atobe: *flips his hair* Ore-sama certainly doesn't see what all the fuss is about. That was almost disgustingly mild. Aren't I worth more? *turns to the fic author* And, by the way, Ore-sama does not appreciate being -- what were your words? -- ah yes. "Repelled directly into the dirt." Please try to avoid such actions in the future.
Eiji: *boggles* You... you may not want to taunt the fic author that way... She... she's a bit scary when riled.
Nuriko: *snorts* Boys... You ain't seen nothing yet. Just wait until she hits her stride, again. *leers* I foresee much angst in your futures...
Tasuki: *sighs* And much lack of sex in ours. When on Earth is she going to get around to that, anyway?
Nuriko: *heavier sigh* Maybe the "Thunder From Down Under" show will inspire her...
Tasuki: *slumps* We can only hope...
R-chan: *blushes hotly* *slinks away*
