Snapshots
The stars, bright and hard, were embedded in the sky like gems. Alfred watched at them, his hands deep in his pockets as he took his nightly walk.
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A little girl in a red checkered dress tripped and began to cry. Arthur rushed over, setting his suit case down and helping her to her feet. She wiped her eyes and watched him curiously. He smiled and stood, collecting his things and nodding to the shocked mother. Despite herself, her lips broke into a smile and she called a thank-you after him.
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Francis stepped into the bakery, or boulangerie, and closed his eyes briefly in pleasure. The warmth radiating alongside the golden light, which spilled into the snowy world outside like a carpet and the smell of baking bread took over Francis's senses. He smiled.
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Matthew sipped his ramen noodles in his college dorm alone, accompanied only by the pitter of feet outside of the halls and the ticking clock.
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Elizaveta dug through her closet, pulling out the sundresses and shorts. She set them on the floor neatly and pushed her heavier, winter clothing to the back of it. Though it was still the middle of spring, she superstitiously thought bringing forth the summer clothing would bring summer itself quicker.
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The children laughed, their hair and clothing flecked with green shards of grass. Peter grinned and lay on his side, pushing off with his hands and closing his eyes tightly. He rolled down the hill and dizzily sat up at its bottom, spitting out grass and ready to do it again.
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Francis whisked the eggs, singing tunelessly to himself. He poured the batter onto the pan, which sizzled with a small slice of butter. The smell of omelets flooded the kitchen.
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A strong gust of wind plowed through the park, sending Erika's hat flying. She got to her feet and ran after it, trying to snatch it when it looped. An elderly woman caught it as the wind died down and caused the hat to gently float to her lap. Erika, panting, approached the woman. The woman looked up, her pale eyes studying Erika's petit figure, her lips forming a crinkled smile. She handed the hat over and Erika thanked her, heading back to her park bench.
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The brothers hugged tightly grinning in euphoria and kissing each other's cheeks. It had been so long since Lovino had seen Feliciano and he broke through his cold demeanor to embrace his brother, just so his brother knew how much he missed him without uttering a word.
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He had had his first kiss when he was in high school. It was chaste and brief, but it was a kiss alright.
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Matthew waved at Alfred good morning and sipped his coffee. Then he snorted into it and burst into tears. He rushed over to Alfred and wrapped his hands around Alfred, pressing his face into Alfred's army uniform. Alfred couldn't stop smiling, it was so good to be home.
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Natalya found her favorite toy as a child. It was a small rag doll with button eyes and a smile. The yellow hair poured through Natalya's fingers as she brought the toy to her chest, hugging it along with her childhood.
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Toris let go. The red ballooned bobbed upwards and upwards into the sky until it was but a speck in the sky, and then nothing.
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Alfred gripped his younger brother in his arms and told him how much he loved and treasured him. Matthew, suddenly troubled, ask what for. Alfred simply smiled and said he'd rather say it now then when it's too late.
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Antonio looked up from his phone, unable to read anything in the constant motion of the bus. He caught site of a little baby staring at him. He smiled and waved. The mother noticed and gently pinched her baby's hands, gently making the baby's small fist wave back.
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Excitement rose in the air as the friends played football—or soccer as Americans call it. Antonio smacked the ball with a hard thud and Feliciano raced to kick it back. Arthur intruded in the middle, stumbling over himself. He stood back up, stricken with laughter. Lovino smirked, Feliciano giggled, and soon they all began laughing as well. Elizaveta walked over and rolled her eyes.
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Kiku strolled through the large house. He had been invited in and offered to explore. He glanced at the stairs and found a small bump in the rug. He stepped on it, but only caused a bump further on. He spent a good five minute chasing the tiny hill away.
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It was Yao's first time to the Caribbean on a vacation. As he exited the plane he was greeted by a wave of humidity that wasn't quite like his at home, but was pleasant and seemed to relax him.
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Emma miserably scratched at the dozen or so mosquito bites that dotted her calves and forearms. She gave the repellent a sidelong look, regretting that she forgot it.
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Erika settled into bed and pulled her favorite pillow towards her. At its gossamer touch, the memory of her twelve year old self flashed back. She would often kiss the pillow at night, just to see what it felt like.
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Kiku pulled the hood tighter and bowed his head, staring at the grey concrete. A sudden rustling sound caused him to look over the barb-wired fence and into the bleak sky he tried not to look at, because it gave him a wry feeling. The rustling grew louder and in a burst of feathers a flock of birds burst into the sky, their colorless feathers blending in with the sky.
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The lake water lapped against the slick black rocks, where a pale Icelandic young man was standing. He plucked the small note from his pocket and dropped it into the water. The ink ran and slipped through the water in tendrils of black, the words now lost forever.
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The pianist was an inspired man. He drummed the keys, his head tossed back, his eyes closed, the music erupting from him in explosions of passion and the flurry of his fingers. The music soon drew to an end and the pianist, his brunette head bowed and his chest heaving, smiled to himself as he bowed. The audience gave him a standing ovation.
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Arthur read, sitting in a small corner of the library, to the wide-eyed students. He plunged into the world of magic and enchantment with such vigor the children were not in the library anymore. They were soaring in the bright skies with dragons, they were plunging below the ground for treasures, they were sailing the seas! They could taste the salt air and feel the ocean current whip at their hair. Some children shut their eyes, to soak in Arthur's words.
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Tino squinted against the thick snow, stepping carefully through the night. The tall, thin trees loomed over him, then sudden were covered by a gust of snow. He stuck a hand in front of him and felt the scratchy texture of wood. He cried in relief and pulled the door open, blinking the flakes away from his eyelashes and stomping the snow from his boots. His house was warm and seemed to live on a completely different plain of existence than the chilled world outside.
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After a half hour's walk, Kiku came across a circular pond. The water was clear and glowing with moonlight. He quickly undressed and hung his clothing on the trees. The water was cool and smooth against his skin. Pushing his slender arms outwards then back to his sides, he sent small waves carrying away the reflection of stars and fireflies like comets.
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Peter pulled the red blanket off his bed and tied it around his shoulders. He tossed his hands outwards like airplane wings and ran around the house, his "cape" billowing after him. In that moment, he was a super hero.
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Francis winced each time a drip drop sounded from his bathroom. He really needed to get that sink fixed, but he kept putting it off.
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Arthur refused to dance, turning a deaf ear towards Kiku and Alfred. The two shrugged and Kiku stepped to the side, clicking on the stereo and clapping a simple beat. Alfred cocked his hat and stepped once, twice, slid to the side, and then he was dancing. A series of jerky movements that resulted in a smooth, outstanding dance. He nodded towards Kiku who slipped in and began dancing as well, later joined by Alfred when the song climaxed. Arthur watched and, eventually, joined in.
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Alfred clicked his stereo on, turning to "Smooth Criminal". He took a deep breath and glanced around the empty room. Then, he began to dance.
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They all turned to Vash, whose face had turned a shade of crimson. He sat in the middle of the long table, fingering the white cloth. It seemed the entire restaurant was holding its breath. Vash looked around at the group and nodded. Erika, sitting right beside him started to clap, the other followed. Then, he began to yodel.
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Matthew placed the potted plant on the window. It was still a little green sapling, and he vowed to care for it until it fully bloomed.
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Yao Wang plugged in his earbuds and scrolled through his phone for a song. The subway slowed and came to a stop, Yao looked at the screen and sighed, his stop still hadn't arrived. But with the opening of the doors, a very pregnant woman walked in and gripped the overhead pole, seeing as there were no empty seats. Yao stood and offered her his seat. She smiled and thanked him, looking immensely relieved.
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Arthur's fingers barely touched the top shelf, were the fancy tea cups were located. He stood on tip toes and grunted in frustration. He was much too short for this.
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Peter was constantly reminded of how he treated the pretty neighborhood girl several years ago, "No! I don't wanna play with her, she has cooties!"
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Im Young Soo clearly remembered he had more socks prior to putting them in the drier. Now he was left with three mismatched, lonely socks.
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Feliciano had made spaghetti and Lovino had made the sauce. While it was the two of them, manners ceased to hold an importance. By the time three sole noodles lay on their plates, their faces were stained red up to the cheek bones. Feliciano laughed at Lovino's tomato-stained nose and leaned over to clean it up.
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Gilbert stayed up late on an online chat, talking calmly about himself without the worry of them recognizing his face. He felt relaxed, then, under the covers in his cramped apartment.
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Matthew knelt, picking up the shards of the teacup he had dropped. He sighed, this was the third one this month.
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The two sat in the same room, not looking at each other but not ignoring one another. Antonio smiled at Arthur and Arthur in turn nodded. They spent the small time thinking to themselves and enjoying the other's silence.
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Ivan pushed the cart through the aisle, stopping to examine an item before placing it back or into the cart. It was another day or grocery shopping through the fluorescent-white store that squeaked beneath his sneakers.
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Alfred grinned at himself in every mirror he saw. His jaw felt so light with braces.
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Alfred drove through the night, along the busy highway. The cars gleamed oranges and blues off of the buildings, creating a sort of galaxy of light. It looked like something out of a sci-fi movie, Alfred mused, although he couldn't see the stars. But, he could still catch glimpses of the other drivers and their passengers. He thought about how they all had their own lives and their own worlds, and that they were all just as human as he.