Forum Thread
When the Stars Fell
Forum-Index → Roleplay → When the Stars FellAlaparos' soft smile at Meka's words turned somewhat sad at his next ones. "I'm sure you would all manage. In fact, I believe you would all be a little bit more responsible without me. I spoil you all too much." He teased gently, brushing off the praise with a soft pat on Meka's elbow, the closest he could get to a friendly punch on the other on the shoulder. Providing a clean space for them to simply rest in at the end of the day was the least that he could do. Stella House had given him a place to call home and keeping it clean and tidy was such a small thing to do in return. It didn't even cover half of the gratitude that he felt towards the space. It saddened him slightly that in his state, there wasn't much he could do to give back but if those who shared the space with him found use within his meager offering, then Alaparos would simply continue as he had, making it a home for all who stepped past the threshold. He supposed he was doing a good enough job if people were praising him for it though.
"But I wouldn't say no to an extra pair of hands. Its always a pleasure to work with you." He assured, pleased to be spending more time with Meka. Baking was always more fun with someone by his side and he could even get some input on icing designs while Meka was there. Idly, Alaparos wondered what else Meka would like as a thank you for accompanying him and put that thought on the back burner in favor of pushing himself towards the kitchens.
Soliel. Her name was as bright as her personality and Song BingLiu couldn't help the grin on his face at the news that she also knew sign. It was new, to meet someone who he could talk to. And to top it all off, Soliel thought that his voice was pretty! He could almost cry at the whiplash of emotions that he was experiencing, euphoria and anticipation warring within his mind. Coming to this school was already turning out to be such an amazing blessing, he failed to see how this was anything but a particularly beautiful dream. "T-thank you!" He squeaked out, though that in itself sounded like an entire orchestra's harmonic tuning. "It means a lot to me" He signed instead, mortified by the cracking of his voice.
To be fair, most of Song BingLiu's luggage were music instruments, most of them small woodwind and brass instruments packed away into a duffel bag. The largest he had was a euphonium which he dragged behind him in a heavy black case and his belonging were concisely packed into a heavy looking backpack. Really, it was his insistence of clutching his duffel bag close that made it hard for him to maneuver around so in response to Soliel's offer, he only shook his head with a grateful smile. He could manage. Probably. If there were stairs though that might be a bit of a problem...
"you were too correct"
He started following behind Alaparos as he spoke, later realising that he was bringing luggage with him. He softly tapped on the other's shoulder, looking at him apologetically.
'Let me just go put my stuff atleast, I'll be right with you!"
Meka was more enthusiastic now, feeling inspired to help out with whatever he can. His mouth watered as he started thinking of what they would be making. He took out his keycard and swiped it on the card reader as he hurriedly puts his luggage at the door of the room he was using last year. Having put his luggage away, he checked to see if all his stuff was in place. All of his luggage had his name engraved at the top right corner, and each was adorned with a key chain of his favourite idols and their mascot.
Finally satisfied, he looked around and sighed. A silent wish parted his lips, that this year would be kind on everyone. He took his coat off, hanging it up on the coat hanger before parting to meet up with Alaparos once more. In such a hurry, he did not even notice his other year mate, Alyssa.
'Alright boss, let's go bake up some beauties!'
Re-adjusting her back back straps over both shoulders, and grabbing hold of her luggage once more, she went to the hallways with the bedrooms. Maybe she'd just use the room she'd used last year? The one with the juice stain on the wall, and the books that just didn't sit right? Feeling her way along the walls, she wrapped her left, free hand around the metal doorknob on the door that she just knew by heart from repeated trips here. Dropping her luggage for a second, she swiped her keycard on the door, unlocking it. Cracking it slightly, she peeked into the room. To her relief, it seemed to be left unused. And it hadn't changed much from last year, apart from obviously being tidied up a bit after she had messed it up. She slipped inside, locking the door behind her, and dropped off her bags with a sigh, walking over to the bed and just...lying there for a while. Danm, it felt good to get that weight off her shoulders.
With a sigh, they wove around a couple students that they thought they recognized from the first year. They couldn't stop and chat, even if they wanted to get reacquainted with a few of their former classmates. Pushing onward, they eventually made it to the dorm they would be staying in. Struggling to juggle their luggage, they reached into their hoodie pocket and pulled out their keycard to open the door. They examined the first-year photo bitterly, but couldn't dwell on it. It had been taken before they had decided to majorly change their appearance, and they weren't even sure if their former classmates would recognize them this year. Shaking their head in an attempt to clear their mind, they swiped the card and heard a beep and a click as the door unlocked. They swiftly stored their card back in the depths of their pocket and shoved open the door with their foot, entering the room with less ease than they would have wanted.
Carefully shutting the door behind them, Venture looked up, setting their suitcase down and freeing their hand to brush a few stray curls away from their eyes and taking a sweeping glance at the dorm. They felt a bittersweet feeling of nostalgia as they examined where they had stayed in the first year, their surprising academic skill landing them in one of the school's top placements. Even if they never thought much of themself, Venture felt they deserved what they were able to achieve, to some extent. If anything, they knew that they were glad of the chance to make friends and meet new people and see and do new things they never would have been able to otherwise. Letting out a breath that helped to release some of their first-day stress, they grabbed their suitcase handle once more, and was about to start toward their room, when they noticed the other student who had arrived before them.
Suddenly feeling very awkward, Venture blinked multiple times before working up something to say.
"Um... hi, there... it's nice to see you," they stammered, their voice barely loud enough for any human's ears. They cleared their throat, feeling a twinge of bitterness at how their voice sounded to them, and stood up a little straighter, still clinging onto the suitcase handle as if it were going to save them from falling to their death.
Though they thought they recognized the person's face from the year prior, they managed a, "What's your name?" Before wanting to shrink back and simply turn and walk out of the dorm. Venture shut their mouth, looking at the person before them with eyes that shone with defiance, and yet they could feel their hands trembling. They took a deep breath, trying to steady themself, the first day's anxieties feeling stronger than ever. They tried to work up something else to say, but they could only stand there awkwardly and wait for a response.
♎ 𝐀𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐚 '𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐲' 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐛𝐲 ♎
The Vamps - Can We Dance
1:07 ──♡───── 3:58
"I talk a lot of ---- when I'm drinking, baby; I'm known to go a little too fast-
Don't mind all my friends, I know they're all crazy; But they're the only friends that I have
I know I don't know you, But I'd like to skip the small talk and romance, girl
That's all I have to say so, baby, can we dance?"
Alyssia, seemingly having spaced out for a while, turns around to now face the student that had not long entered the building after her. Almost instantly, she was able to pick up on thickening tension forming in the space from the nervous energy radiating from the student, even as far as noticing the person's grip tightening on their luggage. First day nerves, that was probably it, right? Or maybe it was her? Was her makeup too much for the first day? Not that she had done it any different this morning. On closer inspection, there was something familiar about this student. Were they here last year, also?
Admittedly, Alyssia couldn't say that she had gotten particularly close with any of her roommates last year. If Ally wasn't gone for classes, she'd be out and about on campus, as she had various spots she loved going to, in order to practice her music. This was mainly out of consideration for her roommates, as she was pretty certain that they'd probably prefer not to listen to the screeches of her violin, no matter how well she played, whilst studying and whatnot. However, if Alyssia didn't disappear for either of these reasons, she also had a part-time job on the side, typically meaning she was always home late, plus the occasional mini-gigs with the band she was a guitarist for. Perhaps she'd try and make an effort this year. Besides, it was probably a little weird, confusing even, for her previous roommates to see her about once in a blue moon, and each time with a different colour in her hair. Yeah - she should probably cut down on the dye too, let her hair breathe something other than ammonia for once.
Deciding to give the person some room to recollect themselves, Alyssia steps back, moving her luggage out of their way.
"Hey, welcome! Um... I'm not sure if you remember me or not from last year, but it's Alyssia," she offers a small, sheepish smile, "Forgive me, I wouldn't usually forget such things, I think I recognise your face but remind me of your name?"
You know the first rule in combat? shoot them before they shoot you.
Alaparos was more than a bit embarrassed to realize that he had indeed forgotten and failed to notice that Meka was still carrying around his luggage and quickly waved the other off to go put it away. Alaparos himself didn't usually bring much luggage with him, most of his life packed away into the admittedly quite expensive wheelchair that he lived out of. Just changes of clothes, money, and other personal belonging were squirreled away into a singular nondescript hard case luggage bag and tucked under an immaculately made bed were all the evidence that Alaparos had a life outside of the school.
While Meka ran to put his belongings away, Alaparos gazed out the window to observe the milling students once more. It was intriguing to see how students would group together unconsciously drawn to people of similar temperaments or group together into small cliques. Fidgeting with the gloves on his hands, Alaparos tightened the Velcro around his wrist but rolled it loose in matter of seconds only to turn his attention to the blanket spread across his lap, gently brushing off invisible creases and straightening out the edges. Meka did come back sooner than expected rousing the other of his mindless tidying, however, a pleasant surprise as he beamed at his yearmate. "Welcome back. No one else was in the dorms?" He guessed, beginning to move towards the kitchens. Briefly remembering the blue haired girl that he had seen in the hallways, Alaparos supposed that he was simply seeing things. Meka would probably realize that another person was in the room so he cast aside the speculation that the blue haired girl was Alyssa.
No one could blame Song BingLiu for nearly bursting into tears right where he stood. Not just one but both of his new friends (if they could be called that. Song BingLiu didn't want to impose) were okay with him signing. And they could understand it too! He shifted all his bag's weight onto one arm and harshly pinched himself with the other. The eye watering pain was more than enough to prove that this wasn't just some fever dream conjured up by his lonely mind to give him some mercy while he slept at the back of a much too old car. "Thank you so much. I'm really happy to meet you guys! Not many know sign." Was his signed reply, much slower than he would normally do in order to accommodate Lyra's skill level. This was more than he could ever hope for, especially since his hands were a bit full and he couldn't exactly write anything out with both hands full of duffel bag and with a turtle enclosure hanging off a shoulder strap. Speaking of the enclosure, however, he hoped that his Wood Turtle was doing okay while being gently jostled throughout the move. Taking the chance, Song BingLiu gently cradled the covered tank and adjusted its placement to better keep an eye on it. "What dorms are you two staying at?" He ventured, wanting to at least know where to visit them during their free time. It would be fun and they could even help each other in classes and such.
『Soleil Eneida』
“Seek what sets your heart on fire”
Soleil had finally managed to push her way through the crazy crowd, with the other two in tow. She let out a sigh of relief as she swiped her enrollment package off the table. She rummaged through the bunch of papers in the plastic sheet until her hands came across a small, card at the bottom of the pack. She pulled it out and examined it.
"It says my dorm is at somewhere called 'Stella House'. How about you guys?" she asked Song and Lyra. Secretly, she had her fingers crossed that they might stay close by or, better, in the same dorm. Admittedly, it was just so she had someone to spend time with.
And maybe someone willing enough to go with her to take pictures. That is, someone who would be as crazy as her and climb the school fence for the sake of taking a snap of a tiny daisy. Though, chances were very low.
'I didn't see anyone, maybe they're already in their rooms? I was in a hurry, admittedly'
He shrugged, walking beside Alaparos like a little pup. With his hands behind his back he looked around the halls he'd roamed last year -and got lost in, once or twice. It was nice to be back here. It was a sort of comfort for him to walk along the more quiet halls. He looked outside the window, watching the students form their own cliques ever so naturally. Thinking back on it, he didn't really make any friends last year. Most of the students stayed to themselves anyway. What would it be like if he actually made an effort to be friends with his year mates? The thought made him embarassed though, it is a bit more difficult to "make friends" as one gets older. Why was this bothering him suddenly? He quickly dismissed his childish thinking and got back to the world.
'Is it alright if I ask you how your break went?'
"you were too correct"
"That's understandable. I just thought I saw Alyssia in the hallways but perhaps it was just a trick of the light." He mused, much too focused on the repetitive motion of pushing his KSL to notice Meka's wandering mind. He too had let his thoughts stray, attempting to recollect what kinds of treats people were partial to. He couldn't quite remember who was the one with a sweet tooth and who enjoyed plain oatmeal cookies but then again, some of his memories may be muddled with seniors who have already graduated.
He was drawn out of his musings by the question and his easy smile drew wane at the reminder. "It was nice to see family again." He said cordially and if his next push forward was a bit more forceful than necessary then that was information that was relevant neither here nor there. "I suppose like you, though, the break wasn't quite the release the staff here were hoping for us." While Alaparos wouldn't describe his home life as difficult per say, it certainly wasn't as pleasant as he would like. The winding empty halls of his ancestral mansion were stifling and unwelcoming even when parties were in full swing, a cold indifference blanketing the lonely South Wing that Alaparos stayed in whenever he returned to the stagnant house. In his mind, Stella House was more of a house than the Papadopoulos Family Estate could ever be. "Ah, but it wasn't all terrible. I did get to catch up on leisure reading and I learned a few new recipes. Perhaps if we have time, I can ask you to be a guinea pig for them? I'm afraid no one back at the estate was willing enough."
There was a bit of shuffling to be done in order for Song BingLiu to successfully grab and open his own package and the sound of tittering birdsong was enough to signal to the others that he too, was in Stella House. A part of him questioned the authenticity of such a placement though. He wasn't anything spectacular and he had talked during the selection process so perhaps that had unfairly skewed the results in his favour? But all such thoughts were promptly discarded for happily trailing after his new friends like an excitable puppy, much too ecstatic to give any negativity the time of day to fester and gnaw away at his consciousness. Not only had he made it into a prestigious University, he had also made it into the dorm reserved for the dorm reserved for the best of the best. And he had friends in the same dorm as him! It was almost impossible to erase the beaming smile off his face. "How about we all go explore the dorm together?" He asked, hands stumbling in his excitement. "We can also put our luggage down and explore the grounds after."
『Soleil Eneida』
“Seek what sets your heart on fire”
Soleil’s golden eyes almost shined with delight at the fact that her wish was granted. She silently thanked fate that she could stay close by with her two new friends.
“I was waiting for you to say that! Let’s go!” she announced playfully, as she almost dragged the two towards the house, using the attached map to guide her.
She reached the building soon after, mostly due to the speed she was going at because of her excitement. The building was huge to Soleil, it would be approximately the same as stacking two copies of her mansion on top of each other. She wondered how many students would be staying there.
She slowly pushed the huge doors open and peered inside. She was greeted with the sight of two other people standing by the hallway. Her eyes were fixed on the girl with black hair with it's edges dyed in blue. Soleil thought to herself how cool it looked and contemplated whether she should try dying the ends of her hair a golden colour to match her eyes.
She pushed the thought away for a second. “Oh, hello,” she greeted.
The exit from the room was swift as always, much easier without that troublesome luggage. Her shoulders still ached a little from carrying it, making it all the more relieving that it was no longer on her. She headed out into a room that appeared to be a living room of sorts. It startled her to remember just how house-like the 'dorm' was. This truly was quite the school. It seemed to have a coffee table along with a television, with a rather comfy-looking couch. The walked over to feel it. It was incredibly soft! More like a blanket than the fabric she was used to.
"you were too correct"
'Hah! True, true. It's a breath of fresh air being here again though. Although I do keep thinking of the future.'
Meka thought back on his family back home. It was amusing to him how his parents ever got together in the first place. It didn't work out for them, especially after having Meka. Ever since he was young, he'd always been on that cusp of "prized elder son" and illegitimate child. It was a delicate situation. Hope later came in the form of a younger brother. Meka then thought about his beloved idols, something he got into from some anime he was into at highschool. His idol groups and his plushies were his source of comfort he thought. And so would be these cookies he'd be making with Alaparos!
Feeling inspired and motivated once more, he turned to the other and smiled cheerily. He was happy to be of any assistance, and to help out in cooking and even taste test new recipes? He would gladly act as lab rat to Alaparos.
'What sound does a guinea pig make? I will be at the mercy of your hands, master Alaparos.'
♎ 𝐀𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐚 '𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐲' 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐛𝐲 ♎
The Vamps - Can We Dance
1:07 ──♡───── 3:58
"I talk a lot of ---- when I'm drinking, baby; I'm known to go a little too fast-
Don't mind all my friends, I know they're all crazy; But they're the only friends that I have
I know I don't know you, But I'd like to skip the small talk and romance, girl
That's all I have to say so, baby, can we dance?"
The front door to the Stella House creeks opens, a strip of sunlight filtering through, and Alyssia's attention is diverted once more. Met by a peering pair of golden eyes, Ally gives a friendly wave. Another new face: that, she was pretty sure of. Unlike the other student, Alyssia had no memories (that she was aware of) of meeting this person last year. Thus, she came to the conclusion that the girl who had just entered the dorm was one of this year's first-year students. They appeared lost in thought for a second before they greeted Alyssia. In that brief moment, Ally was suddenly reminded of a porcelain doll she used to play with as a young child. It was now probably tucked away in her parent's attic, collecting dust; however, the doll and this student, looked scarily alike, with the exception of the birthmark that Alyssia managed to catch a quick glimpse of on the student's neck.
"Hey there," she quickly replies with her own greeting, "Welcome to the Stella House. Hopefully, you'll enjoy your stay here. A couple of people have already arrived - I think we're possibly waiting on a few others too. But, please, make yourself at home."
Alaparos could only throw back his head and laugh, clear and loud at Meka's words. Somehow, his simple jests and comfort had easily dispelled the unpleasant cold that always fogged his mind whenever he thought of the estate.
"I agree, it is nice to be here again. But as second years, it's inevitable that we think to what comes after." It was a shame that next year he would have to leave the place that had served as his only home and return to a gilded ostentatious prison, but he was determined to enjoy his final year as much as he could. "Though I am quite lost on what a guinea pig would sound like. But I will be satisfied with happy smiles and full bellies."
And he would. What had first started as a way to stave off boredom and tidy up his lonely space had turned into something that gave joy to others. It was a fulfilling feeling, seeing how his method of keeping sane was turned into a genuine hobby.
Song BingLiu trailed after his new friends, eyes darting around the magnificent house. He was pretty sure that the entire room itself had furniture that cost enough to buy a whole new home and the opulence of the new world he had stepped into was almost enough to make him want to back out. The room itself was spacious and grand yet not gaudy despite the amount of wealth visible in the throw pillows and decorations and it made his head spin slightly. But still, he squared his metaphorical shoulders and waved shyly to the new people in the room. They seemed nice, with the blue haired girl extending perfunctory greetings having an imposing yet reliable air around her. Song BingLiu wanted to think that she would be nice too but he was much too busy trying to orient himself after the whole whirlwind of emotions raging within himself to pay much mind to his other thoughts.
"you were too correct"
『Soleil Eneida』
“Seek what sets your heart on fire”
Soleil smiled brightly. "Nice to meet you too," she reciprocated towards Alyssia. Honestly, Soleil felt a weird, tense atmosphere around her.
"Maybe it's the looks," she mumbled, too loud for comfort. She was sure Alyssia heard it.
"I-I mean it's not that it's really scary, you actually look cool," she stuttered mindlessly. She mentally slapped herself of her habit of speaking without thinking. She took a second to put herself together before she let out a sigh and looked at her card again.
She was probably tired, maybe a rest in her room may fix her stupidity.
"The card's didn't specify a room number. Do we pick whichever room we want?" she asked Alyssia. There were probably hundreds, no, thousands of empty rooms in the house itself. Soleil didn't mind what room she'll get, but she was dearly hoping it had a balcony with a nice view and spacious rooms.