Artertale - Blog Posts

"Well, hello there" (Pt.3)

P.s: I created a separate hashtag for fanfiction to make it easier for you to find it on my blog.

Geno was not afraid of anything.

Perhaps he was one of the few who rarely feared anything. He is not afraid to make serious decisions that can affect his life, he was not afraid to bear the burden of responsibility for his actions or words spoken. In this regard, he was fearless, although he hid the fact that he was scared to hell of mice and rats.

I would say that he is used to living so confidently in himself and in his choices. He is not used to making mistakes and forgiving himself for them. Self-criticism is his best friend and companion, who has served him for many, many years.

In order to achieve something, he always prepared in advance. If it was necessary to make sure that he got the highest score in a subject that he did not know well, he would do everything for that. To negotiate with the teachers? Buy ready-made answers? Get a nerd to write a test for him? Easy. His tongue was boneless. Or maybe he needed to deal with someone? For example, to stand up for the brothers? He doesn't see any problems either.

He didn't see a problem at all to do something that was beneficial to him. But, you know? There are "buts" everywhere. And even Geno had them.

One of those "buts" is happening right now. He was looking at the screen of his push-button clamshell phone, rereading the text message he had written. There was nothing so serious or scary in this message, just the usual friendly greeting. "But" for some reason, Genno reread this message 100 times, checked for spelling errors, paraphrased this unfortunate SMS and still could not send it.

The song "Steine Sind Steine - And One" was playing softly in his room, and things were scattered here and there again. The window was wide open for ventilation, so Geno was wrapped in a warm blanket. Music in his native language made him relax and immerse himself in the memories of his childhood. But now it was so inappropriate!

Taking a deep breath, he erased the text message and put the phone away from harm, so as not to think about it anymore. He decided that he should take a walk through the streets, and go to the grocery store and buy a pack of cigarettes.

After changing into street clothes, he closed the window and left the room, locking it with a key out of habit. Geno lived alone in a two-story house. He once lived here with his brothers and their mother, but over the years the house slowly emptied. First, my mother left, moving to their native country and deciding to build a great career there. Don't think about it, their mom wasn't a bad woman, she was just very single-minded. She often came to them and sent them some gifts, as well as money. Guenon never condemned her choice, on the contrary, he supported her, although he understood the burden of responsibility that fell on him. After his mother, Error left the house. After graduating from high school, he got involved in a not very good group of guys. He hadn't heard much about them, to be honest, Error had never been verbose when it came to his personal life. When Error left home, he kept in touch with Geno for a while, but later disappeared completely. The last time they were written off was about two years ago, when Error told him that he had enrolled in college as a designer somewhere in another part of the country. Well, the youngest in their family, Fresh, was the last to leave the house. To be honest, Geno never worried about his future. Not to say that he didn't care about him, but he always knew that whatever path Fresh chose, it would always be good for him. They also wrote off and called each other very often. It made Geno exhale. No matter how confident he was in him, Fresh always had a windy head, and before he needed an eye and an eye. Now, as far as Geno understood, Fresh graduated from DJ courses, and now travels all over the country, gaining experience, communicating with a lot of people and, of course, arranging concerts and creating music.

They rarely saw each other together. Mom came only on calendar holidays, Fresh looked in on him if he was somewhere nearby, and Error never came after leaving at all.

Walking along the familiar streets, Geno remembered what to buy from the groceries and what to cook for dinner. He loved cooking, but it was a burden for him to buy food every time. Most of all, he liked to bake something sweet, especially in autumn, like now, or in winter.

Going into a familiar grocery store, he bought everything he needed, while knocking out a favorable discount for some products. Everything about money was treated with special attention. He didn't buy anything extra, he always took what was more profitable for the money. And for good change, he could buy sweets, cigarettes or a new CD with music.

Speaking of music, a new album by his favorite rock band was recently released, and, deciding that now was a good reason, he headed to a record store where CDs were sold. Of course, now that the Internet was taking advantage in many ways, he could just copy some music, but it was the discs that gave him special pleasure and aesthetics.

Entering the music store, he looked through the numerous shelves, looking for what he needed. Some pleasant instrumental was playing in the background. Most likely from some popular song that Geno didn't know. Geno looked into the pop music section for the sake of interest. Of course, most of them were filled with newfangled boy bands, or rappers. He was ready to twist his ears, or go deaf on purpose, so that he would never hear these two genres. Maybe this kind of music gave pleasure to someone, but definitely not to him.

- Wow, what kind of people are in Hollywood.

Geno started when someone suddenly spoke to him. He almost dropped the disc and, after making sure that everything was in order, he looked at the person who spoke to him. And what was his surprise when he saw a familiar face. It was a Rapper, his own fucking person. Only he didn't look quite familiar, he was wearing a white T-shirt with the store's logo, and under it a gray turtleneck. But otherwise, there were familiar outlines of his style: massive boots, not too wide jeans, chains, as well as gloves on his hands.

- Hey, - Geno replied, turning to him - Do you work here?

- No, I'm just stealing music, nothing unusual, - Reaper was holding a box with a bunch of CDs in his hands. He put it on the floor, starting to sort it on the shelf.

- It doesn't look like you stole it. Rather, you just return it, - Geno grinned as he watched him.

- Pop music is stolen only by posers.

- True.

They were in each other's silent company for a while longer. Sometimes Reaper asked Geno something, to which he received a dry and not very verbose answer.

- Are you saying you want to buy a CD?

- Aha.

- Give me a couple of minutes, go to the checkout and wait for me there.

Geno just nodded. He carefully walked around the Reaper and went to the cash register, holding a CD with some band. To be honest, when Geno saw him, he immediately forgot why he came here and what he wanted to buy. He couldn't even imagine that his new friend could work in such a place. He was more imagining some more thematic places where he could be a consultant. Or even work as an undertaker. After fantasizing a little more, Geno noticed that the Rapper had already approached the counter, including the cash register. Reaper reached out to take the disc, and Geno handed it to him. He glanced at the title, copying it, it seems, into the computer, and then he abruptly returned his gaze to the disk, shifting a mocking glance at Geno, returning the disk.

- "Sweet Boys"? - It was obvious from him that he was holding back his laughter.

Geno didn't understand what he meant at first, and look at the CD he was going to buy, he was horrified to see a photo of not very good quality with half-naked 20-year-old men and the name of the band. "Sweet Boys". Goddamn it.

Okay, okay. He'll just apologize, say that he chatted with him and quickly find what he needed.

- Yes, and what's the problem?

Why the hell would he say that?

Reaper looked at him strangely, looking for a catch in his words. But as luck would have it, Geno made the most serious expression on his face, looking confident at the same time. In his head, he asked himself why he was acting like this and literally shouted at him to make a joke of it and choose what he needed.

- You don't look like a fan of this band, - The rapper squinted and leaned against the counter, looking straight into Geno's eyes, forcing a sly smile.

- I just want to expand my musical taste, - Geno, deciding that he was deliberately provoking him into some kind of awkward situation, decided not to look away, stubbornly looking back and stood up a little more confidently - Have a problem with that? Do you judge people who listen to pop?

- No, I'm not, - Reaper grinned as he punched through the disc - That'll be $21.5, sir.

- tHaT'lL bE $21,5, SiRr, - Geno ridiculously repeated his phrase, paying off.

- Hey, I'm actually the best employee here. Be polite, sir.

- Really? As far as I know, employees at the music store do not discuss the musical preferences of customers....

- Of course, I'm deeply sorry, sir, but you wouldn't listen to such shit in your life, even for the sake of interest, - Reaper theatrically put his hand to his chest, sighing as if someone important had turned away from him.

- Hey, you don't know me, - Geno smiled, rolling his eyes and putting the disc in his backpack, where there were groceries for dinner and a pack of cigarettes.

- What if I want to get to know you better, sir?

Geno was visibly nervous. He looked at Reaper and met his attentive blue eyes. Geno felt that there was some strange implication in this phrase, and it confused him a little. He liked meeting new people, but something about Reaper didn't seem right to him.

- So what? - The rapper tilted his head slightly, continuing to look at Geno and looking very confident at the same time.

- Uh…. Ok? Good luck?

Before Reaper could say anything else or ask, Geno literally stormed out of the store. He felt embarrassed as he replayed the phrase in his head. He felt his heart beating an exciting tap dance, and he did not know whether it was from a quick step or from a strange excitement.

Stopping to catch his breath, Geno took out a new pack of cigarettes from his backpack, opening it and taking one, lighting it. He looked at his lighter and remembered that Reaper had lent it to him the last time they met. Exhaling tobacco smoke and twirling the lighter in his hand, examining it, he suddenly smiled, deciding that a new experience would not hurt him. Reaper, of course, is a little strange, but nothing, it was even good for him.

Opposites come closer, don't they?