#ATS Dolce review | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

lividstar · 7 months ago

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ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎THE CITY OF LOVE

ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎ Chapter Four: A Pleasant Twist

ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤㅤ‎‎‎ ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ < previous | next >

masterpost

៚ wc: 5k (total: ???)

៚ fluff, angst, fashion designer!hongjoong x model!reader (ft. personal assistant!seonghwa & photographer!wooyoung), strangers to lovers, soulmates au if you squint, do french people actually say bonjour irl?

៚ playlist !

៚ What started as a plan for a quiet walk in the park quickly turned eventful when you bumped into Madame Dupont, who was heading out for groceries. Choosing to assist her instead, two occurrences you didn’t see coming saw the light of the day: A. Running into Seonghwa, and B. Receiving an offer from Madame Dupont to help with your upcoming casting.

a/n: did you guys see san’s fit for the dolce & gabbana fashion show... it had me weak he straight up looked like he came from a dystopian hunger games type beat magical fantasy gods and goddesses 100k wc fic like that’s choi san from district ATE

tags: @beabatiny

The atmosphere in Hongjoong’s office was a mix of modern chic and creative chaos. The walls, adorned with framed sketches and mood boards, exuded an air of inspiration and meticulous planning. The sleek glass desk was cluttered with fabric swatches, design drafts, and a laptop perpetually open to design software. Large windows let in natural light, illuminating the room and casting a soft glow on the polished wooden floors. Shelves lined with fashion magazines featuring either his designs or Hongjoong himself, awards in varying categories, and an array of art supplies hinted at the relentless creativity that filled the space.

Hongjoong sat behind his desk, his brows furrowed in concentration as he reviewed the latest designs. Seonghwa stood across from him, tablet in hand, listing off upcoming tasks.

“We’re still months away from the fashion week, but it feels dangerously close,” Seonghwa noted, swiping through the digital calendar. “You’re still without your sketchbook, so we need backup designs just in case.”

Hongjoong sighed, running a hand through his hair. He’s been making use of Seonghwa’s digital tablet to work on new designs, but it just doesn’t hit the same as sketching on the rough surface of a paper. Well, Seonghwa has been trying to convince him he only feels that way because drawing digitally is an entirely foreign experience to him, but he swears it’s more than that. You wouldn’t get it, is what he’d usually say. “I know. I’m working on new designs, but it’s hard to compensate for everything I had in that sketchbook. There’s so much detail and inspiration in those lost pages.”

“Well… maybe we should schedule extra brainstorming sessions with the team. It might help to get more input," Seonghwa suggested, his tone pragmatic. There’s only so much a single personal assistant could do, especially regarding important matters they’re short of time on, after all.

Hongjoong leaned back in his chair, tapping a pen against his desk thoughtfully. “Seems like a good plan. We can set up a few sessions next week. Also, I want to review the progress of our new recruits. We need fresh faces ready for the casting call.”

“Oh, speaking of recruits, have you thought about expanding our outreach programs?” Seonghwa continued, making notes on his tablet. “More workshops and seminars could attract new talent to the agency. It’s also a good way to give back to the community.”

“Yes, definitely. And I also want to collaborate with more local designers,” Hongjoong agreed, his voice gaining a note of enthusiasm. There were still a lot of things to sort out, but at least they’re no longer heading forward empty-handed, right? “It’s important to foster community connections and bring in diverse perspectives. We could host a local designer showcase leading up to the fashion week.”

Seonghwa nodded. “That sounds perfect. We should also consider revamping our social media strategy. More behind-the-scenes content, live Q&A sessions, stuff that really engages our audience. 90% of people spend more than half the average day on their phone, anyway, so it would be a good idea to improve our marketing strategies online.”

“Right,” Hongjoong replied, leaning forward and straightening his posture. “I’ve noticed our engagement has been a bit stagnant. Let’s brainstorm some fresh content ideas and maybe even a mini-documentary series about our design process.”

As they were continuing to talk endlessly about gaps they needed to fill in order to ensure the brand’s utmost and consistent success, a thought suddenly resurfaced in Seonghwa’s mind. “Oh, I forgot to tell you yesterday, but she said yes.”

Hongjoong looked puzzled, his brow furrowing in confusion. “Since when did you have a significant other?”

Seonghwa rolled his eyes dramatically, not being able to distinguish whether A. Hongjoong was just trying to push his buttons, or B. His brain development had reversed throughout the night and thus, is now being outright dumb. Knowing him, it was probably the latter. “No, you stupid goon. I’m referring to the girl from Rue de la Paix.”

“Oh, alright. Wait—she said yes?” Hongjoong's eyes widened in surprise.

At that exact moment, Wooyoung entered the room with a dramatic flair. “Whoa, who said yes? Didn’t know you had it in you, Seonghwa,” Wooyoung teased. Just then, an empty folder came flying his way, nearly hitting him right at his face if it weren’t for his reflexes. “Hey, what was that for?”

“That’s for accomplishing the mission of being even more stupid than Hongjoong,” Seonghwa deadpanned, shrugging. “What are you doing here anyway, Wooyoung? I thought you had no activities scheduled for today.”

Wooyoung grinned and flopped onto the couch, stretching out comfortably. “Yeah, but Hongjoong’s office couch is comfortable and I’m experiencing back pain. Needed a place to relax.”

“And who told you you could just do that?”

“...My free will?”

Seonghwa glanced at Hongjoong, who didn’t even need to hear the words come out of his mouth. “No surprises at all. He does this all the time.”

Suddenly, Hongjoong always putting in his best efforts when it comes to avoiding Wooyoung during his work hours was now starting to make sense to Seonghwa. “No wonder you’re so sick of him,” he muttered, shaking his head.

“I can hear both of you very well, you know?” Wooyoung quipped, scrolling through his phone without looking up. “Actually, nevermind. Knowing you two, you’re probably doing that on purpose.”

“Nice theory. Whatever,” Seonghwa dismissed, turning back to Hongjoong. “Anyway, what I meant by her saying yes is that she agreed to attend the casting. She didn’t say it directly, but she called me in the middle of the night to ask for further details. Plus, she replied to my message about wishing her luck and hoping she wouldn’t back out. So, I think it’s safe to assume she’s going to attend.”

Hongjoong’s expression softened with a mix of relief and curiosity. “That’s great news. I’m really curious to see what she brings to the table.”

“Who’ll bring what to the table?” Wooyoung interjected, finally looking up from his phone with genuine interest. “You both seem pretty invested in this person.”

Seonghwa leaned against the desk, crossing his arms. “A girl from Rue de la Paix that I scouted pretty recently. I believe she has great potential.”

Wooyoung raised an eyebrow. “Interesting. If you’re both that excited, she must be something special,” he mused to himself before looking back down on his phone screen.

Hongjoong hummed in agreement before turning his attention back to the topic at hand. He adjusted the sleeves of his tailored blazer and leaned forward, glancing at the tablet Seonghwa held. “So, about the upcoming projects, I think we should focus more on integrating sustainable fabrics,” Hongjoong said, his tone serious and thoughtful. “It’s not just a trend; it’s a necessity for the future of fashion.”

Seonghwa nodded, tapping notes into his tablet. “Got it. We should reach out to more suppliers who specialize in eco-friendly materials. I’ll set up meetings with potential partners next week.”

Hongjoong’s eyes sparkled with inspiration. The endless days of working he always had to go through were indeed tiring, but the creative process throughout it all and everything that came out of it were always worth the progressively lessening hours of sleep on his behalf. “And for the designs, I want to blend traditional craftsmanship with modern aesthetics. Something that tells a story of heritage while being innovative.”

“That’s a great direction,” Seonghwa agreed, looking up from his notes. “We could also highlight these stories in our marketing campaigns. You know, show our audience the journey behind each piece.”

Before Hongjoong could respond, Wooyoung let out a dramatic groan from the couch, rolling his eyes. “Man, hearing you two talk about work stuff when I’m supposed to be taking a break from all that is so annoying.”

Hongjoong shot him a bemused look. “Well, maybe if you wanted to take a break from your ‘work stuff,’ you should’ve considered staying home instead of lounging in a work office where work-related matters are supposed to be discussed.”

Wooyoung rolled his eyes again, sitting up slightly. “Come on, can’t we set things aside and talk about casual stuff for once? It’s been a while since I last got to be in the same space as both of you, and you’re settling on talking about work?”

For a moment, both Seonghwa and Hongjoong processed his words. Then, Seonghwa was the first to chuckle, shaking his head. “Well, that’s a rather unique way to say that you miss hanging out with us.”

Hongjoong’s eyebrows raised in surprise. "Wait, huh? That’s what he meant?”

Wooyoung shrugged, leaning back against the couch. “Well, you can’t blame me when the past few months have been nothing but busy schedules, busy schedules, and even more busy schedules for us. I chose to work under you two because I know we promised we’d stay together after college, but even being in the same workspace isn’t helping us have more time to spend together.”

Hongjoong sighed, a soft smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “What’s up with you and being so sentimental?” Quite hypocritical, as he’s been having the same thoughts as Wooyoung lately as well. The only difference between them is that Wooyoung is comfortable with expressing it, but Hongjoong? Well, not really.

Seonghwa looked at Hongjoong and gave a knowing smile. “Don’t lie, Hongjoong. You know you feel the same way as Wooyoung does.”

Hongjoong exhaled, his shoulders relaxing. Seonghwa could always see right through him regardless of if he wanted him to or not, and sometimes, he doesn’t know if he should appreciate it or be terrified. “Alright, fine. I do miss hanging out like we used to. Things have just been so hectic, especially with all the activities scheduled for the following weeks and months.”

Seonghwa nodded, turning to Wooyoung. “Well, seems like you’re right, then. Since you want to talk about ‘casual stuff,’ why not initiate the conversation for us?”

Wooyoung’s eyes brightened. He knew Hongjoong and Seonghwa find him annoying sometimes—well, more often than that, actually—but he never really took it seriously, because he was aware that deep down, they both have a soft spot for him. Unfortunately, for the two older men, Wooyoung has a knack for using that fact to his advantage. “Alright, let’s see... How about we take a stroll around the city later tonight? Just to take our minds off all the stress.”

Seonghwa nodded, his expression thoughtful. “That sounds like a good idea. I actually recommended Hongjoong do the exact same thing all by himself a few days ago, but I figure tagging along with him wouldn’t be so bad.”

Wooyoung beamed. “See, I knew you’d catch my drift.”

Hongjoong was a bit dismissive at first, reminding Seonghwa, “You do know the only person out of the three of us who doesn’t have anything to do today is Wooyoung, right?”

Wooyoung shrugged nonchalantly. “So? I could keep lounging in here until your work hours end.”

Seonghwa chuckled, knowing Wooyoung all too well. He wasn’t one to get bored easily, no, not at all, but in a place such as, like what Hongjoong said, a work office wherein work-related matters are supposed to be discussed, it wouldn’t take longer than a second to tire his energy out. “Are you sure you won’t get bored?"

“No, totally not,” Wooyoung insisted. “I’ve even already experienced staying the night in this office without Hongjoong here, and I didn’t get bored at all. It was, like, super cool. You know those cool rich businessmen in movies who spend the night looking outside the window of their office walls on a chair with a bottle of an alcoholic beverage in hand?”

Hongjoong’s eyes widened in surprise. “I’m sorry, you did what?”

Wooyoung’s, however, darted nervously around the office. “Oh. I mean—”

You sat in your small, dimly lit apartment, staring at the blank walls and feeling the embrace of loneliness attach itself to you. The evening stretched ahead with no plans, no friends to meet, and no familiar faces to call. Seonghwa had been kind, but you barely knew him, and calling him a friend felt a little too early. Financial prudence also demanded caution; with the casting still a few days away and no guarantee of immediate income, you couldn’t afford to be reckless with how much you spend.

Maybe a walk outside could be nice?

You sighed and looked at the closet doors, debating whether it was worth the effort. The allure of fresh air and a change of scenery tugged at you, while the fear of venturing out into an unfamiliar city at night held you back. You thought about the headache from yesterday—how intense and strange it had been. It wasn’t a normal headache, and it lingered in your mind. Perhaps a stroll through the nearby park would help clear your thoughts.

With your decision now entirely made, you rose from your bed and headed to your closet. You chose a soft beige knit sweater, its cozy warmth comforting against the evening chill. Pairing it with a long, black skirt that reached down to your ankles and shoes of the same color as your sweater, you completed the outfit with a light scarf draped casually around your neck. You began fixing your appearance up, and once you were satisfied, you grabbed your bag and left the apartment.

As you reached the ground floor, you spotted Madame Dupont at the entrance, preparing to leave. “Madame Dupont?” you called out, quickening your pace to catch up with her.

She turned, her eyes lighting up when she saw you. “Ah, bonsoir! How are you, dear?” she asked, her voice warm and welcoming.

“I’m well, thank you,” you replied, offering her a smile. “Where are you off to?” Your eyes darted to the streets outside.

“I’m just heading to the grocery store,” she said, adjusting the strap of her handbag. “What about you? Where are you going?”

“I was thinking of taking a walk,” you said, glancing towards the door once more. “But if you don't mind, I could accompany you instead.”

Madame Dupont’s face brightened even more. “Oh, that would be lovely! Are you sure you don’t mind?”

A walk to the park may have been your initial plan, but you still weren’t entirely sure the calm atmosphere of the evening would suffice to outweigh both the thoughts inside your head and your worries about possible dangers. “Not at all,” you assured her. “I’d be happy to help.”

The two of you then began to walk together to the bus stop, engaging in light conversation. “How was your day?” you asked as you waited for the bus to arrive.

Madame Dupont smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “It was quite eventful, actually. This morning, I had to chase Monsieur Frank’s cat out of my garden again. That rascal has a knack for digging up my flowers!”

You laughed softly, imagining the scene. Monsieur Frank’s féline, Pompidou, was indeed a little ball full of mischief. You’ve had your own set of encounters with him, such as waking up to hearing light scratches by your door—which once happened in the middle of the night and nearly made you consider moving back to Arcadia Bay, having him come out of nowhere and pounce on your shoes when you’re walking out the door, and more. You don’t know why his owner decided to name him Pompidou, but you figured it suits his personality very well. “That sounds like quite the adventure. He’s adorable, but has always been quite of a pain to deal with. Did you manage to catch him?”

“Eventually,” she chuckled. “But not before he managed to scatter soil all over my freshly planted tulips. And then, later in the afternoon, I had a lovely visit from my granddaughter. She’s starting university soon, you know. Full of excitement and nerves, that one.”

You smiled, listening intently. Oh, what would you give to experience starting university for the first time again—with nothing but excitement and nerves, just like Madame Dupont’s granddaughter and nothing like yourself. “Really? That’s wonderful. What’s she going to study?”

“Art history,” Madame Dupont replied, pride evident in her voice. “She’s always had a passion for it. Ever since she was a little girl, she’d spend hours drawing and painting. I’m glad she’s pursuing something she loves.”

The bus arrived, and you both boarded, continuing your conversation during the short ride. Madame Dupont shared stories about her granddaughter’s childhood, her love for art, and her hopes for the future. You listened intently, feeling a warm sense of connection growing between you.

When you arrived at the grocery store, you offered to push the cart, an offer Madame Dupont gratefully accepted. Throughout your journey of navigating through the aisles, you reached for items on the higher shelves that she couldn’t reach, earning appreciative smiles and heartfelt thanks from her.

As you placed a jar of jam into the cart, Madame Dupont continued her stories. “You know, dear, I remember when my granddaughter was just four, she painted the most beautiful landscape. We framed it and it still hangs in our living room. Whenever I look at it, it reminds me of her spirit and creativity.”

“That sounds lovely,” you said, smiling at the thought. You wonder if you had moments in your childhood that were similar to hers. But then again, how would you know? “It must be wonderful to have such a talented family member.”

“I can only imagine that is exactly how your family thinks of you,” Madame Dupont mused, turning to you with a heartfelt smile. Confused, all you could do was let out an awkward chuckle. “What do you mean, Madame Dupont?” you asked, unsure what she was implying.

“You’ve only been here for quite a short while, but let me tell you, dear, it’s easy for me to be able to tell you have a genuine soul. You’ve been nothing but kind to me, and I really appreciate it—having one of my tenants accompany me to the grocery store isn’t exactly a common occurrence.” She chuckled, placing her hand on top of yours that remained sat on the cart and rubbed her thumb on the back of it shortly before letting go.

“It’s nothing, Madame Dupont,” you attempted to counter, but she wouldn’t relent. She shook her head in response, finding it amusing how you seem to be struggling to allow yourself to accept her kind words. “Well, whatever you say,” was all she settled with before turning her attention back to her grocery shopping list.

While you and Madame Dupont continued to shop together, she suddenly stopped and turned to you. “Would you mind waiting here for a moment, dear? I need to use the bathroom.”

“Of course, take your time,” you replied with a reassuring smile.

“Thank you,” she said, patting your arm gently before heading towards the restroom. You positioned the grocery cart in a corner to avoid blocking the aisle, then leaned against it and pulled out your phone. Scrolling through social media, you let yourself get absorbed in the digital world. Minutes passed, the hum of the store fading into the background, when you heard a voice that seemed oddly familiar coming from the other end of the aisle.

Curiosity piqued, you turned off your phone and tucked it back into your bag. Leaning forward, you peeked around the corner to see Seonghwa, reaching for an item on the shelf.

“Seonghwa?” you called out, stepping into the aisle.

His head snapped in your direction, and upon recognizing you, he broke into a warm smile. “Hey! What a surprise to see you again so soon,” he said, his voice laced with genuine delight as he pushed his cart towards you. “What are you doing here?”

You smiled, gesturing to the half-full cart beside you. “Just accompanying my landlord with purchasing her groceries.”

“Oh, do you live around here?” Seonghwa tilted his head, half his hair softly falling down to the side he turned to.

“No, my apartment is a quick bus ride from here,” you explained. “What about you, though? What are you doing here?” you asked, this time gesturing to his cart.

“Oh, me?” He pointed to himself, smiling. “My friends and I were planning to spend a few hours at the park, and we figured we could stop by here for a moment to grab some snacks we could eat.”

“What a coincidence. I was thinking of going to the park, too,” you mused, sharing your initial plans for the night.

Seonghwa’s face then lit up. “Really? Why don’t you come and tag along with us? They both work at the agency that’s hosting the casting you’ll be attending, too. It would be nice if you could get to know them beforehand.”

You hesitated, glancing back towards the restroom where Madame Dupont had disappeared. “That sounds lovely, but I promised my landlord I’d help her with the shopping. Maybe another time?”

He nodded, understanding and not pressing the matter. “Sure, another time it is then. So, speaking of, how’s everything going with the casting preparations?”

“It’s been…” quite a challenge, was what you wanted to say. After all, there was some truth to it. Yet still, you didn’t want to show any signs of wavering. “It’s been going well. I’ll definitely be there.”

“Great! I really think you could be our turning point,” he said enthusiastically, his eyes earnest and full of hope.

You laughed, trying to lighten the mood and ease the pressure. “No pressure, right? Or else I might not show up.”

He grinned, playing along. “Okay, okay, no pressure.”

Just then, a voice called out his name from another part of the store. Seonghwa groaned, rubbing his temple with a resigned smile. “That’s my cue. This is why we can’t go anywhere together without causing a scene.”

You chuckled, amused by his predicament. “Having friends like that must be fun.” You wouldn’t know anything about it for sure, but the thought seemed nice. Maybe in the future, you’d also get to experience having your name be shouted in a public grocery store by a close friend of yours. Or, who knows? You could be the one shouting.

“Fun, yes. Embarrassing, absolutely,” he said, rolling his eyes but with a fond smile. “I’d better go. See you at the casting?”

“Definitely. See you,” you said, waving as he walked away. Almost immediately after Seonghwa left, Madame Dupont returned, looking refreshed. “Who was that young man you were talking to?” she asked, seemingly intrigued.

“Oh, just… an acquaintance,” you replied, still feeling quite hesitant over considering Seonghwa as a friend. Hopefully, one day, you’ll feel more comfortable referring to him with such a term. “I’ll tell you all about it later.”

Madame Dupont nodded, smiling warmly. “Alright, dear. Let’s continue, shall we?”

The two of you resumed your shopping, chatting and laughing as you navigated the aisles. You reached for items on the higher shelves, and Madame Dupont shared more stories about her family. Her anecdotes were heartwarming, filled with fond memories and lively descriptions. As you listened, you couldn’t help but feel a sense of warmth and belonging. These simple moments, like helping her shop and hearing her stories, were making you feel more at home in this new city.

Seonghwa pushed his grocery cart around the store, his eyes scanning the aisles as he searched for Hongjoong and Wooyoung. He maneuvered through various sections, weaving past other shoppers and glancing down every row. Finally, after a few minutes of searching, he spotted them and couldn’t help but pause, taken aback by the sight.

Wooyoung was perched inside an empty shopping cart, looking quite pleased with himself, while Hongjoong pushed it with a resigned, tired expression on his face.

“Should’ve known you were only referring to yourself when you said you wanted ‘us’ to have fun,” Hongjoong deadpanned, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he sighed heavily.

Wooyoung scoffed, playfully swatting at Hongjoong’s hand that gripped the handle of the cart. “Pushing a shopping cart can be fun too! You just don’t know how to do it right. Now push faster!”

Seonghwa couldn’t help but chuckle, his amusement evident as he approached them. “Should I be surprised?”

“Yes!” Wooyoung replied instantly, grinning.

“No,” Hongjoong said at the same time, his tone flat.

“What took you so long, anyway? You said you were just going to grab a few snacks before we head to the counter,” Hongjoong asked, his movements with the cart becoming more mindless as he pushed and pulled it back and forth.

“That I was, but I came across her,” Seonghwa said with a shrug. He figured there was no need to specify who he was talking about, as Hongjoong’s eyes widened in recognition.

“The girl from Rue de la Paix?” Hongjoong inquired, just to make sure.

From his seat in the cart, Wooyoung interjected. “For how much longer are you gonna refer to her as the girl from Rue de la Paix? Aren’t you planning on, like, getting her name or something, at least?”

“Not when Seonghwa keeps forgetting to do that,” Hongjoong answered, gesturing toward Seonghwa, who now sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

“I overheard you saying you got a call from her recently. You have her number, right? You could just ask for her name through a text message. Not unless you want to keep referring to her using such a long nickname,” Wooyoung suggested, shrugging.

Seonghwa nodded, considering the idea. “Yeah, I’ll think about that.”

Hongjoong shifted the conversation back. “So, what was she doing here?”

“She was helping her landlord with grocery shopping,” was what Seonghwa responded.

“Does she live around here?” Hongjoong asked, his curiosity piqued and his hands no longer pushing the cart he held back and forth.

“No, she said her apartment is a quick bus ride from here,” Seonghwa explained. “She was just being helpful.”

Wooyoung, still in the cart, dramatically sighed. “Ah, the noble deeds of the common folk.”

Hongjoong rolled his eyes, flicking the back of Wooyoung’s head. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Ridiculous but lovable,” Wooyoung retorted, grinning widely. “Come on, admit it. You missed having me around.”

Hongjoong groaned. “No, I didn’t,” yes, he did.

Seonghwa chuckled, joining in. “Alright, enough of this. Let’s finish up and get going. Wooyoung, get out of the cart before we get kicked out of here.”

Wooyoung pouted but complied, hopping out of the cart with exaggerated movements. “Fine, but only because I’m hungry.”

After what felt like nearly half an hour of waiting by the side of the streets, a bus finally came into view, and thankfully, nearly all of its seats were vacant. You took the bag of groceries from Madame Dupont’s grasp, motioning for her to get in first. Once you both settled on one of the seats by the middle, you let out a sigh of relief as you leaned your head on the window. Today didn’t go exactly as you planned, but the point of unwinding and getting a breath of fresh air was accomplished anyway, wasn’t it?

“So, about the young man from the grocery store,” Madame Dupont started, making you sit up straight and turn your head to her. “How do you two know each other?”

You then purse your lips in excitement over finally getting to tell Madame Dupont about the casting. “Remember when I asked you for directions to Rue de la Paix for my job search?” you asked, waiting for a nod of confirmation first. Once you received it, you continued speaking. “That’s where I met him. His name is Seonghwa, and he works under an agency of fashion and modeling.”

“That sounds interesting,” Madame Dupont mused, almost to herself. “How did you two meet each other?”

“I wouldn’t say meet,” you said sheepishly, remembering how Seonghwa was quite literally running in full speed towards you. “But he’s seen me before, and said he wanted to approach me back then but couldn’t. The reason he wanted to approach me was, well…”

“Well?” Madame Dupont tilted her head, intrigued. “Don’t leave me hanging, dear,” she joked, making you laugh.

“I may or may not have been casted to become a model.”

There were a few seconds of silence between both of you, and you figured it’s safe to assume Madame Dupont wasn’t speaking because she was trying to process your words. Suddenly, you’re caught by surprise when a wide smile spreads across her face as she gently grabs a hand of yours using both of hers and shakes it in excitement.

“That’s wonderful, dear! Especially since you’ve been doing nothing but search for jobs the moment you stepped foot here,” she beamed, and for a moment, you nearly believed she was more excited for the opportunity than you were. “I’m a hundred percent certain you’ll do very well and get accepted.”

“I wish I could say the same thing, Madame.” You chuckled. “I’m still really nervous, and the casting’s happening on Friday this week.”

“Friday?” Her eyes widened in surprise, and all you could do was nod. “Well, that is very close, indeed. Have you been going through preparations?”

“I have,” you said, smiling. “It still doesn’t feel real to me, though.” You didn’t want to blame yourself for feeling like this, as for a person who’s always been accustomed to staying behind the shadows, suddenly stepping into a career where the main point is to let yourself be seen is indeed a terrifying experience.

“That’s normal. It’s a huge shift, after all,” her voice took on a soft tone, attempting to ease your nerves. “Do you have anything to wear for the casting yet?”

“Oh, about that…” you trailed off, your mind going back in time to recall the photos you took of the designs from the sketchbook. “There’s a few designs I want to base my attire on, but I haven’t gone off on a kickstart about it yet. Preparations have been mostly about my confidence and less about my appearance.”

Madame Dupont smiled, leaning back in her seat. “Is that so? Well why didn’t you tell me sooner? I could help you with that, dear,” she offered.

You felt a bit hesitant. “I’d appreciate that, Madame Dupont. But I don’t wanna take up too much of your time and bother you.”

She waved your concerns off. “Oh, dear, you’ll never be a bother to me. You helped me out today, and I think it’s only right for me to return the favor.”

“Alright, but, how?” You tilted your head, confused about where she was heading to.

Madame Dupont let out a hum, eyes darting all around the bus as she pondered over what to say before fully turning her gaze back to you. “Do you know why I never get bored even when I rarely go outside unless it’s necessary?”

You shook your head. “No, why?”

“Sewing, knitting, and crocheting are some of the things that keep me company,” she explained. Seeing your puzzled expression, she added, “And I’m bringing that up because I was thinking I can return the favor by sewing your outfit for you.”

You hesitated. “Oh, but... I don’t want to turn your hobby into an obligation.” Sure, it seemed like it would be of a huge amount of help to you, but was it really right to accept it?

Seeing your hesitance, she insisted, “I would love to help you. Besides, it’s no trouble at all.” Just as you were about to politely decline, the bus stopped in front of your apartment, and Madame Dupont used it as an opportunity to wave off any further protests. “You have no other choice but to accept my help,” she said firmly.

Eventually, you gave up, letting her have her way. “Alright, Madame Dupont.” You took the groceries and let her get off the bus first, following soon after. As you both walked towards the apartment, you turned to her, “Would you like me to help with unpacking your groceries?”

“No, dear, you’ve done enough for me today,” she said kindly. “You should go get some rest—but not before you send me the image of the attire you want to use as inspiration.”

Nodding, you promised to send the photos once you got back to your apartment. “Thank you so much, Madame Dupont.”

“Don’t mention it, dear,” she replied with a warm smile. “I’m looking forward to seeing what we’ll come up with.”

Back in your apartment, you lay down on your bed, the events of the day replaying in your mind. You took out your phone and scrolled back and forth through the pictures of the designs from the sketchbook, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu. Each design had its own charm, but one particular outfit kept catching your eye. It was the off-shoulder dress with delicate lace detailing that had given you a headache the first time you saw it, but now that you were more... used to the sight of it, it seemed perfect. After some deliberation, you decided that this was the one. You sent the image to Madame Dupont’s contact number with a short message.

This is the one I’d like to use as inspiration. Thank you so much for your help!

As you put your phone down, you muttered to yourself, “Now that that’s out of the way, I should probably go clean up before I head to bed.” You stood up, stretching your arms above your head, and made your way to the bathroom. The warm water from the shower helped to wash away the fatigue of the day, and as you stood under the stream, you felt a sense of relief and anticipation for what was to come.

Meanwhile, at the park, Seonghwa, Hongjoong, and Wooyoung were seated in one of the grassy areas, enjoying the peaceful evening. The sun had returned to its peaceful slumber long ago, and the park was illuminated by soft, ambient lights, creating a serene atmosphere. “So, any updates on your missing sketchbook?” Wooyoung asked, before popping a chocolate chip cookie into his mouth.

Hongjoong’s expression darkened, and he let out a frustrated sigh. “No, and I don’t want to talk about it,” he grumbled. “The universe might as well tell me to quit my career at this point.”

Seonghwa shook his head, refusing to encourage Hongjoong’s behavior. “Oh, come on, don’t be such a pessimist. We’ll find it eventually.”

Hongjoong turned to Seonghwa, his frustration evident. “Seonghwa, take a moment to reflect on the circumstances we’re currently under. How can I not be pessimistic? My entire collection for the autumn fashion week is in that sketchbook, along with years of work.”

Seonghwa nodded, understanding Hongjoong’s point but still trying to lift his spirits. “I get what you’re feeling, but moping around won’t do anything. We need to stay proactive.”

Wooyoung, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up. “Why’s the sketchbook so important to you anyway? I mean, yeah, that’s a stupid question since it, like you said, has all the designs you’ve made since college and the sketches for the autumn fashion week, but I can’t help but feel like that’s not the only reason. What’s the real deal?”

Hongjoong’s eyes flickered with an emotion he quickly masked. “You’re thinking way too deeply into it,” he deflected, looking away.

Wooyoung shrugged, sensing Hongjoong’s reluctance to delve deeper. “Well, whatever.”

🪞 — lividstar.

#౨ৎ﹒ノ﹒lividstar．#kim hongjoong x reader #kim hongjoong #hongjoong x reader #hongjoong #ateez #ateez x reader #ateez fluff #hongjoong fluff #ateez angst #hongjoong angst #park seonghwa #jung wooyoung

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sunnydaleherald · 4 months ago

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The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Monday, September 30 - Tuesday, October 1 Part I

Giles: You're saying that, uh, Xander's becoming a hyena. Buffy: I don't know. Or been possessed by one? Not just Xander, all of them. Giles: Well, I-I-I've cer-certainly never heard of, uh... Willow: (comes into the library) Herbert! They found him. Buffy: The pig? Willow: Dead. And also eaten. Principal Flutie's freaking out. Buffy: (to Giles) Testosterone, huh?

~~Buffy Episode #6: "The Pack"~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

William the Bloody (Buffy/Spike, Dawn, T) by [personal profile] apachefirecat

We’ve done worse (Wesley, Gunn, Ocs, unrated) by summersnow82

Party Favor (Angel/Spike, Fred, E) by girlpire

Xander's Musings (Xander, Buffy Willow, T) by DanaNick82

Post Harvest Cuddling (Ensemble, T) by DanaNick82

Tryout after the Try Out (Ensemble, T) by DanaNick82

Those Urges (Ensemble, T) by DanaNick82

Cuddles (Ensemble, T) by DanaNick82

Cordelia actually gives thanks (Ensemble, T) by DanaNick82

Hot for Xander (Buffy, Xander, Willow, T) by DanaNick82

That Teenage Feeling (Ensemble, T) by DanaNick82

Xander the Alpha Male (Xander, T) by DanaNick82

Cuddle therapy (Buffy, Xander, Willow, T) by DanaNick82

At the end of it All (Jenny/Giles, T) by DanaNick82

Confused Feelings (Ensemble, T) by DanaNick82

A kiss to the real hero (Xander/Buffy, T) by DanaNick82

The Return of Buffy (Ensemble, T) by DanaNick82

Awkward Affection (Ensemble, T) by DanaNick82

Common Misconceptions (Angel/Wesley, M) by Patchratt

Intervention (Fred/Wesley, Wesley/OC, G) by Summersnow82

Divine Comedy in the Białowieża (Angelus/Darla/Drusilla/Spike/Luke, E) by CoffeeHunt

Loophole, But No Cigar (AtS Ensemble, T) by watchriverdale

entropy tillow scene (Willow/Tara, unrated) by i_sss_yyy

Safety First (Buffy, Spike, Willow, unrated) by bunniesarebad

[Chaptered Fiction]

Situation Normal - All Faithed Up - Chapter 9 (Buffy/Faith, M) by QuillBard

The Dark Ones Ch. 1 (Buffy/Spike, G) by Rachel24601

Forged in shadows Ch. 2 (Angel/Lindsey, M) by Tridoudou

I Need A Bad Idea Ch. 48 (Buffy/Giles, E) by Muldersgurl

Shadow Over Hellmouth Ch. 117 (Buffy/Tara, E) by Tuxedo_Mark

Soul Mate Magic - Chapter Nine (Giles/OC, M) by emma-m-black

Should I Stay or Should I Go? (Part Two) (Spike/Reader, T) by prose-for-hire

Troubling Deaf Heaven, Chapter 7 (Buffy/Spike, M) by JuneCurry

New Woman, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Maxine Eden

Cloudy With a Chance of Mischief, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Maxine Eden, ClowniestLivEver

Be Back Before Dawn, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Blissymbolics

The Neighbor's Point of View, Chapter 135 (Buffy/Spike, G) by the_big_bad

Perfect Clarity, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Joan963z

The Science of Being Yours, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Maxine Eden, ClowniestLivEver

A Tumble in Time, Chapter 8 (Buffy/Spike, T) by thedoppleganger

What Happens at Willow Creek, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, M) by Alyot

A Sword in the Man, Chapter 7 (Buffy/Spike, T) by Desicat

Poetry Professor , Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, T) by Desicat

Happily Ever After, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Dusty

Agape, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, T) by Lilacsandorangeblossoms

Oh My Goddess, Chapter 5 (Buffy/Spike, M) by Maxine Eden

Working Title, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, M) by Niamh

Stray, Chapter 10-11 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Feanix88

The Transfer, Chapter 7 (Buffy/Spike, M) by Blackmysteria

Quest for Glory, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, M) by Geliot99, Claire

Psyer Ch. 9 (Xander, T) by JoshuAB

Aegis Ch. 20 (Xander, T, DCU xover) by dogbertcarroll

Green Shards Underfoot Ch. 5 (Dawn, T, multiple xovers) by acs

Sanguinaccio Dolce Ch. 4 (Xander, E, Hannibal xover) by SarielLunar

[Images, Audio & Video]

Video: Spike + Buffy - Be mine () by Faith Victoria

[Reviews & Recaps]

PODCAST: Episode 43 - Buffy the Dog-Faced Girl from Columbus (The Wish) by The Sunnydale Diaries

PODCAST: BTVS 603 - After Life by Another Buffy Podcast

PODCAST: Episode 129: As You Were by Myth Taken

[Community Announcements]

2024 Halloween Challenge! by Twisting the Hellmouth

Tuesday Prompts by comment-fic

#btvs #buffy the vampire slayer #angel the series #fan art #fan fiction #meta

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fancybeardflower-blog · 8 years ago

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writeyourownlifestory · 6 years ago

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Love Someone -- Hardzello fanfic

First, I just want to say that this is completely due to Joe and Ben being good sports and giving us amazing fan service on Instagram. Well aware it’s all fake, but who doesn’t want to have some boys loving boys fun?

This is technically rated M so read on your own accord.

In the fic: BoRhap doesn’t exist. Ben is a model. Joe is a writer. They met the rest of the guys through Rami, an actor who befriended them both.

Can also be read here.

Please reblog/review/enjoy.

They were friends through other friends, nothing more. If they hadn’t met when they did, their paths probably never would have crossed. It was at a party. A rather boring one, to be completely honest. Ben had been invited and while he always enjoyed a good get together, didn’t exactly feel much like partying as of late. Not for any particular reason. Modeling was going well. He landed another Vogue issue. Versace was in talks currently, but anything could happen with them.

He had spoken to his agent, hoping to branch out into other things. Commercials. Movies. Real acting really but for now, solid pictures for magazines and billboards were his thing. He didn’t mind too much. The money was good. And he was happy.

Sort of.

He went to the party for . . . who knows why really. Maybe because he wanted to do something. Get out of the loft. He wasn’t hungry or tired. Just bored. So he went.

And there he was, a grown man in a bear costume, singing Prince. No, it wasn’t a costume, but rather one of those onesie type outfits. Ben didn’t get the appeal, but then again he figured they weren’t exactly marketed towards him. More for children and those who were children at heart.

At first Ben thought the man was drunk out of his mind. He was singing wildly. Almost animated. So dramatic and ridiculous, but when it came to an end and everyone cheered him on, the man thanked everyone and walked off the makeshift stage, completely sober.

That was when he first met him. Joseph Mazzello. Joe, as he went by. He was a writer. He hoped to be a director one day, but for now, he wrote. Nothing in particular. Show episodes. Music videos. He wasn’t famous, but then again, nobody at the party was.

Closest was the one throwing the party. Rami made it big on the silver screen though you’d never really know it. He met Ben in London during fashion week. Rami had been invited by his girlfriend, who did the show with Ben.

They didn’t have much in common, but Rami was a relaxing soul and made Ben feel welcome whenever he was in the states. He was there currently for some shoots. Three months and then he was back to London for his next show.

Rami did all he could to make him feel welcome. Invited him around town, introduced him to different people. He even when to set once, meeting the cast and crew. Ben wasn’t a jealous person, but even he couldn’t help to feel envious while he watched Rami work.

Ben was theatrically trained, as many who grow up in England were when they made the decision to act. He never got a break or call back, but thanks to his good looks he was able to make a living with one type of camera.

He had made some other friends. Other Europeans like himself that were stuck in the states trying to make a living, and other Americans that did what they could to survive in their current climate.

Joe was one of them, though he didn’t know if they’d be considered friends. Allen, he could go out and grab dinner with. Gwilym, he’d get a beer and watch the game. Rami, well they could do practically anything, but Joe . . . he was an odd duck.

They were so different. Polar opposites, to be exact.

Ben was more casual, keeping everything inside. He didn’t get very emotional or really even invested into much. If something didn’t work out, then he’d move on and focus on something else. If he went for an audition and he didn’t get a callback, then he’d get over it and put his attention onto his next modeling gig.

If someone didn’t like Joe’s script then he would spend the entire week cursing their name and swearing he’d steal away their firstborn son. He screamed a lot, actually. It was quite worrisome at first, but Rami assured Ben that it was just part of Joe’s personality. He was very dramatic, always had something going on in his mind.

Rumor had it he kept a typewriter in his car, but Ben never got around to ask. Or see for himself.

They didn’t hang out on their own. They just didn’t. Not that they didn’t want to. Ben at first though Joe hated him, but each and every time they came together, Joe would smile and greet him as kindly as ever.

He guessed they were both too busy for the other. Always having something else more important to do than to make time for the other. Ben didn’t mind much. He was, after all, a busy man. A working man.

Dolce and Gabbana got him for their newest perfume. It was something to celebrate. And when Rami offered to throw him a party, Ben didn’t fight it.

They partied a lot in California. Far more than they did in London. Rami’s birthday. And then Gwilym’s. And then Ben landing the perfume and then Lucy’s surprise party. So much to celebrate.

Allen had gotten married and Ben arrived in a dark tux and shining shoes. Joe was there, without a date much to his surprise. He had also come solo, as well as Gwilym. Rami came with Lucy, which was to be expected.

Everybody danced and cheered on the loving couple, though Ben found himself growing far colder than expected. His own relationships hadn’t been ideal and while he wasn’t jealous, seeing a friend go on and get married while he was still stuck in the same place effected Ben in a way he hadn’t expected.

He said nothing, like always. What was the point of getting emotionally involved in something he couldn’t change? He didn’t have time for a girlfriend right now. He had auditions to focus on.

Two tv shows and movie. One for an upcoming SyFy channel show. Another was a guest spot on some sitcom where he would be playing the eye candy for one of the main girls to flirt with for an episode. And the movie . . . he had no idea. He hadn’t read the script yet but he knew he was going to be playing some hot stud.

If he got the part, that was.

But he didn’t. He had gone to all three and got two callbacks, but in the end, none of them worked out.

Less than two months left in America and then he could return home. Dolce and Gabbana’s campaign went well and seeing his face all over, in different stores and ads, it was exciting, but he wanted more.

He told his agent to find him something good. Allow him to show his growth.

He said he would try his best.

He found a particular salience knowing he wasn’t the only one suffering. One night at Gwilym’s loft, Joe let it slip that his script had been shut down by six different studios. It was a painful blow. One that no one knew what to do with. Gwilym could only pat his shoulder and tell him to keep going. Rami promised to show the script to the show creator, in hopes of having it passed along to the right people.

And Ben just kept drinking. He knew the pain and suffering of being passed on. On being told not to quit his day job. American beer was absolute garbage, but he would drink it after every missed opportunity. And a lot of them had come along as of late.

He suffered in silence and he preferred it that way.

He suffered still, watching all his friends move on without him. Gwilym got a show back in England and left shortly after telling everybody. Allen moved back to Ireland though not before spilling the beans that his own show would be doing a film. They were bringing the whole cast back and seemed like the entire world was losing their mind over it.

And Rami . . . the only thing better than finding out he would be playing a literal legend in an upcoming biopic was getting engaged.

You would think a semi-famous Hollywood couple would want to have a big wedding, but alas, they chose to keep it small and secret. Only friends and family were invited and the wedding itself took just three weeks after the engagement was announced. Allen and Gwilym flew in for the event, but they were staying. They had their own lives to return to.

And Ben would be flying back too. Just four weeks from this point.

Everybody was having a good time. Rami’s family. Lucy’s. Friends from Rami’s show and Lucy’s events. Ben knew a handful of people, though nobody really spoke to him. A few ladies asked him to dance, but he declined. They were models. Gorgeous, but he passed. He didn’t want to deal with a headache in the morning. So he stuck with his drink and standing off in the corner.

Joe was standing there too, though his expression was far more somber than Ben’s. The American wore his heart on his sleeve and while it was a stupid thing, he commended Joe for even showing up.

Lucy was a natural beauty, that wasn’t hard to see. She had the personality of an angel and the way she and Joe would get along was just electric. She and Rami belonged together, but there was no surprise in seeing how utterly shattered Joe was once they tied the knot.

“Do you want to go somewhere?” Ben asked him, deciding to the kind thin and remove the poor bastard from the event. They hadn’t even served cake yet and they were literally dressed to the nines, but that didn’t matter.

Joe agreed and they went out to the back of the venue. It was closed off. No other guest would dare leave but neither seemed to care. They ate together and drank, sulking in their sorrows.

“I’m happy for them,” Joe confessed.

And Ben believed him. Lifting his hand, he placed it on Joe’s shoulder, squeezing it tightly. “She’s a great girl. But there are a lot of great girls in LA.” He reassured him.

Joe turned his head to face him, a look of confusion sprayed across his face. “Okay?” He asked bluntly.

“Loving another man’s girl . . . it’s hard, I take it. You will be all right, mate.”

Joe moved slowly then, his brow arching. After a long moment, it seemed the words and their meaning finally clicked. Suddenly, he began laughing. It was humorous, but also bitter. Lifeless really.

“I don’t . . . not Lucy. It’s not that.” Joe told him. “It’s not Her.” He added carefully.

Ben, utterly stumped for a moment, blinked at his words. Clearing his throat, he adjusted his sitting. It was a new world and California brought on several new things. Not like gay people didn’t exist to Ben. For fuck sake, he was a male model, he had met dozens of them, but that didn’t mean he could just assume who felt what for which person.

“Well, . . . loving a woman’s guy isn’t very easy either?” He offered helplessly.

Joe scoffed, pushing off the bench they had been occupying. He placed his right hand on his lip as he swiftly began to pace to and through. “Not him either.” He expressed sharply. “It’s just . . . all this!”

“This?”

“Allen is married. Gwilym is off living his room in Europe. Rami — in two years from now, he will be an Oscar-nominated actor — married to a gorgeous model who will probably be pregnant with their first child. And me? I can’t get a single studio to look at my script. Not one.”

“Ah.”

“I’m not jealous,” Joe swore. Both hands on his hips, his head pointed down. “I’m just tired of waiting for it to be my turn, you know?”

Ben bobbed his head, his hand tightening over his bottle. He understood exactly what Joe felt. He knew he should have been grateful for the chances he had been given at this point, but that didn’t change the fact that he longed for more. To be more than just the pretty face.

For more scripts where he played somebody other than the hot stud or objection of someone's affections. He wanted a script with meaning, with depth.

Standing to his feet, he crossed a few yards where Joe was standing and sulking and placed his hands on his shoulder’s. “You are a good writer.” He told him, looking at him directly in the eye. “And you’re going to make an amazing film one day. You — Joe Mazzello — will be the Oscar-nominated person. Writer. Director. Whichever.”

Joe laughed again, turning his head away. Ben shook his shoulders, making him look his way. “Laugh all you want, but it’s true. You will do great things, Joe.”

There was a quiet moment between them. Their eyes locked and a feeling of excitement mixed with fantasy-filled the air. Ben had never thought of himself very highly, despite the things people had said. Yet he refused to believe that Joe was anything less than amazing.

They weren’t the best of friends, but Ben believed in him, the same way he believed in Rami and Allen and Gwilym and even Lucy. He knew his friends were talented and he downright refused to allow one of them to think less of themselves.

Even if he couldn’t think highly of himself.

“And you, Ben Hardy,” Joe replied back, his hands lifting up to cup his face. He held him still, his head tilted forward so their foreheads were touching. It was an intimate gesture, one Ben had never expected from any of his friends. “You are going be one hell of a movie star,”

That got Ben laughing. A kind, playful chuckle, escaping his lips. Joe mimicked the sound until they were both standing there, holding onto one another, smiling and laughing at their respected statements.

It was a ridiculous sight, Ben was sure of it. Two grown them, wrapping up in one another. The only thing that could make it wilder was if they closed the gap between them, which is exactly what Joe did.

In an instant, their smiles were gone, wiped away when Joe pressed his lips to Ben’s. It wasn’t excessively wild or spontaneous, but it caught Ben off regardless. He remained still, his eyes shut as Joe’s thumb ran across his cheek gently.

When Joe pulled away, Ben opened his eyes, finding the other man staring back at him. His expression was anxious as he waited for Ben to make a move. There were only two expected of him. To push him away or assault him for daring to make such an advance towards him. Or two, accept what happened and move on from it.

Ben chose the latter, closing the gap once again so they could make the proper adjustments. Ben’s hand slid around the back of Joe’s neck, adjusting him so his head was slightly tilted upwards. Joe’s hands made their way skyward and meshed into Ben’s blond hair.

Ben’s second hand traveled down and bunched at the back of Joe’s suit jacket. He pulled him in tightly, their bodies pressed together with only their suits keeping them apart.

When they pulled apart, they were smiling again. Foolishly so. Giddy even. Joe stepped away, licking his lips as he looked out towards the night sky. “I um. I gotta get to my room.” He gestured toward the hotel they were standing in front of.

Ben bobbed his head and watched him go. He stayed outside a moment longer before heading inside as well. He booked a room for no real reason. He had a loft to get home to, but this was where his friends were. Rami and Gwilym and Allen and Joe. They were all at the hotel to celebrate a wonderful event. So he was there too.

Shortly after returning to his room, Ben had a knock on the door. Joe was standing there in front of him. Gone was his jacket and his shirt had a few buttons undone. Like he had started to undress but stopped halfway through.

“I um. I don’t actually have anything witty or even sexy to say as to why I’m here.” He confessed to Ben.

The blond watched him, moving to lean against the opening of the door. “Aren’t you a writer?” He commented.

Ben rolled his eyes, his shoulders falling as he let out a heavy sigh. “Oh shut up!” He muttered before pushing him inside the room, their lips falling together once more.

Ben had never been with another man before, but from what he gathered, it was more or less the same as being with a woman the physical part. There was sitting and touching. Whispers of sweet words and harsh curses.

He didn’t have lube and figured spit would be fine. It wasn’t, but Joe knew that. He came prepared. A tiny, travel sized bottle fell from his pocket along with a condom. Ben had his own, just in case. Always better to be prepared and whatnot.

There was no thinking or worrying. Just kisses and caresses and lots of fucking. He topped, though that was Joe’s decision. He found a rhythm that fit them both, with his hips thrusting into Joe’s while Joe’s hand work on his own throbbing member. Eventually, he found himself wanting more and he pushed Joe’s hand away and worked on him the same way he would work on himself.

He felt bad for whoever cleaned the sheets and made a mental note to leave a decent tip.

When the finished, he was spent and content. Joe didn’t leave when it was finished and Ben found that he didn’t want him to. They sat together, wrapped up in the scratchy hotel blanket, their heads resting on the barely fluffed pillows.

How the bloody fuck was this a five-star hotel?

They fell asleep together, nestled closely until morning. Ben left first, having had made plans with Gwilym the following morning. He dressed and left the room. He didn’t kiss him goodbye or make him, but he tucked him in and let him sleep.

When he had breakfast with his friend, Ben didn’t tell him about what happened last night. Informing Gwilym that just mere hours ago his cock was thrusting in and out of Joe’s ass wasn’t exactly something they should be discussing over eggs and avocado toast.

When he got home, he found his phone had died and he put it on the charger. After it regained some life, he saw he had a text message from a number he didn’t know.

It didn’t take much thinking to figure out who it was from.

Brunch tomorrow.

Ben already knew he was free tomorrow and found he had no reason not to go. He didn’t have to and part of him thought about skipping it. Making an excuse but what else would he do? Just sit alone, at home. No dog or cat or goldfish to keep him company.

He agreed and Joe told him where to go. When he arrived, Joe was already there. Looking so casual and in his element. He wasn’t a gorgeous man, not like Ben himself. Average looking, but the best kind. Approachable. Ben wasn’t approachable and he knew that. Sometimes it was a blessing. Sometimes it was a curse.

“I think brunch is my favorite meal. Breakfast and lunch. You can’t lose.” Joe told him once they had settled in.

Ben just stared at him, bewildered yet oddly enchanted by his statement.

They looked through the menu, eventually settling on what they wanted. Ben shifted in his seat and didn’t say much. Joe talked mostly, about this and that. Ben found himself listening to it all, adding his own comments here and there.

It wasn’t until the check came that Ben realized what this potentially was. He froze suddenly, unsure of what to actually do. Joe must have sensed something and gave a small snort. “We can split it, you know.” He told him, waving his wallet up. “Or do you not have American currency?”

Ben shook his head, amused rather than annoyed. “Wanker.” He muttered, tossing down his own money.

They walked out together, shoulder to shoulder. Joe was still walking when they got to the corner and as they approached where Ben had parked, the blond found himself thinking of a subject he hadn’t thought of at all since their time together.

“I’m not gay.” He told Joe bluntly.

It was a strange statement to make, after having only had sex with the man just days ago, but it was truthful all the same.

The other male paused, taking in the words. And then he shrugged and continued walking. “Okay.” He told him, crossing the road carefully. Leaving Ben behind as he did.

Ben watched him go, finally snapping from his trance so he could turn the corner and go to his car.

He didn’t speak to Joe for another few days after that. Not because he didn’t want to, but for once in his life, he found himself somewhat busy. Normally he would make excuses for his schedule, but this time around he actually had things going on.

Finalizing on the loft, making sure it was in mint condition when he left. The last thing he needed was to be billed for something that he had broke without realizing it. He was going through his things, deciding what he wanted to bring back to London and what he should leave behind. He made a small box of things he wanted to give his friends, but aside from that, he was rather clueless.

He found the number in his phone, still unsaved with just three messages from it. He decided to be an old school and call the man. He came over within the hour and was absolutely baffled by the mess that Ben was living in.

He tried to explain himself, insist that he was normally a very tidy person and it was just the situation that was causing his home to be more cluttered than usual. Joe didn’t push and instead took it in stride, helping him on what he should keep and what he should donate.

“Like that Netflix special. What sparks joy, Ben? What does not spark joy?” Joe reached forward, grabbing a random item. “Joy? Happiness?”

“That's literally an apron,” Ben replied, feeling no spark towards the item.

“Do you use it often?”

Ben shook his head. “Free swag from a layout I did. Men dressed in provocative clothing.”

“How fun.” Joe tossed it to the right.

He decided anything going to the right was to be given to charity, while anything on the left got to stay. They went back and forth, finding things that sparked joy and things that did not spark joy. He came up with a few things he wanted to bring along with him, like little trinkets he had picked up while being in the states. His plan was to send them prior to him leaving and have his family hold onto them until he got settled in.

Most things that weren’t going back with him were clothing and anything too large to keep. Art pieces he bought to spice up the loft, outfits he rarely he worn. There was a small sculpture he was giving to Rami. Several books he planned on giving to Gwilym, which he will leave with Rami to give to the man when he returned from his work. He had already given Allen a small collection of random things he knew the Irish man could appreciate.

Now all that was left were the old films he had bought during his time here. Ben was an old soul, though he didn’t show it often. His agent had gifted him with a projector and a couple of hard printed movie reels. He said it was the best way to experience a film, by watching how it was originally meant to be seen.

Ben had yet to try it out, but he got himself a few different choices to watch on the makeshift screen. To be completely honest he didn’t know how to set the thing up, but Joe was more than capable. The man practically spazzed out overseeing it all and promptly dropped what he was holding so he could put it together for them.

Ben watched, amused and surprisingly charmed by how bloody giddy the man was at watching an old movie.

Joe chose Singin in the Rain. Apparently, it was one of the best musicals of all time, or so he carefully informed Ben once it was set up. Ben didn’t keep much more than beer and protein shakes in his fridge, having gotten rather used to Postmates over time, so they ordered in.

Joe paid without question, ordering their meals on Grubhub. Within half an hour, they were settled on the couch, watching the film play out in the dark. It was different, to say the least. And sometimes Ben liked different.

Joe spoke every now and then, dropping a truth bomb about how hard Debbie Reynold’s had to work while also putting up with Gene Kelly. The man was a genius, there was no denying that but he was also a hardass perfectionist.

Joe sympathized with him, believing that you can’t always be nice when it comes to art. Ben thought of all the photographers that had yelled and called him obscene names when he didn’t do the right pose or give the right look.

The movie played on and the men ate their food and drank their beer. Ben had a couple bottles of liquor he was still figuring out what to do with. He was down to three weeks and he had about six different bottles to go around. All of which were rare, expensive, and unique in their own rights. He thought about downing them in the final days he was there, but his liver quivered at the thought. And then he thought of giving them away but his wallet screamed in anguish.

When the movie ended and the food was finished and the beer was gone, the two just sat there on the couch. Ben hit the button, stopping the projector, leaving them in the dark. Neither made a move to get up and turn the lights on. Instead of choosing to embrace the shadows from the window that the moon brought in.

“Think you’ll miss LA?” Joe asked him quietly.

Ben knew it was an easy question. Of course, he’d miss it. Part of him wondered why he was even bothering to leave when London didn’t exactly offer him anything new or spectacular. He guessed it was due to not having anything here to hang onto. No steady career. All his friends were doing their own thing. Ben didn’t want to just sit by and wait for something to happen.

He would go back to London and see what was waiting for him. Wouldn’t be the first time and probably wouldn’t even be the last.

“It has its perks.” He answered, his voice heavy yet certain.

Joe turned his head, allowing their eyes to lock. Ben wasn’t lying when he said Joe was average looking, though in the low light and the shadows of the outside world coming through, he found that average was looking pretty good.

“What will you miss the most?” Joe asked.

Ben thought about it. What would he miss about this place? Maybe the weather. London could be so wet and dreary. LA had rain too, but the sun shined more often than not and there more so many trees. Ben forgot what it was like being on the beaches and watching the warm rays, sitting under a palm tree.

LA was like a dream that Ben knew was a dream, but he still didn’t want to wake from it.

“A lot of things,” He admitted, holding the man’s glance. Ben, whose arm had been wrapped around the back of the couch, lifted slowly, moving towards where Joe’s head was resting. He traced his fingers carefully along the dark locks of Joe’s hair, just barely touching.

Joe smiled, his eyes fluttering closed. “Three weeks?” He mentioned aloud.

Ben hummed. Three weeks and then he’d be gone. Who knew when he would return. Maybe a week later. Maybe never. All depended on what fate had planned for him.

“Three weeks.” Joe mimicked. “Twenty-one days.” Ben offered.

“Good number.”

Ben hummed again, moving in to close the gap between them. He didn’t remember if Joe’s lips had always been so soft, but he didn’t bother to dwell on it. Joe’s hand came up to cup his face, his thumb doing that wonderful thing it did, tracing along his skin slowly. He tasted like cheap beer and American cuisine, a strange combination for Ben to take a liking too.

They sat there in the dark, on his couch, kissing and touching like they had all the time in the world. There was no point to rush this out. Ben had nowhere to be as of right now and Joe . . . well, he was here. He could leave any time he needed to, but he didn’t. He stayed and continued their relaxed makeup session long into the night.

They had sex again, but not right away. They undressed there in the sitting room, taking the time to map one another out. Joe’s fingers ran along every hard bump and rugged ridge of Ben’s sculpted body and Ben’s lips outlined every curse and mark along Joe’s.

He had women comment on his looks a time or two. Give his unneeded compliments about how he was created by how and he was so fucking hot. Joe didn’t bother to do that. He would talk — Joe couldn’t stay quiet for long, that much was obvious, but it would never be about Ben himself.

About the moment, what they were doing. Even little things that had nothing to do with the fact that Ben’s hand was currently wrapped around his cock, pumping it rhythmically. Any normal person would find it annoying, but Ben found it endearing. He didn’t know if it was due to nerves or that was just who Joe was as a person, but he liked it.

And the only reason he brought their lips together to shut him up was that he liked that too. Joe was a good kisser. Fantastic. Ben wondered if they had been teens together in London, awkward and new to sex and such if they would have been snugging buddies. Ben wondered if he would have given him a chance back then. Back when he was young and stupid and new.

They didn’t have sex in his bed, not right away anyway. Once again Joe had shown up with a pocket-size bottle of lube, something Ben thought about questioning him for but instead chose to just hold on for dear life as Joe began to slowly ride him into oblivion. He held onto him, his fingers marking up his the skin of his back, ass, and hips.

Ben came inside him (well in the condom inside of him) and Joe finished between them both, making them both wet and sticky rather quickly. They shared a shower and while some lazy kisses were shared nothing more happened there.

Joe prepared to leave but Ben stopped him. It was late and dark. He had never been to Joe’s apartment, so he had no idea how far it was but nobody should have to drive in the middle of the night.

Ben may not be the most social person, but he never kicked a partner out when it was over. If they wanted to leave, then by God, go right ahead, but the option to stay was always there. Joe agreed and they retreated to Ben’s bedroom. Where the mattress was firm and the pillows were soft. The blanket wasn’t scratchy and he didn’t need to worry about some maid who had to clean the sheets.

The bed was decently sized and they both had enough room to lay on their own sides, but they met in the middle. Ben’s head found its way onto Joe’s chest, while Joe’s hand found its way into Ben’s, their fingers intertwined. Ben hummed softly, some song he used to sing back when he was young. There were no real lyrics. Just a nice melody. It lulled them both to sleep.

When morning came, they were still pressed together. Ben once again made the first move, though he thought it over properly. He had condoms in the draw, but no lube. It wasn’t normally something he had to worry about but found perhaps now it was time to invest.

Moving carefully through the sheets, Ben ducked underneath and found what he was looking for. They had both pulled their boxes on, just to be polite, and it was easy to see Joe’s outline through the gray cotton material. Ben had never done this before but knew what he liked for himself and used that incentive.

Pulling down the waistband, he freed Joe from his hold and got to work. One part hand, one part mouth, he went back and forth on the man, finding himself smirking against his cock when he heard Joe wake. When he pulled the sheets back, Ben looked up to him like a greedy child with his hand in the cookie jar (and not like a grown man with his mouth wrapped around the tip of a cock).

Joe cursed softly, a sound that was so strange for such a precious man, and his hand found its way to Ben’s head. He started out careful enough, petting him gently. As he began to speed up the movements, Joe began pulling at the shiny locks, tugging on him in earnest.

Joe finished within a few minutes. He pulled back slightly, allowing him to cum over his mouth and chest. Joe found himself laughing at the sight, not the least bit sorry for the mess he made. In his defense, Ben caused it after all.

Ben laughed along with him and gave the man a small kiss on the stomach before pushing up. It called for another shower and this time around, they did more than mere kisses. Under the hot spray and heavy stem, Joe pushed Ben up against the wall, kissing him deeply as he had worked on his untouched cock. A little thank you for the morning blow job.

They didn’t have sex there, but it sure felt like it. A hand job had never been so intense and Ben felt like he was seeing bloody stars when he finished. His heart was beating out of his chest and as they washed each other off, he found he didn’t want to stop touching Joe.

Ben was only slightly bitter when Joe left later that day. There was no reason to stay anymore. The loft had been properly cleaned and organized. Joe promised to help him donate everything when the time came and Ben was sure to make good on that.

When he left, Ben sat down on the couch that they had only christened hours ago and looked to his calendar.

Twenty days left and counting.

#hardzello #fanfic #hardzello fanfic #BoRhap fanfc #BoRhap #queen #joe mazzello #ben hardy #ben hardy/joe mazzello #joe mazzello/ben hardy

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littleredroseonthevalley · 7 years ago

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An Opera on Separation - Chapter 5

Prologue | Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 | Ch. 4 | CH.5 | Ch. 6 | Ch. 7 | Ch. 8 | Ch. 9 | Ch. 10 | Ch. 11 | Ch. 12 | Ch. 13 | Ch. 14 | Ch. 15 | Ch. 16 | Ch. 17 | Ch. 18 |

Summary: Friday comes, and Emily and Zig make some plans for the weekend to come. Queenie finds a new way to make quick cash.

Rating: M - Not suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 with non-explicit suggestive adult themes, references to some violence, or coarse language.

Words: 1916

Notes: Third chapter this week! I’ll be short. Beyoncé music. Listen to it. Subscribe to taglist. Review, for the love of God.

Freakum Dress

“Good morning, honey!” Queenie sung from the kitchen.

“Good morning, mom.” The redhead responded, emerging from the bathroom fresh and dressed for her working Friday. “What are you doing?”

“I’m making some sugar-free brownies to sell at the community center gym this afternoon.” She answered, placing a batch on the oven. “They were a hit back in Florida.”

“It smells great!” The girl praises her mother.

“It tastes even better.” She smirked. “Those tubbies won’t know what hit ‘em! Gonna make big cash and then I’ll buy myself some new clothes, ‘cause those are going on the way of the dodo.”

“Don’t call them tubbies.” The redhead rolled her eyes. “I’d prefer if you helped making rent, but that’s not going to happen, is it?”

Queenie giggled. “Not on a million years.”

Emily picked up the empty sugar container from the counter. “Mom, didn’t you say those were sugar-free brownies?”

“That I did, honey.” The woman nodded.

“And how in the world you used up all your sugar, then?” The redhead shows her the container accusingly.

The woman rolled her eyes, as if her daughter made a stupid question. “On the brownies, of course. Or else they taste horrible.”

“So, you’re going to sell pretend-sugar free brownies to people who are dieting and exercising?” The redhead asked, incredulous.

Queenie tapped her cheek. “That’s my smart girl! Feel free to have a slice for breakfast.”

“Mom!” She chastised. “What if you sell them to a diabetic?”

“Please, I sold them to plenty of diabetics back in Florida. They all lived!” The woman pointed out. “Besides, what I really want to know is what happened between you and yesterday’s brownie man.”

“Brownie man? Who’s…” Recognition dawns on Emily. “Mom! Don’t call Zig that! It’s racist!”

“Boo-hoo. I’m old, I can say whatever I want.” The woman mocked. “And, yeah, Zigmund. What a piece of ass that is, Heavens!”

The redhead rolled her eyes. “Whatever, mom. And there’s nothing going on between me and Zig. We’re just friends.”

“Yeah, the way that boy has looked at you since college, he’s not in this to be your friend, honey.” Queenie said, scoffing. “He wants to make lots of babies with you, that’s what he wants.”

“Don’t be crass.” The daughter responded, not very into it. “And I’m running late to work. See you tonight!”

“See you, honey.” The woman waved.

“And don’t sell those brownies!” She warned from the door.

“Fat chance!” The woman laughs. “You get it? Fat chance!”

The first time that day Emily saw Zig was, as it was to be expected, during lunch hour, at the teachers’ lounge.

She was having lunch with the rest of the department of linguistics when he entered through the hallway door. He greeted Principal Jones and the remainder colleagues at the room before marching over to the table where she sat.

“Hey, Emily?” He taps her shoulder. “Can we talk?”

“Sure.” The woman nodded and followed him over to the hallway. Once away from prying ears she asks: “What is it?”

“I just wanted to tell you I had a wonderful time last night. The lasagna was really good, you’re an awesome cook.” The black-haired said, with a smile.

“Oh, thanks! I’m very happy you like it.” She beamed.

It was rare for someone to compliment her cooking, honestly. Between her mother’s permanent fowl mood, and Nathan, who always seemed to prefer Claudia’s, it has been quite a while since anyone ate and enjoyed what she made.

She, then, looked at him, confused. “Is that all you wanted to tell me?”

“No, actually.” He scratched the back of his head. “I was wondering if you wouldn’t like to do that again sometime. Perhaps going out? My treat, of course.”

“Go out?” She asked, surprised with the suggestion. “You mean, like on a date? On a date date, or more like as friends?”

“I meant… Well, I’d like it to be a date.” The man sighed. “Emily, look, I like you. I’d like to go out with you. If you don’t like me back, that’s okay, we can forget all about it.”

The redhead grinned. “Okay. I’ll be more than happy to go out with you.”

“Really?” He smiled widely. “Awesome! How ‘bout Saturday? Tomorrow, I mean. We can go out, grab a bite, dance. I’ll pick you up at eight?”

“Sounds great to me.” Emily nodded vigorously.

Zig smirked. “Great. I’ll see you then.”

Saturday came and passed, and Emily was finishing up getting ready for her date that night. She wore an emerald-green dress that stopped just after her knees. For shoes, she wore some black stilettos and an evening purse to match.

She emerged from the bedroom and made a twirl, giggling. “So, how do I look, mom?”

Queenie let out a delighted gasp. “You look great, honey! Is this Dolce and Gabbana I see?”

“Yeah, I saved this one for a special occasion.” The redhead nodded. “Figured it’d hard to find a more special occasion than this one.”

“First dates call for brand name.” The mother agreed. “Anyways, how did Zig got out from being ‘just a friend’ Thursday night to be your date tonight, honey?”

“He asked me out on a date Friday afternoon and I said yes.” The woman answered while putting on a pair of earrings over at the bathroom mirror.

“I see.” The older woman smirked. “That’s because the guy’s not in love with you. I can only wonder if he was! You’d be off to the church by now.”

“Don’t be dramatic, mom.” Emily complained, and the doorbell rang at precisely eight PM.

The redhead answered the door. “Hello, Zig!”

“Jesus, Emily!” He breathed out. “You look breathtaking!”

“Thank you!” She smirked. “You don’t look too shabby yourself.”

Zig wore a gray button-up shirt, a blue tie and a jacket, in a sport casual look which befitted both his personality and his tall, dark and handsome build.

Queenie took the opportunity to make her presence known. “Hello, Zig. How are you tonight?”

“I’m fine, thanks for asking.” He responded, still with that fool-in-love smile of his for the woman’s daughter.

“And I don’t suppose these flowers you’re holding are for me?” She pointed out, with her own deviant smirk.

“What…? Oh!” He stood straight as if hit by lightning. “I almost forgot. Here, Emily, those are for you.”

The redhead beamed. “Oh, they’re beautiful, Zig! Thank you very much!”

“I’ll put it on a vase for you, honey. Now, move along, I’m pretty sure you have a dinner reservation, don’t you?” Queenie said, taking the flowers from her daughter.

“We do, actually.” The man nodded and offered Emily his arm. “Shall we?”

The mother waved at the couple. “Bye-bye! Don’t do anything I would do!”

A short fifteen-minute stroll later, and they reached a fancy European restaurant, The Cheetah. Zig gave the hostess his name and they were led to a lavish, yet secluded, table at the dimly-lit salon.

Emily was presented with a menu and was surprised to see it had only the names of the dishes, no prices.

She frowned. “Zig, are you sure you want to eat here?”

“Sure, why?” He asks, confused. “You don’t like it here?”

“Not at all, the restaurant is absolutely lovely!” The redhead said, shaking her head in adamant denial. “I just thought we’d be going to somewhere more… modest.”

He laughed. “You don’t think I can afford it, do you?”

The woman had the sense to look embarrassed. “I wasn’t going to say it, but no. I know we don’t make much cash.”

“Emily, I am sorry. I really thought you knew.” He smirked. “Have you had any news from Tyler?”

Of course she had. Well, not as much as from him as about him. Tyler had become a Silicon Valley legend, programming a compressing and uncompressing software with no quality loss. He became one of the wealthiest and most respected tech moguls in North America.

“I’ve heard of what he has been doing.” She nodded.

“Well, I helped Tyler develop the prototype for the software. I own 15% of his company.” He smirked.

The woman blushed and looked down to her hands. “I feel pretty foolish right now. I’m really sorry, Zig.”

“No problem. If anything, makes me glad you agreed to go out with me because you like me.” He smirked. “I mean, you did marry old money.”

She scoffed. “Nathan? Old money? I mean, we certainly had a comfortable life, but we were far from the 1%. We lived off mostly of his World Bank salary.”

“I see.” He tutted, suspicious. “Why did you get divorced, again? You never told me.”

“Well, one night he told me he was cheating on me and was leaving me to be with his mistress. Actually, who was supposed to leave was me, since it was his house and what not.” The redhead said. “But, if I’m being honest, it was a long-coming. We hardly talked on those months, even years, leading to it.”

“Wait, so he just came up to you and said that you were through?” The man asks, incredulous.

“Pretty much.” She nodded. “It’d be over the phone if I didn’t forget to charge it the night before. I even got to meet Ashley-Amber.”

“What a dick.” The black-haired grumbled. He wanted to say worse, but he was mindful of his environment.

“How about yourself?” She asks, trying to deflect attention from herself. “I’m sure a handsome man like yourself didn’t had any difficulty finding a date over the years.”

He laughed, self-conscious. “Yeah, dates come easy. But I never found anyone I wanted to be with. Like, for real. It’s all in good fun, but when it comes down, we’re not that compatible, you know?”

“I understand.” She smirked. “You should hear what the other teachers say about you.”

“What?” He nudged her.

“I don’t know if I should tell you.” She said, teasingly.

He persisted. “Come on! Now you gotta tell me.”

The redhead laughed and said: “You ought to rethink your choice of jeans. They all say it makes your ass incredible distracting.”

They bantered and talked the night away at the restaurant.

“Back late, aren’t we, honey?” Queenie said from the living room, as Emily crossed into the apartment’s threshold. “I was starting to think you wouldn’t be back tonight.”

“I’m not the kind that has sex on the first date.” She dismissed, haughtily.

“You’re not wrong. You gotta to keep them wanting more.” The older one nodded, enthusiastic. “But nothing happened?”

“Nothing that you might be interested in, no. But we had a great time, and we’re going out again next Friday.” She responded, walking over to the fridge and pouring herself a glass of water.

“Well, if nothing more, he sure looks like a good lay.” The blonde appraised.

Emily opened her mouth to berate her mother for objectifying Zig but was cut short by her phone ringing.

“Hello?” She answers.

“Emily, why don’t you ever answer your phone?” A voice complains.

“Good night to you too, Nathan.” She rolled her eyes. “It was on silent mode on my purse. I have a life, you know? I’m not on your beck and call, certainly not now that we’re divorced.” She emphasized the word in disdain.

“On the contrary, we’re not. But that’s why I called. The judge scheduled a hearing for our case on Monday. You need to come to D.C. to sign the papers.”

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An Opera on Separation - Masterlist

#an opera on separation #the junior #zigmund ortega

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hannawilliamson · 4 years ago

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Virginia - March 2021

Friday, March 5th

I submitted my final paper for my first graduate school course before heading to bed for a couple hours of sleep. In the morning I would rise for my weekend adventure.

Saturday, March 6th

I woke up at 4AM, gathered my belongings and headed to the Milwaukee Airport. Whether I was too tired to recognize my anxiousness or achieved a new stepping stone of personal growth my airport anxiety was nowhere to be found, and I was quite proud of this early morning accomplishment. I landed in Baltimore, Maryland around 10AM where I was greeted by Jenna and Bradley. Our first stop was Baltimore Coffee (https://www.baltcoffee.com/). I picked a sweet drink called Iced Snickers. It was a bit rich to start the day but worth it if you desired an afternoon treat.

We headed to lunch at IXtapalapa Taqueria (https://www.ixtataqueria.com/), a location Bradley had raved about after their last visit. To drink I enjoyed an authentic lime margarita and a horchata to go. We snacked on chips and guacamole and elote corn before our main food arrived. I ordered two tacos and Bradley had the mole enchiladas, his favorite. After our meal we headed home to Virginia with leftovers in hand.

When we arrived at the house the rush of travel had passed and I was exhausted after a week of late night homework sessions. I took a 40 minute recoup nap while Jenna got around for a day of adventure.

In the early afternoon we went to a local gas station called The Filling Co (https://www.fillingco.com/). where we picked up Nightingale Ice Cream Sandwiches (https://www.nightingaleicecream.com/). I later enjoyed the Strawberry Shortcake sandwich that had a brown sugar cookie and strawberry ice cream inside. We added a few additional snacks including deep fried oreos for National Oreo Day, and a grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwich which was a life changing experience.

Our afternoon was spent relaxing at home before we attempted an evening meal out in the community. We returned home prior to our meal being served due to the location not following COVID precautions. Bradley and I spent the remainder of the evening building the new wine rack I had bought after my last visit and took over an hour rearranging the living room only to have it right back to the previous setting.

Sunday, March 7th

Jenna and I headed into Leesburg for Buford’s Biscuits (https://www.bufordsbiscuits.com/). We reviewed the menu the night before and decided to split the Nashville Chicken and Blue Ridge biscuits. Jenna surprised me at the table with an order of Molasses Chocolate Chip Cookies & Milk. The biscuits were amazing! It was a quaint location with minimal choices but phenomenal options that the simplistic menu made perfect sense. I will certainly request we visit again on a future trip.

When we left breakfast we made a pit stop at Mom’s Apple Pie (https://www.momsapplepieco.com/) in which I picked up a Blueberry Crumb Slice for my trip home to Wisconsin. On our way home we swung by Dolce & Ciabatta (https://dolceciabatta.com/) to pick up my morning coffee and all-time favorite eclair. In true Williamson sister’s tradition we drove by a farmer’s market sign on the way home, pulled a u-turn and took a stroll. I was able to pick up some Twin Oats (https://twinoats.com/collections/oat-bites) Vanilla Oat Bites and we purchased some Apple Cider to share throughout the weekend.

Our afternoon was spent relaxing before taking a trip over to tour Maggie’s new house and return her sweet pup, Greta. After the home tour Bradley headed to work while Jenna and I enjoyed an afternoon of Happy Hour at SideBar (https://www.sidebarlbg.com/). Jenna and I started off with wine and cocktails, followed by all the goods. We ordered calamari, deviled eggs, maple sriracha wings, and general tso’s cauliflower. We spent hours enjoying each other's company and snacking away.

In true Hanna fashion we ended up at a more than one local TJ Maxx before heading out to a late night dinner at Silver Diner (https://www.silverdiner.com/) which serves my all-time favorite goat cheese bruschetta. We arrived home late into the evening with enough time to visit with Bradley before we all headed off to bed.

Monday, March 8th

Bradley was alive and working early in the morning while Jenna and I slept in late. After much harassment from the energetic Bradley we got around and headed to Reston Town Center (https://www.restontowncenter.com/) to get our day started. Upon our arrive Jenna ran into Ted’s Bulletin (https://www.tedsbulletin.com/) while I watched over the vehicle in our unpaid parking spot. Jenna came back with several homemade poptarts for me to take back home to Wisconsin. Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls (https://masonslobster.com/) was the true destination of our adventure this morning. We ordered for pickup and enjoyed a car picnic down the street. I can’t say enough about the Connecticut Lobster Roll. We too shared the Lobster Mac & Cheese and I ate most of the Clam Chowder Soup when we arrived back home. Another location that I will request to come back to again and again. Before leaving we went to pick me up a morning coffee which ended up being hot chocolate and pistachio gelato from Pitango Gelato (https://www.pitangogelato.com/).

Once we arrived back to the house I did a happy dance in the kitchen as I ate the amazing clam chowder soup we had left over from Mason’s. It fueled my motivation to pack my belongings for my travels back to Wisconsin later in the day. In good foodie fashion I couldn’t leave without getting calamari one last time from SideBar. We did a pick up order and enjoyed our calamari and deep fried cookie dough in a local parking lot, it was quite the odd combo I tell you. Jenna and I headed next into a new coffee shop called Goose Cup (https://www.goosecup.co/). It was a much higher end coffee joint that I originally anticipated from hearing the name. Jenna and I ended our afternoon again relaxing at home before driving me out to the airport. I navigated the airport before catching my nearly empty flight back to Wisconsin around 8PM. I arrived back at my apartment around 10PM, preparing for a long work week ahead.

My trip out to Virginia was unlike any other as we rested, relaxed and enjoyed food with the company of one another. Most trips are a series of planned events that keep us going all day and night. In the months building up to this trip my life has been filled with work and non-stop schooling. I found it rewarding to have a vacation away that truly felt it nourished my soul with some time of rest and bits of adventure mixed in. Goodbye Virginia, until we meet again.

#family #virginia #travel #foodie #explore

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arielsadventuresinromablog · 8 years ago

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June 6-June 11 Jewish Ghetto, wine tasting, capitolline museum, colloseum, roman forum, pallatine hill, Galleria Borghese, Villa Borghese Gardens, Bioparco Rome and weekend in Venezia!

It has been a crazy week here in Italia! I haven’t been able to keep up with my blog as I would have liked to but I thought I would say a little something about my week. This week I jam packed alot into my days. My classes are monday thru thursday so every morning I have planned trips to go on by myself. It has been really nice and relaxing for me to do things on my own and then during the weekends I go on bigger trips with groups of people. I’m really happy that my plan has been working out. As for my accessibility survey, I have been taking notes on the accessible train/bus routes as well as the accessibility of touristy places I go to. After going to Venice this weekend, I have realized how much that Rome is lacking in the department of accessibility. Yes, there are some elevators and some ramps in Rome, but Venice goes out of their way to assist these individuals and they have signs everywhere. Temple Rome for instance is not an adequate place for a person in a power wheelchair. Yes, now that there are rooms in the basement, a student could have classes down there, but none of the bathrooms are accessible and none of the doors are handicap accessible. There are no ramps to the front door and no elevator. There are stairs and cobblestones everywhere making it very difficult for people in wheelchairs to get around. The whole campus of Temple Rome would need to be fixed to allow for an elevator or ramp, but the problem is that Temple does not own the whole building and doesn’t make sense for them to make those sorts of changes without a large number of students with disabilities interested. This year, they had one student with a visual impairment who I have seen on many occasions have difficulty opening the door to the campus because it is gated and he has to pin in a code. He doesn’t have an aid with him and seems to have alot of diffiiculty so on occasions I would help him go grocery shopping. Here in Rome the pedestrian crossing is very difficult for people with disabilities. Very few of the streets have crossing lights and far too few of them lack the sound needed to have along with the timer and light for people who are blind. They also do not make it clear for when you can go. For one good thing, the Colosseum and the Galleria Borghese has an elevator. Also,the capitolline museum has an elevator. Not all the street corners have ramps either making it difficult. In Rome I have also seen very few people with disabilities in general. I have seen a few adults with autism and maybe four with down syndrome. I have seen a few tourists in wheelchairs but mostly just in the touristy areas like in Pompeii and Rome

. June 6- I went to Mondo Arancina for pomodoro and mozzarella on foccaccio with greens which I didn’t really like but after I ate that I went to the wine tasting which was alot of fun and I had a chance to try a bunch of different wines. I got to taste a wine that smelled like cat piss and it tasted pretty bad too. I realled liked the presecco and the red wine though.

June 7- I went to La Rustichella which is right next to the residence. I had fiori di zucca(pumpkin fowers) on pizza but I didn’t really like the pizza or the pumpkin flowers. But, before I ate there I had my italian class and my food class which was really cool. We got to try bread with this anchovies juice that i didn’t like but still we got to eat in class. That morning, I also got to see the colosseum, the roman forum, and the palatine hill. It was a really spectacular experience getting to see these three monuments close up. I was also really impressed by how accesible the colloseum was because they had an elevator that they created actually in the colloseum that can take people up to the top.

June 8- I went to a zoo in Rome which had the most beautiful monkeys that I absolutely fell in love with. there were also elephants, camels, tigers, reptiles, birds, hippotamuses, and so much more. It was incredible. I also went to the Galleria Borghese art museum and got to see some spectacular works of art. There was also an elevator in there making it really easy for anyone to get around. The Villa borghese park is also just so beautiful in general and I can’t wait to go back to take a bike ride. During my food class, we got to go to an apertivo(happy hour) where you can buy a drink and then get a bunch of free food with the purchase of your drink. It was amazing. They gave us tramezzino, sprimp on bread, mixed nuts and sweet nuts. I really liked the sweet nuts. I went to one of the dell’unita mercata(open air markets) in the prati area and got the best fresh fruit there. After my class ended, I hung around the fountain and went back to the room. Then , I went back out later and I got lasagna at napoli 2 which wasn’t that great. It seemed like a tourist trap to me but yet it had good tripadvisor reviews. I decided to go to Dolce Maniera, aka my heaven, afterwards and I got pizza, ciambella, and cannolis there. They have pizza there that is incredible. It is really fluffy like a cake and it is good cold or warm.

June 9- I had no class today which was awesome. So I decided to go to the capitolline museum since all my friends were telling me about it. It was really cool and it was so big. After the museum, I walked around the Jewish ghetto and i got rigatoni with bacon, fried pumpkin flower, and a piece of watermelon for dessert at the giggetto hostaria dal 1923. It was definitely one of the best meals I had so far it was sooo good. Later that day, I got millennium flavored gelato at millennium which kinda tasted like a mix of different chocolate and hazelnut. But, still my cheesecake gelato is number one! Around 6 I got on a train to venice with my friend taylor. The train took about 4 and half hours to get there which was fun because I got a change to talk to taylor more and relax. I also got to call my mom which I really needed to. When we arrived in Venice, we took a water bus across the water and it was awesome. I couldn’t believe that it was like a septa bus on the water. so many people were jam packed in this little bus. It was around 1230 in the morning when we arrived at the air bnb but we found it and we slept great that night after an exhausting night.

June 10- We explored Venezia all day and hit all the touristy spots. We had a great lunch at the Teamo Wine Bar and then ate dinner at this place called al porte storico which was good. I got scallops which were expensive since they only gave me three but they were so good. The view from the top of the bell tower was incredible and the view inside the church at San Marco was beautiful. I really enjoyed the board of cheese and meats at the Teamo wine bar and the spritz there was good too with the olive inside. I also liked that our airbnb host gave us croissants with peach inside because they were so good. I also got gelato in Venice which I think its safe to say that their gelato is better than the gelato in rome. I got stracciatela flavored gelato with a coffee macaroon on top which was lovely. I love macaroons!

June 11- I went to Lido beach today and got a great tan. It was so nice and of course I got more gelato because gelato is my favorite thing here. The crepes I had today were incredible as well. The crepe place i think was called cociatella. It was so cool we got to watch him make the crepes. Thus, so far the food in Venezia has been my favorite so far. But, Im happy to be back in Roma tonight so that I can get my fluffy pizza at the 24 hour bakery!!

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