#Fun Fact: I did check Pinterest a few days ago because of this ask-

[mimpinightmare]

So I was just supposed to find out the Supa Strikas fandom was thriving on Pinterest all by myself huh..

HUH?!??! THE SUPA STRIKAS FANDOM WAS THRIVING ON PINTEREST?!?!?

THERE'S A SUPA STRIKAS FANDOM ON PINTEREST??!?!!?!

YOU'RE TELLING ME PINTEREST IS A SITE FOR FANDOM SPACES?!!?!?!?!?!?!??

I THOUGHT PINTEREST IS FOR 'MEMES AND DRAWING TEMPLATES' FOR FANDOMS TO SEEK OUT- 😭

[arse-crack-thistle]

gifts

rwrb and the five love languages | part two

in which june struggles to have a nice valentine’s date with nora

June never expected to care this much about a stupid holiday like Valentine’s Day, but here she is, practically renovating the apartment to give her girlfriend a perfect night. She strings LED lights around the entire living room ceiling and uses Command hooks to drape the sheer, white Ikea curtains she bought on sale months ago in preparation for this. The lights glow pink through the curtains, making the usually neutral-toned living room appear like Aphrodite’s palace. June’s moved the coffee table into her room and replaced it with a fluffy blanket and a picnic set-up to rival TikTok lesbians.  All she needs now is Nora, if only she weren’t stuck at school.

The texts say, Will be late! Data mining for the gods! [Monet X Change gif] I want to be home with you though. Will bring noodles! And chocolate! Scratch that, I ate the chocolate. Sorry.

June knows she shouldn’t be annoyed because Nora has no idea what she’s coming home to. She also knows who she got into a relationship with—a brilliant mind that’s constantly moving parsecs a minute and has a hard time communicating her feelings. June has to remind herself that Nora loves her even if she doesn’t always show it.

That’s what tonight is for. It’ll give them time to slow down and just be together. Break the routine. Talk or not talk. She doesn’t expect it to be mushy or obnoxious—June isn’t a super, flowery romantic herself—but she does want another sentimental moment to hold onto forever.

Like the night of the 2020 election over a year ago. After Alex and Henry slipped away and everyone else was celebrating in their own groups, Nora pulled June into a storage closet at the venue and kissed her point blank, leaving no questions in her mind that their dabbles the months before meant something more than spectacular.

Or like six months ago when Nora asked her if she wanted to move in with her. She didn’t do anything particularly special, but she slammed her laptop shut while June was throwing on one of her sweatshirts and asked her to stay—to take the second bedroom because Nora needs space sometimes—but to stay with her because she was her favorite person. June answered with a happy “yes,” and Nora got up and kissed her. They didn’t talk much more about it; June just packed up her room at the White House and let the world think they were very best friends.

June pours a glass of wine and waits on the couch, flipping through social media. A few hours ago, her brother posted a picture from the Valentine’s gala he and Henry threw for the London queer youth center. Alex, Henry, Bea, Catherine, and even Philip and Martha hold champagne flutes with cheeky smiles on their faces. The POTUS account has a sweet yet posed picture of her mother and Leo. She likes everything she sees, from the various celebrities she follows to the photos she’s tagged in by fans. The time on her phone reminds her Nora’s now over an hour late.

She texts her, Home soon?

Ten minutes later her phone dings. Need more time. Almost done!

You are aware it’s Valentine’s, yes? And that we had plans?

Yes!!!! But flexible plans, right? Not like we can’t eat noodles and make out later. Will leave soon though. Promise.

I got food covered. Just get home please.

June sighs. She thought she made it clear this morning that they deserved a night with no distractions. God, they need to talk; she’s afraid to, but nothing will get better if she doesn’t say anything and if they don’t try.

The charcuterie board spread she copied off of Pinterest has been sitting out for a while so she moves it from the floor to the fridge. “Soon” for Nora could mean an hour. Empty coffee mugs line the sink. An open pack of weed gummies sits on the counter, hardening. Binders of paperwork and schoolwork collect on the kitchen table. There’s so much Nora in here. June redecorated the living room and kitchen when she moved in, but Nora’s managed to touch everything.

She smiles. If this were Alex, she’d be pissed at the mess, but it’s Nora. The beautiful, erratic mess that is Nora. The girl who can have four different shows on at once and can still get shit done. The girl who always burns pancakes when she tries to cook breakfast for June. The girl who never fails to kiss her first.

June won’t lose her. So she sits down on the floor, runs her fingers over the fleece, and waits. And drinks more wine.

Sometime later, when a key turns in the lock, she downs the last sip in her glass and sets it down. Some old love songs play from her phone, the ones she and Nora love to make fun of. She hears her girlfriend curse when her key gets stuck, and then she bursts through the door and catches herself before she could slip on the hardwood.

“I know you said you got food covered, but I got noodles any—Whoa! You did all of this?” Nora walks into the living room with takeout bags in her hands and stares, mesmerized, at the ceiling. Her contacts must’ve been bothering her because she has on her back-up glasses.

“Hi. Happy Valentine’s Day,” June says and reaches for Nora’s hand to pull her down.

“I’m sorry, June. I had no idea. I thought we both hated this holiday, so tonight wasn’t that big of a deal. But this—this is beautiful,” Nora says, having a hard time meeting June’s eyes.

“Thanks.” June rubs Nora’s hand with her thumb. “And this isn’t really about the holiday. I just wanted to give something nice to you—to us—just us. With no distractions.”

The strings from “At Last” by Etta James play from the phone. The curtains billow from the air blowing out the vent. As much as she hates to ruin the moment, June has to start the conversation.

But Nora takes a deep breath and talks first. “I know I’m a bit all over the place but that doesn’t mean I don’t love you. I just have a lot going on.”

“I know, but sometimes it feels like you don’t care about us as much as I do. It feels like an afterthought to you,” June says.

“That’s not true, June! Come on! You know me.” She grabs June’s other hand and squeezes.

She squeezes back. “You don’t act with feelings in mind, but I know you have them. And I know it’s hard for you, but I need you to share them with me more. I need a reminder that you care every once in a while.”

Nora’s quiet. She uses her arm to wipe her eyes, knocking her glasses off.  “I—I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do.”

June’s chest collapses. She wraps Nora up in her arms. “I’m sorry, Nor. I don’t mean you’re not enough for me. I love you so much. I—”

“No, I understand. I just—I need help with that. I need you to tell me when you need more—maybe not after the fact like now but—”

June laughs and pulls away. “You’re right. I have a stewing problem. I just assume you’ll eventually get it.”

“Yeah, don’t assume that.” Nora laughs too—the big kind that shows all of her teeth. “Reign me in when I’ve been off for too long. And know it’s not on purpose. I’m seriously spiraling in my own head the majority of the time.”

“Ha! And a hot head it is too.”

They both pause and look into each other’s eyes. And bust out into laughing fits. June makes a fart sound with her mouth, and Nora tackles her. They rumble around on the blanket for about forty seconds before June’s wine glass tips over and surprisingly bounces instead of shattering.

The girls take that as an opportunity to stop and pour some more glasses of wine. Nora preps the takeout while June brings the charcuterie board back to the indoor picnic. Nora changes the music to some weird techno shit, but June snatches the phone. They compromise with One Direction, which makes no sense since 1. June only knows their last album and 2. Nora definitely remembers the story of June turning down the advances of one Niall Horan when she did the daytime talk show circuit after her book deal was announced.

Either way, they stuff their faces and end up cuddled on the floor.

Nora interrupts the moment. “Before we get to sexy time—"

“Jesus Christ.”

“I just wanted to give you something. I would’ve saved it for your birthday, but I can get you something else.” She pops up from the floor and jogs to her bedroom. When she reemerges, she’s carrying a bunched-up blanket. “I didn’t have time to properly wrap it because—you know, you weren’t going to get it yet—although, it probably wouldn’t’ve been wrapped later either—but anyways, happy Valentine’s Day.”

She crouches down and hands over the present. She smiles and bops up and down in anticipation. June unwraps the blanket and sees a book.

It’s one of those photobooks you can get at Walgreens, and on the cover, it reads, “Catalina June Claremont-Diaz and Nora Elizabeth Holleran are NOT good friends…” June flips it over. “They’re fucking GIRLFRIENDS!” Inside is page after page of pictures as early as the day they first met and as recent as New Year’s Eve a month ago. A lot of candid pics they take of each other—Nora’s favorites. A lot of sleepy, cuddle pics—June’s favorites. It’s so perfect.

“Nora—this is—wow.” She feels the tears coming. No one has given her anything like this before.

“I’ll be better—”

“So will I.”

“No matter where my head’s at, I’m always thinking of you—just 50 million other things as well,” Nora says and cups her chin.

June leans in. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Nora kisses her, and everything wound up in June relaxes. Her body is so warm. “Best Song Ever” starts playing.

Cue sexy time.

check out the rest of my rwrb and the five love languages series: part one, part three, part four, and part five. (links to come as they’re released)

so this could be for quality time or gifts, but i decided to go with gifts since i had no other ideas for it! it’s definitely not my love language (quality time for the win!) but i had to write something lol. so i made it sapphic bc everything gay is better! <3

rwrb romance week | @rwrb-fests

[lorehua]

heyhey! this is me, ya girl, introducing to you your local ( soft ) goth boi. awkward boi. shy boi. that is he, but he sweet.. just visually intimidating at first glance before you get to know him. so yea! this is lore ( or you can come up with a cute lil nickname, tho he flusters easily ), and he is a faceless twitch streamer / youtuber that pretends to be a video / social media editor to anyone that asks his job because he’s scared of being recognised ( doesn’t mean your muse can’t but lemme know! ). but yea, a few months ago he sort of shot up to fame from like a small following to a massive one so he kinda rags to riches rn!

either way, if you wanna plot then like this post!! and i’m gonna summarise below, but would be real cool if you checked out his stuff to!

( tw: abuse & mental health ) background | profile | pinterest | plots ( tbd )

basics: nianzu “lore” huang | 24 | faceless entity on the internet ( goes by ghost ) | gay as hell | goth / punk as hell | tatted and pierced up to hell | struggling through hell

was born to good parents but they died when he was 7 and lore was sent to live with his aunt and uncle whilst his older siblings went to his grandparents ( a very odd predicament they were all too young to really question much ) 

he was born in taiwan, his parents lived and were raised there but his aunt and uncle had moved to korea for business ( and his grandparents were already in the business of travelling back and forth for their kids ) so when he moved with his aunt and uncle he moved to korea, and his grandparents followed so they weren’t all split up too much

long story short ; aunt and uncle were pretty severely mentally and physically abusive to lore. extremely controlling to in anything he did, so it led to him not going to school as much, making friends really ( or many ) or seeing his siblings properly. he was neglected a lot and sort of learned how to do things for himself through that as well

he was 16 when his oldest sibling got him out of it and took him in instead ( he doesn’t remember much of what happened but his aunt and uncle were arrested ). the whole thing really did mess with him though

basically he dropped out of school then too and he went to therapy for a year or two but it got too expensive, but it helped at least a little but he was still left with difficulty in most things social ( like going out much or actually talking to people and making friends tbh )

when he was around twenty his siblings convinced him to start streaming since he did spend a lot of time messing about with games and shit. but they convinced him to because well.. just talking to them and his grandparents wasn’t enough social interaction apparently

so he did and he built up a small but nice little following and people enjoyed his content and just listening to his play or ramble sometimes. he was a lot more comfortable talking to a chat than.. people

that being said, he did become friends with other streamers eventually and does a lot of multiplayer things with them - which is honestly what led to his intense fame explosion honestly

he ended up being invited to stream with a few very very known names in the gaming community and it just shot him up. people liked him and within weeks he’d gone from the smallest number of followers to a couple million and rising

his friends made him make a youtube as well and he already knew how to edit videos from his previous online jobs, so it was easy for him. so really he went from nothing to everything

he went from being basically broke ( any of his money, which was like nothing, went to his siblings to help them out for letting him crash at theirs and do nothing tbh ) to having enough to give full amounts to them and actually take care of himself and his mental health tbh finally. he didn’t have to worry about finance for once

so with that tho boi still refuses to do a face reveal and just brushes over it when it’s asked bcos n o

but either way, the money problem was solved but his siblings didn’t really feel like the social situation was and sorta maybe pushed him into taking a room in the sharehouse bcos well it would be good for him and well here he is now. fucking terrified

personality:

gentle. gentle boi

lore is a very soft muse despite how he can come off ( which by that i mean he comes off as distant, maybe a little aloof and intimidating - this based on the fact he is very much a gothic / punk kid covered in tattoos and piercings who isn’t really use to social interaction or the best at it )

so he’s real soft though, and just really sweet. like he has a very pure heart.. his sense of humour is dark and he can be a piece of shit sometimes, but he has a very sweet soul. like he’s awkward as hell sometimes and tbh he’ll go from looking intimidating to fumbling horribly over trying to say hello to someone and then scoot off bcos fuckin words man

that being said he does have a lot of baggage and a lot to work through that he’s finally getting help for, so it’s another reason he can come off pretty closed off sometimes, especially because like.. his social limit when it hits zero just means he’ll either slink out quietly or curl up and watch everyone and listen instead of taking part in conversation

his anxiety has sort of ruled his life as well, it’s led to him finding social situations really difficult ( like if a conversation goes differently to how he thought it would he !!! panics a bit for a minute ), and he’s working through that now and the complex is sort of a trial for him on that too.. but he gets by

that being said, kinda stated it a little but he can be dark and he’s pretty pessimistic because he finds it hard to look on the bright side of things, so he’d rather joke about it. it’s just hard for him to see the good in somethings and not fear the future either

on stream / youtube he does come off more confident though and more comfortable. like he gets jittery when playing with new people or big groups, but it’s a lot easier for him and he has fun with them. like his streams usually last a long time so it’s just such a change from how he can come off in real life ( which frustrated him a little because he wishes he could be that comfortable all the time )

extras:

he keeps his room pretty much locked all the time bcos well privacy and his streaming and stuff he kinda keeps the set up completely hidden when he can but he has excuses if he needs them

boi got bad insomnia which he combats poorly already but either way just expect to see him slink into the kitchen at like 2am to make coffee then disappear again ( which tbh if he’s streaming he might honestly leave with coffee and an energy drink because he’s a mess ). but like early morning he can nearly always be found in the kitchen at some point bcos well quiet time - which through that, you probably won’t see him again until the afternoon tbh.. maybe

he does spend days without really coming from his room

uh if you want a stoner buddy… have him

he has social and generalised anxiety, depression and severe insecurities ( it’s why he’s pretty scared of being recognised and scared of a face reveal. he struggles to see anything good about himself, be that physical or like in general )

[melyaliz]

Remember me pt 6

Master List

Fandom: My Hero Academia 

Pairing: Bakugo Katsuki x OC 

Notes: No idea what to say sooooo.... Enjoy? 

All Masterlists @melyalizarchive​

Connect with me! AO3 / Instagram / Pinterest

DONATE or REQUEST

-0-0-0-0-0--Bakugou--0-0-0-0-0-

During the last of their three-day stint, Kirishima had joined Bakugou to finish up a few things in their office away from home. After spending the morning in briefings both heroes were grabbing some lunch before heading back to the hotel.  

  The 100-degree weather that had graced the October sky had finally broken and many of the employees of the large building were outside enjoying their lunch in the shade. Just glad to get out of the cramped offices to enjoy some pleasant weather. 

  One of them was the Starbucks girl. 

  “Dude, isn’t that band you like?” Kirishima asked elbowing his best friend in the side, making Bakugou grunt with annoyance. 

He had noticed her when she had come out. Holding a bag and talking to that same guy she had done the presentation with. Today she was dressed in a cute leopard print skirt and a black band tee. The words Gojira sprawled across the front, below it was a black and white image of a large whale leaping up from an ocean. 

  “Yeah” was the simple response as he dug into his chicken burger.  

  “So do you need me to go over and say hi or are you going to actually go over there and talk to her?” Kirishima asked nonchalantly as he took a bite of his food. “Or are you just going to keep checking her out like you have been all week?” 

  Bakugou coughed slightly, eyes wide as a rush of anger came over him. First off, there was no possible way he could have been checking at her all week seeing most of the week he had been miles away dealing with earthquake relief. And second, he was NOT checking her out! 

  “I don’t need your help asking a girl out!” he snapped before grabbing his plate standing up. Sometimes Kirishima’s pushy personality was so annoying. Walking over to the table the young woman was sitting at he sat down

  “Nice shirt” 

  “Do you like Gojira?” she lit up as he spoke to her as she put her phone away. That was a good sign. 

  “Yes.” 

  “Have you seen them in concert?” 

  “Yes.” 

  She nodded, “Me too, it was probably one of the best. It was Knotfest and some guy broke his nose in the mosh pit.” she paused stumbling over her words slightly before looking at him, obviously unsure what the Japanese word would be.

  “Moshpit,” he said nodding 

  “Oh ok, it was a lot of fun.” 

  “You don’t look like the kind of girl to like Metal,” Bakugou said studying her. While he had only seen her around a few times she always seemed very put together. Dressed in bright colors normally very girly looking with her purple ombre and perfect makeup.  She chuckled awkwardly, putting some hair behind her ear. 

  “I don’t listen to it on the regular but the best concerts I have been to are Metal ones. What bands do you like?” 

  “The classes are a good go-to, Metallica, Iron Maiden, even Slayer, but I like Meshugah and Lamb of God too,” he said sandwich forgotten. At the time he hadn’t noticed it but he found talking to her so easy. Her questions always open-ended, giving him a reason to tell her about himself. Something later on he learned to really appreciate. She had a way of really listening to people and asking just the right questions to get what information she wanted. 

  “Oh Lamb of God is insane. They aren’t really as heavy but I have a soft spot for Mastodon.” 

  “Their drummer is pretty good.”

  “Do you play drums?” she asked, cocking her head to one side, catching his comment. 

  “No, I just like songs with good drummers.” 

  “I’m here for a good drum solo” she nodded, “I always wanted to play but I’m also super uncoordinated.” 

  “It’s not that hard,” Bakugou said picking up his sandwich again taking a bite as if he was making some sort of point. 

  “How are you enjoying San Diego?” she asked following his social que and taking a bite of her salad. 

  “Well, I spent most of it in a pit.” 

  “Oh true, well at least you have a few days off, anything planned?” 

   He shook his head trying not to think about the fact that she had noticed him around too. Well, they did have that conversation two days ago at Starbucks.

  “Well I recommend trying a California Burrito or any Mexican because you are here. Beaches are pretty, OH! Actually you and your friend should go to Hodad's, it's kind of a San Diego staple. What do you like to do?” her words coming out in a rush of excitement.  

  He shrugged, “I mostly work and train at home.”

  “There are some nice hikes by the beaches.”

  “You like the beach?” 

  “Yeah why?” she blinked, confused by the sharp question. Trying to think why he would be asking her that. 

  “You keep bringing it up.”

  She giggled shrugging, “The ocean cleanses you. It’s calming. And I’m sure you need to relax after saving the world.”

  “I’m not saving the world just your border.” 

  “Well, it's some people’s worlds you are saving.”   

  “I guess” he shrugged unsure what to say. She was right of course. That was his job. To save people’s lives and in a way their worlds. 

  Another lull and she poked at her salad taking a few bites. It was then he realized he didn’t know her name. Assuming it wasn’t Grape. But he had no idea how to ask.

  “Ground Zero,” she said slowly, “Do you prefer that, or your name?” 

  “You can call me Bakugou.” 

  “Thank you” she paused for a moment, “You can call me Olive.” 

  “I thought it was Grape,” Bakugou said, deciding now that he knew it wasn’t Grape, he could poke a bit of fun at her name and their last encounter. However Olive seemed unphased. 

  “Oh yeah!” she burst out laughing shaking her head, “It’s kind of a joke between me and the Starbucks barista. Every time I go in she comes up with a new food name for me.” 

  “That’s stupid, why not just use your name?” 

  “ Why else does anyone do anything? Because it makes us laugh.” 

     -0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

  Olive had fallen asleep hours ago but Bakugou couldn’t seem to drift off. With her body curled up next to his was just too much. After everything they had been through, knowing how much farther they had to go. All he wanted to do was pull her to him. Kiss her. Feel her around him. Remind her how much he loved her. How he could make her feel. Show her just how much he loved her. 

  It was like his body on was on fire having her that close. 

  He couldn’t take it. 

  Getting up he slowly disappeared from the bedroom going into the personal gym that was on the far right end of the hallway. If he couldn’t sleep at least he could work out. Starting with a low run on the treadmill he placed his headphones in letting the music pound through his ears. Angel of Death by Slayer blasted in his ears as he took to a fast run letting his feet rush forward. Pushing, fighting through whatever burning frustration that was trying to consume him.  

  Control, he just wanted something he could control. 

  He was lifting weights when he felt her presence. Turning he saw her standing in the doorway watching him rubbing her eyes. Arms wrapped around herself, her dark hair messy from sleep. It made his heart skip at the sight. Like some stupid highschool girl. 

  “Why are you up?” she asked blinking owlishly at him.

  “Couldn’t sleep, just go back to bed.” 

  Guilt was written all over her face. She was biting her top lip studying him unsure what to do. He had seen that look before. The one where she was trying to decide to just leave it or force him to open up to her. 

  Letting out a long sigh he sat up wiping away the sweat from his face. “Just go back to bed, I’ll be right there.” 

  “I… ok” she said, slowly walking back to the bed. 

  After a quick shower, Bakugou went back to the bedroom to find Olive sitting up fighting sleep worry still etching on her features. “Oh stop it” he chastised, rubbing his still wet hair with a towel. Throwing it into the basket he crawled up into the bed next to her. She watched him as he settled in before finally speaking.  

  “How… how do we normally sleep?” she asked, determination in her voice. A force of nature. He knew that voice. She wasn’t a pushy person but she was a fighter. She was stubborn in her convictions and would do whatever she could to fix something. When they would fight he would scream and yell and she would just sit there arms crossed until he was done and then ask what needed to change. What needed to be fixed. 

  “You are basically on top of me” he admits knowing she will know if he is lying. Not that he ever would. He wasn’t a liar, and even if he was he could never lie to her. 

  She giggled at that nodding. “Eliott used to say I would chase him around the bed.” she was too tired to try and cover up his name. Dance around it. 

  “Yeah,” Bakugou nodded, laying down on his side. “I don’t mind.” it was more of an invitation. A prayer. He wanted to feel her in his arms again. Feel her legs tangled up in his. They used to end up in the strangest positions all twisted up so in the morning he wasn’t sure where she would begin and where he would end. 

  Scooting up Olive curled up into his chest. Her soft smell filled him. Sweet and clean like the color pink and summertime at the beach. Sugar covered fruit and cool water.  Gently he ran his callus fingertips over her arm. Enjoying the feeling of her smooth skin and for a moment he forgot she didn’t know him anymore. That it was just another late-night cuddle session that he was being (not so) begrudgingly forced into. 

  Bakugou woke up to his alarm going off. Letting out a soft moan he stretched, feeling his wife’s body cuddle closer to him. Her arm draped over his chest. Looking down he couldn’t help but smile running his fingers through her hair letting the dark black and rainbow colors play as they fell onto her back. 

  She stirred at the sound of his alarm mumbling as she reached out feeling his body under her fingers. Letting out a content sigh she pulled herself closer only to then have her hand move slowly up his torso feeling his taut stomach and abs. 

  Letting out a squeak she jumped away, eyes adjusting as she fully woke up. Blinking at him as if looking at a stranger in her bed. 

  Which, -he painfully reminded himself- he was. 

  “Morning,” he grumbled slowly pulling himself out of bed. She watched him for a moment pulling herself together trying to piece together reality from whatever dream she had been waking from. She had never been a morning person. Lilly had jokingly called her Zombie Olive, warning Bakugou that she wouldn’t be fully coherent until at least 2 hours after she woke up. 

  “Morning Katsuki,” she said hesitantly, “did you sleep ok?”

  “Yeah, you?” 

  “I made a few mistakes,” she smiled at him, jumping out of the bed almost tripping over the sheets that were tangled around her feet. He turned fighting back a smile. 

  She was still there. Slowly but surely cracking open. 

  After doing their morning routines the couple reconvened in the kitchen. Bakugou whipping up some eggs with furikake. 

  “So what are your plans for today?” Olive asked, taking a bite of her food watching him as he plated his own breakfast.

  “Just work, I’ll be back late” 

  she nodded, “I’ll probably call Lilly and then read my books,” she flashed him a toothy grin, “I need to know what ideas I have written and what I need to get back into.” 

  “Good luck with that,” he said “I think it was a Western.” 

  “Oh really?” 

  “You don’t talk too much about your stories but you did tell me that.” 

  “Do you read them?” she asked her face slightly flushed at the thought. While she was fine with strangers reading her slutty stories she had always found it hard to have people she knew read them. It was just kind of weird. Like her stories were a different person, not really Olive. Which was why she used a pen name, Delilah Flint.” 

  “Not really,” he wanted to add that he had the real thing. The woman behind the stories was always up for an adventure to try new things. Why would he want to read about some dirty cowboy plowing his soulmate - or whatever - when he could just do it himself? 

  Not that there was a lot of that going on right now though. 

  -0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

  The office was a bit busier than he remembered. 

  “Morning bro, how’s Olive?” Kirishima asked, holding up some files as Bakugou walked into their agency. Well, it was Bakugou’s agency but Kirishima shared it because they worked well together and figured why not. 

  “Not crying,” Bakugou said, “she seemed excited last night to read her stories since she couldn’t remember them, something about reading them for the first time.” 

  Kirishima chuckled, “Maybe we should have her meet Deku again, start that over again.” 

  Bakugou frowned at the memory. They had met at a UA reunion almost year after Bakugou and Olive had started dating. Olive had been drunk and Deku had found it hilarious to poke fun at Bakugou. Telling the first girl Bakugou had ever been interested in, about Bakugou's very angry childhood. Unfouranity for the previous number one hero he didn’t realize that Olive was a mama bear when it came to the people she loved. And even if they were in the wrong no one spoke poorly about them.

  “Oh by the way.” Kirishima said, handing him some files, “We got statements from the police from the robbers. Apparently that third guy… he only spoke English.”

  “What?” 

  “Yeah, the one who hired them only spoke English. I thought it was weird since…”

  “Olive was the only one who lost her memory?” 

  “Her and the guards but theirs was only for a few moments.” Kirishima paused looking at the files that were slowly starting to smoke in his best friend’s hand. “Hey man… uhhh do you want me to take those?” 

  Bakugou felt a rage wash over him. Was this an attack on Olive? There was no way. How would someone even know she was at the mall? There had been a witness who had told the police she had helped a mother and two kids get out before running back to try to help someone else. But that was it. He had just assumed that she had run into the thieves and since they couldn’t lay their hands on her due to her quirk they used a memory wipe. 

 His phone dinged breaking through his thoughts. Turning he noticed that Kirishima was holding the files waving them, the edges singed slightly.  Glancing down at his phone he noticed it was the very woman he was thinking about. 

  Olive: "Hey do you know what my computer password is?" 

  Bakugou: Doley11 

  Olive: You're the best thank you!!!

  He frowned looking down at the phone then shot back another text realizing something. She didn’t know anything, 

  Bakugou: We have an alarm system in the apartment so don't leave I'll show you how to use it when I get back

  "Ok"

  Bakugou: And the stove can get tricky so call me if you need help. 

  Bakugou: Actually my assistant's name is Kygome. 

  Quickly he texted off his assistant's number 

  Bakugou: If you can't figure something outcall her if you can't reach me 

  Bakugou: But text me first 

  Olive looked down at her phone as the slur of texts came pouring in. From the few days, she had known Katsuki she could tell he was a man of words and less emotions (except for annoyance, he seemed to have that in spades)  but… this was kind of cute. He was worried about her. 

  But also what had she done before to warrant this kind of worry? She was a bit of a dumbass, sure, but also-- he needed to relax. 

  Olive: Thank you, I'm in the computer now and lucky me I still label my password doc the same so I should be good as for everything else I'm tough I got this!

  Settling in she pulled up the document titled “Dragon Dick FINAL” this looked promising. started to read. 

  Meanwhile, Bakugou was working with his team about maybe taking a few days off. The thought of leaving Olive alone not knowing anything starting to get to him. He needed to make sure she was safe first. He could work remotely for a few days. Besides if this guy really was after his wife he needed to make sure he kept her close. 

  He had already failed her once. He wasn’t going to do that again. 

-GET TAGGED-

Master List

Story Tag: @0hmydeku @inumorph @it-jinxed-us @myraticm

[i-prefer-the-term-antihero]

I know it’s a little late to be making a pre-finale-emotions-and-Tangled-fandom-positivity post but I felt I really had to, so here goes...

I’ve been really sad lately, knowing that Tangled would be ending. It kind of crept up on me. I don’t keep super up-to-date on when episodes come out, how many episodes are coming out per season etc. especially due to the fact that I’m always behind on the show itself. So it just was like…suddenly the last episode is here. 

There are plenty of wonderful shows out there but…it can be hard to find a show like Tangled the Series. Tangled has always been one of my all-time-favorite disney movies. There were certain movies I would just watch over and over as a kid and/or teenager, and Tangled was one of them. I was beyond delighted it was getting a show, and even more delighted when the show was good. No, not just good, incredible. It surpassed my wildest dreams and expectations. Not only did it keep true to the characters and canon, all the things it added or altered, characters, plot, style, the writing…it answered questions about the movie I didn’t know I’d been asking...I could go on and and on about this, but the point is that everything came together to create this truly amazing show. There aren't many shows that I react aloud to, but Tangled had me gasping, laughing crying...it truly was something special. Always will be.

There have been times when I was feeling extremely down and like nothing would lift my spirits, then the next tangled episode would drop and it’d keep me going the full week. Having a show like tangled to anticipate, having new episodes to watch and react to, has been more than just a nice, fun show... it’s been something that has kept me going through the dark times. 

I knew that they were stopping at 3 seasons, and when I first heard that I was grateful that they werent planning on milking it for money, that they were really going to stick to the plan. Stopping at 3 seasons would ensure the quality would remain as incredible as it has ever been. 

But... as season 3 arrived, and more and more episodes flew by…the last episode drawing nearer…I started to feel more down, more like “…oh but we could milk it for one more season right? It wouldnt lose its quality that much...” I started spreading out when I’d watch the episodes much more, knowing that these would be the last episodes I’d ever get to watch, the last of the new content. This week I’ve been agonizing over when I’ll watch the last episode, if I’ll watch it the moment I first can, if I’ll risk spoilers and wait as long as I possibly can…I’m still extremely conflicted, honestly. 

Because this’ll be it. After today…there won’t be any more. There will be no new content. I’ll never get the feeling I get when i watch a new episode, never be able to react to new content...

This was more than just a show to me. It’s been...a beacon of hope. And losing it is more than a show ending. It…really is a loss.

From the very beginning I have loved the Tangled fandom to bits. It took me forever to join tumblr (or any social media for that matter), so I was not well accustomed to what fandom life is like on the internet (…I waved through the window of pinterest mostly XD). Tangled was one of the first fandoms I ever joined on tumblr and I’m so beyond  glad I did. I don’t think my experience of the show would have ever been the same without you guys…I so looked forward to hearing what everyone thought, for theories, for edits, for fan art and fics…You were one of the reasons I so looked forward to episodes, one of the things that brightened my week. 

This past week I decided, even in my desire to savor/milk each episode as long as I could, to be sure to watch the second to last episode a few days before the last one aired so I could check in the fandom one last time before the finale. I’ve been so behind lately I really haven’t been able to join in the fandom and catch much of the awesome things you guys have been posting over the last half of the last season. I wanted to catch at least some of that, and hear everyone’s thoughts on the last episode before it came about—theories, worries, hopes….

And oh my goodness am I ever glad I did. I was wondering if everyone would be either super excited or super sad…And seeing so much positivity, so many bittersweet posts about the fandom has brightened my spirits so much these last few days. Knowing I’m not alone in losing this amazing show…it has helped so much. It feels less like a loss and more like...I dont know, we’re going into battle together.

So I want to thank you. Thank you all. You’ve been here when the sun was shining, and here during the dark nights. You’ve been there to theorize, to debate, to cheer, to write, to draw… You’ve been here to brighten my days. You’ve been here from Life After Happily Ever After to, well…I guess we’ll find out, won’t we? I’ve made so many wonderful friends through this fandom and I’m so glad Tangled brought us all together.

I’m definitely still going to be here, posting and reblogging for tangled after the show ends. I still have at Tangled fics on my computer I started long ago—(one I started way back from season one and never finished)—and I will definitely be writing more for it. I may post even more than I did before, as I do my best writing and overanalyzing once I have the full canon. (Please feel free to message me if you’ll be sticking around to chat about the series, and/or to drop some fic prompts in my askbox on my writing blog @antihero-writings!) (I wonder...should those of us who are planning on sticking around come up with some hashtag to identify who’s planning on continuing to post?)

I really hope I’m not the only one who keeps posting/writing/creating fanart for it. It would bring me such immense joy and comfort to continue to see tangled posts all over my dash even after the show has ended. 

Because the fandom only really dies when we stop posting for it, right?

And now, well…I suppose I’m ready to watch the finale….ready as I’ll ever be. 

[beanfic]

New Roommates - Ch.4

Word Count: 1971

Warnings: Language and fluff!

Author’s Note: Here is chapter 4! Enjoy! :))

“Sav!” Josh’s voice called out as he knocked on my door. I slowly opened my eyes as I woke from a deep slumber. 

“What?” I mumbled, closing my eyes once again.

“Time to wake up! Get dressed and come to the kitchen!”

“Why?” I turned over and checked the time on my phone. 

8:27. Way too early for a Saturday morning. 

“Just do it, and don’t ask questions! If you don’t come out in ten minutes then I will go get Tyler and Mark to drag you out.”

“Okay!” I shouted back. I listened as Josh’s footsteps got further away. I stretched my arms and made sure to pop and crack all the necessary joints to start the day. 

I threw on a pair of Adidas sweatpants and a black t-shirt. My hair quickly got thrown into a messy bun and I shuffled out to the kitchen. 

“Happy first week of living with us!” the boys cheered in unison as I turned the corner into the kitchen. I jumped as I was not expecting them all to shout at me this early in the morning.

“I made us waffles!” Mark smiled down at the plate that was piled high with a stack of fluffy waffles. There were bowls of different fruit next to it, along with a bottle of whipped cream.

“What is this all for?” I nervously laughed.

“To celebrate that you have been living with us for officially a week now!” Tyler explained. 

“This is kind of odd, but I will never pass up waffles!” I sat down on a stool and plopped a waffle down on a plate. They were still warm. “Thank you, guys!”

“Of course! Nothing but the best for the best roomie!” Mark teased. I let out an exasperated sigh. 

“I’m surprised you’re actually awake,” Josh noted. I glared over at him and crinkled my nose as I took a bite out of my waffle. 

“I didn’t feel like being dragged out of bed this morning.”

“Fair enough.”

“So, Sav, now that you have been living here for a week, what are some of your favorite memories?” Tyler asked with a mouthful of strawberries.

“My favorite memories?” I pondered for a second while the boys shoveled waffles down their throats. “The first one that comes to mind is when we all played rage cage a few days ago.”

“Rage cage?” Josh asked and I nodded.

“I never really played drinking games with my friend back at home and it was really fun! Especially seeing you guys tipsy! Plus Kae was a good supervisor.”

“We need to get Kae to play, but I can drink for them!” Mark said.

Tyler shook his head, “Have you seen them throw a ping pong ball? You would get drunk so fast.”

“Hey! Don’t roast Kae when they aren’t even here to stand up for themselves.” I balled up my napkin and threw it at Tyler’s chest. 

“I’m just speaking the truth!” he giggled. 

“Another one of my favorite things about living here is having almost every meal cooked for me! Thank you chef mark.”

“My pleasure!” He pretended to curtsey. 

“How does your head feel?” Tyler asked Josh as he tossed some Tylenol in his mouth and washed it down with orange juice.

“I’m not as hungover as I thought I would be, and to be honest, I am surprised I was able to wake up this early.”

“You woke up with a hangover just to surprise me?” I asked, putting my hands on my heart and sarcastically acting flattered.

“It was because I wanted the waffles, obviously.”

“Sure,” I teased back. Josh gave my shoulder a little shove as he walked past me and went to sit on the couch. I smiled to myself and looked up at Tyler and Mark who were exchanging glances. 

Once I ended up finishing my plate of waffles and cleaned up, I headed back into my room to edit the photos I had taken at the football games from Friday night. I was really excited with how my photos turned out, and I was hoping to send some to the local newspapers and news sources for them to use. 

I continued to edit my photos, occasionally getting distracted by Pinterest and Tumblr, while I waited for Kae to come over. We were going to go thrift shopping in downtown Columbus this afternoon. Kae said that they knew of the best thrift shops with the best finds, and they mentioned there is this really chill coffee shop that we could stop at as well which sounded perfect since today was such an overcast day. 

“You ready!” My door flew open as Kae came rushing in and shouting at the top of their lungs.

“Holy shit!” I jumped out of my chair as they scared me. “You scared me!” 

“Ha!” they cackled. I turned around and grabbed a pillow and chucked it at them. It landed right into their stomach. “Ouch!”

“That’s what you get!”

“It’s not my fault you get scared easily!”

“Just give me one second to put my shoes on and then I’ll be ready to head out!” I said and Kae nodded. They left my room, probably to go talk to Tyler, and I quickly tied my vans and grabbed my coat.

“Welcome to my crib!” Kae joked as they opened the door to their Red Kia Forte. It smelled like fresh laundry. They plugged their phone into the aux cord and started to play a playlist which consisted of Panic!, Queen, Paramore, and the occasional Fall Out Boy song. 

“You have such a good music taste!” I complimented.

“Oh my gosh, really? I’m so self-conscious about it.”

“Why?”

“Having a boyfriend who is a musician makes you more aware of how others can be judgmental! But I am glad you like it!” They reached over and turned up the sound as Nicotine by Panic! blasted.

“Downtown Columbus is so pretty,” I said in awe as Kae found parking on the street.

“Have you been down here before?”

“LIke three or four times when I was younger and was visiting my grandma and aunt!”

“I love it down here!” Kae locked their car and started walking down the street. I followed close behind. We exchanged conversation about different movies we like, and hobbies that we both enjoyed while we looked in different thrift shops.

“I love this shirt!” I whispered to myself as I pulled out an old Death Cab for Cutie concert shirt. It was a little large but it was perfect because I enjoy oversized shirts.

“That’s awesome!” Kae said as they looked through jackets. “What do you think of this?” I turned around to see them holding up a vintage Levi’s denim jacket.

“Try it on!”

“Okay!” They slipped their arms through it and shrugged it on. It was a perfect fit. 

“It looks so good, you have to get it.”

“It’s so comfortable! I can also put some pins on the pocket right here,” they pointed to the pockets on the chest. It looked really good on them. 

“You get a jacket and I get a t-shirt!!”

“Sounds like a plan!” Kae and I headed over to the register to pay. My t-shirt ended up only being six dollars which was a huge steal. Kae’s denim jacket was thirty bucks, which is super good for a vintage Levi’s jacket.

We both ended up ordering the same exact thing at the coffee shop, and that was a mocha with whipped cream. We sat next to a window so we could look out and admire all the doggies that would pass by us. 

“Hey, Sav, can I ask you a question?” Kae took a sip of their drink and set it down in front of them.

“Sure!” I shifted in my chair as I anxiously awaited their question.

“Do you like Josh? Like, like like?” They whispered.

“What?” I nearly spat out the mocha that I had in my mouth. “Who told you? I mean, yes, i mean, no, what?”

“Sav! It’s okay! You don’t need to get flustered.” Kae giggled as they handed me a napkin to clean up the mocha.

“Yes, I might have a little crush on Josh, but why are you asking? Is it obvious? Did the boys mention something?”

“Yes, Tyler mentioned that he might have thought you and Josh were flirting so I decided to get to the bottom of things!”

“Josh and I flirting? Like he was flirting with me too? I never noticed that.”

“I don’t really notice it but I guess Mark and Tyler do! Nothing is wrong if you like him, Sav.”

“Yes, there is! He is my roommate. I can’t fall for my roommate, haven’t you seen those movies?”

“This is real life, unfortunately, but I don’t think there is anything bad about it. You can’t control your emotions!”

“That’s exactly what my other friend said to me,” I sighed. “I just don’t know if I even want to pursue these feelings because what if he doesn’t feel the same about me? He has so many girls over all the time anyways.”

“I suggest just continue living your life, and just become closer to him! Friends, roommates, or even more. Don’t force it and let it come naturally!” Kae wrapped their arms around my shoulder and gave me a reassuring squeeze. 

“Thank you, Kae. It’s actually really nice to talk about it with someone who knows him, I feel a lot better now.”

The car ride back to the apartment was longer because of traffic so Kae decided to show me different car games they like to play. One was the original slug bug, but then they also showed me popeye and happy slappy. Popeye is when you punch the top of the roof anytime you see a car with only one headlight, and happy slappy is when you slap the other person when they spot a yellow car. 

“Ow!” I squealed as Kae’s fist came into contact with my shoulder.

“Happy slappy, yellow one!” they shouted. A yellow slug bug came passing us on the left side.

“You’re too good at this game,” I mumbled. I made sure to keep an eye out for any yellow car or slug bug the entire way home, but I ended up losing that time very badly. 

Once we got into the house we were welcomed by Tyler and Mark who were in the middle of an intense Mario kart race while Josh was busy reading a book on the couch. 

“We’re home!” Kae announced. “You like my jacket?” They did a 360 turn for the boys to see. 

“That’s sick!” Tyler said. “Dang it! You distracted me, Kae!”

“Sorry, but sometimes I am more important a game,” they snickered and headed over to sit next to Tyler. 

“Did you get anything?” Mark asked me and I nodded. 

“I found this old Death Cab for Cutie concert tee!” I pulled it out of the bag to show everybody.

“Did you buy that because you know it’s my favorite band?” Josh teased as he looked up from his book.

“Not everything is about you, Josh.” I crossed my arms and glared at him. “Do you even know how to read?”

“Yes, in fact, I do! This book is about-”

“I don’t really care.”

“Well, in that case,” Josh closed the book and chucked it at me, barely missing my shoulder.

“Joshua! What if that hit me?”

“Then I guess would have needed to call an ambulance, huh?”

“You’re so annoying!” I rolled my eyes and turned to Kae who was raising their eyebrows at me. They definitely had a point that Josh was flirting with me, but I knew better than to get my hopes up.

********

Tag list: @takenvysleep @fromcalmto-ill @svintsandghosts @reginawashere15 @breadbinishigh @ohprettyweeper @myjourneystartsnow19 @wearebxnditos @gaiatheroyalrabbit

[eloqvents]

♡  ◟ °  ›   lucy boynton, female, she/her, twenty three   ⋯   ❛   thank you for applying to SEX AND THE TITTY, ELODIE MONET ! before we start this job interview, i would just like to go over a few questions. you said your best attribute was DEBONAIR, right ? well, word around town is that some people find you to be a bit more GUARDED… but, nevermind that. i’m actually more curious about whether you were actually caught DRUNKENLY SERENADING OUTSIDE OF YOUR EX’S HOUSE AT 3 AM last year ? oh, you were ? that’s unfortunate. on the bright side, i heard that you excel at COOKING …. so that’s cool ! now, one more question … your last manager said that you’re hiding THAT YOU PRETENDED TO GO TO REHAB TWO YEARS AGO BECAUSE YOU WERE PREGNANT, is that true ? — haha , just kidding ! they didn’t say that, i just read that about you online . anyway , you got the job ! ❜ 】 eri, pst, she/her. 

hello all ! it’s eri once again with another muse bc we just can’t get enough. anyway, please excuse how shitty this intro is going to be bc i am lacking sleep.

ok to start off, her parents are loaded so she’s very wealthy. original from la, her father was a well-known producer and her mother a stay at home mom. long story short, their marriage was a far cry from a happily ever after. growing up watching their parents fall apart, elodie and her brother latched onto each other and he remained her wall. it was painfully obvious however that their father favored the other, whether it be because he was the only son, or how musically and theatrically inclined he was... and she found herself thrown off to the side much like her mother, except a lot stricter rules set in place that she found herself easily breaking. curfew? forget it. no boys? she was sneaking them in all too often.... but even more easily having her girl “friends” over for sleepovers with no questions asked. she began resenting her father early on and it only grew the more rules, until finally she threw all caution to the wind and fell off the expected monet route.

by 15 she was known as the party girl. she did her school work most of the time, kept good enough grades to keep her parents off at least that aspect of her life. going out every weekend, never coming home on time or just refusing to answer her phone. she was a hellion, with no cares in the world, and she simply lived with no worries and absolutely no care or respect toward her parent's wishes. they virtually gave up on controlling their daughter by the time she was 17, clearly making her own choices and took no bother in chastising her as they knew their efforts would get them nowhere.

despite the dysfunction of the family, they did vacation to stone harbor every summer which had become some of elodie’s favorite memories of her younger years ( i would love any plot referencing her coming back every year and what not ok )

at 18 she had a choice. college, or follow her heart. new york was calling, as much fun as she had in la... it just wasn’t quite it. and new york was so exciting. the following summer she found herself back in stone harbor, unable to resist the tradition but instead opting to stay the summer..... except she never left. with all the fond memories she held in the place, and finally being far away from her family, she felt like she’d found herself. or at least the closest to home she’d ever had.

we gonna skip ahead to her getting pregnant three years ago, which is something she told no one (not even the potential father). the day she found out she was packing her bags and leaving stone harbor with no word, instead of leaving a note for her roommate ( plot wanted ) at the time, and sending out a group text explaining she had decided to go to rehab. it seemed like a good excuse, not a complete lie considering she did not touch any alcohol or substance during her pregnancy. she instead went and stayed with her aunt and uncle in london.

she went back and forth on what she wanted to do, spending her days swaying back and forth between keeping the baby and starting a fresh life or putting it up for adoption. but after a particularly painful depressive episode, she decided for the safety of both of them she had to give her baby girl up. this is when her aunt and uncle said they would take the baby in, not wanting to separate family, and it is a secret she’s kept in to this day.

coming back from rehab, she had changed. at first cold, extremely depressed, and she wanted to stay away from her prior addictions but within a few weeks she was right back into it. drinking nearly daily, taking whatever pills or drugs were offered, although she was much more cautious when it came to sex. becoming quite a bit pickier when it comes to men, however her love for women only seemed to grow.. likely due to the fact she could not get pregnant that way.

she’s had her ups and downs, about six months ago she came back from a few months at rehab once again after an especially harsh bender that landed her in the hospital. sobriety has continuously and still continues to be a struggle for her. she swore up and down that she wanted the help after begging her parents to pay ( not wanting to dip into her own hefty inheritance ) for her to go back, although within a month she found herself dabbling in other substances, occasionally taking a little too many of her medications at once, and having a drink, or two, or three....

while she was staying with her aunt in france, she spent a lot of time cooking with the elder woman and it became the most therapeutic thing to her... at least without getting high.. it’s become one of the only things that can genuinely distract her, although she does become a master chef when you add a little pot to the mix, but she hardly counts that against sobriety anyway.

personality-wise elodie doesn’t really hold back her opinion, and although she won’t go out of her way to avoid stepping on toes, she will try to make things as least confrontational as possible. in her opinion, life has shoved her around enough and she prefers to not allow anyone the excuse to do it too. but........ in those cases she will probably show her temper and make sure people know she isn’t going to be walked all over. she’s very upbeat, tries her hardest to be excited for life each day ( or pops an extra xanny if it’s a particularly hard day ). however.. her bad days are bad. if she’s down enough its nearly impossible to get her out of bed for anything other than a shower. some are harder than others, especially nearing the birthdate of her daughter delaney ( 2 currently ). 

a few more facts bc this is long uh: she writes a letter every day to her daughter and saves it in a special box kept secret in her room. she dabbles in poems and other types of prose, and has a goal of one day writing and illustrating her own childrens book in dedication to her daughter. she has a lot of money and could technically afford to not work, however she took a bartending job at sex and the titty for side cash and to send a monthly check to help support her daughter. and laaaaastly, she is kind of a hopeless romantic and loves romcoms way too much. she is 100% the type that believes very strongly in love but just ... sucks at it. she’s scared to commit herself but she’s also not afraid to shout from the rooftops ??? rn she’s trying to work on herself so 

oh and here is a playlist and pinterest for her even tho she wasn’t here for the task:)))

connection ideas ( plots page currently in progress )

an ex who she serenaded drunk at 3 am bc that rumor is definitely real

possible baby daddy

her old roommate that she bailed on, can be positive or negative

a best friend, like the blair and serena type ( minus all the fighting ... or not ) that can tell each other and count on the other for anything

exes in general, good, bad, ugly, any and all.

slow burn ??? or the one that got away ??? or maybe they just keep missing each other ???

maybe an enemy or someone she had a falling out with in the past

ANYONE SHE USD TO HANG OUT WITH IN THE SUMMER BEFORE ACTUALLY LIVING THERE. gimme them long term friendships / relationships

a good influence // the person who tries to help her not keep fucking her life up

alternatively .. the bad influence that encourages and participates in a lot of not so good activities with her

tbh i just want anything and everything so throw any ideas at me bc i’ll probably be in

listen i know i forgot like 239523852 things and rambled on too much but i just love her and could go on forever. 

[lankydoodlelukey]

the soul tattoo - fourteen

pairing: Luke/Reader (Y/N)

rating: PG-13: cursing, mentions of sex, etc etc 

word count:  a nice long 3k to apologize for taking two years to give you the next part of this story...

summary: If one day you woke up with a random tattoo on your body, you were destined to meet your soulmate soon. When (Y/N) finally gets her soul tattoo, she’s in for a shock when she finds out who her soulmate is.

masterlist // the soul tattoo season 1 recap

Luke’s POV

I expected my life were to get better the second (Y/N) was out of the picture. But I was wrong. I thought that if I made her feel the hurt I felt every time I saw her and Michael together, things would feel “even” between us. But as I lay in my bed, alone and staring at the ceiling, I wondered why I even felt this way. (Y/N) was not my soulmate, yet it almost felt like she was. I debated with this back and forth for hours. Before I knew it, it was four in the morning. We were to leave for the last leg of the North American tour in a few hours. I sighed. Why was (Y/N) the only thing running through my head?

--

Once the plane took off into the sky, I really thought that I would be in a better head space. Being on stage was where I was happiest. Seeing all the fans in the audience singing along to our songs and having a great time made each day of being in this band so much more worth it. I was excited to get away from all the soulmate drama. But when we hit the first city, I was distracted. I was missing my cues, forgetting lyrics, tripping over myself and completely forgetting the choreography we had during some of the songs.

 At first, I thought I was just having an off day, but it soon became a frequent occurrence at the following shows. I was off my game just because I couldn’t get a girl out of my damn head. It didn’t help that every time I tried to hang with the boys during our free time, they would all be on the phone facetiming with (Y/N). A few times, I even heard her ask for me, but I refused to see/talk to her. I couldn’t bear it. People were starting to notice that something was up. I had to dissuade everyone and just tell them that tour life was getting to me, but deep down I’m sure everyone knew that wasn’t it.  

The tour continued on for a month and a half. My soulmate had asked to come and visit me on tour, but I declined. I told her that I would see her when I got back. I still couldn’t understand why I was being pulled in (Y/N)’s direction and away from my soulmate. None of this made any sense. I felt like I was losing it. I found myself having dreams about (Y/N). In the dreams, she was my soulmate. We spoke about music and our dreams. With her I didn’t feel empty. I didn’t feel like an object. I felt whole.

The only person that knew about what I was going through on tour was Ashton. A couple of years ago, Ashton had thought he found his soulmate, but the job made it hard for him and his soulmate to be together. It was one of those rare cases, but both of their soul tattoos faded. They fell out of love quicker than they could fall back in love and restore everything. It was a hard time for Ash. There was a moment when he just wanted to leave the band because the pain was unbearable. We all convinced him that leaving the band wouldn’t help him. The boys and I were there for him during that hard time.

A week into the last leg of the tour, Ashton came up to me and asked what’s wrong.

“I don’t know, mate. My head is all over the place. I can’t get her out of my mind,” I said with a sigh. Ashton laughed.

“Luke, it’s perfectly okay to miss your soulmate!” He said, patting me on the back. I shook my head.

“That’s the thing, Ash. I wasn’t talking about my soulmate. I was talking about (Y/N),” I whispered. Ashton became quiet. He sat down next to me. We were in our hotel rooms, a couple of hours before our show in Atlanta. Calum and Michael were out exploring the city.

“Did you and (Y/N)…?” Ashton inquired. I scoffed.

“No, nothing happened. I would never do something like that, especially to Michael, or my soulmate, for that matter,” I said. “But, Ash. I’m telling you, the first time I met her, I just knew. I thought I knew when I first met my soulmate. But when I met (Y/N), I never felt anything like it before. It actually physically hurt me to see Michael with her.” I put my head in my hands and rubbed my forehead in frustration. “But I just can’t seem to find a reason why I feel this way. I feel like I’m going crazy.”

Ashton laughed. I looked up from my hands and gave him an agitated look. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to laugh. It’s just that… that explains everything. It explains why you’ve been such a dick to her and why you refuse to see or talk to her. And why you decided to turn into a rabbit before tour and fuck your soulmate so obnoxiously,” Ashton said with a hint of a tease.

“Will you shut up about that?” I groan, slumping in my seat.

“So what does this mean?” Ashton asked. “Is (Y/N) your real soulmate?”

“You’re just as lost as I am, mate,” I said.

“Well, we have about less than a month and a half till tour is over. We leave for Bali a week after that and Mikey just told me (Y/N) is coming with. Can you get your feelings in check by then?”

“Oh, for fucks sake. (Y/N) is coming to Bali too?”

“I would be surprised if she didn’t…” Ashton said, trailing off.

“Great. This is just great. How do you just forget your feelings for someone you feel so strongly about?” I ask aloud. Ashton sighs as he stands. He puts a hand on my shoulder.

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out. If not, write a song,” he says with a shrug and walks towards his room.

I sigh. This is going to be harder than I thought.

---

(Y/N)’s POV

The boys are almost back! It’s crazy to think that almost two months has gone by. To getting my soul tattoo, to being Michael’s girlfriend, it’s clearly been an intense two months. Now the boys are days from leaving tour and we’re set to leave for Bali in less than a week.

I was nervous. A few weeks ago, Michael had asked me to join him and the boys and all their friends. We were facetiming one night and he just blurted it out. At first, I was skeptical of the idea, but since graduating university, I hardly took days off for myself. I worked my ass off every day. I told Michael I would love to go, but I had to find out from my boss if I could go before I committed to anything.

I first brought it up to (Y/F/N) and her reaction was different than I expected. I figured she was gonna dissuade me from going.

“YES! Oh my god! Yes, you should go. Bali is gorgeous and you’ll have so much fun. You deserve a vacation, dude. I’m so jealous,” she said excitedly.

“Why don’t you come with us?” I asked. “You’ve already met Michael and you guys seem to have gotten along. Plus, it’ll be fun if we went on this trip together. It is a friendcation after all!” If (Y/F/N) came with me, I would ultimately feel so much better. She would help put me at ease having to see Luke and his soulmate together. I knew that I really needed to decide what I wanted to do with Luke. Tell him the truth or let it be? Despite me trying to deny it, I knew I still liked Luke. Having (Y/F/N) there with me would also help stop me from doing anything stupid, especially when there was a 100 percent chance tequila would be involved.

“I dunno, dude. I’d have to call off a whole week from work.” I saw her mind working as she tried to mull over the idea of going to Bali. “I wish Michael had asked you a month before and not a few weeks before they leave.”

I grabbed her shoulders and shook them. ���(Y/F/N), PLEASE! There’s no way I can go on this trip without you! The hotel will be free because the boys are paying. I’ll pay for your plane ticket! C’MON!!!!!” I exclaimed.

“I’ll think about it…” she trailed off. I collapsed into my pillows and groaned in frustration.

“UGH. Why are you like this?” I sighed.

---

I eventually convinced (Y/F/N) to come on this trip with me. Her now fiancé wasn’t too happy about the fact that we were going on a vacation with a bunch of dudes, so he decided to tag along too. I was a little peeved, but at the same time, this entire trip was basically a couple’s trip. Me and Mikey, (Y/F/N) and her fiancé, Luke and his soulmate, Ashton and Cal with girls they met on tour, and a few of their band buddies and their girls. It was going to either be a giant party or a huge orgy... I was hoping it was the former instead of the latter.

When I told Mikey of our plans, he was so excited. I had called him the second I got the okay from my boss.

“Wait, really!? You can come?” He asked, excitedly. I laughed.

“Yes, Mikey! I can come with you to Bali!” I squealed. I could hear him jumping up and down in excitement. I had already started Pinteresting pics of Bali and things we could do and outfits I needed to buy for the trip. Michael was already sweet enough to cover my flight tickets and hotel rooms.

Now two weeks later, the boys were finally back. I was physically and emotionally prepping for this moment since Mikey had asked me to join them on their Bali trip. I had decided that after this trip, I was going to tell him the truth about my tattoo. I was scared, but he deserved to know. It gave me a lot of anxiety not knowing how he was going to react. I went too long not telling anyone and that is a mistake I regret making. If this backfires and he’s ends being upset, then I’m just going to have to face the consequences. I deserve that.

I was at work when I got a text from Michael.

HELLO, I AM BACK IN LA. WHERE ARE YOU AND WHY AREN’T YOU NEXT TO ME, the message read. I giggled.

I’m at work u idiot. I’m off at five pick me up for dinner? I responded.

LOL MY BAD YEAH I’LL COME GET YOU THEN

WHY ARE YOU YELLING I replied.

IDK IM REALLY EXCITED IM SORRY AJJDNEFAOIJDOAIH

I laughed. My little goofball. The laughter was soon gone the second I remembered what I planned to tell him after Bali. God, I couldn’t do this to him. How could I let myself be so stupid and drag this along? I shook it off. It’s fine. Less than a week till Bali, I can do this.

---

Luke’s POV

We were back in LA. We leave for Bali next week. I was excited to be back, but I was a wreck. The entire last days of tour, I thought I was going to be able to get (Y/N) off my mind, but the closer the date came to getting back to LA, the more I had dreams about her. She was taking up my entire brain and I hated it.

The second we landed I called up my soulmate. We got in a good fuck. She thought I just missed her, but deep down we both knew that this relationship had become purely sexual. If anything, she was a distraction. I felt awful for using her, but I felt worse thinking about (Y/N) with Michael. My life had suddenly turned into a live version of Jesse’s Girl. But since (Y/N’s) coming with us to Bali, I had to have something or someone to get her off my mind. We all know I do stupid shit, especially when there’s alcohol involved.

I tried to convince the guys to just make this a boy’s trip, but they all complained that they had already invited their girls to come with us. It was too late and I had to suck it up. As much as my soulmate and I had nothing to talk about anymore, at least we had something we could do with each other. Each day I spend with her, I realize how much we aren’t meant to be for each other. Coming back from tour and seeing her again in person confirmed that, even if the sex was great.

After my soulmate fell asleep, I put on a pair of sweatpants and walked to my balcony. I closed the door behind me and called my mum.

“Hey mum.”

“Hi sweetie! How was the flight?” She asked.

“Just fine, mum. We’re back in our LA house right now,” I said.

“Oh, that’s great! How are you? You sound down, baby.”

I sighed. My mum always knew something was up without me having to say anything about it. “I’m okay. Things could be better. I’m still so conflicted about my soulmate. She just doesn’t seem like the right girl.” I look through the glass doors to see my soulmate fast asleep on my bed, her bright red hair sprawled out around her, a huge contrast against the pearly white pillows I had. She seemed so quiet and innocent when she was asleep – completely opposite to how she was when she was awake.

“Honestly, Luke, the second you told me about her, I knew something was wrong. I know you wanted to give her a chance, but you sound miserable.”

“I know. I feel miserable. Do you remember that other girl I was telling you about?”

“Oh, yes! (Y/N)! The one dating Michael?” She asked.

“Yes, that’s her. I still think she may be my real soulmate, mum.”

“Luke, sweetheart, I’m only going to say this once because I’m your mum. Get your shit together. If you’re unhappy with your soulmate, then break up with her. Just because she may be your soulmate, it doesn’t mean you’re obligated to be with her. I want you to be happy, baby. But you can’t do that if you force yourself to love someone we all know you do not love.”

“What… Mum!?” I was shocked, my mum was never forward like this.

“I’m sorry, love. You’ve been calling me about this situation for weeks now. It’s been two months since you got your soul tattoo. I know you think that you’re going to have this great big love like your father and I - I’m more than sure you’ll have it soon, but clearly this woman who’s claiming to be your soulmate, isn’t making you happy and that’s fine. That just means she isn’t the one for you. Tell her how you feel. In the long run, you’ll both feel better about it.”

I was quiet for a moment. I hated that she was right. But all of what she said was true. I was too afraid to face how I really felt. I denied everything wrong with my soulmate because I thought it was right, because some unwritten rule somewhere said that I had to fall in love with my soulmate. It’s very rare, but sometimes these things just don’t work out. I had to face the facts one way or another.

Once I got off the phone with my mum, I went back to bed. I was so caught up with jet lag when we landed, but once in bed, I couldn’t sleep. I laid on my back, staring at the ceiling, just thinking. My soulmate was fast asleep next to me. I looked at her for a moment. She was beautiful and she was fun to be around sometimes, but deep down I knew she wasn’t my girl.

Hours later, I decided that after our trip to Bali, I was going to end things with her. I knew that that wasn’t how this whole soulmate shit is supposed to work, but I couldn’t bear another day being with her. I could tell that even the boys were starting to get irritated with her. They were just too scared or too nice to say anything to me about it. So that was the plan. Bali is in a few days. I just had to figure out how I was going to tell her and if I was going to confess my true feelings to (Y/N) after that.

---

yeeeeeet I finally gave you guys another part! I have to admit, I’m so freaking nervous about this. My heart is beating and my hands are shaking as I type this. I have written and edited and re-edited and re-re-edited this part and the following parts so many times. I knew that I couldn’t hold onto them anymore, so here it is. The only explanation I have for taking so long is this: life gets in the way and there’s nothing you can really do about it. Once time passed and I figured it was time to get back to this, a year had come and gone. I simply lost the inspiration to write. But here we are, two years later and I finally have the next 13 or so chapters ready for your eyes to read. 

I hope you love it. 

{r.h.} 

[cuddlyyeti]

day 19 of 30 days of monsters: cursed [demon, bez’gel]

It’d been a strange few weeks. One of your distant uncles—one that you hadn’t met in your life—had passed away recently, and for some reason he had bequeathed you a… box. A perfectly ordinary box, made of simple, light wood, with a tiny, insubstantial lock on the front that looked like it came from a regular hardware shop. All in all, it had seemed pretty… normal.

And it was. For a while, it sat on your table, getting surrounded by random sheets of paper, menus, pens and pencils—waiting for a time when you could get around to figuring out how to open it. (Your uncle, for all his foresight, hadn’t thought to leave you the key.)

It sits there untouched for quite a time, gathering dust and becoming part of the furniture. In fact, it isn’t until you decide to do one of those yearly massive clear-outs that you give it a second thought. Rummaging in the toolbox hidden in the back of the closet throws up a pair of heavy duty pliers—you aren’t going to question why you own them—and the thought of finally uncovering this little secret gives you a thrum of excitement.

The hook of the lock gives way easily, and though you aren’t sure what you were expecting to be inside the box, you’re still surprised to find a ring. The hoop itself is a strange matte black, almost as if it were absorbing light instead of reflecting it off of paint. At its apex, a bright red stone is set haughtily between the heads of a lion and a horse, heavy and proud and… alive? For some reason, looking at it reminds you of a beating heart, a working muscle. Reaching your hand into the box to take it out feels like sticking your hand into someone's chest.

When the ring comes into contact with your skin, you feel something change, like the switching of wind from one direction to another, catching the mild tinnitus that exists in silence changing from one pitch to another. It’s the feeling of noticing something that had always been there.

A raspy voice from everywhere and nowhere sighs. “Finally.”

Cleaning is suddenly the last thing on your mind. Frantically, you look around for an intruder, but find nothing. In your surprise, you find that your hand had clenched painfully around the ring, indents marking the soft fleshy part of your palm.

“It has been many moons since I last had a companion.” This time, the voice felt convincingly as if it were behind you. “A long while since someone held my mark.”

“Uh…”

“Nah, I’m just messing with ya’. The name’s Bez’gel, indentured demon and inhabitant of that there ring. You must be the niece, huh. You can turn around, kid, ‘m not gonna kill you—you won’t even have to get a glimpse of my ugly mug.”

Slowly—so, so slowly—you turn around. You find nothing. There’s nothing behind you, there’s nothing anywhere in the room—nothing that you can see, anyhow. The world still just feels slightly to the left, and you know that you’re not alone.

“Don’t suppose the old man told you anything about me, huh?” You shake your head, and it scoffs. “Of course not. Well, to cut a long story short: that ring you got there is, well, where I’m stuck. Big bad ol’ demon, summoned and stuck into that there gem, uh… what year is it?”

“...2018.”

“Woof. Around 500 years ago, I’d say.”

“So… what do I do now. Are you going to start trying to kill me, or possess me or something? Do you need sacrifices? ‘Cause I’m not into ritual murder.”

The creature you can’t see laughs heartily, and you smell something earthy, wet and grassy alongside it. “Well, that’ll surely hamper my strength, but I’ll make do. No, I’m supposed to be at yer every whim, magicing up the most outlandish of things as a price for my not having to live in, well. Where demons live. As well as the original owners immortal soul.”

“You… escaped Hell?”

“Eh. You humans have a very specific vision of Hell, and that ain’t where I come from. Let’s leave it at this: long as you’re in ownership of that there ring, I’m your best friend, and spectral butler. That you can’t see.”

Alright, you think. You make your polite goodbyes to thin air, and then you head to bed, because you’re clearly suffering from the worst case of sleep deprivation that the world has ever seen.

A few months go by, and you’ve almost come to accept Bez’gel as part of your life. It’s nice to get your favourite takeaway without having to spend money, and the demon offers up some pretty interesting insights on most of the things you watch on Netflix. You start to think of it as a roommate, rather than a spectral disaster waiting to happen.

And it’s not long until you become… friends. Not being able to see it doesn’t stop you from finding fun things you think it’ll like: from a little cactus that it seemed to like the look of when you were scrolling through Pinterest, to a 100-in-1 collection of cowboy films, you’d do pretty much anything to hear a smile in that Western accent. And that includes checking through some of your distant uncle’s books to see if you could find some way to… see it. Bez’gel never explicitly said that it longed for a visible form, but you had to think that it was pretty lonely not being seen—it sounded incredibly lonely.

Thankfully, your (great? grand? step? half? Who Knows) uncle had left his home to an aunt of yours that you got along pretty well with, and she agrees to let you look through the extensive library he left behind. It’s a room in the attic that you have to stoop a little to walk through, but it feels homely all the same—walls lined with shelves laden heavy with books, a window seat that is covered in a soft, diverse array of cushions and blankets, and a table that was clearly well loved and well used.

Trailing your fingers over the grain of the wood, you feel something similar to the feeling of Bez’gel appearing out of nowhere; a charged feeling that accumulates at the tips of your fingers, that changes the smell of the air.

“Magic,” you whisper, incredulous. That’s the only word you think fits.

His desk was clearly the hub of his research. There are loose pages of paper thick with looping scrawls of blue ink, hardback books with makeshift bookmarks sticking out of them, and notebooks and journals half open. Thankfully, it seems that your uncle was a man who was very good at organisation (or perhaps he was expecting someone else to have to read his notes, someday?), and you find what you’re looking for with minimal stress.

“So he’d been… he’d found this… and asked Bez’gel for this… and so… aha! I have no idea what any of this means.”

“You thinkin’ of askin’ me for help, or am I to be a silent witness in all ‘a this?”

You jump, hitting your head on the low ceiling in the process. “WHY ARE YOU HERE?”

“What? You thought I was stuck in yer house, or somethin’? I’m in that ring, buddy. I just don’t follow you places that ain’t interestin’. Or maybe I do—seein’ as how you can’t see me in the first place, I figure you’ll never know,” it says, letting out a chuckle.

“Well, you’ve ruined my surprise now,” you huff, “so you might as well help. You think you can figure out what all these… shorthand bits mean? I’ve figured that he was trying to find a way to see you, but I can’t make out what he figures would work.”

“Show me,” it says, almost a question. You feel a hand, or the vague approximation of one, on your shoulder, as if it was holding on as it peered over your shoulder. For some reason, you find yourself flustered, hands moving faster and clumsier than they had before.

“Here,” you point out. Your words are quieter than they’d been before.

“Hmm…”

“Did he ever tell you about what he was writing?”

“Sure did. Figure he wasn’t too sure what to make of my disinterest, though.”

“You don’t want to be seen? You aren’t… lonely?”

“Never seen much point before. Seems the only people who wanted to see me wanted to know who they were bossin’ around. Not ‘til him—yer uncle—not ‘til him that it seemed anyone cared about me much at all.”

You’re quiet for a moment, letting Bez’gel flip through the pages, searching for passages it recognises. “I’m sorry, Bez’gel.”

The fluttering of pages stops. “What for? Seems to me that the only folk who care about me have been yer uncle and you. Don’t see that you’ve anything to be apologising for.”

“You’ve been treated—mistreated—for centuries, Bez’gel. And you’re—you’re my friend, and it just seems ridiculously unfair—”

“But now I got a friend like you, and things start seeming fair again.” A pen starts floating, and you watch words appear on a blank sheet of paper. “Don’t think I’d mind being seen, not by charming folk such as yerself.”

You blush once more.

“... so all we’re missing is a piece of you, Bez. Remember, you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to—”

“So you keep saying,” it responds, chuckling. “No, I think I’m ready to stop being invisible. At least to you.”

The two of you had gone searching for all the ingredients your uncle had suggested would work, along with continuing to try and decipher his notes. Most of the issues had really been his handwriting, and the fact that Bez’gel hadn’t taken the least bit of interest in his work while it was with him.

But now your (mostly your uncles, you suppose) hard work is coming to fruition. You feel the smallest shift in the atmosphere—a piece of Bez’gel, moving, you assume—and then—

Then you can see it. Bez’gel is in front of you, a tall, looming mass of shadow and mist, pretty much scraping the ceiling. Its form is lithe, shrouded in an ever changing vision of black rags and gray haze. You can’t make out any discernible face, or head, or body, really, but it’s not a disappointment. It’s… yeah, this pretty much fits in with everything else you know about Bez’gel. Why would it be corporeal?

“Take it you can see me, then?” it asks, voice cheeky as always, but you can taste a hint of worry in it too.

“Sure can. You’re full of surprises, Bez.” You try and keep your voice as friendly and familiar as always, but slide in some warmth so it knows that it’s not scared you away.

“Well, wouldn’t want to be a disappointment to my good ol’ human pal, now would I?”

“You couldn’t disappoint me, Bez. I’m just glad that now when I try and like… stroke your cheek or something, I’ll be able to—well, I still won’t be able to find your cheek, but I can definitely stroke… a part of you?”

“Well now, that sounds like just about the nicest gift I could get, honey.”

[foslad]

Almost Too Good (A Chris Evans Story): Part 18

A/N: I made an entirely separate post detailing my excuses as to why this took so long and my thoughts and feelings about this chapter, so check it out if you wish! Otherwise, HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU ALL <3

--------------------------------

‘Uh, I’ll be brief with my speech. Partly because I don’t like giving speeches; mostly because we have to give the studio space back in twenty-five minutes…’ Ben announced to a low hum of laughter before continuing.

‘…So as most of you are aware, this hasn’t been the easiest year for me, by a long shot, and I just wanted all of you to know that your hard work and commitment to this project has been the sole reason I was able to get out of bed every morning and not feel like I was the world’s biggest loser.’

My face fell into a sympathetic frown, along with the rest of the cast and crew, as I held my solo cup close to my chest and watched on as THE Ben Affleck poured his heart out to us atop a chair.

‘This project has been my baby for a long time and I’m stoked to see it come alive with the help of all of you. So,’ He raised his cup in a toast and we all followed suit, ‘cheers to The Eyes Of Nobody and its future endeavors! No matter what the outcome, it’s been a pleasure rocking with you guys!’

A round of claps and woo’s greeted Ben as he stepped down from the chair and we all engaged in a sip of cheap wine bought with the left-over change from the extended budget from the production company.

Well that was it. It was mid-November and the movie was officially wrapped.

As everyone began to mingle around the makeshift wrap party, I clocked eyes with Ben’s accountant Michael and shot him a wink as he made his way over to me; solo cup in hand. He and I had become “close buddies” as Ben liked to call it, since he had convinced himself that his “matchmaking skills” were out of this world…  

‘What the hell am I supposed to do now!?’ He declared dramatically, taking a big glug of the wine.

Rolling my eyes, I raised an eyebrow at him. ‘You could try, oh I don’t knoooowww, going on a date?’ I teased, leaning in to poke his chest, only for him to shoot me a sheepish look whilst extending his glug of the wine to an outright chug.

Michael and Chris’ brother Scott had been in constant contact via text since I’d introduced them all those weeks ago yet neither had grown a pair big enough to take it to the next level; each expecting the other to kick start it.

‘Hush up.’ He croaked before looking around glumly at the now closed set. ‘So, lay it on me, when are you back off to the Big Apple? And more importantly, when can I come visit?’

I paused for thought, unable to give him an exact answer.

90% of myself couldn’t wait to get back home; to gladly settle back into routine and all that jazz. I couldn’t physically remember the last time I had sat down and watched a movie or taken time for myself to browse through shops and online for new and exciting clothing pieces or even walked through Central Park as a daily reminder of just how lucky I was. At this point I had even gone so far as to start up a Pinterest page, pinning different recipes I wanted to try out when I finally had the time.

I felt a little foreign to myself and of course, like a true New Yorker, I blamed LA for that.

But naturally there was a remaining 10% that, despite being small in number, weighed me down like an anchor…

‘Soon, I guess… I haven’t had the time to discuss it with my assistant yet.’ I blagged.

Thankfully, something I had grown to notice, and was therefore extremely thankful, about Michael was that he had a short attention span. Instead of paying attention to my answer, he decided to indulge in some good ol’ fashioned gossip instead.

‘I’m even losing Ben to it, you know…’

‘To what, New York?’ I asked, suddenly intrigued.

‘Mhmm.’ He nodded, lifting his cup high and finishing off his wine. ‘Between you and me, I think that his little tete-a-tete with that SNL producer is more than just a passing fling. He’s spending the holidays with Jen and the kids, but he’ll be flying back and forth in-between... If you know what I’m saying…’

Oh, the holidays… My favourite time of year! Even the thought of it brought a warm and cosy sensation to my heart. We were a week away from Thanksgiving and I was delighted to have the holiday period completely signed off to nothing but family, laughter, fun and above all else, food…

As a few crew members around us began to pack away the last few fragments of the set, Michael turned and asked, ‘Please tell me your coming to the actual wrap party at Roamers?’

I smiled wide and shook my head. ‘Nope! I have a prior engagement I’m afraid.’

He raised his eye brows sarcastically. ‘Is this “engagement” six foot, with a body like an athlete on his way to the Olympics?’

I smiled even wider. ‘It suuuuure is. I’m teaching him how to make stuffing, the right way, for his Thanksgiving meal with his family.’

‘Sounds like a bucket of fun,’ He jested, ‘and let me guess, the turkey’s not the only thing getting stuf-’

I clapped my hand over his mouth and light-heartedly glared at him. ‘Nuh uh uh, none of that, thank you very much.’

‘Lots of that…’ He whispered when I removed my hand. I rolled my eyes but admittedly, I was still grinning ear to ear as I sipped the last of my wine.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t floating on Cloud 9 right now. What happened after the night of Gracey’s wedding was like something out of a movie. It was as though I was living out some sort of glorious fantasy that never went away, even when I pinched myself.

-

Chris and I had travelled back to LA together the day after my sister’s wedding and I was convinced my happiness was enough to cure world peace.

As I sat on the flight, next to a dozing Chris, gazing out at the orange and yellow hue that had begun to court the pale blue sky, signalling dusk, it occurred to me that I was truly smiling.

And my smile only grew wider when I realised that there was so many reasons as to why I could be smiling right now.

I was heading back to finish off a project that made me feel fulfilled in my acting career; my assistant Amy had informed me that she would be coming back to work full time in the new year (but was now capable of helping me long distance in the meantime), my family were all radiating with joy and love after such a magical weekend and Chris and I were finally pushing forward to bigger and better things.

For the first time in what seemed like forever, I began to feel like the old Adrian again. There was no sadness in me, there were no worries; hell, there wasn’t even any fear anymore.

Just pure contentment.

The view of the sunset from the plane seemed extra spectacular that day. I even took a notion and snapped a try-hard “hipster” picture for my currently dormant Instagram that hadn’t been shown any TLC in almost two years. I cornily captioned it;

When you have every reason in the world to smile; it’s kinda cool when it smiles back at you.

-

‘No! What part of gently fold it in registers in your brain as mix it into oblivion!?’ I reprimanded, yanking the spoon out of Chris’ hand and bopping him out of the way with my hip. From my peripheral, I could see the outline of Scott double back in laughter as he watched Chris and I try to navigate the kitchen together with a beer in hand from the island.

Observing me stir the mixture, Chris’ voice began to raise in protest. ‘You’re doing exactly what I did!’

‘No, I’m not! I’m “gently”, GENTLLLYYYYYYY, folding it in!’

‘Looks pretty fucking similar to me!’ He argued, taking a swig of his beer and shooting Scott a playful look.

‘Uhhh, who’s the teacher and who’s the learner here Evans!?’ I replied, tipping the delicious substance out onto a baking tray.

‘I’m just sayin’!’ He held his hands up in innocence as I placed the tray into the pre-heated oven and picked up my own beer for a smug swig. ‘Well, wait until you taste it, then you’ll see why we “fold”!’

As we waited for the goodness to cook, the boys decided to take the time to grill me on a certain topic that, in general, I had been trying to avoid in my everyday life; so as to not psyche myself out.

‘How’s the training for your Justice League audition coming along?’ Scott asked, after being let in on my little secret a couple of weeks ago and then promptly made to swear to keep silent about it.

Today marked exactly one week after I had received the call from my agent Magda to tell me all systems were ago as far as the audition and truthfully, I was still trying to mentally wrap my mind around it all, never mind even think of the physicality involved.

‘I mean, I gym twice a week, like always, if that’s what you’re asking?’ I hadn’t taken any measures out of my daily routine to prepare…Why should I? I wasn’t even going to get the role for crying out loud!

‘For how long? What do you do when you’re there? You got a trainer?’ Chris questioned intensively.

‘Whoa, whoa, whoa slow down. I do my own thing, like I’ve always done.’ I replied casually.

‘You reckon that’s enough? You feel fit and strong?’ He crossed his arms and eyed me closely.

‘Yes, as a matter of fact, I do.’ I responded defensively. Okay, so I’ve only ever taken to the gym to be able to justify eating whatever I want, but whatever! They didn’t need to know that!

‘Cool.’ Chris stuck his bottom lip out slightly and nodded. There was a solid twenty second silence as he took one last determined swig of beer before laying the bottle down with a bit of force onto the countertop. ‘You. Me. Pull up competition. Right now.’

With that declaration, he pushed himself away from the counter and began to make his way to the glass door that led to his backyard.

‘What!?’ I called after him, shooting Scott a ‘is he for real!?’ look.

‘You heard me!’ His voice trailed off as he exited out of the door.

The sky was starting to get dark but Chris’ garden was well lit. I begrudgingly trailed after him as he walked past his pool and over to the tall oak tree situated towards the side of his garages.

The tree was thick and strong; with Chris reaching up and placing all his weight on it to see if it would hold up. ‘Alright, seems sturdy enough.’ He deduced as he jumped back down.

Standing under it, I gazed up in intimidation. ‘I can’t even reach it’- was my first excuse.

It took all of two seconds for Chris to bend down behind me and wrap his biceps around my knees, swooping me up with ease so that I was eye level with the branch.

‘But what if I fall!?’ - came the second excuse.

‘Well then we’ll scrap the competition and I’ll just stay here to catch you in case you do fall.’ He countered once again. ‘C’mon, grab the branch.’

‘What if it cuts my hands?’ - marked my last feeble attempt. Now that I was closer, the branch did seem a little old and sharp…ish.

‘Just grab the damn branch Warner!’ He ordered, using his strength to give my body a little jolt upwards.

‘Okay, okay!’ Reaching out and wrapping my hands around it, taking a few seconds to secure my grip firmly.

‘You got it? Am I good to let go?’ He slowly let go and lingered for a second to check I wasn’t going anywhere before stepping away. I hung there like a moron, my legs flailing slightly like a child as I tried to keep my balance in check. Chris stepped towards me again and laid his hands on my legs.

‘Knees together and then lift and cross your feet behind your back.’ He ordered. I could already feel the burn in my arms as I followed his instructions and I hadn’t even started yet.

Once he was happy with my posture and positioning, he glared up. ‘I want ten pull ups.’

Okay, that’s not too bad… Ten should be okay…

Harnessing every piece of strength that I’d gathered from lifting light dumbbells for the past nine years, I raised myself up towards the branch and lifted my chin over it.

‘One.’ Chris called out.

Easing myself back down, I felt a sense of achievement. Alright! My first ever pull up! Go Adrian!

Nine more, not so bad…

The next time I felt the burn even more, but I managed it at least. ‘Two.’

When I eased myself down the second time, my arms began to feel the ache a hell of a lot more than they already did.

Mustering the strength for the third one was not so easy. I could feel myself starting to laugh at my own pathetic excuse for upper body strength, but the laughing only made my stomach hurt more and thus caused me to use up more energy.

‘Still two.’ Chris counted, doing his best not to laugh alongside Scott, who had long lost it. Clearly, I was the entertainment for the evening.

My legs had become undone slightly in hopes of helping me complete my fitness mission.

‘Nope! Keep your legs crossed at the back or I won’t count it!’ Chris’ arms were now folded as he started to stare up at me smugly.

‘It’s hard!’ I whined.

‘What? I thought you said you were “up to date” with this training?’ He used the bunny ear gesture to quote me directly before crossing his arms again.

I frowned but refused to give in. Gathering all my strength, I started up once more; unfortunately vocalising every piece of pain I felt - But I made it!

‘Three.’

‘Ohhhhh my God.’ I panted. Why was this so hard???

‘I’ll compromise at five. Get to five and we’ll call it even.’ Chris bargained, leaning back against the tree.

Two more agonising pull ups, which took what felt like hours to complete, followed. Chris moved forward and stepped under me, lightly wrapping his arms around my legs again. ‘Okay, drop down.’

Delighted to be rid of the pain, I let go and slid down into his grip. Chris clenched a little tighter just before my feet hit the ground so that I was now eye level with him. His eyes screamed in triumph as he waited for me to admit that I wasn’t “up to date” with my “training” at all.

Instead however, I simply let out a deep breath through my nose and wrapped my arms around his neck. ‘If you weren’t so cute, I’d be very pissed right now.’

‘Blegh.’ Scott declared before heading back inside to check on the oven.

‘Pissed at what? The fact you have the upper body strength of a kitten?’ Chris inquired as he turned his attention backed to me and lifted his eyebrow in self-satisfaction.

I shot him an unimpressed look in return before pulling away.

With a light chuckle, he lightly wrapped his arm around my shoulder as we trudged back into the house. ‘I was just trying to show you that “fitness” and “strength” are actually two very different things. It’s not about waiting to get the role and then starting training; you gotta show them what you’re made of from the off! Stay ahead of the competition, if you will.’ He squeezed me lightly, causing me to look up at him.

‘You could really slam this audition if you put your mind to it, you know.’

I smiled softly, recalling a similar pep talk I’d received from Ben a couple of weeks ago. I could feel myself light up inside at how supportive he was being; even if that “support” meant that my arms felt like they were about to fall off any second.

‘You should work on your weight lifting and think about getting yourself a trainer.’ Chris advised as he made his way over to the sink to pour me a glass of water whilst Scott declared that there was five minutes left on the timer.

‘Can I hire you?’ I asked half joking, half not.

‘No can-do kiddo, I have my own training to do. Infinity War is coming up and Poppa don’t get in shape as easily as he used to.’

‘Suuuure,’ I teased, gladly accepting the water, ‘because you look so terrrrible right now.’

‘Well, I certainly don’t look like Captain America that’s for sure.’ He replied before sighing and gazing over at the oven. ‘I mean, if we’re being real, I prooooobably shouldn’t even be eating stuffing right now either.’

I squeaked at his blasphemous tone. ‘Stuffing is always okay!’ I walked over and placed my hands on his cheeks and squeezed so his lips puffed up to attention. ‘Stuffing is good for the soul! Say it with me! Stuuuffing is good for the souuul.’

‘Preach it girl!’ Cried Scott from his position at the fridge, as he retrieved three more beers.

No more than ten minutes later, I arrogantly watched on as the two boys went to indulgence heaven and back as they tucked into my creation. I took great pleasure in scolding Chris on how the flavours and different textures of the stuffing would’ve been destroyed had he continued to mash them to death like he had been.

The tail end of dinner took a turn when Scott notified us of the text he had received from one of his roommates. One of them had left their keys at home and with Scott being the only one left in LA this late in the upcoming holiday season, it inevitably made him the only one to be able to help. So, we bid him goodbye as we continued to gorge on stuffing.

-

After binging three episodes of a new series we’d discovered on Netflix, I sat on Chris’ bed, on top of the covers, and glanced through my emails.

All were mostly worked-related; one was about maintenance that needed to be done to my apartment back in New York and then one, I noticed, seemed to catch my eye for the right kind of reason.

After reading it through, a small smile spread across my face and I found myself calling out to Chris in his en-suite.

‘Did you get the email about the Fashion Awards?’ We’d been invited, as representatives of Gucci, to present one of the awards at the ceremony.

‘Oh, yeah, Jake mentioned something about an awards thing. In England, right?’

‘Mhmm! Would you wanna do it?’ It wasn’t compulsory or in our contract to have to do such events, so I felt like I already knew his answer before he even spoke.

‘Eh.’ Chris shrugged before waving it off and walking back into the bathroom; signalling that he wasn’t even interested, never mind entertaining it.

I nodded and smiled, albeit a little sadly, as I pretended to agree with him.

It was the third thing we’d turned down in the space of a month.

The first being an Elle pictorial spread that had been in the works for weeks due to the popularity of our commercial, 2.5 million views and counting at this point. Chris had decided at the last minute, however, that it would just bring unwanted attention to us and that I should just do it by myself.

But of course, they weren’t interested in just me.

The second was an invite to the launch of Gucci’s new Fall Collection. Off the bat I knew that kind of thing wasn’t Chris’ cup of tea, although I had half-hoped he might’ve been swayed with the knowledge of how much that kind of thing means to me and that we could get away with going together because we were still technically “co-workers”. Alas, I attended that one alone.

The Fashion Awards made it a trio and to say it was a little disheartening, was an understatement.

Obviously, I wasn’t completely clueless. I knew deep down he was just trying to protect and preserve what we had. We’d still managed to evade being public knowledge and that was something Chris was passionate about keeping for as long as possible.

Unlike our early days, nearly every evening was spent at Chris’; which was totally fine! Spending time with him was so beyond fulfilling and I was so lucky to have him! It was night’s like tonight, cooking and chilling together, that really brought a special warmth to my heart.

But I’d be lying if I said we weren’t lacking in most aspects outside of that. There were no dates, no dinners out, no movie trips. I wasn’t even allowed to walk Dodger with him. Something as simple as walking down the street and holding hands or going to the grocery store were also out of the question.

Menial tasks that I ached to do.

And I knew he had done them in the past. A quick google search would should him going on dates or holding hands with past lady friends…

But I knew that kind of thinking was toxic. I had become good at steering away from stupid thoughts like that after the promise I had made to Chris to just trust him.

I didn’t doubt Chris or his feelings, it was just the way things were that made it harder for me to adjust to. I wasn’t as big of a “celebrity” (nor did I ever wish to be) as Chris and, up until we started dating, could happily walk around and go about my business without having anybody give a shit. Even outside of my relationship, I was still able to do that. Stupid little things like fashion award shows and clothing launches, I’ll admit, were still fun little ventures to me that meant a different kind of night out to the usual routine.

But of course, I knew that as soon as Chris and I did become public knowledge, I could probably wave that goodbye. Still…

I hadn’t realised I’d been staring into space until the bathroom light clicked off and Chris emerged, zipping up a jacket and grabbing a cap from the side.

‘Alright, I’ll be back soon. Just gonna take Dodger out real quick.’ He informed me as he bent down to give me a parting kiss. I watched intently as he attached the leash to the dog’s collar.

‘Can I come?’ I chanced. It was dark out and already gone 10:30pm, I doubt paparazzi patrolled his street at this time of night on the off chance he might walk out of his door. Besides, in the one in a million chance that they might be, the picture would be too dark anyway; surely.

I just wanted to hold his hand. Outside. That’s it. That’s all I needed.

He struggled to form words as he tried to figure out a way of gently letting me down that didn’t just involve an outright ‘no’.

‘Please? I hate being here on my own...’ I begged, knowing full well it was probably going to make him feel a little guilty. Sure, I wasn’t being wholly honest but even I could see that the truth seemed slightly embarrassing and needy.

A small frown appeared on his face as he made his way back over to me; leaning down again to kiss my cheek. ‘I’m only gonna be gone ten minutes, Adrian, I promise!’

He had paused for my reaction, but Dodger’s light whimpering pressured me into reluctantly nodding my head.

‘…Okay.’ I whispered, allowing him to lean forward for one last peck.

Chris wasn’t stupid. He probably knew deep down that my request was deeper than just a fear of being alone.

-

To Chris’ credit, the front door sounded not ten minutes later and a content Dodger trotted down the hallway and into the bedroom; closely followed by his owner.

I picked up the remote and turned down the volume on the random World’s Wildest Police Chases episode I was watching and looked over as Chris entered the bedroom. Smiling, I scooted over and made room for him in the bed.

As he undressed, I decided to break the slightly awkward silence by asking if we could watch Conan tonight. I was happy to see a smile appear across his face as he crawled under the covers next to me.

‘You don’t have to keep asking Adrian, we watch it every night.’

We continued the silence, although now a little more content, as we listened to Zac Efron talk to Conan about the upcoming Baywatch reboot he was shooting on a low volume. We were half-way through the interview when Chris finally spoke up.

‘I feel bad about earlier.’

‘Don’t! It’s okay,’ I reached over and rubbed his cheek affectionately, ‘I understand why you said no.’

A minute or so passed, I had returned my attention back to the screen, when he spoke again.

‘Listen, I was gonna ask you a little closer to the time, but I guess now is a good a time as any.’ Chris sat up and cleared his throat a little. ‘Every year, around New Year’s, Downey throws this fundraiser for a charity of choice. It changes every year.’ He rambled.

I listened intently, but I’d be lying if I said my eyes weren’t widening by the second.

‘Anyways, there’s no red-carpet bullshit but people still dress up and it’s for a good cause, so I try and make it every year.’

‘That’s nice of you.’ I replied, although my tone was willing him to continue.

‘Would you, maybe, wanna go… with me… this year?’

My lips trembled as I fought back a big, fat, beaming smile.

‘Sure.’ I replied as casually as I could, but it was obvious he could see right through me. ‘I should be free.’

He grinned at me as we returned our eyes to the screen but within seconds, I had turned back and smacked my lips against his. Forgoing Conan for the night, I decided to show him just how I grateful I was for his suggestion.

----------

If you read this one through, YOU ARE A GOD! THANK YOU! New chapter SOON!! Special shout out to mrs-captain-evans and elphabathropp for playing a huge part in my return to writing! I’m sorry I suck but I love you for caring!! <3 

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75 Best Travel Quotes To Inspire Your Wanderlust (Ultimate List)

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75 Best Travel Quotes To Inspire Your Wanderlust (Ultimate List)

Best Inspirational Travel Quotes Of All Time Inspirational Travel Quotes

Are these the best travel quotes of all time? Feed your wanderlust with these inspirational travelling quotes from famous travelers along with beautiful images you can share.

I’m somewhat embarrassed to say that I love inspirational traveling quotes.

These memorable travelling quotes accompanied by stunning photography have the ability to capture little moments of clarity that highlight truths about traveling, adventure, and life.

Great traveling quotes like these remind me that emotions I’ve felt while traveling the world for the past 9 years have been experienced by many others.

We’re all beautifully connected with each other by a love for traveling!

Enjoy these traveling quotes? Feel free to share the quote photos on Pinterest or Instagram! Also, check out my favorite motivational adventure quotes.

Here are my favorite travel quotes of all time, paired with some photos from my personal adventures around the world. I often share them on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

You have permission to share these quote images on your own accounts too, all I ask in exchange is to please credit me when possible. Thanks!

I hope they inspire you to pack up everything and head out into the unknown, to explore the farthest reaches of our planet( and your soul) — to see the world for what it really is.

Browse these fun quotes when you need wanderlust motivation — to build travel a priority in your life!

Travel Quotes With Images

Traveling is one of the best ways to open your mind and heart to the world. As a result, I’ve experienced the full range of emotions during my travels.

Although this has sometimes meant having my lifestyle and point of view challenged, I wouldn’t give up a single second of it because it helped shape me into the person I am today. Travel can change your perspective.

Like a less-intense version of an astronaut’s overview effect.

Many of these travel quotes have inspired me to keep exploring new destinations, learning about our world.

If you’re looking for inspiration to fuel your wanderlust, you’re certain to find the perfect excerpt below!

Inspiring Travel Quotes

Adventure is always worth it!

Travel isn’t always pretty …

1:” Adventure is worthwhile .”- Aesop

It doesn’t get more simplistic than Aesop’s take on traveling, the ancient Greek fabulist and storyteller. But that’s exactly why this classic travel quote continues to inspire me. Adventure can remind you about what’s important in life.

2: “Travel isn’t always fairly. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey alterations you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.”- Anthony Bourdain

The late, great Anthony Bourdain actually reached the fingernail on the head here. Many think of traveling as a style to relax, and it utterly can be. However, I’ve always found that traveling helps you learn about the good and bad parts of the world.

Traveling leaves you speechless …

To seek other places, other lives …

3:” Traveling- it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller .”- Ibn Battuta

I’ve seen awe-inspiring things that I thought I’d never be able to explain to another person. Somehow, these experiences have helped me become a better storyteller.

4:” We travel, some of us forever, to seek other places, other lives, other spirits .”- Anais Nin

Anais Nin’s quote about traveling on a constant search for things that will build us feel whole sums up the desire to keep learning through experiences.

A journey is best measured in friends …

A departure into unknown lands …

5:” A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles .”- Tim Cahill

I couldn’t agree more! I’ve hit many friends around the world, and it’s the time I’ve expend with them that has attained my travels so fulfilling. People are always more memorable than checking off a pail list.

6:” The gladdest moment in human life, methinks, is a departure into unknown lands .”- Sir Richard Burton

Sir Richard Burton eloquently captured the spirit of wandering off into the unknown with this travel quote. The moment of anticipation is often sweeter than the final result.

7: “No place is ever as bad as they tell you it’s going to be.”- Chuck Thompson

Have you ever looked at your hometown through the eyes of a tourist? I understand better how easy it is to get jaded, but the truth is that every single place in the world has something of interest to show you.

I am not the same having assured the moon 8:” I am not the same, having assured the moon glisten on the other side of the world .”- Mary Anne Radmacher

I often gaze at the stars when I’m visit a new destination or on a road trip-up. It’s amazing to consider how places are the same, yet so very different.

9:” Travel constructs one modest. You ensure what a tiny place you occupy in the world .”- Gustave Flaubert

Flaubert continued Radmacher’s wise observation in this insightful trip quote. I definitely used to think that my life, and my country, played a bigger role in the world until I strapped on my backpack and began traveling.

Famous Quotes About Travel We travel so life does not escape us. 10:” We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us .”- Anonymous

I feel a heavy weight on my heart when I don’t travel for an extended amount of day. As soon as I set off for someplace new, the burden of stagnation autumns away and I feel renewed.

11: “The man who runs alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready.”- Henry David Thoreau

I’ve heeded Henry David Thoreau’s advice on many occasions. In fact, of all the quotes about traveling I’ve collected here, this one has been the most influential. Don’t be afraid to travel alone.

To awaken alone in a unusual town …

The life you have led …

12:” To awaken alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world .”- Freya Stark

A change of opinion always helps give me a new view on life. Traveling allows waking up to a different position on a regular basis. The perfect traveling quote.

13:” The life you have led doesn’t need to be the only life you have.”- Anna Quindlen

Anna Quindlen’s words have made a big difference in my life. It’s so easy to get stuck believing that what we’re doing right now is all we’ll ever do. This is a great travel caption for Instagram…

14:” Broad, wholesome, charitable positions of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all of one’s lifetime .”- Mark Twain

I wish the entire world could understand Mark Twain’s insight into traveling. We all have preconceived notions, but traveling has shown me that many are usually false.

READ MORE: How To Work& Travel The World

Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has courage … 15:” Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the gallantry to lose sight of the coast .”- Andre Gide

I used to be afraid to reach beyond my consolation zone. This is a great travel quote about hurling off the so-called safety net of your comfy surrounds to discover new parts of the world( and yourself ).

16:” The use of traveling is to regulate imagination with reality, and instead of thinking of how things may be, ensure them as they are .”- Samuel Johnson

There’s so much wisdom in Samuel Johnson’s quote on traveling. Take a second to visualize a place you’ve never been. If you stimulate that your next vacation spot, I bet you’ll find out that it’s completely different from your internal image.

The world is a book … 17:” The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page .”- Saint Augustine

We may feel safe in our little bubble, but it’s also boring. That’s the primary reason I started traveling several years ago, and I’ve fallen in love with the thrill of discovery. It doesn’t get any more real than this short travelling quote.

18:” Travel and alteration of place impart new vigor to the mind .”- Seneca

When I travel, I’m able to give my mind something new and exciting to focus on. Studies say that we need to keep learning in order for our minds to thrive.

Twenty years from now … 19:” Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do .”- Mark Twain?

While this is one of the most popular travel quotes of all time, it’s actually FAKE. Mark Twain never said this. The real writer is H. Jackson Browne Jr. in his volume PS I Love You, about letters written to his mom.

There are a few fake travel quotes out there, so be careful what you share!

Anonymous Quotes On Traveling Once a year, run someplace you’ve never been before. 20:” Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before .”- Anonymous

This simple travel quote says everything is. My mind craves new experiences, and I quite simply cannot get them from my hometown anymore. By going somewhere new at least once a year, I continue to grow in numerous ways.

21:” Travel is the only thing you buy that make-ups you richer .”- Anonymous

Money induces traveling a prospect, but it doesn’t enrich you like sharing experiences with new cultures. I’m not sure who coined this inspirational travel quote, but they hit the fingernail on the head!

22: “To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.”- Aldous Huxley

In perhaps the timeliest travel quote of all, Huxley reminds us that countries themselves aren’t bad , nor are their residents. Governments can be corrupt, but the spirit of the people always lives on.

Live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds …

Traveling tends to magnify all human emotions.

23:” Stuff your eyes with wonder, live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or pay off in factories .”- Ray Bradbury

Nothing can replace the thrill of travelling for me. I’d rather assure things in the real world than expend my day imagining them. None of the entertainment devices that humans have invented can come close to the joy I experience exploring the world.

24: “Traveling tends to magnify all human emotions.” — Peter Hoeg

I’ve been at my best, and at my absolute worst while traveling. Emotions are bigger during these trip-ups because there’s so much new information to process. Peter’s traveling quote reveals a truth that many travelers can relate to.

READ MORE: My Favorite Travel Books& Writers

You don’t have to be rich …

If you reject the food& ignore the customs ..

25:” You don’t have to be rich to travel well .”- Eugene Fodor

Creator of the famous Fodor Guides Eugene Fodor’s quote assists highlight that people of almost any budget can travel. For instance, a few years ago I hitchhiked across the United Country for 5 weeks, and “its one” of my best travel experiences.

26: “If you reject the food, ignore the customs, dread the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.”- James Michener

I completely agree with Michener. There’s really no point in traveling to a new nation if you’re only interested in staying inside the walls of a resort. I believe that the point of traveling is to learn about new cultures and customs and truly open our minds.

People don’t take journeys … 27:” People don’t take journeys, trips take people .”- John Steinbeck

Here’s another quote that isn’t exactly true. While not wholly fake, it is a paraphrase of Steinbeck’s actual terms in Travels With Charley: In Search Of America that reads :P TAGEND “A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all schemes, precautions, policies and coercion are fruitless. We find after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us .”

Going on a trip may start with a lot of planning, but the truth is that once you arrive somewhere new, the area instantly begins to change you.

28: “When overseas you learn more about your own country, than you do the place you’re visiting.”- Clint Borgen

If you think your country does everything the right way and is adored by other nations, you’ll definitely have those notions put to the test when you enter another country. I’ve learned so much better about the route my nation is viewed on the international arena. This is the perfect travel quote for Instagram or Pinterest.

29: “To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of traveling is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.”- Bill Bryson

Have you ever felt the rain on your skin in multiple countries? I have, and I’m here to tell you that it’s always a thrilling sensation each time it happens somewhere new. By traveling, I’ve learned to appreciate things that I is usually ignore.

Short Travel Quotes

Life is either a daring adventure …

Travel is never a matter of money …

30: “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”- Helen Keller

Just like everyone else, I expend some of my days sitting on a couch watching television. Of course, these aren’t the moments that define me , nor are they what I think of when straying through my favorite memories. It’s the adventurous side of life that makes living truly worthwhile to me.

31:” Travel is never a matter of fund, but of courage.” — Paulo Coelho

Yes, travelling does require some money. However, you’ll also need to gather enough fortitude to temporarily cast off everything about your daily life that makes it so comfortable — and boring.

32:” Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and enjoy the journey .”- Babs Hoffman

I used to obsess over every single little thing that could go wrong during a trip-up. This caused me to too plan everything. Little things can go wrong anywhere, so they’re not worth worrying about.

33:” He who would travel merrily must travel light .”- Antoine de St. Exupery

This became one of my travel mottoes after an unfortunate experience trying to schlep a massive knapsack from the airport to a hotel via public transportation. I know exactly what ol’ Antoine was talking about in this travel quote!

34: “Every man can transform the world from one of monotony and drabness to one of exhilaration and adventure.”- Irving Wallace

If we’re being honest with ourselves, the routines of daily life are monotonous. For me, all it takes is a trip to a new city or country to reignite my sense of adventure.

READ MORE: How To Find The Cheapest Flights

Not all those who wander …

Strangers should be friends.

35:” Not all persons who stray are lost .”- J.R.R. Tolkien

Tolkien’s wisdom truly shines through in this quote. I have applied it to several of my trip-ups by allowing myself to simply wander through a new land as opposed to plotting everything out first.

36: “The more I traveled the more I realized that fear induces strangers of people who should be friends.”- Shirley MacLaine

This quote is as relevant today as it was when it was first uttered. People have an unfortunate tendency to claim others as their foe without even getting to know them first. This is an issue that’s propagated by anxiety of the unknown, and it has led to a lot of lost opportunities throughout history.

37:” I travel a lot; I hate having my life disrupted by routine .”- Caskie Stinnett

Staying in one place for too long definitely constructs my wanderlust start itching for a new adventure. Routine has its place, but too much of it makes me feel stagnant. I love shaking up my daily life by visit a new place and immersing myself inside a different culture.

A mind that is stretched by experience …

Happiness is a way of travel …

38:” A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions .”- Oliver Wendell Holmes

Everything I’ve learned during my travellings has forever expanded and changed my mind. This travelling quote depicts Holmes clearly grew in a similar way by visiting new lands.

39: “Remember that happiness is a way of travel- not a destination.”- Roy M. Goodman

Many chase the elusive dream of happiness when they should be embracing it inside of each little moment, as Roy alludes to in this inspiring quote. I learned long ago that happiness is found in the details.

Road Trip Quotes Life begins at the end of your convenience zone … 40:” Life begins at the end of your consolation zone .”- Neale Donald Walsch

What is your comfort zone? If I’d never learned to stretch mine, I’d still sit right on the same couch after run every single day for the rest of my life. Instead, I challenged myself to tackle new challenges and to see areas of the world that had intimidated me.

41: “Once in a while it genuinely hits people that they don’t have to experience the world in the way they have been told to.”- Alan Keightley

One of my favorite travel memories involves sitting on a sidewalk in Nicaragua eating some chicken& rice. I watched local people walk by for at least 30 minutes, going about their daily routines. This simple experience still defines Nicaragua for me in a way that visiting a famous tourist attraction never could.

42: “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of insuring things.”- Henry Miller

I frequently remind myself of this quote about traveling from Henry Miller. After all, simply checking off travel locations means nothing if you don’t allow each journey to change you in some manner. I love to soak up a new culture and learn more about the locals’ point of view.

I haven’t been everywhere but … 43: “I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.”- Susan Sontag

Every place on the planet has great potential to help us learn and grow. That’s the primary reason that there’s nowhere in the world I wouldn’t run if I had safe passageway. Right now, there are some cities and nations that aren’t very welcoming, but I’d still love to see them someday.

44: “Nobody can discover the world for somebody else. Merely when we discover it for ourselves does it become common ground and a common bond and we cease to be alone.”- Wendell Berry

You cannot maybe hope to learn the true nature of the world by doing nothing more than reading about it. As valuable as reading is, it always takes a backseat to discovering the world for yourself.

READ MORE: Money Saving Travel Resource

Take only memories … 45: “Take only memories, leave merely footprints.”- Chief Seattle

This is one of the classic travel quotes that everyone would be well-advised to remember. It breaks my heart to see historic areas filled with trash by careless travelers. We have a responsibility to preserve things as much as possible.

46: “Two roads diverged in a timber and I- I took the one less traveled by.”- Robert Frost

I took Frost’s words at face value in my teen years, but as an adult, I realize there’s much more to his sentiment. Seeing and doing the same things as everyone else can make it difficult to discover your own true identity.

47: “There is no moment of delight in any pilgrimage like the beginning of it.”- Charles Dudley Warner

The start of each new trip is an exciting time that’s characterized by a mixture of wonder and fear. You have no idea if the trip will go as planned, but the unknown is what builds everything so exciting.

Oh the places you’ll run! 48:” Oh the places you’ll run .”- Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss serves as a reminder that we can go anywhere if we stop putting restrictions on ourselves. The world is waiting; we are only have to have the courage to answer the call. Doing this, again and again, has given my life meaning.

49:” It is not down in any map; true places never are .”- Herman Melville

Much like the hidden parts of our spirits, we cannot hope to find something completely original and unspoiled without stray from the map. I devote myself the freedom to explore anything that catches my attention.

Invest in yourself through travel … 50: “Investment in traveling is an investment in yourself.”- Matthew Karsten

Yup. I’m Matthew Karsten, and I totally just snuck in one of my own traveling quotes. Haha! But I really mean this too. When I first quit my unfulfilling day task to go backpacking around the world, I didn’t know what I was doing, or where it would all take me. But traveling taught me a lot about life, as well as myself.

51: “For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.”- Robert Louis Stevenson

Stevenson was much more than only a idolized novelist; he was also a travel writer. This particular inspiring quote has always spoken to me. The exhort to go somewhere new , no matter where it is, often grabs me.

52: “Our happiest moments as tourists always seem to come when we stumble upon one thing while in pursuit of something else.” — Lawrence Block

There is nothing more exciting than turning a corner while traveling and receiving something riveting. I remember this happening when I stumbled onto a work of art by street artist Banksy. I don’t even remember my original destination, but I do remember the style I felt looking at Banksy’s art!

Better to see something once … 53: “Better to see something once than hear about it a thousand times.”- Asian Proverb

This is, by far, my favorite Asian proverb, and it’s truly one of the world’s most accurate travel quotes. I am always in awe when I find myself standing in front of an iconic landmark. Sometimes, they’re less impressive than the narratives I’ve heard, but even that’s a worthwhile experience.

54: “Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.”- Jack Kerouac

Is there anyone more uniquely qualified to provide insightful quotes about traveling than the author of” On the Road ?” Traveling doesn’t always go as smoothly as you’d expect. Despite this, I’ve discovered many times that the trip-up itself is every bit as arousing as the destination.

55: “Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comforts of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things — air, sleep, dreamings, the high seas, the sky. All things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.”- Cesare Pavese

Pavese’s volumes often spoke about loneliness and the inability to connect to others in a meaningful way. Although his commentary on traveling does contain some truth, I’ve always taken it with a grain of salt. Yes, traveling is also available brutal at times, but I believe it’s also one of the most freeing experiences a person can have.

56: “Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me … Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”- Shel Silverstein 57: “And then there is the most dangerous danger of all — the risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later.”- Randy Komisar

Many people say inspiring things, but Komisar has lived them as a successful venture capitalist. Don’t fall into the trap of believing there will eventually be a perfect time to follow your dreamings. Through traveling, I’ve learned the only perfect time is now.

Life is short and the world is wide …

Spending your life not doing …

58: “Life is short and the world is wide, the sooner you start exploring it, the better.”- Simon Raven

Controversial author Simon Raven said a lot of odd things in his time, but his traveling quotes were typically spot on. After all, the only way to see the entire world is to start take travel-sized bites out it as early as possible.

59: “The journey not the arrival matters.”- T.S. Eliot

Eliot’s poetry inspired countless novelists, but I’ve always been the most taken by this simplistic quote. When I first started traveling, I placed route too much focus on getting to my destination. By learning to let that go, I’ve developed some of my fondest traveling memories.

Unique Travel Quotes

Almost nothing is so familiar …

To travel is to live.

60: “To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travelling is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.”- Bill Bryson

If you want to read humorous but insightful books about traveling, you should definitely check out Bill Bryson. He’s absolutely right about not taking things for awarded on the road.

61: “To travel is to live.”- Hans Christian Andersen

I grew up reading Anderson’s fairy tales but didn’t know about his traveling writing until later. Now, I know that his many quotes about traveling truly captured the essence of why it’s so important to explore new areas.

62: “What you’ve done becomes the magistrate of what you’re going to do — especially in other people’s intellects. When you’re traveling, you are what you are right there and then. People don’t have your past to hold against you. No yesterdays on the road.”- William Least Heat Moon

Heat-Moon was so dedicated to writing unique travel books that he journeyed across the U.S. in a 1975 Econoline van. I also love the idea of get a fresh start in each new town.

63: “Travel makes a wise man better but a fool worse.”- Thomas Fuller

Fuller broke new ground with his literary skills, which allowed him to earn a living long before being an author was a viable full-time career for novelists. Some say that everyone is changed for the better by traveling, but Fuller warned us that this wasn’t the case.

There ain’t no surer route … 64: “I have found out that there ain’t no surer route to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.”- Mark Twain

American treasure Mark Twain wasn’t one to mince words, but his humor attained even the bitterest truths easier to swallow. Unfortunately, I found out the wisdom behind his words the hard way through experience.

65: “The most beautiful in the world is, of course, the world itself.”- Wallace Stevens

Stevens had a love for the simple things in life, as demonstrated in one of his titles:” The Emperor of Ice-Cream .” He’s also right; the entire world contains beauty. That’s why I long to travel to every country on earth.

There is no end to the escapades … 66: “We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm, and escapade. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.”- Jawaharial Nehru

It’s unsurprising that someone who learned directly from Gandhi would have such an inspiring way of looking at the world. Open your eyes to the beauty of a sunrise or waves rolling into the shore. No matter how many times you’ve seen them, they’re still full of beauty.

67: “I’m in love with cities I’ve never been to and people I’ve never met.”- Melody Truong

Melody Truong’s words resonate with me because they’re so full of truth. The impression of loving unexplored parts of the world is exactly what pushes me to keep traveling.

Take half the clothes and twice the money.

Travel to meet yourself …

68: “When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your fund. Then take half the clothes and twice the money.”- Susan Heller

Heller’s widely quoted travel proverb has influenced the way I travel. I used to pack way more than I needed, and this obstructed my travels. Cutting your luggage down and packing more money always makes things easier.

69: “Travel far enough, you meet yourself.”- David Mitchell

David Mitchell’s best-selling fictions typically involve traveling, as evidenced by this quote from” Cloud Atlas .” It’s difficult to get to know yourself when you’re stuck in the rut of normality. I always have the best self-awareness breakthroughs after a period of travel and inner reflection.

70: “Live your life by a compass , not a clock.”- Stephen Covey

People have turned to Covey for business advice for years, but I’ve found the most value in this one simple quote. I used to meticulously plan each journey down to the minute.

71: “I travel because it attains me realise how much I haven’t assured, how much I’m not going to see, and how much I still need to see.”- Carew Papritz

Being born in Yosemite National Park enabled the travel bug to bite Papritz at birth. His thought-provoking spin on the purpose of travel has greatly influenced me. I may never see it all, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try.

Wherever you go becomes a part of you … 72: “Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.”- Anita Desai

Indian novelist Anita Desai nails this one with her inspiring quote about traveling. We’re all shaped by each of our experiences. I love it that every new adventure helps shape me for the most wonderful.

73: “We travel for romance, we travel for architecture, and we travel to be lost.”- Ray Bradbury

Bradbury’s books often transport readers to another time or place. We cannot travel to other time periods in the real world, but we can take in the architecture of the past.

74: “Happiness is letting go of what you think your life is supposed to look like and celebrate it for everything that it is.”- Mandy Hale

Author Mandy Hale personifies her viewpoint as the” single girl with a story to tell .” I try to remind myself of this quote whenever life think this is spinning out of control.

75: “Wherever you go, go with all your heart! ”- Confucius

Confucius was an early proponent of social equality who urged people to live a life of morality and seriousnes. I’ve interpreted this quote to mean that it’s important to be fully committed to each new experience.

Ready To Travel The World?

Congratulations on read down this far! I know that was quite a list of inspiring traveling quotes from famous writers. But if you’re still sick with wanderlust, and ready to travel more, you’re in luck.

The travel blog you’re reading right now is how I make a living while traveling. Interested in doing the same?

Enjoy writing& photography? Check out my free guide to starting your own travel blog and make a living while traveling. Travelling Planning Resources Packing Guide

Check out my travel gear guide to help you start packing for your journey. Pick up a travel backpack, camera gear, and other useful traveling accessories.

Book Your Flight

Book cheap flights on Skyscanner, my favorite airline search engine to find bargains. Also read my tips for how I find the cheapest flights.

Rent A Car

Discover Car Hire is a great site for comparing automobile costs to find the best deal. They search both local& international rental companies.

Volume Accommodation

Booking.com is my favorite hotel search engine. Or rent local apartments on Airbnb ($ 35 discount !). Read my post for tips-off on booking inexpensive hotels.

Protect Your Trip

Don’t forget travel insurance! I’m a big fan of World Nomads for short-term trip-ups. Protect yourself from possible trauma& stealing abroad. Read more about why you should always carry travel insurance.

Enjoy This Post? Pin It!

READ MORE TRAVEL INSPIRATION& TIPS

I hope you enjoyed my guidebook to the best travel quotes for inspiration! Hopefully you procured it useful. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next :P TAGEND

Curious how I’m able to make money while traveling? This is how I get paid to travel. Mexico is one of my favorite destinations. Here are some fun things to do in the Yucatan Peninsula. Prepare for an Iceland road trip with my ultimate guidebook to driving Iceland’s Ring Road. Get inspired with incredible photos from Afghanistan that you won’t see in the news. Take better travelling photos with my useful guide to the best travel cameras for any budget.

Have any great travel quotes I might have missed? Which quote is your favorite? Drop me a message in the comments below!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond escapade blog.

Read more: expertvagabond.com

[simplemlmsponsoring]

New Post has been published on http://simplemlmsponsoring.com/attraction-marketing-formula/internet-marketing/the-ridiculously-useful-guide-to-snapchat-ads/

The Ridiculously Useful Guide to Snapchat Ads

Advertising on Snapchat has proven to be highly lucrative and, honestly, a lot of fun. Our team of paid acquisition specialists are particularly well versed in the importance of locking down a swipe up in six seconds or less. Though we may have originally underestimated the value of Snapchat, as the fast-moving social media introduced advertising for SMBs through a self-serve platform, we got back onboard the Snap bandwagon.

The 18- to 24-year-old age group continues to be drawn to Snapchat, despite rumors that the platform was being vacated by influencers. In fact, 186 million people use Snapchat every day, creating 3 billion snaps per day.  If you are trying to advertise to this younger demographic, start with Snapchat.

In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about Snapchat ads, including how to:

Define your campaign goals Choose a Snapchat ad format Target your audience on Snapchat Measure your success

Define Your Snapchat Campaign Goals

Like other social platforms, Snap has a few different advertising offerings to choose from. Depending on your goals and budget, Snapchat advertising provides different attachment types to effectively increase your ROI. Here’s a breakdown of each campaign goal that Snapchat can help you accomplish.

Brand Awareness and Video Views

This is the simplest way to advertise on Snapchat, because you’re only asking users to watch a video – an action they are already in the app to do. Keep it short and sweet! Insider tip: Snapchat advertisers report that ad fatigue is far higher on Snapchat than other social advertising platforms. To avoid this, make a few different versions of your video ads.

Web Views and Conversions

Pushing prospects to your website and down the sales funnel to a conversion through Snapchat advertising is probably the most popular way to advertising goal for this platform. If you are a Snapchat user, you’ve absolutely been served ads that encourage you to swipe up, read more, or check out the site.

Lead Generation

For those trying to expand the top of your marketing funnel, Snapchat advertising has you covered. You can create ads within Ad Manager to drive users to download, form fill, or register.

App Installs and Engagement

Snapchat advertising is uniquely targeted to mobile users in ways that Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and others can relate to but never quite imitate. Use this to your advantage when building out a Snap advertising campaign! You know that if a user is opening, viewing, or swiping up on a snap, they are on their phone. Your prospects are inches of touchscreen away from the app store – or a tap away from a deep link placing them right where you want them in-app, but more on that in a minute.

Importantly, Snapchat advertising recently introduced down-funnel event tracking, from app installs to opens and conversions in-app. Use this with your third-party tracking platform to accurately measure the success of your campaigns.

Deep Linking in Snapchat Ads

Deep linking! A phenomenon that swept the mobile advertising world a few years ago, deep linking allows a user to land in a section of a mobile application. Snapchat advertising allows marketers to deep link from their ad into their app, bringing users exactly where you would want them. Be sure to test deep links against your run-of-the-mill links; you might be surprised at the results.

Brand Engagement

Almost half of college students on Snapchat would open a snap from a brand they didn’t know; almost three-quarters would open a snap from a brand they did know. Most of them are looking for discounts or promotions and are open to purchasing after viewing a product via Snapchat. The door to brand engagement is already wide open, your social media acquisition specialists just need to walk through it.

Catalog Sales

I’m not talking about your mother’s Land’s End in the mailbox – Snapchat advertising is bringing catalogs into a whole new age. With the release of Collection Ads, Snapchat now allows advertisers to drive catalog sales through a phone screen. Shoppers officially spend more time on their mobile devices than a desktop. Don’t fall behind the times!

Snapchat Ad Formats

When Snapchatters see advertising within the app, it feels seamless, which is a nod to their brand designers. Once you’ve determined your goals for Snapchat campaigns, you should consider which types of ads would work best to reach and engage your audience. The good news? Each of these formats is versatile! Pick your poison.

Snap Ads: The Basics

Snap Ads come in a variety of flavors, but what you should be thinking when you hear “Snap Ad” or “Top Snap” is your typical advertisement that prompts you to swipe up. Whether it is in a snap story or in the discover tab, the main point of action that snapchat advertising drives is a swipe. These live within stories and can drive users to a website, an app, a video, AR lens, or the app store.

These ads are 3-10 seconds in length, and make sure to follow Snapchat advertising restrictions when you set them up:

Upload a 1080 x 1920 px JPEG or PNG image, that will be converted into a 5 second video for a photo to video conversion Remember that if you add an attachment to your Snap Ad, Snapchat will apply a call to action and caret at the bottom of the advertisement Always include a brand name that matches the paying advertiser and a headline Format for full screen and vertical Make sure your ad is appropriate for viewers 13 years old and up

Story Ads

Snapchat Story Ads allow advertisers to place a branded tile in the Discover section of the Snapchat application. When users tap the tile, it opens into a collection of ads, anywhere between three and twenty placements. For this type of ad, Snapchat lays out the design for you, based on assets you deliver. You’ll need:

A headline, up to 34 characters A brand name, up to 25 characters Attachments, if you’re optimizing for a swipe up And individual files for each Snap Ad within the story

Snapchat Story Ads are a branded content experience, not unlike playable or rewarded ads. Creating a narrative that will quickly engage users is your highest priority; don’t bother with an introduction! Dive right into it!

Snapchat Filters

I would bet that every Snapchat advertiser wishes that they could have designed the dog-face filter; imagine the reposts that drive monumental brand awareness. Though native to Snapchat, that filter is a fitting example of what advertisers should emulate when creating their own. These filters should represent your brand in a fun, relevant way. When designing and purchasing Snapchat filters, keep your customers in mind: Where will they will be using these? Why should they?

And remember these specs:

1080 by 2340-pixel image 300 KB or less PNG with transparent background 210-pixel buffer zone at the top and bottom of the screen for larger phones 74 pixels for the send arrow 32 pixels for the “sponsored” designation Portrait orientation Should occupy less than 25% of the screen

Finally, KISS (keep it simple, stupid). Try not to fill the Snapchat filter with dense, deep graphics. Give the people what they want!

AR Lenses

Lenses are monetizing a classic Snapchat interaction. Users were first drawn to Snapchat because of the amusing (and flattering) filters at their disposal – who doesn’t want everyone to see them in perfect lighting?! This ad type allows brands to create interactive moments through augmented reality. Snapchatters can flip up sunglasses, stick out their dog tongue, shake their head to reveal a robot underneath, all with a brand logo stuck in the corner.

There are two types of lenses, the Face Lens and World Lens. Face Lenses feature innovative technology to recognize a user’s eyes, mouth, and head to transform into the characters your brand creates. A World Lens detects your location to map the environment around you. Users can use the rear-facing camera (aka the normal camera) to view their world through a different light. 

While there are some logical restrictions on the content of your lens (don’t use profanity or change the user’s race or skin color, etc.), the world is your oyster when it comes to these Snapchat ads. Some best practices to keep in mind:

Lenses must feature your brand logo or name, but make sure not to obscure the face of the user. Snapchat recommends placing it in the top right or left corner. Snapchat will add a “SPONSORED” tag to the ad, which will appear for two seconds before disappearing.

Collection Ads

In Snapchat’s most recent development of their programmatic offering, they rolled out Collection Ads! These ads allow advertisers to showcase a series of products. This ad type also gives users a fun, seamless way to shop and buy. If you haven’t seen a Collection Ad in real life yet, it is a basic Snapchat video ad with a ribbon of thumbnail-sized products at the bottom.

Collection Ads can be created based on a product catalog, allowing the products featured to be dynamic, or they can be created manually with uploaded tile images. Because this ad type has more pieces than just a simple Snap Ad, there are more requirements to fill out within Ads Manager. They’ll ask for unique links, calls to action, and swipe up URLs, and then Snap will apply the “AD” denotation.

Targeting through Snapchat Advertising

Now that you’ve defined your campaign goals and started to create your ads, you’ll want to set up audience targeting so that these ads appear for your ideal prospects. Like Facebook, you can reach Snapchat users based on a crazy number of categories. Unlike Facebook, Snapchat will tell you exactly where this data is coming from – whether it is Comscore, Nielsen, Placed, Datalogix, or any other data provider. This means that you can get super specific: you can target Fox News viewers, moms with kids in high school, recent visitors of an autobody shop, people with an interest in craft beer – there are countless possibilities.

For Filter and Lens ads, you’ll be prompted to select a location, but you can layer location onto other Snapchat ads, as well. Snapchat Ads Manager allows you to select a state, city, or zip code, or you can set a radius around a certain location.

Finally, like their social advertising counterparts, Snapchat allows marketers to create custom audiences and lookalikes. Lookalikes can be based on a file from your own CRM of prospects or website visitors. Custom audiences can target the same people – visitors or prospects – and retarget Snapchatters that have already engaged with your ads.

Measuring Success through Snapchat Advertising

While every platform advertises a suite of analytics, Snapchat’s might be my favorite. While staying on brand – everything is yellow! – they highlight segments that interact with your ads, even if you did not include those specific segments in the campaign. By increasing the relevance of your campaigns, you are improving the user experience and saving money. Basically, the platform helps you improve your campaign targeting and cut down costs. It’s a win-win-win for advertisers, Snapchat, and Snapchatters.

Pay attention to these stats! In the campaign highlighted above, Snapchat let us know that Shoppers, Liquor & Spirits Drinkers, and Shopping Mall Shoppers (how specific is that?!) were most likely to swipe up on the advertisement. By narrowing our scope to those specific segments – and cutting down on females and android users – we were able to decrease the cost-pe-swipe up by a couple of cents. Two pennies don’t seem like that big of a deal, but two pennies 600,000 times? That makes a dent.

Now, Go and Get Snapping!

All in all, Snapchat has a robust advertising platform, through which you can control your own destiny using their Ads Manager. If you’re a direct-to-consumer brands, give it a try. It’s cheap, fun, and maybe you’ll see success!

Read more: wordstream.com

[cutieodonoghue]

let’s just be us

summary: based on this post by @bleebug (rockstar!killian and movie star!emma secretly dating, but those pesky fans figure it out...)

word count: ~3500

an: thanks to @swans-and-pirates for being a stellar beta! <3

Emma Swan likes to think she has it all in order.

 Being an A-List celebrity is hard enough as it is, with paparazzi discovering her when she so much decides to go visit Starbucks for ten minutes. But, she has a plan and she has tricks that keep her relatively average.

 Trick number one: private social media accounts.

While she would like to be the kind of person who doesn’t spend her days scrolling through Facebook wondering what her exes look like now, she kind of is. For the most part she spends too much time on Pinterest and Instagram looking for ideas for decorating, fashion, and recipes.

 She gets a private Twitter account one slow Tuesday afternoon while she’s waiting to be taken to set.

 She’s working in Los Angeles for the next few days finishing up this action-adventure blockbuster and while it’s been fun, she cannot wait to get to fly out to New York to visit family and friends for a few weeks before she has to go shoot a television pilot for Netflix.

 Mary Margaret, who has crowned herself the President of Emma’s fan club, monitors everything Emma does like a hawk. Emma practically doesn’t need an agent or manager with Mary Margaret scouring the depths of the internet for every review and comment written about her.

 She only gets the private Twitter account because of one reason: she’s tired of the notifications and the stress of running her public account.

 She follows only a handful of names. It helps keep things clean and she can still scroll blankly through Twitter while not worrying about what people will think if she retweets a dozen pictures of puppies or if she starts tweeting at her favorite bakery about when they’ll have her favorite kinds of muffins again.

 It’s nice. It’s simple. And when she wants to make a public post, she can switch over quite easily.

 Her phone starts vibrating in her hand as she’s scrolling through her newly acquired private Twitter timeline and she rolls her eyes when she sees who’s calling her- his stupid big eyes shining bright blue and his dopey grin spread so wide across her screen.

 Emma slides to answer and pulls the device to her ear. She bites down on her lip as a smile spreads, forming dimples in her cheeks. “I thought you were too busy with Good Morning America for me today.”

 “Did you just follow me on Twitter under the username swangirl?” he immediately asks.

 Emma laughs. She shrugs her shoulders. “I made a private account, okay? I just want to be able to have some normal even though I can’t have that.”

 He hums. “I understand.” For a moment, he’s quiet. “My private account is thatjollyroger if you’d rather-”

 She laughs again and suddenly misses him a lot more than she has in a while. Her heart squeezes tight and she turns to look at her laptop’s desktop image. He’s kissing her cheek while she laughs, both of them sitting together on the small window seat in their New York City apartment.

 It’s her favorite picture. Mostly because Killian hadn’t insisted on taking a dozen to perfect the moment. It just was and they were.

 Killian Jones has been her secret boyfriend since they met on the set of one of his early music videos. It was about five years ago, and back then they weren’t under as much pressure as they are now, with the spotlight on them practically everywhere they turn.

 Back then, she was kind of famous, with a big movie under her belt, and she was starring in his music video as a favor to a friend. Killian was just getting into his big break as well, with his album hitting the Billboard Top 10.

 It’s been five years of growth since then. For both the two of them, and their careers.

 He’s a solo artist and a very popular one at that. Every time she turns on the radio, she hears one of his singles. He’s been traveling the world promoting his latest album, one he’s admitted to her in private was completely inspired by her.

 It makes her smile, her cheeks reddening, because Killian Jones could write about anything but he chose her.

 “I miss you,” Emma admits in a quiet voice. She presses her cheek against her shoulder and listens to his end- it’s awfully loud. She imagines the guys in his band are being rowdy while they wait to go on air.

 “I miss you more,” Killian says. He sighs. “What do you say I come to town on Friday? I do miss Cocoa Bean quite a bit.”

 Emma smiles, glancing over at the puppy curled up on her couch, napping as if she doesn’t get enough sleep.

 “She misses you too. But not as much as we miss Mister Smee.”

 “The scoundrel,” Killian laughs. “He’s been so out of sorts. He misses you and Cocoa too much.”

 Emma bites on her lip. Her stomach twists excitedly at the idea of him coming to town. They have an apartment here that she uses a lot more lately rather than sharing it with him. It’s been awhile since he’s been here.

 “What’s next on the tour?”

 “Ah...” Killian groans in consideration. “A few shows in Florida and then it’s over when we head back up to New York.”

 She smiles. “God, I can’t wait for tour to be over.”

 Her boyfriend laughs. “You should come to Florida with me after I come see you in LA. We could go to Disney World. Do you have anything going on?”

 Emma rolls her eyes. “You know if we went to Disney World together the whole planet would implode or something.”

 Killian practically whines, “But, Swan… think of the fun we’d have!”

 A smile twists at her lips. She considers it- riding rides, eating too much, and buying up all of the Mickey memorabilia they set their sights on. She can only imagine Killian Jones in the middle of it all.

 “You’re right. It would be fun.”

 “Plus you’ve got an in, don’t you? With that film you did last year.”

 She hears a knock at her trailer door and she sits upright, closing her laptop as she rises to her feet. “They want me on set. I gotta go, babe. We can talk about this later.”

 “Yeah, I should be on my way as well.”

 “Okay.”

 For a moment, they share a companionable silence, almost telling each other they wish it could be easier.

 “I love you.”

 “I love you too.”

 ..

 Emma’s second trick of being an A-List celebrity is this: no looking at reviews for stuff she’s done, and no looking into gossip. No matter what.

 She’s usually quite good at this. She stays clear of the drama and lives in a peaceful, blissful bubble with her puppy pictures and chocolate chip cookie recipes.

 However, sometimes the gossip comes to her.

 In this particular instance, she’s sitting up in bed with Killian in their hotel room in Orlando, having just made a post about flying out of LAX earlier that day.

 Her eyes narrow at the comments section and she actually laughs under her breath when she realizes what a lot of people seem to be talking about- she and Killian’s nearly identical posts about flying.

@ekforever: You and @killianjones both flying out of LAX at the same time???

@ahopper: @ekforever just because they’re at the same airport together doesn’t mean they even saw each other. Get a life. Let them live.

@ekforever: @ahopper check my page for the facts. They’re more than just friends.

It’s intriguing enough to draw her attention away from the comments section of her public Instagram and Twitter pages.

She clicks on @ekforever, discovering an Instagram account dedicated to pictures of she and Killian. To her surprise, the page has 312k followers, and an incredible amount of posts. She begins to scroll through, clicking on pictures to find out what they had to say about Killian’s GMA interview.

 One is a video that automatically plays- showing Killian’s ears and cheeks burning bright red when the interviewer asks, “I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask about Emma Swan. You were just on the set of her new film, recording a song with her for the soundtrack, right?”

 “Ah… I, yeah-”

 Their relationship to the public, at least what they’ve tried to paint a picture of, has always been close friends who often work together on small projects.

 They get together sometimes for dinner and take the occasional selfie to sate the Internet’s need to see them together, but that’s really it. Emma keeps her relationship with Killian as silent as she possibly can and Killian does the same.

 But apparently, according to this fan page, they’re failing quite epically at keeping things friendly.

 “What’re you looking at, Swan?” Killian asks, practically addicted to the sound of his own voice, propping his chin up on her shoulder.

 Emma turns slightly and shakes her head. Quickly, she clicks out of the page. “Nothing.”

 Her boyfriend makes a face at her. “I heard the GMA interview.”

 Emma closes her laptop and sets it aside. “I was just… looking at some gossip stuff. People are kind of crazy. Have you ever seen the fan pages?”

 “Of course I have,” Killian gives her an incredulous look. “Perhaps we’re just a little too obvious?”

 Emma shakes her head. “No. We’re not. Normal people wouldn’t notice that I was wearing your shirt two months ago when you were in Europe and I was in LA. Or that you were blushing like an idiot during the GMA interview at the mention of my name.”

 Killian arches his eyebrow. “Did they notice that…?”

 Emma rolls her eyes and kisses him to shut him up. Mostly, so she doesn’t have to think about the ramifications of their small slip-ups and mistakes. It works, both of them smiling into the kiss with Killian’s hand on her cheek.

 At the same time, their dogs decide to jump up onto the bed. She laughs against his lips when she gets a wet nose against her arm.

 “Hey, Smee,” she murmurs, reaching down to scratch beneath his ears. “How are you?”

 Killian takes the other puppy into his arms and kisses her head. “Miss Cocoa Bean, you and your brother are awfully eager to interrupt a good moment, aren’t you?”

 Emma smiles at her boyfriend and rests her cheek against his shoulder. She leaves a kiss to it and breathes him in, a somber feeling falling over her.

 “Do you think…” Emma bites on her lip. “What do you think would happen if we announced we were dating?”

 Killian tucks Cocoa against his stomach and continues to stroke her fur, much to her approval. When they got her, she was a tiny thing, so Killian took to calling her Cocoa Bean, even though Emma just wanted to call her Cocoa. Both are equally adorable.

 Emma leans away from Killian just a little, enough so she can see his contemplative expression.

 He smiles at her, shrugging his shoulder. “I suppose people would know we’re together.”

 It still causes her anxiety. Knowing just how popular they are. She’s afraid of what it’ll do to their relationship- being public.

 “I don’t want to lose you,” Emma admits in a whisper.

 Killian frowns. His hand cups the back of her head and he leaves a kiss to her forehead. “Hey, hey. You won’t ever lose me. I promise you that.”

 Emma sighs. She admires him- the way his hair hangs over his forehead, the laugh lines in his cheeks, the brilliant blue of his eyes. He’s her entire world.

 “I love you,” Emma tells him.

 Killian kisses the spot between her eyes, then gently over her eyes when they fall closed. His lips trace a pattern down her cheeks and then finally, he kisses her lips.

 “Emma Swan, I have loved you since the day I met you,” Killian murmurs. “And I’m not keen on ever letting you go.”

 Emma breathes out of her nose, opening her eyes to look up at him. Smee is curled up in her lap- his dog, while the puppy they’d chosen together is in his lap.

 “That sounds an awful lot like a proposal,” Emma teases, trying to keep from feeling like she could break down crying.

 She sits upright, their shoulders pressed together, while she strokes Smee’s fur.

 “Would you like it to be?”

 Her heart skips a beat and her jaw falls open. “I… no. I want you to propose when you’re ready.”

 Emma swallows. She stares at him and tears well up in her eyes when he twists a ring on his right hand.

 Killian holds the ring between his fingers, admiring it. “Liam gave this to me when I was sixteen.” He smiles a little. “He said it kept him safe and in turn, he hoped it would keep me safe as well.”

 Emma watches as her boyfriend spreads out one of her palms. He settles the ring down in her hand. Her heart races so fast and she has a hard time thinking straight with all of the thoughts whirring through her mind.

 “I want you to have it.” Killian adds. “Because even when I’m not with you… I am.”

 She can only imagine what the fans of theirs will think of this development, if they’ll even notice it, but Emma can’t find it in herself to really care too much.

 She smiles at Killian and kisses him firmly, their noses bumping afterwards.

 “So, like, are we secretly engaged now?” Emma asks, again teasing.

 Killian’s eyebrows dance playfully. “That would be interesting, wouldn’t it?” Emma shoves at him and he laughs heartily before kissing her cheek. “Only if you want to be.”

 Emma glares at him for a moment, but Killian takes it in stride. He takes her hand and squeezes it gently.

 “Let’s just be us, hm?”

 Emma finds peace with the statement. She smiles and nods. “Let’s just be us.”

 ..

 Emma doesn’t have a good excuse to use when she’s recognized in the backstage area of Killian’s show in Miami, sporting a ring hanging from a chain around her neck, so she just laughs and says she’s here to support her friend.

 She’s kind of stupid and high on actually being here to support her guy, so she takes a bunch of pictures with some of the behind the scenes crew and with fans that come for a private meet-and-greet. She ends up being there for the whole thing, engaging with the fans as much as Killian does.

 It’s fun. Getting to be here with him, seeing how he is in his element.

 She’s seen him like this, of course, before. They’ve been together for five years. Five chaotic years, but she’s still been able to come to shows just as much as he’s been able to spend time on set with her.

 She loves him so much.

 The best part of being at the show has to be the way he stares at her from the stage. It’s as if she’s the only one in the crowded room.

 “This one’s for you, darling,” he says, dedicating the sappiest of his love songs to her.

 It’s enough to make her blush. She hides her face in her hands for a moment and then sets her sight on him, her hands clasped together over her heart while she sways and sings along to the song.

 She loves him so much sometimes it hurts to think about it.

 ..

 The hotel room is a bit of a mess when Emma wakes up on the morning they’re going to finally be heading home to New York City.

 Killian had woken up before her a few minutes ago and he’d immediately gone to take a shower.

 She hears the water hitting the shower floor as she runs her fingers through her hair. It’s a disaster, but she doesn’t have a hair tie around her wrist like she usually does. She imagines she’ll find one eventually.

 Emma sits down in front of her laptop at the desk and while she waits for it to boot up, she smiles slightly at the crumpled mess of bed sheets and pillows strewn about.

 Killian’s guitar is sitting against the desk. He’d played for her when they came back to the room last night, because she said she wanted to hear a song. He was more than happy to oblige her.

 Cocoa curls up by Emma’s feet after she dresses herself in her favorite travel outfit- a band shirt and jeans. Emma smiles at the puppy and looks around for Smee, who has decided to sit himself down on the end of the bed behind her.

 Emma’s heart swells happily when she sees she has a few texts from Mary Margaret and David excited to see her later today and she bites down on her lip as she goes into her Instagram.

 She last used it on her private account, so she doesn’t think twice about where she’s posting this.

 It’s a simple post about how excited she is to get to go home to New York City. She decides to post a selfie, because she feels good. She doesn’t really care what’s captured in the image, because Mary Margaret, one of the thirty seven followers she has on this account, won’t care- she’ll just be excited to see Emma so excited.

 Killian comes out of the bathroom, bringing with him the fresh scent of the warm shower he’d taken.

 “Good morning,” she says, looking up at him while she hits post to Twitter as well as Instagram as a force of habit.

 “Good morning, love,” Killian approaches her. He’s only wearing a towel around his hips, secured with a flimsily tucked knot.

 As soon as he kisses her and his hair drips onto her shoulder, she scrunches her nose up at him. “When’s the flight leave?”

 Killian takes his fingers through his hair and sighs as he thinks about it. “We’ve got two hours before we need to be at the airport.”

 Her phone begins vibrating in her palm and she frowns when she sees Regina’s name on the screen. She bites her lip. “I should take it. It’s Regina.”

 Killian nods in understanding.

 “Hey, Regina-”

 “Emma, I thought we were keeping him a secret,” Regina says pointedly.

 Emma frowns, her heart starting to race fast. She walks into the living area of the hotel room while Killian returns to the bathroom.

 “What are you talking about?”

 “The post you just made?” Regina asks. “Emma, you’re basically shouting from the rooftops ‘I’m dating Killian Jones.’”

 Emma’s eyes widen and a sick feeling sinks to the pit of her stomach. “I… what?”

 “Guitar in the lower left hand corner… his dog on the bed,” Regina lists off. “Not to mention you have sex hair.”

 Emma gasps. “I do not!”

 “Listen, I’m just trying to help because this is one thing you’ve been adamant about. Delete the post as soon as you can.”

 Emma pulls her phone away from her face and puts Regina on speaker.

 “I’m looking to see what the damage is…” Emma pulls up her public Instagram page and grimaces at the picture. “I meant to post this on my private page.”

 Regina sighs. “Okay, well, we can fix this if you take it down right now, Emma. The more time you take to delete, the more people who see it.”

 Her heart is practically in her throat and she can hardly breathe, much less think straight.

 Emma spies Killian stepping into the hotel room, not a care in the world. He sits down on the edge of the bed and lifts his guitar into his lap, beginning to pluck a few notes. He grins at Cocoa, who goes to greet him at his feet.

 And it’s enough to make Emma’s heart at ease.

 She steps into the room again, meeting Killian’s eyes and offering him a mirrored grin.

 “Regina, I want to… keep it up,” Emma says into her phone, though she keeps a smile on her face while she stares at Killian. “I’m engaged to Killian Jones.”

 “Emma-”

 She doesn’t hear what else Regina has to say, because she’s focused on the way Killian’s eyes brighten and how he sets his guitar down again before he goes to her and lifts his eyebrows.

 “Engaged?” he asks.

 She lowers her phone after hanging up on Regina. She knows Regina’s already calling her back, desperately confused and needing answers, but Emma doesn’t want to give them.

 Emma sucks in a breath and searches his eyes. She scrunches up her nose at him. “Yeah. If that’s okay with you.”

 Killian wraps his arms around her and laughs, his nose bumping hers. “Darling, it’s more than okay.”

 Emma’s eyes fall closed and she kisses him, adoring the way he gently squeezes her sides before he takes her left hand.

 “We’ll need to get you an engagement ring as soon as possible,” he says. “And, bloody hell, I should tell my manager.”

 Emma laughs happily. She shakes her head. “No, we don’t need to say anything.” She bites her lip. “Let’s just be us.”

 He grins, soft and slow. “Let’s just be us.”

[melyaliz]

The Yellow Umbrella pt.5

Masterlist 

Fandom: Marvel 

Summary: Eating cookies and whip cream -NOT- off each other 

Pairing: Demon Lord! Loki x Reader

Notes: I’ve been struggling with this story. Like I have the outline and everything but… I feel just a little lost with where I am going. So I may take a small break. Idk.  I think it’s more I want it to be funnier but I don’t think it is. Then again I’m reading it over several times. 

Or it’s just me 

All Masterlists @melyalizarchive

Connect with me! AO3 / Instagram / Pinterest

DONATE or REQUEST

------------------------------------

Loki sat up looking around the bedroom, curled up in a soft blanket and cuddled up with a stuffed pig. His new friend. His pig was getting more action with him than his secretaries at the moment. He had been here more in the past few days than his own bedroom really. 

Maybe he was acquiring a taste for cotton over silk. 

Getting up he noticed the fluffy pink robe laying on the floor. Picking it up he gracefully wrapped it over his body. Sadly there were no slippers. It did, much to his delight, have a hood with bunny ears.

“Well don’t you look adorable” the lady of cotton said looking up as Loki walked into the living room. She was scrolling on her phone as the tv played. A plate of cookies and can of whipped cream on the table in front of her. Loki just nodded, pulling the hood over making the bunny ears flop in front of his face. 

“I felt like I needed some sugar this morning,” she said, noticing him looking at her place of sugar. “If you want some you will have to risk Mr Mewoly”

“For those cookies, I will take the risk.” Loki’s pink ears bounced as he made his way to the kitchen. A pot of coffee sat on the counter as well. Opening the cabinet where he remembered seeing Yue pull out a mug he was greeted by a line of cream cups all etched with dark lettering  “Coffee, Hot chocolate, Tea” as well as some bowls that said soup pasta, and cereal. 

Pulling out an appropriate Coffee mug and helping himself to come coffee before risking his life grabbing a few cookies from the demonic cat’s body. Was it just him or did it’s eyes look even eviler than he remembered? Maybe he should get one of those, to guard his office when he isn't around. 

“I like your informinate dishware” Loki said, flopping onto the couch next to Yue who smiled at him. 

“It’s so I don’t forget.” she said as Loki grabbed her feet draping them over his lap before,“By the way, these cookies are amazing. Totally worth the risk.”

Loki nodded as he added a healthy amount of whip cream to his cookie before taking a bite, “Jeff, my assistant, got them for me.” 

“Oh fancy you have an assistant.”

“That I do.” Loki said, taking another bite of his cookie. His free hand gently stroked her ankle as he studied the TV. The two twins were battling some crazy puppets or something. He wasn’t totally paying attention, still waking up.  

“So your assistant’s name is Jeff huh. Do you also have a name?” Yue asked. Loki paused licking sweet cream from his lips as she flashed him a cheeky grin, “See what I did there, smooth.” 

He couldn’t help but chuckle, She was as cute as her choice of robes and dishware, “Very” taking the last bite of his cookie he savored the taste for a moment before speaking again,  “Loki… and you?”

“Loki?” she let out a light laugh “what are you some norweedic god or something? Did you parents hate you? Like Thor I could see but… Loki? Wasn’t he like… the bad guy”

“Not bad necessarily… more like... smarter than everyone else.” 

“Still, Loki? Why not just say Hades, at least that bitch was loyal.”   

“Laugh it up, what’s your name?” 

“Yue”

He tried, but really he didn’t have much to say to that, “it fits you.” he said nodding. It did. It fit her like everything else in this apartment. It was just so… her. 

“So…” she said settling back into her couch of comfort, “Please don’t take this the wrong way but, I like this…. thing we have going.”

“Speaking of loyalty.” Loki said, raising an eyebrow, “I don’t really do relationships… I mean this has been fun, don’t get me wrong but, I’m not about to feed you some pomegranate seeds or whatever.”

“No, that’s what I mean. I like THIS” she motioned between the two of them, “No strings attached. Feeling like we don’t own anything to the other person.” 

“Well in that case I’m all for this thing we have.” 

“So you’ll keep stopping by?”

“I’m only a text away.” 

Nodding Yue pulled out her phone handing it to him, “I’m here for texting. I like to do things with my friends.” 

“Never want to get in the middle of that.” Loki said taking the phone entering his number, “I can always meet after if you're down.” 

“Deal” 

Her hand was still out so Loki took it and shook. Making it officially official. His slender fingers wrapping around her own. 

It felt like the beginning of something. But the fact was it kind of was.

The beginning of nothing. 

-----

“So you guys basically shook on being hook up buddies?” Sammie asked as she took a cookie from the plate that was on the table. 

“I think it’s cute” Riley said, “did you get him some snacks or are we special?”

“Well he actually got us those cookies,” Yue nodded down the now demolished plate of cookies. She had brought over to Sammie’s apartment for movie time, she would say night but it was more early evening. They were watching clueless with a bowl of carrots. And cookies because Yue refused to spend the whole night eating only healthy food even if it was for the memes. 

“He’s hot AND he gets your amazing sweets!?!” Riley moaned, “Are we sure this guy isn’t fake?” 

“Like what?” Sammie shickred, “Is he a cardboard cutout?” 

“Yes, he’s just got a cutout of Brendon Urie and I have been carrying him around pretending it’s my side piece.”

“I like how this cardboard cutout isn’t even your boyfriend. He’s a side piece which means you can sleep with other cardboard cutouts.” Sammie picked at the hole in her sock that had been slowly growing since the movie started. 

“I have Paul Rudd bringing me cake for lunch and Frank Sinatra delivering pizza for dinner.” 

“Living the dream” Riley chuckled, “Oh I have an idea! After this movie  let’s find you something to help him eat your cookie” holding up the image of a local sex shop on her google maps. “They close late like a good sex shop too.” 

“Really Riley?” Sammie said looking up at the shop skeptically. “We have like 6 other movies planned.” 

“We could always watch them after. Go on a quick adventure.” 

“Adventure!” Yue giggled, “Come on Sammie maybe we can find you something tasteful for your presentation on Monday.” 

“Yes I’m sure the Magic Cherry will have JUST what I need to help me pitch my website design on Monday.”  

“Something Leather maybe? I’m sure the party planning company will be super into it.” 

“Yue’s right, after all they ARE all about partying.” 

Sammie fought back a smile as she tossed Yue a hoodie. “Let’s just get there before they close. I don’t want to be those jerks who are there when the workers want to leave.” 

Yue nodded following her friends out bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. Feeling giddy with excitement. “This is the craziest thing I have ever done.” 

------------------------

“It was the craziest thing I have ever done” 

“That’s where you have been? Doing the craziest thing ever?” Jeff asked as he came up behind Loki holding his black umbrella. Loki surveyed the dark road as they both slowly walked under the large red bridge. 

“Yep we watched this show called Gravity Falls.” 

“What?” 

“It’s a popular children’s cartoon.” 

“A children’s show?” 

“We ate cookies with whip cream.” 

“Off each other?” 

“Out of bowls,” Loki pulled out a pair of white rubber gloves from his pocket, putting them on. 

“Oh, did you… was she young?” 

“For human standards no, you know I don’t mess with anyone who is not within reason.” 

“Cookies for breakfast is the craziest thing you have ever done? Really?” Jeff sighed, closing the umbrella shaking it. Most of the rain had slowed at this point and from where they were standing it wasn’t really doing much good anyway. 

Loki chuckled slowly crouching down. Holding out his hand he waited for Jeff to hand him his cane. Which he did. “I wore a fluffy pink robe with bunny ears.”

“I guess it’s important to have new experiences.” his assistant sniffed looking around tugging his coat closer to himself. 

Loki nodded using the sharp end of his cane to poke at something. 

A dead body. Half its face already decaying in the muddy ground, eyes missing. Around it several others. All their eyes missing bits of their body decaying.

“You sent these vampires out only two days ago.” Jeff, “You think it’s the faceless?” 

“No” Loki sighed standing up, “This is something else. Something worse.” 

“What should I tell the others?” 

“Stay in packs and if anyone knows anything to come to me right away.” Loki turned surveying the site that lay before them. He had sent for the vampires from Seattle to go down to LA to check on Brandon after the LA demon hadn’t shown up for their meeting. While not unusual it hadn’t sat right with Loki. 

Now with almost ten vampires laying here dead and the rest missing he was starting to worry. If someone had overthrown Brandon they would normally approach Loki. New terf lords would want to make a truce with the most powerful Demon Lord on this continent. 

No news, in this case, meant nothing good. 

-------------

“They have butt plugs that have tails,” Riley said holding a pretty pink and glitter one, “And a unicorn horn, I could fulfill all my little kid dreams and become a unicorn.” 

“Please don't refer to yourself as a little girl in here” Sammie frowned, “It’s weird.”

“Ok, sorry sorry.” Riley said looking over the other items on the wall. “I have been wanting to try these,” she said, pulling a pair of nipple clamps. Sammie, already feeling VERY out of place just looked down at her phone nodding.

“Get whatever you want, I just don’t want to picture you and Sam… doing stuff.” 

“Ok fine,” Riley said, grabbing ones she thought she would like before walking over to Yue who was looking over a rack of panties.

“Find anything fun?” 

“Yeah a few things, What do you think?” she asked, holding up a lacy lingerie. A pretty green color.  

“Love the color” Riley nodded before grabbing a pair of fluffy black cuffs, “Get these too,” 

“Ok but I want the pink ones,” Yue giggled thinking about the morning where Loki had dressed up in her bunny robe. He looked good in it. Under all that eyeliner and studds he was just a big dork. She found it hilarious and would do everything to keep messing with that side for her own amusement. 

“So are you guys meeting up tonight?” Sammie asked, coming up nodding toward the set Yue was holding approving. 

“No he hasn’t texted me.” 

“So what about late dinner? Gary was saying we should go out to this speakeasy place.”

“Oh let me text Sam,” Riley said, “He’s been wanting to go there. Yue you can just find your Paul Rudd while we are out.”

“Or just enjoy the company I’m with.” Yue snickered, “I don’t have to spend every night hooking up.” 

“What’s the fun in that?” The cashier chuckled as she took Yue’s things. 

“A girl needs at least one night to herself.” 

“Well you got the wrong stuff for a night by yourself.” the cashier said as she wrapped everything up, “But I do have some dildos on sale if you want some you time.” 

--------------------------

Sam had responded almost immediately that he would pick the girls up. Something about a long week and just wanting to be with his lady. So rushing back to their apartment the girls quickly changed out of their jeans and hoodies into more slutty hipster attire. (A girl’s gotta dress the occasion after all) 

Once she was more speakeasy and less “I am cuddling with my two best friends watching movies” Yue grabbed her bag and walked outside her apartment. After locking her door she turned almost running into a tall dark haired man. Dressed in a red leather jacket he was smoking a cigarette. Yue’s eyes instantly went up to the man’s bold white streak that ran across the front of his black hair. Blue eyes looking down at her amused. 

“Oh, excuse me.” 

The large man shrugged holding out his cigarette pack “Want one?” 

Yue shook her head, thrusting her keys back into her purse, “I’m good thanks.” 

He nodded putting the pack away, “You’re all dressed up, going somewhere fun?” 

“Yeah just dinner with friends.” 

“Nice, I’m visiting a friend, know any good places to go?” 

“Uh well we are going to Idain Basian but if you want something more happening, maybe like Valencia street?” 

“Oh sounds good, I’m not big on waterfronts.” 

“Well I hate to break it to you but San Francisco is basically an island.” 

This earned her another chuckle. “True, well have a good night and be careful there’s a full moon out tonight, never know what crazy you'll run into.” 

Yue nodded walking toward the gate of the complex where her friends were waiting, turning back she got one last look at the man, for a moment she could have sworn it looked like his eyes glowed. 

Maybe she was watching too many cartoons. 

Or maybe he was just a bunch of gnomes in a trench coat. 

No, she was definitely watching too many cartoons. 

-GET TAGGED!- 

Masterlist 

Forever tag:  @the-shadow-of-atlantis @coffee-randomness @0hmydeku @xx3fsxx @daisyboobear  @jason-redhood @hello-i-lovespiderman-blr  @pinkwitch21 @tomhncharliep  @cdwmtjb8

Story:  @irwin-hood @hit-th3r0ck @cruel-kitten @boofrarti @i-miukimiuki @mmimagine-40 @mynameofuser @pia-1000 @angelgl16 @the-fifth-marauder03 @plutos-deamonchild @frenchfrostpudding @carydorse @neverleturheartshow2​ @sebhiddleston​ @probsjosh @dracaryspowpow @andrea20967​ @saiyanprincessswanie​ @olive-tini @albinotigerpython @wonderlandfandomkingdom​ @alessia--winchester 

[timaltman]

rules: once you have been tagged you are supposed to write 92 truths about yourself. at the end, choose however many people you want to tag!

tagged by: @hsinlvegas who has gotten me addicted to pinterest aesthetic boards and i’m mad at her for it but she’s still p rad. 

tagging: whoever wants to do it lmao idk it’s 2:30am here idek whats up or down rn i should probably be asleep but also like.... no.

LAST… [1] drink: water (i’m so exciting /sarcasm) [2] phone call: my mom called me while she was driving home from work  [3] text message: “oh my god no. not the kidz bop. pls no” - to my sister [4] song you listened to: reaching by audiomachine (which is so good pls go listen to it) [5] time you cried: last night thinking about steve irwin and how i owe him my entire life and career bc in 2 weeks i’m starting my first official zookeeping job and he was a huge inspiration for me as a kid 

-REST UNDER THE CUT-

HAVE YOU EVER…

[6] dated someone twice: no [7] been cheated on: no [8] kissed someone and regretted it: no [9] lost someone special: yes [10] been depressed: ☜(ﾟヮﾟ☜) all the fuckin time my dudes [11] gotten drunk and thrown up: no but i’ve gotten so anxious i’ve thrown up??

LIST 3 FAVOURITE COLOURS: [12] teal [13] pale yellow [14] silver

IN THE LAST YEAR HAVE YOU… [15] made new friends: yes! [16] fallen out of love: no [17] laughed until you cried: yes [18] found out someone was talking about you: yeah i mean i’m sure there are like three people who bitch about me all the time lmao [19] met someone who changed you: yes~ (in a good way)  [20] found out who your true friends are: (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧ -bitter fucking laughter-  [21] kissed someone on your facebook list: ye - my wonderful girlfriend~

GENERAL… [22] how many of your tumblr friends do you know in real life: i mean, i’ve met a lot of them after becoming friends on tumblr, but then i have some old high school friends and some internship friends on here, too.... so like 10 or so? probably a few more than that. [23] do you have any pets: my asshole cat, robin: the cat wonder, lives with me in my apartment. at home i have a beagle/terrier mutt named copper and a gray tabby named dusty. i’m hoping to maybe get a ball python this summer but i’m not sure yet! [24] do you want to change your name: yeah, i’ve considered it b/c trans but i’m not entirely sure what i want yet.... [25] what did you do for your last birthday: wielded a chainsaw, ate shitty walmart cake and watched step brothers with some classmates in a remote cabin in southern illinois? not my first choice but not terrible, all things considered. didn’t lose any limbs that day so i can’t complain. [26] what time did you wake up: robin woke me up at like, 5:30am to get fed, but then i went back to sleep again until 7:30, text billy to have a good day at work, and then i went back to sleep again until 9:45 b/c i didn’t have my 9am class today hell yeah [27] what were you doing at midnight last night: uh, pinterest-ing for my character aesthetic boards.... >_> [28] name something you cannot wait for: graduating college and being the fuck done with schoooooool. also mother fuckin wonDER WOMAN. [29] when was the last time you saw your mother: april 23rd [30] what is one thing you wish you could change about your life: how far away all the ppl i care about are :(((( [31] what are you listening to right now: more audiomachine but i was watching friends in the background earlier [32] have you ever talked to a person named tom: ye my old neighbor was named tom he was real nice [33] something that is getting on your nerves: not in the angry way but in the anxious way- i have to give a presentation on my research project to the college board in like... 6 hours. [35] elementary: yes? [36] high school: done [37] college: sO CLOSE TO DONE I LITERALLY HAVE TWO CLASSES LEFT [38] hair color: brown.... it used to have a white patch and be fun, but i dyed it for superboy and now i’m battling with myself debating if i should dye it back bc “””professional””” for jobs but that’s so boring i want to look like shiro again :((( [39] long or short hair: short god please short, regardless of what gender i present, short is so much nicer since my hair is so thiiiiick [40] do you have a crush on someone: ye my a m a z i n g girlfriend uwu  [41] what do you like about yourself?: noncommittal shrug emoji? i like my eye color i think that’s pretty radical since it’s like a gray-teal color. i guess i’m a pretty good resource for random ass animal facts too [42] piercings: mmmm i mean, i don’t care for them or about them that much? [43] blood type: literally no idea which is probably bad [44] nickname: sunshine, sam, sammy, teddy, timmy, timtam, dad [45] relationship status: -heart eyes emojis @ billy- [46] zodiac sign: aries i think? idk all i care is my celtic zodiac is a fox, so [47] pronouns: he/him [48] fav tv show: f ri ck en brooklyn 99 [49] tattoos: not yet, but after i get top surgery and no longer run the disk of mutilating or stretching it, i wanna get tim’s robin symbol on my chest [50] right or left handed: left!

FIRST… [51] surgery: wisdom teeth were my first surgery, i think? [52] piercing: got my earlobes pierced when i was like, 12? idk i don’t wear them anymore so they’ve all but closed up [53] best friend: this girl on the playground in preschool named asya but after her was this girl named natalie that i was friends with from kindergarten all through junior high. she just got married like, a month ago and i feel old [54] sport: like to actually continue with was soccer - i started at 6 i think [55] vacation: that i remember? disney world b/c my dad had drill down in florida so my parents dragged my sister and i with bc we didn’t have to pay for the hotel lol [56] pair of trainers: wut

RIGHT NOW… [57] eating: nothin [58] drinking: water [59] i’m about to: sleep maybe, hopefully?  [60] listening to: still audiomachine since they just asked this question like 10 questions ago..... [61] waiting for: my anxiety to calm tf down so i can go to sleep [62] want: foooood. i ate dinner really early (5pm) and now it’s 10 hours later so i want food again. [63] get married: -super noncommittal and also confused, disgruntled noises- ?? [64] career: dream career is a zookeeper, honestly. it’s what i’m doing, i’ve worked really hard to get to the place where i am, and i’m happy with it

WHICH IS BETTER… [65] hugs or kisses: hugs [66] lips or eyes: eyes [67] shorter or taller: no preference [68] older or younger: usually i get along better with ppl older than me- all my closest friends are older by 2 years or more except like..... amy [69] romantic or spontaneous: anxiety and spontaneity don’t mix lmao [70] nice arms or nice stomach: either or both or neither is fine idrc [71] sensitive or loud: sensitive [72] hook up or relationship: relationship [73] troublemaker or hesitant: hesitant only bc troublemaker makes me anxious lmao

HAVE YOU EVER… [74] kissed a stranger? nope [75] drank hard liquor? ye i’ve had like. one whole vodka and lemonade in my entire life because i am a raging party animal /sarcasm [76] lost glasses/contact lenses? i lose my contacts in my eyeball sometimes [77] turned someone down? ye kinda. my ~best friends~ have this bad habit of ~falling in love with me~ and then getting pissed when i don’t return the feeling and treating me like crap :))))  [78] sex on first date? nope [79] broken someone’s heart? sure maybe idk. not on purpose. [80] had your own heart broken? no [81] been arrested? nope [82] cried when someone died? i’m a monster and have no feelings so no, not really. i usually go into emotional shock and stop processing everything [83] fallen for a friend: kind of

DO YOU BELIEVE IN… [84] yourself? noooope [85] miracles? listen on friday i catered an event and the idiot who packed it up for us on their shift the day before forgot to put matches in the gathering. and the truck drivers loaded it onto the truck before i could check that everything was there. so we got to the location and couldn’t light the sternos for the hot food but somehow we found a box of matches in the kitchenette we were serving out of so yes i believe in miracles [86] love at first sight? maybe? idk not really i really don’t understand how anyone could love someone without knowing a bunch about them first [87] santa claus? billY AND I SAW SANTA ON OUR WAY UP TO C2E2 ON SUNDAY OKAY HIS CAR WAS RED AND SAID “MY OTHER RIDE IS A SLEIGH” AND HIS LICENSE PLATE SAID KRINGLE AND HE HAD A BIG WHITE BEARD IT WAS AMAZING OKAY. [88] kiss on the first date? maybe for ppl who aren’t like. super anxious about everything all the time [89] angels? no

OTHER… [90] current best friend’s name: marble, emma [91] eye color: teal-gray, which sounds pretentious and White Person af but like..... that’s the best way to describe them [92] favorite movie: i don’t knowwww that’s a hard one ;_; 

[vanedicated]

Travelling North? Let’s Explore ILOCOS NORTE!

It just turned March a few days ago and some of you might be checking out on their calendars getting ready for summer. Summer season is just around the corner. And I know as early as now, some are already planning for their travel destinations, might be checking out for discounted airfares. Are you wanting to spend your summer vacation on a white sand beaches with a panoramic view of the coast? What about visiting history buffs and cultural heritages? Or would you rather enjoy nature at its finest? Or who would want your adrenaline pumping with extreme adventures and activities? Are you planning for a destination that will surely make you say, “It’s more fun in the Philippines”?

Then I tell you, visit Ilocos Norte! I will tell you fun things to do here. From history buffs to nature lovers and adrenaline junkies, Ilocos Norte has got it covered.

CULTURAL HERITAGE

1. Paoay’s UNESCO World Heritage Church!

Is it your first time travelling to Ilocos Norte? Then include Paoay’s UNESCO World Heritage Church! The St. Augustine Church in Paoay must be included on your checklist. Popularly known as Paoay Church, this Roman Catholic church was completed way back 1710. With its beautiful façade and antiques furnishing, its another reason for its fame among tourists. 

I would say that I’m from Ilocos but I’ve been here for 3 times only. And whenever I visit Paoay, I always get to witness pre-nuptial photoshoots on the garden area of the church. 

The ambiance. The place. The people, those are the things that you will never forget when visiting Paoay Church. 

2. CAPE BOJEADOR LIGHTHOUSE

The lighthouse is the old queen, standing high and proud on top of the Vigia de Nagparitan Hill in Burgos Ilocos Norte. Built in the municipality of Burgos, this century old-lighthouse still guides international ships entering the Philippines from the north. 

It was just last year when me and my relatives’ climb up steps on a hill to take in not only this old Spanish lighthouse but also the panoramic view of the clear blue waters. 

It was my first time visiting the place and I have read and heard creepy stories about this place where I myself have also experienced (I don’t want to mention that anymore). But I did enjoy my visit there because I enjoyed the overlooking view of the sea.  

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, also known as Faro Cabo Cape Bojeador, said to be the most photographed and filmed of all Philippine light stations. But its elegance is already fading. I think the government must do something about this. 

3. Malacañang of the North

Malacanang of the North also known as Malacañang ti Amianan, as the locals call it, is a 5-hectare property situated in Brgy. Suba, Paoay, Ilocos Norte. It is considered as one of the important landmark in the province of Ilocos as this has been the official residence/rest house of the late President Ferdinand Marcos and his family whenever they are in Ilocos.  This was a birthday gift from first lady, Imelda Marcos, to her husband on the occasion of his 60th birthday.

The mansion is intricately designed and has a mix of Spanish and Ilocano architecture. The result is quite majestic and amazing, and one of its finest features is the magnificent view, with the house looking out over well tended gardens and the refreshing view of Paoay Lake. 

Again, I’ve been here twice and I would love to be here again because I am a fan of Marcos. I just love how the life of our late President Marcos was properly documented and organized. I would also love to read those books in the gallery but it was restricted.

AMBIANCE OF THE ILOCOS BEACHES

4. PAGUDPUD BEACHES

Visiting Ilocos Norte won’t be complete without a visit to Pagudpud’s various beaches. Let’s put on those swimwears, sun hats, sun block lotion and take a relaxing dip in Pagudpud’s crystal clear waters. 

You know, I’ve been here for the nth time already but I won’t get tired of thanking God for creating such wonderful sceneries for us to enjoy. I can say that I’m a proud Ilocano for having such breath-taking views in my own province. 

5. PATAPAT VIADUCT

On your way to and back Pagudpud, you will be passing by this long snaking bridge that is the 4th longest bridge (in general) in the Philippines. This picture perfect bridge was constructed under the Marcos Administration and was opened to traffic in October 1986. The bridge is elevated 31 meters over sea level. It is a concrete coastal bridge 1.3 km long and connects the Maharlika Highway from Laoag, Ilocos Norte to Cagayan Region.  It is 1.128 km long comprising of 76 spans and rises 31 meters above sea level. 

It was actually my first time visiting the place last May 2016 and I was really amazed again for the breath-taking man-made structure. I cannot stop myself from taking photos. How snaky the bridge is. How beautiful the view of the ocean is. How it was constructed by man. We really enjoyed the place. We stayed there for about 1 hour for selfies and everything.

BLESSINGS FROM NATURE

7. KAPURPURAWAN ROCK FORMATION

“Nature, on its own, has the ability to create amazing masterpiece over time.” -Angel Juarez, Lakwatsero.com

Standing beautifully in the coast of the town of Burgos, fronting the roaring waves of Bangui Bay, this massive rock formation shines conspicuously white, hence it’s name, “Kapurpurawan”, which means white. This natural formation was just standing at the edge of the sea and were said to be formed by the combined forces of the ocean waves and the wind.

Again, I was overly amazed as I reached Kapurpurawan Rock Formation because it was my first time visiting the place. I must agree that this spot is a must visit destination in Ilocos and in the Philippines.

I didn’t had the chance to try horseback riding since it was cloudy and starting to pour down. But I will definitely go back and try it. 

8. TANAP AVIS FALLS (Undiscovered waterfalls)

Tanap-Avis Falls is located at Brgy. Tanap Burgos, Ilocos Norte.

Again, this is my first time visiting the place. It was May 2016. I haven't trekked in a narrow, torturous trail before. An 30 minute trek to Tanap Avis is adventure at its purest! I really had hard time going across narrow bridges but thanks I’m not wearing my slippers that time. 

After a long walk, we were expecting fresh water coming from the falls but to our disappointment, the place was dry because it was May that time. According to some of my friends who went there, the best time to visit Tanap-Avis is January-February. So we will definitely be back there!!

Nonetheless, it is one of the most serene places to be in Norte!

9. ILOCOS SAND DUNES (PAOAY and LA PAZ Sand Dunes)

“This is the best thing I had tried in Ilocos, super enjoy!!!” 

When our relatives visited Ilocos last May 2017, my Uncle Jojo would ask us what are the “must-do’s” in Ilocos. So we tried to go to Paoay Sand Dunes.

Looking for an adventure, we experienced 4x4 ride and sand boarding.

I had tried 4x4 riding and sand boarding one time at Lapaz Sand Dunes so I already know the feeling of the perfect adrenaline rush.  And for the hard trail—well, it was like a roller coaster ride! From the edge of a hill that was like a 90 degrees slope we will be dropped down gushing through the dunes and that was an extreme dose of adrenaline! Holding the steel bars at the back of the 4x4 jeepney, we were really at the top of our lungs!!!

But as we go on with the adventure, I really had a great time because we experienced sunset along the shore.

Indeed, travelling can be very much enjoyed when you are with friends, family and relatives! And one can appreciate the beauty of others, if they must first appreciate their own. So, visit Ilocos Norte and together let’s say, “It’s More Fun in Ilocos Norte!”

Sources:

http://www.rappler.com/life-and-style/travel/ph-travel/40473-things-to-do-ilocos-norte

http://biancatalks.tumblr.com

http://www.thehappytrip.com/category/travel-3/

http://geejaytravellog.blogspot.com/

Swire Travel Philippines

Vera_Venus on Pinterest.

And Wikipedia for the facts and information about the places.